Chapter last modified: 25/May/2015 22:22
Song suggestion for this chapter: youtube dot com/watch?v=7t3TS1JX2zY
Welcome, to Harry Potter and the Act of Disappearance.
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I don't need this life,
I need someone to die for.
"Potter"
"I said leave me alone, Malfoy!"
You fool. You can't spend the remainder of your days here, locked up in this damn tower or drunk for that matter. Must be what Draco's thinking right now.
"You need to listen to me, Potter"
"I need not do such a thing"
The sun is coming to view from past the mountains. The Dementors have scattered for the time being, probably swarming a nearby town, and the weather is calm. A true cloudless autumn morning, which I see through the glass of a Firewhisky bottle.
"Stop being such a difficult prat." Draco insists.
"Expelliarmus." I cast, unwilling to renounce my bottle that easily.
"Protego"
Threatening looks and wands at the ready. I must have a devilish smile as I cast again.
"Incendio"
"Aguamenti." He blocked again.
"Diffindo"
"Expulso."
We both dodged the spells, rotating in an almost perfect circle, slowly walking round and round.
"That's all you've got, Potter?"
"Petrificus Totalus"
"Reducto"
The two spells met midway, imploding in a brilliance of colours and consuming each other in a resounding implosion.
"Stupefy"
Draco dodged, rolling on the stone floor and shouted
"Incendio"
My robe slowly catching on fire, but I'm not concerned and proceeded to incapacitate and blindfold Draco.
"Incarcerous.. Obscuro"
Victorious, I smile satisfied. The duel allowed me to release some of my newly found anger and part of the alcohol in my system must've turned in sweat.
"So what was that you wanted to say?"
"Now he wants to talk.. Gryffindor brat. We've unraveled some mysteries. Well, Granger and the others have"
"You've been busy"
"No one could sleep last night… They're waiting for us in the headmaster office"
I walked away leaving behind an astonished Draco.
"Potter? Don't dare leave me like this! DON'T YOU DARE! Potter?! I'm going to murder you!"
He's going to kill me, but it's all worth it. Always wanted to do that.
"Harry, finally. How do you feel?"
"Not that good.. I'll manage. Unlike those we have lost"
A few moments of silence settled over the group.
"What did you guys find?"
Hermione sat in the headmaster chair with Daphne on her left and Luna on the floor to Hermione's right. Ron's reading some parchment on an arm-chair they have brought or conjured.
"I went through everything I could find in Dumbledore's office and stumbled across a few interesting bits of parchments and notes," Hermione answered.
"Since both of us are quite good at reading runes, together we translate them during the night," Daphne said.
I noticed they look tired, but at the same time unwilling to go to sleep just yet, the slightest trace of excitement on their faces.
"And?" I asked.
"And we think we can take control over Hogwarts. There are.. protocols might be the best wording.. used to transfer headmaster rights. The usual procedure would involve a Hogwarts Board of Governors vote and magically binding the new headmaster"
"Aren't they all dead… or gone.. or I don't know.. in any case, not here..?" I questioned.
"That is true, but we should be able to do it since there's no one else holding the rights at the moment and no voters as well," answered Hermione.
"If only we had Dumbledore's wand. That would do the job... simply transfer the rights using these spells. I searched the office but.." added Daphne.
My hand flew to the inside of my robe at Daphne's words. I remembered taking the wand off the desk before our departure. I don't know why I haven't told them about it yet. Never got the chance really. I slowly took it out and held it as if made of glass. Some of them have never seen Dumbledore's wand before. The wand that defeated Grindelwald himself.
"Harry.. is that.. his wand?" asked Daphne.
"Yeah.."
"BRILLIANT! We can assign a new headmaster. We should then be able to set up the wards and…"
Hermione paused and introduced Ron who at her signal stepped in the conversation.
"And there's Alpha"
"Alpha-What?"
"Alpha is a protection the Ministry has set in place years ago in case anything goes haywire in the Department of Mysteries. My father mentioned it to mom a couple of times. He didn't think they'll ever use it but kept maintaining it. Presumably it bursts the bubble of the dimension the Ministry is held in. Basically disintegrates everything inside it or somehow makes it inaccessible for all intents and purposes. Those creatures might have escaped from the unsupervised Department of Mysteries, but whatever the case I don't want to ever cross them again and this seems, for now, the only safe-ish way we can make sure of that"
"And do you have the slightest idea how to trigger this thing?" I inquired.
"Not really, mate. My father only said so much"
"We have reasons to believe it can be done from the Minister's office and since we have Dumbledore's wand we might have all we need to do this. He was Chief Warlock, after all. It's safe to assume he knew about Alpha and had access to it," Hermione pointed out.
"And who's going to do this? You know it's a bit of a suicidal mission, don't you? Who knows what's actually in there"
"We're not entirely sure…" Luna finally spoke.
"Not entirely sure, Luna? That's not very reassuring is it?"
"Whoever is going must accept that … there's a slight chance… one might not return," Daphne said.
"This is crazy.. but let's say for a second we're going to do this.. how are we even going to get inside that office?" I asked, sighing.
"Well… if we have a headmaster, we should be able to use some of the castle magic to power a Floo channel to the minister's office… they must be connected by a path already just that the entire network is not powered." Hermione said.
They have really thought this through, but there are many variables and lives at stake.
Picking up a bunch of notes from the desk, Daphne added
"While you digest on that... some of the students are really panicking now. The facts are sinking in… they realise they might not see their parents again… we're having quite a handful with the infirmary as well. Luckily we have a few wannabe healers. Some are just depressed, but others got into serious fights… how stupid is for them to be fighting when we were risking our ass for them." Ron said, frustrated.
"Hard to be a leader, isn't it, Ron?" I asked.
"Harry, my friend, I'm glad you're having to deal with this crap and not me," he said with a smile, patting me on the back.
"Uhm... Harry? Where's Draco?"
Hermione suddenly noticed his long absence and quickly looked around the office in search for him.
"He's contemplating," was my answer.
A few hours later, most students gathered in the Great Hall expecting breakfast. The council discussed all morning about various organisational aspects and it is now time to apply them.
I left the Gryffindor table and took Dumbledore's usual spot when he gave speeches. I've never imagined myself standing here, in the old man's place.
As people began noticing me, silence fell. I felt pleasantly surprised for the second time as I again thought I might have to magically amplify my voice to be heard.
"Good morning. Sadly, it's not one as good as we'd wish. Yesterday we lost two students"
If someone dropped a needle you would go deaf in this silence.
"Hannah Abbott died in London after an attack from unknown creatures we encountered and Vincent Crabbe died from a Dementor kiss not long after. They both have sacrificed their lives helping us and we still can't accept they'll never join us on a breakfast just like this one. For those who want to pay their respects, they rest near the Great Lake, on the Hogwarts grounds."
After a minute of silence, while I contemplated the students..
"We've placed a few parchments on the staff table. These are open positions we need people to fill in. Some are for healers, others for guards or biologists. Write your name down where you think you could help the most. We've discovered how we can appoint a new headmaster for the school and we believe it's in our best interest to select one. So we'll have a vote on that.."
"WHO votes for POTTER?!"
Draco unexpectedly barged in through the doors, still ripping off some of the ropes my spell had bind him with. His right hand is up, signalling his vote in favor.
To everyone's surprise, the Slytherin table slowly raised most if not all of their hands following Draco's lead. Some snakes looked very reluctant but followed the heard nonetheless, not without many loud whispers. Soon enough, the entire hall voted for my appointment as a headmaster in less than a minute, rendering me speechless.
*clap*clap*
Daphne clapped and it quickly spread like wildfire. Some are whistling and screaming while others simply nodding.
Moments later the house flags that circled the hall changed into black flags with the Hogwarts crest on them, in mourning for the lost students.
"I think Hogwarts has accepted you as the new headmaster," Hermione whispered from a short distance, having joined me in the front.
"Potter?"
Malfoy is pointing at the ceiling. A brown owl which is making its way downwards to the staff table and shortly drops a letter with the seal of the Magical Academy on it, right in front of us.
TO: Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Hello sir,
I am speaking in the name of the Magic Academy.
This is a distress call. We're alone and cut out from the outer world. There's no staff on the premises and no sign of human presence for miles. There are no settlements around the school and we are running low on food.
Our apparition wards are still up and spreaded on more than 20 miles in circumference so we cannot search for other sources of food.
We don't know what happened or if you're experiencing similar circumstances.
I have instructed the owl to send this letter to the headmaster and if not possible to whom it may be concerned.
Even if you cannot be of assistance, please reply. We want to.. we need to know there's someone else out there.
Yours,
A.V.
I've read the letter out loud. I know from whom the letter. None other than Daphne's boyfriend from the Magic Academy. I recognise the handwriting and the initials. They are alive and they require our help by the looks of it.
I stared at Daphne and she looked back at me. I expected her to be happy, but her face is emotionless and I cannot read her as easy as I usually feel I can.
The next day, the blood wards were replaced with the usual wards Hogwarts is generally protected by. We worked all night to make this happen before pursuing any other goals.
I'm not going to lie.. I'm not looking forward to having the Academy students around and seeing Daphne with her boyfriend all day long, but we can't leave them to die of hunger or wondering around for miles to find food because of this.
In the morning, we moved from Dumbledore's office to McGonagall's. Countless students have used her fireplace to get home or to the Ministry so at least we are confident a Floo path, as they call it, exists.
Ron, Neville and Draco volunteered to enter the Ministry of we can open a Floo gate for them. I'm surprised Ron agree to the plan not to mention Malfoy's involvement in the assault team.
"We're going to try opening the Floo... are you ready, boys? Harry?" asked Hermione.
Ron, Neville and Draco nodded and so did I.
"Give it a try, Harry," she then ordered.
"Yes, mam. Rennervate"
From what I know Rennervate is used on people, but the girls believe that as headmaster and concentrating the power of the castle I should be able to, for all intents and purposes, resuscitate the Floo. As I casted, Daphne threw a hand of Floo powder in the fire.
"Try again, Harry," Hermione said, seeing that nothing happens.
"RENNERVATE!" I shouted with both my own wand and Dumbledore's pointed at the fireplace.
The green flames did not fail to appear in spectacular fashion, setting Daphne's robes on fire and giving us all quite a jump.
"You think that worked, Granger?" asked Draco, approaching the flames.
"It should power any path that you choose, as long as this fire is linked to the other," Hermione thoughfully answered.
"Should?" asked Draco.
"Should." Hermione concluded.
Our little assault time took another five minutes to prepare. By preparing, I mean convincing themselves this is a good idea, which it isn't by any means.
"I'll go first," said Malfoy beginning to walk into the fire, but got pulled back by Ron's strong arm.
"The hell you are," said Ron stepping into the fire "See you on the other side. Ministry of Magic" and in a burst of flames he's gone.
Seconds later, his voice came out of the coal letting them know the office is empty. Neville and Draco looked at each other.
"After you," invited Draco.
Neville, followed closely by Draco, Flooed to the Ministry.
"What now?" asked Daphne.
"We wait?" questioned Hermione.
"We wait." I said as I sat down on one of the headmistress's comfy chairs.
"Feeling like home aren't we?" asked Daphne. She proceeded to playfully sit in my lap, my hand seemingly flying on her waist.
"Might as well.. who know's how long they'll need"
For some reason, it seems like Hermione is feeling like a third wheel. Not saying anything and almost only her back visible. If only she knew of Daphne's decision not long ago... I think about it every other second.
"Do you girls think they'll be able to start that alpha-quarantiny-thingy-something?"
"I'm not sur..." Hermione began but got promptly interrupted by the activation of a Floo gate in the fireplace.
We jumped on our feet expectantly. Nothing happened for a few seconds then Ron made its apparition. But Ron didn't just appear, he speeded out of the fire and right into me, knocking me over the desk. I tried to hold him up as he's unconscious but failed and slowly laid him on the floor.
We barely managed to unstick our eyes from Ron's unmoving body and stare back at the emerald fire.
"Where are the other tw..." Hermione again got interrupted. This time by Draco Malfoy who crashed on the floor with his wand at the ready, but still conscious.
"SEAL THE FLOO, NOW! DON'T LOOK AT ME, DO IT!" He shouted at Hermione until she got knocked out of her shock and decided for some reason to trust him even if Neville still isn't back.
"Finite incantatem! Aguamenti! Fianto Duri! Repello Inimicum!" she casted is consecutive order.
"Thank... you..." Draco managed to say as he dropped his wand and collapsed next to Ron and me.
A few hours later, in the infirmary, Ron came to his senses first and told us what he remembers.
"I... I went in first... as you know... after that I only remember flashes... The office was empty and I gave that damn signal that they can follow... I should have waited more... it's all my fault"
"Ron... please tell us what happened next... there's no one to blame," I said reassuringly.
"They came through. Neville, then Malfoy. And we searched briefly... I clearly remember Malfoy casting Aparecium, Revelio and the other charms Hermione said might reveal hidden compartments of the office... that might be what caught their attention because they swarmed on us! They came through the windows... Neville was the closest one... he started casting random spells and he used Bombarda a couple of times, blowing apart the windows and the desk... barely missed me. Protego doesn't work against them! They sucked all the life out of him, we watched helplessly while in a few seconds he looked like he was 90 and then he died... or I think he did"
I don't know what to say... we expected this to be an easy mission and now Neville... is dead?
"Why do you say that... you think he died?" Daphne asked, her voice revealing how close she is to bursting into tears.
"Because he came back"
"WHAT?!" Hermione screamed, waking Draco from his slumber as well.
"Only skin and bones on him, but he raised up and threw a Stunner at me and that's all I remember"
"The shadows thought I was some delicious candy while Longbottom tried to choke Weasley with his hands or bones or whatever... I ran to the other side of the office, picked up a chair and crushed it on the zombie's head... I have a feeling no spell would've worked, but that was enough to throw him off balance... I pulled Weasel up.. lose some weight, by the way, please... and threw him into the Floo... I saw Longbottom getting up again and running towards me before I went in myself... not before casting a Bombarda Maxima... don' think there's anything left of that office"
At night, after Daphne pleaded we do it, we tried to get in contact with the Academy. Daphne was afraid of what might happen to them after the morning disaster. We've let Ron and Draco rest before questioning them again. Me, Hermione and Daphne talked in private after they told their story and the best scenario we could come up with is that they had hallucinations from the shadows... then again the worst and most probable case is that what they said is completely true.
We dare not use the same fire so we returned to the Headmaster office... should I say my office, now?
The Floo gate opened and this time I went through it, reaching the Headmaster office on the other side, at the Academy of Magic. A much larger office with an impressive architecture to say the least.
No one inside, however. I walked through the corridors until I stumbled on a student who nearly cursed me for not wearing the school uniform.
An hour later we were Flooing everyone into Hogwarts alongside everything that isn't glued to the floor.
We kept records of everyone and everything coming in from the Hogwarts office. As soon as Ark came through he ran straight to Daphne and kissed her right in front of me... not that I wouldn't have done the same... I would have never let her go again in my entire life.
Hermione found it amusing later on to exemplify how my jaw dropped when I saw their lips touching.
"It's been a long time, Harry Potter"
Ark extended his hand for me to shake and I complied thinking it hasn't been long enough.
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