A/N: Okay, so it wasn't much of a cliffhanger. There also seems to be some confusion here. Fudge is no longer Minister as stated a few chapters ago. Lesalin Tessyth was, until he just go assassinated. Now, a statement about cliffhangers. . . if I make a cliffhanger or a cut off then I'll probably update fairly fast. . . Lastly, everyone keeps asking about the significance of Warlomice's name. To be plain, that doesn't really matter at this point. :) Just for trivia though, Harry happens to own Warlomice Manor. :D
Harry's feet dropped off the desk as he quickly sat up. "What!" he exclaimed.
Colin took a deep breath and repeated the news, "The Minister of Magic has been assassinated. Lesalin Tessyth. In a note to the public, You-Know-Who claimed responsibility for the act and claimed that he could and would do it to anyone who tried to fill Tessyth's former office. Riots are breaking out in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade."
"What is the Ministry doing?" Ginny asked. She had immediately sat up upon receipt of the news from Colin. Worry painted her face because Mr. Weasley was the Under-Minister.
Colin sat down in response to a gesture from Harry. He was out of breath and now basically panting. "Aurors have been dispatched in force to riot areas. They're doing their best to stop them but whenever one is stopped another is sparked. It is thought that Death Eaters are provoking them."
"What about leadership at the Ministry?" Harry asked, his voice rich with worry.
"No one is sure what's going on in the Ministry. They've sealed themselves off except for the Aurors that have been dispatched. Rumor has it that Arthur Weasley has taken office as the Minister of Magic. Your dad isn't he?"
Ginny nodded anxiously and leaned forward, "Is there any news about him?"
"That's all that anyone has heard," Colin answered. "If those riots don't stop he won't be Minister for long. That I know for sure."
"They'll stop before anything that serious happens," Harry put in. "Voldemort doesn't have enough time or effort to press that far. He has other goals in mind. Why don't you go and see if you can find out anything about Mr. Weasley. You might also want to help calm anyone down that you run into."
"I'll do that Harry!" Colin said eagerly. He jumped up and bounded out the doors. He had recovered his breath quickly after sitting down for a few moments.
"Voldemort is going for the staff isn't he?" Ginny said as she leaned back. "I sure as heck hope that Hermione is on this project that Dumbledore assigned her, or else we're as good as dead."
Just as Ginny finished the sentence and before Harry could respond, the door burst open again to admit Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Elizabeth. Ron was dragging a large and familiar sack and Hermione was holding a couple of pieces of parchment. "Have you heard the news Harry?" Hermione asked urgently.
Harry nodded, "Yes, we know all about it. What brings you here?" He motioned for them all to sit down somewhere. Ginny remained on the couch, Ron and Hermione took chairs in front of Harry's desk and Neville and Elizabeth took another couch.
"You were right Harry!" Ron exclaimed excitedly. "Dumbledore finally gave the okay for us to go ahead to Tescaster. I'm not sure if I'm ready now though. . ." Harry could tell that Ron was talking about his lack of superpower from being a Lord of Phoenix.
"We must prepare right now," Hermione said brusquely. "We haven't a moment to lose. Ron and I have already explained everything about Seilftrist and the staff to Neville and Elizabeth. Voldemort is obviously trying to create a distraction. My goal is to have us at Valahost Hall and ready to go by dinnertime. We need to wait for the full moon though before we can proceed. Harry, Dumbledore wants you to be the navigator person for the expedition. He says that you can get past all the wards. Dumbledore already gave us all amulets that would help us but you're the one who can pull the trick."
Harry nodded and slowly smiled. He pulled open a desk drawer and took out the final volume of Seilftrist's journal. "This will tell us all we need. I just barely came across it a short while ago." Harry handed Hermione the book."
Hermione examined the book and gasped. "How did you come across it?"
"Family heirloom," Harry said casually.
"Never mind," Hermione said already rushing on. "If you've studied this you're obviously the person to do it. What with your luck, it will be easy. Now, before we get too far into planning this expedition, Dumbledore has decided that there is something that your four need to know about Ron and I."
Harry and Ginny shared a discreet smile. They already knew what this was going to be about. Harry and Ginny had decided that it was going to be obvious that Ron and Hermione were in charge for now and that it would be too hard to realistically keep themselves ignorant. Therefore, they would officially and publically know that Ron and Hermione were Lieutenants to the High Lord of Phoenix. Well, Hermione only for now, but Harry had determined to give back Ron's powers before going one step towards Tescaster. Ron had been told that his powers would be back sooner or later, that such things took a little time.
Ginny put an innocent and unknowing look on her face, "What do we need to know about you?"
"Well," Ron began nervously. "Lord Seilftrist was a Lieutenant to the High Lord of Phoenix? Right?" He rubbed his palms together showing off his uncomfortable state.
"What about it?" Harry asked.
"You see," Hermione cut in and began to quickly explain. "A little while before the Christmas Holidays, Dumbledore called us into his office. He told us that we're Lieutenants to the High Lord of Phoenix." She stopped talking to see if there would be any sudden exclamations or expressions of disbelief. When none came, except for the shocked look on Neville's and Elizabeth's faces, she continued. "So we're kind of powerful to an extent and that's kind of why Dumbledore has put us in charge."
"That's cool," Harry said showing happiness for Ron and Hermione.
"We're still your friends and all that right?" Hermione asked timidly.
"Of course you are, why not?" Ginny said. "We never want you to leave us for any reason."
Ron leaned forward and cleared his throat quietly. "I guess that the power trip kind of got to my head Harry. That's kind of why I was a jerk for a little while. I'm sorry about that."
Harry grinned, "I thought that something good must have happened to you. As I've said before, it's over, don't worry about it."
Hermione smiled with relief and took the bag that Ron had carried in. She began to carefully take out the contents. First she handed all of the rings out to everyone assembled. Harry and Ginny magically ended up with the fake phoenix rings. They already had their own. Hermione continued to pass out everything, breastplates, gauntlets, etc. In Harry's and Ginny's case, most everything had been substituted. They'd wear their own later.
After passing everything out, Hermione began to explain the uses and they all began to plan the expedition in whole.
* * * * * * *
Later that night, just as the sun was setting, Harry and Ginny were in Ginny's room within Valahost Hall helping each other get ready for the upcoming adventure. Harry carefully helped Ginny put her dark steel breastplate with silver and sapphires inlaid and inset on over a short sleeved t-shirt. In turn Ginny helped Harry place his similar breastplate on. (Harry's was inlaid with gold instead of silver)
"I don't know what use these are to us," Harry commented as he and Ginny both strapped on their belts with swords in their scabbards. "I have no idea on how to use a sword."
Ginny put on her rings and then her leather gauntlets. She then slipped on her boots. "We can learn how to fight with a sword together sometime during the summer," Ginny said as she concentrated on making a small illusion on her sword to cover up some of its features. Although it was very functional as a weapon, it was rather ornate and would give her identity away.
Harry quickly did the same for his sword as he pulled on his gauntlets over the two rings that were on his fingers. He then checked that his amulet was in place and then pulled on his boots. "I think that we're nearly ready."
"Except for the breastplates," Ginny said. She picked up one of the dark cloaks they had been able to find in the castle's storage and slipped it on. "Now no one can see that I'm even wearing a breastplate."
Harry chuckled and pulled on his own cloak. "It's a good thing that it's cold out tonight and that the others will be wearing cloaks as well." He grabbed the journal from the bed and the High Lord and High Lady of Phoenix escorted each other out the door and down to the main hall.
* * * * * * *
"I still don't have my power back," Ron sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror that hung on the wall in the room chat had been appointed for the quick planning meeting before heading for Tescaster. "I don't know how this is going to turn out if we don't have enough power behind us."
"We'll be just fine," Hermione said in a comforting tone as she re-examined all of the information that Dumbledore had presented to her. "Dumbledore said that you'd have your power back before you seriously needed it."
Ron turned away from the mirror and sat down at the table. "You don't need to keep reviewing that Hermione." he said. "It's not as if there isn't anything there that you haven't already memorized."
"I know, I know," Hermione said as she put the papers away. "I just can't help but feel a little nervous about this all. The wards could kill us if we mess up before we even enter Tescaster."
"I'm more worried about the Death Eaters," Ron commented dryly.
The door at the end of the room opened to admit Harry, Ginny, Neville and Elizabeth. They all took a seat around the table. "Are we ready to set out yet?" Neville asked in a nervous yet excited voice.
"Harry is in charge of seeing that we get into Tescaster safely," Hermione said as she took charge of the small meeting. "We'll have him stand up and explain what needs to be done to see that we pass through the warded forest." She motioned for Harry to conduct the meeting.
Harry stood up with the ancient journal in his hands. "There isn't a whole lot that you will be doing during this part. Just follow me and remain quiet. There will undoubtedly be some Death Eaters guarding the forest. If Voldemort has managed to use Nosyl Sharod to bypass the wards, Death Eaters may also be spread throughout the forest and Tescaster as well."
"What do we do if we spot a Death Eater?" Elizabeth asked in a timid voice.
"Remain silent and hope that he doesn't look in our direction. If he spots you and comes after us try to shoot him with a Stunning spell as quickly and silently as possible." Harry instructed.
Neville raised his hand to signal that he wanted to ask a question. Harry motioned towards him. "What do we do once we get into Tescaster?"
"Hermione is back in charge once we get there. Basically we'll be preventing Voldemort from getting his hands on Miledy Faisia. We may even take it for ourselves." Harry said. He then sat down and Hermione stood up to take charge again.
"That's about it. Once we're in Tescaster Ron and I are in command. Just do what we say and we'll complete what we've set out to do. Any questions?" Hermione looked around. No one raised their hand or asked anything. "It's time to go to Tescaster then."
A/N: I'm sorry that it's short, the next chapter will be fairly long though. It might even become the second to last chapter which would be followed by an epilogue. The plot is in place for a sequel as well. If you would be interested in reading the sequel, drop me a review so that I know it wouldn't be a wasted effort. I promise that the sequel will be better than this story because I have improved my writing skills. :)