Catcher

Chapter 25; A Question of Alliances

Hogwarts

The Headmaster wasn't the only person on Earth to get a formal letter that morning from a Zalot. He was mistaken after reading the message though that it wasn't in fact from the Order of the Zalot like the messenger suggested. But from a single member, more specifically an ex-Hogwarts student.

It had been almost two weeks since the Danus had been destroyed and the two Elven ships had sat in the centre of the lake together and refused to answer to any signals from the shore line. The ships hadn't been without activity however but when a Ministry of Magic boat had gone out to try to talk to them they had got three warning shots and as they hadn't taken the hint they small boat had been sunk without any loss of life.

Albus had begun to become very worried for the students that were still being held captive by the Elves in retaliation for what they called the assassination attempt. The news, all of it, had hit the papers and within hours of the fight they were hundreds of people flocking to Hogwarts from the nearby communities to help put out the resilient fires that the Danus had used and also to start rebuilding. But along with them had been the reporters that had flourished in their imaginations as they filled in the gaps and how the 'saviour', meaning Matt knew the great Harry Potter.

To top it all off Albus himself had been inundated by hundreds of owls pertaining the whereabouts of their fifth, sixth and seventh year children. At least he had been able to give them an answer and had teamed up with Minister Blockestina to inform the public that in accordance to Elven-Wizarding Law still in place from thousands of years ago the Elves actions were above their own modern law and that they were in their right to withhold the students as long as they wished. That didn't stop the owls from coming though.

Albus re-read the letter again. It was written on silver paper and was addressed to himself.

'To Albus Dumbledore, revered Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,

Due to the entrance of several unknown factors into the Alliance of the Light the leaders of all races are to be called to meeting on the new day after the receipt of this letter.

As I am sure you have or will soon note there will be more than the customary single Wizard as since the creation of the Alliance of the Light by the Creator of Magic it has become obvious that the Wizarding faction of the Alliance has chosen to splinter itself and therefore spokesmen will be presented from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, The British Ministry of Magic and the Magical Governors Ameritus. The details of this choice will be explained at the start of the meeting.

You are to present yourself on the North shoreline of the Hogwarts Lake at sunrise.

Yours in Ever Lasting Light

Lord Catcher'

It was with great relief that it became obvious that his young student –Harry- was well enough again after his fight with the youngest Weasley.

He quickly noticed that the Minister also had a similar letter and was making her way from the temporary ministry table were she and a few over officials had been eating lunch.

"What is this Albus?" She asked.

"It is something we have little choice in. Shall we take this up to my office and I will floo-call the Americas."

"After you Headmaster!" She was obviously eager to get the information and the two headed out.

Across the Atlantic Ocean Minister Andrew Palin had received an identical letter except for the addressee at the top, although he had got it in the morning due to the time difference. He was on his way to his office to floo the English Ministry or Albus Dumbledore but as he entered his office he saw his fire turn green and smiled. It seemed he'd been beaten to it.

No head appeared though so he assumed that they wanted him to put his head in. Obviously the Minister and Headmaster were already together and this way would make it easier to talk.

"Good Morning Minister Blockestina, and to you too Headmaster Dumbledore. OR should I be wishing you Good Afternoon. It is still rather early over this side of the planet I am afraid."

"Can we assume that you have also received a letter from Lord Catcher?" Albus asked skipping the rest of the pleasantries.

"I can, I was just on my way to floo-call you myself. Though I have absolutely no idea about any of the information in the letter." The Minister of America said.

"Ah yes, I know only through extensive reading that I did in the time before Grindlewald's War." Albus said, "I can assure you though that we have got to attend it and be extremely polite. I would prefer to explain this in person though Minister, it is not information that I would like to be free knowledge. Maybe if you pack some items Minister Palin and head over here, you are welcome her tonight and then you can accompany us tomorrow."

"That's a wonderful idea, I have so needed a reason to visit you part of the World. Give me three hours to sort thing out here and I will floo over to your office if that is ok with you?"

"Of course, I will have a House Elf show you to your rooms when you arrive." Albus said.

As his head vanished from the fire the English Minister excused her self telling Albus to send a House Elf to find her when Palin arrived.

The following Sunrise

Harry and Matt stood Amidships looking out at the gathering on the shorelines as they slowly got into the launches (small boats). In less then fifteen minutes the boats would be unloading onto his ship. It had been a hectic week to say the least. As well as sending out his Zalot companion with letters to each of the members of the Alliance they had also had to pay a brief visit to the City of Light to pick up a the protocols and history books to do with the Alliance of the Light. He had luckily been able to leave it up to his Zalot to find specific members of the Alliance, mainly the light creatures.

The job that fell squarely on Harry's shoulders was to contact the possible muggle mentions of the Alliance. He had visited the Admiralty in London, the Pentagon in America, the Kremlin in Russia, and the corresponding bases in the NATO lands and finally china in order to find a suitable representative that was fair. In the end three people had been chosen and he himself had collected the chosen few and brought them to Hogwarts the night before.

He was dragged from his thoughts as the boats unloaded. Most of the people had arrived the night before, choosing to fly or travel in under the cover of darkness due to the amount of press and workers around during the day.

The first people to step onboard were The Wizards. "Welcome aboard Albus, Ministers. I know you want to know about the students and rest assured as soon as we go below they will be taken ashore." Harry could clearly see the twinkle in the old mans eyes and knew his own glittered as for once someone had predicted the Headmasters words. The three stood to one side as the next group stepped onboard.

Harry gave the same greeting again, minus the reassurance, to the three Muggles and then to a single House Elf, a Goblin, and finally a dwarf. Then last person Harry stepped forward and hugged. The representative of the Order of the Zalot who Harry noticed got similar gasps from Albus and the British Minister.

"Sorry to blow your cover like this Tonks but it is for good reason, apart from myself you are the only Zalot member from this planet and therefore the best suited to be their representative and the Maesters agree that it is worth more than your spy position." Harry said as he broke from the quick hug.

"That's ok Harry," Tonks grinned and was kind enough to shot a quick sheepish look at the Headmaster, "by the way, you do realise that you owe me for scaring me in the forest that time when your friends scanned our minds right?"

"Ah, um, right," Harry grimaced but changed the subject to cover it, "How about we go and join the others in the meeting room below decks. If you'll all follow me this way." He nodded at the rather large group of ten individuals that represented six of the races.

As Harry stepped down through a hatch in the deck he gave one last order to the Captain to send the students back to the castle. He knew that the group would follow him into the bowels of the ship to the meeting room and was boasted in that assumption that Matt was at the rear of the group so nobody got lost.

They entered a smallish room about fifteen feet by fifteen feet which he knew under normal conditions was a store room that led to the infirmary where they were going next. Around the wall of this room was a long table with quite a few weapons laid out in clusters. Harry turned to allow everyone to collect in this chamber. Once Matt entered and shut the door behind him it locked and Harry spoke.

"This is the Alliance Ante-chamber. No weapons of any kind are permitted into the meeting chamber and that is the law. I would ask you all to place anything that could be used as a weapon onto the tables around you," catching the mistrustful looks around the group he carried on, "Anything that you place onto these tables cannot be touched or removed by any body other than yourself. This applies to everyone."

To prove it he opened his cloak and began to unload his own weapons onto the table beside the larger doors that led to the meeting room. Matt move through the crowd as they started to do the same to place his own weapons beside Harry's.

Harry was glad that nobody made a further fuss over the matter, they would quickly get used to the procedure. No mortal creature had every taken a weapon into an Alliance of the Light council meeting.

"Once through these doors you are to search out your own seats, those with more than one representative for a single race are seated together." Matt took over this part as Harry touched a box beside him on the table and it opened to reveal a group of bracelets. Matt continued, "As you know many of us here do not need a weapon to cause harm, all those that contain inner power must take the bracelet given to you and fix it over your wrist. All it does is bind your ability to use this power for harm whilst you wear it and whilst you cannot take it off whilst inside the room when you leave again it will dissipate."

Harry passed out several of the bracelet. The muggles obviously didn't require them, nor did the dwarfs, but the four Wizards were required to wear them and after a strange look from the two ministers he explained that even if they couldn't actively use their magic wandlessly they had the potential to when distress and the spells detected that potential. Albus gasped slightly as he happily snapped the bracelet on his left wrist, Harry knew why as well; to suddenly lose all of you ability to harness magic without a wand was a distinctly uncomfortable feeling.

Matt, having given up his staff, didn't need a bracelet as he had no useable magic of his own and finally the goblin and the house elf snapped their own bracelets on.

"No that that is out of the way you may enter and find your seats." Harry and Matt turned and the doors swung open for them and they walked in and took their own seats at the far end of the table.

It took all of five minutes for all the newcomers to join those around the room. There was the one table in the middle, designed so that all those that were seated at it were eye to eye.

All ready around the table were a few seated people or perhaps beings was a better term and around the table were several additional members that couldn't take seats.

Harry remained seated as was the rules as he spoke. "Now that we are all here, I will just say Welcome to the first Alliance of the Light meeting in so many thousands of years. I will begin by introducing everyone as I am the only one except maybe Matt here that knows who everyone is, if only by name."

"I am Lord Catcher, Harry James Potter, Order of the Zalot, I speak for myself and am the Leader of these such meetings as is my right as Heir to the Creator of Magic who founded this Alliance in ancient times." He nodded to each person as he spoke about them and they nodded in return or added their own additional pieces of information if Harry had forgotten.

"To my right is Matsue Solem, or just Matt Solem then," he added hastily to light laughter as Matt growled at his full name, "He is the last known survivor of the light on Kristoshia," that comment got a few shocked looks, only from the light creatures however, "he is here for three reasons. He knows details about one of our enemies that the rest of us don't, secondly he is our spokesman from the Dragons or specially the Greater Dragons, and lastly because him and I have a strong bond and therefore he is to stay at my side."

He did the people at the table first but in no particular order.

"Our representatives from the Wizards of Earth are Albus Dumbledore with more title then I care to remember," again slight laughs especially from the recently introduced man. "Minister Alice Blockestina, form the British Ministry of Magic and Minister Andrew Palin of the Magical Governors Ameritus. I am sorry for the early morning that must seem like midnight to you."

"That's ok, I am used to travel and have gotten used to it."

"Our final Witch is Nymphadora Tonks, calm down, just Tonks as she has a lot in common with Matt on that account. She is our spokesperson from the Order of the Zalot and also was the Zalots spy on Earth."

"I am also still completely loyal to the Order of the Phoenix," she said more to the headmaster then anyone else and received an understanding nod in return.

"New to the Alliance is the induction of a Muggle representation and like the Wizards and their split ideas they also have three representatives from different areas of expertise. Dr. Melissa Carten is a theoretical scientist working for the American Military. Admiral Michael Leover of the NATO combined forces and finally Fort Merlin's own General Granger of the British Army."

"We also have Greynor Graniville from the Dwarves city of Antartica, Towky from the House Elf Council and Griplock from the Goblin Confederation." He nodded at the three small being around the table.

"Also here is the Elven representative, Lord Kelvinus." He said no more about the Elder knowing the man like to keep his history to himself.

"Lastly around the table we have the Air Elemental Aeri who is representing the four races of Elementals that reside around this world." She was a ghost like image seated on Harry's left, the only thing stopping people thinking she was a ghost was that her body constantly altered shaped. If a draft blew across the room she would sway with it and she made no sound which is why many of the group that had some with Harry had noticed her seated with them.

"Our last few members are of course those that you see around the room. We have the Centaur Firenze who has been kind enough to represent them for us, and as you can probably guess we have representatives from the Unicorns, Phoenix's, The Leprano, and finally the Leviathans." He had motioned to each of the last four as he spoke; they were the true power of the council after Harry's own command of the Alliance of course. The Unicorn was a larger then normal male and was being kind enough to play perch for the extremely rare Ice Phoenix that sat on the top of his head. The only difference between this Phoenix and the normal breed was that instead of fire there were icicles. Harry could see that Albus was almost bouncing in his seat to meet this wondrous variation of the Phoenix race. The Leprano was just crouched on its own box that served as its seat and looked unblinkingly at Harry, her true form of fire and lightning making an impressive sight among the immortal creatures around the room as she sat like the Sphinx in Egypt.

When Harry had mentioned the Leviathan though almost everyone in the room had been confused, not seeing anything like a snake in the room. At this Harry chuckled and pointed kindle upwards at the ceiling when among the ceiling beams was a forty foot long snake looking creature with fifteen foot long wings clamped along its sides as she curled around the rafters in spirals as her perch. She dipped her head in greeting to Harry when he looked up at her.

"I am afraid being the species they are and not my familiars it is not my place to reveal their names like Albus is allowed to with Fawkes. I apologise for this but it can not be helped. If they wish to tell you their names like they have told me then they will do so when they get to know you."

Albus was shocked, so many creatures of legend. The Dwarf and Unicorn were enough of a shock, but to see the Ice Phoenix's icy shape right next to the lightning and inferno that sheathed the Lepra and then above them the creature that was only myth, a being of storms and water. Myth spoke of them being able to level countries in massive storms and monsoons.

And then there was Harry, recently forced away from being a student and now had the trust and allegiance of the most powerful species of this world. It was truly amazing.

A/N; Sorry if this Chapter is a bit wordy but I really can't help it. What do you think of the Alliance?

Thanks to the reviewers and anyone else that is reading this! I'll just clear up a few things. The Danus is dead or at least this one is, they are a species from another planet so there could be more though this one was powerful enough to copy Harry's power. Someone mentioned that it died too easily but it wasn't as powerful as Harry and even Harry would be hard pressed to conquer what the Danus tried. Plus I wanted to show what skills Matt had. The reason I didn't have Harry fight was because the outcome would have been far too obvious. The Danus copied Harry's powers when he was still at Atlantis and therefore had a block on his powers. So the Danus was far weaker than Harry.

I assure you that there is a massively bigger threat coming. As I mentioned before about the army massing.

As for update, I am trying to update more often but it really hasn't been three months since my last update, but I had been having trouble with my laptop. Rest assured though that is I ever completely lose the will to write this then I will post a note to say so. I have been having a lot of grief over my Lord Of Stone Tower story which has effected the writing of all my story's but I know it is only a few people that think I am crap in writing that story so I will persevere.