Not a Damsel

Chapter 20. Not a Damsel

The Duelling Chamber was more crowded than usual. It was gratifying to know that he was the reason for it. Apparently, the Hogwarts rumour mill had given him the prestigious title of prodigy. So, many older—and younger—students began to attend the fourth year's duelling tournament to see if he was really that good or if it was just hot air. Safe to say, they had been impressed. And week by week, his fame had only grown until every single student in the castle was aware of it.

Today was the final match, and the only match Harry had been looking forward to. It wouldn't be a lie to say that his classmates were mostly unremarkable. There had been only a few who had managed to stand out. Tracey, Draco, Daphne, Padma, Susan, and Theodore Nott were the foremost in that group. If not for them, he'd have already declared this event a total waste of his time. But watching a few good duels had made up for all the poor ones he had to sit through.

The crowd cheered as he stepped into the duelling arena. All four high balconies were filled to the brim. Not a surprise, considering this was the finale. He was even glad for this end; defeating weaklings had become less fun and more of a chore by now. Then there were the upcoming year-end exams, too. He'd need to dedicate the entirety of his time to getting acceptable grades, and the fewer distractions, the easier it would be to study.

"Take position." Professor Black stood in the middle of the arena, garbed in a fitting black robe with her platinum blonde hair pulled back in a crown-like bun. She was still just as attractive as when he had first seen her, and just as cool and indifferent too. But now was not the time to fantasise about fucking her coldness away in the middle of an animated crowd.

Shooting a grin at Neville, he jogged away to make space between them, glancing one last time at the people who'd gathered here to see him perform. Unlike the usual Thursdays, there weren't only students from other years present but a couple of teachers too. Professor Flitwick was standing in the midst of Ravenclaws, while his mum was on the balcony containing all the Gryffindors. He could even spy their Runes Professor with the Hufflepuffs. His gaze then drifted towards the Slytherins, where his former best friend was.

She looked away the instant their eyes met.

Months had passed since she punched him, and yet there was no hint of forgiveness forthcoming. If anything, she was becoming less and less like his Tracey. This new girl was no longer the kind and chirpy friend he knew; she had been replaced by a silent and brooding stranger who didn't care one bit for him. And with each day spent without her by his side, he was getting the impression that this was actually permanent.

If he was ever asked to name the biggest regret of his life, he'd say 'destroying the Tracey I love' in a heartbeat. He didn't just regret disappointing her; no, he thoroughly hated himself for making her like this. If only he had cleared things up before, if only he hadn't ignored her unsubtle signals, if only he hadn't led her on, if only he—

"Wands out." Professor Black's calm voice broke through his gloomy thoughts. He shook his head. It was not the right time to beat himself up for what had happened. He had already done that enough times as it was. And he had even gotten somewhat used to Tracey's absence. Susan had been able to fill most of the hole that Tracey left behind.

His wand shot out of his holster and right into his loose grasp. Neville took out his own wand, like a sword, from the sheath at his waist. Harry's lips twitched. He was not going to lie; it was still cool, but also more than a little pretentious. Then again, with his skills, Neville could afford to show off a bit. His friend was the only one who could make him sweat, after all. Hell, it wouldn't be wrong to say that this duel was the only reason Harry had been excited about the tournament.

"Bow."

The two boys shared a deep bow and a friendly nod.

Professor Black walked out of the arena and raised the transparent barrier that would prevent stray spells from leaving the enclosed space.

"Begin!"

"Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!" Neville yelled, his wand a blur, red jets of light shooting at a blinding speed.

Harry pointed his wand downwards and sent a controlled gust of wind—"Ventus!"—aiding himself in flipping through the air, easily missing all the spells and landing back on his feet. "Incendio Exardescere!"

Neville calmly conjured a shield and braced himself against the approaching wave of fire.

That was just a distraction, though.

"Aqua Eructo!" "Glacius!"

These two spells weren't aimed at him. No, they were aimed at the floor.

A flood of water rolled onwards, covering the ground, and behind it came the hissing ice. The entirety of the tiles were soon blanketed by a thin sheet of frost, reflecting the light of the candelabras hung above them. Knowing that Neville was nimble on his feet, he had come up with this to hinder his speed.

Before the other boy could change the shape of the battleground, Harry roped him back into combat. "Glacius Telum!"

Neville swept his arm from left to right. "Incendio Maxima!"

Fiery red flames flared in his direction, not only taking care of the icy missiles but also melting and evaporating the frost from the floor. A thin, negligible amount of mist rose from the tiles and dissipated, leaving the battleground in its pristine condition once again.

The two boys stood still for a moment, staring at each other.

"You should have used the wind spell; then I wouldn't have been able to choose the fire spell," Neville remarked, his lips curving up.

Harry nodded grudgingly, already aware of his hasty mistake. "Noted."

Then their hands began moving at an inhumane speed.

"Reducto! Reducto! Reducto! Reducto!"

"Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!"

None of the two stopped to conjure a shield. They simply moved around and dodged them, or batted the spells if they came too close.

"Bombarda!"

"Confringo!"

They had the same idea: to shatter the floor beneath one another, to make running around difficult and unviable.

Both succeeded.

Harry hid behind a shield as the tiles exploded right in front of him, hurling debris in every direction. Neville, too, leapt back and protected himself behind a shield charm.

When the dust settled down, they were met with the sight of a ruined battleground. The tiles around them were either cracked or simply gone, making the floor uneven, which was not exactly great for dashing around in the heat of the moment.

They dusted their clothes and jumped a couple of feet forward, leaving the ruined floor behind. Now they were closer, meaning the spells would be a lot faster, meaning they would have even less time to react.

Knowing that the debris could be used to sneak a surprise attack on him, he vanished it. He could have used it for transfiguration, but neither it was as quick as spells nor did he have a strong grasp on that particular subject.

Neville didn't share his weakness, it seemed, because the next moment he was hurling tile projectiles at him; they were sharp and had enough velocity to skewer him. With a pounding heart, Harry dodged them, knowing a misstep would mean an overnight stay in the infirmary. That managed to inspire him to veer away from their paths.

He gracefully weaved through the makeshift incoming projectiles, his eyes trained on Neville's wand, using it to know the direction of the missiles, using it to reassure himself that the other boy wasn't mounting a sneak attack with the growing pile of stones behind him.

Once the debris was cleared from Neville's side, Harry enacted his shoddy plan, not giving his friend a chance to utter one more spell. "Lumos Maxima!" "Fulmen!" "Mimblewimble."

The last spell was uttered under his breath. It was a trick within a trick. The blinding flash of light was meant to, well, blind and surprise him. Then the lightning bolt was meant to strike him. But he was aware of his friend's phenomenal duelling skills and knew that he might create a shield to absorb it. In which case, the Tongue-Tying Curse would blitz through his weakened shield and take away Neville's chance to fight. That was the plan; the next few seconds would prove if it had worked or not.

When the light faded, Neville was on his knees, panting, his hair standing on its ends from shock. It looked like he wasn't able to fully block the lightning spell. Which meant his last spell must be successful too. A shark-like grin flashed over Harry's face. There was blood in the water.

They both whipped their wands. But it was only Harry who was able to yell out a spell while Neville made an impression of fish, moving his mouth with only a gurgle escaping him. "Expelliarmus!"

His friend's wand sailed through the air and slapped into his other hand.

…

Neville sighed and got up, but offered him a sour smile when he returned his wand. "Good duel."

"Good duel." Harry threw his arm over his shoulders with a happy laugh. That was indeed a good duel—undoubtedly the best he had in this tournament.

There were deafening cheers, which he just realised had been going on for a while. And yes, the loudest was his mum, surprising everyone that the usually sullen Professor Evans was being this cheerful. Then again, most students have only faced her thorns while he feasted on her soft, aromatic flower; innuendo definitely not intended.

"The winner of the Fourth-Year's Duelling Tournament is Mister Harry Evans." Professor Black fixed him with her plastic smile and handed him the coveted notebook of Dumbledore, the very same one with three semi-rare spells in it, the prize that everyone had been after.

"Thank you, professor." His smile was just as joyless as hers, then he turned towards his fans, er, his fellow students, and waved at them.

Soon his mum stepped up to him and embraced him proudly, pressing her buxom body against his. If they weren't in public, he'd have kissed her breathless and slipped his hands deep under her jeans to grope her arse. Alas, he settled only for a tight hug. Susan was next, then was his little brother, and then was some blonde hottie who he was sure was a seventh-year student. But he didn't mind—not stupid enough to complain about hugging a sexy older girl. Though his eyes widened when she gave his crotch a subtle squeeze. Before he could return the favour, she vanished into the crowd, her giggles echoing in his ear.

~xXxXx~

It had been a while since she lost her magic entirely. She would have acted surprised if she hadn't already expected it; she always knew it was going to happen sometime. It was a clear pattern. First, her magic weakened the night she killed Voldemort. Then she lost her ability to use wandless magic. Which was followed by the basic wand magic. And at last, even her hard-earned skill to use Magiscape was taken.

She had finally become a weak squib.

There had been panic, of course. Harry had nearly become mad, thinking she was in danger, fearing she would die. It had taken her a lot of effort to calm him down. And when she was done, he had become sympathetic to her for suffering such a crippling blow. She had rode him hard that night after he vowed to protect her with his life. That memory brought a fond smile to her face.

"You may go in," The woman at the reception said, opening the door for her.

Giving her a nod, she stepped inside the Minister's office. Yes, James' office, the very same man she hated vehemently for endangering her son's life. But this situation demanded compromise, and as much as she liked the idea of totally depending on her son for protection, she was never the one to be the damsel in distress kind of woman.

She needed her magic. And she was willing to pay any price to acquire it. She hadn't spent a decade and a half exploring Magiscape to then just lose access to it. Something needed to be done. Something needed to change. She had to finally try darker paths to gain her powers. The time for hesitancy was long gone. It was time for risky and immoral actions.

"Is the world ending?" James smiled humorously, looking out of the window at the afternoon sky. "I never imagined the 'lovely' Lily Evans would ever want to voluntarily see my face. Take a seat, my lady. Regale me with the amusing tale that brought you here. Why are you here and not at Hogwarts?"

She narrowed her eyes and sat down before his desk. "Potter, I have a favour to ask."

He rolled his eyes, leaning into his chair. "Of course you do."

"I need three disposable magicals for research and rituals."

…

"What?" He blinked, the mirth vanishing from his gaze.

It was annoying that she had to come to him. But he was the most powerful man in the country. And she was smart enough to suck it up and use connections when she had to. James was her ex-husband, and while there was no love lost between them, they were not enemies either.

"I am thinking of regaining my magic. I will need time to research and create a ritual. And I will need three test subjects who might die. Since you're the Minister, you can grant me the lives of the worst criminals from Azkaban who wouldn't be missed." She ground out, rethinking her decision. Was becoming a damsel and clinging to her son for safety really that bad?

Yes, it was. No offence to her adorable son; she didn't like the idea of being powerless. It reminded her of the time when Voldemort had attacked the Potter Cottage, when none of her spells worked on the dark lord, and when she had to resort to sacrificing her life to make a difference.

No more; she had never wanted to be that powerless. Unfortunately, that was what she was now. A total squib whom a group of eleven years could easily harass for fun.

James rubbed his face and sighed. "You really think I will let you kill people for your selfish desire, even if they are criminals?"

"I will owe you," she said through gritted teeth. "And I will donate my research to you. Don't you think the mystery of magic is more important than some low-life criminals?"

Her ex-husband stared at her tenderly, almost looking like the man she once loved—the man she would have given up her life for.

"Fine, but it will be kept a secret. I don't need the public to get the wrong idea." He acquiesced, reluctance clear on his face.

"Sure, but I'll need Alice to help me since I can't do any magic myself. And Harry will be aware too, because I can't keep a secret from him."

James scowled and glowered at her. "Alright, but I don't want Harry anywhere near you while you conduct these... experiments. He is too young to face such things."

She opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. While Harry was more mature than his fellow children in some areas, he was still too soft to witness the things she'd have to do. "I can drop him off with Lena for the summer holidays. I think I will need the entirety of summer for my experiments."

He groaned. "Shit, Lena and my children will be visiting their grandmother in Norway. I'm afraid she wouldn't be able to look after him. Well, if you're sure, I can ask her if she is ready to take Harry along with her. Knowing how much she loves him, she will definitely say yes."

She shook her head. "No, I'm not letting him visit some woman who I don't even know, even if that woman is Lena's mother."

"I thought so. Well, we still have time. It is only April."

"Yes," she muttered. She'd have dropped Harry at Longbottom Mansion, but since Alice would be her partner, it wouldn't be possible. Now that she thought about it, even Neville would need a place to stay since his mother would be with her. She would have to find some way. If nothing else works, then she would keep portkeying back and forth from her home to whatever place she would conduct her experiments in. "I better go before Harry realises I am missing. He is quite overprotective."

"Must be nice having children who notice when you're missing." He chuckled self-deprecatingly.

Her eyes softened for a moment. "You could have had that. But you chose the world over your family. You keep choosing the world over your family, even now. You only have yourself to blame."

He nodded sadly. "I know. But there needs to be people like me so there can be people like you. If everyone only cared for their family, then the wizarding world would be even worse than it was during the war. It is my duty to protect this country. It has always been my duty to safeguard Britain from internal and external threats."

She glanced at him pitifully before leaving his office, ignoring his cryptic declaration. "Then man up and don't regret it."

~xXxXx~

Harry ran as fast as he could after shoving the Marauder's map in his pocket. The strolling students leapt away from his way as he sprinted towards one of the abandoned hallways that was rarely ever used by anyone.

This was the last day at Hogwarts; the exams were finally over, and now it was time to go home for the summer holidays. So, he had thought of making one more attempt to reconcile with Tracey. But what he had seen on the map while searching for her had scared him.

'I hope I am not late.' He worried, almost there.

Rushing to where the fight was happening, he twisted his wrist and caught his wand, preparing to destroy them for even daring to harm his friend—well, former friend—but just because they were estranged didn't mean he'd turn a blind eye when she was in trouble.

He stopped short at the scene before his eyes.

…

Tracey and Daphne were standing back to back, their breathing loud and uneven, with a sheen of sweat covering their faces. All around them were groaning Slytherins, lying on the floor and moaning in pain. There were a total of six of them, four boys and two girls. And all of them were older, if not seventh years.

He was taken aback when Tracey let out a triumphant chuckle and hugged Daphne. "It was fun."

His heart ached, recalling how she used to do the same to him when she accomplished something. It seemed his Tracey was still there beneath that brooding girl, but just not for him.

Daphne smiled widely. "I knew that spell was too useful not to try."

They still hadn't noticed him. A part of him wanted to turn away before they did, and it wouldn't even be bad since the situation was obviously under their control. But he needed to know what happened. If there was any risk to Tracey's safety, he needed to help her. Just because they weren't friends anymore didn't mean he couldn't help her. Right?

"What's going on here?" He said authoritatively, waving his wand and stunning all the assailants.

The two girls sprang away and trained their wands at him. "Evans!" "Harry!"

"I mean no harm." He holstered his wand and raised his hands placatingly. "Just tell me what is going on here."

Daphne glared at him, and Tracey's scowl wasn't any less angry.

Surprisingly, it was the blonde that answered. "Let's just say a small group in our house doesn't like me standing up for my sister. Thankfully, the rest of them understand and appreciate sticking up for the family."

"Are you saying the Slytherins are rational and understanding about your reveal?" He couldn't help the disbelief from leaking into his voice.

"It's surprising, isn't it? That not all Slytherins want to kill and rape your people." Daphne said with her usual apathetic smile.

He shrugged. "From my own experience, yes, I am surprised. And my people? Careful, your superiority complex is showing."

"Blood matters, Evans. It is what gives us magic. But I am not one of the sorry radicals. For me, only the power matters; whether the blood is pure or mixed is irrelevant."

Harry regarded her with a frown. "Alright. I am only going to ask this once. Do you need my help?" He turned his gaze to Tracey, who was looking blankly at him. "Just because you hate me doesn't mean I can't offer aid. Consider it as compensation for putting up with me."

"Why are you here, Harry? How did you know there was going to be a confrontation here?" Anyone else would have missed it, but Harry and Daphne caught the hint of fear in her tone.

His heart broke again at the distrust. "You don't have to worry about that," that being Magiscape, "our promise still stands. I won't ever use it on you."

She released a sigh and walked up to him, Daphne fast on her heels.

It took all of his willpower not to hug her and lose himself in her vanilla scent. He had to bite his tongue and stop himself from begging her to come back. If it'd worked, he'd be on his knees, doing everything to get her back.

"Thank you. My promise stands true too. I'll never reveal your powers; you can be sure of that."

"Thank you," he said, stepping closer, unable to stop himself. But as he tried to wrap his arms around her, she jumped back.

"Not going to happen, Harry. We are never hugging again. We are never going to hold hands again. We are never recovering what we lost," she mumbled, then spun away to walk in the other direction. "Thank you for coming for me, but I can take care of myself. I am not a damsel. And I have Daphne; she is all I need."

Daphne's cheeks reddened, and she took her hand as they walked away, leaving him alone with the unconscious Slytherins.

'That could've been me.' He thought, staring at the way the two sisters were whimsically swinging their joined hands between them. 'No use having second thoughts. I have already chosen my road. Whatever happens, happens.'

~xXxXx~

"You know, I can live by myself," Harry said from where he was lounging on the sofa.

The mother-son duo was in the living room of their apartment, waiting for the guests to arrive. It had been barely a day after they returned to the muggle world, and his mum had already commenced this separation.

Was he annoyed that she was not taking him to wherever she was going? Yes, but he was understanding enough to recognise why a concerned mother would keep her nearly-fifteen-year-old son away from torture and human experimentation.

Still, it was going to be a difficult two months without her, but he didn't want to seem like a clingy child, so he hadn't made much fuss over it.

The air was forced out of his lungs when she pulled the suitcase towards him and slumped sideways into his lap. "I don't think surviving on just cakes sounds healthy."

He wrapped his left arm around her back and placed his right hand on her legs. She was indeed right. He only knew how to make a cake, which was definitely not nutritional, and he needed those nutrients to keep up his training, both physical and magical.

"And this Sirius Black can make good food?" He asked, running his palm up until it was on her generous chest. He was so familiar with her clothes and body that he instantly knew what she was wearing underneath the white shirt: her favourite green bra. It had frills and was thicker than the others.

She smirked amusedly as he rubbed her breast. "No, but he is an adult... most of the time. And as much as I trust you, I can't leave you and Neville alone to fend for yourselves the entire summer."

"Fair enough." He relented before pulling her face closer, inch by inch. "Food, done. But what about my other needs? I will neither have you nor Susan."

She chuckled at his melodrama, glancing at the wall clock before planting a searing kiss on his lips. "I cannot help you with that. But I'm sure you will charm some innocent girl where you're going."

"But no one can compare to you. No one can fill your place. We fucked every night since Halloween last year, and now I suddenly can't even see you for two whole months. I will miss you. Can't you just portkey to your 'work place' and return home every night?" Although he tried to make it sexual, she caught the desperate sadness hidden beneath it.

She cupped his face. "It will be hard for me too, Harry. But I like to think you will support me in this endeavour. I've always lived for you, but please let me get back one thing I can't live without. Portkeying back and forth will be too messy and distracting, not to mention we'll need to keep an eye on the prisoners too."

He nodded morosely, brushing his lips over hers and hugging her tightly. "I know I am being selfish. But I'm already starting to miss you. Still, if you have to go, then try to come back quickly."

"I will do my best." She ruffled his hair. "Now shrink my suitcase while I get away from your lap. It will be difficult to make this cuddling seem maternal when you are boldly fondling my breasts."

An exaggerated grin broke over his face as he tried to hide his disappointment, and he gave her tits one last squeeze before letting her away. "Fine, I'll wait for you."

At exactly that moment, Neville and Alice apparated in their living room. His friend had a red t-shirt and khaki trousers on, while the goddess herself was clad in a pitch-black gown that pulled back no punches in accentuating her perfect curves.

"Harry," Neville said with a smile.

"Nev, you are still fucking taller than me." Harry grimaced.

"We just saw each other at Hogwarts the day before yesterday. Did you really think this would change in two days?" His friend smirked and plopped down beside him.

"Anything is possible," he muttered distractedly, looking at the two beautiful women conversing together in whispers. Maybe they were checking if they had hammers and knives to carve up the prisoners. Or maybe they were arguing about whose tits were bigger. Probably not the latter. They didn't seem cultured enough to invest in the biggest mystery of life. Then again, his mum was fucking her own son—him—so who knows? Anything was possible.

Neville placed his hand around him and leaned in to whisper. "Do you know the reason for this sudden trip? Mum hasn't told me why we need to stay with Sirius Black while they go to who knows where."

"Can't say. It is a secret, some government stuff, I think." He lied, coached by his mum not to reveal the true reason. Only he, his mum, his father, and Alice were allowed to know the real reason for this clandestine outing.

Neville groaned and leant back in the backrest. "I hate mysteries."

"Me too, Nev. Me too," Harry piped up, glaring at the swaying mounds of his mum and Alice. Whose was bigger?

Their last guest finally arrived, stopping him from thinking more about the greatest mystery to ever exist.

The man was young, appearing no older than twenty-five. But Harry had gotten used to the weird ageing of the magicals and knew the man was actually as old as his mum. His boyish appearance was only marred by a neatly trimmed beard that added a couple of years, and his long black hair was well-groomed and gathered in a bun. From his white-grey three-piece suit, it was clear he was not a boy but a wealthy man.

"Lily." Sirius grinned, sweeping her into his arms.

"Sirius." She smiled, embracing him back.

He pulled away after a moment and grabbed her by the shoulders, giving her a thorough once-over. "Damn, you've become a certified MILF."

Harry and Neville were shocked by the audacity, but their mothers exasperated sighs told them that they had expected it.

"You have three seconds to step back." His mum's smile turned feral. Well, she bared her teeth threateningly, which might be a better description.

Sirius scampered away and turned his attention to Alice. "I can't say if I'm glad or disappointed that you haven't aged a day since we last saw each other. On one hand, no MILF, but on the other hand, firmer boobs."

The said woman punched him in the face as soon as his fingers sank into her large breasts. "Lily, are you sure you want to leave our children with him?"

Sirius laughed heartily, wiping the blood from his nose. "And these are your brats? If I remember correctly, I am the godfather of one of them."

"Harry's." His mum said in a pained voice. She must be regretting her past choice of appointing a man like him for that task. He wondered how this man was even able to become his godfather. Weren't there more mature men?

"Harry," Sirius smiled, ruffling his hair. "It's good to see you again."

Harry's response to this gentle greeting was a fierce kick between the legs. "That's for touching Alice's ti—chest. Now we are even."

Alice raised her eyebrows, catching his slip of tongue. "Thank you, Harry."

'Thank me by letting me motorboat your wonderful tits.' That was what he wanted to say. But he just nodded instead, raging inside that this fucking man got to cop a feel and not him. Would she just punch him if he grabbed her tits? Because that sounded a great deal to him.

Sirius waved his wand and grunted in relief when his nuts stopped screaming in pain. "I guess I deserved that. But I've been messing with your mothers before your fathers even began bonkin—Ouch."

"Enough, mutt. Don't make me second-guess my decision." His mum cuffed the manchild, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, mommy." He giggled but shut up under everyone's glare. "Fine, fine, you lot don't have any sense of humour."

Ignoring that, Alice nodded at them. "You two will live with him for the next two months. Nev, you're the most mature in the group. Try not to cause too much trouble."

"Sure." Neville shrugged, ignoring the childish pouts of the other two.

Harry shrunk his mum's suitcase and handed it to her.

She pulled him in and held him against her for a minute, pressing long kisses on his face. "We'll be together again before you even notice."

He nodded against her warm neck and reluctantly pulled away. "I'll be waiting for the good news."

She pecked him on the mouth, and he held his lips close, knowing he wouldn't be able to control himself if he tried to peck her back. If he tried, the two would end up snogging each other senseless.

"Sirius, take care of them. I am trusting you this time; don't let me down." She looked over at the smiling man.

"I will protect them with my life."

There was no hint of doubt on his face.

Their mothers smiled reassuringly as Sirius side-apparated them away.

That was the last thing they saw.

"That was a lot harder than I thought it would be." Alice chuckled, staring at the place where the kids were.

"Let's hope this task is completed sooner than later." Lily sighed, fighting against her urge, trying not to go after Harry and hold him tight at her bosom.

They used the portkey given to Lily by James and appeared in a well-furnished house.

James was already there, waiting for them.

"I don't have much time before Brenda notices my absence. So I will keep it brief. This is a well-protected two-bedroom house on the outskirts of Bulgaria. While you will not need them, use these emergency portkeys in moments of distress. It will bring you straight to the Ministry. The prisoners are currently in the basement. They are sedated at the moment and are restrained with magic-inhibiting handcuffs. Make yourself at home. I—"

"Okay, we'll go check them," Lily cut in. "You can go now."

"Thank you," James said and portkeyed away.

The two friends climbed down into the basement and saw the prisoners tied against the wall.

"Peter Pettigrew. Augustus Rookwood. And Harold Greengrass," Alice said darkly.

"A traitor. A sadistic Unspeakable. And a serial rapist. I won't feel bad for what they'll go through."

"Neither will I."