A/N: Hey everyone! I hope those of you who celebrate had a great Christmas. Mine was pretty lowkey in the best way, and I haven't opened my laptop once for work or writing since Christmas Eve. It's been a nice break, but I'm excited to get back to it. Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews!
Chapter 28
January 2, 1996
The New Years party served a double purpose, as Harry's team used the night to convince a good number of wavering families to join their cause. The elves' lists grew impressively, with a sizable percentage of the wizarding population now having a most unusual escape plan should they need it.
The number of people covered under the primary confidentiality contract also grew, as they added Daphne, Astoria, the rest of the Weasleys, Neville, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Hagrid. Harry felt a bit uneasy about so many being privy to his secrets, but knew he trusted the group regardless of the contract. The number he was most excited about, however, was the increase in volunteer fighters.
The force grew to sixty-four including cadre, with another thirty or so taking time to think on the matter. Harry knew it would take months of training to get where they needed them to be, but was excited by the larger number regardless. He decided to spend the morning with them, eager to see what their training looked like.
He watched as the recruits ran a complicated obstacle course that looked as physically challenging as it was magically. Tonks led the way, and all but a few were struggling desperately to match her pace. He noticed Samuel Davies, Roger's older brother, at the front of the pack and was impressed by the man's ability. Charlie was just behind him, though he was only training for practice. He had offered to join, as had Bill, but Harry asked them not to as he had plans for the pair.
"They look good, Mad-Eye," he said to his companion who was looking on with an angry expression.
"They're a long way off," the man countered. "But we'll get 'em there. I'm going to use this group as our first Company, under Captain Tonks. We'll wait until we have a similar number of new recruits to begin our second wave of training, and I'll use an older stand-out from this group as their Company Commander."
"They all quit their jobs?"
"All but two who work at St. Mungo's. One's a healer and the other a medi-witch, and both switched to night shift in order to participate in basic training. Their training will be much shorter, as I plan to use them to set up our medic corps."
"That's a long day for those two."
"It is," he agreed proudly. "But they were the ones to bring it up. They're a young married couple, no kids… they said they'd make it work. Isaac and Jennifer Brunson, I'll introduce you when they're finished."
"I'd be honored to meet all of them."
"I hoped you would. It's good for a Commander to put in some facetime with the troops."
"Whoa now," Harry countered quickly. "You're their Commander."
"And you're mine. Let's see if you can do the math to figure out what that means you are to them. I'll handle the heavy work, with Amelia as our Logistics Officer, but you're our Field Marshal. I don't need you training with them, or getting to know them at all really, but in the field they'll follow their officers, who follow me, and I follow you."
"That's… I didn't expect that."
"I figured, and planned to have this conversation at some point. Your inner circle will need ranks as well if they're training to be out in the field, and we need to plan some group training exercises once my group gets up to speed."
"I'll mention it," Harry promised. "How long do you think that'll take?"
"For this group? June."
"That long?"
"At least. The following Companies will be quicker, I'd guess three to four months, but there's not exactly a roadmap for this sort of thing. I wish I could send you back to speak to Charlus further."
"I often wish the same, but he trusted you, and so do I. Hopefully we can avoid all out war until they're ready."
"Wish in one hand and shit in the other, Potter. But I'm over here doing the same, so I can't really talk."
Harry watched as the last recruit finished the course, all sixty breathing heavily.
"Let's get you introduced," Moody offered. "Remember, I'm the 'bastard General', and you're my bastard boss. No need to treat them like shit, but you'll need their respect."
Harry nodded, and followed the man as he hobbled over to the exhausted group.
"Company!" Tonks yelled as they approached. "Attention!" The unit snapped to attention where they stood. "Form ranks!" At the second command, they moved to four rows of fifteen, and Tonks stood formally in front.
"Thank you, Captain," Moody barked firmly. "At ease!" The Company relaxed their posture a bit, but quickly stilled.
"Alpha Company, I'd tell you exactly how I feel about that… performance… but your Commander would like to speak with you. Marshal?"
Moody stepped to the side formally, adopting the same posture as his soldiers.
"Thank you, General Moody," Harry began, willing his nerves away. "Alpha Company, I'm honored by your willingness and determination to protect our people. As you can see, the number of witches and wizards who would fight rather than hide from the coming war is miniscule. But that number will grow, and I swear to you, your loyalty to our world will be celebrated.
"You all know what's coming, and I'm confident we'll be ready to face it. As I stand here, I can't help but feel amazed by your selflessness. You've chosen to stand up when most wouldn't, and you all have my undying respect. As your Commander, I swear to you that I'll do everything in my power to ensure no one is lost due to poor decisions or haste on my part, and I swear to you that I'll be standing next to you when the time comes.
"Thank you again for your willingness to stand up. I'll make sure our people never forget."
"Recruits Brunson and Brunson," Moody called as Harry finished. "Stay after. Captain Tonks, dismiss your Company as you see fit."
Tonks did so, and the unit quickly headed back to the barracks for lunch, their Captain following.
"Brunsons, approach and speak freely," Moody said slightly more gently. "Relax you two."
"Marshal Potter," Isaac said as he neared, his wife repeating the greeting.
"Call me Harry outside of Company duty," Harry said with a smile. "I hear the two of you are likely exhausted... I'm impressed by your dedication in particular. May I ask why you've chosen to join?"
"We've seen the injured and dead that have already begun piling up," Jennifer answered somberly. "It's not easy to ignore, and our age and skill sets allow us to help."
"We both had grandparents that served under your great uncle," Isaac added. "My grandfather was the Executive Officer for the Battalion, and Jennifer's grandmother the Healer in Charge. They both joined despite having kids at home, knowing it was the right thing to do. As soon as we heard about the force being rebuilt, we both felt duty-bound to do the same."
"I thank you for it," Harry replied seriously. "Have you been told how General Moody plans to use you?"
"Yes, sir," Isaac answered quickly. "And we're recruiting others at work. There's a pretty good number of younger folk in similar positions that I think we can convince to join, but St. Mungo's itself is something we need to consider."
"What do you mean?"
Isaac looked at Moody apprehensively, clearly worried he'd overstepped.
"Isaac," Harry replied with a chuckle. "I'm fifteen years old. The only way I'm getting us through this mess is with the help of others that know better than I do. Please, forget your rank for just a moment and answer the question."
"You don't feel fifteen, sir," he countered with a grin. "I was referring to the staff and equipment at the hospital. If the number of refugees continues to grow exponentially, and the war gets as bad as we're all expecting, we're going to need a real hospital. Medical training takes years if done correctly, and most of the equipment is incredibly difficult to reproduce. I don't know what the answer is, but it's going to become a necessity."
"Isaac," Harry said thoughtfully. "That's not something I've thought about, nor has anyone mentioned it to me. Thank you for speaking up, you just saved us from a catastrophic mistake. I'll get my group to start thinking of solutions, and I may ask you to brief them on what's required if you're up to doing so."
"Of course, sir. Whenever I'm needed."
"Seriously, thank you. And you, Jennifer. I know you're both dead on your feet, so I won't take any more of your time."
"Dismissed," Moody said firmly.
The two quickly left, and Harry turned back to the grizzled older man.
"Being that informal with them may not be the best route to take, Harry."
"I'll play the Marshal role when it's required of me, Mad-Eye," he argued easily. "And when we're in the field I'll be all business. But I'd rather they follow me because they believe in me, not because they're scared of me. They could very well lose their lives for my cause, the least they deserve is my respect."
"Fair enough," Moody growled grumpily. "Don't expect me to be all warm and fuzzy, though."
"That's an absolutely terrifying thought," he laughed in response.
"Good. You have time for a fight?"
"Not today, unfortunately. Hopefully I'll have time before I leave."
"I'll be here, but I'll leave you to it. I need to speak to Amelia anyway."
The man turned towards the executive offices, and Harry shook his head at how bizarre his morning had felt.
—
His meeting with Charlie didn't help the feeling. He sat on the man's back porch, butterbeer in hand, trying to wrap his mind around what he'd just heard.
"You want to build a government," he repeated dumbly. "Like a full fledged government. Law enforcement, taxes, business oversight, all that."
"I don't want to," Charlie countered with a grin. "But we need to. How many people do you think live in the village at the moment?"
"I dunno. Couple hundred maybe?"
"This week's new additions put us at four hundred, and our list still has over a thousand names and is growing rapidly. So far we've been able to coexist, and a lot of our residents still travel to and from work… but the majority don't. They have far too much time on their hands, and as numbers grow, that'll turn dangerous."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked confusedly.
"I mean that our residents are human," Charlie answered simply. "Humans are imperfect creatures. Living without purpose will lead people to develop their own hobbies, and those hobbies won't always be productive."
"So we just need law enforcement then."
"Not long-term. Law enforcement will keep the peace, but it won't fix the underlying problem. If our numbers continue to grow like they have in the last month, we'll be the largest wizarding town in the UK by March. But so far all we have are houses and a park for the kids."
"I already had plans to ask Jim Griggs to build some shops. I'll ask him to get started."
"We'll need them. And restaurants, a school for the young ones, entertainment, a hospital, utilities, and everything else that makes a town function. I've been happy to serve as the de facto leader of our little commune, but I'm not capable of doing everything. Town councils are commonplace in the muggle world, and even Hogsmeade has one.
"We'll need to be able to regulate the businesses and teach the children. We have to treat the sick, and clean the streets. All of those things would fall to me at the moment, and I can't tell you how unprepared I am to teach six year olds."
"You're right, Charlie," Harry agreed, his mind working fast. "Of course you are, and it's something I haven't thought of. A government or council is the only way to make this work, and I don't know why I didn't think of it beforehand."
"What, like you have decades of experience in building towns? You don't know what you don't know, mate."
"It's been an incredibly humbling day for me," he admitted with chagrin. "Between this and St. Mungo's, I've missed two massively important factors."
"But you had someone bring them to you before it's too late… that's the system working. Do you mind if I bring Jim in now?"
"He's here?"
"He moved in yesterday with his family. So did most of his employees. I told him we may need him today."
"Of course," Harry agreed easily. "But let's go to him. It's been a while since I've seen the village."
The two made their way into the town, and Harry found himself impressed with the construction and layout. So far there were four long rows of houses, cobblestone roads separating them, and they were clearly built well. Halfway down the road, however, was a wide empty swath of land.
"This is where Jim plans to build our version of Diagon," Charlie mentioned as they crossed the land. "There's a large park on the far side of the houses, but he means to build more as the town grows. The school, hospital, and town hall will go in the alley if you approve his plans."
Harry nodded as they moved further into the village. He noticed a good number of kids playing in the street, and was happy to see their carefree joy. Most of the adults they passed said hello to Charlie, clearly looking to him as their informal leader. Harry was glad to see the man get more attention than he did himself, though there were a few wide eyes and pointed looks when the residents realized who he was. Eventually, Charlie slowed and knocked on a door to their left.
"Come on in," Jim called from inside the house. "Just gathering my things."
"No need," Charlie answered as he opened the door. "I've brought our fearless leader to you."
"Harry," the man greeted brightly, extending a hand that the teen shook warmly. "Good to see you. Charlie's given you the rundown?"
"He has, and I feel a bit silly about not thinking of these things beforehand."
"You shouldn't," the man countered. "Your initial plans were enough to get us started, and you did have the forethought for a lot of what we need, just not the details or support required. We're right on time with most of what needs done."
"I'm glad, but I'm gonna stress about the government thing until we get it running."
"I'd tell you not to," Jim laughed. "But I'd do the same. Charlie is more than capable of getting the ball rolling, and Franklin Macmillan and myself have volunteered to help. An official township will be up and running in no time."
"I appreciate that, but won't it take you away from construction?"
"Nah. I'll tell you a secret… build the right team around you, and you can sit back and watch all day. My boys could build Hogwarts in a month if I needed them to."
"That's advice you should take, mate," Charlie added with a grin.
"I'm trying, though I'm not great at watching. Show me the building plans if you don't mind."
—
After finishing with Charlie and Jim, Harry decided to check in on Hagrid before heading back for lunch. He traveled by broom today, and Hedwig joined him for his flight to the north side of the property. As he landed near his friend's tent, the owl dropped onto his shoulder.
"Hey girl," he whispered, stroking her feathers. "Have you met Grawp yet?"
Hedwig shook herself in response, which Harry took as a no. He knew Hagrid would either be working on his house or spending time with his brother, and headed for the house first. Finding the construction empty, though surprisingly close to finished, he moved deeper into the woods.
"Hagrid!" he called loudly, hoping the man was close.
He heard rustling coming from further north, and climbed the hill towards the sound. "Hagrid!"
"Over here, Harry!" he heard the man call back, and continued his trek.
As he cleared a rise in the land, he found his target in the small valley below. Hagrid and Dumbledore sat in conjured chairs, Grawp sitting cross legged in front of them. All three smiled as he approached, and Grawp stood excitedly.
"Friend," the giant greeted happily.
"That's right," Harry smiled. "I came to show you another friend. This is Hedwig. She's my second oldest friend besides Hagrid."
"Bird?"
"She is a bird," Dumbledore cheered from his seat. "Great job, Grawp! Hedwig is an owl, and a very smart one."
Grawp leaned down to inspect the bird, his smile enormous. His breath ruffled the bird's feathers, but Hedwig stood bravely.
"Pretty owl."
"She is that," Hagrid agreed, stepping forward to ease his brother backwards. "You may see owls flying around, but don't chase them. Just like Bucky."
"Bucky friend," Grawp agreed immediately with a bright smile.
The giant reclaimed his seat in the grass, looking very much like a child at primary school.
"Did you need me, Harry?"
"No," he answered with a smile. "I was just out and about, and wanted to see if you needed help with your house."
"Grawp's been helpin'," Hagrid said with a proud smile at his brother. "He dug the foundation out faster 'n nothin'. I should be done by the weekend."
"I'm glad. I'll see you at dinner?"
"O' course. I been meanin' to ask somethin', though."
"Anything."
"I have a friend at an animal sanctuary, and he's always turnin' down animals for lack of space. Could I offer to take some off his hands?"
"I'd love that, Hagrid. What kind of animals?"
"Nothin' dangerous. Hippogriffs, thestrals, maybe a griffin or two."
"Griffins are pretty grouchy, Hagrid," Albus offered gently.
"Only 'cause folk don't know how to treat 'em," the large man defended. "I'll build a stable up here and keep 'em close. They're dead useful for protectin' property."
"I'm okay with all three, and any other animal you'd show to a bunch of third years," Harry agreed. "But I'll ask you to teach some classes on how to approach the animals to the villagers if you would."
"I'd love to," the man agreed with a smile.
"Then you have my full permission. I'll leave you to your lessons."
"I'll go with you," Albus added. "I was about to leave anyway. I'll see you tomorrow, Hagrid. Grawp, it was a pleasure. You are a bright young man."
"Bye friends. Hed…wig."
"That's right," Harry cheered, as Hedwig hooted happily. "Bye Grawp. See you soon."
Harry followed the nimble older wizard as he climbed the rise, and back down the other side. When they reached Hagrid's tent, he grabbed his broom, happy to walk with his mentor. Hedwig nuzzled his face briefly before taking off, flying towards the Manor.
"She is truly a remarkable bird," Dumbledore mused.
"She's one of the few reasons I'm still here," Harry agreed.
"Harry, I apologize again for your time with the Dursleys..."
"Water under the bridge," he interrupted casually. "I know it's easy to regret in hindsight, but you didn't know what my life was like, and I wasn't open with the information. Bygones and all that. I'm unbelievably happy in a very dark time, so life has worked out for me regardless, I guess."
"I'm pleased you feel that way," Albus replied with a smile. "But it doesn't do anything to assuage my guilt over the mistake."
"Albus, I've spent the morning being told of incredibly important things that I hadn't planned for. If I wasn't surrounded by amazing people, our plan would be dead in the water. I feel guilty about those mistakes, and they haven't even happened. I understand."
"I believe my past refusal to rely on others will always be something that bothers me," the man agreed. "And I'm glad you aren't doing the same. What were the unplanned things?"
"St. Mungo's and a council for the village. I'll go into detail when we get the team together tonight."
"If it makes you feel better, I hadn't thought of a council either. I was going to bring up St. Mungo's soon, though."
The two walked in silence for a bit, eventually coming to the edge of the wood.
"Thank you for playing host for me at the party," Harry said, breaking the silence.
"I was happy to. I know you weren't thrilled with the number of guests."
"I wasn't, but I saw the necessity. But you dealing with them allowed me to enjoy myself, which I didn't expect."
"I think the entire party saw how much you enjoyed the fireworks," Albus replied with a grin.
"Yeah, Daniel's been giving me crap about it ever since."
"A kiss with the right person is a wonderful thing, my boy. I think you'll find most people were happy to see it, though I did notice a few jealous faces."
"They're right to be jealous. Daph's amazing."
"I've truly enjoyed getting to know her, and her skill with a wand is impressive for someone her age. I'd wager the jealousy wasn't only aimed at you, though. Many young ladies looked quite despondent."
"They'll get over it," Harry countered, fighting a blush. "I'd choose Daphne over the world."
"Your father and grandfather were similarly minded when they found the person they wanted. James used to call it the 'Potter family curse'."
"I can think of worse curses," he laughed. The pair lapsed into silence as they crossed past the pitch.
"Sir," Harry eventually said. "I've been meaning to ask about Snape."
"What about him?"
"We've had zero warning about any attacks, and I'm curious why."
"So far the attacks have been relatively small, and Voldemort is a paranoid man. Severus told me he'll often grab followers at random and either order them to a residence, or to join him at one. There isn't a gathering of minds such as we share."
"I figured, but I'd hoped having a spy on the inside would be more helpful."
"Then you feel a bit of the frustration I dealt with during the first war. Severus' position is beneficial to our cause, as he will hopefully know of any larger moves, but he must be careful to not reveal his allegiance. The information he's able to share will never be as much as we wish, but it will help our cause nonetheless."
"I find myself leaning in Voldemort's direction," Harry admitted guiltily. "I'd rather just keep everything to myself, and make my move when I'm able. Every time our circle expands, all I feel is that it's that many more targets. That many more people capable of betrayal. I trust everyone so far with my life, but I can't shake what happened to my parents."
"Your reliance on contracts and oaths will serve you well," Albus countered supportively. "But you're right to be worried. With the number of people on either side, there are bound to be those that sneak through. You can't let worry run your decisions, though. You have a good core of people that I would bet my life on, and at some point you'll lean on each of them. Heed the paranoia, but act on the trust."
"I'll try," he promised as they neared the Manor. "I also wanted to ask about what happened at the Greengrass'."
"I wondered how long you'd sit on that question. Have you come to any conclusions yourself?"
"All I can think is that it's a byproduct of living with the piece of his soul…"
"Then we agree," the older man said with a smile. "I can think of no other reason you weren't affected by such a strong compulsion, and I believe we got exceedingly lucky."
"We did. Bit weird to feel thankful for something so gross it makes me want to scratch my skin off, though."
"I believe your life will always have some amount of weirdness, my boy."
Albus stopped at the back door, clearly wanting Harry to continue the conversation if he needed to. Harry smiled at the concern, but waved the man off.
"I think I'll go to the Weasleys for lunch. I haven't been in a while."
"Tell them I said hello," Albus replied with a smile. "Though I'd guess there are a few others that would like an invitation if Molly is agreeable."
"You don't need to beat around the bush," Harry grinned. "You're always welcome to join me, sir. I consider you my twelfth best friend."
"I'll strive for the top ten."
"Tough list to crack."
—
Mrs. Weasley was happy to host, though Albus had other responsibilities. Sirius, Remus, Daphne, Astoria, and Neville all joined him, however. Lunch was an especially raucous affair with the large group, though any meal with the twins was always an experience. Arthur, Bill, and Charlie were absent, and Percy, of course, but the table was still a bit tight.
Harry sat between Daphne and Ron, though his girlfriend told him to ignore her. She said he needed time with his best friend, and Harry was thankful to her for it. She was engrossed in conversation with Ginny and Molly, so he was glad to catch up with the boy.
"Charlie is building a government," Ron repeated in surprise. "Charlie. My older brother. Charlie Weasley. The biggest child I know is creating a government."
"Yep."
"My brother Charlie. The guy that can't use an oven without setting the kitchen ablaze, is building a government."
"He prefers cooking on an open fire."
"MY BROTHER Charlie! Who once lost every single tooth in his head trying to leap from one branch to another without his hands on a dare, is creating a functioning government for people to live under."
"That was a fun day," Fred cut in with a grin.
"He knocked himself silly on his way to the ground," George agreed.
"And he walked in all toothless and woozy, like a big drunken toddler," Molly interjected with a laugh. "It was the silliest thing I'd ever seen. Bill's ears probably still ring from time to time from when I learned what happened."
"Drunken toddler Charlie is building a town council," Harry agreed, trying hard not to break into laughter.
"Mate," Ron replied in exasperation. "If you were that hard up, I would've helped."
"He's doing great, Ron," Remus broke in. "He has plenty of help and the residents love him. If he's not careful he'll be named mayor."
"We're doomed," the redhead replied dryly. "We had a good run, and maybe people will remember us… but we aren't long for this Earth."
"I'll keep an eye on him if you'd like," Sirius offered with a grin.
"Then the Earth isn't long for this Earth."
"That's Lord Black you just insulted," Neville snapped haughtily. "A very important man. Use his title when you make fun of him."
"You're right," Ron answered, finally smiling. "Apologies, my liege."
"I like the sound of that."
"Don't get used to it," Harry countered. "We should go see Luna while we're here."
"Have you been dropping eaves, Potter?" Ginny asked.
"Huh?"
"We were just talking about Luna, and the fact that her father runs a paper," Daphne answered, grabbing his hand. "It's about time the public hears our side of things."
"No offense to the Lovegoods, but the Quibbler isn't the most respected publication."
"And the Prophet's any better? People know what's happening, Harold. They'll see the truth of your story."
"That's really smart. We should have dealt with public perception earlier," Ron added, grabbing his other hand with a grin.
Harry focused his magic into his left hand, causing it to heat up quickly. Ron yelped in surprise, immediately regretting his joke.
"It's something to think about," he admitted, ignoring his friend's pain. "They're just past the orchard, right?"
"They are," Molly answered. "Though Xenophilius keeps weird hours. It's hard to catch him."
"I think I'll go see if I can, if it's not too rude to walk away from such a lovely meal and host."
"You're a sweet boy," she answered with a blush. "Give mine some lessons when you get back."
"I'm coming along," Sirius demanded immediately.
"Me too," Daphne added.
"I'll stay here," Remus offered, earning a grateful nod from Harry.
—
Harry and Daphne treated the trip like an adventure, holding hands and pointing out various things they saw along the way. Sirius seemed happy to lag behind, his eyes scanning warily.
"The Weasleys are great," Daphne said with a smile.
"They're like family," Harry agreed. "I'm glad you get on so well with them."
"They're fun. I wish I'd met Ginny earlier."
"I was actually worried about that at first."
"She told me about her crush, but I'd never hold it against her. I think everyone's had a crush on you at some point."
"So you admit it."
"I admit nothing, but I will say I got what I wanted."
"You did. Completely."
The pair smiled at each other, and Harry almost leaned in for a kiss before Sirius broke the moment with a loud clearing of his throat. Harry shot him a glare, which was countered by a happy grin. Daphne laughed at the exchange, squeezing his hand a few times.
As they approached the unique house, he noticed Luna working in a very impressive garden. She must have felt the wards ping at their arrival as she turned, her face quickly adopting a smile. She sprinted towards them, grabbing both Harry and Daphne in a hug.
"I didn't think I'd see my friends until school," she offered breathlessly.
"You could've visited the Weasleys," Harry replied with a smile.
"Daddy doesn't want me leaving the wards without him."
"He's probably right to ask that," he admitted, his smile quickly falling.
"We were wondering if he was around," Daphne interjected gently. "But wanted to spend some time with you, too."
"Have you decided to give him an interview?"
"I didn't know he asked for one," Harry answered confusedly.
"He doesn't ask. He likes his stories to come to him, but he's been expecting you."
"Then yeah… I guess. I'd like to set it up before we go back to school."
"He's at work at the moment, but I'll tell him to owl you."
"Thanks, Luna. Can I see your garden?"
"You'll love it," the girl answered with a bright smile. "We've managed to convince some fairies to move in. They adore the climate spell you showed me."
Harry and Daphne walked with the girl as she explained what she was growing and what the plants were used for. The fairies seemed attracted to Daphne's hair, as a handful of them burrowed deep and were reluctant to be removed. As Luna coaxed the last of the creatures out, they were interrupted by a large wolf Patronus that turned Harry's heart cold.
"Dobby!"
The not-so-little elf popped into existence, and Harry cut off his greeting with a look.
"I need you to pop Daphne and Luna to the Manor in a second, buddy. Have the Weasleys called for you?"
"No, Harry. I's not heard anyone call."
"Then take the girls back, and listen for my call. Send Albus here if you can."
The elf agreed, and held his hands out to the girls. Daphne kissed Harry on the cheek, her eyes filled with worry as she grasped the elf's hand. As the three popped away, he turned to a visibly worried Sirius.
"I don't like this, kiddo."
"That makes two of us. Why would Remus be able to cast a Patronus, but not call for a rescue?"
"No idea, but I doubt it's a good thing. Do you have your Cloak?"
"I do," he answered, pulling the garment from his ever-present backpack.
"Put it on and call the Wand. I'll disillusion myself and we'll take a look."
Harry did so, the Wand appearing immediately. He knew the absence would be an immediate signal to Dumbledore, and cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner. The two wizards rushed back to the Burrow, careful to remain behind cover as Sirius' camouflage was far from perfect.
As they neared the house they saw the building was under siege by Death Eaters. There were eight of them spread out around the house, and four more pushing magic into a rock of some sort with their wands.
"Sirius," Harry ordered, his adrenaline taking over. "Take the two at the back and get everyone out of the house. Grab Moony and join me at the front, but get everyone else clear and call for Dobby. If he doesn't answer, tell them to run through the orchard, calling as they go."
"Don't attack without me, kiddo," the man replied soberly.
"I won't, but be quick."
Harry watched as the two Death Eaters closest to the back doors were stunned and turned invisible, neither making a sound. He moved quietly towards the front, attempting to get a better view of the stone that seemed to be so vital. He eventually felt the approaching magic of a barely visible pair of Marauders, and pulled a hand out of the Cloak to signal them.
"We called for Dobby immediately," Remus whispered as they approached. "I don't know what happened."
"I think that rock might be blocking his magic," Harry whispered back. "There's four powering it and two guarding them nearby."
"A Disruption Stone," the man breathed in recognition. "It has to be."
"I don't care what it is, I want it out of their hands."
Harry shrugged off his cloak, still under the cover of the bush he knelt behind. He packed it into his bag, and felt a disillusionment spell wash over him from Sirius.
"I'll head for the stone, but I'll need you both to keep the others off me. Don't get too far ahead unless you cancel the camouflage… we don't want any accidents. We just need to push them off the stone until Dumbledore gets here."
"We're ready, kiddo," Sirius whispered immediately.
Harry stood and crept forward, allowing his magic to build as it did. He grasped the Elder Wand tightly, feeling the power awakening in the weapon. It seemed to crave the fight, something that Harry was happy to oblige. As he reached the edge of the property, he focused on the four kneeling Death Eaters.
He allowed his magic to push from his chest into the wand, and the spell that followed was impressive to behold. The massive banishing charm sent the four wizards flying, though the stone appeared unaffected. Harry caught one of the flying Death Eaters with a blasting curse as they fell, and turned towards Remus whose camouflage had fallen as he fought three others. His own disillusionment fell as Sirius dueled with his own trio of enemies, and the teen was immediately torn on where to help.
He cast a quick cutting curse, catching Moony's biggest threat on the wand arm, taking him out of the fight. The Wand seemed to help him move directly into a blasting curse, and the threat was no longer.
"Go help Padfoot," Remus called as he sent another flying, circling the final Death Eater determinedly.
Harry quickly turned and saw his godfather on his back foot, three masked attackers trying to surround him. Sirius was shielding and dodging for all he was worth, but one enemy was casting fast enough to be a problem.
"Sirius!" the masked witch shouted, clearly announcing her identity.
Bellatrix removed her white mask, smiling with insane glee. Harry willed Sirius to retain his composure, but knew the promise Arcturus asked of him would weigh heavily.
He was proven right as the man faltered, barely managing to dodge a Killing Curse from his blind side. Harry raised his wand without thought, firing a burst of instinctual magic at the Death Eater that cast it. The bright red beam of light bore straight through the wizard, and he collapsed to the ground with a three inch hole through his chest.
He stunned the third Death Eater in the confusion of the moment and moved to stand next to his godfather. Remus quickly joined them, having bested his last opponent.
"Bella," Sirius replied, his voice firm. "I've tried to write to you."
"And why would I read anything from a blood-traitor, hmmm?"
Bellatrix slowly retreated, keeping all three wizards in her sight. Her smile was deranged, and Harry knew how dangerous she could prove to be. The three that survived the initial banishing charm had finally regained their bearings, rushing forward to stand at the mad witch's back.
"It's about family business," Sirius continued calmly. "Please."
"After you just murdered my friends?"
"If you consider stopping the bastards from killing innocent people murder," Remus muttered darkly, clearly unapologetic.
"The Black family is dead, you just haven't realized it yet."
"Bella," Sirius tried once more, though his wand was trained on her heart. "I've had a message from Grandfather, and you need to hear it."
"Sirius Black issuing demands," the woman hissed in exaggerated surprise. "The world has officially descended into chaos! And you brought baby Potter out to play, too! So frustrating to walk away from such an opportunity. I'll invite you all to tea soon."
Bellatrix disappeared without another word, the conscious and stunned Death Eaters following, and left a frustrated trio in her wake.
"Pads, that's the only chance she gets."
"I know, kiddo."
Sirius' expression was miserable, and Harry felt for the man. In his message to his grandson, Arcturus was adamant that Bellatrix be given a chance to change. The patriarch knew it was a long shot, but Sirius clearly took the demand to heart.
Any additional words between the three were interrupted by Bill Weasley appearing before them, wand at the ready. He lowered it immediately upon seeing the trio and his posture relaxed.
"Is everyone okay? I got here as soon as I could leave the bank."
"We got them out," Remus answered with a smile. "Everyone's fine, though your mother wouldn't be happy about how you just arrived."
Bill winced slightly, acknowledging his risky entrance.
"I honestly didn't think... I just wanted to get here."
"No harm done," Harry offered. "But in the future, try to engage the brain. Now what the hell is a Disruption Stone?"
Bill followed Harry's look, his eyes widening when he saw the discarded stone.
"It cuts all indirect magic. Given time, it would tear down any wards, including a Fidelius. But it's only safe to use by experienced curse breakers, and Gringotts refuses to allow any less than six of us if one's necessary."
"They had four," Remus offered.
"Bloody hell. Four curse breakers isn't good news for our escape plans, and that's exactly how they'll combat our elves, as their ability to hear someone near the stone will be cut off entirely."
"Well, it's three curse breakers now if that helps."
Harry allowed the two to discuss the significance of the stone, and pulled his distraught godfather into a hug.
"We're fine, Pads, and you've done all you can to follow Arcturus' request."
"You know, it's concerning that you've grown used to this so quickly," the man replied as he pulled away. "You're not even shaking."
"I'll shake later, I promise… but we're still in the open here."
His paranoia was proven correct, as a group of wizards apparated close by. The quartet immediately rounded on the newcomers, but lowered their wands when they saw Albus, Daniel, Amelia, and Moody.
"Are you hurt?" Albus asked as he rushed towards Harry.
"Not a scratch, sir."
"Good work with this group," Moody acknowledged, gesturing to the dead bodies that didn't escape with the living.
"Think we can use this to sway Fudge?" Remus asked sarcastically.
"The Minister is the worst version of a rock, unfortunately," Dumbledore answered. "Alastor, if you don't mind..."
The man quickly checked the Death Eaters' identities and burned the remains, causing Harry to flinch each time the spell was fired. His brain seemed to finally catch up with the last few minutes, but he forced the suffocating cloud back as much as he could.
He heard Albus issue a few orders, but the words may as well have been in Mermish for all the sense they made. He felt a brief sensation of moving through space, and was immediately wrapped in familiar arms when his feet found the floor.
"I'm fine, Daph," he lied, the adrenaline quickly leaving his body as his hands began to shake.
"I know."
A/N: I didn't like this fight scene when I wrote it weeks ago, and promised myself I'd rewrite it when it came time to post. I spent two hours rewriting, and it just felt like words for the sake of words. I tweaked it a bit, but I'm still not happy with it. The perfectionist in me means I'd never post, however, so I decided if I'm disappointed with a scene, I'd rather be disappointed with a short one than a long one. I don't feel good writing Bellatrix, so she won't feature heavily in the story. The over-exaggerated baby talk grinds on my nerves when I read it, and my fingers just refuse to give her the credit she deserves after HBC's incredible portrayal.