A/N- At 3800 words, this is the longest chapter so far. If I'd made it to page 8 I'd have split the chapter but I just got onto page seven so I figured I'd just upload a big chapter. I had to have a brief mental debate about Ginny. I went for greedy bigot Ginny instead of mentally unstable Ginny. I didn't want anyone to pity her. If anyone has derogatory nicknames for Dumbledore and the Order of the P_ please send them. I'll be randomly sticking them into the story when those two things are referenced.

I expect the next chapter to start with a time jump. I think six months to a year.


They learned to shoot with paintball guns first. Once Harry got used to holding the gun he realized he was a pretty decent shot. Surprisingly, Hermione was even better. He still covered his privates at the memory of her excellent shot at the dummy's privates. Mandy too had taken to it easily and like Hermione her aim was south of the equator. "We're modifying some rifles and handguns to be filled with paintballs instead of bullets. That should help you all train before we start using bullets," Mark said. They had two firearms instructors and were training with sniper scopes as well. "Once we know where each of you shines we'll make notes in your files to be used for any missions you ever need to go on."

While Mandy and Hermione were the best shots in the group, Dean was a tactical genius. That rapidly became apparent. Dennis and Colin were good scouts because of their slim builds and speed, and Harry's natural leadership skills would help them on missions.


Ginny Weasley was not a patient witch. But she knew that Harry would come back to Hogwarts. Dumbledore had assured her. She looked at the vials of love potion. It wouldn't take long to get him under her thumb. No more secondhand clothes for her! No, Harry would lavish her with jewels and clothes and vacations. Then she'd slip in a lust potion keyed to another witch and then divorce Harry, taking everything and leaving him a pauper while she married a respectable pureblooded wizard. Yes starting on the Hogwarts Express, her plan would begin.


One week before September 1rst all the teens wrote letters of withdrawal from Hogwarts. The goblins had taken care of hiding this fact as long as they could and Ragnok himself arrived to collect the withdrawal letters. He sent them to Hogwarts' muggle mail intake. He knew the teens were all impossible to find thanks to their wards and the British government. At Harry's request they'd put up wards that blocked all magical creatures except for those Harry and Hermione put on a short list. The house elves, Griphook, Bonescar, Ragnok of course, and a few other goblins were all on the list. To test them they'd had a goblin not on the list try to breach the wards. The resulting pain had been immediately healed by Bonescar and brought peace of mind to all parties. Not even Dumbledore's phoenix could break through them.

Katherine Vance organized a team for the first mock mission she was going to send them on to distract them from what would be their first day of school. That would be interesting. She didn't expect them to win, but then that was the point of training exercises.


Dean looked over the map, contemplating strategy. Last night Colin, Dennis, and Hermione had scouted where the mission would take place, Hermione watching over them through her scope as the two boys sketched the area quickly. They'd then returned to Hermione and taken a quick trip back to their base to make the map. Having found out how his father and friends made the Marauders map from books that the goblins had found in his former vaults Harry, with the help of Justin and Mandy, created a map from the drawings. Then they'd come up with code names for each team member. Harry was Ares, Colin was Hermes, Dennis was Pan, Mandy was Artemis, Wayne was Zeus, Hermione was Hera, Justin was Hades, Terry was Poseidon and Dean was Apollo.

Hermione and Mandy meditated to calm themselves as the boys let Dean do his magic with strategy. "Okay I have it!" He looked at Wayne, "Go get the girls and we'll go over the plan."

Wayne and Terry had proven to be very creative and had created ear pieces that would enable everyone to be able to communicate with one another. To everyone else it looked like an earplug; only the teens knew better. This way they'd all be connected in the mission, no matter where they were.


When Wayne returned with Hermione and Mandy a grinning Dean spoke, "First, we'll make two copies of the map. One for our snipers, one for the ground team. Now it won't track the movements of our enemies because we can't figure out how to manage that feat yet."

"I think we should ask the goblins for help with that. I think the ambient magic of Hogwarts helped that map track everyone," Justin said. "If we were fighting in a magical area, I think the map could then keep track of everyone, not just us."

"We won't always have access to our locations beforehand though, so let's not depend on it," Hermione interjected, "the fact that we can keep track of one another is enough for me. If Harry calls for assistance I can find him on the map and direct my scope in his direction. So long as Colin and Dennis can give us updates on where enemies are and you guys can cover them us girls can watch your backs."

"Lucky for us," Harry grinned.

"You don't know the half of it Potter," Mandy retorted, winking at Hermione. Both girls giggled.

Dean rolled his eyes, "Focus, team. Here's what I want. Hermione and Mandy, there's an obvious place for snipers and I don't want you anywhere near it. If you two want to be in different places I recommend this tower and this hill," They were on opposite sides but with full views of the mission area."

"The space isn't large, Dean. I think we could both be in the same area. Either spot will give us a full view of the area and we'll be able to hide from spotters. Will they have snipers?" Mandy looked at him after she asked the question.

"No snipers, they're using magic. Just like the Death Eaters and Dumbnuts' Order of the Phonies would."

"Dumbnuts? Be a little more imaginative Dean," Terry chided. "So since we're going against wizards we should consider that they'll be disillusioned. What if we charmed some sunglasses to see through disillusionment? We could charm the scopes of Hermione and Mandy's rifles too."

"Sunglasses would be easier to do than the scopes," Hermione tapped her chin thoughtfully, "since sunglasses are at a fixed distance. Scopes can magnify and increase or decrease their field of vision. It would have to be a different version of the spell."

"I'll help you research it," Justin offered. Terry also volunteered to help and Hermione nodded. "But for now all of us on the ground team will wear glasses that expose disillusionment and invisibility cloaks. We'll direct your fire if you need it. I don't think they'll do disillusionment charms yet. This is our first practice mission."

"To be safe we should wear the sunglasses anyway. That way they won't think there's anything suspicious if you wear them each time we have a mission before we charm them," Dennis said. "We should add a telescoping ability to the ones for Colin and me. We could scout during the battle."

"That should be doable," Wayne nodded. "What will they be hitting us with Dean?"

"Stinging hexes according to Mark. Nothing more than that or a body bind. If we're down, we stay down. That's the rule since in reality none of our enemies would cast to stun." They all nodded in agreement about that fact. "They will have armor so the paint pellets won't hurt too bad. I'd say aim for the weak spots anyway. It'd be better if Hermione and Mandy can drop them in a single shot."

"We will," Mandy promised. "We've been really excelling at target practice." Hermione nodded and Harry smiled. No one had expected Hermione to be a good shot. She'd certainly proved otherwise. The pride Harry felt for her ability was probably comparable to how she felt when he did well on a test or essay, and that realization kept him smiling even as she surpassed him in firearms training.

Dean then directed them into position, "I think we should split into two teams. Harry, Terry, Dennis go one way while Wayne, Colin, Justin, and myself go the other. Harry's the best shot out of all of us and I'm not sure how much time I'll spend not looking over the map and directing all of you."

"If we could get the map to work to cover our enemies in red you could stay back and just guide everyone through," Wayne pointed out, "but I'm with Hermione. We won't always be able to scout in advance. I think we have more practical things to work on."

"Let's put it to a vote," Colin said, "All in favor of not pursuing the maps and working instead on magically improving our equipment raise your hands." Every hand was raised, including Dean, and they began planning where the two teams would enter the area and their route.


Hermione talked to Dean privately while the others got ready for the mission, "Dean, I think we could use a third sniper. You'd be a good choice, because height would improve your ability to plan and guide people. And if you were with Mandy or I, or both, we could cover your pauses to determine plans."

"That makes perfect sense actually," Dean smiled, "I wonder if our scopes could highlight enemies in red…"

"If we keyed the spell to the 9 of us it would be simple enough to turn everyone else red but then we run the risk of hurting bystanders. We could talk about it with the older agents, see if they could help us with it. They might even have better ideas," Hermione said.

"I'm not so sure about that last part," Dean chuckled, "but I'm willing to see about it. I might need help with the rifle though. It's so far not been my strong suit."

Hermione playfully pushed him, "Well so long as you don't mind being taught by a girl I think we can help you."


Harry took a deep breath and cast the muffliato charm before using the earpiece, "Hera, Ares' location, 10 o'clock."

His girlfriend's voice came over through, "Copy that."

Harry turned his head around the corner to see the agent drop, bright red paint signifying the hit. Hermione had got him in the chest. "Beautiful shot love."

"Charmer." Harry chuckled to himself as he snuck over and provided cover fire as Dennis and Terry disarmed the agent before they moved on their way.


Colin slid between two walls and narrowly escaped being seen by an agent, who continued on their way before he slid out and fired, dropping him from behind. He was then hit with a body bind and fell to the ground. He soon heard a thud which he assumed meant that someone had returned the favor to his attacker.

Now that Colin was gone the group that was now three crept carefully. "What do you see Artemis?"

"Forward fifty meters, to your right, 2 o'clock," came her response. The three boys moved slowly and suddenly heard a thud behind them. They saw an agent collapse. They were then surrounded.

Mandy cursed softly. Four boys were down, leaving just Harry's group and herself and Hermione. "Ares? Apollo and company are down. It's all you babe."

"The vote of confidence is appreciated," Harry said to his girlfriend, "Guide us and provide cover fire."

"Oh no you have to do this on your own. In a full-on battle we'd be too busy taking out others to guide you. We're to support you, not be your compass."

"Lecture me later love."

"Just because you're named after a god doesn't mean you have to get a head the size of one." Mandy giggled next to her while the two boys with Harry were barely suppressing their own chuckles. Their banter was proving to be quite humorous for all involved parties.

Harry, Terry, and Dennis moved cautiously and Hermione and Mandy warned them if they were in danger. Twice the girls saved them from being caught. "Ares there are three coming up behind you with two ahead."

"Artemis, Hera, cover our front, we'll take out the trio."

"Copy that," Mandy responded. "On our count. Three."

"Two."

"One." The action was quick and immediate. Harry and the other boys turned and fired, while they heard the sounds of paint hitting the duo that was now behind them.

"Time!" Everyone got up and the girls exited their hiding spot, heading down to the others.

"You all did well for your first real practice mission," Katherine said, walking to them, "Now let's go sit down and go over your failures and your successes. Then you'll all be dismissed to shower and eat."


Once they were back in a room at the base they all sat down and Katherine asked, "First, your snipers were brilliant. My team couldn't find them and their one shot takedowns were impressive. Now, how do you all think you did?"

"I got too far ahead of my team and didn't pay attention to my surroundings. I took one down, yes, but then I was out," Colin said.

"We needed someone covering the tactical side better," Harry said, "once Dean was down we felt lost. And Hermione was right, we can't depend on her and Mandy to guide us. They can alert us to dangers we can't see but they can't do the whole thing."

"Hermione told me before the mission that I should be a sniper so that I would have a better view of everything. I agree with her, plus then the girls could be in different positions while I stayed with one to prioritize tactical movements," Dean said, "We relied too much on the map too, when we already knew it wouldn't be all that useful since it couldn't locate our enemies."

Katherine nodded, "All good points. Miss Granger you might one day have my job at the rate you're going."

Hermione smiled at her, "Thank you Chief. I noticed that the boys didn't pay attention to what was behind them very much, and they relied heavily on Mandy and me to keep them safe."

"Habits we will have to break. I think we'll break up your training. I have some expert snipers, trained in the military, who can work with Hermione, Mandy, and Dean. I also think Colin and Dennis need more training in scouting. The five of you will get specialized training. The rest of you will also get some from SWAT teams and some military personnel. I understand you have requests for items? My research and development team is always interested."

Justin quickly summarized the items they wanted and Katherine was impressed, "The scopes that can see through disillusionment charms and invisibility cloaks would be dead useful. I'll have the team work on it immediately. Harry I would like to see your father's book about those maps please. I think we could tweak them to be of more use to Dean. Maybe with a holographic spell? It would be in 3D and different colors indicate different categories of people."

None of them had even thought about that, and now realized that was a much better option. "Sure it's in my bedroom. I'll have Mark or Grant deliver it later," Harry nodded.

"I think we could make contacts for most of you to use to see through the cloaks and charms. It wouldn't work for the snipers, but it would benefit the rest of you greatly. And the telescoping sunglasses, Dennis and Colin, I think we can make easily."

Terry asked, "Do you think we messed anything else up?"

"For your first task, you all did very well. But the fact you couldn't be killed made you reckless at times. I like that Mr. Potter's group disarmed the people they and the snipers brought down. Mr. Thomas' group did not do that and that could have caused problems. Even if your opponent is dead, someone else could summon their wand to use to attack you."

"I didn't even think of that," Dean frowned. "Sorry guys."

"We all made mistakes," Harry reminded him, "I let my team get surrounded and had to have my girlfriend get us out of it."

"You're welcome by the way," Hermione said, smirking at him. Everyone laughed and they were then dismissed.

Katherine Vance smiled as they left. She liked these young folk. They were strong, creative, and dangerous. A wonderful combination, in her mind. The humility they had was also impressive. They'd actually done better than many trainees almost a decade their senior did. She wondered if she could convince all nine of them to stay after everything. She walked to the floo to return to her office. Those teens would be an asset to her agency.


Albus Dumbledore was not having a good day. First were the letters from 9 students withdrawing from Hogwarts. The Muggleborn ones he didn't care aboutbut he did care about Harry Potter. The boy was not allowed to leave Hogwarts. Unfortunately Fawkes couldn't locate him and when Albus demanded the bird find Harry the phoenix had simply flown away. At first he thought the bird was doing his bidding but the phoenix never returned.

Then things had taken a turn for the worse. He'd managed to keep Harry's disappearance secret from most people. He'd assured others that Harry would be on the train. He sighed. Molly Weasley would be sending him a howler over this, no doubt. He knew of Ginevra's designs on the boy, but he'd never tell her they couldn't come to pass because he'd be dead before his seventeenth birthday.

Now the talk of the school was that Harry Potter had vanished along with Granger. He knew the rumor mill would soon begin and he was not prepared for the thoughts that Harry Potter might be dead. With his tracking things on the boy all no longer working Albus was beginning to wonder if maybe Harry really was dead. The letter oddly offered hope. At least the lad was alive. Albus would just have to explain to him that the Greater Good would always come before any one person's life. If he could find the boy. That was proving difficult.


Albus Dumbledore's mood was not improved the next day when the Daily Prophet arrived. If anything it sunk even worse. The headline was practically taunting him:

Harry Potter Quits Wizarding World!

In a letter written to the Daily Prophet Harry Potter has disavowed his heritage, mocked those in power, and states that he has left the magical world for good:

Dear Wizards and Witches of Britain-

I'm done. Finished. You all can save your own arses. I have so many grievances with your stupid, incompetent, ignorant society I don't know where to start. Fortunately I have my one true best friend, Hermione Granger, by my side and she has a way with words. She's helped me put my thoughts onto paper.

First, the prejudice and outright blood bigotry. Why are no department heads in the Ministry of Magic muggleborn or half-bloods? Why do you think so lowly of a species you demand guard your gold and treasures? In the non-magical world, we're taught as children to be respectful to people. In the magical world, you're taught as children that purebloods are the only ones worthy of respect and others should respect YOU while you treat everyone like dog shite on your shoe.

Second, sheeple syndrome. Do any of you think for yourselves or are you too inbred to even have that cognitive ability anymore? Although, you can't carry out your basic premises of being a pureblood, like "bowing down to no one" so I guess it's unfair of us to expect much. What do you call kissing Tom Marvolo Riddle's robes? I call it bowing down like the slaves to authority you all are. I'm sure there will be some sputtering and some rage over purebloods kissing a half-blood's robes and worshiping him like he's a god and you're his desperate followers who want said god to be happy. The pureblood motto should be, "Follow the voice that bleats the loudest."

Third, you're thieves. Imagine my surprise when the Boy-Who-Lived's vaults were being emptied by one Albus Dumbledore and used to fund his war against Captain No-Nose, aka Tom Riddle aka 'Lord' Voldemort through his Order of the Pretenders. I'm sure you're all well aware of a prophecy of me defeating said Dark Lord. Well, you're all on your own! I'm not helping you.

Now, let's get to Albus Dumbledore. He's the source of many of my problems. Aside from stealing from me, Dumbledore shoved me into an abusive, magic-hating home to be beaten and tortured for 11 years. He paid people to be my friends when I arrived at Hogwarts, and even set a girl on me to keep me from Hermione. He's also promised me to Ginny Weasley. An interesting fact since he clearly plans for me to be dead the sooner the better. After all, 'neither can live while the other survives'. Although, Ginny, you would have a hard time keeping me from Hermione just like Dumbledore has so I would assume you have love potions carefully stored in your trunk to use on me. It's the only way I'd ever be with a greedy little trollop like you.

As for the rest of you, kindly sod off. I'm gone. I won't be saving a society that treats my wonderful girlfriend like she's not worthy of living. You're all always waiting to be saved. Get off your arses and save yourselves. I'm not going to. Dumbledore's out for his own ends too. He could have killed Tom Riddle before. He didn't because he thought he could be 'redeemed'. Still think he's redeemable, Albus?

You've all betrayed me for the last time. You can't decide if I'm the next Dark Lord or your savior. You can't decide if I'm a little boy that tells lies or an honest young man who's lived through horrors that would turn your stomach. You still aren't sure if I'm mentally unstable or your only hope. Through everything, one person has stood by my side and your society treats her like dirt. So we say farewell as we escape to live our own happily ever after together in the non-magical world. I'd say enjoy killing each other but Albus Steals-From-Children doesn't approve of killing so that means the side that is against Voldemort will capture people only for them to be freed by their master like the little slaves they are. Make sure to be an extra good little slave, Draco Malfoy. If you bend a little lower and kiss a little higher maybe you'll get more praise from your master. A good slave can only hope, right?

Albus put his head in his hands. No this was without a doubt not going to be a good day. Not in the least.


Author's request- Does anyone know the name of a story that has a scene in which Ginny and Ron are sitting on the train alone and Malfoy comes in taunting that Potter isn't on the train and won't be at Hogwarts and Ginny is convinced that Harry will be at the castle as she prepares to sink her hooks into him? I am looking through all of my favorites trying to find it but I want to read that scene again. It just is a really good one. Harry and Hermione are elsewhere and Ron mentions something about Malfoy's daddy being in jail after their trip to the Ministry which places it at the end of fifth year/entering sixth year only for Malfoy to say his father was under the Imperius curse. This is bugging the hell out of me. Goes without saying it's a Harry/Hermione fic.