Chapter Forty Eight – Regrouping

Harry was still screaming when Neville led McGonagall into the dormitory.

"Potter?" she said. "Where does it hurt? What happened?"

Harry just slumped back into his bed and curled up. He was shaking his head. "He knows. He knows now. He'll come. He doesn't have to hold back anymore. He knows."

"Who knows?" Ron asked.

"What happened?" McGonagall demanded.

"I don't know," Ron said in a worried voice. "He just started screaming."

"Come," McGonagall said. "We must get him to Madam Pomfrey immediately."

"NO!" Harry shouted. "Dumbledore has to know. Voldemort found what he was looking for. We have to tell Dumbledore."

"Potter, what are you talking about?"

"I saw it," Harry said. "I was there. He found it. He knows. We have to tell Dumbledore."

"You had a dream."

"NO!" Harry shouted. "I was there. I was a snake. Then I was Voldemort. We found the orb. HE KNOWS!" Why wouldn't they believe him?

McGonagall stared at Harry for a second. "I believe you Potter."

She quickly led him out of the Gryffindor tower and through to school until they were at the entrance to Dumbledore's office.

"Fizzing Whizbee," McGonagall said.

The gargoyle quickly moved aside revealing the entrance. She led Harry up the stairs and to the oak door of the Headmaster's office. She could hear numerous voices chattering away behind the door despite the late hour. She rapped three times with the knocker.

The voices stopped and the door opened of its own accord. Fawkes slept silently on his perch. They found Professor Dumbledore sitting comfortably in a large black chair at his desk.

"Professor McGonagall and, well, isn't this a surprise."

"Professor Dumbledore, Potter has had a … well a nightmare," McGonagall said. "He says …"

"It wasn't a nightmare," Harry cut her off.

"Very well then, Potter," McGonagall said with a frown. "You tell the Headmaster about it."

"I … I was asleep," Harry said. The terror was still there. The echo of Voldemort's laughter lingered in his mind. "Voldemort found it. The orb. 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord …'"

"Enough," Dumbledore cut him off. Voldemort found the prophecy. It was too soon. Harry wasn't ready yet.

"Professor," Harry said. "He knows."

"Headmaster," McGonagall said. "What's happening? It was just a dream."

Dumbledore shook his head. "Go back to the dormitory and gather your things Harry. Professor McGonagall, see that the Weasleys and Ms Granger do the same. They are to be taken to the Headquarters tonight."

"Professor?" McGonagall was confused.

"Do it now," Dumbledore said. He then came around from behind his desk and leaned down in front of Harry. "Harry, listen to me. Tell no one what you heard. Not yet. I will explain everything to you soon. But you must get to the Headquarters tonight."

"Yes Professor," Harry nodded. Dumbledore stared at him intensely for a few more seconds.

"Minerva, let nothing stop you," Dumbledore said.

"What's happening Professor?" McGonagall demanded.

"The Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban a short while ago," Dumbledore said. "Fudge is locking down the Ministry. He will make a move against the Order soon. We must make certain the children are safe. I must make other arrangements."

McGonagall's eyes went wide at revelation. "Of course Headmaster. Come Potter. We must hurry."

As soon as the two left Dumbledore turned to one of the pictures are the wall. He spoke rapidly. The portrait nodded and left the frame.

"Do we know how they escaped yet?" Amelia Bones demanded.

"Sturgis Podmore was the first to escape," the Auror reported. "He must have let the others out."

"How did he get out?"

"We're not certain," came the reply. "The wand storage facility was broken into after the escape. The ten wands belonging to the Death Eaters were taken. Podmore's was still there. We're bringing it in for testing. My guess is we'll find it was a fake."

Bones nodded. "He had his wand the whole time. Have your people finished sweeping the island yet?"

"No ma'am. It's slow going. The Dementors are making things difficult. They seem very upset by the escape."

"They are undoubtedly off the island by now anyway," Bones said. "The escape was obviously well planned. They would have had transportation waiting for them."

"I agree ma'am."

Bones turned her attention to another Auror. "The Ministry is fully secured?"

"Yes Director Bones. We've accounted for everyone in the building. With the exception of Aurors stationed at the entrances and patrolling everyone is confined to their offices. The only area left is the Department of Mysteries. We'll have to get authorization from the Minister before we can do a search."

"I will see too it," Bones said. "Continue with the lockdown until further notice."

"This is preposterous!" Lucius Malfoy shouted. He threw the book across the room. "I did not write that drivel!"

"Mr. Malone," Dr. Abernathy said. "You write a series of children's books about a mysterious world of wizards. That was the first book in the series."

"Malfoy!" came the retort. "My name is Malfoy."

The doctor sighed and went to retrieve the book.

"Why are you doing this at three o'clock in the morning?" Moody asked.

"We're disrupting his time sense," Cromwell answered watching the monitors carefully. "He gets between three to eight hours of sleep at a stretch. But he thinks he's getting eight hours a day. He has no idea how long he's been here. His internal rhythms are completely off kilter."

"And this whole charade of making him think he's a muggle?" Moody asked.

"To break down the fidelius," Cromwell said. "As you know fidelius charms are keyed to specific information. The stronger the connections, the stronger the fidelius. They also work most effectively when the person wants to protect the information. There is a reason they are called 'fidelius' charms."

"I know that," Moody snapped. "But why this? Someone skilled in Occlumency could take the information from his mind."

"True," Cromwell acknowledged. "And we know several telepaths who could break his defenses. But you only get one try at that. Breaking the fidelius in that matter also breaks the mind. Odds are we would get some information, but a great deal would be lost. And we wouldn't get another try at it. By destroying Malfoy's sense of self, he will become increasingly desperate to prove who he is. He'll latch unto anything in his own mind that he can use. Those things that he feels are unique or untouchable."

"Information protected by a fidelius," Moody nodded. "You think he'll try to break the fidelius himself. He'll want to reveal the information."

"Exactly," Cromwell said. "He's already showing signs of doubt. Twice he's responded to the name Malone without correcting anybody. The more he's disassociated from the Malfoy persona, the weaker the bonds of the fidelius. A little push and he'll break the fidelius for us. It's time consuming but the process is more certain to get us everything we need. Plus we'll still have access to him."

"Done this before have you?"

"I'm not authorized to reveal any information in that regard," Cromwell said.

A uniformed soldier entered the room. "Mr. Moody," he said. "We have a developing situation. Major Chisholm wants to see you. Now," he motioned with hand for Moody to follow.

"Am I needed?" Cromwell asked.

"Not at this moment sir," came the reply. "There will be a briefing of senior staff in four hours. You will be expected to attend. Mr. Moody, if you please."

Moody allowed himself to be led through the complex. The guard that was assigned to him followed. It was slow going as he was still recovering from his injuries. But a few minutes later the three entered a large room. There were several tables with, he remembered them being called 'computers.' Along one wall was a map of London. He saw the area where the Ministry of Magic was located outlined with a glowing red line.

He saw Major Chisholm talking with a man he didn't recognize.

"That's confirmation?" Major Chisholm asked.

"Yes Major," the man answered. "All the protective wards have gone active. It's completely locked down."

The Major turned to another person in the room. "Inform Director Buford that we have confirmation."

"Yes Sir."

"What's happening?" Moody demanded.

Major Chisholm turned to look at him. "A little more than two hour ago the Ministry of Magic's complex in London went into complete lockdown. Every protective ward around the facility has gone active."

"Why?"

"We don't know yet."

"Sir," Moody turned to see Lt. Cranston enter the room. "Sinclair is here. He wants to see Moody. He also says he knows what's going on."

"Send him up," Chisholm ordered.

A few minutes later Elder Sinclair came into the room in full stride.

"I just briefed Sophia a short while ago," he said. "There has been a mass breakout from Azkaban prison."

"Who?" Moody asked.

"All the Death Eaters," Sinclair answered. "Young Tom has made his move. Fudge has ordered the Ministry into lockdown. He already suspects Albus of being behind this. Alastor, I need you to accompany me back to Black's house. The full Order will be meeting within the hour. We need to make plans for this."

"Private, escort Mr. Moody back to his quarters to gather his things," Major Chisholm said. "Mr. Moody we will return your eye when you exit the grounds.'

Moody nodded and turned to leave.

"One thing Alastor," Sinclair said.

Moody turned. "Yes Elder?"

Sinclair reached into his jacket a pulled out a wand. "I made this for you," he said handing it to Moody. "It uses your old core. It will need to be broken in of course. But it should serve you well."

Moody gave the wand an experimental swish. A burst of sparkles came out the end. He bowed his head. "Thank you Elder."

"Go, I will meet you outside shortly," Sinclair said. "We have much to do in a short time."

A short while later Dumbledore and Sinclair were talking privately in one of upstairs bedrooms at the Headquarters. Most of the other members of the Order were downstairs still trying to come to grips with ten escaped Death Eaters. The children had been sent to bed. And Dumbledore had personally seen to it that would not be able to eavesdrop from their rooms.

"This house will not be secure for long," Sinclair noted. "The raid destroyed many of the protective charms and we have not had sufficient time to rebuild all of the defenses."

"True," Dumbledore replied. "Bellatrix knows about the house. It is only a matter of time before she turns Tom's attentions here. But it is secure enough for a few days. We have a far larger problem."

"You did not say mention another problem in your communiqué," Sinclair said.

"Tom has discovered the prophecy," Dumbledore said. "He knows about his connection to Harry. He knows the truth. He knows that you and I are not a threat to him."

"Damn," Sinclair said. "You should have destroyed the prophecy yourself. The boy is hardly ready to face Tom. Up until now he has had you to watch over and protect him. Even if he was unaware of that fact. That and luck. If Tom had known the truth in their last encounter…"

"Harry would be dead," Dumbledore finished. "And all of our hopes would be lost. Destroying Tom would become little more than a meaningless gesture."

"We must find a safe place to train the boy properly," Sinclair said. "The school will provide only limited protection now. And the type of training he needs can not be accomplished with Umbridge lurking about."

"I fear there is no place secure within the Wizarding World," Dumbledore said. "Tom's resources are proving almost as extensive as our own. And Cornelius will now begin to target Order members directly. Arthur is still trapped in the Ministry while the lockdown continues."

"We have allies outside the Wizarding World now," Sinclair noted. "Ones who almost certainly have a place that can serve are needs."

"Then we should contact them immediately."

The theme music from "The Brady Bunch" blared out of Dawn's cell phone waking her up from a sound sleep.

"Damn it Willow," she said. This was the fifth time the witch had somehow managed to change her ring tones. "One little ingredient. She was yellow for less than a day," Dawn muttered.

She wondered across the room and found her cell phone. She picked it up and quickly silenced the ring knowing that it was already too late and she have that annoying song in her head all day.

"Willow is so going down," she said as she raised the phone to her ear. "Dawn here … Elder … No no. It's alright, I've had my two hours … We Know … Sophia called us. Not much we can do about it unless you know where they are … I figured … You need what? … Yeah, we might be to find someplace like that … How many people? … Ok … call me at three this afternoon … I need to talk to some people first … Make sure everyone is safe … Goodbye."

Dawn turned off the phone. She threw on her nightgown and went to her kitchen. After pouring herself a glass of milk she took out her cell phone again and hit the speed dial.

"Kennedy … It's Dawn. I need to talk to Willow for a second … 'Bout as much as I've had … Thanks … Hey Willow. Sinclair called … They need a secure location outside the Wizarding World for the Order to use as a new headquarters … We can talk to Giles in the morning … 'Bye, oh wait one other thing … It will only take a second. 'Here's the story of lovely lady, who was bringing up three…"

Dawn had to pull the phone away from her ear as Willow screeched in response. She smiled as she heard the line go dead. "That's what you get for trying to play me," Dawn said.

She opened her laptop and made a few notes as she finished her milk. When she was done she left the glass in the sink and went back to bed. If she was lucky she might get another hour or two in before she had to head to the office.