Chapter 12: Regrouping

Harry Potter stumbled into his office, the exhaustion of the past week catching up to him. He ignored the mountain of paperwork on his desk and magically found the one unused piece of paper which was left. (Really magically, he summoned it with his wand). "Percy, I'm back. Voldemort attacked Paris. Now he's headed here. On my way up to explain," he said, tapping the paper with his wand. The words appeared on the paper and the paper folded into a plane and flew away. He stored the Death Eater's wand in his desk drawer. He would need that soon.

Harry sat down and pulled out a small vial. He hoped that Albus had a Pensive available because he didn't have time to do it any other way. He put his wand to his temple and pulled out a memory he had hoped never to share with his son. He put the memory in the vial and sealed it. He went to Parker's old desk and grabbed a black piece of paper and wrote a short hand written note to Albus on it. He walked to the window and put a galleon in the bag of a ministry owl, tied the letter and the vial to the bird's leg and sent it off.

He turned around and got hit in the nose with a plane. The plane unfolded in front of him.

Percy, I'm back. Voldemort attacked Paris. Now he's headed here. On my way up to explain

-Harry Potter

Very well, I am currently speaking with Dad. Meet me there.

-Percy Weasley, Minister for Magic

Harry smiled. The feeling felt weird after everything that had happened, but it was so Percy to put his title.

Harry walked quickly to the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office and knocked on the door. It opened quickly and Harry stepped inside. Percy and Arthur were speaking with Teddy Lupin and Hermione Weasley.

"You're late," Percy said.

"I didn't want to come unannounced this time," Harry replied. "You really need to fix those planes."

"Later," Percy said. "Sit."

Harry sat.

"I understand that the body of Nicolas Flamel had been transported to this Ministry," Percy said. Harry nodded. "You believe that You-Know-Who will attack the Ministry to get it?" Percy asked.

"He attacked the middle of Paris," Harry said. "I don't think a change of venue will make him less eager to get Flamel. He needs Flamel to get his immortality back; he'll stop at nothing to get that."

"Exactly," Arthur said. "We need to prepare. Worst that can happen is he doesn't come and we're ready for nothing. But if we don't prepare he could attack with no resistance."

"He is in the Department of Mysteries, what are the odds that You-Know-Who will even find him there."

"Really good because I'm going to tell him," Harry said. "If we fail, I'm going to need my spy to be trusted. I'm going to tell my spy where Flamel is in one week. We need to be ready by then."

"Why are you helping the enemy!" Percy said.

"He's right Percy," Arthur said. "The spy needs to be trusted. To make that happen he needs to give truthful information. Remember, Snape gave the correct date for Harry's transportation. That put him in position to protect Hogwarts. Harry's move could prove to be a key strategic advantage."

"Besides," Hermione said, "he is giving you a week. He could just tell Voldemort now."

Percy knew he was defeated. He turned to Harry. "Is Fleur going to come?"

"I don't know. She will try but it will be hard to convince the French to help someone who didn't help them," Harry said. Percy wiped his face as Harry continued. "However, I think her strategy was strong. The farther away we can make the fight the better. I suggest we attempt to guard several city blocks."

"You know what happened the last time an army attacked London," Percy said.

"Mmm. Big fire," Arthur said. "But the city has more concrete and steel now. Less wood. I don't think we'll repeat that."

"Still, the muggles should be evacuated," Harry said. Everyone agreed.

"You're in charge Harry," Percy said. "You're in charge of the defense. You've always been better at this than I am. I'm at your command."

Harry nodded and then turned to Hermione. "I'm only as smart as you make me," he said.

She smiled and winked.

"Then you have work to do," Percy said. "I'll go call the army back. Then we have a battle to win."

Albus Potter spent the next hour shaking hands with witches and wizards who had never spoken to him the entire previous month. All of his friends were attempting reach him but the crowd would not part. Headmistress Canon finally got to him and he was able to steal away from the crowd.

James and Ashley were able to join him as he spoke to Canon. "What happened?" he asked as they walked out onto the grounds.

"As soon as Grindelwald fell, the inferi went into a sort of slumber. But then they all stood up and filed out of the hall," Canon said. "We can't find them."

"They're around," Albus said. "And so is Travers. Only a leader could have controlled them like that. Travers is nearby."

"Or he WAS nearby," Ashley said.

"We need to find him," Albus said. "At least look for him."

Just then an owl swooped down and hovered in front of Albus. He untied a vial and a note from the owl's leg. He handed the vial to Ashley and opened the note.

Son,

During my 5th year at Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore showed me a prophecy about Voldemort and me. I often wished that he hadn't done that, but often was grateful that he had.

There is a prophecy about you and Adam Travers. I have been struggling over whether or not you are better off knowing the prophecy. I have decided to give it to you. The vial contains a memory of when I heard the prophecy. Use it to hear the prophecy yourself.

Good luck.

Love,

Dad

Albus read the letter to the whole group and the four of them headed to Canon's office and pulled out her pensive. Albus dumped in the memory and he, James and Ashley all entered the memory.

Albus was standing at the end of a long dark hallway with a dark door right next to him. Harry Potter turned the corner and practically ran toward him. He was looking at Albus. Just when Albus began to wonder if he was seen in the memory a hand extended through his chest. He turned and saw Cho Chang standing where he had been. The three friends followed Cho and Harry through the winding doors of the Department of Mysteries and they emerged in a dimly lit library full of shelves and shelves of crystal orbs.

"We're not sure what this is about," Cho said, "But Trelawney only talks to us about the Dark Lord, so we decided to contact you."

"And if it is not about me. What happens if I touch it?" Harry asked.

"We've made it so that you can touch any of these as you requested." Cho replied.

"I requested that for every auror," Harry said.

"Well, we don't trust anyone else," Cho said.

The two adults stopped and Harry pulled down an orb. The three students got up next to Harry as he broke the orb. A ghostly shape which Albus guessed was Trelawney rose from the shards.

The Necromancer has marked his equal...The third war has begun...Father and Son must fight alone...The snake shall rise, the lion shall fall...The Master of Death will fight with Death...Victory comes when the four fight as one...

"What does that mean?" Cho asked as the three friends were already leaving the memory.

Back in Canon's office, they sat down.

"I agree with Cho," Ashley said. "What does that mean?"

"The Necromancer has marked his equal was the graveyard," Albus said, holding up his left arm to reveal his scar. "Travers is the Necromancer and I was the equal he marked."

"The third war has begun involves Voldemort," James said. "The first war was ended by our grandparents, the second by dad. This is the third war."

"And we must end it," Albus said.

"Not necessarily, but it is likely," James said.

"No it's not," Ashley said. "Father and Son must fight alone. That means that Harry will have to fight on his own, without you two."

"At least without one of us," Albus said. "The snake shall rise, that would be Snakeface."

"Snakeface?" Canon asked.

"Voldemort," Ashley translated.

"Oh," Canon said.

"The lion shall fall," Albus said.

"I don't know what that means," Ashley said.

"Grindelwald wasn't a lion in any way. Perhaps a lion of a fighter," Canon said. "What's next?"

"The Master of Death will fight with Death," Albus said. "I really hope that has already happened."

"Why?" James asked.

"Because he is now the Master of Death," Ashley said. "He got the Elder Wand and Cloak in the duel." Albus nodded.

"Victory comes when the four fight as one," Albus said.

"We won't know that until the end," Ashley said. "That's how prophecies work."

"So what do we do now?" James asked.

"Exactly what we were going to do," Albus said. "Find Travers. He is the key. This entire army was created by his spell. If he dies, every spell he has cast will be nullified. If he dies, the entire army dies with him."

"How do we find him?" James asked.

"No idea," Albus said. "But I know we can't find him if we sit here. We leave tomorrow morning."

END OF PART III