Beta's: 5/8/2015

Polegara

Chapter 24, The Calm Before the Storm

Draco Malfoy leaned his back against the door to the Room of Hidden Things. This year was nothing like he thought it would be. The young man reached into his mouth with a grimace. A sharp pop echoed from him as he pulled the tooth free. It was softly glowing.

"I thought as much." He muttered to himself. Amorentia again, low dosage, but more than enough to keep him in thrall had it not been neutralized by the fake tooth. The blond-haired young man chuckled darkly to himself as he replaced the invaluable tool back into his mouth.

His steps carried him to a slightly damaged, stuffed-back chair he dug out one of the piles of refuse that permeated the room. It sat facing a great cabinet that he moved into this room the evening after he arrived in the castle. It was special in a way that only he truly understood. Not even his 'handler' understood exactly what he was doing. Which led him to his current situation.

It was done. The enchantments on it were repaired, and it was in perfect working order. The plan he came up with to meet the Dark Lords demands could be completed at any time. Yet, he found himself, as he had for the last three days, just sitting in this chair looking at it, debating his current circumstances.

The tooth was a standard necessity for a Malfoy to evade the possibility someone would attempt control their heirs. He remembered his Mother telling him all about it when it was installed the day before he entered his first year at school. In truth, until this all started, he practically forgot about it. However, someone, somehow, managed to slip a full strength dose to him during dinner that second night back in the castle. He was never in any danger of being controlled, but it alerted him that someone was trying.

He didn't react and just carried on with his meal. They failed, but this didn't feel like someone's stupid idea of a prank to embarrass him. Whoever it was, had they known about the tooth they wouldn't have tried, so he ruled out any of the old families who have had to deal with such attacks before. Whatever this was, it didn't appear to be about the Malfoy Fortune.

That night, he cautiously continued with his plan keeping his eye out for his attacker to show him or herself. The first step was to get the cabinet in this room so he could work on it without anyone knowing. It was foolish of Potter to allow the secret of this room out, but his stupidity was Draco's gain. He'd only had enough time to complete the move when his handler found him.

Draco smiled. Now that was a surprise. He never would have suspected her to be his mysterious attacker. Yet, she was. He was very curious as to what she could possibly want with him, so he played along to see where this went. After all, he was in control of this situation, no matter what she thought. So, it wouldn't hurt to figure out why.

It took almost a week before she felt that her control over him was enough to get to it. Draco shook his head. She somehow overheard him talking on the train with a few other Slytherins. All of them had parents who were Death Eaters, so of course they already knew about his role in the coming year. It would have been suspicious had he not bragged about it.

Yet, instead of stopping him or revealing his plan to Dumbledore, she offered to help him. He was so shocked; he almost forgot the role he was supposed to be playing. She asked him what he needed and then set about getting it. Every other day, she would meet with him to find out his progress and make sure he took his potion, though she never told him that. She had her own agenda for his project. Then things just spiraled from there.

Draco pulled the letter he received just that day from his father from his pocket. He opened it, scanning the contents again.

Son,

Our investor has once again inquired as to how the progress of our venture proceeds. As always I have informed him that everything is proceeding apace as expected. However, the investor has recently become dissatisfied with the pace in which we are moving and has asked that we have it completed by no later than October First. Otherwise he will have to pull his funding and will no longer be interested in continuing doing business with us. I request an update on your progress immediately.

Lucius Malfoy.

Draco's lips curled, reading his father's script. He was growing to truly hate the man. Before this summer, he worshiped his father. He thought he was a great man who taught him that Malfoy's bow to no one. They were the top of the Hierarchy in their society. It was only proper that all the lesser people pay homage to be in their presence. Then, he saw the kind of man his father really was.

His father was a groveling, sniveling toady to a power-drunk monster. Voldemort didn't care about the Pureblood cause. He only paid lip service to it so the old-blooded families would follow him. Draco saw the truth at his initiation when he received his own mark. A mark that was given to him not because he was valuable to the Dark Lord, not because he was a Pureblood, not because it would further the cause or keep their traditions alive, but because it was expected he would fail and be killed in his mission. All to punish a man who wasn't worth the pure-blood in his veins.

His father knew it. His mother knew it. Everyone there knew why he was being marked. This mission had nothing to do with anything other than petty revenge because his father failed. Of course it didn't matter that the Dark Lord also failed did it? Of course not, because his failures were the result of his minion's failures. The Dark Lord never failed.

Now, here he was, against the odds, his mission complete, just unreported. To keep his success a secret, and until he figured out his next move, he kept the last rune cluster unpowered. That way, they couldn't accidently figure out the cabinet was ready. No, that wouldn't do. Draco wasn't ready for things to go forward in any direction until he made his decision.

There were only really three options for him to move forward with, but only one really intrigued him. It would be costly, it would make enemies he was not sure he could handle, but it would be justice.

Draco leaned back into the chair tapping the folded letter against his lips. "So…what to do with you, My Love…"

XxXDaRXxX

Amelia lowered her fork onto her empty plate. It was a lot to digest, and she wasn't thinking of the food. That was settling a lot better than the information Sebastian had just given her.

The tale spun by her half-crazed friend was full of incredibly hard-to-believe pseudo facts. Take Mr. Potter's upbringing. Sebastian presented her a list made by Ms. Granger of the various injustices Mr. Potter told her of. Then, there was Sebastian's addition of the three Oblivations he had removed. By themselves concerning, but with Mr. Potter remembering it was the same person each time, it was considerably more alarming. Truly, it was a graphic tale of not just an unloved child, but one systematically mistreated in a way that had only one conclusion. It had all been staged.

Thanks to her niece, and her boyfriend, Amelia was in on the goings on at Hogwarts. It had been a lot more eventful than the parents had been led to believe. However, what they knew, or guessed, paled by comparison to Sebastian's information. The added bits from him tilted the axis of those tales in incredible ways.

Amelia sighed drawing the attention of her table mate. "And so, one of your old students brings them to you to train." After a moment of quiet, she couldn't help but sigh again. "What made you decide to help them Sebastian? No matter how mental I think you are, I can't see you just up and training two strange teens in your magic without a reason. Not considering how dangerous it is."

Raze himself leaned back as he frowned at his thoughts. "At first, I wasn't going to. You were right when you said they were too young, too unstable. Wild magic is not for the faint of heart. It's not a road to power."

"Despite what I call it, Wild Magic is about balance. Balance within one's self. Balance with the world around you. Balance with magic itself. All of it interconnecting and weaving around each other to form a tapestry that defies logic. It is a demanding branch of magic that a person must give him or herself to completely. One of trust, understanding, and acceptance. One misstep, and if you're lucky, you'll just kill yourself. I've seen it expand like a wild fire by those who tried to misuse it…"

Amelia kept her eyes on him as he reached for his glass to drink. "It was while I was helping them with their bond that I started considering it."

"By the Arcanum, Amy," The scared man cursed. "These two children came to me wounded, confused, and scared beyond measure. The attack, the bond, and Surge...she was a wreck. Their shared nightmares fed off each other creating terrors you and I can't imagine. Oh, they put up a brave face, acting like nothing was wrong, but I've seen too many good men and women crumble from similar stresses to not see the signs."

"After a while of watching them struggle, I talked them into sharing their lives with me as a way to purge it from their minds and help them cope. I thought, if nothing else, I could at least do this for them."

The large man sighed. "It took a while for them to trust me and understand what I was trying to do. But, the truth did come out, slowly at first, but then in great waves. Once I understood; how could I not help them?"

"I sent for my Ground Team and began their training once I was satisfied they understood the depth of the commitment needed. They have more than repaid that trust." Raze ended firmly.

Amelia stated. "For over four years in your little play land." Raze smiled at her jab. "A shame we can't make use of that trick of yours now."

Razes smile faded replaced with a slight frown. "I couldn't risk it falling into the wrong hands, Amy. I brought my best here to England. Such an artifact used for the wrong reasons could create something so much more dangerous than Voldemort."

"I don't disagree with you, 'Raze'." Amelia stated ignoring his obvious enjoyment of the implied slight. "I was merely stating that it would have solved our man power problem nicely."

Raze smirked. "You have us."

"I would prefer a fighting force that was far less insane, thank you." She stated while rolling her eyes.

Raze chuckled. "You do have to admit, Amy, we are effective."

Not arguing against his reply, Amelia continued. "So, then you came up with 'The Plan'?"

"Hmm, yes. An interesting bit of intrigue. My original idea was to set The Wounded Bitch just outside his tower and lay cannon shot into the Headmaster's Quarters until we breached the room. A simple smash and grab operation to acquire the information Mist and Surge believed Dumbledore had." Raze stated waving the final point away dismissively.

"However, they brought to my attention that the information we needed was most likely not found in any of his belongings. Dumbledore wouldn't leave anything like that around to be used against him or to risk the spreading of sensitive materials."

"So, Mist came up with the plan of 'allowing' themselves to be captured by the right sort."

"The right sort?"

Raze chuckled at her questioning tone before he answered. "Dumbledore and Voldemort placed quite the bounties on Mist and Surge. The contracts were not well known, but known well enough. No mercenary worth his profession would take it, which leaves only the wrong sort aside from whomever Dumbledore had tracking them."

"An interesting assessment, Sebastian. However, I do not believe I understand exactly what you mean. You talk as if there was some sort of code to rogue Hit Wizards. I was under the impression that they took whatever contracts paid well enough to justify the expense of their skills and time."

Raze winced. "A common misconception, actually. There are two types of mercenaries in the world. Professionals and amateurs."

"A Professional Mercenary is a warrior who fights under the banner of a government, or political subdivision thereof, for the purposes of furthering state policy. We fight for the cause in other words. Anything less, and you're dealing with thugs, psychopaths, or the desperate."

"Interesting." Amelia muttered. "So ,why wasn't Dumbledore able to garner any 'Professional' assistance?"

"Despite Dumbledore's many titles, he was working outside the established system. Dumbledore was using his ICW contacts, but without the ICW's knowledge and consent. He wasn't looking to further policy or effect change in the government. It's insulting, and a waste of any professional guild's time, to track down a couple of love-sick or potioned, wayward teens."

"And Voldemort?"

Raze scowled at the thought. "Voldemort's methods would have excluded any professional interest except from a few extremist factions. Even though Voldemort is in essence a Rebel Leader looking to rebuild the Government, his actions are those of a terrorist. No true warrior would offer their services to such a venture."

Amelia nodded her head once to show her understanding. "So, when Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger left, the plan was to try and find a way to let whoever Dumbledore had tracking them find them, while avoiding the others?"

"Eventually, yes. It was believed that under the right circumstance they could manipulate Dumbledore into an Unbreakable Vow in exchange for their return. Surge was convinced he would give one in order to have Mist back at Hogwarts."

"This first part was the most difficult to orchestrate. While my people were arranging for their hunters to chase shadows and spreading misinformation, they took a vacation safe in the knowledge that we were covering their tracks."

"Even though a lot of this part of the plan was scripted by them, they also needed time to come to grips with it. Even as we put the plan into action, they were unsure if they were ready. I left the option up to them and waited to see what they would eventually decide. There were other options to explore if they didn't feel up to the task."

"It was surprisingly easy for them to figure out that the Great Alastor Moody was Dumbledore's tracker. We waited until the riffraff had been misled before arranging for a tip that would redirect Mad-Eye to Mist and Surge."

Amelia's eye twitched at the mentions of Mad-Eye. When she got the time, she was going to have a long talk with the retired Auror. "Indeed. A tricky venture to engineer. I take it you didn't spread this information around, even among your own people?"

"No. No, only the Ground Team who helped train Mist and Surge knew." Raze's deep chuckle answered her statement. "It was quite the feat. Even I was impressed with how well it worked."

"Once confirmation was made that Dumbledore was bound to the Vow, they planned to return under the guise of working together with Dumbledore. Once inserted, they would gather all intelligence on Voldemort that Dumbledore had in his possession, while also getting what they could from the man himself while pretending to be mere students."

Amelia shook her head at the manipulations they perpetrated. "What were they going to do with that information once they had it?"

"Mainly, give it to me to analyze though I have no doubts they wanted it for their own understanding as well. I would, in their place. My part in all this was to integrate my Mercenary Guild with the local Ministry. The original plan was for us to make berth here in Diagon Alley and offer our services to the Ministry for the cause."

"Once I arrived and integrated the guild into the Ministry's employ, Surge would bring that information to me and counterstrikes would be planned accordingly, once we knew more."

"Honestly, Amy, I couldn't have scripted events better had I tried. We had no idea Voldemort would pick our arrival date as the day to stage one of his raids. Mist found a way to get Surge out of the Castle undetected and she kept me kept me apprised of their developments while using the weekends to rebuild her relationship with her parents. One sadly damaged, due to Dumbledore's interference and their own bad judgment."

"Only to have Ms. Granger attempt to kill Dumbledore when she found him torturing Mr. Potter with one of Voldemort's Horcruxes." Amelia assessed.

Amelia's aimed remark was not lost on Raze who frowned with narrowed eyes. "Indeed. Surge has explained those events to my satisfaction. If you want more than my word that it was justified, talk to her, Amelia."

Amelia nodded. She intended too. "Which brings us to you."

"It does?" Raze stated smiling again.

"Yes indeed, because you have yet to officially approach the Ministry to offer your assistance. That, still technically makes you, and your crew, foreign visitors."

Raze leaned forward with an intense look. "My Guild stands ready, Madam Minister. I would be more than happy to discuss terms as well as how you can best use my… services."

Amelia narrowed her eyes. "Sebastian…"

"Yes?" Raze asked leadingly.

"What does your Guild require for its assistance?" Amelia asked not rising to his baited words.

Raze smirked slightly, knowing he managed to rile her despite her emotionless mask. "Originally, I had intended to milk the ministry for all it could spare considering what we offer. Weekly wages, Blood Price, and War Bonus for our services outside the battlefield to help with cleanup, repair, healing, or fortifications. For you, Amy, we only ask Blood Price."

"Blood Price?" She repeated the unfamiliar word. "Explain."

"Basically, five thousand galleons to the dead, by today's exchange rate. The dead do not need gold, but their living families do. The return of personal effects, should that be possible, as well as to carry them forward a small time as they recover from the loss of income of the warrior who was lost."

Amelia blinked. "That's it? Your people are willing to fight and possibly die for that?"

"We were prepared to fight this war for nothing when we started. Every single man and woman on this ship volunteered for this tour before we left, knowing there was a possibility we would be doing this pro bono. I came back to England because Voldemort came back, and because Mist and Surge needed me. The others volunteered because I asked, and they know I wouldn't lead them astray from our ideals. Blood Price is not for us, but for those we will leave behind should the worst happen. More than a fair bargain."

A fair bargain, indeed. Amelia thought as she absorbed the information Sebastian gave her. "I will consider it. For now, I think I need to think about what you have told me so far."

"Of course, by all means, the ship is at your disposal for anything you need, Amy." Raze offered as Amelia rose from her chair and left the room.

The evening had passed well into deep night by the time Amelia walked out onto the deck of the ship. The information that Sebastian gave left her mind racing in overdrive. She thought she had her teeth firmly into the meat of the war before he started talking. Now, she realized that what she had was only a scrap of the real beast.

She allowed the cool night air to wash over her as she walked the deck, taking in the sights around her. There was only one person on deck as she looked. Ms. Granger sat, as if waiting, by the first mast.

Might as well. No telling where they'll run to tomorrow. Amelia thought as she walked over to the teen taking a seat on the crate next to her.

"Are you going to arrest me?" the teen asked in a low voice as she looked at her.

Amelia snorted. Her iron visage long lost to the revelations she learned. "Not tonight, Ms. Granger. I had planned to have you and Mr. Potter put in a safe house for your protection until we could figure this out, but Sebastian has asked to take responsibility for you as your Guild Master. An old law to be sure, but one still on the books that he can use temporarily. You understand my hands are tied until we can find evidence for your defense?"

The young woman nodded. "Thank you. I know it's bending the law some…"

The Minister chuckled. "At least someone on this ship understands that Laws exist for a reason." Her comment earned her a small smile from the girl. "How is Mr. Potter?"

"Harry's okay. He's fully recovered from the ordeal."

Amelia nodded with a frown. "Sebastian gave me some information about what happened. His conclusions are terrifying." Amelia took note of the haunted look in the child's eyes. "I have a few questions, and I would appreciate you giving me some clarity."

Ms. Granger nodded. "I assumed as much. Harry and I talked about it while you were talking to Raze. We're pretty much out of allies who are in positions that can actually help us. Not that we've ever really had many to start with. Raze trusts you, and that means something to us. What would you like to know, Minister?"

Amelia asked her first question. "How old are you Ms. Granger?"

"Physically, I turned seventeen a few days ago. Add in our experiences in Magnadane and I'm twenty two."

She shook her head with a sigh. "Twenty-two. I've lost Aurors a year younger than you on assignments." Amelia was quiet for a few moments, still processing the things Sebastian told her with what she knew from her own sources.

"Sebastian is many things. Irresponsible, rather cavalier about subjects that any sane person would find terrifying, but a liar he is not, nor has he ever been. The people who we share the privilege of knowing have spoken well of you and your character."

The young woman sitting next to her remained quiet as Amelia continued. "The matter is complicated, Ms. Granger. At the moment, secrecy is a weapon that we will not be able to use twice. However, that is something we can discuss at a later date."

"Tell me about your bonding with Mr. Potter. There are aspects of it that I think affect other issues going forward and will make their explanation more clear."

It was a very personal request, but the time for delicacies was past. The young woman next to her nodded her understanding and started talking. "We've only talked to Raze about it. Back then, the bond was still new, and we were only just discovering what it was and what we could do with it. Raze helped a lot in those developments. Well, as much as he could by explaining about some of the theories about them and listening to us as we explained what was going on. Our bond though… it's not the same any others we've heard of."

"I'm aware. It's artificial. Still, it was very brave of you. Did you fully understand the consequences of your sacrifice before you undertook the ritual?"

The young woman nodded seriously. "I knew there was a strong possibility the Shaman wouldn't be able to unbind going into it. He explained to me the risks before I agreed. But, you have to understand that Harry was losing to the Horcrux! It was the only way to save him and destroy it. Minister, I know I don't have the right to ask…"

Amelia nodded again understanding what was being said. "I'm not surprised you realize what would happen if word of what you did got out. Soul magic of any type is considered very Dark Magic for a good reason, Ms. Granger. However, let's move forward for the moment. That is a matter for a different occasion."

Hermione looked out into the night as she conjured the memories of that night. "That night was the second most terrifying night of my life. When I was bound to Harry, I lost touch with everything except the bond and the Horcrux inside him."

Amelia found herself riveted to the story as it unfolded. "It felt like I was swimming in darkness. Not just the loss of sight but the loss of everything. The very air seemed to be pure evil. Nothing I ever experienced prepared me for it. I knew I had to fight it for Harry, and I could feel the Shaman was somewhere. But, I didn't have any hands or any weapons or magic to help. The best I can describe it is a battle of wills."

"I could feel Harry but he was lost to the Horcrux. It was keeping his will smothered and he couldn't feel me trying to help. I…had to sort of mentally wrestle with it. But even a part of Voldemort was too strong. I didn't know what I was doing, and had the Shaman not been weakening it, I don't think I would have succeeded. I couldn't tell time in that place. So I have no idea how long it went on but it felt like ages."

"At some point…I could kind of see Harry. The Horcrux knew what was happening but couldn't stop all three of us. When I finally reached him we were able to drive it out. I'm sorry I can't explain it better."

"You're doing fine. Please continue." Amelia compassionately assured the young woman.

Hermione nodded, grateful. "Harry lived with that horrible thing in his soul for almost fifteen years. In that moment, he was finally free in a way he hadn't known since he was a baby. For him, it was a beginning and an end."

Amelia watched as tears trekked down the young girls face as the tale continued. "It's strange to put into words, but I could see the differences between Harry's soul and mine. I…try to imagine seeing someone missing a huge section of their chest with a missing arm and leg. That horrible thing had been feasting on him for years. With it finally gone…even with the bindings…he was fading away..."

Amelia frowned. Granted she didn't have any great scholarship in such matters, but from what she did know of them through Raze, and what little she had from her own personal knowledge, this didn't sound right. She started to get a cold feeling in her stomach at the implications. "What did you do, Ms. Granger?"

The young woman looked at her with a slightly vacant stare. Her voice was nearly a whisper when she spoke. "I…I…you have to understand it was the only way…"

"Ms. Granger?"

"I…used... I filled in the gaps in with me…" she whispered.

Amelia's eyes opened wider in surprise. What she was talking about wasn't any kind of soul bonding she heard of. "Are you telling me you merged your soul with Mr. Potters?"

Hermione frowned slightly. "Sort of. We're still different people, but I…I guess I used part of me to hold him there. Harry's still all there, he still has a whole soul but… oh, this is so much harder than when Harry asked me these questions. I could just show him my experiences, and he just understood like I did. Raze just nodded like he understood."

Amelia waited while the young woman appeared to be gathering her thoughts. "Harry's still all there. This probably won't help any, but have you ever seen plastic burn?"

Surprisingly, Amelia understood the reference. "I have actually when I served a few months with the Oblivators. The item burns hot and shrivels inward. If the fire is put out quickly enough, before the item is consumed, then you have a shriveled, warped, distorted remnant of what the item used to be."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, exactly. That is as close as I think I can get to what happened to Harry. The Horcrux shriveled sections of him inward. It's all still there, just damaged."

"After we banished the Horcrux I felt the Shaman beginning to unbind us. That's when I saw Harry fading away. That's when I understood how the Horcrux gained the advantage over him. Even without knowing it was there, Harry's will was always greater than the Horcrux. I've never meet a man with greater willpower or anyone who could be as forceful as Harry when they put their minds to something. However, Harry wasn't fighting. He wasn't trying anymore."

"You see, he thought I was dead. He didn't want to wake up to a world that didn't have me in it. Those Hit Wizards blew us off a cliff into a thirty or forty foot fall into the earth. If it wasn't for Jim, we would have died there. As far as Harry was concerned, that was the only outcome possible given our last conscious moments."

"The Horcrux inside him used that to finally seize the body. The Shaman kept Harry in a coma until the rite was done so Harry stayed in that darkness instead of passing on as he thought he would."

"Stayed…in that timeless hell continuously tortured. Tormented with my death to prevent his will from regaining control… It must have felt like an eternal unimaginable nightmare…"

Amelia swallowed dryly as the young woman's words conjured horrific images in her mind. Amelia knew that no matter what she came up with trying to relate to her experiences, it would pale to the actual encounter.

After a few moments, Hermione started speaking again. "Even with the Horcrux removed, he was locked in his own mind trying to pass on. I can't tell you how I know, but I was there, I saw it happening, and I just knew what I had to do. I…somehow I was able to mimic the Horcrux's grip on Harry by using me. For the first time since this whole ordeal began, Harry turned to life, instead of from it."

All of Amelia's knowledge of soul bonding phenomenon was purely theoretical. Soul bonds themselves couldn't be studied outside of their natural development because who in their right bloody mind would actually want something like that? This experience…

She racked her mind, trying to remember forgotten conversations or abstract facts from a lifetime of fighting the dark, but couldn't come up with anything to relate or say to what she was told. In the end, all she could do is file it away to think on it later.

"I…don't know what to say to that, Ms. Granger. I've only ever heard speculation as to what you are describing." Amelia stated blandly. "Perhaps we should move this forward to see how this relates to what happened in Dumbledore's office."

Seeming to gather herself together a bit, Hermione nodded. "Over the summer, after the bond formed, Harry and I learned we could share emotions with each other. Memories too. It wasn't until we started back at Hogwarts that we really pushed the bond."

"We discovered distance sort of stretched the bond. So when I was at my parents' house, we couldn't feel each other. For me, it was just the absence of not having Harry there with me. It…was unpleasant but bearable. For Harry, it was completely different."

"For Harry, it physically hurt unless he concentrated on other things. Not terribly, mind you, but enough to be very uncomfortable. I didn't really know how much it affected him until after the Headmaster Incident because he was hiding it from me."

A small part of her couldn't deny that in a sick, twisted way what the young woman was describing was fascinating. It definitely explained a great deal about her reaction to the coming event.

"So," Hermione continued. "We figure that Dumbledore noticed I wasn't around during the weekends and called in Harry for one of his meetings. We think Dumbledore was testing the effect of the Horcrux on Harry because we are absolutely sure Dumbledore knew Harry had one in him before the summer."

Amelia blinked but didn't interrupt. That was Sebastian's thoughts on the matter, and she couldn't deny that if they ever proved that to be the case, it was going to spearhead a lynching. Assuming Sebastian or herself left anything behind to lynch.

"Everything we have been able to piece together shows us that Dumbledore more than likely suspected it as far back as Voldemort's first fall. Proof came in the form of the destroyed diary at the end of our second year. To Dumbledore, Harry's never been anything but a means to end Voldemort for the Greater Good. What's one life compared to that?" Hermione stated with disgust.

Shaking her head Hermione kept going. "The Horcrux Dumbledore showed him did affect Harry badly. Just not for the reasons Dumbledore was speculating."

"Why do you think that is? I am sorry to admit this, but you and Mr. Potter are pretty much the only authorities for your unique bond." Amelia asked.

Hermione's voice grew quieter as she looked out into the night. "Imagine going through what Harry did during our bonding. Now, imagine suddenly being faced with it again… Faced with going back into that horror…"

"Merlin…" Amelia breathed as the import hit her.

The two of them sat in the silence that followed, but it didn't last before Amelia started talking again. "You stated that you couldn't feel Mr. Potter's state of being at the time of the incident. What changed?"

Hermione's face slowly bunched in confusion. "I'm not sure. I was eating dinner with my parents when I felt Harry's panic. It…felt like someone was clawing inside me. Like someone scrambling for purchase as they slide off a cliff… I can't really explain it better. It happened so fast that I didn't know what it was before it was gone."

Amelia nodded, indicating she should continue. "I apparated to Hogsmeade. When I reached out to Harry, he couldn't feel me. Just like the first time…I… has… Did Raze explain to you how his brand of magic works?"

The Minister frowned but nodded. "You are referring to the 'gateway'?"

The teen nodding in confirmation did nothing to dispel Amelia's frown. "Hmm, yes he did. He explained to me the process in which the gateway is created in those who practice Wild Magic. I…still have not made up my mind if he is a genius or a complete imbecile for his accomplishments. To be honest, the whole thing sounds like a recipe for a disaster of epic proportions."

Despite the current tone of the conversation, Hermione chuckled weakly. "I happen to agree with you… You have to bank on chaos working in your favor, and everything about it just feels wrong to me. Harry's wicked at it though. He's explained to me that it's all about faith in the 'Will of the Arcanum', but I've never been able to do it reliably."

Amelia nodded. Sebastian explained his theories about the 'Arcanum' as he called it. How he even found, much less found a way to tap that ancient bastion of raw magic, she didn't understand and didn't think it was likely she ever would. Nor did she entirely agree with his theories about magic being sentient. No matter how convincing his arguments were.

"Yes, Sebastian explained to me that you open the gateway a fraction and pull raw magic and empower your magics."

Hermione nodded. "Just a fraction and you have to be very careful. Before Raze gave us our gateways, we spent three months learning what happened to wizards or witches who abused it or were not careful of the consequences."

"Raze's reports of such incidences were…graphic in detail and never ended well for the those who were not mindful of what they were doing or tried to take advantage of the magics. For the few who managed to not get killed in their attempts to abuse it, Raze hunted them down. He wanted us to fully understand exactly what we were getting into before he would even think of teaching us."

Amelia started to get a really bad feeling about what she was hearing. "How does this apply to when you were standing in Hogsmeade?"

Her brunette companion hesitantly continued. "Standing there feeling what Harry was going through, I knew he was battling another form of the darkness. I...couldn't think, not with Harry's struggle rebounding though me. I didn't know what else to do, so I... I took a leap of faith. I opened the gateway and plead with the Arcanum to save us both."

"I just wanted a way to get to Harry faster; I swear but... suddenly I was flooded by this… power. Everything was such a jumble of images and sensations. Even now, I can hardly make any sense of it. It just did what I wanted it to. I needed to get to Harry. Next thing I know I'm there. Dumbledore was hurting Harry, and I wanted him to stop. Then, he was broken on the floor. I saw the Horcrux on the desk and wanted it destroyed… and then it was."

"Everything seemed to happen so fast. Before I realized it, I was standing over him with Gryffindor's sword about to...finish it. I could hear Fawkes begging me to spare him. I don't…I don't really remember much else."

Hermione's voice trailed off. Amelia kept quiet herself as she absorbed what she learned so far. "Ms. Granger, what do you think would have happened had you not stopped when you did?"

Amelia watched as the young woman's eyes hardened. "Had I not stopped when I did, I would have killed Dumbledore with no regrets. However, I don't know if Raze would have forgiven me for abusing the magic… If not for Fawkes, the magic could have gone completely out of my control. I was barely hanging on to it as it was…"

Amelia sighed. It was pure chance and luck that kept the situation contained to what it currently was. They sat quietly for some time, lost in their own personal thoughts before Amelia rose to her feet. "I think we have discussed this enough for the night, Ms. Granger. I am not sure what can be done to resolve this issue, but I will do what I can to help."

"Thank you, Minister, for listening and for believing us."

Amelia snorted. "I've made my career out of knowing when I was being lied to, Ms. Granger. I know a tale when I hear one. Your story, while incredibly difficult to comprehend, does not feel like a falsehood. However, getting others to understand, much less believe, it is a different matter. And, we still have a war to fight with multiple fronts to defend."

The young woman chuckled darkly. "Don't we know it, Minister. We've been fighting it the longest. It's nice to finally have help."

She couldn't help it but smirked at the dark humor. Truly that was a statement she would never have accepted, much less agreed with, before the night's revelations.

"Indeed. Tomorrow we will plan our next move. For tonight Ms. Granger, get some rest." Amelia stated as she walked away from the young woman.

Her steps carried her to the bow of the ship. She stood there for a very long time as she looked out onto Diagon Alley and the people she was sworn to defend. People who had no idea just how convoluted the issues actually were. People who had absolutely no idea of the sacrifices made on their behalf by the two teens they vilified in the press.

She didn't notice when he stepped beside her or how long he was there before he spoke. The sound of his deep voice, spoken as softly as it was, did surprise her enough to realize that Sebastian was there.

"A pretty sight."

She didn't reply at first but kept gazing out into the night. "It is."

Amelia pointed to a spot just in front of Gringotts. "There, I think."

Raze looked to the spot. "Hmm?"

"I think that is where they will hang me when the truth comes out."

"A good spot for it." Raze dryly commented.

Amelia sighed sadly. "When I was sworn into office, I told myself that I wouldn't allow the cloak and dagger tactics of past administrations to take place in this administration. Now, I find myself in a position where I cannot think of anything else in order to safeguard my people."

"You don't think helping to kill Voldemort, or leading the administration that did so, will help alleviate the blowback?"

"I think," Amelia stated. "That if the truth of your brand of magic is ever known, you and all those under your banner will be declared Dark Creatures. That will spark a manhunt for all of you to be destroyed out of fear you will take over the world."

Raze nodded in acknowledgement to her point, "Such a tedious job. It really is more glamorous in thought than in actuality. I never understood why Voldemort wanted it so badly, but I can see your point. That's one of the reasons why I stopped trying to publish my work when I developed it years ago."

"Now, since we have ruled out that I cannot explain how Ms. Granger managed to break almost every bone in Dumbledore body, it will remain 'Mysterious Dark Magic' unless I can garner enough support to have it declared as emotional, stress-related accidental magic. Something I won't be able to do in any way, shape, or form without hard evidence that Dumbledore was torturing Mr. Potter. Everything else is circumstantial."

"You could always pardon her Amy. A nice, clean, way to cut through all the red tape. You are the Minister after all."

Amelia sighed. "An arbitrary abuse of power, and most likely it will be the only way in the end. Still, I would prefer we work within the system until all options are exploited, Sebastian. The stain on her name otherwise would follow her for the rest of her life."

"Besides," Amelia half growled. "I want to nail Dumbledore's wrinkled hide to the wall for what he's done. Not just for Ms. Granger, or Mr. Potter, but because I will not have anyone abuse our government in such a fashion."

"So, we get evidence." Raze stated unconcerned.

Amelia looked heavenward at the simplistic statement. "That's easier said than done, Sebastian. Dumbledore covered his tracks well. It could take months to delve through everything to build her defense. We might not have months before something goes wrong."

"Meanwhile, if I divert resources to that, Voldemort runs unchecked." Amelia stated bitterly. No matter how she spun the situation in her mind, there was an injustice to someone, and it sat ill in her stomach.

"Then, let us deal with Voldemort first. Mist and Surge both agreed that he is the greater threat. Besides, even if we can't clean up her record here, that just means she is wanted in England. They'll be fine if they stay on the ship for the campaign."

"Tomorrow, we can go to Hogwarts. We still don't know how many Voldemort made, but Mist remembered Dumbledore said something about Slughorn having information that could clue us in. While there we can see what else we can dig up, yes?"

Amelia nodded allowing the conversation to die as they looked out into the night. Events just seemed to be speeding up faster than she could get her mind around one. As she looked up at the stars, she couldn't help remember the last time she saw Sebastian before he pulled his disappearing act. Unfortunately, that memory brought to the front of her mind the one question that had bothered her since she found out he was alive. It slipped through her lips before she could stop herself.

"Why did you fake your death, Sebastian?"

If he was surprised she asked that question, apparently out of the blue, he didn't show it. "You were a married woman, Amelia. A woman married to my best friend." He replied curtly.

"I was married for two years before you left." she reminded him.

Raze sighed. He refused to meet her eyes, instead looking to the stars above them. His words breathed like a confession. "Aye, and it was killing me. When your father offered William your hand, I almost did it then. I just couldn't bring myself to do it with the war raging about us. I kept my feelings to myself because we'd been friends since our first train ride to Hogwarts. I couldn't leave either of you to face those dark times alone."

"Once the war was over, and you were safe, I had no reason to stay. No one looks for a dead man, and I didn't want to be found. I just wanted to forget."

Amelia turned to face the man next to her. She reached up to run the back of a finger along the scar that ran down his face. She could still feel the sensation of Sebastian's blood when it splattered her that day. "You meant for that curse to kill you, didn't you?"

She watched as his eyes softened at her touch. For the first time in this conversation, he looked into her eyes. "Just goes to show that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. I always hated Gibbons for not finishing the job."

Amelia shook her head slowly, her words barely above a breath. "I would have broken the contract for you, Sebastian. William was a good man, but he wasn't you."

Raze slowly nodded. "It would only have ended in tears for us all. Besides, your father would have never allowed you to break the contract. He had too much invested in the Bones' union. You would have been disowned, Amy, and we both know how much family means to you. I knew that neither of us could live with betraying William after your marriage. You are just not that sort of woman, and I wouldn't put either of you in that situation. So, I shouldered my burden alone."

Amelia sighed as she leaned into him. "I hate you Sebastian."

Raze chuckled at the old joke from their school days replying as he did in those half-forgotten days. "Promise?"

She returned his chuckle, enjoying his warmth for the first time. Amelia spent several moments allowing herself to soak in his presence before she felt his finger lift her chin softly. She allowed him to gently lift her head up while she looked into his passionate eyes.

"Stay with me." Raze half growled.

She almost agreed at hearing the tone in his voice but didn't. "You know that is not how this works, Sebastian. I'm not the schoolgirl I used to be. I'm the Minister now. I have responsibilities that cannot be ignored and no time to get everything done."

"Then stay with me tonight, Amy. Tomorrow will take care of itself."

"Sebastian..."

"One night, Amy, tomorrow we can save the world, but tonight we can savor this. I don't think your constituents would begrudge you a single night of wild, sweaty, dirty passion in the arms of a rogue. Who knows? Might even improve your image…"

XxXDaRXxX

Harry leaned against the mast twenty feet above the deck as he watched Raze and the Minister recede below decks. He'd been perched up here since long before the Minister came out to talk to Hermione.

"See? I told you Raze would convince her to help."

Harry turned to the older man who was keeping watch with him. "I know, Hacker. It's just…"

"I get it, Mist." The gruff older man stated. "We've all gone through it when we first joined Raze. It's not easy to let go of old paranoia, and it's hard to accept. But, it doesn't matter if you're on one of the teams, crews, or just some guy back in the town. You're one of us now. We have your back."

Harry nodded, not replying. It was hard to accept for him, but Hacker had the right of it. Since the day Raze agreed to take them on as apprentices the others treated Hermione and him like family.

"Go on, Mist. You've had a hell of a day."

Harry frowned. "But, Lisa said I was scheduled until morning."

"Bah." Hacker waved his comment off. "I'll deal with her in the morning. Go find your woman and shake some rafters. You both could use a good fuck. Besides, I got a bet with Mace that Surge wakes up at least five people tonight."

Harry shook his head chuckling. "You know we usually use silencing charms."

Hacker snorted. "Like that's ever stopped her. Go on Mist. I'll take the watch."

Harry got up uncertainly to his feet balancing on the rigging. "If you're sure?" Harry smiled gratefully when he received a curt nod. "Thanks, Hacker, I'll owe you one."

"Not if you sabotage your woman's spell work so I can win me some money. Manchester's in town and I heard they throw one hell of a party."

Harry laughed as he swung down on the rope. As he descended into the ship, he wondered for a moment if he could actually get away with it and what Hermione would do to him when she found out.

Still high amongst the rigging, the dark haired man held onto the ship's rigging as he surveyed the sleeping world around him. A hard look gleamed in his eyes as he took in the idyllic peaceful night. He reached up behind his back, grasping familiar hilt to his sword pulling it free.

He'd been a part of too many campaigns before, and after, Raze not to be able to feel the storm coming. The time for preparations was almost over. Soon, soon it would be here and all anyone would be able to do would be to hold on for their lives. He could feel the waiting violence like a weather ache in his bones. Like a welcome cup of coffee offered by an old friend on a cold day. "About God damn time too…"

Author's Notes

Okay, Chapter Twenty-four revision is done. For those of you interested in the story instead of my drivel, by all means leave a review telling me what you think of this chapter, and then hit that 'Next' button. Enjoy the read. As always thank you to all reviews and readers. You are noticed and appreciated.

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