Chapter 7 - Attrition
The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, looked out over the crowded room and smiled. He had been in office for a very long time, longer than almost any other Minister of Magic in the history of the government in fact, and had long ago become accustom to his position.
Many other people had grown accustomed to him being in his position as well, as was evidenced by the number of prominent citizens that had turned out to show support for him on this day. Many members of the press, especially the reporters from the Daily Prophet, were also on hand.
Minister Fudge stepped out from the side entrance where he had been watching quietly to begin the conference. As soon as he approached the podium the people in the room broke out in hearty applause. Of course they would, he had hand selected those who would be allowed to attend. He raised his hands in a gesture of benevolence to quite his audience and grinned broadly as the applause just got louder.
"Thank you, thank you all," Fudge said over and over again as the applause began to diminish finally. He took out a finely engraved pair of reading glasses that he really didn't need, but thought looked stately. "I cannot express with words how deeply it moves me to see so many of England's finest witches and wizards here, in defiance of those who would threaten the peace and well being of the society we've all worked so hard to build, united against terror and lawlessness."
Fudge paused to adjust his glasses for a moment, taking the opportunity to look out across the audience and make eye contact. He always found that looking someone in the eye facilitated a sense of trust. "It is with the greatest since of responsibility and the utmost reluctance that I have brought you all here on this day. Ever since the crisis with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named intensified the keen minds that sit on the Wizengamot have been analyzing the problem. As any of you who have dealt with the upper tiers of government are well aware, the Wizengamot's method of procedures is suited for a judicious and equitable decision, but not a swift one. It is therefore the unanimous recommendation of the Wizengamot that the functions of government be temporarily vested solely in the office of Minister of Magic. As my first act I am announcing that the Ministry will consolidate the normal wizarding law enforcement department and the auror department under the hit wizard Special Service force. Common law has been suspended along with the Wizengamot. As of today the Ministry is on full war mobilization. We will act with swift, decisive force to utterly annihilate the minions of darkness and chaos!"
With those last ringing words the room erupted into a thunderous roar of approval and Fudge benevolently raised his hands in the air once again, his face beginning to ache from the huge smile plastered across it. This was going to be a good day.
Harry's boots clicked as he strode quickly down the cobblestone street of Diagon Alley. There were pairs of Ministry wizards every few feet manning checkpoints, but they didn't even attempt to harass Harry. He wasn't sure why they left Light Bearers strictly alone, despite Fudge's thinly veiled verbal assaults against them since his suspension of the Wizengamot, but he didn't have time to ponder it too much. Of course the Minister didn't mention the Light Bearers by name but Harry wasn't aware of any other "lawless vigilantes" running around out there.
Every once in a while Harry would see someone he recognized, but he never let on just in case some Death Eater was watching. He didn't have to worry much though since the vast majority of the people he knew were either in school at Hogwarts or stationed around at the blossoming number of Light Bearer bases. Grimmauld Place still housed the most vulnerable refugees of course but it had been relieved of a fair amount of its population
Harry paused in front of the goblin wrought metallic gates that now barred the entrance to Gringotts, the wizard bank, which was apparently taking security very seriously. Nothing visible happened for a moment before the gates swung open and Harry was permitted inside. The goblins obviously had their own methods of identification, or perhaps they just recognized his scar and the huge golden torch emblazoned across the right side of his cloak that had become ubiquitous of the war.
"Welcome Harry Potter, it is good to see you in person again," said the goblin that met Harry immediately as he entered. Harry was pretty sure that the goblin in question was Grimshaw, the same goblin that had helped him when he and Hermione had visited during the holidays.
"I need to access my vault," Harry said immediately. There were several people around and Harry could almost hear their ears straining.
"Of course Mr. Potter, but first there is business you should attend to, this way please," Grimshaw replied.
Harry followed him to his office, puzzled at why they were not heading down to the access tunnel where the vaults were located.
"Dare I ask what this is about," Harry said, but it wasn't really a question.
"I assume that Mr. Potter is aware of the extensive withdrawals that have been leaving your account now for some months?" Grimshaw asked, producing a long list.
"Yes, surely you understand why now," Harry replied, checking over the list briefly before stuffing it into his tall wizard hat.
"You are too generous Mr. Potter, too generous by far," Grimshaw said, almost to himself, before changing track. "I'm afraid I have unfortunate news. The special committee that was appointed by the Wizengamot to investigate the Black Estate and the legal disposition of the late Sirius Black has reached an unfavorable decision. Mr. Black's estate has been confiscated by the Ministry with the exception of Grimmauld Place since pureblood residences are disposed of separately under the law from liquid or quasi-liquid assets."
"So Sirius is still a criminal?" Harry asked, an old pain filling his voice. Grimshaw nodded affirmatively. Had Harry been in a more observant condition he would have recognized the startled expression on the goblin's face that Harry cared more about the reputation of his godfather than the vast fortune he had just lost.
"We lodged an appeal on your behalf, but we are not hopeful so long as the…current administration remains," Grimshaw added.
"Is that all?" Harry asked. "I want to get my withdrawal and leave if there is nothing more."
"Of course Mr. Potter," Grimshaw said kindly. "Will you be needing these funds converted to muggle currency or forwarded to specific businesses as usual?"
"No, these are strictly for my own, uh, personal use," Harry said absently. Grimshaw nodded his approval as they headed down to the access tunnel.
Harry shoved some galleons into a moneybag hurriedly. He hated visiting the vault full of his parent's money, but even in his distracted state he noticed that the pile of coin had grown smaller. It didn't matter though; money wouldn't do him any good if Voldemort weren't defeated.
After thanking Grimshaw again after they returned to the lobby Harry exited the lavish bank and headed up to another business run by goblins. The store didn't have a name, at least not a name that Harry could pronounce, but it was widely known as the best place to go for custom goblin crafted items.
Harry drew out the blue bound book with golden lettering on it that he had taken from the Malfoy private library. He wondered again if this was the right symbolism he wanted to evoke before taking a breath and pushing his way into the cramped store.
"Greetings young master, my name is Cramshak. Is there something specific that I could help you with?" Cramshak, apparently the owner of the store, asked as soon as Harry entered.
"Er, yeah, actually," Harry stammered. He drew out the book and opened it to a dog-eared page. "I'd like for you to make one of these."
"A blood ring Mr. Potter?" Cramshak said uncertainly. "You are not a pureblood."
"Obviously, but that's the point, I think it's a moving gesture that shouldn't be barred from anyone because of the circumstance of their birth. Besides, the purebloods rarely use them anymore anyway." Harry replied.
"With good reason, you will never severely restrained against the person you bestow this upon," Cramshak said.
"That is not a concern," Harry said firmly. "Will you do it or not?"
"I would not risk it for anyone but you Mr. Potter. My cousin Grimshaw has spoken very highly of you in recent times. It is the least we goblins can do." Cramshak said finally, after a few moments of pondering. "Hold out your arm."
Harry did as he was instructed and watched closely as a strange silver string that Cramshak produced out of no where snaked along his arm. Harry winced as the silvery thread bit into his arm, right at the joint of his elbow, and drew out a long bead of blood. The blood quickly crystallized into a gem that could easily be mistaken for a ruby except for its obviously magical properties.
"This will take a few moments Mr. Potter," Cramshak said. He was examining the gem with a small eyepiece. "I already have a suitable ring upon which to mount this."
Harry eyed the little goblin for a moment before turning away to inspect the rest of the store. Unlike the other wizard stores he had been in, this one was very organized and neat. Each item was set out on a shelf in an orderly fashion with a tiny information card placed in front of it to describe its function and price.
Most of the items that the goblin jeweler sold were decorative in nature, but one beautiful silver and gold engraved flask set also had a practical function. The tiny containers were described as having the same charm that a wizard's chest used embedded in them. This allowed them to store vastly larger amounts of material than their outside appearance would suggest. They also employed a clever cap system that allowed them to store multiple things within them just like Moody's old magical chest. Each rotation of the cap would open up a different space allowing the user to store five separate liquids within the same flask.
Harry glanced at the price, nearly two hundred galleons since the technique used in making them was apparently difficult and took great skill. He jiggled the money sack unconsciously and wondered if he had enough to cover them along with the ring.
"How much do I owe you for the ring?" Harry asked Cramshak when the goblin returned with a tiny box.
"Four hundred fifty galleons, seventy-five knuts," Cramshak said.
Harry dumped out his moneybag and counted out over seven hundred galleons. "I want to add these two flasks as well," he said, pointing to them.
"An excellent choice Mr. Potter," Cramshak said. "My grandfather made those himself."
"I've never seen finer craftsmanship," Harry said truthfully as his purchase was wrapped before he tucked it away into his hat.
"I look forward to our next meeting Mr. Potter, thank you for your business," Cramshak said as he walked with Harry to the door. "And good luck in the coming battles that only you can face."
"Thank you, I'll do my best," Harry said solemnly before stepping back out onto the street of Diagon Alley.
Hermione threw a tiny green vial against the wall in a tremendous outpouring of fury that she rarely allowed herself to indulge in. The result of that potion was worth her rage though. Hands on hips she scowled down at the three cauldrons bubbling in front of her and tried to decide what would be her best course of action. Again she silently thanked whoever might be listening that Harry had picked today to go prowl around Diagon Alley.
Each cauldron contained a different colored substance with uniformly watery consistencies. Hermione had been trying to mix the three together properly all morning, but so far she was getting a sickeningly green instead of the proper clear color. She had been secretly working on the three potions for some time now, when most everyone else was asleep or out on patrol. The extra fatigue that it had imposed on her was difficult, but she had been able to mask most of it with rejuvenation potions. Harry was so overworked that he had to take them too, so no one particularly noticed.
Hermione sat down in the floor in front of the cauldrons and flipped quickly through a thin stack of notes. With an absent flick of her wand a new vial appeared, snugly held in a little stand. Carefully Hermione ladled out tiny portions of the three potions into the vial and studied the reaction carefully. The vial shook a little before settling down into the old familiar green color.
Hermione…twitched, her eyes burning hotly, magical wind whipping her clothes as her anger grew.
"Work!" she shouted, incinerating the failed potion with a flash from her wand.
"What am I doing wrong?" Hermione muttered to herself absently, flipping through her notes again.
She was sure that she had mixed the right proportions of the three potions, in the correct order, and with the correct type of ladle. The only thing she had done differently was to mix a smaller dose because she didn't want the full effects, nor did she want to waste any of the potion.
After a few moments of scrutinizing the papers Hermione came to the conclusion that the amount must be just as important as the proportions. She conjured up a golden goblet and meticulously poured out the correct quantities. The mixture shook and frothed, emitting a faint steam, before finally settling down into a clear water like substance.
Hermione grinned at her accomplishment, but now she had to confront one last problem. She had been working so hard to perfect the potion that she hadn't taken the time to convince herself that she really wanted to take it. Nervously Hermione considered the various effects that the notes she had been studying described. Still, there was not really any other choice, that was why she had made the potion in the first place…wasn't it?
"I won't be left behind Harry," Hermione whispered fiercely, "I won't let you face him alone."
Hermione shut her eyes and drained the goblet without another thought. She hiccuped once as she sat there and waited to see if she would feel anything. Hermione shuddered a little and placed her hand on her uneasy stomach before conjuring more goblets. She would need them all.
A large passenger liner slowly made its way into the harbor at Rosyth so it could begin unloading its mixture of cargo and travelers. The dock workers were used to seeing a wide variety of strange looking people, but this lot was really over the top. There were nearly fifty men of mixed nationality, all mainland Europeans, all wearing funny top hats and carrying canes with serpent heads.
There were also several women; most of who looked even stranger than the men did if that were possible. Long hair was piled upon the tops of their heads and stuck through with several slender polished wooden sticks.
All the strangers were dressed in various types of black clothing and wore long flowing cloaks emblazoned with a tiny silver serpent. Affixed to their lapels were silver tongues that if one looked at for too long seemed to move. The travelers had amassed an immense amount of luggage between them and did not seem inclined to move it themselves.
One of the dock hands nudged his companion who glowered at him for a moment before going over to ask if assistance was required.
"How quaint, it's a muggle handler," one of the witches said in perfect English.
"What did you just call me lass?" the man replied indignantly.
"I do hope this is worth the effort Septimus," another one of the women huffed. She took out one of the sticks from her hair and pointed it lazily at the dock hand. Immediately he began to writhe in silent agony, thrashing around uncontrollably. His horrified companion tried to flee, but the man that had been addressed gestured with his cane and the fellow was drug back by invisible strings.
"Now, now, Sense, we're supposed to be fighting the good fight here, remember?" Septimus replied. He carried himself like an aristocrat and looked the part as well. He could have passed as a relative of the Malfoy's with his long blonde hair and crisp features.
"Oh…very well. You lot, get those bags out of here, we should have cars waiting for us around here somewhere." Sense said nastily at having her fun interrupted.
"And would someone kindly obliviate our helpful little muggles?" Septimus said as he walked off, not glancing over his shoulder.
In a dark alley off to the side, completely overlooked by mage and muggle alike, a bushy haired wolf was watching the entire show with grim fascination. The beast's tail wagged slightly, but the first thing that any observer would have noticed would have been the sinister gleaming white grin. After the wolf was assured that nothing more of interest would be happening it slipped away as stealthily as it had appeared.
Harry sighed deeply. "Now I know why those bloody brooms are so expensive."
"Why are you still wasting time on those shoes Harry? They'll never be more than a marginal advantage at best," Hermione replied peevishly. The two teens were sitting in the moderately busy Gryffindor common room catching up on the various things that they had been neglecting of late. Battles with Voldemort's avatars were becoming alarmingly frequent, but they had not been able to do more than duel them to a draw since the fight at Madam Bone's house. Harry had come close to killing one, at least they thought he had because it fled the battle, but it was impossible to be sure. Avatars were surprisingly resilient to being harmed, just like their master.
"I think being able to apparate above the reach of anti-apparation wards and then floating down to the ground safely will be immensely valuable," Harry said defensively. "I might even be able to make these things fly."
"Harry, honestly, people have been trying to enchant shoes to fly for hundreds of years now, I really don't think you'll figure it out in a fortnight," Hermione said.
"I don't see why not, cars can fly, brooms fly, motorcycles fly, why not shoes?" Harry asked, even though he didn't understand the answer she always gave.
"Because all those other things are either made out of wand wood or are of sufficient size to hold the necessary charms…shoes are neither," Hermione said.
"Maybe wooden shoes…" Harry mused.
Hermione shook her head in exasperation. "Size again Harry."
"Fine, but I will make them float," Harry said stubbornly. He slipped one of his trial shoes on and jumped as high as he could into the air. At the apex of his leap he stuck, as if the tips of his toes were resting on an invisible platform. Unfortunately his entire stability was resting on a single shoe. Even Harry had to admit that two levitation enchanted shoes would make each other go haywire.
"Not bad," Hermione admitted. "I still think you wasted too much time on it though. You need your rest."
"We both know that rest is a luxury Voldemort doesn't allow," Harry said flippantly. "Besides, you're looking rougher than I am my dear, if I may be so bold."
"Honestly Harry," Hermione said, sticking her tongue out playfully. "You have no tact at all."
Harry hopped down from the air and took a seat next to her. "So how's the analysis of that door fragment coming?"
"I'm not sure, but I've found a few disturbing things so far. Like for one, this door isn't conjured, it's a product of alchemy," Hermione said.
"Alchemy?" Harry asked quickly. "Do you think Voldemort is trying to make a stone too?"
"Well, its possible, but it may just be a coincidence," Hermione said. "Alchemy does have other uses after all, but I wouldn't trust Voldemort not to be attempting it as a backup plan should he become disembodied again."
"That's another thing we've got to consider, if Voldemort does lose his corporeal form he'll be vulnerable, so we've got to find a way to finish him off before he gets a Death Eater to help him revive," Harry said. "He won't wait around to use my blood again, he'll just take whatever is handy."
"I don't know Harry…" Hermione began, but she was cut off by a commotion from the doorway.
"Harry, Ron wants you to come down the hospital wing, Luna's been hurt," Ginny said urgently.
"What happened?" Harry asked as he jumped up, Hermione following on his heels, "Is she badly injured?"
"Ron doesn't think its serious, but it was some kind of jinx, like last year, and he wanted Hermione to check it too, just in case Madam Pomfrey missed something," Ginny said as they hurried down the halls. All of them had their wands out, using a detection charm that manifested itself in a cascade of pink light to make sure they were not inadvertently getting close to jinxed areas. Ron had taught Luna and Ginny the skill after finally mastering it himself, but it had been so long since anything at Hogwarts had been jinxed that they had all stopped using it on a routine basis.
When they arrived at the white walled hospital wing the found Ron sitting next to a pale looking Luna, holding her uninjured hand in his own. Luna's other arm was wrapped in bloody bandages, but Harry could tell immediately that she was doing much better than she must have been only a short while ago. Still, the wound that went from the palm of her hand all the way up to her shoulder was still open and staining the bandages with a slow ooze of blood.
"Something in the jinx's makeup is preventing a full closure of the wound," Madam Pomfrey said unhappily. "I'm not entire sure how. I'm not used to treating deliberately inflicted magical injuries like this."
"I'll look at it," Hermione said. She flicked her wand and sent a silver bird flittering away. "I called Bill too, his experience with curse breaking should also include jinxes and the wounds they might inflict."
Harry scowled angrily at the situation, but poor Luna was taking it very well, despite her withered appearance.
"Oh my, I can't use my wand like this, Ron, you've got to promise to protect me from Spine Backed Glorting Slugs, they might be attracted to all the blood," Luna cooed.
"Er, sure, I won't let anything happen to you Luna," Ron said shyly. Harry could feel Hermione's mirth, both at Luna's fanciful creatures that she always seemed to make up on the spot and Ron's bashful response. One thing was sure though, he'd had enough of Draco's continual sulking and cowardly attacks.
"I'm going to go pay the ferret a visit," Harry announced.
"Yeah, don't go easy on him," Hermione replied darkly. "I'm going to keep watch on Luna's arm while we wait for Bill."
"I'm going too," Ron said, an unusually aggressive tone in his voice. "It's payback time."
Harry waited until they were out in the hall before filling Ron in on his plan. "We can't just curse him Ron, if we do his cronies will continue attacking people. Instead we're going to show him once and for all how insignificant he is. That'll hurt him far worse than any physical retribution we might hand him."
"If you say so, I'd rather just hex him into little pieces," Ron growled.
"Actually, so would I," Harry conceded. The pair walked on toward the lower portions of the castle that contained the Slytherin quarters. The staff had finished sweeping most of the corridors and students were out milling about again. A few glanced at Harry's Light Bearer uniform, but most were used to it and didn't pay a lot of attention.
They reached the painting that guarded the entrance to the Slytherin common room. The grizzly, stick thin old wizard in the painting scowled at them.
"Open," Harry commanded.
"As you wish, Head Potter," the painting replied nastily. Clearly it didn't like being told what to do, but it was bound to obey a Head.
Harry stepped through the opening and surveyed the room. People began to notice the two intruders and a deep quiet settled over the common room. Harry and Ron had been there once before, during second year, so they already knew the basic layout. Nothing much had changed, including Draco's habit of sitting in the middle of the room like he owned the place, which to be fair he probably did.
"Potter," he spat as Harry and Ron advanced on him. "You think you can just march in here like this after what you've done. You destroyed my home you filthy mudblood loving scum…"
"Actually Draco, I can," Harry said, tapping his head a couple of times to remind the blonde wizard of his new position as Head Boy. "We need to have a talk about the attacks that have been going on around here."
Draco rambled angrily. "Bloody Saint Potter isn't satisfied with destroying my house. You've got to blame me for your own shortcomings, can't even stop pranks…"
"Shut it Malfoy," Harry said, casting a silencing charm before continuing in a calm soft voice. "I didn't come here to listen to your feeble whining about your home, a Death Eater base, or to put up with your indignant facade. I am going to talk…you are going to obey."
Draco's face inflamed with rage and he groped in his robes for his wand. Another spell rendered him rigid and motionless.
"Now Draco, we get to find out just how much influence you have over your fellow snakes. I know that most of Slytherin participates in staging these attacks. No single person could pull this sort of thing off. So instead of trying to track down and stop every single offender I'm going to do something much simpler. For every attack that happens from now on I will inflict on you an injury identical to that of the victim." Harry said, glowering at a now simpering Draco.
"I do hope we understand each other, or else you may find yourself in a great deal of pain in the very near future," Harry said. He cancelled the enchantments restraining the young wizard.
"You wouldn't dare Potter, you're too weak and…" Draco cut off with an anguished cry as his right arm was cut open from hand to shoulder by a sharp slash of Harry's wand.
"I believe that's what happened to Luna, or close enough. If you keep up these attacks I'm sure I'll get better with practice," Harry said simply. "One other thing Draco, don't try to leave this castle. That goes for all other Slytherin with Death Eater connections, and we know who you are. Tell your parents that you're now our prisoners and if this castle is attacked your lives will be forfeit."
Harry's eyes flashed dangerously as he got back up and swept out of the room, Ron in tow. Behind him was a room of shocked and scared Slytherin. When they reached the hall again Ron grabbed Harry's arm.
"Bloody hell Harry, are you serious? You wouldn't kill them?" Ron asked shakily. Thoughts of revenge had apparently been satisfied or maybe even overpowered by Harry's display.
"Maybe," Harry flashed again, then wilted under Ron's expression. "No, I guess not, but it'll give them something to think about."
"I can't believe you did that to Malfoy either," Ron said quietly. They resumed their march back to the hospital wing.
"I thought you were the one that wanted to curse him into little pieces," Harry replied.
"I wanted to make him suffer, but I don't know Harry, you ripped him up pretty good, and he isn't getting treatment like Luna is," Ron said slowly.
"Malfoy wouldn't work with volatile magic unless he were able to treat injuries from accidents. He'll be fine, and if not, well, I didn't start this war," Harry said, his voice becoming hard again.
Ron didn't say any more and when they entered the hospital wing again he immediately returned to Luna's side. Bill had arrived and the blonde witch's arm looked like it was nearly healed. Harry took a seat next to Hermione, who was sitting on an empty hospital bed across from Luna.
"I think this will be the last of these sorts of attacks," Harry said to Hermione across their link. Quickly he shared the events that had transpired and the ultimatum that he had delivered to Draco. He feared that she too might disapprove of his method of handling the problem, but she didn't.
"Brilliantly done Harry, I only wish you had singed his fur a little more instead of letting him off so easily," Hermione said bitterly. "We need to talk to Dumbledore about how best to use the children of Voldemort supporters as leverage against them too. They should never have sent them back to us."
"I don't know Hermione, that seems a little harsh," Harry replied.
"At the very least we need to be prepared to use them if Voldemort manages to capture any of our own people. Prisoner exchange would be a small price to pay to save the lives of our followers. As of this moment we've got to consider them prisoners of war," Hermione insisted firmly.
"Yeah, you're right, it's only a matter of time before Voldemort gets his hands on some of us," Harry conceded, bowing to Hermione's logic.
"We've got more pressing matters to attend to for now," Hermione said. "It's time for us to start hitting Voldemort's supporters where they live. I've compiled a list of residences and businesses of known Death Eaters with the help of the twins. Tomorrow we're going to wipe them all out just like the avatars did to our people."
"Did they crack the unplottable ones too?" Harry asked. They had been trying to get a more comprehensive list of Death Eater assets ever since the raid on Malfoy's home.
"Of course, it was only a matter of time. Without the Fidelius Charm no defense is perfect and perhaps not even with it," Hermione replied confidently.
"Ron, I also brought you this. It's from Dad," Bill said. He pulled a parchment sealed with the Light Bearer rising sun emblem that was used on communiqués to prevent them from being visually associated with the organization. "He wouldn't tell me what it was, just to get it to you whenever possible. I was planning to bring it to tomorrow's meeting, but since I'm here…"
Ron opened the parchment and scanned down the brief writing. "Dad's found out who those snake heads were that arrived at Rosyth. Apparently they're some kind of international team sent in by the continentals to help out with the war."
"So they're…not Death Eaters?" Harry asked.
"Heh, well, maybe, maybe not, but they're pretending to be on the Ministry's side. I told you how they treated those muggles though." Ron replied.
"We should ask Dumbledore about this too," Harry said. "If anyone has heard of these guys it would be him."
"It wouldn't hurt, but most foreign wizarding communities are so secretive that I doubt even Dumbledore would know many details," Hermione said skeptically.
"We've got things to do," Harry announced, after they finished discussing the unknown faction that had arrived to help the Ministry.
"Yeah, remember, meeting tomorrow, regular room," Hermione added. They had already told everyone assembled the password for the tiny troll.
"All right, I'm going to stay here with Luna so don't wait up," Ron said.
"Sleep well," Bill chimed in, smirking. Harry nodded and gave the dashing wizard a strange look.
"I'm going to finish testing the levitation charms on the shoes and then transfer them to my regular boots," Harry told Hermione as they walked back to the commons.
"I'm going to go ahead and get some sleep," Hermione said. Harry noticed that she really did look pale and worn out. "Go ahead and charm one of my boots too though."
Harry grinned, happy that she wanted to use his innovation after all. He spent the next hour after Hermione had went upstairs to her dorm jumping up and down repeatedly to make sure the charm would perform as intended.
Harry awoke early the next morning still tired and sipped down a bit of rejuvenation potion to help him get going. Dobby had taken to leaving him some snacks next to his bed so he grabbed a bite before switching out his pajamas for the Light Bearer uniform that he now wore constantly. Harry glanced over at the trunk in the corner and wondered when he should give Hermione her enchanted goblin flask. He had planned to wait for her birthday, but perhaps it wouldn't hurt to do it sooner. After all, they might need them.
"Harry, are you about ready?" Hermione's voice asked through their link.
"Er, yeah, I'm coming down now," Harry replied.
"Ron already went on ahead," Hermione said when he appeared on the staircase. "I think he wanted to go see Luna again. Poppy said that she'd be well enough to release today."
Harry and Hermione grasped each other's hands in what was for them an unusual outward show of affection. Usually they were more than content with the strong mental bond that they shared, but it was still nice to also be near each other in a "normal" way sometimes.
"Ron, Luna, feeling better now I suppose?" Harry asked. They ran into them just before getting to the room they had confiscated or Light Bearer activity.
"I'm doing fine now," Luna said cheerfully. Her arm was still wrapped up, but with fresh bandages. Ron was hovering around her far more than was probably necessary, but Hermione thought it was cute so Harry didn't tease him any.
Dumbledore and several of the old Order had already assembled along with a few senior Light Bearer members. Most of the Light Bearers lacked the ability to meet at Hogwarts on sudden notice because of their pre-existing assignments or because they couldn't disrupt their normal lives frequently without risking exposure.
"You want any of this?" Ginny asked Hermione as they waited for Luna and Ron to get settled in. Ginny had brought a plate of toast and pastries with her since the meeting was so early.
"Uh, no thanks," Hermione replied hastily, looking rather green.
"You've all been asked here because we're launching a new offensive as soon as this meeting is over," Harry said once everyone had stilled. "Ron and the twins have managed to get us a reliable list of the homes and businesses of the most prominent Death Eaters."
"Nott, Goyle, Jugson, Macnair…" Ron began, but Harry cut him off.
"Yes, the list is quite extensive. All together we'll be hitting twenty eight locations of various sizes," Harry continued.
"We don't have the manpower for that," Bill said. "Even the Malfoy raid strained us, what with everything else we're doing."
"These are not raids," Harry replied. "None of you will be going. The Headmaster will remain here to ensure that Voldemort doesn't attack Hogwarts with the both of us gone. The rest of you will be spread out, one at each target, to track anyone who escapes. Hermione and I will be attacking alone using apparation to move quickly from one target to the next. Once we've destroyed each location we'll move on to the next. Voldemort won't know what to defend."
"If he even bothers to defend," McGonagall said. "Most of these targets have never even had a hint of Death Eater activity."
"Doesn't matter. We're sending a message: supporting Voldemort will lose you your home and livelihood." Harry said calmly.
"Harry, this could create quite a bit of unrest," Dumbledore said heavily.
"We're fighting a war not catering to the sensibilities of the Ministry," Harry retorted.
"I think we've already sufficiently exhausted the strategy of not causing unrest," Hermione added.
"In any event, this has already been decided," Harry said firmly. "Hermione and I have to prepare, you all have your instructions."
Harry ignored the strange looks that he got as people stood to leave. He supposed that they were not used to him being decisive, but he had no choice, if they debated everything with the old Order nothing would ever get done.
"I wonder if we made a mistake letting Dumbledore join us," Harry asked.
"He does challenge every decision, or at least introduce doubt," Hermione replied distractedly.
"So have our brooms arrived yet or will we have to go fetch them?" Harry asked. Since most of the places they were going to hit were covered by anti-apparation wards they were going to apparate directly above them, high in the sky, and then use brooms. That way they wouldn't be subjected to a long time consuming walk. It was the best they had been able to come up with after applying the lessons learned on the mission to the Malfoy estate.
"The twins should have brought them to Grimmauld Place by now. I had to get them to buy me a new one though. I've always just used the school brooms since I hate flying so much," Hermione said.
"If you hate flying so much then why is your animagus form an owl?" Harry replied cheekily.
"Oh Harry, because a person's animal magnifies their deepest traits or desires. Owls are symbols of knowledge and one of my deepest desires has always been to keep up with you. I knew how much you liked flying and so my subconscious must have worked out that you would be a bird so thus if I wanted to keep up with you I'd have to be a bird too." Hermione explained.
Harry felt a warm sensation rush over him. "Wow, I don't know what to say Hermione…I love you so much."
Hermione wrapped her arm around him as they continued toward the common room. They stepped through the entrance and turned to go toward their respective staircases when Harry remembered his enchanted shoes.
"Wait Hermione, take one of these enchanted boots, we might need them," Harry said.
"Harry, we'll be on brooms," Hermione replied.
"Yeah, but what if you get knocked off or something. That's why I made them, so you could keep from falling without needing to transform," Harry said insistently.
Hermione picked one up from where Harry had been working. "You made them for me? That's so sweet Harry, I'm sorry I said you were wasting time."
"I'll have to remember this, Hermione didn't figure out my motives for once," Harry laughed teasingly. They disappeared up to their rooms to gather up a few loose items that they might need during their attacks before portkeying back to Grimmauld Place.
"Hermione!" Sarah Granger's exclamation rang out as her daughter materialized in the main room.
"Mum," Hermione replied happily, embracing her mother. "We can only stay a second, we came to collect our brooms."
"Oi, there you guys are," Fred's voice came from the double doorway. "Here's your Firebolt Harry and we decided that you might as well have one too Hermione. I know you said Cleansweep, but you may need the speed and agility a lot more than those extra galleons."
"You told them to get you a Cleansweep?" Harry asked, brow furrowed.
Hermione twisted on one foot bashfully. "It's not like you have unlimited resources Harry and brooms are expensive."
"Don't worry Fred, you did the right thing. A quality broom could make all the difference. I'm sure we're going to have to fight in the air sooner or later and it's hard enough to control a good broom let alone a poor one." Harry admonished Hermione slightly. Harry had good reason to be concerned too. Flying a broom took a lot of mental and magical concentration. Casting spells from a broom was considered to be a risky proposition and no wizard would want to engage in a battle during maneuvering. Casting spells from a broom as an immobile platform was taxing enough. That was another part of the reason Harry had worked so hard to put a back up levitation charm in their shoes.
"Come on Harry, if we're going to keep the timetable we set up we need to begin," Hermione said. They said goodbye to Fred and Hermione's parents before vanishing away to the first place on the list.
Nearly two hours later they were approaching the halfway mark on their list of targets. Behind them lay a trail of burnt out ruins that had once been home to the most ancient, wealthy, and respected wizarding families in all of England. So far they had not met with organized resistance but they had managed to capture nearly two dozen prisoners. He was pretty sure that most of them were just servants, several were house elves, but some of them might be family members of certain Death Eaters. Harry would let Ron and the twins discover everyone's true identity.
Harry shivered in the cold air as they apparated in far above their next target so as to avoid the radius of the anti-apparation wards. Hermione's face was flushed pink from the cold, but other than that they were very well protected in their Light Bearer uniforms. Harry dove slowly so that Hermione could keep up with him and continued to send soothing thoughts across their link to help her overcome her innate dislike of flying. The only time she had been able to escape her natural aversion to flight was when she took on her owl animagus form.
"Harry, this is the Goyle mansion," Hermione said. "I think they've rallied here."
"Yeah, there they are. We're going to have to fight this time. It looks like they didn't know where to guard though; they've only sent three avatars and no Death Eaters." Harry observed.
"Three avatars…" Hermione echoed. Harry and Hermione stopped several hundred feet above the ground and waited as the avatars, also on brooms, floated up cautiously to meet them. In the lead was the ex-auror Tram who had carried out the plan to kidnap Harry last year.
"It ends here Potter," Tram yelled up at them. "We've locked this place down, no way in or out, and you'll never be able to reach the edge of the interdiction fields before we blow you out of the sky."
"I thought you wanted me alive," Harry yelled back.
"You'll be alive, just not much alive," Tram growled. The three avatars cut loose with a variety of spells designed to confuse their defenses. Spells in tight beams mixed with large imposing streams of elemental magic. Instead of defending Harry jerked himself to one side just like dodging a bludger.
Hermione on the other hand was having a lot more trouble. A silver dome sprang to life beneath her, but the force of the magic impacting against it sent her careening away. Harry darted to her, helping her regain her balance.
"I don't know if I can do this Harry," she said timidly.
"Don't worry Hermione, I won't let you fall as long as you're near me," Harry reassured her.
Harry's eyes already burned with magic, as did Hermione's, but she was still astounded as he revealed the true depth of his power for the first time in a while. Hermione confirmed what she had suspected for some time. Without a doubt Harry had become stronger than she had. The air filled with hundreds of tiny razor sharp silver disks as the retaliation began. The avatars tried to wipe them away as they had in the past but found that they could no longer overcome Harry's grip on his creations.
The air was filled with sparks from the impact of Harry's assault against the avatar's own conjured metallic defenders. The avatars spread themselves out to try to make more difficult targets and to surround the two teens. Tram flicked his wand like a symphony conductor and the air between Harry and Hermione exploded, sending them careening away from each other. As they tumbled away wildly the air continued to explode randomly in a way that created a scene reminiscent of muggle flak guns shooting at airplanes.
Harry got control of his broom first and immediately headed toward Hermione. She had given up trying to right her flight path and instead let loose with powerful balls of fire in a widespread pattern that forced the avatars to concentrate on dodging instead of attacking. During the moments afforded by her diversion Harry managed to reach her side again.
"This is going really bad Harry," Hermione gasped, dizzy with exhaustion and the recent spinning of her uncontrolled broom.
Harry jerked her up suddenly, just in time to avoid a dark mass that flew by where they had just been floating.
"Harry, that isn't just a spell, they're conjuring," Hermione gasped. More dark blobs flew toward them in a torrent. Hermione conjured her silver shield and put it in front of her face, but it couldn't block all of the amorphous dark mass. Violent hissing sounds erupted, along with billowing black smoke, as Hermione twisted slowly toward the ground.
"Hermione!" Harry screamed to her through their link. He had also been hit directly by the unknown material, but unlike Hermione his shield had expanded like a giant set of wings and clamped down to create a solid, if somewhat angular looking cocoon around him.
There was no response from the stricken witch. Fresh rage burned though Harry as he pulled a black obsidian stone from his pocket. Harry's hand glowed white for a second and then the stone spit out a hail of deadly identical shards. The avatars staggered visibly under the assault before finally gaining control of the situation again. Harry cast a new round of projectiles but they all disappeared before they could hit their target. It appeared as if they were splashing into an invisible pond, creating small circular ripples right in midair, before they would have hit the avatars.
"You can't defeat three of us at once," Tram said tauntingly. "First we wear you out, then our master becomes immortal."
Hermione groaned and blinked her eyes rapidly. She had managed to arrest her fall enough to prevent serious injury, but the attack she had sustained had still nearly incapacitated her. Her Light Bearer uniform was eaten away except for tatters, but her dragon hide was intact and had probably saved her from the acidic magic. Her hat was intact too, thanks to the shield she had erected over her head right before being struck down. Hermione used her remaining strength to gingerly take a large golden goblet out of the hat's enchanted space and draw it to her lips.
Harry dodged again, but he didn't know how much longer he could keep it up. Three at once really was too much for him. He still had a long way to go to master his power and at this rate he might never get to. He'd not give up though; Hermione was still alive, he could feel it. He couldn't let her down, not when she was hurt and counting on him.
"Avada Kedavra!" Harry yelled in frustration. Tram easily dodged the green beam of destruction.
"Pitiful Potter," Tram taunted. "I'm beginning to think that the prophecy is a bunch of nonsense. How could an idiot like you ever even have a chance of defeating the Dark Lord?"
"You'll never know, your fight ends here," Harry shouted back with confidence he didn't feel. He twitched his wand and impaled the avatars with beams of searing light, which hurt them considerably, but didn't knock them out. They retaliated with fire that left smoke clinging to Harry's clothes.
From down below there came an unearthly scream and Harry felt Hermione's power rise rapidly, eclipsing him and anything he had ever felt before. All four combatants froze in their positions as they watched an enraged Hermione fly toward them at a rate that would have made Harry proud had he not been so shocked.
"Get back Harry!" she commanded, pointing her wand at the mid air battlefield.
Harry didn't have time to comply before he was jerked away by Hermione's own summoning charm. The instant he cleared the area Hermione conjured thousands of flaming darts and sent them toward the avatars. Apparently they had control over the wards because Harry could see one of them hastily recalling the magical transportation nullifiers. It was too late for Tram though; he was surrounded and pierced through with fire that ate him from the inside out. With a final silent scream his charred bones fell from his broom before turning to ash in the wind.
The other two avatars disappeared, but Hermione wasn't slowing down. She pointed her wand up into the sky and caused dozens of fiery lights to appear. Harry gaped in amazement, as the tiny pinpoints of light were actually magically conjured meteors. The flaming chunks of rock tore through the sky over their heads and converged on the Goyle mansion. A shock wave coursed through the air along with a sharp thunderclap as the Goyle estate and much of the surrounding countryside disappeared in a bright light.
Without a word Hermione vanished and Harry realized she had apparated to the next target. It was all he could do to keep up with her as she hopped rapidly from one place to the next, until she finally began to tire.
"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry asked gently. They were floating over a target near the end of their list. Hermione was panting heavily and she looked very pale. Her eyes had lost their chocolate color. They were still brown, but now they seemed faded…different.
"I'm fine Harry, I…When I thought I had failed you something snapped," Hermione said sadly.
"You couldn't fail me Hermione and I mean that," Harry reassured her. "I think there are some people lurking around here that we can capture. Let's hurry up so you can go rest."
Hermione gave him a tight smile and nodded. They were just about to begin their descent when sharp cracks echoed all around them. Dozens of wizards in Ministry robes had appeared, looking apprehensive as they approached on their brooms, but determined none the less.
"This ends here Potter," the lead auror said.
"I've been told that before today, by an avatar of Voldemort," Harry spat back.
"There are no Death Eater's here, just innocent people," the auror replied.
"Innocent? Are you crazy?" Harry roared. "I've got evidence directly linking this workshop to an enterprise run by the Nott family. The profits produced here go directly to fund Voldemort's war."
"The Ministry will investigate…" the auror began, but Hermione cut him off.
"The Ministry is heavily infiltrated by Death Eaters," she said hotly. "We were just attacked by an ex-auror that was stationed at Hogwarts last term…an ex-auror that was turned into an avatar shortly thereafter. The Nott family still has relatives within the old Department of Magical Law Enforcement which is now consolidated with the auror and the hit wizard branches."
"There have never been any connections made, now are you going to come peacefully or must we take you by force?" the auror asked. "We won't allow you to destroy property and instigate chaos."
"This is my war," Harry insisted, yelling wildly as he sat there in midair. "I'm the only one that can defeat Voldemort, you all know that now. I can't do it with his massive army of wealth, Death Eaters, and dark creatures at his back. Either help or get out of my way!"
"Maybe you're the only one who can defeat the Dark Lord and maybe you're not," the auror retorted. Harry and Hermione gaped at him openly. "You don't have the authority or the right to attack at will across England."
"Harry, this is pointless, the Ministry can't be trusted even to leave us alone anymore," Hermione said.
"Isn't there some way we can stop this before it starts?" Harry asked pleadingly.
"I don't know Harry, we'll think of something," Hermione said.
Harry nodded as Hermione repeated her meteor strike spell and then vanished away with Harry following suit an instant later. Green beams crisscrossed at the spot they had just vacated, but the aurors were still forced to watch helplessly as the Nott workshop vanished from the face of the Earth.
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