The Serpent's Guild was a group of young pureblood wizards, all of whom
were or had at one time been in Slytherin House or attended Durmstrang.
Many of whom were affected by family or friends in the Death Eaters. All
of whom were opposing Lord Voldemort. "Now I know you are all awaiting our
next movement. And I assure you, you will know soon enough. But for now, we
want you to take protective positions at the schools. Beauxbatons and
Hogwarts especially, they are high risk. Hogwarts for the obvious, and
Beauxbatons because they have no defence. Maxime is a powerful women, but
not enough of a deterrent for the Death Eaters." Volta stood on a box in a
small cramped room, the shrieking shack in Hogsmeade. The thirty or so odd
young adults barely fit, but it was possible with the use of magic to
create more room. The Guild nodded with acknowledgement. "Hypsiglena's
Team, you take Beauxbatons. The girls can pose as students. Viridis's Team,
you stay at Hogwarts, seeing as you are all still students there. We move
when the school year begins."
Draco sat in the back of the room, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. He took his leave early as he knew everything that was happening anyway.
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Ron and Hermione sat in the meeting at Grimmauld Place. The Order had grown considerably since that day three years ago at the Ministry. Many of the children who had been in Dumbledore's Army had eventually joined the Order. Neville Longbottom not being the least of these. He still sought to make right his parents fate. They, along with the Potters, had been in the original Order. The Longbottoms suffered a worse fate than the Potters, for though Harry's parents had been killed personally by Voldemort, they had died quickly, whereas the Longbottoms had been tortured into madness. Now they were less capable than infants. Nymphadora Tonks stood at the head of the table and managed to hush the large group of people. "We have received word from the Guild that the Death Eaters are planning an attack at Beauxbatons. We need to leave some of you at Hogwarts. Fleur will be on the lookout and we will station you there as we see fit. You can request to be stationed there, but don't expect anything, we have to keep this as low key as possible. The list will be temporarily posted on that wall over there." And she pointed her wand at the wall as a thing line of sparkling light hit the wall and the list appeared. "As for the rest of you, be ready for a call to reinforcements."
At the end of the meeting, Ron and Hermione joined the crowd at the list. Hermione squeezed through the crowd, seeing as she was still fairly small in size. Ron however, had grown to a staggering six foot two, and he wasn't too gangly anymore, the rookie Quidditch team had done his body some good over the last year. As she reached the wall, she scanned the list for names she recognized.
Colin Creevey
Fleur Delacour
Hermione Granger
Neville Longbottom
Luna Lovegood
Remus Lupin
Nymphadora Tonks
Bill Weasley
Fred Weasley
George Weasley
Ginny Weasley
Ronald Weasley
There were a few other names she recognized, but there were around forty other names on the list. She caught up with Ron again. "We're on it."
Ron nodded. "Right."
Ginny had also dodged in between the group of people, though it was now thinning out. She went up to Neville, who blushed at her arrival. Still, he had become less shy than the round faced little boy he had once been. He had also become more built in his work for the Order. Though he wasn't round anymore, he wasn't small. Ron couldn't make out what they were saying and Hermione knew without asking. She had learned how to read lips in her free time since her graduation. "Ginny just said 'looks like we'll be going together.' See how her ears are going red? Neville just said 'I'm glad we get to finally work together.' Now Ginny is saying..." Hermione trailed off. Ron looked as though he didn't know whether to be overprotective or to just be horrified at what he was hearing. He hated to hear about his sibling's love lives, though as older brother he had the natural instinct to be overprotective and aggressive. Hermione put her hand on his arm, "Don't worry, she'll be alright, its not like he's Draco or anyone." Ron seemed to grow further upset at the mention of Draco rather than calmed down. "Ron, really, its nothing to be worried about. Neville isn't at all dangerous, in fact they make a cute couple, why don't you let her be?" Finally, Ron seemed soothed by this.
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Harry met up with Luna in the alleyway behind his home in Little Whinging. Though he wished once he had graduated he could be out of the house that he hated so much, he couldn't leave until Lord Voldemort was defeated. Or until Harry was dead. Either way, he couldn't leave. Luna apparated right then. The two had felt a special bond since the events at the Ministry of Magic all those years ago. She had been of the most comfort to the loss, though she had hardly said a word. She had given him the hope he had needed.
"Harry, are you alright? You keep to yourself so much, I can't imagine what could be wrong to make you call me. Usually you want to just be alone."
"Luna, I'm fine. I just can't keep to myself anymore, and you're the one who really understands things. You don't see things the way other people do and you don't fret about things. If I told anyone else they would just worry."
Luna just stared at him. A few agonizing seconds passed, "Well, are you going to tell me?"
"Oh, yeah. I've always had dreams. Well, not dreams, but you know, seeing what Voldemort sees. I can't block them anymore. The occlumency has quit working, I can't stop him coming into my mind anymore. And there are other times I don't think its even him. I can't take it anymore."
Luna stood in thought for a moment. "Unless you get rid of your fear, you won't be able to make them go away." Harry started to say that he wasn't afraid. "Yes you are Harry. You are brave, but you are afraid. Afraid to lose the ones you care for. Afraid to die. Afraid to fail. You don't realize it, but you are feeding your fears."
Harry just stood there. He couldn't say a word, but he couldn't stay silent. Instead, he let out a cry, such an anguished scream that he thought the whole neighbourhood would be awake now. Already lights were turning on. He fell to his knees. "Why shouldn't I be afraid? People are dying, and if I fuck up, then everyone will die. I'm scared that everyone will die because I couldn't do it. I am carrying the fate of the world here. It is either him or me. You have no idea how much pressure I am under."
"Harry, if you die, is it really something to be afraid of? I know one thing, and its if you die you won't have to deal with it anymore. It will be out of your hands. We can take care of it. It isn't in the prophecy what happens afterward. And it doesn't say you will die. Don't be afraid Harry, its what he's after. Fear has no point other than to weaken you. Whether you are afraid or not, whatever happens happens."
Draco sat in the back of the room, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. He took his leave early as he knew everything that was happening anyway.
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Ron and Hermione sat in the meeting at Grimmauld Place. The Order had grown considerably since that day three years ago at the Ministry. Many of the children who had been in Dumbledore's Army had eventually joined the Order. Neville Longbottom not being the least of these. He still sought to make right his parents fate. They, along with the Potters, had been in the original Order. The Longbottoms suffered a worse fate than the Potters, for though Harry's parents had been killed personally by Voldemort, they had died quickly, whereas the Longbottoms had been tortured into madness. Now they were less capable than infants. Nymphadora Tonks stood at the head of the table and managed to hush the large group of people. "We have received word from the Guild that the Death Eaters are planning an attack at Beauxbatons. We need to leave some of you at Hogwarts. Fleur will be on the lookout and we will station you there as we see fit. You can request to be stationed there, but don't expect anything, we have to keep this as low key as possible. The list will be temporarily posted on that wall over there." And she pointed her wand at the wall as a thing line of sparkling light hit the wall and the list appeared. "As for the rest of you, be ready for a call to reinforcements."
At the end of the meeting, Ron and Hermione joined the crowd at the list. Hermione squeezed through the crowd, seeing as she was still fairly small in size. Ron however, had grown to a staggering six foot two, and he wasn't too gangly anymore, the rookie Quidditch team had done his body some good over the last year. As she reached the wall, she scanned the list for names she recognized.
Colin Creevey
Fleur Delacour
Hermione Granger
Neville Longbottom
Luna Lovegood
Remus Lupin
Nymphadora Tonks
Bill Weasley
Fred Weasley
George Weasley
Ginny Weasley
Ronald Weasley
There were a few other names she recognized, but there were around forty other names on the list. She caught up with Ron again. "We're on it."
Ron nodded. "Right."
Ginny had also dodged in between the group of people, though it was now thinning out. She went up to Neville, who blushed at her arrival. Still, he had become less shy than the round faced little boy he had once been. He had also become more built in his work for the Order. Though he wasn't round anymore, he wasn't small. Ron couldn't make out what they were saying and Hermione knew without asking. She had learned how to read lips in her free time since her graduation. "Ginny just said 'looks like we'll be going together.' See how her ears are going red? Neville just said 'I'm glad we get to finally work together.' Now Ginny is saying..." Hermione trailed off. Ron looked as though he didn't know whether to be overprotective or to just be horrified at what he was hearing. He hated to hear about his sibling's love lives, though as older brother he had the natural instinct to be overprotective and aggressive. Hermione put her hand on his arm, "Don't worry, she'll be alright, its not like he's Draco or anyone." Ron seemed to grow further upset at the mention of Draco rather than calmed down. "Ron, really, its nothing to be worried about. Neville isn't at all dangerous, in fact they make a cute couple, why don't you let her be?" Finally, Ron seemed soothed by this.
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Harry met up with Luna in the alleyway behind his home in Little Whinging. Though he wished once he had graduated he could be out of the house that he hated so much, he couldn't leave until Lord Voldemort was defeated. Or until Harry was dead. Either way, he couldn't leave. Luna apparated right then. The two had felt a special bond since the events at the Ministry of Magic all those years ago. She had been of the most comfort to the loss, though she had hardly said a word. She had given him the hope he had needed.
"Harry, are you alright? You keep to yourself so much, I can't imagine what could be wrong to make you call me. Usually you want to just be alone."
"Luna, I'm fine. I just can't keep to myself anymore, and you're the one who really understands things. You don't see things the way other people do and you don't fret about things. If I told anyone else they would just worry."
Luna just stared at him. A few agonizing seconds passed, "Well, are you going to tell me?"
"Oh, yeah. I've always had dreams. Well, not dreams, but you know, seeing what Voldemort sees. I can't block them anymore. The occlumency has quit working, I can't stop him coming into my mind anymore. And there are other times I don't think its even him. I can't take it anymore."
Luna stood in thought for a moment. "Unless you get rid of your fear, you won't be able to make them go away." Harry started to say that he wasn't afraid. "Yes you are Harry. You are brave, but you are afraid. Afraid to lose the ones you care for. Afraid to die. Afraid to fail. You don't realize it, but you are feeding your fears."
Harry just stood there. He couldn't say a word, but he couldn't stay silent. Instead, he let out a cry, such an anguished scream that he thought the whole neighbourhood would be awake now. Already lights were turning on. He fell to his knees. "Why shouldn't I be afraid? People are dying, and if I fuck up, then everyone will die. I'm scared that everyone will die because I couldn't do it. I am carrying the fate of the world here. It is either him or me. You have no idea how much pressure I am under."
"Harry, if you die, is it really something to be afraid of? I know one thing, and its if you die you won't have to deal with it anymore. It will be out of your hands. We can take care of it. It isn't in the prophecy what happens afterward. And it doesn't say you will die. Don't be afraid Harry, its what he's after. Fear has no point other than to weaken you. Whether you are afraid or not, whatever happens happens."