The War of Shades

Chapter 6 Close to the Heart

Harry and Seamus were able to do exercises and practice wand motions with Harry's drumsticks, but the close conditions of the Finnegan home and Belfast were no place for a couple of wizards to practice magical sparring. Besides, they would have to be supervised, and Mrs. Finnegan was not willing to have the boys even in a mock battle, so after they had done enough practice, Seamus showed Harry around the neighborhood. On the way back to the house for lunch, Harry's scar began to ache again, and they had to run to the house to use the mirror away from muggle eyes.

This time there were many locations, it seemed that Voldemort had realized that his teams were being intercepted and decided to make attacks in bunches that would strain Ministry resources. Harry couldn't get all the details, such as names of the targeted people, but had most of the cities and streets. Remus suggested he carry parchment and a quill at all times to jot down details. Harry laughed and said that a notepad and pencil would be less conspicuous amongst muggles.

"You'd know better than I, Harry," replied Lupin.

When Harry put the mirror away, he turned and saw Seamus staring bug-eyed.

"Seamus, what's wrong?" asked Harry.

"That last street you gave, Harry..."

"Yeah, uh, Shivelleigh, in Ulster, what about it?" asked Harry.

"That's this street, where we live!" said Seamus.

"No, we're in Northern Ireland."

"Harry, Ulster's another name for Northern Ireland," replied Seamus.

"Merlin's beard! I never paid much attention to muggle politics. But there are a lot of different cities in Northern Ireland. There must be other streets with the same name."

"Well, maybe, but I've never heard of any. It's an odd one, even among Irish names. And I sure can't relax thinking there's a wizard hit squad headed here!"

"No. No, that'd be foolish. Either of us would be attractive targets if there were a random meeting." Harry closed his eyes to remember the feeling his scar had given him about that address. "But we're not the target - that's aimed at a woman, but all I can say is that it's someone younger than Voldemort. We've got to tell your Mum."

Seamus pursed his lips and shifted a bit on his feet.

"Seamus, what's wrong, we've got to tell your Mum - don't we? Isn't she the only witch on the street?"

Seamus nodded reluctantly, "Of course, we have to tell her, Harry. She could be the target, or me sisters. Even if not, I'd hate to lose any of me neighbors, especially if I could do something about it. It's just that she's already so dead-set against involvement in the war - having it on her doorstep may just make her even more set against us getting involved."

Seamus composed himself as he and Harry came down the stairs to talk to Seamus's mother. Seamus took a deep breath before he spoke to her. "Mum, Harry's gotten warning of another attack, like he did last night. One of the attacks is going to be here, on Shivelleigh Street, on a woman."

"Harry, are you certain?"

"Well, he's used the connection before to fool me, but these attacks have all happened as expected."

"I see. Well, there's nothing to be done then but for Seamus and I to take a look around."

"Really, Mum?" said Seamus excitedly.

"Seamus, don't get so enthusiastic. This is a dangerous situation."

"I know, Mum, it's just that we've trained so much to defend and I want to do something useful, but you've been so dead set agin' it, "

"I don't want you out there looking for fights, Seamus, but it appears this time the fight has come to us. The muggles on the street will have no chance against an attack by magic."

"Well, I'm ready," said Seamus.

"Let's go," said Harry.

"Harry," said Mrs. Finnegan, "we Finnegans need to head out - this is our neighborhood. You needn't take the chance."

Seamus laughed, "Forget it, Mum. You'll never keep Potter out of a fight by saying it's someone else's problem."

"But Harry, lad, these are our neighbors, not yours."

"Reverend MacBoon has taught me the story about the Good Samaritan," said Harry, "Do you know it?"

"Well, of course, I do, Harry, tis in the Gospel of Saint Luke, chapter 10. This is a good Catholic family that reads its Bible."

"Then you understand when I say these are my neighbors, too."

"Aah, Harry, yesterday I caught you out saying something a bit foolish and today you've returned the favor. Of course, they're your neighbors, too. All beings are."

"Besides," said Harry, "there may be dementors involved. Can you conjure a Patronus?"

"No, I'm glad to say I've never been in a position to need to learn, but you're right that we need that skill with us."

"Then we need Harry, Mum. He's been teaching us at school, but I've only gotten a silvery cloud."

"But, Harry, I promised Professor Dumbledore I would keep you safe."

"Circumstances change. I'll speak to him right now."

Harry pulled out his mirror and called Professor Dumbledore, explaining the emergency.

"Yes, Harry, you should go and go quickly, but I would ask that you all keep within sight of each other."

"Yes, sir, Professor, that makes a lot of sense. I'll report back."

"Be careful - all of you."

"Now that we know that we are going to do something, the question is what! We are in a pickle, aren't we?" she said. "Walls mean nothing to someone who can Apparate, except a place out of sight to complete your business, so we can't tell people to stay inside. We really can't guard all the homes of the street either. I'm the only witch on the street - was it a witch for sure they were targeting, Harry?"

"I can't say that at all, Maam. I only know that when that's a major factor on Voldemort's - uh, sorry - He Who Must Not Be Named's mind. The first of the victims was a muggle who knew him in the muggle orphanage where he was raised, so I knew then. This time, it seems more like just a fanning out to cause panic."

"Except specific streets were named. He could have ordered his thugs to just kill someone in Ulster, or specifically Belfast, but he chose this street, and that's either because we Finnegans are here or because you are, Harry."

Harry nodded, and answered "Or both. How about we take a walk up the street to see if anything's going on?"

The others agreed.

"If you don't mind, Harry," said Mrs. Finnegan, "let's head up to the open air market at the north end of the street first. We'll cover most of the street getting there, and Katherine is picking up some pocket money working for the Giloolys at their stand."

"As good a plan as any," said Harry, "and better than most."

Dressed completely muggle, but keeping their hands on their wands, the trio headed out toward the market. They had hardly left the house when Harry noticed a pair of wizards, one of whom he recognized as having been with Dumbledore when he arrived at the Battle of Gringotts. Harry could hardly imagine that the Battle had been only about a month earlier, and he felt a sharp pang at remembering Marietta Edgecombe's death there, the only Hogwarts' casualty besides Harry's crushed leg, double sliced palm, and stab wound through the shoulder.

The auror approached Harry and pulled him away from the Finnegans, "Potter. It's not a coincidence that you're out here, is it?"

"No, we're patrolling." Harry nodded at the others and quietly said "They live here, I was visiting. Both wizards, he was with the rest of the students at Gringotts last month - we're headed north to the market."

The auror replied, "We'll head to the south end and double back."

"Good," said Harry, "Oh, the target is a woman younger than about 65."

"Thanks," said the auror, "and Potter, keep yourself safe. The Minister'd have our heads if anything happened."

Harry smiled and headed off again with the Finnegans. They moved swiftly but cautiously, trying not to attract attention by looking too much like an armed patrol - especially in a city that's had too much of armed groups. When they got to the market, they made a circuit around the grounds, trying to look like they were shopping for something special for dinner, but checking all the shoppers and vendors, trying to discern which was not a muggle. They soon came to the Giloolys' stand, where Mrs. Finnegan greeted Mrs. Gilooly.

"Afternoon, Peg, how's business?"

"Aah, Martha, good as ever; have we got anything you need?"

"Only m'daughter. Is she about?"

"She took the wheelbarrow of trimmings out to the dumpster down the alley there," replied Mrs. Gilooly, pointing across half the market.

As if on cue, they heard a scream echo out of the alley at that moment. All heads turned, and more than a few ducked, as people who have experienced gunbattles learn to do. Harry was relieved to see no one rushed into the alley. The three of them pulled their wands immediately.

Harry grabbed Seamus's collar and Apparated the two of them to the alley, out of the crowd's sight. As soon as they had Apparated in one portion of the alley, Harry re-Apparated them to another portion of the alley. They turned to where they had first apparated in time to see a dark blue spell strike the wall. From behind a stack of boxes, a voice was heard yelling 'Stupefy' and the familiar spell came their direction. Simultaneously, Harry and Seamus shouted "Protego" and the stunner was reflected back toward its source, but the attacker had already disapparated, which they knew from the loud cracking sound.

Suddenly Harry and Seamus heard further down the alley a plaintive call of "No! Help! Please!" They turned and both gasped when they saw a dementor advancing silently but ever so menacingly on Seamus's sister, Katherine, who was retreating from box to dumpster ever further toward the end of the alley, which was blocked by a chain fence.

Harry started to conjure his Patronus, but then realized this was a perfect opportunity to push Seamus past his mental block. Rather than try to trick Seamus with some ploy, he just told Seamus to do what he had to: "Seamus," shouted Harry, "your Patronus!"

"Harry, you do it! You know I can't!"

Katherine dodged around another dumpster, yards ahead of the dementor.

"You CAN do it, Seamus," insisted Harry, "Think you're happiest thought. Think how much you love her! Make yourself do it!"

Seamus aimed his wand and, trembling, shouted "Expecto Patronum!" A white gas emanated from the wand and interposed itself in front of the Dementor but failed to take form. The Dementor was slowed, giving Katherine a chance to dart to the next dumpster. When the mist evaporated, the dementor advanced again, as Katherine sank back into an alcove.

"Try again!" shouted Harry, "Think your happiest thought and try again."

Harry concentrated as well: if it were possible to will another person into new skills, Harry would do it for Seamus.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM" shouted Seamus and the wisp emanated again, as the dementor hovered over Katherine and grabbed her shoulders. This time the wisp formed fully into a small animal and charged at the dementor, striking it in the midsection with its paws. The dementor let go of Katherine and raised its arms to ward off the patronus, which yapped at the dementor and set it to flight down the alley. It chased the dementor, and at the end of the alley turned and gave a yap Seamus's way before continuing the pursuit.

Seamus was shaking; he glared at Harry. "You've got a harsh teaching method there, Coach," he said, using Harry's DA nickname.

"I was certain you had the ability - you needed the motivation. Saving lives is what a Patronus is for. I knew the dementor would move fairly slowly: there was still enough time for my Patronus if that last try had failed."

As they said this, Seamus and Harry ran to Katherine. Harry reached to offer a hand up, but Seamus went a few yards past her and leaned over the edge of the dumpster and vomited. He shook his head slowly and then blew his nose on his t-shirt to remove the traces that had taken that detour.

"I know it's good that I can do it now, but I still say there's got to be a gentler method of teaching it."

Mrs. Finnegan and the two aurors came running up.

"Are you alright?" she asked the three of them. "Seamus, you're as pale as if you'd heard a banshee."

"I'll be fine, Mum," said Seamus, "See to Katherine."

"I'm so c-c-cold" said Katherine, "and I feel sick. What was that?"

"Worse than a banshee - a dementor," said Harry, "We'll explain later. Seamus and I are fine, but Katherine needs chocolate and plenty of it." Harry pulled out a couple of quid he carried for emergencies, "I'll run down to the market and get some."

The auror Harry recognized grabbed his arm, "I'm not letting you go anywhere, Potter. Give the muggle money to Screvens - he'll get it."

Harry gave the other auror the money and said "Just out of the alley to the left is a stand with candy; get the Hershey's or the Cadbury's bars, they're real chocolate. Artificial won't do. Get as much as this will get."

"Right-o. Back in a flash."

"Did anyone see us?" asked Harry.

"Just a couple," said the auror Harry had recognized, "but I've already modified their memories. I cleared everyone else's memories of the scream as well."

"Good. You're going to need me for reports, I assume. But let's get the chocolate into her first and go back to the Finnegans' house."

"Works for me," said the auror, "I really don't like crowds - too easy to hide, too easy for bystanders to get hurt."

They helped Katherine along, as she was still shivering. As they reached the end of the alley, Screvens met them, already unwrapping the first bar, and shoving it toward Katherine.

"I c-c-can't eat that!" she cried, "The calories! The fat! The zits!"

"You can do it this once, dear," said Mrs. Finnegan, "Harry's right, chocolate is what fixes you after a dementor."

She broke off a chunk and shoved it right into Katherine's mouth. Katherine began sucking on it and then chewing it up. She started to stand a bit straighter and managed a weak smile.

"That ... really does make it better. I'm starting to get warm."

She took the rest of the bar and started eating it like she was starving, which, Seamus whispered to Harry, she was, having been perpetually on a diet for 7 years, since she turned 13. She had deprived herself of chocolate and all other high-calorie treats all that time, and now that she was required to eat chocolate, she went at it with gusto.

"Good, love, have another," laughed Mrs. Finnegan.

Back at the house, Mrs. Finnegan helped Katherine to her room to lie down for a while. Seamus changed his shirt and rinsed his mouth thoroughly. Then Mrs. Finnegan served coffee at the kitchen table while the aurors got the details.

"Harry, I don't know how to thank you," said Mrs. Finnegan, "We couldn't have fought it off. We've never mastered the patronus. I shudder to think what would have happened if you hadn't been there with yours."

Harry smiled broadly, "It wasn't mine."

She looked quizzically at him, and then at Seamus, and the realization dawned on her face, "Seamus, you said you'd not been able to do a Patronus."

"I never had before, Mum," he said proudly, then adding sarcatsically "Harry decided this was a lovely day for a Patronus lesson, since I hadn't gotten the hang of it before and there was a dementor handy. He made me think of happy thoughts, and it came when I needed it."

"You just needed to get your focus," said Harry. "Now to the best of my knowledge, you're just the second Hogwarts' student to use the Patronus to save a life. That'll be something to talk about."

"I didn't get there in time to see it, Seamus, what form was it?" asked Mrs. Finnegan.

Seamus stared down into his cup and mumbled, "Oh it doesn't really matter, Mum."

"There's not a thing about you that doesn't matter to me, Seamus Finnegan, and this is something big. Now you just tell me."

"Yes, Mum. It was a scotch terrier."

Mrs. Finnegan fought to suppress her laughter, which sent Harry and the aurors into gales of laughter, as much out of release of the tension of the dementor attack as anything.

"Well," she said, "we may have to keep that from your father. He wouldn't understand a Patronus much anyway."

"Oh, go ahead and laugh, Potter," groused Seamus, "you've got your nice big stag, with the full antlers, all regal and proud, and all I get's a weenie little pooch, and a Scots one to boot."

Harry grinned, "It did the job just fine. Who knows, with practice maybe you'll get a spaniel."

The first auror added, "Or maybe a French poodle with a trimmed poofy tail?"

Seamus just glared. As he did, Katherine came in from upstairs, having recovered considerably.

"I've got two brave young men to thank," she said.

She got Seamus up from his chair and hugged him and kissed his cheeks, as he tried to wriggle away, blushing. Then she pulled Harry up from his chair. She put a hand on each arm just above the elbow and looked up into his eyes, "Now, you're not m'brother - I can do better for you."

Harry startled back, but she threw her arms around Harry and kissed him on the lips, holding there for a good fifteen seconds. She let him go and stepped back and winked at him.

"Who's sporting the red cheeks now, Potter?" said Seamus, and they all had a good laugh, including Harry, who felt too good after that kiss not to.