AN: This is the second of two updates. This one has a bit of action in it, so I hope it was written well enough.
Chapter 14
The day after Amelia was named Minister of Magic, Harry and Minerva went to the Burrow for lunch to talk with Molly and Arthur. When they arrived, the couple was waiting for them in the kitchen, a meal set out on the table. Molly got up and pulled Harry into a tight hug, one that he received gratefully. As she pulled back, he saw the tears in her eyes.
"I'm so sorry we didn't do more to help you. We should have taken you in as soon we realized those people weren't taking proper care of you," she said, pain and regret heard clearly in her voice.
"It's not your fault Mrs. Weasley and there wasn't much you could do," he replied. "Besides, I know how hard you tried to convince Dumbledore to get me out of there earlier every single summer, but he didn't listen. That's on him, not you."
"When did you get so wise all of a sudden?" she asked jokingly, wiping the tears from her face.
Harry laughed. "I spent too much time around Minerva."
"Yes, she tends to have that effect on people." She laughed with him as they walked over to the table to sit down.
Minerva and Arthur greeted Molly and Harry respectively once they reached the table before all four of them sat down to eat.
"I'm sure you can already guess, but we've spent quite a bit of time thinking and have come to the realization that Dumbledore does not have your best interests at heart, Harry. He treats you like a weapon instead of a person, and I will no longer sit by and let it happen," Molly said after a moment of silence.
"Me either," Arthur confirmed. "His obsessive need to control you is concerning. In fact, he has an obsessive need to control this war and how it proceeds. He doesn't seem to be fighting this war effectively and his actions in the last one failed to prevent more innocent lives from being lost."
"I lost two of my brothers during the last war and now I can't help but think that Dumbledore could have prevented that," Molly added. "So, whatever you two have planned, we want in. We will no longer support that man."
"Thank you," Harry and Minerva replied gratefully. They looked at each other before beginning to tell Arthur and Molly about what they had been working on. Harry made sure to accept responsibility for her children hiding the fact that they had been training, but they were quick to forgive him. Though neither wanted any of their children to have to fight in the war, they realized they wouldn't be able to stop them from supporting Harry, not after everything he done for their family. At least they were being taught by some of the best witches and wizards in the country.
After making sure both of them knew Occlumency, they informed them about the horcruxes and Operation TOMB. Molly cried hard when she figured out that Dumbledore had planned on using Harry as a sacrifice, pulling him into another tight hug.
"I can't believe he tried to throw your life away like that. As if it means nothing," Molly cried.
"And to think you spent almost your whole life with a piece of that monster inside of you and he did nothing to get rid of it," Arthur said, his tone icy.
"I was upset as well when I became aware of that," Minerva remarked, a hint of anger in her tone.
"At least now I have a way to get it out of me," Harry said placatingly.
"Yes, thanks to Samena," Minerva said.
"Is there anything we can do to help at the moment?" Molly asked once she'd calmed down some.
"Amelia asked if you would meet with her today about helping her in the Ministry, Arthur," Minerva noted, having been told to pass the message earlier today.
"And you can come over to the manor anytime Mrs. Weasley. I'm sure there's plenty you can help us with there," Harry suggested. "In fact, Charlie's told me that you're really good at healing magic. We already have Poppy helping us, but we could always use more help. And Susan seems to have an affinity for it as well. You could teach her what you know."
Both agreed to their suggestions, grateful to have something useful to do. Harry and Minerva made sure to tell them not to quit the Order until after Dumbledore was ousted as headmaster before they left. The Hoods had decided it was best for all still in the Order except Tonks to wait until then to resign to avoid rousing anymore suspicion than necessary. Tonks quit ahead of them since Dumbledore had already seen her with Harry at the Wizengamot meeting. She had been quite satisfied after sending off the letter with her resignation from the Order to him.
- H.M. –
While Harry and Minerva had their meeting, Fleur was having a long overdue talk with Bill. She met with him for lunch in a muggle restaurant in the middle of London. They were getting their food to go so they could talk somewhere private. Once they had both given their orders, Fleur broached the subject they'd been avoiding for the past few weeks.
"Bill, zere is somezing I need to tell you and I ask zat you give me a chance to explain before you make any decisions," she said.
"If you're trying to tell me you want to see other people, please don't. I promise I'll talk to my mother and get her to stop badmouthing you and start respecting you. I've even gotten us an apartment where we can live instead to give us some privacy," Bill pleaded. When she'd first moved out of the Burrow, he'd thought she needed some time to herself. But after a few weeks went by and she hadn't returned, he started to get worried that she was going to leave him. They had seen each other of course, but not as much as they used to.
"Zat is not what zis is about," she stated. "Zough we do need to 'ave a talk with your mother about 'er problems wiz me. I need to apologize to 'er for my behavior as well."
"It's not? Then what is this about? Why haven't you come back yet and where have you been staying?" Bill asked suspiciously.
There was a pause in their conversation as they received their food. Bill led them to a secluded area in the nearby park, warding it off before they sat down. Fleur had spread the blanket out for them to sit on, their food placed in between them as they sat across from each other.
She took a deep breath before she began explaining her problems with Dumbledore and Tonks proposition to her. Then she told him about Harry's talk with her and the others and her decision to help him. Remembering Tonks's warning, she didn't talk about any of their plans just yet, waiting until she knew his reaction first. She also didn't mention any of the others that were at the meeting or part of the Hoods by name.
"Zen he offered a room in his manor, so I decided to stay zere," Fleur concluded. "I didn't mean to stay so long, but I 'ave been very busy 'elping 'im and wiz work."
Bill sat back, unsure about what to do. He didn't understand why she had a problem with the headmaster. After all, he was the leader of the Light and the one who stopped Grindelwald. He wasn't perfect, but he wouldn't intentionally hurt anyone. If Bill was honest with himself, he believed Harry was more of a problem than anyone else. After an uncomfortable silence, he finally spoke up. "You really believe him about Dumbledore and everything?"
Fleur replied back firmly and without hesitation. "I do."
"I… I need time to think about this." He paused for a moment "What else aren't you telling me?"
"I can't tell you until you make your decision. Zey are sensitive matters, I'm afraid."
"You aren't doing anything dangerous, are you?"
Fleur gave him a strange look. "It is a war, Bill. Danger is unavoidable."
"But that doesn't mean you have to fight in it."
"You didn't 'ave zis problem when I was part of ze Order?"
"Because Dumbledore was in charge then."
"What is zat supposed to mean?" Fleur's tone was dangerous, but Bill ignored the warning sign.
"I'm just saying you should be careful. Harry has a habit of getting people hurt or killed. Plus, he's still a kid with no real experience leading anyone. He doesn't know what he's doing."
"'ow could you say zat after 'e saved your sister and your fazer's lives?"
"Because he also put Ron in danger several times."
"Ron chose to 'elp 'im because zey are friends. And 'arry never went looking for trouble. 'e was always dragged into it."
"He's a trouble magnet and I don't trust him to keep you safe."
"I will not abandon 'im. Not after 'e saved my sister's life without any regard to 'is safety. Not when 'e was ze first person outside of my family to see me for who I am, and not as ze stereotypes of my race. 'e is my friend."
"What about me? I see you that way. And so what he helped your sister. She was never really in trouble anyway. Dumbledore made sure of that."
"Dumbledore did not!" Fleur leapt from to her feet in fury. "Your precious Dumbledore forgot zat ze Veela and ze Merpeople 'ave a treaty banning us from entering each ozers territory. During zat task, zey sabotaged me wiz ze grindylows and would have killed Gabby if 'arry 'adn't decided to save 'er too."
Bill stood up as well. "Dumbledore wouldn't have done that! Just like he didn't do anything to Harry!"
"Yes 'e did! You are just to blind to see it."
The two of them stood glaring at each other for several moments, too angry to talk. Then, Bill gave her a look of disappointment and shook his head at her. "I thought you were better than that, but I see I was wrong. You're just as enamored with Potter as everyone else is."
"I trust 'arry because 'e 'as earned it from me. It is you who refuses to see Dumbledore for who he really is. And I cannot be wiz someone who supports zat man. Not after ze zings he's done to 'arry in ze name of ze 'Greater Good'."
"Then go. You probably just want to be with him anyway but you're too afraid to admit it. I hope he doesn't get bored with you too soon."
Fleur stepped back in horror. "I thought you saw past the stereotypes, but I guess I was wrong as well. Goodbye William." Then she waved her wand, dispelling the wards around them, and walked away, leaving an angry wizard behind.
Tears fell down her face as she apparated away.
- H.M. –
When Harry, who was in the living room alone for once, saw Fleur's face as she walked into the door, he knew her talk hadn't gone well. He got up and met her in the hallway trying to think of something to say to try and comfort her. He didn't get a chance though because she threw herself into his arms before he could get out a word. He rubbed her back as she sobbed uncontrollably. They stood there for several minutes until Fleur had calmed down enough speak.
"I'm sorry 'arry," Fleur said as she pulled away, trying to wipe her face.
"Don't be," Harry replied as he conjured a handkerchief for her which she accepted gratefully. "I'm your friend. I'm supposed to help you when you're in distress."
"Zank you." Fleur finished wiping her face.
"What did he say?" Harry asked after giving her a few moments to regain her composure.
"Zat 'e believes Dumbledore can do no wrong and zat you're reckless and get people into trouble… or worse." When Fleur saw Harry's head drop a bit, she placed her finger under his chin to lift it back up. "'e is wrong 'arry. You 'ave spent much of your life trying to 'elp people. Ze chaos zat you get into is because of ze actions or inactions of others, not you. Even when you do run towards trouble, it is only because you feel like you 'ave no choice and couldn't live wiz yourself if you did nothing."
Harry gave a small chuckle. "You witches are determined to stop me from brooding, aren't you?"
"Yes, we are," Fleur smiled, though it was tinged with sadness.
Harry picked up on that. "What else did he say?"
"He… he got angry after I defended you and implied zat ze only reason I am supporting you is because I want to be with you. Zen he said, and I quote, 'I 'ope 'e doesn't get bored wiz you too soon', so I left him."
"I'm so sorry he said that to you. If he wasn't a Weasley I'd go hex him. Sadly, I can't, but I can promise that you'll always have a place here, no matter what. I stick up for my friends, even when it's difficult."
"Zank you, 'arry. Zat is why I will support you, no matter what anyone else says."
- H.M. –
After Fleur's argument with Bill, Molly and Arthur tried to sit their son down and convince him of Dumbledore's many faults. He wouldn't listen to them however, insisting that they were the ones who were blind to Harry's faults. In his mind, a man who had done so much for him and his family couldn't possibly have committed the actions they claimed he did. Especially not when Dumbledore was the one who helped him realize his dream to become a curse-breaker by getting him several coveted opportunities to train under some of the greats in the field. When he threatened to tell Dumbledore about their perceived betrayal, Arthur realized how much Dumbledore had groomed Bill to be his blind follower. He was forced to wipe the memory of the conversation from Bill's mind to preserve their secret.
Molly's heart was broken at losing another son, but she found comfort in being able to teach Susan about healing magic and helping the Hoods in general. It gave her a sense of purpose beyond anything she'd ever felt with the Order, reinforcing the belief that she and her family had made the right decision. Apologizing to Fleur for her harsh judgement based on unfair prejudices made her feel better too, especially since the witch apologized for her brash attitude in return. Their relationship was much better now that they'd gotten over their misunderstandings and found that they actually enjoyed being in each other's company.
Molly also kept busy with healing up any injuries the group sustained during training and helping Winky and Topsy in the kitchen whenever they let her. The three of them came to an agreement that Molly was allowed to make lunch everyday and dinner on Sundays. She was also allowed to help with the cooking on any celebrations or other special occasions.
All of the Weasleys, except Percy of course, apologized for Bill's words and actions, letting Fleur know that they didn't share his viewpoint. This was especially meaningful to her coming from Ginny, who had warmed up to the Veela over the past few weeks. The rest of the Hoods offered their support as well. George was especially kind to her, going out of his way to try and make her laugh as often as he could without overdoing it. Fleur appreciated all of their actions, feeling a bit better about the situation because of it.
Arthur was kept busy as well. When he met with Amelia, she offered to place him in charge of a special taskforce she was creating. Its job would be to minimize the impact the war had on the muggle world and to prevent the magical world's discovery. They would be in charge of cleaning and fixing up any damage caused by magical fights. They would have people out in the country monitoring things on the ground to give early warning of an attack in the muggle world. Whenever the aurors went on a planned attack, the taskforce would come along to minimize the damage and protect any potential witnesses, keeping them from noticing anything if possible and erasing the memories of those who saw anything. They would also help coordinate with the muggle leaders who knew about the magical world, keeping them informed about what was going on while the leaders would let them know of any issues or attacks suspected to be caused by magic. With Harry's help, Arthur was much more knowledgeable about the muggle world and its many intricacies, making him well-suited for the job. All of the work he had to do helped keep his mind from dwelling on his eldest son's betrayal of their family, though he was still very upset by it.
Both Molly and Arthur were fully accepted into the ranks of the Hoods and their measurements were sent to Jade so they could get their own uniform made. The others had already received theirs a few days ago, their codenames being added to them by Fleur for a small personal touch. Everyone was satisfied with them, liking how they fit each of them the way they wanted them too. Even Harry's had gotten an alteration so it better fit his frame.
- H.M. –
On Friday of that same week, a breakthrough in the search for the horcruxes was made. Hestia was able to discover the last known address of the Gaunt family, using the old articles and records David had provided her. She told those in the know about it and they all agreed it was a likely hiding place. So, on Saturday evening, Harry, Minerva, Hestia, Andromeda, Amelia, Tonks, and Samena apparated at the end of the street where the Gaunt shack was located. They approached slowly, with Hestia and Samena activating their Magical Reader and Aura Reader abilities respectively. The others continuously scanned their surroundings to look out for any sign of someone being there.
Once they reached the ward line, Hestia held up her hand to stop them. "If there isn't a horcrux hiding here, then I'm not a witch. He has this place warded up tightly."
"Will you be able to disassemble it?" Harry asked.
"I could, but that might alert Riddle to our presence since I'm not sure how connected he is to them," Hestia replied.
"You're going to create a hole in the wards then?" Samena guessed.
Hestia nodded. "I am, but it will take me a bit to do so."
"If you think it's the best way to go forward, then take all of the time you need," Amelia said, the others agreeing with her.
They all stood waiting and keeping guard as Hestia worked. It took her about twenty minutes to finish, but when she was done, she had a sizable hole in the wards that extended all the way to the front door.
"Alright, we'll need to go in single-file, but we can get in now," Hestia announced.
They moved forward, with Harry right behind Hestia and Andromeda bringing up the rear. Their line was tight as everyone made sure to follow the exact steps of the person in front of them. When they reached the door, Hestia scanned over it for any spells, finding none. She only had to push on it lightly for it to swing open.
"Guess he didn't see any need to lock his door," Harry remarked sarcastically as they walked inside, causing Tonks to snort.
"It's because he had too much faith in the wards ability to keep everyone out," Samena noted.
"He likely has protections over the area hiding the horcrux though," Minerva warned.
"Do you see anything?" Amelia asked Hestia.
Hestia scanned over the room with her ability, locking onto a spot under the floorboard in the far-left corner. "There's a high concentration of dark magic in that area. There's also a strange ward over it, but I'm not sure what it does exactly." She walked closer to get a better look, the others following behind her. "I think it's some type of persuasion or alluring ward."
Samena cautiously waved her wand over the area, coming to the same conclusion as Hestia. "I believe you are right. We must be very careful when opening it. If anyone starts to get any foreign or strange thoughts, back away as quickly as you can."
Once everyone voiced their agreement, Hestia began dismantling the wards she could while Harry pried open the floorboard with a transfigured crowbar. Inside was a small black box, like those used for jewelry. Cautiously, Hestia spelled open the lid, revealing the Gaunt family ring inside. They didn't have a chance to focus much attention on it however as they all were struck by a strong pulling sensation emanating from the ring. They fought hard to ignore it, but then it started whispering in their ears, promising them anything they desired. It preyed on their hidden fears and dreams, swearing that the ring would give them the power to overcome or achieve them. They tried to step back to escape the mental assault, but it was hard to do so, their feet uncooperative and heavy as stone.
"We have to get the ring into the box!" Andromeda shouted, referring to the magic sealing box Samena had given them to hold the horcruxes in.
"Easier said than done!" Tonks complained.
"Give it to me," Harry commanded clearly after a moment.
Minerva saw the determination in his eyes. "He can do it Samena. Give him the box." Samena did as she asked without question.
"Be careful not to touch it with your hands," Hestia warned.
Harry nodded in acknowledgement, conjuring a thick black cloth for protection. Then he released a deep breath before moving toward the ring. He took small steps to fight against the powerful urge to run forward. He tried to close off his mind from the whisperings as much as possible, ignoring the temptation they provided. When he was only a foot away, he was hit by a powerful wave of the wards magic and the urgent whispers turned into screams. It was impossible to ignore them, and Harry's knees buckled at their intensity. Images of him conquering Dumbledore and Voldemort began to flood his mind. Then they shifted, showing him with Minerva, together, both looking happier than he'd ever seen either of them. All the while, the screams told him that only the ring would help him achieve it.
When he felt he couldn't take it anymore, the voice inside of him, which sounded just like Minerva, reminded him who he was and what he was capable of. This gave him the strength to fight back. "No! I don't need or want your help!" he shouted as he reached out for the ring. Once he had it securely wrapped in the cloth, he placed it in the box and closed the lid firmly, locking it away.
Immediately, the dark, overbearing presence was gone, and everyone slumped down to the ground in relief.
"Well that was horrible," Tonks remarked after they'd all caught their breath.
"Good job, Harry," Hestia complemented. This was voiced by the others in quick succession.
"Four found, three more to go," Harry declared.
- H.M. –
On Monday the 12th, Harry, Minerva and Tonks, who was his guard for the day, left right after breakfast to go to the ICW headquarters. Harry had been very nervous about his NEWTs during their morning workouts, but the group as a whole were able to calm him down and reassure him that he was more than capable to pass the tests. Luna's advice to, "Just calm down and be yourself and you'll be fine," was especially helpful due to her seer abilities. Now he walked with a quiet confidence, ready to show all of the hard work he and Minerva had done in preparation for this.
They were greeted at the testing office by a man named Rupert Smith, Amelia's contact whom she had set up the appointment with.
"Welcome Mr. Potter, Professor McGonagall, and Auror Tonks," Rupert greeted once he took them back to his office, getting greetings in return.
"Thank you for setting this up anonymously for me," Harry said as he and the witches sat down in the chairs across from.
"You're welcome Mr. Potter, but it was no trouble at all. Amelia is a good friend of mine and I can definitely understand your need for secrecy," Rupert replied.
"Madame Bones asked me to send her regards. She wished she could have come, but being Minister of Magic has her very busy," Tonks stated.
"Yes, I can only imagine the mess Fudge left for her to clean up," Rupert joked.
"I believe calling it a mess is an understatement," Minerva remarked.
"Indeed, it is," Rupert agreed. "Now, are you ready to go Mr. Potter?"
"Please call me Harry and yes, I'm as ready as I can be thanks to Professor McGonagall," Harry answered.
"You definitely got lucky getting the internationally famous 'Mistress of Transfiguration' as your mentor. One who I know is extremely talented in not only that field, but Defense and Charms as well, with a mastery in the former," Rupert acknowledged admiringly.
"Thank you, Rupert, but Harry's talents lie more in his own innate ability. I was simply his guide," Minerva said humbly.
"Then he had an excellent guide," Rupert conceded. "As for the tests, I thought it'd be best if we do written sections for both first and the practical sections after lunch. I will be proctoring the written ones, but the practical ones will be proctored by two others. They have both taken oaths though, so your secrecy will not be compromised."
"Sounds good to me," Harry agreed.
"Then let's get started," Rupert declared. He led Harry to a small room with a few desks to sit at. Minerva and Tonks had to sit in the waiting room as they weren't allowed in the testing room for the written sections, though Rupert promised to let them watch the practical sections with him.
"Before we begin, I have one question. Where did you get that scar on your head from?" Rupert asked, referring to his most recent one.
Harry responded in a secretive tone, though they were the only ones in the room. "This obviously needs to stay between us for now, but let's just say I had a run-in with an infamous werewolf who is no longer alive. It was probably more due to luck than anything, though."
Rupert looked at Harry in shock, knowing exactly who he was referring to having seen the report of Greyback's death in the papers. "Now I'm even more excited to see what you can do during the practical tests." Getting over his shock quickly, he focused his attention back on the current exam. He explained the instructions and rules to Harry before handing out the first test and the other materials he would need.
Harry took the Transfiguration one first and the DADA one second, with a fifteen-minute break in between. He took his time answering the questions, making his responses as thorough as possible. Some of the questions were a bit difficult to understand since theory wasn't always his strong suit, but Minerva's preparation helped him to figure out what the questions were ultimately asking. During his break, he took time to organize and calm his thoughts, focusing only on the next test.
When he was finally finished with both, Rupert took them to restaurant nearby the office to avoid anyone recognizing them in the building's crowded lunchroom. There Harry had a light, but filling lunch to bolster him up for the next tests. As they ate Rupert let them know that Harry's tests were being graded as they speak so he would have his results before they left.
After they finished eating, they went back to the building, going to an area farther down the hallway then before. When they got to their destination, a witch and a wizard were waiting for them.
"Guys, this is Professor Khan and Sensei Tanaka. They will be the proctors for the Transfiguration and Defense tests respectively. Proctors, this is Professor McGonagall, Auror Tonks, and Mr. Potter," Rupert introduced as they all shook hands.
"It is nice to meet you, Mr. Potter," Professor Khan said. "I am eager to see how you perform today."
"As am I, Harry-san," Sensei Tanaka said.
"I can't wait either," Harry replied.
"The tests will be in the same order as before so whenever you're ready, you can get started. Tonks, Minerva and I will be watching from the viewing room," Rupert said. He and Tonks wished Harry luck as they started to walk away.
Minerva held Harry back for a moment. "Good luck, and don't hold back."
Harry nodded his head. "I won't."
With that, Harry followed the two proctors into the testing room. Sensei Tanaka sat to the side to wait her turn while Professor Khan led Harry to the center of the room. There was a table there that held several objects and a few creatures on it.
"As I'm sure you can guess, we will be using these for some of the transfigurations you will need to do," Professor Khan began. "For this test, I will simply ask you to do several types of transfigurations and you will perform them to the best of your abilities. Sound good?" Harry nodded in understanding and Professor Khan began the test.
As instructed, Harry was asked to perform many tasks progressing from simple to complicated. He gave it his all as he worked, being as creative as he could within the confines of the tasks' objectives. He used very little wand movements, able to do many of the transfigurations with a simple flick of his wand. Seeing how talented he was, Professor Khan gave him harder and harder tasks, trying to learn his limits. Harry had to use more wand movements for the more difficult spells, but he still performed admirably. The proctor was having fun watching someone with so much talent and went on for longer than the test stipulated.
As they watched Harry move through the test, Rupert turned to Minerva in the viewing room, his eyebrow raised. "Does he realize that what he's doing is complicated for some professors of the subject?"
"Probably not," Minerva admitted.
Back down in the testing room, Harry and Professor Khan were wrapping up.
"Is there any other relevant ability or talent you'd like to show me before we conclude?" Professor Khan asked.
"Would you like to see my animagus form?" Harry asked in response.
Once his proctor gave him the go ahead, he took a deep breath before transforming, a fierce grey wolf taking his place after a few seconds. Harry shook himself before beginning to show what he was capable of in this form. First, he changed size, showing how big and small he could get. Then he ran around the room, displaying how much control he had over his movements as he leaped and twisted over and under obstacles Professor Khan placed in his way.
"Very impressive, Mr. Potter. There aren't too many natural animagus around," Professor Khan exclaimed once they were finished.
"Thank you. I've only been an animagus since the 30th of last month, but I try and work on it every day," Harry replied.
"I can tell. Do you have any other surprises?"
Harry glanced at the viewing window, his gaze on Minerva to ask a silent question. When she nodded in reply, he turned back to Professor Khan. "Just two more." Then without warning, Harry conjured a ball of flame in his hand and proceeded to manipulate it into various shapes to show his control over it. Just when his proctor was getting over his surprise, Harry did the same thing with air. He even made it visible so everyone could see it and finished off with a small tornado in the palm of his hand.
"That's everything now," Harry remarked when he was finished.
"Amazing Mr. Potter. You seem to deserve all the fuss that's made about you, if not more," Professor Khan declared. "Now you can take a twenty-minute break before your next test." He turned to Sensei Tanaka who had walked over to them. "I hope you have as much fun during your turn as I just did."
Sensei Tanaka glanced at Harry curiously. "I'm sure I will."
Back in the viewing room, Rupert was trying to get over the shocks Harry's performance had delivered to his system. Tonks and Minerva however were filled with pride, happy to see how far he'd come. His performance only confirmed their belief that he would be able to defeat Voldemort for good when the time came.
"He's something else, isn't he?" Tonks noted when the man was silent for a few minutes.
"I can't believe he's only 16 and he's already that good," Rupert exclaimed. "And a double elemental at that."
"Yes, though I expect you to keep that fact quiet until he decides to reveal it to the world," Minerva said, a hint of warning in her tone
"Of course," Rupert agreed. "Though it does make me wonder if you are as gifted as he is. After all, I'm already aware that you are a natural animagus."
"Yes. Fire and Earth to be exact," Minerva replied after a bit of hesitation.
"He got the perfect mentor for him," Tonks remarked.
Rupert nodded in agreement. "Indeed, he did."
Meanwhile, Harry was catching his breath and refocusing his mind for the next test. When his break was over, Harry and Sensei Tanaka went back into the testing room while Professor Khan joined the others in the viewing room. The room configuration had changed from before. There were three targets set at increasing distances and a table with several strange stones on top of it. The rest of it was taken up by what looked like a large, artificial battlefield, complete with trees, buildings, and other features you would find in the real world.
Sensei Tanaka cleared her throat before speaking. "To begin, I want you to cast every offensive spell you know at the targets I've set up. You will have to hit each of the three targets with all of your spells. I will be checking your power, accuracy, and speed of casting. Also, to make sure I know what spell you're using, you will say them aloud. Understood?"
"Yes Sensei," Harry replied.
"Good, you may begin when ready."
Harry paused for a moment before beginning. It took him about fifteen minutes to get through his spell list. Sensei Tanaka was impressed at the amount of power he was able to put into each of them, especially since he'd just used so much magic earlier. His accuracy and speed were high as well, though she expected nothing less from someone who trained under Minerva. She was well aware of the formidable witch's reputation.
She tested his shields next, sending spells at him while he had to use the appropriate spell or tactic to defend against her. This went on for about five minutes before she stopped.
"Very good. Next I will check your knowledge of counter spells," Sensei Tanaka said as they walked over to the table. "Each of these 20 stones have a different dark curse upon them. You will have to identify the curse and cast the appropriate counter-spell to disable it. You will only get one chance, so pick your spells wisely. I will be timing you so you will start on my mark."
Once he was signaled to start, Harry got to work. He scanned over each stone carefully, thinking it through before deciding on a counter-spell to use. It took him another fifteen minutes to finish, with only a few giving him a difficult time.
Sensei Tanaka finished recording his scores before leading him over to the battlefield. "To finish your test, you will have to duel me. The only rules are these: no Unforgivables; no lethal intent; and no elements. Everything else goes. To make things even more interesting, you will have to travel through the battlefield to reach me first. I will be waiting for you in a courtyard in the middle it. On your journey, it will add in its own surprises and tests, so be prepared for that. To give you a boost, you will be allowed to take this energy potion once you reach the courtyard, but not before then. Any questions?"
"No. I'm ready when you are," Harry said excitedly.
"You go on the other end of the battlefield then. It will start as soon as you enter it."
Harry walked over to his starting point, taking a deep breath, stretching his muscles, and making sure his occlumency shields were in place. Then he stepped inside.
Not even five steps in and he already had to jump out of the way to avoid being blasted by an unknown spell heading for him. Then he saw a very realistic training dummy running toward him as more spells were thrown in his direction. He dodged out of the way of those as he returned fire. They dueled for a about a minute longer until he was able to blow it up with a well-placed Bombarda. He walked up to it and crouched down to examine it more closely. The dummy, unlike the ones at the Black manor, was very human-like, with two legs and two arms that had a large range of movement. It even had a face and hair on its head. If Harry didn't know that he and Sensei Tanaka were the only ones in the room, he could have mistaken it for a real person.
As he was examining it, the training dummy disappeared without warning, no trace of it left. Well this is gonna be fun, he thought as he stood up. Then he started moving forward again. He swiveled his head around constantly as he walked, staying aware of his surroundings now that he knew to be on guard for surprise attacks. He kept going until he reached a relatively tall building. He climbed up the ladder on its wall, wanting to get a better view of the battlefield.
Up there, he could see quite a bit of the area, yet he couldn't spot Sensei Tanaka anywhere. The battlefield reminded him of the ones depicted in war movies, with barricades and defense posts scattered around among the buildings. Before he got down, he took note of the location of the large courtyard where he would meet up with Sensei Tanaka.
Once back on the ground, Harry started moving forward again. His next surprise came as he was walking down a street lined with shops. As he passed by a seemingly empty coffee shop, he heard a cry for help. Confused, Harry stopped walking and turned his head to determine where the sound came from. His ears led him to look at the coffee shop. Cautiously, he walked inside of it.
The front was empty, but the sound seemed to come from the back. He peeked in the small round window of a door that led to the kitchen and almost burst into the room at what he saw. There were three men standing over a little boy, their wands pointed menacingly at him. Harry could hear them taunting the boy for being a muggle-born wizard.
It's just a simulation and they're only highly realistic training dummies, so calm down Harry, he said, self-placatingly. Still, Harry knew this was another test for him to pass, so he took a deep breath to think clearly. He looked around the room he was in to see if there was another entrance into the kitchen, spotting one that would bring him in behind the men. He quietly made his way over there, easing the door open to avoid making any noises. Before he could take them out though, one of them hit the little boy with a curse, causing him to double over in pain. Harry reacted quickly, pinning them all to the ceiling and summoning their wands from them. Then he knocked them unconscious as he knelt down by the boy's side.
Like he did with the stones earlier, Harry scanned over him, trying to determine which curse was used. After about two minutes of analysis, he determined it was a rare Japanese Organ-decaying Curse that slowly destroyed your organs from the inside-out. Thankfully, he had learned about it and its counter-spell from a book Samena let him read and he quickly applied it now. Once healed, the boy gave him a smile before disappearing, his attackers going with him.
Shaking his head, Harry stood up and walked out of the coffee shop to continue the test. For the next hour Harry made his way toward the courtyard, dealing with whatever obstacles crossed his path. He had to save a group of people from a building enflamed with cursed fire, though not Fiendfyre. He had to defend against another surprise attack with two opponents. He was ambushed by two Acromantulas and three Inferi, thankfully at separate times. He even had to ward off a group of five dementors, discovering that his Patronus had changed into a feline that looked suspiciously like Minerva's animagus form, something he planned on examining closer when he had more time.
Then, he finally reached the courtyard to see Sensei Tanaka standing about five meters away from him.
"Congratulations Mr. Potter," she greeted as he came to a stop. "Now you only have to face me. I'll give you a five-minute break, so take your potion and catch your breath. Then, we will duel."
Harry nodded, before sitting down on a nearby chair. He gulped down his potion and calmed his mind. When the break ended, he got back up and stood across from Sensei Tanaka. They bowed to each other formally before beginning.
Sensei Tanaka threw the first spell, a low-powered Bombarda to gauge his reaction time before the duel began in earnest. Their bodies moved fluidly as the duel progressed, neither gaining the upper hand at first as they learned each other's battle style. She was more of a tactical dueler, casting her spells accurately and efficiently, expending only as much energy as was necessary and no more. He on the other hand was unpredictable and used his environment to his advantage, Transfiguration playing a big part in his strategy. He was also accurate with his casting.
No words were heard as they battled, but there was plenty of noise from the debris they threw around and the buildings their missed spells hit. Twenty minutes into the duel, Harry started feeling the fatigue from his busy day, despite the potion he took. His casting slowed down a bit and he was having a harder time trying to avoid Sensei Tanaka's spells. Knowing he needed to end the duel soon before he ran out of energy to fight, he tried to devise a plan that would help him win. He darted behind a large barrier for a moment to catch his breath, fortifying it with a quick spell so it wouldn't be destroyed easily.
After a minute, he'd come up with something, though it was a bit risky. Well it's not like she's going to kill me if it doesn't work, Harry reasoned. Resolve strengthened, Harry looked around for objects to use for his plan, locking onto four medium-sized stones in front of a building ten meters away from him. Since it would require less energy to transfigure those, Harry decided to use them. He stood up and peaked around his barrier to find Sensei Tanaka. Then he sprinted from his position, dodging the spells she threw at him. He wasn't able to miss a cutting curse that hit his left arm, but he ignored the pain, focusing on his plan. Once at his destination, he released a thick smoke around him to obscure her vision as he executed his plan. He made one alteration to it, grabbing a smaller stone to carry with him.
For a minute nothing happened, arousing Sensei Tanaka's curiosity as she wondered what he was doing. Then, five grey wolves identical to Harry's animagus form leaped from the smoke and raced towards her. She cast spells at them, but they leaped and twisted out of the way to avoid them. Harry's transfigurations were so good that it was impossible to tell which one was the real him without magic. She tried to hit them with the animagus revealing spell, but they dodged her efforts.
As they got closer, they became a bit easier to hit them and she was able to stop two of them. Neither one was him though. The remaining three kept coming toward her, spreading out to circle around her as she continued to try and get her. When he got his chance, Harry separated from the other two, transfigured the stone he'd taken with him into another wolf. Then he transformed back into a wolf, shrinking down to the size of a pup. While she was distracted, he snuck up behind her, transforming back into a human when he was close enough. She spun around when she felt his presence, but it was too late. His wand was already in motion and before she realized what was happening, he had her bound up with ropes, her wand in his left hand.
Instead of being angry about it, Sensei Tanaka gave him a small smile. "Very good Harry-san, very good indeed.
Harry bowed humbly. "Thank you, Sensei. You are a very formidable opponent."
"As are you. Now if you would just untie me, we can go meet with the others."
Harry did as was asked and the two of them left the room. Those who had been in the viewing room were waiting outside in the hallway for them.
"That was incredible to watch, Harry. Absolutely brilliant," Rupert gushed as he walked over to shake Harry's hand energetically.
"Yes, you were truly a wonder to watch," Professor Khan agreed.
"Thank you," Harry replied, feeling good about how he did as well.
Minerva and Tonks were silent for the moment, though Harry could see their pride for him in their eyes. Once Rupert got over his excitement, he led the three visitors back to his office. Then Rupert the other proctors left to finish grading Harry's tests.
"See Harry, we told you there was nothing to worry about. You were bloody amazing in there," Tonks said. "We'll have to show everyone your duel in the pensieve when we get back."
"I agree," Minerva said before turning to Harry. "I'm very proud of your performance in there."
"I wouldn't have been able to do it if it weren't for your mentoring," Harry replied.
"I only guided you. It was due to your hard work, focus, and dedication that you have reached this level of proficiency. Whatever results you get, you have more than earned them," Minerva countered gently.
"I… thank you," Harry said, realizing she was trying to get him to accept her compliment.
"See, that wasn't so hard Harry," Tonks teased lightly.
They sat in the room for about ten minutes longer before the proctors returned.
"This sheet has the results of your tests for you to read over on your own," Rupert stated. "But I'll go ahead and skip over that and just tell you how you did. With full consensus from all of us, we have decided to declare you a master of both Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration."
Harry's mouth dropped open as he didn't expect that. Tonks was practically bouncing around in her seat from excitement. Minerva wasn't surprised though. She knew how much he deserved both masteries, having seen how much he'd grown over the past few years. He had already been talented when she started mentoring him, but now he was an incredible wizard with almost unmatched ability.
"You have far surpassed what is expected of someone at NEWT level. Your knowledge of theory and application of that theory, mentally and physically, in both subjects is at a master level," Professor Khan explained.
"Your ability to recognize a very obscure curse, known mainly in my homeland, was impressive and shows that you have studied the subject intensely. The fact that you were able to beat me, despite being fatigued, is outstanding and worthy of praise," Sensei Tanaka added.
"Therefore, we are proud to present you with masteries in both subjects. Congratulations Harry, you deserve it," Rupert concluded, handing Harry two pins and an ID card that would show his achievements, as well as his score sheets. Harry was so overwhelmed that he barely managed to say thank you.
He, Tonks, and Minerva left shortly after that, the latter two having to guide him as he was still in a daze. He didn't even notice Tonks send out a Patronus message as he was too wrapped up in his own thoughts.
- H.M. –
When they arrived back at the manor, they were greeted by a round of cheers with everyone shouting "Congratulations" to Harry. He wasn't surprised by it this time, having expected them to celebrate his test results.
"Thank you everyone," Harry said. "I really appreciate all of your support." Then he made his rounds around the room, thanking each of them individually and accepting their compliments in return. The witches pulled him into warm hugs while the wizards shook his hand and patted him on the back. Then he was led into the kitchen where a veritable feast was spread out on the table, many of his favorite foods and desserts there. Everyone sat down at the table to celebrate, even the house-elves.
When the food was eaten, Harry was given a large box to open.
"What's all of this?" Harry asked curiously, not having expected them to get him anything.
"It's just a few things to help you out now that you're going to be a professor. We all chipped in together to get them," Andromeda said.
Harry opened up the box to find an assortment of things inside. There was a dark tan satchel with expanded pockets, picture frames with images of his parents, Sirius, and the whole group, a professional stationary set, tools for grading schoolwork, and a few other items to decorate his office and classroom with.
"Wow, thank you," he said.
"You're also going on a shopping trip for a new wardrobe," Hermione informed him.
"Uh… I am?" Harry asked warily.
"Of course, you are! After all, you have to get a new wardrobe for your professor look," Tonks exclaimed. She sounded a bit too excited to Harry.
"Good luck with that one mate," Ron remarked, laughing under his breath with Neville and the twins. Even Charlie and Matthew felt bad for the wizard, knowing how women could get when it comes to shopping.
"Don't worry Harry, we'll make sure you have fun," Ginny placated.
"And I won't let Tonks get carried away," Hermione promised.
"If you say so," Harry muttered. He still wasn't too hopeful about that, but realized he wasn't going to get out of it.
Shortly after that, everyone either went home or too their rooms for bed. Harry was so tired, that after taking a quick shower, he fell asleep seconds after his head hit the pillow.
AN: I will not be adding anyone else to the Hoods. There will be people who will help them, but not be part of the group. Also, I apologize to those who like Bill as a character. I do to, but for this story, he won't be the good guy.
League of Hoods Members:
Harry – Alpha
Minerva – Lioness
Hermione – Scholar
Tonks – Shifter
Andromeda – Barrister
Amelia – Monarch
Hestia – Sleuth
Fleur – Aphrodite
Luna – Oracle
Ron – Tactician
Neville – Terran (means earth)
Fred – Thing 1
George – Thing 2
Ginny – Firecracker
Charlie – Bear
Samena – Mystique
Matthew – Eagle
Arthur – Humphrey (means calm)
Molly – Matron
