Chapter 13: Meetings, Skips, and Tests, Oh My!
"Daphne, you wanted to meet?" Asked Harry, wondering why the Ice Queen of Slytherin wanted to talk to him. Hopefully it was important.
"Yes. It seems that Malfoy and his cronies are trying to make a power play in the house. I've been trying to work against them with Zabini, but a best we've bought another three weeks to a month before whatever they have planned will go through, and thats without Umbridge getting involved." Daphne said, giving Harry a status report on what was happening in the Snake Pit. She seemed worried while she was talking, the icy mask she wore cracking and falling apart for the moment.
"You think if we can get Weiss or Blake to run against Umbridge and stop the toad before she can do anything?" Harry asked. This sort of information was valuable. It gave them at the very least a way to know when Umbridge was making a play, as it seemed Draco was her puppet for this year.
"Unlikely. If Prof. Belladonna tries to intimidate Umbridge too much, she'll go to the Ministry, and then all four of them will get sacked at one time. Dumbledore can't afford something like that this year with the Prophet running that smear campaign against him and you. At best, we have a month and then Umbridge will be making her move, with Draco acting as her puppet." Daphne said, worried enough that even Harry, who had trouble detecting emotions, could tell she was worried.
"Hey, we'll get through this. Hogwarts had dealt with worse in the past. One uppity toad won't end this school. If she makes a move, we have a good bit of the teachers to back us as much as they can." Harry said, trying to be comforting.
"I know, its just, I have a little sister, Astoria, and with the way things are going, I don't know how safe she's going to be. The Purebloods have a lot of political pull, and my family was one of the few to stay neutral during the last war. " Daphne seemed near tears at this point, with Harry moving closer to her to try and be comforting. It seemed to work.
"With the way things are going, war looks like it's going to break out soon, and the Ministry isn't ready. I just want my family protected, and I don't know if our home can do that." Daphne trailed off, stressed to the extreme.
Harry attempted to calm her down. "Thats why we train, to protect the ones we love. Talk to Prof. Rose. she might be able to cook up a sword that can fire spells, or something like that." Harry said, and that seemed to do the trick.
"You really think so? That would be nice to have." Daphne looked happy at that, and it made Harry feel weird as hell when she smiled. Why do I feel like this? he thought to himself.
"I know so. With the Room of Requirements giving her the stuff to make bullets for the guns, Im sure she could make you a blade that can fire off spells. She might be able to give us all weapons that can use spells." Harry said, coming to that possibility. If that was the case, it would be a major boost in the fight against Voldemort and the Death Eaters.
"We'll need to ask her tomorrow. The quicker she can start on them, the better." Daphne said. Harry smiled. For a blonde this one was extremely smart.
"You alright now? I'd hate to leave you still feeling down." Harry said, a small smirk on his face. Daphne had one as well. She took it a step farther and gave Harry a hug. The Gryffindor had no idea on how to react, and if he could see Daphne's face, he would see a very happy smile.
"I'm fine now Harry. Thank you. Not many people tend to care about my well being. Guess it comes with the title." Daphne said. Once Harry checked the map to see if anyone was coming. Once it was clear, Harry walked Daphne, under the Cloak, back to her common room.
Once he did that, it was a simple task of going back to his own, and getting into bed quickly seeing everyone else asleep. Once he was out, his dreams were filled with a hallway, and some odd lights…
Time-Skip to the weekend before the start of OWLs, with a recap of everything to happen in between
Since that first meeting with Daphne they had a few more, also getting to know each other better. With the Snake and the Lion getting along, they had also asked Ruby to craft the students in her class weapons that could use spells.
Ruby had turned to Weiss for help, and with the partners working together, Ruby had the first weapon done. Another rapier, similar to Weiss, was finished for Daphne. It's coloring was a dark green with ice blue highlights along it. After some testing, it could fire off spells, even some of the stronger ones Daphne knew.
With the first one done, Ruby, with Weiss help, went into overdrive, making weapons for each student in her team's class. After getting their measurements so she got the weapon done right, and using Blake's and Yang's as templates, Ruby finished three new versions of Gamble Shroud, for Ron, Neville, and Dean. New names were given later on.
Yang's students got thier weapons next. Ember Ceila was much easier to make replicas of, as Ruby had helped Yang make the shotgun bracers. Harry, Susan and Parvati wore them at all times when they were finished. Harry looked odd with them, but the robes had long sleeves, so he hid them well.
Ruby took the longest time with her student's weapons. While she had trained Padma and Lavender in scythe use, they wouldn't be able to handle the added force of high-caliber rounds, Ruby left that part out of the weapons.
With her marksmen students, Ruby used the spare rifles she had for each, and added the ability to fire spells, and an elemental effect for each rifle. Fire for Seamus, Lightning for Hannah, and Ice for Hermione.
it took all the students a bit of time to adjust to their new weapons, but they did adjust, and once they did, were that much stronger, ready for a fight.
Harry had been having these odd dreams as well. It was always the same, a dark corridor and a blue light. He never could reach the door, but he brushed these dreams off. The Occlumency lessons with Snape, the few he did have, went horrible, with them ending at Harry seeing how much of a jerk his dad was.
The DA had almost been busted, as Umbridge's Inquisitor Squad had tried to bust them, but with a warning for Dobby the house elf, they were able to pull off them all taking etiquette lessons with Daphne and Weiss teaching them. It had been a very close call, but they passed, and Umbridge left them alone for the time being.
Now with OWLs approaching, all the students were freaking out. While Ruby and her team couldn't give one, every other class was, so many were in that rush to study.
Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Neville were in the common room, using the study plan Hermione had come up with to try and get ready for their OWLs that started tomorrow. While they were all nervous about the exams, Harry was worried about the visions he kept having in his dreams. The one at Christmas hadn't been one to inspire confidence. Seeing that hall night after night, something just felt off about it.
Still, he put it to the back of his mind and tried to study for the upcoming he was nervous, he was sure he could at least pass them all. Maybe not History of Magic, but he doubted anyone but Hermione could pass that one.
As night fell and he went to try and get some sleep, the hall kept him company that night, and he ended up with very little sleep.
Skipping to the History of Magic OWL
Harry had broken down during the History of Magic OWL, and had ran out of the room, looking very panicked. Once the exam was over, the members of the DA in the room with him went ask him what was wrong, as well as Team RWBY, having heard about the incident via the school rumor mill.
When asked what was wrong, Harry told them. "It's Sirius. Voldemort has him. I think somewhere in the Ministry of Magic building. We have to save him." Harry was pleading with his friends to help him.
"You have our support in this Harry. We go with you." Ruby said, gone the carefree and young tone, and here the serious voice of a leader, and someone who had been in the same position, and powerless to help.
Weiss was shocked at the change Ruby had, but nodded with her leader. Yang and Blake stood at the ready.
"We won't abandon you Harry, not this time." Ron said, remembering how much of a prat he had acted like last year during the first part of the tournament. He wouldn't make the same mistake again.
"You've got our teachers, Ron, Neville, Hermione, and me. An effective group if a fight breaks out trying to rescue Black." Daphne said as she walked up to the group. They were surprised she was here, but Harry was happy for it.
"We need a way there." the green eyed teen said. It wouldn't matter if he had the power to save Sirius if he couldn't get there.
"Follow me. When you talk with the moon, you learn things.*" Daphne said, being cryptic. Hermione picked up on it, and so did Blake, but the rest were a tab bit lost. Still, the followed the Slytherin out to the Forbidden Forest.
Once in the woods, everyone drew their weapons. While Hermione had a sniper rifle, Ruby had built in two modes. One was long range where it was fully extended, and the cut-down, where it was able to be used at the close or mid-range. Hermione had Winter's Lion in it's Cut-Down form.
Once in far enough, Daphne told them to stop. She seemed to chant in a certain way that was a hauntingly beautiful melody**. Once she was done, RWBY and Harry both gasped as they saw the skeletal looking horses.
"Only those how have seen death can see a Thestral. It was my grandmother for me." Daphne said as she patted one of the horse things. All of team RWBY could see them, and Harry of course.
"Well, these are our best bet to reach the Ministry quickly. Everyone partner up with someone that can see them and lets go." Daphne said. Everyone did, and quickly. Ron was riding with Harry, Hermione with Daphne, Neville with Blake, Yang was by herself, and Weiss and Ruby were on one together.
They rode hard, trying to get there quickly. I will not let Sirius die, not if I can help it. Harry needs that man more than we know. Ruby thought to herself as they rode on into the night.
A/N: You all know whats coming next. Cannon stays here, sadly, but I have a reason. I once read a tumblr post that say Sirius sort of had to die, so that Harry could grow up. So yeah that. However, I will be putting up a poll for someone else's life to be deiced.
*You should be able to figure out this one guys.
**"Wake me, when you need me". Bouns point to you if you know where the quote comes from, and what the melody is.
Till next time, this is Lone, signing off.