Chapter 10 - Foothold
"Come on you old coot, just let me do a quick warming charm," a nasal voice whined from behind a thick scarf. Age was about the only thing one could guess at when everyone was wearing concealing their identity with the magical garments.
"How many times do I have to say no," came the gruff reply. "And keep your bloody voice down, we're on patrol here you slack jawed lollygagger."
"I resent that," Nasal huffed. He stumbled on a rock as if to validate the negative claims just made about him.
"No, you resemble that," a girly voice chimed in teasingly.
"Shut it you lot, we've got company," Gruff whispered. He wished again, not for the first time, that he had a more veteran team.
"What about the other squad?" Nasal asked, suddenly serious. They were situated on the side of a hill near the hidden residence of someone the Light Bearer high command wanted protected. A second patrol was coming in from the opposite direction and with the hill between them they'd never notice a Death Eater incursion in time.
No one in either patrol knew exactly whom they were guarding, but they could make several guesses. Heading up the list was Madam Bones, one of the few real allies they had in the Ministry. If they were going to turn around the Ministry in their favor they'd need help from people like her.
"We've got to call in reinforcements for this one," Gruff said. He took out the little silver emblem that dangled from around his neck and began to concentrate.
"Anti-apparation wards," Girly hissed.
"So what," Nasal replied, "We've still got to have reinforcements. Potter will find a way to come-"
"Potter and Granger can't bail us out every time and everywhere," Gruff replied. He was about to add something else when it became apparent that they'd already been terribly outmaneuvered.
The ground heaved up from some kind of elemental spell and catapulted the three figures away from each other. Multicolored beams of light started streaking back and forth through the air as each side fired blindly through the dust. From the other side of the hill screams attested to the ambush of the second team, which had unwisely rushed headlong toward the sound of the attack.
Dolohov had ripped off his facemask to yell at the new generation of Death Eaters he was leading in his current mission for the Dark Lord. Everywhere he turned there was nothing except burned out, blown apart and otherwise worthless corpses.
"So, which one of you thundering morons is going to explain to the Dark Lord why we have failed to acquire a prisoner for interrogation?" Dolohov bellowed. The deadly rage of his voice combined with the penetrating gaze of an avatar sent many of his men into shivers.
"Over here," another Death Eater shouted. A collective sigh of relief was felt throughout the ranks of the Death Eaters who had just been on the receiving end of Dolohov's ire. "We've got a squirmy one, but he's in a bad way."
"Finally," Dolohov said as he licked his lips. Death Eaters sprang aside with reverence as he strode toward the survivor. The old man had already been relieved of his silver torch emblazoned cloak and protective headgear. Some kind of curse and bad shrapnel wounds from exploding rock was seeping the life out of his already frail frame.
"Scum," Dolohov spat, "worthless half breeds and muggle lovers. Tell me old man, why are you fighting for that brat Potter?"
Dull eyes swiveled up toward Dolohov's face. "Not fightin' for Potter," the old man wheezed, "Fightin' against you lot."
"A lot of good it did you…crucio," Dolohov said and was immediately rewarded with delicious screams. Dolohov's eyes bored into the agony filled eyes of the injured man. "Tell me your secrets…"
Through the terrible pain the old man tried to picture the faces of his son and granddaughter. He was reassured that they would be safe, or at least he hoped they would. Suddenly he longed to see them again, one last time, before he embarked on the next great adventure. Without thinking his hand reached for the blood soaked bracelet that hung loosely from his skinny wrist. He didn't hear the hurried shout nor see the fingers that crowded onto the metal band as he pushed the jewel that activated the portkey one last time.
An ancient looking lady stopped to straighten her hair in the long mirror that stood in the middle of the main hall. A phalanx of dark shapes, including one with glowing red eyes, began to take form, like a slowly solidifying mist. With a noiseless gasp the old spinster fell to the ground, lifeless, from the flash of green that enveloped her as dark robed wizards materialized out of thin air.
"I wish you'd get a hold of yourself," Arthur said peevishly as Mad Eye Moody continued to fidget. The crazy old codger just wasn't happy with himself if he hadn't discovered a dozen Death Eaters or conspiracy plots before the day was out.
"I was late," Moody replied crossly. "Late and missed my patrol. Now they're out there one short and missin' my eye."
"Harry made eyepieces for everyone, remember?" Arthur reminded. A rather clever bit of magic that Arthur was actually eager to get his hands on as soon as it was practical to do so without raising suspicions at work.
"So what?" Moody said. "Bloody things aren't infallible you know. Plus, no one's got as much experience with magically enhanced vision as I do. They'll miss something, you mark my words."
"Don't be such a spoiler Alastor," Molly said curtly. She'd had enough of the two pesky men agonizing at the table and spoiling her mealtime atmosphere. "Dinner is almost ready. Now where are the Grangers and the Dursleys?"
"I think they're in the living room," Arthur replied. The Dursleys had taken to spending a rather large amount of time with the Grangers, even if it were mere proximity, because they were the only other muggles around. "Moody, take a look?"
"Er, right-" Moody's eye swiveled to the back of his head. An instant later the old ex-auror let out a strangled cry.
"What is it?" Arthur asked. Moody becoming alarmed was a bad sign, even when his abnormal paranoia was taken into account.
"Elf, elf, ELF!" Moody managed to shout in a whisper, somehow. A cracking noise sounded and Kreacher arrived, looking evilly at them. The elf hated being summoned by anyone except for his "Master and Missus."
"What can Kreacher be doing for Master's guests," Kreacher tried to ask, in what was polite tones for him, but was cut off.
"What kind of elf are you?" Moody snarled. "We've got intruders in the main hall, lock this place down, nothing gets out or the secret that protects this place will be broken."
Kreacher's eyes widened with shock but he snapped his fingers and vanished away. Arthur reared up out of his chair, nearly falling over at the news of intruders. Molly let out a little cry and dropped her cooking pan. Suddenly they were both very glad that their kids were all at school. Even Fleur was visiting her fiancé, Bill, at his job as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
"Come on Arthur, you're better than that," Moody growled as he shoved the middle aged red head toward the door. "We've got to get to the main room. Those muggles are sitting ducks."
"We've got to contact Dumbledore," Arthur moaned. Then on second thought he added "Or Harry."
"Don't you have one of those bloody trinkets they keep passing out?" Moody asked. He and Arthur both sent out messenger charms.
"No, I work for the Ministry," Arthur said indignantly. "What's your excuse."
"Clashes with my wardrobe," Moody quipped. His magical eye had never left the Death Eaters since they had arrived. Some of them must have tried to leave again in order to break the Fidelius Charm because they seemed to realize they couldn't leave. Slowly they were getting their bearing and spreading out. It wouldn't be long before they launched attacks throughout the house.
"Arthur, care for a game of chess, I was just-" Erwin began when Arthur and Moody burst into the main room from a side door. They looked wildly toward the door that led to the main hall and Arthur shot some locking charms at it. Moody shook his head impatiently muttering something about how locking only kept out honest wizards.
"Quiet," Arthur said urgently. He pointed to the main door with his wand again, the tip glowing with blue light. "Somehow we've got Death Eaters right outside that door. We've got to get you lot out of here and to someplace safe before this whole house turns into a gigantic battlefield."
The Durselys looked like they could curl up and die. They might hate hearing about anything related to magic, but no one could live at Grimmauld Place for months and not cultivate a healthy fear of Death Eaters. The Grangers also looked horrified, but unlike the Dursleys they seemed to retain their wits about them.
"Too late!" Moody yelled. The magically locked door was no match for whatever curses had been thrown against it. With a shower of splinters it buckled inward to allow black cloaked Death Eaters to slide into the room. "Accio Dursleys."
Arthur kicked over the sofa and dragged the Grangers behind it. Moody soon joined him with the Dursleys and together they started firing off curses at the relatively exposed Death Eaters. The embattled followers of Voldemort summoned nearby pieces of furniture to give them some cover in addition to their shield charms.
"Sarah, use your mirror, get Hermione," Arthur yelled. They didn't have time to wait for messenger charms to arrive. They needed help right now and only Hermione or Harry could summon Light Bearers with their emblem connections.
"Do it hon," Erwin said encouragingly to his quivering wife. He reared up from behind the scant cover of the now ablaze furniture and hurled a vile at one of the newly arrived Death Eater. The petrifaction potion worked perfectly and a moment later a stiffened Death Eater fell woodenly to the floor.
"Good show," Moody said approvingly before yelling a taunt to the Death Eaters. "Your clumsy friend there just got bested by a muggle. I thought you lot were the best the world of wizards has to offer?"
The Death Eaters fired off killing curses in their rage, but most of them went wide because they were too angry to aim properly. Arthur admired the calculated determination of Moody using his enemy's own pride against them.
"Hermione, Hermione," Sarah wailed at the mirror. It always took a couple of moments for her daughter to respond, but in the middle of a firefight a moment seemed like years. "It's Grimmauld Place, there are Death Eaters here, Hermione say something."
The sofa blew apart violently as particularly powerful curse hit it squarely. The force of the blow scattered wizards and muggles alike into different corners of the room. Dolohov strode arrogantly deeper into the room, sure of his own invincibility against the likes of an auror or a petty Ministry worker.
"So, which of you lot should I keep alive and which should I kill?" Dolohov sneered. He had now reached the favorite part of his job. "Maybe I should let you each tell me some reasons as to why you're important enough to live."
"Scum," Moody said defiantly. Screams and sounds of battle were breaking out all over the house now as the rest of the Death Eaters looked for victims. From the sounds of things only a few of the people under attack were able to fight back, most were simply being slaughtered by Voldemort's hardened warriors.
"I know you're worthless Moody," Dolohov said. He cast out a yellow beam that raked the floor along a path to the stricken auror. Moody tried to block it but was only partially successful. Despite the obvious pain Moody rolled out of the spell and cast a tight beam of light out of his wand. The white light speared its way through Dolohov entirely and the avatar grimaced in agony.
"Pretty good," Dolohov grunted. "But enough play…Avada Kedavra."
Moody's lifeless body recoiled from the blow and thudded against the floor. Arthur looked away and could hear the muggles whimpering in fear. None of them had ever seen the most unforgivable curse kill someone before.
"Looks like it's your turn Arthur. No more sitting around and pandering to muggles on the Ministry's knut for you." Dolohov grinned sinisterly. Arthur slumped back against the floor. It didn't matter how much he struggled, he couldn't beat one of these nightmarish creatures.
"Avada Kedavra," Hermione's high-pitched voice rang out. Dolohov whirled and barely dodged the green light. The wall between the main room and the small study behind it suffered a giant irregular shaped hole being blasted out of it. Fragments from the wall struck Dolohov but he didn't bleed.
"Granger," Dolohov cackled with a touch of insanity. "I've been waiting so very long for round two. I promise that you won't be getting back up this time mudblood."
"You're the one that won't be leaving here alive," Harry said darkly. He had followed in closely on Hermione's heels. Their eyes glowed with the green and brown fires of their power. Their cloaks even billowed slightly, not from any breeze in the room, but from the force of their magic.
"We'll see," Dolohov said. He conjured a shield and sent a hail of black spears raining down on Harry and Hermione. Wisely the two teens spilt up to make themselves harder to keep track of. Dolohov would have none of it; he suddenly blurred and vanished with the aid of the acceleration charm.
Without any hesitation Harry and Hermione flitted away too leaving a charred room in their wake. The Dursleys just sat there, unsure of what they should do. They had been crawling to get out of the room mere moments before, but judging from the sounds coming from the rest of the house they were actually in the safest place for the moment.
"Will it be okay?" Sarah asked timidly.
"I don't know hon," Erwin replied.
Dolohov came to rest in the middle of a narrow hall and turned about to face his pursuers. They would be unable to split up and come at him from different directions. "There now, don't you think that this is far better?"
Harry and Hermione responded with spells as they came out of their acceleration charms. Black lightening coursed down the hallway and was deflected by Dolohov's wand, but at a cost of having the wand seared in half. Unflinchingly the avatar drew another wand out of his belt.
"Now I'll show you why the Dark Lord is the greatest wizard who ever lived," Dolohov said confidently. A mixture of curses and elemental spells poured forth from Dolohov's wand, forming a truly frightening blast as it traveled down the hall. Harry stepped in front Hermione and cast a barrier shield charm in addition to his normal shield charm. Hermione likewise cast a barrier shield charm and readied a ball of fire for their retaliation.
True to Dolohov's boast the barrier charms were vaporized so that not even so much as a single shard remained behind. Harry's last shield was broken as well and he was sent sailing backward along with Hermione.
"How is he doing this?" Hermione wondered.
"Don't know, but we've got to put more power into it," Harry replied. They sprang apart by using their armor's enhanced strength to heave themselves violently off the floor. A killing curse ripped apart the area they had vacated an instant earlier.
Dolohov confidently stepped out of the hall into the intersection and right into Harry's spell. Searing bolts of light impaled him, causing his cursed flesh to smoke where it was penetrated. Dolohov turned to face him, but before he could get off a spell Hermione, whom he had forgotten about, enveloped him in a wall of fire. There was a blur of motion and as heavily smoking figure accelerated away.
Harry and Hermione quickly pursued him to the second floor where he had joined with two other Death Eaters. Dolohov's comrades were hastily applying counter curses and healing charms in an attempt to salvage their strongest fighter. Harry gestured with his wand and raked the three with black lightening. Dolohov slipped away again before the charred bodies of his comrades had finished hitting the floor.
"Harry," Hermione gasped. She was becoming exhausted from the running battle with Dolohov. The man seemed to be exceptionally strong, even for an avatar, and although the combat had been sparse the amount of energy they were both putting into their spells was draining them quickly. "Where is he?"
"I don't know, he slipped away from me," Harry said, wiping the sweat off of his face with his cloak. A scream filtered up from beneath them.
"My parents," Hermione exclaimed.
Arthur slammed into the wall and felt his leg twist in an awkward way as it shattered in at least three places. Four Death Eaters had burst into the room a few minutes after Harry and Hermione left chasing Dolohov. Arthur had held the four off for a little while until the avatar rejoined them. He didn't know whether Harry and Hermione had been killed, but he knew that if they couldn't stop Dolohov everyone in Grimmauld Place would die.
"Finish these muggles off," Dolohov commanded. Five wands lined up, each selecting a target; five voices chanted the deadly words.
There was a flicker of motion and suddenly two dark figures stood between the Death Eaters and the muggles. Arthur winced as green beams stabbed out at the two lone defenders before he realized that Harry and Hermione were using the shield function of their armor. Vernon and Petunia were staring wide-eyed at Harry, whose shield had just stopped the green flashes of light intended for them.
The Death Eaters tried to fall back away from what they knew would be a violent battle but black wires from Hermione's wand ensnared them. Unknown to the Death Eaters, their own master had taught the powerful variant of the incarceration charm to Hermione when he had used it on her during her duel with him.
"Avada Kedavra," Harry and Hermione both chanted. Two of the ensnared Death Eaters were jerked off the floor to intercept the blasts. Dolohov could have used inanimate objects from his surroundings but it was much more pleasing to his sick mind to force the two teens to kill unnecessarily. Dolohov's wand spat out a giant milky white half sphere called a battering charm and sent it flying at Harry. Without thinking Harry raised his armored arm up to stop it and was promptly bowled over.
Before Dolohov could go in for the kill Hermione stepped between them and let loose with a flurry of fiery darts. Dolohov conjured a shield of water that absorbed them and then replaced it with a giant silvery shield adorned with a snake. Hermione summoned her own shield and began firing off breaker curses. Dolohov responded with a thick red spell that impacted with a flash against Hermione's shield and drove her backwards.
Vernon Dursley was huddled under a table in the corner of the room only a few feet away from his nephew. Harry was obviously in pain, the armor on his arm shattered into dust by the blast it had absorbed, and blood was trickling from numerous lacerations.
"Boy," Vernon said hesitantly, poking him with his shoe. Harry mumbled something unintelligible. "Boy, uh, I think she needs you."
"Hermione," Harry said with a stronger voice. His eyes lit up afresh with the power of his magic. Harry rolled over stiffly and gestured with his wand while still on his knees. Hermione, who had been giving up ground steadily, was finally granted a reprieve when bolts of light sliced into Dolohov's cursed body for a second time.
Harry tried to stagger back to his feet, but instead fell heavily onto his side as aftereffects of the battering charm still sapped his strength. His wand skittered away from limp fingers. The spell affecting Dolohov dissipated and he resumed his offensive.
"Silly mudblood, you should never have challenged my master," Dolohov said nastily. "First, I'm going to kill Potter, then I can work you and the rest of your muggles over slowly."
Hermione didn't reply she just continued to repel his attacks as best as possible. Dolohov cast some kind of corporeal spell that took the form of a large puddle of black water. The ink like substance obliterated her armor and all the reflective surfaces on her clothing, but it couldn't overpower the shiny golden emblem that tossed violently on its chain around her neck.
Hermione's eyes widened when she heard Dolohov begin the killing curse yet again. This time however his wand wasn't pointed at her, but instead at the still enfeebled form of Harry.
"NO!" Hermione shouted. There was no time to summon something to take the blast, no time to think, no time to regret. Everyone watched in horror as Hermione flickered briefly, reappearing in front of Harry, arms thrown wide to absorb the deadly blow with her own body. She saw the flash burst out of Dolohov's wand and closed her eyes, dimly wondering what death would feel like. There was a loud crack directly in front of her. With one hand extended outward, palm raised, Kreacher stood defiantly between Hermione and Dolohov's curse. Arthur couldn't believe what he was seeing and neither could Dolohov.
Hermione opened her eyes to see Kreacher's wide lifeless eyes staring back up at her from where his body had fallen face up in front of her. Dolohov took a step back, momentarily stunned at such an unexpected event. Hermione summoned Harry's wand and pressed it into his hand, her face a mask of rage.
"Crucio," Hermione shouted. Dolohov was again utterly stunned; never before having seen anyone from the other side use a torturing curse in battle. He fell backwards, more from shock than pain, and in the precious seconds gained by Kreacher's death Hermione drug Harry back onto his feet.
"Are you all right?" Hermione asked. Harry didn't look all right, but maybe he could last long enough to finish this battle.
"Exertion charm," Harry said dryly. This battle was really on the clock now. The exertion charm would bring Harry back to nearly full strength, but in exchange he would be utterly useless within a few minutes. "How about you?"
"I'll be okay once we've destroyed this abomination," Hermione replied grimly. Her left arm was hanging a little slack, probably pulled out of socket. Nothing that a few minutes under a healing charm wouldn't fix though.
Harry and Hermione summoned gleaming silver shields before beginning to close in on Dolohov. The avatar remained defiant, but for the first time since their battle had begun doubt clouded his eyes. Dolohov summoned his snake engraved shield and tried to sneak off another one of his devastating battering charms. Harry wasn't about to let him get away with the same trick twice.
Spinning silver disks sliced the attack into ribbons before following through to impact against Dolohov's shield. Harry and Hermione didn't give him a chance to recover. They mercilessly fired the deadly breaking curse, pure magical energy focused into a tiny space smaller than the size of a knut, until the avatar's shield buckled and broke away. They didn't stop firing it even as each breaker curse started to bore through flesh and bone. Dolohov impossibly healed the mortal wounds for a moment, but his ability to live through death was finally overwhelmed. With a whimpering sigh his shredded lifeless form finally slumped down to the floor in defeat.
Harry and Hermione collapsed immediately with severe exhaustion. Hermione calmly took out one of their special made eyepieces and put it on to inspect the rest of the house for remaining Death Eaters. After a moment she satisfied herself that they were all dead, except for the two that were immobilized and the one that was petrified.
"Oh Hermione, my baby, are you okay?" Sarah asked hysterically. She rushed over to Hermione's trembling form and folded her into her arms soothingly.
"I'm fine Mum," Hermione said distractedly. She fumbled around in her hat for some restorative potions to use on Harry before the last of his exertion charm wore off.
"Thanks Hermione," Harry said after she finished feeding him the potion. He looked down at the prone form of Kreacher.
"He saved me," Hermione said quietly, following his gaze.
"In the end, he redeemed himself for what he did to Sirius," Harry said flatly. Though he didn't utter it aloud, Kreacher had more than repaid his debt, at least in Harry's eyes.
"Moody," Arthur said jerkily as he struggled to his feet again.
Sarah helped Hermione to her feet while Erwin did likewise for Harry. The two parents were in shock, not only from finally seeing first hand the true power of wizardry, but also from the dawning realization that their little girl and her fiancé had just killed a dozen people. They had known the terrible price of the conflict with Voldemort before now, but seeing it first hand was indescribably tormenting to them.
"Moody," Harry echoed. Hermione studied his face intently and realized just how much Harry had liked the grizzled old ex-auror. Moody was a tough, hard as nails fighter but he had his own unique kind of charm.
Hermione felt her own face harden when she looked back at all the Death Eaters had made Moody suffer. In addition to maiming his body when he was an auror, a Death Eater had stuffed him in his own trunk during their fourth year so he could impersonate Moody, and now Death Eaters had finally finished the destruction they'd started decades ago. Moody had been driven paranoid, possibly a little insane, and now he was dead. Dead just so one mad wizard could pursue his dream of immortality and dominance over his fellow man.
"You know Harry," Hermione said pointedly, "I don't think this was a planned raid. These rotters just got in here on an accident."
"So they won't have had their memories censored or altered by Voldemort," Harry said, catching on immediately to her train of thought. So far whenever they'd captured a Death Eater, which admittedly had not been very often, they were either carefully selected so as to be completely ignorant of the Dark Lord's plans or else had sections of their memory damaged to the point of illegibility.
Hermione waved her wand and levitated the two bound Death Eaters into the air. Their eyes widened with surprise at the two grim and battered figures approaching them. That in and of itself was saying something since Death Eaters were used to being on the receiving end of nasty looks from their own master.
"We should still be careful," Harry said. "They might be able to resist us somehow during the questioning."
"We'll never tell you muggle lovers anything," the tallest Death Eater spat. He was middle aged and probably a minor pureblood considering that no one recognized him. He might even have been a half blood or less with pureblood connections. Voldemort and his followers, for all their obsession with blood, were not too careful about who they recruited to bleed for them in the war.
"You'll tell us everything," Hermione snapped at him before replying to Harry. "We won't give them a chance to resist Harry. We'll crucio them into a stupor first."
"What? No, wait," Arthur said hastily. He had been helping the Dursleys get to their feet after checking them for injury. "You can't just torture them."
"We need information," Harry said patiently. Now was not the time for the old debate of how much force was too much force to show up again. This Death Eater had potentially invaluable information that could save lives or perhaps even win the war if he could give up the location of Voldemort's main base. This Death Eater had come into Harry's home with the intent of killing anyone and everyone he found along the way. It would be worse than useless to wax poetic about mercy and morals.
"But…you can't…its, its not right," Arthur said brokenly. The Grangers were looking back and forth between Arthur, Harry, and Hermione as they tried to figure out what exactly was happening.
"Moody's dead," Hermione said firmly. She had been the most vocal advocate of tough new measures even before Harry was entirely convinced. Harry generally let her do the talking too since her analytical mind was usually more persuasive than Harry could ever dream of being. "We need to know information about Voldemort to end this war before more people die. You know as well as I do that this is necessary."
The two Death Eaters had been smirking, sure that their enemies would never torture them no matter how dire their need for information was. For a very long time Voldemort and his followers had used the natural kindness of their foes against them. They thought that the advantage of fighting good people was that they could always be counted on to balk at doing the dirty but necessary tasks of war. Perhaps when Dumbledore was leading the fight they might have been right, but now they were wrong.
"Crucio," Harry and Hermione both called out. The tall Death Eater writhed in agony, shrieking out that he'd tell them anything before being reduced to a pitiful simpering moan.
"Now," Hermione said. Harry plunged into the Death Eater's stricken mind, the pain having torn apart any resistance that he might otherwise have offered. Images flew past of the Ministry, rows and rows of muggles in chains, long stone passageways, Voldemort sitting atop a dais, as well as numerous personal memories of little note.
When Harry readjusted his eyes he saw that the Death Eater had fallen into unconsciousness, his mouth hanging oddly, drool falling out. The second Death Eater was clearly terrified, his young features twisted emotionally, begging Hermione to let him talk freely.
"Go on then, but even the slightest hesitation and you'll get the same thing he got," Hermione said harshly.
"I-I, uh, well, there's this cave where t-the Master is holding some s-s-s-secret weapon of some kind, and I know where the werewolves are, and-" he babbled hastily.
"Stuff it, we've already found those," Harry said menacingly. He raised his wand and shot a few yellow sparks out of it.
"WAIT," the Death Eater groveled, "I overheard something I wasn't supposed to. The Dark Lord has a secret underground base where he's performing some kind of experiment to defeat you."
"Show us," Hermione said, producing a map and shoving it into his face. The Death Eater went over every detail that he knew, which wasn't much, and showed them the approximate location of the alleged base. The teens watched him closely the entire time to make sure he wasn't lying, but he seemed to willingly divulge all he knew. Their shallow probes of his mind would have revealed any overt lie on his part.
"What are you going to do with us," he pleaded after they were satisfied with his answers.
"What would Voldemort do to you?" Harry asked. If possible the Death Eater's terror redoubled upon hearing such a thing. Voldemort's punishments always fell short of death though and he almost never punished his inner circle. Snape had stressed that fact repeatedly during his briefing to them because it meant that Voldemort knew how to balance rewards with threats to keep the support of his followers strong.
Hermione grunted disdainfully. "We're sending you to a place we call Middle Yard. You'll be held there under petrifaction potion for the duration of the war."
The Death Eater turned a sickly shade of white. Extended captivity under the petrifaction potion was considered a very bad fate. Being trapped in one's own body could sometimes drive a person insane if it went on too long. "No, please, not there, not like that."
Harry fired off a stunner to knock out the Death Eater for transportation and to silence his annoying protests. Arthur looked a little surprised and wary, but he didn't say anything.
"What's Middle Yard and why did is scare him so much?" Erwin asked hesitantly, as if unsure that he wanted the answer.
"It's a prison fortress that Harry and I built," Hermione said in her McGonagall tone. "We've
been spreading rumors around the Death Eater frequented communities about this horrible new place out of Ministry
control where Voldemort's forces are sent when we capture them. We're trying to keep new recruits from joining
Voldemort by scaring them with Middle Yard. I didn't think it was a very successful idea but apparently it's
had some impact."
"Yeah, the twins are real masters of mental warfare," Harry added. He transfigured a piece of broken furniture into a portkey to Middle Yard and laid it across the Death Eaters.
"We've got to get down to the dungeon and take the house out of lockdown," Hermione said. The portkey wouldn't be able to activate until the dispersion wards were placed back into a dormant state.
The scene throughout Grimmauld Place was a grisly disaster. Errant curses had ripped up floors, torn holes in walls, and left a swath of death on every level of the house. Dead refugees, many of them too old or young to fight, were still lying where they died. Others, still alive, were too traumatized to come out of the hiding places they had desperately crawled into.
Even before Harry had reset the wards help had begun to arrive in from Hogwarts and the rest of the Light Bearer's staging houses. Madam Pomfrey's skills were in particularly high demand to check out all the survivors for lingering injury. Harry and Hermione stalked about giving whatever aid they could where it was most needed, but mostly they spent their time filling specially conjured coffins. The final tally was thirty-four dead including Kreacher and as many more again injured.
"That's the last of them," Harry said, voice heavy with sorrow, as the last ornate coffin was whisked away via portkey. Despite overcrowding problems he and Hermione had made the decision, though somewhat late, that all refugees would be transferred to the few safe houses they had that were not emergency portkey destinations.
"Then we'd best get back to Hogwarts," Hermione said ruefully. "We need to talk to Dumbledore about this. The Order has been restless ever since they joined us and now we create a catastrophe like this... I thought those stupid portkey safeguards were infallible."
"Nothing is infallible Hermione," Harry said gently. "Don't forget that we've saved more lives with those portkeys than died here today. I'd probably be dead if not for it right now and then where would we be?"
"I suppose," Hermione said distantly. Harry felt her disappointment in herself seeping through their link. He didn't know why, but Hermione's sense of inadequacy had continued to grow; though she denied it, especially after the magic enhancing potion backfired.
"Hermione," Harry said firmly, "You can't beat yourself up over everything. Bad things happen despite our best efforts. The only thing we can do is shake this off and take the fight back to Voldemort."
"You're right," Hermione agreed, though somewhat half-heartedly. "Come on, let's get this Dumbledore thing over with."
Together they activated their portkey back to Hogwarts. When they stepped out of the common room they were greeted by resounding silence, which was unusual for Hogwarts, even when people were in classes. Usually a ghost, some armor, a familiar, or something would be creeping around making noise. It didn't take long to navigate a series of twists and turns to the Headmaster's office.
"Open up," Harry commanded. The stone gargoyles sprang upwards even though they didn't have the password because of their status as Heads combined with the special authority Dumbledore had granted them.
"I haven't been here since you were kidnapped," Hermione said hollowly.
"I've not been here since I broke Dumbledore's little toys," Harry said, trying to lighten her mood.
Hermione gave him a wane smile and stepped forward off the stairs toward the main chamber of Dumbledore's office. The old wizard was engaging in one of his favorite pass-times when they entered, pacing back and forth in front of his desk. A young Fawkes squawked every now and then as if it were engaging in a conversation with its owner.
"Harry, Hermione, I've been expecting you," Dumbledore said, uncharacteristically using their first names. Harry conjured a small two-seat sofa in front of the big desk so that they could sit down.
Harry recounted the attack on Grimmauld Place, including the parts that happened before he arrived. Arthur had told him everything that he knew, which was probably the complete story more or less since he had the benefit of Moody's narration during the early part of the attack.
"Kreacher stepped between you and the killing curse?" Dumbledore asked sharply when Harry arrived at that part.
Hermione nodded, "He saved me and bought us enough time to win."
"Most unusual," Dumbledore mused. "Most elves are more attached to their house and family. They don't usually step between their masters and harm, let alone their master's friends and death. Unless perhaps Hermione is family…"
"We're going to be married," Harry beamed, momentarily forgetting everything else. Hermione smiled and showed the old Headmaster the ring Harry had given her.
"Congratulations," Dumbledore said evenly. "However, magic doesn't recognize promises and simple ceremonies, nor would Kreacher. I do hope that the two of you are being cautious."
Harry and Hermione both turned deep red. "It's not like that at all," Hermione sputtered.
"We wouldn't do that until we're married…regardless of what magic thinks of simple ceremonies," Harry said firmly.
"Why must everyone jump to the conclusion that we're sleeping together?" Hermione asked via their link.
"I don't know, maybe because of modern muggle culture. We were both muggle raised after all," Harry replied, then added aloud. "Maybe it's because of our bond."
"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said, "That is a very plausible explanation of course. Pardon my assumptions, I sometimes forget that the normal rules don't always apply to the two of you."
Harry cast a tired glance at Hermione and then resumed detailing the rest of the attack to Dumbledore. It was especially difficult to recount all the people who had died. Harry churned with guilt and rage when he had to consult a slip of parchment that had been hastily drawn up to help him remember all the names. He hadn't even known hardly any of the victims despite their rather extended presence at Grimmauld Place.
"All the casualties were moved to Middle Yard then?" Dumbledore asked once Harry finished.
"Yeah, we decided that it wouldn't be wise to advertise our losses by having a funeral right now. They've all been put into stasis with preservation charms," Harry answered.
"We also brought you this," Hermione said, drawing out Moody's magical eye. It had fallen out after the ex-auror died. "He didn't have much else on him and we didn't know of anyone else to give it to."
"Thank you," Dumbledore said softly. "I've known Alastor for over a century now, since he was just a little boy. He always said that he would die in battle. I think he would have preferred it this way."
Sitting there, looking at Dumbledore's tired face, feeling the old man's pain at the loss of his friend, Harry felt rage at Voldemort bubbling up anew. He could tell Hermione shared his feelings, or perhaps was even strengthening them, through their connection.
"I think we should go Harry," Hermione said as the silence extended into awkwardness.
"Yeah, I don't think we're making it any easier on him," Harry agreed.
They said their good-byes and left Dumbledore alone to brood. Harry realized just how little they actually knew about the Headmaster, but with over a hundred and fifty years of age there was obviously more to his life than he let on. In retrospect it seemed obvious that someone of Dumbledore's age would have deep roots with the community around him.
"Aren't we going to go see Ron now?" Harry asked when Hermione started tugging him in the opposite direction.
"Harry, Grimmauld Place is a wreck and Kreacher is gone, you're going to need help," Hermione said.
"You mean another house elf?" Harry asked. "I thought you didn't like slavery…oh no, not him, he'll drive me crazy."
"Harry James Potter, you need him to protect the house too. You can't manipulate the wards as quickly as an elf can," Hermione insisted in her pert businesslike tone. "Besides, he will be crushed if you don't ask him now and the other house elves treat him like he's odd."
"Well, he is odd, really," Harry said sheepishly, but he had already given in. "All right, you're right, you can let go of my arm now. It's going to be hard getting him to accept a salary though."
Hermione let his arm drop, but only so she could open the painting entrance to the kitchens. "Tell him it's a favor to you." She said slyly.
As usual, the instant they stepped into the kitchens they were swarmed by elves bearing food. If anything the elves seemed to be in a greater frenzy than ever to serve them. Hermione was also getting a lot more attention than she had in the past. Harry breathed a sigh of relief when Dobby finally appeared and the other elves scattered back to work.
"Harry Potter sir, and Miss, Dooby is so happy to be seeing you again," Dobby said happily.
Hermione picked up one of the pastries that had been brought to them and gestured at Harry with it.
"Dobby, it's good to see you too," Harry said. "Hermione and I are here because I need to ask a favor from you."
All the other elves tried not to stare, but few of them were succeeding. Wizards never asked favors of elves, especially a great and famous wizard. Wizards made demands or at best gave offers. It was only proper
"Harry Potter is Dobby's friend," Dobby said eagerly, "Dobby is doing anything he can for Harry Potter."
"My home has been attacked and Kreacher, the house elf who was there when my godfather passed the house on to me, was killed defending Hermione," Harry explained.
"Dobby would be honored to come work for Harry Potter," Dobby began, but Harry cut him off.
"That's where the favor part comes in. I want to hire you. Will you accept a salary Dobby?" Harry asked.
The elves all looked terribly scandalized. "Dobby isn't wanting pay," Dobby said nervously, twisting on one foot. "Not from one as great as Harry Potter."
"Please Dobby, it's important that you let me pay you. Think about whom might inherit the house if I were to be killed." Harry said.
"Old masters," Dobby whispered, his eyes growing round with fright. "Dobby agrees, but only on one condition."
Mutterings broke out from the other house elves at what they considered to be near treason. Elves never asked for conditions. It was beyond scandalous.
"Of course, what is it Dobby?" Harry asked, somewhat surprised himself. Hermione, who had up until now been simply watching the exchange, had begun to smile broadly.
"Dobby is wanting Harry Potter to hire Winky too," Dobby said shyly.
It was Harry's turn to grin now. "Absolutely, that won't be any problem at all," Harry said. "Hermione and I would love to have Winky come too, wouldn't we?"
"Oh yes," Hermione readily agreed. "I think that's a wonderful idea. You're a good friend Dobby."
"Miss is such a kind, generous, caring, wonderful, talented witch," Dobby babbled. "Not that one would expect less from Harry Potter's Miss."
"We can discuss the details later, if you'd like," Harry broke in gently.
"Harry Potter sir is right," Dobby said, snapping out of his distracted state, "Dobby is collecting Winky and getting to work right away."
Harry grabbed up a couple of pastries too and followed Hermione back into the hall after shaking Dobby's tiny hand. The castle was still abnormally quiet but they did at least meet a couple of ghosts on their way back to the planning room. They looked around to make sure no one was in ear shot before giving the password to make the tiny troll perched on the door granted them entrance. Several D.A. members, including Ron, Luna, and Ginny were standing around the large conference table looking at various scrolls.
"It's about bloody time," Ron exploded as soon as he saw them. "Are you guys all right? Dad was in a terrible state from the sound of his message."
"Why didn't you take us with you, we could've helped you know," Ginny added.
"It wasn't just Death Eaters," Harry said, "There was an avatar too."
"You guys would just have been targets," Hermione said firmly.
"You could have at least taken Neville with you. Avatars are his specialty after all," Ginny said contrarily.
"Fighting in cramped places like Grimmauld Place aren't though," Harry replied. "Look, we can't second-guess it now, what's done is done. Where is Neville anyway?"
"I sent him to oversee the relocation of Madam Bones," Ron said. "Since Dumbledore is tied down here and you two were off we didn't have anyone left who could handle another avatar."
"Who was it?" Luna asked. Her soft voice was as disconnected and dreamy as ever.
"Who was what?" Ron asked.
"Who was the avatar that used hope to destroy peace?" Luna said. Everyone looked at her askance, but no longer with surprise.
"Dolohov," Hermione replied simply.
"Good riddance," Ginny said hotly. No one had forgotten the Department of Mysteries battle.
"So what do we do now?" Ron asked finally. "In the final tally we've not really come very far since this started. We're no closer to finding Voldemort's base since the last time we tried to scout it. There seems to be an unlimited supply of avatars. There's talk in the ranks that our end is in sight. We've lost over a third of our number either in battle or from resignations. Many of the ones who are left are, to be frank, rather untalented. They stay on because they're muggle born or in some other way marked for death and thus in need of our protection."
"It's the purebloods," Harry nearly snarled. He and Hermione had been thinking upon this very problem ever since the attack. "They're the driving force behind Voldemort's army so they've got to be stopped."
"But, you guys already attacked them," Ginny said hesitantly.
"We hit their pride," Hermione said. The others were suddenly aware that Harry and Hermione's eyes were twinkling again, like they did when they were getting ready unleash their most powerful magic. "Now we hit their blood. When we attacked their family homes we deliberately gave them enough time to evacuate in hopes of catching some of them. Obviously they didn't get the message because their families are still out in plain sight, their businesses are still operating in new facilities, and other than that nothing's changed. This time we capture or kill everyone who is supporting Voldemort, no warning."
"Purebloods are worried about their heritage," Harry growled, seeing all the dead floating to the fore of his mind again, "We'll make them extinct if they don't give up."
Ron laughed nervously. "Whew, glad I'm not a pureblood then."
Harry blanched and Hermione shook her head slightly. "I'm sorry Ron, you know we didn't mean anything against your family, Luna, or Neville," Hermione said in a mollified tone.
"Purity of blood is a state of mind, not a condition of birth," Luna added. Her wide blue eyes seemed to take in everything at once.
Ron patted her hand fondly. "I think what Luna's trying to say is that we're with you guys all the way. You can always depend on us."
"Thanks Ron, everyone," Harry said sincerely. "That means a lot to me, more than you know."
The rest of the impromptu meeting went relatively well. New targets were mapped out along with new patrol schedules. Hermione said that she would look into the safety charms on the emergency portkeys and try to discover a way to keep anyone from piggybacking a ride again.
"So what is it mate," Ron asked finally, when he and Harry were all alone. They had stayed behind to finish putting away important documents before following the others up to the tower for some sleep.
"What are you talking about Ron?" Harry said distractedly.
"Come on Harry, I've known you for almost seven years now, I know when something's bothering you," Ron said insistently.
"Hermione's blaming herself for what happened because she is the one who crafted most of the defenses on the portkeys," Harry said bluntly.
"You can't believe that-" Ron began.
"Of course not," Harry snapped. "I told her that these things happen through no fault of anyone, but I could tell she didn't quite believe me."
"If she won't believe you then I don't know who she'd believe," Ron said. Harry and Hermione had long since told him about their engagement.
"That's just it, she probably thinks that I'm too biased to see her faults. Maybe I am, but not on this," Harry said.
"Just be there for her, like you always are, and give her some time. She's the toughest out of the three of us," Ron said sagely. "Girls can be more emotionally delicate though."
"Why ikle Ronnikins, have you suddenly grown wise to the ways of the female mind after all?" Harry said teasingly.
Ron blushed, "Er, no, not really, that is to say, ah..."
"So how are things between you and Luna now. I notice you've been practically avoiding Hermione and I with all the time you're spending with her now." Harry asked.
"It's nothing like that," Ron said, flushing deeply. "Luna's not like other girls though."
"Luna's not like other people," Harry nodded fervently.
"I dunno," Ron said. "I feel like we've really connected, but at the same time I'm almost afraid to get to close to her. What happens if one of us gets killed?"
"That's why we've got to stop them," Harry said somberly. "If there's one thing I'm sure about Ron it's that you should live your life like this war doesn't exist. I'm the one that's prophesized to kill Voldemort. I'm going to stop him-"
"No Harry," Ron said firmly, "We're going to stop him. You, me, Hermione, all of us..."
Author's Note:
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has reviewed for their feedback and words of encouragement. As most of you will realize as this story begins to wind down (don't worry, we're not half way finished just yet) there are still plenty of opportunities for me to write one more sequel. So if you take the time to review please answer these two questions.
A) Do you want a sequel?
B) Do you want me to post the entire story once it is finished (like I have done with this story) or would you like me to post each chapter as I write it? If I post a chapter at a time there is always a greater risk that previous chapters will have to be altered as I discover holes in the plot that need fixing.
Thanks again to everyone who reads and reviews.
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