A Promise Kept - Chapter 58 - To the Manor

To the Manor

He frowned as he scanned through the stack of parchment that had been placed before him, and the Dark Lord looked towards Yaxley questioningly, unsure if his expectations had been too high, or if something truly was amiss.

“Is this it?” he asked.

Yaxley nodded.

“Some have decided to go on the run and avoid coming in altogether, others have left Britain, and those that have registered are not the numbers we were expecting,” he explained.

“So, they refuse to comply.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Lord Voldemort shook his head.

“Yaxley, this is…”

“Unacceptable, my lord, and I am already remedying the situation. I have assigned teams to track down and bring in those that have failed to register. Already, they’ve found a dozen only this morning, and I expect more.”

He nodded approvingly.

It was what he would’ve insisted upon, and as ever, Yaxley proved himself to be a sharp man.

“Then carry on and send Macnair to me.”

Yaxley offered him a bow before taking his leave of the room, and Walden entered only a moment later, seemingly having anticipated his summoning.

“They are in position, my lord, and only await your instruction.”

The Dark Lord smiled.

“I see no reason to wait, Walden. Proceed, and ensure what is done cannot be missed or mistaken for anything else.”

The frowned, but nodded, leaving the room and the Dark Lord alone with his thoughts.

Were it not for his ever-tightening grip over the Ministry of Magic, and Britain as a whole, his next move might prove to be a little riskier than was desirable, but he was confident that he could make it work, that the seeds to be sown would bear the fruit he hoped it would.

At worst, the Ministry would look just a little less competent, but it would only be temporary.

Soon enough, there would be none who’d dare speak out against anything that was done, all in the name of their safety, of course.

Even so, the political games on display for the public were still a delicate undertaken that needed to be navigated and played just right to minimise the fallout, but the Dark Lord was confident that in a matter of months, maybe only weeks if all went well, the resistance he faced would be nullified entirely, leaving only the final few defiant fools who were too stubborn to admit defeat.

They too would be dealt with, and though they perhaps did not know it, the already insurmountable odds they faced would be undeniably impossible to overcome.

It brought another smile to his lips, yet, he still felt a sense of unease settle within him as he pondered the one damned fool he could never be certain of.

Harry Potter.

Whilst the boy still lived, the Dark Lord could not allow himself to become complacent. No, that would not do, which was why he had doubled his efforts to stifle and break the country, to make it all but uninhabitable.

After all, Potter could run, and he could even hide, but sooner or later, the two of them would meet.

The Dark Lord would ensure it, and it would be him that put the damned prophecy to rest, no matter the contents.

He was the master of his own destiny, and Potter could not even begin to comprehend what it was he faced.

(Break)

He entered the adjoining room to the kitchen, a parlour of sorts, to find the Van Droombeeld parents and Marcus waiting nervously for him. Both froze when they noticed his presence, and Sabine’s father cleared his throat.

“Are they… dead?”

“No, not yet at least. They are more used to me alive, but don’t worry, I will be taking them with me.”

“Sabine…”

“I can make no promises, not until I have seen her, but I will do everything I can to get her back. Voldemort has no plans to kill her, not whilst you are useful to him, so…”

“She’s alive,” Sabine’s mother interjected.

Harry offered her a reassuring nod.

“She is, and I intend on keeping it that way. For now, do nothing, and say nothing…”

“Won’t he notice that they’re not here?”

Harry shook his head.

“No, I’ve gotten more than enough from them to keep up appearances, but we have to be careful. This is already more risk than I like to take, and there is so much at stake,” he finished, remembering that it was not only Sabine’s life hanging in the balance, but any potential chance of restoring order on the Wizengamot with the release of the other prisoners.

“Is it truly so terrible?” Sabine’s mother asked.

“Worse than you can imagine,” Marcus answered.

“And it will only get worse before it gets better.”

“But it will?” Sabine’s father asked.

Harry nodded.

“It will.”

The man offered him a sad smile.

“I am sorry that we met under such poor circumstances,” he said sincerely. “I cannot think how I will ever repay you if you manage to bring our little girl back to us.”

“Just keep her safe,” Harry implored, “and happy,” he added.

He’d left the Van Droombeeld home pleased he’d managed to help the family as much as he had thus far, and no less determined to retrieve Sabine from Malfoy manor, which he now knew how to access with considerably less difficulty than he’d expected.

Well, for the most part.

Getting in would not be the problem.

The dozens upon dozens of Death Eaters, included Riddle’s most prominent, would be the hurdle he’d need to overcome, and perhaps even Riddle himself if he was there.

Nott had been most forthcoming when he’d realised that Harry was not beyond harming the man’s son, and even more so with just the right persuasion.

Once more, Harry had found no joy in the undertaking, but equally felt no remorse for what Nott and Goyle had been subjected to. Both had meted out their fair share of deplorable acts over the years, and as far as Harry was concerned, had merely received their comeuppance at his hand.

Their ongoing suffering was also just another necessity for the time being, but both would be put out of their misery soon enough, a fate Nott was willing to accept so long as his son was left alone.

According to the man, Theodore was innocent, had no desire to join the Dark Lord, and was already planning to flee Britain upon completing Hogwarts.

So long as the man’s words rung true, Harry saw no reason to prevent it happening.

He had no intention of seeing the pureblood families entirely wiped out after all, but there were those that could not be forgiven for their crimes, and the Malfoys were at the very top of that list.

Both Draco and Lucius would not escape justice this time.

Harry would personally see to it that both were punished, though not by the inept Wizengamot.

He shook his head as he studied the drawing Nott had reluctantly supplied him with.

Malfoy Manor was a massive collection of buildings, six in total including the greenhouse, with expansive grounds; both an advantage and disadvantage for him should he need to make a hasty retreat, which was likely.

He would be outnumbered, hindered by those he was helping, and the chances of success, if he was to consider such a trivial thing, were exceedingly low.

Still, it was another necessity he must face if he were to better his position in the war. Thus far, although he’d experienced relative success, the victories that truly mattered on the surface belonged to Tom Riddle.

“The snake,” he murmured thoughtfully as he consulted the drawing. “A bloody snake could hide anywhere here.”

No, for now, unless the opportunity presented itself, he would need to not include Nagini in his plans.

Crouch’s memories had been quite the revelation as he perused them. How the serpent interacted with Riddle and the control he had over it spoke truthfully of the suspicions Harry had of his relationship with it.

For reasons known only to the Dark Lord, he had turned the snake into a Horcrux, which in turn had been responsible for the death of Sturgis Podmore.

Had Tom not adopted such a tactic, Harry would be lost as to what yet another of the Horcruxes could be.

Still, it was a rather unhinged decision, only cementing his belief that Tom Marvolo Riddle, was indeed quite insane, but no less of a genius in his own right.

It was dangerous enough hunting down the Horcruxes that were not as sentient as a living, breathing snake, and one Harry did not doubt was well protected.

Tom would’ve done all he could to ensure Nagini could not be harmed or killed inadvertently.

No, that particular Horcrux would be quite the test to overcome, and he was still no closer to being completely certain of the other he believed had been given to Bellatrix Lestrange for safe keeping.

Where the deranged woman would even place it, Harry could not fathom, and for now, he did not wish to think about it, not when his next task was more than enough to contend with.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the arrival of Sirius’s patronus, and immediately, he knew it was not good news.

Sirius only ever communicated with him in such a way when something deeply unpleasant had occurred, the last being him learning of Sabine’s disappearance.

Although there were so few things that could top that, the words that fell from the mouth of the shaggy dog were no loess ominous.

“There has been an attack in Oldham. I think you should see this.”

He released a deep breath of frustration.

Since Tom had managed to take control of the Wizengamot, the frequency of the attacks had increased, and the Ministry of Magic was doing nothing about it.

What irked him more, however, was that he’d not been alerted of it quickly enough to respond.

That in itself was not a good sign, and as Harry took his leave of his flat, he did not expect to be greeted with good news when he arrived in Oldham.

(Break)

It was as though a nightmare of years gone by had returned, and Sirius could only take in the destruction wrought by the giants with a sense of awe, wonderment, and concern.

He remembered the first time he’d seen a giant during the last war, and fortunately, it hadn’t been until towards the end of it.

They’d attacked Brighton, around only a dozen of them, and had all but torn half the seafront to the ground.

The Ministry had quite the job in silencing the matter among the muggles, many of whom having witnessed the destruction.

What lay before him in the town of Oldham, however, was much worse.

“There must be at least two dozen of them,” Moody growled, his grip around his wand leaving his knuckles pale.

Sirius nodded.

“The question is, where are they now?”

“Or why is it we heard nothing until long after it finished. That clock says its ten pm. It was destroyed more than two hours ago.”

“Which means the giants could be anywhere, and the Ministry hasn’t even arrived yet.”

“Fucking useless bunch of…”

Alastor broke off as a score of red robed Aurors arrived, led by Sirius’s least favourite among them.

If Dawlish had not been so besotted with Fudge, he’d believe the man to be a Death Eater, but no, he was a Ministry man through and through, which explained why he continued to serve so readily.

“I should’ve known you’d be here, Black,” he muttered irritably.

“I should’ve known that you lot wouldn’t. What held you up this time, orders from the top again?”

Dawlish scowled at him, but did not deign him with an answer, choosing to shake his head instead as he looked upon the damage.

“Proctor, send for the Magical Catastrophes Team, and we’d best get all of the Obliviators out here. Bloody hell, what a mess.”

“So, why did the Ministry take so long to respond, Dawlish?” Moody pressed. “I know for a fact that there are sensors here, and it should’ve taken no longer than five minutes for a team to arrive.”

“Don’t ask me, Moody!” Dawlish snapped. “We follow the orders we are given. You know that too.”

“And the orders were for you to stand down,” Harry spoke as he appeared next to the man. “Or, you failed to follow orders. Either way, it doesn’t look good, does it, Dawlish?”

The man stammered over his next words muttering about curfews being broken, and Harry ignored him in favour of surveying the aftermath of the attack.

“Giants and Dementors,” he surmised.

“They arrived from the south, and left through north,” Alastor explained, tracing his finger along the line of damage.

“Only one Death Eater,” Harry added. “Walden Macnair.”

“Macnair is the Head of the Registry Department of Creatures…”

“Oh, shut up, Dawlish,” Harry huffed. “If you really are as ignorant as you’re showing, Merlin knows how you ever became an Auror. Why don’t you go back to intimidating old people. That’s about what use all of you are,” he finished loudly enough for the others to hear.

Most hung their heads in shame, and some looked as though Harry had slapped them across the face.

Regardless, he was right.

Bones may have given the order to stand down for her own reasons, but this lot here could defy that order, and Sirius suspected there was a part of the woman they wished for them to do just that.

They wouldn’t.

Despite her current situation, every member of her team respected her too much to defy her; something Riddle had come to rely on.

For Sirius, it was merely another incident that they’d failed to respond to, and he wanted to know why.

“I’ll send for the others,” he informed Alastor. “Grimmauld Place, one hour.”

The grizzled man nodded, and Sirius saw that Harry left even before him as he apparated away, cursing under his breath as he arrived home.

“Is it really the giants?” Emmeline asked.

He nodded gravely.

“It is, along with the Dementors, and the bloody Ministry didn’t arrive until long after me and Alastor. This is becoming dangerous, and soon enough, Yaxley will have to answer to the muggle Prime Minister.”

Not that he would.

He’d simply obliviate the man or take whatever other steps he deemed necessary to keep the peace between magical and muggle until it suited the Dark Lord otherwise.

“What are we going to do?” Emmeline asked worriedly.

“I have no idea,” Sirius sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly, but we will figure it out.”

Between running Hogwarts and the Order, he was exhausted, and he wondered how Albus managed to do it when he’d been a much older man.

Not that he could stop.

No, somehow, he’d been thrust into this position upon Albus’s death, and it seemed that Riddle had finally understood that this was not the same enemy he’d faced the first time around and was being much more cautious than he had previously.

“We will,” Emmeline echoed. “How long until the others get here?”

“Around an hour.”

“Then you will eat and take a few moments to rest.”

Sirius nodded and offered the woman an appreciative smile, but was no loess troubled by yet another development he could do without.

What was to be done about the giants, he didn’t know. If there was as many as Alastor believed it would take a considerable force of witches and wizards to bring them down, and with the Ministry proving to be as useless as it was, he wasn’t certain such a number of capable men and women could be mustered.

It was yet another thing to be concerned about, waiting and wondering when they would inevitably strike next.

Voldemort undeniably had Britain where he wanted it, and sooner rather than later, he would truly exert his will over the people, who, as things stood, were incapable of stopping him.

(Break)

He’d managed to track the giants around a few miles outside of the city, but after that, any sign of the had abruptly vanished. There were still traces of magic of the one witch or wizard that had accompanied them, but nothing strong enough to continue following.

Besides, Harry did not believe it was the best idea to do so, not if there was indeed perhaps two dozen of the creatures.

He’d read up on how giants could be subdued, and one would be a challenge let alone more than twenty times that in a single confrontation.

No, nothing good would come from trying, and though it was a concerning development, the best thing he could do was to proceed with his own plan in a bid to see the Ministry becoming something of a useful entity in the war.

That meant he needed to free the prisoners kept in the basement of Malfoy Manor, and taking what would likely be just as risky as tracking down a large group of giants.

With a nod to himself, he returned to the flat to prepare for such an undertaking as best he could, gathering everything he could possibly need, and consulting the maps Nott had drawn him a final time.

For the most part, he would still be blind, and there was no telling what it was he would face when he made his way through the defences of the Malfoy home.

First, however, he would attend the meeting of the Order to speak with his mother and Sirius, who would not be pleased by his choice, but Harry knew this was one of those things that was too risky to attempt without doing so.

“Here we go,” he murmured to himself, releasing a deep breath for the inevitable chaos that would ensue.

(Break)

He observed the destruction wrought by the giants, breathing in the smell of burning buildings and blood, and the Dark Lord was certain that if he listened closely enough, he could hear the echoes of screams of the dead.

This was exactly what he’d envisioned when unleashing the giants upon Britain, and he nodded approvingly.

“Send for every journalist and member of the media you can find,” he instructed.

“Of course, my lord,” Yaxley complied. “Should I call the meeting now.”

The Dark Lord nodded.

“Yes. I think I will remain here for a while and take in the sights. It is quite beautiful, is it not?”

“Indeed, my lord.”

He vanished in a swish of his cloak, and Lord Voldemort continued to drink in the violence and destruction.

It had been some years since he’d witnessed it, but it would not be so long before he would do so again. No, he had plans to see this become a regular occurrence until Britain was fully broken and submitted to him in perpetuity.

That would indeed be a glorious day, and if things were to progress how they had been in recent months, he suspected it would not be long before they begged for his mercy.

(Break)

“Have you completely lost your mind, Harry James Potter?” Lily asked as Harry explained his plan.

“I ask myself that every day,” Harry snorted, “but you know as well as I do that something has to be done. Until those prisoners are released, there is no hope of us winning. The Ministry is up shit creek without a paddle, and not even Sirius can do anything with the Wizengamot anymore. The longer I delay doing this, the worse it will get.”

Lily shook herhead in disbelief as she looked towards Sirius.

“You knew about this.”

“I had an idea,” the man sighed.

Lily frowned unhappily.

“Is this about the girl?”

“Partly,” Harry admitted unashamedly, “but mostly to put us in a position we can win. I know you don’t like it, but it is the only course of action that will make any real difference.”

“But doing it alone…”

“Is less risky than taking anyone with me,” Harry cut in. “There is more of a chance I will be successful if I do it alone. If it makes you all feel better, feel free to be ready at a distance that won’t get me caught, but I have to go in alone.”

Lily deflated and looked towards the others for support.

With what had happened in Oldham, and with the werewolves, they were dejected, lacking morale, and there was little hope among them, if any.

“Why didn’t we get alerted to what was happening?” Arthur asked.

“Because Shack and I have been put on desk duty most of the time, and we are being watched. We can’t scratch our arses without someone knowing about it,” Tonks answered.

“You were seen in the Department of Mysteries,” Harry pointed out. “I would bet Mr Weasley is being watched too.”

The redhead nodded.

“Every minute of every day.”

“Which means we are buggered until something changes. We need the prisoners to be released…”

“And for you to take your seat on the Wizengamot,” Sirius interjected. “I am mostly respected because of the name I carry. More will flock to you, Harry. They have seen what you’ve been doing, that you can fight him, and they will follow your lead.”

“Maybe,” Harry conceded, “but there is no point taking my seat until we have that guaranteed support. We will need every vote to make changes, and as things are, we do not have enough. I have to do this, and it is better sooner rather than later.”

Sirius shook his head.

“I hate to say it, but he’s right,” Moody declared. “If anyone of us can do it, it’s him. Sorry, lass,” he added to Lily.

None spoke up in support of her reluctance, and eventually, she nodded.

“Fine,” she agreed, “but we are going to be as near as we can. How are you going to get in?”

“The less you know about that, the better,” Harry answered darkly, “but I can get in easily enough, it will be getting out that is the problem. It’s not like they won’t notice all of their prisoners suddenly vanishing, is it?”

“But you have a plan?”

“One that is subject to change.”

“I really don’t like the sound of that.”

“Neither do I,” Harry admitted, knowing his plans could change with every passing second, depending on what he found himself facing.

“And when do you plan on doing it?”

“Now. There’s no reason to delay it.”

Once more, his mother was not pleased by his decision, but instead of protesting, she offered him an encouraging nod.

“Just let me know where you need us.”

“Two miles south of Corsham in Wiltshire. You’ll be close enough if things go wrong, but far enough that you won’t compromise what I’m doing. I will see you there.”

With that, he left, and Sirius cursed under his breath unhappily, frowning as Charlie Weasley burst into the room, his breathing laboured.

“Have you heard the news?” he asked. “Quick, someone put the wireless on.”

Sirius did so, and Lily listened as the familiar voice spoke over the airwaves.

“We will shortly be joined by Minister Yaxley, who will explain his rather bold and sudden decision…”

A musical interlude played, but none spoke in anticipation of the impending announcement from the Minister of Magic. When the mournful tune came to an end, the presenter on the wireless spoke once more.

“As promised I am joined by Minister Yaxley. Thank you for joining us Minister. I understand you have an explanation as to why you are introducing a Muggleborn Registration Act.”

“I do and were it not for the dire circumstances of this very evening, I would not be so insistent on doing so,” Yaxley spoke in his best political tone. “It was brought to my attention that the town of Oldham was attacked by a considerable force of giants and Dementors, leaving many muggles dead, and dozens more wounded. Of course, the Aurors attended the scene, along with the Magical Catastrophes Department, and their work to remedy the situation is ongoing.”

“And this necessitates a Muggleborn Registration Act?”

“It may seem like a rather extreme measure but given that no less than twenty muggleborns were killed this evening, yes, I believe it is necessary. It appears that they are being purposely targeted, and the muggle victims are merely collateral damage. Our aim is to understand just how many muggleborns reside in Britain, and where they live so that our dedicated Auror patrols and recently created Registry Department can ensure their continued safety. I want to assure our listeners that we are doing all we can to prevent these attacks but remind them the threat they face is very real. Registrations will begin this coming week, and I urge all muggleborn witches and wizards to arrive at the Ministry of Magic promptly. I’m afraid as it was with the already successful creature registration, that this is mandatory.”

“And people will believe this bullshit?” Tonks snorted.

“Aye, they will,” Alastor said gravely, “and even if they don’t, you heard Yaxley. It’s mandatory. Most will register to avoid further problems, like those bloody department nutters turning up at their houses.”

Lily shook her head.

Alastor was right.

Most would be too fearful not to attend as instructed, but to what end this was being implemented, she couldn’t be certain. What she did know, however. Was that nothing good could come of it, nothing good at all.

“Well, we’d best not bloody dawdle worrying about this,” Moody urged. “Potter will likely need us before the night is out.”

He would.

Harry was no fool, and he knew he was very much walking into the lion’s den, which would not be allowed without incident. Even so, Lily knew her son would not be deterred.

She understood his reasoning, and if it was only for the frustration they were all experiencing, she could perhaps talk him out of it. The prominent Death Eaters had not been seen since their encounter in the Department of Mysteries as Voldemort had been relying on others to do his bidding, but soon enough, almost inevitably this evening, that would change.

Lily just hoped that what Harry had decided to do would not prove to be an error on his part.

(Break)

How do I get into Malfoy Manor?”

Nott shook his head.

“You can’t, and even if you do, there are dozens of the Dark Lord’s followers staying there. You’d never get back out.”

“That just means there’s more of them for me to kill,” Harry said dismissively.

Nott met his gaze and balked slightly under it.

“You’re completely insane,” he whispered.

Harry grinned in response.

“Maybe,” he conceded, “but I need to be for what I plan to do, so, you’re going to help me, Nott, or I will prove to be a man of my word. I will leave this room and return with your son’s head.”

The man swallowed deeply and licked his lips.

“Only someone who is marked can get in. It is part of the protections. I-I can help you.”

Harry chuckled.

“Oh, you’ll help me, but I will not be taking you along. You’re too much of a liability.”

He’d landed around a mile away from where Nott had assured him Malfoy Manor was and looked closely for any sign of life in the distance. From so far away, he could discern nothing, but as he drew nearer, he could feel a tingling of warning in his magic.

It was subtle, barely noticeable, but Harry could sense he was close.

Carefully, he removed what he’d brought along to help him access the home of one of the men near the top of his list of those that he would ensure did not survive the war.

Pushing the severed arm of Nott through one of the folds of the cloak, he nodded satisfactorily as the enormous building came into view, knowing that this is where the night would become significantly more dangerous.

Already, he could feel the dozens of men and women within, but oddly, there was no sign of the Dark Lord, not yet, at least.

Taking that as a blessing, he began cautiously making his way around the perimeter of the grounds, hoping to find a way in that would not alert the unsuspecting Death Eaters.

Nothing.

He found no way into the manor he could exploit so easily, which meant going in through a window or door like a common muggle burglar. Perhaps it would be so simple, something the Dark Lord would not expect.

Now that he was here, and knowing what was at stake, Harry readied himself to do just that, choosing a window on the lowest floor of what appeared to be a quiet part of the house.

How quiet it would remain, he did not know, but every fibre of his being told him that eventually, something would go amiss, and he would once more find himself in a fight for his life.

It was nothing new for Harry, and though h would rather avoid it with the odds stacked so heavily against him, he would never be helpless.

What did trouble him, however, were the prisoners.

Just how many were in there?

That was the question that had plagued him since concocting his plan. He knew of six at least and suspected there could be several more.

With that in mind, he pried the window open just enough to peer inside, and found he’d accessed what appeared to be a storage cupboard of sorts; a much better prospect than stumbling upon another full of Death Eaters.

(Break)

He despised waiting.

He’d never been the most patient of people, but when it felt as though he was on the side-lines, looking in on something he had no control over, Sirius Black was at his very worst.

It seemed that only yesterday Harry had been a boy heading off for his first year at Ilvermorny, and now, he was infiltrating perhaps the most dangerous place in the entire country.

“It’s no good,” Alastor growled. “I can’t see anything with this damned eye. Are you sure its there, Arthur?”

“I’ve raided it more than enough times,” the man sighed in response. “It’s there, even if we can’t see it.”

“So, how is Potter getting in there?” Moody pressed.

Sirius had been wondering that same thing, and suspected that the Death Eaters that had been in America would’ve reluctantly supplied him with the answer of how to get into the manor.

“Arthur, how much time does Yaxley spend at the Ministry?” he asked curiously.

“Every day. Why?”

“I was just wondering.”

The redhead looked at him questioningly.

“Sirius…”

He deflated.

“We need to be rid of him. What he’s doing…”

“He will only be replaced by someone else just like him.”

“Then we get rid of them too. Look at what has happened already, and where we are now. Even if Harry manages to free the prisoners, it’s not as though we will have the clout to remove him as Minister, not for a few months at least. We need him gone sooner.”

Arthur looked towards where Molly was standing with Charlies, Fred, and George.

“What’re you thinking?”

It was an unnecessary question to ask. There was only one thing Sirius was considering, and with only a nod, he gave Arthur all the confirmation he needed.

“Do you think it is possible?”

“Without being caught, it is unlikely. He has a dozen guards the follow his every move…”

“I’m not talking about kicking his office door in,” Sirius interjected, “but there must be a way.”

“Maybe,” Arthur murmured, “but what about comes after. Have you thought about that? You’ll be thrown into Azkaban, even if what you did was with the best intentions.”

“If I’m caught.”

Arthur chuckled humourlessly.

“Believe me, I have thought about it.”

“Then why haven’t we done something, anything else other than what little we have been.”

“Because Albus…”

“is dead,” Sirius reminded him, “and we were never in such a bad position before.”

Arthur nodded.

“I know, but there are Aurors as part of our group, and you are on the Wizengamot.”

“We are at war, Arthur.”

The redhead shot another glance towards his family.

Losing Bill had aged him, and Sirius could only imagine just how much worse he’d feel if her were to lose any more children.

“We will talk, Sirius, only when this is over. We have to get through this first.”

Sirius gave his shoulder a squeeze before looking back towards where Malfoy Manor was hidden.

He was tired of being reactive, and ultimately, ineffective.

Something needed to change, and they needed more than just Harry working as he was against Voldemort and his followers. He could not do it alone after all, and yet, here he was once more doing just that.

(Break)

He ducked into an alcove to avoid bumping into two men he did not recognise, holding his breath as they passed him by, and waited a minute before proceeding into the entrance hall of Malfoy Manor.

The estate was indeed expansive, which helped him to avoid those he came across, but made his venture here longer than he’d like.

If he had to hazard a guess, it had taken him almost fifteen minutes to reach the entrance hall, and according to Nott, the basement was on the other side of the kitchens.

Harry hoped they were empty, and even more so, the basement itself.

With how late it was, many within the house were already sleeping, and though his doubt such would remain continued to grow, he clung onto the hope that he wouldn’t be forced to fight his way out of here.

That would not be good for anyone.

He shook his head of those thoughts in favour of focusing on the task at hand.

If the worst was to happen, he would face it then rather than allow that possibility to haunt him.

Taking another calming breath, his grip tightened around the shaft of his wand as he pressed on, pleased to find the kitchens dark, and sensing no one hidden within.

Still, he did not relinquish his hold on his wand as he approached the door at the end of the room, bracing himself before beginning the work to remove the lock.

(Break)

Her captors at least had the decency to dim the lights before they were left alone for the night.

It was the only way they could tell what time it was as there were no windows down here. Sabine had been feeling closed in for what could only have been weeks now, plagued by moments of panic that she might never feel fresh air on her skin again, and wondering if today might just be her last.

It was a maudlin thought, but oddly, she had come to accept that death would at least be an escape from the hell she was living in.

The others too seemed to be thinking similarly. The conversations became less frequent, and all of them were looking gaunt from the lack of sunlight. Sabine expected she too did not look her best. She’d been here much longer than the others her age, and she suspected it was only her stubbornness that had gotten her so far.

It was a gentle jangling that pulled her from her thoughts, and Sabine stiffened, listening closely for a further disturbance.

It was never a good thing if someone came in the night. Usually, it meant that one of the prisoners had outlived their usefulness and would be taken.

“What is it?” a hoarse voice whispered in the dim light of the room.

“I heard something.”

She stood and approached the door to her cell, straining her ears, every instinct telling her something was amiss, and yet, there was nothing.

“I must be hearing things,” she murmured, her eyes widening as she felt the unmistakeable feeling of another magic not part of the rooms protections.

Before she could process what was happening, a figure appeared in the middle of the room, his expression almost unreadable, but his familiar green eyes burning with unbridled anger.

“Harry!” Sabine choked in disbelief.

“Be quiet,” he said firmly. “Bloody hell, how many of you are there?”

“Around thirty,” a man answered. “There were more, but, well…”

He broke off, but Sabine wasn’t paying attention to what was being said.

Her eyes were all but glued to the vision of the young man before her, and she felt an errant tear roll down her cheek as he approached.

“Any idea where your wands are?” he asked.

“Locked in the box over there,” she answered nodding towards the single table in the room, reaching through the bars to take hold of his hand. “Where did you take me when we snuck out of school?”

She needed to be certain it was him, that this wasn’t some cruel trick being played on her.

“We went to London and walked along the Thames,” he answered almost sadly, freeing himself only to pause as the door to the basement burst open. At the top of the stairs, Sabine could see a cluster of figures, and her heart sunk into the pit of her stomach.

Harry, however, seemed unperturbed by the development, drawing a pale wand from within his sleeve and giving it an elaborate wave.

“IT’S POTTER!” one of the men roared.

“Bloody hell, don’t you know how to say anything else?” Harry huffed irritably, bringing his wand to bear once more.

The resulting explosion shook the floor beneath Sabine’s feet, and before the dust settled, she heard the sound of metal being twisted and torn away.

“Best get your arses moving,” Harry barked, “things are about to get really fucked up!”

Sabine did not hesitate to leave her cell, and already, she could hear the frantic efforts of the Death Eaters trying to clear a path through the damage Harry had caused.

Worse still, they were stuck in the basement with nowhere to go.

“What the hell are we going to do?” Terry Boot asked.

“I would take cover if I were you lot,” Harry urged pointing his wand towards the ceiling. “This is going to be loud and very messy.”