Chapter 2
No Fear
Harry made his way through the Leaky Cauldron. This was difficult because he had the coffin strapped to his back. Making navigating the small isles of the bar tricky. His first stop would be Diagon Alley. He needed to send a message to get Ron's attention, and he had a pretty good idea of how to do that.
"Hey there Tex. Where'd you park your horse?" A drunken man wearing lime green robes asked. He and his friend wearing pale yellow robes had noticed Harry' unique clothing and decided to comment on them.
"What's with the coffin?" The man in yellow asked "Somebody die today?"
"Day ain't over yet." Harry whispered.
"Ignore them Potter. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves too soon." Snape's electronic voice said over Harry's earpiece.
"I feel sorry for that guy's girlfriend." Said the man in green. Harry froze in place when he heard the latest comment.
"Why do you say that?" His friend asked.
"Because, a cowboy's greatest dream is that he can stay on for eight seconds." The man laughed out loud as he said this.
***
A few moments later Harry was walking thru Diagon Alley listening to Snape's sarcastic remarks.
"Was that really necessary Potter?" Said Snape.
"No not really. But it was fun." Replied Harry.
"I told not to make a scene. Throwing a man out of a bar window will draw attention to you Potter." Snape hissed at Harry.
"Oh, and I suppose walking around with a coffin strapped to my back won't make scene at all will it?" Harry muttered under his breath.
As Harry walked down the Alley his eyes cast down toward Knockturn Alley and Harry remembered the last time he was there.
*Flashback*
Harry and Neville had just left the latest Order meeting and Harry was not at all happy. He had requested to be made a senior member of the Order now that he had completed his Auror training. However, the since the Order had been given control over the Ministry, members of the Wizengamot had been inducted into the senior staff of the Order. They were the one's who objected to Harry's membership in the Order. So now Harry had stormed out of headquarters in a very bad mood with Neville close behind.
"Hey Harry? You do know that were walking thru Knockturn Alley right? You know, Deatheater central?" Neville asked fear evident in his voice.
"Yeah. I'm aware of that." Was all Harry said?
"Come on Harry. You may as well put a bull's-eye on your back. Your just begging to be ambushed." Neville pleaded desperately.
"Exactly." Came Harry's reply.
"Your just kidding. Right?" Came Neville's shaky reply.
"STUPEFY!!!" Roared Harry as he sent a stunning spell to a wizard reading a newspaper. The paper dropped revealing a Deatheater who'd had his wand pointed at Harry. Suddenly, the crowd scattered revealing two more Deatheaters advancing on Harry. As soon as the street was clear two stunning charms shot past Harry's head striking the Deatheaters. Harry looked behind him to see Neville with his wand pointed ahead.
"Something tells me this is gonna be a long walk." Said Neville grimly.
*End Flashback*
They had captured seven Deatheaters that day. The senior members also reconsidered his admission as well. A lifetime ago Harry Potter would have smiled at the memory. Now, it only brought rage and betrayal. He walked into Gringotts when heard Snape come in on the earpiece again.
"Gringotts is no longer run by the goblins. Weasley had them removed and put into reservations. It is now operated by wizards." Said Snape
Harry was in luck. The bank was just getting ready to close so there were no more customers in the lobby. In fact there were only two guards and one teller left. Harry walked up to the cashier.
"I need to see Ron Weasley's vault please." Harry said politely.
"I'm sorry sir but we do not allow people to view the contents of other people's vaults." The teller replied in a business like tone.
Harry drew his guns and pointed them at the cashier. "Make an exception." He whispered, his voice hard as steel.
At that time the two guards saw Harry with his weapons drawn, and attempted to subdue him. Keeping one gun on the cashier Harry turned and fired two rounds. One striking each guard in the shoulder effectively disabling them.
"Let's take a trip to the vault. Shall we?" Harry asked the cashier. The cashier nodded numbly.
***
A short trip down the caverns under Gringotts and Harry had arrived at Ron's vault.
"This is pointless." Said the cashier. "You can't get into the vault without the key. It's impossible."
"Maybe for a wizard." Harry lifted the coffin on his shoulder, and flipped the switch causing the top end to split revealing the barrel of the rocket launcher. He then fired at the vault, blowing the door off it's hinges.
"Never thought that a muggle device would be brought down here did ya?" Harry said while looking at the horror struck face of the cashier.
***
A few moments later, Harry was walking out of Ron's vault carrying a duffel bag Snape had charmed to hold all the gold from Ron's vault with the cashier in tow. When he passed another vault on his way back to the cart he stopped. Something was calling to him from inside the vault he could feel it.
"Whose vault is this?" Harry asked the Cashier.
"Draco Malfoy's sir." The cashier responded timidly.
Harry immediately blew this door down as well. Walking to the back of the vault he saw what had led him there. It was a small diamond bracelet, and it damn sure wasn't Malfoy's. No. Harry had given this to Hermione for graduation.
*Flashback*
Hermione paced back and forth in the Gryffindor common room. In a few moments she would be giving the speech for their graduating class. Harry sat on the couch slightly amused at his girlfriend's antics.
"Hermione calm down everything is going to be fine." Harry said soothingly.
"Don't tell me to calm down Harry James Potter! I can't calm down. I've got to go up in front of the whole school. Where any number of things could go wrong and OH MY GOD!!! I can't remember the name of the school!! What am I gon-" Harry silenced her with a long passionate kiss.
"Feel better?" Harry asked her, a large grin on his face.
"A little." She admitted. Harry held out a small box for Hermione.
"I was gonna save this for after Graduation, but I think you could use it about now." Inside was a diamond bracelet. Hermione had never seen something so beautiful before.
"Thank you Harry." She said with tears in her eyes.
"Remember I'm right here beside you. I'll never let anything bad happen to you."
*End Flashback*
The loss of Hermione now hit Harry full on. He realized that she truly was gone. Harry took a deep calming breath. He could not allow himself to fall in despair again. When Sirius died Harry almost couldn't go on, in his grief he became reckless and that had caused Lupin's death. If it wasn't for Hermione Harry probably wouldn't have been able to go on after that. He couldn't breakdown, not now, there was too much to do. At that moment three Aurors entered the vault. Before they could even say a word Harry had turned and fired three rounds each hitting the Aurors wands.
"If you value your lives you'll leave now." Harry whispered icily. The Aurors didn't need to be told twice. They left hastily with the cahier following. Harry holstered one of his guns and picked up the bracelet which he placed in his pocket. Before he could leave however, another person entered the vault. Harry once more turned and aimed to see the figure of Delores Umbridge standing in the center of the vault with her wand pointed at Harry.
"Oh. It's only you." Harry said in a very bored tone as he holstered his gun.
"What do you mean only me?! I'll have you know that I am the CEO of Gringotts!!" She said in a shrill voice. Her wand shaking with fury.
"You think your gonna stop me? Don't make me laugh. You couldn't handle me when I was fifteen. What makes you think you stand a snowball's chance in hell now?" He asked. Slowly advancing on Umbridge.
"REDUCTO!!" Umbridge screamed sending a curse at Harry. Harry dodged it so fast Umbridge wasn't sure if he had even moved at all. The spell struck the wall destroying a good portion of it and sending cracks all along the wall which began to groan and shake.
"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS" Umbridge screamed hoping to catch Harry off guard. Harry however, was ready. He twisted around allowing the curse to strike the coffin, and rebound on Umbridge. She was struck and fell down on her back.
"See ya around Umbridge." Said Harry. Harry grabbed the duffel bag and leapt out of the vault just as it collapsed burying Umbridge alive.
As Harry made his way toward the cart he looked down at the pocket where Hermione's bracelet was. He swore that anyone who had anything to do with her death would die a slow painful death.
***
Mad-Eye Moody made his way to the meeting room in the Ministry. Ron had called an emergency meeting of the senior members. Something about a robbery. Moody entered the large conference room. It had a long table with many chairs and a window at the far end. Moody saw that Draco Malfoy and Victor Krum were already in attendance. Moody knew the reason for them being in the Order. They both had numerous connections throughout the wizarding world. Be it political, international, or criminal between the two of them any favor could be called in for anything. Standing nearly seven feet tall in the back corner hid in the shadows was Fangoram, Ron's personal bodyguard. He wore a tan trench coat that covered his body. On his head he wore a wide brimmed hat, which, combined with his long black stringy hair hid most of his face. He carried a very large cross shaped rifle on his back. Though Moody had never seen him use it. Fangoram preferred to choke the life from his victims.
Just then Ron Weasley and his wife Sherry Moody-Weasley entered the room. Sherry was an attractive young woman in her early twenties. She was born a squib, and had attended the finest muggle universities. She was every bit as smart as Hermione Granger had been, and just as dangerous when she wanted to be. She was currently head of the department researching the combination of muggle technology and magic.
Mad-Eye reflected on how he had come to be part of this new Order. It was simple. Ron had married Moody's daughter Sherry. From then on Ron's safety had become intertwined with Sherry's, and Moody could not allow any harm to come to his daughter. No matter what price he had to pay for it.
The last to arrive was Neville Longbottom. Neville was the current leader of the Dog Stars, the best Auror unit in the country. Their job was to eliminate traitors and deal with any threats to the Order.
"Alright, let's get started." Stated Ron as he sat at his seat at the head of the table.
Sherry stood from her seat and began. "Two hours ago a unknown man entered Gringotts bank, broke into a vault, and scattered it's contents all across Diagon Alley."
"This is a joke right?" Exclaimed Malfoy. "No one can break into a Gringott's vault. Besides, what business is it of ours if some sap got his money stolen?"
Sherry cast a disapproving glance at Malfoy. "For your information Malfoy, the vault broken into was Ron's. Furthermore, while it is impossible to break into a Gringotts vault using magic, the intruder used a muggle rocket launcher to do so. Apparently when the bank was built the mere idea that a muggle would make a device capable of blowing off the doors to a vault was inconceivable. Oh by the way Malfoy your vault was damaged as well. Apparently the intruder buried Delores Umbridge inside." Malfoy was outraged to find his vault and all his money had been destroyed.
"Do you haff any idea vat the intruder looks like?" Asked Victor.
"Yes. We have a pensieve image here." Sherry produced a small stone and placed it on the table. It began to glow and created an image of a tall man carrying a coffin on his back, wielding two large handguns.
"That is a very big gun." Said Neville. His voice showing the nervousness he felt at the thought of facing this person.
"It's not a gun boy. It's a coffin." Stated Moody. "I recognize it. It's one of Snape's pet projects. Something he was always working on in his spare time. He never told me any specific details though."
"Are you certain Snape built that coffin Moody?" Asked Ron his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Positive."
"Neville, assemble the Dog Stars and search the city for Snape. Find him and this newcomer and kill them." Ron ordered.
"I'm on it." Neville walked out of the room quickly.
"Victor, Draco, see what info you can find on this robber. Moody, increase the security around Diagon Alley he may show up there again." When Ron finished his orders everyone got up and left leaving only Ron and Sherry in the conference room.
"Ron? What's wrong?" Sherry asked her lover.
"He has the same look in his eye. He has the same look as Harry." Ron said thoughtfully.
"Thats impossible darling. You killed Harry. No one comes back from the dead." Stated Sherry
"Really? What about him?" Ron motioned to Fangoram who still stood in the corner.
"He's special. You know I'm the only one with the expertise to be able to successfully necrolize a body." Sherry purred.
"Perhaps, but Snape is not to be underestimated. We must be wary of him. You know I don't like having unknown factors in the game. There is a possibility that someone is leaking our technology to Snape. I want you to look into it personally. And, if it is Harry, I'll just have to kill him all over again." Ron laughed menacingly as he looked out the window.
Next: Draco's Judgment
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