Chapter 13 – The War Starts


He opened his eyes, but all he could see was a blinding bright light. Slowly the room swam into focus and he realized he was in the hospital wing. A sharp bursting pain ran through his head, instinctively making him reach for it with his hand. Bandages. There were thick bandages on his arms, and suddenly he remembered why he was here. He had fallen off his broom, during the quidditch match, when his scar had exploded with pain. There was a sharp pain from his left arm as he tried to sit up, making him grimace and fall back down.  He realized the fall must have broken both his arms as well as hurt his head, and they were not fully healed yet.

'Oh you're awake are you?'

Madam Pompfrey had walked in with the usual annoyed look on her face, as if he had somehow purposely hurt himself.

'Perhaps you should just move your things in here, since you can't seem to stay uninjured!'

'What happened?' he groaned.

'You have a concussion from your fall, for which you will have to take special potions for a few days. Both your arms were broken too, and although I've fixed them you'll have to keep the bandages on for a week.'

'But I'll be ok?'

'Yes Mr. Potter, I'm sure you'll be back to your usual reckless self in a few days.'

He tried to smile at her but the pain burst through his head again, making him close his eyes and clench his teeth.

'I'll get you a pain relieving potion' she said with a now sympathetic tone, and came right back with a small flask. 'Drink, it will make you feel better.'

He forced the foul-smelling liquid down his throat, and slowly his headache began to subside. He still felt slightly dizzy and imbalanced, but at least he could think properly now.

'Thank you, I feel better now. How long have I been here?'

'You fell yesterday, and it's early afternoon right now. The headmaster wanted to speak to you as soon as you regained consciousness, so I'll go and fetch him. Don't you dare try to get out of bed!'

Staring at the ceiling after she had left, he thought about what had transpired. Voldemort had been angry about something, so angry that it had made his scar explode with pain. He remembered the game too, and that they had lost. Zacharias wasn't a great seeker but even he could catch it with no competition. He felt frustrated again; their chances of winning three years in a row were now slim.

'Ah Harry, how are you feeling?'

Dumbledore had walked in and stood in front of the bed with a fatherly expression

'Smashing sir' he replied sarcastically

'I know you are not happy about being injured, or about losing the game, but would you like me to tell you why your scar hurt?'

The shock of this question made him sit up, despite the pain he felt from his arms.

'Yes, I … Voldemort was furious about something …'

'I know. Sit back and I will explain everything to you.'

Dumbledore waited until he had rested his back against the pillow, before telling Harry everything what had happened.

'When you told me of your dream last week, that Voldemort was planning something, I had suspicions that he might try and free his captured deatheaters. I immediately alerted the ministry and they secretly assigned extra security - Everything they could spare in fact. My assumption was right; Voldemort did indeed try to break his deatheaters out but unfortunately for him we were prepared. Usually the prison is guarded by a dozen members of the magical enforcement squad and two dozen security trolls, but after your dream the ministry assigned every auror it could spare as well as extra trolls and magical enforcement squad members.

'- So he was stopped?'

'I'm afraid not. A fierce battle ensued between Voldemort's army and the prison security. The attacking force consisted of over a hundred dementors, several giants, and every death eater who was still free. It was still a formidable army even when going up against all the extra security in place. In the ensuing battle two aurors and five deatheaters were killed, as well as many trolls, dementors, and giants.

'A … anyone I know? Anyone from the order?'

'No one from the order was killed; though several were injured. I believe Kingsley Shacklebolt is currently at St.Mungo's making a full recovery.'

Harry felt awful. Two aurors had been killed, men with families and people who cared about them. Dumbledore seemed to read him mind and continued talking.

'Your dream saved many lives and resulted in the death of five deatheaters Harry. If you hadn't informed me, all the prison guards would have been killed and all the deatheaters would walk free again.

He knew Dumbledore was right; there was nothing else he could have done.

'Now if I'm not mistaken, there is an attractive young lady waiting to see you. I won't delay her any longer, and I will see you at our next lesson. Good afternoon Harry, I wish you a speedy recovery.'

He smiled and walked out of the door, and a second later Cho came running in.

'Harry! Oh I was so worried about you!'

He saw that she was crying now, and he didn't know what to say.

'I'm fine, really, you don't need to cry.'

'Fine? Have you looked at yourself in the mirror?

'Well ok, I did get a little bump on my head –'

She looked at him incredulously with her mouth open.

'- but at least I didn't lose my sense of humor'

'This is not funny! I was really worried about you.'

'I'm fine, you don't need to worry. In a few days I'll be up and about again.'

'Well, is there anything I can do for you? Shall I ask Dobby to bring you some food?'

'Nah it's ok, the potions taste really nasty and have left me without an appetite.'

At that moment the rest of his friends came rushing in, causing Madam Pompfrey to cast them a furious look.

'We came as soon as we heard you were awake!'

'Are you ok Harry? How long are you stuck here?'

'Yeah I'll be fine, just a few more days in here. I guess … I guess we lost the match?'

They all looked down at their feet at the reminder of the match, and he could only assume the worst.

'When you fell, we tried to make the best of the rest of the game. But without a seeker, it was pretty brutal' Ron said.

'What was the final score?' he groaned

'They won 170 to 110. We really should have won 220-10, you were sure to get that snitch if you hadn't… you know'

'Yeah, believe me; I'm not happy about it. Just my rotten luck.'

'Well if Ravenclaw beats Slytherin in their game next week, we still have a very good chance!'

 'Ravenclaw will win, don't worry about that.' Cho grinned

'Anything we can do to help?' Ron asked, 'Maybe curse Malfoy? It would be my pleasure you know.'

'I know we can beat them as long as I catch the snitch. His nimbus 2001 is a lot faster than my cleansweep seven, but I still think I'm better than him.'

'Well then I know how I can help you' Harry said, 'I'll lend you my firebolt for that game.'

Hermione seemed to be the only one who wasn't shocked.

'Harry? But … but it's your firebolt.' Ron blurted out

'I can't borrow that! What if I damage it?' Cho asked.

'Look it's not a religious object or anything; it's just a broom. And if you break it, then so be it. This is best for both our teams, don't you see?'

'Well it's your broom Harry … and it would help us a lot if Ravenclaw wins' Ron said carefully.

'But I can't borrow it, it's too valuable!'

'I insist, don't you want to win as badly as we do?'

'Well yes, and I do want to beat that slimy git Malfoy …' she said thoughtfully, 'and with a firebolt I'm sure I can …'

'Then it's settled. You'll use my firebolt for your match against Slytherin, and that should give us both a fighting chance in our final games.'

'Alright, thanks Harry!' she grinned at him, 'I'd better go now, I'm supposed to be at practice soon. I'll drop by again tomorrow.'

She kissed him on the lips and gave him a hug, and left looking extremely happy.

The rest of his friends talked with him for a while about various things, keeping him company for the rest of the evening. Ron asked if he could bring anything, so he asked him to fetch the book hidden under his pillow, and told him to give Cho his firebolt. Due to his injuries he couldn't practice this week anyways, so he might as well let her get used to it. Its speed and agility could be a little hard to control at first, and he really wanted her to win. He secretly thought that he wouldn't mind so much if Ravenclaw won the cup instead of Gryffindor. He knew how much she wanted to win the cup at least once and it was her last year at Gryffindor.

'Everyone out! He needs to take his potions and sleep now!' Madam Pompfrey yelled and she chased them all out of the hospital wing.

The potion immediately made him drowsy and he fell into a deep sleep that night.

'Your incompetence in this simple task has cost us dearly Wormtail' the cold voice said angrily

'Master, I knew not!'

'Of course you didn't. You're too worthless and cowardly to ever lie to me or disobey me Wormtail.'

'Master, I was loyal. I helped you get your body back!' he sobbed.

'Yes you did, and because of that I won't kill you, worthless though you are.'

'Thank you master, thank you' he sobbed

'But you know you deserve this punishment don't you?' he said with a cold, high, mirthless laugh.

'Master, I beg of you …'

'Crucio'

The man shrieked and convulsed on the ground, writhing from the intense pain.

He woke up in sweat, his scar stinging with pain again. Another dream, but this one didn't seem to be as important. Deciding it could wait until morning he tried to fall back asleep, his thoughts eventually giving way to exhaustion.

Madam Pompfrey confined him to the hospital wing bed for another two days, and even after that she banned him from quidditch for an additional two weeks. Still, he couldn't complain. The Daily prophet had run a story of the prison battle with its usual flair for exaggeration, but at least the article had made him look good for once. On top of that Ravenclaw had absolutely trampled Slytherin, with a final score of 220-40. Everyone knew Ravenclaw had the best chasers and beaters, but nobody had expected Cho to show up with a firebolt. Malfoy's face when she outmaneuvered him at every turn, blocking and eventually catching the snitch, was priceless.

Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were now tied in points, and the team that won by the most points in their last match would take the cup. They had as good a chance to win as any other team. It had turned out to be a fairly good week after all, he thought to himself as he walked to Dumbledore's office.

'Ah Harry, come in please.'

'Good evening sir' he said politely.

'I trust you are fully recovered? Nevertheless, we will take it easy today. You may put your wand away.'

'Oh.'

This was certainly strange. He had never had a non-practical lesson from the Headmaster before, and he started to feel slightly disappointed.

'Tell me Harry; were you ever able to do things when you were young that you couldn't explain?'

'You mean magic?'

Dumbledore nodded at him.

'Well I think I apparated once. My cousin and his friends were bullying me and I somehow ended up on top of the school chimney.'

'Yes, like that. And I'm sure there were other events like that too?'

'I also let a snake out of the zoo once, I got really angry and somehow a hole appeared in the glass and my cousin fell through it.'

Dumbledore's eye twinkled and he smiled.

'But I'm not the only one who does that right? I heard Neville did some wandless magic once when his uncle dropped him out of the window.'

'You are quite right Harry. You see wizards and witches have the ability to channel magic through themselves. A wand simply focuses the magic into the form you want. Sometimes as a result of desperation or instinct one can do things without a wand, as you have mentioned. Of course, even the most powerful wizards in the world cannot do more than the most basic spells without a wand –'

'-but it's possible? He said with disbelief

'Indeed it is. Don't expect someone to do any advanced magic without a wand, that's unheard of, but with training you can learn basic charms like summoning perhaps.'

'Can you do any sir?'

Dumbledore smiled again and put his wand away. He then focused hard while staring at the fireplace, and after a moment it erupted with fire.'

'Amazing …'

'Thank you, and that is what I would like to teach you today.'

He took out his wand again and pointed it at the fire, putting it out.

'I would like you to focus on the wood; Imagine that it is being lit, try to direct all your intensity at it.'

He did as the headmaster told him; focusing on it with different emotions, but to no avail. Nothing happened, not even a spark appeared between the logs.

'Do not be troubled, this is very advanced magic. I would have been surprised if you can manage it at all today. Nevertheless, please keep trying. Try to envision the logs becoming hot as you focus on them. Imagine yourself getting hotter and focus that heat on a single point in the fire.

He tried and tried for two hours that night, but nothing happened. For two lessons in a row now, he had been unable to complete the task and felt utterly frustrated.

The next morning didn't turn out much better. A double potions class was enough to put any Gryffindor in a foul mood, but for Harry it was especially trying. Snape, who had taken to ignoring his existence since their confrontation, was back to his old vindictive self. His stay in hospital meant that he hadn't properly studied his potion, and their potions teacher just couldn't resist the opportunity to criticize him. His potion was of course no worse than any of the Slytherins, but that had never stopped the potions teacher before.

'Your potion is the wrong color Potter! It's light green; it should be a darker green. I hope you don't expect a passing grade for this?' he smirked

'Perhaps I should ask Goyle to help me sir, oh wait, his potion is pink.'

He glared back defiantly at Snape until Hermione stepped on his foot, making him break off the staring contest.

'Nobody likes a tell-tale Potter. Five points from Gryffindor!' he said in a soft and dangerous voice.

Goyle, Crabbe, and Malfoy were sniggering on the other side of the dungeon; they obviously found it highly amusing that Snape had begun tormenting him again.

He clenched his teeth and started cleaning up while his potion finished brewing. When the class was finally over he stormed out of the dungeon, still fuming at the unfair treatment he received. Hermione caught up with him and tried to calm him down by reminding him why he was in the class.

'Oh Harry, don't let him get to you. Don't give him the satisfaction!'

'Don't worry; I won't do anything that will get me kicked out. But when I graduate I'm going to get him back – somehow, someway.'

Hermione stayed silent as she walked next to him, she knew better than to try and argue with him when he was this mad.

He had hoped his care of magical creatures class might be better, but with his rotten luck today it wasn't to be. They spent the entire class learning to look after fwoopers – colorful birds that sang songs capable of driving someone to insanity. Though they all had silencing charms cast on them for protection, his fwooper kept trying to bite his finger as he was feeding it. By the end of the class he was sporting several large cuts on his hands that were bleeding profusely. At least the worst of it was over, and it was almost time for the thing he had been looking forward to all day.

He went to the room of requirement a little early and waited alone for the arrival of the others. Luna came first, and she engaged him excitedly in a conversation about the prison battle. Ginny, Dean, Neville, and Seamus were next, followed right after by Ron and Hermione, and finally Cho.

He was about to say something, but Hermione beat him to it and called their attention.

'I've been doing some work in the library, and I think I have a good way for us to contact each other when we need to.'

'We could use that, something like those galleons we had last year' Ginny said.

'Well that's what I was working on; only something much more advanced. I thought we might – Oh!'

He turned around to see what everyone else was looking at, and saw Dumbledore and McGonagall standing in the doorway.

'Professors! Err, can I help you?'

'I assure you we're not here to take your lesson Harry' he smiled, 'but I have to interrupt your meeting for something urgent. We are having an emergency session of the order of the phoenix, and I must ask you to join us immediately.'

'Oh – right.' He glanced around at the others feeling confused.

'Your friends may come too, since this concerns them as well. I will say no more here, but will tell you everything when we arrive at Grimmauld place.'

Still shocked, all of them got up and followed the headmaster to his office where they could take a portkey. It must be something really important, he thought, for the headmaster to invite all of them to an order meeting