Hello everyone and welcome back! It has been just under 5 years since I last updated. Those of you who checked my profile will know why. In 2016 I lost my Dad suddenly. It was horrible. He was so healthy, a non smoker, and lung cancer came and took him within weeks. I lost all interest in my hobbies, it took me two years to even start reading again so as you can see it took me a long time to be able to come back to this story.
When I lost Dad I was also in the process of getting married and writing my first novel. The latter I put on hold, but plan to continue after I finish this story. The former, is the light in my life and what helped pull me through.
I first started writing this story when I was younger than Harry is, and now when I come back to complete it, I am a doctor, wife and brand new mother. It's crazy to me, and this ending is long overdue! One reviewer (Hayoen) from the previous chapter has found their username hidden in this chapter as a thank you!
We have three chapters left after this one. I'm so happy to be able to have you along for this ride!
Harry Potter and the Wish of Life
Chapter 39
Lockdown
The boys had only three hours of sleep before they were awakened by a school-wide summons to the Great Hall. There, a tired looking Dumbledore announced what they had all expected: Cornelius Fudge had been killed. The newspapers were already proclaiming Rodolphus Lestrange as the new Minister of Magic with Voldemort as the Monarch of all Wizarding England.
The atmosphere was thick and morose whilst Dumbledore calmly informed the student body that Hogwarts would remain an independent body of refuge. Harry and his friends hadn't been the only ones busy the night prior; forms explaining Hogwarts' new position had been sent out to all parents. Only those who replied within the day to pull their children from Hogwarts would be humored as requests that came later could be biased by Deatheater influence.
Curfew would be imposed and students no longer allowed to wander the corridors unless on the way to approved year tasks or classes. Meals would be taken within their dormitories. Disciplinarian action for breaking rules would be swift and harsh.
All owl mail would be read and checked to make sure no charms, hexes or information could pass the walls either way. It was made clear that mail was a luxury and not a right any more.
"It's basically an auror state," Ron remarked, noticing the multiple uniform clad aurors at the front of the Great Hall. There were many familiar faces in the throng, some looking very rumpled as if they had rushed here without even taking the time to brush their hair. Numerous gold-badged guardians also stood by. Harry hadn't seen them since his train ride at the beginning of 5th year, but he hoped their defensive tactics would be a boon to the school.
"It has to be," Harry noted. "We can't take chances anymore."
"He lives!" Cheered Draco as Dumbledore finished his announcements and the Great Hall burst into horrified conversation. "I thought your Dad would have you out in the stocks today!"
Harry cringed. "Don't talk too loudly, he might get ideas!" He glanced up to make sure his father was still at the front beside Dumbledore.
"I've been put on confinement," Draco said. "Have to stay in the family suite for the rest of the summer, or as long as we're stuck here, I suppose."
"Us too," Ethan added.
Parvati smiled. "That might not be the worst thing. With the Weasleys and my parents arriving any moment, we can all stay with our parents instead of the commons and be nearby one another."
"You guys get off easy," Harry accused good-naturedly. "Since your parents don't know about the things we were hunting, they're never going to hear the real story. We," he gestured toward Ethan, Draco and himself, "are going to get lectures every night, I imagine."
"Not me, " Draco smirked. "I claimed innocence – you were the ringleader afterall."
"Oi, what?" Harry asked, annoyed.
"It's true," Hermione nodded solemnly. "Afterall, you're the hero right?"
"Hermione!" Parvati admonished, "Don't bloody shout at him!"
Flushing as his friends made mockery of his outburst the previous night, Harry reached out and purposefully pulled a lock of each girls' hair. "If we're talking about last night, why don't we talk about a very interesting snog, huh?"
Hermione and Ron reddened, and even as the world around them turned dark, Harry was happy to find that here, with his six friends, despite all of them being so damaged and wounded over the last few months, he could still laugh.
After lunch, Dumbledore called Harry to his office. Excited at the chance to properly talk to the headmaster about all that had transpired and all that was left, Harry was dismayed to find his ancestor distant and sad.
"Are you okay, Poppa? Is it about Minister Fudge? I know you were friendly once –"
The headmaster got a little of the twinkle in his eye back at that. "No, Harry. Honestly, it's all going just as I thought it would. Cornelius made his own bed. We all live or die with the choices we've made." He studied the boy for a moment before continuing, "I didn't get the chance to scold you last night for your actions."
Harry cringed.
"But I understand why you were so reckless," Dumbledore continued. "You saw the goal and you needed to complete it. It's amazing really … I have searched for so long, wracked my own brain and yet a few months with you children and we've accomplished so very much. Such drive to destroy them, amazing."
"Well, of course we were driven to destroy them. You were as well, weren't you?"
Dumbledore didn't quite meet his eye. "Indeed. It's just, they're almost all gone … the end is so near." Only then did the old man look at him. "The final battle will come and …" Dumbledore trailed off.
Harry sat up straighter, remembering well the memory of Dumbledore's sister's death, and the story that his Great Grandmother Violet had told him about Dumbledore's duel with Grindelwald. "Are you worried about having to cast the killing curse on Voldemort? I know you couldn't manage it with Grindelwald, and that there are 'fates worse than death' and all that – but maybe if you'd rather not, someone else could stand in? You're definitely capable, whatever you decide, no one would judge you one way or the other."
Dumbledore and James had promised Harry that he himself wouldn't have to cast the killing curse, and that his hand in destroying the horcruxes would likely be sufficient enough in fulfilling the prophecy. That hope had calmed Harry so many months ago, and he wanted Dumbledore to feel as supported as he did. It was a heavy burden, being the hero.
Dumbledore looked at him for a long moment, the blue of his eyes oddly sad. "It's not that, Harry," he coughed and looked aside. "It's not your concern at the moment. I wanted to bring you here to tell you that you can rest now. All of you. The snake is my concern and I will make sure it's destroyed."
"But-"
"No, I mean it. You are to enjoy being in Hogwarts over the summer. Don't worry about things, don't wrack your brain, don't put yourself in danger." He gave Harry a hard look at that. "Just … be."
"I'll try," Harry agreed reluctantly, shaken by the odd sadness in his ancestor's face. "We can continue with defense club, right? I wanted to tell you that we decided on a name yesterday. Dumbledore's Army." He paused, "Do you like that?"
The headmaster lifted his head in surprise, a great deal of emotion in his expression. "My boy, there was a time that having my own army was something I wanted very much. Something I had envisioned and pursued. Now, I only wish I could have kept you all as children for much, much longer."
The next day it was as if Hogwarts was an Ark, and a biblical size storm was fast approaching. Hundreds of witches and wizards passed through the doors with nothing more than a few possessions in their hands.
Incoming magical folk were kept camped out in the gardens until they were thoroughly vetted and interrogated by a team of aurors. Sirius, James and Kingsley each headed such a team. The auror and guardian complement of Hogwarts was thinned out considerably compared to the numbers the ministry used to boast. Many had been lost during the coup, whether through death in the line of duty or through a loyalty shift to escape such a fate.
Tonks, still in a wheelchair from the injury she sustained during the Battle at the Department of Mysteries, collected all possessions that came into the castle with the refuge seekers, including clothes. The members of the Order would go through them carefully to check for any charms of hexes, and since this could take days, their owners were provided a small packet of brown pajamas that had been hastily transfigured from pinecones. The Great Hall was filled with worried looking individuals in terribly itchy looking outfits as they awaited their room assignments.
Harry and his friends were exempted from the dormitory lockdown due to their Order status and given tasks to accomplish in getting the refuge seekers settled. The Weasley twins were also pulled from Gryffindor tower to help keep spirits up, as the mood was depressive. As they used the platform to advertise their many different products to a large swath of potential customers, Harry and Parvati walked around the Great Hall and spoke to all incoming refugees.
"They won't lose our things, right?" Cedric Diggory looked concerned. "I only ask because we brought an album of photographs and they might be the only ones left of Dad. I'm sure Deatheaters will have ransacked our house by the weekend."
The chance to live an extra year had benefitted the former Hufflepuff. His face had hardened, losing what little baby fat he had. Always handsome, he was quite formidable looking now, yet still with a merry kindness in his eyes.
Mrs. Diggory placed a comforting hand on her son's arm. "I'm certain they'll take good care of them, Dear." She smiled at Harry before turning back to the weeping witch beside her. It was rumored that the endlessly teary woman had lost both her siblings earlier in the night and Mrs. Diggory had patiently sat beside her for the last few hours and listened to her grief.
"We'll get them back, Cedric," Harry affirmed, making a note on the scroll in front of him.
"There's room in Hufflepuff, " Parvati offered softly. "After the Easter Ball Attack a number of students were pulled from school, leaving a few beds open in each dormitory. Dumbledore has approved recent graduates to take up residence in their old common rooms. You'd be away from your Mum, but honestly the mass accommodations are probably not going to be the best anyway."
"Yeah," Cedric eyed the pajamas that looked only moments away from converting back to pinecones. "More room for others then. We weren't expecting much anyway. It's amazing that Hogwarts is doing this."
"Once we know numbers we will start forming a system of work placements and then things will be more comfortable for everyone. There are loads of spare robes but until we see how many people actually need them we have to hold off."
"Can't believe how mature you are, Harry," Cedric grinned. "You're just like your Dad."
Harry flushed at the compliment. "Thanks Cedric."
"And you too Parvati. You're more beautiful with every day."
As Parvati flushed prettily and stammered a thank you, Draco swooped in beside them, his face bent into a scowl. "She's taken, thanks Diggory."
Cedric looked the picture of innocence. "Ah, but what would she want from a boy when she could have a man?"
Draco's face turned maroon with anger. Instinctively, Harry grabbed Draco's hand as the blonde reached for his wand. "Draco, wait!"
Cedric burst into laughter. "Mate, I'm just joking. Not the gorgeous part, but the rest of it. George told me to do that. Said you could use some lightening up-"
Draco was already stalking away, presumably to stuff a few canary creams down George's throat, when a familiar French voice rang out over the crowd.
"We weel not be able to wear these. Look, eet is already giving Gabriella a rash!" Over by the entranceway, Fleur Delacour shook a threatening fist at Bill Weasley while her sister tried to shrink behind her, itching furiously at her neck. "I demand something else."
"Oh, you demand?" Bill scoffed. "Here's how I see it: Wear what we've given you, or feel free to leave and get captured by Death Eaters. I have a feeling that won't go very well for you."
Fleur's pale face narrowed in anger, even as Mundungus Fletcher held out his own cloak for her to wear. "I was only even here in Eeengland because Dumbledore called for me. Let me speak to him. I'm not a regular refugee."
"Dumbledore has more pressing matters at hand today, Madame. Or did you not hear? The Ministry fell! I mean, it's not quite 'unfashionable pajama' level of horrors, but I'm sure your brain will allow the extra capacity for you to understand the gravity of that." Bill continued, unmoved by the veela's murderous expression.
Thinking it best that they didn't imminently find out if a half-veela had claws, Harry smoothly pulled Fleur away from the eldest Weasley. "Hey Fleur. I'll tell Dumbledore that you're here, but it might take a little while. It's going to be a hard couple of days or weeks for everyone."
"Arry!" She resounded in relief. "Oui, alright. Of course I understand, but that man …." Fleur glared over her shoulder, "I do not like that man!"
Bill and Fleur shared a mutual look of distaste as Harry ushered her away.
Directive 32 had been well implemented by the Order, and so Hogwarts operated relatively smoothly even though it's population more than tripled over the course of two days. Most of the refuge seekers were within a degree of separation from Hogwarts students or Order members, and as such came with their own special set of skills that were quickly made use of.
Students below 4th year were kept in isolation within their house towers, while older students were given a variety of tasks. 4th years spent their days helping Madame Sprout in the Herbology gardens, growing a variety of plants for food and for medicines. 5th years were under McGonagall's tutelage, transfiguring and charming a variety of items into useable objects, while 6th and 7th years spent their afternoons brewing potions with Dr. Patil and Slughorn.
As the head of each house was remarkable busy, a civilian was chosen by Dumbledore to look after the needs of the children in concert with the established prefects. Mrs. Weasley took on the role for Gryffindor, allowing more comfortable accommodations for herself and Mr. Weasley, the latter whom was still very weak and prone to bouts of pain from the injuries he sustained by Nagini. Cedric Diggory and his mum helped Hufflepuff, Alice Longbottom in Ravenclaw, and Parvati's aunt Ranjithi took her former house of Slytherin.
Sirius and Arulbella moved into the spare room in Remus' and Tonks' professor suite and as such, Harry found himself privy to the many strategy meetings between James and Sirius as they planned for Voldemort's inevitable attack on Hogwarts.
Lily's impressive charm work created a shimmering micro Hogwarts in the center of the Potters' living room, upon which the aurors constantly moved small glass pieces that represented key players.
Harry's one yawned up at him from its position in the Slytherin dungeons. The charm was such that when the attack occurred, the individual represented would be compelled to go to the area where their piece had been placed.
"I don't think keeping Harry in the Dungeons is the right call anymore," James said, peering at the war model. "There are too many prisoners in there, more than we would have accounted for. He'd be seen by them even as he took cover and Merlin knows they have motive to give him up."
The prison cells in the dungeons had been in use since the third day of open doors. With a large number of refuge seekers, there had been bound to be a few bad eggs. One wizard had attacked a witch in the gardens, while a second had been caught trying to sneak into the Hufflepuff dormitories. That didn't even account for the Deatheater cell they discovered on day three – a relatively innocuous looking witch and her teenage daughter.
A war raged outside, and so inside, rules were strict and enforced. There were no second chances.
"Hm, you're right. That's an outdated idea. I'll put Hayoen in charge of the prisoners during the attack and we'll move Harry and his guard to Dumbledore's office. The portraits can help guide him, and there are loads of secret passageways from there to other areas of the castle." Sirius tugged Harry's figurine up by the waist and moved it.
"There are?" Harry's eyes widened. "They're not on the marauder's map! Why'd you never tell me?"
"Hm, yes-" James gave him a playfully chiding glance. "Why did I never tell my mischievous troublemaker of a son about secret passages that even I only learned about as an adult?"
"Troublemaker?" Harry pouted, "S'not fair. Trouble finds me."
Arulbella ruffled Harry's hair as she took a seat beside him, her well lashed eyes scanning the model. "Where am I?"
"The Gryffindor dormitories," Sirius pointed to her figurine.
"What?"
Sirius' face remained unchanged as he continued to examine the micro-Hogwarts. "You and Tonks both – you can protect the last line."
"Sirius, that's ridiculous. I have medical expertise."
The handsome auror was already shaking his head, so his wife continued on, frustrated, "I want to be beside you."
"No."
"The dormitories will only even get breeched in the worst case scenario."
"Exactly."
"I'll be wasted there! Tonks, I understand – she is injured. If she wasn't she'd be on the front lines."
"Tonks is an auror. You are not."
"Sirius!"
"No!" Sirius' gray eyes flashed silver and he slammed his hands hard against the glass table the model projected on. The little pieces on the structure all screamed in shock and ducked for cover. "I am not arguing this with you, Arulbella! My word is FINAL."
To her credit, though Arulbella flinched like the rest of them, she did not quail. Instead, she reached for her piece and moved it to the Grand staircase. Sirius caught her hand just before she released it, his handsome face angry, "Don't push it."
Harry's aunt snatched her hand free and hit Sirius in the chest, "I will not stay back as you go into battle! I will not let you – to not know what's happened - I can't live without you again!" Her pretty face crumpled in misery. The memory of all those months wherein Sirius remained missing and suffering made everyone silent.
The animagus softened immediately and took his wife into his arms. "Arul, if you're on the front lines you will be all I think about. I know you're talented, I know you're able – but you're everything to me. I can't have you at risk. I need to be on full form … if I can't concentrate …. please."
"You know Sirius has the brain capacity of a gnat," James cut in lightly. "He can't worry about you and smash Deatheaters at the same time. I'd not let Lily anywhere near the front lines either, we have the professionals there to deal with it, and for us it's important to know that everyone we love is safe."
Lily rolled her eyes beside her husband. Harry had also been present yesterday when that argument had taken place. In the end his mother had agreed to stand guard wherever they placed him.
In Sirius' arms, Arulbella nodded into his chest. "Fine."
The pureblood wizard immediately lightened, his handsome face breaking into a grin. "Thank Merlin you see sense." He cupped his wife's face in his hands. "If you'd kept it up, I'd have had to take you over my knee and I wouldn't – well, actually, I'd have liked that very much – OW!" Sirius yelped between laughs as his wife's elbow caught him hard in the chest.
Weeks flew by and despite the feeling of impending doom, Harry and his friends found the lockdown to be a bit of a respite. There were no exams, no classes, no horcruxes left to destroy aside from Nagini and so for a little while they could try and be just regular teenagers.
Ron and Hermione were officially together, and since the Weasley seniors were overseeing Gryffindor tower, they got to spend a lot of time together. Dumbledore had written Hermione's parents a few weeks prior to the fall of the Ministry and they had taken leave from their dental practice and gone overseas to Canada for safety.
Hermione wasn't the only one Ron spent a lot of time with. Goyle's arm had taken a terrible burn from the Fiendfyre that would never heal. He would be on a pain potion and long sleeves every day of his life, but he had emerged a quieter, less chaotic individual. Ron had visited Goyle everyday in the hospital wing and once he was out had even evolved their bond into becoming an unlikely friendship.
"They both just really love cupcakes!" Hermione explained with an affectionate twist to her lips as they watched Ron help Goyle with shielding spells, both boys laughing loudly over some joke they shared.
Dumbledore's Army had been given special permission to continue, and so it did almost every evening. Harry and his friends personally escorted each house's group of members from their common room to the DADA classroom, as regular students were not given dispensation to roam the corridors.
Tonks oversaw them most days, but was usually kept busy overseeing all owlmail. Though her leg only jiggled once a hour now, she had been strong-armed into staying in her new desk job by her husband and mother.
So, for Harry the days fell into an interesting routine of spending time with his family and friends, taking part in strategy meetings, listening into the gossip that came from the refugee camp and dormitories, running Dumbledore's Army and well, snogging girls. It turned out that the lockdown atmosphere made witches irresistibly attracted to him and for once he wasn't too busy to take notice.
"Shall we go?" Hermione asked, reaching out for Ron's hand as the two boys put down their wands. Most of the others had left already, escorted by Parvati and Ethan. "It's almost curfew."
"Harry, will you take me?" Tracey Davis asked. She was one of the upper year Slytherins left in Hogwarts. A petite girl with a clever face, her eyes were big, hooded and very attractive. "Cassius Warrington got put on Filch's clean up duty for talking back to Mrs. Ranjithi and I'd love a chance to swing by Astronomy tower and see his suffering."
"Sure," Harry agreed.
Clean up duty with Filch was an even worse punishment for the students now. Afterall, with all the refugees taking up residence in different halls of Hogwarts, there was a whole lot more to clean up.
"Huh?" Goyle muttered as Harry and Tracey left the DADA classroom. "But, Warrington is supposed to be doing the lavatories tonight."
Harry hid a smirk.
See? Not too busy to take notice.
A hour later as he snogged Tracey against the wall of Astronomy tower, Harry glanced over her shoulder into the bluish purple darkness of the night sky. Dumbledore's office window was visible, it's glass pane opened wide.
It was coincidence that he was watching as a disgusting bat took the opportunity to fly right into his Great-Great Grandfather's office. Harry pulled away from Tracey and watched to see if it would fly back out, but it didn't.
With a sigh, he kissed her swollen lips once more. Once they were done and he took her back to Slytherin, Harry made the journey to the gargoyle statue in order to be a dutiful grandson and get rid of the bat. Fairly sure Dumbledore was busy with ward work, and not wanting his ancestor to get bitten and fall sick with some horrible flu, Harry gave the password (Ladybugs).
He had just walked into the circular room when suddenly his wand went flying and his body went rigid with the familiar grip of an amplified confundus curse.
Helpless, his mind and body feeling as if he was wading through murky gelatin, Harry could only stare in horror as a familiar figure emerged from the shadows, death eater regalia wrapped about his shoulders.
Snape.
To be Continued…
Lockdown: Originally I was going to name this chapter Directive 32, but thought this title is more fitting given these horrid Coronavirus times we are all living through. Stay home and stay safe!
Snape: So here, goes. What will happen? Final ideas on what side he is on? Thoughts, theories, hopes?
Refuge seekers: Any other faces you are hoping to see, or curious as to where they are at?
Horcrux: Dumbledore insists that Nagini is the last horcrux? Do you think in this timeline Harry is a horcrux?
I would love to see reviews from all of you, to know that you're enjoying the story, and more than that, to know that some of you are still here and wanting to know the end! I always reply to every signed review, and I miss the conversations some of my old readers and I would have – so please, if you're reading – send me a note! That goes for new readers as well! Always happy to hear my story has touched new minds!
Finally, as we draw to an end, I would love to hear all your theories and hopes, it's the last few chances to get them in before all is revealed!
Finally, as it's one of the last five chapters, I will randomly take one reviewer's name and work it into the next chapter!
