Chapter 17:

Visiting Home

Harry walked across the grounds without any care for cover or being seen. Part of him hoped somebody would see him. He was itching for a fight. But the map had already shown him the distinct lack of activity on the grounds and castle proper. The other ground patrols were all on the other side of the castle making their circuit, leaving only inside patrols to worry about.

His path took him to the greenhouses and a black iron door behind them that he knew led to the dungeons. He made his way through it and found himself in a hall just off the one containing the kitchens and the Hufflepuff common room. He crossed into said corridor and walked past both, tickling the pair on the bowl of fruit as he passed just to hear it giggle, but ignoring the door handle that sprouted from the action.

He climbed up the small staircase from the kitchen area to the entrance hall, checking the Marauder's map once more to ensure his path was clear, and continued on to the grand staircase. He stopped dead in his tracks when he reached them.

Not a single staircase was connected along the route he needed to take. The second-floor staircase connected to the first floor on the opposite wall from him. So on, and so forth, as if the castle was specifically arranging itself to make it difficult for anyone to get from one floor to another. It made sense, the castle wanted to keep the faculty away from the students if rumors were to be told. But Harry had a great need, and he knew the castle would approve of his mission.

"Hogwarts, if you would be so kind, I believe I am needed on the seventh floor." Harry said aloud to the walls around him. "Won't you help me?"

No sooner did the words leave his mouth did the staircases come to life. Each and every one of them rearranged themselves to provide him the most direct path upwards. A clear shot to his goal.

"Thank you kindly." Harry said to the castle. "I have missed you so."

Harry caressed the stone handrails as he ascended, marveling at the smoothness and feel of magic against his skin. A feeling he had almost forgotten. He really had missed every inch of Hogwarts and felt saddened that he would only be here for a few dozen minutes. He desired to see every inch of the castles internal beauty as he had on so many past nighttime strolls, but duty called.

The walk up to the seventh floor was a relaxed affair in the dark of night, with all of the portraits along the way snoozing quietly. He spotted lumos-lit wands off on the fourth floor as he passed it, prefects or "Aurors" on guard duty, no doubt. He ignored them and went on his way, not even encountering Peeves as was customary during such important evenings. He veered off onto the seventh floor and continued his relaxed pace all the way to the portrait of Barnabus and his ballerina trolls.

He turned to look straight at the section of wall he knew so well.

He lifted his wand to his mouth and focused on a recent memory. The look on Lucius' face as his cruciatus dropped him to the ground and the bleak acceptance of the broken man as the killing curse ripped his soul from his body. The memory warmed Harry to his core, and then two little words brought to life his luminous stag.

"Expecto Patronum." He incanted quietly, and while the white mist coalesced, he removed his respirator and whispered into it. "I am here."

The stag materialized slowly, then with a nod from Harry at the wall containing the room of requirement, his patronus charged through the stone and beyond to deliver his message.

Harry lowered his hood and removed his respirator completely despite the pain doing so caused him. His change in appearance would be shocking enough without looking like a hospital patient. Pale, sallow skin and dark, tired eyes were bad enough. Let alone how thin he'd gotten.

A moment passed, but only one before the familiar triangle door appeared before him and opened to reveal the smiling face of Neville Longbottom.

"Harry!" He whisper-yelled as he grabbed Harry by the scruff and dragged him inside, slamming the door behind them.

Harry was momentarily blinded by the brightly lit room and deafened by the uproar of cheers and elated squeals of at least a hundred teenagers as he was engulfed by a sea of hands.

"Harry!" Seamus said as he bear-hugged him.

The uncomfortable sensation of having the life squeezed out of him lasted only a moment, as the storm of hands swept the Irishman away and a new hugger replaced the old. From there he was bombarded with thumps on the back, busses on the cheek, and even more hugs from everybody. Every single person in Hogwarts, or every person he liked, seemed to have been crammed in this one room.

Among the twenty-three DA members were at least twice as many younger students he hardly knew, and a few he didn't recognize at all, having missed the sorting of the new first years. Eventually the storm subsided and was replaced by the usual buzzing of a large room filled with Hogwarts students and Harry merely had to raise a hand for silence.

"Everyone, I am so happy to see you alive and whole." He told them. "But we have work to do."

They all adopted their serious faces and his DA members all stood at attention.

"But first, will Cho, Dennis and Colin please meet with me outside." He requested. "I must speak with them without all of you overhearing."

Taking another look around for familiar faces he spotted Millicent huddled with Daphne and Astoria Greengrass. Harry blinked and did a double take at the presence of the Slytherin girls, and another at their matching black eyes and Astoria's split lip. He shook the surprise off and chalked it up to a story he'd hear soon enough, before pointing to the largest of the girls and motioned for her to come along as well. She hesitated but came along all the same.

Harry turned heel and advanced back to the door to the seventh floor, surreptitiously checking the Marauder's map to ensure nobody was approaching. Noting that it was safe, he wrenched it open and walked outside, waiting for the three to join him. With his back still to the door he raised his left hand to his face and twisted the black stone thrice before whispering into it.

"Albus Dumbledore. Gellert Grindelwald." He whispered.

He turned around to see Cho, Millicent, Dennis and Colin exiting the room behind him, with the door closing and vanishing just as the shades of Dumbledore and Grindelwald manifested.

He spoke without prompting.

"Jun and Eric are alive and whole." He told them without preamble. "And your mother is well as well, Millicent."

The effect of his good news was immediate. Cho stumbled back away from him with an arm stretched out to catch herself against the wall, slumping against it in relief. Dennis and Colin grasped each-other desperately out of relief in a hug so tight it looked like they might actually hurt each other. Millicent was the most reserved of them, raising a hand to who chest and let out a long breath of relief.

"Do I hear a 'but' coming?" Gellert said jokingly with a chuckle.

His chuckled died in his throat at the death glare Albus sent his way. These shades really did get off on being assholes knowing Harry was the only person who could see or hear them.

"They haven't been hurt at all?" Cho clarified from where she sat on the cold floor.

Harry looked to Albus for guidance.

"The truth." Albus said.

"Their bodies are whole and healthy." Harry told them. "They have not been maimed. But they did suffer horribly while under the possession of those monsters."

All three closed their eyes as Harry confirmed what he knew was their worst concern for their little siblings, after death obviously, and he hated himself all the more for every ounce of pain he was causing them with these words.

"But you should know, they have been an absolute joy for all of us since I rescued them. Bouncing back and being the most delightful little helpers around the base. And Mrs Bullstrode has been one tough lady, resolute and inspiring." He went on. "I need you all to be as brave and strong as they have been. Because if they could come back from this, so can you."

"Excellent, Harry. Now be sure to enforce how much the little ones need their bigger siblings." Dumbledore advised.

"They need their big brothers, their big sister and their baby girl in their arms again. When we get back your sole focus in life, in as much as this war will allow, is to make every second of it beautiful for them." Harry instructed. "They deserve it."

"Warn them not to force their loved ones to open up or pretend to understand. That's one sure way to drive them away, or at least piss them off." Gellert warned in a way that told Harry he spoke from experience.

"Now, that doesn't mean you should make them tell you about it, sometimes healing is an internal thing that isn't shared." Harry warned. "And I don't need you going to them claiming you know what they're going through, as I'm pretty sure few if any of us do. Just be there, love them as you always had, and keep on with life."

Colin, Dennis, Millicent and Cho all nodded. Cho then shakily lifted herself from the floor and straightened her clothes before taking a deep breath. She didn't wipe away her tears before turning on Harry.

"What of their captors?" She asked.

"MAKE IT VIVID!" Gellert advised without prompting.

Harry looked from the former dark lord to the former headmaster. When albus agreed with a nod Harry followed Gellert's instructions.

"The vengeance I met upon them was swift, violent and painful, but far better than any of them deserved." Harry gloated with an edge to his voice. "So, while I cannot help them heal, I did make sure they got that closure. It was the least and most I could..."

It was at that moment that the need for his respirator returned and he clutched at it in his robes as an unexpected coughing fit overtook him.

"Harry!" Colin, Dennis and Cho all called out together and, again as one, reached out to help him.

He waved them away and returned the respirator to his face before taking a few inhalations.

"I, on the other hand, have suffered much bodily harm. But I too fight on." He told them with a smile that he allowed to reach his eyes so they could see it. "Now, let's go back inside. I think we have some catching up to do.

Cho banged on the wall twice and the door reappeared, along with Neville, who motioned them inside.

"Pelase be aware, Harry is suffering from injuries and has to wear a respirator." CHo announced to the room for him.

Harry nodded gratefully to his ex as he stepped through and finally surveyed the living conditions. Only now did Harry bother to take full stock of the room of requirement. It was actually the room of hidden things, filled with tents and the ruined furniture rearranged into living areas. It was like having a camping trip to the quidditch pitch, but indoors... a Quidditch stadium indoors?

"I am suddenly struck with the possibility of the room turning into a Quidditch pitch." He shared his amusing thoughts aloud. "And I cannot fathom how we never thought of it."

Ginny, Cho, Ritchie, Demelza and Jimmy all developed expressions of pure awe on their faces while everyone else merely chuckled at his humor. And then they looked suddenly sad. And he knew why. It was literally the last day they could have tried it out, and only then did it occur to one of them.

"So, what's the plan, boss man?" Dean asked from where he stood next to the Greengrass sisters.

"We are taking the Hogwarts express for a little joyride." Harry told them. "After evacuating all of our people and emptying out this room of anything useful, we are to meet with the other two teams in Hogsmeade. Problem is, how do we get all hundred of you to Hogsmeade unnoticed? Might take some fighting."

"Oh no, we got that covered Harry." Seamus said from where he stood next to a portrait of a kindly-looking blonde girl.

He banged his fist on the side of the portrait and it opened up to a roughhewn passage.

"This bad boy connects straight to the Hog's head. Aberforth has been keeping us well fed." Seamus explained.

Daphne had the gall to snort at that, among others. He did not envy a diet of Aberforth's home cooking.

"In that case, start packing. I want every single thing in this room packed into any container you can expand and charm to be lightweight. We will sort through them for what is useful or dangerous later. While you all do that, we will be stuck waiting for word from the others that the train is ready." Harry said. "In the meantime, I will sit here so you can regale me with what has been happening in our lovely school."

He looked around at those who looked most worn out or battered. He snapped his fingers and pointed at Daphne, Susan, Lavender and Padma, beckoning them in turn to join him with a finger.

"I want a balanced regaling. A perspective from each house. Come. Sit with me. Talk. Correct each other and add missing details as needed." Harry instructed as he pulled up a chair.

The four girls, save a hesitant Daphne Greengrass, obliged immediately and approached the small tea table he had sat at and took seats. Daphne joining only after a hushed conversation with her little sister. When they began speaking, Harry was not at all pleased with what they had to say.

"Are you sure that's an Algiz rune? It looks more like a Tiwaz." Malcolm criticized from where he lay beside him on the train tracks.

"Of course it's an Algiz, you idiot." Dudley hissed. "The Tiwaz is a straight up arrow, this one's an umbrella."

Malcolm turned his head sideways to consider the carving Dudley had just added to the connecting rod. The 'Muggles" had spent the better part of the last few days being taught runes by the nasty Goblin Griphook. He was one vicious teacher, yet they had somehow taken to it. Something about the novelty of them being able to make real magic by simply carving symbols in circuits - like with electronics - made them feel oddly... powerful.

"I dunno..." Malcolm complained some more. "It's kinda missing that tick mark in the middle, innit?"

Dudley withdrew the tiny pocketbook guide to runes from his breast pocket and compared them. Indeed, it was missing the tick mark in the middle between the two branches. He had drawn the two branches straight to the top of the first line instead of a third of the way down like he was supposed to. Was there enough room to simply extend the middle line without affecting the array?

"I'll go get Griphook." Dudley decided.

He crawled out from underneath the locomotive and crouched low as he approached the lip of the abandoned station. There, Griphook sat kneeling over his arrangement of crystals, chanting in his guttural language in what Dudley could only assume was a spell of some kind. As he understood things, he had to fill the crystals with magic to power the runes, and he had to do so in a specific way to work with the runes they had carved. Kinda like making sure electricity was in the right voltage, current type and amp for a device. Or at least that's how the masked girl with bushy hair explained it.

"Griphook." Dudley whispered.

The goblin stopped his chant and looked up.

"If I screw up an Algiz rune by connecting the two branches at the end instead of along the body, can I extend the body to fix it?" Dudley asked.

"Yes." Griphook said without hesitation, then went back to his chanting at the crystals.

Well alright then. Good to know.

He began to scooch back to the part of the train Malcolm was under when an obviously human impersonation of an owl came from the rafters overlooking of the train station.

He looked up and, sure enough, the blonde girl was up there trying to get everyone's attention. He recalled the owl sound was to announce the arrival of the other team, with the raven caw for enemies. He watched as the masked girl appeared beside Luna and together, they erased a section of the glass ceiling from existence.

With the glass gone, the sound of a roaring engine filled the train station. The sudden noise made everybody jump, and Dudley heard the distinct sound of a head hitting metal followed by an "owe" from Malcolm. The engine noise grew closer until it was right on top of them. A second later the sound of a car dropping onto the ground signaled the arrival of the other team. The engine cut off soon after that and the space in front of Dudley filled with an entire Ford Anglia. A very familiar Ford Anglia.

"Didn't you guys break into my house with this thing?" Dudley recalled.

"No. We broke Harry OUT of your house with it." George said from his seat in the back of the car before crawling out.

His usual cheeriness was still there, but it seemed somewhat... dimmed.

"What happened?" Dudley asked with obvious worry.

"Trouble with the centaurs." Bill said without more detail. "Harry dealt with it."

Mr Weasley clapped his hands together and put on his usual kindly face.

"But he will be fine. We, need to figure out how to put this..." Mr Weasley opened the bonnet (AN:) revealing the engine block. "Into that!"

Dudley looked from the car engine to the steam locomotive and back again.

"How?" Dudley asked, not believing such a thing was possible.

All three redheads present shrugged.

"Magic?" They said as one.

Dudley just stared at them, before noticing the retreating figure of Bill's wife as she walked away from them to the station entrance to, presumably, stand guard.

Dudley recalled that Harry promised to order Fleur to keep her distance from him because of the effect her powers had on him and felt somewhat guilty for alienating her. He was sure it wasn't the woman's fault. But they needed to remove an engine block from a car and fit it to a steam engine, so making amends could wait for later.

"Milli and I was the only Slytherin in my year who refused to practice curses on younger students. And refused to cast the cruciatus on anybody." Daphne finished. "So, I got put in the detentions and flunked out of defense along with the rest of this lot. Same for Astoria. Detention usually consisted of being the test dummies for other students to practice the dark arts on."

And thus ended the last testimony of the four girls. In some ways things at Hogwarts had been worse than he expected, in other ways better. But it needed to end now.

"I am incredibly disappointed." Harry said when the girls finally finished sharing their tale of whoa.

He stood up and marched to the center of their little clear area and addressed the room, removing his respirator first in order to speak more clearly.

"D.A members! Front and center!" He yelled.

The shuffling and crashing of furniture or worse echoed from all across the stadium-sized room as all twenty two members of the DA present - save for Lavender, Susan and Padma - sprinted, climbed and weaved to his position. Even Marrietta Edgecomb came to stand in front of him as they filed into a line facing him. Harry surveyed them, from Cho, to Seamus to the two Creeveys. And allowed his mock disgust to show on his face.

He placed his respirator back on his face.

"It has to come to my attention that each and every one of you has flunked Defense Against the Dark Arts class this year." Harry said. "This... is unacceptable."

The uproar at his criticism was instant, as every single member shouted a rejoinder. It mostly amounted to exclaiming that it was just dark arts now or the much more reasonable arguement that he couldn't expect them to practice the dark arts on first years. Harry waited for them to get it all out of their systems before raising a hand and giving further instruction.

"I expect each and every one of you to provide me with your report cards." Harry instructed. "I will go meet with these Carrow siblings and... discuss ways of raising your scores."

They couldn't see his malicious grin at the end of his act, but they caught his meaning and either outright snorted or blinked at him in confusion at the obvious malice in his voice. If they could only see the vicious expression beneath his respirator, they would probably be much more frightened. But, in the end, they did each produce a report card and handed them to him. He pocketed each and turned to the door.

"Neville is still in charge." Harry told the room, before turning to the tea table he had just risen from. "Ladies, won't you four join me in this last Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson of the Carrows?"

They didn't even hesitate in following him through the door.

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AN: So I looked up the British terms for auto parts because I suspected they might use a different word for "hood." And BOY was I disappointed to find out how right I was.

Bonnet. Bonnet?! I cannot think of a dumber thing to call the hood of a vehicle. And I thought you all went too far in calling the trunk a boot. Every day I feel more ratified in my ancestor's decision to curb stomp the British army and drive them and their government out of North America. Bonnet?! God, I love being an American if the alternative would be being British.