1 Chapter 23 To Teach Them in the Darkness
Harry was tired, he was excited, he was anxious, he was nervous, and he was prepared for a different kind of battle form what he had become so accustomed to, a different sort of battle form what his nerves and animal instinct screamed for. A battle of words against human minds.
He'd woken up early, feeling a little giddy and nervous and spent the morning getting ready. Today he wore dark purple robes with gold and his black boots, his gloves tucked into the belt which was now dark purple. After several futile attempts to make his scar, which was glowing a little as a result of a death eaters meeting last night, stop glowing he gave up on it entirely and placed a small illusion charm on it so it wouldn't be as noticeable.
Harry and Hermione followed the Professors to a huge meeting room. It looked like a large amphitheater, everything in deep red and purple velvet. The seats were large, soft and cushy and each had a tiny desk that you could flip up, rather like some muggle classrooms he'd seen. In the first lowest row were the directors of each school, behind them in a group were their professors and behind them the prefects. Harry and Hermione passed time by chatting with the two prefects from the Madrid School of Magic, and laughing over language mess-ups, thought Harry and Hermione could speak Spanish fluently the other two prefects were not all that good at English. Harry noticed the Order guards at the doors and around the walls, besides the Purple patrol the Red was here as well.
The meeting began with the school directors talking about how many students they had, what defenses they had, and if they had seen anything. Those who came from schools that had been attacked gave advice on how to prepare for such an attack, if they had survived their own. The other staff members joined in the debates, and if a prefect came up with an idea they were allowed to voice it. The question of death eaters recruiting in the schools came up on its own. On many subjects, including this one, every person in the room was allowed to speak. As it happened the teacher from the Madrid School of Magic who spoke before Harry voiced the question. "What should we do? What can we do?" Harry stood when everyone's attention turned to him and without further pause spoke out boldly.
"There are many courses of action open to us on this point, but most would be ineffective and an annoyance at best. All of those here are form schools, what's the natural response then? Teach! Educate the students about the danger, and the sheer stupidity of entering Voldemort's ranks. Give them anything we can to turn their minds away from him, he will lose support. I know that from Hogwarts we can give students Rhal McKinnon as an example, if there was one there will be others. If every school agreed and started the program we could severely cut into his ranks. Those who are death eaters and still in school would begin to doubt. We could put forth that student who is willing to ask for help and a second chance can do so, and it will be kept confidential so long as they never return. We could get useful information without risking the few spies we've got that way…if there are any who do want to turn back. Educate them! Until now no one but death eaters and a few Order members have known the exact conditions death eaters live under, the abuse by their lord, the constant fear of discovery, the tortures they suffer, the punishments….and give hope, give those who do wish a second chance hope that they can have one, that they can go back and be accepted, with certain precautions and restrictions. But most importantly show people what not to do, real life stories, pictures, give them all the gruesome detail. Human nature goes against such things, unless you have something seriously wrong with your mind, give them every bit of knowledge we have on the death eaters and they will turn away and defy him all they can! We can not let Voldemort continue to ruin lives this way!" His little speech had the desired effect, there was instantaneous applause from everyone and soon everyone was on their feet clapping, Harry bowed and sat down, confident that he had done his best. His idea was widely accepted and soon they were in debates about what to teach, when, how much, how long the lessons should be etc. Harry, who had given this thought, had already found several people, including Mr. McKionnon, Severus Snape, Aram (who had been forced to serve Voldemort while the dark lord had his family hostage) and two other ex-spies who would be willing to come and speak to the students. A special group was put together to make these lessons and give them to all the schools, the Order of the Phoenix agreed to help if they could and by the end of the day Harry really felt as if he'd accomplished something.
**
When they returned to Hogwarts on Sunday students flocked around the two Marauders, asking what had happened, Harry, feeling his scar begin to burn again, left Hermione to answer the questions and went up to his rooms.
"Harry? Are you okay?" Ira asked him.
"This dratted scar is starting to hurt again, I'm going to go try to See in the fire, or maybe dream, perhaps I can find out what's going on."
"Don't strain yourself okay Harry? Quidditch match in three days." Ira reminded him.
"Yeah, we need you in the game." Added Morgan (beater) and Celila, a transfer fourth year who had happened to be a beater. Harry nodded and hurried upstairs.
In his rooms he lit the fire and sat down in front of it in an armchair, for nearly a half-hour he looked into the fire before it began to change, and soon flickering images appeared.
Voldemort was standing on a small pedestal, his death eaters about him. Mesmerd flew in-groups across the sky and dementors were gliding around. At his feet coiled four snakes and behind him a river troll thumped its club in its hand. Three people, muggles Harry could sense, lay dead on the ground, badly maimed. Harry could smell their blood everywhere.
"Tomorrow we gather our forces, the battlefield has been chosen. We will set up out camp, put up ambushes and traps and defenses. The Order will come, and we will catch them and kill them. They cannot fight us, our numbers are too great and we are too powerful. Our dead comrades will be avenged in the Order's blood. We will triumph and rule the entire world. All muggles except ones in good enough physical health to serve as slaves will be killed, and those wizards and witches who defy us shale be killed, or perhaps I shall rip their powers from them and they can join the muggles as slaves? Hmm, yes that does sound like a good idea. No more hiding in the shadows for us my bold death eaters, now the world will tremble with fear before us. The dark shall rule all!" The death eaters took up his cry, as did the trolls, Harry wasn't sure if the dementors had voices to do so.
"The dark shall rule all!"
"The dark shall rule all!"
"The dark shall rule all!"
"The dark shall rule all!"
"The dark shall rule all!"
"The dark shall rule all!"
"The dark shall rule all!" They broke out into screams and cheers as Voldemort raised his arms and a harsh wind began to blow.
"We shall rule unchallenged over the entire world, our world to do as we like with. We shall be the masters and killers of all those pathetic life forms which dare to oppose us, the dark shall rule all!"
"The Dark Lord shall rule unchallenged!" Voldemort's apprentice shouted.
"The Dark Lord shall rule unchallenged!" They answered him.
"Who shall rule?"
"Tha dark lord shall rule!" The death eaters cried, Harry began to feel sick.
"Who do we serve?"
"The Dark Lord, Ruler of the World!"
"What do we fight for?"
"Our Lord!"
"Tha dark lord shall rule!"
"Tha dark lord shall rule!"
"Tha dark lord shall rule!"
"Tha dark lord shall rule!"
Harry lost it, in one swift movement he called up a thunderstorm and directed it to wherever Voldemort was, it didn't work entirely, for he had no location to give it, but a huge downpour suddenly hit the shouting mass and some lightning crackled. People went running for cover and the rain increased, Harry nearly laughed, there had already been a huge rainstorm on the horizon, his little bit had turned it into a flash flood. More lightning crackled and thunder rumbled. Slowly the vision faded away into the flames. Getting a sudden idea Harry grabbed his broom and leaped out the window.
Outside the giant storm was on the horizon, Harry floated up high and sent his mind out to his storm. He must have been very angry, or it had already been partially there, the storm stretched on for nearly ninety miles. The muggles would notice this for sure, but as he worked at it Harry began to sense that there had already been several huge storms here, he had just connected them and given them more power. Well well, poor Tommy boy had had his party ruined, to bad! Laughing Harry flew back to his rooms, but inside he was still worried, where would Voldemort lead his army? What was happening? Would this mean that the attacks would stop? Harry took his dream & vision recorder out of his sleeve and examined the scene before sending it to Sirius, this was going to mean trouble.
Harry went down to eat with his friends that evening, only to find the entire hall filled with silent students, not a single teacher was present. Harry looked around, then an odd glow caught his eye.
Oooh what does Harry see?
Did you like? Review please!
The film begins. Out of a dense fog trots Arthur, accompanied on two
empty coconut halves by his trusty servant, Patsy. They approach a
castle. Suddenly a guard appears atop a high rampart.
Guard: Halt! Who goes there?
Arthur: It is I, Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon, from the castle of Camelot.
King of the Britons, defeater of the Saxons, sovereign of all England!
Guard: Who's the other one?
Arthur: I am, and this is my trusty servant Patsy. We have ridden the length
and breadth of the land in search of knights who will join me in my
court at Camelot. I must speak with your lord and master.
Guard: What, ridden on a horse?
Arthur: Yes.
Guard: You're using coconuts!
Arthur: What?
Guard: You've got two empty 'alves of coconuts and you're bangin' 'em
together!
Arthur: So? We have ridden since the snows of winter covered this land.
Through the kingdom of Mercia, through...
Guard: Where'd you get the coconuts?
Arthur: (somewhat taken aback) We found them.
Guard: Found them? In Mercia? The coconut's tropical!
Arthur: What do you mean?
Guard: This is a temperate zone!
Arthur: The swallow may fly south with the sun, or the house maarten or the
plummer may seek warmer climes in winter, but these are not strangers
to our land!
Guard: Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?
Arthur: Not at all! They could be carried.
Guard: (indcredulous) What, a swallow, carrying a coconut?
Arthur: It could grip it by the husk!
Guard: It's not a question of where 'e grips it! It's a simple question of
weight ratios! A five-ounce bird could *not* carry a one-pound
coconut!
Arthur: (exasperated)
Well it doesn't matter! Will you go and tell your master that Arthur
from the court of Camelot is here!
(pause)
Guard: Listen. In order to maintain air-speed velocity, a swallow needs to
beat its wings forty-three times every second, right?
Arthur: Please!
Guard: (patiently) Am I right.
Arthur: I'm not interested!
( A second guard appears on the rampart. )
G2: It could be carried by an African swallow!
G1: Oh, yeah, an African swallow, maybe, but not a European swallow, that's
my point.
G2: Oh, yeah, I agree with that.
Arthur: (extremely exasperated) Will you ask your master if he wants to join
my court at Camelot!!
(pause)
G1: But then of course, African swallows are non-migratory.
G2: Oh yeah...
(Arthur and Patsy give up and trot away)
G1: So they couldn't bring a coconut back anyway.
G2: Wait a minute! Supposing *two* swallows carried it together!
G1: Nooo..... They'd have to have it on a line...
G2: Well, simple! They'd just use a strand of creeper!
G1: What, held under the dorsal guiding feathers?
G2: Well, why not?
Harry was tired, he was excited, he was anxious, he was nervous, and he was prepared for a different kind of battle form what he had become so accustomed to, a different sort of battle form what his nerves and animal instinct screamed for. A battle of words against human minds.
He'd woken up early, feeling a little giddy and nervous and spent the morning getting ready. Today he wore dark purple robes with gold and his black boots, his gloves tucked into the belt which was now dark purple. After several futile attempts to make his scar, which was glowing a little as a result of a death eaters meeting last night, stop glowing he gave up on it entirely and placed a small illusion charm on it so it wouldn't be as noticeable.
Harry and Hermione followed the Professors to a huge meeting room. It looked like a large amphitheater, everything in deep red and purple velvet. The seats were large, soft and cushy and each had a tiny desk that you could flip up, rather like some muggle classrooms he'd seen. In the first lowest row were the directors of each school, behind them in a group were their professors and behind them the prefects. Harry and Hermione passed time by chatting with the two prefects from the Madrid School of Magic, and laughing over language mess-ups, thought Harry and Hermione could speak Spanish fluently the other two prefects were not all that good at English. Harry noticed the Order guards at the doors and around the walls, besides the Purple patrol the Red was here as well.
The meeting began with the school directors talking about how many students they had, what defenses they had, and if they had seen anything. Those who came from schools that had been attacked gave advice on how to prepare for such an attack, if they had survived their own. The other staff members joined in the debates, and if a prefect came up with an idea they were allowed to voice it. The question of death eaters recruiting in the schools came up on its own. On many subjects, including this one, every person in the room was allowed to speak. As it happened the teacher from the Madrid School of Magic who spoke before Harry voiced the question. "What should we do? What can we do?" Harry stood when everyone's attention turned to him and without further pause spoke out boldly.
"There are many courses of action open to us on this point, but most would be ineffective and an annoyance at best. All of those here are form schools, what's the natural response then? Teach! Educate the students about the danger, and the sheer stupidity of entering Voldemort's ranks. Give them anything we can to turn their minds away from him, he will lose support. I know that from Hogwarts we can give students Rhal McKinnon as an example, if there was one there will be others. If every school agreed and started the program we could severely cut into his ranks. Those who are death eaters and still in school would begin to doubt. We could put forth that student who is willing to ask for help and a second chance can do so, and it will be kept confidential so long as they never return. We could get useful information without risking the few spies we've got that way…if there are any who do want to turn back. Educate them! Until now no one but death eaters and a few Order members have known the exact conditions death eaters live under, the abuse by their lord, the constant fear of discovery, the tortures they suffer, the punishments….and give hope, give those who do wish a second chance hope that they can have one, that they can go back and be accepted, with certain precautions and restrictions. But most importantly show people what not to do, real life stories, pictures, give them all the gruesome detail. Human nature goes against such things, unless you have something seriously wrong with your mind, give them every bit of knowledge we have on the death eaters and they will turn away and defy him all they can! We can not let Voldemort continue to ruin lives this way!" His little speech had the desired effect, there was instantaneous applause from everyone and soon everyone was on their feet clapping, Harry bowed and sat down, confident that he had done his best. His idea was widely accepted and soon they were in debates about what to teach, when, how much, how long the lessons should be etc. Harry, who had given this thought, had already found several people, including Mr. McKionnon, Severus Snape, Aram (who had been forced to serve Voldemort while the dark lord had his family hostage) and two other ex-spies who would be willing to come and speak to the students. A special group was put together to make these lessons and give them to all the schools, the Order of the Phoenix agreed to help if they could and by the end of the day Harry really felt as if he'd accomplished something.
**
When they returned to Hogwarts on Sunday students flocked around the two Marauders, asking what had happened, Harry, feeling his scar begin to burn again, left Hermione to answer the questions and went up to his rooms.
"Harry? Are you okay?" Ira asked him.
"This dratted scar is starting to hurt again, I'm going to go try to See in the fire, or maybe dream, perhaps I can find out what's going on."
"Don't strain yourself okay Harry? Quidditch match in three days." Ira reminded him.
"Yeah, we need you in the game." Added Morgan (beater) and Celila, a transfer fourth year who had happened to be a beater. Harry nodded and hurried upstairs.
In his rooms he lit the fire and sat down in front of it in an armchair, for nearly a half-hour he looked into the fire before it began to change, and soon flickering images appeared.
Voldemort was standing on a small pedestal, his death eaters about him. Mesmerd flew in-groups across the sky and dementors were gliding around. At his feet coiled four snakes and behind him a river troll thumped its club in its hand. Three people, muggles Harry could sense, lay dead on the ground, badly maimed. Harry could smell their blood everywhere.
"Tomorrow we gather our forces, the battlefield has been chosen. We will set up out camp, put up ambushes and traps and defenses. The Order will come, and we will catch them and kill them. They cannot fight us, our numbers are too great and we are too powerful. Our dead comrades will be avenged in the Order's blood. We will triumph and rule the entire world. All muggles except ones in good enough physical health to serve as slaves will be killed, and those wizards and witches who defy us shale be killed, or perhaps I shall rip their powers from them and they can join the muggles as slaves? Hmm, yes that does sound like a good idea. No more hiding in the shadows for us my bold death eaters, now the world will tremble with fear before us. The dark shall rule all!" The death eaters took up his cry, as did the trolls, Harry wasn't sure if the dementors had voices to do so.
"The dark shall rule all!"
"The dark shall rule all!"
"The dark shall rule all!"
"The dark shall rule all!"
"The dark shall rule all!"
"The dark shall rule all!"
"The dark shall rule all!" They broke out into screams and cheers as Voldemort raised his arms and a harsh wind began to blow.
"We shall rule unchallenged over the entire world, our world to do as we like with. We shall be the masters and killers of all those pathetic life forms which dare to oppose us, the dark shall rule all!"
"The Dark Lord shall rule unchallenged!" Voldemort's apprentice shouted.
"The Dark Lord shall rule unchallenged!" They answered him.
"Who shall rule?"
"Tha dark lord shall rule!" The death eaters cried, Harry began to feel sick.
"Who do we serve?"
"The Dark Lord, Ruler of the World!"
"What do we fight for?"
"Our Lord!"
"Tha dark lord shall rule!"
"Tha dark lord shall rule!"
"Tha dark lord shall rule!"
"Tha dark lord shall rule!"
Harry lost it, in one swift movement he called up a thunderstorm and directed it to wherever Voldemort was, it didn't work entirely, for he had no location to give it, but a huge downpour suddenly hit the shouting mass and some lightning crackled. People went running for cover and the rain increased, Harry nearly laughed, there had already been a huge rainstorm on the horizon, his little bit had turned it into a flash flood. More lightning crackled and thunder rumbled. Slowly the vision faded away into the flames. Getting a sudden idea Harry grabbed his broom and leaped out the window.
Outside the giant storm was on the horizon, Harry floated up high and sent his mind out to his storm. He must have been very angry, or it had already been partially there, the storm stretched on for nearly ninety miles. The muggles would notice this for sure, but as he worked at it Harry began to sense that there had already been several huge storms here, he had just connected them and given them more power. Well well, poor Tommy boy had had his party ruined, to bad! Laughing Harry flew back to his rooms, but inside he was still worried, where would Voldemort lead his army? What was happening? Would this mean that the attacks would stop? Harry took his dream & vision recorder out of his sleeve and examined the scene before sending it to Sirius, this was going to mean trouble.
Harry went down to eat with his friends that evening, only to find the entire hall filled with silent students, not a single teacher was present. Harry looked around, then an odd glow caught his eye.
Oooh what does Harry see?
Did you like? Review please!
The film begins. Out of a dense fog trots Arthur, accompanied on two
empty coconut halves by his trusty servant, Patsy. They approach a
castle. Suddenly a guard appears atop a high rampart.
Guard: Halt! Who goes there?
Arthur: It is I, Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon, from the castle of Camelot.
King of the Britons, defeater of the Saxons, sovereign of all England!
Guard: Who's the other one?
Arthur: I am, and this is my trusty servant Patsy. We have ridden the length
and breadth of the land in search of knights who will join me in my
court at Camelot. I must speak with your lord and master.
Guard: What, ridden on a horse?
Arthur: Yes.
Guard: You're using coconuts!
Arthur: What?
Guard: You've got two empty 'alves of coconuts and you're bangin' 'em
together!
Arthur: So? We have ridden since the snows of winter covered this land.
Through the kingdom of Mercia, through...
Guard: Where'd you get the coconuts?
Arthur: (somewhat taken aback) We found them.
Guard: Found them? In Mercia? The coconut's tropical!
Arthur: What do you mean?
Guard: This is a temperate zone!
Arthur: The swallow may fly south with the sun, or the house maarten or the
plummer may seek warmer climes in winter, but these are not strangers
to our land!
Guard: Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?
Arthur: Not at all! They could be carried.
Guard: (indcredulous) What, a swallow, carrying a coconut?
Arthur: It could grip it by the husk!
Guard: It's not a question of where 'e grips it! It's a simple question of
weight ratios! A five-ounce bird could *not* carry a one-pound
coconut!
Arthur: (exasperated)
Well it doesn't matter! Will you go and tell your master that Arthur
from the court of Camelot is here!
(pause)
Guard: Listen. In order to maintain air-speed velocity, a swallow needs to
beat its wings forty-three times every second, right?
Arthur: Please!
Guard: (patiently) Am I right.
Arthur: I'm not interested!
( A second guard appears on the rampart. )
G2: It could be carried by an African swallow!
G1: Oh, yeah, an African swallow, maybe, but not a European swallow, that's
my point.
G2: Oh, yeah, I agree with that.
Arthur: (extremely exasperated) Will you ask your master if he wants to join
my court at Camelot!!
(pause)
G1: But then of course, African swallows are non-migratory.
G2: Oh yeah...
(Arthur and Patsy give up and trot away)
G1: So they couldn't bring a coconut back anyway.
G2: Wait a minute! Supposing *two* swallows carried it together!
G1: Nooo..... They'd have to have it on a line...
G2: Well, simple! They'd just use a strand of creeper!
G1: What, held under the dorsal guiding feathers?
G2: Well, why not?