Disclaimer: I own no part of this story except for the plot and spell work. J. K. Rowling owns everything else, including dozens of hours of my life that I am dedicating to this story.

Chapter 7: A Storm Gathering

"How is he doing Professor Dumbledore?" a small, hesitant voice asked.

Dumbledore, who had been organizing his thoughts in his Pensieve, turned around and gave Ginny a kind smile.

"He's doing fine Ginny. The first few days were tough, but he's almost back to normal now."

"I just wish that I had been able to be there for him," Ginny said, unable to look Albus in the eyes.

"I know Ginny, I know. However, Hermione supported Harry in a way that few could believe considering the grief that she was also facing. You can be assured that Harry is fine. I believe that he may be visiting Hogwarts sometime in the future."

"Really?" a startled Ginny asked. "Did he…say why he was coming here?"

Dumbledore just gave Ginny a small smile that gave her hope.

"No Ginny, he didn't. However, I believe that both of us know why Harry is coming."

Dumbledore gave Ginny a conspiratorial wink, "However, I think that it is probable time for you to head back to Gryffindor Tower and get some sleep. It's quite past twelve you know."

Ginny nodded and began to walk out the door before turning back to where Dumbledore stood.

"Thanks Professor Dumbledore…for everything."

"Anytime Ginny. Remember that I am always here if you need me."

"Upon completion of this task, you will be granted your apparation license."

Harry and Hermione had already passed the first two tests, which tested over knowledge of Britain and the basics of apparition. The third and final test required them to apparate to an undisclosed location. Points were taken off for arriving outside of the fifty-yard target radius as well as if you splinched yourself.

Harry winced as he thought of leaving an arm or a leg behind. "Well, it would make the day a lot more interesting."

"Granger, Hermione"

Hermione stepped up to the instructor, looking just as nervous as she had first arrived at Hogwarts. Harry gave her a quick pat on the shoulder and assured her that she would do fine.

"Some things in life will never change." Harry thought happily.

"And some things do…" A wave of sadness threatened to overcome Harry, but he pushed it away. Now was not the time to let such thoughts control his mind. He had been hoping to get his apparition license since he had turned seventeen, but worries about Voldemort had kept him from being able to. It was too easy to bribe an official to accidentally let slip where the apparition applicants would arrive. And if bribing didn't work, "Well, I doubt Voldemort hasn't ever not gotten the information he wanted out of someone before."

Harry was surprised that Dumbledore had recommended that the two get their license as the situation with Voldemort hadn't really changed any since then. Harry heard Hermione disapparate with a crack and suddenly began to worry about her. What if Voldemort knew where she was going? Would there be someone there to help her out?

Harry shuddered knowing that whether or not someone else was there when Hermione arrived wouldn't matter if Voldemort was there himself. However, Harry's thoughts were interrupted as a loud voice called out.

"Potter, Harry"

The usual whispers that had followed Harry through the halls of Hogwarts were echoed once again, but after seven years Harry was used to them. Ignoring the blatant stares following him, he stepped forward and followed the witch behind a large, red curtain.

"Good afternoon Mr. Potter," the polite witch said. "You'll be apparating to this point."

The witch pointed to a small island on the map lying on the table in front of Harry.

"Upon your arrival, a Ministry employee will be waiting for you there who will tell you the results of your performance."

Harry nodded and the witch gave him a slight smile. "Any questions?"

"Nope, I think I'm ready."

"Well then, off you go."

Harry pulled his wand out and pictured the point on the map very clearly. First time apparition was pretty tough as you didn't know what your surroundings would be. He took a deep breath and apparated with a pop.

Harry arrived at his destination and heard a loud grunt and a curse as he fell on someone. He was about to apologize when he realized that something wasn't right. He could sense Dark Magic in the air as well as anti-apparition wards being set up.

Harry turned his wand on the wizard he had fallen on and yelled "Stupefy!"

As he rolled off the now stunned wizard, curses began to fire from all directions. He rolled into a low crouch and took in his surroundings. Six Death Eaters, including the one Harry had already stunned, were on the small island and those still standing had their wands fixed on Harry's crouched form.

"Six to one odds…well, down to five now. Not the best of situations to be in." Harry couldn't tell who the Death Eaters were, but knew they meant business as a green curse flew past his shoulder.

Harry shot into motion, rising from his crouch and erected a shield to block a flaming red curse. He retaliated with a stunner but watched helplessly as the Death Eater batted it away easily.

"There's too many of them, I need a distraction and I need it fast."

"REDUCTO!" Harry shouted while pointing his wand at the closest Death Eater.

He grimaced as the dark form shattered into a thousand pieces that flew in every direction. Harry hated killing and hoped that he would never feel any enjoyment from doing it, but he knew that it was sometimes a necessity in war.

The distraction, while gruesome, got the reaction he needed. The four remaining Death Eaters turned in shock towards their fallen comrade and Harry quickly threw another stunner at the tallest of the Death Eaters.

This time, the spell went straight through the unprepared Death Eater's defenses, effectively knocking the Death Eater out of the fight.

"Three down, three to go."

Harry's quickly raised a shield to block the yellow spell heading towards him but grimaced as it shattered under the force of the well-placed bone breaker curse. Standing there defenseless, Harry knew that he was an easy target and that he needed to move. Harry dodged left, but not near fast enough to get out of the path of a large rock that was flying at him, guided by one of the three remaining Death Eaters. The rock struck him on his right side and Harry heard at least one rib crack loudly. He grimaced against the pain but knew that now was no time to stop to check his wounds.

Instead, Harry channeled his pain into magic and sent a strong disarming spell towards the three.

Two of the Death Eaters' wands flew into Harry's outstretched hand and Harry quickly snapped the captured wands in two. He quickly stunned one of the disarmed Death Eaters and was in the process of turning to the next one before he was struck in the back by a wave of energy.

The Smashing hex slammed into Harry's back, shoving him forcefully forward and breaking another two ribs at the same time. Harry grimaced against the pain as he quickly turned about to focus his wand on the Death Eater that had attacked him. Harry watched helplessly the smiling Death Eater flourished his wand once more and sent a whipping curse towards him. Harry didn't have time to react and the curse crashed into his chest, causing a large, thin red line to appear from navel to shoulder. Harry's eyes began to water with the pain, but Harry focused that pain into magic. Harry was tired of playing nicely.

"Torquedecollo!"

The Death Eaters' head suddenly twisted off and fell to the ground, rolling nearly a meter away from where the decapitated body crumpled to the ground. Harry quickly jumped up off the ground, searching for the last Death Eater. He saw the dark figure cowering on the ground and pointed his wand at Death Eater when suddenly the he disappeared. In his place, Harry saw a large rat scurrying away into the underbrush.

"Damn you Wormtail!"

Harry tried to summon the quickly fleeing traitor to him, but the spell missed by at least a meter. The rat scurried into the brush and Harry quickly lost sight. Harry sighed despairingly and said a few healing charms to patch up most of his wounds and to stop the bleeding until he would be able to get back to the Ministry. After he finished, Harry slowly began to work on removing the anti-apparition wards that had been placed around the island. Charms had never been his best class and it looked like he had a long afternoon ahead of him.

"Again," the harsh, demanding voice stated.

Harry bit back a groan of frustration and set himself in a dueling stance again. His instructor, Hestia Jones, was reviewing him on the basics of dueling. Jones was a very strict Auror that wasn't easy to please. The worst part about the exercise was that Harry knew that he didn't need any help with this. Jones, however, didn't see it this way. She had worked him for the past five hours and Harry was beginning to get tired of the overbearing instructor.

"How many more times am I going to need to do this?" Harry said with a frustrated sigh.

"Until I am sure that you're ready."

"As if yesterday didn't prove I was ready enough," Harry said through gritted teeth.

"Six to one odds, though hardly fair, mean nothing if you weren't going against the best that Voldemort has to offer."

"And how would you know if I am ready if you haven't even attempted to duel against me?" Harry said, letting his temper get the best of him.

"Oh—is that the case Potter? Very well, assume the position." Jones said with a satisfied smile on her face. She gave Harry a quick bow and got into a dueling stance.

"Look Jones, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

Harry was cut off as Jones threw a smashing hex at him. He quickly constructed a shield, which absorbed the impact of the hex. Harry gave a grim smile and quickly moved to retaliate.

He dodged Jones' bone-breaker curse and threw a quick Impediment curse in return.

Jones' laughed at him, "Is that the best you can do Potter?"

Harry found his anger rising and had to make a conscious effort to push it back. The precious seconds that Harry used in doing this were all that Jones' needed.

"Everbero!"

Jones' strike spell tore through Harry's shields and sent him flying across the room. As he approached the far wall, Harry turned his wand on himself and shouted, "Arresto momentum!"

He slowed down and, instead of crashing against the wall as Jones expected, pushed off the wall into a roll. He quickly rose and fell into a dueling stance.

"Good Potter, but if that had been an Unforgivable, you'd be dead right now."

Harry gave a grim smile, "I'm just getting started."

The duel began in earnest as a rainbow of lights began to fly across the room. Harry hardly had time to think, only act.

He batted off Jones' shocking spell and sent a freezing spell back at her. She dodged it with irritating ease and quickly fired off a stunning spell. Harry didn't bother with a shield but instead just rolled out of the way.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Taking advantage of Harry's slight disorientation, Jones' tried throwing the curse at Harry, but Harry was ready. He had erected a shield as soon as he finished his roll and the shield at up the curse easily.

"Neurorumpus!"

Harry's paralysis spell caught Jones at the waist and the Auror fell to the ground. Rather than busy herself with the countercurse just yet, Jones kept him distracted by crying out a spell Harry wasn't prepared for.

"Crucio!"

Harry was caught unawares and hit the ground screaming. However, instead of fighting the pain, he let it fill him up. After he thought he could take it no more, he pushed all of the pain away, leaving him with the strong aftereffects of the curse. He channeled this raw power into his own and shouted out loud.

"Incarcerous!"

Thick, silver ropes flew out of the end of Harry's wand and wrapped around the still semi-paralyzed Jones. Harry didn't give Jones a chance to fight back and cried, "Expelliarmus!"

Jones' wand flew into Harry's outstretched hand and Harry gave Jones a lopsided grin.

"Finite Incantantem"

Jones quickly rose from the ground with a dignity Harry couldn't believe. As she quickly strode over to Harry it became apparent that Harry was about to get a lecture.

"You were reckless. The only reason you were able to best me was because I used an Unforgivable. Speaking of that, where did you learn that trick?"

"Professor Dumbledore taught it to me."

Jones stuttered slightly but could now find no way to criticize the tactic that Harry had used.

"Nonetheless, it was still…"

Jones was cut off as Mr. Weasley suddenly burst into the room.

"Hestia, Death Eaters are attacking the Ministry of Magic. We need all the Aurors to report upstairs and prepare to fight."

Jones gasped and asked quietly, "Arthur, is he here?"

Mr. Weasley simply nodded needing no confirmation on the he Hestia was talking about. Harry felt a cold sense of dread settle in his stomach. He dimly heard Jones speak.

"Harry, let's go."

Harry knew that she was impressed with him by using his first name, but Harry couldn't help feel worried about the upcoming battle.

"No Harry, Dumbledore said for you to wait here."

"But Arthur we need all the help…" Jones began.

"I know, but are you going to argue with Dumbledore?"

"Well, no but…"

Mr. Weasley had a satisfied grin on his place when Harry broke in.

"I'm going Mr. Weasley."

"Wha—what?"

"The Ministry needs me. I haven't ever stood on the sidelines while someone fought the battle for me. Do we know why Voldemort is here?"

Mr. Weasley jumped a bit at the name but replied quietly, "No Harry, but Dumbledore thinks it's you."

Harry's fears were confirmed but, instead of feeling more worried, a calm look settled over Harry's features. "Exactly, which is the reason I have to be up there fighting. Otherwise he will get to me only after he has killed everyone else and I will not be responsible for your deaths. Too many people have already died because of me. If I am going to die, I will do it on my terms. Not cowering while hiding from Voldemort, but standing up straight as my father died."

Mr. Weasley started to object but Jones put a hand on his shoulder. She had seen the look in Harry's eyes and knew that he would be joining them whether they wanted him to or not.

Mr. Weasley caught Jones' eyes and she gave a small nod. "Very well Harry, we are all meeting in the Aurors' Hall upstairs. We have to move quickly."

The three raced off into the corridors of the Ministry of Magic preparing to try and withstand the dark storm that was coming their way.

Author's Note: Well I nearly didn't get this one out in time. I'm leaving on a school trip today and just barely had enough time to get this out. Please forgive any minor errors in grammar as I was only able to give it a once over. Thank again and I'll try to update soon.

Martha – Thanks for the compliment. It really does mean a lot to hear that people enjoy my story. As I told evolmonkey, I needed some way to help develop Harry's character faster and to provide a basis of conflict throughout the story. I'm also trying to get across the point that Wizarding Britain really is at war, not just a few skirmishes here and there. Still, I hope that you'll continue to read and enjoy the story. Thanks for the review.