Disclaimer: Harry Potter, associated characters and setting belong to JK Rowling and whoever she chooses to share the rights with, which does not include me. This is for entertainment purposes only, with no copyright infringement intended, or profit made.
Chapter 8: Miscalculation
Lee Jordan, Oliver Wood, Fred and George were out drinking to commiserate with Lee on his recent single status. Yet another witch just wasn't ready for his brilliance and giant spider collection. They were at a tavern off Diagon Alley, far enough from Fred and George's shop that they wouldn't get 8-year-olds asking for pranking advice, nor would anyone here ask Oliver to get them a autograph from a teammate. People came here to drink and talk. The lighting was low enough that those who came to be seen would need to keep a lumos cast.
Fred nodded at George, waited a moment, then nodded at a table further along the wall. George raised an eyebrow. Oliver looked confused for a moment, but caught on. Lee was more accustomed to the twins, and knew something was in the air.
George raised another eyebrow, and Fred set down his beer, and tapped his left forearm, Where that dark mark would sit. Lee saw that, and reached for his radio. Fred shook his head.
George went to used the loo, and when he came back, he tucked a flesh colored string in his ear. Fred made small talk with Lee, asking about girls who had seen his spiders and come back again. Oliver offered that he knew of a muggle Lady Entomologist who live in Upper Flagly.
"Just the three on this side of the table. They're bragging to the others." George put down the extendable ear.
Fred smiled at Lee and Oliver. "Can I ask you two to go back to the shop and check to make sure I locked it? I'm feeling paranoid all of a sudden. Here's the keys, and Lee knows our ward scheme."
Lee and Oliver took the offered diversion, and went to check on the shop. When they got back, after walking slowly, the three death eaters were missing, and Fred had ordered another round of ale.
Lee nodded. "Any idiot bragging about his new tattoo deserves it, and I don't want to know what it is."
"They've just gone to the loo. I'm sure they'll show up at some point."
The headlines the next day argued that three more young men had, indeed, gone missing between their tavern table and the loo. The three had nothing in common, other the a purebred background. No one had seen anything, but Hermione still yelled at them for working without backup.
ooo
The summons came late at night. Fred and George were talking over the radio at the same time, nearly incomprehensible to the sleepy students. As they woke up, they started picking up on words. When Hermione heard 'Death Eaters' and 'Diagon Alley' she knew enough to start asking questions.
"Do you two need to be evacuated?"
The twins calmed down enough that they were no longer talking over each other. "No. At least, not now." "Left." "We're using your tactics, dear. We're an invisible menace still."
"Could we be useful, then?"
"If you can get here. It seems like they're working in small groups." "Not sure why they're doing what they're doing."
"Everyone, start getting ready. We'll pick the twins' brains for information as we get out of the Castle."
Neville, Ron and Harry all started getting up, trying to scramble quietly for clothes. Their Hunting kits, in accordance with Hermione's rules, were packed and ready to go.
Seamus, who could sleep through Ron's snoring, apparently noticed the sudden lack of sound, and asked "Whasup?"
Harry looked over at the head sticking out of the curtains. "Prank related business. We've been plotting with Fred and George. Best not to ask."
"So long as I'm safe while sleeeeping." Seamus had yawned mid-vowel.
"Sleep, Seamus. And if anyone asks, Ron snored all night, yea?"
"al'right..."
Harry shook his head as the left the room. If his experience held true, Seamus was already back to sleep, and might not even remember waking.
"Do you guys know our alley enough to come in here?"
"Maybe, why?" Harry asked.
"They've got all their main forces at the Leaky and at the entrance to Knockturn." "We just saw two shrimps with acne breaking into Ollivanders." "We think the minor forces behind the lines would be easy to take."
"We'd be surrounded." Hermione was a smart girl, and had studied fighting on two fronts.
"Fred, how about not the alley. How about the side of Gringotts. I trust that to stay solid and guard my back." Harry asked as they exited the portrait, looking at the marauder's map.
"I think we all know it enough to apparate to it, but could we get out?"
"Do they have wards up, you two?"
"Nope. They're apparating in and out behind the lines. Which makes holding the lines seem that much sillier."
"Never let it be said that wizards are logical" Hermione muttered.
"Weird." Harry said, looking at the map. "There's no one patrolling, not even Snape."
Hermione looked at him. "Harry, if the Death Eaters are attacking Diagon Alley en mass, why would Snape be here?"
Harry realized what she meant. "Dammit."
Hermione spoke clearly into the radio. "Okay, people, it's going to be chaos, but if you see him, try not to hurt Dumbledore's spy. He's useful, just not for us."
Neville looked up. "Snape is a spy?"
Harry nodded as he worked on poking the Whomping Willow. "For the Order. Has been for longer then we've been alive. Don't go spreading it around."
"Even if they don't share their info with us – because they don't know we exist – it's good that someone has a spy."
When they got out to the shack, Hermione made everyone take three deep breaths. Then they all greed on which corner of Gringotts they were going to meet at. Then they left for the battle.
ooo
Hermione felt exposed, wearing a visible red cloak up against the white marble of Gringotts. But if the group was going to stay together and stay spaced in this thing, they needed a visual anchor. She felt George sliding behind her to get to his spot. Fred whispered to Neville on the other side.
Harry gave them their orders over their radio. "Targets of opportunity only. Let's pick off the ones away from the herd, and than leave in a puff of dust and so on."
"There were three trying to follow us as we came. They should be coming around the corner soon- oh, there. NOW."
The three had walked around the corner and been hit by a wall of red stunners. Hermione cast Three green spells, resulting in three mice in a single jar.
"Now what? We make a noise and hope someone checks on it?"
Fred ignored her sarcastic tone. "We could try that. Can't hurt. Might work. And a confused Death Eater is a stunned Death Eater."
"Fine. Ron, kick that rubbish bin, would you?"
Ron kicked the bin, which made a lovely clang, and they waited. And they waited. When two Death Eaters passed the end of their alley a minute later, Hermione was pretty sure they had not heard the noise. However, at Harry's "NOW!" they shot, nevertheless. The two cloaked figures fell in the street. Hermione grabbed an empty jar and cast quickly, trying to get the slumped bodies out of sight before anyone saw them.
"George, can you take jars from me? These are full and I don't want to risk escape if I pull a full one out later."
"Sure, but let me hand them off to Nev. He's going home with our house elf handler. Also, he hasn't got the mouse spell down yet, so you can trade out you heavy jars for his light ones."
"I hate to tell you this, but since I can't get the spell yet, I don't have mine." Neville's voice was regretful, and Hermione imagined she could see his blush.
"It was this way!"
They all whipped their heads around to the entrance of their side-street.
"It was green, and I was over here." The voice was high and whiny, and it was coming closer.
"Who do you think would be casting unforgivable spells over here. Think your mates have suddenly decided to try get into Gringotts while I'm not looking?" That voice they did recognize. It was deep and smooth and scathing. They heard it every potions class.
"But, it was odd, and I report all odd incidents..."
"Fine, let's look. But since you've already lost half your group, we're sticking together. And you'll explain why you lot can't be trusted to do simple breaking and entering unsupervised."
Hermione braced herself. Even knowing there would be three shields up if she needed them, she had the urge to run. A group of 6 or more would mean they'd have to run. And Snape was a competent opponent.
She almost sighed when only four came around the corner. Unfortunately, four coming around the corner meant four Death Eaters all looking at her with intent to kill. Sighing in relief would be out of character. Laughing hysterically was out too, unless she passed it off as evil or crazy.
Hermione did notice that Snape was smart, and likely still alive, since he went around the corner last. It wouldn't help them, though. He was a spy, but he wasn't their spy, nor was he in on the plan.
What followed was and utterly confused volley of spells. Two cutting curses got through to her. Neville cried out over the radio, as did Ron. Her cloak stopped the spells, since they'd already lost energy ramming through shield spells.
She cast Muskilulae as fast as she could. The green light flashed, and she actually did let out a laugh as the Death Eaters started trying to hide behind each other. And then, before she was even ready for it to have started, it was over. There was a mouse in the jar in her hand, so she screwed on the lid.
"Injuries?"
The radio was silent. She asked again "Ron, Neville, you guys made a bit of noise, you ok?"
"That was our shields collapsing and hitting each other."
She nodded. "Let's get out of here. Fred, George, you ok going to the Burrow?"
"Yup."
And, never having left the ally, they left the battle. Secret plans don't do well once people figure them out. And ambushes tend to reverse once they're known.
ooo
Hermione stood in her red, blood stained and tattered cloak, staring at a pint jar with three mice in it.
"Harry, can you use the map to help us label these mice? Can it zoom in that far?"
"In Hogwarts, yeah, it can zoom in that far. It doesn't work out here in the Shack."
Hermione started walking towards the tunnel. "Let go sort mice in the Room of Requirement, then."
"It doesn't show the Room." He dropped through the trapdoor, and turned to help Hermione.
"We really need to send off to Remus and figure out how to fix that." Hermione smiled at the thought of learning the map's secrets.
Harry nodded. "Yes, we do. I think he doesn't want to encourage us in recklessness, but I think we could argue for better mapping the castle."
"Or at least blackmailing any couple found in there on their own." Ron smiled.
"You know that rule would have people blackmailing us, right?" Harry looked around. "Most of us have been in there with only one other."
Hermione stuck out her tongue. "We'd ignore it, and it would go away, after all, where there's no fire, smoke clears up fast."
Harry looked confused. "I'm not sure about your metaphor."
"Besides, Hogwarts is a gossip breeding factory. And there were those articles the year of the tournament. People would claim they had proof." Ginny smiled bitterly.
In an empty classroom, Hermione was emptying her pockets of mice when Harry paled suddenly, and yelled "Wait!"
"What?"
"You have one more jar, it's in your left pouch, right?"
"Yes.." Hermione looked hesitant.
"It's Snape, unless he's disillusioned and standing touching your elbow.."
"Damn. Oh, Fuck."
Harry looked up. "Did you just say -"
"Yes. I'll go deal with him. You deal with the rest? And if I'm in detention for the rest of my years, you're checking out books for me."
"Sure, thing. You sure you don't want help?"
"No, you'd aggravate him. And the less proof he has, the less likely he is to report us."
ooo
Hermione stood upright, hood off and head up, bracing herself. The jar containing Snape was in the center of the room, lid off. Carefully, she levitated him onto a bare spot of floor.
"Please, Sir, if you can hear me, hold still while I turn you back. Don't run off towards Mrs. Norris." Hermione winced at that thought. "The spell is green. We did that to make it easily confusable... Just hold still, Sir, and don't worry."
The mouse stood, looking at her, and sniffing.
Hermione cast her untransfiguration. She watched only long enough to make sure Snape came back with all his limbs, before she plastered her eyes to her shoes. "Your wand is on your desk, Sir."
She heard him take two long steps over to his desk, and the clack of wood on wood.
"Miss Granger..." His voice paused. "Miss Granger, I'm not even sure where to start."
"Sir, I'm so sorry we turned you into a mouse. You were that last one, and none of the others who saw it will be able to report back, so you should be able to report that it never happened, you escaped, and still be able to spy, Sir, and not-"
"Miss Granger, you're babbling."
Hermione looked up at that. Professor Snape was leaning on his deck, slumped far more then she'd ever seen him.
"Sir, we didn't hurt you, did we, or rattle the jar too much?"
"I'm fine, Miss Granger. Startled, confused, but unhurt. Now... tell me how you came to be wearing that ridiculous cloak while battling Death Eaters at 3am... And tell me how on earth you WON!"
"The cloak is ridiculous so you don't notice the Disillusion spells around it. Every eye trends towards the red and the stains, while no one sees the ripples of the sheilders and hexers around me... It's shield charmed, too, and the hood has a permanent Sticking Charm on it..."
Professor Snape nodded "Don't stop talking. Who, How, Why. Feel free to babble for now."
Hermione looked cautious. "Um, Sir, the who... I'm afraid I'm unwilling to provide more concrete information at this point, Sir, unless you are willing to concede how you intend to use the information."
"So you somehow became a fighter the Death Eaters themselves fear... known to kill indiscriminately, and, if one listens to the whispers of the new boys, eat the bodies. Instead, you have, well, you, the know-it-all, posing with at least two shielders, and two additional duelers, - don't give me that look, you used plurals- turning Death Eaters into mice and storing them in jars..."
Hermione was once again studying her shoes. "...it only works if people don't know the details."
Snape looked at her. "But know I know."
Hermione looked up, not quite meeting his eyes. "Yes, sir, and now that you're not a mouse, what do you intend to do about it?"
"That's the question. I doubt anyone in your little groups is old enough to be in this fight, according to Order standards. And you, Miss Granger, are, at the least withholding information on students out of bounds after hours... however..." Snape looked at her.
"However?" Hermione's tone of voice was hopeful for the first time since she had entered the room.
"It seems to be working. How many mice do you have?"
"Thirteen, plus what we got tonight. So twenty-two, well, twenty-one excluding yourself."
"I no longer seem to be a mouse."
"You're useful, even if you don't report to us." Hermione sighed. "Please don't report us, either. We're doing what we can to make this war easier. You said yourself the low level Death Eaters are afraid."
"You've been effective, yes, and don't seem to have gotten yourselves killed yet. But this war, it's not a game to play at. You need to be aware or the consequences."
"Everyone involved is already a target. Now we're targets with a plan to fight back." Hermione's fear and anger were bleeding off, and she stifled a yawn. "We want there to be a reason for people not to join up. And we want those who go down to stay down."
"I'll need to think on this. In the meantime, you need to go to sleep. There are classes tomorrow, and you shouldn't fall asleep into your caldron. You're safe from me for now, but if your antics cause an explosion..."
Hermione turned to leave, but stopped at the door.
"Can you explain your escape? We could knock you on the head and leave you under a bag of rubbish in an alley, if it would help..."
"Do try to keep the glee out of your voice when you say that, girl."
"I'm just trying to be helpful, Sir." With that, she turned and fled up the corridor, pulling her disillusion cloak on over her head as she ran.
ooo
AN The rating on this fic is M. It has been since the start. I'll be giving warnings on chapters with excessive violence or possible triggers. Please keep an eye out for those, as they are coming up. If you do not want to read about violence, gray ethical decisions by main characters in bad situations, or aftermath of rape, this would be your warning to find other reading material.
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