A.N. For those of you who didn't know, Harry does get days off, but he can't leave Hogwarts. Oh, and Harry wasn't the only person who got a Blackie. Max, and Sean's parents did too. And I would like to thank Blood Sweat and Tears, No Reply, and Tadariada for helping me when I got writers' block. I hope that you enjoy this chapter!!!!!!!
Malena
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen…" Harry was sitting next to Max and Ivy. They were in metal chairs in the rain. They were at the very same cemetery that Harry was supposedly "buried" in. Max was sobbing next to Harry. Ivy was just staring off into space, a blank look on her face. Harry patted Max on the back. Will came over and sat down next to Max.
"Have you found out how he died?" Harry whispered to Will.
"Yeah, decapitation. Apparently he got a Killing Curse right in the neck and it severed his head," Will muttered back. Max gave another sob and buried her face in her hands.
There were about 70 other agents there, and Harry could see Sean's parents in the very front row of chairs.
Harry had to beg Sarge to be able to go to Sean's funeral. She finally agreed that he could go if he would return to Hogwarts immediately if Sphinx called him. There were a bunch of replacement agents there while Harry, Ivy, Max, Will, and Angelina were there. Harry saw Jimmy through the crowd of people and waved at him.
Jimmy sat down by Ivy and then said, "Poor Sean. No one should have to die like that."
"Yeah," Harry replied. "Especially someone as young as he was." Jimmy sighed and stared at his hands.
"I feel sorry for his parents," Ivy said blankly. "They lost their first, and only son."
"I feel sorry for Max," Will said, rubbing her on the back of the head. "How long were you friends with him?"
"All of my life," Max sniffed, taking her head out of her hands. "Our parents were recruited only a few weeks apart, and I was born a 8 months later, and then Sean was born a month after me."
"Look," Jimmy said. "They're burying him." Sure enough, they were lowering the coffin into the damp ground. Then some people started to put dirt on the coffin.
"Well, we should get back to Hogwarts," Harry whispered to Ivy. "They'll be expecting us soon."
"Yeah," Ivy said. People were starting to stand up around them and walk up to the fresh grave. Harry, Ivy, Will, Max, Angelina, and Jimmy all got up and started to walk away from the cemetery. But they stopped in their tracks when they heard a familiar voice.
"I'd say that was a good turn out." The six of them turned around and saw Sean leaning against a tree. Well, Sean's ghost.
"Sean!" Max shrieked. She ran up to him, her arms spread. She went right through him, and fell in the mud.
"Careful," Sean said. "It's slippery."
"I realize that," Max said, spitting mud out of her mouth.
"Oh my god," Angelina said, "I'm so sorry for you-"
"Don't be, this is kind of cool," Sean said, walking through the tree. "Unfortunately-" His head wobbled, and then fell off of his neck. "-That happens sometimes."
"Have you talked to your parents?" Harry asked.
"Ya, my mom fainted," Sean said, grinning. "Just wait till I tell her that I can play basketball with my head as well."
"I'll bet she'll really love to hear that," Jimmy said sarcastically.
"Yeah. Well I'd better go talk to Sarge. She always said that if we were to turn into a ghost that we had to go see her immediately. See ya." Sean started to float in the opposite direction.
"I can't believe that he's dead," Max said, tears starting to appear in her eyes again.
"Come on," Jimmy said. "We'd better get back to work." Jimmy and Max both waved goodbye to Will, Ivy, Angelina, and Harry and Molecularized.
"How was the funeral?" Sphinx asked. She was sitting near the Mission room.
"Okay," Harry replied. "The bad news is that Sean is eligible to join the Headless Hunt."
"Yes, I heard he had been decapitated," Sphinx said, typing something into her Data Source.
"His ghost turned up after the burial," Ivy said. "Said something about playing basketball with his head."
"Don't you four have to be working or something?" Sphinx said, raising her eyebrow.
"Yeah, but we need to get out of these wet clothes first," Harry said, motioning to his soaking wet clothes.
"Fine, go change quickly." The four of them went into the Mission room and went to separate rooms to change. Harry pulled on a simple dark blue shirt and a pair of black jeans. Then he put a baseball cap on his head and went back out.
"Where am I supposed to be?" Harry asked Sphinx.
"Do I look like I know everything?" Sphinx said.
"Yes." Sphinx glared at him.
"You're supposed to be patrolling the second floor," she snapped.
"Thanks," Harry said before running off.
Ivy was walking the third floor, humming The Thong Song, when she heard voices in the teacher's lounge.
"So are you absolutely sure that he is coming tomorrow?" Said the anxious voice of Minerva McGonnagal.
"Quite sure," said Albus Dumbledore. "He's coming over to see how the Order of the Phoenix agents are doing. He's still a bit mad that I called the Order of the Phoenix before I alerted the Ministry."
"Well, it was a bit unwise-" started Severus Snape.
"My dear Professors, I would have called the Ministry of Magic if the Order of the Phoenix wasn't so reliable. I have only heard of an Agent dying when Stealth read that death notice. Hardly anyone dies when under their care, and that is why I called them," Professor Dumbledore said.
"Professor Dumbledore, are you quite sure that the Order of the Phoenix agents are the best?" Flitwick said. "That Brian fellow seems nice enough, but the rest of them seem a little…"
"I trust them," Professor Dumbledore said in a final sort of voice. "I believe that if we hired them to protect us that they will do their job. No matter what."
The teachers were silent for a minute, until Professor Flitwick spoke up, "But what are they going to do if You-Know-Who shows up here?" Ivy took a deep breath, and pretending to be walking by the office said, "That's Stealth's job."
The teachers all looked as though they had been hit slapped in the face.
"Stealth?" asked Professor Snape. "That boy is our hope for defeating the Dark Lord?"
"I don't know…" Professor Dumbledore said. "I'll ask him about it tonight, at dinner."
When Harry sat down for dinner later that night he was almost immediately approached by Professor Dumbledore and McGonnagal. They looked slightly anxious.
"Er-Stealth, may I have a word with you?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"Yes Mr. Dumbledore, what about?" Harry replied. He was aware that about half of the students had gotten quiet when Professor Dumbledore had approached the Agent's table.
"Are you the one who is going to be dealing with Voldemort?" Professor Dumbledore said quietly, looking down at Harry through his crescent moon spectacles.
"Is he here?" Harry said.
"Uh, no."
"Well, then I guess that I'm not dealing with him," Harry said. Ivy snorted with laughter beside him. "But in all seriousness, yes. When or if Voldemort arrives I will be dueling with him."
"Why?" Professor McGonnagal said. "There have been so many people who have thrown their life away while fighting Voldemort. Why do you want to be another one of them?"
"Well, Stealth has a gift," Ivy interrupted. "He's the Dueling Master, and therefore it's his job to deal with matters dealing with Voldemort."
"You're the Dueling Master?" Dumbledore asked. "Ah yes… I remember Professor Lupin telling me about that."
"Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?" Harry asked.
"No," Professor Dumbledore said. "I am supposed to present the Agent who is going to be dealing with Voldemort to meet Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic."
Harry nodded.
"Will you please report to my office before dinner tomorrow," Dumbledore said. "Good evening." Harry noticed several people from different tables starting at him, but he turned back to his dinner and continued eating.
"Fudge is coming?" Said a familiar voice. It was Sarge. She had just arrived.
"Yes," Harry said. "Tomorrow."
"Damn that son of a-"
"Hey! There are kids here!" Ivy hissed.
"Always nosing into our business. Don't take any crap from him tomorrow Agent 97. I give you full permission."
"Can I duel if I have to?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Yes, you can duel," Sarge said. "Avada Kedavra, any curse you want. Except for the Diablo…"
"I know," Harry said.
~*~
Harry was pacing outside the door of the office, waiting for Professor Dumbledore to invite him in. He could hear him and Fudge arguing inside.
"Dumbledore I just can't believe that you didn't-"
"Cornelius we've been over this countless times," Professor Dumbledore said with some impatience in his voice. "I called the Order of the Phoenix because-"
"-Because they are our best defense," Cornelius finished with a bite of sarcasm. "I know Dumbledore."
"Then why do you keep asking me about it Cornelius?" Dumbledore retorted.
Harry, getting fed up, knocked loudly at the door. Professor Dumbledore opened it a second later.
"Ah, Agent Stealth, you have arrived," Professor Dumbledore said with a smile on his face. "Cornelius, this is Agent Stealth with the Order of the Phoenix. Stealth, this is Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic."
"It's nice to meet you," Harry said, extending his hand for Fudge to shake.
"Hmph," Fudge said, folding his arms. Harry slowly lowered his hand.
"Cornelius, Stealth here is the Dueling Master with the Order of the Phoenix. He is going to be the one dealing with Voldemort if he is to attack the school."
"Oh really?" Fudge said icily. "He doesn't look like he could withstand one Imperious Curse."
"And you could?" Harry replies rather slyly. "You look as if one Boil Charm would break you into tears!" (A.N. Blood Sweat and Tears made that last line! Thank you!)
Fudge's face got flushed with anger and then he growled, "I challenge you to a duel."
"No," Harry replied.
"What's the matter Stealth?" Fudge said. "Scared?"
"No, I just don't want to be responsible for killing the Minister of Magic." Harry slowly turned around and left the room.
Dumbledore sighed, "That went well, didn't it?"
That evening at dinner everyone at the Agents table was silent, for the Minister was staying for dinner. When Harry told Sarge this she was outraged. After cursing loudly over Harry's earpiece she went and talked to Sphinx.
Harry, meanwhile, gave Sphinx a note. She opened it, looked at Harry, and nodded.
"What was that all about," Ivy whispered to Harry.
"You'll see," Harry said, getting up and leaving the room. Fudge had gotten a note too.
Halfway through dinner Harry got out of his seat and went to the Quidditch field. He put a protection barrier on the whole field, so nothing would be damaged. However, he didn't know that someone had followed him. Ivy hid in the shadows and was most surprised when Sphinx turned up.
"Are you ready to duel?" Sphinx asked.
"No, we have to wait for the Minister, if he turns up at all.
"I bet he'll be to scared," Sphinx said. Ivy took off at a run, back to the castle. She ran to the doors of the Great Hall and panted, "Stealth and Sphinx are dueling." Then she ran back out.
All of the Agents got up out of their seats, and ran toward the door.
"Wait! What's so interesting about a duel?" Barked the Minister.
"Are you kidding me?" Will said, stopping and turning around. "A duel between the former Master of Dueling and the current one is always intense."
"I heard that the last time they dueled Sphinx lost both of her legs," Angelina said.
"I heard that she almost got her head cut off," Will said. They both continued to run toward the Quidditch field.
"I'm going to see just how good this Dueling Master is," Fudge said, getting out of his seat. Snuffles got up off the floor and followed him outside.
All of the Agents climbed into the stands (except Healer and Anna) whispering excitedly. The Minister took a seat at the very top of the stands, looking down at everyone. Snuffles took a seat next to Ivy, where she scratched his ears.
"I bet 20 galleons that Sphinx wins," said Brian.
"Nah, it's gotta be Stealth," Elsa whispered back. "He's way too good now."
"No Rules?" Harry asked. "Go until someone is unconscious?" Sphinx simply nodded, and took off her cloak. Harry pulled his cloak off too, and threw it to the side.
"Ivy! Can you start us?" Harry asked.
"Okay, but first you need music!" She snapped her fingers, and Papa Roach's music started to echo around the stadium.
"One…Two… Three!" Harry instantly yelled Avada Kedavra! He flipped out of the way as one of Sphinx's curse went shooting by. He quickly looked over at her, but saw that she hadn't been hit by his curse.
"Yfieert!" Harry yelled, hitting her with a spell that he had just looked up on the data source a day ago. Sphinx gasped as her lower half instantly turned into a tree trunk, and she was rooted to the ground. She gave an angry scream and said, "Welmandore!" She was instantly released from the ground and she yelled, "Raspadorus!" Harry sprang out of the way, and yelled "Avada Kedavra" for the second time. This time his aim was true, and he hit Sphinx in the shoulder.
Cornelius Fudge's mouth fell open. She had just survived Avada Kedavra. The Killing Curse. Why isn't she dead like most people?
"Whoo! Go Stealth!" Yelled Ivy, jumping up and down.
Fudge's mouth was still hanging open, as Sphinx quickly healed herself and retaliated against Harry.
"Expelliarmus!" Sphinx yelled. Harry felt as though he had been hit on the head with a pan as his wand went flying from his hand. Harry rolled out of the way as the Killing Curse went shooting past him again. He held out his hand and his wand went flying back into it, however, he was hit with the Killing Curse in the thigh.
He groaned and fell to the ground and rolled to the right in order to avoid another curse.
"Esnepsus!" Harry yelled, aiming at Sphinx again. There was a loud rumbling noise and a tornado appeared instantly in front of Harry's opponent. Her eyes got wide and she screamed when she was lifted up in the turbulent winds. She was spun round and round, over and over again, until the tornado disappeared and she was thrown violently back into the ground. She seemed dazed, but when Harry shot the Stunning spell at her she instantly rolled out of the way, and got back to her feet.
"Avada Kedavra!" She yelled again at Harry. He flipped out of the way and then yelled "Yfieert!" Sphinx was rooted to the ground again. Harry yelled "Expelliarmus" and her wand went flying from her hand before she could say the counter curse.
"Stupefy," Harry said, and she slumped to the ground, the tree trunk instantly disappearing and her legs came back.
Harry turned to the stands, where his friends were cheering.
"And that, Mr. Fudge, is why I didn't duel with you," Harry yelled to him.
A.N. I hope that you liked this chapter! And once again I'd like to thank Blood Sweat and Tears, Tadariada and No Reply for helping me! In the next chapter it's going to be Christmas, and that of course means that there's going to be a Christmas Ball!
Malena