A/N There are governors at Hogwarts proving it to be what the Brits call a Public School which is still a fee paying entity. A Private School is one which is set up by and benefits an individual; a Public School is funded initially by the public subscription of the board of governors and the fees are there to cover the running of the school, salaries etc. Like a private school it is not subject – in the muggle world – to government interference. No requirement for any particular qualification of staff, nor national curriculum. It is answerable to the governors. Just a note in case anyone was confused about the differences between a private school, a public school and state education. Many public schools require an examination to be passed, often to a stringent level, for entry to be permitted. There are also frequently scholarship and bursary places available to educate the poor but clever.
Chapter 35: Lord Convolvumort to the fore
The day dawned of the Governors' visit; the day carefully arithmantically calculated by Krait and Hermione to be the most auspicious for them and the least auspicious for their adversary. Half the governors were known deatheaters now, and that, as Krait said, meant that they were out of the fight almost straight away because they wouldn't be expecting to be jumped and stupefied the moment they came in the door.
"Are we actually going to just overpower them?" asked David "I mean, they've all wriggled out of Azkaban so often it makes a mockery of having a wizarding prison.
"I'm going to turn them into statues and stick 'em in amongst the ruddy acromantulas" said Krait "Even if anyone feels like braving spiders to free them, they'll start to weather nicely under the dripping trees. Once their faces weather off, they can't have a potion chucked near their lips….meantime if we need them for questioning like to rescue someone WE can turn them back…what's still essentially alive can always be made dead later. The other way round is a little difficult. Now sod off and pass out Felix to anyone who's fighting and make sure the others are warned to be ready to go where they're told. They can go down into the dungeons out of the way while we're fighting and if need be use the secret passage out."
"Who's in charge of the civilians?" asked David.
"Flitwick and Sprout" said Krait. "And when you've passed out Felix you may THEN tell Hagrid that Dumbledore is alive and tell him to get that crossbow of his ready."
David grinned; this was action and he was ready for it.
-/-
Hagrid was not at first inclined to believe David; the boy had to tell him that was the message he was given to pass on.
"And he's counting on you" said David.
"Why wasn't I told before?" Hagrid was affronted.
David shrugged.
"Those of us who weren't deemed good liars were only to be told at the last minute" he said "I think it goes partly on house….for some reason they have too good an opinion of us Gryffs in terms of integrity."
"Yeah, Gryffindors are honest" said Hagrid.
David heaved a private sigh of relief that Hagrid had assumed that he, David, had also only just been told.
-/-
Lucius Malfoy arrived with his family – the younger ones being carted off by Jade and Lydia – and he and his wives were handed their dose of Felix.
"There's enough to last everyone about three hours" said David "I don't know if it'll work on muggles, Charlotte but it can't hurt. The cue to drink it is when the Wizarding Wireless announces a real treat."
Lucius nodded.
"Thank you Mr Fraser" he said "We need all the bottled luck we can get."
"In my experience, mostly you make your own luck" said David "You love Draco….that's bought you friends and friends equates all the luck in the universe. This is just a boost."
Dudley had been given a dose too; again, as a muggle, no one was quite sure how it would work, but if he believed it would, that was half the battle, Krait reckoned.
The school assembled.
Lucius made a speech that was being broadcast that was rather platitudinous along the lines of young wizards and witches working hard to achieve any goal they set for themselves.
The announcer of the wireless, well cued, then stood up.
"And now we have a great treat in store for everyone; a short recorded broadcast" he said, sitting down again.
Several hundred lips were caressed by golden liquid luck.
"And so…it begins" said Krait softly.
-/-
The high thin voice of Lord Convolvumort came out of the wireless.
"It is I again, my loyal minions and my disloyal slaves, Lord Convolvumort lord of UTTER DARKNESS [and small white flowers] bringing you news of my successes. I am INVINIC – er, INVINIS – er, COMPLETELY UNBEATABLE! I and my dirteaters have once again triumphed over the HAIRY PIMPLE and his friends even the egregee-eegee-egiosly clever muddle-blood Hermetica Grudgeblood; and I shall enslave all the muddleblooded in the WHOLE WORLD because MY blood is only a little bit muddled from having a muddled father you know, but I have replaced most of it with blood I stole from the HAIRY PIMPLE who has better blood than me you see! I am the greatest wizard on earth and I can make people in the ministry do whatever I like with spells because I can jerk their strings. That's the way to do it, HAR HAR HAR!" there was an insane cackle of laughter.
The school rocked with mixed mirth and terror; many juniors not in the MSHG glancing at the supposed Carrows.
The antidote had taken effect while everyone was listening; and Harry and Hermione sat on the dais. Harry waved and the school roared approval.
"And now" said the presenter, "We have Lord Convolvumort in person."
Draco stood up.
"My thanks for everyone's continued appreciation of my small talents" said Draco "Yes, it is I, Draco Malfoy, who has been Lord Convolvumort because I'm a better occlumens than Fishface – little Tommy Riddle, self styled Lord Vodemort – is a legilimens. Hey, Tom – screw you and the dark magic you flew in on, you smarmy creeping little worm, you travesty of life, you er putrescent pile of cacaceous carcinoma. Have I got your attention yet, you insignificant and inadequate worm?"
There was shocked silence; which was broken by several loud, if distant, 'CRAC!'s.
The sibilant voice flooded the castle by spell.
ssssHear Me! Obey ME!ssss the control words hissed. Narcissa stiffened.
"Knew I forgot something" murmured Draco.
"Narcissa, you have spawned this traitor…kill him now" said the voice.
Narcissa fought the compulsion, but her wand arm was coming up. Lucius raised his wand to her; but Charlotte was quicker.
She brought a tin tray down on Narcissa's head, hard.
"Sorry Cissy" she said.
Narcissa sank to the ground, stunned.
Quickly Draco ran to her, muttering 'legilimens' to himself to find and remove the compulsion; and Charlotte took her hand.
"Take care of her, Charlotte; dad and I have a battle on our hands" said Draco "MY GROUP! TO ME!"
The MSHG divided into their groups and marched off in perfect silence and discipline with their various squad leaders.
"Underage wizards and witches are forbidden to fight!" cried McGonagall.
"Sorry ma'am; that's an order we have to disobey" said David "You can punish us later, but whatever you devise could never be as bad as the consequence of losing for the want of a few troops. We are pledged not to get into hand to hand combat but to fire from the windows only."
"You are going to defy me, as a group?"
"I am going to obey my leader, Harry Potter" said David "He IS the Quidsats Haddarach – er, the Chosen One – and he takes precedence over all others. Excuse me, Minerva; I have a job to do and you can't do it."
McGonagall had no choice but to let him go; for the defiance was from so many she could not enforce her order. She sighed and whisked off to join the adult wizards who were ready to fight. Filius Flitwick and Pomona Sprout lead the rest to the dungeons; and one small boy waited until they had left and quaffed a potion, rapidly swelling into the figure of Dumbledore. He chortled happily to himself and went towards the battlements to watch the proceedings.
-/-
There were at least a hundred of them.
Half were werewolves under an ugly, scarred fellow who looked eager for battle.
"Greyback" said Lupin quietly "The one who infected me when I was a child…he likes biting children does Fenrir Greyback."
"Not for long" said David. "My, but they're in close range for an assault rifle. Stand by squads, on my mark….
-/-
The voice of Voldemort reverberated through the air.
"Now that Draco has been punished, I expect my followers to bring me Harry Potter…for I don't doubt he's in there somewhere" he said. "Bring me Potter and I shall spare the rest of you, except the wireless crew."
Draco's voice rang out.
"The Malfoys have changed sides, old bean…does the phrase fuck off and die have any meaning for you?"
The killing curse sizzled harmlessly on a battery of speculum spells that bounced and dissipated it into countless green sparkles each too weak to do anything.
"Save your strength" Draco admonished his squad "Don't worry about me; I have protection and I'm quite capable of casting the ruddy spell myself."
"Where is my daughter?" demanded Voldemort "Bring me Potter AND that Malfoy boy and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams!"
"What part of 'the Malfoys changed sides' did you fail to understand you fool?" said Krait's bored voice. "Ya think I want anything to do with a motheaten excuse for a semi-living dummy that's one part snake and four parts malice? Ya wish!"
Voldemort was screaming in rage by now and ordering his troops to attack.
"Wait…wait…FIRE!" shouted David.
The front rank of deatheaters and werewolves dropped in their tracks as effectively as if they had crossed a line cursed with Avada Kevadra. Indeed, for a moment those behind them assumed that a magical line must be in force; for they stopped short, waiting for orders.
They made lovely static targets.
"AND HOLD YOUR FIRE!" cried David; for he had the blood command.
Harry strolled out.
"I say, old boy, I believe you wanted to see me" he said with all the studied nonchalance of Draco Malfoy.
"NICE tone my brother!" Draco's voice sounded in Harry's ear alone.
Voldemort raised his wand.
"Go on then" said Harry "I will always win because I do not fear death. It is not the foe. Fear is the foe."
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" screamed the angry wizard. The Blood Group felt the force of the strike; and were suddenly excluded by Harry. He dropped in his tracks.