Forsaken
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
50
Views:
2,146
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
50
Views:
2,146
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Baiting the Hook
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.
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Chapter 14 - Baiting the Hook
The next day, Harry mechanically went through the motions of running laps and casting the same spells over and over again. He knew Severus was getting upset with him, but his heart just wasn’t in it. The full moon was the next Monday. He had received a wedding invitation from Hedwig that morning, along with a note from Ginny. Apparently, Bill and Fleur had decided to keep the wedding fairly small and casual, so that people could come on a short notice. The wedding was to be the next day at three. All of this weighed heavily on his mind as Severus was explaining a couple of shielding methods.
“These shields are most useful during a heated duel,” said Severus, watching Harry’s eyes glaze over for the fifth time, “as they are easy to cast quickly.” He narrowed his eyes. “And did I tell you that the Dark Lord is right behind you, throwing streamers and holding a huge carrot cake?”
“Huh?” said Harry, coming out of his thoughts. “Sorry, Professor. I wasn’t paying attention.”
“I noticed,” said Severus smoothly. He rubbed his face with both hands, refraining himself from yelling or strangling the boy. “I cannot work with you when you’re like this, Harry.”
“Sorry, sir,” mumbled Harry, hitting his hand against his leg. Severus walked over to stand in front of him. He tilted Harry’s chin up firmly with his hand, forcing him to look in his eyes. After a few moments, Severus nodded, letting go of Harry’s face.
“I don’t like it when you do that,” said Harry sullenly, rubbing his jaw.
“I know you don’t,” said Severus, “and I’m sorry, but to be honest, I’m rather worried about you.”
“I’m fine,” said Harry unconvincingly.
“No, you’re not,” said Severus a bit sternly. Harry brushed a bit of dirt off his shirt, avoiding Severus’s piercing gaze. “Back to the house with you.”
“Look, I’m sorry,” said Harry quickly. “I’ll try again.” Severus caught him around the chest and guided him towards the door.
“Come with me, please,” said Severus, keeping his arm around Harry’s shoulders. They walked outside and made their way down the street.
“I’m going to send you on to the Burrow,” said Severus. “You can be around your friends before the wedding tomorrow. I’m sure Miss Weasley is very anxious to see you.” He smiled at the slight flush of Harry’s cheeks. He opened the door for Harry and ushered him through. “Go up and pack your things. You ought to send word ahead that you’re coming early so Molly and Arthur can be expecting you for supper.”
“Alright,” said Harry, making his way upstairs. Severus straightened up the sitting room, noticing Harry’s bank portfolio still lying on the table. He picked it up and took it upstairs to his office before going on to Harry’s room. Harry stood in the center of the room, a small bag overflowing with robes sitting on the bed, looking around for anything he’d forgotten.
“You need a proper bag, child,” said Severus. “Your robes will be horribly wrinkled by the time you arrive.” Harry shrugged, flipping the top of his knapsack over and slinging it over his shoulder.
“Mrs. Weasley or Hermione can fix them,” said Harry, still looking around. Severus shook his head, sweeping his wand across the floor and piling Harry’s dirty clothes into a corner.
“I think I’ve got everything,” said Harry. Severus swallowed his worry and gave him a small smile.
“Have a good time,” said Severus. “Behave yourself and be careful.”
“Aren’t I always?” asked Harry cheekily.
“I don’t think you want me to answer that,” muttered Severus. He waved Harry out into the hallway.
“I want you to be very vigilant, Harry,” said Severus softly as he walked with Harry downstairs. “Keep your head about you if things should go ill.” Harry nodded firmly.
“Yes sir,” he answered. “Can I patronus you if something happens?”
“No,” said Severus. “If the attack is ordered, I will be in a location where I will be unable to receive any messages.” Harry paused by the door, shifting his pack a little.
“Oh,” said Harry quietly, troubled at the thought. Severus pulled open the door and put his hand Harry’s shoulder.
“I cannot have you worrying about me,” said Severus very softly. “I’ll be fine. Now, go on.”
“Bye,” said Harry. He took off down the road, striding swiftly down the street. Severus watched him until he moved out of sight.
~~+~~+~~+~~
Harry apparated to the end of the lane, his spirits lifting at the sight of the crooked old house. He walked casually down the road, spotting a pair of redheads and a brunette out in the garden. One of the redheads turned towards him.
“HARRY!” cried Ginny. She dropped the gnome she had just pulled out of the ground and sprinted towards him. He caught her in his arms, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around.
“Ginevra Weasley, you’re filthy!” shouted Molly, coming from inside the house. “You’re getting dirt all over him.” Harry pressed a kiss to Ginny’s forehead and met Molly halfway. He bent and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
“It’s good to see you, Mrs. Weasley,” said Harry as Ron and Hermione ran up behind her.
“Hiya, Harry,” said Ron. Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry’s neck tightly.
“Hermione,” gasped Harry, “can’t - breathe -“
“Oh, sorry, Harry,” said Hermione, letting him go. “It’s so good to see you! We hadn’t heard from you since you went home. We were beginning to get worried about you. And then you left Hedwig with Ginny -“
“My uncle isn’t fond of my owl,” said Harry darkly. Ron and Hermione glanced at each other, watching Harry carefully as he put his arms back around Ginny. Molly smiled knowingly at them and turned back towards the house.
“You all get cleaned up,” she said. “Dinner will be ready soon.” She shooed a few chickens out of her path and walked back inside.
“You alright, mate?” asked Ron quietly. “You seem a bit - I don’t know.” He looked to Hermione for help.
“I’m fine,” said Harry, forcing a grin on his face despite the hair standing up on the back of his neck. He looked around, searching the grove around the makeshift Quidditch pitch in particular.
“Come on, Harry,” said Ginny softly, noticing his tenseness. “Let’s go inside.” Harry turned back to her and brushed a stray hair from her face. He took her hand and walked with her to the house, unable to shake the feeling of anticipation.
Dinner was a quiet affair, as the twins were in London working on a last-minute surprise gift for Bill and the groom himself was staying with Fleur’s family to make sure they arrived safely the next day. After supper, Ron and Hermione took Harry out to the garden, showing him the small white tent that had been set up for the ceremony. They and Ginny had worked the entire week decorating and setting up the chairs. Harry walked halfway down the aisle and turned into one of the rows. He sat in the middle of the row and looked around, noticing the limited visibility from where he was.
“You expecting someone to pop out of the bushes?” teased Ron as he sat beside him.
“I couldn’t see them if they did,” said Harry seriously, causing Ron’s face to fall. “You might want to tell your dad to have an Order member patrolling the perimeter of the garden during the ceremony.”
“Harry, everything’s going to be fine,” said Hermione, sitting in the row in front of them with Ginny. “Mr. Weasley and Professor Lupin made sure the wards are working properly a few days ago. No one can apparate directly into the garden.”
“And besides,” said Ron, slouching down in his seat and closing his eyes. “No one outside of the Order and Fleur’s family know about the wedding. That’s why the invitations went out just this week. Fleur’s parents were furious at Mum and Dad for that.”
“Well, it was necessary,” muttered Harry, his eyes roving back towards the Quidditch pitch.
“Harry, what’s wrong with you?” asked Hermione. “You act as if Death Eaters are going to -“ Harry jumped up from his chair, sliding his wand into his hand as he caught sight of movement among the trees.
“Ginny, get back to the house,” said Harry quietly. “Tell your dad to Patronus the Order. There are Death Eaters in the Quidditch grove. Go through the back door.” Ginny squeezed past Hermione and quickly made her way back into the house.
“You two, come with me,” said Harry intensely as he crept along the sides of the tent, his heart thumping at the flash of wand sparks in the grove. He turned slightly at the sound of rapid footsteps behind them.
“Where are they, Harry?” asked Arthur. Harry pointed at the trees nearest the house. Arthur scanned the area, spotting a white mask turn towards the house. They froze in horror as Molly stepped out of the front door, in plain sight of both them and the Death Eaters.
“Shit,” muttered Harry, taking off towards her with Arthur right on his heels.
“MOLLY, GET INSIDE!” shouted Arthur as the first spells shot at her from the grove. Harry erected one of the huge shields Severus had taught him earlier that day, reflecting all of the spells back at their casters. Ron and Hermione exchanged quick glances of shock before firing off stunners into the trees. The Death Eaters advanced on the house, rapidly circling around Harry.
“Oh wook at wittle Harry!” cooed one of the Death Eaters, dodging a stunner from Ron. Harry smirked and shot several nonverbal stunners in a row at Bellatrix, smiling smugly as her eyes widened. The Death Eaters on either side of her fell unconscious to the ground, giving Harry a chance to hit her with a Bludgeoning hex.
“LEAVE HIM TO ME!” shouted a voice behind him. Harry turned and watched Lucius Malfoy lift his mask.
“Mr. Malfoy,” said Harry, not seeing Moody, Kingsley, Tonks and Doge all run towards them from the lane. “You enjoying being out of prison?”
“Not particularly,” answered Lucius icily. “But your scarred head on a platter might make me feel much better!” He fired several high powered spells. Harry blocked them all and shot back. Within seconds, all that could be seen were the multiple colors of spells and shields going back and forth between them. Harry could feel his body getting tired, unused to casting the Auror-level spells for extended periods of time. He could see Lucius tiring as well, beads of sweat running down the man’s face and mixing with the blood from his nose. Suddenly, Lucius fell face first to the ground in front of Harry. Harry looked up and saw Ginny’s fierce face, her wand pointed at Lucius’s unmoving back.
“Incarcerous,” muttered Harry, binding Lucius in thin ropes from chest to ankles. He swiftly stepped around him and grabbed Ginny’s arm.
“Get back inside!” shouted Harry, firing off spells at the other Death Eaters around Kingsley and Arthur. Ginny aimed her wand and hit a Death Eater with her Bat-Bogey hex.
“No!” said Ginny firmly. She ripped her arm out of Harry’s hand and ran towards where Ron and Hermione were battling three Death Eaters. Harry watched her helplessly, not seeing Adrian Pucey aim a Slicing hex at him. The spell caught him across the chest, ripping open his shirt and splattering the ground with blood.
“Gotcha Potter!” shouted Adrian, running towards him. “You’re not so tough now, are you Po-“ Harry hit him dead in the chest with a nonverbal stunner, followed by a Binding charm.
“Idiot,” muttered Harry, pulling his hand away from his chest. It was dripping wet. He quickly ducked behind the wood shed and tried to heal the cut, remembering the incantation from the Healer’s manual. He had just completed the first cycle when the air was pierced by an ear-splitting scream.
“Ginny!” murmured Harry, racing around the shed to see her limp body draped over Lucius Malfoy’s shoulder, who had been freed of his bonds. Lucius spotted him and grinned evilly, pulling out a round disk from his pocket.
“See you soon, Potter!” he shouted, activating his portkey. Harry fired a spell, but it went through thin air, hitting the ground where Lucius had been standing. The rest of the Death Eaters, even the ones that had been tied up or unconscious, all disappeared in flashes of green light, portkeying back to Voldemort’s receiving chamber. Harry fell to his knees, unable to catch his breath as he stared at where Ginny had been.
“COME BACK HERE, YOU FUCKING COWARDS!” screamed Ron, tears streaming down his face as he ran towards the grove. “COME BACK!” Molly ran out of the house.
“Arthur!” she cried. “I can’t find Ginny!” Arthur turned towards her, his ashen face clearly visible in the dying sunlight.
“They - they took her,” he said shakily. Molly shook her head in disbelief.
“No,” she said, her voice trembling. “Stop messing around, Arthur. She was just in the house. I told her to go and -“
“Molly, they’ve got her,” repeated Arthur, taking Molly’s arms in his hands. “They’ve got her, love.” Tears ran down her face as she wrapped her arms around his waist. She broke down in tears, burying her face in Arthur’s robes. Arthur hugged her tightly, the tears rolling off his face into her hair. Kingsley quickly ran over to Harry, kneeling down beside him.
“Harry?” he said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Harry, it’s going to be alright. We’ll get her back.” He lowered his voice, glancing quickly over his shoulder. “Severus will look after her.” Harry nodded, the fury coursing through his veins hardening into determination.
“We need to get them out of here,” said Harry, getting control of himself as he stood from the ground. “Patronus Bill. And get a hold of Fred and George. I want them to start working on any of their stuff that can be weaponized.”
“Kingsley,” said Doge, running up to them. “We’ve gotta get them outta here. If those Death Eaters come back with reinforcements -“
“They have what they want. They won’t be back,” said Harry commandingly. “Take them to Headquarters. Snape isn’t going to risk going there and running into half the Order when he can’t bring anyone else with him. Take Moody and have him ward against anyone bearing the Dark Mark. I need them somewhere safe where they can’t be used as bait.” Doge glanced at Kingsley questioningly.
“Go, man!” shouted Kingsley. “You’ve got your orders!” Doge jumped a little and ran over to Moody.
“This is all your fault!” screamed Ron, striding furiously over to Harry. “I knew letting her go out with you would end up badly!”
“Ron, stop it!” shouted Hermione. “Harry couldn’t have stopped her from -“
“It’s alright, Hermione,” said Harry evenly, swallowing a bitter retort. “Ron’s right.” Her jaw dropped a little.
“Damn right I’m right!” yelled Ron. “If my sister dies, I swear to God, Potter, I will murder you with my bare hands!”
“Voldemort won’t kill her unless I’m there to watch it,” said Harry bitterly, “in which case, he will kill me for you.” He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat at the thought. “I’m not going to let her die, not if I can do anything about it.”
“I don’t want to see your scarred face until we get her back, alive and unharmed. Do you hear me?” spat Ron viciously. He turned around and marched back to where his parents were talking with Moody.
“I’m sorry, Harry,” said Hermione tearfully. “Don’t be mad at him. He’s upset and overwhelmed.”
“And with good reason,” said Harry sadly. “Hermione, don’t let him go off and do something stupid. Make sure he stays with you. Got it?”
“Alright, Harry,” said Hermione. Harry gave her a quick hug.
“Go,” said Harry. “Take Hedwig with you.” Hermione nodded and walked slowly over to stand with Ron. Kingsley put a hand on Harry’s shoulder.
“Anything else you want me to do?” he asked. Harry sighed, rubbing his hands on his shirt.
“The full moon is in two days,” said Harry softly. “Where is Remus?”
“Shrieking Shack, I believe,” said Kingsley quietly. “Severus thought it would be a bit safer, as Remus could get to the castle quickly if he needed to. The grounds have been refortified against enemy intruders. Greyback won’t be able to get in before setting off the alarms and trap jinxes we’ve got laid around the perimeter. I’ve got a squadron of Aurors waiting to apparate to the castle as soon as those alarms are sounded.”
“Good,” said Harry, his mind working quickly. “Do you think we could get away with a few Council members spending the night at Hogwarts to be there Monday morning, just in case?” Kingsley thought for a moment.
“It’s possible,” he said. He waited for Tonks to walk around them to continue. “Ask Severus. He knows better than I do what we can and can’t get away with. Patronus me with any details.”
“Thanks, Kingsley,” said Harry. He jogged back to the house, the pain in his chest growing rapidly as the adrenaline from dueling wore off. He summoned his pack from Ron’s room, hearing it thump dully against the walls as it bounced down the staircase and into his hand. He strode past the Weasleys, giving Arthur a nod as he walked quickly down the lane. Arthur returned it, his arm still tightly around Molly as Moody continued to talk to them about going to Headquarters.