With The First Ray Of Light

Chaos. Absolute chaos. The images around her made no sense, and yet at the same time they did. It was a battle, worse than anything she had ever seen. Screams, blood, stray spells and curses that missed their target and threatened anyone on their way. The sun was beginning to rise, tinting the sky orange and making it hard to see. But that didn’t matter to her; she had one concern and one concern alone. Voldemort.

Someone was running towards her, wand pointed her way as they tried to take aim. The words of the Killing Curse slipped past her lips with an ease she wouldn’t have believed a few months before. But then again, so many things had happened in the last few months, so much had been lost, so much had been done.

She watched the Death Eater fall as the light hit him, and she didn’t care. It meant nothing to her. She took a step forward, and then another, blocking attacks as she let the green jets of light clear her way. Soon bodies littered her path, but she only paid them enough attention to avoid stepping on anything and losing her balance. Her target, her goal, was ahead, and she would not stop until she reached him.

Another curse, another death, another step forward. She barely noticed her friends calling her name, barely noticed Harry running after her. All that mattered was getting to Voldemort. All that mattered was ending this war that had already cost her too much. And so she continued, feeling the blood from others dripping from her fingers, from the times when her wand hadn’t been close enough, and she’d had to find other ways to kill. The blood had turned cold now, and it made her fingers stick to the wand, but that wasn’t important.

She felt Harry reach her, felt him grab her shoulder and turn her around, worried about her, and just in time for her to see the Death Eater behind him, ready to kill the Boy Who Lived. She pulled Harry to the side, out of harm’s way, as she blocked the curse and sent one of her own. One less Death Eater to worry about.

They were close now, she could feel it in the air, could feel Voldemort’s power around them, so thick it was hard to breath. And so she turned around and continued walking with Harry next to her, clearing the path for them, knowing she had to kill every Death Eater that threatened them, because Harry wouldn’t.

Something hit her shoulder. Searing pain that made her scream out loud, her legs tripping over something as she tried to turn around, searching for the source of the attack. Another hit, more pain, blood trailing down her arm. She felt Harry reach for her, trying to stop her from falling, so worried about her he still wasn’t looking for the source of the curses. And she pushed him away, yelled at him to get to Voldemort, asked him to put an end to it as she fell to her knees. She lifted her arm, aimed it at the first Death Eater she saw and screamed the killing curse as she tried to keep her brain working through the pain. Another Death Eater came, and another she killed, keeping them off Harry as he fought Lord Voldemort barely a few yards behind her. It was his job to kill Voldemort; it was hers to keep him alive long enough to do it.

But the pain was too much, and her vision blurred as she was hit by another curse. She screamed in pain, and the world around her began to blur. Then something firm and warm surrounded her. Her name was whispered into her ear, soft and almost urgent at the same time, and she realised her eyes were closed, and she was lying down, and it was a pair of arms that surrounded, and there was no pain. Not in her body, at least.

“It’s all right,” the voice whispered over and over again, and she felt something moist running down her cheeks. It took her a few moments to realise it was tears, and the moment that knowledge hit her there was no stopping them.

The arms pulled her against a broad chest and turned her around, hands moved up and down her back, soothing her as she cried. It had been so long since the last time she had cried like this. Years since she had let herself acknowledge the pain, relive those memories. It was a weakness, something she couldn’t afford. A part of her was sure that the next time she let herself break down this way, there would be no stopping the tears, no stopping the pain. Too much had happened, too much for anyone to cope. Or perhaps it was just her, perhaps she was just too weak to deal with the loss of everything and everyone she had once loved, with the loss of such a large part of herself.

But this time she let Caleb hold her, and she held him too, the dream still so clear in her mind she could almost feel the old wounds on her body open, could almost feel the cold pain from the curses cutting her flesh, reaching her bones. But she was safe there, with him; she had to remember that. The war was part of her past, and whether she liked it or not, it had shaped her into the woman she now was. She was strong now. She would not break.

*

By the time their boat reached the pier Redstone was there, waiting for them. He seemed nervous, moving his weight from one foot to the other as he waited for her and Caleb to step into the platform.

He greeted them both politely before saying, “Mister Potter is already here.”

“Is he waiting for us inside?” Caleb asked, and Redstone shook his head.

“He insisted on talking to the prisoner on his own,” Redstone said, as he led them towards the prison entrance.

“So he’s with Malfoy now?” she asked, and the wizard nodded. She started walking a little faster, and the two men followed suit.

They walked past the large iron gates and into the prison, following the same path from the last time, heading to the Visitors Area. Redstone walked ahead of them, asking them to wait as he stepped past the last set of doors. Even from a distance she could feel the air cold against her skin, and the lights around her dim, but only for a second. Then four Dementors glided out of the room. She could feel their attention on her, but they didn’t linger this time, they simply moved past them.

“Follow me, please,” Redstone said, and they stepped into the Visiting Area.

Two guards were standing by the entrance door, and four more by the one that led to where she guessed Malfoy was waiting. As they approached them, one reached for the doorknob and pulled the door open.

She wasn't sure what she expected to find inside the room, but it certainly wasn't Harry sitting calmly across from Lucius Malfoy. They both turned as she stepped in, but said nothing. There were two more guards inside the small room, which could probably explain the silent atmosphere. But she did notice one strange thing as she stepped inside the room, a fain buzzing sound in her ears that made it hard to hear what Redstone was saying just a few feet behind her.

With a quick frown in Harry's direction, she reached inside her pocket for her wand and tried not to draw attention to herself as she lifted the Muffling Charm.

Caleb was speaking to Redstone just outside the room, and now that she could actually make out the words she realised he was asking the wizard to order the guards to leave. Redstone didn't hesitate as much this time, and after a quick word the two guards were walking past them and out of the room, to stand next to the other four.

A charming smile from Caleb later they were finally inside the room, with the door closed.

"Interesting," Harry muttered as he watched Caleb move to the closest chair and sit down. "It took enough convincing for them to let me into the room before the two of you arrived, yet a few words from you and they're sending the guards away, against specific regulations."

"One of the perks that come with power, boy," Lucius said, leaning back comfortably against the back of the chair.

"We agreed you'd wait for us before talking to him," she said, ignoring Lucius.

"What for? There were guards with us at all times, so I don't see what the problem is."

"Then why did you use a Muffling Charm?"

"They didn't need to know what we were talking about. I'm sure we have more pressing matters to discuss than this, so why don't we focus on what really matters for once?"

"I agreed to arrange this meeting under the assumption that you would behave yourself, Potter. If that's not the case, I’m sure those guards wouldn't mind escorting you back to the pier."

Harry shrugged again, and then turned to stare at Lucius. "Have it your way, then," he muttered to Caleb.

"From what Mr Potter has told me," Lucius said, looking at her, "the Order of the Phoenix has already been informed of the situation." When she nodded, he continued. "But they still haven't made a decision. You mentioned the deadline, I am sure."

"You don't need to worry about what the Order does or does not do. You gave us until Thursday to decide, and you will have an answer by then. Leave the rest to us, Malfoy," Caleb said, drawing the wizard's attention back to him.

"So young to be a Minister for Magic; I was most surprised when I heard the news, but after almost two years you seem to have proved yourself to those who didn't believe you were 'up to the job'," he said, sneering slightly at the expression. "Many of your predecessors would have decided to give me anything I asked for by now. The repercussions of setting free a few dozen Azkaban prisoners are not as damaging as those that would come when the same amount of innocent citizens, war heroes all of them, appeared dead, one by one, in what I can assure you would be a rather gruesome manner."

"What you fail to understand, Mister Malfoy, is that not everyone puts the media and the public's opinion first. Power games don’t bode well with me, so you would do well not to waste your time with them."

"Oh yes, most impressive. I can understand the attraction," he told Hermione with a smirk, and she kept her expression blank, even as she felt Harry's confused gaze on her. "What I do not understand is why someone with such... integrity, would take such a risk. What would the public think if they knew the truth, Miss Granger?"

"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" Harry asked, but the wizard ignored him. He seemed to be too amused at taunting her to pay Harry any mind.

"I know about you, Miss Granger. I know the truth. I have my sources, as you have yours. Who would have thought the golden girl, a war hero, would be capable of such things? What would the Wizarding world think," he started, then turned to Caleb once more, "if they knew the truth?"

"We're not here to discuss my life, nor Miss Granger's life, Malfoy," Caleb said, the first hints of anger already tainting his voice.

With an amused expression, he leaned forward, resting his arms on the table as he asked, "What is it you're here for, then?"

"You already know that," Harry said briskly. "I want to know why I’m part of the exchange."

"Insistence won't get you an answer, Potter, although manners would probably help. As I said before, you will know it when the time is right."

"When will that be?"

Malfoy's smirk was there again. "After the exchange, of course."

"What makes you think we will agree to this?"

"We all know the Order of the Phoenix's greatest weakness," he said. "Always letting feelings dictate your actions. Would you let your friends, the ones that fought side by side with you, die because you refuse to exchange them for a few former Death Eaters?"

"Former Death Eaters?" Harry asked, almost in a snort.

"I can assure you, Potter, your friends’ lives over the last few years haven't been easy, but that is nothing compared to what will happen to them if you refuse the exchange."

"Who?"

"Who what, boy?"

"Don't play fool with me, Malfoy. Who do you claim have been captured?"

Lucius' eyebrows quirked as he smiled. "Claim?"

"From what I've heard, you have given us no proof that you actually have any former Order member imprisoned."

Looking at Hermione, he said, "I believed the memories you were sent were proof enough."

"I find it hard to believe that a group of Death Eaters would capture Order members during a battle, and then keep them alive for years after the end of the war. Why wait until now to offer this exchange?”

“Our motives are not what you should be concerned with, boy,” Lucius said. “I assure you, the prisoners are alive, and will continue to be so, if the terms of the exchange are accepted.”

“If what you are saying is true, then why don’t you tell us who you have?”

With a renewed smirk, Lucius replied, “Finally you have asked a good question, and for that I’m willing to respond. I believe the uncertainty will push you towards agreeing with our terms more than knowledge will. I believe the hope that someone you love might still be alive, and the fear of what would happen to them if you refuse to do what needs to be done to rescue them, will have more of an impact than knowing precisely who we have. I am simply trying to maximize the chances of reaching an agreement.”

“You bastard,” Harry yelled, jumping from his chair, but Caleb’s quick reflexes were enough to stop him.

“It’s not just him, Malfoy,” she said, as Caleb tried to pull Harry back into his seat. “The other Order members will find it hard to believe this, as well.”

“From what I hear, you can be quite convincing when you need to, Miss Granger. I’m sure you can find a way around this.”

“I want to know who,” Harry said, his tone somewhere between angry and hopeless.

With a theatrical sigh, Lucius Malfoy leaned forward and spoke to Harry in a hushed tone. "Come now, Potter,” he said. “You cannot expect your pleads to change my mind. Yet, I do feel compelled to give you names, only a few mind you, just for the pleasure of watching you squirm. There is an unbelievably short supply of amusement in this prison. Let’s see now,” he said, tapping his jaw with a finger as he pretended to think. “It would be remiss of me if I failed to mention our most renowned…guests. Mr. Robards, the former Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is one of them. And I'm most certain you will remember former Minister for Magic, Mr Fudge. I’m fairly sure Ollivander is still with us, as well. But that is not what you want to hear, is it, boy?” he asked, his eyes twinkling with malice. “Perhaps you’d be more interested in knowing whether your friend Lupin actually survived the attack on the werewolf pack he had been trying to infiltrate, or maybe that Weasley boy, the one with the scars. Or that child, Creevey. Colin, I believe his name is. He assured us he was a close friend of yours. Unfortunately, his younger brother will not be part of the exchange; he died during a rather violent night of torture, I’m afraid.”

Malfoy smirked as Harry launched from his chair again, leaning back calmly as he watched Caleb grab Harry by the robes and push him back against the wall.

Harry tried to yank himself free of his hold, but Caleb was stronger. After a few moments he began to calm down, and Caleb motioned for her to knock on the door, waiting for one of the guards to let them out.

With one last warning look, Caleb let go of Harry, who pushed him back with a scowl and straightened his clothes as best he could before heading for the door.

“I shall give you the proof you demanded, Potter,” Lucius said, as they were leaving. “Just remember, when it comes, that you asked for it.”