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Chapter 14: Hope
"Oh, crap!" exclaimed Harry.
Tonk's zeroed in on Harry's guilty look as he gave a feeble attempt at a laugh, "Aahh… nowhere. We're not going anywhere." He tried for innocence, and failed miserably.
"Bullocks. I heard Ron ask when you were going," Tonks retorted. "Now what's going on, Harry? Have you found out something about Hermione?"
Busted! Harry looked over to Ron, who nodded his head in a silent defeated agreement. Resigning himself, he sighed. "Yeah, sort of. Professor Flitwick was talking about the Locus Distinctus charm in class today and it gave me an idea."
"But Harry, " interrupted Tonks, "I'm sure he also said that it doesn't work for finding people. It only works on things."
"I know, and he also said the things had to be related to each other in some way, and we have just the thing," answered Harry.
Tonks looked around the room at the faces of hope around the room and prodded, "Ok, ya' got my attention. Let's hear it."
Harry reached inside his jean pocket and pulled out the galleon he used to announce the DA meetings and handed it to Tonks. "We all have one. This is how we told each other about the DA meetings last year. Hermione cast a Protean Charm on them so whenever I wanted to call a meeting, I just changed mine. Wouldn't that count as being related?"
A light dawned on Tonks face and she broke into a broad smile, "Wotcher, Harry! I think you might have something here."
But she could see it on their faces, they knew what she was about to say. In an attempt to head off the impending argument, she added, "I know - I know," holding her hands up in front of her, "good job to all of you, but I can't let you go off on your own. I'm sorry Harry, but I must take this to Dumbledore."
Harry just stared at her. "And he'll do what? Nothing, just like he has been!" he exclaimed, the heat starting to rise within him.
"That's not fair, Harry, and you know it! He's had everyone in the Or-" but remembering that most in the room were not privy to the existence of the Order, she quickly corrected, "…every one of the staff has been working themselves to the bone trying to find Hermione. Give them some credit, Harry!"
But the other students arriving there for the announced DA meeting saved Tonks from any further disputes.
"I'll let you know what comes from this, Harry. I promise." And, with those words, she scurried out the door.
Harry pondered this development for a moment. Knowing that Dumbledore would soon hear about this, he didn't see where they had much choice but to wait. Sure, they could try a different coin, but would the DA be more effective than the Order? He sighed. No, as much as it hurt to admit it, they wouldn't be.
Ron walked over and placing his arm on Harry's shoulder, "Come on, mate. Let's see if we can teach these gits something about defense. Doesn't seem to be much else we can do right now."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," he said, the feeling of helplessness all but tearing him apart. Turning to the expanding crowd of students, Harry commanded in a tired and listless voice, "Alright everyone, you should know the drill…"
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Tonks quickly gathered Professor McGonagall and together they made their way to Dumbledore's office. Once inside, she explained Harry's intriguing idea to the thoroughly impressed witch and wizard.
"Very good, very good. Quite an excellent idea, I must say," the headmaster praised with a twinkle in his blue eyes. "I've been quite concerned of late about Harry and his propensity for action. Our lack of results has seriously undermined what little faith or patience he may have had in us. Therefore, I'm quite grateful you happened upon them when you did, Nymphadora."
He laid the galleon down upon his desk and turned to Professor McGonagall, "Minerva, if you would, please contact all members of the order and have them meet at Grimwald Place in one-half hour."
As McGonagall skirted around his desk and started to leave, Dumbledore stopped her. "Oh, and Minerva? Even though I'm sure we narrowly missed having a rather large part of the Gryffindor house out searching for Miss Granger tonight," he started as he peered over the reading glasses perched at the end of his nose, "I do believe this new lead merits some recognition. Shall we say… fifty points? However, please inform Harry that keeping the points is contingent upon him. Please, reinforce with him that he must discontinue his independent… endeavors."
Professor McGonagall nodded her agreement with the Headmaster and left on her quest to notify the rest of the Hogwarts staff of their intent.
"So it appears you think this has a chance, Albus?" Tonks asked as she walked across the office to take up waiting in one of the large chintz chairs.
"Yes I do, my dear. And I'm encouraged to see that it was the students who were able to piece it together and see beyond what their text teaches them. Something, I dare say, we would all do well to take example of."
McGonagall soon returned, followed by an irate Professor Snape. Gathering the few things they needed, they stepped into the flue and in a flash of green the four made their departure for Grimwald Place. There to greet them in full battle dress were a dozen members of the Order of the Phoenix who were not currently assigned to guard duty elsewhere.
First to step forward was a concerned looking Shacklebolt and Lupin, who led them all into the kitchen and inquired as to the reason for the urgent meeting. "What have you found out Albus?" Lupin began, "I'm afraid Minerva didn't have much of an opportunity to tell us much."
Holding up the DA's Galleon, Dumbledore quickly filled them in. "Harry has come up with a clever use for the Locus Distinctus charm. It seems that our ever-resourceful Miss Granger placed a Protean Charm on a number of these coins and each original member of the DA has one." Stepping over and placing the coin down upon the kitchen table, he continued. "Since he was quite adamant that she always kept it about her person, it is therefore reasonable to assume that she had it with her the day of the abduction."
Looking around the room at the small size of his available force, "And, I intend to find out."
Since none of them knew where, or even what, they might be dropping in on, they spent the next hour forming their strategy. Dumbledore finally drew it to a close, "I am well aware that we could be walking into a trap set for Harry and that we have no information at all to support us. However, I feel that speed is of the essence."
Holding his hands out, as if in a request for support from the group, "It has been several weeks since the abduction and I feel that the Death Eaters attention may have waned. But time, I fear, is not on our side. The longer they have her without a response from Harry, the more I fear for her safety."
As Dumbledore reached deep into his royal blue and red robes, the warriors assembled in the room followed his lead and pulled out their wands. He stepped forward to the head of the table and in front of the coin. The twinkle was gone from his eyes and his immense power radiated through the room. In a loud and determined voice, he spoke the incantation, "Locus Distinctus." Taking a final, cleansing breath, and to the people within the room, he added, "READY YOURSELVES… Declaro Granger Apparatium," and In a flash of light they were gone. A heartbeat latter, the band of determined rescuers reappeared within a dark wooded forest of trees.
Shacklebolt, Tonks, and the rest of the Aurors instantly scattered to secure their position. Peering through the dim light of the quarter moon, they could see a small glen where a small hut of decaying lumber and forest logs stood. As they slowly crept closer and surrounded the collapsing structure, a dank evening mist swirled about their feet, the dampness of the grass masking the sounds of their approach.
Observing no one standing guard around the only entrance, Dumbledore began to fear this indeed was a trap. He motioned for the rest to position themselves at the windows and back of the building while having the Aurors continue their vigil within the woods.
Stepping around to the front of the building, he stood before the iron hinged door. Rising to his full height, he pointed his wand at the rotting slabs of oak and announced himself with a deep "Reducto."
The door exploded into dust while the remains of the handle and hinges arched high into the air and fell twisted upon the grass, far into the glen.
Dumbledore leapt over the threshold and into the room, a 'Stupefy' poised on his lips.
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A/N - Sorry this is a bit short. Elf convinced me to leave this as a cliffhanger, rather than another 7-8 page chapter. We're evil and mean and desperate for more reviews! If you're nice, I might get some more up by the end of this long holiday weekend.