Niffler Disclaimer: I can sense gold and other shiny metals from a mile away, and don't worry, this person has none. She's just doing this for fun.
Chapter Thirty-nine –
A Toast
Despite the dark fog of mourning that seemed to envelop the castle since the attack at the fourth floor, the next week was by far the most relaxing time Harry had ever spent during exams, other than in his second year when they had been cancelled completely.
Professor McGonagall had decided not to cancel them this year, stating that the students needed to have as normal an end to the year as possible. Ron, Harry, Neville and Hermione thought she was right, since the extra work kept their minds nicely occupied.
Ginny and Luna had to disagree as they were on their OWL year and were barely coping properly. Poor Ginny had already missed far too many full night sleeps and meals. Harry had spent some of his free time quizzing Ginny on Defense and Transfiguration, and she was actually quite knowledgeable in both, but the stress of the past few weeks was making her feel incompetent and useless. Most of Harry's time was spent assuring her that she'd do fine.
When Professor Marchbanks arrived, she promised that due to recent additional stresses, they would be grading all of the affected students' OWL and NEWT scores up a full letter grade. That meant that any student who was close to, or had been personally involved with the battle would be undoubtedly receiving better OWL scores than others. Even though the lower grading standard meant it was nearly impossible to receive a failing grade, both Ginny and Luna still ended up studying like mad.
"It's an opportunity for us to achieve all O's on our reports." Luna had insisted. "Besides. If they're grading everything up one letter, then we'll still know when they think we should be failing. Getting an Acceptable will still feel like getting a Poor."
The sixth years were all finding their exams rather easy, and since professor Vector's tragic death, they didn't have one at all in Philosophy of Magic. Everyone in that class was awarded an automatic pass.
Every evening just before sundown, the whole pack would slip out into the forbidden forest, and forget their worries for an hour or two. This was probably the only reason that Ginny was able to make it through exams without a nervous breakdown.
Neville had conjured a little pouch that looked like a collar that he could wear, which Stickyfoot could ride in on their jaunts. She was quite pleased to be able to keep up with the group, and when he presented it to her, she gave Neville a kiss on the cheek for his thoughtfulness. Neville had kissed her hand back gallantly, and had been smiling ever since.
Much to Harry's surprise and brief elation, Ginny had also enthusiastically kissed Harry on the lips when she thanked him for everything they'd done with the DA. Apparently professor Tofty, the OWL tester, had pulled her aside after her OWL exam, and explained that he hadn't seen many students of her calibre in an exam. He said that her Defense exam had been on par only with that of Harry Potter.
Harry knew that Ginny's kiss was simply one of friendship and utter relief at being given such a compliment during a nerve-wracking exam, but he couldn't help hoping that there was something else behind it. He nonetheless laughed it off and told her that he was very proud of her. Although he knew he couldn't take too much credit, since she'd only really been studying so much to get her mind off of her other problems.
The times that people most noticed the gloom around the school, were during mealtimes. The students were especially silent at the end of term feast.
It was the empty-looking professor's table that held people's attention more than anything. It wasn't so odd for a teacher or two to miss a meal if they were dining on their own or were away on business, but it was odd to see so many vacant chairs at the leaving feast.
Two of the professors' seats were abandoned, and the other teachers avoided standing near them for too long.
Before the tall golden chair coveted by Professor Dumbledore, sat a red and gold wreath. It was simple in its design, but the message it cast to everyone was quite powerful and foreboding. On the table by the seat usually occupied by professor Vector sat a single white rose. Professor Trelawney's chair was also empty, but since this wasn't unusual, hardly anyone noticed the absence. Harry assumed that she had gone off to Aberforth's as soon as the last exam had been over with. He assumed that she wouldn't want to hang out here for any longer than necessary.
Minister Fudge and two other ministry officials, who sat over to one side, were obviously honoured guests at the proceedings. They looked very uncomfortable, and flitted their eyes around the teachers table as though they weren't sure that they were supposed to be there.
The banners of the hall were once again clothed black, not seen since the time of Cedric Diggory's death. The students understood that it meant that there would be no house cup awarded again this year. Harry thought he wouldn't care about something so trifling as house points ever again.
The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff houses had each lost students, and once again, Harry Potter was the topic of muttered discussion. The story had been told so many times by everyone that Harry's hero status had risen again, though Harry really couldn't have cared less, and he tried not to let it affect him. As long as his friends and the majority of the DA understood, then he was all right with it.
They were not blaming him for these deaths, nor were they in any way disrespectful of his actions. No one present on the fourth floor that night could deny that Harry had acquitted himself with full valour and could only praise his intentions when he had roused the school to come help. What else could he have done? What would they have done in his position?
None of the Slytherins seemed to be commenting, and Malfoy was apparently missing. His younger housemates from the DA were saying that he was horribly ill.
Harry had usually ducked his head low at meal times, ate quickly, and left. Usually he was followed by Ron and Hermione, but at the leaving feast, he was forced to wait out the speeches. He had been tempted not to go at all, but he somehow felt that he owed it to professor Dumbledore to be there.
Professor McGonagall stood up, and readied herself to make the end of the year speech. She waited for the room to hush, glaring piercingly at two rowdier young students in Ravenclaw.
Once they were quiet, she began. "I know the older students will remember a time much like this when we made a toast to honour Cedric Diggory. To everything that he was as a person; brave, cunning, noble, and intelligent.
"I'd like to also mention his name again now, as we recall that he was to be only the first of many losses this school has taken."
McGonagall gestured to the Hufflepuff table. "Again, we must offer our sincere condolences to the Hufflepuff house. The loss of Cedric hurt you, and now I fear this new incursion will drown you in sorrow. Remember Justin Finch-Fletchley, for he was willing to offer up his life to protect his friends and help save the wizarding world."
She raised her goblet of juice. "To Justin."
"To Justin." The students replied, and they all took a sip.
She turned to her left. "Forgive me, professor Sprout, I did not understand the issues last time." She told her fellow teacher. "I assumed you would feel the same for Cedric as you did for the rest of the students in the school. I assumed that I had the same depth of feeling for him as you did. Now that the loss has also been in my own house, I cannot help but feel guilty that I did not offer more help to you and your house in your time of need. I understand now. Losing a student from your own house is like… like losing your own child. And if there's anything we can do for each other, please do not hesitate to ask." She said, and professor Sprout nodded, making a weepy snuffling sound, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.
McGonagall looked close to tears herself, but she valiantly plodded forward in what was quite obviously, a memorised speech. Harry had the feeling that if it hadn't been pre-written, then she might have already collapsed with grief. "When Sarah Kettleburn came to the fourth floor on Thursday night, she could not have known the danger that awaited her there. I grieve to know that someone so young met so dark an end. She must be remembered. To Sarah." Again, she raised her goblet.
"To Sarah." The school replied, and Harry heard Mark's quiet weeping near the far end of the table.
"I was a prefect when I first met Acutana Vector. She was in first year at the time, and I fear that I never really took the time to get to know her. Even when she returned to teach here ten years ago, I didn't see her as much more than a colleague. She was always kind to me, and always helpful. Although I did not know her well, I will always remember her as a very brave, intelligent and powerful witch. To professor Vector." Harry had the strange feeling that indeed professor McGonagall hadn't known professor Vector all that well. Above all, it would have been her enthusiasm he would have mentioned, although he certainly couldn't deny those other characteristics.
Again, the school emulated her, and sipped their drinks in homage after the toast.
McGonagall looked wistfully to the empty chair beside her.
"I am not normally the professor who gives the end of the year speech, and as such I am emotionally torn by the necessity to have one, and by the loss at which the job has fallen to me.
"Albus Dumbledore was a good teacher. He taught me Transfiguration as a student, and I worshipped the ground he walked on. I did not look to the day I might see him fall, but that is a thought we often ignore when we look at the people we care about."
She paused, and sighed. "Albus Dumbledore died for what he believed in. He died to protect those who could not protect themselves. He was the bravest, warmest, most cunning wise man I have ever known." She looked over at Harry as she said this, and nodded gravely at him.
She raised her goblet. "To protecting the innocent." She said, holding it up high.
"To protecting the innocent." The school replied.
"Harry, I'd like to talk to you for a moment." McGonagall said, catching Harry just as he was about to leave the Great Hall.
He nodded, and reluctantly followed her into one of the classrooms nearby. He was surprised to see Minister Fudge following close behind.
Professor Firenze walked out of his classroom just as the three of them walked in, and he and Harry exchanged bows once more. Fudge looked impressed that the centaur didn't immediately pierce him with an arrow, and gave the professor a look of slight contempt.
The forest was misty and dark, but once Firenze had left, Harry could not feel any other presence. He had yet to explain how he seemed to just know sometimes when people were watching him or eavesdropping.
"Mister Potter, I wanted to let you know some of the things that Professor Dumbledore was organising for you before he died." McGonagall began.
Harry gulped.
She put her hand on Harry's shoulder to comfort him. "The minister here has been working steadily for the past six months on advertising for the Auror training program at the ministry."
"We're really very behind in recruitment," the minister explained in a rushed voice. "I had thought that it was safe to cut back on our Auror squads, so for the past four years we haven't taken anyone. This year though… I've come to my senses, except now, no one wants to join up."
Harry nodded at him. He couldn't for the life of him fathom where this was going.
McGonagall explained. "He and Dumbledore had made arrangements for you to train in secret with some of the higher ranking aurors in the profession, if you are still interested."
"Only if you'd like to." Fudge assured him.
Harry was confused.
"Er, don't I have to finish my NEWTs before I can apply for something like that?"
"You have to understand, Harry. Most people do, but right now the auror squads are getting desperate. It's not that we want you to stop going to Hogwarts, far from it. We were trying to sort out some way that you could do them both in tandem."
"What? You mean like next year?"
Fudge smiled at Harry's hopeful tone. "It might be a lot of work, but it would likely pay off if you could graduate from the Auror Academy just one year after you graduate from Hogwarts."
"Er, Minister?"
"Yes?"
"Am I the only student that you're offering this option to?"
"Well, considering all that you've done… I thought you would probably be the only student here who could handle the course."
"You're wrong." Harry said seriously.
"Wha?" Fudge's plastic grin faltered for a moment.
"Everything I've ever done has been as a part of a team. I don't work alone." He explained, and McGonagall's lips quirked up at the edges.
"Well, what do you suggest?" Fudge asked, looking as if he was completely devoid of his own suggestions.
Harry was stunned that Fudge was asking his opinion. "My friends have always been right beside me in every battle, and the only person that ever gets noticed is me. Every time I read the news after a battle, It's always Harry Potter did this. Harry Potter did that. I didn't ever do a thing except back up my friends, and they in turn backed me up. I might have a bit of a knack for attracting trouble, but I can't possibly accept your suggestion today unless Ron and Hermione are offered the same thing."
Fudge smiled. "Well we are desperate for Aurors. If these two are as good as you say, then we'll take your word for it. I'll offer them the same if you insist."
"Good. I'm sure that they would appreciate that."
"I know you said that you wanted to be a detective, but I hope you'll stay with us at least until the end of the war."
Harry tilted his head a bit to the side. He wondered exactly what the Minister meant by that. Was he only offering him a job now because he figured Harry to be the only one capable of defeating Voldemort? or was there some other reason? Maybe something as simple as just needing as many willing bodies as possible?
Fudge didn't notice Harry's confusion. "The terms that Dumbledore and I arranged were that you would go back to your aunt and uncle's house-"
"No not there!" Harry complained, realising only after he said it, how childish it sounded. He winced at his own words.
"This is what Dumbledore and I arranged." Fudge said airily. "He was quite emphatic about the whole thing."
Harry sighed.
"You'll go back to your aunt and uncle's house for a month, then you'll come to stay in London. He said you would have a place?"
Harry nodded, thinking gloomily of Grimmauld Place.
"By that time, you'll be seventeen, and you can go off and get your apparating licence. If you getit right away, then you'll be able to spend eight hours each day in Auror headquartersat the ministry, getting testing first, then orientation and training with various persons until it is time to return to Hogwarts. Then you will continue your training under the supervision of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and go in to the ministry once a month for more testing and a few specialized field missions."
Harry nodded to show that he had followed the minister's logic.
"If, by any chance, you do not receive the necessary marks in your NEWTs however, I am willing to declare all training forfeit, and you'll have to go and find another job."
McGonagall interrupted. "The ministry is giving you a scholarship, and is putting out quite a bit of money for you to do this, so it is in your best interests to make the grade."
Harry thought for a moment about how difficult it would be to try and place within the top thirty percent as an Auror at the same time as he was graduating from Hogwarts. It would be horrendous, but he would do it. He needed to. "Would Ron and Hermione be getting scholarships too?"
Fudge winced. "I guess they'll have to. We do need new Aurors badly, and ever since the announcement of You-Know-Who's return, it hasn't exactly been the profession of choice for many people. The job is usually more tedious than it will be now, and we've even had a few of our less experienced employees quit because of the stress of You-Know-Who's return."
Harry smiled. "I can imagine people might think it too dangerous. Anyhow, you need to talk to Ron and Hermione before I can give you my answer. I won't say yes unless I know they're to be offered the same."
"All right, I'll be owling your friends presently. What were their names again?"
"Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."
"Right, well until I know what sort of funds will be available to them, you might want to keep this conversation to yourself. Take some time, and think about your answer. I'll expect your owl in two weeks."
Professor McGonagall clapped her hands once, as if she were finalising the deal. "Good, now that's settled. Minister, I have to ask you a rather delicate question regarding some of my transfiguration students."
Harry had the strange feeling that she was still talking about him, so he remained standing where he was. Fudge eyed him, glaring as if he thought Harry shouldn't be privy to other student problems. When he looked back at McGonagall, she didn't seem to be at all worried about Harry's presence. Fudge gave her a very confused look, and to accommodate him a little, Harry took a couple of steps away and pretended to admire the detail of the bark onone of Professor Firenze's magical aspen trees.
McGonagall ignored Harry's actions completely, and Fudge was relatively assuaged.
"I've had a rather vexing thing happen, and I was wondering if there could be a way to smooth it over without drawing too much attention to it." McGonagall muttered just loud enough for Harry to hear her clearly.
"I'll do my best to help you." Fudge promised. "What has happened?"
"Well it seems a couple of my transfiguration students have gone ahead without authorisation and taught themselves how to become animagi."
Harry went chalk white, and nearly choked. What was she doing, telling the Minister for Magic? Wouldn't they get into trouble?
But Fudge didn't notice Harry's sudden stillness and blatantly interested gaze. If he had, he'd seen it only as incredulity. The Minister was laughing. "I'm impressed! It shouldn't be a problem, I think I can smooth it over, and get them registered as quietly as possible. No one will notice that they haven't gone through proper channels if I have anything to say about it!"
Harry's breath lodged in his throat. Could he do that? His arrangement with Remus could go through if he did. It would certainly be an improvement from before. At least if the Dursleys were mistreating him, or getting too frustrating to be around, he'd have somewhere safe to go.
Fudge was still speaking. "Just how many students have accomplished this feat, did you say? Two?"
"Er, try six."
Fudge's laughter died in his throat, and his eyes widened in alarm. "Six? That many? How is that possible? There's probably that number in England alone!"
"Actually there's twelve." McGonagall corrected him. "Eighteen if you count this newest group."
"Ah yes. That's right. You're a cat animagus aren't you?" Fudge asked.
"A tabby. Yes." McGonagall informed him politely, sounding as if the distinction mattered greatly.
Fudge shook his head in amazement. "Well, if your six students want to come by for their tests, I can probably sort it all out. Just smooth it all over so that no one notices. Might be for the best if they wait for a message from me so I can make a private appointment for them. You just get me a list of their names and I'll take care of it with the utmost discretion."
"Thank you." McGonagall turned to Harry, who had given up all pretenses of not listening in to the conversation. "Well there you are Mister Potter. I'm sorry to go ahead and do this without consulting you, but I feared repercussions if you were to continue your transfiguration without permission."
Harry smiled. "I know. I was going to have to register eventually anyhow. I wanted Remus to be my wizarding guardian, and they'll only let him if I'm certified. Besides, I'm too big to hide it for long, and a lion isn't exactly an animal native to the UK."
"What?" Fudge spluttered, only just picking up on what McGonagall was talking about. "Potter? You're one of the animagi? A lion you say?"
Harry nodded.
"I don't believe it!" Fudge bellowed, tossing up his hands in resignation. "Every time I think I understand what's going on, I'm thrown for another loop!"
Harry ignored his outburst. He turned back to McGonagall. "Really, Ron and Neville are the ones you should apologise to. They aren't going to be happy if people catch wind of their abilities."
Fudge's head jerked up to meet Harry's eyes. "Why?" he asked cautiously.
"Because when they transfigure they become a fox and a pug."
"Like the pub? They're the ones that saved everyone at Christmas?"
When Harry nodded, Fudge burst out laughing. "So if I get this right, three students singlehandedly saved an entire town from annihilation?"
"SIX students singlehandedly saved an entire town from annihilation. There were six of us- and yes it is the same six who are animagi. Ginny and I were only the backup part of that group, since we're too big to be discreet." Harry clarified. "I'm telling you this, because I trust you enough not to go blabbing it about to everyone you know. It's dangerous for my friends if they get dragged into the stories."
Fudge shook his head in defeat. "I give up. I really do." He shrugged. "All right, go ahead. I suppose you're an intelligent enough lad to know what's for the best. I'll not say a word, and I'll have to leave it to you to explain why all the secrecy to the testers."
So Harry told him the somewhat true story of the Hogsmeade Hunt. He left out any mention of the Order of the Phoenix, or details of the battle inside the pub, and played up the roles their animal forms had taken during the fight and subsequent rescue. He only told about how Luna had hidden in her form, and made a passing reference to her missing status after the battle, but he didn't tell him where she had been or what sort of intelligence she had gathered. He just made allusion to the fact that she'd turned up more than a week later in her Gecko form, and had been a little muddled by the whole experience, so she wasn't to be asked about it.
"That's amazing." Fudge breathed when he had finished. He shook his head a bit, and added quickly. "I was going to tell you also about the arrangements Dumbledore and I had in regards toyour underage magic."
Harry winced.
"I know you've been allowed to do defensive magic since your sixteenth birthday, and I wanted you to know that the arrangement stands. Only defensive magic used when under the supervision of an adult wizard or when you are in immediate danger, and never to be used in the presence of those muggle relatives of yours. The underage magic registers and Mafalda Hopkirk have mentioned some stretching of these rules. I have overlooked it thus far, but I may be inclined to disregard our arrangement if I see any other misdemeanors."
"Yes, Sir." Harry said solemnly, nodding.
"Minister, if I may," Professor McGonagall interrupted, looking as though she was about to reveal something very important. Harry felt a very ominous trickle run down his spine. "We have a bit of a group which-"
Harry quickly cleared his throat to interrupt her flow. He knew what she was going to tell him, and he knew it was a bad idea. "Which is getting together in our common room to pay tribute to Professor Dumbledore just in a few minutes." he quickly finished for her. "Mostly just Gryffindor students, you know, his own house and all. Professor McGonagall promised to give a little speech. Not that it isn't fascinating stuff I've just told you, but we should be going, or we'll be late. People are counting on us to be there."
Fudge didn't seem to notice that Harry was babbling, but McGonagall did. She stared at Harry for a second, catching his meaning but not understanding it completely. "Er… Yes, of course. Must be on our way. Wouldn't want to disappoint my students now would I?"
"Not at all!" Fudge waved her off jovially. "Dumbledore always was very attentive to his students. It's only fitting that you should do the same. Off you go then!"
Harry let out a breath of relief as they escaped out the classroom door and down the hall. Fudge went the other direction.
"Do you not want the Minister to know about the Order?" McGonagall asked him in a whisper. "Is that why you stopped me?"
Harry's eyes darted behind him to make sure they were not being followed.
"I think even though we know that Fudge is a more trustworthy now, he would still not be right for membership in the Order."
McGonagall looked confused. "But having the minister involved could be quite beneficial to us. His ties to different ministry departments-"
"He's still too pompous." Harry interrupted. "He would end up trying to take over as leader, and I don't think Professor Dumbledore would want someone like that taking his place. Hopefully he won't be in the job for very long, and we can take better advantage of the next person in his place, but I don't want him pushing his way into everything."
"Well I'll be." McGonagall said, sounding amazed at Harry's insight. She shook her head a little. "Forgive my total bewilderment, but I'm afraid you look too much like your father."
"Pardon?" Harry said, stopping dead in the middle of the hall.
McGonagall smiled. "You look so much like your father, but the brain up there," she said, tapping her own temple, "that belongs to your mother, and it sometimes throws me for a bit of a loop."
Harry began walking again, smiling broadly at his professor. As far as he was concerned, no one could have given him a bigger compliment.
A/N: By the way, I promise not to make Harry into an all knowing all seeing perfect person. I figure that this is his new way of reacting to a death. For awhile he becomes a sort of pariah of knowledge and wisdom, then once he's had a chance to absorb it, he becomes his old self again. (There's another reason that I've done this, but you won't find out why until the sequel. Sorry!)
