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All of the characters except for my own handful of originals, as well as locations, names, titles etc. are and remain the property of JKR and I hope you like it.

Principles such as Splicing are mine as well as all unique books, histories, titles, traditions and spells. I give users permission to use them, but only if you reference me in your work.

Review please whether you like it or not. Tell me what you do and do not like and why! I do love having my ego stroked with 'Wow, great!' etc. but it's not as useful for my process as having some real examples and effects. If any of you would like to PM me a review or opinions or just talk about my story, please do so.

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Chapter 21: The Breaking of the Wand and the Sharpening of the Spear

Hermione was released from the hospital wing the following morning and entered the great hall for breakfast a little paler than normal, but otherwise fine.

She joined a clumpy group of Gryffindors where Harry was eating with Ron, Dean, Seamus, Lavender and Tina-Marie. Sitting awkwardly, she winced as her now repaired elbow touched the table.

'You okay there Hermione?' Seamus asked tentatively.

'I'm fine.' She replied tersely.

Seamus recoiled from the barb in her voice and turned back to Dean with whom he was sharing notes from their previous hour with Professor McGonagall where they'd discussed the basics of magic which was their next class.

'Are you ready for our next snooze-fest with McGonagall?' Ron asked, washing down scrambled egg with a mug of tea.

Harry and Hermione nodded.

'Well I was, but this stupid accident's left me way behind with my reading.' Hermione growled as she poured milk onto some shredded wheat.

'What're you talking about, "way behind"? You've already read every book from the whole year cover to cover!' Harry said, bewildered.

'It doesn't hurt to be prepared, you know!' Hermione said, picking up her bowl and moving to another table.

Ron whistled through his teeth, his eyes moving between everyone else on the table.

Harry scratched his head, his hair was already breaking free of the hair gel. 'That did just happen, right? He asked the table.

He was answered by several confused nods.

'The rest of us have kind of given up talking to her most of the time.' said Tina-Marie. 'She's a nightmare for every rule and regulation. She went ballistic at Faye a few nights ago for burning some incense because,' here she cleared her throat and continued in a passable imitation of Hermione: '"It says quite clearly in the student handbook that there are to be no flammable materials out in the dorms!" Only Parvati really talks to her now, mainly to make sure all her notes are right.'

'She's really like… that, all the time?' Harry asked, nodding in Hermione's direction where he saw she was reading a tiny book while shovelling her breakfast into her mouth.

'Worse, usually. Rumour is she woke up the hospital wing in the night shouting at Goyle to stop snoring because if he didn't then she wouldn't manage her required eight hours sleep.'

'What?' Asked Dean and Seamus together.

'Oh yes, as soon as it's lights-out it's time for sleep. No ifs, no buts with her. She's a nightmare, like I say. She claims that the human brain needs eight solid hours sleep every night to remain at peak efficiency. The rest of us take it in turns to throw things at her drapes throughout the night to try and wake her but she sleeps like a rock.'

The boys at the table fell over laughing.

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Thirty minutes later, the lions arrived at the central courtyard where Professor McGonagall was already waiting with Hermione who was seated on a cushion still reading the book.

'Good morning.' McGonagall said, smiling a thin-lipped smile at them all before waving her wand and creating rugs for them all. 'First of all I'm pleased to hear that I've received acceptable reports from my fellow teachers about all of you, with a few notable exceptions, but all told I'm very pleased. You should pat yourselves on the back. Just one, mind.'

It dawned on Harry that she'd just made a joke and almost too late, he released a small chuckle along with a few others.

'Today is an opportunity for you to voice any questions you may have about… well anything really, as long as it's relevant to your education, the school, magic or your own health and wellbeing, pretty much anything that's not covered in your normal lessons. Who's first?'

It took people a few minutes to gather the courage to ask any questions, so Harry stormed ahead. 'Professor, at the flying lesson accident yesterday, I heard Madame Hooch use several spells to help Hermione and Goyle.' He saw Hermione pale from the corner of his eye as he spoke. 'I wrote the ones I could remember down and was wondering if you might explain them? He said, bringing out the scrap of parchment on which he had scrawled the day before.

McGonagall took the page and looked down the list nodding occasionally. When done she looked up at him and actually smiled. 'Well done, Mr Potter, this is quite a list. Madame Hooch has been a professional quidditch player and coach for many years and it's no surprise that she knew these spells, a few are well beyond OWL level and, if I'm not mistaken NEWT too. As you may imagine, I can't really demonstrate spells for repairing broken bones without having some to repair, so you'll have to suffice with theory unless one of you wants to sacrifice a tibia for the sake of learning

A few of the group muttered uncomfortably but there were no takers.

'There is one here that is actually very popular among healers for treating a stitch in the side of anyone undergoing strenuous exercise. The incantation is: costae relaxo, repeat.

They spent a while perfecting the pronunciation until McGonagall was satisfied. 'This is a very useful little spell that Madame Hooch no doubt used on you, Hermione to aid your breathing with broken ribs. Its purpose is to relax the ribs and muscles in the chest and abdomen, allowing the target to fully inflate their lungs and get blood flowing quickly. It doesn't require the person to have anything broken or damaged, however and is commonly used by the chronically unfit or infirm to increase the distance they can walk. It is a short-term solution, however to actually being fit and healthy and will eventually result in an overall weakening of the body's ability to heal and breath unaided. No, don't worry Miss Granger, you're at no risk. Allow me to Demonstrate…'

Raising her wand, she pointed it at Parvati and said costae relaxo in her coolest, clearest voice – the one that rang with power.

Parvati immediately took a great, deep breath and stood up, her eyes wide. 'Wow!' She breathed, 'It's like having the opposite of a cold.'

'Quite, Miss Patil.' Said McGonagall dismissing the spell with a flick of her wand.

She spent the next few minutes explaining the requirements of the spell and the mindset needed for its correct casting before letting the group experiment with the spell and in short order, everyone's eyes were widening in surprise and their chests swelling out hugely. All except for Hermione who looked ashen.

Later, McGonagall advised them that brackium emendo a spell designed to repair any bones in the arm, but was only suitable for quick repairs. For more severe breaks or damage to the fine function of the hand or elbow, another and much more complicated and draining spell was required.

'Fortunately for you, Miss Granger, your break was a very simple and relatively minor one. Healing spells are another branch from the school of transfiguration and are, as such, my domain. Some Enchanters – a catch all term for people who specialise in charms – claim that their spells are most effective in healing but this is simple nonsense. Every year I take on a small number of students from 5th year and above for a specialist course on healing magic. I highly recommend it for any of you who have the aptitude and those of you harbouring intentions of becoming aurors or working at St. Mungo's Hospital. In fact, one of my students has had six months cut from his auror training due to his ability to heal the most horrible of injuries with nary a scar to tell of them.'

Dean raised a tentative hand.

'Yes, Mr Thomas?'

'Sorry Professor, but what's an auror?'

Ron sniggered and McGonagall shot him such a withering look he actually recoiled on his rug, the tips of his ears flushing red.

'You would be well advised to help your muggleborn friends, Mr Weasley instead of deriding them. You never know when their adaptability might make the difference between your life and death!' McGonagall spat at the redhead. She turned back to Dean, 'Aurors, Mr Thomas, are amongst the most elite magicians in employ of the Ministry of Magic. Their duties vary as much as there are types of fish in the sea, but the role they're most famous – some of them infamous – for is that of law enforcer. Whenever a witch or wizard under the jurisdiction of the Ministry or Commonwealth goes to the Dark and proves too much for conventional magical law bringers, the Auror Office comes into play. They are each master duellists, potion makers, enchanters and transmogrifiers, though all bring their own specialisms to their role and on such a basis are assigned duties.' She paused and looked at them in turn, her piercing green eyes burrowing into theirs. 'If you ever break wizarding law to the point where an auror is sent to hunt you down then it means only one of two fates for you: death or Azkaban.'

A silence had descended over the group, but Faye Dunbar shivered. 'That's where all the Death Eaters are, isn't it Professor?'

McGonagall nodded slowly. 'It is. Azkaban is one of five wizard prisons in our entire world and the only one to have never suffered a breakout on any scale. It houses the most deadly criminals of Britain and the entire Commonwealth as well as France, the German Rhineland and Spain since the destruction of Unguroban during the rise of the Dark Lord Gellert Grindlewald almost fifty years ago. It is where the remainder of You-Know-Who's followers remain imprisoned, most of them for life.'

The hair was erect on the back of Harry's neck. He made to speak but the words caught in his dry throat. Taking a sip of water, he started again. 'You said, professor, "under the jurisdiction of the Ministry." Does that mean there are people in Britain and the Commonwealth that are not under the Ministry's jurisdiction?'

A smile, so thin and faint that Harry wondered if he'd not imagined it flickered on McGonagall's face. 'I did, Mr Potter. It is true that the Ministry of Magic is part of the government of the United Kingdom, but I know that you're well-read for a first year, as if Miss Granger. The UK – as the muggles call it – has formally existed since 1707 when muggle parliament passed an act called the Union with England act which forged the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into a single kingdom officially called Great Britain. There had been earlier attempts at unions which had failed – in no small part – due to the acts of certain separatists in both England and Scotland, muggle and magician alike that wished for no such union to occur. In time, the muggle resistance dwindled to the point that it could be overlooked, the magician side, however grew in strength until they actually threatened the future of both kingdoms.' She paused to take a sip of water before continuing, 'It was eventually agreed upon by leading figures on both sides that the British Isle would be divided between the two and each could rule their nations as they saw fit. The muggles act was completed in 1707, three weeks after more than three quarters of all the magically awakened individuals in Britain, along with more than two million others from around the world just disappeared, poof! Gone.'

Harry remembered reading a reference to this event somewhere back at the Dursley's.

'The Quartering, that's what you're referring to, isn't it Professor?' Parvati asked.

McGonagall nodded, 'That is one name for what happened, Miss Patil. How do you know that name, might I ask?'

'My parents used to talk about it. My mother's family are an ancient house in India, descended from some royal family a long time ago. They used to talk about the Quartering which was when most of the magicians disappeared and the world changed.'

'That is good, Miss Patil,' McGonagall said, 'There are few now alive who really believe the existence of "The Quartering" which is called such because before that time, it is believed that the magically active made up almost a quarter of the population. After those turbulent years however, less than a quarter of that number remained and they, apparently referred to the place their brothers, sisters, sons and daughters went to as The Fifth Quarter. The wizarding world – or to be more correct, since we're talking about other traditions vastly different to our own: awakened – has never been the same since and has actually declined in strength and numbers since while the muggle world has advanced by leaps and bounds. This subject will, of course, be covered in greater detail in your history of magic classes… next year, if I remember correctly, but if you're interested in learning more I suggest you look up a little-known book called The Breaking of the Wand and the Sharpening of the Spear by Meriagrin Gammings. It details – at great length – the changing of the awakened world since the event known to most in Britain as The Fading.

'The reason I bring this event up in the first place is to answer your initial question, Mr Potter. You asked who in Britain is beyond the power of the Ministry of Magic. My answer will probably provoke more questions that it will solve, but it is that the people of The Fifth Quarter and the descendants of their number who wanted to leave but for whatever reason could not. They are few and they take no real part in our world these days, but among themselves they call themselves The Unbound, as they consider themselves free of any involvement with our modern world.'

She's right; it has made more questions than it's answered. Harry thought as a million possibilities whirled through his mind as the old witch folded her thin, hard hands in her lap.

'In short,' McGonagall continued, 'if any actions you commit provoke the ministry to send aurors after you, you'd better fly to the moon or find The Fifth Quarter, because they're the only place you'll be safe and I assure you that neither of those things are remotely possible.'

She let the gravity of her words sink in and Harry saw the effect they'd had on the group. Dean was looking at his hands, his face thoughtful. Fay's hands were clenched tight as she stared ahead, her eyes shiny with tears that he could tell by her set jaw she wouldn't let fall. He admired her for that. Tina-Marie's head was downcast, but her eyes looking across the whole group while Hermione, pale and still just looked ahead. Seamus looked disinterested, but that was to be expected as all he wanted to do was join his father's family business and "make it magic", but it was Ron's reaction that made Harry take the most note. The redhead was leaning back on his hands, legs crossed and grinning. He looked at Harry then made a nodding gesture toward McGonagall, crossing his eyes and bobbing out his tongue.

Is he saying she's mad? Harry thought, heat welling up inside him in defence of their head of house. He was about to say something to him when a loud crack sounded in the air and Ron's face froze.

'I can make it stay that way for the rest of time if you like, Mr Weasley?' McGonagall said as she placed her wand back by her side.

Ron, his face contorted, shook his head violently and tried to speak past his protruding tongue something that sounded like 'Peesh Perfeffer Ib sowuw.'

McGonagall released the spell and Ron's face fell slack.

'I think, Mr Weasley, that if you have time spare to be pulling stupid faces, that you have time to spend in detention.'

Ron's eyes went wide. 'But Professor I...' He started, but was cut off.

But nothing, If you think that learning about either the importance of the Auror Office or The Fading is somehow unimportant or beneath you, then you will realise how sorely mistaken you are after spending Sunday with Professor Bins taking no less than two feet of notes for me. If the observations you make do not satisfy my expectations then you shall repeat the lesson every Sunday until I am happy.

Ron flushed pink and lowered his head in defeat.

They spent another twenty minutes with McGonagall who explained several other departments of the Ministry which Harry thought sounded interesting such as the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, the Wizenagemot and the Department of Mysteries, the latter of which McGonagall claimed spent most of its time "discovering" things that normal witches and wizards had known for centuries.

However, as much as the Ministry interested him, for some reason his attention kept swaying back toward the Auror office and what Parvati had called the Quartering. There was a cold sensation of suspicion that crept into his heart he had an oddly well-formed mental image of a huge domed room with a gleaming bronze fountain in the middle whenever it came to mind.

He was determined to ask McGonagall about both in private after the lesson but it slipped out of his mind like trying to hold onto water when she announced their time was at an end.

Fay came over to him as their rugs and Hermione's cushion disappeared. 'You okay, Harry?' She asked, touching his shoulder.

He flinched as usual and she backed away. 'I'm fine, why?' He said, more defensively that he'd intended.

'You just looked… a bit funny then, like you were going to ask McGonagall something.'

Harry shook his head, at a loss. 'Nope, I'm fine. I do like the sound of being an auror though, like Tonk's wants to.'

Fay nodded vigorously, her large blue eyes shining. 'I'm going to be an auror after school too,' she said with absolute certainty, 'oh, wow, maybe we'd be in the same classes together there too!'

Harry smiled widely, thinking what a waste it would have been if he'd never gotten to know this quiet yet determined girl and spent all his time in the company of someone like Hermione for the next seven years.

'What're you doing next period?' She asked.

'I was going to go and research these healing spells, but like McGongall said, there's not much we can do without things that need healing, so I was going to watch the team practice.'

'The quidditch team?'

Harry nodded. 'A few of them are friends and they let me watch their practices.'

Fay almost quivered with excitement. 'Do you think I could come with you? I love quidditch.'

Harry was taken aback, he was so unused to people wanting to spend time with him, even if it was for a free ticket to watch quidditch, that he didn't respond for a moment.

'Harry?'

'Oh yeah! I mean yes, that'd be great. You never know, one of them might need a nosebleed healing or something.'

Fay laughed and together they turned toward the quidditch pitch leaving Ron sulking and Hermione staring at their backs as they disappeared around the side of the castle.

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