Disclaimer: Complete and utter bastard Dumbledore, doesn't see himself as a monster but then again, few monsters are honest enough to admit what they really are.
Just a Pawn
Hermione was sitting in the library when she was disturbed by the presence of her best friend.
"Come with me," Harry said abruptly.
"Harry, I'm in the middle of . . ."
"Now," Harry said firmly. "We're short on time and I need you to trust me."
"I trust you, Harry." Hermione's mouth was dry as she followed her best friend out of the library and through an maze of hallways until they reached a large mirror.
"Carpe Cerevisi," Harry said loudly causing the mirror to move aside. "Get in and don't come out until I come get you," Harry ordered.
"Harry, what's this . . ."
"Make sure it's me and hex the hell out of anyone else," Harry said firmly. "Understand?"
"I understand," Hermione agreed. "Harry, what's going . . ."
"Hide now, answers later." Harry closed up the passage leaving Hermione in darkness.
Hermione spent several uncomfortable minutes in the dark waiting for her friend to return, and when she did she was ready to give him a piece of her mind.
"Harry Potter," she growled as the mirror opened. "You . . ."
"What did I tell you," Harry interrupted.
"To make sure it was you," Hermione said sullenly.
"And what didn't you do?" Harry demanded.
Hermione sighed in exasperation. "Fine . . . uh . . . how did we save Sirius?"
"With a time turner, and next time phrase it in a way that won't incriminate you of aiding and abetting an escaped felon."
"What's going on, Harry?" Hermione asked plaintively.
"You and I are going to have a word with Dumbledore," Harry said in a tired voice. "And then I suspect you'll get your answers. Come on."
She fell into step behind Harry and followed him up to the Headmaster's office.
"Open or I'll destroy you," Harry growled at the gargoyle as they approached. To Hermione's surprise, it immediately sprang aside.
Hermione had to run to keep up with Harry as he took the final steps three at a time until he burst into Dumbledore's office.
"Harry m'boy, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Dumbledore asked with a grandfatherly smile.
"Why don't you tell Hermione what Draco had in store for her?" Harry said coldly.
"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're . . ." Dumbledore began.
"Save it," Harry barked.
"It was necessary to keep his cover," Dumbledore said softly. "I was assured that she would be returned alive."
"What's going on?" Hermione asked nervously. "What was Draco going to do?"
"Draco promised to provide entertainment for several of the older Slytherin boys," Harry said without taking his eyes off the Headmaster. "Guess who the entertainment was going to be?"
"But . . . I . . ." Hermione looked lost.
"I assure you that you'd have been returned none the worse for wear and you would not have remembered a thing," Dumbledore spoke up. "And you can console yourself that it would have gone a long way to establishing Mr. Malfoy's cover as . . ."
"None the worse for wear," Hermione screamed. "Have you ever done this to me before?"
"This would have been the first time," Dumbledore assured the girl.
"Harry?" Hermione asked, afraid of the answer.
"It's never happened to you, so far as I can tell anyway and you don't show any signs of having your memory tampered with." He turned to glare at Dumbledore. "That's not to say he hasn't allowed it to happen to other girls."
"You make me sound like a monster," Dumbledore sighed. "You're familiar with chess, are you not, Ms. Granger?"
"Yes," Hermione agreed. She took a step to the side, placing Harry between her and the Headmaster.
"Then you know that one must sometimes sacrifice a pawn to take a more valuable piece, or in this case, to place a valuable piece with the enemy."
"That's all I am to you?" Hermione screamed. "A pawn?"
"Mr. Malfoy's value as a spy can not be overstated," Dumbledore said angrily. "Can't you . . ."
"Could," Harry interrupted.
"What?" Dumbledore asked dumbly.
"Could not," Harry said with the first smile he'd had since he'd uncovered the whole sick plot. "I'm afraid that the Polyjuice will have worn off by now, and I can't imagine that his customers were happy with the switch."
"My god Harry, what have you done?" Dumbledore asked sickly.
"You tried to sacrifice one of mine," Harry said coldly. "I returned the favor with two of yours."
"Two of . . . my god, what have you done to Severus?" Dumbledore stared at the boy in horror.
"You'll have to find out from one of your other spies," Harry said cruelly. "If you have any left that is."
"Harry, how could you?"
"It was easy," Harry replied. "All I had to do is follow your example."
Dumbledore whipped out his wand before either teen could hope to react. "Obliviate."
"Was something supposed to happen?" Harry asked with a grin.
"Obliviate." The old wizard tried again.
"Finite," Harry incanted.
The old wizard was canny enough to drop his wand as it began to transform into it's natural shape. "An adder?" He asked dryly.
"Would have been more deadly but I didn't have time to be picky," Harry replied. "Come on, Hermione, we're going."
The two walked in silence for several minutes until Hermione recovered enough to speak. "Thank you, Harry."
"What're friends for?" Harry replied with a weak grin. "You going to be okay?"
"Not until I leave this place for good," Hermione replied. "To think that he was willing to let me be . . ."
"He might have been, I wasn't." Harry reached over and squeezed her shoulder. "Can you do something for me, Hermione?"
"Anything," Hermione said immediately. "My life, my magic, my knowledge, it's all yours to use." The tip of her wand glowed, sealing the vow.
"I need you to hold it together for just a couple more hours," Harry said gently. "After that, you can cry, scream, do whatever you want. But for now, I need you to be strong for me, okay?"
"Okay, Harry," Hermione agreed.
"Come on, we've got a meeting to get to."
"With who?"
"Dumbledore isn't the only one that put spies in Slytherin," Harry replied with a grin. "How else do you think I found out what Draco was planning to do to you?"
"Oh."
She nearly ran into him when he made an abrupt stop. "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts," he said softly.
"And I've got the number forty one," a female voice replied from the shadows.
"Can you confirm that both targets have been rendered harmless?" Harry asked seriously.
"Mmmmm, confirmed," the voice purred.
"Have everyone pack," Harry ordered. "We're going."
"Now?"
"I'm not about to leave any of my assets behind," Harry replied. "Everyone packs, everyone goes. Understood?"
"Yes, boss," the voice mocked with a faint trace of relief in her voice.
"Good." Harry smiled. "And good work, all of you."
"Thank you, boss," the voice replied with a note of pleasure. "And let me tell you how much fun it was to give the bastard a taste of his own medicine."
"I want all of you to meet me at the statue of Gregory the Smarmy in two hours, repeat it."
"We will all meet you at the statue of Gregory the Smarmy in two hours," she said quickly.
"Good work, and get packing."
"Yes, boss."
The two teens heard the sounds of footsteps retreating.
IIIIIIIIII
Hogwarts, three years earlier:
'Wars are won and lost based on information,'the thought hit Harry like a bolt of lightning. Over the next few days and weeks, he constantly found himself going back to the idea, refining it, trying to find a way to bring his vision to reality. He already had Hermione to plumb the depths of Hogwarts library, what he needed was eyes and ears in the other houses, but how to get them?
"Dobby," Harry called out.
"You is calling Dobby, Harry Potter sir?" The little elf was bouncing up and down.
"Can you get into the Slytherin dorms without being noticed?"
"Yes, Harry Potter sir," Dobby agreed quickly.
"Then, here's what I want you to do . . ."
IIIIIIIIII
"Fred, George," Harry called out. "I need to talk with you."
"What's up, Harry?" One of the twins asked.
"I need a favor," Harry replied. "I'm not sure you'll like it."
"After what you did for Ginny last year, well . . ."
". . . there is very little you can ask that the Weasley family won't cheerfully give."
"We owe you, Harry."
"And Weasleys always pay their debts."
"So what do you need?"
"I need to know who you're going to prank ahead of time," Harry said quickly. "Well, I need to know when you're going to do a big prank on one of the other houses that would get a lot of people at once."
"That all?" Fred laughed.
"No problem," George agreed.
"I'd also like you to do a big one on the Slytherins," Harry added. "Big, messy, humiliating, and disgusting."
"They do something to annoy you?" Fred asked curiously.
"Nothing big," Harry admitted. "I just need . . . do you guys mind if I keep it close to my chest for a little while?"
"No problem, Harry."
"We don't need to know any details that you don't want to share."
"Thanks guys, I really appreciate this."
IIIIIIIIII
One moment she was walking down the hallway to the Slytherin Dungeons, the next she found herself waking in a dark room with no idea how she got there.
"Who's there?" She called out nervously. "You'd better hope I never find out who you are," she growled. "I'll . . ."
"Quiet," Harry barked.
"What do you want with me?" She demanded.
"I want to do you a favor," Harry replied honestly.
"What kind of favor?" She asked suspiciously.
"Don't go to breakfast next Monday."
"That's it?"
"That's a taste," he replied.
"What's in it for you?"
"I'd like to get another source of information in the Slytherin dorms," Harry replied. "You can provide that to me."
"What sort of information?"
"We can discuss that later."
"What's in it for me?"
"You provide me with information, and I'll return the favor."
"What if I say no?"
"Then I'm afraid that I'll have to report the fact that you stole last month's Transfiguration exam," Harry said in a tone filled with regret. "I wonder if they'll expel you for it."
"How . . . how did you know about that?" She asked fearfully.
"You really shouldn't put incriminating statements in your diary," Harry replied. "So you know."
"You bastard," she screamed. "How dare you." Despite her show of anger, she was more then a little impressed by the implications of his statement. If he had access to the Slytherin girls dorms, then who knows what else he could do.
"Do we have a deal?"
"We have the beginnings of one," she replied. "Who are you?"
"Why don't we leave that discussion for another day?" Harry suggested. "Put a green sock under your pillow when you want to meet again and I'll set up another face to face."
Hogwarts, one year later:
"It's dragons," Harry said calmly.
"What?"
"The first task," Harry explained. "We're to take something away from dragons."
"Oh . . ."
"The second takes place underwater, and the third is a maze."
"How do you know these things?" Cedric asked.
Harry ignored the question. "That's not the question you need to ask."
"What's the question I need to ask then?"
"Why are you telling me this?" Harry replied.
"Why are you telling me this?" Cedric repeated with a grin.
"For one, I'd like you to pass on any rumors you hear in the Hufflepuff Common Room or in the Prefect meetings," Harry said. Never hurt to have multiple sources after all. "For another, more importantly."
"Yes?"
"Is it true that you're dating Cho?"
"Yeah," Cedric agreed. "Why?"
"I'd like you to lean on her, I want her to get her house to stop picking on one of the third years."
"And if I refuse?" Cedric asked. "Just curious."
"The information is the carrot," Harry said simply. "You don't want to know what the stick is."
"What's the name of the third year?" Cedric sighed.
Hogwarts, eighteen months later:
Luna looked up at the traitor with an unreadable expression on her face. "How would you like to get that word off your forehead?"
"What?" Marietta asked dumbly.
"The word," Luna repeated. "Unless you've become attached to it of course."
"What do I need to do?" Marietta asked quickly.
"Nothing you haven't done before," Luna said in an airy voice. "You're going to have to sign another contract of course." Luna smiled. "The consequences for violating this one are much worse then simply getting branded."
Hogwarts, six months later:
"Got some information for you boss," she said as she sat down to their meeting. "You're not going to like it."
"What is it?"
"Draco is rounding up a group of boys to, quote; break in Potter's mudblood."
"Can you get me a vial of Veratiserum?"
"It's in my pocket boss."
"Does he have a gap in his schedule that'll let us disappear him for a few hours?"
"No, but we've got polyjuice and someone that really doesn't want his father to know that he bats for both teams."
"Set it up."
"Yes, boss."
AN: Don't expect to see anymore of this for a while if ever. I really want to work through a few of the many half done fics on my HD before taking up another project. If I were to write this, I'd interspace what's happening with flashbacks on how Harry built his network. Typos busted by; fhacklander, Helmut, greenzxz, outter13.
Omake: Why Dumbledore Lived
"You're wondering why I didn't do anything to Dumbledore aren't you?" Harry asked. "Especially considering what I did to Draco and Snape."
"The thought had crossed my mind," Hermione admitted.
"I was able to keep the old fool from lashing out at us," Harry sighed. "The wards in his office kept me from showing him what I thought of what he was going to do to you."
Omake By bjdibbins
Hmmm, I have another idea on how this could have gone.. What if Harry had approached Dumbledore before Draco's party started?
"...I assure you that you'll be returned none the worse for wear and you will not remember a thing," Dumbledore spoke up. "And you can console yourself that it will go a long way to establishing Mr. Malfoy's cover as . . ."
"Hermione is not going to be volunteering, so you'll need a new plan to boost Malfoy's cover." Harry told the headmaster coldly.
"But it is too late to change the plan now. Hermione must be there, or-"
"Fine! Hermione, I need a hair please." Harry asked, holding out his hand.
He took a large hip flask he brought out of his pocket, and unscrewing the lid, dropped the hair Hermione gave him into it.
"Now, Headmaster, if you believe your plan is so vital, then you'll drink this Polyjuice potion and take Hermione's place at Draco's revel. I'll even obliviate you afterwards if you like. but if you'd rather not, I do have an alternative option..."
"What is that, Harry?"
"You can volunteer for some practical research in the effectiveness of using Skele-grow in healing multiple broken bones in elderly wizards, and I'll give the polyjuice to Snape instead!"
Omake By snipehunt2
"Obliviate." The old wizard tried again.
"Finite," Harry incanted.
The old wizard was canny enough to drop his wand as it began to transform into it's natural shape. "An adder?" He asked dryly.
"Would have been more deadly but I didn't have time to be picky,"
Dumbeldore noticed that Harry's wand was pointed at his head "now Harry my boy.."
Only to be hit with a wordless petrifacise totalis
"I'm sure you understand that this is just to keep you from doing it again. It's for the Greater Good.. REDUCTO"
Omake: It was only after his Queen and Pawn had left that he noticed that he wasn't in his normal body, but that of Ginny Weasley. How they managed to slip him polyjuice without his noticing he had no idea.
Leaving his office, he was confronted by a group of Slytherins that just happened to be walking by.
The leader said "Well, what have we here? The blood traitor that was promised to us. You're not going to get away this time. We're going to be having SO much fun together..."
Omake For different Chapters of Odd Ideas
Omake for Nothing to Lose (Odd Ideas #102)
Ron felt helpless as he guided Hermione to her room. The girl had been inconsolable since their meeting with Madame Bones. He took a couple deep breaths, and suddenly, in a flash he knew what he had to do. Ron felt like he was an observer in his own body as he walked into the Order meeting.
"Ronald, go back up stairs."
He ignored his mother's instructions as he walked up to the head of the table.
"Albus Dumbledore," Ron said formally. "I challenge you to a duel."
"What?" Molly screamed. The rest of the Order just stared at the boy in shock.
"To the death," Ron added.
"I refuse," Dumbledore said formally. "My dear boy, what's this . . ."
"Then let this be a warning," Ron interrupted. "If Harry dies, then I won't grant you the courtesy of a challenge." With that, Ron spun on his heal and marched out of the room.
IIIIIIIIII
"Boss," A breathless Auror barged into Amelia's office.
"What is it?" Amelia demanded.
"It's Potter," the man said quickly.
"What about him?" Amelia held her breath while she waited for the answer.
"He's gone on the offensive," the Auror replied. "Malfoys, Flints, and Carrows are gone."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Potter killed them all and . . ."
"Chief," another Auror called out. "I've got someone here you're gonna want to have a word with."
"Oh?" Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
"Me," the Head of the Greengrass family said bluntly. "Unless you'd like to tell your Aurors to let me go."
"He was on the scene of Potter's latest attack," the Auror said helpfully. "Says he saw the whole thing."
"Step into my office," Amelia said calmly.
"Said the Auror to the . . ." he trailed off.
"What?" Amelia prompted.
"I try not to make a habit of making statements that could be incriminating," he replied with an easy smile.
"Care to explain what happened?" Amelia asked.
"Care to offer me immunity," the scion of the Greengrass family retorted.
"What are we talking about?" Amelia asked. "Hypothetically speaking."
"Hypothetically?" He mused. "Oh, I'd say several counts of trafficking in illegal potions components. Perhaps a couple more of tax evasion and several more of smuggling."
"No murder or anything to do with Death Eaters?" Amelia asked intently.
"Aside from a normal business relationship?"
"Aside from that, yes."
"Then no murder or association with Death Eaters beyond what was necessary to sell potions ingredients to men I knew or suspected to be Death Eaters."
"Alright then," Amelia agreed, "I'll agree to overlook any nonviolent crimes such as tax evasion, smuggling, trafficking in illegal items, and the like."
"Thank you," he sighed.
"So what happened?"
"I was making a rather large sale to twelve Death Eaters," Greengrass began. "I do not know what it is, but the box is still in my sitting room if you'd like to confiscate it."
"I'll send some men, continue."
"Six of them died in a moment," he said in an admiring voice. "One minute they were joking and the next they were dead, it was amazing."
"Potter?"
"Revealed himself and began dueling the other six." He laughed. "My dueling instructor used to say that skill beats speed and power. He was wrong. Potter didn't use many spells and he was a bit sloppy with the ones he did, but my god the power." He shook his head in wonder. "Not to mention the fact that the boy's reflexes are inhuman."
"What happened next?"
"They hit Potter with one of the unforgivables," he replied.
"Which one?"
"I don't know."
"How can you not know?" Amelia asked with a frown.
"Because I saw them cast several more throughout the rest of the fight and I saw all three connect more then once," Greengrass replied. "He shrugged off the crucio like it was nothing, wasn't slowed by the imperio, and I'm not sure he even noticed when he was hit by the killing curse. It was like something out of a legend."
"I see, what were you doing?"
"Hiding under a table and hoping that I didn't get hit," he said honestly. "Potter killed each of his opponents and turned to me. I thought I was going to die but he just squinted at my face for a few seconds and turned away. I called out and to my surprise, he stopped."
"Did he say anything?"
"He thanked me after I gave him a chance to plunder my potions cabinet, and again when I had a house elf prepare a meal to go."
"Why did you do that?"
"I like to stay on the good side of wizards that posses the power to extinguish my family line," he explained. "It is the reason I got into the import business."
"Oh?"
"I'm much more valuable as an independent without a mark then I would be as a follower." He gave a tight smile. "So long as the deliveries are on time, my family is left alone."
"I see."
"Not to mention the opportunities it gives me to gain valuable contacts in other places, places far from the conflict at home."
"Then why are your daughters in Hogwarts?"
"My clients would get nervous if they thought I was preparing to flee the country," he sighed. "The girls both wear portkeys at all times, activating one will activate them both."
"Thank you for your time, Mr. Greengrass."
"A pleasure to be of some service to the Director of Magical Law Enforcement."
IIIIIIIIII
Harry squinted at the pages in the Drug reference manual as he tried to figure out the right combination of painkillers and stimulants. The potions were beginning to loose their effectiveness and so he'd been forced to turn to modern pharmaceuticals to keep going.
AN: Not satisfied with how it came out, in my defense I am running on almost no sleep.
Omake For Sands of time by Anime Monster: SG-1 (someone had to do it)
It wasn't unusual for the stargate to activate for no apparent reason, troubling was the fact that the iris refused to engage and the ninth chevron actually engaged, causing half the base (NORAD, not that anyone cared) to loose power. A moment after the stargate engaged a person came shooting out of it, landing at the base of the ramp. The stargate disengaged and the figure stood up, spinning dizzily on the spot. He held up a finger as if trying to get the world to wait on the spinning and said, "Did anyone get the plate on that lorrey?" before falling face forward in a dead faint.
"Well, that's not something you see everyday..." Daniel said, getting blank looks from the rest of the crew in the dialing room. "Well, maybe not around here," he amended.
I've been sitting on that since you posted the DC one on Y-Group. It feels good to get it out.
An Omake (Crossover with StarTrek) by Celebwen Telcontar
The white owl gripped the Time Turner in her beak. With a flourish, she
tipped it over and over, seeing the world spin out of time before her. It
took many turnings until she got to where she needed to go, but this would be
best. The other ideas she had wouldn't get her beloved master away from the
Land of No Bacon, as she had seen.
As the turner finished spinning, she tossed the lengthly chain about her claw
multiple times, clutching the acctual Time Turner in her talon. She hooted as
she launched herself off of the parapet of the now-decimated and
highly-radioactive castle. India was waiting for her, and so was Kahn Noonien
Singh. If he couldn't help her, then perhaps the Chrysalis Project's
people could. Inserting foreign DNA into the old meddler's body would be
humerous. She glided over the ruined landscape of England, seeing smoke still
rising from craters. A few government helecopters thumped by her, and she
snuck aboard one. This would cut her journey by half the time.
As the helecopters came over Dheli, she launched herself out of it, gliding
down in circles. She was surprised how dark it was here, she didn't realize
that helecopters could go this fast.
:What are you doing here?: a voice asked her.
:I am trying to save my master,: she replied to the strange voice. :What is
your name?:
:Isis. If you really want to help, get Ramses. He's a friend of your
master's friend, the one with heavy fur.:
:You mean Crookshanks?: Hedwig asked Isis.
:Yes, I mean Crookshanks.:
:How do you know this?:
:I just do. Now, land on this windowsil.: Isis sent Hedwig an image of a
windowsil right below her. The owl did so, and found herself facing an ebony
cat with golden eyes who had a sack in her mouth. :This has DNA sequencing
from what you call a Puffskien, an ancient and horrible, yet tasty, alien.
They reproduce like mad. Feed it to the old man. He will start going mad,
then produce Puffskiens. Understand?:
:Understood.:
:Good luck, Hedwig.:
:And you, Isis. How did you know my name?!:
:I know everything.: Hedwig took the small sachel in her beak, then began to
turn her Time Turner over and over again. Soon the city of Dheli was back to
its modern self, and Hedwig flew away to England once again.
As Hedwig laced the cup with the DNA sequence, she heard a subtle purring
sound. The drink would be taken by the Headmaster, and all Hell would break
loose!
The Headmaster took a sip, Fawkes looking at him derisively. Slowly, the
Headmaster began to turn a rather ugly shade of custard. He began to humm and
purr, eating everything in sight. He turned brilliant yellow as he ate an
entire dish of lemon drops, and he began purring again. Something appeared
behind him, and Hedwig looked closely at the white Puffskien. It purred and
squeaked, then settled down. Hedwig went back to the owlry to sleep.
When morning came, Hedwig went to see Harry. Puffskiens filled the Great
Hall, sending a resounding rumble through the hall. Hedwig chuckled, clicking
her beak.
:I'll go get a Crumple Horned Snorkak,: Fawkes suggested. Hedwig nodded.
One of them would be good. Fawkes vanished, only to return with a man who had
a beard and a brow ridge. He got a look of pain about his face, and the
puffskiens went mad. They started screeching like dying rabbits, shaking
violently.
"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop the puffskiens!! Get the Snorkak away
from here! Get it away! Make it leave!" Dumbledore cried, tearing and
hiding behind Minerva's chair, his voice a high-pitched squeal.
:Then don't send Harry back to the Dursleys,: Fawkes said. Dumbledore
looked over at his familiar from behind Minerva's chair, and shook his head.
"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop
it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!
Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!
Stop it!" he screeched over and over, not stopping except to breathe for a
good ten or so minutes. The students started trickling into the Great Hall,
and sending Puffskiens everywhere. The Snorkak joined in the eating, Fawkes
sitting on his shoulder, at the Gryffindor table.
Crookshanks came in, bringing a Puffskien with it, and set it on Dumbledore's
plate before attacking Dumbledore himself, his scythe-like claws drawing an
obscene amount of blood and causing the Headmaster to screech like a maddened
rat.
This went on for days. The Snorkak always joined Gryffindor and spoke with
Harry, sometimes with Ron and Hermione. He had Fawkes with him all the time.
"Will you be my son?" the Snorkak asked after three weeks of the routine.
Hedwig hooted in satisfaction. A Snorkak, in point of fact a very
high-ranking one, would take Harry as his son, and the old man wouldn't take
Harry back to the Land of No Bacon. All would be well.
This was just a bit of randomness that dribbled out of my brain after seeing
the episode Trouble with Tribbles again and reading "The Eugenics Wars" by
Gary Cox. Isis belongs to him.
CT
(Snorkak: Klingon. Puffskien: Tribble)