LAST GIFT BY TAKSHAK
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter works belong to J.K. Rowling.
AN: This story is an idea I got from "In Light of Silver Memories" by Taliath.
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After hearing what Albus had to say both Fillus and Minerva paled dramatically.
There was utter silence in the room one could hear various instruments, which can always be found in headmaster's room, tinkling and chugging away, portraits of previous Headmasters & Headmistress can be heard furiously talking about headmasters impending death.
It was Minerva who broke the silence by asking "you can't be serious Albus?"
"Why Minerva I am perfectly serious, after all I am talking about my death here, surely you don't think I will joke about that after all death is a perfectly serious business" his eyes were twinkling like mad when he uttered those words.
"Surely Albus you jest" were Flitwik's words.
"No Fillus I am not, it was for this reason I called you both here urgently."
"As you both know my hand was injured some time back" he lifts his right hand which was black as charcoal in appearance as though it was devoid of any life. "But what you don't know is, this was no simple curse, I am battling this for quite some time now and therefore I have realized that my time is quite near, this curse is now inside my whole body but you won't quite know this by looking at me."
"I have called you both here to set my affairs in order, though I think I do have left about a month more to live."
Minerva who was very quite until now asks "surely Albus there must be a way to defeat this curse."
"Alas Minerva I am not as young anymore, if perhaps I have contracted this curse in my youth I could have stopped this from infecting me more, as it is this is taking most of my power to keep it at bay for few more days."
"But fear not, I have lived a very full and adventurous life and know when it's culminating I can safely say I have enjoyed my journey thoroughly. I do have some regrets in life but who can say after living for more than 150yrs that he doesn't have any."
"I do feel sad for leaving you all at a time like this but fret not my dear friends as you know I always have a plan. I called you hear to discuss such a plan."
"I am planning to resign from my Hogwarts headmasters post within this week. Also I will see to it that you Minerva will be named to the post of next headmistress of Hogwarts and you Fillus to the next Deputy headmaster if you both accept.
Both Fillus and Minerva looked at each other seeing Albus very serious about it and replied in affirmative.
Also this evening I am going to bring Mr. Potter here in the castle. He and I both will be spending quite some time together in coming days, as you both know he will play very important role in coming war.
"What is that role Albus and is it right what they are saying about Mr. Potter in Daily Prophet" asked Minerva."
"What are they saying Minerva" replied Albus with his eyes twinkling like stars in the evening.
Minerva's lips thinned at seeing Albus joking. Seeing that Albus hastened "for that I have no reply as it's for Mr. Potter answer but rest assured Harry has a great role to play."
"Of course Albus this much everybody have surmised until know by watching Mr. Potter's exploits these past years" said Flitwik.
"In coming week Fillus I want you to survey the wards surrounding Hogwarts and start adding some of your own also spruce up the old ones."
"No one should come to know what I am about to tell you both now. As you must have that Hogwarts wards are the finest wards you can find in England but what nobody knows that they were not always such formidable. Whenever Hogwarts has faced danger from outside forces it has been the duty of its headmaster/headmistress to supplant the wards with his/her own power. That is one of the main reasons why Hogwarts boasts of such powerful lineage of past headmasters/headmistresses."
"I myself have powered the Hogwarts wards for past 50yrs. That's one reason why they are so formidable." Both Minerva & Fillus paled at this statement.
Minerva began sputtering and asked "Albus how that is possible, for a single person to power the wards of such a big castle."
"All modesty aside Minerva I am really powerful but lets get back on topic, I am with the help of Harry will be doing something which will provide ample security to Hogwarts in coming time, though at present I cannot disclose the nature of both mine & Mr. Potter's work."
At Ministry Of Magic
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Rufus was just settling after reading Harry Potter's file when there was a knock at the door and his secretary informed him that DMLE head was there to meet him as ordered.
"Send him in and call tea for two."
"Come Pius come have a seat."
" I have called you here regarding Harry potter and his friends attempt to break into Department of Mysteries last month. I want complete report about that incident on my desk as soon as possible."
"Ok minister, but we might have a problem following their progress after they have gone into DOM as you know auror's don't have any jurisdiction over DOM." said Pius.
"You let me worry about that, I will write you an authority letter regarding this investigation authorizing you to investigate this episode anyway you want, but let me remind you I want your report to be correct, factual and without any embellishments, understood." Replied Rufus.
"It will be done Rufus, but tell me what really I am looking about in that incident."
"Well Pius as I suppose its common knowledge in ministry that Dumbledore has once again refused to toe the ministry line regarding how to proceed against Dark Lord and you very well know that I, even though I am the sitting minister, can't do anything about it. We also need Albus with our side as he is the only one powerful to confront the Dark Lord."
"You very well know that I, as the conditions are right now, cannot effectively command the ministry resources in coming war if half of my own people are following Headmaster and half Dark Lord. I need whole of the ministry behind me if I am to win this war."
"Also the ministry should be seen by people do be doing something about the death-eaters. With the defection of Dementors to the dark side public's faith in ministry is at all time low. I also want to shut down the illegal vigilante organization known as Order of the Phoenix headed by Headmaster, they will either be disbanded or brought under ministry command."
"Very well Minister I will comply with your wishes and compile report as soon as possible." replied pius and left.
Ron Weasley was sitting on the stones at the edge of pond near burrow with his feet touching the water. He was in deep contemplation, thinking about things he has never given a thought about in his life. His thoughts were also about the battle of DOM.
He sat thinking about his own performance in the said battle, how he was one of the first to go down while fighting death-eaters. How utterly useless he was at tackling death-eaters. Though he has previously never fought anybody at that level and also with the threat of real physical harm or death but he always thought of himself coming out on top. DOM battle has really shown him that how awfully unprepared he was.
That was his first real brush with death and it has opened his eyes about his real abilities. Though to be honest he has never needed any abilities until now. In all his adventures with Harry & Mione he has either relied on luck or others to get through.
As his thoughts turned towards his friends he again realized that he has failed utterly in that area also. He never stood up for Harry when things really mattered. He knew he has always been slightly jealous of Harry for both being rich and famous. He also knew if not for Harry he would never have made friends with Hermione.
His whole life was playing in front of his minds eye and what he saw was a lazy, jealous and really lousy all around guy who has never tried, never putting an effort into being anything. He has just been drifting through life. And he can see what will become of him in the coming years, especially with war on the horizon, if he doesn't start mending his ways.
Also he never knew that all this sudden spurt of thinking was in part due to the effect of brain thingy he was entangled with in DOM. Though physical wounds were starting to heal but nobody can know what effects those brains he caught in DOM will have on his emotional and as well as mental psyche. They were forcing Ron to grow up and mature.
So with these thoughts on his mind he was starting to make plans about his life, friends and war.
At the same time Hermione Granger is also sitting at home and making plans about Harry and approaching war. She was also badly injured in the battle of DOM when Dolohov cursed her, though most fortuitously she was saved because at the time of casting Dolohov was spelled to be silent. She is still recovering from that spell proof of which is the dark ugly welt from her right shoulder to left hip.
She is also terribly shaken by the fight, for she has never imagined herself ever to be in a life or death situation. She knew that she is not a fighting person, but still to fall so early in battle was eye opening. She has always lived by the rules and battle has shown her that there are really no rules when fighting for life. Books has given her all the answers till now, going forward she knew that time is coming when her precious books are going to fail her and she has got to learn from real life. Then and there she vowed to never again feel helpless in her life.
Hermione was also worried about her best friend Harry. She knew that Harry is devastated at losing Sirius in Department of Mysteries. Though she liked Sirius but she knew he was the only family Harry had and it must be crushing for him to once again lose a family member. She had earlier written a letter to Harry and was hoping for reply from him in the evening.
So with these thoughts in mind she picked a notebook and pen and started making a list of things to do.
At Longbottom Estate Neville Longbottom has just written a note to Harry and tied it to his owl's leg for delivery to Harry. His thoughts were also on the battle. He was thinking about his role in the battle and the lecture he has to endure from his grandmother after coming home from Hogwarts. Augusta has thoroughly berated him for going to ministry, with only few school friends, to fight the death-eaters. After giving an hour of tongue lashing she had broken down and hugged him while saying " How proud she was of him and if his parents could see their Neville now they too will be proud of him". He can still remember the feeling in his heart at hearing those words from his grandmother, it was the first time as far as he can remember that gran has spoken with him like that and complemented him.
He still remembered the day when within few days of coming home gran has taken him to Ollivander in diagonally to replace his fathers wand which was broken during the fight. When he lifted his new wand he felt like he was whole again, as something which was missing from his life has again connected to him and he was whole again. It was similar to the sensation when in Hogwarts Harry has proclaimed him his friend.
Neville knew that he is not great at magic and he has no confidence in himself. But after joining DA last year and training under Harry he was starting to feel that he can be somebody. Oh! He knew that Harry had knack putting the other person at ease and it's due to that ease Harry's confidence in him he started doing better, for that Neville will never forget what Harry has done for him and he vowed to help Harry in whatever way he can.
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AN: that's the end of second chapter. I know there was not much action in this chapter. This chapter was just to make the foundation for this story. I promise you will see story moving forward from next chapter.
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