Hi there, I don't know if it's just that FFnet is still acting a bit odd, or that I just didn't get any reviews for the last chapter,(sob) but anyway, since I didn't upload yesterday, I thought I'd do two today! Hope you like it; sorry if it's been a bit stilted lately, I was getting side tracked with the various plot lines.
Chapter 18 The First Wave
Harry had lain awake for along time, considering all that he had over heard. Surely Nott looking up the potion was connected with the attack on Hogwarts somehow. If Nott's father had told him to find a way to stop Harry being involved in the fight, then Voldemort would indeed be coming, which meant that Harry had to be ready for it. He needed Dumbledore to give him the torch.
At breakfast Harry picked at his food, his mind focused on his lesson with Dumbledore. Hedwig had to peck on his finger to get his attention. Looking at her, Harry realised that she had brought him a letter. Untying it, he unrolled the parchment and saw it was from Moony.
Dear Migizi,
How is school? Hope you are working hard, and behaving yourself.
Do you remember the New Year Party I told you about? Well it wasn't
quite as exciting as I had hoped. I didn't meet make any new friends,
I am not really like them.
But we are planning another party soon, this week in fact, and I know
there will be lots of new people in the group. I'll let you know how I enjoy
it. But you know I heard that there will be another Party at the same time
and I can't decide which one to go to. I would really like to go to the one
where I can meet new friends, but it means I'll miss the one for my old
friends. Anyway, I'll write to you soon. Be good and study hard, I'm
looking forward to you graduating and joining the family firm.
Moony
Harry reread the letter and thought about Moony's subtle code, the Restoration Party demonstration had been just that, he hadn't met any other wizards there. But they were planning another one and Moony expected there would be trouble and he might find some evidence of magical interference. But he also knew about the attack at Hogwarts and wanted to be there to help defend the school and protect the students. He smiled grimly at the information, it was not good news but at least Moony didn't intend to keep him in the dark, like Dumbledore seemed to be doing.
Harry arrived for his lesson even more determined than before to ask Dumbledore for the torch. Dumbledore was late and Harry knew he must have been coordinating with the Order and the Ministry, deciding how to handle the two separate troubles.
"Sorry to keep you waiting Harry," Dumbledore said as he swept in, "I had rather a lot of correspondence to deal with this morning."
"Yes I imagine that an attack on Hogwarts would require a great deal of preparation to defend against," Harry said casually, watching Dumbledore look sharply as he listened.
"Is that what your letter was about this morning?" Dumbledore asked.
"No actually, though it did refer to it and the next demonstration by the Restoration Party," Harry answered.
"Then why would you think Hogwarts was going to be attacked?"
"Because I overheard a conversation last night," Harry said.
"How could you have heard that conversation Harry?" Dumbledore asked politely.
"Well voices tend to carry on the wind," Harry replied.
"You know it is not very polite to listen into private conversations, you just might overhear things that you were not meant to know," Dumbledore answered.
"And why shouldn't I know about a direct attack," Harry asked, "Surely the point of all my training for the past two years was to prepare me to fight?"
"We do not even know if Voldemort will be there," Dumbledore explained, "How can I risk your life before it is time?"
"Will there ever be a good time Professor?" Harry asked quietly, "I understand why you are protecting me, but there has to come a time when I am allowed to make these decisions for myself. You cannot protect me from my fate forever."
"Harry, know that I would if I could," Dumbledore replied sadly, "if you help to defend Hogwarts and Voldemort is not with his army, he will learn of your secret and thus making it harder for you when the time comes."
"Let me try to use the torch," Harry said quietly.
"I do not believe you are ready," Dumbledore replied.
"I don't think you ever will," Harry said.
"Perhaps you are right," Dumbledore conceded. "Very well, come to my office."
Harry took a deep breath and followed the headmaster out of the classroom and up to his office. All the while his nerves pulsing, what if Dumbledore was right, and he wasn't ready. What would happen to him when he tried to use the Torch?
Dumbledore opened a silver trunk at the back of his office and withdrew the Green Flame Torch, careful he placed it on his desk and said, "Sit down Harry, don't touch it yet please." Harry sat down and looked at Dumbledore. Suddenly the Headmaster looked like the old man that he was, his lined face was pale and his blue eyes looked lifeless. Harry found the sight more disturbing than he cared to admit.
"Harry, every 444 years since recorded History began, an Elemental has been born. Many of them helped to form the world into the one we know now. But many more of them could not cope with the burden of their responsibilities, and they hid themselves away," Dumbledore sat down heavily as he continued. "You have frequently asked me why I fear for you because you are an Elemental. The answer to that question lies in the many lessons history has taught us."
"Professor, I have discovered some of this for myself," Harry told him, "The Elementals who came into their power early were almost always corrupted by it and choice dark magic."
"Yes, I took the steps to help you activate your Elemental magic, knowing the dangers involved for you," Dumbledore said quietly.
"Why didn't you just leave them to develop alone? Is it because of Voldemort," Harry asked.
"Yes, I knew that you could learn to destroy him by conventional magic," Dumbledore explained, "but that would have required you to commit a murder and I did not want that for you. By evoking elemental magic, you have the power to destroy him and a chance of saving yourself."
"That must have been a difficult decision for you to make," Harry said.
"One that I pondered for a long time and then condemned myself many times for making," Dumbledore said. "If you use the torch, you will become the most powerful man to live in over 400 years, and I am afraid that you are not ready for such a responsibility. You have not yet learned to accept that this world has a natural order, which sometimes we cannot agree with, but we must accept or we risk destroying it all."
"You think I'm too immature?" Harry asked, a little offended.
"No, not immature, but consider this," Dumbledore said, "What if you discovered a way to bring your parents back? Would you use it? If you did, then you would be interfering with events that had to happen to bring you to the point where you are now. Do you understand? By interfering with things that must happen, you could accidentally prevent other things from happening."
"All I want to do is get rid of Voldemort, after that you can have the Torch back," Harry said.
"Well it won't work quite like that I'm afraid, but the fact that you offered tells me a lot," Dumbledore actually looked a bit happier as he said this, "It may yet prove that you are strong enough to control the power." Dumbledore stood up and picked up the torch and extended it to Harry, who stood up to receive it.
Harry stood staring at the emerald topped stick and wondered how it could possible hold the kind of power that Dumbledore was talking about. He wondered how he could become such a powerful wizard that even would Dumbledore fear him. As he stared at the Green Flame Torch, he felt as though it were all a mistake, this was not his fate, to become powerful and to control the elements. Surely it was a mistake.
Dumbledore said quietly, "I suggest that we take the torch outside, I am not sure what effect it will have on the castle."
"Sir," Harry asked as they walked down the stairs, "How is it that you know so much about The Green Flame Torch and how it can be used by an Elemental?"
"I told you that it was one of my favourite books," Dumbledore said, "I have read it many times in my life, and had many dreams."
"You mean if I read it again, it will be different from the last time?"
"Not yet, but if you read it at another turning point in your life, you may be surprised at what you read," Dumbledore said.
"Did you read about me?" Harry asked.
"On the day of your naming ceremony," Dumbledore smiled sadly, "I didn't understand what your aura meant, so I decided to read it again. It told me a strange story of snakes and emeralds, and a child with emerald eyes who would save us all."
"Did you ever see Hogwarts destroyed by lava?" Harry whispered.
"No, but I saw the emerald eyed child disappear," Dumbledore said quietly.
Harry couldn't think of any more questions to ask after that and followed the Headmaster out of the castle. Just as they reached the main doors, the bell rang to signal the end of lessons. Harry held his breath; surely Dumbledore wouldn't make him wait till his next lesson. But Dumbledore raised his wand and sent a silver message speeding back into the building.
"You will be excused from your normal lessons today," Dumbledore said. "Come we will go to the forest I think."
Harry merely nodded and followed wordlessly, he was relieved not to have to wait. So he let Dumbledore lead him back to the clearing in the forest and stopped beside him looking around. "Won't the Centaurs come back?" Harry asked.
"Well if they do, I need to warn them about the attack in Hogsmead, if the Giants come they will undoubtedly come through the forest," Dumbledore replied. "Now I would suggest you channel the Element that you feel you have the most control over."
Harry sat on the ground and decided to try Air, "What do I do with the Torch?"
"I believe that you try to channel the element through the emerald," Dumbledore said.
Harry closed his eyes and concentrated on the air around him, and then he tried to push it through the torch. At first he didn't feel any different, and then suddenly he felt it. A warm breeze blew through his hair and a similar sensation to the one he experienced in Ollivander's the day he bought his wand.
Harry could hear voices, the students and teachers in the school, the Centaurs in the forest and many, many more. The buzzing was so loud Harry thought for a moment he had been transported to the middle of a busy train station. Then a voice close by called him, opening his eyes he saw Dumbledore crouched down low staring into his eyes.
"Harry, are you alright?" Dumbledore was saying.
Harry smiled and said, "It's amazing, I can hear them all."
"Harry, you have been sitting there for over twenty minutes," Dumbledore told him. "Are you sure your okay, I couldn't see you breathing."
Harry stood up and stretched, "I think that I didn't really need to breathe, the air was part of me. I mean, I was breathing, but with my whole body, do you know what I mean?"
Dumbledore nodded slowly as though he was trying very hard to understand.
"I want to try something else, hold on," Harry said, sitting down again. For a long time nothing happened, the Harry felt water surge up from the ground under him, he forced it to merge with him and flow through the torch. The warmth of the water calmed him and he had the impression that he was floating on the ocean with the sun beating down on him. He heard a sigh and then realised that it came from him.
Harry opened his eyes and looked at the newly formed pool of water; he placed his hand in it and let his fingers trail through the muddy depths. Focusing on the earth he gathered its strength to him, felt it magnified through the torch and pulse into his system. Harry gasped as he felt the surge of energy then he opened his palm and thought about how pretty the pool would look with a few flowers growing around it.
Harry smiled up at Dumbledore and stepped out of the water, admiring the flowers and the strong trees growing around them. For the first time in a long time he felt at peace with the world around him, he had no worries and the strange feeling of power flowed through his blood. Stretching his arms open wide he called fire to him, he could feel the heat and the excitement of the flames as they flickered around him, building a wall of red and gold.
Harry looked up at the sky and to his surprise saw it was getting dark, he had been in the forest for most of the day with Dumbledore and he hadn't noticed the time passing. He realised that he had been so absorbed by the transformations inside him that time for him had slowed. He let go of the fire and sat down, suddenly he felt tired and hungry, as though his body suddenly realised that it had not been fed for a full day.
"Harry? How do you feel," Dumbledore asked quietly.
"I don't think I could begin to describe it," Harry let out a small laugh. "But on the other hand, I'm starving aren't you?"
Dumbledore laughed and said, "It has been a long day."
"You know I only just realised that," Harry said glancing up again, "It felt like I was only sitting there for a few minutes."
"We have been here for almost ten hours," Dumbledore replied. "I think we have earned our dinner."
Harry was pleased to see that Dumbledore didn't look quiet so old and tired as before, though the worry lines on his forehead were still clearly visible. He walked over to him and said, "I think we should go inside. What should I do with the Torch? Keep it in my room?"
"Actually, I'm not sure that you need it anymore, but perhaps if I keep it in my office in case," Dumbledore offered. Harry handed him the torch and they headed back to the castle. "You should probably go straight to dinner, but perhaps you might want to tidy up a bit first."
"Yes Sir," Harry responded and performed a cleaning charm on himself, and then he went into the dinning room. Looking down the table he saw Ron and Hermione, he hurried over to sit beside them.
"What happened to you? Where have you been all day?" Hermione asked.
"I had an extra lesson with Dumbledore today, it took a little longer than he expected," Harry replied, filling his plate with Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding.
"That must have been some extra lesson," Ron said, "I thought mine were bad, having to spend two hours with McGonagall."
Harry shrugged as he continued to eat quickly.
"You look like Ron when you do that," Hermione laughed as she watched Harry clear one plateful and reach for seconds. "You're going to get indigestion."
"So what were you doing today?" Ron leaned a little closer to whisper, "More super powers?"
Harry smiled a small smile and looked at Ron, his description for once felt pretty accurate, "you never know," and he carried on with his dinner.
"Well, time for me to go and write another novel," Ron announced, Harry laughed at his friend's frustration. "By the way, keep an eye on that Blake guy," Ron leaned down to say, "he's getting a bit too chummy with my little sister."
"Ron, Ginny's sixteen, I think she can decide for herself who she wants to be friends with," Hermione admonished.
"Still, we don't know anything about him," Ron replied, "I think he's a bit odd."
"Odd?" Harry looked up from his now empty plate.
"Yeh, something about him doesn't feel quite right," Ron added. "Anyway, better go; see you in the common room later."
Harry managed to eat a piece of apple pie with cream and polish off his pumpkin juice before he finally sat back and let out a hearty sigh.
"Well whatever you've been doing today seems to have made you hungry," Hermione commented as she stood up, "Sure you couldn't fit in anything else?"
Harry laughed, "Well I can always go to the kitchens later if I feel like a snack."
"Honestly, I don't know how you and Ron aren't built like Hagrid," Hermione said as they left the Great Hall.
"Have you noticed anything odd about Blake," Harry asked in a sudden change of topic.
"No, not really," Hermione answered. "I guess sometimes he seems really quiet and other times he seems quite arrogant. But that's all."
"Arrogant how?" Harry asked with interest.
"Well like the other day, he dropped his ink pot on the carpet in the common room, and when Neville asked him if he didn't know the spell to clean it, He just shrugged and said, 'that's what the house-elves are for'," Hermione said. "But I suppose if he's grown up with house-elves, it's not that unusual really. I just got the impression he was from a poorer family I guess."
"Well who knows, but maybe you should have a word with Ginny, just in case," Harry felt the cold fingers of guilt in his stomach, what if Malfoy hurt Ginny, Harry would never forgive himself.
"Harry, now you're starting to sound like Ron as well," Hermione chided him. "Snape stinks," Hermione said.
"What?" Harry asked in surprise.
"Its Ron's idea of a password," Hermione explained as she stepped into Gryffindor tower.
Harry climbed in behind her, chuckling at his friend's new password. He followed her over to an empty table and asked her if they had any homework. She gave him a copy of Charms and Potions, and he went to get his books, although he was certain that he wouldn't be able to concentrate.
He had just finished when Ron burst into the common room and ran over to them. "Guess what?" he gasped, trying to catch his breath. "McGonagall says were ready for some practical Animagus lessons!"
"Cool, at least when she transforms you back, you won't have to far to fall," Harry replied.
"What?"
Harry explained to them how McGonagall had kept transforming him into an eagle and then having to turn him back, usually when he was several feet in the air. This started Ron asked questions a mile a minute, what had it felt like, did it hurt and how long until she had let him try it alone. Then he called Neville over to listen to Harry explain in a quiet voice all that he knew. Ron was red faced with excitement but Harry noted Neville looked a bit sick at the prospect.
"What animal are you Neville?" Hermione asked as she abandoned her Arithmancy homework.
"Promise you won't laugh?" Neville asked.
"Why would I laugh?" Hermione said.
"Well I'm a Lion," Neville whispered, then quickly added, "But it is probably a mistake, I'm either not one at all or a snail or something."
"Well I think you'll be a marvellous lion," Hermione smiled at him. Harry smiled and tried to ignore Ron's laugh at the thought of Neville changing into a snail.
"But it's supposed to come from your natural characteristics," Neville groaned. "And no one would ever mistake me for a Lion."