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The Winding Road | ||||||
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Category: Alternate Universe Characters:None Genres: Drama Warnings: Violence Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 48 Summary: A Harry Never attended Hogwarts Story Hitcount: Story Total: 16922; Chapter Total: 837 Awards: View Trophy Room |
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Chapter 12 “Let. Me. Out.” Ginny shook with anger, disregarding the wand that Robards held in his hand. Robards looked her over thoughtfully. “Weasley, I think you need to consider the possibilities that have been presented to us. If Potter has broken down the wards, and in so doing, declared war on the wizarding world, I can contact the auror strike team I have situated nearby- “You had a team stationed nearby ready to attack him?” Ginny nearly yelled. and we can bring him in.” Robards continued, overriding her. “If it’s an attack, and if he survives then no harm done, just an unfortunate event. And if he doesn’t….well, then, our problem is solved.” “Are you insane?” Ginny couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You’re actually recommending that we let an individual under the protection of the ministry die? And not just somebody, but the bloody savior of the wizarding world. Are you out of your BLOODY MIND?!” Ginny’s voice rang through the office, and Robards shifted in his seat, uncomfortable at the accusation. “Look, Weasley, I don’t love either. But look on the bright side. You’re out of danger, and I can keep this from effecting your career. We must look at what’s best for the ministry. If Potter is gone-“ “If Potter dies, it makes the ministry look weak, incompetent, like we’re on the verge of war.” Ginny interrupted, breathing heavily. Robards looked up at the ceiling seeming to contemplate Ginny’s words. “Robards, this is dereliction of duty. It is wrong. And if you let this happen or try to prevent me from going to help Harry, so help me, you’ll have to kill me. Because if you don’t, and Harry is hurt because of it, I won’t rest until I’ve burned your life down around your ears.” Ginny added in a vicious whisper. Robards sat forward with a heavy sigh. “Fine, Weasley. Despite your insubordination, you are right. I won’t sacrifice my integrity for Potter. It’s what makes me different.” He muttered to himself. Robards reached into his desk, pulling out a small piece of paper. “This has had a Protean Charm placed on it, the team stationed near Potter’s house is ordered to respond immediately. I’ll have them go check on Potter.” Robards scribbled quickly and the pair sat, waiting for a response. Ginny fidgeted, stomach in her throat, willing the aurors to respond. Seconds passed, and one minute turned into two. Robards shifted anxiously in his seat. “Something is wrong.” Robards said eventually. “They know they are supposed to respond. We should have heard from them by now. Damn. Damn Damn Damn. If they aren’t responding, then something must have happened. This is bad.” Ginny’s heart stopped. “Send me over, Robards. I can check it out.” She demanded desperately. Robards shook his head. “Weasley, if this is Potter declaring war then you wouldn’t stand a chance. And if this is an attack, its by someone who knows some of our most closely guarded secrets.” A troubled look crossed his face as he responded. “We NEED to know what’s happening. You know that Robards. Send me over and send back up as soon as you can.” Ginny insisted. Robards paused, before nodding. “Fine. I know Marzoc and a few others are in the office. I’ll send them over as soon as I can round them up.” Robards reached into his robe and drew out a small object wrapped in a cloth. Ginny unwrapped it to find a small stone. She looked at Robards in confusion. “Emergency portkey. Will take you there as soon as you touch it. Make sure you’re ready before you go.” Ginny nodded, pulling her wand and pulling her warded aurors cloak tighter around her. “Hurry over.” Said Ginny, before touching the stone and feeling the familiar pulling sensation. The scene that greeted Ginny upon her arrival almost cost her her life. Potter’s house was on fire and spell fire could be seen shooting in and out of the darkness beyond the light the burning building provided. Ginny stood, shocked, when a spell flew out of the dark straight towards her. Ginny dove out of the way, feeling the spell pass just over her head. Ginny rolled, making sure not to stand up right where she had gone down, and began moving forward, trying to find the source of the incoming spells. A sudden silence enveloped the area, the only sound the crackling of the house as it burned. A huge crack caused Ginny to drop to the ground again. Looking for the source of the sound, she say that a huge hole had been blasted in one side of the house. A figure leaped form the shadows and dashed into the house, bubble charm on their head. Ginny recognized Harry’s figure and only restrained herself from calling out to him. Ginny watched helpless as Harry disappeared into the flames. A moment later he reappeared, carrying something in his arms. He placed his burden on the ground. Before turning to face the darkness. “Come on then, you bastards!” Harry called defiantly into the night. Spell fire answered his challenge. Harry pivoted, avoiding several of the spells, smoothly ducking under the rest, before whipping his spell up into the sky, shooting a flare that illuminated the area. The light revealed several figures crouching in the brush, frozen in surprise. “I see you now.” Harry’s voice carried across the clearing. He disappeared into a blur of motion. Harry sprinted forward, deflected the few weak spells that were thrown at him. Harry finally stopped when he stood in the midst of the 4 attackers, who, despite the possibility of hitting their allies, continued to spurt out rapid, inaccurate spells. Ginny watched as Harry, who never stopped moving, stepped forward, thrusting his wand at the closest figure, who flew backwards as the invisible force struck him. The attacker crashed into a tree and slumped to the ground, not moving. Two other attackers moved forward in tandem, sending spells toward Harry as cover for each other and forcing him to continue to defend himself. Seeing her opportunity, Ginny sprinted forward, sliding to a stop just yards away from the attackers, whose focus was totally on Harry. Her stunning spell took the close figure full in the back, smashing him into the ground. Their partner turned quickly, raising their wand towards Ginny, only to have Harry hit them with a full body bind. The final attacker scurried back through the forest, and Harry, a snarl on his face, jumped after them. “Harry!” Ginny yelled, taking off after him. But Harry’s head start was too much to overcome and Ginny soon lost him in the trees. Ginny wandered through, knowing yelling Harry’s name again was as likely to bring an enemy as it was a friend. A scream of pain and terror suddenly echoes around the forest. Ginny spun trying to detect the source of the sound, but the darkness and the forest made it impossible to pinpoint. Another scream rang out, and Ginny couldn’t contain herself. “Harry, where are you?” Ginny yelled, hoping it would be Harry that answered. “Ginny?” A voice whispered from the brush behind her. Ginny spun around, raising her wand. “Harry?’ she asked tentatively. “No, It’s Marzoc, Robards sent me to help. What’s happening?” Marzoc asked urgently. “I’m not sure. I’m assuming death eaters are making another attempt on Harry, but something doesn’t seem right. I followed Harry here, but I lost him in the trees.” Ginny explained. Marzoc nodded, raising her wand again. “Right, lets find him then.” Ginny shrugged and was about to say she had no idea where to look when another scream ripped out, this one much closer. Glancing at each other Marzoc and Ginny took off towards the source of the screaming. Ginny skid to halt in a small clearing, light blinding her as she stepped out of the thick trees. Clearing her eyes, she was shocked to see Harry standing over a small balding man, who, though he appeared unharmed, let out another terrified scream. Harry backhanded him across the mouth, cutting his scream off. “Shut up, Pettigrew.” Said Harry harshly. “Merlin knows how you’ve stayed alive this long, but it’s an oversight that I feel ready to correct.” “Please, please, Harry, I, I, I was forced-I didn’t want-“ The mans pleading’s were cut off by another blow from Harry, knocking him to the ground, where he curled into a ball. Then suddenly the man began to transform, shrinking rapidly. Harry raised his wand and a loud bang sounded followed by a squeal of pain. “None of that now, Pettigrew. You’ll not get away from me again. Not this time.” Harry paused to deliver a vicious kick to the downed, now sobbing man. “You’re pathetic. A useless excuse for a man. That you ended my parents life, however indirectly, is a cosmic injustice. One I intend to correct.” Harry raised his wand, glaring. “I’ve never enjoyed killing, Peter, but this…this I might enjoy.” Ginny stepped forward, her shock broken. She slowly walked towards Harry and rested her hand on his arm. She could feel it shaking under the heavy coat he wore. “Harry” She whispered into his ear “This, this isn’t you!” Harry’s arm shook harder at her words. “Ginny” he forced out “do…do you know what he did? Who he is?” Raw pain in every syllable. “I know, Harry, I know. You aren’t that type of person. You’re better than this. Let him suffer for his crimes, take him to the ministry. But don’t-don’t lose yourself because of him.” Ginny softly pleaded. Harry continued to glare at Pettigrew, before slowly lowering his wand. Ginny quickly muttered “Incarcerus” and trapped Pettigrew there before turning to embrace Harry. Harry suddenly shoved her to ground and dove down next to her as several powerful spells shot out of the trees just over their heads. Cruel laughter seemed to float out of the trees. “I was hoping you would kill him. He was always useless, but served as good bait.” An cruel, unstable, female voice said from the shadows. Harry remained crouched on the ground, trying to locate the sound of the voice. “Bellatrix” Harry growled “I had thought, actually hoped, that were dead. Preferably of something painful. Like syphilis.” “Just like Sirius” the voice spat back “always with your muggle jokes.” Ginny saw Harry’s hand tighten on his wand at the mention of Sirius’ name. Raising his wand suddenly, Harry sent a wall of fire towards the trees. The fire moved forward consuming trees. Scrambling could be heard as someone or multiple someone’s moved to avoid the fire. Then, oddly, the wall of fire seemed to slam into something and stopped in its tracks. Bellatrix laughed again. “Don’t worry wee Potty, nothing is getting out of here tonight. I learned this spell from the Dark Lord himself. There will be no escape. No backup.” “Funny” Harry replied shortly “I don’t seem to remember needing backup to turn Old Voldy into worm food.” A figure suddenly burst from the trees. She was tall and skeletal, her face pale and gaunt. The fire of insanity burned in her eyes, and her wand wavered and bobbed as she held it aloft. And yet for all that she was no less dangerous. “You will regret every word of slander that you utter against my Master. I will use you to resurrect my Lord and then, oh Harry, your death will be a sympathy of pain. I do enjoy killing, but I think the foreplay with your death will be even more enjoyable.” Bellatrix purred. Harry didn’t bother to respond. “Ready? Remember what I taught you?” Harry whispered to Ginny. The days spent learning to fight on the move flashed through Ginny’s mind and she nodded. Without preamble, Harry stood, casting several spells towards Bellatrix. The forest seemed to explode into sound light as other hidden attackers launched their own spells. Ginny stood facing away from Harry, protecting him from anything that came from behind as Harry fought Bellatrix. There was no time to think, and trusting in her training and ability as an auror, and in Harry’s training, Ginny fought. Blocking a spell that came at her, Ginny launching a cutting curse back, severing the hadn the of the large dirty man that stood across from her. A spell hit Ginny in the small of her back but the warding on the aurors cloak seemed to protect her and Ginny quickly got back to her feet, stunning the death eater that had snuck up behind her. Ginny turned, seeking another opponent. She was surprised to see Marzoc standing off to the side, slightly behind a tree and taking careful aim with her wand. Ginny had forgotten Marzoc was even there and she had apparently not taken any real part in the several minutes of furious fighting that had taken place. Ginny followed the site line of the wand, and realized that Harry and Bellatrix were still dueling furiously. Harry attempted to close on Bellatrix, but a powerful spell sent him rolling away from her, only feet from where Marzoc hid. Ginny watched as Marzoc’s aim adjusted, urging her to fire. Marzoc’s wand, however, settled on Harry’s downed form and understanding washed over. “HARRY!” Ginny screamed out, diving towards Marzoc. Ginny collided with Marzoc, sending the spell slightly off course. But the distance too short, the warning too late, and Marzoc’s spell slammed into Harry’s side, sending his wand flying. Ginny wrestled with the older woman, pinning her wand arm to the ground. Ginny pulled back her fist and slammed into the traitor’s nose, shocking her. Ginny grabbed for her wand but Marzoc bucked her off, before throwing dirt into Ginny’s eyes. Acting on instinct, Ginny collapsed to the ground, feeling the spell fly past her. Ginny dove, closing her hand around her dropped wand and rolled onto her back, immediately sending a powerful bludgeoning curse towards Marzoc who was only feet away. The spell took her full in the face, sending her to the ground in a boneless heap. Ginny breathed deeply before remembering that Harry had been hit. Ginny scrambled to her feet, rushing to where she had seen Harry go down. He was gone. Panic closed Ginny’s throat. “The shield is down, I’ve got Potter! Back to the ritual!” Bellatrix yelled out and Ginny turned to see Bellatrix hauling Harry’s limp body behind her before she disappeared with a crack. A series of echoing cracks followed and soon Ginny was left alone in the forest. |
| Reviews 48 |
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