A Promise Kept - Chapter 55 - The Wonders of the Full Moon

The Wonders of a Full Moon

“And Minister Yaxley has taken the opportunity to assure the public that he and his administration will stop at nothing to restore Britain to its former glory after claiming that the country has been left in a rather sorry state of affairs during the late Cornelius Fudge’s tenure…”

The Dark Lord turned off the radio with a flick of his wand and nodded approvingly.

“Ever the statesman,” he chuckled, shaking his head amusedly.

It had only been a few days since Corban assumed the position of Minister of Magic, and already, he was navigating his newfound responsibilities well and doing so without raising suspicion.

On the surface, he was indeed a servant of the people, whom he knew how to placate with his silver tongue.

Oh, how things would change soon enough.

Plans within plans were already in motion, and there was only one thing to do to knock over the first domino holding society together.

“You know what I need from you, Fenrir.”

The werewolf grinned, baring his yellowed teeth, discoloured from years of feasting on human flesh.

He truly was every bit the wolf that resided within him.

With only a nod in response, the thickly built man left the room, and the Dark Lord suspected that come this evening, the screams of his victims would fill the air.

With a werewolf attack on the minds of the public, they would call for action to ensure it didn’t happen again, and Corban would act accordingly.

The very thought brought a smirk to his lips, and finally since he’d returned, it felt as though his campaign was beginning to go in his favour. Soon enough, Britain would be no place for Harry Potter to run roughshod over.

The boy would be cowed, killed, and forgotten about, becoming only a footnote in the tomes upon tomes that would one day be written of Lord Voldemort and his triumphs.

His smirk widen into a smile, and he nodded to himself as he indulged in what was inevitable.

Potter’s days were numbered, and soon enough, he would be on his knees begging for a mercy that would never be granted.

It was the only way the blasted prophecy could be fulfilled, after all.

(Break)

He ran his hands through the feathers of his first companion, and Aurelius leaned into the touch. Leaving them for several days at a time was the hardest thing about moving back to Britain, outside of his friends, and Harry visited as often as he could, even if only to take a few moments of peace aware from the unfolding war.

“I know boy,” he sighed. “If I had somewhere to keep you, I’d take you with me. Maybe when I turn seventeen, I’ll be able to afford to buy some land for you, and even Norbert.

He looked up to see the behemoth of a creature flying overhead.

“Or maybe not,” he chuckled. “He won’t be so easy to hide.”

It had been an odd few days of watching and waiting to see what Tom would do with his newfound power, and how Britain would adjust to it.

Thus far, it was as though nothing had changed, but Hary knew the peace of the transition wasn’t to last.

No, Britain was tense, and it would take so very little to upset the balance of trepidation, curiosity, and fear of what was to come.

Everyone knew the Dark Lord was out there once more, and that it was only a matter of time before he made his next move. What that was, Harry couldn’t quite fathom, but he was as ready as he could be to face it.

He’d been preparing for every eventuality for as long as he could remember; what Tom would do to grasp power, how he might use those Harry cares for to lure him into a trap, what other moves he would make to ensure victory, and what would happen if Harry was to lose.

Truthfully, little else had occupied his mind, but he’d always been grateful for the distractions that allowed him a sense of normality.

He shook his head amusedly as he removed the latest letter he’d received from Gabrielle.

She had asked after him, needing to be reassured that he was well given what had happened to Fudge, and how the power had suddenly shifted in Riddle’s favour, but also to vent her own frustration with the box he’d gifted her for Christmas.

He’d relented and offered to help her seeing as she was likely going to hurl fire at him the next time they met if he didn’t.

It turns out that Veela are not the most patient of creatures. Not that he was surprised by the revelation. He’d spent enough time with the Delacour sisters and their mother to have learned that by now.

Checking his watch, he realised he’d been here longer than intended and would be meeting the girl shortly.

He was not eager for her to come to Britain, and he was certain her parents wouldn’t like it, but given that she was seventeen now, it was ultimately her choice to make.

It wasn’t as though Harry would allow any harm to come to her, but he still didn’t like it.

Nonetheless, Gabrielle was somehow more stubborn than Fleur, and when she got an idea into her head, there was no deterring her.

Not that Harry hadn’t ensured her safety.

She would arrive at his flat via portkey, and leave the same way, taking her directly back to France.

He’d not been willing to negotiate on that point, and though he suspected she was quite frustrated with him for his cautiousness, she would understand soon enough when she arrived.

“I’ll be back,” he promised Aurelius, and even Hera, who had become just as fond of him as her father insisted on saying goodbye.

There was a part of him that missed living here.

For Harry, it had always been a place of safety where he’d been able to flourish and even spend time with his friends when they’d come to visit.

It was still all of those things, but equally, something he’d needed to let go of to confront what he’d always known was coming for him.

Instead, Harry had made a conscious choice to be the hunter rather than the hunted.

He would not balk, and he would not hesitate, and come life after survival, or death with failure, he would see either on his own terms.

(Break)

He sniffed the air in anticipation of unleashing his pack on Britain for the first time in more than a decade-and-a-half, his blood pumping in his veins, and mouth-watering at the bountiful feast he was to receive.

These past years, those that followed him had been close to starving in a bid to keep them safe from the reprisals of whatever country they found themselves in.

Of course, they had settled somewhat in the abandoned village they had made their own, but food was scarce, save for the few muggles that wandered near enough to be taken without drawing unwanted attention, and the magicals knew to avoid them.

Here, however, there were no such restrictions, and Fenrir’s pack were just as hungry as him.

It truly was survival of the fittest amongst them.

With every full moon, violence had erupted as they attempted to eat one another to satiate their needs.

Now, they would not be necessary.

They would eat their fill tonight, without fear of being hunted down like wild animals.

(Break)

If the mood within the castle had been tense before Fudge’s death, it was becoming outright hostile now. The lines had been clearly drawn among the students, and thus far, Sirius had spent his days dealing with the fallout, verbal arguments, and even a few altercations.

From his own experience, it would only get worse if it wasn’t curbed firmly, and swiftly.

“So, you decided you would attempt to curse Miss Fawcett?” he asked.

Millicent Bulstrode shrugged as she eyed him defiantly.

“You have nothing to say?”

The girl snorted in response, her lips curled in a grin, and Sirius slammed his hand on the desk, sobering her.

“You may think that this is a joke, but I do not think you will see the humour for much longer, Miss Bulstrode. You see, outside of these walls, violence is on the brink of erupting, and your loved ones are in just as much danger as any you look down on. Is that what you want? Do you wish to bury your mother, father, and brother because of their moronic decision to follow are madman?”

“My father…”

“Is a damned fool,” Sirius interjected. “I remember Malcolm well enough. Ask him when you see him what happened when he attempted to curse James Potter. Well, you will get that opportunity much sooner than you expected. You are hereby expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Professor Slughorn will accompany you back to the common room where you will gather your things. You have thirty minutes to get out of the castle. Goodbye, Miss Bulstrode.”

Horace had remained silent throughout the meeting and only offered a nod as he escorted the pale young woman from the office.

“You did the right thing,” Phineas said in support of his decision.

The other former headmasters and headmistresses nodded their agreement, except for one, who remained as unmoving as the day his portrait appeared.

He would not allow what was happening outside of these walls to spill within, even if that meant expelling every last troublemaker brought before him, regardless of what house they were from.

He released a deep breath.

His job had become exponentially more difficult, and his position on the Wizengamot next to useless.

He’d sent a request for a warrant to be issued for the arrest of Draco Malfoy, which had been ignored despite all the evidence against him.

Being seventeen, he was looking at five kidnapping charges, false imprisonment, and perhaps even accessory to murder if any of those he’d taken were killed.

Worse yet for him, those charges would likely only continue to pile up before anything was resolved.

Not that he would face any punishment until order was restored within the Ministry, which was not going to be anytime soon short of a miracle.

Still, Sirius needed to try to ensure the letter of the law was being followed, and he’d gotten all the confirmation he’d expected in the form of outright silence.

In her own position, Bones was no better than useless, and Sirius suspected things would only continue to degrade under her leadership.

“What is it?” he huffed as the fireplace flared into life and Arthur Weasley hurried out.

“An alert,” the man answered breathlessly. “I was working late and heard the alarm announcing a werewolf attack.”

Sirius shot to his feet.

“Are the aurors responding?”

“Only a small team to see if it is a false alarm.”

“Fucking hell! We both know it isn’t, and so does Bones. What the hell is she playing at?”

“Doing as much as she dared without risking harm to her niece, I fear.”

Sirius could only shake his head as he began sending off patronuses, hesitating only briefly before sending the last.

“Then it is up to us, Arthur. Bones may be unwilling to do anything, but someone has to. Come, the others will meet us there.”

(Break)

She looked around the flat appreciatively, finding the décor and feel of it to be cosy, but not overwhelming. Whomever it had belonged to before Harry certainly knew a thing or two about creating a homely ambience.

The same, however, could not be said for the dreary, empty street below.

Diagon Alley was famous across the wizarding world for its hustle and bustle, excellent wares, food, Quidditch supplies, and perhaps the most famous wandmaker in existence.

Now, it appeared as all the life had been sapped from it.

Many of the shops were boarded up, and the only thing to be seen was a few nervous Aurors, who kept their hands firmly on their wands.

“Not many are even bothering to open now,” Harry said darkly. “Fred and George still do, and I doubt many would want to attempt to attack any place belonging to them.”

Gabrielle nodded and smiled amusedly at the bright orange building just a short distance down the alleyway.

“But they’re asking for trouble.”

“And they’ll probably get it eventually,” Harry chuckled. “Whoever does decide to go after them will get more than they bargained for.”

In truth, their defiance was but a small, bright spot on a rather grim tapestry laid out before her.

This could not be the Diagon Alley she’d heard about, and she shuddered as a wave of coldness washed over her.

“The Dementors,” Harry said dismissively. “They’re never too far away.”

“I don’t suppose they frighten you.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, ignoring the quirking of her eyebrows.

“Not so much. So, did you bring it?”

Gabrielle nodded as she removed the box that had been the bane of her existence, along with Harry’s continued adventures.

It had been months since she’d seen him last, and though he looked no worse for wear, he was different, somehow even more enigmatic, and as much as she was trying not to focus on whatever desires she had towards him, it was all but impossible.

“I can feel the magic,” she explained.

“What does it feel like?” he asked, his eyes almost twinkling in the firelight.

She narrowed her own at him.

“Like it gets tighter every time I try to undo it.”

He laughed, and Gabrielle glared at him.

For weeks she had been haunted by the box, and him finding her plight so hilarious was helping keep her irritation at bay.

Seeing this, he held up his hands placatingly.

“It was maybe a little unfair for me to give it to you,” he sighed. “I knew the harder you tried, the harder it would be, but I didn’t mean for it to make you so angry. It was supposed to help you with your enchanting.”

“With my enchanting?”

Harry nodded as he took her hand, and Gabrielle felt her magic react with his. Biting her lip to focus on his words, she found it all but impossible to ignore the carnal urges she’d struggled to keep at bay for so long now.

“Are you listening?”

“I’m trying,” she huffed. “It’s not easy when you’re distracting me.”

“Distracting you?” he asked confusedly, his eyes becoming glazed over as they rose to meet hers. “Oh, sorry.”

He shook his head, seemingly coping with the influx of her magic, but he did not look up again.

“Focus,” he snorted.

Gabrielle did her utmost to do just that, and somehow, she managed to shift her attention to the box.

“The magic is in different sections, and must be peeled away in a specific order,” Harry explained. “The difficulty is that if you get one wrong, they will all come back into place.”

Gabrielle nodded her understanding.

“It is almost like a code you have to break. I’ll show you, and you need to feel what is happening.”

He said nothing as he concentrated, and through the haze she could not completely shift, she felt three of the seven layers move before they were back again.”

“You try.”

“I don’t think I can with you holding my hand.”

She felt the disappointment fill her as he released his hold, but she could think a little more clearly as she began working on peeling back the different layers of magic.

When she was done, she found a necklace resting in the palm of her hand; a simple gold chain with a feather pendant attached to it.

“It will be invisible when you wear it, and undetectable to anyone else. It is a portkey that will bring you to me, just in case you ever need an escape.”

Gabrielle smiled as he took and placed it around her neck.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely, aware of the tips of his fingers passing gently over her skin.

It was almost more than she could take, and Gabrielle failed to hide her shudder.

“I would think that by now you’d be able to handle being near me,” he chuckled.

“Shut up, Harry,” she huffed, unable to hide her blush. “It’s hard for me.”

“Are you embarrassed?”

Gabrielle shook her head.

“No, not even a little, and not ashamed either,” she said with a shrug.

“So, why is it so difficult?” he asked curiously.

She released a deep sigh and shook her head.

“I don’t find it difficult being around you, that’s the easiest thing about all of it. What I find hard is not acting on the impulses I have. I want you. I still don’t know if it is more than just wanting you, or something more. All I know is that there is a part of me that hungers for you, and I cannot stop it.”

He nodded his understanding, though he did not seem certain.

“What about the other part?”

“The other part does not matter in this. If something else is there, I will be the first to tell you, and if it isn’t, there will be no regrets. I would’ve satisfied the part of me that needs you. If you do not want me in that way, Harry, you just need to make it clear, but if you do, I just need your permission to stop holding it back.”

“My permission?”

Gabrielle took a deep breath to steady herself.

“Just nod, Harry. That is all you need to do.”

“What will happen?”

“We will both get what it is we want,” Gabrielle whispered.

Her body tingled as he looked into her eyes with a burning passion she’d always known was below the calm, assured exterior. However, it excited her in ways she couldn’t have fathomed, and as he relented and nodded, Gabrielle Delacour shuddered at the release she felt.

Not wasting a second, she captured his lips in her own, allowed that passion to ignite, and unleashed the very nature she had kept at bay.

For Gabrielle, it was liberating being able to let go of her inhibitions in a way she’d longed to, and there was no hesitation from Harry as he pulled her tightly to him, eliciting a groan of ecstasy from her.

She allowed herself to be consumed by the moment, consumed by him, and before she knew it, neither of them wore a thread of clothing.

Once more, Gabrielle found herself looking into his eyes, her breathing laboured as one side of her body was warmed by the fireplace they were sitting in front of.

She had only one thing on her mind, was neither shy nor hesitant, but aware she was exposed in a way that would make her feel vulnerable with any other.

Not with Harry.

He’d never given her a reason to feel such a way, and the moment they were experiencing together had been worth the torture of thoughts that she’d been unable to rid herself of, and even the lengthy delay.

Even so, her patience was wearing thin, and she had no intention of waiting any longer.

“Do not make me wait any longer, Harry,” she almost pleaded.

It was odd just how intoxicating the experience was becoming. All of her senses were heightened, so much so she could hear her own heart beating in her chest, almost taste his scent, as much as she was aware of her own.

This was what her mother had told her it would be like when she gave herself to another, only the words failed to truly put it into perspective.

It was like nothing else, and the freest Gabrielle had ever felt.

“Bloody hell, not now,” Harry cursed as another, less welcome warmth bathed the room in an ethereal glow as the large, shaggy dog spoke in the voice of Sirius Black.

“Harry, there’s a werewolf attack in Bridlington. The Aurors are not responding correctly.”

He allowed his head to fall to his chest before he shook it.

“I’ll kill the bastard,” he promised. “I’ll wring his bloody neck for this.”

Gabrielle cupped his cheek and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

“We’d better go…”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Harry said firmly. “Your parents would kill me if anything happened to you.”

She frowned, but knew he was right.

Involving herself in this could cause more problems than she was willing to be a part of, and her presence alone would take some explaining.

“Then I will wait here for you,” Gabrielle declared, wrapping a nearby throw around her shoulders. “Do not keep me waiting, Harry.”

He nodded in response, and with only a wave of his wand, he was dressed, vanishing in a column of fire.

How he did it, Gabrielle didn’t know, and though she was worried about him, she was more eager for his return, and she waited once more, only this time, she had no doubt she would get what it was she wanted.

(Break)

Their arrival had been nothing short of disastrous.

Sirius knew that Greyback’s pack was vast, but nothing could’ve prepared him for just how much it had grown in the years since he’d left Britain at the ned of the last war.

Dozens upon dozens of the werewolves were waiting to greet them, and now, they found themselves surrounded on all sides, fighting back-to-back in a bid to prevent themselves being torn limb from limb.

He and Arthur had managed to muster Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley, who without, would’ve already seen their efforts failing.

Bill and Charlie were both here, along with Fred and George, who were hurling something at the creatures that was unpleasant enough to make the werewolves think twice about charging them down.

Either side of Sirius was Lily and Emmeline, who fought as furiously as he expected, and yet, he knew it would not be enough.

Soon, they would be overrun, and as he struck down another werewolf with a vicious searing curse, he could only shake his head as another dozen of them rounded the corner, the maws bloody from their kills, and still showing no sign of slowing.

With hours of night left, the position of the Order of the Phoenix was not looking so promising.

Not that Sirius was given much time to ponder such.

Before he could even begin to consider what they would do, the fresher of the werewolves bounded towards them, snarling, and baring their teeth, intent on doing what their companions had thus far failed to.

Raising his wand, he unleashed a barrage of spells to slow them, but the beasts proved to be agile, and able to avoid his offering.

“Together!” Lily urged. “Aim to the left, and I’ll aim to the right. On three.”

She counted down, and when she reached zero, both hurled everything they could towards the werewolves, having more success than the last time, but still unable to stop them in their tracks.

“WATCH OUT!” Sirius bellowed.

Bill Weasley screamed as two of the creatures barrelled into him, sending the man skidding across the pavement, where he was set upon by another group of werewolves.

The screams that followed were from Arthur, Charlie, Fred, and George as they hurried forward in a bid to extract the oldest sibling from the melee.

Bill, however, had already stopped screaming, and as a plethora of violent curses sent the werewolves scattering, Sirius knew he was dead, as did Arthur and the rest of the Weasleys, who could only look at the remains of one of their own in utter disbelief.

“Arthur, get back!” Moody called, he bludgeoning curse ploughing into the side of a leaping werewolf, sending it crashing into a nearby house.

It had been a near miss for the redhead, and once more, his wand was a blur as the tears of loss stung his eyes.

“We can’t keep this up!” Alastor pointed out. “Where are the Aurors?”

“Not coming,” Sirius grumbled, grimacing as a loud whistling sound filled the air.

“What is that?” Emmeline asked, covering her ears.

The werewolves didn’t like it either, and howled their disapproval as they looked towards the sky, only for a large chunk of the group to smashed into the pavement by an unseen force.

The others attempted to continue with their attack, only for a purple fire to erupt around the members of the Order.

Sirius looked on in a mixture of fascination as the flames lunged towards the werewolves, and through them, he saw a lone figure stalking towards them, a wand in each hand as he snapped whips of blackened flames at the monsters.

They yelped in agony as they cracked against them, and the smell of singed hair and burning flesh filled the air.

Even so, they remained undeterred, but any that were foolish enough to lunge towards Harry were dispatched quickly, some missing limbs, some their heads entirely, and most grotesquely, having their legs severed at the knees, leaving them dragging themselves across the bloody streets as they slowly bled out.

Shaking himself from his shock, Sirius joined in, followed by the others, and soon enough, the werewolves began fleeing, howling in protest as they vanished into the night to lick their wounds.

Several had been killed during the confrontation, but he quickly realised that Greyback wasn’t among them, meaning there would inevitably be more incidents like this one, a terrifying but very real revelation.

“Are you all okay?” Harry asked worriedly.

Sirius nodded and looked towards where Arthur and the rest of the Weasleys had hurried over to Bill’s remains.

No man could’ve survived what had happened to him, and judging by Arthur’s wracking sobs, Bill had not gone against the odds.

“As we can be,” he sighed tiredly. “Were you sleeping?” he asked, nodding towards Harry’s rather hurriedly put together outfit of a hooded top, pair of jeans, and his slippers.

“No,” he answered quickly. “I was…”

“Yes?” Sirius pressed with a smirk.

“Shut up,” Harry huffed. “Just, shut up. Why don’t you worry more about whatever it is the two of you have going on than what I am up to?” he added, pointing towards Sirius and Emmeline.

“He has a point,” Lily interjected, “but I am curious to know what it is you are up to.”

“No, you’re really not,” Sirius insisted. “That is not a conversation either of you want.”

“You’re telling me,” Harry muttered. “If you’ll excuse me, I was in the middle of something.”

Before anyone could say anything, he vanished, and only a moment later, the Aurors began arriving on the scene.

“Pleased with yourself, are you, Dawlish?” Sirius snarked. “What the hell took you so long?”

“We were waiting for the reports to come back. They took some time.”

Sirius could only shake his head as he fought the urge to thump the man.

Oddly enough, he knew this wasn’t Dawlish’s fault.

No, the blame certainly lay with Voldemort and Greyback, but the lack of Ministry intervention was because of one other person, who Sirius had all but lost faith in.

Of course, Amelia Bones was in an impossible position.

If she were to leave her post, her niece would undoubtedly be killed, but keeping it meant that others would die in her place.

It was not enviable, but something would have to give sooner or later, and although Sirius empathised with the woman, she was certainly doing herself no favours in the eyes of those that knew of her plight.

Unless she figured out a way to resolve the problem, it was only going to become bigger, and that was something Britain could ill afford.

(Break)

Gabrielle was still sitting in front of the fire when he arrived back at the flat. In all, he’d been gone for less than thirty minutes, but in that time, he’d managed to get himself covered in the blood of several werewolves and even tore his jeans quite badly in the process.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

Harry nodded and offered her a smile.

“They’re gone, for now,” he answered. “I think I should probably take a shower,” he added with a chuckle.

Gabrielle grinned as she stood and dropped the blanket she pulled around herself to the ground, granting him his first look at her in full.

There was not a mark or blemish on her milky skin, and everything was perfectly proportioned.

To Harry, he understood why most other girls would be jealous of a Veela simply because of how their appearance, and adding the magic that flowed through them, it was also easy to see why most men could lose themselves to one that wanted them.

He felt it, that desire coursing through him, but it wasn’t because of the magic that once more prodded at his own, trying to find a way in, but everything else the two of them had shared over the years.

He’d always known that Gabrielle Delacour was beautiful, and in truth, he’d always wondered if his attraction to her was because of her magic.

Maybe it partly was, but he was not blinded by it, nor seeing or feel anything that wasn’t there. His desire had been born within himself, and everything else that was making this moment so magical, was just another layer of intensity.

“I think I can help you with that,” she whispered demurely.

Harry felt something stirring within him as he led her towards the bathroom, and though he was certain he would not come to regret whatever would happen between them, he truly hoped he wouldn’t.

(Break)

“Everything you do here is fascinating,” Marcus complimented, “and what you produce is exemplary.”

Miguel offered him a toothy grin.

“Your father would not work with us if that wasn’t so, and we hope you will continue on with us when the day comes that you take his place.”

Marcus chuckled.

“Oh, that will not be for some time yet, Miguel, but rest assured, I have no intentions of ending the relationship between your family and mine.”

It had been liberating being able to come here alone without his father firing questions at him at every opportunity in a bid to ensure Marcus knew all he could about the business ventures of the family.

“I am pleased to hear it,” Miguel offered sincerely.

The man made quite the pile of gold from the Van Droombeelds each year, and every galleon of it was well-earned. His expertise in Herbology was second to none, and the produce, of the highest quality in the Americas.

“As am I.”

“Then let us return to the office and raise a toast to our future endeavours. You are to return home tomorrow, yes?”

Marcus nodded as he followed the man.

“Tomorrow,” he confirmed. “My father will be pleased with the reports we have compiled. Ah, Senior Aldo, I wasn’t expecting to see you again.”

He and Miguel worked closely together on their own enterprise, but Marcus had finished discussing their business only this morning.

“No, I will be leaving now, I just needed to give this to you. This sheet of parchment does not pertain to our business here.”

“It doesn’t?” Marcus asked with a frown as he accepted it from the man.

His eyes roamed over the figures, and he shook his head.

His father did not make such mistakes. He was as thorough as anyone he’d ever met, even more so than Miguel and Senior Aldo.

It wasn’t until he saw the family crest etched into the bottom of the page, barely discernible amongst the figures surrounding it that he realised what it was he held.

“If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen,” he murmured, taking his leave of the office to return to the privacy of his room.

When he was there, he didn’t waste a moment in using his wand to draw a drop of blood to place on the family crest, knowing it was a matter of utmost importance.

He remembered his father explaining the process to him when he’d first left Ilvermorny so many years ago, that if there was anything that could not be discussed openly, this would be the way any message was to be communicated.

Marcus frowned as the words and numbers on the parchment began to rearrange themselves, and felt a lump form in his throat as the message was revealed.

Marcus,

You will remember my dealings with Lucius Malfoy.

It came to my attention that his efforts were on behalf of Lord Voldemort, and before I could withdraw from further business, Sabine was taken. I do not know where she is being held, nor whether or not she is still alive, but you must get this message to Harry Potter.

I am being watched too closely by someone posing as our guards, and even as your sister to act against them in any capacity.

If there is anyone that understands what we are against, it is Harry Potter.

It is my understanding that he has returned to Britain, and I do not expect he will be so easy to reach. Sirius Black, the boys’ godfather is the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Go there and do so with due haste.

He and Sabine had never been so close.

Marcus had been a teenager when his only sister had been born, but learning of what had happened to her filled him with dread.

He’d heard the tales of Voldemort, his cruelty, and how he’d almost brought the entirety of Britain to its knees, until that Halloween night he’d visited Harry Potter.

What was so special about the boy to survive what no other had, Marcus didn’t know, but what he did know, was that he would need his help.

Hurriedly packing, he experienced a myriad of emotions.

He was worried for Sabine, terrified of what may already have happened to her, or what just might come to pass if he or Harry Potter failed to find her.

Marcus did not know the boy, and yet, was expected to put all his faith in him.

Would Harry potter even help them?

That was the question that plagued him as he prepared to depart, feeling as helpless as he was worried for the girl.

(Break)

“Minister Yaxley has introduced an eight pm curfew for all magicals, except for Ministry of Magic staff after a werewolf attack in Bridlington last night, which left more than seventy muggles, and eight magicals dead. When questioned about this, he took some time to offer reassurances to the public,” the broadcaster on the wireless announced.

“This will be good,” Harry sighed.

“I want the public to know that I and the Ministry will do whatever is necessary to ensure their safety. This werewolf pack is larger than any that Britain has faced, which is why I am putting together a specialist team to tackle it. For the foreseeable future, I must insist on a curfew, for the safety of the men, women, and children of magical Britain.”

With a wave of his hand, he turned the wireless off, contemplating what it meant, and what it might just lead to in the coming weeks and months.

Yaxley had all but given himself carte blanche to whatever he saw fit in position, under the guise of looking out for the citizens of Britain.

Harry, and most others knew better, but were in no position to do anything about it.

“What does that mean?” Gabrielle asked worriedly from where she was still snuggled into his duvet.

“It means that everything just got even worse,” Harry answered gravely.

“You expected this.”

He nodded.

“I did, and it will get worse still.”

“Then why don’t you just leave?”

Harry offered her a smile.

“It’s not as simple as that. Besides, someone has to put a stop to it.”

“And that person is you,” Gabrielle sighed as she sat up and wrapped her arms around him.

“That person is me.”