A/N: So after twenty-odd years, the Marauders are making a return...
Chapter XXXI: Ghosts
Harry was momentarily dumbstruck. "They what?"
"You heard me right," Remus affirmed. "Your parents want to return to Earth."
"Are you sure?" Harry was still grasping at the idea.
"Yes," Lupin smiled.
Harry was still taken aback from surprise - he had never considered his parents and adopted uncle would agree to come back down to Earth.
However, something else much more important, and rather understated before, took precedence away from the potential resurrection of the Marauders. Hermione walked in, leading in Tonks by the hand. She was laughing and crying at the same time. Overwhelmed with happiness, she shrieked at the sight of Remus, and breaking away from Hermione, literally sprinted into his waiting arms.
Certainly, a life of war and conflict was bittersweet.
Unable to utter a word, Tonks only spoke unintelligibly, permitting her tears to communicate what she could not say with words.
Remus, on his own turn, collapsed in emotion, and his eyes also glistened in the firelight, as he pressed Tonks closer to him.
"I missed you," she spoke softly in his ear, "very much."
"You have no idea, Nymph," his voice was just as, if not more shaky than hers.
Seemingly in a world where only the two of them existed, nobody dared disturb neither Remus nor Tonks - the sight of them embraced in the middle of the living room, bathed in the soft glow of the fire was mesmerizing.
The sudden silence Tonks' entrance had caused, and had successfully maintained, provided an opportunity for Harry to give the couple privacy from at least one set of eyes, and moved towards Hermione near the entrance.
When he reached her, he noted with a small smile that she was slightly teary-eyed as well.
"Hermione?" he whispered to catch her attention.
She sniffed, and turned to him, clutching a handkerchief she had conjured. "Yes, Harry?"
Harry swallowed a lump in his throat. As heart-rending as the sight of love was, he was not going to cry.
"We need to talk," he told her quietly to suppress the emotion in his voice. "It's about the resurrection spell."
"Oh?" Hermione turned to her academic self quite suddenly.
"Come on, let's go to the backyard," he took her by the hand.
Once outside, Hermione was quick to take the word. "We need another caster. Ginny was the only one powerful enough to do it."
"That's the essence of it," Harry agreed, "but another small technicality we overlooked is that the caster has to be a female."
Hermione considered the matter for several seconds. "You want me to replace Ginny."
"Yeah, I suppose that would sum it up nicely," Harry rejoined, and then did not waste time in asking the obvious question. "So will you do it?"
"Do I have a choice?" Hermione inquired rhetorically.
On his own turn, Harry pondered the question. "Luna, Mrs. Weasley, Tonks....none are powerful enough to handle the spell without suffering severe exhaustion, and we have to use it repeatedly...I don't think so, Hermione."
"I figured," she answered. "I would do it without reservations. Just give me the book and a few hours, and I'll have it mastered soon enough."
Even in times of great distress, Harry remained astounded by Hermione's presence of calm and reason.
"For sure," he said, and then quite unexpectedly, proceeded to hug his better half and kiss her on the head. "You're the best, Hermione."
She smiled lightly. "Thank you, Harry."
With that, she turned around and headed for the staircase. Both of them knew time was of the essence, and emotion needed to be put aside for now - grief and joy could be expressed later.
Harry remained where he was standing, and another difficult thought clouded his mind. He was certain Ginny, his parents, and Sirius could be brought back, but that meant the Order was to become a movement of ghosts, as nobody had to know they were alive, save for themselves.
Maybe reinstate Dumbledore's order? Reincarnated, only not really - Harry smiled at the little noir joke. An even greater worry was presented at how to protect the members from the mind attacks of Bellatrix Lestrange and Antonin Dolohov. Each was capable of killing anyone they desired and deemed a threat. The only reason he hadn't been targeted, was because Snape's Occlumency sessions all those years ago had been worthwhile after all...
One of the most effective means to go about it was to charge the old man with teaching Occlumency - that would certainly decrease the likelihood of death via distance. For all his years in magic, the concept still amazed him. Maybe a teacher was the only way out. It was pure luck Demetris had not fallen victim to a Killing Curse, and even greater fortune that he had revealed himself to the Order and proven his loyalty in a suicide mission.
The Order of the Phoenix. An order of ghosts. Maybe Dumbledore hadn't chosen the name only for his remarkable bird.
**
Avery and Nott had been summoned to Lestrange's chamber. Terrified as they were, their apprehension was only increased when Snape also entered shortly after them.
"You three," she began without any hint of her usual grandiose introductions in the presence of an inferior, "explain yourselves."
Demetris was the only one brave enough to respond. "Do clarify yourself, mistress."
His longevity and experience with the Death Eaters warranted his boldness.
"You dare challenge me?" Lestrange puffed herself up as she tried to look fierce. "You, worthless scum?"
Snape wisely did not reply, but waited. He knew he had left Lestrange with no choice but to respond to his question.
"Your activities around the last mission," she continued, as if a second earlier she had not been furious at all. "I wish to know what exactly you did."
"We prevented the Order from fully carrying out the resurrection charm," Avery said, as if from a memorization. "Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter are dead. She did not manage to bring the werewolf back, and it was the Malfoy child that killed Potter."
At that moment was using her own foolproof way of detecting lies by probing the mind of each of her servants, but could not seem to find any irregularity in the reports. When asked, Nott provided the same account.
As usual, she could not penetrate Demetris Snape's mental defences. The old wizard's expression of obedience did not change, but by blocking her out, he had declared his unwillingness to cooperate with Lestrange.
She also knew he was not as expendable as Avery and Nott. The intelligence he could provide mattered far more than anything the other two goons could ever accomplish. Yet, they were loyal, albeit easily manipulated - that was all which was required of them.
She turned to Snape. "What are the prospects of Draco joining our ranks?"
"Rather poor, my Mistress," he replied evenly without looking up. "He is averted from the Death Eaters, as well as from the Order - I know not what he thinks."
"Very well, then," Bellatrix replied, too calmly to be natural, "he will join Potter. You two," she glanced at Avery and Nott, "will carry out the task."
"Yes, Mistress," they affirmed in unison.
The same thought was going through both their minds - the Order was, for the most part, eradicated of its most capable members.
"Snape," she told Demetris, "you are to watch over them. Should they fail - kill them."
"Yes, Mistress."
"Dismissed," she waved them off. "Go!"
"Antonin," she called her idle servant once the other three had left. "I also have a task for you."
"Mistress?" he bowed.
"I do not trust Snape any longer," she said.
"Perfectly understandable," he agreed.
"I am suspicious he may be working with the Order, as the other two are drawn in it," she spoke her thoughts loudly.
"Downright treachery," Dolohov clenched his fist.
"Which means you will be responsible to track Snape, Nott and Avery without being seen. When the opportunity presents itself, kill all three."
"Yes, Mistress." There was something terribly unnerving about the grisly smile that stretched the man's lips…
"You may go," Lestrange told him curtly, and taking this cue, Dolohov made his exit with a deep bow.
Aiming to escape prying eyes, Avery, Nott and Snape had gone to the same clearing where the latter two had almost beat the stuffing out of Demetris, and then found out he was the reason they were still alive.
"This isn't good," the old wizard kept pacing around, muttering the same three words under his breath.
"She knows we're agents of the Order," Avery snapped out of frustration. "How we succeeded last time, I don't know, but we should be bloody dead by now!"
"Relax yourself, will you?" Nott argued. "That we're in the Order, it's true, but she thinks we're on her side. Think about it. We can use this to our advantage."
"How can you be sure what the woman thinks and doesn't think?" Avery argued right back. "She's bloody insane!"
"What - "
"Unless you have failed to notice," Avery continued his rant, "all the missions we've done thus far, they are impossible! Do you think she can't figure out that we have to have cooperation from someone else to do them!"
"But she would have killed us by now if she suspected anything," Nott told him. "If we're still alive, that means she trusts us."
"You're an idiot!" Avery was almost shouting now and slapped Nott behind the neck. "She's waiting for the right moment to kill us. What need do we have for her after almost all of the Order is gone?"
"I was hoping a reward," Nott said ironically, rubbing the place where Avery had struck him, "involving your death."
At this, Avery suddenly stopped, and a look of annoyance passed over his face. "You're hilarious," he said. "Don't pull the devil by the tail."
"Stop arguing senselessly," Demetris snapped on his own turn, startling the other two into silence.
"What's grating you?" Nott asked him, that hint of sarcasm still present in his voice.
"Why don't you guess?" Snape told him. "One chance, if you lose, I kill you."
"What?"
"That's my job, innit?"
The tension between the three was palpable. It was amazing they had been able to escape Lestrange up until now, but the passageway of deceit was becoming much too narrow for comfort.
Demetris knew the odds were against him. Even if he was a valuable asset to Lestrange, he was not as secure as he earlier thought - the woman was willing to dispatch anyone along the road to her objective. Had she tasked another Death Eater to follow them?
"Listen," the old man began again, "we need to calm down. There's no doubt we're in a bad fix, but there should be a way, but I need to go consult with the Order."
"What do you mean, you?" Avery cut across him. "We're very well a part of what's going on too."
"And I agree, you are," Snape said hurriedly, "but you need to trust me on this. It's the only way."
"Trust you?" Nott called out suspiciously.
"Would you prefer you were already dead?" Snape asked him coldly.
"No," Nott rejoined, but did not avert his eyes. "I only want to make sure."
"Wait a second," Avery intervened. "When you accept a mission for Lestrange, you have to go immediately. That means you can't leave us behind, old man."
"Oh, I'm aware," Demetris nodded. "The sooner we go, the better the chances I can figure out a course of action."
"And why can't Nott and I participate in the meeting? You know you need manpower."
"There is some very sensitive information that needs to be protected," Demetris said pointedly. "And that requires you two to remain in the dark for now."
"You're making a mistake," Avery said threateningly.
"Oh, believe me, I couldn't be more right," Demetris' voice suddenly grew sharp. "And unless you cooperate, you'll jeopardize not only your own skins, but the entire Order as well."
They both looked at him.
"Make your choice."
Still furious, Avery grudgingly accepted. "Fine."
Nott, also quite unhappy, concurred with the circumstances.
"Let's go, then," Demetris told them. "And make haste. I have the feeling we're being followed."
He had no idea how right he was. Antonin did keep a distant eye, but he was not yet noticed.
The three of them proceeded to apparate to London, and mere seconds later found themselves in the bustling city.
As close as they were to Grimmauld Place, Demetris led Avery and Nott inside the inconspicuous street, told them to keep vigil, and hurriedly made his way to number twelve.
Seeing his agitation, Harry let him in very quickly. From the door, Demetris started talking in a hurry. "Big problems -"
"Wait, hang on a minute," Harry stopped him. "One detail at a time…"
"Call the rest down here first." Demetris said.
"Oy, Ron!" Harry shouted so as to be heard. "Come down here and bring everyone else!"
The redhead showed from the top of the staircase "Thirty seconds!"
And as promised, the living remains of the Order were assembled in the living room, with Snape standing up to give the worrisome account.
"Alright now, what's wrong?" Harry prompted him.
"Meeting with Lestrange," Demetris said bitterly. "New mission against the Order."
"Oh, no!" Luna gasped.
"What does she want this time?" Ron asked darkly.
"Do you remember the story as we made it, that Draco killed Harry?"
"Yes."
"Well, she pressed me to see to it that he joins the Death Eaters as soon as possible for doing her that favour," Demetris explained.
"I'd never do that!" Draco exclaimed. "What did you say?"
"There's the issue," the old man replied solemnly, "I said you aren't interested in the Death Eaters, but I couldn't reveal you were a part of the Order either - so I made you out as a freelancer."
"And?" Draco pressed him further.
"She wants you dead."
"What!!"
"Believe me, I was more shocked than you are," Demetris tried to salvage the situation vainly.
"Who is supposed to kill me?" Draco's voice betrayed fear for the first time.
"Avery and Nott," the old man sighed. "Lestrange seems to be suspecting them to be in cahoots with the Order. That's why she gives them these impossible assignments - waiting until they falter so she can justify killing them."
"Why does she want to kill them?" Draco asked him, confused.
"She is becoming increasingly doubtful of their methods and loyalty - you know she requires total devotion on part of a Death Eater."
"Knowing my father," Draco stated with spite.
"Thus, I only see one possible way out of this," Demetris' tone sounded heavier with every word.
"You don't mean…" Harry interrupted.
"Yes," Demetris shook his head with regret. "However, it all depends on Hermione's ability now to resurrect a whole slew of the Order…if she cannot, for simply not being powerful enough - then we have to figure out something else."
"Maybe engage Luna to also learn the spell," Harry thought out loud. "That would provide Hermione with some assistance, and help split the burden."
"Yeah, mate, who told you Luna wasn't powerful enough?" Ron asked Harry half-jokingly, despite the gravity of the conversation.
"It's not that, Ron," Harry rejoined without the slightest trace of humour. "The issue is with James and Madelyn - what of them?"
"Ronald," Mrs. Weasley's voice suddenly floated over the discussion. "Arthur and I can assume care for the kids, as long as needed."
"But Mum," Ron objected. "Luna and I can handle it!"
Molly only sighed, and smiled - she was becoming a very kind grandmother. "Order business consumes your time, dear, as well as Harry and Hermione's, and now, Luna's, even if her main focus remained with the children up until now - why else do you think Hermione isn't expecting right now?"
The last question made the aforementioned girl redden considerably, and Harry cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Don't answer that, dear," Mrs. Weasley only said kindly. "Only going for a bit of light in these dark times."
"It's true, son," Mr. Weasley was intent on providing his own view, "we're here to help however we can."
"Thanks," Ron did feel truly grateful for the presence of his parents right there and then. They had seen enough danger and excitement in the decades of fight against Voldemort - it was only just they were not as involved against Bellatrix; what's more, their age hardly permitted them to handle more pressure than was necessary.
"So," Harry brought back the focus on the matter at hand, "the plan, as it stands now is to let Nott and Avery kill Draco here, train Luna in the methods of the resurrection spell so as to assist Hermione, and ultimately, bring everyone who is dead or killed, back among the living."
The general consensus to that idea was remarkably quick. That is, everyone except Draco.
"But what if I don't want to die!" he protested loudly. "I don't want to die, you hear me!"
A pregnant silence followed his protest. Then, Hermione stood up, walked over, and hugged him tightly. For all his former aversion to non-magical folk, Malfoy embraced her tightly right back.
"You'll see Ginny again," she told him silently in the ear. "I know she'll be excited to see you. And you two will be back before you know it. I promise."
"That's it, exactly, Hermione," he rejoined quietly. "There isn't much of order left - too many need to be brought back."
"We'll persevere," she reassured him. "I promise."
"I know."
They parted. Draco, his expression now unreadable, only nodded curtly. "Kill me." He was still shaking.
"I'm sorry about this, mate," Harry told him sadly. "There's no other way."
Ron clapped him on the shoulder from the other side. "Take care of Ginny up there," he tried to brighten the futility of the circumstances. "And I want you back soon."
Malfoy only smiled slightly. "Thanks."
Breaking away from them at the foyer, he turned around one last time, as Demetris led him through the door.
"She will die," Ron said through gritted teeth, as Harry shut the door behind Malfoy rather harder than was necessary.
Outside, Avery and Nott were waiting, looking quite unwilling to do as they were tasked by their insane mistress.
"Are you ready, Draco?" Demetris asked him, his voice cracking.
The remaining Malfoy stood to his full sight, facing the two Death Eaters. "As ready as I'll ever be. Make it quick."
Demetris nodded, and the horrible words broke the silence. "Avada Kedavra!"
Immediately two poisonous green streaks of light flew towards Draco. Just as both Killing curses impacted him, his darkening gaze registered a third spell being fired at him, but before he could do anything else, everything went black, and his lifeless body fell backwards on the asphalt...
A/N: Dolohov found them...
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