A/N
Sorry all, after reading a few of the reviews I realized that I did in fact leave this chapter out. Hopefully it will all now fit together better. Still working on the next by Christmas. Thanks again!!!!
Chapter 21—Everything Starts to Fall Apart
Dumbledore paced his office pondering the latest development. After the scene in the Great Hall, Harry had fled and no one could find him. He couldn't fathom where Harry could possibly be hiding and it frustrated him to no end. The boy had eluded his efforts over the summer as well and he could not get any specific information of his whereabouts during their lessons.
The other thing that bothered him was that he had shown an enormous amount of power and control in using spells which he had been previously incapable of wielding. When he had been frozen with everyone else, he immediately remembered a similar situation not too long ago when James Roper had done the same thing in the Ministry. He feared that somehow Harry had taken up with the man, and was being influenced to use dark magic as he was sure that Roper was not what he seemed. This was a scenario that he did not want to contemplate. Things were on the edge as it was and they couldn't afford the outside influence that Roper was providing. Sending Harry to Azkaban had been a terrible mistake, having pushed the boy past his breaking point making it harder to reign him back in.
In lessons with the boy, he had not been able to extract any information revealing where the boy had been hiding or how he had come about the knowledge he possessed. Truly he feared for the boys' sanity with what he had seen in the teen's mind. Sure there were normal thoughts any teenage boy would have, but there were more disturbing things as well. He had been able to see more than he ever thought possible without a pensieve and it worried him that Harry's mind was so easy to read. Throughout all these lessons though, he had not seen what Harry had shown them all this morning and it shocked him thoroughly that the boy had been so abused. The Dursley's were not very likeable people, but they didn't seem so terrible as to treat their nephew the way they did. Tom Riddles early years were too similar and that was cause for more concern when taken in context with Harry's actions of late. He felt a little sorrow at his involvement in forcing such a life on a young innocent child that was so adored by his parents, but it was done in the interest of saving the wizarding world. They needed their savior to be tough and ready to stand up and fight for those that couldn't, Harry had been just that before Azkaban. The boy had proven he could overcome misfortune and be the better for it. Now he wasn't so sure he hadn't created another Dark Lord.
His mind was racing with ways to get the boy back under control and the only things he could come up with would be very risky to pull off for all of the options involved border line Dark Magic that would bind Harry to him. Dark Magic was not a sure thing as Dumbledore new very well. If one was not absolutely certain in committing to the rituals and their outcomes, it could backfire on the caster severely. The recipient of the rituals was also a precarious risk factor, for if their power was greater than the caster they could easily reverse the ritual onto the caster. If their power was too weak, they could be easily killed by the ritual. Dumbledore was pretty sure of Harry's power, but would still need to cast a detection spell on him once back in his custody. This line of thought brought him back to the immediate predicament, how to get Harry back!
The teaching staff had been of little use, as they were all still too afflicted by what they had seen. The realities of Harry's life had hit them hard and they felt guilty for not seeing it or helping him in some way. Add to this their conviction that Harry's sentencing was just, further enhanced their melancholy state. All had assisted in searching the castle but they had done so half-heartedly, not sure if it was the right way to help the boy.
To make matters worse, Remus had also disappeared and couldn't be contacted, and Severus was called away by his Dark Mark. The two people who could provide him with the most information were not available and it was stressing what little control he had left, and the Order members he had called for a meeting seemed to be taking an inordinate amount of time to arrive.
As Tonks, Remus and Ginny arrived back in ther suite, they found Harry disassembling the wards and knew immediately what was happening. Everyone wuickly started packing their things and were ready by the time the last ward fell.
"Ready?" Harry asked as he saw everyone standing near. At their nods he disappeared, reappearing at the Shrieking Shack and summoned a bottle of Firewhiskey and four glasses. He poured himself a glass and sat waiting for the others to arrive via their special portkeys. No sooner had he taken his first sip, than the three appeared. Silently they settled their things and sat down to join him.
"Well, sorry about all that but even I have my limits." He greeted and tossed back the rest ofhis drink. "Don't believe they'll ever learn, it's like trying to punch a stone wall, it just won't budge."
"I happen to agree with you cub. I'm Afraid they don't really see what's coming, and with Dumbledore keeping everyone on a limited, need-to-know status, well it just makes the possibilities for mistakes even greater."
"But we can't afford their mistakes right now? Doesn't he realize what he's doing?" Ginny angrily whispered. "Now they'll just spend all their efforts and resourced looking for us when they should be preparing for Voldemorts next attack."
"You're right Gin. Right now I believe Dumbledore is calling a meeting of the Order to do just that. Tonks, you should be able to still go."
"Sure thing Harry. What do you want me to tell everyone?"
"Just say you ran after Remus who went looking for me, hoping he would lead you to me, but you lost him when he took an untraceable portkey. They'll already assume he's with me somewhere. As for Ginny, well…" he said a little unsure to state what he was thinking, "I hate to say it, but I doubt they'll they'll notice her missing yet with all the commotion of trying to find me." He shot Ginny an apologetic glance hoping she wouldn't get too angry at him.
"Thanks a lot! It's so nice to know you're loved." She answered sarcastically, but smiled reassuringly at him.
"You know I love you Gin, but it's the most likely scenario and it could work to our advantage."
Ginny's eyes sharpened at his statement. Did he really just admit so openly that he loved her in front of Remus and Tonks? Harry caught her look and smiled brightly as the color of his cheeks darkened in a blush. He really did meant it! It wasn't just a slip of the tongue. She could see what he felt in his eyes and her heart soared.
"Well, mmmm Hehmmmm…..May be I should just go and well……uh….I'll just go meditae until Tonks returns." Remus stated clearing his throat trying to break the attention of the two teens. He received no response from them. The only sound was that of a giggling Tonks trying to stifle her laughter at the situation. Realizing the two were lost in the moment, the adults took their cue to leave. Remus escorted Tonks out of the room to say goodbye until later.
-
Dumbledore waited impatiently for any response from his Order members after finishing his explanations. Most were too stunned to say anything except one. As expected, his embittered potions master spoke up jogging everyone to attention.
"Excuse me for criticizing you methods headmaster, but you are entirely too lenient on that spoiled brat. If you had sealed his magic long ago as I recommended we would not be in this mess."
"That would not have solved anything Severus as you well know." Dumbledore outwardly chastised while internally seethed at Snapes presumptuousness at stating previously secret plans. He was regretting not having taken the man's advice but he would never say it. He also knew that his more astute Orders members would catch Snapes comments and question it. He would have to head off that discussion as it would be more harmful than good. "What we need is to concentrate on finding Mr. Potter right now not rehash the past. That boy is in serious danger with Voldemorts forces running loose and unchecked."
"With all due respect headmaster, I think the past is very relevant in determining where Harry might have gone and more importantly…why. I can't help but wonder why there was ever a discussion about binding Harry's mages as Severus implied and that fits into everything that boy has been through. You, and all of us, have continually pressured him," Arthur said raising his hands to halt the angry retorts he knew were coming, " Hear me out! For the first 10 years of of his life, no one was the least bit concerned as to how he was doing. Then when he comes to Hogwarts and into a world he has no idea about, we step in and regulate every aspect of his life to the point where Harry is virtually a prisoner whether at school or at the Dursley's. What right did we have to do that when we showed no earlier interest? He's put through years of pain and danger until he is wrongly imprisoned and forced to relive his worst memories, of which there are too many. What do we do? We all abandon him thinking that we know better than he possibly could. Harry is finally proven innocent, by a man none of us have ever met, and to make matters worse, we the people who sent him to hell in the first place expect him to forgive us without even a by-your-leave! Now tell me honestly if you were in his shoes, would you want to forgive us let alone be anywhere near the ones who caused such great pain? Harry has given us more than we deserve by tolerating our presence. I respect that young man more than you could ever know. He didn't have to come back and he still doesn't, and no one here could make him as he has proven. When he's ready, he'll come back, but if we force it, we'll end up pushing him farther away." Arthur finished and sat down quietly next to his wife who looked awestruck at his words. He reached out and gently clasped her hand in his and squeezed gently.
Molly smiled proudly at here husband and her eyes shown with a newfound respect for this normally calm anti-antagonistic man. No one could dare say he didn't stand up for what he believed in. Her heart selled with fierce pride at the way he had defended their seventh son, they had learned their lesson the hard way and would never repeat the same mistake or hurt Harry so deeply ever again. It didn't matter who it was, they would defend the boy as their own and Merlin help anyoBe who got in the way, even if it was the all powerful leader of the light Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.
No one spoke after the heartfelt speech Arthur just made. Minerva McGonagall had done some serious self inflection since the mornings events and was thoroughly disgusted with herself. Arthur was spot on in his beliefs. She felt terrible for breaking the vow she had made when Harry was found innocent. Her actions since the start of the school year were disgusting and ranked up there with Dolores Umbridge. Had she really been so callous as to believe Harry would be able to forget everything and return to how they wanted him to act? Oh how Lily, James and Sirius must be rolling in their graves to see their once favorite professor treating their adored baby boy like she had. At this point in time she resolved to change her ways, she would think things through from now on and she wouldn't go blindly into the fight any longer. Putting voice to her thoughts she spoke up breaking the silence in the room, "I agree with Arthur on this matter. We have all been grossly unjust in our treatment of Harry. Myself being one of the worst. I am not proud of my actions and am prepared to face the consequences of my actions. However, I am not willing to continue in the same vein as before. Mr. Potter has proven he can take care of himself better than any of us have given him credit for. He is a resilient young man, but even he has his limits which I believe we have pushed him to over these many weeks. We have been blind and I will not see that amazing young man destroyed by our ineptitude. He needs his space now and I for one am going to give it to him. Maybe at some point in the future he will decide to return. I don't think we will have any more success now in finding him then we did over the summer." She proclaimed and then became silent ignoring the surprised and dubious looks cast her way, especially from her two most prominent Gryffindors.
"That is quite possible, however I don not believe we can risk Harry's safety by leaving him alone. He needs to return now. He is not only in danger from Voldemort and his Death Eaters, but I am afraid there is evidence that our mysterious wizard, James Roper, may also be seeking to gain control of the boy. This can only lead to disastrous consequences as this man had proven to be most illusive in his dealings and we are not assured of his alliances. If we do not rescue Harry quickly, I dread whatever sinister intentions he may have for Mr. Potter." Albus argued back hoping they would see his point of view.
"But headmaster, there is no proof that James Roper is anything more than the Goblins chosen representative and that……" Bill tried to say.
"Do not question me further in this matter!" Dumbledore roared shooting out of his seat and letting loose his powerful aura. This stunned everyone present as he had never shown such a heated outburst and lack of control to them before. It was obvious why Voldemort feared the man, but it was also an indication that their leader was not quite as in control of things as he wanted them to believe. "We need to get Harry back under control or all will be lost!" he harshly stated while reigning in his magic.
Realizing what he let slip in his anger, he took several deep calming breaths and sat back down in his chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose beneath his spectacles.
Arthur Weasley was now livid. The once respected wizard had not listened to a word he said and just confirmed that he didn't care one iota about Harry's welfare except to be his weapon. "He is not something to control headmaster Dumbledore! No matter what you may think, he is a young man with an incredible amount of responsibility on his shoulders and he needs our help not our incessant meddling."
"Contrary to your overzealous self esteem, the headmaster does not answer to the like of you Weasley," Snape sneered, "There are more important priorities than having to deal with than worrying about the immature adolescent rebellion of that imbecile Potter. We all have experiences in life that we would rather not have to deal with and the sooner the boy learns to deal with it like the rest of us the better."
"How dare you!" Arthur started then took a moment to calm himself before he did something rash. "I believe that as a member of this Order I have the right to say what I feel may be pertinent to the situation as well as ask questions. I did not realize that this was a bloody dictatorship. If that is the case, I was sorely mistaken when I joined this organization. As for you Severus, you may have the complete and unwavering trust of the headmaster, but you are far, far away from having it of the rest of us. I have never actually be certain as to which side you place your loyalty in. Your actions of late have tended to prove it belongs elsewhere. You have done nothing but drive a wedge between the members of this Order and dissuade us from doing the job this Order was created to do. I'm not the only one who has noticed this. There is something that you and the headmaster have kept from us that concerns Harry and we believe we have the right to know. Your continued obstinance in keeping this matter secret has gone on far too long. I may not speak for everyone else here, but I do speak for my family in saying that we will withdraw from the Order if you insist on your present course of action. Be forewarned Albus that we will not tolerate, nor will we aid in your search for Harry without full disclosure of the facts and what we are actually putting our lives in danger for." Arthur finished strongly, standing tall and presenting a very determined posture.
The silence amongst the members remained as all were too shocked by what was happening. Anymore shocks and several weren't sure they'd be able to survive. First Harry goes missing, then the order meeting where Arthur turned into something they weren't too sure they liked. Albus showing his anger was something no one wanted to be on the wrong side of, but why was he getting so upset with the questions? Minerva standing against the man that she had always fervently supported spun their minds, and what was up with their leader wanting to control the Boy-Who-Lived? Why wasn't he answering the threat that Arthur had just posed? It was all too much to think about.
"Come now Arthur, surely you are not serious in quitting the Order?"
"I most certainly am, as are the rest of my family."
Albus was silent for a few minutes just staring at Arthur, but it didn't have any visible effect. "I am only concerned for Harry's safety and nothing more as I have repeatedly claimed. We cannot afford these continual squabbles at such a critical juncture in this war."
"You're right Albus, we cannot, but I do not see you trying to curb the vicious tongue of your illustrious spy." He pointed out sarcastically. "I also see you are stalling and not providing the answers most of us seek. Albus, I will not wrong Harry again. You may consider the Weasley's no longer a part of the Order of the Pheonix." Arthur ended in a saddened but determined tome.
"You're oath will not allow you to leave Arthur, must I remind you of the dire consequences you are about to enact?" the headmaster countered.
"Our oaths were to serve the light and fight against the forces of darkness that threaten our world, not to specifically serve you or the Order. There will be no 'dire consequences' as you say, as it would have already been invoked. We have broken no oaths and we will always remain faithful to the light" he finished for the final time, realizing nothing more would be gained by arguing any longer. Turning he strode purposefully to the door of the office without looking back.
His wife followed resolutely, but glanced back at those in the room. Her two oldest were beside her but the youngest remained seated next too his studious girlfriend.
"Ronald, come along." Although she said it in her normal sweet manner, the hard undertone brooked no room for argument.
Ron looked to his unusually quiet girlfriend for help, but she remained steadfast in looking at the floor. Raising his head he looked past his mother, he just couldn't meet her eyes. "I'm sorry mum, but I'm staying. This is my chance to fight for what is right. I have certain obligations to the cause and I am not about to give them up. I choose to fight this war and I'm old enough to make my own decisions." He stated puffing out his chest. To everyone else he looked pretty pathetic filled with his own importance. The boy really didn't know what war was really like.
Molly's face fell at her son's words knowing yet another son had turned from what they had try to teach them. Arthur stopped any further discussion by placing a hand on his wife's shoulder and gently pulling her out the door. Her body was rigid but slowly relinquished to her husbands silent prodding.
Before the door closed behind them, Arthur looked back over his shoulder and met the defiant blue eyes of his youngest son. "Although you are of age son, and your mother and I cannot stop you, I hope that someday you do not come to regret your decision here today. I pray you have fully thought out the consequences of your choices and are not foolishly trying to prove something that is not warranted. If you c hange your mind, know that you are always welcome at home." Arthur gave his son a last penetrating gaze then turned and left.
Ron felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up at the hard glint in his father's eyes, he felt an odd sense of forboding wash over him, but he wasn't going to back down now. Things were finally looking good for him even with Potter's over dramatized theatrics, but Ron wasn't going to play into it anymore. Harry was no more the 'Chosen One' than he was the Keeper for the Chudley Cannons and he was sick and tired of everything revolving around that twit. He and Hermione were actually doing something productive in this war, they were the ones leading the DA and training them to defend Hogwarts, not Harry. He was the one put in charge of ensuring Hogwarts would remain safe not Harry. He had Hermione by his side, who did Harry have? He was bloody well rid of the wanker and he hoped Harry would never return.
As the door shut it reverberated throughout the room and the members reinitiated their arguments causing the noise level to rise significantly after the dead silence of before. Ron sat back down still thinking about what had just happened until Hermione pulled on his sleeve to get his attention.
"Ron, are we doing the right thing?" she asked a little shakily. All she got in return was a confused looking Ron.
Tonks had been forgotten in all the drama, but that was fine by her as she casually stood at the back of the office. She had been so frustrated with this Order meeting that she was bordering on laughing insanely. As soon as Dumbledore had gained back control, he once again insisted on searching for Harry which was received with varying measures of uncertainty but no one else spoke up. She was disgusted with the members lack of conviction and how easily they caved to Dumbledore's whims. It reminded her of Voldemort and his prostrated lackeys kissing the hem of their master's dark robe, but this barmy wizard had his lackeys crawling in a different way, they just didn't see it. It sickened her to see just how little Dumbledore truly cared for anyone. He risked the lives of people that hero worshipped him without blinking an eye and he felt no remorse in doing so. Harry was right when he said that the old man had lived to long and had lost touch with reality. She was glad she had joined him and was learning more than she ever dreamed. Of course getting together with Remus had it's pluses as well. She was seeing things in a whole new way and was grateful for it. Harry would be happy to know that Dumbledore was still clueless to his whereabouts but she was sure he'd be angry hearing about the headmasters boundless accusations against James Roper. She almost gave herself away trying to hold back her scoffing at the very idea, but then again they didn't have a clue as to who the real James Roper was. Oh yes, joining Harry had turned out to be one of the best things she had ever done and it proved to be quite entertaining as events unfolded.
It wasn't until a few days later that anyone noticed Ginny Weasley was missing, as she hadn't attended any classes. Dumbledore was not looking forward to notifying the family of the recent discovery. As it was turning out, that family was causing him more trouble than he had ever anticipated. If they had pulled out of the Order due to Harry, who knew what they would do when it came to one of their own flesh and blood.
The grounds and castle had once again been turned upside down in the search for her, but it was no use, she was not anywhere within the boundaries of Hogwarts. It was quite disconcerting when he personally searched the suite that was once occupied by the young Miss Weasley along with Harry and Remus. Both young Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger had given him detailed reports on their attempts to enter the suite, but when he arrived there was nothing there. There were no signs of any additional wards or magical traps as had been described. In fact there had been no traces of any magic what-so-ever. The suite was exactly how it had been prior to Mr. Potter and his entourage moving in. Not a single clue was left as to where they could've gone, for he was sure that Remus and Miss Weasley were with Harry, he just couldn't prove it.
He hated the fact that once again Harry had slipped through his grasp. Reluctantly he admitted to himself that he had drastically undertimated the boy, but it was a mistake he would not make again. Studying the suite again he was confused as to why Miss Granger of all people would be so wrong in her assessment of the situation. He would have to talk to her and Mr. Weasley as well to figure out what was going on. Walking back out into the Gryffindor common room, he ran into the two people he had just been thinking about and asked them to follow him up to his office.
Not very far away, the 4 conspirators were wrestling with the best way to inform the Weasley's that Ginny was safe and secure as well as explaining the current circumstances without revealing too much. They couldn't afford risking her position or the others in the events that were unfolding.
After several hours of discussion and upon Ginny's insistence, they came to an agreement about what to write, but not how to deliver the letter. Times like this made Harry long for Hewig even more, as she had proven time and again that she was a special owl. The rage he felt about her missing grew every time he thought about her as did his determination to find her. He knew she was out there somewhere, he could feel it and when he caught whoever was keeping her, they'd wish they were never born. Somehow he also knew that Dumbledore was involved in keeping her away but had no proof as of yet and he'd pay dearly for his role in that in addition to everything else he had done. In his sick twisted mind, Dumbledore must be thinking of her as leverage against Harry, but it wouldn't work out well for him in the end.
Ginny noticing Harry's distant glassy stare gently touched his arm and leaned in closer to whisper to him. He didn't seem to respond until she started caressing his arm while still softly speaking to him. His eyes returned to normal and he turned to give her a half-hearted smile before returning to the discussion.
None of them knew the status of the wards surrounding the Burrow and that in itself would be risky to obtain. Anyone not keyed into the wards could easily set off alarms alerting anyone present to their arrival. Getting anywhere close enough to the burrow would also be a risk they were not willing to take just to deliver a letter. One thing was for certain though, they had not cast the Fidellius charm because they could remember where it was located. This also meant that it was susceptible to attack.
They couldn't afford sending any of them in person because it would only raise questions they didn't want to answer and most likely it would result in one of them being restrained or at least the attempt would be made. Even though they could escape, it would be suspicious to the Order and they would know that whoever went was in league with Harry, which would be counter-productive.
"Well we could use regular owl post from anywhere in the country. Even though they could easily track it back to its origin, we would be long gone. However if we needed to use the post again, we might run into a bit of a problem." Tonks thought aloud.
"No I don't think that would work, I mean my family might not except owl post from an unknown owl right now and it would take too long. We don't even know what the wards would do." Ginny responded still caressing Harry's arm knowing that this was hard for him as it only brought to the forefront his concern for Hedwig.
"Well that's possible but it still might be our best solution. I don't really see them wasting the man power it would take to watch each post station just in case we might use it again." Harry contributed.
"Too bad you can't transform into your Pheonix yet Harry, that would solve all our problems." Remus stated.
"Moony that's brilliant, I forgot. I can transform. I just need a little more practice with flaming and carrying things. I don't think a letter will be too difficult though."
"When did that happen Harry?" Ginny asked surprised at the revelation, but excited none-the-less.
"Only last week, right before all this mess happened. I wanted to be able to transform instantaneously like with the Dire Wolf before telling you. Then that whole incident happened. My mind has been a little preoccupied since then."
Everyone became quiet after that, but Ginny got over it quickly wanting to see Harry transform. Her excitement bubbled over to the rest of them and they all begged Harry to show them. Lightening up, he agreed and transformed to the delight of his family.
Dumbledore arrived in his office with Hermione and Ron trailing timidly behind him. They weren't sure why the headmaster seemed so upset and only hoped it wasn't something they had done. Since Harry's departure after that amazing display of magic in the Great Hall, everyone in Hogwarts had kept their distance from them. Neither of them appreciated the intense hate filled glares sent their way, and the not so concealed hostility towards them. Even the teachers had been less than pleasant. Hermione was not as capable as Ron was in disregarding this and it hurt to see people that once looked up to her for her advanced knowledge now scorn her. Ron seemed oblivious to it all, but then again she herself had always chastised him for being thick. Contrary to what everyone thought, the visions she had seen had affected her deeply but she couldn't disregard the fact that Harry had been so callous towards them all. She was only try to help him and he constantly pushed her away. She had to admit that some of her methods might not have been the best considering what she had seen, but how was she suppose to know all that when he would never talk about it before. If was if Harry thought they should have all know what was going on.
"Now Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley I need to discuss with you your findings about the suite of rooms most recently occupied by Mr. Potter. Contrary to what you have reported, I found no sign of any magical traps or anything beyond what had been prepared for him for the duration of the school year. Are you absolutely certain that what you reported to me happened?"
"I'm positive headmaster!" Hermione nearly shouted, frantic that her revered headmaster might think she was lying. "We've been trying since the beginning of term to gain entrance to the suite, but nothing has worked. We couldn't even get past the first door. I've researched what I found thoroughly and can't find anything remotely similar to what happened to us. It doesn't make any sense! There's nothing in the Hogwarts library, and I can only surmise that the power inherent within the spell was enormous, but Harry's never been a good student and with him missing a year in Azkaban no less, how could he have used let alone known of such a powerful spell?" she finished almost in tears from frustration.
"Are you absolutely certain Miss Granger, as I had no problem entering earlier today and there was no trace of any additional magic, not even residue left behind by any of the previous occupants. Did they practice in the rooms or somewhere else?" Dumbledore queried, outwardly calm, but silently probing into his young informants mind.
At first Hermione didn't feel the probe as it only sifted through her most recent memories, but as the foreign presence delved deeper, it began to hurt. Recognizing the intrusion she tried to force it out, but it was too strong. The more she fought, the harder the presence pushed to breach the barrier protecting what it assumed was guarding secrets she did not want revealed. She realized it could only be the headmaster doing this to her and she was initially shocked at such a blatant intrusion but it soon turned to anger. The man that she had held above all others was violating her mind because he had did not trust that she was telling the truth.
Regretfully she thought back to Harry's first attempts at occlumency with professor Snape and how critical she had been to him because she thought that he hadn't been practicing. Jealous that he was being given an opportunity to learn a branch of magic that most didn't even know existed, she had berated him for his lack of progress. It should have been easy since he had a master teaching him, now she realized that it wasn't as easy as it had originally seemed. The books she had researched to train herself hadn't mentioned anything like this. She understood better now what Harry had to go through each time he had a lesson with professor Snape, and why he looked so haggard afterwards.
While her train of thought was focused on Harry, Dumbledore pushed harder and found what he sought as well as a lot more. He wasn't sure if he wanted the information but he had it now. Miss Granger hadn't been lying, only keeping secret, private rendezvous' with Mr. Weasley secured within her inner mind. Each incident that she had reported was within her memories which only proliferated his confusion as to what had happened in the suite.
Hermione was furious at her mentor, no ex-mentor. How could she have been so wrong? After finding what he sought the headmaster had left her mind then totally ignored her as if nothing had happened. He was now talking to Ron asking him very similar questions and from the dazed glazed over eyes she could tell that Ron was being subjected to the Legilimens curse.
Chancing a glance up, she saw the headmasters' gaze locked on Ron. Ron, adorable and loyal as he was, couldn't possibly hope to block such a powerful attack let alone even understand what was going on. Sure, he knew that Harry had gone through this, but he had never been one to comprehend things that easily and even when offered training was not too enthusiastic when he found out he had to work for it. He had been better than when they had first started, but he was still far behind where he should be.
An epiphany hit her hard, they all were a lot more vulnerable than she initially realized. Everything that happened, had hidden agendas. She could see how they had all been manipulated, and Harry, oh my god what had they done to Harry! He was her first true friend and look at how she shoved that back in his face stomping on such a precious gift like yesterdays trash. She wanted to cry out in anguish but knew she couldn't. She didn't want the headmaster back in her head seeing what she had recently come to understand.
Looking again at her red-headed boyfriend and wondered how they had fallen so far. The world as she knew it had crashed around her and she could only hope that somehow they would survive the chaos that loomed ahead. The biggest challenge currently would be to convince the man she loved of their mistakes without provoking the headmaster.
"Come on 'Mione!" Ron said nudging her shoulder successfully gaining her attention.
She hadn't realized they had been dismissed already and surreptitiously glanced up only to meet the scrutinizing gaze of the headmaster. Immediately she looked away avoiding the chance that he might again rape her mind. Silently she stood and accepted the hand Ron offered and walked out of the office, her mind spinning a mile a minute.
Despite the risky nature, Harry had agreed to let Tonks scout out the Weasleys position and slip the message into the Twins shop. As long as she wasn't seen leaving it, there was no way to know who had left it. In her typical fashion, she had played up her clumsiness and no one suspected her of being in league with Harry. She had learned a lot through the twins who didn't want anything to do with the Order after what they had heard from their parents. This only served to strengthen her resolve to find out more.
Tonks turned out to be very good in her deception, learning that all of the Weasley's, except Ron, were in Harry's court. Since the dramatic withdrawal from the Order, the Weasley's were going about their normal business, or as normal as they could in these times. There had been several attempts by Dumbledore to get them to rejoin the Order but they had refused outright. Every night saw the entire family at the Burrow to discuss recent happenings in the world and share the attempts or bribes made by Albus or other Order members to get them back. The Twins were a fountain of information when they had learned that Tonks was on the verge of quitting the Order herself. It even got to the point that Tonks was invited to share dinner with the family when she could after swearing an oath that she wouldn't reveal anything they discussed to anyone outside the family. At first Tonks was reluctant but then she thought of Ginny and that she could easily pass this information on to her, who could pass it on to Harry and Remus.
What bothered her most was that as the week went by, no one had noticed the letter or that Ginny was not at Hogwarts. Ginny wasn't too happy hearing this either but with Harry comforting her, she was able to let it go for now. They had too many other things to concentrate on. Without any external distractions, they were all able to advance quickly in their training. Halloween was fast approaching and with it, the anxious feeling of anticipation.
As other 'normal' teenagers focused on nonsensical activities such as preparing for the Halloween Masquerade Ball, Harry and Ginny were putting in extra effort into training their combat abilities alongside Remus and Tonks. There would be time to play after Voldemort was taken care of. In fact all four had talked about what they wanted to do after the war was over many times in order to keep the gloom of war at bay. Pranks were pulled regularly which served to enhance not only their stealth capabilities, but also kept them thinking outside the box as to what they could do. It also served to help them all grow closer.
Saturday morning came and with it the Daily Prophet lauding the efforts of Dumbledore and the Ministry in their efforts again the Dark Lord. There was no mention of the powerful stranger that had fought so valiantly over the summer. In fact, the mysterious wizard was conspicuously absent from the news lately. It was as if he had faded into the background, no longer an active force in the fight against evil.
Harry for the most part ignored all of the silent innuendos and accusations. What set him off was the article he had found on the third page hidden behind all the dribble of the glorious Order of the Phoenix and Ministry actions.
GOBLIN AMBASSADOR SUSPECT IN LATEST ECONOMY UPHEAVAL
As faithful readers recall, Gringotts appointed a new ambassador over the summer, a wizard by the name of James Roper. Although unsure of this man's credentials, the Goblin Nation saw fit to appoint this unknown to a position of vast power within the wizarding world of Great Britain. Extensive research was unable to shine any light upon the background of the new ambassador and calls into question the motives behind both the Goblin Nation and that of the Ambassador himself.
This reporter was initially honored to cover the proceedings of the first interaction of the ambassador and the Wizengamot late this summer. Details of the meeting were not given during the interviews, other than the fact that the Goblins wished to renegotiate their treaty with the Ministry.
Most will recall the panic this instilled at the time. Now however, we have not seen, nor heard anymore of Ambassador Roper even though new sanctions have been levied by Gringotts. This brings into question his dealings with the Ministry and the Goblin Nation.
New policies inacted by Gringotts recently have sparked this query to a boiling point. Interest rates have shyrocketed all but crippling most honest businesses and hindering Ministry efforts in the war against the Dark Forces. Many witches and wizards have also found it inceasingly difficult to access their own vaults entrusted to the Goblins care. Is Mr. Roper behind these nefarious changes? Some sources say exactly that!
"When Mr. Roper demanded audience with the full Wizengamot, he was rud and condescending. He was an arrogant and self righteous phony. His demands wer unreasonable and when refused he had the audacity to threaten not only the members of the Wizengamot, but the wizarding community as a whole. I say! I don't know what the Goblin Council was thinking when they appointed such and uncouth individual." A ministry official stated who wishes to remain anonymous.
Chief of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and recipient of the Order of Merlin first class, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore had this to say, "I fear with the appointment of this ill-tempered and inexperienced young man, that there will be rough times ahead for the Goblins and the Ministry. The Goblins may have been tricked through dark means in order for the ambassador to achieve his goals."
When asked what these goals were headmaster Dumbledore only had the following to add before having to rush off to attend to pressing business, "I believe we may not be enlightened to Mr. Ropers goals until it is far to late to hinder them. I beseech the Goblin Council to re-think their appointment of this questionable brash man before it is too late."
Is the economic strife the wizarding world experiencing attributed soley to the actions of the Ambassador of the Goblin Nation, Mr James Roper? Gringotts officials refused to comment when contacted. Is this more damning evidence to the truth of the matter? Is Mr. Roper working in the shadows for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? Or is he possibly a new Dark Lord biding his time to take control? Dear readers, be assured this reporter will get to the bottom of these issues and report back to you with the truth of the illicit activities of the New Ambassador.
Having read enough, Harry incinerated the paper, but not before three sets of curious eyes had read it over his shoulder.
"I can't believe he said all that!? Remus whispered darkly.
"Well I can! Don't you see what he's trying to do?" Ginny questioned angrily as she plopped into the seat next to Harry. Under the table her hand found his and squeezed it in support. "I wouldn't be surprised if he thought 'Mr. Roper' had kidnapped Harry and was brainwashing him into joining the dark side." She stated sarcastically with a slight smile at the irony of it all.
Harr smiled a bit at this. "Ironic really isn't it? He wouldn't be too far off the mark. It's amazing that one so all knowing hasn't pieced it all together. Let him think what he will though. With his attention focused on 'Mr. Roper', he'll contine to underestimate us. He's going to have enough trouble dealing with the ramifications of his little scheme with the Goblins. He's lucky he doesn't have a Goblin rebellion to deal with on top of everything else. Although that may be unavoidable if actions aren't taken to curb his meddling."
"It may not be just the Goblins, if you think about it. I mean, Goblins have always been the most assertive in their rights, it's all you hear in Professor Binns classes. But what if all the other creatures chose to stand-up together against the ministry. I shudder to think what would happen."
"You're right Ginny, the only reason they haven't is pure numbers. The Goblins are fierce warriors and very proud, not someone you want to go up against if you don't have to. Death in battle is an honor above all others to them. They are also very clever. Revolts may be prominent with them, but each time they set out to achieve certain aims. It may take them a while to achieve it but they are cunning and patient when they need to be. Other races unfortunately are not as well organized." Remus added going in to professor mode.
"Can you imagine what a force it would be to have all the magical races join together against a common foe?" Tonks said.
"It would take quite a lot to get them together. Everyone has their own prejudices to overcome."
"Well this is a lot to think about but not now, we've got a lot to do today."
At Hogwarts, the headmaster was silently delighted in the article published in the Prophet. There were enough negative aspersions printed to sway wizards and witches to he belief of James Roper. Even the Goblins would have to take notice and at least question the viability of keeping the man as their liaison to the ministry. At this time the Goblins couldn't afford to be so stringent in their beliefs against the ministry it would be politically suicidal for them and they would wind up losing everything they had gained up to now. With Roper out of the way politically, all the levies placed by the Goblins would be removed and the fight against Voldemort could continue unhindered.
Most of the student population seemed to take the article in stride, if they even read it, which wasn't surprising really. Not very many were politically savvy and wouldn't see the underlying motivations and maneuverings. The war was at the forefront of their minds, but only in how it affected their loved ones and pocket books. Death Eater attacks were the main worry and whether or not the ministry was successful in stopping them. Numbers of attacks and the losses that came with them were the priority, not the background meanderings of politics.
It saddened him to see that many students were so afflicted by the losses of this war. The affect wasn't limited to the light-sided families as there were several students with ties to the Dark Lord residing within the castle. Most of these could be found amongst the Slytherins, but others were ferreted out once the articles identified captured Death Eaters. It was a sad state of affairs but it was inevitable in war. Lord Voldemort would strike again and the process would repeat itself, but where and when was the pressing question.
Information had been received that Voldemort was planning an attack on Azkaban, but didn't provide any details. The missive was anonymous and therefore not a reliable source, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he should take it to heart. His spy had no further information to give, which made him wonder whether or not Severus had been found out. He couldn't put the boy in any further danger if that was the case, and they'd have to decide soon.
Ron's response to the article after Hermione made him read it was typical of most of the other students. Hermione however, possessed a critically predisposed mind, at least most of the time, when she was actually thinking for herself and not overly influenced by others. She was all too aware of the undercurrents within the articles which revealed the games being played. Glancing up at the head table she caught the smug self-satisfying expression on the heamsters face as he scanned the hall. It was obvious he had his hand in the format of the article beyond his incriminating comments. Although she didn't really know James Roper, hehadn't seemed as evil as he was being portrayed when sh had met him during the summer. For Merlins sake, he had saved Ginny from the Dementors!
Even though it was rare for the Goblins to choose a wizard to represent them, they had seen enough in the man to place their trust in him. They were not mindless beasts! That was one thing she had discovered about the wizarding world that she totally disagreed with, their unwarranted bigotry against anyone not human. It was also something she had forgotten about over the last year and she agains felt ashamed of her actions.
Thinking over the articles on the front page she saw through them as well. It was suspiciously convenient that the Order and Ministry had been more successful in their fight against the Death Eaters. However, events didn't add up. The activities of the Order had not been increased, they were all still fighting over Harry's whereabouts and the supposed threat of James Roper. Was the Ministry actively increasing their efforts or was it also a sham, taking credit for the work of others. It shouldn't matter who was fighting against the Death Eaters, as long as they were making progress. The Order seemed to think this was bad which really didn't make any sense. What was the old saying, 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend?' Yes that was it so why didn't Dumbledore trust them? The pieces of the puzzle were starting to actually fit together which only served to distress her more.
Amelia Bones sat fuming in her office after having read the article Dumbledore had pressured the Daily Prophet into publishing. Oh yes, she had found this out quite quickly as the Goblin Council had once again sent a formal complaint about the unjustified accusations inherent in the article. She had spent over an hour discussing it through a secure floo call with them, trying to explain that she did not sanction the article, nor did it reflect the current views of the ministry of magic. It was hard to placate the Goblins and keep them from becoming actively involved. The Ministry could not afford to fight on a third front.
Although most witches and wizards believed the Goblins to be obsessed with gold, she knew differently. When others were falling asleep in their history of magic lessons, she had paid rapt attention. History was a hobby of sorts, and she spent her time researching ancient cultures. Through this she learned that the lessons of the past could be applied to present day events. The Goblins were a proud and clever race, but would only take so much before lashing out. Their prowess in battle magic was unmatched and only numbers kept them from rising up more frequently. That and the fact that they were focused on only a few goals each time they went to war. As soon as it was achieved they backed off and things smoothed over until the next time.
Needles to say, they were starting to rise up and that couldn't happen. All because of what Dumbledore had idiotically published. The man was becoming a thorn in her side. She had great respect for the powerful wizard, but he was too caught up in a past that, although had some relevance today, was not the current situation. Instead of learning from past events, he seemed to want to recreate the glory of his former achievements. It was a dangerous game he was playing, and Amelia could not afford his machinations to lead the wizarding world to their downfall.
Dumbledore had to be limited in his power base as he was blind to the results of his actions. It was time for a new course of actions, one she may not be popular for and may even loose her job for, but she saw no other option. The job wasn't the important thing. Activating one of the buttons on her desk, she called together the Senior Leaders of the Ministry.
As Dumbledore continued to revel in his assumed victory, he was surprised when a regal black owl landed in front of him and stretched out its leg waiting to be relieved of its delivery. He frowned slightly wondering what this could be and untied the letter. He started momentarily when the bird took off but regained himself and looked over the letter. Seeing the Gringotts seal on the parchment, he inwardly smiled thinking the Goblins had been quick to see his points and respond.
Mr. Dumbledore,
Gringotts in concordance with the Goblin Council, hereby notifies you that all rights and privileges have been terminated with all branches of Gringotts world wide. Your actions and statements are in violation of the Treaty of 1812. We have benevolently overlooked previous infractions of stated treaty, but can no longer allow it to continue. In accordance with said treaty, and your breach of the terms agreed upon therein, Gringotts enacts the authority to confiscate all deeds, monies, and possessions contained within all vaults upon which you are named upon.
However, we will not enforce this measure in full. We allow you one day from receipt of this notification to remove what monies and possessions you so desire from your hereditary vault only. Upon expiration of this allotted time, you shall be banned from ever entering Gringotts or any of its sister facilities or any Goblin held premises until such time as the Goblin Council see fit to reinstate said privileges.
Upon your arrival we have arranged to have a detachment of our very finest warriors to assist you in any way needed with your visit to our establishment.
Regards,
Griphook
Completely stunned, all the headmaster could do was read the letter through several more times to try and understand what was happening. They couldn't do this to him!