Chapter 12
29 May 2024
-oOo-
A/N: This chapter earns more of the M rating for violence.
-oOo-
September 14, 1996
Marseille, France
Appoline sat down with a woman that she was becoming to enjoy spending a lazy afternoon with. Tabitha was stirring milk into the tea over the espresso Appoline preferred. Unlike most other witches, the Greengrass matron treated her and Fleur as normal people. She could see the jealousy that her kind induced in most witches from time to time, but the woman was good at fighting off the effects of the allure. When the woman was settled, Appoline slid a small pile of letters over to her.
"Fleur came home for lunch to deliver these," she told the other woman.
Tabitha did an excellent job of not immediately jumping onto the letters. Appoline gave her a little smirk. "Thank you. Has Fleur said if it's possible for me to have a direct line with my daughter and her husband?"
Appoline indicated the pile. "There is a note from the bank."
Tabitha went through the pile of six letters, her eyebrows rising to see two letters addressed to her husband, one to Astoria and two to her. Appoline sipped her café as she watched Tabitha as the letter from the gnomes was opened first. Two parchments came out. Tabitha looked at them, and after a moment a small smile came over her face. "I see that Scion Potter-Black has been taught the proper traditions. I had heard the boy was rather uncouth."
Appoline snorted. "The British are too uptight about traditions. I found Harry to be very respectful, if rather upset about how he's been treated in life. As I told you before, he adores your Daphne, and this will not be just a fling that burns out."
"I do hope you are correct. They are so young, but I can't fault my daughter her path to avoid the stupidity that was my husband," she said.
"You indicate he is on the right path now," Appoline commented.
"He is. He will never look at our daughters as bargaining chips to protect our family again. Can I get into Geneva easily this afternoon?" Tabitha enquired.
"International portkeys are easy to obtain at the travel terminal. Movement on the continent is not as restricted as back in your home country," she replied. "As long as you remain within an ICW signatory, you can move without any documentation. Switzerland is a neutral country that adheres to the general conventions and has been granted special status. All you need is a passport to enter."
Tabitha nodded. "Thank you. Perhaps we should look at moving our accounts to the gnomes?" The last was said more to herself than Appoline.
Appoline nodded. "Fleur has been given a large opportunity to manage Harry's and Daphne's estate. I've never seen her so busy, or happy. It has given her a status that is beyond her beauty, age and heritage. Her manager also seems pleased with her. I find that my family owes Harry another debt that we will never be able to repay."
Tabitha reached for the second letter addressed to her. Appoline took two of the small cannoli that Esme had put out. She enjoyed their rich flavour and the chocolate on them. Tabitha had a wistful smile on her face as she put the letter down. "How do you let them leave and grow up?"
Appoline gave a tinkling laugh. "You don't. They just leave the nest on their own. Like all small birds, when they know they are ready, they up and leave. All we can do is support them and encourage them to come back. I will admit that it is not always comfortable living with Fleur now she is a grown woman in her own right, but I will treasure every moment she remains until she decides to go out on her own again. I think it will be soon and I think she will stay close to Geneva. If I'm not mistaken, I think she might have a new beau."
Tabitha still had the wistful smile on her face. "I had hoped to have a few more years but Daphne always had ambitions far above the station she was being forced into. Scion Potter has given her the ability to use her wings and she has taken it. They still won't say where they are going, but they say they are safe and should be able to let me know if they find a safe spot in a few weeks."
"That is good," Appoline said, not having much else to say.
Tabitha looked over Appoline's shoulder and out the windows. Being at ground level, all one could see was the houses on the other side of the street. The woman looked to be far away for a moment before saying, "I would have liked to see Daphne being married in a formal ceremony."
"Was it not to their liking?" Appoline enquired.
That wistful smile turned a little sad. "I think I know my daughter well enough to see she is happy, but I think she would have preferred something more."
"Then offer it when you can meet again. The passions of youth often makes the best of the situation they think they are in," Appoline offered her wisdom.
Tabitha snorted. "The passions of youth…"
Appoline could see the woman was thinking of something and debating if she should say more. While she waited, she had the second cannoli. After a few minutes, Tabitha said, "I almost ran away at her age. I was sixteen. The Christmas of my sixth year my father told me he had entered into negotiations with the Greengrasses. The only one I knew at the time was Tiberius, who was a snotty nose third year in Slytherin. He's the cousin of my Grover."
"I fought with my father. My mother would have done the same, but she had died when I was thirteen. We didn't know it at the time, but it was the first move of You-Know-Who against my family. Over the next ten years, the man and his followers would kill all but three of my family in the last war." Tabitha sighed. "When my brother came home and found out what father wanted to do, he threatened to leave the family. Edgar would have been a strong Lord Bones. He saved me the ignominy of being sold off to satisfy an alliance deal that my father wanted. We came to an accord. The Greengrasses had two sons and the nephew that needed a spouse. I agreed to get to know them and enter into a betrothal if one of them was right for me.
I was courted by Grover and his older brother. By the end of my sixth year, I was smitten enough to want to marry Grover. My father was savvy enough to work with Lord Greengrass to allow the first of his two children to have an heir to be the next Lord Greengrass. Daphne was first, but she was a girl. Grover's brother had a boy and was going to be the next lord. Then his whole family died of dragon pox. That was in nineteen-eighty-three, two years before they found the inoculation.
Grover changed after that. He wanted our family to continue. He still does. With Daphne rejecting her heiress rights for a line-continuation, it now falls to Astoria, and I know she isn't that interested in a contract like that," Tabitha finished. They both sat in silence for a moment as the woman finally picked up her tea.
Appoline leaned across the table and put a hand over hers. "My husband is in the same way, but he has accepted that the Delacour name will die out. He is happy to have his little birds and only wants them to have a happy life. This is all we should really want for our families. It is unimportant what a family name is. Over time, everything changes, but the magic, the heart of what makes us us, that never goes away. You are the culmination of all your ancestors. Your husband is as well. I doubt they all had the same family names."
Tabitha gave her a watery smile. "It is easy for you to say. You don't know the pressure that it is to maintain your family name. Name and blood are everything to the British. It has been tied to the magic of the Wizengamot, Hogwarts, and every other major location or institution. To lose all that blood and magic would bring the entire nation down."
"France and much of Europe was like that before the Great War. Now, look at what we are. Since then, our populations have increased. Our economy is larger. We have more people of greater magical power than in the last three centuries. Breaking with tradition is not always bad. It can hurt. It is usually bloody. But what comes after can be better," Appoline told her.
"From what I know of your family, the Greengrasses, is this not true? And what of your maiden name. Do you not have faith that your niece will grow and make her family strong again, whether her last name is Bones or not?"
Tabitha sat in deep thought. After a bit, a more genuine smile came over her face. "The Greengrasses were peasant farmers before coming to England. They rose to be one of the most respected and profitable families. The Bones grew from the ashes of a great war during the time of Arthur Pendragon. We are now in France, allied with the Potter-Blacks. Susan is a strong witch. Amelia made sure of that. I have no doubt she will thrive, and I will do everything in my power to ensure she does. If Astoria wishes to carry on our name, then she can. If not, I will be proud to see it pass to my son-in-law, or die, if it must. All I care for is that our magic and our family keeps on."
Appoline gave her a larger smile. "I do not think you will need to be concerned with passing on your husband's name."
Tabitha looked at her with a fierce determination. "That will be Astoria's decision and I will fight my husband on this."
Appoline gave a tinkling laugh. "I think you should see a Healer before you go to war."
Tabitha blinked in confusion. "I'm sorry, what are you saying?"
"If my senses are correct, you are about four weeks along," Appoline told her.
At the woman's dawning comprehension and her whispered, "What?", Appoline went on.
"Few know this, but Veela live very long lives until they find their true mate. I was once a Healer. I can tell. At three or four weeks the first signs of the disturbance in one's magic can be felt."
Tabitha's hand went to her stomach. "You are certain?"
"Oui."
"And it will be a boy?" she asked.
"I do not know, but I think with your new beginnings here, that magic has heard and granted your wishes," Appoline told her.
Tears came to her eyes. "I was told I couldn't get pregnant again."
"I am fairly certain, if you want me to check," Appoline offered, pulling her wand and placing it on the table.
"Please."
It wasn't long after that the diagnostics confirmed her feeling. Tabitha looked pleased. "I need to tell Grover."
"Don't forget your other mail, and I would not recommend any portkey use after about twelve weeks," she told her.
"Oh, Merlin, I have to see the gnomes as well," Tabitha said. She looked torn as to which way to go first.
"Unless your husband is home, you have time for both. I am sure you would like a more direct route of communication with Daphne, Astoria and Susan?" Appoline said.
Tabitha looked confused for a moment before saying, "I can do the same with Astoria and Susan?"
Appoline smiled. "I know they are not inexpensive, but I do have one that is with Gabrielle."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"It is not something that is widely known or available. Harry and Daphne are important clients. With you being related, you are now as well. the Delacours have been for many years. We tried to get Fleur to go to the gnomes when she graduated, but she had met William Weasley and thought him her mate. I knew he wasn't, but she needed to learn that herself," Appoline told her.
Tabitha nodded. "Thank you, Appoline."
"You are welcome, ma chere."
Tabitha moved to leave, still looking distracted before stopping and turning back. "Next week at the same time?"
"I look forward to it."
Both woman ended the meeting with smiles.
-oOo-
That night…
Cannes, France
Grover Greengrass sat at his desk in his favourite chair. Things still needed to be organized to his liking in the new study, but when Tabitha had come to the house a few weeks ago, the manor was empty of all furniture, paintings, artefacts and anything that would have been expected of a large manor house that once belong to the Blacks.
The house elves had emptied it under orders from the young Fleur Delacour, who was managing all of Harry Potter's holdings. Most of the items they had from Greengrass Manor in England were now here. He felt a bit of a squatter in someone else's house, but his son-in-law had made it clear in the letter that came with the betrothal that he expected them to use this property as their own if they decided to leave England.
Trying to feel comfortable in a home that was not his and a lord's study that he should not be in, he was looking at the last few days of Daily Prophets as he enjoyed a fine whiskey that had been in the wine cellars of the manor.
Looking at the latest paper, Grover had a sick feeling in his stomach. The Daily Prophet had the picture of the Dark Mark over the house of one of his business partners. The Rutherfords were a relatively new pureblood family. They had been under the serfdom contracts his family favoured for more than a hundred years. His father had offered them a deal to become a distributor. With the Greengrass backing, Unicorn's Hair Apothecary in Carlisle had been founded and became one of the eight distributors in Britain for the Greengrass wares. His father had stayed vast friends with the elder Rutherford, and Grover had continued the friendship with the family. If he had not been pressured by the Malfoy's, Grover would have introduced and subtly pushed their younger son as one of his preferred suitors for Daphne. The young man was only nineteen, and by the time Daphne graduated, he would have been of an age to take over a lower management role in their business with him and Daphne guiding him to one day take over. What made the prospect so appealing was that the boy would most likely have no qualms of taking the Greengrass name.
With a shaky hand, he took up the tumbler of whiskey he poured for himself.
He had heard about this attack this morning. The papers from back home were a day late now, but even so, seeing the smoking ruins of the house and knowing that most of the family, including the youngest son, were now gone, had shaken him.
He had thought this might be a revenge killing for him refusing Malfoy and then fleeing, but his sources said that Franklin had been denying a Death Eater protection money.
When he put his glass back down, his eyes caught the unopen envelope that his new son-in-law had sent him. Tabitha had pressed it into his hands the second he had entered the large manor the boy was letting them use just after supper. Moving a business and setting up a new one was not an easy or relaxing task. Looking at the dark mark over the smouldering house just served to strengthen his resolve he had done the right thing and would be talking to his foreman in the morning to abandon all their operations in Britain until this all passed. He didn't want to see any more of his people, friends or families suffer. If the letter in his hands gave him what he hoped, then expanding his current employee base from one hundred and three to over two hundred shouldn't be an issue.
Turning the envelope over, he noticed it felt heavier than it should for its size. There was no wax seal like he expected. Either the boy hadn't been trained in the proper etiquette of his station or he was sending a message. Knowing his daughter… well, he thought he had known his daughter… this was a message.
Opening the envelope, he found only two sheets of parchment, but a ring and two silver medallions came out onto his hand. He looked at the ring first. It took him a moment to realize it had the raven of House Black on it. The medallions were the size of a galleon with runes in concentric circle and the raven of House Black in the centre.
He frowned to look at the ring. It was an heir's ring. One the boy should have and should never so brazenly just send in a letter like this. His opinion of the boy waned some.
-o-
Dear Lord Greengrass,
Thank you for your wishes, your inclusion of me into your family and the gift you have given Daphne and me. As I write this, she has pointed out that it is not proper for me to put her first in an official correspondence, but as I have pointed out to her, she is more important to me than anything else and always comes first.
I never understood that, or the sacrifice my mother and father made for me, until now. Daphne is the reason for that. It has also let me know how hard it must have been for you to be presented a betrothal for her hand without meeting me, knowing my intentions, seeing what the papers have said about me all year and the fact that I am reported to be a person of prophesy.
From your letter, I can tell you love your daughter and your family. I am sorry to take her from you like this, but I can assure you that she still loves you and wants very much to see you all again, even if she won't admit it. It is a wish of hers I will make happen, but for now it is safer for both of us to remain hidden, and with regret, I will have to push off your wish to meet in person.
I do hope, Lord Greengrass, that you will forgive me.
As for your other requests, I have left instructions with my account manager to negotiate fairly and to seek the best profits for both my family and yours. The full list of the seven properties shared between the Potters and Blacks will be available to you. You already have access to the properties in France. Unfortunately, of the remaining, two are still in Britain, and I would not suggest you use them. The other three are in countries that are part of the ICW and most likely not safe for us right now.
As you know, as part of the betrothal, I have transferred all Wizengamot and other titles to your family. If the transfer was true, you will now have the heir ring of the Blacks and the family medallions that give you full control of the wards for all Black properties. This will include any that may be inherited from the Malfoys, Lestranges, Carrows and Mulcibers should they die with no heirs. The First Gnomish Bank will have all the documentation, marriage contracts and other paperwork that would allow you to claim any inheritances. As my former account manager at Gringotts said, the Blacks were rather devious in their dealings and always came out on top.
I am retaining my family's rings of the Potters, but they will no longer have the power or protections they once did. I am the last of the Potters in Britain and will remain so.
Being one of the last that still have the blood of the Blacks and Potters, I have kept my families magic, but when I die, the family of Potter and Black will be forever gone in Britain as Daphne, and I have renounced our citizenship. I am sorry if this causes you any distress as I know this means that we, nor our children, cannot take up any titles of my family or yours.
This was not a decision that was made lightly, as I am sure you are thinking as I am only sixteen, but if you want to know my reasons, I have left a lifetime of memories with my account manager at the First Gnomish Bank detailing the loving care of my relatives, the welcoming of my peers at Hogwarts and the adulation of the larger Wizarding world of Britain. Daphne has seen, agrees with my reasons and is still terribly upset at how you were going to sell her off. We thought this the best way to protect us both.
Until we can find a place to claim asylum, I know we are in danger if caught. We just couldn't stay any longer. Daphne hopes you understand and is willing to forgive you since you granted her wish to marry me. That is something I can never thank you for. She is my everything.
Yours truly,
Daphne Potter
Harry Potter
-o-
Grover's eyes rested on the two signatures. He had seen Daphne's name on a hundred letters over the last five years and knew her neat, distinctive writing. He looked at the name and had the sudden pang to not have walked her down an aisle or given his blessing before magic for the union.
Leaning back in his chair, he let go of the letter to let it fall to his desk. His hands started to rub his face. He wasn't sure if he was trying to comfort himself or scrub off the feeling of unease and inadequacy.
A moment later, the door to the study opened. He was still rubbing his face as the distinctive soft clack of his wife's boots echoed on the still bare floor. He would have to get the carpets lain out tomorrow.
"Grover, are you alright?" she asked, the concern clear on her voice.
"Morgana, what have I done?"
She walked around the desk and put a hand on his shoulder. "Many things in our years of marriage. What particular idiotic thing are you talking about this time?" she asked.
He let out a mirthless chuckle as he stopped rubbing his face and looked up to hers. They had mended their relationship since she had threatened him over the betrothal, and he was incredibly pleased to have her at his side again.
"How could I have driven Daphne away?"
She regarded him for a moment. "I know you meant well, my luv, but you must have known how she would react? Daphne has always been headstrong and her relationship with the Davises had a large impact on her."
He let out a long breath. "I know. I wish they had not left last summer, but I understand now. Losing Tracey was harder on her than I had thought, wasn't it?"
"I don't even know if Daphne understood the impact herself but found someone to fill the void of losing her best friend," Tabitha told him. "Now, is this only about Daphne?"
He waved towards the note on the desk. "This is largely about Daphne. I have been blind. I was so intent on saving our family and keeping our profits up, I forgot what was truly important, and my sixteen-year-old son-in-law has reminded me of a lesson that my father drilled into me."
She rose an eyebrow at him before picking up the letter. After a few minutes, she smiled. "I think Daphne found a very strong young man that is much wiser than anyone should be at his age."
"Merlin, I don't think I saw things like that at twice his age," he said.
"I don't think you see it at almost three times his age," she said with a slight smirk.
He gave a little more of a genuine laugh this time at her teasing. "You were always good at pointing out when I was making a fool of myself."
"I think that is the role of a good wife," she replied smugly.
He reached over and took her hand. "I think I much prefer what we were when younger. I don't want a good wife. I want a lover, a best friend and someone that is more important to me than anything else. The only ones I would hold over you are our children."
She gave him a gentle smile and leaned over to kiss him. It had been a while since she had done something like that. "Do you really mean that?"
Moving to pull her down into his lap, he put his hands on her hips as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I have been a fool, Tabi."
She gave him a broad smile. "It's been a long time since you used that nickname."
"It's been a long time since I remembered what is important," he said back.
"Merlin, I forgot how sappy you could be."
He grinned at her. "I can try to compose poetry again."
"Don't you dare! Those things were horrid," she said, gently tapping the back of his head. He chuckled.
"Then how about a dance? I remember you enjoyed that."
"In a moment," she said, her mirth becoming serious. He sobered. "Grover, do you mean it that me and our children are more important than anything else?"
He sighed. "The only other ones that I would count close are those that we employ and consider friends. Nothing else is more important than my family. If I don't have you, Daphne, Susan and Astoria I don't have anything."
She looked deeply into his eyes. He had forgotten how much he loved her deep blue eyes and slightly reddish golden hair. "And one more."
He didn't get it at first. "Well, of course I mean Susan too. I consider her my niece and another daughter."
She gave him a coy smile. "Susan is one of my daughters and she will be treated as such when it comes time for you to present her to her husband, but I mean there will be one more."
He stared into her eyes, slowly coming to the realization. "You don't mean… the Healers…?"
A radiant smile came over her face. "Appoline is a Healer. She verified I am about five weeks along. It is too soon to tell what sex it will be, but I am hoping I will finally give you the heir you have always wanted."
A broad smile came over his face. "This is marvellous news!" He pulled her closer to give her a deep, lingering kiss. When they separated, she put her forehead on his. "Tabi, I don't care if you give me another daughter or a son. As long as they and you are healthy, I will be happy."
"Good, but I have a feeling. I love you," she said, pecking his lips.
"I love you too," he said.
They shared soft kisses for a few moments before she pulled back. "Will you use the legacy that Harry has left you if we ever return to Britain?"
He sighed. "I do not know. I do not know if we will return. My family is too important to risk. We have invested too much in this move to not see it through. If anything, I will take us further away, if that is what it takes to keep you safe."
She pecked his nose. "I will support you in any way I can. Tomorrow I will oversee the cleaning of the old greenhouse and the layout of the new ones."
"You should take it easy," he said.
"I am with child, not in convalescence. I will be fine."
He chuckled at her. He knew when he married a daughter of the Bones that she would have a strong backbone and be opinionated. "I have learned my lesson to not tell you and my daughters what to do."
She gave him that coy smile he enjoyed. "It's only taken me twenty years to teach you that."
"I am a fast learner," he said.
"No, you aren't, but you have a good heart," she retorted.
"I won't argue with you tonight," he told her.
"Good. Now take me to our bed. I want to be your lover tonight," she told him in a sultry tone that stirred him.
-oOo-
September 15, 1996
Mexico City, Mexico
Daphne was leaning against the window frame next to Harry. The airship had docked early this morning, waking them both up as the ship shuttered when it had been moored to the tower. They had quickly gotten up. Something felt different about the day and Harry was restless. It was clear when he made sure everything was packed. They usually kept most things packed but had spread out some over the cabin in the last few days. Today he was adamant they had to have their bags on them. She didn't know why but didn't really question him. When they were done, she pulled him to go look at the city. If they weren't going to go to explore, at least they could see what Mexico City looked like.
Her husband… Merlin, she loved saying that! Her husband had his shoulder leaning against the side of the large observation windows. They were on the top of a steep hill looking down onto the city in the distance. A sizable wizarding village, maybe double the size of Hogsmeade, lay below them. Harry's leg was bouncing rapidly. They had been trapped on this ship for seven days and he was getting anxious to be doing something.
He sighed again.
"We could go out. The ship doesn't leave for another six hours or so," she offered.
She could see the need he had to move and explore. One thing she had learned over the last year was that Harry didn't like to sit still for long. Normally she could be patient, but now that they were getting close to their destination, she just wanted this to be over.
"I don't want to take a chance," he told her.
She wished they could take a portkey, even if they were scheduled to finally make it to San Antonio tomorrow afternoon. Mexico may not belong to the MACUSA or the CoA, but they couldn't risk Aurors seeing them since they would have to go through Customs. Luckily the gnomes were a neutral party, and she really didn't want to ride in the cargo hold of an aircraft again. Maybe if they could sit in the normal cabin, she might think of it. Nor did she want to sail again. She didn't care that the captain had said it was rougher than normal, it had been awful. Maybe a larger ship? The ferry hadn't been bad.
She let out her own soft sigh.
To escape and get somewhere they would be safe, she would do it all again.
She longingly looked out onto the city, admitting to herself that muggles weren't bad, and she had liked many things about hiding in their world. She also liked exploring. Originally, that was a large part of what they wanted to do.
Harry shifted in a way that caught her attention. She turned back to look at him. His green eyes were intently staring towards the gangway. They narrowed just a little.
"Harry?"
"Aurors or something else?" he asked. She turned to look. She had thought Harry barmy when she had first met him because he thought everyone was out to get him. As she found out his story, and lived some of it, she was now of the belief that fate just didn't like him. There was an older woman with a head of greying brown hair. The cut of her robes and the way she carried herself just screamed Auror. The larger man behind her looked dangerous.
Harry grabbed her hand. "I think we need to go."
"Where?" she replied.
He looked around the hallway before reaching into his pocket. So far, they had avoided using his father's invisibility cloak. They knew it wasn't impervious to everything, like Dumbledore and Moody's eyes, but given how dangerous the two looked, she felt it necessary. Any advantage could be worth it.
He pulled her in close and then covered them. Whispering into her ear he said, "Cast silencing and scent masking charms on us. We are going to go up to the cargo deck and try to leave out the main hangar doors."
She nodded, taking her wand out and tapping both their legs as they started towards a stairwell. It was slow going, but having Harry with his wand out had her feeling safer.
They managed to make it onto the cargo deck and towards the large open doors. As they got closer, she caught sight of two gnomes in automatons talking with another man and a woman. The man was tall, broad of shoulder, in a long leather trench coat and had an air of trouble to him. The woman next to him was rather short with sandy coloured hair that was in a long braid. She was looking around the cargo deck as three other automatons moved crates, trunks and pallets around.
Harry guided her towards one of the side bays that held an inactive automaton to crouch down behind it.
"I don't care what your captain says. I have an order from the ICW and Mexican Council to search this airship," the tall man was saying.
"This is gnomish property and a Switzerland flagged ship. This is neutral ground, and all passengers are protected. You will need to go down and talk to the captain and the manager of this facility," one of the small gnomes in the towering automaton said back.
"This paper says I can search the ship no matter what," the man retorted.
"Harry, what if we change?" Daphne asked.
He looked back and then towards the doors. His frown worried her. "I think there is a ward or something. It feels… different."
She swallowed. As far as she knew, only the Delacours knew their secret. They hadn't changed before anyone that had been chasing them. Not that she knew about anyways. She was looking around, trying to figure out what to do.
Harry unwrapped his arm from around her waist. "What are you doing?" she asked, an uneasy apprehension passing through her.
He looked around again. "If I distract them…"
She glared at him. She started with a whisper yell. "Don't you even think about it, Harry Potter! We said we would never leave each other, and I will never willingly leave you."
He sighed. "I love you too, Daph. Shhh."
The smaller woman had started to edge around the gnomes that were arguing with the man and the few others around were too busy transferring cargo to pay much attention. The woman sniffed the air. Daphne's eyes narrowed on the woman. Harry saw her too. His wand came up, lifting the cloak just a little.
Daphne sniffed. There was something feral and dangerous about the woman. Some of the advantages of being an animagus was that certain senses would grow stronger with time and with how strong of a relation you had with your other self.
Harry sniffed too. He stiffened. "Werewolf," he hissed.
She remembered smelling something similar when they had been attacked in Morocco.
The woman edged a little closer. Harry got a hard glint to his eyes. "I won't let them get you," he whispered. "On the count of three," he said.
She clenched her wand and took a fist full of the cloak. They had talked about something like this. They both knew Harry was the stronger fighter, so she was to get the cloak to let him move and then join in. She wasn't sure what he was going to do yet.
"One," he whispered.
The woman's wand came to her hand. She was looking around.
"Two."
The man at the entrance noticed and his wand came to his hand. The gnomes started to yell at the man about international conventions.
"Three."
Harry jammed his wand at the automaton they were behind. The flash of blue light had the woman spinning on them, her wand coming up and a stunner racing towards them. The heavy automaton had been banished at her with such force and speed that when she tried to jump out of the way, the wildly spinning machine arm clipped her shoulder, sending her sprawling across the hangar floor a few feet from where she started.
The man in the blue leather robes spun his wand and the thing changed direction to crash into the gnomes. Harry was already moving. Thick black robes with a silver thread shot out of his wand. The woman rolled, a cutting hex just barely intercepting the robes before they wrapped around her.
The man stepped forward, red and blue spells flying out of his wand. Daphne dropped the cloak. "PROTEGO REDDO!"
It was one of the spells they had gotten from the book they had picked up in Salvador. Even though they hadn't been able to really use any of the spells, Harry had made sure they learned the proper movements and intentions of the incantations. She was a little surprised that the spell worked. Even more so, was the drain on her magic as she suddenly staggered back. The man dove out of the way, into a roll to come back up with his wand ready to fire as his own spells just missed him.
Harry was duelling the werewolf, who let out a scream when part of the floor was blasted up when Harry had sent a bombarda at her. Daphne was just barely able to get up another shield as the guy tried to take out Harry. She saw red when her shield just managed to deflect something that sizzled along the deck.
She started to jam and slash her wand. The man was caught off guard as her piercing and cutting hexes sailed towards him. Harry turned just enough to send the black ropes at the man before turning back to the woman that was getting up. Blood was dripping from her limply hanging right hand.
Daphne was only able to catch this out of the corner of her eye as the man started to send spells alternating between her and Harry. Most were relatively harmless: stunners, body binds, disarming, but a few she felt would definitely hurt, but probably wouldn't kill them, like simple cutting hexes and a few she thought were some type of tar or slime. Something about them just said they weren't that benign though.
She was forced to shield, dodge and get a few spells off. Harry's fight was getting more frantic as she heard something blowup behind her. She thought she was going to be disarmed when she stumbled over some rubble, only to have Harry shield her.
She rolled over and stumbled to her feet, ready to fight. She wasn't expecting one of the automatons to have gotten up and grabbed the man around his torso. He was a few feet in the air, his wand hit the ground while he struggled to get out with this arms pinned to his side.
She let out a long breath, thinking they were going to be alright when Harry suddenly screamed. She turned to see him grab his left arm before throwing up a shield to his left. She turned to see the two they had run from on the walk way.
The werewolf was stumbling to her feet. She had a crazed look to her. Daphne instinctually knew she had to protect Harry. "PROTEGO REDDO!" she screamed, forcing her magic to respond faster than she could ever remember it doing. The yellow, purple and blue spells hit the shield as Harry started to duel the two newcomers. The gnomes had started to respond, and more were coming to subdue them. That didn't matter as Daphne focused all her power into the shield. The spells bounced back.
The werewolf woman, hurt and not moving as fast, put up her own shield, but it wasn't enough. The yellow spell splashed against her shield. Yellow acid exploded everywhere. The purple spell shattered the shield and the blue cutting hex hit her across the chest. Daphne saw the blood but stuffed down her gag response to turn to Harry.
He was just barely holding his own as he shielded and tried to return fire, but he was slowly losing to the two. Still feeling a little disconcerted to see the woman fall, she shot out a series of disarming and stunning hexes.
The two attacking them worked like a well-oiled machine. When one would shield, the other would attack. Harry and her soon found themselves mostly on the defensive, even with the big man diverting some of his attention to keep the gnomes and the automatons at bay by banishing them or blasting off parts of their machines.
A few more automatons joined. Harry took the advantage and cast a few transfigurations at the debris around them. Three golden retrievers were suddenly rushing the attackers.
He was about to follow-up when Daphne saw the red spell out of the corner of her eye. It came from behind them. She spun the tip of her wand, trying to get a shield up, but was too late. It hit Harry and he crumpled to the floor. Daphne spun around, her wand slashing wildly. The cutting hexes were overpowered and one managed to get through the man's shield. The distraction was all the other two needed to disarm her. The spell was so powerful that as her wand was ripped out of her hand, she was sent flying. It felt like she was airborne for a longtime. "Oommph," escaped her lips as she landed in a heap on the floor.
"Stand back! This is an ICW sanctioned arrest!" someone yelled.
She got up on her hands, shook her head and looked around. The three people were moving in. The woman had her wand on her and Harry as the men were pointing theirs at the gnomes. A half dozen automatons were in ruins around the hangar. Seven more, all showing some damage, were edging them in as a dozen other gnomes were approaching with shields as tall as them and anything they could get, most with heavy spanners or hammers. A few were helping some out of the mangled automatons or checking on the injured.
"This is neutral grounds! You will submit for gnomish justice!" one of the gnomes yelled.
"Back!" The man she had fought held up a crumpled sheaf. She could see his leather armour was cut and he was bleeding. "I am Captain Steven Rogers, head of this ICW sanctioned Hit Wizard team. We have full authority to arrest these two and extradite them back to their home country!
She was watching the woman with greying hair as she moved to turn Harry over with her boot. Daphne scrambled to get at the spare wand on her leg. Harry had insisted they always have two wands after being caught without his a few times. The woman saw her motion and cast ropes at her. Daphne tried to avoid it but was caught before she could get her wand. Daphne let out a cry of pain as they constricted around her chest. A stabbing pain rippled in her chest. She hadn't realized she had hurt ribs.
The gnomes and the man were arguing when someone started to clap. It was accompanied by a strange clumping sound that had her heart sink more. She was just able to twist her head. She was panicking. Harry and her couldn't go back to England. They couldn't go back!
Moody and the woman that had attacked them in Africa stepped around an automaton. The captain and several other wizards on the crew were with them.
"Very nice job, Rogers. I'll have to tell Dumbledore how you managed to capture these two," Moody said as his wooden leg clumped across the floor. Captain Rogers eyed the man.
"Moody, what are you doing here?" the man angrily questioned.
Moody gave a smile that sent a shiver down her spine. The other two hit wizards had turned to cover Moody. They apparently thought him the larger threat.
Moody looked them up and down. "Having a little issue trying to subdue these two?"
"Stay out of this, Moody. You lost the contract when you abandoned us in Africa," Rogers told him.
Moody reached up to scratch his chin with his left. She didn't miss that his wand had slipped into his right hand. "Aye, that may be, but I would never have risked angering the gnomes. If you let me take these two, I'm sure the gnomes will let you go without sanctions." He nodded towards the still crumpled form of the werewolf. "Besides, I think your lass over there needs some help."
Rogers looked to the down woman. She saw some concern come over his face. "Baron, check on Jade."
"But, captain," the greying woman protested.
Daphne wasn't going to be taken back. Harry and her were too close to being safe. They just had to get to the MACUSA. She started to struggle against the bindings, even if it hurt her chest to do so.
"Now, Baron," the man commanded. "Moody, this is our catch. The gnomes have no recourse for us bringing in these criminals."
Moody started to laugh. "Criminals? If you think these two are criminals, then you are barking, Rogers. They are run aways. Run aways that are now married, if I'm not much mistaken. I think that makes them both emancipated now and normal citizens."
Rogers shifted uncomfortably. "The warrant says they are criminals wanted for questioning after killing a man in Africa."
Moody scratched his chin again. Daphne was struggling more. They may have killed that vampire, but that was nothing they could get in trouble for. It was attacking them.
"You mean that werewolf back where we first got a whiff of them?" Moody questioned.
The man looked a little apprehensive. "How did you know?"
Moody gave a gruff laugh.
Daphne could feel the ropes start to loosen.
"Well, that would been Hestia and I. They attacked us after you ran off to follow the kids. I gave my report on the incident," Moody told him.
Rogers stood stiffly.
"Now, you go back and lick your wounds. I'll take care of these two," Moody told him.
The ropes worked just loose enough that she was able to snake her arm down while lifting her leg.
"Captain, Jade needs attention now," the woman named Baron said.
Rogers stiffened more. "I'm sorry, but to harm an ICW Hit Wizard while executing a contract is a criminal offense. I will be taking them back to Copenhagen."
"I had hoped to avoid this unpleasantness," Moody said. She heard something yelled out in the flowery gnomish, then spell fire erupted around them.
Daphne got her hand around her wand. "Diffindo," she whispered. The ropes cut around her legs, then they loosened, and she was free. She just barely registered that her own spell cut her leg as well. Daphne rolled over to see Moody and Hestia fighting the three hit wizards. Harry was still passed out in the middle of it. She scrambled over to him, putting up a shield when a few stray spells threatened to hit him. He looked a little worse for wear. There was a cut over his right eye and the start of a bruise on his cheek. His clothes had a few tears while blood had soaked his left sleeve and was dripping on to the deck. She didn't really have time to take in more as the fight picked up in intensity around them. She flicked her wand.
Harry's eyes shot open. She could see slight confusion before he whipped his head around. Faster than she could, he seemed to take in the situation. He reached for his holly wand that was only a few feet away. "Just cover me," he told her as he got to his feet.
Moody and Hestia were holding their own against the three hit wizard team, but not gaining any ground. This fight was far dirtier and destructive. The gnomes were holding back. Harry didn't hesitate to flick his wand. Two golden retrievers sprang from the rubble. A few more flicks and five more started to bark and race towards the big man.
The big hit wizard turned in time to blast two of them into rubble again. The others dragged the man down. He cried out as the dogs viciously attacked him.
A spell from Moody and Hestia managed to get through and send the man flying through the air.
Rogers cast a few spells towards them, which Daphne easily shielded as Harry stepped determinedly forward. He was moving faster than she had ever seen him. She had never seen him mix transfiguration and hexes like he was at the moment. More dogs joined the fray. Vines shot up to grab Roger's legs and pull him down. A bone breaker shattered the hand of the greying woman. A piercing hex penetrated Roger's leather armour and he grabbed at his leg. She was moving to block all incoming spells.
In less than sixty seconds, a dozen growling golden retrievers stood between them and Moody and Hestia Jones. The Hit Wizards were all down, severely hurt and unable to carry on. Moody was looking at them apprehensively, his wand up. He had a hand up to keep Hestia from attacking them.
"You are not taking us back!" Daphne defiantly told them. She found herself panting at the exertion from the fight. Her magic was straining from all the shielding.
Moody wearily eyed her.
"I told you, if you ever come after us again, I will make sure you don't," Harry said in a scary voice.
Moody grinned at them as the gnomes looked on. "Aye, you did lad. I think Captain America and his crew have gotten that message." Moody turned his wand away from him. "You can call off your mutts."
Harry's eyes narrowed. "I don't think so. We have all violated the neutrality of the gnomes. Daphne and I are going to walk out of here after I leave enough gold to repair all this."
Moody laughed. "You think we will just let you go?"
"If you don't want to find out what I can really do, yes," Harry told him.
Daphne moved in a little closer, her wand up and holding steady, even if she felt jittery inside. She felt more afraid to face off against these two again than the hit wizards they had just taken out.
"Mister and Misses Potter," Captain Emeraldfield said. "As a representative of our nation, I do not hold you responsible for this mess. The ICW was overstepping their mandate. I will send the bill to the council. I am afraid though, with the damage to my ship, that you will not be able to continue your journey with us."
Harry nodded his head. "Captain, I'm sorry," Harry said.
Moody looked at them. "Lad, Hestia and I had permission from the gnomes to protect the ship. Where will you go if you leave here?"
"Somewhere," Harry said.
She moved in a little closer and put her hand into Harry's. "I am not leaving Harry and we are not going back."
Moody chuckled and dropped his wand to his side. Hestia did the same. "Aye, I can see that."
"Mister Potter, I think you misunderstood me. You cannot continue with us at this time because of the damage to this ship. I am willing to book you passage with another that will be here in three days or get you a portkey to your destination," Captain Emeraldfield offered.
"We can't. We can't let the Aurors know we are here," Harry told the captain.
"You can claim diplomatic immunity. You can take a portkey from our consulate," she said.
She squeezed his hand. Harry squeezed back, saying he was thinking of it.
"What about them?" she asked.
Moody's wand disappeared up his sleeve. He took a few clunking steps forward. The dogs all growled and bared their teeth. Some of them had bloody muzzles. Moody held out his hands in a form of supplication. "I know what Albus wants, but I can see you are determined to be free."
Harry squeezed her hand this time. He frowned. She didn't say anything as Harry seemed to be working through something. "The old wanker told you, didn't he?"
Moody regarded Harry for a moment and took a few more clumping steps towards them. The dogs didn't attack. "Aye. More than you know, Potter." Moody looked to Harry's scar. "Has your scar been bothering you?"
Harry let go of her hand to rub the lightening shaped scar on his forehead. "Not that much since we left."
Moody nodded. "Albus thinks it important. Me, I think destiny is all hogwash. What would you do if you didn't have to go back?"
Moody took a few more clumping steps past the dogs. Her wand was trained on him, the tip glowing an ominous yellow as she concentrated on a particularly nasty spell. Moody's normally spinning eye was trained on her as his other looked to Harry. They watched as the man stepped up to Harry, then held out a hand. Harry looked sceptically at Moody.
"What's the trick?"
Moody let out a rough laugh. "Constant Vigilance. I'll think you'll do fine. No trick, Potter. Only a congratulations to a worthy opponent."
Harry looked at the man like he was completely barmy.
"What?" Harry asked, not letting his guard down.
Moody turned to Hestia. "We could have used more like him in the Aurors."
Hestia shook her head. "I don't know what you are talking about. Let's get these miscreants out of here before the gnomes change their minds."
"I only saw two civilians that helped to save two passengers that had the protection of gnomish neutrality," Captain Emeraldfield said.
Moody grinned like a loon. "Just shake it, Potter. There is a group of us that think Albus is a bit off his rocker and will do what we should have all those years ago."
Harry shared a quick look of confusion with her. After a moment, he lowered his wand and stepped forward. "If this is a trick, I'll beat you bloody."
Moody grinned. "I look forward to the challenge."
They shook hands. Hestia rolled her eyes and Daphne felt confused. "You aren't taking us back?"
"Taking who, lass? I never found a Greengrass, and this one doesn't look like the posters," Moody said. He gave Potter a serious look. "If you make it further north, there is a reservation in Arizona. A shaman of the Kodahada O'odhim. They might like to look at your scar. Tell them Bill sent you. Captain, do ye mind if I use a portkey?"
"By all means," Captain Emeraldfield said. "Get these criminals off my ship."
Moody doffed an invisible hat before turning his back on them, but Daphne was certain he wasn't letting his guard down. Harry's wand came up slowly as Moody moved to the werewolf as Jones gathered the others and bound them in ropes. Moody made a few mumbled remarks and did some spell work. After a moment he shook his head. "Jones, you better send me with this one to the hospital. You take the others to the Aurors."
"The others will need medical attention as well," Jones responded before giving a nod towards them. The woman obviously approved of their handling of the Hit Wizards. "I hear Potter men like to get into trouble."
Daphne took his hand again, afraid to let him go. "I hear that too. The reality is worse."
"Oi! I'm not that bad," Harry exclaimed. Jones gave them a smirk before taking out a long necklace. She wrapped it over the shoulders of the captives. "Moody?"
Moody grabbed a length of the chain.
"Moody," Harry called to him. The man looked to him. "Tell Ron and the others I wish things worked out differently."
The man nodded. "They didn't abandon you, just to let you know."
Harry made a face. "No, they just followed Dumbledore blindly," her husband replied bitterly.
Moody shook his head. "We found the ministry was intercepting your mail. Your friends wrote you. Granger is in Australia. I don't know where your family is, lass, but I can only assume they are safe."
He looked to her. She shook her head. "Thanks, Mister Moody, but I'm sure they are."
The man scoffed. "Mister Moody. That was my da. I prefer Auror or Mad-Eye," the man said with a grin before he moved his chin to let Hestia know he was ready.
Harry's arm dropped to his side after they disappeared. She at once wrapped her arms around him. Harry's arm wrapped around her. "It's alright, luv," he whispered comfortingly in her ear.
Tears spring to her eyes.
"It's alright, luv," Harry soothed, holding her tight as the gnomes and the other workers moved to check on them and begin the cleanup and repair of the ship.
-oOo-
Next time on Dear Order: A horcrux hunt, insurrection and the Potter's finally make it to the MACUSA.