The next morning at breakfast, Harry received a message from Dumbledore requesting a meeting. With only Herbology on his schedule, Harry decided he'd visit the headmaster's office after returning to the castle for lunch. As he stood to head for the Room of Requirement, a sudden squeal from the head table caught his attention.
Turning, Harry saw Ginny embracing a very startled Professor McGonagall. He couldn't help but grin. 'She'll make a great captain. Now, if she just lets Ron stay on the team, everyone will be happy.'
Herbology passed smoothly. Harry partnered with Neville and Susan, positioning himself between them to keep the group focused. Together, they made quick work of the assignment, finishing well before the other students.
Harry was particularly grateful for Neville's expertise in Herbology. Neville had a natural knack for the subject, and his ability to explain things helped Harry make sense of the more complex material.
Since they finished early, Harry approached Professor Sprout. "Professor, may I leave a bit early to speak with Professor Dumbledore?"
Professor Sprout nodded. "Of course, Harry."
Harry packed his things and turned to Neville and Susan. "See you at lunch," he said before heading back to the castle.
"Cotton candy," Harry muttered with a smirk as he approached the gargoyle. Dumbledore's penchant for absurd passwords never ceased to amuse him. The staircase began to spiral upward, and Harry ascended to the headmaster's office.
He knocked on the door and heard Dumbledore's familiar voice. "Come in, Harry."
Harry entered, taking the offered seat. "You wanted to see me, Professor?"
Dumbledore smiled warmly, offering a tin. "Lemon drop?"
"No, thank you, sir," Harry replied politely.
Dumbledore's expression grew serious. "Ah, right to the point. Very well, Harry. Before we begin, I must apologise to you."
Harry blinked in surprise. "Apologise, sir?"
The older man sighed. "Amelia and I had several... frank discussions over the summer. She has made her feelings about my past decisions very clear. I understand that she may never forgive me, and I don't blame her for that. She cares deeply for you, Harry. And, in truth, she's right—my choices caused you pain and loneliness."
Harry remained silent, and Dumbledore pressed on. "I want you to know how deeply sorry I am. I hope you'll allow me to support you moving forward, in whatever way I can."
Harry took a moment before responding. "Amelia says your greatest flaw is your inability to let go when you're searching for the good in people."
Dumbledore chuckled softly. "Amelia is a wise woman."
"Yes, she is. I may not understand your reasons, but I can see the value in hoping for good. I hold no ill will toward you, Professor. If it's all right with you, I'd prefer we move forward."
Dumbledore's shoulders sagged with relief. "Thank you, Harry. Very well. Now, to the matter at hand. I wanted to discuss your D.A. club and Professor Slughorn."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Professor Slughorn?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said. "I persuaded Professor Slughorn to return to Hogwarts this year because I believe he may hold a crucial piece of information. When Tom Riddle was a student here, I suspect he confided in Slughorn about his intention to create Horcruxes. Slughorn may even know how many were made."
Harry leaned forward. "And you want me to get him to talk?"
Dumbledore nodded. "I've tried, but he refuses to engage with me on the subject. Slughorn has a... particular fondness for people he sees as exceptional. He collects them, in a sense. You are the reason he returned to Hogwarts, Harry. I believe he sees you as his crowning achievement."
Harry grimaced. "That explains the creepy looks he keeps giving me."
Dumbledore chuckled. "Perhaps. If anyone can get him to share this information, it's you. Knowing the number of Horcruxes would bring us significantly closer to ending this war."
Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'll do my best, sir."
"That's all I can ask, Harry. One more thing—I've arranged for Moody, Lupin, Kingsley, Tonks, and Madam Bones to conduct training sessions here on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Your D.A. members are invited as well, but I'll leave the logistics to you and your friends."
Harry nodded. "Understood."
'Amelia didn't mention she'd be at Hogwarts twice a week—I'll have to pay her back for that surprise later,' he thought wryly.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "That's all for now. If you have no questions, you may go. I won't take up any more of your valuable time."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said as he stood.
"Have a good day, Harry," Dumbledore called as he left.
Harry returned to his quarters and spent the afternoon reviewing his investments, answering correspondence, and organising materials for his upcoming meeting with Fred and George.
At dinner, he caught Colin Creevey and asked him to spread the word about a D.A. meeting the next day. He also requested Hermione to activate the enchanted coins. Between the two of them, Harry was confident they'd reach everyone.
On his way back to his quarters, Harry ran into Ginny. "Congratulations on making captain," he said warmly.
Ginny's face lit up, and she threw her arms around him. "McGonagall said it was your idea. Thank you!"
Harry shrugged, smiling. "You were the right person for the job. I know you'll do great. Just make sure to win the cup so Minerva isn't too cross with me."
Ginny's expression turned serious. "McGonagall mentioned you're not playing this year. I'm not happy about that."
Harry sighed. "I'll be a reserve Seeker if you need me, but I can't commit to practices. It wouldn't be fair to the team."
Ginny frowned but nodded reluctantly. "Fine. When are tryouts?"
"In a couple of weeks. I need to confirm the details and talk to Madam Hooch about reserving the pitch."
"Let me know, and I'll try to come support you," Harry said with a grin.
Ginny smiled back. "Alright. See you, Harry."
"See you," he called as she headed down the hallway.
o – o – o – o – o
After Charms the next day, Harry gathered the members of Dumbledore's Army in the Room of Requirement.
"I know everyone's eager to get to dinner, so I'll keep this quick," Harry began, addressing the room. "I wanted to share the plan for this year, for those who wish to continue. We'll meet on Monday and Wednesday evenings after dinner. A group of Aurors will be joining us to help with training."
Excited murmurs rippled through the crowd. Harry raised a hand to quiet them, signalling that he wasn't done.
"Here's how it will work: Mondays will be for years one through five, and Wednesdays will be for years six and seven. If you have friends who are interested in joining—especially younger students—have them come speak with me. The first meeting will be next Monday."
He paused to let the information sink in before adding, "Now, if Luna, Neville, Susan, Ron, Hannah, Ginny, and Hermione could stay behind, everyone else can head to dinner."
The room filled with the buzz of excited conversation as students filed out. Many were already speculating about the Aurors who would be helping them. Once the door closed behind the last of the departing members, Harry turned to the group that remained.
"I wanted to talk to you all about taking on more of a leadership role in the D.A. It's too much for me to manage on my own, and I think we'll all benefit from spreading the responsibilities."
He glanced at Ginny, Luna, Susan, and Hannah. "I was hoping the four of you could take charge of the Monday sessions." Then he turned to Ron, Hermione, and Neville. "And the three of you could help me lead the Wednesday sessions. I'll still be at the Monday sessions if you need me, but I'll mostly be working one-on-one with Moody."
Neville spoke first, nodding in agreement. "Sure thing, Harry. We'd love to help."
The others echoed their agreement, smiling at the opportunity.
"Great," Harry said with relief. "Come by my quarters tomorrow evening after dinner so we can work out the details." He stretched his arms over his head and added with a grin, "Now, let's go—I'm starving."
With that, Harry led the group out of the Room of Requirement and down to the Great Hall, their conversation buzzing with plans for the D.A.
o – o – o – o – o
The rest of the week went quickly for Harry. He had Care of Magical Creatures and Transfiguration, as well as his first tutoring session with Professor Babbling. As expected, his course work was definitely going to keep him plenty busy this term.
As soon as his tutoring session with Babbling was done Friday afternoon, he floo'd to Potter Manor. He smiled when he saw Amelia waiting for him. Before he could even say hello, she had pulled him in for a prolonged kiss.
"I've missed you in my bed Lord Potter," said Amelia huskily.
"Well, we must remedy that my lady." Said Harry as he grabbed her hand and started towards the bedroom.
A couple of hours later, Harry and Amelia were waiting in the lounge for the twins. At precisely 5 p.m., they arrived, both wearing matching canary-yellow suits. Harry rolled his eyes at their flamboyant attire.
"Is that what you call dinner attire?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Only the best for you, Harrikins," Fred replied with a grin, flashing an exaggerated smile.
"Madam Bones, always a pleasure," George added, taking Amelia's hand and kissing it lightly before winking at Harry.
Amelia laughed, and Harry scowled.
Dinner was a lively affair. Amelia asked the twins about the success of their shop, and they responded with animated stories of their Hogwarts days, as if they had graduated centuries ago. The conversation was peppered with laughter, and by the end of the meal, the twins had thoroughly charmed Amelia.
"I'll leave you gentlemen to your business," Amelia said as she stood. "I have some paperwork to finish in my study. Come get me when you've finished, darling," she added, leaning down to give Harry a quick kiss.
"Fred, George, it was a pleasure," she said with a polite nod before leaving the table.
Once she was gone, Harry stood and gestured for the twins to follow him.
"Let's head to my office," he said.
Fred and George trailed behind him, still chuckling about one of their shared anecdotes from dinner.
"Take a seat," Harry said as he poured each of them a glass of firewhiskey. He set the bottle aside and sat down behind his desk.
"I want to start by saying that I was really impressed when we visited your shop in July. You've done an incredible job, and I think your business has a lot of potential. That's why I'd like to discuss investing in your company further."
Fred and George exchanged intrigued glances.
"What do you have in mind, Harry?" George asked, leaning forward.
"Before we go any further, I need you both to take an oath of secrecy. You must never share what we discuss here—not even with your own family."
The twins nodded solemnly, drawing their wands to swear the necessary oaths.
"Thank you," Harry said. "It's not that I don't trust you, but—"
"We get it, Harrikins. No need to explain," Fred interrupted with a grin.
Harry gave a small smile and continued. "I need you to create and manufacture something for me as quickly as possible. It's a combination of Hermione's D.A. coins and the enchanted engagement rings Amelia and I use. I'm looking for something discreet—something that can allow a large number of people to communicate meeting times and coordinates and, more importantly, enable them to apparate to each other even through wards."
Fred and George's eyebrows shot up.
"That's quite an order," George said. "Do you have any blueprints or notes to get us started?"
Harry opened a drawer and pulled out a thick folder, handing it to Fred.
"I know your expertise is primarily joke products, but you two are the most intuitive and inventive people I know. If anyone can pull this off, it's you. I'm prepared to offer you 100,000 galleons for research, development, and production. Upon completion, I'll invest another 100,000 galleons into your business for you to use as you see fit."
The twins' jaws dropped.
"100,000 galleons?" Fred asked incredulously.
"Are you sure about this, Harry?" George added. "That's a lot of money to just hand over. What's in it for you?"
Harry smiled.
"Yes, I do expect something in return, but let me explain why I've made this offer. I'm asking you to devote what will likely be hundreds of hours to creating a product that you can never sell and no one else can ever know about. This project will take time away from developing your other products, which will affect your business. That's why I've included the second 100,000 galleons.
"If you're successful, the secrecy of this product is absolutely crucial. Imagine how disastrous it would be if it fell into the wrong hands."
The twins nodded, their expressions serious for once.
"As for what I expect in return," Harry continued, "if you pull this off, I'll invest the second half of the money and take a 10% share of your future profits."
"Forty percent," George countered with a cheeky grin.
Harry laughed. "That's the worst bargaining I've ever heard. The goblins would be appalled. Twenty percent, and I remain a silent partner. That's my final offer."
Fred and George exchanged a quick glance before nodding in unison.
"Deal," they said together.
Harry leaned back, satisfied. "Good. Now, let's look at what's in the folder."
Fred opened the folder and began flipping through the notes, diagrams, and vials of memories.
"This is some serious research," Fred said, scanning the first few pages.
"Do you think it's even possible?" George asked, glancing at Harry.
Harry shrugged. "We'll find out soon enough."
Fred looked up from the folder, incredulous. "You're giving us 100,000 galleons for something that might not even be possible?"
"Call it a leap of faith," Harry said with a smirk.
o – o – o – o – o
Saturday morning, Harry Potter woke up feeling content, still wrapped around Amelia. They spent the morning simply enjoying each other's company, savouring the quiet moments between them.
After lunch, they settled into a secluded corner of the library for Harry to practice his Legilimency. With Amelia's help, Harry dove into organising his mindscape, compartmentalising the immense knowledge he'd gained from the Potter and Black family rings.
As he worked, he discovered that both Charlus Potter and Orion Black had been master Legilimens. Drawing on their memories, he grasped the basics quickly. Combined with his own innate skill and guidance from Amelia, Sirius, and the others, he began to fine-tune his abilities.
Neville, Susan, and Amelia, all trained in Occlumency from a young age, volunteered to help Harry practice. Even Dumbledore had agreed to assist if Harry's skills surpassed theirs, though Harry wasn't entirely sure he wanted to delve into the depths of the headmaster's mind.
Now, as he focused on Amelia's mind, familiar flashes of her childhood memories passed through his own. He smiled at the sight of her as a child—mischievous, determined, and endearing. But then something new appeared: a blurry memory of a young blonde boy kissing her in a broom closet. Intrigued, Harry pushed further into the memory.
Amelia instantly pushed back, doubling her efforts to force him out. Their mental battle became a test of wills, Harry pushing harder than ever while Amelia held her ground. Finally, she triumphed, ejecting him from her mind.
"You're making great progress, Harry," Amelia said, her cheeks pink as she caught her breath. "You got a lot further than I expected." She hesitated, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "It won't be long before you'll overpower me entirely. But I'd suggest focusing on subtlety next—getting into someone's mind without them noticing. Right now, your presence is very obvious, which makes it easier to fight back and isn't great if you're trying to be stealthy."
"What was that memory, Amelia?" Harry asked, his curiosity piqued.
Amelia's blush deepened. "It was my first kiss."
"Richard?"
"Yes," she admitted softly.
Harry's expression softened. "I'm sorry you've lost so much, 'Melia." He reached for her and pulled her onto his lap, kissing her gently.
The kiss deepened, and soon they were utterly absorbed in each other. Neither noticed Hermione enter the library until the sound of an awkward throat-clearing startled them. They broke apart, turning to see Hermione standing there, her face bright red.
"Miss Granger. Nice to see you again," Amelia said smoothly, straightening her robes as she stood.
"You too, ma'am," Hermione replied, her gaze firmly fixed on the floor.
"Will you be staying for dinner, Miss Granger?" Amelia asked.
Hermione nodded.
"Very well, I'll let Alice know." With that, Amelia left the room, leaving Hermione and Harry alone.
Harry motioned for Hermione to join him on the sofa.
"Have a seat, Hermione," he said, still grinning faintly.
"How did it go with the twins?" she asked eagerly as she sat down.
"I gave them everything we put together. Now we just have to wait and see if they're as brilliant as I think they are," Harry said with a smile.
"Sirius, you might want to join us for this,"Harry thought.
"I'm here, pup,"came Sirius's reply.
"So," Hermione said, pulling out her ever-present notebook, "what are we researching now?"
"What do you know about Spattergroit?"
Hermione blinked. "I know it's highly contagious. Are you saying you want us to research Spattergroit?" She sounded almost disappointed.
"Not exactly," Harry said with a smirk. "I want to research contagions in general. Specifically, how diseases spread so rapidly among connected wizards."
"Why?"
"We've been focusing on the Dark Mark for a while now, and we've learned two important things: how Voldemort created it and how he linked them all. A tracking charm is a relatively simple spell, and according to Professor Flitwick, it's fairly easy to modify. If we could alter it to mimic the way a contagious disease spreads—but only to the magical signature of the Dark Mark—"
"We could infect one mark and spread the effect to all of them," Hermione finished, her eyes widening.
"Exactly," Harry said.
Hermione's mind was already racing. "And if we link the modified charm with the map we've been designing—with Sirius's help—we could create a way to visualize their locations in real time."
Harry nodded, pleased. Hermione was the only person other than Amelia who knew about Sirius's spectral presence. Though the initial conversation had been awkward, Sirius's insight into the creation of the Marauder's Map had proven invaluable.
"That's brilliant, pup!" Sirius exclaimed.
Harry grinned.
"Of course," Hermione said, "there's a lot to figure out. For one, how would we embed the modified spell into someone's Dark Mark without them realizing?"
"That's where I come in," Harry said. "When I was recovering after the duel with Lestrange, the goblin healer told Amelia that they tried to remove the Horcrux from my scar. But because it had been there so long, Voldemort's soul had merged with mine. They couldn't separate them. If Dumbledore had taken me to them right after my parents died, they might have been able to do something… but now..." He trailed off, his jaw tightening.
"Harry…" Hermione began softly, but he shook his head.
"The point is, I believe Voldemort's soul is intertwined enough with mine that I could embed the tracking spell into someone's Dark Mark without anyone noticing. If it spreads quickly enough, by the time Voldemort realizes what's happening, it'll be too late."
"But then he'll know we can track him and his followers. What's to stop him from just removing everyone's Dark Mark and sending them all after you?"
"That's a risk," Harry admitted. "But I'm counting on his arrogance to work in our favor. He's too conceited to remove the Dark Mark just because we've found a way to exploit it. Besides, I think he assumes we're too afraid to take the fight directly to him."
Hermione frowned. "You're planning something, aren't you? I know there's more to this than you're letting on."
Harry gave her a sheepish look.
"Amelia's not going to like this plan, is she?" Hermione asked, crossing her arms.
"Probably not," Harry admitted cheekily. "But Sirius thinks it's a good idea."
"Hey, don't drag me into this!" Sirius barked.
O – o – o – o
The next week after Potions, Harry lingered behind as the rest of the class filed out, their chatter fading into the corridor. He approached Professor Slughorn, who was busy tidying up the remnants of the lesson.
"Professor," Harry began casually, "would you like some help cleaning up? I've got a free period, and I thought I could lend a hand."
Slughorn looked up, his walrus-like mustache twitching in surprise before his face broke into a warm smile. "Ah, Harry, that's awfully kind of you. It's not often I get an offer like that—most students practically run out of here when the bell rings!"
Harry chuckled lightly and rolled up his sleeves. "I don't mind. Besides, maybe I can pick up a few tricks from a true Potions Master while I'm at it."
Slughorn's chest puffed up with pride at the compliment, and he waved Harry over to the ingredient cupboard. As they worked side by side, restocking supplies and cleaning cauldrons, Harry steered the conversation carefully, planting the seeds of trust he knew he'd need later.
"I don't really remember my parents," he said after a while, his tone casual but tinged with genuine longing. "Did you know them, sir?"
Slughorn paused, a jar of powdered bicorn horn in his hand, his expression softening. "Your father, not so much," he admitted, placing the jar on the shelf. "But your mother, Lily—oh, she was truly exceptional. One of the brightest students I ever had the pleasure of teaching." His eyes twinkled with a mixture of pride and fondness.
"What was she like?" Harry asked, leaning against one of the workstations. His voice was quiet, almost hesitant, but his curiosity was genuine. "I hear bits and pieces, but… it's not the same as knowing her."
Slughorn's face grew wistful as he recounted memories of Lily. He spoke of her unparalleled skill in Potions, her kindness that seemed to touch everyone she met, and the time she gave him a small enchanted flower that had never withered, even after all these years. "I still have it, you know," he said with a sad smile. "A little piece of her brilliance I've kept close."
Harry's throat tightened, but he managed a small smile. "Thank you, sir. It means a lot to hear those stories."
When the bell rang, Harry thanked Slughorn and left to meet his friends, but the conversation lingered in his mind. He hadn't learned anything about Horcruxes or Voldemort, but he felt like he was laying the groundwork for something more.
From that day on, Harry stayed behind every week after class, offering to help Slughorn prepare ingredients or set up for the next lesson. Their conversations ranged from advanced potion theories to anecdotes from Slughorn's years teaching. Each week, Harry could feel the older man's walls coming down, brick by brick.
By the third week, Slughorn brought up the Slug Club, reminiscing about the gatherings he used to host for his most promising and influential students.
"I've been thinking of restarting it, you know," Slughorn mused as he diced ginger roots. "Of course, it wouldn't be the same without you, Harry. I daresay you'd be the star attraction!"
Harry forced a grin, suppressing a groan. "I'd be delighted to attend, Professor," he said, injecting as much enthusiasm into his voice as he could muster.
"Splendid, splendid!" Slughorn said with a clap of his hands. "Keep an eye out for my owl. Oh, and speaking of events, have I told you about the Valentine's Day charity auction I used to organize for St. Mungo's?"
Harry shook his head, intrigued despite himself.
"Well, it was a delightful affair," Slughorn explained, his eyes alight with nostalgia. "Students would prepare themed baskets, which were then auctioned off. The highest bidder won a picnic lunch with the basket's creator—fully supervised, of course. It was all in good fun and for a noble cause. I think you'd be quite the draw, Harry. Imagine the galleons your basket could fetch!"
Harry winced internally, picturing Amelia's reaction to the idea of him being "auctioned off" for a picnic. Still, he recognized the opportunity to ingratiate himself further with Slughorn. If playing along got him the information he needed about Voldemort, it would be worth it.
"Sure, Professor," he said with a polite smile. "I'd be happy to help."
Slughorn beamed, clearly pleased. "Excellent, my boy, excellent! I'll send you the details soon."
As Harry left the classroom that day, he couldn't help but wonder if agreeing to this charity event would come back to haunt him. Still, he knew one thing for certain: Slughorn's trust was growing, and with it, the chances of uncovering the truth he desperately needed.
O – o – o - o
Amelia Bones was utterly exhausted. The crisp September air had done little to soothe the chaos of her increasingly gruelling workload. The month had started off decently enough—she'd managed to spend a few nights with Harry in his quarters at Hogwarts, and he'd come home to Potter Manor on weekends. But by the second week, her late nights at the Ministry became the norm. Meetings with Unspeakables about the Horcrux had yielded no progress, and Death Eater attacks were growing more violent by the day. On the rare nights she made it home, an emergency call inevitably dragged her back to the office.
Now, at the end of September, Amelia stood on a rocky shoreline, leading a team of trusted Aurors and curse breakers from Gringotts. Harry's alliance with the goblins had proved invaluable, their curse-breaking expertise offering a much-needed edge. Amelia had meticulously planned this operation but couldn't shake the gnawing unease of the unknown.
"Any questions?" she barked at her assembled team.
"Ma'am, no ma'am!" came the firm reply from the group.
"Good. Let's go."
She apparated first, the team following close behind, and was greeted by the sharp scent of salt in the air. The crashing of waves on the cliffs momentarily transported her to happier memories of the villa she and Harry had once visited. But there was no time for sentimentality. She squared her shoulders and led the group to the cave entrance that Kingsley and Tonks had scouted earlier.
The descent down the cliff was slow and precarious. One by one, the team swam through the entrance into the cavern, drying themselves with quick charms once they reached the rocky interior.
"Stay sharp," Amelia ordered as she approached the stone wall that Kingsley had described. Drawing Harry's hunting knife from her belt, she sliced her palm, letting her blood drip onto the cold surface. The wall shuddered before forming an archway that sealed behind them as they passed through.
Inside, the cavern opened to reveal a vast, dark lake, its waters eerily still. At the center of the lake was a faint, shimmering green light.
"Weasley," yelled Amelia. Bill came over and stood next her.
"Yes ma'am." Said Bill.
"We need to get to that light. Determine what wards there are. I'd like to avoid the water if feasible. Maybe see if it is possible to fly there? If not, try and make it possible." said Amelia.
"Yes ma'am," said Bill as he scurried away
"Hopefully, we won't find out what's in there," Amelia muttered looking at the water, her frown deepening. Conjuring a heavy stone, she levitated it over the water and let it drop.
The splash was immediate, followed by the unmistakable sight of skeletal hands breaking the surface. The Inferi clawed hungrily at the air before retreating back into the depths.
"Voldemort made an army of Inferi to guard this Horcrux. Of course, he did," she muttered grimly.
Moments later Bill Weasley approached her, his expression serious. "We've neutralised the sky wards. Brooms are viable, but the wards around the island itself are far more sophisticated. It'll take hours to dismantle them. Right now, you couldn't even see the island from the air."
"That's clever. You try and land where you think it is, and end up in the lake and the Inferi take care of you. Subtle as ever, Tom." He probably thinks he's the only one….
"Weasley, would I be able to see the island if I was in the air, but I wasn't on a broom?" asked Amelia.
"I don't see why not. He doesn't seem to have accounted for that possibility." Said Bill curiously wondering what her plan was. Amelia smiled.
"I didn't think so, he's always underestimated Harry."
"We did find a concealed boat by the cliffside, likely the intended means of crossing," Bill added not sure what she meant by that.
"Figures." Amelia sighed. "Send someone to use it—just in case it triggers any traps—but get started on those protections around the island. I'll take another approach."
Bill nodded and relayed her instructions. Meanwhile, Amelia addressed her Aurors.
"Be ready for anything. Those Inferi won't wait for an invitation. Who's best with fire spells?"
Tonks, Moody, Kingsley, and Scrimgeour raised their hands.
"Good. Hold the perimeter at the water's edge. The rest of you guard the exit."
When the boat began to move across the lake, Amelia turned the stone of her engagement ring twice. A crackle of static rippled through her body, and a moment later, Harry Potter materialised beside her, dressed for battle.
"So little confidence in me love?" She asked as she pulled him into her arms. Harry smirked.
"Just pays to be prepared my lady. You know I'll always be there if you need me," said Harry as he kissed her forehead gently and then moved away. "So how can I be of service?"
"Well it turns out that I am in need of a special talent of yours?" Harry looked at her expectantly and raised his eyebrows. Amelia laughed.
"Not that talent. I need to get to that green light in the middle of the lake without touching the water or taking a broom. Bill says it is on an island." Harry looked to where she was pointing.
"Ah I see, very well." He said reaching out to wrap his arms around her waist.
"Once you've dropped me off come back and get Moody." Said Amelia.
"Shall I transport him the same way?" Amelia rolled her eyes. "Let's just go lover-boy." Then with a blink, black smoke billowed around Harry and Amelia and then shot up into the sky twisting through the air toward the island.
"Harry can do unsupported flight? Holy fuck!" Said Tonks in shock.
"Language Auror," yelled Moody. "Don't you have something to be doing?" he growled. Tonks nodded and pointed her wand at the lake.
Once on the island Harry gave Amelia a soft kiss and then vanished in another billow of smoke. When he reached the shore, he addressed Moody.
"Amelia says to bring you along as well," said Harry.
"If you touch my waist like that, I'll disembowel you," smirked Moody. Harry gulped.
"I can transport you by grabbing your shoulders. Will that get me disembowelled?" Harry half joked.
"That'll do" said Moody limping forward. "Let's not keep the boss waiting." Harry grabbed Moody's shoulders and they were off. Bill nodded to them when they appeared and continued to address Amelia. Harry looked over to see a large basin at the centre of the island pulsed with a malevolent green glow. Bill had been right—it was the nexus of the protective magic. Amelia performed every diagnostic spell she could think of, but the results confirmed her fears.
"It's very dark magic," she said grimly. "The potion in here will need to be consumed to reach whatever's inside. But if Voldemort thinks I'm going to let someone suffer through that, he's more delusional than I thought."
Her decision was swift. She retrieved a goblin-forged stasis box from her robes, enlarged it, and sealed the basin inside. The moment the basin was secured the water of the lake started to churn and thousands of heads and hands started reaching out of the water as the Inferni swam towards them.
"Harry, get everyone off the island," Amelia ordered. "I'll hold off the Inferi."
Though hesitant, Harry obeyed, transporting the curse breakers and Aurors in groups. When he returned for Amelia, she stood in the centre of a blazing ring of fire, golden streaks of magic protecting her from the encroaching undead.
"Impressive, as always," Harry quipped as he pulled her close. In another swirl of smoke, they reappeared on the cavern the smoke faded Harry and Amelia saw Tonks, Moody, Shacklebolt, and Scrimgeour frantically firing flames at the approaching Inferni.
"Fiendfyre," whispered Harry.
"What?" said Amelia
"I can use fiendfyre. Just get everyone out. I'll be right behind you," said Harry. Amelia gave him a chaste kiss and then ran over to the opening to make another payment.
"Out now, go, go, go," screamed Amelia. The curse breakers and Auror guards went first, then Tonks, Moody, Scrimgeour, and Shacklebolt ran towards the exit as Harry took over firing off Incendio spells at the approaching Inferni. Amelia went through just as Harry backed himself into the cave opening and then lifted his wand.
'FIENDFYRE!" he bellowed and amassive flaming badger erupted from his wand, roaring as it charged the inferni. As the cavern fell silent, Harry extinguished the fire with a flick of his wrist, turning to Amelia with a faint grin.
"Impressive, yes?"
She gave him a weary smile. "We'll discuss your reckless behaviour later. For now, let's get out of here."
And with that, they left the cursed cavern, battered but victorious.