The hall was surprisingly clear of personnel; no visible guards were in the outer halls of Malfoy Manor. Snape walked through the main entrance with a brunette at his side. She wearing a skintight satin halter-top covered by a thin lace shawl, and a shear white skirt that revealed the outline of more then just her legs. The skirt was opaque enough to draw attention from her face, as most men would be more interested in attributes other then her face, which, had they noticed, was equally appealing.
The walls of the mansion's upper floors were decorated in the original velvet coverings Draco had stripped, long before he had proposed to Ginny. This was still his father's home and dripped of his father's taste. Snape led the woman up a winding staircase, opulent and ornate. She allowed the skirt to swoosh lightly behind her, with a distinctive flip of her hips as she walked. She was enticing, Snape could feel his own arousal as he walked beside her, but she was for Lord Malfoy's pleasure.
"The gathering will begin in one half hour, if you are to delay that, event, you know what to do. I shall not be able to assist. Do you understand?" he whispered as they climbed the stairs.
"Don't worry, I have this under control. Just introduce me and leave us alone," she whispered back.
They arrived at the top of the landing, and continued down the hall, the master suite was decorated with the same opulent style as the hallways, a style reminiscent of a brothel, the woman thought.
"Yes, it is," Snape said as he gave the woman a glare to remind her of her place.
She felt a hand press her back, near her shoulder, as an additional warning.
He opened the French doors, and with a seductive flair she sashayed inside, very much the seductress. The woman had far more experience in this role to allow this one to escape.
"Snape, I see you have a friend, are you going to introduce us?" they heard from inside the chambers.
"Lord Malfoy, it has been brought to my attention that this woman has special talents that may appeal to your tastes. I suspect you will have sufficient time before we have to assemble?"
"Bring the bitch in, and let me have a look," he barked from the bed chamber.
They entered the outer room of the master suite, to find another set of doors open, and Lucius Malfoy lying on the bed in a thin silk robe, obviously fresh from a shower. Fresh trousers, shirt and robes were laid across the dressing chairs to the side, near an ornate dressing table more fitting for a woman; it was obvious he had been interrupted before having dressed.
Snape gave the woman a push, "don't be bashful, tend to your new master." He bowed ever so slightly and addressed Lord Malfoy, "I must see to the donor of the... ingredients, to make sure your minions haven't damage the packaging."
"Good, now leave us." The doors to the outer chamber closed leaving her at the door way to his bedroom. "Don't stand there, bitch, close the doors and show me why I should be interested."
"Of course. Shall we start with introductions?"
"Silence, slut, you'll speak if I allow it, now show me why I would be interested in such an old bitch like you?"
She smiled at the candor, suppressing her thoughts. She closed the doors, and flipped the latch as quietly as possible, he never saw the ward cast to seal the door from intrusion. She walked to his bed, and could tell she aroused him. She pulled a thin string from her waist and allowed the skirt to flutter to the floor. The thin lace undergarment that was revealed was still enough to allow the male mind to wonder what lay beneath, his excitement and his erection now evident as his silk bathrobe slipped open.
A muffled sound caught her ear from behind, but he never heard it.
"Come service me, bitch."
"Most certainly, I can promise an experience you've never imagined possible, just lay back and tell me your secret desires," she whispered in a seductive tone.
He obliged and lay on the bed, allowing the robe to fall completely open. His erection stood waiting. She closed her eyes and put her hands together as if saying a silent prayer, she smiled and nodded. From the opposite side of the bed, Lucius felt a hand on his chest, and a tightness squeeze into his chest. The sudden and abrupt surge passed through his form, left him unable to move.
A breeze whiffed past him, he could just move his eyes to see a man emerge from an invisibility cloak. The woman on the other side was now in a black cloak, her appearance suddenly different, the glint in her eyes flashed daggers through his soul.
"Darling," she began, "is the room ready?"
"Yes, no sound can escape. Now," the man started. "Now that you've had an eyeful of my wife, I have some questions."
His eyes glared at him, 'the insolence of someone invading my home' he thought. Lord Malfoy sat there unable to speak.
"Darling, you really shouldn't have snickered at him like that," she said, stifling a laugh of her own, "Some men are fortunate while others obviously have reason to overcompensate."
"Yes, Love, I always imagined him... taller. Now, Malfoy, yes I'm insolent enough to walk through the front doors of this 'home' as you put it. Where is the woman you took?"
He continued to glare, his eyes fixed at the green eyes that stared back. 'How dare he threaten me.'
"Threaten you? You're the one responsible for taking my wife's mother for your 'science project'. You and that madman are responsible for murdering thousands of people. Now, where is she?" He waved a hand over the magically bound man on the bed, his voice now restored.
"You are a dead man, when my Lord finds you, he's…"
"Going to meet his fate too, now," he repeated with teeth gritted and venom in his eyes. He leaned closer and made a grabbing motion with his hand, squeezing Malfoy's throat. "Where is she?" he growled.
"That bitch you seem so interesting about is in my dungeon. With luck, by now you won't want her back." he choked out.
The invader closed his eyes momentarily as if in a trance, releaseing his grip. "Mmmm… no, she's free now. They have her safe, my love." He said to the woman, ignoring the man struggling to free himself on the bed.
"Release me and I promise a quick, painless death," he ordered.
"I'm afraid you have nothing to bargain with. Now, where is Tom?"
"Who?" he asked startled.
"Riddle, the madman you call Voldemort or the dark lord," he replied.
"Insolent worm, you shall pay once he learns of you."
The invader smiled and held he hand out to the woman, "I think not, he's the one that will pay for his crimes to all of humanity. As for you and your role, shall I let my wife deal with you now or will you answer my questions? Either way you're life is forfeit"
"Forget it Harry, let me kill the bastard he doesn't deserve to breath." She stepped to the bed with glowing hands. He felt a strange sensation as she approached.
"Now, Hermione, we agreed not to kill him, yet."
"Who are you to walk into my home and attempt to scare me?"
The man smiled and leaned into Lord Malfoy's face, a glint of satisfaction in his green eyes sent a chill through into the magically bound man's spine. "My name won't mean anything to you, neither will my lovely wife's name. You see, we're both half-bloods and technically we don't exist. You have personally caused pain and suffering in this world to people like us, in the name of blood purity. Well I have a secret; Tom is a half-blood just like we are." He gave a knowing glance to the woman he's referred to as his wife and continued, now whispering into Lord Malfoy's ear. "You raped and murdered my mother. And you have tried to murder my wife's mother, if it was left to me, I would take you to death's door and bring you back, over and over until you begged me to kill you."
He straightened up and the look that passed his face could not be mistaken for anything other then a deep satisfaction. "And you see, there's this little matter of what you did to our child. For that I will have a discussion with Draco."
"Leave him out of this," he shouted.
"Oh? And leave him to take your place?" she asked.
"He may be worthless to the Dark Lord, but he's my only son." he admitted.
'Draco was not lost to the cause, he must have rebelled here too,' Harry thought, "Good, he's not part of your organization, that's refreshing. Now, Malfoy, would you like to know what she is going to do to you? First she will place one of her lovely hands on your forehead and the other on your chest. You may feel a little discomfort, well, actually the pain will be intense and quite exquisite. That alone would be enough to kill you. You will feel as if every cell in you body is going to explode as she draws your soul from your body."
His eyes widened. And a gurgle escaped from his chest.
"Excellent, you do understand, now where is Riddle?"
"Lord Voldemort will avenge me, but if you are foolish enough to seek him, then he'll be waiting for you in the main library, but you'll need me to show you the way." Malfoy rationalized that since they needed Snape to get this far, if he could devise a way to force them to take him along he could escape.
"That won't be necessary, we are quite familiar with this building. We've spent many months here in the past as guests," the woman replied, sensing his imagined plan.
"Now, love, I think it's in poor taste to crush his one hope of escape."
She let a grin creep over her face as she continued. "I have a very special gift. I have used it only once before, and there are some documented cases of others with this power. Historically, most on the receiving side of this spell do not survive, but I think I can leave enough of your life's essence in your body, and simply draw out your soul. Much like a dementor's kiss, except I have learned through my studies that if I leave your soul intact, unlike what a dementor would do, what's left is mine to control."
"It would be amusing to watch and see what happens. But I will tell you this much, we plan to hand this vial with your soul in it to the new government that will emerge from this mess. They can decide what to do from there," the man added.
"As far as I know," she continued, "That may be irrelevant as this is irreversible, but I guess a skilled healer may be able to put part back in, enough for the executioner to have his fun.."
Sweating profusely now, he felt he had moments of life left. "No, wait, I can help."
"And you will. Now, my love they will find Alycia missing soon."
She nodded and sat on the edge of the bed, a fresh stench wafted from the bed. She shook her head and looked at her husband. He waved one hand over the soiled linens, and another at the fresh clothes on the dressing table. The clothes hovered over the bed while she closed her eyes to concentrate.
Her mind thought back to when she pulled Harry's soul from his body, that was self-preservation and he was a willing source. 'Remember your training,' she told herself, 'concentrate' she clapped her hands once, and rubbed them together. A golden glow surrounded her hands as she found herself lost in the flow of energy. She felt all the sources in the room, a strong and familiar source sat by her, and a weaker one lay on the bed. She could see other weak sources in the plants along the wall, and a guard a few doors away. Other sources began to filter into her thoughts; she could almost see the army of 'goons' spread through the building. Another strong source, a black source of energy licked at her mind from the far reaches of the mansion.
She willed these sources blocked from her view, 'I can detect them,' she thought and then focused on the life force on the bed. She placed one hand on his forehead and the other over his heart.
He screamed, but the room was silenced.
His eyes began to shed tears of blood.
She held the flow from his body. She writhed from the power, as it flowed through her, she could feel his blood boil in his veins. She could feel him being ripped apart.
Harry watched as she drew the soul from this worthless lump of flesh. As he once witnessed with his godfather, a glowing point of energy emerged from the body on the bed. She licked her lips as if ready to feed. Blood now trickled from his ears and the corner of his mouth. Lord Malfoy was dying.
"Hermione, leave his body alive, not too much," he cautioned her.
The point of energy hovered over his face, as the witch released her hold on his flesh. She opened a small vial and motioned the point of energy forward. It slipped into the vial and she closed it.
"Darling here is his soul. His flesh belongs to me." The look and aura that engulfed her could only be that of intense satisfaction. She stood from the bed and motioned for her husband to stand with her.
"Now, he is a mindless, soulless shell. Stand and cover that pathetic body," she commanded. The body obeyed.
"You seemed to enjoy that a little too much, are you certain there are you lasting side-effects?"
"Yes, Harry, I felt exhilarated at the sensation, but I kept his soul isolated as we discussed. I don't want any of that in me." She sealed the vial with a spell containing it and slipped it into a safe place, a hiding place only a woman would posses.
Harry cocked his head as she slipped the vial into her brassier, which she only rolled her eyes at him. "We can't let it break, and where else could we hide it?"
He grinned and held his hand to her, "Just let me 'fish' it out later," he said with a wink.
The body of Lucius Malfoy stood, now dressed and waited. Harry waved both hands over them and appropriate robes now adorned their forms. They were ready for the Ceremony. They fell behind the shell as if they were subordinate.
"Remember Harry, when we get a chance we have to leave. We'll get Riddle later. We'll keep this… thing, with us," she whispered to him.
"Right. I expect he's going to be a bit upset when he discovers what happened," he whispered back
"Shhh. Someone's coming."
Two guards hurried around the corner with grave looks about them, they bowed with respect and addressed the shell of Lord Malfoy.
"My Lord," the first addressed the shell, "The prisoner has been taken by force, the two guards have been killed."
"Shall we seal the grounds?" the second asked.
Flustered, Hermione glanced to Harry, and he nodded slightly and stepped forward. "Are you both fools to disturb the Lord with such matters? Of course seal the grounds. And search the dungeons; they couldn't have gotten too far."
She stepped next to Malfoy and whispered to him, and listened to his command.
"Wait, my Lord said to search the east wing first, they may have broken into the library to harm the Dark Lord, seal the library and search there."
"Why hasn't he given the order?" the first guard asked, never before had two of his private guard spoken for him.
"He had a wench that gave him an infection, it has injured his throat," she replied mater of fact.
"Do as you've been ordered," Harry barked, while Hermione motioned with her hand, moving the shell's arm at the same time.
"Yes, my Lord. We'll do as you command." The two left to complete the orders.
"East wing?" Harry asked.
"It sends them off in a different direction, and Riddle was in the library, he'll be pissed that he'll be locked in there."
"Clever, let's go before we see another."
"Harry, have you forgotten we can't apparate out?"
"No, we can't, but he can." He said as he pointed to Malfoy.
Harry grabbed a shoulder, and Hermione grabbed the other arm while Harry performed the spell, the three vanished back to Godric's Hollow.
"What the bloody hell did you bring him back here for, Spirit? He's going to…"
"Do nothing, Sirius, he's my little pet now." She was beaming at her new acquisition, while Harry looked somewhat displeased at her current behavior. Hermione motioned for the body of Lucius Malfoy to sit against the wall of the shattered shack and then she walked away from the collection of wizards and muggle.
"Is that why you two left us? Eileen asked Harry.
Harry had been putting his invisibility cloak back into the rucksack, and did not want to have this argument with her; he has to clear things with Hermione. She seemed to enjoy taking his soul far too much. He left the others tending to Alycia's injuries to talk to Hermione. She was uncharacteristically uninterested in her mother's safety when she left.
He found her sitting on a pile of rocks, pulled from the fields when it was used for raising crops; she had her back turned away. When he came to her side, he could see she was holding the vial in her fingers, lightly stroking it.
"I could just let it slip and break. That's all it would take. Then I will feel satisfied, for what he did to me, to us." She never looked up to him, but sat there stroking the vial as if it were a pet.
"No, Hermione that would put you at his level. You're not like him."
"He made me this way, he did this to us," she whispered to herself. "I can never forgive him even if I smashed this a thousand times," she snapped at Harry, her hand cocked back to throw the vial into a rock pile.
"If you throw it into those rocks and it breaks you will be like him. I watched you in there. You enjoyed that, didn't you?" He held his distance.
"So if I did, don't I deserve some gratification at what he did?"
"That's just it; this Malfoy didn't do that to you. Yes, he's done very evil things and he will be punished for it."
He stopped and knelt before her, and reached his hand out. She held the vial back, unwilling to release it. He looked at her, and knew her pain inside. He too, knew that pain.
"Let me have the vial, it's the right thing to do."
"He doesn't deserve to exist," she whispered. Her hand wavered.
"No, he doesn't. But I'm not a judge, and you are a healer, not a killer. You did what we had to do."
"He doesn't deserve to exist," she repeated.
He took her free hand as her loaded one began to lower from the weight of Malfoy's soul. "I know what this animal did to Lily Evans in this world, and I'm still willing to give him up."
Her lip began to tremble, "how did you find out?" her voice quivered.
"It doesn't matter, it's what I do," he let a slight grin escape. "Give me the vial and stop torturing yourself."
Her hand dropped into her lap. The vial sat in her palm, across the scar burned into her hand so many years ago. He picked it up, and picked up her hand in his. He raised it to his lips and kissed her palm.
"That is what you should hold in these hands, love, not hate." She looked at him; she had fresh streaks one her face from his words of compassion. And she couldn't contain herself. She threw her arms around his neck.
"I'm so sorry, thank you for stopping me. I can't, won't become like him."
"It's over, I will keep this safe, we need to get ready for the ministry, Riddle will be there soon and I don't think the Snape of this world would last too long against his anger. Go to Alycia, she needs your special touch."
"I love you Harry Potter," she whispered in his ear before letting him go.
He stood and walked back to the group rendering aid to Alycia. Hermione sat for another moment and collected herself before going to her new patient. She went to the clearing in front of the shack, the pads the men had used as beds were pulled together for a comfortable place to let her rest. Hermione knelt next to her mum and stoked her hair.
"Mum? I'm right here. You'll be fine in a moment." She looked as her hands and noticed a slight tremor. She repeated what happened only moments before, she rubbed her hands together and they began to glow. One hand to her forehead and the other over her heart. She looked deep into the form before her, and could see into her pain.
"She was given a potion, that's all," she said. "We have to wait for it to wear off. She'll be fine soon." She kept her hands on her mother's head and heart, letting the magics return. After the glow stopped, Harry noticed Hermione still kept her hands in place. This time she was stroking her hair and with her other hand, could feel her heart beat.
James had been standing beside Hermione the entire time, waiting for the Healer for finish her work, and then waited for the daughter to give her love. "Hermione, I'll stay with her. Please go with the others and deal with Voldemort."
"James, no, it's my duty to stay here."
"No, Hermione, your duty is to be with your husband, this is my task. I have a question to ask her when she wakes up, or do I need your permission first?"
"Permission? Why?" she asked.
"I intend to ask her to be my wife."
Startled at that request, Harry nearly dropped the same vial he talked from Hermione's hand, and she would have fallen backwards, except she was still kneeling. He turned and stood next to Hermione, who was still dazed from the announcement.
"Yes, you heard me," he now said to the other Marauders. "It's time for some fresh blood in this musty group anyway."
"But father, that would mean I would be married to my sister!" Harry joked.
She drove her elbow into his shin.
"Owww. That bloody hurt," he said as he pretended to hop in pain.
"I think they both deserve to have some happiness," she replied. "I think it's a smashing plan."
"First, Stag here has a task to finish." Remus reminded them, "The night won't stop for us to sit back and pat each other on the backs, and by now the rescue had been discovered."
"Moony's right, we have to end this tonight," Harry said.
"So, how do we get inside the Ministery? Just walk inside?" James asked.
"We are going to the Ministry, YOU are staying here with Alycia, Prongs, someone has to stay behind and protect her," Sirius commanded.
"Before you object, father, I agree, you need to stay here. I'm the only one that can face him and live. In my world, you didn't fare so well."
His shoulders slumped and he nodded. He knew someone had to remain behind until she woke.
"Then it's settled, we'll use him" Harry pointer to Malfoy's body, "to gain access to the Ministry, Hermione and I will use the same ploy we used to escape the Mansion. Hermione, are you up for this? I think you understand."
"Yes," she said rolling her eyes. "You don't have to treat me like a child."
"Chrissy, Steve and Remus, you wait until we're inside, I'll get word to you. Sirius, you're with us." He fumbled inside his pack. "Take this invisibility cloak and follow us, a little surprise can go a long way. Also, a little confusion never hurt. I apparated into London just before we went to rescue Alycia and tripped as many wards as I could. Before you three follow us to the Ministry, take fifteen minutes and pop in and out of as many places as possible, trip as many wards as you can, make them think it's an all out invasion.
"Good luck, Harry and Hermione, you will be missed," James said as they turned to leave.
"Take good care of her mum, Prongs, or we'll have to come back here and deal with you."
"Right, you'll drag me to the wood-shed," James joked.
"Harry," Jame began, "There's a lot that needs to be done here, and I know we don't have the right to ask this, but stay and live here. You've earned the right."
Touched they both placed a hand on his shoulder; she leaned in and left a kiss, while Harry just patted him on the shoulder. "No, we have to do this before we can find our own reality and home."
They turned with the others to leave as Alycia started to wake. " Hermione, wait, " James called. She returned to say goodbye to her mum one last time, a tear built in the corner of her eye.
James and Alycia also stepped to the couple about to leave, " Son, thank you. You both are truly the most important people to have existed, here or in any other world. We promise to continue your fight, until we have completely triumphed or are gone ourselves. "
"Dear," Alycia reached to Hermione, "Thank you, if this bloke is half the man his son is, I'll be the luckiest woman alive. You both take care."
"Goodbye, Mum, James," Hermione replied
The two small groups now attempted what full scale forces could not, although, no one bothered to tell them every prior attempt failed with no survivors. The first group began apparating in various parts of London . Hitting random streets and event letting themselves be seen. The second group waited a few moments until wards started tripping to signal the others were had begun the diversion. They popped into London a few hundred meters from the entrance.
"Sirius," Harry began while in the sanctuary of the alley, "We'll have to go in two at a time, you go with this 'thing'," he said pointing to the zombie, "and we'll follow after you are in."
"No, the Ministry stopped using the phone booth for the main entrance years ago. Ever since Voldemort came to power, he dropped all pretense of secrecy; we can just pass through the main doors."
"And since we're escorting this 'thing'," Hermione added, "we should be able to pass through."
The procession of the zombie Malfoy followed by two personal guards and an invisible accomplice came to the main gate of the Ministry Sirius slipped in front of them and raised Malfoy's hand to a pressure plate on the wall. "It's an identification plate stolen from muggles," he whispered hoarsely.
Hermione pulled her wand and pointed it at the zombie's hand, an ancient looking manuscript appeared. She kept her wand in her hand, but slipped up the sleeve, ready to let it slip into place without being noticed. Harry noticed the book appear and nodded slightly.
The main gate swung open allowing the initial invasion force access to a large lift. The doors automatically closed and they felt the floor descend. The doors opened again into the main Atrium of the Ministry, and when they closed again, they kept the appearance of the original wall. Without drawing attention to themselves, the group walked past the security gate. The guard stood and picked up his wand as it to stop them. Harry stared at the guard momentarily, and he sat in his chair and nodded.
"Go in Lord Malfoy, his Excellency is expecting you in his throne room." The guard said as the group passed.
Hermione glanced at Harry under the hooded robe questioning how they passed through so easily. He never noticed her glance and they preceded though the Atrium. They walked behind Malfoy's shell to the bank of lifts, and as they approached the center one automatically opened. They entered and it descended one floor to the same one they first entered nearly two months ago.
Inside the lift, Sirius had to risk being discovered. "He has taken over the courtroom as his 'throne room'. We have to be careful, if they know we have Alycia, and I'm certain they do; then they must know we have this horse's arse."
"It's a risk we have to take, that's why you're under that cloak." Harry replied as the doors opened into the ninth level.
They passed the locked and chained rooms, the Hall of Prophecies and The Death Chamber remained exactly as they remembered. The continued the procession through to the staircase that led to the courtroom, now converted into a throne room.
The hall to the throne room had the same dungeon-like feel to the walls. These walls have changed since his two official trips to the courtroom. The stone walls and floor seemed to have grown together, the seams between each rock would not allow as much as sheet of parchment. The musty and staleness of the darkened hall began to trigger a memory, fresh in his mind and much older in her mind. They both felt a simultaneous shiver of déjà vu as they passed through the hall. The fringe of light that cracked into the hall barely illuminated the entrance to the throne room.
Inside the chamber a dark hooded figure sat on a gilded with a thin layer of gold and padded with supple leather on the seat and back. The throne itself sat where the head judge of the Wizengamot had sat. The surrounding seats and benches that existed when it was a courtroom had vanished, now different rows of benches, more like polished church pews, boarded the to sides. The space directly behind had a large tapestry depicting Voldemort's conquests in all his glory. The fictitious images on the tapestry showed Voldemort standing over bodies of muggle and wizards alike, holding a flaming sword overhead.
The seated figure motioned to an armored clad soldier, who wore dark armor and held his helmet in his hands, removed out of respect or fear, it was unclear. The warrior's face was clearly visible as he bowed, turned and taking large strides, passed the newcomers. He had scars that seemed familiar; a slash from brow to chin left one eye empty, covered with a patch that was riveted to his flesh. His hair pulled into tight plaits that trailed down his back. A flowing black cape hung from his shoulders, in all respects, he appeared as an old thing knight.
Sirius had crouched low and shifted into the shadows under the invisibility cloak to avoid a collision with the soldier. The past conversation seemed to have an urgency that reflected on the face of the man on the throne.
"Lucius, please come, my old friend." Harry gave a gentle hand wave and the zombie walked forward. Ready for this to escalate quickly, Harry took a couple small steps to the side, Hermione, followed his lead and glided in the opposite direction. Sirius remained pasted low to the wall, trying hard to not move and giveaway his position. If he kept still, any variations in his invisible field would not be noticed.
"I see you have something for me? How interesting. I truly expected to see Snape with you and the potion." His tone was flat and even, no hint of discovery.
The form kept walking closer, forcing Voldemort to focus on him, while the two hooded and cloaked guards inched closer to the sides, in an apparent attempt to outflank the throne. The leathery and withered face pulled to a slight grin.
Hermione's use of a manuscript was clever enough to get Voldemort's attention. He heard there was an attack at the Manor and also heard Lord Malfoy was reported missing. But her he stood, in the flesh. Harry made a slight hand gesture having the zombie point to his throat, as if he couldn't speak.
"Ahh, so they took your voice? And?"
"Lord Voldemort, this is a trap." He heard in Parseltongue from one of the guards.