Chapter 3: Naumkeag

Albus Potter arrived at Naumkeag School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with the entirety of the New Dumbledore's Army, ready to help defend the castle against a potential attack by Adam Travers's army of inferi. His father had instructed him to locate Headmistress Canon and follow her orders. Thus, as soon as Albus had gotten on the grounds of Naumkeag, he went searching for the headmistress.

Naumkeag sits at the heart of the city of Salem, Massachusetts protected by anti-muggle enchantments which make it look like a rundown section of the old town. It was built to repel attacks by native magicians in the early years of European settlements, before the town of Salem was even thought of. The main building of the school is a fortress. That fortress is at the highest point on the extensive grounds. The grounds are surrounded by a twenty yard wide moat which is fed by the Naumkeag River. It can be shut off though and filled with anything the Headmaster or Headmistress can think of.

As Albus Potter arrived, it was being fed by the river and the drawbridge had been lowered to allow the NDA to enter the grounds. Headmistress Canon was waiting on the other side with a very confused look on her face. Albus approached her.

"Hello. The British, here to help as promised," he said.

"The British promised me troops. You are kids," she replied.

"The circumstances have changed," Albus said. "The greatest dark wizard in our nation's history has returned. Minister Weasley has ordered all ministry personnel to London for our own army. My father has sent what he could."

"I will not endanger children in this battle," she said.

"We were at the Battle of Marshall," Albus responded. "Each of us knows what is coming. Each of us is ready. If you do not let us in, we will simply go to the ministry, they'll take us."

Canon thought for several minutes, examining the lot of Hogwarts Students. Finally she turned to the man standing next to her. "Take them inside. I will find some way to use them," she said and the man did as she instructed. She walked away mumbling something that sounded to Albus like, "I'll talk to my schweetie about this…"

Albus woke up the next morning in a cot which had been set up in one of Naumkeag's many classrooms. It was summer and with the students at home the classrooms had been set up as bunks for the alumni who had flocked to the school in its defense. The NDA had taken over two small, unused classrooms for their bunks.

"Sleepy head is finally awake," Scorpius Malfoy said, fully dressed and leaning against a nearby desk. "I've been awake for two hours already."

"Yea right, you got up ten minutes ago," Paul Kirk, a Ravenclaw 6th year said.

"Did not," Scorpius said.

"Oh, shut it!" Hugo Weasley said.

Suddenly the door opened and a man entered. "I'm here to escort you to breakfast. Headmistress Canon will meet you there," he said.

The Dining Hall was a giant hall on the east side of the castle. It contained five tables which spanned the length of the hall with a sixth at the head for the staff. However, no one sat at the staff table today, everyone sat at one of the five tables with their fellow alumni, a tense silence hovering over the room. "You sit at the staff table," the man said, walking to the middle table and grabbing a seat.

Breakfast was a combination of dry, white toast, scrambled eggs and water. Albus couldn't help but look at the selection in disgust. He heard laughing and looked up to see Headmistress Canon smiling at him. "The elves are protesting all the extra people here over summer. They normally scrub the castle clean during the summer and with all the extra work they are having difficulty getting it all done," she said. "I've tried telling them that they don't need to this summer, but they just won't take no for an answer. Eat up; I'll take you on a tour after breakfast."

After Breakfast, Albus followed Canon outside the hall. "Naumkeag castle is a fortress. It has only one entrance: a gate which leads to a long outdoor hallway," Canon said, standing in said hallway. "The walls on either side have several trapdoors through which a wand can be placed and spells can be fired. The walls are magically reinforced to prevent counter-spells. The hallway ends in a large, heavy door which is also magically protected. The design allows you to trap the enemy in this hallway and kill them without ever presenting a target yourself."

"What if they get through the door?" Albus asked.

"They won't."

"If they do," Albus said.

"If they do, there are other protections," Canon said, a little perturbed. "We have additional doors which we can bring down to impede them. There are trap doors and hidden enchantments which can be activated throughout the castle. But trust me, this school was built before America was even a word and no enemy has ever breached this door."

"What about out there?" Albus asked, still not convinced.

"We have set up a parameter containing various spells and enchantments and traps," she said. "We intend to fill the moat with gasoline and set it on fire as well. However, that doesn't concern you. You and your friends will stay in the castle where it is safe, do you understand?" she asked.

Albus started to argue but said, "I understand" instead. Canon seemed satisfied and left him standing in the main entrance to the castle while she headed to continue work on the grounds. Albus returned to the castle.

"What, we only get to watch?" Rose asked. "I didn't train all those Saturdays to watch."

"Neither did I," John Wright said.

"We won't be watching," Albus said.

"You're going to go against her?" Ashley Wright said hopefully. "You could take her."

"No," Albus said. "She gave us full run of the castle; I thought that was actually pretty good. You were at Marshall, you saw what's coming. There is no way they won't get here. We need to familiarize ourselves with the castle; use it to our advantage. She is right about one thing, this place is a fortress. It will be very difficult for Grindelwald or Travers to breach."

"Do you think they will?" Hugo asked.

"Yes," Albus said. "It's Grindelwald and the Elder Wand. We have to think that they can do anything."

The next morning Albus stood on the roof of the Astronomy Tower, twirling a little green stone while looking out on the grounds of Naumkeag. The moat had been drained of water, but Headmistress Canon was waiting to fill it with gasoline until the army arrived. One of the great things about magic was that you could wait much longer to show your hand.

"What are you doing up here so early?" Hugo said as he came up to the roof followed by James Potter who had arrived the previous day.

"Watching what they are up to," Albus said. "The defense is actually brilliant. They have dug a maze around the castle. Either the inferi have to climb over the trenches or they have to go through the maze. Either way their path to the castle has been greatly multiplied."

"You think it's enough?" James asked.

Albus shook his head. "There are just so many. But it's a good start, I'm certainly not complaining. Any news from dad?"

"None," James said. "He thinks Snakeface is biding his time, waiting for him to make a mistake."

"Either that or he's up to something we don't know about," Albus said.

"Yea, 'cuz we always know exactly what's going through that guy's brain," Hugo said. "What?" he asked after realizing that both of his cousins were staring at him.

"You called him a guy like he's human," Albus said.

Hugo laughed. "Sorry," he said. "My mistake."

"We forgive you," James said. "So," he said, turning back to Albus, "What's your plan?"

"We'll try to pin them in that space between the gate and the door. I plan to already have the two walls behind it closed. If they get through, that will give us time to regroup. James, you will lead the east side, I'll take the west. We start by attacking from the little holes in the castle walls like we're supposed to."

"Good idea," James said.

"Yea, but I still don't think it's enough," Albus said.

"What else can we do?" Hugo asked. "Everyone we know is in Britain and Percy's got them in lockdown."

"Talk to George," Albus said. "He may not be able to come, but maybe he can give us some stuff." Hugo immediately left.

"Eager boy," James said watching Hugo head down the stairs.

"Yes," Albus said. "I have a job for you too."

"What can I do?" James asked.

"Get someone to come and help," Albus said.

"You heard Hugo," James replied. "Everyone in Britain is in lockdown."

"Yes," Albus said. "But not everyone we know is in Britain."

"Fleur and Bill won't leave France for this," James said.

"I wasn't talking about them," Albus said.

"Oh," James said, a look of recognition coming across his face. "Charlie."

Albus nodded. "He always liked you best. Use that."

"Yes sir," James said dramatically before heading for the stairs. "And Al," he said before descending, "You're the best Potter I know."

Albus stood silently as he watched James go down stairs. He smiled; he'd wanted to hear that for a long time. He looked at the stone in his hands, felt the crack where the sword of Godric Gryffindor had pierced it. He knew its history. It had been owned by several dark wizards. It had once contained a piece of Lord Voldemort's soul. Voldemort had only ever sought the Elder Wand, but he had owned the Resurrection Stone for over 30 years. What if he had stumbled upon the cloak? Lord Voldemort would have been Master of Death without even knowing it. Albus shuddered. He turned the stone thrice.

A tall, thin shape formed in front of him. It was a shape that Albus had always hoped to one day be able to see and yet feared that day at the same time. The form of a tall, elderly man with flowing magenta robes and a snow white beard which fell past his waist. The form of his namesake, Albus Dumbledore.

"You rang?" Dumbledore asked.

"Grindelwald is coming and the Elder Wand is with him," Albus Potter said, reciting the speech he had practiced hundreds of times that morning. "I know I will need to face him. I have to beat him; he can't be allowed to return to power. You know this."

"I do," Dumbledore said, offering no further comment.

"I can do it, right?" Potter asked sheepishly.

"Do you believe you can?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes," Potter said sincerely.

"Then yes, you can beat him," Dumbledore said smiling. "But you'll need more training."

"Well, that's why I called you here, Professor," Albus said.

A/N: Remember, reviews let me know that someone is actually reading ;-)