Chapter 11

The school year progressed quickly for Harry, he was working hard constantly. Miranda set a new record for the length of time anyone could be exposed to the skull's power, two hours, surpassing Sirius's 1 hour and Dumbledore's half hour and twenty two seconds. But all of them were very busy, but Miranda still sometimes found time to help out. Harry had discovered that only living things could be de-moleculed by the skull, and had tested 5,890 blood samples (human) the elves at Hogwarts had given him samples as well. Harry discovered that the elves in general lasted longer than humans, their norm being at 3 seconds. In fact he was so busy that he hardly noticed the first month and a half of his seventh year passing.

Harry had created a theory that the more power a wizard or witch or elf had the longer they could withstand the skull. Though those who were more active in the fight and more loyal also tended to do better. He guessed that this was because of how loyal to their people the strongest Atlantians had been back on their planet, and the Royal Family here on earth. He gave these findings to the Daily Prophet, since the public was still clamoring for news, this created a huge surge of patriotism and suddenly people were much more cooperative and willing to help in any way they could, regarding the continued war. Needless to say the Order was very pleased.

During the two weeks since the last attack a sort of expectant calm had fallen. Everyone knew that Voldemort was out there, and he was recovering more quickly than expected from his injuries. Where would he strike next? The Order healed, set up stronger defense, trained, and worried over when the next attack would come. A census had been taken, putting the total witches and wizards dead at about 8,722 a horrific number that shocked the wizarding world. Since there only was a new more precise estimate of 80,000 adult witches and wizards when the war had started. Voldemort picked them off, family by family or in mass murders, his assassins accounted for huge numbers, many wound up being tortured or serving in gladiatorial games or as servants under the imperius curse for weeks. Last time he came to power he picked off people who fought him, now he got them and everyone else he could. Muggle murders were even worse, 21,400 was the best guess, and the muggles had noticed the war. The 1st and 2nd world countries had banded together in an astonishing unity to fight. They even called him the dark lord, and his name had been released to them as well. Voldemort hired muggle terrorists, using them to hide behind, some muggles called him the terrorist king, and the title fitted him, the world was in turmoil. But with all the muggle governments uniting, putting aside old arguments and grievances did bring about change, good change. There were no muggles wars going at all, none, zip, just the one against Voldemort. The Ministry's had unified, giving the wizarding world a stronger front defense. The Order of the Phoenix ranks filled to 890 full-time patrol members, 210 part-time members, 54 spies, (Sarlan was ecstatic) 86 healers, 43 animal managers, and a general staff of helpers at an all time high of 40. Giving the Order 1323 agents.

So far as anyone could possibly guess Voldemort's army had 960 death eaters with a inner circle of 42. Dementor numbers were somewhere between 2,800 and 3,500, since no one really counted the dead very well, and they had been breeding unchecked in the far corners of the globe for nearly two centuries now since the last count. The mesmerd, a small species nearing extinction to start were now down to about 900 to 1,200. Muggle agents was anyone's guess, but Sarlan's expert network of spies, along with two agents of Harry's (he'd saved their lives and since their lives had basically been destroyed they had wanted to help) numbers, since they had infiltrated the terrorist community, was put at 41,700 to 42,000. Though many didn't have a clue they were working for him. His trolls (river trolls) were a small group, since many had left, 50, his snakes at nearly 30,000 all told, and 1,320 vampires, according to Sarlan's vampire spies. Giving him a grand force of 77,772 to a possible 79,022. Of course this wasn't public knowledge.

The search for Atlantis continued, the astronomers had found out nothing new to share, but Harry was making headway figuring out their legal system according to charts and the under-detailed inscriptions. It was confusing to start on, but he had really gotten into it and found it very interesting. And it was enough to keep the public happy, after joining the astronomers as they worked over the charts and star map and viewing different portions of the night sky with them, looking for the same section as shown on the chamber's ceiling Harry was convinced that they knew exactly what they were doing and was happy to leave it to them. Giving him more time to work on his potion that should reawaken the comatose tortured people at Saint Mungo's, and more time to work in the giant herb garden he'd started at Potter manor, making things for the healers for when the next attack did finally come, and then of course he had school work and Quidditch.

**

Mists, death eaters, dementors, vampires, trolls, snakes, all marched over the misted ground. They crested a rise and below them, on a huge plain with a river flowing through it, situated on the river, was a series of wood and stone forts. The army steadily marched down the hill towards the forts. Units breaking off to the sides to their own forts. The largest, a small palace, was where the death eaters headed, led by the inner circle. At the head walked Voldemort's apprentice. The army settled down, he tents were erected on the fields for those who couldn't fit in the forts. Sudden darkness, then another image. In a huge hall the inner circle gathered with the dark apprentice, who was calling himself Satan. They were looking at a map, it showed the forts and river, another beside it gave a larger view, the plain, hills around it, the river, they must have put enough muggle repelling charms on it probably kill any muggle who came near. Harry fixed the map in his mind then the dream sent him flying away, then he woke.

Harry lost no time in getting the dream out to Sirius, but as he did a feeling of impending danger, he looked around carefully, but nothing seemed to be wrong. But he was worried; it felt as though soon, not in the next few days, weeks, or months, but soon, hundred of people would be dying. Harry frowned and sent Belle with the dream recorder, and spent the night puzzling over his sudden fear and worry, and the coming catastrophe. How it was coming or what it was he didn't know, but it had something to do with Voldemort and it was bad. Having long since learned to trust his gut instinct and beware of any odd feelings he wondered what he should be watching for, what signs of impending doom could he find if he just looked? Near dawn he shrugged it off to think about later and decided to go for a ride on Lightning, who was out on the grounds with his herd.

**

Defense class quickly became the most popular class at Hogwarts, despite the fact that it was also the longest; Dumbledore kept it interesting and knew all sorts of cool little spells to teach if there was extra class time. After vampires they move don to werewolves and after them Mesmerd. Harry had no problem keeping ahead of the class.

Potions class got better, Harry was no longer in the class so the fights that had been a daily occurrence the year before were nonexistent. And the schedule had been arranged so that Caitlin Snape got most of the classes with Gryffindors, and she was much nicer, and if possible even stricter than her husband.

Care of Magical Creatures class, taught by Geoffrey Hemtleburn now, he had started helping last year and was now the full time teacher. But since Hogwarts had so many students now 3,448, all of the major subjects had two teachers. He was very good at it, currently they were on kneazels (spelling?) Of which he owned four, class was still held outside the hut, but Hagrid was still off working with the Order. Taking over for him was Attila Filch, who like his namesake Attila the Hun was ruthless and not very kind to anyone including his younger brother.

According to Ginny the new transfiguration teacher and McGonagal's assistant Beatrice Kalion, had a tendency to favor the Hufflepuffs and was nearly as strict as McGonagal, but didn't assign as much homework, of course the seventh years were still taught by McGonagal.

The Irish school had been rebuilt and reopened, with added defenses, and many of the Irish students went back there. But there were so many students that Hogwarts still needed additional staff. Garth Zimmeri began helping Flitwick by teaching 1-3rd year charms. Dirk McDiamond helped the headmaster out by teaching half of the Defense classes so that each month they'd switch. Both teachers worked out a schedule so that the students got rigorous well-rounded defense training. Whether or not he would last more than a year was anyone's guess but the ex-auror ex-assassin part-time Order agent was tough and seemed to know by heart every book on defensive spells and fighting spells ever written and Harry had never seen his like with a mace or a throwing star.

**

Harry stood by the door watching the four snakes slither off into the forest, they'd be taken by hippogriff to a place near Satan's base a dropped off to spy on the dark apprentice.

"As if Voldemort was not enough." Harry nodded in agreement and turned to face the headmaster who had been watching from a landing above.

"He can't keep them there for long, especially the dementors. They need prey and the others sure won't like that.

"Therefore he must attack."

"Do you think he has broken away form Voldemort?"

"That would be to much to hope for, rival dark lords…no he's still Voldemort's, his right-hand-man but maybe it could be arranged so that each thought the other planned to turn against them?" Dumbledore suggested, Harry thought on it, use Voldemort's own tactics? Spilt his people the way he had for years spilt theirs between the Ministry and Order?

"It could work. But with him there, with such an obvious force, Voldemort and he can both attack. Voldemort has only the best with him, Satan just has huge numbers." Harry said, trying to think of likely targets.

"Two pronged attack, to spread out the Order." Dumbledore said with a tired sigh.

"A two pronged attack to remove the Order form the Fortress for when he attacks it!" Harry growled angrily, Dumbledore joined him and they both walked out onto the grounds, Harry teleported them to the Fortress with a flash of lightning.

**

So he intends to attack the Fortress itself, or maybe we are just meant to think that?" Sarlan said, maps of Satan's base and the numbers of followers spread out across the table along with reports from spies and patrols. The Council was sitting around, tired, it was nearly ten and they'd been at this since seven.

"Either way something must be done about that base." Alanna of the Copper said, rubbing her temples.

"Why not just let the muggles take care of that?" Harry suggested, catching everyone's attention, "we just need to find what country the base is in, then we give the muggles the maps and they bomb the base, nuke it maybe, problem solved."

"Grand idea, Felara which part of the Broom Brigade is out in the field?" Sirius asked, Felara, the leader of the Broom Brigade, looked over a file.

"Oliver Wood and his division are out, so is Victor Krum and his." She said.

"Why use the Broom Brigade? That could take years. With Muggle satellite photos could be done in minutes. We could spell them so that if there are enchantments hiding the base from satellite they won't work." Miranda said.

"Can we do that without the muggles noticing?" Sirius asked, there were nods all around. "Okay then, once we find it, Sarlan you've got six spies doubling as muggle Intelligence Agents, one of them could leak the information to one of the muggle governments."

"Which one? China, the USA, Russia, England, France, or Germany?" The spymaster asked, very proud of having agents in all six governments, he took great pride in his spy network.

"Which one would be most likely to nuke them?" Miranda asked with a devilish look on her face, Satan had killed one of her patrol so she had personal reasons for wanting him dead and buried.

"The Chinese are angry because of those two attacks on those three small towns-fifty four dead, England would be only to happy to do so much of the war has been here and started here after all, and the USA's war on terrorism is looking for revenge because of that bombing a week ago in Las Vegas that killed forty." Sarlan supplied, there was a quick vote and it was decided to give the location of Satan's base to England, since they'd tell everyone else anyway.

"I'll get our techno people and a few computer hackers to work on the satellites, and we've got an agent on that manned flight up to the Chinese's satellites…I forget what they're called, there's three, they're all meeting at one place for a upgrade." Miranda said leaving the room, Harry followed and teleported back to Hogwarts. Dumbledore would come back by apparition later.

The other students were already asleep but Harry, Ira, and Draco met in a secret room to talk. Ron and Hermione had both gone to bed, but the three Quidditch players didn't feel like sleeping. They'd be playing against each other in a few days. Harry explained what was going on, both were very interested in what was happening with the war. Their opinion being that it had grown far to large, even the last time Voldemort had come to power it hadn't been nearly so big, or so deadly, it really was World War III. Though it was technically the first war in which the muggles and magic folk fought a common enemy, in was the first war in magical history to have such a high death toll in the magic community, Voldemort was the worst dark lord ever, and it was the longest war. The era of peace and minor dark lords who only killed a few dozen was over, now one wrong step could destroy the world. And the muggles were beginning to suspect, never before had they suspected that there might just be another culture hiding amidst their own, never had so many secret muggle societies started such immense searches for these people, it was only a matter of time until the muggles found out. Their technology was becoming to advanced, the magic folk couldn't hide their tracks as fast as the muggles could hunt them, the era of magic folk walking about on the muggles streets without worry was over, who knew where one of the muggle watchers might be hiding?

**

She'll live, but that wound will take time to heal." Was the pronouncement of the healer upon finishing with Angelina's wound. Harry relaxed; Angelina had been with the Broom Brigade when they had received an emergency signal from two squad agents. Squad agents were the part or full-time agents who patrolled muggle towns and cities in squads (four agents) squad six of London had seen five death eaters dressed in muggle clothes on the outskirts of London near ten pm. The two agents who had seen them had been sitting outside a restaurant keeping an eye on passersby, when they used the link to contact the other half of their squad, who had been two blocks away, they received no reply. They had contacted Sirius, who immediately realized that both agents were alive, but badly hurt. The Broom Brigade had been the only division in London, and only eight of them were there. As soon as they met with the two remaining squad agents they had set out to locate the death eaters and their comrades, but had been attacked by the death eaters. After a hour long battle in the neighborhood Angelina and Kelly Brook had gotten trapped in a muggle parking garage they were being hunted by death eaters and Kelly had a bad wound on her leg, they had fled through the open sides of the parking complex. Outside two death eaters on broomstick had been waiting. Kelly had been killed in the aerial battle but Angelina had made it out with a horrible side wound.

Voldemort's forces had been attacking in large groups like this since daybreak. Harry had left school immediately and come to help, with nearly six score dementors terrorizing small villages in India, vampires storming Washington DC, nine large death eaters groups attacking in the Caribbean, groups of death eaters taking over muggle battleships in the Pacific, two cruise liners falling prey to dementors, a hotel in Tokyo and all its residents being held hostage by Voldemort's muggle terrorists, an attack on La Paz, Bolivia by Mesmerd and two attacks going on in London the Order was spread thin and stressed.

"Here's the deal, there's a group of ten death eaters in a residential neighborhood on the outskirts of London. There are five uninjured Broom Brigade members in the area, one seriously wounded. Squad six is also there, two badly hurt, one dead. Two of the Broom Brigade's brooms have been blown apart, one of them has lost his wand. Two death eaters have brooms; they have their wands and muggle fire arms of some sort." Harry said to the group forming outside. He'd be going in to rescue the agents and take care of the death eaters along with Kali, Severus, Caitlin, and Orion Black, Sirius's nine years younger brother. Not ideal fighting companions, but they'd do.

"What kind of arms are we bringing?" Orion asked, Harry knew that the Severus would of course be bringing various potions, Caitlin probably would too. For the rest of them…

"Semi automatic pistols, wands, knockout gas, grenades, and throwing daggers." He decided, "and anything else you feel like bringing. Angelina's given us the location, we'll take a portkey there, I'll teleport the wounded back here, Ministry wizards are coming in to handle muggles, and the muggle law enforcement officers should be there by now. We leave in eight minutes." They scattered to get their gear; Harry went to make the portkey.

They arrived outside a large brick house…that was almost blown out of existence. Gunfire could be heard from somewhere behind it, between it and the motel in back. Kali and Harry went around one side, Severus and Caitlin the other, Orion hurried down the street to go through the motel parking lot.

Harry pushed open a tiny gate and crept up to the end of the crumbing smashed house, careful not to trip on the loose tiles and bricks that scattered the ground. Three death eaters were standing over someone in the center of a tiny parking lot. Harry could guess that the person was an Order agents, and probably dead. He leaned out and looked around the corner, on the other side of the building Caitlin made a motion with her hand, signaling him to attack first. Harry looked around, across from the death eaters was the hotel, to his right was a parking garage. He crept into it, keeping in the shadows. He could see the broken window that Angelina and Kelly had flown out of. Once he was as close to the death eaters as he could get Harry lay down in the shadows, pressed against a wall and slowly leaned around it. The death eaters hadn't moved, he steadied himself and quickly leaned out and shot one of the death eaters, he fell without a cry, Harry ducked back inside, behind him Kali put up a shield around them.

One down. Harry sent to Caitlin and Severus. Then he saw Orion coming out of the hotel's back door, suddenly, from a balcony of the house next to the hotel two death eaters who had been hiding hurled spells at him. Orion, surprised, didn't duck fast enough and fell with a shout. Harry ran from the garage to where he'd fallen, Kali knocked one death eater out with a spell and followed him. Caitlin and Severus took out the two death eaters on the balcony, blowing it off the house as they did.

Two more gone to meet their maker.

Orion? Harry asked, not daring to use words incase the death eaters heard.

I'm okay, my left ankle hurts. Harry examined the sprained ankle and did a quick healing spell and unstunned him. Hearing shouts from the house next door, followed by a blast of blue light and gunfire the three ran inside, behind them the remaining two death eaters quickly succumbed to a cloud of noxious fumes released from some special potion Severus had thrown at them. Harry recognized it as one that vaporized upon touching oxygen, the fumes were deadly.

Harry blasted open a door and ran through the room, another round of gunfire form upstairs, someone shouted the cruciatus curse and screams pierced the air. The three ran up the stairs and through a bullet riddled door into a large, trashed, room.

Cliff hanger! Mwahahahahah! Please review!