Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm back with chapter six! I can't believe it's been almost a year since I updated. Writer's block is a killer sometimes. Anyway, I went back and did lots of editing of the previous chapters, so everything's updated now. Let me know if you spot any errors, and I'll try and correct them. If you haven't figured it out by now, lots of things in this piece of fiction will differ from the canon, but I still am trying to be accurate with things like character development to a certain degree. We've got a surprise in this chapter! Hope you enjoy!
Chapter Six
Bolan and the demigods awoke early the next morning, taking the time to thoroughly check their living quarters to make sure everything was packed. Percy wanted to take all of his camp T-shirts and was arguing with Annabeth about it when both Dumbledore and Bolan walked into the Poseidon cabin.
"What's going on here, kids?" Bolan asked, already knowing the answer.
"Seaweed Brain is trying to pack Camp Half-Blood T-shirts!" Annabeth exclaimed.
"There's no need to fret, either of you," Dumbledore said. "A simple charm can take care of that until we acquire your robes."
The wizard waved his wand, and any semblance of Camp Half-Blood disappeared from the shirts.
"The charm will wear off in thirty days. By then, you'll have robes and will be starting school, so after that, do not wear those shirts."
"Alright," Percy acknowledged.
"Good. Now hurry up; we're leaving in five!"
The Executioner and the wizard milled about the camp, saying their goodbyes to whoever was around while waiting for their nine-demigod crew to meet them. The plan, Bolan knew, was simple; they would apparate to Diagon Alley, purchase supplies for the demigods, and then they would all go to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Bolan had yet to meet the Order himself, so he was hoping they were all as skilled as Dumbledore was in combat. He and the elderly wizard were discussing whether to make the demigods members of the Order, and they would half to discuss it with the rest of the team before coming to a final decision. After a couple more minutes of waiting, Bolan saw the nine demigods running down the hill, lugging their trunks behind them.
"Uh, Mr. Cooper?" Leo began, looking confused.
"What's up, Leo?"
"Where are your bags and trunk?"
"I have everything with me," Bolan answered, knowing his gear was already safely stored either in his belt or in a room at Grimmauld Place, thanks to Dumbledore.
"Alright, young heroes," Dumbledore said, "let's get going."
Looking confused, the nine children surrounded the two men, placing their hands on their shoulders and arms. Making sure everyone had everything with them and they were ready to go, both men apparated just outside the Leaky Cauldron, right into a heavy battle. Immediately, both men raised their wands, instructing the demigods to make sure civilians were brought to safety since they were unable to fight. Flashes of green light began flying in their direction as one of the Death Eaters, trying to duel two wizards at once, yelled that Dumbledore had arrived. That alone, Bolan mused as he pointed his wand at a masked Death Eater sneaking up behind a wizard with an electric-blue eye that spun around in his head, was enough to distract them, since they apparently hated the Hogwarts headmaster. Both Bolan and the wizard with the spinning eye sent stunning spells at the Death Eater, who collapsed onto the ground, narrowly avoiding knocking another Death Eater over.
"What's your name?" The wizard barked, running up to Bolan as he stunned two more dark wizards.
"Matthew Cooper," Bolan responded, sidestepping a killing curse and immobilizing the woman who fired the spell.
"Alastor Moody," the heavily scarred wizard growled.
"Malfoy's headed for the exchange students!" Dumbledore thundered as he dueled a woman who was laughing maniacally.
The Executioner spun, spotting a man running for Percy and a few other demigods who were distracted trying to convince a family of four to find cover. Sprinting after the man, the soldier caught up to him easily and was about to send a spell at him when he turned, going on the offensive, making a slashing movement with his wand and sending a flash of purple fire at Bolan. Blocking the spell, the soldier jumped to the left just in time to avoid getting struck by a well-aimed hex. The Death Eater continued firing spells at him, and Bolan, knowing he could take the dark wizard easily but not wanting to use deadly force just yet, continued defending, blocking each attack, waiting for an opening. The duel was fierce, lasting several minutes. The Death Eater sent a wide variety of spells at the soldier, from killing curses to more flashes of purple fire, and Bolan simply matched his efforts, blocking them with ease. Finally, as the dark wizard jeered for a second too long before he made another move, the Executioner sent a jet of red light at him, the stunning spell striking him directly in the heart, knocking him out.
Bolan turned back to where the main battle was still raging. Searching for the demigods, he found them, along with several other people, hiding in the Leaky Cauldron. Percy flashed him a quick smile before diving under a table as the soldier ran, spotting Dumbledore, Moody, and a few other wizards locked in a massive battle, the Death Eaters pinning them down with a constant barrage of killing curses. Moody, for his part, retaliated as best he could, sending the occasional stunning spell before being forced to take cover again. Avoiding two witches who were dueling in the middle of the road, he snuck up behind one of the Death Eaters, immobilizing her before disarming the paralyzed and furious witch. She gave him a look that promised a bloody and painful death as he snatched her wand from her, tossing it to Moody who managed to stun another wizard before rising from cover. The two men were locked into a vicious duel with two angry-looking dark witches who charged them, sending hexes at them. Blocking the attacks, the experienced duelists went on the offensive, knocking their opponents out in a matter of seconds, not wanting to draw out the fight for too long.
Finishing the last of the Death Eaters proved easier after Bolan and Moody knocked out enough of them that the remaining fighters could rise from cover and join the battle. In total, over a dozen dark wizards and witches were sprawled on the ground, either immobilized or unconscious. Those that were still aware of their surroundings were enraged, giving Bolan and the others death glares as the remaining fighting force who hadn't immediately disapparated entered the Leaky Cauldron to let the occupants know it was safe to continue business, but not to go outside until Ministry officials took care of the Death Eaters. Dumbledore bought butterbeers for everyone as they waited, and Bolan and the demigods took a liking to the wizarding drink. Several minutes passed as everyone made small talk. Even Nico, who was normally content to keep to himself, was rather social, but Bolan noticed that Moody and all the demigods were watching their surroundings. The Executioner was just about to address Dumbledore when he noticed out of the corner of his eye a flash of movement in the window. Watching carefully, his hand drifted casually to his wand as several of the previously unconscious dark wizards were awake, quickly reviving their fighting force. The soldier and Moody prepared for battle, but thankfully, they didn't need to fight, since as soon as everyone was able to move, they disapparated, returning to who knows where. Bolan made a note to watch out for them, and, if possible, he planned on paying them another visit, hopefully before they spilled the blood of any civilians.
"OK, students," Dumbledore said, "now that our schedule is no longer interrupted, I believe it most urgent that we purchase your school supplies. Matthew, if you wish, you may accompany us as planned, or you may journey with Alastor."
"I'd like to tag along," Moody growled.
"Most honorable, Alastor. Very well. Let's get going!"
The headmaster led the way to a back door that opened out into a narrow alleyway blocked by a brick wall. Tapping his wand on the wall in a pattern that Bolan memorized, he watched as the wall slid aside, revealing a narrow street packed full of small shops and a large crowd of people. The demigods, accompanied by Dumbledore, Moody, and Bolan, quickly made their way to various shops and purchased supplies and owls. Their final destination was Ollivanders, wherein the demigods purchased their wands. After the nine war heroes received their wands, Bolan approached the shop owner.
"How may I help you," the man asked, beaming.
"Well, Mr. Ollivander, I have a wand, but I'd like to get it inspected, just to be sure it's fully operational."
"Of course! Hand it here," the man replied. "I don't get that request often, you know, so it's an honor that you'd allow me to examine your wand."
"Here you are," Bolan said, handing over his wand.
"Thank you. Ah, yes, yes! I know this well! Dragon heartstring and phoenix feather, ten inches, now, that's unique, a Stygian Iron core. Strong, unyielding, this wand is fit for a powerful wizard; it is perfect for dueling. Indeed, I believe you will play a critical part in the pending war. Your wand is in perfect condition. Treat it with great care, Mr. Cooper, and it will serve you well."
"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander. How much do I owe you?"
"Oh goodness me, nothing, Mr. Cooper. Young heroes, I wish you well in your ventures. May I offer you this dueling holster, Mr. Cooper? It's free of charge. I believe it may serve you well."
"Yes, thank you," Bolan said. "If I may ask, how do you know my name, and why," he finished, glancing at the demigods, "did you address them as young heroes?"
"Not to worry, Mr. Cooper! Albus and I are great friends, and he informed me of your arrival. Here, take the holster; it will fit you perfectly! Now, you should be off. Pansy Parkinson and two other Slytherin girls seem to have a very curious side, as they have been watching us for the past half-a-minute. Good day, brothers and sisters in arms!"
Bolan, Percy, and Annabeth glanced out the window first, and all three of them knew it was not who Ollivander saw, even though they didn't know who Pansy Parkinson was. Bolan quickly clipped his new holster to his belt, then reached into a pocket, quickly deciding on a dagger for the upcoming battle. He didn't need to look at the demigods to know they were already reaching for weapons as they moved toward the door.
"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander," Nico said. "Have a pleasant day."
The demigods and Bolan quickly walked outside, spotting Dumbledore and Moody, who unfortunately began a conversation with the three girls standing in the middle of the street as they approached.
"Kelli," Bolan barked, "it's very nice to meet you. I've heard so much about you," he finished, drawing his knife while frantically signaling to Dumbledore, hoping he caught the warning before it was too late.
"Oh dear," the professor suddenly cried, "I almost forgot that I need to—"
"You will go nowhere," Kelli growled, changing in an instant and, Bolan noted, using charmspeak, "unless you surrender the demigods!"
"That," Dumbledore replied calmly, "is not an option."
"Kill them all but leave Percy Jackson to me!" The empousa thundered.
One of the empousi immediately rushed at the Executioner, this one not in her true form. The soldier watched her approach carefully and slashed at her with his dagger at the last second, his attack working perfectly, the empousa dissolving and returning to Tartarus without so much as a scream. Kelli, he mused, was much more difficult to fight as she constantly took flight or teleported in a wall of flame. However, Percy, Annabeth, Piper, and Bolan continued pursuing the empousa, observing her patterns. Using charmspeak, Piper managed to convince Kelli to stop trying to escape, and as the empousa raised a knife, she was cut down by a twofold attack from Percy and Annabeth. The final empousa died quickly when Nico stabbed it as it stood there, doing nothing.
"That was too easy," Jason spoke up. "We need to go."
The demigods, Bolan, Dumbledore, and Moody sprinted back to the Leaky Cauldron, the Executioner withdrawing a small packet of Floo powder he had bought. Tossing some into the fireplace, he quickly instructed the demigods on what to do as Tom, the bartender, ran over and inspected the fire.
"Percy, you first," the Executioner boomed.
The twelve-year-old son of Poseidon looked unsure, but a brief word of encouragement from Tom and Dumbledore helped him as he stepped into the fire.
"Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place," he nearly shouted, then disappeared into the flames.
"Leo, you are next," the soldier ordered.
The son of Hephaestus grinned as he stepped into the fire. His grin grew wider as he set himself on fire as well, creating a massive wall of flame.
"How's my Kelli impersonation?" He quipped.
"It doesn't quite work because you're still here," Jason replied.
"Then away I go! Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place!" He cried before disappearing.
"Ms. Chase, get going," Dumbledore instructed.
The rest of the demigods went through the process relatively quickly, followed by Dumbledore, Moody, and finally the Executioner.
"Take it easy, sir," Tom said as Bolan stepped into the flames.
"You too, Tom. Here's my card if you need anything," Bolan replied. "I'll be around. Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place."
The soldier began spinning through the fire, running the numbers through his head. When he had arrived, he popped out of the fireplace without an issue, landing quietly on his feet in the well-lit living room.
"How did you do that so easy?" Nico exclaimed. "I nearly got a concussion coming out of that fire!"
"Glad to hear you're alright," the soldier said with the ghost of a smile. "You just have to be prepared for the exit is all."
"Spill it," Annabeth said, pointing her wand at him.
"Spill what, Annabeth?"
"Your secret," she replied.
"To popping out of a fireplace?" A new voice interrupted.
"Put your wand away, Annabeth, or I'll take it from you," Bolan warned, grinning slightly. "We have a new friend to make, and what a truly terrible impression we'd leave if you and I had a duel right now."
"A duel?" A woman cried shrilly.
"Molly, it's OK," Sirius Black proclaimed. "It's just our new arrivals. One of the girls has her wand aimed at a big man, that's all."
"What!" The woman named Molly shrieked, sprinting into the room with her wand raised.
"Annabeth," Bolan warned.
"Oh," Molly Weasley exclaimed, looking relieved. "Oh, it's the exchange students Albus told us about. You," she pointed at Bolan," must be Matthew Cooper."
"Very good, Molly," Dumbledore said, strolling into the room. "Children, I'd like you to meet some of your peers. Oh, and thank you, Ms. Chase, for not jinxing either Mr. Cooper or myself with the wand still in your hand," Dumbledore finished, his eyes twinkling.
"Hello," a bushy-haired girl called, walking into the room. "I'm Hermione Granger."
"I'm Ron," a red-haired boy said, awkwardly lingering near the staircase.
"Ronald," Molly Weasley snapped, "get in here and act civil!"
"Before we continue the round of introductions," Dumbledore began, "if someone could go and fetch the rest of the occupants of this fine abode, I'm sure our new friends would appreciate it."
"I will," Ron said, accompanied by Hermione.
As the two Hogwarts students left the living room, all eyes turned to Annabeth, who still had her wand out. As she tried to point it at Bolan once more, the Executioner drew his wand from its holster with lightning speed. There was a loud bang and a flash of light, and the demigod's wand went flying into the air. Lazily, Dumbledore caught the wand, winking at Bolan. The soldier returned his wand to its holster, the entire ordeal taking less than a second.
"Hey!" She exclaimed, shocked.
"I warned you," Bolan said simply.
"Now, Ms. Chase," Dumbledore spoke up, "I will return your wand to you; just be sure to heed Mr. Cooper's warnings next time," he finished with a laugh, tossing Annabeth her wand.
"Fine," the daughter of Athena said, sighing. "All I wanted to know was how to land easier when getting out of a fireplace!"
As she spoke, several things happened at once. There were two loud cracks, and two red-headed twins appeared in the room. The front door opened, and a woman walked in, and a portrait started screaming. Several more people began popping out of the fireplace, including another red-headed man and a wizard with a hooked nose. Alastor Moody walked out of the kitchen, sipping from a hip flask, and Ron and Hermione returned with an older boy following close behind.
"Excellent! Now that everyone is here, let's all introduce ourselves!" Dumbledore instructed with a smile.
The round of introductions began with Bolan, who introduced himself as Matthew Cooper. Several minutes later, Molly Weasley announced that dinner was prepared as the introductions and intense round of questioning from the wizards, most notably led by Hermione, came to a close. Entering the kitchen, everyone sat down at the table, Sirius conjuring more chairs out of thin air and enlarging the table to accommodate for the large group. The soldier filled his plate with food, and as he dug his fork into his meal, he noticed Alastor Moody glancing suspiciously at the demigods. As the Hogwarts headmaster announced that there was to be an Order meeting after dinner, the Executioner made a mental note to discuss the identities of the demigods with the wizards.
"Molly, that meal was excellent," Sirius said happily as the dishes all floated to the sink and began cleaning themselves, curtesy of Arthur Weasley.
"Indeed. Now, children, if you would be so kind as to head upstairs," Dumbledore began politely, "I am officially calling a meeting."
"Boys," Molly announced authoritatively, "you will stay with Ron and Cedric. Girls, you all will stay with Hermione and Ginny. The rooms are enchanted, so all of you should be comfortable. Go and get to know each other, and Fred and George, you two need to act responsibly and be nice to our new friends!"
As the kids left the room, Dumbledore began to speak. Several seconds later, instinct made Bolan pause, withdrawing his wand from its holster, causing the rest of the Order members to become alert. Exiting the kitchen, the soldier, followed by Sirius, Moody, Dumbledore, and Arthur Weasley, crept toward the stairs, signaling the other men to stay back. Bolan drew a small tool from his belt, tapping it three times with his wand. Knowing why he had become suspicious, he cast two powerful enchantments before putting both his wand and tool away and returning to his seat in the kitchen.
"Extendible ears is all," he said simply.
"You've got some fancy gear," Moody growled.
"I try to be prepared," the soldier answered. "With that being said, Albus, I hope I'm not interfering with what you wanted to say, but I'd like to officially introduce myself before we move on. My name is Mack Bolan, and Albus can attest to the validity of what I'm telling you. I work for a secret organization stationed out of the United States called Stony Man, and I'm here to help fight Voldemort."
"So your name's not Matthew Cooper?" Sirius asked.
"No. That's a cover name I use, and before you ask, none of the kids know. I request that this information be kept confidential."
"If Dumbledore trusts you, that's enough for me," Minerva McGonagall said.
"Same here," Severus Snape echoed.
"This is incredible," Remus Lupin spoke up. "This is absolutely incredible! We officially have a secret agent on the team!"
"Wow," Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt said at the same time.
"Thank you, Mack. Had you not said that, I was about to ask for permission to do so. Might I suggest that you meet with Severus at some point; he is a former Death Eater."
"I think I'll do that," Bolan replied.
"Good. Now, we have one more thing to clear up before we deal with other matters. The exchange students," Dumbledore explained as he produced a large flagon of butterbeer from a cupboard, pouring the drink into several goblets and offering them to everyone, "are not true exchange students. They are here," he continued as he sat down once more, "to assist us in fighting the monsters that Tom has partnered with, as they are demigods. Mack is here to help with that as well, since he is trained to fight both Death Eaters and monsters. I have made an executive decision to hire him as a full-time staff member at Hogwarts, serving as our security as well as other roles as he or I deem fit. In addition, if it has not become obvious, due to his extensive combat experience, investigative skills, and other factors, he is our newest member of the Order of the Phoenix; I do hope you all will welcome him as a valued teammate. With that being said, we need to get him hired at the Ministry as an independent contractor of the Auror office."
"Give me any paperwork you have and I'll take care of it first thing tomorrow," Shacklebolt said.
"Excellent, Kingsley. I had no idea that would be possible."
"Normally, it wouldn't be. However, this must be kept secret," the Auror replied as he accepted and read through Bolan's paperwork. "This will be perfect. Let's see … authorization for deadly force, combat skills – now, that's an excellent review from Walter, Matthew Cooper will work at arms-length … yes, this is perfect indeed!"
"Wonderful," Dumbledore said.
"Kingsley," Moody barked, "you seemed to be hinting at something. Do you know something we don't?"
"I do," he replied. "I can't tell you right now, but let's just say that our current Minister of Magic is corrupt beyond what most of us realize. I'll have more information soon."
"There's another matter we need to deal with," Moody said, nodding in understanding at Kingsley.
"What's that?" Arthur asked.
"There was a battle outside the Leaky Cauldron," the ex-Auror answered, sipping from his flask.
"What?" Molly asked, shocked.
"It started when Remus, me, and Minerva left because we wanted butterbeer," Moody explained. "We arrived at the pub, and before we could get inside, we were ambushed by a half-dozen Death Eaters. I didn't recognize them, then more apparated to us, including Malfoy. Several other witches and wizards saw what was happening and rushed to fight. The battle lasted for a few minutes, then Albus, Mack, and the exchange students showed up. The fight took a long time, and Mack fought Lucius for a good while. What bothers me," the man finished, "is the fact that I have no idea who the first few dark witches and wizards were."
"That is highly unusual," Snape said thoughtfully. "Dark wizards don't run around ambushing people just because, and it was also very hard to find new recruits during the war. Although," he mused, deep in thought. "Although, I have noticed a lot more activity. My mark has been burning a lot lately, and I got the summons, now that I think about it, shortly before you called us here, Albus."
"Then," Dumbledore spoke up, "I believe it most appropriate to up our protection for Harry, both now and at Hogwarts."
"What else can we do? We've already banned everyone from contacting him to prevent someone from intercepting the mail and placed Dung on guard duty," Arthur said.
"I can go get him and bring him here," Bolan offered.
"I think," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling once more, "that is an excellent idea, given the potential risks. When would you like to leave, Mack?"
"It's almost sundown," Bolan mused. "I'll leave now."
Dumbledore provided Bolan with the information he needed to retrieve the young wizard, and as he left, he lifted his enchantments as he walked through the front door. With a pop, he apparated to the street corner that led to the Dursley household. As he approached the driveway of the house he was looking for, there was a loud crack just as a tire burst on a vehicle across the street. The Executioner turned just in time to see a skinny boy with jet black hair try to rise from under a window, only to smack his head hard on the windowsill. Moving fast, the soldier knocked on the front door of the house just as the man inside was about to stick his arms out the window.
"Who are you," the man spat, looking furious.
"My name isn't important," the soldier replied. "You're Vernon Dursley, correct?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I just want to make sure I'm at the residence of one Mr. Harry Potter, who attends Hogwarts—"
"Don't say that out loud, you freak!" The man cried, lashing out with his fist.
Bolan was ready when the angry man went for the punch, blocking it with ease and grabbing his wrist in one fluid motion. Making sure to put pressure on a cluster of nerves in his wrist, the Executioner fixed the man with his penetrating stare.
"First off, let's make something very clear here. I will say what I want, when I want, wherever I want. Second, I don't care what you have to say, but I'm taking Harry with me. Now, if I were you, I'd go and make sure all of his stuff is packed and ready to go within the next three minutes. You will do this because you love your nephew and want to help him, and you will not complain. Harry," he finished, squeezing Dursley's wrist a bit harder, "why don't you come on out from behind that bush and wait for your aunt and uncle to bring you your things."
The boy stood slowly, walking up to the porch as his uncle spluttered in anger, storming off up the stairs.
"Who are you?" He asked, confused.
"Matthew Cooper," Bolan answered. "I'm here to pick you up."
"But, well, not that I'm ungrateful or anything, but, why?" The young wizard asked, as if he didn't know quite what to say.
"It's OK, Harry. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here because Professor Dumbledore wants to help keep you safe, since Voldemort has been causing some trouble."
"Oh, oh. He has?"
"Yes, but more on that later. Here come your guardians."
"Here you are, boy," Petunia Dursley spat, tossing an empty owl cage and a trunk onto the porch.
"Before we leave," Bolan responded, fixing the Dursleys with a stare, "Harry, check to make sure everything's in order."
The boy quickly opened his trunk, examined it carefully, looked at the cage, then nodded at Bolan.
"Alright," the soldier said, "we're off!"
The two of them moved down the street quickly, running into Dudley along the way. The fat boy opened his mouth to say something but was cut off as the air around them grew cold.
"What's happening?" Dudley Dursley screamed.
"Shut up," Harry hissed, drawing his wand.
Recognizing what was going on immediately, Bolan was ready when the Dementors came gliding into view. With the speed of a cat, the soldier drew his wand and cast a Patronus, not wanting to put the children in danger. A massive lion erupted from his wand just as Harry shouted an incantation and a silver stag flew from his wand. Both Patronuses bounded toward the Dementors, and they fled.
"What … what … I'm telling Mom!" Dudley shrieked as he ran off.
"Nice work, Harry," Bolan praised. "Now, it's time to go."
The Executioner grabbed the boy's arm and disapparated, landing on the front porch of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Gently opening the door so as not to alert the portrait of Sirius's mother, he stepped inside, followed by Harry. As soon as they walked into the living room, the young wizard was swarmed by Ron, Hermione, and Cedric.
"Good to see you, mate!" Ron exclaimed.
"You too, guys," Harry said, smiling. "Um, who are they?" The boy asked, pointing at the group of demigods.
"Them?" Cedric asked. "They're our new mates from America! Come on, let's all go upstairs and we'll fill you in. Fred and George are waiting."
As the kids left the room, Bolan quietly crept toward the stairs after them, once again enchanting the house so that no one could listen to the meeting. Helping himself to more butterbeer, he scanned the room.
"How did it go?" Dumbledore asked.
"For the most part," Bolan answered after taking a sip from his goblet, "it went well."
"You weren't attacked, were you?" Sirius asked, concerned.
"We were, but not by monsters or Death Eaters. No, someone let some Dementors loose. I'm thinking either we got in the way or they were intended for Harry."
"Oh dear!" Molly Weasley exclaimed. "What happened?
"I figured it out pretty quick and cast a Patronus, and so did Harry. Frankly, I'm impressed he knew that charm, but that's beside the point. We've got two problems on our hands now. For one, Harry used magic, which, of course, is illegal. I don't think anyone at the Ministry is going to let him off easy, especially given Kingsley's hint at corruption at the highest level. Unfortunately though, I see no way out of this one. He's going to have to go to trial. Of course, since I was with him, I could testify on his behalf if that would help."
"No," Dumbledore and Kingsley said together.
"You're our secret weapon," the Auror continued. "The Ministry's dangerously corrupt. We need you in this war, and we can't have wizard cops hunting you down while we're trying to fight Voldemort. Fudge, the Minister of Magic, is currently running a smear campaign against both Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory. If we send you in to testify, he'll want to know everything about you. No. The best option is to let this play out naturally. I think Albus's presence will be enough."
"Fair enough," the soldier responded. "But I think I'm going to need a lot more information now."
"Fire away," Dumbledore said. "We're open books."
"First, why is Minister Fudge running a smear campaign? What's the motive?"
"I suppose this story goes back two years," the headmaster explained. "During Harry's third year we were informed of a Death Eater who escaped Azkaban who was on the hunt for him. The narrative was that Sirius was a convicted murderer working with Voldemort, and the wizarding community was put on high-alert. Dementors were searching for him everywhere, including Hogwarts. Remus, who was serving as the Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor at the time, taught our students many useful spells, and Harry was among those who grasped defensive magic. That's how he knew to cast a Patronus. Anyway, after a series of events, Harry found out that Sirius was not out to kill him, but instead, he was his godfather. When he returned to Hogwarts last year, Mad-Eye was our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Remember that little detail, because it's important for later on. Last year, Hogwarts also had the privilege of hosting the Triwizard Tournament. As you know, there is an age requirement to compete since there is immense danger. Someone had placed Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire along with Cedric's. Hogwarts had two champions, and Mad-Eye worked with both of them in secret to ensure their survival. We launched an investigation and learned that a Death Eater posing as another student named Neville Longbottom had entered Harry into the competition. The plan was clever. Rig the Goblet of Fire to produce four champions by placing a few charms on it that would bypass the age restriction. Once he was in, there was no backing down, and the dark wizard new it. Following that, he'd do everything he could to ensure Harry's survival for all three tasks and rig the trophy to be a portkey. Everything went according to plan. Both Harry and Cedric got to the trophy at the same time, and they were transported to a graveyard. Cedric was almost killed but managed to survive by playing dead. Harry, unfortunately, was forced to help Tom Riddle get a new body. That's exactly what happened, and they dueled before both boys made an escape with the portkey again. All that to say that Cornelius Fudge wants nothing to do with Voldemort. He only cares about politics, and the reality of the rise of the most feared dark wizard would, in his eyes, ruin him. That, in effect, will lead him to the conclusion that either Voldemort has not risen and Harry and Cedric are liars, or, if indeed he is at full strength again, he needs to keep it under wraps for as long as he can. In either case, smearing Harry and Cedric, portraying them as liars and lunatics, and calling for all of the magical community to ignore their claims works in his favor. Not only does it hide the truth, but it gains him political points for quickly quelling fears of a possible second war."
"So," Bolan reiterated, "to make sure I'm getting this right, Sirius escaped Azkaban, accused of crimes he did not commit. Then, an actual Death Eater posed as another student, I'm assuming through the use of Polyjuice Potion, and entered Harry into a brutal tournament but did everything he could to keep him alive long enough for him to take part, unwillingly, of course, in a ritual that would bring back the most feared dark wizard? I'm assuming that Tom Riddle wasn't killed when his curse backfired. If my knowledge of the Dark Arts is correct, he would've used at least one Horcrux to try and gain immortality. If I had to guess, if Riddle is as good as everyone says he is, he probably used multiple. So, he didn't come back from the dead. He just gained a new body. I presume it was shortly after the events of that fateful night that you guys found out about the monster army. Do you know the identity of the Death Eater who impersonated this Neville Longbottom?"
"I see you've been doing lots of studying on your own," Dumbledore said, smiling, his eyes twinkling brightly. "Yes, everything you said is correct. The Death Eater's name is Bartemius Crouch Junior, also known as Barty."
"How's Neville doing?"
"I've heard he's been doing fine, although he has had a lot of nightmares," McGonagall answered.
"Tell me about how you found out about the monsters," Bolan requested.
"It was about a month ago," Snape began. "I was on a mission for the Order where I was supposed to scout for a rumored Death Eater training facility. As a former dark wizard myself, I never heard of such a thing, so I had a particular interest in the mission. Anyway, I ended up tracking down the training compound hidden deep underground. I didn't even so much as walk one hundred meters to the place when I saw a giant guarding the gate. A bunch of smaller creatures hurling chunks of dirt were also on guard duty, and they spotted me and, well, hurled massive dirt chunks at me. I came back here and told everyone before going off to do some research. Albus apparently did the same thing and we both concluded that the monsters I saw were Earthborne and a Hyperborean giant. That's how, I presume, he found the Americans, including you, I suppose."
"Interesting. Well, I'm not a demigod, although I can see through the Mist and I am trained to fight alongside the demigods. It's safe to assume that you also can see through the Mist, which I think can prove useful. We'll need to track that training facility again, assuming it still exists. I think that may be part of the reason your mark has been burning a lot. It seems that not only has Riddle partnered with monsters but is actively recruiting forces of his own. Of course, there's more."
"What do you mean?" Lupin asked seriously.
The soldier proceeded to fill the Order members in on the intel he had received from Stony Man Farm.
"I don't like this," Dumbledore mused.
"Mack, what's the second problem?" Snape asked.
"What?"
"Earlier, you mentioned that we have two problems on our hands, following the Dementor attack. We discussed one, but what's the other?"
"Ah," Bolan said, taking a long pull from his goblet. "That. Well, Harry's trial notwithstanding, we don't have a clue why the Dementors were out hunting. Further, since the Ministry is so corrupt, we can't risk gleaning intel from them."
"Can we put your people on it?" Sirius asked.
"Unless the Ministry has electronics, no. I have electronics that are able to work around and alongside magic, but, as you know, I'm the exception. I'm not a wizard. I'm not a demigod. I'm just a soldier fighting an everlasting war who got drafted into this fight. I'll see it through no matter the cost, especially since it involves America. So while I'm not sure how I can utilize the Farm, I can do what I can. I know Hal can see through the Mist, too."
"That's something," Lupin spoke up. "At least you have one person who can back you up. In any case, we'll do what we can."
"Well guys, I'd urge you to be on alert at all times," Bolan warned. "We've been in a lot of battles over the past few days, and since we don't know our enemy's capabilities, we shouldn't get too comfortable in this house. Even if nothing happens to us, there's no guarantee civilians won't get hurt. I'm going to make a call, then I'm headed to bed. I'll see you all later."
Author's Note: Wow! Chapter six done! Lots to keep up with. What do you think? Did you like the surprise? Cedric's alive! Chapter seven's coming soon! I'm thinking I'll try and update consistently every week, unless you guys want shorter chapters or something. Let me know. Thanks for reading!