Disclaimer: See Chapter I

Also, I'd like to thank those of you who have taken some time to read and review my work (you know who you are). Your kind words have been felt and hope the wait hasn't been too long for this next installment as I'm trying to update my work every three chapters or roughly once every ten days. One final bit of thanks to the Harry Potter Lexicon that is quite the resource for anything Harry Potter related. Hopefully, I can beat the clock before JK Rowling and BK. V hit the streets.

Chapter XII: Sacrifice

As the end of the seventh week of summer came to an end, Harry was having the time of his life. His days were spent training, and generally spending time with his new mates Dudley and Neville; his nights were spent writing and communicating with his friends by owl post (Hedwig had been happy to see him, and Harry could tell she had been well-cared for by Linda), followed by him and his mates going down to Soho in his uncle's green Saab to enjoy the favors of a few 'scarlet women'. Additionally, for once Harry felt as though he mastered anything in the next school year as his uncle, along with Mrs. Figg and Mad-Eye Moody had worked him and Neville to the ground, not to mention the fact he now knew a few more tricks magic wise.

In case that fuck Voldemort comes knocking again, Harry thought to himself. He and Neville had just finished the last of their homework for Hogwarts and were playing a game of blackjack with Dudley, who had had to complete a paper on the Oedipus Cycle and Greek drama. Harry had just brought his value up to 20, and since Dudley had struck out earlier, it was just Neville and he. He was betting that he had less then he did when Alex came into the room.

Looking at them playing cards, he looked over at them and spoke almost apologetically, "Sorry lads, time to pack in the card game." His magical eye swiveled towards Neville, "I don't think a queen and a nine will beat two tens, Nev." Neville swore and tossed his cards down; sure enough, that proved to be the case. Harry laughed, but was cut short as Alex held up a hand, "Harry, put on your suit and your trench coat too as we're going for a long distance trip."

Harry looked at him and asked, "Where to, uncle?"

Alex smiled crookedly, "Dear old Hogwarts, of course."

*          *          *

Thirty minutes later, Harry was brushing ash off of his coat as he and his uncle walked out of the Three Broomsticks in the village of Hogsmeade. Together, they walked to Hogwarts as Alex related a few episodes of his schooldays. As they passed through the gates of Hogwarts, Alex stopped and looked at the winged boars for a moment, before waving at Harry to follow him. They reached the doors of Hogwarts where Filch was waiting for them.

Now, Harry had never been on the best of terms with the man, which was normal since Filch it seemed to hate every student out there. Alex, it seemed, likewise didn't like the man for he walked up to Filch and asked him, the maniacal grin Harry knew so well on his face. "Miss me, Filchie?" Filch looked at him, and replied, "Oh, the one who was always allowed to hang with those fools the Marauders, yeah I remember you." Alex spied Filch's cat Mrs. Norris and looked back at him, "Well if it isn't the school mascot Mrs. Norris." Then, still smiling, he lashed out with his foot and booted her down the stairs where she ran screaming away. Filch looked shocked and appeared to be getting ready to strike back, when Alex merely looked at him harshly. "Go ahead, Filch, I fucking dare you. I'm not a student anymore so I'll be more then happy to take my chances in court. Before that happens though, I'll make sure this school needs a new caretaker. Understood? So open the fucking door and get out of my sight." His voice was flat and utterly emotionless, making it all the more menacing.

Filch must have been frightened for he put down his hand, opened the main door, and went looking for Mrs. Norris. Alex turned around went into Hogwarts, motioning for Harry to follow him. Harry followed as he led them through the deserted corridors of Hogwarts until they stopped before the stone gargoyle that lead to Dumbeldore's offices. Alex spoke to the gargoyle, "Blood pop" and it opened to the staircase. Heading up, the two of them came into Dumbeldore's office, where Professor McGonagall, Mrs. Figg, Mad-Eye Moody, and Dumbeldore were gathered around the desk. "Hello, Harry, I trust you have had a unique summer," asked Dumbeldore smiling. Professor McGonagall and Moody gave nodded in his direction, and Mrs. Figg smiled towards him. "Unique it was Professor. Though so far, I haven't been able to visit the Weasley's. Like you mentioned in my last correspondence with you."

Dumbeldore sighed, "For which I'm sorry, but there was little choice in the matter. Nevertheless, your uncle's…therapy helped did it not?" Harry nodded, and then related his latest dream of Voldemort, omitting only where he received it, doubting if Professor McGonagall would find it amusing that his favorite hangout for the last three weeks had been a Soho cathouse.

His news didn't seem to surprise anyone. Dumbeldore nodded as he replied, "It is too brief to be of much use, beyond the obvious fact that Voldemort is alive and plotting." He paused for a second, and continued, "Which brings me to why we brought you here, Harry. Arabella, Alastor, please proceed."

"As you know, Harry," Arabella began, "the return of You-Know-Who isn't widespread news. The Ministry of Magic in the United Kingdom under Fudge has buried its head in the sand and so far the atmosphere is reminiscent of the early days of the Dark Lord. Headmaster Dumbeldore here doesn't feel we should be caught napping."

"For that reason, " Moody took off where Arabella left off, "we are beefing up security, at all levels and in all areas. To include the student level."

Harry was starting to feel perplexed, when Dumbeldore pulled forth a pocket-sized leather folder and wordlessly handed it Harry. Opening it, Harry found himself looking at a gold shield on which was the Hogwarts emblem and motto, and beneath it the title: HEAD OF SECURITY.

"What is this?" Harry asked.

"That," Moody explained, "is the keys to the kingdom. We want you to accept the position of Student Head of Hogwarts Security. You will answer only to myself, Madam Figg, Professor McGonagall, and Headmaster Dumbeldore."

Harry interrupted him, "Just what precisely will be my duties?"

"Primarily, Harry, you will be coordinating the security of any and all school functions, and events, to include the day-to-day security of the school grounds themselves. The current situation dictates that it is not a matter of if, but when, Hogwarts will be attacked. We are going to be upgrading security here as a result of that."

Professor McGonagall spoke up as soon as Moody finished, "This will require much sacrifice on your part though. Notably, you cannot be part of the Quidditch team for your house, as well as the fact you will be disqualified from being prefect. Additionally," she paused, as though measuring her words, "you may not be able to have much of a personal life as you will be kept constantly busy with your duties as the HS. Would you be able to accept it under those conditions?"

Harry needed a moment to think. While he couldn't say he gave a good goddamn about the prefect job, he was going to have to think about the Quidditch, as that had been one of his favorite pastimes since he came to Hogwarts. To lose it would hurt, and greatly at that, not to mention the fact his sex life may very well be aborted before it truly began.

Yet, he couldn't help but think of Cedric Diggory, and how he had died. During Harry's nightmares, he had imagines how his friends would look like after dieing like that, and had promised himself that he wouldn't get them hurt, no matter the cost. It looked like this would be the cause.

Taking a look around, he saw that all eyes were on him, and Dumbeldore spoke once, "Harry, you have proven yourself again and again as a wizard beyond your years. If you feel that you don't wish this burden then you may leave it on my desk and we will not think any less of you."

Mrs. Figg, though, had the last word, "Yet, we're calling on you for quite frankly, there is no other student whom we could place the same degree of trust and the same degree of responsibility."

Remembering his promise, Harry looked down at the badge, and made up his mind.

Taking it in hand, "Very well, I accept this position."

McGonagall then proceeded to warn him to not abuse his power and then congratulated him on his new position him as Moody, Figg, and Alex did likewise. Dumbeldore finally broke up the gathering as he motioned to Harry. "Harry," he explained, "During the year, we will be having a regiment of mercenary goblins and a company of dwarves stationed in the town of Hogsmeade. Their commanders' names are Magnus Ironhammer, and Eamon Bladvak. You will be working closely with them as part of your position."

He smiled then, and spoke with a twinkle in his eyes, "Now, as Student Head of Security, you will have some notable benefits. Unrestricted access, at all hours, to Hogsmeade, the grounds, the Forbidden Forest, and that most holy of holies, the Prefect's washroom." Harry grinned at this.

"Now, I believe you need to be introduced to those gentlemen." With that, he raised his wand and shot out a stream of magic out of his office. Within a minute, a short, bushy-bearded dwarf, and a taller, ganglier goblin in what looked like an old British Army redcoat entered. They stopped in front of Dumbeldore where the goblin spoke curtly, "Sir?"

Dumbeldore introduced them, "Gentlemen, this is Harry Potter, our new Student Head of Security. Harry, the dwarf is Mr. Magnus Ironhammer," the dwarf nodded, " and the goblin gentleman is…"

"Legate Bladvak, at your service," the goblin replied. His accent reminded Harry of the tellers at Gringotts bank back at Diagon alley.

Harry politely replied, "A pleasure to meet you."

With the pleasantries on the way, Harry followed them into what Legate Bladvak called the War Room. There, a large map of Hogwarts, the grounds, and the Forbidden Forest, showing the locations of every individual and ghost in the area. In short, a much larger version of the Marauder's Map Harry possessed. Impressed, Harry listened as they began going over the details of the first major security issue: the train from Platform 9& ¾. The plan they had prepared was quite simple and straightforward. Besides the Hogwarts Express, two groups of dwarves would follow and precede the train using handcars to ensure no possible security risks were present. In addition, a pair of security trolls would be riding in the locomotive with the engineers.

Harry brought up the idea of using a couple of enchanted cars (like the Ford Anglia that was running wild in the Forbidden Forest that he and Ron had left out there) with goblins or dwarves riding shotgun, providing aerial surveillance. Amongst the regimen Alex had been placing them through had been a series of muggle related texts in regards to espionage and counter-terrorism (Harry's particular favorite titles had been Spycatcher by Peter Wright and Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNab), so Harry was familiar with the advantages such usage of aerial survelliance offered, but was surprised to see that the magic world hadn't thought of it that. Bladvak had nodded slowly in thought, and told him the idea would be placed into effect immediately, along with the provision of invisibility generators.

Within two hours, the meeting was over and Harry shook hands with them. Bladvak informed him, "It will truly be a pleasure working with someone with the kind of professionalism you display, Mr. Potter" Ironhammer nodded, and both of them left. Dumbledore went over to Harry and told him, "Harry, I believe your training is at an end. Since there is still another week until the school year starts, I believe you would wish to visit the Weasley's?"

Harry nodded, as while he enjoyed the company of Neville and Dudley and his uncle and Linda, he missed Ron and Fred and George and Mrs. Weasley's cooking. Alex came up and joked with him, "Tired of me, already?" He was laughing as he asked that.

Likewise laughing, they said their goodbyes to Dumbeldore and the rest, but not before Dumbeldore warned Harry, "Harry, you have to keep your new position secret until the first day of school. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded, "Yes, Sir"