Changing My Life
Chapter 27: It Might Just Work
It was the morning after their 'visit' to Gringotts, the trio was scattered throughout the house. Hermione was in the study, Harry was in the kitchen and Draco was on his way to the kitchen.
"Potter." He greeted when he walked into the kitchen as Harry was sitting at the island eating pancakes.
"Draco." Harry responded in kind not bothering to look up from his food. Draco moved so he was standing across from Harry.
"So what now?" Draco questioned in a way that caught Harry's attention causing him to look up.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh come off it Potter. I know you have an agenda, the break in didn't get you what you wanted, which need I remind you we don't even know what that was. And now? Now your just sitting here, eating pancakes as if you don't have Dumbledore and Voldemort searching for you. So I will ask again, what is your agenda?"
"You said his name." Harry stated a matter of factly.
"So?" Draco asked confused.
"Not many people can say it without flinching."
"Oh don't flatter me Potter. That's not the point. The point is, what are you planning?" Draco asked firmly while crossing his arms and leaning back against the counter.
"To end this. All of this. Dumbledore, Voldemort, this war. It needs to end."
"And how do you plan to do that?"
"I may not be able to clear both boards of opponents all in one sweep. But I can remove the king from one of them." He paused before reaching into his inside jacket pocket and pulling something out.
"What the hell is that?" Draco asked brows furrowed.
"It's a phone." He answered simply before tapping on the screen a few times. He then set it on the table and hit the play button.
Dumbledore called someone into his office.
"Ah Kingsley thank you for coming." Dumbledore said.
"Of course, what do you need?"
"Mister Potter has gone missing from Hogwarts. Along with Hermione Granger. I am afraid they may have been kidnapped." Dumbledore said sadly.
"How could they have been kidnapped from Hogwarts?" Kingsley asked alarmed.
"I believe it was from Hogsmeade. Mister Potter has snuck out to the town before and I fear this time it may very well of put him in harms way." Dumbledore answered sullenly.
"But if that's true the-!" Kingsley started.
"Yes, I fear Voldemort may have him. I called you here so you can inform Mad Eye and Tonks, we need this to be kept quiet but Harry must be found." Dumbledore stressed.
"Why not tell the Ministry or the Auror department, they have more resources and can help!" Kingsley exclaimed.
"Because that would cause panic. The Boy-who-lived, the savior was kidnapped. It would send people into a frenzy. So we must keep this quiet until we retrieve him." Dumbledore explained.
"Of course sir. We will begin the search immediately." Kingsley assured him.
Harry hit the pause button and the recording stopped. He lifted the phone from the counter and put it back in his pocket.
"What was that?" Draco asked amazed.
"It was a recording from yesterday afternoon." Harry answered simply before going back to his food.
"But how did you get it?" Draco pressed.
"It's called a electronic bug." At Draco's confused look, he continued. "It's a listening device, well it can also record as you heard."
"But how did you-"
"I dropped it in his robe pocket when I pushed past him once. I noticed that when he takes it off he set it over the back of his chair." Harry cut him off already knowing what he was going to ask.
"Electronics don't work around magic, muggleborns are always complaining about it."
"Correct unless you have the help of two people who are fantastic in runes. Then you'd be surprised at what you could make work."
"Why show that to me? What's the point?" Draco asked shrugged.
"Because you asked what I'm planning. This records anytime there is noise in that office. You asked what my agenda is and I told you it was to remove a king. Well this is how I'm going to do it. This gives me evidence that Dumbledore isn't who he pretends he is." Harry answered him.
"You take Dumbledore off the board, Voldemort will have nothing standing in his way." Draco pointed out.
"I know. I'm counting on it." Harry informed him causing Draco's facial expression to evolve into one of shock.
"Please tell me I did not just hear you right. You're counting on it?!" Draco exclaimed, his eyes wide and his mouth open.
"If everything goes how I hope than when that time comes that will be when Voldemort falls." Harry answered.
"You have got to be kidding me? Has anything ever really gone how you hoped?" Draco exclaimed.
"A few things yes." Harry's answer did little to assure Draco. "I have to go, I'll be back in a little bit." Harry continued before standing and leaving the kitchen and Draco just standing there.
Harry activated the floo in the living room and disappeared into the flames. He came out the other side in Amelia's office.
"Harry?!" A voice exclaimed causing Harry to whorl around and say Tonks standing at the door having just been ready to leave.
"Dammit Harry! The one time you aren't late!" Amelia cursed now standing from her chair.
"Minister?" Tonks asked in a shaky voice. She had just got done telling Amelia how Harry was missing.
"Oh. Hi Tonks, how's it going?" Harry asked indifferent.
"Uh I have to go!" She stammered before practically falling out of the office.
"You do realize she's going to more than likely tell Dumbledore right?" Amelia asked him once the door closed after Tonks exited.
"Probably yeah. It's just not my biggest problem right now. So, you wanted to speak to me?"
"Yes but first, how'd it go? Did you find anything?"
"Well they checked the vault and nothing." Harry sighed.
"Sorry Harry. I told you it was a long shot."
"One I couldn't risk not taking. Anyway, I know that can't be the only reason you called me here so… what?"
"Croaker managed to use the death eaters to reverse the dark mark allowing us to track Voldemort." Amelia told him.
"That's fantastic." Harry said as soon as he heard. This was the first good news he got all day.
"Yes well, he also uncovered some not so good news. There were two signals." Amelia informed him watching for a reaction.
"Two?" He questions making sure he heard right.
"Yes. It traces by magical signature and soul and since there's two Croaker believes in is Voldemort and one is horcrux. He's also deduced that with Voldemort being the type of man he is, he probably had more than one. But he said that since there are no more on the map. Then they are either destroyed or he was wrong." Amelia admitted.
"No he was probably right. If he's smart enough to do everything he has than I doubt he's wrong."
"You know what a Horcrux is?" Amelia exclaimed surprised that that wasn't his first question.
"Yeah, I read of a mention of them before. Never put the pieces together though. Anyway, can Croaker find out where it is?" Harry asked.
"Yes, he has though the only problem is it seems to be moving and it's often close to Voldemort himself so maybe one of his Death eaters carries it?" She suggested.
"Can a horcrux be a living thing?" Harry inquired.
"You'd have to be pretty stupid to do so." Said a voice from behind them. Turning they saw Croaker enter the office. "But it is possible." He continued.
"Nagini, his snake. She's the horcrux." Harry said. It may be a dumb idea for most people but Voldemort often did things that would normally be considered dumb yet often worked in his favor.
"Well if so, we can track her nonetheless." Croaker assured them.
"Here." Harry said as he pulled the phone out of his pocket and showed the same thing to them that he did to Draco. "There's much more on there. Enough evidence to remove Dumbledores from his position as headmaster of Hogwarts." Harry told Amelia as he set the phone down on the desk.
"Harry, removing Dumbledore could've disastrous. While I agree he should be removed, he is the only thing between Hogwarts and Voldemort." She tried to reason.
"I know. That's why it's time to do it. We have everything we need to know to bring Voldemort down. And the only way we can get him out and into the open is to set a trap we know he can't resist." Harry explained.
"That is a very dangerous idea." Croaker interjected. "But also a relatively smart one." He finished.
"Excuse me?!" Amelia exclaimed, shocked by the agreement.
"Bones, he right. The only thing that will draw him out is the chance for a big attack like this." Croaker cut in.
"It's time to end this war. I plan to go back to Hogwarts as soon as you start the motions for Dumbledores to be taken into custody." He assured her though it did little to help.
"I will think about it. Croaker please go do the final calculations." She asked. Croaker nodded before leaving. Harry also began making his way back to the fireplace when Amelia called out to him.
"So how'd working with Mister Malfoy go?" She asked casually.
"It actually wasn't that bad. He's clever and sometimes helpful." He answered, shocking her. He turned before she could say anything else and exited through the fire place.
A/N: As you can see, things are getting to the point where Harry just wants things done with. He obviously has a plan if he's willing to let Voldemort be drawn to Hogwarts. Not sure how many more chapters there will be. This was another short one, as we get closer to the end, I have been having trouble with writing and coming up with how I want things to play out. Anyway, hope you enjoyed, and Happy Reading! -DS