Chapter 5: Another Moody?
July 5 - 6:05pm - Stoats head Hall
"Luna, dear, I'm so glad you noticed the knarbles in the dining room," Jeremiah Lovegood stated pleased with his daughter's cleverness at spotting the little blighters.
The two were now comfortably ensconced in Jeremiah's study on the opposite side of the home. Their house elf, Shell, had informed them only moments ago that she would insure that the dining room was again knarble-free by tomorrow morning.
"Me, too, dinner is so much more pleasant in here." Luna replied. Something simply hadn't felt right about the dining room earlier, so she had suggested that the two eat in her father's study. At that moment, an explosion shook the room.
"An attack! Luna, escape and evasion plan B. It sounds as if the blast came from the other side of the house." Jeremiah gave the order quickly sounding excited at the possibility of testing himself and the wards at Stoats Head against a potential attack. Maybe a heard of crumple-horned snorkacks had breached the wards.
Jeremiah and Luna both rose to their feet, wands drawn. They moved as one to the bookcase on the far wall, disappearing through a hidden door. Within moments they had moved through several more doors, with Luna locking each behind them. She knew this drill well, and it calmed her to know that she and her father had a contingency plan for nearly any possible event. Sometimes it paid to have an ex-Auror as a father, even if he now devoted all his time to serving as editor for 'The Quibbler.'
A second and then third explosion rang out, but within the strange rooms, the sound and rumbling was greatly diminished. The walls of these secret passageways were reinforced steel with magical protections placed upon them as well.
After several minutes they had reached what seemed to be a control room. Monitors lined a wall, similar to the kinds used in the muggle world, but these were magically enhanced.
"Death Eaters!" Three death eaters stood outside what Jeremiah and Luna recognized as their demolished dining room and kitchen. Fortunately, the rest of the house appeared to be secure, though both knew that the explosions could very well have caused minor interior and exterior damage that just wasn't immediately visible on their screens.
Luna moved towards the monitors, and after a curt nod from her father pushed a series of buttons on the wall below the monitors. All three of the death eaters collapsed as the shock of magic knocked them flat. Finally, Luna spoke.
"What now, father?"
"We wait, and watch. They'll not get to us here." Luna twirled her wand between her fingers for a moment
before saying, "Should we send word to Dumbledore?"
"Excellent idea, my dear, the Order may need our assistance." Jeremiah moved to another wall in the room and
began to write a message to Dumbledore.
"It looks like the Order already knows," Luna observed as two men with red hair similar to her beloved Ron's appeared on the monitor screens. Luna had seen the Weasley family on many occasions in the nearby town of Ottery St. Catchpole and at Hogwarts and Platform 9 ¾'s over the years. She also knew from the Department of Mysteries experience that the Weasleys were members of the Order. She smiled at the looks of surprise on the faces of the two red-haired men at the site of the downed Death Eaters.
"And the dark detectors have not gone off again. It seems they are indeed, friends," Jeremiah replied checking several of the many screens and objects before him. "Grab your knapsack and we shall join them." Luna nodded and moved to collect the bag she kept packed and stored within this secret chamber. Her father insisted that they always be prepared and their private bunker held a store that would allow up to a dozen people to comfortably stay there for a good three months.
Arthur and Charlie Weasley had apparated to just outside the wards of Stoats Head Hall. The two immediately noticed the demolished section of the Lovegood home. Wands at the ready, they moved closer to that area of the home, only to find three unconscious death eaters lying on the ground.
"I guess they didn't need our help," Arthur commented dryly as he and Charlie scanned the area. Finding no signs of other Death Eaters, they moved towards the ruins of the Lovegood home.
Before they had made it more than a few feet, both Jeremiah and Luna appeared seemingly from out of nowhere just to their left. Both were carrying small knapsacks, wands out but not pointed at them.
"Arthur, good to see you," Jeremiah called before nodding at Charlie as well.
"Hello, Jeremiah, I see you didn't need our help." Arthur replied.
"Luna and I are prepared for this kind of event. One must remain ever vigilant," Jeremiah answered smiling at the elder Weasley. He had known Arthur Weasley for many years.
"How did you know we were safe?" Charlie questioned curious at how trusting the two seemed.
"You didn't set off our detectors. We've a complicated but secure system set up here. If you weren't friends, you'd be laid out beside those death eaters over there," Jeremiah answered. Luna stood silently by his side, but her pale blue eyes took in everything. She had learned both from her father and through her own experience that it paid to be vigilant, that's how one survived. "Even now, if needed, I am confident that we could take both of you before you realized what we were about," Jeremiah added smiling again. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy the idea that his home had been attacked.
"We'll take these three to the Ministry, and then, if you like you can return with us to Headquarters." Arthur Weasley offered shaking his head at Jeremiah's obvious excitement. He had always been a bit strange, and somehow it did not surprise Arthur that the other man was enjoying himself. "It has been an eventful day."
"Keeps us on our toes. We are ready to go. Shell has been given orders to begin rebuilding that part of the Hall which has suffered damage. I'd like to find out more about why we were attacked," Jeremiah explained.
"Incarcerus," Charlie incanted and ropes bound each of the death eaters in turn. Arthur helped drag them
closer together as everyone gathered around the still unconscious forms. Arthur pulled a port key from his inside coat
pocket. It glowed blue for a moment and everybody reached out to touch the quill. Moments later they disappeared.
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July 5 - 5:54pm - Number 4 Privet Drive
Harry collapsed exhausted onto his small bed his hair still damp from a recent shower. He'd been working non-stop since early this morning. He'd missed lunch entirely. His stomach was grumbling, but he really wasn't sure he wanted to deal with the Dursleys.
They'd mostly left him alone, except for all of the chores. He supposed those were really to keep him away from them. He sighed and lay back on the bed, closing his eyes. He focused on his breathing and clearing his mind.
Suddenly, a loud boom sounded and the whole house shook. Harry bolted upright, wand at the ready. Plaster rained down around him.
He moved towards the door as another explosion occurred and the house shook again. He sped out of his room calling for his relatives along the way and choking on the plaster and dust that swirled around him. He stumbled down what was left of the stairs. Most of the damage seemed to have been in the kitchen and dining room. Just then the front door flew open and Dedalus Diggle appeared.
"Hurry, we've got to get you out of here," he moved forward, but before he'd reached Harry a shot of green light struck him in the back and he collapsed. Harry dove into the living room. Ducking behind his Uncle Vernon's chair, he waited. He pushed aside thoughts of what had just happened, keeping his wand at the ready, and clenching his other hand into a fist so tightly his short nails cut into his hand. He welcomed the sting the new cuts brought as it helped distract him.
"He's down, but I don't see the boy. Split up. Search the house." The voice seemed muffled and Harry didn't recognize it, but he knew it had to be Death Eaters.
One entered the archway separating the front hall from the living room. He quietly shot a stunner at the death eater who went down easily. Harry moved from the chair to the nearby sofa, hoping to keep his exact location a surprise. He really hoped the wards had alerted others that an attack was underway.
Moments later he heard footsteps, but no one entered the living room. "He must be in there," a low voice said from the entryway as he looked down at his fallen comrade. As Harry watched one of the Death Eaters kicked the other man who lay on the floor. "Stupid git, it'd serve him right if we left him there."
"Leave him. Let's make Potter come to us," replied another before shouting, "Reducto." His aunt's curio shattered sending shards of glass and wood flying across the room. Harry stayed down as luckily the sofa blocked most of the debris.
"Come on out and play, Potter," the first voice called. Harry remained silent. He couldn't see either of the Death Eaters from his current vantage point and didn't intend to make himself any easier a target.
"Yes, Potter, we know you're in there. Too bad you weren't in the dining room and kitchen with your aunt and uncle then there'd only be pieces of you left as well." It was the second voice again laughing. Harry cringed at the image the man's words brought to mind. He hadn't liked his aunt and uncle much but they hadn't deserved to be killed. He clenched his fist tighter again reminding himself to pay attention. He couldn't lose it, not now.
Meanwhile Remus Lupin and Alastor Moody apparated just outside the usual wards at Privet Drive. They knew in an instant that the wards had been breached. The usual tingle of magic that you could feel as you passed through the wards was gone. The two quickened their pace, wands out and at the ready.
"Diggle must be down or he would have contacted someone by now." Moody observed as the two men hurried down the street sticking to the shadows, eyes scanning everything looking for any sign of Harry or danger.
"Merlin," Remus whispered only moments later as the two got their first look at Number 4 Privet Drive. He felt his heart constrict and suddenly he couldn't breathe. Half of the house had collapsed. The other half appeared to be in the process of doing the same.
"He's behind the sofa in the living room, Remus. There are two death eaters in the hall just outside the room." Moody stated his magical eye revolving madly in his head. At Moody's wards, Remus found himself breathing again.
"Ready?" Remus nodded as the two men approached the front door. Moody motioned that he would take the one of the left and Remus could take the one on the right. Remus again nodded his understanding. Moody held up a hand then brought it down sharply before using a redactor to blast away the door. It flew into the two death eaters knocking them both down. Moody stunned the one on the left, but Remus's stunner struck the wall behind where the second death eater had stood only moments before.
Moody moved forward and bound the death eater quickly, then cast an anti-apparition ward to keep the second death eater from apparating away. He then moved to check on Dedalus Diggle who lay face down on the floor just in front of the stairs.
Remus moved into the archway leading into the living room. He noticed another death eater lying on the floor just inside the room.
"Harry? It's Remus, are you alright?" He called out tentatively.
"Don't come any closer," Harry warned, "What's your nickname?"
"Mooney," Remus answered uncertain as to why Harry didn't seem to trust him. He had just helped take out two death eaters to rescue him.
"Who's with you?" Harry was not about to fall for another one of Voldemort's tricks. People weren't always what they seemed.
"Moody," Remus answered immediately.
"When did I learn to conjure a patronus?"
"During your third year, you asked me to teach you because of the dementors," Remus was flabbergasted that Harry still hadn't come out form his hiding place.
Moody was smiling happily, while Harry had been asking Remus questions, he had bound the other two death eaters and cast anti-apparition spells on them as well. Finally, someone was paying attention to his warnings of the need for constant vigilance.
"Good job, Harry, constant vigilance," Mad-Eye called out impressed with Harry's questions and his attempt to confirm that the two were who they said they were. "Do you know where the muggles are?"
"Not for sure. One of the men said that my aunt and uncle were in the dining room. I'm sure you've already noticed the other death eater in the living room and Diggle. I don't know about Dudley." Harry was surprised his voice sounded so calm. After all, three more people were dead because of him. He felt numb. He knew he hadn't even dealt with Sirius's…well with Sirius yet.
"Harry, we should really get you out of here. We can send someone back to get your things, and search for Dudley." At that moment, Moody swung back around towards the front door.
"Shacklebolt, you almost got yourself stunned," shouted Moody.
"Sorry, I thought maybe you'd need back up or something," Kingsley answered as he stopped by the entryway.
"Remus, why don't you take Harry back to Headquarters? I'll gather his stuff together and see if I can find his cousin. Shacklebolt, get Diggle and the muggles out of here and take these two idiots to the ministry. Does that plan sound good to you, Harry?" Moody questioned after issuing his orders.
"Yeah," Harry answered finally rising from his position behind the sofa. He still held his wand at the ready though. Moody couldn't be prouder. He walked towards Remus, who still looked confused and maybe a little hurt.
"Better safe than sorry," Moody commented when he noticed Remus's face. "Let's get moving." Remus pulled the emergency portkey out of his pocket and activated it with a tap from his wand.
"Alright Harry, grab on," Remus directed and Harry did as he was told. "On three, one, two, three." As Remus said three Harry felt the usual tug behind his navel that was the trademark of all portkeys. He hated traveling by portkey, but at least it was better than floo powder.
The two landed in the kitchen at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry fell forwards, but Hermione caught his arm and steadied him.
"Thanks," he managed before being enveloped in a bone-crushing hug. It was only then that he realized that she was crying. He buried his face in her bushy brown locks and tightened both his arms around her. He felt tears come to his own eyes as well.
It felt wonderful to hold her. Hermione had given him his first real hug many years ago. Ever since he'd met her she had always been there for him. He'd thought a lot about what she meant to him in the last few weeks. He'd thought he'd lost her that day in the Department of Mysteries. Now he wanted nothing more than just to hold her, and he did.
Nobody else moved in the nearly empty kitchen. Ginny had been telling Gretchen and Neville a little bit about where they were. Nobody else had returned yet when Remus arrived with Harry.
Remus and the others stared at the two teens for a few moments before Remus motioned for the others to follow him out of the room. Neither Harry nor Hermione seemed aware that they were there anyway. He didn't know what had happened at Hermione's, but he trusted that the two of them would comfort each other. He wondered briefly where Ron was, and who the other girl with Neville and Ginny was. Remus led them into the front parlor, taking a seat by the fire before asking some of his questions.
Ginny sat down across from Remus, a bit shocked by what she had just witnessed between Hermione and Harry. She'd always hoped that Hermione would return Ron's feelings, leaving Harry open for her. Now she wasn't so sure that might happen. Ginny was interrupted from her thoughts by Remus's questions "What happened? Where's Ron? And how did Neville and this other girl get here?"
"Death Eater's attacked at Hermione's, the Weasley's, and at Gran's. Dumbledore sent Gretchen and I here from Hogwarts. Ron's been injured and Madam Pomfrey and Mrs. Weasley are looking after him. Mr. Weasley and Charlie went to check on the Lovegood's and Bill and Tonks went to check on McGonagall," Neville explained.
He hadn't mentioned the losses yet, and he didn't want to. It would make it too real.
"Thanks, Neville." Remus said looking around him at the young, tired faces.
These three had been through a lot, and he knew that Neville had left out several things. He wouldn't push it. He'd talk to the adults later. There would be an Order meeting again soon to go over the events of the day and decide on a course of action.
Harry would not be able to go back to Privet Drive. Based on Neville's story it sounded like the others might not be able to go back to their homes either. After several long moments, he broke the silence. "Are any of you hungry?"
The three shook their heads. They had finally grabbed a few of the sandwiches and things that Tonks and Charlie had fixed earlier.
"Well, then, why don't we figure out where Neville and Gretchen can sleep? Ginny, maybe we could put Gretchen in with you, and give Hermione her own room. And for tonight, maybe Neville can take Ron's bed," Remus suggested focusing on possible room assignments.
"None of us have any of our things," Ginny pointed out. She wasn't sure she liked the idea of Hermione having her own room.
"I'm sure Molly and I can transfigure some pajamas and things for everyone. They'll be good enough to make
do for one night. I'll check with her now." Satisfied that he now had a course of action, Remus went in search
of Molly Weasley. It also wouldn't hurt to get her account of what had happened.
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