Chapter 3
Heads Will Roll
"I can't believe you told my mum that I've been smoking for the past eight months." Harry grumbled to Hermione as they headed back to the Slytherein dorms. "You promised you wouldn't say anything."
"You promised me you would stop." Hermione retorted.
"Oh yeah." Harry replied sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "Well I guess since I'm now grounded for the next month, we won't be getting any late night breakfast like we planned."
"Just as well." Hermione replied as they reached the entrance to the dorms. "Give them to me Harry." Hermione said holding out her hand.
"Give what to you?"
"Your cigarettes."
"Mione you saw my mum summon them off me."
"Not the pack you keep in your robe pocket with the disillusionment charm on it." Hermione replied smoothly.
"Right forgot about those." Harry muttered as he took his last pack of cigarettes out and handed them to Hermione.
"Good boy, now go get some sleep." Hermione smiled.
"Yes dear." Harry replied jokingly. Only for Hermione to punch him in the arm. She turned to leave when Harry grabbed her arm and pulled her close.
"Are you sure you're ok?" Harry whispered as he gently traced the red mark left on her neck from Malfoy's attack.
"I…I'm fine Harry." Hermione replied suddenly out of breath.
"Ok, I have to meet Lord Voldemort in the morning so why don't you just go help mum with her classes ok?"
"Alright, goodnight Harry."
***
The next morning Harry made his way to Lord Voldemorts chambers. Harry entered finding Voldemort surveying a large map that took up the majority of his wall. The map portrayed the current status of Europe. Areas controlled by Voldemort were a dark green, marking all of Britain and some of France.
"You summoned me my Lord?" Harry asked as he kneeled in the center of the room.
"Yes Harry, come stand over here." Voldemort motioned with his hand. Harry stood and walked over to stand at Voldemorts side. Harry waited patiently as he stared at the map. "I heard that last night you dismembered Draco Malfoy."
"That couldn't have been me sir, I'm very mild mannered." Harry replied smoothly. `I should have killed him for touching Hermione' Harry thought.
"Was the attack really necessary Potter?" Voldemort asked calmly.
"Is that a trick question?" Harry replied seeming confused. Voldemort chuckled softly to himself.
"A great many things will soon be changing Harry. Tell me, do you know the purpose of the four classes in Hogwarts?"
"The Riddles are the lowest meant to serve all above them. The Grindelwalds next are little more than berserkers, soldiers for the front line. Then the Morganas, they become assassins and spies. Finally the Slytherins, we are the ones who will one day be Death Eaters." Harry recited from memory.
"Very good. Do you know how you differ from all the other Slytherins Harry?" Voldemort asked casually. As he began to walk around the room gazing at the many object that adorned the walls.
"No my lord." Harry answered, his brows furrowed in thought as he fell in step behind Voldemort.
"You Harry are the most powerful student in this academy, perhaps even more powerful than some of my current Death Eaters. One day you will stand by my side as a Dark Lord just like your father. In another year when Severus completes your training you will begin your final apprenticeship under my tutelage. In the meantime, tomorrow, a group of students will arrive from Drumstrang. They will be assisting the Slytherins in an upcoming… project that I have planned. Do show them the proper hospitality deserved for our allies." Voldemort hissed.
"Of course my lord." Harry replied.
"But that is not why I have called you here today. The reason I have summoned you is you have been selected for a special task that I need completed." Voldemort stopped pacing and stared directly into Harry's eyes. "You and your friend the Weasley are to go to hogsmeade tonight and deal with a spy that has been discovered." Voldemort conjured a roll of parchment and handed it to Harry. "All the information you will need is contained here."
"Capture or kill my lord?" Harry swallowed.
"Either will please me."
***
Harry walked down the halls still pondering the task Voldemort had given him when a voice echoed throughout the castle.
"All Slytherin students report to the dueling arena. A challenge has been issued."
Harry quickly turned heading toward the arena. Someone had officially challenged for entry into the Slytherin class. The duel was already underway when Harry arrived. Nearly all the Slytherins and several students who were not in class at the moment stood at the edge of the miniature roman arena. In the center Blaise Zabinini fought with Ginny. Given the shape Blaise was in already Ginny was about to become the newest Slytherein.
Blaise gasped for air holding his viridian spell blade before him. Ginny stood across from him a wide smile on her face as she twirled her short magenta spell blade, her robes opened in the front revealing a very short skirt and tight blouse. Quickly she darted across the gap between them. With a flick of her wrist Ginny easily deflected Blaise's blade and slashed him across the chest. Blaise howled in agony and clutched the wound. Ginny raised her hands to the praise of the crowd all the while still smiling sadistically. Blaise pulled himself to his feet warily eyeing Ginny's blade. Even though it was half the size of Blaise's own it allowed her to make devastating hit and run attacks. Blaise blinked and that was all Ginny needed. She closed the distance once more and avoided Blaise's attack with ease. With an almost casual swing Ginny sliced thru Blaise's hand severing his fingers and wand before stabbing him in the knee. Ginny raised her hand to the roaring crowd once more basking in the attention.
"Please have mercy. I beg you." Blaise sobbed.
"Mercy?" Ginny giggled. "Those who ask for mercy are too weak to deserve it." Without a second thought Ginny spun on her heel and decapitated him. His body stayed upright for a moment before it fell lifelessly to the ground. Ginny closed her eyes savoring the moment. The crowd roared again and a coiled python appeared on Ginny's sleeve, marking her as the newest member of Slytherin.
Harry turned to leave when a short woman with curly red hair approached him.
"Mrs. Weasley." Harry greeted politely.
"Harry dear, how are you?" Molly Weasley asked. "You look as if you haven't been eating properly. No doubt that mudblood of yours is neglecting her duties to take care of you."
"Hermione does just fine Mrs. Weasley." Harry replied evenly.
"Worse then a house elf that one is." Mrs. Weasley whispered to herself, though not so softly that Harry missed it. "I do wish you'd let me train her. She would make a much more suitable slave when I get done with her."
"Why are you here Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked changing the subject.
"Mistress Bellatrix sent me a message telling me Ginny would be entering Slytherin today." She answered proudly.
`Bellatrix has been training Ginny? Interesting.' Harry thought.
"If you'll excuse me Mrs. Weasley, I have to be on my way." Harry moved to pass her when she caught his arm.
"Harry you will be joining us for the holidays won't you? I'm sure Ginny would love to have you for Christmas."
"I'm not sure Mrs. Weasley; you'll have to ask my mother." Harry answered neutrally. A scowl crossed Mrs. Weasley's face so quickly that if Harry hadn't been expecting it he would have missed it.
"And I am afraid we will have to decline Mrs. Weasley." Replied Lily as she walked up behind them.
"Get to class Harry." Lily said calmly. Harry gave a quick farewell then strode off.
"Lily dear, so good to see you." Molly greeted with forced cheerfulness.
"Likewise Molly."
"You should really reconsider coming to my house for Christmas Lily. I really feel it would give our children the chance they need to hit it off. I can see a definite attraction between the two of them." Molly giggled.
`Not bloody likely.' Lily thought resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "I'll think about it and get back to you. In the meantime, I have a class to teach. If you'll excuse me."
***
Later that night Harry and Ron made their way into Hogsmeade. Walking swiftly through the streets with their hoods pulled up, taking care to keep an eye on their surroundings.
"Isn't this exciting Harry." Ron whispered fervently.
"Could you try and focus for one moment?" Harry muttered.
"Hey, I can focus." Ron replied.
"Yeah on Luna." Harry shot back.
"What have you got against Luna Harry? She's a saint."
***
With the light of the full moon shining into the dungeon Luna Lovegood made a few notes on parchment, before picking up a muggle stun gun.
"Muggles have the best toys." She murmured. She pressed the switch causing sparks to fly from the pronged tips. A large werewolf in the cage in front of her growled and snapped its jaws.
"Everyone's been looking at it the wrong way; it's not the human form that's your true form, Mr. Lupin, but your werewolf form. I'll make you aaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllll better, puppy."
***
Harry and Ron entered the tavern. Ron nervously glanced around the empty room as Harry calmly walked over and sat at a table kicking up his feet.
"Harry what are you doing?"
"What? As long as we're here we might as well get something to drink." Harry replied as an old man walked out from the back room.
"I'm sorry gentlemen, but I am closed for the evening." Said Aberforth.
"Aberforth Dumbledore, by order of the dark lord you are under arrest for treason." Ron said pulling out his wand.
"Arrest? I very much doubt that, you're here to kill me aren't you?" Aberforth replied
"Well that all depends on one very important question… Have you got any cigarettes?" Harry asked.
"A boy of your age should not divulge in such habits, Mr. Potter."
"You know who I am?" Harry asked cautiously.
"There are few in our Order who do not know of you Harry. Your father was once one of the best of us. To think that he now serves Voldemort." Aberforth sighed.
"Enough talk old man!" Ron shouted as he prepared a curse. Aberforth calmly thrust his palm out casting a banishing charm that sent Ron flying into the wall, knocking him unconscious.
Harry immediately reacted kicking his table across the room, and rolled to his feet. Aberforth calmly placed his hand out and stopped the sliding table.
Harry swiftly drew his wand and ignited his emerald green spell blade. Spinning in place he brought the blade around for a killing strike. However he was stopped as Aberforth caught Harry's wrist and flipped him over his shoulder causing harry to drop his wand.
"Pretty quick for an old guy." Harry quipped as he turned and leapt for his wand. Only to be stopped as a chair hit him in the head.
"You should consider fighting the muggle way Harry, much more versatile." Aberforth stated as he came to stand between Harry and his wand.
"Have it your way." Harry darted forward and kicked off the wall to the side aiming a punch at Aberforth's head. Aberforth caught the blow and tossed Harry over his shoulder again. Harry groaned as he slammed into a table breaking it. Harry charged forward with a kick aimed at his opponents head. Once more the attack was caught and redirected only this time Harry rolled with the throw and landed behind Aberforth before bouncing off his other foot and kicking Aberforth in the head.
"You learn fast Harry." Aberforth mused as he rubbed his head. Harry darted forward, but was hit by a summoned chair and landed face first in front of Aberforth. "Your so set on hurting others that you only hurt yourself." Aberforth said sadly. "Come on Harry, this isn't all your father has taught you is it?"
"You wanna see what my father taught me?" Harry growled. He thrust his palm out casting his own banishing charm. The wood panels in the floor in front of Harry ripped up with the force of the charm. Aberforth countered by swinging his hand upward diverting the energy flow and sending the charm into the ceiling.
"Oh dear." Aberforth muttered as the ceiling began to crack and splinter. He turned to escape when Harry rushed forward wand in hand, spell blade flashing. Aberforth countered instantly with his own red gold spell blade, gold sparks flashed as the blades met before Harry suddenly turned and slashed a sink with his blade sending water spraying over Aberforth. Harry darted across the room and leapt through the window.
"ACCIO!" Harry shouted. Just as the roof collapsed Ron's unconscious body came sliding out of the open door coming to a stop next to Harry.
"What happened?" Ron groaned. "Did we win?"
"No." Harry whispered as multiple apparition cracks were heard around them.
"Very impressive Harry, but not good enough." Aberforth said as he walked up in front of the two. Several Order members quickly surrounded them all brandishing wands. "When we set this trap we planned on eliminating one of Voldemorts top Death Eaters. We never planned on dealing with a couple of students. Perhaps Voldemort is taking me lightly. Oh well we have a job to do." Just as Aberforth pointed his wand at Harry and Ron, a dark cloud of smoke blew through the area. The assembled Order members gasped as the smoke cleared and revealed Voldemorts second in command, the Dark Lord Bane standing before them.
"You didn't think you guys were the only ones who could set a trap did you?" He whispered darkly.
"Using your own son as bait James that's a new low even for you." Sirius spat.
"Anything worth doing is worth doing right." Bane mused as he heard someone step up behind him.
"It's ten against one foul monster, and now that I Gilderoy Lockhart am here your chances are slim to none." Proclaimed a tall blonde wizard. As several Order members began whispering amongst themselves about how they thought Lockhart was supposed to be on lookout duty.
"I'd offer you the chance to join me Sirius, but I know your to stubborn for that." Bane said staring into Sirius's eyes ignoring Lockhart.
"This ends here James, I won't let you turn my godson into a monster." Sirius said looking at Harry.
"What I turn my son into is none of your business." Bane growled.
"I demand you surrender to our superior numbers villainous cur." Lockhart shouted. Bane glared over his shoulder. Suddenly Lockhart shuddered and collapsed as he was bombarded by images of his death at the hands of Lord Bane. Quickly all the Order members fearfully trained their wands on Bane.
"He does make a point about the numbers though." Bane muttered. He slammed his palm on the ground and immediately inferi sprouted from the ground.
The Order quickly descended into chaos as the mindless zombies attacked. Harry distinctly heard the screams of Lockhart as his body was ripped apart. Spell fire flashed across the area. Sirius burned several in front of him and took aim at Bane as he stood calmly with his arms crossed.
"Heads up padfoot, I think I hear thunder." Bane smirked as he pointed his finger up. Sirius looked just in time to see several massive bolts of lightning strike the ground. The lightning struck with such ferocity that the resulting blasts flung several Order members into the air. Sirius landed in a heap next to Aberforth.
"We have to retreat Sirius." Sirius nodded and whistled, almost as one the order apparated away.
"We'll talk about your failure later Harry." Bane growled as he turned to look at Harry for the first time since he arrived. "Get back to the castle. Your mother will have a fit if you miss class." Bane muttered the last part to himself as he walked off. Harry and Ron made their way back to the dorms in silence. Harry laid back in bed and tried to forget the screams of a man being eaten alive by inferi.
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