Doppelganger

Chpt 17 The Phoenix Strikes

The magical and doppelgangers watched as the first group of twenty entered the room, a golden Phoenix mask disguising their face.

Mr. Potter looked to the group in satisfaction. As the black robes and skull mask of the Deatheaters placed fear to the Wizarding world, their red robes and mask would offer hope. It was basic psy warfare.

He watched as Madame Pomphrey's apprentice Alice arrive and removed her medical robes as she put on the red one handed to her ensuring that her left arm was never exposed.

Mr. Potter noticed the witch's discomfort. "It seems you are right Professor Snape. Look how nervous she is."

Severus looked over to his fellow Deatheater and chuckled. "Yes Mr. Potter and she should be as her comrades tend to kill when attacked."

Mr. Potter turned to Harry. "Go over and talk to her as we discussed so that we can observe her before the attack plans are revealed."

Harry walked over to Alice who was struggling with her mask. "Good to see you again Alice. It has been some time since we were on a mission together. How have you been?"

Alice recognized the voice behind the mask. "Harry! When are you going to take me up on the offer of drinks and more?" Holding her mask and looking to him seductively.

"As soon as Voldemort is defeated." Watching as the witch shudder at the name. "You have a beautiful voice and it is alluring to me." Grabbing her hand and placing a lingering kiss upon it

Holy Merlin. The Boy-Who-Lived was actually flirting with her throwing her off guard.

Back to where the group was hidden Ron exclaimed. "Where on earth did he come up with that line of bunk!"

Mrs. Potter kissed her husband's cheek. "And you said that reading all those romance novels would never amount to anything." The rest of the group quietly laughed as they held their Extendable Ears out and continued to listen.

Alice looked to Harry. "Is the mask and robes really necessary Harry? I can hardly see through the thing."

Harry looked to her in sympathy as he placed her mask on her and adjusted it. "Better Alice?"

"Much better Harry." Alice replied as she caught up his hand and held it. Harry squeezed her hand for a moment before he let it go. "Lets keep my being here a secret for if Voldemort found out he would begin searching for me. Let him continue to think that I am a coward and hiding in fear."

"Our secret Harry." She told him as she made her way to the attack group that was waiting for Albus to appear.

Harry discretely Disillisioned himself and made his way over to his group. "How did I do?"

Hermione laughed as she hugged him. "Harry that was the cheesiest pick up line ever."

Ginny punched Harry hard. "Don't get any ideas Harry."

Harry laughed and picked her up and twirled her around. "Never fear Ginny for you are the only witch for me."

Severus watched the interactions amazed at the calmness. They knew the details of the mission and it was not an easy one. The magical and muggles were forming into a team. He felt a warm hand grab his for a moment and immediately dropped it as he looked into the warm brown eyes of his wife. He looked around for a moment and motioned for her to follow him.

"I sense your worry Severus. Everything will be fine." Hermione told him.

"Do not let your guard down Hermione. When the wands come out it will not be tickling charms that are cast against you." Severus growled to her. Damn that foolish Gryffindor bravery.

Hermione looked to him as she heard his unspoken admonishment toward Gryffindor. "I'll try to keep my foolish Gryffindor bravery in check Severus. How was I able to sense your unspoken thought? Is it because of our Bonding?"

"We'll discuss it when you come back Hermione." Leaving her as he noticed that Albus arrived and was calling the group together.

"My friends it has been far too long for us to sit back and not take any action allowing Voldemort strengthen his position and kill our citizens. We are taking the fight to him beginning tonight." He continued despite the shudders of the group at the mention of the dark lord's name. "You have a very important mission tonight as we are going to capture some of the Inner Circle. We will pursue him like a hound on a hunt until he is forced to address us. Standing beside me is your mission leaders. Get with them and go over the plans."

The group cheered as Albus stepped down.

Severus watched the cheering group. If they only knew who one of the intended targets were they would be quitting the Order post haste and leaving the country for the wizard used brute force and influence with a deadly hand.

!#$

Felisha, the owner of Felisha's Fetishes watched as Lord Malfoy walked in with eight other wizards. She cursed to herself as she did not want to get involved with it but a wizard she did not recognize pulled her aside and mentioned her other illicit activities two days previously.

"You have a choice Madame. Go along or I will close you down and arrange a very nice stay for you at Azkaban." Sliding the Auror badge to her.

Felisha picked up the badge and examined and slid it back to the wizard. "What do you require of me?"

The wizard explained what was needed.

Felisha looked to him in disbelief. "I find it hard to believe that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is involved with this."

The wizard withdrew his wand as he waited for her answer.

She sighed. "Very well as I have no choice in this."

"A wise choice Madame." The wizard replied as he dropped a money bag onto the counter. "This should take care of any inconvienance." Nodding to her as he left her establishment.

&*()(

Felicia escorted Lord Malfoy and his group to the Caligula room where twelve of her best girls were waiting. Lord Malfoy had certain taste and paid well to indulge in his pleasures. She made her way back down the stairs and froze looking to a masked group pointing their wands at her and that the girls and patrons that were in the main room were laying on the floor.

She held her wand in her pocket and intoned "Mufflatio." To ensure no conversation would reach upstairs and continued down the stairs as she watched a figure cast strong anti-apparation and listening wards around her business. "You didn't have to do that you know. My business is well known for protecting the identities of my clients and their activities."

"I'm sure that your wards do well for your business but it is always wise to make sure." A voice replied with a light chuckle. "Besides your wards a specifically designed for your clients and your employees and we do not fall into those categories."

Felicia's face fell as she recognized the voice of the wizard from before. Damn. She had attuned her wards to a group of wizards that she had paid to come in and deal whatever the strange wizard had planned. "So what happens to me and my girls wizard? I am sure the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is not involved at all as none of your group are in the robes of an Auror."

Another masked form stepped forward. "We are the Order of the Phoenix and we are taking the Dark Lord down. As for what will happen we'll knock everyone out except for our target. They are in the Caligula room?"

"Yes" Felicia replied. "Have you been in that room before?" She sweetly asked.

The masked wizard motioned to the other wizard and they stepped back and whispered to one another. Soon the masked group was up the stairs.

Ten minutes later the group came back down the stairs and approached their leader. "All of the patrons and the girls have been knocked out. Only our target remain."

"Go and sit Phoenix. We will be very busy shortly." Turning his attention back to Felicia. "I am sure that our target orders "refreshments" during the activities. When would that be?" Pulling out a moneybag and sliding it to her.

Felicia picked up the bag and placed it under the counter. "In an hour or so. The globe on this counter turns blue whenever…." As she suddenly fell unconcious and fell to the floor.

Harry placed his wand back into his robe and sat at one of the lounge chairs and put his attention to the blue globe on the counter.

Harry stood up as the globe suddenly turned blue. "Our goal is to capture Lord Malfoy even if you must kill others to complete this. Medic you will remain here until we call for you as your services will be required and I do not want to risk injury to you. Follow me!"

Alicia watched until the group was upstairs and not in view before she rushed to the door to try to escape to bring help. The door would not budge. She tried to Apparrate and that did not work as well. She walked over to the lounge chair and sat down. There was no way to get to the Dark Lord.

Albus briefed the doppelgangers and their group and watched as they left for their mission. "It all begins tonight Severus. What I should have done years ago."

Severus stepped from the shadows and pulled a bottle of firewhiskey from his robes and poured the fiery liquid into the tumblers that he conjured and handed one to the old wizard and sat down across from him.

Albus sipped from the glass. "You worry about her Severus?"

The dark wizard made no reply as he sipped on his drink.

"I worry for them all and I hope all will return."Albus replied as he waited.

!#$

Harry looked to his group with his wand held out. "Ready?" He whispered out. He saw the nods and wands and shouted out "Reducto!" and dived through the door and hit the floor as the rest of his group followed behind him.

The Deatheaters turned in surprise at the unexpected attack and those that had their wands began to defend themselves as others went for theirs.

"Avada Kedevra!" Malfoy shouted felling his attacker on continued on with deadly accuracy. He soon found himself in a three on one battle.

"Expelliarmous!" Harry shouted and watched as Malfoy deflect it away.

"Harry Potter finally decided to come out of hiding?" Malfoy snarled. "Stupefy!" His Lord would not forgive him if he let him escape.

Malfoy went to pick up the hated wizard and found his way blocked. "Give up Malfoy!"

"Ah a Weasley here as I recognize the voice. So if Potter is here and you are here who else have you brought to my little party? Not that pitiful werewolf I hope?" Watching as the wizard followed his wand.

Hermione heaved a dead body off of her and saw Malfoy standing with his wand pointed to one of her comrades. She crept along the floor slowly until she was directly behind the naked man and pointed her wand. "Incarcerous!" She thought and ropes shot from her wand and tightly bound him. She watched as he fell to the floor and picked up the wand that had dropped from him.

Malfoy watched as a form knelt down and saw his wand in gloved hands. A snap was heard and he felt the pieces strike his face as the figure looked to him.

"Not a pitiful werewolf." Hermione told him as she removed her mask. "Just a pitiful mudblood that Voldemort could not kill."

"Impossible!" Malfoy snarled out. I personally took your dead body back to Hogwarts."

A recovered Harry and Ron joined her. "You should have checked for a pulse then. Just think of it the great Pureblood Lord Malfoy bested by a witch and one not pure at that." Ron laughed out.

Malfoy said nothing as he looked up angrily to the wizards and witch.

Harry arose and addressed those still standing. "Check our fallen. Someone go and get our medic."

Alice entered the room amazed at all the damage and blood and began tend to the Phoenix as the survivors checked the enemy and separated the ones that showed signs of life.

Alice approached Harry. "Seven are dead and six are seriously injured and need to be taken away for care that I cannot perform here."

Remus overheard the conversation and walked over. "I've tended to my own wounds before and will take them to the safehouse if you do not need me."

"Thanks Remus." Harry replied as he handed him a port key. "This will take you back to the safehouse."

He turned and saw that Alice was tending to the three DeathEaters that survived.

Alice examined two of them and there was no obvious injuries other than that they were knocked out cold. She bound them up and turned to the third one that was bound and her eyes widened in surprise as she recognized Lord Malfoy looking at her in anger.

She picked up his left arm and examined the skull and snake on his arm as she allowed the sleeve of her robes to fall down and revealed a portion of her arm and looked to him.

Malfoy merely nodded in understanding as she dropped his arm and stood up. "These are not injured Harry."

Harry nodded to her. "Grab these up and use your port keys. I will escort Alice and be right behind you."

The room emptied leaving Alice and Harry alone. She watched as he began to check the girls and joined him.

Harry looked to her. "Any of them killed by magic?"

Alice used her wand. "No Harry. Judging by the bruising and blood on their body they were killed by physical means. All of them were choked to death." Pointing to the dark bruising on the neck.

Harry looked to the dead and was saddened as most were very beautiful and barely of age. He wondered what had brought them to that place. He shook his head and put his mask back on and motioned for Alice to follow as he led her out of the room and down the stairs. He stood in the parlour for a moment and then led her out the door into the dark alley watching wizards and witches draw into the shadow.

Harry pointed his wand to his neck and muttered Sonorus to amplify his voice. "If you are in league with Voldemort I would be rethinking where your loyalty lay. We will be coming for you." He pointed his wand to the sky and shouted "Phomorde!" and a fiery phoenix appeared in the sky above the alley. He wrapped his arms around Alice and apparated away.

!#$

Severus and Albus jumped up from their chairs as Remus appeared with the wounded and began to examine them as Remus called up the stairs for Madame Pomphrey.

She started to examine them and called out. "Severus I need your help as I cannot heal them all on my own."

"Of course Poppy." Severus replied as he pulled a mask off one and was thankful to find that it was not Hermione. He pulled out a Blood Replenishing potion and before he could administer it the wizard coughed up blood, spasmed and died. He immediately moved to the next.

He glanced up as more people entered the room and watched as they pulled off their mask. Finding Hermione he noticed that her robes were soaked in blood.

Hermione saw the worry in her husband's eyes and thought to him. "I am unharmed. The blood you see is from someone else."

Severus nodded and continued his work relieved that his witch was well.

!#$

The second group observed the entrance of a farmhouse watching for activity.

Kingsley looked to the group. "We must kill everyone in there. Can you do it?"

Mr. Longbottom responded. "I can as we are protecting our world and those in there will get what they deserve for killing the innocent."

Kingsley looked to the muggle. "Let's go then. Two watchers are assigned but be prepared for more." They began to make their way to the door and Kingsley began to work on breaking the wards.

Jacob knocked his king down in disgust. "Justin I'm tired of just sitting around. When I signed up I did not think I would be babysitting."

Justin looked to the young wizard. "The Dark Lord assigns us the task that needs to be done. If all I have to do is to sit here and watch a house I'm happy to do that as it means that there will not be a chance of getting killed. You're young. I promise that you will get your chance."

Just then the door burst open as the two Deatheaters jumped up and had no time to draw their wands as two green lights struck them and they knew no more.

They heard activity upstairs and Mr. Potter crept up the stairs and glanced around the corner as he noticed six forms rush towards him with wands in hand. "You are surrounded by the Order of the Phoenix! Give up now!" He rushed down and jumped over the arm rail and pointed his wand up toward the landing as the DeathEaters did not hesitate at his words.

A series of deadly hexes struck the floor.

"Avada Kedevra!" Was shouted out in union as they watched the bodies of six Deatheaters tumble down the stairs and did not move.

"I surrender!" A witch shouted out. "I am throwing down my wand."

They watched as a wand tumbled down the stairs as a young witch followed wearing a nightgown and walked down the stairs slowly with her hand held up.

"Who are you witch and what are you doing here? I see no Mark upon you." Kingsley asked as he continued to point his wand to her.

"I am Josephine Stebbins and I am not a DeathEater yet. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named coerced my family and forced our support. I volunteered to take the Mark to protect my family."

Kingsley recognized the witch. "You're Tanner Stebbins daughter?" Stebbins worked in the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Mysteries.

"This was to be my Initiation. I don't know who or what we were supposed to attack but I was told to kill or be killed."

Kingsley said nothing and knocked the witch out. "We take her with us." Motioning the group out of the house taking long enough to fire the sign of the Phoenix before they Apparated away."