Summary: Slightly AU after book six. Takes place right after funeral. Harry seeks answers. Will he ask for help?

This Chapter: McGonagall, leaving feast and a surprise visit.

School Unity

Part Two

The next day passed quietly for the school. It wasn't until after lunch that Harry started getting pensive. It didn't help that Hermione, the voice of reason within the group had disappeared, and Ron started asking what he thought McGonagall would do about presenting the portkeys.

Harry, who was leaning against the tree opened his eyes, looked at Ron and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I'm to worried about what might happen to you guys."

"What do you mean, mate?"

Ginny who was napping on Harry's other side, stirred. "Ron, what would be your worst nightmare?"

Ron stopped, thinking, realizing where Harry was heading. "If something happed to Hermione."

"Exactly." Harry paused, trying to explain that it just wasn't about Ginny. That the fear also encompassed Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ron and Hermione.

"Harry, you are aware that if you try something stupid, like breaking up with Ginny, she'll probably put her bat bogey hex on you."

"Ya, I know."

Harry and Ron paused taking in the scenery, as others enjoyed the clear day. The squid in the lake was trying to splash the students that were nearest the lake.

Not really caring about studying for possible exams. Harry was thinking back on what had happened at breakfast. The group of Gryffindors that had befriended Moony the day before had been called in by McGonagall; escorted to the room behind the staff table. Where it seemed that not a minute later there was a slight shriek and a muffled "NO!" that was heard. The crying of a child could also be heard.

Moments later, the morning post arrived. Included in the morning post was the Daily Prophet which had an article on the Coachman family; included was a picture, muggle style of the entire Coachman family. The article said that a muggle family had been killed by Dementors. Both parents had perished, it was believed that the youngest had also perished in the attack, but Aurors were still investigating.

It was believed that DeathEaters had helped the Dementors enter the family apartment in London. That no other family in the apartment complex had been attacked gave to speculation that it was a special attack on the muggle-borns.

The majority of students who were muggle born, or friends of muggle borns were frightened.

The leaving feast was almost over students were waiting spending last moments with friends before heading upstairs or downstairs as the case may be. The noise level was actually low, considering how many students were in the Great Hall. It was seemed that students were being very respectful, or awfully scared of the events that had occurred; the Headmaster's (Dumbledore's) death, the rumor that Professor Snape had killed Dumbledore, the funeral, and the rumored closing of Hogwarts.

McGonagall stood up from her chair at the staff table. McGonagall only had to clear her throat once before every student in the hall faced forward, to pay attention to what she had to say. "May I have everyone's attention? Thank You." Here McGonagall paused before continuing, "As you all know the Board of Governor's, the Wizengamot and the Ministry will be gathering to decide the fate of Hogwarts, to remain open to the students or not. Know that the matter will be addressed by when you receive your O.W.L.S. or N.E.W.T.S. exam scores."

McGonagall stopped and looked at all the prefects and head boy and girl. "Do we have all the students' agreements?" she asked them. All the students nodded, "Yes" they replied.

"Good," McGonagall answered. "To continue we have developed a plan that will keep you safe, we hope."

At this point McGonagall pointed her wand toward the bottom of the stage and said "aedifico mensa" paused "picture e ferculum," with that a switch of her wand, a long thin table appeared. The table held hundreds of boxes, there seemed to be several photographs with frames.

"On this table are pictures of various angles of Hogwarts, each student will be given his or her choice of photograph. These are not ordinary photographs and frame, each and every one is a portkey. There are teams ready and waiting to set wards for students, we do however need students to sign-up. Remember that as students you are not allowed to use magic at home or while away from Hogwarts. When the teams set these wards at your home, you will have five minutes to reach your portkey. Make sure that all children are touching the portkey before it activates."

McGonagall paused and turned towards the teachers and staff. "I need the heads of houses to work with Prefects and Head Boy and Girl to see which students need the special team." Turning back to the students; "As you come up with your year please keep in mind that if you are muggle born or live with a muggle family you need to talk with your head of house. We'll need to set up additional wards at your homes."

As McGonagall paused in her speech, she noticed Blaise Zabini raise his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Zabini?"

"What if we don't want one?"

"Why should we get one?"

"We don't really need it, do we?" Nott asked.

Harry could see McGonagall pause and think before answering the Slytherin's questions.

"I want to tell you a true story. It happened during the first rise of the Dark Lord Voldemort. There were four friends, the best of friends, all of them in the same house. Two were of pure blood families, one was a half-blood, and the other was muggle born. Now many believe that it was a pure blood that betrayed the friends, but in fact it was the muggle born who betrayed his friends. You may believe that you do not need this, but if you have younger siblings, if you without a doubt trust your parents and family, then by all means don't take a portkey."

"Oh, if you think you'll be telling your DeathEater parents, don't even think it. When you signed the agreement earlier, you agreed to a partial memory wipe."

"Harry if you please," indicated McGonagall. Harry who was sitting towards the back of the Great Hall, took a deep breathe. Harry stood up from the Gryffindor table and headed toward the teacher's table. Standing to the side of McGonagall but next to Dumbledore's seat.

"Some of you believe that being the chosen one is easy and that I get away with practically everything that I do. Well I don't."

"Ya right."

"Mr. . ."

Harry turned to McGonagall, "Professor. . . . Let me."

"Each one of you believes what you believe," at which point Harry paused and looked directly at the Slytherin table, "I can not change your opinion of me, but I did learn several things in the past couple of days that I would like to mention. Each one of us has a preconceived opinion of each person based on which house that person was sorted into."

"That's a lie!"

"Nott, would you like to know the first thing that my best mate Ron said when Draco was sorted in first year. There's no witch or wizard that didn't go bad in that house."

All was silent as many tried to understand what Harry had said. "Some of you may mot have realized this but when I was sorted, I was almost placed in Slytherin." Harry turned and looked directly at Nott and Zabini. "You know, the sorting hat and I argued about it, for what seemed like forever. But I chose Gryffindor based on the information I had."

"You just want attention, don't you Potter?" Zabini asked in a snide voice.

"Look, I don't care what you think of me, but I grew up with muggles, the worst kind, and I made a decision based on what I knew. Draco reminded me of them and their attitude towards others. That's why I chose Gryffindor. Dumbledore once told me during my second year that it was not our beliefs that make us who we are, but our chooses."

"Why should we believe you?" Nott asked with derision in his voice.

"It isn't me you should believe. It's the opportunity that is being presented that you should give thanks for. Nott, you're a sixth year correct? Even if you could manage a DeathEater, what about your sister who's a second year, and your brother, who hasn't even started, would they be able? My whole point is not to question your ability but give you the option of running to fight another day."

Harry turned and looked directly at Zabini. "What about you?"

"What makes you think I won't go running to someone and tell them, say like my mother," Zabini said with a smirk and a glint in his eye.

"Because," McGonagall answered as she stood from her chair. "Each one of you signed a magical contract before entering the hall, for this feast and if you think what Ms. Granger can do, imagine what I can do."

Harry could hear the very audible gasp the students of Hogwarts made upon realizing what Professor McGonagall had said and meant.

Nott stood, Harry not knowing what Nott was planning to do, squared his shoulders and braced himself for what ever was coming.

As Nott approached, many in the Great Hall held their breathe. Nott reached the dialyze, and climbed the steps. Those at the Gryffindor and the Slytherin tables were especially holding their breathe in one hand and reaching for their wand with the other.

"I understand what you're doing and the why. The implementation might be dicey." Nott paused "I don't see another option for me and my family, so alright, I'll take what I can get," Nott said as he reached out to shake Harry's hand.

Harry reached over and with a surprise look on his face shook Nott's' hand. As they were shaking hands, cheers erupted from the students of Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, the younger students of Gryffindor and Slytherin. Looks of resignation adorned many of the older students of Slytherin, with looks of determination of the faces of older students of Gryffindor; a truce of sorts was in effect. As the cheers continued Nott leaned over to Harry and whispered "Just so you know I'm only doing this for my family."

"Ya so am I," Harry replied.

In the midst of all the cheering a sudden and loud rumbling could be heard from outside the Great Hall.

McGonagall did a sonorous charm on herself. "Will all students please be seated while the teachers and staff investigate what is happening!"

The staff stood to follow McGonagall out of the Great Hall. As the staff walked towards the doors of the Great Hall, Edward Carrington, the Head Boy, stood from the Ravenclaw table, while Kaitlyn McNamara, the Head Girl followed from the Hufflepuff table. Before leaving the Great Hal, McGonagall stopped, turned to Slughorn and Flitwick. "Please stay behind and watch the students, the password is Raspberry Lemon Drop." She then turned and left the Great Hall.

It seemed like hours before McGonagall and the staff came back. Even then Slughorn was quite adamant about the password, you could barely hear Flitwick exclaiming about it.

As McGonagall reached the dais, climbed the steps and turned to address the students; two distinctive cracks were heard. Standing before McGonagall, were gargoyles, at least five of them.

No one knows who was more stunned, McGonagall or the visitors. "Where is Dumbledore?" one asked.

"How did you get in?"

"We were summoned, of course."

"What? How?"

"The heirs."

"What heirs?"

"The heirs of the founders have called us forth, as the agreement stands, we," he made a motion with his hand encompassing the others, "are here to help protect the school."

"But, but. . ." McGonagall stammered. "The school year is at a close."

"Then we will help you plan for a well protected year ahead."

McGonagall seemed to come out of her daze. "Agreement?"

"Where is Dumbledore?" was asked again, specifically the gargoyle in the front.

"We shall talk about this in a moment." McGonagall did a sonorous charm, "Will all students please return to your houses, remember that you will be leaving extra early this year. Please have all your luggage packed, to be taken to the train."

As the students stood almost as one, the younger students had various expressions, of awe to scared to puzzled, on their faces as they walked by the gargoyles.

A/N: Please review.

Chapter Three:

New Characters:

Alastair Coachman 5th year Gryffindor, Muggle born

Andrew Coachman 4th year Gryffindor, Muggle born

Andrea Coachman 2nd year Gryffindor, Muggle born

Adara Coachman 1st year Gryffindor, Muggle born

Anthony Coachman nine years old, Muggle born

Edward Carrington 7th year Ravenclaw, Headboy

Kaitlyn McNamara 7th year Hufflepuff, Headgirl

Spells:

Aedifico longa mensa create long table

Pictura e ferculum pictures with frames