CH16: It's My Life And It's Now Or Never
~"Last time, it was with Death Eaters. They 'fired' out spells. And it didn't work. But this time, they'll use ice."
"What do you mean?" someone questioned.
"He's going to attack Godric's Hollow. With an army of Dementors."~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 17, 1973
In a whir of the fireplace, a thirteen year old red head fell to the floor.
"Lily!" James Potter exclaimed, bounding over to the fire place to help his friend up. "You're here!"
"As usual, you have a remarkable talent for stating the obvious, James," Lily Evans replied wryly. "Happy Birthday."
"How was your trip?"
"Dizzy."
James just grinned. "That's good. You're the first one here, so - " He was interrupted when Mrs. Potter came into the room.
"Hello, dear. I'm James' mother and you are ....?"
"Don't you remember Lily from King's Cross, Mum?"
"Oh, of course. It's nice to see you again, Lily."
"You too, Mrs. Potter," she said.
"Call me Marie." Mrs. Potter turned to her son. "Why don't you show Lily around while we wait for the other guests."
"Okay." He led Lily out into the entrance hall.
"Wow," she said, gazing up at the ceiling. "You're house is huge! And really old .... "
"I know. It's been in the family ages." They went outside.
Lily's breath caught in her throat at the view before them. The house was set up on a hillside, looking down on the town below.
"Welcome to Godric's Hollow, Lils."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 23, 1976
Lily shriek as her boyfriend poured cold water in her lap. The letter she was writing disintegrated and she chucked it away half-heartedly.
"You're never going to let me finish that are you," she sighed.
"Nope," James answered, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Well then, you'd better run Potter."
The pair chased each other through the streets of the town, earning amused glances and chuckles from the passer-byes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 22, 1977
Mr, Mrs, and James Potter all gathered in the living room, ready for this year's tree decorating.
"Hold on, Lily, I've got something for you," said James.
Lily entered the room, carrying two steaming mugs of hot chocolate and grinned playfully. "What is it?"
"Well ....." He pulled out a small box. "It's a Potter tradition that, the first Potter Christmas you have, you get an ornament to put on the tree. So, open it."
Lily took the small box and pulled back the cover. Inside, was a tiny model of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
"I know that's your favorite Christmas story - " He was cut off by Lily throwing her arms around his neck.
"I love it!" she squealed. "Thank you!"
The adults just smiled at the pair.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 28, 1978
"Can you believe we're out of Hogwarts for good?" asked James.
Remus sighed. "Nope."
"It still seems like yesterday that we terrorizing the Slytherins," Sirius mused.
"That was yesterday, Sirius," came Lily's amused reply.
Peter chuckled. "She's got you there."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 25, 1978
"Lily, we've been dating awhile now ... " James began.
Lily smiled. "Since the end of fifth year."
"Almost three years now. And in those three years, I've come to love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone. I need you, Lils. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't around. Everyday, I wake up and thank God that I have you and ask myself what I did to deserve you. I love you with all of my heart."
"James, what - "
"Look at your ornament."
Clearly visible from their spot by the fire, was a diamond rind perched on top of the reindeer's nose.
"Oh, James, .... "
"Lily, will you marry me?"
Lily gazed into her lover's hopeful brown eyes.
"Of course."
"Really?"
"Really. I love you, James Potter."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 27, 1979
An unfamiliar brown owl flew into the room, dropping a letter into James' coffee cup. He grumbled to himself while he opened it, but soon enough, his face paled.
"Morning," Lily stopped short at the sight of her fiancé. "What's wrong?"
"It's - it's my parents. They .... " He trailed off, unable to say anymore.
Lily glanced at the letter and recognized the black seal - it was a Ministry Death notification letter - and she broke down.
What neither realized was that, in a few months time, they would go through a similar scene for the Evans.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 16, 1979
James kicked the door open with his foot, while carrying Lily in his arms.
"Honey, I'm home!" he called out, his voice echoing in the empty house. Lily giggled.
"You can put me down now, we're already over the threshold."
James smirked. "Not until we get to the bed."
Lily swatted him on the head, but didn't protest as he bounded towards the stairs. "Then onward, oh valiant Mr. Potter."
"Your wish is my command, Mrs. Potter."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 16, 1979
"I'm back!" James poked his head into the kitchen. "Did you miss me - " He stopped when he saw Lily sitting silently at the kitchen table. "Did something happen?"
"I'm - I'm -," she struggled for the right words. "I'm going to have a baby."
"I'm going to be a father?" James' asked, clearly shocked.
"Yes."
"We'll have a little baby?"
"Mmmhmm," said Lily happily.
James just kissed his wife.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 3, 1980
"And here's your room, my little Pronglet," James said happily, taking his son on a tour of the house. "See the Quidditch things? You're going to be a great player some day, just like your daddy."
"Training him already," Lily smiled as she entered the doorway.
"It can never be too early."
"Let me see him." Lily took the baby from her husband's arms and gently rocked it. "Welcome home, Harry."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 25, 1980
"Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh .... " Harry gurgled happily as the group in the Potter mansion sang carols, forgetting for a moment that they were in the middle of a war.
Sirius was in front of his godson, marching Harry's first ornament in front of him. It was a smaller version of Lily's Rudolph and Harry was attached to it already.
"How's my little angel," Lily asked as she and James came into the room.
Harry smiled and pointed at the reindeer. "Rudof!"
"Did he say 'Rudolph'?" James asked.
"It's his first words!" exclaimed Lily.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 31, 1981
"Padfoo up!" Harry ordered, pointing at the broomstick near Remus' feet.
"No, Harry, you're still too small to fly," said Remus.
"That and Lily won't let him near one of those things," chuckled Sirius.
"What Lily doesn't know won't hurt her," James said and he scooped Harry up in his arms. "I'll fly low, a couple feet off the ground. He'll be fine."
Unfortunately, Lily caught him before he could take off. James gulped as he tried to quell his wife's wrath.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 20, 1981
"Are you sure about this, James?" Lily asked, her voice betraying the anxiety she felt.
"It's the safest place I can think off." They entered the cabin on the opposite edge of town. "Besides, we have the Charm, too."
"I know, it's just .... " She started crying. "That monster is after my baby!"
"I won't let anything happen to Harry. Or you," James promised. "There is no way Voldemort will take Harry from us without a fight."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 31, 1995
The Department of Magical Law Enforcment was in a frenzy. The news of an attack came sudden and their was no way to know if they'd even be ready for it.
Harry watched this scurrying nervously, but a little more hopeful than he had been when he got the poem. 'The Death Eaters are in for a real surprise if they think they'll take Godric's Hollow without a fight,' he thought.
He was sitting at a table with Dumbledore, the Minister, and a few other high ranking officials when it happened.
The gray owl was back.
A wave of silence spread through they room as the occupants realized Harry Potter had gotten another letter.
He remained calm and collect of the outside as he reached for the envelope, but inside, he was panicking. 'What now?'
'The only way to find out is to open it.' The voice was back, but this time, it sounded just as curious as Harry himself was.
So with slightly trembling hands, he opened the letter.
Dear Harry,
I assume by the fact you are at the Ministry that you figured out my note this morning. A bit quicker to listen to you now aren't they?
Yes, I do plan on attacking Godric's Hollow. I know you've figured that out by now - you always were a clever one.
But, I want to tell you now, whatever defenses you are planning won't work. I've been preparing for this attack for months. What better place to destroy than the place that destroyed me? Don't you agree?
Of course you don't. You're still stuck in your perfect little delusional world, where I'm the evil bad guy that you, the Gryffindor do-gooder, must destroy.
But I hear you were almost sorted into Slytherin.
That pleases me greatly, child. I'm sure you knew it would. There is still hope for you yet.
But until you let those morals go, until you feel the power of real magic course through you, you won't know what real life is.
You thirst for revenge, Harry. Don't deny that you have it. I know how you long to repay those Muggles for how they treated you, for the years of abuse they put you through.
You and I are similar in that. Both were forced the suffer the anguish of an unloved childhood.
I understand you there, Harry. But they cannot. Do you honestly believe that your "friends" understand what you've been through? Weasley and Granger lived their whole lives with a family, basking in the affection. They don't know what it's like to be a child, begging the world for something they can't have, lying in the darkness alone.
I do.
Dumbledore says he cares for you and will protect you, but he's the one who left you with those Dursleys in the first place. Great protection, throwing you to the wolves.
And your godfather, the "loving" Sirius Black, was more concerned with Pettigrew than he was with you. He went after Pettigrew the day your parents died, he didn't stay with the child who just lost everything. And why do you think he escaped prison. He could have broken out many times over the years, but he didn't leave until he knew where Pettigrew was.
You want a family, Harry. I know you do. Your first year, with the mirror .... do you remember that? I can give you that. I can make you feel like you finally belong.
Join me. Become one of my Death Eaters. And we'll be your family. I'll be your family.
But I'm warning you now. If you do not willingly come to me, you will do so under force. I do not like being denied what I want.
As I have mentioned, I've been planning this attack for months. Ever since you escaped from me. It is foolproof.
So now we find ourselves with the perfect hostage situation.
That's right, Harry my boy, I already have control of Godric's Hollow. They citizens don't know it yet, but my Death Eaters have been slowly building an impregnable wall of containment spells around the town. And there are surveillance points on all edges. No one goes in or out without me knowing.
But I know you, Harry. I know you better than anyone else. You will come to try and save them.
I'll offer you a way to save them now.
Come to the place where I fell all those years ago. If you want to save a town, join me. If not .....
You should receive this letter at 3 o'clock.
Harry glanced up at the wall clock. It was 3:06.
I will give you until 7 p.m. to get here. If not, starting at 7, I will kill one person every 15 minutes. You have my word on that.
I told you, my Harry, I always get what I want.
Lord Voldemort.
Harry stared at the letter, eyes widening as realization of what was to happen sunk in.
Dumbledore was watching him, a worried expression on his face. "Harry, what is it?"
Wordlessly, Harry handed him the letter. Dumbledore appeared to age while he read each line carefully.
"Harry, you can't think .... " He trailed off, for this first time in a long while unable to find the right words.
"Professor?" Harry asked quietly. "How many people live in Godric's Hollow?"
"There is no way you are going to - "
"How many?"
"No, Harry, I won't let you - "
"Minister, Newmon, someone? Anyone know?"
"About 30,000," Andrew answered hesitantly.
Harry turned to look the Headmaster right in the eyes, a resigned look on his face. "Then you know what I have to do."
~"Last time, it was with Death Eaters. They 'fired' out spells. And it didn't work. But this time, they'll use ice."
"What do you mean?" someone questioned.
"He's going to attack Godric's Hollow. With an army of Dementors."~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 17, 1973
In a whir of the fireplace, a thirteen year old red head fell to the floor.
"Lily!" James Potter exclaimed, bounding over to the fire place to help his friend up. "You're here!"
"As usual, you have a remarkable talent for stating the obvious, James," Lily Evans replied wryly. "Happy Birthday."
"How was your trip?"
"Dizzy."
James just grinned. "That's good. You're the first one here, so - " He was interrupted when Mrs. Potter came into the room.
"Hello, dear. I'm James' mother and you are ....?"
"Don't you remember Lily from King's Cross, Mum?"
"Oh, of course. It's nice to see you again, Lily."
"You too, Mrs. Potter," she said.
"Call me Marie." Mrs. Potter turned to her son. "Why don't you show Lily around while we wait for the other guests."
"Okay." He led Lily out into the entrance hall.
"Wow," she said, gazing up at the ceiling. "You're house is huge! And really old .... "
"I know. It's been in the family ages." They went outside.
Lily's breath caught in her throat at the view before them. The house was set up on a hillside, looking down on the town below.
"Welcome to Godric's Hollow, Lils."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 23, 1976
Lily shriek as her boyfriend poured cold water in her lap. The letter she was writing disintegrated and she chucked it away half-heartedly.
"You're never going to let me finish that are you," she sighed.
"Nope," James answered, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Well then, you'd better run Potter."
The pair chased each other through the streets of the town, earning amused glances and chuckles from the passer-byes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 22, 1977
Mr, Mrs, and James Potter all gathered in the living room, ready for this year's tree decorating.
"Hold on, Lily, I've got something for you," said James.
Lily entered the room, carrying two steaming mugs of hot chocolate and grinned playfully. "What is it?"
"Well ....." He pulled out a small box. "It's a Potter tradition that, the first Potter Christmas you have, you get an ornament to put on the tree. So, open it."
Lily took the small box and pulled back the cover. Inside, was a tiny model of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
"I know that's your favorite Christmas story - " He was cut off by Lily throwing her arms around his neck.
"I love it!" she squealed. "Thank you!"
The adults just smiled at the pair.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 28, 1978
"Can you believe we're out of Hogwarts for good?" asked James.
Remus sighed. "Nope."
"It still seems like yesterday that we terrorizing the Slytherins," Sirius mused.
"That was yesterday, Sirius," came Lily's amused reply.
Peter chuckled. "She's got you there."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 25, 1978
"Lily, we've been dating awhile now ... " James began.
Lily smiled. "Since the end of fifth year."
"Almost three years now. And in those three years, I've come to love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone. I need you, Lils. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't around. Everyday, I wake up and thank God that I have you and ask myself what I did to deserve you. I love you with all of my heart."
"James, what - "
"Look at your ornament."
Clearly visible from their spot by the fire, was a diamond rind perched on top of the reindeer's nose.
"Oh, James, .... "
"Lily, will you marry me?"
Lily gazed into her lover's hopeful brown eyes.
"Of course."
"Really?"
"Really. I love you, James Potter."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 27, 1979
An unfamiliar brown owl flew into the room, dropping a letter into James' coffee cup. He grumbled to himself while he opened it, but soon enough, his face paled.
"Morning," Lily stopped short at the sight of her fiancé. "What's wrong?"
"It's - it's my parents. They .... " He trailed off, unable to say anymore.
Lily glanced at the letter and recognized the black seal - it was a Ministry Death notification letter - and she broke down.
What neither realized was that, in a few months time, they would go through a similar scene for the Evans.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 16, 1979
James kicked the door open with his foot, while carrying Lily in his arms.
"Honey, I'm home!" he called out, his voice echoing in the empty house. Lily giggled.
"You can put me down now, we're already over the threshold."
James smirked. "Not until we get to the bed."
Lily swatted him on the head, but didn't protest as he bounded towards the stairs. "Then onward, oh valiant Mr. Potter."
"Your wish is my command, Mrs. Potter."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 16, 1979
"I'm back!" James poked his head into the kitchen. "Did you miss me - " He stopped when he saw Lily sitting silently at the kitchen table. "Did something happen?"
"I'm - I'm -," she struggled for the right words. "I'm going to have a baby."
"I'm going to be a father?" James' asked, clearly shocked.
"Yes."
"We'll have a little baby?"
"Mmmhmm," said Lily happily.
James just kissed his wife.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 3, 1980
"And here's your room, my little Pronglet," James said happily, taking his son on a tour of the house. "See the Quidditch things? You're going to be a great player some day, just like your daddy."
"Training him already," Lily smiled as she entered the doorway.
"It can never be too early."
"Let me see him." Lily took the baby from her husband's arms and gently rocked it. "Welcome home, Harry."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 25, 1980
"Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh .... " Harry gurgled happily as the group in the Potter mansion sang carols, forgetting for a moment that they were in the middle of a war.
Sirius was in front of his godson, marching Harry's first ornament in front of him. It was a smaller version of Lily's Rudolph and Harry was attached to it already.
"How's my little angel," Lily asked as she and James came into the room.
Harry smiled and pointed at the reindeer. "Rudof!"
"Did he say 'Rudolph'?" James asked.
"It's his first words!" exclaimed Lily.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 31, 1981
"Padfoo up!" Harry ordered, pointing at the broomstick near Remus' feet.
"No, Harry, you're still too small to fly," said Remus.
"That and Lily won't let him near one of those things," chuckled Sirius.
"What Lily doesn't know won't hurt her," James said and he scooped Harry up in his arms. "I'll fly low, a couple feet off the ground. He'll be fine."
Unfortunately, Lily caught him before he could take off. James gulped as he tried to quell his wife's wrath.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 20, 1981
"Are you sure about this, James?" Lily asked, her voice betraying the anxiety she felt.
"It's the safest place I can think off." They entered the cabin on the opposite edge of town. "Besides, we have the Charm, too."
"I know, it's just .... " She started crying. "That monster is after my baby!"
"I won't let anything happen to Harry. Or you," James promised. "There is no way Voldemort will take Harry from us without a fight."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 31, 1995
The Department of Magical Law Enforcment was in a frenzy. The news of an attack came sudden and their was no way to know if they'd even be ready for it.
Harry watched this scurrying nervously, but a little more hopeful than he had been when he got the poem. 'The Death Eaters are in for a real surprise if they think they'll take Godric's Hollow without a fight,' he thought.
He was sitting at a table with Dumbledore, the Minister, and a few other high ranking officials when it happened.
The gray owl was back.
A wave of silence spread through they room as the occupants realized Harry Potter had gotten another letter.
He remained calm and collect of the outside as he reached for the envelope, but inside, he was panicking. 'What now?'
'The only way to find out is to open it.' The voice was back, but this time, it sounded just as curious as Harry himself was.
So with slightly trembling hands, he opened the letter.
Dear Harry,
I assume by the fact you are at the Ministry that you figured out my note this morning. A bit quicker to listen to you now aren't they?
Yes, I do plan on attacking Godric's Hollow. I know you've figured that out by now - you always were a clever one.
But, I want to tell you now, whatever defenses you are planning won't work. I've been preparing for this attack for months. What better place to destroy than the place that destroyed me? Don't you agree?
Of course you don't. You're still stuck in your perfect little delusional world, where I'm the evil bad guy that you, the Gryffindor do-gooder, must destroy.
But I hear you were almost sorted into Slytherin.
That pleases me greatly, child. I'm sure you knew it would. There is still hope for you yet.
But until you let those morals go, until you feel the power of real magic course through you, you won't know what real life is.
You thirst for revenge, Harry. Don't deny that you have it. I know how you long to repay those Muggles for how they treated you, for the years of abuse they put you through.
You and I are similar in that. Both were forced the suffer the anguish of an unloved childhood.
I understand you there, Harry. But they cannot. Do you honestly believe that your "friends" understand what you've been through? Weasley and Granger lived their whole lives with a family, basking in the affection. They don't know what it's like to be a child, begging the world for something they can't have, lying in the darkness alone.
I do.
Dumbledore says he cares for you and will protect you, but he's the one who left you with those Dursleys in the first place. Great protection, throwing you to the wolves.
And your godfather, the "loving" Sirius Black, was more concerned with Pettigrew than he was with you. He went after Pettigrew the day your parents died, he didn't stay with the child who just lost everything. And why do you think he escaped prison. He could have broken out many times over the years, but he didn't leave until he knew where Pettigrew was.
You want a family, Harry. I know you do. Your first year, with the mirror .... do you remember that? I can give you that. I can make you feel like you finally belong.
Join me. Become one of my Death Eaters. And we'll be your family. I'll be your family.
But I'm warning you now. If you do not willingly come to me, you will do so under force. I do not like being denied what I want.
As I have mentioned, I've been planning this attack for months. Ever since you escaped from me. It is foolproof.
So now we find ourselves with the perfect hostage situation.
That's right, Harry my boy, I already have control of Godric's Hollow. They citizens don't know it yet, but my Death Eaters have been slowly building an impregnable wall of containment spells around the town. And there are surveillance points on all edges. No one goes in or out without me knowing.
But I know you, Harry. I know you better than anyone else. You will come to try and save them.
I'll offer you a way to save them now.
Come to the place where I fell all those years ago. If you want to save a town, join me. If not .....
You should receive this letter at 3 o'clock.
Harry glanced up at the wall clock. It was 3:06.
I will give you until 7 p.m. to get here. If not, starting at 7, I will kill one person every 15 minutes. You have my word on that.
I told you, my Harry, I always get what I want.
Lord Voldemort.
Harry stared at the letter, eyes widening as realization of what was to happen sunk in.
Dumbledore was watching him, a worried expression on his face. "Harry, what is it?"
Wordlessly, Harry handed him the letter. Dumbledore appeared to age while he read each line carefully.
"Harry, you can't think .... " He trailed off, for this first time in a long while unable to find the right words.
"Professor?" Harry asked quietly. "How many people live in Godric's Hollow?"
"There is no way you are going to - "
"How many?"
"No, Harry, I won't let you - "
"Minister, Newmon, someone? Anyone know?"
"About 30,000," Andrew answered hesitantly.
Harry turned to look the Headmaster right in the eyes, a resigned look on his face. "Then you know what I have to do."
