Chapter 9
...All war represents a failure of diplomacy...
~Tony Benn
Riddle Manor
Christmas Day 1999
While the joys of the holiday season were being experienced by the entire world, Emperor Tom Riddle sat in a giant conference room with his top advisers. His closest friends, Bella, Lucius, and Karkoroff, were sitting near him while the rest of the chairs consisted of military staff, both muggle and magical. Several aides sat in less comfortable chairs along the wall awaiting tasks or jotting notes.
A large map was spread across the conference table with several colored pins across key cities. Papers detailing intelligence reports on military targets were stacked in neat piles. For twelve hours, plans were made, critiqued, then remade in an attempt to plan the Emperor's war. Another World War.
When they were first told of Tom's plan to force the world into revealing the magical world like he did with Britain, they wondered why. Everything within the country was going amazingly well. Crime rates, interest rates and financial debt were down while income, internal commerce, and technological/ magical innovations were constantly rising. So what if everybody else has shunned them. Hell, they had even gotten used to the American warships that enforced the worldwide embargo. So why should we bother, they asked.
So, Riddle told them the truth; the other nations were watching. "Make no mistake", he said, "they have eyes and ears within our country and they are worried. Jealousy and fear provoke people into making brash decisions. They see us as a threat to their economy, safety, and most definitely their way of life. I am going to give the International Confederation of Wizards one last chance to at least accept our success. If they do not, well, that's what these plans are for. They are not going to expend their resources forever to keep us here. Eventually, they will come for us thinking that it is in their best interest."
At the end of the meeting, Tom pulled his friends aside.
"Any word on the assassin's location", Tom asked Bella.
"Nothing. The Aurors followed several apparition spots until it went cold in Bransgore. From there, we think he used an illegal portkey. We have teams patrolling the streets non-stop, so hopefully it will deter anymore murders or abductions."
"I also have a few of my people asking around for any information. So far, nothing", Karkoroff added.
Riddle expressed his displeasure regarding the assassin. He hated having to look over his shoulder everywhere he went. The paranoia grated his nerves. After a second, he continued the conversation.
"After the I.C.W conference, events are going to be happening very quickly. We can't afford any mistakes and we definitely could do without this bastard targeting us. Bella, put some fire in the investigator's ass. I want this resolved. Also, run our troops through the gauntlet. I want them combat ready."
"It will be done, Emperor", she said.
"Lucius, I want you to use the docks to sneak special teams into these landing zones. I want them to blend in until orders are given. That means finding jobs and living as a civilian. If it is easier to get teams from South America then do it. Regardless, I want them ready when we start our campaign."
Before Lucius could agree, Tom turned to Karkoroff. "I want you in Moscow stirring up the public. Get your people to cause massive civilian riots to occupy the Russian military. Pay off, kill, and bribe whoever you need to so we can get some more intelligence on troop movements and ordinance as well."
The Emperor's orders were clear. Either the International Confederation of Wizards would see reason and at least back off Britain or some serious shit was going to go down. "Any questions? Very well, dismissed. I'll contact you all after the conference."
...The true solider fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him...
~ G.K. Chesterton
Bransgore
Dumbledore's hideout
Christmas Day
Harry's complete focus was on the item in front of him. Even though it was going to be torn apart, he wanted the wrapper to be perfect. He wanted Lilliana to know how much time he put into his gift for her. Balls of crumpled gift paper littered his bedroom floor as he tried again to wrap the small box. He had waited all day to give her this present alone. He didn't notice Davin coming into his room until his friend threw a discarded bow at his head.
"That better be a wedding ring", Davin said with a smile. "You know the old man will expect it."
Harry didn't give a damn what Dumbledore expected, he wasn't ready for marriage. But, like the hundreds of other times Davin brought it up, Harry couldn't help but to think of the day he was caught in Lilliana's bed. Dumbledore blew him out of her second floor window into the courtyard...starkers! When he woke up, Davin and Sirius told him that they had to get him ready for the wedding. Confused and still a little groggy, Harry went along with the motions.
When they entered the hallway leading to the dining room, Harry noticed that he was wearing a tuxedo. Stopping dead in his tracks, he looked at Sirius, "just whose wedding are we going to?"
"Yours of course! You can't de-flower Dumbledore's only daughter and think you can get away with it do you? It was either you marry her or Lilliana's parents murder you. So...consider this a shotgun wedding!"
Harry panicked! Sweat poured down his face as he thought of what was in store for him. 'Married!' When Harry started to protest, Davin grabbed his arm and told him about Dumbledore casting an ancient spell to ensure Harry went through with it. Harry thought Davin was full of gnome shit until he started listing medical ailments that would affect him if he didn't comply. Things like accelerated heart rate, profuse sweating, and uncontrollable shaking. Harry noticed that he was experiencing those problems. In reality, it was anxiety, but his godfather and his best friend weren't going to tell him that!
Thinking that his life was in danger, Harry allowed himself to be dragged to the dining room. He envisioned Dumbledore and Minerva standing next to Lilliana with muggle shotguns at port arms. Harry's imagination started running wild, he reached for his wand only to find it missing along with his bracelets full of black needles he usually transfigures to knives. When they arrived at the door, Davin patted Harry on the back and whispered a solemn apology and handed him a small ring box.
Harry was practically pushed through the dining room door by Sirius and heard it close loudly behind him. He looked around for the crazy, old, soon to be parents-in-law, but didn't see them. A chair slid across the floor and toppled over. Harry just caught a glimpse of Lilliana as she pulled him into a hug.
"Oh Harry, are you ok? I'm so sorry about what happened!"
Harry didn't answer.
"Why are you dressed up? What's going on?"
Harry looked around. 'Maybe Dumbledore wanted me to propose first in private', he thought. He cleared his thought and looked at Lilliana, "Umm...I know we haven't known each other long and this is kind of forced on us...but I want you to know that I do have feelings for you..."
"Harry what are you talking about", Lilliana cut in.
Unable to speak anymore from the nerves, Harry lifted the ring box. The hinge was facing Lilliana, he wanted a peak at the ring before he offered it. Ever so slowly, Harry lifted the lid as he gently got into the proposing position.
Harry heard Lilliana gasped in surprise right before the contents of the box exploded in brightly colored streamers, confetti, and glitter. Harry fell onto his back side and banged his head on the dinning room door as Lilliana screamed. Swiping at the smoke around his head, Harry heard the loud barking laughter he knew belonged to Sirius. 'Sons of bitches', he thought, 'that's why I don't have my wand and wrist band! They knew I'd kill them!'
Harry had to apologize profusely to Lilliana for a week straight after that prank. He apologized for the prank and then had to apologize again when she asked if Harry didn't like the idea of marrying her. He associated it to the "does this make me look fat" question women always ask. There is NO right answer! After the week was up, everything was smoothed over with their relationship.
Harry was planning his revenge on Sirius and Davin. He wanted to tie them up next to the snowman Lilliana and Ginny had made in the middle of the courtyard. They would of course be wearing nothing but a top hat and a scarf. He even planned on having multicolored Christmas lights float around them. But that went out the window when he heard Sirius hollering for Dumbledore. Harry looked out the window and seen him running full sprint to the house.
By the time Sirius made it to the doorstep, all of the occupants were waiting for him. He tried huffing out the news between deep gulps of air. But nobody could make out what he was trying to say. Dumbledore looked around and noticed that everybody was waiting to hear what was so important. "Since we are all present, we might as well adjourn to the dinning room while Sirius catches his breath."
Before everybody was seated, Sirius had recovered enough to start his tale. "We are going to war Albus! Tom is going to war with the entire world! He just finished a meeting detailing where and how to strike with all of the top brass. He said he was going to give the I.C.W an ultimatum!"
Everybody gasped in surprise. Deep down they knew it was coming though. Dumbledore stroked his long white beard, "it appears our Emperor is quite ambitious. How does he plan on attacking the entire world from our little island", he asked looking at Sirius.
"Bellatrix didn't give me all the details, but I know that Lucius and Karkoroff are going to have a major role to play." Davin perked up at the mention of Bella, 'it would be a wonderful Christmas indeed', he thought envisioning the older woman with every naughty thought possible.
"She also told me that they tracked down Harry's apparition points. She wants me to lead the investigation and search around his last known spot." Sirius paused and looked at Harry, a mixture of sadness and anger within his eyes, "I have to start my search in Bransgore...no more that one kilometer away!"
All eyes looked towards Harry in shock while said man looked down and thought about the day the trio returned from their 'vacation'.
"Fortunately, they think Harry took a portkey to cover his tracks. They don't expect me to find anything but it does put a team of Aurors within throwing distance of the wards", Sirius continued.
Panicked, the adults looked to Dumbledore asking what they were going to do. In truth, the old man had no idea! They were well protected by the Fidelius Charm and several other wards meant to hide things. But what would they do if they were found? They never have come up with an escape plan. The noise in the dinning room began to rise annoyingly. The old man was about to silence them so that he could think but was beaten to it by Harry.
"When do you have to start", Harry asked.
"Tomorrow morning, bright and early."
Harry nodded his head, "I'll go tonight and make a scene that will alert the Aurors. I'll give them new coordinates to investigate", Harry said hoping his plan would work. At the very least, Harry hoped that they wouldn't be snooping around Thatcher's Lane.
"To what end Harry", Dumbledore asked, "how do you plan on returning?"
'Funny you should mention returning', Harry thought since neither one has spoken a word to each other after being caught naked with Lilliana. "I think it is time for us to get to work anyway. We know that Tom has an army in South America and we also know that Karkoroff has strong ties to the Russian Mafia."
"The Malfoy's have a shipyard that Tom uses to sneak things out of the country", Sirius added. "Karkoroff left an hour ago to return to Russia with about thirty other people I couldn't recognize."
Silence stretched as Harry started thinking about his course of action. His Christmas present to Lilliana long forgotten, at least for the time being. Suggestions were being thrown onto the table in the hopes of coming up with some type of plan. While the group was busy chipping in what they felt were helpful ideas, Harry and Davin began using legilimency to finalize their plan.
When they were done, Harry raised his arm to get their attention. "First off, I want to apologize again. I didn't think that Riddle could follow so many apparition points. To keep them", Harry gestured to Sirius," away from here, Davin and I are going on the offensive."
"Please elaborate Harry," Dumbledore asked.
"Now that all out war is on the table, I want to do what I can to stall Tom's plan. If we can take out Karkoroff and Lucius, he might have to alter his goals. I don't want to think what will happen if every country in the world aimed their missiles at us."
Dumbledore agreed. He now felt that his ragtag little group was living on borrowed time. "I guess now would be a good time to come out of hiding. No good will come of this war." The table fell deathly silent. For Dumbledore to suggest leaving their sanctuary was almost unthinkable. They have successfully remained hidden for years.
"I'm going to attend that I.C.W conference and try to warn them. Maybe Tom will think twice about invading if he lost the element of surprise." If the last statement left them speechless, this one literally floored them. Questions like 'why would they listen now' and 'where have they been all this time' briefly rang through their minds.
Minerva, Dumbledore's wife of many years, instantly became worried. The false sense of security they enjoyed by living behind powerful wards slipped away. Once again they would be targeted. "What are we going to do Albus? The last time we tried to fight him it didn't go so well for us", she whispered.
"Maybe it's time for us to move out of Britain", Dumbledore said somberly. "Like Harry said, the idea of having every muggle weapon targeting Britain is a frightening enough concept to leave this home for another. We'll have to discuss this further."
********oooo********
After a few more hours of planning, all the occupants of Thatcher's Lane began preparing to leave. Harry was packing his meager belongings when he came upon Lilliana's Christmas present again. He didn't know if she would accompany him or leave with her parents. Leaving his room, he went to her room hoping to find her.
Her door was cracked slightly when Harry lightly knocked on it. "Come in", she said sniffling. When Harry entered, he seen her wipe the tears from her eyes. He sat down next to her at the edge of her bed and put his arm around her shoulders.
"Are you alright Lilliana?"
"I'm afraid Harry. Between the war...and my parents coming out of hiding...and leaving Britain...and then there is us! I just don't know what to do." Tears continued to flow as Lilliana listed her most recent fears.
Harry tried comfort her. He hugged her and let her cry it out while he occasionally rubbed her shoulder. Harry didn't have any experience with crying females, but he liked this one enough to attempt it. As Lilliana's sobs quieted down, Harry softly tried to comfort her. "I know things seem out of hand right now and we don't know what the future will bring. But, I can at least put one of those fears to rest."
Harry reached behind him and pulled the small gift box that he meticulously tried to wrap. "Merry Christmas."
Lilliana gave him a watery smile before she tore into the wrapper and revealed, yet another, ring box. Looking into his eyes uncertainly, she tried to get a feel of what might be inside the small velvet box. She knew he couldn't be proposing, especially after the prank and not to mention the fact that they have only been together for a short while. Subconsciously, she hoped that it was indeed a proposal.
Opening the box, she discovered a sparkling silver ring.
"It's a promise ring", Harry whispered. "It's my promise to you that, one day if you'll have me, I'll put a wedding ring on your finger."
Harry watched as she continued to look at the ring. He became concerned when she started to cry again. He was about to apologize and take the ring back until she flew into his arms and hugged him tightly. "I love it Harry."
A few minutes of chaste kissing later, the couple finally broke apart to finish packing. Harry was on his way back to his room when Dumbledore opened the door to an empty bedroom as if he had been waiting on the young man. "Please enter Harry. There is something I wish to discuss in private."
On guard, yet still totally at ease, Harry walked into the middle of the room. "Yes sir."
"Harry I know that...recent events...have driven a bit of a wedge in our relationship, but I wanted you to know that we will probably be staying with your grandfather."
Harry reeled back as if he had been slapped. 'How the hell did I forget about that', he thought.
Dumbledore continued and tried to placate the young man, "it's alright Harry. I haven't told him about you yet. But I'm sure that he will want to meet you. This is the address to his house in Canada in case something happens and we get split up." Dumbledore handed the young man a slip of paper. "Memorize it and when you are ready, I will burn it to keep the location safe."
Harry nodded his head and filed his grandfather's address away to memory for a later date. "Thank you sir. I still can not believe that I have family left."
Dumbledore gingerly put a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder, "you have family here Harry. You are not alone." The old man looked at Harry with compassion and started for the door, only to stop and look back. "By the way Harry, Minerva and I...we give you our blessing."
Harry cocked his head in a dumbfounded look on his face.
"Lilliana's Christmas present...", Dumbledore supplied.
The old man smiled as Harry realized what Dumbledore was implying. 'He must have seen me give her the promise ring', He thought.
For the next hour, Harry couldn't spell the huge smile off his face as he finished packing up.
********oooo********
A few hours later, Harry was posted across from the Imperial Center waiting for the employees to arrive. Sirius had told them that Riddle was continuing the military meeting and Lucius was expected to attend. Harry's plan, while dangerous and had the potential of extreme failure, pivoted on Lucius' capture. Before anybody could leave, they would have to find the Malfoy's supposed secret shipyard.
Harry dressed in his midnight black monk robes and cast a charm to obscure his face. Davin cast a disillusion spell on himself and silently sat near the entrance. When his target was in sight, Harry was going to distract them while Davin cast a tracking charm on Lucius. When that was done, Harry would apparate several times to draw the Aurors away from investigation near Thatcher's lane.
The sun started lightening the sky when a row of cars pulled up to the front of the building. Harry didn't expect a military convoy to shuttle Riddle's advisers to the building. He also didn't expect twenty security agents jumping out of the vehicles armed to the teeth.
'Do or die', Harry thought as he conjured his throwing knives before disappearing from his hiding spot.
Harry used the same combination of charms and apparition that petrified the Weasley's when they first met at Dumbledore's hideout; only with a slight twist. Harry apparated high above the building and cast a spell that created a sonic boom that shook the windows and rattled the teeth of everything nearby. Using his wand, Harry cast a scorching fire spell that made malicious sounds as it fed on the air that whipped around it. The fire was only an illusion, if he had really used such a spell, he would have been incinerated. He used his wandless abilities to create the thick pitch black smoke trail to follow his unnatural decent near the security guards.
A split second before his landing, Harry cast a Bombarda spell on the walkway. When he touched down, he pushed the fire illusion and smoke trail in all directions to make it appear as if he had fallen with the force of an artillery shell. Debris rained down on the guards and the vehicles the VIP's were in. Passerby's scattered and looked for cover. Harry successfully made the effect look as if a meteor has fallen directly on the Emperor's front door.
Without waiting for the smoke to settle, Harry cast another Bombarda spell at the lead vehicle while throwing four throwing knives at a few security guards that did not fall from the blast. Spinning around, he pointed his wand in an area where five guards had taken cover. The young assassin used a summoning spell on their automatic weapons as he threw more knives at another unprotected group of targets.
Harry swiped his wandless hand at the rear SUV as it attempted to escape. The several ton vehicle slammed into the Imperial Building like it had been hit with a train. He was almost too late putting up a physical barrier shield as the remaining guards opened fire on him. Harry held his arms out in front of him to push magical energy into his shield. Hundreds of bullets stopped dead in their tracks and hovered as it came in contact with it.
When Harry seen Tom Riddle try and get out of his SUV, he pulled his arms into himself sucking the air with it. Guards ceased fire momentarily as the oxygen in their lungs were sucked out suddenly. Even the powerful Emperor stuttered a movement until he realized what his attacker intended to do. "GET DOWN", he screamed the best he could. Which, unfortunately came out more as a wheeze.
Like Dumbledore, Harry forced the air back out at supersonic speeds creating another loud sonic boom. The remaining vehicles tilted dangerously on their sides from the blast. Tom was blown back into his SUV and cracked his head on the passenger window. Several of the guards were blown into the Imperial Center's thick lobby windows. One unlucky soul slid across the pavement only to be squashed by an SUV as it came crashing back onto four wheels.
Harry started to feel the effects of using so many powerful spells consecutively. His last spell had the added benefit of shattering all the windows of the convoy. With a little luck, Davin had cast as many tracking spells as he could on the VIP's inside the vehicles. It was time to end his distraction.
While everybody was still collecting themselves from the blast, Harry cast a Sonorus charm on his voice and another charm to alter it. He clenched his fists and stomped his left foot into the ground in front of him making the dirt and debris rise into the air around him. Harry bent his knees and took a few deep breaths. The voice altering spell made his voice demonically deep. Coupled with the Sonorus charm, his inhales and grizzly sounding exhales sounded as if it were from a hundred foot dragon.
Without warning, Harry roared at all those present; begging someone to bring him a fight. His body involuntarily leaned forward as his arms shifted to the side. The sound resonated off the remaining windows and pierced the ear drums of nearby pedestrians. At the same time, he raised an illusion spell that brought unholy fire all around him.
'Straight fucking animalistic', Davin thought, still huddled in a corner near the building.
Civilians and security professionals alike nearly wet their pants (civilians most definitely) at the villain attacking the Imperial Center. Screams echoed between the buildings as most of them ran away. Then as suddenly as the attack happened, it stopped.
Black smoke ominously rose from the cracks of the ruined pavement and pulled towards Harry. When he was sure that he was obscured, he apparated away. Only this time, he planned several apparition points that ended with a broom ride for an hour and a portkey to meet up with Dumbledore.
********oooo********
As luck would have it, Davin was able to put a tracking charm on Lucius and a few attending generals. He had a helluva time trying to cast those spells when Harry was throwing chunks of the road and security guards all over the damn place. After he was clear and just about to apparate, Harry roared like the devil himself. 'You don't see that shit on the street everyday', Davin thought as he finally escaped the immediate area.
Davin set up another hiding spot on top of a nearby building and watched as Harry had left. He seen the surviving security guards clear the area Harry was standing in to ensure his departure. When that was done, Davin watched as ambulances, Aurors, fire officials, and reporters swarmed the scene. The dead and injured were carted off within an hour as Tom gave statements to the jackals-slash-reporters.
Lucius stood behind his Emperor as he tried to put out the political fires of a rampant magical creating chaos in the busy streets. Right in front of the Imperial Center no less! Some of the questions and comments thrown at him was probably the basis for why the Secrecy Statute was enacted to begin with. Cries of "how do we protect ourselves from that" and "what happens if a group of magicals want to blow up the city."
Tom tried his best to assure the public that they could be protected. "It was most unfortunate for me because I neglected to include the Aurors to accompany our convey. If I had, the outcome would have been very different. But this incident does raise many questions about your safety and believe me when I say that I am going to call in as many professionals I can to figure out a solution."
When Tom and his people finished giving interviews, Davin kept his eyes on the pale blonde head of Lucius Malfoy. After an hour inside the Imperial Center, Lucius finally left using the floo. Davin could feel his target's essence as it traveled a great distance South. Focusing on the magic of the tracking spell, Davin apparated and let it guide him to his target.
Instead of a shipyard, he ended up in front of a large white mansion with tall iron gates surrounding the perimeter. A giant "M" adorned each side of the eight foot iron gate doors. Davin wasn't sure what to do. If he proceeded further, he might set off the wards protecting the manor. Worse yet, Malfoy might have detection wards in place that might spook his target to go deeper into hiding. So, hoping for the best, Davin waited a moment to see if anybody was alerted. Feeling confident that he was still undetected, he apparated to Thatcher's Lane to get Harry for help.
********oooo********
Harry was rudely interrupted from his much needed nap, more like a loss of consciousness, by his "so-called" friend, Davin. "What the fuck mate? Do you know how tiring that magic show was?"
"I think you overdid it. You ended up scaring them shitless."
Harry smiled while his eyes were still closed, "was fun wasn't it", he said groggily. After a millisecond, he started to lightly snore again. So being the good friend Davin was, he left Harry alone to seek out the Weasley twins. After five minutes, he returned with a handful of firecrackers Fred had given him. Conjuring a metal bucket, Davin lit the wicks and tossed them in the bin.
He stood at Harry's feet with his wand pointed at his friend and waited for them to explode. When they did, Harry jumped clean out of the bed only to meet a large splash of water from Davin's wand. Sputtering, Harry looked to the bucket and back at Davin's smiling face.
"I need your help", the bastard...errr...Davin said laughing his ass off.
Needless to say, it took some time and a little spell reversal from Minerva before Davin could properly get Harry's assistance. He planned on sneaking into the Manor and kidnapping Malfoy. Squeeze him for information for as long as they could like McNair. Then, maybe, set up a trap for old Tom using Lucius as bait.
"Solid plan", Harry said. "What if we can't get past his wards or he escapes before we can get him?"
Davin thought for a minute before he told Harry the contingency plan. "If we can't get Malfoy, then Dumbledore getting on a boat to Canada isn't going to happen...unless, we attack a few of the destroyer class ships surrounding the coast."
"Well then let's hope we can get Malfoy because I really don't feel like a naval battle at this time."
********oooo********
Clad in their monks robes, Harry and Davin apparated to Malfoy Manor from their medical fall back spot. They waited a moment to see if they tripped any alarms, which thankfully for them, they did not. Harry crawled his way to the other side of the property while Davin sat in the same spot. When Harry shot a subtle white light into the air, they both erected anti-apparition and anti-portkey wards. Then they began overloading the wards surrounding the manor.
It only took a minute, their combined power brought the formidable wards down quite easily. The air had a burnt smell while the hairs on Harry's arm stood straight from static discharge. Harry ran towards the back of the house and conjured black smoke. He directed it as fast as he could through out the entire manor, inside and out, while Davin, disillusioned and silenced, ran inside to find their prey. He stopped at the edge of the brick house and cast a wandless Homenum Revelio.
This particular spell allowed a human presence to be detected like the magical equivalent of a thermal imaging sensor. Davin let the spell consume his vision as three figures appeared on the top floor. Swiftly and silently, he ran up the brick wall and latched onto a second floor window sill. After getting in through the window, Davin crept behind one of the occupants. His wand was out in front of him and Davin could hear him frantically cast spells to remove Harry's smoke screen.
Davin cast a stunning spell on the young man before opening the door and going after the mother. Narcissa Malfoy was walking through the hallway with her hands running on the wall for guidance. She desperately shouted, "Draco", which Davin took to be the young man he stunned. A man's voice, Davin assumed to be Lucius', hollered at his wife to wait for him.
When Narcissa Malfoy opened her son's bedroom door, Davin stunned her and set her limp form beside Draco. Just as he closed the door again, Lucius came into the hallway, still hollering for his wife. 'Easy pickings', Davin thought. He raised his wand and cast an Incarcerous spell only to have it blocked.
"What was that Dobby", Lucius asked.
Confused, Davin aimed several stunning spells in quick succession only to have them blocked as well.
"A wizard Dobby can't see is attacking master Lucius", a squeaky voice said.
'Oh shit, a house elf', Davin thought. The squeaky voice and the child-like speech of the little buggers were a dead giveaway for Davin. Bound to wizards by ancient slavery spells, the little gray elves could be a handful.
When Lucius frantically ordered Dobby to dispel the smoke and attack the intruder, Davin sent sparks to Harry to ask for assistance. The pitch black fumes instantly ceased and the house began to clear. The house elf named Dobby pushed an unknown spell down the hallway that hit Davin full force. He was tossed ten feet into the wood paneling, cracking it as he dropped to the ground.
Dobby and Lucius targeted the spot they thought the intruder was located.
"Avada Ke...", Lucius tried. His wand was ripped from his hand with such force that his fingers broke. Dobby turned to his master as he screamed. The little elf could tell that someone else had entered the hallway but he didn't know where.
A split second later, Dobby was pinned to the wall. He didn't know how, the movement was a blur, but he was stuck. His chest hurt something terrible as warm liquid spread down his back and soaked the wall behind him. Just as his lights went out, Dobby saw the black throwing knife protruding from his chest. Another second later and Dobby the house elf was no more.
Harry turned his wand back to Lucius and bound him with tight ropes before he sent a stunning spell to shut him up. Harry ran to Davin and canceled the disillusion spell on him. His friend was slumped onto his side unconscious. The back of his head looked to be matted with blood.
Harry used his wand and cast as many healing spells he could remember at his comrade's head. Then he floated Lucius over to him and apparated the three of them outside. Harry looked at the large manor wondering if any more information could be found inside it. Deciding against it, Harry raised his wand and cast the Fiendfyre spell. Animal forms took up residence within the flames, prancing or trotting about, while they advanced on the beautiful mansion. The magical fire consumed everything and incinerated it as quickly as it was touched. It only took a moment until Lucius' entire mansion was left in ashes.
Satisfied, Harry apparated to the medical tent to attend to Davin; not knowing that he accidentally cremated his target's wife and son.
********oooo********
After an hour of immediate medical care, Harry determined that Davin would be fine. He would have a monster of a hangover, but fine none the less. He looked to Lucius and tightened the restraints before hitting him with another stunning spell. Then he tore down the make shift medical tent and packed their supplies. He was going to cancel the wards but decided to keep them up for the Aurors that will probably track them.
After two hours of constantly apparating and portkeying the unconscious Davin and the bound Lucius, Harry finally arrived at the safe house in Liverpool. Davin was put up in a room while Lucius was stripped starkers and tied to a metal chair. The same metal chair Walden McNair was interrogated in.
Harry stood behind Lucius when he cast the Enervate charm. Surprisingly, the blonde man took in his current predicament better than others that Harry had interrogated. Instead of panicked demands or unrealistic threats, Lucius calmly looked around and took a deep breath. "So, this is it then? I get to meet the famed assassin", he asked resignedly.
"I don't know about famous", Harry said softly. "Dangerous and deadly are some of my better known qualities."
"So it would appear." Lucius scrunched his nose in disgust after another deep inhale. "From the smell of dried blood in this room, I take it that you are going torture information out of me?"
"Well that depends on you really. We can drag this out or we can make this quick and we go on our merry way."
"And each answer I don't give...", Lucius asked.
"...is an ounce of flesh I'll take out of you. Walden McNair thought he wasn't going to tell me what I wanted to know when he sat in that chair. I think he gave me about two pounds before he broke down."
The idea of being filleted didn't appeal to Lucius. He would talk but he would use the silver tongue of his to turn small insignificant information into something of interest. He would avenge his death in a roundabout way when everything he gave them would be false.
"Can I at least see who has me at their mercy", Lucius asked.
Harry stepped in front of his captive, conjured a chair, and sat in front of him. "Is this better?"
To say that Lucius was shocked was an understatement, "Harry Potter", he breathed. "So you are one of the assassins."
"One of the last thanks to you and your Emperor", Harry said harshly.
"Tom was hoping to catch all of you there...at the church...I guess you escaped somehow?"
"I was never there. I was given a lead to track down Albus Dumbledore."
"Was that why you were at Sirius Black's office? Is that why you attacked the Aurors?"
"I didn't attack anybody. Sirius' cousin came in and started firing curses at us before we could say hello."
"Interesting", Lucius drawled. "Were you successful? Did you find that traitorous old bastard?"
"Of course I did. I was fighting him the same night your Emperor slaughtered everybody I've ever cared for!"
"So he is dead then", Lucius asked ignoring Harry's murderous tone. He expected the young man to gloat, what he didn't expect was Harry's next comment.
"No, I'm actually bumping uglies with his daughter." Harry smiled at his captive, "isn't that some shit."
Lucius looked at Harry incredulously before snorting and laughing lightly. "So why me, Mr. Potter? I don't hold any significant office so I can't give you anything detailed."
"Don't give me that shit! Lying is a good reason for me to start spilling your blood! I know you oversee Tom's underground smuggling ring, I want to know where it is."
"You make it sound so glamorous. Believe me, all I do sneak stuff that the country needs. Even though Tom made it where we are self sufficient food wise, the public still needs gas, entertainment, and imported goods. But we keep it a secret for the sake of moral. The embargo would have choked the life out of the country until they rebelled against Tom. After just dissolving the Secrecy Statute, the country was in a very precarious state, hence the secret black market shipyard that is really just a normal shipyard."
When Harry didn't offer any comments, Lucius continued to downplay his role within Tom's circle. "The job has actually become a whole lot easier. After so long patrolling the coast, the American's became more lax and amicable to under the table negotiations. I pay them a small fortune to look the other way and then gain a profit from what is sold in the country."
"So where do I go", Harry asked.
Lucius took a minute to think. He could do as he had planned and give Harry false leads but he didn't know what McNair had already given up. He decided with an honest answer. At this point, if the public knew about the distribution it would be a small political fire to put out. Which would fail in comparison to the war Tom was about to start. "Horseshoe Bay on the Isle of Wight. You can easily get a small boat past the American's into France."
"Very Good. See, that wasn't so bad", Harry said as he stood from his chair. He walked to the door and was about to turn the knob when Lucius spoke up.
"What of my family?"
"What your house elf? He's dead, little bugger was a fighter though".
"My wife and son, they were there with me. Are they alright", Lucius asked desperately. He searched his captor's face for any type of malice or deceit. But is was all for not. Harry gave away nothing as he silently closed the door behind himself.
Harry hurried to Davin's room with his head in complete turmoil. 'What have I done', he thought. 'I didn't know that there were others in the house. They couldn't have been in there. I'll wake up Davin and he'll tell me.' As Harry shook his companion awake, his last thought and biggest worry surfaced, 'please tell me I haven't become like Father Jacobs.'
********oooo********
It took two full weeks for Harry to return to some sense of normality. From the moment he learned he had killed Lucius' wife and son, he prayed to his 'Maker' and begged forgiveness. After two days of neglecting meals and no sunshine, Davin brought Lilliana to help. Neither one had ever seen their friend, a 'force-to-be-reckoned-with' master assassin, break down in such a way.
Harry's fear of killing a family that wasn't meant to die plagued the back of his mind ever since learning of his parent's murderer. Even though he never said it out loud, he vowed that he wouldn't destroy a family like his mentor had done to him. 'Irony', Harry thought morbidly, 'is a fickle bitch.'
But eventually, Lilliana brought him out of his depressive state with small encouragements and understanding. The plan to sneak off the continent was put on hold until Harry was well enough to assist them. In doing so, news spread all over the media about the death of Narcissa and Draco Malfoy. They would have blamed Lucius for the murder if it wasn't for the estate wide assassin's emblem that was created with the ashes of Malfoy Manor.
The public was outraged and frightened with the thought of a powerful magical being terrorizing their country. Tom Riddle was forced to put out political fires left and right. His twenty year long dream of uniting the magicals with the non-magicals was collapsing before his eyes. He had Aurors and law enforcement officers working round the clock at every corner in every major city. Tom used his own gold to 'beef up' the Defense Department which earned him a lot of points with the public.
Harry put down the Daily Prophet which detailed how citizens were growing restless waiting for another attack. Fingers were being pointed and accusations were running wild. The article that Harry finished reading was about the Emperor's consideration to put martial law into effect until the perpetrator was caught.
Harry would have laughed if not for the fact that some dumbass actually pointed him out to the authorities at an electronics store. 'What are the fucking odds', Harry thought. After a quick glamour charm and a short chase, Harry had the obviously non-magical officers running in circles before he returned to the electronics store. He left quickly thereafter in case Aurors returned.
The debacle that was Lucius' kidnapping prompted Harry to look into other means of communicating with Davin and Lilliana. He bought the newest type of phone, a bulky device called a cellular phone, a pager, and walkie-talkie radios that had an audio jack for ear plugs. He even bought a television but found out he couldn't use the damn thing since he needed to add the TV service and all of the places he had been staying at were unplotable.
Luckily Lilliana bought something called a Playstation with a few games that kept them occupied. Watching Dumbledore and the Weasley's fawn over the new technology provided humorous healing to Harry as well. While Harry still wanted to kill him in the worst way, he had to give Riddle respect for pushing the development of muggle devices to function in magical homes.
Harry's attention was drawn to the woman that not only loved him, but healed him as she walked into the dining area. After a gentle caress on his shoulder, she grabbed a cuppa and joined him and several others at the table. They had spent the last few days at Thatcher's Lane healing while Davin continued to interrogate Lucius.
Harry was about to greet Lilliana with a kiss when his pager started vibrating. With all the advances in technology, muggle and magical, neither one could replicate a better way for Davin to talk. So they had to use pagers with special number codes and taps on the phone speaker to communicate using non-magical equipment.
"Davin needs me", Harry said, " I have to go."
********oooo********
The next day, Harry and Davin stood looking at an impressive drop off on the Isle of Wight. Davin had informed Harry that, after hours of interrogation, Lucius confessed more information on Tom's plan for World War III as well as tidbits on his cohorts. Lucius' confession lit a fire under the assassins to get Dumbledore and company to another country quickly.
They watched as Lucius Malfoy, under the Imperious charm, entered the facility that was hidden on the rock face. Within seconds, Harry could feel the magic of the wards ebbing away as their captive disabled them. When the ward that kept the shipping yard hidden came down, Harry could see tankers and containers laden will goods. He could also see the workers look around in alarm as they noticed the wards go down.
Lucius stood in a wide open space waving his wand, releasing ward after ward, oblivious to his former employee's mad dash to stop him. When Harry felt the apparition wards crash, he disappeared with a barely audible 'pop'. He reappeared in front of a large man running full speed. Harry quickly executed a spinning roundhouse kick that, coupled with the man's inertia, propelled the burly dock worker into a back flip.
A quick Incarcerous spell and two Stunning spells dispatched a few more workers until they realized that they were under attack. The ones closest to Harry altered their course and tried to attack only to be knocked out cold by Davin. Seconds later the remaining dock workers were either knocked unconscious or bound tightly.
When Harry signaled an 'all clear', Davin immediately took Lucius by the arm and commanded him to the office area of the shipyard. "I'm going to take him and see if there is anything in the office", he said passing Harry. With Davin and Lucius gone, Harry called Lilliana on his cell phone and told them it was ok to portkey over.
Before Harry could put his phone away, Dumbledore and the rest of the occupants that resided at Thatcher's Lane appeared before him; minus Sirius Black who had to stay due to his rank as Investigator. The information he could pass along would be invaluable to them when Riddle starts his war.
Without asking any questions, they all grabbed a suitcase and solemnly walked to a rickety looking boat. Within the luggage was every item that was at the hideout only spelled to minuscule size. Furniture, food, clothes, and beds were shrunken and organized inside. They only thing they couldn't take was the farm animals.
Davin ran full speed to get on the boat and met with Harry. "I know where to find Karkoroff. Lucius sent him and thirty other people to a port in France. During the interrogation, Lucius said that Karkoroff is overseeing a covert military squad with gaining employment and blending in with the locals. The manifest I read said that Karkoroff returned and headed out to Moscow not too long ago. Finding the SpecOps guys in France is going to be difficult, but Lucius knows exactly where Karkoroff will be."
"So you want us to go to Russia", Harry asked.
"No I'll go to Russia. You go ahead and meet your grandparents and take them", Davin said referring to Dumbledore's group, "to safety."
"Are you sure? What about Lucius?"
"Yeah, I'll take care of Karkoroff and then page you when I'm done. As for Lucius, well...after I learned he took part in raiding our home... I killed him."
Harry took a minute to process his feelings. On one hand, he wanted to let Lucius go because he had killed his wife and son. But after learning of Lucius' participation in murdering his brothers and sisters...well...'eye for an eye', he thought coldly. "Very well...all aboard!"
********oooo********
Initially, the plan was to sneak past the American warships and debark in France. From there they would use an international portkey, if they could, to go to Canada. If they couldn't use a portkey, then they would all take their very first airplane ride. Dumbledore was confident he could get a portkey from a French contact of his. The very thought of muggle air planes made the old man nauseous.
But, as they came upon two large destroyer ships, their best laid plans went to shit. They were forced to slow their rickety vessel to a stop and gather at the bow.
"This is Admiral Burns of the U.S.S Hornet", said an amplified voice from one of the ships. "You are forbidden to leave past this point. Turn around and go back!"
"What do we do Albus", asked Minerva. "Do we return to the house and hope for the best?"
"I thought Lucius paid them off", asked Arthur Weasley.
Questions were thrown at Dumbledore from almost every member of his party. Fear started to creep in. They knew that now that they have been caught, there was a likely chance that they were back on the Imperial Center's 'radar'. The only people aboard the old boat that were frantically trying to come up with a solution were Harry and Davin.
Going back had never entered their minds. To them, these giant American destroyer class ships were only an obstacle that needed to be removed. "We don't know how many more there are and we don't know how they caught us. Lucius told me that this was his path, there must have been something else that he didn't mention. Maybe a submarine or something", Davin told Harry.
"Well, I guess we should have kept Lucius alive long enough to deal with this crap. I'm sure this General guy knows him pretty well if money was being slipped under the table. But...oh well, hind sight is twenty twenty and all that", Harry said nonchalantly.
The dark haired assassin then closed his eyes and felt the magic in the air. He reached out to the destroyers and felt magical beings aboard; several of them to be exact. 'They don't want to merge the non-magical and magical, but they are still employing them to help with the embargo', Harry thought, 'fucking hypocrites!'
As Harry did his "thing", Davin cast a Homenum Revelio spell to see if he could detect a submarine. When he came up negative, Harry opened his eyes, "they have magicals helping them."
"I can't detect any subs", Davin chimed in, "so what's the plan?"
"We can try and keep them busy while they make a break for it or we can go all out."
Harry called Dumbledore over and they eventually came up with a crazy way to get around the destroyers. While the group worked together to change the boat's color to an ocean blue and disillusion parts of it, Dumbledore would do his best to propel it by magic. All the while, Davin, who would be using a broom, and Harry, who would be using his impressive combination of apparition and dark smoke, were going to keep the Americans busy.
They were discussing a rendezvous point when the loudspeaker sounded again, "If you do not turn around now you will be boarded and detained!"
"Alright, on three", Harry said. Everybody nodded and raised their wands in preparation.
" Turn around NOW", the Admiral hollered over his loudspeaker.
"THREE", Harry smiled and launched into the air with Davin a split second behind him. Simultaneously, they used a charm to cover the two destroyers in a thick black smoke. They heard in the distance as sirens began sounding all over both vessels. Another loudspeaker was heard demanding all personnel to their battle stations.
After his first pass around the ship, Harry could barely make out Dumbledore's boat skimming across the ocean towards France. He was about to leave with Davin when rapid deafening 'whooping' sounds followed by yellow streaks of light came from the destroyers. Harry had to spin and alter his course as heavy gun fire and, to his surprise, spell fire covered the area he was flying in. Harry dropped close to the ocean to avoid getting hit when he seen Davin do the same. "Time to go", Davin screamed to Harry using legilimency.
Without waiting, Davin barrel rolled and rocketed towards France. Harry was about to follow when the smoke dissipated from Davin's destroyer magically. Harry watched as the sailors pointed a funny looking gun that spun real fast and whined after a second before it unleashed it's volley at Davin. A line of water rose up in quick consecutive spurts as the mini gun zoned in on him.
Harry, acting on fear and impulse, screamed, "Bombarda Maxima!"
For a split second Harry could only hear the sound of the ocean breeze as his spell traveled in slow motion to it's target. He watched the tracer rounds of the mini gun getting closer to an unsuspecting Davin. From the corner of his eye, he seen a sailor, who had to be magical, wave a stick in the direction of Harry's spell. Harry had another spell on his lips and was ready to cast it until he went blind.
Harry's spell ripped right through the magical sailor's shield spell as if it weren't even there. He seen a small flash of the failed shield spell before the entire aft of the destroyer instantly disappeared in a blinding explosion. The multi million dollar destroyer cracked open like an egg. The shock wave violently ripped the bow straight into the air as the aft started to sink under water. Harry, who was flying between the two destroyers, was blown into the hull of the remaining ship.
The force of the hit knocked the wind out of Harry. He dropped into the icy cold ocean water and his lungs seized up; the instant shock didn't help his muscles either. Harry tried to swim but his muscles were locked and wouldn't respond to his commands. He heard the muffled sounds of a sinking ship as he was also slowly being claimed by the ocean. His body somersaulted past the turbines when he heard metal grinding before a muffled crash.
Trying to get his head together, the young assassin attempted with all his might to kick his legs and move towards the surface. His survival instincts were going into overtime as his lungs fought for air. He used every ounce of strength he had left. His only thought was to stop the burning in his chest. He felt his fingers brush past the surface when he felt the shock wave of another explosion.
When he gulped the long awaited breath of air, Harry was vaguely aware of the other destroyer engulfed in flames and the forecastle of the other ship desperately trying remain afloat. Horns and sirens deafened Harry again as he tried to tread the cold ocean water. Black spots started to fill his vision but he was able to see a sailor looking at him. Harry tried to apparate away or use some type of magic, but his brain could barely get his body to tread water.
So Harry watched, as if in slow motion, as the sailor pointed his wand. Harry resided himself to his fate. After all his hardships, all his trials, how could he be destined for this cold watery grave? The sailor waved his wand in some incantation that Harry couldn't hear. 'Fuck it', he thought morbidly. 'At least I get to see it coming.'
The sailor was just finishing his spell when a blur flashed by from behind and decapitated him. Harry watched the limp body tilt over as the wizard's head splashed in the water. Another sailor took the headless one's place and wildly fired spells into the air. A second sailor pointed a rifle but before he could use it, a white rescue float crashed into them. The attached rope looped around their bodies and pulled them overboard.
Blackness continued to overtake Harry's vision. He heard the splash from the sailors and then felt water hit his face. He felt his body start to sink and then something wrap underneath his arms. Just as Harry blacked out, he felt a floating sensation overcome him. He attributed it to dying, 'bout fucking time', Harry thought before the lights went out. 'Damn water is freezing.'