Chapter 32 – You Dare!

The green spell fire flashed from Voldemort towards the golden dragon, which opened his jaws and released a bellow of white dragonfire. As the green and white met, an explosion rocked the room, sending bodies tumbling to the ground. Harry's immense form was able to stay upright and he immediately swept the room with flames hot enough to begin melting the stones. Very few of the Death Eaters in the room were able to produce shields before the flames hit them. The earsplitting screams of the charred victims was overwhelmed only by the stench of the cooked flesh.

Slitted pupils in a dragon face and a furious snake face met one another. Harry mentally projected, "It's time, Tom. You were born to a witch and a muggle, yet you demand the death of muggleborn and half-bloods. You state you are trying to preserve the pureblood culture and way of life, but are responsible for the destruction of entire pureblood families. You bring destruction, war, darkness and fear even to your own followers. Your time has come."

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort hissed in rage. "You think you can stand up to me, little boy? I killed your parents and I can kill you just as easily, even if you have learned a few tricks!" Harry dodged the killing curse and glared at the Dark Lord who sneered back at him.

"Yes, you murdered my parents because my father was another pureblood who recognized that you did nothing to help the wizarding world but only undermined it and nearly brought it to ruin. Your time is finished, Tom." Harry brought his mind into clear focus and with a coordinated move with his lowaar, plunged into Voldemort's psyche with devastating force.

The Dark Lord gasped and stumbled at the unexpected strength of the onslaught and immediately retaliated, but Harry's draconic mind bolstered by his lowaar was impenetrable. Instead the tyrant felt another deep blow into his own mental defenses. He reinforced his shields and attempted to trap the young man in his mind. "Kill him!" he shouted to the Death Eaters still standing.

Spells flew at the young dragon, but bounced off his scales and reflected back to the caster. The Death Eaters scattered at the unexpected ricochets. Voldemort felt his shields falter and for the first time, initiated a failsafe built into the Dark Mark. The Death Eaters in the room faltered as their spells began to waver and fade. Voldemort straightened as his shields strengthened and he sneered again at the golden dragon. He had the power of every servant at his command. He began to batter at Harry's shields, confident now in his victory even as the Death Eaters in the room collapsed under his drain.

Harry swayed as a powerful counterthrust tore at his mental shields, but he valiantly tried to shore up his defenses and blasted another burst of dragonfire at Dark Lord. Voldemort ignored the now unconscious Death Eaters around him and continued to drain Death Eaters in remote locations. A supercilious smirk twisted across his face as the dragon staggered.


A small pop announced the arrival of Mabey, who tried not to flinch when four wands were instantly pointed at him. He noticed that while the elderly wizard known as Dumbledore had his wand out, it was pointed at the floor.

"Beggin' the Master's pardon sir, but the Minister is here with many Aurors. Should I be showing them to the study, sir?"

Lucius lowered his wand with a curt "Yes, thank you, Mabey." He looked at the others as the house elf popped out again. "This should be an interesting evaluation of Scrimgeour's attitudes," he commented tersely.

Rufus Scrimgeour was not a happy man. He had been rousted from his slumber by his Auror bodyguard who announced that a Death Eater attack had been reported at Malfoy Manor and that Harry Potter was missing. As the former head of the Auror office, he was well aware that Lucius Malfoy had barely escaped prosecution in the first war and had recently come under suspicion for a debacle at the Ministry of Magic, although the official report insisted someone had impersonated him with Polyjuice.

Since his son had Chosen the annoying Boy-Who-Lived as his Mate, the senior Malfoy had begun openly supporting the boy wonder while divesting himself of his darker investments and subtly undermining the Dark Lord. Rufus had been covertly amused when he learned that Voldemort had put a bounty on all of the Malfoys.

The house elf that had them waiting in the vestibule returned to show them to the scene of the crime, or at least to its Master. It opened double wooden doors and announced "Minister Scrimgeour and company" before popping out of sight.

He limped slightly into the room, his tawny eyes scanning quickly. Curse marks were on the floors and walls, furniture was overturned and six unmoving bodies were laying in a row on the far wall. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were immediately recognizable albeit they were still dressed in their nightclothes and robes. Another figure in a dark black robe was several paces away in the shadows, staring intently at them as they filed into the room. A younger version of the senior Malfoy must be the Heir. He was also in his nightclothes, but his face was distraught and his eyes unfocused. His wand was clutched tightly in his hand, although it was pointed downwards. He saw the outline of other wands in pockets.

He glanced briefly at the fifth figure waiting and growled to himself. Albus bloody Dumbledore, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, just what he didn't need before fortifying himself with a pot of coffee.

He was pleased to note from the corner of his eye that his Aurors were beginning to flank the room, not touching anything yet, but prepared for anything. Hmm, had Shacklebolt shared a meaningful look with Dumbledore? That would have to be investigated.

"Minister Scrimgeour," Lucius said smoothly. "Thank you for coming. We did not expect you in addition to the contingent of Aurors." He looked at Kingsley Shacklebolt, the tall newly named Head of the Auror office. "Would you like to speak here or in a room untouched by the attack, Auror Shacklebolt?"

The black wizard's gold hoop earring caught the firelight was he looked around the room. "Perhaps a quick overview here, Mr. Malfoy and then we can move elsewhere."

The senior Malfoy nodded once. "We were sleeping when a disturbance in the wards woke us. We've since learned that the Death Eaters tunneled under the wards and entered through the basement. We sent my son and his bond-mate towards a safe room, while my wife and blood brother attempted to reach another area of safety."

Kingsley interrupted the narrative, his normal slow and deep voice somewhat startled. "Your blood brother?"

An elegant eyebrow arched over cool grey eyes. "Yes, my blood brother." He indicated the figure in the shadows, who stepped forward. "Professor Severus Snape." Severus inclined his head briefly to the Auror and fellow Order member, while Rufus Scrimgeour's eyes narrowed in suspicion. He had always questioned the wizard's too-convenient excuse of being a spy after the first war.

Shacklebolt kept his surprise mostly masked. "My apologies, Mr. Malfoy. I was unaware of the relationship. Please continue."

"Unfortunately, my son and his bond-mate were accosted in the hallway outside of this room. They made it inside and attempted to set up a cross-fire attack. They eliminated most of their attackers, but one was able to get behind my son's bond-mate, stupefy him and port-key away. It is essential that we mount a rescue immediately."

Shacklebolt was quick to ask, "Do you know where he was taken, the number of Death Eaters there, or what the defenses are?"

Rufus felt this was enough. "I am not certain that committing a squad of Aurors is advisable at this time, Lucius."

A cold face turned his way and Rufus didn't fail to notice that the man's hand was in the pocket that he assumed held his wand. He also noticed that the Malfoy scion's wand had turned in his direction, although it was still pointed to the floor.

"May I ask why you are disinclined to rescue Harry Potter, the Chosen One, the Boy-Who-Lived Rufus, especially since it is likely that he is being held at Riddle Manor in Little Hangleton, and both Severus and I are familiar with the site?"

"I can't commit the greater part of the country's protection to rescue a single teenager, Lucius. He can't be treated differently than any other citizen."

An overly sweet voice spoke behind them. "Are you saying then Minister that no citizen can hope to be rescued by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement if abducted by Death Eaters?" Rufus growled audibly as he turned to see Rita Skeeter standing in the doorway, looking over her jeweled spectacles at the annoyed Minister, her acid-green Quick-Quotes quill already moving across the parchment in her hand ready to puncture the inflated reputations of those present. "For if the Aurors can't be risked on behalf of a national hero, what hope does the average witch or wizard have?"

"Such a pleasure to see Rita when her enchantingly nasty quill is targeting someone other than us," murmured Dumbledore to Severus, who merely snorted in response.

Seeing a photographer in the hallway behind the gossip-monger, Rufus swallowed a colorful and physically impossible suggestion. "A crime scene investigation is not the place for members of the press," he began.

Rita's sickeningly sweet smile "But I am here at the invitation of the owner of the home, someone who understands the right and need for the public to know what they are facing with You-Know-Who. Tell me, Minister, is there a reason you don't want the public to know? Is your lack of urgency over the kidnapping of Harry Potter similar to what the rest of the public will face?"

Lucius' well-modulated tones were soothing. "As you can see, Miss Skeeter, we are trying to convince the Minister to provide aid in the rescue attempt. Every minute we delay decreases our chances of finding Mr. Potter alive and unharmed."

A keen of agony sounded from Draco and he sank to the floor, his eyes unfocused as he attempted to use the bond to make contact with his bond-mate.

"And if the Minister will not authorize the Aurors to aid in a rescue attempt," prompted Rita.

"We will move without them. I can only hope that the average witch and wizard will have family able to aid them when the DMLE will not," Lucius replied looking at the Minister coldly.

"Is that what it comes to Minister," asked Rita with a deliciously sweet tone. "Are the citizens of the wizarding world left to care for their families and friends alone, without trained support? Are the Aurors only for your personal protection?"

"We have no proof that Mr. Potter is at the location Mssrs Malfoy and Snape suggest," he spit out. "Would you have us run around the country leaving others unprotected in a fruitless endeavor?"

The grandfatherly voice of Albus Dumbledore interrupted "May I remind the Minister that Mister Malfoy and Professor Snape have been acting as undercover agents at great risk to themselves to help protect the populace against Voldemort? And that this attack was because Voldemort learned of their heroic actions and ordered the attack against them? Surely it is worth a few minutes of the DMLE's time to investigate the last known location of the Dark Lord and his minions?"

"You have information on where their center of operations is and are refusing to investigate?" purred Skeeter as her quill scrambled frenetically across the parchment. "Would you care to comment on that Minister?"

"I didn't say we refused to investigate, only that I would not risk leaving the rest of the citizens unprotected," began Scrimgeour furiously.

"Of course not, Rufus," said Dumbledore mildly. "But if we move now, most of the country will just be waking up and at little risk."

Even the Aurors were looking at him blackly, and Scrimgeour had little choice if he didn't want to be voted out of office by Skeeter's poisoned pen.

Thirty minutes later, a team of 24 Aurors, 8 Order members (brought by Dumbledore over the objection of Scrimgeour), Albus, Lucius, Severus and Draco apparated just outside Little Hangleton. This village occupied the floor of a tranquil valley, bounded by steep hills. Riddle Mansion stood on one of the hills overlooking the village, ivy spreading across the face of the structure. It was obviously a fine-looking manor at one point in time, and quite easily the grandest building for miles. Now it appeared to be derelict and unoccupied, although that is an illusion for the nearby Muggles.

Dumbledore and Shacklebolt completed their investigation of the wards at the same time. The Auror spoke first. "The wards are layered and complex. We will need to separate and dismantle them in waves. As soon as we start, the Dark Lord will be alerted to our presence, if he hasn't been already. Spread out, keep hidden and be prepared to attack as soon as the wards are down, but watch for traps. Dumbledore, Snape, Malfoy and I will begin disassembling the wards. We will each take a layer, pulling in support as needed. We'll work as quickly as we can, but be prepared for resistance."

Albus Dumbledore withdrew the Elder wand and faced Riddle Manor, his elderly visage showed none of his usual good humor and those surrounding him were reminded that he was one of the most powerful wizards of the day. He began to dismantle the first layer of wards, resolutely keeping to the task and not letting his fear for Harry filter through.

As he stepped back and nodded to Shacklebolt, a pulse of power ruptures the air around them and the very fabric of space seems to disintegrate. They are all thrown to the ground as the air and earth seem to pitch and teeter with a burst of intense energy, leaving them blinded by vivid light.


Lord Voldemort nee Tom Riddle was sneering in victory as the golden dragon staggered before him. Harry Potter might be a rare magical animagus, but he was not invulnerable. As he lifted his wand to deliver a hate-filled Avada Kedavra, a pulse of magic exploded around them and he felt as if the fabric of space itself was being ruptured. He stumbled with the power blowing through the room and heard a terrible roar that shook the foundations of the manor.

Harry swayed as the intense energy of a portal opening flooded the surrounding area and then immediately felt the overwhelming love and protection of his Opsola thundering over and through him. While the lowaar were a steady source of affection, encouragement and guidance, they were but an echo of their former selves; a stream that flowed over and through him. He had almost forgotten the sensation of a mental embrace from his Sire. Where the lowaar were a stream, his Sire was a cascading waterfall of fierce love, protection, and support. His senses flared as his Sire's mind touched his and his injuries healed. Their magic touched and combined, dancing in his veins and filling him with power. He lifted his head and opened his jaws in a dragon laugh at the Dark Lord.

With an ear-shattering explosion, the roof was torn off the building, causing an avalanche of dust and debris to tumble down. The Death Eaters still conscious raised shields to protect themselves, even as Voldemort himself did. As the dust rained down, an immense shimmering portal larger than the Manor became visible above the now roofless structure, radiating with power and strangeness. In the midst of the portal stood a dragon of colossal proportions.

A mental voice roared into Voldemort's mind. "YOU DARE? YOU DARE TO ATTACK MY SON, A MEMBER OF OUR CLAN? YOU DARE TO BRING WAR TO THE JUANTH DARASTRIX?"

Harry chuckled and responded for all to hear, "Bright blessings to you, my Father. You are most welcome."

The pressure in Voldemort's mind increased ten-fold and the Dark Lord began to feel fear as he again drained the magic from his followers, barely noticing that the few alive in the room were dropping to the ground. He drew everything available and still the pressure was crushing his mind.

"Sia'dreevdru, do you see this in his mind? He has befouled his soul by cleaving off pieces and storing them in other vessels in a crude attempt to achieve immortality through murder."

"That's how he survived then when the AK rebounded from me as an infant? Can you bind his soul to this vessel, my father?"

A snort of amusement caused the dust in the room to whip about in a frenzy. "There is no need sia'dreevdru. Watch and learn."

The pressure built up within Voldemort's mind and he realized he would not survive this encounter. A brief sadistic pleasure caused him to jeer "You may kill this body, but you cannot kill Lord Voldemort."

"We have no plans of killing that twisted body little insect" rumbled Aironth. With a mighty mental blast, he wiped all but autonomous functions from the mind they were battling. Voldemort swayed on his feet and then tumbled to the ground, his eyes wide and blankly staring.

Harry felt wards falling as the mindless Riddle drooled on the ground and immediately the pops of many people apparating to Riddle Manor could be heard. A cacophony of voices broke through the morning air.

"Oh dear sweet Merlin and Morgana!"

"Look at the size of that! It's like a bloody mountain!"

"Is it fighting for You-Know-Who?"

The enormous head turned towards the small crowd of humans. "Silly mortals" he sent to them. "Why would an Elder Dragon support any evil wizard?"

Audible gasps were heard from the small crowd. A figure with a long white beard stepped forward. "Forgive this old one, Great One, but we are seeking one of our own; a teenage boy. May we search for him?"

Thundering laughter caused the ground to rumble under their feet. "You seek Harry Potter?" The crowd paused at the gargantuan and mythical beast knowing the Boy-Who-Lived's name. A great clawed forearm reached into the ruined manor and drew out a smaller dragon. He nuzzled the little golden dragon with his snout and rumbled approval. "You did well my son. I am proud of you."

He gently placed the little dragon by his feet and with a swirl of color; the smaller figure of Harry Potter appeared.

"Harry!" called Draco as he ran forward, straight towards the fangs of the Juanth Darastrix more than double his own size, and grabbed the raven-haired teen into a tight hold. "Don't you ever worry me like that again! I couldn't feel you through the bond…I thought you were dying!"

"They put something they called Auror suppression bands on me and apparently Voldemort put a Confundus charm on it as well. I could barely hear my lowaar and what they said wasn't making much sense." He turned to the huge dragon beside him. "Father, may I introduce my sia'thurirl and bond mate, Draco Malfoy? Draco, this is Aironth Flamebringer, my Opsola and Sire."

Severus was close enough to catch the lean form of Albus Dumbledore as the elderly wizard fainted.


Lowaar = Indwellers

Sia'thurirl = My constant friend or partner

Opsola = Father, Sire

Sia'dreevdru = My son