-Chapter Thirty-six-

Callings, Decrees and Examinations

BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

All House-Elves of any Wizarding family are henceforth forced to join the Battle with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in June.

No Master can stop their House-Elf from fighting as they will face a 20 Galleon fine and could later face prosecution.

This order is in accordance with Magical Creatures and Beasts Decree Number fifty-two.

Signed by: Amos Diggory, Head of the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and Beasts.

Authorised by: Rufus Scrimogeur, Minister for Magic.

"This is disgusting," snarled Hermione outraged. "They actually forcing them to fight."

"What choice do they have?" Ron asked, "its not like people are going to let their House-Elves fight."

"Yes, but still," Hermione snapped indignantly, "it's slave labour. What are they getting out of it?"

"A chance to prove themselves," Harry said as he walked into the living room of Godric Hollow. He yawned groggily.

"What?" Hermione asked confused.

"Maybe, if people see what House-Elves are capable of they might start trusting them and start treating them as their equal," Harry said slumping into his chair.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked worried, "you look tired."

"I didn't sleep much," Harry said. "I was visiting that corridor again. It's driving me insane every time I get near it the door opens and I wake up. I just wish I could see what's inside."

"Harry!" snapped Hermione, "don't say that! For all we know it could be a trap!"

"No it can't," Harry said stubbornly, "I've been using Occlumency every night."

"Yeah but mate," Ron said sheepishly, "you've only been using it for six months whereas V-Voldemort has been using it for years."

Harry nodded, "it just doesn't feel like Voldemort. It feels like something good. Something whole."

"What do you think it is?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. Have they said if the school is going to close yet?" Harry asked.

"I don't know," Hermione shrugged picking up the Daily Prophet and scanning through it. "Wait here it is…" she sighed annoyed, "another decree. Here."

These constant decrees were reminding Harry of his time in Fifth year in which Umbridge was High Inquisitor of Hogwarts and bombarded the school with decrees. Harry unrolled the newspaper to see an Education Decree printed over the page. It read:

BY ORDER OF THE GOVERNORS OF HOGWARTS

Henceforth Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry is now closed to ensure the safety of its students from the ongoing war with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Any students studying for their NEWTS or OWL exams this year are permitted to come in on 2nd of June and sit these exams. These exams will finish on the 13th June as the Ministry prepares for the battle to come.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree thirty-seven.

Signed by: Henry Stressemen, Head of the board of Governors for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Signed by: Madam Marchbanks, Head of Examination Board.

This sent Hermione on a war path they only had four weeks till the exams and she was throwing books at them and telling them to revise for four hours a night. And then, after that she would test them. Harry remembered how she was during their OWL year and was reluctant to even test her on her charms or exams.

Harry went to bed every night his head pounding with all the knowledge he had just subdued (Hermione had refused any breaks until he and Ron compared the advantages and disadvantages of a love potion). Each night he was visited by the same dream but on the night before his exams he heard a voice coming from door. A voice he had not heard before.

It was Sirius.

"It can't be Sirius," Hermione said to Harry when he told her of his dream as they waited to go into their Charms Exam. "He's well..."

"Dead, I know," Harry said glumly, "I'm just telling you what I heard.

"You were probably just dreaming mate," Ron shrugged sympathetically patting Harry on the shoulder.

"You may all take your seats," Flitwick squeaked by the door to which all the Fifth years and Seventh Years walked in. Neville looked white and he started to tremble. Lavender Brown and Parviti Patil were gaunt and were holding each others hand letting go as they parted ways.

Harry didn't feel nervous he didn't feel worried at all not because he had revised (which he did thanks to Hermione) he just felt strange to be doing exams during these dark times. Hermione and Ron must have been thinking the same, as they both looked completely calm.

Harry sat down in his chair and opened his exam he looked at the first question, which said: a) compare the disadvantages of the Levicorpus charm and advantages of the wingardium leviosa charm. He silently thanked Hermione for all the revision although reminded himself not to tell her as he knew she would start to gloat.

Harry sat the Charms practical that afternoon and thought he did better than he did in his OWLS. In fact he wouldn't have been surprised if he got a high 'E' in it. His levitation charm was top not notch as he manoeuvred it around the room with a lazy flick of his wand. His growth charm was passable as he made his statue grow at least a foot.

His Transfiguration and Defence Against the Dark Arts were great he mastered the Levi charm, making his statue do back flips and somersaults and then bowing to Professor Tofty who nearly fell of his chair with glee. Harry saw at the corner of his eye McGonagall beaming proudly.

Harry felt as small twinge of embarrassment as he heard Professor Tofty and Marchbanks talking about him as he left the room. "I tell you that Potter boy is going to go far," Tofty exclaimed. "He could even surpass Dumbledore."

Harry took his break to visit Dumbledore's tomb thinking of the battle looming forward. He was afraid and had doubts of ever surpass Dumbledore.

"I can't do this," Harry said glumly. "I was never as powerful as you."

"Harry," came a calm quiet voice from behind him. Harry turned to find a transparent floating glow before him it morphed into a the tall figure of Albus Dumbledore. He looked at it shocked. It looked exactly like Dumbledore with his half-moon spectacles and crooked nose. It surveyed him with its magnificent blue eyes. Harry stood dumbstruck. "It is time.

"Time for what?" Harry asked finding his voice at last.

It didn't answer but, repeated the same thing over and over again. "It is time… It is time…"

"Time for what?" Harry asked impatiently, "who are you?"

"It is time…" the thing started to drift away echoing "it is time."

Until finally it dissipated in to the distance leaving only Harry and his thoughts. Harry wondered what it was all through his Herbology exam making his neglect to hold the Mandrake by its head and not it's nose. Harry told Ron and Hermione about the vision after his Herbology Exam.

"Dumbledore?" Ron gasped sceptically, "I you sure you weren't seeing things?"

"No," Harry argued stubbornly, "it was definitely him."

"But, Harry he's dead," Hermione said to him worriedly, "and no spell can reawaken the dead."

"I know," Harry snapped impatiently as they looked at him as if he had two heads, "but, I know what I saw."

"Maybe, it was an echo," Hermione said to him pointedly. "Like Cedric and your parents during the third task."

"Could be?" Ron shrugged, "I mean, Dumbledore would have passed on right. He was always saying death was the next adventure."

Harry nodded still think of Dumbledore and his reappearance. He was visited by dreams of the corridor again that night waking up in a cold sweat. What did these dreams mean? And what was behind that door?

Harry stirred his cauldron dreamily though still knowing what he was doing as he sat his Potions Exam, which was his last exam. He watched as Professor Tofty and Marchbanks watched him closely. He added many of the ingredients remembering both what Professor Slughorn had taught him and what the Half-Blood Prince had. Harry for the first time in his life knew he had received an 'O' in his Potions exam. Harry walked out with Ron and Hermione both were talking about their plans for the weekend as they were both going to Hogsmeade for a drink.

They said their good byes and went to the Three Broomsticks Harry wasn't in the mood for a drink and sat at the lake his thoughts trailing.

"Harry," came Dumbledore's voice. Harry looked up to see the transparent figure of Dumbledore floating on the rippling surface of the lake. "It is time."

"Time for what?" Harry asked a little scared at what Dumbledore meant.

"Time for you to face your destiny," Dumbledore said quietly walking towards Harry and surveying him through his half-moon spectacles.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked his mouth drying up.

"On sunset you shall journey to the door that can not be opened and face you final test," Dumbledore said as he placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. But, this hand was not withered and blackened like last year. It was wrinkled yet whole and had a lot of colour in it.

"What does that mean?" Harry asked a little scared.

Dumbledore didn't answer he just started to float away his feet still touching the ground but, not moving as if he was being dragged across to the pool of water behind him. He repeated the last thing he said over and over again until finally he started to fade away, "sunset you shall journey to the door that can not be open... can not be opened... can not be opened… and face your final test…"

Dumbledore suddenly, exploded into a blinding light blinding Harry until he found himself lying on his back on the freshly cut lawn surrounding Hogwarts. He got up breathing heavily in a cold sweat.

Was it a dream? Or was it real? Harry thought he checked his watch. It was now three O'clock. Just a few hours till sunset and then he'll know.