The FBI's Secret Involvement

Ch. 10

Two dozen DEs for three Aurors. Not mentioning the half dozen Aurors captured. Overall, a sorry day for the Good Side.

When the grounds had been cleared, with the bodies taken to the hospital wing, the surviving Aurors met in the third floor corridor. Most had scratches or burns from the battle. All were depressed and exhausted. It was going on 1 am.

As Jade entered, she passed Snape who refused to look at her. She realized grimly that was as close Snape would ever come to admitting she had been correct about the Death Eaters. She stood along one wall next to Sirius, but he also refused to speak or even look at her. He seemed to be pouting.

McGonagall rose solemnly and began to address the crowd. "Let us give a moment of silence to honor our fallen."

The Aurors did so, and a part of Jade remarked that she had never heard them so quiet. McGonagall continued after a moment. "Among the captured are Moody, Diggory, Weasley, Weasley, Fletcher and ...Dumbledore."

There was a shocked murmuring in the room.

"Without Dumbledore, we might as well throw up the white flag now and hand Hogwarts over to You-Know-Who," one witch shouted.

"They hold every bit of information about the Auror network, and the Ministry, too, for that matter. Under Veritaserum, the Dark Lord will know everything!" Another hysterical wizard cried.

"How the bloody hell did they get onto the grounds?" A wizard asked and he was met with many others asking the same thing.

Snape, who had been standing right beside McGonagall, snorted, "They just walked in the front gate, didn't they, Jade?"

For the second time, the Aurors fell silent, and all stared in shock at the American. Jade eyed Snape coldly; he had found a way of twisting the whole situation back on her.

"There were Dementors," she explained simply.

"Every witch beyond the seventh year can do the Patronus charm," one Auror said, bewildered.

Jade snarled, defensively, "Yeah, well, I don't exactly have a wand to make a Patronus, okay?"

The Aurors stared at her a second as if she was some nasty thing that they had stepped in. Then, they turned back to listen to McGonagall.

Jade felt her face glowing red with anger, frustration, even humiliation. She had messed up royally and three were dead and another half dozen were probably being tortured all because of her. She wanted to kick herself (and Snape while she was at it). She hated the way the Aurors always made her feel so inferior.

She glanced at Sirius and murmured, "You could have backed me up just now instead of letting them tear me to shreds, you know."

He glared at her, "And why would I want to help your sorry ass?" He turned on his heel and stormed out of the hall. Jade, shocked and hurt, paused a moment in the friendless sea of pointy black hats before dashing after him.

She ran up beside him as he was about to head downstairs and shouted, "What the hell did I do to you?"

He stopped and faced her with a sneer, "Think, Jade, think real hard."

"If you're upset with me for letting the Death Eaters walk right in, then wait in line with the others. I obviously realize that I fucked up, ok?"

He shook his head, dismissing her protest, "You're such a hypocrite!"

"Me?! Who are you to talk? Sirius, you're a walking contradiction! One moment you're all flirty and childish, and the next you're some lethal hunter--"

"A walking contradiction? Excuse me, Miss Gifted Muggle, do you even know who you are? You claim to have given up magic, but you just find loopholes in your own life to go on living as you always have. What do you think telekinesis is, Jade? Non-wand magic. You are the only 'walking contradiction' I know of. I'm sure your muggle mum would think it a real tribute that you give up magic in her honor only to find some other way of getting what you want--"

"Shut the fuck up about my mom!"

But Sirius wasn't really listening at this point as he railed against her. "You know, you march around with a huge chip on your shoulder, like the world's just played you wrong, making it very clear that you plan to rip Sullivan's throat out. And you know what? I bet you really would, too. But, Jesus, Jade, you're not the only one who's seeking revenge," Sirius growled in her face. "You're not the only one to have been dealt a bad hand."

Jade glared at him. "What would you know about it?"

"I know plenty. You realize you've spent about half your life with the sole purpose of revenge. God dammit, that was sixteen years ago!"

"And it was sixteen damn years ago that Pettigrew betrayed the Potters and you've still been hunting him. So don't you dare, Sirius, preach against me wanting Sullivan."

"But I didn't stop you, did I?" He shouted. "I almost had him, Jade, then you had to fucking stop me!"

"I had to!" She shouted back angrily.

With a frustrated shout, Sirius whirled around and rushed down the stairs. Jade, cursing, stormed back to the meeting. She stayed in the back of the room to avoid attention and almost grinned when she heard the Aurors shouting at Snape.

"What's the use of having as insider, if he doesn't want to go rescue the captured Aurors--"

"Hell, he doesn't even know where they were taken--"

"The Death Eaters trust him even less than we do."

Snape snarled, "What do you expect me to do? Dash into the Death Eater stronghold and politely ask one of the guards 'Would you please tell me where the prisoners were taken because, surprise surprise, I'm an Auror and I've come to free them.' I am not suicidal."

"And you have no idea where Dumbledore and the others were taken?" McGonagall asked him calmly.

Snape threw up his arms. "For the thousandth time, I don't know. If I had, none of this would have happened."

Jade slowly raised her hand in the air like a student to be called on. It took awhile with the shouting Aurors, but eventually McGonagall spotted her and surprised at the gesture, asked: "Uh, yes? Do you have a question?"

Jade said without emotion, "I think I can figure out where the Death Eaters took Dumbledore and the others. If you would follow me outside, I can show you."

A few Aurors voiced their skepticism, but McGonagall, after pausing a moment, said, "I'm open to ideas since we're not getting anything resolved here." She glared briefly at Snape.

~*~

Jade booted up her new laptop, rigged it up clumsily to her wireless service on the cell phone, and entered the FBI's computer system. She turned on the palm pilot and muttered, "Thank God for batteries."

McGonagall, Snape and a few other curious Aurors had joined her at the front gate where she had left her box of toys hours before.

She explained as she pulled up the monitor for the tracer, "During the battle, I placed a tracer on Pettigrew, knowing he would eventually lead us to the DE hideout." She pointed to one screen at a flashing dot. "That's Pettigrew. He's in London..." she zoomed in on the dot. "In the subway...er, sorry, I mean the Underground."

McGonagall nodded her understanding, "Severus, now that you know where they are, how difficult will it be to --"

"It's out of the question. There will be dozens of guards and --"

"What are you saying? You're just writing them off? Snape, the only reason Voldemort hasn't won yet is because of Dumbledore," Jade said.

"What do you expect me to do?" he snapped.

She thought for a moment, "You're right. You can't get them. They'd be too suspicious of you. But," she paused and swallowed. "I think I should go."

"Yeah, right," Snape snorted.

"I'm serious. There's really no question. We need Dumbledore or we're doomed and I think after my screw up today, I'm the most expendable of the Aurors."

McGonagall and Snape exchanged a look. Then Snape said, "Suit yourself. Personally, I don't feel like dying today."

~*~

Jade dropped the tiny portkey-- a paperclip-- into her backpack after being very rapidly transported to the London Underground. Nobody in the bustling crowd seemed to have noticed her abrupt entrance, she noted.

She spoke quietly, "I'm in." The earpiece she was wearing transmitted the Aurors voices back to her as they clustered around her equipment back at the Hogwarts gate.

"WE READ YOU LOUD AND CLEAR!" McGonagall shouted back into the microphone.

Jade grimaced and rubbed her ear. "Jeez, you don't have to shout! I can hear fine. Lord!"

She had given them a crash course in how to use all her muggle equipment but she must have forgotten to explain that microphones don't require shouting.

Snape grabbed the microphone from McGonagall and after glancing at the monitor and tracing Pettigrew's movement, commanded, "North."

Jade nodded to herself and turned in the right direction. She made her way through the crowd until she reached the northward wall. "Now what?"

She also was wearing a tracer so the Aurors would be able to follow her movement. Snape said, "He's further north still--"

"It's a solid wall," Jade said.

A man carrying a briefcase glanced at her, perplexed. She glared at him, "What are you looking at, huh? Get outa here!" He hurried away, terrified.

"What?" Snape snapped.

"Not you, Severus, calm down. I'll try to find a door or something."

There was a maintenance door to the left with its brown paint flaking off. Jade tried the knob, but it was locked. It was the only door on that wall so, after a furtive glance over her shoulder, she pointed a finger at the keyhole and willed it mentally to unlock. A second later, a soft clink announced success. She slipped through the door.

'Maintenance' turned out to mean nothing but a broom closet. She flipped the light switch and noted that the room was tiny with no second door leading further northward. The back wall was filled with shelves of cleaning products, and boxes piled waist high lined the side walls.

Snape's voice crackled in her ear. "You're a little closer. Head slightly northeast now."

She was just about to turn back and fine another entrance when she noticed the floor. She was standing on a large grate that appeared to drain into the sewer. Putrid smelling air rose from the metal grid under her feet. One edge of the grate was very scraped as if a crow bar had frequently pried it open.

Jade spread her palm towards the grate and it slowly lifted up. A rail ladder dropped into the murk. She grabbed on and began to climb down into the hole. Her feet landed on a thin ledge that ran beside the sludge. She lowered the grate over the hole and flicked off the light switch with one twist of her wrist.

"Northeast, right?" she asked.

"Yes, about a hundred meters and then turn right," Severus answered.

Sirius had his jacket collar flipped up against the wind as he headed towards the front gate. Everyone was too enthralled to notice him approach. He studied the monitors that everyone was huddled around. "What's going on?"

Snape sneered at him. "Quite oblivious, aren't you?"

"Jade's attempting to rescue Dumbledore and the others," McGonagall explained, pointing at her dot on the monitor.

"Personally," Snape smirked, "I would never have let my girlfriend walk into a camp of Death Eaters alone, but I'm sure you had your reasons."

Sirius paled. "Why's she doing this?"

"Hey, she volunteered," Snape said, enjoying Sirius growing more nervous by the second.

"Ok, turning right," Jade's voice crackled. Snape turned back towards the monitor and said, "Another fifty meters or so and then a left turn."

Jade dashed along the ledge in the dim light from the various tunnels, her sneakers tapping softly on the concrete. She leapt over the slime to land on the far side ledge and then turned left and almost immediately heard voices approaching. Without a moment to spare, she dropped to her knees and pressed her body against the wall. In the tunnel that crossed in front of her two cloaked men strode passed.

"The Dark Lord is very pleased, sir."

"As well he should be."

Jade's ears pricked at the sound of that familiar voice. Her heart hammered to think Sullivan was just a few feet away, and yet she couldn't risk attacking him now and leaving the Aurors in hostage. Her eyes flashed violently at him as she huddled in the shadows.

"The Dark Lord will reward you greatly. He needed Dumbledore out of the way in order to be assured access to the heirs..." the kiss-ass Death Eater continued to grovel as the two men left Jade's earshot.

Slowly, she stood back up. "Now where?"

"Straight ahead and then a right turn should lead you right into them."

She dashed ahead and then turned. She could make out a brighter light at the end and could hear voices. She slowed, and as silently as possible, crept forward. The ledge she was crawling on broadened into a wide concrete platform. A lantern was perched on a crate, throwing flickering shadows over piles of supply boxes. Jade slinked along the wall in the gloom.

Jade smiled as she inspected the area. She had been expecting to find the Aurors tortured, dismembered or something gruesome, but they looked alive and well, all parts attached. They were chained, gagged and blindfolded, but they wouldn't be too difficult to free. And while Jade was fearing a dozen, dangerous Death Eater guards, there were only three, slightly pudgy, bored watchmen, one of whom was snoring loudly. She failed to notice the sleeping DEs silver hand.

Jade raised her palm, and concentrating, she hurled the first guard headfirst into the stone wall. He grunted and collapsed. The second one jumped up terrified and began to retreat when Jade slung him into the wall beside his companion. Neither one got up again. She glanced at the snoring third guard and decided he wasn't worth the effort.

Quickly, she dashed up to the Aurors. She didn't know how much time she had until another Death Eater might stop by. At her mental command, the chains snapped and fell loosely from the huddled figures. The Aurors pulled their gags and blindfolds off without question.

Jade yanked the backpack open and pulled out a half dozen tiny ring boxes. Each Auror grabbed one immediately. Inside were portkeys ranging from chewing gum, to thimbles, to postage stamps.

Mad-Eye smiled at Jade and squeezed her shoulder as he disappeared. The other Aurors followed his example and vanished. Dumbledore was the last to take a ring box. He said quietly, "I knew the Walker blood would return to the aid of the Aurors again. Thank-you." And then he vanished, also.

Snape's voice came into her ear. "All are back. Grab your own portkey and c'mon."

But before she could find the last ring box in her backpack, voices sounded from down the tunnel. Three cloaked young men strolled onto the platform, laughing about something.

"No way, he distinctly said turn right at the fork and then take another right--"

"Your head's full of frog spawn. He said left turn then right turn--"

"Whatever, man. It was go straight, left turn, then left again."

Jade didn't even have time to duck as the three DEs came in. She stared at them and they stared right back. Then the first guy said, "Hey, we're kinda lost. We were sent to tell Jake to bring the prisoners up to the Dark Lord and --"

His companion elbowed him in the ribs. He had his wand held at his side, Jade noticed, and her heart began to race. This wasn't good. "Are you a Death Eater?" he asked cautiously.

Jade felt like this could easily be one of those 'damned if you do and damned if you don't' types of questions. Severus was shouting in her ear, "Take the portkey now!" but she couldn't get it before the armed DE could zap her, she realized.

She said the first thing that came to mind, "I'm with the maintenance crew and this area is off limits for non-personnel. You three need to leave immediately or I'll have to--"

The Death Eaters broke into snorts of laughter that sent chills down her spine. "She's a muggle!" Still laughing, like hyenas, they began to circle her. She frantically tried to think of a way out, but they were all armed and her portkey was somewhere at the bottom of the backpack at her feet. No way could she reach her ankle holster either, or use telekinesis against all three.

"We're going to have a little fun with you, sweetie, before we have to go back to work."

"Yeah, you don't mind, do you?"

"Crucio!!"

Suddenly she was hit. Every one of her nerves began to burn as if on fire. She shrieked. A cold sweat dripped into her eyes and she fell to her knees. Another fierce pain shot up her legs as she fell hard on the concrete.

Snape groaned as her earpiece went dead. "Stupid girl!" he snapped and flung the microphone onto the ground.

Sirius couldn't believe that this was happening. His throat was so tight he could hardly breathe. McGonagall had placed a hand on his shoulder in solace, but he shrugged it off and fled up to the castle.

Then the hex was lifted off of Jade. Perhaps there was a God, she thought as her muscles, while still quivering, began to return to her control. Her limbs felt exhausted, but the pain was receding. She could hear the shrill laughter of the Death Eaters.

"Ah, there's nothing like a good muggle-torturing."

"All right, man, one more then we really do need to find the prisoners or His Lordship will be doing the Cruciatus curse on us instead."

"Yeah, ok. Crucio!"

Jade felt the stabbing pain again tear her flesh. She gritted her teeth and felt nauseous. Every inch of her was screaming.

She passed out.

~*~

When she awoke, her head was pounding with a migraine the size of Texas. She groaned as she pushed herself slowly into a sitting position.

The Death Eaters were gone. She pulled her backpack over to her and rummaged in it until she found her own portkey. About the last thing she wanted to do was go zooming a thousand miles per second across the country, but she didn't see anyway to avoid it.

Bracing herself, she grasped the portkey and felt the characteristic tug behind her navel. Seconds later, she fell ungracefully unto the Hogwarts grounds. With the side of her face pressed to the ground she heard a pounding of many feet drawing near her. She groaned and squeezed her eyes closed tightly. Suddenly, a cheering sounded behind her as the Aurors ran up and congratulated her. She answered by promptly puking. The cheering died down immediately.

"Uh, I think she probably needs to go to the hospital wing," one Auror suggested. Someone conjured a stretcher and Jade was carried up to Madame Pomfrey's care.

The sun was setting by the time she woke up. Jade groggily rubbed her eyes and glanced around her bed. Lupin was asleep on the bed beside hers and was looking extremely ill. Across the room, several beds held Aurors injured from the battle the previous night.

"Ah, you're awake. Good, you can take some Pepper-up potion then," the nurse said crisply to Jade, pouring a spoonful of thick, smelly juice.

"No thanks, I'll pass," Jade said, wrinkling her nose at the stench.

"Nice try," Pomfrey remarked and shoved the spoon into Jade's protesting mouth. "Now, why don't you head up stairs if you feel strong enough. The Halloween Feast should begin soon."

Jade nodded and walked out to the hall, but she didn't have any intention of going to the feast yet. She headed up to the Auror quarters and knocked on Sirius's door. There was no answer.

She turned and headed towards the Great Hall, disappointed. As she reached the stairs, she passed a crowd of red and gold dressed students and spotted Kori jogging with them.

"Have you seen Sirius at all today, Kori?"

Kori paused to let the Gryffindors surge pass her. The puppy gave a couple of quick, impatient barks before hurrying after the students. Jade rolled her eyes and called after her pet, "Don't be a hog at the feast and remember your manners, ok?"

Then the agent followed the dog's advice. She made her way up several flights of stairs and finally climbed out onto the astronomy tower.

Sirius was sitting on the ledge with one of his legs dangling over the side. A case of beer was on the stone beside him and he nursed a can while staring down at the grounds.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked quietly.

He turned abruptly around, "Jade! Merlin, are you all right?"

She smiled crookedly and popped open a can. After taking a short sip, she sat down next to him. He watched her as she traced her fingers around the top of her can, searching for the right thing to say. All she could think of was: "Have you been sitting out here all day?"

He grinned lopsidedly. "I felt so completely useless. I couldn't go help you and there was nothing to do here. What sort of knight in shining armor am I?"

"The only one I've ever wanted."
He reached out and squeezed her hand that fidgeted with the can, "I've felt so wretched about what I said to you, the way I screamed and carried on. And then Snape told me where you were going and I heard the Death Eaters attack--" he grimaced. "The only thing I could think of was that I would never see you again and I couldn't get that horrible thought out of my mind."

She felt tears slip down her cheeks and she whispered, "I was so scared. I didn't want to die..."

Sirius ran his finger down her cheeks, drying her tears. Very gently, he leaned in and kissed her.

When their lips parted, she pressed her forehead against his, eyes closed, and whispered, "I never want to leave your side again."

"Don't worry, I'm not letting you escape for a very long time."

She grinned and kissed him again. He pulled her against his chest and enveloped her in a strong embrace. She closed her eyes, feeling warm, safe, and completely at home.