Bane 21

A/N: Please note: I'm not going for an evil, old wizard Albus Dumbledore. To the late Frau and I, we always saw him as a senile old man who believed in his own press for far too long. For us, it's a fine line to keep him from being evil, but he wasn't a saint either.

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Chapter 21

Firefox spent the next two days of endless toiling within the boiling and very unstable node under Hogwarts. The young mage knew if he failed he and everyone for miles around would not be alive to tell the tale.

Thankfully, both Kieryn and Sal were his anchors, making certain he didn't lose his way and become trapped within the node. Their magical tethers kept him from being bounced around and were his only link to the outside world. If he lost them, he could become lost in the node.

With solemn determination, he fought with the sparking energy strand that shot bright embers of energy towards the dead-man switch. Naturally, it fought his control, tooth and nail, several times even shooting explosions of energy upwards, causing the castle to quake.

Between the rumblings centering at the castle and extended, the wards around the castle and the village of Hogsmeade would flare in a colorful light show.

The villagers as well as the students and staff members noticed. So much so, the aurors and Unspeakables were called in, much to Albus' dismay. He could handle it, couldn't he?

It was Minerva who had made the call, against Albus' orders. She had had enough of his endangering the school. The safest place? "Balderdash! Wallaper! It isn't safe if the roof is falling on your head, ye old bampot!" she sternly argued.

Many in and around the castle and village knew what that light show meant: someone was tampering with the wards. For good or evil, was the main concern by many. Some thought that Voldemort with his Death Eaters were attacking. When no one was killed and there was no sighting of the DE's, they were able to rule out that rumor.

Some thought it was Dumbledore tweaking the wards and lost control. He was getting on in years after all, so it must be the wards were fighting him.

But among Harry's former friends, they knew it was Harry's doing. He had tried to warn the school when he confronted the headmaster in the Great Hall. Harry had said as much the day after he had returned.

No one noticed Luna's prayers for Harry's safety.

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Since the night Harry tried to warn them in the Great Hall, everyone in the castle had been on edge. Then the castle started to shift under their feet. There had been no record of any earthquakes in the area since the days of the founders. And Harry's warning came to mind.

After being threatened by Minerva, Dumbledore had no choice but to evacuate the castle. He was certain the rumblings were nothing, just the castle showing her age. Everything would be fine in a few days.

Classes had been suspended, something he hated to do. Damn Flitwick for being the first to cancel classes. The students needed to study of their exams, but they would be safe at Hogsmeade. The staff would to see to tutoring anyone wanting to stay on top of their studies.

Hermione and most of the Ravenclaws took full advantage of the offer. Some of the more adventurous students took advantage of the Quidditch pitch to play pick-up games. This included most of the four teams, as well as those more game fanatics, like Ron Weasley.

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Inside the castle, aurors as well as the Unspeakables searched for the reasons behind the earthquakes and found Potter. He needed to stop whatever he was doing.

The ghosts chided the headmaster that the Adept tried to warn the headmaster that Harry was about to take down something dangerous.

"However, you sent him away," The Bloody Baron informed them. "His warning unheeded. The Adept will do his best to see that the pending destruction was negated. You made it more difficult for him to do so. It will be on your head and not his, if anyone is hurt. You were warned!"

Albus tried to sputter and deny any such warning. "What Adept? There is no such thing."

The ghosts drifted away at that point, shaking their heads.

If only he had not backed Severus' bile, he would've known what Harry had been planning. How did Harry become so powerful?

Curse and damnation! He hated not knowing.

It galled him that he had to ask for anyone's help. That meant Unspeakables, aurors and yes, even asking the ghosts that haunted Hogwarts. He especially hated to have anyone crawling around Hogwarts and into his secrets.

He glanced over at the small hidden door that led off of his office.

A ward-stone was situated there and was fluctuating dangerously and had become unstable. He sighed as his thoughts turned to the history of this secondary ward stone.

According to the past headmasters, it had been created since noone could enter the original ward-stone cavern in the heart of the dungeon. This secondary room housed the newer wards that every headmaster since its creation had added to it.

Suddenly, there was a brilliant white flare of magic, blinding everyone within and without Hogwarts.

What in Merlin's name was going on?

Once everyone could see again, they noticed the rumbling and the negative energy that permeated the air was easing off.

Does it mean it was over with?

This was Dumbledore's domain, for Merlin's sake! Why is this happening?

He had everything well in hand.

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Firefox finally stumbled out of the ward-room in the middle of the third day, magically depleted, as he croaked out, "Dobby. . ."

The brave house-elf popped into view as Firefox slumped against the wall nearby. Salazar staggered over to sit next to the young mage also depleted. It had been an ordeal to keep the young mage steady as he worked. Keiryn hummphed as he stumbled out of the room, his eyes and feathers dull from magic depletion as well.

The three of them took time to tap back into the recovering node and began to refill their empty cores. With the dangerous tap cinched off and that loose thread cut, the node was stabilizing for now.

Firefox had gained some time in which he needed to rest and refill his core. However, the danger was far from over, but he had bought some time. He could now access the node, somewhat safely, and use it as long as he was careful and didn't pull too much power too fast.

Keiryn plopped heavily down beside the firecat and gave out a huge sigh.

"Here, Great Master Adept Harry Potter," Dobby said, holding out three vials. "Just as you ordered. A healing and nutritional potion mixed together for each of youse."

Too tired to speak, the teen took the vial and downed the potion. After Harry gave it back, Dobby handed over a tall glass of water. Kieryn took the vial and downed his while Dobby poured the third one into a small bowl and placed it front of Salazaar.

Feeling more like himself as the drinks took effect, Firefox slowly started to stand and sealed off the internal energy tap, once his core was full. "Take us to my rooms and let us sleep ourselves out," he croaked out, not able to speak louder. "We'll need food but later. Sleep first."

As Dobby popped the trio back to Firefox's rooms in the Ravenclaw Tower, they just missed a patrol of aurors sweeping the dungeon. They never saw the closed runic array etched door or the small dark hallway it was in.

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Hermione Granger was one perplexed witch. She had been so focused on Winky fixing her fizzled hair and the house-elf history that she never got a chance to quiz Harry on what he meant in the Great Hall. Now, no one could find him.

With the rumbling and shaking of the foundations of Hogwarts, she was convinced that Harry was behind it. He had said as much in the Great Hall when he tried to warn Professor Dumbledore. Why and how Harry was causing this, she would find out. She would wring it out of him, if it was the last thing she did.

Now, she was being sent to Hogsmeade with no sign of Harry or any signs of her questions being answered. She also lamented that she was going to fail her classes, as she couldn't study.

Ron and Neville were no help. Both were busy playing chess in the corner of the common area in the Three Broomsticks. If only she could find Harry.

"Don't worry too much, Hermione," came Luna's voice from behind her. "Harry knows what he's doing. He was trained to deal with this and will be done soon."

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Albus Dumbledore was going over the latest reports from the Unspeakables. The earthquakes had stopped as suddenly as they started – three days ago. The wards around the castle seemed stable but several of the newer ones were missing. It was as if someone was cleaning house. Damnation, he helped create some of those missing wards!

At this rate, the muggles would start seeing the castle and village.

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Harry finally awoke, as the needs of his body started to make themselves known. Opening bleary eyes, he noted that he was in his rooms in the Tower and not the infirmary. Thank the Star-eyed! He didn't think he could stand Madam Pomfrey's mother-henning.

Coming out of the loo, clean and refreshed, and with a towel wrapped out his waist, Harry's next need made itself known.

"Dobby? Winky?" he called out.

:Afternoon, Harry. I see you are up and going. Any discomfort?: greeted Sal from the hearth. The great firecat lounged lazily on a velvet pillow, enjoying the comforts of a well-cared for fire.

Harry smiled at the firecat as he looked over the clothes that Winky had laid out for him.

The French doors opened, allowing the cold of early winter in, as Keiryn stepped into the sitting room. :I see you are finally awake, wing brother.: the young gryphon's mind called. He gave his wet feathers a bit of a shake. Winky popped in and started to scowl the gryphon for making a mess.

"Keiryn, how long?" Harry acknowledged as his stomach made itself known once more.

:We were in the node for two and a half days, then a day and a half of sleeping,: came Sal's reply.

"Four days, huh? Food please for everyone, Winky," he ordered as he started to dress in the exotic robes. "Though from the looks of things, Keiryn has already hunted. But still, please, Winky? Then we'll discuss what was going on while I was busy."

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A young auror who had been stationed by the Ravenclaw Tower was the first to notice the young mage as he stepped out of the shadows, making his way to down to the Great Hall.

"You! What are you doing here? Who are you?" the young auror pulled his wand and glared at Harry.

Harry stopped. "Harry James Potter, and I am on my way to see the Headmaster."

"The castle has become dangerous and all students were sent to Hogsmeade for their safety."

The young mage smiled and gave a slight bow. "Of course, the castle's dangerous. It still is. However, the imminent danger has passed and it's safe for everyone to return."

"Are you certain of that?" came an Unspeakable's voice from behind them.

Harry turned and gave another slight bow. "I've disabled several wards and a cobbled together ward-stone that was haphazardly tapped into the magical node under the castle. If it had been left much longer, this castle and everything around would be nothing but a miles-deep hole in the ground."

"Surely, you are joking!?" gasped the auror. "But Hogwarts. . . "

". . . was ready to blow, taking everything and everyone for miles around. Oh yes, Hogwarts was an explosion ready to happen." Harry gave the auror a look of contempt. "And I'm not joking."

Although no one could see the face for his robes, the unspeakable stiffened and let out a frightened whispered, "Merlin, save us. What. . . ?"

The auror stuttered, not believing a word that Harry was saying, took note that the unspeakable did.

"I will only tell my tale, once," Harry snarled, not happy to deal with the meeting to come. "Lead the way. I'm still tired from rooting through a dangerous node to save everyone's hide from the foolishness of wizards that think they are the gods' gift to humans."

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Yes, I know the chapter stops abruptly. What can I say?

Wallaper – scottish insult that means idiot/moron/dick. Thanks Miriam for the help. I was stuck with bampot and needed another insult.

Merry Christmas, everyone for those who celebrate the holiday and for those that don't, have a happy and safe holiday season.

Sorry this was late out. December hadn't been kind to me. First I had to have eyelid surgery. Then the cold I had been fighting – won. Then it decided to turn into a sinus infection. I didn't start feeling better until a few days ago. Hopefully next year will be a better year.

Until next time. – GF