Will You Ever Return to Me?

LunaIsCool

Story Summary:
AU from HBP. The war is a much bigger disaster, so is Harry's relationship with Ginny. When Voldemort is defeated, Harry returns home to find Ginny engaged to his worst enemy. Meanwhile, a new Dark Wizard plots in secret...

Chapter 29 - Episode 2--Chapter 19

Posted:
07/03/2009
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237


Chapter 19.

December 2002, San Francisco, California.

Harry looked in the mirror, frowning. He knew trying to get his hair to lie flat was pointless, and at least today, he didn't want to use any disguise spells save for those that hid his scar. But he wanted to at least take a step away from looking like he had slept in a cramped car.

He smiled. Whether he'd tame his hair or not, today would be perfect. Later today, he'd pick up Megan from her parents, and they'd have dinner. Then they'd head for the Golden Gate Bridge and wait for the New Year to watch the fireworks. And at midnight, when the fireworks went off, Harry would ask Megan to marry him.

He spent days picking out a ring, but now, it was inside the drawer of his table, waiting.

The phone rang. He ran to pick it up, hoping it was Megan.

It wasn't. "Mr. Evans?" an unfamiliar voice said. He rented this apartment under his usual assumed name, so it wasn't exactly shocking that someone would address him this way.

"Yes?" Harry asked. "Who's this?"

"Do you have a suit?"

"What?"

"Do you have a suit?"

"Yes," Harry blurted out. "Who--"

"Come to Sheraton Hotel at noon today. Ask the desk for Mr. Clavell. He has information you may consider important."

"What--what kind of information--who the heck--"

"Information about our mutual enemy. I'll see you at noon, Mr. Evans." The phone clicked.

Harry frowned. Whatever this was, it was unexpected. He didn't want this day disrupted. His first urge was to call Megan and tell her about the call. Of course, she could just think it was a prank, which he doubted.

What mutual enemy could the man be talking about? Hund? It was certainly possible, but Harry didn't know how someone like that would trace him. And if that was the case, he wanted to find out.

The only way to do that was to do as the voice on the phone said. And he'd still have time to pick up Megan if the meeting didn't take too long.

That decided it. Harry put on his suit, and Apparated to a magical bar in the downtown. He then headed into the city, towards the Sheraton.

When asked for Mr. Clavell, a bellhop led him inside, and pointed out a table. The man at the table had his back to him, but Harry recognized some of those features. Damn, he thought. If the man planned to somehow shock him, he would be disappointed.

"Hello, Mr. Evans," the man said.

"Hello, Mr. Clavell," Harry replied, sitting down across the table from Alan Hund.

XXX

Hund laughed. "I told you we were alike, Potter. Here's one more way."

"This proves nothing."

"Why not?"

"Because both of us have to use fake names due to what you did."

Hund shrugged. "I told you, that was the past. Isn't the future more important?"

"Yeah, it's important to have a future without you in it."

Hund wasn't fazed. He poured wine for both himself and Harry. "Drink, Potter?"

"Yeah, I'm really going to drink something you gave me. Do I look stupid?"

Hund drank the wine. "You really should thank me, Potter."

"Why's that."

"I prevented Voldemort from rising for the third time."

"He couldn't have. I destroyed all--"

"Nagini was never a Horcrux, Potter."

"What? Now you're making shit up. How--"

"Dumbledore made a mistake. An understandable mistake, but a mistake. Voldemort did not make his snake into a Horcrux, although he did make a living thing into one."

"What was it, then?" And how do you know?"

"Not what, who. Bellatrix."

Harry wanted to say Hund was crazy. But all of a sudden, what he said made a lot of sense. Bellatrix certainly wouldn't mind carrying a piece of Voldemort's soul inside her. She'd be proud to do it. And--

"How did you stop her?"

"I had to get her to trust me enough to tell me where the graveyard where he was resurrected for the first time was, and what Voldemort used to get back his body."

"Bone of the father..."

"Yes."

"You could have asked me."

"Gaining Bellatrix's trust seemed easier."

"Was that a compliment or an insult?"

"Take it however you please."

"Bellatrix is powerful. I'm sure you'll grant her that. Veritaserum, the Imperius Curse... all had a chance of failing. I had to gain her trust to learn what I needed... And then I went to the graveyard and pulverized the bones of Tom Riddle, Sr. No one will ever use them in any potion again."

"Considering the raid on the Ministry of Magic two months ago, you seem to be working together fine."

"I had nothing to do with that. The papers reported it, yes... but I believe that report originated with you."

Harry knew that the "reliable source" was likely Neville, Luna, or someone who knew them. He didn't want to admit that Hund was right. "Just what makes you think you're safe here?"

Hund smiled. "Just what makes you think I'm not?"

"I can go to the MLEA right now--"

"And they'd listen to you--why? Remember, you're dead."

Harry grumbled. Hund was right again. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"Like I said, Potter, we don't need to be enemies. You owe me for--"

"I owe you nothing. You stopped Bellatrix since you're a wannabe Voldemort yourself. I am not interested in your 'offer'. It's probably as genuine as your cooperation with Bellatrix was." He reached for his wand.

Hund vanished out of his chair. Harry stood for a moment, and then headed outside. He didn't want to think about Hund. Not now. Not when he was less than twelve hours from proposing to Megan.