HARRY POTTER AND ICE CREAM DELIGHTS
Author: Luckner
Disclaimer: The characters and their world are the property of J.K. Rowling, various publishers and Warner Bros. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
CHAPTER 7: THE CONCORD GRAPE WAR
When the younger Weasleys arrived at the Lovegood Cottage they brought an unexpected guest with them. Alicia Spinnet walked up to the cottage door on the arm of George Weasley, her long time boyfriend. As a new Auror with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Alicia was not about to pass up the opportunity for some advanced spell training; and Nymphadora Tonks had trained under the famous 'Mad-Eye' Moody himself.
Luna was surprised and pleased to see the older girl. "Her coming was lucky chance, it leaves Fred and Susan the only ones without training partners," Luna whispered conspiratorially to Harry.
"Luck had nothing to do with it, I sent George an owl asking him to invite her," Harry said with a smirk.
"You did that without telling me? Why you insufferable sneak!" Luna declared in mock outrage, but then her frown turned into a wide grin.
"I guess I have a little Slytherin in me as well," Harry declared as he put his arm around her back and pulled her closer.
"I'll have to remember that," Luna answered with a wary smile.
The teens laughed and joked around as they waited for their trainers to arrive; and Fred and George demonstrated some of their most recent inventions. When none of those present volunteered as test subjects the twins proceeded to use each other, much to the delight of the others in the room.
Susan Bones, who was painfully shy by nature, remained in the background as much as possible. Fred Weasley noticed the shy redhead hanging back by the fireplace, and felt strangely drawn to her. He had never really paid much attention to Susan when he was at school, but now he realized that she was really quite pretty. With George's girlfriend joining the group Fred saw that he would need to find a training partner, and it would offer the perfect opportunity to get to know the pretty redhead better. He cautiously strolled over to greet her, and soon the two were talking like old friends; much to the delight of Harry and Luna who were watching from a distance.
Tonks and Remus arrived a few minutes later carrying grocery bags which Remus described as containing "training equipment." They led the curious group out into the meadow near the edge of the forest where they all settled on the grass under a large, spreading oak tree. Harry noticed that they were some distance from the cottage, and he wondered if that was because of the nature of the spells that they would be training with.
"Good morning," Remus began with a smile. "You've no idea how much I've missed teaching over the last two years, and both Tonks and I are really looking forward to the opportunity of working with you. You've come here to learn some of the more advanced offensive and defensive spells that exist in our world, and I don't think that you will be disappointed. We spent a good portion of last night selecting spells that are relatively easy to master, yet very effective in execution. Some of these spells aren't even taught to seventh-year Defense Against the Dark Arts students, so you should be careful who you show them to."
"We will be starting with a particular favorite of mine," Tonks declared, picking up seamlessly from Remus. "It's called Ossein Diffindo, and it can incapacitate an opponent faster than any spell I know; it's also called the 'Bone-Shattering Spell.'"
As Tonks spoke she carefully observed the reaction of the teenagers that she would be training, and was pleased with what she saw. They all wore a look of grim determination, which was exactly what she was looking for. In Auror school she noticed that those who were eager to learn dangerous spells tended to be very aggressive and reckless in the field; they didn't live long and tended to endanger their partners. Likewise, those who feared to learn the damaging spells could freeze up when confronted by a real enemy, and likewise endanger others. An attitude of grim determination created agents willing to do what was necessary to protect themselves and their partners, but not rush into danger recklessly.
Tonks was particularly interested in how Susan Bones would react to the type of material that they would be teaching. Luna and Ginny had proved themselves at the fight in the Ministry, but Susan was an unknown quantity. These were not the type of simple spells that most sixteen-year-old girls would be trained on. But although the young girl paled a bit, she appeared every bit as determined as her friends.
While Tonks was speaking, Remus walked a few paces away with one of the bags. Opening the brown paper bag he withdrew a large bunch of purple grapes. Remus used an Engorgio Charm to enlarge each grape to the size of a large watermelon, and then he floated each in the air using a modified Wingardium Leviosa spell. When he had finished Remus had created a line of three dozen large purple targets floating two meters above the meadow.
At the same time Tonks was demonstrating the spiral wand movement and incantation necessary for spell execution, along with some personal observations about the difficulties of hitting a moving target.
"The most important elements of this spell are intent and concentration; lacking either of these elements and the spell takes on the characteristics of a very mild Reductor Curse. Being struck by a defective Ossein Diffindo Spell is like being hit by a soft rubber ball, and that's not what you want when you're up against Death Eaters," she declared conclusively. Then judging her moment to be correct she fired the Ossein Diffindo at a grape a few meters away from Remus. The purple globe exploded like a fountain and showered the surprised wizard with blobs of purple goo.
Standing up from his stooped position Remus looked at Tonks with the utmost indignity, completely ignoring the laughter of the assembled teens.
"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" He demanded, shaking the purple glop from his arms.
"Just demonstrating the spell for our students," she replied sweetly. "I'm really sorry, Remus," she said batting her eyelashes at him.
Remus cleaned the glop off himself with a wave of his wand, and then he bent down and picked up a large handful of the purple pulp from the ground. He stalked up to the young woman, an unreadable expression on his face, and waited.
"You wouldn't dare; I'm too incredibly cute for that," she declared with a smirk.
"Oh wouldn't I," he answered with a menacing expression.
"Well not in front of our students," she responded coyly.
Remus suddenly remembered that they were not alone and looked around at the smiling young faces with a sheepish grin. He threw the glop onto the ground and then whispered to Tonks, "Alright, but I owe you one."
"I'll hold you to that," she whispered back.
Harry realized that the two of them were flirting, and shamelessly so. It made him rather relieved that he and Luna hadn't played those kinds of games, for he had no idea exactly how to flirt. With Luna it had all been so easy and honest and well…inevitable; and he wouldn't have wished it any other way. Feeling the young girl squeeze his hand he knew that she felt exactly the same way.
Soon all of the teens were lined up trying out the spell, with very mixed results. Alicia, who had learned similar spells in Auror training, quickly got it right and shattered her grape. For the others it took varying amount of time and coaching. Harry succeeded after his fourth attempt, and surprisingly Neville succeeded immediately afterwards. For the others success came more slowly, as their weak spells pushed the grapes around the meadow in a weird kind of dance. Fred and George took it a step further, and actually made it into a game that somewhat resembled muggle Ping Pong.
"This is not a game; learning these spells can be life or death," Tonks declared in annoyance at the behavior of the two.
"Oh, you mean like this, Tonks?" George asked as he and Fred shot the spell at two nearby grapes, shattering them in bright purple fountains.
"Well if you could do it, why didn't you do it before?"
The two shared identical grins and then looked at the young Auror. "Not as much fun," they both declared in unison.
Tonks rolled her eyes at the pair, but couldn't hide a small smile of pride.
As each teen mastered the spell they would in turn help their partner to learn it. Susan Bones was the last of the young people to master the bone-breaking curse, but with a great deal of encouragement from the others she finally succeeded in shattering her grape. Harry could tell that it really bothered the young girl to learn such a vicious curse, but she never hesitated to follow the lead of her friends. Many Hogwarts students looked down on Hufflepuff House as being a place for duffers, but Harry had always admired their strong sense of loyalty; and in Susan Bones he saw that strength once again. Harry knew that Luna was also bothered by the thought than she might have to hurt another human being, and he hoped that she would never need the spell. But the courage she showed in learning the powerful curse made the young boy wonder yet again why she hadn't been placed in Gryffindor House.
By noon the last of the grapes had been shattered, and Luna's meadow was a soupy mess of purple grape pulp. Remus and Tonks told their students how pleased they were with the progress that they had made. They released the group for the rest of the day, but asked that they arrive early the next morning when they would learn a number of valuable shield charms.
Harry and his friends began to clean and restore the meadow using their wands. Using a standard shrinking charm they began to make the mounds of purple glop vanish like…well, magic.
Ron was talking with Hermione when he suddenly pitched forward into her chest and they both tumbled to the ground.
"What's the matter with you?" She angrily demanded of the confused boy as she pushed him off of her and rolled away from him.
"He's a sex fiend, Hermione," George Weasley offered helpfully.
Ron reached a hand behind his neck and when he pulled it back his hand was covered by a mass of stringy purple glop.
"You two are dead!" He shouted as he struggled to his feet and ran after his now fleeing brothers.
Suddenly realizing what had happened Hermione fired a tripping hex at George, causing him to pitch forward and slide face down in the purple goo. Arising from the swamp he looked like a melting grape-colored snowman. He heaved a handful of the slimy substance back at a rapidly approaching Ron, who dived aside as the colorful projectile whizzed by. Ginny was laughing so hard that she didn't even realize her danger before she was hit in the chest. The impact knocked her back on her bum; but when she stood up she was ready for war.
Harry was watching the antics of his friends from the sidelines when suddenly he was spattered with goo. He turned to Luna in shock and was rewarded with a look of complete innocence; but the purple glop dripping from her right hand told the true story. He reached down and scooped up a handful himself, an evil glint in his eyes.
"Harry, you wouldn't throw that at me, would you?" She asked sweetly, batting her eyes at him.
But before he could respond she shrieked loudly and took off at a run.
Soon everyone was throwing and being hit with the purple goo, and the meadow was filled with the laughter of happy teenagers.
"Want to join them?" Tonks asked Remus playfully.
"I think not; maybe a cup of tea instead?" he asked hopefully.
"You're on," Tonks replied, and taking his arm the two adults walked back to the cottage, leaving the meadow to the teenagers.
After a half hour of wild play everyone was exhausted and filthy; but they had a wonderful time. Using the power of their magic they quickly cleaned themselves and set the meadow back to rights so there was no evidence that a major purple war had ever taken place. The day had grown warm, and with their major exertions everyone was feeling hot and sticky. Luna's suggestion of a dip in a forest pool was met with universal agreement, even by the normally shy Susan Bones, and the teens followed her down a path leading into the woods.
After a skinny-dipping suggestion from George Weasley was overwhelmingly rejected, even by his brother Fred, swim suits were transfigured and suitable bushes sought for changing. Within minutes they were all relaxing in the tree-shaded pool of crystal clear water.
"I could spend the rest of my life here," Ron said in relaxed bliss as he floated in the cool water, contented to just drift with the current. At that moment the young teen was engulfed in a giant wave caused by his brother George canon-balling into the water next to him. The boy emerged from the water sputtering as he tried to expel the liquid that he had swallowed, and soon a water fight had erupted at that end of the pool. Surprisingly Fred did not join in to assist his twin with the mayhem, as he was occupied at the peaceful side of the pool quietly talking with Susan Bones, and wondering why he had never noticed her before.
It turned out to be an enjoyable day for all, and it set the pattern that would be followed for the rest of the summer. In the mornings they would meet Tonks and Remus for defense lessons in the meadow, and then in the afternoon they would cool off at the secluded pool deep in the woods, and enjoy a picnic lunch. In the days that followed the group of friends learned a variety of defensive shield charms as well as offensive attack spells, and began to spend more and more of their time at the Lovegood Cottage. Seamus Finnegan, who was helping out at Weasley Wizarding Wheezes in Diagon Alley wondered why he was seeing so little of the joint owners, just a brief visit in the morning and then again in the late afternoon. But he wasn't complaining, as the twins had raised his salary and given him an assistant to make up for their absence. But not everyone was enjoying their summer as much as Harry and his friends were.
- o -
Narcissa Malfoy lay prostrate on the cold stone floor, waiting for the pain that she knew would come. Potter's exposure of Death Eater involvement with the Daily Prophet had sent the Dark Lord into an insane rage that had already cost one man his life. Narcissa had her nose pressed hard against the stone floor and she could still smell the stench left by Edward Hyde's burnt flesh. It was an unpleasant realization that just two days before a man had been tortured to death on the very spot where she now lay.
While Narcissa had no part in Trunuffen's cowardly failure, it had been her husband who had first suggested using the Daily Prophet as a means of undermining the moral of wizarding Britain. Now Lucius was safely occupying a cell in Askaban and she was left to satisfy her Master's rage. She never thought that she would envy her husband his dark, damp cell at Askaban, but at that moment she did.
But even if she wasn't tortured for the Daily Prophet debacle, she knew that she would receive severe pain for the suggestion that she had just made. In boldness born of fear she had suggested a plan to capture or kill Harry Potter. Her sister Bellatrix informed her that Lord Vordemort neither appreciated nor needed her suggestions, and now she stood by gloatingly waiting for the torture to begin. Suddenly she felt the agony of a thousand white-hot knives slicing into her flesh, as she wreathed and twisted in pain. For what seemed an eternity the pain curse was held, until she thought that she must certainly die. At last the curse was released and Narcissa lay gasping for breath, every nerve in her body feeling like it was on fire.
Finally she was able to raise her eyes above the level of the floor, tears still streaming down her cheeks, and gaze into the thoughtful face of her Master.
"Can he do it?" Voldemort asked in a restrained voice, his red eyes literally burning into the woman's soul.
"Yes, I know he can Master," the terrified woman choked out.
"Very well, bring him before me at once," Voldemort ordered.
Narcissa, her muscles still protesting, struggled to rise to her feet but collapsed in a heap on the cold floor.
"Allow me to assist you," Voldemort said with a smirk as he cast a quick Leviosa charm that jerked the woman to her feet. Narcissa stumbled out the door and hobbled to the small chamber that she shared with her son.
"Draco," she called hoarsely as she stumbled through the door. The boy, his eyes wide in shock, ran to grasp his Mother's arm before she fell again. The woman grasped her son by the shoulders and focused his eyes onto hers. "The Dark Lord demands to see you immediately. You must be strong and maintain the position of our family while your Father is…away. I told the Dark Lord that you can do what we talked about. You must not fail. Failure is rewarded only with death. Come now, he is waiting."
A very frightened young boy was led into the presence of a man who could murder him without a thought. He threw himself onto the ground at Voldemort's feet and waited for the Dark Lord to speak first.
"Your Mother says that you wish to serve me; is that true?" He asked is a steely voice.
"Yes, Master, I…I do," Draco replied still not raising his eyes.
"There are great rewards for those who serve me faithfully, but great pain for those who fail. Do you understand?" He demanded harshly.
"I understand, Master. I will not fail you," Draco said, his body trembling.
"Then arise and accept the mark of the serpent," Voldemort ordered.
Draco got to his feet and stood before the man to whom he had pledged his life and rolled up the sleeve of his robes. The Dark Lord applied his wand to the boy's forearm and the brand of the serpent appeared upon his pale skin. The boy gritted his teeth at the burning pain of the brand, but he did not scream or faint.
"I see that you have the courage of your Father; that is good. You will head your family until I return him to you," the Dark Lord said approvingly and then turned to Narcissa. "I expect you to ensure that your son is well versed in the spells that he will need to remove the enchantments and complete his mission."
"It will be done, Master," she replied humbly.
"I assume that you have already been trained on the Killing Curse," Voldemort stated more as a matter of fact than as a question.
"No…No, Master, I've never learned it," Draco replied hesitantly.
"No? I'm disappointed in Lucius. That is one of the first curses that he should have taught you. Well no matter, we can quickly rectify it. Bella, get Master Malfoy a few muggles to practice on; I want him to know the curse in case anyone attempts to interfere." And then as an afterthought he added: "I want you to train him yourself; you have a unique gift for that curse."
"Yes Master, it shall be done," Bellatrix answered with an evil smile.
That night, under the tutorage of his Aunt Bellatrix, young Draco Malfoy took his first life. Looking down at the body of the dead girl, Draco's only regret was that it wasn't a certain filthy mudblood that he knew from school. But if Granger tried to interfere with his mission he would gladly show her what he had learned on his summer vacation.
- o -
Harry was not looking forward to his return to Grimmauld Place, even if it was only for a short meeting. Serius' old house had too many bad memories about it; and the fact that his godfather hated it so much made Harry's return even more difficult. Luna's cottage in the woods had felt warm and friendly from the first moment that he had crossed the threshold, and even before he had crossed it. Conversely the house at Grimmauld Place felt evil and malevolent, and left the young man feeling unsettled and uncomfortable. Somehow the house seemed to have developed the same deranged personality as old Mrs. Black.
As always Luna had the ability to make him feel better, and the fact that she was accompanying him greatly reduced his stress. On the night of the meeting, the young man felt prepared for whatever the encounter might bring.
They used a portkey to reach the derelict park in the center of Grimmauld Square, and then walked across to the dilapidated houses numbered eleven and thirteen. Harry looked at the dilapidated old building, its dark windows staring out at him threateningly, but he knew that Luna and her Father couldn't see number twelve. He walked up to the door and knocked loudly, and waited while someone on the inside struggled with the ancient locks and bolts which sealed the door. To Luna and her Father it appeared that Harry was standing before a brick wall; and they found the fact rather confusing. Finally the door opened and a smiling Molly Weasley greeted the boy warmly.
"Good evening Mrs. Weasley," Harry said, appearing to address the brick wall. And then out of nowhere came the voice of Molly Weasley inviting them to enter.
"Give me your hand Luna, and hold onto your Fathers," Harry instructed soberly, and once they were all linked up he pulled them all into the entryway of the house.
"The Slytherin-green carpet of the long hallway was dirty and threadbare from years of neglect, and the dark-colored wood paneling looked like it hadn't been polished in a hundred years. The wallpaper above the paneling was stained with the black soot from the ancient oil lamps which adorned the walls. The decayed glory of the once powerful House of Black was all to clear to see.
"Come this way and please be quiet," Molly Weasley whispered as she led them down the hallway past the dozing portrait of old Mrs. Black. Harry had already told Luna about the demented old painting, and she was curious to see it, but she followed Harry quietly into the living room and postponed the meeting until later.
Looking around the room Harry saw many familiar faces, most wearing smiles; but apparently Professor Dumbledore had not yet arrived. In one corner of the room sat a very sour-looking Severus Snape, scowling in disgust at the new arrivals. Harry and Luna went over to the opposite side of the room to join their friends, who had assembled in a group around the fireplace. Nymphadora Tonks had just related a story about something that had happened when she had attended Hogwarts and they were all laughing riotously. The only words that Harry could catch were that someone's knickers had 'flown from the top of the tower for the rest of the term', and he was rather sorry that he had missed the story.
Harry soon became involved in the conversation, and related some of his own misadventures at the wizarding school. Ron Weasley, taking advantage of the absence of his girlfriend, related how Hermione had accidentally changed herself into a cat in second year. He combined his narrative by graphically acting out how he caught the girl cleaning her fur immediately after the transformation, using her tongue. The laughter that resulted from that story literally shook the room.
But while everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves, Harry noticed that Luna was concentrating her attention on Professor Snape, who was sitting alone on the other side of the parlor. She seemed in deep thought as she observed the potions master, and then seemed to make up her mind about something.
"Will you excuse me for a few minutes, Harry?" she asked and without waiting for an answer she stood up and walked across the room, a determined look on her face.
"Good evening, Professor Snape," the young girl said softly as she came to stand in front of the potions instructor. His lack of a proper response would have proved intimidating to anyone else, but Luna didn't even seem to notice. "May I sit here?" She asked sweetly as she indicated the empty chair by his side.
Snape looked up at the girl in annoyance and rolled his eyes, but didn't say a word.
Luna remembered reading that in the highlands of New Guinea certain tribes communicated through facial expressions, so she assumed that his expression was a positive response to her question and took the seat by his side. She considered asking the man what it was like to grow up in New Guinea, but then she thought better of it. His past was his own business, and he might not feel like discussing it.
Instead the girl allowed her eyes to wander about the room and observe the characteristics of her companions; certainly a very Ravenclaw thing to do. When her eyes fell upon Harry she saw the young man looking at her uncertainly, but then his face broke out in a crooked smile. 'He's so sweet,' she thought to herself, and then blushed slightly at the thought of the kisses they had shared the previous night.
Snape was thinking as well, waiting for the moment when the young girl would ask him some insipid question and he could strike back at her with biting sarcasm. But strangely the girl said nothing, and sat calmly by his side and observed the room in silence.
He chanced a glance in her direction and saw that she was staring at him with large silver-gray eyes, and she smiled the minute their eyes met.
The man immediately shifted his gaze to the other direction, but knew that the girl was still watching him.
"Excuse me, Professor. Could I ask you a question please?" She asked softly.
Snape knew that his moment had come, and he turned his severe gaze on the young girl.
"Of course, Miss Lovegood," he responded, and waited for her to ask the question that he would turn against her.
"Do you think there is a different level of potency to Mugwort Root gathered in southern England as opposed to at Hogworts?" She asked expectantly.
The potions master raised an eyebrow in frank and honest surprise; this was certainly not the kind of question that he was expecting. He thought for a moment before answering. He did know that certain potion ingredients had different levels of potency based on the climate in which they were grown, but he had never heard of that applying to the Mugwort family.
"Why do you ask?" He asked cautiously.
"I was brewing the Muscle Replenishment Potion last month at school and it came out a yellow green rather than a bright green color," Luna responded.
Snape raised his eyebrow yet again; the Muscle Replenishment Potion was an extremely complex formula requiring careful timing and multiple steps. It wasn't taught at Hogwarts until seventh-year Advanced Potions, and a fifth-year student certainly shouldn't be attempting it.
"And what were you making that very complex potion for?" Professor Snape asked, unable to restrain his curiosity, but attempting to maintain an attitude of disinterest.
"My Father has a touch of arthritis and I usually brew him enough during the summer to carry him through the whole year. But last winter was unusually cold and damp, and he asked me to send him some from school." She replied honestly.
"You've made the potion before?" The man asked in open surprise.
"Oh yes, several times actually. I'm afraid that potion making isn't Daddy's best thing. But the batch I made at school doesn't seem to have the same potency of what I make at home."
Mugwort Root was not an easy ingredient to come by, and Professor Snape wondered if the young girl might have raided his very limited stock. After all, it had happened before, he reminded himself. "May I ask where you found the Mugwort Root?" He asked sternly.
"In the forest; I was looking for Osage Bark in my second year and found a patch of Mugwort instead," the young girl answered honestly.
Severus Snape knew that he should chastise the girl severely for entering the Forbidden Forest against repeated warnings, but he couldn't do it. For one thing, he had been looking for a source of fresh Mugwort for literally years, and for another he frankly respected anyone who would take the time to search out fresh potion ingredients on their own. Most witches and wizards were content to use the less potent dried ingredients supplied by the Potions Guild, even though they charged an astronomical price for their products.
He very much wanted to ask the girl if she would show him where fresh Mugwort could be found, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. The young girl seemed to understand his quandary because she gave him a warm smile.
"I would be happy to show you the patch of Mugwort I found; I'm sure there is plenty for both of us," she said sweetly.
"Uh…thank you, I would greatly appreciate that," Professor Snape replied hastily, surprised that he would ever say such words to a student. Then he remembered that he had never actually answered her question. He thought for a moment, and then answered her as honestly as he could.
"There just might be a difference in the potency of fresh Mugwart gathered here as opposed to at Hogwarts," he said thoughtfully. "The process of photosynthesis is such that Mugwart grown further south might indeed have greater strength than that grown in Scotland. We use a dried Mugwart Root in class because of the difficulty in obtaining fresh, and there may be potency issues that should be considered." Then after a moments hesitation he made a startling offer: "Could you possibly bring some fresh root with you when you return to school and we can compare the two?"
"I would like that," Luna said sincerely.
Soon the two were deeply involved in a discussion of different potions and their various ingredients. The other people in the room had ceased their own conversations to watch the impossible: Professor Severus Snape was actually being nice to a student that wasn't in his own house! As for the said professor, he was thoroughly enjoying this rare opportunity to speak to someone almost as knowledgeable about potions as he was. The young Ravenclaw was clearly one of those very few who had a natural gift for potion making, and he wondered why he had never noticed it before. The stubborn old potions master actually regretted it when they were called into the kitchen for the meeting to begin. As they filed into the kitchen he made up his mind to watch this girl; she had real potential.
Professor Snape took his usual seat at the far end of the large kitchen table while the other Order members filled the seats further away. The potions master was rarely agreeable, and the chance to sit next to him was not especially looked forward to. But when Luna entered the kitchen she walked directly over and sat down beside him, dragging a less than enthusiastic Harry Potter with her. Professor Snape seemed rather pleased when Luna joined him and resumed their discussion, and he managed to diplomatically ignore the presence of Harry Potter; which suited the young man just fine. Soon the two were involved in a highly technical discussion on possible ways that the Blood Strengthening Solution could be modified for those with an allergic reaction to Jenup Weed, one of the prime ingredients.
After a hundred and fifty years it was difficult to surprise Albus Dumbledore about anything, he had seen too much in his very long life. But when the aged headmaster entered the room to find his least agreeable teacher and Luna Lovegood in a friendly discussion about potion making, surprised was the only way to define his reaction. In fact he watched the two in amazement for some moments before he remembered that he had a rather important meeting to conduct. Poor Harry looked rather lost as he tried to follow the detailed discussion, and appeared rather pleased when the meeting actually began.
"Good evening everyone," Professor Dumbledore began, taking on a role similar to a genial party host. "I'm glad that you could all be here tonight as we have matters of some importance to discuss. First of all I would like to welcome Philius Lovegood and his daughter Luna to our meeting; and of course you all know Mr. Potter. I wish to thank them for their successful exposure of Death Eater involvement in the operations of the Daily Prophet; that revelation seems to have had some very positive effects on our society as a whole."
"The most positive of these effects has been a weakening of Voldemort's power and his ability to control public opinion. Now that people realize how they have been manipulated they seem less afraid and more willing to resist. Tonks also tells me that Madam Bones has been given a much freer hand on dealing with our opponents within the legal system, which can only have positive effects. Also, Cornelius Fudge has lost even more credibility with the public, and now seems quite willing to work with us; probably in hopes of saving his position."
"I wish that you might have let me know about your plans before you moved forward, but I can't argue with the results that you've achieved," Dumbledore said in a very mild reproof as he tried to maintain a positive atmosphere in the meeting. He hadn't forgotten that Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood had proved to be a rather formidable combination, and if he hoped to maintain any control at all he had better move forward carefully.
"While listening to your broadcast Harry, I heard you mention a new group that has joined the fight against the Dark Lord. I believe that you referred to them as 'The Marauders.' It would be helpful if you could tell us what plans your group has for the future, though I suspect that some people in this room already know," Dumbledore said as he gazed around the table at the other members of Order of the Phoenix.
Philius Lovegood could tell that the young man was a bit uncomfortable with the question, and decided to respond on his behalf. "If you don't mind, Albus, I think that I can answer that for you." Then receiving an appreciative nod from the young teen he continued. "Our current plans involve exposing Death Eater involvement in the business and political arenas. We're hoping that such exposure will force government reforms and cut off a major source of funds for Voldemort and his followers. With the help of two very energetic wizards, I've been able to uncover a surprising amount of corruption in both business and government."
At the mention of two "energetic wizards" the two Weasley twins broke into cheers, receiving a frown of disapproval from their mother.
"Well I think we now know at least two of the members of this new organization," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"I should add that the information that we've gathered on Cornilius Fudge leads me to the conclusion that he won't be Minister of Magic for much longer," Philius added soberly.
The room was notably quiet for several seconds as everyone considered what the resignation or impeachment of Fudge could mean in such troubled times.
"But who is there to take his place?" Professor McGonagall finally asked, expressing the concerns of all.
"Yes that is a problem," Professor Dumbledore said with a sigh. "There just isn't anyone qualified that isn't tied to the corruption of his administration."
"What about Amelia Bones?" Harry asked, speaking up for the first time.
The room went silent for a moment as everyone considered Harry's suggestion. Luna gave her support immediately in the form of a supportive squeeze to his hand.
"Madam Bones has a spotless reputation within the Ministry, and she has religiously stayed clear of Fudge and his manipulations. But would she take the job?" Tonks asked no one in particular.
"She might be a very good candidate," Dunbledore said, deep within his own thoughts. "And she certainly has no love for Death Eaters. I'm going to meet with her later this week and I'll raise the subject and see how she reacts to it." And then after a pause he turned to his potions master. "How is the Dark Lord taking all of this, Severus?"
"Not well at all, I'm afraid. Those close to him have felt his anger frequently over the last week," Severus Snape said with a sigh. "The sole Death Eater to escape the fiasco at the radio station was tortured to death to show the rest of us the price of failure. But something happened yesterday that seemed to please him, and that concerns me a good deal. He was in a private meeting with Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy and he emerged from it quite pleased. We were all certain that Narcissa would be punished severely for Trunuffen's betrayal, but as far as I can tell she only received a slight touch of the Cruciatus Curse. That treatment is quite normal for the Dark Lord, and when he's angry the punishment is usually a good deal worse."
"Do you have an idea what was discussed?" Dumbledore asked, interested in anything that would put the Dark Lord in a good mood.
"I've been unable to discover anything as of yet, but young Draco Malfoy was called into the meeting and spent a good deal of time in the presence of the Dark Lord. Lord Voldemort always avoids contact with children, so there must have been an important reason for him to make an exception."
"Draco is staying with Voldemort?" Harry asked in surprise.
"Yes, after the raid on Malfoy Manor both Narcissa and her son sought sanctuary with the Dark Lord. I would advise caution with Mr. Malfoy if he decides to return to school this year, he holds both you and Miss Lovegood responsible for the loss of his estates and status," Snape said warningly. Harry wondered if the sincerity that he noticed in the man's warning was a result of Luna's kindness towards him.
"And that brings us to our next topic," Dumbledore said with a sigh as he turned to Philius Lovegood. "With your actions both you and your daughter have become likely targets for attacks by Death Eater. I would like to send someone to your home to check on the effectiveness of your wards."
"I appreciate your offer, Albus. But the wards on our home are more than sufficient to keep any unwanted visitors away," Philius said with assurance.
"But it would reassure an old man greatly," Dumbledore said, subtly pressing the matter.
"Who would you send?" Philius said with a small smile.
"Bill Weasley can evaluate the effectiveness of your system, he is an expert on wards and is currently employed by Gringotts," Dumbledore said as he gestured to Bill Weasley, who was sitting at the far end of the table.
"Very well, I'll be home all day tomorrow. If he can get through our current wards I'll allow him to upgrade the entire system," Philius said with a smile.
"Then I'll be looking forward to seeing you in the morning, Sir," Bill said with confidence.
"Mum, do you think you could bake us some apple pies," George said with a smirk.
"Oh yes, at least two or three," Fred added with glee.
Their mother gave them a suspicious look, not understanding why such a mundane matter should be brought up during such an important meeting. But Harry knew full well, and grinned across the table at the twins. Ron and Ginny, using Extendable Ears from outside the room, were rolling with laughter.
Needless to say the day that followed was not a pleasant one for Bill Weasley. From the moment he arrived at the Burrow for breakfast with his family he had a bad feeling about what events would bring. For one thing, the unexplained grins on the faces of his younger siblings were rather annoying, as were the repeated questions concerning his fondness for certain fruit pies. Also, the twins had conjured a large blackboard in the kitchen and appeared ready to record some kind of a score. It was clear that they all knew something that he didn't, but they would only grin and tell him that 'he would find out.'
By the end of the day he had definitely found out what all the grinning was about; and he lay uncomfortably on the sofa in the living room of the Burrow. He had learned two very important lessons. First, the wards at the Lovegood house were perfectly secure against a host of assorted 'dark lords.' And second, he really hated apple pie; all nine slices that he had consumed before conceding defeat.
