Chapter 19: Research and Planning
After returning to the castle, Ron apologized to everyone for worrying them; Ron and Bill had a nice long chat and came out the better for it. Everyone was living their lives and preparing for what came next. Harry and Ginny were putting the finishing touches on the apprentice program and had received confirmations from everyone who wished to be involved. After a lot of debate and input from everyone, they finally settled on the apprentices:
Ancient RunesOrla Quirke Ravenclaw (5th)
ArithmancyLuna LovegoodRavenclaw (5th)
AstronomySusan BonesHufflepuff (6th)
Care of Magical CreaturesRachael Dawes Hufflepuff (7th)
CharmsCho ChangRavenclaw (7th)
Defense Against The Dark ArtsRon WeasleyGryffindor (6th)
HerbologyNeville LongbottomGryffindor (6th)
History of Magic Daphne GreengrassSlytherin (6th)
History of Muggles Colin CreeveyGryffindor (7th)
Muggle StudiesErnie McMillanHufflepuff (6th)
Physical EducationJonathan DaviesRavenclaw (7th)
Magical EducationElizabeth Marie KilpatrickHufflepuff (7th)
PotionsBlaise ZabiniSlytherin (6th)
TransfigurationHermione GrangerGryffindor (6th)
Magical HealingHanna AbbottHufflepuff (6th)
They had tried over and over again to make sure that all four houses were represented equally, but in the end, Hufflepuff having more representatives in the apprentice program.
As per their contracts, each person was no longer a member of any one house and would be a group onto themselves. Their quarters were already arranged to be off the staff wing in their own suites. Ron and Hermione had already asked about a single suite for the two of them since they were planning on getting married.
Harry had to break the news to them that until they were married, they would be in separate quarters, that just so happened to have a false wall that could be removed to make it one large suite. Ron and Hermione announced that they would be getting married the week before their apprenticeships started. Molly of course was ecstatic about planning a wedding. Harry and Ginny, after discussing it with Ron and Hermione decided to have a public ceremony at the same time.
The only hitch they had experienced was trying to find any Slytherins who wanted to participate in the program. Finally they found Daphne and Blaise who have been dating for a few years. After a lengthy interview and their insistence that they give both a Wizard's Oath and an Unbreakable Vow to Harry, did they sign up with enthusiasm.
As they told Harry and Ginny while dining privately in Harry office after signing, they were very glad to be out of the snake pit. While many of the younger students, 4th year and below were not Death Eaters, most everyone above that were supporters.
There were two troubling issues for Harry. One was what Voldemort was doing, and the other was the Order of the Phoenix. Even though he was now of age, married, and a better fighter then many of the members, Dumbledore still refused to allow Harry to join; Harry reminded Albus that they were using his properties for Order activities and if he didn't want a scene he had better rethink who should be in the order.
Albus had begun to give…censored reports from order meetings, which publicly Harry was ok with. In reality it just made him that much more upset. He finally had Ron and Hermione go to Grimmauld Place and bug the place with Muggles Listening devices so that they could get al the information. Bill and surprisingly Percy were both very loose lipped about what was going on in order. Since Percy's return, he had removed the cauldron from his ass and was now known to tell a joke, which worked out quite well since he was now Vice-President of Operations for Weasley's Inc. the parent company of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.
Thru their sources, Harry and his group were able to discover that Voldemort's duel with Dumbledore had used up quite a bit of magical power and that he was recovering. This led the group to a number of ideas and theories. First off, no one really knew Voldemort ha done to make himself almost immortal, so they needed to find out how to do this. The easiest way of doing hat would be to monitor Voldemort when he is using magic. Every magical creature, no matter how twisted they have become, has their own unique magical signature. This signature is mix of their own magical aura, and any magic that has been used on or by the individual. Over the years, as more and more spells are used on or by a person, their signature grows and changes.
If a person were to study these signatures, they cold discover every spell ever used. The trouble is that there are no known devices for recording a magical signature. This was Hermione's task, she had to figure out how to record Voldemort's signature, without him knowing. It had taken a trip to London Gringotts and two bottles of Firewhiskey with Remus and Bill to figure out the solution. Bill told Hermione and Ron that magical is similar to muggle electricity. That is why muggle electronics do not work at Hogwarts; they are over run with energy. Hermione designed the recording device that could record every magical signature in a given area.
So now the trouble was how to spring a trap that would make Voldemort come out of hiding. In order to plan this out, Harry knew he needed help. So he invited Remus, Tonks, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, the Twins, Percy, Penny, and Severus to dinner to discuss this idea.
"Now before we begin, I require a Wizard's Oath saying that you will not reveal anything about what we are planning or doing to anyone outside this room. This includes Dumbledore, the Order of the Phoenix, and the Ministry." Everyone swore the oath including Snape. Since his meeting with Salazar, Severus was seeing Harry in a new light and agreed with him about joining the order.
"Good, we have a theory that Voldemort's immortality is somehow linked to his magical core. From what Severus has told the order, he is still recovering from his duel with Albus, however he could duel if he had a large enough target. Hermione has developed an instrument that will record the magical aura or signature of everything and everyone in specific area. As we have learned, if we are sitting around doing nothing, then there is very little magic to be picked up. What we want to do is lure Voldemort into a trap of sorts, in Diagon Alley.
"Our plan is this; I am having a press conference in three days in front of Gringotts to announce that Gringotts Goblins will be teaching classes at Hogwarts. They will be teaching Estate Finance, Business Finance, and a unit on Goblins in History of Magic. I am also going to announce the Hogwarts Apprenticeship Program and the Hogwarts Advisory Council.
"Now, since I will be there along with my wife, whom I plan to introduce, and the Board members, I hope that Voldemort will take the opportunity to attack. Severus, if you were to plant the correct information, do you think he'll take the bait and show up?"
Severus was quiet for a moment, thinking about the plan, "Yes. Voldemort want to kill you Harry. Do you intend to flee when you have your information?"
Harry shook his head, "No. I plan on having us, the order, the Ministry, and goblins ready to fight. All the chairs that the audience will be sitting on will be portkeys that take them a safe location. They will not work for anyone who carries the dark mark. We got that Magical Signature when you walked in Professor. We will then engage the enemy and fight till they flee. I would like you Bill to setup portkey and apparation wards to cover Diagon Alley.
"If I am right and I can do enough damage to him, then he'll have to either flee through the Leaky Cauldron, or rip the wards that would require quite a bit of power and make him even more vulnerable." Those who were not involved in the planning of this task were shocked. There was quite a bit of information here to process. After reviewing the notes Ginny and Luna had prepared, the entire group broke into smaller teams and prepared for the task at hand.
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Albus Dumbledore and his wife were eating lunch in his office talking about life. Since Harry had taken control of Hogwarts, things were much easier for the old Headmaster. Whatever he or his staff needed, he received with very little trouble. Minister Bones had the Ministry well in hand and began to make an impact on rogue Death Eaters and other dark arts supporters.
Yes overall life was very well, there was just one problem, Harry's insistence that be allowed to join the Order of the Phoenix. While it was true that Harry and his group were the best fighters Albus had ever seen, they were too young.
That is a bullshit excuse Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore! Albus knew it was, but he made his decision, for now.
Suddenly an owl zoomed towards Albus; he removed the envelope and looked at the wax seal. The seal was the official Hogwarts seal which Harry used on all official correspondence. That seal had not been used for many years. Albus opened the envelope and removed the parchment:
To: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, President of Hogwarts Advisory Council, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
From: Lord Gryffindor, Harry James Potter, High Lord of Hogwarts
Re: Press Conference on July 29th
Mr. President:
This letter is to inform you that I have called a press conference for 10am on July 29th in front of Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley. This press conference will explain the role that the Gringotts Goblins are playing in the wizarding world, the Hogwarts Advisory Council, and the Hogwarts Apprenticeship Program. As the President of the Advisory Council, I am asking that you be on stage with me and Lady Gryffindor to answer any questions the general population may ask. Security for the event will be handled by the Ministry of Magic Aurors and Gringotts Goblins. If you would like to invite some friends to the press conference, then please feel free to, but be advised that they will not be allowed to sit in the general population seating.
Any questions regarding the press conference, or my sanity, may be delivered to me July 29th from 9:55am to 10:00am. I am a very busy man and will not be available to answer any questions you may have until then.
Sincerely:
Lord Harry James Potter
Head of the House of Potter
Head of the House of Black
High Lord of Hogwarts
P.S. It wouldn't suggest trying to get anyone in the castle to talk to you about the press conference. Anyone who might know has made an unbreakable vow to me and a Wizard's Oath. See how you like being in the dark OLD MAN!
Albus knew Harry was pissed off at him. Since Harry had been denied entry to the Order, Harry flat refused to talk to him or dine with him. Albus began to eat in his office more and more. Normally Minerva would join him, but many times he ate alone. He also knew Minerva was not happy with him because of the Harry situation. She wanted to see Harry and his friends spared the ugliness of war, but they were already deeply involved.
Once again her husband was being pig headed and stubborn. It had gotten so bad the Fawkes had been staying with her in her office. Albus handed the letter over to his wife and fell back into his chair, looking older then had been in quite a while. Minerva knew this look; it was the look Albus had whenever he realized he made a huge mistake. When Minerva finished, she stood up and moved over to sit in Albus' lap and kissed his forehead.
"Well Albus, I believe that Harry is still upset with you. Though I have a feeling there is more to this Press Conference then what he letting on; which he might have told you about if you weren't such an ass to him. I would suggest you contact the order and then prepare your notes for tomorrow, but do me one favor, when we go to this press conference, please wear the Battle Robes Harry gave you underneath your robes, I think you might need them."
With a deep sigh Albus nodded, "You are right Minerva, as usual. I will contact the order and schedule a meeting for tonight at Grimmauld Place. I doubt Harry or any of his friends will talk to me today." Albus and Minerva took off to their tasks.