A/N: Exam and paper season...forget that, time for a chapter update...
Chapter XX: Smile with Death
"Charlie, take a trip with us," Harry offered him the morning after they had returned from their trip in the mountains.
"As long as the house is full and we're around you, those Unspeakables won't dare lift a finger against you,' Ron added.
"That's fine, Ron, but you won't be hanging around forever," Charlie pointed out, and then turned to Harry, "I think I will come with you for the time being."
"Esmeralda is seven months pregnant, though," Hermione said, "is she able to travel?"
"I know," Charlie looked down, "but some discomfort is worth it, if it ends up preserving all our lives."
"Can you still talk to her about it?" Hermione requested of him. "Just to let her know."
"Yeah, I will," Charlie assured her.
"Good," Hermione gave him an uncertain look. "I'm nervous for the baby, is all."
"Understandable," Charlie allayed her one more time. "Esmeralda will be fine."
Everyone had been made aware of the new developments surrounding Charlie's assassination plot and the mysterious meeting in the clearing the previous night. As the Ministry's intelligence leaders, Ginny, Hermione and Luna had met especially to discuss the new information and fit it into the context of what they already knew about the Unspeakables. The vision that had started to emerge was that of an incredibly well-organized organization with a significant, but unclear, source of help for its activities.
The fact Charlie was involved as a target for them meant that it was not inconceivable that Harry might be the next attractive prey and even worse, their children could potentially be ransom notes in this power play. Harry did not vocalize it, but the episode surrounding his daughter's and Regulus' daring rescue mission to snatch their friends from the chains of the centaurs echoed through his mind. He did not wish to see this kind of risk take place again, but an unpleasant voice in the back of his head told him that it could potentially be much worse.
As such, the group of six in question had been made aware of the scope of the situation and Hermione even wanted to go as far as disclosing all they knew of the Unspeakables. Harry had resisted initially, Draco had supported him, but in the end both of them conceded to the argument that in this case, ignorance was not going to be bliss.
Jane's expression relived the horror of her earlier capture, Holly's eyes shot wide at the prospect of other high-risk missions and Andromeda simply became more ashen-faced than she had been earlier. The male half of the group took the news more calmly, albeit no less seriously. Otto and Albus declared they were determined, more than they had ever been before, to do all they could do bring this organization to its knees, whatever the cost. Harry certainly admired their bravery, but had do smile sadly at the idealism of youth; he was coming back from where they were going.
Through covert magical means, Ron had ascertained the presence of the brothers sent to kill Charlie around the house, but what seemed to worry him more was the promised oversight of this Kamm character and the strange being in his company the previous night.
"Did you feel how he looked straight at us? It's like he knew we were there behind the rock," he told Harry for what might have been the third time today.
"I don't know, Ron," his best friend was being patient with him, "I can't say I didn't feel something like that, but it might have very well been my imagination."
"How about you, Charlie, did you feel anything?"
"Definitely," his older brother nodded in affirmation.
"OK, so what that does that mean?"
"I have no clue, but the sooner we get out of here, the better," Charlie told him.
"Can we fight them off if they attack?
"I don't see why not," Harry reasoned, "all of us are well trained. I mean, there's always a risk, but the odds are on other side. Else they would have attacked by now."
"You think they're using the same kind of idiots the Death Eaters were once upon a time?" Draco finally joined the conversation.
"Judging from the two goons last night, I wouldn't rule it out," Harry commented. "Whoever is at the top should be more competent, that would make sense. What worries me is this other character that saw us last night."
"What do you think about him?"
"I don't know. He, or she, seemed really intelligent...I don't know, can't say I've seen one of them before, let alone a whole group."
"We're obviously talking about some kind of alliance here," Ron took the hypothesis further. "But I haven't seen them before either."
"Charlie?"
"I'm about as clear as you too. Any kind of creature of similar capacity as wizards - goblins, elves, centaurs - but none of them fit the bill here, obviously."
"So what do we do about them?" Ron wondered aloud.
"For now, make it an intelligence priority," Draco suggested. "If we don't know anything about them, makes sense to find out as much as possible before deciding on a policy."
"Good idea," Harry said. "Two of the girls can do it, we still need to keep tabs on our Unspeakable friends."
"True, true," Ron glided his hand across his chin thoughtfully, "then I think it makes even more sense to leave this place as soon as possible and apparate to...to...what's the geography around here, again?"
"Bulgaria," Charlie completed the thought for him. "I have a connection in a pretty remote part of the country that should provide us with some anonymity for the time being."
"Another dragon tamer?" Harry asked him.
"Quite so," Charlie smiled, "it's a popular trade in these parts - mostly semi-legal, but very profitable."
"Let's move on," Draco was beginning to show impatience, "what is the name of this place of yours?"
"A monastery in the Rila Mountains," Charlie told him, "another interesting region in the depths of the country. We won't hide at it precisely, but my good friend lives in the area. I hear it's a good vacation spot too."
"After this is over, a vacation will most definitely be in order," Ron said.
"We should leave by midday at the latest tomorrow, just to make sure we avoid any wise guys who fancy themselves assassins," Draco commented in the following lull. "Better start packing."
"Of course," Charlie said. "I will talk to Esmeralda and get her mother organized too. Might need the rest of the day to make sure she's all set - all we're doing is going across the border, but for her it's going to be a long journey."
"We're apparating, Charlie," Ron said. "The journey is not going to be very long."
"You're overlooking that she's expecting, little brother," Charlie pointed out, "apparition is not really recommended for pregnant women."
"You've been reading up, I'm impressed," Hermione commented from the doorway - she must have heard him when she walked in the room.
"I - I have," Charlie was caught off guard, "yes."
"Don't worry about it, see that Esmeralda is all set," Hermione continued, "Ginny, Luna and I will see that everything is finished here by the morning."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Thanks, Hermione," he looked relieved, "I was going to ask you, but since you offered..."
"Go," Hermione cut him off. "I'll put these two to work."
Charlie looked at Ron and Harry. "Alright, mates, I will see you in the morning. Take care."
"Charlie, wait," Harry stopped him, "what if our company comes knocking there and not here?"
"I'll go with him," Draco said, "if it's those two brothers, then it's nothing I won't be able to handle."
"Good idea," Hermione agreed. "Well then. See you tomorrow."
Charlie grabbed his coat from the hook by the door. "Will do. Come on, Draco."
**
The proceedings inside the house did not go unnoticed by the would-be assassins.
"Where is he going?" one of them asked his brother.
"If I knew an eavesdropping spell, I would tell you," the other replied snappishly. "Stay concealed and come on."
"Are they still watching?"
"I haven't felt their presence around here, and that...that being freaked me out!"
"Hey, they're moving, come on!"
"Keep your voice down, idiot!"
Charlie and Draco were indeed preparing to apparate below.
"They're probably going to that whore Esmeralda's mother's house."
"No reason to insult her because she beat the stuffing out of you all those years ago," the other one smirked, intentionally raising the painful memory.
"Fuck you," the other snarled without the slightest hint of humour. "Come on."
Without further ado, he apparated and his brother followed immediately after.
Their hunch had turned out to be correct. By coincidence, they appeared just as Draco and Charlie were entering the house in question.
"How are we going to do this?"
"No idea, but we have to figure something out if we're going to save our skins."
"I think waiting in an ambush is the best idea," the first brother said.
"No. They'll probably have put security around the place. You know, charms, detection spells, that sort of thing. I don't know why they bother, all we want to do is kill the bloke, hopefully his wife too and the mother, you know, I - "
"Will you shut it! I don't want to listen to another of your stupid rants!"
"Alright, do you have a better idea?"
"Yes, I do," came the snappish reply. "We tackle them directly."
"We tackle them directly. Are you listening to yourself? Are you daft? Are you stupid?"
"We could die anyway if we don't," the other said calmly. "What do you want - a quick death or a drawn out one from our fucking leaders? Hmm?"
"Who says we need to die in the first place?"
"Do you have any idea who Charlie Weasley is? Do you know who's with him?"
"Yes and no. Who cares who that blond bimbo is anyway?"
"That's Draco Malfoy, you idiot," the exasperation was now evident. "Harry Potter and Ron Weasley are with him. Anything we try, we're dead anyway."
"We can surrender," the doubt had begun to seep in his brother's voice too. "They can't do anything to us if we surrender. Yeah, that's a good idea. Great idea!"
"We became Unspeakables," this time the answer was grim. "Any kind of betrayal is equal to very fiery death. Remember?"
"Oh, that."
"Yes."
"I still don't think we should tackle them directly. There has to be another way."
"What's that?" his brother's voice dripped with sarcasm. "We barely know how to fight and we're going up against trained Aurors. You're out of your mind, I've said it many times before and I'll say it again."
"What if we became informers? Play the double agent game?"
"Double agent game? We'd be killed the moment Kamm sees us talking to them. Don't think they aren't watching us at this very moment."
"I don't like the way you're going with this."
"Me neither, but it is down to picking the lesser of two deaths."
"Why did they do this to us?"
"I don't know," his brother shrugged bitterly. "We made the wrong choice and became worthless pawns. Not that we had much of a chance at a future otherwise, either."
"Our family dies with us."
"Another will replace it. Hopefully they have better lives than us."
"Ready?
"Ready."
No more words needed to be spoken. The two brothers headed out from behind the trees, down the hill and towards the house. Sombre-faced, wands drawn, they advanced on the front door.
It was amazing how quickly they accepted what they had avoided to voice up until now. With one glance between one another the older one trained his wand and sent a blasting curse at the wooden door. Upon impact, it turned into splinters.
Esmeralda and her mother screamed from the sudden shock and a two pairs of running feet told the brothers that their end was fast-approaching.
"One last fight," the older one said again.
"I'll see you in Hell, brother."
Draco and Charlie barely missed the killing curses sent their way as they emerged in the doorway and the impacts sent splinters and dust in the air.
"Impedimenta!" Draco aimed at the older brother, who incidentally was focused on Charlie. The spell sent him flying back.
"Reducto!" the younger one tried the same curse again.
Draco was not having it. "Sectumsempra!"
Snape's legacy rocketed from his wand and impacted the younger brother in the chest. His face contorted in pain as the grisly gashes appeared in his breast and he doubled back, dropped his wand and collapsed on his back, as tense as he could possibly be while a pool of his own blood formed beneath him.
The older brother had risen again in the meanwhile. "Crucio!" he sent off the ghastly spell of pain towards Charlie. Unperturbed, the latter swished his wand. "Protegis!" The curse was harmlessly absorbed and dissipated into silence by the bluish shield.
"Lik Irechek!"
Draco had never heard the spell before, but the anger on Charlie's face, his shaking hand and the inexplicable colour that issued from his wand meant that the poor Unspeakable opposite them stood no chance to fight another day.
He, on the other hand, did not step back, duck, or attempt to defend himself in any way. Draco made eye contact with him and the look of defeat in the latter's made the entire episode very clear to him. He managed to give him a brief nod of understanding, before the light finally impacted him -
The surrounding yard, the road, his dying brother, even Draco and Charlie, were showered with blood and torn guts. All that remained of their adversary was a red, black, burned and unrecognizable mess on the ground.
A groan came from his brother. Draco approached him cautiously, wand gripped firmly in his hand, ready to deal the final blow if he tried to threaten them - not that he expected any significant opposition. Charlie, in the meanwhile, stood on guard for any additional Unspeakables eager to kill them.
He was trying to say something. Just for safe measure, Draco pocketed his wand before he bent down on his knees to hear him better.
"Last words?"
"Do the," a painful intake of breath followed, "the same thing to me."
"Why?"
"Death is the only," a pause, "preferable thing now."
His breathing was becoming increasingly shallow and quick. "I could save you if you cooperate," Draco made it a point to say. He doubted he could stomach Charlie's spell again.
"No," came the gasping reply. "I'm dead either way."
"What do you mean?"
"I am an Unspeakable....I don't want to burn to death."
"Who's behind it all?"
"I can't say."
"Charlie!" Draco called out.
"Yeah?" Charlie almost ran to him.
Draco focused on the dying man beside him again. "He'll do it if you tell me."
A faint smile appeared on his face. "Would you?"
"Yes, he will. Won't you, Charlie?"
Charlie had evidently caught the way the conversation was going. "Yes, I will," he said firmly, but not without giving Draco a questionable look. It went unnoticed by the dying Unspeakable.
"Herr," he took another hurting breath, "Kamm."
The edges of his robe began to smoke and very quickly, his hands and feet caught fire. Yet, the look on his face remained calm, withdrawn and peaceful.
Draco jumped and ran back as far as he could. "Do it!" he shouted at Charlie.
"Lik Irechek!"
The same eerie spell shot from his wand and very quickly found its quarry. The younger brother met the same grisly death as his older sibling. Draco felt blood and body parts impacting him a second time, but this time he could not endure it. Turning around, he saw a terrified Esmeralda grasping the door frame for support, shaking, while her mother, no less unsettled, clung to her daughter. Charlie's stone expression only told Draco that he had used this spell to the same effect before, and he thoroughly hated doing it.
Unable to bear it no more, Draco collapsed to his knees and threw up on the grass in front of him. The nauseating feeling only intensified, but he did not care. Even for an experienced Auror like him, who had seen the extremes of human depravity, this was too much to handle.
He turned his head, vomit still dripping from his lips, and looked at Charlie. He cradled Esmeralda in his arms, his wand still gripped tightly in his right hand, while her mother had somehow found the strength to stand on her own feet, looking at the couple with a strange combination of raw fear, admiration, pain and thankfulness.
Another nauseating wave overcame Draco and he faced the ground once more. His own wand was beside him, not forgotten, but neglected - any other attackers would be free to kill him, an ironic thought passed through his mind.
He stood up gingerly, trying not to provoke any more violent reactions on part of his stomach. He remembered a spell Ginny had taught him a while back that he could use to clean himself up. Pointing his wand at himself, he uttered the incantation - and while he looked better, inside he felt as unsettled as could be.
"Charlie," he said.
Still embracing his significant other, Charlie looked at him.
"We should go."
"I know."
"I'll finish packing the bags."
"I'll follow you. Two of us can do it faster."
Charlie led Esmeralda, who was still clinging to him, and her mother towards the living room, where they could sit down on the couch. After some additional reassurance, he joined Draco in one of the bedrooms - he was already stuffing clothes in an already open suitcase.
Charlie waved his wand again and suddenly, all the necessities began to pile and fit into the suitcase of their own accord.
"Come here, Draco," Charlie beckoned him over.
When Draco approached him, he created a silence cone around them. "What did he tell you?"
"Who is behind it, is all," Draco replied. "A name."
"Well?"
"Herr Kamm."
"Herr Kamm?"
"Yes."
"Right, yes," Charlie recalled something. "I know him."
"Didn't you mention him this morning?"
"I did, yes," Charlie said. "Intelligence priority, I think, we made him."
"Well, we have confirmation now, which is what matters."
"Pity, though, we could have used those two brothers as agents, or some kind of informants," Charlie commented.
"No, we can't," Draco said. "Again - combusting into fire kind of puts a damper on that. If Voldemort had thought of it once upon a time, who knows how much more havoc he could have caused."
"Let's get the hell out of here," Charlie looked around uneasily. "I hope the rest of the gang is ready to go, our schedule was just moved up significantly."
Draco shrunk the luggage, put it in his pocket, and with Charlie, Esmeralda and her mother, apparated back to Charlie's house.
**
"Do we let him go?"
"Let him go," said the being to an agitated Kamm.
"But he killed our agents," Kamm objected, "we did commit to get the job done if they failed."
"Let him go."
A/N: Ridiculously late once again...next update, hopefully sooner than later. Other than that, opinions are appreciated!
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