Chapter 11
With everyone in place, they waited some patiently more than others. In the corner of the room where Ron sat, he fidgeted like a small child who was uncomfortable with the suit and tie he was forced to wear. He was more nervous than when they faced Voldemort, of course who wouldn't be. They had an unknown enemy. They didn't know what kind of power the enemy possessed, but they knew he or she must be powerful enough to throw Harry off with crying baby dolls. Then again, Harry was not in his top form, but even then he should have been able to distinguish the emotions.
That didn't matter now. What mattered was that they were going to capture the culprit and bring her to justice and try to get on with their lives. Ron kept fidgeting. It started to annoy Hermione, as usual.
"Ronald, will you stop making so much noise. The invisibility cloak does not include a silencing charm. You'll be found out instantly."
Ron sat still after Hermione's reprimand. Harry merely chuckled and focused on any incoming presence while he held Hermione in his arms. He knew he still had time before the people started to arrive. He didn't have to be invisible until he felt the first presence enter the house. When that happened, he turned invisible instantly.
Hermione knew it was time. Her husband was once again invisible and she felt him move away from her. She knew he needed to move, but it didn't stop her from disliking the fact that his arms were no longer around her. She realized how much she'd miss those moments when they would just hold each other in silence, even with Ron in the room. Those moments were precious back when the war still lingered, but now she knew that those moments should always be precious war or not because the future was a black hole that no one knows about. Except maybe a select few, but those who do not know what will happened in the future even if it was merely a second in the future should do well to remember to enjoy the moments they do have instead of linger in anger and hate. She knew how wrong it was to let her anger fester so long.
Simon entered the room in his semi-normal state. Harry knew the instant he entered the house that Simon indeed moved partly of his own accord and partly because of some other force. Then when he saw him, Harry knew that Hermione was right as usual. He did have the far away look in his eyes. Though, everything he did was probably something he would love to do, he would not have done it had he be his normal self.
Simon moved towards Hermione. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and continued to look into the cribs. He turned around and smiled at Hermione. "I guess they're taking an extra long nap, today?" On other days, they were usually up and about causing havoc around the nursery.
"Yes, they napped later than usual."
"Hermione, you know it would be much easier for you if you didn't resist me. We could have a great home and the boys will have a big yard to play in instead of being stuck in this nursery all day where the only way they get sunshine is through magic. They could have real sunshine and fresh air. Just say you'll marry me."
"We've been over this a thousand time Simon, I'm already married to Harry."
Simon stiffened at the mention of Harry's name. His eyes narrowed at Hermione. She never mentioned Harry's name before now. She always refused the offer with "I'm already married." But she never mentioned Harry's name. Looking at Simon's facial feature, she should have done it before and more often.
Embolden by the fact that her children were safely away from the house and the fact that Harry was near by, Hermione stood her ground. She felt free to stop humoring Simon. She tolerated his attentions for the past few weeks in order to keep her children safe, but no more. Much as she didn't want to hurt him since he was not really in his right mind, she'd finally run out of patience.
"Why do wait for a lost cause? You know that Harry will be killed. Then you will once again suffer as you did the first time he disappeared from your life. Do you like putting yourself in that state, Hermione? I on the other hand will always be here for you. I will give you everything you want. I will make you happy."
"You don't get it do you? I love Harry. He and my sons are all I want. Would you give me Harry then?"
In anger, Simon pointed his wand at Hermione. "Stop talking about Harry! He is not here. I am here. If he loved you, he would be here to try and take you away."
"What makes you think he's not coming or that he's already here ready to take me and the boys away?"
"You've said that many times, but still he has not arrived. You will grow old waiting for him!"
"I would wait until eternity for him, Simon. That is how much I love him and that is how much faith I have in him."
"You lie!" Still he held his wand pointed at her. Harry controlled his anger. He wanted so much to just be rid of Simon, but he knew that the emotions Simon felt almost mirrored his. He felt sorry for him in a way. He did love Hermione after all, but not as much as Harry. And not as much to resist the evil that controls him.
"Leave her alone, Simon," said a voice from the doorway. You can have your way with her later after I destroy Harry Potter. You may do whatever you like with her, but for now she is my bargaining chip so to speak. I have it under good authority that Harry has returned. We must ready ourselves. He will not go down easily. The men will arrive shortly and then we will send him our ransom demand."
Hermione remained standing in stunned silence. She couldn't believe her eyes. That was the first time her captor showed her face. Hermione had always thought her voice sounded familiar, but she could not remember where she'd heard it before. Now she knew. She couldn't believe it.
Harry worked hard to keep himself hidden. He couldn't believe what he was seeing with his own eyes. But he could feel the hate radiating from her. Hard as he tried, he couldn't imagine why the woman could hate him so much that she would go to so much trouble to lure him and destroy him. He didn't remember ever harming her in anyway. He hardly noticed her. He had to think hard to recall who she was. The memory went back to Dumbledore's Army. Merlin that was so long ago. He wondered whether or not the grudge she had against him stemmed that far in the past.
Ron didn't remember her at all. How could he? He hardly interacted with her back at school. He had his own problems back then and so did everyone else. One being Voldemort. He almost let out a loud sigh, but caught his mouth in his hand just in time. He did notice something familiar about the woman, but couldn't place a finger on it. He was certain he'd seen her before, but not as easily as the Hermione seemed to have recognized her. He was able to see Hermione's shocked look from the corner he was hiding out.
"Marietta?" asked Hermione. There was a slight difference in her appearance, but overall it was Marietta, Cho Chang's best friend or ex-best friend. She doesn't remember if Cho had finally washed her hand off of the tattler. Last anyone's seen her was when the work SNEAK was written all over her face, so to speak. She wondered now if that episode made her what she was now. She remembered she was a sniveling little witch with no back bone. She joined the DA and then went and told everyone about them. She doesn't remember what happened to her after that, but as far as she can tell the words had disappeared from her face.
"Surprised, Granger? You of all people shouldn't be surprised at all. You and Harry were the ones that made a fool out of me, remember?"
"All I remember is that we all took an oath and signed a parchment, a hexed parchment mind you that bound us all to secrecy. And what did you do? You blabbed us out to the world."
"You ruined me that day. That bloody oath was nothing. It meant nothing to me. I was only going along because of Cho. It was all her idea. She didn't care that I didn't really want to join the little group. She just wanted to get close to that git, Harry."
"Don't talk about Harry that way. He's the reason why you still have a world to live in."
"Oh yeah, the boy who lived. The boy who defeated Voldemort. Spare me. He's no one special. He just got lucky that Voldemort was already old and weak. I am sure I could have defeated him myself had I been given the chance. Nevertheless, as soon as Harry arrives to rescue his pathetic excuse of a wife, my army and I will be ready for him."
"If you're so powerful as you say, why do you need an army to defeat Harry. Why don't you duel with him yourself?" Hermione smirked at the sudden flash of fear that reached Marietta's eyes.
"I don't need an army to defeat good ol' Harry. My army is to keep Dumbledore and whoever else he'd recruited to help him away from our fight." Multiple popping started from the living room. The army started to arrive.
Harry heard at least twenty five pops so far. To his estimation, that wouldn't be enough to keep Ron and Hermione busy at all. Then more pops sounded from the other side of the house. There were at leas fifty. Harry smiled. He was sure that the anger that Hermione's been keeping locked up would soon find an outlet. More popping sounds. She wasn't kidding when she said an army. He wondered if they knew who they were fighting and what they were fighting for. It seemed to him that there would be a cause much larger than mere vengeance.
"So, all this theatrics is just to get back at Harry and me? Seems childish if you ask me."
Marietta made a move to get to Hermione. "Why you little…" Simon stepped in front of her. His eyes no longer distant at the moment, but filled with rage. Marietta backed down quickly.
"You are not to harm Hermione, remember?"
"Fine!" she spat through gritted teeth. She couldn't wait to rid of them all. "My plans do not concern you Granger. You and Harry are merely stepping stones to a greater cause." She heard the popping sounds and knew that all of her people have arrived. About 500 in all. She hoped to recruit more after she boasts of the defeat of the great Harry Potter, it wouldn't be long until she would find more followers and gain the ultimate power.
As soon as Harry was sure no one else would arrive, he sent his grandfather the signal.
"What is the greater cause?" asked Harry still invisible.
"Ah, Harry. Still hiding under your invisibility cloak I see. I know all about you Harry. I know that you've been sneaking around under your invisibility cloak all the time we were at Hogwarts."
"If you knew me, Marietta, you wouldn't be doing this at all." She flinched a little at the commanding voice until she saw the commanding figure of Harry Potter. She wanted to swallow hard, but couldn't seem to gather enough spit from her dry mouth. She hadn't realized how much he'd grown and how very intimidating he'd become.
His green eyes glowed like green fire. She saw the strength in his stance and the power that it promised. But she grinned and became her cocky self. All she had to do was take away his wand.
Harry sensed everything she felt, from the slight fear to the triumphant thought she had about his wand. He almost smiled to himself if she thought he even carried a wand anymore. He'd learned that the wand really diminished his powers more that enhance them. Others may need them, but apparently his genes defied all those rules. Thank Merlin.
"Hermione, Ron take Simon and join the others outside. I think Marietta and I have plenty to talk about."
Marietta watched as Ron removed the cloak. She didn't remember Harry taking anything off that way. He just appeared out of thin air. He couldn't possibly have the power of invisibility, could he? Nah. He was just better at removing the cloak that his stupid side kick.
"Oh, I see the trio still fight together, hmm. Or maybe it's the side kicks that fight your battle for you, eh Harry?"
"I don't need anyone to fight my battles Marietta. I just want them to make sure we are given the privacy we need."
"Fine with me! EXPELLIARMUS!" To her surprise Harry remained where he stood and his wand no where in sight.
"Tsk, Marietta. If you knew me so well as you claimed. Then you would know that I no longer carried my wand. They're such a nuisance, those wands." Her eye grew big. Harry knew that he could have taken her wand then, but he wanted to see what else she boasted off.
Marietta tried again. "ADSTINGO!" she yelled. Harry merely put his hand in front of him and shielded himself from the hex. Marietta lost a little of her composure, but she still had more tricks up her sleeve. She pointed her wand towards the cribs. "AVADA KEDAVRA!" she screamed. To her surprise, Harry didn't move a muscle. An even bigger surprise for Marietta was the fact that nothing happened to the sleeping babies in the cribs.
"DO you think I'd agree to fight you with my children still in this room? You must be mad!"
"But they were there. I saw them sleeping there."
"They are in a safe place. I wouldn't let them stay here one more minute. Not that they couldn't defend themselves, but I don't want them to see any more violence than they have to. They'll have their time I'm sure, but I'd rather they see it later when they're much older. See Marietta, whoever your sources are were not forthcoming nor were they accurate in their description of me. I felt that when I first appeared. I don't need the cloak Marietta. You thought right the first time. I can become invisibility at will." He made his body disappear from the neck down and then reappear again.
Marietta was slowly seeing the picture. His uncle was wrong about Harry. She didn't see any weakness. He was more powerful that he lets on. He was showing her just how powerful he could be without the use of a wand. He was able to feel her emotions and read her thoughts. He could defeat her with his eyes closed. He could easily take the wand away from her, but he's merely giving her a more in depth look at what he could do.
"You see Marietta, your uncle Rodolphus Lestrange didn't know much about me except for what your aunt Bellatrix told him. Coming from her, the information was very much warped. She hated me and only wanted to see me dead. She tried of course many times, even had her son try to copy Sirius and make me believe Sirius was still alive. Well, Sirius is alive and well and is probably inside the house now battling your army as we speak." When Harry became silent, Marietta could hear the shrieking them the other side of the walls.
"Would you like to see how your army is defeated?"
Outside the room, Hermione barely dodged a curse, but she knew that the galator she still wore around her neck protected her from all types of hexes and curses except for the unforgivable curses. She battled back as she and Ron stood back to back while they stood surrounded by about fifty of Marietta's army.
Tonks and Draco took the same stand and continued to ward off the attacks. They noticed how well trained these wizards were. They looked as thought they had auror training most of them. They wondered how it was that brought them to fight under one figure and to kill Harry of all people. The person who rid them of Voldemort.
The others dispersed all around the house. The odds were at least fifty to one, but those were odds they all liked. Even Neville who never really like fighting was holding his own. Then all of the sudden they heard Harry's voice reverberate out of the walls.
Marietta thought to kill Harry with the Avada Kedavra, but Harry quickly whisked her wand away before she could complete her thought. "I told you, you were able to fool me once with the fake babies, but that was because I was not in my element. I have fully restored my being since then and will not be fooled by you or anyone again. You see, I know what your plans are. You plan to rid of me first and then Hermione, Simon, Ron. Then you plan on taking on Dumbledore and all those you believe are a threat to your ultimate goal. You want to be able to take over the wizarding world the way Voldemort would have wanted, but didn't succeed. You, however, are taking a more subtle approach in leading a type of rebellion. You mislead people in believing that the Ministry is against growth and change for all wizards and other beings. You were trying to convince them that if they followed you, you promised them things that you know you can't deliver. You lie to your so called army to gain their cooperation, but what would happen if they found out that you're only goal is to get what you want and to hades what they want. You give them empty promises in return for their loyalty."
"I only tell them what they want to hear. That's what wizards need nowadays. They need to feel that they are fighting for some kind of cause, any cause to make them feel. Just feel. Since Voldemort's demised, some of these wizards and witches who have trained in order to fight the evil that walked the wizarding world had no purpose. I gave them one."
"But it is an empty purpose and a selfish one. You planned all along to use these people who probably have no evil in them for the purpose of gaining power for yourself. The ministry is not against them, and if there eyes were opened to your purpose, I am positive they wouldn't be fighting your battles. There are plenty of evil in the world for them to fight against. There is still bigotry among all magical creatures and there are still plenty of Voldemort's followers left who had gone into hiding. If they knew that much instead of the convoluted information you've been feeding them, they would think twice before they lift their wands up to defend your empty cause."
Everything was quiet. The fighting outside the walls stopped. Then the sudden roar of curses and promises for Marietta's demise became clear.
"Liar!" Her army screamed. As they pounded on the door to the room, Marietta ran behind Harry to hide.
"Harry! You have to help me, please. How did they find out?"
"Marietta, you brought this all on yourself. I merely let them listen to what you were saying."
"How?" Marietta finally got the picture. Harry Potter was every bit as powerful as everyone said. Her uncle was a fool to underestimate Harry when he was merely a boy. She was stupid in believing him. Her mind became mud at that point. Her brain couldn't take any more and she sat babbling like an idiot on the floor.
When the door opened, the army, what was left standing of Marietta's stood taken aback at the mindless form before them. She kept babbling things like. "He doesn't need a wand. He could turn invisible at will. He could read minds and feel things."
Dumbledore went to the front of the crowd and couldn't believe his eyes. One of his former students sat broken on the floor.
"All right everyone. If you would please find a place to sit in the parlor, I would like to talk to you. As would Harry. I will send someone from St. Mungo's for Simon and Marietta."
"Isn't the Adstringo spell broken grandfather?"
"Sorry Harry, I think maybe the length of time that he'd been under the spell may have damaged his mind as well. Since his mind was still linked with Marietta via the curse, I think maybe he'd inherited some of her madness."
"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure Hermione would be sad to lose a friend." Dumbledore was surprised once more. To think his grandson who'd been raised by uncaring people could be full of empathy was beyond him.
"I'm sure you're right Harry, but I think she'd be happier to have you hold her instead."
Hermione appeared at the doorway. Their eyes met and just like magnets to metal, they practically flew into each other's arms. They kissed more passionately than before, and this time they didn't care who was in the room.
A/N: Thank you all for your reviews. Just to answer a question that I didn't get to before. I do watch Charmed and some of Harry's powers are derived from that show.
Today's Quote:
Man can live for about forty days without food, and about three days without water, about eight minutes without air ... but only for one second without hope.
-Hal Lindsey
-->