1Chapter 10

There was a darkness that filled the air. Despair rang throughout the whole area. What was the area...? Where was he? The very fumes he breathed in stunk of medical cleaning alcohol. Slowly, but oh so slowly, a faint color of white was portrayed before Harry's eyes as they slowly opened. He was in the Hospital Wing.

The first person Harry saw couldn't make him happier. He was badly bruised, and had burn marks on his arm and legs, as well as a scar crawling down his left cheek. Nevertheless, smiling and standing was Neville. Also along were Hermione and Ron..

Harry raised himself quickly, but immediately fell back down because of the pain in his head. There was an awful ringing sound that would resonate every time he moved suddenly.

"Don't hurt yourself more than you already have Potter!" said Madam Pomfrey briskly as she quickly walked by Harry's bed, obviously attending to more grievously injured students.

"Neville!" burst out Harry, with a lopsided smile on his face. I can't believe you got out alive! What happened!"

Neville's smile quickly broke as he took a deep breath. This was obviously the first time he had talked about the attack since it had happened.

"Well...when the carriage was set on fire, I tried to catch the Death Eater and stop him," started Neville. But before I could get out, the Death Eater put me in a binding spell so I couldn't talk or move. Then you two came in and got Colin and Ginny out. But I still couldn't move, and I certainly couldn't tell you I was hexed! So, when the carriage came down, I went down with it. But for some reason...the fire seemed to do something to the hex, and I was released. So, basically from there, I just crawled out of the fire, and then I think I passed out."

Harry nodded as he began to examine Ron and Hermione. Hermione seemed unscathed, yet Ron had a bruise on his cheek that was huge, and one of his fingernails had fallen off. Otherwise, everyone seemed to be alive. Except for...Seamus.

"What...what happened to Seamus?" asked Harry, not at all wanting to hear the answer.

Yet Ron's reaction surprised him, smiling from ear to ear.

"You're not going to believe this," he said laughing. That stupid Death Eater fired the killing curse at Seamus, but he missed! There was a Death Eater behind Seamus, trying to hit him with a rock; the dumb bloke most of lost his wand. Anyway, the Death curse hit the Death Eater behind Seamus, at the same time as he threw the rock. So it looked like Seamus was killed, but he was really knocked out. He's got the least injuries out of all of us, just a bump on the head."

Harry couldn't believe it! Seamus and Neville were both alive. In fact, Seamus was probably so healthy he was out of the Hospital Wing.

Madam Pomfrey quickly bustled over, with a tray of a variety of different medicines, all seeming very powerful.

"Well Potter, I reserved this bed just for you, since you seem to be using it so often," said Madam Pomfrey sharply. So let me just dab this on your head...yes..okay, you're fit to go!"

Incredulously, Harry stood up, and the ringing sensation had clearly gone. Ron and Hermione waited for him to get changed as Neville said goodbye.

So, this is it. This is how the war begins thought Harry. An attack on Hogwarts. Killing students, injuring and crippling them forever. This is how Voldemort works!

"Percy Weasley, you're wanted by the Minister, please meet with him immediately!" said a flying memo, quickly passing Percy's desk. Percy looked at it, intrigued by the Minister needing him, and dropped his quill on his desk. "Yes, please inform the Minister that I will be right there." Percy smiled and quickly strode towards the Main Office.

The secretary, knowing Percy's face by now, pointed him inside and returned to her work.

Percy slowly headed towards the door, and gave it a slight push. The door itself was heavy, and had a large plaque painted gold with the words MM on it. About 10 feet away sat a man, with his familiar bowler hat, waiting for Percy's entrance.

"Oh Hello Weasley, please...have a seat," said Fudge, perspiring slightly. I...really must speak to you. And, and do shut the door."

Percy traveled across the room, shut the door, and then took a seat across from Fudge; a pot of tea beside them both on night stands.

"What was it you wanted to talk to me about Minister?" asked Percy with interest, clearly pleased that the Minister would confide with him on such affairs.

"Weasley, I know that the war is becoming out of hand, and I also know the magical community is on the brink of destruction," said Fudge grimly. "I can also say surely that there is absolutely no way we can win this war against Voldemort, without any help." The Minister saw Percy flinch. "This help that we need, it is not from Dumbledore, or Hogwarts."

Fudge quickly rose to his feet and began pacing the room.

"The place that I am talking about is found only deep into the vast deserts of Egypt," he declared, still sweating profusely. Percy made to open his mouth, but Fudge signaled that he was still talking. "You may have already realized the place I speak of. VillVif is indeed my primary target. Inside of VillVif, resides a magic more powerful than any you could ever imagine."

Fudge now turned away from Percy, looking outside of his window, portraying imaginary sceneries.

"More specifically, what we look for is the Quill of Nalbun," stated Fudge, still looking away. "This Quill that I speak of is no ordinary writing utensil. It allows the possessor to return the dead to living form, yet having them in total obedience to your command!" It seemed as if flames were coming out of his Fudge's eyes. "I need you to pose as England's Ministry ambassador, and get into VillVif with the Hogwarts staff. From there, you must proceed in taking the Quill, and bringing it back to the Ministry! With this power, we could easily destroy the power of Voldemort, and win the war!"

To any normal person, they probably would have called the insane clinic and sent Fudge packing. Yet there was only a look of admiration and determination on Percy's face.

"When do I leave?" asked Percy to Fudge, now smiling.

Fudge turned around, now facing Percy, as he said, "Today."

Harry sat in a large red chair, seated directly opposite from Dumbledore, waiting for him patently to return to his quarters. While twiddling his thumbs, Harry realized that little had changed over the many years that Dumbledore had been Headmaster. As a matter of fact, the only time the room looked any different was when he had blown it up himself. Immersed in his own thoughts, Harry did not notice Dumbledore walking through the doorway, his half moon spectacles visoring his own blue eyes.

"Harry, we have to talk," said Dumbledore, looking extremely serious. "It came to my attention that something...some type of attack was going to happen at Hogwarts. I had a dream...for the first time in a long time. A person...told me that Death Eaters would attack Hogwarts, but I didn't know when. Again, I had another one of those dreams. The person told me that inside of Hogwarts there is a traitor, loyal to Lord Voldemort. It is a student, I was told."

Harry curious as he was, was unsure of how this pertained to him.

"The reason I have called you up here Harry," said Dumbledore, understanding what he was thinking. "Is because the person that has been talking to me, is you."