Chapter 16: Red-Handed

I do not own Harry Potter and I am not making any money from writing this whatsoever. The Harry Potter franchise is the property of Warner Brother's and J.K Rowling.

"You know, Minister, I disagree with Dumbledore on many counts... but you cannot deny he's got style..."

┈ ┈ ┈ ⋞ 〈 ⏣ 〉 ⋟ ┈ ┈ ┈

"Think of your happiest memory, the greatest moment in your life! Use that happiness to form the Patronus!"

Harry really was a good teacher, Hermione had to admit. She never really doubted his abilities in defence, but the way he was able to become a leader through the D.A. was astounding. She smiled as she glanced at the three new arrivals. Kelvin, Devin, and Jamie seemed to be doing alright. Their introduction into the group was met with some mild disagreement. Mostly from Ron and the twins. They weren't the only ones who clearly did not approve though. Zacharias Smith shot glares their way every once in a while, and everyone else was wary of them.

It was ridiculous, they were third years, after all.

This was their third lesson now, and though hardly anything had changed, both Dennis and Colin Creevey had started talking to the three boys more, being the only other students there around their age.

None of the boys could create a Patronus though, but that wasn't entirely surprising either.

Hermione was having trouble too, which was difficult to admit, even if it was to herself. She had plenty of happy memories to choose from, but no matter how much she tried, Hermione couldn't produce a corporeal Patronus. Were the memories not good enough? She had used several ones that included good grades, moments with her parents, things like that, but none of it worked.

She was beginning to get frustrated, especially when Cho was able to produce a beautiful swan, and Luna and Ron had a hare and Jack Russel Terrier running around.

Hermione frowned and closed her eyes, thinking hard. A happy memory, a really good one.

A strong frame dressed in leather came to mind, short stubble and a piercing gaze. Arms wrapped around her in a hug...

"Expecto Patronum!" She breathed, and a rather thin cat sprang out of her wand. It regarded her curiously in the air before rolling onto its back. Hermione blushed furiously, but thankfully, nobody had noticed.

She had used a memory of-

BANG!

The door to the Room of Requirement shuddered, Hermione had hardly noticed Harry kneeling down facing Dobby, holding the elf's hands back so he couldn't punish himself.

"Harry Potter..." Dobby blubbered, "she... she..."

Dobby tried to wrench his hand free from Harry's grip, but couldn't.

"Who's 'she,' Dobby?" Harry asked, but Hermione already had a very good idea.

The elf looked up at him, slightly cross-eyed, and mouthed wordlessly.

"Umbridge?" Harry asked, horrified. Dobby nodded, then tried to bang his head off Harry's knees; Harry held him at bay.

"What about her? Dobby, she hasn't found out about this - about us - about the D.A.?"

He read the answer in the elf's stricken face. His hands held fast by Harry, the elf tried to kick himself and fell to the floor.

"Is she coming?" Harry asked quietly.

Dobby let out a howl, and began beating his bare feet hard on the floor. "Yes, Harry Potter, yes!"

Harry straightened up and looked around at the motionless, terrified people gazing at the thrashing elf. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Harry bellowed. "RUN!"

Everyone ran for the exit at once, causing quite the pileup. Hermione was shoved around a little bit due to the sheer desperation from everyone to escape.

"Harry, come on!" She shrieked, trying to get his attention, but he was too busy slamming the room's door and scooping up Dobby and running in the opposite direction that she was to hear her. She immediately ran for the library, as it was closer than the dormitory and would raise less suspicion. Hermione could only hope he wouldn't be caught.

"Dobby, this is an order," Harry panted as he ran, "get back down to the kitchen with the other elves, and if she asks you whether you warned me, lie and say no! And I forbid you to hurt yourself!" he added, dropping the elf as he made it around the corner.

"Thank you, Harry Potter!" Dobby squeaked, and he streaked off.

He started to run right; there was a boys' bathroom up ahead, he could pretend he'd been in there all the time if he could just reach it. Harry was almost there when he spotted Jamie Davis turning the corner as well. But there was someone behind him with their wand out. Harry didn't even think, he just spun around on the spot, sprinted towards Jamie and pushed the boy ahead of him. But a spell caught him in the ankles, forcing him to put more power into the push than intended, and both he and Jamie were sent tumbling to the floor.

Harry turned on his back, and his eyes widened when he realized who had caught him.

Cerulean blue eyes looked down on him in horror, and then they moved up and then her expression was stricken.

"Jamie?" Tracey asked, absolutely shocked.

"Excellent, Miss Davis, excellent," a slightly out of breath but no less sickly sweet voice said from behind her, "very good," Umbridge cooed, "fifty points to Slytherin! I'll take him from here... Stand up, Potter!"

Harry got to his feet, still staring wide eyed at Tracey, who looked as if she were on the verge of tears.

Umbridge seized his arm in a vicelike grip and turned, beaming broadly to Tracey. "You hop along now and see if you can round up anymore of them, Miss Davis," she said. "Tell the others to look in the library - anybody out of breath - check the bathrooms, Miss Parkinson can do the girls' ones - off you go - and you," she added in her softest, most dangerous voice, as Tracey walked away shakily.

"You can come with me to the headmaster's office, Potter."

Harry felt morose, glancing at Umbridge sitting in the headmaster's chair.

Every once in a while during lunch, she look over to him and smile. He was brimming with so much fury it was a wonder he didn't try to curse her then and there. But more than his anger, Harry felt sad - betrayed, by Tracey. It was probably irrational, he knew, the look on her face told it all, but it didn't change the fact that she still joined the Inquisitorial Squad, still practically worked for Umbridge.

He felt a sudden pang of worry for Jamie Davis, who, along with his sister, was not at lunch. That was likely an uncomfortable conversation they were having right now in the Slytherin common room.

Dumbledore was gone, and it was all his fault. Everything felt so hopeless now, as he was sure Umbridge would do her best to make his life hell here. Though the idea of the twins pranking the castle into oblivion was one that he fully supported, it did little to improve his mood.

When lunch was over, and everyone made to leave for classes, Umbridge walked up to a podium that had appeared, and pointed her wand at her neck.

"Hem, hem," she cleared her throat, making Harry want to throw every horrible curse he knew at her. "As you all have no doubt heard, last night, Albus Dumbledore revealed himself to be building up an army of your fellow students to overthrow the Ministry. He has since fled Hogwarts to go into hiding, and thus, making me your new Headmistress. Now-"

BOOM!

The very floor of the Great Hall shook; Umbridge nearly fell over, gripping the podium for support.

"What was-?"

Another explosion, louder this time, and then a moment later, the double doors flew open.

Filch, the caretaker walked inside, face covered in ash and hair singed. He stood still for a moment, and then fell over face first.

Dragons comprised entirely of green-and-gold sparks were soaring into and all around the Great Hall, exploding at some students, but mainly causing chaos everywhere at once. Shocking-pink Catherine wheels five feet in diameter were whizzing lethally through the air like so many flying saucers. Rockets with long tails of brilliant silver stars were ricocheting off the walls. Sparklers were writing swearwords in midair of their own accord. Firecrackers were exploding like mines everywhere Harry looked, and instead of burning themselves out, fading from sight, or fizzling to a halt, these pyrotechnical miracles seemed to be gaining in energy and momentum the longer he watched.

Umbridge stared at it all transfixed in horror, her mouth open comedically.

One of the pink ones careened straight for the toad-like professor with alarming speed, and she barely ducked in time for the firework to absolutely destroy the headmistress' chair. McGonagall and Snape, the ones who sat closest to the middle, had wisely put up shield charms to protect themselves. But neither of them tried to help Umbridge, nor did any of the other teachers. In fact, Harry swore Flitwick was beaming widely, and a few more were grinning a little. Most shocking of all was Snape, who Harry, even from his distance, could tell was smirking slightly.

Most of the students had gotten up from their tables to cheer and laugh. Some filed out to get away from the chaos, and Harry had an idea. He got up, leaving Ron and Hermione, the latter of which he heard speaking about the fireworks.

"...it's pretty ingenious, I won't lie."

Harry found the culprits pretty quickly. Inside a hidden passage that Filch already knew about (though that hardly mattered at the moment) were Fred and George, shaking with mirth.

"Impressive," Harry said quietly, grinning. "Very impressive, you'll put Dr. Filibuster out of business, no problem."

"Cheers," whispered George, wiping tears of laughter from his face.

"Oh, I hope she tries Vanishing them next, they multiply by ten every time you try."

The fireworks continued to burn and to spread all over the school that afternoon. Though they caused plenty of disruption, particularly the firecrackers, the other teachers did not seem to mind them very much.

"Oh, no," Snape had said sarcastically during a potions lesson, "no, Finnegan, do not bother trying to get rid of it," he said to Seamus as a small firecracker landed in his potion, fizzling out but changing the colour of Seamus' potion from lilac purple to maroon. "Rejoice, that may have just made your grade go from troll to dreadful."

All these fireworks meant that Umbridge's first afternoon as headmistress was certainly eventful.

Though Fred and George's prank was brilliant, it did not keep Harry's mood up for long.

In Transfiguration, while Professor McGonagall had another pretty funny reaction to the fireworks as they disrupted the class ("Dear, dear," she said sardonically, as one of the dragons soared around her classroom, emitting loud bangs and exhaling flame. "Miss Brown, would you mind running along to the headmistress and informing her that we have an escaped firework in our classroom?") But it also meant working alongside Tracey, something he was absolutely dreading. But after Umbridge had shown up and very angrily dispelled of the fireworks, the lesson went on as normal, albeit in complete silence from the two.

Tracey kept glancing at him from time to time as McGonagall was talking, and when it came time to work together, they never spoke a word. It ended up getting them only an 'Acceptable', which by now for Harry, was uncommon, so used to working well with Tracey he was that they'd only gotten an 'E' or higher.

"Potter, stay behind," McGonagall called to him as he made to leave. Ron shot him a pitying look but went on with Hermione. "I would like to remind you that you have a career advice meeting with me tomorrow after dinner."

Harry's eyes widened, he remembered Hermione excitedly talking about her own meeting and Ron lamenting about his within the last week.

"I take it by your reaction, it was good I did remind you," McGonagall said dryly.

"Er, yeah," he said in embarrassment, "don't worry, I'll be there."

"Good," she said, now serious, "and Potter, do try and patch up things with Tracey, your marks should not be this low together."

Harry blinked. How did she know?

"Tracey, you are shaking."

She rolled her eyes in a false sort of defiance, Tracey knew that she was shaking, so could Daphne stop reminding her?

The entirety of Slytherin house watched her every move now, knowing her brother was joined up with the 'enemy', as if Harry was out to get each and every one of them. They were already indifferent to rude to her on good days, she shuddered to think how they'd treat her after they got over the shock of the whole thing.

It wasn't even like she was apart of it herself, but that wouldn't matter to them.

Tracey couldn't even find the words to lecture her brother after it happened. Mostly because he had detention for the rest of the year with Professor Snape thanks to Umbridge, but also because she knew he cared about his grades as much as she did her own. Could Tracey fault him for joining a group that would help him improve?

She shot a backwards glance at the common room as she and Daphne went to their dorm, most were watching her.

No, no, she couldn't fault him. Because they already did.

Honestly, the detentions were probably a good thing, at least Jamie didn't have to spend too much time back here to be ostracized by the house.

"I'm alright," she said quietly to Daphne once they had returned to their dorms. Pansy and Millicent weren't here, mercifully, she couldn't bear to face them at the moment.

"Obviously not," Daphne said, "you can't expect to hide forever."

Again, Tracey knew that.

"I'm not hiding," she said defiantly, "I just feel so guilty, Daph."

Her friend's eyes softened. "About Potter?"

Tracey nodded, but said nothing. She had tried to hard to buildup a reputation of being indifferent, unbothered, so that her housemates wouldn't bother with the usual second class treatment they gave to anyone that wasn't pure-blood. She had initially reasoned that if it appeared as if she didn't care, they'd eventually give up on trying to be mean or snide. It didn't fully work, but it wasn't a total failure either. Regardless, she kept it up, and the reputation was there. At least in her house, anyway.

And then she met Harry Potter.

Daphne and Blaise were her best friends, so obviously around them she was able to be herself. Which was to say, a bit of a dork, in her brothers words, he was more familiar with muggle terms than she was.

In class with him, she attempted to keep it up, but it was refreshing to find someone so naturally good at magic without appearing to really try, that she had to tell Daphne about it. That led to them all meeting in the Three Broomsticks, and her becoming a sort of friend, sort of acquaintance to him.

"You care too much about what he thinks," Daphne said, brutally honest as always, but still caring. "Have you ever thought about why that is?"

Unfortunately, she had.

Harry walked out of the career advice meeting with his hands stuffed in his robe. McGonagall vowed to make sure he became an auror, like he said he'd wanted, due to Umbridge's constant interruptions and naysaying, but was that truly what he wanted to be? Sure, it was the only thing that made sense to him at the moment, with the threat of Voldemort looming over him, more training would be invaluable but... could he really do it forever? Fighting for the rest of his life, though seeming more and more likely as the days went on, wasn't something enjoyable to him.

What else was there, though? Quidditch was fun, but Harry didn't want to have even more of a spotlight on him. Those were the only two plausible career's he could think of without his mind drawing blank.

Feeling defeated, Harry made his way to the dungeon's so he could get to Snape's office. The potion's professor had increased their meetings to nearly every afternoon now that he was getting better at Occlumency.

"Enter," Snape's voice called after Harry had knocked. "You're late, Potter." He said as Harry sat down.

"Sorry, sir," he apologized, "I had a career advice meeting with Professor McGonagall."

If this was earlier in the year, Harry was sure his words would be met with sarcasm or scorn, but it was a testament to Snape's change in attitude towards him that the professor merely nodded.

"I see," he said, "no matter, let us begin, hm?"

Dudley was shoving him into the deep side of a pool, knowing Harry couldn't swim... Hagrid looked battered and bruised in the Three Broomsticks... Cho was yelling at him... Other images were flicking by, Harry was searching for something desperately. He was inside Grimmauld Place, checking each room one by one. More images flashed, Umbridge and McGonagall standing up and arguing about Harry's future career, but it was muted and deteriorating. One final room, locked, but Harry blasted it open with his wand. Snape was there, face in a pensieve. Harry grabbed him roughly by the shoulder and yanked his head out of it.

"Good, Potter," Snape's voice said as they emerged from Harry's mind. "I was still able to garner some information, but it was flashing by fast, I could barely stop to review them before the next one would come."

Harry let out a breath that he didn't even know he was holding, Snape's praise actually made him feel... accomplished.

There was a few moments of silence as Snape considered him. "Did Professor Umbridge sit in on your meeting with Professor McGonagall?"

Right, he'd seen that.

"Yeah," Harry said, "I take it she didn't do that for any of your students, did she?"

Snape smirked, "there is hope for you yet. Yes, Potter, you are correct. I gather you know why this is?"

"So she and the Minister can keep tabs on me?" He speculated.

"Indeed," Snape said, "I am surprised she hasn't asked you of the whereabouts of Professor Dumbledore, yet."

"Oh, she has," Harry said matter-of-factly. "Had me in her office after she became Headmistress."

He then remembered how insistent she was that he drink the tea she had prepared. Harry's eyes flittered over to a large vat of veriteserum in the corner of Snape's office.

"Professor," he said suddenly, remembering everything clearly, "I think she was trying to have me drink veriteserum."

"What?" Snape said, eyes bulging. Harry didn't understand that, as the potions professor had threatened to give him some last year when he had suspected Harry of stealing ingredients from his store, but Harry supposed that there was a huge difference between threatening and actually following through.

"In her office," Harry rushed, "she offered me a lot of drinks, and when I told her I didn't want any, she insisted. I just chose tea, but before actually asking me anything she pushed for me to take a sip. I was wary then, so I faked it, and then she was asking me all sorts of questions about where Dumbledore and Sirius were hiding out."

Snape looked furious. "What a pathetic attempt," he spat, "how anyone would fall for that, I have no idea."

Despite his startling realization that the Headmistress had done something very illegal, Harry couldn't help but smirk a little at the fact that Snape was more mad she wasn't subtle about it.

"Just stop," he said, cutting off Snape's ranting. "It's her word against mine, and there's really no proof anyway. Nothing I can do about it." It was a mature response from him, something that was admittedly, rare for him this year.

Snape's black eyes narrowed at him, and after a few moments, he relaxed.

"As you say," he said, "let's continue then, shall we?"

Johnny sat impatiently in between Sirius and Tonks at the dining table, his leg bouncing up and down at a quick pace.

Every Order member they could call in with such short notice was here. Remus was on Sirius' left, followed by Emmeline Vance and Dedalus Diggle. To Tonks' right, Mad-Eye, Bill Weasley, and Elphias Doge. Across from them was Albus Dumbledore, in the center seat of the long table, flanked by Arthur and Molly. Mundungus, Hestia Jones and Kingsley all sat on his side of the table as well.

"Thank you friends, for being here so quickly." Dumbledore said, smiling at them. "No doubt, many of you have heard the news, but to those who haven't, it is quite simple... I am no longer Headmaster of Hogwarts."

The old man was right, Johnny noticed, the only ones that looked shocked were himself and Mundungus. Many of the others looked bitter, and more than a few were scowling.

"Minister Fudge and Dolores Umbridge have finally dislodged me from my position at the school," he continued, "and though it is quite unfortunate, there is no time to dwell on it."

"The post's cursed anyway," Sirius said, "she'll be out of the job by the end of the year anyway."

Johnny didn't know anything about that, but by the look on everyone else's face, they all seemed to agree.

Dumbledore merely kept smiling obligingly. "Be that as it may, for the last few months of term, I will remain here, and believe me, it will not be an unproductive stay."

There were some murmurs at this, but Dumbledore raised his left hand for silence.

"We must begin to put our plans in action. Though we have no idea when Voldemort will finally return publicly - if at all - now is the time to garner numbers. Our efforts with the giants have failed, but what say you, Hestia, Emmeline?"

Hestia spoke first. "My uncle and a few others are willing to join," she said, "around four in total, including him. I know it's not much but..." She trailed off.

"I appreciate it immensely regardless," Dumbledore assured her, "anyone is better than no-one."

Now it was Emmeline's turn, and she shook her head sadly. "Nobody from me, Albus," she said, "a good number actually believe, mind you, but that also means they're too ruddy scared to do anything."

"An expected, if sad, outcome. Thank you for trying anyway, Emmeline." Dumbledore said, before turning to look at Mad-Eye. "Any updates from you, Alastor?"

"Nothing new," Moody said gruffly, "if Voldemort's returned to his ventures on the streets of muggle London, I haven't been able to detect it. And being me, as well as Johnny's helpful insight, I doubt he has."

"I happen to agree," Dumbledore said. Moody merely grunted in response.

"If that is all from everyone, I now would like to share something that I have recently learned of." Dumbledore said, looking around at them all. "Severus has informed me of a plan by Voldemort to steal a valuable magical artifact from a historical museum in Norway in July." The room was completely silent, even Johnny ceased his foot tapping and sat up more in his seat. "This is, however, a diversion and likely a trap."

"Why tell us then?" Tonks asked. "If we shouldn't even bother with it, I mean."

"Because," Dumbledore responded, "even though Severus has said it is a trap, Voldemort insists that he play it up to us as a legitimate source of information, and thus, Voldemort expects us to act on it. Not doing so, could blow Severus' cover."

Dumbledore raised a hand as the room erupted in voices, many indignant. At once, the room went silent again. "I do not wish to say this, but we must act on it."

"Is there actually anything there they'd want to steal?" Johnny asked, curious. The museum was in Norway, which meant that...

"Yes, actually," Dumbledore said, smiling slightly despite the circumstances. "You might know of this, Johnny, they are looking to steal a mystical weapon known as Laevateinn."

"But," Johnny said, confused. "It's meant to be in Hel, heavily locked inside of a chest."

"Indeed it is," Dumbledore replied, "the one Voldemort is after is likely a fake, but I doubt he's done any proper research into it. Though it is not confusing as to why he'd want it, as the object itself is incredibly powerful."

That was true. Sometimes described as a wand or a dagger, it was the weapon that many scholars believe was used by Loki to kill Baldur.

"I'll go," Johnny volunteered immediately, "even if Blackheart is sent there, I'll go."

Dumbledore nodded, expecting this. "Kingsley and Tonks will accompany you." He said.

Johnny was more than fine with that, they were incredible fighters, he was told.

The desire to truly see more proof of Norse legend existing was enough of a reason to go.

"I want in as well," Sirius said.

This was met with a general outcry, and even Johnny found himself wanting to argue against him.

"It's not safe!"

"Are you barking?"

"No way in hell, Sirius-"

"Silence," Dumbledore said quietly, and immediately everyone stopped. He looked over at Sirius. "Are you aware of the risk?"

"Yes," Sirius responded, "but it's not anywhere here in the United Kingdom, and I went last time with Johnny-"

"To a place with no people other than death eaters and giants," Dumbledore cut him off, "and without permission, might I add."

Sirius had the grace to look a little sheepish, but he kept on. "Johnny'll need all the help he can get, and it's not like anyone in Norway will really recognize me."

"Several magical governments in Europe were notified of your escape two years ago, Sirius," Dumbledore said, "Norway being one of them."

Sirius tried to speak, but then stopped, shooting a glance to Johnny, as if begging him to help. But Johnny did not know what to say.

"Their magical population is half the size of ours.." he tried.

Dumbledore stared at the man for a few moments, before sighing. "Fine, you will also accompany them to Norway. But do not take this lightly," he said, looking at the four of them in turn. "Your lives are at stake for nothing more than some ploy, be on your toes, be cautious. We do not know what comes next."

A/N: Bit of a shorter chapter this time around, but we're close to the end. A couple things to note here though.

Voldemort 'wants' Laevateinn, yes, but it's obviously not as important to him as the prophecy. However, in Norse Myth, the weapon is either described as a wand or dagger. Here, I'm going with the former, as it's a good way to kind of lean in towards Voldemort's quest to get the Elder Wand subplot in the Deathly Hallows book. In my story, Voldemort genuinely believes that the weapon could be the Deathstick itself. He's wrong, of course, Dumbledore is still very much in possession of the hallow.

Btw, I know the Umbridge interrogation that is mentioned at the Occlumency lesson is missing here on purpose, just didn't feel like rewriting it or just straight up copying. Apologies if that is confusing. If it is a little too jarring, I might just add it in.