Empty souls

Chapter 5.- The visit and the guilt.

“¡¡I couldn’t believed it!!, ¡¡Scrimgeour made a face that I never, ever saw him do!!” said Tonks to the rest on number twelve of Grimmauld place while laughing hard. Kingsley only smiled, but was a smile that was full of mirth. He too was impressed by Harry’s words game. Everyone was amused by this, because rarely is the time in which they found that the minister of magic is nervous by a young man. And the fact that it was for Harry’s self control and taking the handle of the situation, was more than impressive.

Once the minister heard Harry’s warning, he was seated almost at the edge of his luxurious boss-chair, his forehead sweating. He couldn’t take the risk, so, he gave Harry the permisson under one condition; keep secret what was told. Harry agreed of course, and without another ado and a farewell, left the office trailed by Kingsley and a red-face Tonks. Reaching Black Manor, everyone were there to hear the news. Harry didn’t really share the information, he was still muling what the minister said and decide to remain in silence.

But Tonks couldn’t help it, so she did relate the interview. What she didn’t say was about the permission to see MacNair in which Tonks and Kingsley would go. Obviously, Remus will find out later talking with Tonks and the rest just listened. Molly was mortified to say the least, while the rest, including Ginny, was taking the mickey.

“Tonks is right” Kingsley backed up. “Scrimgeour, with his famous temper, almost lost his marbles. In the end, I felt like crying for mirth. I think the minister will leave Harry alone for awhile.”

“Yeah” said Tonks, “But I’ll never forget Scrimgeour’s face. It worth the while.”

“¡Hey, Harry!” exclaimed Neville, “You should take the offer. Think of it. You’ll be able to snatch the death-eaters by yourself and get revenge.”

Everyone stoped the laughing and turned to see Neville’s face as though he had said an insult. Instantly, Neville glance at his surroundings to see everyone staring at him in amazement. His cheeks turned a bright shade of red with embarrassment, whispering a soft ‘sorry’.

Harry smirked. He knew that Neville was only trying to help and he had to admit that he thought about the same too, unfortunately, his honor and dignity was something that could not left behind.

“Don’t be ashamed, Neville. It was only a suggestion. But not against my honor or dignity for that matter. I sure want to do the schooling and of course to become an auror, but not that way.” Agreed Harry trying to convey that he thought too about taking advantage of this.

“Well, I think that both, Harry and Neville, are right” added Luna with dreamy eyes. Ginny looked at her like she was mental. Harry put a hand above hers and Ginny inmediatly turned to see him staring back at her. “Actually, my father always said that Scrimgeour was out of his mind and it wasn’t wise to take him seriously.” Luna shrugged and then everyone turned to one another noding in agreement. Luna has a point.

That afternoon, before dinner time, Tonks took the female population with the excuse of the weeding plans that was restored by Ginny’s announce. The males, of couse, knew that it was just a fake topic for them to chat privately about the visit to Azkaban to interview MacNair. All of them made suggestions of the better escape from Molly’s and Ginny’s suspicions. While everyone were giving advice to one another, Harry remained silent again. He was thinking that the next day he will be able to talk wiht MacNair and draw out of him information. Harry wanted to know if the death-eaters were aware of Hermione’s desappereance. He knew that it’ll be risky, but almost two months has passed with no news of her whereabouts and find Hermione was something that wasn’t wiped off of his mind, no matter what. So, they agreed with the suggestion of Gred, supported by Forge. The upcoming birthday of Ginny would give them what they want. Harry will need to say to Ginny that he wish to buy her a present and no one is available to accompany him, only Tonks and Kingsley as his guards; for protection, everyone would remain inside Black manor. That way, no one would suspect a thing, namely, the females.

The next morning, Harry, Tonks and Kingsley apparated in the hall of the ministry, where a group of aurors would take them with a portkey to Azkaban.

Once they arrived, the first thing that crossed Harry’s mind, was that the place was chilling to say the least; it was a dark place, a ruined castle to precise, that was situated above a cliff that wasn’t high enough, But has a gloomy air surrounding it. The entrance was a high and huge iron door with six guards that seemed to be expecting their visit because their wands, even when they had it in their hands, weren’t rised. Kingsley handed them the scroll with Scrimgeour’s signature and, once he read the contents of it, steped aside and opened the weight iron door to the inside. Harry inmediatly shruddered when a chil got through his spine. The place has only a few dementors, creatures that didn’t take the dark side, but their presence made that effect. Tonks saw him shrudder unwillingly and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s normal” she said and Harry turned to stare at her, “You’ll get used to it while we’re here. Then, you never will come back.” Encourage Tonks with a reassured smile... and then a shrugg. Harry only noded.

They were guided to a big door that slithed aside and the group of aurors, Kingsley, Tonks and Harry got inside.

Inmediatly, Harry realized that it was an elevator. The door closed and Kinsley pushed the button with the number 3M. Harry was about to ask what it means, but sensing this, Kingsley glared at him indicating that it’ll be better to not ask. The floor moved and, for an instant, Harry thought that they were descending... which was right and saw it once again slithed to the side. Before Harry, was a hall wiht torches at both sides creaping, the walls were made of stone, and different doors spread at the lenght of the corridor. Two of the aurors that were scorting them, placed infront, guied them through the hall, reaching the door at the end. Everyone got inside and Harry saw a big chamber similar of a muggle interrogation room, the tipe that the Dursleys often used to watch on t.v. detective-shows: it has an antechamber with a wide double window-mirror. The only difference was that the chair that was posted on the inside of the chamber was like the chair he saw in the department of mysteries, full of chains... this time, MacNair was already there, chained at the chair and two dementors at the corner, watching their prisioner.

“¿Are you sure of this Harry?” asked Kingsley.

“I am.” Replied Harry the best way he could muster it. Kingsley noded and both men got inside, closing the door behind them. Inmediatly the locks of the door were heard, announcing that the precautions were ready.

Two chairs were placed in front of MacNair and seeing the new comers, smirked.

“¡Wow! ¡What a surprise!... ¡The great Harry Potter!, ¿To what do I owe your visit?”

“¡Shut up MacNair!” shouted Kingsley. Harry just ignored the snort that escaped from the toothless mouth of MacNair.

“I know” begun Harry, “that the aurors already interrogated you, but I want to know why are you attacking everyone.”

“Revenge... ¿What else?”

“¿Why?”

“¿Are you serious?” MacNair snorted.

“It seems like I’m telling you a joke?”

MacNair regard him wiht a suspicional glare, but not comented.

“I know that Lucius Malfoy is now your new Dark Lord... What I really want to know is ¿Why is he giving orders to kill everyone?, ¿Who’s helping him?... And finally, ¿Whom else are you hunting down in particular?”

“¿Why are you so interested? Your last question is something that has you particularly worried, ¿Hasn’t you?”

“That is not of your bussiness.”

“It seems to be... because you’re here. Someone’s missing?” mocked MacNair.

“Answer the questions.” Said Harry mustering patience to not let him know where he wanted him to go. MacNair looked at him from the corner of his green dull eyes, then glanced at the mirror at the side, and again to Harry.

“¿What would I get if I tell you?”

“Not hex you to the next century.” At this, MacNair smiled darkly but remained quiet. Harry turned to Kingsley for advice, though he was grimacing at seeing a reluctant death-eater; he already was specting it.

“Your peace of mind.” Replied Kingsley. MacNair knitted his brows suspicious.

“¿How’s that?”

“We’re not going to interrogate you again, and leave you in your own cel, with no dementors inside, as was until now. ¿What do you say?”

“Mmmmhh, let me think... ¡No!” said in a mocker manner that made Harry cringe inside. “I want my freedom.”

“Impossible.”

“Then, no deal.”

Harry stood up and was about to knock MacNair out of the country with punches, but Kingsley stoped his advances.

“¡calm down, Harry!” argued Kingsley almost struggling with him to prevent any damage. “You’re not going to get anything out of his awful mouth. Obviously, Malfoy didn’t trusted him because he knew that MacNair is so stupid that his plans would be crushed once captured... which he was.”

“¡I’m not stupid!” yelled MacNair struggling agains the chains.

“Then, ¿Why are you here?” argued Kingsley, smirking.

Harry calmed down a bit when MacNair was about to explode of indignation. The dementors inside approached the prisioner with all the intentions to contain him with their darkness art, and MacNair began to tremble visibly and sweat in horror. Harry looked at him and smirked.

“¿Are you sure that we can’t convince you?”

“¡Alright, alright!” the face of MacNair contorted whe begun to feel the dark magic of the dementors almost upon him. “¡¡But get’em off me!!”

Wiht a single signal of Kingsley, the dementors backed off. MacNair was panting like he ran miles and miles and was starving of oxigen, trying to regain his breath. The chill in the room that the dementors were creating a minute before slowed down.

“You were saying.” Said Harry. MacNair frowned. Seeing that he wasn’t about to recover his freedom, began to relate, ashamed that Harry watched him cowared at the presence of the dementors.

“I don’t know the recent moves of Malfoy. I know that he’s avidly seeking revenge, killing all of the survivors at the battle, but mainly Potter’s friends... mostly those that were called ‘Dumbledore’s Army’.”

“¿How did he knows about that group?”

“Malfoy’s kid... and the Bones’ girl...”

“¿Were you there... in her home?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t touched her.”

“Then, ¿How could you know?”

“It was Mulciber... he used legilimens on her... she told us about it with the cruciatus curse, but we didn’t pull out from her the names.”

“You said you didn’t touched her...”

“I didn’t... I left the room once the interrogation finished. We were under the orders to not let anyone alive... but Malfoy didn’t say about a bit of fun.”

“¡YOU BASTARD!” yelled Harry shocked at the sickest thought and meaning of ‘fun’ from the death-eaters. Again, Kingsley was forced to contain Harry, even when he himself was tempted to curse MacNair.

“¿Who else is with the rest of your scum?”

“I know that only Mulciber, Greyback and Avery are with Malfoy, the rest remained under their masks.”

“¿Greyback is alive?” askedHarry with fear.

“Yeah.”

“¿Are they going to attack other countries?”

“You’ll need to ask that to Malfoy.”

“¿Where can we find him?”

“That’s something I have no idea.” Replied darkly and smirking, “Because he’s in the shadows. I only saw him twice, outside Ottery St.Catchpole was the last. But I don’t really know where he is.”

“Anything that we should know?” frowned Harry, at which MacNair only shooked his head in a clear ‘no’.

Kingsley stood up, signaling Harry that was time to leave and was about to exit from the chamber, when the raspy voice of MacNair was heard.

“I hope to be invited to your wedding, Potter. I’ll wait for your owl soon.”

Harry didn’t turn around to saw him again. He wasn’t about to let get the better of him just for a stupid comment.

+++++++++++

Harry, Kingsley and Tonks of course, needed to go to Diagon Alley to shopping. They needed to do it for Ginny’s present, otherwise they’ll get in to troubles with the diminutive read-head witch. Rapidly , Harry found a shop of antiques magical acticels, where he saw a precious necklace with charm protections and as soon as the present was in his hands, Kingsley hastily made them get out of the shop. Unfortunately for Harry, an attack ocurred at the other side of the alley and a wreckage explode, making Harry, Tonks and Kingsley pull out their wands to see a pair of death-eaters, running in their direction, and as soon as they were aware of the presence of Harry, began to shoot them curses which they deflected faster than normal eyes could see. Tonks pulled out a medallion that was hanging on her neck. Three seconds later, four Order members came and took control, stunning the death-eaters.

Sadly, once they fastened the criminals, they saw what was left behind them; two witches, four wizards and a little boy dead. Right there, the witnesses were interrogated under the watchful eye of Moody, that arrived minutes later.

Some of them were terrified.They really couldn’t blame them, because there would be reprisals. The only thing that the witnesses could say was that actually were almost eight death-eaters, but no one knew what they were doing, just that something explode and the smoke give them the time to escape. Harry was sorry that this things keep happening even when Voldemort was killed for good.

Tonks took Harry with her and apparated inside Black Manor. Once he was secured, she was out again, obviously to continue the investigations. Ginny saw him smiling, just to glance more analitically. Inmediatly thought the worst and began to checked if he was ok. He wasn’t, not fisically or mentally, but did not comment. Molly was worried once Harry reign his courage to relate the story; the rest of the presents just listened. In the end, Molly and Fleur were crying. Ginny and Luna were making the effort to remain calm, and Angelina and Kate were consoling by the twins.

++++++++++++++++++

A week has passed since the attack in Diagon Alley and Harry didn’t recover by the impact of that day. He was mulling over and over again about what MacNair said and the people dead...

‘¿Where with this lead us?’ thought Harry alone in the middle of the night. ‘there’s no trace of Malfoy... nor Hermione’s... I don’t want to renounce... I won’t give up’.

In the morning, everything was simple and usual, as was any other simple and usual day: they’ll wake up, shower and eat in the kitchen at Molly’s yell. Noon, Ginny and Harry spend a good time snogging as if nothing has happened. In afternoon, everyone will read a book, chat, play with sploding naps or magic chess. They’ll eat dinner and clen the kitchen and finally, in the night, they’ll go to sleep in their respective bedrooms... and that were the only moments that Harry really enjoyed... the night, because it was the only time in teh whole day that he felt freely to think in Hermione, but the more he does, the more guilt he piled up in his consience.

What Harry didn’t know was that Hermione’s situation was almost the same with the exception that she wasn’t locked in a house... she was hiding but more for fear of the rejection of the Weasley family, that for fear to be found by death-eaters.

She, of course, cancelled her suscription to the Dialy Prophet, but as she arrived in France, she got a suscription in a local magazine for magical comunity there. Hermione ocasionally read about the constant attacks around and lenght of Great Britain, which made her worrie for the security of her friends, mostly Harry. She found out about the murder of Susan Bones and inmediatly ran for the bathroom to thrown up the contents of her stomach in great wailings. Then the more recent attack in Diagon Alley in London, where Harry was at the moment. She let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding when she read that he was ok and helped to capture the death-eaters.

Alone as she was, she talked to herself frecuently to not forget that she really has voice.

Her days werent the best but she tried to make a life of her own. In the mornings she’ll make breakfast and left to tend muggle classes of computer science to have a job as soon as she end the education. In the afternoon, she devoured book by book of anything at her reach: literature, biology, chemical and phisical science, novells, psychology, e.t.c. Lenguages : french, german, spanish and italian. Her bookworm self was back, but only to release her mind and not let be overwhelmed by memories from the past that were hunting her in the moments lest spected. At night, while eating dinner, seated in her small kitchen watching the telly or hearing muggle music, she was musing about her future.

“If there’s a future...” said Hermione to the empty flat. “¿Where will this lead us?... God please, take care of Harry... I don’t know what I would do if something happen to him.”

Sometimes she found herself crying for no reason or more likely for every reason. Sometimes she was wondering what was Harry doing or if his life by Ginny’s side was pleasant. She did not want to think of it, because it was something unavoidable to guess, and of couse, unbearable. Sometimes she almost ran back to the burrow to make sure herself that everyone was ok, but the mere idea of being yelled and judged by them, demanding her to leave and never come back was a thought that will finally kill her from the inside out... and then burst into tear at the powerless of her status. She knew better, to remain in Lyon leaving things as they were. She missed them terribly, but there was no turning back. ‘They maybe already hate me. I can’t face them’ thought Hermione. ‘From now on I have no past. I’m cominng clean’. She lied to herself because confront the reality was something she’ll avoid any minute... if she can. ‘I’m sorry, Ron. I really am.’

Now almost three months has passed since Hermione flight from England to find shelter in Lyon. It was almost three o’clock and she was in her flat reading a book when a tap on her window made her lift her now blue eyes only to see an owl tapping with it’s peak to deliver her magical magazine.

With her wand, the window opened and the qwl landed in the table, extending a leg after let go the magazine for Hermione to pay for it. Once she did it, hte owl flew out of the flat and Hermione locked the window with a charm. She then gave a simple revision: third page... fifth page... sevent page... then something caught her attention, but she processed it an instant later. Getting back to the sixth page, she read something that made her blood run cold and let out a scream. Thankfully, she prevent that someday she’ll do something of the sort and place a permanent silencing charm in the muggle flat... this way, when she let out the awful scream, no one heared it.

Leaving the table half occupied by books and food, she hurriedly reached her room and pulled out from under her bed, her old trunk and then she opened it. Rumaging on it, pulled out a black cloak and continued rumagigng inside the trunk... then she found it. A little mahogany box and slowly she opened it and looked at the inside. For a moment, she doubted that maybe it’ll be wise to put it bacl where it was, but then she reflected on it... with the brave in her, the true brave that a real Gryffindor posses she decide: ‘yes, I’ll do it’... ‘¿why?’ argued her inner voice at which replied with total conviction: ‘because it worth the risk... because they’re all I have and they need help... and I’ll be the one to do it, even at the cost of my life... for Ron...for Harry... wait for me, I’ll be there.’

With this, she left, leaving behind the box in the floor... the box now was empty... and the magazine was in the table opened in the sixth and seventh page that read:


“Harry Potter’s fiancé was found dead outside Ottery St.Catchpole”