Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Looking around the barren place, Harry asked the Founders, "Where is this exactly?"

Giving Harry a hard look, Salazar Slytherin replied, "This was known as London."

Harry suppressed a gasp of surprise and shock.

"Then, what will the world become should I emerge victorious against Tom Riddle?"

Godric looked at Harry and shook his head, "This, we know nothing of. We wish you luck, Harry Potter, Phoenix Lord."

With a shout of surprise, Harry jump up from his bed. Stopping to catch his breath, Harry sat on his bed without any movement. The dream seemed so real. Was it? Suddenly, Harry felt a strange burning sensation on the back of his palm. Slowly, the symbol of Hogwarts appeared. But instead of the traditional H in the middle, there was a eagle with spread wings.

'Strange...I don't remember having...Don't tell me...I had seen the Founders!'

The memory of the meeting with the Founders and Merlin hit Harry like blocks of falling mason.

"By Merlin!" Harry exclaimed.

{You know,} came Merlin's voice in Harry's head, {I hate it when the wizards use my name to curse.}

"What the..."

{We are now here, Harry,} came the whispered voice of Rowena. {For the first time in Hogwarts' history, a champion had been chosen to protect its domain.}

"What do you mean, Lady Rowena?"

{Please talk don't talk out loud, Harry. There is an awful echo in here each time you talk.}

'How's this?'

{Much better although you are shouting.}

'This?'

{Much better.}

'What do you mean by Hogwarts' choosing a champion to protect its domain?'

{When we first built Hogwarts, it only served as building to house our school. But as time past, we learnt that there would always be external force, which seek to control the younger generation. In response to the threat, we created the Heart of Hogwarts. While we were enchanting the Heart, there was strange disturbance. We found that it was much easier to enchant the rock. It was that time when we discovered that this was the burial place of the great sorcerer Merlin. It was his own magic which helped us to enchant the rock, imbuing it with our collective knowledge and without our knowing, part of our spirit. And...}

Harry groaned as Lady Rowena's lecture reminded him of Hermione's. He could hear sounds of snoring at the back of his head. It seems that the rest of the Founders and Merlin had taken the easy way out, by sleeping through her lecture. He was vaguely reminded of the Professor Binn's history class during his years.

'Wow! Please, Lady Rowena, stop!'

The voice of Rowena stuttered to a stop. Giving a sigh of relief, Harry spoke mentally, 'Please get straight to the point. I have enough on my plate with those lecture.'

{Put it this way, Harry} Godric injected, {should an enemy threaten Hogwarts over a period of time, Hogwarts will choose a student with the best quality which we each pride ourselves with.}

'But I'm not a student! I'm a teacher!' Harry protested.

{Ah...But you haven't completed your NEWTs. Therefore, technically, you are a student. Beside, Hogwarts will also include all her alumni and teachers. The one with the most potential will be singled out and brought to the Heart of Hogwarts. He or she will have to face our collective mental probing...}

'Wait a minute, you had been probing my mind!?'

Lady Helga's voice echoed in Harry's mind, {Yes, Harry, I'm sorry about what we have to do but it's important that we know what your choice will be when there is two different path, the easy path which is shroud by darkness in the end or the hard path which is bathed in Light at the end. Your mind had subconsciously answered the question. Once you have answered the question, Hogwarts herself will deem if you are the right choice to be her champion...}

'So I have the 'good luck' to be chosen?' Harry asked sarcastically.

{I don't care for your sarcasm, young man!}

'Too bad,' Harry replied blandly, 'You will have to learn to put up with me since it was your choice.'

{Not ours, Hogwarts.}

'You created Hogwarts, right?'

{Yes.}

'When you created the Heart of Hogwarts, you managed to imbued part of your soul into it, right?'

{Yes.}

'Then therefore its your choice, to a certain extend. Period.'

{But...}

'Not buts, not nothing. The conversation had just ended. And I don't want to hear a word of it. Understand?'

With that, Harry stood up and dressed himself. Pulling on his robes, Harry casually stretched out his hand and summoned his wand. The holly wood and phoenix feather core wand flew to Harry's hand. Tucking his wand into his holster, Harry walked out of the room. Moving down the corridor, Harry remembered the mark. Moving his hand over the hand, Harry used his magic to cover the mark.

Entering the Great hall, Harry sat down at his place. Piling food onto his plate, Harry began to eat. A flutter of wings informed Harry that Fawkes had arrived. Harry was mildly aware of the muted gasps of surprise and astonishment, as few students had seen a phoenix in its full glory. He looked at the table and saw that Fawkes was staring at him looking indignant. Harry looked down and saw a parchment. Immediately, Harry undersood Fawkes' look. It clearly said, "What do you think I am? A common messaging bird!?"

Harry chuckled at the indignant look of Fawkes and removed the parchment. Fawkes gave a trill of thanks and disappeared in a flash of light. Unfolding the piece of parchment, Harry scanned through the words written on it. The student body looked at Harry as he stood up, scowling. With a swirl of his robe, Harry left the room. Immediately, after he left, the entire room exploded in whispers.

Harry entered the Headmaster's room to find Fudge and two Aurors in the room. Harry greeted the Headmaster. Ignoring the sputtering Minister, Harry sat down on one of the chair the Headmaster had conjured up. Looking at the Minister in the eyes, Harry asked, "What could have brought the incompetent Minister, Fudge, to Hogwarts at this ungodly hour for a visit?"

The Minister spluttered, as he was insulted. Dumbledore tried to stifle his laugh as he watched the Minister being put into place. The two Aurors drew their wands out as a warning. Harry shook his head the blatant display of aggression. Harry crossed his arms and glared at the Minister.

"Now if there is nothing else besides to inform me of your arrival, Minister, I still have my breakfast to eat." Harry made a gesture to stand up but one of the Auror pushed him back into his seat.

"Mr James Marrow," Fudge began as he recovered himself. He pulled out a piece of official looking parchment, and beginning reading from it. "It had come to our attention that there is no wizard by the name of James Marrow recorded within the Archives in the Britain Ministry of Magic. As the Minister of Magic, I hereby declare you under arrest for..."

"For what, Minister? You have checked the archives of the Britain Ministry?" Harry gave a sharp barking laugh at this, I wondered if you had checked the achives of Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France, Germany, or any other countries. I could be from the United States of America for all you know. If you want to arrest me go back to the Ministry and check all the records around the world. And I suggest that you don't waste my time."

With that, Harry stood up and left the room leaving behind a highly amused Headmaster, an angry Minster and two confused Auror.

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"Ok, people," Harry called as he clapped his hands together. The seventh year class settled down immediately as Harry leaned against the table. "I have good news and bad news. Which one do you guys want to heard first?"

The class remained quiet.

"Fine, I give the good news first. There will be no homeworks."

Cheers.

"Now the bad news."

The class immediately became tense.

"Our class will become practical oriented. It means that when I tell you people about a spell, I expect you to go find out about the spell and learn it. I'm going to have you people learn about the outside world. The war had begun and I'm here to train you people to become the next generation of soldiers. You people had made it into the N.E.W.Ts class. This isn't the time for you people to enjoy live. So I'm going to put you people through the wringer. I hope after I'm through with you, you can survive the war. Do you get me?"

"No sir."

"Good, I'm going to simplify what I had said. When I tell you people to do some thing, do it. I don't have times for your questions and I'm willing to punish each and every one of you for not doing what I tell you. There is nothing illegal I'm going to tell you to do. So keep it in mind, I expect most of you to become Aurors. And I'm going to train you to become an Auror! Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, now we begin our first lesson..."

The class turned out much better than the students had expected. On contrary to what the younger students had informed them, Professor Marrow was a very experienced teacher. He showed them various way of defending themselves without the use of Shielding Charm.

Harry sat down with Dumbledore at the head's table. Looking at the headmaster, he said, "I now have a totally new respect for those teachers! How in Merlin's name did they take all our crap?"

Dumbledore smiled and replied, "They took your so-called crap and dump them on my desk. SO it isn't the teachers who had to deal with your 'craps' but me."

Harry blinked before adding, "Is that why your hair and beard turned white, because of your students or you are just plain old?"

"Now James, "Dumbledore chuckled, "I don't know how my hair turned white...maybe not. But then again..."

Harry groaned, as he had never understood Dumbledore's humor. Then something stirred within Harry's mind, a presence. A foreign presence, faint but detectable. Yet unlike what Harry had expected from the Dementors and Voldemort whose presence was malicious, the presence gave a feel of peace and a...

"Hogwarts," Harry whispered reverently.

"I beg your pardon?" Dumbledore said.

Harry jerked out of his reverie and relied, "Oh, no...I was just think aloud."

"Ah...a lamentable problem of many. In fact..."

Harry zoned out immediately. He wondered why would Hogwarts contact him. Although he knew that he was the Champion chosen by Hogwarts, he had no idea what was his limitation.

{Hogwarts was giving you a warning, Harry.}

Harry jerked as he heard Godric's voice echo within his mind.

'What?'

{Try listening to the voice with your mind, Harry.} with that cryptic statement, Godric's presence disappeared.

'Trying listening to the voice with my mind?' Harry thought, dubiously. Shrugging his shoulder, Harry concentrated. Then everything became crystal clear. He could hear everything Hogwarts was trying to tell him.

"Army had entered my domain, my Champion. Their presence corrupts my domain. Cleanse them. Hear my words. An army had entered my domain, my Champion."

Harry turned towards Dumbledore. In a low voice, Harry spoke, "Albus, please call all students to return to their Common Room."

"Why, Harry? What had happened?"

"Riddle. An army approaches Hogwarts."

Dumbledore looked at Harry alarmed. Harry removed the spell on the back of his hand and showed it to Dumbledore. Looking at the mark, Dumbledore looked at Harry's hand and then at Harry curiously. Taking a deep breath Harry explained.

"The mark you see is the Mark of the Champion. Headmaster, Hogwarts had chosen it to be its Champion. I have some how gain a direct communication with the school..."

"I understand what you are trying to say Harry," Dumbledore interrupted. "Hogwarts, unlike what the rest of the world think or rather believe, is sentinel. I, too, like yourself had communicate with Hogwarts a few time." With that, the Headmaster stood up. His voice reached across the room.

"Students, please remain calm. Hogwarts will be under attack soon. I want the prefects to escort all student back to the Common Room and seal it..."

"Belay that order," Harry stood up, "I want every sixth and seventh year to remain here in the Great Hall unless you are a prefect."

"You heard Professor Marrow, every one please return to their respective common room and remain there. Proceed calmly and quietly." With that, Dumbledore walked down to the Gryffindor table.

The rest of the teachers gathered around him as the Hall emptied itself quickly. The remaining students gathered around the Headmaster. Harry looked at the frightened faces, knowing that the students are going to have a crash course on the reality of how rough the outside world is.

TBC...

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A note from your Author:

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My apologies for the late update. I have finally broke down my writer's block! Cheers! Besides, I now have a Yahoo!Group. The html is So how you guys like it? Please read and review! Thanks you! Many thanks to the reviewers of my previous chapter! They are:

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That's all folks!

So long!

Yours truly,

BloodRedSword