Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, objects, or anything else that comes from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.
Warning: This story will contain scenes of violence, bad language, and maybe other themes that some audiences may find unsuitable. You have been advised.
When You Have Nothing Left to Lose
Chapter 15:
"Why are we here, Greengrass?" Theodore Nott Jr sneered.
"A party has paid for me to bring all of you here to hear his offer, well… assuming it is a male afterall." The blonde replied. Among the group were several other pureblood heirs from affluent families. The Zabinis, Davises, Warringtons, Montagues, Notts, and Puceys were each represented.
"Who is he?" Adrian Pucey spat.
The group was standing in an abandoned classroom in the dungeons, where hardly anyone ever tread, a fortunate side benefit for the house of cunning's members.
"You may call me Shadow." A dark cloaked figure with a silver wolf mask rose out of the shadows. No magic was needed. He had blended in on skill alone. "I represent an interest of the Dark Lord's."
"The Dark Lord?" Tracey Davis spoke up, turning to Daphne. "Does this mean the Greengrasses have chosen to pledge their allegiance?"
Before the blonde could speak, Shadow answered. "You need not know the details behind Heiress Greengrasses's role. All that matters is an opportunity that I wish to present to each of you that will benefit our master as well as ourselves."
"Why us? Where's Malfoy and his circle then?" Nott raised a brow in defiance.
"Because the Malfoys for too long have held their place within the inner circle, blocking all other attempts. I believe it is time for new voices to be heard. Heir Malfoy's arrogance places him far from what is needed to properly move our movement forward."
"And how do you expect us to gain such favor?" Montague crossed his arms. "Nothing is free."
Shadow chuckled. "Of course not. You're not pathetic Puffs who act out of some misguided sense of loyalty or Gryffindors who blindly follow to prove their nobility. Most tasks would consist mostly of gathering information at first… until you can prove yourselves."
"Prove ourselves to who?" Blaise Zabini spoke for the first time.
"Why me of course." Upon seeing the gathered teens' shared ire, Shadow casually continued. "Each of you has potential, but I do not give my trust lightly. First, you will show me you are capable, then we will move on to greater things."
Warrington sneered. "What's stopping us from just approaching Malfoy then?"
Another chuckle escaped the masked man's lips. "Do you really think I wouldn't be prepared for that? Any of you who does not pledge their loyalty and sign this-" A foot long piece of parchment entitled, 'VA,' with multiple blank lines underneath it appeared in his hand. "-Will have their memory erased by the wards I raised before you arrived. It's your choice. Either this never happened…
"Or you take your chance at greatness."
Surprisingly, Blaise was the first to step forward. Grinning behind his mask, Shadow laid the parchment down on a desk and conjured a quill and ink to help facilitate the mysterious teen. He merely nodded in gratitude before signing his name on the first line before moving to lean against the wall.
The rest of the gathered teens followed shortly after with varying degrees of trepidation until only two remained without their signatures on the parchment.
"What are you waiting for, Greengrass? Sign it already and let's get this over with." Nott crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.
The blonde's icy blue eyes glared down the brown haired pureblood. "I never said I was joining." She turned her stare to the masked man. "I believe my payment is due."
Without a word, Shadow removed an envelope from his robes. With it pinched between his middle and index fingers, he launched the enclosed parchment towards the woman. Deftly catching it, Daphne opened it, aware of the eyes locked on her from the other occupants in the room but uncaring. Unfolding the letter from inside, she scanned the words quickly before promptly refolding it and returning it inside the envelope.
Finally she spoke. "Everything appears to be in order. A pleasure doing business with you. Until next time." Daphne turned on her heel and started towards the door.
"That's it? Tracey Davis asked, incredulous. "She just gets to walk out?"
Shadow shook his head. "No. Her memory of what transpired here will be erased as soon as she crosses the threshold. Some have more use as a third party than a follower."
The blonde seemed to have ignored the conversation behind her as she reached the door and opened it. A flash of magic flared around her once she stepped through the doorway, the door itself quickly closing shut behind her of its own accord.
Turning to his new followers, Shadow looked them over silently for a moment before speaking again. "The rest of you are free to leave as well for now. I will be in touch soon, I assure you."
"If this is a trick…" Nott grumbled as he walked towards the door along with the others.
Shadow chose not to deign him with a response; the meeting had gone as well as it could have. Within moments he was alone in the room once more. Inspecting the parchment in his hand, the lines at the top shifted. The A in the title slid down a line and both letters expanded into the words: Voldemort's Army.
"You would have made an excellent Slytherin." Daphne spoke as she re-entered the room after ensuring the others had departed.
Harry removed his mask and grinned. "Agreed, but I only was sent back this far. Besides, there are advantages to my presence in Gryffindor. Tomorrow for instance."
"Raising two armies against each other and taking the best and most loyal from each… You really are not holding back are you?" Daphne shook her head as she took a seat.
"If it wouldn't fuck up the future, trust me, you would see what I'm like when I don't hold back. Maybe once we finally get our chance at these assassins, I can show you." Harry wandlessly turned the desk in front of the young woman and sat down to face her.
"Be warned though. It may get… messy."
"Dumbledore has no idea just how far away from the Gryffindor Golden Boy you are now, I imagine."
Harry shook his head. "Unfortunately, he can tell that I am trained in the dark arts, but at least he knows I'm not trying to kill innocents. This is a war. Black and white tends to bleed together if either side wants to achieve victory."
For a moment the ice queen's persona slipped and she seemed slightly taken aback but quickly regathered herself. The slip was more than enough for the time traveler to notice, though.
"What is it?"
After pondering her words for a few seconds, Daphne replied. "Even with all I've learned of your past- the future- it just is… jarring to see the difference myself between who you were before we met and now."
The Shadow Wolf shrugged. "War does things to a man."
The soldier found himself back in a similar classroom on the same floor not even twenty-four hours later but without his mask and familiar robes. Instead, he wore his normal Gryffindor uniform, excluding the outer robes.
Inside stood most of the members from the last time Harry conducted this meeting inside the Hog's Head in his original timeline with a few exceptions. Cho Chang was absent due to questionable loyalties as well as her friend Marietta Edgecombe due to being sent by Corner to kill him. Tasked with the latter's mission, Ernie MacMillan and Terry Boot were also excluded.
"Hello, everyone. Thank you all for coming."
The gathered crowd nodded their heads in response, many sporting inquisitive looks, particularly a bushy haired Gryffindor who was raising her hand.
"Yes, Hermione?" Harry poorly hid his amusement at her mannerisms. It was nice to see how things had been once again.
"What's going on here, Harry? Why did you bring us here?" She asked.
The time traveler's face fell at her question, remembering his purpose. "Because the way the world is going right now, I believe we need to train. Voldemort has returned and is gearing up for war. I want to give all of you a chance to survive. I can't in good conscience leave everyone unprepared."
All amusement left the room at his words.
Seamus was the first to speak up. "Harry, mate, I don't mean to be rude, but are you sure he's back? He's been dead for 14 years!"
"If I wasn't sure, would I do this? When have I ever tried getting any of you on my side? You know why there's so much mystery around things that happen with me here at Hogwarts? It's because people get hurt around me. I get hurt, and I'd rather take it all on myself than let anyone else experience it. Besides, I'm used to it. If anyone could handle it, it's been me."
Here, Harry was interrupted by Hannah Abbott. "Why you? I mean I get that you survived the killing curse, but is there really anything else?"
Many in the room close to Harry turned to the girl, glares boring straight into her.
"It's okay guys. Hannah brings up a great point. No reason to bite her head off…" The young man smirked. "Yet."
Seeing the flick of fear on her face, Harry realized he had his fun, and it was time to continue. "Relax. I'm only joking. My friends know it's a bit of a sore topic for me, but to answer your question, my body was… let's call it conditioned from a young age, years before I started Hogwarts. Since then, each year I keep facing the impossible. The Triwizard Tournament. A hundred dementors and my falsely accused godfather Sirius Black." Gasps rang out at that latest piece of knowledge, but he continued. "A basilisk. A Voldemort-possessed Quirrell. I've survived all of that, and nobody could purely on luck."
Many of the gathered students gulped at his list. Even with how ridiculous and numerous it was, it only seemed to cement their realization in who stood before them. No one could deny he got through each task of the tournament, something meant for only those of age and older. The dementors had plagued him especially, and they were not known for being kind creatures. Rumors had only spread about the last two mentioned.
"Even if I hadn't seen and escaped Voldemort myself, I can't say that there's nothing for us to protect ourselves against." Harry continued to ignore how most flinched at the use of the Dark Lord's name.
The room stood in shock at his words, unable to come up with any sort of argument at the revelations he exposed. Slowly, some started to nod in acceptance.
"Anyone interested in surviving what's to come just needs to swear an oath to never use what I teach against an innocent. I'm not training someone who will hurt those that can't protect themselves." Many looks of objection began when he mentioned an oath but were quickly quelled by steeled emerald eyes and his remaining words.
Hermione strode forward first but kept her back to the others as she leaned in to whisper to her raven haired friend. "What brought this on? It's not like you to talk about your past or what you've done like this, let alone try to lead."
"Just been doing a lot of soul searching lately with everything going on. If I don't help them, who will?" Harry shrugged.
The bushy haired Gryffindor's eyes narrowed, and she jabbed a finger into his chest. Despite the physical training sharpening his body, it still hurt too much for Harry's liking.
"Harry James Potter. In all the time I've known you, you have never acted like this. Something else is going on. First it was your unusual project, which you just gave up on for no reason-"
"I did say that I realized my energies were better spent elsewhere, especially with how few strides I was making." The young man attempted but was quickly cowed.
"No! I will not hear anymore of these weak excuses. Tell me now! I am your friend, and you don't have to do this alone. We can help!" Somehow the two had managed to keep their words to whispers, but tears were starting to pool in Hermione's eyes.
"Hermione…" Harry looked back at the other students who were poorly feigning disinterest and raised his voice to address everyone. "I'm doing this because I saw Cedric die. He was killed right in front of me. There was nothing I could do… Then I was quickly captured and used against my will for a ritual to bring back the Dark Lord. I barely escaped with my life. Cedric didn't. My parents that Halloween night didn't. Many died last time he was around. I don't want to witness any more good people die. I want to prevent as many grieving families as I can. Stop them from wondering what might have been."
The young man looked down for a moment collecting himself.
"I know the pain of loss all too well."
After that, Hermione was quick to sign the paper followed by everyone else in the room excluding the young man himself. Once the last one, Seamus, penned his signature, Harry rolled up the piece of parchment and tucked it away.
"Thank you. I'll be in touch about our first meeting shortly. Enjoy the rest of your day." The young man gave a nod and turned to help hit the point home.
All but his two best friends of old left, uncomfortable with all they had learned.
Hermione was the one to break the silence but her normal curiosity was obviously tempered by the intense scene.
"Harry… please. Let us in. Whatever you are going through, we can help…"
Without turning around, the black haired man nodded. "I know you guys want to help, and I truly appreciate it."
Relief reared its head in Hermione's eyes at his words.
"That being said, I don't think it would be wise for any of us. You are my best friends, and I don't want to do anything to risk that." His two sentences immediately beat down on the young Gryffindors' hope.
Hermione, however, was not swayed. "We stand with you no matter what, Harry. We're with you to the end just like always."
"No matter what the goal is? No matter who we have to face while we do it?" The time traveler still did not turn around. He wasn't entirely sure if it was out of strength or weakness.
"What do you mean?" Ron spoke up, confused.
Harry sighed. "To defeat Voldemort what do we need? Forget about a special spell or technique. What is needed to win this war?" With his friends' confused silence, he continued. "People. We need people to fight him and his forces."
"Okay… is that what you're doing here, mate? Getting people ready for war? Didn't you say you were just teaching them how to defend themselves?" Ron spoke uncertainly.
"I am for everyone I invited. Anyone who does well and is willing… will learn more, but I have no intention of ending Voldemort with just students. We need more people."
"Who then? Our friends' families?" Hermione inquired.
Finally, Harry turned around. "No. The Ministry. We need the aurors, but Fudge won't send them." He sighed once more, but his eyes steeled. The Shadow Wolf revealed himself in the young man's emerald orbs. "The Ministry needs to change, and they won't unless we make them."
"Wait. You mean everything they've been saying is true?" Ron gaped.
The Wolf scoffed. "Well, besides the fact that Voldemort is back, their actions have made me choose this. Besides the fact that I hate my fame, I will do everything I can to stop the man who murdered my parents, the man who kills for pleasure, even if that means killing as well." A cold fury had risen in his voice as he spoke.
His two friends froze in shock before looking at each other and then him.
"You'd… kill?" Hermione's jaw was hanging wide open.
"I already have. Quirrell our first year? I may not have meant to, but the fact is that I did. I didn't want to then, and I still don't want to now, but this is a war. Some will not let us just capture them, and those will be the ones who take who we love from us. If given the choice between saving killers or my family and friends, I'll bloody my hands every time."
Harry lowered his head and sighed. When he raised it back up, the fire in his eyes had faded slightly and regret was plain on his face. "I don't get a choice in this guys, but you do. The both of you can stay innocent. It's too late for me, so I might as well put it to some use."
"Mate… I don't think I can kill…" Guilt and desperation leaked from Ron's voice.
"I understand. There's no hard feelings. If you'd be so kind as to keep this between us, I'd appreciate it, and if you still want to learn defense, my offer stands." Harry started to turn away, but Ron stepped forward and stopped him with a hand on his right shoulder.
"You didn't let me finish." Ron looked right into his oldest friend's eyes. "I can't follow you like that, but I'll be right beside you. You're not alone in this."
A slight bit of liquid formed in the raven-haired man's eyes, and he clamped his own right hand on the ginger's right shoulder. "Thank you."
With a nod in recognition from Ron, the two men broke the physical contact and turned towards the last member of the trio.
"Well…" Hermione sighed then groaned in frustration. "If you think I'm letting the two of you go off on your own after all the times I've already had to save you, then you're bigger idiots than I thought."
Tears pooled in Harry's eyes, the fire gone, and he rushed forward. Catching the bushy haired Gryffindor off guard, he enveloped her in a hug Mrs. Weasley would probably approve of.
"Thank you." He whispered in her ear before breaking the embrace.
"Now, are you going to tell me what you were actually doing researching time magic?" Hermione leveled her patented glare.
Harry grimaced in response and was about to speak, but Ron interrupted. "Time magic? You were looking at time travel, mate?"
"Yeah… unfortunately, that's something I can't talk about." Seeing them getting ready to object, he quickly added. "But Dumbledore is aware of what I was doing. Everything is under control. No more messing with time magic. I promise."
Hermione pursed her lips in annoyance, but Ron nodded his head in acceptance.
"Speaking of the headmaster, I actually need to go talk with him. If you'll excuse me…"
Quickly exchanging goodbyes and promises to see each other later, Harry exited and made his way to the seventh floor.
As he approached the point near the portrait of the trolls in tutus, a green spell shot right towards the young man. Sensing the magic of the whispered killing curse as it approached, the Wolf dropped to the ground and rolled, his true wands snapping into his hands as he did. While beginning to roll, he shot off a rush of three cutting curses down the hall where the spell originated.
After finishing his roll, Harry turned and raised a shield with his left wand while preparing further offense with his right. Scanning the area, he found no sign of his attacker, so quickly cast a silent disillusionment charm on himself. Once invisible, he left the shield standing and made his way forward, smooth but quickly.
Looking around the corner, he spotted a figure fleeing in a panic. A red spell impacted the target's legs while a colorless one hit them right in the back of the head. The former locked their legs together while the latter prevented anyone from hearing the altercation. A quick stunning spell followed, and it decisively ended the fight. Harry could have just stunned and silenced his opponent, but he was sure falling on your face was much less pleasant.
The Shadow Wolf grabbed the fallen male Gryfindor's wand. He was able to tell as the fool hadn't thought of using a disguise before attacking him. Then using a series of spells, he levitated the chain bound figure into the air while under another disillusionment charm. It wouldn't do for a bound boy to float down the corridors.
Some time later, Cormac McLaggen awoke to find himself stripped of his clothes and bound to a chair. He could only tell that from the lack of mobility and cold waves of air across his skin. He could not see, hear, or smell anything at all no matter how hard he tried. He was sure his eyes were open at the very least.
Suddenly the spell ended. Instead of infinite darkness, he was subjected to the opposite: blinding light. It was not a flare but continuous. Even through his quickly shut eyes, it pervaded though but at least not enough to burn his retinas. A gut-wrenching odor flooded his nostrils at the same time.
When an icy voice spoke with barely contained disdain, he realized his senses had been returned, but that his situation was truly desperate.
"I was wondering when the first one of you was going to make your move. I've been here two months already. What took you so long?"
"What are you talking about?! Why are you doing this? Please, let me go!" Cormac begged.
The Shadow Wolf tsked and shook his head. "Cormac- can I call you Cormac? Oh, of course I can. In fact, I can do anything I want when it comes to you right now."
An ethereal growl rolled through the air, and the bound student's ass puckered in fear.
"Now, back to what I was saying. Cormac, I've already invaded your memories. There's no use pretending. You cast the killing curse at my turned back, and when that failed you turned and ran like the rat you are. All of your own free will. No imperius defense."
The light disappeared in an instant. It took the prisoner a few moments before he was able to open his eyes and see. The site made him blanche.
In front of him stood the infamous Harry Potter, the Shadow Wolf, dressed in his battle robes and mask. This mask, however, was not the classic silver of the Death Eaters anymore. Instead, it was gold and seemed to glow, but it was not a shining colour itself. Cormac realized it was a sign of the mask and the young man's connection, as if they were intertwined.
This in of itself would normally make anyone from the future pale, but the sight of the rotting basilisk behind him would make any sane wizard or witch fear for their life. Everyone in the future of course knew the stories. The one in front of him had slain it at merely twelve years old.
"As I said before," Wolf spoke. "I can do anything I want when it comes to you right now. Nobody knows where you are. I can come and go as I please. You are trapped. You chose your fate when you tried to kill me, so… tell me the truth. What took you so long?"
"Fuck you." McLaggen spat at his captor's feet.
For a few uncomfortable moments time seemed to freeze for the captured. There was no movement or sound. If he didn't know better, he would think he was under a spell once more.
Then a spell followed by Cormac's screams filled the air. He experienced thousands of pinpricks jabbing against his skin at once for what was only five seconds but felt like minutes.
"Come now… Be reasonable. I can make this quick and easy." The Wolf seemed too casual, as if he really did not care any longer what choice was made. Then again, either way, he won.
"Fuck-" McLaggen was interrupted by the curse impacting him again. It was held for half a minute this time before being released.
"Be mindful. I haven't even cast an Unforgivable yet. I doubt you want to see my Cruciatus Curse."
"We… we took so long because…" The prisoner could only speak between gasps for breath. "Because we were fairly certain you had managed to make your way here, but not one hundred percent. Our strategies had to change."
"Strategies? Are each of you working independently?"
Cormac nodded. "We met once after landing, but Corner's disappearance raised alarm. We agreed to meet. I think a few of us are working together, but it was originally agreed to work on our own to maximize our chances."
"Hence why you attacked me alone, and why I imagine you are going to say you don't know what the others' plans are." The Wolf's gaze hadn't left his prisoner.
Again he nodded. "Yes. If this attack failed, I was going to retreat and just make another attempt at some point in the future. Maybe, I'd tell the others."
This got Harry's attention. "How would you gather them?"
Realizing his chance, Cormac spoke eagerly. "A message to be hidden in the Hufflepuff quidditch locker room. With a prearranged code from the last meeting, the parchment will reveal the location and time of the next needed meeting."
"The code?"
"First I need your promise you won't kill me, and you'll let me go. I'll give an Unbreakable Vow to not attack you if you need me to. Just please. I don't want to die."
The Wolf cocked his head to the side. "I never would have thought you were such a slippery one, but I like the way you think. In fact, I think until the rest of your colleagues are taken care of, you and I will be working very closely together.
"Am I understood?"
Despite his guilt at making a deal with the devil, Cormac nodded eagerly at the chance of saving his life. "Perfectly."
Harry nodded happily and summoned clothes to cover the older boy's body before releasing him from his bindings. "Dobby."
The elf quickly appeared.
"Would you mind witnessing an Unbreakable Vow for us?" The time traveler asked kindly.
Dobby nodded happily. "Of course, Harry Potters, sirs!"
The Wolf presented his hand forward, and Cormac quickly gripped his forearm with his own hand and placed his forearm into the Wolf's grasp. The soldier gripped much harder and even brought Cormac in slightly with a jerk of his arm. Dobby held his index forward and placed it in the middle of the two's grasp.
"Do you swear to pledge yourself to my services and to help me to the best of your ability within reason?" Harry spoke solemnly.
"I do." Cormac nodded. A tendril of flame emerged and circled around their wrists.
"Do you swear to never harm me or my allies intentionally?"
The older young man paused, but realizing he had no choice, nodded. "Yes, I do."
Another tendril of flame spun around their wrists. Harry nodded. "So mote it be."
"So mote it be."
A flash of magic erupted, and the vow was sealed. The Wolf released his grasp, and Cormac eagerly did the same.
Harry removed his mask and with a wave of his hand both it and his battle robes disappeared, though his school robes replaced them in an instant. After throwing Cormac's wand at its owner, he turned and started to walk towards the exit.
"Well come on, then. I will be in contact with you tomorrow. In the meantime, we better get back before we're missed."
It had only been an hour since their encounter began on the seventh floor.
That evening, Harry finally met up with Daphne in the Room of Requirement in its usual configuration of the modified Slytherin common room. He had just filled her in on the events of the day after they last parted.
"Well, it seems luck is so far in our favour." She commented, before taking a sip from her cup of tea.
"My friends haven't abandoned me, Dumbeldore sees me on the same side, I have a lead on the assassins, and I've already removed one of them as a threat." Harry agreed.
"Don't forget Dumbledore and Voldemort's armies within the school you now have started. What is the next move?"
The time traveler looked off into the flames for a few moments before speaking. "I need Dumbeldore to let me go to Grimmauld Place soon to continue the hunt for the horcruxes. Dumbledore's Army will begin learning, and their elite will be recruited for our own fighting force while we do the same for those we learn we can trust in Voldemort's. The dark side students will start targeting our other group.
"You want them to attack?" Daphne raised a brow in surprise.
Harry shook his head but remained looking at the fire. "No. Just spy, though eventually my plan has them attempting an assault. If we do it right, Umbridge will fall with any of the group who don't ally themselves with us."
"So that's three of the four plans, what about the last?" Daphne set her tea down.
Finally, he looked over and met her eyes. "The time agents? With Cormac now forced into my employ, I'll set a trap for them as well. I doubt every one of them will show up for the meeting when it's so soon after the first, but chances are I'll have the opportunity to at least take out one more of them."
"Will you repeat what you did with Cormac?"
"I'd prefer to capture if any of them don't show. That way I can possibly figure out the others' plans, but if I don't get that option, then well…" He shrugged. "I don't get that option."
Daphne nodded. "A practical decision. If each of these succeed, we will be well on our way to eliminating all the threats against us."
The Wolf chuckled. "If there's one thing you learn about war, Daph, plans don't often work out as intended. Even if we are completely successful, there's still a lot more to do before we can claim victory over both the Ministry and Tom.
"Confidence is necessary, but arrogance is a weakness."
She stood and walked over towards him. Her Hogwarts robes had been put away, but the rest of her uniform remained. A white button up matched with a black and green-trimmed skirt as well as black leggings. Stopping in front of him, she leaned forward so her face was in front of his.
"And what would you say your weakness is?" She whispered.
A soft smile grew on his face as he stared back at her. "The truth? The ones I love. You haven't seen my true rage yet. When they are hurt or even targeted… I will do anything to ensure it is not repeated."
He looked down for a moment before his emerald eyes met her sapphire once more. "You are at the top of that list."
She smiled and started to lean in, her eyes closing. Harry's heart leapt into his stomach but closed his eyes and started to inch forward as well. After what felt like an eternity for him, their lips met, and the familiar rush of love hit him like a wave. The feeling was new but elicited a similar reaction from Daphne as well. It was slow but passionate, the two of them learning each other for the first time in this state.
When they finally broke the kiss, they both smiled, and Daphne spoke.
"I'm glad to hear it."
AN: Here we are! Had some life events pop up and get in the way, but I'm happy to finally have this finished and posted! Feel free to leave a review with your thoughts!
As Always,
Occidere Prima Vel Occidi