Chapter 12

Additions To Dumbledore's Army

"Master," Nott said, grovelling, "master, I have brought news of the election campaign for the next Minister of Magic."

"What of it?" asked Voldemort, indignantly.

"Fudge has already lost, the campaign is most definitely between Bones and Weasley, both will be hard to control," Nott replied, bowing at his master's feet.

"Hard, but not impossible. You may go."

Nott backed away from Voldemort and left the room. Bellatrix Lestrange stepped forward.

"You know what to do," said Voldemort. Lestrange nodded and she too left the room.

"That went well," Hermione said when everyone had returned to their common room.

"Yeah, Dad's a sure winner!" Ron replied, proudly.

"I can't help think there's something wrong," said Harry, "I mean, I can't quite put my finger on it but something tells me there'll be trouble at the next campaign appearance."

"The next appearance is only in a few days, you have to be sure Harry," said Ginny.

"I know, we've got until Tuesday to be ready," replied Harry, "I need to see Snape!"

"Snape!" shouted Ron, but Harry had already left the common room.

Once Harry was out of view, Harry used his legilimency skills to find Snape and apparated right in front of him.

"Potter! What do you think you're playing at? Apparating in here like that!" shouted Snape.

"Sir, is there a spell to find out anyone who's taken a Polyjuice potion?" asked Harry.

"No, why?" replied Snape, shortly.

"A potion then? Something to counter act it?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"I have a feeling something is going to happen at the next campaign appearance. I believe Death Eaters will try and disrupt the campaign by turning up as other people as a disguise." Harry paused for a moment then spoke, "Sir? Does the dark mark disappear when taking a Polyjuice potion made from someone who hasn't got the mark?"

"Interesting Potter, very interesting and yes the mark does disappear," replied Snape, "Why do you believe Death Eaters would use Polyjuice potions instead of just apparating in?"

"If there's to be any trouble, Voldemort will want his best men to do the job. That means using people who are known to the Auror's and the Order. Those people will need to be in disguise," replied Harry.

"Very astute Potter," replied Snape.

"I've been reading the Auror training manual sir."

"Very well, I will inform the Headmaster but there's no way to detect them, unless you have any smart ideas?" Snape sneered at Harry, but he just shook his head, no.

"Sir? If you were to take some of your own hair or blood or something, then you got the mark, then made a Polyjuice potion out of your own samples would that remove the mark?" Harry asked smiling.

"Yes it would Potter, yes it would," Snape said with a smile.

Harry nodded then apparated back to the common room.

"Hermione!" Harry shouted as he entered the common room, "Do you think you'll be able to find a way of detecting a Polyjuice potion?"

"It must be possible, I'll have a look. Ginny? Can you help me?" asked Hermione. Both Hermione and Ginny got up and left the common room for the library.

"Ron? Neville? Can you two start brewing Polyjuice potions? I'll have to get hold of the ingredients first though."

"We should be able to," replied Neville. Ron just scoured at Neville.

"Good. We won't have time to brew any before the end of the elections but it might help us later. I wish I'd have thought of this before!"

"You can't think of everything mate," Ron replied.

"Can't you use Legilimency to find out who people are or what their intentions are?" asked Neville.

"I could on a small group of people but I've no chance if the same amounts of people turn up as at Hogsmeade. They'll probably be even more."

"How many potions do we need to make?" asked Ron.

"As many as possible, probably about forty-eight to start with," replied Harry.

"Forty-eight! Now I know you've gone mad!" replied Ron.

"I'm going to increase the DA to twelve members, that's only four potions per member Ron. I want to start preparing for war and before we can do that we need to do a little recognisance."

"Have you been reading that bloody manual again?"

"Yes Ron, it's very useful. I'll make a copy for all of us and hand them out when we train on Saturday." Harry started walking up to his dorm.

"You're getting worse than Moody!" Ron said under his breath, Neville snorted.

"I heard that!" shouted Harry from the top of the stairs, "Constant vigilance!"

Ron just shook his head and walked out of the common room to find Hermione. Neville went off to find Luna.

Meanwhile Harry was reading his Auror manual, cross referencing it with the Auror training programme and writing up training programmes for his AD class and his DA training sessions. It didn't take long before Harry was fast asleep, clutching his beloved manual.

"Morning sleepy head!"

"Ginny!"

"Come on, you'll miss breakfast!"

Harry got dressed quickly and made his way to the common room where everyone waited patiently. When Harry had entered the room, the group of friends made their way down to the great hall for breakfast.

"There's something strange happening," Harry said out of nowhere.

"No more strange things mate, please!" replied Ron.

"I've been reading that Auror training manual…"

"Oh no, not again," Ron interrupted.

Harry carried on, "and actually remembering every detail which is strange, but, what's even stranger is I haven't finished reading it yet but I can remember things I know I haven't read yet!" explained Harry.

"Eh?" was Ron's reply.

"I fell asleep reading it last night and I know I was only half way through it, but I can remember obscure potions and advanced training exercises that I know I haven't read yet!"

"Weird!" replied Ron.

"Mmm… That is strange, why don't you try falling asleep reading your dark arts book and see if you remember anything from that?" suggested Hermione.

"Already read that one," replied Harry.

The conversation went on with people suggesting books for Harry to read until time for classes arrived.

Classes in the morning went by slowly for Harry, as he'd already learned everything from his advanced transfiguration and charms books. Harry was becoming aware that his rate of learning had increased dramatically over the past few months and made a mental note to ask Hermione about it.

Lunch came and went quickly and both Harry and Hermione made their way to the room of requirements. When they got there, there was a little surprise waiting for them.

"Malfoy! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class?" asked Harry.

"Oh, I'm sorry Professor Potter, would you like me to leave?" asked Draco sarcastically, "Professor Snape thought I'd learn more from you than Lupin, that's why I'm here."

"That's Professor Lupin to you!" shouted Hermione.

"It's ok Hermione. Can you go to the library and carry on looking into what I asked about last night please?" asked Harry. Hermione just nodded and glared at Draco on her way out the room.

Harry summoned the customised Auror training programme he'd made for the DA, made a copy and handed it to Draco. "Here. Read this and don't skip any bit's you think are boring!"

Draco looked at the cover, "DA? I thought all that had finished?"

"No. There are a select few of us who are still in the DA. Well, actually there's eight… err… including you and Hannah… Although I err… haven't actually asked you or Hannah yet."

"Oh, who's in it then?" asked Draco.

"There's myself of course," Draco rolled his eye's, "Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Neville, Luna and you and Hannah."

"And all of you are training to be Auror's?"

"We're just using the Auror training manuals to train. The AD classes will be learning the basic stuff, just the wand work, and the DA will be learning the more advanced stuff, eventually including some potion work for those who can do it. I suggest you go off and read that manual. Make a copy of it to give to Hannah and I'll meet you both in the clearing, where I found you both, tomorrow at ten am okay?"

Draco was just about to walk through the door when Harry called him back, "One more thing Malfoy! Read chapter twenty-four before classes finish and use what it say's to protect the book from the other Slytherin's!"

Draco nodded and left the room.

Harry, now alone, thought he'd catch up on a little training himself. He thought about a big open space and the room of requirements changed to a grassy meadow perfect for his Animagus training. Harry carried on training, well, flying until he noticed that Hermione and Ginny were now in the room carrying on with their Animagus training.

Harry watched them both do their exercises and gave them the odd tip as they trained until it was time to go for dinner.

"You know, I think you two are nearly ready to find out what Animagus forms you'll take!" exclaimed Harry to Ginny and Hermione. "Did you find anything out about the Polyjuice potion?"

"No, all the books we went through either never mentioned a counter curse or potion or they just said there wasn't any counter curse or potion."

"Now, now Ginny, they said there wasn't any known counter curse or potion, not that there wasn't any."

"Alright, calm down girls!" laughed Harry.

"Who you calling 'girls'!" exclaimed Ginny, all three of them laughed.

During dinner, Harry told everyone to get an early night as the weekend's training sessions were going to be quite tough. He also asked Neville to let Luna know.

The next morning before training, Harry went around his professor's and asked if he could take the end of year tests early.

"Early! You've only been here a couple of months and you want to take them early!" exclaimed professor McGonagall.

"As long as everything is covered in the text books, I'm ready to take the Transfigurations and Charms tests. It would free up more time to study more advanced arts," explained Harry.

"Well, this is a rather funny year with sixth year students taking more N.E.W.T. level classes than normal, because of last year, and not many students giving up any classes, at least Gryffindor's and Ravenclaw's. I can certainly understand you needing more time for your extra studies." Professor McGonagall thought for a moment then said, "If you feel like you're ready to take the end of year tests, you're welcome to try. How about Monday for your Transfiguration tests?"

"Erm… I wasn't expecting them to be so soon but I'll be prepared Professor."

"Right then Mr Potter, first thing after breakfast in the great hall on Monday morning you'll take both the practical and theory tests for Transfiguration. If you want to do the Charms tests, you can arrange them with Professor Flitwick, okay?"

"Yes Professor. Thank you."

After chatting to all his professor's and deciding carefully, Harry decided to just take his Transfiguration and Charms tests. After talking with Professor Firenze, he decided to drop Divination all together to give him extra time. Firenze told Harry he could ask for help any time he needed it. He'd take his Charms tests Friday afternoon, after lunch.

After Harry's meeting with Professor McGonagall he went off for a stroll towards the clearing in the forest. He was a little early so he had time to take things easy before the hard days labour began.

Harry got to the clearing and settled down next to a tree over looking the clearing. He closed his eyes to meditate and tried to get in touch with Godric Gryffindor. He tried in the run up to Mr Weasley's appearance at Hogsmeade but was unable to contact him. This time was no different.

"Harry mate, you okay?" asked Ron.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just relaxing before starting the training," Harry lied. Hermione look at Harry sceptically but said nothing.

Just then, Ginny, Neville and Luna appeared. Harry jumped up, eager to start before Hermione starts questioning him, "Right everyone I'm going to split you up into two teams and I'll be changing the teams around as we go on through the day, okay?" Everyone nodded. "First team, Ron and Hermione. You two are the Auror's. The rest are the Death Eaters. It's the Auror's job, in this little role playing game, to capture this territory and obviously it's the Death Eaters job to protect it. Both teams can use whatever means necessary to achieve there goal except using any curses or hexes or anything that causes any severe or irreversible harm. Everyone okay?", everyone nodded, "Good. Auror's in the forest, Death Eaters on your guard. I'll give both teams ten minutes to plan, then start. Off you all go!"

Harry watched Ron and Hermione go off in the forest and Ginny spoke, "how are we suppose to guard this entire area? It's huge!"

Harry tried to give Ginny a clue, "you can use all you're knowledge from your other subjects like Transfigurations and also anything you may have read recently. You don't have to guard the whole area." Harry knew Ginny would figure out what to do so he thought it time to go and find Draco and Hannah.

Harry entered the clearing where Draco and Hannah where and cleared his throat, "this is not a snog fest, if it was I'm sure you'd win, but it's not!"

"Remind me why we're here again?" Draco asked annoyed at the intrusion.

Hannah punched Draco in the arm, "We should help Harry get rid of you-know-who! Just cause your father is out of the picture now doesn't mean you're safe, you're still a Malfoy!"

"I'm sorry, you're right. I suppose the Dark Lord will never stop trying to get me to join him." Draco turned to Harry, "Alright, what do you want us to do?"

"Can you apparate?" Harry asked Draco.

"Father taught me in the summer."

"Right, you're on target practice while I teach Hannah how to apparate." Harry waved his hand and three moving targets appeared, "the incantation is brevis calamus promitto. After you've mastered the arrows, try other curses, hexes and jinxes, okay?"

Draco nodded and set straight to work. Harry apparated Hannah and himself to another clearing and started teaching her the advanced apparition techniques the others had learned. He was relieved when Draco said he could apparate, Harry didn't know whether to trust Draco with his advanced apparition just yet.

After ten minutes of explaining how to apparate, Harry set Hannah off meditating to clear her mind and apparated to see how the Auror's verses Death Eaters game was getting on. He found that the Death Eaters were holding out on the Auror's quite nicely, but, the Auror's should be doing better.

He quickly apparated to Draco and watched him hit the targets with amazing accuracy and apparated to Hannah.

Hannah took a little longer to master the apparition than the rest of Harry's team, with the exception of Ron, but the meditation exercises helped. Harry decided it was time for Hannah to go back to Draco and start target practice.

Harry and Hannah apparated to where Draco was still practicing and watched him on the sidelines before approaching him. Draco had managed to charm the targets to fire his curses back at him so he would have to move out of the way. Once or twice he got hit by his own curses but managed to remove the curses from himself.

"Well done… to the both of you!" Harry exclaimed. Draco looked pleased with himself. "Can you show Hannah what you've been doing while I go and check on the others please?" Draco nodded and Harry apparated back to where Hermione and Ron were.

Hermione and Ron had managed to capture Ginny, Neville and Luna and were waiting patiently for Harry.

"Where've you been, we've been waiting ages?" Ron asked.

"Oh, sorry. Got a couple of recruits I've been training up," replied Harry.

"Who?" asked Ron.

"Draco and Hannah, and before you start complaining, I thought they could do with some training even if it's just to protect themselves. Draco doesn't want to be a Death Eater and he does seem to be a better person now his father is out of his life. Anyway, why did it take you so long to capture the area?"

Hermione and Ron looked at each other. "They put up wards and shields to protect the area," replied Hermione.

"Why didn't you apparate in?"

"Didn't think of that," replied Ron.

"Right, all of you protect this area. I'll give you fifteen minutes and then I'll try and capture the area from you, okay?" Everyone nodded and Harry apparated away.

"We need a plan, and quickly!" Hermione exclaimed.

"We need to put up as many wards and shields as possible to block physical and mental attacks," Ginny suggested.

"Mental attacks?" asked Ron confused.

"Yes, Harry will be able to use his skills in finding out where we all are. We need to block him somehow," Ginny said.

Meanwhile, back at Draco and Hannah's clearing …

Harry watched as Draco taught Hannah how to move, block and fire curses. She was doing extremely well and also worked extremely well with Draco.

With watching Draco and Hannah, Harry had second thoughts about not teaching Draco advanced apparition. Harry walked up to them both, "you two are doing really well! Hannah, can you teach Draco the advanced apparition I showed you earlier?"

"I'll give it a go Harry," replied Hannah. Harry smiled and apparated back to the edge of the clearing, ready to engage the Death Eaters, well, his friends posing as Death Eaters.

"Harry's here!" Ginny exclaimed.

"How do you know?" asked Ron.

"I can feel him!"

"I don't want to know!"

Everyone chuckled.

Hermione and Ginny prepared to strengthen the wards and shields whilst Ron and Neville kept lookout for Harry and prepared to send curses his way. Luna stayed in the middle ready to counter any curses that hit anyone.

Harry transformed his insides into his golden griffin form to better protect himself against any curses, something he'd learned about from his little book on Magical Animagi, and began his assault.

Harry tried to get his mind inside the structure the 'Death Eaters' had erected but was unable to for some reason. 'Probably a ward or shield' Harry thought. He circled around the structure to see if he could see any potential weakness but the structure seemed quite solid. He tried apparating in the structure and nearly succeeded but Ginny and Hermione were too quick and erected a strong anti apparition ward which stopped Harry materialising inside and forced him back out.

Harry then apparated to the edge of the clearing, just out of sight, and started blasting the structure with Bombarder curses. Apparating all around the structure firing curses made it look like there were more assailants than there were.

Ron and Neville were having trouble seeing Harry because he'd only appear for a second before apparating away again.

Harry tried apparating inside the structure again only to be deflected once more. 'Hermione and Ginny are doing a good job,' he thought to himself, 'I'll have to find out how they did that!' referring to the anti apparition ward.

Harry decided on a change of tactics, he transformed fully into his animagus form and took to the sky. He flew over the clearing and landed on the structure with his friends inside. As soon as he landed he transformed back and started blasting the roof. It wasn't long before there was a hole big enough for him to drop inside. He dropped inside and took out Hermione and Ginny then turned on Ron and Neville, disabling them easily. Luna who was out of sight freed Ginny who then used her Legilimency skills to break through Harry's mental barrier just enough for Luna to free Hermione, who then surrounded Harry with a kind of bubble prison.

Every time Harry tried to fire a curse, it rebound straight back at him and eventually Harry collapsed in a heap on the floor.

Hermione lifted the bubble and Luna rushed to Harry's side to perform some healer diagnostics checks she'd learned. Harry was okay but drained. Ginny lifted the remaining wards and shields and Draco came rushing in with Hannah quickly behind.

"What's going on here?" Draco asked urgently.

"A training exercise. Harry lost!" Ginny explained.

"Wow!" was all Hannah could say, Draco was speechless.

Just then Dobby appeared with Winky and started running around Harry. "Is Harry Potter sir okay?" Dobby asked.

"I'm fine Dobby, thanks," Harry replied.

Dobby and Winky then set up a dinner table with eight places and everyone took a seat.

"That was some exercise!" Ron exclaimed.

"You all did really well, as I knew you would," Harry replied, "how did you erect that anti-apparition ward?"

"It was a standard anti-apparition ward strengthened with a banishing charm," Hermione said proudly.

"Excellent!" Harry exclaimed, "I'll have to find a way around that one!"

"I've no doubt you will!" replied Ginny.

The chatter around the table slowly died down enough for everyone to eat the lunch Dobby and Winky made for them. After they'd all eaten, they all went back outside into the clearing and lay down on the grass in the autumn sun.

Harry was still drained and the others were tired from the last exercise. They were all happy to just lay there and do nothing for a while.

After about an hour, Harry got everyone up again for one final exercise.

"You all did really well this morning, a few things took me by surprise but that won't happen again! The idea of these exercises is to find new ways to disable our opponents and Hermione did just that. I suggest everyone gathers around Hermione and learns how to use that bubble spell, I have a feeling it will come in handy!"

The next half an hour was spend with Hermione showing everyone the bubble spell she used on Harry. Harry was keen to understand how it worked so she wouldn't be able to use it against him again. It worked on a similar principle to a large magical bubblegum bubble which feeds on and spells directed at it from within.

Harry then got everyone to test the bubble on each other in one on one duels. Harry wanted to test a theory he'd come up with so he went up against Hermione first.

Everyone was surprised to see Hermione casting spells without any incantations and watched intently as the bubble was cast around Harry once again. Harry immediately retaliated with meditation. Hermione was concentrating with her wand pointing at the bubble, wondering what Harry was going to do. Everyone else was staring between Hermione and Harry, also wondering what Harry was going to do. Harry just stood there, then, quick as a flash Harry jumped through the bubble and hit Hermione with a Stupefy spell.

"Bloody hell Harry you did it!" exclaimed Ron.

"No need to be happy about it!" replied Hermione.

"As the bubble feeds on any spells you cast at it, the best way to defeat it is to do nothing and let it grow weak. Once it's weak enough you should be able to use physical strength to burst through it," explained Harry, "simple really. It's a really good charm and I'm sure it will work really well on Death Eaters."

"Yeah, they'll probably try and use the killing curse to blast through it and end up killing themselves or at the very least knock themselves out with a bombarder curse," said Draco.

"Exactly!" replied Harry.

Everyone then started practicing against each other using the technique Harry used.

When everyone had managed to get out of the bubble, they all made their way back to the castle, all except Draco and Hannah who stayed in the forest.

"Draco doesn't seem all that bad now does he?" asked Ginny as she and Harry walked out of the forest towards Hagrid's hut.

"No. I don't know exactly why he's changed but I felt that something significant happen over the summer to him. I could have just read his mind but I won't do that to anyone unless absolutely necessary. I'm sure he'll tell us when he feels up to it," replied Harry.

They reached Hagrid's hut and knocked on the door. Hagrid opened the door wearing a frilly piny as he'd been cooking again. Ginny and Harry looked at each other as if they expected having to eat one of Hagrid's rock cakes.

"Come in, come in!" exclaimed Hagrid.

The two of them entered Hagrid's hut and sat down on his extremely large armchair while Hagrid prepared a plate of rock cake's for them. Ginny and Harry once again exchanged worried glances.

"Wha' brings you two 'ere then?" asked Hagrid.

"Just visiting to see how you are," replied Ginny.

"Jus' keepin' me self busy tha's all. 'ere you are, try one o' these. It's a new recipe!"

Ginny and Harry cautiously accepted one of Hagrid's rock cakes. Harry stared at Ginny who took a bite. "Mmm, this is nice Hagrid," and smiled at Harry who then took a bite of his rock cake.

"I 'ere you're taking you're end o' year test's early Harry?" asked Hagrid.

"Oh? You never told me!" exclaimed Ginny.

"Oh, sorry Gin, I forgot with training an all. Yes Hagrid, I'm taking my Transfiguration tests on Monday and my Charms tests on Friday. I'll have to spend most of tomorrow revising I suppose."

"I'm sure Hermione will help you," suggested Ginny.

After a short while of talking to Hagrid, the two of them headed off back to the castle and back to their dorms, taking some of Hagrid's rock cakes back for Ron.

That night, after tea, Harry sat in a corner of the common room with his Transfiguration books laid out in front of him going through the course curriculum that Professor McGonagall gave him. He had to make sure he read and understood everything.

"Harry? Why don't you try going to sleep with those books tonight to see if the same thing happens as with the Auror training books?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, thanks Hermione. I'll do that but I'll still carry on in case it doesn't work," replied Harry.

Everyone kept quiet around Harry for the rest of the night as they all knew how important it was for Harry to keep focused on his up and coming tests.

The next morning at breakfast Harry came into the great hall with a big smile on his face.

"You okay mate?" asked Ron.

"Yeah, it worked like last time! I remember everything in those Transfiguration books, every one of them!" exclaimed Harry as he sat down at the table.

"Great, you'll have to figure out how you do it and let me know!" replied Ron.

"I think we all could do with knowing how to do that!" replied Neville.

"It's a good job it worked, I've got my exams on Monday! I'll have to see Dumbledore some time and see if he knows why or how I can do it. I'll go and see him after breakfast," replied Harry.

Sure enough, after breakfast, Harry wandered down to corridors to see Professor Dumbledore. He reached the gargoyle guarding the entrance to his office and the gargoyle stepped to the side for Harry without him having to utter the password.

When Harry got to the top of the moving staircase, the door to the headmasters office swung open and Harry entered.

"Ah, Harry. Good morning," said Professor Dumbledore.

Harry looked around the office. Molly Weasley was sobbing gently by the fireplace and Arthur Weasley paced the office with a morbid look on his face.

"What happened?" asked Harry.

Dumbledore answered, "The Burrow was attacked and destroyed in the early hours of the morning Harry."