Something for us.
December 24th 2004
The velvet night sky was littered with bright twinkling stars, the air of the night was cool and bitter, the ground was covered in crisp white snow, the lake was frozen over with ice so thick one could walk on it.
The majority of students who had a home and a family had returned to them for the festive holiday, only those who had no loving home to go to had remained behind at the castle grounds.
This included one Harry Potter who was currently stood by the frozen waters edge vaguely wondering what happened to the giant squid when the water froze over.
The full moon illuminated the castle grounds and was the only source of light with the exception of a few windows in the castle that were still illuminated.
He often came out here at night, there was so much going on around him and in his life that it did him good to get away from it all and clear his head. Being the boy-who-lived was just one problem and worry after another, it was never ending.
Even Ron and Hermione had left him alone this holiday, although he was hardly surprised and didn't blame them for it in the slightest. He had got them into so much trouble and almost got them killed on so many various occasions. He knew he didn't deserve them as friends but they still stood strong beside him no matter what.
Just thinking about the forth coming war made him feel nauseous, the thought of so many lives being lost because one man woke up one day and decided he wanted to make a name for himself by re-enacting world war two with muggle borns and wands.
When he saw the younger students talking with their friends, laughing, joking and having fun, Harry knew that he would gladly give his life to spare theirs and give them a safe, secure future to grow into.
Besides, in his eyes, this is what he had been born to do, he had nothing else to live for once the war was done, the feeling in his gut told him that he wasn't going to live past the final battle, he excepted this and embraced it.
The sound of footsteps behind him broke Harry from his musing's. He turned around and came face to face with the elderly headmaster who was looking older everyday, Harry was willing to bet his entire small fortune that Dumbledore had no more chance of out living the war than he himself did.
"Harry, you shouldn't be out here in the cold, you should be tucked up safe and warm in your bed."
"I'm sorry headmaster but I couldn't sleep, it helps sometimes if I come out here, I don't know what it is but I can feel them around me."
"Who?"
"My parents, Remus, Sirius."
"Our loved ones are always with us in our hearts Harry whatever choices we make."
"I know but the connection is strongest now, I can almost hear their voices as the wind blows around me."
"Come, you'll catch your death out here."
"I'll only die when I'm meant to, I'm sure." Harry said before letting the headmaster guide him back to the great castle that loomed over head however not before he took one last glance back at the full moon.
The warmth of the entrance hall was very much welcoming after the bitterness of the night air. Instead of taking Harry up to Gryffindor tower he escorted him to the left and into the great hall where he conjured up two steaming mugs of hot chocolate.
"This shall warm you up." Dumbledore proclaimed settling himself at Gryffindor tower. Harry did the same offering his thanks.
"How are we doing with the war, have there been any changes since the last order meeting?" Harry was eager to know, he was legally an adult in the wizarding world and a fully fledged member of the order of the phoenix so information could not be with held from him, although not everyone agreed with this, Molly Weasley being one of them.
"Nothing has changed in the slightest, Voldermort remains at Riddle Manor as always, there are numerous deatheater strong holds located throughout the country and we are still none the wiser to what we are up against."
"What about abroad, is it possible that we could seek help from other countries, I mean surely Voldermort has other strongholds abroad."
"Yes, that may be worth considering, especially since there are reports of deatheater camps in France, Germany, Russia, America and even as far away as Australia and New Zealand."
"In my opinion, if it counts for anything, you need to send the students home, if we are attacked this is the most likely place beside the ministry that is. What use are our forces spread out like a small amount of butter on too much bread?"
"You are of course right, however if we send the students home then we have no telling how many Slytherin's will turn against us and add to the numbers of the opposing force.
"But there is no way to find out what each students intentions are."
"Just take a look at who went home and who stayed behind." Said a cool drawling voice from the threshold of the doorway to the entrance hall. "Sorry to intrude headmaster but I couldn't sleep and when I came up here I heard voices."
"Quite alright Mr Malfoy." Dumbledore said smiling, Harry had to withhold a snort. "Is there anything we can do for you?"
"No, but perhaps I could help you since Potter here has the brain the size of a pea.."
"Shove off Malfoy!"
"Oooo, not very friendly."
"Boy's please, could you possibly hold your tongues for a moment while Mr Malfoy gets to the point."
Harry and Draco exchanged glares of loathing before Draco continued addressing the headmaster. "As I was saying, the seventh year students that stayed at Hogwart's for the Christmas Holiday's are the ones you can trust, the other's have either been branded or killed, they won't return."
"Please refresh my memory, how many remained here?"
"Four including myself."
"Right and am I right in assuming that the four of you will be willing to fight along side Harry and myself?"
"Yes, we are yours to command." Draco said looking directly at Harry who chose to ignore this.
"Good that is excellent news, however you will have to be trained to fight…"
"Excuse me headmaster, there is no need, we are all skilled in duelling."
"I did not mean with wands Mr Malfoy, I mean hand to hand, sword fighting and such. Harry would you go the honours of training them?"
"WHAT?! No way."
"Harry, unsurprisingly you are the best we have, you will train them, it is not a request."
"But headmaster, wouldn't my time be better spent…"
"No Harry, now please, the both of you go back to your dormitories." Dumbledore's tone left no room for argument.
The two teenagers stormed unceremoniously into the entrance hall, one irritable and the other secretly thrilled about the situation that they had been placed in.
My computer is completly buggared, spent two hours thinking through my next chapter of who are you and no spell chack and when I load it up it's a load of squares, so this is a new story that I was going to do after Who are you, so I am really sorry guys. Don't hate me and review this chapter. SS xxx