A/N. I never thought I'd write the Hugo-Hermione scene here but someone asked and by happy coincidence, it made it in time for Mother's Day! Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and mothers to be.
XXXXXXXXXX
Chapter 56 - A Mother's Apology, A Son's Forgiveness
The Being Village of Pag-asa
"Flick it, don't flourish it," Al said to Juan, a teenage elf, as the poor Being kept on missing his Malvado henchman target practice some two meters away.
"Keep it low but ready. That way your arms won't get tired," he overheard Rosie instruct Lucas, a thirteen-year old vampire.
There were about twenty Being youngsters lined up in the clearing, each one with wands custom built by a local goblin wandmaker. They were learning the basics of offense and defence from Al and Rosie as well as and from a few other wand skilled Beings. While it would seem like a better idea for them to develop and practice their natural attack and survival skills, they were so young that they would never be able to match up to Malvado's adult and highly trained goons. A wand wielding magical being army was something Malvado would never expect and hence wouldn't be prepared for.
When Gates asked them to help this was far from what he and Rosie imagined help would look like. Teaching novices was one thing; teaching novices wand magic for an eventual war against the most Dark magical syndicate this part of the world had seen ever was another. And Al still couldn't believe that he and Rosie were the tutors here, when neither of them had even used the skills they were teaching outside their Hogwarts DADA class.
It was obvious to him that Gates did something to force him to come here but the moment he got through the wards and saw what the village was about Al didn't need any more persuasion to stay. Pag-asa was a hidden village of refugees on the brink of taking up wands to push back and help fight the bully who forced them there, the very same bully who caused death and injury to their families. He listened to the horrifying tales of torture and murder, the thought that such atrocities could be tolerated anywhere in the modern world never crossing his mind. He could only imagine what it was like waking up every day to this tension, of the hand of Death hanging over their heads by a thin thread, and he was glad for the opportunity to help.
"Tiya Maria is back," announced Julia excitedly, the half-bodied being floating around without legs and feet.
Everyone turned towards the two women who were making their way to the class. Al surmised that 'Tiya Maria' was the woman with Gracie, the owner of the restaurant where they had an encounter with Malvado's goons. Gracie took their students off to practice, leaving them with the new arrival. Tiya Maria spoke to Rosie first.
"You're Rosie. You're just as your Mum described you. My name is Maria Ortega."
She held out her hand out and Rosie shook it politely.
"I don't know you," his cousin replied honestly.
"I wouldn't think so. I worked with your Mum years before you were born, when she was with the IMP," after which she turned to address him, "And you're Albus Potter."
"Al," he corrected, a reflex really because he was not very fond of that name, nor his middle one for that matter.
Maria paused and stared at him for a long time, and it became so uncomfortable Al had to ask her, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I'm sorry for being rude," she apologized, "You do realize you have an uncanny resemblance to your brother."
Al corrected her again, "You mean my half brother."
He had been ogled at enough all day and it was growing old.
"Yes. You really shouldn't be here," the woman said to him with a concerned look on her face.
"He wants to be here," Rosie answered for him, then asked what Gates, Gracie and the rest were avoiding to tell them, "What does Malvado want with my brother?"
The Maria character was somewhat aghast as she realized, "Nobody told you about the prophecy."
"What prophecy?" he and Rosie asked in unison.
"That your brother, Hugo, is the only one who can put an end to Malvado's reign."
That drew a gasp from Rosie and being the protective sister (and the way she was) pointed out, "But he can't be! He's only thirteen!"
"Dios mio! You are as excitable as your mother can be," Maria commented innocently, not knowing how much Rosie didn't like being compared to her Mum, "The Prophecy said that he is but it didn't say how old he would be when he did it, if he did it. Although I must say, Beings are weary and they hope it's soon."
"Prophecies can be wrong," Al pointed out in the hopes of lessening Rosie's anxiety.
"True. But the fact that it was made is enough to set things in motion. Many Beings here believe it, because they are fatalistic and they have been hopeless for so long they're ready to believe anything that will give them that. Malvado is not a fool. He doesn't really believe some boy will cause his end either but nonetheless wants the suggestion it makes crushed before it grows bigger. He wants to keep the Beings hopeless so much that getting rid of your brother is important enough to now merit his undivided attention. And you," she turned to Al, "Could easily be mistaken for him. It's not safe for you to be in these parts."
Al swallowed the lump in his throat as both Rosie and Maria looked on. He had no ready answer to what she just said. Decidedly, after hearing about what he did to Beings he didn't approve of,he was afraid of Malvado but what bothered him more was being under Hugo's shadow. It bothered him that he was expected not to be here because he looked like Hugo. They must all assume he would leave once he found out, that's why they've been keeping the truth from him. Did they all think he was a coward?! Yes, he might be afraid of Malvado but he was not going to run away and hide just because he might get killed, and most definitely not because he looked like Hugo!
Keeping in mind not to be disrespectful, he replied calmly, "If I get killed because I look like Hugo then it'll happen whether I'm here or somewhere else. I'd rather be here and help get this over with."
Maria was about to answer but a commotion at the Village entrance drew their attention. Al instantly recognized one of the new comers.
He ran towards him, calling out, "Dad!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Godric's Hollow
Hugo was speechless as he tried to take in what his Mum just said. He had planned to ask his Mum about what the Hag said but never expected his Mum to come to him. He listened eagerly as she continued.
"I was only a few weeks pregnant when I lost her and she was so tiny there was no physical proof that she ever existed. There is no actual tomb here. Warren thought it would help me grieve."
His Mum must have remembered how painful it felt then for she looked away, taking a moment to compose herself. Hugo waited patiently, wondering various things, including how his sister died and why nobody knew about her. He instantly questioned where his father was during her death and why it was Warren who helped her grieve.
The tombstone called out to him, the date on it screaming for attention.
2003 May 28
Hugo counted back the months repeatedly, his pulse pounding crazy as he did. It was easily more than a year before James was born. He was trying to look past the obvious, unable to believe that their deception went back that far in the past. And his Mum had always given him the impression that the affair that produced him happened suddenly and without warning, and that it ended shorly after it started. His face betrayed his confusion and his Mum explained.
"Long before he married your Aunt Ginny, your father and I fell in love. We had been friends for the longest time and we never expected it to happen. But it did and before long he moved into Grimmauld with me."
"But nobody knew?"
She shook her head, "We didn't tell anyone."
"Because you were cheating on Aunt Ginny and on Dad?"
"It wasn't like that," his Mum clarified, "We weren't doing anything wrong. He and your Aunt Ginny had broken up a couple of months before and your Dad and I weren't together either."
That was a relief but it puzzled Hugo even more.
"Then why didn't you?"
"For many reasons, all of them unimportant now even though they seemed like a big deal back then. It was just me. Your father wanted everyone to know from day one but he agreed to do things my way because he has always respected my wishes. Looking back later on I realized that the reasons were because I wanted to delay it for as long as I could, just in case things didn't work out. I was very insecure then. I kept thinking that your father was wrong about how he felt and that he would realize soon that he didn't really want to be with me. I didn't trust him to know himself well enough and I was scared, scared of letting people know, and I didn't want to hurt people I cared about for nothing.
"But I wanted so much to be wrong. Then one night, we talked, and I wasn't scared anymore. He asked me to marry him. I said yes and that was when I told him about our baby."
Never in a million years would Hugo have guessed that. He knew of his Mum and Dad's on and off relationship but he had always assumed his father and Aunt Ginny were together since they left Hogwarts. He couldn't contain his curiosity.
"What happened next?"
"The Morpheus Gaunt case. During an undercover operation, things soured really fast. My partner, Dean, your Uncle Seamus' best friend, got killed and your father took an AK for me. He nearly died saving my lfe. I was badly hurt and I lost our baby. When I woke up days later he was back with your Aunt Ginny. He had lost his memory of us."
It must have been horrible, he thought, waking up to that. Hugo now understood why it was Warren who helped her get through it but couldn't stop the hard questions that came to his mind right then. He didn't know much about love but shouldn't this kind, if true, overcome all that? Even though he almost died saving her, how could his father abandon his Mum and turn his affection back to Aunt Ginny so easily? And how could his mother just accept it?
He looked up and saw her scrutinizing his reaction. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't totally understand why she didn't say anything.
"Mum," he said as he summoned up the courage to ask, "Why didn't you fight for him? Why didn't you remind him?"
His Mum sighed, like she usually did when he asked a question she didn't like to answer. He wasn't sure if she would so he took a guess, "Was it because you didn't think he or anyone else would believe you and you didn't want to end up being his crazy friend who lost her marbles?"
His Mum laughed lightly, amused at his analysis.
"Am I close?"
"There was that in the beginning," she admitted, "I sooner assumed I was right all along, that he didn't care about me that much in the first place, so I kept my mouth shut and wallowed about the unfairness of it all. I wasn't so smart then."
She smiled to herself, as if she found that funny.
"I don't think it's funny."
"It wasn't funny then either," she replied.
"Did you ever consider telling him?"
"One should never have to solicit another person's affection. You might get it but it won't feel the same as love that's freely given to you."
Hugo couldn't agree more but he noticed that she didn't really answer his question. Leave it to her to find time to preach during all this. He stayed with it.
"You thought about telling him."
"There were moments I did think about it."
"But?"
"Telling him would have literally killed him."
Hugo frowned.
She added, "And I can't give you details because it still could."
After he heard that he craved for the details even more. But he recognized her tone as final and absolute and didn't push. She wouldn't lie about something like that. She did have more to say.
"The Healers said he was unlikely to regain his memory but your father proved them wrong. Remembering four years later was very difficult for him."
"That's when you had the affair," Hugo stated as he realized.
She nodded and answered, "It lasted for about a month. We both knew it wasn't right. It was eating us up and we couldn't stay together. He considered leaving his family then but that wasn't a real option because of the kind of person he is."
That, Hugo could understand. He wouldn't admit it before but he did respect his father for not abandoning James, Al and Lily. And if the other woman was someone other than his Mum, he would have been perfectly fine with his father's choice of staying with them. In his opinion, that should be black and white; leaving one's wife and children for another woman should be wrong. Recognizing that he had double standards was extremely troubling.
His Mum continued to defend his father's decision.
"Your father did what he thought was best for the people he cared about the most and though it may not seem like he made the right choices, they were the only ones that he could truly be at peace with."
"You never wished for him to leave Aunt Ginny?"
"I did, many times. But I'm glad that he didn't. His conscience wouldn't have let him rest and he would have lost himself. And in the end he would have been miserable."
"Was that why you didn't tell him about me? Because you didn't want him to leave them and be miserable? Because you loved him?"
"Yes. And because I love you. I didn't want that life for you. I really thought I could protect you from all that. It goes to show that I'm not always right and that people do the stupidest things because of love. I hope you can forgive me for making that choice for you."
It had been a long time since they talked about this and, although she may have before, it was the first time Hugo heard her apologize. Having had a lot of time to brew on the matter with Isa he had come to accept that while he wasn't given a choice, his Mum didn't have much to work with. He had to let her know that there was nothing to feel guilty about.
"It's not that you could have asked me what I wanted. And even though he wasn't around around to be my Dad, I can definitely say I would have hated growing up as his other son. I've only been that a couple of days and I hate it already. So either way, you wouldn't have made a right choice. It was a no-win situation for you."
So maybe that didn't come out so positively.
His Mum joked lightheartedly, "That makes me feel a lot better. Thanks."
"Seriously. It's been just as terrible as I expected it would be but I think I'm better about the whole thing now that it's out there and with what you've just told me. I mean, I'm not going to give him hugs or call him Dad or anything like that so I hope you're not going to start expecting me to because that will definitely drive me up the wall," he was straight with her.
"Okay, I promise I won't have such expectations," his Mum replied.
"No hoping either," he added.
"Why not?"
"You'd just be disappointed."
"You drive a hard bargain. Any other demands?"
"Just one more," he paused to make sure she was all ears, "Stop beating yourself up about it. I'll be fine."
Tears welled up in her eyes and Hugo couldn't understand why she didn't believe him.
"Really Mum. I wasn't so sure before we came here but now I'm sure I will be. Just don't feel bad about me anymore."
She nodded, fighting the tears.
"Okay. I'll try," she got herself together, "Maybe once I get over the fact that my thirteen year old son is giving me advice. How did you get to be like this?"
He blushed, the pride in her voice causing a discomfort to wash over him.
"Mum, stop, you're embarrassing me."
"I'm embarrassing you? You just put me through psychotherapy."
He had to smile.
"Sorry."
"Just don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to preserve."
She wasn't really serious; she knew he would never.
"Okay. This will be our secret."
"And Hugo, I trust you to know who to share this with and how much. There are good reasons why you're only the third person to know about your sister."
She was referring to the other Potter children. She was concerned about them judging their father harshly as Hugo had before. And he could imagine what it would feel like finding out your family came to be only because your father lost his memory. There was no need for them to know.
He nodded to let her know that he understood, relieved that his Mum didn't ask him to keep it totally to himself. He wanted to tell Isa at least, and maybe Spencer.
"Mum - "
"Yes?"
"Thanks for taking me here."
"I had to. I couldn't let you go on thinking you were some mistake."
Although Hugo still had questions he certainly didn't feel that way about his existence anymore.
"Can we stay a while?"
"Of course," she answered, as the congregation began filtering out of the church, "We have plenty of time."
XXXXXXXXXX
St. Petersburg
George Bones was a very loyal man. In his many years as an Auror, he never worked for anyone else but Harry Potter and he had no intention of working for anyone else but him. Like many, George was drawn by the legend that surrounded the man, but with each mission and each case, he quickly realized that there was more to the Head Auror than just the hype. He was as ordinary as the next Auror in many ways but he led by example and lead with the interests of everyone in mind, including the men who worked for him.
So when he got the news that Harry Potter had been sacked and that he was to report back to the Ministry to answer to Humptail, the decision not to was a simple one. George would follow Harry Potter into any battle and fight with him because he would without a doubt lead them to fight for what's right.
His instructions from Harry were clear - to find out more about the recently deceased Caraktakus Burkes Jr., the Russian ex-Auror Dovalov and the current Head of Great Britain's Dept of Mysteries Cristos Maximus. While the Headmaster and the professors at Durmstrang were cooperative, most of them did not know the three when they were students and it seemed that none had very useful information. He had spent much of his night going through the school student archives looking for needles in the haystack and came up with a few leads.
He had just Apparated to the fifth one on his list, Dovalov's childhood home in St. Petersburg. This was a long shot but his gut would not let him skip it. It was in a largely Muggle neighbourhood of middle income families, a park and a school nearby, the very one which Dovalov attended prior to his admission to Durmstrang.
The house was a bungalow and though older and smaller compared to the others in the neighborhood, was on one of the bigger lots in the area. An old, crooked sign lay haphazardly on the front lawn.
For Sale or Lease
George had referenced Muggle records and found out that Dovalov's family had sold it a long time ago. The property had also been bought and sold many times over. It was because of this that he wanted to check it out.
"Looking for a home, are you?" a man, maybe about sixty, said to him in Russian.
George nodded and replied in the same language, "The kids will love this big yard. And the wife, she loves to garden."
The man frowned, "I wouldn't live in it if they gave it to me for free."
"Why is that?"
"I live next door. I know this house," then he paused, scrutinizing George under the rim of his glasses, and then deciding to hold back, "You're a nice kid. I suggest that you look someplace else."
George wanted to keep the conversation going, "The house is old but I reckon I can fix her up."
"Son, do you think you're the first to think that?" the old man scoffed, then limped along the sidewalk, muttering, "Kids these days, give them sound advice, they don't listen."
"Sir, wait!" George called out and came up to the old man, thinking about how to get him to talk more. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be crass. It's just that the wife, we've driven by it and she's set her mind that it is the place. She really loves the neighbourhood. And I love my wife, she's the mother of my four children, fifth one on the way. I give her everything her heart desires, I want her to continue to talk with me and she'll need good reasons why I'm not even going to take her to see the house."
"Pregnant, huh. Yes, no visits. Wouldn't want to give her a fright."
"What's wrong with the house?"
The man gave him another glance over and tipped his head towards his house, signalling George to follow him. As soon as they were within the tall, thick hedges that demarcated one property from the other, the Muggle turned to him and began talking.
"It is inhabited by a tortured soul."
"A ghost?"
The old man nodded, "A poor spirit who wants to rest but can't. She haunts the place, re-enacting for any audience her agonizing death, in my opinion, until someone can bring her murderers to justice."
"Who is she?"
"Her name is - was Larysa Dovalov. Her family used to live there. I went to school with her and her twin brother until they went off to boarding school. She was a lovely person, beautiful, both on the outside and the inside. During the summers she volunteered at the kid camps with me and my sister. Everyone adored her. Can't say the same for her brother."
The tone of their conversation changed from warm to cold.
"I knew the first time I met Boris Dovalov that he was up to no good. He was full of himself, always thought he was better than everyone else. He kept on saying that he had special powers or something crazy like that.
"Every summer he came back his arrogance got worse, particularly whenever his two school friends were visiting. A bad mix, my mother used to say, unfortunately proven that summer day Larysa died."
"What happened?"
"Do you believe in sorcery, son?"
"Well, I'm pretty sure my mother-in-law is a witch," he couldn't resist the quip but that didn't elicit a smile.
"I'm serious," and it showed on his face and in the gravity in his voice, "Sorcery caused her death."
"How so?"
"It was towards the end of the summer. I recall that day as vividly as if it happened today. I was roused at midnight by loud screaming coming from their house. And it wasn't just any scream - shrill, bone-chilling, like someone was being physically torn apart. I will never forget it."
He shuddered, the traumatic experience pouring through his eyes. The man continued.
"It was Larysa. She was only seventeen, her whole life ahead of her. She died that day, of what no one around here was really sure of but we all knew her brother and his friends had something to do with it," he declared.
"You're certain."
The man had a fit of coughing, and when George asked if he was okay he brushed him off, eager to tell the story.
"They were with her when she passed. I witnessed them. After I heard the scream, my mother called the police. I ran next door to see if I could help. Nobody was answering the front door so I went around the house, checking for any open windows or doors. I couldn't get in but through one of the windows in the back, I saw his so-called friends, fighting, arguing loudly, the English boy screaming at the other to do something, the other yelling back that he didn't know what to do. Boris was passed out on the floor beside his sister.
"I smashed the window just as the police came in and broke up the fight. But we were all too late. Larysa was dead. Boris was in hospital for a long time. Though he survived I heard his father and mother couldn't forgive him and disowned him in the wake of the tragedy. His friends were detained and questioned for a day then released without any consequences. The police had no conclusive proof of wrongdoing and her parents didn't press charges. The family sold the house shortly after the tragedy. I never saw them again."
"You mentioned sorcery."
The Muggle got a bit uncomfortable but shared, "My wife thinks I dreamt it after the fact. What I'm about to tell you is not in any police report; strange because I saw it and many policemen saw it. At least that's what I remember."
George deduced that whatever happened required massive Obliviation and memory alteration of witnesses. It wasn't uncommon for the effects of Obliviation to wane after a while. His pulse quickened as he asked.
"What was it that you saw?"
"The room was Boris'. It was a mess. There were many books of sorcery strewn about but even through the chaos there was something about the room that looked staged, like there was some ceremony going on. There was an altar in the corner with a poster of a man dressed in robes. I don't remember the name but it said that he was the greatest sorcerer of all time."
The man wavered for a second, then with a look of fear whispered, "There was someone else in the room, a figure clothed in a black cloak, with blood shot eyes that burned of demonic fervour. He floated like a mist from a deep dark hole in the ground and lingered over and around Larysa, as if trying to merge with her body. I think it was the devil himself."
George didn't know exactly what it all meant or what to say but asked the man an important question.
"This figure, what happened to it?"
The Muggle answered, "When he couldn't do what he wanted to do with Larysa's body, he headed for one of Boris' friends and vanished."
George thanked him for his time then shook his hand, gathering the last piece of information through Legilimiens as he did. What he found out wasn't a complete surprise.
Once he was out of the Muggle's sight, he pulled out his phone and connected to Harry's. The Head Auror answered.
George spoke, "I'm in St. Petersberg. I may have something. It's about Max."
XXXXXXXXXX
The Ministry of Magic, London
In the last hour, Ron kept glancing at the face of his watch, hoping for some sign of anyone who could help. The guards had been gone for a while, leaving him alone with the still unconscious Ernie in the small Ministry holding cell, Trussel's men complacent that they had no means of escape.
Somebody had to have Hermione's locket. Hermione always wore it and MLE protocols dictated that personal effects of victims were to be collected and turned over to family. Since nothing was turned over to him Jessie must have it. Hopefully she didn't store it in some cupboard within the Ministry; unless, she never got it from the SAMP, which wouldn't be unusual considering the circumstances of the attack on Hermione. Or maybe it was with Hermione and she was still alive somewhere.
His heart skipped a beat at the thought. Ron certainly hoped she was still alive. The woman who everyone thought was her was definitely not her and her questioning strongly suggested that Hermione could be. But if she were then why wouldn't she send word to them that she was?
None of the answers he came up with were reassuring. He looked at his watch again. His hope was to get a warning out to the gang that he and Ernie were being held for what sounded like insubordination and possible treason. There was also getting help to escape. Ron couldn't think that Humptail would keep them in the Ministry for much longer. He'd really rather not spend any time at all at Azkaban.
He thought of Ann and the twins, and Rosie. He had so much to live for. He was almost sure they were okay somewhere, maybe at the Pitch or at Shell Cottage, for if they weren't Trussell and Humptail would have gloated about it already.
A moan came from behind him and he walked closer to the bunk bed where Ernie was beginning to wake up. Ernie's eyes fluttered open and as he adjusted to the light in the room he brought his hand up to the huge bump on his head, rubbng it.
"You okay, mate?" Ron asked while helping Ernie sit up.
"My head hurts."
"Understandably so," Ron remarked, "You've got a bump the size of a bludger on it. What happened?"
"I'm not sure," Ernie frowned, "I was in my office when I got a call from Neville. He said to meet him at Finnigan's. Then I blacked out. How did I get here?"
"Trussell. Leo replaced Harry with Humptail not a few hours ago. They were going to arrest Harry on suspicion of treason."
"What? Are they out of their minds? The Wizengamot and the public would never believe it. That would never stick, not on Harry anyway."
Ron agreed, "Something is up. And I'd rather be outside when I find out."
"We're prisoners?!" Ernie exclaimed, standing up abruptly as he just realized.
"No, we're in a five-star hotel," Ron said dryly, "You must have hit your head really hard."
Ernie was panicking, "We can't stay here? I've never been in jail before. What's going to happen?"
"Ernie…"
"What about my family? This is going to be dreadful for them. Have we been officially charged?"
"Calm the fuck down!" Ron shoved Ernie back down on the cot.
"We can't stay here!" Ernie stood right back up and repeated, screaming back.
"Do you think I don't know that?!"
"We have to escape!" the MLE deputy hissed.
"That's an excellent idea!"
"Well, what are you waiting for?"
Ron clenched his fist and urged self control. Granted that Ernie was a long time friend and Ron still remembered how he joined them in the fight against Voldemort, that was years ago. Fuck. You really do get to know people when the going gets tough.
Ernie carried on, "What's the plan?!"
It was so tempting to deck him, but that wouldn't accomplish anything.
"We're wandless and inside an Auror jail cell designed to hold hardened dark wizards," Ron pointed out, "I am trying to figure something out. So, unless you have any bright ideas, I'd really appreciate it if you just calmed the fuck down!"
Ernie was red in the face but Ron thought, on the whole, at least he was quieter. The Auror looked at his watch again. Dammit. He had to come up with a Plan B and he wasn't much of a planner.
And during desperate times like this, when he needed to employ critical thinking, he always asked himself.
"What would Hermione do?"
"What?" Ernie replied, confused.
Ron didn't intend to but had said the question out loud. He paced and continued.
"Hermione relied on both common and uncommon knowledge. It is common knowledge that we would not be able to break out of jail on our own."
"Can't argue with that."
"We will need help. And since there are no obvious allies do we have non-obvious ones? What would Hermione think?"
Their eyes widened at the same time.
"Beings!" Ernie exclaimed.
"Elves and to be more precise, Ministry employed elves!" Ron answered excitedly, "And I can think of one specific elf who would be perfect for this job. I don't have clearance to use him but you, being the Deputy head of the MLE, do."
Ernie shared his wide grin and complimented, "You're brilliant, mate!"
Ron shrugged, "Oh, well, I have my moments."
Ernie summoned the elf and in an instant the diminutive being appeared inside the cell.
"Free Willy, Emergency Elevator Operator reporting on duty. Where you go oh most honorable deputy head MacMillan.?"
"Can he take us to the Pitch?" Ron asked Ernie.
"No. Destination has to be within Ministry premises," Ernie clarified, "I'm thinking the Atrium but there will be plenty of guards."
"We can fight our way out."
"We need our wands."
"Free Willy get them for you," the elf offered, Disapparating and Apparating back into their cell quickly, leaving their mouths hanging open as he handed them their weapons.
"Gee, thanks," Ron said.
"You're most welcome," Free Willy replied, "it has been one minute and fifteen seconds since I was summoned. Not good to be not efficient. I see lack of direction?"
Ron took the opportunity that was at hand, "Free Willy, we'd like to leave the building with the least amount of contact with Ministry employees. What's the best way?"
"Ah! Thank you for asking for Free Willy's expertise. Hop on. That is through unused dungeon ways. No one work there. Funny. Unspeakable Max asked me to do same thing earlier and he is not only one today. Must be day for secret coming and goings."
XXXXXXXXXX
Gilbert Street, London
Ted Lupin had just followed Gummy's magical signature through five towns. After Harry let Warren into Grimmauld, Gummy attacked the Canadian Auror. The chaos that ensued had Harry protecting Gummy from Gates' counter-offensive and him protecting Harry and himself from Gummy's indiscriminate retaliation. At a break in the wand fire, Gummy slipped away. Harry ordered him to pursue.
Gummy was trying to shake him and Ted made the former MLE believe that he succeeded in Hogsmeade. But using his wolf-like senses, Ted honed in on Gummy's scent. At this latest stop his smell was getting stronger which meant Gummy was lingering and had likely reached his intended destination.
It was just after dawn and the narrow backstreet five blocks south of the London Ministry was beginning to fill with street peddlers and early morning bargain hunters. Ted, disguised as a buyer, followed Gummy's scent through the Muggle. Then he lost it.
He doubled back and picked it up again at the entrance to a dead end alley. It was dark inside but he could sense a concentration of magical presence just past the shadows. He lifted his nose in that direction, sniffed, and got the confirmation he needed. Gummy was in there.
With extreme care he worked his way closer to the edge, picking up Gummy's magical signature as he did. Then he began picking up a few other scents, one of them was familiar.
He went out back to the street and rang Harry.
"I've tracked Gummy down. He's in an alley just off Gilbert Street. There are others with him. Is Hermione still with you?"
XXXXXXXXXX
A/N. I was reading my notes to the very first chapter which I wrote almost two years ago … I'm now at chapter 57 lol! 69 isn't so unreachable!
But really, it's not entirely my fault if this goes longer - you all have injected many wonderful ideas into this story - many thanks. Love the reviews as always. Working feverishly on the next one.