Written in the Stars - longshots

Longshots

“Not another one,” Harry grumbled.

“Another what?” Cain questioned; his mouth full of bacon.

“A lord wanting to discuss the idea of a marriage contract,” Harry sighed as he placed the offending letter on the table.

“How many of those have you received?” Sirius broke in curiously.

“Four, so far.”

Sirius laughed before waggling his eyebrows at his godson.

“The witches are starting to queue up for you,” he snorted amusedly. “Well, their parents are,” he added with a frown. “What are you going to do?”

Harry shrugged as he continued eating his breakfast.

“It’s not exactly the most opportune time to consider any of this,” he pointed out.

“And?” Sirius pressed.

Harry released a deep breath.

“I don’t want to marry someone for political clout. I don’t need it, and I don’t want my titles being used to someone else’s advantage. If I was just Lord Potter, half of these wouldn’t have reached out to me.”

“I think they would,” Remus interjected. “You have to remember what it is you are famous for, Harry. The Potter name has become much more valuable since you were a baby. I’m not saying the likes of Malfoy would have, but many others would.”

“What do you know about it? You’re not a pureblood.”

“No, but I am a logical man,” Remus replied with a smirk. “It makes sense that your fame would have attracted more prospective brides.”

Harry scowled at the thought.

“Well, I’m not interested,” he declared. “I don’t want a bloody contract.”

Irritably, he speared a sausage on the end of his fork and glared at it.

Harry knew there were certain expectations of him, and as a Lord that had reached his majority, he needed to fulfil them.

“Alright, do you want my advice?” Sirius asked, seemingly having mercy on him.

“Does it involve me humouring any of this?”

“One option does.”

“Fine,” Harry huffed. “What would the amazing Sirius Black do in my position?”

“I would stop sulking for a start,” Sirius chuckled. “After that, you have to reply to each request and politely decline the offer, or explain that with the current circumstances, you are not considering marriage.”

“That seems fair,” Harry agreed.

“Or there is the second option,” Sirius continued with a grin.

“If you’re about to suggest I marry one or more of these girls…”

Sirius held up a hand to placate him.

“I was going to say that you are the Lord Black and Lord Potter. There’s not a person in the country that you can’t tell to stuff it and do whatever you like. Aunt Cassie won’t like that, but it is an option for you. Who is going to take offense and in turn risk offending you? Most of these Lords are already willing to pucker up and kiss your arse to earn your favour.”

“That wouldn’t earn me any allies.”

“Do you care?”

“Not really,” Harry sighed, “but why make enemies when I don’t need to? I think I’ll take the first option.”

“And then what?” Sirius probed. “When the war is over with, the proposals will come flooding in. For now, you can brush them off, but you can’t do that forever.”

Harry cursed under his breath, eliciting a bout of laughter from the others.

“And what are you lot laughing at?” Lucinda questioned as she entered the room with Eleanor in tow.

“Nothing,” Sirius answered.

Lucinda hummed as she poured herself a coffee.

“You drink that?” Harry asked confusedly. “It’s not like you need it to keep awake.”

“No, but I quite like the routine of it,” the vampire replied. “I drink a cup before I go to work.”

Harry could only shake his head as Lucinda peered over the table at the parchment, raising a single brow.

“Another one?”

Harry nodded and Lucinda shrugged.

“Are you not worried about them?” Cain asked.

Lucinda grinned, baring her fangs as she shook her head.

“There’s not a single witch alive that could ever do for Harry what I can,” she answered simply. “He might have to marry one of them one day, but it will be me he is thinking of. See you later.”

She placed a kiss on the flushed cheek of Harry before gesturing for Eleanor to follow her from the room.

The four men remained in stunned silence for some time, the words of the vampire ringing in their ears.

“Bloody hell,” Sirius whispered. “Now that is a woman.”

“That she is,” Harry agreed.

Cain burst out laughing, and Harry glared at his friend.

“You are in trouble,” the werewolf said amusedly. “You can’t marry anyone else, not with her around.”

“What if I don’t want to?” Harry asked seriously.

Sirius and Remus shared a look.

“People won’t like it,” the latter pointed out. “You marrying a creature over the daughter of a prominent Lord would be like a slap in the face.”

“But, it’s like I said, you can just about do what you want,” Sirius reiterated. “They might not like it, but it’s not as though they are going to publicly take offense.”

Harry nodded his understanding as he pondered the matter.

“So, it’s not just about the, erm benefits?” Cain asked curiously.

“Get your head out of the gutter,” Harry huffed. “You’re in no position to judge with what you and Summerbee get up to.”

“I have no idea what you mean,” Cain said airily.

“I’m a wolf too, remember?” Harry returned. “I can smell you all over each other. You’re not as coy as you think you are.”

It was Cain’s turn to blush, and he busied himself with his breakfast as he cursed Harry.

Sirius and Remus laughed at the younger werewolf, and Harry turned his attention to them.

“What the hell are you two finding so amusing?” he questioned. “I don’t see either of you dating anyone, or as Cain would say, rutting like wolves.”

Remus grimaced at the choice of words.

“I’m a former Azkaban inmate,” Sirius pointed out.

“There are some women who would love that,” Harry replied. “Probably not the most stable of women, but there’s no reason for you to be moping around here with him all day,” he added, jerking a thumb towards Remus. “You’ve got years to make-up for.”

“I got my fair share before I went to prison,” Sirius declared proudly.

“Disgusting,” Harry muttered. “What’s your excuse?” he asked Remus.

“I’m a werewolf.”

“So is he,” Harry sighed, pointing to Cain. “That’s not stopping him. Unless the two of you plan on giving each other a hand, I’d suggest you get yourselves out there before more people start questioning the nature of your relationship.”

“Who’s questioning the nature of our relationship?” Sirius demanded to know.

Harry shrugged as grin tugged at his lips.

“I bet Snape is.”

Sirius’s expression morphed into one of horror before he shot to his feet.

“Right, get ready Moony, we’re going to a seedy bar somewhere.”

“It’s not even nine in the morning,” the werewolf pointed out.

“Oh, I know a few places,” Sirius replied as he pulled his friend to his feet. “We can’t have Snivellus thinking that about us.”

Remus shot an amused Harry a look of irritation as he was all but frog-marched from the room.

“Do people really think that about them?” Cain asked.

“Maybe,” Harry answered. “Sirius is just too easy to rile up, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”

“Well, then you will have to deal with the consequences,” Cain returned. “If those two are out drinking this early, how do you think it is going to end?”

“Bollocks,” Harry grumbled. “I’ll get a message to Shacklebolt and Tonks to keep an eye out for them.”

“Five galleons says they will be in a Ministry cell before dinner.”

Harry shook his head.

“Only an idiot would take that bet.”

Cain nodded his agreement, and the two of them finished their breakfast in peace without discussing what Harry intended to do about the offers of marriage.

It was something he needed to ponder himself, and though he knew he could do what he wished, he needed to consider his decision carefully.

Not that he needed the added stress.

Already he had much on his mind; one of those things being the meeting he had scheduled for later in the day.

It could prove to be fruitless, but if he was fortunate and he played his hand correctly, it could be that the tide of the war could turn in his favour quite significantly.

(Break)

The inane tasks of being the Minister of Magic were things Cassiopeia could certainly do without. Not a day went by that a Head of Department wouldn’t accost her to discuss something dull; pertaining to their position, or to simply have her co-sign a document.

Still, the drudgery was something of a welcome distraction from the task of dealing with a Dark Lord and dozens upon dozens of men and women at large.

“You don’t seem so concerned about the marriage contracts.”

The voice of the Summerbee girl piqued Cassie’s curiosity, and she placed her quill on her desk to listen to the conversation taking place just outside her office.

The girls evidently thought she had not taken the step of ensuring she knew exactly whom was within the vicinity at any given time.

With just a flick of her wand, she could see through her office door, and choose whether or not she wished to speak with a particular visitor.

“Harry knows I don’t like it, but it’s not as though he can stop people writing to ask, is it?” Lucinda replied.

Cassiopeia frowned.

She had no idea Harry had been receiving proposals of marriage.

He certainly had not discussed them with her.

“Do you think he will accept one of them?”

“He’d better not,” Lucinda huffed. “I will make the rest of his life miserable if he even thinks about it.”

Cassiopeia snorted amusedly.

The vampire had grown on her over the past months of spending so much time in her company.

She was growing to be a strong woman, stubborn to a fault, and undoubtedly, for reasons Cassie did not understand, she and Harry were very much smitten with one another.

Nevertheless, such fondness presented several problems, particularly of a political and legal nature.

Cassiopeia could not be sure, but she was certain it was against the law for a human to marry a vampire in Britain.

Not that such a thing would be difficult to navigate.

Politically, many would be rather put-out by Harry choosing Lucinda over marrying a British pureblood, which many seemed to be expecting.

Why wouldn’t they?

He was the Head of two distinguished families, so it made sense that would be the case.

However, none knew Harry like Cassie; Lucinda perhaps being the exception.

There was not a person alive that could convince him to do something he was against, nor dissuade him from something he had his heart set on.

Given the choice, Cassie would see him do the duty expected of him, but she would not be the one to get in the way if he chose Lucinda. He’d sacrificed enough in life, and if what she had learned from Galanis held any truth, Harry was destined to be a widower for centuries after any human spouse would perish.

She smiled sadly to herself at the thought.

Cassie could not imagine Harry being alone for so long, and she did not wish to even consider such a thing.

Perhaps fate had brought Lucinda into his life for a reason, or maybe it was just that life had found just another way to mess with the boy she had raised as her own?

Regardless, what mattered to her more than anything else was that he could experience a semblance of happiness for himself when all was said and done with the war against Voldemort.

Releasing a deep sigh, she signed another document and decided that she would raise the matter with him.

He had been raised to carefully consider all of his options, but to Cassie, this one spoke for itself.

Harry could either enjoy a full and happy life with the vampire he had already chosen or experience more loss with a bride he would take to placate others.

A thousand years was indeed a long time, and if he must live it, Cassie would see that he did so as happy and whole as can be.

(Break)

It was strange to consider his own mortality, and though Albus had come to accept his impending death with as much grace as he could muster, he could not help but think there was much for him left to do.

Tom was still here, living breathing, and the threat hanging over Britain.

Would Albus be alive to see his demise?

With the progress he had made with locating the Horcruxes, he held out hope that he might pass when Britain was at peace, but that he could not be certain of.

In the interim, he had been setting his affairs in order, and had reached the point of whom he would leave his various belongings to.

Harry had happily accepted that Fawkes may wish to reside with him, and with the continued visits of the thunderbird, Albus was convinced that was where his companion would go.

Knowing his time was short, he had spent as much time with the phoenix as possible, even having Fawkes join him at the staff table for meals, much to the delight of the students.

His smiled at his slumbering feathered friend fondly.

He had spent the afternoon chasing the thunderbird across the grounds of the school, each taking it in turns to do so.

It was quite the sight to behold, and one that Albus would not tire of seeing for his remaining days.

He shook himself of his thoughts and turned his attention to the task at hand.

Harry would also receive the majority of the books he had accumulated over the many decades he had lived.

The young man would appreciate them more than any other, though he would be leaving Minerva his various Transfiguration tomes, in the hope that it may earn her forgiveness for his sudden departure.

He had considered informing her of his current status but was undecided on if he should discuss it with his deputy.

Minerva would not take the news well.

Albus sighed as knock sounded at the door.

“Come in, Severus,” he urged.

The Potions Master entered the room, his expression as grim as ever since Tom had resurfaced so many months prior.

“I wished to speak with you, Headmaster,” Severus said as he made his way across the room.

He did not take a seat. He rarely did.

“What can I help you with?” Albus replied with a light frown.

“I overheard a conversation within Malfoy Manor when I was there preparing potions for Draco.”

“How is he?”

Severus shook his head.

“Dying,” he answered simply. “I do not know what Potter has done to him, but Draco is not long for this world. I have done all I can.”

“I see,” Albus returned sadly. “I do not believe appealing to Harry’s better nature would help. He is quite wroth towards Draco after what he did.”

“I am not pleased by his actions either,” Severus murmured. “The curse he used was of my own creation, one that the Dark Lord is unaware of. I taught Draco it in the hope that if he needed to use it for his own safety, it could potentially have bought him time to escape. I did not expect him to use it to murder another student.”

“You cannot blame yourself for his actions, Severus,” Albus said firmly. “You did not force Mr Malfoy to act in such a way.”

“No, but I am curious to know how Potter reversed the curse, albeit, too late.”

“That, I do not know,” Albus murmured thoughtfully. “Young Harry is an exceptionally gifted wizard. I’m sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for it.”

Severus shook his head.

“I do not believe even the Dark Lord would be able to do it, Headmaster, let alone someone who is barely a man.”

Albus frowned.

“Well, I do not think we will find an explanation without mentioning it to Harry. I would avoid doing so. If he was to learn that it was your curse that killed Miss Greengrass, I expect he would be quite furious. Now, the conversation you overheard?”

“The Dark Lord is attempting to find a way into Hogwarts,” Severus revealed. “I do not know why, but I heard him discussing the idea with Rookwood and Barty.”

“I expected this would happen,” Albus sighed. “Worry not, Severus. I have already taken the required measures to secure the school as best I can. Besides, what he seeks is no longer here. Perhaps it would be best if he learned that I destroyed the trinket he had hidden on the seventh floor.”

Severus nodded his understanding.

“What happens next, Headmaster?” he asked worriedly.

“Next we hope that Harry is ready for what he is to face,” Albus replied gravely. “I believe the war will come to an end sooner than we expect. We simply need a single breakthrough to seize the advantage, and think what you will of Harry, but his tenacity and determination are unmatched. He will find a way.”

“You have too much faith in the boy. He cannot defeat him.”

“I believe with everything I am that Harry will emerge victorious, Severus. I would bet my life on it,” Albus added with a bright smile.

(Break)

It had been many years ago that Narcissa last visited Grimmauld Place. She had been on the cusp of womanhood and due to marry Lucius, whom her grandfather did not approve of.

Arcturus Black had used words that she would never repeat to describe her future husband, and as such, Narcissa had not returned to the ancestral home of the Blacks.

If Lucius was not welcome, then she would not come either.

How things had changed.

Here she was once again, but not to celebrate her upcoming nuptials.

No, she was little more than a common beggar, coming to beseech the new Lord of her former house, to plead with him for mercy, if it was necessary.

Narcissa was a proud woman, but one who was desperate and in dire need of help.

She glanced around the study that had once belonged to Arcturus Black and remembered him fondly telling her stories when she would sneak in here to watch him work.

Narcissa had been welcome then, but now, she could feel that she was not.

It was as though something within the house was waiting for her to overstep her boundaries, to do something that would displease the current lord.

She swallowed deeply as she continued to wait.

Her position here was abundantly clear.

Narcissa was merely a visitor, and one not held in high esteem as demonstrated by Potter not personally greeting her upon arrival.

In his place, Elgar had done so, and shown her to her seat before leaving.

Evidently, Potter thought so little of the Malfoys that he could not even offer one of them the most common of courtesies.

She jumped slightly as the door opened and Harry Potter entered.

It had been only a few years prior that she had first met him in the Minister’s box at the World Cup Final, and once more, Narcissa found herself pondering just how things had changed.

Even then, he’d had quite the presence about him.

For a boy of only fourteen, he had talked circles around Lucius and Fudge, and had come away some five hundred galleons better off from a bet with her husband.

It was not the political exchanges Narcissa remembered, however.

No, it had been his parting words informing her of his acquaintance with her Aunt Cassie.

“My apologies for the delay,” Potter spoke. “Family business.”

He wasn’t sorry, and his emphasis on the word ‘Family’ let her know that he did not consider her such.

“I understand you are very busy,” Narcissa replied politely yet firmly.

She would not allow him to think her weak despite her unfavourable position.

“Well, let’s not stand on ceremony. You came here for a reason, so what is it?”

It was odd to be spoken to in such a way, and the way Potter stared at her from across the opposite side of the desk was reminiscent of her grandfather, though he much more resembled his own.

A mix of Charlus Potter and Arcturus Black was not something any would wish they found themselves facing.

“Draco,” Narcissa replied simply. “I want you to help him.”

“No.”

Narcissa felt her resolve buckle, but she remained sitting straight and proudly in her chair.

“Why?”

“Because your son deserves every ounce of pain and misery he is experiencing,” Potter returned coldly. “He kidnapped and handed a Hogwarts Professor to Voldemort who undoubtedly tortured and murdered her. He then murdered a young woman himself in cold blood because he is a deranged, petty little man.”

“He is still my son.”

“Who chose Lucius’s life over yours,” Potter reminded her as he leaned back in his chair. “The world will be a better place without him.”

“You forced him to choose!”

“I did,” Potter said unashamedly, “and make no mistake, had he chosen to save you, I would have killed you without hesitation.”

Narcissa believed him, and she unwittingly shuddered at the thought.

“Please,” she whispered, finally allowing her emotion to show through her crumbling façade. “Draco is all I have left, and the Dark Lord is going to kill us both if I don’t find it.”

“Find what?”

Once more, Narcissa swallowed deeply.

“A diary. He gave a diary to Lucius and he is determined to have it returned to him,” she explained. “I have searched every inch of the house and vault. It is in neither.”

Potter chuckled.

“Then I would begin arranging the funerals for you and Draco,” he urged. “The diary is gone. Lucius decided to use it on an eleven-year-old girl who is still suffering the effects of what it did to her. The diary was destroyed when it was discovered at Hogwarts.”

Narcissa choked as she deflated.

That was it.

There was no longer anything she could do.

“How many Death Eaters are at your home, and do not lie to me. If you want any chance of surviving this war, I am your only option.”

Now it felt as though she was speaking to the Dark Lord, and as she met Potter’s gaze, it felt as though he was looking into her very soul the same way.

“Forty,” she answered. “Most of his inner circle are there.”

“Bellatrix?”

Narcissa reluctantly nodded.

“Voldemort?”

She flinched at the mention of the man before shaking her head.

“No, he left some weeks ago. Bella mentioned he had gone to his own family home.”

Potter frowned thoughtfully, and a smirk tugged at his lips after a moment.

“Good,” he murmured as he stood. “Can you get me in?”

“I will not allow you into my home!”

“Then both you and Draco will die.”

Again, Narcissa could see that he meant it.

He would not help her unless she helped him in return.

“I am giving you a chance to get out of this,” Potter spoke once more, somewhat gentler this time. “If you can get me in, I will allow you to escape. You can even take half of the gold in the Malfoy vault. That will be more than enough to last you for the rest of your life.”

“What about Draco?”

Potter’s nostrils flared.

“The best I am willing to offer is that he goes to prison. He will not be pardoned for what he has done. Take it or leave it.”

Narcissa knew that this was the best she could hope for, and though it was with utter reluctance, she nodded a few moments later.

“Not Azkaban.”

“Fine,” Potter agreed immediately. “Now, how do I get in?”

Narcissa eyed him to look for any signs of deception, but his expression was unreadable.

Much to her dismay, she would have to trust Potter, who, for better or worse, had proven to keep his word when given thus far.

“The study on the ground floor is open to the Death Eaters,” she explained. “They have each been given a portkey that will take them there.”

“You can get me one of the portkeys?”

Narcissa nodded.

“I can. They are always leaving them lying around.”

“Then you will send it along, and I will test it,” Potter instructed. “If all is as it should be, we have a deal.”

“What about Draco?”

“When I have cleaned up the filth in your home, I will counter the curse placed on him, and he will be taken to the Ministry. I will ensure he is not given the death penalty and sent to an appropriate prison.”

“Which prison?”

“You will learn which one when your end of the bargain is held up,” Potter said firmly. “If you deviate from my instructions, or speak of this to anyone, I will find a way into your home regardless, and when I catch up with you, you will wish it was Voldemort that had gotten to you first. Do you understand?”

Narcissa nodded as she stood.

“I will do as you have asked.”

“Good,” Potter declared. “Now, if you will excuse me, I have other things to attend to. Elgar?”

The elf appeared and offered Potter a bow.

“Yes, Lord Black?”

“Please ensure Mrs Malfoy takes her leave of the house promptly.”

With that, Potter was gone, and Narcissa was escorted towards the fireplace, where she was ushered from Grimmauld Place with due haste.

Arriving in her own bedroom, she perched herself on the edge of the bed she had shared with her husband for more than twenty-years feeling a mixture of shame, relief, and fear.

Should Potter prove to be successful in his endeavour, both she and Draco would make it out of this mess with their lives intact.

If he did not, then they would both perish at the hands of the Dark Lord.

Narcissa could only hope beyond hope that Potter would prevail, and she snorted at the irony of wishing for the success of the man who had murdered her husband and all but robbed her son of his life.

Potter was no friend to her, but he was the enemy of the threat that hung over what remained of the Malfoy family, and that was enough to do what she needed to.

She had been a Slytherin, after all, and self-preservation was something Narcissa would keenly pursue in these dark days.

Taking a moment to fix her appearance, she knew that time was of the essence.

She needed to secure her future, and to do that, a visit to Gringotts was necessary.

Then, she would find the needed portkey to pass along.

From there, her fate would very much hinge on Potter, and though the very thought filled her with dread, there was truly no other choice in the matter.

(Break)

“You are certain there is no way to enter the castle undetected?”

“My lord, Hogwarts is perhaps the most secure building in all of Britain,” Augustus pointed out. “To enter undetected is one thing, but to remain so for any period of time is likely impossible. The problem we face is that only someone who has been a Headmaster of the school will truly know what protections are in place. I would be exceedingly surprised if it is not old magic that keeps unwanted people out.”

“I thought as much,” Voldemort murmured.

Augustus was an expert on magical protections, and though the Dark Lord probably knew the castle better than any alive, he had never gotten any indication of any weaknesses in the defences. There were passageways in and out of the school but using them was risky at best. The last thing Voldemort needed was to find himself in an environment where he had no control over such powerful protections and be faced with a wizard of Dumbledore’s calibre.

Facing him when he was outside of the castle was one thing, but within, Hogwarts was very much his domain.

He released a deep breath of frustration.

Was it not of such import that he get inside, he would dismiss the idea as folly. However, he did not have such luxury.

No, he needed to find a way inside, or find someone else who could do it on his behalf, someone who would not know what it is he had them fetch.

This was where Pettigrew would be useful.

The man was a snivelling coward at best, but he’d often boasted of how he could navigate the castle without being detected.

The blubbering fool could get in and out before any became aware of his presence.

The Dark Lord hummed to himself.

Perhaps it would be easier to find a way of locating the imprisoned man and have him take the risk of entering Hogwarts?

To do so, he would need to capture someone who would know of his whereabouts.

If he had not been taken to Azkaban, then where?

Bones would know, as would Black, but both had proven to be beyond his reach since he had torched the manor belonging to the former.

There had to be others.

“Who would know where Pettigrew was taken?” Voldemort asked the former Unspeakable.

“Well, Bones and the Minister,” Rookwood replied thoughtfully, “and the aurors that would have escorted him.”

“Can you get to them?”

Augustus nodded.

“I will need to learn of who was given the task and see what, if any protections they have in place, but I expect it would easier than either Black or Bones.”

“Then do what you can, Augustus,” Voldemort instructed. “Should you need anything, I will ensure you have it. Speak of this to no one. It is of the utmost importance that our movements remain hidden.”

“Of course, my lord,” Rookwood replied with a bow. “I will begin at once.”

Without further comment, the man left the room, and the Dark Lord breathed a sigh of relief.

It was not a guaranteed avenue into the castle, and was much more longwinded than he’d like, but it was the best he could come up with.

Still, he needed Rookwood to act quickly.

He needed the reassurance of at least another of his Horcruxes to secure his future.

The Dark Lord will mark him as his equal…he will have a power the Dark Lord know not…

Voldemort shook his head of thoughts of the prophecy.

Focusing on it only filled him with the concern he so despised.

Nonetheless, he could not deny the threat posed to him now with his Horcruxes being so vulnerable.

“Nagini?” he called, releasing a deep breath as she emerged from below one of the cabinets she liked to sleep under.

He had to keep her close.

Despite being a remarkably intelligent serpent, she was vulnerable to any who carried a wand, and though the Dark Lord had rarely felt such, he could not shake the feeling away now at what he could only deem to be the most pivotal point of his life.

(Break)

Harry looked exhausted as he entered the kitchen at almost three am. He’d left abruptly several hours prior after meeting with an unknown woman in his study.

Lucinda knew it was a woman because the faint smell of her perfume lingered long after she had departed.

It had crossed her mind that Harry had entertained the idea of one of the contracts he’d received, but along with the floral aroma of the perfume was the unmistakeable smell of fear.

“This arrived for you while you were out,” Cain explained, sliding an envelope to Harry who immediately opened it, laughing to himself a moment later.

“What is it?” Cain asked curiously.

Harry said nothing but slid the note to the werewolf.

“Well, that is rather disgraceful language from a role model for children,” he remarked. “He can’t have thought you were serious?”

Harry shrugged and grinned amusedly.

“It got the response I expected,” he snorted. “Viktor is too easy to wind up, especially where his sister is concerned.”

“What did you do?” Lucinda sighed.

“I sent an offer of marriage to his parents, along with a note explaining that I was only doing so to annoy Viktor. They obviously played their part well,” Harry explained.

Lucinda frowned as she took the letter from Cain.

“I’m going to use my Firebolt to split you in half,” she read aloud.

Harry’s grin widened as Cain, Eleanor, and Ana laughed.

“He’s going to kill you, even if it was only a joke.”

“He’ll calm down before I see him again. Anyway, I have some news.”

“Are you going to tell us where you have been all night?” Ana asked.

Harry nodded and tapped the table with his wand, ensuring their conversation would not be listened in on.

“I know where Voldemort is.”

“Where?”

“It doesn’t matter because I can’t do anything about it,” Harry huffed. “There is no way of getting in there without him knowing. He has the place set up with so many traps that even the entire auror force would not make it past his defences.”

“So, it’s a lost cause then,” Cain grumbled.

“It is, but knowing where he is can’t be a bad thing. I will be keeping an eye on the place to see who is visiting him. He has made it impossible for any to apparate or portkey in, so they are having to use the nearby village to arrive. This evening, he met with Augustus Rookwood. He’s a very dangerous wizard who used to work for the Department of Mysteries.”

“Did you kill him?”

Harry shook his head.

“He was gone before I realised it was him,” he explained. “He uses charms so no one pays attention to him. By the time I noticed him, he’d activated a portkey, but that brings me to my next point. I have a way in to another place where a considerable force of Death Eaters are holed-up.”

“Is this the part where you do something stupid?” Eleanor sighed.

“Yes and no,” Harry replied with a thoughtful frown. “I need to figure out the details but I don’t want to sit on the information too long. I’ll need to act as soon as possible.”

“What do you need us to do?” Cain asked.

“Nothing,” Harry replied. “It will be best if I handle it alone.”

“Against a considerable number of Death Eaters, as you put it?”

“They won’t even know I’m there,” Harry replied with a smirk. “It is best if I handle this. It will be safer for me to do it alone, but I do not want anyone else knowing, especially the Order.”

“Why not the Order?”

Harry released a deep breath.

“Snape,” he answered simply. “Dumbledore trusts him, but I don’t, not when my life is on the line.”

“Are you sure about this, Harry?” Eleanor asked.

“I am,” Harry assured the blonde. “When it is done, Voldemort will have to act. We will need to be ready for that. He will be desperate and unpredictable. There is no telling what he will do in retaliation. He will still have the numbers advantage, even without his inner circle.”

“I don’t like it,” Cain murmured.

“He will like it even less,” Harry returned, the smile he offered the werewolf not as reassuring as he’d intended.

Lucinda frowned as she felt the familiar sense of worry fill her.

Harry was not as convinced by his plan as he was letting on, but she knew he would not be talked out of it.

“Did Sirius and Remus make it back?”

“Remus did,” Cain chuckled. “He said something about not being as young as he once was before going to bed. He left Sirius in a bar chatting up a woman he took a shine to.”

Harry shook his head.

“Well, at least the aurors haven’t been in touch.”

“Not yet,” Cain pointed out. “Sirius could be up to anything.”

“True,” Harry sighed. “Anyway, I’m going to get some sleep. Wake me up if you need me,” he urged before taking his leave of the room.

The group fell silent for several moments after he had left.

“I really don’t like this,” Cain murmured.

None of them did when it came to Harry doing something potentially foolish.

He had a tendency of getting himself hurt in some way, and if his prediction of Voldemort retaliating proved to be correct, they would need him at his very best.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Lucinda huffed, following in Harry’s footsteps.

Already, she knew she would not change his mind, but it was the perfect excuse to spend a little time with him, even if he did intend to merely sleep.