Save Me by JulietteFox16



Summary: Evan Dursley is a mild mannered reporter working for the Daily Prophet. Harry Potter is a legend throughout the wizarding world as a hero, and a mystery since all anyone knows about him is that he shows up when people need help. Not even star reporter for the Daily Prophet Ginny Weasley can tell that they're actually the same person.
Rating: PG-13 starstarstarstar
Categories: Alternate Universe, Post-Hogwarts
Characters: None
Genres: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: None
Published: 2008.12.31
Updated: 2009.03.16


Save Me by JulietteFox16
Chapter 3: Battle
Author's Notes:

Colin started panting as he followed Ginny and Evan through the streets of London. Not for the first time he wondered why in the name of Merlin they were running when they were wizards, and they could use magic. He didn’t express that thought, of course. Besides the fact that he had no breath with which to ask it, there was also the problem of who he would be posing the question to.

He remembered quite well his years at Hogwarts and how both Evan and Ginny had been then. Ginny, even when she had been young, had always been treated with respect. Not only had she had six older brothers, but she had quickly proven she could take care of herself when she had specialized in Defense Magics. Her signature hex was still greatly feared, although that wasn’t surprising seeing as it had only been a few months since they had graduated.

Evan, on the other hand, hadn’t had any overprotective relatives, but he had earned the respect of the entire school. There was just something about the quiet boy, now man, that had drawn people to him. Maybe it was the fact that he was always there for everyone, always available to lend a helping hand or just to listen to what you had to say. Colin couldn’t remember ever seeing him angry, even when he had caught his girlfriend, Cho Chang, cheating on him with Michael Corner. He had simply walked away without any facial expression.

Cho had dated Michael for awhile after that, but nothing had come of it and then in their seventh year had briefly dated Evan again. A few weeks into it Evan had broke it off, and that was the last time they had been seen together. Cho had been the school’s Golden Girl, but after she had hurt Evan twice her reputation had never been the same. Evan may have specialized in Charms, long considered the least powerful, but the students of Hogwarts had always considered him powerful in other ways.

Colin was shaken out of his reverie when the two before him stopped abruptly and he nearly ran into them. Ahead of them was the Leaky Cauldron, and the entrance to Diagon Alley. He was a bit embarrassed that he was panting when both Ginny and Evan didn’t even look winded. That feeling quickly dissolved into horror as he saw the people who were running from the tavern into the street. Aurors dressed up as Muggle police were keeping the Muggles far away from the site of the disaster.

Evan and Ginny cut through the crowd expertly and, once again, Colin was left to follow them. They reached the barricade and surreptitiously showed the disguised Auror their press badges from the Daily Prophet and their wands. They were let through and quickly headed even closer to the Leaky Cauldron. Colin was afraid of all that was happening around him, too frightened to remember that he was supposed to be doing his job and taking pictures of the chaos.

“Just breathe Colin. I know this is awful, I remember how it feels, but you can get through this if you just remember to breathe. Focus on taking pictures now, and later, when you’re in private, you can fall apart. That way you can save your dignity.” As Evan spoke to him and laid a hand on his shoulder Colin did manage to calm down. Slowly he breathed deeply and then began to capture the event in photos that would help to tell the horrifying story.

Evan watched as Colin began to take pictures and then turned to Ginny, who raised an eyebrow at him. “Getting touchy-feely are we, Dursley?” Evan scowled at her and opened his mouth to retort but she cut him off before he had the chance. “Let’s split up now. Just get as much as you can, about everything you can.”

Then she was off without giving either of them chance to say anything. Evan nodded at Colin and then headed off too. He didn’t go very far, just to the nearest secluded place he could find, which turned out to be a dark alleyway. Once there he quickly released his glamour charms. His eyes turned a startling green and he pulled out his glasses. His hair darkened to true black and he grew just a few inches taller. The famous scar also took up residence on his forehead. His suit was also replaced by standard black wizarding garb.

Taking a deep breath, his advice to Colin flashing through his head ironically, he took a step and Apparated into Diagon Alley. For a moment Harry did nothing, simply taking in everything going on around him. Then he turned to the nearest Death Eater and engaged him in a duel that lasted only seconds before Harry’s opponent fell to the ground, stunned.

Another one took his place and Harry continued to fight with single-minded determinedness. Then, suddenly there was no one else to fight. After what had felt like years of dodging brightly colored light and debris, which had not lasted even nearly that long, Harry’s opponents had fled.

Diagon Alley was still a mess, even though there was no longer an active battle raging in the middle of it. Around him Aurors were going through the destruction, helping the wounded and arresting the Death Eaters. A crowd was beginning to form a circle around him as they realized that Harry Potter was here, that Harry Potter had helped to save their lives, something they had not been able to realize while in the throes of battle. Harry warily looked around before raising his wand. He could see red hair coming closer to him and knew that Ginny was making her way toward him and that he needed to get out of there, now.

So he did. He took one step and was gone, leaving behind only a loud crack. He ended up in the same place where he had removed his glamour charms. Harry hurriedly replaced them and Evan merged from his hiding place. All around him there was chaos once more, but this time it wasn’t dangerous, but instead very sad. People were crying and Aurors were trying to calm them down and give out information on what was happening.

Evan pulled out his notebook and a pen, he’d discovered they were much easier to take notes with than the standard quill and parchment, and began to interview anyone he could. Once he’d made it into Diagon Alley he ran into both Ginny and Colin. Ginny was still fuming that Harry Potter had once again managed to escape and Colin was horrified at the tragedy surrounding him.

They left the area and headed into Muggle London to begin working on the article. As they left their ability to think of anything besides what had passed began to return and they found themselves hungry. So, they stopped at a little Italian place about a block away from the Daily Prophet office. They chose the booth in the back corner, for some privacy, and got right to work.

"Okay, so what's our focus going to be for the article, Harry Potter? Do I even need to ask?" Ginny told them as she took a sip of water. "You two can figure that much out on your own, can't you?"

Colin nodded and Evan just rolled his eyes. "How about this, I'll give you my notes and you write the story. Then I'll proofread it and make any changes necessary. After all, I can actually spell," Evan added with a smirk.

Now Ginny rolled her eyes, but she agreed to the deal (she was well aware that she really couldn't spell at all). Colin just sat there, still very silent. Then he spoke up. "How do you two manage to do this? There's been a war going on for years now and you two seem to hardly even care about it. I just can't understand it. You must have seen so many things just like today and yet you don't act like it at all. How do you do it?"

"We do it because we have to. I can stand it because I know that someone needs to tell the world what's happening, and that if I can help to do that then I'll be helping. It's what I can do and if it gets too much for me sometimes I think about the Aurors or the healers who have it so much worse, who can never escape from the horror when they're working. That's how I survive." Ginny told him softly, seriously. Evan nodded in silent agreement and the table fell silent.


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Harry Potter At Battle In Diagon Alley

By Ginevra Weasley and Evan Dursley

Yesterday in the early afternoon Death Eaters attacked the magical hub of London, Diagon Alley. Aurors responded immediately and began to evacuate civilians. Then the battle began and Harry Potter appeared once more. The Boy-Who-Lived has been spotted on more than one occasion helping when there has been an attack, but this is the first time he's appeared before so many people at once.

Rumors of his ability to use all three of the specialities were confirmed by the Aurors who fought alongside him yesterday. After the battle he stayed for just a moment, but he disappeared once more before any reporters were able to catch him. All we have are the eye-witness accounts of all those who saw him yesterday.

One Auror, who wishes to remain anonymous, said, "He appeared with a great noise and then he was right in the thick of it. I've never seen anything like it. He was never still, always moving, always shooting off spell after spell. He was shooting off spells from all the specialities, without any trouble. Never seen anything like it."

On a more somber note, today we remember not only our hero, but those who lost their lives yesterday in the battle...


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