Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the idea of Harry Potter or any of the money making forms of it.
A/N: Well, it's been over two months . . . sorry . . . . Again, thanks for the reviews, they were very helpful in motivating me.
Questions/Concerns Concerning:
Harry's Patronus: Who said it needs a form? Don't worry, this will come up in the part after this one. Your concerns here will be dealt with soon. . . .
- - - Book 3 — Part 10: The Noble Guard
The holidays came surprisingly quickly, but everything had been arranged and the Goblins, as well as the Custosae, were ready.
The day the students of Hogwarts got on the train to go home for the break would go down in history as the first time Goblins had been stationed to patrol and watch over any part of a wizarding establishment.
Understandably, the public had been startled and alarmed, questioning the motives of the Goblins and the sanity of a certain Headmaster; however, such thoughts would come at the end of the day when the students would leave with their families from 9¾'s and after everything had been said and done.
Harry and the others approached the train, leaving the thestrals behind them. They found a goblin standing guard on top of one of the passenger-cars, armed with a heavy, two-handed ax, fully clad in armor that would make even a dragon second guess themselves in advancing against him.
"Wow. They certainly don't mess around, do they?" Ron whispered as they approached, several of the students near gaping at the goblin.
They had been warned by Dumbledore to the goblins' presence, but the sight of one was still a shock.
"Ah, and one other little thing before you all depart to the wonders of the holidays. Your trip to platform 9¾'s will have additional security in the form of fully armed guards. I expect all of you to show them your respect, for the Noble Guard of the Goblin Nation deserve nothing less," Dumbledore had joyfully said, completely ignoring the stunned faces before him.
Getting on the train, Harry and the others filled one of the compartments, the goblins stealthily giving Harry a brief nod of respect as he passed. He returned them not so subtly (Teddy as well), earning a few odd looks from the other students, before they followed suit, figuring Harry Potter knew what he was doing — that and they didn't want to anger any Noble Guard.
"What do you think you'll be doing for the Break?" Neville asked no one in particular.
"I don't know, I'll probably be staying at Grimmauld Place," Harry said.
"Vince and I will be staying with Snape, like during the summer," Draco said.
"Will you be staying with Neville, Greg?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, Mrs. Longbottom decided I could continue staying with her and Neville," Greg said, quite thankful for this fact.
"Maybe we'll be able to get together sometime, maybe for a snowball fight or something," Ron said.
"Yeah!" Teddy said, jumping up.
They finally arrived at the platform, all of the students happy to get off and meet back up with their parents after months at school, not to mention after recent events in the new war with Voldemort. However, the families had not been expecting an entourage of goblins to be escorting the train full of their children.
"Wha--?" many of them began, before gaping upon seeing many of the students bowing respectfully toward the guards now standing beside the doors of the train.
Most of the first students who did so were part of the Army of Hogwarts, but once a few of them were seen doing it, the rest of the students followed suit, even those who would have normally held their pride above such mutual respect, such as Nott and a few other Slytherins and other unruly individuals from the other Houses.
This would have been surprising enough, but what made those on the platform even more shocked was the fact a number of the guards returned the motion with a tip of their ax.
Harry paused, watching the exchanges in quiet pride. Respect in the wizarding world was not lost, just often overlooked. All what was needed was an initiator, and the Custosae was it.
They all met up with their families, Harry and the others going their separate ways, but not before agreeing they would contact one another via the mirrors at midnight every other day.
"So, what do you want to do when we get home?" Sirius asked Harry.
"Hmm, I don't know."
"Decorate!" Teddy shouted, before pausing upon receiving amused looks. "What? That's what people do around this time, right? I heard some Hufflepuffs talking about it."
"We can do that. I never really did that at the Dursley's," Harry admitted.
"You didn't do much of anything fun at the Dursley's, did you?" Sirius asked, though not expecting an answer. He was right, Harry giving a tiny shrug. "Well then, we'll put up the tree before dinner!"
So that's what they did, along with Lupin and Kreacher, though Sirius threatened Teddy by saying he would stick him at the top of the tree with a permanent sticking charm if he didn't stop leaping off of the couch in attempt to put an ornament above where he could reach.
Teddy didn't take it as a threat, but a treat.
"Really?! Oh wow!" Teddy exclaimed, trying in vain to climb the tree.
Sirius sighed in defeat.
The rest of the holidays passed uneventfully, though Draco and the others did come to Grimmauld Place for a Christmas party, which resulted in an interesting event.
Severus Snape and Stephanie Somac found themselves under a mistletoe (no doubt rigged by the twins), and though both had attempted to excuse themselves from the area, Dumbledore (as well as a number of others, including McGonagall) would not hear of it and prompted them to carry out tradition.
They didn't seem to mind too much; though, to the amusement of all present, they were rather red for a time afterward. Ron had decided not to look and pretended the event never happened.
Christmas morning came, which was easily the best Christmas all of them had had in a long time. Simple gifts were exchanged, which at times can be the best of all. Then, what seemed like right after, came New Years. It was much like Christmas, meaning it was relaxing and peaceful, beyond perfect and feeling too good to be true.
Surprisingly, nothing bad happened, which only sent warning bells to Harry and the others concerning Voldemort's plans. And then, a day before going back to Hogwarts, the Custosae obtained some interesting intel.
O o O o O
Harry woke up to the sound of a soft hum by his bed. Instantly recognizing it as the sound of the mirror receiving a call from Dumbledore, he snatched up the polyjuice-glamour pill and cast the needed spells around his bedroom. Teddy woke as well, hiding behind Harry's pillow and marveling at how quickly Harry had disguised his room into one of a wise bachelor's.
"Long Beard?" Harry asked, his disguise completely in place.
"Mage, I felt it prudent to contact you immediately after receiving certain news."
"What? Has something happened?" Harry asked, quickly preparing himself to hear some rather dire news.
"Grindelwald has been found dead in his prison at Nurmengard. I have reason to believe Voldemort is responsible," Dumbledore stated, sounding rather grim.
Harry frowned, and frowned even more as a memory surfaced.
He was a young man, looking at a mark on a wall. An equilateral triangle with a circle in the center and a line down the middle. Soon after, he was reading a story about three brothers, each obtaining a gift from Death. A wand, a stone, and a cloak.
He shook his head, amused by the pitiful attempt of the author to make death out to be an inevitable thing, as if there was nothing that could permanently prevent one's demise. Pitiful fools who knew nothing of Horcruxes, items which were the key to true everlasting life. Though, if such items did exist, having the wand wouldn't be undesirable.
"The Deathly Hallows?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore reared back slightly, clearly not having expected that response.
"You have heard about them, I see. How did you know they're involved in this?"
"A little hunch, but I do not understand why Voldemort would feel it best to kill him. Though, I suppose if he believed Grindelwald would have information . . . ?" Mage asked, hoping Dumbledore would fill in the blanks.
Dumbledore sighed.
"I am ashamed to admit it, but a long time ago, I had been friends with Grindelwald. Call it youthful optimism, ignorance or stupidity, but for a time I had believed in what Grindelwald was seeking to make a reality. To make said dream a reality, Grindelwald had become consumed in bringing the Deathly Hallows together and managed to obtain the Elder Wand."
"I assume he no longer has it in his possession?" Mage asked.
"No," Dumbledore stated before holding up his wand for Mage to see. "I do."
Harry blinked.
"This is not all of what I need to share with you, though it seems you are already well informed with certain things," Dumbledore said with a light smile before frowning again. "A wandmaker by the name of Gregorovitch has gone missing. He was who Grindelwald stole the wand from initially."
"So it is likely Voldemort has kidnapped him to try to learn where the wand is now . . ." Harry muttered. "Does Gregorovitch know anything?"
"He knows that it was Grindelwald who took the wand from him. It isn't hard to take the next step to me," Dumbledore said.
Harry nodded. "Well, thank you for informing me of these things. I don't know if I will be able to do anything about Gregorovitch, but knowing that Voldemort is after the Hallows is no doubt important."
"You're welcome, Mage. If I learn anything new, I will be sure to pass it on to you."
O o O o O
"Alright, now Dumbledore and the Custosae have arranged it all with the Goblins. They know what they are doing. You all have nothing to worry about, so just enjoy your ride back to Hogwarts, okay?" Sirius said, after putting Harry's bag on the train for him.
"Okay, Sirius," Harry said, finding it a little funny how it was clear that it was Sirius who needed the reassurance, not himself.
Harry got on the train, quickly finding the others in one of the middle compartments.
Once they got settled, they shut the door, one of the Noble Guards patrolling the narrow hall while four others walked along the top of the train.
"You think he is going to try something?" Hermione asked.
"Maybe," Susan whispered. "My aunt gave me a letter this morning for us. A few people have gone missing, nobody part of the Ministry, but she thinks there is something to it so thought she would give it to me to give it to you," she said, handing the letter to Harry.
"Yeah, I spoke with Long Beard last night about it. A wandmaker, Gregorovitch, went missing, but not before Grindelwald was found dead in his prison," Harry said, before continuing by telling them what he had learned about the Hallows.
"So Dumbledore has the Elder Wand?!" Ron asked, his eyes as wide.
"Knew the old man-"
"Had something-"
"Up his sleeve!" the twins said.
"You know what this means though, right?" Hermione asked, but didn't pause long enough for anyone to answer. "Voldemort wants the wand, which can also mean he's after the other Hallows."
"Hmm, that might be, since it's said that whoever has all three is the Master of Death," Susan said.
"Voldemort is afraid of death. Very afraid, actually," Harry said, thoughtfully.
:A Coward, isn't he?: Revlis asked from around Neville's arm.
:I think it's sad: Neville said, before switching back to English. "Think of how much he could have done with his life if he had been different. He's a powerful wizard, but he decided to waste his gifts in things that bring death—the thing he is afraid of."
Harry and the others nodded sadly, but before any of them could comment further, the whole train lurched backward before moving forward again.
"Bloody hell!" Ron shouted, as they all tried their best to brace themselves.
They then all heard the sound of something huge tearing, like a giant tarp of thick cloth, as a shimmer of light swept by all of the windows.
The wards had activated.
They all turned to Harry, hoping he would be able to tell them what was happening, but before he could enlighten them, they heard spells being cast and several noises they could only refer to as barbaric cries.
The Honor Guard.
Looking out the now glittering window, they were able to make out several dark forms on brooms, wands in their hands and curses upon their lips.
"Death Eaters," Draco spat, pulling out his wand.
"What should we do?" Susan asked.
Harry sat back, allowing himself to get comfortable as the train continued toward Hogwarts.
"Let the Guard do their job," Harry stated simply, though the others did notice that his hand was ready to take hold of his wand as Teddy scooted closer to him.
O o O
All of the compartments locked the moment the Prefects had ensured all the students had bunkered down within, the sounds of battle literally overhead as the goblins on the roof of the train fought with the Death Eaters on the brooms.
Looking out from their compartment windows, the students of Hogwarts could only watch in astonishment as Death Eater after Death Eater fell, either from thrown axes or mysterious bolts of light from the train's top.
"GAHHH HAHAHAHA!" a goblin roared, clearly enjoying combat as the train shuddered.
"What was that?" Hermione asked.
"Whatever it was, it didn't sound good," Neville said.
"GET DOWN!" Draco suddenly shouted, pushing those who he could reach away from the window as a cloaked man rocketed towards it.
BOOM!
Phffffsssshhhhh!
Picking themselves off the floor, they found a cracked and bloodied window, but no sign of the downed man.
Turning away from the wall and looking to the compartment door, they suddenly leapt back.
There was a Death Eater on board.
They all aimed their wands, about to blast him despite being on the other side of the compartment door, but they stopped themselves as the malicious looking man was rammed by an unrelenting midget-like form.
Crash!
"Meet my friend Thor!" the goblin boomed, lifting a gigantic hammer.
Harry and the others immediately turned away, not wanting to see the demise of the Death Eater, but if anyone had looked, the goblin's hammer collided against the Death Eater's chest, slamming him hard a long way down the hall of the train.
"Alright there, Potter?" the goblin asked, nearly completely covered in armor as he waved his free hand at the compartment door, causing it to glide open.
"Yes, we're alright," Harry said, looking at the goblin's armor in an attempt to identify him. "Thanks, Kingrin, but how did he get on the train?"
"Seems he was already on the train," Kingrin grunted. "Mangy rat was an insect animagus. Came in on one of the student's carryons would be my guess."
Harry nodded, agreeing that was probably the case.
The sounds of battle had ceased, the train still rushing to Hogwarts.
"Was anyone else hurt?" Harry asked, preventing his eyes from trailing down to the downed death eater.
"No serious injuries that I know of on our side, though a few guards up top had nearly been blown off a few times," he said gruffly. "My superior will be giving a full report to the Headmaster."
Harry nodded as Kingrin gave a brief bow and closed their compartment door before going on his way.
O o O o O
Dinner that night was a rowdy one. People were understandably unsettled over the attack on the train, and stunned over how well the goblins had protected them.
Recalling how all of the professors, as well as a number of aurors, were present when they arrived is something they will also not soon forget. Dumbledore himself greeted the goblins and gratefully gave them a low bow, thankful to them that they had protected his students.
Upon that, even those who did not like the goblins at all grudgingly found themselves at the very least respecting 'those creatures'.
Harry and the others were certain the next day would involve a great deal of fallout from the attack on the train. They only hoped the press would not exaggerate, or worse, hide the truth. They were fairly confident they had nothing to worry about, but recent events were sure to cause a media frenzy either way.
Dumbledore, at dinner, again expressed his gratitude toward the Noble Guard of the Goblin Nation and stated how proud he was of his students for how they dealt with the situation (not that they really had much of an option — though, Harry admitted, they could have panicked, but they didn't).
After dinner, Harry and the others went their separate ways, though Harry, Hermione, Ron, the twins, and Ginny took a few minutes to talk among themselves before heading to bed.
"Well, I was going to discuss this with everyone on the train, but I obviously didn't get a chance," Harry said. "I'll tell the others tomorrow, but until then, I wanted to tell you guys something."
"What is it?" Hermione asked, putting her wand away after placing the privacy wards around them, not that there were many people in the common room, but better safe than sorry.
"It's about the Hallows. I've been thinking about them recently and I think I've stumbled upon something huge," Harry said.
"How huge?" Ron asked.
"What do you mean?" Neville asked.
"I know where they all are," Harry said. "I'm certain of it, and in fact, I have one."
"What!?" Ginny asked, easily recalling the bedtime story and wondering which of the other two he had.
"Well, technically two of them," Harry amended.
"Okay, wait a minute. What?" Ron asked.
"Why, little brother, little Harry here—"
"Just claimed he has two of the three—"
"Deathly Hallows so knows—"
"Where they all are," Fred and George said.
Harry nodded.
"I've given this a lot of thought after Dumbledore spoke with Mage."
"You know talking about yourself in the third person is a little nutters, right?" Ron asked.
"Sush, Ron, he's trying to tell us something important," Ginny admonished.
"You know my cloak?" Harry asked, as if there had been no interruption.
Hermione gasped, instantly putting it together while the others took a few seconds longer.
"Oh wow. You can hide from Death!" Ron shouted.
Harry was grateful for the privacy ward.
"I don't know about that," Harry said, "But Dumbledore seems to take the Hallows at least partially seriously, and Grindelwald certainly did."
"Okay, so where's the third? Dumbledore has the wand, so that leaves the stone," Ron said.
"Sirius has it. It was one of the Horcruxes we destroyed. The ring," Harry said.
"Wow," Ron and the twins breathed.
"I wonder if it would really . . . you know . . ." Ginny whispered.
"I don't honestly know if I want to find out. I think I'm content in waiting to see the dead. What can the dead really provide for the living? Sure, they could tell us things, give messages to be delivered, like when Harry went to the Realm, but there is still a great divide between us and them. The brother in possession of the Resurrection Stone practically went mad, didn't he?" Hermione said.
"Yes—"
"Committed suicide," Fred and George answered.
"Well, that's great and makes me glad we have the stone!" Ron said sarcastically.
"I believe that's the point," Neville said. "But I think there is a purpose to the stone. Closure most likely, like giving a family the opportunity to really say goodbye."
The others nodded in agreement.
"That's possible," Harry said.
"Hmm, but what about the whole 'Master of Death' thing?" Ron asked, thinking hard. "If you had all three, I mean, if Dumbledore would let you borrow his wand for a little bit, you'd be invincible and that would help you defeat Voldemort once and for all!"
"I don't know if that's how the Hallows would work together. What does being the Master of Death really mean?" Harry asked.
"You can't die because you're Death's master," Ron exclaimed, as if that was obvious.
Harry frowned. "I don't think that's it at all."
"Then what is it?" Ginny asked, curious.
"I don't know, but I'm certain it's not as clear as that," Harry said, Teddy looking thoughtful as well.
"Well, maybe Draco or one of the others will have more thoughts on this tomorrow, but I think we should head to bed now. We have classes tomorrow you know," Hermione said.
They all agreed and went to bed, Harry still thinking on the meaning of being the 'Master of Death.'
O o O o O
The next morning, they found that the Wizarding World had been greatly surprised by the Noble Guard's ferocity in defending the children of Hogwarts and Fudge himself felt it was necessary to publically thank the Goblin Nation.
Publically thank them!!!
Not long after the Minister's grateful statement, the Ministry got a surprising response from the Goblins, via letter, not that the public learned of it. . . .
The children of nations are the future of nations, and the time has come for the Goblin Nation to make this fact known once again -- for sadly it seems to have been forgotten or overlooked by a great number of every kind.
The inhabitants of Hogwarts have our protection, for the one who has our respect and allegiance is within.
A great blessed change is coming, dear Minister. Are you and your people ready?
With great pride and pure purpose,
Lord Kraknek, King of the Goblin Nation and Head Elder of the Noble Guard
Rook had shared this message with Harry later that day over the mirror, before Harry and the others told the rest of the Custosae of what they had discussed the previous night.
No one had any more thoughts on the Hallows, and so they quickly focused on more important things, like Custosae business, which primarily concerned making potions and gathering intelligence.
The first Hogsmeade weekend came, a number of teachers going as escorts. Harry and most of the others opted to remain within Hogwarts, which made Dumbledore conclude that Mage must have sent word to Harry or something, asking for him to remain within the walls of Hogwarts. Dumbledore was ever so grateful to Mage, since it was highly unlikely Sirius would suggest such a thing or that any other adult's request would have been carried out by the teenage boy, responsible and powerful or not.
Susan, Ginny, and the twins visited Hogsmeade, mainly to purchase supplies and to slyly place certain alarms. . . .
Dementors were still stationed around the edges of Hogsmeade, though the Ministry had firmly instructed the dementors to leave the villagers alone, and that their sole duty there was to ensure the escaped convicts from Azkaban did not enter but were caught by them.
As the weeks passed, they felt themselves fall back into their routines (which included the Army of Hogwarts), though changes brought about by events during the Break were made evident more and more everyday — some by the press, others by people's attitudes, and, a month into term, by several decisions of nations, races, and clans.
"Hagrid, what is it?" Harry asked, Teddy looking up curiously from Harry's foot.
It was an hour or so before dinner. Ron, Neville and Ginny were with him in Hagrid's hut. Hermione and many of the others were in the library or their own common rooms doing other things.
"Here, 'Arry. I just got this from the centaurs," he said, handing him a sharply folded and sealed letter of leafy paper. "I think it's import'nt."
Harry nodded, wondering what this could be about as he took it, finding the name MAGE sprawled across it in thick, hard writing. Had the Centaurs finally made a decision? Opening it up, he read, the others crowding in around him to read as well.
MAGE, HEAD OF THE CUSTOSAE De LUX,
WE, THE CENTAUR CLAN OF THIS ANCIENT AND MOST SACRED FOREST, AFTER MUCH DEEP AND SERIOUS THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION AMONG OURSELVES AND YOUR HUMBLE MESSENGER, HEREBY GIVE YOU OUR BOW.
WE HAVE COME TO A GREAT IMPASSE AND HAVE MADE A CHOICE TO RAISE UP ARMS WITH YOU AND YOUR ARMIES. KNOW OUR NUMBERS ARE SMALL, BUT OUR STRENGTH IS GREAT AND BESIDE YOU AND YOUR ALLIES. ALSO KNOW A CLAN OF PIXIES HAS VOICED THEIR DESIRE TO ANNOUNCE THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO YOU. YOUR MESSENGER MAY SEEK THEM OUT IF YOU SO DESIRE.
CALL ON US WHEN YOU ARE IN NEED AND WE WILL COME, MOST HONORABLE CHILD.
They all blinked, Harry eyes still on the page.
"Th-the Centaurs . . . bloody hell!" Ron gasped as they all stepped back and gathered back in front of Harry.
Harry slowly looked up, his eyes still encircled by gold and holding a dark green star within each.
"They know who Mage is, don't they?" Harry asked softly to Hagrid.
"They've never said it in so many words, but I've 'ad my suspicions that they might know. They read things from the stars no one else can, 'Arry."
Harry nodded. "Well, the goblins already know. Seems only fair the centaurs know as well, and I'm sure they'll keep it a secret."
"This secret is in safe hands, 'Arry," Hagrid affirmed.
It was the next day when they received news that quickly dampened their happy mood of the centaurs' decision. Through the Custosae Network, they were told it was likely that a small kin of giants had joined Voldemort's numbers, and though it was only hearsay, it was very probable. This was quickly dwarfed a few days later when two contacts, one through the goblins and another through Albus Dumbledore himself, informed the Custosae of Voldemort's newest allies.
Werewolves and a large family unit of vampires. The werewolves didn't come as much of a surprise, but the vampires were a different matter entirely, particularly when it seemed Voldemort had been focusing his attention on other matters, such as hunting down the Elder Wand. Why would the vampires ally themselves with him, when they were normally neutral in such matters?
Death Eater activity, which had been low after the attack on the train, began to go back up again, though Voldemort had yet to show his face publically. Harry was sure he was hot on the trail of the Elder Wand, considering recent intel from the goblins and the Order, which got Harry thinking about other things he felt should be put into action quickly. Another midnight call to Long Beard seemed to be in order.
The Death Eaters seemed to be targeting lone villages where word would be unlikely to get out in time. It was also very clear that they were bored, which was not a very good thing for the inhabitants of said villages.
News of raids soon became a common thing to read in the Daily Prophet, and it was truly angering Harry and the others. Harry wished he could, on good conscience, station a unit of goblins in every village, but that simply was not possible.
Even though the public had expressed gratitude toward the goblins in defending Hogwart's Express, they were a far cry from allowing them to guard their villages; besides, was that even fair to the goblins? Placing that much upon their shoulders when they had their own people to protect and their own lives to live? No.
Not to mention, there simply were not enough people, goblin or human, to guard each and every village. There was also the problem of muggle neighborhoods.
Death Eaters were not only targeting wizard towns, but muggle ones as well, in which the non-wizarding population would later be told aggressive vandals, lone terrorists, escaped criminals, or terrible accidents were to blame, depending on the resulting grave destruction.
It was all rather depressing, disheartening, and disturbing to watch a war slowly escalate, and to Harry and the others, quite maddening.
Although the Order of the Phoenix and Custosae did what they could, as well as the Aurors from the Ministry, it simply wasn't enough. Casualties were increasing, and it seemed to be primarily the innocent who suffered the most. Harry and the others actually wished they could go out and physically help, but they obviously couldn't.
Harry cast the necessary spells, closing the curtains around his bed after informing Ron and Neville what he was doing so they could cover for him if necessary late that night (not that that was likely). Teddy hunkered down as Harry grabbed the mirror.
"Long Beard."
Dumbledore came into view soon after, his half-mooned spectacles on his nose. "Mage?"
"I have a sort of favor to ask of you. Well, it's not exactly a favor, just something I feel should be done as soon as possible before Riddle gets involved," Harry said, a great sense of urgency rising within him for some unknown reason.
It wasn't his scar, since that was no longer linked to Voldemort. No, this was something else. He decided to identify the feeling as instincts.
"Name it," Dumbledore said, clearly catching whatever emotion had just flickered within Mage's eyes.
"Ask Ollivander to move to Hogwarts. And when I say ask, I mean greatly encourage."
"I will do my best. May I ask why, though?"
"My contacts have informed me that Riddle is slowly making his way back, and if I can be any judge of what Riddle will do, I'd say he is going to wish to speak to another knowledgeable wandmaker. I'm sure you would agree with my conclusion that it would be a miracle if Gregorovitch was found alive."
"Yes, regrettably I have to agree with you," Dumbledore said.
"I also wouldn't be surprised if Riddle tries to take Azkaban soon, which I suppose doing so is very much in his favor already, considering the dementors," Mage said.
"I have also come to that conclusion. The Ministry has distanced the dementors from Hogsmeade, but I'd be lying if I said I feel comfortable with my students going down there on the weekends; but the parents have voiced their children's desire to, and since LeStrange, the Crabbes and Goyles haven't been seen recently. . . ."
"They're falling into a false sense of security," Mage stated.
"I'm afraid so."
"Well, though we are at war, whether or not the Wizarding World wants to admit this, we cannot allow it to rule our lives. Granted, we need to be smart and choose what we do and how we do things wisely, hiding under a rock isn't going to solve things. I think the public is just trying to do this, though I think possibly endangering their children, especially when they're not there, is arrogant, which reminds me . . . my people have recently placed alarms in Hogsmeade that will alert the Honor Guard of attack. If something happens, help will soon be on the way, if that brings you any piece of mind."
Dumbledore's eyes sparkled with great appreciation, and Mage was fairly certain that if he and Dumbledore had physically been in the same room, the old man would have hugged him.
"It does," Dumbledore said.
"I'm glad. Well, unless there is anything else . . . ?" Mage asked.
"No, I don't believe so."
"Good night, then," Mage said.
"Good night. We are a formation of defenders."
The mirror went dark, leaving Harry to his thoughts.
Something was about to happen. Something big. He was sure of it, and as he rolled over to his side and let Teddy snuggle against his chest (no longer needing to stay out of sight from the mirror) he knew it wasn't anything good.
Not good at all.
Next part: No Restraint
A/N: The next part is going to be HUGE, as in have a lot of action and O.O stuff, but unfortunately it's all still in my head. Classes are once again piling up, but I will tell you this . . . reviews really do help me type faster :P
