To Walk the Lonely Path
The room Harry entered was sparsely decorated. Despite its meagerness, this room was still his home. He had lived in there for quite some time. He moved to his closet and pulled open the door absentmindedly. Inside hung many varieties of robes in different colors, but colors would only bring attention to him. He pulled out a black set, which he commonly used on these missions for his father. He was thankful that he had been given at least a day's time to rest before going on to his next mission. Now, however, it was time to begin business.
He began to slowly pull off his regular green robes, when the door opened without warning. Pulling the garments back into their previous position, he turned to see who dared to disturb him. A smile spread across his face.
"I could have killed you," he whispered playfully.
Bellatrix Lestrange shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I know you too well… such as, you are not in that mode when in your father's house."
"Why have you come?"
He was always right to the point, Bellatrix decided. "Your father will see you before you leave."
Harry moved to his dresser as she spoke. Pulling one door open, he removed many small daggers which would hide in his robes. "I usually visit him before I go. What do you want, Bella?"
"This mission reeks of the Order. It could very well end up a trap. Dumbledore is cunning in that way."
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Then I will bleed the Order to get to Pierce. As for Dumbledore's style, I know it well."
"Promise me you will be careful."
Quiet laughter erupted from Harry's throat. "The mother hen protecting her chick… I believe that is what father calls it. Either that or, a woman afraid to lose her position that she has enjoyed since I was brought in."
"Perhaps," Lestrange began. "Either way, I do not wish you to be harmed."
Harry began to line the interior of his robes with daggers. "I promise I will be careful. Once Pierce is out of the way, I will leave immediately. I'm not like Crabbe and Goyle. I know when I'm beat."
Lestrange nodded her head. "In and out."
"In and out," Harry whispered after her. "Tell father I will be there shortly."
Bellatrix nodded and left the room, leaving Harry finally alone to dress.
His dirty robes fell to the ground, and he quickly replaced them with the clean ones. He was especially careful when he put on the clean, as there were daggers hidden within them. Grabbing his wand from the dresser, he moved to leave his haven. Turning, he eyed the bed, which would be so welcoming when he returned. Without second thoughts, he went to his father.
Dumbledore shuffled through the papers that covered his desk. Across from him sat Professor Snape and Pierce. The two men eyed each other with uncertainty. Dumbledore noticed this and stopped his rustling.
"We are all friends here."
"Forgive me, Dumbledore," Pierce said. "It will take some time to recognize Snape as anything other then a Death Eater."
Snape's face retained any emotion. "The same could be said for you, Pierce."
Dumbledore sighed. "You will shake hands, and then move on."
The two former Death Eaters seemed loathed to move, but finally the men did as Dumbledore requested. The handshake, though it was short, seemed to appease the Headmaster. Dumbledore returned to straightening his papers. His eyes, however, were not on his work but on the two men in front of him.
"We need to stop Voldemort's assassin. He is a dangerous weapon that we can not allow him to keep."
Snape spoke first. "I will tell the Dark Lord of our friend here." Snape motioned to the other man. "It is certain he will send his son to deal with the matter."
Dumbledore leaned back into his chair. His eyes looking directly toward Snape, he asked, "Have you ever seen the assassin, Severus?"
"No," came Snape's even response. "I have heard a few talk of him. As Pierce has said, only the most trusted are allowed to come into contact with the boy."
"Why have you not told me of his existence before now?"
Snape shrugged. "I have not personally seen the boy, and the talk of him did not start until a year or two. I wanted more tangible proof of his existence."
"The deaths were not enough proof?" Pierce almost spat the words.
"Deaths can be caused by various means." Snape eyes shined with cold fire.
Dumbledore raised his hand signaling for quiet. "Severus, I must ask you to return to Voldemort. You will tell him were the Order plans to keep Pierce. The Order will lay a trap for the assassin or any Death Eater Voldemort might send."
"The Dark Lord will be expecting such a trap." Snape looked squarely at Dumbledore. "If I send his 'son' into a trap, he will no that I am no longer trusted."
"Tom detests traitors," Dumbledore stated as he rose from his seat and began to pace. "You will tell him that you believe that it is a trap. He will still send forces, because he will want revenge for being turned on."
Pierce nodded his head. "I will do whatever. Removing the queen from this chess game will cripple the Dark Lord."
"Minerva will see you to your temporary 'home'. Members of the Order will be guarding the premises. If all goes as planned, we will be closer to ending this war. I am already certain of which items contain the Dark Lord's Horcruxes. I will be teaching Neville them over the semester."
"Longbottom?" Pierce asked.
"Perhaps, you have stated too much, Headmaster." Snape said, as he glared at Pierce.
Pierce shook his head. "It is fine, Headmaster. I shall go see McGonagall, then."
Pierce left hurriedly to find the Transfiguration professor. Snape had risen to follow him, but stopped when Dumbledore motioned him to return to his seat.
"Pierce, like you, is risking a large price to help the Order. If this ruse fails we might find it pressing to protect him from Voldemort's fury. Severus, if you would be so kind to get this plan on its way."
Snape rose and immediately left the Headmaster's office.
Voldemort stabbed the meat that lay before him, cutting it into smaller pieces. Next to him, his son had barely touched the food before him. Voldemort knew this to be the norm with his son and did not comment. It had been a long time since the two of them had had a private dinner with each other. Frustrated by the ominous feeling that seemed to rise from his heart the Dark Lord lay his fork down with a cling. Harry's eyes fell on his father.
"Are you alright?"
The Dark Lord rested against the back of his chair, examining the young man. "The war between us and the blood traitors will pick up to the intensity it was before. I am certain that it will, especially after tonight." Voldemort picked up his wine glass and twirled it, causing its contents to flow along the rounded glass. "Do you fear death, Harry?"
The young man's brow furrowed. "No," his answer finally came.
"If you were to be captured… it pains me to ask this of you, but I can not risk Dumbledore controlling you. Do you understand what I am asking you, Harry?"
"I would gladly die for you, father, just as I have killed for you."
Voldemort's mouth opened to say more, but the door to the dining room opened. His son quickly jerked his head to the side, preventing the arrogant fool from seeing his face.
"CRUCIO!" The Dark Lord shouted. A yelp was his answer. "Snape, I would have thought you would understand not to disturb me!"
"My Lord," Snape shouted over the pain. "I have word… of Pierce!"
The curse was instantly removed, and Snape breathed more easily.
"Proceed," Voldemort stated coldly.
"The Order has set a trap. They have placed him at an abandoned warehouse on the other side of London. There many members of the Order of the Phoenix are waiting for you to move."
Voldemort nodded, this was information he already knew, besides the location. He looked to his son, who had already placed his hood on his head.
"I will proceed with caution."
The Dark Lord smiled icily when he saw the spark in his son's eyes. He almost pitied the Order. "Severus, you will remain with me for the time being. My son has business to attend to."
The warehouse remained quiet. James envied the calm collection of the man, who lounged in the open, sipping his wine idly. The only evidence that Pierce was uneasy was a slight twitch in his right eye. James looked around the empty warehouse to the various locations where Order members hid. To his left, stood Charlie Weasley and next to him was his brother Bill Weasley. Then to his right, Tonks and Remus waited. His eyes wandered to the other side of the room, until they stopped in the general area where Sirius hid.
A slight noise caused James to look away from where Sirius waited. Calmly, a hooded man of average height walked casually up to Pierce. James's mouth almost dropped when Pierce motioned the young man to sit in the chair next to him. James silently hoped the informant knew what he was doing.
"I knew you would come," came Pierce's simple greeting.
The young man still standing, eyed his target with his composed green eyes. "You should never have betrayed our Lord."
Pierce offered the bottle of wine he had been drinking to the green eyed boy. He was not surprised when the later declined. Sighing, he continued. "Kid, there comes a time when you will learn that everything has a price. What the Dark Lord wants comes with a hefty cost. You do his dirty work… you kill those he orders to be killed." Pierce paused. "Have you ever questioned why some of them were killed?"
Nothing, but silence filled the room. "It is not mine to question." The young man's wand rose, until it leveled on Pierce. "Though I have enjoyed our little 'chat', I would rather be getting on with things."
"The Longbottoms."
The green-eyes lit with rage.
"Why did they die?"
"Necessity." The young man's grip on his wand tightened, turning his knuckles bone white.
"Touched a nerve?"
"SHUT-UP!" He shouted through clench teeth. "Avada Kedavra!"
Pierce rolled out of his chair barely missing the deadly green light. The chair where he had been seated disintegrated, as the screaming death hit it. The Order members immediately went into action. The assassin, however, was not surprised when ten left their hiding positions. A shining dagger suddenly appeared in his hand and then left, striking a fast approaching Sturgis Podmore in the throat.
"Avada Kedavra," Harry shouted a second time, this time hitting true. Pierce fell crippled to the ground, dead before he even touched it. His eyes stared blankly at his killer. Harry wildly gazed at the remaining Order members, who were desperately trying to encircle him, trying to decide on the best course of action to escape.
His hand grasped another dagger from his dark robes. He hurled it, grazing the face of a red haired man. The man panicked, giving Harry his exit. Calmly dodging the many curses that were being thrown in his direction, Harry brushed past the red haired man, moving into the shadows. Lightly, he ran in the direction of the only exit. He threw either a curse or a dagger with close precession at those, who either got in his way or threw a curse too close to him.
Using a Confundus Charm on the remaining members, Harry ran through the waiting door. Just through the door, he was surprised to see he had missed one of the Order with his charm. The man, who opposed him now, looked like the reflection he saw in a mirror, except for the hazel eyes.
"Sectumsempra!" James Potter shouted and the spell grazed Harry's cheek, causing blood to seep from an open wound.
"Back off, Potter." His voice echoed eerily above the calls of the confused in the other room.
James's wand remained aimed on the younger man. "You're not going anywhere, except Azkaban."
"No, I will be returning to my father's side." Harry's lips began to form the killing curse.
"Silencio!" A deceptive smile formed on James Potter's face. "We can't be having that."
The rage on the young man's face abated and was replaced with a smile that reflected James's own. With lightening quick reflexes, Harry grabbed his last remaining dagger and threw it at the man, blocking his path. The dagger hit him in the chest.
James Potter stumbled backwards in surprise. He first eyed the dagger, before turning back to the thrower. His hazel eyes meet the green. It was then he thought to himself, as the world grew dark around him, and only the green eyes remained, that they looked familiar.
Harry watched as the man landed on the ground before him. His mind was moving franticly. In the background, he heard the voice of his enemies slowly regaining their minds. Heedlessly, Harry walked over the limp body. His legs carried him off into the night.