As I am NOT the original author of the Harry Potter series, who as anyone should know is the wonderful JKR who lets us play with her world. I don't own a darn thing here. On with the story.
Chapter 11B New Years Surprise pt 2
For the first meeting using the new room Molly had gone a bit overboard preparing a small buffet table at the back of the room. Once they'd passed their traveling cloaks to Kreacher 12 Grimmauld place's house elf they smiled and thanked her for the small treats as they helped themselves. She'd thought about having her daughter Ginny or one of the boys still at home help with keeping the table refreshed but not all the order's members were a restrained in their speech as she'd like plus given what had happened with Snape at Christmas. Well it was just safer for them to be home at the heavily warded Burrow.
The meeting was due to start shortly and as she looked around she was please with the remarkable job her two youngest had done getting this room ready. Not that she would tell them that, it would not due for her children to get swelled heads after all. The infrequent visitors which was actually most of the Order of the Phoenix were gazing around taking in the now posh room.
One individual after filling a small plate was studying the tapestry covering the room's walls. It was the complete family tree for the Black family, which Sirius Black now headed. A small group slowly made their way along the horizontal tree each one pointing out a name they recognized or an ancestor that married into the Black Family or was descended from them. Occasionally remarking about one or another name that was well known in wizarding history. It wasn't long before Sirius's burn mark was discovered along with a gold line to Harry Potter from Sirius's burned spot while a second dotted line lead to Claudius Potter. Everyone assumed it denoted Harry being Sirius's godson what really created a bit of excitement was finding the two silver lines linking the name Harry Potter with Hermione Granger. That brought up the question what the two different colors as well as the single and double lines meant as all the double lines they could find were made of gold thread.
The discussion attracted the attention of Emma Vance who commented, "My grand parents have something similar. If I remember right Grandmother said gold lines link family members while double gold lines are a married couple and double silver lines are an engaged couple. I think the line between Sirius and Harry should be silver if Harry is just his godson. At least that's what it was like when my uncle was my godfather."
"Does this mean Harry and Hermione are engaged?" several voices called out drawing the attention of the rest of the order members present.
"I bet that's what's going on." Bill Weasley said thinking out loud shifting everyone's attention to him.
Molly looked at her eldest asking, "What do you mean Bill?"
"I told you I'd invited Fleur to join us tonight but she told he there was an engagement party she had to attend tonight and tried to get me to attend that instead."
"Yes so…." Molly prodded.
"That entire conversation was in French and I'm still learning that language. I just realized I might have misunderstood what she said." Seeing everyone's confused looks Bill continued, " At the time I though she said the party was for some champion. Now that I'm thinking about it she might have said co-champion."
"Co-champion? You mean an engagement party for Harry?" Dumbledore asked.
"It's a possibility." Bill allowed not liking the look appearing on Albus Dumbledore's face.
Albus thought for a moment before asking, "Did she say where this party is being held?" knowing if it was mentioned a curse breaker of Bill's caliber would remember it.
Bill sighed as he realized what was coming quickly thinking he equivocated for a moment, "Yes they're having it in Paris,"
Dumbledore thought for a moment while looking around the room. Reaching a decision he asked, "Have you been to the Delacour residence?"
Bill was in a quandary the carefully cultivated habit of thinking out loud, so useful in curse breaking to keep his team informed was now a curse. His family knew he'd been there several times but he was sure Dumbledore intended to us his knowledge to 'return Harry to safety'. An act he suspected Fleur's family would view as kidnapping a guest. Not an acceptable act from someone who was hoping to marry a member of House Delacour.
"Bill need I remind you of the vow you took when you joined the Order of the Phoenix?" Dumbledore added getting impatient at the delay.
'Damn that arsehole just had to use that didn't he. Dumbledore must really want Harry under his thumb. Well it does make my decision that much simpler. Do I choose the family I was born into or the family I hope to have?' Bill thought before saying, "I was going over the location in my mind as you spoke. Given the way you phrased your last comment Headmaster I feel I must resign from this Order after providing this information as you are forcing me to violate my word and possible costing me the woman I love."
"Bill that creature wasn't right for you anyway," Molly interjected.
"Now Molly this is Bill's decision. I'm sure he will return to us once he's had a while to think this through. We did take special care to not interfere with his oaths to Gringotts after all." Dumbledore said stopping Molly's rant before it could gather steam. What was need now was fast action to recover Harry after all.
Bill took quill to a parchment laying near by writing out 73 Rue de Varnne, Paris before passing it to Dumbledore wo asked, "Mr William Weasley on your magic is they the Delacour residence in Paris?"
Nodding his understanding Bill stood straight replying, "Albus Dumbledore Leader of the Order of the Phoenix I formally state that is a Delacour residence. Mum, Dad, goodbye," disapparating before anything else could be said. He appeared in Gringotts London taking an internal port key to Gringotts Marseille. A few quick apparitions later he was greeted by the Delacour's Major Domo House elf who said, "Mr. Weasley, Miss Fleur is busy entertaining."
"I need to speak to her immediately. It concerns the safety of her guests," Bill announced.
The elf looked him up and down before reaching a decision. This human was obviously linked with Miss Fleur. It would be best to let her deal with him. "I will inform Miss Fleur." The elf replied before popping away.
Several minutes later Fleur entered stating, "Bill I thought you had a meeting in London?"
"I did…" Bill started then stopped and after a deep breath said, "Fleur I did something you will not like."
"Go on," Fleur responded in a cold voice her heart breaking at the thought of what it could be.
"We were at Sirius's place and they noticed the Black Family tree had both Harry and Hermione on it. Well I was thinking out loud and mentioned you'd invited me to an engagement party tonight. Dumbledore put what he knew together and used my oath to the Order of the Phoenix to force me to give him the location of the Delacour Residence."
"Oh Bill you didn't," Fleur exclaimed the pain of her disappointment obvious in her voice. About everyone at the ministry knew the Floo address but the physical location of her family's home was a closely guarded secret.
Seeing her look Bill quickly added, "I gave them the address of our place in Paris. Then resigned from the Order. Given the way my mother reacted I need somewhere to stay until my transfer out of the London office can be arraigned," hoping Fleur would take pity on him.
Instead Fleur studied him for a few moments before asking, "You gave them the location of our Paris apartment?"
"The oath I gave was to truthfully answer all questions not protected by any previous oath. Just giving my word wasn't good enough to protect this location. As it required a French citizen's name on the lease you used your name. Therefore it was a Delacour residence. I don't want to lose you Fleur." Bill replied his voice breaking at the end.
Fleur's reply was interrupted by her mother entering asking, "Fleur what is going on? We have guests upstairs."
Fleur's shake of her head, how ever slight, signaled to Apolline her timing could have been better. "Bill was just informing me Dumbledore has realized Harry is here. Bill was able to divert him and his vigilante group to my Paris apartment. I don't know how long that will delay them." Fleur said.
"After I make a few quick calls it should stop them cold," Marc Delacour said turning and leaving the group.
In London England at 12 Grimmauld Place six teams of Death Eaters appeared in, two teams per room situated in opposite corners except for the front drawing room which had teams in each corner positioned to place most of the Order of the Phoenix in a crossfire. Unfortunately for several Death Eaters their compatriots took the Dark Lords words to heart and had their wands out pointing away from the other two members of the their group finishing the spell they'd already started as they arrived, "…Kedavra." However with some of the Order of the Phoenix having left for France with Dumbledore to retrieve Harry Potter while the rest the left quickly for their homes it left just the other Death Eaters in 12 Grimmauld Place to be targets for those killing curses. Death Eaters and one house elf who approached one of the teams in the drawing room intending to inform them where everyone had gone to. That house elf caught a killing curse from the only remaining Death Eater of the three that had arrived in this particular corner.
Voldemort wasn't happy; most of the teams were arriving back with less than a full three person complement standing. When moments later the two catch teams as he thought of them returned empty handed his glower increased. "Where are my prisoners?" Voldemort asked his hand twitching towards his wand.
"The home was empty my lord. When we arrived a few individuals were too eager and cast the killing curse hitting the other teams." One of the newer death eaters replied before suddenly realizing speaking up before a senior death eater might not have been the best idea as a wand appeared in the Dark Lord's hand before he could react. To the surprise of most present it was not pointed at the one who spoke instead it was Severus Snape that was the aiming point.
"Severus, would you care to explain why a raid to remove a thorn called the Order of the Phoenix from my side failed?" Voldemort asked his wand never wavering.
Severus looked down at the floor not meeting Voldemort's eyes as he said, "I do not know my Lord. I accompanied Dumbledore himself from Hogwarts to the meeting location before arriving here to verify the meeting was taking place. The blood traitors had even set up a buffet at the back of the meeting room. So I had no reason to doubt there was a meeting taking place."
His wand never leaving Snape Voldemort looked over at Lucius asking, "What say you about the meeting room?"
Lucius Malfoy wished anyone else had been asked that question. Still he knew hesitation was not a good thing. "There was a table set up against one wall. It looked like it had been cleared in haste. Additionally the chairs in the room while set in rows were off from each other like the people sitting in them had left in a hurry." Lucius replied praying his friend would survive the night.
Voldemort debated in his mind. "Bella come forward and let me see what happened." Voldemort said already probing her mind.
Minutes later as Bellatrix Lestrange lay panting on the floor If he was honest with himself Voldemort knew it was his orders to arrive with the killing curse on their lips that had caused the death of a few of his followers. Still he wasn't totally sure of any of his followers beyond Bella. It might be best to… yes that was it. "Lucius assist Bella in retrieving a potion from my quarters. Bella it's the one to the left we brewed several weeks ago." Voldemort said before dismissing them along with the rest of his followers.
When Bella returned with the potion she found Severus Snape now lying on a conjured table in front of the Dark Lord's throne. "He's still bound and understands taking this potion willingly is an indication of his trust in me." Voldemort said motioning for Bella to give Severus the potion. "The whole thing Bella." Voldemort said sitting back and watching the potion take effect.
Severus Snape thought he recognized the potion as it was poured into his open mouth. If he was right his mental defenses were about to come crashing down allowing the Dark Lord free access to his entire mind. 'I don't recall this potion causing one to pass out,' was his last thought before everything went black.
Seeing his prisoner's head roll to the side Voldemort smiled. A conscious Severus would never have allowed his body such an act. "Bella keep an eye out. I will be in Severus's mind and might experience a moment's delay in reacting should anything untoward happen."
Bellatrix beamed at the honor being given to her alone pulling her wand and taking a position with her back to a wall that allowed her to keep an eye on everything occurring in the room.
Seeing her on guard Voldemort entered Severus's mind with a wand flick. He'd been in this mind several times over the years noting the fine detailed walls lined with bookshelves and storage boxes that was a hall mark of his potions master's mind. 'What do we have here?' Voldemort thought noticing one of the book shelve units appeared slightly off. Pushing on the unit he smiled as it gave way allowing him into a room hidden behind it. Alternately pulling a book of a shelf and glancing at it before checking a nearby storage box in the newly uncovered room in Severus's mind allowed Voldemort to build up a picture of what the room contained and how it was filed. He spent considerable time examining the room before exiting both this room and Severus's mind.
"My Lord is all well?" Bella asked when she noticed Voldemort was active again.
"Yes Bella I am fine. I will need a few hours to digest everything I've found. I will need you and Lucius to stand guard over Snape until I return."
"It will be as you command." Bella replied already summoning her brother in law.
A good two hours later Voldemort re-entered his throne room taking a seat. Now was the time to deal with the reality of Snape being merely incompetent at his tasks and not a double agent. He knew there was no way to keep him as a potions brewer, any potions he brewed would be suspect, but he was still useful as a source of intelligence on Dumbledore and the activities of his group once Snape was properly disciplined. He knew his followers needed to understand the price of incompetence and Sirius would provide a better example than his followers who were just unlucky in their raid on the Order's headquarters. "Bella, summon my inner circle. Severus overstepped his warrant and has been telling Dumbledore some of my secrets without approval. I wish them to witness his confession and his punishment."
Returning for taking a Floo call in his private office Marc Delacour announced to the expectant faces awaiting word, "The Aurors arrived shortly after what appeared to be the entire Order of the Phoenix appeared in my daughter's apartment. They were given the option of leaving or being arrested. Dumbledore tried to talk the Aurors into revealing my location so he and I could 'talk' Only to leave as the Lead Auror announced anyone still there when he reached zero would be arrested the began counting down at twenty.
"Thank you I am in your debt for keeping me and my guest safe," Sirius replied formally.
"No, not at all," Mar replied waiving the debt away.
"I think it's best for us to leave France. We should be gone tomorrow. Thank you for your hospitality," Sirius replied starting to rise.
"You and your group are spending the night here under our wards. Tomorrow you can return to your Hotel, pack and leave if that is your desire. For tonight however I believe you will be safer here."
"That is too much, we have imposed on your hospitality too much already," Alan countered.
"No it is settled you are here and we will see you off tomorrow." Apolline said speaking up before turning and calling or the Delacour house elves to assist their guests to their rooms and assist them in settling in for the evening.
The next day Sirius' group boarded a train to Brussels where everyone had a good time enjoying the sights of the holiday season. Well except for one morning when Jane decided it was time for a refresher talk with her daughter, drafting Sirius in to help they sat Harry and Hermione down for a couples version of the infamous 'Talk' Having received the standard versions the previous summer everyone felt this one was far more mortifying both for those receiving the talk as well as those giving it.