Desperate Measures

Part 1

By: D.Torres

Two aurors escorted Ginny Weasley and her guest to visit Azkaban's most famous prisoner, Harry James Potter. Harry Potter had been arrested for treason and after the evidence provided and witness testimony, the young man, once thought to be the savior of the wizarding world was now the scum of the very society that he had protected.

Today was Harry's eighteenth birthday. He had spent the last two years here. Luckily the Dementors were no longer in charge of security, however the aurors now assigned to this rotten prison occasionally took their displeasure out on the inmates. In that respect, they were no better than the muggles many of them thought themselves superior to. When the door to his cell was opened Ginny and her guest quickly entered and the door was shut behind them.

"Happy birthday Harry." Ginny's male companion stated.

An ungroomed Harry looked up at the voice he thought for sure he would never hear in this place.

"Dudley?" Harry stated.

A leaner Dudley Dursley bent down to look at his cousin. "You look like hell Harry."

"And you... god what happened to you?" Harry said in disbelief.

"Mum and dad passed away about the time you were placed here." Dudley explained. "Ginny told me all about it, that's how I know when you were put here."

"How. how did they die." Harry asked. His aunt and uncle had never been the nicest to him, save the one time his aunt ordered that Harry had to stay after Vernon Dursley wanted to throw him out.

"Car accident. After that Aunt Marge took care of me till I was of age. Dad had his will ready. just in case, and I got everything. Mum had a policy that dad didn't know about though, she left you some money. It's in the bank waiting for you to come and get it."

"That won't happen any time soon." Harry stated. "So, other than to wish me Happy Birthday for the first time. ever, what brings you here."

"I asked him to come." Ginny said. Harry had been so dumbfounded that his cousin was anywhere in the wizarding world he'd overlooked Ginny. Harry mustered all the energy he could to stand and walked slowly to Ginny who he hugged with all his might. Tears came to their eyes and whispers of I love you were traded between the two.

"I missed you love." Ginny said.

"I've missed you too." Harry replied.

"I brought you a present Harry." Dudley said interrupting the tender moment.

"A visit and a gift. who are you and what have you done with my cousin?" Harry asked in a jovial manner.

"I'm the only family you have left, and after Aunt Marge passed on last month you became the only family I have left." Dudley explained.

"I see. So what's my gift?" Harry asked.

Ginny just captured Harry in her arms and gave him a large hug. Harry was momentarily caught off guard but after a moment realized why Ginny was being so affectionate.

She gave her love a kiss and then backed away from Harry. Dudley shook his cousin's hand for a few moments, then gave Harry a large bear hug that also lasted longer than one would normally think. Dudley and Ginny then called for the guard to let them out.

**~~** **~~** **~~**

It was evening meal and the guard opened the door to Harry Potter's cell. Harry was lying on the bed, as he normally did at this time when the auror entered. The auror looked at Harry and then as he was about to leave Harry asked the man, "Are you pure-blood, half-blood, or muggle born?"

"What does it matter?" The auror retorted.

"I'm just curious is all." Harry said calmly.

"I'm from a long line of pure-bloods." The auror spat.

"Did you ever take muggle studies in school?" Harry asked before the man could leave again.

"I did." The annoyed auror retorted.

"Good, then you're bound to know what this is." Harry said drawing a revolver from his pillow.

Harry drew the hammer back on the pistol and the auror could see the bullet in the chamber as beads of sweat began forming at the base of his forehead. Harry was aiming the weapon at the man's chest and remained calm while the person in front of him appeared to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The auror slowly moved away from the door and became one with the wall. He indeed knew what the weapon in front of his face could do and was terrified that someone like Harry Potter had such a weapon.

"I bet right about now you're wondering where this weapon came from. Stop, in a little bit you won't be worrying about anything ever again." Harry informed the terrified man.

"Please don't kill me." The auror requested.

"Why shouldn't I. How did Cornelius word it again. oh yes. The psychotic boy with delusions of grandeur. A boy who thought his fame made him untouchable. That the lives of others matter not to me. That in the grand scheme of things. I was no better than Voldemort."

The auror flinched at the mention of Voldemort's name. Harry just rolled his eyes momentarily.

"Turn around and put your nose against that wall." Harry ordered. The auror did as he was told.

In the past two years, since his incarceration, Harry has never felt this alive. Harry had been sentenced for murder. The man he had thought was a death eater was not. The death eaters had branded him and set Harry up. A glamour spell made the man look like Draco Malfoy. Upon his death the dark mark vanished and the glamour spell ended. Just as Harry realized what had happened the ministry's aurors conveniently appeared and took him into custody. Harry felt extremely guilty for the death of the innocent he'd slain. He could careless about the magic world, save Ginny, but after being ostracized by the press and his so-called friends, Harry would give anything to be away from this world forever. Now, after two years he was breaking out tonight, and one way or another he was leaving Azkaban.

"Please don't kill me. I have a family." The auror begged.

"I have half a mind to do so. I'm already serving a life term now, don't suppose they could do much worse, save kill me." Harry informed the man.

The auror was visibly shaking. Harry flipped the firearm around and pistol whipped the man in the base of his skull with enough force to knock him out. Harry quickly removed the man's robe and wand, dragged him to his cot, and tied him to it with the sheets. He then threw the blanket over him so it would appear as if he were sleeping, but not before shoving one of the man's socks in his mouth to keep him muffled.

Harry then placed a memory charm on the auror so he wouldn't remember who had visited Harry prior to his escape, or how he had escaped. He then cast a glamour spell upon himself Harry then strolled out of the cell and casually down the corridors of Azkaban. He smiled to the guards as he walked out the main door of the Azkaban facility and made his way to the rendezvous point arranged by Dudley.

**~~** **~~** **~~**

"How could this happen?" Cornelius Fudge yelled as he looked at the now empty cell that had till recently held not only Harry Potter, but Sirius Black. Yes this was the second escape in the History of Azkaban and the second time during Cornelius Fudge's tenure as Minister of Magic.

This did not put the Minister in a good light with the people he was supposed to protect.

"We don't know how he managed to over power the auror sir. The guard was unconscious when we found him and his memory has been erased." The head of the Azkaban facility informed the Minister of Magic.

"I want Harry Potter found at once, he can't have gotten very far in such a short time." Fudge stated.

"We've already made a through sweep of the island sir, he's nowhere to be found."

"I don't care where he isn't, I want you to find him now. Where ever he goes, you find him and bring him back to me."

**~~** **~~** **~~**

~~~Barcelona, Spain~~~

"It's beautiful here." Ginny said stating the obvious as she stared out the balcony window to the .

The only scenery Harry was looking at was Ginny. It had been far too long since they had been alone together and Harry was glad to finally be free and with her. Harry walked up behind his love and wrapped his arms around her waist. He planted soft kisses on her neck and shoulders and occasionally allowed them to linger. Ginny was in heaven, for more reasons than one.

She had left a letter on the kitchen table of the Burrow the morning of her visit to Harry informing her family that she would not be returning. She would be going away for a very long time and did not know when she would see her family again, if ever. She did not tell any of them what she had planned or who she would be meeting that day but when word got out of Harry's escape she knew that her family would connect his escape with her disappearance, especially her incredibly brainy sister-in-law.

Dudley had bought their tickets, one way, under his name and made all the arrangements for the trip to Italy. If anyone came looking for them at the Dursley's he had set up security measures to keep himself safe from prying wizards and witches. He and Ginny had been orchestrating Harry's liberation for quite some time and left nothing to chance.

Ginny briefly thought about all this as she felt her arousal at her lovers attention. "Harry. how much do you love me?" She asked him.

"I love you with all my heart and soul love." Harry responded.

"Let's get married then." Ginny requested as she turned to look her love in the face.

"All right." Harry replied with a smile on his face.

"I'm serious." Ginny replied swatting his arm.

"As am I love." Harry said pulling her tightly against him.

"I thought you were saying that as a joke." Ginny retorted.

"I never joke about what's important... and nothing is more important to me than you my love." Harry stated.

"I want to get married tonight." Ginny said urgently.

"I take it my cousin, who I'm still not sure is really Dudley, helped arrange that as well?" Harry asked.

"He may have." Ginny said in a coy tone of voice.

"Does that explain the wardrobe I found in my closet?"

"It might indeed." Ginny stated with a smile on her face.

"Shall we then love?" Harry asked.

"By all means, let's." Ginny replied and the two lovers parted and went to separate rooms.

**~~** **~~** **~~**

Harry found instructions in his suit pocket on where to go. After making the rather short journey, Harry was waiting in a little chapel that his wife to be and cousin had found. He guessed that Ginny and Dudley found the chapel first, then the hotel where the couple was staying. It was very nicely decorated, Ginny's work no doubt. Harry thought to himself. Along with the instructions was a ring. It was his mother's wedding ring. Dudley had left him a note saying that it had been left with him the night he was placed on the Dursley's doorstep and was to be given to Harry (or else) when he requested it. Since Harry never knew about it, Dudley found it while going through his mother's things and thought it would be best if he made his cousin aware of this.

The priest came out and greeted Harry. While they chatted before Ginny's entrance the priest made it a point to tell Harry how lucky he was to be marrying such a loving and generous young woman such as Ginny.

"You have no idea padre." Harry replied.

It was then that Ginny came into view and slowly approached her love. She was wearing a simple white dress that made her look like royalty. She slowed her pace to teasingly make Harry wait for her. Harry knew this and thought to himself how hew would get her back for this. much later. Tonight was going the be the first of many happy times.

When Ginny finally stood next to Harry, her lover took her hand and the couple looked upon each other with all the love in their hearts. The priest then began his speech. The couple absorbed all that the priest told them, they knew that the words he spoke expressed how they felt towards one another. When he asked for the ring Harry almost dropped it he was shaking so nervously. The ceremony was now all but complete and in a moment Ginny would spiritually and legally be his wife.

"Place the ring on her finger, " The priest stated. Harry managed to comply. "and recite your vows."

"I Harry Potter, take thee Ginny, to be my wife. I will love you, honor you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

"Ginny." The priest stated.

"I Ginny Weasley, take you Harry to be my husband. I will love you, honor you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

"Harry, you may kiss your bride."

And with that Harry lifted Ginny's veil over her head. The newlyweds leaned forward and their lips met for the first time as husband and wife.

~The End of Part 1~