Harry

He hated Voltura. The stench of blood. The distant, silent echoes of screaming men and women. The maze like tunnel systems seeped in the dark magic of bloodthirsty beasts intent upon the destruction of everything that he held dear.

He disliked vampire's in general. Having to feed off of the blood of innocents to maintain life was a repulsive act. He had killed many of their kind after catching them in said act. Few had escaped him.

Yet here he was. Striding deeper and deeper into his enemies territory. No victory would greet him here, in the den of his hated enemy. Here they held the power, here, alone, he was weak.

Hermione had told him his newest mission was folly. Ron had rolled his eyes and wished him luck. Molly watched him leave with fear in her eyes. They had trusted him however. Trusted him to emerge safe and whole.

As he closed the distance to his destination he hoped that their trust was placed well. That Aro would rather talk and posture, than command his hoard to descend upon him with no warning.

He wasn't sure what he was seeking with his forage into Voltura. Answers to questions he was yet to ask perhaps. A way of avoiding the upcoming conflict that he was at least partially to blame for?

For all of his bleatings about proactivity. About taking the fight to their enemy before they had a chance to hurt him and his. Harry had found himself more and more sickened by himself. It was dawning on him that he was asking his friends and family to lay their lives on the line for a fight that may be avoidable.

The cloying atmosphere around him was becoming more and more suffocating as he made his way deep into the vampire's lair. He felt a gentle stirring of fear. A prickle at the back of his neck that told him that his path contained only death and anguish, but he refused to break stride. Refused to falter under overwhelming opposition. Refused to bow to fear.

A small smirk crossed his face as he thought of his old house. It truly was a marvel; the very act of belonging to Gryffindor gifted a person a form of bravery.

A mantra of sorts, "I am Gryffindor." went through his head as he descended into hell. The knowledge that you are brave helped in gaining courage. His house were known for being reckless and prideful, glory hunters.

The worst values of his house however, could do nothing to take away from its best. Courage, to face your fears in the absence of hope. The ability to stand alone, or together in the eye of the storm, with head held high. Fighting to the bitter end. The sense of righteousness to stand by your convictions even against the overwhelming majority.

"I am Gryffindor. I will not bend to fear. I will not be a good man, who does nothing. I will choose what is right, and I will not be swayed by cowardice or pain. I am Brave. I am Righteous. I am Gryffindor."

He snorted to himself. The holier than though attitude of his house was another of its many flaws. However innovation and rebellion could not flourish without a certain level of pride and nobility.

He had reached the antechamber, and breezed past the receptionist. She protested this, but he quietened her with a glare. She disgusted him. To sit and watch as her fellows be lead to slaughter as she sat in hope that one day she would be among the number doing the reaping.

Her ambitions would all be for naught. If Aro wanted her in his coven then she would have been changed the moment they'd met. He wasn't one to let talent go to waste. Yet here she sat calmly waiting for her turn on the executioners block, falsely believing she was in line to ascend into legend.

Perhaps he was being to harsh. Perhaps if he lacked his magic he would have aspired to become something more too. Something great, something terrible. Perhaps if he was never rescued from the Dursleys, then they would have succeeded in turning him into something bitter and twisted.

It didn't matter. He shook his head and forged on. The tunnels remained dank and dark right up until the moment that they opened up. Deep underground, an unnatural light shone across thechamber that he found himself in. Aro's seat of power was grandly ostentatious.

The golden stone that it was built upon shone with unnatural light. The shadows had been pulled back, and only infected the tunnels and caverns leading to and from the chamber. Blood stained the walls and floor in a macabre display. And Harry fought the chill that started creeping up his spine.

Aro was with Renetta at his his shoulder, Caius, and Marcus to his left and right slightly behind him in the centre of the hall. One looking bored, one angry, whilst Aro stared at Harry, greed marring his face.

Lining the walls were 36 vampires, most of whom Harry recognised from previous reconnaissance. He saw Demitri, a vampire famed for his ability to find anyone anywhere. A corner of Harry's mind wondered how well his power would stack up to the fidelius.

He recognised the angelic face of the sadistic Jane and her calm, scarier twin Alec. The brute Felix, stood, looking ready to tear Harry limb from limb. Chelsea, whom their civility depended upon, and the most gorgeous thing he'd ever seen; Heidi, also lined the walls.

His eyes however were drawn to a vampire he didn't recognise floating on the fringes. The creature looked young, and of Egyptian descent. What caught Harry's interest was the absolute power swirling within him.

This wasn't good. The Volturi had found an extremely powerful ally. One Harry knew nothing about. He needed to fix that. He briefly considered asking, before discarding the thought. He had ally's now who would probably be able to help him on his quest for these answers.

Aro's voice caressed his ears. "Yes, our strength has grown since you were here last." He seemed smug.

Harry braced himself before allowing his bright green eyes to meet Aros milky red. He smiled, aiming for warmth but was pretty certain that he'd missed. "Aro, I hope that I find you well." Harry lied.

Musical laughter answered him. "You do?" Aro asked.

Harry shrugged. "We're not enemies yet."

"No we're not." Aro's smile grew. "And we don't have to be either."

"That's what I was hoping for." Harry replied. He was becoming nervous. "Tell me Aro, why did you send me to the Cullens?"

More musical laughter. "My dear boy," Harry ground his teeth but decided not to protest. "On your first visit here you asked me to inform you of new developments and curiosities. Did you not get your fill on your visit to America?"

Harry nodded his head. "I did, what I meant to ask was how do you benefit from our introduction?"

Aro's face morphed into one of mock hurt. He clutched his dead heart. "You wound me Harry. Can I not simply help out my friends when I have the opportunity?"

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Forgive me Aro, but I do not believe that you have an altruistic bone in your body."

Aro laughed again, throwing his head back to the ceiling. Instead of the musical notes that graced Harry's ears before, he was now accosted by a canon's booming that seemed to pull the shadows inwards with its echo. The force of it made him want to take a couple of steps back, but he would not show weakness, not here, not now. Aro took note of his tension however.

"Do I make you uncomfortable Harry?" He purred. Relishing in his power.

"More than most. Less than others." Harry replied with candour. It was another trait of Gryffindor. One that could be a disadvantage, but often had the affect of disarming an opponent.

Aro tilted his head. "Who are these others? I would very much like to meet them."

"You won't get to." Harry replied dismissively.

The guard weren't happy with the way he spoke to their master. Going by the hissing that quickly erupted at his reply.

"No one, bar my family, have spoken to me quite so directly in quite some time Harry." Aro said, conversationally.

Harry smirked, careful not to lower his guard he replied. "And no one, bar mine, has decided to play games with me since I put my last monster in the ground."

The guard's hissing became more pronounced and in some places changed into outright growling at his poorly disguised threat. Harry could feel the anger pushing into him and ensured to keep track of the magic in the room. Especially the magic surrounding Jane.

Aro's eyes for the first time that Harry had met him briefly flared with emotion. Marcus as always didn't react, but Caius stepped forwards in rage. "You dare threaten the Volturi?" He hissed.

"No threat Caius." Harry replied, arms raised, a dangerous smile on his face. "Merely a warning."

Caius growled, dangerously, but it barely registered to Harry, who kept his gaze firmly on Aro. He did notice the lack of denial when he mentioned being played with, he was content that, that was answer enough.

"Consider ourselves warned." Aro spoke quietly, dangerously, and in clear dismissal.

Harry stared at him for a moment. "Will you head it I wonder?"

He didn't receive a reply, not that he was expecting one. He stood for a moment allowing his eyes to once again take in the whole hall before he twisted on his heel and apparated with a small crack.

Teddy

Consciousness returned to him slowly. His head swimming and ears buzzing, he somehow managed to keep himself from revealing his newly acquired awareness to whomever may have been in the area.

Keeping his respiratory rate low and eyelids loose became more and more difficult as pain swept over his body. His muscles and magic seemed to be screaming whilst his ribs felt like they were stabbing him. His skin itched badly and underneath his eyelids his eyes burned.

By the smell of sterilizing magic, and sounds of health monitors beeping and humming around him, he suspected than he was in Saint Mungo's. Cautiously lifting his left eyelid he confirmed his suspicions but was immediately accosted by a mediwizard who noticed his barely perceptible movement.

"Good morning Mr. Lupin" he began in a gentle voice."How are you feeling?"

"Hurt." Teddy moaned sounding a lot more pathetic than he intended. To counter this he decided to shimy himself up the bed into a sitting position. The effort cost him, he couldn't hide the wince on his face, and he found himself quite out of breath after the experience.

The mediwizard who hadn't moved yet stood and watched him with assessing eyes. "Careful, you've been put through the wringer. Would you like some pain medication?"

Teddy was about to refuse wanting to stay lucid whilst in his somewhat vulnerable position but a sharp stabbing to his side caused him to close his eyes and nod his head. When he opened them the mediwizard was already on his way back with two vials of potion.

He handed them to Teddy and said. "A painkiller and a magic stabilizer. Should numb you out a bit. I'll go fetch the Healer and we'll talk you through the damage."

Teddy threw back the foul tasting potions and watched the mediwizard retreat from the room. He surveyed the other occupants of the ward, trying to ascertain from observing them how bad his own injuries were.

The wizards in their beds seemed pretty healthy to Teddy. A large gash spread down the side of the face of the man opposite him, but his content expression asurred him that all was well. The other two occupants were sleeping but the gentle rhythm of the machines hovering at their bedsides, as well as the lack of writhing in their apparently peacful sleep helped to calm Teddy's worries.

Teddy scrunched his nose in frustration, despite the positive signs hinting towards early release he was already bored. He sluggishly made to move out of bed but was stopped by an authoritive voice. "Stop." Teddy obeyed, and then looked up at his Healer.

She looked stern, and powerful. Holding herself confidently, maybe even arrogantly. Her eyes moved over Teddy, analyzing him before she continued on towards his bedside.

Looking further Teddy noticed the tell take shimmer of a glamour under her eyes. That was pretty common among healers and other over worked witches and wizards. Her nails were uneven at their tips, she'd been chewing them. Another sign of stress.

Her confident aura however filled the room. It was obvious in the way that the patients, mediwizards, and porters hurried to move out of her way that here, she was Queen.

She made her way over to the foot of his bed picked up his chart. "Hello , I'm Healer Roberts. I'm told that you were in a fair bit of pain when you awoke?"

"I was." Teddy said with a smile. The potions by now we're in full effect. Not only could he feel no pain, he also felt slightly giddy. His sluggishness didn't bother him as he slurred. "You're a very pretty Healer."

Flipping to the second page on his chart the Healer said. "Thank you . Now can you tell me you're date of birth."

After a fair bit of thought the answer came to the forefront of Teddys mind. "20, 04, 98" he mumbled.

The healer nodded. "Good, and what do you remember of the incident?"

"I wouldn't answer that if I were you Teddy." His Godfathers voice came from the doorway.

His Healer spun around. She seemed taken aback to Teddy's lessened awareness. "Mr. Potter visiting times.."

"Are for people with less clout than me." Harry interrupted. It was out of character for him to be so brash with someone. Even when stressed Harry appeared a polite man who didn't like stepping on toes.

"For what its worth" he continued. "I am sorry for interupting you, but time is short and Teddy needs debriefing."

"He was seriously injured!" Roberts spoke indignantly. "He needs care, bed rest, and an absolute minimum amount of stress."

"He's an auror. He needs to understand, what he did wrong so that he can ensure that he doesn't end up in the same position again."

Healer Roberts drew back, apparently offended. "How dare you! Mr. Lupin is in my care. Which means that I get to decide what is best for him. In this instance that involves sending you away for the next three to five days untill I release him. Good day Mr. Potter." She turned her back on him and walked over to Teddy.

Over her shoulder Teddy could see a slightly bemused expression on Harry's face before it turned into a wide grin.

"So, what happened Mr. Lupin."

Still watching Harry who hadn't moved Teddy replied. "Got into a fight. I lost."

His Healer nodded and asked in a sweet voice. "What can you tell me about the fight?"

"I'm sorry, it's classified." Teddy mumbled, his eyes downcast. Glancing up he saw that her frustration was starting to swell.

She turned around quickly, noticing Harry she commanded. "Get out of my ward."

He held up his hands in apparent defeat. "Of course, see you soon Teddy." He said with a wink.

Healer Roberts harrumphed as Harry left. She took a deep breath before turning back to Teddy a smile on her face. "Now Mr. Lupin, is there anything you would like to tell me whilst we're alone?" Teddy shook his head.

She sighed, and muttered somethin to herself that Teddy couldn't quite hear. "Well it seems like despite your condition, when you were brought in, you should make a quick and full recovery. I'll be back to check up on you soon." With a forced, parting smile she left the ward.

As soon as she was gone Teddy was startled by a shimmer in the air, untill he recognised Harry standing before him, tucking his invisibility cloak into his side seamlessly. He transfigured the visitors chair into something a little more comfy before sitting in it and placing his foot on his knee.

"Hello Teddy." He said with a smile, which Teddy returned.

"Harry." He replied.

"How are you doing?"

Teddy was about to say fine, before realising that it wouldn't be an acceptable answer. "Physically I'm great, whoever brews potions for St. Mungos really knows their stuff." He gave Harry a little smirk. "I am a little disappointed though."

"I thought you might be. It might help you to know, that had you not failed, you would have been only the third person in the crucible's history to succeed on their first attempt."

Teddy turned to look at Harry. "I suppose you were one right?

Harry rolled his eyes. "It's not important who the others were, what's important is that you learn the lessons that the crucible taught you."

"I'm not really sure what those lessons may have been." Teddy said somewhat glumly.

Harry smiled. "Which is why I am here."

Teddy nodded. He'd never been professionally debriefed by his Godfather before and was a little nervous. Harry was a kind and considerate, but he was also honest, sometimes brutally so.

Harry simply sat there staring expectantly at Teddy, his eyes boring seriously into Teddy's. Despite the lack of pressure on his occulemency shields, Teddy was under the impression that Harry could sense everything going on in his head at that point in time. Probably a side effect of having been raised by him.

After a minute or so Teddy decided to break the silence which was becoming uncomfortable; for him at least, Harry seemed to be perfectly at ease.

"I stopped moving. Pinning all of my hopes on the curse working."

"You did." Harry agreed.

"I also exhausted myself too early." He added when it seemed like Harry wanted him to go on.

His Godfather took his foot off his knee and planted it on the floor. He leaned forward slightly. "How could you have avoided that?"

Teddy thought back to the first room, the fire coming at him quickly and ferociously. The sweat, the fear.

He'd acted quickly and instinctively and managed to survive the flames. He wasn't at all convinced that anyone else could have crossed the room using his method any easier than him. So there was something that he was missing. Going by the smirk that Harry was wearing it was something relatively simple too.

Teddy remained silent, furiously thinking whilst Harry gazed at him patiently.

"I don't know Harry."

Harry gave a quick nod before talking. "It's not a surprise really. You're just out of basic training, and whilst that does give you an immeasurable advantage over the average witch or wizard, Basic, is just that.

The crucible is designed to test the metal of experienced aurors who rely upon their own instincts. Rather than the lessons you were taught to keep you alive. Tell me about magical fire Teddy."

Teddy scrunched his head in confusion. "Magical fire comes in three classes: Benign, which shares all the properties of mundane flame, the only difference is the temperature which is dependant on the power pushed into it.

Dark, which by its very nature is destructive, angry and deadly. And finally sanctified which for most witches or wizards is protective and cleansing."

"Good. And in basic you're taught how to protect yourself against fire in a combat sense. Seeing that as an auror you're most likely to be up against dark fire, that's what you're taught to fight. However experienced aurors would have recognised the lack of dark magic in the fire instantly and simply..."

"Cast a flame freezing charm." Teddy groaned.

Harry smiled and nodded at him before the ward door burst open, and Healer Roberts strode in.

"Mr Potter I told you to leave! Or am I going to have to curse you?"

Her voice cracked ever so slightly at the end giving a hint at how terrified she was of the thought of fighting Harry. She didn't back down though. She stood firm, looking for all intents and purposes as if she were ready to pull her wand out and begin firing upon his Godfather.

Harry stood and spun. With a charming smile on his face Teddy was sure.

"Apologies Healer Roberts." He spoke happily. "I'm on my way. Teddy I'll see you when you're released." Turning back to look at him, Harry held Teddys eye for a moment.

'Well someone has a mission.' Teddy thought. Harry calmly walked out of his ward nodding at Healer Roberts, who huffed at him.

Once he'd left his healer calmly walked over to him. She handed him a potion and without a word Teddy drank it, blissfully falling into the unconsciousness that came with it.

Carlisle

In the end, all the vampires, minus his wife, Rose and grandchild, along with five of the wolves, including Jacob, Leah, Embry, Quil, and Seth had made the trip to England.

The late hour of their arrival allowed them to quickly move through border control. The wolves, dozily allowed themselves to be escorted through by the more alert vampires.

Their pre ordered, luxury, taxis were waiting for them. Carlisle, Edward, and Jasper got into the first allowing the others to divide themselves as they saw fit behind them.

Carlisle gave the driver the address that Harry had given him. In no time at all the cars had traversed London's empty early morning roads. They found themselves in an alleyway outside a phonebooth.

They decided to go down in three groups of five; he went with Jasper, Alice, Carmen and Elezear first. Following Harry's instructions, and feeling a little foolish with five vampires piled into the phonebooth he dialled 62442.

A cool female voice sounded inside the box. "Welcome to the ministry of magic. Please state your name and business."

After a second of thought Carlisle answered. "Carlisle Cullen, here to see Harry Potter."

"Thank you." The voice replied. "Visitor please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes."

A badge slid out of the coin return. Edward picked it up, and read it, before snorting. "Better do as she says Carlsile." His son chuckled, handing it over to him.

The badge read 'Carlisle Cullen, rabid fan girl.'

Unsure of himself Carlisle placed the badge in his pocket. Even at more than 300 years of age he wasn't immune from embarassment.

The telephone booth descended into an empty atrium. Alice intake of breath was enough of an indication to say that she recognised it and Carlisle was sure he knew from were. He gave her a glance that screamed 'later'. He wasn't sure if they were being listened to, and didn't want Alice sharing too much information about herself.

They exited the lift, and simply stood watching the empty atrium carefully as the rest of their party joined them in two more journeys.

As the last of their group piled out they made their way cautiously across the atrium towards a pair of lifts. They were called back however by a voice that cracked gently.

"Mr. Cullen?" A male voice squeaked.

Carlisle smiled flashing his teeth. The man in front of him took a step back in fear. "That's me he said." Ignoring the way the human looked like he was about to wet himself.

"Mr. Potter asked me to bring you to their conference room."

"Lead the way then." Carlisle smiled making sure to keep his teeth hidden this time.

They followed the nervous man out of the atrium and down a dreary corridor. It seemed like it hadn't been used in years, there was dust and signs of disrepair every were he looked.

Just as Carlisle was beginning to think he was being led into a trap, the man opened a door that Carlisle hadn't noticed, before it was opened, and enterred.

Their party followed Carlisle lead, and stepped in after him. The room was a stark contrast to the hallway they'd just eneterred from. Clean and modern as opposed to dank and dreary.

They were met with a bustle of activity and little fanfair. A few people looked up at them but returned to their work quickly.

Seeming much more at ease now he was with his fellows the man told them to follow him and calmly walked through the throngs of workers to a door at the end of the large room.

He opened it for them, and gestured for them to enter.

They found themselves in a smaller room with one long conference table in the middle. Large bay Windows looked over the London skyline. Curious, Carlisle was positive that they were underground.

Around the table sat various people in discussion in twos and threes. At the head of the table were three people around Harry's age. A bushy haired woman, a man with garish orange hair, and a woman who was strawberry blond. They were leant over a large piece of parchment furiously but quietly debating as their fingers danced and slid across it.

Towards the head of the table a man, talking with a woman, who possessed the same shade of red hair as the man at its head, noticed them and rose. Carlisle could feel the power within him as he walked towards them. As he reached Carlisle he thrust his hand out.

"Neville Longbottom." He cheerfully introduced himself.

Carlisle gripped his hand gently. "Carlisle Cullen. A pleasure."

Neville nodded before looking over Carlisle's shoulder.

Taking the hint Carlisle introduced the rest of his friends and family to Neville, who nodded and shook the hand of everyone there.

Returning his attention to Carlisle he said. "We're just waiting for Harry, Arthur and Kingsley, so make yourself at home."

Seeing the vampires and wolves begin to settle themselves around the table Neville strode back to were he was previously sitting and engaged the woman in conversation again.

Carlisle sat down with Edward on one side and a gulf of two chairs between himself and the next man along.

"Big table." Edward spoke quietly to his left.

'A good sign.' Carlisle thought. Knowing Edward would pick up on it.

Their group sat mostly in silence bar a few jokes being passed back and forth between Emmett and Jacob untill the door opened again.

This time three men enterred. An intimidating black man followed by a balding ginger and finally Harry enterred the room. Carlisle couldn't read the face of the other two men, but Harry looked grim and determined.

They strode to the head of the table. Harry nodded a greeting to Carlisle which the vampire returned. And greeted several others similarly. He grasped Neville by the hand and whispered something in his ear that not even Carlisle could hear.

He then looked over the parchment that the three people at the head of the table were crowded around. Softly he said "A good start." Before reaching the head and allowing everyone to take their seats.

"Friends." he spoke. "We have much to discuss. But first introductions, I think."

He gestured for the bushy haired woman to start to his immediate right.

"Hermione Granger" she said. The red haired man was Ron Weasley, who had a few siblings around the room including Ginny, the woman by Neville. He assumed Arthur was Ron's father who sat behind Harry with Kingsley. Fleur Wesley sat with Bill who sat by George.

Susan Bones was the third member, previously at the head of the table and sat to Harry's left. Viktor Krum, Cho Chang, Seamus Finegan, Dean Thomas, and Luna Lovegood, made up the rest of the younger people present.

Three people around Kingsleys age sat together besides Ginny: Fredrick Mclaggen, Jonathen Greengrass and Sara Bell. They had the same aura of power that Harry possessed. They looked hard and dangerous.

Based off the way people had orientated themselves around his group and each other, Harry, Neville, Kingsley and those last three were the most dangerous people in the room.

Carlisle noticed that many were heavily scarred, most had steel their eyes, and all were looking at Harry almost reverently.

The vampires and wolves introduced themselves next. Some of the table watched them suspiciously and in the case of the wolves with confusion in their eyes. Apart from Harry who looked at Carlisle's friends with a sort of anticipation.

"So," Harry began. "You all know why we're here." He was answered with sharp nods, and attentive gases. "The Volturi are coming." A determined smile crossed his face. "We're going to stop them."