Diclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter, don't you?

A/N:
I am baaack.

This is the last of the original author's work (it was about 500 words and unpublished) so from here on out it's me and my beta, well mainly me I guess.

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and been waiting for this.

---- - ----

Katie Bell woke up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She was staying at Hogwarts for Christmas this year since it was her last year and her parents were going aboard for the holidays.

Katie was looking forward to having a nice hot shower followed by breakfast but her musings stopped when she noticed a sealed envelop on her dresser. She picked it up and noticed that it was addressed to her and has the SG symbol of a snake surrounding a phoenix with the letters 'S' and 'G' on either wing, on the wax seal.

She pointed her at the seal and said the standard SG password, "Darkness all over." The seal vanished and she removed the letter and unfolded it.

The letter was short and to the point, "Had to leave the country on short notice for a while. Took a few of the others with me. The Ministry is after us but we will be back as soon as possible to deal with them. You should not be in any immediate danger but stay on guard. If you feel you are in any danger send word to me and I will make arrangements for your safety.

Harry"

Katie did not like the sound of this but trusted Harry; if she didn't she wouldn't have joined him in the first place. Burning the letter, she got dressed and left to see if any of the other members had received Harry's instructions.

---- Downtown Italy ----

Harry and the rest of the group were currently riding a limo to their hotel. Harry could hardly keep a straight face sitting across from Ginny and Neville, both looking rather faint, being comforted by Hermione and Dean.

Tonks tried her best to look disapprovingly at Harry but she found it difficult to since it really was quite amusing watching the two of them on the plane. She'd never been on a plane before herself but Harry told her all about them and besides they had emergency portkeys back to their home.

"Relax Ginny. We're back on solid ground." Harry tried to reassure her but couldn't keep the laughter from his voice.

Ginny snapped her head towards him and with a look of outrage yelled, "I NEVER WANT TO RIDE IN THAT DEATH TRAP AGAIN!!! HOW WAS IT FLYING WITHOUT MAGIC?!?"

"It's a little hard to explain since I don't know the details but I guess the closest explanation would be that it's the same as how a car moves just much more powerful."

"Besides Ginny, it was bloody comfortable." Seamus interrupted, resting his hands behind his head and laying back in his seat. "Of course you would have noticed if you weren't passed out, screaming like a banshee or stunned."

The whole car was filled with laughter and Neville chuckled a little but they laughed even harder when Seamus jumped out of his seat to dodge the itching hex Ginny sent towards his crotch.

The rest of their ride was filled with small talk which ended as the limo pulled up to a grand looking hotel and the door was opened, "Welcome to the Hilton Hotel."

The group followed Harry to the reception counter where they checked in and were lead to their room. It was the Presidential Suite which had a hall that could rival the Gryffindor common room; it had a fireplace, dining table, a bar, big screen plasma TV and a balcony that overlooked the city.

"We get the master bedroom!" Tonks yelled the moment she laid eyes on the room with a king size bed.

"I call the couch." Everyone turned to Seamus, who was going to fight him for the couch? "What? Take a look at this thing." Seamus tried to hug the TV but it was wider than his arms. "I bet you can watch every sports channel there is on this thing. Think of all the football I could watch on it."

Everyone laughed at Seamus' reason but understood. Ginny and Hermione was going to share a room with two single beds so were Dean and Neville. After settling in their rooms which didn't take long since they didn't have much of anything with them, they gathered around the dining table.

"Ok guys. It'll probably take me a day or two to get in touch with Lord Lorenzo so we probably have a few days to do what we want. So what do you guys want to do other than training? For today at least."

"SHOPPING!" yelled Ginny and Tonks. Everyone else just groaned.

"I think I'll just stay and watch the telly." Seamus answered.

"I'll second that." Dean chimed in.

"Mind if I join you?" Neville asked and was warmly welcomed by the two.

"I think I'll do some light reading."

"Oh no you don't, Hermione. You're coming with us." Tonks interrupted.

"But…"

"No 'buts'. You're coming with us and that's final." Ginny's tone left no room for argument so Hermione just reluctantly nodded.

"Guess I'll join the…"

"Us." Tonks interrupted. "After all you can't leave three lovely girls to pay and carry their stuff do you?"

With his escape plan foiled, Harry just groaned and accepted his fate.

---- - ----

"That was great!" Tonks yelled as she walked through the door to their suite carrying a bag in each hand, followed by rather nervous/embarrassed but happy looking Hermione and Ginny each carrying a bag in each arm.

"It was nice of you to pay for our stuff but are you sure it's ok Harry?" Hermione asked Harry as he walked up behind them carrying three bags in each arm.

"Ya Harry you spent an awful lot of money on that trip." Ginny mentioned as four more bell-hops entered the room carrying more bags and boxes.

"I told you Ginny it's ok." Harry answered as he tipped the last of the bell-hops before walking over to the couch and crashing next to Neville.

There was a knock on the door which Harry got up to answer; he looked through the peep-hole to see who it was but saw no one there. Harry drew his wand before opening the door to check the empty corridors. He lowered his wand and was about to walk back into the room when he noticed a small brown envelop on the floor. Harry picked it up, started reading it and closed the door behind him.

"What's that Harry?" Neville asked.

"Looks like Lord Lorenzo knows we're in town. He wants to set-up a meeting." Harry looked up as the letter was set ablaze.

---- Abandoned Wine Vineyard ----

Harry, Tonks, Hermione and Neville followed a guard through the house till they reached the dining room. They found Lord Lorenzo with four of his inner circle sitting at one end of a rectangular dining table.

Lord Lorenzo was impeccably neat and crisp, with an edge on every word he spoke. An older gentleman, unhappy with his country's predicament, and willing to do everything to stop it.

"Sir I thank you for your graciousness in allowing me into your home to converse with you. I hope we can make a deal tonight." This formalness was hard; he had to think everything through before he spoke.

"Mr. Potter you have proven yourself an honorable man. I too hope relations can be reached between our groups." Lord Lorenzo motioned for the first course to be brought.

"Now Mr. Potter, what do you wish for me to do, if we establish an alliance?" Eating delicately, back ramrod straight, his men likewise. They were all rather non-descript fellows. Harry had been trying to imitate his posture, so far successfully.

"I would wish for you to publicly condemn Voldemort, help me make contact with other groups sympathetic to my cause, and help train my troops."

"Now I, if we agree to this, would like you to take a public stand against the Italian Monarchy, I would like you to be there on our final takeover, for you to be a Baron of a certain wizarding community when the takeover is successful, and financial backing."

"To take a public stand against the monarchy? I would hope then that you would veto all tariffs and embargoes on British products after you are in power. Otherwise there isn't much in it for the British people."

"Of course, I would say go even further and arrange an alliance with the Ministry. Assuming of course they are amenable to this?" This seemed to be a subtle hint that he assumed Harry was in control of the Ministry.

"I assure you the Minister is agreeable. As for financial backing, I'm assuming you have a figure in mind?"

"Around a billion galleons for the Italian coffers."

A billion, that was a large order, though it would hardly put a dent to the combined Potter and Black family fortune, it was still a large investment for this alliance.

"As a gift or a loan?" He asked hiding his concerns.

"Well to be fair, a no interest long-term loan. However I must say that because of the extravagant lifestyles of the monarchy and the heavy and unfair taxes the Italian wizarding community has been forced to endure we might only be able to pay back half of that within the next fifty years if at all."

"Before we get back to that, may I ask you a few more questions?"

"Of course."

"What do you intend to do with the money?"

"We do not have concrete plans thought up as we do not know how much is or will be left in the Italian treasury at the end of this but our main priorities will be housing, education and healthcare for those in need. Then rebuilding the economy, we may venture into muggle business sectors if need be."

"So you are not against muggles and half-bloods?"

"Pff… Perish the thought Mr. Potter. I have absolutely nothing against muggles, muggle-born or half-bloods. In fact, Mario over here is a muggle-born. First in your family I believe isn't that, right?"

"Yes." One of the men sitting at the table answered.

"We do not hold the same prejudice that Voldemort or most of the current British Ministry hold."

"That's good to know. What do you intend to do to the members of the monarchy and the aristocrats?"

"Well those who have treated the community fairly and have supported our cause will largely be left alone. However, those who have been known to be cruel and unfair will have their wealth and properties taken from them to be put to better use. This will include most of those higher up on the monarchy. Some others will be put on trial to answer for crimes against the people. The king will most definitely be put on trial."

"So you do intend to give quarter?"

"Yes. I believe you are asking this because of a news article that said I ordered the massacre of almost two hundred of the King's court including women and children, yes?"

Seeing Harry's nod, Lord Lorenzo continued, "Well I can assure you that that is not true. It is true that we attacked that villa when they were having a party; the only ones we killed were soldiers and those who fought back. We did not go there intending to kill everyone there especially women and children. The number of dead on both sides was not even a quarter of what they reported when we left. The papers here make us out to be like Voldemort's Death Eaters when we are nothing alike."

"I see. I know what it's like when the papers are against you which is why I did not entirely believe them when I read them. Has Voldemort ever tried to contact you?"

"Of course but we turn him down every time. Like I said we do not share the same ideals but the monarchy might."

"I see." Harry laced his fingers together in front of him and look like he was in deep thought before putting them down. "Lord Lorenzo, I believe we can form an alliance."

"Wonderful. Most wonderful."

---- Hilton Hotel ----

The rest of the group was starting to get nervous. Harry and the others have been gone for quite a while and they haven't heard a word from them. The nervous group jumped to their feet, wands drawn when they heard the door open.

They lowered their wands and sighed in relief when the saw it was Harry and the others and that they were fine.

"Hey guys. How was dinner?" He asked nonchalantly.

After filling the others in on what happened during the meeting, the group decided to call it a night.

"Neville I need to speak to you for a minute."

"Sure thing Harry."

"I need you to get in touch with your gran. I'd like to speak to her about the Ministry."

"Ok Harry. I can floo her later."

"Ok just let me know as soon as possible when she can talk to me."

"Alright." Neville left to go to the hall to floo his gran while Harry sat down and started to write a letter.

"Hey." Tonks walked up behind him.

"Hey." He replied without turning around as she wrapped her arms around him.

"What you writing?"

"Just a letter to Susan." He answered as he sealed the letter. His phoenix fire flashed next to him on the table. "Hey girl. I need you to deliver this to Susan. Thanks." It took the letter and vanished in a burst of flames.

"You know you really should give her a name."

"I know, I'll think about it tomorrow."

"Harry." Neville interrupted the two, "My gran's ready to talk to you now if you'd like."

Harry got up and walked over to the fireplace, "Evening, Mrs. Longbottom…"

---- - ----

Tonks woke up the next morning alone in bed, she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes and saw Harry sitting at the table talking to his phoenix. She just watched for a moment before he gave her a letter and she fire-flashed away.

She got out of bed and walked over to him as he started to write another letter. "Wha'cha doing?"

"I just sent Lily off with a reply to Susan's letter and I'm writing another to Lord Lorenzo."

"So you finally gave her a name huh? After your mom?"

"Yup."

"What's the letter about?"

"Just tying up some loose ends. We'll probably be signing the contract for our alliance tonight."

"I thought we'd train till the afternoon then do a little sightseeing and shopping. We'll probably leave Italy tomorrow or the day after. Hopefully, it won't take long to settle the all that rubbish with Fudge and we should all be home for Christmas."

Tonks wrapped her arms around his neck, "Hmmm… that sounds wonderful."

Harry pulled Tonks into the hall and called out to the rest of the occupants, "Hey guys how about dinner then a play at the old theater district?"

---- - ----

The group decided to taking in the sights after dinner, the last thing they expected to run into was trouble but trouble was exactly what they got when Harry noticed a six black robed figures walk out of a building. One of them turned towards them and he noticed the tell-tale white masks.

"Fuck! Death Eaters!" Harry drew his barrette and shot two rounds into one of the Death Eaters' chest.

The others quickly drew their weapons. Tonks and Hermione put up anti-apparation and portkey wards while Neville, Dean and Seamus summoned near-by objects to form a barricade.

"It's Potter!" One of the Death Eaters spotted the group and was about to cast a spell but was hit by a stunner from Ginny.

"They are not to get out of here alive!" Harry ordered.

Neville and Dean continued to cast jinxes and hexes from behind the barricade while Hermione and Tonks entered the building next to them and made their way through it, trying to get behind the Death Eaters, only to run into five royal guards who started to fire curses their way.

"Shit!" Tonks cursed. "Harry! Harry!" She tried to reach Harry over the com-link.

"Ya?"

"We've run into some royal guards and they're attacking us."

---- - ----

"Shit!" Harry cursed and noticed a cloaked figure being escorted by two guards running towards a waiting carriage. "I think I see another prize. Cover me!"

Ginny and Seamus drew their Glorks and started giving Harry some cover fire while the latter ran towards the carriage. Harry got off two more shots from his barrette, hitting the carriage. He had to drop it as it was empty and rolled forward under two curses and drew his old wand.

"Stupefy! Stupefy! Bombada!" Harry quickly stunned the two guards and destroyed one of the rear wheels carriages before it could even move off. He stunned the carriage driver before he could even get up.

Harry opened the carriage door and moved back as two spells flew pass him. Harry drew his Desert Eagle and shot three rounds through the opposite end of the carriage. "Drop your wand and come out or the next three go through you!"

A wand was thrown out the carriage and the cloaked figure stepped out with its hands up. Harry quickly cast a full body bind before running back to help his group.

---- - ----

Seamus, Dean, Neville and Ginny separated and ran away from the barricade just as it was destroyed. Ginny paused for just a moment and fired the last bullet in her Glork which found its mark through the knee cap of one of the Death Eaters as he revived the previously stunned Death Eater.

Neville sent a bludgeoning curse at the head of the revived Death Eater, knocking him out again and knocking out some teeth.

Seamus cast a cutting hex at one of the last two Death Eaters, cutting off his wand arm. The Death Eater fell to his knees, his face locked in a silent scream. Seamus dropped his wand, absolutely shocked and horrified at what he had done.

Seamus would have dropped dead where he was if Dean hadn't tackled him out of the way of the killing curse.

"AVADA KEDEVRA!" Neville cast the killing curse without a second thought, killing the last Death Eater but dropped his wand when he realized what he did. "Oh good god… What have I done?"

---- - ----

Hermione and Tonks were having a hard time with the guards; they were better trained than they thought. They were hiding behind pillars on opposite sides of the hallway, Hermione going up against three while Tonks faced off the other two.

Hermione thought fast and pulled a fire-extinguisher from the pillar she was hiding behind before three spells bounced off the side of the pillar. Hermione waited till she saw that the guards were less than four meters from her, she threw the extinguisher as hard as she could and cast a 'Reducto' at it which caused it to explode into a large cloud of white gas. She quickly cast six stunners into the cloud hoping she hit all of them.

Hermione approached the cloud, her wand pointed at the quickly settling cloud. She cast a glance over to where she thought Tonks was but this momentary lapsed was all it needed for one of the guards that wasn't stunned to get up and tackle Hermione to the ground.

She tried to point her wand at the attacking guard but he knocked it out of her hand and wrapped both his hand around her throat.

"You're going to pay you little bitch."

Hermione was starting to panic, she wasn't strong enough to force this guy off her and her vision was getting blur from lack of oxygen.

Tonks moved around the pillar, ready to cast a spell only to lose her wand to a disarming spell. Seeing their chance, the guards came out of their hiding place ready to finish the job. But they were taken by surprise when Tonks charged them, drawing a knife in her left hand and her colt in the other; she stabbed one of the guards in the stomach and shot another in the head.

Hermione was about to pass out, her hand reached into her robe and pulled out her Glork and shot three rounds into the stomach of the guard. The guard's grip loosened as a look of shock appeared on his face. He fell over as blood poured from his mouth and took his last breath.

Hermione pushed the dead guard off of her and wiped his blood from her face. She quickly pointed her gun at Tonks when she heard her approach.

"Whoa." Tonks raised her hand showing that was didn't mean any harm. "Easy Hermione. It's me, Tonks."

Hermione lowered her gun but couldn't take her eyes of the man she'd just killed. "Come on let's get out of here." Tonks picked Hermione up by her arms and lead her out of the building.

---- Hilton Hotel ----

Tonks walked into the bedroom that she shared with Harry and found him sitting at the table smoking and stroking Hedwig.

"How are they?" he asked.

"They're still shaken but Lily helped calm them down but Hermione, Seamus and Neville aren't so good. They've locked themselves in their rooms."

"I see." Harry took one last long puff of his cigarette before standing up and putting it out. "Let's go."

TBC