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SIYE Time:10:16 on 29th March 2024
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Hunters and Prey
By Northumbrian

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Category: Post-Hogwarts, Post-DH/AB
Characters:Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley
Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Romance
Warnings: Mild Language, Sexual Situations, Violence
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 295
Summary: February 2000 Newly Qualified (in record time) Auror Harry Potter remains obsessed with “The List.” The ten people still wanted for their part in the Battle of Hogwarts. Their capture is essential. It will bring closure to the events of the past few years. Harry has set himself a target. He wants to see “The Last Death Eater” and the other nine captured before the second Anniversary of the battle. His attempts to meet his target will bring heartbreak, danger, and pain.
Hitcount: Story Total: 111938; Chapter Total: 5389
Awards: View Trophy Room




Author's Notes:
This story has now been beta read by both Amelie and Maple, thanks to them, and to Tom for pointing out various typos and bad edit on my part.




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17: Prey: Lioness Snarls, Badger Baited

Two Bailiffs looked up from their desks in surprise when Harry barged into the Law Office.

Ginny was sitting between Neville and Ron at the far side of the office. They had been involved in an earnest conversation when he’d entered. It stopped instantly.

‘Blimey, that was quick,’ said Ron. ‘Has she admitted everything?’

‘Something’s wrong,’ observed Ginny, who was sitting between the two trainee Aurors.

Harry nodded, and moved forwards. As he did so, Ginny tensed, shuddered, and grimaced. Glaring at him, she shook her head and held up her hand, palm out. He immediately halted his approach, and tried to catch her eyes; she averted her gaze.

‘You’d better keep your distance, Harry,’ Ginny ordered firmly.

He could see the tension rising up through her body; waves of emotion were rippling across her face as she spoke. It took only seconds for her happiness at his arrival to be washed away by a rapidly rising tide of less charitable feelings. As he watched, her outstretched hand curled itself into a fist. She grabbed her knee with her other hand, apparently in an attempt to prevent it from doing the same thing. Harry had not moved, but even though he was on the opposite side of the room, he felt the anger and hostility building inside her.

‘I was okay until you walked into the room, but now I want to shout at you,’ she told him through clenched teeth.

Harry stared uncertainly at his girlfriend.

‘The Harpies Healer arrived, along with the club’s Press Officer. They insisted that Ginny and Livy each have another Sober-up Potion,’ said Ron. ‘The Healer promised that it would help.’

‘It bloody well hasn’t,’ Ginny snapped. ‘I should never have listened to her, or to you, Ron! Luna was right, as usual. It’s made things worse, a lot worse.’

Harry stared sadly at her; she closed her eyes, so he turned to Ron and Neville.

‘Where’s everyone else?’ Harry asked.

‘Hermione and Luna are upstairs somewhere, trying to work out the exact formula they need to make an antidote for Ginny,’ said Neville. ‘They’ve already tried once, but it didn’t work. It’s proving more complicated than they expected. Luna now thinks there’s something else in it, and she’s asked Fenella to help. Apparently Fenella got an Outstanding in her NEWT level Potions exams, too.’

‘Livy?’ asked Harry.

‘She’s gone. The Healer, and Clara Vale, the Press Officer, arrived together, not long after you went to interrogate Linny. She knew that Livy and Ginny had been released. She wanted them both to leave with her. The club have called a press conference and she wanted to brief them.’

‘She wants to tell us what we’re going to say to the reporters; and what we can’t tell them,’ growled Ginny. She kept her eyes closed as she spoke.

‘When Livy and Ginny said that they were staying here, she threatened them both with breach of contract,’ said Ron angrily.

‘So Livy went with her,’ added Neville. He glanced at Ginny, then turned and smiled at Harry. ‘But Ginny…’

‘I refused,’ said Ginny. ‘I told her that I was staying here until you’d finished.’ Her lips curled into a snarl. ‘Merlin knows why, you’re a complete waste of time, Pot…’ She snapped her mouth shut and began to grind her teeth.

‘That was before the Healer had given Ginny the potion,’ explained Ron hastily. ‘The Press Officer threatened to fine Ginny a month’s pay, but she stayed anyway.’

Neville nodded his agreement. Ginny simply kept her mouth and eyes clamped tightly shut. Her muscles were so taut that her arms were beginning to shake.

‘Do you need to speak to the others, too?’ Neville asked. ‘There’s a potions laboratory on the third floor. That’s where they’ve gone. I can go and fetch them, or show you where they are,’ he offered.

Harry barely heard Neville’s words. Watching Ginny was much more important. She had opened her eyes a fraction, but she seemed to be staring at his feet. Her hands were tightly clenched, and he worried that he was digging her nails into the palm of her hands. When he took a step forwards, the sibilant cat-like snarl she gave forced him to stop and return to his original position.

He wanted to comfort her, but his very presence appeared to be causing her pain. Harry’s head roiled with conflicting emotions. Her obvious pain was torturing him, and the fact that his presence was the cause simply piled on the agony. He watched as, with considerable effort, she uncurled her fingers and placed her hands under her thighs.

‘Not … your … fault … Harry,’ Ginny mumbled through gritted teeth. She took a deep breath, opened her eyes and stared at the floor. ‘Ask your questions, but do it quickly.’

‘Thanks, Ginny,’ said Harry. ‘I can ask Hermione and the others later, Neville. And, Ron, I really need to speak to George, too.’

‘George?’ asked Ron. ‘Why do you need to speak to George?’ As he spoke he was worriedly casting sidelong glances at his sister, whose fingers were now digging into her thighs.

‘M’okay, Ron,’ Ginny mumbled. She gave Harry a quick glance. He was uncertain whether she was angry, sad, or combative. He didn’t have time to decide, because she again looked down at the floor. As he watched, she began to concentrate on her breathing. She was trying to calm herself down.

‘Linny has just admitted to giving Ginny the potion, but for some reason she thinks that it’s a Weasley product. She thinks she’s safe from prosecution, because we’d have to prosecute her supplier, George,’ Harry explained. He kept his eyes on Ginny. The moment he spoke, he saw her body tense.

‘What?’ Neville said angrily. ‘That’s ridiculous, Harry. I was there when we found the place. I told you, remember? We know that the pumpkin juice was being manufactured by Mark D’Arque, by Bletchley, Bulstrode, Flint and Goyle.’

‘I know, Neville. I believe you.’ Harry turned to address Ron. ‘I need to find out who bought the original potion from the twins. Who did they sell it to, do you know? Does George?’

Ron shrugged helplessly. ‘Even if George does know, you can’t ask him. He’s in Peru on a business trip. And, anyway, I doubt he would remember. It’s been months since I talked to him about the potion. Who they’d sold it to wasn’t important; at least, not to me. All I was interested in was figuring out whether or not we could find another use for it.’

As Ron scrunched his face in thought, desperately trying to remember, Harry remained silent and kept a concerned eye on Ginny. In the silence, she once again began to relax.

Ron glanced up at the ceiling before finally shaking his head in resignation. ‘Like I said, Harry, they made one test sample. It reduced some Hufflepuff girl to tears at the Yule Ball. The twins didn’t think that the effects were funny, so they concentrated on a better love potion instead. As for who bought it, all I know is that they sold it to a Slytherin girl for a ridiculous amount of money. Five Galleons, I think.’

Alongside Ron, Ginny was still staring silently at the floor. Harry watched her carefully as he spoke. She certainly seemed to be regaining some control.

‘Are you certain that you don’t know the names of any of the three people? The boy who drank the potion, the Slytherin girl who gave it to him, or the girl who got ditched?’ asked Harry. He decided not to tell Ron his suspicions, at least not until he was certain that Ron couldn’t corroborate them. ‘It could be important, Ron. The boy must have taken the girl who bought it to the Yule Ball.’

Ron put his chin in his hands and tried again, staring vacantly into the middle distance. Ginny, meanwhile, had tensed as Harry spoke. Harry looked sadly at the top of her head. Even the sound of his voice was affecting her. He would have to leave, and hope that Hermione, and Luna and Fenella could brew an antidote.

‘The Yule Ball was years ago, Harry,’ Ron said. ‘I talked to George about the potion when I found the recipe, but he didn’t tell me names and I doubt that he’d remember, even if we could ask him. The victim was a girl who’d been going out with a Hufflepuff boy in the twins’ year for months. George said…’ he paused and raised his eyes to the ceiling, deep in thought.

Harry again waited in silence, in part to allow his friend time to think, but mainly to allow Ginny to try to relax. When Ron looked back to Harry, there was a gleam in his eyes. ‘George said that the boy was one of the Hufflepuff Chasers! Is that any use to you? And the girl he ditched–she was on his Quidditch team! She was one of their Beaters, a good one–she turned professional when she left school.’ As realisation suddenly dawned, Ron turned to his sister. He shook her shoulders until she raised her head. ‘Ginny, do you think that it was…’

‘Before she joined the Harpies, Linny was a Hufflepuff Beater,’ Ginny confirmed. She looked onto her brother’s face, and addressed her reply to him. Although she was trying to ignore Harry, he noticed her cast a sidelong glance in his direction.

‘Bollocks,’ said Ron. ‘George said that the girl … that Linny … was in tears, she didn’t even go to the ball, she just ran back to the Hufflepuff common room and stayed there, crying.’

Ron slumped forwards and put his chin in his hands, a miserable expression on his face. ‘You know what the twins were like! They loved chaos, anarchy, and making people look stupid, but the potion didn’t do any of those things. It made one girl cry and another gloat. No one thought it was funny. So far as they were concerned, it was a complete disaster, so they didn’t make any more. But I don’t see how this can be the same stuff, Harry. George hasn’t made it since, and the only people who knew the potion even existed were the twins.’

‘At least one other person knows,’ observed Neville. ‘The person who bought it from them, she knows exactly what it does.’

‘Any idea who?’ Harry asked. ‘I think I know, but I’d like it confirmed.’

His friends shook their heads.

‘Who do you think it was, Harry?’ Ron asked.

‘Daphne Greengrass,’ said Harry. ‘I tried Legilimency while I was interviewing Linny, and I’m sure I saw Daphne. Does anyone know if I’m right?’

When Harry spoke, Ginny again tensed. Ron, now caught up in past events, appeared oblivious to his sister’s agitation. He pulled a face; pushing his jaw forward, he sucked in his cheeks, and squinted. ‘Pansy’s friend Daphne?’ he asked. ‘The one who made pug-face look almost attractive in comparison?’

Harry decided that he could not risk speaking, so he nodded. Despite his silence, Ginny seemed to be getting worse.

‘If it was her, she would have told her friends,’ said Neville. He was looking in Harry’s direction, but his eyes were unfocussed as he, too, remembered his schooldays. ‘Pansy and her gang were just like Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, if they found a weakness in anyone, they would try to exploit it.’

‘Perhaps we should ask the others,’ suggested Ron. ‘I’m sure Hermione would know who Daphne was with.’

Almost before Ron finished speaking, Ginny was staring angrily into his face.

‘Why are you being so horrible to Daphne, Ron? You don’t know it was her. And Hermione won’t know. She was otherwise engaged at the Yule Ball, remember?’ said Ginny sharply, causing her brother to look very uncomfortable. ‘She was enjoying herself with one of the best Seekers in the world. As for the others, both Luna and Fenella are in my year. I know that no one invited Luna; she definitely wasn’t at the Ball. I didn’t know Fenella at the time, but…’

‘Yeah, it’s not likely anyone asked her is it?’ said Ron. ‘Let’s be honest, she’s never going to win a beauty contest…’

‘You’re almost as nasty as Potter, Ron.’ Ginny snapped.

‘Can anyone confirm my suspicions?’ asked Harry hastily, hoping to divert Ginny. ‘Does anyone know if it was Daphne? What about you, Neville? Can you remember anything about the Yule Ball?’ He regretted the question the moment he’d asked it.

Neville, blushing furiously, looked up at his friend, pulled a rueful and apologetic face, gave Ginny a sidelong glance, and began to stammer an explanation. ‘Sorry, Harry, I was…’

‘The lovely Neville was being very attentive towards the girl he’d taken to the Yule Ball,’ said Ginny smugly. ‘He’s so much nicer than you, Potter.’ She linked her arm through Neville’s, and leaned into him.

Harry forced himself to keep calm. It’s the potion, he told himself.

‘There’s no need to be like that, Ginny,’ snapped Ron. ‘And let go of Neville. He’s got a girlfriend.’

Neville tried to shake himself free, but Ginny simply tightened her grip, and exploded. She again turned towards her brother, and stared into his face.

‘Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, a pair of losers!’ she snapped. ‘He was moping over Cho bloody Chang and you were simply clueless and gormless in your batty old dress robes. You were so thick that you didn’t even know why you were unhappy, Ron; you complete moron. The two of you sat and moped all night. You did nothing but watch while everyone else had a good time! Did either of you see who … Daphne … was with? No! So why should you expect anyone else to know. Some of us were actually enjoying ourselves. You’re pathetic, Ron, and as for you, Potter!’ She leaned over and kissed Neville’s cheek.

Neville was bright red, and he was now desperately trying to free himself from Ginny’s grip.

Ron finally lost his temper. ‘Me!’ he shouted. ‘I’m not the one who’s acting like a tart. I’m not the one who’s been getting drunk, and getting my photo in the papers looking like a…’

Ginny released Neville, sprang to her feet, her eyes flashing fire at her brother. ‘No, Ronald! You’re the one who slipped your girl a Mickey and then took her to a Ministry function so she could make a complete fool of herself…’

‘Will you two stop it!’ bellowed Harry. ‘This is important. There’s something else, too. Daphne…’

At Harry’s final word, Ginny turned and faced him. As he watched her neck muscles tense, Harry held up his hands. It made no difference.

‘Oh, piss off, Potter,’ she yelled.

Ginny sprang to her feet and threw Harry a hate-filled glare. He immediately saw the same peculiar blankness in her eyes that he’d seen in Linny’s. His suspicions were confirmed.

His girlfriend was in front of him, and yet she wasn’t. Ginny was there, somewhere inside the hate and anger. She seemed to be lost, and he wondered if he could find her. Time slowed, and Harry watched as Ginny strode rapidly towards him, reaching for her wand. He prepared for the unthinkable, a duel against his girlfriend. Unlike their meeting in the Magpie’s Nest, this time Ginny was sober.

This is important!,’ Ginny yelled. ‘It’s only important because you say so! Bloody Auror stuff takes precedence over everything, doesn’t it? I hate…’

He should have left the room earlier. He should not have pressed matters, not with Ginny the way she was. This was his fault; he was doing this to her. His presence was causing his girlfriend to react this way. The loathing written across her face was making his insides squirm.

‘I’m truly sorry, Ginny,’ he told her

‘Don’t pretend that you actually care–you insufferable git, Potter,’ Ginny snarled.

She stopped, no more than a stride away from him, and raised her wand. As she glared balefully into his face, and prepared to curse him, Harry forced himself to look into her into her eyes. This time she didn’t look away. He could see the anger building in her expression. Her eyes, however, showed little emotion; they were an overcast and cloudy sky. Then, behind the blankness, somewhere deep in their chocolate-coloured depths, he caught a glimpse of bright sunlight as it tried to break through the clouds. That faint spark of light was enough. His girlfriend was in there somewhere, and she was still fighting. He needed to help her.

‘Get out of here, Potter,’ Linny shouted angrily. She flew towards him, her Harpies robes streaming out behind her as she swung her Beater’s bat. He clearly heard the thud of bat against Bludger, and saw the black iron ball flying towards him. He pushed his broom downwards, and rolled. The Bludger barely grazed his shoulder.

‘You’ll have to do better than that, Linny,’ he called.

‘Get rid of him, Ginny,’ Linny ordered.

Ginny was fast. Like Linny, she wore the green robes of the Harpies as she charged to attack. She swerved, and suddenly accelerated. Unlike Linny, she managed to second-guess him. Her broom collided with his chest. The wound Lowell had inflicted on him hours, or possibly a lifetime, earlier tore open. He felt the blood flow. Ginny hovered in front of him.

‘Fight back,’ commanded Ginny.

‘No.’ He shook his head firmly, trying to ignore the pain while staying balanced on his broom.

‘Coward,’ she yelled. ‘Harry Potter is a coward.

‘She hates you,’ Linny crowed. ‘Tell him.’

‘I hate you,’ confirmed Ginny.

‘That’s not you, it’s the potion talking,’ Harry told her.

‘Show him,’ Linny ordered. ‘That will get rid of him.’

Harry looked around. ‘How did we get to your flat?’ he asked.

The room was full. There were half a dozen young men in the place, and two of them had their arms around Ginny. She wasn’t wearing much, a short skirt and a tight t-shirt. One of the men kissed her. He was tall, dark haired, well dressed, and good looking; she didn’t push him away.

‘Go on,’ Linny told Ginny. ‘Do it again. You know that you want to.’

Ginny responded passionately to the kiss.

‘Ginny?’ asked Harry. He reeled in shock, and fell from his broom.

As Harry tumbled to his doom, his Gryffindor Quidditch robes fluttering around him like flames, Linny began to laugh.

‘Goodbye, Potter,’ Linny crowed gleefully.

Ginny put her broom into a full dive, and accelerated towards him. As Harry watched, he wondered how they’d returned to the Quidditch pitch, and why Ginny was now, like him, wearing Gryffindor Robes. She stretched out a hand to him. He caught it with his own. For a second, their touch was merely fingertip to fingertip, but heedless of the rapidly approaching ground, she accelerated. The second she pulled him onto her broom, she tried to pull out of the dive. She almost made it, but the nose of her broom struck the grass, and they were thrown from it, bouncing and rolling across the pitch.

When Harry picked himself up, he was back in Ginny’s flat, and she was once again in the arms of the tall, dark-haired young man. Now, however, she was trying to extricate herself from him.

‘Drink this,’ the man said, offering Ginny a tumbler almost overflowing with Firewhisky.

‘Yes, drink it,’ Linny ordered. ‘Drink it all.’

Ginny wavered, and then reluctantly took a sip. She stepped back and glared up at the man.

‘Party’s over,’ she announced.

‘C’mon, gorgeous,’ the man said. ‘You’ll have a better time with me than you’ve ever had with Pot … argh!’ He put his hands to his face and attempted to pull the Bat-Bogies from it.’

‘I said party’s over,’ Ginny announced she turned to her silently watching audience. ‘Out, now, or you’ll get the same treatment!’

There was a scramble for the door.

‘No, Ginny,’ ordered Linny.

‘Yes, Linny,’ said Ginny. ‘If you want to have a party, go with them! But find somewhere else. You too, Livy.’

For the first time, Harry noticed Livy in the crowd.

‘I said no, Ginny,’ said Linny forcefully.

‘You’re not my mother, and you’re not my Quidditch captain,’ Ginny told her. ‘Now piss off, all of you!’

The room cleared rapidly, and within moments, Harry and Ginny were alone. The walls shimmered and faded, and Harry found himself standing in the Gryffindor common room. He was just inside the door, and Ginny was running towards him, she was once again wearing her Quidditch robes, and she was carrying the house cup. He expected a kiss. Instead, he got a question.

‘Where are we?’ she asked. ‘It looks like the common room now.’

‘I’m not sure,’ he told her. ‘I think we might be inside your head. You were going to hex me, and I tried Legilimency. I knew you were fighting the potion, but I think the potion was fighting back, trying to hide you from me.’

‘You’re in my head?’ she asked warily. ‘So why did I move us to the common room?’

‘Perhaps I’m wrong, perhaps you’re in my head,’ he said. He looked around the room and smiled at her. ‘After all, this room is very important to me.’

Ginny looked around the room, and down at her robes. She smiled. ‘It’s very important to me, too, Harry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry about that bloke.’

‘Was that real? Did you really…’

‘Yes, sorry. It was about a week ago. I did snog him.’

‘Never mind that,’ said Harry, trying to hide his anger. ‘Did you Bat-Bogey him and chuck him out?’

‘Yes, that’s what happened next. I’m sorry, Harry. I was tempted, and Linny was encouraging me, but…’

‘But even under the influence of a Dark Magic potion, you fought back,’ he told her.

‘I could kill Linny for what she’s put me through,’ said Ginny. ‘Why?’

‘Linny is being dosed with the same potion as you are, Ginny, or at least something very similar to it,’ said Harry. ‘I’m certain of it. Remember when you first moved in to the flat. It was obvious that she didn’t like the fact that you had a boyfriend, and she was a bit grumpy about Livy having a telephone installed, too. But she wasn’t at all nasty, was she?’

‘No,’ she admitted. ‘Linny has changed. Why didn’t I notice?’

‘She probably ordered you not to,’ said Harry. As he spoke, something else gnawed at the back of his mind. He looked into Ginny’s face; her eyes were almost impossibly bright and brown. ‘Daphne Greengrass,’ he said.

‘She has nothing to do with this,’ Linny shouted, as she crashed through the window of Gryffindor tower. ‘Forget all about her, now!
Obliv…

Expelliarmus,’ shouted Harry.

Stupefy,’ Ginny cried.

Linny’s wand flew from her hand as she was blasted backwards by Ginny’s Stunning Spell. Harry automatically reached up to catch the wand, but it wasn’t there, nor was Linny. When she hit the wall, Linny evaporated into an inky black mist, which slithered and spread around the walls and surrounded them.

The lights grew dim, and the temperature dropped rapidly. Harry felt his fingers become numb with the cold, and watched his breath condense in the cold air. The black mist became black cloaks. Scabbed and slimy grey hands reached towards them.

The hands stretched forwards, and Harry once again saw Ginny kissing the good-looking dark-haired man. He was almost overwhelmed by hopelessness, but was distracted by a heart-wrenching wail. Alongside him, Ginny was crying. She was staring at his corpse, and he could hear the faint echo of Voldemort’s gloating cry. ‘Harry Potter is dead!’

It seemed to Harry that, once again, he was falling to his death, but this time, Ginny had no broom to save him. In their desperation Harry and Ginny reached out their hands to each other. He grabbed her hand, and held it tightly.

‘I love you,’ he said. To his joy, she spoke the same words, at exactly the same time.

‘I love you.’ The words danced in the air with each other. The clouds parted, and the sun shone brightly through the common room windows, revealing an impossible mass of Dementors. Their ripped black cloaks fluttered as, momentarily startled by the light, the Dementor’s halted their advance. Harry squeezed Ginny’s hand and she squeezed his. They spoke in unison.

Expecto Patronum.

Harry blinked, and caught a fleeting glimpse of a silver phoenix as it slowly dispersed into a mist, before vanishing completely. He took a deep breath, and winced in pain. When he looked down at his chest, he saw the reason. His wounds had reopened, and blood had seeped from the bandages to stain his shirt.

‘I did that,’ said Ginny, pointing to his chest as she lowered her wand.

‘No,’ said Harry. ‘Daphne did it.’

‘What in Merlin’s name just happened?’ Ron demanded.

‘Good question, mate. You tell me,’ said Harry. ‘Are you okay, Ginny?’

She blinked up at him and nodded. ‘It’s gone. It’s like I’ve woken from a nightmare.’

‘We thought Ginny was going to hex you,’ said Neville. ‘But she stopped, and you both just stood there, staring at each other, it was as if you were both in full Body-Binds, but still standing upright.’

‘Then your wound started bleeding,’ said Ron. ‘We didn’t know what to do, whether to separate you, or leave you to it.’

‘We were getting really worried. Ron sent the two Bailiffs to fetch Hermione, and a Healer,’ added Neville. ‘And then there were these silver flames between you, and a Phoenix appeared from nowhere.’

‘Except it wasn’t a real Phoenix,’ said Ron. ‘It was glowing and silver and almost transparent, more like a…’

‘A Patronus?’ asked Ginny.

‘Yeah, but whose?’ asked Ron. ‘Harry’s is a stag, and yours is a horse.’

Harry took Ginny’s hand.

Expecto Patronum,’ said Ginny.

Expecto Patronum,’ said Harry.

A pair of phoenixes flew from their wands. They were still circling the room, flying around each other, when the door burst open. Hermione and Luna dashed into the room. Fenella followed cautiously behind.

‘What?’ asked Hermione anxiously.

‘Oh, your Patronuses have changed,’ said Luna as she watched the phoenixes soar. ‘They are beautiful, aren’t they?’ She walked up to Ginny and stared into her face. ‘And you’ve purged yourself of the potion.’ She looked from Ginny to Harry. ‘With a Patronus?’ she asked.

‘I couldn’t have done it without Harry,’ said Ginny.

‘That’s not possible,’ said Hermione.

‘Not unless the potion contains Dementor essence,’ said Fenella in horror.

‘That’s forbidden,’ said Hermione. ‘It’s Dark Magic, it’s illegal, it’s…’

‘We’re Aurors, Hermione,’ Ron reminded her. ‘We know what Dark Magic is. But what would Dementor essence do?’

‘It would make the imbiber frightened and sad; it would weaken their will,’ said Hermione.

‘That sounds about right,’ said Ginny with feeling. Her Patronus glowed brightly, and then vanished. Harry’s did the same as they hugged each other.

‘Was that your worst fear?’ asked Harry. Ginny nodded.

‘Yours?’

‘Apparently, although I didn’t know until I saw it,’ said Harry, shivering.

‘Greatest fears, too?’ asked Luna. She raised her eyebrows, stared unblinking and unfocussed, and inhaled through flared nostrils. Harry looked at her in amazement, was this Luna losing her temper? Whatever it was, it was something he’d never seen before.

‘We need more information about the potion before we can work on an antidote,’ said Luna. ‘That’s why our first attempt didn’t work, Hermione. This is more than simply the potion the twins made. It has been altered, made darker. It contains Dementor essence, Boggart spit, and who knows what else? We need a sample.’

‘If Ginny’s okay, why do we need an antidote?’ asked Ron.

‘For Linny,’ said Harry. ‘She’s being controlled, too, remember.’

‘The Fiscal wants you back in the interview room, Auror Potter,’ a young woman called from the door.

Harry sighed.

‘I’ll be okay, now,’ Ginny assured him, gently kissing his cheek and banishing his worries.

‘I’m on my way,’ Harry said to the woman. He turned back to his friends. ‘I’ll have to go. Hopefully the Sheriff will find some of the potion at Ginny’s flat, Luna. When he gets back you can start working on an antidote for Linny.’

‘That will be nice,’ said Luna.

‘Nice?’ asked Harry.

She gave Harry and Ginny a bright smile. ‘It’s nice being able to help you both like this. Because that’s what friends do, isn’t it?’

‘Sometimes, I could kiss you, Luna,’ Harry admitted.

‘Don’t let me stop you,’ said Ginny, ‘but no tongues.’ She winked at Harry.

Harry laughed, hugged Luna, and kissed her cheek. That done, he turned to Hermione. ‘Do you know who took Daphne Greengrass to the Yule Ball, Hermione?’ he asked.

‘Why?’ asked Hermione.

‘I’ll tell you later,’ said Harry. ‘Or Ron can tell you after I’ve gone. Do you know?’

Hermione began to search her memory, but before she could answer, Fenella Gray stepped forwards.

‘He was a Hufflepuff Chaser called Malcolm Preece,’ Fenella Gray whispered, staring at her boots. She was blushing. ‘Lots of the girls in my year thought he was lovely, almost as good looking as … Cedric Diggory.’ As she spoke the final name, Fenella lowered her already hushed voice to a point where her words were barely audible.

‘Thanks, Fenella,’ said Harry. ‘I won’t be long, I hope. See you soon, Ginny.’

‘Wait,’ she ordered.

Drawing her wand, she gently stroked it across Harry’s chest and muttered a Healing spell. ‘That will staunch the bleeding, but you need to see a Healer, Harry,’ she told him. Placing her hands around his neck she pulled him down and gently touched her lips to his. ‘I’ve missed you,’ she whispered.

‘Please, Auror Potter. The Fiscal!’ the young woman at the door reminded him anxiously.

‘See you soon, I hope,’ said Harry. He followed the woman out into the corridor and along to the Interview Room. He did not bother to knock, but simply strode back into the room. Silence fell as he entered.

‘This is most irregular,’ said Augustus Tavistock, glaring angrily at Harry. ‘You mention the Auror Office, and then storm out of the room. Am I to understand that you are now threatening my client with an Auror Office investigation, Mr Potter? It seems to me that you are prepared to threaten, bully, and break rules in order to defend your girlfriend. Rest assured that I will be speaking to Head Auror Robards about your behaviour.’

‘Mr Tavistock has made it very clear that he wants me to release his client,’ said the Fiscal. ‘In your absence, I have charged Miss Baker with being drunk and disorderly, and also with breach of the peace. She has entered a plea of not guilty to both charges, and Mr Tavistock, on behalf of the Holyhead Harpies, has agreed surety. I have summoned her to appear before the Justiciar a week on Saturday for a preliminary hearing. There is no reason for me to hold her. However, given your comments before your abrupt departure…’

‘Sorry, Fiscal,’ said Harry. He pulled out his chair and again sat to face Linny.

‘I have a few questions regarding your relationship with Daphne Greengrass, Linny,’ said Harry. He saw the Beater recoil at the name. ‘I’ve been told that she stole your boyfriend, and that’s why you hate Slytherins. Yet Daphne is the one supplying you with the potion you’re feeding Ginny, isn’t she?’

‘No!’ Linny screamed. Her eyes glazed. ‘She’s my friend. I hate her. She didn’t. She did … not … did … not … did!’ Linny arched her back and then rapidly leaned forwards in her chair, bringing her face down hard against the table.

Flesh hit wood with a sickening thump, and there was a moment of horrified silence. Tavistock pushed his chair back, and watched in slack-jawed horror. Blood spurted from Linny’s nose, and she again arched her back. Droplets of blood arced through the air and hit Harry’s chest, forming a neat line of red spots up his already bloodstained white shirt. Harry drew his wand and, before she could repeat the action, he shouted, ‘Petrificus Totalus.’

Linny went rigid, balanced on the chair at an acute angle. Ignoring Tavistock, Harry dashed around the table and pointed his wand at Linny’s nose.

Episkey,’ he said quietly, staunching the blood. Once satisfied that the bleeding had stopped, he turned to face Mrs Quarrell.

‘Sorry, Fiscal,’ he said. ‘Daphne! That’s the key word. I should have realised! Saying the name was what drove Ginny to the edge. I suspected that Linny was being controlled by Dark Magic. It seems that I was correct.’

‘Dark Magic?’ said Tavistock with a sneer. ‘You’re unbalanced, Potter, you’re seeing dangerous enemies everywhere. She’s a Quidditch player. Why would anyone target her?’ asked Tavistock. ‘Whatever it was you’ve just done, it was tantamount to an assault on my client. Rest assured that…’

‘Och, haud yer wheesht, Tavistock,’ ordered Edna Quarrell, dropping into a broad Scots accent. ‘I’ve heard enough of your havering. You may not recognise the signs, but I do! What is going on, Harry?’

‘I believe that Linny has been fed a potion similar to the one she’s been feeding Ginny,’ said Harry. ‘It’s almost like an Imperius Curse, and it may contain Dementor essence.’

Harry pulled out his wand and began to perform a complex Detection Charm. The shadow around Linny was faint and flickering, but it was there.

‘She’s cursed, and until we can manufacture an antidote, I’m afraid that she may try to harm herself,’ said Harry, pointing to the glow. ‘I don’t believe that she’s responsible for her actions. I suspect that she was targeted because she shares a flat with Ginny.’

‘Preposterous,’ snorted Tavistock. ‘If she was being controlled, why merely get Ginny drunk? Why not simply poison her?’

Harry’s stomach twisted at Tavistock’s words.

‘Because Miss Baker is not a killer,’ said the Fiscal. ‘You may be a reasonable corporate solicitor, Mr Tavistock, at least, given your position I assume that you have competency in some part of the law, but it’s clear to me that you are no expert at dealing with criminal cases. Even under an Imperius Curse, there is no way anyone with a modicum of backbone could be forced into killing. It strikes me that both Miss Weasley and Miss Baker have nerve, and strength of character. I agree with Auror Potter. Your client will be held in protective custody until we can transfer her to St Mungo’s where, with luck, they will be able to free her from this curse.’

‘But…’ Tavistock began.

‘Look at her,’ said Harry, grabbing the Harpies solicitor by the shoulder and dragging him towards the still rigid Beater. ‘Look into her eyes. If I release her from the full Body-Bind, she’ll try to hurt herself.’

Tavistock gazed into Linny’s face, saw the dilated pupils and the wildness in her eyes, and staggered away from her. As he looked into Linny’s eyes, Harry saw a slimy grey hand. He reacted almost unthinkingly, pointing his wand at her face.

Expecto Patronum,’ said Harry. His new phoenix Patronus flew through Linny’s head, and instantly dissipated. Harry re-examined Linny’s eyes, the wildness was gone.

‘She might be okay, Fiscal,’ said Harry uncertainly.

‘Don’t release her,’ begged Tavistock in an abrupt change of attitude.

‘Oh, get out, Mr Tavistock,’ ordered the Fiscal. ‘Auror Potter and I will deal with this.’

Tavistock fled without a backwards glance. Once the door was closed, Harry removed the full Body-Bind from Linny.

She gasped and sucked in a deep breath. ‘Bitch, Bitch, BITCH!’ she screamed, banging the table with her fists.

Harry raised his wand, but the Fiscal motioned for him to wait. After a vociferous few minutes of shouting, screaming, and some very creative swearing, Linny Baker finally ran out of breath.

‘Feeling any better, Miss Baker?’ the Fiscal asked.

‘Yes. No. Yes, a little,’ said Linny, once she had regained enough breath to speak. ‘Daphne told me that she was buying the potion from Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. She wasn’t, was she?’

‘No,’ Harry told her.

Linny began another rant. Her forthright, graphic, eye-watering, and in Harry’s opinion anatomically impossible, description of her proposed punishment for Daphne took some time.

‘I don’t think that you could actually fit a Bludger in that particular orifice, Miss Baker,’ the Fiscal said quietly. ‘And any attempt on your part to do so would certainly result in a charge of assault. I would advise against it. However, now that Auror Potter has, it seems, returned you to your senses, would you like to reconsider your plea? I’d accept a plea of guilty, and would recommend leniency due to diminished responsibility on your part. Would you like to consult Mr Tavistock?’

‘That pillock?’ asked Linny. ‘No. Diminished responsibility? It’s a deal.’

The Fiscal nodded, and made a note of the change in Linny’s plea.

‘Well, Harry, I was right. You bring chaos in your wake,’ the Fiscal said. ‘It has been an interesting twenty-four hours. Miss Baker, you are free to go. I will see you both at Court on the first of April. We’ll need to discuss the case before then, of course, Auror Potter. I’ll have my secretary contact your office later this week.’ Edna Quarrell smiled. ‘I’m sure that you have some important work to do.’

‘I’d like to take Ginny out for a late breakfast,’ said Harry. ‘There’s nothing more important than that. Thank you Mrs Quarrell, it’s been a pleasure to meet you. Are you coming, Linny?’

‘Me?’ she asked. ‘After everything…’

‘After everything you were forced to do?’ asked Harry. ‘I’ve got a lot of questions for you.’ He opened the door, and ushered Linny and the Fiscal through it.

A slim blonde woman was waiting for them in the corridor. ‘You’re coming with me, Baker,’ she ordered. ‘You have a press conference to attend, and it starts in ten minutes.

‘But,’ Linny began, bewildered.

Attendance isn’t an option. If you’re not there, you’ll be dismissed.’ She looked Linny up and down and rolled her eyes in despair. ‘We need to get you clean and presentable. Follow me.’

‘But!’

‘Just go, Linny,’ said Harry.

The Beater shrugged helplessly, turned, and disconsolately followed the blonde woman. Harry watched her leave before hurrying back to the Law Office and his friends.

‘Where’s Ginny?’ he asked.

‘Gone,’ said Ron. ‘She was given a choice, attend the Harpies press conference, or be sacked.

‘She chose to stay,’ said Neville.

‘But I persuaded her to go,’ said Luna. ‘She loves Quidditch almost as much as she loves you, Harry. We can all go and keep her company. The Harpies are in a conference room in the Wand and Thistle. The hotel at the end of the street.’ She led them along the corridor to the lift, and they ascended to the street level.

‘We’ll take the lead, mate,’ said Ron, taking Hermione by the hand. Harry found himself being flanked by Luna and a very nervous Fenella, with Neville bringing up the rear. ‘It’s bedlam out there, the press are everywhere.’

They strode into the street amid a hail of flashes and shouted questions.

‘What now, Potter?’

‘Who’re your new girlfriends?’

‘Whose blood is that on your shirt?’

Ignoring the questions, they strode along to the grand hotel at the end of the street. The Harpies Press Conference was clearly signposted, but as they strode along the plush hotel corridor towards the room, they found their way blocked by two black robed wizards wearing “Security” badges.

‘Press only,’ said the shorter of the two. He and his companion looked smug and complacent as they barred the way.

‘Yeah, Press only,’ the tall one confirmed.

Ron opened his mouth to argue, but before he could utter a word, Luna spoke.

‘Would anyone like a job?’ she asked.

‘What?’ Ron asked. ‘Have you gone mad, Luna?’

She looked at Ron coolly, ‘I don’t think so, Ronald. I’m as sane as I’ve always been.’

It seemed to Harry that Ron was about to say something sarcastic, but Harry was thinking more quickly than his friend. He answered her question before Ron could say anything else. ‘Yes please, Luna.’

'Me, too,' Hermione said.

'And, me,' Neville added.

‘Yes, please,’ Fenella whispered.

‘Luna,’ said Ron, finally catching on. ‘Next time I tell you you’re mad, just kick me. You’re a genius. Can I have a job, too, please?’

‘Certainly, Ronald,’ she told him. ‘But why would I want to kick you? You’re my friend.’

‘Yeah,’ said Ron thoughtfully. ‘And you’re mine, Luna.’

Luna rifled through her shoulder bag. She took out what looked like a small purple carrot, tried to push it behind her ear, failed, and instead handed it to Ron, who took it without complaining. She finally found her purse, opened it and handed Harry a silver sickle.

‘Your starting salary is one sickle a day, paid in advance,’ she told him. You’re now employed as a reporter at large for The Quibbler, here’s your press card.’

'And the same for you, Hermione,' Luna repeated the process, 'Neville, Fenella, and, finally, Ronald.' Handing him the card, she took back the carrot, and carefully replaced it in her bag.

They turned back to face the two security wizards. Harry went first, and showed them his pass. ‘Harry Potter, special correspondent for “The Quibbler”,’ he told them. His friends followed close behind.

The two wizards looked at each other, checked all five passes, shrugged, and opened the door.

‘Hi, Harry,’ shouted Ginny. ‘Hello everyone.’ She stood up and waved when they entered the room.

She, Livvy and Linny sat in the centre of a long table at the front of the room, to her right was Gus Tavistock; to Linny's left was the blonde woman. A sign identified her as “Clara Vale, Harpies Press Officer.”

‘Press only,’ Tavistock shouted, as they entered. ‘Where is security?’

Harry held up his press card.

‘My friend, Miss Lovegood, has employed us on a temporary contract. We all work for The Quibbler.’

That announcement alone was enough for the assembled journalists to begin scribbling frantically.

‘I told you Harry would find a way in,’ Ginny told Tavistock happily. ‘Now, who'd like to ask me a question?’

‘No,’ Clara Vale shouted over the hubbub of questions being shouted out by the assembled reporters. ‘As press officer and official spokeswitch for Holyhead Harpies, I will be answering any questions.’

‘Can I go, then?’ Ginny asked. ‘If I'm not here to talk, why am I here?’

‘Miss Weasley, you are under contract to the Harpies. The club requires your presence.’

‘Can I ask, on behalf of the Quibbler,’ Harry shouted over the chaos of questions. ‘Why the players at the centre of this press conference aren't being allowed to speak.’

‘I will return to that matter later,’ Clara Vale replied. ‘First, I'd like to read a prepared statement from ...’

The press officer was interrupted by a well spoken female voice which echoed around the room.

‘Attention, all duty Aurors ... this is an all Auror alert ... attention, all duty Aurors ... this is an all Auror alert … this is not a drill … this is not a drill’

Harry, Ron and Neville pulled out their Auror identity cards and drew their wands. Hermione, her face suddenly drained of colour, turned and kissed Ron passionately. Ginny had vaulted the table and was running towards Harry.

‘Operation Hunter is now active ... target confirmed ... the prey is in the field.’

The room was silent, except for the flash of cameras.

‘Operation Hunter is now active ... all duty Aurors and hit-wizards prepare for emergency Portkey in thirty seconds.’

Ginny threw her arms around Harry's neck and kissed him. The cameras continued to flash and click.

‘Operation Hunter is now active ... all duty Aurors and hit-wizards prepare for emergency Portkey in twenty seconds.’

‘No-one is kissing you goodbye, Neville,’ observed Luna evenly. ‘Would ...’

‘No!’ said Neville, panic-stricken. ‘No! Thanks, Luna, but, no, thanks.’

‘Operation Hunter is now active ... all duty Aurors and hit-wizards prepare for emergency Portkey in ten seconds.’

‘nine ... eight ...’

Harry reluctantly broke the kiss.

‘Be careful, Harry,’ Ginny said, she stepped back.

‘Official Auror Office photographer,’ squeaked Fenella. She reached out and grabbed Neville’s identity card.

‘three ... two ... one ... activate.’

Three identity cards glowed blue. Three Aurors, and a frightened looking photographer, vanished.

In the stunned silence which followed the sudden disappearance of the three young Aurors and Fenella, the door from the corridor burst open. The stocky, dark haired man who strode into the room, pursued by the two security wizards, wore the robes of a Law Office Bailiff. After a quick glance around the room, he strode determinedly towards Ginny, who was ignoring Clara Vale’s demand that she return to the table.

Instead, Ginny was talking in hushed tones to Hermione and Luna.

‘Miss Weasley,’ he said. ‘I’m Rhys Owen of the Welsh Office. I’m afraid I have some bad news for you.’

Ginny’s face fell. ‘Bad news?’ she asked urgently.

‘The Sheriff of Wales sent me,’ Bailiff Owen explained. ‘I’m sorry to tell you that, less than an hour ago, Sheriff Campbell and his team disturbed some burglars at your flat.’
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