A/N:
I hope people are still enjoying this. I'm not sure but I hope you are. More action in the next few chapters.
Chapter 14
Silence. Nothing but silence and darkness consumed him. He blinked rapidly as he awoke, feeling pressure atop his body. He gasped for air and let out a loud cough, his lungs full of debris. Something heavy, like a cushion was on top of Harry and his eyes widened as he realized it was a body. He pushed up with the bit of strength he had, and the scene around him was one of terror. Bodies laid everywhere, smoke from burning buildings, the sky illuminated red from flames. He heard people crying, those who were unlucky enough to survive and be maimed or mauled. His glasses were broken and cracked; he still had his wand however and remedied the situation. Still in pain, Harry stood up slowly.
Devastation surrounded him.
"RON! LUNA!!" He shouted, barely about to move with the bodies around him. There was no time. No time to do anything but watch as dark cloaks descended on the crowds, killing everyone. All Harry saw was beams of light as he ran out of the store. Even the most darkest of wizards down in Knockturn had no time to defend themselves. Explosions were everywhere and before Harry could turn to see what Draco was doing, he was blown at least ten feet into a wall and everything went dark.
Harry stumbled in the sea of bodies; some people were trying to get up. Some were realizing they lost arms or legs and they wailed.
"RON! LUNA! DR-!" he yelped, his throat hoarse. He had to find his friends. Without warning, a hand gripped his shoulder and yanked him backwards.
He had hesitated saying Draco's name, wondering if the Death Eaters were still around, wondering if Lucius was lurking someone waiting to pounce.
"Don't shout my name," a gruff voice hissed in his ear, and Harry turned to see Draco Malfoy, his robes dirty, his glamour still holding up, and his face covered in dust. He was bleeding from a cut on his face, and he obviously didn't take time to heal it. "They might still be here."
Harry frowned. "Have you seen Ron or Luna?"
Draco shook his head and looked down. "All I saw was my father murdering people. And then he disappeared."
He didn't know what to say to that. Instead he turned back to the scene before them. "We have to find them and leave. The Ministry will be here soon."
Draco nodded and scanned the area. Bodies on top of bodies. Dead. "Merlin…"
They walked through the masses; people moaning and clutching their gaping wounds.
"HARRY!" Dirty red hair blurred through the crowd and Harry was overwhelmed with relief when Ron came running at him, dragging Luna behind him. "What the bloody hell was that? Isn't this their stomping ground? Why would they murder their own?"
"I want to leave." Luna stuttered.
Draco winced and his mark hissed on his arm, the snake coming out of the skull mocking him. He yanked his torn sleeve
down to cover it. "My father had loyalty to no one. He'd kill his best friend if he wanted to. These people
mean nothing to him."
"We have to go, now." Harry said sternly and the group maneuvered though the mess and into an alley. Ron held Luna close to him, whispering to her soothingly. Harry understood, as he so desperately wanted to get home to Hermione.
As they gathered to take the portkey, Draco looked back wearily at the destruction and grabbed the other side of the ripped envelop as they began to swirl.
Seconds later, he slammed his shoulder into the soft ground and watched Harry groan as he pushed himself up. Draco pushed himself up too, grunting bitterly at his shoulder ache, "Just once, I'd appreciate a softer landing."
"We need to go into the house. I want to check the wards and make sure Hermione is okay." Harry replied solemnly. Ron and Luna linked hands as they staggered to the house; their clothes ripped and wounds bleeding.
"Potter wait." Draco said quietly, Harry didn't almost hear him.
Harry tuned to look at him, his glamour gone, his face still cut, his eyes dark. "I don't know what happened back at Knockturn Alley, but my father needs to be punished. It can't happen if we stay holed-up here."
"You can't just be a vigilante Draco."
Draco looked dumbfounded by Harry's statement. "I'm sorry. I'm confused. I thought our secret missions and research and hiding out at this god awful place was just that! Besides, I'm a fugitive, might as well add vigilante to my resume."
"What I mean is we can't just jump in the fray and not know what we're dealing with. Your father isn't just some mad wizards. He's maniacal."
"Did you see what he did to those people? No mercy what so ever! He's a monster!"
Harry looked at him confused; surely Malfoy knew what his own father was capable of. "Oh yeah, I've seen. You act surprised. He's always been a monster."
Draco looked down. "I have to be the one to put him down, understand that Potter?"
Harry didn't know what else to say. "Yeah, I got it."
Neville held his head in his hands. "Harry's going to kill me. Harry's going to kill me."
"Why would I do that?" the voice of doom rumbled in his ear. Not really, that's the real thing, shit! Neville looked up to see Harry standing in the doorway, looking completely worn, cuts and bruises on his face and clothes in shreds. Ron and Luna stood behind him and Draco walked slowly up, also quite bloody.
"Err…Merlin, what happened to you?!" Neville gasped.
Draco went to explain. "Death Eaters attacked us while we were in Knockturn Alley. I could feel them coming but there was no time."
Luna stared at her feet as Ron hugged her close to his side. "Lots of casualties. I should have stayed and helped."
Ron shook his head and tried to comfort her. "No, that's the Ministry's job and there was no telling if they would decide to come back. We had to get out of there Luna."
Neville frowned. "Why would they attack other dark wizards?"
Harry shook his head. "That's what we want to know…but why were you saying I was going to kill you Neville?"
Neville chewed nervously at his lip. Double shit. "Well…er…it's just that…."
"What? Spit it out! I'm fucking bleeding to death here." Draco snapped.
Neville took a deep breath before blurting out, "Ginny and Hermione almost dueled while you were gone. Hermione made the air pressure drop, I was fairly positive they were going to kill each other. But then Ginny found something in a book and they were charging to go to Hogwarts. I tried to stop them. But Ginny looked at Hermione and then…"
Harry tightened his fist. "Hermione what, Neville?"
"She told Ginny to stun me. Well not with her mouth but she had this awful look in her eye. So Ginny did. And when I came to, they were gone."
Ron punched the wall, causing Luna to squeak. "Dammit!"
Harry's face went pale. He clutched his wand so tight, he swore he punctured skin. "No."
Neville dropped his red face in his hands. "I'm so sorry."
Without a word, Draco stomped out the library and ran down the stairs. He was followed by Harry and the rest.
"You coming, Potter?"
"What does it look like?" Harry snapped. "Let's go."
Ron nodded at Luna and ran behind them as they yanked out another portkey. "I'm going too. She's my bloody sister."
"Minister are you ready?"
Coogle turned and saw Dweedle standing there with about 10 Aurors.
"I am. I want you to stay here, Dweedle."
The redhead looked shocked. "B-but sir-"
"I need you here in case some misfortune should occur."
"But sir, I've raided Hogwarts before, I know the grounds, and if either Malfoy is there, I can weed him-"
Coogle shook his head and grabbed his cloak. "You stay here. I'll go alone. As Minister, I need to be there if he is captured. You do not."
Dweedle sulked. "Yes, sir."
"Did you find that information I asked you for concerning Lupin and Shacklefoot?"
"I'm still searching sir."
Dweedle nodded solemnly and walked towards the group of Aurors to head to Hogwarts. "find it and find it fast or you'll lose you job Dweedle."
It wasn't the nicest place for a hide out but it would do. Fitting, that the scene of the last battle with Voldemort, would become the meeting point for the remnants of his following. The Great Hall was dark now, not only by the impending gray rain clouds outside but the shadow of a not so distant past where death collided with fate. Barely seen were the blood trails of pure blood and tainted blood alike that covered the hall walls, and yet, it seemed comforting to them. A black hooded Lucius Malfoy sat on a beaten wood bench, watching as Crabbe and Goyle dusted off their robes.
"They had no warning." Crabbe replied, pushing his hood off his face.
"Just how I like it." Bella smirked, doing the usual twirling of her wand.
Lucius grunted. "I'm sure that was like…orgasmic for you."
"Never better."
"Not even with the Master?" Lucius tossed out which caused Bella to shoot a purple flash out her wand.
She frowned. "Never question my loyalty to him."
"He's dead now…who cares." Lucius replied. He jumped off the bench and walked over to the gaping hole in the side of the building he remembered being responsible for blasting. He eyed a large crack in the floor, and suddenly grinned maniacally.
He pointed his wand and muttered an incantation, watching a yellow flash exit the tip and into the crack. The building quaked a bit and then stopped.
"Bloody hell Malfoy, what are you doing?" Goyle groused.
"Gardening…" Lucius replied simply. He admired the large hole again. "I love this hole. I remember the look on McGonagall's stupid face when I came through and started killing people."
"What now?" Goyle asked. "I'm tired of waiting."
"Part of strategy is waiting," Lucius contended. "Have you learned nothing from the last time?"
Bellatrix walked up beside Lucius and took in the view of the darkening countryside. "All I see is you giving orders. Do you think of yourself as the new dark lord Lucius?"
He turned his narrow face to her, taking in her dark pale features. "No…not yet. We work for a greater evil now Bella. We must rid the world of Potter first."
Crabbe came up behind them. "And what of his babe?"
Lucius didn't turn around to look at Crabbe. He watched the sun dip behind the trees. "I'm not sure yet."
Bellatrix leered at him. "Draco was at Knockturn Alley, you know."
With that, Lucius whipped around and pushed her back against the wall. "And you said nothing? What type of insolence was that Bella? You know I want him dead!"
She pushed back at him. "I didn't see him, idiot," she spat as she shoved up her sleeve revealing her mark. "I felt the presence of his mark. There were five, and we're only four. So eager to kill your only son, Lucius?"
"I have no son."
She watched him turn and walk away. He pulled his hood back over his face. "We have to go. Come."
"Why? Where to now?" Crabbe whined.
"Come on Lucius, I'm tired." Goyle complained.
Bella rolled her eyes. "Ugh…Crucio!"
The two fell and screamed as Bella pointed her wand at them. After a few moments she dropped her hand and looked back at Lucius.
Crabbe gripped his side. "Dammit Bella!"
"Why?" Goyle winced.
"Because…the ministry is on their way right now. Want to leave? Or want to get arrested?" Lucius said simply as the two men struggled to stand. "Besides, I have a surprise for them when they get here. I don't think you want to be privy to it."
Four distinct pops later, they were gone, barely missing the two heads that peeked out just beyond the solid rock.
The ruins of Hogwarts were darkened further by the influx of storm clouds. What once stood as the mighty halls of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Huffle Puff, was nothing more than burnt brick and useless earth. Images of tiny first years standing before the sorting hat, of Hagrid's hut, of her walking down by the lake with Harry, getting splashed by the giant squid assaulted Hermione's mind. She rubbed her belly absentmindedly as she looked over the school that held so many memories for her. Even though some were bad, this school was her home, where she made her friends, where she met Harry. She had hoped one day their children could have gone there.
She wondered, how could a place hold so much memory both devastating and beautiful at the same time? She thought of trolls, libraries full of books, Quidditch pitches, and house elves, followed by images of torture, blood, and death. She choked back a heavy sob. Her eyes squinted and for a second she thought she saw two people standing near a huge hole in the side of the Great Hall. She squinted again but they were gone.
Ginny, who squatted beside her at the base of a heavy rock, cut her eyes and whispered harshly, "What is the matter with you?"
Hermione wiped at her eyes. "I thought I saw…it's all…it's just…it's Hogwarts."
As if she understood, Ginny closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "Hogwarts exists only in our memories now. This is…it's-"
"A graveyard." Hermione muttered out. She leaned back against the cold rock. "So how do you even suppose we can get to the dungeons? The building is barely standing as is."
"They're underground. I know a route, Draco showed me during the-" Ginny replied softly. She turned away from Hermione as she stopped in mid sentence as they heard the Great Hall shake and the ground became unstable. "Maybe you should stay behind. I can move quicker without you."
Hermione shook her head. "There could be Death Eaters lurking."
"This is exactly why you need to stay behind." Ginny retorted.
"Seems like I keep having this same conversation today. You walk away and I will petrify your bum so fast you won't know what hit you." Hermione grunted out, her chin held high defiantly. Ginny shook her head and turned back towards the castle ruins.
"It's no reason to argue with you. You're bloody stubborn. Besides, we can't use our wands too much, our signatures will register."
Hermione frowned and then bit her lip in deep thought. "Here, let's switch."
"Will it work?"
"No harm in trying."
The two women moved slowly towards the gaping hole in the side of the great hall.
At that moment, Hermione became very aware of her protruding belly. Her equilibrium was off and she stumbled slightly on some rocks while climbing up the hill towards the hole.
Ginny, who was ahead of her, turned briskly. "Do we have a problem?"
The way she said it irritated Hermione, she knew fully well Ginny was enjoying this. "I didn't fully suss out the fact we'd be mountain climbing."
"You want to turn back? I can go on without you."
"Piss off Ginny." Hermione growled as she determinately gripped a rock and pulled herself up. She dug her trainers into the side of the rock, and prayed silently that her baby wasn't in any danger because of this.
They climbed into the hole, Ginny pulling Hermione up and helping her over. As her feet hit the ground, Hermione touched her stomach.
"There, little one, not so bad. Ginny, where's the underground?"
Ginny was looking at her oddly and then pointed to the back of what used to be the Great Hall. "Over there."
"Draco showed you these undergrounds?"
Ginny nodded. "He told me in case…"
Her voice trailed as she looked over at Hermione. "Right before he left with Snape. Before everyone thought he murdered Dumbledore. Of course I was always afraid an extra Basilisk was lurking around every corner…"
She walked a bit ahead of Hermione out the entrance of the Great Hall and into the foyer. Quietly she stepped behind a sagging tapestry and pulled a stone lever, causing the wall to shift and slide. It revealed an opening.
Hermione gasped a bit, stepping forward to peek inside. She had known so much of Hogwarts, it upset her a bit to not know this. She looked over at Ginny, who was probably smiling for that same reason. "Lumos Maxima. Since we…can't use mine."
They walked into the wall, and the door shifter shut, causing Hermione to jump. It was darkness ahead of them, only illuminated slightly by her wand she had given Ginny. Cobwebs fell on them and Hermione squirmed. "How far?"
"Soon."
Hermione just snorted and followed Ginny. "It's dark."
"Well, duh." Ginny remarked sternly, pushing forward.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Harry whispered as the ink began to spread across the Marauder's Map. Ron and Draco stood at either side of him next to Hagrid's old burnt down hut. It would be dark soon, and he had to get to Hermione. Of course he would wait until they were inside the brooding walls of Grimmauld Place before he gave her a piece of his mind. "Find Hermione Potter and Ginny Weasley."
He tapped his wand on the map and scanned it with his eyes, watching as two foot patterns made way towards the dungeons of Hogwarts.
"It looks like they are heading towards the sodding dungeons."
Ron looked oddly at the map. "What route is that? It's like they are under Hogwarts."
"Ginny's using the undergrounds," Draco muttered. "I showed her where they were right."
"We can head them off," Harry frowned. He was filled with worry, Hermione shouldn't be down there in her condition. Hermione shouldn't be down there period.
Ron stared at the ominous castle ruins, curiously and then stared back at the map. "Um….say mate, what are those?"
The three looked down to see several pairs of footprints walking around the Great Hall. And a small flag was printed with a name. "That is the fucking Minister of Magic. What the hell is Coogle doing here?!" Draco hissed, snatching the map.
Harry snatched his father's map back from an annoyed Draco. "Get back to the house Malfoy."
"Not without Ginny," he spat defiantly.
Harry took a deep breath and looked back at the map. "Fine, you two go get them and get them out of here. No excuses. I'll distract Coogle."
"No, I'll do it." Ron replied, but Draco interceded.
"Let Harry. The Minister is obsessed with him, it is a good distraction."
"How? What would be your excuse for being here?" asked Ron.
"Sentimental reasons. I don't know. I'll bullshit. Now go. Here, take the map." Harry shoved it at Draco. "I mean it, get them out of here."
Draco and Ron nodded as Harry inhaled deeply and blinked twice before finding himself standing inside the Great Hall, Coogle in front of him.
"Mr. Potter? W-what are you doing here?"
Harry looked around to see several Aurors aiming wands at him. He looked at Coogle, discerning he had no idea Hermione and Ginny were in the castle. But why was he here? Harry cleared his throat. "Visiting. Mind telling your lot to stand down?"
Coogle waved a hand and the Aurors drew back reluctantly. "Mr. Potter, this isn't safe. There might be Death Eaters here…"
The old man gripped his wand tighter and walked closer to Harry. He turned around and waved at two Aurors standing behind him. "Go look over there. I will attend to Mr. Potter."
He touched Harry's shoulder in a fatherly way and Harry for a moment saw confusion in the old man. But when he spoke, Harry found himself extremely uncomfortable again. "This is not the place for a visit Mr. Potter. I have several sources sighting this as a potential Death Eater hideout. There was an attack today at Knockturn Alley. Lots of casualties. You look like you might have been attacked yourself…you have cuts in your shirt."
Coogle pointed his wand tip at Harry's ripped clothes and Harry cursed himself for not patching himself up. He had rushed from Knockturn to Grimmauld Place and then to Hogwarts. He simply shrugged it off. "Quidditch accident."
"My…violent sport. You should get that cut looked at young man." Coogle eyed him suspiciously. "Anyway, we were able to trace them back here. I can not allow you to stay Mr. Potter."
"It was Lucius and Bellatrix, wasn't it?"
"You know I can't discuss the details with you."
Harry smirked and the Minister chuckled in response.
"We aren't sure Mr. Potter. Now…I've heard your home has been one of the many locations attacked. I've
had special forces looking all over for you."
"Well you wasted your time."
"Of course, I am quite relieved to see you're alive…now you can see what we are up against. Surely, we can provide you protection-"
"I'm fine," Harry inserted. He stepped away from the old man and turned to look at the damaged hall.
Coogle cleared his throat and followed Harry. "This place was great once. I've heard many stories."
"Yes, it was magnificent." Harry reminisced for a moment. He prayed Malfoy and Ron had gotten to Hermione and Ginny by now. He cursed himself for not keeping the map so he could check it.
"Errr…Mr. Potter?" Coogles voice said, shakingly.
"Yes?" Harry replied looking up at the terrified face of Coogle. His wand was at the ready but he trembled greatly, his eyes wide. Harry went to ask what was wrong, until he felt a shadow fall over him, something large and looming was behind him. He swallowed hard, and closed his eyes, all while turning slowly.
Behind him a large boat mouthed Creinchen plant licked his lips and was about to take a bite out of it's prey…Harry. He dodged out the way as the giant plant bulb came slamming down and Coogle's aurors fired upon it, but the spells did nothing. The plant looked pissed and bared its large sharp carnivous teeth. It thrashed its heavy prickled leaves about, stabbing one Auror with a poisoned stem.
He yelped in pain as he fell, causing the other Aurors to scatter. Harry dropped his wand out of his sleeve and dove over a broken table, landing beside a couched Coogle.
"What is that thing?" Harry asked, looking to see it whip a vine around an Auror's leg and drag him towards him.
"Creinchen plant….known for its appetite for blood and its ability to shoot poisoned darts. It's native to the Amazon." Coogle replied. Somewhere another Auror screamed. "Don't see many 'round these parts."
"Ah…" Harry said simply. He looked around the table to watch it whip its lethal vines. "Well…how do you kill it?"
Coogle looked over to Harry. "I hope you aren't entertaining doing it yourself!! It is a difficult feat. You have to hit it directly in the center of its mouth. Which is easier said than done, considering the only way to do that is to let it try to eat you!"
Harry nodded and clenched his wand, jumping from behind the barricade. "Thanks for the tip."
He heard Coogle yell "Mr. Potter, no!", but he ignored that and walked closer to the beast. It splattered the blood of an Auror on the floor in front of Harry as he heard the sickening crunch of it devouring some poor chap.
Harry picked up a piece of debris and in a quick move, tossed it at the head of the bulb. "HEY! COME GET ME!! I'M RIGHT HERE!"
Without much warning, the head turned quickly and whipped a vine towards Harry. He braced himself and dodged several poisoned darts. The vine missed him, but he didn't miss the vine.
"Diffindo!" He shouted, aiming his wand and a light hit the vine, ripping it off its host.
The plant screeched, as it was now wounded, and swung another vine.
"Potter move!"
Harry dove out the way but was hit was another vine hard across the stomach and he flew across the hall into a pile of rubble.
"Bullocks…" he muttered, catching his breath, happy to know he hadn't broken any ribs.
He went to stand up but his leg was caught on something. Something green. Oh damnit… Harry thought as a large vine twirled up his foot, gripping his leg. He couldn't hold on as it yanked him towards sharp, vicious teeth.