Chapter 23
Betaed by Slytherin's silver snake
A plan is born:
Chaos started with delay the next morning, whilst everybody sat at breakfast and, wherever you listened, discussed the sense and purpose of the warning. Harry didn't miss the self-sufficient smirk on the faces of some Slytherins. Especially Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle looked like they had not enjoyed a meal as much since the arrest of their head of house. Only Crabbe appeared like he were torn between joy and worry and couldn't quite make up his mind on what to think.
The rest of the students as well as the teachers looked overly nervous. Even Dumbledore was wearing a sombre expression throughout the whole meal. The mischief that usually seemed to be a constant part of him was gone for what seemed like an eternity and this saddened Harry nearly as much as his godfather's death. It was almost as if Snape had managed to kill a part of Dumbledore too, along with Sirius.
Dumbledore's expression darkened even more when the great entrance gate was pushed open and minister Fudge himself stalked grimly into the room, walking through the long students tables and towards the staff.
"Dumbledore, may I please have a word with you?"
If the sour expression on Fudge's face was any indication then the question was anything but a request.
"Certainly Cornelius," Dumbledore answered politely, ignoring the harsh tone of the minister.
He laid the silverware slowly down and quietly dabbed his mouth with his napkin before he stood up and moved around the staff table, accompanying the minister out the same way he had come in.
The murmuring voices in the Hall, which had died down at Fudge's entry, rose again as soon as the two wizards had left. One after the other, the students started to eat again, the rumours flourishing a great deal once more.
"What is Fudge doing here?" Ron asked from besides Harry.
"It must have to do with Snape's warning. What do you think, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Definitely", Ron said. "Snape has invaded the school unnoticed. They certainly want to take measures to make sure that this doesn't happen again. Remember, when Sirius found his way into the castle? They had even posted Dementors here to catch him."
Before he thought about it, Harry lashed out at Ron. "Don't you dare to compare that son of a bitch with my Godfather!"
Ron blushed slightly at his outburst. „Sorry, Harry. I didn't mean it that way."
Harry sighed, when the guilt crept up on him. "I know, Ron. I apologize for yelling at you. It's just driving me mad that my godfather's murderer is on the loose and is keeping up the killing, while Sirius sat innocently in Azkaban for twelve years and in the end has gotten nothing but death instead of an apology. It's just so unfair."
Hermione laid a placating hand on Harry's shoulder. "They will catch him eventually. Keep faith."
Harry harrumped. "In the ministry? Hardly, and even if they do catch him, Malfoy and Voldemort had no problems getting him out the first time around. They could do it again any time they choose. The only way to hinder Voldemort doing that would be the kiss, but this, Dumbledore will prevent. He's too involved in the whole thing through that secret connection he has to Snape."
Hermione had no answer to that, but she was saved by the swarm of mail owls that had just flew into the Great hall.
"Mail!" she called out with a hint of relief, to have escaped the topic of Snape.
A middle-sized barn owl just then landed before her and extended its leg, on which the newest copy of the daily prophet was tied. The animal actually managed to look kind of bored, which didn't escape Hermione either. "You look pretty bureaucratic, you know", she giggled, while taking the newspaper from the owl. The bird clapped huffily with its beak, before it flew off.
"The owl looks like Fudge probably would, if he were an Animagus", Ron chuckled too.
"Maybe it was him? That specific owl never brought me the newspaper before."
"Can't be. Fudge is with Dumbledore," Ron contradicted.
Hermione flashed him a smile before she unrolled the newspapers and almost instantly groaned.
Harry leaned over to catch a glimpse, but Hermione pulled the paper out of his reach in an obvious attempt to get it out of his line of sight.
Harry angrily reached around her, caught the paper and pulled it out of Hermione's hands with, as he had to admit, a bit too much vehemence. He just couldn't bring himself to really care at the moment. If she wanted to hide it from him, then it was clear that there was something in it that would upset him, but he didn't plan on letting her treat him like a little kid.
With a last glare at Hermione, he opened the paper and instantly some thick printed headlines caught his attention.
ENTIRE FAMILY POISONEDHarry had a bad presentiment even before he read the article under the title.
It was written there that a dark potion killed a whole muggle family, two adults and three children. Of course, the muggles had no idea about that and blamed an unknown poison, which basically turned people's insides out. The wizarding inquisitors however, had found out that it was an ancient, very hard to brew potion.
Harry didn't need to read any more. He felt sick and he fought to keep the breakfast down, which he had just eaten. Voldemort had his potions master back and he was using that advantage to it's fullest.
"What's goin' on? You don't look so good, Harry. What's in the newspaper?"
Harry handed the parchment to his friend, who regarded it briefly, before he cursed silently. "That slimy, greasy bastard!"
Harry was so angry, he felt the urge to throw his plate against the nearest wall. Snape merrily kept on killing people, helping a steadily growing more powerful Voldemort and what was the ministry doing against it? Nothing. But he wouldn't sit by, watching any longer. If the adults were incapable to stop Snape, then Harry would do it himself.
But how?
He thought about it for a moment, working through some ideas and dismissing them almost just as fast. He had to find out where the huge salon was, the one he had seen in his vision. He hadn't paid much deed to the details of the place, being slightly distracted by the persons there and their doings. Unfortunately he couldn't control the visions either and they didn't hit him when he wanted to. Theoretically, he could have another vision any moment or in a month, or never again, and even if he did find out where the death eaters met and if he could notify the ministry to send some Aurors, there was a strong possibility that they lost the fight or the death eaters could apparate away. Or maybe Snape wasn't with them at that moment.
And even if they found a way to catch Snape then he wouldn't be safely locked away in Azkaban and could be freed as easily as the first time. In the end there were much too many buts and ifs. But what else could he do?
Still deep in thoughts, he observed the path of a late owl, as it landed further down the table in front of Neville. Hermione's discussion with Ron from earlier came to his mind and suddenly an idea formed in his head.
"Tell me Ron. How does an owl always find the people who their mail is directed to?"
"Dunno. It's just so. Tell it the name and the address and it brings the mail", Ron said, while he chewed on a piece of toast.
"But in a room like this," Harry made a all-including gesture towards the Hall, "how can a strange owl find the right students among the few hundreds here."
"I don't know", Ron admitted.
Harry looked over at Hermione, who in response only shrugged unhappily, apparently taking the fact that she didn't know about it as a personal affront.
The front door opened again at that moment and Dumbledore entered, marching with a stern face back to his place. He didn't sit down, however, and looked intently at the students. He didn't even have to ask for their attention, since every single pair of eyes in the room was curiously directed at him.
"My dear children", he begun. "Yesterday's events have worried the ministry. An official statement will be made to the public today and hopefully prelude the eventual concern of some parents. For your safety, the school will from now on be under constant supervision of Aurors. In every dormitory, the library, the Great Hall and around the grounds there will be guards at all times. Classes will every time be started with a call of names." He turned to the teachers. "Also, guards will be posted in front of the teacher's quarters. If we can keep up the Hogsmeade trips will be discussed shortly before the next excursion is scheduled."
Angry shouts were being vocalized and even some of the teachers, like McGonagall or Trewlany had jumped up and were now excitedly talking down the headmaster.
Dumbledore only raised his hand and even though he didn't say a word, a strange pressure seemed to descent upon everyone and all people in the room quietened instantly.
"I understand that the situation is less than satisfying but for this moment it's the only possibility to ensure the safety of the school and all its occupants. Since I will not tolerate any dementors on school ground again this was the only alternative, the ministry conceded too. This affair is not negotiable."
The headmaster sat down again with those terminating words, and the murmur of hundreds of voices started anew.
Harry caught himself pretty fast. Those imbeciles of Aurors would be good for nothing at any rate. If he wanted anything to be done, it would have to be him who did it.
"Hermione", he addressed the girl besides him. "Do you think that it's possible to send an owl to someone, even if you don't know the exact address of that person?"
Hermione looked very sceptic. "I don't know, it shouldn't really be a problem. I would have to do some reading about it. Why? Who do you want to send an owl to?"
Harry smirked sinisterly. „To Snape. I want to write him a letter."
'And if everything works like I want to', he thought 'then Snape will wish, never to have broken out of Azkaban.'
T.B.C.