Chapter six – the evil that men do
Dumbledore's voice rang through the hall, no one spoke, no one really moved; everyone was in black and long black curtains hung from where the tapestries normally would
"The good that men do often turns with their bones, but the evil that men do lives on; Victoria Sinstra was a greatly talented teacher and a wonderful person, who I was lucky enough to work with…" Harry stared into nothing, his eyes unfocused he couldn't believe another life was lost, it may have only been one, but it was still too many.
Harry raised his glass to toast the deceased but he couldn't eat, not really after this. She had died when a death eater struck her head with the killing curse, she had no chance.
"Do you see now why you need this? The magical world is under attack, by our own kind, and while you may think this is all games, its not, I've fought, I've seen it, I know what its like to be there, to see your friends killed, your friends tortured and injured. I know what its like to have to hurt someone, to know its you or them, I know what its like to kill… right showers then off to next lesson, homework is to read up on the several shield charms, also if you want to get in my good books, meaning points, you might want to try some of them" Harry went walking to the shower block to make sure all the students were going to leave on time when he felt a tap on his shoulder he spun around to see one of the students from the class he had just taught and to his surprise the fifth year said
"My brother knows you"
"What!" Harry said, caught off guard
"My brother knows you" he repeated, in an Irish accent
"You're William Finnegan right?"
"Yes, professor"
"And you're from Ireland?"
"That's right" he said
"You're not Seamus' brother are you?"
"Yeah, I am" he said grinning "he told me about something, the DA was it?" Harry nodded "professor, I know a lot of people who want more training that we get in classes, can you restart it?"
"Hmm, Harry said he hadn't thought of the DA for a long time, but the members were still close, he knew most of them were in the order and would help him if he needed it
I'll have to ask the headmaster, but I think I should be able to…"
After Dumbledore had given his go ahead for the club Harry decided he would make the announcement at dinner that night, so he stood at his place at the table and shouted
"I would like to make an announcement… after the attack last Saturday I have had a request to restart an after school defence club which I taught when I was a student here, the first meeting will be tonight to get an idea on numbers, it will be held in my class room at six o'clock, that is all thank you"
Harry got to the class room at quarter to six, waiting, he moved all the desks to the side of the room with a wave of his hands and then conjured more chairs for the students to sit on. At five past six, the class was full to capacity, Harry having to stand in the doorway to his office to fit in or be seen.
"Ok, now, this is more like it, I wasn't expecting this much but I am delighted, you all know why you are here? You" he said pointing at a student
"Why are we here?"
"To learn to defend ourselves" said the tall blonde seventh year who he recognised
"Well, Richard, the last time I saw you, you were a small lad, what happened?"
"Grew a bit sir"
"About that, in the DA you call me Harry. Ok, I'm not your professor here and I think it makes it easier in battle anyway, because as soon as you put on the uniforms I am going to order, and Dumbledore is going to pay for" there was a polite ripple of laughter "right then, as we have to start somewhere, lets change the venue, he said, everyone outside to the fight zone" as the group went out of the door, Harry took their names, and had write a register, thinking all along that this was a much better set up than the Hog's Head.
"Now" he shouted making sure he was herd by everyone "now, I have some spells but a part of the DA is the team work, so, I would like you to all tell me a spell you could use in a duel, ok? Right, you Thompson, name a spell o could use to stop someone running at me"
"Trip jinx?" the boy replied
"Good, 5 points to Hufflepuff" Harry said, the sun was going down now and he decided it was time to pack up and leave it for tonight just as Harry was about to make his way back up to the castle he caught a glimpse of movement in the corner of his eyes, his seeking honed sight caught it up and he turned to see a man stood on the gable of the fight house, his robes twitching in the cool winds Harry drew his wand and took cover behind the smashed up form of a fountain.
"Show yourself or ill fire on you"
The shadowy figure jumped from the rooftop and landed next to Harry, extending a large hand to pull him up
"Don't worry, kid, next time I'll announce myself before scaring you"
"Oh you" Harry said, looking up at the man and taking his hand and lifting himself up.
"So, we were never introduced, sorry it was rude of me" he said "I'm Baldur, Baldur Romanov."
How come you're here?"
"Dumbledore wanted me to start to recruit people into a permanent fighting force, to protect the school and the good wizards; he thought I was the bloke to do it, given my talents"
"Yeah I saw you were a good fighter, what with the jumping and everything"
"I'm going to be straight with you Harry, I'm not what you think I am, shit, I'm not even sure what I am. I am the seventh brother, and my father was the seventh brother, the oldest of which being Remus' Dad. You know what that means, don't you"
"You're the seventh son of a seventh son?"
"Exactly. I'm basically a good or 'white' vampire I have the power to heal, I have the gift of second sight, I also have enhanced strength, and agility, as my 'special' purpose in life is to fight, and help the powers of good." Harry was looking quite shocked at this revelation, Baldur saw this and said "don't worry, I'm a vampire in all but practice, the only liquid I drink and I shouldn't is my own whiskey" and he let out a deep laugh "and I'm not gonna be legging it at the first sing of light neither"
He was just about to walk off, when Harry remembered something
"What about the fire?" Harry asked "many years ago, I had a bit of a relationship with a Veela she decided she liked me so much that she would give me a gift, so she tried to burn me, but because of my family tree, she found that she passed on her power to me, and now she's just a normal human, I think she models in London now… see you later Harry he said, and went around the corner, walking with his thick black robes pulled back, his hands linked behind his back, chest plate glinting in the dim light of the corridors as he went.
Harry and Ginny lay in the front garden of their house, Harry supporting his self on his elbows, Ginny lying facing him, her head resting on his chest. Both of them watching their daughter lying on her back, looking up and playing with a mobile of hippogriffs and unicorns that hagrid had made her. They lay there for most of the evening, Harry thinking how he should do some marking, it was amazing that Harry had never thought of teachers having to do this task, as he had realised to his horror it was what they did most of the time. Finally, Harry decided it was time to do some work; he could have stayed that way forever, but he doubted Dumbledore would be pleased if he got no work done. He was just about to get up; something he had been telling himself for an hour or so, when he herd a voice behind him
"Not disturbing the happy couple am I?"
"What?" Harry said, startled and looking up to see Baldur stood towering over him, this time wearing robes of a deep midnight blue, his shoulder length light brown hair tucked behind his ears and his sword's hilt on plain view, the gold tip glinting in the orange glow of the sunset. "Oh, hi, how you doing?" Harry asked
"I'm all right, here begging though, can I ask a massive favour?"
"Yeah sure what is it?" Harry said
"id like to help with the DA, Dumbledore wanted me to start a force, and with that and a few order members, I think we could have a good thing going, we need to protect the school look what happened with the giants, what would it be next, the Dememtors, I had enough of them when I was in that place, never mind now I'm free"
"Yeah, that'll be no problem; I was going to ask your help with a few sessions anyway, you and a few others in the order and the old DA"
"Ok then Harry, I'm gonna be getting off, leave you two to do as you both see fit, I'll see you at tomorrows meeting"
"Yeah see you there" Harry said, and without further comment, Baldur bent his knees launched himself in the air and was flying towards the castle, Harry watched him land on a balcony on what he knew was the teacher's apartments.
He sat, looking grimly over what they had just told him, the spirits of past and future were always right, he knew they were, but not this time, there was no way he would let them the power to see the future was rare, and often unfair, but it was this that would make him change it, he had to change it. He pushed his hand through his hair and felt the grease, he needed a shower. He stood up, looking over his quarters, a dark room, the studded oak door at one end and the large balconied window at the other, the walls plastered with pictures of his wife and son, the same age as Annie he had soft black hair and light blue eyes , he missed them both dearly, his large four poster bed lay to the opposite wall, perfectly made the red bed spread lay on top of it, the table next to the window was home of his chess set, on one of the high backed chairs facing a large fire place, decorated with the antlers of a deer attached above the roaring fire that was heating the room. His wardrobe stood closed, next to a manikin draped with his armour, chest plate shoulder pads and his shield, which he didn't really use, but it was there, bearing the crest of his family, a family he had tried so long to avoid but one that appeared, no matter how he tried. His eldest brother, Aylwin dead, killed by the order his youngest, Randwin, also dead. The other four still at large. There wasn't a week with out a headline about the Romanov brothers. Ether Valtin, Odo, Alcuin or Erasmus was on the front of the Prophet for killing a muggle family, or torturing a muggle-born wizard. He wasn't this, the people tarred him with this brush but he knew he wasn't like his brothers. True he fought like them. But he didn't do it for pleasure; he wasn't doing it for any reason other that good. And he knew that this duty was his until death, whether he wanted it or not.
Harry rolled over as the sun peeped into his bedroom, unhooking his arm from around Ginny's slender waist he peered out onto the grounds of Hogwarts, The forbidden forest showing specks of red and orange in the mass or green. He turned back to his beautiful sleeping wife, only seeing her vivid red hair and her form, her chest rising and falling as she slept. Harry wrapped his dressing gown around him and walked downstairs, the stone floor of the kitchen was cold, showing the time of year it was fast approaching, Halloween was only about two weeks away, and it astounded Harry how fast it had gone. He sat on a chair, drinking tea and listening to the morning radio show when he herd a tap at the window, seeing a beautiful barn owl tapping at the window, he walked over, opened the window and put the money in the pouch on her leg. He went back to his tea and unfolded the paper to see four familiar and similar looking wizards on the front, each looking straight ahead, as if he had had his portrait taken. They all looked snobbish and seemed affluent by the look of the background on the painting, and the way they were dressed, looking like pictures Harry had seen in his primary school of the Victorian royal family, underneath the pictures was the headline
ROMANOV BROTHERS TERRORISE VILAGE
Twelve muggles and over twenty wizards dead, more inside
Harry turned the page to see a large picture, taking up half a page, or a scene of utter destruction; smoke billowing from fires the remains of houses toppling over and in the foreground several bodies lit up by a mark, not the dark mark though, more a crest, a two headed eagle its legs flared outwards and its tongue rippled, as if it was in mid screech, behind it there was the hilt of a sword, and underneath it, the point, curious, Harry thought as he began to read
Probably the most notorious set of four wizards ever to walk the earth last night fed their blood lust, proving they are back from their family lines native country, and they are not messing around. It is thought that the brothers have been hiding in St. Petersburg, to avoid the aurors of the Order Of The Phoenix and those of Both the Russian Magical Constabulary and their Brit counterparts. The Romanov brothers, descendants of Russia's Tsars are now back in England, the country the members of the wizard dynasty of their family adopted as a home when Vladimir Lenin (a muggle revolutionary) took over the country. Their family is thought to have re-claimed some of their palaces after the downfall of the 'communist' regime, but it was depleted, the royal line killed off and any of their supporters also murdered. The boys, middle sons of seven, are now thought to be in the Weymouth area of the country and the minister of magic, Madam Bones issued the following statement
"The brothers are in the country and they were responsible for last night's atrocities, we do not condone these and will be taking fast action. Albus Dumbledore has ensured to me that the four were not at the attack on Hogsmeade and Hogwarts and indeed your children will not be in any danger. The ministry do stress, however, display extreme caution until the criminals are caught. Thank you and if you don't mind, I have rather a lot on my plate at the minute, as you can imagine, goodnight"
The family are not with Malfoy, as the dark mark was not thrown into the sky after the attack, but the ancient crest of the Romanovs, this shows that, as with the last time they reared their heads, it is in opposition to another Dark lord rising, don't let this lead you into a sense of heroics though, they are not interested in fighting as a good force, but are fighting to out do the other group and will undoubtedly try to form their own army of followers. The whole of the Romanov family went to get their education at St Petersburg's private Romanov School of Magical Education, a highly prestigious and selective magical school, where students are invited and have to pay an annual sum of over 14, 000 galleons for the whole education there. They were all top of their class and they attended there with the rest of their brothers, Aylwin, Randwin their youngest brother Baldur Romanov went missing as a child and is thought to be dead. For more on the Romanov family tree turn to page 6 for a list of those thought dead and those still missing turn to page 9.
Harry stopped reading. His mind suddenly linked it all Baldur Romanov! He was their brother, he had recognised the name.
Harry was deep in thought as he felt the slight pressure of two arms slip around his waist and their owners kiss him on the back of his head.
"Morning" Ginny whispered to him
"Hi" he said, turning around and kissing her on the lips.
Ginny leant back looking deep into his eyes; she always seemed to know what was going on behind them
"What's up?" she said, a concerned look growing on her face
"Read this" he said, giving her the newspaper.
Harry walked into the great hall, not for breakfast but to see if the headmaster had any news for him and he met an almost visible wall of silence. The wizards killed had been family of students here, all of them, and it showed, black donned the walls again and the only noise was from the clinking of cutlery of the occasional scrape of a chair. Harry went to take his place at the top table, pouring himself a drink and getting a piece of toast he went into Dumbledore's mind
"Headmaster" he said "what's going to happen?"
"That Harry, is something we need to discuss, come with me to your class room please"
Harry followed the old wizard to his class room and he leant on a desk, Dumbledore conjured himself a chair and sat.
"we are going to put on extra defence lessons Harry, we will be postponing subjects like muggle studies and we will be taking time from others like care of magical creatures we don't think that this is an attack against Malfoy, we fear that he had brought in the mercenaries, and this Harry is not good, not good at all."
Harry herd a noise behind him and saw Baldur appear behind him, from in the shadows.
"My brothers are greedy Harry, and they enjoy killing, a value my father made sure would be instilled into their mentality, I am not like them. As soon as I was born, Dumbledore saw the need to keep me away from that life, so he had me live with his brother. I am going to help you take the extra lessons and I will be bringing my family to live in the grounds." Seeing the look on Harry's face he added "my wife and son Harry, not my brothers or uncles"
"right then, we need to know how to protect ourselves out of school too, and as you cant do magic, what can we use?" you!" Baldur shouted at the sleepy looking fifth year
"Erm, guns?"
"Good, five points, but they're too noisy and highly illegal, we need silence"
A students hand shot up into the air
"Right then, you with your hand up"
"Bows?"
"Ten points, were getting there were getting there, we will be using bows later, but what can you use, think hand held, think knights"
"Swords!" one student shouted
"Yes! That's right young lady, fifteen points for you. Now swords are silent, they're quick and if used right they're damned effective."
He drew his wand; made of a black wood it was highly polished and quite thick, although still long. He pointed it at several life sized puppets at the far end of hedged aria, almost all defence lessons took place outside now, after being taught totally theoretical lessons by Umbridge, Harry thought practical lessons would not only benefit the students' duelling capabilities, but their fitness also, as this was key in fighting.
"Right, swords there and enemies there he said, waving his wand at the puppets, making them jump up and start to walk towards the students. "I want to see how good they are before we start to train them" he whispered to Harry.
There was a real gulf in the skills of the students, some were already quite good, but others were absolutely useless, and needed to build their strength before they would be able to fight. Harry decided he would take the students who were already good and work on their general fitness, while his colleague would work on sword skills with those who weren't good. As they now had four lessons a week, they would do two lessons then swap around, making it a balanced curriculum.
"Ok" Harry said after he and Baldur had discussed who would go with whom "those of you on the left of Speight come with me" he said, as he set off on a gentle jog around the lake. After they had jogged for about ten minutes they began to reach the forest. And were just going into the tree line, when Harry stopped, he was going to teach them skills as well as just getting them fit. When he stopped in a small clearing, he saw several of the students panting, and he conjured water bottles, that would clip onto their belts
"Bring them to every lesson" he instructed the class.
"Right, I'm going to teach you something that was very useful to me, and will be to you."
Harry jumped up, ran up the side of a tree then jumped spun in the air to face the other way and caught the branch of another tree, then gently let himself drop onto his feet, to the dumbstruck audience of students.
"all you have to do is think 'I can do this' and you will" line up and we'll all try it, remember what to think"
As this was the last lesson of the day, Harry spent until way past the bell practicing this with the students, and it seemed Baldur had done the same, as they were still fighting the dummies as Harry and the rest of the class ran up the lawns to meet their class mates at the top near the fighting house. He arrived to see him giving a talk; all the students had their swords in their scabbards and were all listening intently
"… I've charmed these, so there's no point in trying to attack anyone in school. If I see any of you messing about with them ill have you in detention with me, ok? Showers now GO" he shouted, throwing a hex at them to make them go faster.
"Good lesson?" he asked
"Yeah really good" Harry replied "I think were going to have quire an army here when were finished"
"Mmm" replied Baldur, lost in thought
Harry returned home that evening to see a parcel on his kitchen table, the sun was setting earlier and earlier as the winter approached and it was only early evening but it was already dark, the only light coming from the lamp left on, Ginny was up stairs bathing their daughter and Harry shouted up the stairs to them
"Hello? I'm home"
"Hi Harry," he herd in between splashes and giggles from Annie "there's something on the table for you I'll be down in a minute"
Harry walked over to the table, thinking what it could be, not a broom, he had one, he couldn't think what else it could be, lost he decided to open it, dobby came to him and gave him a drink as he sat down to look into the mysterious gift. Ginny came down and sat next to him, kissing his cheek and tying the dressing gown tighter around her otherwise naked body.
"Well, open it"
Harry did this, to see the hilt of a sword, gleaming, he realised the hilt was made of oak, but with a gold top and a steel cross bar to protect his hands. He drew the rest of the sword to see it was in a scabbard, made of shaped leather it was brown and had a snake running down it, the tip of the tail at the point of the sword and the opening in the top of it shaped like a snakes mouth and head, in each of the eyes, Harry saw was a black diamond as Harry looked in the box, he saw a belt and a note addressed to him, he opened the envelope and read;
Dear Harry,
Were still cleaning the HQ and in one of the top bedrooms we found this, we think it was Sirius' we found a picture of him holding it when he was younger. Those aside, how are you! We haven't herd from you in ages, and I thought I'd better check up on you. Did the advice I gave you help at all? How are Ginny and the little one?
Anyway, were still tackling a particular nasty Misky-pous infestation, the little buggers don't want to give up their nest in the attic for love now money, everyone this end is fine, were all doing well and we hope to hear from you soon.
With love,
Moony
As Harry re-read this, Ginny suddenly got up and walked over to the window, opening it she allowed an owl entry to the room.
"Ethelred" she said seemingly confused. "Bill's owl"
"it looks posh" Harry replied, nodding to the envelope Ginny took it from the owl's leg and pointed to Hedwig's perch outside, so it could get a drink, before leaving
Harry walked over to the kettle and tapped it with his wand, making steam shoot out of the funnel just as Ginny let out a loud squeal ran over and bear hugged Harry still clutching the letter and now crying
"What is it?" Harry asked, barely able to breathe
"It's Bill and Tonks. They're getting married!"
"Oh wow!" Harry said, a grin forcing its self onto his face.
A/N well, that was chapter 7 quite a long one, I got a wee but frustrated with the whole writing process, the lack of reviews doesn't really help, they fuel a fanfic writer, so if you do read this, please review it, it would make my day
HBP tonight wooop! Simon.