What I Always Wanted
Chapter 26: Birth and Death
The thirty or so young wizards and witches crowding the dilapidated lower level of Pickerington Manor were grouped together whispering among themselves wondering just what in the name of Merlin they'd gotten themselves into. Most of them were children and grandchildren from disparaged wizarding families who had in one or both of the last wars sided with Voldemort. Theirs had been an existence of ridicule and scorn, hiding and lies. Most had been reduced to lying about their names and family associations to avoid the taint of the label of `Dark Wizard'. As many of them had come from very old and moneyed pureblood families most had been reduced to the meanest poverty after their families had lost much of their fortunes trying to buy their way out of their past associations and dealings. It had been a hard life to say the least, thus when they had been approached by Leah and Lyra Penneford and Ben Ackerman and offered the chance to recoup some of the past fortune and glory of their family names and perhaps to pay back some of the unkindness they'd been dealt most of their lives, they had jumped at the chance. Now however their decisions seemed more hasty and foolhardy than opportunistic.
A dark haired and dark eyed wizard in shabby navy robes was holding court in corner of the lounge whispering animatedly.
"I'm telling the lot of you something serious is brewing down in that cellar. That bird did a runner and one of those mates of Ben that brought her back said `put her back down with Potter's bint'…"
The dark haired wizard was interrupted by a wide-eyed brunette cohort of his who queried.
"You don't reckon they mean Harry Potter do you?"
The dark haired wizard nodded as he added.
"Who else could they be talking about?"
Again he was interrupted, this time by a sandy haired wizard who asked fearfully.
"You can't think they have been stupid enough to go after someone who was close to Harry Potter do you?"
Once again the dark haired wizard nodded as he answered back.
"That's exactly what I think they've done and I'll tell you right now that's not what I bloody well signed on for and I'll be damned if I'll wait around for the likes of Harry Potter to show up and have my head for messing about with whoever it is they've got holed up in the cellar!"
A blond who'd been sitting quietly nearby chimed in.
"It's Hermione Granger."
The two wizards and the one witch who'd been talking turned to look at the blond. She continued speaking in very low hushed tones.
"If it's true that they've got someone close to Harry Potter down in that cellar I'd bet my last knut that its Hermione Granger, they just got married a few months back…it was splashed all across the front of the Daily Prophet it was."
The sandy haired wizard shook his head disbelievingly.
"You can't honestly believe that they'd be…that anybody'd be daft enough to go and kidnap Harry Potter's wife!"
The dark haired wizard rejoined with.
"I don't rightly know what any of that lot may be mad enough to do but I bloody well don't plan on staying around here long enough to find out. I'm getting out before the Ministry sends us all to Azkaban or worse… Harry Potter finds us and kills us all!"
Having said that he rose to his feet and looked around to see who was with him. The brunette and the blond stood to their feet as did two other wizards who had been sitting in the depths of the shadowy corner listening. Cautiously the five looked around before heading towards the front door. The sandy haired wizard watched them leave. He sat deliberating for several long seconds before rising to his feet and dashing off after his departing comrades.
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As the six wizards fled Pickerington Manor, one floor above two other wizards who were standing guard outside the door of a locked bedroom which overlooked the front of the manor caught sight of their departure. The wizard closest to the window saw the fluttering cloaks of the six fleeing wizards. Looking towards his companion he said.
"Oi Scott looks like someone's doing another runner… only looks like its some of us this time. Wonder why they're leaving… oh well means more galleons fro us then eh."
The second wizard looked out the window and replied.
"I don't known why they're running Davy but I reckon they may have the right idea."
Quirking an eyebrow at Scott's response Davy posed a question.
"What would make you say a thing like that?"
With a shake of his head Scott replied.
"Do you have any idea what's going on here Davy? Do you have a clue as to who it is that they've got locked down in the cellar and who's in this bedroom we're making sure stays locked?"
Davy shook his head. As he did so Scott pointed at the door behind him and answered back.
"Leah's in here, put there by her own sister. I overheard Michael and Blake, Ben's mates, talking about how things were going to change now that Lyra and Ben have gotten Leah out of the way. They were going on about finally getting some answers to how some bloody book works before we take on Potter and the Ministry."
Davy turned a sunned countenance to Scott and in an unbelieving whisper asked.
"Take on Potter and the Ministry… you don't mean… that is to say… you can't mean what I think you mean."
Scott nodded his head.
"I mean exactly that."
Having uttered those words the two stare out the window at the six lucky wizards who have managed to get away.
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Lyra stared between the two women splayed out on cots before her, both unconscious, listening to Ben as he paced about the tiny cell raging about this latest turn of events.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! WE'RE REALLY IN IT NOW WE'VE NO IDEA WHAT THOSE SODDING BOOKS SAY AND THE ONLY TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKELY TO GIVE US A CLUE YOU'VE NEARLY KILLED!"
Sick to death of Ben's accusations Lyra heatedly defended her actions.
"What would you have had me do?"
Lyra pointed towards unconscious form.
"IF SHE'D GOTTEN AWAY EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN RUINED. SHE HAD TO BE BROUGHT BACK… IT'S NOT MY FAULT THAT THOSE IDIOT FRIENDS OF YOURS OVERDID IT ON THE STUNNING SPELLS!"
Not quite ready to concede defeat Ben pointed to Hermione's unmoving body and shouted.
"AND WHAT ABOUT HER, WHAT WAS THE POINT OF YOU ATTACKING HER EH?"
Lyra stamped her foot as she shrieked back.
"FOR THE THOUSANDTH TIME I…DID…NOT…LAY…A…HAND…TO…THE…BINT! I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER ONE MOMENT SHE WAS SMARTING OFF AT ME AND NEXT THING I KNOW SHE'S LIMP AS AN EFFING COD!"
Ben gazed intently at Lyra; her version of events seemed about as likely as Hermione Potter offering him a blowjob… meaning that it was likely at all, however, now wasn't the time to get into a row over Lyra and her inability to control her temper. So rather than waste more valuable time trying to sort out what hex she'd hit the Potter bitch with Ben thought it better to just move on. He took a deep breath, thus when next he spoke it was in a decidedly calmer tone.
"Doesn't matter what happened now… what matters is that we get back on track as quick as possible which means we've got to bring one of them back around."
Lyra looked askance at Ben and wondered aloud.
"And how do you propose we do that?"
Ben's reply came swiftly but was not directed to Lyra. He turned and looking up towards the cellar door called out.
"Blake go upstairs and fetch Leah."
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It was just after twilight when a series of pops were heard in the grove of English oaks that bordered the perimeter of Pickerington Manor. A group of about twenty aurors had just apparated into the copse of trees. The willowy dark haired leader of the group pointed turned to six aurors on his right and to six on his left immediately the two units disappeared into the darkening night. The remaining seven fanned out through the wood. Harry Potter turned away from the studying figures of his companions, made his way swiftly to the edge of the thicket and stared at the moldering old ruin of a manor house sitting about 400 meters away from where he presently stood. Somewhere in that decrepit wreck of a house was Hermione. Suddenly the image of Hermione racing across the distance from the house to the wood entered his mind. Missed spells sending explosions of earth into the air at her feet, he vividly recalled that the edge of the wood was mere steps away when all had abruptly gone black. What had happened to Hermione then? Was she alright? Had she been hurt? Was the baby alright? Harry closed his eyes and slowly expelled a lungful of air. He had to keep control of his emotions he wouldn't be any good to his wife or his child if he allowed himself to lose it now. He was brought round from his private ruminations by the voice of his second in command, Will Leeds.
"We've searched the immediate vicinity and found no signs of any types of anti-detection wards. Braddock and Milner took their units further around to scout the perimeter of the house to see if we can get a better idea of what we're facing here."
Harry inclined his head but did not speak as Tonks, Kingsley, Ron, Octavian Alfonse and six of the Horntails came tromping through the trees towards where he and Will stood. As they drew closer Harry noticed that Ron and the others had their wands drawn and that the six others were positively not Horntails. Ron, Kingsley, Tonks, Octavian and their captives came to a stop about three meters from Harry and Will. Harry stepped back deeper into the copse of trees, he covered about half the distance separating him from the others and hurriedly scanned six very young and very frightened faces, two were witches and four were wizards. All were extremely disheveled; they looked as though they'd been crawling around through the wood. Looking away from the six terrified faces Harry asked the assemblage.
"Who're this lot?"
Octavian responded gruffly.
"We found this rabble hiding around a hillock down the other end of the copse. They were right keen on slipping past us but not quite bright enough to manage it."
Harry drew himself up to his full height, squared his shoulders; his normally luminous green eyes had gone menacingly dark, something in his aspect made a chill run down the spine of everyone present in the thicket. It was this fearsome presence that gazed upon the six trembling figures who had fled less than an hour before to avoid this very fate. In a low ominous voice he asked.
"Do you know who I am?"
There was a murmur of assent from the six. One, a blond witch who looked as awed as she did afraid, answered haltingly.
"You…you…you're Harry Potter."
The fearful reverence with which the young blond spoke his name caused Harry to devote his full attention to her a grim smile crossed his face as he said.
"And seeing that you know who I am, you'll also know why I'm here."
The blond released a shaky breath of air as she bobbed her head up and down in reply. Harry inclined his head in return and uttered.
"I'm listening."
Some twenty minutes later the six fleeing wizards had provided Harry and the others with what little information they could about the plans of Ackerman and the Pennefords. They also told them about the wild rumors that had been floating around the manor about Lyra and Ben having attacked Leah and locked her away upstairs as well as the two occupants of the cellar. Once the rest of the Horntails returned they compared information on the layout of the house and the number of wizards on hand. Having provided what intelligence they could Harry had the group of runners taken back to the Ministry for further questioning.
Harry wasted no time he drew his wand and made his way back towards the edge of the wood. Ron and the others hastily followed suit. When the manor house was in view Ron looked over at Harry and asked.
"What's the plan?"
Harry never looked away from manor as he replied.
"We walk up to the front door and ring the bell."
Before anyone could question him further, Harry strode off in the direction of the manor closely followed by Ron and the others.
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Lyra peered eagerly over the shoulder of her twin sister as she tetchily inquired.
"Well, what the bloody hell is wrong with the pair of them?!"
Leah straightened from her bowed position and replied through clinched teeth.
"The next time you send those idiotic louts after someone you may want to tell them that if they're going to stun their quarry they may want to ensure that they don't dash their bloody brains out in the process!"
Lyra ignored the snippiness in her sister's tone and nodding towards Hermione asked.
"And that one…what's wrong with that one?"
Leah shook her head.
"I haven't any idea. She may have passed out from exhaustion or stress, or perhaps she was hexed as well."
Lyra rolled her eyes and replied hotly.
"How many times do I have to tell you lot that I never touched that slag?"
Hermione laid still and quiet. For the past forty-five minutes she had lain as still as possible waiting and hoping for the chance that Lyra and Ben might leave the room and give her the chance to check on Isolde and make sure that she was alright. But that moment had never come. Isolde escape attempt and her subsequent injury had put the pair on alert. Instead of leaving the cellar they'd called in what appeared to be their own personal guard. She wasn't certain how much longer she could keep up her present charade. Sooner or later something would give her away she had to find a way out for Isolde and herself. If only she could be certain that she had gotten through to Harry.
All of a sudden a deafening sounded from above. The sound was quickly followed by screams, bellows of pain and muffled thuds as though multiple objects were hitting the floor in rapid succession. Hermione's eyes flew open immediately, those sounds; they were sounds with which she was intimately acquainted they were the sounds of a battle. Unaware of her actions Hermione raised herself up on her elbows listening intently to the muffled voices calling out above her listening for the voice she had been hoping and praying to hear since she had woken up in this horrid cellar.
As Hermione listened all around her there was chaos. Recognizing that their hideout had been found Ben told Lyra to stay put and drawing his wand run full on towards the stairs closely followed by his guards. At that exact moment the cellar door burst open and through the smoky haze of fired spells Hermione could make out the Harry's familiar silhouette as he charged into the room. Ben raised his wand and cried Avada Kedavra but Harry had thrown up a shield off which Ben's spell rebounded and struck him dead center in the chest. An anguished scream echoed through the air as Ben's lifeless body tumbled down the stairs. Hermione looked over and caught the grief-stricken expression on Lyra's face as she screamed out Ben's name. Their eyes connected and Lyra raised her wand and pointed it directly at Hermione's heart. Hermione watched in slow motion as Lyra's lips formed the words of the killing curse. Hermione could hear Harry screaming her name as he and Ron fought their way down the stairs towards her, she saw a flash of green light and heard the rushing of the spell as it raced towards her. She steeled herself for the inevitable when out of the blue a body appeared in front of her; the killing curse that had been intended for her struck the body that had thrown itself in front of her. With a thud the body hit the floor, Hermione looked down and found herself staring into the lifeless eyes of Leah Penneford.
Before Hermione could fully process what had just occurred she was startled by the sound of a wand clattering to the floor. She looked up and saw a horrified Lyra Penneford fall to her knees. In the next instant Ron and Harry were on either side of her. Harry was there cupping her face in his palms, asking.
"Hermione, love are you alright? Did they hurt you?"
She was about to tell him that she was fine but that Isolde wasn't when a pain pierced her side and had her doubling over gasping in pain. Harry wrapped his arms around her and cried.
"Hermione what's wrong?"
Her breathless reply came quickly.
"We have to get to St. Mungo's… the baby…the baby's coming… the baby's coming now!"
A/N: It has been forever I know. I await your castigations in your reviews.
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