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The Case of the Escaped Death Eater, Chapter 7
Title: The Case of the Escaped Death Eater
Author: shiiki
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom/Hannah Abbott, various others
Fandom: Harry Potter
Summary: Five years after the end of the war, Aurors Weasley and Longbottom find themselves working together to capture an escaped prisoner on a tight deadline: before the full moon. However, the case is not as straightforward as it seems, especially when the witches in their lives appear to be involved as well ...
Chapter Listing
In this chapter
Chapter Title: Moonrise
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom
Word Count: 1,478
Chapter Summary: The full moon arrives ... along with Greyback.
Ron had only been to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place once after the war. They'd had to clear up some legal complications as well as the convoluted mess that were the security charms and the screwed up Fidelius Charm. Although Hermione had been officially doing her seventh year at Hogwarts, it wasn't surprising that she hadn't been able to resist poking her nose into half a million things outside her N.E.W.T.s, including whatever Harry needed to do to take back his inherited house. She'd sent her research to them -- pages and pages of meticulous notes -- to make sure it was done properly.
They had sorted it out, recast most of the security charms (the Fidelius, of course, they broke, as there was no need to retain it any longer) and then returned to The Burrow, which both of them had been calling home at the time. Harry had sent Kreacher to stay with Andromeda and Teddy, with instructions to look in on Grimmauld Place regularly just to make sure it wasn't falling apart. That was the end of it. Harry hadn't shown any inclination to move in; he and Ginny had chosen instead to start up housekeeping together in Godric's Hollow after their wedding.
It was, however, the most secure defensible location they knew, aside from Hogwarts. Since the latter was out of the question during a school term, Harry was adamant that Teddy and Andromeda stay at Grimmauld Place over the full moon.
Bill and Fleur had decided that it was prudent for them to visit her relatives in France at the moment, so Ron wasn't too worried about them. He was thankful that he'd managed to convince both Ginny and Hermione to join Teddy and Andromeda at Grimmauld Place.
The entire Auror Department was on the alert. After another two weeks had elapsed without hide or hair of Greyback or Rookwood being spotted, it was clear they were going to have to go on the defensive now. There would be several response teams ready to Disapparate the moment there was a call from help anywhere in the country. A few were scouting the empty Tonks' place and others were surveying Godric Hollow, hoping that Greyback might be lured there. Anyone who had done any fighting during the war had probably shored up on protections on their homes. Harry, Ron, and Neville had been assigned to patrol in London. Ron suspected that Harry had put in a request for it.
They stopped by Grimmauld Place before sunset to find that Ginny and Hermione had already activated the defensive spells around the house.
'Andromeda's put Teddy to bed,' said Ginny. 'He kicked up quite a fuss -- thinks this is a big adventure and doesn't want to miss out.'
'Don't worry,' Hermione reassured Ron. 'Nothing's going to happen. If Greyback shows, he can't get in.'
'Don't forget Rookwood,' said Ron, though he believed, too, that under the full moon, at least, Greyback was the more dangerous of the two.
Hermione kissed him. 'We'll be fine. Maybe we'll even catch him for you.'
Ron blanched but refrained from saying that he didn't want her anywhere near them. She wouldn't have taken it very well.
They went out into the streets. Harry took up a position near Grimmauld Place, hovering on his broomstick under his Invisibility Cloak. Ron and Neville had arranged earlier to cover Diagon Alley and St Mungo's respectively, two possible hotspots apart from the Ministry, which would be guarded by Gawain Robards himself. Ron tried to blend in with the shoppers moving in and out of the Leaky Cauldron.
Diagon Alley emptied much earlier in the evening than usual. By the time the sun had faded into a dull purplish line in the horizon, shopkeepers were boarding up their stores and the last stragglers had disappeared into the Leaky Cauldron. Ron popped in and saw them clutching their purchases as they hurried off through the Floo or into Muggle London. Evidently no-one was keen on being out tonight.
Hannah Abbott waved at him from behind the bar. Ron nodded to her and stepped back out into the empty street.
The moon rose. In the distance, he heard a howl.
Ron waited tensely for something to happen. After that first, chilling howl, he heard no more, which indicated that Greyback was likely somewhere else. Near, but not here. Grimmauld Place?
A silvery white stag burst through the walls of the Leaky Cauldron. Harry's voice came out of its mouth: 'He's at Number Twelve.'
Ron moved immediately. It would be folly to Apparate into an area where he knew a werewolf was loose, so he stormed through the pub, barely noticing Hannah or the sole customer who hadn't left yet, Disillusioning himself and his Cleansweep as he went. He burst out on the Muggle side of the pub, mounted his broom, and took off full speed for Grimmauld Place.
He got there to find that Harry must have alerted the entire London contingent. Aurors were arriving on the scene from all directions.
Good thing, too, because they'd need all hands on deck. A little boy -- Ron thought it was Teddy initially, but realised as he got closer that it was probably a Muggle -- was out in the courtyard, his arms clasped tightly around -- Ron's heart froze -- Hermione, who must have come out after him.
The enormous werewolf was only five feet away, held back by a wall of flickering flame Hermione must have conjured up. Harry had removed the Cloak and was firing off Stunners at an alarming rate.
Ron dived. The werewolf noticed him and made a leap and swipe that caught the tail of his broomstick; he swerved dangerously and Hermione screamed. Ron crossed the line of fire much closer than he'd intended, feeling his skin tingle at the heat, and landed next to her.
'Ron!'
'Get on!' he yelled.
They did so hurriedly. Ron urged the Cleansweep upwards. Someone -- one of the Aurors -- extended the fire to form a ring around Greyback, and he howled angrily.
'Stunners on the count of three!' yelled Harry. 'One, two --'
'Stupefy!' they chorused, and jets of red light shot down at Greyback, through the fire containing him. Some of them missed, but enough hit their target. Greyback slumped, unconscious.
'Douse the fire before anything catches,' ordered Robards, who must have turned up from guarding the Ministry. They did so quickly. When it was all out, Ron landed and let Hermione and the boy off. The latter burst into tears. Ron looked at Hermione, his heart still beating fast. Greyback had been that close.
'What were you thinking?'
'I'm okay,' she said quickly. 'Ron --'
'You were this close to Greyback, Hermione. Why in the name of Merlin's sagging bollocks did you leave the house?'
'Ron, I couldn't let that boy get hurt.'
'What if you'd been-'
She grabbed his arm. 'I'm not. Calm down, Ron, please. You've got Greyback. It's over.'
'I --' He took a deep breath. She was right: she was okay, she'd put a line of fire between herself and Greyback, and he had been caught at last. Ron bit back the rest of his outburst and said, instead, 'You were amazing.'
Hermione's cheeks turned pink.
'Any sign of Rookwood?' asked Neville, coming up next to them.
'Didn't show,' said Harry tersely. He knelt before the boy, who was still crying. Ron didn't hear over his wails what Harry said to him.
'Makes sense, he wouldn't be idiot enough to turn up with a werewolf,' said Robards. 'Good work, at least we've got this one.'
'It's all too neat,' said Neville. 'I feel as though we're missing something.'
'Look, whatever it is, we have Greyback right here. Even if things smell fishy, the priority is to get him under control and keep him in custody. I know you've been beating yourself up letting Rookwood get away the last time, but you've made up for that tonight, Longbottom.' He glanced at the Muggle boy. 'I'd better get back to the Ministry and tell them we have Greyback. I'll send someone from the Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee.'
Robards Disapparated. Ron turned to Neville. 'You're right, mate, but-' he started to say, but just then, the second Patronus of the night appeared: a fluffy-looking sheep that circled between him and Neville without a word. Ron was confused -- it didn't seem to have a message -- but Neville went pale.
'Hannah,' he said, and his voice held all the fear Ron had felt when he'd arrived to find Hermione warding off a werewolf with fire. 'Damn it,' he exploded, 'why didn't you stay put?'
And then he, like Robards, Disapparated. It took Ron a moment to register everything he'd said, but then he put it together. Hannah -- he meant Hannah Abbott.
At the Leaky Cauldron.
The action tonight wasn't over just yet.
Author: shiiki
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom/Hannah Abbott, various others
Fandom: Harry Potter
Summary: Five years after the end of the war, Aurors Weasley and Longbottom find themselves working together to capture an escaped prisoner on a tight deadline: before the full moon. However, the case is not as straightforward as it seems, especially when the witches in their lives appear to be involved as well ...
Chapter Listing
In this chapter
Chapter Title: Moonrise
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom
Word Count: 1,478
Chapter Summary: The full moon arrives ... along with Greyback.
Ron had only been to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place once after the war. They'd had to clear up some legal complications as well as the convoluted mess that were the security charms and the screwed up Fidelius Charm. Although Hermione had been officially doing her seventh year at Hogwarts, it wasn't surprising that she hadn't been able to resist poking her nose into half a million things outside her N.E.W.T.s, including whatever Harry needed to do to take back his inherited house. She'd sent her research to them -- pages and pages of meticulous notes -- to make sure it was done properly.
They had sorted it out, recast most of the security charms (the Fidelius, of course, they broke, as there was no need to retain it any longer) and then returned to The Burrow, which both of them had been calling home at the time. Harry had sent Kreacher to stay with Andromeda and Teddy, with instructions to look in on Grimmauld Place regularly just to make sure it wasn't falling apart. That was the end of it. Harry hadn't shown any inclination to move in; he and Ginny had chosen instead to start up housekeeping together in Godric's Hollow after their wedding.
It was, however, the most secure defensible location they knew, aside from Hogwarts. Since the latter was out of the question during a school term, Harry was adamant that Teddy and Andromeda stay at Grimmauld Place over the full moon.
Bill and Fleur had decided that it was prudent for them to visit her relatives in France at the moment, so Ron wasn't too worried about them. He was thankful that he'd managed to convince both Ginny and Hermione to join Teddy and Andromeda at Grimmauld Place.
The entire Auror Department was on the alert. After another two weeks had elapsed without hide or hair of Greyback or Rookwood being spotted, it was clear they were going to have to go on the defensive now. There would be several response teams ready to Disapparate the moment there was a call from help anywhere in the country. A few were scouting the empty Tonks' place and others were surveying Godric Hollow, hoping that Greyback might be lured there. Anyone who had done any fighting during the war had probably shored up on protections on their homes. Harry, Ron, and Neville had been assigned to patrol in London. Ron suspected that Harry had put in a request for it.
They stopped by Grimmauld Place before sunset to find that Ginny and Hermione had already activated the defensive spells around the house.
'Andromeda's put Teddy to bed,' said Ginny. 'He kicked up quite a fuss -- thinks this is a big adventure and doesn't want to miss out.'
'Don't worry,' Hermione reassured Ron. 'Nothing's going to happen. If Greyback shows, he can't get in.'
'Don't forget Rookwood,' said Ron, though he believed, too, that under the full moon, at least, Greyback was the more dangerous of the two.
Hermione kissed him. 'We'll be fine. Maybe we'll even catch him for you.'
Ron blanched but refrained from saying that he didn't want her anywhere near them. She wouldn't have taken it very well.
They went out into the streets. Harry took up a position near Grimmauld Place, hovering on his broomstick under his Invisibility Cloak. Ron and Neville had arranged earlier to cover Diagon Alley and St Mungo's respectively, two possible hotspots apart from the Ministry, which would be guarded by Gawain Robards himself. Ron tried to blend in with the shoppers moving in and out of the Leaky Cauldron.
Diagon Alley emptied much earlier in the evening than usual. By the time the sun had faded into a dull purplish line in the horizon, shopkeepers were boarding up their stores and the last stragglers had disappeared into the Leaky Cauldron. Ron popped in and saw them clutching their purchases as they hurried off through the Floo or into Muggle London. Evidently no-one was keen on being out tonight.
Hannah Abbott waved at him from behind the bar. Ron nodded to her and stepped back out into the empty street.
The moon rose. In the distance, he heard a howl.
Ron waited tensely for something to happen. After that first, chilling howl, he heard no more, which indicated that Greyback was likely somewhere else. Near, but not here. Grimmauld Place?
A silvery white stag burst through the walls of the Leaky Cauldron. Harry's voice came out of its mouth: 'He's at Number Twelve.'
Ron moved immediately. It would be folly to Apparate into an area where he knew a werewolf was loose, so he stormed through the pub, barely noticing Hannah or the sole customer who hadn't left yet, Disillusioning himself and his Cleansweep as he went. He burst out on the Muggle side of the pub, mounted his broom, and took off full speed for Grimmauld Place.
He got there to find that Harry must have alerted the entire London contingent. Aurors were arriving on the scene from all directions.
Good thing, too, because they'd need all hands on deck. A little boy -- Ron thought it was Teddy initially, but realised as he got closer that it was probably a Muggle -- was out in the courtyard, his arms clasped tightly around -- Ron's heart froze -- Hermione, who must have come out after him.
The enormous werewolf was only five feet away, held back by a wall of flickering flame Hermione must have conjured up. Harry had removed the Cloak and was firing off Stunners at an alarming rate.
Ron dived. The werewolf noticed him and made a leap and swipe that caught the tail of his broomstick; he swerved dangerously and Hermione screamed. Ron crossed the line of fire much closer than he'd intended, feeling his skin tingle at the heat, and landed next to her.
'Ron!'
'Get on!' he yelled.
They did so hurriedly. Ron urged the Cleansweep upwards. Someone -- one of the Aurors -- extended the fire to form a ring around Greyback, and he howled angrily.
'Stunners on the count of three!' yelled Harry. 'One, two --'
'Stupefy!' they chorused, and jets of red light shot down at Greyback, through the fire containing him. Some of them missed, but enough hit their target. Greyback slumped, unconscious.
'Douse the fire before anything catches,' ordered Robards, who must have turned up from guarding the Ministry. They did so quickly. When it was all out, Ron landed and let Hermione and the boy off. The latter burst into tears. Ron looked at Hermione, his heart still beating fast. Greyback had been that close.
'What were you thinking?'
'I'm okay,' she said quickly. 'Ron --'
'You were this close to Greyback, Hermione. Why in the name of Merlin's sagging bollocks did you leave the house?'
'Ron, I couldn't let that boy get hurt.'
'What if you'd been-'
She grabbed his arm. 'I'm not. Calm down, Ron, please. You've got Greyback. It's over.'
'I --' He took a deep breath. She was right: she was okay, she'd put a line of fire between herself and Greyback, and he had been caught at last. Ron bit back the rest of his outburst and said, instead, 'You were amazing.'
Hermione's cheeks turned pink.
'Any sign of Rookwood?' asked Neville, coming up next to them.
'Didn't show,' said Harry tersely. He knelt before the boy, who was still crying. Ron didn't hear over his wails what Harry said to him.
'Makes sense, he wouldn't be idiot enough to turn up with a werewolf,' said Robards. 'Good work, at least we've got this one.'
'It's all too neat,' said Neville. 'I feel as though we're missing something.'
'Look, whatever it is, we have Greyback right here. Even if things smell fishy, the priority is to get him under control and keep him in custody. I know you've been beating yourself up letting Rookwood get away the last time, but you've made up for that tonight, Longbottom.' He glanced at the Muggle boy. 'I'd better get back to the Ministry and tell them we have Greyback. I'll send someone from the Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee.'
Robards Disapparated. Ron turned to Neville. 'You're right, mate, but-' he started to say, but just then, the second Patronus of the night appeared: a fluffy-looking sheep that circled between him and Neville without a word. Ron was confused -- it didn't seem to have a message -- but Neville went pale.
'Hannah,' he said, and his voice held all the fear Ron had felt when he'd arrived to find Hermione warding off a werewolf with fire. 'Damn it,' he exploded, 'why didn't you stay put?'
And then he, like Robards, Disapparated. It took Ron a moment to register everything he'd said, but then he put it together. Hannah -- he meant Hannah Abbott.
At the Leaky Cauldron.
The action tonight wasn't over just yet.