One Last Time
Hogwarts, their last year. One would think that they would be glad. However the last year also meant the year of their NEWTs. The seventh-year students stood together as they waited. For once, Harry prayed that he would have a nice quiet year at school. Last year was nearly it, if one would ignore the Death Eater attack. Or Fudge's campaign to discredit him. Or Skeeter's yellow press. For once he hoped he could forget everything about Voldemort and the war. To spend time with his love Ginny. In peace. However with his luck, he mused, he would probably end up like Erik and Catherine. From their stories there was not one dull moment in their life. There was always something. Even the 13th Platoon's deployment was only because at that time, they were the smallest unit that could be spared.
The Golden Squad as the six were called, not counting their Slytherin friends or the Weasley twins, sat together as the train left for Hogwarts. Suddenly the train came to a stop as the lights went off. The two soldiers guarding their wagon switched their lights on. "HQ, we have an unscheduled stop." Harry looked out of his compartment. Many other students looked out confused. Memories from four years ago arose. Temperature rose, causing everyone to sweat. A low voice rumbled through the wagons. "There are people here who escaped justice. I am here to deliver it." The last door opened as a dark armored person with glowing eyes entered. Several soldiers stopped him. "No blood will be shed today." The leading sergeant spoke. Justice growled as he stared at the soldiers. "Justice will be served, and no one shall stop it." The soldier stood his ground. "I cannot let you pass." He waved at his squad mates. Immediately the two formed a small phalanx and filled the corridor. Soldiers from all over the train converged towards Justice, while evacuating the students from said wagon. Two shield carriers along with magical Vanguards took point while the other soldiers helped to reinforce the barricade. "Then so it will be." Without a warning the glass shattered and suspended in the air. Justice pointed at the shields, but his magic was blocked before it reached the defences. The shattered glass bounced off the metal shields as the soldiers hold against it. "Status on Evac?" "All clear, Sir!" The sergeant nodded. "Flash and smoke. Cover our retreat. Then blow the coupling." The pioneer on the squad nodded as he prepared explosives on the connector. Soon a volley of stunners, smoke grenades and flashbangs flew into the corridor. A loud explosion followed which threw extra dust in Justice's face. When his sight cleared, the waggon was empty and gradually slowing down.
Albus became concerned, when his contact at King's Cross reported that one of the Hogwarts Express' engines returned without the rest of the train. An owl from the cart lady reached him, reporting that the train would soon arrive, requesting the hospital wing to be prepared. Fearing the worst, the headmaster temporarily lowered the wards to apparate to Hogsmead's station. True to the letter, the train rolled in. A wagon was missing and the now last one was burning at the back. Panicking students fled the train, being guided by the head boy and head girl as well as the prefects. Hagrid assisted in ushering the students towards the carriages which rushed them towards Hogwarts. Then sirens filled the air. Vehicles, marked with a large red cross arrived at the station. Medics were running towards the train. Soldiers disembarked, some unharmed, others had to be supported by their fellow warriors. A soldier with the markings of a Captain approached the headmaster. "All students accounted for. None of them was harmed." The Medics left the train, carrying several stretchers. Men and women alike were strapped on them. Cries of pain filled the air. Albus released a sigh as he saw the injured being taken care off. Then the covered stretches were brought out. The numbers were rather high. No one really know what happened in the last waggon. Only an explosion was heared. Helicopters began to arrive and lowered containers onto the platform. Special Racks were filled with the dead before the container was sealed and brought away.
The mood in the Great Hall was on an all time low. Even with the attack last year, which was mainly fought by the Order and the DA, the students began to comprehend the danger they were in. Even those who still had believed the propaganda from the ministry were now convinced that there was some kind of threat. The sorting hat changed his song, instead of singing about the education and the houses, it honored the soldiers who put their lives on the line to save the children. Harry and Ginny slowly clapped as the hat ended. The sorting went by quietly. Not many were ready to celebrate after what happened on the train. The second Calvary escorted the students to their dorms. Word was that the 13th Platoon had suffered heavy losses. As soon as Harry and Ginny were in their room, they warded it against intrusion and teleported over to Cobra HQ in Scotland.
When they appeared at the entrance area, they saw a bee hive of activity. Soldiers were running around, carrying ammunition to the vehicles and equipment from transporters to the armory. Prominent markings were white with blue markings. There were also different camo patterns present. Their curiosity rose when they got closer to the command center. Most activity was around the main screen. The small office boxes marking the center of operations in Britain was nearly empty. Only the core staff was manning the computers. "Hey, Harry. How ya doing?" "We're fine." Ginny greeted the operator. Mark was one of those who are injured enough to be unable to fight but still healthy enough for office. "What's going on?" Ginny asked, sending a glace at the buzzing activity.
Mark looked over. "Preparing another mission. Intel has reached us and we are acting on it." He looked at the teenagers. "Now they are discussing. The 13th Platoon has the most experience for this mission and they also have a lot of friends where they are going. But they still have to stay here. Voldemort is at large." Harry's voice dropped cold when he heard that. "Right. What was that today on the train? You killed your own?"
"We don't." The pair turned around to face Erik, who was leaning against the door frame. "The good thing about our armor is, you can never tell who is wearing the helmet. Even if Dumbledore convinces the ICW to reveal names from the operation, there are only code names in the file, which can be reassigned on a whim." "But you didn't tell us!" Erik sighed. "I trust you. I know what your role in this war is. But let me be frank: You simply weren't required to be in the loop. Different to Dumbles, I tell that to your face. You will be told things that directly involve you. However expect to be sometimes be thrown into the battle without anything. Sometimes denial is better than a lie. Also we did this to throw him off. He will certainly send Snape to Voldemort with the Intel that the 13th Platoon was hit hard. Better, if he believes that to be true. The same is with the 2nd Calvary. They are a lot more relaxed, but we want them to see an inconsistency within us. Some might interpret this as a weakness, especially since we do not share the same uniform or style." The three stepped to the window, over-viewing the air field. Helicopters and planes of various sizes were being boarded by the army of soldiers before lifting off. "We are preparing for another war. While not affecting us directly, there is still a threat to our allies which could affect us in the long run. Resources are being rerouted. We have to finish this soon. Otherwise this operation will be transferred to another officer. Not all share my opinion on your involvement. Also, I'm one for mixed warfare, trying to include those who fight in that war. There are some who would simply bomb all known death eater locations. And we know that that wouldn't work."
Another person entered, Rock, the armorer. "Sir, the Project is ready for testing." Erik nodded. "Tell me when it's ready for field testing." After the man nodded Harry and Ginny looked at the operation board. Several locations of horcruxes were marked or crossed out. Just as they turned to Erik to ask about it a notification sprang up and the last three locations crossed themselves out. Harry slowly turned, comprehending dawning on his face. "All horcruxes have been found and destroyed." Mark confirmed. So this confrontation would be the last. Ginny caught him as his knees grew weak. Tears of joy flew. The end was near. One last fight. Then it would be a nice quiet life for him. "Harry." He looked up to the voice. "The offer still stands. Rebuild the British Department. A quiet office job, if you want. Or name another leader and be in the field." "I'll think about it." "But back to the plan. Snape told us about a large attack plan they are working on. We know that Voldie plans to attack Hogwarts on Halloween." Harry and Ginny both groaned at that statement. Never had they had a quiet Halloween.
Kelly, McCord, Morgan and Lori stood around the large holographic projection of Hogwarts. Former two were in command of the defense teams while the latter two were planning the counter-strike. Kelly had planned to set up the field hospital in the Hospital Wing. The Great Hall might have the capacity but it was right at the entrance so if the enemy broke through, the wounded would be more or less on their own. All combat medics and doctors were to carry their sidearm at least. Main weapons would be stored below each bed. As the castle was located right at the lake and the lake itself would probably not be a route for the attack, a San-Antonio-Class Hospital ship would enter the waters there escorted by two destroyers and a sub-cruiser armed with rockets. McCord eyed the towers. Three to four snipers on each tower, maybe even mortars on them. Additional designated marksmen on the higher-level windows. Heavy Machine guns and grenade launchers on the larger windows. Morgan had convinced Harry to write down every secret entrance and tunnel. Even with the rather low possibility of Wormtail having leaked them to Voldemort he wanted them protected and if undetected, use them to flank around. Working with Aberfort, they had prepared Hogsmead for evacuation and hideouts for small teams to operate from. Additionally the teams would first defend the ground floor. Satchel charges were planned for the bridges and claymore mines for the fields. The centaurs had already evacuated the unicorn population of the forest. Agreeing to help the Task Force, they would be the calvary. Morgan still remembered how scandalized the centaurs looked when they saw the 7th Centauro Legion. Centaurs willing to carry humanoid warriors on their backs and fight with them. Now a detachment of the 7th was already camping in the forbidden forest with the remaining unit on a carrier just off the coast, ready to attack. Lori had a larger map of the surrounding area additionally to the castle hologram. Artillery fire power came in form of the fleet docked off the coast, consisting of a the American super battleship Red Montana, the German H-Class battleship Nordrhein-Westfalen, and the Japanese Yamato. The catamaran carrier Eclipse had A-10 Warthog Squadrons loaded with carpet bombs and F-22 fighter groups ready while the hybrid ship Twilight, a catamaran with one half build as a small VTOL carrier and the other half being essentially a guided-missle-cruiser had F-35 loaded with air-to-ground-missles. Three C-130s were stationed at RAF Lossiemouth, one A-Version armed to the teeth with guns and an M-Version equipped qith a single 30mm, but also carrying two detachments of paratroopers.
Additionally she planned on bringing heavy vehicles to protect the castle. MBTs on the ground, supported by LAV-ADs and Tunguskans. Several Tank destroyers and IFVs would hide in the woods and ambush the enemy from behind. Those would be full with soldiers from calvary units. If hidden well and shut off the pureblood enemy would mistake them for rocks. They had placed one near Malfoy Manor back then and Snape had reported no suspicion back. Erik oversaw the preparations. He had to call in a lot of favors with the other units for this mission. The battleship fleet and the carriers could move into position immediately. The Units planned for the castle… not so much. Then there were the Potters. He hoped that they would understand this. Operational security was crucial and they were busy with Operation Justice anyway. He looked up at the plan. Today Justice would strike again.
Ginny fumed. Parkinson had tried to poison her again. Being the prankster she was, she planned to getting revenge. Tonight would be the time. Sneaking out of her dorm and moving towards the Room of Requirement, she stopped when she heard steps. Moving quickly, she hid behind a suit of armor and observed. That weren't only Slytherins. Some Hufflepuffs, as well as a handfull of Ravenclaws, one of them slipped his mask up to breathe. "How can you work with these masks? I can barely see a thing through them and the sweat is collecting." Ginny held her breath. That was Micheal Corner. He had constantly asked her out before she had put her foot down with Umbridge publically. Since then the boy had eyed her and had thrown glares at Harry. As she sat there suddenly the torches went out except for the one the wannabe death eaters were standing at. The students looked around frightened. Wind blew through the corridor. A door opened on the far end of the corridor… heavy fog rolled out of it and filled the floor. The air noticeably chilled. A caped figure stepped out. "Who are you?!" Pansy shrieked. The Figure didn't answer, but slowly turned its head towards them, revealing two glowing eyes in a silver skull. A Claw and two Puffs fainted while the remaining Badgers tried to run. Ginny rose a wall of flames at the far end, effectively cutting them off. The students turned towards the next corridor, only for a fire wall to rise and block them again.
"You have betrayed the light for your own selfish agendas. You are a future menace for mankind." the voice boomed through the small space. Micheal tried to attack, but his wand was broken with one hand chop before he was pinned to the wall by a kunai. Crabbe and Goyle tried to punch Justice but the vigilante simply tripped them, before throwing two more kunai just short of their crotches. He moved towards Pansy when she was suddenly pulled past him towards three robed figures. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick stood on the other unblocked end of the corridor. "This stops now. You will be arrested." Justice glanced over his shoulder. "I think not."
He rolled to the side as three stunners shot through the space he occupied before. Landing on a knee, he threw three more kunai at the professors. Bringing his hands together suddenly two copies of him appeared next to him. "The fun just has begun." Running towards the Professors the three Justice dodged the spells. One jumped but was trapped by a shield courtesy of Professor Flitwick. A stunner from Minerva made a clone disappear. The second was disposed by Dumbledore, who sent a fire from the remaining torch. "Ouch, thought I should have put out that one out." He dove below the body-bind sent by Flitwick before knocking the small man out with a short chop to the neck. McGonagall was thrown over his shoulder, but she didn't land in a heap, as another Justice clone caught her. "My fair lady, you should not intervene in things that don't concern you." Shocked she remained on the spot. "Now to you" Justice said, coming closer with each step he took towards the headmaster.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" "Duh, so that's how they run it." The Justice holding onto the Head of Gryffindor said as the Justice in front of Pansy disappeared in a Puff of smoke. Ropes flew through the air before he was hit with a full-body-bind. "Now to remove the disguise." Dumbledore said before removing the helmet with a flick of his wand. Below the helmet… was another helmet. "If you wanted to see under my helmet, you should have asked." With that, this Justice disappeared as well. Ginny flamed to her room, trying to comprehend what she had seen.
Cobra Command still tried to plan on how to bring the soldier into position fast. They decided for an LHD to be send with the fleet into the lake. It would double for refueling the jets and attack helicopters. Ospreys, Black Hawks and Pave Lows would get the soldiers to each station on the castle. Landing crafts would get the vehicles to the shore. Pioneer wizards would take care of getting the tanks into reinforced trenches. Also it was decided to have a ground artillery unit standing-by for precision shots for the area of the castle away from the water, where the destroyers couldn't fire at.
Erik looked at the lists of units, sectors and equipment. He had enough to conquer a small country. The amount of ordinance would be enough to evaporate Hogwarts and turn the school grounds into a large crater. By the end of this war, Hogwarts will be scarred, as will it's population. The Price of war. There was no victory, no heroism in this. Just those who survive, and those who won't. Erik hoped that the survivors wouldn't be Voldemort and his death eaters.
"And it always falls back to the will of a single man." he muttered to no one in particular.