CASUALTIES
TWO ATTACKS TODAY MANY DEAD!
By: Rita Skeeter
Early this morning witches and wizards shopping in Diagon alley were attacked by Death Eaters. "They came out of nowhere and just started killing," said one woman who survived the attack. "There was no warning! The streets were filled with the green lights of killing curses for five minutes.The dark mark was cast several times in the air before they left," said another man. This wasn't the only attack today though it gets worse. All eleven of the captured death eaters from the ministry of magic battle were released by the dark lord himself. The prison was cleared of all prisoners, those willing and able to support the dark lord were freed, all others were killed in their cells. Over two hundred are missing from Azkaban right now and are thought to be following the dark lord. We at the daily prophet wonder if this attack is in response to the press conference yesterday given by Mister Potter and the Ex-Minister of Magic.
What is the ministry doing about these attacks you might ask? A statement given to the press this morning by newly elected Minister of Magic Arthur Weasley has this to say. "I strongly encourage you all to teach your children to apparate. The ministry is currently calling all available witches and wizards to apply for the Auror training program. We are doubling our staff and working as hard as possible to make the Wizarding world a safer place. I ask you all to remain calm and if you sense trouble alert an Auror. Our Aurors will be patrolling the streets day and night to try and stop any future attacks."
We at the daily profit congratulate the heroes' of Diagon alley today. When the fighting broke out several people were in a daze and froze out of panic. 'Five young people, however, fought the Death Eaters, having emerged from a new store in Diagon Alley, and also managing to stun one of the Death Eaters before the remaining apparated away. The children are to receive special commendations for their bravery during the attack on Diagon Alley. As Harry Potter said the other day in his press conference, we will see who Arthur Weasley really is through his children, as well as what kind of father he will be for the Wizarding world. Well, we congratulate him, thanks to the efforts of Fred, George, Ron and Ginny Weasley, and a friend of the family, Hermione Granger, Diagon alley was saved this morning.
For related articles please see pages two through five.
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Harry put the paper down after he finished reading the article. He was proud of his friends and he was glad they were all safe, but he was also worried because Voldemort was starting his attacks already. He sent off the letters he prepared the night before and started his morning workout before waiting for the responses. He finished several hours later and sat back on his new sofa. He stretched and decided it was time to call his helpers.
"Dobby, Winky I call you into my service. Stand before me now if you accept my role as your master." Harry flared his magic as he said his message and he waited for the house elves to respond. With two pops he found two small elves hanging on to his legs.
"Master Harry Potter sir! Dobby heard you call him sir, and he answered the call! Is you serious master? You want Dobby and Winky to be your house elves.
"Yes Dobby, I have called you and Winky to serve me. I will need your help with my house and other tasks I will have for you. If you agree to serve me I insist that you wear the proper uniform of my house. This will signify that you work for me and that you serve the house of Potter. If you agree to my terms we can begin the bonding ritual?"
"Yes Master Harry Potter sir, we is ready for the ceremony," said Winky and Dobby at the same time.
"Very well," he said as he drew his hands above them and then touched there heads. "I Harry Potter pledge my protection and magic to extend and empower the house elves under my care. Dobby you accept this uniform as a symbol of your loyalty to me and my house, Winky you accept this uniform as a symbol of your loyalty to me and my house. By the magic within me I bind your souls to me so that you may become stronger and able to serve me and my house." When he finished his sentence his magic flew from his hands and through the elves. They glowed white with power and their own magic crackled with in sparks, shooting from their fingers.
"Dobby takes this uniform and pledges to use this magic given to him to serve his master and his house till such a time when he is no longer needed to do so."
"Winky takes this uniform and pledges to use this magic given to her to serve her master and his house till such a time when she is no longer needed to do so."
At the end of there pledges the magic came back to Harry and then flowed outwards throughout the house and back again. "Well that was different," Harry said, looking back to his new house elves whom had tears in their eyes.
They both hugged Harry and asked if he needed anything, before they settled themselves into the house and started cleaning everything.
Harry sat down in the sitting room again as Hedwig flew in the widow with several letters. He opened them one by one and was pleased with the results. All of the members of the DA had accepted his invitation but one, and that one he would have to visit in person. He walked over to the fire and called for the Department of Magical Transportation in the ministry of magic.
"Floo network office, how can we help you," said a voice from the fire.
"Yes I am looking for a Madam Edgecombe please."
"That is me. Can I help you young man?" said a voice in the office.
"Yes, er, my name is Harry Potter and I was wondering if I could speak with you regarding your daughter and her involvement in my defense club last year
"Mr. Potter so good of you to call. I am aware of her involvement in your group and the results of your students on there O.W.L.'s. Congratulations. I only wish things had been different last year for all of us."
"Well I will be starting my defense group again when the school term begins, with full permission from Headmaster Dumbledore. I am also having a summer training program starting at the end of the week for members who where in the group last year. I would like your daughter to remain part of this group and would like her to be a part of my summer training camp, if she wants to. I will be holding it at my new house in London, which is under a Fidelus charm, as well as many other safety measures to keep out anyone unwelcome. Everyone will be safe and only those who are invited will know the location of my house. I hope that she will be able to attend, and everyone will welcome her back into the group if she is willing to come back."
"I will talk to her tonight Mr. Potter and let her know of your request. I thank you for giving her a second chance in your group and I hope she will accept it. If you call back tomorrow I will have her answer for you."
"Ok, I will floo call your office around noon tomorrow and you can let me know then, thanks for your time".
"Good day Mr. Potter"
Harry sat back on his couch thinking about all the work he had ahead of him and sighed. He stood up and went to his dueling chambers where he practiced for the next several hours stopping when Dobby came in with his dinner and then he went to bed.
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Albus Dumbledore was not having a good day. Not only did Harry Potter's home disappear but this morning Hermione Granger's house was gone too, as well as a few others. He couldn't understand it. Moody and Remus came to speak with him last night and told him Harry was fine but couldn't tell him where he was or where the Dursley's house had gone. Everything came back to Harry and the press conference a few days ago. Fudge disappeared soon after his part ended and then Harry after his part was over. Arthur was working as well as he could at the ministry and even after the breakout yesterday they were still moving forward to help the Wizarding world.
Fifty goblins and fifty dwarves appeared at the ministry of magic after the battle that morning and met with Arthur Weasley. They pledged their support to the war against Voldemort and offered many things to the ministry of magic. The goblins offered to use their magic and added their own wards to protect many of the Wizarding places around Europe. The dwarves outfitted the Aurors and hit-wizards with rare and magical armor to protect them in battle. Then they left and went back to their own worlds. This kind of support had not been given by them in several thousands of years and when Arthur thanked them for their generosity, they said that they agreed with Harry Potter at the press conference that he would do great things for the world as minister.
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"Harry Potter. I wish I could speak with Harry Potter," was what the young woman heard when she went in to breakfast that morning.
"Is something the matter professor?" she asked, causing the old man to jump out if his chair.
"No, nothing is wrong, I just wish I could talk to Harry is all, Miss Weasley," he said, slumping in his chair.
"Oh, well, if that is all you wanted I could ask him to come over and visit you," she smiled coyly at him from her chair.
"What! You know where Harry is? How can I find him?" he asked, surprised that she would withhold this information from him.
"I'm sorry Professor I don't know where Harry is at the moment, but I could ask him to come and visit you," she said still smiling at the man.
"What! How?" asked Dumbledore, standing up.
"Harry! Please come to Grimauld place and talk to the headmaster," she said out loud to the room.
Dumbledore looked around, thinking she was playing some kind of prank on him, when all of a sudden a voice spoke from beside her on the table. "But I just woke up and I haven't eaten breakfast yet," came the far away voice of Harry Potter.
"Harry?" Dumbledore started before he was cut off from looking at the mirror by a red faced Ginny Weasley.
"Harry Potter! You get you arse over here right now and talk to the headmaster or so help me next I see you; you will be on the receiving end of my bat-bogey hex."
There was a pop behind them as Harry appeared dressed in his bath robe smiling at the two of them. "Fine," Harry said as he sat down at the table. "Dobby! Winky!" he called and they popped into existence in front of them. "Can you please make us some breakfast and then work on cleaning this house for me? Anything that needs disposing of, get rid of, and anything you need help with come back and ask me."
"Right away Master Harry Potter sir," they said in unison and popped away to do their tasks.
"Thank you," he said as tea appeared before him, followed by a large breakfast for everyone.
"You wanted to see me sir," Harry asked with a smile at Dumbledore, watching the old man snap out of his stupor.
"How did you do that? Not only is it impossible to apparate into this building, the house elves shouldn't have been able to get in without me telling them the address!" Dumbledore asked him, staring at Harry.
"Well, as those two house elves are bound to me, and my houses, they can come to me anytime I call them, passing through nearly all wards that are put up. Me? I have a habit of breaking magical rules that are given to me, don't I, professor? That is the same thing Mrs. Abbot told me when I applied for my apparition license the other day," Harry said with a smirk.
Dumbledore looked puzzled and then sat there thinking while Harry and Ginny finished eating breakfast. "Well if you would like we could continue this discussion in my office, I have several things to ask you about," Dumbledore said as he stood up to walk to the fire place.
"Ok. I will talk to you later Gin," Harry said before turning to Albus and said, "I'll see you there."
Albus looked around the room, wondering where Harry disappeared to, before his eyes lit up at the possibilities, and he ran to the floo in the other room.
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When he arrived in his office it was empty, but a large door was opened in the wall behind his personal bookshelf. He wandered in wand in hand and looked at the large ball of light before him. Never in his life had he ever seen such a large focusing crystal, and the magic it was pulsating with was enormous. He looked at Harry as his hands where encompassing the crystal and watched in amazement as it grew twice its size and the magical power inside tripled. As Harry finished and let go, he stumbled backwards and Dumbledore had to run forward and catch him.
"What is this room and what did you just do to that crystal Harry?" Dumbledore asked as he half carried him back to his office setting him down in one of the chairs.
"That focusing crystal controls the wards around the castle, the forest, and Hogsmeade. I just strengthened them and added my power to the wards. It took a lot more out of me than I expected, no one has recharged them since the founders left and it needed to be done."
"How did you know about that room and how did you apparate onto Hogwarts grounds? It is supposed to be impossible," asked the headmaster looking amazed at Harry.
"A lot has happened this summer Albus, most of it for the good. I can't tell you most of it but you will find out someday. I learned I am the last heir of Godric Gryffindor. I called for the sword and a lot of knowledge was given to me through it. That is how I knew about the room back there and also how I was able to call on it in the chamber of secrets."
"I see," said Dumbledore pensively as he looked into Harry's mind, trying to figure something out.
"You know professor, one of the things I have been studying this summer is occlumency and legitimacy and I have mastered both. Did you know it is illegal to do even the most basic scan of someone's mind without permission? I believe the current sentence for such a crime is a minimum of one year in Azkaban. I would advise you not trying to enter my mind again without permission, as I have many secrets in there and I don't trust you enough to share them at the moment."
Albus sat there staring at the boy, no, young man, sitting in front of him. He couldn't bypass the walls of his mind and he was curious as to why not when he had so little trouble before. Snape must have done an excellent job teaching him if he was this good after only half a year of instruction. He was about to ask a question when Harry spoke again his lips never moving.
Snape didn't teach me a thing last year Albus and you know that all I have done this summer so far is train and study. I have found many things out about my family and my life in the past two weeks and I am preparing myself to be ready for the final conflict with Tom when the time comes. I will be taking several of my N.E.W.T.s tomorrow to get them out of the way so I can free up some more time this year for my own studies and practice. Also, by the end of the week my defense group will be meeting at my house to begin a summer training program. I want my group to be ready for anything this year because I feel it will be long and filled with death. Tom isn't going to sit around this year like he has in the past. His followers are already attacking as we saw this morning in the alley and at Azkaban.
"Professor Snape, Harry, and how did you just read my mind as well as speak directly to it, I couldn't even feel you enter my mind?"
"I told you professor, I have been studying hard for the last two weeks and the Gryffindor sword helped a lot too. And Snape has never taught me anything so I will not call him a professor, or treat him with that kind of respect until he does the same for me. School is also not in session, so I do not have to address him as a professor, if we meet each other or if I am talking about him." He closed his eyes and let memories fly to Dumbledore, making him cringe back in his seat.
Dumbledore sat there listening to Harry before images started playing in his mind, Harry's first day in potions, several classes and meetings with Severus, the countless insults to Harry and the rest of the students not in Slytherin house. He saw detentions and points being taken of for ridiculous things throughout the years before the images stopped with the last one being a hand shake between Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy.
"What was all of that and the last image was very disturbing. Harry? Have you made some kind of deal with the Malfoy family? I saw you two shaking hands. I shouldn't have to remind you of the evil the Malfoy family has done, and the path they seem to have chosen in life. Just this morning his father escaped prison with Voldemort's help, and I'm sure he will be returning home to be with his family."
"Yes, I'm sure he will be trying to return to his loving family. He will be trying very hard in fact, for a very long time, to get to his family. Draco and Narcissa Malfoy are now under my protection though, and just as you couldn't find the Dursley's, Lucius Malfoy will never find his house, or his family, again. As for the Malfoy's, and me, we reached an agreement and are working on settling old time rivalries. I was serious when I said I wanted to unite the houses this year, and that is what I have been trying to do."
"Yes, about the Dursley's house, where did it go and what do you mean by Lucius won't be able to find his house or his family ever again?"
"Well the same spells I cast on the Dursley's I cast on the Malfoy's and their manor. It was so much easier to hide the Malfoy manor though, because it is so far out in the country and already had most of the charms on it. The Dursley's house is where it has always been, I simply cast a new spell on it however, so know one will ever be able to find it. It works like the muggle repelling charm but on a much wider level, as it influences wizards and witches not muggles."
Albus's eyes were getting bigger and bigger listening to Harry's story. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "How? As far as I know you have never learned anything about spell design, and it takes most wizards months, even years, to develop a new one, depending on how the spell works."
"Well as I have heard many times before, I'm not an ordinary wizard, am I, Albus?" Harry said with a smirk. To prove the point he looked over to Fawkes and trilled a long welcome to him. "Hello Fawkes, how are you, have you seen Adrian today?" Harry asked as Albus nearly fell of his chair, and Fawkes seemed to turn a little redder.
"You can speak in the phoenix tongue? Harry, I have never heard of someone with such an ability since Godric Gryffindor! Can you speak to other creatures as well?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I can speak with all animals in there own tongue, as well as many different creatures that inhabit our world. I can also speak with them through telepathy if they have an advanced enough brain for it." Turning again he spoke to the sorting hat. "Good morning Solomon, it's good to see you again as well. This coming year will be a hard one all around, so try and send us some good Quidditch talent this year when you sort the students."
"Yes, I'm glad to see you have your priorities straight, Potter," the hat said with a smile before settling back down on his shelf.
"Harry, how did you know the sorting hat's name? It has never given it out and has said only those who could correctly guess it, would he share his knowledge with," Dumbledore asked, staring at the boy with questioning eyes.
"Fawkes told me it the other day when he delivered your letter, he also told me about his girlfriend and that you are known to all phoenixes as the white wizard. It was a very informative discussion, you would be surprised at all that Fawkes knows and has seen."
"Interesting, but we have gotten off topic I think, what do you plan on taking in for N.E.W.T.'s tomorrow and are you sure you can handle them? They have that name for a reason you know."
"Yes. I am going to be taking Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Astronomy, and History of Magic. I am fairly confident I can pass all off the N.E.W.T. s in those subjects. That will leave me with Herbology and Potions to take this year, and I won't be taking Snape's class I will be doing an independent study course."
Dumbledore's mouth hung open as Harry finished talking. "Harry are you sure you are ready to take all those tests? Many of those subjects you haven't even studied at Hogwarts! And I can talk to professor Snape about you using the potions lab for your work. You will need his permission to use it and he will want to oversee your work if you are in his lab.
"Do you think that his lab is the only one here at Hogwarts Albus? There are many unused rooms down in the dungeons that could be used for a potions lab," Harry said with a smile.
"Yes there are but none of them are set up and the ingredients and tools needed are only available in Professor Snape's room."
"Yes well, I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it. Maybe Snape and I will be able to reach an agreement before the need arises," Harry smiled knowing he wouldn't need Snape's lab to work. "Well, is there anything else you wish to discuss? I have studying to do for my N.E.W.T. s tomorrow after all."
"No I think that will be all for today. How can I get in touch if I need to talk to you again? Or should I schedule all of our meetings through Miss Weasley?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
Harry walked over to Fawkes and placed his hand on his head. Albus watched as his hand went bright yellow glowing for a few seconds and then stopped. Harry scratched her head for a few minutes and had a quick conversation with him before turning back to Dumbledore. "You can send Fawkes if you need me. She will be able to get through my wards now."
Dumbledore nodded and Harry disappeared from the room the same way he had come. Albus sat there with a smile, a plan formulating in his mind about his new defense against the dark arts teacher. It would all depend on his N.E.W.T. s he thought as he walked back down the steps and out of the castle.
A/N don't forget to review even if you want to say the story sucks and i need mental help. thanks to my beta and those i like to bounce ideas off of. You guys rock if anyone plays half life counter strike im jadefox there too. Thanks for reading!