The Forging of the Bonds

LunaIsCool

Story Summary:
Arthur and Lucius, Ron and Draco... the enmity betweent the Weasleys and the Malfoys has not ended with the defeat of Voldemort. But as Michael Weasley and Elizabeth Malfoy are start their sixth year, they begin to learn more than they ever knew about the past and about themselves, with the aid of their new DADA teacher... a hero unseen in wizarding Britain since the war ended...

Chapter 25 - Past Excursion

Posted:
04/11/2007
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Chapter 25. Past excursion.

"What do you think he'll tell us?" Michael asked Elizabeth.

"How should I know?" She shrugged. "First time I'm going into that office without detention."

"I can remedy that," Potter said, appearing from behind them.

"Professor!" Michael exclaimed.

"Well, come in." He opened the door and motioned them in. "Sit down."

Elizabeth looked around. Little had changed, except that the two swords Potter had offered to her and Michael now hung prominently on the walls. The rest were, no doubt, still in the cabinet. Potter's desk was littered with books and rolls of parchment. She glanced at the title of one of the books. The Republic, by Plato. She shrugged. It didn't ring any bells.

"Well, here we are," Potter said, sweeping away the parchments and placing a large stone basin on the desk. "This is a Pensieve," he explained, although Elizabeth realized that. "I will show you several events that occurred towards the end of the second war... that some say were the end of the second war."

"This happened in the early autumn of 2002," he told them. "You ready? This may not be easy to watch... especially considering whom you're about to see."

Both Michael and Elizabeth nodded. Elizabeth looked into the silvery liquid... and felt herself be hurled elsewhere. She closed her eyes.

Thump. Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked around. She, Michael, and Professor Potter were standing on a lawn in front of an old house. Michael gasped. A bright skull with a snake in its mouth hovered overhead.

"Where are we?"

"Just watch," Potter said.

A tall, black-haired woman stepped out. Four men followed her. "Damn," one of them said. "No sign of her or the brat."

"Rookwood, the Dark Lord will not be pleased. At either the faulty information, or that you sent up the Mark over a cat."

A suppressed cough came from somewhere nearby. "What was that?" another man asked.

"It's noth--" the woman began, but stopped. Something moved right next to them, and a new person appeared. Elizabeth lifted her eyebrows. Standing next to them was a twenty-year-old Professor Potter.

"Potter," the woman said.

"Bellatrix," Potter replied.

"How's the godfather?" she sneered.

"Five Death Eaters sent after an old woman. And failed!" Potter retorted.

One of the Death Eaters reached for his wand. Potter was faster. A bright red stunner hurled towards the Death Eater and felled him.

The four others drew their wands. "Crucio," Bellatrix said.

Potter dodged it, and replied with another stunner, but Bellatrix leaped aside. "Surely you can do better, Potter," she jeered.

He said nothing, dodging several more curses. Rookwood lifted his wand and conjured up a net seemingly made of light. The net nearly caught Potter before he turned and dispelled it.

Then Potter was hit in the back by a rock lifted and hurled magically by one of the other men. He fell to his knees, but didn't drop the wand. Instead, he looked up and aimed at Rookwood. Nothing came out of the wand... but suddenly the Death Eater's robes caught fire. Rookwood screamed in pain and attempted to put the fire out.

Pop. Someone Apparated in. He wasted no time. "Stupefy!" he shouted, and the Death Eater who had hurled the rock dropped. He turned to Bellatrix and the remaining man. It was then that Elizabeth recognized him. It was her father.

"Where is she, Aunt?" Draco Malfoy demanded. "I'm not like Potter here, I'll kill you!"

Bellatrix laughed. "No. You won't. Let's go." She motioned, and both Death Eaters Disapparated. The two stunned Death Eaters and burned Rookwood were left behind.

"Aaargh!" her father cursed. He turned. "Potter," he said.

"Malfoy," Potter replied. "Shouldn't you go with them?"

"Shut up, Potter. I proved--"

"Spare me, Malfoy. As far as I'm concerned, you only proved that the Ministry is corrupt--not that I didn't know that already."

"Spare the moralizing, Potter," Malfoy said, but at that point several other people Apparated.

"Grandma!" one of them, a short, round-faced young man shouted. He then turned. "You!" He reached for his wand.

"Neville, your grandmother is all right!" Potter said. Neville stopped.

Malfoy smirked. "Attacking everything in sight, Longbottom?"

"Shut up, Malfoy," Potter said. Neville's grandmother approached them and, without a glance at Malfoy, handed Professor Potter an Invisibility Cloak. "Thank you, Mr. Potter," she said. Then she Disapparated. Neville followed.

One of the new people, a woman with bright pink hair, approached them. "Harry? You all right?"

"Yeah, Tonks, I'm fine," Potter replied. "You'll handle here, right? Who are they? I recognized Rookwood and Goyle, but--"

"Nott."

Potter nodded. "Bellatrix and Seward were with them. Any idea why?"

"We'll ask Mrs. Longbottom as soon as we can, but I doubt it was anything big."

"Sure. Take care, Tonks," he said.

The woman turned away and motioned to two other people with her. Each of them picked up a Death Eater body and Disapparated.

"What are you still doing here, Malfoy?" Potter demanded.

"I want to know what they tell the Ministry. I know you'll be informed--by that Metamorphmagus cousin of mine, probably. I want to know."

"Why? To pass information back to your precious Dark Lord?"

"I've really had it with you, Potter," Malfoy replied. "I have as much reason to fight them--at least now--as you do. Maybe more."

"Voldemort killed your father for failing a mission. Hardly the same--"

"They have my wife, Potter."

"What?"

"It's that American creep, Seward. I'm sure he's behind it. Pansy didn't come home one night from a visit with her parents. Four days ago."

"You didn't report it?"

"I got a note saying that she'd be killed if I tell."

"And you're telling me."

"I couldn't see anyone else to turn to, now that Seward and my dear aunt have escaped."

Potter stood in silence.

"I'm not asking you to go after her with me. Just information that might get me on track."

Potter didn't reply.

"Potter--"

"Fine," he snarled. "How? Owls? That might as well be telling Voldemort--"

"Here," Malfoy said, handing Potter a vial.

"What is it?" Potter asked.

"My hair. You can use it to seal messages so that they can be read only by me."

Potter appeared a bit amused. "You know that that's how lovers usually communicate. You don't want rumors--"

"There'll be no rumors if no one starts them," Malfoy cut in.

Potter nodded. "I'll see what I can find out," he said.

Elizabeth watched as her father turned towards Potter again. "Potter," he said.

"What?" Potter asked, preparing to Disapparate.

"She's pregnant."

Reality dissolved around her and Elizabeth found herself back in Potter's office.

"I wasn't very nice towards your father, but then, we hated each other during school, and it was only a year since your grandfather killed my brother-in-law. But it was this meeting that started the change in our relationship.

"I think that's more than enough for today," Potter said. "Goodnight, Mr. Weasley. Miss Malfoy."

Elizabeth headed back to her dormitory in silence. There was too much to think about.