A/N: I have only just noticed that this story is named "The REBORN SOLDIER". Now, there's nothing wrong with that, but I had thought and wanted to name the story "The SOLDIER REBORN". I'm not gonna change it, but I just thought that you guys should know how little attention I pay these things until I actually take a look at them. Haha…! Yeah, I'm kinda stupid…
Onto the story!
Chapter 8: The Classic Enigma
Hermione made no mention to Harry about the idea they had proposed to him, and for that he was extremely thankful. Ever since sleep that night, Harry had gotten the feeling that Voldemort was gleeful about something. Harry couldn't figure out what it was, but whatever it was had held Voldemort in a good mood for about a week before the man's mood went back to its typical embittered and dark manner.
In that time, Ron had gone through four more Quidditch practices, and Neville had been banned from attending the last two because he was ruining their concentration with all his cheering.
None of the other Weasley children had been seen much unless they were heading for detention with Snape or going to class. In fact, Harry was sure that Fred and George hadn't been up to their dorm room in the past four days while Ginny came back each night for the minimum amount of sleep.
While their classes passed with barely an incident, Draco had recently began falling asleep in Umbridge's class, muttering about finding his baby. Harry took immediate notice of just how disheveled Draco was beginning to look. The way the blond's hair was no longer swept back, but left to appear as if he had woken up as some kind of scraggly bird's nest. There were dark shadows and bags under Draco's eyes as the boy grew a bit paler over the week. Harry was sure Draco was even looking thinner than he already was, and vowed to stop whatever nightly excursions were causing the arrogant blond's failing health.
Unfortunately, on the day he had planned to confront Draco to stop him this one wild, blustery evening in September, Hermione felt that enough time had elapsed to once again broach the subject of Harry's involvement in their silent little rebellion. They were in the library, having grown bored with looking up potion ingredients for Tseng-Snape, as Harry and his posse were now terming the greasy Professor when others weren't around.
"Harry," Hermione said suddenly, "have you given any thought to what we talked about?"
"Of course I have." Harry said dryly as he kept his eyes on the text of his book. Asiatic Anti-Venoms, hmm… "I have given the matter a great deal of thought over the past fortnight."
"And?" Ron asked in a rumble from where he was reading his copy of Honorbound across the table while having a textbook opened to the ingredients he had been tasked to find.
"I believe you've all gone insane." Harry said just as dryly as before. "The idea will do us more harm than good if we're caught. It will give the image that we truly are raising an army against the Ministry, as tempting as that idea is right now."
"So you won't do it, then?" Hermione asked, looking apathetic toward the possible answer. She looked as though she was at peace with all that surrounded her, her eyes having a gentle twinkle to them that gave her the appearance of the gentle loving soul she truly was at heart.
"I never said I wouldn't, merely that it was insane." Harry said, closing his text with an audible shut. "However, even I grow weary of all this creeping and sure-footing we're made to do with the Ministry hanging over our heads like some dark overcast. It feels as though we're children trying not to be caught cheating on some standardized test. And as ridiculous as the idea is, even if we are caught, I could care less."
"So you'll do it then?" Ron asked, looking a bit hopeful when he glanced up from his book.
"I'm… unsure at the moment…" Harry said with a sigh after a slight pause. "While I want to keep from stirring the waters too much, I'm also aware that this cold war against Voldemort will not be won by 'toeing the line'. If we want to get anything accomplished, then we'll have to take matters into our own hands. However, if we want things to not be so difficult for us, we'll have to continue as we are."
"So what is it then?" Ron asked as he and Hermione exchanged looks of confusion.
"It is… a conundrum…" Harry breathed as he leaned back in his chair, discarding his book to the table where all the others laid.
"Would it ease your weary mind if I said that we'll have certain protections in place to assure we are not caught so easily?" Hermione asked softly as Harry didn't look at her, keeping his gaze locked on the bookcase oppose of him. He wasn't sure what he would do if he looked into those eyes again like he had that night a week ago. He felt like a child that would do anything to please his mother, if only to put a single smile on her face.
The feeling both sickened and endeared him greatly, especially as he found himself stealing a glance at Hermione's gentle expression while already, subconsciously, planning training regiments.
How revolting…
Harry shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
"How many?" Harry asked, feeling his throat go dry.
"Any who wish to learn." Hermione said clearly without hesitation to Harry's reaction, which was to sit up straight and narrow his eyes at her.
"Even spies?" Harry asked coldly as Hermione didn't even bat an eyelash at his suddenly snappish attitude.
"Maybe. We are talking about defending ourselves against the recently risen Voldemort here. It doesn't seem fair if we don't offer the chance to other people." Hermione said as it appeared all fear went out the window in face of her serenity.
"Who have you spoken to?" Harry asked tersely as Hermione blinked slowly in thought.
"I might have mentioned it to a few people. Namely Colin Creevey, Cho Chang, and Susan Bones."
"Susan Bones? The Hufflepuff girl? Why her?" Ron asked before Harry could as the red-head closed his reading material in favor of the present conversation.
"Because she appears to have suddenly struck up a friendship with both Colin and Cho while the two girls worry over the young boy. I saw no logical reason in this occurrence, especially when they have never shown to even know Colin's name before." Hermione said promptly as Ron and Harry exchanged a look this time.
"You believe them… reborn?" Harry inquired, as Hermione nodded.
"It is perhaps the only explanation that makes sense." Hermione said with a shrug as Ron sighed.
"Boy, oh boy, things are getting difficult…" Ron said exhaustedly. "We can't keep track of all these people. Though the Turks obviously can."
"Yes, but how?" was the question Harry wanted to give voice to, but knew none of them had the answer for.
Instead, he said, "I highly doubt anyone else within this castle would want to be instructed in anything by me. I am, after all, a demented liar, remember?"
"You really don't understand the way you look to others at all, Har." Ron said with a shake of his head as he crossed his arms against his broad and tone chest. "Yeah a lot of people think you're crazy, but there is also a good amount that believe in your abilities, if not your sanity. They'd like to have you as a teacher compared to some of the ones around here; namely Umbridge."
"Then name a few who are simply dying to be taught by yours truly." Harry said in a sarcastically lofty tone of voice.
"Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, and Ernie Macmillan." Ron deadpanned as Harry blinked in surprise at him, "I'd name more, but you only asked for a few."
"Well played," Harry complimented.
"We believe you'll be even more surprised once you see how many people would be interested in hearing what you've got to say." Hermione said seriously.
"Go on," Harry said, wanting to hear what they had to say while he mentally kept track of the time.
"You know the first weekend in October's a Hogsmeade weekend? How would it be if we tell anyone who's interested to meet us in the village so we can talk it over?"
"Yeah, let's keep it outside of the school." Ron said, leaning back in his chair. "I severely doubt Umbridge would be very happy if she found out what we were up to."
"Really? I thought she would simply adore the idea of open rebellion." Harry quipped as he gave a small smile. Admittedly, he had been looking forward to the weekend trip into Hogsmeade, but there was one thing worrying him at the back of his head.
Sirius had maintained a stony silence since he had appeared in the fire at the beginning of September; Harry knew they had made him angry by saying they didn't want him to come- but he still worried from time to time that Sirius might do something reckless by throwing caution to the winds and turning up anyway. What were they going to do if the great black dog came bounding up the street towards them in Hogsmeade, perhaps under the nose of some Death Eater who was on the lookout for such unusual sightings?
"You shouldn't be worried," Ron said, seeing the look on Harry's face and correctly guessing at what he was thinking, "even he isn't crazy enough to show up."
"Perhaps, but I have my doubts to his sanity after our last talk." Harry admitted as Ron shrugged.
"Well then, could you blame him for wanting to get out and about?" Ron asked, "He's been on the run for over two years, and I know for a fact know how somber that is."
"Get to the point." Harry snapped impatiently, not liking the thought of how Angeal had abandoned him in the muscular man's depression over the concept of monster.
Especially when it had been him, as Sephiroth so long ago, who had been the real monster in the end…
"The point is that now he's shut away in that house with Kreacher of all people." Ron finished briskly, his eyes narrowed. "And you know how much he detests that house and that elf."
"But until we find another place for him to be safe, there is nothing we can do." Harry snapped back as he and Ron glared at one another for a short time before both sighed.
"Well now, if you two boys are done with your masculine display of peacocking, I believe we were having a mature, intelligent conversation." Hermione said sharply as Ron and Harry looked away from her in embarrassment.
Hermione scowled as she settled her gaze on Ron, but otherwise ignored the slight at Kreacher as she pressed forward.
"The trouble we're having is that until Voldemort comes out into the open, we've all been forced to tread lightly." Hermione said as they all settled back into an air of casualty. "Sirius is going to have to stay hidden, we're being made to stay meek, and Harry, you're having to restrain yourself even more so than normally because just about any move you make could end everything."
"What is the point?" Harry asked, looking bored as he continued to keep track of the time.
"What I'm saying is that the Ministry isn't going to suddenly realize that Sirius is innocent until they've accepted that you and Dumbledore have been telling the truth about him all along. And once those clowns start catching actual Death Eaters again, it'll be all too obvious that Voldemort is back." Hermione said, briefly closing her eyes as Harry scowled.
"Besides, Sirius isn't a Death Eater." Ron added in, "He hasn't gotten the Mark, for one thing."
"That is only an initial indication to observe in trial." Harry commented. "If one were truly to be useful in an organization's ranks, they would not be so simply convicted on visual basis once captured."
"Like Lucius Malfoy," Ron growled, his fist clenched atop the table as Harry cast him a disinterested look.
"I don't believe Sirius would be stupid enough to turn up," Harry said with the scowl still on his lips, "Dumbledore would be furious with him if he did, and we have seen that Sirius listens to whatever Dumbledore tells him."
"Good point," Hermione said as she collected her materials while Harry and Ron began to do the same.
Walking out of the library, Hermione continued the conversation.
"From now until the outing, Ron and I shall be hinting out to people who we think might want to learn some proper Defense and perhaps more. As we've said, there are more than a couple who seem interested, and so we've told them to meet us in Hogsmeade."
"Right," Harry said vaguely, his mind still on Draco's odd behavior and his plans to confront the supercilious blond.
"Harry Potter?" a Third-year Hufflepuff male student called from the end of the corridor as they were about to go up the staircase to Gryffindor tower.
"Yes?" Harry said as he turned to the boy.
"Professor Snape demands your presence for your detention." the boy said as Harry narrowed his eyes at him.
"Professor Snape and I have no such arrangement. Now, be gone." Harry said, waving his hand dismissively.
"Perhaps you didn't hear me correctly, sir." the boy said, something in his tone changing as he opened his cloak to reveal a crisp black suit and an espionage badge on the inside. Uhh… the Turks… "Professor Snape demands your presence immediately… Commander."
"For detention?" Harry asked, only narrowing his eyes at the black suit and badge as he glanced over the younger teen.
"For detention," the boy repeated dutifully before giving a small bow and turning on heel as he left. Ron and Hermione exchanged looks as Harry watched the boy go.
"Are you going?" Ron asked as Harry nodded.
"I must go." Harry said, casting a look over his shoulder as he began the trek, "I have detention."
Following after the departed boy, Harry was led toward the Potions classroom deep within the dungeons. Arriving at the classroom, the Hufflepuff boy took a sharp turn toward the wall opposite of the class' door where a blank stone wall. Placing a hand to the wall, Harry watched with immense interest as the wall rippled to reveal a classical chamber door as the boy stepped aside and opened the door for Harry to enter.
"The director will see you now." the boy said as Harry nodded, moving with purpose as he stepped into the darkly lit room which he took to be Tseng-Snape's office.
"Tell me, Commander, have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?" a voice in the darkness asked as Harry lifted a brow.
"I've danced with many a' demons, but I have yet had the pleasure of cavorting with the greatest of them." Harry replied as from out of the darkness Snape leaned forward behind his desk, which so suddenly became lit in dim light that gave the man's sallow face awash with an eerie glow.
"Well, you're about to take him out for a tango in the middle of the dance floor." Snape said as he slid a file across his desk toward Harry, who moved up to the escritoire and took the file to glance over as he knew the procedure with these kinds of meeting.
"Draco…" Harry uttered as he looked over the photo paper clipped to the documents.
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy has been disappearing at odd hours of the night lately." Snape said as Harry continued to leaf through the manila folder. "The Headmaster is curious as to this development, but I've been able to give him the run around on this little matter. What we need from you, Mr. Potter, is to go catch up to Mr. Malfoy and see to it that whatever his business he is attending to is finished… tonight."
"You know what he's up to." Harry said, as he threw the folder back onto the desk while Snape's only initial response was the quirk of his right brow. "He's been trying to track down his sword, the Rapier. You've obviously been helping it as well, so don't attempt to insult my intellect with this imprudence."
"Yes, well, it was worth a try," Snape said as he leaned back in his desk chair while keeping his gaze on Harry. Then, as he leaned forward, Snape gestured for someone in the shadows to step forward as Harry found his eyebrow lifting when Fred came forward with a maddening grin.
"We have indeed been helping Mr. Malfoy track down his beloved weapon for the past week or so using our sources both within the Ministry and the Wizarding World." Snape admitted as Harry crossed his arms.
"And?" Harry pressed, wanting to know more.
"We've traced it from where it was originally within the Department of Artifacts before it was stolen from the Ministry during World War II and then shrouded in thieving mists until it finally ended up in the hands of a collector of rare weaponry." Snape informed as Fred took over from then while he steeped his hands in front of himself on the desk.
"Bad fuck for us, because our source didn't get the name of the guy whose got the sword, but only his address. The guy's in Walhalla, a town in the mainland of the Netherlands." Fred said with a grin as Harry rolled his eyes.
"And you allowed Draco to go off with such pitiful information?" Harry asked as Snape scoffed.
"No, we did not. He went off on his own while using his impressive abilities in magic to incapacitate my men." Snape said, and Harry caught a glance of how the smile on Fred's face dropped at the mention of the new reformed Turks lost to a single ex-SOLDIER agent.
"All you and me gotta do is help the little bastard find his precious sword, get out before the guy knows anything has happened, and then end up back here before dinner." Fred said, and then pointed a baton at Harry which coursed with visible blue electricity. "Got it memorized, yo?"
"Stealing other people's lines now are we?" Harry asked, shaking his head in amusement. "How rude of you."
"Do you accept this mission?" Snape asked, cut through the light banter as Harry glanced back his way with a single nod. "Good, then Reno will lead you to your transport. And, as for the duration of this mission, your codenames will be Reno and Sephiroth."
Harry wasted no time with further words to the Turk Director while Fred gave the man a nod. Harry stalked out of the room, not pausing for Reno to catch up as the man did so quickly while keeping himself half a step ahead of Harry to guide him in the right direction to their transport.
What Harry hadn't expected was to be guided into another darkly lit room with only a mirror as the only thing within the small narrow chamber.
"That there, is our transportation." Fred said with a grin as he pointed his truncheon at the mirror. "It uses some fancy-ass magic spell to send us to the closest mirror in where we wanna go. Don't ask me how it works, because shit if I know."
"I don't much care how it works, but more on if it's safe." Harry said shortly as Fred grinned again like an animal .
"Just ask Draco, or Genesis as he will be referred to on mission. He's been using this mirror for the past week, practically being our little guinea pig in testing the damn thing." Fred revealed as Harry could see Draco's impatience from both personalities playing a part in his latest spree of rash decisions.
"So we have a new Science Department, hmm?" Harry asked as Fred looked over to him.
"No, it's just mostly us Turks doing the work for now." Fred admitted, "Once we get a reborn Shinra scientist though…"
The two shared a significant look, both knowing the leaps and bounds that could be made once they had a proper expert on the mystical technology of old in their clutches.
"Well then, lets not keep Genesis waiting," Harry said strolling toward the mirror with Fred, "Now how does this contraption work?"
"Don't know, but I think it goes somethin' like this," Fred said as he touched a finger to the mirror's surface, which rippled like water under his touch until their reflected image became that of a fanciful mansion surrounded by a small town.
"The nearest mirror must be on the move into town." Fred said with a frown as Harry was wondering why the image was wobbling and moving steadily toward the town as though it were a camera.
"Then we had best move quickly." Harry said, "We don't need anyone seeing us appear from a mirror's surface like a couple of ghosts."
"Ghosts can't pass through mirrors, yo." Fred ticked as Harry gave him a look before proceeding to shove the foul-mouthed Turk through the mirror, which wrinkled with his body passing through like a pool of water before becoming whole again once he had passed through. Harry smirked a little when he saw Fred appear on the other side of the mirror while grumbling obscenities to himself. Then the driver of whatever moving vehicle the mirror was in became hysterical until Fred bashed the man's head in with his baton while glaring into the mirror as Harry finally decided to join the red-head on the other side.
"You really are a grade-A fucker, ya know that?" Fred said as Harry ignored him, the two politely getting out of the truck after having stopped the vehicle from crashing.
"I've been told so a scant few times…" Harry said lightly after glancing around the empty street which wound up a hillside, "Though I distinctively remember the ones telling me so being of the opposite gender."
"Oh, you slick fuck."
"Again; opposite gender."
Fred looked to have wanted to make another comment, but the two had quickly jumped away as they were assaulted with an enormous fireball bearing down on them like a giant wasp. Harry found the attack lacking in sense of stealth.
"But then again, that's never been your style," Harry said, his somber gaze on the figure which stood in black atop the rooftop nearest them. "You've always been the flashy one. Always the one for the spotlight. Always the one to make a scene like this…"
Draco said nothing as he raised his right hand, the palm lighting aflame as he glared casually down at Harry. Honestly, just how bloody dramatic did Draco have to be?
"My friend… why have you come here?" Draco asked slowly as he held the fireball while Fred came back to Harry's side.
"To help you finish your business here." Harry said as he wondered exactly how Draco had gotten atop the rooftop.
"I have staked out this entire village for the better part of a week or so. I have learned the nightly rituals of its inhabitants." Draco said, then he dispelled the fireball from his hand with a causal flick of his wrist. "I have also taken the time to stealthily acquire every mirror in this pissant little village and taken them all into the forest on the other side of town. You have ruined my carefully lain plans."
"And what did you have planned?" Harry asked, a bit curious as to what Draco would have done.
"I had written them an opera." Draco said loftily, tossing his head back arrogantly.
"Song magic?" Fred questioned with a clouded look on his face.
"Yes," Draco answered back casually before allowing his gaze to rest over the town in which he had a good view of, "They would have enjoyed hearing it as they lulled themselves to sleep."
"So it was Sleep magic done through melody." Harry concluded, remembering the spell as one of the more common used against the Shin-Ra army when they did battle against the Wutai.
"Perhaps." Draco said with a shrug as Harry knew he was right and Draco just didn't want to admit that Harry had caught on to his games so quickly. "At any rate, with the two of you here, I'll have to switch to Plan B."
"And what exactly is this Plan B you've got up your sleeve?" Harry inquired as Draco looked down at him, the darkened sky and the light of the moon giving his features a majestic appearance as Harry was sure was Draco's intent.
"We disturb the peace, of course. As simple as that." Draco said with a causal air as Harry got the feeling Draco was going to do a lot more than simply waking the neighborhood.
Moving up the street with the moonlight at their backs, Harry was sure that Draco had wanted a wrench thrown into his plans as the blond practically swaggered up the road more so than normal with an extra bounce in his step. As the mansion of their target came into view, Harry allowed a deep scowl to mar his features as he took in the overly extravagant structure which offset the rest of the little town.
The mansion was painted a rainbow of color, the hedges were cut into all manner of animals, and the gates sat before them in a golden hue as they drew closer. Atop the hill the mansion sat, looming over the town as a constant reminder of its superiority. Harry found the blatant act disgusting as well as tacky, but shrugged off the thoughts as he knew that Draco might just end up razing the place to the ground.
"How tacky…" Draco muttered as he stopped skipping with Fred at Harry's side, all three wearing expressions of displeasure.
"It really is. Fucking thing is an eyesore at that." Fred said, chewing on a small sucker as he gazed up at the mansion. The large building was now obscuring the moonlight as they stood in its shadow, gazing at it with narrowed eyes. "I mean, who the fuck paints their pad green, blue, and red for exterior colors?"
"Truly the one who lives here is a avoiding capture, and punishment from being a crime against fashion." Draco sneered as Harry nodded.
"Though I don't think the fashion police will have far to look if they keep these colors." Harry said dryly as the three exchanged looks before nodding as one.
The actions were done so instinctively and so well, that had Harry been a bystander on the street, he would have sworn they were well-practiced and trained professionals. Harry and Fred dropped down to one knee just outside of the mansion's large golden gates, their eyes aglow as they each cupped their hands together. Draco jumped, landing in their palms a split second before they boosted him with all their might into the air toward the gate. Though he didn't make a clean jump over, Draco twisted his body just enough to clear the gates as he landed in a crouch on the other side. Not even bothering to look back at them, the blond quickly hid himself in the nearest bushes that were shaped like horses.
Harry was next, nodding to Fred as the other got up and boosted Harry, who flipped back as his feet caught the side wall where he pushed off and jumped onto the gate. Grabbing the gates, Harry swung his lower body overhead, and kicked his legs out long enough for him to get over the gate. Quickly letting go of the gate, Harry barely cleared the top spikes as he dropped into a crouch on the other side of the gates. Hissing in pain, Harry looked down at his robes, which were clawed away in three spots while thin scratches adorned his abdomen and trickled with blood. Looking up, Harry saw three scraps of black wafting in the nightly breeze atop three golden arrow tips on the gates. Wasting no more time, Harry quickly disappeared behind a hippo-shaped bush as he and Draco waited for Fred to arrive.
Not even a second later, the two heard a grunt of effort, and the fall of shoes onto pavement before a shadowy streak coursed its way up to the bush in kitten form.
Draco and Harry moved in quick bursts, maneuvering their way up toward the door of the mansion as they trailed behind Fred, who seemed like he was a ninja from birth as they barely caught his movements until he was posted on the side of the front door. Draco reached the doors before Harry, posting himself on the other side as Harry was made to crouch at the door as he awaited their signal to break it in.
Fred appeared to be waiting for something as he stood at the door with his hand raised to halt any move Draco might make in his impatience. After five tensely awkward minutes slugged past the trio, Fred dropped his hand as Harry charged the door, jumping the last leg as he quickly spun with his foot out.
Harry's foot caught the door at its knob, making the door burst inward as it was nearly ripped off its hinges. The door created a long bang as it slammed open, and as soon as Harry landed in a crouch once more, Fred and Draco were already in the house awaiting a possible countermove.
"Knock, knock!" Draco called loudly as soon as he was in the house. Harry was beginning to greatly question the purpose of their storming the house, especially since it was just the three of them. While he had been very prideful as Sephiroth in his abilities to deal with nearly any situation he was thrown in, Harry found it a rather stupid idea to charge into unknown territory when they were only three against what could have been a house armed with a hundred gunmen.
But, the house wasn't armed to the teeth with gunmen. In fact, it appeared completely devoid of life as most of the antique furniture was covered in dusty sheets, and the house was cast in darkness much like an endless void if one were to step beyond the foyer they had burst into.
"And here I was expecting a challenge…" Draco muttered with a clearly dissatisfied air as he clicked his teeth and began inspecting the mansion's interior.
"This is for the better," Harry said, "I haven't checked to see if I have most of my old abilities anyway. Have come here blind was an idiotic idea, and I'm glad this place is empty."
"Perhaps, but that would have been far more thrilling than this," Draco said, kicking at a handcrafted armchair with the white sheet draped over it. The dust quickly shifted from the cover, spreading through the air like a thin mist. Draco coughed as the dust particles hit his lungs while Harry glanced over to him in concern.
"Well fuck, this place is deserted." Fred said as he looked around, placing his baton back into the confides of his robes.
"Brilliant observation there, Watson." Harry quipped dryly as Fred shrugged.
"No problem there, Sephie." Fred chirped as Harry narrowed his eyes at him.
"Call me that again, and your tongue receives a permanent separation from your mouth." Harry growled as Fred paled, and nodded quickly.
"Enough!" Draco snarled, regaining focus on why they had barged into the house in the first place, "Let's just get my sword, and go. I'll deal with the plebian who took it later."
"As I'm sure you will." Harry snarled as Fred made a gesture for Draco to take the lead.
"After you, Queenie." Fred quipped as Draco turned his nose up at him.
"Call me that again, and I'll burn you in flames worse than all the fires within Hell." Draco said coldly as Fred paled again before rapidly nodding.
"You fuckers are so damn evil…"
Moving through the mansion as they uncovered anything and everything that could be even remotely hiding Draco's blade, the three swept from room to room as dust and dirt rose in their wake. It was only when the trio came to the parlor room did they find their objective, resting comfortably within an antique showcase. The dim light from the nearby window gleamed off the crimson blade, giving the rapier an angelic appearance as though time had stood still for it.
"My pretty," Draco breathed in awe as he rushed toward the casing.
"Well, this shit was anticlimactic…" Fred muttered as he shouldered his baton.
"I'm glad." Harry spoke up, "I like anticlimactic."
"Only you would…" Fred muttered with a shake of his head as the two moved forward to help Draco, who was having trouble opening the show-cabinet.
"This stupid thing won't open!" Draco roared as he slammed his fist onto the glass, which didn't even budge under his effeminate strength. "Dammit, where's Angeal when you need the bastard…"
"It's your own fault for not working out." Harry said as he slowly lifted a hand toward the lock, "Perhaps then you won't have the strength of a twelve year-old girl."
"And maybe then I could break your face for remarks like that." Draco snapped back as Harry shrugged.
"Unlock." Harry said, blue lightning arching off his fingertips into the lock as he commanded it to do his bidding. A clicking noise was their reward as they found the door to the showcase creaking open much to Draco's delight.
"What spell was that?" Fred asked as Harry shrugged again, turning away from the showcase to inspect his burnt fingertip on his right hand.
"I'm not sure. I thought willpower was what made spells work, that is what I thought made our wands work. I believed if I put enough intent behind my wanting the lock to be undone, then it would. However…" Harry cast a long glance at the smoke rising off his fingers, "… it would seem that such things come with a price. It would all be much easier with Materia or our wands."
"Yeah, about that-" Fred started, but Draco's girlish squeal of delight interrupted him.
"Oh, my baby! I'm so glad to have you back!" Draco squealed, hugging the sharp sword to his chest as though it were a mere puppy in his arms, "Momma won't ever let you out of his sight again. Shush, shh, that's right, Momma's here…"
"I think you're in need of some counsel-" Harry was saying, turning to Draco as Fred gave the blond an odd look.
Harry, however, was caught off guard like his two cohorts when the floor beneath them gave away, making the three of them deep into the darkness below them. Draco screamed while Fred yelled obscenities. Harry remained quiet as they fell, crossing his arms as they hit a slope in their descent which quickly turned into a slide of some kind. Glancing over, Harry saw that Draco's arms were bleeding somewhat with how tightly the blond was holding his precious sword. Honestly, Harry could murder the arrogant little prat with how many crazy situations he got him into. The slide finally ended with their feet kicking through a wooden trapdoor, which made them fall onto the hard concrete floor as the slide came to an abrupt end.
Getting up and dusting themselves off, Harry cast a glance around at their new surrounds while Draco and Fred took care of Draco's wounds. The air in this new place was cool and damp, there was little light, and it appeared as though someone had trapped them in a jail of some kind as the only visible exit, which happened to be a staircase, was blocked by a set of bar doors.
"Stealing from an empty house." a voice came as did the click of dressy shoes walking along stone, "How low are kids getting these days?"
There was nowhere to hide, as Fred soon found, while Harry's face remained impassionate to whomever was addressing them. Draco, however, was once again clutching at his sword.
"No matter," the voice said as it drew closer. "I knew you'd come someday. It's why I bought the damned thing from the addict in the first place. I knew you'd come and die to have it back… Genesis Rhapsodos…"
"That voice…" Draco muttered, his face set in purposeful disinterest. "It's so… familiarly unattractive…"
Finally, the clicking of shoes on stone stopped as a man came into sight and stood in front of the dungeon doors. This man had his hands clasped tightly behind his back, his beard and mustache were as tidy as one could keep their facial hairs. In fact, Harry would bet money the man had just been trimmed this morning much like Harry's Uncle Vernon did at the beginning of every week. The man's dark blue business suit was crisp, with sharp creases that gave him an air of professionalism as his dark eyes gazed over them as though they were mere tools that needed to be disposed.
"Heidegger…" Draco growled as darkly as he could while his stormy grey eyes narrowed in visible disgust with the older man before them.
"Ah, yes, I remember now." Harry said, casting a glance back at Draco before his glimmering eyes narrowed slightly at the identified man, "You were the head of the military."
"Public Safety." Heidegger corrected airily.
"Which was a fuckin' euphemism for the military!" Fred argued hotly as he once again took out the baton that he couldn't seem to put away for five minutes.
Heidegger didn't deem Fred's point good enough for a response as he ignored the redhead and allowed his hate-filled steely gaze to settle on Draco. "I hope you enjoy that sword, boy. Because you, it, and these two will rot away in here for the rest of eternity."
"And how, oh divine one, are you going to keep us here?" Draco asked, but before any of them could say another word, a fireball the same of an old fashion football was resting in Draco's palm a split second before it was flung at Heidegger with a roar.
Heidegger didn't budge as the fireball crashed into the bar doors, which is where it fizzled into embers that quickly went out. When the final ember went out, Heidegger raised a brow at the now fuming blond.
"Did you think me some cliché villain who would imprison you without some way of keeping you trapped?" Heidegger sneered, "Please. Don't insult my intelligence with am undignified response. I've had much time to set this up after my reintegration, and I knew someone like myself was given a second chance, you wouldn't be far behind. Though twenty years has given me much time to recall my facts about you and the typical super solider prowess."
"So you designed this cell to hold SOLDIER?" Fred asked as Heidegger shook his head, regarding the redhead like an unobservant child.
"Fool! Do you think I would not prepare for any situation?!" Heidegger said loudly, his voice booming off the cavernous walls. Then, without another word, the man turned from them and began his ascension up the stone steps.
"Wait! Where are you going? We're not done talking with you yet!" Draco shouted after the man, who merely inclined his neck and shot a disgusted gaze at Draco.
"We have nothing left to discuss, Mr. Rhaposodos." Heidegger said with air of professionalism, as though they had just closed the deal on some business. "It was you, Mr. Rhaposodos, which started all the unfortunate business that gave rise to my demotion, and then eventual assassination. You, having turned traitor against the company, caused the dominoes to tumble in the pattern in which they did. Everything that I earned turned to ashes in the gale, everything that was stripped from me drowned in a sea of meaninglessness. It was your fault, and now you shall pay for it."
"You don't sound to upset." Harry remarked as Heidegger gave a shrug.
"Twenty years of burning hatred is a long enough while for me to cool down." Heidegger said airily, "Now then, if you'll excuse me; I have a plane to catch."
"A plane?" Fred asked.
"Yes, as in the type used to fly through the air and across vast oceans." Heidegger said dryly, "By the time I've reached the Americas, you three will have starved to death. Though, hopefully, you'll waste vast amounts of energy in trying to escape. That way, it's all the more pathetic when you meet your end. That, and it will show you the true depths of your own helplessness when the consequences to a situation are placed squarely on your shoulders, even if they were not your fault. For that, my dear gentlemen, is what I like to refer to as the truth of the Domino Effect."
And with that, Heidegger ascended the stairs while Draco let loose a mighty roar of anger as he flung a mass of fireballs at the spot Heidegger disappeared. The blond gave up on magic, using the sword in his hands as he charged at the doors with a battle cry. Clashing metal against metal, Draco was flung back from the doors as they repelled his attack with greater force. Or at least, that is what Harry hypothesized as he saw Draco rolling on the floor before the blond quickly hopped to his feet.
"Heidegger! I'll kill you for this!" Draco roared in unbridled anger as Fred walked up to the door.
Fred poked at the door with his baton, but was knocked back by the same force Draco was as the redhead was sent skidding across the floor.
"Dammit," Fred growled, "Any attempt on the door repels us."
"And magic is useless in this place." Draco snarled, "Dammit! I will not allow this abysmal cavern to be my tome!"
"Perhaps…" Harry began as he moved to where the wooden trapdoor was. Gently reaching out for it, Harry found his fingers caught aflame as he quickly pulled them back from the dark blue fire. "Or perhaps not…" He closed his hand into a fist, snuffing out the flames.
"How the fuck are we gonna get outta here?" Fred asked as he eyed the doors warily. "Those doors sure as hell ain't the answer."
"Nor is this trapdoor." Harry said as Draco gave another yell.
"Useless man!" Draco boomed thunderously, "How dare he imprison me here against my will! When I get my hands on him…!"
"There has to be a way out of this." Harry said calmly as Fred nodded.
"Right, some kinda fail safe just in case he trapped the wrong person." Fred said as Draco scoffed darkly.
"I don't think they agree with you on your idea, Turkey boy." Draco said darkly as he pointed behind Fred and into a corner of the room. Turning to the dark corner, Fred and Harry's gazes widened slightly as they took in the skeletons which had been swept away into the corner and left to amass as a small mound of human remains.
"Well shit…" Fred muttered as Harry allowed the shock to leave him as he gazed at the bones in disinterest.
"Well now, I didn't see that when we bought the place." Harry quipped, looking over at Draco, "Would you like to move out now, dear? Perhaps buy that nice villa up in-"
"This is not a time for your witty banter!" Draco yelled as Harry shrugged.
"Then would it please Your Highness if I played him a melody on the ribcage of one of the poor unfortunate souls which died here before us?" Harry asked sarcastically, moving to the pile of bones and gesturing to them.
Draco marched right up to him, a furious look on his face as he ripped one of the femur bones from the pile of deceased prisoners. Then Draco brandished the bone, waving it threatening in front of Harry's impassive face.
"Don't you get it?! We're trapped like disgusting rats within this, our literal, metaphoric, and proverbial cage! That sickening man has imprisoned us here and not given a backward glance at his actions." with that, Draco harshly threw the bone at the trapdoor where it banged against the door before it clattered to the floor in flames. "HOW DARE HE!"
Harry turned from the outraged Draco, not wanting to panic just yet as they had been stuck in the prison for less than three minutes. As much as he wanted to make Heidegger pay for his most recent transgression against them, he didn't want to resort to anything that would cause him fall back into… old habits…
"Hmm," Harry lifted a dark brow as his gaze settled onto the flaming bone, "Well now, this is interesting."
"What?" Draco barked as Harry gestured to the bone.
"Don't you see. It's quite curious." Harry said as Draco narrowed his eyes even further.
"What is so interesting about a flaming bone. Given, if we weren't trapped in this disgusting place, it might be noteworthy, but seeing that we are; I don't give a damn."
"Wait a sec, Seph-man's right," Fred said, looking over the bone with a more critical look. "Yeah, yeah. I see what you're getting at now…"
"What?!" Draco bellowed, growing more agitated by the second while the two others remained calm.
"I know that your powers of attention are as wet as a warthog's backside," Harry said dryly as he glanced at Draco, whose blond brow was now twitching with barely contained anger, "but thick as you are; pay attention! My words are a matter of pride."
"And what exactly am I supposed to be seeing here?" Draco hissed as Harry almost rolled his eyes.
"The flames on the femur bone," Harry finally answered.
Draco took a deep, calming breath and closed his eyes. Regaining some semblance of casualness, Draco reopened his eyes and stared intently at the bone on fire in front of them.
And that was when he saw it.
"The flames… they haven't spread out…" Draco muttered in disbelief as Harry nodded.
"And why do you think, that is?" Harry asked, looking at the flames which were only at the prime end which connected to the knee joint.
"If the flames haven't spread, then that means only the part that hit the door are on fire." Draco said, a scheming glint in his stormy grey eyes, "And that means that the door is only spelled to burn only that which comes into direct contact with it."
"Indeed," Harry nodded as Fred grinned.
"That means Heidegger didn't account for the thieves before us, nor our discovery of this little fact." Fred said with a savage grin.
"Boys, we're going home." Draco said, mirroring Fred's grin, "But first…"
The three had finally reached the showcase before Draco promptly incinerated it with a massive fireball as he jumped through the hole he had created. Harry and Fred were quick to follow, landing in the dusty showroom as they glanced around for any sign of Heidegger.
"Where is that miserable twat?" Draco growled, "I'm in the mood for the use of firepower." and with those words, flames leapt into Draco's palm from out of nothingness while he held his rapier loftily against his shoulder.
"Outside." Fred pointed at the window, to where a light was shining in the distance. Draco didn't seem to care about stealth anymore as he rushed toward the window, shattering it as he leapt through without a care in the world except for satisfying his rage. Harry sighed as he and Fred followed the pissed off blond, not daring to stand in the way between that of the arrogant boy and his quarry.
"Heidegger!" Draco yelled for all the heavens to hear as he stalked across the tacky front yard and burned the hedges into crisps as he passed them, "Where are you, coward?"
"I don't think he'll respond to-" Harry started, but he was soon interrupted.
"So you escaped? And so soon?" Heidegger said impassively as he came from around the building, presenting himself in the same professional air as he did outside of his cavernous prison. "And exactly whom are you referring to as a coward? I have no reason to cower before the likes of you, Mr. Rhapsodos."
"I'll kill you!" Draco launched himself at the burly man, his sword raised high as his eyes gave off a bright blue glow which lit them like headlights in the darkness.
Heidegger again didn't budge an inch as Draco came barreling down on him. And then, as quick as a flash of lighting, Draco's blade was parried by another. Despite Draco's clear disbelief, Heidegger only raised an eyebrow as he found himself protected by a mysterious swordsman Harry didn't recognize. The man's hair was an unusual stark white, fashioned in an extremely spiky manner which stuck out in all directions at the front and sides and partially covered the right side his face. He was tall, and of a muscular build as well as his blue eyes, which held yellow rings around the pupils, glimmered with primal joy in the absence of moonlight. The man was scantily clad for such a breeze autumn night, with his upper body completely bare. He wore white pants tied with a black sash similar in appearance to what Harry saw of karate uniforms, and knee high boots adorned his feet.
"I believe a raise is in order, Mr. White." Heidegger said as the mysterious swordsman scowled while glancing back at his employer.
"How long must I tell you, Heidegger," the man said, his features calm, "I have no need nor want for the pitiful mortal currencies of this world. The only thing I want…" he began to push back against Draco, almost easily overpowering the enraged blond as he cast Draco a single glance before a crazed look overcame him, "IS THE THRILL OF BATTLE!"
"What on Gaia-?" Draco yelled in surprise as the man's strength increased two-fold within that single instance. Draco found himself pushed back and off balance as the crazed white-haired man changed the direction of his sword, raising it high before bringing it down with a maniac laughter.
CLANG!
The resounding reverb of steel clashing against steel echoed throughout the night as Draco found no pain bursting through him. Opening eyes he had shut to better handle the pain that had been to come, Draco was caught off-guard once again by the sight before him.
Somehow having moved from Fred's side at least a dozen meters behind the skirmish, and having gotten between the two brawlers was Harry, He stood there, a stony expression on his face as his fabled six-foot long blade, the legendary Masamune, was held loftily in a reverse grip within Harry's left hand high above Harry's head. The blade was clashed against the white-haired man's sword, the two shooting sparks every few moments as they grind against each other. The white-haired man seemed to greatly enjoy the fact that Harry had stopped him from cleaved Draco in two as a large wolfish grin spread across his face.
"This sword… this blade… ITS BEEN TOO LONG!" the man said, at first an eerie calm before he burst into hysterics as he began to hack and slash at Harry, who was as natural with Masamune as he was with breathing air. As soon as the man had geared back for a second strike, Harry had let go of the blade, allowing gravity to drive the point into the ground before he made a swirling motion with his hands, retaking the sword in his right hand as he parried the battle-crazed man's slash. Then Harry switched hands again, though this time the sword remained in his left as his glowing emerald eyes followed the motions of his more practiced and physically superior opponent.
And faster as well, Harry was finding as he was barely able to deflect strikes away from himself while the white-haired swordsmen simply kept coming. He had even been able to draw his second sword in the time Harry had been about to counterattack. This foe had caught them at the clear disadvantage of their being severely out of practice. Draco had leapt back as soon as the second sword was drawn, showing that he knew Harry would have to take the man seriously despite Harry's calm and calculative appearance. The man's style seemed brash and headstrong while Harry fought with an instinctive passion he would have much rather stay buried deep within the pits of his soul. As the tempo of the battle increased, so did Harry's footing in the battle until the two were almost evenly matched. His crazed opponent was definitely fast, but not so much so that Harry, who in the past life had been breed for battle, could not keep up.
Suddenly, the man's sadistic grin broke into a frown as he clashed his two swords heavily against Harry, forcing the younger swordsman to use both hands on his sword's hilt just to keep himself from being overwhelmed by the man's superior strength. Strength, speed, and overall physical advantage were on the man's side, but luckily Harry still had remnants of his training.
Remnants of that which he had been born for once upon a time.
"Che, dammit… Looks like it's over," the white-haired man said as Harry scowled at him. Sweat dotted his forehead and his breath came out in ragged gasps, but he wasn't done just yet. Even with the bleeding superficial wounds along his forearms and legs, Harry was sure he could still fight. Wiping away the blood from the thin cut along his right cheek, he figured he could probably go another three to five minutes before needing any breathers or assistance in the skirmish. His blood was almost boiling to continue the battle, as loathed as he was to admit it, the innermost depths of his soul ached and craved the depravity of a good fought battle.
Before Harry could give this information in the form of some witty retort, the fierce chopping of a helicopter came down upon them as it hovered a couple dozen meters above the mansion grounds.
"Come along, Mr. White." Heidegger said as he looked to have grown bored with their display of talented sword-wielding. "We have business to attend to."
"Go on then, and leave." the crazed white-haired man, known as Mr. White spat before giving Harry a feral look. "Meanwhile, I'm gonna-"
"Leave as well…" a voice broke through as the sound of a mechanism in the shadows of the mansion caught everyone's attention. Turning to the building, shock filled the air as George of all people calmly stepped out of the mansion's shadow with a powerful handgun in his hand and darkly tinted sunglasses covering his eyes with their ruby lenses. "Now."
For added incentive, George fired off a few rounds aimed at Mr. White, who almost lazily deflected the bullets. The man looked as though he were bored with the new presence already. Then George gave a warning shot at Heidegger's person as the man was climbing the rope ladder which descended from the helicopter almost as soon as Harry had become aware of its presence. George made his intent clear as Mr. White gave a barely suppressed groan of irritation before leaping just below Heidegger as the man quickly scaled the ladder after he was almost shot. And just for kicks Harry supposed, George shot at the fleeing duo some more as Heidegger barked for the aircraft to get moving.
"Why are you missing?" Draco demeaned as George's shots continued to chase the biplane. "I want that chopper blown out the sky, and Heidegger's head mounted on my wall!"
"We have secured our objective," George said, adjusting his shades as he turned to Draco, "The mission is complete. The Director's orders are to return to base immediately."
"No, fuck you!" Draco said, quite crudely in his temper. Harry found it highly amusing. "I swear to the Goddess if you don't get us a helicopter to follow them, I will become the bane of your nightmares."
"Listen up, Princess." Fred said, making his way over to them with Harry, "Our mission here was only to reclaim your precious stick. Now, we're going back to base. There, you can shove that thing up your ass as much as you want, and fuck yourself hoarse for all we care. What you do on your own time is none of our business. But orders are orders."
"What did you just say, you-" Draco was bristling with anger and indignation as he rounded on Fred, who kept grinning despite how obviously afraid of Draco he was at the moment. Harry felt that he should, however, intervene before Fred ended up a part of the next Headless hunt, and Draco went to Azkaban where he would constantly send Harry letters about how sub-par the service was and how much he wanted his rapier back with him after having only just reacquiring it.
"I think we've done enough for today," Harry said as his sword left his grip for the Lifestream. "Dealing with Heidegger and his mysterious lapdog Mr. White will have to wait for another day."
"But, I want-" Draco whined angrily as Harry cut him off before he could get into it.
"And until then, you'll have ample amount of time in making Heidegger's death all the more exquisitely painful, slow, and violent." Harry offered, applying to Draco's mean streak of vengeance and torture on those he perceived having done him wrong.
If the arrogant grin was any indication, Draco was greatly appeased with the thought of planning out the next encounter. Tossing his hair back arrogantly over his shoulders, Draco raised his head highly as he started toward the golden gates.
"Well, come on. Back to base, people." Draco called snappishly, "I have planning to get to, and a shower to take." then Draco turned his attention to the sword he had absentminded clutched in his right hand, cooing softly to it. "Then I'm gonna clean and polish you, my little baby. That bastardious Heidegger didn't take care of you at all, now did he?"
Harry gave a sigh of exhaustion mingled with a sense of foreboding. Somehow, appeasing Draco now would only come back to bite him in the end. Harry knew it to be true as he watched the blond carve apart the gates at the entrance before stepping over his mess with a slight bounce in his swaggerous step.
Harry could only hope that no one bothered Draco during his alone time with his sword. Because much like Fred, Harry felt that Draco would be practically pleasuring himself to, with, or on his sword with the way he was fawning over the blade now.
Minerva, Harry could only hope the thoughts weren't based in factual information…
As they made their way toward the little hillside town's forest, Harry found his features morphing from impassionate to that of a severe scowl. Slowly but steadily, the encounter was leaving a bitter aftertaste as Harry turned it over in his mind's eye. He absentmindedly flicked the now dried blood from his closing cheek wound while keeping pace with Fred and George behind Draco. His forearms itched as the cuts sealed themselves. It truly had been a while since he had a good hard-fought battle.
One thing was certain if such encounters began more commonplace once time wore onward: They were all in dire need of preparation.
GREAT! Now we've seen, to some extent, Harry and the others ability at this point. While they are not any physically stronger than they were before they started remembering their incarnation, they do however have the instinctual cognition on how to do what they are best at and what they greatly favored in their last life.
As you've probably guessed, Harry was only able to stand up to the peculiarly crazed Mr. White because the primal swords master within him, known exclusively as Sephiroth, was beginning to "leak out" and show itself as the battle progressed. Naturally, Harry hated it but it was the only way for him not to be cut down and how he was protecting his friends from Mr. White pressing any advantage he might have had. If the battle would have gone forward and escalated, then Harry would have eventually lost in a grandly epic confrontation, but he might have been able to take Mr. White with him. None the less, he only drew his sword and fought that time because he needed to protect his friends, something both identities within him (Harry and Sephiroth) would willfully do until their last breath. However, Harry does not wish to fight for battle's sake where Sephiroth might fight to prove himself superior and to enjoy the battle, hence Harry's like for the "anticlimactic".