Hey all of you wonderful ladies and gentlemen, I am back once again with a new chapter. It surprises me too. My classes this quarter are much more intensive than last quarter, but a little less hard, so I'll probably be a little longer in updating than normal but I'll get it done. Anyway as always a loud and long round of applause to my lovely beta Pixel and Stephanie Forever. What a great sport for putting up with me right? Anyway, enough about that, the chapter awaits.
Thetford, Norfolk
2 August 1991
Royal Junior Thetford Academy
Conference room 12
The Cadets going to Hogwarts in the upcoming year were crammed into one conference room on the second floor of the Administrative building. Harry and his team were sat towards the door, facing Colonel Jameson at the far end. They'd been there for ten minutes, still awaiting a few more people. Once the Colonel deemed everyone was in, he began speaking. "Yesterday was, to say the least, a bad situation. I've been informed by the Queens advisors in the Wizengamot that Dumbledore was accompanied by six Aurors, under the claim that we were in Diagon to carry out a terrorist attack." He paused to let them take that in. "At the moment, Dumbledore is in some mildly hot water for what he did, considering there was no evidence, and he acted without the authority of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I am unsure as to what his motive was, but I can guess it was to take Cadet Potter from our ranks." He stopped again, as those in the room turned to Harry. "All of you in this room have chosen to attend Hogwarts, you are all going into the lion's den so to speak. Thankfully, Dumbledore seems concentrated on Cadet Potter, but be warned that his gaze may shift to you quite quickly." He hit a key on the laptop in front of him. A large display pooped up on the wall behind him. "These are the rules I expect each of you to live by while in that castle. Do not go anywhere without another Cadet, do not speak to a teacher without another Cadet knowing your whereabouts, and most importantly trust only your fellow Cadets." He saw them all nodding "Dismissed to lunch." On their way to the mess hall Harry and his team were talking about the Colonels briefing.
"It's a little extreme don't you think?" Hannah asked as they walked out onto the quad.
"Maybe, but we're dealing with the unknown here, and it's always good to be cautious." Hestia replied.
"Of course, but that doesn't mean we have to distance ourselves from everyone else." Hannah shook hair from her eyes "I mean part of Hogwarts is meeting new people, making friends."
"You're right, and we can still make friends, we just cannot trust them with everything. Today's friend is tomorrow's enemy, and we can't let anything go that might cause undue harm to the Academy or any of Her Majesty's interests." Harry spoke up, trying to step in before the conversation got heated.
"You sound like the Badge." Flora said with a smile, referencing the Sergeant Major that was their tactics teacher. "But you're right, we have to watch what we say, and where we say it. The Wizarding World is in an uproar at the moment, with Dumbledore becoming something of a vigilante, Malfoy still pressing the Wizengamot for the Academy to be disbanded, and what lingers of the movement for autonomy."
"Exactly, unfortunately that limits us to Cadets and former Cadets in who we can trust. Thankfully at last count there are five dozen Cadets and former Cadets at Hogwarts, including Ariel and Cedric. That gives us some advantages, but also a liability." They pushed their way into the Mess Hall as Harry continued "With that many people there are a lot more chances for security leaks, and more chance for Dumbledore to get a Cadet alone and question them. Not that there'd be anything he could learn that wasn't already public record, but just the thought worries me."
"I heard some scuttlebutt from Megan Jones, the redhead over there." Hestia nodded her head to a girl sitting on the far side of the hall. "She heard that there were rumors that Dumbledore was the one that first brought that bill about, the one you had to visit the Wizengamot for." She took in their disbelieving gazes, blushed and continued. "Her aunt is supposedly on the Wizengamot, and she heard tell that Dumbledore had handed the idea off to one of his proxies, who gave it to a friend, and so on."
"What would be the point though, he knows that the Queen would never allow them to have autonomy, and as far as the Colonel can figure out he didn't know I was at the academy. Besides he's a known advocate of further entwining the two worlds." Harry wasn't as willing to dismiss the idea as Hannah was, but he let the byplay continue.
"You know what the Badge is always saying, 'If a man seems too eager to offer up his hand, it's because he's got something up his sleeve.' He may seem like a proponent for muggle-born rights and for dissolving some of the harsher secrecy acts, but that may be a front he gives out. He's a pureblood wizard at heart and has enjoyed the benefits the current system gives him for a long time." Hestia was adamant in her conviction.
"Unless we have proof we cannot act on suspicion. If we do we cannot trust the results." Harry nodded at Hannah's point.
"I agree that there is something more going on here than meets the eye, but we need proof. Until then we must be cautious." Harry ended the conversation with that, and began to eat.
Thetford, Norfolk
29 August 1991
Royal Junior Thetford Academy
Armory
The cadets that were leaving for Hogwarts the following Sunday were gathered in the Arsenal, off to the west side of the dormitory building. The Cadets were stood around a large work bench type table, while a Private began handing out duffle bags. "You all have your Hogwarts robes and other equipment, now we're giving you the non-magical related items you might need. In each of these duffels is a half dozen sets of clothes, mostly the same as what you wear now." He gestured to their uniforms. "However you all also get a set of fancy clothes, dress shirts and slacks for guys, and dresses for girls. There is also two sets of casual wear, nothing special but it'll help you all blend in a bit better." He looked up at them as he finished laying out the duffle bags, they were all desperately trying to pay attention, since they knew what gear they'd be getting from the older Cadets that had gone to Hogwarts. "Now, the new items you'll be getting this year are simply because the Colonel isn't too happy with what's happening in the magical world. All of you will be getting a small neck knife, that you are to carry around with you at all times while in the magical world. The second item is what the boys in R&D have termed a com-link, it's all very sci-fi with them." He pulled out a small device that looked a bit like a walkie-talkie. "This is transmit over a fifteen kilometer area meaning any other com-link in that area will be queued in, and transmits an encrypted signal that a chain of radio operators will re-transmit to Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh, which will then be transmitted to us via an encrypted sub channel in the SAR network and other magical bodies that answer to the Queen first, and foremost."
"Sir?" Hannah piped up from beside Harry, and at the Private's nod continued. "What about the magical interference? Shouldn't that keep those com-links from transmitting anything?"
"Under normal circumstances yes it would, however the R&D team that came up with the com-links also came up with a runic array that, if scribed in lead, will render magical interference null to electronics unless it is hit directly with a spell. Now the last item that the Colonel wants kept on you at all times is this." He showed them all a silver coin that had small copy of the Academy's crest engraved on it. The crest itself was really an over glorified United Kingdom flag with a scroll open in front of it with the motto of the Academy written on it. "This is an emergency pass-worded portkey, the password is IIGHFL9JA, in phonetics. This is only to be used if you are pinned to the wall and in serious danger, and if one is activated they will all activate, and you will be ported to the entrance hall here. They were all made by a Hogwarts professor, so they will ignore the wards as if they weren't there. Now take your gear and get out of my face." He grinned as they all scampered off.
London, England
1 September 1991
Kings Cross Station
Platform 7
The Cadets attending Hogwarts were split seamlessly into groups of five and were making their way to the entrance of Platform 9¾. There were a couple of wizards on duty watching the platform entrance, making sure no one broke the Statute of Secrecy to openly. Harry pushed his hat brim down, covering his scar and obscuring his eyes as he made his way past the man 'subtly' watching the groups of children running through a wall. Harry turned and nodded to the four next to him, and they casually made their way up to the wall and stepped through.
On the other side was a steam filled platform with a sleek red steam engine sat upon its tracks. They quickly moved into the train towards the back, nodding to other passing Cadets as they found a mostly open compartment. The Cadets had been told to try and remain in the same train car as they could, in order to be closer to one another if something went wrong. Harry was the first person into the compartment, warmly hugging the person inside. "'Ello Ariel."
"Hey Harry, it's so good to see you all." She replied, motioning for them to stow their gear away.
"It's been too long." Hannah moved in for her own hug.
"I know, I wanted to come back for the summer at the least but my parents were actually in Britain for once, and they ended up staying the whole summer. It's somewhat of a record for them." Ariel blushed, from what Harry had been told, she ended up at the Academy because her parents were never around, and so he kind of got her embarrassment. The Academy had an odd policy about Hogwarts students, they could come back for the summer and slip back into classes at about where they'd left off, or they could join into different classes. Some came back for the summers, some stayed with friends, and some stayed with their parents. That was the anomaly, since a lot of Academy students didn't have homes to go back to for the most part. Cedric and a few Cadets from the older families were a general exception, their families believed in teaching their children hard discipline, and for that there was no place better than the military.
"Hello lads" Speak of the Hufflepuff and he shall appear. Cedric rolled his luggage into their compartment and slung it into the luggage rack before dropping onto the bench. "Got the old team back together I see" He nodded to Harry and Hannah.
"Hey Ced, I don't think you've been introduced, this is Hestia and Flora Carrow. Guys this is Cedric, our old squad leader." Harry made the introductions short and sweet, nodding to each of the twins in order.
"It's nice to meet you both, looking forward to Hogwarts then?" Cedric leaned over and set his wand down next to him. The three first years gave various answers in the affirmative. "Any thoughts on what Houses you all want to be in?"
"I think I'd like to be in Ravenclaw, I've heard they have a small library in their common room, and the best view." Hestia almost drooled over the prospect of having a large amount of books within walking distance.
"I don't have much of a preference, as long as I'm not in Slytherin. Too many potential risks." Flora nodded at Hannah's words, then everyone looked over at Harry who had his back to the wall and was watching the door.
"I was thinking of Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff" Harry glanced around at his friends, "I mean from what I've seen most people tend to assume I'll be in Gryffindor" He caught a curious glance from Cedric, "There are a couple of older years that got to asking about my preferred house, and I saw some magazine article speculating the topic. I figure that if I'm not where they expect me to be, it'll focus their attention and in general upset their plans."
"Whose they, what are their plans?" Ariel was more than a little curious at this paranoia.
"Didn't you get briefed about Dumbledore's interest in the academy and me in general?" Harry wasn't sure if he should be worried or not, the Colonel had said he'd brief the other Cadets.
"No. I haven't received anything from the Academy since late June." Cedric was nodding along with Ariel's statement, a disgruntled look on his face.
"That's not good, that means communications have been disrupted and possibly intercepted. Hannah get on that new com-link that the Academy gave us and let them in on this new development, Hestia, Flora, go compartment to compartment and pass the word. I'll stay and brief Ariel and Cedric." Harry turned to his two older friends "So it started off with…"
A half an hour later and the two older Cadets were caught up, and the train was beginning to pull out of the station. "That's a lot to take in mate, I can believe it with what my da has been saying about Dumbledore's latest activity in the Wizengamot, but still..." He trailed off and stared out the window at the passing scenery. Harry nodded in understanding, glancing over at Hannah who was stowing her com-link back into the small bag she had under her seat. She glanced up at him and nodded grimly.
"They said that they had suspicions, but they need to get an idea of how many communications got intercepted. We're to continue on as normal, and stay vigilant." Hannah jolted as the door flew open, revealing a blond haired boy with a posh sneer and two rather thick looking boys behind him.
"What can we do for you lads?" Cedric asked politely, but with a small undercurrent of distaste.
"There'd been rumors up and down the train that Harry Potter was in this carriage, is it you?" His voice carried a lilt of distain as he glanced at Cedric.
"I'm afraid not, the names Brunel – Isambard Kingdom Brunel. This here is Heather, James, and Courtney." He motioned to Hannah, Harry, and Ariel in turn.
"The names Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. It's good to meet you." His polite tone was rather forced as he turned a sped down the hallway.
"James?" Harry has amusement in his voice "You couldn't do any better?"
"Hey it was on the fly, be glad I didn't give him your name. His father is Lucius Malfoy, one of the advocates for that bill you mentioned. If he'd figured that much out and told his father, the rest of us could have been compromised."
"Like that time we were compromised in the broom cupboard?" Ariel asked with a bemused eyebrow raised.
"Why were you in the broom cupboard?" asked Harry.
"Refreshing our E and E techniques" Cedric shot an annoyed look at Ariel.
"Oh" said Harry, "Well, thanks for that, it's good to see at least some of the training we got hasn't completely rusted over." Hannah nudged him playfully as she got up to grab something from the sweets trolley that had just gone by. As she exited, Flora and Hestia came back in, affirming that they'd spread the word as best they could.
"Anyone that we didn't catch probably got Hannah's message. They all said they'd pass it along as best they could." Flora sat down with a slump as she unwrapped a chocolate frog. "We've got a long way to go Harry, how about a game of chess?" Harry pulled out a small travel board and set it up on the seat next to him and motioned for her to join them. Flora moved over and scrunched Cedric up against the door of the compartment as she took the black side of the board.
Almost six hours later and they were beginning to pull into the station at Hogsmead, they unloaded and separated into the first years and the second years as Cedric and Ariel walked over to the horseless carriages, and Harry, Hannah, Flora, and Hestia walked down to a little dock where a giant of a man was motioning them to go. They all crammed into one boat and were off across the smooth black water, they saw the light reflecting off of the water in front of them before they actually saw the castle itself. It was, in a word, awe-inspiring. There was a collective gasp that enveloped the first years as they saw the massive stone castle atop its rocky hill, lights from hundreds of torches flickering through the large window panes.
They bumped rather abruptly against a small jetty that was hidden in a cove of rocks. They emptied out of their boats and onto the cobble path, following the giant of a man up to a large double door, where he raised a ham sized fist and knocked thrice.
"You know" Harry said as he thought about the boats and how fragile they looked, "I'll never say a bad word against the Navy again"
Well that was the chapter everyone, I'm going to be extremely busy for a few weeks, so I might not be able to work on the next chapter as much as I would like. Anyway I hope you all enjoyed it, feel free to leave a review. Also, please go and look at the works by my long suffering beta, Pixel and Stephanie Forever, in order to reward him for everything he has done for me so far regarding this story. Yes, I know… I am but a mere mortal when it sizes up this this legend and god of fanfiction. I can only hope and dream I may be half as good as he is… (Pixel wrote that last bit, they're very humble don't you think? But in all seriousness do check out his work, it's some of my favorites. – Writer of Olde.)