Chapter 20 - too many cooks
Word-count; 3,524
AN: a reminder
Warning (one): Unbridled butchery of the King's English is a common facet of this writer's modis operendi and I have also been rightfully accused of: - gross punctuation and grammar errors, obscene ramblings on tangents that distract from the main plot and repeating already stated facts and plot points over and over.
Warning (two): The tale you are about to read is written by an admitted - amateur storyteller. Flames are useful only to keep warm on a winter night – and personal attacks do not advance the plot line one iota. I honestly crave helpful reviews to help me improve my tale …so please review. Helpful suggestions are always received with joy. If you can accept this premise as a reader then by all means read on.
Warning (three); I will pick and choose items from JKR last two books as it suits my fancy, and disregard other bits of cannon just as easily.
Author's disclaimer: This story is based in the world created by J. K. Rowling, she owns all legal rights to the characters, setting, etc. - I am merely borrowing the contents of the JKR world for my own amusement and that of my few readers. In other words…her characters…my plot…savvy?
Again - - this is Rated M / alternate universe - - which means that the characters are OOC on purpose.
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AN: a few unchanging facts that any soldier must accept with good grace.
Rule # 1) there are no certainties in war
Rule # 2) No plan survivors contact with the enemy
Rule # 3) there are exceptions to every rule
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Set during hour four – of the DE siege of Hogwarts.
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Roll film
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Ron stood on top of the astronomy tower - looking down through a telescope normally used on the stars. With everything he had been taught about Muggle warfare turned on its head he felt nervous and a bit confused. He had tried his best to predict the countermoves of the DE attacking Hogwarts - but what had been happening since the main attacks began had been beyond unexpected and totally baffling.
The repeated DE attacks on Hogwarts had thus far - all failed – but the DE leadership had stubbornly refused to learn from their military mistakes. The DE were still trying to use their black-smoke flying trick to enter the castle - their painfully obvious goal to infiltrating the upper floors and strike from the rear – but up to now this tactic had met with disastrous results. Over four hundred DE had perished in this wood-chipper fashion - since Ron had first thrown up the wards around the castle - trying to breach the false holes that appeared by design in the defenses was just a quick way to die - - and yet, they still tried to get in …that way. There had been five separate attacks at the east gate alone - all repulsed at great cost to the DE.
Looking to the south Ron saw the remains of the wooden bridge that Seamus and his demolition teams had blown-up with such great effect – earlier in the day - when the ward that protected it had abruptly failed …as planned. Over three hundred snatchers were on the bridge when it was detonated underneath them. The bridge's defenders had been brilliantly led by Neville Longbottom – his DA lads retreating slowly to draw the snatchers into the trap. In the end only twenty snatchers had gotten across alive and they now sat in a dungeon cell as prisoners of war.
Ron had not intended to take prisoners at all, as it complicated his plans enormously and drained resources he didn't really have to spare - but he had felt compelled to adjust his battle plan upon the strongly-put 'advice' he'd gotten from Hermione and Neville. Now he had three of his walking wounded guarding prisoners instead of being evacuated - as planed - to France with the other wounded. Madam Pomfrey was holding an aid-station style triage in the hospital-wing prior to being sent to the prearranged field hospital on the Delacour estate in Normandy. His own troop's reluctance to leave when wounded - was also somewhat baffling.
Ron had not intended to allow what remained of the Order of the Phoenix and certain members of the DA to join the fight either. Ron had been shocked to learn that Greg Goyle and Pansy Parkinson holding hands as lovers do - had been a major-part of the wooden bridges defenders. Neville had vouched for them and no one was more pleased than Ron that snakes had proven to be trust worthy. Hermione had put in her oar about judging people by stereotypes being a mistake - and Ron wasn't the least-bit upset at publicly acknowledging that snakes weren't all bad - much to Hermione's great delight.
The DA, and what remained of the Order with the entire crew of Potterwatch… the bootleg radio station had all relocated to Hogwarts without so much as a by-your-leave; invitation - and had been underfoot or broadcasting a non-stop … blow-by blow account of the fighting ever since.
Percy had somehow gotten a message to the resistance indicating that every office at the Ministry was listening to the forbidden radio show. All of the DE and most of their pure-blood sympathizes had been withdrawn to join the Hogwarts fighting - leaving the Ministry DE free for the first time since the coup. Taking advantage of the situation Percy had written false orders under Umbridge forged signature to release all Muggleborn and half-blood prisoners awaiting execution in the Ministry holding cells. Ron's brother wanted to know what to do with the released prisoners.
Ron had replied to Percy to take the prisoners to Shell Cottage and use the French portal to get the refuges to France and safety. Ron had also ordered his brother to gather his sleeper agents in the Ministry and go with the freed prisoners to personally make sure that Ginny stayed in school at Beauxbatons - as the rest of the Weasley family except for Charlie, Bill and Fleur were with the 'Order' at Hogwarts. Of course... Percy disobeyed him.
Ron had managed to briefly send most of the remaining Order to act as security for the refugee transfer to France - - just to get them out from underfoot to tell the truth - they were jointly led by Kingsley Shacklebolt with Remus and Dora Lupin as co-commanders. The concept of command by committee strongly entrenched in their communal /democratic mindset.
Harry had gone storming off to someplace in the castle in his standard; "leave me alone" funk, shortly after Severus had made his leave - his appearance reminding Ron of a British cinema actor in the Die Hard movie series, whose name escaped him. His attitude since the removal of the dark-mark noticeably more pleasant – Ron had actually seen a genuine smile on Severus face when the Potion Master had said his goodbyes.
Regretfully the Order returned from their short mission to France - along with a company size unit of volunteers – of mixed French and English Muggleborn's, trained in Normandy like the resistance in small unit tactics. These new arrivals replaced losses in Ron's ranks - and along with the Order already in the Castle - - had made great nuisances of themselves by offering Ron tactical advice that he had not asked for.
Everyone was a military expert now – and some of these late comers had actually tried to stop the resistance use of the specially designed anti-troll Ballista – a giant magical 'roman era' style crossbow with a range of five hundred yards - that had greatly thinned the mountain trolls and Giants employed by the DE to batter down the east gate with their massive clubs.
Professor McGonagall had called the ballista bolts inhumane and cruel – but was unable to think of a better method to dealing with the physically-powerful trolls and massive Giants. Snape's parting warning of the 'public mob' - those cowards - taking no-part in the battle – the average witch and wizards who had done nothing during the ethnic cleansing of the Muggleborn's - questioning his methods after the war was over – was a prediction that had haunted Ron conscious for a-bit. He remembered how the Wizarding public had turned on Harry and Albus Dumbledore after the tri-wizard tournament and now fully expected to face a similar fate after this war.
Minerva wasn't his only critic, even his father found fault in how Ron handled the large troop of Acromantula - - giant spiders – along with three packs of werewolves - that had spearheaded the last attack against the east gate. Once again thanks to foreknowledge of Voldemort's allies and tactics - Ron was prepared for such an attack.
Ron had a troop of specially trained crossbow archers on the wall each with a quiver of liquid-silver filled bolts, that spread through the bloodstream on impact – these werewolf killers were supplemented by two hundred enchanter suits of armor that Minerva had transfigured back to life, equipped with English Long bows and flaming arrows with small bags of Greek-fire attached – with this equipment at hand - the third attack on the east gate failed to reach the walls.
The spiders were last seen on fire and fleeing at full speed back-toward the forbidden forest - while each and every attacking werewolf was pinned to the ground –dead - by silver bolts. Arthur also strongly objected to his son's cruel tactics while dealing with these werewolves who were in Arthur's point of view - poor cursed wizards - even though such tactics were effective without any loss to the resistance's ranks.
When during a heated exchange - Arthur had called his son no better than a Death Eater, the tenuous bond between a stubborn father and military genius son had been broken. Ron looked deeply hurt as he walked away at his still shouting father, his resistance bodyguard preventing Arthur from following his deeply depressed commander.
Ron had many defenders in the resistance against these late-comer critics - but his principal advocate turned out to be Hermione. Like a lioness protecting her latest kill, she lit into anyone who was hypocritical enough to find fault with Ron's methods - when they themselves had done so little to openly oppose Voldemort's tyranny.
With surprising venom Hermione pointed-out in blunt terms - Minerva inability to stop the Carrow's curio cursing eleven year old first years. The old witch confronted with her own hypocrisy walked away with tears of shame pouring down her cheeks. Hermione then lit into all the Weasley's in the Great Hall by pointing out the Azkaban raid and the thousands set free in a single night.
"His methods might be unlawful - but they're also very costly to the DE and all their non-human allies," Hermione said with grim determination – "but primarily they have also saved countless resistance lives. Just ask yourselves how many wizards would have died trying to capture those Trolls, Giants and Werewolves?
"Everyone forgets the fact that Ron and his men aren't Auror's - they are soldiers fighting a war. This stopped being a legal issue with the first act of genocide. Have you all forgotten that all of England's Wizengamot Judges and Aurors have not objected one iota too Voldemort in his mass murder of Muggleborn's and Half-bloods schemes? Right-now, the magical Government of Britain has fully endorsed - as a willing participants do - with the mass execution of innocent families?"
"Peasant led revolutions are always a little on the messy side," Hermione growled in righteous anger. "I was once as disturbed as you are now - about Ron's methods - when I first saw him five days ago. But then I was captured by the very people whose legal rights you're so concerned about now. Bellatrix tortured me – drove me totally mad – and she enjoyed doing it. But Ron brought me back – risked his own sanity to save mine. For me that goes above and beyond a thousand life debts.
"It's People like Bellatrix that killed Gideon and Fabian Prewett in cold blood. Ron got revenge on Antonin Dolohov for their murders – by the way - and unlike your brothers, Mrs. Weasley - - Dolohov had a wand in his hand when he died. I've seen Ron's memory of that event; he gave Dolohov a chance to live. The cooperate or die offer's that Ron gives each and every 'DE' that he encounters - is a far better deal than any of you will ever get from the DE and Tom Riddle.
"I share a telepathic-link with Ron and he has often wondered in his mind - if it would be safe for him to stay in England after this war ends. Up to the point where I saw with my own eyes - his father verbally turn on him, calling him no better than the Death Eater's he's fighting, I thought my husband thoughts were an overreaction – but now I'm not so sure.
"We aren't driving him away; he's changed in the last eight months – become crueler – a heartless killer. And I blame you for that," - Molly hotly retorted all but spitting her hatred onto Hermione.
"You are right – I am entirely to blame. But there is a miracle behind all of this, for in spite of the harm I've done to him by my betrayal – he still loves me," Hermione said sounding utterly amazed. "I'm no-where near worthy of that love – but I swear to spend the rest of my life trying to earn his love once-again.
"I've always wondered what it was that drove Percy out of this family, and now that I see you doing it all over again to Ron, I can't help but wonder if Percy's breakaway had less to do with promotion-greed and more to do with blatant offspring favoritism.
"How dare you imply - -"…Molly accused - sounding furious – as her spouse feeling extremely guilty about his erroneous accusation sat nearby - rendered silent by regret.
"At first I considered your welcome of Harry and me into your midst – as an act of unparalleled generosity and kindness, - but after you were showed such obvious disappointment that Harry hadn't been made Prefect sixth-year instead of your own son - Ron; I now regard your instinctive reaction as an act of favoritistic-displacement of Ron for a more famous alternate 'son of the same age," Hermione said unconsciously saying out loud - thoughts that Ron had always kept to himself. His insecurity over this issue coming out at last due to the link he shared with Hermione. "Have you perhaps - also been subtly pushing Ginny toward the Chosen One as the sacrificial lamb to transform Harry into a Weasley …by marriage?
"Listen Bitch," Molly spat furiously – for with no-one to moderate her notorious temper – with Arthur the usual peacemaker lost in his own thoughts of regret - Molly was therefore free to fully vent without restraint – saying things she would later deeply regret. "Every mother wants a best match for their daughter, and Harry; before he showed his true colors as a casual sex advocate - with no sense of romantic loyalty - - would have made an ideal son-in-law for me.
"But now that I know he can't keep his trousers zipped - when confronted with a Scarlet woman of easy virtue …like you – Potter has lost forever the right to be with my Ginny," Molly said feeling unusually smug. "As a self-confessed slag - you are of course – no longer welcomed in my home and the same thing applies to Potter. - - I should also give fair warning – I intend to resist you trying to worm your way back into Ron's heart - every way I can.
"We are telepathically linked Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said shaking her head sadly - "which means I hear everything he hears and he has just heard everything you just said to me. My memory of this conversation will be shared with him – the moment I hold his hand again. He warned you about what would happen if you decided to obstruct our second go a romance, please stop before you destroy your relationship with him …for good.
"I'm not a fool and you are a lying – two timing sow – everything you've said about this Link stuff is pure bullocks – no such mental -connection is magically possible," Molly retorted hotly - - clearly in disbelief. "You won't get your unfaithful claws into him again - if I have anything to say about it".
"As for Ginerva and Potter – they are over and done with romantically. The French 'half-blood' Dumas family is-not half as wealthy as the English Potter's were – nor are they as well-bred - or as famous. On the other hand - my daughter seems to have moved on from her silly school-girl crush with the Chosen One. She fully accepts that her feelings were based primarily on his hero status in our community and his recent actions have revealed parts of his personality that my Ginny – frankly finds - repugnant.
"Her recent letters home indicate that she is genuinely attracted to the French-boy with whom she has found many common interests. As he also has a down to earth reputation, so there are no feelings of semi-hero worship to muddle her emotional state of mind. As Phillip also seems to understand the concept of romantically loyal far better than you and Potter ever will. Her father and I have high hopes of a genuine love match.
"Have you told Harry any of this?
"Why – he made his choice when he decided to cheat on Ginerva behind her back – with you," Molly spat harshly. "You'll cheat on Ron again – sooner or later, it's clearly in your slag blood. I just hope he catches you quicker this time – and he might – for he is no longer the gullible fool in regards to you - that he was a mere year ago.
That's when Hermione heard the sad disembodied voice that began to speak in her mind. "Walk away - luv, my mum is no mood to listen to reason – at least now - I fully understand why Percy left. She favored Fred and George over him – and me too - come to think-on-it. She hates that your 'fling' with Harry ruined her own matchmaking plans for Ginny and my dad has never be able to change her stubborn Prewett mind about a blood-feud …once it starts-up.
My dad wasn't her first choice in life mate either – because Narcissa Black stole the bloke she fancied so much ...back during their sixth year. That's why the blood feud with the Malfoy's shifted into high gear some thirty odd years ago. And before you ask- my dad told me all about it, when I was eleven.
Getting up slowly from the Great Hall table where this conversation had taken place, she nodded to Molly Weasley. "Goodbye Mrs. Weasley – now that I know where you stand – on so many issues - I see no reason for us to speak again. You and his father where Ron sole tie to this country, now you've both severed it – if you can turn on another son, like you did with Percy - - then Ron's fears concerning the Wizarding community reaction to the dramatic change in who constitutes the ruling class of this country is perfectly justified.
"So luv, if we win – where would you like to spend our life in exile?" - The disembodied voice in Hermione's head asked in a tone of resigned acceptance.
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