Chapter 26: Longbottom and Vance
As the week ended peacefully, everybody was grateful to be sleeping in a little longer, and when they returned to Hogwarts on Sunday evening, it was not necessarily the same reluctant crew that had left, though all were grateful to be leaving the camp.
As November was coming to a close, life became a flurry for many at Hogwarts. Hermione and her team had several prototypes of Hogwarts maps that had different features, though they were still working on some bugs. It wasn't surprising that most of her team were muggleborns, drawing on ideas from the technology that existed outside of the wizarding bubble.
Kingsley and Silverwood had finished the set up on the dispatch center, which was to be a new building just inside the gates of the castle to allow for easy exits. The students members of the guard could volunteer to rotate and be on duty inside Dispatch, answering firecalls and passing them on to the on-duty Guard Masters and third-year apprentices that had qualified for active duty.
The first day the system was active, Harry waited anxiously for Silverwood and his team to return from Longbottom Manor, when a second call came in. Grabbing Master Smythe, Terran, and three companies that were on call, Harry took the Portkey to a small wizarding village just outside of Sheffield.
When they arrived, Harry noted the scent of scent of burning. "Company Alpha, take the East; Company Bravo, the West; Company Charlie, with me to the town center."
Each team rushed off, and the sounds of spells began from the East and the West. When Harry and the others got to the center, the scene they found was horrific, and the scent of burning flesh drew his eyes to a collapsed building, a schoolhouse.
Harry closed his eyes for a moment, sending an aguamenti at the building, and leading the others into the building. "Nestor, you have the medical portkeys? Be prepared to distribute to any injured parties."
As the group began into the building, putting out fires, and finding only a handful of people inside, without casualties, Harry breathed a sigh of relief, taking Smythe with him as the others continued searching for survivors.
Following the sound of a battle still-raging, the two ran toward the east side of town. There, the two joined Company Alpha in pushing off against the small number of remaining Death Eaters, who evacuated upon seeing how many had come.
"Aeternus," one of the older Masters called, gesturing him. "I- I think you need to see this. I'm sorry."
Harry stopped, in front of the large manor that was burning. In front of the home, a child no older than five was screaming. Even as Harry's heart ached for the child, one of the masters cast a sleeping spell, and picked her up. Harry idly wondered whether they had already checked her for injury. To her left, the door was open. Smythe and Terran walking ahead of Harry, they entered the building, Harry promptly stopping in shock at the massacre in front of him.
Smythe, sympathizing with Harry's horror at the scene before them, patted the young man on the back, before they set to work searching the house for survivors.
When they returned to the Dispatch Center, the sun was already beginning to rise. Harry, emotionally taxed from this first call, upon making sure the Center was staffed, fled the room quickly. He began running, finding himself at the base of the Quidditch Pitch, Harry fell to his knees and heaved the contents of his stomach in front of him.
Harry wasn't sure how long he was out there, but realized breakfast would be soon. Not wishing to see anybody, but exhaustion creeping over him, he headed toward the castle entrance, creeping silently in when he realized he should have waited a few more minutes, as the corridor in front of the Great Hall was busy with the early breakfasters.
Caught in their flow, Harry felt he had no choice but to join them in the Great Hall for breakfast. Joining a small table where Terran sat with Snape and Ginny already, Harry threw himself into a chair.
"Aeter-" Ginny began excitedly.
She was cut off, harshly, by Snape, "Pandora, now is not the time." She glanced between the others, taking in their serious faces, before opening her mouth to argue. "Pandora, not a word, or you will find yourself running until Christmas." She wisely shut her mouth, but raised an eyebrow.
"Atwater will be-" Snape interrupted himself as the early owls came in. A large, unremarkable barn owl landed in front of Harry, waited for him to untie its letter, and flew off again.
Scrawled on the front of the letter was simply "The Boy-Who-Lived." Cautiously checking it for any unfriendly spells, Harry glanced at Snape, who shook his head, indicating he couldn't find any either.
Opening it, Harry began to read:
Potter,
The Longbottom woman got away lucky. The Vances did not.
Your blood traitors, mudblood, and the turncoat are next. Tell Severus I look forward to repaying him for his betrayal, soon.
I won't stop with your loved ones. If you turn yourself in, I may be merciful in their deaths. Even the Mastery will not be able to save you.
LV
Harry glanced up, his face pale, his fidgeting becoming erratic. "I- I have to get out of here-" He was already rushing to his feet as he spoke.
"Aeter," Snape asked quietly, his voice steely, "Who is that letter from?"
Harry glanced up at him, his voice shaking. "He's going to kill you all. What can I do-" his voice was raising frantically now, panic and more bile rising in his voice. He wasn't sure he could escape, but he desperately needed to.
Snape placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come, let's go to our quarters-"
Harry brushed his arm away, pushing himself up, his breath ragged now. "I have to get out of here. Make you safe. I can't- I- what is the price," his voice was getting louder now. "Is there hope?" His voice was steadily rising now, and the picture of the massacre in that manor house overwhelmed him, causing bile to rise in his throat again. He shuddered and began to ramble again. "I can't-"
A resounding slap resounded through the hall, and Harry lifted his hand to his cheek, stunned as he stared at his master. He spared a look at Ginny, who looked apoplectic, before turning to Terran, whose face was sympathetic. "Get a hold of yourself, Apprentice," Snape commanded. "This is not the place."
"Not the place?" Harry's voice was loud now, only a few decibels from a shout. "You bastard, those people did not deserve that! I can't-"
Snape glared. "Apprentice Aeternus," he drew himself to his full height, somehow looking at Harry with a menacing face, though his eyes had moistened, which gave Harry an impression that he at least understood, a little. "I swear that if I hear you utter the words 'I can't' one more time, Terran and Pandora will be picking you off the ground. Pull. Yourself. Together. Last night was hard, I know that," he paused for a moment, pulling his thoughts together, "don't I know that? But you cannot do this here."
Suddenly, Harry looked around them, where students, apprentices, and masters alike were watching him. With a moment of clarity, he realized what Snape had known from the beginning: he was a leader. His attitude would carry these people through the war, or to their deaths. He needed to hold it together until he could be alone.
He nodded at his master, trying to determine how he could fix this. He glanced at the others, and Silverwood coming to the door, indicating that he was needed. He and Snape walked toward the door. "One moment," Harry whispered to his master. "I'm going to need to fix this." His master nodded, as Harry turned to the room full of people. Raising his voice again, he spoke, making sure that Neville was not in the room.
"Last night, Voldemort attacked two families," he told the room quietly. "He has sent me a missive, demanding my surrender, laying his false lies before me. Voldemort will not stop until his dogma is honored, and he is worshipped. Dark times lie ahead, my friends, but surrender is unacceptable. He has demanded the lives of too many of our friends and loved ones.
"I will continue to fight, until Voldemort has been destroyed, and his pureblood supremacy with it. I will continue to work hard, and we will continue to respond to those who are not able to protect themselves. Darkness is not the way forward. I promise that this terrorist will be vanquished."
With that, Harry strode from the room, Snape, Terran, and Ginny each following him. As he strode with Silverwood, he waited until they were in the conference room. Immediately, he turned on Snape, his eyes glinting with fury, his temper impossible to control after the night. "You slapped me in public!" He shouted as soon as the door closed behind him, forgetting Snape's superior position. "That was completely and utterly uncalled for. You have no idea what he's done! How dare you pretend that those lives meant nothing, because they meant something, and that child is going to be an orphan," his voice broke here.
"I do not pretend that those lives meant nothing," Snape growled. "I was there, too. I came with the healers, because some of the survivors needed to be stabilized before moving them. I saw what you saw." His eyes had darkened considerably. "How dare you tell me that I know nothing? I was a spy for that man for years. I know what he is capable of, and I have seen far more than you have."
"Then how are you capable of being so heartless-"
Snape's lips pursed. "Sit. Down. Aeternus. You have not slept, and you are coming from a traumatic event. Please, sit down, before you walk yourself into even deeper trouble."
"I can't," Harry whispered. "I can't carry this."
It was Terran who embraced his friend. "Aeter, Harry," he began softly. "You can. You won't bear it alone. But we both need to get Silverwood the information he needs, then we can do something about these feelings."
Harry closed his eyes and nodded. Glancing around, he asked, "Where's Ginny? Didn't she leave the Great Hall with us?"
"Saldor intercepted her," Snape admitted. "Right now, the events of last night are confidential, as no names have been released yet."
"The Longbottoms and the Vances. And a whole party of friends, apparently," Harry was grateful for the calming draught that Snape handed him, after rifling through a side cupboard.
Silverwood nodded seriously. "There were no casualties at Longbottom Manor, and Augusta has already reunited with Neville. We are working on safe house locations."
"How many casualties in that village?"
"There are still twelve people in critical condition," Atwater reported, pulling his chair into the table. "A further twenty-one are stable, but requiring further medical condition, including the child you found. Six have been released from care, already. All of the dead were in that Entrance Hall. Twenty-two murders."
Harry closed his eyes. "That wasn't just murder. That was brutal torture and murder, and at least five of those were young children. How are you all so calm?"
Even as Terran and Harry seated themselves, Terran remained close to his friend, placing his hand on his arm. "Because we've seen this before," he pointed out to the other boy. "It doesn't get easier, but you realize how important it is. I was there when my parents were murdered," he said quietly. "I will never forget that day in my life. But I keep my head because it is the best way to catch those that killed them. And it's the best way to help that child."
Harry nodded, grateful for his friend's understanding. He turned to Silverwood. "I apologize, Master Silverwood. Please, continue."
As the small group debriefed, Harry answered honestly. As it turned out, most of the teams had debriefed before leaving, or immediately upon returning. Only Harry had completely evaded Silverwood's attention that morning.
For his part, while they had returned from Longbottom Manor even before midnight the night before, both Silverwood and Snape had waited for their charges, and began to assist returning fighters, immediately. While only eighteen had departed with Harry, many were flooing in requesting medical portkeys, potions, or other resources.
Once the group finished, Atwater spoke. "Aeternus, I expect you in my office before dinner today, but you need sleep, first."
Harry nodded, rising. "Milord," he bowed to Snape. "May I be excused?"
Snape glanced at his watch. It was nine am. He shared a look with Silverwood, who glanced at his own apprentice, and nodded.
"You are both expected in the Hospital Wing for a check-up no later than noon," Snape ordered. "I must let Sterling know that you have been located. We will handle the matter of your punishment tomorrow."
Harry's eyes widened. "Punishment, Sir?"
An eyebrow rose. "I understand trauma. But did you, or did you not just scream at me in front of an entire hall full of students, masters, and apprentices? I am bound by rules, even if I understand your rage."
Harry closed his eyes in acceptance. "Yes, Sir. I am sorry, sir."
Snape nodded. "I understand. We will discuss it tomorrow, Aeter. Go with Terran. You need your friend now, I think."
Harry and Terran departed, not speaking as they walked toward the lake. Seating himself, Harry spoke quietly. "You never told me about their deaths. I am sorry."
Terran shook his head. "It's not a happy memory. It was less than four months before I was chosen to be an apprentice. I am lucky to have had a General for a Master, because he understood what I saw, and the help that I needed. War is hard, Aeter," his voice caught in his throat for a moment, "especially when you are an orphan of war. It feels very lonely, as though nobody will ever feel the pain that you feel at this moment. Your whole life is defined by the war and the loss," he paused for a moment, catching his breath. "But, Aeter, we can help it so that those people who were murdered- we can help bring justice to their murderers. But we have to keep our heads on, just as much as we fight with our magic and strength."
Harry nodded, not saying anything. "Thank you. That can't be easy to relive, especially going into battle."
"But it matters," the other boy said quietly.
They were silent for several minutes. "Terran, what if I can't win?"
"You will," the other boy answered immediately. "I've watched you. Before the trials last year, you had already learned to kiss the blade, apparate, and become an animagus. Those are all things that many third years haven't learned yet. You eviscerate nearly every master already, and you are only fifteen. I've watched both my master and yours when you duel, you are very nearly at their level already. And you have an incredible amount of magical strength. I have no doubt that you will win."
"But I have all of the doubt. How do I continue to lead when I don't have faith in myself?"
"We continue to work hard, and draw strength from those we love. You remember what your parents said in the place in-between. You fake it until you make it, and you remember that we are the only ones who get to speak for the voiceless," Terran said quietly.
Harry sighed and lapsed into quiet solitude with his friend again. He knew the other boy was right, but the world felt very dark, and he wasn't sure for how long he could fight the evil without losing himself.
