Trap !

— "We must act Potter !" a harsh and determined voice thundered.

— "At the cost of many human lives ?" replied the man concerned with some distress in his voice. "I can't do it !"

— "This may be our only chance to save your friend Granger !" the caller replied sharply, giving off the adrenaline rush that is characteristic of decisions made in a hurry. The man, moreover, kept pacing the room. His attitude was a complete reflection of his state of nerves and the extent to which he was taking his future actions and decisions.

— "You know very well what this means, Kingsley," Harry replied in a slow, steady voice, still watching his interlocutor fidget. The Survivor should not and would not panic. Nor did he want one of the last and most powerful members of the Order to fall into a more than suicidal mission. Even if it meant Hermione's life.

— "Yes, I know that," the dark-skinned man replied, "but I wonder where the Potter I knew is ? Where is the reckless young boy who wouldn't hesitate for a second to go and save his friends ? Where is the man who would have braved all the dangers ?"

Kingsley Shacklebolt had moved closer to Harry as he spoke in an attempt to get a reaction. The Auror couldn't understand how he could remain so impassive in the face of the current situation. The two men were staring at each other but without any animosity. They were just two people trying to understand each other's decisions.

— "I trust Severus...," the Survivor simply replied.

At this simple answer, the tension Kingsley felt eased slightly.

— "But if you trust him, then why do you doubt the information we received about Granger ? No... You don't doubt... But then... unless... There's something I didn't know about ?"

Potter hadn't looked down while Kingsley had been thinking. He hadn't held such a high position in the Ministry for nothing. He had the ability to analyse situations at great speed and often with little concrete evidence in his possession.

— "If you go there as you explained, you'll die, Kingsley," Harry replied calmly.

He didn't need to say anything more, the Auror realised that his cryptic tone could only mean one thing : Potter had information that he himself didn't have.

— "This is a trap, isn't it ?" Shacklebolt questioned aloud, more to integrate the information than to get an answer.

— "How did you do it all these years ?" asked Harry, evading the previous question.

— "How have I been doing what ?" the dark-skinned man asked, "What do you mean Potter ?"

— "When you worked at the Ministry, how did you deal with situations where you had no choice but to sacrifice your men to save a life ?"

Harry was torn, caught up in so much remorse and internal reflection. He knew that the information to free Hermione was a trap set by Lord Voldemort. His conscience was in turmoil, all his moral principles turned upside down. Could he let other people run to an unfortunate fate just to save his best friend ? It was true in a certain sense, he was no longer the young teenager ready to rush headlong. But had he become a coward ? Of course not, Harry Potter had become fully aware of the responsibility and consequences of every decision and action that was taken.

Kingsley still looked at the Survivor and tried to understand why he preferred to do nothing at this important moment.

— "Yes, I have lost good people," he finally replied, "but they were not sacrifices ! All of them, without exception, knew the risks ! They had faith in what they were doing ! Fighting the forces of darkness meant facing certain death ! They were all aware of that and they never shied away from danger !"

— "Kingsley...," Harry interrupted as he saw what the dark-skinned man was getting at.

— "Would you trust Severus Snape with your life, Potter ?"

— "With my eyes closed !" said Harry without the slightest hesitation.

— "So ? Will getting to the place indicated allow us to save Miss Granger ?" insisted Shacklebolt again.

— "Kingsl...," Harry tried.

— "Answer, Potter !" the wizard shouted, needing confirmation of the validity of what he was about to do. The wounds of war and time had weighed on Kingsley's shoulders for far too many years and the world today belonged to the new generation.

— "Severus guaranteed me that," the Survivor conceded without looking down.

— "Very well, then ! I will go to the place Severus gave me to allow Granger to live," Kingsley said resolutely. "If that saves her and allows our spy to keep his place, then yes, my choice is made ! And no matter what you say, Potter, it's MY decision !"

— "Kingsley !" Harry called out in a firm voice which made the other wizard turn around. "Thank you, and... good luck," he added simply as he saw the firm resolve in Kingsley's eyes.

The old Auror didn't say a word, just nodded briefly before walking out the door.

Before reaching the transplanning site, he passed a few people on his way, to whom he gave a discreet sign asking them to follow him. Most of them were wizards and witches of his generation. They were not all young anymore but they all had a lot of experience in fighting.

— "Where are we going ?" asked one of the men beside him.

— "To rescue Miss Granger," Kingsley replied before entering one of the empty rooms in the house.

There were six of them leaving, six risking their lives once again to thwart the Dark Lord's plans. Kingsley could have chosen to go alone, but that would have aroused the suspicions of the other side. And Severus' role was not to be jeopardised. There had to be several of them to get to Miss Granger's place of detention. But Kingsley couldn't help thinking that they might all die there. And having the deaths of his teammates on his conscience was a feeling he would never get used to. He took the time to look at each person around him, and as he had explained to Potter earlier, they all had that determination in their eyes. Whatever it takes.

— "If there are any complications, you are ordered to save your lives ! Apparate away from where we are going !" the wizard decreed sharply.

— "Yes !" the five people present answered in unison before they all disappeared after the characteristic pop of the apparate spell.

The group of six then reappeared in a small village in England that had been through the horrors of war. The houses were dilapidated and even in ruins. The few that were still standing seemed to be unoccupied as no light was visible from the windows. But it was better to remain cautious : there was no guarantee that there was no danger. This heavy atmosphere was accentuated by a street lamp that was still standing but whose bulb kept flickering. Kingsley would have preferred not to benefit from the random light it produced, the brightness of the moon was already exposing them to enough.

— "We're splitting into three groups," Kingsley whispered before heading down the main road into the village.

— "Why they are transiting Miss Granger here ?" asked his companion beside him in a barely audible whisper.

— "I have no idea," replied Shacklebolt as he walked towards the door of a dwelling.

He placed his hand gently on the handle and turned it as quietly as possible. The dark-skinned man's senses were on high alert. Adrenaline coursed through his body and created a sensation he would never admit to : Kingsley liked to be in the thick of things, ready to act.

The door opened to the interior of the house. At first glance, there was nothing wrong except for the overturned furniture and the broken glass that littered the floor. The pair walked into the darkened house and reached the living room on the lookout. However, Kingsley suddenly stopped: a shiver ran through his body. He reached out and widened his eyes as he scanned the room. There was no doubt in his mind that a spell had been cast. Over the years and with experience, his senses knew when magic was being practiced near him. The Auror used an informal spell to heighten his hearing: he had to be able to determine how many other people were here. And the answer came immediately when he detected an extra breath that made him turn in her direction.

— "Shit !" Kingsley swore as he heard a slight growl from the intruder's location.

— "Avada ke..."

But the Death Eater didn't have time to finish the incantation before he was thrown by a powerful counterspell. The man slammed into the wall so hard that he broke every bone in his spine and the Death Eater was killed. If the pair of Aurors had wanted to be discreet, it was all for naught. The crash of the wall alerted the other people in the house who were upstairs. Kingsley deactivated the spell that increased his hearing: he knew perfectly well how many people they would have to deal with.

Rushing footsteps echoed up to them. A man appeared, wand in hand, projecting the Lumos spell. But he didn't have time to react as he was immediately bound and incapacitated.

Kingsley climbed the stairs, there were still two people left on the floor. But long before he reached the top level, the Auror narrowly dodged a death ray that had been fired in his direction. Kingsley could not thank his years of experience enough. His reflexes and his sixth sense had more than once allowed him to react in time to such devious attacks.

— "Who the hell are you ?" shouted a Death Eater, surprised that his target was still alive.

— "It's going to be all right, Miss Granger," replied Kingsley, who had heard female moans coming from the Death Eater's room.

— "Fine my arse !" the wizard retorted sarcastically. "You won't be laughing so hard when I'm done with..."

The sentence was lost in a muffled grunt: the man had just died impaled by a spear through the wooden partition. Indeed, Kingsley had had time to quickly determine where his enemy was behind the wall that separated them. The wizard had conjured up a spear and with all his might had driven it into the wall. Kingsley did not like to kill, but circumstances forced him to. Once eliminated, the Auror opened the room where he had heard the woman's moans. Wand in hand, he checked that no other enemy was in the premises.

His colleague also entered the room and ran to the young woman who was tied to a chair. The victim's hands and feet were tied, her face was covered by a burlap sack and she was probably gagged, as only moans could be heard.

— "It's going to be all right, Miss Granger, we're here !" reassured Kingsley's partner as he removed the bag from her head.

— "Hmm... hmm... hmm...," the prisoner grunted as Shacklebolt looked out from the window of the room.

— "Kingsley...," the other Auror called out in a worried voice

— "What ?" he asked, his eyes still focused on the outside.

— "We've got a problem," the other Auror said slowly.

Kingsley knew from the intonation of his partner's voice that the problem was big. He turned his head away from the window to look at the prisoner.

— "It's not Miss Granger !" the other wizard announced.

Shaklebolt had barely laid eyes on the prisoner before he knew it was not the person they had come to rescue. The bound young woman was just another innocent victim chosen by Lord Voldemort's side. She was frightened and had no idea what was going on around her. How could she? No one would hold it against her anyway. But the Aurors had no time to think of any strategy to rescue the innocent girl when they were interrupted by screams followed by a loud explosion from outside. Kingsley's face was suddenly lit by flames: the house opposite had just exploded.

— "It's a trap !" he shouted as spells flashed outside.

Many dark figures appeared outside and surrounded the Aurors. Seeing this, Kingsley opened the window and began to order a retreat! But he had no time to check that his men had heard him : a strong green glow filled the room, followed by a thud.

— "How nice of you to come and see us."

Kingsley's blood immediately ran cold as he heard the voice behind his back. That voice... he'd know it anywhere. The wizard turned to face his interlocutor, noting as he did so that his friend was lying dead on the floor.

— "So Snape was a traitor after all," Kingsley spat to preserve Severus' position.

— "And to think it's only when it's too late that you realise it," Voldemort retorted with a sadistic smile.

— "Where is Miss Granger ?"

— "In a safe place," Voldemort sneered.

Kingsley wanted to take advantage of the moment to glide away, but he felt resistance : he and his companions would not be able to escape. They must have been dead or dying by now, as the fighting was still raging outside. Yet the Auror would not give up so easily. He moved slightly so that the prisoner was behind him. He didn't want her to be the victim of a crossfire of spells.

— "You never understand anything, do you ?" laughed the Dark Lord at the wizard's gesture.

— "What do you mean, you don't understand ?"

— "Always trying to protect the weak... it's so stupid, and so useless !"

— "That's what makes us hum... urg..."

Kingsley couldn't finish his sentence, he gasped. A powerful spike of pain had just shot through his chest and paralysed him. Had he forgotten an opponent who had remained camouflaged in the room ? Impossible, only the prisoner remained... unless...

— "Ohhh, my poor darling," a female voice whispered in his ear.

The Auror slowly turned his head behind him, the chair was empty and Bellatrix Lestrange's evil smile was facing him.

— "Killed by his own heroism !" exclaimed Voldemort disdainfully before casting the unforgivable spell. "Avada kedavra !"

The green beam hit Kingsley hard and he could do nothing to avoid it. Without further ado, the Auror collapsed to the ground, dead.

Now that the Dark Lord had got rid of one of the last wizards in the resistance, there was only one thing left to do : Harry Potter ! And it was only a matter of time before he could finally get his hands on him and remove the Survivor from his path. With that delightful thought, Voldemort moved into the middle of the hall of his fortress. But his smile froze into an indescribable expression : something was wrong. The magic in his headquarters was disturbed, as if something was out of place. He knew then that one of his alarms had gone off. Frowning, he realised that it was the one coming from the basement and more precisely from the dungeons. The Dark Lord paid no attention to the Death Eaters that were appearing around him, holding up their trophies from their previous battle. He strode forward, fluttering his wizard's robe behind him. He had to get to the dungeons to understand what was going on there. His eyes had flared to a ruby red colour, a sign that he was particularly unhappy. All those who crossed the path of the Dark Lord bowed down without saying a word or risk losing their lives immediately.

Voldemort arrived in the dungeons and for the moment nothing seemed different. The cells were still full of prisoners and their moans and groans were delicious music to Voldemort's ears. Voldemort was on his way to meet the one person who would know if anything unusual had happened there: Severus Snape. Anyone trying to escape from the lower levels had to pass the Potions Master's laboratory.

Voldemort flicked his fingers imperceptibly to open the door to the room. As he had expected, Severus Snape was taking notes. A prisoner lay on the floor in agony. The Potions Master had given him a drop of his latest concoction and was noting its effects. Voldemort took advantage of the prisoner's screams to disguise the creaking of the door and remain hidden in the shadows without Snape detecting his presence. Although he had always trusted Severus almost blindly, Voldemort could not afford to let anyone get in the way of his plans. Therefore, the wizard had pushed his knowledge and techniques of dark magic to increase his ability to read minds. Severus was a very good Occlumens, but Voldemort had achieved what no wizard before him could hope to do : see through the Fidelius Charm without breaking it.

This was not the first time Voldemort had used the spell. He had managed to obtain the location of the Order of the Phoenix headquarters without Snape's knowledge. All he had to do was search the Potions Master's memories at high speed and get into them before the Fidelius Charm could work. He had then analysed each image in slow motion with the help of a pensieve. It was in this way that he was able to discover the address of the enemy headquarters. He had had time to read the address on the piece of parchment Severus had held in his hands. Everyone had thought that there was a traitor among the Order, when in fact it was only the result of the Dark Lord's power. The Dark Lord began again, and no sooner had he touched Severus' mind than he knew he was no longer alone. He looked up at his master and bowed very respectfully, keeping his composure.

— "Master."

— "Severus... I see that your work is progressing," Voldemort said in his soft, sibilant voice.

— "It would seem so, my Lord," the wizard agreed, "if you wish," he added, holding out the notes he was taking.

Although he was no expert in the formulation of potions, the Dark Lord was of great intelligence and was quite capable of understanding the sheets the wizard was handing him. The long, thin, almost skeletal fingers reached out and grasped the notes. Breaking eye contact with his servant, Voldemort unknowingly allowed Severus to pull himself together in his own mental defences.

— "Very interesting," Voldemort whispered as he switched his gaze between the findings and the prisoner.

Severus remained silent for at least a very long minute before he decided to address his master rather perilously :

— "I am listening, my master."

— "That's what I like most about you," Voldemort whispered in that peculiar and disturbing way he used to talk to his closest soldiers. "Have you seen anything unusual lately ?" he asked, looking back into the Potions Master's eyes.

— "Of what sort, my Lord ?" asked Severus, well aware of the danger of the situation he was in.

— "Of the kind on the floor below," Voldemort said more harshly as his red pupils glowed more intensely.

— "No, my master," said the wizard.

— "Are you sure ?" the Dark Lord insisted.

Severus did not have the opportunity to answer this complicated interrogation, for the ground had suddenly shaken very badly and there followed a loud thud. The violence of the shock knocked both wizards to the ground. Severus was glad he had spelled his shelves and cauldrons, for if they had spilled onto the floor, he would not have cared much for their own spell. This thought was immediately replaced by another: had Draco succeeded in his endeavour ?