FicWad

They were being watched. Harry could feel a buzz of nervous energy, he could smell the sweat of fear, even as the snow continued to fall. The curious Witches and Wizards of Hogsmeade had slowly surrounded the podium. Hanging above the podium was a banner that said. "LLR"
Before too long, the streets were full of more of the Magical village's residents. As the news spread, the streets were packed with LLR supporters and curious onlookers. Harry was certain the Totalitar were among the crowd. Hermione had been relying on a large crowd, confident that the Totalitar would not do something drastic in front of so many witnesses and bystanders. Harry prayed to Merlin she was right...for Luna's sake.
It had been a week since his Uncle's death and the mood at LLR headquarters had been somber, as Luna set into motion her audacious plan. What really worried Harry however, was how little planning actually went into said plan. To him it was an impulse, and though he liked what Luna wanted to do, he feared the execution would be fatal.
The people had been gathering for over three hours, but it had merely taken just one before the vultures came out. Suspicious looking wizards with snake eyes and slippery tongs, wooed the gullible into purchasing their suspect products.
"Earwig Earrings, Get your Earwig Earrings! Only three galleons, buy three and you get a priceless Earwig Nose ring for FREE!"
"Wart Stew! Step right up and try some fresh Wart Stew, a cheap easy way to ensnare the warthog of your dreams."
"Step right up and get yourself a bonafide, modified, stupefied, mummified, ruby necklace, now on sale for only ten galleons. Charmed to help you resist the lure of Veela, Succubus and Milk Chocolate. If you're not the necklace wearing type, just tap it with your wand and you have a bracelet. Tap it again and you have a Ring. One more time and it's a bandanna."
"Get your very own Broomstick, Just like the Muggles use. They can't fly, but no broom collection is complete without it. Do not try flying it, you will die."
"Step right up for the autobiography of the year. "Living Up to Ones Name by Cornelius Fudge." A wonderful read...I'm sorry I can't do this...It's so awful...just awful."
Harry could see the necklaces/ring/bracelet/bandanna, had caught on and somehow so did the Muggle broom. No one touched the Wart Stew at all, though to Harry's delight the Earwig Earrings outsold the Fudge's autobiography.
In modest disguise, Harry and the rest of the LL integrated themselves among the crowd, waiting for Luna to appear on the podium. What the increasing impatient mob didn't know was that Luna Lovegood would not appear on the podium, she was already there.
Hidden under Harry's invisibility cloak, Luna was sitting in silence as hundreds of Witches and Wizards surrounded her, waiting for whatever was going to happen. Luna struggled hard to breath, as she suddenly felt a crippling wave of claustrophobia. Luna blamed this on the large concentration of Wrackspurts among the crowd. Luna would've laughed if she wasn't keeping silent and struggling to breath. She had far worse things to worry about than Wrackspurts or claustrophobia, like stage fright, messing up her speech, getting captured by Totalitar, getting killed by Totalitar, getting tortured by Totalitar while everyone is massacred by Dementors and Humdinger's and...
On second thought, this train of thought was not helping. Luna decided to go back to being claustrophobic while she mentally repeated the mantra that Harry had drilled into her for the last week. "I'll be absolutely still, make no noise, and pretend that I don't exist."
"But Harry I like existing." Luna complained with a frown on her face.
"Then you better pretend well, or you won't be pretending at all." Harry spoke in the solid confident voice he had used while teaching, yet his eyes gave away the anxiety that plagued him.
Luna heard the sound of rockets going off and knew it was time. Luna held her breath and counted to three. Feeling the...
Suddenly the sky lit up in flames. As fireworks seemed to turn the sky yellow and green. At first the crowd looked in wonder at the light show, then towards Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, thinking that the prank store had wanted in on the fun. More observant, noticed the trail of smoke coming from the prank stores chimney, a chimney that had not been there five minutes ago.
Then it happened at once, everyone looked at the podium and saw her standing there. Harry's cloak hidden in her robes. Luna looked around at what must have been over a thousand faces and felt a strong urge to urinate. Harry was right, this was a terrible idea.
Luna opened her mouth to speak but choked on air. Luckily her silence was drowned out as the crowd erupted in noise, gasping, pointing and simply speaking to each other, their eyes never leaving Luna. Started to speak louder but then realized she had forgotten to cast a simple sonorous charm. After she had, she then spoke, and uttered the first word she could think of.
"...Um..."
Luna blushed and tried again. Her face was red, and her hands where white.
"Hello"
"That's better" Luna told herself happily, unaware that she said that out loud. She took a deep breath and calmed herself, her eyes met Harry's nervous ones and felt strength fill her. "If Harry can do this then so can I."
Harry had never done this. He had never directly spoken to a group of people larger than Gryffindor house and even without the threat of the Totalitar, wouldn't be caught dead in Luna's place. However in this moment, ignorance was indeed bliss for Luna as she spoke to the crowd. "My name is Luna Lovegood, and I was born a Squib."
Luna eyes were briefly blinded by a bright flash of light, but they cleared quickly enough to see a reporter with a rather over-sized camera. She continued as she blinked. "I see a lot of people here. I'm certain most of, if not all of you can perform magic. I'm also certain that all of you know someone who is a Squib. How many of you have actually imagined living without magic. Many say it is a fate worse than death. I disagree, Muggles live without magic and there are billions of them. I lived without magic and it wasn't that bad."
Luna voice had started to shake near the end but again she calmed herself. "Squibs have it far worse than Muggles, who know nothing of our world. Squibs like me are born into it. Squibs exist in the Wizarding world but we are not a part of it. We are outcasts, we are the ostracized and we don't belong anywhere. That is the fate worse than death. Squibs..."
"Can join the Muggles." A member of the crowd heckled, igniting laughter and drawing glares. Luna seemed shaken as she was assaulted with images of Totalitar.
"They..." Luna's voice gave out as her eyes widened. Harry followed her gaze and felt his own do the same. Luna struggled to hold back the tears as she saw her father among the crowd. Xenophilius had his quick quill writing furiously but he seemed unaware of it. His eyes only focused on the women who had once been his daughter. In many ways she still was, yet he could hardly recognize her. He was terrified when she had first appeared on that stage but thoughts of fear had since fled his mind.
Both Lovegood's had tears in their eyes. After so long apart, just the simple act of looking into each other's eyes was overwhelming. After what felt like minutes but was only five seconds, Xenophilius nodded his head eagerly while he mouthed encouragements to Luna. She nodded as well, as a smile rose on her face before her eyes focused. She blinked twice and responded to the heckler,
"Most Squibs do join the Muggles, but they have to hide a large part of themselves, they can never speak honestly of their childhood, to even their closest friends or even their soul mate. They are most often abandoned by their own family, some as soon as they are born. You likely have a Squib in your family and do not even know it. After all, a Squib is an embarrassment for any Wizarding family, so it is best to pretend that they don't exist." Luna said with more confidence, her words now carrying a more biting tone.
Many of the Wizards surrounding Luna now looked less then pleased, her words hitting too close to home for too many of them. Those who did not feel shame looked at her darkly. Harry noticed those looks and felt his skin grow cold, and it had nothing to do with the freezing snow.
"You hate Squibs, because they are Muggles. You hate Muggles because they are different. You hate those who are different because you are told to hate them. Just last week the new Minister of Magic had a Muggle executed on the Ministry floor. I was there when Miss Grimhilde implied that Muggles had no souls. THIS IS A LIE!" Luna said harshly transforming as she spoke from timid girl to powerful woman before their eyes.
Harry had subtly moved his way through the crowd until he was able to tap Xenophilius on the shoulder. The eccentric wizard let out a girlish yelp before his eyes met with Harry's. "Oh...Hello Mr. Potter."
Xeno's eyes returned to Luna and Harry did the same. Harry whispered out of the corner of his mouth. "Are you scared?"
Xenophilius grunted. "Terrified, and you?"
"I remember once saying, I would rather fight another dragon, then ask a girl out to the Yule Ball...I was such a wimp back then."
"You were far braver then I ever was, you have only grown stronger since then. I think she is the bravest of us all." Xenophilius whispered wisely.
Harry nodded wordlessly as Luna continued to speak. "The Ministry of Magic is not your friend, they don't want to help or protect you. They wish to control you through fear. Whether you side with the Totalitar agenda or not, you fear them. People like them feed off your fear, they manipulate your anger and focus your hatred on the innocent. You blame Muggles and Muggleborns for you woes, but the only person you can blame is yourselves."
"I hardly recognize her Harry." Xenophilius muttered hoarsely under his breath. "She has changed so much, she is so different now. Are you sure that's my daughter?"
"She's a not a girl anymore Mr. Lovegood." Harry replied as his eyes raked through the crowd.
Xenophilius nodded. "I have never been more proud of my daughter.. She may have grown up, but she's still by Little Luna."
"It is your fault the Wizarding world is collapsing, it is your fault that war continues to plague our world. It is your fault that the Totalitar have you shaking in your boots, You let this happen, in your hatred and anger you gave the power of your beaters the power to control you. Now it's too late, you can't undo what has been done, but now is not the time for regrets. We have left the Wizarding world in the hands of very dangerous people and we are reaping what we've sown."
Luna voice rang out over the crowd as the snow continued to fall. It was growing into a Blizzard yet Luna persisted, so focused in her speech she did not even cast a warming charm, freezing in the snow She spoke. Harry noticed Luna move her fingers in a certain direction and looked to where she pointed. Harry cussed under his breath which regained Xeno's attention. "What...What is it Harry,"
"Totalitar."
The Totalitar were also dispersed among the crowd. They stood out in their uniforms of White, Green and Red. Those in the crowd who noticed them looked far from thrilled, most were as pale as the falling snow. Xenophilius seemed to be the most scared of them all.
"Oh Merlin."
"Calm down Xeno," Harry replied nervously. "They won't try anything with so many witnesses."
"Do you trust them not to?" Xenophilius asked, his voice higher than normal.
"No..." Harry cursed as he raised his wand to his mouth and whispered. "You see them Hermione"
Harry heard a whisper in his ear. "I see them, I got members focused on all of them but I don't like this. They aren't disillusioned, they want to be seen."
"They could just want to intimidate them." Harry argued half-heartedly, seeing the affect the Totalitar were having on the crowd.
Harry could almost hear Hermione shake her head. "Unlikely, I don't see the point. They already live with the Totalitar hanging over their head. They are here to do something, and yet they are visible."
"Well they are going to try something. Bloody Hell, they had my uncle killed in front of a crowd, why not Luna? Harry yelled into his wand .
"You think they cried over your uncle, after the way he treated their savior. Luna's different, lots of people love her. For the Totalitar to attack her directly would be unforgivable. There would be rioting in the streets." Hermione replied in lecture mode.
"Then what...wait...unforgivable," Harry whispered thoughtfully as he looked around the crowd. "Hermione I think we have a problem."
"What is it."
Luna continued ignoring the fear that shook her body. "We were given a second chance with Riddle's demise, and we have spit in the face of redemption. We will not get another chance. Too long has the Wizarding world refused to adapt! Too long have we allowed evil hatred and bigotry into our hearts, our minds, and the schools that raise our children. A school that has seen blood spilt in its hallowed halls for far too long. We are told to except the things we cannot change but we cannot accept evil."
Harry started rushing through the crowd trying to reach Luna. He was knocking people over but he wasn't going fast enough. He started shouting at Luna but she could not hear her. "Luna! Behind you!"
"We can't just fight and you can't simply win. You have to change, you all have to change. You must let go of your hatred, and your bigotry. The fate of the Wizarding world may come down to this. We must stand up to those who desire our power. We must fight back, while we still have something to fight for. I know it is scary to take chances, to face danger instead of running, to stand out when you desire to be unseen, but this is about freedom. Freedom is worth fighting for and it's worth dying for.
"I can't reach her Harry, we've run into trouble." Hermione's voice yelled in his ear."
"Luna!" Harry shouted desperately.
"If we don't learn to stand up in the face of injustice and embrace those who are different. The Totalitar will destroy us all."
Harry felt someone grab his arm, and whirled a fist at the stranger. He saw other members rushing towards him and aimed his wand at their glazed eyes. He looked at Luna, and saw he was too late.
"LUNA!" Harry screamed.
"If we don't fight for our freedom we will die slaves." Luna cried out as she saw a little girl climbing onto the platform. Luna smiled with a hint of confusion. "Hello there, you shouldn't be up here."
The girl smiled as she raised her head. Luna spoke softly, "You have a pretty necklace, and it matches your eyes..."
"LUNA!"
Luna blinked twice as she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Luna reached for her stomach and as she raised her hand back to her face she saw it was red. Luna noticed things were surprisingly slow as she looked into the vacant eyes of the child. Luna realized somewhere in the back of her mind that she was going to die.
Then everything sped up. The girl slashed again with her bloody knife but before it could reach her, Luna felt someone viciously tackle her off the podium. If the tackle didn't knock the wind out of her, falling five feet onto her back, with the tackler landing on her chest certainly did. Luna then remembered the real reason why she was winded and the pain hit her.
Harry was already on his knees when the child jumped on top of him with a horrible shriek. The girl pressed a knife to Harry's throat with unnatural strength, as Harry struggled to hold her off. Harry quickly grabbed the girl's necklace and ripped it off her...and the little girl dropped the knife and started to cry.
Harry looked around and saw Luna whimpering in the red snow. Harry rushed over and picked her up. By this point Harry and Luna were surrounded by the LLR and the spells had started flying. The LLR deflected most of the curses heading towards Luna, but Harry had to dodge his fair share that slipped through the cracks.
"Don't worry Luna, I got you." Harry whispered to Luna a she grimaced in pain.
"What happened." Luna muttered weakly.
"The Totalitar started a riot, and now they get to stop it." Harry growled with anger.
Harry saw Xenophilius making his way to them, ducking and dodging curses as most of the crowd had begun to flee. The circle of LLR members was already growing smaller as the glazed eyed Witches and Wizards turned up the pressure,
"Luna's hurt, we need to get to shelter." Harry yelled over the sounds of shouting and cursing as Xenophilius reached him.
Xenophilius paled but raised his wand with determination. "I'll Apparate with her to shelter."
"And bloody splinch her in half?!" Harry shouted. "She's too injured to apparate, we need to get these two to George's store."
"On foot? Harry we don't have time, Luna is going to bloody die." Xenophilius screamed in a panic.
"Luna isn't going to bloody die!" Harry yelled though he felt his heart beating faster.
"What if the Knife is poisoned."
"Harry..." Luna whimpered weakly.
"What Luna." Harry gasped as he felt panic consume him. Only Luna didn't seem frightened, she seemed calm.
"Say the magic words"
Voices whispered softly as Luna closed her eyes and let her mind wander. Luna spoke.
"Imaginatio Potestatem"
"What? Oh Godric, she's going into shock, oh Merlin Oh Merlin Oh..."
"Xeno, shut the bloody hell up." Harry cursed as he tightened his hold of Luna. "Xenophilius, grab the girl and jump."
Xenophilius did as he was told while Harry yelled. "Follow me and for Godric's sake don't drop the girl."
"What are you...Oh...MERLIN'S BALLS!" Xeno cried out as he started to levitate, nearly dropping the girl in his arms. .
Harry took off as well, with Luna in his arms. Xenophilius thought he looked like a hero from the Wizarding comic called Super Muggle, which Pandora had insisted was a rip off of some Muggle comic.
Harry and Xenophilius flew over the fighting towards the joke shop. The Totalitar were fighting viciously against the overwhelmed LLR. There was only ten Totalitar, but they weren't the ones causing the trouble. Many of the Witches in the crowd had started fighting with the LLR. There were quite a few men as well. They all wore the same ruby necklace.
"Where's my mummy?" The little girl in Xeno's arms cried out.
"What's your name?" Xenophilius asked trying to keep his mind off the sight of his daughter bleeding.
"Kara." The girl whispered softly.
"That's a pretty name...Shit!" Xenophilius screamed as he dodged a curse. "Sorry we'll talk later, don't worry we'll find your mum."
Harry shot a spell at the joke shop door and a voice rang loudly through the streets. "IF YOUR EARS ARE BLEEDING THEN YOU KNOW THAT "WEASLEYS WIZARD WHEEZES" IS CLOSED! WHY? BECAUSE I SAID IT WAS!"
The door opened and George Weasley waved them in. Harry and Xenophilius shot through the door like the devil was on their tales, as dozens of curses hit the now closed door. Harry had Luna lying on George's desk, knocking its contents to the floor. Harry turned and yelled out. "What the fuck! was that George? Some kind of joke?"
"Well yeah, it is a joke shop, but I...forgot to...turn it...off?" George stuttered, looking like his mother caught him turning Percy's hair green, which had indeed happened..
"Everyone in Hogsmeade must have heard your hilarious joke. It's going to be bloody hard to escape now. They all must know we are here and if you think the Totalitar aren't putting up anti-apparition wards, you're mad." Harry cursed. "Now look after Kara here, Luna's hurt."
"Luna's hurt?!" George yelled out.
"Not fatally." Xenophilius audibly sighed with relief has he looked at Luna's wound. "I mean, it's treatable. Knife did a number on her stomach but it's nothing a good healer can't fix."
"We don't have a Healer." Harry moaned as he ran over to Luna.
"You have a dam good one actually." Xenophilius muttered whiling casting charms. Luna winced in pain but made no noise. "What do you think I was doing after Pandora died. The Quibbler doesn't exactly make money and It cost a fortune for Luna to stay in Saint Mungo's as long as she did. So I just lived there and worked for a year."
"They just let you work as a Healer? Without training?!" Harry asked incredulously.
"No..." Xenophilius admitted as he worked. "I cleaned the place, but I got the gist of how it's done."
Harry found himself feeling light headed as he sat on the floor. "She's going to die, she's not going to die, she is going to die, she is not..."
"Harry." Luna muttered sounding stronger already as she reached for Harry's hand. Harry took it as he looked into her eyes. Luna whispered. "I'm not leaving you, remember."
"Dam right." Xenophilius gasped as he continued swishing his wand around like a lunatic.
"What happened?" Luna asked as she flinched from the pain.
Harry squeezed her hand tighter as he spoke. "Necklaces, there merchants were selling necklaces. I should have realized that was strange. I assumed they where fake but...It acted like an Imperius Curse. They come in other forms so you can bet it isn't just Witches that have been bewitched. I..."
"There we go," Xenophilius grunted as he gave a final swish and flick of his wand. "Good as new! Frankly if they wanted you dead they would not have used a Muggle knife. It wasn't even poisoned."
Luna slowly got off the table and hugged Harry. Xenophilius looked on with fondness. "Just don't do any strenuous activities for a week or so and you will be right as rain...Oomph"
"Xenophilius was knocked back as his daughter lunged into his arms and tried to crush his ribs. "Easy there child, I'm not as young as I used to be... and I just said no strenuous activities."
Despite his scolding the old Wizard was hugging Luna with all the strength he could muster. Struggling not to burst into tears on the spot. The tender moment was ended by a curse blasting a hole through the wall. The hole was no bigger than a Quaffle, but through it Harry could see the fighting had gotten ugly.
"George, keep the girl here and keep her safe. Xenophilius, get Luna to safety. I have to go out there." Harry said with determination.
Xenophilius nodded. "I'll meet you at my place, no one will suspect her to go there."
"Are you mad!?" Harry exclaimed, looking at Xenophilius like he just grew a horns.
"Maybe, however in this situation, the status of my sanity is quite irrelevant. It is too obvious of a place to look. I have been searched once since you both vanished from Hogwarts and that was a full week later. The rook is also heavily warded now so the place...should last us...the night." Xeno trailed off as Luna broke free of his grip and ran right out the front door. "Bugger."
"Bugger indeed," Harry muttered before chasing after her, not quite avoiding a blast of bright green fire. Harry felt his eyebrow start to burn when freezing water splashed his face. Harry opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of Ron before ducking under a vicious entrails expelling curse. Harry heard a blood curdling scream from behind him, but continued moving forward, desperately trying to catch sight of Luna, or her blond hair.
It was complete and utter bedlam. Harry couldn't tell up from left, down from right, or friend from foe. Harry could hardly see through the combination of bright spells being cast and the blinding white of the blizzard. Harry had to shield his eyes as he made his way through the skirmish. Harry noticed a Totalitar and assumed correctly he was foe and sent a cutting charm at his arm. The Totalitar reflected the curse back at Harry who felt his hair shorten. Before he could react, the Totalitar quickly flew up into the air before plummeting to the earth, repetitively, like a twisted yo-yo.
Harry smelt smoke and realized his robe was on fire, and quickly threw it off him. Harry heard a strange high pitched humming growing louder and felt his nose break under the impact of a bludgeoning curse. Harry was thrown into the air and landed on an elderly wizard. As Harry rolled off him with haste, the old man suddenly slashed at Harry's leg and Harry punched him in the face without thinking. He really hoped the old man was alright as he removed the ruby ring from his frail finger.
Quickly, it became apparent his nose was not all that was broken. His glasses were cracked and snapped in two, and Harry had to hold them together as he blindly sprinted into the crossfire. Harry's vision may have been blurred, but he recognized the brown bushy hair that could only belong to Hermione. Harry stumbled towards her as she fought a bewitched married couple and a Totalitar. She was holding her own but failed to notice another Wizard approaching her from behind, with his wand aimed at her neck.
Harry lunged at the attacking Wizard and wrestled him away from Hermione. Harry got on his back and jabbed his wand into the Wizard's neck...At least that was the plan. Unfortunately the wand was a quarter of the way up the now moaning man's nose.
"Not again," Harry grimaced as he struggled to pull his wand out of the snotty orifice. With a final gut wrenching yank, and a loud sticky pop, the wand was free...and Harry landed on his ass.
"You know there are better ways to rescue me then sticking wands up noses." Hermione quipped as she continued to deflect curses from the enemy.
"Picky picky, be glad I saved your life at all." Harry responded as he hit a bewitched woman with a low energy Diffindo, cutting her necklace in two. Her eyes focused as he ripped the ruby ring off her husband's finger. They both fled as the Totalitar conjured a Tiger out of thin air. The beast roared as it tried to kill the Totalitar, none too happy about being conjured into a blizzard.
"Stupid wizards, non magical animals are only harder to control." Hermione muttered to herself.
"Really?" Harry grunted in surprise as he deflected an errant curse from a nearby LLR member.
Hermione explained in student mode, despite nearly getting hit by a blast of fire. "Magical creatures tend to be more sentient than their non magical brethren. Without the influence of Wizards or magic, non magical creatures tend to be...too stupid to tame."
The tiger, which had been busy trying to rip the Totalitar's mask from his face, jerked it's head violently towards Harry and Hermione. The look in the tiger's eyes was not friendly.
"I think he heard you." Harry muttered and the tiger growled, seemingly seething.
"Harry, it's a she." Hermione corrected, her face pale white. The tiger roared as it charged at Harry. The Beast was upon him when Harry lunged to the ground, his face buried in the freezing snow. Harry rolled onto his back and could smell the tigers breath on his face. Harry decided not to open his eyes knowing if he did, he would start screaming and would not stop until the king of all cats silenced him permanently.
Hermione panicked and started hitting the tiger with stinging hexes, succeeding in getting the tigers attention. Unfortunately the tiger's attention, involved chasing Hermione through the crossfire as she tried to hex the beast.
Harry saw the tiger chasing Hermione and went to keep up when he was knocked back into the snow. Harry looked to see a Totalitar stand over him, it's faceless mask stained with blood.
"Come quietly Mr. Potter or we will take you buy force." The Totalitar spoke with authority, his deep voice muffled from behind the mask.
"Sorry, can you repeat that?" Harry feigned ignorance as he started to get up anyway.
The Totalitar raised his wand above his head but whatever curse he was going to cast would remain un-cast. When he brought his arm down the wand was missing from his hand. The 'Totalitar quickly turned around and looked at a small blond girl holding his wand.
Luna looked at the wand inquisitively and with a random swish and flick, the Totalitar dropped unconscious. "How curious."
"Luna!" Harry shouted as he rose to his feat. "What are you doing out here, you can't be here, you can barley use magic."
"I used magic on him...of course I was trying to levitate him...I think I gave him a concussion." Luna said looking at the twitching Totalitar.
"Never mind him." Harry said attempting to lead Luna away from the fighting. "You can't help here, you're only going to get yourself killed."
"I'm not abandoning them!" Luna snapped sharply. "This is my fault Harry. We underestimated the Totalitar and now people are getting hurt."
"AHHHHHHHHH"
Xenophilius could be seen running like his life depended on it. The tiger chasing him agreed with his assessment. Luna bolted after the tiger and Harry chased all three while saying words unfit for non Nargles.
Luna lunged and grabbed onto the Tiger's tale. The beast tiger started spinning in circles chasing Luna, who now airborne was holding onto the tail with all her strength."
"Bad cat! Bad cat! Bad cat!" Xeno screamed as he tried to curse the tiger. Harry got as close as he could to the beast and slashed at the tiger with cry of, "Diffindo!"
Luna flew through the air with a severed tale in her hand. Harry waved his wand and slowed down her fall, allowing himself to catch her. Luna blinked and looked at the tail in her hand. "Did you have to cut off its tale."
Harry couldn't help the laugh that coughed out of him. "Better it's tale than your neck."
Luna dropped the tail as she spoke. "It's just an animal..."
"Look out!" Xenophilius cried out.
Harry and Luna looked up to see the tiger charging at them with murder in its eyes. Harry raised his wand with a spell on his lips when the great cat slashed at Luna. Harry yanked Luna out of the way and watched in horror as his wand dropped to the ground. The beast roared as it pounced on Harry and Luna, the two Magicals clinging together, eyes closed as the cat landed upon them.
The tiger didn't weigh as much as Luna expected, nor did it hurt as much as Harry anticipated. They both opened their eyes and looked at the adorable kitten trying to scratch its way through Harry's shirt.
"Accio kitten." A voice said and the kitten let out a startled meow as it zoomed into Ron's hands.
"Ron?" Harry gasped as Xenophilius helped them to their feet. Harry looked at the kitten and hit himself on the head. "Why didn't I think of that?"
"All these years and you still think like a Muggle." Ron laughed before he paled. "Oh bugger."
Harry and Luna turned and saw a great monstrous fiendfyre heading towards them, burning everything in it's all consuming path. Xenophilius shouted over the fighting, "RUN!"
The two wizards ran after him with haste. However when Harry looked to Luna he realized she had remained where she was, staring down the cursed flames.
Luna didn't not move or even flinch as she stared into the flames. The fire was a hair's breath away but did it seemed perplexed by Luna's lack of fear. Luna undeterred spoke in a loud voice. "My father was right, if you wanted me dead I would be dead already."
The fiendfyre screamed an unnatural scream, breathing smoke into Luna's face. Luna struggled to hold in her cough but refused to show weakness in the eye of the storm.
"Clever girl." A voice shouted with mock enthusiasm as the flames were sucked back into the wand that conjured it. "You got a smart Squib there Potter. You must be so proud of your training."
The figure approaching Luna was a familiar one. He seemed even worse off than he had at the Golden Swamp. His face was still scarred and missing teeth. His hair however was now completely grey and falling out of his balding head. His face was a light shade of green and his arms were so frail, you would believe they belonged to a dead man. The lifeless look in his eyes helped confirm that theory, but the way he strutted towards them and whistled, you would think he was as healthy as the day he was born.
"So are you going to give your pet a treat?" The man laughed a deranged, wheezing laugh.
"You again!" Harry growled as he ran to Luna's side.
The scarred man laughed. "Or is it you who is the pet. You were a slave to Muggles as a child, and now one has enslaved you once more."
"Shut up!" Harry and Luna shouted at the same time.
"How cute." The man laughed as he raised his wand and shot a Reductor at the ground they stood on. Harry reflected it back at the scarred man who simply dodged, letting the spell smash into one of the stores. "Oh how the mighty have fallen. You had it all Potter, you were a hero, and a legend. You would've have been great, you could have been the Minister of Magic. Now you are nothing. A hero for a day now a king without a crown. You gave it all up for a Mudblood's love. I hope it was worth it."
"Sectumsempra!" Harry shouted as his the curse hit the man's arm. He merely looked at the arm and shrugged as the snow around him turned red.
"Not going to lie, that hurt me Potter." The scarred man grunted as he pointed to Luna. "She hurt me worse, she hurt me worse than your spells ever could Harry Potter. She will hurt you too, when she leaves you. Mudbloods are all the same, they are weak. They fear us, and hate us. It can feel your pureness and It will loath you for it. It will leave you, as one left me. The Muggles love nothing, not even their children."
Luna looked at the scarred man and asked. "Who are you?"
"Donovan's me name." The man answered, exaggerating his Irish accent as he smiled his toothless grin. "I don't think you give a damn about me name, I believe you want a different answer. Well frankly I have a question of my own to ask of ye."
Donovan glared at Luna and for the first time there was emotion in his eyes, the emotion of hatred. "How many students did you rescue Squib? I was told you saved hundreds. You know they all loved you for that. They even called you a hero. A HERO!? How about the students you didn't save Huh!? How many lives did you fail, I was told they took you out of that room with blood on your robe, HIS BLOOD!"
"I understand not saving the Malfoy boy. He tried to kill you, he was a death eater. The little shit deserved what he got. BUT WHAT ABOUT MY BOY! HE SAVED YOUR WORTHLESS LIFE!" Donovan screamed, his voice horse with rage.
Luna whispered. "Michael..."
"I tried to warn him about scum like you. I tried to warn him but he believed that helping your kind was the right thing to do. He hated your kind and saw your weakness, but he still wanted to help you. You stabbed my son in the back!" Mr. Corner growled with tears of rage and pain.
"I tried to save him!" Luna cried out. "He was too close, I wasn't strong enough,"
Harry stepped in front of Luna. "Your son died because he was egged on by Malfoy. He died because he hated. He died because you taught him to hate. He destroyed himself."
"He died because he dared to reveal your disgusting secret." Donovan shouted. "It was bad enough that Mudbloods infest Hogwarts. That you were let into Hogwarts filled me with a strong urge to vomit. I helped my son expose you as a Squib and you killed him."
"How would you know that!" Harry growled as he raised his wand threateningly.
"I was an Unspeakable, until they found out what I did. I found a loophole and gave out information without breaking my unbreakable vow. Of course they found out and made me wish that I hadn't. They still punish me, but I no longer know pain."
Donovan grinned as he happily spoke. "So this is what's going to happen. I'm going to take the thing to the Ministry, and I'm going to kill you. Then I will destroy everyone you saved the day you failed my son, and then I will die with them. No more pain, no more guilt, no more grief...only justice for all."
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Harry ducked the killing curse and cried out. "Expelliarmus!"
Corner's wand flew out of his hand. Harry grinned as he shouted "Petrificus Totalus!"
The spell flew at the unmoving Donovan before it froze. The scarred man grinned as he raised his bare hand at Luna. The spell hit Luna who stiffened and fell into the Snow. Harry went to revive her but felt his wand flying out of his hand and into the hand of Donovan. "Things have changed Potter."
With a wave of his hand Harry felt himself freeze, he could not move. Donovan laughed as he strolled forward ignoring a misfired spell that nearly took off his head. "True power...is not limited to Squibs. It is there for the taking, if you are willing to pay the price!"
He stood over Luna's frozen body and stared into her moving eyes. He knelt by her side and raised his left hand over her eyes and whispered. "No price is too high for the man who has nothing to lose, and believe me, I paid a hefty price to hear you scream."
His hand started to tremor and Luna closed her eyes tightly. He snapped his right hand and Luna screamed. Harry could not move, had to move but his nerves were dead . He felt like a child fighting a mountain. He could not even cry out. He realized with a heart-wrenching throb that helping Luna was impossible.
Then it came to him...Impossible. "Imaginatio Potestatem."
He whispered the words in his mind and felt Donovan's power leave him. He didn't care that Corner had his wand. He shot at the psychopath like a bullet and kicked the kneeling man in the head. Corner collapsed into to the snow unconscious and bleeding from his head. Luna slowly rose to her knees and Harry wrapped his arms around her. "Are you ok, Luna?"
"Where is my Father?" Luna gasped looking around. The fighting had moved away from them but they could still see the village on fire.
"I don't know Luna but we will find him and get the hell out of here." Harry stated as he...
"GRAH!" Donovan's animalistic roar was Harry's only hint before he was knocked into the snow with Corner on top of him, strangling him with his thin long fingers. Harry felt his long puss filled nails pierce into the flesh of his neck, like they were claws. Luna screamed as she pulled Donovan's hair, tearing it out by the fistful. Donovan hollered in pain but did not release his grip. Luna then saw Harry's wand on the ground and quickly tried to stun the mad man.
It didn't work.
Donovan screamed as he let go of Harry and plunged his head into the snow. Desperately trying to put out the fire Luna had started on his head. Harry coughed and gasped and wiped at the cuts in his neck left by Corner's nails. He whipped his wand at Donovan but the mad man was quicker, rolling away the curse Harry had fired and grabbing his own wand. They both rose to their feet and began firing curses at each over.
Harry shouted as he battled his foe. "LUNA, FIND YOUR FATHER AND GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"
"HARRY!"
"DAMN IT LUNA, GO!" Harry shouted as the snow blinded him and Donovan, the two firing blind.
Luna reluctantly ran away, only the worry for her father dragging her from Harry. Luna took a curse to the face, but luckily it was only a Conjunctivitis Curse. Her eyes watered with pain as she shoved her way through the crowd until she heard her Father's cries
"Luna!" Xenophilius bellowed as he searched through the chaos.
"Father!" Luna shouted Unable to see Xenophilius utter the counter curse on her eyes. Then putting an arm around her as he lead her away from the fighting. Luna noticed and shouted. "Where are we going?"
"Home, where you bloody belong." Xenophilius grunted as he stunned a bewitched witch in his way. "We just need to get out of the range from the anti-apparition wards."
"We can't leave, what about Harry?!" Luna yelled as she struggled in her Father's grasp.
"He can take care of himself, Luna!" Xenophilius yelped as he took a Bludgeoning Curse to the arm. "That's broken!"
"NO!" Luna screamed, as she ripped herself free from her father, though, by the way he was staring at her, he might have just let her go.
"What did you say?" Xenophilius uttered dumbstruck for the first time unaware that he was in the middle of a war zone.
"I'M NOT LEAVING HARRY!" Luna shouted. "I"M NEVER LEAVING HARRY!"
Xenophilius just looked at her, then muttered. "Bloody Hell, fine we'll get Harry then we leave."
Harry was bleeding from a gash on his forehead but Donovan seemed worse off. Likely due to the man's lack of interest in defending himself. He seemed less green and more purple as he struggled for breath. He fired another curse at Harry but it missed by a mile.
Harry spoke. "You've had enough Corner!"
Donovan nodded as he spit blood onto the snow. "I know, but you haven't."
"Tell me what you know about Grimhilde and I'll let you live." Harry threatened.
"You think I give a fuck if I die?!" Donovan bellowed and sent another missed curse at Harry. "If I didn't give Michael the documents on your beloved Squib he would still be alive. I killed my son as much as you, your Squib and the thrice damned Ministry. We all deserve to pay for his death but I'm rather limited on who I get to punish. The Squib and Ministry are off limits, everyone else can fucking burn! I'm going to burn them all in Muggle fire!"
"Diffindo!" Harry shouted as Corner cried out as he grabbed his face and fell to the ground. Harry raised his wand to finish him off but faltered. "Stupif..."
Then he heard it, a deep rumbling noise followed by a gasp of terror. Harry saw it, standing on the platform Luna had given her speech. The reaper had stopped the fighting simply with its presence and Harry was able to see Xenophilius crushing his daughter's wrist, with his petrified wrist.
"Oh dear, we are in trouble." Corner sung as Harry ran towards Luna.
The being seemed to glide off the platform and float towards Luna. She never felt more terrified in her entire life as the cloked figure parted the crowd. Xenophilius gulped before he stood between his daughter and the reaper, but the creature simply pushed him to the side as it stood before Luna. It raised its hand, it grabbed Luna's wrist. Harry cursed but the scythe reflected the curse and Harry felt a gash open up on his shoulder.
"HAROOOM HAROOOM"
For a second, Luna thought the sound came from the deathly figure, then she saw them. Standing on the ruins of stores that surrounded the square, was an army of small murderous looking beings. Goblins.
"HAROOOM HAROOOM"
A Large ugly Goblin again blew the titanic horn and Luna felt the earth shake. Some held spears, others held goblin forged swords. They chanted in unison a deep, blood curdling roar.
"DRORKATCH! DRORKATCH!"
The cloaked figure let go of Luna's wrist and raised its Scythe, but that only seemed to trigger the next sound.
"GROOOOOOOORNM"
The Goblins simultaneously charged, growling viciously as they launched themselves at the Wizards. A spear pierced a Totalitar's faceless mask and the rest of them soon disappeared. Harry grabbed a hold of Luna and muttered "I'm glad they're on our side...ugh."
A large Goblin forced Harry to his knees pressing a spear into his back as hard as he could without stabbing him. Another Goblin did the same to Luna and her father. Xenophilius was pleading for mercy, while Luna had her hands up and looked unperturbed. Luna looked around her and saw the bewitched and LLR alike being forced to their knees. In the distance she could here Hermione arguing, "We are on your side! I'm Hermione Granger, leader of the LLR!"
"Who's in charge?" Luna asked as she turned to face the Goblin, only to be forced into the snow.
"NO TALK! NO MOVE!" The Goblin bellowed.
"Tarborck dunger, Greeder" Another Goblin snarled before looking at Harry and Luna. "My apologies, Goblin soldiers are not like the bankers of Gringotts. They are strong and vicious, but are stupid skullracks, that hardly speak anything but Gobbledygook."
Harry grinned as the short Goblin helped him to his feet. "We heard you were dead Ragnok."
The Goblin sneered as he offered his hand to Luna. "I assure you, I have never felt more alive. I should almost thank you humans for destroying our beloved bank, it ignited something in us that has been empty and buried for far too long. A Thirst for Blood, HA!"
Ragnok ignored Xenophilius, who was struggling to his feat, and instead looked around him and approached the body of a Totalitar and removed the spear from its head. "Do not fear, we are not at war with all humans, just our enemies. The punishment for violating the Goblin treaty, which has enabled our two society's to live together in harmony for hundreds of years shall be painful and permanent. Destroying Gringotts was a mistake that shall be rectified in gore."
"Yes I know the punishments, but can you please not burn alive and eat my friends?" Luna asked politely while Harry suddenly turned blue. Xenophilius started heaving onto the snow and for once, Harry couldn't blame him.
"Your friends will be taken with us to...well we won't tell you where but it's where we are living. They shall be quickly tried and in all likelihood released. Your Ministry..." Ragnok spit at their mention, "...May not use Veritaserum in trials but Goblins have no such laws. I would like to work with the LLR to free the other innocents and those who are guilty will be burned at the stake and served..."
"Please Ragnok, I really do not need to hear the details." Xenophilius pleaded as he leaned on Luna for support.
Ragnok smirked, looking at the green faces. "Perhaps you would be better fit to not attend the honorary feasts. I see no need to put you two on trial. Go now, I sense your power is weak. You can hardly channel your magic through a wand."
"What!" Xenophilius exclaimed as he stared, inspecting Luna closely, Luna ignored her father and nodded to Ragnok.
Ragnok looked over his shoulder and saw two Goblin's lead Hermione towards them. She held her head high as they jabbed her with spears. "It seems your friend has some kind words for me. I will give you a moment before we leave...I suggest you do the same. I trust your friend is innocent but if she leaves with you...I will not show mercy. May your bones wither and your blood serve the Goblin nation."
"And the same to you." Harry muttered under his breath, causing the Goblin to give a feral grin.
With a salute Ragnok started to round up his troops and prisoners. Hermione looked at Harry and Luna as the Goblins saluted and remained frozen like statues. Hermione shook her head and grimaced. "This should be fun...I always wanted to witness an execution."
Goblin's are brutal but just, you will be fine." Luna whispered as she hugged Hermione.
"Hermione hugged back tightly "Even if there are no traitors in the LLR the Goblin's captured a Totalitar, I think we can assume he will be found guilty and..."
"Merlin don't say it!" Xenophilius begged as he was looking more pale than the snow.
"Is Ron OK?" Harry asked, suddenly looking around for his friend.
"He's a bit of a mess but he's in better condition than you Harry." Hermione replied looking at the wounds Harry had sustained.
Xenophilius replied. "I can handle him."
Hermione looked skeptically at Xenophilius before pulling Harry into a hug. "Take care of yourselves."
"We will, say goodbye to Ron for me." Harry said as he saw the Goblins approaching them. Harry stepped back and waved as the Goblin's took Hermione away.
Xenophilius took both Harry and Luna's hands and muttered. "Let's go home then shall we."
Before Harry or Luna could respond, there was a crack of sounds and the three had disappeared.