The Leader

Chapter 72

Things had been looking up for them all for months, as Harry slowly but subtly made sure the magical world saw a different side to magical creatures. To those they condemn as 'monsters' making them see that Hogwarts had been wrong, the books had been wrong, that vampires and werewolves were no less than the wizards and witches themselves were. Sure, they were watching and setting up most of the occasions, but the rest were cases they happened upon entirely by accident. The Aurors were involved in each incident and it ended up on the newspapers. Not too often though, otherwise that would rouse people's curiosity. They didn't inform the Aurors every time but the 'victims' came forth on their own singing their praises. Honestly, they couldn't have planned it better if they tried.

Then it happened. Front page article of the newspaper.

Unfortunately, today was ensuring that it did not become entirely 'smooth sailing' so to speak. The newspaper had gone on the attack where it concerned Vampires, and undid practically all the work they'd done. Infuriating them all, to the point they wanted to wring Rita Skeeters neck, drain her blood from her worthless body and be done with her.

"You seen it?" Rick deduced as Shade entered the room, expecting a few others.

"We did," Caron agreed, slipping in, eyes glimmering seething in fury.

"We should just kill her and be done with it," Shade snarled, a very rare show of his loss of composure, hands clenched so tightly that they looked paler than the rest of him.

"Calm down," Rick demanded.

"Calm down? Calm down! She's just destroyed everything we've been building!" Shade gritted out, but his body had stopped vibrating with sheer unmitigated rage. Rick was higher in him in the hierarchy they'd built out here. Rick himself answered only to Harry and Severus now he supposed. Below Rick was Jack, the leader 'Alpha' of the werewolves.

"No, she hasn't," Harry said walking in, looking as pissed off as everyone else felt. Seething in fury over her remarks, the urge to kill her was really strong. "I will not let one witch destroy everything I've been building." Eyes flashing green as he tried to contain his rage over what he'd just read.

"You know the public is easily duped, it's so laughingly easy to manipulate them." Shade pointed out, Caron pressed a hand to his back, causing Shade to relax back into him. The four vampires spied and very rarely spent any time in the warehouse until lately. It led to Shade, Caron, Jacks and Clay forming very close ties that they were defensive sometimes when anyone else tried to join them. "We're going to have to work twice as hard…if it works at all."

"We should just kill her," Caron grumbled in discontent.

"Nobody should kill her," Severus commented as he entered the room, far more comfortable in his role now, and speaking up. He knew that his voice would be heard and taken seriously, even if Harry had the last say. "Doing that will just prove her points. Now Skeeter goes after whoever will give her the most reads, the most likes, she's always after one scandal or another."

"She's never gone for 'creatures' before, and there's a good reason for it," Wyatt entered the office, and put the paperwork he had in his hands on the table. "Her mother was born of a half-Naga, her brother Richard Skeeters is a full Naga having come into his inheritance, it skipped Rita and Riley and for all indications the family are very close but very private."

"No way,"

"Impossible!"

"Did you get the right Skeeters family?" Caron asked, gaping at Wyatt in disbelief, moving over to read the file that Brecon had probably handed to Wyatt to give to them. Shifting through the information that had been brought to them, the others grabbing it before he could put it down, riveted by what they were reading. "What the fuck is she targeting us for? Naga's are hated for more than us!" which was true actually, Nagas was still hunted and killed to near extinct species. Naga's were hunted down more so in the UK but there were clusters of them protected in the USA.

"I can't believe there's a family settled here with a Naga in it, even with total silence there are ways to find out, it's just asking to be killed." Severus confessed, shaking his in incredulity. "She may well be an Albino version of the Naga creature heritage even if she didn't gain any inheritance upon her seventeenth birthday." Like her brother if that information was accurate.

"All magical?" Harry asked incredulously, just as stunned as everyone else that a family of Nagas were living in the UK with one at least full Naga in the family. "I see the son has a wife, that's pregnant and being seen at St. Mungo's." imagine going to St. Mungo's hell of a risk to take, although it's likely she would have been attending herself. However, the risk was unbelievable.

"Mother is witch from a long line, father is a Muggle-born, so technically Rita, Richard and Riley are Half-blood's but it's likely nobody will know better. They're using the mother's maiden name, but what her real name might be is anyone's guess I'd say at least three or four generations ago they changed their names for safety before then it didn't exist." Wyatt explained, "They immigrated from Australia."

"Makes sense, four generations ago things were downright horrific in Australia." Rick commented, a few shuddered in agreement. "Anything with creature blood was culled. It was a bloodbath, grandparents ordering their children to run, to just survive somehow while they stayed and fought for their rights and died for them. The Minister for Magic there was brutal but lasted six years in office before they felt he was going too far. He was going after anyone with possible creature blood…and as you know…"

"All wizards and witches have creature blood in them," Wyatt finished, this was something they all knew, quite a few had gone through an unexpected inheritance and became vampires, werewolves or whatnot at seventeen. It had been a while since anyone had joined after such incidents.

"Then why? Why target other creatures?" it was inviting scrutiny upon yourself by said creatures, she'd bound to know what she was risking.

"Because she doesn't care, to protect her own family, putting up a front or genuine distaste for them, even if one is her family." Severus reckoned, "It's easy to believe a loved one, someone you care about is an exception to the rule. Believe me it's easier than one can possibly imagine." A grimace on his face, he had done that himself, he'd put Lily into a special column of her own. She wasn't like the other Muggle borns, end of story. He'd learned he was very wrong, along the way, that was life such as it was.

There was silence afterward. There wasn't even a sound of breathing since none of them needed it.

"What do you want us to do?" Wyatt asked, staring directly at his leader seeking guidance, after all if anyone knew what to do it would be Harry.

Harry moved towards the information, and begun to read through it. You'd expect someone who had lived through this to be more cautious. To be more understanding of what it was like. Narrowing his gaze, he glanced at Severus silently wondering if this would be the point of no return for him. He had yet to find himself backing away, decrying it too much. Severus wasn't made for violence, despite joining two organizations that were filled with it. Yet here they were about to invite torture and harm on someone who had angered everyone here.

"Bring her here, the time it takes to get her does not matter," Harry stated sharply, "Just get her here as soon as possible, without drawing scrutiny or unwanted attention to us. It looks clean. Understand?"

"Me?" Wyatt asked, perking up on the idea of getting to do something, anything. He was rather wound up, and none of the others (vampires) liked fighting him to their full ability. Only because he could actually get hurt and took a while to heal, when compared to the others. He took potions to hurry it along, what could be expected when he was only half-vampire?

"Rick, Shade, you." Harry declared, using his best people for the job.

Caron made a sound of protest, almost wanting to argue but he didn't.

"Yes, yes, Caron too," Harry added, rolling his eyes, honestly, Caron knew he'd get to go if he made even a slight protest.

"Be careful just in case this is a set up," Severus said, eyes shadowed with worry. "It could be the Order seeking out Harry, they could be desperate at this point."

"It didn't say anything about Harry," Rick pointed out, "In fact, there's not even a subliminal mention…why does your mind go to set up?" he wasn't deriding Severus' thoughts, he was honestly curious. Wondering if he had missed something that Severus was seeing or if it was just paranoia. He wouldn't blame Severus for it, he'd been spying for so long, it wouldn't surprise him if he did get too cautious from time to time. "Is Skeeters in the order?"

"I'm not sure, and no," Severus replied, "She targets individuals, never groups of people, never ethnics, or race."

"True," Rick nodded his agreement, mulling over all the articles he'd ever seen Rita Skeeters write. "Dumbledore is one of them that she loves ripping apart." But it would make a good cover, and she's really a contact of Dumbledore's. It's how he knew her name, she made very amusing articles in the Daily Prophet.

"That she does yes, Dumbledore considers her a menace." Severus agreed, "It's been a while since she went after anyone."

"That's because she just had a child," Harry declared, noticing the small piece of paper at the back of the file. "It's six months old. A girl." Showing off the birth certificate of Rita Skeeters child.

"What will become of her now?" Severus asked, noticing that there was no father on the birth certificate. A one-night stand? A Muggle? A Wizard?

"I still want her brought to me." Harry declared, "She'll pay for what she'd just done." He didn't care that she'd just had a child, or that the girl will grow up without its parents. It was better off in his opinion than growing up with such a disgusting prejudice bitch of witch that she was. The slurs she used, he felt disgusted with her. She surely knew she'd piss off everyone, if she had any sense she'd have gone into hiding.

Not easily done when you had a six-month-old child in a tow. All for an article? Stupid idiot.

"If she's got any sense she'll have fled," Severus commented dryly.

Harry huffed a little, "Agreed," he said dryly.

"Why would we waste our time trying to get her then?" Caron asked, almost the more compulsive of them all, his youth showing through, seventeen-years-old. Looks didn't mean anything within the creature community, they very rarely aged as the wizards and witches did. Hell, they didn't age at all really not when compared to their real ages.

"You're the best of the best, Caron, don't want your skills getting rusty, I'll start counting the hours until you bring her to me." Harry said, glancing at his pocket watch. "Your best is what…eighty-two hours?"

"Jackie Kidd." Caron confirmed the name.

"Yes," Harry nodded, she was a werewolf hunter, the bitch deserved everything she'd gotten after harming one of his own. Luckily for her, Jackson had survived the attack. Otherwise, he would have tortured her for far longer than she'd gotten. Although Jackson himself had struck the killing blow it was the least, he deserved. "Go, plan ahead, bring her here."

"Let's go," Rick barked out before anyone could ask any questions, those going with Rick moved and the others dispersed now that they weren't being called upon to do any.

The only ones left behind were Severus and Harry.

"Harry, there's more to this…" Severus said, his tone serious and pleading, pleading for Harry to take him seriously.

Harry glanced up at Severus, giving a nod, "I believe you. I'll check it out." He had heard enough to make him curious enough to hold back his ire to find out everything he could.

Severus sighed, gratitude suffusing him, he had half expected the usual, to brush him off. Both Voldemort and Dumbledore had loved doing that, even if it was detrimental to their own goals. Neither had apologised for doubting him or acknowledging he'd been right. He felt elated that someone wasn't doubting him and had taken him seriously. He should stop doubting Harry, he really should. However, he was used to his expectations not being met.

"Thank you," Severus murmured, wrapping his arms around Harry, relishing in the feeling of surety that followed.

Harry chuckled, "I'll always listen to whatever anyone has to say, even if I inevitably don't go through with it." He confessed, and it was true, and he would bear the brunt of any consequences, it was his decision and his decision alone. As the Leader, that was the way it was, it helped ease the possible burdens off their shoulders, which included Severus even if he would be ruling with him, his word was law.

"What is on the agenda today?" Severus questioned, before the newspaper had interrupted their morning.

"I want to see everyone's reactions to the Daily Prophet," Harry said, terse and tense.

"Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley?" Severus deduced, Knockturn Alley wouldn't have people gossiping about magical creatures since a lot of them were magical creatures.

"Diagon Alley," Harry sighed, "I never anticipated this happening, I should have." Feeling rather vexed by what had happened, by not figuring this would happen. His only hope was that not everyone was buying into Skeeters bullshit. He knew it was doubtful, but if not everyone was being bought by it, then it was something at least.

"Why not go through the live rune recordings?" Severus questioned, that way they wouldn't be in the alley and liable to kill anyone.

"They're good, but they're not that good," Harry said dryly.

A knock interrupted them, Harry sniffed trying to discern who was at the other side of the door.

"Come in!" Harry called out.

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin opened the door and stepped in.

"What can I do for you?" Harry asked, tiredness suffusing his voice, revealing an unwillingness to deal with the pair at the moment.

"We saw the newspapers, I'm sorry," Sirius said, moving over and sitting down, getting himself comfortable despite Harry practically signalling for them to leave, that they weren't welcome and that he just didn't want to put up with anyone right now.

Remus moved with him, standing at the back of the sofa, with his hands laying on Sirius' shoulders, in reassurance or perhaps to prevent him from doing or saying something else. His amber eyes were filled with sympathy and harrowing tiredness. He was used to this, it's all he'd ever known, and he would literally do anything to go back and time and not be bitten by Fenrir Greyback. Don't get him wrong, he felt stronger, more confident, happier, having a pack was everything he needed. James and Sirius had been good friends, but they hadn't really been pack, but best friends keeping him company during the full moon.

"It is what it is," Harry said, his brow furrowing just slightly, wondering why they were there. Surely, it couldn't be just to say that they were sorry for the article?

"What are you going to do about it?" Remus asked, his tone quiet and respectful.

"There's nothing I can do about it," Harry said, rubbing his face, a grimace on his features, "The news has broken, everyone will have read it by now."

"A lot of people won't believe it," Sirius reassured him, "They know Skeeters is a complete hack."

"You don't get it do you? The majority stakes for the Daily Prophet are the Ministry of Magic," Harry said, sitting down crossing his legs, looking languid and unbothered. "The Ministry is realizing what someone is attempting to do, might even figure it is me. Skeeters is just a distraction; I just can't figure out whether Dumbledore is involved or not."

"Dumbledore hasn't been seen in the best of light, but that likely changed once the Dark Lord's presence was actually verified as legitimate." Severus agreed, "If there was anyone who would figure out what you're up to it is Dumbledore. He's intelligent, and reads all the newspapers he can get his hands on. Muggle and Wizardkind."

"Dumbledore doesn't have anything against magical creatures," Remus refuted, getting angry over their accusations. It was more of a habit than anything, Remus grimaced apologetically, rubbing his neck sheepishly.

"We never thought he did," Sirius murmured, "But what would be the point? He needs Harry, right?"

"Very much so," Severus agreed.

"It's a good way to go about it, in the background hate on anything, vampires especially," Harry said slowly, thoughtfully, "Make their reputations the worst it's ever been…what would someone who's just trying to live their lives do?"

"You think Dumbledore is trying to get you to seek him out? To help make the 'vampires' reputations better? In turn for your aid in killing Voldemort?" Severus caught on, but Sirius' eyes had lit up, clearly he'd figured it out as well.

"It's just one possibility of a lot I've got going through my mind at the moment," Harry confessed, "There's just so many ways it can really be, I might just be overthinking it, and it's just a vindictive witch thinking the worst of vampires because she was dumped by one? Honestly, I have no clue and that's what I hate the most about it all."

A/N – Sorry about the short update, I've just had such a bad cough that my chest aches something fierce and my back too. I think I might end up going to the doctors to see if there's something they can do for me 😊 fingers crossed eh! I'm going to go head up for a bath, hmm not sure what I can have happen between now and when they get Skeeters (all suggestions welcomed it's becoming a little too skippy)…unless they don't? who is behind her actions? Herself? The Ministry? Voldemort? Dumbledore? Hmm so many ways it can go but I do want to get it finished this with block of updates 😉 but whether that's possible with everything that has to fit in remains to be seen, as you know I'm not one for finishing stories when Voldemort is dead, I like to continue for a bit 😉 although I'm not sure there's going to be much more for this story regardless, I never had anything planned after the take over R&R please