Enjoy! Double chapter for you! Expect chapter 18 on Monday!
How It Should've Been
Chapter 17: Drastic Measures
"Fuck."
Alex and Jake were thinking about the implications this could have when the sound of arguing drew their attention. Sharing a look, they returned to the group to find Harry and Hermione arguing.
"Dumbledore is DEAD! We are all doomed!" Hermione snapped angrily. Alex looked to Sirius questioningly, he shook his head and shrugged.
"If you want to base this off of Dumbledore, then you've always been doomed!" Harry retorted.
"How dare you! Dumbledore was the leader of the light! The only one you-know-who is afraid of!" Hermione cried.
"I think you mean was afraid of." Harry corrected. "Oh, and by the way, his title as leader of the light was self-proclaimed bull. You can't be leader of a side in a war when you refuse to take action in said war." Harry fired back.
"Well at least he did more than you! You hid like a coward!" Hermione retorted shortly. Harry blinked, shocked by her words. Alex, Sirius and Jake all held their breath while exchanging looks and waiting to see what would happen.
He didn't shout, or yell. His voice was deathly calm and quiet when he spoke. "Never call me a coward, ever again." His words carried the more danger in the tone than yelling ever could. Much like his mother and aunt, his words carried much more power when he was deathly calm especially when it was a situation when everyone would expect anything else. Anyone would much rather be on the receiving end of yelling than that. Everyone released the breath they were holding when they realized that marked the end of the argument. Harry turned to look at Alex and Jake. "Either of you have a way to track her?" He questioned quietly.
Alex and Jake glanced at the other meeting eyes. An unspoken agreement made. Alex looked away and back to Harry. "Um I think going after Voldemort right now would be a better move." When Harry opened his mouth to argue, she continued. "We don't know who took her or how and Voldemort basically just launched a nuke at the wizarding world." She reasoned as she made sure to choose her words carefully to not give anything away. Harry's jaw clenched as his hands came to rest on his hips as he looked down before nodding slightly.
"I get that but Alex, this is Luna." There was a hint of hidden desperation that leaked through into his voice.
Sighing, Alex looked to Sirius for backup. While they had made up, mostly, they still hadn't talked much since. He nodded in understanding. "Harry, I know what she means to you but Alex is right. Right now, the entire wizarding world is at stake and that isn't something we can put off." Sirius tried.
"Neither is Luna!" Harry snapped before he turned and stormed out of the apartment walking past the mostly fallen in door. Everyone remained silent.
It wasn't until the next day that anyone even saw Harry again. Only when Alex, Sirius and Hermione arrived at the Potter house in London did they find him sitting in the destroyed living room at home. Apparently, he decided to take his anger out on the living room furniture. No words were spoken about it, they all could relate. They understood the feeling of being helpless, the risk of someone you care about dying and how the anger about the situation can be overwhelming. It wasn't until a tapping was heard in the next room in the kitchen any of them moved. Alex left the living room, entering the kitchen and taking the delivery. It was a copy of the Daily Prophet, which honestly wouldn't seem that unusual if they had actually subscribed to the Prophet. Frowning, Alex read the note attached.
You have to see this. -AB
Was written in a neat cursive. AB, Amelia Bones. Tossing the little note on the island counter, Alex unfolded the paper starting from the front page as her eyes widened at the headline.
HOGWARTS ATTACKED! SELF-PROCLAIMED LEADER OF THE LIGHT DEAD! HOGWARTS FALLEN AT HANDS OF DARK LORD & DEATH EATERS
Even knowing the Prophet was normally full of lies and written by attention seeking idiots, Alex knew they wouldn't be that stupid. Nobody would be that stupid as to announce that, all it would do is create fear and a crap ton of panic. Realizations as to what this meant quickly entered Alex's head. The only way this would get printed would be if it's purpose was to cause panic. Cursing under her breath, Alex gave a shout calling the other three into the kitchen. When they entered confused, she tossed the newspaper down on the island facing them with a smack. Reading it, Sirius swallowed hard. He too, knew what this meant.
"Why would the Prophet print this?" Hermione questioned confused. "They had to have known the reaction this will cause." Alex and Sirius shared a look. Harry looked up from the paper silently but his eyes held the same question.
"That's the point. They want that reaction. The fear, the panic. It's the point of it." Alex revealed. Hermione furrowed her brows and shook her head.
"But why? Why would they-" She was cut off.
"Because Voldemort is controlling the Prophet." Harry realized looking to Alex for confirmation and received a nod. "He wants to strike fear and make everyone loss hope." Harry continued sourly. He shook his head angrily and clenched his fists. "You were right. About finding Luna. But she's my best friend, I can't just abandon her. I can't, I-"
"I know." Alex cut him off. "Listen to me, I promise- I promise you. We will find her and we will get her back. No if, ands or buts. Straight and simple. We will get her back. But you have to trust me, right now? Right now, is not the time to be picking another fight, as soon as this one is won, we find her." Alex assured him looking at Harry. He swallowed and steeled his eyes.
"Promise?"
Alex nodded, "Promise." Harry looked at Hermione and Sirius. The people in this room were all he had left. He wasn't about to lose anyone else, and that meant sticking together.
"Then let's fight this war."
The next day found Alex, Sirius, Harry and Hermione standing in one of the rooms least used recently in the house. The command room. It was technically in Alex's wing of the house. They set up the maps of London and England and the big places where death eaters struck previously and the purpose they served. Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, Daily Prophet were the big ones that they could guess the purpose off but this still didn't leave them any indication of what might be hit next.
"Why don't you go to the Ministry and talk to Amelia?" Alex suggested, with all of them at a loss at what the next move may be, it was their best option. Nodding Sirius left the room.
Less than half an hour later Sirius entered the room, which was now only occupied by Harry and Hermione, looking worse for wear with cuts randomly along his arms and shirt. Harry was the first to notice as he sprung up and went to him.
"What happened?" Harry demanded. Sirius frowned and stepped passed him to sit and take a deep breathe.
"Think we found what their next target was." Alex said as she entered the room only to take in the site. "Huh. Guess you did to." She remarked as she approached.
"The Ministry." Sirius started before shaking his head. "They were there already when I arrived. The fighting had already started but when it got to a point that it was-it was pointless. There were to many fallen and I left." Sirius retold the events. "The Ministry has fallen." He announced sadly as the other three occupations in the room exchanged grave looks.
Days later found Alex in her own study talking with Jake and the rest of the group off in other areas of the house.
"Jake. Do you think it's possible to link the same magical signature on more than one thing together?" Alex questioned causing Jake to look at her thoughtfully.
"I suppose. Yeah." He answered nodding.
"And could you do it?" She continued.
He nodded again, "If I had a signature sample to use to create the link."
"And it would work as if one fell, they all would?"
"Typically. If the source of the signature died then everything with the signature would as well."
"Perfect." Alex turned and started walking towards the door.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Jake questioned confused.
"To go get a signature!" Alex called as she left closing the door behind her.
Alex arrived back all of an hour later in a flurry of flames along with a limp person. Jake looked up at her arrival before his eyes widened.
"What the hell is that?" He exclaimed wildly. She turned her attention to him at his question and looked at what he was pointing at.
"The signature. Well to be more exact…" She crouched down next to the person and picked up their limp arm and showed it to him. "This is." She pointed to the Dark mark on his arm. Jake's eyes widened in realization.
"You want me… to link all of the Dark Mark signatures to Voldemort." He stated once the pieces fell together. Alex stood and nodded.
"That's the goal." She let the man's arm drop. Jake sighed.
"Are you sure you want me to do this?" He wondered hesitantly.
"Do what?" Hermione questioned curiously as she entered the room only to stop in her tracks upon seeing the unconscious man on the ground and blinked quickly a few times.
"Link all of the Dark marks together to Voldemort's life and signature." Alex filled in. Hermione's eyes widened comically.
"What?!" She shrieked loudly. "If Voldemort dies then they all would!" She exclaimed. Alex nodded slowly.
"That's kind of the point." Alex revealed.
"That would kill over a hundred people! You're talking about committing mass murder!" Hermione cried stunned.
"Yeah see I don't really think of it that way. I think of it as more of ending a war in one foul swoop. See? Doesn't sound as bad." Alex joked.
"You can't do this! You want to kill all of them! What if some of them didn't take the mark willingly?" Hermione countered. Alex frowned.
"There is no 'not taking it willingly' that's not possible." Alex remarked with a scoff.
"What are you talking about?" Hermione demanded as Alex rolled her eyes.
"You have to commit an inhuman act to prove loyalty." When Hermione raised an eyebrow, she continued. "You know, rape, murder, arson. Something of that nature." She explained.
"And how would you know that?" Hermione questioned suspiciously narrowing her eyes.
"My sisters former best friend turned into a death eater with regrets." Alex stated simply.
Shaking her head, Hermione protested. "I can't allow you to do this. This is wrong."
"It's wrong?" Alex narrowed her eyes and slowly walked closer only to stop feet away. "What about what they do? They torture, rape and kill whoever the hell they want. Would you rather that they do that to hundreds of other innocents? How about you? Or your parents? Is that what you would prefer? Because that's what they'll do if we let them live!" Hermione swallowed but didn't answer or move. "So, I suggest you either get over it or make sure you're not in my way. Because I don't care who you are, if you're in my way, I won't hesitate to remove you from it." Alex warned lowly.
"What's going on here?" Harry questioned as he and Sirius entered the room and took in the scene.
"Just a small difference in opinion on how to go about things." Alex smiled. Hermione laughed.
"Small difference? How is wanting to commit mass murder small?" This drew Harry's and Sirius's attention to Alex as they looked between the two and spared a look at Jake who had been extremely quiet then to the guy on the floor.
"Mass murder?" Sirius asked cautiously.
"She wants to link all of the death eaters to you-know-who by the Dark mark. So that if he dies, they all die. Which is wrong! They should be brought to justice not killed!" Hermione fought.
"It does seem a bit extreme." Sirius agreed slowly while Harry remained silent as Alex was looking at Harry waiting for his opinion.
"You think it will help end this as soon as possible?" Harry questioned. Alex nodded. "Then I'm not going to stand in the way." He turned and left the room without another word. Hermione gaped after him while Sirius frowned.
Alex turned to look at Jake. "Do it." She stated before exiting the room leaving Hermione, Sirius and Jake alone in silence.
"You're not actually going to do it just because she said to, are you?" Sirius wondered breaking the silence. Jake bite his lip.
"While I may agree, it may seem a little extreme, it is the most efficient option. And typically, when it comes to winning wars, Alex has done it more than just about anyone I know." Jake admitted.
"But letting her do this? This is inhuman. How can she be willing to do that? Something so heartless? And with no emotion?" Hermione exclaimed.
"Honestly probably pretty easily." When Hermione gaped, he continued. "You two view the world different than Alex or even Harry does. They see the world for what it is and all of its darkness and understand the need to delve into it. You can't win a war fighting the darkness if you're not willing to use it. You just can't. Alex proved that to me a long time ago. I had a view point similar to yours." Jake revealed. "And it almost got me killed. Because I tried to save someone that couldn't be saved. Someone there was no justice for. Someone that didn't deserve it. But I refused to see that, and I almost paid the price but Alex was the one who saved my ass. And we've been friends ever since." Jake flicked his hand causing the still unconscious man to disappear in smoke before he started for the door.
"But you've probably made some morally questionable choices since then, haven't you?" Hermione asked. Jake turned back to face then when he was a few feet from the door and nodded.
"I have." He admitted. At this Hermione smiled as she proved her point but it faded quickly when she heard what he said next. "But I haven't regretted a single one of them. Maybe there will be one I regret one day but it definitely won't be this one." And with that he turned and left the room.
Wow, Alex getting heartless, well more heartless. Now this isn't to make Harry look inhumane for not opposing what Alex is planning, it's to show just what lengths he's willing to go to without Luna, his best friend, by his side. Alex, well she just is willing to go to any extremes to do what's necessary. Yes, I know this chapter does make Hermione look like a bitch but if you really think about it, it's not the intention. The point is to show the difference in how they see the world. She doesn't have the same experiences and doesn't understand war. So, don't hate on her.
This was a shorter chapter than the last few I know but really, I think it lost its flow around here. So, hope you enjoyed! Thank you for all the support and see you next chapter! -DS
Leave your thoughts and reactions in the reviews? They honestly do really help more than you could know!
