SORRY FOR THE DELAY I TRY TO DO PUBLISH REGULARY AGAIN.
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angel897 - that was what I was going for. I hope you will like this chapter.
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I don't own SPN or Harry Potter.
Chapter 14 – war council
Two days have passed since the first broadcast of Potterwatch and it was a smashing success. The responses they got from the order members, who informed them about the reviews to the show were almost only positive. The single broadcast leaded to new rebel groups, people decided that the fight wasn't over and stared to fight back in any ways possible to them. They operate in the shadows and mostly try to hide muggle-borns as well as other fugitives. But at least they to do something, don't roll over and play dead anymore.
The sanctuary Sirius established housed one person already. His house-elf Twinky, an old Black elf from that property takes good care of her. He isn't as insane as Kreacher, who was brainwashed by his mother. Twinky doesn't believe in blood supremacy, he is simply happy to have something to do again, that doesn't involve cleaning. After a decade he finally can cook again and he loves it.
All in all hope was back on the horizon, but they still have a long way to go. But maybe they can take some proactive actions in the near future. For that Sirius, Hermione, Harry, Dean, Sam and Jo meet in Sirius study for a strategy meeting, a planning sessions. They have many things to discuss. That is why Sirius is already waiting in his study for his family. Without him they can't enter the study. He had to prepare his office for the meeting meaning he put the board that they created all those months ago in the room and positioned six seats around it. So that everyone had a good view at it. Sirius believes that the meeting will not be over soon, so he transfigured a small table for snacks and drinks which he ordered one of the elves to prepare.
He doesn't has to wait long, barely did he sit down was there a knock on his door. "Enter." he yells.
The door opens and Hermione was the first to come into the room. One by one the others follow her. They all take a seat without being invited by him. One glance at Dean tells him that he brought his familiar with him. She wasn't quite visible, but Sirius knew that she was there, especially after Dean took one of the sandwiches and put it in his sweater. As soon as all of them were sitting he took the lead. "We have so much to talk about, but where to start? That is why I suggest that we start with the things affecting the family first, before we got to the world. Would you all agree with me on that?" he asks them and they simply nod as answer. "Good." he claps his hands in an encouraging manner. "Who wants to go first?"
It was Hermione, who answered and explained her findings. "In the book of Merlin about the sibling bond I learned that our bond is ultimate."
"Meaning?" Sirius wants to know, because that is not much of an explanation.
"Meaning nothing can break it, besides the siblings themselves. The deal should be void with it. "She declares. That would explain how Merlin and Circe could save their sister from being burned alive in the legend. Those who are part of such a bond have not only the power, but they are only ones, who can destroy it, like said Mother Magic doesn't let her chosen ones go that easily.
"But what if not?" Dean wants to know, because they have to be sure, better save then sorry and it is his life after all.
Sam takes over from his sister. "I think it will, because that is not all. I learned from the books in the library that no demon is allowed to take the soul of a magical being, without being judged by Magic." he explains to them and the implications of that make him smile.
The others don't know why he smiles like a cat, who got the canary. "That means?" Dean wants clarified.
The smile on Sams face grows bigger and gets a little scary, as he answers. "Should a demon make such a deal, it gets nullified as soon as the deal is due and he has to give up the soul he tried to reap, which wasn't his to reap in the first place. The demon has to give the soul free, because Magic demands it. That isn't all, because the person, who holds the contract will get wiped out of existence. That in combination with the bond should destroy the carrier of Dean's contract, who I believe is Lilith, the first demon. But there still is more." his smile is so big, not even Dean has never seen before. He most have hit the jackpot with his discovery.
"Don't be that way Sammy and tell us what you know." Dean says a little gruff. Yeah, he is happy that he will live to see more, than just his end in early May. But he absolutely hates it when his brother acts this way.
"Should my suspicion correct and Lilith really holds your contract, than she will take every demon, who is topside down with her, when she is whipped out." On Jos and Deans faces mirror smiles to Sam's start. They may not know, how many demons will be vaporized this way, but it still is a big win for the hunters of the world. Sirius, Harry and Hermione are exited as well, that is a huge success for them.
"So we cleared or better have evidence now that Dean will not die, but instead the demon population is going back to hell." Sirius concludes.
"Yeah." all his kids say in unison.
"That is a big win. So with Deans problem finally really cleared, we go to the next one and that is Sam's problem with demon blood." He looks at Sam." I found a solution or I think I found one."
"What does that mean?" Dean hears that there is some sort of problem.
"It means that the solution is a delicate matter and would involve a second party. I don't know if the person would do It." he tells them with a sigh. But he knows that his son would do everything for the people he loves, especially because this is about Sam. So he probably would jump in head first. But he still will give him the choice and not dictate, what he has to do. He is his own man after all and Sirius isn't Dumbledore, who always took Harry's choices away.
"Can you tell us, what you found without talking in riddles, Dadfot." Harry asks. He is nervous, what this is about. He has a feeling this is about him and he isn't sure what he has to do. But he wants the demon blood out of Sam as soon as possible. He would do anything if has to for him. It is Sam, his soul mate.
Harry takes Sam hand and squeezes it, as Sirius answers. He avoids looking in their eyes he doesn't want to think about them and having sex. They are his kids after all. There are boundaries, thank you very much and this is one for him. "There is a cleaning ritual involving soul mates."
Before Sirius can explain further Harry says. "Good, let's do it." He was right that it was about him, but that doesn't change his conviction to do it.
"Don't you want to know, what you have to do first?" Sam wants to know from him. He is touched nevertheless that Harry would do things for him without knowing what they entail. That tells him that he means a big deal to his soul mate. The love is almost touchable in the air. It isn't one form of the strongest magic's for nothing after all. Love can move mountains if needed.
"No, it can't be bad if Dadfot suggest it." Harry concludes, but the still missing eye contact between him and his father makes him a little nervous.
"Maybe, but he still said that it is a delicate matter." Sam counters.
Before Harry can argue further Sirius interrupts their argument. "Maybe it would be best if HE" he emphasizes the personal pronoun to bring them back to the present and out of their minds, by pointing at himself. "gets the chance to explain the ritual before you consent to it." He looks from Sam to Harry to tell them that he wants their attention first. They nod so he explained. "The delicate matter is that the ritual is part of a magic that is called sex magic."
For a moment there was silence, before Dean couldn't hold it anymore and starts laughing. But not because Sam has to have sex with his soul mate, who probably is a virgin, but because there is a thing called sex magic. He mutters under his breath. "Sex magic." and shakes his head amused. So that they all understand why is he laughing?
"But that is dark magic." Hermione exclaims after a moment.
It stops Dean's laughter and he looks accusingly at his uncle. You don't fight dark with dark, but with light. Before he can start his argument, Sirius declares. "No, that is a false assumption, mostly because it always involves virgins, some things pure. Another reason for that assumption is that the Wizengamot is a men's club form the 18. Century, and they don't talk about sex and everything that would let them gain power in this way. It also mostly concerns women, who were considered virgins at that time." That surprisingly makes sense. Sex always was a taboo before the 20. Century and the wizarding world is as far as it can get from that.
"Conservative douche bags." Dean concludes eloquently, like always.
Sam and Harry are silent while the others talk about sex magic. Sam knows that Harry still is a virgin and as his soul mate, that more than qualifies him for that ritual. But there are some complications, they wanted to wait and take it slow for Harry's sake. But with that ritual and Harry's doom in form of a Horcrux in his head, it looks their intention is doomed. Sam knows that Harry will do it only to help Sam. Not a thing Sam really likes. He knows that will lead to some serious discussions between them, no pan intended.
Jo was the only one in the room, who didn't talk about it, but instead looked at Sam and Harry's reaction. She reads in their body language that they are embarrassed by it. So she decides to help them a little. "I think Sam, Harry and Sirius should talk about the ritual without the audience." She was determinate to tell the others that this isn't about them or a history lesson, but a serious matter and only the involved parties need to know about it. She always sees the personal picture in a case and doesn't forget to keep that in account. Considering as well that they will not reach a conclusion by discussing it with all of them present, the emotions are simply too high and it is too personal.
They all understand her as they look at the embarrassed pair in question. Sirius points out. "That is a good idea Jo." In the last months Sirius learned that Jo isn't a woman of many words. She isn't the typical girl, no wonder with her knife fixation. She only says something if it is important and in the most cases what she says counts.
"That brings us to the Horcrux in Harry." Hermione tries to bring the attention away from her brothers as she caught on what her sister is doing. Both, Harry and Sam, are very grateful for Jo and Hermione's effort.
Sirius sighs. "I haven't found a way to destroy it without killing Harry in the process." Harry and Sam led their heads fall in frustration? Subconsciously they move closer together to the other to have more comfort and silent support from him. They are frustrated that they can't find another way. They are not ready to give up and the others are on the same page with them. "But I am not giving up" Sirius tells them. He was convinced that he will find anything or dies trying.
"Good." Sam says. He voices what everyone else wants to say, that they will fight it until they are rid of it and can save Harry in the process. The family will stand together on this one and share the burden, if they have to, like they do with everything else.
"But we have other good news on that front." Sirius says.
"Such as?" Dean wants to know, because he can't fandom, what else there is if not to destroy it. Good news still is something to look forward too. But he thought in the wrong direction. He somehow forgot that Harry isn't the only Horcrux; they have to find and destroy.
"We think we found the location of one of the known Horcrux's and a possible item for an unknown one." Hermione summarizes.
"I think we start with the possible item." Sirius declares.
"Why?" Dean wants to know. Somehow he took on the position of the judge, who questions everything.
"Because the location of the known Horcrux is in a high security area and we need a plan to get what we want." Sirius answers.
"Ok." Dean says. That is a good explanation as any to him. Why use time for a possible find instead of using to plan they definitely found.
"What is it?" Jo wants to know.
It was Sam, who answered. "We think that the last and unknown Horcrux could be the lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw." he opens the book he brought with him to the planning session to show the others a picture of it. He hands the book to Harry first, because Sirius set on his other side and he already has seen the picture.
Harry takes a good look at it. It somehow looked familiar to him, like he had seen it before somewhere. So he gives the book to Hermione next and closes his eyes to sort his mind with one of the occlumency techniques Ted has shown him. He focuses only on his memory and the rest of the world becomes silent to him as he pictures the diadem in his mind. Like a search program he uses the image as a reference source to find what he is looking for. He doesn't know, how much time has passed until he found it, the memory, he was looking for.
With a smile on his face he opens his eyes after he watched the memory play out in his mind. A short look around tells him that only minutes have past, because the book isn't even back in Sams hands by now. Apparently training really makes the master. His permanent work with occlumency pays off and his mind magic is way better than it ever was.
But that isn't important at the moment; because even if he knows he has seen the object he needs confirmation from another source. So he looks at Dean, who was holding the book at the moment as he starts to hiss. "Mirror." he starts to address her.
A moment later the head of the snake moves out from under Dean's sweater. It still shocked the brothers and Jo that he really can talk to snakes, but that isn't important right now. So he ignores it. Mirror looks at Harry as she asks. "Yesss Sssspeaker."
"Can you look at the picture in the book your human is currently holding?" Even if Dean can't understand, what he is say he gets an idea. Harry's hissing words combined with the smile and a teasing glint in his eyes tell Dean that Harry is teasing him. He is making fun of him in front of his familiar. He would ignore it for now, but revenge is a dish best served cold. At the same time Mirror looks at the open page as Harry goes on. "Do you see anything on it that you recognize?"
The snake moves her head from one side to the other as she looks at the pictures and compared them with her collective memory. Only the last picture about the crown triggered something and recognition happens. "Yessss the crown or ssssomething like that issss connected to him." was her answer.
"Thank you." Harry says with a huge smile to her, than he returns his attention to the rest of the room, who was watching him curiously, and says in English. "Sam and Hermione are right, that" he gets up and points at the picture of the diadem. "is a Horcrux and I have seen that thing before."
"Really?" Sirius asks, while Hermione wants to know. "Where?"
"At Hogwarts in the Room of Hidden things." Harry answers Hermione's question because Sirius questions is only rhetorical to him.
"Riddle had an interview with Dumbledore for the job as Professor for Defense against Dark Arts" Sam points out to conclude the statement further.
"That gives him time to plant the Horcrux." Dean goes on.
"Okay that means we have to go to Hogwarts and Gringotts for a Horcrux." Sirius complains. The situation just got more complicated. Why can't it be easy, but that is not how the world works? Not if you want to save the world from another tyrant.
"Freaking fun fucking tastic." Dean says that without asking why they have to Gringotts. But even with only a GD he was smart and that is why he guessed that the other possible Horcrux must be at the bank.
The only one, who was silent, because of it was Hermione. After Harry declared where the Horcrux was hidden she worked on a plan in her head to enter it, but it also brought her a solution for another problem. If they really have to go to Hogwarts they can make a second stop there. So after a moment of she simply says. "The Chamber of Secrets."
"What?" Dean yells perplex. A change of topic normally wasn't so hard for him, but that was simply to random. He really doesn't have an idea, where she is going with this. The good thing is he wasn't the only one. A glance around told him, that the others were as clueless as him.
The explanation followed soon after Hermione saw that no-one of her family followed her train of thought. "We have to go to the Chamber of Secrets for a basilisk fang, because with it …"
But it was Sam, who finished for her after he caught on what she wanted to say. He slaps his hand on his head because they are really morons some time. They knew the whole time, how to destroy a Horcrux, but simply forgot about that possibility. "because with it we can destroy the Horcrux's, like Harry did with the diary."
"Exactly." Hermione says with a big smile.
The thought of the huge basilisk, who a 12-year-old Harry had to face still gives Sirius the creeps and seriously makes him questioning Dumbledore's scheming's. But it also brought another idea to Sirius mind; the basilisk could be a way into Gringotts as well. "We need the whole beast." was his answer to Sams and Hermione idea.
That of course leaded to another round of disorientation of his family members. "What for?" Harry voiced the question, which all of them have on their minds.
"We need it to get into a vault in Gringotts, because I think there is the Hufflepuff cup." Sirius explains.
"What has that do with the basilisk?" Dean wants to know.
"It is a bargaining chip to get us in without problems." Sirius tells them.
"How?" Hermione and the others want to know, that Sirius can read in their faces without them voicing it.
Sometime he forgets that his family doesn't have the same wizarding education as him. So they don't know as much about Goblins, beside what they learned in History of Magic with a teacher like Binn's that is next to nothing or in Sam and Dean's case, what they learned from the others. But they need to know more about them if they want to survive the dealings with those creatures. Another point he has to teach them. His education list is constantly growing, not that he doesn't like that, but sometimes he is afraid that he will lose focus of what are the important things for them to know. The list of what they have to learn is ever growing.
The best option is to start now. "Goblins are merchants, you have to give them something they want as well as something they can gain profit from it." he explains, but lets them ask the next question so that it isn't a simple lecture, he always was the more interactive learning type and that is the way he teaches things to his family. This way it also is a discussion and everyone can give his input to it.
"It this case the basilisk, but why?" Sam wants to know.
"Yeah, the basilisk is the bargain chip, because of more than one reason. First a basilisk and its parts aren't easy to come by which make them very valuable." Sirius goes on.
"That means the Goblins gain profit with it, if one was found." Hermione concludes.
"Exactly." to emphasizes he points his finger at her. "Because of the huge size of that thing the profit will be enormous." The single thought of that beast and his hugeness make Sirius shudder. After he watched the memory of the happenings in the Chamber he couldn't sleep for days without having nightmares of his son being killed by that beast. He wasn't the only one, who is uncomfortable by thinking of that beast. No, everyone, who saw it needed some time to come to terms with it and that isn't over now, especially Sam was nauseous after watching the encounter between Harry and Voldemort. In difference to the others he had to watch the memory several times to analyze it and that didn't make it better.
"And you think that we get access to that vault this way. By the way of who's vault is it we talking of?" Harry wants to know.
"Yes, because it also is a delicacy for them." Sirius starts with the first question. It was the easier one or at the less stressful one. "One that they only have once in their life times and a Goblin lives up to 300 years. So that says something." Nervously he scratches his neck as he answers the second question. "The vault which we need access to is from Bellatrix Lestrange." They all know that there only can be dark artifacts in her vault.
Of course that leaded to some comments. "Why can't it ever be easy?" Dean asks the rhetorical question; it was because of Murphy 's Law that it is never easy for them.
"At least someone, who deserved it." Sam says. He never was one for theft or treachery. He only did it because it was necessary for the job, but that didn't mean that he liked it. In this case it would hit the right person and with her reputation she deserves it, so he was all for it.
The only intelligent thing to that statement came from Harry. "I thought you banned her from the family and got all her assets this way." A good point and it shows Sirius that he learned something in his lessons about wizarding law. Not that it was exiting to Harry, but still interesting, but some old laws are simply to barbaric for the Chosen One.
"That is only partly true. I got all the vaults that are connected to the Black family back. The vault is a Lestrange vault and I don't have access to that in any way." Sirius answers.
"But you have an idea?" Dean asks, because he is hopeful that his uncle, who understood the wizarding world better than him, has a way to get in.
"Yes." was the short answer. But the question what the plan is hangs in the air, so Sirius gives in after some moments of watching their pleading eyes. "Hermione and I will visit Gringotts and meet with my account manager to get the cup for the basilisk."
"But we don't have a basilisk." Harry points out.
"Thee who slays the beast keeps it." his father quotes one of the ancient wizarding laws. With that Sirius looks at his son and says. "So technically it belongs to you."
"Ok." was Harry's perplexed answer. Considering he didn't want to slay the beast in the first place, she was a victim of Tom Riddle to him, like other casualties of this war. So he doesn't see it as the right idea to make profit with it or every other beast that was slayed. Sam feels his discomfort and puts his hand on his knees to keep him calm, even if he doesn't know what he is bothered about.
"But we have to get into Hogwarts." Hermione points out.
"Getting in will not be the problem." Sirius points out.
For a moment Hermione was bewildered until she figured out, what he means with that. "You mean Sev will let us in?" she asks. Ever since she knows, about the relationship between her potion teacher and her uncle Sirius, who is more of a father to her, she started to call the most hated teacher of Hogwarts Sev. It helps her to keep the persona, he was in school away from the person, he probably really is under all the cover, apart.
"Yes." was Sirius short answer; because he knows she can figure out the rest as well. He gave her all the tools she needs for that. The others simply watch the exchange it is the way Hermione and Sirius work. Interrupting only will delay the result, because they stop themselves with unneeded explanations to them.
"But with you and me at Gringotts, who will go to Hogwarts?" she starts to think out loud. "Even if I only know why you have to be at Gringotts, but not me? That is why we need some people, who know Hogwarts like the back of their hands to be in and out fast." That is the moment Harry wants to points out that he knows Hogwarts like that, but she didn't let him get a word out as she looks at him and says in an apologizing way. "I am sorry, but it can't be you. The risk is too high."
"Why?"
"Are you forgetting that you are undesirable No. 1 and there are Death Eaters at Hogwarts?" Sirius reasons for his daughter. Just like her he doesn't want his son part of this mission until the final show down. Even then it is hard for him, but he also knows that it has and will happen with Harry there.
"Ok, but in that case you can't take Hermione with you to Gringotts, because she undesirable No. 2 remember?" Harry says angered and crosses his arms in front of his chest. His anger is playable to the whole room.
With a comforting hand Sam tries to calm him down. Sirius on the other hand tries to reason with his son, even if it means to anger his daughter in the process. "You are right that Hermione is the most wanted person after you." Harry wants to say something in his triumph, but Sirius wasn't done. He really hates that his family always interrupts him. They all have to learn that in the circles they are going to live now, it is a no go. He has to work on that with them, but for now he will accept it, others things more important. "But first she will be with me under a disguise, which gives her protection. As a Lord I can order the Goblins for a private meeting about accounts with a portkey to and from the destination. Even with Voldeshorts in charge, his men are only responsible for security matters. The Goblins will not let them take their gold and for now Tommyboy accepts that, because a war on two fronts will cost him. Especially with the power the Goblins possess as the goblin wars show, he probably will lose. So we are in and out before any one knows we were there. This way I can protect Hermione and my grandbabies."
Harry has to give him that his idea was sound and he knows Sirius will keep Hermione save. Deflated because Harry knows when he lost a battle, he accepts that he can't go to Hogwarts. "Fine. But we still need someone, who can navigate through Hogwarts without a problem. Sam and Dean are out of the question."
Normally Hermione would have protested that she doesn't need protection. Not now, not later, not ever, even as a pregnant woman she can fight her own battles. But now as she was thinking through the problem, she was sidetracked. A solution came to mind, because she knows the two perfect candidates for the job. The question is would the others let the twins in on their own little war council, because as nothing else can their little meeting be described. "I have an idea." she tells the room to get their attention. As she has it she asks, because asking is easier then pondering the problem in her own head. "What about the twins?"
Clear and direct always was Hermione's way to tackle a problem and Sirius likes the solution. He thought about them as well, but didn't know if the others would go for it. Now with the idea out there he can exploit it. "It think that is a good idea, but we should tell them everything."
Harry wasn't so keen on doing that. Not that he didn't trust them. He simply is afraid that the hunt for Horcrux's will go out with too many people in the know about the problem. He also doesn't want them to know about him, being one. "Why?" But he still would listen to the reasons why they should let be in on the secret, before saying no. He may be a hothead, but sometimes he uses his head before he explodes. For that he still has time later should the situation call for it.
Sirius looks at him as he answers. "If we want them to risk their lives they should know what for."
That wasn't the only argument as Hermione takes over. "It also helps them to be wary of the Horcrux, because I believe that it could influence them somehow, even if not in a direct way like the diary, but in any other ways. In that case they need to be prepared for it."
Sirius and Hermione are all for bringing them into the loop. But they aren't the only ones as Sam points out another factor, why it is a good idea. "As purebloods they somehow would be save should they get caught, even if they are considered blood traitors. Not that I believe that, but it is better to plan for that scenario."
All good points, but the risk is still high. A look around tell Harry, that he is outnumbered. The only ones, who were silent about it, were Dean and Jo, so he asks them. "What are you thinking?" Harry valued Dean's opinion a great deal. Somehow they fell into a brother relationship with Dean being the big brother, who tries to protect him and Harry being the annoying little brother. So what Dean would say matters to him. The same about Jo, because he learned that she has a good grip on reality she sees the big picture and always tries to act in that frame. She also often brings valuable points to the others attention, which they simply overlook.
Dean answers first after a moment. His tone was calm, but still with weight. Without him knowing it or better doing it on purpose Dean addresses Harry in his lecture tone, which he uses for his other siblings and that means level headed. He always founds ways to keep them grounded, all of them. "You know, how I feel about secrets. But sometimes they are necessary. But I also think that it will be helpful to tell the twins. They bring two new sets of eyes to look at the problem." His answer was honest and thoughtful, but he still adds a thing after a moment. "But we could not tell them about the Horcrux in you, if you want." He can understand that it was the reason for his hesitation and this way he gives him then chance to keep this secret to himself.
An idea that Harry likes, that was his biggest concern after all. But would be the others go for that. So he looks around and they nod in acknowledgement to Dean's suggestion and that has an impact on Harry.
Not for the first time Sam thinks that Dean would be a great father someday. Not only did he raise him. No he took the role of a big brother to someone; he doesn't have to be that person for, but still did it. This is a conclusion he shares with Sirius and their sister. They all have seen how Dean and Harry interact with each other and this was further proof for the sibling bond that grew between them. They are happy about this development. Considering that Harry is Sam's soulmate it is good that his brother accepts him and in some way loves him like family.
Jo's answer was simple and brought Sam back to the problem at hand. "What about asking them if they could this ocle" she doesn't really know how to pronounce it. Even with a sister for a witch or a boyfriend as a wizard or living for over halve a year in a wizarding home, doesn't make her understand everything. So she says instead. "This mind magic thing."
That made the rest of the room smile. They all knew how learning something new and how to use it, isn't an easy task. Sirius for example doesn't know the function for rubber ducks and can't fandom what they are good for.
"It's called Occlumency." Hermione teaches her sister the right vocabulary. It always is a good idea to know how to blend into a crowd. To know the right terms makes it easier for Jo to blend in with the wizarding world, even as a muggle. After a moment she adds. "That's a good idea if they can shield their mind they can keep the secret save."
"If that isn't enough for you a wizard's oath would be possible." Sirius tells his son. It was a slight manipulation on his part and he knows that, but it gets the job done, even if he really hates to manipulate his son. Too many people in his life have done that, but they need the help. The manipulation is that Sirius knows that Harry wouldn't use the oath. He finds it barbaric to get someone to promise something with dangerous consequences for that person in case they break it.
Of course Harry sees right through the manipulation and sends his dad an angered glance. But he knew that the others are right and it be a good idea to bring the twins in. So after a moment of thinking about a way to somehow punish Sirius for his manipulation, even if it wasn't a big one, he decides they are right. But Harry is somehow proud of himself that he picked up on manipulation. That tells him that he finally learned to read between the lines after a lifelong of manipulations and sees them now. "Ok." was his short answer.
With a smile on his face, Sirius summons his patronus and tells him. "Go to the twins – Can you please come to my study. Don't forget to knock." Why wait? The time is now. All of the present people have the same opinion on that after they found common ground. Time is of the essence and they need to act now.
They didn't know how long the twins will need to get there, so they kept the meeting going. "So from the looks of it, we only need a way to get the snake." Hermione points out.
"That can be problematic." Sirius says with sigh.
"Why?" Harry wants to know. What does he know that they don't?
"I learned yesterday per accident that Voldy keeps Nagini as close as possible at the time. He even wears her." Sirius says.
A little offended Dean says. "There is nothing wrong with that." He even points at his own familiar at the same time to emphasize his point.
With a smile Sirius says. "I didn't want to offend you or Mirror. But in comparison to Nagini she is small. Nagini is huge."
"How huge?" Dean wants to know.
"Not as big as a basilisk." Harry answers for Sirius. "But I would bet the half of it at least."
"That big!" Dean exclaims not that he doesn't believe Harry, but he has to know. "But she is a normal snake, she isn't an anaconda or?" Dean asks after a moment. With a shake of his head Harry negates the question. Voldemort must have done something to her, than. That was Deans conclusion. "Damn."
"You can say that again." Sam says. He like the rest of the room knows that with a snake of this size stealth is out of the question.
Before anyone can say something to that it knocks on the door. The wards of the room and the house itself tell Sirius that the twins want to get in. The house can tell him, where everyone in the house is, if he asks about it. But Sirius isn't that noisy. He only uses this for pranks. Otherwise he would have found out, about his daughter having sex in the house. "Enter." he says.
All the others know that it only can be the twins, because they invited them after all. As the door open and Fred followed by George enter, they know they were right.
They close the door behind them. To say that they were curious would put it lightly. They almost die with expanse of not knowing. Just like the rest of the inhabitants they knew about this meeting, but not what they were doing. So being invited made them slightly happy, curious, but also nervous.
A not so subtle glance around the rooms tells the twins that the family is planning something, probably to take down Voldyshorts. So Fred starts to say. "We are in."
"What can we do for you?" George finishes his brothers thought with a question.
It was Hermione, who answered, but it wasn't an answer they wanted to hear, as it was a counter question. "Can you do Occlumency?" She went straight to the point why waste time if they can't do it
"No …" answers George for them.
Only a moment later in which Fred saw the disappointment of all of the other persons in the room, he adds. "We don't need it."
Form their first question he gathers that they have to shield their minds. Only this way they would learn the secrets of this war council. The second thing he learned was that they were shocked with his statement.
"What do you mean?" It was Sirius, who asked that, because it was the first time in a long while that he didn't know an element about the wizarding world.
Now the twins smile like Cheshire cats. "We are magical twins." they say together.
Dean reactions was. "Yeah, we know." He was a little annoyed with them.
"No you don't." Fred says.
"Magical twins mean we share our magic." George goes on.
"We have one core in two bodies." They finish together.
The bewilderment of the room grew. Especially Hermione didn't understand what they are saying and she hates it. "But there are other magical twins like the Carrow's senior and junior for example. Are they like you?"
"No they are only twins with magic." George says.
"How do you know that?" Hermione unbelievable wants to know.
"Love, we know it, because Mom and Dad told us when we were five I think." Fred says.
"No we were six, because it was after we tried to trick Ronnikins into making an unbreakable vow." George corrects him.
"Yeah, and we received the only lecture in our life from Dad, we learnt that such a vow could be more dangerous for us, even if only one of us makes it and breaks it the other one dies with him." Fred goes on with the story. Everyone in the room was transfixed by the story. It always is interesting to learn something new.
"We of course asked, how he knew that and he told us, that we are special, a rarity even in the wizarding world. Only every 3 to 4 hundred years magical twins were born. But …" George tells them.
Fred took over. "But we were the second pair in this century. Our uncles Gideon and Fabian Prewett, Moms older brothers were magical twins as well."
"That is why they took several Death Eaters with them as they died." they finished proud and sad. They may never have met them, but they still are very proud of them. Growing up they were their heroes. The people they wanted to be, pranksters, but with an impact on history.
"I knew your uncles from the order. But I never heard that they were magical twins or that is something special." Sirius says after a moment.
"That is, because it is a family secret. In history many magical twins were used for dark purposes." Fred says.
"So the family kept it to themselves. Even the hospital, who told Mom and Dad, kept the information about us in a notice-me-not charm on their minds, performed by Dad." George adds.
Wow, that was something else. The confession tells the others so many things, about the twins. They trust them, that is obvious, but they also think about the others in the room as family. Otherwise they never would have been told about it. All are honored and vow to not misplace the trust that was so freely given to them.
Hermione was the first to find her words again, because she figured something out. That probably not even Fred and George thought about before. But first she needs more information. "Do you know the names of the other magical twins in history?" she asks them.
"No." They answer together.
"Are there any other twins, with magic in your family tree?" she asks next.
"No … why?" They ask her.
Unsurprisingly it was Sam, who caught on where Hermione is going with those questions. "You don't think it is a family trait?"
"Yes." was Hermione's short answer.
Fred asks her. "How can you be sure?"
Instead of answering that a question followed. "Your uncles died at the day you were born or?"
"Yes it was there death that started Moms labor." George answers.
"What has that to do with your assumption?" Fred wants to know.
"I don't know if I am right, but my theory is that magical twins are part of your ancestry and so that every time one pair of magical twins was found it was connected to your family. With your uncle's death day and your birthday at the same day, Mother magic destined, she doesn't want the ability to die out, so she brought this trait to your family." Hermione explains.
"Meaning my granddaughters could inherit it as well?" Sirius asks concluding the present audience.
"A possibility." Hermione answers. That brought silence to the room and everyone thought a moment about this new discovery.
It was Harry, who broke the silence first as he asks. "How or why do you don't need occlumency?" They have a war to win after all and no time to talk about family abilities inherited and not inherited ones.
"Should someone attack me with Legilimens, he would only meet a blank page. My mind simple would hide in George's body. That is kind of funny; we did it once or twice." Fred explains.
"What if you both were hit with the spell at the same time?" Sam asks further.
"We can't remember it, but according to the test at St. Mungo's they couldn't enter our minds, because our magic cocooned around us to protect us." George answers this time.
"So you are bullet or better mind-prof for attacks?" Dean concludes.
"Yes." they say with a smile together.
"Cool." was Dean's reaction to that. There was a moment of silence that followed.
But the twins can't have that; they want to know, what is going on and now, please. "So did we pass the test to the secret club?" Fred starts and George finishes with. "and learn the plan for world domination." A joke was always a good idea to break the ice or better the silence. At the same time it lifts the tension a bit and relaxation sets in.
Wordlessly Sirius conjures two chairs and says. "Yes you passed the test, so take a seat, keep your mouth shut for some moments and listen, it will take a while."
Both do as told and take a seat, while they look expectantly at the group. Without being named to tell them Hermione took it on herself to explain, what they need to know. "We are working on a way to destroy him, which you probably already guessed." they nod eagerly to her assumption. "What you don't know is that Tom took measures so that he can't be killed. He created several of those things, leading to a magical number of 7. So first we have to destroy those things, because they contain a part of his soul in it. Should we kill him first, he would come back. Those things are called Horcrux's."
Without anything they accept the information they are provided with. Voldemort is without a doubt a person, who would split his soul to stay alive. He simply was afraid to die, that was clear as day to them. So they don't question the fact that he made one or better more than one of those things. No like the planner they are they go directly to work on a plan, for that they need more information's. "How many did you find already?" George wants to know.
"We know, what all they are, we found three and of those two are already destroyed. The others we have to get first. One is at Hogwarts and one is at Gringotts." Harry explains.
"That are only five." Fred points out after he thought a moment about Harry's statement.
"One is his familiar, getting that is a bit harder." Sirius says.
"The snake that bit our Dad?" George wants to know.
Fred on the other hand concentrates on another factor. "What place is harder to enter then Gringotts or Hogwarts?" The twins always worked that way, they would focus on different elements of a problem to work it out in the end. Without thinking about it they simply concentrated on different things. It helped them during school and they think it is part of being magical twins.
"Yes, that snake and it is hard, because Tom wears her at the moment. He always keeps her close." Sirius answers.
"Then we need to trap her." Fred concludes, he already works on a way to do just that.
"There is still one missing to make it seven." George says after some moments.
Now all the others beside the twins look at Harry. He is the last Horcrux after all and telling them would be his decision. Sam puts a comfortable hand on Harry's shoulder to give him strength no matter the decision. After a lifetime of being called freak by his relatives, Harry is afraid, how the twins will react to the news. Sam knows that fear and that is why he gives his full support to his mate. But Harry still decides against telling them.
After a moment of thinking, Harry sighs and says. "We know what it is, but it is personal." was all he said.
Surprisingly they twins accept that, because they can see in his face that he is somehow effected by it, so they let it slide. That is why they go on and change the topic. "What do you need from us?"
"We have a way into Hogwarts, but we need someone to take two things from there for us. Harry can't go, because it is too dangerous and Hermione will be with me in Gringotts." Sirius explains.
"Where do we have to go?" George wants to know.
"When will we go?" was Fred's question. Both accepted their task. To them it was clear they would to it. That was out of the question, but they need to know what they have to do to reach an optimal outcome.
"Your first stop would be the Room of Requirement, but not in the design of the dueling room for the DA-lessons. You need the room of hidden things." Hermione explains with a smile and then she looks expectantly at Harry.
He takes over. "There you need to find an ugly statue with a diadem on the head, some shelves with books should be there as well. We need the diadem."
Now Sam takes over from Harry. He had an idea to keep them save from the effects of the Horcrux. It worked for his dad, so it should work here as well. "We make you a cursed box; with it you can contain the Horcrux so that it doesn't affect you."
"Splendid idea, Sammy." Dean declares proud. Only his younger siblings could figure things like that out.
"Where is the second stop?" Fred and George want to know.
"You need to go to the Chamber of Secrets." Sirius answers like that would explain the location to them.
The twins never learned where the entry to the chamber is. "And that is where?" they ask further.
The others look sheepish now, because even if some have never been to Hogwarts they know, where the Chamber is located. With a smile on his face, Harry answers because he knows that the twins will find it funny as well. "The entry is in the toilet of Moaning Myrtle. There you find a snake on one the sinks."
Like Harry guessed the twins burst out laughing. Only some words the others could understand, while they laughed it off. "Slytherin … girls bathroom … Myrtle … priceless."
Even if the others don't know what the twins mean with that, they still laugh with them. It really was funny and genius at the same time to build the entry to a secret chamber in a girls bathroom as man or a boy. That is called hiding in plain sight. It took some moments for all of them to calm down.
Surprisingly it were the twins, who found their voice again first, Fred wanted to know. "How do we get in?" There has to be some special way, because otherwise some student would have fallen in the chamber without trying to look for it.
George question was. "What do we need from there?"
The thought process of the twins was faster and more complex than for other people. No wonder, they have two minds at their disposal to work through some of the information's. For the others that isn't so easy they always focus on one point before they go to the next. So Harry started with Fred's question. "You need to speak 'open up' in Parseltongue." And that somehow makes Harry smile they need him to get in. He wouldn't be useless in this mission after all.
But never be happy to soon, because it was Sam who said after a moment of thinking. "We use one of our mobiles and make a memo with that phrase. So you only have to play it out loud and the chamber should open." Of course they have to show them, how to use a phone first, they are purebloods after all. But on the other hand they are the twins and they surprisingly took to everything muggle very easy. Something they got from their father apparently, but with the difference that they try to understand the functionality of muggle things.
As Sam suggested that he can see the hurt in Harry's eyes. Sam doesn't likes to hurt him, but to keep him save he would do it. The risk of Harry getting caught was way too high. Not something he would challenge and the others beside Harry are on the same page with him.
Harry doesn't like it one bit, but he has to accept, that the others wouldn't let him participate. So he says defeated. "We need the basilisk corpse."
That answered George question, but opens a whole new can of worms. "The whole thing?" George asks unbelievable.
The others simply nod as answer and Fred asks. "What for?"
"To bribe the Goblins to let us in one of their vaults and to destroy the Horcrux's with the fangs." Sirius answers.
"Merlin." the twins exclaim before they add. "How do we get the thing out of Hogwarts without being seen?"
A good question, since Hermione brought up this idea Sirius thought about a solution. Only one thing came to mind and with the help from Sev it should be possible. "With a portkey that will take you to me and Hermione at Gringotts in a particular moment."
"You can't use portkeys or apparition in Hogwarts." the twins say. Not only did they learn that in school, but they also tried it and failed, that hurt like a bitch.
"Oh you can apparate, if the headmaster deactivates the wards." Harry explains.
"You think he will help." Dean says and tries not to give Snape's position away. But the twins are smart.
Or at least the followed the bread crumps. The first one was the initials on the letter they received after the cemetery event. Then they said they have a way to get in to Hogwarts and accordingly only the Headmaster can deactivate the wards for that. That leaves them with only one possible solution. "You trust Snape." Fred says before Sirius can answer Dean's question.
"Why?" George wants to know. After all, the man killed Dumbledore, not that they liked him very much, but he was still the leader of the light after all.
Now all the eyes were on Sirius with a sigh he says, because it was his secret to tell. "Severus Snape is a spy for the light and before you state the obvious that he killed Dumbledore, he did it on his own order. Why we don't know, not even Sev knows, not entirely."
"Sev?" the twins ask unbelievable, because they hear that there is more to that story.
"He also is my soulmate, my husband. He only became a death eater to take them down." Sirius says proud, even if the vendor of his husband could cost him his life someday. It is still a noble cause to give his life so that the light can survive.
"Ok." That explains the trust to the twins at least. They learned about soul mates during their wizarding custom education, like it is tradition in every pureblood family. So they accept it without anything.
That surprised all beside Sirius, who explained. "Soul mates are like we said a rare thing and they are respected in the wizarding world as something special. Such bonds aren't questioned that would defile the bond itself."
That somehow made sense to the rest so they accept it. Hermione brings them back at the topic at hand. "That only leaves one thing, when will we do this?"
"I think your wrong love, there are two things open for discussion." Fred corrects her.
"What would that be?" she challenges him.
He smiles and points out a fact of no-one of the others thought of until he brought it to their attention. "What will we do after the last one is destroyed." he is absolutely positive they will find a way to get rid of all the Horcrux's.
The others were not so optimistic, but he doesn't know about the one in Harry. They searched for a solution for six months now and found nothing. Not that they would give up, but they know that is hard work and it will take time. The question Fred asked is still a hard one and all think about it.
Everyone was in his own mind as Jo says. "We could bring the attack to him."
"What do you mean, baby?" Dean asks her. He calls her that, because it makes her blush, like it did now and he loves that.
"If we choose the battle field and the time for it we have the advantage." she points out. Not that she is a good strategist, but she always preferred the method of let the monster come to you instead of you coming to the monster. Even if it meant for her that she had to be the bait for it, because someone has to be.
"Ok, that sounds logical and I like the idea!?" Dean says. He preferred her method as well.
"But the question is where?" Harry says. Not that he likes open war, but it couldn't be helped. He has to be the one to do it in the end. So it is better they level the playfield in his eyes.
The answer came from George, even if he somehow doesn't like the idea, but it still is the best one, because they know it as best and can plan better. "Hogwarts." he says. He sees that everyone wants to protest, but he stops them with his hands. He wants to give them his arguments before they decide against it. "Hear me out. I know that it is dangerous for the students, but if we choose the location and time, it also gives us time for an evacuation."
A good point, the others have to give him that. "Hogwarts also gives us the home advantage. Not only, because we did go to school there. No, because we got six people, who knew the castle and its secrets with the back of their hands. On top of that we have the Marauders Map, which we can use to our advantage." he explains further.
Fred likes his brother's idea, but he believes that he forgets one thing. "We also can gather forces there more easily."
"What forces?" Harry asks. He hates if people risk their lives for him. But they do it for their own lives and future in this case, like it should be. They want a better life. The war isn't always about Harry, even if Tom tries to make it about him.
"The order for one." Sirius answers.
"Others, who want to fight, Tom is a problem for the whole wizarding world not only for us or you." Hermione goes on.
"How do you want to contact them?" Dean asks.
"I think Hermione has already a solution for that." Fred says with a smile.
For a moment Hermione didn't know what he is talking about. Then she remembers the DA-meetings. "You mean the galleons?" she asks him.
"Yes."
"That is a good idea. How fast can you make some and how many?" Sam wants to know.
Hermione sighs as she thinks about his questions. "I have to teach someone to make the galleons first. I can't do them, it is transfiguration after all. Then I put the spell on it. Depending on how long it will take to learn it will take to make them. Because they have to stay in form." she answers truthfully, because she doesn't want to repeat the incident after the cemetery event.
It was Sirius, who says. "A good point. So I say I will learn it from you, because I am the best besides you at transfiguration." No-one negates that, because they know that it is the truth. "The training also gives me time to contact Gringotts and Sev to make plans with them. But I think we still should get the basilisk and diadem asap."
That is true. It is better to have them instead to lose them because Voldemort learned about this mission or simply wants to see his treasures. But when is still the question and they all are knowing it. "What about Easter?" Hermione wants to know. That still is two months away, but at least there wouldn't be many people staying behind in the castle.
It also gives Sirius enough time to make plans with Sev. I think that is a good idea. What do you say?" He asks the room. All nod in agreement.
"But we still should start planning for the Hogwarts battle!" Jo points out.
"Yeah that is a good idea. I think we need a plan about Hogwarts to find the best defense points." Dean declares.
"I think there are some Hogwarts models in the library. Phineas Nigellus Black let them be crafted as he was headmaster." Sirius says after some moments of thinking.
"That is good. We will look for it." Sam says, because he, Hermione and Harry are the people, who could be found in there, most of the day.
"Is there anything else anyone wants to add?" Sirius asks.
It was Fred, who answered. "I think we should send the galleons out as soon as they are work as they should. This way we can spread them wider and faster."
"That is a good idea." Hermione says.
"Then that is the plan." Sirius says before he asks his question again. This time they all were silent. "I think this closes this meeting for today." With that everyone got up and was on his way out.
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