Slowly, the candidates came wandering up to the designated rendezvous point. Ron was the first, followed by Su and Cho together, and the rest came along in a timely manner. There were nineteen in all, as he had chosen to invite Parvati and Lavender in simply to save Hermione the trouble of having to keep her actions hidden from them. Harry configured the Portkey to ferry them to the main hall of the Evans vault, where training would begin in earnest.
"Are we all ready?"
Everybody nodded, and Harry activated the device. He felt that familiar tug in his navel, and they were off.
Chapter Twenty: Knighthood – Heaven's Favor
Disclaimer: If you've seen it before, it belongs to J.K. Rowling. Otherwise, it's mine. Naturally, I'm making no money off this.
In barely an instant, the twenty students were magically transported across the whole of Great Britain, from the lush pastures of the Hogwarts grounds in Scotland to the cold subterrain of London, where the Evans vault lay. His companions all looked around in amazement at the various facilities of the underground base, none of them having much of an idea what to expect before departing. Harry had kept their actual destination to himself due to the unlikely possibility that one or more among them might turn out to be untrue and snitch on the rest to the old man. Dumbledore still had no knowledge that this facility even existed, and Harry intended to keep things that way. He felt Cho's soft hand on his shoulder and looked over to meet her gaze.
"What is this place, Harry?"
Harry slid into her, allowing her arm to snake around his waist before turning around to gaze upon his future followers, most of who were looking at him inquisitively. He rolled his eyes ever so slightly as he saw Blaise glaring venomously at his girlfriend. Deciding that he didn't want to waste time explaining their current location more than once, he spoke to the entire group.
"Welcome to the Evans compound, everybody. We are currently located within the deepest recesses of Gringotts, inside the oldest vault in the entire bank. Dumbledore can say what he will about Hogwarts, but allow me to assure you that this is the single safest location in all of wizarding Britain. It isn't a vault so much as a complete stronghold. Inside this facility is all of the wealth that my mother's line has accumulated over centuries, much more than just gold and precious minerals. There is a library containing several tomes thought to be long lost to our world, a potions lab stocked with ingredients thought to be impossible to obtain. This place has a full practice facility and dining hall, and could easily be lived in. This is where we will be doing all of our training."
"But your mother was a Muggleborn, and I've never heard of an Evans lineage regardless."
Tracey Davis had been the one to make that comment. She was a Slytherin pureblood, and was therefore curious.
"That is the official story, that my mother was Muggleborn. She was a half-blood in actuality, with my grandfather being a Squib and my grandmother a Muggle. My maternal bloodline is somewhat complex, but I promise to explain it fully later on tonight. For now, since most of you still seem to be looking around anxiously, take the next hour to explore and satiate your curiosity. We'll be spending quite a bit of time here, so get comfortable with the place. The sealed chambers are closed off for a reason, and I would advise not tampering with the doors. Please don't take anything out of here without permission, as much of this stuff is both priceless and dangerous. Come to me with any questions you may have, and we'll meet up again in the dining hall and discuss what exactly we're going to be doing here and why."
At that point, just about everybody disassembled and went to look around. Hermione and most of the Ravenclaws predictably went straight to the library, while Tracey and a few others went to check out the potions lab. Susan headed for the training center, while the Gryffindors seemed more interested in ogling Harry's gold. Su opted to follow Harry and Cho around, as they were the only people present that she knew and trusted. The young wizard led the two Chinese girls over to his treasure vault, where Ron and the twins were currently staring at the huge piles of gold. Blaise and Daphne were also glancing about the stacked vault appreciatively, but not with the abject wonderment of the Weasleys. Blaise sauntered over and attached herself to Harry's free arm, as Cho continued to occupy the other.
"I knew you were well-off, Harry, but this is ridiculous. You're a Slytherin's dream come true. Handsome and powerful, not to mention good-natured and extremely rich. I do believe that I'm in love. All that gold makes you even sexier."
Harry grinned, turning her half-hearted declaration into a game. He knew that she was trying to get under Cho's skin, and hoped that lightening the mood would keep things from escalating. They were all here for a purpose, and a divisive catfight was the last thing he wanted to deal with at the moment.
"I am rather perfect, if I do say so myself. Thank you for noticing."
The voluptuous Italian girl grinned back and leaned her head onto Harry's shoulder in response, though the contact only lasted for a second before a jealous Cho wrenched him away from her. He allowed her to lead him off, as the small girl would never have been able to physically force him. Cho flipped her hair and smirked back at Blaise.
"Come on, Harry. I want to see the rest of your vault. Nice try, Zabini, but a dream is all he's ever going to be for you."
Blaise sneered in response.
"So the little Hogwarts popularity queen turns and runs away at the first sign of competition. Pretend all you like, Chang, but you know deep down that he's too much for you to handle."
"Think what you will. It doesn't matter, and I'll make sure you get an invitation to our wedding."
Harry raised an incredulous eyebrow at the mention of marriage, but said nothing.
"Don't bother, I'll invite myself. I'll be the one servicing the groom while you're off getting your dainty little nose pampered in the bridal chamber. I'm just telling you now so you'll know what that strange taste in his mouth is when you seal your vows."
"That is so disgusting. Harry, let's go before I succumb to the urge to hex this harlot."
Harry simply led her away without a word, shaking his head as Ron cheered him on for having two beautiful women at each other's throats over him. The tall redhead then swore when Ginny slapped him on the back of the head. Blaise was beginning to turn into a serious hassle, but Harry knew somehow that he would need her in the future. He personally didn't concern himself much beyond that. After all, he had been jealous enough to nearly be physically ill at having to see her with Cedric Diggory during his fourth year, so he had little sympathy for her being forced to take small taste of her own bitter medicine now. Su shadowed them out, and the three arrived back in the main hall of the complex. Harry's arranged instructors were just arriving through the main entrance escorted by Grilthauk. Alberto and Fleur were there, anyway. Harry had yet to find anybody to do the self-defense training. Su had the talent, but was far too timid to be an effective teacher, and Harry didn't want to burden Hitomi with additional responsibilities.
"You look a bit older now than you did the day we first met, boy. Your first real battle will do that."
Harry was on the point of countering that he had been through several battles before, but realized that what Alberto had said was true. The raid on the train marked the first time that Harry had ever truly experienced the bloody horrors of war, and certainly the first time that he had ever intentionally taken another life.
"I think we're all a bit older after that mess, Alberto. That's why we're all here today. Those bastards will never get the drop on us like that again. Anyway, I hope you haven't been too bored since leaving your shop behind. By the way, the wand's every bit as powerful as it looks. Really an unparalleled work of art."
"Glad to hear it, and my whole life since being kicked off the force has been nothing but boredom. I took a trip back home to Mexico last week. Took a bit of our funds and greased a few palms in the wizard's prison. The warden staged a jailbreak for me and freed one of the country's most notorious banditos. He's working for us now, him and his entire gang. I also rounded up a few of my old Auror buddies from back when I went to the academy in Acapulco. Brought back about thirty men in all."
Harry knew that his army's most glaring weakness at the present was its lack of actual wizards and witches. Aside from himself, Bill, Fleur and Alberto, and likely Remus whenever Harry got around to talking him over, they had none that were fully trained and ready for combat. Su perhaps also, but he wasn't yet confident enough in her to send her up against Voldemort's crack troops. He had hundreds of goblins and would hopefully have the Centaur of the Forbidden Forest soon, but human spellcasters were at the top of the wizarding world's proverbial food chain for a reason. The Shinn Kohaku only barely qualified, as they tended not to directly use magic against the enemy. Alberto's subverted Mexican Aurors and hired desperado gang would help fill that gap in Harry's forces. He had no reservation about employing criminals in his army either, as he could keep them loyal simply by allowing them to plunder the enemy and Death Eaters didn't deserve to be treated with any honor or dignity anyway.
"Excellent, I'm sure they'll be most useful. Where are you keeping them?"
"The Aurors are staying in one of the ninja locations up in York, and the gang's building a camp over in Ireland that we'll keep under Fidelius."
Harry nodded and glanced over to Grilthauk. The old goblin warrior looked much more haggard than usual. The strain of keeping all of these outside operations running smoothly in addition to his daily job of overseeing Gringotts was getting to him.
"You look like Hell, Grilthauk. Take a rest every now and then, for Merlin's sake."
"I only wish that I could, Harry. The amount of work to be done is staggering, and I am quite reluctant to delegate any of it to subordinates for fear that it will not be handled as effectively. Once this war is over, I can retire and rest to my old heart's content."
Harry was usually not all that inclined to order others around contrary to their own wishes, but felt it necessary to put his foot down here. The elderly chieftain was killing himself, and that would result in a severe drop in morale among the goblin ranks and effectively destroy the infrastructure behind all of his force's operations.
"We need you too much to let you keel over from exhaustion, and so do your own people. I'm telling you to allow yourself sufficient rest from now on. I'm sure that the others can perform some of the more routine operations just fine. Besides, we'll need people competent to keep things running here once we enter open combat and you're out leading your warriors. Best to let them have some practice now. First give me a quick rundown of our financial status and then go up to your quarters and get some sleep."
Grilthauk nodded with a toothy sneer.
"As you wish. Our incoming revenue is falling just short of our expenditures. As Bill has reportedly informed you, Gringotts is cooperating with the Ministry's seizures of private accounts belonging to known Death Eaters. However, ancient magical customs prevent us from taking assets that are the collective property of an entire ancestral line. Therefore, we cannot seize the entire Malfoy trust or something similar. Because of this, our actual income from this project is less than you might expect, especially since we can only skim so much from the top without the Ministry growing overtly suspicious. Thus far we have taken the personal holdings of Lucius Malfoy, Simon Goyle and Malcolm Nott. We have also seized the Rookwood family's assets in full. They do not rank among the old families, and so the meddlesome blood laws do not protect them. We are in the process of doing the same concerning Walden Macnair and Jermaine Jugson. On the other side of things, we have to spend heavily in order to outfit all of the goblin soldiers as well as fund our reconnaissance operations across magical Britain."
Harry was a bit irritated with the fact that they weren't going to be able to cripple Voldemort's finances as completely as he had hoped, but at least they were getting something.
"Dip into the Evans and Potter accounts if necessary. I'd rather not drain the Black fortunes unless left with no other alternative, given the number of people that stand under its umbrella. Also, have somebody make arrangements to outfit my student army with weapons and armor. We needn't go so far as to use arkanite or other priceless materials, but certainly dragonhide robes and boots for everybody, as well as some sort of enchanted armaments to protect the upper body. For the weapons, we'll let people decide on an individual basis. The costs can be absorbed directly from the Evans vault. We need this work to be done secretly, so employ craftsmen who are skilled but fall outside of the larger commercial sphere and will keep confidentiality. We'll schedule the initial fittings for two weeks from tonight."
"I shall see to it. Now if you will excuse me, I do believe that I am overdue for some much needed beauty rest."
Grilthauk hobbled away and back through the entrance from whence he had come. An amused Fleur made a comment.
"As I said back during 'ze summer...you are quite 'ze commander, 'Arry."
"And again, you'd better believe it. Thank you for doing this for us, by the way. I really appreciate it."
Fleur airily waved the comment away, but seemed pleased to hear it.
"It is no difficulty. 'Zink no'zing of it."
"Well then, perhaps we ought to get this business underway. Hopefully Bill will be coming with our potion here directly."
Harry didn't feel any need to wait for confirmation, trusting Bill to show up with his answer to Hermione's charmed DA parchment. With so much at stake, the penalty for betrayal was not so modest as a brand on the forehead. The Draft of the Oath was a binding potion employed in royal knighthood ceremonies during medieval times when it was commonplace for a king to have a powerful wizard in his employ. It carried the ultimate penalty of an instant and painful death for any that even attempted to break faith. The formula for the potion was itself very obscure, and Harry doubted that even Snape would have ever seen it before. Two of the key ingredients were lost to the modern wizarding world, and only present in the ancestral vault's potions lab in a quantity barely sufficient to concoct this batch. Harry was placing a lot of faith in Bill's brewing abilities.
He led his small entourage into the dining hall, taking his place at the head of the great table. Cho took the secondary seat to his immediate right, Ron the third place on the left. Su fell in to Cho's other side, Hermione to Ron's, and the rest of the assembly continued assorting itself into a loose declination. Fleur opted to remain standing and took a place next to Harry's chair. She received a few lustful looks from the male contingent but seemed to be keeping her alluring aura mostly repressed. Alberto kept a position near the doorway. Once everybody was seated, Harry spoke up in his most commanding voice.
"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed friends. Some of you are already aware of the full purpose for which you have all been brought here this evening. For the rest, allow me to explain. The wizarding world is at war, and its continued survival is in jeopardy. Voldemort is the nearest and most visible threat, but not the only one. The Ministry of Magic is corrupt and pollutes society by appealing to its worst fears. Good men and women are held down by intrigues, and bribery and misappropriation are the order of the day. Cornelius Fudge and his party are self-serving, avaricious and bigoted beyond reason. They give the appearance of having changed their ways, but that is only an illusion. The Ministry denied Voldemort's return to power until the bitter end, and now he is back to his full strength. As a result, countless innocents will lose their lives."
Murmurs and nods from all across the table greeted Harry's brief pause. He let them die down before continuing. Even Susan Bones, whose aunt occupied a high position in the Ministry hierarchy, seemed to be in full agreement.
"Albus Dumbledore would claim to be our salvation. Some of you may not be aware of the fact that he leads a vigilante group called the Order of the Phoenix. Virtually all of the current Hogwarts staff is among its ranks, among others. And yet, many of you are not aware of the Order's existence. That is because it does virtually nothing, a guard dog lacking claws or fangs. They wait for Voldemort to attack, and then come to the rescue after the battle has already been won. You all saw this just a few weeks ago when the train was assaulted. In those few minutes, out ragtag defense force did more damage to Voldemort's war machine than Dumbledore and his cohorts have in nearly eighteen months. He is an incapable leader with no vision or strategy whatsoever. He is completely unwilling to stand aside in favor of one properly qualified to command. He refuses to fight back with lethal force and ignores the will of the people who want Voldemort and his wicked supporters slain. Incompetent as he is, even Fudge has seen the light on this issue. Dumbledore regards his ridiculous morals as being more precious than our lives. He cannot and will not banish the darkness that threatens to consume us. We must blaze the hallowed path ourselves."
This frenzied response to this diatribe indicated that the anti-Dumbledore sentiment among the student body was still burning strong. All Harry needed to do was whip it back up to the surface.
"And that brings us to this evening. We are the best and brightest that our generation has to offer. We will train and prepare ourselves for the battle ahead. We will use every means available to us. No longer will the ridiculous notions that Dumbledore and his magical prejudices have ingrained into us for all these years continue to restrict us. I will teach you the Dark Arts personally and we will unleash deadly retribution onto those that would torture and kill us simply because of who we are or what we were born. Many of us have killed already, and the rest have at least witnessed it. This isn't about improving our test scores or some petty defiance of the Ministry. It's about fighting a war, and we won't be alone. My combined forces are nearly five hundred soldiers strong and growing daily, comparable in size to both the Aurors and the Death Eaters."
Harry again halted his oration and allowed his latest revelations to sink in. Not many knew that he had a legitimate force behind him, and he was sure that at least a few newcomers thought that this assembly was just going to be about continuing the DA without the old man's knowledge. Some were hesitant, though it didn't surprise him.
"I know that I'm asking you all to place an enormous amount of trust in me both as a fighter and as a leader, and perhaps it's time that I revealed the true story of my heritage. The tale begins nearly two hundred years ago..."
Harry went on to relate the full story behind the rise and fall of Lord Grindelwald, though in somewhat less painstaking detail than Grilthauk had all those months ago. He found it fitting that his friends would hear this in the very same complex that he himself had. Harry went out of his way to pontificate on the subject of Dumbledore's hypocrisy and lies and to lambaste the Ministry of Magic for its gross intolerance and shortsightedness. He finished his tale by describing the circumstances of his maternal grandfather's birth and his being hidden within the Muggle world for his own protection, opening up his robes and exposing his wings to exhibit his dakaathi heritage. Judging by his audience's facial expressions, they seemed to be taking the news fairly well. Blaise and her company looked to have even more respect for him upon hearing that he was a scion of such a great wizard while the Ravenclaws were reacting with neutral curiosity.
"Heir to the Great Grindelwald...that is so cool."
Harry smiled slightly at Daphne's reverent tone. Meanwhile, Bill came into the room carrying a silver cauldron filled with a shimmering golden potion. He was flanked by several goblins, each carrying a tray of matching drinking goblets.
"Yes, I am Lord Grindelwald sole heir. I will carry on his legacy and create the utopia that he lost his life pursuing, and I hope that you will all join me. Doing away with Voldemort is only the beginning. He and his ilk are only the visible symptoms of the disease that plagues our world. We must strike at the root of the evil, or else another Dark Lord just like him will inevitably crop up sooner or later. We will pull up the corrupt husk of the Ministry by its roots and excise the festering cancer, and then shove that bumbling old fool out to pasture once and for all. We will create a new society fashioned in our image. The elder generation has failed, and it's our time now. Join me in my righteous crusade and take the future into your own hands. Bill, please bring the potion."
"Sure thing, Harry."
A few of the more inquisitive young wizards and witches in the room stood up and quickly looked into the cauldron as Bill crossed the room. Even the most diligent Potions students among the gathering were unable to recognize the mysterious brew, much to the chagrin of both Hermione and Tracey. The eldest Weasley son placed the cauldron down directly in front of Harry, and his goblin cohorts meticulously arranged their twenty combined goblets off to the sides. All eyes were directly on Harry.
"This potion, that I'm sure none of you have recognized, is an very rare and obscure concoction known as the Draft of the Oath. Those of you that have been particularly studious regarding History of Magic might have heard of it. It was used in knighthood ceremonies back around the time during which Hogwarts was founded. To be as succinct as possible, it is the most powerful binding potion in existence. Those of you that were in the DA last year will recall that we were betrayed. We all suffered due to Marietta Edgecombe's breach of faith, and I was very nearly expelled from school. If such a thing were to happen here, the consequences would be infinitely more serious. Our lives are all on the line here, and so the penalty for betrayal shall be the same. I will now add the final ingredient to the potion, a libation of my own lifeblood."
Harry looked back over to Bill, who nodded and produced a sharp ritual dagger from within his robes. Harry took the weapon and closed his eyes before making a quick slash across his left palm. He could feel the blood oozing out of the wound. Opening his eyes, he lowered his cut hand over the cauldron and allowed a sizable volume of his blood to cascade in. The potion glowed a brilliant gold and began boiling violently. Fleur quietly healed the wound on Harry's hand as Bill ladled the completed Draft of the Oath into the individual goblets. The goblins took them up and placed one before each candidate.
"Now, your rite of initiation will consist of passing this infallible test of loyalty. You must each imbibe of the Draft of the Oath. In doing so, your magic will be bound to my own. My power will become yours, and your magical strength will thus be augmented should the potion deem you just and worthy. However, should your heart or mind be untrue, then my blood will turn into a deadly poison inside your body and you shall suffer a crippling and painful death right where you sit. The binding is forever, and to break faith in the future will bear the same penalty. Any among you who are having second thoughts, the time to rise and take your leave is now. Alberto will modify your memories accordingly and you will be returned to your dormitories in the castle none the worse for wear. But once you have taken the draught, there can be no turning back. Consider your options well, and those who remain will each drink the potion and swear their oath of fealty in half in hour's time."
Harry fully expected at least two or three people to get cold feet and back out. The time elapsed in silence, but not a soul stirred from his or her seat. He had once again underestimated those around him, as was in many ways his perennial failing. He had first doubted even Ron and Hermione, his truest friends, and everybody else as well. Fleur withdrew a stack of parchment slips from a small bag at her feet and passed them out to the seated gathering. Once that was done, Harry prepared to initiate the final portion of the evening's proceedings. He had decided to postpone actual training exercises until the next gathering in order to allow the others to adapt a bit to the increase in magical power that would come as a result of the forthcoming ceremony.
"Now is the time for you each to swear the oath. We will go down in order of seated hierarchy. Cho, please stand and take the vow."
Cho stood proudly, taking her goblet in hand. She had already memorized the oath. Her voice was soft, but still clear and powerful.
"Cho Ling Chang doth hearby swear everlasting fealty to the Lord of Evans. May his wishes be mine commands, and may my body rot and my soul suffer for all eternity should I ever breach this vow. Let this libation be proof of my loyalty."
Cho drained her goblet, obsidian eyes widening for a moment as Harry's power began to flow into her. The degree of augmentation afforded by the ritual was directly proportional to the recipient's emotional attachment to his or her sworn liege. The Chinese beauty's was naturally very fierce and her power increased by a full doubling of its previous limit. She sat back down, mooning at Harry with flushed cheeks. Ron was the next to swear.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley doth hearby swear everlasting fealty to the Lord of Evans. May his wishes be mine commands, and may my body rot and my soul suffer for all eternity should I ever breach this vow. Let this libation be proof of my loyalty."
Ron returned to his seat as well, smirking as he felt the tangible increase in his power. His attachment to Harry was that of a surrogate brother, strong but somewhat less powerful than Cho's. His strength increased to a degree of about three-quarters of his existing maximum. Su took the oath after Ron, followed by Hermione and so on down the line. Those who felt closest to Harry made the greatest gains, the others in that category being Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville, and surprisingly Su and Blaise. Hermione experienced the same seventy-five percent power hike that Ron had, while the remainder gained about half. The next tier gained about a third of their own maxima, those being the likes of Katie, the twins, Susan, Daphne and Tracey. The rest gained more or less a quarter. All passed the test of loyalty and seemed a bit awed by the instantaneous spike in their magical potential. None of them stood anywhere near Harry's strength level, though most had surpassed or at least reached the relative raw energy level of a competent adult wizard or witch.
"Congratulations, you have all passed the initial test. We will not train tonight, as your bodies will require a few days to fully adjust to your expanded powers. Just relax for now. I'm very proud of you all. Let us assemble again in three days' time at the same time and place as tonight. We will train for two weeks, and then everybody will be fitted for weapons and protective armaments. Bill, please bottle up the remainder of the Draft of the Oath. We may need to use it again later."
Harry led his newly annointed vassals into the main entrance hall and made the collective return journey back onto the school grounds with Portkey. It was now well past curfew, though he didn't particularly care about getting caught out of bounds. He and the rest of the Gryffindors made the return trip to the dormitories in a pack and didn't come across any patrolling faculty members en route. Seamus and Dean were already fast asleep when they returned to their rooms. Harry quickly fell into a contented slumber, extremely pleased with the results of the evening's ceremonies.
The next full moon arrived less than a week later, and the time had arrived for Harry to meet with the Centaur elders. He entered the Forbidden Forest alone and unarmed. Hopefully the equine creatures would exhibit enough honors not to attack him, but he had his chaotic powers to obliterate them with should things come to open hostilities. His two pets caught up with him near the entrance, but he dismissed them. The Centaur had requested only Harry and that was exactly what they were going to receive. He walked down a trodden path that he imagined would lead to their settlement. The moonlight above illuminated the entire forest.
Remus was suffering through his transformation at that very moment, surely in cruel isolation at Grimmauld Place. Harry intended to owl the old werewolf in a few days and invite him to lunch for the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend. His connections within the lycanthropic community were potentially very important to his cause and he would much happier having the last remaining Marauder on his side. Harry didn't imagine that it would be too difficult to persuade Remus to defect. He would certainly honor Padfoot's last request, and there was really nothing left tying him to the old man. Having business with Remus would also assist Harry in evading having to suffer through whatever sugary romantic tripe that Cho might want to plan for them. He most definitely did not fancy making a return visit to Madam Puddifoot's. Shuddering at the memory, he spotted small band of Centaur led by one with a rich cream coat waiting on the path ahead.
"So you have come as requested, young warrior. Please follow us. The elders await."
"By all means, lead the way."
Harry walked along proudly behind the Centaur patrol. The path took several branching turns and finally led to what had to be their home. Harry quickly noted that Centaur architecture was rather crude. Their shelters consisted of little more than four poles speared into the ground with a pitched roof of pine needles providing cover. Twenty or thirty such dwellings were arranged in a wide circle, in the middle of which sat a large stone astrology chart. Harry could see several of them standing in a linear formation at the edge of this carved centerpiece. They looked quite a bit older than the other Centaur that Harry had come across throughout his five years at Hogwarts. Bane was there as well, but not as a member of the council. He stood guard brandishing a spear and addressed Harry as he arrived.
"So you have arrived safely, human foal. Stand before the elders and mind that you behave respectfully."
Harry ignored Bane's threatening tone, content with the knowledge that he was not strictly human and that he could easily slay the offensive creature in a matter of seconds should he feel so inclined. The Centaur in the middle of the council was larger than the others and looked a bit more wizened. Now able to gleam a closer look, Harry realized that he had never met any of this gathering before, aside from the silver-maned Magorian. The leader spoke up in a conciliatory tone. The old Centaur's coat was a stone gray and he bore a curse scar similar to Harry's over his left eye.
"Greetings, Harry Potter. I am Tilu, chief elder of the Forbidden Forest herd. It is good to see that you have arrived without incident. These forests are becoming increasingly unsafe recently, even for our own kind. Nevertheless, we are honored to have you."
Harry knew that the Centaur were a proud race and were easily offended. He would have to pocket his own pride somewhat and be extremely deferential or else this meeting would have no chance of accomplishing anything. He made a humble obeisance before the council.
"By all accounts I am the one who should be honored, venerable elder. This ignorant human would be eternally grateful would you and your esteemed colleagues condescend to favor him with the privilege of your instruction."
Tilu and the other elders nodded approvingly.
"The stars have exhibited several strange behaviors in recent months. Heaven's movements have centered around one single star. Realize that important figures within our world often have corresponding celestial bodies. As it happens, our ascendant star happens to be your own. The planets favor you, young foal."
Harry liked the sound of that. His apparently being at the center of celestial developments made him feel all that much more assured of his eventual victory. His curiosity demanded to hear the specifics.
"Please explain to me, wise ones. I cannot comprehend the stars without your assistance."
Another of the elders spoke up. This one had a flaming red coat.
"The stars of destiny are aligning around your own. This shows that you have heaven's mandate. Venus favors you as well, reflecting light from both the sun and the moon into your star's orbit. Never before have we observed such an odd phenomenon."
Magorian continued with the explanation.
"Mars burns brighter than we have ever seen before and waxes greater with each passing night. A conflict the likes of which our secluded magical world has never before witnessed looms close on the horizon. Your star's ascendancy corresponds with this ominous tiding. The stars are seldom this forthcoming in their implications. There is little doubt that you are fated to stand directly at the center of this approaching upheaval."
Harry already knew that he was going to be in the thick of things, but the news that stars prophesied that the battle would be so great was unnerving. Surely many people would perish, and inevitably those who he wished to protect would be among them. He was much too occupied with pondering these celestial missives to add anything.
Tilu picked up again with a soothing tone.
"Indeed an unsettling portent, but what we find most curious is the fact that even mighty Jupiter deigns to favor your star. The king of the stars has been waning into decline for many generations, only to resurge into prominence in these recent months. Jupiter's light corresponds to reign, young foal. Its alignment postulates that you will soon ascend to the gilded throne. This corresponds directly with Saturn's current decline. Saturn was lord of the titans and the father of Jupiter. As time passed the latter rallied his siblings to overthrow his father and the other titans in a great war, thereby becoming the supreme ruler of the known universe. In this Roman mythological fashion, the decadent falter and the righteous ascend in their place. I hope that this has helped you to gain a greater understanding. You enjoy heaven's favor and thus need not fear the outcome of this war."
This revelation validated his earlier optimism. Saturn's decline represented the fall of the old order, that much was certain. Harry was unsure as to whom exactly that meant. Perhaps it was Dumbledore. Harry had once looked to him as a sort of surrogate grandfather. It could also mean Voldemort, who certainly ranked as Harry's especial nemesis. In that case, perhaps Harry was fated to slay the current Dark Lord and simply pick up where the other had left off. The most likely scenario was that it signified the collapse of the corrupt Ministry of Magic and the creation of a new order under Harry's dominion. But despite how generally agreeable it sounded, he wasn't willing to put too much stock into what the Centaur had postulated. Predictions were only predictions. Harry certainly wasn't going to fall into the same strategic quagmire as the old man.
"Your interpretations have been most enlightening. You have my gratitude."
"And now, let us discuss the true motivation behind your being requested here this evening. The herd wishes to negotiate the terms of an alliance."
Harry had known before coming that this was the reason behind his being summoned.
"Of course, but it surprises me that you would be willing to consider such a thing. The Centaur have always remained strictly aloof and neutral in the past, and I am quite interested in knowing what has made the council reconsider that position."
Magorian gave the response.
"Our prerogatives have always been to observe celestial motions and act according to the will of the heavens. Human secular matters are none of our affair. However, the planets have acknowledged you as the chosen one. We are the children of the stars, Harry Potter. They have dictated and we are obliged to obey. Allow us to add our strength to yours."
Harry raised an eyebrow. He could simply accept outright, but he felt somewhat obliged to give something back.
"Just a moment ago you mentioned wanting to discuss terms. I will certainly accept the herd's assistance with abject gratitude should it be offered. If you have any requests for me please do not neglect to mention them. I will gladly compensate the herd for its generous proposal as handsomely as it is within my considerable power to do."
Tilu picked up in that vein with a smile.
"We do not wish to leave our forests. This is our home and we cannot bear to stray from it. Our offer is one of defensive support. Eventually the evil plaguing your world will come to these grounds. Lord Voldemort's followers have already infiltrated these trees once in an attempt to spread sedition among the various races here and lay the groundwork for an eventual assault on Hogwarts. When that time comes, the herd will fight alongside your forces to purge the darkness and fulfill heaven's will. In the meantime we will keep a vigilant watch over these woods, killing any unwelcome visitors and driving away any denizens that would join hands with the evil. In return, we would ask that our forests be officially ceded by the school once you are victorious in this war."
Harry had always thought that Voldemort was too terrified of the old man to even consider a direct siege upon the school. It was a ridiculous notion regardless. The wards around the castle were nigh impenetrable. Sneaking an operative in to spy or whatnot was one matter, but it was entirely another to lead an army into a pitched battle. Still, the serpentine psychopath could pump up his numbers high enough and gain such an advantage that the insane plan could actually be successful. Having the Centaur keeping a watchful eye over the most vulnerable area of the grounds was a prudent measure, and meeting their terms would be no difficulty when the time came.
"That seems reasonable enough. I accept your terms."
"Then it is done. The escort that showed you here will see you back to the forest entrance. It would not do for our honored guest to be attacked on our watch. Fare thee well, young avatar of the planets. Until next we meet, we will observe your progress closely."
All of the herd's council of elders made the same obeisance that Harry had made earlier, followed by the escort troop. Even haughty Bane sank to his front knees respectfully. Harry returned the gesture and allowed himself to be led from the village. His venture had been a relative success. He was not able to secure the Centaur as active participants in the coming upheaval, but he had at least managed to obtain a promise of support in the event of an assault upon the school. He was satisfied, if not outright pleased with the arrangement. His next project would be to ask Remus to secure him a meeting with the werewolf packs. Harry had a plan there that would really upset Voldemort's apple cart.
Harry slept well that night and made it to breakfast early the next morning, intending to owl Remus as soon as possible. He only barely paid attention when Dumbledore rose and announced that there would be a Ministry Ball held on Halloween night in honor of those who had fought in the defense of the Hogwarts Express. The entire event would take the better part of the day, as there would be a formal ceremony for handing out the Order of Merlin to each of them in the early afternoon, followed by dinner and dancing well into the night. Harry was most concerned with how it would affect his plans to confront Voldemort in Hogsmeade. He was likely to be touted as the guest of honor, so there was little hope of him getting out of attending. He would just have to hopefully return with at least an hour to spare before the stroke of midnight and deal as best as he could.
His unit's training was progressing well. Harry had worked out a schedule that had them assembling and taking the Portkey to the Evans vault four nights out of the week. The training sessions lasted five hours, from roughly seven in the evening until midnight. One night was dedicated solely to Dark Arts instruction, which Harry took charge of personally. They went over spell theory and practiced on the dummies in the dueling room. Half of the second night was devoted to Healing Magic with Fleur, and the other half to battle tactics and group dueling with Alberto. Moody went over the same material to a certain degree in his classes, but Alberto did it on a much more advanced level and with more time devoted to practical application. The third night was devoted to physical exercise and basic martial arts. Harry had asked Kenzo to do take charge of this aspect of the training. The old village leader was ecstatic to have something productive to do during one night of the week and was a natural instructor. The arrangement also gave Harry a convenient excuse to stay and spend the night with Hitomi after escorting her grandfather home. The final night was dedicated to independent study, as each of his vassals had certain personal talents or areas in which they needed extra work and they could use the facility's extensive resources to develop them.
Harry was absentmindedly occupied with picking at his sausages and hash browns when a beautiful tawny owl landed on the table in front of him. The envelope that it carried was gold with violet bordering and closed with a formal seal. Harry took it gently and caught Cho's eye over at the Ravenclaw Table. A surprised and frantic expression formed on her beautiful features as she glimpsed his mail from her seat across the Great Hall. He didn't have time to open and read it. She flew out of her seat like a rocket and practically ran over to him, clamping down on his wrist in an attempt to pull him to his feet. She snatched the envelope with her other hand.
"Come with me, Harry. This is very important."
Harry saw no point in arguing and went without making any more of a scene than she already had. He endured a few taunts from Malfoy and company on the way out, mockingly theorizing that Cho was the one wearing the trousers in their relationship. She led him into an abandoned classroom and sat the envelope down on the table at the front. Cho just looked at the golden article with a pained expression for several minutes. Harry finally became a bit irritated.
"What's gotten into you this morning, Cho? It's just a letter."
Her eyes snapped over to him.
"I know the owl that delivered it. This envelope is from my father, and this type of seal is only used for one purpose in our family. I never wanted to believe that he would do this."
"Whatever it is, it can't be that big of a deal. Calm down before you have an anxiety attack."
She didn't seem to be paying him much attention, looking like an emotional wreck.
"I am so sorry about this, Harry. My father just won't stop interfering in my life."
Harry rolled his eyes.
"Start by telling me what's in the envelope. You're a Ravenclaw, for Merlin's sake. Get a bloody grip on yourself already."
Cho exhaled audibly and looked at Harry sympathetically.
"I had thought that you might have figured it out already. Harry, this is a formal marriage proposal."
(End Chapter Twenty)
Author's Note: I am devilishly evil, leaving you all with a cliffhanger like that. I can hear the Cho haters taking up arms already. I've already decided what I'm going to do about the proposal. Comment if you like, but the path is set. Unless of course I change my mind. Not a whole lot of action or real plot advancement here, but there's enough for you all to start thinking about. I will say now that the rite of fealty and the vassals drinking a potion containing Harry's blood is not going to give them demonic powers or turn them into dakaathi hybrids. The ceremony is very different from the one that resurrected Voldemort, as Harry's blood isn't being permanently assimilated into their genetic structures as it was with old snakeface. Don't worry about them becoming super powerful either. All the power increases have done is put them on a level where they can compete with adult spellcasters without being totally ripped apart. None of Harry's student vassals are going to make sport of the likes of a Snape or a Bellatrix or a Moody or a Lucius Malfoy, to say nothing of the real powers in the war such as Dumbledore or Voldemort. It would be very much the opposite. They still lack both the power and the experience to take on the powerful foes. However, they will be able to handle the rank and file without too much trouble.
Next chapter is going to have Harry laying his plans for the Halloween battle. There will likely also be some steamy stuff when he finally gets Cho into the bedroom. I've starved my more ecchi-minded readers for long enough, I think. Well, not really. It's only been two chapters since his last tryst with Hitomi. And just so people stop asking, yes he will finish his business with Blaise and company at some point. We're only two chapters away from Harry's next huge combat, and that battle on the fifteenth anniversary of his parents' deaths will be one to remember. Hope you all like the update, and please review.