A/N: Here's the next chapter, almost exactly twenty-four hours from when I posted the last one. :) Thank you for all the reviews, they let me know that you've seen it. And just a quick note, you're all very lucky. Some wise-bum took the disk all my chapters are on and misplaced it, I had to hunt for it for several minutes. The last time that happened, it took me a month to find it! :) Enjoy-
"Maybe we ought to go and take a look at Tescaster before we leave for Hogwarts," Ron suggested as he moved his knight to place Harry's king in check. "It couldn't hurt and we're smart enough to avoid whatever goes on around the forest."
Harry moved his king. "That wouldn't be very wise. You know more about Tescaster than I. You should know better. That one guy had the whole Ministry behind him and he failed. What makes you think you can do better without very much preparation?"
"The guy was a weakling Harry! Hermione and I are bound to be lots more powerful than he was. You too. . ." Ron moved his rook and captured Harry's queen. "Besides Harry, we're talking about Miledy Faisia. The ultimate power! We can't let Voldemort get his hands on it."
"I know that," Harry replied. "What if I told you that Voldemort has surrounded the haunted forest with Death Eaters? We wouldn't have to worry about the spell that protects Tescaster. We'd be killed before we even stepped foot anywhere near where the spell could have effect." Harry moved his bishop. "Checkmate."
Ron stared with his eyes bulging out at the chess board. "You've never beat me!"
"I just did," Harry said. "What I suggest that you do is to go and talk to Dumbledore about this when we get back to Hogwarts. He'll know what the best thing to do is and if he says that you can come back and check it out, I'll be more than happy to go with you." Of course that meant that they wouldn't be going to Tescaster unless Harry said so. He'd just tell Dumbledore to say no.
Ron grinned as he gathered all of the pieces and placed them in their box. Harry knew what he was thinking. Harry and Ginny weren't supposed to know, supposedly. But, Dumbledore and the members of the Order of the Phoenix were gathering late in the evening. Ron and Hermione had been invited to the meeting because they were Lieutenants to the High Lord of Phoenix. That obviously qualified them for membership. Harry and Ginny had decided that they could always just listen in on the meeting and that if there was a traitor or spy involved, they were the wild cards. The fewer that knew their identity, the better.
"I'll be sure to ask him next time I see him then." Ron said. "If he says yes, we'll be off immediately for Tescaster. Death Eaters won't be a problem either. We can't afford to lose time."
"You do that then." Harry said as he faked a yawn. Harry privately hoped that Ron or Hermione didn't try to pull their rank and take over the meeting or pull rank and try to override Dumbledore's wishes. He had told Dumbledore to keep them in line and hopefully they wouldn't cause trouble. "I think that I'll go and work on some homework and then maybe go to bed. I'll see you in the morning."
Harry stood up from the couch he had been sitting on during the game and as soon as he was out of Ron's sight, dashed up the stairs and to his study. Upon arrival he quickly yanked the torch bracket which opened the secret room. He entered and pulled the bracket on the other side and descended the stone spiral staircase that had already been open. He quickly walked down the hall and entered the double doors into the private study that was already lit.
"Ginny!" Harry called. "Where are you?"
Abruptly something landed on his right shoulder. Harry turned his head to discover a silver and blue phoenix sitting on his shoulder. "Very clever," Harry said dryly. "How did you learn to do that so fast?"
The phoenix disappeared in a puff of blue flame and reappeared as Ginny in human form sitting back in the cushy couch. "I cheated." Ginny replied as she smiled. She picked up the small notebook from the arm of the couch and handed it to Harry. "I just read the book through and applied my will power to all that mumbo jumbo. Once you get it down though, you don't really have to think about it. It just happens."
Harry sat down at his desk and began to look at the various pages and the explanations and instructions. "You didn't seem to transform the same way I remember Sirius or Wormtail doing." Harry commented.
"That's just my own development." Ginny responded as she picked up a different book she had borrowed from the library one floor above. "It's so much easier and quicker to think as yourself appearing elsewhere in a different form. It's kind of like Apparition or how your ring works."
"That sounds sensible," Harry said as he perused one of the important pages.
Ginny smiled sweetly and opened the book to a saved place. "Let me guess what Ron mainly talked about while you played chess. He wanted to go and charge Tescaster and get the staff, and then of course wipe out the Death Eaters and any spells."
"That's what he talked about or hinted at the whole time," Harry said in a bored voice. "I told him that I'd go with him if Dumbledore said that they could go and look at Tescaster."
Ginny snorted, "That wasn't nice Harry. You know what Dumbledore's answer is going to be. In fact, he'll probably say that the High Lord of Phoenix forbids it." She snickered, "Oh dear, the irony. I love it!"
Harry chuckled as he examined another page. "I am kind of mean, aren't I? But then it is for the best and the overall plan. If I said a plain, flat out no to them they might be insulted. This way they blame Dumbledore or rather, this obscure High Lord of Phoenix for their problems."
"I suppose that he was probably acting fairly pleased about being able to join the Order of the Phoenix with Hermione as well," Ginny noted. "The prat. I certainly hope he didn't act like he was above you. Isn't the meeting about to start?"
Harry nodded, set down the notebook, and pulled out one of the gadgets from a drawer in the desk. It seemed that Seilftrist had liked to spy on conversations within his castle. Harry used the ring to tune the small gramophone-like object to the room the Order was meeting in.
Abruptly voices came from the speaker and Harry sat back, picked up his book and continued to study it.
"As most of you know, Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley and our two newest members have been investigating our concerns with Voldemort's interest of Lord Seilftrist. Miss Granger, would you be kind enough to give a report?"
Hermione's voice followed Dumbledore's and she quickly explained and outline everything they had found out together. There were various reactions to some of the tidbits of information. Someone gasped rather loudly when she described how powerful Miledy Faisia was and another made a startled noise upon finding that Miledy Faisia could possibly be turned to Voldemort's will. Hermione then concluded, "As you can all obviously see, Voldemort's plan is a great danger and something must be done to protect Miledy Faisia."
"Dumbledore, you're a Lord of Phoenix, correct? Then Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger here are Lieutenants to the High Lord of Phoenix, correct? Does that mean they outrank you?" came another voice that Harry didn't particularly recognize.
"I would much rather talk about the danger at hand than to quibble about such things," Dumbledore's voice said. "Technically they are higher ranked than I. However, I have been in contact with the High Lord and he has given me specific instructions and wishes me to preside over this council."
"That sounds fine to me," came Mr. Weasley's bright voice. "Do we need to bring in any assistance from the Ministry to help with this issue?"
"Not right now," Dumbledore replied. "Severus, what do you know from your end?"
Professor Snape's voice answered, "You-Know-Who has had the haunted part of the forest surrounded by a guard of Death Eaters. He may be trying to place a shield of his own to prevent any interference from us or the Ministry. The sister-staff isn't in direct danger at this point. You-Know-Who is biding his time and waiting for a specific point when the spell protecting Tescaster is at its absolute weakest before he tries to break through it."
"We should do something immediately!" came Ron's more than eager voice. "We can't afford to let Voldemort place his own spells and wards. We need to get to Miledy Faisia before he even gets close! As a Lieutenant to the High Lord of Phoenix I propose that we do something immediately. Harry, Hermione and I are willing to go as soon as possible." Silence and a few nervous coughs followed the speech.
Harry cringed as Ron's speech came over his little gadget. Now everybody would place him in the same class as Ron. In fact, they would think that he, Harry Potter had pushed Ron to propose that.
Ginny chuckled. "He's getting a little anxious there isn't he? I bet that Dumbledore is ready to fall over laughing."
"Do you think that it's that easy to just go and face down that many Death Eaters? Then after that, you propose to break through an ancient spell cast by Lord Seilftrist. Let me remind you, Seilftrist was a Lieutenant as well! I wouldn't speak of countering the wishes of a Lieutenant who held Miledy Faisia. It would be almost the same as defying the High Lord of Phoenix himself." Mad-Eye Moody growled.
Lupin's soothing voice immediately followed. "Relax Alastor. Ron is right in the fact that something eventually needs to be done. However, you do have a point. We need to look into this before we start messing around with Seilftrist's and even possibly the High Lord's magic.
"What do we do then?" Hermione asked. Harry reckoned that she was probably trying to soothe Ron at that very moment.
Finally, Dumbledore spoke. "For now the High Lord has expressed his wish to me that we bide our time like Voldemort is. He has said that the time is not right to attempt to enter Tescaster."
"Do you know why?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"That doesn't matter to anyone here," Dumbledore replied gravely. "When the High Lord says no, he means no. Even when he is soft about it. He needs no reason other than that. Rest assured, he is doing what is best."
After that conversation ended, the meeting then turned to other concerns. Harry then stopped the little device that allowed he and Ginny to both eavesdrop and put it away in his desk. "I think I've got this all figured out."
Harry closed the book and put it down. Ginny looked up from her book and watched Harry close his eyes and concentrate. After a moment Harry began to shimmer and shortly after that a spectacular blue and gold phoenix sat on the chair Harry had occupied. Ginny then watched Harry as he took flight and flew around the room. Finally he stopped and hovered in the center. Imitating Ginny, he disappeared in a puff of blue flame and appeared in his chair once again.
"That was fun." Harry said excitedly.
* * * * * *
The month of January passed quietly at Hogwarts. Classes ran as normal and very little happened. There was no new news of Voldemort. Harry and Ginny took the time to improve their magical skills and they quickly became more proficient. Harry was more than well beyond NEWT levels and Ginny was reaching them very quickly.
In the wizarding world, Lesalin Tessyth successfully took office as the Minister of Magic. Acting upon the suggestions of Professor Dumbledore through his Under-Minister, Mr. Weasley, he made several changes within the Ministry that insured security.
"It has come to the Order's attention that shortly before Voldemort makes an attempt on Miledy Faisia he will engineer some sort of disaster that will draw the attention of the wizarding world away from Tescaster and possibly even him for a little while." Dumbledore told Harry solemnly.
Technically, it was Harry's Occulmency lesson. He had however become more than adequate shortly before the Christmas holiday. He and Dumbledore often spent the lesson time talking about various things. Today's subject was a little more serious. "We'll know not to let our attention wander then." Harry replied.
"If that is possible Harry." Dumbledore said. "He could make the situation just as disastrous as the staff's danger. If anything happens, ignore it. The Order can most likely handle it. You, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron, as well as any of your other friends and helpers will need to do what you feel is necessary concerning the staff. Do you have any idea when you'll be able to do something about it?"
Harry shook his head. "I don't know, yet. When the time is right, the necessary information I need will fall into my hands. Not before."
Dumbledore sighed. "It is hard to wait upon fate, especially when you do not know what is coming. For now I suggest that you find your best students in the HADADA class. Have either your or Ginny train them personally. It's always useful to have extra people that you know you can depend upon."
Harry nodded, "I think that I will do that."
* * * * * * *
Harry and Ginny stood next to each other watching Harry's top Defense class practice their shield spell. Although all could do accomplish the basic charm, few could make it strong enough to do any good. A little practice and they would all have above average shields that they could easily cast.
They were observing one couple and their practice in particular. Neville Longbottom and Elizabeth Fawcett. Aside from Ginny, Ron, and Hermione they had become the best in the class. Harry thought them to be a rather interesting couple. Normal and extremely clumsy Neville paired with the gorgeous and graceful Elizabeth. More than one boy had attempted to ask her out and every time she was busy. With Neville.
Harry glanced at his watch and observed that it was time to go. He grabbed the whistle from his desk and blew it. Everyone's attention turned to him. "That's all for tonight," Harry announced. "You all may go, with the exception of Mr. Longbottom and Miss Fawcett."
Everyone quickly filed out and Harry motioned for Neville and Elizabeth to follow he and Ginny down to his office. They entered and all sat down. Harry at his desk, Ginny in the chair to the side and Neville and Elizabeth before the desk.
Harry pulled out his wand and conjured up a plate of cookies, four glasses of milk and a pitcher filled with milk as well. Harry motioned for everyone to help themselves and he began. "I have asked you two to come here for a special reason."
At this point he was interrupted by Elizabeth, "We'll try to do better, honest we will!" She looked like she was about to burst into tears.
Harry shifted uncomfortably. "That's not the reason I've asked you to come here. You see, you two have done so well that I think you're ready to move beyond the class. Ginny here, who has already moved very far ahead of the class has kindly agreed to tutor you two privately during the normal class time."
"Really Harry? You think I'm that good already? I'm all clumsy and I mess up a lot." Neville responded.
"You're not messing up as often as you used to!" Elizabeth exclaimed. It seemed that she had taken it upon herself to raise Neville's self-esteem. "In a few more weeks you'll be able to get every spell down perfectly."
"You're better than I am still," Neville said to Elizabeth. Elizabeth then blushed and made a sound that seemed to deny it.
"There's only one slight catch to all of this," Harry said nervously. "Do you remember at the Ministry last year Neville? Something like that may happen again soon and we were wondering if we could count on your support."
"Of course you can count on our support!" Elizabeth answered for Neville.
"That's good," Harry smiled. "I suppose that's all I had to say for now."
"Thank you so much!" Elizabeth said as she jumped up. "I'm off to mail my mom about this! My family will be so proud!"
She rushed out the door but not before telling Neville to meet her in the library shortly thereafter. "Well, what do you think of her?" Neville asked.
"She's a fine girl." Ginny said as she beamed at him. "She's obviously doing you some good."
Neville blushed bright red, "We're going on our first official date this Hogsmeade weekend. You know, it's the day before Valentines Day. She wanted to go to some tea shop in Hogsmeade. I've never heard of it."
Harry choked on his milk and began to cough violently.
"You'll have a fine time there!" Ginny said encouragingly.
"I'm still kind of nervous about it," Neville said as he stood up. "I'll be seeing you later!" He waved and left Ginny sitting in the same chair and Harry coughing violently.
"I take it you've heard of that tea shop," Ginny said dryly as she grabbed a couple of cookies and a glass of milk. She leaned back and looked critically at Harry who had finally managed to stop his coughing fit.
"You might say that," Harry said.
Ginny grinned, "Oh never mind. Hermione told me all about your experience when you paid a visit there last time. She snickered. "Watch out for emotional women Harry. Especially the ones with a void to fill."
"I think I learned that lesson fairly well," Harry said as he finished his cup of milk and refilled it from the pitcher. "Speaking of Hogsmeade weekend, how about we go together? I suspect that Ron and Hermione have abandoned us for that day."
"That sounds like a novel way to spend Hogsmeade weekend. Where shall we go and what shall we do there?" Ginny said happily.
"No tea shops." Harry muttered darkly.
"Do you have an objection to people slobbering all over each other?" Ginny asked mischievously. As she stood up and picked a book from the shelf to study. She returned to her chair and sat down. "We could watch Neville and Elizabeth. I imagine that she hasn't had a chance to perfect his kissing skills yet. It could be rather entertaining to watch."
"That's disgusting!" Harry replied as he opened the book on his desk to a saved place. "It wouldn't be very nice either."