Post-peace Chaos (Drarry)

Chapter 66

[Harry]

"I have a lead," Auror Bayard announced as Harry burst through the door of meeting room IV on a Sunday night.

"What did I miss?" Harry panted, his shirt untucked and without a robe.

"We've just started, Potter, take a seat," Travailler said to him.

Harry slumped into the chair Travailler gestured to, wiping beads of sweat off his forehead. He had been on intern training for nearly a month now, but this was only the second time Travailler called him in with his Manx cat on an emergency. The first time they had just moved their meeting ten minutes early. This time, the cat spoke in Travailler's extremely urgent voice, telling him to come at once to an emergency meeting.

"Ethan found something," Auror Quant said, gesturing to Bayard.

"The dark wizard we were tracking down would be appearing at midnight in muggle London, very near to where we are," Bayard said.

"Is there any source that says why he wants to be so close to the Ministry?" Travailler asked.

"I'm afraid no, Liam," Bayard replied with a sigh.

"Do you know for sure he'll be there?" Quant inquired.

Bayard pulled out a piece of parchment. "He wrote to me. No owl, it just appeared on my desk."

Silence washed upon them.

Beloved Aurors Bayard, Quant, Travailler:

I know you've been tracking me down for months.
Downing Street, Midnight.
You'll find me, but you won't succeed.

"He still didn't say who he was," Travailler observed.

"Yes. We've been searching for nine months, but he never really showed himself. How did he know we were the ones on his case?" Quant mused, looking very troubled.

"We should call for backup," Travailler said firmly.

It was seconded and a Manx cat shot out of Travailler's wand. "Send the message to Gunderson and Robards."

The cat took off.

"Two hours to midnight. We need a plan." Bayard said.

"What's he playing at? He only dropped vague hints and traces all over England before and now he decides to show himself?"

"When was he the farthest from London?"

"We located a possible trace of him during Christmas at St. Catchpole, Devon," Bayard said heavily.

Harry's stomach dropped. That's where The Burrow was.

"How does he know we were working on his case?" Quant questioned.

"He must be close to the Ministry, or has insiders," Travailler said.

"But why does he want to meet us? He's been carefully covering his tracks for nine months. He always only left an 'M' carve mark without any other traces of magic after he tortures a muggle."

The door flew open and Auror Gunderson and Head Auror Robards clambered in.

"Did you use any tracing charms and detecting spells on the parchment?" Robards spat out first thing as he entered.

"Everything, Gawain. Nothing." Bayard replied.

"Very well. Will Alexander suffice or do you need another Auror?"

"We're bringing Potter," Travailler said.

Harry, who hadn't spoken since he sat down, jumped in his seat.

"Potter? Liam, you can't be serious, this is a dangerous case," Bayard reasoned fiercely.

"He'll have to learn to deal with it sooner or later. He's going to be Auror in another month, he needs the experience, Ethan." Travailler swiveled his head. "Potter, you're going under a Disillusionment Charm. Stay close and don't act until I tell you to. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," Harry choked out.

His head was spinning. He was going on a mission. An actual Auror mission. Adrenaline instantly filled his veins and he subconsciously gripped his wand tighter.

Half an hour to midnight, Harry tagged along, disillusioned, with the four Aurors. Head Auror stayed at the headquarters for backup.

They emerged from the outside of one of the disguised entrances of the Ministry of Magic.

All five of them had their wands at the ready, creeping down on the silent Downing Street, watching for any sign of movement.

"Homenum Revelio," Travailler whispered. Nothing.

They crept from dark alleyway to dark alleyway, casting Human-Presence-Revealing Charms. So far, nothing.

A clock in a muggle shop indicated midnight. Harry gripped his wand tighter.

They moved in a pact, never breaking up. Harry decided it might be too dangerous to do so in this situation. They got to the end of the street, turning into a murky and damp alleyway. A chill ran down Harry's spine. He had a gut feeling that this was it.

"Homenum Revelio," Travailler repeated. But still nothing.

They walked slowly and silently further into the alley. Auror Gunderson, at the rear, faced the opening, walking backward while the other three continued advancing into depths. Harry stayed close to Travailler.

Suddenly, there was a crack.

Then millions of things happened at once.

In a flash, the four Aurors were bound together with ropes and Harry stood, no longer invisible, in front of a hooded and masked figure Harry only recognized too well as a Death Eater.

"Avada Kedavra!" the figure roared.

Harry dodged the flash of green light and shot a Stunning spell at him. It bounced off his mask and Harry deflected his own spell and the Death Eater's dark curse altogether.

They were dueling.

A curse hit him in his left arm and he felt his bicep split open with a wound, but he didn't have time to feel the pain.

Harry desperately tried to aim for the figure's abdomen where he was not protected and at the same time tried to undo the rope-binding Charm on the four Aurors while avoiding the man's curses and attacking him at the same time.

He dove and dodged another killing curse, aiming his wand at the man. "Expelliarmus!"

The spell tore his robes but didn't hit his body.

Harry needed to cause a distraction or he would never be able to free the Aurors for backup. They were bound behind the Death Eater.

He swerved and narrowly avoided a Cruciatus Curse.

"Reducto!" He screamed at the ground the Death Eater was standing on.

He didn't wait for the burst and aimed his wand at the Aurors. "Relashio!"

The Aurors were free and within a second, the Death Eater was Stunned and Body-bound twice each, and levitated into the air and slammed into the brick wall.

Harry panted; his face full of grit from the explosion he caused. Amira was right, it was a killer move.

"Vulnera Sanentur!" Quant pointed his wand at Harry's arm. His wound was mended and stopped bleeding.

"Potter, don't move, it's obvious he wants you alone!" Travailler barked.

Slowly, Bayard approached the masked man and destroyed his mask with a bang.

Harry gasped.

"Lucius Malfoy," Quant whispered.