Chapter 14- The Balancers of Death.
Harry had found himself immersed in his schoolwork once he got back. The professors did not hesitate to give them a mountain of homework their first day back. Professor Snape hissed, "Since you all have been refreshed, three feet of parchment on poisons that take a non-liquid form." Harry was relieved to see that Hagrid was not as demand and only asked them to reread the chapters on giant. "Got' er something specia' fer' ye next class." Hagrid smiled at the end of their first lesson back. Harry and the others frowned to each other; they knew when Hagrid said 'something special' it more than likely meant 'something dangerous.'
As Harry made his way up to Moody's classroom, Draco Malfoy met him at the door.
"I won't forget what you did before break Potter." Draco sneered, "I will remember it when I level the house of Black and make it a grave yard for those who opposed me."
"Maybe you shouldn't count you chickens before they hatch." Hermione said walking up behind Draco.
"Is that some kind of bloody muggle saying?" Draco laughed, "I guess you're not bright enough to keep up with wizard's slang."
Draco soon made his way into the classroom as he heard Moody's wooden foot clang against the floor down the hall. Hermione followed quickly behind him.
Ron was there too, grabbing Harry's arm. He was trying to prevent him from punching Draco again.
"I should let you give him a thumping again," Ron whispered, "but Hermione told me to get you into the classroom."
"When do you start taking orders from Hermione?" Harry smiled, relaxing his arm.
"When it's the first words she had said to me since we got back." Ron frowned.
"I'll talk to her for you, she is being ridiculous." Harry said reassuringly.
"Ok Gryffindors, time for class." Moody said as he approached.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville stood next to the large window beside Moody's desk.
"I've been practicing defense and attack spells all break with my parents." Neville whispered excitedly to Harry. "I can't wait to use it on Draco."
"Give it to him good for me, Neville." Harry replied.
"Ok, class, I have an announcement to make before I split you up." Moody bellowed over the noisy class. "I have gotten permission from Professor Dumbledore to have the top five students test their defense skills against in a duel with fully trained adult wizards. Not any adult wizards, but the faculty and staff here at Hogwarts."
The class was in shock. Several students wined quietly about not wanting to face a professor, but Harry felt if would be awesome way to test his skills. When a student can master the teacher, he thought, then he has truly mastered the lesson.
"A couple of teachers have volunteered for this already, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. I am still scouting for more volunteers." Moody rumbled.
The class was silent after hearing Professor Snape's name announced. Harry wouldn't want to be the student that had to face him. But then he realized he could easily be the one that faced Snape.
"Now I realize that some of you are apprehensive about this, but it's only the top 5 of the class that gets to do it. And to make it more competitive, those who are chosen get full marks for the year and do not have to take the final." Moody said with a bit of cheer in his voice.
The students now began to whisper about not taking a final and getting full marks might be worth having Snape cast a curse on them. Ron said to Harry that he would do anything to get out of a final. Hermione said it would be a good exercise but not enough to skip a final. Neville look paler than before said, " I don't know if I could be top 5 in the class, but the thought of having to duel Professor Snape scares the crap out of me."
After the announcement Moody separated the class into pair for a refresher course to begin the semester. Harry had Neville and did see a great improvement from him. Harry thought at this rate, Neville could be on of the top 5 in the class.
Harry had spent all weekend doing homework for Professor Snape and McGonagall. Harry felt the only class he could relax in was Hagrid's. Without any Slytherins the class was highly enjoyable last fall. But Harry had almost forgot about Hagrid's 'something special' before he made it to his cabin before class.
"Ok yers, we'r goin't walk te da edge o' da forest." Hagrid smiled tugging at Fang to follow him.
Even though the Forbidden Forest was off limits to students, Hagrid had no problem teaching by the edge of the forest on occasion. Several of creatures that they studied could easily be found in the forest.
Hagrid had motioned them all to sit as he went into the forest to retrieve his 'something special'. A few moments later the students could feel a rumbling below them. Everyone looked closer to the forest to see what emerged. It seemed like a mountain was walking toward them. Hagrid in front, slowly motioning for it to follow. As most of the students gasped at what they saw, Hermione, Ron, and Harry knew what it was. It was a giant named Gwarp.
"Settled' down, settled' down" Hagrid said to the class, "Tis' her' is Gwarp."
"Is he a giant?" Lavender Brown asked as Gwarp's shadow engulfed as he stepped closer.
"Yer, n' he's me half-brotha." Hagrid said proudly. "He's nice n listens ter me, so ye don' need to worry."
Even though Hagrid said this, Harry could see that the rest of the class was not sure if there were no reasons to worry."
"Aren't giants…I mean real giants evil?" Padma asked looking at Gwarp as he looked back.
"Me no evil, me Gwarp." Gwarp bellowed to Padma.
"Not al' giants be evil, Padma'" Hagrid said, "Dats' y Gwarp's her'. T'show yer not all giants be evil."
"HER-MINE-ONY!" Gwarp cheered once he caught sight of Hermione sitting next to Harry. He gently placed his finger next to her face.
"H—hi G—gwarp." Hermione said placing her hands around his finger.
"Gwarp mis Her-mine-ony." Gwarp said smiling.
"I—I missed you too, Gwarp." Hermione lied.
"Now we get der intr'ductions out da way, lets g'over what yer know a'bout giants."
Several students said how giants were almost near extinction and they have been living in mountains. Hermione went on to say that even if they don't cast spells they have a great defense against spells cast on them.
"Yer right H'ermione, it takes a'lot ter hurt a giant, sever'a wizards at time wit some." Hagrid added. "Only d'ragons have m'or defensive magic in der skins."
At this point, Gwarp began to dance in front of the class. Each time his foot hit the ground the students bounced several inches off the ground.
"No can hurt Gwarp." He sang.
"Calm down der," Hagrid smiled, " He just show'n off fer yer."
The rest of the class Hagrid explained how giants and wizards began to feud. He also had Gwarp tell them how he likes living in the forest. But mostly Hagrid wanted to let the students know that giants aren't evil like they have been told so many times before. He even had Gwarp tell them of how his tribe of giants were like.
As most of the students headed back to castle, Harry, Hermione, and Ron stayed behind to talk to Hagrid.
"Well, I didn't expect you to bring out Gwarp." Harry said to Hagrid.
"Yer, dat was Dumble'dors doing." Hagrid smiled. "He tought da students need ter k'no not all giants'r a'like."
"But do you think Gwarp was ready to meet everybody?" Hermione asked.
"Yer, Dumble'dor's been helping me teach'm a'bout wizards." Hagrid said. "Ever' week he come to de forest and reads him a story for one er them books he has in 'is office. Great man, Dumble'dor is, great man."
"Why do you think Dumbledore wants us to know about giants now?" Ron asked.
"Cause' for' giants' are now with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Hagrid blurted, "I shouldn' have told yer dat, I shouldn' have told yer dat.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"Look, yer pro'bably find out anyways." Hagrid said. "Bes if I told yer. Tis break Olympe n I wen back to da mountain where we found Gwarp n de other giants. We flew there since we din' have to worry a'bout being recoginized. N' we were armed. But when we go't der, da three bigg's giants were missing. We ask'd de others n they said tem lef' wif' Death Eaters!"
Hermione gasped as Harry shook his head.
"Yer, right te worry. Yer don' wanna mess wit a giant, but er giant wit magic is deadly."
"What makes you think they have magic." Ron asked.
"Dumble'dor tinks dat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will give it ter dem. And I don want te be around when they use it."
"What does Dumbledore think Voldemort has planned?" Harry asked.
"He's not sure. But he feels som'thing'll happen soon. Dats why he wants der studens to kno' not all giants da same."
Harry had heard enough before saying goodbye. Hermione and Ron thought that giants on the side of Voldemort will start another wizard/giant war, and other giants will join in.
"They' be extinct." Hermione said as they reached the castle.
"That's what Voldemort wants." Harry explained. "To get rid of all non wizards, but let them do their damage first."
Later that evening as the students were leaving the Great Hall from dinner, Professor McGonagall met Harry at the entrance.
"I need you, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Luna to go the Headmaster's office right this instant." Professor McGonagall order.
"You think we're in trouble?" Ron asked.
"No, we didn't do anything." Harry responded.
As they entered Dumbledore's office, they saw that Alice and Frank Longbottom were chatting with Dumbledore, and Lupin was looking at some of Dumbledore's more dated books.
"Harry and everyone please sit." Dumbledore greeted. "This won't take long but I do think some candies would be appropriate for the amount of time needed."
Dumbledore taped his wand and dozens of chocolate frogs appeared on his desk.
"Catch one before they get away." Dumbledore smiled, "Frank, Alice, you may begin."
"Hello everyone." Frank cheered.
"Hello." Alice greeted.
"Ok, last we met, we had a look at Harry's pensive. That was a turning point in our research to find a counter to the Killing curse." Frank smiled. "We have studied the pensive even further and was able to determine that Lily affectively countered the Killing curse, knowingly."
This did not surprise Harry, but he did wonder how she did it. He could tell by Hermione's face that this was no small feat.
"Lily, used the most potent emotion as the power behind her shield for you Harry." Alice continued. "Love, and a mother's love is the strongest of them all. She was able to focus that energy, that raw power, and shield you with it."
"What's the difference from what you told us before, we knew love was the counter for hate?" Ron asked.
"Well, yes, but the difference is that you cannot protect yourself from the Killing curse." Frank explained, "You can only protect someone you love from it."
"That way it is powerful enough to keep death at bay." Alice added.
"This doesn't make sense." Ginny said.
"You're right, Mrs. Weasley, but Frank and Alice is here to make it make sense." Dumbledore answered. "They have studied and researched this for years, and it will take time to understand it completely like they have.
"Well, we never claimed to understand it completely." Frank stated, "But we can teach it to you, and right now, that is more important."
"Why right now?" Hermione asked.
"Well, I am sure you know of what has happened with the giants by now." Dumbledore started, "Recently, Kingsly Shacklebolt reported at an Order meeting that the Ministry has found the body of Igor Karkaroff, the Drumstrang's headmaster, in a forest outside of a small village in Romania. To me, this is indicating that Voldemort is getting his affairs in order. He is gaining strength and he is beginning to assemble his forces for something. I don't know at this point, unfortunately."
"How come we never heard about Karkaroff, it was never in the Daily Prophet." Hermione asked.
"The Ministry has kept it quiet against my wishes, they don't want to cause a commotion."
"I thought the Ministry was listening to you now." Harry asked.
"Well, I never felt the Ministry actually listened to me, sometimes the students don't listen to me when I warn them about the Forbidden Forest," Dumbledore said smiling at Harry, "but I think Minister Crouch is getting his footing back. He wants more control and he believes doing anything I say not to do, is the way to show who is in control."
"The Minister is an idiot." Lupin interrupted.
"Well, whatever we may think of him, he is the Minister. But I have a bad feeling that he is playing into Voldemort's hands by opposing me." Dumbledore sighed.
"So how do we stop Voldemort?" Harry asked.
"Well this won't stop him, but it will knock him off his high horse." Frank laughed.
"The counter of the Killing curse won't kill him, we have already seen that," Alice said, "But if he cannot use his greatest weapons against his enemies then, that is a plus for our side."
"How are we going to learn this?" Hermione asked.
"Well the incantation is 'Amorious,' and you are to think of the person you want to protect, and why you love them." Frank started, "But its hard to teach because you can never properly test it out. I could not have Dumbledore cast a Killing curse on me to have Alice shield me. If there was a mistake, and I am not saying Dumbledore makes mistakes, but I could be die."
"I've made quite a few mistakes in my day." Dumbledore quipped.
"Yes, but we must be careful. So we can only teach the theory behind this." Frank stated. "Attempting practical experiments with the shield could be fatal."
"Frank and I have made arrangements with Dumbledore to teach you Sunday mornings for an hour."
Harry heard Ron grunt in disapproval but Hermione shot him a look that made him look as he had seen a banshee.
"We know, you guys in particular, have a heavier workload than most 6th years, but this is for your own safety. It has seemed that you are all potential targets of Voldemort and we do not want you ill prepared if you must face him or his minions." Dumbledore said.
"Ok, its time for everyone to get back to class." Professor McGonagall announced.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville split form Luna and Ginny as they made their way to morning classes. It wasn't until lunch did they see Luna and Ginny with a large number of students, standing in front of the bulleting board at the Great Hall entrance.
"What's going on?" Neville asked Luna.
"Go with me?" Luna said excitedly.
"Go with you where?" Neville replied even more curious.
Luna had pointed a pink poster on the bulletin board. In the middle of the poster was a large red heard with the following writing:
Due to cancellation of Hogsmeade weekends for the rest of the year, the faculty and staff has decided to quell the student body's restlessness by hosting a Valentine's Day dance. It will be held Saturday, Feburary 14th between 7pm through 1am. The entire student body is welcomed. Formal robes for the wizards, and witches may choose to wear formal robes or gowns. Please contact your parents to send you the appropriate clothing if needed.
And in honor of a great witch, Sadie Hawkings, witches must ask the wizard to the dance. The wizard has the option of declining. Only 34 days left until the dance.
"What the hell is this crap?" Ron fumed, " 'Witches must ask the wizard.' Then I will never be asked."
Ron stomped his way through the cluster of students still trying to read the announcement.
"Well, we are about to have an interesting few weeks ahead of us." Harry said to Ginny.
"Maybe a first year will ask him.
