Chapter 19
The Battle Begins
Time seemed to slow down after that day in early March. Word of the early graduation of the Gryffindor Trio had yet to be announced, and much of Harry, Ron's, and Hermione's time was spent in History of magic, and inside Gryffindors cove where they discussed plans for the Ministry of Magic.
"Harry, do you think it will be wise to have groups of two, I mean for the most part two aurors can be easily overcome by four or more death eaters." Hermione questioned, it was now March 15. Two months exactly since Harry Potter beat the draught of living death, and lost Cho in the process.
"What do you propose Hermione? Right now we do not have the resources for groups of four, and take Neville's parents, I mean they were the best of the best. "I know they were Harry, but just think about it, I mean that's just it, they were the best, but when they were ambushed, they ended up." Hermione could not finish her sentence, but to Harry she didn't need to.
"I think you made you point Mione." Ron spoke up after a few minutes of silence. "We will just need to recruit more people soon, until then we will have to make due with what we have." He finished, and Harry sighed before placing his hands over his face.
"I wish they would simply announce it. I mean Mundungus appointed me because he believes I will rally the brave, but how am I suppose to do anything stuck here at Hogwarts." It was evident that he was frustrated.
"Believe it or not Harry, you already are, I mean I have received a few owls form both Charlie, and Bill, and they both are as excited as we are to see you sworn in. "How are you brothers Ron, I mean without anyone really in charge over there, I can't assume things are good."
"They're doing alright still, Charlie and Bill are in a small team of six now, and from what I get the only team. With the fall of Azkaban though, and the fact that Voldermort has made it his personal prison, they are worried." Ron finished looked sad at the thought of his brothers in danger.
"That will all change soon though right Harry." Hermione spoke up, she had been sitting is silence for a while. "I don't know what to do about Azkaban yet Hermione, but yes I am sure it will be one of my first orders of business, I just wish they'd get on with this.
"I was hoping you would feel that way Harry." Came the voice of Albus Dumbledore from the fire. "I was just about to ask if you three would join us for Dinner in the Great Hall." He finished watching as the trio looked on in confusion.
"Let me clarify myself I guess. You see it was brought to my attention today in staff meeting that the students of this school are beginning to worry about you three. It seems that your classmates have noticed you disappearance, and well the Staff are tired of making up explanations, and have suggested we let loose the information." Dumbledore finished looking pointedly at Harry.
"But Sir, I mean if we tell the students tonight." Dumbledore interrupted him. "Then the world will know by tomorrow." He finished, and the three nodded. "Yes, yes that is how it is meant to play out, we will of course ask the students to keep the news quiet, but tomorrow morning you will be announced as the Head of Magical Law Enforcement." Dumbledore answered, and Harry finally pulled his hands from his face
"We will meet you their Albus, I have a gift for these two first, and I would like to present it to them now." Harry said, and the headmaster simply bowed out of the fireplace at Harry's request.
"Harry, you didn't" Ron begun to speak, but stopped as Harry raised his hand. "No Ron, I most certainly did." Harry answered walking to the back room, only to return moments later laden down with two large packages. "Here we go, one for each of you." He said handing one to Ron, then to Hermione. Both simply stared at the silver wrapping paper on top, but more importantly, at what looked to be an emblem of a Shield with both a lightning bolt, and sword crossing through it.
"I was meaning to give these to you when they introduced me as the new Head of Law Enforcement, but being that Dumbledore is going to make the announcement tonight, I figure why wait." Harry said watching the two anxiously.
"Wow Harry, these are incredible." Hermione said as she pulled the lid off of her box, and pulled her new auror uniform from within. "You have outdone yourself here." She squealed, as she held the deepest maroon material she had ever seen in her hand, and studied the way the cloak had been tailored with a silver lining that seemed to move.
"I thought you would like it Mione." Harry answered as Ron pulled his from his box as well. Like Hermione's, Ron's was trimmed with Silver, but unlike hers, Ron's was not maroon, but a deep blue, one that bordered on black.
"This is bloody wicked Harry, and thanks for not making mine maroon." Ron laughed again examining the emblem, which was embroidered on the left chest of his robes. "Harry, what is this, I mean this silver fabric, I've have never seen such material before?" Hermione asked, she was now examining the hood, and inner fabric of her cloak. "Ohh Really," was Harry's answer, as he looked at his friend with a smug grin on his face. "I would have to say you have seen it many times, and been under it as well." Harry answered walking over to Ron, and holding his hand out.
"Here, let me show you." He finished taking the cloak from Ron, and throwing it over his shoulders. "You see Ron, now you see me, and now." Harry paused as he pulled the hood over his head. "You don't" he finished vanishing from all sight.
"Harry, you didn't" Hermione spoke, she had finally figured out what material Harry had installed on the cloaks. "No Hermione, I most certainly did. You see when you accepted the positions as obliviator, and Ron, you as an unmentionable, the only thing I could think of was how I was going to keep you safe. Well, with the help of my Fathers invisibility cloak, and the training we have been going through all year, I finally feel confident enough that we will be able to make some serious strides in defeating Voldermort."
"Ah, I see you have given them their new uniforms, good, you two will need them tomorrow." Dumbledore commented. He had once again popped his head into the room through the fire. "The students are waiting." He finished again looking at Harry.
"Well we can't let that happen know can we Albus. Give us a few moments to get dressed, and we will be beside you." Harry answered transforming his school robes into ones twice as dark, and summoning his own cloak from his room. Fastening the cloak around him with a small silver chain, Harry grabbed the box Ron had placed on the floor, and threw it back to him.
"There is more than just the cloaks you two, the boots are dragon hide, the pants should be custom fit, and if the store clerk told me correct, the shirts repeal some simple hexes. He finished as Hermione, and Ron simply stared at the contents now in front of them.
Three minutes later the three were completely dressed, and with a flash of red flames, they were also standing next to Dumbledore in a completely silent great hall. "As I was saying, the announcement will be made tomorrow to the rest of the wizarding world. I ask that you wait until then to send your letters to your families, I would hate to have to fight off the reporters come tomorrow morning. Now if any of you have questions, please ask now.
"I have a question, when is it custom to give special treatment to students. I am pretty sure that this is the first time in Hogwarts History that a student has graduated early, and I want to know why this opportunity was only presented to them."
"Ah Mr. Malfoy, good question, let me explain." Albus answered, a smile playing at the edges of his mouth. " As for special treatment, you are incorrect. The standards that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were held to with their NEWTS, were far above that of ordinary students. In fact we created such difficult tests for these three that it would be fair to say most seventh years would not have passed more than one or two." Dumbledore answered, and most professors simply nodded to show he was speaking the truth.
"You are once again incorrect in assuming this is the first time a student, or in this case students have graduated early from Hogwarts as well. It is a known fact that our very own Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape both graduated early in there seventh years, but yes this is the first time a student has graduated before the end of there sixth." He finished, and turning to the students he was about to ask for more questions when Malfoy once again interrupted him.
"I believe I have taken the same classes as Potter and his friends, If what you say is true, then why was I not granted the opportunity to test early?" Malfoy asked, and Dumbledore lost a little of the twinkle in his eye. "Stand up Mr. Malfoy, and show me a Patranous." Dumbledore commanded, and under his stare, Draco actually flinched.
"We all know that a Patranous is highly advanced magic, and even some of the most trained wizards cannot perform it." Draco answered, regaining his Malfoy superiority quickly. "Ah yes, yet you compare yourself with the three next to me. Harry, Ron, Hermione. If you would please demonstrate" Dumbledore asked, turning to the trio.
"Expectro Patranum" they all shouted, and with a sound close to thunder, three brilliant white lights shot from the tips of each wand, creating a total of 5 anti dementors. A stag, a black dog, and a wolf shot from Harry's wand, while a Hungarian horntail, and a unicorn shot from Ron's, and Hermione's.
"As you can see Draco, these three in front of you can perform this advanced spell, in fact Harry has been able to perform it since his third year, and Hermione, and Ron learned it just last." Dumbledore continued as the three summoned their animals back.
"I hope you know understand why the professors and I felt it was necessary to see these three graduate this year, and I assure you there skills in Transfigurations, Potions, Charms, Herbology, Divination, Astronomy, and Study Of Magical creatures are just as impressive."
When Dumbledore finished, the hall fell completely silent. Draco, realizing that he was fighting a loosing battle, took his seat. "Now, since it is getting quiet late, and most of you are ready for bed, I ask that the prefects please lead their houses back to their common rooms."
"Harry, I need to speak to you, Ron, and Hermione in my office." Dumbledore said turning to the three, and making for the back room. Once there they all fire traveled through Harry to Dumbledore's office, where Harry was surprised to see Professor Snape, Sirius, and Remus already waiting.
"How did it go?" Sirius asked, being the first to notice the arrival of Harry, and breaking off of his argument with Severus. "Other than Draco feeling he was once again last to Harry, things went rather well." Ron answered, and the three professors chuckled.
"He's a Slytherin, would you expect anything else?" Severus spoke, surprising the trio. "No, I expected more, if it had been you in your school days, we would be testing you tomorrow." Dumbledore finished, and Severus smiled, which again shocked the trio.
"Well, to business then. I have asked the six of you here tonight to discuss tomorrow's events. Now the press conference at the ministry of Magic is scheduled to start at 7 am. Harry, you, Ron, and Hermione will arrive just before it starts. Lets say 6:50. Ron, Hermione, you will be wearing your Auror uniforms, with the hoods up."
"Severus, you, Sirius, and Remus will arrive just outside the ministry thirty minutes earlier. Watch for any sign of deatheater activity, and report it to me immediately. I will be with the minister in his office until just before 7 where I will accompany him to the conference.
"Sir, what about the school, I mean if you are there, who will be left behind to defend it just in case Voldermort decides to attack" Harry asked, and Dumbledore turned to the door.
"I have asked Minerva to watch out for me, If she suspects anything she will contact me through the floo, and we will be able to travel directly back with your apparating abilities." Dumbledore answered.
"But Albus, This news conference is going to be quiet sudden. You don't honestly think Voldermort will do anything, I mean we haven't heard anything from him for a month now." Remus asked, and the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes meant he knew something that they did not.
"I don't know that he will, and in fact I very much hope he doesn't, but no matter what, we will be ready. This is a perfect opportunity for him to try and create a panic, and hopefully an even better opportunity for us to strike fear in him." Dumbledore finished
That night was a long one for Harry. He had expected the school to be shocked by the news, and question the decision as he had, but his real worries were how the wizarding world would react.
Slipping into uncomfortable slumber, Harry's dreams were plagued with numerous awful scenes, including the death of his parents. "Master, master I have news from my son." Harry heard as he fought to keep the images from consuming him.
"Lucius, it has been a long time since any of Draco's news was meaningful to me. Crucio" Voldermort hissed, and Harry sat bolt upright in bed, the dreams over, but instead a vision of what was happening at that moment played through his mind.
"Thank you Master for you mercy." Lucius answered as Voldermort released him of the Crucactus curse minutes later. "Do not thank me yet Malfoy, tell me, what news from my youngest death eater?" Voldemort hissed, and Harry could see Lucius shiver.
"It was announced today in school that Harry Potter, will be graduating early. Draco said that the muggle loving fool even announced that Harry would be taking the vacant Head of Law Enforcement position at the Ministry. It seems that the Minister of Magic feels if anyone can rally support to oppose you it is him." Lucius spoke knowing what would happen.
"Crucio" Voldermort shouted. He was enraged by the news, and the malice in his curse caused Harry's scar to flame up in pain. "MASTER" Lucius screamed, the pain of the curse was ripping him apart. "WHEN IS IT TO BE ANNOUNCED, I HAVE WAITED MUCH TO LONG." Voldemort shouted, standing from his throne, and approached his screaming servant.
"Tomorrow" was all Lucius was able to say as the pain of the Crucactus curse had caused him to pass out. "Then tomorrow will be the day I show myself to the world." Voldermort seethed, and Harry woke up, his vision over.
Time seemed to slow down after that day in early March. Word of the early graduation of the Gryffindor Trio had yet to be announced, and much of Harry, Ron's, and Hermione's time was spent in History of magic, and inside Gryffindors cove where they discussed plans for the Ministry of Magic.
"Harry, do you think it will be wise to have groups of two, I mean for the most part two aurors can be easily overcome by four or more death eaters." Hermione questioned, it was now March 15. Two months exactly since Harry Potter beat the draught of living death, and lost Cho in the process.
"What do you propose Hermione? Right now we do not have the resources for groups of four, and take Neville's parents, I mean they were the best of the best. "I know they were Harry, but just think about it, I mean that's just it, they were the best, but when they were ambushed, they ended up." Hermione could not finish her sentence, but to Harry she didn't need to.
"I think you made you point Mione." Ron spoke up after a few minutes of silence. "We will just need to recruit more people soon, until then we will have to make due with what we have." He finished, and Harry sighed before placing his hands over his face.
"I wish they would simply announce it. I mean Mundungus appointed me because he believes I will rally the brave, but how am I suppose to do anything stuck here at Hogwarts." It was evident that he was frustrated.
"Believe it or not Harry, you already are, I mean I have received a few owls form both Charlie, and Bill, and they both are as excited as we are to see you sworn in. "How are you brothers Ron, I mean without anyone really in charge over there, I can't assume things are good."
"They're doing alright still, Charlie and Bill are in a small team of six now, and from what I get the only team. With the fall of Azkaban though, and the fact that Voldermort has made it his personal prison, they are worried." Ron finished looked sad at the thought of his brothers in danger.
"That will all change soon though right Harry." Hermione spoke up, she had been sitting is silence for a while. "I don't know what to do about Azkaban yet Hermione, but yes I am sure it will be one of my first orders of business, I just wish they'd get on with this.
"I was hoping you would feel that way Harry." Came the voice of Albus Dumbledore from the fire. "I was just about to ask if you three would join us for Dinner in the Great Hall." He finished watching as the trio looked on in confusion.
"Let me clarify myself I guess. You see it was brought to my attention today in staff meeting that the students of this school are beginning to worry about you three. It seems that your classmates have noticed you disappearance, and well the Staff are tired of making up explanations, and have suggested we let loose the information." Dumbledore finished looking pointedly at Harry.
"But Sir, I mean if we tell the students tonight." Dumbledore interrupted him. "Then the world will know by tomorrow." He finished, and the three nodded. "Yes, yes that is how it is meant to play out, we will of course ask the students to keep the news quiet, but tomorrow morning you will be announced as the Head of Magical Law Enforcement." Dumbledore answered, and Harry finally pulled his hands from his face
"We will meet you their Albus, I have a gift for these two first, and I would like to present it to them now." Harry said, and the headmaster simply bowed out of the fireplace at Harry's request.
"Harry, you didn't" Ron begun to speak, but stopped as Harry raised his hand. "No Ron, I most certainly did." Harry answered walking to the back room, only to return moments later laden down with two large packages. "Here we go, one for each of you." He said handing one to Ron, then to Hermione. Both simply stared at the silver wrapping paper on top, but more importantly, at what looked to be an emblem of a Shield with both a lightning bolt, and sword crossing through it.
"I was meaning to give these to you when they introduced me as the new Head of Law Enforcement, but being that Dumbledore is going to make the announcement tonight, I figure why wait." Harry said watching the two anxiously.
"Wow Harry, these are incredible." Hermione said as she pulled the lid off of her box, and pulled her new auror uniform from within. "You have outdone yourself here." She squealed, as she held the deepest maroon material she had ever seen in her hand, and studied the way the cloak had been tailored with a silver lining that seemed to move.
"I thought you would like it Mione." Harry answered as Ron pulled his from his box as well. Like Hermione's, Ron's was trimmed with Silver, but unlike hers, Ron's was not maroon, but a deep blue, one that bordered on black.
"This is bloody wicked Harry, and thanks for not making mine maroon." Ron laughed again examining the emblem, which was embroidered on the left chest of his robes. "Harry, what is this, I mean this silver fabric, I've have never seen such material before?" Hermione asked, she was now examining the hood, and inner fabric of her cloak. "Ohh Really," was Harry's answer, as he looked at his friend with a smug grin on his face. "I would have to say you have seen it many times, and been under it as well." Harry answered walking over to Ron, and holding his hand out.
"Here, let me show you." He finished taking the cloak from Ron, and throwing it over his shoulders. "You see Ron, now you see me, and now." Harry paused as he pulled the hood over his head. "You don't" he finished vanishing from all sight.
"Harry, you didn't" Hermione spoke, she had finally figured out what material Harry had installed on the cloaks. "No Hermione, I most certainly did. You see when you accepted the positions as obliviator, and Ron, you as an unmentionable, the only thing I could think of was how I was going to keep you safe. Well, with the help of my Fathers invisibility cloak, and the training we have been going through all year, I finally feel confident enough that we will be able to make some serious strides in defeating Voldermort."
"Ah, I see you have given them their new uniforms, good, you two will need them tomorrow." Dumbledore commented. He had once again popped his head into the room through the fire. "The students are waiting." He finished again looking at Harry.
"Well we can't let that happen know can we Albus. Give us a few moments to get dressed, and we will be beside you." Harry answered transforming his school robes into ones twice as dark, and summoning his own cloak from his room. Fastening the cloak around him with a small silver chain, Harry grabbed the box Ron had placed on the floor, and threw it back to him.
"There is more than just the cloaks you two, the boots are dragon hide, the pants should be custom fit, and if the store clerk told me correct, the shirts repeal some simple hexes. He finished as Hermione, and Ron simply stared at the contents now in front of them.
Three minutes later the three were completely dressed, and with a flash of red flames, they were also standing next to Dumbledore in a completely silent great hall. "As I was saying, the announcement will be made tomorrow to the rest of the wizarding world. I ask that you wait until then to send your letters to your families, I would hate to have to fight off the reporters come tomorrow morning. Now if any of you have questions, please ask now.
"I have a question, when is it custom to give special treatment to students. I am pretty sure that this is the first time in Hogwarts History that a student has graduated early, and I want to know why this opportunity was only presented to them."
"Ah Mr. Malfoy, good question, let me explain." Albus answered, a smile playing at the edges of his mouth. " As for special treatment, you are incorrect. The standards that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were held to with their NEWTS, were far above that of ordinary students. In fact we created such difficult tests for these three that it would be fair to say most seventh years would not have passed more than one or two." Dumbledore answered, and most professors simply nodded to show he was speaking the truth.
"You are once again incorrect in assuming this is the first time a student, or in this case students have graduated early from Hogwarts as well. It is a known fact that our very own Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape both graduated early in there seventh years, but yes this is the first time a student has graduated before the end of there sixth." He finished, and turning to the students he was about to ask for more questions when Malfoy once again interrupted him.
"I believe I have taken the same classes as Potter and his friends, If what you say is true, then why was I not granted the opportunity to test early?" Malfoy asked, and Dumbledore lost a little of the twinkle in his eye. "Stand up Mr. Malfoy, and show me a Patranous." Dumbledore commanded, and under his stare, Draco actually flinched.
"We all know that a Patranous is highly advanced magic, and even some of the most trained wizards cannot perform it." Draco answered, regaining his Malfoy superiority quickly. "Ah yes, yet you compare yourself with the three next to me. Harry, Ron, Hermione. If you would please demonstrate" Dumbledore asked, turning to the trio.
"Expectro Patranum" they all shouted, and with a sound close to thunder, three brilliant white lights shot from the tips of each wand, creating a total of 5 anti dementors. A stag, a black dog, and a wolf shot from Harry's wand, while a Hungarian horntail, and a unicorn shot from Ron's, and Hermione's.
"As you can see Draco, these three in front of you can perform this advanced spell, in fact Harry has been able to perform it since his third year, and Hermione, and Ron learned it just last." Dumbledore continued as the three summoned their animals back.
"I hope you know understand why the professors and I felt it was necessary to see these three graduate this year, and I assure you there skills in Transfigurations, Potions, Charms, Herbology, Divination, Astronomy, and Study Of Magical creatures are just as impressive."
When Dumbledore finished, the hall fell completely silent. Draco, realizing that he was fighting a loosing battle, took his seat. "Now, since it is getting quiet late, and most of you are ready for bed, I ask that the prefects please lead their houses back to their common rooms."
"Harry, I need to speak to you, Ron, and Hermione in my office." Dumbledore said turning to the three, and making for the back room. Once there they all fire traveled through Harry to Dumbledore's office, where Harry was surprised to see Professor Snape, Sirius, and Remus already waiting.
"How did it go?" Sirius asked, being the first to notice the arrival of Harry, and breaking off of his argument with Severus. "Other than Draco feeling he was once again last to Harry, things went rather well." Ron answered, and the three professors chuckled.
"He's a Slytherin, would you expect anything else?" Severus spoke, surprising the trio. "No, I expected more, if it had been you in your school days, we would be testing you tomorrow." Dumbledore finished, and Severus smiled, which again shocked the trio.
"Well, to business then. I have asked the six of you here tonight to discuss tomorrow's events. Now the press conference at the ministry of Magic is scheduled to start at 7 am. Harry, you, Ron, and Hermione will arrive just before it starts. Lets say 6:50. Ron, Hermione, you will be wearing your Auror uniforms, with the hoods up."
"Severus, you, Sirius, and Remus will arrive just outside the ministry thirty minutes earlier. Watch for any sign of deatheater activity, and report it to me immediately. I will be with the minister in his office until just before 7 where I will accompany him to the conference.
"Sir, what about the school, I mean if you are there, who will be left behind to defend it just in case Voldermort decides to attack" Harry asked, and Dumbledore turned to the door.
"I have asked Minerva to watch out for me, If she suspects anything she will contact me through the floo, and we will be able to travel directly back with your apparating abilities." Dumbledore answered.
"But Albus, This news conference is going to be quiet sudden. You don't honestly think Voldermort will do anything, I mean we haven't heard anything from him for a month now." Remus asked, and the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes meant he knew something that they did not.
"I don't know that he will, and in fact I very much hope he doesn't, but no matter what, we will be ready. This is a perfect opportunity for him to try and create a panic, and hopefully an even better opportunity for us to strike fear in him." Dumbledore finished
That night was a long one for Harry. He had expected the school to be shocked by the news, and question the decision as he had, but his real worries were how the wizarding world would react.
Slipping into uncomfortable slumber, Harry's dreams were plagued with numerous awful scenes, including the death of his parents. "Master, master I have news from my son." Harry heard as he fought to keep the images from consuming him.
"Lucius, it has been a long time since any of Draco's news was meaningful to me. Crucio" Voldermort hissed, and Harry sat bolt upright in bed, the dreams over, but instead a vision of what was happening at that moment played through his mind.
"Thank you Master for you mercy." Lucius answered as Voldermort released him of the Crucactus curse minutes later. "Do not thank me yet Malfoy, tell me, what news from my youngest death eater?" Voldemort hissed, and Harry could see Lucius shiver.
"It was announced today in school that Harry Potter, will be graduating early. Draco said that the muggle loving fool even announced that Harry would be taking the vacant Head of Law Enforcement position at the Ministry. It seems that the Minister of Magic feels if anyone can rally support to oppose you it is him." Lucius spoke knowing what would happen.
"Crucio" Voldermort shouted. He was enraged by the news, and the malice in his curse caused Harry's scar to flame up in pain. "MASTER" Lucius screamed, the pain of the curse was ripping him apart. "WHEN IS IT TO BE ANNOUNCED, I HAVE WAITED MUCH TO LONG." Voldemort shouted, standing from his throne, and approached his screaming servant.
"Tomorrow" was all Lucius was able to say as the pain of the Crucactus curse had caused him to pass out. "Then tomorrow will be the day I show myself to the world." Voldermort seethed, and Harry woke up, his vision over.