'How did they even get in there?' Harry exclaimed angrily as Luna presented him with the Sword of Gryffindor, only, now it seemed the engraving of Godric's name on the blade had somehow been removed during the coven ceremony. Harry placed it on the mantlepiece in the great hall, out of reach of tiny fingers. He had no doubt that the sword would do its magic vanishing-thing and would soon be seen in Godric's portrait once more. He didn't have time to ponder what Godric would have to say about the missing engraving of his name.
'The Wards were set up to allow anyone bearing the Dark Mark to come and go. It became a central meeting place for Voldemort and his followers,' said Narcissa quietly.
'Surely the Wards were changed after the war,' snarled Harry.
Talbott looked rather guilty, 'it wasn't on our list of priorities.'
'Right!' said Harry. 'Neville, Angelina, we need a take a trip.'
'Ahem!' said Mione with her eyebrows raised in expectation.
'This is Auror business,' snapped Harry.
'You'll need me to get past our shield,' she answered firmly.
'And this is family,' said Bill, determinedly. 'And at least one of us needs to stand in for Ron as part of the Golden Trio.'
'And Hermione will need the support of her sisters,' said Luna. Ginny and Pansy nodded.
'And you'll need me to get you all through the Wards,' said Draco.
'I is helping there too,' said Ruby.
'ENOUGH!' bellowed Harry. 'This isn't a bloody school trip. I need trained Aurors who will act with stealth and understand how we each work and how to look out for each other's backs. We're talking about the Carrows, not a bunch of leprechauns having a piss up. And I don't need any help getting through the Manor's Wards because I'm Harry bloody Potter with enough rogue magic to get through the bloody Wards at Gringotts without three-hundred fucking Goblins noticing.'
George, Ginny, and Ron burst out laughing when Molly up-slapped the back of Harry's head. 'There's no need for that sort of language, young man. No matter who you are! What would Minerva say?'
He glared at her.
'Blimey, Harry, none of us would dare say that word in front of mum, not even Fred would've risked that, Merlin rest his soul,' said Charlie.
'She's obviously never heard Ron on a bad day,' Harry snapped, his eyes narrowed. 'I'm going to let Gawain and Kingsley know,' Not that he needed to go anywhere because he just sent his Patronus soaring off. 'Molly, perhaps you'd like to do something useful and contact Poppy. I'd like her to be here for mum.'
In the end, Draco, Bill, and Hermione, Ruby, Luna, Ginny, and Pansy all accompanied Harry, Hercules, Neville, and Angelina, despite Harry's original protests.
Dusk was beginning to fall as they landed just outside the Manor's gate. Draco signalled to a wooden gate in the tall stone wall that was tucked further away from the main gate and hidden from the view of the Manor's windows. Harry indicated he'd go first and with the Elder Wand drawn, he muttered an unlocking spell and carefully pushed the door open. He felt for resistance but there was none so he simply walked through. There's wasn't even any struggle or a pushing feeling. He just felt accepted by the house and grounds. Like he belonged. Draco looked at him quizzically but he shrugged as he easily adjusted the Wards to accept the others. Then he clamped down an Anti-Apparition Ward. The Floo's were still disabled so there was no chance of them escaping that way.
They crept nearer the house through the gardens sheltered by the huge hedges that lined the driveway. Harry didn't exactly want to stroll up front gravel path and knock on the door.
He held up a clenched fist, indicating he wanted absolute silence and for no one to move. Even Hercules stilled into a statuesque pose, waiting for his master. Harry probed the layers of magic that hummed around the manor house itself. After Hogwarts, it was easy now he knew how. He found the auras that lingered in the air. Of course, Draco's was dominant, and Narcissa's and Lucius's were easy to feel. He pushed those signs away, likewise the others that stood with him and the generations of Malfoys who'd lived at the Manor. He even felt Gladwyn Potter's magic amongst it all. He felt a shudder course through him as he recognised Tom Riddle's magic tainting the air and, also, Fenrir's, which was like a bad smell rather than a pattern or song of the others. The magic of other Death-Eaters lingered. But he felt the Carrows magic again, stronger than before. It was metallic and tasted off aniseed and made his lip curl. And he felt Minnie's magic too. It was weak and he hoped that was purely because she was surrounded by the shield the coven had conjured. The shield had that same quality that he'd felt in the garden at Beaumont, like material woven from spider's silk, strong and dangerous. It was magic he didn't understand fully, though he could feel it was woven through love.
'Ruby,' Harry summoned. 'Can you do a reconnoitre without being spotted?'
'Yes, Master Harry. I is going immediately.'
When Ruby returned, she confirmed that they were in what had been the large drawing room in the north side of the hall. The brother and sister were pacing the room, occasionally prodding at the invisible wall that surrounded Mistress Minerva, frustrated by its presence and occasionally trying to break it but failing. 'It is poking back at them,' said Ruby, almost smugly. 'Every time they is trying to reach her, the air is going golden and is pushing them away. I is also seeing the nasty brother trying to cast an Unforgiveable on the nice mistress but the wall is sending it straight back. He is writhing on the floor in much pain. He is screaming too. It is being much stronger than the spell that he is sending.'
'Stronger?' said Harry.
'About thirteen times stronger,' said Ruby, a smirk on her face.
'I see,' said Harry faintly. 'Well, that's good to know. Is he incapacitated?'
'Oh no, sir. I is believing he didn't cast a strong spell because he wasn't sure what would happen. Now men is knowing never to mess to witches' magic,' she added defiantly.
'Yes. Right. Are you listening, boys? No messing with the circle of magic around Minerva. We leave that to the formidable scary witches.'
'Sir, you is needing to know. There is more people in the Manor.'
'There are?'
'Yes. More nasty men with that Mark that poor Master Draco is forced to have unwillingly...'
'...more Death-Eaters?' said Harry, catching eyes with Draco at Ruby's bold defence of him.
'Yes, Master Harry. There is a man called Yaxley and someone called Rookwood, I is thinking.'
'Rookwood's there?'
Ginny actually growled at the mention of Rookwood.
'Yes, sir. They're in the conservatory. They is meant to be looking out but is drinking Butterbeer and getting drunk and talking big about being Death-Eaters again and trying to find Mr MacNair who is still in hiding.'
'So, they don't know MacNair was captured.'
'Clearly not, sir. And, also, that very bad werewolf is upstairs too.'
'Fenrir,' snarled Bill.
'Yes, Master Weasley. He is currently sleeping in Master Draco's old bed.'
'He's mine,' the red-haired man suddenly stood taller and more boldly and he seemed all the scarier for it. 'We should have brought the sword.'
'I'll go with Bill,' said Draco, who looked both furious and indignant that Fenrir was using his old bedroom. 'That beast has a lot to answer for. I refuse to be cowed by him any longer.'
'I'll go with them then,' said Angelina. 'There needs to be at least one Auror with each group.'
'I want Rookwood,' said Ginny fiercely. 'For Fred... and for Ron...'
'Right,' said Neville. 'I'll tackle Rookwood and Yaxley with you. Luna and Pansy, you're with me. Harry, are we setting a Tempus, simultaneous attack?'
'Yes.' He checked his watch. 'Okay, 1900 hours. It seems nicely balanced that it should occur exactly as the Sorting should begin. And gives everyone ten minutes to get in position. Ruby, will you go with Neville please, but stay out of trouble.'
Yes, Master Harry,' the little elf smirked and Harry didn't trust her at all.
'Ruby,' he warned. 'I don't want you getting hurt.'
'It is taking a lot to hurt a House-Elf, Master Harry,' she eyed him defiantly. 'I is stronger than a Fiendfyre! This way, Mr Neville.'
Harry and Mione watched everyone disappear off. Ruby leading Neville's group. Draco leading Bill and Angelina.
'Alright, Mione,' he whispered as they crept forward with Hercules.
'Just like old times,' said Hermione, though she wished Ron was with them too.
'Are you alright with this? It's the same room as, you know, where Bellatrix...'
'More than alright. Time to face the demons and put that memory to bed.'
'Okay. Well, you go straight for mum. I'll deal with the Carrows.'
'Are you sure?'
'They won't know what's hit them. They'll learn never to mess with me again.'
'They should have learnt that four and half years ago, H.'
'Not everyone possesses your intelligence,' he smiled ruefully.
They reached the northside of the house and scouted along the outside until they found the room with windows purposely covered so no light would show to the outside world. Harry could sense their presence. They crept along to the next room and Harry carefully slid the window up silently. Once more he marvelled at the Manor's acceptance of his presence and wondered why it wasn't Warded against him. He worried that it might be a trap, feeling cautiously for elements of magic which might suggest so, but it didn't make sense for how could the Carrows change the Wards at the Manor when they weren't in a position to do so. When Hercules nudged passed him and silently leapt through the opening, he knew it was an all-clear.
He carefully climbed in after Hercules and helped Mione up after him. His heart was thumping wildly. Harry immediately cast a silencing charm, they had to work in absolute silence to make sure the Carrows didn't become aware of their presence.
They had climbed into a large empty room, strangely unfurnished and lacking in decoration apart from one portrait around which were numerous scorch marks on the wall.
'Gladwyn Potter,' whispered Harry.
'Hello, Harry,' she said. 'No need to look so confused. It seems that the more recent generations of Malfoys have not learnt that they can't erase their history. They've tried many times to remove me from the house but my portrait is as stuck as I wish it to be,' she said in a conspiratorial tone.
Harry knew all about removing portraits after getting rid of Walburga Black's portrait at Grimmauld Place. It had been surprisingly easy but then, it was all about intent, both his and the portraits'.
'Rumour has it the houses are united again?' asked Gladwyn.
'Yes.'
'Congratulations. A Potter-Malfoy union is a very special bond.'
'Your portrait isn't at the hall,' Harry realised. 'Merlin, that might have saved us time, if you could have told us there were visitors here.'
'Yes,' she said sadly. 'You will add me? It was an oversight that was never corrected. I would like to see my family again...'
'...Harry!' hissed Hermione, signalling to her watch.
'I'm afraid I must keep going,' said Harry.
'Of course. Ms Granger might consider using the secret door just to the left of this fireplace. The latch is to my left, a discreet button on the underside of the frame. And Harry...'
'Yes?'
'Be careful, the door into the corridor squeaks unnaturally loudly. I believe it's meant to prevent prying eyes from coming to see me. It's nice to have a visitor again. And good luck, not that you need it.'
'Wait for my sign, Mione,' his whispered.
'Which is?'
'You'll know...'
Harry crept to the door, cast an extra strong 'Muffliato', and opened it. He walked silently down the dark corridor, now retracing familiar steps for he recognised coming this way with Ron when they'd broken out of the cellar after Wormtail's metal hand had turned on him.
At exactly 7pm on Sunday 1st September 2002, just as Professor Flitwick started the Sorting Ceremony far away in Scotland, three simultaneous attacks happened in the three separate locations in Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire.
Harry and Hercules quietly opened the door into the drawing room and stood in the opening. When the Carrows failed to recognise his presence, he nonchalantly leant against the door jamb, taking in the scene before him and gaining knowledge of what he was facing before acting. He watched them cautiously trying to run diagnostic spells over the shield, their backs to him.
The room still felt distantly familiar, considering time had flashed past from when he was here over four years ago. But now, where the dim, barely-lit room had once been sumptuously decorated and furnished, it was empty. He could still plainly imagine the rug, the sofa he'd vaulted, the furniture that was now gone. As were the portraits, though he remembered Narcissa said they were all in storage. The only thing that remained was the armchair that Draco had sat in so elegantly, though now it was a dusty and sagging relic of the past. Still, he clearly remembered it as the same place from where they were brought when they were captured by the Snatchers during the war.
Minnie was tied to a chair in the centre of the bare room. Her head lolled to chest, her hair was dishevelled and loosened from its normally neat bun. Her green robes were torn from what had clearly been a physical scuffle. She appeared unconscious but Harry wasn't one-hundred percent sure. There was blood at her temple.
Harry's heart lurched that anyone could do that to Minnie, that anyone should dare to touch her. He dreaded to think the spells that had been cast on her and his jaw clenched in tightness at the knowledge that Amycus had never held back on a Cruciatus.
He raised his wand, as yet unannounced. Etiquette be damned, he would cast on their turned backs.
But Hercules staid his hand and the dog quietly nudged his leg. He did a second scan of the room. This time feeling the presence of Dark Magic beneath the golden web of protection. He looked at Minnie again and that was when he saw the amulet around her neck, nearly invisible because of the way it was tucked into the folds of her black blouse.
What had they done?
His biggest challenge, he thought, was to give Mione time to get to Minnie. He had to keep the Carrows attention on him and him alone. That meant playing. A small smile pulled at his lips. If they were going to fuck with Minnie, then he was going to fuck with them... They were, he decided, woefully unprepared for what was coming next. After all, if they had any sense, they would have had a better guard in place. They should have been expecting him. Instead, they were too complacent.
Time to have some fun...
His stunning spell struck Alecto between the shoulder blades, sending her lurching forward so she tripped and sprawled across the floor. At the same time, Amycus was pulled onto his arse with his feet in the air. For a moment, they looked just like Muggle clowns falling over in the middle of a circus ring.
Of course, his Auror training had always taught him to go for the element of surprise in his spellwork; a surprise that could be thoroughly disconcerting to an opponent.
And maybe it was because he could imagine Draco sitting in his armchair watching the Carrows with disgust, that small wicked smirk playing in his eyes and twitching on his lips at their foolishness, but just for effect and his own amusement, Harry conjured the noise of a base-drum thumping twice and a cymbal crashing. The sound reverberating and echoing around the empty room.
That was when Mione carefully sidled through the secret door, remaining in the shadows behind the Carrows' backs.
Although they were caught off guard and disorientated, they were quick enough to recover and Harry smiled as they both turned on him.
'Evening,' he said, casually, taking a page out of George's book.
'Potty!' Alecto leered. 'Come to play with the big boys and girls!'
Harry fleetingly realised she reminded him of Miss Trunchbull from Roald Dahl's Matilda: eccentric and bloodthirsty and stubbornly stupid.
'Merlin, you're more idiotic than I realised.' He pushed off the doorframe. 'No, I've come to toy with the clowns,' he answered with a sneer that Draco would have been proud of. He still imagined Draco sitting in his armchair watching with a knowing glint of amusement in his mercury eyes as Harry was putting on a show for him. He looked forward to showing him the memory.
There was a whirring sound and several loud clicks and then the room was flooded with bright white lights pouring down from every corner. The shock on the Carrows' faces was worth it, especially as he hadn't even raised his wand.
They fired spells at him in earnest but it was child's play to him. He knew he was drawing on the magic from the manor too but with the Elder Wand and his own latent power, it was too easy. He hadn't even tried yet, he just deflected spell after spell, sending them back at them.
'You're not trying very hard,' he mocked.
Amycus was visibly sweating and Alecto was quickly losing any composure she possessed.
He was possibly enjoying himself too much, he realised, as he started to aim the rebounding spells at their feet and ankles. He lazily watched the Carrows jumping and hopping as they tried to avoid their own spells. They looked like dancing puppets on strings and he was tempted to fill the manor with the sound of circus music. He didn't. He was aware that might scare his friends as much as his foes.
'You really shouldn't have pissed me off,' he said quietly. 'You really shouldn't have gone after my mum.'
Hercules had left his side and was circling the shield around Minnie. And Harry kept one eye on Hermione as she crept through the secret door towards the shield. She tiptoed behind their backs like a villain in a pantomime, her wand raised, muttering as she tried to work out how to get to Minnie. They had discussed that they weren't sure how Minnie was to be retrieved from behind it or even if the shield would recognise Hermione and allow her to cross into its protection.
Harry didn't resist the urge to flick a wandless charm at the Carrows that transfigured their clothing.
'Why so glum, Amycus?' Harry sneered.
Amycus gasped in horror to find himself dressed in loose white tunic and wide matching trousers. He tried to whip off the black hat but found it stuck to his head.
'But then again, Pierrot always was the naïve and trusting fool.'
'Leave it,' hissed Electo, ignoring her own suddenly curling strawberry-red-hair, oversized checked jacket and huge clown shoes. She was still trying to duel with Harry but his shields were too strong.
'Did you really think your sister's plans would succeed? What did she promise you, Amycus? Greatness, akin to Voldemort's? A new life where you weren't on the run and hiding out in old musty mansions with drunken fools and a dangerous werewolf? Did she promise a gathering of Death-Eaters ready for the call for action? Did she promise you'd unfathomable success in overthrowing the Ministry of Magic again? Did she say that Wizarding-kind were still anxious to follow your ways...?'
Despite being caked in white face-paint with stupid red-grin on her lips and surprised eyebrows rising up beneath her patched bowler hat, Electo's face was a picture of fury.
'So, she did? She offered promises she couldn't hope to keep. Did she not tell you that dream was over when I killed Voldemort? Or that her pitiful attempts to raise insurrection using Justin Finch-Fletchley failed with his death too? Or that we've been arresting Death-Easters by the dozen as they tried to re-enter the country? There's a pattern emerging, have you spotted it yet? You're clowns, the pair of you...'
Electo screamed, wild and furious in frustration and she ran at Harry. He knocked her back with a careless flick of the Elder Wand and a wordless 'Protego Duo'.
She skidded backwards across the tiles, the cloth of her costume ripping and buttons popping from the jacket. Her clown shoes flailed awkwardly in the air. She didn't look bloodthirsty anymore as she skidded into the shield that surrounded Minnie. She emitted a petrified howl as she shimmered briefly before she appeared to pass through the gold curtain that became visible at her contact with it. With a double 'honk' of a car horn, it expelled her as quickly as it swallowed her and she was thrown across the room and hit the wall opposite with a sickening crunch. She collapsed, insensible, her wand clattering as rolled across the tiles from her reach.
'Oh dear,' said Harry merrily, smiling evilly at Amycus.
Amycus roared in anger, partly through fear for his beloved sister and partly because he'd spotted Hermione.
'Filthy Mudblood!' he yelled.
The replay of those words in that very same room was enough for Hermione to momentarily freeze and Amycus raised his wand.
'Avada Kada...'
Hercules was quicker, he leapt at Hermione, knocking her through the golden shield. She staggered, tumbling towards Minnie's feet with the huge dog on top of her. Amycus's killing curse hit exactly where she'd been standing, barely missing Hercules's tail. The gold surface shimmered into life again as the spell hit it, the green light tainting the surface briefly like poisoned veins. The surface seemed to bow away from Amycus like an elastic sheet before the spell was shot back with thirteen times the strength it was cast with.
Amycus Carrow fell to the floor, instantly dead. Killed by his own hand.
'DON'T TOUCH HER!' Harry yelled as Hermione reached out to touch the slumped form of Minerva McGonagall. Hercules's teeth wrapped around her wrist, just enough to stop her hand making contact. The huge dog then stood between Minerva and Hermione, growling softly.
Harry's Auror training kicked in and he secured the fallen wands from Amycus and Alecto. There was nothing he could do for Amycus so he left the body where it was. Robards's team could deal with it when they eventually arrived. He didn't bother the transfigure their proper clothing back; they could remain as clowns.
He turned towards Alecto; she was slowly coming round so he cast a strong binding spell about her body.
She leered sickeningly through her make up, 'you're too late, Potty. She's dying anyway. It's amazing how weak she was, after all that. She had seemed so formidable once upon a time but she's nothing but a weak old woman.'
'Tell me what the amulet does?' he snarled as he towered over her prone figure.
'Damned if you do, damned if you don't, Potty. Take it off her, she dies. Leave it around her neck, she dies. What will you do?' she laughed, evil twisting her features into ugly hatred.
Harry's boot connected with the side of Alecto's face, smudging the face paint, splitting her lip, and causing her to lose several teeth. He felt no remorse as her head cracked heavily against the wall and she slumped back into unconsciousness.
It was then that the shield finally fell and he was able to run forward to Minnie, sliding on his knees so he came to halt beside her. She was barely alive, barely breathing.
'I need Theo,' he whispered and his Patronus went soaring away. 'I'm taking her Beaumont. Hold on!' He gripped the chair that Minerva was tied to, Mione clung to his arm and Hercules gripped his leg with his large jaw, just enough to hold on securely. The three of them Apparated straight into the great hall at Beaumont, chair and all.
'HARRY!' Molly and Poppy rushed forward when they appeared, falling away from each other in a tumble.
'Don't touch her!' he warned. He could feel the darkness radiating off the amulet and Hercules was already standing guard.
'Where's Draco, where are the others?' said Narcissa.
'I had to get her here. Alecto said if we remove the amulet, she dies. If it remains around her neck, she dies. I need space. I need to think. I've asked Theo to come, he understands these things. Bill too when he gets here. I'm taking her up to her room.'
Still, using the Elder Wand, he ran a diagnostic spell he barely realised he knew. He supposed he'd heard Poppy run them enough times.
'You can carry her,' said Poppy softly, touching his arm gently. 'Just don't connect with any part of the amulet, not even the chain.'
The ropes which held her to the chair fell away without a second thought and he levitated Minnie into his arms.
She felt so light and fragile that he felt a lump clog in his throat. She couldn't leave him now. He wasn't ready for this. Not yet.
And he carefully carried her up to the south wing to her room at the end of the corridor, barely able to stop the tears the had sprung to his green eyes. Hercules followed closely, practically brushing his legs.
'Don't ask,' he whispered hoarsely to the bust of Henry Potter as he carried Minerva past.
He laid her carefully on the bed, gently removing her boots and easing her coat from her shoulders. Poppy helped so that the amulet remained as undisturbed as possible.
And he slumped into a chair by the bed, holding her ancient, slightly gnarly fingers with their paper-thin skin in his hands.
'Please, Minnie,' he pleaded. 'Please, mum. Hang in there, for me. Hang in there.'
***