DISCLAIMER: NOT FOR MONEY, ALL BELONGS TO JKR
Another long chapter, it's been like that with all my stories. I hope you enjoy this one. It basically kicks off the chase part of the story! The next chapter will be the Death Eater trials, and the ministry getting into action.
I'm glad the story's well-liked by people!
Yadada, please leave me a review!
Decisions are Made
Peter felt the familiar sensation of apparition fade away from him as he landed in front of a large, imposing manner. By dawn, he knew it would be surrounded by Aurors. Baby Harry had quieted down in his arms, and instead peered up at the sky with an awestruck face. The night was still young, and much had to be done. Hopefully, he thought, Harry would be his key to salvation. He felt disgusting as he entered the mansion, the familiar burning going through his arm, though much fainter this time. Possibly because the Dark Lord was dead.
"Who goes there?" hissed a voice, an octave too high for a regular human.
"P-P-Peter P-Pettigrew," he stuttered, fumbling backwards.
"Pettigrew?" hissed a voice, and the body of Alecto Carrow appeared from the shadows.
"Servant of the Dark Lord, reporting with the Dark Lord's final command," squeaked Peter in fear.
"Lies!" hissed Alecto, brandishing her wand at pointing it at Peter dangerously.
"What is going on out here?" came another voice.
The two turned as Lucius Malfoy, dressed in his traditional black garb, appeared. He was carrying a small, blond-haired toddler, who looked rather tired. For a menacing man, the appearance of a baby in his arms made the man look ten times less intimidating. The young Malfoy heir rubbed his eye lazily at the proceedings. Just like his father already, he seemed to believe he was above everyone around him.
"A spy from the Order dares to break in!" said Alecto, hysterically. Obviously she was still slightly deranged since losing her mark.
"What do you want Pettigrew?" asked Lucius, drawing his own wand out.
"Please, I bring a peace offering! In exchange for protection," began Pettigrew, licking his dried lips with fear, "I bring the new most powerful wizard since the Dark Lord fell, the one and only, Potter!"
"How dare he!" shrieked Alecto, brandishing her wand like a maniac.
"Are you telling me, that the reason our Lord is dead, is because of that?" said Lucius, pointing to the baby who was now beginning to wail from fear.
"Y-Yes, sir," said Pettigrew, "But he can be trained! We can make him a new Dark Lord!"
"Stupefy," hissed Lucius, with no mercy, and he watched as Pettigrew keeled over.
The baby, luckily, was not crushed during the fall and instead landed on Pettigrew's chest, before rolling over and wailing louder than before. His wails set of Draco, and for whatever reason, Alecto. Lucius turned to the window, it was over. He had lost. And now, he had five babies to deal with, an irate Death Eater, and a coward. How was he going to get out of this mess?
Remus couldn't believe it. Prongs and Lily were dead. Voldemort was gone. And best of all, Voldemort was dead because of baby Harry. Yet, even that news left a sour taste in his mouth. Sirius and James had suspected he was a Death Eater. Wormtail had sold out James and Lily that night. And the worst crime of all, he had kidnapped Harry and gone on the run.
All around him, the Order was at the end of their wits. They had gathered in Dumbledore's office to discuss the news. Whilst the rest of the world celebrated and whispers of the truth leaked out, everyone was trying to discuss the location of Worm-No, Pettigrew, and Harry. Wormtail was dead. The marauder that he had once known was dead. The marauders would never have sold each other out. Therefore, Wormtail had somehow died within Pettigrew. All that was left in him was a cruel, bitter, cowardly man.
"They could be heading out of the country by now!" shouted an irate Emmaline Vance.
"He's too much of a coward for that Vance, listen to yourself!" yelled Podmore in return.
Remus felt sick, he needed to leave. He looked up to see Sirius departing from the door. Odd. He followed quietly. He needed to talk to Sirius.
"Sirius!" he called out.
His friend turned to see him. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy. Obviously the night was not doing well on his nerves. His once sleek hair looked lacklustre and worn. His pale skin was stretched and raggedy. All in all, Sirius looked like a zombie. He flinched as Remus neared, surprising Remus.
"I'm sorry, it's all my fault Moony," croaked Sirius, bending down.
"What?" asked Remus.
"Hit me, beat me, twist my arm around my neck, anything at all, just get it over with!" yelled Sirius in a deranged manner.
"Why would I do that?" asked Remus in shock.
"Because I didn't trust you! I let that rat get to me! I changed the Secret-Keeper without your knowledge!" said Sirius impatiently.
"I didn't trust you either, I urged James to consider changing to Peter as well, I thought you were the Death Eater," said Remus hollowly.
"What?" asked Sirius in shock.
"I thought you were a Death Eater," said Remus with grief-filled eyes.
"So, then, it was both our faults?" asked Sirius in shock.
"We killed him Sirius," said Remus softly, his own eyes wet from grief.
"And now Harry's gone to god knows where," said Sirius angrily.
"We have to get him back," said Remus with conviction.
"If it's the last thing we do," said Sirius in agreement.
"For Prongs," the two said quietly in unison.
"Alexander, I'm glad you're here," said Lucius with a nod to the man in front of him.
"Havoc's already on the streets, people are celebrating everywhere," said Alexander Nott with a nod to Lucius.
"He's really gone," said Lucius softly.
"We're doomed Lucius! They'll take Theodore away from me, I'll be chucked into Azkaban! The Carrows are already hitting the streets, acting like they've been released from the Imperius curse, give me one damn good reason why I shouldn't join them," said Alexander furiously.
"Because, of that," said Lucius, pointing to a stunned and gagged Pettigrew in the corner.
"What have you done Lucius?" asked Alexander in shock.
"He's the one who betrayed the Potters, and worse, he brought the boy here, with us," said Lucius angrily.
"What does he expect from us? Protection?" asked an incredulous Alexander.
"We may not have a choice. The house elves already know, Bellatrix and the Lestrange brothers left with Crouch after dropping off the Longbottom boy here, to find the Dark Lord, they believe he may be out there," said Lucius curtly.
"What about Severus? Can't he take the man to Dumbledore?" Asked Alexander.
"It's not that simple, I can't get a hold of Severus, and what Pettigrew brought as a peace offering is far too awful to put into writing," said Lucius with a hint of hysteria.
"What did he bring?" asked Alexander, a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"He brought Harry Potter," said Lucius, confirming Alexander's worst doubts.
"You're kidding," said Alexander, paling.
"We have five children in here, and two House elves, bonded now with those children. All it would take is the discovery of the children in my beach house to set off a round of questioning. Every single Death Eater affiliated with me will be put under Veritaserum, asked if they knew. A yes from either of them, or us will slip all our covers," said Lucius.
"We can bribe our way out," argued Alexander.
"Fool! Think for a minute! Amelia Bones, last of the Bones line. The most prestigious pure-blooded blood traitors! With her wealth, she'll want revenge. Already she's been throwing her power around, left right and center. If she has her way, with a few sob stories and by plucking some strings, she'll have every me put under Veritaserum trials! Claiming her niece is traumatised, she can get revenge!"
"And Weasley! He and his wife have friends from all walks of life. One little sob story and they'll be the front page of the Prophet! What about Augusta Longbottom? Her husband and her are high classed members of society! They have allies in the highest places of society! By the time Bellatrix is caught, it will take all the strings I can possibly pull to have her escape the Dementor's Kiss! And why? Narcissa would never look at me again if I didn't try to help her sister!"
"And what about Black? You forget the prestige Sirius Black has in society! As the last heir to the Black household, even if Walburga disowned him, people will hear him out! He's Potter's godfather! That alone will make him a key voice against all Death Eaters! And even though they aren't upstanding members of society, the Lovegoods magazine has been pouring out stories the ministry keeps quiet! They've been demanding to have their daughter brought home! They have plenty of supporters thanks to their bravery, despite being a bunch of oddballs!" ranted Lucius loudly.
"So why won't they just try us with Veritaserum anyways?" asked Nott coldly.
"Because, as long as the kids aren't found, they're case stays open and with no evidence affiliating them to us, such as being found in this house, we can't take the fall!" said Lucius.
"But you just explained to me that all those people can have every Death Eater tried under Veritaserum, why won't they?" asked Nott.
"Listen to me Alexander, our safety depends on those kids not having any connection towards us, me especially. People will want to bury the last ten years, be forgiving and what not. Of course, the most horrible Death Eaters will be taken to prison, but the ones who claim to be sorry, who have sob stories, who were Imperiused or threatened, they'll get off light! Asides from this house, there is no connection to us. Those kids don't know who took them! Bones was taken by the Carrows, but can she say that? She doesn't even know that she's a Bones! Weasley was taken by Dolohov, and his mother was the only witness. Lovegood, well, I won't say that you led the party, and neither can she, so nobody knows your role, Alexander."
Alexander stiffened at those words, but Lucius ignored him as he continued, "And Bellatrix, well she'll confess to her sins, she'll wear them like a badge. But Potter, well, he's here too, and his kidnapper wants our protection. Like we're going to give him that."
"Lucius, how can they connect me to your house?" asked Alexander with a bit of a scoff.
"I have photographs of you hear, Alexander, for Narcissa's birthday, and Draco's, you're just at risk as I am," said Lucius.
"So then we just kick the house elves and kids out, simple," said Alexander.
"And they'll just go where? With no one in control, the elves will return to their master, Crouch Sr!" said Lucius irately.
"But you forget, we have a readymade scapegoat," said Alexander with a smirk.
"That we do," said Lucius as the idea dawned on him, and the two grinned evilly at Pettigrew.
"It's done Winky," said Dobby, as he rushed into the nursery.
Winky stood in a pretty red tea cosy, feeding baby Susan and baby Ron some oatmeal. The two toddlers were about eighteen months. Ron was the oldest, almost hitting eighteen months, just shy a few days. Susan was fifteen months, and the second oldest. Being the longest two in captivity, they had begun to forget their past. They seemed to understand that their parents were gone, and asides from the nightmares, were growing well. The two were babbling away to each other in their baby speech.
Baby Luna was just eight months. Four months having passed since she was taken, and she was dealing with her nightmares as terrors. The little baby had just begun to crawl, and was already showing signs of advancements. Susan seemed to dote on Luna, and treated her more like a toy than anything. Ron seemed at first jealous of Susan, and by the time Luna came, he was so used to having 'younger siblings', he didn't care. He was adventurous, and Dobby was forever chasing him and trying to keep the little boy safe.
Now, the two elves had two more babies to deal with. Neville Longbottom had appeared first. The Lestranges had brought him. The baby was a year and three months, and wailed loudly for his parents. Harry Potter had followed, and like Neville, he too had cried himself to sleep. The two snoozed in their cribs, unaware that two house elves feared for their fates.
"What is, Dobby?" asked Winky. For all her reverence to the Crouches, she'd grown fond of the children. It was hard on her to have to choose between the two.
"My master is to be sending us aways, with the babies," said Dobby, his bulging tennis ball sized eyes looking frantically at her.
"And my master? What is he be doing?" asked Winky nervously.
"I is not knowing, but Winky, we is to be going with a coward man, the one who brought baby Potter, we is to be on the run!" said Dobby frantically.
"I is not liking this one bit Dobby, babies aren't made for running!" said Winky.
"What if coward man tries to hurt babies?" asked Dobby quietly to Winky.
"If my master is leaving me with babies, I is protecting babies, is my job as a good elf," said Winky.
"And I is liking babies, they don't hit Dobby, I is protecting them too," agreed Dobby.
"Then we is to be packing Dobby," ordered Winky, "Dress Master Ron."
"Yes ma'am," said Dobby.