Chapter eight
Over the next few weeks, nothing much changed at Hogwarts, apart from the other students giving Harry and his friends a wide berth.
When Snape had read about the new rules in regards to detention, he tried to get Albus to overturn it, he wouldn't. Albus explained that as deputy head, it was up to Minerva to organise how the teachers disciplined the students. Albus knew he had lost Minerva's support, she would go to the governors if Albus refused her.
It became obvious that for every point Snape took from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, they were awarded anywhere from ten points to one hundred points from the other teachers. It ended up with Slytherin's with hardly any points, the other three houses were all equal in points and their points were in the hundreds.
Every day in the Daily Prophet, there were a lot of reports of bodies being found, death eater bodies. There was also many people that turned up at St Mungo's severely injured. Every person that turned up dead, or at St Mungo's had the dark mark. Everyone knew that those people had tried to collect the two million galleons and they paid the price.
Harry was asked by many people if he felt anything for those that died. His reply was no, they chose to be pets to a deranged lunatic so they suffered for it. They could have walked away, they didn't have to go after Voldemort, they did and they ended up dead.
What Harry didn't know was Voldemort had been shaken, first by the fact that Harry Potter had defeated every teacher at Hogwarts, including Albus Dumbledore, using two wands at once. Next was when the bounty had been offered, he found himself being challenged every day, even his food and drink had been poisoned. It was luck that he detected the poison before he consumed any. He had been injured and was now hold up in his home with only Bella and her husband, they remained faithful. Rabastan Lestrange had been one of the bodies found, he had tried to kill his lord and it took Voldemort, Bellatrix and his own brother, Rodolphus Lestrange to bring him down. He had no supporters left and even if he was able to get more, he could not risk them turning on him. He was trying to work on plans, to have Bellatrix and Rodolphus deal with any they could get to support the dark forces. So far all Voldemort did was hide in his home.
Harry had all his plans ready, what he never told Hermione was he planned to leave a few days, before the end of the school year. He did not trust Albus Dumbledore, nor the ministry. He was not going to allow the headmaster to kidnap him or try to keep him contained at Hogwarts or the house the orders of the phoenix used. The ministry might just turn around and grab him when he got off the train, by then he would be gone.
The plans Harry made were with the muggle Prime Minister. He had been granted an appointment, then they sat down while Harry filled him in on everything he knew about Voldemort, death eaters and how the ministry of magic was run. He also explained how Voldemort and Dumbledore believed the prophecy. When the Prime Minister asked what Harry would do if it turned out that he had to be the one, Harry said he would only take care of Voldemort if he wasn't prosecuted. That was when the Prime Minister, with the Queens support, gave Harry protection. No matter what, if Harry killed Voldemort or any of his supporters then he would be safe, he was given a written guarantee by the Prime Minister and the Queen.
Harry wasn't going to leave the country, but he would be hidden. He found an old country home that belonged to his parent's. He made sure it was hooked up to electricity, he had a mail box out front, he had a drive way and a car port, he even bought a car. He wanted his home to look like a typical muggle home. Once Harry left he knew he could use glamour's to hide his appearance, he could also use polyjuice potion. That was one Harry practiced a lot using the room of requirement. He knew he would need to look different, until he could change a few things like getting rid of his glasses, growing his hair, having it dyed, simple things that would make it hard for anyone magical to recognise him.
Snape was showing his frustrations since he could not put any student from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw in detention. No matter how many points he took, the other teachers kept awarding them double or even triple the amount of points. Severus found out that Bathsheba Babbling, the ancient runes teacher and a Slytherin, she also gave extra points to the other three houses. He realised he had lost all support inside Hogwarts, but he had also be warned not to retaliate in any way against Harry Potter.
Severus normally would harass the boy, but he already knew that one day Harry Potter would take him down and maybe for good. If he used the sectumsempra spell when there was no healers around then Severus knew he would die. The few times Severus had gone to say something to Harry Potter in the classroom, the boy just pulled out a wand and sat it on the table. Not his holly wand, but his mother's wand, Lily's wand. Severus hated seeing Lily's wand and knowing that her son was not afraid to use it on him if he had to.
Albus called an emergency meeting of the Order of the Phoenix, but he also sent for Harry. He replied he would only attend if Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna could attend as well. Those friends were in the most danger and should be included in what plans the order had.
'You know mum will be going spare right now.'
'I know, but you're seventeen now Ron, so is Hermione, I will be in a few months. But you, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville are known to be my closest friends and you lot were with me at the ministry. You are in the most danger, you should know what the order is planning especially in regards to fighting and safety. You can use magic outside of Hogwarts now, there will be times you might get spotted by one of that lot, you will be fighting, you need to know if the order find out anything.'
'I know, and they did allow Fred and George to join when they turned seventeen, but they were out of Hogwarts.'
'True, but Hogwarts does not guarantee safety, not anymore. There might not be as much danger as there was, but we know there is always dark wizards out there.'
'We're ready, we have to pick up Luna on the way,' Hermione said as she joined the boys with Ginny and Neville.
'Then let's go get the blond,' Harry said then lead his friends out of Gryffindor tower and towards Ravenclaw tower, Luna was waiting for them. The Hogwarts six stayed silent as they walked up towards the headmaster's office. Many students backed away, some just stared. The six did not pay any attention to any of them.
The door was open when they arrived, they found six seats had been left for them so they sat down with everyone watching them. But the other five realised that most of the order was gazing at Harry.
'Now that everyone is here, I would like to start with headquarters. Harry, as Sirius left everything to you, we would like to know if we can continue to use the house?'
'Yes, Sirius hated it there and I don't want any part of it, so you could burn it to the ground for all I care.'
'But what about when you leave Hogwarts for good Harry, won't you live there?' Tonks asked.
'No, I will buy myself another home, one that isn't filled with painful memories or dark magic. All I ask is that if anyone needs a safe house then they can use the black house.'
'We have already been working on places to use for people's safety. Augusta Longbottom has offered her home as a safe house, but only after they have been questioned using veritaserum and inspected for the dark mark.'
'Gran mentioned that to me during the holidays, I wasn't sure if she had spoken to you.'
'She has, we also have help from Madam Amelia Bones. After her escape from the death eaters she wants to help as many people as she can. Now onto some interesting information about Tom.'
'Is he dead yet?' Harry asked, but everyone noticed he sounded calm but also uncaring.
'No, there has been many attempts since you offered the bounty, so now he only has two faithful death eaters, and those two are using funds to try to bring in more supporters. Basically, they are bribing people to join them. He is also using veritaserum before they are allowed near him, so far all have failed. Narcissa Malfoy has left the country, she organised another home overseas and plans for Draco to join her when the year is over.'
'So old man Malfoy is still with Tom?'
'No, his body turned up a few days ago,' Albus and again everyone noticed that Harry didn't seem to care, he just shrugged, 'Don't you have any feelings that the father of a student was killed?'
'I'm glad his dead, that's how I feel. He tried to kill me when I was twelve, he's a coward like all death eaters, not to mention a bully who picks on children.'
'He tried to kill you,' Molly said.
'Yes, right after I saved Ginny, he got the word Avada out before Dobby used elf magic to send him flying. That little elf saved my life, that is why I offered him a job, so he now works for me, but he remains free.'
'Then he should have been locked up, why wasn't he arrested back then?' Arthur asked.
'Because Professor Dumbledore didn't bother telling the ministry. But he's dead now, out of the way so he can't hurt any other kids.'
'Let's move on, Harry, I would like you to become an assistant to Remus next year, you will teach duelling but also help with the normal classes.'
'No, I plan to finish my schooling then go back to the muggle world which offers more. I will only ever return to the magical world once a lot of changes are made, like the ones I mentioned to you. Death eaters thrown through the veil, muggleborns given equal rights, werewolves given equal rights, house elves also given right, centaurs given equal rights, they deserve to be treated like everyone else. If you think you can talk me around or try to force me you will find yourself in a war not only with me but with the muggle military. I've been given a lot of protection from the Prime Minister and the Queen. If you think magic can win then think about going up against millions of people in the military, with guns, tanks, bombs, which they will use if they have to. I will not remain at a place that was full of bigotry, suffering, pain, and death. But I will never trust you, not after allowing that greasy haired coward into this school,' Harry got up and left the office, he knew now he had to leave and leave quickly. For now he would walk slowly, act like he was just heading back to Gryffindor tower. Then he would use the map and cloak then disappear, not only from Hogwarts but from the magical world.
