Chapter 21

The New Marauder

Winky popped into Michael's room just as he was waking up with a large cup of butterbeer and a plate of snacks. He smiled as he saw her and sat up, quickly taking the cup and setting it on the table after taking a drink from it. She looked at him happily and bowed while still holding the plate.

"Good morning Michael sir." Winky said.

"Good morning Winky." Michael replied. "You didn't have to do this, you know."

"I is knowing that sir." Winky said while still smiling. "But Harry sir is saying that I is being needed to being protecting you and I is not knowing how much I is to be protecting so I is bringing all Michael sir's food to him directly."

Michael looked curious. "Why are you supposed to protect me Winky?" He asked.

"With Serena miss with Harry sir, and Dobby being needed for something of much importance, Harry sir is saying Michael sir is being the one most in danger. He is asking Winky to being protecting Michael sir, and I is agreeing that Michael sir is needing protecting since Harry sir and his friends is being away. They is strong enough to fight, but I is not knowing if the others here is being strong like they is, Michael sir." Winky answered easily. "MyGonygal miss is saying I is being allowed to stay if I is not helping you to cheat and I is being good like house elves is supposed to be being. I is saying that is acceptable, but I is wanting to tell you that you is safe while I is here Michael sir. Harry sir is giving Winky permission to being using all of my magic to being saving Michael sir."

"Who would try to hurt me in Hogwarts though Winky?" Michael asked.

"The ones who is being trying to hurt Harry sir." Winky answered. "It is what he is being afraid of."

"I see." Michael replied. "Well, then I'm sure Harry has left me an amazing amount of protection. I'm honored to have you protect me Winky, as I'm sure no one could be better."

Winky beamed at the statement. "I is thanking you sir. Winky is being doing a good job, just as Harry sir is expecting. I is showing him that I is perfect for the job sir."

"I will tell him what a wonderful job you are doing as soon as I can." Michael said.

Winky nodded. "You is needing to be putting on that ring young sir." She said pointing to the ring of Gryffindor he had placed on a necklace his parents had given him. "Harry sir insisted that I make sure it was on your finger at all times."

Michael took his necklace off and placed the ring on his right middle finger, as he had seen Harry do. It grew warm and immediately fit his finger perfectly. He smiled and nodded at Winky. "I will. I just didn't think it would fit." He said.

"Winky is understanding." Winky said. "I is bringing you your clothes immediately, Michael sir. I is washing them all this morning so they is safe. Do not being worried, Michael sir. Winky is telling all the other house elves I is being the only one to being looking after Michael sir."

"Thank you Winky." Michael said before she disappeared with a pop. "I guess I should be careful now. Harry will kill me if I get caught by his enemies. I've got to do what they would."

Had he had a strong idea what Harry and his friends would have done he might have sworn to something else, or perhaps not. He only thought that Harry always succeeded and planned to ask some of the older students about Harry and his friends that day.

True to his words, he was doing as Harry would in his early years. He was struggling through his morning classes, late to the first one, and was no further in finding out about Harry than he was that morning. As he sat at his house table during lunch he thought of asking the teachers but assumed that would be a wasted effort. Instead he looked to some of the older students and decided it was time to do some investigating.

"Excuse me, could someone tell me about Harry Potter?" Michael asked everyone.

"You would know the most wouldn't you?" A boy about a foot taller than Michael asked.

"Well, I meant more did any of the students here really know him well during the time he was here?" Michael asked.

"There is one who might help you." Said the fifth year prefect boy. Michael remembered he was called Jonathan. "She is a bit mental though."

"Who is she?" Michael asked eagerly.

"Loony Lovegood." Jonathan replied. "She's the blond girl eating by herself at the Ravenclaw table. I think her name is Luna or something like that."

"Thanks." Michael said before running off to the Ravenclaw table and sitting across from Luna. "Are you Luna Lovegood?"

Luna looked up from her plate and smiled with her typical airy expression. "Yes, and you are Michael Anderson, Harry's newest friend." She answered cheerfully. "How can I help you?"

"Can you tell me what Harry was like in school?" Michael asked.

"Of course." Luna answered. "Do you want to know about before or after fifth year?"

"Um, both?" Michael asked.

Luna nodded. "Very well. Before fifth year Harry was shy, quiet, and something of a hero. He had a way of only seeing the good in people if it was possible. Even me, who everyone called Loony because I'm a bit different."

"You don't seem so different to me." Michael said with a smile. "You seem more relaxed than most, but that should seem a good thing."

Luna smiled. "Harry once said much the same thing. After Sirius died in his fifth year though, Harry changed. He became arrogant, egotistical, thoughtful, cunning, and a hero by any definition. That power of his went along with his good heart to make him a true hero if any could be called such a thing. His pranks were hilarious and they picked up the spirits of the school in the dark times that we were facing, and his heroism raised our spirits more and gave us a champion to cheer for when we needed one so desperately. He even taught most of us here how to protect ourselves, something very few would ever think of doing."

Michael looked thoughtful for a second. "He taught you?" He asked.

Luna nodded. "Yes, as well as most of the school." She answered.

"Could you teach me?" Michael asked.

"Why not ask Harry to do so?" Luna countered.

"Harry has gone off on an adventure again, and he is worried about my safety. I would like to be able to protect myself in case his suspicions are right. He has Winky looking after me, but I'd prefer if he saw that I will protect myself from any problem as well." Michael answered.

Luna looked worried. "So Harry has gone on an adventure?" She asked. Michael nodded. "Very well, I must talk to a few people today. I will take you to the classrooms we practiced in and begin training you. I don't know how much magic you will be able to do at your age, but I will train you as well as I can. Be warned, I am not Harry and I do not have all the skills he does, but he did train us to protect ourselves well, and you will learn how to as well. That I promise you."

Michael nodded again. "Thank you, Miss Lovegood." He said.

She laughed at this. "You can call me Luna."

Luna was standing in front of a group of 30 people looking very serious. Her normal airy behavior was not seen, which only meant that she was about to talk of something with great importance. She had only acted this way during the war when a battle broke out. As she cleared her throat to speak everyone became quite.

"Harry has gone off to battle again." Luna said seriously.

"How do you know that?" Cho Chang asked.

"There is a boy in school named Michael Anderson." Luna said. "Harry took a liking to him and adopted him. Michael came to me today and asked me to train him because Harry went on another adventure and fears for his safety. He's taken the marauders with him as well from what I gather, since he didn't mention asking them to help him."

"Then they'll be fine." Angelina Johnson replied. "Those six can take care of anything that comes there way. We can't exactly go after them either. All of us have jobs and you're still in school."

"Do you not see what this means?" Luna asked. "What if it's a war like the last time? Do you really think the six of them can stop a war single handedly?"

"But what would you have us do?" Fred asked, slightly confused. "We weren't even trained by Harry."

"But you are his family!" Luna exclaimed. "They may need us now, and I think we should get ready to help them."

"All right." George said. "She's right Fred, Harry is our family as well as all the rest. Who have they got with them?"

"From what I can tell all the Marauders are gone, even the older ones." Luna said. "They also have Dumbledore with them since he hasn't been seen since the others disappeared."

"Right, then we'll know where they've gone then." Fred said with a smirk.

"Does this mean we're off to the States?" George asked. "I always wanted to see how the Yanks live."

Within a few moments all of them had agreed that Harry would need help. Fred and George immediately thought to enlist the help of Bill and Charlie as well, and the others began planning what they were going to do. Luna smiled as she saw them all working together again. It was only then that she was asked the question that she forgot to answer beforehand.

"What are you going to do, Luna?" Angelina asked her.

"I'm going to stay here and train Michael as well as I can." Luna replied. "I'm also going to talk to the older members of the DA still in school and begin protecting him ourselves as often as possible. If Harry wants him safe than he will be safe."

"Well, you lot, let's get to it." Cho said, taking charge. "We have a very busy time ahead of us, and a new battle to prepare for."

Michael met Luna after dinner and was led to a set of classrooms connected to each other with a door in the middle. Both had padding on the floor and one had a set of dummies standing around the room. Michael looked around curiously and began admiring everything. Luna looked a bit thoughtful but still had none of the airiness that she normally possessed.

"Michael, could you call Winky to us for a moment?" Luna asked.

"Of course." Michael replied. "Winky!"

Winky popped quickly in front of Michael looking very protective until she saw Luna. "Luna miss, it is being a pleasure."

"Hello Winky, I need to ask you a great favor to help protect Michael." Luna said.

"Whatever you is needing I is being helping you miss." Winky replied.

"Do you know the book that Harry always had around here when he was training us?" Luna asked.

"I is knowing it very well. Harry sir is asking Winky and Dobby to being putting it in a safe place." Winky replied.

"Well, I need that book now so I can teach Michael how to defend himself." Luna said.

Winky popped out only to reappear a moment later holding the book in her hands. "Here it is Luna miss."

"Thank you Winky, that will be all for now. Michael will be safe with me." Luna said with a smile.

"I is knowing this well. You is being a good friend to Harry sir in school, and I is being sure Michael sir is being safe here." Winky said and again disappeared with a pop.

"All right, Michael, what I'm going to teach you is going to be the toughest things you've ever learned. Harry once said that there was no guarantee that we'd ever be as strong as he is and he was right. What he said was that if we studied hard we'd be a formidable enemy for any dark wizard and he was right there too. With an army of about a hundred we faced thousands and lived." Luna said. "But it wasn't easy, and I'll never say it was. Now, are you ready for this?"

Michael removed his school robes and sat them on the desk and stood in front of Luna. "I'm ready. I won't disappoint you, or Harry." He said seriously.

"You have already proved that to be impossible." Luna said with a smile. "Now let's begin."

"Harry, might I ask a question of you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course." Harry replied.

"Why is it that you took your friends with you when you left yet left me?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well Albus, all of us have our own expertise is espionage and intimidation. While we have great respect for you, it seems that your area of expertise is being a man of wonderful insight and great wisdom. I felt you would be the biggest asset to the girls while they formulated a plan." Harry answered. "I'm sorry if you felt left out sir."

Dumbledore chuckled. "No, I did not. I was merely curious." He answered.

Harry nodded and looked around the room. Everyone had finally arrived and they were about to begin discussing their plans and courses of action. Harry looked from Dumbledore to his Mum and Serena, and then nodded to himself.

"All right, everyone. I will begin." Harry said. "While you women were planning with Albus, me and Dad were busy striking fear into the hearts of the heads of the Mandatum Specialis. Random things had been happening to them all day. Burglaries, vandalism, and destruction managed to put them all on their toes.

"Sirius and Remus are going undercover to try and find out about the Mandatum Specialis' lower ranks to see what we are up against on that side of things. Their cover is that Sirius is a very strong pureblood who is looking to mingle with the top of wizard society, and Remus is his servant. I don't know how well that will be working just yet, but I hope it will work soon.

"Ron and Neville were searching out all the information on Gabriel's home, as well as the building it is in and the best ways of getting in there. They were also searching out information on the rest of the head council. Mum, Serena, what have you two been doing since we last saw each other." Harry finished and sat, looking at them curiously.

"Unfortunately, while we can come up with a few things, we can really come up with nothing solid as a plan of action." Lily said solemnly. "We don't know enough about our enemy to plan a move against them. Normally you strike where they are weak, but we don't know their weakness."

"It's their money and their precious balance." Harry replied. "I just don't like the idea of offsetting the balance as that means training dark wizards to become powerful and that could be a great problem in the future. Their money can be tampered with though, can't it?"

"What would we do though, Harry?" Serena asked. "Freeze the accounts of influential people? That could cause chaos for the entire city. Since there are no links calling them murderers or even criminals there is no power to do so to them at this time."

"Damn, so we can't attack one weakness, and I'm afraid to attack-" Harry froze. "Wait, I think I just might have a plan!"

"What is it Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well, if you look at it technically, I am the most powerful dark wizard the world has ever seen." Harry said with a smile.

"You are not a dark wizard!" Serena exclaimed.

"But I do have the ego, the power, and use enough dark magic to be thought of as one." Harry said, his smile still strongly visible.

"What are you going to do?" Sirius asked.

"I'm just going to cause a little fun to happen around this town, just to keep people on their toes." Harry said. "Maybe a curse or two here and there, just to make it look good."

"This is a dangerous path Harry." Dumbledore said. "It is not the best plan. I cannot stand behind it."

"He's right, Harry." James said quickly. "I don't like that plan either."

Harry sighed. "All right, I won't do it." He said. "But we need to come up with a damned good plan, and we need to do it soon."

"Remus and I have already had a small amount of success." Sirius said, quickly changing the subject. "We were late because someone came to us talking about power and prestige. I was invited to a party. Thankfully, I don't have to cause any damage to Dobby since I said that using a house elf was beneath a man of my standard and a werewolf was much better, even if they did have to be paid."

"I'm still not fond of the whole servant idea." Remus growled. "Sirius is truly a git about it sometimes."

"I have to make it look good don't I?" Sirius asked.

"Sirius, if you cast another one of those bloody spells on me I'll bite you the next time I turn." Remus countered.

"Deal. No more spells unless I want to howl at the moon." Sirius said with a grin.

"We found some things out ourselves, though we couldn't find out much." Ron said.

"We need someone with a better grasp of computers to do some of the stuff. A few months isn't quite enough to do something as complicated as searching out a group of people and building plans." Neville added.

"I can help with that tomorrow." Hermione said. "I managed to bug their meeting room as well as Dorian and Gabriel's homes. I hope that is good enough for now."

"It's great." Harry said. "Serena, did you get a chance to sniff out Dorian?"

"Yes I did, but you won't like it." Serena replied.

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"He's a killer, Harry." Serena said. "And what's worse is that he likes it."

Harry sighed. "Great. Just what we need." He said. "Okay, we'll worry about that later. We have a lot to think about now, and not a lot of time. Everyone eat and get some sleep. I'm going to find us a better place to hide out tomorrow, since all of us holed up in Sarah's flat is definitely not the best thing."

"Agreed." Was heard from five voices.

"Well, I didn't mean to offend you all!" Sarah said with a shocked expression.

"It's not because it's your home, it's because there are not enough accommodations for us all." Harry said. "All of us need some space to stretch our legs, practice, and relax at times."

"I see." Sarah said. "I'll see if there is any way I can help you there."

"Thank you." Harry said. "All right. It's been a long day. Time to relax and forget our problems till tomorrow."

"Good, Michael." Luna said as the hour was at an end. "You have potential. I wasn't as good as you when I first started."

"I've had to run from bullies a lot since going to the orphanage." Michael replied sadly.

"Don't worry. You won't have anyone bullying you anymore." Luna said with a smile. She then handed him a paper with a list of exercises on it. "Do those every morning and every night. They will help you out. Now off to bed with you. I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Okay." Michael said as he grabbed his robes and went to walk out the door. Then he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Luna?"

"Yes?" She asked as her airy expression returned.

"Thanks for helping me." Michael said with a smile.

"You're most welcome." Luna said. "Goodnight."

"Night." Michael said as he made his way to his dorm.

The next two days showed Michael why Harry pulled so many pranks. He watched as his homework began to cause him more stress than before as the training he was going through started to take its toll on him. Luna had given him the book of Harry's, saying that since Michael was a part of his family it should stay with him.

He began looking through it and realized that it also had pranks in it. Written beside the name of each prank was the page number of the curse, hex, jinx, charm, or potion needed to pull off the prank. This made Michael smile as he saw how organized Harry was, even about his pranks. He also smiled at the thought of trying one of them. He read about one and began immediately planning out how to go about it. By the time he went to sleep he had it all figured out. He slept peacefully through the night thinking of how fun the days activity would be.

The next morning he sat excitedly at the Gryffindor table. His charm had been used and he knew he followed the instructions perfectly. He just kept waiting for the prank to work. He smiled brightly as soon as he saw it coming. Food began moving on its own all over the Slytherin table. Just as it looked like the food would be noticed he saw a tremendous explosion covering every Slytherin in food. He started laughing immediately upon seeing this and the others at his table soon joined him. No one noticed through their laughter that McGonagall stood behind Michael.

"Please come with me, Mr. Anderson." She said sternly, with a look that caused Michael to swallow visibly. He knew he was in trouble as he stood and followed her out of the Great Hall. The only thing that changed his entire view of this was when he heard Luna speak.

"It seems we have a new marauder in the school." Luna said airily. "It is good to know we will all be laughing again."