Chapter 14: Payback's a Bitch Ain't it Riddle?
***********************Headmaster's Office Hogwarts************************
1:45pm
October 31
A student approached the stone gargoyle. Checking to either side to verify the cost was clear, he spoke quickly in a male baritone, "Tropical skittles" The gargoyle stepped out of the way and with a faint grinding sound, spiral stairs began to climb upward. The student had his hood up concealing his face, however as he turned slightly, a Slytherin insignia was revealed on his robes. Knocking softly on the Headmaster's door, and on hearing an "Enter" from within, he did so quickly.
Dumbledore looked up from a mound of paperwork. One of his gadgets sparked and hissed in the corner, above him two opposing portraits were arguing whether Arthimancy should be a required subject while across from him, seven wizards had left their frames and crowed into an eighth where they were playing a loud game of wizards poker complete with players transfiguring each others cards behind their backs. Fawkes was on his perch, asleep in all the racket. "Yes?"
His presence acknowledged, the unknown student pulled back his hood to reveal the features of Draco Malfoy. Draco began in his normal voice, "If the bad guys are sooo stupid, how the hell can they do so much damage?" But by the end of the rhetorical question, it was not Draco standing in front of the headmaster's desk, but a young witch with black hair and several earrings in her ears. As he watched, amused, she shook her head and the hair faded from a raven black to a shocking bubble-gum pink. Finally, the Slytherin robes transfigured themselves into ripped jeans and a leather jacket worn over a Weird Sisters t-shirt.
"Did you get the information?" Dumbledore asked with a tolerant expression.
"Yeah, I asked Goyle if he knew where the latest safe house for the Death Eaters was. I told him that I wanted to send my father a birthday present, but had lost my note. He of course showed me his, the git. I put a short-term memory charm on him so he won't remember the conversation." Tonks replied, rolling her eyes at the memory of the Slytherin's stupidity.
"Good, Nymphadora, however to be safe, we go tonight." Dumbledore replied as he drew out a sheet of parchment from a desk drawer.
"Are the kids ready?" Nymphadora asked reticently, I don't won't to loose any of them to these scum. Her Auror instincts were kicking in full blast, as she remembered not so long ago when she did loose some of them to those same Death Eaters.
"They had better be, and I am afraid that some of them might be too ready." And with that mysterious comment, Dumbledore scrawled a note on the parchment, folded it up and tapped it with his wand to seal it. "Fawkes I have a job for you." And without giving the phoenix instructions, he gave the note to Fawkes, who took it in his beak and vanished with a flash of flame.
*************************DADA Classroom #2*****************************
1:50pm
Harry was getting ready for his class. Well that was what he had said to Ron a second ago when he poked his head in for a second to ask him a quick question. Actually, he was daydreaming of Hermione at tonight's Halloween ball. Just as he was getting to the good part, Fawkes appeared with a flash, dropped a note into his hands, and disappeared again without waiting for a response. What's this? Harry wondered. If Dumbledore had a question, why didn't Fawkes wait until I gave an answer? Harry opened the note and his question was answered.
Harry,
Please have the student members meet in the Room of Requirements, at 7:oopm before this evening's ball. The usual security precautions apply.
Albus Dumbledore
P.S. this note will self-ignite in 5 seconds...4...3...2....1
The note ignited in Harry's hand, and with a curse he shook the flaming note out of his hands, where it was completely gone before it hit the floor. Thanks Great-Granddad, I have a feeling that this will really screw with my social life this evening. With a shake of his head Harry banished that selfish thought from his head, and finished getting ready for class.
*************************Room Of Requirements***************************
7:00pm
The members of the Order present at the school appeared in dribs and drabs so as not to draw attention to themselves. Lupin and Tonks have just arrived, both looking slightly flushed. They were the last members to arrive besides Dumbledore, who had not yet shown up. Harry nudged Ron and Hermione, and they leaned over to him. He pointed slyly at the last two to arrive and whispered humorously, "It's good, that its not a full moon, we would have heard the howling up here." Ron just laughed quietly, Hermione, smiled briefly at the same time she punched him in the arm. "Oww." She can hit a heck of a lot harder now. I need to thank Moody personally, maybe with a large stick. Harry thought idly, as he rubbed his arm.
With that pleasant thought, Dumbledore appeared, as usual with no sound of apparition. Without waiting for any comment, Dumbledore launched into what he had called them here for. "I'm sorry to drag you all away from your preparations for the party, especially the girls" he said with a wry tone, as almost half of the school age members that were present, were girls. The number of student members had grown substantially since the induction in August at Grimmauld place, now the almost the entire Gryffindor 7th year was involved, Pavarti, Lavender, Seamus and Dean had been inducted in a Midnight ceremony last month.
Several other students from other houses were also present also, including Parvarti's twin, but fortunately or unfortunately the other houses did not have the experience with combating Dark Wizards as the Gryffindors did. By chance or design, it had fallen mostly on the Gryffindors, to hold the line against the Death Eaters in Hogsmeade last June, while the other students had played medic and evacuated the younger students. Having gained their attention he went on. "Thanks to Nymphadora, we have been able to find a Death Eater safehouse in the north of Scotland only thirty miles from here. It is probably being used as a staging ground for Voldemort's eventual assault on Hogwarts. I would like to discourage that idea, and at the same time return a message to its sender."
He looked around the room at the faces of his students and the older co-members of the Order. Alastor, Nymphadora and Remus all look ok, Remus probably already knew what was going to go down from Tonks, and like the other two he was used to this by now. Rubeus is fine, but he knows that he is backup only this time. Minvera looks nervous, but I'm sure that's for her students and not for herself. She's staying anyway, just in case. Harry...he's resigned to this by now, unfortunately. The two I am worried about are next to him. Ron took Percy's death better than Hermione took her loss. I was afraid that we might lose her for a while. It's fortunate that Harry and her had finally recognized their feelings for each other. I don't know if she could have kept it together if it wasn't for him. The problem in the main is I need either her or Ron along, I would prefer both, but...
With a wave of his wand an image of the target house appeared hovering over the floor. "After Nymphadora was able to acquire the location of the safehouse, Fawkes was able to over fly it and obtain some intelligence. From Fawkes viewpoint, it looks as if this manor is guarded by several wizards on the roof, here."
With this statement, three tiny wizards started walking around on the flat roof of the manor house, "And three or four trolls wandering the grounds inside the fence. We were able to tell that anti-muggle wards were in place, so we can use magic openly. That is the good news. The bad, is that we can't apparate in. They seem to have wards as ancient as those around Hogwarts protecting the house. We can't break them quickly; therefore this is what we will do. Harry, myself, Nymphadora, Remus, Alastor and Ronald will infiltrate the house from the roof.
Due to the anti-apparition wards, we will have to approach by broomstick. Harry, you Remus and Alastor will skydive from the brooms in. I will use a Momenta Dispersa charm to get you down safely. You three will take out the sentries on top of the house. You are allowed to use maximum force, but do it quietly." Dumbledore said to the three grimly, Harry looked nervous, as did Remus at this prospect. Alastor however, wasn't bothered at all. I'm heartened that you it still bothers you to possibly take a life Harry, I'm sorry it's necessary. These thoughts did not show on his face as he went on.
"After the Death Eaters on the roof are neutralized, the rest of the roof team will land and all will enter from the roof. Pavarti, Seamus and Dean" The three teens looked up nervously, "you three will apparate to this point here." A clump of trees well outside the fence of the manor appeared on the floating model. "Bill, Fred and George Weasley are already in position watching the manor, you will join up with them there and your group will enter the manor grounds on the roof team's signal, which will be a flash of red sparks, followed by blue, followed by gold. After that point, I'm afraid that we play it by ear. Two points however," at this pause he looked directly at Ron and Harry, but addressed them all, "First we are after prisoners, we can not afford to be gentle with the roof guards or the trolls, but we take any other wizards present alive if possible. Second, if Tom Riddle is present, we will abort instantly. The charm that prevents us from apparating in does not keep us from disapparating out, unlike Hogwarts. This is not the time nor the place to fight him, we will fight him at a time of our choosing, is this understood?" He again addressed everyone present, but he looked at Harry when he said it.
"Sure." Harry agreed, without a trace of argument in his voice. I too would much rather take HIM on where we have the advantage; this may get hairy enough as it is. Mione isn't going to like being left behind though.
"Professor" said Hermione flatly.
Bloody hell...here it comes. Thought Harry, a bit nervously.
She glanced at Harry, obviously having overheard that thought, then returned to Dumbledore without comment. In a tight, barely respectfully tone, "Why am I staying behind?" She asked, an air of anger starting to build. "I have just as much experience as Ron, and more so than many of those going in on the second team."
"Hermione, I would like to you stay behind with Minerva to..." Dumbledore began, calmly trying to head this off.
But he failed, "Bullocks" Hermione snapped. Gasps were heard, especially from some of the students in the other houses, as they had never heard the Head Girl curse or snap back at a teacher. "It's like you are trying to protect me. I'm not a fragile doll dammit, I deserve payback as much as these two" as she waved at Harry and Ron.
Harry got up and put his arms around her from behind. She turned and looked at him for a second then returned her glare to Dumbledore.
"Hermione" Dumbledore tried to reply placatingly, though inside he admitted she was correct. "Your flying skills are not up to those going in on the roof. And you might be needed, here if..." but then her determination was evident. With a tiny growl, Hermione's eyes involuntarily started glowing the same blue that Harry's did when either of their greater powers manifested.
At that moment Dumbledore knew that he had lost this argument, because the only two in the room, with powers that could some day, or might now, rival his own were standing in each others arms, and the one in front was coming whether he liked it or not. And anyway, the argument was false; Dumbledore knew perfectly well she could fly without the broomstick if needed. Its strange Dumbledore thought sadly, as much loss as Harry had been forced through, you would think that he would try to convince her to stay. "Very well then, Hermione you can go." Another gasp was heard in the packed room, as the sight of the Headmaster being forced to back down registered on the students and other members of the Order. "You still cannot handle a broom as well as..." Dumbledore said automatically, though he knew better.
If only he knew just how well you can fly Love, Harry replied in his thoughts, and felt her grin at him, though the expression never touched her face. "She can ride in with me, Professor." Harry said. "She is more than capable of landing it after the three of us jump in."
"Ok then." Dumbledore returned with a lead weight in his heart. "Those going will meet here at midnight, after the ball, in combat gear."
The members filed out quietly in twos and threes, muttering to each other about the mission and or the ball tonight, until only Harry and Hermione remained.
"Thanks, Harry for backing me up," Hermione murmured to Harry, now with a slight moistness in her eyes.
"I don't want you to go...but you were right. Just do me one favor." Harry asked, looking deep into her eyes.
"Anything." She meant it as long as the request wasn't that she staid behind.
"Don't get killed...Come on, we have a ball to get to and you still have to change" Almost like a switch had been flipped, Harry's demeanor changed. Grinning, Harry threw his invisibility cloak over them both and they left out the door.
***************************Great Hall************************************
8pm
The Great Hall of Hogwarts was decorated for Halloween, instead of the usual candles; thousands of small illuminated Jack-O-Lanterns floated about the rafters. The bewitched ceiling was reflecting the crescent moon outside, and every so often, a little witch would fly across it. The buffet tables, were covered with mounds of muggle and wizard Halloween candy. Hagrid had brought in several of his giant pumpkins and had carved into them pictures of Dumbledore, the other Professors and the house mascots of the houses. Several school owls were fluttering about the room, both to add ambiance to the night and because they could.
At almost the strike of eight, Harry led Hermione, and the rest of the 6th and 7th year Gryffindors into the Great Hall. Dumbledore looked up as he saw them enter, and almost felt afraid himself for a brief instant. They came in as a pack, Hermione's hand in Harry's and the other couples similarly with their partners. Even Luna, Ginny and Neville, who weren't going tonight, unless something REALLY screwed up, had a slight swagger. Dumbledore recognized the look, he had had similar feelings himself at times over his one hundred and fifty four years, but had somehow hoped to prevent the like in his students. It was the look of a pack about to get long delayed vengeance, if only in a small measure.
However none of these thoughts crossed any of the Gryffindors minds, at least consciously, their only goal, at least to most outside observers this night was to have fun. Walking in the door, Neville said some stupid joke about a priest and a rabbi that he had picked up in a Muggle pub over the summer, that Ginny found hilarious for some reason, and was laughing so hard that the arm Neville had around her waist was actually as much for support as it was because they were a couple.
Luna saw the pretty lights and despite his inevitable protests, immediately towed Ron to the dance floor. He followed along, reluctantly, to the soft chuckles of the rest of the group. Pavarti and Lavender watched the two head to the dance floor and with identical grins they grabbed Seamus and Dean and hauled them along behind leaving Harry and Hermione alone near the entrance.
Harry rolled his eyes at the gossip twins' exuberance, and turned to Hermione. "Well shall we Miss Granger?" A twinkle closely matching his Great-whatever-Grandfather's lit his green eyes with a curious glow.
"Aye Mr. Potter, we shall," Pulling him by the hand, she led him in pursuit of their friends. The vantage point afforded Harry an happy opportunity to enjoy his girlfriend, She had found somewhere a dress that exactly matched his eyes, and the belly button ring under it, He thought with an inner grin, to which she turned and smiled, her hair swinging after her as she tossed her head.
Play your cards right and you can play with it later after we get back. She responded silently.
Promise? He asked silently as they reached the dance floor and flowed into each other's arms. For some reason, the music tonight was almost all slow songs, to the expressed annoyance of some of the younger students, who wanted to dance to faster music.
Damn, you're easy. She thought back, smiling as she leaned into his shoulder.
And you love me for it. Harry stated back with absolute assurance, it was one of the few things about which he had no doubts. They danced for almost three hours; only taking small breaks to grab something to eat or to talk to their friends. Only once was the evening marred. Dancing slowly, Harry caught the eye of Draco, who was accompanied by Pansy, or as appearances looked, had been dragged here by Pansy. While magic may have made her more physically attractive, she was still ugly inside. As they crossed paths, Draco mouthed across the dance floor, "Is she good?" With a fist clenched behind Hermione's waist, Harry just ignored him; he wasn't worth it, not tonight.
As with any good thing, this too had to end, as they were dancing, eleven tones sounded from the clock tower, each chime, felt as much in their hearts as heard with their ears. With a little moan, Harry dropped his forehead to Hermione's, "Its time" with a lump in his throat, not for him but for her.
"Yeah, Love, it's to war then." With thoughts similar to Harry's but turned one hundred and eighty degrees, she wasn't worried about herself but Harry, of course, as always. She wasn't the one after all, who had to jump off a perfectly good broomstick to start this foolishness.
Harry raised his lips to her forehead, and catching the eye of Ron and the others going this evening, they slowly started to drift towards the door and out.
The gradual movement of Harry and his team wasn't unnoticed. Draco and a few others noticed them leaving, and he slipped out himself, running for the Slytherin common room as soon as he was out of sight of the Great Hall. However his intentions were soon dashed, for some reason, the fires wouldn't ignite tonight and the owls were far too slow. Draco kicked a chair in the Slytherin common room in frustration at this turn of events and sat down heavily. He knew in his heart, that his mother would pay for his inability to warn the Dark Lord's forces.
*******************Hogwarts/Smythe Manor, Scotland****************
Midnight
November 1, 2005.
The Order members chosen for the raid, and Hermione, who had chose herself, assembled for the assault on the Death Eater's safehouse. The target tonight was an old manor that was thought to belong to the Smythe Family, A family that had been known to contain Death Eaters in the past, the current generation of the family, Reginald Smythe had not been seen in some time. It was possible that he had run afoul of Voldemort's famous temper and paid for his error with his life. In any case, after tonight, the point would be moot.
It had been many years since the Order had assembled for battle with prior warning. The incidents at the Ministry of Magic in the fifth year of Harry's term at Hogwarts followed by the later attacks at Hogsmeade, the disastrous events of August thirty first and other various skirmishes had not been planned but impromptu defensive actions. The fighters this night for a change were prepared before hand. All of the members wore the cloak of the Order of the Phoenix. Most of the members present were wearing black or dark colored slacks and tops under their cloaks. Robes might be fine for daily wizarding wear, but they got in the way in a fight. Even Albus Dumbledore wore a subdued, almost uniform-like outfit under his cloak.
A close observer would note a final difference, not all the wizards present carried only wands. Harry for instance, had his wand strapped down in a sheath on his right thigh and on the other hip; he had a pouch with various potions, floo powder and other magical items that might prove useful. Strapped across his back and poking out from the top of his cloak, the Sword of Gryffindor gleamed softly in the moonlight. Remus was dressed similarly, with the exception that instead of the sword; he had a Kukri strapped to his left hip by his essentials pouch. It had been a gift from James Potter in another life, James had told him that it reminded him of Remus' claws; it had seen occasional use in the war. Finally, Alastor Moody as the last of the team to assault the roof was carrying a wizard's staff, with his sword somewhere under his cloak in addition, no doubt. The rest of the team did not have additional weapons on them, at least that could be seen, they could transfigure other items if need be.
Remus Lupin looked around wearily as they prepared to leave on their dark errand. Peering about he witnessed Harry talking quietly to Hermione; both dressed in black. The sight sadly reminded him of a similar occasion eighteen years ago, when another wizard and another witch had stood together on a night like this. The only dissimilarity to his grim memory was that the witch in his memory had had red hair, otherwise they were closely, too closely, matched.
James and Lily I am so sorry, I wish that your little boy had never had to grow up to be a warrior so fast. I wanted to give him a childhood and a home, and when Sirius returned and was cleared in everyone's minds that counted, then I thought he might have a chance. I'm so sorry I was wrong, I would have taken him, but without a partner I couldn't have taken care of him alone, not with my condition. Then, as Hermione dropped her head to Harry's shoulder, I'm glad he's happy in that at least. Lily you would have loved her, she is just like you, in everything that really matters. They deserve whatever happiness they can wrest from this time anyway.
Ron wandered over to the two and quietly muttered a joke, which Harry and Hermione laughed at nervously. Yes the marauders ride again, Sirius, Lily, James I hope you are watching, those three and their friends are ones that will end this war, and give you peace at last, not us old farts. Lupin grinned despairingly to himself at his last thought and then it was time to go.
The flight in was uneventful. Dumbledore used his powers to move clouds across the moon to make it darker and conceal their arrival. The group that had apparated to the Weasleys to reinforce the ground element was already there, having disapparated to the rendezvous with the Weasleys already on site, when the broom riders had left. Now after a short ten-minute ride, the team of six broomsticks and seven riders hovered motionless almost five hundred feet above the roof of the manor. Using omniocculars, Harry was able to see the three wizards that had been seen by Fawkes earlier, walking the roof. Harry turned slightly on his broom so he could see Hermione mounted on the broom behind him. "Ready for this Mione?" He whispered.
"No." in the same tone I do love you... I'll be there to back you up as fast as I can get this broom down. She elaborated in their shared thoughts.
I hope we won't need the backup on the roof at least. He replied. "Ok Remus, Alastor?" He inquired quietly.
"Yeah" A gruff voice from his left responded.
"Good to Go" he heard back. Then turning to Dumbledore "Ready Professor?"
"Yes" Dumbledore replied in a voice much softer than his normally booming tone. "Ladies if you can maneuver your brooms next to mine so you can steady mine while I arrest the gentlemen's descent." With this command, Tonks and Hermione, who was now controlling Harry's broom, maneuvered next to Dumbledore, he gave an invisible nod and....
Harry, Lupin and Moody jumped off their brooms and automatically assumed skydiving positions. Harry had unfortunately performed this particular maneuver before, though that time it was somewhat unwillingly, and with the unwelcome assistance of several Dementors.
As the three were only fifty feet above the roof and were about to pancake in, Dumbledore let go of his broom with his hands, trusting Tonks and Hermione to steady him, stretched out both arms and muttered "Arresto Momentum." The three slowed to a gentle walk, and touched down without a sound on the roof behind the three Death Eaters. The Death Eaters were looking out over the garden idly and conversing in low tones among themselves, totally unaware of what lurked behind them.
Using hand signals, Moody silently indicated that the far left Death Eater was Harry's, the far right one was Lupin's and that he would take the center. The three crept up behind the Death Eaters. Harry's heart was pounding so hard; he thought the Wizards on the roof would surely hear it. Nervously looking over at the other two infiltrators, he received a pair of nods and...
Harry took four quick, silent strides; the Gryffindor sword cut left, then back right and Harry's opponent collapsed with a spray of blood, but nary a sound.
Lupin might be fully human this night, however his tread was a light as a hunting wolf and his target fell to the ground one way, while his head fell another.
The final Death Eater saw Lupin's victim fall out of the corner of one eye and turned in alarm. But before he could get more than a grunt out, he too fell with a vicious CRACK from Moody's staff.
Harry looked a little green, as he took several deep, shuddering breaths. He had killed before in the heat of battle, but never in an ambush like this. He had carried though only because of who was landing at that moment behind him. He wouldn't let anything or anyone hurt her if he could help it, and if he had to take out a dark wizard or a hundred along the way then so be it.
Hermione landed their broom right beside Harry and gave him a brisk hug. She looked grim at the sight of the body at his feet, but she was still game. A long time ago, Ron had said in one of his prophetic moments "if those two ever got together, I wouldn't want to face them. Together they might be the most dangerous couple I know." That was before the events of the last year or so but it still held true. Ron approached noiselessly on the Harry's other side and the Musketeers were together again.
Moody reported to Dumbledore in an undertone as he watched the reunion. "All three of those bastards are on the way to Hell. Kid did ok Albus, I was afraid for a second when I saw his face that he couldn't go though with it like this, but he did."
"That's why Alastor," Dumbledore replied, gesturing with his head towards the trio. "This night any of them would do that for one another. That night that we retreated to Hogwarts after Riddle came after them in their homes, the die was cast to fall either on his defeat or ours. Looking at them I now, know which way it has fallen."
Alastor looked slightly disbelievingly at his old friend, his magic eye spinning; Blimey he's getting mystic again. "Let's get this party started, Tonks the signal if you please." Mad-Eye pointed at Tonks, then at Harry, Remus and Ron, then at the locked door leading off the roof. Harry lined up on the right of the door, Remus on the left with Ron in the center. Ron had his wand trained on the door with Harry and Remus holding theirs up at the ready, at ready nods from the three at the door. "GO"
Tonks held up her wand and successive showers of red, blue and gold sparks erupted from her wand.
"REDUCTO" Ron blasted the door to splinters. Harry dove in with the spinning door fragments to the right, Lupin to the left, both searching for targets. They found them. Just getting up from chairs, two dark wizards tried to get their wands around, cards flying from the game they had been playing...
"Petrificus Totalus" snapped Harry, instantly locking the closer Death Eater into a full body bind, as he hit the floor and rolled upright in one smooth motion.
"Stupefy" Lupin snarled, diving headfirst into the room, and the two Death Eaters dropped to the floor, one unconscious and the other frozen. Hermione, trailing Ron into the room, solved that problem in the simplest manner possible, by walking over to the paralyzed Death Eater and kicking him in the head. Now two unconscious wizards lay on the floor. With a look, Harry indicated the door to the rest of the house, and slowly crept through it, wand at the ready.
Harry and Ron cautiously checked the next two rooms, only to find them barren and empty. Harry's gaze flicked back to Hermione, who was covering their backs, only to receive a confused shrug in return; do you think they heard us come in? Black humor infused her thought.
This isn't right, Harry returned as he and Ron, eased nearer to the head of the stairs
"Avada Kedavra" a green bolt snapped past Tonks' ear, missing her by a kneazle's whisker. She jumped to her right and whirled to the shooter. A hail of red bolts erupted from the seven and nailed the concealed Death Eater with several stunners to the chest. There was no time to see if the combined stunners had killed him or merely made him unconscious, as a storm of fire suddenly flooded up the stairs at the team.
"WHERE THE HELL ARE THE WEASLEYS!" Tonks yelled over the din. After all, they should have entered by now. But no one had the time to answer, as they were busy raining answering spells back at the Death Eaters below. The room was filled with brightly colored bolts of green, red, blue and white light, and the shouted incantations to go along with the spells.
Screw this Harry thought grimly as a reductor curse exploded next to Moody's ear, "Cover Me!"
"NO Harry!" Hermione snapped, but it was already too late. With his words Harry jumped up and over the banister and dropped the twelve or so feet from the second floor to the first, flipping his wand to his left hand and drawing the sword from his back while still in the air. The Death Eater to his left, fell to the ground with a blank look on his face as Harry's stunner impacted in the center of his forehead. The other looked amazed, a look that was frozen as with a slight eye roll, Harry smashed the hilt of the sword behind his right ear. The Death Eater dropped, bonelessly.
As Harry turned to look around the room, a wand extended from a curtain behind him "Avada..."
"STUPEFY" a red bolt flashed by Harry's ear, close enough to singe his hair, and a body fell from behind a curtain. Hermione rose gracefully from a crouch she landed in when she had followed Harry over the rail, her wand still pointing at the downed Death Eater; she had taken the shot in the air as she fell.
"Thanks Love" Harry shot over his shoulder to her as he scanned the room.
"Anytime." Hermione replied, equally distracted.
"Would you two get a room?" Ron said dropping beside them with bent knees, completing the trio.
"Would you three get back to work?" Moody growled as he, Tonks and Dumbledore came down the stairs at a more sedate pace. Though the only reason that Tonks hadn't followed the three was that Moody had grabbed her arm, muttering, "damn fool youngsters."
"REDUCTO" a massive blast hit the wall next to Ron, knocking him several feet into another wall where he slid to the floor, unconscious and bleeding. Harry, Hermione and Moody were also knocked sprawling, however they were more or less unharmed. Eyes flitting around, they looked frantically for the source of the blast and found....
"MALFOY!!" Hermione screamed, and jumped up to sprint after him. Only to be tackled from behind as Harry knocked her out of the way of a yellow blast of light. Bellatrix Lestrange ran after Lucius and with the parting shot of "I won't miss the mudblood next time Potter!" they apparated away.
"REDUCTO" the front door blasted to splinters, huge chunks of ancient oak flying through the air. A visibly battered ground team finally entered the manor. Both Dean's and Bill's shirts were in tatters. Fred visibly limped as he staggered in, a blood stained tear taking up the whole right leg of his pants. They had tumbled in ready to fire, but on noticing that the others had already taken the house they held up, sheepishly.
"Where the hell where you?" Tonks snarled, annoyed, to the newcomers as she tended to Ron. "Enervate."
"It seems that in addition to the previously mentioned trolls, there were four cerberi patrolling the grounds. We took out the trolls easy enough but were jumped by the dogs as we got to the door. I knew that we should have brought Hagrid." Bill replied, in an exasperated tone, glaring at her.
"Ok then that's all of them." Dumbledore said quickly to cut off the ensuing argument. "Tonks, Alastor bind the unconscious ones and you two and George take the prisoners to the interrogation cells at the Ministry. Everyone else come here." As the rest of the team surrounded Dumbledore, he snapped his fingers; suddenly they were back at Hogwarts, the brooms that they had left on the roof neatly stacked over to one side. "Harry, Hermione, before you go to bed." With a wave he transfigured the pair's torn and bloody battle gear to their normal school robes, complete with their heads badges. "Take a patrol around the castle, and make sure all who should be are in bed."
A/N: Hopefully that chapter is a little better in length.