Chapter 53 – A snake bearing fruit…
Later on Wednesday night Harry had gathered the people he thought of semi-affectionately…despite the loss of that night as the Ministry Group in the Room of Requirement to talk to them.
He'd got 'permission' from Moody who had explained everything to the order on the Monday after they'd visited.
Molly Weasley was the biggest objector to her son and daughter going out to battle, but when asked if she would fight…she had quickly stepped back offering to be a support net for some of the towns that hadn't been attacked…yet.
She still yelled at Moody and Remus who had then recounted the story to Harry with an ok signal.
Harry had a copy of one of the plans of the Inferno site laid out on a table in front of him, one that had been stripped of anything relating to…anything really.
He'd just finished a much more abridged version of the plan and the request that he'd asked of Moody, which basically equated to 'I…we the order need your help…this could be the end of Voldemort…but I know this plan sounds vague as hell…' all that, surprisingly (or not) Luna was the first to throw her support behind Harry, followed quickly by the rest.
Harry received a few letters throughout the week from Moody and others about the various attacks and distribution of Voldemort's forces.
In between fine tuning his plan, disappearing off to Night Wolf and giving lists of spells out to his friends to study he just about managed to study for the terrible NEWTS which were still hanging over his head, more than once he thought about just ditching them and going and…well when he'd suggested the first part Hermione had gone off like a rocket, it scared a lot of the first years.
Later Saturday morning just after the morning post had arrived and everyone was settling into breakfast an unfeasibly large snake slithered up the path towards Hogwarts, around it's neck was a letter.
It's skin almost black against the cool morning glow, its eyes cold and dark like it's skin, it seemed to both revel and hate being out in the large amount of sunshine.
It slid easily up the handrail and into the main corridor of Hogwarts, even if the portraits were able to angle themselves down to see the snake which was at a much lower height than even the smallest student…what would they have done yelled at it?
Harry jumped up as soon as the screaming started, the large snake slithered into the great hall ignoring, or perhaps not caring about the screaming in its wake, it was searching the coloured tables, those that bore different creatures on their bodies for one that her master had instructed her to find, she would know him when he spoke to her.
Harry had already jumped over the table to the main thoroughfare that went through the middle of the great hall all the teachers had their wands drawn. Harry observed that Professor Shea and Calvert were sharing an odd look.
"~~Hello Nagini.~~" Harry spoke he was standing in between the head table and the snake, more screaming was breaking out as he had spoken parsletongue to the snake.
The snake regarded the speaker, he stood much more confident in front of her than any of her Master's followers.
"~~Harry Potter.~~" Harry realised at some subconscious level that there was a hiss to the snake's words, but it was like an accent, and considering he spent a lot of his time flitting between two continents accents really just became that extra part of a person that you chose to accept or make a deal of.
"~~So you know me? What is it you want? I hardly doubt you came all this way just to make some 1st years scream into a faint.~~" Harry muttered, causing the snake to gaze around, its eyes roaming over the students in the hall almost amusedly.
"~~No…I have a message from my Master…~~" Nagini nodded towards the large black envelope around her neck. Harry looked at it for a moment ignoring the people moving around him.
"~~What's to stop you from biting me and eating a few first years on the way out?~~"
"~~My master, asked me to deliver his letter…I would not bite to kill you.~~"
"~~Very reassuring.~~" Harry had his wand checking the envelope for everything, the snake regarded the spells curiously. It fell away easily from Nagini's neck as he'd checked for anything, it was just an envelope.
"~~Farewell, Harry Potter.~~"
"~~The same Nagini…a pleasure as always…~~" Harry muttered the last bit in parseltongue as the snake left the hall.
Harry turned and looked at the worried faces of the teachers and the scared faces of the students and shrugged.
Remus watched worried and slightly fascinated throughout Harry's conversation with the large snake, the hissing from both parties was strange and off putting slightly.
Looking up and down the head table both Latasha and Neil looked the same way he felt, a strange sense of wanting to pounce and attack, but questioning curiosity as well.
Harry turned and looked at them, all of them as he weighted the letter in his hand and shrugged back at them before walking out of the hall.
Harry sat out in the cool late morning air with the envelope held down by a rock as he checked the envelope again and cast every detection spell he could think of over the letter, it didn't seem to have any, no portkey, no blood extraction potion in the lining, no subtle cutting curse on the pages, which according to Binns was an accepted method of assassinating a foe.
It was what was there a black envelope with a piece of normal simple parchment laying inside.
He replaced his wand and held out his hands intricately manoeuvring the letter out of the envelope without touching it. It required a bit more concentration to do something so precise but it was better than disappearing in a cloud of slightly humorous smoke.
Lord Harry Potter,
I see you have done what I could never accomplish.
You have destroyed Dumbledore, killed him from his old and tired bones right through.
I applaud you…the wizarding world shall fall beneath my feet.
I have heard that you have taken none of the lies from the old man, hitting out with your new power. Again I applaud you for your actions…
Your actions at Kings Cross station…I should want to crucio you into insanity for that…situation, but yet again…that sign of power…and willing to use it against some of my most capable…
Harry snorted at this point, if that was his most capable…
This fighting should not continue.
Together you and I might rule the world…meet and join me, together we might rule over the wizarding world, and crush weak enough to be below us, and Lord over those who would think they should stand above us.
I shall meet you so that you might see my army…join me Harry Potter…
Dumbledore the leader of the light has fallen there is only death ahead, join me and we shall rule eternal.
Send a reply via the Hogsmede owls to Thomas…I am sure you remember where…
Lord Voldemort.
"Well he's two rolls short of a bread basket…" Harry muttered.
His friends, Remus included were waiting in the entrance hall for him.
"What did it say Harry?" Hermione asked. There were still people around, Harry shook his head and pulled them into an empty room.
"Here Remus…" Harry handed it to him who read it and passed it to the others.
"He's a little mad don't ya think Harry?" Ron commented.
"A little, he's totally off his rocker." Ginny muttered remembering Tom Riddle and the chamber again.
"Harry what were you saying to the snake?" Hermione asked calmly, Remus looked up as well.
"Nothing much, eating some first years mainly." They looked at him as though he were mad.
"Not me, Nagini." Harry paused. "Okay I brought up the eating of first years, but not me eating them, Nagini…" They stared at him.
"Well that's so much better." Ron muttered.
"She obviously just dropped by to give Harry the letter…she meant no ill will to us…" Luna stated almost lacking her dreamy like quality.
Harry nodded in appreciation.
"So what are you going to do Harry?" Remus asked.
"Wait…well work out how to accept without sounding too anxious, too accepting and not too flippant and insane…but on the other hand over confident and naïve and the sort of insane that Voldemort appreciates…too bad I blew up Lestrange I could ask her how to be insane…" Everyone turned and stared at him. "Sorry, flippant I know…"
"Are you quite alright Harry?" Ginny asked concerned. Neville looked as though he was going to…well Harry didn't know he still cracked a smile whenever anyone mentioned the explosion of Malfoy Manor…but…
Harry nodded rocking his head from side to side considering the question.
"He's just a little elated and excited that his plan…whatever the plan is, I would guess that it has many portions, whatever his plan is, is starting to come together. That whatever Harry has planned for has now begun and that, now that it had begun he's got to get it right, to make sure the plan is ready and runs to his plan and that whatever the plan is that it works." Luna said without all the accustomed dreaminess that they had all become accustomed to, the assembled group were caught staring between Luna and Harry.
Harry grinned and took Luna in a one armed hug.
"See Luna knows what I'm talking about!"
Remus just nodded to Harry an odd smile on his face, the same ambivalent but this time a look of amusement, worry and anxiety.
The net result was that Harry decided to put off the letter writing until he or Remus got word back from the Order with regard to bringing Harry's friends the Order's plans.
Harry left the castle early in the afternoon straight after Defence to go to Night Wolf to inform them of the development.
Harry found the Brig and Birmingham and showed them the letter.
"Well I should organise everyone to go." Birmingham said rising from his chair in the Brig's office.
"Why?" Harry asked earnestly.
"I'll be leading the team to create the portkey, we have to be in the system to transmat it to the missile on your craft…"
"Logistics Harry." The Brig said attempting to enlighten Harry. "It will take 2 weeks for the ship using its HWG engines to get to the system, it took you approximately 10 days to get there the last time. When did you plan on sending it?"
So that's a week until the missile ready, meet at some point after that, 10 days to get there…that's 17 days…
Harry shrugged, he hadn't thought about it… he knew Moody was taking his friends with the Order to go through 'the plan' at the site on Saturday to coincide with the Hogsmede weekend.
"Monday or Tuesday. After I've double checked with the people at Gibson they said it'd be two weeks."
"The last report I received said they were ahead of schedule." The Brig said as he typed a command into his computer.
"So I'll see you there Harry, with your permission General?" Birmingham asked formally.
"Yes Birmingham take your team up, the…" The Brig glanced at his computer again. "ASCS Flinders will be transporting you and your crew."
"The Victory is still there?"
"They should be heading back within the next few days."
Birmingham nodded and bade farewell to Harry and the Brig before leaving.
Harry and the Brig talked for a while longer, basically other minor details about the plan, such as the liquid nitrogen which the Brig said he could pickup from Night Wolf when ever, he showed it the Harry as they were finishing their discussion about communications with for the transmat etc.
The pack was just big enough to sit on his back, and was quite heavy, alternatively it could be placed in one of the pallets by Harry and then taken out when needed.
Harry left Night Wolf informing the people there and the Brig that he'd be back closer to the day of the plan.
"Make sure you tell us when you've sent it Harry, this is a big operation."
Harry nodded thanking the Brig for the reminder; he was starting to get a bit dwarfed by it all. When Harry had first conceived it was just him.
Now it was 2 space ships, plus Shadow Blaze which made three, a sniper team from Nigh Wolf, The Order, his friends…and blowing up a sun…
"How could I forget that?"
Reappearing in the Gibson Desert facility, well having arrived on the surface and going through the teleport so they had him on the security record and what not.
Professor Vleugal was there waiting for him.
"Sorcerer Potter, I just received word from Sorcerer Birmingham. He said you would be coming down here."
Harry nodded and walked in just as another scientist joined them.
"Professor, Sorcerer." Harry just nodded through all the terms of reference.
"Professor, we've got the cage fitted to the Shadow Blaze, but we still need you to sign off on the minimal distance between it and the missile for the matter transmission range."
The Professor nodded.
"I'll join you in a moment."
"So how long until it's all finished?"
"Once we've fixed the spacing another couple of days to tie in the power source and align the targeting sensors to the ship we'll be using. One of my colleagues is going with Birmingham to assist you at the other end."
Harry accompanied the Professor out to where Shadow Blaze was being berthed.
She seemed to have shifted her external structure around, it still didn't look too aerodynamic or slight.
At the front of the craft was the transmat cage it was up in a recess but a lot was still sticking out.
The missile on the left hand wing was as close as it could get to the middle without sitting on top of the cage.
It was also big, and black, it was at least half the length of the craft and at least as wide as a person.
Harry groaned internally.
How am I going to break the atmosphere?
"That is an interesting question, as it will be I who is breaking atmosphere with these…attached to me."
"Sorry."
"Sorcerer Potter?" One of the scientists, or technicians that was working was asking him something.
"Sorry, mind wandering. What were you asking?"
"We've installed everything however we're little concerned about you leaving the atmosphere…the extra power needed to maintain the cage, and the extra systems and weight of the missile…even without the Dwarf Star Alloy…"
"Yes I was just wondering that. Can she hold it all on the ground?"
They nodded.
"Well then…" Harry trailed off…space is space right?"
"Yes…Harry?"
"What happens if I engage a hyperspace window within the atmosphere? Or is that one of those no-nos that shouldn't be done?"
The technicians and others looked at each other worriedly.
"We haven't done extensive tests…there is a lot of power when using a HWG, and inside the atmosphere while carrying a container holding the transmat energy…" He looked around.
"We wouldn't recommend it…"
"So last resource sort of thing?"
They nodded slowly.
"So when will it all be finished and ready?"
"If all tests go positive, by Friday…"
"Make sure it's finished by Friday…otherwise we'll all be up the spout…" Harry muttered to himself before bidding farewell and see you on the following Saturday.
It was Wednesday, Harry hadn't snuck out of class, he'd in fact gone to Headmistress/Professor McGonagall and asked if he could miss her class to send a letter, as she was part of the new order she knew what he was talking about. She still got him to do the exercise she would be covering in her class in front of her, then he was allowed to go.
Harry turned the simple letter over in his hands as he walked down the path to Hogsmede.
He'd had Hermione and Remus read it over, they'd had another of those 'look at Harry make sure he's not insane' moments. That done the order was informed and as of Wednesday no one was going near the site.
Lord Voldemort
I must admit I took some deep pleasure in destroying Dumbledore for all the world to see, to see him being destroyed limb by limb by the Prophet, the ministry and Gringotts did provide some amusement. But I did wonder whether or not I should have done it personally, return to Dumbledore the pain and suffering he has caused me…just to see him suffer…
I did enjoy making your…followers? Suffer at the station, there is something intimately satisfying in seeing their life die in that moment that flashes in their eyes, that one tiny moment between the end of life and death…you can literally hear the final breath…or scream as the case may be.
Perhaps you should torture something more interesting, I hear animals react in such strange ways to the Cruciatus…their little minds cannot cope and simply…explode, I am sure a certain Rat would make for an amusing test, sadly I could not practice this on neither Dumbledore nor anyone else…dear Bellatrix did say you have to hate to do it…I think I could have rivaled her, had I the chance to practice on a few many willing…or not volunteers.
Rule…I would like to enforce some rules of my own…something Dumbledore seemed so willing to do to me…
I shall meet you…and see your army as you may mine…at a neutral location…
A set of coordinates to an large open part of Inferno followed with a date.
Yours Sincerely,
Lord Harry Black Potter
He placed it inside one of the Hogsmede envelopes addressing it simply to 'Tom' Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton.
Harry used one of the slower deader looking owls, and hoped that Voldemort would just let it go.
Harry had to pay a bond up on the owl in any case, the post office had a long and large list of 'dangerous zones' that were rated for the amount of fighting, battles and whatever else was going on.
Little Hangleton was in the top part of the list, Harry smiled paying more than was required before walking out before the man could stop him, he could just about see the owl flying high up.
With one of the most important letters of the war…probably not the most sane letters, or even of mind, but important none the less.
Now I simply wait until Saturday night and within the month this should all be at an end…
Harry thought to himself as he departed Hogsmede on the afternoon wind.
