Chapter 61: The Meeting

Ianthé walked inside the Transfiguration classroom to find all of whom comprised the meeting were already there, waiting for her.

"Sorry I'm late.." she nervously mumbled as she towards the front.

She cleared her throat before speaking.

"Please don't ask how I got this information, but do trust me that this news is crucial for the school…"

The headmistress signaled her to continue.

"There are news that had been reported, over the holidays, that there's a new leader in the vast werewolf pack under the Dark Lord…"

"And this is important for the school?" Professor Flitwick clarified.

Ianthé nodded at the head of her House, "I'm afraid so, Professor. The new leader rivals Greyback's unquenchable thirst for blood. Some of you already knew this person," she meaningfully looked at Hagrid.

"Spit it out, lassie. We haven't got all night," Mad-Eye Moody was trying to clean his electric blue eyeball.

"The new werewolf leader is also a Death Eater, and he willingly volunteered himself to be transformed in order to cease the chaos within their ranks… The leader is Mcnair, the former Ministry executioner."

There was a collective gasp inside the classroom. Hagrid accidentally knocked Moody, who lost grip of his eyeball.

"That's not the worst part…"

"There is more?" Neville Longbottom asked unbelievingly.

"The werewolves planned to terrorize the castle… or should I say, they want to invade Hogwarts for the Dark Lord. As soon as I heard the news, I contacted the people responsible for the safety of the students."

Viktor Krum got up and took out several pieces of thick, folded parchments from his pocket. He flicked his wand, and the parchments unfolded themselves and hovered in the air.

"Miss Herze and I made a map of each floor of the castle. We have chosen the designated routes out of the castle for each House. The problem was that if the Death Eaters plan to invade the castle, they would also invade Hogsmeade."

"Professor Krum, I believe the Ministry has sent Aurors to patrol the village so we don't have a problem in security there."

Viktor nodded and sat down.

Ernie McMillan got up and addressed the room, "I already met with the senior prefects of each House separately and told their designated routes out of the castle. For security purposes, I told them that their designated routes are the only ones so we have no problem in breach of security with regards to possible spies."

Ginny Weasley got up, "I also talked to the entire DA. We are divided into several groups. One group is to be emergency Healers under Ianthé. Another group, called the aerial assault squad, comprised of the school's Quiddtich players in order to get a good view and target of the Death Eaters attacking below, to be headed by Professors Krum, Weasley and Weasley. That sounds weird…. Te team will be divided into three subgroups each headed by the three professors. The ground defensive team, headed by Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, will be the last defense in case Death Eaters will invade the castle. The ground defense team is in tie with the members of the Order and the other professors."

Professor McGonagall nodded, "It seems like you all have thought about this well. Miss Herze, if you have any other news, feel free to call us again for new information."

"By the way, Professors, I went inside the Forbidden Forest last night to warn the centaurs."

The professors stopped on their tracks.

With bated breath, Professor Slughorn finally spoke, "What did they tell you?"

"I showed them the respect they think they deserve and I told them that the Dark Lord is very prejudiced especially with those who might be of great threat to him. They said they understood. I told them about the Death Eaters will surely trespass the forest they call home. The centaurs believed me and they agreed to guide the students out of the castle to a safer destination."

"You're downright mental!" Fred and George Weasley said simultaneously.

Professor McGonagall placed her hand on Ianthé's shoulder, "What you did is a very dangerous thing!"

Ianthé looked at the headmistress nervously.

The older woman smiled and patted Ianthé's shoulder, "You would have fit in well in Gryffindor for your sheer courage…."

After the meeting, Ianthé walked towards the direction of the kitchens.

"Wait up!" Viktor sprinted after her, "Where are you going?"

"I need to speak with the house elves. Do you want to come, Professor?"

Viktor smiled and nodded.

"Oho! The two people I'm trying to match!" Professor Slughorn spoke up, who seemed to have materialized behind them.

"Professor, care to come with us to the kitchens?" Ianthé asked.

"I have to decline on your offer, dearie. I'm too tired, I'm afraid."

The two managed to give a breath of relief when the portly professor bade them goodbye.

"Welcome miss!" a house elf squeaked.

Ianthé smiled at the throng of house elves before them.

"Professor Krum and I would like to address the entire kitchen staff," she announced loudly.

"I know all of you have been very loyal to the school – ," Viktor spoke.

The house elves nodded vigorously.

" – we have been designing some plans if ever the castle is to be attacked."

The crowd before the two listened attentively.

"I would like you all to please protect the escaping students…. at all costs…" Ianthé said pleadingly.

"Of course, we will, miss!" another house elf said proudly.

"That was very…. I can't find a word for it…" Viktor said as they walked back from the kitchens.

"Diplomatic?" Ianthé quipped.

"Yes, diplomatic… of you to speak to the house elves like they were equals…"

She smiled at him, "One thing I have learned from Hermione Granger is never ever underestimate other magical species."

"You have a point…"

"Although I put up this brave front, I'm still scared…" Ianthé said as they stepped into the Head Girl's quarters.

"We have every reason to be… we're in the front lines," Viktor held her closely as they said on the couch.

"I just wish all of this chaos would end soon…" she sighed.

There was a sudden tap in the window.

Viktor got up to check.

"Théa, it's your owl Razilia. She brought a letter," he opened the window to let the owl in.

Ianthé untied the letter as soon as Razilia perched on table.

She gasped and had her hand near her mouth as she read the letter.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"It's in code… It says here that Narcissa Malfoy had been captured and tortured to death," Ianthé said as she handed Viktor the letter.

"Wait a minute… There's two codes here. You only read one…" he scanned the letter carefully.

"What?" Ianthé was snapped out of her shock.

"Edmond used the code system we learned in Durmstrang. He embedded another more important message inside a less important one," he grabbed a quill and a piece of spare parchment.

"The ferret is still safe," Ianthé decrypted what Viktor wrote.

"No, there's another message after that…"

Ianthé pointed an insignificant phrase, "There, I think that meant vessels…."

Viktor nodded, "Here is the last one… It's the word leeren… It's German for emptied…"

Ianthé's eyes lit up, "So they finally did it… The question is… which vessels…"