CHAPTER TWELVE
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. I am broke.
"Harry! Harry!"
Harry could hear frantic shouting but he didn't seem to be able to bring up the energy to reply, or open his eyes. He felt himself being lifted off the ground, picked up and carried. Still he couldn't do anything, not even reassure whoever was crying beside the person who was carrying him. Harry thought how much he'd like to comfort the soft sobs before blacking out completely.
The next thing Harry knew was that he was in a comfortable bed. As he opened his eyes a little, he saw it was dark. Night. How long had he been out? Sitting up he looked around for his glasses and put them on. Hunched over on the chair by his bed was Draco, his blond hair flopped over his head like a dishevelled angel and his deep breathing was steady. Harry lifted one hand to brush a stray strand of hair out of Draco's eyes, this loving gesture caused Draco to stir but Harry hushed him and settled down in bed, content with just observing his lover.
A few hours later Harry awoke to chattering voices, opening his eyes he saw that someone had removed his glasses again. As he sat up to put them on an excited squeal emitted from the group at the bottom of his bed, this was followed by several joyful shouts and a small body hurling itself into him.
"Harry, oh Harry. You're awake!"
After spitting ginger hair out of his mouth Harry replied, "Yeah." He patted Ginny's back then gently pushed a back a bit.
"God Gin let the man breath." Ron and Hermione approached the bed, closely followed by a grinning Draco.
Ginny drew away and sat on the edge of the bed. "We were so worried. Draco wouldn't leave your bedside at all."
Draco blushed slightly as Harry raised an eyebrow at him. "How long have I been here?"
"Three days." Ron said as Draco nudged him out of the way to get closer to Harry and kiss him.
"Uhg. Enough of that." Ron said, "What was with the owl?"
Harry pulled away from Draco but made sure that he could still keep his arm around him. But before he could explain, Madam Pompfrey bustled over to give Harry some sort of potion, which tasted disgusting.
Pulling a face Harry turned his attention to the Mediwitch. "Now then Mr. Potter, you should be good to go at the end of the day. But for now, no stories. I don't care if it's the head master; you're not to exert yourself in any shape or form. OK?"
"Yes, yes ok." Harry agreed reluctantly.
At midday Harry was staring at the ceiling, Madam Pompfrey had made everyone leave, thinking about the amount of time he spent in the infirmary. He must've broken a world record by now surely.
Finally at seven O'clock Harry was allowed to leave, first of all he went to find Draco, who was with a group of students from Durmstrang and couple of young men Harry had never seen before.
"Hey." He said sitting down next to Draco.
Draco smiled then looked to one of the young men as if hinting at something. Harry followed Draco's gaze, confused.
"Hi, my name's Josh. I'm a French Auror. Draco can't speak 'cos of a curse but you can use Deferentis and Proloquor to communicate, do you know what I mean."
Harry nodded, and then turned to Draco. "What happened?"
Draco explained to Harry what had happened to him at Durmstrang via Deferentis whilst the rest of the group talked about something else.
At the end of Draco's story, they were joined by Dumbledore and a group of distinguished looking witches and wizards.
"Ahh. Harry, I'm glad you are up and about again. How are you feeling?"
"I'm good thanks Professor."
"Yes sonny," One of Dumbledores companions spoke, "That was quite advanced magic to try, especially in the presence of the Dementors."
"Originally I wasn't going to do it until I had time and was with Professor Dumbledore but I could see no alternative."
"I quite agree." Dumbledore spoke again. "This is Andorra, Lady Stella, Lord Barach, Lord Evanes and Miss. Jane Thorn. They are from the Académie de Papilio, which is the French version of the Order."
"Hi." Harry stood up to shake their hands.
"Well," Dumbledore said, clapping his hands together, "Lets all take a seat and Mr. Potter can explain everything from the beginning."
"Yes, we've been waiting to hear this for three days."
"Why didn't Jake or someone tell you what happened?"
"Professor Dumbledore thought it would be better coming from you." Replied Lord Barach glaring at Dumbledore, who looked away before offering everyone popcorn.
Harry started right at the beginning:
XXX Flashback XXX
She snuggled into his shoulder and mumbled, "Don't do anything stupid"
"I won't. In, out. No defeating Voldermort today, that will happen when no innocent lives are at risk." He reassured her, kissing her forehead.
Twenty-five minutes later Harry had explained his plan to everyone and they set off to Durmstrang.
Once they were all out of Hogwarts grounds, they apparated as close to Durmstrang as possible.
Professor Lote, Sirius, Kingsley, and Mr. Weasley apparated just outside the near completely frozen lake a mile from Durmstrang.
Jake, Helen, Remus, Moody and Harry apparated a little further away, but opposite the main entrance to the castle.
Ron, Hermione, Professor Dumbledore and Professor Chirk apparated as close as possible to the castle, they were only a few yards away and had to be extra careful not to be seen. As they settled down to wait for the signal Professor Dumbledore went over their plan one more time, there could be no mistakes.
"Right" Professor Lote whispered, checking his map which Jake had drawn, "The entrance should be around here somewhere."
"What are we looking for?" Sirius asked.
"It's a rock with runes on it. The entrance is low to the ground; apparently it's a steep slope at the start."
Sirius transformed into a dog and began to inspect the ground, after five minutes he gave a low bark and nodded his head towards what he'd found.
"Good work."
One by one, they slipped through the narrow entrance and began their way along the passageway which was under the frozen lake.
The passage was dark and gloomy, with eerie sounds echoing around; obviously, some water was still flowing in the deepest parts of the lake. Seaweed hung like bodies from the low ceiling, it was slimy and yellow puss oozed from the open pores. The group tried their best to avoid it and whenever they accidentally brushed against tried to muffle their groans of frustration and annoyance.
"God, it's no warmer in here than it is outside." Sirius commented several minutes later.
"We are under a frozen lake. You get used to the cold if you live here long enough."
"No thanks."
"Shhh." Hushed Kingsley, "We must be almost there it's time to send the toft."
"Text." Sirius corrected.
The signal and communication system was nothing fancy, but it was the last thing that Voldemort would expect. Each group had a Muggle mobile phone which Dumbledore and Harry had altered so it didn't need a signal and could get round any anti-Muggle device wards.
The four of them continued in silence, Sirius at the front in dog form, then Professor Lote, then Mr. Weasley and bringing up the rear was Kingsley.
Meanwhile Harry, Moody, Remus, Jake and Helen were discussing where they should search for the captives first in the vast castle.
"The tower" Helen suggested,
"Surely there's too many of them, unless…" Remus trailed off, wishing he hadn't thought of that.
Moody growled, "Enough chatting. How long until we set off?"
Harry shrugged, "Depends on how long it take for Padfoot to find the passageway. It shouldn't be long though."
Helen shivered so Jake wrapped his arms around her and held her close. They sat in silence. Waiting. Waiting.
When Harry received the text, he gathered his group together and they set off. They kept low in order to avoid detection as they swept through the trees. They flew over burnt bushes, around thick, impenetrable undergrowth and past lifeless, gnarled trees. The only sound was the faint whistle of the wind as they soared towards the crumbling castle. Occasionally there would be the soft hoot of an owl or the sound of scurrying creatures beneath them.
No one spoke.
As soon as the castle came into sight, Harry slowed down so he could text Hermione and tell her to start moving into the castle.
The liberation of the Durmstrang students had begun.
"Right, I have got Harry's text. We need to go." Hermione said briskly, the cold was doing nothing to settle her nerves.
"Calm down dear. Harry knows what he's doing." Professor Dumbledore said, he seemed unfazed by the upcoming adventure. Just as he was unfazed by the cold, icy conditions.
"Here we are, quickly now." Professor Chirk ushered the two teens through the small hatchway in the wall.
This hatchway was more of a door for the various cats and dogs which students could keep in the castle.
"Ewww. Gross." Hermione said in a sort of whispered squeal, as the smell of animals was very strong. "Why didn't Sirius come this way?"
"Because the other dogs would've made a fuss, even if he was in human form. We can't risk alerting anyone of our presence." Professor Dumbledore explained patiently. Hermione was a bright girl, but did seem to forget little things when anxious or worried about something.
All at the same time, but at different positions around the castle the three groups entered.
It was silent.
Wands drawn, senses alert they crept forwards. Hiding behind corners and dashing down corridors, they gradually made their way to the centre of the castle. Taking no risks.
Harry's group was the first to encounter trouble, however with a few well place stunners the minor death eaters were knocked out and their wands snapped. Lookouts. As there could well be more the group stayed close together, it wouldn't be good to get lost now. On hearing voices, Jake signalled to Harry, Moody and Helen to be quiet. Crouched behind separate statues they paused to listen.
"This is the life. Hey Thams? I reckon I could get used to living in a castle."
"Don't get too used it. You know The Dark Lord's plan."
Harry raised his eyebrow and exchanged looks with Moody to warn him not to be rash and dash forwards to attack before they were sure that they would get no more useful information out of them.
"Shame really. When is it going to happen?"
"No one knows yet, he likes to keep things to himself."
"I'd love to see Dumbledork's face when his precious Potter and sidekicks are trapped with the Muggle borns and traitors in a castle full of hungry werewolves."
"Tough. Dumbledork will be dead long before that."
Harry had heard enough and nodded his head at Moody, Jake and Helen. In unison they jumped through the door, which Harry had blasted open, and stunned the two unsuspecting occupants of the room. After the wands had been snapped and the bodies tied up, they discussed what to do now.
"There's no sign of the students." Helen commented, kicking one of the death eaters in disgust.
"No, but Voldemort's not going to move them if he's planning on massacring them." Jake answered, also disgusted.
"You're the man with the plan Mr. Potter. What do we do now?" Moody growled, almost sneering.
"We carry on looking. Jake can lead the way as he knows the castle best."
They were just about to set off again when Helen interrupted, "Wait! What about the room of mysteries?"
"What's that?" Harry asked.
"It's a room which appears in the way that you need it."
"Like the room of requirement in Hogwarts. Where is it?"
"Follow me."
Helen took the lead this time, closely followed by Jake and Harry, Moody kept slightly behind in case of trouble.
Sirius and his group had been designated the dungeons and bottom floors of the castle. After the dungeons had been searched and not one trace of use had been found as the Durmstrang students never went there and no dust had been disturbed, they wondered around the next floor up. Here they met five death eaters and immediately started duelling.
Amongst the maze of spells flying back and forth Mr. Weasley noticed one of the death eaters creeping away to warn her master. He shouted to the others as he was in no position to spare a spell for the fleeing death eater. Luckily, Sirius hit her with a well place bone-breaking curse in the back and she collapsed. However, this action had left the death eater Sirius had previously been duelling with a chance and he found himself being thrown into the wall.
His head hit the wall then hung down so his chin was resting on his chest. Obviously thinking that he had knocked Sirius out the death eater raised his wand to cast the killing curse. Sirius saw it coming and transformed into a dog. Then he leapt at he death eater and bit into his leg. This unexpected action caused the death eater to drop his wand and fall over. Sirius ignored the urge bite the mans face off and satisfied himself with biting everywhere else, including a place which would ensure the death eater would never father children, or enjoy taking his girlfriend to bed ever again.
"Wasn't that a bit harsh?" Kinsley asked Sirius, who had transformed back to human form.
Shrugging he pulled an innocent face, "He tried to kill me!"
Remembering what Harry had advised they set about snapping wands. Then a ghost appeared through the floor.
"I though I heard banging."
"Hello Sir. John." Professor Lote greeted the new arrival.
"Professor Lote, I am delighted to see that you are not with the other lot."
"Where are they?" Professor Lote inquired.
"I shall show you. If you would please follow me."
Sirius, Professor Lote, Kingsley and Mr. Weasley fell into step behind Sir. John as he led them to the Room of Mysteries.
Professor Dumbledore hummed quietly as they made their way through the corridors, occasionally they would have to stun an unwary death eater but other than that, no one was really about.
"Why do you think it is so quiet?" Ron asked Professor Chirk.
"Don't know. He-who-must-not-be-named probably has his main followers with him or carrying out tasks."
"You don't think he'll try to take Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.
"If he does try that we'll get a distress signal from the teachers there. But I highly doubt he'll be expecting us so early."
Professor Dumbledore stopped humming to join in the conversation, "Harry has made sure that Voldemort thinks he is still the rash boy is was three years ago, not the good thinker you see."
The conversation was interrupted by a magical net surrounding them.
"Harry, my boy I don't think that's really necessary."
"How do I know it's you?" Came the strict reply.
"When you asked me what I saw in the mirror of Erised I said that I saw myself holding a pair of thick woollen socks."
The net disappeared and Harry walked forwards. "We think we know where they are."
"Good, good. Show the way."
When the reached the room of mysteries they found Sirius staring at the wall with a determined expression on his face. At the sound of feet, he spun round, wand at the ready. On seeing it was Harry he lowered his wand and nodded towards the offending wall. "Room of mysteries. Problem is we don't really know how to get in. Sir. John has gone through but he finds himself in the other corridor not the room."
"Tut tut Sirius. Are you sure it's us?"
"Oh yeah, Ron what did I give you at the end of your third year?"
"Pig."
Sirius turned back to the wall. "At Hogwarts you just walk past it and think hard."
Helen smiled, "You have to tap the code on the painting over there and think hard."
She went to the painting of a snow leopard and tapped her wand on it, causing the doors to appear. Cautiously they all proceeded and slipped into the mysterious room. A sea of scared faces looked at them. Harry and Moody sent dangerous looking sparks into the air, causing several heavily cloaked bodies to be flung up against the ceiling and tapped in place. They looked quite comical, hanging there unable to speak or move.
XXX End Flashback XXX
"Well we got them all out, they have eaten and are now resting in the castle. We've contacted as many parents as possible but many will have to remain here for the time being." Harry concluded.
"Why did you run out of the forest?" Josh asked.
"Mmmm. I was wondering how you little mission went." Professor Dumbledore said.
"And the owl?" Hermione put in.
"Well after we had got the students safely back to Hogwarts and I was absolutely sure Draco wasn't at Durmstrang I felt that it was time to settle matters with the creatures in the forbidden forest."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, students are always told not to go in the forest for fear of being hurt, which is good advice. But in order to stop discrimination don't you think we need to talk to them and get on with them?"
"What's this got to do with Voldemort?" Lord Barach asked.
"I think I know where he's going. Carry on dear." Lady Stella nodded at Harry.
"Voldemort managed to get the giants and other non-humans to join him because he was able to promise them fair treatment. He might not carry out his promise in the end, but that's got nothing to do with it. If we were kind to them in the first place they wouldn't need to rely on evil wizards so would be against them. I talked to the centaurs in the forest and warned them what was happening, they agreed to be on the lookout and convince others of their kind not to join Voldemort. They may not want to fight with us now, but in the future we can build up good relationships and prevent someone else like Voldemort from taking advantage."
"What of the other creatures?" Josh inquired, "Werewolves and such?"
"Good question. Werewolves are often thought of as dark, but they're not."
"Lots of werewolves join Voldemort though." Josh countered.
"Yes they did, but not all of them. Just think would they have joined Voldemort if they got treated fairly in the first place?"
"Great thinking Harry. But can you please explain the owl!" Harry had to smile at Hermione's eagerness.
"It's a spell I found in some of my Mum's writings. Though it was all in bits and I had to sort it out. I was planning on casting it with some Professors around just in case anything went wrong. But seeing the vast amount of Dementors, it seemed the best choice. I wasn't sure what animal it would be, that owl is called Joy. She destroys the Dementors because they can't stand the amount of happiness or light."
"Your Mum invented that spell?" Ron asked, gob smacked, finally turning back to Harry, after staring at Andorra.
"As far as I can tell." Harry nodded.
A couple of minutes later everyone started making their way to bed. Harry and Draco were amongst the first to depart.
Authors Note:
That was quite long for me! Hope you enjoyed it.
Constructive critism appreciated. Please Review. X
