Operation: Enduring Freedom

Chapter Two:

"So, in your fourth year, Voldemort stopped his direct attempts to get you, because his wand reacted badly around you?" Susanne questioned, finding it hard to swallow his whole story.

"Yes, but he made other, indirect attempts. By the time I graduated, I was being followed by two aurors in invisibility cloaks at all times," Harry said, the story was taking longer than he expected, some of the concepts were completely impossible to Susanne.

"What are aurors?" she asked him.

Harry looked to the other three, to see if they wanted to talk, but Ginny had fallen asleep, and the other two were talking quietly. So loudly, Harry said, "Aurors are witches and wizards that fight dark wizards, who are also known as Deatheaters."

"What, what happened," said Ginny, sitting up suddenly awake.

"Ginny, I just got through with my part of the story, and now it is yours, it is all your fault," said Harry accusingly.

"Whatever," Ginny mumbled, then turned to Susanne, "Harry told you up until he graduated, right?" as Susanne nodded Ginny continued. "I was a year below Harry, so the Year after he graduated, I was still in school. I was trying to figure out what I should be, and pretty much tried my best at school. I was the Head Girl, and I also had to deal with that. Half way through that year, they came out saying that they were going to start Auror training, for anyone who wanted it that had graduated from Hogwarts, but you had to have recommendation. I went to Dumbledore because I wanted to be an Auror. It seemed like the perfect job to me, I had always been better at Defence Against the Dark Arts than anything else. Dumbledore agreed to recommend me, and when I told my brother Ron, he went to get recommendation too. I started an epidemic, more people from my class and the three above it signed up for that class than had ever signed up before. Everyone that we mentioned before, except Fred signed up for that class. That was six years ago. Five years ago Fred joined too. We started training, a vigorous training that taught us to think on our feet, to stop depending on or wands. We learned how to do wandless magic, how to box, we learned muggle healing, karate, we learned everything. We learned disguises too. You know, most of us here, look different than we normally would."

"You mean, you don't really..."

"Well, actually," Ginny interrupted Susanne, "I do look like this, and so does Ron. We couldn't camouflage us, every time we did a spell to change our Hair colour, or mask it, it would change back to red almost over night. Hermione, show her what you really look like."

Hermione stepped forward, she didn't really want to do this, she had liked the way she looked for the past two years. Waving her wand, Hermione changed her short blonde hair back to the bushy brown hair she had been born with. Harry reached up, and took a wig off of his head, revealing messy black hair, and took out contacts that had disguised his emerald green eyes.

"Oh, you know how long it has been since I have seen you with your normal hair!" exclaimed Ron, kissing his wife.

"Aren't you two cousins?" questioned Susanne, although she wasn't sure if she could believe anything any more.

"No, we've been married for four years. We said we were cousins because there could be some uncomfortable questions. Cho is married to George," said Hermione.

"Now, to continue. We studied for becoming aurors for three years, then all the training was over. We received news of our assignment. We were going to be undercover agents. There were over fifty of us. They had received news of Death eaters in America."

"You mean, you weren't in America the whole time?" asked Susanne.

"No, we are British. I've actually been here before, on a picnic. We were British actually. Now we are legal American Citizens, and members of the United States Army."

"Oh, good."

"Now, we were sent to America, where we became legal citizens. We worked for the American Ministry of Magic for a year, but then You-know-who joined forces with Osama Bin Ladin. We are Americans, and we joined the military, all fifty of us, because there is no way that muggles can defeat You-know-who alone."

"Who is 'You-know-who?'"

"Voldemort, they can't say his name. Dumbledore and I are the only wizards that can," said Harry, when he saw that Ginny wasn't going to answer her question.

"How did he become a partner with Osama Bin Ladin?"

"I'm not sure, but it makes this war so much harder for us, because now Bin Ladin has magical weapons that he didn't have before. Terrorist attacks are easier too, he can put people under the Imperious curse and make them do things instead of doing them himself. This means that their funds of people are unlimited, since they only need twenty or so wizards to control hundreds. We were sent to be sort of information gatherers, but now, we are the most intensely trained Aurors in the history of the Ministry. The thing is, if we get enough wizards convinced to fight, we may be able to turn the tide for this war. To convince them, we need to get away from here, to see the minister. The ministry is in London though, and we may need your help to convince them. Now it is your turn, how can we handle this?" Ginny finally finished.

"Leave," said Susanne immediately.

"What? You just want us to go?" said Ginny, shocked.

"No, I say that I give everyone in this camp a day of leave. Just an all out day. Some of them have had single days of leave before, and a couple went in to London. It might work," said Susanne.

"I have a better Idea. We convince a bunch of the other soldiers into submitting forms for leave, and we send them in too. You approve them all, but that leaves some people here to make it seem normal."

"Alrighty then!"

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Ginny looked around, London looked worse than it had in the pictures Ginny had seen of World War II. It seamed as if the whole city was a bedraggled grey colour, and everyone seemed in poor spirits. Noticing one person who seemed dressed oddly enough to be a wizard. Turning to one of her muggle friends, Ginny said, "Here, let me ask this man directions. I bet that my accents good enough to pass, and he won't even be able to tell I'm American."

"How much do you bet?" said Sue, the muggle friend.

"Ten ga-dollars," Ginny said promptly, ten being the first number to come to mind.

"It's on," replied Sue.

"Excuse me sir," said Ginny, approaching the man who was wearing a kilt and a poncho, "Could you give me directions to a touristy place?" Then she added, in lower tones, "And the Ministry of Magic."

The man jumped, startled, then spoke rapidly, "Well, there I don't know directions very well, but if you go down this street, turn right, go down two blocks, and turn left, you'll find The Leaky Cauldron. I wouldn't send everyone in there, but you should be able to find directions to places." Ginny nodded, she knew of the place that he spoke of, she herself had been there so many times that she barely remembered all of them. "Are you British? Your accent is very good, I almost didn't detect the American accent!"

Quietly, Ginny said, "I was British, but I have been and American for three years. Do I know you?"

"I knew your parents. Send them an owl, they miss you much," and the man ambled away, before Ginny could say anything else.

"You owe me ten dollars!" cried out Sue, as Ginny walked back towards them. Giving them directions to all of the landmarks that Ginny knew, and forking over ten dollars, Ginny spoke again.

"I want to go to a place that man told me of, called the Leaky Cauldron. It is a pub. Yes, I know, it is way too early in the morning to drink, but I have relatives here in London, and he said that I might find out about them at the Leaky Cauldron. Does anyone want to come with me?" Every witch and Wizard detached themselves from the group, and Susanne.

"Why do you all want to go along?" asked Sue, suspiciously.

"Half of us are related to Ginny and her relatives, and the rest of us are dating the other half, you think it is odd?" said Hermione.

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Ginny entered the bar first, and was happy to see that thankfully, it was the same.

"Hello, what can I do for you missy?" said the bar tender, whose name was Tom. Ginny decided that it might be best to stick to her fake accent, since everyone was still in disguise.

"I need to speak with a ministry official," she began, "It is important."

"Where are you from?" he questioned suspiciously.

"America, originally, but we are 'soldiers' fighting here," Harry drawled.

"Draco Malfoy?" someone in the room said, causing Harry to stiffen. Cursing under his breath, Harry turned a questioning face towards the person who had spoken, and gasped as his eyes met those of Severus Snape.

"Who is Draco Malfoy?" asked Hermione.

"Just a former student of mine," Snape said, turning back to his drink.

"You all seem terribly familiar, especially you missy," said Tom speaking to Ginny, "What do you think Severus?"

Snape turned towards Ginny for the first time, and his eyes gazed at her for a moment, then registered shock, "Ginny Weasley."

Dropping her accent, Ginny replied, "Yes."

"Who are you with?" Snape said, eyeing the Americans with disgust.

"People you know pretty well," said Ginny.

"Disguises?"

Nodding, Ginny said, "Hermione Weasley," and Hermione took her disguise away, "Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Fred and George Weasley, Cho Weasley, Seamus Finnigan, Parvati Patil, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, Neville Longbottom, Hannah Abbot, Lavender Finnigan."

"But, there's only fourteen of you! There were how many?" questioned Snape.

"Fifty."

"Who's the other person," said Snape uncertainly.

"This is Susanne, our CO," said Ron automatically.

"CO?" questioned Tom.

"Commanding Officer. We really are soldiers in the American military," explained Hermione.

"Tom, may I use your fire place?" asked Ginny suddenly.

"For what?"

"Two things, if possible. Can people still get to the Ministry by floo?"

"Yes, from here."

"OK, I want Seamus, Parvati, Angelina, Katie, Neville, Hannah, Lavender, and Susanne to go to the ministry. Susanne, watch." Ginny threw a pinch of floo powder into the fireplace, and the flames turned bright green Seamus stepped forward, said "Ministry of Magic," and stepped into the flames. He was whirled away in a swirl of green, and the next person went, until they were all gone.

"Now, the next part. Everyone, gather around here, I'm going to contact Mum before we go to the ministry. She needs to know we are here."

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Mrs. Weasley was chopping up carrots for a salad when a head appeared in her fire place.

"Mum?" the voice said, with a strange accent.

"You have the wrong place," Mrs. Weasley responded, glancing at her magical clock. The hands labelled Ginny, Ron, Fred, and George were all pointed at a spot with no name, which meant that the clock, which was supposed to know where they were at all times, didn't know where they were.

"No Mum, I don't have the wrong place," the voice said again.

Moving towards the fireplace, Mrs. Weasley said, "No, you have the wrong place. I don't have a daughter."

The girls looked shocked, and the head disappeared from the fire, to be replaced by a male.

"Mum?" the man said.

"No, I'm not your Mum! How dare you do this! I have three sons! I have just learned to deal with this!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked.

"No, you have six sons, and one daughter," said the man.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this? I don't have six sons anymore!"

The head disappeared, to replaced by he heads of two more men.

"Mum?" they questioned at the same time.

"NO! I don't have Six sons, I don't have a daughter!"

"That's true," said one, "You have three daughters now, mum."

"Did you take care of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes for us?" asked the other.

Mrs. Weasley gasped, she hadn't told any one about the twins' joke factory, although it turned out that Lee had been running it all along for them. "Fred, George?" she said in wonder.

"Yes Mum, its us."

Then something registered, "You look, different! You look different from each other!"

"Yes mum, I was in the war a year before Fred. I've changed more that Fred has." Said George.

"The war?" said Mrs. Weasley paling, "You've been fighting in the war!"

"So has Ron and Ginny," said Fred.

"What did you mean when you said that I had three daughters?" asked Mrs. Weasley suddenly.

"Just one moment mum," said George, with a huge smile on his face, "I want you to meet my wife!" The two heads disappeared, and then George reappeared with another. "Mum, I want you to meet Cho Weasley."

"Hello, haven't I met you before?"

"Yes Mrs. Weasley," said Cho, laughingly, she knew that she was one of the people that had changed the least, she had a great husband to keep her happy.

"My other daughter?" asked Mrs. Weasley, who wanted all the new now that she found that it was good news.

"Here, let me get them," said Cho. The heads disappeared, and two more reappeared.

"Ron! You're married! Although, I don't know why I'm not more surprised about George. And what is your name?" Mrs. Weasley asked her other daughter.

"Hermione Weasley ma'am," she said.

"Hermione! Oh my dear, what has changed you so much!"

"The war," Hermione said sadly, "The war has changed everyone."

"You mean, the fifty people that disappeared?"

"They all were fighting," said Ron.

"How many people are left?" asked Mrs. Weasley frightened.

"Fourteen," Ron said, bowing his head.

"Thirty-six people died!" said Mrs. Weasley in shock.

"Thirty-seven. There was one person who no one ever counted as missing."

"Who?"

"Draco Malfoy."

"Anyone else that I knew?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

"Too many to speak of right now," said Hermione sadly.

"Harry?"

"Do you want to speak to him?"

"YES!" The heads disappeared, and were replaced by another man.

"Who are you?" questioned Mrs. Weasley.

"Don't you recognize me?" drawled the man.

"I feel as if I should," Mrs. Weasley replied.

"Oh, I feel stupid, I forgot to take off my disguise!" he drawled. Mrs. Weasley watched in surprise as the man took something out of his eyes, making them turn green, and took the wig off of his head.

"Harry! You know, you talk like Draco Malfoy."

"No one will let me forget it, and I've had to talk like this for so long that its hard for me to talk differently. I really wish I hadn't gotten this accent. I was making fun of Draco, when someone remarked that if I changed it slightly, it would sound like a Texas Accent. Ginny had the most difficulty with the accent, so she ended up with the one most like a British accent, but hers is stuck too."

"I noticed. Oh, Why couldn't you have contacted me earlier, I had given up hope, and was ready to break our stupid clock. The hands kept jumping around. I nearly went crazy the hands spent so much time on the Mortal Danger spot."

Harry smiled as he remembered the clock that told where every Weasley was. Next to Harry, Ginny's head reappeared.

"Mum, how are Bill and Charlie and Percy and Dad?"

"Well, your dad is," began Mrs. Weasley, but she was interrupted by the slamming of a door.

"I'm what dear? Who are you talking to? Bill or Charlie. Percy stayed at the ministry. There is some kind of diplomatic envoy from America," said Mr. Weasley.

"Honey, its not Bill or Charlie," Mrs. Weasley started.

"Honey, we've been over this a million times. I thought you were finally over that. Do you need to go talk to Doctor Anne again?" At Mr. Weasley's words, Ginny took a closer look at her mother, and noticed the changes in the woman. Her once bright red orange hair was mostly silver, and her plump form had lost all signs of pudginess. She looked like she was ten years older instead of just three years.

"Dad?" Ginny said loudly before Mrs. Weasley could respond.

"Ginny?" he said uncertainly from the next room, poking his nose through the door.

"Yes, I'm here."

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"You can't have a meeting without proof of who you are!" said Percy Weasley to the ten people waiting by the fire place.

"We need to speak to someone, it's important!" said Neville.

"I don't remember ever seeing you at the American Ministry. I can't be sure that you won't be a threat. You certainly look as if you could kill."

Parvati looked up, a glint in her eyes, "Well, yes, we have killed before."

"Ava- You should be sent to Azkaban. That's an unforgivable curse!"

"No, we've never used Avada Kedavra. I almost think that would be better though. The bombs, the gunshots. You know how my boy friend died? H tried to get away from the bomb, but didn't quite get far enough. The bomb exploded, and a piece of metal got stuck in his stomach. I- didn't have my wand with me, and the medic was too late. We couldn't save him. He didn't die a painless death by a wand. A bomb. We, need to see someone." Parvati was shaking, this was the first time she had told anyone about what had happened to Dean.

"Have I met you before?" said Percy. Suddenly, the nine wizards and witches discarded their disguises again, "Parvati Patil?"

"Yes."

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"Dad, we need to go," said Ginny, her head appearing next to George's.

"I'll meet you there, you may need some help," said Mr. Weasley.

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