Chapter14
I was extremely grateful that entire month had gone by and nothing and nobody had tried to kill me. Manipulations were down or other attempts to terrorize me. Evelyn's words "a few rough spots" flashed across my mind. The next couple of weeks were filled with the usual concerns for students, homework, exams and excitement at the upcoming Hogsmeade holidays.
As usual for me there was now essays to grade, classes to teach and students to help.
"Well that will do it for today class. Please drop off your essays on my desk on your way out." Luck was again with me as my next period was free and I decided to get some of the grading of the essays out of the way. Attached to Daphne Greengrass's essay was a note.
/Scene Break/
Daphne's warning:
"This is my school I will not stand for it!"
"Albus Dumbledore, as head of the DMLE I'm telling you that I am in charge. You do not have the staff to cope with this! You will send off your students to the village that wish to go as normal. AND then the rest of the students are to be locked into their houses, no exceptions! You will also insure that no Owl leaves the grounds until this is over."
"I am the headmaster and I run this school, you will not tell me what to do!" Dumbledore raged.
"Should I arrest you for interfering or just notify the Profit that you are endangering the live of your students?
"You wouldn't dare, I am the Cheif. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump and head of this school." After a moment Dumbledore attempted to reestablish control while simultaneously trying to un-stick his lemon sherbet candy from his beard. The candy had fallen from his mouth during his rant. "Now if we could focus on the problem…"
"Furthermore your pet Death Eater is restricted to the castle and will be restricted from contacting anyone outside of this castle." Madam Bones growled.
Severus left, unexcused. Dumbledore resumed his shouting loosing more candy to his beard. Fawkes squawked. the Sorting Hat giggled. past Headmasters and Headmistresses covered their ears in their portraits.
Daphne's information continued:
Late on that Saturday morning, Hogwarts had Aurors guarding the main doors, students not in Hogsmeade were currently locked in their house common rooms. Voldemort's chosen Death Eaters were all present and in position. Amycus with his dozen Death Eaters had infiltrated the castle. So far the Slytherin secret passageway had not been discovered but was only one method of entering Hogwarts.
Alecto Carrow had done the same at the other end of the castle with her own dozen minions. How could Dumbledore think he could secure the castle from those who had been students there for seven years and weren't actively attacking the castle from the outside. At the top of their list was the capture of Harry Potter and his wife. During their trek across the castle not a professor, student, nor a ghost had been seen. Alecto had almost arrived to join up with her sibling when she heard her brother's voice and saw reflected flashes of spells being cast on the portrait to Harry Potter's quarters. The wards around the portrait were holding up just fine to the Death Eaters distain. Alas the arrogant Death Eaters had not thought it unusual on how deathly quiet the castle was on their trek to the Potter quarters. They might have thought along those lines when…
The quiet of the castle was further interrupted by shouts curses and spells and more multicolored lights. Auros were charging in from every conceivable hiding place and corridor rendering the outnumbered Death Eaters unconscious. As the Carrow siblings fell it was obvious that they had been betrayed by someone. The Dark Lord would not be happy.
/Scene Break/
The happiness of seeing many of my students learning was offset by the drudgery of grading student essays and other mundane teaching chores. It wasn't for the house elves cleaning up and repairing spell damage I'm sure I wouldn't be this satisfied with the job. In any event the school year ground along until everyone was looking forward to the Easter vacation. Ava was among the crowd wishing to do a bit of shopping in Diagon alley as well as the mundane world of London. Actually it would be great to dump the glamour charms and just disappear and enjoy the spring break. I should have such luck.
/Scene Break/
"Ava this is supposed to be a time where we can enjoy ourselves. Can't we do something besides shopping here in Diagon alley?"
"Harry, I am enjoying myself thank you very much. Everything I purchased here today is going to be needed in our new home."
"Ava my pockets are full of shrunken goods that you have purchased, can we not take in a cinema or a boat ride down the Thames?"
"Dinky! POP…Yes Mistress? "
"Please take the packages from Harry and put them in the spare bedroom."
"Yes mistress." POP
"I still don't know what you're going to do with the house elf you just purchased. I don't think we have enough work to keep her busy and she's not busy she's not going to be happy."
"Harry, let me worry about that."
"Yes dear."
"Don't be such a sourpuss Harry. We have the entire night to enjoy ourselves, right now let's head to the Leakey Cauldron as I have some shopping I need to do in downtown London."
While I love my wife beyond words, I still hated shopping in as many words. I followed Ava mumbling to myself that I wish this day of shopping would end. As we were passing Gringotts, heading toward the Leakey Cauldron, I almost got my wish in spades.
Down the street between us and our destination this thing appears. It looked like a bald headed Snape with mini horns adorning his forehead. Unfortunately the eight foot thing had a complexion that looked as if it had died many years ago. Its teeth looked long and rotten but its hands, which extended from tattered rotten robes, had fingers with two inch claws.
In the magical world there were things that were always popping up so panic only ensued when the thing picked up a good-sized man and chunked him through the window of the nearest shop. I could swear it almost smiled when it spotted me and it started its lumbering toward me and Ava. I pulled out my wand as Ava put a death grip on my left arm as a second creature appeared. I was sure Ava was feeling the same as I did. The feeling was nothing could stop whatever they were. An Auror appeared out of nowhere firing off blasting curse followed by a cutting curse. The blasting curse did not move the creature and the cutting curse definitely did not draw blood but it did draw the creature's attention. The Auror was smarter than most people in the street who were still running around in panic or standing frozen in fear. The Auror popped away! I was ready to transport out with Ava when Evelyn appeared. Evelyn pointed her finger at the creature and yelled, "faciem mean non revertetur ira" and we watched both of the creatures fade away. Evelyn disappeared a second later.
While I was not frozen in fear I defiantly was not unshaken by what had transpired.
"Harry, I really don't want to know, let us go home, I've had enough of his day."
I was sure I had questions for Evelyn the next time I saw her, whether she answered them or not. I just shook my head as I agreed with Ava and transported us home.
/Scene Break/
No sooner was the Easter break over with that I received a summons by the headmaster.
"Harry my boy, did you have a good spring break?"
"Quite enjoyable headmaster."
"Of course you heard about the demons that appeared in Diagon alley?" My mental alarms were going off, Danger! With Dumbledore's contacts and position within the ministry he had to know more than I did.
"Probably a lot less than you know headmaster."
"Very curious as Severus has reported that Voldemort was the one that did the ritual to summon those creatures. Furthermore, the creatures were to go after you." If I wasn't mistaken, Dumbledore was suppressing a smile or trying not to break out laughing.
"That is indeed curious headmaster but according to the papers Ava and I were shopping in downtown London at that time. Considering the many times that I have killed him I'm sure he's loused up another attempt on my life. If that's all you have to discuss headmaster we have the welcoming feast in a few minutes."
"Indeed you are correct my boy. We don't want to be late for the welcoming feast as it is time for the truth to be announced to you and the wizard world. You have served your purpose for the greater good. You have distracted Tom Riddle as I had always hoped you would in my plans for the greater good.
"What are you mumbling about now headmaster?" I was thinking that "there is a fine line between genius and insanity and I think Dumbledore has erased that line years ago.
"You see you have a younger brother called James Earl Potter who is the real Boy-Who-Lived. I shall be introducing him as your brother and the rightful owner or that title at the welcoming feast."
"So what kind of insanity have you dreamed up this time around? And, how do you know that this James is the Boy-who-lived and my brother?"
"By the ugly red V scar on his forehead of course, my boy. You Harry have now outlived your usefulness, as my seer has prophesied, but I will let you retain the job as the DADA assistant professor.
"That is really super kind of you let me keep my job. In effect you telling me that my miserable life at the Dursley's and subsequent problems here in the wizard world are all because of your great super deluxe made up plan for the greater good?"
"Harry my boy while you were acting as the proverbial lightning rod your brother James was receiving training. He was safe and secure and receiving the best tutors that money can buy. He unlike you is ready to take on and defeat Voldemort."
"Are you telling me..." A sudden white flash interrupted my building anger but before I could explode all over Dumbledore…
"Harry, relax." Evelyn was standing in front of me and my anger left to be replaced by shock. Everything in the room was frozen in place except Evelyn and me. Dumbledore and Fawkes were statues while the portraits on the wall were completely motionless. "Now we know some of what he was plotting under that cloaking he used when he went into the colonies. Dumbledore is incorrect in his assumptions and plans for the greater good. As long as you remain here teaching at Hogwarts you will get that life that you wish for, unfortunately a bit more has been added."
Evelyn disappeared in another flash apparently restoring the room the normal, so I continued..."So almighty manipulator what are you telling me?"
"Harry my boy you have to understand that while Voldemort and his Death Eaters have been chasing you your brother has been safe and receiving the training he needs to defeat the Dark Lord. This training is from the best fighter in the world. Your only choice at this time is to continue being a professor here at Hogwarts where it is safe for you and your wife. When James has the opportunity he will rid the magical world of the Dark Lord."
"Fine!" I grumbled, turned, and left his office. I needed to pick up Ava at our quarters before heading to the Great Hall.
/Scene Break/
"Ava I'm telling you he's a trolley that's run off the tracks. He must be using Trelawney to come up with this garbage. I want to cram Dumbledore head first into a knothole and set fire to his butt…"
"And why would you want to do that?" Evelyn walked into the room and continued...
"Whether you like it or not you still are the one spelled out in the prophecy. Furthermore, we are finding it difficult to find anybody called James Earl Potter, it's like Dumbledore just made him up out of thin air."
"Do you think this might be some master stroke of genius to confuse Voldemort? All I can see is if he is my brother he will only get added to Voldemort's list to be killed."
"Harry there is no way for me to tell you right now. Every action we take can and usually does change the future. Until one of our seers foresees the future we will not know how much or if the future has been changed at all."
"Evelyn, you originally said that there was going to be some rough spots. I must ask if you have notice ALL of the rough spots? There seems to be one crisis after another in my life."
"Don't worry so much Harry or you will get gray hair!" Evelyn gave me that smile and again disappeared.
If Ava and we had not figured out a long time ago that Evelyn was not part of us poor mortals I would have…
/Scene Break/
Dumbledore did indeed introduce James Earl Potter as the boy who lived. He pointed out the ugly V scar as the sign of Voldemort and the superior training that he'd received, blah, blah, blah. Luckily I was sitting at the head table and didn't have to answer a thousand stupid questions. I was still sorting my entire Great Hall was abuzz with the new shocking news. What was obvious was that most accepted what Dumbledore said making me now, a never was. There was a new Boy-who-lived so there was no vacancy, so the public was happy. After the feast I wondered to Gryffindor house common room after dropping off Ava in our quarters. I was of course curious about my unknown younger brother and his life.
"James, if you have not been clued in I'm your older brother according to Dumbledore. I thought we might catch up considering I never knew I had a brother."
"I have no reason to talk with you. So why don't you just run along as you are…a nobody now that I'm here." James turned and headed up to the boys dormitories.
I can't say that I wasn't shocked but apparently a number of students in the common room were quite shocked. It wasn't far into the next morning and the rumor mill was spewing out all kinds of stories. In all honesty I was pleased to a great degree. I might have lost the attention and a title but maybe there was now a chance to be just Harry for a while.
/Scene Break/
Two weeks later:
James Earl Potter had almost made himself as bad as Draco Malfoy had been and Nott has become, in other words, another pain in the posterior. James struted around like he owned the place and was too arrogant for words. I was almost ready to…
"And you're going to do what? You and I have both discussed that Evelyn is not part of the normal world. However, she has told you that if you get rid of this Dark Lord you and I have a long future together, so I'm asking you again what are you going to do Harry?"
My mental alarms screamed, RETREAT!
"Nothing, except keep my mouth shut and continue my teaching here at Hogwarts dear."
"I'm glad you're wising up. By the way, did you see that Boy-who-lived new best buddy is Ron Weasley?"
"Well I guess there's some good that came out of this after all. Do you think Ron is looking for the sidekick position or do you think Dumbledore had his fingers in this friendship?" But then I started giggling…Ron assigned as bodyguard by Dumbledore to protect the highly trained Boy-who-lived. There was still comedy in this world.