Chapter Ten

Looking down at his watch Kit said to Harry and Ron, 'Well, it seems that time has flown by and you best be gettin' on back to school before y'all have your Quidditch practice. Hermione will be back before y'all get done. Sergeant Major, escort these two back to the heli-pads and arrange for them to get the fastest possible means of getting back to Hogwarts.'

'Hermione, you'll be just fine. Don't think too much about what happened here today. Who knows it might be a blessing that this happened, that way when we come to the real deal you'll have already seen a little what combat looks like. However it's nothing compared to what actual combat looks, sounds, and feels like,' said Mara comfortingly.

Mara stood about half an inch shorter than Kit, and she had red-gold hair. Her eyes were a piercing ice blue, like almost everyone else at the base she had tanned skin. Mara smiled reassuringly at Hermione. Hermione feeling better stood up from the bed and embraced Mara in a hug. Mara not being used to being hugged tensed at, but quickly relaxed and patted Hermione on the back.

"Thanks Mara," whispered Hermione.

'You're welcome Hermione,' replied Mara.

At that moment the tent flap opened and Kit walked in, Kit did a double take then said, 'Woah.'

The air was filled with laughter for several minutes. When the laughter had subsided Kit pulled up a chair and said, 'Well Harry and Ron are on their way back to Hogwarts. Also since I'm supposed to see Dumbledore as soon as I get to Hogwarts, I think if I'm going to get a serious reprimand for today's action then I'm gonna make it worth it. We're gonna roll up in force to Hogwarts.'

"Kit don't, Umbridge might find out and report this to Fudge," argued Hermione to Kit who was trying very hard to suppress a smile.

'Don't worry about Umbridge we've already got that part under control along with anyone we don't want to remember that we were there,' assured Kit, 'Okay, I'll be back in fifteen minutes so be ready to roll then.'

Standing in a circle around a table Kit, Dunningham, Leon, Dekker, and several others were looking at an overhead photo of the Hogwarts Castle, detailing incursion and extraction routes. 'Okay, our convoy under my command will come around the Dark Forest and we'll roll up in force to the grounds. Convoy designate Sierra six-four. Once the convoy is around the Dark Forest our air element will lift off and secure a perimeter for the exterior. Once the perimeter is in place the troops on the ground will give a green light for the convoy to pull in, and once we've arrived we'll sweep through the Castle leaving a clear path up to the Gryffindor common room. Blackhawks' designation will be Tango Four-whatever. Littlebirds will be designated Star Two-whatever. Infantry chalks deployed from the helicopters will be designated Kilo One-whatever. Any questions? No. Okay lets get to it then.'

With that the group dispersed. Kit left to get Hermione and Mara.

Ten minutes later Kit, Dekker, Hermione, Leon and one other soldier were sitting inside a Humvee on a very bumpy ride around the Dark Forest. Kit was in the front passenger seat; Hermione was in the backseat directly behind him. To Hermione's left was Leon, Dekker was driving and the soldier she didn't know was manning the "fifty". Behind their Humvee was a column of Humvees all filled with as many soldiers as they could possibly fit. The drive to the edge of the Dark Forest took another twenty odd minutes. When they reached the edge Kit grabbed a mic and spoke into it, 'Sierra six-four passing staging area. Air unit, activate.'

'Roger that six-four, Tangos active.'

'Affirmative six-four Stars are online.'

Kit placed the mic back on the dashboard in front of him. Hogwarts loomed on the horizon growing steadily larger. Minutes passed and the sky was filled with helicopters dropping troops off. Suddenly the quiet interior of the Humvee became very busy.

'Tango four-eight chalk deployed.'

'Tango four-one deploying troops.'

'Tango four-two troops are on the deck.'

'Tango four-eight take up overhead pattern and provide sniper cover.'

'Roger that.

'Tango four-three troops deployed beginning orbit of the target area.'

'Kilo one-one perimeter secure.'

'Kilo one-five all clear awaiting convoy.'

'Star two-six orbiting target building.'

'Star two-one troops deployed.'

All of the constant radio chatter became very confusing to Hermione. She had no idea what most of the terms meant especially the call signs. Kit picked the mic up again and said this time, 'Let's make this a little more interesting here fellas. Open fire, shatter some glass and some stone, but don't hit anyone.'

Hermione felt as though her eardrums were going to explode. The soldier manning the fifty opened fire, along with every other Humvee in their convoy. When they finally reached the castle the combined noise of the helicopters orbiting overhead, the machine guns on the Humvees and the occasional burst of rifle fire was deafening. Jumping out of the Humvee Hermione walked up to the front where Kit was talking to another soldier.

'Let's get in there and clear a way through to the common room, after that y'all can egress back to base and I'll return on a Littlebird.'

'Hooah!'

Hermione was sure what to think, in some ways it was comical that this much was being used just to get her back to the common room safe, yet other ways it was just awesome. Though Hermione was still scared even though she knew that no one was firing back at them. Kit turned to Hermione, 'Hermione they're going to go in first and clear a path all the way up to the common room and once they've given the green light we'll take you up there okay?'

'Yeah, one thing though,' yelled Hermione over the constant gunfire.

'Yes?'

'What does "hooah" mean?'

Kit laughed and said, 'Pretty much anything except no.'

They had to wait thirty minutes before Kit's radio started speaking, 'Sierra six-four clear, ready for Captain Granger.'

'Roger that we're on our way.'

Hermione felt awkward walking normal. In front of her were Kit and Dekker who were slightly crouched and had their rifles shouldered looking with their rifles first. Behind her Leon and Dunningham were walking backward looking down the barrels of their rifles also slightly crouched. She looked at the people who had been unlucky enough to be in the way of the soldiers. They were lying on the ground with a boot in their back and a gun pointed at their head. Every now and then she would see someone she recognized such as Neville, Cho was on the ground tears streaming from her eyes. Unsurprisingly as they got closer to the common room more and more of the people lying on the ground were from Gryffindor. When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady Kit stood up and turned to Hermione. 'Be seein' ya 'round Captain Granger,' Kit snapped to attention and saluted.

Not sure what to say Hermione returned the salute and turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady and said, 'Mimbulus mimbletonia.'

The portrait swung open and Hermione walked through the hole into the common room. Kit waited until the portrait had closed before he signaled for the troops to return to base. From there he walked to Dumbledore's office. 'Fizzing Whizbee,' said Kit when he reached the stone gargoyles.

Walking up the steps into the Headmaster's office Kit braced himself for an angry Dumbledore. Opening the door to the office Kit took a seat in front of the desk. Dumbledore sat behind the desk looking over his fingertips at Kit. In an attempt to lighten the mood Kit asked, 'Before you begin Dumbledore I would like to find out one thing.'

'Yes?'

'I know that you're going to give me not only a reprimand for the earlier action taken today dealing with Malfoy, and one for the ridiculously-awesome return trip. But I'd just like to know is there going to be a stern finger shaking at all during the reprimands?'

Dumbledore let out a small chuckle and then spoke, "No Kit, I do not believe that there will be any "stern finger shakings" taking place. However, I must ask you. What was the provocation for this mornings action?"

Kit took a deep breath and then began telling the story of what happened, which then lead into the return trip. At the end of the tale Dumbledore sat quietly for a few minutes then said, "Kit, I understand that you are doing the job I asked you to do. But I must ask you to not do these massive assaults for things like this again, unless of course it is necessary is that understood?"

'Completely.'

"Very well then, off you go."

Kit stood up grabbed his rifle and walked out of the office. When he reached the school grounds he looked over by Hagrid's cabin, seeing that it was still vacant he sighed and then spoke into his radio, 'Star Two-six, Sierra Six-four requesting evac over.'

'Roger that Six-four. Two-six inbound.'

Shortly after that a Littlebird landed in front of Kit who boarded, taking one last look at Hogwarts he sighed as the Littlebird turned and flew back to base.