I love it when a plan comes together

The rest of the week went by quietly for Harry. He had never spent so much time in his Common Room or the library since September. Sometimes he was feeling on the verge of having a panic attack. Though he had learned a lot under Salazar's guidance and had made much progress in mastering wandless nonverbal magic, he didn't know if it would be enough. In class he was often finding himself reciting in his head all the spells he had learned over the past few months. It reminded him of the days that had preceded the Third Task during the Triwizard Tournament.

Also, there was still a detail to deal with. How would he leave Hogwarts? He would need to travel a lot through England and he couldn't Apparate. Even without the Ministry's restriction, he just didn't master this Magic enough to use it confidently. Besides, he realised that apart from the area around Hogwarts, London or the Burrows, he didn't know any place in England.

Therefore, Apparating was out of the question. What was left? Transfiguring his basilisk? That could help although Harry didn't consider it as a reliable option. If he had to get off somewhere fast it would take too much time with the condition his Transfiguration had to be successful. Well, there was no other option. He needed to get his Firebolt back. He had seen it locked with Fred and George's broomsticks in Umbridge's office. She was keeping them out on purpose. And the most humiliating part was that the lock wasn't even magical. Like her inspection, it was a power play. She didn't need to keep them safe. She was in control and her authority was unchallenged.

By Monday morning he had a plan set up. He would sneak into the park after curfew and summon his Firebolt from here. He had done it already, he could do it again. Then he would take the passageway under the Whomping Willow. Once he'll be in Hogsmeade, Disillusionment Charm and off he'll go. He didn't know where he would go, just that he would have to avoid the magical places. And in case, he still had his Invisibility Cloak.

As he arrived in the Great Hall for breakfast, he noticed Ron and Hermione sitting together on the far end of the Gryffindor table. But when he approached them, they stood up and left.

'Wait,' said Harry as he caught up with them.

'Why?' Replied Hermione with a tired voice. 'Has something changed or you're still decided to ignore us?'

'I need to talk to you both,' said Harry without answering her remark.

Ron grabbed Hermione by the arm and they started to head toward their DADA Class.

'It's important,' begged Harry.

Something in his voice made his friends hesitate. They looked at him suspiciously.

'What is it, then?' Asked Ron looking impatient.

'Not here,' said Harry. 'Follow me.'

He chose an empty classroom and locked the door behind him. They still had a good thirty minutes before class, he would have the time.

'Why so secret?' Asked Hermione, frowning. 'We can't talk outside of Gryffindor's Common Room. If Umbridge finds out…'

'There are much more dangerous things than detention with Umbridge, however horrible it is,' replied Harry while showing her his hand. The scar had finally become white and the words were now unreadable. But white lines were still marking the skin.

Ron sighed and sat on a table.

'All right, go on.'

Harry pulled the parchment he had been working on since last week. Well… it was a simple parchment anymore. It was a combination of notes and pieces of scrolls assembled together to form a document regrouping everything Harry knew about the most useful spells, jinxes and enchantments. For each of them there was a description, the spell in itself and the most suitable wand movements. He had also annotated them with the best use cases. He had then regrouped a list of interesting books, the same Salazar had recommended, and the indications to get to the Room of Requirements.

Hermione went rapidly through the document, her eyes widening at each page. It was maybe one of the most complete works on Defense Against Dark Arts she had ever seen. And it wasn't theoretical at all. Everything in it had been designed to be available for practise immediately. Harry had also added advices and a draft of a step-by-step method to master wandless non verbal magic as fast as possible.

Once she turned the last page, she saw the Marauders Map and froze. Ron saw it too and raised his gaze on Harry.

'You're leaving….' Whispered Hermione. 'Harry this is madness!' Her eyes were filled with tears.

'I am leaving, yes,' replied Harry. 'Because it is the best choice.'

'Rubbish!' Shouted Ron. 'I don't know what's happening but why don't you go see Dumbledore about it?'

'Because Dumbledore can't do what I have to do!' Replied Harry in the same tone. He sighed. 'There is… a Prophecy. A Prophecy about Voldemort and I that set Him on motion fifteen years ago. This is why I have the scar. This is why I can have visions about his plans.' He paused for a few seconds. 'This is why only I can face him and hope to destroy him.'

'This is what you're going to do?' Hermione was shocked about Harry's revelation. 'Face him?'

'Not directly. There is something I have to do before.'

'Then let us help you!' Exclaimed Ron.

'I can't, not this time. You don't understand. This kind of magic… There is nothing darker than this! I can't tell you and you can't help me"'

'Then don't tell us,' said Hermione, refraining a sob. 'But let us come with you, please Harry!'

'No.' The tone was firm. 'I will need you there.' He looked at both of his friends with a grave expression. 'Once he will guess what I am up to, he will come here at Hogwarts to look for me. You know as well as me that war is coming. His first target will be Hogwarts. And given the state in which the Ministry is, you're going to have to rely on yourself.' He turned his gaze towards Ron. 'This is why I can't tell Dumbledore. Because if I do, he'll come help me. But we can't afford to have him away from the school. He has to stay there.'

He pointed at the document in Hermione's hand.

'But there is something you can do. If you really want to help, you have to be ready.'

Hermione looked at the parchments again. She couldn't believe what was happening. But Harry had never looked so determined.

'When you'll be gone,' said Ron, 'they'll look for you.' He sounded resigned.

'We won't tell them anything,' whispered Hermione with a crisped face. The tears were now rolling free on her face. 'This is so unfair…' Her hands were griping the parchments like it was the most precious document in the world. She raised her bright eyes on Harry. 'I knew that one day, something like this would happen. I was just hoping that we could just finish Hogwarts before. I wish we could have remained carefree a little bit longer.'

Harry gently took her hands while Ron was taking the documents. There was nothing to add.

Hermione still had puffy eyes when they sat in the classroom. Umbridge arrived and without a word they all opened their book at the chapter they had to read today.

'Chapter Thirty-four: Non-Retaliation and Negociation'

Harry couldn't refrain a small chuckle as he pictured himself trying to negotiate the authorization to destroy his Horcruxes with Voldemort. He would be dead before he could pronounce a single word. There was no Negociation possible when it came to the Darkest Arts.

Sometimes tiny details, that we may not consider important on the moment, can lead to inextricable situations where we may curse ourselves. We might take the time to craft the best plan as possible, and all it takes is not even a miscalculation, but something as simple as a bag laying a few inches away from where it should stand. And a particularly nervous employee whose Ministry's power is starting to be heavily doubted.

'Mr Potter,' Umbridge said with her threatening silky voice. Harry first thought she had noticed his chuckle, but when she saw her eyes fixated on his bag, his heart sank deeply in his chest.

'Why is your bag sticking out of your desk?' She looked like a toad who had located a fly.

'I am sorry, Professor,' replied Harry quickly, trying to pull his bag out of the way. 'I'll be more careful next time.'

'Will you?' She approached his place with the slowness of a confident predator. 'I'd rather make sure of that if you don't mind.'

'Do you want me to hang it at the back of the room?' Asked Harry with a dry voice.

'I see that those manners are starting to imprint themselves in your little head, Potter,' she smiled. Harry could hear the distant chuckles of the Slytherins. 'But before, I would like you to open it for me.'

Harry was frozen.

'But Madam this against the school rule!' Said a student from the other side of the class.

Harry turned toward him and recognized William Sinclar who was looking at the same time irritated and outraged.

'Then that means you haven't read the new decree that was hung on the board this morning,' replied Umbridge with a growing smile. 'Any competent authority has the authorization to conduct a thorough search of any possession deemed suspicious.'

'Harry's bag is not any more suspicious than any other bag in this room,' retorted Sinclar. Clearly, he knew that being a Slytherin gave him a certain immunity.

'Then I don't see why Mr. Potter would refuse to open it.' Harry could hear her sadism point in her voice. 'Now sit-down Mr. Sinclar. As for you Mr. Potter, bring your bag on my desk and open it. I won't repeat my self.'

Harry's mind was blank. If she saw the basilisk it would be the end of him. And probably of the snake too. His heart was beating so hard in his chest as he was slowly standing up to join Umbridge at her desk. Maybe he could throw up on it, pretend he was sick and go to the Infirmary.

He had reached the middle of the room and suddenly he understood that he had crossed the point of non return. He had to get out of the school. Now. He had the element of surprise on his side. He stopped and breathed deeply.

'Well, Mr Potter? We do not have the whole hour.'

Harry raised his hand and all the copies of "Defensive Magical Theory" by Wilbert Slinkhard lifted a few feet above the students desk.

'Potter what are you… ?'

'Oppugno!' Shouted Harry. All the books swooped down on her and she just had the time to hide behind her desk to avoid them.

But Harry was moving fast, all the reflexes he had developed through his life to ensure his survival were kicking in. He clenched his hand. A giant fist materialized in front of him and he threw it with all his force against the Professor's desk which was propelled, with the teacher behind, against the wall. In the meantime he had pulled his wand out and he pointed it toward the door leading to Umbridge's office.

'Bombarda Maxima!' He shouted again.

He didn't wait for the door to burst open and slashed the air with his wand in the direction of the windows which exploded under the impact. He rushed toward them while raising his hand. His Firebolt had answered his call. As he was about to catch it, he felt a rope encircle his arm so tightly he thought he was about to lose it. From the wood rubbles of her desk, Umbridge had emerged with a ferocious look, wand out. He plunged his eyes in hers and grabbed the rope with the hand of his trapped arm. The rope turned into a snake and Umbridge's eyes widened in horror.

'Attack!' Hissed Harry as loudly as possible.

At the very last second she made it disappear, and then pointed her wand at the window again, but Harry was nowhere to seen. She rushed towards it and when she saw him, he already was a small black spot in the sky.