Infiltration and Illusion pt. 1 -4 months later:
"I'm suggesting we don't have the luxury of time," Remus said, his gaze shifting around the room. They had finally gotten the core order group together at Muriel's house. Remus, Tonks, Kingsley, Ginny, Bill, Fred, George, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, were all seated in the parlor. The fireplace was active with communication to Professor McGonagall - who was located in a safe house with many other professors. As well as this, the Weasley twins had gotten a radio signal to the students of the DA back in Hogwarts.
"The Ministry is practically in ruins, and they're turning up the heat on everyone. We need to take the fight to them, but without a solid plan, we're just going to get more people killed." Fred said
"And that's where we come in," Hermione interjected softly, drawing everyone's attention. She looked at Harry, who nodded for her to continue. "The Horcruxes. They're Voldemort's anchors. If we destroy them, he'll become vulnerable."
"But we don't even know where they are," Bill said, his voice laced with frustration. "Or how many are left."
"We know of at least three," Hermione said, holding up three fingers. "The cup of Helga Hufflepuff, something of Ravenclaw's—maybe the diadem—and Nagini, his snake."
Murmurs rippled through the group, some incredulous, others contemplative. Ginny leaned forward, her brow furrowed. "So what's the plan? Are we just supposed to go hunting for these things? How do we even get into places like Gringotts?"
"It's going to be dangerous," Harry said quietly. "But we need to try. That's why we need help. If we can get a team into Hogwarts, and one into Gringotts… maybe even distract the Death Eaters long enough to draw them out… we might stand a chance."
"It's insane," Kingsley muttered, exchanging a look with Remus. "But it's the best idea we've got."
Aunt Muriel, who had been hovering in the doorway, let out a long-suffering sigh. "If you're going to risk your necks, at least have the decency to not do it here. I don't want Death Eaters trampling through my begonias."
There were a few scattered chuckles, the tension breaking for a fleeting moment. Then the voice of Neville Longbottom cracked through the radio.
"Harry's right," he said firmly. "We need to take the fight to them. But we need to be smart. What if we split up into teams based on location? You know, like a Hogwarts team, a Gringotts team, a research team, and active aurors to clean up and mitigate the death toll in muggle village areas."
"That's a good idea," added Tonks. "It would help us with the issue of running out the clock. The problem is, we can barely get into communication with each other. How are we to know when a team has found a horcrux?
"This is how we'll stay in communication," Hermione said, pulling out a small pouch. From it, she drew a set of enchanted galleons—similar to the ones she had used for the DA back at Hogwarts. "We use these to coordinate. If anyone's in trouble, send a signal. We regroup immediately."
Nods of agreement rippled around the room. They were all aware of the risks, the likelihood that not all of them would make it back. But there was a steely resolve in their eyes—a determination to see this through, no matter the cost.
"So it's settled," Harry said, his voice steady. "We'll split into teams. One group in Hogwarts to search for the diadem, and another to Gringotts for the cup. Kingsley, you lead the distraction force. Keep the Death Eaters occupied."
"And what about you?" McGonagall asked sharply, her eyes narrowing. "You three can't keep running around on your own."
"We won't be," Hermione assured her. "We'll be leading the Gringotts team. But we'll need backup. Bill, are you in?"
Bill nodded, his jaw set. "I've got some contacts at Gringotts. It won't be easy, but if we're careful… we might just pull it off."
"Then it's settled," Kingsley said, looking down at the allocated teams;
Hogwarts -find Hogwarts horcrux, most likely the diadem
Leaders;Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood
Team:Dumbledore's army students who reside in Hogwarts
Gringotts -Retrieve Hufflepuff cup from the vault of Bellatrix Lestrange
Leaders:Harry Potter
Team:Bill Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley
Research -Find out what and where the rest of the horcruxes could be
Leaders:Minerva McGonagall
Team:All professors residing in safehouse 0731, Ginny Weasley (part-time), Arthur Weasley
Aurors -protect and prevent additional attacks against the muggle villages, try to figure out the pattern of attacks
Leaders:Kingsley Shacklebolt
Team:Remus Lupin, Severus Snape,Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Nymphadora Tonks, recruited DA students, aurors and additional volunteers
Healing -set up a clinic and hospital ward to assist with injured team members and innocents who have been affected.
Leaders:Poppy Pomfrey
Team:Molly Weasley, Ginny Weasley (part-time), Patil twins
"Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow, we move out." said Tonks
The room slowly emptied, leaving just the trio and a few stragglers—Ginny, Fred, and George lingering behind. Ginny stepped forward, her eyes locked on Harry's.
she murmured, her voice tight. "I'm switching teams, I'm coming with you."
"No, you're not," Harry said immediately, shaking his head. "It's too dangerous, Ginny."
"And what, you think I'm going to just sit here while you risk your life?" she shot back, her expression fierce.
"Ginny, please," he said softly. "I can't—I can't focus if I'm worried about you getting hurt."
The silence between them was charged, full of unspoken words and emotions. Finally, Ginny sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
"Fine," she muttered. "But you'd better come back."
Harry offered her a small, tentative smile. "I will. I promise."
As Ginny turned away, Fred clapped Harry on the shoulder, his grin wide despite the tension in his eyes. "Don't make promises you can't keep, mate."
"We'll be fine," Harry said quietly. "We have to be."
With that, the trio retreated to their small corner of the house, where they poured over maps, books, and notes late into the night. They planned and debated, going over every detail again and again until their eyes burned with exhaustion.
By dawn, a plan had taken shape—a fragile, desperate plan that could either save them all or destroy everything they were fighting for.
As the first light of day filtered through the curtains, Hermione glanced at Harry and Ron, her heart pounding in her chest.
"This is it," she whispered. "One way or another, this ends soon."
Harry nodded, his expression grim but resolute. "Then let's make sure it's on our terms."
With a final, determined nod, they gathered their things, prepared for what might be their last battle.
Outside, the sun rose over the countryside, casting long shadows across the fields. The house felt strangely still, as if holding its breath.
And then, with a quiet crack, they Disapparated, leaving Aunt Muriel's home behind—ready to face whatever darkness awaited them.
The three of them landed in the shadowed corner of a narrow alleyway just outside of Diagon Alley, their disorientation from Apparating quickly replaced by a surge of adrenaline. The cobbled streets were eerily quiet at this hour, the usual bustle of witches and wizards replaced by an oppressive silence. Harry scanned the surroundings, his heart thudding heavily in his chest. Gringotts loomed at the far end of the street, its alabaster façade gleaming in the muted light of dawn.
"Are you sure about this?" Ron whispered, his voice tight. "Breaking into Gringotts is mad, even for us."
"We don't have a choice," Hermione replied quietly, pulling her cloak tighter around herself. "The cup is in Bellatrix's vault, and if we don't get it now, we may never have another chance."
Harry nodded, his gaze never leaving the distant bank. "Besides, if we're lucky, they won't be expecting us. We need to hit them hard and fast before word spreads."
"Lucky," Ron repeated dryly. "Right."
Bill had arranged to meet them just outside the Leaky Cauldron, disguised under a heavy hooded cloak. He stepped out of the shadows as they approached, his face pale and drawn but determined.
"You're here," he murmured, relief flickering in his eyes. "I've got some of my old contacts inside watching, but security's tighter than it used to be. The Goblins are on edge. Ever since the Ministry takeover, they've been aligning more closely with Voldemort."
"So how do we get in?" Hermione asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Polyjuice? A distraction?"
"Neither," Bill said grimly. "Polyjuice is too risky, and distractions… Well, they won't work here. Goblins don't scare easily. We'll have to go in under the guise of a legitimate transaction."
Hermione's brows knitted in confusion. "But what kind of transaction would they believe?"
Bill's expression tightened. "I'm going to claim I'm here to finalize a transfer. As a member of the Weasley family, I can say I'm acting on behalf of Muriel. If I can get you inside, we'll have to move fast. The moment they realize what's happening, they'll lock everything down."
Ron looked between his brother and the towering bank in the distance. "So, once we're in, what's the plan?"
"We go for the Lestrange vault," Harry said, his voice hard. "Get the cup, and get out. Fast."
"It's not going to be that simple," Bill warned. "Even if we make it to the vault, it's likely to be protected by all sorts of curses and traps. And if we trigger anything—"
"I know," Harry interrupted, his expression determined. "But we'll deal with that when we get there."
Bill gave him a long, searching look, then nodded. "Alright. Follow my lead."
As they made their way cautiously up the street, Harry felt his pulse quicken. The imposing marble columns of Gringotts loomed larger and larger with every step. A pair of armored goblins stood guard at the entrance, their black eyes glinting as they surveyed the newcomers with thinly veiled suspicion.
"State your business," one of them barked as they approached.
"Transfer authorization for the Prewett vault," Bill replied smoothly, inclining his head. "I'm here on behalf of my great-aunt Muriel."
The goblin's gaze shifted warily to the others. "And them?"
"Assistants," Bill said without missing a beat. "Security detail. You know how delicate these matters can be."
The goblin scrutinized them for a long moment, his gaze lingering on Harry, whose hair had been hastily Transfigured into a deep brown to make him less recognizable. Finally, he grunted and stepped aside, gesturing toward the main doors.
"Proceed. But any suspicious behavior, and you'll be removed—forcefully."
They nodded, keeping their expressions neutral as they crossed the threshold and entered the cavernous main hall of the bank. The interior was just as Harry remembered—soaring ceilings, opulent chandeliers casting a harsh glow over the polished marble floors. Goblins scurried back and forth, their faces pinched with the kind of impatience reserved for dealing with customers they considered beneath them.
Bill led them purposefully toward one of the smaller, more secluded desks near the back. The goblin seated there looked up, his sharp features twisted into a sneer.
"What business do you have?" he demanded.
"I'm here to authorize a transfer from the Prewett vault," Bill repeated, holding out a folded parchment. "It should be on file."
The goblin's eyes flicked over the document, then back to Bill, his expression shrewd. "Authorization from the head of the family, is it? And these… others?"
"Assistants," Bill repeated, his tone even. "We don't want to waste your time."
The goblin made a show of considering this, his gaze lingering suspiciously on Harry and Hermione. Then, with a small, disdainful sniff, he gestured for them to follow.
"Very well. Come this way."
They trailed the goblin through a series of winding corridors, the opulence of the main hall giving way to darker, narrower passages. Harry's heart pounded as they descended further into the bowels of the bank, the walls growing rougher and the air colder. They were getting closer.
Finally, they stopped before a massive, iron-bound door. The goblin turned, his grin sharp and unpleasant.
"Your vault awaits. But remember—any attempt to remove items without proper authorization will result in… unfortunate consequences."
"We're aware," Bill said calmly, stepping forward.
The goblin pressed a long, bony finger to the door, muttering an incantation under his breath. There was a loud, metallic creak, and the door slowly swung open, revealing a dark, cavernous space beyond.