Phoenix Strike, the codename for Harry's strike team landed twenty kilometers from the storehouse. The latest intelligence said that there were charms and wards that would inform Voldemort of any magical travel, including House Elf Popping, Phoenix Flame Travel, Apparition, Portkey, and the house of portals. This was the closet they could get without setting off the alarms.
"Ok everyone, by the numbers." Harry ordered. Hermione and Luna began a perimeter check while Remus and Dobby checked their supplies. Ron and Neville took their bearings and checked over the map they had detailing the area. Ginny used her phoenix senses and performed a long range reconnaissance scan while Harry dropped into a meditative state and summoned local animals to act as lookouts and guides. Dora and Bill, who decided to join the strike team when they landed in Albania, stood watch over everyone, looking for anything that shouldn't be there.
After ten minutes, Hermione and Luna return from the perimeter patrol as Neville and Ron finish plotting out the path they were planning on taking. Harry opens his eyes as a number of animals approach the clearing. Among them are squirrels, badgers, chipmunks, a pack of wolves and a cougar.
Harry transforms into his Lion form and communicates with the animals while Ginny finished her scan.
Once complete, Harry transformed back and waits for Ginny to finish her scan before speaking. "The local animals say that snakes have been disappearing. The closer to the mound, the more prevalent the disappearances are. They do say that these snakes are never heard from again.
"Also, they said large animals are prevalent around here, including lions. Evidently there was some sort of animal sanctuary around here long ago. The animals escaped into the forests except for the elephants, otters, seal, and a few others they did not know. They were recaptured."
"The wards are strong, but I didn't feel any animagus detection wards. There are also sentry wards covering the little town that Oliver spoke of. I am glad they decided to camp out and stay quiet. Bill, the other curse breakers are encamped on the far side of the storehouse. Because of the distance, I think you should travel with us." Ginny said.
"I agree. Bill are you an animagus?" Harry asked. Bill smirked, the identical smirk that Fred and George wore when they were planning a prank. Without a word, Bill became a mountain lion with a red tint to his fur, then he changed into jackal and then back to his human form.
"Excellent. Ron Neville, which way?" Ron and Neville showed everyone the map they had, showing specific points that would be wait points. Because they were traveling as animals, they decided to blend in and travel in smaller groups.
"Ok everyone, checkpoint one in fourteen minutes, let's do it." The entire group transformed into their animagus forms including Dobby. Harry and Ginny transformed into lions, Neville and Remus into wolves, Luna and Hermione were owls. Luna was an eagle owl while Hermione was a tawny owl. Bill and Ron transformed into mountain lions. Dora transformed into a small chameleon who quickly settled down on Remus' back. Dobby, who learned he could transform easier then the others because of his magic, became a kneazle. He quickly jumped up onto Harry's back and settled down for fast paced ride he knew was coming. As soon as they were ready, the animals took off.
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Six hours later, the ten animals arrived at the small encampment that the advance team had been at for three days already. After checking out the immediate area, the group transformed back into the natural forms and greeted the advance team. After getting the last bit of current intelligence, Harry ordered the advance team to pack up and head out while Harry's team followed Viktor to where the crack was.
Once they arrived, the team did a series of spells to make sure it was safe before going thru the crack and sending Viktor back with the others to prepare for combat.
Once again in their animagus forms, Phoenix Strike made their way to the outer walls of the compound. The one advantage they had here unlike when they were training was that Hermione and Luna find a spell that would allow the entire team to communicate thru telepathy no matter what form they were in.
As they approached the outer ward Bill spoke up for the first time. "Harry, there is an animagus detection ward in place."
"Damn it." The alpha male lion said in his mind. "Bill can you disable it?"
"Not without alerting everyone. I would suggest that we look for a gully or creek of something that would run under the ward. If we find one, we can dig under the ward." Bill answered.
"Alright Hermione, Luna high altitude surveillance, if you see something let us know; Dobby, Dora, see what you can find up close and personal. The rest of us will spread out and see what we can find." Harry ordered.
It was fours later when a very irate Harry saw what they were looking for. There had been some sort of a collapse that left a hole in the side of a hill. With a little bit of work, the collapse could be opened up enough to pass under the wards and into the compound. Quickly calling to the others, they group quickly met up and began using their claws and paws to open the passage that they would use. All the while Hermione and Luna continued to fly over head as aerial surveillance to make sure they were not discovered.
Once there was a big enough opening Dora and Dobby, being the smallest amongst them, climbed thru the passageway and surveyed the immediate area. "Harry Potter sir, wes have looked around the area sir Dobby and Lady Dora say do not see anything."
"Thanks Dobby, we're working as fast as we can. If anything comes towards us let us know." Harry said.
It took almost another four hours before the group was finally able to get thru the passageway they dug out. It had been twelve hours since they arrived in Albania and that the army would be arriving in thirteen hours. They were falling behind schedule and the all knew it. Without saying anything, they team moved out towards the entrance to the storehouse.
Now that they were within the final wards, they were all extremely careful and quiet. After an hour of trying to move around in their animal forms, Harry ordered everyone but Remus to transform but into their human forms. Remus was not any normal wolf; he was a shadow wolf and had the ability to travel thru the shadows.
"Remus, use your shadow powers and take point. Neville, take the rear. Dora, take the left flank; Hermione, take the right flank. Everyone keep your eyes open for bad guys, detection spells, and wards." Harry ordered.
Once they entered the compound, they found that it was empty. The dormitories, the central dining area, even the animal habitats were empty. This worried Harry quite a bit.
"How much extra C-4 do we have?" Harry asked the team.
"We each have ten pounds and you have the detonators." Hermione answered.
"Place charge around the buildings. We'll make sure everything is destroyed. Remus, see if you can enter the storehouse thru the shadows and see what you can find out" Harry ordered.
Remus nodded, transformed back long enough to drop his supply of C-4 before he disappeared into the shadows.
"Harry, are you sure you want to do this." Bill asked.
By this time, everyone in the group followed Harry's orders without question. Even Dora and Remus followed his orders. Harry looked the Heir Apparent of the House of Weasley right in the eye and spoke.
"Yes I am sure about blowing this fucking place straight to hell. If you have a problem with that, then head back to the breech and wait for Albus and the others. But as long you are here, you are a member of my strike team and that means that you do as I say, when I say it, without question or complaint." Harry's voice was barely a whisper now, but still full of authority. "Do I make myself clear?"
For the first time in his life, William Arthur Weasley was actually afraid of Harry. He knew Harry was powerful, but the power Harry showed was not just magical power…it was his entire demeanor. From the way he carried himself to the way he cared for others. The only other wizard Bill ever met with that kind of power was the Headmaster, and even then he did not possess the amount of power that Harry did.
"I understand Harry. My only question is…how big of a boom do you want?" Bill asked with a smile.
"Why? Did you bring some of Fred and George's products?" Harry asked.
He was shocked when Bill expanded a rather large trunk filled with Portable Swamps and Whizz-bang Fireworks.
"Get to it Archeologist." Harry grinned.
As Bill headed off to start with the fun, Harry heard Remus thru their mental communication link. "Phoenix Sight to Phoenix Strike…Phoenix One come in. Phoenix One…this is an emergency…We have got a problem…He's back!!"
"Phoenix Sight, this is Phoenix One…I heard you. Whose blood did he use?"
"I have no idea…but he looks like how he did at Privet Drive, although a bit weaker." Remus said, sounding like he was out of breath.
"Do you see the obelisk?"
"Yes I do. Unfortunately, it's in the middle of the hill. The entire area around it is well lit. If I didn't know any better, I would say that the self made Dark Lord is afraid of the dark."
"I wouldn't surprise me in the least. The lack of lighting in many cultures represents death. Also, remember that Old Tom was a specter for a long time. He probably doesn't want to remember that."
"You're probably right. Harry…there is something else…I think he knows that we're around somewhere."
"Oh shit. Well there goes the one advantage we had."
"Harry…He's ordering Bellatrix to take a battalion of Inferi and search for us."
"How long do we have Phoenix Sight?"
"I would guess five minutes or less."
"Stay there. If you get the chance, launch a few Reducto Curses at the damn obelisk."
Harry quickly activated his link with the others. "Phoenix Strike, we have Inferi heading out way with Bellatrix in the lead. Everyone get ready for an ambush."
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Bellatrix Lestrange emerged from his Lord's Sanctuary ready to kill Potter and his little friends. However things did not go according to plan. She gathered her Inferi in the center of the compound's main courtyard when fire erupted from the roofs of some of the buildings.
Bellatrix looked around as the Inferi began to burn up. Over half of her forces were gone. She grew angrier when she spotted Remus Lupin, the werewolf, appear out of a shadow. With a dark smirk, she yelled the words that had taken so many lives, "AVADA KEDAVARA!" She watched as the green bolt of energy streaked towards the werewolf as he transformed his wand into a staff.
This caught Bellatrix unaware because no one had been able to successfully build a magical staff in over five hundred years. She watched as Remus batted the spell away from him. As she watched him smirk, she felt someone tap her shoulder. She spun around and saw the face of her own private enemy's son, Neville Longbottom. Before she could act, Neville impaled her with his sword.
"Today is your day of judgment Bellatrix. Say Hello to Draco for me when you rot in hell!" Neville told her before using his own staff and blasted her back twenty feet. As she was launched away from him, Neville pulled his sword up, cutting her into two pieces from her navel to her scalp. She was dead before she left her feet.
With Bellatrix dead, Neville conjured more flames using his staff and his sword. As the last of the Inferi were reduced to ash, Neville heard Harry conjure his flame patronus. Neville and others did as well and directed them to surround the group stood together.
Harry looked around at the others one more time, knowing that when he did this, Voldemort would know that they were there. With a nod of approval from the others, Harry held his staff high and spoke in a loud voice. "I Lord Gryffindor, Harry James Potter, Duke and Lord of Azkaban do hereby order that all creatures bound to me and my bloodline return to where you came, The Veil of Death! So Mote It Be!"
With an unholy cry, hundreds of thousands of dementors came spilling out of the entrance to the hill at an extremely high rate of speed. They rocketed towards the sky and were soon gone.
Harry then caste a sonorous on himself and turned to face the entrance of the hill, "TOM RIDDLE!! I'M COMING FOR YOU, YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH!!" Harry took off at a run into the hill.
"Well, there goes the one advantage we had." Hermione said as she and the others followed Harry.
"No. We have another ace up our sleeve." Bill said.
"What?" Hermione asked.
Bill pulled out Harry's detonator for the charges they placed around the compound. "This!"
Bill pressed the trigger, setting the explosives off outside, leveling not only the compound, but also the control stone for the wards, causing them all to fall.
"Harry wanted Albus to be in place early, just in case we ran into any trouble." Bill smirked as they pressed on.