Pre-Chapter note: This will probably be one of the longer chapters of the story. A lot of necessary material will be covered in this, so if you're the kind that are in for quick and to the point chapters, please bear with me. If you like your chapters long, this one's for you.
It's been two months since the meeting at the Sharp Edge, and ever since team Fallen has been training the shattered group once known as the DA in basic weapons training. They caught on quick enough, and made a lot of progress learning to use most if not all of the Unreal weapons. Harry wasn't kidding. The supply of weapons that he had received was indeed enormous: 50 of each gun, although when asked where the Redeemers were, Harry never gave an answer. And so by the end of the last month, the new team was more or less ready for the real training to begin.
It was a late Thursday evening, finding Enforcer and Bombshell at the poolside mini-bar conversing.
"I still don't know what we need to do to train them anymore. I say they're ready," said Stacy.
"Ready my foot. They're still rookies with no experience, which is why I intend to keep on training them, and for that, I called in some help," replied Harry.
"And what pray tell are you gonna do, enter them in the Tournament?" she asked, exasperated at the idea.
"I have considered that," admitted Harry, "but it's too risky. No, what I have done is I've finished supervising the construction of an underground chamber beneath our flat. I'll use this chamber to create a supervised Tournament like arena for our own private use."
"So then what, are we going to fight them, or are they going to fight each other?" asked Stacy in curiosity.
"That would be the general idea, but they'll also need more variety. They can't be fighting the same people after all, and that's where our 'other' allies come in," said Harry.
"'Other' allies. You never mentioned any 'other' allies," she said in a dangerous 'spill your guts' voice. Harry grinned evilly.
"As a matter of fact, I have mentioned them. Do you remember when I said I managed to get some retired teams to our side?" asked Harry.
"Yeah."
"Well, I never told you how many in total. I have, under my command, over 80 retired teams, each with five or six members, maybe a few with three or four."
She stared at him in disbelief, looking as if she had been winded. "Your joking, right? Please tell me your joking."
"To continue, I also managed to get a very valuable asset to our cause as well, a little something from my contacts in the Unreal Ministry. A weapons genatron. One for each weapon."
Stacy now had a glazed look on her face. She looked flabbergasted, almost like a fish out of water with the way her mouth was moving up and down. "But-but-but-how did you manage all of this!?"
Harry grinned yet again. "Ah, my dear Bombshell, that is a strange story indeed. You see, many of the people in the Ministry know me personally, as I had gone to school with them. As much as I… dislike working with wizards and witches again, it's necessary to meet ends in this upcoming war. So I pulled some contacts and through some… delicate perception of character and, um, some other steps, I managed to find those who where still loyal to me, or at least, in the same cause as me. One of them wound up being in the Unreal division, so it turned out to be a huge advantage. He also managed to charm all the weapons to recycle themselves through the genatron whenever the holder of said weapons is fragged or dead by the way, so we won't have to worry about anyone stealing and using our weapons against us."
"Wow… sounds… complicated… I think I'll have to probe you for more info tonight… but not now. Now we need to get back on track," she said, resisting the urge to use her… female prowess to gain said info and getting back to business.
"Right, the rookies. So anyways, as I was saying, I'll have the leaders of some of the teams come by with some of their members and have them compete against them in different environments, three of the most important ones being Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Conquer the Base. The more they progress, the more valuable their assets will be."
"Okay, so then here's a question: why train them at all? Why not just use this small army of ours and just leave them to fight in the Order of the Phoenix?" she asked.
"Because these guys are the only wizards that I trust, and I'll be damned if I loose them. Besides, they're all good spies for me within the Order ranks, and each give me valuable information. You see, what I want to do, is cause chaos within the Death Eater ranks, and what better way but to help out the Order incognito? We can also bust up some of Voldie's plans faster this way. Besides, it's always nice to have some legal wizards and witches in our midst, especially with the upcoming war. Their magic and healing abilities will be a necessity. Especially Ginny, who works at St. Mungo's as a medi-witch."
"Well, that's all nice and dandy, but won't the Ministry get suspicious?" asked Stacy, some concern noticeable in her voice.
"I've also taken care of that. I have several moles within the actual Ministry of Magic that will drive the Ministries attention away from us for the next two years. Instead, they'll be concentrating on the wear-abouts of Voldie and his cronies and the uprising of Dark Creatures."
"… two years? Why two?" she asked.
"It'll take a year alone just to finish training the rookies, then we need some time to organize our defenses and set up a base of operations. I'm fine with using the flat as a training ground, and no offence, but I'd rather leave my living quarters out of the fight when our time comes."
"Wow, so we're gonna be busy for a good while then, eh?"
"Yeah, but the good thing is that now they get to pay me back."
"Eh?"
Harry suddenly looked tired, and even a little angry. "Stacy-baby, the wizarding world stole four years from my life. It's true that these people are loyal to me, but I still don't trust them. Hell's, some of them don't even trust me. No, the only way I could ever forgive them is if they gave me four years back. That's what some of them are doing right now."
Stacy looked at him, a pain in her heart building up. This was one reason why she was so hesitant to let the wizards and witches stay over. She knew that this was affecting Harry on a more personal level.
Deciding that she had had enough information for one night, she grabbed Harry's arm and drug him up. "Come on Hare-bear, it's getting late. Let's go to bed."
It was breakfast time the next day, and the Fallen have gathered the remnants of the DA. It was the middle of the meal before Harry stood up and motioned everyone to listen to him.
"Guys, I have some good news. I'd like to congratulate all of you for finally completing your basic weapons training!" he said, followed by some jeers and cheers.
"Yes, yes, well done my fellow pupils. However, keep in mind that while you have finished this segment of your training, your real training has yet to begin." This was followed by moans and groans.
"Yeah, well, as frustrating as it is, remember that this is all necessary. I'd also like to inform you that as of tomorrow, we will enter into what I like to call 'Intense Combat Simulation.' This will give you your first real taste at actual combat. I have gathered some computer simulations that will act as your opponents. They will guide you through the basic match types: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Conquer the Base. They will also prove for some easy target practice, to get you warmed up for the real challenge ahead."
Harry then picked up his cup of coffee. "I would also like you rise, and join me in a toast this morning." Everyone got up and picked up their cups of coffee/orange or pumpkin juice. "Today, we toast to a newly formed Unreal team. Officially, you are respectable wizards and witches of society, some of you members to the Order, others of the Death Eaters. Unofficially, however, you have been and shall continue to be molded. Molded into the elite soldiers of tomorrow. Molded into the leaders that will take charge of the impending war at hand. Cheers, to you! Cheers, to the Guardians!"
"CHEERS!"
They toasted, and cheered as they settled back down to finish their breakfast. "Oh, one more thing." Everyone looked at Harry. "… take the day off." Now they started to celebrate like it was 2k3 all over again. Once they finished, Harry asked Ginny to follow him. They went out to the hall where, it was barren and quiet.
"Listen, Gin, I have a small assignment for you," he said.
"What's the assignment then? And don't call me Gin. The only person to ever have that privilage was Ron, and if you haven't noticed, he's not here! "
Harry looked like he had been dealt a low blow. He narrowed his eyes dangerously at Ginny, who suddenly looked extremely nervous. She tried in vein to swallow the now present lump in her throat as Harry spoke.
"Let's get one thing clear Weasley, or should I say, Longbottom. What I have always said about that still stands: I did not murder Ron. He was practically my brother, and I will always think of him as just that, so don't you even dare to make that accusation again. Is that clear!? "
Ginny went pale at the venomous sound of his voice. She saw the pain behind his emerald eyes, and suddenly saw the truth: he really was innocent of his crimes. But before she could apologize to him, he started talking again.
"Okay, now that that's over with, I'd like to give you that assignment now. I want you and Neville to look for those within Dumbledore's inner circle, as well as his lieutenants, then report to me with their personal information. Those are bound to be Voldemort's main targets, besides Albus and myself of course. Then I want you to observe them, and see who might be willing to join our ranks."
"But aren't our numbers enough?" asked Ginny, some of the nervousness weaving out at the sudden business-like direction that the conversation has taken.
"Yes, but we need some better intelligence within Dumbledore's ranks. As much help as you guys and the rest of my contacts have been, I still don't know what goes on within Dumbledore's circle. Now, from what I could tell before my… jailing, Snape was spying for Dumbledore, and was also among one of those in Voldemort's inner circle. If we can get a spy in Dumbledore's circle, then we'll also have a spy in Voldemort's circle."
Ginny nodded in understanding. One of the most important tactics in war was to know your opponent. Any information that could be gathered from the Order on Voldemort would be extremely useful in regards to their defenses.
"Alright then," she said. "I'll talk to Neville and see what I can do," she said, and walked away, leaving Harry to himself for a while.
'She had to bring him into it now. Just perfect… now I need a drink,' and he made his way to the mini-bar to down another bottle of Odgens.
To Be Continued…