Chapter 29: Allies
Chapter 29: Allies
The weather in the woods suited Harry's mood. He had been standing in a borrowed rain jacket for more than two hours. The rain poured down in torrents and he could only find a minimal amount of cover. Soon all his clothes were completely soaked and his bones were frozen like icicles. Harry was beginning to get frustrated enough to leave and return to Terry's house and Luna. He was supposed to be meeting with someone who would join them in rebellion against Voldemort. He had absolutely no idea who it was. This pissed him off to no end.
Then as the storm cleared up a figure appeared out of the receding mists. It was a black haired kid who looked like he was the same age as Harry. He held his soaked cloak close to him. He shivered as the last vestiges of the storm poured liquid over him. Harry felt sympathy after the drenching he had endured. "Who are you?" Harry queried the figure. The boy didn't answer until he was right next to Harry.
"The name is Blaise Zabini. I'm going to be in my fifth year at Hogwarts. I came to join you in defiance to the Dark Lord himself. That is what the rumors say anyway. I decided to try to contact you. I thought you could use the help" The boy said as he flipped his wet hood back from his face. His black hair was matted down to his head in one flat sheet. Harry noticed that he conspicuously didn't wear a house insignia on his robes. He also wondered if he didn't have a house (very unusual) or if this was to hide something from Harry. It was most likely the latter Harry concluded. He decided to wait before interrogating the guy if he was willing to help Harry than he wouldn't ask questions.
"You don't like the son of a bitch either then? I hope so because we certainly aren't a fan club. The bastard murdered one of my close friend's fathers. We want to see him six feet under the ground. Are we clear?" The boy nodded his head solemnly. He then slipped a dagger out of his pocket. Before Harry could move to grab his wand the boy pressed it to his wrist.
"I'll give you a blood promise of loyalty and secrecy." Harry put up his hands to stop the boy. The boy paused momentarily at that. Harry almost breathed in relief he didn't need this boy's complete loyalty on his shoulders. At the moment it would be too much pressure to handle.
"I don't need you to do that at least not yet. You may have to later at the proper time but not here in the middle of nowhere. Consider yourself a member of the group. Do you want to come with me to our head quarters?" Harry made it sound like a specified facility. The boy shook his head in refusal. "Why?" Harry said as his voiced turned gruff.
"I got to get home to my parents before they start getting curious as to why I was out in the woods so long. Let's just say that I don't agree with them in many things. So you'll find a way to contact me for another meeting, right?" Harry nodded and the boy slipped away to the now returning fog. The weather symbolized Harry's confusion over the boy. He didn't quite know how to interpret him. He knew little about him except his name. That would have to do for now.
Terry put his arm around Anthony's wide shoulders. They stood in an almost empty street in Diagon Alley. Anthony had a well muscled body left over from Quidditch season. Terry felt a twinge of jealousy that the other fifth year had made the team while he hadn't. He also knew that Anthony deserved the position. He was just better at Quidditch than Terry. Even with all the practice with Harry Terry couldn't get any better. He had accepted that he wasn't cut out of Quidditch playing cloth.
"So have you thought about our offer, Anthony? I know you don't believe that the Ministry will be able to handle this problem quietly and bloodlessly. We have to take action. Now!" Terry turned in front of the blond Quidditch player. Anthony looked nervous. The look seemed out of place with the muscles in his arms.
"I don't know Terry this whole thing sounds risky. I don't want You-know-who to try to hurt my family. How can a group of amateur wizards stop a dark wizard? He knows things that we won't ever learn in Hogwarts. He won't go by the dueling rules neither will his Death Eaters." The young man said and crossed his arms over his chest. It was an impressive intimidation. It didn't work on Terry who had been training with Harry at his house.
"We will learn how to fight. We will have one of the best teachers one could ask for. This someone has faced the Dark Lord down and lived multiple times." Terry said rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. Anthony raised his right eyebrow in inquiry.
"Who would that be? Dumbledore as far as I know he already has his own organization. Also since when have you been friends with the protector of Kayla Potter?" The blond asked.
"No, our fellow housemate Harry Potter will teach us. He is the real Boy-who-lived. He has been studying magic for nearly his whole life. He has gotten perfect grades in every class except Potions which he has no power over. You should have been there when he cast a patronus against some Dementors. Don't ask about the Dementors. The point is that his Patronus was humongous and it came out as a hawk. You and I probably can't even get a Patronus to form an animal. He is a great wizard Anthony." The blond Quidditch player rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"When is the first meeting?" Terry gave him a note with the date and place. Then he watched his class mate walk away from him shaking his head. Terry headed to a public Floo station to go back home to Harry and Luna. He hoped Harry's meeting had gone as well as his own.
