Chapter 13
By nine that evening it had begun to rain, and at midnight Harry, Zab and Ginny braved the storm to meet the refugees from France. To Harry's surprise, the leader of the group turned out to be Fleur. The Ministry Official was sent quickly away, and the group led up to Hogwarts. They were shown their new quarters, and told to meet at eight the next day for breakfast in the Great Hall. Another table had been set up for their use, as well as the work on their rooms.
As the storm raged overhead, Harry bade goodnight to the Guardians on duty, thankful that he was able to go straight to bed. However his sleep was disturbed in the early hours, by Ginny. She brought the news that all had feared. The Dementors had left Azkaban to join Voldemort, taking some of his most valued supporters with them. The Ministry was in chaos, and by the time Harry reached breakfast the next day, Fudge had resigned. A deputy had taken his place.
When Harry heard the news his head fell into his hands. He touched his mark, calling all the Guardians to the meeting room. Dumbledore and McGonagall were also present, along with Arthur Weasley. When Harry spoke, the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
'We knew it was only a matter of time, yet still this is a heavy blow. All students must be instructed in the patronus, as well as those from France. Any in formation on Voldemorts movements must be reported immediately. I want seers at work day and night. For the next month, classes must focus solely on what is needed for the fight to come. OWLS must be forgotten. Living is what counts.'
'But that's impossible...' McGonagall's voice interrupted him.
'It must be done. It will change as of tomorrow. Classes for today are cancelled so arrangements can be made. We will soon see hundreds of refugees like those from Beauxbatons. Hogwarts must be enlarged to cope. Peace, you and Katie need to start training some medics.'
The meeting went on for hours, and by the end of it all were exhausted. All through the day the Guardians toiled on the preparations Harry had ordered. Harry also spoke to their instructors, and it was worked out that the Guardians would split up and join the classes, helping them through the training the Guardians had undergone just a few weeks previously. Harry decided he would make the announcement at supper that night.
Despite the emergency, Harry was waiting foe the first years when they turned up for their lesson. Because of the recent news, Harry stepped up the pace, and had the boys hard at work for a good few hours. At the end, while Harry expected all but Jack to go, they all stayed, and Harry gave them a lesson in hand to hand. As they cooled off at the end, he spoke.
'You won't hear this officially until tonight, so I don't want you telling anyone else.' He stared hard at the boys. 'The Dementors have deserted, and because of that starting tomorrow you'll be in full training instead of lessons. You'll learn all this with instructors. All the Guardians are joining a class to help, and I'll be taking your class when I can be soared from Hawk duties. I want to make sure you are all worked hard.' Harry grinned at them. 'You should be given these tomorrow, but I though I'd give you them now.' Harry handed each of them the other knives in their sets.
'Thanks, Hawk.' They said, very happy. Three of them left then, but Jack remained, watching as Harry put on his shirt and shoes.
'Hawk?' His voice sounded scared. 'I wondered.' The boy swore as Harry looked at him, then he picked up his wand and cast a revealing charm. Taking a deep breath, he turned around. Like Harry's only a few weeks ago, the skin on his back was bruised and torn. Harry could barely contain the rage in his voice.
'Who?'
'It doesn't matter.' Jack replied fast. 'I just wondered if you had anything that would help.' His voice shook.
'I do, but you have to tell me who.' Harry's voice was stern. Jack hesitated, but the need for help was too great.
'My stepfather.' Harry heard the shame in his voice. Harry nodded.
'Stay here.' He walked out of the room, and to the dungeons. He quickly got some of the potion from Snape, having first explained the situation. When he returned, Jack was waiting, eyes on the floor.
'I didn't know who else to go to.' Jack whispered, clearly terrified. 'I saw your back, and.' He shuddered to a halt as Harry began on his wounds.
'Don't worry, it's fine. This should help, but you need to give it air. No more concealment charms.' He looked at the young boy pointedly, and Jack nodded, though clearly unwillingly. When Harry was done, he shrugged his way back into his shirt and stood uncomfortably.
'Thank you. Really.' His voice was sincere, and Harry nodded to him.
'I'll see you later. Go on.' Jack left, his frame very much more relaxed than it had been previously. (NB This is for Ashley)
As he left, Harry struggled with his emotions, much of which wanted to go and strangle whichever bastard had done that to him, and make him feel the pain he had inflicted on Jack. But he had other matters on his mind, and so with great effort he put in from his head, and went to prepare for supper, after which he would be forced to give bad news to a lot of people.
When he strode into the Great Hall at the beginning of supper, all heads turned towards him. He looked the Hawk, with his robes billowing beside him and Raima on his shoulder. He took his place at the Guardians table, and sat silently waiting for Dumbledore's signal. When the first people tried to leave, he sent Ron to fetch them back, and to stop any others who left before the announcement. At the signal he stood, and walked to the front of the Hall.
'I'm afraid I have bad news. The Dementors have abandoned Azkaban, and as many of you will know, Voldemort has started a new reign of terror in Europe. Because of this, the way the school is run will change. For at least the next few weeks, all Hogwarts pupils will undergo training similar to that of the Guardians. Anyone else wishing to undergo training can simply join with the appropriate year, and I urge you to do so.' His eyes flickered towards those who had come from France. 'In a few weeks I can assure you that we will be in a war the likes of which you have never seen, and it is vital that all are able to play their part. The Guards will be formed in two weeks. The Guardians will explain the new system in your houses.'
Harry gave a short nod, and was about to return to his seat when he looked up. All around the Hall, the students were on their feet, with goblets raised towards him. Even the Slytherins, were on their feet. Harry felt it appropriate to add one more thing.
'As the Headmaster has said before - We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Thank you.' Harry stood down, and returned to his seat. All around the Hall, young adults were silently vowing to do all they could, even if it meant death. For some it would.
Slightly dark ending there, sorry. Next chapter probably won't be for a while, because I'm with my Dad for the next ten days. Though you might get one tomorrow. Thanks for any Reviews. - Pose
By nine that evening it had begun to rain, and at midnight Harry, Zab and Ginny braved the storm to meet the refugees from France. To Harry's surprise, the leader of the group turned out to be Fleur. The Ministry Official was sent quickly away, and the group led up to Hogwarts. They were shown their new quarters, and told to meet at eight the next day for breakfast in the Great Hall. Another table had been set up for their use, as well as the work on their rooms.
As the storm raged overhead, Harry bade goodnight to the Guardians on duty, thankful that he was able to go straight to bed. However his sleep was disturbed in the early hours, by Ginny. She brought the news that all had feared. The Dementors had left Azkaban to join Voldemort, taking some of his most valued supporters with them. The Ministry was in chaos, and by the time Harry reached breakfast the next day, Fudge had resigned. A deputy had taken his place.
When Harry heard the news his head fell into his hands. He touched his mark, calling all the Guardians to the meeting room. Dumbledore and McGonagall were also present, along with Arthur Weasley. When Harry spoke, the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
'We knew it was only a matter of time, yet still this is a heavy blow. All students must be instructed in the patronus, as well as those from France. Any in formation on Voldemorts movements must be reported immediately. I want seers at work day and night. For the next month, classes must focus solely on what is needed for the fight to come. OWLS must be forgotten. Living is what counts.'
'But that's impossible...' McGonagall's voice interrupted him.
'It must be done. It will change as of tomorrow. Classes for today are cancelled so arrangements can be made. We will soon see hundreds of refugees like those from Beauxbatons. Hogwarts must be enlarged to cope. Peace, you and Katie need to start training some medics.'
The meeting went on for hours, and by the end of it all were exhausted. All through the day the Guardians toiled on the preparations Harry had ordered. Harry also spoke to their instructors, and it was worked out that the Guardians would split up and join the classes, helping them through the training the Guardians had undergone just a few weeks previously. Harry decided he would make the announcement at supper that night.
Despite the emergency, Harry was waiting foe the first years when they turned up for their lesson. Because of the recent news, Harry stepped up the pace, and had the boys hard at work for a good few hours. At the end, while Harry expected all but Jack to go, they all stayed, and Harry gave them a lesson in hand to hand. As they cooled off at the end, he spoke.
'You won't hear this officially until tonight, so I don't want you telling anyone else.' He stared hard at the boys. 'The Dementors have deserted, and because of that starting tomorrow you'll be in full training instead of lessons. You'll learn all this with instructors. All the Guardians are joining a class to help, and I'll be taking your class when I can be soared from Hawk duties. I want to make sure you are all worked hard.' Harry grinned at them. 'You should be given these tomorrow, but I though I'd give you them now.' Harry handed each of them the other knives in their sets.
'Thanks, Hawk.' They said, very happy. Three of them left then, but Jack remained, watching as Harry put on his shirt and shoes.
'Hawk?' His voice sounded scared. 'I wondered.' The boy swore as Harry looked at him, then he picked up his wand and cast a revealing charm. Taking a deep breath, he turned around. Like Harry's only a few weeks ago, the skin on his back was bruised and torn. Harry could barely contain the rage in his voice.
'Who?'
'It doesn't matter.' Jack replied fast. 'I just wondered if you had anything that would help.' His voice shook.
'I do, but you have to tell me who.' Harry's voice was stern. Jack hesitated, but the need for help was too great.
'My stepfather.' Harry heard the shame in his voice. Harry nodded.
'Stay here.' He walked out of the room, and to the dungeons. He quickly got some of the potion from Snape, having first explained the situation. When he returned, Jack was waiting, eyes on the floor.
'I didn't know who else to go to.' Jack whispered, clearly terrified. 'I saw your back, and.' He shuddered to a halt as Harry began on his wounds.
'Don't worry, it's fine. This should help, but you need to give it air. No more concealment charms.' He looked at the young boy pointedly, and Jack nodded, though clearly unwillingly. When Harry was done, he shrugged his way back into his shirt and stood uncomfortably.
'Thank you. Really.' His voice was sincere, and Harry nodded to him.
'I'll see you later. Go on.' Jack left, his frame very much more relaxed than it had been previously. (NB This is for Ashley)
As he left, Harry struggled with his emotions, much of which wanted to go and strangle whichever bastard had done that to him, and make him feel the pain he had inflicted on Jack. But he had other matters on his mind, and so with great effort he put in from his head, and went to prepare for supper, after which he would be forced to give bad news to a lot of people.
When he strode into the Great Hall at the beginning of supper, all heads turned towards him. He looked the Hawk, with his robes billowing beside him and Raima on his shoulder. He took his place at the Guardians table, and sat silently waiting for Dumbledore's signal. When the first people tried to leave, he sent Ron to fetch them back, and to stop any others who left before the announcement. At the signal he stood, and walked to the front of the Hall.
'I'm afraid I have bad news. The Dementors have abandoned Azkaban, and as many of you will know, Voldemort has started a new reign of terror in Europe. Because of this, the way the school is run will change. For at least the next few weeks, all Hogwarts pupils will undergo training similar to that of the Guardians. Anyone else wishing to undergo training can simply join with the appropriate year, and I urge you to do so.' His eyes flickered towards those who had come from France. 'In a few weeks I can assure you that we will be in a war the likes of which you have never seen, and it is vital that all are able to play their part. The Guards will be formed in two weeks. The Guardians will explain the new system in your houses.'
Harry gave a short nod, and was about to return to his seat when he looked up. All around the Hall, the students were on their feet, with goblets raised towards him. Even the Slytherins, were on their feet. Harry felt it appropriate to add one more thing.
'As the Headmaster has said before - We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Thank you.' Harry stood down, and returned to his seat. All around the Hall, young adults were silently vowing to do all they could, even if it meant death. For some it would.
Slightly dark ending there, sorry. Next chapter probably won't be for a while, because I'm with my Dad for the next ten days. Though you might get one tomorrow. Thanks for any Reviews. - Pose