Harry Potter and the Hogwarts Lockdown
"…The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well." Hermione Granger set her paper down on the table and looked up. "So those are my predictions," she said. "That is what I think will happen in nineteen years."
After a few seconds of silence, Ron Weasley burst into laughter. "You think we're going to get married? That's about as likely as Dumbledore coming back from the dead!"
"I bet your predictions aren't any better," she snapped. "I can probably even guess what they are. You will end up with Fleur because she and Bill will divorce. You will hang out every night with Harry and the Chudley Cannons will have a winning season. Right?" Ron scowled and stuffed the parchment with his predictions into his pocket.
"What about you, Harry?" asked Hermione. "What did you write down?"
Harry Potter had been sitting quietly as Ron and Hermione bickered. It was far too common for him to care much about it. He pulled himself back to the present and unfolded his own parchment. "I just wrote the normal stuff, you know," he said. "I'll be an Auror who plays Quidditch. We'll completely fix up Hogwarts. Malfoy will have an illegitimate child. Err, and –" Harry stopped for a moment before very quietly continuing, "Dumbledore returns."
"Oh yeah!" exclaimed Ron. "Yours are bloody wicked. I wish I were as clever as you are."
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron. "What was that last one you said, Harry? It sounded like you said 'Dumbledore returns.'"
"Oh, no," said Harry. "Not at all. I said, er, I said 'Double doors will burn.' You know, those horrid double doors leading to the dungeons. They are so passé."
"I guess so," replied Hermione skeptically. "Well are you two ready to go meet Hagrid? We should probably head out soon." Reluctantly, Ron and Harry stood up and walked out of the common room.
"Harry, Hermione, Ron," boomed Hagrid as they stepped outside onto the lawn. He stood up from his seat on a broken piece of stone lying on the ground. "Ready to do some fixin' up? The castle's looking better already. Who'd know after just two days of work we'd have done so much."
"It's a great way to stay busy," said Hermione. "There are many other people sitting around depressed in the castle. And we want Hogwarts to be open for students in September. We're coming back to finish our schooling." Ron and Harry glanced at each other and grinned. No matter how many times they told Hermione, she would not believe that they were not going to complete their seventh year at Hogwarts.
"Those poor kids," said Hagrid. "Nowhere else to go. Professor McGonagall sure was nice letting the students stay if they need to. But just being here must be torture for some of them. Like you, Ron and Harry. Livin' in the same dormitory that Dean and Seamus lived in. I just don' know how yeh do it." He patted them both on the shoulder and then pulled out an old pink umbrella from his pocket. "But we should get started."
Fortunately for Harry, his job in the reconstruction process was fairly simple and thoughtless. Hermione did the hard work of piecing bits of the castle back together while Harry, Ron, and Hagrid only had to levitate the chunks of stone for her. Harry's mind was busy the whole time. Scores of people had died around him just a week ago, but he couldn't think of anything but one man.
His eyes darted off in the direction of the white marble tomb on the grounds. The very first reconstruction work he had completed was to repair the tomb's cover broken by Voldemort in order to finally get his hands on the coveted Elder Wand. On the day that he fixed the tomb, he saw Albus Dumbledore in person for the first time since the night less than a year before when he died at the hands of Severus Snape. He had even touched his cold hands as he placed the Elder Wand back where it belonged. Harry had also seen Dumbledore a week earlier, but he still didn't know if it had been real or not. They had a lengthy conversation but Harry was sure that it had all been in his head.
Harry was almost ashamed to think that he missed Dumbledore more than anyone else. One of the most desperate wishes he held in his heart was that his last prediction would come true. Dumbledore returns.
"Let's take a break," said Hagrid after Hermione secured a large chunk of stone in the wall of the castle and lowered her wand. He sat down on his debris chair and pulled out a newspaper from his pocket. He quickly leafed through it and pulled out the page with the comics on it as Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down on the ground.
"Can I look at the rest of that paper," asked Hermione, reaching toward the newspaper Hagrid had placed on the ground. Hagrid nodded and handed her the paper.
Harry and Ron started a quiet casual conversation with each other as Hagrid and Hermione both read. However, after only a few minutes, Hermione tapped Harry on the shoulder.
"Isn't this strange?" she said. "Look at this. There might have been a jailbreak at the prison Nurmengard."
"Nurmengard?" asked Ron. "Isn't that where Dumbledore locked up Grindelwald?"
"Yes," replied Hermione. "But he wasn't the only prisoner there. There is no sign of a breakout, but dozens of witnesses claim that they saw a hooded figure fleeing from the area of Nurmengard. That's where the jail is."
"So someone is walking around the area and everyone thinks it is an escaped convict?" said Harry. "That doesn't make a lot of sense."
"I know," replied Hermione. "But after Voldemort, wizards all over the world are paranoid. They are worried that someone will come to take his place. But the whole article is probably trash. I'm sure you're right."
"Even if it is another Dark wizard," said Hagrid, looking up from his comics, "you could easily handle it, Harry. You just defeated You-Know-Who. No other Dark wizard stands a chance against you." Harry smiled at him before changing the subject.
"Hagrid, how is Buckbeak doing? Is he better after the battle?" asked Harry. There was no reason for them to think about Voldemort or anything like that. Peace was finally back and they should enjoy it.
"He's doin' great. I been feedin' him a lot of –"
Hagrid began to talk animatedly to Harry about Buckbeak and Ron stifled a yawn. "Want to be done for the day, Hermione?" he asked. "I'm worn out." The two of them stood up and bid Harry and Hagrid goodbye before walking inside the castle. Soon, Hagrid packed up his things and he and Harry walked towards his cabin. Harry didn't want to cut off the conversation so he followed up to the front door before finally saying goodbye. He then headed back to the castle on his own.
The grounds were quiet. The afternoon sun was shining brightly over the castle. Harry grimaced as he stepped over a patch of ground. There was a large amount of dark, dried blood on the grass that he didn't want to touch. They had cleared all the bodies away, but there were reminders everywhere of the fight. Harry could even see a few slings on the arms of the Whomping Willow. Professor Sprout hadn't had to do that since Ron and Harry had flown Mr. Weasley's car into it in their second year.
Then, Harry saw Professor Sprout. As plump as ever and wearing her dirty, patched hat, she was standing outside the greenhouses talking to someone wearing a dark hood. Harry had seen plenty of this lately. Probably the mourning parent of a Hufflepuff lost in the battle talking to Hufflepuff's head of house. The only good thing Harry could think of was that the dying was finally over. He took a final glance towards Professor Sprout and the stranger before walking into the castle and returning to the Gryffindor common room.
Harry crawled in through the portrait hole after a quick dinner in the Great Hall alone. Ron was watching him from a comfy armchair by the fire with an expectant look on his face. Harry sat down in a nearby chair. "What are we doing tonight?" asked Ron. "The usual?"
"Ron," replied Harry. "It isn't even seven yet. Don't you think it's a bit early?" Ron grinned and shook his head. Harry couldn't help smiling in return. "Kreacher!" he called. An old house-elf appeared in front of him with a crack. On his back he was carrying a large metal keg. He set it on the ground, gave a low bow to Harry, and disappeared with another crack.
Ron quickly tapped the keg and poured a glass of butterbeer for both him and Harry. "I really don't know how Kreacher does this," he said. "It tastes just like regular butterbeer! How does he get so much alcohol in it?" Ron downed his glass and refilled it.
Harry and Ron slowly became drunker and drunker as more and more people came into the common room and joined them. Every night since butterbeer defeat, Harry and Ron had hosted parties in the common room with large amounts of butterbeer. Even Hermione attended each one, although she always drank in moderation.
After four hours, Hermione looked around the common room. It was a little blurry but she was most definitely better off than anyone else present. Gryffindors were sleeping and passed out on the floor and chairs. She had to step carefully on her way to the girls' dormitory so that she wouldn't step on anyone. After a large drink of water, she drifted off to sleep in her own bed.
"AGHHHHHHH!" Someone darted through the portrait hole and grabbed Harry by the arm, shaking him violently. Harry opened eyes to see a small second or third year standing by him. His eyes were wide and he was trembling.
"What the bloody hell is it?" asked Harry. "It's too early."
"P-P-P–" stuttered the student.
"Bloody hell! Spit it out," snapped Harry. "Who do you think you are? Professor Quirrell?"
"P-P-Professor Sprout," continued the student "is dead. Her body is outside by the greenhouses. I didn't know what to do."
"Merlin's beard!" exclaimed Hermione, walking carefully down the stairs from her dorm. "Someone needs to get Professor McGonagall. Why don't you go?" she said to the young student. You've been out there once already. One more time won't hurt." She pushed her out of the common room and the portrait of the Fat Lady swung shut.
A half hour later, Professor McGonagall swept into the room. Everyone was now awake but no one was saying anything. They were all in shock.
"Students, I need you to remain calm," she said. "I've just confirmed the rumor. It is true that Professor Sprout has been murdered, but I will make sure that all of us are safe. I've left your messenger out with her body until the Ministry gets here."
Harry looked nearby and saw Ron lying on the floor where he had passed out the night before. His face was pressed into carpet and Harry could tell that he was sobbing to himself. Ron was taking all of the recent loss of life hardest of anyone. Just mentioning Fred's name would bring a wet wave of tears.
"Here is what we are going to do," said Professor McGonagall. "No one is to leave this dormitory until the problem is fixed. We don't know who the killer was. He could still be in the castle waiting to prey on young, scared students. I will order the house-elves to bring food up three times each day to every house. All the Ravenclaws are safe in their dorm and Professor Slughorn is kindly watching over the few Slytherins staying here."
"I will be staying in Gryffindor tower with you. I will stay in the first-year girls' dormitory so I ask anyone living in their now to move out and find another dorm. There are undoubtedly empty beds somewhere." She turned around and headed towards her new room but then stopped and turned her head. "Also, try to keep any parties in here as quiet as possible."
Hermione hurried over to Harry and Ron. "This must be bad. We can't even leave the common room. The teachers must be scared. I hope they figure this out soon.
Days passed but there was no change in the situation. All the Gryffindors sat in silence during the day and went to bed early every evening. McGonagall's warning about partying was unnecessary. No one felt like drinking anymore. Usually, a house-elf would arrive three times a day with for them, but every so often they would miss a meal because no house-elf would come. When this happened, tempers ran high but there was nothing to be done about it. With the new restrictions, they could not venture down to the kitchens to check on the elves.
On the seventh day, however, Harry laughed for the first time since the lockdown began. He saw Hermione carrying a box of S.P.E.W. badges down from her dormitory and he couldn't help chuckling to himself.
"What do you think she's doing?" he asked Ron, sitting in the armchair next to him. Ron also chuckled softly.
"Maybe she's doing some recruiting now that no one can escape her." The two of them laughed again. Hermione sat down by the two of them but said nothing to them. She simply held the box in her lap and stared intently at the closed portrait hole.
Finally, after about a half hour, the portrait swung open and a house-elf climbed in with a large tray of food on her back. She set it on a table and was about to leave when Hermione called out. "Hi!"
The elf turned towards her and Harry, Ron, and Hermione all gasped. "Winky!" said Harry excitedly. "You haven't been bringing our food every day, have you?" Mr. Crouch's old elf had changed little. She was taking care of her hygiene better than she had last time Harry saw her, but Harry thought that she was still drinking heavily. She was trembling very obviously.
"I don't know if you remember me, Winky," said Hermione, "but I'm Hermione Granger. I'm in charge of an organization called the Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare and –" Hermione stopped when she saw that Winky had covered her ears with her hands.
A little bit annoyed, Hermione set her box of badges down on a table and Winky uncovered her ears. Harry and Ron laughed to themselves.
"What I really want to know," said Hermione, "is why you are so scared. And why has a different house-elf brought us food every meal? It seems strange that you would use a different elf every time."
Winky began to tremble more. "Winky is trembling because Winky is scared. Winky knows what is going to happen when she leaves. The kitchen sends five elves to each house for every meal. The elves come from different directions so he cannot pick us off as easily. We need so many elves because otherwise you would not get any food. Many house-elves is killed before they can deliver food. That is why Winky has not been here before. If Winky had come before, Winky would be dead. No house-elf has returned to the kitchen after delivering food."
"What!" exclaimed Hermione loudly. "You sacrifice your lives just to bring us food? We need to do something about this."
Winky began slowly moving towards the portrait hole. "It is our duty," she said. "Goodbye, Harry Potter." The portrait swung open and Winky crept out.
"Winky! No!" cried Hermione. She made to follow out the portrait hole but Ron grabbed her and held her back.
"Don't do it, Hermione. We have to let Winky go." Hermione sat down in a seat and began to sob into her hands. Ron and Harry sat silently nearby as they waited for the tears to stop.
After a while, she looked up and wiped her face with her sleeve. "Well, we know that the killer is still in the castle. I don't know what we can do. Soon, there won't be any house-elves left to bring food for us. The professors won't go find the killer because they refuse to leave us unprotected. We are going to starve." With that, she silently walked up to her dormitory. Without saying a word, Harry and Ron walked up to their own dorm. Harry lay down on his bed fully clothed. He didn't move all day. As Hermione predicted, no house-elf brought them lunch or dinner that day. Evening came and Harry finally drifted off to sleep.
The days slipped by uneventfully. Professor McGonagall assured Hermione that she was planning and trying to find a solution, but it seemed that she wasn't having much luck. She was now seen only for a few minutes a day in the common room before returning to the seclusion of her room. Ron and Hermione could often be found sitting silently together in the common room but Harry spent most of his time lying on his bed. Since Neville had gone home with his grandmother right after the battle, Harry had the dormitory to himself most of the time.
Harry' head was constantly flooded with emotions. He could not rid his mind of the memory of Fred or Lupin. His mind kept returning to Professor Sprout and the hooded stranger who, it was decided, had murdered her. He thought of all the house-elves who had already been killed by the mysterious murderer wandering the castle. Could they do nothing about it? They were truly helpless. Then he thought of another house-elf who once worked in the kitchen. Dobby had been hired by Dumbledore after he had gained his freedom. And there it was again. He was thinking about Dumbledore again.
Harry stood up and blinked the tears out of his eyes before looking out the window. There was Hagrid's hut. Hagrid! Harry had completely forgotten about Hagrid. Was he okay? He was vulnerable out on the grounds. Then, one final emotion took over Harry's mind. A sudden hatred and anger at one man.
Harry stomped over to the large trunk sitting at the foot on Dean's old bed. He won't be needing this anymore. Harry pulled out Dean's broom and walked back to the window. He quickly pulled his wand out of his pocket and with one swift, fluid motion, knocked the glass out of the window. Dean's broom in his hand, he perched himself on the windowsill and jumped. He began to fall from the high tower window but quickly swung his legs over the broom and glided down to the grounds.
He was not thinking of where he was going, but when he landed, he knew he was in the right place. But as he looked at the glistening white tomb, his anger faded away. His friend and mentor was gone. He would never come back. Tears had only just started to build in his eyes when he sank into anger once more. Dumbledore was infuriating. How could Dumbledore have predicted everything that happened during the last year but not do anything to save all those lives? And now, they were in danger once more and Dumbledore had abandoned them. Every person in the school was going to die without Dumbledore. He could lie comfortably in his tomb, free from worries, while everyone was picked off, one by one.
Without thinking, Harry lifted his wand in anger. He tore the lid of the tomb off and sent it crashing to the ground. There was Dumbledore once more. He looked no different than the night that Snape sent him flying from the Astronomy Tower. The night he had abandoned Harry and left him helpless and alone. He looked down at the calm, lifeless body with loathing. He wanted nothing more than to rip the body into pieces. To tear each individual hair out of his body. That would show him.
Taken by a sudden uncontrollable madness, Harry stood up straight and pulled his fist back to his ear. He stared for a moment at Dumbledore's face, wrinkled and old and his broken nose. Harry was going to break that nose another time. He closed his eyes as tears of both sorrow and rage leaked out. Then, he suddenly let his fist fly. He wanted to feel the crunch of fist on face. His arm almost fully extended, Harry knew that the impact would come soon. However, it didn't happen. Harry had been unable to make contact with his former headmaster's face.
Harry opened his eyes. Holding his wrist was a pale, white hand. Connected to the hand was a wrinkly arm covered in a purple sleeve sticking out from inside the tomb. Inside the tomb, two sparkling blue eyes were gazing out at Harry behind half-moon spectacles.
"Bloody hell!" exclaimed Harry. "You're alive!"
Albus Dumbledore opened his mouth, still staring at Harry and spoke. "You can't kill me that easily." He grabbed the sides of the tomb and pulled himself into a sitting position. "Why were you going to hit me, Harry?"
Harry, with the memory of the dangers inside Hogwarts vivid in his mind once more, threw his arms over the grave and began to weep in exasperation. Dumbledore rose to his knees and wrapped his arms around Harry. "Oh, Dumbledore," he cried. "I can't take it anymore!"
"Hush, little one," said Dumbledore soothingly. "Calm down. "I'm here." Dumbledore held Harry closer still.
"I-I'm so sorry," stuttered Harry. He was slowly beginning to stop crying as he felt Dumbledore's loving arms around him for the first time in more than a year. "Everything is going wrong and I was so angry!" Harry then proceeded to tell Dumbledore everything that had happened since Professor Sprout's murder. Once he finished, Dumbledore silently sat deep in thought.
"We have no idea who the killer is?" asked Dumbledore. "Were there no rumors or whispers before this happened? I need to know everything if I am going to stop this."
"Oh, Dumbledore!" said Harry as hope filled his heart. "You mean you will be able to stop the insanity?"
"I believe so," he replied. "Now tell me everything you know. Letters you may have received. Conversations you may have heard. Anything that might help us find out who the killer is."
Harry stood next to the tomb thinking hard and trying to remember back. Finally, he said "I already told you about the hooded figure I saw with Professor Sprout on the night before her murder. But I have no idea who it was."
"Yes, that is certainly puzzling," replied Dumbledore.
"But wait!" said Harry. "I remember something else. I don't know if it is important, but the day before, Hermione read an article in the Daily Prophet. It said that there was a rumor of an escaped convict from Nurmengard. I thought it was just people overreacting at first, but what if it has to do with this? What if there our killer is an escaped convict, too? What if they meet up at Hogwarts?"
Dumbledore sighed. "There was only one convict. I should have known. It all makes sense now. If it really was Nurmengard where the disturbance was, there is only person it could be. I've been expecting this sooner or later."
"I know, Harry, that you are aware already that when I was young, I was friends with Gellert Grindelwald. Now, Grindelwald has come to Hogwarts seeking me."
"That's not possible," said Harry quickly. "Voldemort killed him. I saw it in my head on the night of the Battle of Hogwarts."
"And Snape killed me," continued Dumbledore. "It isn't that easy to kill wizards like me or Grindelwald."
"But why would he be after you?" asked Harry. "I know you guys had a few fights and you defeated him at the height of his power, but he knows that you're dead. What can he hope to gain?"
Dumbledore sighed once more and leaned back against the side of the tomb. "If only it were that simple. Our friendship was very deep. We shared absolutely everything with each other. Grindelweld felt betrayed by me even when we were young. And then, I defeated him in his rise to power and confined him to his own prison for years. In Nurmengard, his hatred for me only grew. He knows that I was never dead just as I know that he is not dead. Grindelwald will not stop hunting me until he has killed me and desecrated my body. The only reason, I believe, that he has not come to the tomb is that he does not think I would choose to live in a tomb for a full year. But that is neither here nor there. I must stop him. He will destroy everything in his path until he faces me. You have already seen that inside the school."
This time, it was Harry who wrapped his arms around Dumbledore. "Don't die, Dumbledore. I couldn't stand losing you once. Don't make me do it again."
Dumbledore rose from the tomb and stepped onto the grass. "Harry, I do not want you to come into the castle with me. It is too dangerous. Stay out here. I want you to promise me." He gazed sternly at Harry until he reluctantly agreed to the order. In the back of his mind, Harry remembered the last time he had made a promise to Dumbledore and the terrible effects that followed.
"Harry, I–" Dumbledore started, but paused, his mouth hanging open. Deciding against what he had been thinking, he said instead, "Good bye. I will come back out for you when it is done." He grabbed Harry's shoulder and gently squeezed it. He hurried off leaving Harry standing alone next to the empty tomb.
As the minutes passed, Harry grew more and more anxious. Would Dumbledore be okay? He just spent a year in a tomb. What if he wasn't ready to have a fierce battle? Harry began to choke up just thinking about the possibility of losing Dumbledore again so soon. Finally, overcome by fear, Harry made his decision. I can't take this anymore. I don't care what I promised. I need to go in there. He ran towards the castle at a full sprint.
Harry skidded to a stop at the front doors, opened them, and hurried inside. It was oddly quiet. He walked up the stairs and started following a familiar hallway. He had no idea where he should look. Occasionally, he would pass a dead house elf lying next to an overturned plate of food, but there was no other sign of anyone. Even the figures in each of the paintings had fled, taking cover in some hidden corner. Harry continued on, hearing nothing but his breath and footsteps.
Finally, when he was on the fifth floor, he heard a noise. He quickened his pace and hurried off towards the source of the sound. As he got closer, he began to hear more clearly. He could discern the sound of footsteps in the next corridor. Then, he heard the wheezing voice of an old man and he knew that he had found the battle. He peeked around the corner and found the fiercest battle he had ever seen. Seeing Dumbledore, Harry's respect from him soared. Dumbledore truly was the greatest sorcerer in the world. Around the other man's neck, Harry could see a necklace and could barely make out the symbol of the Deathly Hallows. Harry, unable to stop himself, laughed a little to himself, knowing that Grindelwald would not be finding them anytime soon.
"Why did you, come back, Grindelwald?" yelled Dumbledore hoarsely. "There is nothing for you here." He cast a spell at Grindelwald.
"Nothing for me here?" asked Grindelwald, deflecting the spell. "You're here. You are all that I need. Don't try to escape this. You betrayed me. You locked me up for years. Now, it is time for payback." He sent a green jet of light out of the tip of his wand. Dumbledore nimbly jumped to the side as the curse flew past him.
"You do not need to do this," yelled Dumbledore. "We used to be friends. Best friends!" This said, both wizards stopped casting spells for a moment. Their eyes were glazed over as they remembered the good times they had together.
"You betrayed me," repeated Grindelwald. "Nothing can make up for that."
Dumbledore lowered his wand and took a step towards Grindelwald. "Our friendship was special. It cannot be destroyed so easily. Look at us! Both of us were killed, but here we are. We could go back to how it was so many years ago. We could be friends again."
Grindelwald stared at Dumbledore. His wand was still raised.
"Come on, Grindy-winkle," said Dumbledore affectionately.
Hearing his old nickname, Grindelwald dropped his wand to his side. "I haven't heard that name in years." He started slowly walking towards Dumbledore. Dumbledore walked towards him. Finally, they met in the middle and wrapped their arms around each other in a tight embrace.
"I am so sorry for everything. Please forgive me, Gellert," said Dumbledore quietly in Grindelwald's ear.
"Of course, Albus. I'm just happy to be your friend again. It's been so long." Harry could see tears leaking out of the eyes of both men.
"Why don't we go to my office and catch up?" said Dumbledore, stepping back and breaking the embrace. The two old men linked arms and walked off in the opposite direction of Harry. Harry, knowing that Dumbledore would be out for him as soon as he caught up with Grindelwald, hurried through the castle and out onto the grounds. He returned to Dumbledore's empty tomb and sat down to wait.
After a little more than an hour, Dumbledore walked outside wearing his old, familiar, purple robes. "Everything is alright, Harry," he said. "Look, I even found out where Professor McGonagall hid my old clothes."
"So what happened?" asked Harry, feigning ignorance.
"Well," started Dumbledore as he began to smile. "The two of us worked out our differences. After all these years, I am finally friends with Gellert Grindelwald again. I have a feeling Hogwarts castle is going to be a lot more fun from now on."
"That's great, Dumbledore," exclaimed Harry. "Will we get to meet Grindelwald sometime soon?"
"Of course," responded Dumbledore. "Maybe I can even invite you and Ron to my office tonight to get to know him."
"No Hermione?" asked Harry.
"No Hermione." Dumbledore winked and the two of them walked back to the castle together once more.