- 20 -
Dawning Is The Day
Baby, there's no price upon your head
Sing it, shout it
Now the angry words have all been said
Do it, don't doubt it
So rise, let us see you
Dawning is the day
Miss, misty meadow
You will find your way
Wake up in the morning to yourself
Open your head and look around you
Listen, we think we have found you
- The Moody Blues
o o
o
"Harry, do you really think you can rescue Luna? I'm really worried about her."
"I know, I am too. If I'm right that Tom is using her as a bargaining chip, they won't kill her at least. When I get to Hogwarts I'm going to find out what Snape knows. I've got to find out where she is first."
Ginny shuddered. "Good luck with that." She remained pensive for a long moment.
"Harry, there is someone else who might know…"
"Who are you thinking about?"
"Didn't Sirius say our loved ones can see us better than anyone else?"
Harry stared at her, gobsmacked. "Of course! Ginny, you're brilliant!"
"You always sound surprised when you say that," she smirked.
"What?" Harry protested. "No, it really is brilliant - I never would have thought… Do you think it's too late to talk now?"
"Harry," Ginny deadpanned, "I don't think the dead use clocks."
"Oh, right," he said sheepishly. "Of course. No time like the present."
He removed the Peverell ring from his finger and, holding the Resurrection Stone against his palm, turned it slowly three times, mentally calling into the heavens.
A pale figure in shimmering robes appeared before them with wavy blonde hair and a piercing stare, her head cocked to one side in a pose that reminded them uncannily of Luna.
"Mrs. Lovegood?"
"Yes, but you may call me Pandora. You are Harry Potter, are you not? And is that Ginevra with you?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"I am very glad you called me so that I can say how very thankful I am that you both are such good friends with my little girl - of course, she's not so little anymore, but then neither are the two of you. We know without question that our children will grow into adults like us, but we never seem to get used to it. Anyway, without you, I am certain that her life would be short many of the riches she has recently enjoyed."
"Yes, the feeling is mutual, we can assure you. However, we are concerned for her well-being at this moment. Is there anything you can tell us?"
She smiled at them, pleased that they just proved themselves again. "Yes, I can tell you a few things, but not everything. Dark magic surrounds her, but is not being used upon her. She has not been injured as yet but is given only meager rations in primitive conditions, imprisoned where light never shows itself. It might be a cellar, because footfalls are often heard overhead. And she shares this room with another, I believe it is the wandmaker Ollivander."
Harry frowned, deep in thought. "Very good news that she is unharmed - we might not be too late. If she's in a cellar with Ollivander, Tom must have ordered it. Dumbledore figured he was trying to work out a solution to the brother wand dilemma… which ties back to me again…"
He looked back up. "Mrs… erm… Pandora, can you tell us anything she's overheard? Any names frequently mentioned?"
Her face softened in sympathy. "Yes, your name has been mentioned on occasion, quite unpleasantly, I might add -"
"I knew it - this is all my fault…"
"Harry!" Ginny urged, "Don't jump to conclusions! Let her finish!"
"Yes, thank you. As I was about to say, the name of my dear husband comes up nearly as often. I believe his disparaging articles of their movement over the last months have angered them enough to take action, and our daughter's safety has become their latest weapon against him. They have already communicated such to him. Your friendship with her may be either icing on their cake or just a convenient happenstance."
"Alright, but that doesn't change my resolve to get her out of there, if I can figure out a way. Could you tell if the structure is possibly a manor house?"
"It is possible. What little I saw before she was imprisoned was very ornate. In her present surroundings the walls are large rough cut stones and heavy wooden beams span the ceiling."
Harry nodded. "Thank you, Pandora, this has been very helpful. Is there anything you wish for us to pass along to Luna when we get her home?"
She smiled warmly. "I appreciate the offer, but there is no need. She is aware of my love and how I watch over her already. You two are very special, Harry and Ginevra. Luna was blessed to have found you, almost as blessed as you two are to have found each other and the bond of love that holds you together. Remember that during the rough times, and that hope leads to happiness."
Harry and Ginny stared in wonder as she faded back into the beyond.
"What is it about Lovegood women and creepy warnings?"
Ginny turned to him. "What?"
Harry dragged his hand through the unruly mop on his head. "Luna said something like a premonition the last time I saw her - right after you left to fetch Dumbledore. Something about a dark road ahead, and I'm afraid they're both on to something."
"Yes," Ginny agreed, "I've learned to never take anything Luna says for granted. Did you get any insight where she might be held?"
"Oh, yeah - I know just who to ask about it. And the power of the stone means he can't lie."
o o o
"Hello, sir, my name is Harry and this is Ginny with me. Am I correct that you are the father of Lucius Malfoy?"
"You are, the name's Abraxas. I can't say I'm happy to be here. What's this all about?"
"We are inquiring about guests residing in Malfoy Manor and what you can tell us about them."
"That I can do. Lucius has certainly allowed standards to slip. I remember that Tom Riddle from his younger days, before he went parading around as a Lord. He was a charismatic fellow, lots of purebloods swayed by his charm back in the day. Then he gathered a somewhat different lot around him after he delved into the Dark Arts. I tried to warn Lucius before I passed, but he's a headstrong boy and is attracted to power like a niffler to gold. Lucius and his family have become as guests in their own home, and he has little control of the comings and goings anymore. Some of the riff-raff hanging around may have pure wizard blood in their veins, but they have ice in their hearts, and certainly lack the proper bearing to be allowed within the halls of a respectable manor as ours used to be."
"Do you know of anyone held against their will?"
"Yes, there are two - the wandmaker from Diagon Alley and the writer Lovegood's daughter - both held in the cellar below the drawing room. Both purebloods as well; I suppose they'd be dead if they weren't."
"I need to get them out of there and back to safety. How can I get inside the house?"
"With the protections they've set, that is only going to happen if you're escorted by family."
"And that is where I really need your help, Mr. Malfoy…"
o o o
"No wonder Ginny was ready to throttle Lucius," Hermione huffed, "and I'm surprised you didn't report that to the Aurors who picked him up, Harry. When were you going to tell me you knew where Luna is?"
"I'm telling you right now, Hermione," Harry said tiredly as the four teens relaxed after dinner in the Burrow lounge. "Ever since we got back from Colin's funeral you've been hounding me about the Express. This is the first chance all day I've had to bring it up. I only found out last night when I called on Luna's mother, and then confirmed it with Draco's grandfather. Besides, I did tell Mad-Eye on the side, but to give me forty-eight hours in case someone rats on us and they decide to move her."
"And you really think Lucius' dead daddy can help you get into the manor?" asked Ron, skeptical where anyone named Malfoy was concerned.
"He doesn't like what's going on," Harry shrugged, "and I didn't tell him what I would be doing after the rescue."
"Are you going to tell us?"
"I talked to Dad after I finished with Mr. Malfoy - you know he excelled at transfiguration - and he gave me a spell that should work wonders. I'm going to reduce Malfoy Manor to rubble."
"But Harry, what if people die?" Hermione agonized.
"It should transpire slowly enough anyone with half a brain can apparate out. Still, these are Death Eaters, Hermione, and I'm not going out of my way to keep them from harm after what they've done."
"What about Mrs. Malfoy?" argued Hermione. "I've heard she is an unwilling participant, which makes her a victim as much as anyone."
"I don't know - she's a piece of work, but something Draco said makes me wonder if that's not true. Dobby!" Harry called.
The energetic house-elf appeared before them, eager as always. "Harry Potter calls Dobby?"
"Yes, I wanted to ask you about your old masters. Do you know if Mrs. Malfoy ever received the Dark Mark?"
Dobby shook his head. "Old mistress refused to wear bad wizard's mark - she being a proper pureblood bride and not bowing to lower class - it being why Draco has no little brothers or sisters."
The teens looked at each other, imagining what an ordeal that must have been.
Another thought suddenly occurred to Harry. "Dobby, can you get into Malfoy Manor?"
Dobby wrung his hands. "No, Dobby not allowed to go since bad master is being no longer Dobby's master."
"Okay, I was just wondering," Harry sighed.
"But," Dobby said with a grin, "Dobby can go in most anywhere he is being called in."
o o o
The next day was Harry's appointment with Acting Headmistress McGonagall. He had been given special permission to floo directly to the Head's Office, where she was in the process of packing up all the strange trinkets of Albus Dumbledore.
"Good morning, Professor McGonagall. Professor Snape, I'm glad you were able to come as well."
"Assuming you are allowed to return this term," Snape said, biting the words as if their utterance pained him. "Otherwise my presence here is completely unnecessary."
McGonagall scowled at her defense professor but did not chastise him. "Yes, quite. Welcome, Mr. Potter, you may have a seat. Now, please state your case on why your suspension should be lifted."
Harry shifted, not sure how to respond. "I understand why I was suspended - fighting in the hallways - but several weeks seems long enough."
"Most students," hissed Snape, "don't have mere suspensions when someone dies because of their misbehavior, Potter."
Harry glared back. "Do you believe that I chose to hit Professor Dumbledore? That I wanted him to die? If that's the case, we can just make the suspension permanent and I can leave right now, despite the fact that I've been cleared by the Ministry for any fault in his death."
"If we could keep our tempers at bay," McGonagall said, "I wish to reiterate that Mr. Potter is not being held responsible for Albus' death. Severus, we have discussed this at length."
"Correct, but what assurances do we have that Mr. Potter will not randomly attack other students whenever he has -"
"Frankly, Professor," Harry interjected, "it's not me you need to worry about."
"What do you mean, Mr. Potter?" asked McGonagall.
"I mean the war outside has brutally invaded this institution. One hundred and eighty survivors of the savage attack on the Hogwarts Express are going to return to Hogwarts, full of questions that need to be answered, including why no Slytherins were there - and some will be looking for revenge as well. How are you going to keep the three veteran houses from retaliating on Slytherin House, and the likely escalation that will follow when they inevitably fight back?"
"You have so little faith in the Hogwarts staff?"
"It's a big school and you can't be everywhere at once. Violence will happen at some scale, regardless of how big a deterrent you create. If I am present here, a lot of those students may be less inclined to start something on their own if they believe that I'll be some kind of enforcer for them."
"Oddly, your comments do make sense, Mr. Potter, but can we rely on you to be an instrument for peace, rather than one of those escalating violence?"
"Recent history, Professor. Yesterday three Death Eaters arrived at Colin Creevey's funeral, most likely to cause havoc and possibly death, yet no one was injured, the muggles were unaware anything was wrong, and the three are in DLME custody because my friends and I stopped them before they had the opportunity."
"Hardly a shining example, Potter…"
"It's not public knowledge yet - but it's not exactly a secret either - that the destruction aimed at the Hogwarts Express was ended by my surprise counter-attack on the Death Eaters, before the arrival of the Auror forces."
Both professors were taken aback.
"The Dark Lord," Snape scoffed, "is said to have had five dozen fighters suddenly returning with dismemberments and severe injuries of other kinds, and you expect us to believe that you caused this mayhem by yourself?"
Harry sat stoically. "Ask Mad-Eye. He trained me how to do it, and he has my memory of pulling it off. The students were barely holding on at that point, in case you haven't talked to any of them. The Death Eaters started the violence, and I did what was necessary to restore the peace at the moment. Yet I can't change the trauma those kids went through, and they are still suffering, even those who have been physically healed.
"So, Professor," Harry said addressing Snape, "what explanations can you give them that will keep them from charging the Slytherin table at the first opportunity?"
McGonagall raised her eyebrows toward her dour colleague. "Yes, Severus, what can you tell them?"
He looked as if he were sucking a particularly sour lemon. "The safety of my students comes first, always. Some of my younger snakes came to me shortly before departure worried about the bragging of a few upper year students and what might happen during the ride to Kings Cross. When confronted, they would say nothing. I decided that Slytherin House would not be party to any shenanigans causing harm to the others, so they were all put into detention and later sent home via the floo network."
"How Slytherin," drawled Harry, "gives them complete deniability."
"While true," countered Snape, "it also served as an early warning mechanism for those aboard the Express, did it not?"
"Actually, it did. My friends alerted me, they began to prepare and I was notified when the attack started." He looked levelly at the Slytherin Head of House. "That action alone saved many lives, Professor Snape, so I thank you."
Snape sat stunned, suddenly speechless.
McGonagall smiled. "Mr. Potter, I am convinced that you may return to Hogwarts on a probationary status. I expect you to work with us, Harry, to help maintain order and peace."
"Thank you, Professor. If I may, I have some suggestions for the evening we return…"
o o o
Over the next day and a half, Harry practiced his father's transfiguration spells. He apparated to an isolated valley in the Lake District, transforming entire hillsides to ensure that he could perform the same on a structure the size of Malfoy Manor. He made futile attempts to restore the scene to its original condition, but he hadn't learned those spells yet - if it was even possible. Future visitors would be very confused with the new rock formations, apparently lava flows from a volcano that hadn't existed for millions of years.
Late the following evening he huddled with Ron and Ginny once again in the Burrow lounge.
"Your parents will be okay if I send them here?"
"Of course, mate," Ron reassured him. "Mum will take care of both of them, and she can get a healer here in a trice if something is seriously wrong."
"I still think Grimmauld is a better choice…"
"I know Mad-Eye thinks we'd be safer there, but Bill's ramped up security here, too. We'll be fine."
"Good luck, Harry," Ginny said, giving him a chaste hug for her brother's sake. "I want to see both you and Luna here safe and sound, alright?"
"Yes, ma'am," Harry said cheekily. "I'm going to bring our Moonbeam home again."
They all chuckled, then Harry called on his favorite mode of transportation - the Dobby Express.
o o o
"Wow, Dobby, this really is a fancy house. Do you think anyone will miss it?"
Standing in the lane before the gates to Malfoy Manor, Dobby shook his head gleefully. "Dobby being glad to see it fall to pieces."
"That's the plan, but don't tell my helper that. Can you tell me who is currently in the house?"
"Old mistress in her bed, Draco in his, eight others asleep and two in kitchen awake."
"The Dark Pretender isn't there?"
"Dobby not be seeing him."
"That's unfortunate. Thanks, Dobby, you can disappear until I call you."
Dobby acquiesced, and Harry then used the stone in the Peverell ring to call on Abraxas Malfoy once again.
"I see you have made it to the gates of my house, young man. You say you will rid it of the filth who have descended upon it?"
"I guarantee it." Harry said without hesitation. "I need you to put your essence upon the lock here."
"Gladly." The ghost-like figure approached the center of the gates and held his hand to the metal plate emblazoned with the Malfoy Coat of Arms. "It is as I suspected; anyone who wears the brand of Riddle passes through unchallenged. Walk through quickly, lad."
Harry passed through the ironwork as if it wasn't there. "Straight up the drive then?"
"Correct. You will need me again at the front door."
Up the long gravel drive Harry strode, admiring the well-trimmed hedges but huffing at the pretentious peacocks that promenaded about the lawn.
"Do not laugh, young man," Abraxas sneered as he walked silently alongside, "they are a long-standing symbol of family pride."
"My apologies, sir," Harry said with a slight bow.
They continued in silence, following the moon which shone brightly above the house. “You’ll be home soon, Moonbeam,” Harry murmured.
Harry donned his invisibility cloak as they approached the elaborately carved entry door. Once again, Abraxas touched the lock and Harry was able to pass through unnoticed. They had previously arranged for the senior Malfoy spirit to simply lead the way through the house to the cellar room where the prisoners were kept. After all, he was only visible to Harry.
Luckily, there was no one along the path through the sumptuously decorated manor and down the hidden staircase to the secret room below the drawing room.
"Thank you, Abraxas," Harry whispered. "We appreciate your assistance tonight."
"Just keep your promise, young man." With that, he faded from view.
Harry knew he would be keeping that promise, just not how Abraxas expected.
He cast an unlocking spell on the door and pushed it open. Sending a revealing spell, he was relieved that only two persons occupied the room. He saw a torch in the shadows and waved his wand to light it.
A blanketed bundle against a side wall emitted a groan. Another smaller shape sat up and Harry was thankful to see blonde strands of hair shaking as the girl underneath gave a small cough.
"Is someone there?"
"Yes, Luna, I've come to take you home. Just be quiet for a moment longer and you will be among friends."
"It's funny - even though I can't see you, I feel as if I'm among friends right now."
"That's right. Dobby! First rescue ready."
A moment later, Luna popped out of sight. Harry went over to the other bundle and found Ollivander, weak but alive, eyes searching for the source of this new voice.
"You have taken the girl away?" he rasped.
"Yes, she is safe now, as you will be in a moment. Be sure to tell those who greet you whatever you need to be properly healed."
"Thank you, kind spirit, whoever you are. Be careful, the forces in place here are not to be trifled with."
"I will, good luck. Dobby, second rescue ready."
Once again, the prisoner disappeared and Harry was alone in the cellar room. He looked about and decided the wall to the left of the stairwell was a good choice to begin his penetration of the manor basement.
Harry drew a narrow arch shape on the surface with his wand and vanished the stone within, leaving a narrow tunnel through the wall, just big enough to walk through. He found himself in a low crawl space that had other openings into other subterranean areas under the main floor. He walked through the entire basement and in every section of the house he conjured a special package that would activate upon his signal, preferably just as he cleared the premises.
Satisfied that he had covered the house corner to corner, he returned to the cellar.
"Dobby!"
The house-elf popped in, bouncing on his heels. "Dobby being worried the great Harry Potter was hurt."
"No, Dobby, I'm fine. This is just such a huge house; it took me a while to cover all of it. Now, here's the note for Mrs. Malfoy. Give it to her personal house-elf and tell her it is most urgent. I'm starting on the walls as soon as you return."
Dobby nodded and disappeared. Soon his task had been accomplished and he popped back in.
Before Harry could say anything else, the door banged open and a gnarled face appeared.
"Who's down here? You! House-elf! Where's our prisoners?"
That was all he could say before Harry stunned him.
"Dobby, take him out to the lawn behind a hedge somewhere and come back quickly."
Dobby grinned and set about his task.
Meanwhile, Harry held the Elder Wand to the surface of the stone wall and began a long chant taught by his father. Normal transfiguration spells did not require such elaborate preparation, but normal spells could not change the structural material of an entire manor house. What Harry needed was something strong enough to keep the house from collapsing immediately, but with a very low melting point, so a bit of fire would be all that was necessary for the entire house to melt into a puddle before returning to the original stone, just as he had practiced on those remote hillsides.
Dobby returned just as Harry completed the transfiguration. The house-elf looked about in wonder.
"Great Harry Potter has done it!"
"That's right, Dobby, one more task, then it's time to leave."
The house was already starting to groan under the stress as Harry waved the Elder Wand in a complete circle, igniting every single incendiary device he had placed throughout the basement. In moments, the bottom of the house would be a veritable oven.
"Let's go home, Dobby."
o o o
Harry was about to knock on the Burrow's back door when it opened and a redhead missile jumped into his arms and eager lips attached to his for a long - but not nearly long enough - enjoyable moment.
"Harry!" cried Ginny, "you saved them!"
"You always sound surprised when I do that," Harry smirked.
She slapped his arm. "Prat," she said, chuckling as she pulled him inside. "You need to say hello at least."
Ron was at the kitchen table, and next to him sat Luna - bedraggled and draped in a blanket, her hands clasping a hot mug of tea - and despite the smudges her face shone like the moon when she spotted Harry.
"Good to be back among friends, eh?" asked Harry, opening his arms to her.
Luna rose and slipped inside his embrace. "Yes, thank you, Harry, you were right."
Harry kissed the top of her head and gave her a sly grin. "Whatever do you mean, milady?"
Luna giggled. "Oh goody, another secret nefarious plot?"
"Of course," Harry said, "and you were the star player in this one."
Molly Weasley scrambled down the stair. "Harry! Where have you been? I'm glad you're back to help poor Luna and Garrick - we've moved him to Bill's room - and isn't it a miracle? They've just arrived, and the poor dears are cold and must be starving…"
The teens all grinned at each other as Molly bustled about the kitchen, preparing a pot of soup for the rescuees.
She eventually left a steaming bowl in front of Luna, another hovering in front of her as she clambered back upstairs. "There's plenty more, dears, dig in if you're hungry."
Ron inhaled deeply. "Mum's chicken noodle is the best." They all agreed and settled, each with a bowl of their own.
Ankles crossed with each other, Harry and Ginny sat across from Luna, who kept grinning at them knowingly.
Harry decided to distract her. "Are you alright, Luna, really? Did they hurt you at all?"
She cocked her head to the side, just as her mother had. "No, although they were a little rough, like they didn't know their own strength. They did say if Father didn't cooperate, they might decide to have a little fun with me." She stared down into her soup bowl. "I don't think they were going to teach me to play chess."
Ron choked on his own soup, while Ginny reached across to hold her hand.
"It was very frightening," she continued, "but in the still hours when the house was quiet, I could hear mum singing to me - a Moody Blues song about being found - and I knew everything would turn out alright."
o o o
"Miss Cissy! Must awakes now! Miss Cissy! Important message!"
Narcissa Malfoy rolled over sleepily. "Binky? Message? What's going on?"
The tiny house-elf handed her a small parchment. "They saids urgent - life or death! Must reads!"
She blinked and sat up, trying to make out the scrawled words.
Mrs. Malfoy:
As you read this note, your house is about to be destroyed in retaliation for the unprovoked attack on the Hogwarts Express by the terrorist group known to reside there. You have less than one minute to gather anything you consider valuable and escape to safety.
Yours truly,
Black Knight
"One minute!" she gasped, wide awake. "Binky, quickly pack my travel bag, then do the same for Draco and bring him to me, whatever state he is in. Make haste! We have little time!"
She waved her wand over her gown which became a traveling cloak. She pulled out a jewelry drawer and changed it into a matching bag, then directed all the other valuables into the new bag. By this time, her son had landed on her bed with his own bag, spluttering in protest.
"Bloody hell, Mother," Draco yelled, "are you trying to kill me?"
"No, Draco, precisely the opposite. Binky! Take us to the front lawn, away from the house! Now!"
The house-elf was thorough and efficient. They landed near the drive, not far from the iron gates, safe from whatever fate might befall the house but could still see what was happening.
Draco clambered to his feet. "Now are you going to explain -"
"Quiet, Draco. Listen!"
They stared at the manor, and Narcissa gasped as the house changed from a slate color to something much darker, almost invisible in the moonlight, and flames began to lick the walls at ground level. Then, a slow motion horror unfolded - the entire building slumped, first in the center section then either end following suit, and it quietly crumpled upon itself, floor by floor, punctuated only by shattering glass and distant screams.
"Binky! My sister!"
A moment later the screams were right in front of them as Bellatrix Lestrange lay flailing on the lawn in a full blown panic, having just seen her bedroom collapse around her as she fell weightless into the jowls of death.
"Bella! Calm down - you're safe!"
"Cissy?"
As the smoking remains of the manor house settled into its former basement, the two sisters clung to each other in the darkness, weeping for what was lost, and the relief that they remained alive in spite of this indescribable calamity.
Draco stood alone, gaping in disbelief that the house - his future home - lay in ruins before him, but one stray thought passed through the numbness of his mind.
"Mother, do you smell chocolate?"
o