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Chapter 6 – Chasing
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Black-hooded figures in white masks began apparating at various points on the quidditch pitch. Three flew in on brooms and herded the Ravenclaw players around. The players finally managed to fly back into their locker room unharmed. Professor McGonagall tore the megaphone from Justin's hand and began bellowing orders at the spectators.
"Students! Take out your wands and Stupefy anyone who comes near you! Make your way to the moat around the pitch and follow the tunnels back to the school! I repeat, Stupefy anyone who approaches you! DA members, please put your training into effect! You know who you are! Repeat, DA members, take appropriate actions immediately!"
The stadium cleared out rapidly amidst a shower of red and green wand sparks, and the terrified hordes of students shoved their way through the moat surrounding the pitch and into the emergency tunnels that led back to the castle. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, Lavender Brown, Padma and Parvati Patil, Dean Thomas, Zacharias Smith, Colin and Dennis Creevy, Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbott, Anthony Goldstein, and Michael Corner all bolted from the stands as fast as their legs could carry them, wands at the ready and eyes scanning the stadium. Cho Chang circled the moat on her broom to ensure that the students were clearing out safely. Terry Boot flew up to where Justin Finch-Fletchley was and hoisted him onto his broom to deposit him on the field with the other members of Dumbledore's Army, and then flew circles opposite Cho.
Wands poised for action, the Army outnumbered the Death Eaters two to one. Harry, Ron, and Ginny all Accio'd their brooms from the Gryffindor locker room, then flew circles about the stadium to tackle the broom-bound Death Eaters. Somewhere through the shower of sparks, screaming students, the superb spell-casting skills of the Army members, and the best teachers any wizarding school had ever hired, three Death Eaters lay stupefied, four under the petrificus totalus curse, and another six under various other binding curses. One even found himself stretched across a quidditch goal hoop spread-eagle, and looking something like a spider-web, broom still in hand. Any who weren't captured had promptly apparated from the grounds.
Professor Dumbledore put a sonorous charm on his voice to make a rather winded announcement. "Stunning… performance. Remarkably… well done. Thank you. Now… will everyone please… go to the… Gryffindor locker… rooms please. Finite… Incantatem. Professor McGonagall… Professor Snape… If you would… come with me." Then he apparated to the Hufflepuff locker room.
----
The pair of Death Eaters cautiously approached the massive marble throne upon which their cruel leader sat. They knelt before him, kissed his robes, and averted their eyes from his gaze until he addressed them.
"Crabbe, why have so few of you returned? What have you to report?" The chilling voice shot daggers into the cold air of the massive stone and marble-encrusted room.
"My Lord, the students have learned skills far beyond those which we have anticipated. Neither my son, nor the younger Malfoy have reported any changes in lessons to me. Sir, might I, your humble servant, inquire as to whether Severus has reported any changes in curriculum to you?
"None. I do not believe their skill comes from any class taught at Hogwarts. The curse I put on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position years ago should still be in effect. I believe their skill comes from a deeper source. One which the school has kept under wraps for some time now. Did you bring our youngest recruits back with you?"
"Yes sir, they are waiting outside." Said the second Death Eater. "Would you like me to show them in, my Lord?" He anxiously bowed his head toward his master.
"That will not be necessary." He raised a hand and the doors at the other end of the hall flung open with immense force.
"Enter, my faithful servants! Bow to your new Lord!"
The four recruits walked forward, and following Crabbe's example, knelt before the throne of the Dark Lord.
"What are your names?"
"Pansy Parkinson, my Lord."
"Gregory Goyle, sir."
"Vincent Crabbe."
"Draco Malfoy, Lord."
They each in turn bowed their heads, then forced themselves to look back upon the hideous visage before them.
"You will, of course, learn the etiquette of being Death Eaters soon enough. Upon entering, you will kneel before me and kiss my robes."
The four glanced tentatively at one another.
"I said, you will kiss my robes. Imperio!"
They bent down and kissed the hem of the robe of their Lord.
----
"Is something wrong, Albus?"
"Yes, Minerva. I'm afraid I've made a terrible mistake."
"I was afraid this was going to happen. A few of the other Death Eaters were saying they had discovered a breach that would prove to be most useful. I don't know why I didn't inform you. I didn't think it was that important."
"No, Severus. Do not blame yourself. You were made to suffer the Cruciatus quite excessively at the last meeting. You cannot help it if it slipped your mind. No, no. I am rather to blame for this. I saw no reason to include the quidditch stadium in the anti-apparation wards surrounding the castle. It is quite possibly the biggest mistake I have made in my career here."
Minerva ran to him and threw her arms around his shoulders, but he gently pushed her away.
"Min, I need you to go back to the castle to make sure all the students arrived safely. Have Madam Sprout search the tunnels and make sure nobody was left behind. Perhaps Madam Pomfrey should take attendance and look everyone over. Tell Hagrid to take Fang to patrol the Dark Forest. Have Professors Vector, Flitwick, and Sinistra stand guard over the quidditch pitch to ensure that no more Death Eaters apparate in. Get Madam Hooch on a broom to patrol the skies above the school. Severus, please find and inform the rest of the Order that their presence is needed at the school immediately. Have them report back to the Hufflepuff lockers. I need to go discuss things with my Army."
He cautiously exited the tent and made his way to the Gryffindor locker rooms where Dumbledore's Army was currently camped out and recovering. Upon entering, he discovered a rather exhausted looking group of students huddled in various corners. In one corner, Ginny Weasley was wrapping up Neville Longbottom's arm, which was slightly bloody. Dean Thomas hovered anxiously over Parvati Patil, who had been stupefied, and was sprawled out on a bench. Dumbledore walked over and cast "enervate." The rest looked slightly exhausted and out of breath, but otherwise fine. Ron was handing out water bottles that he had pulled out of one of the cabinets.
"Right. Another job well done. Further reassurance that Harry and Hermione have done a smashing job of training you all up. However, I fear that today could be the ultimate test of not only your skill, but also your dedication and courage."
Everyone looked around the room as if to question each other about what exactly he was getting at.
"I fear that the final battle with Voldemort may very well be upon us. This of course means that your training may not be enough to face down however many Death Eaters may be thrown at you." He paused nervously. "Therefore, I fear that I must give you permission to use the Unforgivable Curses."
A few gasps and mumbles coursed through the room. Unforgivables? In their years of training, a small handful of students had only crossed the Unforgivables once, and even then it was at the hands of a deranged madman posing as an ex-auror.
"Now, I know that none of you have learned how to perform these, but I shall give you a crash-course, and can hope only that none of you have to experience them during the battle. I really don't know when the next wave of attacks will hit us, but Professor Snape is currently summoning the Order of the Phoenix. You certainly will not be alone in all of this. But anyway, I must hurry along.
"Of course, the spells you must say are as follows: 'Crucio,' 'Imperio,' and 'Avada Kedavra.' I prefer that you refrain from using the last one, except in the direst of circumstances. Imperius will be rather useless to you on the battlefield. However, the Cruciatus Curse will be useful. You must, of course, put feeling into performing the curse. One cannot simply utter the spell and point a wand to inflict pain. One must really want, really truly want to inflict only the most horrid, most vile pain into the recipient of the curse. So, you point your wand directly at the recipient, put feeling into saying the spell, and really, truly concentrate on nothing more than inflicting the worst of pain. Simple enough.
"The same goes for the Killing Curse. One must clearly say 'Avada Kedavra' and deeply want the recipient dead. Otherwise it only leads to various states of incapacitation. But again, only use that one in the direst of circumstances. Are we clear?" The room nodded in unison. "Good. Right. Well. I believe that's the long and short of it. I should go over to the Hufflepuff locker room, see who has arrived so far." Dumbledore left, and the room broke out once again in low mumbles.
Chapter 6 – Chasing
----
Black-hooded figures in white masks began apparating at various points on the quidditch pitch. Three flew in on brooms and herded the Ravenclaw players around. The players finally managed to fly back into their locker room unharmed. Professor McGonagall tore the megaphone from Justin's hand and began bellowing orders at the spectators.
"Students! Take out your wands and Stupefy anyone who comes near you! Make your way to the moat around the pitch and follow the tunnels back to the school! I repeat, Stupefy anyone who approaches you! DA members, please put your training into effect! You know who you are! Repeat, DA members, take appropriate actions immediately!"
The stadium cleared out rapidly amidst a shower of red and green wand sparks, and the terrified hordes of students shoved their way through the moat surrounding the pitch and into the emergency tunnels that led back to the castle. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, Lavender Brown, Padma and Parvati Patil, Dean Thomas, Zacharias Smith, Colin and Dennis Creevy, Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbott, Anthony Goldstein, and Michael Corner all bolted from the stands as fast as their legs could carry them, wands at the ready and eyes scanning the stadium. Cho Chang circled the moat on her broom to ensure that the students were clearing out safely. Terry Boot flew up to where Justin Finch-Fletchley was and hoisted him onto his broom to deposit him on the field with the other members of Dumbledore's Army, and then flew circles opposite Cho.
Wands poised for action, the Army outnumbered the Death Eaters two to one. Harry, Ron, and Ginny all Accio'd their brooms from the Gryffindor locker room, then flew circles about the stadium to tackle the broom-bound Death Eaters. Somewhere through the shower of sparks, screaming students, the superb spell-casting skills of the Army members, and the best teachers any wizarding school had ever hired, three Death Eaters lay stupefied, four under the petrificus totalus curse, and another six under various other binding curses. One even found himself stretched across a quidditch goal hoop spread-eagle, and looking something like a spider-web, broom still in hand. Any who weren't captured had promptly apparated from the grounds.
Professor Dumbledore put a sonorous charm on his voice to make a rather winded announcement. "Stunning… performance. Remarkably… well done. Thank you. Now… will everyone please… go to the… Gryffindor locker… rooms please. Finite… Incantatem. Professor McGonagall… Professor Snape… If you would… come with me." Then he apparated to the Hufflepuff locker room.
----
The pair of Death Eaters cautiously approached the massive marble throne upon which their cruel leader sat. They knelt before him, kissed his robes, and averted their eyes from his gaze until he addressed them.
"Crabbe, why have so few of you returned? What have you to report?" The chilling voice shot daggers into the cold air of the massive stone and marble-encrusted room.
"My Lord, the students have learned skills far beyond those which we have anticipated. Neither my son, nor the younger Malfoy have reported any changes in lessons to me. Sir, might I, your humble servant, inquire as to whether Severus has reported any changes in curriculum to you?
"None. I do not believe their skill comes from any class taught at Hogwarts. The curse I put on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position years ago should still be in effect. I believe their skill comes from a deeper source. One which the school has kept under wraps for some time now. Did you bring our youngest recruits back with you?"
"Yes sir, they are waiting outside." Said the second Death Eater. "Would you like me to show them in, my Lord?" He anxiously bowed his head toward his master.
"That will not be necessary." He raised a hand and the doors at the other end of the hall flung open with immense force.
"Enter, my faithful servants! Bow to your new Lord!"
The four recruits walked forward, and following Crabbe's example, knelt before the throne of the Dark Lord.
"What are your names?"
"Pansy Parkinson, my Lord."
"Gregory Goyle, sir."
"Vincent Crabbe."
"Draco Malfoy, Lord."
They each in turn bowed their heads, then forced themselves to look back upon the hideous visage before them.
"You will, of course, learn the etiquette of being Death Eaters soon enough. Upon entering, you will kneel before me and kiss my robes."
The four glanced tentatively at one another.
"I said, you will kiss my robes. Imperio!"
They bent down and kissed the hem of the robe of their Lord.
----
"Is something wrong, Albus?"
"Yes, Minerva. I'm afraid I've made a terrible mistake."
"I was afraid this was going to happen. A few of the other Death Eaters were saying they had discovered a breach that would prove to be most useful. I don't know why I didn't inform you. I didn't think it was that important."
"No, Severus. Do not blame yourself. You were made to suffer the Cruciatus quite excessively at the last meeting. You cannot help it if it slipped your mind. No, no. I am rather to blame for this. I saw no reason to include the quidditch stadium in the anti-apparation wards surrounding the castle. It is quite possibly the biggest mistake I have made in my career here."
Minerva ran to him and threw her arms around his shoulders, but he gently pushed her away.
"Min, I need you to go back to the castle to make sure all the students arrived safely. Have Madam Sprout search the tunnels and make sure nobody was left behind. Perhaps Madam Pomfrey should take attendance and look everyone over. Tell Hagrid to take Fang to patrol the Dark Forest. Have Professors Vector, Flitwick, and Sinistra stand guard over the quidditch pitch to ensure that no more Death Eaters apparate in. Get Madam Hooch on a broom to patrol the skies above the school. Severus, please find and inform the rest of the Order that their presence is needed at the school immediately. Have them report back to the Hufflepuff lockers. I need to go discuss things with my Army."
He cautiously exited the tent and made his way to the Gryffindor locker rooms where Dumbledore's Army was currently camped out and recovering. Upon entering, he discovered a rather exhausted looking group of students huddled in various corners. In one corner, Ginny Weasley was wrapping up Neville Longbottom's arm, which was slightly bloody. Dean Thomas hovered anxiously over Parvati Patil, who had been stupefied, and was sprawled out on a bench. Dumbledore walked over and cast "enervate." The rest looked slightly exhausted and out of breath, but otherwise fine. Ron was handing out water bottles that he had pulled out of one of the cabinets.
"Right. Another job well done. Further reassurance that Harry and Hermione have done a smashing job of training you all up. However, I fear that today could be the ultimate test of not only your skill, but also your dedication and courage."
Everyone looked around the room as if to question each other about what exactly he was getting at.
"I fear that the final battle with Voldemort may very well be upon us. This of course means that your training may not be enough to face down however many Death Eaters may be thrown at you." He paused nervously. "Therefore, I fear that I must give you permission to use the Unforgivable Curses."
A few gasps and mumbles coursed through the room. Unforgivables? In their years of training, a small handful of students had only crossed the Unforgivables once, and even then it was at the hands of a deranged madman posing as an ex-auror.
"Now, I know that none of you have learned how to perform these, but I shall give you a crash-course, and can hope only that none of you have to experience them during the battle. I really don't know when the next wave of attacks will hit us, but Professor Snape is currently summoning the Order of the Phoenix. You certainly will not be alone in all of this. But anyway, I must hurry along.
"Of course, the spells you must say are as follows: 'Crucio,' 'Imperio,' and 'Avada Kedavra.' I prefer that you refrain from using the last one, except in the direst of circumstances. Imperius will be rather useless to you on the battlefield. However, the Cruciatus Curse will be useful. You must, of course, put feeling into performing the curse. One cannot simply utter the spell and point a wand to inflict pain. One must really want, really truly want to inflict only the most horrid, most vile pain into the recipient of the curse. So, you point your wand directly at the recipient, put feeling into saying the spell, and really, truly concentrate on nothing more than inflicting the worst of pain. Simple enough.
"The same goes for the Killing Curse. One must clearly say 'Avada Kedavra' and deeply want the recipient dead. Otherwise it only leads to various states of incapacitation. But again, only use that one in the direst of circumstances. Are we clear?" The room nodded in unison. "Good. Right. Well. I believe that's the long and short of it. I should go over to the Hufflepuff locker room, see who has arrived so far." Dumbledore left, and the room broke out once again in low mumbles.