AN - Well the story has reached 1000 views, and I wanted to thank everyone who is reading. Its been more successful than I had hoped, and it has been a fun project so far. Without further ado, Chapter 8
Group Captain Hugh Cheshire stood on the tarmac, watching a U.S. Air Force C-5 Galaxy as it landed. As commander of Royal Air Force Lossiemouth, commonly referred to as RAF Lossiemouth, he had seen a great many in his day. This C-5, the last of many U.S. aircraft that had been arriving all day, was most unwelcome.
RAF Lossiemouth sat in northeast Scotland and was among the busiest air force bases in the whole of England. He loved the challenge of running such a prestigious air base, and he found it more infuriating than he cared to admit when he was ordered to shut down half of his air base for nine days at the request of their American "allies."
The Galaxy finally came to a halt near him, and he waited as the bay loading door opened. This aircraft, he expected, carried the actual troops. Some soldiers had arrived in each aircraft that landed, but they were all carrying equipment. Helicopters, Humvees, weapons, ammunition, and a multitude of other things needed to carry on a small war.
The problem, at least in Group Captain Cheshire's mind, was that there was no war to be fought. Not on British soil, and not by the damned Yanks. He had half a mind to boot these arrogant bastards off of his base, if he had the authority of course. One does not disobey the direct orders of an air commodore.
"You will be hosting an American detachment for about nine days. Empty the southern compound and don't let anyone out there. The Americans are to be left alone unless they ask for something. They will be leaving early on the first of September. Dismissed." He didn't have much of a chance to protest, not that he would have. He would follow orders, but he would not do so with a smile.
The bay door on the C-5 had fully opened, and Americans poured out onto the tarmac. They were dressed in full battle gear, wearing packs and carrying rifles.
Rifles, on my base? He thought to himself. Several figures approached him, and he stood, allowing them to walk the full distance. He glanced at the man's collar, a colonel. With him a major and a captain. He almost did a double-take at the other officers. They couldn't have been older than teenagers.
"Group Captain Cheshire?" The colonel greeted him with a sharp salute. The group captain responded with a salute of his own out of reflex, though he didn't reply. He was still trying to process the youths in his mind. "I hadn't expected to see you down here." Sumner had specifically asked Air Commodore Douglas to keep all British personnel out of this side of the base. The last thing the U.S. military needed would be rumors about child soldiers, true as they may be.
"Right, well I wanted to see what the hubbub was," he said, trying to maintain the hardness he felt in his voice. "Not every day you're ordered to shut down a third of your base, see?"
"Of course," Sumner said. He had never been a fan of self-important officers, and this guy screamed of it. He had been ordered not to snoop, yet here they were. "I trust you're satisfied?" The colonel took a step forward, closer to the group commander than was socially appropriate. "Now please extract yourself from this area of the base and forget anything you think you saw out here."
Cheshire's mouth hung open for a second. He was quite unaccustomed to being talked to that way, and he found himself embarrassingly unprepared for it. He closed his mouth and looked the colonel up and down, noticing a tattoo on his forearm. He recognized the dagger and banner as that of a prestigious United States Special Forces unit, and decided that this was in fact above his pay grade. He gave a quick, half-hearted salute and left.
Colonel Sumner watched him go, personally satisfied at telling the pompous ass off. He did not imagine there would be more trouble with the British personnel asking questions. He turned to Major Jacob Price, the commander of Bravo Company, and Captain Gordon.
"See to it that your men get settled in. I will make sure that the equipment gets set up. Tomorrow morning at 0700 we will have a full briefing about the coming operation." Both officers looked ready to execute the orders, so he dismissed them.
"Gentlemen, listen up," Colonel Sumner called to the makeshift briefing room. It was obviously an aircraft hangar, but the task force didn't need to store any aircraft and they did need somewhere to fit the two hundred man company and its accompanying Special Forces team. They quieted down almost immediately.
"We have all heard the Cliff's Notes version, it's time for the full story. Earlier this year, a high value prisoner escaped the primary British wizarding prison, Azkaban." There were a few chuckles at the name, and Sumner paused the briefing a moment. "No, Azkaban is not an eastern European country." There was a wider spread of laughter, and Sumner allowed himself a smile. There was a fine line between insubordination and just enjoying your work. He always held the belief that a happy unit was a functional unit, and a little laughter went a long way.
"Let's get back on target. This prisoner, Sirius Black, is convicted of the murders of thirteen people in broad daylight and is known to be all but insane. His intended target is a student at the school we will be occupying, Hogwarts. His name is Harry Potter, and he is very important to the British wizarding community. He is the only person in recorded history to survive a killing curse, the same curse that killed his parents." A few members of the group shifted uncomfortably. They were all orphaned as children, and each of them personally knew how it felt to be without parents. The coped by becoming some of the best soldiers out there, but it didn't bring their parents back and it was always a sore subject for them.
"This kid has been through the shit," Sumner continued, determining that the unit had sufficient personal motivation to see the boy protected. "He has had a lot of crazy happen, and you all can read about it in the mission dossier. Reaper team," Sumner looked directly at Capt. Gordon, who stood straighter at the mention of his team, "will be handling his security personally. We aren't going to escort him everywhere he goes, at least not yet. But you will be his shadow, and you will be making sure he doesn't get killed."
"Yes, Sir," Gordon said simply. He, like the other Spartans, felt a personal connection to Harry already. It would feel like letting one of his Spartans down, to let him get hurt.
"Bravo Company, your job is to keep the school secure. You will set up checkpoints, patrols, reaction teams. I want that school safe," Sumner said.
"We'll handle it," Major Price said confidently. Bravo Company was an airborne company, trained extensively in air assault and helicopter operations. That said, they were still a tier two infantry unit, and they were more than capable of long-term security operations.
"Here's how it's going to go." Sumner clicked a button and the PowerPoint lit up, showing a map of the area. "At 0800 hours on 1 September, a train called the Hogwarts Express will depart from Kings Cross Station heading to Hogwarts. Onboard will be the entire student body. The train will arrive at Hogsmeade Station, Hogsmeade being a village close in proximity to the school, at 1800 hours."
"At 1400 hours, Bravo Company and Reaper team will load onto the helicopters, and fly to a clearing near Hogsmeade. First and Second Platoons will head immediately for the school. Two squads from First Platoon will set up exterior checkpoints, the rest of you will enter and clear the castle floor by floor. Headmaster Dumbledore has alerted the staff that they are to assist you in every way, and will be on station to lend a hand as needed."
"Third Platoon will stay in the clearing to facilitate the offloading of equipment. We have calculated that four trips total will be necessary to get all of the gear and vehicles offloaded."
"Fourth Platoon and Reaper team will go to Hogsmeade and secure the village. We are absolutely not to enter any structure in the village. We are being allowed to the village only to escort the students to the school. ROE (rules of engagement) will be to stun and detain any threat to the students or yourselves. If you see Sirius Black, detain or eliminate him by any means necessary."
"We have until 0500 hours on September 2nd to have everyone inside the boarders of the school. The British Ministry is insistent that our task force stay within school boundaries unless directly escorting students on approved leave from school grounds. Anyone in their third year or above is granted specific weekends in Hogsmeade, and we will provide escort. Other than that, do not leave school grounds. Period." Sumner looked over the group. "Any questions?" No one raised a hand.
"This timeline is no joke gentlemen, we are going to spend the next few days practicing." Sumner said, much to the ire of the entire unit. They were about to spend a lot of time practicing room clearing and loading/unloading equipment from helicopters.
Crack! Harry was briefly aware of the loud bang as the triple decker bus appeared outside its current destination. His mind was more occupied by the sensation of sliding in his chair, terrifyingly, to the front of the bus as it came to a sudden stop.
"Leak Cauldron!" Stanley Shunpike called out, and Harry had never been happier. He quickly got up and made to exit the bus. "Nice meetin' ya Mr. Longbottom!"
Harry still wasn't sure why he used Neville's name, but it seemed to work. He shuffled off the bus so rapidly, he didn't have time to see that there was someone in the way. He ran into the plump form and almost fell backwards, catching himself at the last second.
"Harry? Harry my boy, good gracious!" Standing just outside the bus door was Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. "There you are!" He put a hand on Harry's shoulder, and looked up as the conductor of the bus popped his head out.
"What didja call Neville?" he asked, a very confused look on his face.
"Neville?" Minister Fudge, who had worried since the report of Harry leaving, gave a frustrated sigh. "Nonsense, this is Harry Potter!" Fudge stooped to Harry's level, which was not much shorter than his own, "We really must get inside." He pulled Harry along by the shoulder.
"Ern! Ern! Guess who Neville is…" Stan was calling out as they left. Stanley was still jumping with excitement as the duo made it inside the Leaky Cauldron.
Harry was glad for the warmth, but was too distracted by his fears. He had blown up his aunt and was on the run from the law, sure that the ministry would expel him for it. It was his luck that he would run directly into the Minister of Magic himself.
Harry said nothing as Fudge ordered a small private parlor and a spot of tea. Fudge marched the still silent Harry down a narrow hallway, following Tom the barkeep to their room. After a brief word of thanks, Tom left them alone.
"I'm Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic," Fudge introduced himself. Harry knew who he was, it was hard not to know who the Minister was. "You gave us quite a scare, you know? Running away from your aunt and uncle. I thought for sure that..." He stopped as though he was about to say something he shouldn't, and poured some tea. "Well, you're safe now, that's all that matters." He indicated the tray with tea and biscuits.
"Eat something, you look positively dead on your feet, my boy." Fudge took a biscuit for himself, and Harry followed suit. "You'll be glad to know that the situation with your aunt has been dealt with. Your Aunt Marge is back to her normal size and thanks to a slight memory modification, is none the wiser. So, no harm no foul." He said, looking pleased with himself.
"I…" Harry wasn't sure what to say, and closed his mouth again.
"Worried about the reaction of your aunt and uncle? They were quite upset, if I am to be honest, but they will be taking you back next summer," Fudge said with a smile. He obviously thought that was good news.
"Wait," Harry was still trying to process the 'no harm no foul' attitude by the minister. "Last year I was told that if I perform any magic outside school I'd be expelled."
"Well, circumstances change. What with the current situation…" He paused a minute, the look on his face suggested he was mentally navigating away from something. "I mean surely you don't want to be expelled?"
"Of course not!" Harry replied quickly. That was among the last things he wanted.
"Well then, what's all the fuss about?" He laughed, sealing the issue. He stood up and made for the door. "I am going to go see if Tom has a room for you, just make yourself at home for now."
Half an hour later, Harry found himself standing in room eleven. Hedwig, along with his trunk and the rest of his meager belongings were neatly stacked in a corner of the room. He had been told by Fudge to stay within Diagon Alley for the three weeks until school started, and promptly left. Harry greeted his owl, fed her, and laid down. He was exhausted and the idea of sleeping in a comfortable bed, away from the Dursley's was quite appealing.
Harry woke up late in the morning, having slept soundly and comfortably for the first time since summer holiday began. He went downstairs to a busy bar and found that the only empty seat was near a pair of grumpy looking men talking quietly to each other.
After ordering a small breakfast, he sat down and thought about what he was going to do today. He was excited to explore the alley more thoroughly, as he never really had the chance to take his time. There was his school shopping to do as well. His introspection was derailed when one of the men near him mentioned his school.
"Well he can't expect to get into Hogwarts, can he?" the taller of the two asked. His companion, a stout looking man with a bushy mustache shook his head.
"Dumbledore isn't accepting security help from the Ministry, so I don't know." He took a large bite of toast, and Harry might have laughed if he wasn't so intent on what they were saying. The bite left a trail of crumbs along the man's mustache. "Fudge was pretty upset after his meeting with Dumbledore. Wasn't happy at all with whatever Dumbledore is doing to keep the school safe."
"Can't blame him though," the thin one said distantly. His companion took another bite, which seemed to pull him out of his revelry. "Dementors are nasty creatures."
"Yeah, can't argue there. Fudge is still sending the dementors to look for 'im." The mustachioed man took a last bite and stood suddenly, his friend joining him. They left, continuing their conversation and leaving Harry with several questions.
What was wrong with the security at Hogwarts? Why was Fudge mad at Dumbledore? And what is a dementor?
"What?" Hermione looked shocked. Harry had just finished explaining what he had overheard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley talking about. The three sat in the rear of the Hogwarts Express, along with a hopefully sleeping professor. "Sirius Black escaped to come after you? You'll have to be really careful! Don't go looking for trouble."
"I don't go looking," Harry emphasized, "it finds me."
"He'd be mental to go looking," Ron said. "Why would he try and find someone who wants to kill him? Rotten luck though, mate." Ron eyed the hunched form of Professor R.J. Lupin, still not convinced the man was asleep.
"That's not all though." Harry filled them in on what he overheard at the Leaky Cauldron. He had been excited to see them yesterday when they showed up in the morning. He hadn't had a chance to talk to them since then however.
"I wonder what Fudge would be upset about," Hermione said idly. "It would make sense, if Sirius Black is after you, to have extra security."
"They said Fudge was using-" whatever Harry was going to say was cut off when the train abruptly stopped and the lights all turned off.
"What's going on?" Hermione whispered, a worried edge to her voice. Neither of them replied, instead listening intently. Hermione gasped as they heard the sliding door open, unable to see in the dark.
"Hello?" It was the voice of Neville Longbottom, a fellow Gryffindor. They breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"It's us," Harry said quietly. Neville recognized the voice and took a step inside. "What's going on?"
"I dunno," Neville replied, "once the lights went out, I thought I'd see what happened. It's so dark though." That was an understatement. It felt like they couldn't see what was in front of their faces. There was a startled scream from farther down the train, and Neville whimpered, quickly closing the door.
"Ow, that's my lap!" Ron whispered. None of them felt like they should talk out loud.
"Quiet, all of you," a new voice sounded, and Ron almost jumped out of his seat. They had forgotten about Professor Lupin. A dim light emanated from the tip of his wand. He looked tired and pale, but his eyes darted around alertly.
There was a gentle swooshing sound outside the car door, and Harry felt the air around him go cold. He shivered, and noticed he could see his breath. The car door slid open slowly, and rotten, bony fingers appeared. The door opened to reveal a figure in flowing black robes. The smell of rot and decay filled the car, and Harry felt his vision narrow. He was vaguely aware of a woman screaming before everything went black.
Captain Bradley Gordon looked at his watch again for what felt like the hundredth time. It read 1340 hours, he had twenty minutes. He was experiencing a common phenomenon, known well by soldiers across the world. Pre-deployment jitters.
In twenty minutes, Bravo Company and Reaper team would load onto several Blackhawks and Chinooks, and there would be a three hour flight to their drop-off. There were many things to do before then, and unfortunately for Brad and the many other soldiers about to make the drop, none of it was their job. Pre-flight checks, fueling, arming weapons and many other duties were being performed by the air crews. The infantrymen all were dressed in full battle gear, with their rucksacks packed and ready to go.
"Any aces?" Ian asked, and Brad looked over. All of Reaper team sat around a circular table, no easy feat in full gear, and were playing 'Go Fish.' They got the cards intending to play poker, that is until they tried the game and realized none of them knew how to play it. Brad checked his hand, and was glad to see he didn't have aces. Jason, Ian's closest friend, wasn't so lucky however.
"Agh!" He made a noise of disgust as he dropped two aces on the table. Ian and Jason found a close friendship in their joy of lifting weights, and were some of the most competitive people Brad had ever met. The two were constantly locked in a contest of who was or did something better, though neither was a truly sore loser and they only competed for bragging rights.
"Alright!" Ian exclaimed, picking up the two aces. "You guys planning on letting me win or what?" He had the largest number of cards by far, and wore a large grin on his face.
"My turn then," Sam said under his breath. "Twos?" He looked at Ian, who remained silent. "Figures." He tossed his cards down and stood, stretching. He had yet to get even one card from someone, and his temper was rising. He decided to go for a short walk. "I'm out."
"See ya," Mike said, grinning bigger than he should be. As Sam walked away, Mike reached across the table and picked through the discarded deck, collecting a pair of twos.
"You've been holding out?" Jason asked, looking at the team prankster. Mike said nothing, but had a hard time wiping the grin off of his face. "Ass." The game continued on, and Ian eventually won. Sam returned and they were setting up another deal when the alarm began.
They all stood, a jolt of adrenaline rushing through each of them. This was it. Each of them grabbed the various rucksacks, rifles, and gear that they were bringing along for the deployment, and rushed out of the barracks. Outside, lines of infantrymen in full battle gear jogged toward awaiting helicopters. A select number rushed up the loading ramps of CH-47 Chinooks, each helicopter loaded with a single Humvee hooked to a sling beside it. The Chinooks would lift off slowly, bringing the Humvee with it. The majority of the soldiers jumped in through the side doors of Blackhawks. Reaper team had their own mode of transport, a pair of MH-6 Little Bird's.
The small, bulbous helicopters had seating ramps along the exterior on each side, the interior just big enough for the pilot and copilot, along with a small interior compartment used to carry HVTs and gear. The ramps outside sat up to three to a side, and allowed for an extremely rapid deployment, and the nimble helicopters could land many more places than their larger brethren.
Once the entire force was onboard, the helicopters rose in formation, Little Birds leading the way with the Blackhawks in two separate lines following, and the Chinooks mirroring that in the rear.
Several hundred meters away, Group Captain Hugh Cheshire watched the formation leave with a feeling of satisfaction. While he was impressed with the precision of the flight, he was glad to be rid of the guests he had been forced to host. With the departure of the Americans, he could get back to running the busiest fast-jet air base in the UK.
Three hours later, in a large field well outside of Hogsmeade, Albus Dumbledore heard the approach of aircraft. He waited patiently, standing in the open, and watched two small helicopters as they neared the ground. They hovered, and eight figures leapt off of the sides, pulling large bags behind them. As soon as they were off, they crouched in a circle around the helicopters, which immediately rose into the air again.
Six of the figures jogged outward into a large circle, while the other two began setting small devices in the grass. In the sky, the pilots of the approaching Blackhawks and Chinooks saw the infrared strobes, signaling the landing site.
Dumbledore watched on as helicopters, two at a time, touched the ground. The men inside spilled out, dragging rucksacks and small equipment with them. Once the men had cleared, the helicopters rose, and another set took their place. In what seemed like an impossibly short time, the circle of soldiers had expanded through a large portion of the field, and the bigger helicopters began their landings.
As each Chinook came in, it landed the Humvee slung underneath on the ground and it continued forward. They touched down several feet in front of the Humvees, dropping the rear loading ramp. Onboard soldiers spilled out, unslinging the ground vehicles as the Chinooks lifted off again. Soon, the entire force was on the ground, and the last of the helicopters flew back the way they came. The ground force was bustling, getting gear set aside, organizing themselves and getting the gear needed for their assignments.
Dumbledore, who patiently watched the whole ordeal from an open area in the clearing, smiled to himself even as a small group headed towards him. It appeared they were incredibly efficient, much more so than many wizards cared to admit or believe. He would have preferred not to involve the muggles in the first place, but given the choice between these soldiers and the dementors, he felt confident that the correct choice was made.
"Headmaster Dumbledore," Colonel Sumner called out, recognizing the old man. "It's good to see you again." They closed the gap and the colonel gestured toward his companions. "This is Major Jacob Price, the commander of the defense force." The major gave a curt nod.
"A pleasure," Dumbledore stated, his eyes twinkling in the rapidly approaching dark. "I am certain we are in capable hands."
"This is Captain Gordon," Sumner said as Gordon took a small step forward. "He is the second in command, and the leader of the special forces team that will be protecting Mr. Potter." Dumbledore bowed his head slightly in greeting, and Sumner continued. "They will be the men to go to if you have any issues or questions."
"Sir, we are ready to secure the castle." Major Price was already down to business, and Dumbledore found he admired that. "I trust the staff is ready?"
"Of course, you may begin as soon as you arrive." Dumbledore stated. He started toward the castle, and was quickly followed by just over a hundred soldiers.
A separate convoy left headed in a different direction as several Humvees holding 4th Platoon and Reaper team broke toward Hogsmeade. Their arrival turned many heads. Hogsmeade was a town that was fully occupied by witches and wizards, and the sight of muggle soldiers and vehicles invading their town, even if it was expected, was something of an event.
The Humvees stopped in positions around Hogsmeade Station, and the soldiers poured out, setting up a perimeter. A pair of Blackhawks, the only two that remained behind after deploying their load of soldiers, hovered overhead, bright spotlights searching the grounds for any sign of a threat.
Major Price was impressed when he got his first glimpse of the castle. It was massive. They were given a general idea on the size and layout of the castle for the exercises they performed to practice clearing the structure. It felt big then, but seeing it now really drove it home.
"Ready up!" He called to the two platoons with him. His NCOs barked more specific orders to their men and women, and rifles were readied. They did not anticipate finding threats inside the castle before the school year began, but the major would be damned if he would do the job in halves. They wouldn't know for certain the castle was secure until they cleared it completely.
As they made it closer to the entrance hall, several figures stepped outside. Price could only imagine they were the staff.
"Albus," a stern female voice called. Dumbledore bowed his head as the group continued. They met halfway up the steps, and one of the platoon leaders sent a squad to the top of the steps to secure the main entrance.
"Minerva," Dumbledore greeted her as they came to a halt. The major wracked his brain, after a moment remembering who that was. Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, the transfiguration professor and head of Gryffindor house. It was taking a lot to get used to the strange names. "I trust the staff is gathered?"
"Indeed," she replied, eying the group of soldiers with a measure of distaste. They were an unknown, and relying on them seemed wrong to her. While she didn't believe they were necessary, she would honor Dumbledore's agreement. "We are ready to…assist."
"Ma'am," the major interjected himself into the conversation. He had been trained, among other things, in Foreign Internal Defense, or FID, where U.S. soldiers protected foreign nationals inside their home territory. While there were many facets to FID operations, one particularly important one was recognizing the potential resentment. Often times, foreigners did not necessarily want outside help, and were weary of the team. The major recognized the look McGonagall was giving his men, and was determined to change it. "I am Major Jacob Price. I'm in charge of the team here. We appreciate your assistance clearing the castle, and if there is anything we can do to help you throughout the year, please ask."
"Of course," she replied. Her look softened, but not by much. "Shall we get this over with?" She turned and walked toward the door. Lieutenant Dearing, the leader of 2nd Platoon, gave the major a quick look that said 'ooookay' and they followed her.
They executed the clearing with practiced familiarity. Two squads from 1st Platoon secured the outside of the castle, while the rest followed inside. Each squad went a different direction, led by a member of the staff. It was a slow and methodical search as they opened every door, cabinet, and cupboard and searched behind each set of curtains and under every bed. Even the Headmaster's office was searched.
Almost an hour later, the castle was officially declared secure. Outside, the two squads formed checkpoints at the doors, each with a computer that held a master list of whoever was allowed entry. The rest of the soldiers not on checkpoint duty were performing the first set of roving patrols on the school grounds. Inside, Major Price was organizing the interior patrols and checkpoints.
Harry woke startled. Ron, Neville and Hermione sat around him with worried looks on their faces. It took him a second to remember, then it all flooded back. The cold, the awful creature, the screaming.
"Harry, are you okay?" Neville asked.
"I'm fine," Harry replied a little too quickly, then, "Who screamed? Is everyone okay?" The three faces only grew more concerned, and finally it was Hermione who spoke up.
"Nobody screamed, Harry," she told him, trying to ease his worry and hers at the same time.
"Yeah," Ron said, "That thing opened the door and you started having a fit. It looked like it was gonna grab you off the floor, and that professor caught it with a spell. Sent it running. He's off to talk to the conductor." Ron's explanation filled some of the blanks for Harry, but not all of them.
"So none of you heard a woman scream?" They shook their heads no, but said nothing. "And I passed out? Did anyone else?"
"No, just you, mate," Ron said. They heard footsteps outside, and none of them were pleased to see Draco Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.
"Is it true, Potter?" He asked, a smirk across his pale face. "Did you really faint?" Crabbe and Goyle laughed, and Ron was the first to reply.
"Shove off," Ron stood up, and Malfoy briefly looked like he would continue the confrontation. Distant footsteps wiped the smile off of his face however.
"I'll see you around." They turned and left, and less than a minute later, Professor Lupin returned. Apparently Malfoy didn't want to start fights in front of a teacher.
"Good, you're awake." Lupin said when he saw Harry upright. He slightly pale and sweaty, and wore shabby robes, though his face wore a pleasant smile. He produced a large bar of chocolate and handed it to Harry. "Eat this, it will help."
"What was that?" Harry had taken the chocolate, but didn't take a bite. He waited for the Professor to sit and answer.
"That was a dementor, one of the guards of Azkaban," he replied seriously. "Eat," he said just as seriously, indicating the bar of chocolate. Harry took a small bite and felt a pleasant warmth through his body. "I believe we are almost there."
As if to punctuate his comment, the train began slowing down. Lupin smiled, then grabbed his case and after a polite goodbye, headed out the door.
"That was a dementor?" Ron said incredulously. "They wanted to put them in the school?" He voiced the same thought that ran through all three of them, though Neville simply looked confused.
As the train came to a stop, they could hear some shouting outside and what sounded almost like a helicopter to Harry. The group made its way outside, pushing into a crowd of students forming at the door, all murmuring to each other.
To Harry's surprise, there were helicopters, along with soldiers everywhere. He was shocked, and for a quick moment wondered if they were about to be killed. He didn't pay much attention to the History of Magic class, but knew that when muggles found out about magic, violence usually ensued.
"Everybody listen up!" someone shouted loudly, and a hush fell over the crowd. One of the soldiers was standing on the back of a military truck, and speaking out to them. "My name is Captain Gordon, I have been tasked with getting you all safely to the school! There is nothing to worry about, we are here to keep you safe." He started waiving toward the waiting carriages, "Let's load up, ladies and gentlemen! Let's go!" He hopped down and the group made their way to the carriages.
Once everyone was loaded, the carriages, escorted by several Humvees and helicopters made the journey to the castle. Most of the students were very quiet, and the few conversations that started were whispered speculations about what was going on.
"Potter! Granger! I wish to see you immediately!" McGonagall called out as students poured into the entrance hall. It was a slow process, as the students were ogling at the soldiers in front of the massive entrance doors. Harry and Hermione pushed through the crowd and eventually found themselves standing with McGonagall. Harry idly wondered what he had done wrong as he followed them to the Professors office.
"Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead saying you took ill on the train." She eyed him critically, as though looking for the slightest malady he may have. He shifted uncomfortably. Before he could reply, Madam Pomfrey burst through the door. He thought McGonagall looked critical, but it really didn't hold a candle to the gaze of the schools nurse.
"It's you then?" she had seen to Harry every year so far, and getting him so early this year shouldn't have surprised her. She began looking him over, "What adventure was it now?"
"It was dementors," McGonagall informed the nurse, who looked back quickly, as though what she heard was ludicrous. "Dumbledore will be having a discussion with the minister," she spoke quietly, as though doing so would prevent the students from hearing them.
"I see," Pomfrey turned back to Harry, and looked him over once more. "You look remarkably alright… dementors." She muttered it under her breath, an obvious distaste for them. "You should have some chocolate at the very least."
"I've already had some," Harry replied. At the curious look she gave him, he continued. "Professor Lupin gave it to me. A whole bar."
"Finally, a Dark Arts professor that knows his remedies," she said, a look of satisfaction finally crossing her face.
"You're sure that you feel alright?" McGonagall still looked worried. Harry nodded his head, perhaps a little harder than necessary, but the last thing he wanted was to spend time in the hospital wing. He would never hear the end of it.
"Yes, I feel fine."
"Right, please wait outside. I need to have a word with Miss Granger." Hermione, who had been silent, gave Harry a half smile as he stepped outside, thrilled that he wasn't going to have any further embarrassment. Moments later, Hermione stepped out followed by the professor. They made their way down the staircase and to the Great Hall. McGonagall pushed open the door gently and the trio walked through. Professor Flitwick was just pulling the stool and sorting hat out of the hall.
"Oh, we've missed the sorting," Hermione looked distressed. They walked to a pair of open seats next to Ron and sat down. Harry saw Dumbledore stand from his seat, and it was then he noticed that all around the Great Hall, more of the soldiers were standing. There were a couple near the staff table as well. What was going on?
"Welcome," he opened his arms in gesturing to the students. His eyes twinkled in the candle light, and he wore the same calm confidence he always had. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I have a few things to say to you all, some of them very serious, before we become engrossed by an excellent feast…"
He cleared his throat and continued. "As you all have no doubt noticed, we will be playing host to a number of muggle soldiers this year. They are here for the security of the school, and I trust you will all do your very best to make their jobs easier. I would like to introduce you to Colonel Marshall Sumner and Major Jacob Price." Both men stepped forward at the mention of their names, and Dumbledore took his seat again. Sumner looked briefly surprised, but recovered quickly and cleared his own throat.
"I'm Colonel Sumner. I am the commander of the Task Force that will be handling security this year. We are here for your protection, and you have nothing to fear from us. We will do our best to keep things as smooth as possible for you all, and we ask that you do the same. Don't make the mistake of thinking that because we aren't witches and wizards, that we cannot handle ourselves. If you see or hear anything out of the ordinary, please don't hesitate to alert one of us. If you have any questions, please ask. Major Price here will be the on-site commander and Captain Gordon," he gestured at the captain, who stood at the mention of his name, "will be his second in command. Again, please do not hesitate to alert us of anything out of the ordinary. Thank you."
As the soldiers stepped down, Dumbledore stood again, clapping. The rest of the school followed suit.
So they are here for security. Harry thought back to the conversation he overheard. Muggles protecting Hogwarts, that must be what has Fudge so irritated.
"Thank you," Dumbledore stopped clapping as the men took seats, and looked out on the students. "Outside of Hogwarts grounds, the dementors of Azkaban are patrolling. They are on Ministry of Magic business, and I must urge each and every one of you to avoid them. They are not fooled by tricks or disguises, nor invisibility cloaks…" he added the last comment nonchalantly, though Harry had a pretty good idea who he was talking about, "and it is not in their nature to understand excuses or pleading. Therefore, I caution you all, do not give them any excuse to harm you. With the exception of students attending the visits to Hogsmeade, no students are to leave Hogwarts grounds." He looked over them seriously for a moment, then his eyes twinkled once again and he continued.
"On a lighter note, I would like to welcome Professor Remus Lupin," the professor stood and bowed his head at the mention of his name. There was a general murmur at the Slytherin table, and Harry guessed they were not impressed by the ratty robes. The rest of the staff were in much finer robes, and Lupin stood out. "Our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
"As to our second appointment," Dumbledore went on as Lupin sat again. "Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures professor, retired at the end of last year, keen to spend some time enjoying his remaining limbs. I am pleased to announce that the post will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has accepted the assignment along with his regular duties as groundskeeper." Hagrid stood at the mention of his name as well, but unlike the others, his size caused him to bump the table he sat at, knocking down several goblets. He gave a quick smile to Harry as the students clapped, with a lot less enthusiasm from the Slytherins, then returned to his seat.
"I believe that leaves me with one more thing to address," Dumbledore smiled. "Dig in." He sat, and food appeared on the platters adorning each table. Goblets filled with pumpkin juice, and the delighted students didn't hesitate. It wasn't until the platters were almost empty that the headmaster stood again, dismissing the satiated students to their dormitories. Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed a moment to congratulate Hagrid, then left for Gryffindor tower. They had made it just outside the Great Hall when a group of soldiers stopped them.
"Harry?" one of them asked, stepping forward from the group. He looked almost young enough to be in school himself.
"Er… yeah?" Harry wasn't sure what else to say.
"I'm Captain Gordon, you can call me Brad." He extended his hand for a shake, which Harry took after hesitating for a second. Brad gestured toward the individuals around him, "I'm the leader of Reaper team." The look on the trio's faces indicated they had no idea what that meant, so he continued. "We are a Special Forces outfit, better trained than most soldiers. My team was tasked with the safety of you three, it sounds like this Sirius Black guy might try to come after you. I just wanted to introduce myself. If there is anything you guys need, just let us know. We will be nearby."
"Er, thanks…" Harry said, a little disconcerted. How is it that I get special attention every year?
"Anytime. Well, don't let me keep you. I'm sure you all are tired." The soldiers left, and Harry, Ron and Hermione left for Gryffindor tower, all the while talking about the new developments.