Chapter 07- Waiting
A/N: Okay, I had planned on this being the last official chapter with an epilogue before moving on to part two. After writing the first part of this chapter, I didn't think that the final battle belonged in it. So, the final battle is in the next chapter. Then the epilogue. Then part two.
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Hogwarts
Headmaster's Office
Day after the attack
"I say that we should attack while they are still building their defenses," Mad-eye Moody said, hitting the desk with his fist. "Don't give them any more of a chance then they."
"As much as I hate to agree," Snape said, sneering. "I must concur. If we give then enough time, it will be impossible to break their defenses without tremendous losses to our side."
"We can't," Dumbledore protested. "We need Mr. Potter before we have a chance of defeating the Dark Lord. With..."
Shaking her head, Madame Bones said, "I don't care to hear about your so-called prophecy. We can't put our faith in a student, no matter how good he is. And he hasn't been seen outside of attacking the Dark Lords forces in months."
"It is imperative that he is the one who fight Voldemort," he said again, ignoring the flinches.
"You haven't even shared the prophecy with us," McGonagall said. "How can you expect us to believe anything about it when we don't know why we need to believe it. And I will admit that Mr. Potter is exceptional at his studies when not being influenced by Mr. Weasley, he is nowhere near ready to face the Dark Lord. I'm amazed that he has been able to fight the Death Eaters as well as he has been."
"No matter how many Death Eaters he has fought, Potter will always be an attention seeking brat," Snape said. He still couldn't fathom in his head how Potter was able to not only fight but kill Death Eaters. Ms. Davis was no surprise to him. He knew she could be dangerous when pressed. She had proven that many times over the years.
"You afraid that Potter will mistake you for the other side," Moody said, smiling nastily. "Afraid that you might no make it?"
Speaking up before Snape could respond, Madame Bones said, "The Ministry forces will be ready to attack in two days. We're bringing in warding specialists to ensure that no one can escape the village once we attack..."
"That will prevent us from leaving once we enter," Snape pointed out. His sense of self-preservation made him shudder at the thought of not being able to escape when things went south.
"That's the purpose of the ward stones," Moody laughed. "No one is leaving that battlefield until it's over."
"The Order can be ready in two days to attack," Dumbledore said. While he didn't believe that they could finish off Tom, they could at least try to capture as many of his followers as they can.
"Then it's settled then," Madame Bones said. "The battle is in two days."
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Hogsmede
"My Lord," Bellatrix said, kneeling. "Word has come that they will attack in two days. Both the Ministry and Order."
"Have the hostages lined up in front of the village," he said. "I'll show the people the price of going against me. Make sure that Potter's friends are in the front."
"If I may, my Lord," the elder Malfoy said, stepping forward and bowing. At Voldemort's nod, he continued. "It has come to my attention while...questioning the blood-traitor and mud-blood, that they are not as close to their savior as they used to be. I would never presume to include the mud-blood, but it might be a boon if the blood-traitor saw the light...so to speak."
"I'm listening," Voldemort said. He was intrigued at what he'd heard so far. Punishment could always come later if the idea was that of a fools.
"The Weasley family, as we all know, are strong supporters of the Light side. What would the people say when one of them supports our way. I'm sure I could bring the traitor back into the right way of thinking."
"Your idea would have merit," Voldemort started. "If it wasn't for the particular Weasley we have captured. I know of this particular one. While he would betray our young savior, he is too ingrained by the Light to betray it. If we capture another, more malleable Weasley, you are free to bring them around to the correct way of thinking."
Bowing to his lords answer, Malfoy stepped back into the circle.
Seeing no more interruptions coming, Voldemort said, "In two days we will crush the Ministry and Order. The castle shall be ours once its defenders are beaten. The children shall be taught the true ways of our society."
"What of the mud-bloods," a younger Death Eater interrupted. "When shall we cleanse our society?"
"Crucio," Voldemort said, point his wand at the one who interrupted him. "You were not given leave to speak. Remember your place."
"Yes, my Lord," the man gasped out as he tried to stand back up.
Looking at the man on the ground, he said, "He does have a point. Only those who stand against us will be destroyed. The mud-bloods who bow to their superiors will have their place in our society severing their betters. We shall create a utopia where our people will rule supreme."
As he looked out at his followers, he couldn't help but feel that his goal of immortality was close at hand. Once he had the resources of Britain behind him, he would be able to harness enough power to grant him eternity.
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Undisclosed location
"So, Harry," Tracey said as slid in behind Harry and wrapped her arms around him. "What are your plans for the next two days? There aren't any attacks planned that we need to worry about."
Looking down at Tracey's arms around him, he shook his head to clear it. Over the past several weeks, she had been acting strange around him. The problem was that he wasn't sure what her angle was. While he was developing feelings for her, he wasn't sure what she was showing was genuine. She had taken down several Death Eaters that he had missed and were about fire off several curses at him.
"Why don't we go out for dinner tonight in London," he said. That was safe. It would give him more time to get to know her and at the same time, give him a chance to observe her. What he wouldn't give for one of his abilities to be understanding women. Plus, he would get to see how see treated the muggles. "I know of the perfect place."
While she was glad that he was going to take her out tonight, she was slightly hesitant about going into the muggle world. She remembered the stories about why magical users had to hide from them. Every pureblood was told them while growing up. But this was her chance to show Harry that she had chosen him. At first, she had joined him out of fear, the same reason that she had for wanting to sign up with the Dark Lord.
Fear. Pure and simple fear was what drove her. Fear of what the magical world would be like if their way of life was taken from them by the muggleborns. She had figured that she was going to die anyway when the Dark Lord ordered them against the ministry. So, when Harry showed up and offered her another chance, she took it. It was either die by Potter, Voldemort, or the Ministry. She chose to put her lot in with the unknown for once.
"Sure, I would love to," she said smiling. She could prove to him that she could handle being around muggles.
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London
"That was wonderful. I had no idea that muggles had food like that. What did you call it? Picha? Pizza?" Tracey said as she walked down the street with Harry. They had just left the restaurant and she couldn't believe that she had been afraid of them. Sure they were strange but they didn't try to burn her at a stake.
"Yes, Pizza," he said, smiling. He had been amused throughout the entire meal as Tracey was astonished by the littlest of details. He was beginning to see that she didn't hate the muggles, she was afraid of them. While it would be a while before he would consider asking her out, let alone think about anything else, he knew then that she wouldn't betray him.
"Can we go out again," she said, happily. "Please. Tomorrow night. I want to see more of the muggle world."
Sure," he said. "We can try something else new for you."
The two of them walked off into the night, knowing that in less than two day, their entire worlds were about to change again.
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End Chapter 07
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