Chapter Thirty Five: Overture
Ron was sitting in his favorite spot. The couch in front of the fireplace. He tried to scowl but he felt tired and was thinking more about an after dinner nap. He had decided to close his eyes when all hell broke lose in the common room.
The portrait opened and Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall entered. But they were followed by a half dozen people. Professor Quirrell was there as was Father Maurice, but the only other person Ron recognized was Captain Sheffield. He knew Captain Sheffield very well because his daughter was the reason Ron was barred from ever entering their world again. She was not supposed to know about his world, and Ron was talking about Quidditch because she seemed interested.
As a side note, She and Harry became close friends over the Christmas holiday. It was a matter of convenience for both of them because it kept people from playing matchmaker, and they were both at the right age for such things. Harry assured Ron that their friendship would end as soon as either one of them found someone they actually liked.
That tangent thought disappeared as Dumbeldore yelled at Sheffield to wait. "There is a warding spell on the staircase. Only girls may climb it." Ron remembered hearing about Colin when he tried to talk to Hermione, and smiled, but the situation was becoming increasingly odd. Why would six men from that other world want to go into the girls' dorms?
"Ah Weasley," Sheffield said as he spied the boy approaching. "Do you know where your sister sleeps?"
"No, Sir. The steps. But why would you want to know that?"
Sheffield gave Ron an angry look. "But for circumstances, I would assume you were lying. I will give you the benefit of the doubt."
Ron jumped to the correct conclusion. "Something happened to Ginny. What happened?"
"I've nullified the spell," Dumbledore said, "but I suggest we let Professor McGonagall precede us."
Captain Sheffield nodded curtly, but he was clearly agitated. Ron noticed the others were in the same mood. He also noticed that the other three men that came with Sheffield were armed.
At McGonagall's call Captain Sheffield went up the stairwell with Professor Quirrell and one of the armed men. The other two remained at the bottom of the stairwell, with swords drawn. Their tactic was useless in a school filled with young wizards and witches, but their strategy was effective. No one even considered going near them.
"Father Maurice," Ron asked, "What happened to Ginny?"
"It is not for me to say."
Ron stared in surprise. Father Maurice was frightened about something. Before he could ask another question, the sound of men talking came from the stairwell. Ron heard something about the only good thing to happen. Captain Sheffield led the way down the stairs followed by Dumbledore who was holding a wand in his hand. Ginny's wand!
"Professor?" Ron asked, but the headmaster gave him a sad smile and kept walking.
"Ronald," Professor McGonagall said as she walked up to him. "Could you find your brothers and meet me in my office?"
Ron looked at her sad eyes and nodded.
Harry was sitting in his chair when his name was called. He looked up to see the mail clerk holding out a lumpy envelope. He took the envelope and the clerk went on his way. He had the same bored look on his face that Harry had.
"Captain Smollett," Harry said as he entered the office.
"Is that for me?" Smollett said distractedly as he held out his hand and took the envelope.
"Actually, it was for me, Sir."
Smollett looked at the address. It was simple enough. Lieutenant Lord Harry Somerset. He looked up at Harry's questioning face. They both knew what was in the package.
"Sir, I must beg an explanation. Why was this sent to me? And by whom?"
Captain Smollett took a deep breath. "You are relieved of your duties for the rest of the day, Lieutenant."
"Sir?"
"Lieutenant, I need for you to be absent while I talk to certain people."
"But the envelope?"
Smollett replied forcefully. "At this time, I can tell you nothing. Do you understand?"
"I do, Sir." Harry saluted, and left the office. He grabbed his umbrella and left the building. (Meteorological Sorcerers forecasted a light shower around three P.M.) As he had the afternoon free, Harry decided to walk home. A long walk would ease his confusion.
He stepped out of the building when he heard someone shout, "Potter." Harry looked up to see a Sergeant-at-Arms, with a handful of Armsmen following, walk past him to the Armsman standing at the entrance.
"Armsman Potter, you will attend." They saluted each other and another Armsman took the place of the first Armsman.
Harry stared at the first Armsman. It was Bill.
"Sergeant," Harry called, "With your permission, could I talk to this man?"
The Sergeant took note of the Armsman. "Armsman Potter, you are relieved. Report to the Barracks for dismissal."
"Yes, Sergeant." The Armsman turned to Harry and saluted. "My Lord Lieutenant."
Harry tried to smile as he returned the salute. "I did not know you were here, Armsman. I was surprised to see you."
"I usually stand in the front, Sir, to impress the tourists." They both grinned and Harry walked with him back to the barracks, making small talk. It was not too far out of the way.
"The Sergeant called you Potter," Harry asked, when he had the chance. "My uncle told me that you did not know your last name."
"I didn't, Sir," Bill answered, "but I needed one."
"I am curious, um, Armsman. Why Potter?"
"It's from the Bible, Sir. The potter's field. It's the place where they lay to rest the people they don't know. I thought the name fit me. They didn't know me and gave me a place."
Harry smiled at the thought. He looked up. "Forgive me, Armsman Potter, but my road lies this way. Good luck to you, and to Michael."
Bill grinned. "He hates you, Sir."
"He hates me?"
"Because of you, he now has to go to school. He can't run down to the river whenever he feels like. He even has to dress properly. And he can't beg or do any of those things he did."
"Tell him I apologize," Harry offered.
"I did better, Sir. I told him if he learned his letters he could write to you and demand his apology."
The two laughed as they saluted each other, and Harry continued his walk.
"My Lord, welcome home." Lord Bontriomphe was waiting for Harry when he arrived. "Shall we talk in the library or the garden?"
"It is beginning to rain, My Lord."
"The library, then."
Harry followed his guardian into the library. They sat patiently as the servant brought in the pot of caffe and poured the first cups. As the servant left, he closed the door behind him. Harry picked up his cup and took a sip. He was acquiring a taste for caffe.
"Lord Henry, under the circumstances, I am permitted and required to reveal certain secrets to you."
"My Lord, I assume you know about the package that I received this morning."
Lord Bontriomphe nodded. "How well do you know Ginny Weasley?"
Harry almost swallowed his caffe down the wrong pipe. "That is an unusual question."
"Did you know that she had a fixation? About you?"
"Ron, her brother, mentioned a few times that she was taken with me. And I did help to save her life last year. To be honest, My Lord, I would not call it a fixation. She is only twelve. From what I understand, such things are normal."
"She had her birthday recently. She is thirteen. She was worried about you, because you did not write."
"At the present time, all officers at the Intelligence Office are forbidden to send any personal correspondence, to prevent even the slightest chance of . . ."
"Lord Henry, I am well aware of that, but this girl was not. And she used the means at her disposal to steal a control stone. Then she used it."
Harry was shocked. That was the stone that was in the envelope. "Ginny's here? In this world? Why doesn't she reveal herself?"
"An excellent question." Lord Bontriomphe refilled his cup, and poured for Harry as well. "Until this morning, we did not even know if she had come to this world. She has been missing for most of two weeks."
"But if she sent me the stone she must be in London. We can look for her."
"And where would we look? There are only six people in this world who know what she looks like. Three are in the Mediterranean, two are in Cambridge, and you are the sixth. Nor can you tell anyone whom you are looking for because then they will ask why."
"And I may not tell them why," Harry concluded. "The Weasleys will be devastated."
"They already are. Your Ministry informed her parents of what she did and ordered them to . . . Never mind that. Let us say that they were informed in a most impolite manner. I have been told that Professor Quirrell will pass this new information to Headmaster Dumbledore. I am confident that he will inform them in a more tactful manner."
"A small blessing, Lord Bontriomphe."
"And it is good news for you. You are to visit Cambridge. Your Owl, Hedwig, has served her purpose and His Majesty wishes to return her to her own world. He, and many of us, do not like the idea of using foreign technology, even if it is only a trained owl. We feel we must fight this battle with our own tools."
"I understand," Harry admitted. And he did. It was a desperate situation. But there was a difference between technical knowledge and technical use. They did it once by using Hedwig. If they dared try it again, it could become addictive.
"About Cambridge, My Lord. Why do I need to go there? Is this related to Ginny Weasley?"
"That is quite correct. Now that she has returned the stone, a major fear had been lifted and your orders do not need to be held up any longer." He noted the look on Harry's face. "You were to receive your orders eight days ago. It was only a minor delay as far as timing."
"My Lord, you said a major fear. Has she brought her wand with her?"
Lord Bontriomphe shook his head. "It seems that she was smart enough to leave her wand behind. She did steal your invisibility cloak, however . . ." He held his hand up for Harry to be silent, but there was no need. He had heard the noise as well. Slowly both stood up and began carefully looking around, listening for the slightest noise. There was a sound and Lord Bontriomphe was on the spot. He pushed aside a display table, sending the vase that was on it into Harry's quick hands. As Harry sat the vase down, Lord Bontriomphe tore open the heating grate and reached in, pulling out a boy just big enough to fit inside.
As the two glared at him, the Marquis of London flashed a bright smile. "Do you really have an invisibility cloak, Harry?"
Lord Bontriomphe took the time to take Harry to Cambridge by coach. Both of them were in a very good mood. Harry's dear little brother Roger, also known as Lord London, could not by rights be punished for anything he did. However Lord Bontriomphe, as his legal guardian, is obligated to see to the young boy's education.
At this moment, dear Roger was in the stables learning about horsemanship in all its details. He was assigned to study the effects of diet on horses and was given a shovel and a wheelbarrow for that purpose. The stablemaster was educating Roger on where to place his findings once they had been collected from all the stalls
"I assume, Lord Bontriomphe, that nothing will be done about Ginny Weasley."
"Nothing can be done, Lord Henry. We are too divided in our needs."
Harry understood all to well. While he was not privy to any private information, he knew more than the average person, simply by having easy access to all the public information. The only thing that confused him was with all of the action in the Channel why was he being sent to Cambridge. His only fear was that they were going to put him in a safe place, again.
"Welcome to Cambridge, Lord Henry, Lord Bontriomphe." Caroline Sheffield was waiting for them when the coach pulled up to the entrance of the Royal Thaumaturgical Institute.
"I am well met, My Lady," Harry said, as he took her arm, then whispered, "Why are you here?"
Caroline grinned as she put her hand on his arm and walked him inside. "We are supposed to be close, and I need your help."
"Your father?"
"He assures every likely young man that our friendship in not as close as it seems. And one of the more annoying is a journeyman sorcerer."
"You should do what I do," Harry offered. "I tell them they move almost as gracefully as you do, or that they speak with almost as fine a voice."
"And how many times have you done this."
"Once," Harry smirked, "but it did work. I have been too busy to do much socializing."
"This way," Caroline pointed, and the three of them went to a room off the main hall. The door opened when they approached and Harry was surprised by whom he saw. Professor Dumbledore was there next to Master Sean O'Lochlainn. Both had been talking to Ernie. Harry mentally corrected himself. To Lord MontClaire. Lord Darcy was also there. Last and definitely not least was his Great Uncle, the Duke of Cambridge.
The Duke cleared his throat. "Before we proceed with anything, nephew, there is something you must know. When an officer receives his sword, it is a milestone in his career. It is a milestone usually celebrated with family and friends. Your brother, Lord Somerset, received his sword, um, on the rush you might say. We never had a chance to celebrate that event."
The Duke reached behind him and picked up two fluted glasses of sparkling wine from the table and handed them to Harry, who then gave one to Caroline. He handed another glass to Lord Bontriomphe then raised his own in salute. "Lords and Gentlemen, My Lady, I give you Lieutenant Lord Robert de Somerset."
"Lord Somerset," everyone called out, and they drank the toast.
"Harry," Albus Dumbledore said, "They have asked me to accept a great honor. It is my pleasure to present this to you. I believe you are familiar with it." He reached beneath his robes and produced a sword, one that Harry recognized. The sword of Godric Gryffindor. Harry took the weapon gingerly and with no small surprise. He looked up when the Duke called another toast. Everyone was holding a refilled glass.
"Lords and Gentlemen, My Lady, I give you Lieutenant Lord Henry de Somerset."
"Lord Henry," everyone called out.
Harry watched as everyone drank the toast. He glanced at Caroline who was bursting with pride for him. Everyone else had the same look. And he smiled back, grinning like a fool. It seemed too much. It seemed something he did not deserve.
"Shall I help you?" Caroline asked, and laughed when Harry didn't seem to understand. "As a full Lieutenant, you are supposed to wear your sword. Even I know that."
"I can manage," Harry replied, and with difficulty, because of his nervousness, managed that small feat. Properly attired for his rank, he then proceeded to be congratulated by everyone present.
His Majesty sat heavily as he listened to the briefing. The military situation was still the same, which was the best news to be had.
Captain Grissom's maneuvers at Gibralter, which would soon be common knowledge, had been a stroke of genius, made more so by the circumstances. The Caliph had successfully launched his Mediterranean fleet and moved it into the Atlantic the day before Grissom's fleet reached the Straights. The Byzantine Fleet which had to delay to avoid tipping their hand had followed, met His Majesty's new Western Mediterranean Fleet and was severely beaten. It had to withdraw with the loss of three of its dreadnaughts, and was forced to regroup.
The Turkic Fleet decided not to wait once their position was revealed and swept north to destroy His Majesty's fleet at Dover, with the intention of landing an invasion force. To their surprise, the fleet was not there, but the army was. There was nothing left that could be destroyed without coming into range of the army artillery. And with the army in control, no forces could be landed. A quick inspection showed Calais to be similarly fortified. The Field Marshall was delighted to give this information.
The Caliph's ships did the only thing they could do. They blockaded the Channel and sent three of the frigates to relay the need for reinforcement. Once their Atlantic Fleet joined them, or the Byzantine fleet, they would be able to force the issue. His Majesty knew about the frigates but did not know that one would manage to return to inform the Turkic Admiral about the blockade at Gibralter.
The Foreign Officer had reported that the Baltic Fleet, which had been withdrawn at the request of His Scandinavian Majesty, was already near. His Scandinavian Majesty had declared neutrality in this war and the cancellation of the mutual defense pact of the Baltic was a backhanded effort at support. Olaf VI would do at Jutland what Admiral Grissom was trying to do at Gibralter, leaving His Royal Majesty's ships free to pursue other matters.
"The docks have been completely destroyed," the Lord High Admiral intoned, "but we are stockpiling the materials to rebuild them as soon as we are able. The losses will be inconsequential in the long run. Your Majesty?"
"A question? What would happen if the fleet at Dover withdrew and attempted to return to the Mediterranean?"
The Lord High Admiral smiled. "If they had withdrawn at once, it would have been a disaster for us. They could have swept Admiral Grissom's forces aside with ease. But if they withdraw now, we have the means to hold them. Our latest report has the Baltic fleet in the Irish Sea reinforcing itself with whatever ships have already gathered at Dublin. If the Turkic fleet does not withdraw South quickly, it will have no choice but to head north. It will be in a very embarrassing position."
A courier entered and saluted His Majesty. He then handed a report to Field Marshall Markham and stepped back out of the way. "Damn them."
"Field Marshall?" His Majesty demanded.
"My apologizes, Your Majesty. It is a report from Dover. The enemy is withdrawing in good order."
His Majesty rose from his seat. "My Lords, you have your duties to perform." He left the room to hear a great sigh from behind him. The immediate crisis had passed. The Empire had its own serious losses but it gave as good as it took. The Lions and the Lilies would continue to hold sway.
Hermione Granger boarded the Hogwarts Express which would take her home for the summer. She joined Ron and Susan for what would be a joyless trip. They made small talk but said nothing of any real importance until Hermione let out a sigh.
"They're swallowing us, one by one," she said softly.
"Who are they?" Susan asked. "The Empire?"
"Don't you see? First it was Harry, then Ernie MacMillan. And Remus Lupin."
"And Colin Creevey," Ron noted. No one mentioned one other name.
"His parents are frantic," Hermione said. "My Mum and Dad went to talk to them. I have to go see them when I get back." She patted her pocket which held a letter from Colin. "Dumbledore specifically asked me to deliver it."
"Are you going there, the Empire?" Susan asked. "You said they asked you."
"Not yet," Hermione said, thinking of Robert. He was thirteen years old and fighting in a war. At times that world seemed too strange. "Ron, How are your Mum and Dad?"
Ron shuddered as Hermione broached the unspoken subject. "I haven't talked to them yet, but Mum's letter was weird. Fred and George will be there so I won't have to deal with it alone. I think she blames me."
"It wasn't your fault."
"It doesn't matter. Mum needs someone to blame."
Susan rubbed Ron's arm. "It isn't just Ron. Fred and George say that she's blaming them as well. I think she blames everyone."
"I'm sure Ginny is fine," Hermione said without feeling.
"Then where is she?" Ron demanded.
Ginny sat in her room with the basin in her hand. Everyone outside was cheering the news. Another great victory at sea. She thought she heard them shouting about Trafalgar, but that battle was from another world. Maybe they were saying Gibralter. She stopped thinking as she felt the morning sickness rise.
Colin Creevey walked along the dock and headed toward the hospital. The construction of Port Gibralter was almost continuous, and seemed to increase now that the Sea lanes were open again. He reached the hospital and climbed the stairs to the second floor. He turned right and walked into the ward, and up to Robert's bed. Robert was sitting up, looking completely bored.
"Are you still lacking?" Colin asked with a grin.
"It was only a scratch," Robert insisted, "but I was hit in the head. They want to make sure there is no permanent damage."
"There's nothing to damage," Colin joked and laughed when Robert sneered. "How bad is your scratch?"
Robert's sneer became a grin. "Colin, you will love this." He lifted the hair off his forehead to reveal a lightning-bolt shaped scar.
"Robert, it's on the wrong side."
"And it turns the wrong way," Robert pointed out. "I know, because I have looked at Harry enough times." Robert paused. "Colin, what am I missing?"
"Nothing," Colin said happily. "After we blocked their fleet, they sailed south. I think they went to get reinforcements. They'll come back, but we'll be ready by then. The Baltic Fleet appeared this morning. Well, part of it." He reached into his pocket. "Mail came through."
Robert took the letters. One was from Roger, with the official seal of the Marquis of London. Another letter had the seal of the Duke of Cambridge. But the third letter he opened first. It was a month old, but it was from Hermione.
A/N: I was corrected on Ginny's name. Someone told me that it is actually Virginia. I will inform JK Rowling that the name she listed on her website was incorrect. Oh Boy, is she going to be embarrassed when she finds out that she made a mistake. (By the way, is the web address for those of you who don't know.)
