Brains Vs. Brawn

Early the next morning, while they were running laps around the grounds, Joseph caught up with Harry as he passed Severus' grave for the third time that morning. "Ethrindell will be contacting you in your dreams tonight," he said.

Harry looked over at Joseph, a curious expression on his face. "He said that he will be projecting himself into your dreams tonight. It is much easier for him to visit with you in this way than for him to physically relocate."

Harry nodded his understanding. "Is there anything I should do to prepare for his visit?"

"Yes," Joseph said as they jogged through the cemetery gates, "Your occlumency shields will have to be temporarily lowered. Before you do that, however, you should take steps to protect your mind from Tom's intrusions as well as from any other negative forces that might be tempted to prey upon your life-force energies."

"Any suggestions?"

Let me ask you a question," Joseph began then stopped. "And please try to understand that Ethrindell told me to take this approach with you on this subject."

Harry nodded as they approached a maze of boulders. "What do they teach you about angels, spiritual teachers and spiritual guides here at Hogwarts?"

Harry stumbled over the first boulder in the maze. When he recovered he focused all of his attentions on the maze until they were both safely through. "Not much, really," he said thoughtfully. "I think they were mentioned once in Professor Binns' class in first year but other that that, not much. Why?"

Joseph shook his head but there was an odd grin on his face as he formulated his response. "Ethrindell said that might be the case. He said that each new generation, if you will, strives to divorce itself from the previous generation's understandings. He also said that your willingness to explore the homo sapien sapien spiritual philosophies is one of the things that made it possible for you to find a solution to a homo sapien magus problem.

"Angels, spiritual teachers and spiritual guides are very real, Harry," Joseph said as the entered a small cops of trees. "They live to serve. That is their purpose. We all have, at a bare minimum, three angels. They will not do all of the work but they are more than willing to help; and since you have already done most of the work, by developing your natural occlumency abilities, all you really have to do is temporarily modify the wards you have established to keep everyone out and ask them stand guard while you are meeting with Ethrindell."

"And how do I do this?" Harry asked, his voice all business.

Joseph grimaced slightly at Harry's tone and in that moment Harry knew that others were beginning to notice the changes that were taking place within his own personality. He didn't like it because he knew that whatever it was that was happening to his soul could make him could cold and impersonal. As soon as he realized this he promised himself that he would cling to the happy, fun-loving side of his personality with everything he had in the hope that it would not take too long for him to recover from the war after it was all over.

"All you have to do," Joseph said cautiously, "is drop into a light meditative state – the temptation will be to go deeper because that is what you are used to, but you must resist the urge because you do not want to block them out – and reach out to the angelic hosts, requesting your angels come forward. You might see them in your mind's eye or you might simply sense their presence. It doesn't really matter how you perceive them; what does matter, however, is that you know that hey are your angels and that they are dedicated to helping you. Ethrindell told me to warn you that, with that fragmented portion of Tom's soul residing within your body, his demons might try to come forward. It is going to be a tricky operation, Harry, but I have faith in you. You can do it."

As the jogged past the lake before turning to head into the castle for breakfast, Joseph said, "Even though I do have faith in you, Harry, you might want to use the school's room of requirement just to be on the safe side."

Harry glanced over at his elven friend askance.

"Just as a precaution," Joseph said. "This is, after all, uncharted territory for you and, under the circumstances, I would rather you be safe than sorry."

Harry nodded grimly.

During breakfast Harry and the other Defense Against the Dark Arts professors held an improvisational meeting to discuss their adversary's use of the Dark Mark as an energy booster. While Harry was in favor of telling the students about this new development so that they would pay more attention to what their teachers were telling them and so that they would, hopefully, learn to fight smarter Alastor was against it because he felt it might frighten then even more than they already were. Kingsley sat quietly and listened to both sides of the argument before voicing his opinion, but in the end he sided with Harry because, while some might be somewhat intimidated by this news, he wanted to give them every opportunity and reason to learn how to fight smarter. Remus and Tonks agreed with Harry. In the end it was decided that Harry would deliver a short speech immediately after breakfast explaining the situation and encouraging everyone to find a dueling partner, someone they felt comfortable working with; someone they could trust with their lives; and, most importantly, someone they could talk to, as an equal, after their duels.

When the first students were finishing their breakfasts Harry cast a quick spell that closed and locked the Great Hall's doors. At the curious looks being cast their way by those trying to report to their classrooms Harry cast a mild sonorous charm on himself and said, "There have been some new developments you should be aware of. If you will all please be seated I will be saying a few words before we release you for your morning drills. In addition, in light of this development, we think the time has come for another demonstration duel so this afternoon Professors Lupin and Shacklebolt and Neville and I will be going against twenty of you for one hour or until one team is completely disarmed. Afterwards, Professor Moody will be lecturing all of you on the importance of teamwork and using your brains to overcome apparently superior forces."

Tonks elbowed Harry in the ribs as those who had been stopped by the closed doors returned to their seats. "A bit confident aren't you? Are you sure you can win this duel you guys have set up?"

After removing the sonorous charm Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure of anything right now, Tonks," he admitted. "We are going to be going up against twenty of our best fighters and Neville and I haven't worked together for almost two weeks. All I'm going to say is that it should be interesting and that Alastor should a lot to talk about."

Tonks nodded then looked over at him with concern in her eyes. "The stress starting to get to you, Harry?" she asked.

Harry closed his eyes and bowed his head. After several seconds of silence he sighed and nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm afraid so. If what I learned in the elven realm is any clue, if you thought that spell Remus, Hermione and I developed last summer was something then you haven't seen anything yet. The purgatory charm will work. The only problem with it is that I am really the only one who will ever be able to cast it on Tom. And before that can happen I have got to use an untested spell that is being designed for one specific purpose."

Tonks' eyes widened involuntarily. "Oh," she said. Apparently something in Harry's voice had told her that she really didn't want to know anything more than he was willing to tell her.

As soon as the last person was finished eating Harry stood up and walked over to stand in front pf the center of the head table. "Good morning," he began. "I'm sure most of you have heard about the recent battle at Azkaban." Almost everyone nodded. "I'm also relatively certain that at least a few of you have heard rumors about Tom Riddle's followers' spells being more powerful than expected." Again, almost everyone in the room nodded their head and a few murmurs were heard.

Harry waited for the commotion to die down before continuing. "We are going to do everything in our power to find out just exactly what they are doing but I can tell you this,. Early evidence suggests that some of Tom's best fighters are drawing energy, through their marks, from their less skilled warriors. In fact, early evidence suggests that many of the disappearances you have been reading about are people who are being kidnapped and marked so that Tom's warriors can draw from their magical energy reserves."

Several people gasped and a few raised their voices in outrage and indignation while a few others began asking how they were supposed to fight against such odds. When the general hubbub died down to a manageable level Harry raised his hands for silence. "I know this sounds discouraging," he said, "but believe it of not, we still have the advantage."

Harry had everyone's attention now. "Throughout history – both muggle and magical – the battle has seldom gone to those who rely on brute strength. More often than not the battles and, indeed, the wars have gone to those who are pure of heart and who use their brains to overcome the odds. While Tom Riddle was rather clever in his days at Hogwarts he has allowed his lust for power and domination over others cloud his judgment.

"For the next three weeks we are going to be focusing on the mental side of this war. We are going to be studying the enemy's individual fighting styles and strategies. We are going to be working with our dueling partners to develop fighting styles and strategies of our own that will give us an overwhelming advantage over Tom's bullies.

"From here on out, Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom will be doing nightly presentations on strategy and fighting tactics. Attendance is mandatory. By the end of this summer most, if not all, of you will be fighting on the same level as some of our most experienced aurors. We will win this war. There is no other choice. We either win or we lose everything our ancestors fought so hard to gain."

There was a heartbeat of stunned silence. Then, one by one, the teachers and then the students began rising to their feet clapping and cheering.

Harry glanced over at Ron and Neville whom he had essentially volunteered to go before their friends and peers to tell them everything they knew about the Death Eaters and how they liked to fight. He saw that, while they were standing and applauding like everyone else, there was a certain look of determination in their eyes that told him that they would not let him down.

Later that morning, after stretching, gymnastics and ballet, Ron and Neville approached Harry. Neville was the first to speak. "Whose idea was this duel?" he asked"

Harry smiled at his dueling partner. "It was actually Tonks' idea," he said, "bur Kingsley, Remus and Alastor were quick to agree and I can't say that I disagree with it."

"Who are you planning on dueling?" Ron asked.

Harry was silent for a moment as he thought through his options. Then, with an uncharacteristically feral smile, said, "I'll tell you what, Ron. You choose twenty of our best. I don't even want to know who they are until it is time to duel. The only stipulations are that it is a disarm only competition. Nothing too dangerous and no unforgivables."

Ron returned Harry's feral smile with zeal. "Good," he said, grinning maliciously. "I hope you guys are ready for a fight."

After Ron left Neville groaned. "I have a bad feeling about this, Harry."

"Why?" Harry asked, honestly seeking his friend's opinion.

"Because up to know the only two people I know who have gone up against invisible opponents and won are you and Albus; and even then you have only been dueling each other. You and I can fight invisibly and stat out of each other's way but what about Remus and Kingsley?

"What makes you think we are going to be going against invisible opponents?"

Neville looked incredulously over at his friend and dueling partner. "Because it worked too well during the competition that's why. If you had given us another five minutes it would have been over."

Harry tilted his head to one side then smiled. "Well then I guess this will be a real test of all of our abilities then, won't it."

Neville grimaced. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. I still don't like it but … yeah."

After lunch Harry and Neville met Remus, Kingsley, Tonks and Moody in the center of the quidditch pitch. Tonks had started going by Dora but old habits were hard to change, especially when his mind was so cluttered with other, more pressing issues, so Harry continued to think of her as Tonks. There would be time after the war, he hoped, to get used to the idea of Tonks' new identity but for now Tonks would remain Tonks.

"So, who are we going to be dueling?" Remus asked as the students began to fill the stands.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea. I gave the task of choosing our opponents to Ron. I told him I wanted twenty of our best."

"Oh," Tonks said excitedly. "You do like living dangerously, don't you; so what are the rules of engagement?"

Harry bowed his head an let a small grin play across his face before looking over at their opposition, which was gathering at one end of the pitch. "Disarm only; no unforgivables; and nothing too dangerous. Other than that, anything goes."

"How good are you guys at fighting invisible opponents?" Neville asked Remus and Kingsley after Tonks and Moody had left to take their seats in the stands and the four of them were making their way down to their end of the pitch.

Remus looked up suddenly. "What! What do you mean invisible opponents?"

After Neville explained the reason behind their tactics in the competition at the end of June Remus shook his head and groaned while Kingsley laughed out loud. "I'm going to kill you for teaching your student to fight invisibly, Harry," Remus said half-seriously. I can take out an invisible opponent if needs be but I am no great shakes at it."

"I have t agree with Remus," Kingsley laughed. "I have fought a few in my time as an auror but never more than one at a time." Then, turning serious, he asked, "What do you suggest?"

Harry glanced back at their opponents. Ron had chosen well. Ten of them were from his own class, nine of the ten he had chosen for the competition plus one, and the others were a mixture of the other four classes. "I have a feeling that half of them are going to use disillusionment charms as soon as the duel starts. Since Neville and I are used to fighting under those conditions, I suggest we disillusion ourselves as well. We will take care of their invisible fighters and cover you two as best we can." Turning to Neville he said, "I am going to suggest silencing charms on our feet and that we only use non-verbal spells."

Neville nodded.

"And prank warfare?" Remus asked.

Harry's grin almost split his face. "Nothing too dangerous and no unforgivables."

Remus smiled. "Right, then. Let's go hunting!"

A few minutes later, after explaining the rules of engagement, Alastor shot off a stream of red sparks signaling the duelers to begin. Almost immediately, ten of the student duelers and Harry and Neville vanished. Harry and Neville dropped back behind Remus and Kingsley to give them a free field of action and Harry cast a privacy charm so they could talk without being overheard by anyone. Then, While Neville erected and maintained a shield, Harry reached out with his magical senses and found that the other teams' invisible warriors had broken up into two teams of five, each team working its way around either side of the pitch in hopes of flanking their professors and winning the duel. He could also sense that his and Neville's disappearance had given them pause because they were traveling much more slowly than he would have expected.

Grabbing Neville's arm he told his friend to drop his shield and immediately teleported the two of them to one side of the pitch where they patiently waited for the nearest team to pass in front of them. When they were close enough Harry crept up and fired a silent stinging hex, from within their midst, across the field, striking one of the other team's member in the leg. From the yelp of pain he assumed his target must have been Ron.

In the melee that followed – the confusion of two five-man teams of invisible fighters firing spells across the pitch at each other – Harry teleported Neville an himself to behind their visible opponents and quickly disarmed them while their attention was diverted by their ongoing duel with Remus and Kingsley and the hail of spell fire that was going on between themselves and their professors.

By the time the five remaining invisible student duelers realized that they had been tricked into fighting their own teammates, two on one side of the pitch and three on the other, multiple stunners were headed their way and it was to late to block them, or even dodge. As they went down Harry could sense the confusion and frustration they were feeling. Harry didn't like fighting dirty by creating a friendly fire situation but this was a demonstration duel and he needed the students to know that fighting smart could overcome superior numbers and, by extension, superior strength when properly applied.

The entire duel was over in less than fifteen minutes and before the last disillusionment charm was removed Alastor was hobbling out onto the field to begin his lecture. Before beginning, however, he hobbled over to Harry and said, "Good God, Potter. Don't you know how to lose? That was one of the best demonstrations of brains versus brawn I have ever seen."

Harry mumbled something about not liking to fight dirty and not wanting to show off but Alastor waved him off. "I appreciate your humility, Harry, and your sense of far play is admirable but, as you know, this is war."

Harry nodded before walking off the pitch and joining Ginny in the stands.

"That," Mad-eye began after everyone was seated, "was one of the most brilliant demonstrations of brains versus brawn I have ever seen. I know must of you didn't see what was happening with the disillusioned combatants so I will describe it to you: Those of you who went invisible had a good plan. You were going to try to outflank your professors by sneaking up the sides of the pitch. That was your first mistake. If you are going to fight while under disillusionment charms you should know where your comrades are at all times. You should never give your opponents the opportunity to create a friendly fire situation, like Potter and Longbottom did by firing one simple stinging hex from behind your teammates.

"One of the things you have got to remember when using a disillusionment charm is that whenever you move you create a visible ripple effect in the air around you. The reason you did not see either Potter or Longbottom was because they apparated to their destinations and waited for you to reach them. The reason you could not sea them is because they didn't move any more than absolutely necessary.

The other three things Potter and Longbottom did that made it difficult for you to locate them were the casting of silencing charms on their feet, the casting of a privacy charm so they could communicate without being heard and the exclusive use of non-verbal spells."

For the next several hours Moody outlined the principles of fighting brawn with brains and went into detail about some of the most effective techniques, using several examples from the demonstration duel.