Harry Potter and the War of the Wands

Chapter 9 - First Strike

Fred and George Weasley, although known far and wide around Hogwarts as being lazy when it came to schoolwork, were in fact, relentless workaholics when it came to their joke shop. Despite the fact Diagon Alley was much less busy than usual, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was one of the success stories, and for people who weren't comfortable taking to the streets, the mail order catalogue provided an extensive product list which had doubled the siblings' profits overnight.

Things were definitely going well on that front. What wasn't common knowledge, however, was the fact that the twins were equally committed to playing their part in the war as members of the Order of the Phoenix. Hours after the shop closed every night, both of them could be found in their basement workshop, working on innovative new gadgets, and enhancing their other, more lucrative line of products, the protective equipment.

Their latest invention, which was still in the testing phase, was the Morphmagus Mask. They had developed a rubber mask which moulded directly onto the face and effectively turned you into a different person. They had managed to create several spell activated pre-set faces, but had been working into the late hours trying to perfect the most remarkable feature, the ability to place the mask on someone else and copy their face.

The possibilities of infiltrating Death Eaters' meetings, and suchlike, were endless. They had mentioned it to Mad-Eye Moody the last time they had seen him, and he agreed it would be of immense value once they got it working properly. The first couple of test masks, however, became overheated after ten minutes and scorched Fred's eyebrows off.

It was eight o'clock in the morning and the twins were already up and having breakfast, the rest of Diagon Alley slowly coming to life. They didn't open shop till nine o'clock most mornings due to their late nights. The post owl had already delivered The Daily Prophet, and George had just read the headline article.

Ministry Declares Open Warfare

"Have you seen this yet?" he asked Fred, handing him the newspaper.

"Not exactly surprising though, is it?" Fred replied, tossing it back to his brother. "They could hardly ignore the Dark Mark sightings, and suspicious deaths of 'unknown cause' forever, could they?"

"But still, at least it seems like they're finally making a stand," said George.

"I know what you mean," replied Fred. "It's good to think that there are other people fighting this war, rather than just the Order." His twin nodded in agreement.

****

It was almost lunch time and the shop had been packed with customers since opening time. Verity, the young witch who worked for the Weasleys', was attending to the customers whilst Fred and George did a stock take in the basement.

"You wouldn't believe it, but we're running out of fake wands again," laughed George.

"How many times can you pull that prank before people start to get fed up?" chortled Fred. "Not that I'm complaining, my dear brother." He made a note to order more wands.

"Nor I," replied George. "It keeps us in the manner to which we've become accustomed." He winked.

Suddenly, Verity burst into the basement. "Mr Weasleys, I think there's something awful happening down the street," she screeched breathlessly.

The twins looked to one another seriously.

"Stay right here, Verity," said Fred gently. She nodded as the two brothers dashed up the stairs, their wands drawn.

There was a loud crash and the sound of screams out in the street near the shop. The remaining customers all looked terrified. A young boy was hanging onto his mother's leg as she tried to calm him down.

"Don't worry, everyone," said George reassuringly. "Make your way through the back, down the stairs, and into the basement. Verity will look after you." The customers didn't need to be told twice.

"What do you think is happening?" asked Fred. He was shuffling carefully towards the windows, trying to get a better view down the street.

"I hope it's not what I think is happening," said George with a subdued voice. He kept low, like his brother, and made his way to the front of the shop.

To their horror, it was exactly what George suspected. Further down Diagon Alley, they could make out the approaching attackers marching as a group, casting indiscriminate destructive spells as they went. Around twenty figures, all dressed in Death Eater robes, were laughing and cheering as innocent bystanders cowered in fear. Smoke was rising from two of the buildings they had left in their wake. There didn't appear to be a specific target. This was wanton destruction, designed to strike fear into the Wizarding World.

"We've got to get a message to the Order," said Fred. "They're going to destroy Diagon Alley if we don't get support."

"They'll take our shop over my cold, dead body!" snarled George.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," said a voice beside them. The twins both jumped in surprise as Harry appeared with a flourish of his invisibility cloak.

Harry was dressed in tight fitting, black wizards robes with three quarter length sleeves, and had his Firebolt slung across his back. His wand sheath shimmered in the light as it hung from his Gryffindor buckle belt. This wasn't the Harry that his friends knew... he looked dangerous.

"Harry!" they exclaimed simultaneously. He smiled grimly at them. "What are you doing here?"

"I came for some supplies, and for news of the Order," replied Harry. "I figured you two would be the safest bet, not to try to convince me to go back to Headquarters. Looks like I came at just the right time, eh?"

"You're not wrong, mate," said Fred quickly. "Have you got a plan?" By the sound of the screams and explosions, the Death Eaters were getting closer. They would be on top of the joke shop in a matter of minutes.

"How many do you think we have to handle?" asked Harry shortly.

"We couldn't get a proper look down the street without going outside, but I'd say it's at least twenty," replied George.

"Maybe more," added Fred dejectedly.

"We haven't got much time. Have you got any way of getting a message to someone in the Order?" asked Harry.

"Not really. We usually get an owl from Dad telling us when the next meeting is," replied Fred.

Just then Verity came back upstairs.

"Verity, you should stay down in the basement where it's safe," said Fred.

"I want to help," replied Verity steadily. She looked determined. If she was scared, she was doing a good job of hiding it.

The twins and Harry all looked to one another uncertainly. Eventually Harry spoke up.

"We can't fight them all without help," he said to the twins. "If she can get to the Burrow or Hogwarts she can raise the alarm."

"She hasn't got her Apparition License," said Fred.

"I only failed my test by one point," Verity said indignantly. Fred smiled in spite of the circumstances.

"You can conjure a corporeal Patronus, can't you?" asked George quickly. Verity nodded. "And you're sure you can make it to the Burrow?"

"I'll make it," she replied determinedly.

"Okay, we're counting on you to get the message to our father," said George. "You won't be able to make it past the defences, but your Patronus can deliver it."

"Be careful, okay?" Verity said to Fred in a soft voice. Fred smiled tenderly at the pretty blonde witch, took her hand in his, and squeezed it. Harry and George looked on, slightly confused.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," he said gently. Verity took a step back, took a deep breath, and spun on the spot, disappearing with a small pop.

"What was that all about?" asked George wryly.

"Now isn't the time," said Fred, with a wink.

There was a loud smash from outside and Harry saw the large window of the shop across the street cave in.

"You ready?" he said. The twins nodded gravely. "Keep under cover and don't take any chances."

****

He burst out the door into the street, followed closely by Fred and George, and was confronted by a scene of complete mayhem. Most of the shops which had been hit were on fire. Black smoke billowed out of the doors and windows, mostly destroyed. There were innocent bystanders cowering behind the shop signs, hoping to avoid being targeted.

The Death Eaters had spread out across the entire street, some of them concentrating on tearing shops to pieces; others contented themselves with terrorising the witnesses to the carnage. As Harry and the twins appeared, a shout went up from one of the mob.

"It's him... it's Potter!"

"Sorry, guys, no time for autographs just now," hollered Harry as he threw a powerful curse at one of the closest Death Eaters. It hit him before he could block it, and he was sent flying through the air, knocking down two of his cohorts in the process.

Fred and George both sent curses into the attacking throng as they took cover behind a huge, overturned umbrella outside the café next door. Harry sprinted across the road, a multitude of different coloured beams of light narrowly missing him, and threw himself into a doorway.

Three Death Eaters ran ahead of the pack in pursuit of Harry. Fred managed to catch one of them with a Body-Bind Curse, but the other two got past. Harry concentrated, and with a spin, appeared on the other side of the street, behind the attacking mob.

"Incarcerus! Petrificus Totalus!" he yelled in quick succession. The Death Eaters realised too late that Harry had switched positions. Two of them were instantly disabled. He dove under cover again as the air was filled with hexes, all directed at him.

George took advantage of the confusion to throw another curse which hit one of the two that had made it past him. He and Fred were under heavy fire in their position. They wouldn't be able to hold out long.

Several popping sounds announced the new arrivals. Aurors from the Ministry of Magic had finally appeared in response to the attack. They were still seriously outnumbered though, with only nine Aurors coming in support. The Death Eaters redoubled the attack. Two Aurors were instantly disabled and Fred and George were forced to break apart to find new cover.

Due to the retaliation they were now meeting, the Death Eaters had been obliged to take cover also. Wizards on both sides had taken brutal injuries. The Aurors were being as vicious as their Death Eater counterparts. Casualties mounted on both sides. George had taken a hit to his arm and was bleeding heavily but still fighting. Another two Aurors had fallen too. There were still around sixteen Death Eaters actively throwing curses.

One of the biggest Death Eaters suddenly broke from position, throwing a devastating hex just above two of the remaining Aurors who had huddled together. It hit the building behind them, showering them in a hail of brick and mortar. A cheer went up from a close knit group of Death Eaters, but was quickly silenced as Harry Apparated directly in the middle of them. Curses flew from their wands just as Harry Disapparated again; three Death Eaters fell from friendly fire.

"Impedimenta!" yelled Fred. His spell was wordlessly blocked by his adversary. He was involved in a duel with a particularly challenging opponent. He dodged his enemy's attack and fired a return volley. The battle was raging all around them, and he had no idea where George was. He'd also lost sight of Harry, who seemed to be terrorising the Death Eaters with all his Apparating.

Fred ducked again as a powerful hex narrowly missed him. The Death Eater was advancing, stopping only to throw more curses. He didn't know how to stop the advance. Making a split second decision, he broke from his cover and made directly for his opponent, throwing a hex as he did so. The Death Eater froze in surprise, barely managing to block Fred's hex. Before he had a chance to recover, Fred leapt in the air and careened right into him. The two were locked together in a fierce scuffle.

Fred managed to knock the wand from the Death Eater's hand, but had lost his own in the process. They traded blows as they tussled on the ground, but, just when he thought he had gained the upper hand, the Death Eater managed to raise his foot and kick Fred away from him. He hit the ground with a thud. As he scrambled back to his feet, he saw the Death Eater raise his wand triumphantly.

As the wand swept down in front of him, Fred's chest tore open as if from a knife wound. White spots erupted in front of his eyes as he tottered backwards and collapsed. Blood streamed down from the open wound and out of his mouth. The Death Eater advanced. This is it, thought Fred. He was going to die, he felt sure of it. The victor stood above him, wand raised once more.

A shard of glass cut Fred's hand as he grasped it tightly. As the Death Eater opened his mouth to finish the job, Fred made one last desperate motion, pushing himself up, driving the glass straight into his jugular.

His would-be-killer's eyes widened in horror. A horrible gurgling sound escaped him as blood rose to his lips and spilled out onto the ground. He clutched at his throat, but it was no use. The wound was deep. He dropped to his knees, choking on his own blood. Fred dropped to the ground too, the glass still in his fist, as darkness covered his eyes.

****

Just as Harry was losing hope that they wouldn't last long enough, there were several more popping sounds. The Order of the Phoenix had finally arrived. Mad-Eye Moody, Mr Weasley, Remus, Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt all appeared almost simultaneously. Each of them took cover and joined in the battle.

It was now almost a fair fight. There were still twelve Death Eaters left, but now they were up against six Aurors, Harry, and three members of the Order.

Harry could see George nearby, still under heavy fire but holding his own. With a spin, Harry appeared right next to him.

"Harry!" burst George. He looked glad to have support.

"How are you holding up?" asked Harry breathlessly. He had taken a few hits and the constant Apparating had taken a lot out of him. He looked at George's arm, which was still bleeding profusely.

"I'm fine," he said, dismissing his wound. "Have you seen Fred?"

"Not yet," replied Harry. "I'm sure he's okay though, don't worry. And now the Order is here too." George didn't look convinced.

The few bystanders who hadn't managed to escape were screaming for help. The leading Death Eater, feeling the balance of the battle shift, looked around for options. Under his hood, a malicious smile appeared. Huddled together, half hidden in a doorway, he saw a mother and daughter. He tore the young girl from the arms of her distraught parent who pleaded for mercy. The little girl couldn't have been more than six and was crying loudly.

"Hold your fire, or the child dies!" he screamed as he stepped out into the street, the youngster shielding him, a wand at her throat. The lead Auror held his hand to signify stand down. The Order also stopped firing.

"Harry Potter," the Death Eater called mockingly. "Oh Harrreeey." He cackled as the little girl screamed for her mother. "You can stop all of this right now... all you have to do is step out here and come on a little trip with us."

Harry had gone pale. The whole world seemed to swallow him up. He couldn't hear anything, and his eyes glazed over.

"Don't be crazy, Harry. You can't do it," said George emphatically. There was no response. Grabbing him by the shoulders, George shook him violently. "Harry, snap out of it. They'll kill you if you go out there!"

"What else can I do?" asked Harry despondently, finally coming to his senses. "If I don't, they'll kill that little girl."

"And if you do, they'll probably still kill her!" burst George. He shook his head in disgust. "Bastards!"

The Death Eater was walking slowly up the middle of the street, constantly turning and shielding himself with the girl to avoid being caught by a well placed spell.

"Potter, you've got five seconds to come out here and face me, or you'll have another death on your hands." He began counting down slowly. As he reached one, Harry took a deep breath and stood up.

"Harry! Stay where you are!" yelled Remus from across the street. He looked desperate.

"It's okay, Moony," replied Harry steadily. He stepped out from his cover. George punched the ground in anger.

He walked slowly into the middle of the street. The Death Eater stood about five metres in front of him. Harry could see the little girl's face was covered in tears. She was petrified with fear.

"Why, hello, Harry," he sneered with a familiar voice. He pulled down his hood and Harry realised who it was. Amycus Carrow had been on the tower the night Dumbledore had been murdered. He had mocked the Headmaster as Harry looked on, powerless to help. Harry felt hatred creep into every inch of him. "I'm impressed that you came out of hiding."

"Let the girl go and I'll come with you," said Harry calmly. He soaked up his hatred and settled himself. He felt strangely lucid and confident.

"Oh, you'll come with us, make no mistake," scoffed Amycus. "Did you really think you had a choice?"

Harry didn't respond. He stood firmly, locking eyes with the despicable figure in front of him.

"I heard a little rumour that you were on the tower the night the old fool Dumbledore got what was coming to him," said Amycus. "Is that true?"

Harry bit his lip hard. The pain was refreshing. He tasted blood in his mouth as he nodded.

"And you didn't do anything to help him?" mocked Amycus. "What kind of hero are you?" His fellow Death Eaters laughed sycophantically. Harry stood motionless.

Kingsley Shacklebolt was edging out from position, trying to get a clear shot to take out the vile Death Eater. Amycus noticed this and tightened his hold on the child.

"Stay where you are," shouted Harry, raising his hand to Kingsley. Amycus flashed an ugly, lopsided grin.

"You seem to be quite the leader these days, Harry," shot Amycus. "Maybe you need to be put in your place." The Death Eater had a cruel glint in his eye as he moved his wand away from the girl's throat and directed it at Harry.

"Cruci..." Amycus began. In one fluid motion, Harry pulled his wand in a graceful arc, simultaneously blocking the curse and pulling his arm behind his head.

"INCENDIO FLAMARAE!" he yelled. A whip of pure fire erupted from his wand as he lashed it sharply forward.

Amycus shrieked inhumanly as the tip of the flame connected with his eye. The little girl fell to the ground safely as he flailed around in agony, clutching at his face. Harry didn't waste any time, bounding forward and scooping up the hostage. He made it to cover just as the spells started flying again. Amycus staggered blindly back to his own people.

The Death Eaters knew they had been bested. One by one, with Amycus gripping tightly onto one of his comrades, they disappeared.

Harry set the little girl down safely, telling her to go get her mother. Just before he Disapparated, he smiled wearily at Remus who was rushing towards him.

****

As Head Auror, Kingsley Shacklebolt assumed command of the scene. He set his team to locate their fallen comrades and provide aid wherever possible. Scattered groups of injured people were rounded up and tended to as Aguamenti Charms were used to put out the flames of smouldering buildings.

Diagon Alley was in ruin.

"How do you think Potter got wind of the attack before we did?" asked Moody.

"I've no idea," replied Remus, "but he didn't seem keen to stay and discuss it with us, in any case." Remus desperately wanted to stop Harry from running off again, but he had seen the look of steely determination as they locked eyes just before Harry disappeared.

"That was a nifty piece of wand-work from Potter," said Moody appraisingly. "I wonder where he learned it." Remus nodded thoughtfully.

Clean-up crews from the Ministry were Apparating all over the place, trying to get some semblance of order. A triage tent had been set up to tend to the seriously injured. Arthur Weasley, however, was looking for his children when he heard the scream. George Weasley had let out a blood curdling cry.

Arthur ran as fast as he could to his son's voice. George was huddled over a figure on the ground. He came to George's side, dropping to his knees in despair as he found the cause of the anguish.

His face was deathly pale, and he was still tightly clutching the shard of glass. Fred Weasley, the joker, was lying on his back covered in blood... and he wasn't breathing.

****