Organization
While the Gryffs were still looking at the Map, at the same time but five hours after the events occurred, Sev and Lorenz arrived at the training ground.
Sev was thinking, They occupy almost all the flat space, from the end of the slope on the eastern shore of the Lake to the edge of the Forest. They have divided it into four quadrants, for years, and I already observe in the distance that the three commanders are forming pairs by mixed Houses, combining the students who wear uniforms, who have also removed their robes, with the warriors who have already trained with us, in more comfortable Muggle clothes. Brilliant. Ugh… Genevre has a lot of people, there are a lot of seventh-years.
Lorenz told him, "How well you have taught us, Prince."
"Well, you are missing."
"Yes, but I'm getting an idea, from how Jack organized us last week."
Fast-minded Rave. "Okay, so try it yourself and I'll supervise," Sev suggested. "You have it easy, they are even. Ask them if they've already trained on their own, to get an idea of their level, so it's easier for you to pair them up."
"Brilliant."
"Once you have them, so as not to get bored while I supervise the others, you can fight against each pair for a while, two against one, this way you also train them. Start with the weakest, fight at their level, let yourself be hexed from time to time to encourage them and congratulate them when they do. Make sure first that they know the counterspell, otherwise, you're going to stay like that." He laughed.
"Of course, of course…" Lorenz replied.
"Maybe you'll have to teach them theory too. I think I have left you the most difficult and most responsible position. If any Sly rebels, call me and I'll put him in his place. With the Raves and Huffles you won't have a problem, and you don't have any Gryff."
They reached the empty quadrant. They asked the fourth-year guys to stand in a circle. Sev spoke, "Lorenz is your commander and he is the one you must obey. He is an exceptional warrior and you are going to learn a lot from him. By the way, my name is not Snape, but Prince, and that is how you should address me if you need anything. All yours, Lorenz."
"Very good, guys," said Lorenz. "Raise your hand whoever thinks of preparing the Defense OWL next year."
That Rave with brilliant ideas.
They all did.
"Okay, Put it down whoever has never practiced on their own," Lorenz continued.
Four hands were left up, two Slys and two Raves. Lorenz asked each of them what level they had reached. Everyone was already in control to some degree of the fifth-year syllabus.
"Very well, you four in pairs, a Sly and a Rave, mixed, so that we all know each other," Lorenz ordered. "Pair up like you want. Do not use spells of which you do not know the counterspell, and the minimum of Protegos possible. You can start."
The four of them withdrew to one end of the quadrant and began to fight among themselves.
Sev thought, There are two Huffles, two Raves and four Slys left, six snakes willing to prepare the OWL next year, and surely these four have decided right now, if they had never trained before. What a jerk I've had at home. "You've already removed a third," he said. "Now, it's your turn to try them."
"Very well, get in pairs too," Lorenz said. "Each Sly with someone from another House, as you wish. The same, do not cast a spell if you do not know the counterspell, and the minimum number of Protegos."
They moved aside to make room for the four couples to organize themselves.
"Perfect, in five minutes," Sev appraised. "Now look at who uses the most Protegos of each pair, that is the weakest."
They stayed for three minutes watching them, finally Lorenz said, "There is only one balanced couple, the girls Sly and Rave."
"Very well, then leave them together and change the others."
"All Slys surpass their partners. I'm going to have to put them together."
Of course, we Slys have the temper, combative, Sev thought. "Well, when the others reach a level they will balance out, put the two best together."
Lorenz watched another minute. "I got them. The one who fights against the other Rave and this girl," pointing to the closest one.
"Okay, interrupt and change."
Lawrence did it.
"You have four left," said Sev.
"Yes, and I've already noticed that the Huffles are the laziest."
"It was to be expected, they don't have the temper. So combine the Sly and the Rave and you're left with both Huffles. This way you teach them well, so they don't get discouraged from trying it next year. Have you seen? In ten minutes. It's ten to ten, at quarter past twelve we'll finish so they have time to go home before lunch, about two and a half hours. Let them stop at eleven o'clock for a while if they are tired, or before, when they ask you to. And the same thing if they can't last until noon, surely most of them haven't finished breakfast. At halftime, change partners, leave these two together, who already know each other, and start with the other two that are weaker. Any problem you have, let me know."
Sev turned back to the castle, as he had kept his back to it. Whoa... the whole school is watching, with Dumbledore at the forefront, he has used a Time-Turner with Lily as well.
He heard Albus project to him, "Prince…"
He has changed my name, he has been with all three, Sev turned around again, pretending that he was watching the fourth-year group.
"I've got the five camouflaged malefics under control now," Dumbledore continued.
Wow... Remus has already told him everything.
"I have read them, they are also watching the training," the Headmaster added.
Wow... the old man playing spy for me.
"They do not plan to join, nor do they plan to do anything against you at the moment, they are afraid of you."
Take that!
"And they don't suspect your relationship with Lily Evans either, they think you finished a long time ago," Albus went on.
Great, what a relief.
"You must warn everyone who knows your relationship not to make any statement to the Daily Prophet if they come tonight, tomorrow or on successive days."
Of course.
"Don't do it immediately, propose a break in the middle of the morning," the Headmaster continued. "Also take the opportunity to communicate to the Raves that they control the malefics of their House, do not tell them that you have read them, pretend that you have found out from the bad Sly themselves."
Sure, clever Albus... Lauren was already telling me he could have been a snake.
"And the same to the Longbottoms, Gryffs, with those of their House. You will recognize them because they are the best fighters in the entire contingent."
Great, a good way to win them over.
"Don't call tomorrow's training place yet until we talk this afternoon," Dumbledore asked. "If the people of the Daily Prophet are here, it is not convenient to do it like today, too much publicity."
He is absolutely right.
"Lily is relatively safe, and Remus has taught me how to make the Map."
Ugh... poor old man, he must have spent hours with them.
"I will have it in less than a week, and I will also make another one for you."
Wow…
"That's all for now, I'll keep watching. I'll project instructions to you again at lunch. If you have understood everything, turn around and look at me again," Albus concluded.
Sev did it, trying to convey appreciation with his eyes. But he's so far...
I'm going forthe fifth-years. They are also even, ten, the entire OWLS except the Gryffs. Deborah has distributed them in pairs. She stands without fighting.
"How are you?" Sev asked her.
"No problem, balanced," Deborah replied.
"Don't get bored, get with the two weakest and train too, that way you teach them. At eleven we´ll take a break, I have to talk to the Raves and Slys."
"Great, Prince."
"If they can't hold out until then, give them a break."
"Maybe the two Huffles, they are the weakest, I had to put them together."
"Yeah, the same thing has happened to Lorenz," he said. "Then fight against them, that they learn from a good Sly warrior."
"Thank you Prince."
I'm going for the sixth-years, Jack is fighting a Gryff that he visibly surpasses, he is doing it at a low level. This one must not be from Defense. Sev counted the total. Nine pairings, eighteen, five Gryffs, including the Longbottoms and the other two they were arguing with. They must have joined at the beginning of the training.
Wow... the Longbottoms surpass everyone, they're fighting together, what a signings. I have to make at least one of them commander for next year, ideally one from each House. Let's see if we can find a Huffle who deserves it. I'm going to look at the two pairings formed with a Huffle. They're fighting a non-Defense Sly and Rave, and very evenly matched, the Huffles are lazy as hell. In successive training sessions I will have to take care of them.
He interrupted Jack's fight. "What a show, Prince…" his friend gave him a hug.
"Yeah, I've gone too far."
"Goodbye forever, vipers!" they laughed wickedly. "You've stayed at ease, haven't you?"
"You don't know how I was wishing it," Sev confessed.
The Gryff behind him was laughing too.
"Allow me to introduce you to this boy," Jack said. "He wanted to study Defense and did not reach the Outstanding in Transfiguration."
Ugh… like could it happen to me, Sev thought. He turned to him, holding out his hand. "My, I'm sorry. I'm Prince, nice to meet you."
The other gave him a firm squeeze. "Robert Freeman. What a relief that you are on our side, what a historic way to expose yourself. And thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn. Even though I can't be an Auror, I want to fight."
"If you wish, without a doubt you will, like all of us. I'll take Defense, but if I can avoid it, I won't become an Auror either. I don't believe in the Ministry."
"Yeah, now that you mention it, they're doing very little to contain Voldemort's rise."
"That's what I think too," Sev agreed. "Well, you know, we will continue training. In a year you will reach the necessary level. Jack is a very good teacher and I will teach you too."
"I'm looking forward to it, Prince."
"Perhaps in a while I will fight a little against you. For the moment I must continue to supervise."
"Brilliant."
Sev turned to Jack and spoke only to him, "Break at eleven, I have to talk to the Slys and Raves of Defense. Dumbledore has given me instructions regarding safety."
"How?" Jack asked, astonished.
"Projecting. I think he's spent several hours with the Gryffs since we left the Hall, with a Time-Turner."
"Oh!"
"He was prepared for what was coming," Sev said. "We'll keep talking after training is over and over lunch, I'm going to see how Genevre is doing, she has the largest group. And then to make friends with the rest of Gryffs."
"All right, Prince."
He approached the seventh year group. Many. Genevre doesn't fight. "What's up Genevre? How many?"
"Twenty-four," she replied.
"Wow…"
"All non-malefic Sly seventh-years."
"Yes, there were also all the sixth and fourth-years," he said.
"What a jerk you've had in your House. What a triumph, Prince," Genevre told him proudly. "Three more from Rave who don't study Defense and all the Huffles, three, and Gryffs, six, who do. One of them joined when we had already started, but it was because he was late for breakfast."
"We have eleven Gryffs, all the Defense ones and a boy who was left out for not getting the Outstanding in Transfiguration."
"What a triumph, Prince."
"Let me count." Twelve fourth-years, ten fifth-years, seventeen sixth-years, twenty-four seventh-years. Sixty-three, plus the five commanders, sixty-eight. A quarter of the school. Buah… Excluding the malefics who have left, which must be between twenty and twenty-five, we are more than a quarter. "We are sixty-eight, Genevre, and you have more than a third. Have you had problems?"
"Ugh... the three Huffles are weak, I've tried to combine them with those of Sly and Rave who don't take Defense, five, even, but even so they surpass them."
"Huffles are lazy in all years. With these we won't be able to do much anymore, but we will have to think about giving the rest extra training, especially the fifth-years so they can pass the OWLs. Luckily there are only two of them, any of us can do it."
"Yeah, I feel bad for these guys," she said.
"Well, if they enter the Auror Academy, they will continue to instruct them there."
"But I doubt they will even pass the entrance exams."
"Ugh… I have an idea, to take a bit of work off your shoulders and win over two very good Gryffs," Sev said.
"Tell me."
"Take the three Huffles and the weakest of those who don't study Defense and I'll put them to train with a Gryff couple that surpasses all the seventh-years."
"The Longbottoms," Genevre deduced.
"Yeah."
"Very good idea, they are excellent."
"Go choosing the fourth component and thinking about how to reorganize while I talk to them," he asked. "I'll make you a sign and you send them to me. We kill two birds with one stone, we give prominence to the Gryffs and we help the Huffles."
"How brilliant you are, Prince, you must have been Rave."
"Yeah, I've thought about it many times, my life would have been much easier. And speaking of that, at eleven we stopped to rest. I must speak with the core of the Guard, with all the Slys and Raves that we were from the beginning. Tell them one by one. I'm sorry I put you in such a commitment, twenty-four are too many, better send me all those who are not studying Defense, so you don't have to rearrange couples and there are people from the four Houses also in the fifth group."
"Great, you get me out of trouble," she thanked.
"I should have come with you as soon as I organized the fourth-years."
"Don't worry, Prince, you already have enough trouble."
"Well, I'm going for the Gryffs," Sev said goodbye.
Sev returned to the sixth year group and made a beeline for the Longbottoms. Wow… these ones havemy level.
He stopped the bitter fight between them. "Good morning, I would like to introduce myself, I am Prince."
"Nice to meet you, Prince," the girl gave him a firm squeeze. "I'm Alice Fariq. "What a pleasant surprise you've given us."
"Nice to meet you, Prince," the boy too. "I'm Frank Longbottom. Thank you for throwing the malefics out of the school. It has been historical."
"Thanks to you for joining, passing over the nonsense of the enemy Houses," Sev told them.
"Well, you said it yourself, nonsense," Alice said. "We must all be united for what is coming. You had a cancer in Sly, but you have removed it. You are more good than evil, we always knew it."
"That is. And speaking of the subject, there are malefics in the school, two of them in your House."
"Ugh… no wonder," Frank said.
"I'm going to tell you who they are so that you have them under control for the month and a half that they have left of the year, they are in their seventh year," Sev informed them. "You will know better what to do against them, perhaps spread the word at home so that they are discovered and do not dare anything strange."
"Sure, Prince, we will," Alice said.
Sev told them both last names.
"It was to be expected that it was them," Alice said. "They don't hang out with anyone else, they're always in cahoots with each other. We'll keep them at bay, count on it."
"Thank you so much. I have not approached you just for that, I have been noticing how well you fight," Sev sai.d
"We've been training together since fourth year," Frank said.
"Wow…"
"Yeah. We want to participate in the war since then and at school they don't prepare us enough," Alice said.
"Admirable, that's what I think," Sev appraised them. "I have a proposal for you. Too many seventh years have joined, including several Slys and Raves who aren't taking Defense, and rather lazy Huffles who may not pass their Auror exams. You are the best warriors in the entire contingent. Would you like to take care of them during the morning and instruct them?"
"Of course, Prince," Alice replied.
"Sure, we appreciate the trust you're putting in us as soon as we met," Frank told him.
"You deserve it so much. There are eight in total, I imagine you will not need help to handle them," Sev said.
"We won't, Prince, don't worry, we'll take care of them," Alice said.
"Brilliant, what a great team. But first, if you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if you'd introduce me to the other sixth-year pair you were trying to convince to join."
"Have you realized?" she asked.
"I have, I was very aware of the Gryff table." Let's see if they get the hint. They smile at me, understanding. They already guess I'm with Lily, but they won't say a word.
Alice and Frank interrupted the fights of the other two pairs that their friends were in. The two that were left loose kept fighting each other. The four approached him and they introduced them to him. They are not at all that open and tolerant, but they have been polite and have given me firm grips. My arm hurts more and more just from shaking hands, without even having fought, ugh…
They chatted for a while discussing the impending war. One of the others asked, "You already had everything prepared. Why precisely today?"
I can't go around talking about Malfoy's letter to just anyone. The Daily Prophet, Sev thought. "Saturday, spring, good weather, still a month away from the exams," he answered.
"And why precisely when the owls have entered?"
"A good way to coordinate, to make the movement at the same time. Brilliant idea from a Rave."
"A great team, of course," said the other, less suspicious. "Cunning Slys and brilliant Raves. You have managed to unite all the Houses."
"We must be united against the true enemy, which is Voldemort, and not Gryff against Sly," Sev sentenced.
"Absolutely right. And you should know that better than anyone."
"Of course." If you were to find out everything I know. Sev turned to Alice and Frank. "Well, I'm going to call your group, occupy the space you need, there's plenty," and to the others. "Continue fighting each other or return to your partners, whatever you want."
Sev approached the seventh-years group again and signaled to Genevre. The Rave stopped the fight of the four couples and motioned for them to go with him. He explained to them, "I'm Prince. Sorry not to introduce myself to each of you, I would be unable to retain all your names. We have thought of lightening the load of the seventh year group and offer you a more intense training with two good warriors, the best of the contingent. They are a very open and tolerant Gryff couple and willing to anything. Does it seem good to you?"
The Huffles and Raves nod, the two from my House are suspicious. It was expected. I have to iron out rough edges. He told them, "Give it a try, I'm sure it will be worth it. At eleven o'clock we'll rest, if by then you are not comfortable, return with the seventh-years and fight among yourselves."
"Well, we'll try," answered the Sly boy. "Because it's you, Prince."
The pull that I have at home. "Thanks for your trust."
He led them to where Alice and Frank were waiting, introduced them, and left them in charge. Ugh… I'm already exhausted just from dealing with people and despite the Stimulant Potion. This politics is beyond me, I am a lonely being. Who would order me to get into such a mess? Lauren… how is she doing?
He took a second look at the people who was watching. There are even more than before, those who get up late. Albus, in the front row, doesn't miss a thing. He smiled at him, and the Headmaster smiled back and projected to him, "Very well done, Prince."
Thank you, Albus, Sev thought. Where are my girls? Lily and Cecile are close to Albus, accompanied by the trio and the other two girls from their year. The wolf is not there, he must have hidden to watch the map, because maybe the malefics have left, I don't see them.
And Lauren? She's sitting at the foot of the beech tree, but across from where Lily and I used to sit, alone, leaning against the log, staring at me, her hair still wet, she's showered and run to watch the training, with bare legs drawn up and hugging them with her hands. I'm going to try to project to her from as far away. "Do you hear me, my love?"
She doesn't answer me, she doesn't. It doesn't matter, we'll talk at lunch. He smiled at her, and she at him.
We are going to continue, now to deal with the Gryffs of seventh-year, six. I will introduce myself to these even if I do not learn their names. He turned to Genevre and said, "Stop all the Gryffs fighting."
"Ugh… I'm going to have to reorganize everything," she replied.
"I know, but I have to earn them, Genevre. Politics. They distrust me."
"Don't believe it, five of them have already joined in the Great Hall."
"Well, it's true. So we leave it for after the break," Sev said. "Everyone is fighting except the two of us. Do you want to fight me? Today I am at fifty percent, because of my arm, it hurts a lot."
"Sure, poor guy. Then you better rest."
"No. I can't have everyone running and me doing nothing."
"Yeah, you're right. Let's go then," she agreed.
It's half an hour until eleven. He fought low, so as not to strain his arm, and Genevre matched him.