- Rating:
- PG-13
- House:
- Schnoogle
- Ships:
- Harry Potter/Luna Lovegood
- Characters:
- Harry Potter Hermione Granger Luna Lovegood
- Genres:
- Action Drama
- Era:
- The Harry Potter at Hogwarts Years
- Spoilers:
- Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix Half-Blood Prince
- Stats:
-
Published: 08/10/2005Updated: 01/24/2006Words: 106,949Chapters: 33Hits: 137,035
Companions of the White Warlock
DrT
- Story Summary:
- Year seven of the HBP-compliant story (on Dark Arts) 'Smoke'. Harry, Hermione, and Ron go after the remaining Horcruxes, aided by Luna, Ginny, Neville, Remus, Tonks, and Professor Russell.
Chapter 23 - 23
- Chapter Summary:
- Year 7 of the HBP compliant story (on Dark Arts) 'Smoke'. Harry, Hermione, and Ron go after the remaining Horcruxes, aided by Luna, Ginny, Neville, Remus, Tonks, and Professor Russell.
- Posted:
- 01/10/2006
- Hits:
- 5,979
- Author's Note:
- The Saga of Percy
The funerals for Penny Weasley were small and quiet. Percy said little at the wizarding funeral in the late morning and less at the Muggle funeral in the early afternoon. He was silent at the cremation. The grieving widower insisted that what he needed most was quiet, and to get back to work that Thursday, when he was scheduled to interrogate some of the high ranking Death Eaters who were imprisoned.
Late that evening, Voldemort forced Percy to come to a safe house. Percy had struggled hard against the Imperius all day, but was no match for the Dark Lord. For what Voldemort was going to use him for, however, stronger controls were needed, and this was the first chance Voldemort had had to implement them.
As Voldemort tattooed the glyfs onto Percy which would make him an unwilling slave, he reflected that had he had a good shot at Potter that morning, a great deal of difficulty would have been taken care of. Still, Voldemort was still certain of his long-term triumph.
"Weasley," Lucius Malfoy snarled. "I am not likely to break any trusts, and certainly not to you."
Percy Weasley merely looked at Malfoy. They were in an 'interview room' (a euphemism for interrogation cell). As usual, there were two guards in a gallery above them. "This is the only interview room without Muggle eavesdropping devices. And I have something I will say to you. I suggest you listen and think about it."
"And what is that?" Malfoy sneered.
Percy leaned forward, his left hand on the table. "Evening forest."
Malfoy looked confused for a moment, and then frightened as he remembered what that password meant. He looked carefully into Percy Weasley's eyes, and realized that things were even worse. "Master?" he whispered.
Percy nodded. "I am speaking through him. You are the last I am speaking to, Lucius." He removed his hand from the table. "I placed an object on the table. If you touch it, it will stay invisible for another three or four hours. If you do not, it will dissolve in thirty minutes. Are you prepared to become active, or do you wish to spend the rest of the war here? Oh, by the way, Percy here is a very bright boy. He tracked down the bribes you paid out for an early release should I lose."
"I am ever in your service," Lucius replied.
"Yes, I thought so. Be touching your son and any of those here not in previous service to me with their last name falling between the letters G through J this Sunday morning who are willing to come, just before the end of your breakfast. Understand?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Good. Now, we shall sit here for fifteen minutes for show. I suggest you use the time by telling me everything you know of the prisoners you might recruit."
"Yes, Master."
"Why, Miss Granger, how nice of you to visit," Snape said in sarcastic tones. "To what do I owe this honor?"
"I'm looking for information," Hermione snapped, "as you could certainly guess. I need to know if you were misled by Voldemort, or if you deliberately tried to torture Ron."
Snape frowned. "I have no interest in Mister Weasley. What makes you think I tortured him in some way?"
"Did you or did you not tell him that he would be sterile and, well, non-functioning?"
"That was the information I had," Snape stated. "Interesting, that you know about the state of Mister Weasley's genitalia. . . ."
"I know a great deal about things you would find even more interesting than that," Hermione snapped again. "I have no idea what Ron's sperm count was before the poisoning, but it is currently nearly at low-average levels. . . ."
"Miss Granger!" Snape interrupted, "I assure you, I have NO interest in Mister Weasley's reproductive capacity. I have no idea if the sterility is progressive, or if the Dark Lord was incorrect about that effect, or if the rapid treatment Weasley received helped him, and again, I have no interest in the answer."
Hermione frowned. "I wouldn't put it past you to know a cure and withhold it, just to hurt Harry."
"I would not, because I did not," Snape retorted. "There is a cure, it was merely too Dark for Lupin to even want to hear it."
"I do," Hermione said.
"You do what?" Snape asked, puzzled.
"I want you to describe what else needs to be done to cure Ron."
Snape smirked. "Are you certain?"
"I am."
Snape's smirk grew, and he obliged her.
As Snape spoke, he admitted to himself that he was surprised that the fastidious Mudblood did no more than wrinkle her nose as she took notes. "So," he said after he concluded, "when do you sacrifice the virgin child?"
Hermione looked at him with contempt. "You know better than that," she retorted. "These final two steps are totally out of line with the first four, especially the fifth. The sacrifices could be nothing more than a ruse to prevent people for talking the final step."
"It is possible, although unlikely," Snape replied. "Life's blood, especially of the young and innocent, is a well-documented if short-lived magical stimulant. It is much more likely that the blood is required to regenerate the powers of the victim to the point where it can withstand the rest of the cure. These are powerful ingredients used in the final potions, and I doubt anyone not in perfect health could survive the cure."
"There must be some other way," Hermione stated. "If I've learned anything about magic, it's that there is always some way around any problem."
"That is not entirely true, but it is partially true, if you finish the truism," Snape said simply.
"What truism?"
"'There is always some way around any problem, if you are willing to pay the price'. There is at least one answer to Mister Weasley's predicament -- the rituals and potions I have described. The price would be the damnation of those who made the cure and the victim who took the cure. The Dark Lord wishes to live forever. The solutions include finding, stealing, or making a Philosopher's Stone or the solution he took, the making of Horcruxes. Potter misses his godfather. Tell me, could he have found three willing people to sacrifice themselves to bring Black back?"
"What do you mean?"
"To draw someone back from the Veil takes three willing replacements, who, at the conclusion of a ritual, pass through the Veil within twelve hours of the person they wish to save. A problem, a solution -- just not an easy one. As for Mister Weasley's problem, look at the one known solution. Tell me, Miss Granger, even if there is a second solution, do you think you have the time to find one before the poison so fills your friend that no solution will work? I know you believe that you have the knowledge. After all, you took six years of potions," he mocked. "The fact that you have missed your final year and any apprenticeship training such as Professor Dumbledore, Slughorn, and myself undertook means nothing to a witch of your talents."
"You just want me to beg you to do the research," Hermione said coldly. "Then you can turn me down and feel superior."
Snape smiled evilly. "Nonsense, I would be honored to devote all my time to the problem."
Hermione's eyes narrowed. "And your price?"
"Ah. It occurred to me the other day that I have been remiss in fulfilling my heritage. You do have brains and talent, and I care nothing for looks, so perhaps you could bear an heir for me."
"You are disgusting pervert," Hermione snapped. She turned at started to walk out.
"We could always use Muggle artificial insemination to breed you," Snape called to her. Hermione slammed the door behind her. Snape shrugged. An heir could wait until his sentence was up.
He hesitated, and then walked over to a chalk board he had set up. "It can't hurt to take a look at the problem," he muttered. "I can always trade it for my freedom if I solve the puzzle."
It was over an hour later, when Snape had just finished writing the steps for the final two rituals when the chimes announced another approved visitor had moved through his wards.
Snape turned to see who was bothering him now. He hoped it wasn't Potter, come to be tiresome about his proposition to Granger.
It wasn't.
"What do you want, Weasley?" Snape asked dismissively.
"I just wanted to see you for myself," Percy answered.
"You've seen me before," Snape retorted.
"So I have," Percy replied, coming closer.
Snape scowled and stepped back. "What do you want, Weasley?"
Snape had been watching Percy's right hand, his wand hand. Like a snake, Percy's left hand shot out and a knife ripped Snape from just below his navel to just below his diaphragm and then back down through to his pelvis. Snape looked down at his intestines, which were uncoiling onto the floor. He looked at Percy.
"Good bye, Severus," Percy said, looking Snape in the Potion Master's rapidly clouding eyes.
Snape saw who was controlling the body. "You. . . ." Snape fell to his knees. "The Boy will destroy you," he said, more to annoy the Dark Lord than because he believed it.
Percy spat on the dying body, cleaned the blood off himself and knife, which also removed Percy's fingerprints. The odds were already very much against Percy's not being suspected in the prison break, which should soon be reported back in Britain. Still, there was no reason to leave excess evidence. That would be sloppy, and Voldemort had resolved not to make such basic errors again.
Percy Weasley walked out of the safe house.
A knock sounded on the door to Harry's, once Hagrid's, hut. Hermione stopped crying in Luna's lap and sat up, drying her tears and Harry moved to the door. "Who is it?" he called.
"Russell."
A wave of Harry's hand opened the door, and Russell came in. "What's wrong?" Harry asked.
"There has been a major breakout from the prison on Baffin Island," Russell said. "Seven Death Eaters, including the Malfoys, escaped along with fourteen other prisoners."
"How?" Hermione demanded before Harry or Luna could.
"We don't know yet," Russell said. "It appeared to be a portkey, which should not have worked. It's possible that Voldemort or the Knights have a more advanced form of a portkey, or it may be something else."
"How could they have gotten one?" Luna asked.
"Ah," Russell said. "That's why you need to bring me through the floo with you, Harry. It was either a prison worker, or Percy Weasley."
"Percy is an ass, but. . . ." Harry started.
"Percy's wife was murdered by a Death Eater or Voldemort, who had left before Percy had arrived. What if they hadn't left?" Russell said bitterly, for he knew he or someone should have checked more carefully.
"Percy could be under the Imperius," Luna said.
"Exactly. And he's visiting Ron in the Infirmary right now."
Only Harry, Luna, and Hermione could use Harry's internal Hogwarts' floo connection in the hut. Therefore Harry grabbed the Prof by the hand and went to the fireplace, calling, "The Infirmary!"
The quartet, followed by a protesting Madam Pomfrey, burst into Ron's private room less than thirty seconds later.
Percy instantly pulled a knife and flung himself at Ron. Ron managed to weakly block the knife, causing a long rip down his left arm.
Harry didn't bother doing magic, he just flung himself at Percy, tackling him and pulling him off Ron with one move. All three rolled off Ron's bed onto the floor.
The Prof came around the bed and kicked the knife away from the struggling trio. He quickly stunned Percy.
"What the bloody hell was that all about!" Ron cried from the floor. Hermione and Madam Pomfrey pulled Ron off the floor, while Luna helped Harry to stand.
"Look," Russell said simply. He had opened Percy's robe and pulled up his shirt. There were ritual tattoos all over Percy's torso, concentrating around his heart. "Weasley here is enslaved to Voldemort's will. This is a stronger, permanent version of the Imperius."
"Percy's been under Riddle's control?" Ron asked, horrified.
"Not for long," Russell said. "These aren't even healed. Most likely, Voldemort killed Penny Weasley and put Percy under the Imperius. After the funeral, he would have done these."
"Why?" Ron asked. "Not just to, well, to kill me!"
Russell shook his head. "No, of course not. Percy had access to the prison where Malfoy and some of the other Death Eaters were located. They escaped a few hours ago."
"But why bring Percy here?" Hermione asked from Ron's side.
"If we hadn't suspected Percy, he might have used this as a chance to attack Harry," Russell answered. "Since we did, he probably wanted to hurt us by killing Ron at the least."
"But if he hadn't shown up here, we might not have suspected him as strongly as we did," Luna pointed out.
"True," Russell said.
"But typical of Voldemort's thinking," Harry said. "Can you break the rituals?" Harry asked Russell.
Russell shrugged. "Maybe. I've never done any ritual tattooing, although I know the principles. A rune of severing right over these three should do the trick, if I can get some help."
"What kind of help?" Luna asked.
Russell thought for a moment. "I would need seven women. You two, Ginny Weasley, and four others. One needs to be a virgin. The sooner we do this, the easier it will be to break the ritual submission."
"We'll get on it," Hermione said, and she and Luna quickly left the room.
"I'll notify the Ministry," Harry said. "We need to have them track every place Percy's been since the murder." He and Russell also left.
"I'll just lie here, then," Ron complained.
"That is correct," Madam Pomfrey told him. "If this works, your brother will need you. If you don't rest, you won't be able to help him."
Just over an hour later, Harry looked in on the ritual being performed on Percy Weasley. Percy was laid naked on a stone slab, tied down, and he was struggling and screaming as Russell tried to inflect the new tattoo atop the others. Hermione, Luna, Ginny, Susan Bones, Carla Brown, and two Fifth year Ravenclaws Harry didn't know, naked and with painted runes over their bodies, were dancing and chanting.
Russell stood up, his back obviously stiff from the effort, pointed his wand at the now-completed tattoo, and declaimed an incantation in a language that Harry couldn't even guess at.
Percy stopped screaming and seemed to fall asleep. The seven girls suddenly became very shy, especially when five of them saw Harry. Harry averted his eyes and they quickly threw their robes and shoes on. Four of the girls fled, embarrassed and giggling. Russell and Ginny would take Percy back to the Infirmary, and then Russell would notify the Ministry of what had happened. Luna and Hermione followed Harry back to the 'cabin', as he preferred calling Hagrid's hut.
Percy Weasley found himself awake. Every muscle in his body ached, but those pains were overshadowed by a burning on his chest, over his heart. That, in turn, was overwhelmed by a splitting headache.
Percy moaned softly.
"So, you're awake."
Percy opened his eyes, and saw that he was in a bed across from his brother Ron's. Ron was also in bed, and was looking back. It took Percy several moments to figure out where Ron's bed was and why he looked so weak.
It took several more to work out why Percy was in the Hogwarts' Infirmary. "Oh . . . Merlin!" Percy exclaimed softly. "It . . . it hasn't been a nightmare!"
"If you mean your possession, then no, it was real," Ron said bluntly.
"Then Penny. . . ."
Ron looked a bit abashed at that. "I'm sorry, but yes." Ron hesitated, and then asked, "He didn't make you. . . ."
Percy shook his head, the tears running down his cheeks. "No . . . no, as horrible as I acted, at least I didn't do that."
"I see that you're awake, and that Ron is as tactful as ever," Ginny said from the door. She walked in and sat on Percy's bed, holding him tightly and glaring at Ron.
"What?" Ron asked.
"Do they know all the things he made me do?" Percy managed to sob out.
"They know you helped, I mean, were forced to help create a prison break," Ron said. "And of course you tried to kill me."
"That wasn't Percy," Ginny snapped.
Ron said nothing, even though he wondered why Percy hadn't been able to gather enough will power to at least hesitate in his attack. Despite all the things he could say to belittle Percy, lack of will was certainly not one of them.
"Do you still blame me for being possessed?" Ginny snapped.
"No," Ron retorted. "Percy isn't eleven, and you never tried to knife one of your brothers."
"The tattooing brought him even more firmly under Riddle's control than the Imperius or my possession would have," Ginny said firmly.
"Oh," Ron said. "I am sorry about Penny," Ron added. "And if you need to hear it, I do forgive you for not stopping the attack on me."
"I did kill, though," Percy said between sobs.
"Who?" Ginny demanded.
"Snape."
Ginny and Ron exchanged looks. Ron saw that Ginny still literally had her hands filled with Percy, so Ron slowly got out of bed. He grabbed a cane and even more slowly hobbled out of the room. He would tell Madam Pomfrey, and she would in turn tell someone in the Order.
To Ron's surprise, however, Tonks was waiting outside. "He's awake?"
Ron nodded, and said, "He claims to have been forced to kill Snape."
Tonks frowned. "I'll contact your father, and the Ministry will send someone. I'll be coming back to debrief him."
Ron nodded. "I'll let them know."
Note: this fic should be 33 chapters.