"I'll need your wand then," Shacklebolt said. "Better get both of yours," He held out his hand and Harry and Hermione, who still had a firm grip on their wands, put them in the Auror's hand.
"Thank you. What'd you hit him with?" Kingsley asked trying to figure out what spell a fifth year Hogwart's student might know to do that to a man.
"Cutting spell," Harry replied. "You know 'diffindo'. As I said, he was about to curse Hermione and I...well I was just aiming for his wand arm."
"Cutting?" Kingsley asked as he looked again at the Death Eater where one part lying on top of the other, a pool of blood still growing around him. Then he looked back at Harry Potter and shook his head. "Damn..." He muttered.
Security had been alerted and Harry and Hermione found themselves with an escort of Aurors as Shacklebolt led them to the Magical Law Department. Sirius followed behind, but he was requested to remain in the waiting area outside of Madam Bones' office. He was about to object when Harry waved him back.
"We'll be fine," Harry said. "We'll call for you if the questioning turns to something more unpleasant."
"I'll be here then," Sirius replied. "If not, I'll tell her," He nodded to the receptionist, "where I am."
"Thanks," Harry replied.
"Enter," The voice of Madam Bones said from behind the door when Shacklebolt knocked. Harry and Hermione were surprised to find Neville and Luna sitting in the office they entered.
"What's going on Shack," Amelia asked the Auror. The other Aurors had not joined them in the Director's office.
"Potter was attacked Director," Kingsley reported.
Her eyes widened and she looked at the two teens. Seeing neither of them appeared to be injured she asked. "Anyone hurt?"
"Arthur Weasley is at St. Mungos but he'll be fine. We have one Death Eater dead, one also at St. Mungos badly hurt and..." He hesitated, "Ma'am the last person was Yaxley. He's a confirmed Death Eater."
"Yaxley?" Amelia Bones asked in astonishment. "Are you positive?"
"I personally saw the mark ma'am. He didn't have time to mask it."
"He needs to be questioned immediately," Bones said as she stood up from her desk. "He would know...well he'd know just about everything wouldn't he?"
"Yes ma'am," Shacklebolt replied. "It explains a lot doesn't it?"
"Yes it does," Bones agreed. "I'll come for the questioning. We'll need Scrimgeour as well," She turned to the four friends. "I'll be back as soon as I can, make yourselves comfortable. If you need anything, ask the receptionist outside. If you need to leave this office, have her call an escort...no.." she turned to Shacklebolt, "If Yaxley is a Death Eater, no telling who else might be. Who can we trust?"
"Definitely Nymphadora Tonks," Kingsley replied. "There are several others I would have trusted twenty minutes ago, but..." He shrugged. "Sirius Black is outside as well."
"Send Sirius in," Bones replied. She turned back to the teenagers. "I'll have Auror Tonks join you shortly. Do you have your wands?"
"No," Harry replied. "Kingsley does, mine and Hermione's."
Amelia looked at Kingsley who explained. "It was Harry who killed the Death Eater. I was just following procedures."
"An Unforgivable?" Amelia asked.
"No, but..." Shacklebolt replied. "He says it was just a cutting curse," He emphasized the word 'says'.
"And?" Amelia asked, "I've seen men killed by cutting curses to the throat."
"He...I mean the Death Eater was cut in two...all the way," He made a hand gesture to indicate the path of the cut.
Madam Bones' eyebrows rose at that. "Hold out his wand," she commanded. When Shacklebolt did so, she performed the spell that showed the last spells cast. The then did the same to Hermione's wand. When the results clearly showed only cutting and bludgeoning hexes, she looked at Harry for a second before turning to her senior Auror. "Give them their wands; I can't fault self-defense no matter what the results were. Remind me when this is all over to straighten it out with Mafalda though. She'll be having fits about now. We don't need another fiasco like last year."
"Yes ma'am," Shacklebolt said as he handed the wands back before following Madam Bones out of the room.
"What happened?" Neville asked immediately after the door closed. "You were attacked?"
"Yeah, we knew about a Death Eater that no one else did at this time," Hermione explained. "He, of course didn't think we knew him either. When he started talking to Mr. Weasley, Harry alerted Sirius who attacked him in his animagus form. About the same time two masked Death Eaters showed up," She quickly detailed the battle that happened.
"How'd they find you?"
Harry didn't get a chance to answer because Sirius walked into the room.
"We're just trying to figure out how they knew we'd be there," Harry told Sirius. He turned back to Neville and Luna. "I don't know how," Harry admitted. "But you know I'm in hiding right?"
"Of course," Luna replied. "You said you'd have Dumbledore tell us, but he never did."
"I…I forgot to ask," Harry admitted. "I'm sure we'll see him today and I'll make sure it happens."
"That's fine," Luna replied. "Neville came over to my house this morning to floo over together and you said you knew where my house is. Maybe you can come there? Daddy would love to meet you."
Harry looked at Hermione, both remembering the last time they'd seen Xenophilius at his home before replying. "We'd love to," with every effort to convey a smile.
"So what about being hidden?" Neville asked.
"Oh, yeah...like I said the place is hidden but there is someone who knows where it is that is close to Voldemort."
"Snape?" Neville asked.
....
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