An: I'm very sorry for the long delay with this chapter. I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Chapter 10 - The Head of Harry Potter
Hermione was walking briskly down a familiar corridor in Hogwarts with both Harry and Ron and it felt like old times. She felt oddly free but as she caught sight of her reflection in a suit of armour, her red robes reminded her that she was there on business. They had received a lead about Primus that took them to Hogwarts. She didn't want Ron and Harry coming with her but they had insisted on joining her since they both indicated that they would be joining the Auror forces soon. She had never been able to stop them from doing something they were determined to do.
They made their way towards the room of requirement where the door in the wall was clearly visible. Hermione reached forward and slowly opened the door while the other two followed behind her. The room was exactly the way it was for the DA and a cloaked figure stood to the front where Harry used to stand when he taught them.
"It's about time," The figure sneered.
"What do you want?" Harry demanded as he stepped in front of Hermione. They knew the voice but Hermione couldn't remember who it was.
Other cloaked figures entered the room and surrounded them. The three of them huddled together in the centre of large circle with their wands drawn.
Primus broke into the circle and laughed. "This is the end Granger, Avada Kadavra!"
The green jet of light shot out of the wand and headed straight at her and she watched in horror as Harry forcibly stepped in front of her and the light penetrated his chest.
The figure laughed and other Aurors came rushing into the room but Hermione ignored the commotion going on around her.
"Harry no." she said with tears leaking through her eyes as she cradled Harry's dead frame in her arms. "Don't leave me. You just came back. You can't leave again."
Hermione woke up poring with sweat and immediately looked around the room. She was in the Manor. She'd been having that nightmare for weeks and she could never remember any other details of the dream other than Harry's death. She breathed a sigh of relief that he was probably eating dinner downstairs but the memories of her sending him to run an errand for Cole popped back into her head. A fear that Hermione hadn't known since the days of Voldemort came over and she ran out of her room and straight into Luna.
-*-
Draco walked around a deserted Daigon alley and cursed his luck. He was having a very bad day, first the bloodhound, then the duel with Victoria and now being given the responsibility of saving Potter. He was still recovering from the flu as well and he had no clue what he was supposed to be looking for. Primus could have been a bit more specific in that note.
He passed by Barteby's Bagels and glanced at the menu board and immediately realised that this was where he was supposed to be. He wasn't surprised to find that Barteby was involved with Primus. Didn't all low life know each other these days? He walked inside and headed to the counter.
"One Potter special," Draco sneered at the poor witch behind the counter.
"Yyyyesss ssssiirrr," She stammered as she handed him an envelope from under the counter.
Draco grabbed the envelope from her and ripped it open.
"Midnight," Draco said as he looked at the only word that was written on the parchment.
He flipped it over but found nothing else. A voice that sounded eerily like Hermione's echoed in his head telling him to use a revealing spell. He whipped out his wand and tried everything he could think of but nothing happened.
A tall witch with strawberry blonde hair entered the restaurant and Draco knew for sure that today was his day of penance. Priscilla Parkinson, Pansy's younger sister who Draco had had a tryst with a few years ago, had just walked in. This was no coincidence.
"Hello Draco," She cooed.
"Priscilla," Draco said courteously.
"I've been wondering, that new girl of yours doesn't look like she could do much. If you're ever interested in rekindling what we had," She said as she handed him her business card for Parkinson's Imports and Exports.
"I'll keep that in mind." Draco replied back with a sexy smirk. Flirting with other witches was part of his image and was always expected of him.
He felt a sharp pain on his foot and politely excused himself to sit down at a table in the back that had a very good view of the rest of the shop as well as the alley outside.
"What does it say?" a voice said to him.
"I thought you were to keep out of my way." Draco hissed softly.
"You were flirting with her while the life of my best mate hangs in the balance." Ron argued while under the invisible cloak as he took the seat opposite Draco.
"You better move, here she comes again." Draco said as he turned his face away so she wouldn't see his lips moving.
"Well Draco, it seems we're both here for the same business." Priscilla said displaying her note with the same word as she sat down opposite him.
"Interesting, I hope this doesn't mean we have to wait here until midnight?" Draco said indicating to their surroundings.
"I know," she said as she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "We could find somewhere else to wait that's more suitable to our tastes."
"I heard your sister is in town." Draco said trying to change the topic as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat as Priscilla's leg had somehow found its way under his robe.
"She was quite excited to come as well but Primus's note was addressed to me so I left her home. I hope the note he sent was accurate. I would hate for it to be a forgery. I've already picked out the perfect spot for Potter's head on my mantle." She said as she moved her foot higher up his leg.
"Primus isn't known for idle forgery." Draco pointed out as he gently tried to bat her annoying foot away with his hand.
They had discussed this in detail back at the manor. They were positive that Harry was still alive as there had been quite a few fakes over the years and Primus would need to prove that he was the real Harry Potter and not a fake.
"It could be a portkey that activates at midnight?" Priscilla said as she fiddled with the note in her hand. "Primus did that once before on a business deal we had a while back."
Draco arched an eyebrow at her. "Did you meet him?"
She scoffed at him. "Nobody meets Primus. We both know that."
"I would like to find out his identity. I like to know who I'm doing business with." Draco replied.
"What makes you think Primus is a he?" She questioned coyly as she continued to use her foot to play with him.
The order had been after Primus for the last year and a half but the question about Primus's gender had never popped out and the Order had automatically assumed the male gender. Primus had been responsible for some of the most daring criminal enterprises that had happened over the last 2 years. His organization was like a phantom and nobody apprehended, had any clue about other parts of the organization.
"Looks like Flint is interested in this as well." Draco said as he watched Marcus Flint receive the same envelope from the stifled witch.
"It appears that this might be attracting a crowd." She commented as she deftly moved her foot around Draco's hand and moved further up his leg in search of her goal.
"Priscilla!" Flint said as he came over to greet her. "I've been wondering if there were any pureblood witches left around here?"
"There're quite a few of us, you're just not moving in the right circles." She answered him as Draco stopped her foot again.
"And what circle might that be?" Draco asked as she piqued his curiosity and to his relief she retracted her foot.
"I believe I have another appointment now. I'll see you at midnight." She blew a kiss at Draco and left. Flint wasted no time following behind her.
"You think she's right?" a soft voice said.
"Right about what?" Draco asked the invisible voice.
"The note, it's a portkey." Ron explained.
"Could be," Draco replied half interested as he was still pondering what circles Priscilla had been referring to. As far as he knew, he and Flint were in every important circle there was.
"Head back to the Manor. I'll meet you there." Draco said as he stood abruptly and left the shop.
"You don't order me around!" Ron replied
"Then do what you want." Draco said as he stormed out of the bakery and barely missed a goblin.
The Goblin was hurrying up the road towards Gringotts where Priscilla Parkinson was impatiently waiting. He decided to make a last minute moderation to the plan and headed towards Priscilla where the Goblin was hurriedly opening the doors to the wizarding bank.
"The things I have to do for Potter." Draco muttered softly to himself.
Half an hour later he had returned to the Manor to find an anxious Luna waiting for him. "Where have you been? Ron returned half an hour ago!" Luna said in a worried voice.
Draco held her hands and looked into her eyes. "Everything will be fine. Just concentrate on getting to Harry and I'll worry about myself."
"No, we take care of each other because no one else will." Luna said firmly and walked away to the practice room to ensure Severus hadn't killed Ron yet.
-*-
"Did you find him?" Draco asked Hermione as he casually strolled into the game room. Both Ginny and Victoria glared at the wizard as he entered.
"The tracker says he's at King's Cross." Hermione explained cooly.
She had used the tracker to locate Harry while Draco and Ron had gone to Diagon Alley. They had tried to floo Kingsley as soon as they received the note but there was no response and Hermione had been forced to send Hedwig with an encrypted letter instead. Luna contacted Severus and both he and Victoria had arrived at the Manor within five minutes.
Ginny inquired about the tracking device that was on Harry and Hermione told her that a GPS locator had been placed in the miniature wooden carved Otter that Harry always had on him. Ginny nodded. Harry have never once relinquished the Otter and had it on a bracelet on his left hand. She remembered when Harry first found it, a month after they left. They were in Sea World at the time because Harry had wanted to see the theme parks in Florida and after watching one of the shows he had mysteriously found it on a table and refused to part with it. She had always thought that he seemed obsessed with the little piece of wood.
"How did you get Harry to let you go with him?" Hermione asked as she looked up at from her laptop breaking Ginny's thought train.
Ginny smiled, "I borrowed one of your ideas."
"My ideas?" Hermione repeated ignoring the urge to wipe the smile off of Ginny's face.
"With the DA, the jinx on the list," the red head witch elaborated. "I made Harry use a piece of parchment to write a farewell note to mother. I had jinxed it so that he had to take me with him. Once he signed it, it sealed the jinx. He took me along because he didn't want to walk around looking like a toad." she finished proudly.
"I always wondered, I mean I understood that you two were going out but I didn't think he would willingly take you away from your family." Hermione responded.
"I had let him hunt the horcruxes by himself, I wasn't going to sit back again and wait." she told her.
"I don't really think you `let' him, Ginny. There was no stopping him." Hermione responded trying to erase the delusion Ginny seemed to be under.
Ginny scowled at her. "I could have asked him to stay."
"But he wouldn't have. Both you and I know that. If you were really concerned you would have come with us." The brunette responded hotly.
"I couldn't, my parents wouldn't let me." She responded fiercely.
"That never stopped me!" An irate Hermione pointed out.
"You were of age!"
"Not in the muggle world!"
"Ladies, can we get back to work or would you rather let your friend die while you decide who's angrier." Victoria said calmly and both girls glared at her.
"Where is my darling husband when I need him?" Victoria said as she glanced around the room and by some strange coincidence he came barging in with Ron trailing behind him.
"Mr. Weasley, you are still a weak student. Your brothers are by far, better than you."
"I haven't used magic for seven years." Ron replied red faced.
"Did you not use your brain either?" Snape sneered back at him before he greeted his wife with a soft peck on her white cheek.
"Wotcher!" Tonks said as she appeared in the room with saffron coloured hair and looked at the angry faces. "Guess no one's happy to see me then."
"Is the team assembled?" Severus asked getting straight to business.
"Yes but Kingsley got the owl and he wasn't happy," Tonks informed the room.
"Let's go then." Severus ordered and everyone except Draco and Ron left the Manor bounded for King's Cross.
-*-
Victoria Snape strolled through King's Cross going out of her way to avoid the muggles. They were quite annoying with their high scented perfumes and loud music. School had already started and platform Nine and Three Quarters was closed off.
She glanced at her watch. The arrow head would direct her straight to Harry. She looked around the mass of people and knew that her back up was around there somewhere. She had to rely on Ginny and Tonks which annoyed her even more than the Muggles. Besides her training with Luna today, Ginny hadn't practiced magic in seven years and Tonks was extremely clumsy. She saw a muggle trip over a newspaper and wondered how Tonks even became an Auror.
She wished Severus was with her but he was a very recognizable figure in Wizarding England. Only her students would know her and she doubted that anyone she went to school with would recognize her. Severus certainly didn't when she returned three years ago.
She would have preferred that Hermione assist in the rescue but that stupid muggle Steele requested a formal Auror raid on the warehouse in Liverpool and Kingsley approved it, hoping it would be a distraction for the rescue.
Hermione was in for a serious lecture, the nerve of her sending Potter on an Auror mission. Victoria couldn't understand what the witch was thinking or maybe she hadn't been thinking. She was severely over worked over the last few days and Potter returning seemed to stress her out more than normal. Victoria stopped in front of a muggle train and peered at the stupid watch. It pointed her straight to a wall between platforms seven and eight.
She saw a woman rolling one of those cases on wheels that muggles used to carry clothes when the travelled and Victoria subtly used her wand to banish the object in the direction of the wall. The case disappeared through the wall and the poor man carrying the case looked around confused as to where it had disappeared to and started shouting "Thief, thief!"
"Stupid Muggle," she muttered as she walked past the distraught man.
"That was cruel." Ginny said as she appeared next to her.
"Oh you saw that, maybe there's hope for you still." Victoria commented dryly.
"What do we do now?" Tonks asked as she `accidentally' bounced into them reading the newspaper.
"Why don't you accidentally trip over that again and fall through that wall?" Victoria said sarcastically.
"No need to be mean." Tonks sulked.
"But that is an idea." Ginny said. "What if you went in there after your suitcase?"
"My soot what?" Tonks asked.
"The thing Victoria sent through the barrier. You could go in looking for it and let us know if its all clear." Ginny said.
"Definitely hope for you." Victoria said with a wicked smile.
-*-
Two guards sat crouched on two stools that were too small for their massive frames. In between them was a small table on which they were playing exploding snap.
"If we get caught the boss won't be happy."
"Would you rather sit and stare at that blank wall."
"No, but…"
THUNK
Both guards jumped up with their wands drawn in the direction of the sound.
"It's just one of those stupid cases muggles seem to lose." One guard said as he put his wand away. "Just throw it on the stack with the others."
The other guard levitated the suitcase into a corner piled with suitcases and they both returned to their game of exploding snap only to be interrupted by the sound of three muggle females.
"You see, I told you I saw the sootcake disappear through the wall!" A tall blonde woman said.
"I can't believe it."A redhead said with an accent as she looked around. "This is like magic."
Both guards looked at each other. This was the third time this month that muggles had accidentally fallen through the barrier. They had once asked their boss about putting up muggle repelling wards but their boss grew angry and the vein in the side of his head started to throb and they never asked again. It was the boss's lady friend that explained to them that they couldn't put up the ward because it would repel all the muggles from the entire station and that would draw Ministry attention and you couldn't attract the Ministry to your secret hide out. They liked her after that. They did jobs here and there for her for free though the last one was kind of dangerous.
"Where is the sookchase?" the brunette asked as she carefully looked around the room.
"I don't know. How about we ask these nice gentlemen here?" The redhead said with a sweet smile.
She bravely walked over to them and pushed her chest out just a bit to emphasize her visible cleavage. "Have you seen our suitcase?" She asked sweetly sticking out her bottom lip just a bit even though their eyes won't looking at her lips.
"Ah," both wizards muttered as they looked at her cleavage. It was the last thing they saw before the world went blank.
"Stupid wizards!" Victoria commented. "Thank Merlin my Sevy is different."
"Sevy?" Ginny mouthed at Tonks.
"What are you two standing staring at each other for? We have a wizard to save!" Victoria said as she strode confidently into the open passageway behind the guards.
"Sevy?" Ginny said softly to Tonks.
"Don't ask and don't ever tell Snape you know his pet name." Tonks advised.
Ginny nodded and then had to hold back a laugh as Tonks tripped over her foot.
"Sorry," Tonks said to her.
"What are you two doing back there?" Victoria hissed from further up the corridor.
"Nothing," Ginny called out softly as she quickly helped Tonks up and followed Victoria swiftly down the passageway.
-*-
Harry Potter was seated; at least he knew that much because there was a mask over his face and ear muffs on his ears so other than his body position that was all he knew. His hands were bound behind the chair and his legs were tied to it. He had no idea how long it had been since he had been knocked out. He was quiet disappointed that he got himself into this position. He could only imagine what Hermione was thinking and how he had successfully proven her right.
He sensed other people in the room and knew at least one person was moving towards him. He felt a hand on his head and suddenly he could hear and see again but he didn't expect to see Ginny looking down at him.
"Where's Hermione?" He asked immediately.
"Nice to see you to Harry," She said dryly as she used her wand to untie the ropes that bound his hands while Tonks worked on his feet and Victoria stood guard.
They were quite surprised to discover that there were very few guards present and they could only assume that this wasn't the place of the auction. Primus must have been very confident that this location was a secret and if it weren't for Harry's tracker it would have been. Ginny guessed from the amount of luggage at the entrance, this place had been in use for well over three years.
"I need to see Hermione. Where is she?" Harry asked desperately.
"She's at the warehouse." Tonks replied.
Harry's face drained of colour. "I have to get there."
"Harry, we have to get you back to the manor." Ginny told him firmly.
"You don't understand.." He said standing once they had finished untying him.
"Then explain it to me." She told him.
"Lets go, it's almost midnight, they'll be coming to get him soon." Victoria commanded.
"We can't apparate though." Ginny said
"Thank you for pointing out the obvious Ms. Weasley, now shut up and follow me!" Victoria said as she turned around sharply causing her black robes to billow behind her like her husbands.
-*-
Hermione and Cole were seated in front the coffee shop drinking some tea as they prepared to raid the warehouse across the road. It was decided to raid it five minutes before the supposed auction to create another distraction for Harry's rescue. If Victoria failed to retrieve him, it would be up to Draco and Ron and she only hoped that they could put aside their differences for Harry's sake.
They received the signal to go ahead through their earpieces and they both crossed the street. She used her wand to temporarily lower the muggle repelling ward to allow Cole and the others inside the area. The air became chilly and lights started disappearing around them and Hermione tried to recall her happiest memories. She waved her wand and said the words Expecto Patronum but nothing happened. This was her worst spell. Harry had always teased her about it. She just wanted to think that her otter was a bit shy at times but now was definitely not the time for her otter to be behaving badly. The Dementors were getting closer and all she could hear in her head was the voice of Arthur Weasley begging her to kill him.
A silvery lynx appeared just in time and chased the Dementors away. She sighed in relief and was thankful that Kingsley was her back up tonight.
"Still having trouble with that spell?" Cole asked casually.
"You felt them this time?" Hermione asked curiously. Non magical persons don't usually notice Dementors.
"Not really, I recognized your wand movements." He replied. He had seen her attempt that spell quite a few times.
"I'll take the back, you go round the front." She told him as she refocused her mind on the mission.
He nodded and she made her way along the side of the building, pass the machine blowing white foam on to the ground. She wrinkled her brow in disgust and wondered why wizards also had to involve themselves in pollution. It was a proven fact that the more polluted the Earth got, the more it affected magic. Magic was a part of the Earth and if the Earth was not healthy then there would be disruptions in magic. It was impossible to use magic in the vicinity of nuclear power plants and toxic waste. She was about to clean up the waste when she heard a gun cock behind her.
"Drop the wand!" A gruff voice said to her.
"It's just a stick." Hermione said trying to play dumb.
"I ain't stupid lady, I know what you are." He said to her. "Now drop it."
Hermione dropped it hoping she would be able to use wandless magic to disable him.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm an environmental inspector; I was just using the stick to sample the white stuff on the ground." She said to him calmly as she turned around to face a tall muscular man.
"If you were an inspector, you would have turned around and left like the last five who came." The guard pointed out proving that he wasn't just another stupid muggle.
"I can't be bribed." She countered quickly, knowing full well he was referring to the muggle repelling ward.
"Orders are orders." He said as his finger started to squeeze the trigger.
Hermione tried to gather her magic to attack him but before she could the man slumped to ground in front of her and Harry appeared behind him.
"Happy to see me?" he asked with a cocky girn.
"Are you crazy Harry!" Hermione said walking up to him.
"What? Me, crazy, that guy was about to kill you." Harry pointed at the unconscious man on the floor.
"I can handle myself and have you forgotten that we are in this position because of you." She stated angrily.
"This is the place Hermione. This is the place I saw you die. Whatever you were going to try, it wasn't going to work. That bullet was going to go through your heart and you were going to bleed out here in this foam." Harry yelled loudly at her.
"So you say but you don't have to save everyone Harry!" Hermione replied.
"Why are you being so stubborn!" He screamed.
"Granger, Potter, be quiet. We are trying to raid a warehouse." Kingsley said as he appeared beside them.
"It's empty; all the NOISE must have chased them away." Cole said as he rounded the corner and glared at Harry.
"It's not my fault." Harry retorted.
"Gee, I didn't hear anybody else yelling at the top of their lungs!" Cole stated angrily.
"Cole there's no need to be angry. We're working the case from the wizarding side and we hope to have a breakthrough soon." Hermione said calmly.
"I've heard that line enough times." Cole said as he walked away.
"Cole," Hermione said as she began to walk after him but was stopped by Harry's hand.
"We need to talk." He told her firmly.
-*-
It was five minutes to midnight and Ron was twiddling the invitation in his hands as Draco paced non-stop in front of the large fireplace. They had no idea what was going on with Harry or the warehouse and they could only hope that things would go according to plan.
"Would you stop pacing?" Ron asked irritably as he eyed Draco in front of the fireplace.
"No," Draco replied shortly as he continued to pace.
"Do you want to go over the plan again?" Ron asked anxiously.
"What's there to go over? I do nothing but bid on Potter's head. You have to ensure that I have enough Galleons." Draco replied as he glanced at the clock on the wall. "We better get ready. Get under the cloak"
Draco stopped his pacing and moved over by Ron, who had quickly grabbed the cloak and placed it over himself. Draco held on to his side of the invitation and in a matter of seconds they both felt a strong tug behind their navel and they landed in a lavishly decorated room with a beautiful balcony that hung out over a cliff. The first thing they both noticed on the floor was a blood stained Lupin.
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