Harry Does Different DXXVIIb

Bad Taboo 3

After the Isle of Wight report came back a success, the Brigadier briefed his staff "The expeditions were an unqualified success. Not without casualties, understand. Captain Grant reports nine, with three fatalities. Warrant Benton is a casualty; that torture spell of theirs. Miss Granger was beyond detailed in his absence. Four dead and two injured, besides Benton. I am highly concerned there are three missing as well. Colonel?"

"Sir, I recommend we accelerate operations." The second-in-command advised "Never mind the humanity of kidnapped soldiers, the security risk is exceedingly high. We have no idea how long, or even IF one particular man or woman can resist torture. Our troops should be armed immediately, some guarding while others complete fortifications. Also, we should evacuate civilians immediately, not over the next few days."

Yates nodded "Agreed McCrimmon. I will put it on the PA after we're done. See to anyone with transportation needs. They can double up with others, or issue a government vehicle, on a case-by-case basis."

"I'm sure you'll be putting the feet on the desk, sir." Quipped the colonel.

Smirking at his subordinate, the Brigadier "If you would prefer battle briefings, post-action reports and telling our incoming expeditions they need to get right to the battlements- - -"

"SIR!" the man in dress-kilt jumped to his feet, snapped a Benny-Hill-salute and bolted from the room.

Yates grinned and spun in his chair. On the wall behind a portrait, that of his revered predecessor, he saluted it and promised "You gave me the best, Brigadier. I WILL make you proud."

abcij

Harry was with a team of ten under Sergeant Leftbridge-Stewart, a man who seemed familiar but he couldn't recall why. He didn't like having Hermione out of sight while this climactic battle was underway, but Yates insisted the magicals be in different parts of the mansion that was HQ. The sergeant looked at his watch and nodded. To which Harry replied, clearly and loudly "Voldemort!"

"Hold! Hold!" Leftbridge-Stewart ordered as black streaks appeared in the corridor. The soldiers moved to guard the leader, and each other's backs. The moment they coalesced into humans, he ordered "Fire! Fire! Fire!"

When the echo of gunshots faded, there were two robed witches and five wizards dead from multiple wounds. The only UNIT casualty, ironically, was Harry. The teen threw himself in the path of a Cruciatus aimed at a soldier's back. Pain fading quickly, which wasn't all that bad anyway, he pushed himself into a sitting position. Grunting "Ugh …really hate that… nnnn. Can't quite stand yet."

"Large force in the motor pool." The Brigadier's voice came through a speaker on the wall "I say again: Large force in the motor pool! All teams converge."

The Sergeant pointed "You two stay with the boy. The rest, with me." Harry was a bit too weakened to protest either the 'boy' or need for protection.

Bad luck, fighting on the floor above caused part of the ceiling to fall in on the trio. But Harry's trip to oblivion was cut very short by the sound of air ripping itself. At first, it seemed like the sound of apparation but not really. And the result was quite different. Instead of a smoky presence becoming a Human form, a large blue box faded into existence. Harry quickly rubbed his glasses on his UNIT uniform. And gasped "Da'hell is a police box doing here?"

"Well well place seems a bit run down from my last visit." A faint voice echoed about the debris-filled room.

Something about the brogue set Harry's hair on end. Missing his wand, which sat in the Brigadier's safe, he hefted the gun he'd been issued. "Right. Whoever you are, step around the box. Hands up! If I see a wand you're a dead man. Move!"

"Not only rundown, but UNIT hospitality seems to have suffered over the centuries." The newcomer complained in an almost bored tone. Hardly the first time he'd been subjected to such orders, turning slowly "We can resolve this quickly, tell the Brigadier that The Doct- - -"

The dust did nothing to confound Harry. He saw that face in nightmares before he ever met the man. Even as he squeezes the trigger he snarls "Barty Crouch! I heard you were dead."

"YAH WHOA!" exclaimed the man "Shot me bloody hand! Let's talk about th- - -" Voice now cut off as a red splotch appeared on his forehead. The dead body crumpled.

After struggling to his feet, Harry stalked over to the body and proceeded to empty his gun of bullets. Nodding down in grim satisfaction at the new holes ordered "Now stay dead. Hmm …never thought wizards would use such a Muggle thing as a vanishing cabinet." He briefly patted the big blue box, then helped his escorts back to their feet.

Both soldiers, who had never encountered The Doctor, accepted Harry's story regarding the apparent Death Eater without question. And they had to follow the teen who wanted to be in the fight. Which, from the first utterance of Voldemort to Brigadier Yates announcing the All Clear, took about half-an-hour.

"I should first like to acknowledge with a moment of silence those men and women who gave their lives in the actions of the past eight days." The Prime Minister was only present via the wireless speaker on the desk, yet he could hear everyone in the office stand "Thank you. Otherwise, no need for protocol. I am not in the room. Mike, I commend you and all of UNIT for your courage and devotion to Queen and Country. I very much intend to personally offer condolences to them. For now, a summary report, please."

The Brigadier did address the head of government so familiarly "Prime Minister, thank you first for your compassion. It is always hard, as a commander, to lose troops in action. Even the most successful ones, which I can report this was. In short, thanks to our advisors, UNIT was able to engage the enemy at pre-arranged times on ground prepared to work to our advantage. This was something Sun-Tsu even only dreamed of."

"Soldiers still died." Came a disgruntled remark.

A hollow chuckle came over the speaker "And casualties are a fact of war, Mr. Potter. At least I assume that is who spoke. I appreciate the sentiment. Mike, please?"

"Yes Prime Minister." The Brigadier nodded, again formally "Beginning 29 December and through 3 January, two UNIT expeditionary forces arranged four skirmishes to goad the enemy to a larger commitment. Forty-three were killed and six captured. UNIT losses were nine dead, twelve injured and three missing. Assuming those were captured, I ordered the acceleration of the last phase, which began at 1708. Nonessential personnel evacuated long since. HQ was defended with teams of at least five at every corridor intersection. 1841 Tom's chosen name was last uttered. He, Himself, appeared at no time during the engagement. I declared the invasion alert over at 2001. Nineteen defenders died, three are unaccounted for. One-hundred-seventeen invaders are confirmed dead, eleven captured. The only way to ensure we hold them, for now, is keeping them unconscious."

A prematurely white-haired man complete with stethoscope around his neck interjected "Apologies Brigadier, I know we're high level at the moment, but in a day …week really… of generally unbelievable events I would like to mention one specific patient in my hospital."

"Why not Dr. Hartnell, if it helps the Prime Minister further understand exactly what UNIT faced in this action." Yates waved an approval.

Scratching at an ear, the doctor reported "Well, first, I will mention the twenty injuries of typical combat nature. Broken bones, cuts and bruises of assorted severity. That the team can manage. There are eleven suffering from the torture curse I was briefed on, but we are just out of our depth. My mystery case, however, is that of a man …well… body brought into the hospital. Nine bullets in him. Impressive accuracy, the two in his brain entered through the exact same hole."

"Sounds like Crouch." Harry whispered an aside, which wasn't heard by anyone except Hermione.

Dr. Hartnell went on with his report "Not that a dead body is unusual in the middle of a combat zone. What made this one different was that an hour ago …and I wouldn't've believed it if I hadn't seen it… the body seemed to cocoon in light for a minute or so. And while the man's height did not noticeably change, he seemed quite thinner especially in the face, which was most DEFINITELY NOT that of the same man."

"That sound familiar, Brigadier?" said Warrant Officer Benton, who was chafing at the necessity of sitting in a wheelchair.

Yates nodded to his subordinate then queried "Is there, by chance, an old-style blue Police Box about?"

"That's the Vanishing Cabinet Barty, that is the man I shot, came out of." Harry's tone was urgent "I don't know who you think that might be, but it's not! He's one of the most dangerous Death Eaters there is. If he's still alive after what I did, then he's as dangerous as Voldemort."

Yates gave a slight smirk "Looking for a permanent post as Scientific Advisor, Mr. Potter?"

"I have never understood, Brigadier" the Prime Minister's disembodied voice broke in, unamused "The military need to employ gallows humor. Regardless, I think you personally should either confirm or deny the identity of this mystery person."

Yates took what sounded like a suggestion for the order it was "Of course, sir. Warrant Benton, please join me. You as well Mr. Potter. In my absence, Lt. Colonel McCrimmon will complete the briefing."