Disclaimer: Not mine. Just my imagination.
Only one couple was still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light: He was laughing at her. "Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.
The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest.
The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock.
Sirius's body jerked hard to the side, hitting the archway with a sickening crack before falling in a heap. Harry looked over his shoulder to Dumbledore to find the old Headmaster as shocked by the scene as himself. He spared a glance at Dumbledore's companion, noting a strange, tall man whose wand was pointed directly at Sirius, and who had apparently caught him in a summoning spell.
Harry raised his own wand, pointing it at the back of Bellatrix, who seemed surprised by Sirius's salvation. Let's see how she likes going through that veil. He let his curse fly but she had recovered from her shock faster than he hoped, catching the spell on the tip of her wand and throwing it into the ceiling. The newcomer started launching spells at her, and they were soon locked in their own duel. Harry and Remus took the opportunity and ran to Sirius's side, hastily pulling him into their arms, before the chaos of the battle pushed them out of the Department of Mysteries and towards the Atrium.
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It had been a week after the battle at the Ministry before Harry and his friends were called into the Headmaster's office. Harry had been there after the end of the battle, when Dumbledore had told him the damn thing had gotten Mr. Weasley so badly hurt, Sirius nearly killed, and all his friends in various states of injury, not to mention Voldemort possessing him- only to be a piece of information that Dumbledore should have shared with him years ago.
Harry was lost to his bitter musings and didn't notice the stranger standing behind Dumbledore until Luna spoke up.
"Professor, who is your guest? Won't you introduce us?"
"Of course. This is Sir Clovis Foucher, a Master of the Knights of Walpurgis, and he has come here to talk to all of you." Sir Foucher was a tall man, perhaps the same age as Remus and Sirius, though some of his apparent age may have come from the severe, if well-cut, suit he wore. Harry thought he looked a bit like James Bond. With a start, Harry realized that his was the same man who had saved Sirius.
"Thank you, Archmagus."
Harry was confused at the odd form of address; he had never heard someone use a title other than 'Professor ' or 'Headmaster' for Dumbledore.
The man continued. "As your Headmaster stated, I am here to talk to the six of you. A week ago, you proceeded to launch a military strike against the offices of your Ministry." Everyone paled at the memory. "You did so without knowing that the security had been deeply compromised, and without any belief that you would be supported. In the process, you encountered dangerous conditions, and went wand-to-wand with some of the most ruthless of your enemies-to come out, at worst, equal. Your courage, tactical insight, chutzpah, and sheer stupid luck shame several countries worth of Aurors."
Sir Foucher met each of their gazes in turn, long moments of silence stretching between them. "They are also qualities prized in Knights of Walpurgis. Which is why I am here: to extend, to all of you, a membership within the Knighthood."
Silence descended over the room as the students considered his offer..
"Wait, aren't you lot all Dark?" Ron looked warily at the knight, half-rising from his chair. Ginny and Neville were perhaps a half second behind him, while even Luna looked far more focused than was her want.
"We are not, Mr. Weasley," Sir Foucher replied. "We are, in truth, Dark Lord hunters; however, in the course of those hunts, we have learned much about the Dark, including that which can be used safely."
Harry twitched at the idea, a long past statement about power and strength drifting through his mind.
Foucher continued, unheeding of Harry's discomfort. "The use of such magic has led some to call us Dark, though we would not claim such. Those of you with muggle upbringings, Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, could consider the example of Interpol in our actions and mandate, though with a significantly more paramilitary aspect." Hermione nodded, as did Harry, though more reluctantly.
Ron still eyed the man suspiciously. "But you fought alongside Grindelwald! He was as Dark as they came!" he objected, his hand twitching towards the pocket he kept his wand in.
Foucher nodded. "While it is true that Grindelwald fought alongside some chapters of the Knights of Walpurgis, he was also the source of a great deal of division and destruction within our orders. In fact, one of the smaller chapter-houses was obliterated fighting against his forces at Dunkirk, which helped to buy the British and French enough time to evacuate the city as completely as they did."
The knight looked away briefly, his focus called somewhere else at the memory. Had Clovis been at Dunkirk? Harry wondered, guessing at the man's age. Sir Foucher shook has head and spoke again, the temporary distraction forgotten
"The Order as a whole took no side in the war until 1942, when the Supreme Grand Master received confirmation that Grindelwald personally was producing Inferi. While certain Knights would then choose to forsake their vows and fight for Grindelwald, the vast majority either stood aside or took up arms against that cause."
Hermione spoke up. "Why was the production of Inferi so important, sir? Why did that outweigh the other atrocities committed by Axis forces, both magical and mundane?"
"A fair question, Ms Granger. Were I a teacher, I would award you points. To answer your question, the Knights do not interfere, unless asked or certain conditions are met, one of which is the creation of undead. Which is also what brings us into this war, as Voldemort has been confirmed, in no small part thanks to your adventures-" he gestured to the group "-to be a liche, by some of the most reprehensible forms of magic imaginable."
"Voldemort created Inferi in his first war. Why didn't you get involved in that conflict?" Hermione asked, her tone curious and her eyes lighting up. It's like watching her get into a lecture, thought Harry, smiling fondly.
"We were. We operated, at the request of Minister Bagnold, in a training capacity- helping to train Aurors and Hit Wizards to stay ahead of attrition. We did participate in combat operations on the continent, working to confine the conflict to Britain and keeping Voldemort from successfully reaching out to larger groups of extremists and swelling his numbers."
Everyone nodded, though some of the group obviously still were wary.
"You said you were offering us membership. What happens if we refuse?" Neville's normally cheerful face was pursed, his hands behind his back, and whole body drawn tight. Harry remembered one of the books that Hermione had made him read to prep for the History O.W.L., wherein in mentioned that Neville's great-grandfather had led the British contingent against Grindelwald, until the Dark Lord killed him in battle, somewhere in Occupied France.
"Absolutely nothing. It was an offer freely extended, and a mark of our esteem. However," Sir Foucher's eyes hardened, "Ms. Weasley and Mr. Potter must come with us, at least temporarily." He spoke then to Harry and Ginny directly. "You have encountered artifacts that fall within our remit. If your companions wish to join us they are welcome to, of course, and you will be free to leave once we have run our tests."
Ron clenched his fist and looked ready to attack before Sir Foucher spoke again.
"There was, I believe, a certain diary you both handled?"
Ron's face fell from anger to shock, and Ginny looked to retreat into herself. Hermione rested a hand on each Weasley sibling before she again addressed Sir Foucher.
"What, exactly, does being a Knight of Walpurgis entail?"
Sir Foucher smiled and nodded.
"Of course, Ms. Granger. At a minimum it involves combat training, international law, and some degree of grounding in ritual magic. Additionally, one must take oaths to support the Order as a whole, and to oppose those who would endanger magekind. Given the issue of Voldemort, you would be trained to fight him and his followers. After that, it depends on the individual. We have a position for research, combat, law, exploration-anything you might want to pursue in a Ministry setting, save for, perhaps, games and sports."
Harry chuckled at Foucher's dry tone.
"Additionally, should you wish to pursue other goals, whether that be in professional Quidditch, working in your own Ministry, or even taking a Professorship at a school, you are free to take a leave of absence from the Knights, or leave entirely. Does that answer your question for the time being, Ms. Granger?"
"Yes, sir, thank you."
"If I may, perhaps we should adjourn for the evening?" Dumbledore smiled at the group. "It is getting late, and the students are scheduled to go home in two days. We would want to give them time to pack, no matter their summer destination, as well as time to write their guardians." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily. "You should note that you do not strictly need their permission, as per the Knights' charter with the International Confederation of Wizards, nothing except a major criminal charge can prevent someone from taking the Order up on an offer of knighthood."
Ginny's eyes sparkled, and Harry knew that she was going to take the Knights up on their offer- the ability to get back at Riddle without her mother stopping her was too tempting to ignore. Simultaneously, Harry knew that he, too, was going to take the opportunity,not only to get the training he would need to fight this war, but also a chance to get away from the Dursleys.
"I'm in." Eight sets of eyes turned to Harry. "You'll help me win this war?"
"I cannot promise you victory, Mr. Potter." Sir Foucher said, a slight frown marring his face as he considered Harry. "But I can promise that, should you be defeated, it will not be because you didn't have every advantage made available."
"Good enough for me." Harry stuck out his hand, and Sir Foucher shook it.
A/N: Opening quote is from OoTP
Welcome to my AU! Should be a fun run!