Harry Potter The Surprise

As bad luck would have it, two Hogwarts professors, Bill Weasley and an Italian Architect had all arrived within minutes of each other - before Dobby dropped Hermione and Emma into the middle of the crowd. The noise their bloody arrival generated had quickly attracted everyone staying at the chateau.

Harry's arrival with Dan was set to kick that pandemonium to new heights before Harry took command. He could immediately see what the problem was, and acted to reassure everyone.

"People, calm down. None of this blood belongs to us." He spotted Poppy racing into the room and provided her with the information she needed to save precious time.

"Poppy, Mrs Granger was placed under the cruciatus curse. Please check Hermione for any physical damage, a Death eater had her in a chokehold. Mr Granger could probably do with a calming draught too but is otherwise uninjured. I'm fine."

Poppy was soon levitating Emma away, with Hermione following beside her mum. Remus was leading Dan to join them while Sirius was at Harry's side.

"Twenty minutes, I was gone twenty minutes."

"Sorry Sirius, just bad timing. We simply couldn't wait. Lucius Malfoy was torturing Hermione's mother with the cruciatus when we arrived, while making her father watch. We didn't think they would all run, and you were there when we all warned her parents of the danger they might be in. I so want to scream and shout at those two for putting Hermione in danger, but then I look at them and it's impossible. I thought the wards would at least buy us enough time to get them out of there."

"Old bad master had many, many dark things hidden in his manor. Dobby wonders if he used some of them to help."

Harry knelt down and hugged the little guy. "Dobby, you were magnificent today. Thank you so much my friend, now go and rest. That must have taken a lot out of you."

With a smile, the little elf gave Harry an answer he wasn't expecting. "Dobby has a powerful master, that makes Dobby powerful too. Dobby does need a little rest though..." With that, he popped away - leaving Harry facing a stunned room. He decided just to dive right in.

"Professors, pleased to see you. I've never taken your subjects but Hermione and the Headmistress speak very highly of you both. That's a good enough recommendation for me."

Looking now at the unknown redhead male that had Ginny wrapped in his arms, Harry made what he considered was a very safe assumption. "You must be Bill Weasley? The twins and Ron can fill you in with what's been happening while I try and deal with my own family emergency here. I promise we'll sit down and talk soon."

Harry's final comment was aimed at the blonde lady standing there seemingly considering whether jumping out a window was a safe method of escaping from this madness. 'Miss Rossi, I'm delighted to see you here but sorry for the current circumstances. Perhaps this will give you some idea of why we're so desperate to move to Italy, where they don't have Death Eaters torturing and murdering innocent people. I'm sure Sirius or Remus can answer any questions you have for now. Again, I really want to talk with you as soon as we can manage it. If you'll all excuse me, I badly need to shower and change clothes before checking on my betrothed and her family."

It was a vastly relieved Harry who finally felt Hermione's presence return to his mind. It would seem getting her mother under Poppy's care had allowed his betrothed to once more focus on the world around her. He was reassuring Hermione she didn't need to apologise for her behaviour, they both had known she wasn't ready to face such a thing, when Ron interrupted their thoughts.

"Harry, you never said what happened to Malfoy?"

Looking at the splashes of blood down his clothes, Harry gave the only answer he could. "Malfoy and another Death Eater finally lived up to their name. Both are lying dead on the Granger's kitchen floor." With that, Harry left the room - a room that had suddenly become as silent as a grave.

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