Harry Potter and all related Characters belong to JK Rowling
Chapter 9 - Meetings, Plans and Surprises!
The figure didn't even flinch as the lightning flash was rapidly followed by the deep rumble of thunder indicating the closeness of the strike. Instead Voldermort merely continued to stare out over the moorlands that surrounded the remote ruins while at the same time quietly seething with rage.
His plan had been perfect, trick the boy into thinking that he'd captured that worthless, good for nothing, Muggle-loving flea bitten mongrel Black and was torturing him at the Ministry. Of course the boy had come to help, as he'd predicted. What the Dark Lord hadn't counted on was the boy coming with his friends. Two of those obnoxious Weasley's spawn, the half-wit Longbottom boy, the Lovegood girl and of course that Mudblood whore! Still, the most loyal of his Death Eaters still shouldn't have had any problems obtaining the Prophecy right?
Wrong! Not only had the fools allowed the Prophecy to be destroyed but all of them but Bella had all allowed themselves to be captured and thrown into Azkaban.
Defeated by a group of Children!
Then Dumbledore had turned up and prevented him from getting away before half the Ministry had seen him.
And then, to top all indignities the damn boy and that Granger Mudblood had now somehow found a way of blocking him from getting to the boy's mind!
"They shall pay for this!" he hissed. "They all shall!"
"Ma…master," said a trembling voice from behind Voldermort. The Dark Lord closed his eyes and sighed softly.
"What is it Wormtail?"
"The others have arrived," whispered Wormtail, fear evident in his voice.
"Very well, I'll be there shortly!" said Voldermort. He heard Wormtail turn to leave then pause.
"Master," murmured the former Marauder. "Is something wrong?" At the comment Voldermort stiffened, the anger of the last few weeks finally boiling to the surface.
"Is something wrong?" hissed the Dark Lord turning slowly round and glaring at the pitiful excuse of a wizard cowering on his knees before him. "IS SOMETHING WRONG?!?!?! Nearly all my most able Death Eaters are in Azkaban, the Prophecy has been lost and I can no longer access the boy's mind! Of course something is wrong!" By now Wormtail was squirming on the floor whimpering with terror, a sight that made Voldermort shake his head with disgust.
"Get up you pathetic worm!" he growled as he crossed the room and sank into the chair by the fire. Wormtail managed to pull himself together and pushed himself onto his hands and knees although he was still whimpering softly. Voldermort meanwhile sank into his chair and steeped his fingers. No, things had not been going well for him. He was even struggling to control the Dementors although he had no intention of revealing that particular piece of information to any of his Death Eaters, even his most loyal ones. He now sighed and looked down at the cowering figure in front of him and grunted. Fools and incompetents, that's what he was surrounded by currently with the exception of a small handful two of whom were now waiting to be brought to him.
"Bring them to me!" he demanded. Here Wormtail looked up sharply, a briefly look of confusion on his face before he realised what his master was talking about.
"Oh, yes, yes of course Master," he blurted before scurrying out the room to return a few moments later with two figures all of whom dropped to their knees in front of Voldermort while Wormtail skulked in the corner
"We live to serve our Master," chanted both of the figures.
"Reveal yourselves!" ordered Voldermort at which the two figures all quickly reached up and pulled back their hoods to reveal the faces of Bellatrix Lestrange and Severus Snape. Voldermort eyed each of them in turn with his gaze lingering slightly longer on Snape than Bella although not noticeably so before he turned back to the woman who he now noticed bore some small cuts and scrapes on her face, a sight that didn't do anything to calm Voldermort's temper as it was a sure sign that yet another part of his plan had began to fall apart.
"Well?" he growled glaring straight at Bella who, despite looking down at the floor realised instantly the question was aimed at her. "What did the Grug say?"
"We…we never got to talk with him," stammered Bella grovelling on the floor. "They attacked us the moment we entered the camp. Only myself and Travers escaped, the others…." Here she tailed off while her face paled. Voldermort meanwhile slammed his hand down on the arm of his seat, which cracked loudly as it broke. Giants were notoriously fickle about who they dealt with and since it had been Macnair who'd originally dealt with the Grug sending Bella had been a gamble, one that had failed and which meant the giants would not be joining his forces. The only consolation for Voldermort was the fact that Dumbledore had little or no chance of getting the giants help himself.
"Please, please forgive me for failing you master!" sobbed Bella trembling in fear on the floor, her pitiful cries bringing Voldermort out of his reverie.
"You have not failed me Bella," growled the Dark Lord in a rare act of leniency. "Macnair is the one who has failed me by allowing himself to be captured!" Here the Dark Lord turned his gaze towards the window. "No, when he rejoins us Walden will pay for his incompetence, be sure of that."
"Yes My Lord," chanted all three Death Eaters before him before Voldermort now turned to Snape.
"And so Severus," growled the Dark Lord. "What information have you brought me?"
"My Lord, at this morning staff meeting Dumbledore informed us of the new teachers who would be arriving at…." However, before he could finish Voldermort had jumped out his seat.
"You came here to tell me about TEACHING APPOINTMENTS?!?!?!" roared the Dark Lord causing Bella and Pettigrew to flinch. Snape held his ground but his face went even paler than usual.
"My lord, I felt it necessary that you be told of this seeing as the three new teachers are all former Marauders…Emric Potter's Marauders!" Voldermort was now staring at Snape with a mix of anger and shock.
"Potter's Marauders?" he snarled. "Why does this damn family continue to haunt me?!" he howled with fury. He now stood up and began pacing the room. "Dumbledore must be planning something…he must be." Here the Dark Lord span around and glared at the three Death Eaters.
"The boy," he hissed. "He's training the boy! But what for?"
"Of that my lord I do not know," said Snape softly. Voldermort glanced briefly at the Potions Master and nodded slowly. No, Dumbledore was a senile old fool but he was intelligent enough not to totally trust Snape with his plans. But why Gringle, Hedges and Stoutbridge? Granted, they were skilled wizards, even Voldermort would admit that but why had Dumbledore selected them to train the boy? The Dark Lord turned and gazed briefly into the fire before issuing his orders.
"Return to Hogwarts and observe the three," he growled as he turned back to Snape. "Any information you learn is to be relayed to me immediately via Narcissa, is that clear?"
"Perfectly my lord," said Snape with a bow of his head.
"Very good, now leave me," said Voldermort with a wave of his hand. Here Snape, Pettigrew and Bella all bowed and all turned to head for the door.
"Bella," called Voldermort. "Stay, I am in need of female companionship tonight." Here Pettigrew and Snape both shuddered at the mere thought of what that could mean but Bella looked ecstatic at the thought of serving her master as the two men hurried out the room leaving her with Voldermort.
***
"You did what?!?!?!" Albus Dumbledore winced slightly at the volume of the exclamation but kept his gaze firmly locked on the irate figure of Alastor Moody. Moody glared back at him for a moment before giving a loud grunt and started to pace the floor.
"Of all the damn irresponsible things Albus! Especially when you know that Snape's about a trustworthy as a two headed viper!" he growled as he hobbled in front of Dumbledore. "Voldermort probably knows about Tinker, Bramble and Munch by now!"
"Which is exactly what I want," said Dumbledore with a wry smile, which immediately caused Moody to turn and stare at him in shock.
"You what?" exclaimed the former Auror in shock. "Wait a minute, are you saying you wanted Snape to tell Voldermort?!"
"Indeed," replied Dumbledore. "How else where we to bait the trap by not revealing the presence of Thaddeus and the others? Now Voldermort will be forced to concentrate a great deal of time and effort on trying to determine what we are doing meaning that he will not be in the position to cause the anarchy he desires." Once done with his explanation Dumbledore now folded his hands in front of him and fought hard to stop a grin cross his face as Moody stood staring at him for a moment before the former Auror's face broke into a crooked grin.
"You sneaky old sod!" he growled. "That's just mad enough to work!"
"Indeed," agreed Dumbledore. "However, I seriously doubt Voldermort and his supporters will be totally quelled." Here he now leant forward and met Moody's gaze. "And that is why I asked you here tonight Alastor, I have a favour to ask of you."
"Name it," said Moody. Dumbledore briefly glanced down before looking up at his old friend.
"Over the next few months I must concentrate my efforts on preparing Harry for what lays ahead and also protecting Hogwarts. Thereforth I'm asking you if you're prepared to take over the day-to-day running of the Order." For a moment Moody just stared at him before slumping into a chair opposite his friend.
"Bloody hell," he murmured quietly before meeting Dumbledore's gaze. "Are you sure about this?"
"Alastor," said Dumbledore with a smile. "We've known each other for nearly ninety years. You are the obvious choice my old friend." At this Moody actually seemed embarrassed before giving a sheepish smile.
"Well in that case, I guess the answer is yes."
***
Nobody really paid any attention as the larger than normal man and small woman stepped through the pub's door. This wasn't really a surprise however as the Pub in question was the Crooked Staff, Peterborough's only Wizarding Pub which was nestled between two shops and invisible to Muggle eyes. The pair now glanced around the pub, which for a Friday night was fairly empty and quickly spotted their pray slumped in a corner booth, a bottle clenched in one hand while the other cradled a half emptied glass.
"Oh blimey!" muttered Rubeus Hagrid. "Not again!" Minerva McGonagall meanwhile shook her head and sighed. She'd lost count of how many pubs both Muggle and Wizarding she'd been to during the last few weeks and each time it was the same story.
A very drunk Sybil Trelawney.
"Damn that Umbridge woman!" muttered McGonagall under her breath. She had no great love of Divination and shared Hermione Granger's view that Trelawney was a fraud but Dumbledore obviously felt she did a good job and she was still a colleague and even McGonagall agreed Umbridge had gone to far with her harsh treatment of the Seer who like many in her trade was incredibly sensitive. Unfortunately while most Seers would just have sulked and complained about `People not understanding the skill of reading the inner eye,' Trelawney had sulked, complained and then got blind stinking drunk.
Again.
And again.
And again.
McGonagall now gave a sigh and tugged her cape.
"Rubeus, be a good man and sort out Sybil's tab if any would you?" she said firmly without looking at the half-giant.
"Right you are Professor," replied Hagrid before quickly making his way across the bar while McGonagall made her way across the bar until she was standing beside Trelawney's prostate form.
"Sybil, Sybil, Sybil," she sighed shaking her head ruefully. Normally if had been anyone else she would have used a sobriety spell but with Seers it wasn't always guaranteed to work for some reason that McGonagall couldn't remember of the top of her head. Instead she now put a hand on Trelawney's shoulder and shook it. Trelawney merely gave a grunt and released her hold on the bottle and swatted at McGonagall missing her totally before trying to grab the bottle again but only succeeding in nearly knocking it over only for McGonagall to save it at the last moment. The Transfiguration Professor now felt her temper begin to fray as she took hold of Trelawney's shoulder and gave it another shake, this one quite a bit harder than the first and this time she was rewarded by Trelawney giving a groan.
"Lead be ablown!" she slurred roughly without opening her eyes.
"I don't think so Sybil," said McGonagall firmly and rather loudly too causing Trelawney's brow to screw up it pain. It also forced one bleary, blood-shot and rather out of focus eye to open.
"Oh!" slurred Trelawney closing her eye again. "It's you!"
"Good Evening Sybil," said McGonagall stiffly. "And how are you?"
"Hah! As hif you core!" spluttered Trelawney as she slowly and rather unsteadily pushed herself into a sitting position. "You dudn't eben try to slop that Bumbridge cow when she pocked on me!"
`Oh Merlin," thought McGonagall with a roll of her eyes. `She's making it sound like a playground squabble!' Trelawney meanwhile turned her attention to the bottle and then the glass before she started pouring another drink. McGonagall quickly moved and grabbed the bottle and glass.
"No, I think you've had enough Sybil!" she said firmly while Trelawney's face creased in anger.
"Don't tell me when I've had enough!" she growled staggering unsteadily to her feet. "Your lot by blother!"
"No, no I'm not," said McGonagall with a shake of her head. "But I'm not about to stand by and let you drink yourself silly!"
"Juss gimme bach me drink!" snarled Trelawney.
"No!" said McGonagall firmly. "Merlin's beard Sybil, you're a Professor at Hogwarts for…." But before she could finish Trelawney let out a curse and started swinging a fist towards McGonagall.
Only for it to hit a large palm that came in between it and McGonagall's jaw.
"I doubt you wanna do that Professor!" rumbled Hagrid, his face set in a firm glare. Here Trelawney let out a small hiccup before her eyes rolled into her head and she started slumping towards the floor only for Hagrid to grab her and sling her over her shoulder before turning to McGonagall.
"Sorry Professor, I'd have been over soon if I'd known she was gonna do that."
"Yes, well," said McGonagall, her face a little pale. The last thing she'd expected of Trelawney had been violence. She now gave her cloak a quick tug then glanced at the unconscious form of Trelawney currently slung over Hagrid's shoulders like one of his dead stoats. "Well now, we'd better get along hadn't we?" And with that she turned and headed out the door with Hagrid right behind her and into the darkness of the late summer night.
***
"Hey." Hermione pulled her gaze from the paragraph she'd been reading and turned to look over her shoulder to see her boyfriend leaning on the back of the sofa with a broad grin on his face.
"Hey," replied Hermione with a smile. "All done?"
"Yup," said Harry. "All packed and ready to go."
"What about the others?" asked Hermione leaning back slightly to allow Harry to place a quick kiss on her lips.
"Oh, well Ron's still deciding which of his WWW joke kits to take and I think Neville's off somewhere trying to coax Trevor out of some nook or cranny he's gone and holed himself in. What about the girls?" Here Hermione sniggered and shook her head.
"Oh, Ginny's working out which clothes to take as well as which of HER WWW kits and Luna….well, she's just sort of sitting on her bed whistling `Weasley is our King'." Here Harry chuckled and shook his head whilst Hermione burst into giggles.
"Those two really were made for each other weren't they?" snorted Harry as he rested his forehead against Hermione's.
"Uh-huh," replied Hermione. Harry now gave a chuckle and quickly kissed the tip of Hermione's nose before pulling back slightly.
"I'm gonna grab a drink, you won't one?"
"Oh, I could murder a pumpkin juice please," said Hermione with a grateful smile.
"Okay, two pumpkin juices coming up," said Harry before turning and heading out the library towards the kitchen, which he found, deserted. He knew Mr and Mrs Weasley were in the Drawing Room listening to WWN along with Charlie and Tonks. He now headed over to the fridge and was just opening it when he heard the sounds of breaking glass. Harry span round instantly, his hand whipping his wand out of his jeans pocket and looked around but as far as he could see he was still the only one in the kitchen.
"Easy Harry," he murmured. "Your getting as paranoid as Moody!" He was about to turn back to the fridge when he heard another dull thud. This time however he was able to work out it came from the direction of the pantry. Harry now frowned softly as he crossed the room towards the pantry. The only thing he could think it could be was Neville looking for Trevor but surely if he was in here Neville would have put on the kitchen lights. Harry now took hold of the pantry door and pulled it open and immediately felt his jaw drop as he was met by the sight of Tonks, her skirt rucked up and blouse open with her legs wrapped around Charlie whose own trousers and pants were down around his ankles. Both of them meantime where staring back at him in shock and dismay and a certain amount of embarrassment. However, before anyone could say anything Hermione's voice filled the air.
"Harry? What's taking so long?" Harry immediately slammed the pantry door on Charlie and Tonks and turned just in time to see Hermione walk into the kitchen.
"Hey, I thought you were getting some drinks?" said Hermione with a smile.
"I…I was," said Harry quickly. "I was just looking to see if….if there was any of Mrs Weasley's sponge cake left but it looks like Ron's scoffed it all!"
If Hermione noticed the slight pause in Harry's statement she didn't say anything but merely rolled her eyes.
"Honestly, there was half a cake a teatime, when did Ron find time to nick it do you think?"
"Dunno," said Harry with a shrug. "But you know Ron, if it involves food he'll find a way!" Hermione gave a nod of agreement before turning to Harry with a smile again.
"Well how about some Pumpkin Pastries? I know Mrs Weasley baked a new batch this afternoon, not even Ron could have eaten all of them just yet!"
"I'll see what I can find," said Harry casting a glance at the pantry before turning back to his girlfriend with a slight grin.
"Okay," replied Hermione before she turned and headed back to the library whilst Harry leaned against the wall and sighed in relief before turning at the sound of the pantry door opening to see a red faced Tonks and Charlie step out.
"Eh, Hi Harry!" chirped Tonks sheepishly.
"Hey mate!" added Charlie as he shuffled his feet nervously. "Thanks for…well, for not giving us away, we appreciate that!"
"Yeah well," said Harry feeling slightly embarrassed himself. "So, erm, you two…you two are together right?" Tonks now went even redder in the face whilst Charlie grinned weakly and nodded.
"For about a year now," he admitted before a slight look of panic crossed his face. "Your not going to tell Mum are you?"
"Oh Harry, please say you won't tell Molly!" begged Tonks frantically. Harry quickly raised both hands and shook his head.
"I'm not going to tell Molly," he said firmly at which looks of relief appeared on both Charlie and Tonks's faces.
"Thanks Harry," said Charlie quickly. "We owe you one for this!"
"We owe him twice," amended Tonks glancing at her boyfriend. "He should be hexing us for doing IT in his house!"
"Shit!" muttered Charlie grimacing. "I'd forgotten this was your place Harry."
"That's Okay," said Harry with a wry grin. "But jeez guys, the pantry? There are at least seven other bedrooms in this place! All you had to do was ask!" Here Tonks and Charlie exchanged sheepish grins before turning back to Harry.
"Guess it never occurred to us," admitted Charlie.
"Yeah well," said Harry. "You can take your pick, just so long as I don't have to see your butt again Okay Charlie!" Here Tonks burst into giggles whilst Charlie went the same colour as his hair before quickly giving a cough and turning to Tonks and grabbing her hand.
"Alright Nymph, let's go!" he muttered quickly and before Tonks could say anything he pulled her out the kitchen leaving a slightly bewildered Harry standing on his own before a slow grin crossed his face. With a shake of his head he now quickly grabbed a plate of pastries from the pantry along with two glasses of pumpkin juice and headed off to rejoin his own girlfriend in the library.
Another One Down!
And finally what I considered the trickiest part of the story done. Once their back at Hogwarts this is gonna be easy (I hope).
Some of you have pointed out that I used `What Broom?' when JK used `Which Broomstick?' THIS WAS DELIBERATE. It's not like there's just once mag dealing with Hi-fi's is there? You go into any branch of WHSmiths and there's a whole section delicated to Hi-Fi's! (For all you Johnny Foreigners, WH Smiths is Britain's Leading High Street Newsagents!)
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