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 37 - Episode 3--Chapter 3

Posted:
09/11/2009
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198


Chapter 3.

Cincinnati, Ohio.

Harry had no idea that teaching could be so... exhausting. He had never been as tired after battles as he ended up when the week's classes were over. Once the students left, he would go to the teachers' lounge, sit down next to the fireplace... and fall asleep. The chairs were quite comfortable... and he hard the Charms teacher say that there was an odd sot of magic in the room that made things calmer. Harry believed her. He'd never had a nightmare in the lounge, while they happened everywhere else he tried to sleep. Usually, the nightmares featured Megan.

It wasn't a nightmare that awoke him, though. Someone shook his shoulder. It was fortunate that Harry no longer instinctively reacted by whipping out his wand, ready to fight, on such occasions anymore. If he accidentally hurt a student... he'd already had more chances than he deserved.

"David?" Principal Wilson asked him. "If you aren't too tired, there's some important work I need you to handle."

Harry used a false identity of David Smith as a cover here. Except in the privacy of Principal Wilson's office, even Wilson himself and Ginny used that name. Harry laughed. Of the three of them, only Ginny could go as her real self. He envied her for that... and other things.

Ginny was already in the office, wearing a pretty dress and looking annoyed. Harry smiled at her politely. She turned away.

"Sorry I had to do this," Samuel Hund, stepping out from behind his mask, said. "Ahh... don't you like to be yourself?" he asked Harry pleasantly.

Harry nodded. "What happened?"

"Sir, will this take long? I've got a date--"

Harry suppressed a stab of jealousy and focused back on Hund, who frowned. "I'm sorry, Miss Weasley, but it'll probably take all night--or at least, a good part of it."

"I--" Ginny began.

"We all have to set our priorities. I haven't expected this, but my priority is this meeting. It concerns my brother's activities, so I have to go, and I think you should hear whatever information is exchanged firsthand. It's your choice, Miss Weasley. But we can't wait too long for you to make it."

Ginny looked like she was about to burst out in anger. "I'll Floo Raymond and tell him I can't come," she said.

Hund nodded. "You won't have to change," he said. "And you, Mr. Potter, should also get into formal Muggle clothing."

"Right," Harry said, heading out to get changed. "Where are we going?"

Hund shook his head. "I suppose it makes sense," he said to himself. "Baltimore."

XXX

"Who are we waiting for, Professor?" Harry asked. For some reason, he had never felt very comfortable in restaurants, and never understood why people liked to have important meetings in them.

"Someone very important--and who thought it was important to meet with me. If this has nothing to do with my brother, I apologize in advance for wasting your time. But I have my doubts."

"Hello, Sam," a new voice greeted them. Harry turned to see a short, balding, heavily build man wearing a pair of glasses shake Samuel Hund's hand. "And who'd these two be?"

"My employees, students, and associates," Hund said. "This meeting concerns my brother--"

"How did--"

"I guessed."

The man shook his head. "You haven't changed, Sam. I don't care that the circumstances are... difficult, it's good to see you."

"Thanks. Well, shall we sit down? Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley, this is George Sharp."

Harry shook the man's hand with a firm grip. "Harry Potter," he said.

Sharp blinked. "Oh, great..." Harry muttered, but the man exploded in laughter and turned to Ginny. "You wouldn't also be someone who's supposed to be dead, Miss--"

"Weasley," Ginny said. "Ginny Weasley. "No, I'm not a zombie."

"George," Hund explained, "was the curator of Unit 215 in Vietnam."

"I could have you arrested for divulging classified information, Sam," Sharp said.

"That's the advantage of magic--one move and I'm gone--"

Sharp frowned. "I know. That's the problem--"

He had to stop since a waiter approached them. Once she took their orders, the conversation resumed.

"What I do nowadays," Sharp said in response to Hund's question, "is basically what I did in Vietnam on a much larger scale."

"Oh," Hund said. "By the way, what's your rank--you were a major last time we met, but--"

"General George Leonard Sharp, United States Army," he said. "And I cannot tell you what the actual position I hold is--"

"You're military intelligence," Hund said.

"Well, of course, but that tells you nothing. Suffice it to say that my job is to advise the government on how to deal with your world."

"Oh," Ginny said.

"So that's why you recognized--"

"Mr. Potter's name? Yes. I have to say, despite what I heard, I'm not surprised. "I've put out enough misinformation to recognize someone else's. And of course, you haven't heard that," he said after a pause.

"But as you have guessed, this does concern one Alan Hund, claimed by the Department of Magic to be behind last fall's city riots."

"It's not just claimed by the Department of Magic, General," Harry said. "He is. I saw him on New Year's Eve in San Francisco. One of his... accomplices killed my fiancée there. I tried to kill him after that."

"Hmm... " Sharp scratched his chin. "Okay. So, that's not misinformation. But I've talked to enough people from the magical government to know they're scared. They think it's Hund--sorry, Sam--and they have no idea where he is or what he'll do next."

"I don't know much more than they do, George, and neither does Mr. Potter. Our encounters with him have always been... personal."

"I'm not saying you do--but I thought you might have a better chance because of that knowledge. What the Department has told me, not in so many words, is that the riots will continue until Hund finds something better to do with his time, and that they'll continue arriving on the scene a few moments late, fix as much of the damage as possible, and fire off Memory Charms all over the place. And that is unacceptable."

"What?" Hund said, stunned. "George--"

"That is unacceptable," Sharp repeated. "To me, yes, but more importantly--to the President."

"I called you here because you are my friend--and because you might know a way to stop this, as he is your brother."

"Stop what?" Ginny asked.

"The end of your secret. If the magical government won't stop Hund, if they can't control his riots--our government will have to step in."

"You're serious," Hund said.

"Absolutely. It'll mean--"

"It'll mean martial law! Detainment of wizards--a civil war! Have you people gone nuts?"

"I know that, Sam, and that's why I tried to persuade the President to wait before acting. But overall, I have to agree with him. Your secrecy is a privilege that depends on your ability to maintain it. Thanks to your brother, too much has spilled out."

"That is--"

"Correct," Harry spoke up.

Everyone turned to him.

"Harry--"

"What--"

"You don't--"

Harry frowned. "You're correct, General." He looked at Hund and Ginny. "People have been killed in these riots. Killed! That's not something you fix with Repair Spells and Memory Charms! The need for secrecy is a problem Hund's using against us--just like Voldemort had. And as an obstacle against putting a stop to people like that--I say it's doing more harm than good."

"You're not serious, Harry," Ginny said. "Look, if they did that, you'd have--"

"Ginny, if giving up my wand... even my ability to do magic would have put and end to Voldemort--do you think I wouldn't have done that?"

"But it won't--"

"That alone won't do anything, of course."

"So why try--it'll cause problems--"

"Oh, and there aren't any now? I'd say Alan Hund is a pretty serious problem."

"Harry, you don't understand. You're judging things based on my family," said Ginny.

"What--"

"I mean--"

"What the hell is going on out there?"

This question snapped Harry and Ginny out of their argument. Before Harry looked around, one of the restaurant windows shattered. Screams from outside reached them. Within seconds, the restaurant was full of panicked staff and customers.

"Your brother's handiwork again?" General Sharp asked Hund.

The other man sighed. "Probably. Of all places and times..."

"But is this a coincidence...?" the general wondered.

"You think he knew--"

"He might know who I am," Sharp said. "If he does..."

Samuel Hund looked frightened. "You said that in case of more riots, they'll--"

Sharp cut him off. "I've got to get back to the Pentagon."

"Why?"

"To monitor the situation. And give a recommendation to the President."

"And that'll be--?"

"It'll depend on how well your government handles this," Sharp replied. "However, for now, I'm inclined to maintain a status quo, even though they don't fill me with confidence. Plus, it's not like our contingency plan can be launched on a moment's notice. And I know what action on our part will mean."

"The end of the wizarding world by force. George, how--"

"Believe me, I'm glad the decision isn't mine."

"Will the people stand--"

"Executive Order 9066, Sam. Hund's a dangerous terrorist who needs to be dealt with. As I said, Sam, I'm inclined to recommend against anything for now. But if the President orders it, I will obey... and I hope you can forgive me Sam."

"I hope so, too. Let's go, George. You won't make it out of here now--if you can get you car, and if they haven't wrecked it already. We'll get you to D.C."

"I'm not going," Harry said.

"Mr. Potter, why--"

"I'm going out there."

"Where? Into the riot?!" Ginny nearly yelled at him.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To save anyone I can," he said. "Maybe you can use that as an argument with the President, General." He stood up.

"Harry, the Aurors--" Ginny attempted again.

"Will not get here for a while. These... people think they have free reign over Muggles now. I'm going to show them they don't."

"Then I'm coming with you."

"Ginny, you--"

"Can't? You're going to stop me?"

"Ginny, it's dangerous--"

"If you're going, so am I," Ginny said.

General Sharp looked at them. "Are you two dating?" he asked.

"No," Harry and Ginny said together. "Good luck, Professor... General," Harry said. Then he climbed out of one broken window into the street True to her word, Ginny followed.

All the electric lights have been shut out by magic, so the only light came from burning fires and flashes of spells. That wasn't enough to see much. Harry simply decided to head where the screams were the loudest.

"Harry, wait," Ginny said. With a wave of her wand, she transformed her high-heeled shoes into comfortable sneakers. They looked ridiculous with her dark green strapless dress, and Harry chuckled. She grinned at him and got her wand ready.

"Come on," Harry said.

Harry ran down a darkened street, ready to strike at a moment's notice. He nearly collided with a running, frightened man, who immediately continued his flight. Casing after him where two wizards, periodically lashing out with their wands, causing sparks to fly in front of them.

"Get out of--" one of them yelled.

Two Stunners brought them down. Harry turned towards the man they had chased. He stopped, looked at them, and ran on, quickly turning the corner.

Ginny grunted something. "I wouldn't be so harsh," Harry said. "We're not here for glory or sympathy."

"Why are they doing this?" Ginny asked.

"Because Hund told them to. And because most of them will get away with it," Harry said.

"They won't be punished?"

"Fined, perhaps. But there are too many to throw in prison, and they'll claim Imperius Curse or something like that. They may even be right."

"All these people?"

"Not all," Harry said. "Some. The question is, which ones, and how do you tell?"

They saw a shocking scene at the next street. In the center of the intersection, tied to large pole, were several Muggles, surrounded by a group of wizards. One of them was talking.

"This'll be an interesting twist on tradition," one witch said. "Witches burn Muggles at the stake."

"Quiet," Harry said. "Ginny, this'll feel a bit strange..." He cast the spell.

"Harry, what--?" she asked. "Harry! I can barely see!"

"It'll protect your eyes," he said, casting the same spell on himself. "There are too many of them for us to take, we need surprise."

"How--"

"Wait here until I raise my wand," he replied and, stepping away from the street corner, headed towards the crowd.

"In America," Harry said, walking up to the witch who talked about burning, "witches were hanged, not burned."

"What?" the witch shouted.

"Who are you?" one of the wizards demanded.

Harry raised his wand. "A friend. Lumos!"

Harry put so much power into that spell that, instead of the usual light at the tip, the wand released a bright flash that temporarily blinded everyone who didn't have an eye protection spell. "Stupefy!" Harry shouted, dropping the boasting witch. "Stupefy!"

Ginny joined him. By the time the flash dissipated, every witch and wizard who gathered around the stake was lying unconscious on the ground.

"I'll need to remember this trick," Ginny said.

Harry breathed heavily. "It's not easy." He waved his wand to release the Muggles. He was disturbed by how they looked at the two of them... with a mixture of gratitude and fear.

"What's going on--" one of them started.

Harry cut him off. "Run! Hide! There are more of them out there, and only two of us! We can't be everywhere, and you've already got lucky once!"

That got them away quickly. "Harry--" Ginny began.

"What would you have me do, Ginny?" Explain the wizarding world? Cast a Memory Charm?"

"Well..."

"I have no time for the first, and I won't use the second, ever. Not for something like this."

Ginny shook her head. "I've got their wands," she said, pointing at the stunned wizards. "Just in case on of them woke up."

Harry looked at the wands and smiled. "Leave them here, Ginny."

"What?"

"Leave them here. Maybe the MLEA can use them to identify these people," he said. Then he waved his own wand, and the wizards' bodies flew towards the stake and were bound to it.

"Harry, that's--"

"Poetic justice, or a small measure of it," he said. "Come on. Let's see if we can save anyone else."

"You know," Ginny said, "the law says we should have used Memory Charms--"

"I've never been very good at following the law. And I'm actually surprised that you, of all people--"

"What that's supposed to mean?"

"How'd you like it to suddenly find a segment of the past you have no memory of?" Harry asked.

Ginny looked at him in horror. "That was different--"

"You know that now. How do you tell the difference as it's happening? And as far as Muggles are concerned, they have no idea--some might even get driven crazy by it."

"You were serious, then. When you said you agreed with the general."

"I was serious. The secrecy of the wizarding world is a problem. We can see it right here. Hund exploited it brilliantly. What the hell did you mean about me basing my opinions on your family?"

"Harry... I could live in the Muggle world, and Ron probably could too. But the only reason for that is that we spent so much time around you and Hermione. If we didn't, we'd be as ignorant as... as Malfoy," she squeezed out of herself. "Maybe it'd be better if there were no secrets to keep--but there are, and a change--"

"People move, people learn new cultures, new languages--why should this be different? Now, I'm not going to scream about it from the rooftops, but I'm not going to put in any effort to further perpetrate it. If the secret leaks because of me... both worlds will just have to deal with it. As it is, it's a lot more likely to leak because of Hund--if it hasn't already."

"All right, Harry. I won't pull a Lockhart. I just don't know if it's a good idea--"

"Oh, it isn't, believe me," Harry replied. "It's just that the alternative may be worse. When the alternative is--"

"That?" Ginny pointed him a few blocks down. A group of wizards were standing around a car. Inside, Harry saw movement--

"Harry, wait!" Ginny shouted as Harry sprinted towards the scene. That, of course, made it worse, as the wizards heard the yell. They turned towards him.

The first one fell to Harry's Stunner, the second to Ginny's. Harry then blinded the remaining ones with another flash and proceeded to knock them down one by one. They approached the car.

"Don't touch her!" the woman inside screamed. Harry looked at her. She had a bloody gash on her forehead and her right arm, terribly bruised, hung unnaturally.

"Calm down," Harry said. "We're not here to hurt you."

"Mommy?" a little girl in the back seat piped up. The woman, despite her obvious pain, tried to get her body in between her and them.

"What the hell is wrong with you people?" the woman shouted. "Do you think it's fun? You people have the sickest sense of fun--"

"Just calm down," Harry said again. "We're not with them."

"Mommy?" the girl said. "Bad wizards--"

"No," Harry answered her. "We're good wizards."

The woman looked at them skeptically. "What--"

"Oh, just relax," Ginny said, and aimed her wand. "Narcosio!"

"Wow... it doesn't hurt anymore. Thanks."

"Ginny--"

"I'm on it. Let me see your arm--"

"You're going to stop the bad wizards?" the girl asked Harry.

"Wes, we are."

"There," Ginny said. "You can drive away now--"

"I'm afraid that'd be problematic," Harry said. "They vanished the gas out of your tank."

"So--I'm stuck here?"

"Afraid so. And we've got to leave--"

"What?" Ginny asked. "Why--"

"Ginny, MLEA will show up. They'll put wards around here, and take all witches and wizards they find prisoner--and cast Memory Charms on all the Muggles. What do you think will happen when they find out who I am? I'm not going back to Azkaban!"

Ginny looked at him. "You know, there may just be a way..."

"What are you talking about?" the woman asked.

"Ma'am, since you're stuck here--at least till morning--you wouldn't mind if we get in your car?"

"Well..." the woman started, "I suppose I have to trust you. And if any more of those show--"

"So that's a yes?"

The woman nodded.

Ginny smiled. "Harry--"

"Right." Harry cast the Concealment Charm on the car, which vanished. They had to find the doors by touch. Ginny got into the front seat, while Harry sat down in the back with the girl.

They shut the doors. "Now, no one will see us," Ginny said. "Anyway, we've never introduced ourselves. I'm Ginny Weasley."

"Harry Potter," Harry said.

"Hello," the woman whispered. "I'm Angelica Hines, and this is my daughter, Laura."

"Hello."

"Uhm... I hope you don't mind me asking," Angelica said, "but--"

"You're not crazy," Harry said. "You're not on drugs. There isn't anything in the tap water. You saw what you saw. It's real."

"It's just... hard to believe."

"I know, I was the same way myself when I first got told."

They watched as wizards started appearing in the middle of the street. "Are--"

"Aurors," Harry said. "Be quiet."

"Who are Aurors?" Angelica asked.

"Well, they're supposed to catch wizarding criminals--"

"They aren't doing a very good job, are they?"

"Don't go so hard on them. This stuff is being orchestrated by a powerful wizard--and it's also very unusual. I'd take them time to gather an effective response team--and that's assuming it's not happening in other places at the same time."

"You sound like you know a lot about this," she said.

"I know more than most. It's not enough to stop these things. He's... elusive."

"Mommy?" Laura asked. "Can you tell me a story?"

Harry, Ginny, and Angelica looked at each other. "Why don't I tell you a story instead?" Harry said.

"Harry, are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Trust me, Ginny."

"Are you gong to tell me a story? Do wizards have stories?"

"Of course we do. So, here goes." Harry paused. "Once upon a time there was a boy who had to live with his aunt and uncle..."

XXX

In the morning, Harry had walked to the nearest gas station and got a tank for Angelica Hines' car. He then asked her to take them to the airport--since he thought the Department of Magic might still closely monitor Portkey travel out of Baltimore. Ginny got shocked when he suggested the idea, although she agreed.

Harry thought he would sleep for the flight, but, once settled into her window seat, Ginny looked at him and asked, "Are you sure this was a good idea? Telling them--"

"Yeah, they're not going to harm anyone. Besides, they would have learned eventually."

"Huh? Why?"

"She's a witch."

"Ange--"

"No, Laura. I tested her. So, when she's eleven, they'll get a letter--"

"Harry..."

"What?"

"Do we act so much like a couple?"

"What?!"

"I mean, General Sharp, Angelica--they just assumed we were. Does it... show?"

"I wouldn't read to much into it. We just met these people. I've had people assume Hermione and I were a couple."

"Why'd you leave me, Harry?"

"What? You left me!"

"No--"

"I wasn't the one who married Malfoy!"

"You broke up with me. At Dumbledore's funeral."

"To--"

"To protect me. Did it work?

"After you broke up with me, I was really angry. And then... do you want me to be honest, Harry?"
"Of course."

"I started to wonder whether you cared."

"How could--"

"What was I supposed to think? My parents were killed in front of me, while I was forced to watch. And you ignore--"

"I had--"

"Ron was there to comfort me! Hermione showed up for the funeral! Percy visited me in secret! You, where were you, Harry?"

"You know I had to--"

"Couldn't you spare a little for me?" Ginny paused. "As for Malfoy... well, it's rather complicated. Do you remember Joseph Stone?"

"I met him, once or twice. Order member, with a reputation for stealth skills."

"Well, right on New Year's Eve that year, he showed up at Order headquarters. With Malfoy in captivity."

"Why didn't he hand him over to the Ministry?"

"Because, if you recall, this was shortly after the Ministry, in their infinite wisdom, authorized the use of the Cruciatus Curse for interrogation."

"Oh. So Stone--"

"Didn't like that. Neither did Malfoy."

Harry laughed. "There's an unbiased opinion."

"Well, so Malfoy was kept prisoner at Grimmauld, and Stone talked to him... a lot. He had me sit in on those conversations."

"Why?"

"I don't know. But you were often the topic of conversation. And, well, it was hard do see Malfoy as a Death Eater after weeks around him, confessing all sorts of secrets."

"And you believed him?"

"Some of it was valuable intelligence for the Order. And Stone also talked about you. Once, I asked what I could do to get us back together. Do you know what he said?"
"What?"

"Even if you do that, nothing will change. Harry Potter will never let you go into danger alongside him. If he ever does, you should break up with him, because it means he no longer loves you."

Harry squeezed his fists. "Why, I should find that--"

"I had the same reaction, but as time passed, I started to wonder if he wasn't onto something. I'm still not sure it was entirely wrong."

"So--"

"So, as that year progressed, Malfoy started to appear more human... and you less. So, that's how it happened. I made a mistake, Harry. With you, with Malfoy... can you forgive me?"

"I've forgiven you a long time ago... for that. But why'd you stay with him?"

"I ran away the first time he cursed me."

"And ran straight back after talking to me."
"I don't know why, but almost as soon as I touched you there, I felt... overwhelming hostility. I wasn't really seeing you, Harry, those times at Grimmauld. I was seeing... images of a future. You putting me away for my "protection", telling me I couldn't play Quidditch because it was to dangerous--"

"I'd never--Voldemort was different--"

"Was it? I knew you would never do anything of the sort, but I kept seeing that. And I kept seeing Malfoy being all caring and loving--he could do that, or at least pretend to. I tried to resist, but I guess those images mixed up with what you really were doing--which was exhibiting your protective streak, against Malfoy. And... I was too weak."

"You aren't weak."

"I fell for the images over the reality of your caring and Malfoy's violence. I experienced those images whenever I was near you--including at the trial. I--"

Harry sighed. "Well, if I haven't been sent to Azkaban, I never would have recovered my memories."

"Harry! That's not the way to make me feel better about it!"

"I'm not trying to. I forgave you, Ginny. And it also helped me escape."

"How so?"

"Well, when I remembered being Obliviated, I was mad enough to cause a few cracks in the walls of my cell and bend the bars, so they moved me to another one. And I used that to plan my escape.

"When I remembered your testimony at the trial, I focused my rage and caused an explosion. A guard rushed in, I overpowered him, took his wand, and put him under the Imperius curse."

Ginny was shocked. "You risked--"

"I thought that they couldn't do much worse to me than I had it already, and it was my only chance. I had that guard sneak potions to me that helped me fake the death. I had him dig out my coffin and transport me back to the mainland. I had him find my wand and give it back to me. I then Obliviated him."

"You--"

"I know. I had to do all that--I couldn't have the Ministry start a search--but it doesn't make it right. Ginny... do you forgive me?"

"For what? Obliviating--"

"No. At the time I escaped, you still lived at Malfoy Manor."

"Yes. I left after Hund tried to recruit me at your funeral, but it wasn't immediately. So?"

"I knew that. I could have visited you as soon as I escaped. I didn't, despite the fact that you were right there, and Ron and Hermione, in my state back then, were months away."

"Months?"

"I didn't know how to make Portkeys. I couldn't Apparate all the way to America. I didn't have any Muggle money. The only way to get anywhere was to sneak in the hold of a cargo freighter, and then use cargo trains to get across the country--and walk for substantial distances to avoid the major cities. If I had gone to you--"

"It's all right, Harry. I would be surprised if you showed up on my doorstep."

"You showed up on mine. You said you felt horrible after--"

"Ron told me I was responsible for your death. I felt he was right."

"I made my own decisions. You didn't make me go off to kill Malfoy."

"Your love for me did. You wouldn't be you if you hadn't."

"For that, there is nothing to forgive. I'd do the same thing again in the same situation. Would you marry Malfoy again?"

"Of course not!"

"There's the difference."

"I forgive you, Harry."

"I forgive you."

"Thank you. But Harry... think hard about what Stone said. Because if he was right--then there is in fact, nothing between us... and there never will be. Because I'm not going to stand being put away."

XXX

Hermione opened her eyes and shut them in the face of bright light. "Where am I?" she asked.

"Fifty-One's medical section," the voice of Sergeant Anderson came from her right.

"What--what happened? Ron--Caroline--"

"I'm here, Herms. Caroline is safe--"

"You, however, are not," another voice spoke. Hermione sat up on the bed and rubbed her eyes open. Lydia was standing in the doorway, looking angry.

"Huh?" Hermione asked.

Lydia glared at each of them. "You are the ones with magic; you are the ones with military training; and yet, I'm the one who has to pull your asses out of the fire--or in this case, out of the snow. Where's Colonel Hemmings?"

"Captured," Padma said. "She tried to fight it, but Hund knocked her out--"

"How did you find us?" Ron asked.

"I tapped into a spy satellite," Lydia said.

"Lydia, what is wrong--"

She tossed a newspaper at Hermione. American Wizard was the US equivalent of the Daily Prophet, the most prominent wizarding newspaper in the country. It was about as accurate as the Daily Prophet, too. Hermione looked at the date. "How long--"

"It's today's," Lydia said. "It's the largest one yet--although it was only in one place," she continued, talking about the new anti-Muggle riot in Baltimore.

"What does that--"

"We--or rather, General Chandler--knew something was going to happen there. He sent a wizarding team to keep an eye on things. Then you got into trouble, I found you, and convinced him to get you back. Lucky for you, he thinks I'm a valuable employee, so he listened. He pulled the men out of Baltimore and sent them to get you--which, by the way, was illegal, since you were about half a mile across the border into Canada, and General Chandler didn't bother to consult with his Canadian counterpart. And then, Hund struck in his usual method. Baltimore was the biggest riot yet, and not only didn't we get Hund, we got nothing, because the people we had there had to be pulled out. So, General Chandler is quite pissed right now at you lot. After all the effort to convince him that this team has value, it turned into a disaster. We'll be lucky if investigators don't show up--again. I wouldn't ask him any favors anytime soon."

"How did we know about the riot in advance?" Padma asked.

"We didn't," Lydia said, calmer this time. "Not explicitly. We did know something was planned. As for how, I don't know. General Chandler only told me about this after it happened. My guess is, we've got a mole in their organization."

"What's going to happen now?"
"Well, we should rescue Colonel Hemmings, first," Sergeant Anderson suggested.

Lydia turned to him. "Do you know where to look?"

"Well, no--"

"Right. So we can't do that--at least not till we get some information about where he might hold her. Anyway, the decision on what to do isn't yours to make."

"Whose, then?" Ron asked.

"Mine."

"What?" Hermione said. "How--"

"Like I said, General Chandler's mad as hell. He won't let this happen again. You have two choices. Resign completely, and then you will be on your own--and that includes information. The second is to remain as you are, but with me officially in command. And my decision is we can't afford to look for Colonel Hemmings now. Considering her situation, I doubt her life is in danger."

Ron looked up. "We've been by ourselves before--"

"No," Hermione said, and looked around. "We need support from Fifty-One here."

Lydia nodded. "I'll inform General Chandler. Since you're not going into combat immediately, there shouldn't be any problems releasing you from here in a few minutes. After that, you're to eat lunch, and then head straight to our office. While we can't rescue Colonel Hemmings yet, we do have a new piece of intelligence that needs to be looked into. Are any of you familiar with the name Helen Gertrude?"

They all shook their heads.

"Well, you will be soon. More than you'd like to be." With that ominous warning, Lydia left the medical section.

Hermione didn't know what to think. Lydia was a great person, but to have her be in command? When she was neither military nor wizard? Hermione hoped that General Chandler knew what he was doing. If he wasn't, they were all in trouble. Actually, she thought, even if he does, we may be in trouble. It was hardly comforting, especially after you just narrowly escaped death by hypothermia.