All recognisable characters are the properties of Ms J.K. Rowling and Mr Jim Butcher. The Dresden and Potter verse, their magic and creations are the property of their respective owners and I make no profit form my tale. I own only this random story idea.
Chapter 6
Plots and Plans
Harry Potter POV
Ok to say I am in shock is an understatement. This whole group of people just came charging in to help me, from who knows where with all these cool powers and suddenly I have a house, well actually, a fortress, new allies and a huge sheath of paper in front of me from my Mother of all people. My head is still reeling from all the information I've been given, not the least of which is that there is an afterlife and an in-between and other realities! I wish Hermione would wake up.
All I can do is sit staring at my mother's neat writing, at the copious notes in Dumbledore's spidery writing and the maps and battle plans. Across from me sits the 'other' Harry, as I think of him. He too is looking at the notes but his expression is more like one Hermione would have in the presence of new books. I grin and push the notes toward him, keeping my mother's letter. He grins back and he and Karrin fell upon the notes, she quickly claimed the folder on Voldemort and his Death Eaters. I guess her cop training would help her profile them better. Dresden immersed himself in a file labelled Horcrux, his face going a bit green after just a few minutes of reading. "If I didn't already dislike the guy this cinches it." he muttered. He shoved the papers at the odd talking skull that seemed alive. It focussed on the papers then started swearing in some old and ancient language. I left them too it, remembering my own disgust at the concept of a Horcrux. I carefully unfolded my mother's letter.
My dearest Harry,
I never thought I would be able to tell you this myself, aside from those few moments in that accursed graveyard, but Your Father and I are so Proud of you, Sirius and Albus too. We're all here, watching you. Cheering you on. Crying with you, rejoicing with you. Your dad says to tell you that you never stood a chance against Miss Weasley, redheads are a Potter man's weakness apparently, and Sirius just wants to say "Way to Go Pup". I like her Harry, and the Weasleys. Make sure Fred and George stay together during the final battle and away from the room of requirement when it gets hot. Hug Molly for me, after the battle, you'll know why. Now, yes you have to defeat Voldemort but not alone. Hermione and Ron are wonderful friends but are as young as you. Mr Dresden is a wizard from another world, he and his allies will be the 'power the Dark Lords knows not' and tip the balance of this war in your favour. Listen to him, follow him, he will help you. It seems that we shared a common ancestor. He is family. Very distantly, but still. As is his brother Thomas. They are very powerful allies for you to have at your side and I urge you to trust them.
Do not try to break into Gringotts. Enter with help from Molly and ask for Ripshank. Be polite when speaking with the goblins and tell him of the thing within the Lestrange vault. It was originally goblin forged and they will take great insult to what currently resides in it. If you do this not only will they aide you in removing the horcruxes without destroying any more priceless artefacts, but they will seize the vaults of any they suspect to be in league with Voldemort, closing the bank to anyone with a dark mark. They will also join you in battle if you offer them the contents of vault 5634, an old Potter vault containing precious gems and metals, there are several more like it, and make good bribes for Goblins. Plus they love a good fight. The Diadem is in the room of requirement, right where you hid that potion manual. Stay out of Ravenclaw tower, there is a trap and send a message to Snape to stay away from the Shrieking Shack during the battle, to avoid Voldemort all together as he believes Snape is the master of the Elder Wand and intends to kill him. No one likes him but he IS actually on your side. Draco was the Elder Wand's true master but you stunned and disarmed him back at the manor... connect the dots my son. Riddle will once more try to fight you with a wand that will not kill you, fool that he is. What awaits him is not the in-between, nor the after-life, his soul, fragmented as it is, is being consigned to the bowels of hell. He knows it, it is why he 'flees from death'. (Ask Hermione.) Talk to Ron, that girl won't wait forever. Slap him a bit if you have too. Get Neville to go to the Muggles for help for Alice and Frank, I just have a feeling.
Albus wishes me to tell you he is so, so sorry and all the information is in that packet right there. He says that if you should need him, Fawkes will come to you, one last time in your lifetime, and to live well, Harry Potter.
Sirius just wants you to capture, maim or kill Pettigrew, preferably all three. He says to enjoy life a bit after the war, and that he loves you.
We all do my son, you have grown into a young wizard to be proud of. I've watched you all these years, I am so glad to be able to help you.
I love you
Mum
For a long time I sit, reading and reading her words, light dawning at the end of my painfully long tunnel. Here was my plan, my battle and so much easier to execute then any grand bank robberies. I shook my head, Bellatrix had admitted to Thomas she has something precious of her master's in her vault, along with a whole lot more information whilst he'd been err.. feeding. She hadn't been dead, nowhere near it when he left, but was too magically drained to perform even a 'lumos' for a few days. She was exactly like someone suffering Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. With Malfoy Manor burnt to the ground the Death Eaters would be scattered and trying to regroup. This was the time to approach Gringotts. So with my mother's advice and the information on horcruxes we prepared for Gringotts. Karrin and Hermione were remaining in the Keep with Thomas and Mouse for protection, Karrin because she was clearly a Muggle and Hermione because she was too injured to move easily. Thomas and Mouse were just too noticeable. Molly would veil us all and we would sneak up to Gringotts. It was then I noticed the amulet around Dresden's neck was glowing. Seconds later he swore and snatched it from under his shirt. Holding it he closed his eyes and then they opened wide. "There is a nice calm Way just through the woods that comes out on Diagon Alley, right next to the brick wall entrance." We all grinned. Travel route solved.
Once we'd all planned and eaten and planned then eaten some more, we went to bed. I peaked in at Hermione, curled up sleeping. She'd soon be impatient with bed rest and my mother's parcel of notes would go a long way to keeping her there. My head full of my mother's letter and the reams of information from Dumbledore. We had the beginnings of an actual PLAN, not a suicide mission. For the first time in some months I slept easily, without nightmares.
Harry Dresden POV
After young Harry and Ron had gone to bed, Molly already passed out from healing the captives, Karrin and I sat in the cosy kitchen staring at the information before us. To our surprise the parchments had unrolled into full files that had expanded into rather thick packets. Karrin had one on the Death eaters and her face was growing steadily darker. "The books made light of how bad things really are, these are normals, civilians being tortured and slaughtered for fun! These guys are going down hard Harry." she growled, her blue eyes fierce.
"I agree. Moldyshorts is the worst sort of dark wizard, has a real appetite for death, destruction and world domination. Not to mention a major hard on to kill the boy." Murphy growled "Not gonna happen." I agreed and delved back into my reading. Bob was likewise absorbed in taking in every piece of parchment. As his immense intellect kicked in the pages rustled then sped from start to finish. When he'd skimmed the last piece of paper he settled, still and eyes only barely lit. He was processing, considering and analysing everything. Then his skull jerked and said, in utter disgust, "Oh for Merlin's sake... bloody prophecies. No one ever gets them right." Karrin looked at him in confusion.
"Voldemort was too quick to raise his wand to the Potter's, he marked his own greatest enemy that night and handed him all the weapons." The skull seemed to grin. "Old blood magic, powered by love and sacrifice. This should be a heck of a show, Boss, can I come?" I grinned and said, non-committally "We shall see Bob."