Chapter 9
09 May 2024
-oOo-
A/N: This chapter starts to earn more of the M rating for violence.
-oOo-
September 1, 1996
Salvador, Brazil
Tapping his wrist with his wand, it said it was close to nine in the morning. They had left about noon yesterday. The first time they had landed Harry knew it had been too short to be in South America. They had been jostled and moved about, moving between planes, and then had hunkered down in their Animagus forms to wait out the second flight. They had landed again. Daphne was leaning against the wall next to him.
"Do you think we are there this time?" she whispered to him.
There were the sounds of clanking and banging around them. The plane was being unloaded and the passengers must be getting off. Harry concentrated. "It's most likely. I don't know how long it really takes, but it's been almost a day since we snuck in here."
His stomach growled. They had eaten some old army MRE kits he had managed to get at a store in Surrey, and now wanted a proper meal. Daphne had wanted to get some stasis bags, but they had decided against it when the clerk had told them the enchantments didn't go well with any type of shrinking or expansion charm.
If things were safe enough now that they were thousands of miles away from their last location, they could find a magical quarter and get more supplies. Both magical and muggle.
Daphne took his hand and gave out a small squawk of surprise when the container moved. He braced them, an arm around her narrow waist. It took only a moment for the container to move out of the plane, then it settled. Harry figured they would be moved to a warehouse again, and started when he heard the latches on the container unlocking.
He gave a quick look to Daphne. "Change and follow," he told her, kissing her head before he changed. Her beautiful Golden Retriever form was quickly next to him. She nuzzled his nose, her nervousness coming through, then the door swung up. Hot, humid air flooded the container. Harry gave a deep bark, then charged out of the container. Three workers gave out sounds of surprise. They ran past the workers. After quickly looking around, he took off towards a row of buildings and trees behind the plane.
Daphne kept up with the fast pace he set. They had to dodge a truck, then a jet that was backing out from the terminal, not to mention more workers. The hot tarmac was already burning his paws, and it was a huge relief when they hit the damp grass and moist ground between the taxiway and the buildings.
He wanted to make the trees they could see, then they could figure a way out. A few people called to them, but they were able to easily avoid them. Just past the buildings was a fence. Harry could feel that there was some type of magic around them. Fearing they would be caught, he ran along it until he found what he wanted. A section had been damaged by a post. He stopped before it, panting heavily and feeling the exertion in the heat. He nuzzled Daphne to squeeze through first. She whined at him through her own panting but squeezed through. The magic, he assumed were wards, didn't flare or react. He followed through, though it was a far tighter fit with his stockier form to her more sleek form.
Once clear, they took off through the heavy undergrowth of trees. He didn't want to find out if a local Auror would show up to find out who slipped through the fence. Up over a hill and to the edge of the city, they didn't stop until they were a few streets over. Panting heavily, Harry followed Daphne into an alley with an old car and some building materials. More importantly, it was shaded enough to cut out the growing sun.
Daphne flopped down on a dry area. It must have rained earlier that day as most things were damp. Harry wanted to flop down next to her, but was too protective, so stood over her, watching around to make sure they hadn't been followed. After a good ten minutes or so, which was enough time for them to catch their breath as best they could in the humid environment, he sniffed the air, looked around a few times and then stood up, morphing back into his green-eyed, messy black hair self.
Daphne did the same. Her blue eyes looked worried. "Did we make it?"
"Pretty sure. I would figure Aurors, or police would be here by now," he told her.
She moved and wrapped her arms around him. "If we fly again, please say it will be with the gnomes?"
He held her tight. "I'll do what I can, princess."
She put her head against his shoulder. Sometimes he wished he was a few inches taller so she could put her head on his chest when they stood like this, but this was still good. Her stomach growled and he liked the slight blush on her cheeks. "Don't you say a thing," she told him, lightly tapping his arm.
Harry sniggered, feeling the relief of escaping Moody and the bounty hunters. "I would never," he cheekily replied. She glared at him. "Come on. Let's go find a restaurant and then a hotel. I really want a bed to sleep in."
"That sounds divine," she told him, moving so that they had an arm wrapped around each other's waist.
-oOo-
The same day…
Wiltshire, England
Lucius was pacing with a noticeable limp around the small room of his study as he fumed over the last few weeks. He longed for the lord's study of the manor, but his master had claimed that, so he was stuck in the much smaller heir's study now. It just fed into his ire about Potter and Greengrass avoiding him. The brats had escaped from his bounty hunters, killed a vampire, escaped from Alastor Moody and were now far enough beyond the means of his bounty hunters to track the girl.
The damned limp he had was from a failed raid to get through the Greengrass wards. He had paid good coin to have them taken down and had conscripted a dozen wands for hire from the continent, since he couldn't call on any of his other fellow Death Eaters or his master's minions for this one. Of course, the nasty rumours about his master on the continent meant the hired muscles was of lesser quality than he desired.
The wards had proven far more complex and stronger than expected and several of Greengrass's workers had responded to the attack. Lucius had been hit by a nasty curse that had nearly cut his main artery in his left leg and was being resistant to magical healing. Thus, his limp and the need to rely on the thumping cane that he had always used for show, which was now something of usefulness.
His anger, or more likely fear, had grown upon learning his heir had been sent off to Hogwarts, having been marked while he was away chasing the Greengrass chit, sent to do some task he knew nothing about. He knew this was the price of his failure and wasn't sure if he would see his son or not again. Should Draco die, the Malfoy line would be ended.
Then to make it worse were the allegations that were starting to filter in from the continent. There was no way that the Dark Lord wasn't a Pureblood. No way. He would never debase himself before someone who was the son of a muggle, though thinking back to the graveyard, he could remember Potter being trussed up on a gravestone marked 'Riddle'.
There couldn't be truth to it, could there?
He snarled as he turned to limp back the other way. He had fervently believed in the just cause of the Purebloods when the Dark Lord had approached his father all those years ago. He had happily done what was needed to earn the distinction of gaining his Dark Mark. He had been a faithful servant, even after his Lord had disappeared, continuing their cause. If he had only known the price, he might have not gone through with selling himself to an insane wanker. He would not have agreed if he had suspected the Dark Lord to be anything but a pureblood.
Then there was the Dark Mark. If he had known, he would not have wanted to be marked.
None of them had known that the Dark Mark corrupted one's magic, and within a few years, it made anyone that took it infertile. He was supposed to have given his wife at least two children. Instead, they had Draco, and the young fool was all he had to see his name and family continue. Now that his heir had taken the mark, the clock was ticking for Draco to produce his own heir.
Gaining the Greengrass fortune had been a way to satisfy the Dark Lord's need for funds, as well as to see the Malfoy line continue. If he couldn't do that soon, he would need to find another wife for his son and have them married by next summer. Draco only had three or four years before he became infertile himself.
This inane task given to a sixteen-year-old was a way to punish him.
With all this hanging over his head, today was the deadline that his Lord had given him to resolve the issue. Lucius knew he would be called to the Dark Lord and didn't have a resolution besides handing over more of his dwindling funds. In the last year alone, he had given the Dark Lord almost a half-million galleons, and his bank statements were showing that. If his Lords insatiable need for funds kept like this, he would need to sell off some of his more legitimate business by next summer, if not sooner. He just wished he knew where that much money had gone.
He turned once more to limp across the small study. He took one limping step when the door was thrown open. "Lucius! Draco's been arrested!" a frantic Narcissa said, barging into the room.
He stopped. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"
"There was an incident on the train. I don't know what happened, but the Ministry just sent us an owl saying Draco has been arrested and we need to get to him," she told him, waiving several parchments in his face.
He grabbed them, and his face paled some as he read the summons. Scrimgeour was proving to be a rather painful thorn in his side, and not conducive to bribes. "Morgana's saggy tits!" he swore. "I will take care of this. That fool boy," he muttered as he left his wife behind as he limped towards the fire in the main entry hall. Oh, how he missed his real study.
"Lucius, why would he be arrested? The staff of Hogwarts always takes care of any issues," she nagged at him.
"I will take care of this," he reiterated. Lucius limped into the main hall to find a half dozen others and the Dark Lord standing there.
"Ah, Lucius, so good of you to join us. I have just gotten word that there was an issue on the Hogwarts express," the Dark Lord said. The anger in his eyes and the way he was glaring at him, and his wife had Lucius come up short.
"My Lord, I don't know what has happened," he said, his brain trying to find a way out of the predicament he didn't understand but was clearly the centre of. Parkinson, Everwand, Westcott, Pucey and the Carrow siblings were looking rather upset.
The Dark Lord's nostrils flared. "It would seem, as Edward has found out, that your son is no Slytherin. He got himself and eight others captured by the Aurors before the Hogwarts Express even had a chance to leave the station. They have seen my gift to them, and I am only lucky that Edward is more valuable to me unmarked than marked."
Lucius had an icy chill go through him. "Draco did what, my Lord?"
The Dark Lord snarled. Lucius took a step back. "CRUCIO!"
Lucius flinched. He knew the pain of his lord's anger. There was a split second of confusion when nothing happened, then he heard the screams as though someone was being flayed alive. It took him a second to realize it was his wife. He wanted to throw himself before her but that might turn out the worse for both of them. All he could do was stand, clutching the top of his cane until his fingers turned white as she screamed and convulsed at his feet.
It must have been more than a minute before the bone white man flicked his wand up. The rage on his face didn't hold much hope for them. Narcissa was twitching and crying as she curled up from the pain.
"Lucius, I once let you into my deepest trust. You were my most trusted lieutenant after your sister-in-law. You have since let me down again, and again, and again… CRUCIO!" the man said with malevolence.
Narcissa's back arched and she screamed out in agonising pain. The screams cut through him. "My Lord, if I can do anything to earn your trust again," he pleaded.
When the wand lifted this time, Narcissa curled up on herself and then softly whimpered.
The man chuckled darkly. The others around him glared at Lucius. "Trust? I will never trust your family again. It would appear your name holds more truth than I thought. No. You will hand over your vault key. Edward will manage your legitimate businesses. Amicus and Alecto will take over your more… colourful businesses and expand them. Only because you need to be alive will I let you live."
"My Lord, I will need to go to Gringotts…"
The nose less man's wand came up. "You will do it all from here. You will no longer leave this house. I also have a disturbing rumour that just recently came to me. Mycroft, bring in our guest."
Mycroft Westcott left the room for a moment. Lucius felt real panic come to him as he dragged along the unconscious body of the half-elf thing. Narcissa was still whimpering at his feet. "My… my Lord. I was only doing as ordered…"
The Dark Lord flicked his wand and a searing pain hit the top of his ear. Hair fell down the side of his head. The pain on the top of his ear had him reaching up for it. "You will shut your mouth and listen, or I will continue to cut off bits of you. I am tempted to see how much I remove until you get close to death."
Lucius swallowed, feeling his hot blood coating his hand.
"I have learned that in your search for the Greengrass girl, you have also found Potter. I am disappointed you did not tell me. I think I have made it truly clear that I expect to be the one to find and dispose of Potter," the Dark Lord said, his red eyes glowing with a power that scared Lucius. "I have now contracted your bounty hunter. I also expect you to turn over the contract of the remaining mercenaries you used in your failed attempt last night."
Lucius swallowed and nodded.
"Lucius, you have made an enemy of me. You live only at my convenience for now. Now, if you would, get your wife cleaned up and made presentable. We will have company tomorrow and I expect her to be a most gracious hostess," the Dark Lord said.
Lucius paled. Narcissa started to cry. They both knew what that meant.
"Now, Edward, once you have the keys and the permission to the Malfoy vaults and businesses, I would like a concise record of what profits I am to expect and how much I have at my disposal by the end of the week. We will talk about what funds are available to secure the release of my faithful. I am also to understand you have an older son that would be ideal for the Greengrass girls or the Changs?"
Edward Parkinson didn't spare a glance at the now disgraced Lucius. "I do, my Lord. I was in negotiations with Robert Nott about a great-niece, but that can be suspended."
"Excellent," the Dark Lord said. All could tell that there had been no question about that outcome. "Tiberius, when Bella and her team arrive from their current assignment, let them know I would like Lucius to know his place… she is not to kill though. Not yet."
Tiberius Pucey nodded. "It will be done, My Lord."
"Oh, and ensure that our hosts are kept in their rooms. There is no need for them to wander and perhaps steal anything that is mine," the Dark Lord said, his back already to them and walking back towards his throne room.
Lucius felt faint. Narcissa still cried.
-oOo-
September 2, 1996
Hogwarts, Scotland
The killer headache that had formed weeks ago just would not go away, and Potter be thy name.
Thinking of his first problem, Alastor had abandoned Albus's hand-picked team from the ICW to search for Potter himself. The man had gone rogue. He knew that was a potential with his old colleague. Alastor was always a crafty and relentless man once he had a task, and he hadn't seen the man this excited about a chase in a long time. The last word he had was that Alastor was following a lead that Harry had gone to the America's. How the boy would have gotten there this quickly without a portkey he had no idea. There had been something about a Muggle areocraft that Albus didn't understand.
Rubbing the bridge of his nose as he looked at the letter on his desk, he was less than pleased to deal with the ministry transplants.
Again, something that came down to Potter.
The letter from his Deputy Head had the report of the current enrolment and the results of yesterday: twenty-seven students hadn't returned, mostly stating security fears or not even returning their yearly acceptance letters. That was a cost he could absorb.
The nine students that were arrested yesterday on the Hogwarts Express was a cost they might not be able to absorb.
He had hoped that by getting these students here he could convince them to repent and reform… but again, that required Potter to keep everyone in line. Without him, the temper of that damned Weasley boy cost their world nine members of Slytherin, most of them with parents that donated to Hogwarts every year. The boys were in Ministry holding cells, and Scrimgeour was refusing to let them out. Unlike Fudge who wanted to be seen 'doing something' to appease people, Scrimgeour was 'doing something' because it was the right thing.
It had caused him to do the 'right thing', making all the students expose their arms or risk losing half the students when their parents threatened to withdraw them. That meant the three caught up in the fight in the Prefects carriage had become nine. Nine who were now facing charges that could see them either spend their lives in prison or thrown through the veil.
How was the wizarding world to heal if they lost half of it?
"Minerva McGonagall," the small gargoyle over his door announced.
He had expected her much sooner than now. Classes had been postponed until tomorrow as the professors ensured the safety measures and checked for contraband or dark objects. Something the ministry staff members had pressed for. He had been stuck in his office responding to correspondence most of the morning.
His deputy headmistress walked into the office with an angry expression. Albus pinched his nose, already expecting unwelcome news. "What is it now?"
"This," she said rather testily as she dropped a stack of parchments on his desk.
"And what are these?"
"Withdrawal forms and request for records," she said.
He shot his eyes up to her. "What do you mean withdrawals? Everyone was calm when they left yesterday."
"Twenty-three. I don't know most of the reasons, but Lord Patil said it was because children marked as Death Eaters were allowed onto the Hogwarts Express and then tried to kill another child," she said angrily.
He blanched. That was another prominent name to pull out of his school. "No one tried to kill anyone," he said exasperatedly. How many times had he repeated that in the last twenty-four hours?
"So, an overpowered blasting hex, two organ expelling curses and a fire ribbon spell were just a game?" she challenged, her brow raised, and ire peaked.
"How could you know that much detail?"
"It was all over the Daily Prophet this morning. For the first time in a month Potter wasn't on the front page. Instead, it was all about the nine Death Eaters that almost entered this school," she stated, pulling a copy of the paper from her robes and plopping it down. "If we lose any more children, we will not have the funds to keep the school open without support from the ministry or a wealthy donor."
He pinched the bridge of his nose again.
This all came back to Potter!
-oOo-
September 4, 1996
Marseille, France
The letter from Astoria had her doing all she could to find the parents of the girl she was now sharing a room with at Beauxbatons. The Delacours were a relatively affluent and influent family in France. It had taken her only a day to find Rene Louis, the brother to Jean Paul, and father to one Gabrielle Delacour. He was also father to the Triwizard Champion Fleur Delacour, and most importantly, husband to Appoline Delacour.
Though her visit hadn't been announced, she found that visiting this woman was more important than the business of moving their house. Finding her daughter was a top priority. She needed to know that Daphne was safe. Second, and only a little less important, she needed to meet the man that had caught her daughter's heart and understand why Daphne had run. It was only because of her stupid husband that Daphne hadn't come to her. Of course, how her daughter had found out about the potential contract before she had was still a mystery.
Checking the parchment in her hand, she looked to the number on the wall. The local neighbourhood was made of these compounds with apartment blocks surrounding a central courtyard. She felt the wards on this house and two others on the street. This was an area that magical, and Muggles lived side by side.
She stepped forward until she felt the edge of the wards, then stepped over the ward line. She didn't allow herself to let out a sigh, not having been sure if she would have been allowed in or not. Once inside the courtyard, she looked at the four townhouses. She looked at her paper again, unsure which one to go to. She had no hostile intent, but the magic of the wards thrummed around her.
She looked around, then turned when one of the doors opened. Tabitha was an incredibly attractive woman that knew men lusted after. She did her best to stay in decent shape for her own vanity and her husband. Knowing that did nothing to lessen her slight bit of jealousy to see the woman that swept out of a door before her. She was a rather tall woman with curves that would catch any man's fancy. If Tabitha had not been warned that the Delacour woman were veela, or at least part veela, she would have given into her more petty side. As it was, the magic coming off the woman took a bit to fight off as she felt a slight attraction through her jealousy.
"May I help you?" the woman enquired. Tabitha was thankful to the translation medallion she had acquired.
"I would hope so. My name is Tabitha Greengrass. My younger daughter is roommates with yours at Beauxbatons this year," she said.
The woman nodded. "I was wondering if I would meet you soon. Gabrielle mentioned that she was rooming with an Astoria Greengrass. She thought the girl rather nice."
Tabitha gave a small smile. "I have tried my best to instil the proper ways in my daughters," she said.
"I figured at much. You look much like your daughter, Daphne. You are both incredibly attractive women" the woman commented.
She felt her heart speed up. "You saw Daphne? Was she well? Is she well? Do you know where she is?" Tabitha asked, the desperation seeping into her normally cool tone.
The woman regarded her for a few before saying, "I am Appoline Delacour. I invite you into our home, Madam Greengrass. Would you like some tea or coffee?"
"I just want word of my Daphne," she said, one mother reaching out to another.
Appoline nodded towards the door. "Come in. I can tell you what I know. Your daughter and her beau didn't seem to want to keep things from you."
Tabitha nodded gratefully and followed the woman inside. The house was not what she expected. From what she could find, the Delacours were affluent, but the house was homier, with photos of the family, normal and wizarding paintings, and some pictures that were obviously made by children, in place of the normally stuffy paintings or ornaments in rich houses. The furniture was all very nicely maintained but had an air of use she wasn't used too. Instead of leading her to a formal tearoom, Appoline led her into a kitchen.
Indicating a seat, she called over her shoulder, "Esme, please get us refreshments."
"Oui, madam," a small house elf replied.
Tabitha took a seat at the tidy table. The chair was far more comfortable than usual for a meeting like this. If she wasn't so worried about Daphne, she might like the more informal setting, but it set her on edge. So much of her world had been turned on its head in the last month or so that her usual implacable exterior had been cracking.
It showed in her strained relation with her husband. She had asked her father to seek out the betrothal. She loved Grover, but as he had gotten older, she had seen more of the pureblood lord show through. The stress of the Dark Lord being back had brought the rules of the British purebloods to the fore. She understood he was trying to protect them but had gone about it the wrong way.
Daphne running away had made her aware of his backroom dealings and only her foot, almost literally, being shoved up his posterior had made the man see reason.
Now, she wanted her daughter back.
"Madam Delacour, do you know where my daughter is?" she asked, unable to deal with the normal niceties of meeting someone for the first time.
"I am afraid I do not," the woman said. "Please, call me Appoline."
She couldn't keep the frown off her face. "But you have seen her? You have seen Daphne? And Harry Potter?"
The woman gave her an understanding look. "I met your daughter about a month ago. She was healthy and happy with her beau. Harry treats her well and is very protective of her. Daphne was in turn just as protective. You have raised a strong daughter, Tabitha."
"Thank you, Merlin. Where are they?" she pressed again.
A house elf in a nice dress came over and placed a tea set, a small steaming cup of coffee and a tray of biscuits and pastries on the table. Appoline reached for the coffee. "I do not know where Daphne or Harry are."
"Appoline, I need to find them. My daughter is only sixteen. She only turned sixteen in June. She isn't old enough to go running off. You must know something about where she is?"
Appoline gave her another understanding look. "As a mother, I can understand your distress. If one of my little birds were to run, I would move heaven and magic to find them."
She glared at the woman. Her temper broke after the month she had. "You saw my daughter! You know she ran away! Did you know she only left a letter with my younger daughter to tell us? Why didn't you send her back?"
"They did not want to go back," Appoline simply said.
Tabitha opened her mouth a time or two, flummoxed at the statement. "But they are still children! They don't get to decide like that. As a mother, it should have been your responsibility to send them back to their families. You said yourself you would do everything you could to find them! Where is my daughter!"
The woman leaned forward to take a pastry. "Yes, I did, and I would do everything to find them. But, if they felt the urge to run, then I would also strive to know why and hope they found what they were looking for and people to help them. Do you know why Daphne and Harry ran?"
She took in a sharp breath. "I don't really care. All I know is that Daphne disappeared. She is known to be with Harry Potter. They made a betrothal contract that I forced my husband to sign, hoping that would bring her back, and have received a total of three letters that make no sense to me why she wanted to run except she found out about some of my husband's stupidity. If you don't know where they are, I must leave."
Tabitha got up, the chair sliding away. She was about to turn towards the door out of the kitchen when Appoline said, "Daphne loves you. She loves her family. It was obvious to see, but she loves Harry more. He is her world now, just like all young love, and she is his. They ran from a danger that is so great it threatens our entire world. The weight of saving us all was put onto the shoulders of a sixteen-year-old boy and has been on his shoulders since he was fifteen months old.
Your ministry, media and society did everything they could to destroy him, instead of building him up. Despite all of that, he has come out of this a strong man," Appoline said.
Tabitha scoffed. "He is a boy that has convinced my daughter to be a fool!"
"You are wrong," Appoline stated serenely. "It is your daughter that convinced him to be a fool, and they are the better off for it."
There was so much conviction in the statement that Tabitha blinked at her. "What do you mean? Daphne would never run like that."
Appoline gave her a look that made Tabitha feel like she was a stupid schoolgirl again. It had her wondering how old this woman really was, even though she looked to be in her forties. There was also a growing power radiating from the woman. "Like I said, Daphne loves Harry. We talked the few days they were here. Your daughter saw the way Harry was breaking. She gave him the support he needed to become the man he is destined to be, which is not the beat down saviour of a country that does not deserve him," she said with some contempt. "I saw the way it was when my eldest, Fleur, was in your country for the Triwizard Tournament. I saw what was happening to her when she decided she wanted to chase after a man not worth her time. I was furious when my youngest was stolen to be put at the bottom of a lake without our permission. Beauxbatons still hears about my anger at that. I saw the manipulations of the Great Albus Dumbledore. I saw the way everyone expected that poor boy to give everything! And no one was willing to give him anything back, except your daughter."
"My family owes a great debt to Harry Potter and anyone he considers family. Even if we did not, we would have still offered support. He has had so little in his life if what your daughter and mine have been able to find out about him. Daphne is offering everything she has, and it is the least of what he deserves. My husband and I offered them shelter and support. We offered them to go back. We offered them to stay. What they want is not to be found here or back in a country that would see him dead and your daughter a mere slave to a boy and man she obviously loathed."
"Do not look so surprised. She knew of your husband's negotiations. Do you know the Malfoys fled France almost two hundred years ago? They are blood traitors. They betrayed and destroyed a family they had been allies with for generations because of greed. They once had a proud name that is no longer spoken. Their betrayal led to a great war on our soil and the cowards fled when it was apparent they would lose. It sounds like they are just the same as when my husband's family helped to chase them out."
"Tabitha, I do not know where your daughter is. I will not help you find her and her beau. I can contact her, and send communications to her, if you want. But if you try anything to endanger them, I do not care that you are her mother. She has attached herself to Harry, and this family will do what it must to protect one of our own," Appoline said with a steal to her voice that sent a chill up Tabitha's spine.
She just stood there as the power of the veela woman radiated in the room. It was choking with the force and magnitude of the magic. After a moment, she sat back in the chair. With a soft sob, she said, "I just want to know my Daphne is safe and that she is going to come back."
Appoline's power pulled back. "I do not know if she will come back. I don't think either of them knew what exactly they were looking for, but it wasn't back in Britain, and it wasn't here in France."
"Then where?" she asked, feeling desperate.
Appoline took a bite from her pastry, the woman's ire dissipating as she started to look more inviting and comfortable again. "I do not know. All I know is that they found each other, and in each other they have found their sanctuary."
Tabitha felt lost for a moment. Grover was still back in England, soon to come over to France. Astoria and Susan were at Beauxbatons. She didn't know where Daphne or the boy travelling with her was. She had always known family was first, but she didn't really understand what that meant until recently. It felt like her family was shattering.
"You can communicate with them?" She needed to make sure.
"Oui. I have a method they left with us. When Fleur gets back this evening, you can leave a note or whatever you need with her. The letter will make it to them tomorrow," Appoline told her.
"How?" she needed to know.
"I will not say until I am given permission. I know you want your daughter, but she is a young woman now capable of making her own decisions and under her betroths protection. I will not stop you from using other methods to find out, but my family will not betray their trust," Appoline said.
Tabitha wasn't sure if she should be comforted or not. "But you will take any missive I give you?"
"Without question. I will always make sure they get any missive you send, even if they want it or not. I am a mother myself, and I do mean it I would do everything I could to find my own children. I do understand your plight," the woman said with a great amount of sympathy.
Tabitha sniffed, getting control of her emotions. She sat there, her mind furiously racing through everything that had been said in the last fifteen minutes. "May I have a parchment and quill?"
"Of course. Would you like some tea or cappuccino while you write your letter?" her host offered rather graciously.
Tabitha looked at the water pot and the closed China cups on the table. "What type of tea?"
Appoline gave her a small smile. "This is a nice black tea. My husband, Jean-Paul, prefers a green tea. And this is a mild black tea with orange extract."
Pulling her chair back to the table, she reached for the third one. When she opened the top of the container, the smell of freshly crushed leaves and oranges wafted out. "Where do you get this?"
"A local market. We can go there sometime soon if you wish?"
"I think I would," Tabitha said.
"Esme, would you please get us a writing tablet and something to write with?" Appoline said to the elf that came to the table as though she expected to be called.
"Yes, madam," the little elf said and scurried off.
Tabitha tapped the spoon on the side of her cup to get the last of the tea into it. "My younger daughter, Astoria, said your daughter was very nice to her and my niece the day they got to school."
"Yes, Gabrielle sent me a letter about it. She seemed to like your daughter already," Appoline said. They fell into an easy conversation about their girls as she drank her tea, then wrote a letter to Daphne.
-oOo-
September 5, 1996
Salvador, Brazil
The early morning sun had her curling up more into the warm body she was already half draped over. The thin sheet they had over them almost made it too hot to do this. Daphne wasn't going to give up her contact with Harry though. She buried her face between the arm and chest she was using for a pillow. In the last month, she had become used to this and wasn't sure if she could ever go back to sleeping on her own.
She sniffed and crinkled her nose. Harry always bathed everyday they had the option, so he usually smelled good, and his natural musk was something her Animagus and normal forms found irresistible, except the small hint of body odour in his arm pit. Only the fact that burying her face like this to keep the light out was why she didn't move.
When she woke again, the morning sun that hit the heavy curtains wasn't poking through as much as before. Her warm pillow also wasn't there. She huffed before rolling over. The shower in the bathroom was going.
They had decided to still stay muggle so found a hotel in the old city, Salvador Bahia, not far from the wizarding quarter. They had intentionally stumbled onto that find the day after they arrived and moved hotels. The good thing was that their escape wasn't really news on this side of the Atlantic, and they hadn't had any hint of anyone chasing them. She was starting to feel like they had finally escaped.
Opening her eyes, she had to blink them a few times to get used to the low level of light that was coming from the loo and the curtains. The curtain was fluttering with the open window. She wished there were cooling wards or something on the room, but neither of them wanted to cast any magic and they wouldn't risk staying in Casa Del Bahia. There was a risk, if exceedingly small, of being recognized. Harry had wanted to use some Muggle means of disguise, particularly dying their hair, but it would not go well with their Animagus forms. The notes that Harry had found from his father on all this had mentioned that Muggle dyes will discolour their furs and probably make them stick out more.
A few minutes later, Harry came out of the loo. His hair was still damp, so not as wild as usual. He was only in a pair of shorts. Her eyes wondered over his body. He had a wiry muscle build to him that fit his frame well. He wasn't as small as he had been even the start of last year, but he still wasn't as big as most of the other boys in their year. She knew why, and promised she would make the Muggles suffer for it someday.
He was smirking at her when she caught his eyes. "See something you like?"
"All the time," she replied, a grin on her face. "And you?"
"Any girl in a guy's quidditch jersey is always a sight," he said back. "And you just make it even better, princess."
He came over to the side of the bed, crawled over it and then gave her a sweet kiss. She tried to deepen it, and he pulled back, an annoying grin looking down at her. Her heart was fluttering like it usually did when Harry was that sweet. She pouted. "Get back down here," she ordered.
He shook his head. "Letters came in."
She was still pouting when she looked to the bedside table Harry indicated. There were three letters there. Two of them were already open. The one laying on top was sealed with wax and a small Greengrass crest pressed into it. Her heart started to pound for a different reason.
Harry got up to dig through his bag. He was putting a shirt on as she sat up. She was a little trepidatious as she picked up the letter. She recognized her mother's very neat writing. "Did they find us?"
"One of the other letters is from Appoline. Your mother found her yesterday. Apparently, your sister is sharing a room with Gabrielle and Gabrielle mentioned us. She thinks your mother just wants to find you and won't do anything to us," he said, sitting on the bed next to her.
Daphne opened the envelope. After reading it, she leaned into Harry.
"What did your mum say?"
"She's worried about me. She has a lot of questions about you. She wants us to come back to France," Daphne told him.
Harry put and arm around her shoulders and she put her head on his chest. "You smell good," she commented, liking the soap he used.
Harry chuckled. "I try," he said. She smiled into his chest. "What do you want to do?"
Daphne looked down at the letter. After a moment, her resolution hadn't changed. "I'm not going back. I'm not going to let them get you and I will not be with Malfoy."
Harry kissed the top of her head. "Alright. What do you want to do next? Are we staying here or moving on."
She pulled back and shifted to be cross-legged while facing him. "What do you want to do?" she put back on him.
"I want to go back to the bookstore we found yesterday and find out what our options are. I have no idea what schools are available here and we need to decide if we want to go to the Aurors or not. We may need to ask for asylum if we want to stay," Harry told her.
She gave him a sultry smile. "I really wish you had been a Slytherin. We could have ruled the school if you had been at my side."
Harry laughed before leaning towards her. "Slytherin house would never have survived my Gryffindor side."
"I don't see that as a bad thing," she told him. She closed the distance and pecked his lips.
Harry grinned at her, which sent a flush through her. "Of course, if you had been a Gryffindor, we could have done the same."
She pecked him again. "The tower would have burned in the first week. I would never have been able to put up with Fred and George."
Harry chuckled before kissing her again. "And I thought you got along with them so well last year?"
Daphne grinned. The twins had found out about them towards the end of the year. Without their help, they would not have been able to escape. She really did like the pranksters, even if she was annoyed at their pranks at times. "As long as it's in small doses, I can handle it."
"Good thing you don't mind me in larger doses," Harry said, leaning in again.
This kiss was longer and a little more passionate. She moaned when his hands wandered to places that excited her. She pulled back, they were both breathing a little heavy. She put her forehead against his. "I don't know if I will ever have enough of you," she said in a soft voice.
Harry's response had her fluttering again. She couldn't wait to fully give herself to him on their wedding night. "Good, because I definitely can't get enough of you."
It was well past mid-day before they wandered back into the magical district.
Walking down the street from the hotel, Daphne held his hand. A warm breeze was coming off the Atlantic Ocean not far away. The buildings had a new world feel and were painted bright colours. Salvador Bahia was the old city and it felt like it.
They had done a tour yesterday to find out the city was almost four hundred and fifty years old, with the district they were in mostly having been built in the 1700's. It was old, but nothing like the history from where they were from.
Walking down a broad cobbled street, they surreptitiously ducked into a wide arch between two buildings. The wards to prevent Muggles from seeing were strong, so Harry had no qualms about taking his wand out and tapping the wrought iron gate like the inn owner had shown them. The gate opened and they walked into the magical district of Casa Del Bahia. It comprised two blocks of a broad public area with a few alleys. A few thousand wizards lived in the area, not to mention the city was the focal point of the local community, so it was a busy place. Looking at the buildings, he figured that a thousand or more must live in the magical quarter alone.
It was a place that brought a smile to their face. There weren't any robes. Most dressed in colourful shirts and loose-fitting pants that wouldn't be that different than Muggle fashions.
Harry knew Daphne wanted to explore Casa del Bahia more, but they both felt the urge to limit their exposure, especially when they could see three sets of Aurors around. They were visible by the older blue short sleeved uniforms, batons and wands on their forearms. They walked in pairs or just stood and watched over to make sure everything was good. Because of this, they went straight for their destination.
Daphne pulled him towards the bookstore first, as he had wanted to go the other way to the smaller gnomish bank branch and the attached transport office.
One thing he loved about Daphne was that she didn't dally when they had a goal. It was only fifteen minutes in the bookstore to find three books on magical school, another on law, a few on charms and runes and a final one on the history of the area.
Within a half hour, they were already leaving the district, having gotten the location of the local gnomish aerodrome, a booklet of open tickets and a time schedule. He thought the booklet was an interesting thing that they hadn't known about before. Depending on how far you were travelling, the agents would take so many tickets. It had cost thirty-three galleons, but they should have enough to reach the MACUSA or even go back to Africa if they wanted.
Harry didn't start to breathe easier until they were two blocks away from the magical quarter and sure no one was following them. Daphne wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm hungry," she told him.
"When aren't you?" he teased.
She hip checked him. He grinned, liking she wasn't the more formal pureblood princess she had been when she had convinced him to help here with DADA last year. "I am not like that."
Well, no, she wasn't. She almost never complained about anything. "Maybe not. We can eat at that restaurant we found yesterday or someplace new," he offered.
"New," she told him with a glint to her eye.
Harry pulled her along, his wand tickling her side. She squirmed and laughed. "STOP!" she screamed. A few people looked at them. An older couple gave them a knowing smile while an older woman gave them a reproachful look. Daphne hit his arm. "Look, you got us into trouble."
He shrugged. "So?"
She rolled her eyes. "You are absolutely incorrigible."
"Yep," he agreed.
She giggled before kissing his cheek. "You're lucky you're cute."
"And if I wasn't?" he asked, as he pulled her off towards a sidewalk restaurant he saw further away from the magical district.
"Let's just say you're lucky you're cute," she told him with a cheeky grin of her own.
He laughed at her, before stopping at the hostess stand to wait for a table. "I guess I am," he agreed, pecking her lips.
-oOo-
That night…
Hogwarts, Scotland
Minerva sat at her desk, pondering over the fiasco of the last week. On her desk was the book of magical children. She was ruthlessly keeping the tears at bay as she crossed out another name. Thirty-four students had withdrawn since Weasley had exposed the Death Eater spawn.
The crossed-out name was the second Muggleborn who had decided it was safer give up there magic than stay in their world. She had decided to inform all parents. Because of that, two first years had been withdrawn and would soon be visited by the Obliviators and Healers from St Mungo's to have their knowledge of their world erased and magic bound.
Once that task was done, she reached for the scotch on her table.
Drinking on a night when she had classes in the morning was not a usual occurrence for her.
She had just allowed herself to relax and lean back in her chair when a knock came at the door.
"Come in," she called out. It wasn't nine yet, so students sometimes bothered her before curfew.
The door opened and Severus stepped in. He rose a brow at the tumbler of amber liquid next to the book. She stared back at him, challenging him to comment on it. He shut the door and took a seat before her. "Are you going to offer me some?"
Her brow rose this time. "I was not aware you drank."
"Not often. As you know, I must keep my wits about me at all times," Severus told her.
She reached for a draw, took out a glass and then the bottle of Macallan. She started to pour and only stopped when indicated. Seeing that he took almost three fingers worth, she added more to her glass. This was far more than she would normally, but if Severus was drinking that much, then she supposed she should as well.
"Is the news that dire?" she questioned.
"It is not good," he said, taking the scotch. After a larger than normal swig, he looked at her. She met his dark eyes. She felt he was looking for something but didn't know what. She didn't bother his investigation of her though. It took a long few moments before he said, "The Dark Lord is not pleased. He has tasked me to increase my recruiting in the school."
Her brow rose, as did her temper. "Are ye sayin' ye hae recruited Deid Eaters? In this school? From our charges?"
Severus shook his head. "I have never and will never endanger our students that way. None of the marked students were from my influence. I am fairly certain there were so few because I was able to provide many with alternatives."
She glared at him. "Alternatives?"
"Alternatives," he stated without expounding.
After a moment, she put to him, "Severus, what do you want?"
"To be done with this business, but that is something I can never have. If I can't have that, then I want to protect those that I can," he told her.
"And what does that mean?" she asked.
"Keeping this school open. Given the word of the Dark Lord's origins on the continent, recruitment is slowing. The Dark Lord needs more soldiers and will get them if we send the students home. I know we are teetering on the brink. Word has reached the Dark Lord that Muggleborn are leaving and choosing to lose their magic. He has ordered his followers to withdraw all support from Hogwarts. How many have left now?"
She pursed her lips. After a moment, she said, "Thirty-three, plus the nine that will be facing trials in a few weeks."
Severus didn't move. "That is almost ten percent of the students."
"If we lose the support of many more old families or lose more than forty-five, I will have to start making cuts in our budget. I have requests for transcripts and transfer papers of another fifty-two, and three other families considering binding their child. If they all leave, Albus and the Board of Governors will have to close Hogwarts unless the ministry steps in," she told him.
He nodded. "Albus is doing nothing to stop this."
It was a statement.
"You know, as well as I, that he is obsessed with Potter and You-Know-Who. He has abandoned Hogwarts as he focuses on that. He has been out of the school for the last three days," she told him.
"He is looking for something," Severus said.
"Yes. Potter."
"No, something else," the greasy hair man told her.
"What?"
"I do not know, but it has something to do with Potter and the Dark Lord."
Her lips pursed more. "I have a meeting with the Department of Education tomorrow evening. If Albus isn't there, I will have to inform them of what is going on and ask them about funding."
"I think the ministry taking control of Hogwarts will not be the best, for now," Severus told her. "There is a battle brewing. I fear the Dark Lord will move sooner than later. We must be ready to offer sanctuary to all we can. The school can not close. Our older students cannot go home. Is there no other option than the ministry?"
She reached for her glass. "If I had other options, I would use them, but Albus has run this school so close to the margin for years that there is no other option than keeping our enrolment up, a wealthy benefactor or the ministry. We have enough to keep the school open until the Christmas Hols, but not long after that without receiving a large infusion of the spring term tuition and our normal endowments."
Severus drained half his glass. "I pray that will be enough. I fear the ministry will fall before then."
She swallowed hard. "I see."
He took a letter out of his pocket. "I have not given this to Albus yet. It came today and a house elf delivered it to me. Potter and Greengrass sent another letter."
She took it, fearing this would further splinter the Order and send Albus around the twist even more.
-o-
Dear Order,
Fudder off!
I sent back Moody and Jones this time. I am not a murderer, but if they come for us again, I can't guarantee anything.
We are not coming back. I will not sacrifice myself or Daphne for the 'Greater Good' or whatever nonsense everyone wants me to.
Perhaps the Order should ask Dumbledork why he wants me so much. Just a suggestion. Of course, you could ask Professor Trelawney as well, as she is the one that made the blasted prophecy. Or better yet, let me tell you.
The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...
This is why Dumbledork and Riddle wants me!
I am saying bully to prophecy. Bully to the ones that hate me. Bully to those that would use me.
Leave me and mine alone and I won't try to eliminate both dark lords in my life.
Not yours,
Harry Potter
-o-
She read the letter twice.
"Dear Merlin. Is this whit we wur protectin' last year? Is this whit cost that puir laddie his godfaither and parents? Sybille is a fraud an' that auld bearded bastirt thocht this wis real?" she fumed, her roots coming out in her thick brogue.
Severus saluted her with his cup. "I once heard part of this. I am as much to blame for the fate of my best friend as Albus," he confessed.
She glared at him. "An' yet ye huv tormented that laddie since he startit here?"
"Albus wanted me to give the boy a tough time. It was a command I found all to easy to follow. He looks an awful lot like his father. I thought he acted like him. I was mistaken," Severus told her.
She itched to take her wand out. "Ye're the ane that sent the bastard efter Lily and James!"
"If I had known the Dark Lord was going to target them… I don't know what I would have done," he admitted.
She knew the animosity between the old Marauders and Severus was great, but Lily?
There was a long heavy silence before Severus downed the last of his scotch. "I fear that I will be called to the Dark Lord's side soon and will no longer be available to teach. When the happens, you must lock down the school against all those that would do it harm or bear his mark. It will be the last bastion he conquers, so you will be safe to mount a resistance."
When he left, she sat there, fuming at him and more scared than she had been in a long time. Her Gryffindor courage wouldn't let her linger on that though. Getting up, she went to the door. She needed to find Filius and Pomona. They needed to make changes if Albus wasn't going to.
-oOo-
September 6, 1996
London, England
The grey-haired man walked past a few hags in a dark side alley. His enhanced hearing spell caught a hushed conversation about Riddle and a fight that broke out in a local bar that led to Death Eaters being beaten bloody and left in a gutter when they tried to toss their bosses name around.
Algie internally smiled at the chaos that was slowly spreading. Greengrass had known what he was doing in this more surreptitious approach to informing everyone about Riddle. His goal was to destroy them all. He had convinced Gus to not tell Alastor yet. He was sure the man had heard things, but he hadn't been brought in the secret only because Algernon knew the old man would start to hunt the Death Eaters, not Potter, and having Riddle focused on Potter was helping them right now. He knew that half of Riddles forces were still spread over Europe and Africa looking for the boy.
As he approached the bar where he was meeting his contact, he saw two low lives stripping two men. When they spotted him, they took off into the night. By the way they moved they were either squibs or those so down in their luck they didn't have wands anymore. One of them had snatched the wand off one of the men, so he suspected the later.
Inside the seedy pub, there was still a general feel of something turned over that didn't like to be disturbed. He generally ignored it looking for the haze of pipe weed that his informant usually had around him. He found the man in a booth in the back corner near the rear door.
His wand came out and he cleaned the seat before sitting. He put a small stone on the table that lit up like a Yule tree with all the different listening and tracking charms around the booth and the man he came to meet. Each rune represented a charm that was now neutralized, not to mention his own privacy charms.
"You wanted to meet?" Algie asked.
The man put his pipe away and the smoke quickly dissipated. " Guv, it all hinges on whether you've got the brass?"
Algie took a small pouch out of his pocket. "Ten, as usual."
The man shook his head. "A thousand."
Algie rose a brow. "You've never given me information worth that much."
"I've never 'ad summat you obviously fancied," Mundungus replied.
Algie cast a quick glance around. Mundungus quickly slid something out of his pocket, then back in. It was out long enough for him to see a heavy gold chain, a locket with a large green gem and a feel of wrongness he recognized. A thousand galleons suddenly seemed cheap, and it wasn't like it was his coin. The Unspeakables had a large discretionary budget.
It had only been two days ago he had asked this man to keep his ears open for any news about stuff that was related to the Founders of Hogwarts. His eyes narrowed. "Where?"
"Does it matter? Do you 'av the coin or what? I'm sure I can find another geezer keen enough. It 'as a crest on it," Mundungus told him.
Algie eyed the man. He didn't want to seem too eager but interested at the same time. "Six hundred."
Mundungus snorted. " I know I can get ten bags what I am asking of you. Twelve thousand."
"Six."
"Fifteen," Mundungus countered.
"You can try to pawn that off, but if it is what I think it is, then you are in great danger, Mundungus. I am unsure who you stole it from, but I can assure you they will come looking for it," Algie told him.
" Not bleedin' 'appening mate. The fella went for a proper wander," Mundungus informed him.
"And any descendants? If it is registered in a will, then the goblins will hunt it down as an heirloom item," Algie responded.
Mundungus squirmed. "Twelve hundred."
"Five hundred."
" I need sumfink for this. That'll barely get me bleedin' by."
"Five hundred is more than you make in a typical year," Algie replied.
"Eight hundred," Mundungus said.
"Only if you tell me what Dumbledore is up to," Algie responded.
Mundungus snorted. "Not much, innit? 'E's on the lookout for Potter. That's all."
Algie thought there was a lot of truth in those words. "And what about the incident on the first day of school?"
" No bleedin' idea. Ain't 'ad a meetin' since then.," Mundungus replied.
"How close is he to finding Potter?"
Mundungus scratched his chin. " Not bleedin' sure I rightly know. 'Ard to remember everyfing at every bleedin' meetin'!"
Algie put a few golden galleons on the table. Mundungus's hand swiped across the table and they disappeared. " Well, I 'eard Moody almost got the bleedin' blighter. 'E's not the only one. Loads of people are lookin' for 'im. A team 'ired by Malfoy almost got the two brats a few weeks ago."
Algie had heard about Potter and Greengrass getting away. He hadn't heard about Malfoy's bounty hunters. He usually knew details like that and wondered how the Unspeakables' informant network had missed that.
"Anything else?"
The man across from him scratched his face. It was a typical reaction to those that smoked too much of the acrid weed. "Eight hundred?"
"Seven with a bonus if the information is good."
"Well, I 'ear You-Know-Who is skint and 'as to cough up more to get 'is blokes in, all of a sudden. Some proper nasty whispers driving up the price of 'ired 'ands and putting those who are 'iring in a dodgy spot," Mundungus told him.
That was the latest news, but it corroborated with what he had heard from the hags.
He caught a few people entering the pub. Mundungus did too and shifted uncomfortably. Algie knew their time was up. He dropped a more sizable bag on the table this time. Mundungus' hand swiped the table again. He picked up the bag and dropped the locket. He was out the seat before Algie could grab the locket. Algie picked up the stone with his other hand and moved towards the door that was still closing as Mundungus had left.
"Who is the one that stripped my husband bare!" an angry woman said in a deadly voice as the pub quieted. He caught sight of the crazed eyes of Bellatrix Lestrange before he too slipped out the door.
He had a feeling the recruiting drive in this pub was over. The Aurors would be counting the failure in body bags in the morning.
-oOo-
Next time on Dear Order: Lord Voldemort is very displeased with the Malfoys. The Order fractures. Harry and Daphne start moving towards their final goal.