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Chapter Thirty Five: Emeralds of Chaos

“This is extremely perplexing,” said Harry one evenifng a few days after his last encounter with the Shredder and he was still in New York for Easter holiday. He had weeks worth of Muggle newspapers spread in front of him for lack of anything else better to due because of Ginny and Hailey both being swapped with homework.

“Done at last,” said Ginny raising her hands up into the air in triumph as she walked into the room. She stopped at her boyfriend’s quite frankly puzzled expression. “What’s wrong Harry?”

“This,” muttered Harry, handing Ginny the newspaper.

“Thief breaks into jewelry store, but nothing missing. Police baffled as to motive for this crime,” read Ginny. “And I fail to see where you’re going with this Harry.”

“Keep reading, Ginny,” said Harry waving his hand.

“This is the seventh jewelry store robbery in the past three weeks where nothing is stolen and no signs of force were discovered from the thief breaking in the building,” said Ginny as she scanned the paper, frowning. “Then how do these Muggles know there stores have been broken into?”

“Security camera footage,” said Harry. “Sort of like the Muggle equivalent of monitoring charms. I know that Dumbledore has some surrounding the entrance area of the office. Of course the most disturbing fact is that the thief took on a different appearance during every robbery. She’s using magic to break into these buildings and may be a Metamorphmagus.”

“Lovely, a thief that can’t be caught due to the fact she changes her appearance on each break in,” said Ginny sarcastically before growing serious. “Harry, I’m not really sure you should be worrying at this. This isn’t anyone who’s a Dark Wizard or an evil alien brain leading a group of ninjas. This lady is just a petty thief and I think the American Wizarding Government would catch onto the fact that she’s using magic and would hunt her down to bring her to justice.”

“Ginny, I suppose you’re right,” said Harry, pushing all of the newspapers off the coffee table and out of sight. “So, you finally got everything done.”

“Yes and it wasn’t easy with your sister asking me for help every two seconds on her Potions homework,” said Ginny. “Snape gave her loads of homework for her behavior in his class…”

“I don’t think Snape realizes that if he lets Hailey get to him, then she’ll keep annoying him,” said Harry. “She’s kind of like how I was during my first year before I became all dark, bitter, and cynical about everything. A bit annoying and highly dramatic.”

“I did hear about that and the fact you somehow manipulated Ron and Malfoy into challenging each other to a duel when they both wanted to face you in a duel,” said Ginny. “That was pure brilliance.”

“Still, that’s the past and I wouldn’t dwell on it too much. Malfoy’s out of Hogwarts for good, Ron doesn’t hate my guts and think I am the personification of evil anymore nor isn’t jealous of me too much these days,” said Harry. “The innocent days of first year are long gone and I have more problems than I did back in those days.”

“Harry, don’t worry about that now, we’re alone, let’s enjoy the night,” said Ginny, while curling on Harry’s lap and wrapping her arms around his neck before they started kissing each other.

Harry’s mind went blissfully blank, forgetting about everything bad that ever happened to him ever but unfortunately the paradise was short lived.

“Damn that Snape!” yelled Hailey storming into the living room of the Potter residence in New York causing both Harry and Ginny to break apart from their activities, looking rather irritated at the young Potter girl. “He can’t expect anyone who is completely sane to finish that much homework in that short of time. Harry, maybe you could and Hermione could probably blow through that in a short amount of time. I, however, am not that brilliant and can’t take the stress of doing that much homework.”

“Hailey couldn’t you see we were in the middle of something private,” said Harry coolly, but his eyes showed he wasn’t too happy with his sister for barging in.

“Harry, you can sneak off and snog on your own time at Hogwarts,” said Hailey waving it off. “Right now, I am venting on Snape….”

“Hailey, quiet,” said Ginny. “We know you hate Snape. We know you live to irritate Snape.”

“Fine, I’ll try and keep quiet about Snape but it’s going to be pure torture and agony,” said Hailey before looking over at the Muggle newspapers on the table. “Harry, what were you up to with those?”

“That doesn’t concern you,” said Harry. “It barely even concerns me.”

“I need to know Harry,” whined Hailey.

“No you don’t,” said Harry.

“See, you never tell me anything Harry,” said Hailey. “Every dangerous thing you and your friends are into, I don’t know anything about at all.”

“Hailey, you don’t understand, you’re too young,” said Harry as Hailey gasped in irritation. Ginny looked at her hands, she wanted no part of this. “You don’t have the mental focus to handle some of stuff that I have to put up with.”

“Harry, if you just gave me a chance, training me in the martial arts and some more powerful forms of magic than the clap trap that they teach at Hogwarts, I can help you,” said Hailey. “Please teach me, Harry?”

“No,” said Harry. “You might think you can handle it but you can’t. You can’t control your temper and there are times where you don’t know when you keep your mouth shut.”

“I don’t have a problem with my temper!” yelled Hailey angrily.

“See what I mean,” said Harry. “Mum and I had a long talk about this as well and we both came to the conclusion you’re not ready to learn anything that might be used to kill someone. We both fear you might lose your temper and do something you might regret. Maybe this summer if you can show me that you can hold your temper.”

“I’ll try,” said Hailey in a quiet voice.

“Even with Snape,” said Harry.

Hailey groaned, her brother was definitely asking for a miracle with that one.

“Where is Mum anyway?” asked Hailey. “Am I focused enough, is my temper reigned in enough to actually know that?”

“Hailey you really aren’t helping your chances by being sarcastic you know?” said Harry. “But to answer your question, she left for the night to go to Diagon Alley to get something. She’ll be back by the morning.”

“Okay,” said Hailey.

“Don’t you have homework to do?” asked Ginny.

“I’m taking a break,” said Hailey calmly.

“Well take your break elsewhere,” said Ginny in an agitated voice. She had been waiting to spend some time alone with Harry and she didn’t want it to be taken break.

“No,” said Hailey stubbornly. “I’m comfortable here.”

“You know what Hailey, we’ll be back before the morning too,” said Harry. “You think you can stay here and out of trouble for a few hours?”

“Yes I promise not to go into a fit of rage and destroy everything in the house,” said Hailey coolly.

“Where are we going Harry?” asked Ginny.

“Some place that is not here,” said Harry. “New York is an excellent place to visit at night, providing we don’t run into any trouble.”

Ginny nodded before following her boyfriend out the front door. Hailey sat down, wondering if Ginny and Harry ran off to avoid her. She dismissed the notion as foolish; they probably just wanted time alone, regardless of who was there.

On the streets of New York, Harry and Ginny walked, admiring the sights.

“Is there any particular reason why we’re walking this way or are we just sight seeing?” asked Ginny as Harry seemed to be walking in a certain path.

“I hate to do this but I calculated the place where the jewel thief hitting her eighth jewelry store tonight,” said Harry. “This is the only one left in town and I’m almost certain she’ll strike it tonight.”

“Harry, I know most of the time the trouble simply finds you but I think this time you’re truly looking for trouble,” said Ginny.

“Ginny, I’m curious about why someone would break into seven jewelry stores and not steal one thing,” said Harry.

“Maybe this person is completely mental,” suggested Ginny. “There might not be any motive.”

Harry lifted his hand up into the air and pointed to the jewelry store where he saw a flicker of light from the window that looked like it could be from a lumos spell.

“I’m going to see what this is all about,” whispered Harry, raising his wand and preparing to open the door.

“Harry, I’m right behind you for this but I still don’t think you should be meddling in something so petty,” whispered Ginny, raising her wand as well.

“Alohomora,” muttered Harry causing the door to creak up. A woman with shoulder length green hair and a white facemask, completely dressed in black was scanning the case with her wand.

“It has to be here, ah right here, at last I’ve found it,” said the woman triumphantly, holding up an extremely valuable looking emerald. “My employer will be pleased that I found this emerald even through I’m at a lost to why he hired me to steal it.”

“Shopping hours are over lady,” said Harry causing the woman to spin around, looking horrified. “So why don’t you put the emerald down and surrender?”

The woman looked at Harry if he had grown two heads before laughing madly at him as if she didn’t take him seriously.

“What the hell are you kid, a vigilante of some sort?” asked the woman pulling out her wand. “I don’t think you’ve grasped the seriousness of this situation. I have powers that you can only dream of.”

“Perhaps I should introduce myself,” said Harry. “I’m Harry Potter.”

The woman’s eyes went wide underneath the mask as her eyes flickered up towards the scar on Harry’s forehead.

“You still won’t stand in my way, Harry Potter, I don’t care how many Dark Lords you have thrashed,” said the woman, waving her wand at a case full of diamonds and levitating them towards Harry before enchanting them to attack the Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry pulled out his wand, attempting to undo the spell but one of the possessed diamonds knocked Harry’s wand out of his hand and the diamonds circled around him, preparing to close in for the attack.

“It’s been nice meeting you,” said the jewel thief, before slipping out of the back door.

“Harry!” yelled Ginny, waving her wand and knocking a few of the diamonds out commission before they pelted her, causing her face to be slightly cut up from the impact.

Harry pulled himself up, pulling his weapon out before leaping up, kicking the diamonds to the side. They slammed against the wall before Harry twirled his sword in his hand, batting the diamonds away from Ginny. Ginny picked up her wand before tossing Harry’s to him.

“Okay Ginny, prepare to help me undo this enchantment on three,” said Harry as Ginny nodded to show that she understood Harry. “One, Two, Three.”

They waved their wands, doing a silent charm in a triangular pattern, causing waves of blue light to pierce the enchanted diamonds before they floated back into the case harmless and undamaged. Harry then waved his wand, healing the cuts on Ginny’s face.

“Thanks Harry,” said Ginny. “So what in the hell was that all about?”

“We’re going to find out, she could still be around,” said Harry before walking out the back door, looking around for the jewel thief.

“Anything Harry?” asked Ginny, as she followed out into the back alleyway behind the jewelry store.

“Nothing just an old lady,” said Harry looking around seeing an elderly woman with a cane muttering insanely to herself but slipping a tracking charm onto the woman wordlessly without his wand. Harry seemed rather suspicious about her presence. “Unless she disapparated before we could get out.”

“That could be so Harry,” said Ginny. “I don’t think you’re going to catch up with her tonight, why don’t we just go on with this night and forget about what happened?”

Harry nodded his head reluctantly but something was off about this woman. Why would a witch break into a Muggle jewelry store and steal an emerald? Unless it had some kind of magical properties that Harry was not aware of.

Harry shook his head, clearing his mind of all thoughts pertaining to the emerald and walking out of the alleyway.

The old woman pulled the emerald out of her pocket, examining it. It was so easy to give people the slip with her talents. That girl was wrong, as she could never get the hang of apparating without splinching herself. She had better report back to her boss before someone else catches on to what she’s up to tonight.

“Well that was a waste of time,” muttered Harry in an irritated voice. “Not only do we lose the jewel thief but we nearly get bludgeoned to death by magically enchanted diamonds.”

Harry paused, hearing footsteps before putting his weapon in front of him.

“You think it’s the jewel thief Harry,” whispered Ginny, hoping it wasn’t because it didn’t seem too healthy for Harry to dwell on this rather unimportant matter but she was distracted by two figures coming out of the shadows.

Harry leaptf into action but he stopped when he saw who that the two figures were Raph and Don who looked rather startled at the fact that Harry nearly attacked them.

“Ah, it’s just you, Raph, Don,” said Harry, lowering his defenses from two of his brothers.

“Jeez, Harry, a simple hello will do just fine next time,” said Raph. “This has been a rough night anyway, we ran into a couple of hoods outside of a scientific research facility. They were stealing some kind of gizmo; Don can explain this better than I can obviously.”

“Gladly Raph,” said Don. “This machine is an experimental power source that can power an entire city on water. The thieves didn’t steal all of the components, but they did manage to grab the most unstable part.”

“How exactly is it unstable?” asked Ginny.

“Well it’s the main power modulator, it can draw power from anything,” said Don. “Unfortunately, from what I’ve heard, the scientist who invented it hadn’t found a way to shut it off yet. So it will keep drawing more power until it overloads.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask this but what will happen when it overloads?” asked Harry.

“The backlash will be enough to blow the entire Eastern half of the United States, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River into dust,” said Don grimly. “On the bright side, the modulator is completely useless without a focusing device to draw the energy. Something like an extremely large emerald…”

“Oh my,” whispered Harry in a horrified tone of voice.

“What’s wrong, what’s up?” asked Raph.

“Did you hear about the recent string of jewelry store break-ins?” asked Harry.

“You mean that nutcase who keeps breaking into places but stealing nothing,” said Raph.

“Well she just stole something,” said Ginny gravely. “An extremely large emerald that could very well power this power modulator thingy.”

“The two thefts may be connected,” summarized Harry. “Which would definitely be bad news for everyone if whoever was behind this got that power modulator started up.”

“But wouldn’t whoever is behind this blow themselves up along with everyone else,” said Raph logically.

“Evil doers never think logically, they only think of pure power and wealth,” remarked Harry. “We need to search the city for any sign of what these people are up to.”

“Right,” said Don as before Don, Raph, Harry, and Harry rushed off in search for both the jewel thief and the thugs that stole the power modulator.

At an abandoned warehouse outside of the city, the two thugs who had stolen the power modulator were in the middle of reporting to their boss.

“What do you mean you weren’t able to steal all the components I requested?” inquired a mysterious figure in the shadows.

“Well boss, we would have gotten all of the components but if it hadn’t been for a couple of weirdoes in Turtle costumes,” said one of the thugs nervously.

“I wanted answers, not a science fiction tale, Boris,” said the shadowed figure in quite yet agitated tone of voice. “You and Mugsy failed to achieve acquiring all the components I need to make this city powerless for my takeover. However, the police will likely be on to us due to your bumbling. We must make this work with slightly more primitive materials.”

Before the two goons could respond, the woman who had stolen the emerald walked into the ring.

“Boss, I’ve acquired what you’ve set me for,” said the woman waving the emerald triumphantly.

“You have done well Esmeralda,” said the shadowed figure. “You will receive your payment in full once we have looted the city of all of its resources. I trust you didn’t have any trouble when you located the emerald.”

“Other than running into Harry Potter, I think this went off without a hitch, boss,” said Esmeralda with a smirk. “So you just pay me and I’ll be on to another…”

“Harry Potter!” yelled the figure in the shadows. “You ran into Harry Potter!”

“Relax boss, it wasn’t any trouble, I pelted him with an assault with diamonds,” said Esmeralda. “Surely he doesn’t seem to be that much of a problem, a bit overrated if truth be told…”

“Stupid bitch!” yelled the figure in the shadows, back handing Esmeralda across the mouth.

“What did I do?” whined the jewel thief, clutching her jaw in agony.

“You brought your actions to the attentions of Harry Potter,” said the shadowed figure. “He might be famous in the Wizarding world but within the criminal underworld of New York, he is also is rather well known. There is a hefty reward on Potter’s head, about fifty million dollars for any criminal who kills him, placed by the Shredder. Unfortunately no one can get close enough to Potter to ice the brat as any underworld figure who tries, they suffer a mysterious and unfortunate accident. The Mob’s in shambles, the Purple Dragons suffered their losses, and the Foot has become a sad state of what it used to be years ago, thanks to the Potter boy. I refuse to let my gang fall to the same fate.”

“I really didn’t know boss, honestly,” said Esmeralda. “I’m not really part of the underworld scene, just a mercenary.”

“Excuses will not be tolerated,” said the shadowed figure coldly before clapping his hands. “Bruno!”

An Italian man that was nearly seven foot tall and had a large, hulking presence walked into the room.

“Yes boss,” said Bruno.

“If the Potter boy shows up here, I want him to be iced,” said the shadowed figure. “He’ll take a side trip to sleep with the fishes as he’ll not interfere with my plans.”

“Gotcha boss,” said Bruno. “The boy will be liquidated should he interfere with your master plan.”

“Now the power modulator will be in play once I reconfigure the device to accept the power source that this mystic emerald possesses,” said the shadowed figure.

Unfortunately for the criminals, the door burst open revealing Harry, Ginny, Raph, and Don standing outside.

“How?” asked the shadowed figure. “How in the world did you find this place?”

“Yes how, my disguise was completely fool proof and completely different from the one I used to swipe that emerald,” said Esmeralda. “You couldn’t have followed me here.”

“An old lady muttering to herself where you conveniently should be is extremely suspicious and I slipped a tracking charm on you wandlessly and wordlessly,” said Harry as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. “I’m not the second most brilliant student in my year at school for nothing you know.”

“If you were so brilliant Potter, you wouldn’t have meddled with me,” said the shadowed figure. “Mugsy, Boris, Bruno, liquidate them all.”

Mugsy and Boris charged Raph and Don, with Mugsy swinging a chain madly and Boris having a crowbar in hand. Don sprang up, knocking the chain out of Mugsy’s hand with the Bo Staff before catapulting himself over. Don swept the legs out from underneath Mugsy with his Bo Staff before leaping up and stomping both of his feet into the face of Mugsy, leaving him knocked out.

Boris raised his crowbar to smash Raph’s skull in but the Turtle blocked it with his Sai. The thug swung his weapon again but Raph rolled underneath it before kicking Boris in the back, causing the thug to fly into the wall, cracking his ribs from the impact.

Bruno stalked both Ginny and Harry before grabbing Ginny by the throat and tossing her hard against the wall. Harry didn’t take too kindly to this, leaping right at the large goon but he got swatted out of midair like a fly. Bruno raised his foot to stomp Harry but Harry managed to catch it, causing the large Italian to lose his balance and Ginny caught Bruno with a kick right to the chest, causing him to fly back into a stack of cracks. Unfortunately for Harry and Ginny, Bruno didn’t seem too fazed, rolling up his sleeves, preparing for to trash them both.

“I don’t think he’s had enough,” said Ginny backing off a step away from the pissed off thug.

Harry pulled out his blade, throwing it at Bruno but the big man caught it expertly before snapping it over his knee like it was nothing.

“That was my best double edged sword!” yelled Harry before charging at Bruno but he caught Harry before throwing him like a rag doll into Ginny. The two teens toppled over but Don swung his Bo staff over the head of Bruno, causing the big man to stand there before crashing to the ground face first.

The shadowed figure was looking irritated that his thugs were defeated in such short order. He turned to Esmeralda.

“Well do something!” whispered the shadowed figure to the mercenary in an irritable voice. “I’m not paying you to sit around…”

“No you actually paid me to get the emerald and nothing more so my work with you is done,” said Esmeralda stubbornly. “I don’t do charity work.”

“Take them out and I’ll double your payment,” said the shadowed figure. “Just do something.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear,” said Esmeralda, her eyes flashing greedily at the mention of more money before pointing her wand up towards a gas pipe above. “I suggest you clear out of the room when this stuff filters in, because it packs a punch.”

The shadowed figure stepped out of the room.

“Reducto,” muttered Esmeralda, causing the pipe to break open, with a noxious blue-green vapor filtering into the air of the room before quickly stepping out as to not get affected by the gas.

“What is that smell?” asked Ginny, gagging before dropping to her knees severely weakened.

“Some kind of paralyzing gas,” muttered Don.

“Can’t fight it, can’t hold my breath even,” said Harry before passing out along with the others, lying motionless on the ground.

“What was that anyway?” asked the shadowed figure.

“Just a nasty concoction of my invention that I filtered in to your gas pipes if some Aurors got wise to what I was doing,” said Esmeralda. “The gas will disappear within a few minutes but the effects will last for an hour.”

“Excellent,” said the shadowed figure. “We’ll wait for them to wake and then all four of them will be killed because I’d like to have them be awake to live their last few minutes in pure terror. By them I should have reconfigured the power modulator to accept the power from the emerald.”

Hailey was extremely worried by now. Harry and Ginny should have checked in by now, as when Harry usually stormed out, he was only gone for a couple of hours at most. Hailey picked up her two way mirror. She was confident in the ability of Harry and Ginny to handle themselves but still Hailey had a feeling that something sinister may be happening and they could be in trouble.

“Harry, are you there?” asked Hailey, contacting her brother through the mirror. “Harry, this is Hailey, answer me if you can hear me.”

Hailey looked in the mirror frowning, all she saw was the underside of a table but she heard faint voices and became extremely quiet, straining to listen.

“String up Potter, the girl, and the two Turtle creatures,” said a cold voice from the other end. “Make sure they are tied in nice and tight. Once they wake up in about twenty minutes you shoot them to death with your guns. Got it?”

“Right boss,” said a voice from the other end.

“Absolutely boss,” said a second voice.

“Sounds good boss, plugging them full of bullets,” said a third voice.

Hailey gulped in terror. Harry, Ginny, and at least two of the Turtles were in mortal danger. Hailey didn’t know what to do. Her mother might not get back in time if she contacted her in time. Hailey didn’t know which two Turtles were kidnapped so it would waste precious time to attempt to decipher who to contact.

Hailey had only one alternative, she had the borrowed the notes of how to track the location of a person through the two way mirrors from Harry. She needed to track down where these thugs were holding them all.

Hailey got up to prepare to put the tracking charms on the mirrors but realized something. Harry would flip if she would put herself in danger to get him out of danger no matter what and her mother’s reaction wouldn’t be much better if Harry told her. Hailey needed to disguise herself but she didn’t have much time.

Going to the closet, Hailey pulled out a box that contained items left by previous owners of the house. Rummaging through the box quickly and frantically, Hailey pulled out an oversized sweatshirt that had the letters “BP” on it along with a pair of black gloves and a white cape that looked to be formally part of a Halloween costume. Pulling out the final components, a black headband, a black wig, and a pair of scissors. Hailey quickly cut a pair of eye holes out of the mask before entering her room to put her disguise on. She had little time to waste before it was too late.

Harry’s eyes groggily flickered open, attempting to recollect his thoughts and remember what had happened before he passed out. He remembered fighting those goons but other than that is was a complete and total blank.

“Harry,” muttered Ginny as she awakened.

“Where are we?” asked Raph as he woke up.

“I think we’re up a creek without a paddle,” said Don, attempting to squirm away from the ropes that he was strung up with but there was no easy way out. To there terror, their weapons and two way mirrors laid on the table out of reach, along with Harry and Ginny’s wands.

“Precisely my reptilian friend,” said the shadowed figure before snapping his fingers. Boris, Mugsy, and Bruno pointed their machine guns towards Harry, Ginny, Raph, and Don.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, can’t we discuss this like civil human beings?” asked Don staring at the business end of the guns of the three goons as they prepared to aim for dramatic effect but they just growled at the brainy turtle.

“Nice try, Donatello,” said Raph sarcastically.

“Look just who in the hell are you anyway?” asked Harry.

“You really want to know,” said the shadowed figure. “Fine so be it?”

The figure stepped out of the shadows causing Harry and Ginny to look shocked and surprised at the apparent identity of the figure.

“Lucius Malfoy!” exclaimed Harry and Ginny in unison.

“No, you’re confusing me with my younger, perfect, completely proper, magical brother,” said the leader of the gang. “I am a sad case, a tragedy, the reason why inbreeding should not be used to keep the purity of blood. I’m a squib, the shame of the Malfoy family. My eleventh birthday came and went without any Hogwarts letter, so I was cast out by my parents, left to die. The name is Luther Malfoy. Know it well because that will be the name of your executioner.”

“Just what the world needs, another Malfoy,” said Ginny shaking her head from side to side.

“Enough idle chatter,” said Luther in a bored tone of voice. “Finish them off now.”

Mugsy, Boris, and Bruno raised their guns. Harry closed his eyes. This was it; this was the end of it all. Harry’s luck had just run out right now.

“Not so fast you thugs,” said a voice which caused the thugs to dumbly turn around.

Harry looked up, against his better judgment; saw the most ridiculous looking figure ever. She had black hair and was wearing an oversized sweatshirt with the letters “BP” on it, a cape that looked like a reject from a Halloween costume, black sweat pants, and black gloves. Her face was obscured by a black eye mask.

“You’re a little too early for trick or treating, girl,” said Luther, before motioning for his thugs to finish the job.

The masked figure jumped off the balcony but tripped over the ledge on the way down, falling on top of the table, knocking half of Harry’s weapon off the table, causing the blade to fly through the air, slicing one of the ropes free, causing Harry’s hand to be loose and causing the table to slide into the three thugs, knocking them down.

“Incompetent as she may be, she’s freed me, now if I can only reach my wand,” said Harry, stretching his hand towards his wand.

“Get up and finish her, she’s just some silly wannabe vigilante in a mask,” said Luther.

Boris and Mugsy pulled themselves up but managed to run into each other, knocking each other out. Bruno advanced on the masked figure, raising his hand up in the air.

“Uh oh,” said the masked figure but she managed to roll out of the way, causing Bruno to punch the floor. Bruno kicked the girl in the ribs backwards. The girl flew back before crashing down to the ground with a sickening thud!

“Now, for Harry Potter and his associates,” said Luther, pointing to four figures still apparently strung up and ripe for the shooting.

The three goons pointed their guns towards Ginny, Harry, Raph, and Don but when they went to pull the trigger, nothing happened. They turned to Harry, with bamboozled looks who waved his wand, taunting them after having vanished the bullets in their gun. Harry then used a cutting charm freeing himself, Ginny, Raph, and Don. Harry sprang out, split kicking Mugsy and Boris back and the two toppled to the ground. Bruno raised his hand before picking up a two by four with rusty nails sticking out of it.

“I shall crush you, weaklings!” bellowed Bruno, swinging his two by four striking both Don and Raph at the same time in the ribs, causing them to both fly back. He swung the weapon at Ginny but Harry jumped in the way, taking the blunt of the blow. Bruno raised his two by four.

Hailey pulled herself up to her feet, clutching her head. That would be the last time she took on a seven foot guy head on. Still her disguise was still on and Harry, Ginny, Raph, or Don didn’t seem to catch onto the fact that it was her. Staggering around, Hailey bumped into something.

A creak was heard as Bruno raised his weapon, preparing to finish off both Harry and Ginny when a stack of empty paint cans fell from the ceiling. A clank echoed throughout the warehouse, as Bruno fell to the ground out for the count.

“Well that was a lucky break,” muttered Hailey seeing her brother and her best friend getting up but Harry turned around and advanced at Hailey looking not too happy. Hailey gulped, she hoped that Harry hadn’t deduced that was her.

“You!” yelled Harry. “I don’t know who you are but you could have gotten yourself killed by doing the foolish act. You have no business being here, with these dangerous people that could have killed you!”

“But you were here…” muttered Hailey backing off as her brother was extremely scary when he got mad but it would have been ten times worse if Harry knew who she was.

“It doesn’t matter, the fact remains that dressing up and playing vigilante like it’s some kind of game is extremely dangerous and foolish,” said Harry. “Just who are you anyway?”

“I’m uhmm let’s see,” stammered Hailey before looking at the initials on her shirt. “The Bladder Problem, no wait that can’t be right. The Black Phantom!”

“I didn’t ask for what stupid make believe identity you made up, your real name if you please,” said Harry but his attention was diverted by Luther Malfoy moving towards the power modulator, preparing to turn it on. “We’ll finish this conversation later.”

Hailey quietly slipped out the back way while Raph, Don, Ginny, and Harry were occupied.

“You’re too late Potter, I’m switching the power modulator on right now,” said Luther before pulling back the switch, causing the power modulator to swirl to life before a bolt of white light erupted from the ceiling before turning and running out the back door.

Don ran over the power modulator which was glowed a sinister shade of red as it began drawing power from the city.

“Can you shut it down?” asked Harry.

“I’m trying Harry, I’m trying,” said Don.

“Well try a lot faster,” said Ginny looking outside and seeing the lights from the buildings outside flickering madly while the power modulator hummed madly.

“That humming is driving me nuts,” said Don. “I can’t work with the noise.”

“Well you better think of something because that humming means the beginning of the end of us all,” said Raph.

Harry walked over from behind, following the cord for the power modulator as Don continued to vainly shut it off. A few seconds later, the humming stopped and the power modulator shut off completely.

“What happened?” asked Ginny. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything,” said Don looking confused.

Harry walked up, looking triumphant.

“No you didn’t Don, I did,” said Harry.

“Really Harry?” asked Don. “Mind enlightening me on how you managed to stop the power modulator.”

“I unplugged it,” replied Harry logically.

“Figures,” said Raph.

“Yeah, it would have to be a simple solution like that, I was thinking too complex,” said Don.

“Wait a minute, where’s the Black Phantom?” asked Harry looking around but not seeing that mysterious masked girl.

“It looks like she got away,” said Ginny.

“Along with Luther Malfoy and that jewel thief,” said Raph.

“Something tells me we haven’t seen the last of those two,” said Harry.

“Must you always take the negative point of view Harry,” said Ginny, shaking her head.

“That’s what I do,” said Harry before looking at Bruno, Mugsy, and Boris. “Let’s tie these three up and phone a tip to the police that they can pick up their power modulator and the thieves hear, along with the emerald.”

Everyone nodded in agreement before preparing to leave.

About an hour later, Ginny and Harry arrived at the Potter residence in New York.

“From the tired looks on your faces, it looks like I missed some excitement again,” said Hailey casually, while furiously writing a Potions Essay from Snape.

“In a round about way, yes,” said Ginny. “You’re not upset are you?”

“No, I’ve thought about it and realized I might not quite be ready to put myself in the path of danger,” said Hailey.

“I’m going to get something to eat and then go to bed,” said Harry. “It’s been a long night.”

The door opened and Lily Potter walked in, looking a bit tired herself but cheerful.

“Good morning everyone,” said Lily. “I hope you three stayed out of trouble. Especially you, Harry.”

“No, Mum, no trouble, none at all,” said Harry, reflecting on how the previous night’s events could have turned out for the worst had it not been for a masked, but incompetent, vigilante. Still, if Harry found out who this Black Phantom person was, he would wring her neck for putting herself in danger for his sake.