Empty souls

Chapter 9.- The plan.


“¿Are you sure is here?” pointed Tonks at the map on the table of the kitchen. Dobby nodded enhusisatically, his eyes never left Harry’s green ones.

“Yes, miss.”

“It’s in Glasgow... it’ll be a good ride... we don’t even know that such kind of place existed. ¿How are we supposed to get there?” said Kingsley. “We need to call for cavalry”.

“But...” hesitated Harry, his face was paled by the angst of the thought of what Lucius Malfoy was probably doing to Hermione. “we are here, all of us.” Said Harry sinaling every single person in the kitchen as a whole. There were at least twenty people in the place that belonged to the Order.

“I know, Harry.” Kingsley replied resolutely and firmly, looking into his green orbs. “But think on this: we don’t know how many death-eaters are there... the place... we don’t know it either. They have that advantage over us. If we go alone, they’ll crush us”.

“But that bastard has Hermione since two hours ago... He-he...” Harry was so nervous that the words that was trying to spell out came stammering.

“¡don’t even think about it!” exclaimed Remus. “Focus, Harry... focus at the task at hand”.

“Macklaclan and Ruberforth are collecting people from the ministry in this very moment, Harry.” said Tonks and the people in the kitchen looked straight to her. “They both are aurors, spreading the news of organization to go with us. Though, everything is underwater, because we don’t know wxactly whom lies their alliance to. Albert Seagam is waiting outside the ministry for the aurors and alike to join us. In any minute he’s going to use his two-side mirror to contact Kingsley.” Tonks walked where Harry was and placing a hand on one of his shoulders added: “Have hope, Harry... the hope is the last thing we loose. I want Hermione back too, but if we let be drag by panic, then we’re going to fail”.

Harry was screaming inside that they have not any more time, though he nodded at Tonks’ words in silence.

“Don’t worry , Harry Potter, sir. I help.” Said Dobby from Harry’s knees.

“Now the thing is, ¿How are we going to get there undetected? They probably have people watching the surroundings... or worse.”

“¿Worse?” asked Neville that was behind Harry. Kingsley grimaced at the prospect of finding more than deat-eaters there, but replied:

“Well... there maybe are inferi waiting... or even dementors... we know for sure that they have werewolves but it’s not full moon.” Kingsley glanced where Remus was, who shrugged in response. “Dobby” said looking at the elf that instantly turned to see Kingsley. “¿Do you know if they have anti-apparition wards?”

“Yes, sir. Malfoy Manor has it.”

“¿There’s a way to go undetected?”

“Just walking, sir.”

“Right. That is not a choice, ¿There’s another way?”

“No, sir.” Replied Dobby shooking his head vigorously and terrified. “Dobby is sorry, sir” Dobby then it was as though an idea ocurred to him. “The wards prevent to apparate, sir, but just three miles around, sir. Dobby can locate you, sir”.

“¿How’s that?” asked Tonks.

“I, miss, can traslade you.”

“But, Dobby... we are more than twenty... thirty... one by one, ¡We are going to get there too late!”

“I get it” said Harry and turned to see Kingsley “one just can apparate when we know where we’re going, right?” Kingsley knitted his brows, but nodded. “¿Is the same with portkey, isn’t it?” Kingsley nodded again. “Well, then one of us need to go with Dobby and checked the surroundings and then get back here, make a portkey to traslade all of us... maybe two or three portkeys... we need to use a chamallion charm, the desillusionment charm, to go undetected. By then, the person who scort Dobby would have time to check what lies ahead. That way, we all go knowing what to expect” finished Harry with hopeful eyes and the rest were looking at him in awe. “Dobby ought to know how to lead us... if there are traps... if there si a sideway to get inside... everything, right Dobby?” Harry asked turning to see the elf that in turn looked at him nodded enthusiastically.

“Good plan, Harry” beamed Tonks while Kingsley smirked pleased with the suggestion. Remus was smilin and then, two things happened at once: Kinsley’s two-side mirrors emitted sounds of someone calling, and voices and yellings were heard from the parlor and the hall. Moody, that was the closest to the door of the kitchen had his magical eye looking behind him and constricted his brows.

“They’re here”

“¿Who?” asked Remus.

“Bill and Ginny... and she just fainted. Molly is crying.”

Without another word, Harry ran out of the kitchen with a sudden pang of guilt: he just remembered why Ginny was in St.Mungo’s when the attack happened and Harry didn’t stop to think on her when they went back to Black Manor. Once Harry got inside the living room, saw Molly kneeled in front of the body of her only daughter laying on the couch, and Bill was trying to calm his mother down. Harry ran until he reached Ginny but she wasn’t moving while Molly was calling for her desperatly, and it wasn’t for nothing; Ginny’s skin was paled than normal, so that the freckles on her face were absolutely noticiable and a sheet of sweat on her forehead made her look like she was suffering, like she was ill. Before Harry could even said a thing, Fleur came running to them with a towel and passed it to Molly who immediatly began to refresh Ginny’s face and neck. Molly didn’t stop crying while cleanning the diminutive form of the girl. Harry turned to Bill.

“¿What happened?”

“I don’t know.” Bill’s face was contorting in worries. His scars more visible than ever. “Once she gave her testimony, Ginny ran for a near bathroom and locked herself for twenty minutes... I called for her but the only thing I could hear were great and horrible wretchings coming from inside.” Bill looked at his wife and mother tentind his sister and turned to see Harry again. “You said that she may be pregnant, and I asked her... but she said the healer never confirmed it. If she is, then ¿Why is she sweating?... unless it’s normal for pregnant women...”

“No, it isn’t” said Molly. Her voice quivering and cracking for her sobbinng. “Pregnant women don’t sweat cold.” As soon as the last was sputtered from Mollly’s mouth, Ginny stired and her eyelids fluttered as though she was going to awake.

“Mum...” mumbled Ginny. “Harry...” and she opened her eyes, “¿What happened?” then she tried to sit, but Molly stopped her, placing a firm hand on her chest, keeping her down.

“Don’t” ordered Molly, “rest, sweetie.”

Ginny, from her position, looked around her and found Harry and Bill looking down at her. She extended her hand to her fiancé and Harry immediatly took it, kneeling at her side.

“¿How are you feeling, Gin?”

“Tired”. Then as in thought, her brows contracted making her looks like a bunch of questions slammed in her mind at once. “Harry... ¿Where’s Hermione?”

Harry frowned, lokking everywhere but her.

“Don’t worry about it now, dear.” Replied Molly. “She’ll be fine”.

“No” whispered Ginny furiously, “She’s not fine, mum. ¿where is she? Her tireness couldn’t let her speak properly. Ginny squeezed Harry’s hand. “Please, Harry... ¿where’s Hermione?... ¿Did you find her?”

“Yes and ... no.” Said Harry still avoiding her stare.

“Harry please, look at me...” he did what she asked reluctantly, and his heart broke just seeing her: a single tear was running down from her right eye to her right cheek. “save her... save Hermione... she saved my life... don’t let her... she...”

“Shhh” Harry shooed her, wipping away the tear with his thumb. “We’re trying” replied sadly.

“You don’t understand, do you? Said sternely, looking straight to Harry’s green orbs, “She.took.my.place” Ginny made emphasis on each word through her teeth. “It could be me whom Lucius Malfoy kidnapped... and now, Hermione is in danger... and it’s my fault.”

“No, Ginny... it isn’t. “ said Harry squeezing back her hand, “It’s Lucius doings, not yours. I forbid you to think otherwise.”

Ginny was just goin g to argue, but hurried footsteps were heard followed by Tonks’ voice. Bill, Harry, Molly, Fleur and Ginny turned to her and Remus just behind.

“It’s done, Harry” said Tonks, “Dobby just left with Mad-eye. They’ll be here in ten minutes.” Harry stood up abruptly but didn’t release Ginny’s hand. Harry’s heart speed up.

“¿Are you coming?” asked Remus, though he already knew the answer.

Harry turned to see Ginny’s face and bending down, kissed her forehead.

“I have to_”

“Go, Harry. Don’t worry, I’ll be ok. Go.”

And Harry was turning to run when Ginny squeezed his hand and his eyes looked at his finacé’s.

“Take care... and bring Hermione back.” Ginny smiled sadly, and Harry replied mutely with a nod and released their hands. She saw Harry’s back desapear into the kitchen and said in a whisper barely audible for Molly or Fleur. “I love you.”

# # # # # #

When Harry reached the kitchen, saw everyone ready, even Neville and the twins. Luna, Angelina and Kate were sleeping in the upper floors almost since they got there. They had minor injuries that healed quickly and Molly gave the girls a dreamless potion. That way, non of the girls would knew about the ride the order would do.

“Well, then...” adressed them Kingsley, “Albert Seagam just told me they’re prepared. Macklaclan and Ruberforth gathered sixty-eight people between aurors and unspeakables. Few of the recruits are recruiting more between their friends to go and in any second they’ll be organized. All of them are now outside of bitmingham, in Seagam’s house. We’re waiting for Mad-eye and Dobby to arrive here.”

For five minutes, Harry and the rest heard the orders Kingsley was giving, saying to stay on their guards all the time and to not use a unforgivable under any circumstance. They’ll go without the aid or support of the ministry, otherwise Scrimgeour wouldn’t let them. They’ll deal with the consecuences later when the task is done. Just when Kingsley finished his instructions, they all heard a faintly ‘pop’ and Mad-eye an Dobby were there.

“The place is unplottable,” said Mad-eye straight to bussines. “but with Dobby’s help, I could find a passageway under a tree and with the aid of other four or five aurors, we can go through the wards that make the place sightless, come in sight.”

“Good” aproved Kingsley. “...then, who do not knows Seagam’s house, shall do side-apparition with whom already knows where it is. The signal came just now. Find your partners and go.”

With this, Harry and Neville took each of Remus arms, the twins did the same with Tonks, Bill and Kingsley took others and then in the kitchen were the sounds of dozens of ‘pop’s’, leaving the place completly desert.

@ @ @ @ @ @ @

Organize people in that moment wasn’t as hard as Harry thought. In short, they were ninty-two as a whole, between aurors, order members, unspeakables and friends as well as their relatives (all and each one of them lost a loved one in the last battle), and all of them were willing to fight together the remains of the dark side. They distributted in four groups: the first group would go with Mad-eye inside the place from the passageway hiding by an oak tree; the second group was assigned to go from the back entrance of the manor; the third group would go to the front and the fourth would be a side-kick in case of death-eaters were trying to scape.

Each group had two two-side mirrors to comunicate with the rest of the teams; one or two healers or someone who can perform some kindof charm to heal when needed; and three portkeys ready to traslade immediatly those that could be severely wounded. Every team was divided in two: those who would fight and those who would cover them. At least four or five in each team can perform a killing curse or a charm to repel dementors or inferi. Few of them had swords in case something nasty happen. Even when they were told to not use an unforgivable, Kingsley knew that it may be unavoidable. Anyway, they were advised.

With this, Harry located himself in the second group: thouse who would go from the back along side Bill. Remus would go with Moody from the passageway. The twins would go in the third group with Tonks and Kingsley, and Neville remained in the fourth.

Mad-eye, that survied the place before hand, made three portkeys for each team to left them them located in the points assigned for, and with the last and most important task: save Hermione.

When it was getting dark, the portkeys came to life and Harry felt that familiar tug under his navel and the vision was a blur, a rain of colours around him and his companions... and all of a sudden, he touched ground and almost fell. Harry then, was aware of the new surroundings... and saw nothing: his vision was only of the threes before him, not a single thing to show him a build... ¡anything!

Bill sensed the sudden change in his friend and placed a hand on one of Harry’s shoulders. He turned to see him, and Bill commented in a low tone:

“We need the signal first, Harry.” And then, he remembered; Mad-eye, Tonks, Kingsley and every auror in every team would perform a curse to break the fidelius charm that prevent anyone to see the manor, and through the two-side mirrors, they’ll contact the teams to have free pass signaled.

Four or five minutes passed in which nothing happened, not the single thing to invade Malfoy Manor. Harry felt like they were waisting time, and each second his heart was slaming against his chest impatiently a hundred times faster than normal, while praying: ‘God... mum... dad... Ron... Dumbledore... please’ begged Harry silently, quietly and still in his spot, ‘Please, I beg you all, take care of Hermione... don’t let her die... not her... not anyone of us’. Then one of the aurors beside him, and Bill at his other side, recieved signals by their mirrors and nodded in approval: the charm was broke.

They shouted orders in whispers and began to move forward between the trees and shrubs; wands at the ready. Slowly, the thick mass of trees spanded and stretched, giving clear sight of the big manor that was ahead of them a mile away until Harry saw the windows... the light of the floor below, which could be the dinning room, was turned on. Harry was admiring and patronizing mentaly the Manor, an imponent place almost like a palace, somewhere that one could get lost for a good time if you don’t have a map to even find the loo.

At first sight of the whole Manor, Harry thought of the money that the Malfoy’s amily had; it seemed expensive. Then he kicked himself mentaly, ‘It’s not the time’ reprimanded to his stupidity.

Before anyother thought could cross his mind, Bill wordlessly, sent a stunner at a point in front of them, and was heard a silent ‘thud’ on the ground: they had found the first guard in the forest. Then, more stunners were sent in different directions and more death-eaters incapacitated fell on the ground like a big rocks. One of the aurors made a mute signal with his hand and they began to advance once again in silence.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The first group broke the charm that prevented someone tto move the oak tree and all of them went inside guided by a trembling Dobby. Remus and Mad-eye right behind with their wands alighted at minimum. They evidently were walking in a undergroud passageway and Moody’s eye was scanning the place: no one. The first trap they alresdy passed, was something like an archway. Dobby already knew it and activated it with his magic; little holes opened and through them, little arrows made of iron hailed on the ground and stonewalls. Remus then looked to Mad-eye and the old auror just shrugged as if saying ‘I knew it’ and the marauder frowned, but they continued their way in.

By the minute the first of the death-eaters fall above, outside of the manor, Mad-eye and his team were desperated.

When they got inside the tunnel underground, they were even more far away than the rest of the groups and the place seemed not to have an exit anywhere. It was when one of the aurors, a woman in her middle thirties with black hair and green eyes, asked:

“¿Are we far away yet?”

“No, miss,” replied Dobby confidently in his voice but was quivering from outside. “we, miss, are halfway, miss.”

“Exactly where are we going, Dobby?” asked Remus.

“The kitchens, sir. Dobby knows it’s safer, sir.”

“I figure that there are elves too” Dobby just nodded, but Remus continued: “Then, ¿Would they alert Lucius Malfoy about our presence?” at this question, Dobby was giving them his back and was silent but began to shake. “¿What?” Remus was impatient. Then Dobby faced at the marauder and the old auror.

“Ye-yes, sir. T-The-They’ll alert master Lucius, sir.”

Everyone frowned at the problem, but Mad-eye was the first to recover of that bit of information.

“No matter, we’ll solve the problem once gettin’ there, lad. Now, first things firsts... lead us, Dobby. We need to get there quickly.”

They kept walking for another fifteen or twenty minutes, activating traps before they passed them. Not a ward of detection was activated because, even when the tunnel had two of that, Dobby canceled them. Then, the group finally reached the end of the passageway, where they found only solid stone, though Mad-eye could see through it: the other side of the stonewall, was the kitchen.

The two-side mirror of Mad-eye began to emitt sounds and the old auror pulled out and looked at it.

“Mad-eye” it was Bill. “We have our position. The third group is having problems.”

“¿What kind?”

“It seems to be some kind of Dogs, or at least, it was the report that Tonks passed to us.”

“They attacked them?”

“Yes, but...” Bill’s face contorted, “for the voice of Tonks, it appears to be nasty. The ‘dogs’...” Bill made here a bit of emphasis in the last word. “bound a few of the team.”

“¿Tonks is ok.?” Asked an alarmed Remus.

“It seemed so. Tonks didn’t say.”

At this, Remus pulled out his own mirror and called for Tonks, whom immediatly replied.

“¡¿What?!” was the hastily replied of Tonks.

“¿Are you ok?”

“Yeah. Bill told you, I assumed.”

“¿How’s everyone?”

“As fine as one could expect. Everything is under control now, though. Those animals are stunned. We are in position. ¿You?”

“We’re positioned too.”

“Then, it’s time.” Said Moody. “Tonks ¿Is Kingsley with you?”

“Yeah. Right nopw is talking with Seagam in the fouth group. We’re waiting for your signal.”

“¡Dobby!” exclaimed Moody, and Dobby almost fainted when the ols auror adressed him, but looked at him. “There are four house-elves. ¿May it be that any other elf are wandering outside of the kitchens?”

“The last Dobby knew, sir, there were only four, sir.”

“No matter. I need you to go first, that way they’ll be startled and as soon as they sees you stun them, bound them or something that could prevent alert Malfoy in any way. ¿Is that clear?”

“Ye-yes, sir.”

“Well then,” Mad-eye tlaked to his mirror. “We almost get there” Remus did the same.

“Yeah, I heard it” answered Tonks, rolling her eyes in the mirror that Remus was holding.

“Got it.” Answered Bill.

Then, Dobby proceed to desactivate the alarm of the wall and with a flick of the elf’s fingers, the stonewall slided to the side. All the group that was behind turned off their wands and remained in the shadows while looking Dobby walking inside. The house elves looked at him perplexed to say the least: their eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and before any of them move, Dobby paralized them with his magic. When Mad-eye went into the kitchen through the passageway, as well as Remus, they looked at the house elves in the marvel floor unconcious.

“Cleared” whispered Moody to his mirror, and Remus copied him with his own.

+ + + + + + + + +
The fourth group surrounding the grounds into the forrest were ready, waiting the signal of the rest of the groups.

Seagam, a man with a large white hair and beard, with black eyes, was at Neville’s side with one of the two-side mirrors. And both heard Kingsle’s signal came from it, passing the signal to the rest while the other side of the circle, where an auror was holding his own mirror, recieved the signal too and spread it at the lenght of his companions.

Neville watched before him, in the direction of the Manor and sighed, praying for the life of his friends.

+ + + + + + + + +

The third group recieved the signal by Kingsley, and Tonks turned to the twins whom in return smirked in one of their infamous smirk catalog. They had a plot under their sleeve, and Tonks knew it suspiciously.

“¿What are yo_”

“You’ll see” whispered Gred, interrupting Tonks’ question. He turned to his brother. “¿Ready, George?”

“Always, Fred” and with this, Fred and George pointed their wands to one another and wordlessly performed the desillusionment charm in both. Tonks panicked and Kingsley stopped her when she was ready to follow them, even if she couldn’t see where they were going.

“We are going to be seeing anyway, but need a distraction an dopen the gates for us to get in. The twins are helping.”

A minute passed... two minutes, and Tonks was unnerved by the fact that nothing happened and all of a sudden, in the front door, an explosion shook the grounds. Those who already knew the prank of the twins, raised their wands to shield the team.

The sound of the explosion was heard in all directions, startling those who didn’t know it would happen.

+ + + + + + + +

In the fourth group, Seagam was one of the few people that knew this would come, and alerted the rest about it and to not panic explainig his reasons. Neville just shook his head in mirth. That’s the twins’ prank.

+ + + + + + + +

Mad-eye knew about the timming, and the team was alert to get ready when the explosion took them by surprise. They’ll wait for a conmotion to get inside the corridors in search of Hermione.

Remus reaction was the same as Neville’s.

+ + + + + + + +

The second group was startled too. The only that knew about the explosion was Bill. Harry immediatly began to run, but was stopped by the oldest of the Weasley’s.

“No, don’t go in yet.”

“But_”

“Don’t worry. I knew this will happen.” At seeing Harry’s face, Bill added. “We needed distraction. Then we’ll get inside. The explosion was made by the twins.”

Harry’s eyes widened. He wasn’t surprised by that, but more for not being informed. Then, from Bill’s mirror heard a second signal, and he turned to see the others and asked.

“¿Ready?” he recieved nods, and he shouted: “¡¡Go!!”

+ + + + + + + +

“¡Damn!” yelled Lucius and turned to see his death-eaters in the treshold of the room. “¡Go!, They founds us.” The people in black ran to the fight below and Lucius strode to where Hermione was. Bending down, he gripped her arm and forcefully put her on her feet. Hermione winced at his tight grip and cried in pain. She tried to get free, but with his other hand, Lucius gripped both her upper arms and shook her in anger. “Your stupid friends are here... ¡You lead them!”

“¡No!” yelled Hermione. “¡I didn’t!”

“My friends will stop them.” Lucius barked and close the distance fo their faces until him and Hermione were almost nose to nose. He said, breathing hot, all the time staring into her eyes. “ ... and they’ll find your broken body... this’ll be my vengance for Potter... He killed my wife and son... and I’ll make you and him suffer.” With great satisfaction, Lucius saw Hermione shrudder in fear, but didn’t cry. He turned to Bellatrix. “I imagine tou want to have fun... ¿Are you coming with me, or go into the fight?”

Bellatrix’s face was contorted in a maniac way and was tiring herself apart, deciding what to choose.

“I’ll fight, Lucius.” Replied the morbid witch. “Once I killed Potter and his friends, I’ll catch you. ¿Where are you going?”

“To the secret room.”

“Fine.” Without another addo, she ran for the door and disappeared into the corridor.

“¡No!” yelled Hermione trying to loosen the grip and follow the wicked witch.

Lucius then, turned to glance Avery. It was the only one behind.

“¿And you?”

“I’ll go with you.” Said Avery smirking, glancing Hermione’s body in sick delight. She turned to see him, trembled and began to sweat.

Lucius pulled out his wand and pointing at Hermione, stunning her. Before her body dropped to the floor, Avery caught her and lifted in his arms. The three of them got out of the room and walked into the corridor in the other direction of the stairs. In the end, was a big portrait of Lucius, holding a scepter and dressed with green and silver robes. The lucius alive, tapped with his wand at the portrait and it opened like the portrait of the fat lady. Lucius let Avery get inside carring an unconcious Hermione, her hands and head hangling. Behind them, Lucius. The portrait closed with a ‘thud’.