Beginning of the End
Authors: Starchild and Saavik
Chapter Four: The Devil Cometh
***Disclaimer*** We do not own the Harry Potter Universe or any of the recognizable characters that belong there. (We want to, but alas life is not fare.) If you want to sue us feel free. We have no money, but you can have our negative karma for the asking.
A/N: This is a re-post of the early version of the story. The only real change in this chapter is correction to typos, little correction of time line, and the addition of thought bars (// ..//). When you see // ..// it means the person is thinking and not talking.
*************
"Master, why are we doing this again. I just don't understand."
"You don't have to. You are just my servant. I am the master. Why do you question me Wormtail?"
"What is the school to you master. Why waste time and."
"Fool, do you think I waist time! Have I taught you nothing. No, this American school is very important. They will serve as a warning. No one is safe. Not even if an ocean separates them from me. My reach is long, Wormtail, longer than the ministries, longer than that old fool Dumbledore's. The Americans do not fear me enough. But they will, they will. Besides they have something I wish to own."
"What my lord?"
"In time, Wormtail, in time." A high-pitched laugh pierced the silence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry awoke with a start. The dream. HE had been in it. Harry threw the covers off his bed. //The Dursleys should still be asleep.// He went to let Hedwig out of her cage. "Hedwig, I have to see Dumbledore. I can't wait for you to find him and bring a message back. Can you fly and me follow on my broom?" Hedwig ruffled her feathers at being considered to slow. "It's not that I don't trust you Hedwig, I had, well I had another dream. Dumbledore needs to know, NOW. If I wait people could die. I know your fast, but I would have to wait for a return message. This is an emergency." Harry grinned, "Besides it gets me out of here and onto a broom." This seemed to calm the owl. She cowed and nibbled Harry's fingers. He let the cage door come fully open. "Please wait while I get dressed." Harry quietly found his robes and grabbed his wand. Since Voldermort was on the move, and Dumbledore had broken with the ministry, Harry was allowed to keep his wand and practice limited magic during the summers. This kept the Dursleys out of his hair. It had only taken one small charm and Dudley had left him alone. Uncle Vernon had been quite upset. Harry thought that Dudley having a long purple beard was a distinct improvement. He could not understand why everyone was still so upset over it. Harry grabbed his broom and placed strong wards on the rest of his school things. It would not do to have Dudley get into his potions ingredients while he was away. Although the image of Dudley having consumed a large quantity of bats liver thinking it to be chocolate worms would have been worth the tongue-lashing.
As an after thought he pulled out a piece of parchment and left a note on his bed.
Dear Uncle Vernon, The evil wizard that is out to kill me is on the move. I have gone to tell the Headmaster about a dream. Be back soon. Harry P.S. My things are warded so if you don't want any nasty and noisy accidents I suggest you don't touch or move anything till I return.
Harry grinned imagining his Uncle's reaction to the note. The Dursleys hated anything to do with magic. They had only grudgingly listened when Dumbledore had stopped by to strengthen the wards and to explain the situation. They now lived in fear of an attack by this unnamed dark wizard. Harry's life with the Dursleys was now worse than all the previous summers combined. They blamed him for not only every bad thing that happened but for every peice of news. Any car accidents, house fires, robberies, or murders where all now Harry's fault. They seemed incapable of understanding that Voldermort was an enemy wizard, not a friend. Since he did magic and Harry did magic they must be the same. The Dursley's now not only ignored him, they avoided him. Complete lack of human contact could be very trying for a traumatized individual. It gave Harry far too much time for introspection.
Harry grabbed his father's invisibility cloak and placed his broom outside the window. With some difficulty he managed to move out onto the hovering object. He had grown quite a bit since he had preformed a similar maneuver in his second year. Hedwig gave a hoot and was soon flying away. Harry thrilled in the flight. It felt good to be back on a broom. He was sure the ministry had an eye on him so he kept his flying low and level. If any muggles spotted him he would have a lot of questions to answer. Hedwig flew in a relatively straight line. Harry followed her closely. He knew he was not supposed to leave the Dursley's house. He was outside the charms Dumbledore had placed. Voldermort could get him at any time. //Well, if what I saw was real, his attention is momentarily elsewhere. //
More quickly than expected they were near Hogwarts. The flight had only taken about three hours. Harry wondered at it. //The train must wind around to distract us.// He pondered this than remembered that Hedwig knew short cuts and was flying incredibly fast. His firebolt had no problem keeping up. Both bird and broom were much faster than an old Ford ANGLIA anyway.
Harry, with Hedwig on his shoulder, landed just in front of the school gates. Harry had never seen the school over summer holidays. He had no idea if he could get in. Or if Dumbledore was there. Harry shook his head. Hedwig lead him here, so here was Dumbledore. The owl was never wrong.
Harry reached a hand out and touched the gates. They swung wide open. He walked inside and up to the doors. As he reached the top step the great oak doors opened wide and a very panicked looking Prof. Migonical came running out.
"Harry, what is it? What's wrong,.. has. tell me HE didn't attack the Dursleys!"
"No, I had another dream. Voldermort is on the move. Is the headmaster in?" Minerva ushered Harry inside and straight to the aging Headmaster's office.
"Snickers" The gargoyle opened and Harry stepped onto the winding starway. He gave his prof. an odd look.
"Ever since he got back from America he has had an affinity for their candy-bars. I will never understand him and sweets." This was said with a disapproving shake of her head. Prof. McGonagall had never held stock in Dumbledore's love of candy.
They had now reached the headmaster's door. Harry opened it and walked into the empty room. Fawkes was resting on his stand next to the door. When Hedwig saw the phoenix she let out a happy cry and went to sit next to the bird. The old sorting hat was laying precariously on the edge of a bookshelf. //The office is in even more disarray then usual.// They waited for Dumbledore.
A loud bang interrupted his thoughts as Dumbledore shuffled into the room. He had knocked over a pile of parchments and varies magical objects as he stumbled in. His nightshirt was far to long and had tripped him. He seemed very tired. He shuffled over to his desk and collapsed in the chair. Harry looked at him in amazement. He had never seen Dumbledore look anything other than amused or powerful. He looked down right old now. //Am I imaging it or is that lipstick on his collar?// Dumbledore looked up and smiled at Harry. The smile did not reach his eyes, however. He looked down at his hands. "So, Harry, what is Voldermort up to now."
Harry quickly filled the wizard in on his dream. Dumbledore looked none to surprised. "I just returned from a trip to see the Dean of the American wizarding school. She assured me they had had no problems. I could feel something was amiss. I warned her. Did he tell Wormtail when and what was going to happen?" Harry shook his head no. Dumbledore heaved a sigh. "Minerva, call the others up here. Tell them what Harry saw. We will have to send a party over to insure the school is well protected. They are still in session for another week I believe, something about snow days." Prof. McGonagall nodded and hurried out of the room.
"As for you Harry, you could have owled me."
"I probably should have, but I thought I should come in person to answer questions."
"Are they that bad Harry, Can you not stay with them for even a few weeks? School has not been out long. You have been home less than two weeks. This is a record for you."
"Well, I didn't come with all my things, so I have to go back." Harry paused and added in an expectant tone, "I was hoping I could go to the borrow afterwards." Harry's voice held hope. If he was with Ron they could at least plan things out. Maybe come up with a few contingency plans; what to do if Voldermort kidnapped someone, what to do if he openly attacked, what to do if he did nothing. Ron was good at coming up with terrible theories and Harry wanted to make use of that particular talent to plan for the coming year.
Now the twinkle returned to the headmaster's eyes. "The Weaslys have been writing insisting you come. I would let you, Harry, but the charms." Harry cut him off.
"The charms only work if I am around the Dursleys. I know, I know. I don't care. If I change my life one bit I let Voldermort win. I refuse to live in fear, Headmaster. He wants to kill me. He will kill me," at the headmasters look Harry quickly added, "maybe I can stop him. Maybe you can. But he will try. It doesn't matter where I am. Let me have a life while I can. Besides, the summers have been safe so far."
Dumbledore looked saddened by Harry's view of the future. "You seem to think your death is certain."
"It is, we all die. I have heard you say so yourself, back in first year. If Voldermort doesn't get me something will eventually. I am not going to run from death forever. No, I don't intend to stand still and wait either. I just have to be doing something! ANYTHING! I can't run and hide my whole life!
With the Dursleys it's like the fight doesn't exist. The war is fake. People aren't dying. I might even be able to convince myself of it if I stay away from the muggle news and refuse to add the facts up. But pretending it isn't happening is not the answer."
"There is no answer." A silky smooth voice that held a warning intoned over Harry's head. "Are you alright, sir?" The voice now held worry. Harry knew it was Snape.
"Ah, Severus, glad to see you. Yes, I am fine, just tired. I had a long journey from the States and there is this woman there. I think she is under some kind of a spell. Her voice however. Oh, well. More important things seem to be happening. Did Minerva fill you in?" The potions master nodded silently and turned to glare at Harry.
//He looks almost as bad as Dumbledore. I wonder what has been going on since I left?//
Snape crossed the room and stood next to his student. He set a potion on the desk. Dumbledore reached for it and gave Snape a grateful nod. He drank the slightly steaming concoction in three large gulps. Snape did not seem think it was odd. After a few moments of quite, Snape asked his question, "What can I do?" His voice shock with anger and with pent up energy.
//So he is feeling useless to. Great, if Dumbledore is not letting Snape help I'll never get to.// His thoughts were cut of by the headmaster's answer.
"Severus, you can't leave here. Voldermort would relish the chance to kill you." Severus bristled at the notion he could not defend himself. "No need for heroics yet my friend. I still have work for you here. It seems young Harry has become rather fatalistic of late. I would like you to spend a few days with him. Either you can cheer him up or he will you. Please keep the blood spills to a minimum however. We all have enough to do without patching the two of you up."
Both turned and looked at each other. The idea of spending five minutes with each other was repugnant, let alone a few days. A large smile had replaced the worried look on Dumbledore's face. His eyes now held the all too familiar twinkle Harry had learned to associate with impending unpleasantness. //The way that man loves to torture me makes me wonder if the rumors he was a griffendor are false.//
"Headmaster, I , um , left everything at the Dursleys. I can't stay here. And he can't leave. So, I'll just go back and, ah, play with Dudley." Harry began to back out of the room.
"Yes, well, I also have some very important potions brewing. They need constant vigilance. Must be returning. Have to go." Snape also started out of the room.
"Not one step further. You two are starting to become ridiculous. You are on the same side. You are going to have to get along eventually. Harry, Severus is a good man. He has made some mistakes, but none larger than a few I have made." Harry suddenly wondered what secrets lay in Dumbledore's past. What could be worse than joining Voldermort. "Severus, Harry is not responsible for being famous. He hasn't even let it go to his head, yet." With that statement came a sharp look at Harry. Harry suddenly regretted the interview he had given at the end of term. "You WILL be spending time together. At least a week. I will not have this animosity spilling over into another school year. I will send someone to the Dursleys to apprise them of the situation and to bring your school things, Harry. No, I will not make you return to them. If you were so desperate to leave that you will fly here lead by your owl I hate to think what stunt you would come up with next. And Severus, have Harry help you with the potions. His skills may not be stellar in your area, but he has yet to cause serous damage. Perhaps he could learn something."
Just then the door opened and the rest of the teaching staff practically fell into the room. Everyone looked like the walking dead, Harry thought. Even Prof. Binns looked under the weather, which is saying something for a ghost. "Ah, my colleges. I need a few of you to go to.."
Harry did not hear the rest. Snape had his arm and was leading him out of the room. He could tell Snape was concerned about Dumbledore. "What has been going on Professor. Everyone looks, well, exhausted." To his surprise Snape just nodded and continued to lead him into the dungeons. When they reached the stairway Snape collapsed on the top step.
"Of course they do. All anyone has done since we dismissed school is run here and run there. All the other wizarding schools have been asking for help in securing themselves from attack. Albus has been working himself to the bone trying to make them all safe. He can't. Minerva is surviving on wakefulness potion, and Sprout has had to call Neville Longbottom in to look after her plants so she can concentrate on the war effort."
Snape looked up at Harry. "So you want to help? Good luck. Unless you can fight and travel you are practically useless." The normal scathing tone was absent. Harry could hear self-loathing in the comment.
"No, not useless. We just have to find a way to help that doesn't require leaving Hogwarts grounds." Snape snorted at the we. Harry continued undaunted. If he didn't have Ron he would have to make do. He was at Hogwarts, which was better than Privet Drive. "Perhaps we could stock pile potions, or develop new charms. Anything." Harry tried to make his voice cheerful, he failed.
The dark professor looked up again at his student and thought: // He really wants to do something. So do I, but what. Most potions will lose their potency if bottled too far ahead of time. I am no good at charms, and as far as I hear nether is he, in that he is very unlike James. Curses and hexes we could work with, but I am sure most of what we come up with would be considered dark arts. I do not want to be the one responsible for starting him on that path, him or anyone else. Well, I'll finish their training but I will be damned if I start it.// For some reason Snape did not snap back. Instead he answered in a calm voice, "We can try. Come on. I have some Veritaserum brewing and it needs to be stirred." The two enemies hurried down the stairs and into the dungeons.
Dumbledore had decided to send Prof. McGonagall and Flitwick to the Armstrong institute to see about Harry's dream when word of the attack came. A very frightened ministry official aperated to Hogsmead and ran all the way into Albus's office. He told the headmaster that a report from the President of the American Magical Association had confirmed. The Armstrong Institute was gone. They were looking for survivors but held out little hope. Dumbledore grabbed his cloak and backup wand. He was on his way to the apparition point before Minerva could object. If anyone had survived the attack they would have to be well hidden. His heart skipped a beat. All those children. His friend the Dean, and that young woman. Dead. //I should have done more. Moved faster. Oh, gods, what have I allowed to happen.//
**************** A/N: This is the last chapter that has been previously posted. Please accept our humble apologies for posting such atrocities at 3 a.m. a few months ago. We will endeavor to upload better work much, much, much faster from now on.
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Live Long and Prosper, Saavik
Authors: Starchild and Saavik
Chapter Four: The Devil Cometh
***Disclaimer*** We do not own the Harry Potter Universe or any of the recognizable characters that belong there. (We want to, but alas life is not fare.) If you want to sue us feel free. We have no money, but you can have our negative karma for the asking.
A/N: This is a re-post of the early version of the story. The only real change in this chapter is correction to typos, little correction of time line, and the addition of thought bars (// ..//). When you see // ..// it means the person is thinking and not talking.
*************
"Master, why are we doing this again. I just don't understand."
"You don't have to. You are just my servant. I am the master. Why do you question me Wormtail?"
"What is the school to you master. Why waste time and."
"Fool, do you think I waist time! Have I taught you nothing. No, this American school is very important. They will serve as a warning. No one is safe. Not even if an ocean separates them from me. My reach is long, Wormtail, longer than the ministries, longer than that old fool Dumbledore's. The Americans do not fear me enough. But they will, they will. Besides they have something I wish to own."
"What my lord?"
"In time, Wormtail, in time." A high-pitched laugh pierced the silence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry awoke with a start. The dream. HE had been in it. Harry threw the covers off his bed. //The Dursleys should still be asleep.// He went to let Hedwig out of her cage. "Hedwig, I have to see Dumbledore. I can't wait for you to find him and bring a message back. Can you fly and me follow on my broom?" Hedwig ruffled her feathers at being considered to slow. "It's not that I don't trust you Hedwig, I had, well I had another dream. Dumbledore needs to know, NOW. If I wait people could die. I know your fast, but I would have to wait for a return message. This is an emergency." Harry grinned, "Besides it gets me out of here and onto a broom." This seemed to calm the owl. She cowed and nibbled Harry's fingers. He let the cage door come fully open. "Please wait while I get dressed." Harry quietly found his robes and grabbed his wand. Since Voldermort was on the move, and Dumbledore had broken with the ministry, Harry was allowed to keep his wand and practice limited magic during the summers. This kept the Dursleys out of his hair. It had only taken one small charm and Dudley had left him alone. Uncle Vernon had been quite upset. Harry thought that Dudley having a long purple beard was a distinct improvement. He could not understand why everyone was still so upset over it. Harry grabbed his broom and placed strong wards on the rest of his school things. It would not do to have Dudley get into his potions ingredients while he was away. Although the image of Dudley having consumed a large quantity of bats liver thinking it to be chocolate worms would have been worth the tongue-lashing.
As an after thought he pulled out a piece of parchment and left a note on his bed.
Dear Uncle Vernon, The evil wizard that is out to kill me is on the move. I have gone to tell the Headmaster about a dream. Be back soon. Harry P.S. My things are warded so if you don't want any nasty and noisy accidents I suggest you don't touch or move anything till I return.
Harry grinned imagining his Uncle's reaction to the note. The Dursleys hated anything to do with magic. They had only grudgingly listened when Dumbledore had stopped by to strengthen the wards and to explain the situation. They now lived in fear of an attack by this unnamed dark wizard. Harry's life with the Dursleys was now worse than all the previous summers combined. They blamed him for not only every bad thing that happened but for every peice of news. Any car accidents, house fires, robberies, or murders where all now Harry's fault. They seemed incapable of understanding that Voldermort was an enemy wizard, not a friend. Since he did magic and Harry did magic they must be the same. The Dursley's now not only ignored him, they avoided him. Complete lack of human contact could be very trying for a traumatized individual. It gave Harry far too much time for introspection.
Harry grabbed his father's invisibility cloak and placed his broom outside the window. With some difficulty he managed to move out onto the hovering object. He had grown quite a bit since he had preformed a similar maneuver in his second year. Hedwig gave a hoot and was soon flying away. Harry thrilled in the flight. It felt good to be back on a broom. He was sure the ministry had an eye on him so he kept his flying low and level. If any muggles spotted him he would have a lot of questions to answer. Hedwig flew in a relatively straight line. Harry followed her closely. He knew he was not supposed to leave the Dursley's house. He was outside the charms Dumbledore had placed. Voldermort could get him at any time. //Well, if what I saw was real, his attention is momentarily elsewhere. //
More quickly than expected they were near Hogwarts. The flight had only taken about three hours. Harry wondered at it. //The train must wind around to distract us.// He pondered this than remembered that Hedwig knew short cuts and was flying incredibly fast. His firebolt had no problem keeping up. Both bird and broom were much faster than an old Ford ANGLIA anyway.
Harry, with Hedwig on his shoulder, landed just in front of the school gates. Harry had never seen the school over summer holidays. He had no idea if he could get in. Or if Dumbledore was there. Harry shook his head. Hedwig lead him here, so here was Dumbledore. The owl was never wrong.
Harry reached a hand out and touched the gates. They swung wide open. He walked inside and up to the doors. As he reached the top step the great oak doors opened wide and a very panicked looking Prof. Migonical came running out.
"Harry, what is it? What's wrong,.. has. tell me HE didn't attack the Dursleys!"
"No, I had another dream. Voldermort is on the move. Is the headmaster in?" Minerva ushered Harry inside and straight to the aging Headmaster's office.
"Snickers" The gargoyle opened and Harry stepped onto the winding starway. He gave his prof. an odd look.
"Ever since he got back from America he has had an affinity for their candy-bars. I will never understand him and sweets." This was said with a disapproving shake of her head. Prof. McGonagall had never held stock in Dumbledore's love of candy.
They had now reached the headmaster's door. Harry opened it and walked into the empty room. Fawkes was resting on his stand next to the door. When Hedwig saw the phoenix she let out a happy cry and went to sit next to the bird. The old sorting hat was laying precariously on the edge of a bookshelf. //The office is in even more disarray then usual.// They waited for Dumbledore.
A loud bang interrupted his thoughts as Dumbledore shuffled into the room. He had knocked over a pile of parchments and varies magical objects as he stumbled in. His nightshirt was far to long and had tripped him. He seemed very tired. He shuffled over to his desk and collapsed in the chair. Harry looked at him in amazement. He had never seen Dumbledore look anything other than amused or powerful. He looked down right old now. //Am I imaging it or is that lipstick on his collar?// Dumbledore looked up and smiled at Harry. The smile did not reach his eyes, however. He looked down at his hands. "So, Harry, what is Voldermort up to now."
Harry quickly filled the wizard in on his dream. Dumbledore looked none to surprised. "I just returned from a trip to see the Dean of the American wizarding school. She assured me they had had no problems. I could feel something was amiss. I warned her. Did he tell Wormtail when and what was going to happen?" Harry shook his head no. Dumbledore heaved a sigh. "Minerva, call the others up here. Tell them what Harry saw. We will have to send a party over to insure the school is well protected. They are still in session for another week I believe, something about snow days." Prof. McGonagall nodded and hurried out of the room.
"As for you Harry, you could have owled me."
"I probably should have, but I thought I should come in person to answer questions."
"Are they that bad Harry, Can you not stay with them for even a few weeks? School has not been out long. You have been home less than two weeks. This is a record for you."
"Well, I didn't come with all my things, so I have to go back." Harry paused and added in an expectant tone, "I was hoping I could go to the borrow afterwards." Harry's voice held hope. If he was with Ron they could at least plan things out. Maybe come up with a few contingency plans; what to do if Voldermort kidnapped someone, what to do if he openly attacked, what to do if he did nothing. Ron was good at coming up with terrible theories and Harry wanted to make use of that particular talent to plan for the coming year.
Now the twinkle returned to the headmaster's eyes. "The Weaslys have been writing insisting you come. I would let you, Harry, but the charms." Harry cut him off.
"The charms only work if I am around the Dursleys. I know, I know. I don't care. If I change my life one bit I let Voldermort win. I refuse to live in fear, Headmaster. He wants to kill me. He will kill me," at the headmasters look Harry quickly added, "maybe I can stop him. Maybe you can. But he will try. It doesn't matter where I am. Let me have a life while I can. Besides, the summers have been safe so far."
Dumbledore looked saddened by Harry's view of the future. "You seem to think your death is certain."
"It is, we all die. I have heard you say so yourself, back in first year. If Voldermort doesn't get me something will eventually. I am not going to run from death forever. No, I don't intend to stand still and wait either. I just have to be doing something! ANYTHING! I can't run and hide my whole life!
With the Dursleys it's like the fight doesn't exist. The war is fake. People aren't dying. I might even be able to convince myself of it if I stay away from the muggle news and refuse to add the facts up. But pretending it isn't happening is not the answer."
"There is no answer." A silky smooth voice that held a warning intoned over Harry's head. "Are you alright, sir?" The voice now held worry. Harry knew it was Snape.
"Ah, Severus, glad to see you. Yes, I am fine, just tired. I had a long journey from the States and there is this woman there. I think she is under some kind of a spell. Her voice however. Oh, well. More important things seem to be happening. Did Minerva fill you in?" The potions master nodded silently and turned to glare at Harry.
//He looks almost as bad as Dumbledore. I wonder what has been going on since I left?//
Snape crossed the room and stood next to his student. He set a potion on the desk. Dumbledore reached for it and gave Snape a grateful nod. He drank the slightly steaming concoction in three large gulps. Snape did not seem think it was odd. After a few moments of quite, Snape asked his question, "What can I do?" His voice shock with anger and with pent up energy.
//So he is feeling useless to. Great, if Dumbledore is not letting Snape help I'll never get to.// His thoughts were cut of by the headmaster's answer.
"Severus, you can't leave here. Voldermort would relish the chance to kill you." Severus bristled at the notion he could not defend himself. "No need for heroics yet my friend. I still have work for you here. It seems young Harry has become rather fatalistic of late. I would like you to spend a few days with him. Either you can cheer him up or he will you. Please keep the blood spills to a minimum however. We all have enough to do without patching the two of you up."
Both turned and looked at each other. The idea of spending five minutes with each other was repugnant, let alone a few days. A large smile had replaced the worried look on Dumbledore's face. His eyes now held the all too familiar twinkle Harry had learned to associate with impending unpleasantness. //The way that man loves to torture me makes me wonder if the rumors he was a griffendor are false.//
"Headmaster, I , um , left everything at the Dursleys. I can't stay here. And he can't leave. So, I'll just go back and, ah, play with Dudley." Harry began to back out of the room.
"Yes, well, I also have some very important potions brewing. They need constant vigilance. Must be returning. Have to go." Snape also started out of the room.
"Not one step further. You two are starting to become ridiculous. You are on the same side. You are going to have to get along eventually. Harry, Severus is a good man. He has made some mistakes, but none larger than a few I have made." Harry suddenly wondered what secrets lay in Dumbledore's past. What could be worse than joining Voldermort. "Severus, Harry is not responsible for being famous. He hasn't even let it go to his head, yet." With that statement came a sharp look at Harry. Harry suddenly regretted the interview he had given at the end of term. "You WILL be spending time together. At least a week. I will not have this animosity spilling over into another school year. I will send someone to the Dursleys to apprise them of the situation and to bring your school things, Harry. No, I will not make you return to them. If you were so desperate to leave that you will fly here lead by your owl I hate to think what stunt you would come up with next. And Severus, have Harry help you with the potions. His skills may not be stellar in your area, but he has yet to cause serous damage. Perhaps he could learn something."
Just then the door opened and the rest of the teaching staff practically fell into the room. Everyone looked like the walking dead, Harry thought. Even Prof. Binns looked under the weather, which is saying something for a ghost. "Ah, my colleges. I need a few of you to go to.."
Harry did not hear the rest. Snape had his arm and was leading him out of the room. He could tell Snape was concerned about Dumbledore. "What has been going on Professor. Everyone looks, well, exhausted." To his surprise Snape just nodded and continued to lead him into the dungeons. When they reached the stairway Snape collapsed on the top step.
"Of course they do. All anyone has done since we dismissed school is run here and run there. All the other wizarding schools have been asking for help in securing themselves from attack. Albus has been working himself to the bone trying to make them all safe. He can't. Minerva is surviving on wakefulness potion, and Sprout has had to call Neville Longbottom in to look after her plants so she can concentrate on the war effort."
Snape looked up at Harry. "So you want to help? Good luck. Unless you can fight and travel you are practically useless." The normal scathing tone was absent. Harry could hear self-loathing in the comment.
"No, not useless. We just have to find a way to help that doesn't require leaving Hogwarts grounds." Snape snorted at the we. Harry continued undaunted. If he didn't have Ron he would have to make do. He was at Hogwarts, which was better than Privet Drive. "Perhaps we could stock pile potions, or develop new charms. Anything." Harry tried to make his voice cheerful, he failed.
The dark professor looked up again at his student and thought: // He really wants to do something. So do I, but what. Most potions will lose their potency if bottled too far ahead of time. I am no good at charms, and as far as I hear nether is he, in that he is very unlike James. Curses and hexes we could work with, but I am sure most of what we come up with would be considered dark arts. I do not want to be the one responsible for starting him on that path, him or anyone else. Well, I'll finish their training but I will be damned if I start it.// For some reason Snape did not snap back. Instead he answered in a calm voice, "We can try. Come on. I have some Veritaserum brewing and it needs to be stirred." The two enemies hurried down the stairs and into the dungeons.
Dumbledore had decided to send Prof. McGonagall and Flitwick to the Armstrong institute to see about Harry's dream when word of the attack came. A very frightened ministry official aperated to Hogsmead and ran all the way into Albus's office. He told the headmaster that a report from the President of the American Magical Association had confirmed. The Armstrong Institute was gone. They were looking for survivors but held out little hope. Dumbledore grabbed his cloak and backup wand. He was on his way to the apparition point before Minerva could object. If anyone had survived the attack they would have to be well hidden. His heart skipped a beat. All those children. His friend the Dean, and that young woman. Dead. //I should have done more. Moved faster. Oh, gods, what have I allowed to happen.//
**************** A/N: This is the last chapter that has been previously posted. Please accept our humble apologies for posting such atrocities at 3 a.m. a few months ago. We will endeavor to upload better work much, much, much faster from now on.
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