An: As promised a chapter before Christmas! This story has now officially caught up to the ff.net version. I'm halfway through the next chapter and I'm hoping to get it out by New Year's. Oh, there's a cliffy at the end of this chapter! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Chapter 9 - Steele
Harry watched in horror as Hermione goaded Ginny to throw a hex at her. He could tell she was till mad from their earlier argument and she appeared to be taking it out on Ginny. He stepped forward to interfere with the duel but Flitwick signalled for him to stop. Luna whispered softly that they didn't have to worry. They watched as Ginny threw a curse that Hermione easily avoided and it absorbed into a shield that surrounded the duelling witches.
"This is going to be so boring." Draco said as he yawned from one of Flitwick's chairs which had transformed into a soft leather recliner for him. He looked a little paler than usual and there were a few nasty bumps on his face. He certainly had come out on the losing end of his duel.
"Ginerva, your skills are a bit rusty." Hermione teased as she circled the redhead witch.
Ginny's frustration grew and she threw three successive curses but failed to hit Hermione.
"It's a good thing no warlock attacked you while you were away. You'd be dead." Hermione continued to taunt.
"You can't compare me to that!" Draco said pointing at Ginny.
"Actually, Ginny's slightly better than you." Hermione told him without taking her eyes off of her opponent.
He instantly sat up at her revelation and Ginny stopped to laugh at the horrified look on Draco's face. Hermione chose that opportunity to strike and before Ginny even realised it, everything went black. The next thing she knew she was waking up on one of Professor Flitwick's chairs.
"I think I've proven my point." Hermione said confidently.
"Which was?" Ron asked angrily from his sister's side. He and Harry had rushed to her when she fell. Ron easily scooped up his baby sister and placed her in the chair next to Draco.
"You need to practice your defence skills. If you're reintroduced to the wizarding world there would be several wizards interested in proving themselves. The Iron Wizards would be particularly interested in Harry." Hermione explained nonchalantly as she eyed on of the portraits on the wall.
"I agree, the three of them and Draco should take lessons from Severus and Victoria starting tomorrow evening." Professor Flitwick stated evenly.
"I don't need defence lessons." Harry and Draco both growled.
"Maybe not Mr. Potter but at least you should know what you're dealing with and I don't think I need to point out the beating Victoria gave you today Draco." Professor Flitwick said reasonably.
Both wizards were far from happy with the headmasters' request.
"I don't need any frelling lessons." Draco whined. Ginny noted the reference to the muggle television show Farscape and she briefly wondered when he started watching muggle TV.
Hermione glared at Draco. "Either you take lessons from Victoria or I'll duel you every day until you improve!" she barked reminding Harry vaguely of Kingsley Shacklebolt when she gave orders.
"What time were those lessons again?" Draco asked innocently as he looked at Professor Flitwick.
"I hate to interrupt the beginning of their lessons but I suggest that they start on Monday. Tomorrow is Mrs. Granger's party and Sunday is lunch at the Burrow. If the lessons need to begin immediately I'm sure Hermione and I could do a complete review with them tonight before Monday." Luna said serenely.
"Very well, but we must decide how to re-introduce them to the wizarding world." Dumbledore said from his portrait on the wall.
"What makes you think they're staying?" Hermione asked acidly.
"We're staying." Harry answered, his gaze fixed firmly on Hermione's back. He wished she would turn around and talk to him.
A flurry of white wings flew through the open window and landed near Hermione.
"Hedwig!" Harry exclaimed happy to see his owl. She achknowledged him this time as Hermione took the letter that was fixed to her talons. He hoped that if Hedwig could warm up to him that Hermione would as well.
"Can't they ever do anything without me!" Hermione said in frustration as she crumpled the letter through it in the fireplace. "I have to go. Seamus is in St. Mungos."
"Is it serious?" Luna asked fearfully.
Hermione shrugged.
"I'm sure he'll be fine." Draco reassured from his place on the recliner.
"Ms. Granger, please be careful. I fear that there is more going on than meets the eye." Flitwick said to his former student. She nodded before grabbing a handful of floo powder and leaving.
Silence prevailed before Victoria Snape strolled gracefully into the office with three books tucked under her arm. She sneered at Draco before pleasantly greeting Luna.
"I've brought these books for you." She said as she looked at Ginny, Ron and Harry.
"They list all the common defence spells as well as the new modern spells that have popped up. I expect for you to know every spell in here before our first lesson. " She explained in a kind lecturing voice that annoyed Ron.
"There has been a slight change of plans." Draco spat at her. "We start on Monday."
She threw an angry look at Flitwick. "He is the Malfoy heir. He should be much better than he currently is. A few of his new associates will be testing his duelling skills and he needs to pass the test."
"Oh we're back to that again. It's Croney, there's no way I could fail." Draco said confidently.
"I would like to be 100% sure that this deal goes through. Draco, sometimes I don't think you fully comprehend what's at stake. This deal will give us insights into the plans of various criminal organizations. Your father was…"
"Stop comparing me to my father! I am not like him nor do I aspire to be anything like him." Draco screamed angrily as he stood from his chair and hobbled over to the fire place. He reached for the floo powder, called out Malfoy Manor and disappeared in the green flames that appeared around him.
"That boy needs to learn to control his anger. He could learn a few things from you Luna." Victoria said as she watched the empty fireplace.
"You could stop referring to his father." Luna advised.
"His father had a few good aspects. Regardless of what he did, he was a good business man and he could use his wand impressively." Victoria said defending the man she had once had a school yard crush on.
"I hope she's referring to the wand he brought at Olivanders." Ron said under his breath to Harry who quickly stifled a laugh as Victoria Snape's head had snapped in his direction. She scowled at him and Harry was very happy that he was not in her defence class.
"It deeply upsets him to be compared to Lucius. If you ever want to be a proper Godmother to him, you need to put aside your thoughts on his father." Luna told her softly.
Victoria held her head high and gave everyone a curt nod before leaving. Her departure brought Neville's arrival and Ginny found she was quite happy to see him again. "Filius, I need to take these herbs to St. Mungos immediately. I've asked Severus to keep an eye on my second year class." He explained quickly. As he walked into the fireplace he turned around to face Ginny, winking quickly at her before the Green Flames erupted around him. Ginny found her stomach doing butterflies and she could feel a warm flush on her face.
"We should leave as well. Thank you for your time headmaster." Luna said politely.
Harry thanked him as well for letting them explore the school and soon they were all gone.
"Albus," the short headmaster said to the portrait on the wall after his guests departed. "I fear what's to come."
-*-
Harry stood in the centre of a large room in Malfoy Manor. It was a training room where the Malfoy line practiced their magical abilities. It was shielded from the Ministry and young heirs could practice magic without fear of being caught violating the under age magic rule. Generations of Malfoys had learned dark magic in this room and Draco had revealed that he himself spent hours during the summer practicing under his father's tutelage.
Luna was trying to assess if their skills were still adequate. She thought that Ginny had slowed down quite a bit and Ron didn't think fast enough to block hexes but she was satisfied that they hadn't let their skills degrade completely.
She was now facing Harry's and she wondered if she could defeat him. They did the customary openings and Harry immediately started throwing a string of hexes at her. She put up a shield faster than Harry expected and replied with some similar spells. He easily avoided her spells as he had remained in excellent physical condition. He tried a few unusual spells that he had learned during the war but Luna successfully evaded him. Luna conjured a frog and it distracted Harry long enough for her to do a complicated wand movement. When Harry realised that the frog was a distraction the spell had already been thrown at him and he knew he couldn't avoid it. Instead he tried to shield but it didn't work. He watched horrified as the spell penetrated his shield and struck him in his left shoulder. He felt no pain but his left shoulder went completely numb. A slightly out of breath Luna stopped to observe his reaction. He tried to undo the spell but any use of magic on the area caused extreme pain.
"Harry you're as good as you ever were." Luna said proudly "But as we suspected the newer spells that you are unfamiliar with are difficult for you to handle. This is an example of one. The numbness in itself isn't threatening but the spell can not be blocked by conventional means and any attempt to remove it by magic causes severe pain. At this point in a duel you are completely incapacitated." Luna explained.
"But I can still use my wand to fight." Harry argued.
"Try it." Draco dared him with a smirk. He loved seeing Potter incapacitated.
Harry raised his wand and attempted a spell only to feel a sharp pain in his shoulder.
"The spell is sensitive to magic. Once you try to use magic it will trigger a painful reaction in your body." Luna explained.
"He could always fight the muggle way." Ron offered.
"This spell was invented by a muggleborn to prevent physical attack from muggles. It wasn't until it was used upon a magical person did the entire effect of the spell present itself. The pain is an unforeseen side effect that's been misused by the criminal underworld. Try to walk towards me Harry." Luna said.
Harry tried to walk forward but with every step he felt more parts of his body growing numb. He felt as though each one of his feet had a fifty pound weight on it and just trying to move an inch required a lot of energy. Eventually, he reached the point where he could no longer move his feet and this left him in an unbalanced position causing him to fall over stiffly to the floor.
"How could a person create such a spell?" Ginny asked horrified as she ran to assist him on the floor.
"The motivation to create spells comes quite naturally when you have a desire that needs to be met." Hermione said as she walked gracefully into the room..
Harry was immobilized on the floor and he couldn't see her. He tried to strain his eyes to glance side wards but she was behind him. He could hear her footsteps on the floor and he knew she was walking towards him. He sensed her walk around him and he was horrified by how exhausted she looked. He truly felt she needed a break and it was in that though that he decided what he was going to do now that he had returned. He watched helplessly as she surveyed his body and judging by the sudden burst of pain he felt, he assumed that Hermione had used magic to examine him as well.
She bent down and whispered in his ear, "Forget that thought and leave. This should be proof enough."
She stood and surveyed the room before commenting "Creevey's spell is quite amazing."
"Colin Creevey?" Ron asked astonished as he remembered the annoying boy that always took pictures.
"No, the younger brother, Dennis, apparently he used to be bullied as a child and well into adulthood. He formulated the spell to keep bullies away from him and he managed to make it difficult for the Ministry to track." Draco explained in a disinterested tone.
"How is Seamus?" Luna asked suddenly.
"Stable but he'll be at St. Mungos a while." Hermione said gravely as Draco came over to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"What happened?" Draco asked curiously.
"He doesn't remember." She responded.
"Did you try reading his mind?" Luna asked.
"He's too fragile for that right now and the healers don't think he's mentally prepared to relive what happened yet." She said as she yawned tiredly. It had been a very long day for her.
Hermione's cell phone rang with a different tone than the one Harry had heard earlier. She hastily pulled the offending object from her robes and promptly answered it.
"Yes Cole." an irritated Hermione called into her phone. She listened to the person on the other end of the line while Draco groaned and gestured wildly for her to hang up but she responded to Draco by turning her back on him and Harry was glad to know that he wasn't the only one that received that treatment.
"I'm sorry but I can't help. Seamus is in the hospital and I have to finish working this case before I take on another." Hermione explained. There was a pause as she listened to the person on the other end of the line before she started speaking again. "The Aurors are all busy. I understand that it's important and I know many lives are at risk but we can't spare anyone right now."
There was a pause again before an angry Hermione started screaming into the phone. "Don't give me that lecture Cole! You out of all people should understand how much I regard life!"
She cast an angry eye at Harry on the floor, who had been straining to watch her as she spoke on the phone and an idea occurred to her. If he wanted to do this maybe this would scare him off a bit. "I could send some one else. I promise they have the skill of an Auror and they are very familiar with Muggle ways. You won't be able to tell that he's a wizard. He'll be in your office shortly but before you go, can you find out who imported a large portion of leopard eye for me?"
Hermione gave a small chuckle and closed the phone. She glared at Draco.
"I warned you not to talk to him. You always end up angry." Draco replied haughtily.
Hermione chose to ignore Draco's comment and she pulled a vile, full with purple liquid, from her robes. She reached down and gently cradled Harry's head with one hand as she used the other to pour the contents of the vile slowly into his mouth. She had to be careful that he didn't' drown on it. She gave him a few seconds before she pulled out her wand. After a brief consultation with Luna about where the spell struck Harry she placed her wand on his left shoulder. In a matter of seconds, feeling started returning to his muscles and he realised that he had strained a few of them trying to move. She helped him to sit up and then looked straight into his eyes. She seemed to be weighing what she was about to say to him.
"Harry," she said uncertainly. "I know it's been a while," she continued implying they had never talked earlier, "but the Aurors are over worked right now and MI5 needs a wizard to assist with a case they're working on. I can't send Draco in his current condition and I want Luna to duel some more with Ron and Ginny. I know you're thinking about this and this would be a good opportunity for you to see what the easy cases are like."
"I'll go." Harry said interrupting her. He had to prove to her that he could do this and that she was wrong about whatever reason she felt it was that he needed to leave. There was also the other aspect that he could had never say no to her which was part of the reason why he never told her he was leaving. She would have asked him to stay and he would have stayed for her.
She summoned a candle holder and turned it into a portkey. She then asked to borrow Luna's cell phone.
"This is Luna's phone. My number's on speed dial as well as Draco's and the twins. If you need anything call. This portkey will take you directly to Agent Coal Steele's office. He will brief you from there." Hermione said as she handed him the portkey and watched him disappear.
"What did you ask him to do?" Ron asked alarmed as Harry disappeared.
"He'll be fine. This isn't nearly as dangerous as taking on Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Besides it'll give him a good idea of what he's missed while you've been gone." Hermione said cryptically.
She yawned again and Dobby appeared by her side.
"Mistress Hermione is tired." he said knowingly.
"Yes Dobby." she said giving the elf a kind smile.
"Dobby has prepared your room." he said with bright eyes.
"Thanks Dobby, I'll go upstairs and take a quick rest." She said as she didn't want to hurt the elf's feelings.
"Good night miss." Dobby said as he hugged her leg tightly.
Hermione carefully extricated the elf from around her leg and departed the training room. As soon as she was out of hearing range Draco spoke. "Did you get it Dobby?"
Dobby turned around and displayed Hermione's cell phone in his hand. "Miss Hermione will be able to sleep without interruption." He said proudly.
"Pass it here Dobby." Draco said holding out his hand but he was sorely disappointed when the elf defiantly gave the cell phone to Luna instead of him.
"Dobby!" Draco exclaimed only to have the elf stick his tongue out at Draco and disappear.
Luna and Ginny both burst into fits of laughter while Ron stood in wonder at the elf's actions.
"He learned that from Hermione!" Luna commented once the laughter had calmed down a bit.
-*-
Harry arrived in an ordinary office with a desk, a computer and framed certificates on the wall.
"Ah you've arrived," A tall man with dark hair and piercing blue eyes said as he came through the door. He closed the it quickly behind him and sat at his desk. He picked up the phone and asked someone called Lisa to make sure he wasn't disturbed. Once that was done he closely examined Harry.
"You're the wizard she sent?" he asked.
"I suppose you're agent Steele." Harry asked cooly.
"Agent Cole Steele, you can call me Steele." He said as he extended his hand for Harry to shake.
"Harry," he said as he met the extended hand and shook it firmly adding a little extra pressure for good measure. The man didn't flinch away but made sure to squeeze back equally hard.
"Please take a seat." Agent Steele said pointing to the nice leather chair in front of his desk.
"Are you an MLE?" he asked as he steepled his fingers in front of him.
"No," Harry replied shortly.
The agent gave him a curious look.
"Spell Reversal?" he inquired further
"No," Harry said tonelessly.
"Misuse of Muggle Artefacts?"
"No,"
"What the hell do you do?" The agent asked slightly frustrated that Hermione should send him someone so inexperienced.
"You know quite a bit about the magical world?" Harry asked evading the question.
"You don't trust me?" the agent responded realising that Harry was avoiding answering the question.
"I don't know you." Harry replied seriously.
"True," Steele said reasonably.
"Why am I here?" Harry asked as he was tired of the few pleasantries that were exchanged.
"There is a warehouse in Liverpool that we suspect is developing a dangerous new drug and we would like you to take a look around the warehouse and determine if you see anything out of the ordinary." The agent explained.
"What does this warehouse have to do with the magical world?" Harry asked like a true Auror.
"Previous agents that were assigned to penetrate the warehouse returned either dead or not remembering why they were sent there in the first place." The agent explained seriously as he handed Harry a thick file folder that he pulled out of his top drawer.
"I understand," Harry said as he took the file folder from the agent. He started to flip through it quickly. During his tenure as a DEA agent he had become quite adept with reading files and internalising the important data.
"As you are aware, Aurors were asked to investigate these cases since the disaster in Notting Hill."
Harry pretended to know and made a mental note to ask Hermione about the Notting Hill incident.
"Do you know how to use one of these?" Agent Steele said placing a gun on the table in front of Harry.
"Yes," he replied without batting an eyelash. He had become quite familiar with muggle weapons during his travels.
"Prove it," the agent challenged, indicating to the gun in front of them.
Harry took the gun and easily checked to see if it is was loaded. It was and he asked where he should aim while taking the safety off. The agent seemed to be satisfied with the knowledge of the weapon that Harry had displayed.
"I have to check. The last four Aurors shot themselves accidentally. "Agent Steele said with a chuckle.
"Why do I need a gun? I'm perfectly capable of using my wand." Harry asked as he placed the gun carefully back on the table.
"All agents going into the field are required to carry one." Agent Steele explained.
"But I'm not an agent, am I?" Harry pointed out.
"For this mission you are. Same as if I were to work with the Aurors on a case I'm afforded all the privileges of Aurors."Agent Steele explained.
"Any guards," Harry inquired as he tried to determine how dangerous this assignment would be and why Hermione felt he should do this.
"We don't know." Agent Steele said honestly.
A sudden thought occurred to Harry, "How are we getting to Liverpool?"
"We are in Liverpool." Agent Steele said sardonically as fought the urge to curse the newbie Hermione sent him. "Your portkey took you to our field office here. The warehouse is two blocks down." Steele further explained
Harry listened intently as agent Steele gave a detailed description of how to find the warehouse. He also detailed the positions of agents on standby, should he need any assistance.
Ten minutes later, after reading the mission brief, Harry was casually walking down the street. He felt himself pass through a few security wards and knew that who ever was in charge of that warehouse now knew he was coming. He glanced at the windows to the building to see if anyone was looking at him but the glass was pitch black. He tried to look casual and stopped in front of the bakery opposite the warehouse. He went in and purchased a croissant. The girl at the cashier smiled at him as she gave him his purchase and he choose to sit at the window and look out at the warehouse.
He couldn't determine if there were any guards around and he realised trying to get into the building would not be a good idea as yet. He glanced at the side of the building and a ditch filled with white foam caught his attention. He finished up his croissant and crossed the road quickly. He reached the side of the warehouse and stared curiously at the foam. He had never seen anything quite like it before.
Suddenly, an engine started at the side of the warehouse and foam started pouring out through a pipe above him. Harry got the impression that he had seen this before. A sinking feeling settled in his gut and he knew from experience that this was not a good sign.
-*-
Draco was impressed as Ginny forced Luna to duck and shield various spells. She had improved considerably in the last hour and Draco strongly felt with a few more practices she would be as good as Luna. Ron, as usual, was proving to be quite difficult.
Draco's ego was still wounded after suffering his embarrassing defeat to Victoria earlier in the day. He had learned never to challenge an experienced witch to a duel while still recovering from the flu. Madame Bones had scolded him properly for that and she added some extra potions for him to take. He didn't know what was in the new ones but it tasted worst than the ones before. As a result of his current medical condition, Luna asked him to go through the new spells with Ron. Draco was currently so frustrated with Ron and his lack of attention that he felt like getting a hammer and hammering the information into his head.
"For the last time Weasley, its flick, flick, flick, swish, not swish, swish, swish, flick." Draco said exasperatedly as he tried to explain the last four movements of the spell that Luna had used on Harry.
"Whatever Malfoy, when's Harry going to get back?" Ron asked frustrated. He refused to learn anything from a Malfoy.
Draco was about to retort in his usual Malfoy manor when his house elf, Mindy, appeared between Ron and Draco and handed Draco a letter. The scrawl was unfamiliar to him and he questioned the elf about the letter. She explained that it was delivered a few minutes earlier by a large black owl with an usual mark on its feathers.
"Primus" Draco muttered.
He quickly scanned the letter for harmful magic and then tore it open. Ron watched as all colour drained from Malfoy's already pale face. He pulled out his cell phone and pressed the number 1. The speed dial immediately activated and he anxiously hoped the person on the other end would answer and after six rings the voice mail picked up. Draco angrily shut his cell phone and shoved it in his robes.
"Luna, wake Hermione up we have a problem." Draco said gravely as he handed her the note.
Luna glanced at it and couldn't help but gasp.
Mr. Malfoy,
There will be an auction tonight at midnight for the head of one Mr. Harry Potter. If you're interested, go to Daigon Alley and you'll be given further details.
Primus
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