Chapter Eleven: The End Game Approaches
The grace period between attacks lasted only another month. Harry was working with Romulus on the Polyjuice Potion when they were interrupted by the magically-amplified voice of Professor McGonagall. "Today's lessons have been cancelled. All students are to return to their House common rooms immediately."
"Well? What are you all waiting for?" Snape asked. "Clear up and get out of here!" With that he swept out the room, slamming the door behind him.
"What's that about?" Romulus wondered as he extinguished the flame under his cauldron and started to pack away. "Do you have any idea?"
Harry shook his head. "Don't good though, that's for sure."
"Agreed."
At that moment, a message came over the telepathic link for Jonas. «This is a Priority-Two Emergency. All members of the Defence Council please report to the War Room immediately.»
«I'm on my way.» Harry told him, and then turned to Romulus. "Something's happened, a Priority-Two Alert: Possible Widespread Threat. Tell the others."
Romulus nodded and Harry dashed out of the classroom, catching up with Snape within a few seconds. "Have you heard anything?"
"No Potter, I have not. Nor would I tell you just because you asked, even if I had."
Harry snorted at this and sped up now almost running towards the stair that would take him back to the main part of the castle.
Five minutes later, Harry slid into his seat at the round table in the War Room and turned to Dumbledore. "What's up, Sparky?"
"That will be for Arthur to tell us, Harry," Dumbledore replied and indicated that they should face the large mirror that was mounted opposite Jonas' seat at the table in which Mr Weasley's face could be seen. Harry was no expert, but he looked like he'd been in a fight.
"Arthur, if you would repeat what you told me?"
"Of course, Dumbledore," Mr Weasley said. "Two hours ago, security was breached at the Ministry. Death Eaters, Dementors and vampires broke in through the street entrance, the Floo Network and the Apparation points. We were caught completely by surprise. Eric Munce and the Hit Wizards on security detail went down immediately. We're still counting the other causalities, but I do know that all the Department Heads and several other senior people are missing and a big chunk of the Aurors and Hit-Wizards are down."
"Are Tonks and Kingsley okay, Mr Weasley?" Harry asked. "What about Draper, Phobus and the others?"
"Kingsley, Jason and Andrea are fine, Harry," Mr Weasley told him. "It was Tonks' day off. I haven't seen the others though. I'll find out for you."
"Thanks."
"What action is being taken, Arthur?" Dumbledore asked.
"Director Wright called an emergency session of the Wizengamot thirty minutes ago, as you probably know."
Dumbledore nodded. "I felt it was not the time to be absent from the castle."
"Rumour has it they intend to declare martial law. Which would allow Director Wright to take charge."
"Could you keep us inform of any developments, Arthur?" Dumbledore asked.
"Of course," said Arthur and vanished.
"Do we need to increase security, Albus?" McGonagall asked. "At least tighten the curfew?"
"I do not think so, Minerva," Dumbledore replied. "Although I feel that it would be wise to reinforce the need to stay in groups."
Most of the Council agreed with the Headmaster's reading of the situation so the meeting was adjourned. Lessons had not been resumed, so Harry hurried back to Gryffindor Tower to meet up with his friends.
Dinner that night was served in the house common rooms and was a quiet, sombre affair, this was not helped by the delivery of about a dozen copies of a special edition of the Evening Prophet. Harry opened up his copy to see a large banner headline: DEATH EATERS ATTACK MINISTRY OF MAGIC. The single story reported more or less what Harry already knew, but confirmed the imposition of martial law. It also printed two casualty lists: one of the dead, and another listing the missing.
The list of the missing produced no particular surprises, the only significant disappearances were the ones Mr Weasley had talked about earlier; likewise, he had expected the presence of Eric the Guard on the 'dead' list, but two of the others on the list surprised him: Amos Diggory and Percy Weasley.
As he read Percy's name, he could feel Ginny tease beside him, he looked at her and wasn't surprised to see that she was crying. He put his arm around her and hugged her to himself, resting her head on his chest and caressing her hair and back comfortingly. "It's okay, love. I understand. I'm here."
After a while, Ginny stopped crying and looked up at Harry. "I sorry, Harry, it's just."
"I know, love," Harry assured her. "Even though you haven't got on for a while, he's family and it still hurts. I'd feel the same if it was Dudley or Aunt Petunia." He looked over her head, scanning the room for Ron and Hermione. When he finally spotted them, he sighed with relief - they were sitting in a private corner of the room with Neville and a couple of the other DA members.
Dinner was forgotten for a long time, as many people shrugged to come to terms with the devasting attack on the heart of their world. After a couple of hours of silence and whispering, Hermione finally ordered everyone to bed, a few looked a little reluctant to obey but once Harry, Ron and Ginny made it clear they agreed with her, they headed up.
"Will you be okay, love?" Harry asked Ginny just before she mounted the first step.
Ginny nodded. "I'll be fine, Harry. See you in the morning."
"Night then," Harry said and watched as she headed up the stairs. He debated heading up himself, but then decided that there was a couple of things he needed to do first. «Jonas, give me Sparky.»
«Done.»
«What is it, Harry?»
«Are Sirius or Remus needed for anything by the Order at the moment?»
«Nothing specific,» admitted Dumbledore. «Why?»
«Because I have a feeling that Voldemort will attack in force soon. I want Sirius available for the ritual.»
«I think you are right, you may contact Sirius and ask him to come to the castle.» Dumbledore agreed. «Was there anything else?»
«Nothing, good night Sparky.»
«Good night, Harry.»
Harry reached into the leather alchemist's pouch at his belt and extracted a small vial of dark grey powder, then he sat down in front of the fire, and tossed a pinch of the powder into the flames. "Sirius Black!"
As it often did, the call to Harry's home took a while to get through, but after a few minutes Sirius' head appeared in the flames. "How are you, Harry?"
"I'm fine," Harry assured him. "Have you heard about the attack?"
Sirius nodded. "Tell Ginny and Ron I'm sorry about Percy."
"I will." Harry assured him. "But that's not the main reason I called."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, I have a feeling that everything's going to come to a head within the next couple of weeks. I'd like you and Remus - and Leona if she can - to come to Hogwarts immediately."
"Ok. We'll be with you in by Friday morning." Sirius promised. "It's the full moon tomorrow, so Remus won't be up for travel until then."
"That's fine." Harry said. "I'll see you then."
"Yeah, get some sleep, Harry. Good night."
"Night Sirius."
Sirius' head disappeared from the fire with a pop, but Harry remained where he sat, glazing at the flickering flames until he dozed off.
----
Harry and his friends were just about to head out to breakfast the next day, when Hedley, Ginny's Snowy Owl flew in through one of the common room windows and landed on Ginny's shoulder. Ginny pulled off the letter tied to his claws and then after giving the bird a short fussing sent him back to the Owlery. She opened the envelope and then scanned the message, when she finished it, she sighed and handed the note to Harry, who read it to Ron, Hermione and the others:
Dear Ginny,
As you probably know by now, Percy was killed during the attack on the Ministry. Dumbledore and Alastor have agreed to let us bury him properly so I would like you and Ron to return home for the service. Harry, Hermione and his cousin are also welcome to attend and I would expect that Harry's hobgoblin will want to come as well. The funeral will be at the Ottery St. Catchpole cemetery on Thursday morning at nine am. The rest of the family will be there.
Your loving mother, Molly.
Harry looked up. "Civis?"
"Yes Harry?"
"You're our protocol expert, what do we need to know about wizard funerals?"
Civis thought for a moment, then answered. "Wizarding funerals aren't that complicated actually. Six male members of the family carry the coffin from the Portkey Point to the gravesite, although given the current situation I think Mr Weasley may chose to hire pallbearers instead. Someone, usually a member of the family or a close friend makes a speech, and a representative from the Wizengamot supervises the lowering of the coffin into the plot, and its burial.
"Dress protocol is a bit of a problem. Close family, including spouses, are required to wear the formal mourning robes in their family's crest on and any noblebloods in attendance. It's a holdover from the old days when only purebloods and people who married into pureblood families got wizard burials. Anyone else can wear ordinary dressrobes or even plain dark robes at a pinch."
Several people, including Hermione, weren't exactly thrilled with this information and frowned at Civis, who carried on as if he hadn't noticed. "If you'll allow me?"
Harry looked around his group of friends, and then nodded. "Take the money from the estate vault. Check to see if the other Weasleys are ok as well."
"I will."
After taking their measurements, Civis Disapparated with a 'crack', Harry shook his head and led his friends out of the common room.
----
Harry discussed the situation with Dumbledore and they agreed that as long as Civis and a few of the Guardians accompanied the group they should be fine. So Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Jamie and three of the professors assembled in the Entrance at the appointed time, Civis, Draper, Troy and Menotti took up defensive positions around them. A few seconds later, Harry felt a lurch in the usual place and they disappeared.
The funeral was a simple affair, but well-attended affair, as Harry, Jamie, Hermione and the Weasleys had been joined by Fleur and Gabriel, Angelina, Alicia, Katie and Lee, Charlie's girlfriend Julia, plus Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Jones, Kingsley, the Tonkses, Sirius, Remus, Leona and Emmeline, and the three Guardians Harry brought with him from Hogwarts.
Harry didn't pay much attention to the service itself, Ginny started crying again part way through so he took her in his arms and whispered sweet nothings in her ear as she sobbed into the velvet front of his robes.
After the funeral, most of the guests headed back to the Burrow, where Mrs Weasley and some of the others had set up a huge buffet-style feast. Ginny perked up a bit after some food and Harry left her talking Quidditch with Angelina, Katie and Lee, and headed over to the group that was clustered around Bill.
Fleur noticed Harry almost immediately and smiled. "'Ello 'Arry."
"Hi Fleur, I wasn't expecting Gabrielle to be here."
"Oui," Fleur agreed. "If we had a choice she would not be here."
"What's happened?"
"You know that our family lived in Ville de Oiseau?"
"Ville de Oiseau sided wiz Volzhemor two days ago. Mama and Papa were killed when they refused to co-operate. Gabrielle escaped because she was shopping in the Ru de Magie when it happened. Monsieur Virga made 'er a Portkey to ze Ministère in London. She 'az been living wiz Beell and I since then."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Harry said. "I know what it's like to use your family. If there's anything I can do."
"Zere is one thing 'Arry."
"Name it."
"Stop Volzhemor and quickly. Before ozzers 'ave to go through what we 'ave."
"I will, Fleur," Harry promised. "Or die trying."
A/N: Sorry it's been a while since the last update, but life's been pretty hectic. The final battle is coming within a chapter or two so stick with me. The next chapter will hopefully be up by the end of the week. In the meantime, I look forward to your reviews.
The grace period between attacks lasted only another month. Harry was working with Romulus on the Polyjuice Potion when they were interrupted by the magically-amplified voice of Professor McGonagall. "Today's lessons have been cancelled. All students are to return to their House common rooms immediately."
"Well? What are you all waiting for?" Snape asked. "Clear up and get out of here!" With that he swept out the room, slamming the door behind him.
"What's that about?" Romulus wondered as he extinguished the flame under his cauldron and started to pack away. "Do you have any idea?"
Harry shook his head. "Don't good though, that's for sure."
"Agreed."
At that moment, a message came over the telepathic link for Jonas. «This is a Priority-Two Emergency. All members of the Defence Council please report to the War Room immediately.»
«I'm on my way.» Harry told him, and then turned to Romulus. "Something's happened, a Priority-Two Alert: Possible Widespread Threat. Tell the others."
Romulus nodded and Harry dashed out of the classroom, catching up with Snape within a few seconds. "Have you heard anything?"
"No Potter, I have not. Nor would I tell you just because you asked, even if I had."
Harry snorted at this and sped up now almost running towards the stair that would take him back to the main part of the castle.
Five minutes later, Harry slid into his seat at the round table in the War Room and turned to Dumbledore. "What's up, Sparky?"
"That will be for Arthur to tell us, Harry," Dumbledore replied and indicated that they should face the large mirror that was mounted opposite Jonas' seat at the table in which Mr Weasley's face could be seen. Harry was no expert, but he looked like he'd been in a fight.
"Arthur, if you would repeat what you told me?"
"Of course, Dumbledore," Mr Weasley said. "Two hours ago, security was breached at the Ministry. Death Eaters, Dementors and vampires broke in through the street entrance, the Floo Network and the Apparation points. We were caught completely by surprise. Eric Munce and the Hit Wizards on security detail went down immediately. We're still counting the other causalities, but I do know that all the Department Heads and several other senior people are missing and a big chunk of the Aurors and Hit-Wizards are down."
"Are Tonks and Kingsley okay, Mr Weasley?" Harry asked. "What about Draper, Phobus and the others?"
"Kingsley, Jason and Andrea are fine, Harry," Mr Weasley told him. "It was Tonks' day off. I haven't seen the others though. I'll find out for you."
"Thanks."
"What action is being taken, Arthur?" Dumbledore asked.
"Director Wright called an emergency session of the Wizengamot thirty minutes ago, as you probably know."
Dumbledore nodded. "I felt it was not the time to be absent from the castle."
"Rumour has it they intend to declare martial law. Which would allow Director Wright to take charge."
"Could you keep us inform of any developments, Arthur?" Dumbledore asked.
"Of course," said Arthur and vanished.
"Do we need to increase security, Albus?" McGonagall asked. "At least tighten the curfew?"
"I do not think so, Minerva," Dumbledore replied. "Although I feel that it would be wise to reinforce the need to stay in groups."
Most of the Council agreed with the Headmaster's reading of the situation so the meeting was adjourned. Lessons had not been resumed, so Harry hurried back to Gryffindor Tower to meet up with his friends.
Dinner that night was served in the house common rooms and was a quiet, sombre affair, this was not helped by the delivery of about a dozen copies of a special edition of the Evening Prophet. Harry opened up his copy to see a large banner headline: DEATH EATERS ATTACK MINISTRY OF MAGIC. The single story reported more or less what Harry already knew, but confirmed the imposition of martial law. It also printed two casualty lists: one of the dead, and another listing the missing.
The list of the missing produced no particular surprises, the only significant disappearances were the ones Mr Weasley had talked about earlier; likewise, he had expected the presence of Eric the Guard on the 'dead' list, but two of the others on the list surprised him: Amos Diggory and Percy Weasley.
As he read Percy's name, he could feel Ginny tease beside him, he looked at her and wasn't surprised to see that she was crying. He put his arm around her and hugged her to himself, resting her head on his chest and caressing her hair and back comfortingly. "It's okay, love. I understand. I'm here."
After a while, Ginny stopped crying and looked up at Harry. "I sorry, Harry, it's just."
"I know, love," Harry assured her. "Even though you haven't got on for a while, he's family and it still hurts. I'd feel the same if it was Dudley or Aunt Petunia." He looked over her head, scanning the room for Ron and Hermione. When he finally spotted them, he sighed with relief - they were sitting in a private corner of the room with Neville and a couple of the other DA members.
Dinner was forgotten for a long time, as many people shrugged to come to terms with the devasting attack on the heart of their world. After a couple of hours of silence and whispering, Hermione finally ordered everyone to bed, a few looked a little reluctant to obey but once Harry, Ron and Ginny made it clear they agreed with her, they headed up.
"Will you be okay, love?" Harry asked Ginny just before she mounted the first step.
Ginny nodded. "I'll be fine, Harry. See you in the morning."
"Night then," Harry said and watched as she headed up the stairs. He debated heading up himself, but then decided that there was a couple of things he needed to do first. «Jonas, give me Sparky.»
«Done.»
«What is it, Harry?»
«Are Sirius or Remus needed for anything by the Order at the moment?»
«Nothing specific,» admitted Dumbledore. «Why?»
«Because I have a feeling that Voldemort will attack in force soon. I want Sirius available for the ritual.»
«I think you are right, you may contact Sirius and ask him to come to the castle.» Dumbledore agreed. «Was there anything else?»
«Nothing, good night Sparky.»
«Good night, Harry.»
Harry reached into the leather alchemist's pouch at his belt and extracted a small vial of dark grey powder, then he sat down in front of the fire, and tossed a pinch of the powder into the flames. "Sirius Black!"
As it often did, the call to Harry's home took a while to get through, but after a few minutes Sirius' head appeared in the flames. "How are you, Harry?"
"I'm fine," Harry assured him. "Have you heard about the attack?"
Sirius nodded. "Tell Ginny and Ron I'm sorry about Percy."
"I will." Harry assured him. "But that's not the main reason I called."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, I have a feeling that everything's going to come to a head within the next couple of weeks. I'd like you and Remus - and Leona if she can - to come to Hogwarts immediately."
"Ok. We'll be with you in by Friday morning." Sirius promised. "It's the full moon tomorrow, so Remus won't be up for travel until then."
"That's fine." Harry said. "I'll see you then."
"Yeah, get some sleep, Harry. Good night."
"Night Sirius."
Sirius' head disappeared from the fire with a pop, but Harry remained where he sat, glazing at the flickering flames until he dozed off.
----
Harry and his friends were just about to head out to breakfast the next day, when Hedley, Ginny's Snowy Owl flew in through one of the common room windows and landed on Ginny's shoulder. Ginny pulled off the letter tied to his claws and then after giving the bird a short fussing sent him back to the Owlery. She opened the envelope and then scanned the message, when she finished it, she sighed and handed the note to Harry, who read it to Ron, Hermione and the others:
Dear Ginny,
As you probably know by now, Percy was killed during the attack on the Ministry. Dumbledore and Alastor have agreed to let us bury him properly so I would like you and Ron to return home for the service. Harry, Hermione and his cousin are also welcome to attend and I would expect that Harry's hobgoblin will want to come as well. The funeral will be at the Ottery St. Catchpole cemetery on Thursday morning at nine am. The rest of the family will be there.
Your loving mother, Molly.
Harry looked up. "Civis?"
"Yes Harry?"
"You're our protocol expert, what do we need to know about wizard funerals?"
Civis thought for a moment, then answered. "Wizarding funerals aren't that complicated actually. Six male members of the family carry the coffin from the Portkey Point to the gravesite, although given the current situation I think Mr Weasley may chose to hire pallbearers instead. Someone, usually a member of the family or a close friend makes a speech, and a representative from the Wizengamot supervises the lowering of the coffin into the plot, and its burial.
"Dress protocol is a bit of a problem. Close family, including spouses, are required to wear the formal mourning robes in their family's crest on and any noblebloods in attendance. It's a holdover from the old days when only purebloods and people who married into pureblood families got wizard burials. Anyone else can wear ordinary dressrobes or even plain dark robes at a pinch."
Several people, including Hermione, weren't exactly thrilled with this information and frowned at Civis, who carried on as if he hadn't noticed. "If you'll allow me?"
Harry looked around his group of friends, and then nodded. "Take the money from the estate vault. Check to see if the other Weasleys are ok as well."
"I will."
After taking their measurements, Civis Disapparated with a 'crack', Harry shook his head and led his friends out of the common room.
----
Harry discussed the situation with Dumbledore and they agreed that as long as Civis and a few of the Guardians accompanied the group they should be fine. So Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Jamie and three of the professors assembled in the Entrance at the appointed time, Civis, Draper, Troy and Menotti took up defensive positions around them. A few seconds later, Harry felt a lurch in the usual place and they disappeared.
The funeral was a simple affair, but well-attended affair, as Harry, Jamie, Hermione and the Weasleys had been joined by Fleur and Gabriel, Angelina, Alicia, Katie and Lee, Charlie's girlfriend Julia, plus Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Jones, Kingsley, the Tonkses, Sirius, Remus, Leona and Emmeline, and the three Guardians Harry brought with him from Hogwarts.
Harry didn't pay much attention to the service itself, Ginny started crying again part way through so he took her in his arms and whispered sweet nothings in her ear as she sobbed into the velvet front of his robes.
After the funeral, most of the guests headed back to the Burrow, where Mrs Weasley and some of the others had set up a huge buffet-style feast. Ginny perked up a bit after some food and Harry left her talking Quidditch with Angelina, Katie and Lee, and headed over to the group that was clustered around Bill.
Fleur noticed Harry almost immediately and smiled. "'Ello 'Arry."
"Hi Fleur, I wasn't expecting Gabrielle to be here."
"Oui," Fleur agreed. "If we had a choice she would not be here."
"What's happened?"
"You know that our family lived in Ville de Oiseau?"
"Ville de Oiseau sided wiz Volzhemor two days ago. Mama and Papa were killed when they refused to co-operate. Gabrielle escaped because she was shopping in the Ru de Magie when it happened. Monsieur Virga made 'er a Portkey to ze Ministère in London. She 'az been living wiz Beell and I since then."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Harry said. "I know what it's like to use your family. If there's anything I can do."
"Zere is one thing 'Arry."
"Name it."
"Stop Volzhemor and quickly. Before ozzers 'ave to go through what we 'ave."
"I will, Fleur," Harry promised. "Or die trying."
A/N: Sorry it's been a while since the last update, but life's been pretty hectic. The final battle is coming within a chapter or two so stick with me. The next chapter will hopefully be up by the end of the week. In the meantime, I look forward to your reviews.