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The Road Ahead | ||||||
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Category: Post-OotP Characters:Harry/Ginny Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Fluff, General, Tragedy Warnings: None Rating: PG Reviews: 7 Summary: *** The author has been reminded via the e-mail address on file that this story is listed as incomplete and has not been updated since 2005 *** Lord Voldemort may be gone, but his reign is most certainly not over. The self-proclaimed "Lords of Darkness" attack Muggles and wizards alike, and they'd still like to get revenge on Harry Potter for his murder of the Dark Lord. But they've realized that there are better ways to torture people than Crucio, and the people at the end of their wrath will be entangled in a problem worse than they've ever experienced...H/G, R/Hr after Hogwarts. Hitcount: Story Total: 13172; Chapter Total: 2321 |
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So I stand and look around Distracted by the sounds Of everyone and everything I see And I search through every face Without a single trace of the person The person that I need --From “Disappear” by Hoobastank Harry looked around at the destruction surrounding him. He let the relief of the battle ending wash over him, but he couldn’t help but notice that the woman lying three feet away from him still had her eyes open in shock. What had she ever done to the Lords of Darkness? She hadn’t deserved to die. It was Harry they were ultimately after, if… He knew Ginny would tell him to quit thinking that it was his fault, as she had always done. Ginny! Harry had to make sure she was safe. If he found out she had gone off fighting, he didn’t know what he would do. He loved Ginny, but her stubbornness this time could possibly prove fatal if McGonagall hadn’t stopped her. “Harry!” At the sound of his name, Harry turned around and spotted Ron running through the haze towards him. “Ron, are you alright? Is Hermione okay?” “She’s not among the dead bodies or injured, and she wasn’t at the Auror meeting area, so I’m assuming she’s at home. We planned that’s where we would meet if, well, if there was a battle like this,” Ron replied. He was trying to sound confident, but Harry could sense the slightest bit of nervousness in his voice. “Or maybe she’s had her mum and dad’s. We were visiting Lavender before all this started…” “Right. Ginny’s at home, or at least I hope so. Dumbledore and McGonagall had to force her to stay home.” “Can’t imagine she liked that very much.” “To say the least. But we really should go check on Ginny and Hermione.” “Yeah, I…well, Harry, I just wish we weren’t meeting for the first time in ages here. I haven’t even seen my little sister with child! I thought this was over when you killed Voldemort. It’s even worse if I don’t even get to see my family.” “I know, Ron, we’ll visit soon. We’re all much to busy these days.” Ron cleared his throat; slightly uncomfortable with the seriousness of the conversation adding to the depressing setting they were in. “I’d best go, then.” “You sure you don’t want me to come with you, mate?” “I think Ginny probably needs you to settle her rage.” Harry felt the slightest beginning of a smile tug at his lips. “Yeah.” With that, Ron apparated, leaving Harry among the battle debris. He decided to check in at the area Auror officials had set up. They probably wanted to see how many Aurors were killed in the battle, and it was standard procedure anyhow. Harry proceeded up to a man he knew to be called Patrick Lomper, who was holding a clipboard. “Harry James Potter, Auror Division–England Defense and Investigation, stationed in England at the moment. Head of Squad 2 at England headquarters. Called to duty today by Albus Dumbledore.” He had said this many times on many different occasions, and rattled it off easily. “Thank you, Mr. Potter,” Patrick Lomper gave Harry a grim smile. “Sir, do you know the approximate death count?” “Yes, I’m afraid so. Twenty-seven on our side, twenty-three of them trained Aurors. One hundred muggles, and we haven’t counted those who perished in the fire, and it appears eight Lords were killed.” Harry was silent for a moment; his thoughts on those who had died. If only he had done something…but he knew he had to stop that thinking. It would engulf him like it had before. “Well, yes, sir, do you think it’s all right if I go home?” “Of course. I’m sure you need to make sure your loved ones are safe.” Harry nodded. “Yes, sir. Thank you.” “Tell me, Harry, I hate to talk about it here, but is it true Mrs. Potter is expecting? Can’t always trust the newspapers, you know,” Patrick Lomper grinned–he knew of the lies that had been printed about Harry in the past. Harry felt a blush creep into his cheeks. That was certainly the last thing he had expected. “Oh, um, yes, Ginny’s due in two months.” “Ah, congratulations. Boy or girl?” “Er, well, Ginny wouldn’t let us find out.” Mr. Lomper smiled. “I see. Well, if I don’t run into you soon, good luck. And hopefully we will meet again in a much more joyful place than this.” “I hope so,” Harry agreed. He nodded goodbye to the man and apparated home. *** Molly Weasley stood above the kitchen table with a wet rag in hand. She only resorted to Muggle cleaning methods at times when she was nervous and needed to occupy herself, and this certainly counted as one of them. An Order member had informed her of the battle that was taking place in Rome, and she knew that Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny would most likely all be there. But wait–Ginny couldn’t be there, she was at seven months! Ginevra Weasley Potter, if you’re at the battle and unscathed, I swear you will pay for risking your child’s life! She mentally shouted, trying to send vibes to her daughter. And what if they didn’t get enough forces, and they had to bring in Bill or Charlie? She knew that was doubtful, but she couldn’t help but worry. If Harry and Ginny got home, she knew they would be safe. Dumbledore had performed a charm that made her their Secret Keeper as long as they were at home. Also, if anyone tried to follow them home from work or anywhere they would immediately be hopelessly lost for a week, and then would have no recollection of ever trying to follow Harry and Ginny home. A crash shook Molly out of her thoughts. The front door had blown through to the kitchen and she heard boots trampling towards her. They came around the corner and she gasped in horror. Three black-clad Lords of Darkness stood not four feet away from her. The four of them stood in silence for a moment until one of them spoke. “Don’t try and apparate, it won’t work anyway. We’ve placed a non-apparation charm on the house. Your floo network has been temporarily shut down, and your husband is locked in the garage,” The one in front said. “Oh, yes, and in case you don’t remember me as I remember you–I’m Draco Malfoy. I don’t believe we’ve seen each other in quite a long time.” Mrs. Weasley shuddered. “No.” “No? As in no we haven’t seen each other in a long time, or just simply no to the fact that we are in your sad excuse for a house,” Malfoy sneered. “Still using verbal abuse, Draco?” Mrs. Weasley commented. As soon as she said it, she regretted it. “Oh, no, I can do much more than just give you a slight mental bruise. I can do better.” “I see.” “Molly Weasley, you will tell us where Harry and Ginny Potter’s house is located at,” One of the Lords in the back said. “Zabini!” Malfoy shouted. “I specifically told you not to interfere.” The man named Zabini bowed. “Yes, sir, your lordship.” “Good,” Malfoy replied. “However, Molly Weasley, what he said is correct. That is exactly what we want to know.” “Do you actually expect me to give you that information?” Mrs. Weasley said sarcastically. “Yes,” stated Draco Malfoy. Mrs. Weasley was quiet for a moment. “Of course I’m not going to!” “Ah, really, well than I suppose will have to kill the girl.” “What girl?” Mrs. Weasley insisted. The two Lords in the back moved apart to reveal an unconscious girl lying on the ground behind them. Her delicate face was expressionless, and her reddish-brown hair was spread across the floor. “Lavender!” shrieked Molly Weasley. This was her grandchild. She had to save her. But in exchange for her life she would be condemning her daughter, son-in-law, and unborn grandchild. Mrs. Weasley attempted to run towards the little girl, but Draco Malfoy conjured a shield that prevented her from doing so. “So what is your choice? Are you going to tell us where the Potters are, or are you going to save your precious Lavender.” Molly Weasley had never been in such a horrible situation. She didn’t know what she could possibly do. Either choice would have terrible consequences, and she could never live with herself if she knew that she had caused any of her family member’s deaths. She stood hopelessly before the Lords of Darkness. Draco Malfoy didn’t have time to wait for her to decide. “Let me help you make your decision a little easier,” he sneered. “Crucio!” She had never felt such intense pain. This was the extreme of all crucios; this was seemingly never-ending pain that knocked the breath out of her. There was nothing besides this pain. There was no help. No escape. No savior coming through the mist. She felt as if she would die of the pain; drown in it. The curse was lifted and she found that she was sprawled across the floor. Malfoy smiled; satisfied. “Would you like to tell us now? Or do you need a little more pain to get you to talk?” Molly remained silent. The choice still wasn’t easier, even when her veins pounded in protest to the previous pain. She vaguely heard Malfoy shout the curse before her limbs were on fire once more. She was suffocating in the pain. The pain was lifted from her once more. “Now?” Malfoy asked impatiently. She steeled herself for another attack. And it came. She was sure she was going crazy from the pain. There were no thoughts in her mind but the pain; no hope except the hope that the next pain would be slightly lesser. It was engulfing her, until her mind unwillingly focused itself on one thing–“Godric’s Hollow. Seven Phoenix Ridge!” Mrs. Weasley didn’t realize she had shouted out the address until the curse was lifted again and saw Malfoy’s smug face. “I thank you greatly. In exchange for your cooperation, I will leave the girl with you and lift the transportation wards off of your shack.” He pointed his wand at Lavender first. Mrs. Weasley stared in horror; sure that he would kill her anyway. But the hex that emitted from his wand was purple in color. Lavender’s limp body rose an inch before falling on the ground once more. Mrs. Weasley shrieked. With a quick spell that caused the house to glow blue for a moment, the wards were lifted. Draco Malfoy took one last look at the unconscious girl. “Don’t worry. She’s not dead. Yet.” And with that, the three Lords vanished. *** Harry braced himself for a flaming Weasley as he apparated into his house with a quiet pop. The scene that was unfolding in his living room was not what he was expecting. He blinked twice and then looked again. Yes, he had seen right–but then what was Hermione doing here, sobbing on the couch nonetheless, with Ginny and McGonagall attempting to comfort her? Having heard the arrival of her husband, Ginny looked up. Harry was frightened at the sadness that brimmed from her eyes. “Oh, Harry,” she sobbed. She was prevented from going into further detail from Ron’s abrupt arrival at Harry’s side. The redhead immediately started talking. “Harry, I couldn’t find Herm–Hermione!” He had noticed her mid-sentence and rushed over to put his hands on her shoulders and ask, “What happened?” Hermione let out another sob. “Lavy–they…” Harry had never seen Ron look so devastated. “What? What did they do to Lavender?” Ginny supplied an answer. “They kidnapped her, Ron.” Ron was at a loss for words. He sank down on the couch next to his wife and wrapped his arms around her. Ginny drew back and stood up. She walked over to Harry, who was looking at Ron with sympathy. He had never really appreciated how Ron was a father, but it was a time like this that brought it out. And he would be a father soon. This thought immediately caused him to grab Ginny, who had just made it to his side, in a pleading embrace. He didn’t want anything to happen to her or their child, but he didn’t know what he could do to insure that they would be secure. Ginny recognized his anxiety and sighed. “Oh, Harry, don’t.” “Why is it that you always read my mind?” “Do you need to ask?” Harry let go of her and solemnly smiled at her. He walked over to the chair where McGonagall was sitting. She was obviously distressed. He questioned her. “Well, what are we going to do to find Lavender? We don’t know where she is or what’s happening to her…” The sound of a wizard apparating split the anxious silence and Dumbledore appeared next to Harry. He looked around at the people gathered. “You’ll be happy to know Lavender is being sent to St. Mungo’s currently after arriving at the Weasley’s home.” Hermione gasped and sat up straight awaiting more news. “Yes, but…” “Well, we are unsure of her condition at the moment, and a price was paid to get your daughter back.” There was a deathly silence. “Molly was asked to supply the address of Harry and Ginny’s hiding place, and she was tortured when she wouldn’t give the information. She is all right, but in the torturing unwillingly forced her to reveal your location. You are no longer safe here,” Dumbledore said with a wave of his hand. “She made it to me to inform me of the danger. We must all leave. Immediately.” They heard a crash from outside and a shout. With a nervous nod at each other, all six of the witches and wizards apparated in an instant. A very agitated Draco Malfoy burst through the door of the house to find nothing left but a forgotten chocolate cake on the counter, and a few wrinkled tissues that had wiped away tears caused by none other than himself. |
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