Harry Potter And Bellatrix Lestrange

Neville nodded. "Right. On the plus side, unlike everyone else, you realized you made a mistake and are willing to make up for it. The only question that remains is this: will having you around and pressing your self-inflicted penance on Harry actually hurt him more or less than just cutting all ties with you?"

"I don't know," Ginny whispered, hanging her head. That was the one thing she hadn't worked out, and despite Fred and George's best assurances that finding closure would be the best thing for both her and Harry, she wasn't yet totally convinced.

"But I think at least talking wouldn't hurt," Neville concluded with a small smile. He reckoned that if he was in Harry's shoes, he would have liked to know that other people believed in him, even if he didn't need them anymore. Closure with the past was something he figured everyone needed - even if they didn't like to admit it.

"So-"

"I think something can be arranged. Give me a few days to run it by a few people, and we'll see," Neville concluded with a small smile. He got the feeling that things were looking up.

"So that's your plan?" Snape mulled over the information he, Remus, and Moody had been given as Harry informed them of his war council with Xerina and Hiscophney the previous day.

"That Count has a point," Moody grumbled. "You shouldn't let your guard down just in the hopes of some magical weapon that will defeat Voldemort and his troops for you."

"But if Voldemort really did take steps to ensure that his soul is immortal, then how are we going to kill him?" Remus asked.

"It's not even sure that he did." Snape glanced at Moody. "As far as I know, he has not yet let anything slip about his alchemical and transformational magicks working. And he doesn't strike me as the type who wouldn't not boast about such an achievement. For all we know, he's perfectly mortal."

"The way he was perfectly mortal when he was hit by a killing curse and ended up floating around as a spirit for the next ten years?" Remus snorted.

The Potions master glared at that comment. "The circumstances are completely different this time. However, I do agree with the Minister's assessment that you shouldn't be dueling Voldemort, Potter. While I admit that you did reasonably well the last time you faced him," and all present could see the reluctance with which Snape ground that out, "you are nowhere near his level of skill. Or raw power. He's had decades to study ancient lore and undergo strengthening rituals, and while he was weakened by his physical body dying, he has regained most of his strength since his rebirth."

"I say we lay a trap and goad him into dueling Potter," Moody suggested, "and when he does, we spring everything we've got at him. Hide a few dozen Unspeakables under invisibility cloaks, and have them use the nastiest curses they can think of."

"You were thinking of doing something like that, right, Harry?" Remus asked worriedly. "When you said you were planning into forcing Voldemort to attack the Ministry to make him duel you?"

"Of course," Harry rolled his eyes. "What do you think I am, Moony, daft? I know Voldemort doesn't play fair, so even if we can force him to attack the Ministry, he's going to go for an all-out assault. He'll likely bring everything he's got. And that's what I'm counting on," the teenager finished with a feral grin.

"A good idea," Moody concurred. "If you just took down Voldemort alone, we'd spent years hunting down his remaining allies. This way, we can defeat them all in one go."

Harry nodded. "Also, I've got about four thousand troops in reinforcements, from soldiers to battlemages and sorcerers. Eight entire contingents of battle-ready soldiers, just waiting to be sprung on Voldemort's army. I reckon if we can lure him out into bringing everything he's got, then we can hit him with everything we've got. Otherwise, we'll never be able to use the troops I have to full effect. If we can make our stand at a location of our choosing, with fortifications and traps in place, that's even better."

Snape arched an eyebrow at that decidedly un-Gryffindorish behavior. "Why, Potter, that's rather Slytherin thinking of you."

Harry copied Snape's expression with a smirk. "Why, Professor, of course it is. I almost ended up in your house, after all."

"What?" Snape sputtered in surprise, but before he could inquire further, Harry had already changed the subject.

"That reminds me, where's Tonks?" Harry glanced around at them. Out of the adults he trusted that he regularly held council with, only Tonks and Kingsley were absent. He already knew that Mockridge had requested that Kingsley himself supervise the Ministry's renewed campaign against Voldemort, as well as see to the fortifications of the Ministry for the final stand. He hadn't heard from Tonks, however.

"We don't know." Snape, Moody, and Remus glanced at each other. "She's been on some top-secret mission for Dumbledore, and he's refusing to tell us about it. Mockridge didn't know anything about it, either," Remus finally said.

"And what's worse," Moody growled, "he sent her without backup."

"And that's not all," Snape added. "She's two days overdue. Dumbledore finally let it slip earlier today that he sent her on a mission for him the night you defeated Voldemort at that village."

Harry froze, shock and fear flashing across his face. Please let her be all right, please let her be all right, he repeated silently as he fought to remain calm. The adults had seen the expression on his face, as well, and almost regretted having to tell him, but after having had so much vital information kept from him, they figured he deserved to know. Besides that, the trust he had in the rest of the wizarding world was fragile enough without them trying to get away with keeping secrets from their last best hope in an attempt to sugarcoat the situation for him.

"I'm sure she's fine, Harry," Remus finally said, placing a calming hand on his honorary godson's arm.

"That's right, she's a big girl and a trained Auror," Moody rumbled in agreement. "Though Dumbledore should really have sent her with someone to watch her back. Constant vigilance!"

Harry managed a weak smile that still held a tinge of fear at their efforts to reassure him. "Thanks. Besides, I don't think it's uncommon to be late a day or two on top secret missions, right? I mean, she could've been held up in traffic, or something. Or maybe the weather got too bad for her to travel."

"That's right. She'll be back in no time, you'll see." Remus smiled at him.

Harry took a few moments to get a grip on himself. He was still scared for Tonks, but unless he could press the headmaster for information on where he'd sent her, he couldn't do a thing about it - and although a part of him wanted to go do just that, there were matters he had to discuss with the three men before he could contemplate squeezing the information out of Dumbledore. "So, is there anything else that's been going on with the Ministry?"

Snape looked uncomfortable when Remus and Moody both looked at him pointedly. The expression lasted only for a second before his neutral façade slammed back into place. "Minister Mockridge has dispatched teams of Aurors to seize properties that belong to known Death Eaters, as you know. A number of teams have run into trouble - traps, heavy wards, and so forth - but in all, the raids were rather successful. However, the Minister has expressed concern that today, for the first time, the Ministry has lost contact with one of the teams. It's being led by Amelia Bones, from Magical Law Enforcement."

"On the other hand, we also have a few good news," Moody commented. "That new Minister of ours had everyone in the Ministry tested for their loyalty and mind-controlling drugs or spells. You'd be surprised how many came up positive."

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