Chapter 15

"Grawp!"

"And just who or what is Grawp exactly?" Snape said with a menacing stare.

"Grawp is a giant. He's Hagrid's little brother, well he's not so little, but he can help. He's been hiding in the forest since fifth year."

Dumbledore looked at Harry, surveying him as he always did, through his half moon spectacles. This irritated Harry. Didn't he believe him?

"Look, I know he can help! He has to be at least twenty feet tall, and he listens to Hagrid."

"Very well, when Hagrid returns I shall ask him to try and convince Grawp to help. It will indeed prove useful."

"Where is Hagrid, by the way?" Harry asked curiously.

"He is in France trying to convince Madame Maxime and her older students to help us in our fight against Voldemort." He looked around at the staff who looked slightly perplexed. "I did not tell you before because I thought it best to wait until we received a reply. It would be best not to get our hopes up. Harry, can you think of anyone else who might be of help to us?" Harry had no idea what he was talking about. How could he know someone that would help? Then realization hit him.

"There might be someone. If Hagrid could convince him…but it would be dangerous…he could eat us too."

"Is this another one of Hagrid's friends," Snape asked icily.

"Yes, his name is Aragog and he lives in the forest. He's a spider, a big one, and he has loads of children. Problem is I don't think we can control them. They'll only listen to him."

"Harry, we will need all the help we can muster. If that means I have to talk to him myself, then so be it," Dumbledore said.

Snape, looking thoroughly put out, voice a rather unusual suggestion. "What about the merpeople?"

"What about them?" said McGonagall.

"Should we try to recruit them as well?"

"That is an excellent suggestion, Severus," said Dumbledore.

"It is? But how can they fight if their in the water?" asked Harry.

"Ah, yes, but they do have spears. I assume that is what you were thinking, Severus."

"Indeed, headmaster."

"Harry you should get back out there now. We will be out there in a few minutes to make a very important announcement."

Harry walked out of the room wondering what the announcement could be. When he sat back down next to Hermione and Ron they gave him a questioning look. He only had time to tell them one word, 'Grawp,' before the teachers began to emerge from their room. One by one they sat at their respective seats each trying but failing miserably not to look too grim. When dinner was almost finished, Dumbledore got up to make an announcement.

"May I have everyone's attention please? I have a rather important announcement to make." Though he said it was important, he was smiling as usual and looked as if nothing was wrong. "This year, the teachers and I thought it would be a nice change to have a different challenge, besides quidditch, going on amongst the houses." At the mention of a challenge, everyone became eager to hear more. "Only those students in fourth year and below will compete." With this said he received an audible groan from the older students. "The challenge will consist of a race, a race that everyone in fourth year and lower will have to complete. There will be a special sound made that will signal the beginning of the race. The catch is that the race will be inside the school and when you hear the sound, no matter where you are, even if you are in class, you are to run to your common rooms. Each house is responsible for making sure that every member of the house, in the before mentioned grades, reaches the common rooms. If even one person is left behind, your house loses. The special sound that you will listen for is very simple and will be loud enough to be heard throughout the entire castle. The sound is… the roar of an animal, and it will sound like this," he waved his wand and the most deafening roar filled the air. It sounded as though there were a thousand lions and tigers in the hall at that very moment. "As you can see, there will be no mistaking this sound. Now, would you like to know what you are playing for?" He received a great roar, this time from the students, of approval. "We will have several races; the winning house from each individual race will receive one hundred points for their house. However, the house that wins the most races altogether, will not have to take the end of the year exams."

Cheering erupted from all of the younger students, while the older ones looked quite glum. "I thought we could do a test run now since it is time for bed anyway," said Dumbledore. "Remember; do not go until you here the sound. Also remember that the sound may come at any time, on any day." After he said this he sat down and began eating again. The students were a little confused. Then without warning…ROAR! There was a mass of students running out of the hall. Harry saw Dumbledore wave his wand and mutter something towards the doors. Then he saw that students were literally bouncing off of the walls. Dumbledore had put a spell on the doors and the walls to stop anyone from getting hurt. Dumbledore also said a few more spells, which were unclear to anyone. After a few minutes a loud voice yelled 'Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw!' Dumbledore then magically magnified his voice and said, "Congratulations to Hufflepuff for being the first house back! That will be one hundred points to them. Better luck to the rest of the houses for next time." The older Hufflepuff students that were left in the great hall applauded their younger counterparts.

"Now that the small children have gone to bed, there is something I must discuss with the rest of you," Dumbledore began. "Since the young children will have their race to keep them occupied, I think it only fair for you to have your defense classes to keep you busy." The older students perked up at once. "In all of your classes, for the remainder of the year, you will be practicing defense techniques. For example, Professor Flitwick will be teaching you how to charm large object to move in case you ever need a shield. Professor McGonagall will be teaching you how to transfigure large animals into smaller ones, in case you ever come across and unfriendly brute. I trust this will keep you plenty busy."

Everyone in the hall looked very eager to be learning these things. However, only a few students knew the real reason that they were learning these things. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Pansy, and even Draco, knew what these lessons were really for. And as soon as Dumbledore dismissed the rest of the students, Draco knew he had another letter to right.

Harry walked Pansy as far down to the dungeons as he dared to go. "I guess it's really starting isn't it?" she said.

"Yeah," Harry said looking at her.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Harry leaned in to kiss her, something he had wanted to do for quite some time, but she turned her head so he only ended up kissing her cheek. A little angry he said, "Yeah, tomorrow," and he turned to walk away.

Pansy was mentally kicking herself all the way to the common room. 'You idiot! Don't you want him to kiss you?' She knew she wanted to, but she also knew that she shouldn't let herself get to close, after all, what if he died?

When Pansy walked into the common room, those thoughts evaporated as she saw Draco sitting and writing a letter. She tried to act as though she never saw him and she headed straight to her room.

Draco didn't hear Pansy come in. When he had finished his letter, he put it away to send it first thing in the morning.

A few days passed in which there were three more 'races.' Gryffindor had ended up winning once, and Slytherin had once twice. Now the only house that hadn't won was Ravenclaw. Dumbledore worried that they might not be quick enough to get out of the way in time for the assault. Dumbledore had told Snape to hold off on the invisibility potion in his classes, but he did tell him to start brewing it himself in as large quantities as he could. Dumbledore wanted to make sure that their main weapon was not given away by a spy, namely Draco. However, that became the least of Dumbledore's worries.

It happened the first week of February. During breakfast, Dumbledore and the rest of the teachers couldn't help but notice that every one of the students at the Slytherin table had received a letter. They also noticed many different emotions upon seeing the students read said letter. Some looked scared, others angry, some looked determined. It was not until later that day that Dumbledore found the reason behind these letters.

He was sitting in his office when the letters started coming. One by one they came, all saying the same thing: 'I will be coming to retrieve my child from school. I know they will benefit more elsewhere.' It was no coincidence that every letter was from a parent with a child in Slytherin. It was also no coincidence that the only Slytherin parent who had not sent a letter was Maximus Parkinson. Dumbledore began to think. If he didn't want her at home like the rest of the Slytherins, then they must need her at Hogwarts for some reason. Then it dawned on him: to lure Harry away. It also dawned on him that the only reason these parents were coming to get their children was so that they could train them in the dark arts, train them to fight…against Hogwarts.

Pretty soon the teachers weren't the only ones who noticed about the Slytherins. One by one each Slytherin was leaving. Not many people complained, hell, some even cheered when they walked into the great hall and saw the entire Slytherin table empty, save for one, Pansy. Everyone wondered why she too had not gone. Harry had asked her to come sit with him at the Gryffindor table many times, but she had refused always giving an excuse about Ron and Hermione not wanting her there. Harry would always reply with a cheerful 'screw them' but could not convince her. It was a while before they realized the real reason that all the Slytherins had gone.

Dumbledore had to explain that the 'race' was still on between the other houses. He also told Snape that it was okay to start making the invisibility potion. Dumbledore dreaded the day that he would have to tell the students what the potion was for.

A few bits of good news were able to cheer him up slightly. Hagrid had returned, saying that Beaubatons was eager to help. He told Dumbledore that Madame Maxime was waiting for orders on when her and her students should come. It would be just like the Triwizard tournament; she was brining her oldest students. Dumbledore sent word that she should come immediately so that her students should also have the benefit of learning the defenses that his students were learning. The other bit of good news was that the centaurs and the mermaids agreed to help. It had been much more difficult to convince the centaurs than the mermaids. Hagrid was also working with Grawp, and he was supposed to talk to Aragog soon. Dumbledore was beginning to feel as thought they might have a chance. He figured that if the Slytherins were being trained in the dark arts that would take some time. Hopefully enough time.

It was only at the end of February when Madame Maxime arrived with her students, and when various family members and friends along with Order members had arrived, that Dumbledore told his students the real reason behind the defense classes. He thought many would be frightened and would want to go home, but on the contrary, every student in every house felt determined to help save the wizarding world. For once, Harry did not feel alone in having to save the wizarding world.