I own nothing.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

-Chapter Twenty-Four

"Well?"

"This is insane," Viktor stated.

"Yeah," Harry agreed as he sipped his drink. "Fun though." From their perch on the balcony above the dance floor they continued to watch the crowd pulse below. "Never been to Ibiza?"

"No." Viktor sipped his water carefully. "Is it always like this?"

"It's a little crazier than normal," Hermione allowed. "I guess that's to be expected on New Year's Eve."

"It's New Year's Eve?" Viktor asked blankly.

"Uh huh," Harry grunted.

"We left Hogwarts on the twenty-fifth," Viktor stated.

"Okay? That's only. . ." Hermione trailed off and her eyes widened.

"Six days," Viktor said.

"Oh." Harry sipped his drink. "Oh. Uh oh. McGonagall's going to be pissed."

"We've been here for six days," Viktor said as reality began to undermine the buzz that had permeated his being. "The head master will be furious. I have to send him an owl."

"Viktor," Hermione began as she took him by the shoulders, "calm down. We're going back tomorrow. There is no sense in running out into the night right now." Viktor took a few steadying breaths and sipped his water again.

"You're right."

"She usually is," Harry commented. "Are you okay now?"

"I'm better," Viktor replied. "Uh. . .thanks for dragging me up here. I'm sorry I became so agitated. I wasn't expecting to be able to see the music."

"Synesthesia," Hermione said.

"Bless you," Harry returned. "Anyway, I'm going back down. Join us when you're ready." He glanced between the two for a moment and shrugged. "Or don't." With the he disappeared again. Viktor let out a sigh and leaned against the woman next to him.

"I didn't ruin anything, did I?"

"No," Hermione replied as she leaned back against him. "It happens all the time."

"I see."

"Hey!" They both edged apart and turned to see Harry leading the rest of the group up the stairs. He was carelessly supporting a tray of champagne flutes despite his blindingly bright white tuxedo and the occasional stumble. "We lost track of time. We only have two minutes." The drinks were doled out and they all gathered at the railing to see one of the large screens begin a count down.

"Any New Year's wishes?" Hermione asked. Viktor thought about it for a moment and smiled at the young woman.

"I think I'm good."

"Awe," Harry drawled. It quickly turned to a pained groan as Hermione dug her elbow into his ribs.

(:ii:)

Cedric felt an eyebrow rise as a mob of students strolled into the Great Hall and made their way towards the Gryffindor table. "Is that. . ." Cho began as she squinted at the group.

"Yep," Cedric grunted.

"They've been gone for. . ."

"About a week," Cedric replied.

"And they took Krum this time, didn't they?"

"That's the theory since he disappeared at the same time." He finished his breakfast quickly and gave his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek before standing. "I need to hear about this one."

"Tell me what you find out," Cho said as she rose as well. "At least tell me where the girls got those dresses."

"Somehow I feel that they would hold that pretty close to their chests," Cedric commented. Cho laughed and headed for the Ravenclaw tables. Cedric made his way over to the well-dressed students and took a seat next to Luna. "Good morning."

"Hey Cedric," Ron grunted. Cedric waited what he felt was a respectable amount of time as the students laid waste to several platters of food.

"So, where'd you guys go after the ball?"

"Somewhere," Harry stated automatically.

"That sounds nice," Cedric commented, "and you took Viktor too, didn't you?"

"Maybe," Hermione grunted.

"Where is he?" Cedric pressed, "or Amalie for that matter?"

"They had to run to speak to their head masters."

"Oh," Cedric stated. "You know, I'm a little hurt."

"It's not so much you as who you were with that we weren't sure about," Hermione explained.

"Cho is a great person," Cedric said firmly.

"We're not saying she's not," Harry replied quickly. "We just don't know and we don't trust what we don't know."

"I can't tell if you guys are getting worse."

"Scottish Fury closing in from my eleven o'clock," Ron grunted.

"What?" Cedric asked.

"Mister Potter!"

"And there it is," Harry murmured. He glanced around for a moment. "I've got this one."

"I don't think that's. . ." Hermione began.

"Let him speak," Luna interrupted. "I wish to see what happens."

"Good morning Professor," Harry stated cheerfully as Minerva crashed to a halt before the table.

"Where have you been?" the transfiguration teacher demanded.

"Here," Harry stated. Was Cedric imagining it, or had his fellow champion started to slightly slur his words? "Where else would we have been?"

"You have not been here!" Minerva snapped.

"Who told you that?" Harry demanded, his own volume catching the professor off guard. "It was the villagers again, wasn't it? They're lying!"

"The villagers?" Minerva asked. "You were in Hogsmeade?"

"What? No! Who told you that?"

"Well, that's not the worse place you could have ended up," Minerva mumbled as she turned and walked away.

"We weren't in Hogsmeade!" Harry called after the woman. Cedric watched her go for a moment before turning back to the last Potter. The grin that stretched across the younger man's face sent a chill down the first champion's spine.

"You are learning," Luna stated, patting the young man's hand.

"You were supposed to be a Slytherin, weren't you?" Cedric asked. Harry's head whipped around sharply.

"Who told you that?" he demanded. "The hat's a liar!"

"Oh my God, you were supposed to be a Slytherin," Cedric said in surprise. "Why aren't you at the other table?"

"I asked the hat to put me here," Harry grumbled petulantly.

"Too sneaky to be a Slytherin," Cedric commented. "I'm impressed. Also, kind of scared, but mostly impressed. Maybe a little worried too." He glanced at the group. "You were not in Hogsmeade."

"What makes you say that?" Hermione asked.

"I was in Hogsmeade with a bunch of students," Cedric answered.

"I'm guessing you were caught in Hogsmeade with a bunch of students," Ron commented.

"Maybe," Cedric admitted. He glanced at the students for a moment. "So, who's your tailor and who is their dressmaker?"

"Ask again after the next task," Harry stated. "You and Fleur might get to meet them."

"Mister Potter!" The younger man flinched, but managed to get a dopey smile on his face before Minerva could round the table. "I've spoken with Sal."

"Who?" The woman's face twisted into a rather interesting expression at that, but she pressed on.

"You will be under my tutelage now."

"We don't know what you're talking about," Ron stated.

"Quite," Minerva said flatly. "Regardless, you will meet me at my office after dinner. I suggest you change."

"Any chance I can get in on this Professor?" Cedric asked. The woman studied him carefully for a long moment.

"This will not be pleasant Mister Diggory," Minerva stated.

"Neither was blowing myself up to save myself from a dragon,"

"Very well." The woman turned and stormed off.

"Uh, Cedric?" Harry began. "You do know that this is probably going to be at least partially punitive, right?"

"Bleed in training, rather than war," Cedric commented, "right?"

"Magic lets you do a lot worse things than bleed in training," Harry stated, absently rubbing the scar across his forehead.

"That is disturbingly obtuse," Cedric said.

"After tonight it will probably just be disturbing," Luna replied.

"So, this is what regret feels like."

"You don't know regret until your first broken bone," Hermione stated wistfully.

"Broken bone?" Ron asked incredulously. "That's all it took you? I didn't know regret until I was trying to pinch my jugular shut long enough for Sal and Harry to heal that laceration." Cedric stared at the group in abject horror.

"Oh. . .no. I'm super sure this is regret."

"To be fair," Harry commented, "that was an accident."

"Also, you do know that you aren't wearing your glasses, right?" Cedric asked. The entire group froze and turned to the last Potter.

"Uh. . ." the man grunted. After a moment he just shrugged and picked his fork back up. "Eh, fuck it. Whatever."

"Amalie is right," Hermione commented. "We are really not great at some things."

(:ii:)

Harry glanced at his friends for a moment before he knocked on the door in front of them. "Come in!" Harry pushed open the door and stepped into what awaited them all. That turned out to be Minerva's office with all the furniture pushed up against the walls.

"You're early," Minerva commented.

"Why put off what you can do today till tomorrow," Hermione stated as the group filtered into the room.

"I was also going to try to get to the infirmary after this," Harry admitted. "If we finish in time."

"You might be going there no matter how long this takes Mister Potter," Minerva stated.

"Uh. . ." Cedric managed as he shut the door behind them. "Definitely regret."

"Not too late," Minerva offered.

"My pride says it is," Cedric said.

"Pride?" Harry asked. "That'll get you killed."

"It will," Minerva admitted. "So, I've cast several dueling spells on this room and I can tell you that all spells have been rendered non-fatal, except for the killing curs, which I rather hope none of you would attempt."

"I feel like those are spells we should have known about," Ron commented.

"Sal does use them," Minerva admitted. "He probably didn't tell you because he believes you wouldn't have tried hard enough."

"Who?" Hermione asked out of habit. Minerva let out an annoyed sigh.

"Now, I'd like to begin by assessing your skills," she stated.

"So, do you have practice dummies or something?" Harry asked.

"Oh, no. I thought I would assess you by having you duel me," Minerva stated.

"That makes sense," Hermione admitted. "So, who goes first?"

"I think it will be more efficient if all of you attack me at once," Minerva answered.

"That's a horrible idea," Harry stated. Despite his words, the other students began to drift into positions where they could catch the professor in their cross fire without hitting each other. Ron's off hand flashed through a few signs and Harry moved a little to his left.

"I think I'll be just fine," Minerva stated. "When you're ready Mister Potter," Minerva stated.

"Cedric?" Harry asked, never taking his eyes off the older woman.

"Yeah?"

"That desk is heavily warded, you should. . ." he trailed off as the Hufflepuff champion dove behind the piece of furniture. "Alright then. Smart man."

(:ii:)

"You're pretty good," Minerva commented. "Very aggressive and almost no hesitation. You can't teach that. Your choices in spells is rather basic, but with your speed and teamwork, you manage to make the most of what you have."

"Didn't help much," Harry grunted as his wand danced over a laceration on Hermione's shoulder. "There." The bushy-haired witch nodded her thanks and pulled the collar her robes up.

"You're quite skilled," Minerva said approvingly.

"I'm quite skilled at the basics," Harry corrected. "I get enough practice with the students running around here." Minerva chuckled at how much the young man sounded like his mentor. "Anyway, Madame Pomphrey is an artist who can heal non-magical injuries without leaving a scar."

"She was healing before your parents were born," Minerva countered. "Anyway, as I just demonstrated, Sal is a hammer. In the proper situation, he is a master of his craft and capable of doing things that no one else can. Outside of that specific situation, he is not nearly as effective."

"You can arrange the situation," Ron stated.

"Not always," Minerva said calmly. "If you can surprise someone, then someone can surprise you. I don't care how much you train yourself in situational awareness. The human mind has limits and you cannot afford to pretend that it does not. You all have an advantage because of each other, but someday you will be alone."

"We know that," Hermione stated. "In an ambush, if you're close enough to curse them, then they are close enough to curse you. That's just common sense."

"It is?" Cedric asked. The lone Hufflepuff was rather pale and shaky as he sat on Minerva's desk.

"Well, it is to us," Luna said happily.

"I'm sure it is to you and I'm sure Sal has trained you to immediately blast away to break through the ambush or fall back," Minerva said. "Correct?"

"Yeah," Ron grunted.

"And in a situation where you can't just blast away?" Minerva asked, "or, what if your opponent is capable of defending themselves against your rather simplistic choice in spells? You need more variety in your repertoires."

"Variety leads to options, options lead to choice, choice leads to hesitation," Harry argue automatically.

"You're thinking like a hammer Mister Potter," Minerva stated. "You have more tools available to you that would be more appropriate to different situations. I don't plan to try to cram all the spells in the world into your head. I am only going to give you enough tools to handle the most common situations you may find yourself in. Hopefully, all of you will be able to recognize the situation and instantly respond with the correct spells and tactics." The professor met each of their eyes in turn. "I will give you a week to think about that and recover. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must begin my rounds. Good evening."

"Good evening Professor," the students chorused. Minerva stepped out of the room, closed the door behind herself and almost immediately collapsed against Poppy.

"Ow."

"I see you enacted your brilliant plan," Poppy stated as she began dragging the Transfiguration Professor towards an abandoned class room they had set up ahead of time.

"It was the only way," Minerva grumbled. "I needed to demonstrate that they needed my tutelage. I needed to dominate them, to beat them in a way that they could not possibly mistake it for a fluke."

"And you had to do that by taking them all on at once," Poppy growled as she kicked the door shut behind them.

"They are a pack," Minerva explained as she collapsed into a soft chair. "They think like one, they move like one and they fight like one. I had to fight them as one. Now if we can stop arguing about what is done, I think my wrist is broken."

"You'll live for the moment," Poppy stated archly as she pulled away Minerva's thick cloak. Underneath the heavy article of clothing, Minerva's robes was torn and stained with blood. Poppy's wand began moving in the swift, short gestures on a diagnostic spell.

"Well, your wrist is fine," she stated.

"Really?" Minerva asked as she stared down at the swollen appendage. "It's quite painful. I really thought it was broken."

"Nope! Your wrist is fine," Poppy stated. "Your radius, however, is fractured in three places. Ulna in two, four ribs, rotator cup tear, pulled groin muscle, numerous lacerations. . ."

"I get it," Minerva interrupted.

". . .shrapnel in your back," Poppy continued.

"I get it," Minerva growled. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, this is rather unpleasant and we can discuss the extent of my injuries after I am healed."

"Of course," Poppy stated as her wand began to dance again.

"Perhaps I could have something for the pain?"

"Of course," Poppy replied as she flipped open the bag next to Minerva on the couch and didn't even bother looking in it. "Oh dear, I seem to have forgotten those potions."

"Healing is not my area of expertise, but aren't there a few spells?" Minerva asked.

"Oh, sorry. I'm much too busy healing you to cast such luxuries," Poppy said. Minerva let out a long sigh and struggled to find some position that was comfortable. She had a feeling this would take a while.

"I really should have seen this coming."

"You should have," Poppy agreed. "Maybe if you had put a little more thought into planning before running off to get in trouble."

"Oh good, a lecture."

"You're in luck," Poppy stated. "I'm very good at this lecture. You can thank Potter and his friends for that. They've given me lots of practice."

(:ii:)

"Thoughts?" Harry asked.

"That sucked," Ron stated as he stretched, trying to loosen out muscles that Minerva had left paralyzed.

"She's good," Hermione added. "That was our best and we were beaten into the ground."

"That was our best magical," Harry corrected. "We still have a few tricks."

"I saw you," Luna chirped. "You tried to feint and get within arms reach. You ended up bouncing off two walls."

"Cheating Harry?" Cedric asked. He had managed to get a bit of his color back after witnessing the battle.

"Nobody said I couldn't try to tackle her," Harry grumbled.

"She did," Luna said, "with a spell!"

"Stop pouting Harry, your pride is showing," Hermione stated as she rolled her shoulder and slipped a hand into her collar to see if the wound had reopened. "Say, what you want, we need her. Purebloods hate muggle methods. She fights exactly like they do and if we take away nothing more than the experience, it's worth the pain."

"That was not how purebloods fight," Ron said. "Purebloods duel. That was a brawl."

"What do Death Eaters do?" Harry asked.

"Target civilians mostly," Cedric stated, "kill, torment and run for their lives before anybody scary shows up." They all turned to look at him. "I'm a little older, I remember more. Death Eaters prided themselves as pureblood soldiers, but they were just terrorists. They had a few fanatical members who were powerful and the Dark Lord was on a completely different level from normal wizards and witches, but the rank and file were no better or worse just more monstrous. They started with the muggles, muggle born and half bloods. The Ministry was slow to respond, but then the fanatics started attacking high profile targets including pure blood families and Ministry employees and the muggle government started to question some of the unnatural deaths they had seen."

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"The Ministry set up something called the Special Purpose Investigation Executive," Cedric answered. He glanced at Hermione. "Don't bother checking on it, the records were wiped after the war."

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"To protect the members from retaliation," Cedric stated. "There were a few high-profile members, but most of them were never identified."

"I never heard of them," Ron commented.

"Yeah," Cedric drawled. "They were charged with scouring the isles and; if they failed, to burn the isles to the ground and deny the Death Eaters victory."

"We should try to find a few of them," Harry commented. "They sound like they could teach us."

"I knew you were going to say that," Cedric said, "but it still worries me. Anyway, one of them is teaching defense at this school and you've been receiving private lessons from another."

"Ah," Ron said. "We should have figured Sal was a part of that when you mentioned burning a country to the ground."

"Yeah," Cedric repeated. "Anyway, the Death Eaters tried to go back to attacking muggles, muggle born and half bloods. Seeing as how you know Mad Eye and Sal, you probably already know that once you've turned them loose, you don't stop them." He glanced at Harry. "Somehow, the Dark Lord's need to destroy you distracted him from the war and kept him out of a lot of the fighting."

"How do you know this much?" Ron asked. "My dad is a Ministry employee too and I've never heard about it."

"My dad was a paper pusher for SPIE during the war," Cedric said.

"And?" Hermione pressed.

"You think a bunch of spell slingers are going to meticulously go through their own records and destroy every mention of themselves?" Cedric asked. "Death Eaters in the Ministry unmasked him after the war. Nothing ever happened because everyone realized that the most dangerous men on the side of the law owed him." He glanced at the group. "It's good to have friends."

"You think I don't know that?" Harry asked after he finished chuckling.

"No, I knew you did," Cedric admitted. "On, that topic, I told everyone in Hufflepuff that you helped me. You are always welcome in our house, all of you, and everything we have is at your disposal. Till your death and beyond, the lineage of your families will have Hufflepuff support."

"I'm really starting to feel that Hagrid undersold me on Hufflepuff," Harry admitted.

"All non-Hufflepuffs do," Cedric stated. "Welcome to the family. Till death doesn't do us part."

"Catchy," Ron commented. "You should put that on your logo."

"It is," Cedric stated, "on the private one that no one except us and our allies see."

"Oh."

-End

(:ii:)

Author's drunken rambles. Heyo! It's your favorite essential worker uncle, back at you with some updates. And wow are we fucked! I mean we being America and a few other countries. Your country might be behaving like adults. Or your country is burning down telephone poles because 5G causes Corona. That's how you know that America was "settled" by people from what is currently the UK. We're all fucking dumb.

Also, as with most protests in America, there is nothing quite like watching a bunch of white, probably middle-class, certainly Christian men complain about being oppressed. Being told to wear a mask is the epitome of oppression to these people. And these are the people complaining about how America has gotten soft. These candy asses.

In my parent's day, the government showed up to schools and stuffed a sugar cube into kids' mouths and that's how we beat polio. What did the parents say? Were they against vaccines? According to the government, the parents could go fuck themselves. Polio was going to get its ass kicked and the government didn't give a shit what the parents had to say. They were too busy saving generations of Americans from living in wheel chairs.

You know, every once in a while, I really do wish that military service was compulsory in America. We could at least beat these "patriotic manly-man" bitches into a shape that vaguely resembled actual, functional citizens of this great country that I dutifully served. Then they wouldn't have to talk about how they were "totally going to join the military but. . .".

Then I think about the irreparable damage that would be done to the US military by having to accommodate these weak ass cowards.

Maybe something like the New Deal. Where Americans were put back to work building roads and other public works. That probably wouldn't work because all these people protesting and holding up signs saying "let us work!" probably would refuse to do that "low class" work. Really, you want to work? Come to Delaware. The slaughter houses down south are always hiring and they'll pay you cold hard cash at a minimum wage.

What? Are you too good to kill chickens for eight hours a day for cash? I guess you don't actually want to work.

Whoa. Went a little hard there. Maybe I'm a little bitter because of all the people who responded to the Occupy movement by asked why protesters didn't go work for McDonalds. I kind of feel like most of these anti-Corona protesters are the same people saying that shit.

Also, guns!

Americans are buying all the guns again. We do this whenever shit goes down.

Gun owners are screaming about how the liberals are so stupid and hypocritical that the moment they're scared, they buy guns!

Maybe I didn't get my issued liberal-radar when I bought my first gun, but I don't see any "liberals" in the pictures of bearded, pot bellied, camouflage wearing men standing in lines outside of gun shops.

Also, maybe you shouldn't insult new members of your little clique. Somebody just went out an bought their first gun and your response is to call them an idiot for not already owning a gun? Sure. Welcome to the club and go fuck yourself you stupid liberal! Wait, where are you going?

Just remember, Americans support gun control because they're brain washed sheep, not because the vocal minority of gun owners are constantly insulting non gun owners instead of encouraging them to become gun owners and welcoming them.

Shit.

Fuck all that.

I love you and you know I do. Take care of yourselves and by extension take care of your families. Wash your hands, don't touch your faces and stay home.

Corona won't kill humanity, but it will kill too many of us if we don't put in a minimal effort.

Fuck you. Love you.

Good night and take care of yourselves!

Your loving Uncle Jack.