The Survivors

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Susan stood in front of the group with tears in her eyes. She was gripping the chair in front of her so hard her knuckles were white. Ron and Neville both stared at the table with a mix of fury and distraught written on their faces. Hermione had her hands in her face not able to look at anyone. The others were all in a shocked silence.

Tracey was the first to speak, "Will Harry step down?"

No one answered her for a few moments, but then Susan spoke, "I don't know. If it were random people I think it's possible, but this is personal, and as a general policy we don't negotiate with terrorists. I can assure you this though...If Harry finds this person there won't be any taking him in alive...I could feel his fury. I had never felt Harry's anger so vividly before."

Neville spoke quietly, "I have. When Sirius died. It was so powerful I felt like I was choking on it, and that was before he really came into his abilities."

Ron nodded, "When he found out about Collin he was angrier than I had ever seen him. I'd seen him defeated, mad, depressed, and moody, but never had I seen him so furious. I pity this person if Harry gets his hands on him."

"If I don't get to him first." Neville spat angrily.

Daphne recoiled at the bite in the man's tone. This was the Gryffindor that dark wizards feared after the war. The man who stood by Harry Potter's side, and laid waste to what was left of the Death Eaters' forces. Daphne then asked, "What happens next?"

Hermione answered that through a choked voice, "We bury Seamus. Harry will pay his respects to his family personally since he was a friend. The rest of us will go to the family as well tomorrow to do the same. As for when Harry is done with Seamus' family I would guess he goes to speak with Kingsley to see what the Minister wants to do. Being as noble as he is, I am certain he will at least offer his resignation, and see what Kingsley wants to do about the lethal force initiative."

Hannah spoke next, "Is it really worth keeping the lethal force initiative around anyways? We have been speaking for the last month that the Death Eater movement might finally be over. Maybe it is time to let that one go for the sake of the people."

Ron disagreed, "It's not really about giving into that particular demand though. If we give this lunatic one thing, what's to stop him from sending us another body and demanding something else?"

It was hard to refute that, but Daphne was thinking of something else, "The message he left for Harry about killing a loved one. Any ideas who that could be?"

Susan shrugged, "I don't mean to be abrasive, but Harry has killed many in his path of the war, and more in fallout in these supposed peacetimes. It could be a lot of angry relatives."

Tracey however broke her silence, "Did he kill Theo? Does Tiberius Nott actually fall into the possible suspect list still?"

That was a good question Daphne thought, and by the look on the others' faces they were considering it. Most were looking at Ron and Hermione to answer even Susan and Neville. Hermione bit her lip wiping at her eyes, "I don't know. He wasn't in the room of requirements skirmish, and if he did it would've been in the heat of battle on the grounds. There is no way anyone would've been able to link him to that."

Ron shook his head, "I think Kingsley actually took down Nott Sr in the astronomy tower in the early hours of the fighting, but I would have to ask him or dad. They were holding that area with Dean..."

The name of Seamus Finnegans best friend seemed to echo through the room. Neville immediately stood to his feet, "Ron we should go deliver the news to him. No one else should break that to Dean. We owe it to him."