Chapter Nineteen
Orientation
It was rare that Ron felt a sense of déjà vu. But that morning at the end of August, Ron had that feeling and he wasn't sure if he liked it. It was the feeling he had only once in his life: the day that he first stepped into Hogwarts Castle as a naïve eleven-year-old. All the uncertainty and the excitement of walking into a new environment were churning his stomach to knots.
"Relax, Ron. We're going to be fine," Harry reassured him as they stepped inside the Auror Headquarters at the Ministry.
Fine for him maybe, Ron thought. He still envied Harry sometimes for being more self-assured. Still, he was glad that a little bit of Harry's confidence was coursing through him so he didn't look too nervous.
After Hermione left, Harry and Ron kept themselves busy for the next two weeks moving into their new home, practicing spells and getting as much flying time as they could. Hermione flooed and owled almost everyday to tell them about her studies. She was staying for three months at some Indian school of magic (neither Harry nor Ron bothered to learn how to pronounce its name) before moving on to the next school to learn about various healing practices in the region. Her latest letter said she was still starting to get over her culture shock then she rattled on about souls, reincarnation and famous Indian mystics. Both boys managed to tune out most of the details of her new lessons after reading her letter. What was important was that she was safe and enjoying herself, which she clearly was. Her leaving still hurt, but they slowly got used to the idea of her living far away. She did make up for it by giving regular updates of her life.
They received their acceptance owl for the Auror Academy the afternoon that Hermione left. It included their list of new books and required set of uniforms (plain grey robes and black boots). It was not the first time that Ron was grateful for inheriting Harry's and Sirius' fortune. It ensured that he didn't get anything second hand. His robes fit perfectly for once and he no longer owned anything tattered and worn. He had promised himself that he and Harry would prove to everyone, particularly Chief Atalanta, that they were really deserving of being a part of the Auror force. So it was essential that he put up a good impression by looking presentable on their very first day.
They found a number of the new recruits waiting at the Auror office. Ron approached Alicia who was talking animatedly to a short boy with strawberry blond hair. The boy laughed with a high pitch. It was too high to be male and he realized it was the French girl, Fleur's friend from Beauxbatons. She had her hair cut so short she reminded him of Madam Hooch.
"Ron, you made it!" Alicia exclaimed.
"Of course he did, he's the Boy-Who-Survived," someone behind him said. Ron turned to face the Hufflepuff boy that he met on the staircase before. "How could he not get in?" he looked at Ron. "That thing you did during the exam was amazing!"
"Er… thanks," said Ron. His ears turned red at the compliment but he was extremely pleased. He was ready to launch a blow-by-blow account of their exams when Harry chided him.
"Don't get too smug about it," Harry warned.
"I wasn't going to--"
"Yes, you were."
"No, I'm not."
"Ron, I know you too well. And it's not that I'm stopping you for the sake of just stopping you. Just remember, nobody else is supposed to know I'm still here so don't slip up when you want to give out details."
"All right, I won't say anything."
"I've never seen anything like that," the boy continued. "How did you manage to work with two wands?"
"Careful," Harry warned again.
"Your other wand Ron," Alicia interrupted. "Wasn't that Harry's old one? I remember seeing it when we practiced at the D.A."
"Yeah," Ron replied uncomfortably. "I kept it after he… you know, in honor of his memory. I played around with it and it seemed to work with me too," he quickly added. Ron and Harry had been instructed to be discreet when anyone questioned about their double-wand capability. The Daily Prophet had already published a rumor that Ron gained increased powers after Voldemort's defeat based on the eye-witnesses that saw him perform two spells in St. Mungo's. Moody, Chief Atalanta and Dumbledore decided to propagate that rumor in case any of the Aurors pried further about their unique abilities—which no doubt will show through the course of training. The official story they agreed on was that some of Harry's powers had transferred on Ron when he used his wand though they didn't know how exactly it happened.
"I've never known anyone who can work two spells at the same time, much more two wands," said the boy. "I didn't think it was possible."
"Indeed, someone ought to rewrite zome of the magical texts," a lazy smooth voice drawled from behind them. The tall French boy that they saw during the exam sauntered in front of them in his impeccably neat Auror robes. He held out his hand for Ron to shake.
"Orion de Lancre," he said. Ron noticed that unlike Fleur, his French accent wasn't as pronounced as hers. "I must admit, I doubted those news reports about your rather unique gifts in spell casting. Your daily paper I find is not zo reliable in the past. Don't you agree?"
Ron nodded, unsure of how to take in this sudden show of civility. He didn't accept his offered handshake and the boy withdrew his hand as if it was no consequence.
"But when I saw you during exam, I found the rumors were true. You do have quite… a different talent. Could you perhaps enlighten us to why you possezz such skills, Wezley?"
If it were anyone else who had asked, Ron and Harry would immediately tell them of the excuse they made up. But there was something about this wizard's sinister dark eyes that told them they should withhold any information, whether true or otherwise, about themselves. Plus, there's the additional insult of mispronouncing Ron's name.
"I don't really know, er… Lancry," Harry replied. "It's quite a mystery to me too."
Ron caught the faint traces of annoyance in the boy's face at Harry's mutilation of his name. But he kept his head high at them. "Well, perhaps we shall never find out then," he said.
"Yes, I suppose so," said Harry. "But let's stop talking about me. It's the best time to make introductions with the others." He turned his attention to the former Hufflepuff boy.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I haven't introduced myself. I'm John Dee by the way. I've got a boring name but I can't get rid of it. Just call me JD, everyone does."
"You are a muggle-born then?" de Lancre raised his eyebrow.
"Well, yes," he said. He didn't seem to notice the French boy's disdain. "I'm the first person in my family to be a wizard. But one of older sisters is getting married to a wizard we met in Diagon Alley when she took me there the first time. Reckon it will be quite a shock to our other relatives."
"I would not be surprized if it would be a shock too to the poor groom's family. If you'll excuse me." He walked away to join Padma and Blaise Zabini.
"What is his problem?" Ron snorted.
The French girl answered him, "De Lancres are one of ze well-known pure-blood families in France. They still look zown on pure-blood and muggle intermarriages."
"I've heard about the de Lancres," said Alicia. "They're ancient and they're perfectly pure-blood. They're bloodline goes even farther back than the Malfoys. The Lestranges and the Blacks are more their equals."
"So they were also followers with You-Know-Who?" JD asked. He eyed de Lancre doubtfully.
"No," said the French girl. "Zey did not take sides during the war like many families in France. Very few did, like ze De la Coeurs. My friend Fleur was zere during ze war. You know her?" she asked Ron.
Harry nodded. "Yes, she told me about you. Madeleine Dindarte, isn't it?"
"Oui, Ronald Weazley," she looked quite pleased that Ron knew her name. She couldn't help but eye his scar and Ron suddenly felt self-conscious. Harry though, felt nothing of it.
"Just call me Ron."
"Maddy," she replied. She gave her hand for Ron to shake. She was still looking at him in a curious way but Ron was distracted with Shacklebolt's appearance. A younger Auror was at his side, carrying an assortment of junk.
"Let me start by congratulating all of you for passing the Auror exams. Auror Kelley will be handling out portkeys that will take you to the Auror Academy this morning for your orientation. You will be informed the location of the Academy so you can apparate there in future. For security reasons, we don't disclose the location of the Academy to just anyone. You will be taking a secrecy potion so you cannot reveal where it is to anyone outside the Auror's circle."
The young Auror passed the items to the recruits. "Four to a portkey please and leave your bags and books, those will be transported later for you," he said.
Harry and Ron shared the torn hat they received with JD, Maddy and Alicia.
"You can share my portkey, Maddy," de Lancre called to her. He held out an empty wine bottle. "Unlike other wizards, I am capable of providing my companions smooth landings," he added, as he flashed her a dazzling smile.
Maddy returned the smile but with one eyebrow raised. "Oh do not worry yourzelf, Orion. I am sure I am with capable companions." She looked at Ron. Ron couldn't help but grin at de Lancre's scowl.
"Standby, five seconds," said Kelley. He gave them all a funny grin. "Good luck!"
Ron felt the familiar pull at his stomach for a moment before he felt his feet touch the floor. He quickly moved aside just as his three companions landed in an ungraceful heap beside him. For a moment, Ron flushed with embarrassment, thinking that he had not done anything to give Maddy a smooth landing as she expected. Harry just reached a hand to help her up then bid him take a look at their surroundings.
They were standing in the middle of what looked like a forest. Sunlight peeking through the gap of the thick leaves above them was the only light around.
"Where are we?" Alicia asked.
"You think there was a mistake? Maybe the portkey malfunctioned," JD said. He picked up the discarded old hat.
From where they stood, there was nothing but wood all around. They could be anywhere in the British Isles.
"Wonderful! Our first day in the academy and we end up lost!" Ron exclaimed. "So much for trying to give a good first impression!"
"Ron, shut up a minute, will you!"
"What?"
He didn't need to wait for Harry's answer. Some instinct told him to duck and he did just a split-second before a jet of yellow light came from nowhere.
"Everyone, take cover!" shouted Harry as a flood of spells started moving from all directions. Harry and Ron managed to crawl behind a giant tree root and placed a shield charm over themselves. Maddy found a nearby mossy boulder to hide in. Ron looked around for the others. Alicia was no where in sight, but JD had fallen a few feet away, stiff and unmoving.
"JD eez shot! We need to get 'im!"
"Harry, what do you think?"
Harry surveyed the surroundings. The spells didn't let up. They seemed to be coming from all angles.
"I will get 'im. Cover me!" Maddy exclaimed.
They nodded to her, stood up and started shooting random spells. The girl didn't hesitate. She jumped up from her hiding place and quickly made her way to the fallen boy, all the while dodging spells and sending some of her own. Ron was rather astonished at her speed. The girl was a very good athlete.
She undid the body bind spell on JD and dragged him to the tree trunk where they regrouped. They all kept to the ground to avoid being hit by the spells that hadn't stopped firing.
"All right there?" Harry asked the boy.
The boy shook his head to clear it. "Yeah, thanks. Do you think the Auror Chief would mind if we miss orientation?"
"FORGET ORIENTATION!" screamed Ron irritably. "IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, WE'RE BEING ATTACKED!"
A spell fell inches from Ron's arm. It burned the grass next to him. Ron put up a protection spell and they huddled closer.
"We need to get out of here," said Harry. "And we have to find Alicia."
Something white and moving on JD's chest caught Ron's eye. Maddy noticed it too.
"What?" JD asked.
"It eez a mirror," said Maddy. She followed where the light was coming from. She pointed to a clump of trees not far away. "Alicia eez there between zose trees. She eez signaling to us."
"Good, now that we know where she is, how do we get out of this?" said JD.
"I need to see where the spells are coming from," said Harry. "Watch my back while I take a look."
Harry and Ron spent less than five seconds surveying the area before they fell back again.
"Spells are coming from the bushes," Harry reported. "I think Alicia's pretty safe from where she is. All the spells are focused on us. I'm not sure, but I think it would be best if run towards those trees where Alicia's hiding.
"That's about twenty, thirty feet away. How do we do that?" JD asked. There was a loud bang above their heads and the shield charm Ron was holding disintegrated. A sliver of light almost grazed JD's cheek. The spells seemed to be striking more closely to them. Whoever was shooting was improving aim and time was running out.
"We could fight back," said Harry.
"Fight who? We can't see whose attacking us. We come barreling out there and it's only a matter of time before we all get hit."
"Well there's got to be a way to find out who's shooting at us!"
Ron thought hard. How do you deal with an enemy you couldn't even see? Think chess! What do you do when a piece is hiding? That was simple really. In chess you force it out by tricking it, distracting it somehow.
"We have to force whoever's out there to come out," said Ron.
"How?" asked Maddy.
"Can we summon them out like what you did to Zabini?" suggested JD.
Harry shook his head. "Too risky. We don't know where to hit. What we need is something that forces them to come out on their own."
"How about fire?" suggested JD. "We set fire to the bushes and they come out running."
Maddy's eyes brightened. "I know a better way. Do you know of ze zmoke charm? It eez completely harmlezz but it looks and zmells like fire burning."
"That might work," said Ron. "But we need something more. Some distraction, get them confused to what we're doing. Something wild and unexpected. It can be downright stupid like a… a dancing panda."
"A dancing panda?" Harry laughed inwardly.
"Yes," answered Ron. "If you can think of anything more ridiculous that would really be helpful."
"Well, where do we get a dancing panda?" Harry said aloud before he realized he appeared to contradict his own silly suggestion. But either Maddy and JD chose to ignore it or they were too nervous to realize his slip.
"I'm pretty good at transfiguration. Maybe I could work something out," said JD.
"Er…okay," said Harry. Both he and Ron didn't expect that JD would take the suggestion seriously. "I think I can conjure up a patronus to add to the confusion."
JD went first and started morphing the boulders and torn branches into an assortment of cats and dogs in ridiculous outfits. The regular spells shooting at them slowed a bit.
"It's working. I think they're confused," said Ron. "Time to baffle them a little more. Expecto Patronum!"
A silver mist appeared from his wand that formed a knight on horseback charging the air with his lance.
"Expecto Patronum!" Harry followed his example and out came the familiar stag. His shout masked the quieter spell Maddy sent towards the bushes. Seconds later, a mist appeared which quickly grew to thick black smoke.
The spells stopped altogether and all three of them ran to the trees just as four or five figures emerged from the bushes. Harry and Ron aimed their patronuses to charge at the fleeing wizards but they quickly recovered and started shooting spells back at them. By the time they did however, Harry, Ron, JD and Maddy had reached the cover of the trees and got Alicia as an added ally.
They ran on together, shooting spells and ducking behind an occasional tree until they realized that no one was giving chase anymore. They allowed themselves to slow down.
"Who were they?" JD panted. "Where in the world did we end up in?"
"Didn't you notice their robes?" gasped Alicia. "Those were Aurors or at least Junior Aurors."
"Aurors? Zis eez all a test again?"
"Could be," shrugged Alicia. "Or maybe this is their version of new recruit orientation."
"Orientation? Looks more like neophyte initiation!" exclaimed Harry indignantly.
"You're absolutely right, Weasley!"
They all swiveled around with wands out. Ron caught a silver glint in midair and in a moment two figures disillusioned themselves.
"Tonks!"
Tonks stood by a tree looking very amused. Next to her was Mad Eye Moody with an expression bursting with mirth.
"So this is all just a joke?" asked Ron. He was beginning to turn a deep shade of red.
"Oh no," said Tonks. "We take Auror Academy tradition very seriously. Right fellas?"
One by one, the young Aurors that attacked them emerged from the wood. They were looking just as pleased as Tonks.
"Tradizion?" Maddy asked.
"Yes," said Moody. "It's tradition to let the Junior Aurors take on the new ones. Get them rattled and see if they really are deserving of the ranks. Us senior Aurors just sit back and watch the fun."
Ron wanted to kick himself. He was fighting and racking his brain out there as if his life was on the line and it was all just a big game!
"Just think of it as a way we welcome our new recruits," added Tonks. She signaled for the group to move and they walked for a few minutes until they came to a clearing that opened up to the familiar Auror Academy field.
Tonks came up to Ron and Harry and patted them on the back. "Good show. Your group managed to get one over the Juniors. That rarely happens. And you got out of the fix quite easily."
"Easy? You call that easy?" complained JD.
Tonks giggled. "At least you got out first. Nobody's here yet. The others are probably holed up somewhere. Ah, here comes another group."
The second group was composed of Padma Patil, Blaise Zabini, Terry Boot and Orion de Lancre. All of them were sopping wet and appearing disgruntled. The French boy however, was walking a distance away from the other three. He was looking daggers at the Aurors that were escorting them to the field. Ron and Harry didn't even hide their snicker at their rival's discomposure. His brand new robes were ruined and his perfectly combed hair looked just like Harry's messy head when it got soaked.
"How did those four manage in the river?" Tonks shouted to one of her colleagues.
"Pretty good. But you should have seen their faces when they landed on the water. Priceless!"
"So much for smooth landing capabilities," Harry whispered not so softly to Maddy. She, Alicia and J.D. laughed while de Lancre glared.
Terry, Padma and Blaise dropped down on all fours on the grass.
"They made us swim with some nasty water demons!" Terry explained as he breathed heavily.
"And fine good swimmers they were," praised one of their Auror escorts. "You'll be surprised what you're capable of when you're in a raging river full of Grindylows. Except for de Lancre here who made a powerful levitation spell on himself, we had to fish those three out before they drowned. But they did manage to put up a good fight."
The Aurors all began to genuinely applaud them to the new recruits' surprise.
"I expect the last group won't get here for a long time," announced one of the Aurors when the cheering stopped. "They still haven't figured out why they're stuck in a valley in the middle of nowhere." All the Aurors sniggered.
Moody raised a hand and everyone turned serious. "Give these kids a head start on the orientation then." He turned to the new recruits. "They had their fun today, tomorrow their real work begins."
"This is his idea of fun?" scowled Harry after Moody left. A younger Auror prodded them to proceed into the nearest building.
"Gee, I wonder what tortures they'll devise when we do the 'real work?'" said JD.
"Well at least that initiation bit is over," sighed Ron. "No more unexpected tricks on us from the older Aurors."
Tonks shape-shifted her face to look like Chief Atalanta and turned to them with mock authority. "Oh don't count on it, Greenhorn. Don't you dare count on it."