Legacy
by Jardyn39
Chapter 9 - Mrs Figg's
At dusk Harry and Hermione walked casually over to Mrs Figg's house, surrounded the entire way by an honour guard of at least a dozen large cats that dashed from car to car. The row of railway cottages had changed little since Harry's first visit there many years ago. The properties along this row were much older than those that surrounded them but Harry had long thought them to have far more character.
The front gardens were less than a third that of Privet Drive and most had old bikes parked in the front.
As they approached Mrs Figg's garden gate, the front door opened silently and they hurried along the short path and into the house.
Harry led the way into the tiny front room which looked exactly the way he remembered it.
"Go straight through to the back room," directed the still invisible Moody from behind them.
They went through the narrow doorway and into an empty area that had obviously been magically expanded into a space of hall sized proportions. The room was square on plan with each wall about fifty feet long and with a ceiling twenty feet high. The floor was covered with old linoleum and Harry saw that a patch repair had been duplicated in several places across the room.
In the far wall there was a single window that overlooked Mrs Figg's back garden.
"We thought you'd like some space to manoeuvre," said Moody, folding his cloak. "Arrabella and me will be out back. Molly and three other Order members are concealed out front and the cats are out patrolling the entire area. We also have about a dozen Order members on standby in the air. We can all react at a moment's notice but please remember the real risk will be right in here with you."
"This will be fine, thanks," said Harry.
"We weren't too sure if your visitor could get in, so we left the window just in case."
"Good point," agreed Harry. "Perhaps we should leave it open."
Moody pointed his wand at the window and the lower sash slid upwards at once.
"Anything else?" he asked.
"No, I don't think so. We won't try until the sun has completely set, though."
"That's only about five minutes away, actually," said Moody before he Disapparated with a crack!
"You okay?" he asked Hermione for perhaps the hundredth time that afternoon.
Hermione smiled at him and nodded. As annoying as Harry had been that day, she knew he was only concerned for her.
He wished he could do something to ease her pain, but Harry was sure she was scared he would demand to know the truth of whatever had happened.
The silence between them stretched into minutes before Harry finally removed the piece of parchment that Fudge had given him from his pocket and unfolded it. This was the first time they had trusted themselves to see the name.
"Together?" he asked.
"Yes," said Hermione, coming closer to read the neat manuscript.
"On three," said Harry. "One. Two. Three."
"Sapien!" they said in unison.
Almost instantly the air grew cold and the lanterns went out. The lace curtains began to billow in the moon light.
Then a shadow passed in front of the window and then came into the room.
The Dementor had arrived.
Pausing to apparently take in the room, he glided over to Harry and Hermione.
"Ah," said Sapien appreciatively in a deep, breathy voice. "Thank you, my dear," he added with a slight bow of his hooded head towards Hermione.
"You can hear him?" asked Harry.
"Yes," said Hermione shakily.
Harry nodded and said, "Thank you for coming. Fudge said you suggested we might want to talk to you. How did you know?"
"We rather assumed it would be the case. We have felt your growing presence for some time, Harry Potter. Yesterday evening was just one of many that we have spent outside your dwelling."
"Um, why?" asked Harry.
"Let us just say that after the events of two summers ago, we wanted to ensure that our brothers did not yield to temptation."
"But, I've not felt your presence."
"We have learned to control what souls feel of my presence when it suits us."
"Last night you spoke of danger. You know of a particular risk to us?"
"There is a risk to you, Harry Potter. The Dark Lord has plans for you."
"So, what's new?"
"He sent us to you, only he did not know that we knew where you were. He thinks we are still searching for you."
"Um, why? I mean, why lie to Voldemort?"
"He would soon prevent us from roaming the country in search of sustenance. He knows that in the past Dementors have adversely affected you. He would send us all to you."
"Does he really think I'd scare that easily?"
"We sensed he was undecided. In any event, it was only by being so close to you that we finally grew to understood your relationship to the Dark Lord."
"Go on," said Harry evenly.
"You see, Voldemort summoned us to him. We knew from the moment he admitted us into his presence what he had done."
"What had he done?" asked Harry carefully.
"You know full well what he has done. He has split is soul."
Harry nodded and said, "Yes. We think there are six parts that he cut away and stored in objects known as Horcruxes."
"As many as six?"
"We fear so, yes," agreed Harry. "Two have been destroyed and we think we know what one of the remaining Horcuxes is, except we don't know where it is yet."
"He is truly an abomination," said Sapien with such venom it made Harry shiver.
"Why did he summon you?" asked Hermione.
"He summoned all the Dementor families from all over the world. It was the first time in Centuries that we had all gathered together. Even so, old rivalries surfaced again. Some of our brothers have never forgiven us for aligning ourselves with the Ministry of Magic all those years ago."
The cold in the room was biting now and both Harry and Hermione were producing clouds of vapour with every breath.
"Voldemort had us gathered together so that he could address us. As expected, he promised to allow us free reign over our old hunting grounds."
"Where did you meet?" asked Hermione. "It must have been a large gathering if all the Dementors in the world were together."
"Actually, I was shocked to discover that so few of us had survived. It was a rather small gathering."
Harry noticed that this was the first time he'd noticed that Sapien had referred to himself in the singular.
"Are all the families loyal to Voldemort now?" asked Harry.
"That's an interesting question. Before Voldemort actually made his appearance, we were probably unanimous in our support for his cause. The Ministry has caused great suffering over the years. They refined their curses for their efficiency rather than to save unnecessary suffering. It is hardly surprising that we were united against our oppressors."
Harry frowned. It seemed so strange to think of Dementors as being even capable of suffering.
Then he quickly checked himself, remembering the warning Fudge had given. If he thought of them as unfeeling animals, that is how they would treat him.
"What about after his appearance?"
"Well, our younger brothers could feel that something wasn't quite right, only they didn't understand what it was. We older family members could feel what he had done to himself. Fortunately, neither he nor his human supporters understood our reaction and took our abhorrence for delight."
Harry frowned, hardly daring to believe what he was hearing.
"We decided it would be prudent to go along with his plans for the present. Our numbers were dangerously low and we needed to do something about that. We were convinced that Voldemort would destroy us if he believed we could not be recruited."
"What about the attacks that have been reported?"
"Not one witch or wizard has been given the Kiss since Voldemort sent us out. It is true that we have fed upon the general Muggle population, but that was out of necessity. The alternative was starvation."
Harry looked at Hermione who was frowning slightly.
"There weren't that many newspaper reports, actually," she said. "I suppose they could have been mistaken. There certainly haven't been any Kisses reported recently."
"Oh, we did scare a few people away from our gathering places," admitted Sapien.
"So, none of you are really loyal to Voldemort?"
"We are of one mind; but not entirely of one thought."
This time the echoing was strong. It was as if dozens had spoken at once and Harry began to wonder how many souls he was hearing.
"So, if you ordered it, no Dementor would attack us or our friends?"
Sapien hesitated.
"No. I cannot assure you of that. You must appreciate we have no love for the Ministry and therefore of those who have supported it. In addition, some of our younger brothers are not yet wise enough to conquer their instincts."
"Is that why I was attacked?"
"Essentially, yes."
Harry sighed deeply.
"Alright. The most important thing is to defeat Voldemort. Dumbledore left me the task of destroying the remaining Horcruxes to make Voldemort mortal and vulnerable again. The problem is I have no idea how to destroy the Horcrux. I had the idea that the piece of soul might be sucked out in the same way you perform the Kiss."
"That is very perceptive. I have never felt the presence of a soul in anything but a living organism before."
"Oh," said Harry, feeling a little disappointed.
"However, there is no reason why it cannot be done. We imagine the Dementor would die almost immediately."
"Why?"
"Such a tainted soul would be a deadly poison, even in a diluted form."
"Did I imagine it when I saw part of Sirius' soul being sucked out?" asked Harry.
"No, that can indeed sometimes be felt. We have never heard of a Wizard having sight of that though. Perhaps we were correct about you after all."
"So, how about if the piece of soul was removed but not actually ingested?"
Sapien considered for a moment.
"When the Kiss is abandoned before it is completed, the soul returns to the source. How does that help you?"
"The source!" exclaimed Hermione. "Wouldn't it head back to Voldemort rather than back into the Horcrux?"
"Well, true," agreed Sapien. "However, are you sure that you want to face a Voldemort with more than one-seventh of his soul?"
"He'll be mortal," said Harry. "That's better than the alternative."
"Presumably Dumbledore didn't think this approach would work, though," said Hermione. "He was clever enough to consider this too, only as far as we know he didn't try it."
"Dumbledore disliked us intently," said Sapien.
"We heard," said Harry dryly. "Fudge told us about the trial."
"Ah, yes. That event had several consequences. Perhaps the worst was how it finally drove any remaining sympathy for us away from Dumbledore. Some of us very much regretted those events."
"You attacked your accuser after the trial?"
"It hardly matters now."
"Tell us anyway," suggested Harry, although he wasn't sure why.
"Dumbledore was furious, but not because he had been personally embarrassed. Fudge does not know what really happened, of course. Our accuser was a man who we later learned had lost both his brother and his son to the Kiss. He just wanted revenge and unfortunately for him the trial went against him.
"He decided to launch a more direct offensive against us and was caught trying to break into the guard house on Azkaban island. It was a mark of his determination that he even managed to land a boat there. He managed to kill several of our brothers before he was taken prisoner."
"Why didn't you send him to trial? The Wizengamot had been fair to you before, hadn't it?"
"Dumbledore had been fair to us, not the Wizengamot. He over-ruled the Wizengamot, but by that time he was losing his credibility. Supporting us against the prevailing opinions damaged him."
"What happened?"
"The prisoner was dying from his injuries. We can tell these things. Unfortunately, a younger brother gave in to temptation and performed the Kiss a moment before he died. We were in the wrong, I know.
"So he died anyway?"
"Regrettably, he succumbed to his injuries only after Ministry wizards witnessed that the Kiss had taken place. It must have seemed to Dumbledore that we were indeed mindless animals."
"He was the most forgiving person I've ever met," said Harry.
"He could not forgive the other matter. You see, the Ministry saw their chance and offered us a deal in order to avoid another trial which we had absolutely no chance of winning. Under the terms of that agreement, we agreed to perform a certain service for the Minister, as well as continue our duties as Azkaban Guards."
"What was that service?"
"We agreed to terminate a number of people who were becoming inconvenient to the Minster and the Ministry."
"No," breathed Harry. "No way."
"At the time we felt we had no choice. The Ministry were threatening to eliminate us entirely. They had become rather good at killing Dementors, actually."
"When did Dumbledore learn this?"
"That would be when he interfered with a particular scheduled termination. I did not go myself, but our brothers had been guided to the location. There one kiss was performed on an adult as requested. We only found out afterwards that the victim was not the intended one. Somehow, Dumbledore had contrived to substitute the victim for the then Minister. This was all several years ago."
Harry smiled coldly.
"How did you know it was Dumbledore?" asked Hermione.
"He did us the honour of paying me a visit shortly after the inconclusive Ministry inquiry was published. He left no room for doubt and demanded that we cease all such terminations."
"Why did you agree, though?" asked Hermione.
"It was the right thing to do."
"Alright, can you help us?" said Harry. "Can you teach us to perform the equivalent of a Kiss on a Horcrux?"
"We will help you, but you must understand how dangerous this is. We speculate that Dumbledore would have thought of this solution, but dismissed it as too abhorrent. We Dementors place ourselves at mortal risk when we perform the Kiss. The Kiss is usually fatal when performed on a particularly strong soul."
"I'll take that chance," said Harry. "We've no other ideas right now."
"It won't be just your risk, Harry Potter. One human alone could not cope with this; especially one in your condition."
"My condition?"
"Yes. Your scar shows you are marked. That failed curse has not yet run its course."
"I could die just by performing this Kiss?"
"Your soul, Mr Potter, was fractured. The magic that connects you and Voldemort is both a blessing and a curse. I don't believe you have seen its full effects yet."
"So, how can we get past this?"
"Me, Harry," said Hermione. "It has to be me."
"Indeed," said Sapien, with a slight bow. "I feel your pain, Miss Granger. Regrettably, your agony will serve to protect you both."
"What?" said Harry in confusion.
"We propose to give each of you half the secret, on the strict understanding that you will never, ever, reveal the missing part to each other nor to anyone else."
"There might be a problem, then," said Harry. "Hermione, I'm sorry, but earlier I saw something when we were practising. I was concerned about you and wished I knew what it was that was upsetting you, but I promise I didn't intend to perform Legilimency. I only saw a flash, but it was only the second time it's ever happened. I'm sorry."
Hermione gave him a half-smile and nodded.
"I thought as much."
"What did you feel?" demanded Sapien. "Did you feel her pain?"
"Um, no," said Harry. "I mean, I did feel something, but that was just my own emotional concern I think."
"Then there should not be too great a risk."
"But, when I learn what it is, might I not imagine the same pain?"
"No, Harry," said Hermione absently. "You couldn't imagine anything like this."
A pang hit Harry as she said these words and he held out his hand to her. Sapien glided back and seemed to react to Harry's strong emotions.
"You know, we believe he could indeed feel it," Sapien said, recovering and gliding back. "Voldemort really has no idea what powers are assembling against him."
Harry frowned. Sapien sounded almost amused.
"We suggest that Miss Granger should be shown first. She will draw out the soul and you, Mr Potter, will destroy it. We will teach you tomorrow night, and at midnight we'll kill your first soul."
"I'm not leaving Hermione alone," said Harry at once.
"I'll be okay, Harry," said Hermione. "You can wait in the front room."
"No, he must not risk hearing or, more likely, feeling. Harry Potter, you must leave this house. We will not harm Miss Granger and your friends who are patrolling outside will remain close enough."
"Please, Harry. I want to do this."
"Alright," said Harry. "There's just one thing I'd like to get straight."
"Indeed?" said Sapien.
"Yes. What do you want? What do you want in exchange for your help?"
"You have nothing to give. We mean, you will give all you can when the time comes. We cannot ask any more."
"You want nothing?"
"Well, if you insist. Provided the Dementor brotherhood acts honourably, will you argue publicly that we should be allowed to live in these islands, free of Ministry control? We assume you will wait until after the Voldemort crisis is over."
"If you act honourably, I will," promised Harry. "You have my word."
Sapien bowed to him and glided backwards a few feet allowing Harry and Hermione a quiet word with each other before he left.
"Are you sure about this? Maybe I ought to be first."
"No, Harry," said Hermione with a watery smile. "It has to be this way, don't you see? It has to be me that releases Voldemort's soul. I'm not strong enough to-"
"Kill?" he finished gently. "Have I changed that much?"
"Harry, when Sapien was talking to us, did you hear anything other than his words?"
He shrugged and said, "No, not really. He had a bit of an echo a few times. That's all."
"Well, I could hear screaming for most of the time. It sounded like dozens of people."
Harry frowned and found he could no longer cope with seeing her shake. Both Hermione's hands were called into tight fists but she was still shaking violently.
"Hermione, please," he began, holding out a hand, half convinced she was about to faint.
"Just go, Harry. I'll be fine, I promise. I'm in no danger, I'm sure of it."
Sapien drifted back towards them.
"It is time, Harry Potter."
Harry looked angrily up at the hooded Dementor who clearly read his mind.
"You do not need to voice that threat, Harry Potter. We have given our word that no harm will come to her."
Harry nodded and headed for the door, sure he was making a mistake leaving Hermione like this. Just before he departed, he chanced a glance backwards.
He could no longer hear the Dementor, but he was obviously talking to Hermione because she was nodding back at him.
The last thing he saw was Hermione wiping her eyes and pushing up the sleeve to her wand arm.
*
Harry stepped out into the night air and wondered how he could get around into the Mrs Figg's back garden where she and Moody were stationed. Harry knew it was cold out that evening, only stepping out from the Dementor's presence made it feel like the middle of a warm day.
"Harry?"
He turned to see Mrs Weasley hurrying towards him along the pavement.
"Hi, Mrs Weasley."
"Come along, dear. We should get you back to your Aunt and Uncle's house."
"No," said Harry firmly. "I'm not going back without Hermione."
"Oh. How long will she be?"
"I've no idea. She's having Dementor lessons."
Mrs Weasley pulled a face making Harry smile weakly.
"Can't you wait inside, Harry dear?"
"No, I'm not allowed back in the house."
"At least let's keep moving. We can walk up and down and still see if she's coming out. Actually, I'm supposed to follow a particular route, only I got a little confused. Will you show me the correct route?"
She held out a small piece of parchment which had a rough sketch of the local road layout on it.
"Okay," said Harry and they walked slowly down the road. "I think I see the problem. Magnolia Crescent has been mislabelled."
"You'd think after sixteen years someone would have spotted that, wouldn't you?"
"Do you really have to walk this far? It must be half a mile this way."
"Well, it mustn't look like we are concentrating on one particular road."
"No, I suppose," Harry agreed as they crossed the road. He wasn't at all happy about going so far from Hermione but at least it would help take his mind off things for a few moments.
Or so he thought.
"Harry, dear? Alastor asked me to be here tonight in case I could be of help. Is anything wrong?"
"Yes, but I don't really know what it is," Harry admitted miserably. "Hermione has been really upset by something, only she won't tell me what it is."
"Tonks may know," said Mrs Weasley. "Professor McGonagall assigned her to look after Hermione. In fact, she was most insistent that she only wanted Tonks to keep an eye on her. When I said you both had been invited to join us at the Burrow, I was sure she was about to refuse."
"Refuse?"
"Yes. Arthur said it was probably because you having to stay here longer this year, but I'm not so sure. I mean, even if you were stuck here, why couldn't Hermione come to us?"
"Mm," agreed Harry, wondering just how much Professor McGonagall knew.
"Do you think I should speak to her?"
"Moody said she was in France."
"No, I meant Hermione. I could have a chat with her, if you're worried."
The moment she said this, Harry deciding that wouldn't be a very good idea. If Hermione wanted to talk to Mrs Weasley, she would have.
"No, I shouldn't, if I were you," said Harry tactfully and deciding he should change the subject. He rather regretted telling her that something was wrong now.
"How are the wedding plans going?"
"Oh, don't ask!" Mrs Weasley exclaimed. "It has been complete chaos! We've had no less than six full attempts which turned out to be just rehearsals."
Harry grinned at her and said, "Sounds like fun."
"Family members have been Portkeying over to us in their finest robes all week! I mean, they all treat it as a joke but having to cater for them all is becoming a bit wearing."
"So, when will the event finally happen?"
"I've given up guessing. Not even Fleur has a clue, only she's rather enjoying all the attention. Only Bill and Arthur know the real place and time."
"Place? I assumed the wedding would take place at the Burrow?"
"Oh, no dear. It could be anywhere in the country, otherwise they'd know where to attack."
Harry nodded. It made sense.
"The trouble is everyone comes back to the Burrow afterwards. I almost wish they'd just elope or we'll soon be up for a Ministry hearing."
"Why?"
"Well," said Mrs Weasley in a undertone. "Ginny has received rather a lot of Ministry warnings about performing underage magic."
"But how could they know? Come to think of it, why are they even bothering?"
"Um, Arthur says they are only responding to official complaints at the moment," said Mrs Weasley, before continuing awkwardly. "I felt we had to invite him. He's family, after all."
"Percy?" asked Harry, chuckling.
"We assume it was him, yes. He's just confused right now, poor lamb. I'm sure he'll get his priorities straight soon."
"Does Ginny think that?"
"Well, she has had quite a lot to put up with just lately," said Mrs Weasley, looking around.
Harry blanched.
Was Mrs Weasley referring to him?
"Rather bizarrely, she seems to be more annoyed with Ron than Percy."
"Ron?"
"Yes. He was supposed to be helping out with all the decorations, but I don't think he liked taking orders from his little sister that much. They had a blazing row the other day. Even the Ghoul in the attic was unsettled."
"They argued?"
"At the time I was rather relieved, actually. Normally they make up after an argument, only this time they stopped talking to each other."
"Oh, dear," said Harry quietly. "Ginny can be quite hurtful when she wants to be."
"Oh, they'll soon make it up. They always do. Um, which way now, Harry dear?"
Harry looked up and pointed down the road to their left that would take them back towards Privet Drive.
They walked on silently a while before Mrs Weasley continued. To their right, two cats darted silently from under one car to another.
"You haven't heard from Remus have you, Harry?"
"Um, no, not lately. I saw him when I first arrived, but not since."
"Yes, me too. He popped in for a coffee after he left here. I managed to persuade him to stay for lunch but I haven't seen him since and he hasn't responded to any of my owls. Of course, that could just be Errol not getting there."
"I haven't had any letters from him. I must admit I didn't expect any."
"Arthur says not to worry and that he's probably away on Order business. I just wanted him to be there. We intended to time the wedding for when there wasn't a full moon. He's been such an enormous help to Bill since he was attacked."
Harry frowned and said, "Someone must know where he is."
"Yes, but who? Professor McGonagall has made it quite clear that none of us must know all of the Order's activities in case we are captured and made to talk."
"That makes sense, unfortunately," agreed Harry. "Is Tonks worried?"
"She insisted she knew nothing but at the same time asked me not to ask."
"When she turned up here the other day her hair still looked very pink, so I suspect he's probably alright," said Harry assuringly.
"That's a good point," said Mrs Weasley brightly. "I'm so glad we had this little walk together, Harry. That's one worry off my mind. I don't suppose you can advise me on how to help a neurotic ghoul?"
Harry chuckled and shook his head, wishing someone would come and relieve him of some of his worries just as easily.