inja Wizard V
By David
Disclaimer: All characters belong to RK Rowling. They aren't mine.
Author Notes: These characters [ ] indicate Japanese being spoken.
Ninja Wizard V
"Playtime's over, Mr. Potter"
Harry's bad feeling that Minister Fudge's announcement to the public had been right as the hall exploded in shouts of anger and indignation. Harry decided that being someplace else would be much better. He stood up and quietly left the hall. A few people watched him leave. Hermione wanted so much to get up and scream at the people but she didn't knowing that wouldn't help things. She stood up with the others and used the agitated crowd to leave the hall without being noticed. Dumbledore noticed Harry's departure and inwardly he was jumping for joy. This could be the break he was looking for. Now, how to exploit it? The other champions pretended to congratulate Cedric Diggory but inwardly the were beyond furious at the reaction of the crowd. They would find Harry later.
Hermione followed Harry through a painting that led them to a flight of moving stairs.
"What are you doing here, Hermione?" Harry asked
Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry. "Came to show my support of you."
Harry sighed as he took hold of her. "You really are a true friend."
"This isn't over yet, Harry. Something's up and I have a bad feeling that everything up to now had been playtime. I think we need to get people together and make plans," she said.
Harry nodded at that. "That's what I was planning on. I need to write a few letters asking advice and see what certain people say, and then call for a meet of our friends. We talk about things, and then we go from there. You are right, Hermione. Everything up to now has been playtime. Now it's over and things are about to get very serious. We need to start working harder."
They arrived at the dead end. The lady in an evening dress appeared in the back of the door and nodded to Harry. "Hall's clear. Tomotsu Miyamoto is expecting you."
"Thank you Miss Janet. Appreciate your help," Harry nodded to her as she opened the door.
Miyamoto saw them on the other side of the hall as Harry and Hermione emerged. He opened the door to Harry's private flat and they walked in. Miyamoto closed the door behind them and then turned to face them. "So, what do you wish to do now?"
"First a cup of tea. Then I write letters. Then I wait for the replies. I call a meet and get opinions from everybody. Then I analyze everything and make a decision," Harry informed Miyamoto.
"Your ultimate plan of action?" Miyamoto asked.
Harry grinned. "Kick ass. Take names."
"This should be interesting," Miyamoto observed.
Hermione nodded in agreement. "Why not just start doing it now? Pick a known associate of the Idiot-Who-Can't-Be-Named and trail him for a week."
"That's an idea. Lucius Malfoy is the most obvious target. See who he meets up with and post their pics on the war room wall. Get Sirius to profile them," Harry said.
Hermione looked thoughtful. "You could always start with Crabbe and Goyle. See where that goes."
"I do wonder if they are a lot more intelligent than their sons are," Harry noted the names.
Only one way to find out," Miyamoto said. "I'll go ask around. I just might get a few more names for you. "I'll do it tonight after curfew."
Harry and Hermione turned to look at Miyamoto in surprise at that.
"What?" Miyamoto exclaimed. "Yes, us people in the pictures do get around after hours. I play poker with a group up on the fourth floor every Friday night. I talk to a few close friends I know here and there, especially Sir Terrence, and he was an immense help to me when I first got here ages ago. If there is anything you want to know or need to know, he's the one to go to."
"English, likes cigars and brandy?" Harry asked.
Miyamoto beamed. "That's the one. He's been here since the late 1700's. The oldest painting in the castle is up in the headmaster's study, and he was reputed to be the very first headmaster after the Founders. He doesn't get out much, preferring to stay in his comfort zone. I've left messages for him asking for assistance and so far, no word."
"He can't or he won't," Harry said.
Miyamoto sighed. "I think it's more of he won't. There is the possibility that Dumbledore fixed it so all the former headmasters can't say anything that goes on in the headmaster's study. If they could talk, I imagine they would have quite a bit to say."
"Would be nice," Harry grumbled. "They only way to get in there is to be invited in, and there's always someone in there. It would take something major for a headmaster to call you up and then suddenly leave in the middle of the conference."
Hermione sighed. "Okay, so much for that one. Until we get a lucky break, the school library, Sirius, and the generosity of the paintings are gonna have to do."
"I know. I just hope that we can get some good intel from them," Harry said.
Miyamoto nodded. "If you know how to ask the questions and when to ask them."
"Very true," Hermione said. "I've learned that from Harry over time."
Harry turned back to his small table and sat down in the Japanese style. "So now we wait. In the meantime, I need to write some letters."
"I'll come back later this afternoon. I'm going to go and chat up some of our friends," Hermione said, heading for the door.
"Good luck, love. Be safe," Harry said as Miyamoto peeked out.
The door popped open and Hermione left quickly. Harry turned to his writing set and started his first letter to his Japanese family. He had a lot of news to relate.
Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts.
To say that Minerva McGonagall was steamed would be an understatement. She was boiling. And Fudge knew without a doubt that he was the target of her imminent wrath. He suddenly wished he was someplace else. He felt like he was a kid being called into the principal's office after having been caught throwing spitballs. Dolores Umbridge, his private secretary, a woman who looked like a toad and garishly dressed up in pink, very loud pink, inwardly grinned. She knew just how weak and ineffective he was. More meat for her blackmail file, and if he kept this up, he'd be the guest of honor at his own ass roasting.
"Umm, Miss McGonagall, ah, if we can just calm down a moment…" he began but then shut up quickly as McGonagall turned around and glared at him with fire coming out of her eyes.
"Of all the idiotic, dumb, and stupid stuff you have ever done, that was the worst! You could have done it a bit differently!" she roared.
Umbridge had no doubt that Fudge could hear that. It was louder than the clink of gold being dropped into his fat sweaty palms.
Fudge shifted his position. "How?"
"By announcing Diggory as the winner and keeping shut about Harry being the one to share first place. Kept it to yourself about the prize money going to Potter. Giving him his thousand galleons up here in the office. Now I must do something to calm everybody down. As it is by good fortune that Potter doesn't have to sit his end of year exams, I suggest that he be released from the school two weeks earlier so he doesn't have to deal with everybody here. I am sure he has his summer plans all drawn up and that he will be just fine," McGonagall said.
Fudge scratched his face for a moment as he thought about what McGonagall just said. "Perhaps that would have been the better course. All right, please call him up here so I can give him his money and we will inform him that we are dismissing him early for his summer holiday early."
McGonagall headed back to the big desk in the center of the room and sat down. She wrote the note and handed it off to Fawkes and he disappeared in a ball of flame. He found Harry at his low table writing letters. Harry looked up the moment Fawkes flamed in. He sat up with a smile.
"Fawkes! Hello to you my friend," Harry reached out for the magnificent bird and gently petted him.
Fawkes trilled happily and fluffed up his feathers in pleasure. He loved it when he went to visit Harry. He could always count on getting a warm welcome from Harry. Fawkes relaxed for a moment and then remembered his mission. He dropped the envelope on the table in front of Harry. He picked it up and looked at it. He noted the handwriting and knew at once it was from McGonagall. He opened the envelope and pulled out the note and looked it over. "McGonagall wants to see me in her office."
"Best to not keep the lady waiting, Harry. I'll pass the word," Miyamoto said and went to the large painting in front.
Harry stood up and reached for his leather jacket that he had been given and pulled it on knowing it was sometimes cold and drafty inside the castle. He glanced at the clock on the wall by the door as he slipped out the door. It was late morning and he was glad he was able to send off the last letter before having to leave. Harry stuck to the shadows and listened to the talk as people passed him, all of it not good. He decided to ask if he could leave now and not wait for the leaving feast in two weeks like he had planned.
"I'm not running away, it's more of a discrete retreat," Harry reasoned to himself. "Anyone who's smart could see that. Besides, it's in the Book of Five Rings and Sun Tzu's writings."
Harry watched as Slytherin house passed by led by Snape himself heading back to their commons room. Harry briefly debated pranking them before leaving and shelved that idea. He needed his head to be clear for the encounter that was awaiting him in the headmaster's office. He passed other people as he moved through the shadows. Getting to the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the headmaster's office, he wondered if there were other exits if this one was compromised. Interesting thought. He'd have to explore that thought much later. The gargoyle glared down at him.
"McGonagall's Lions," Harry said.
The gargoyle sighed and stepped aside. Harry grinned at it and headed up the stairs. It wasn't moving today and Harry was okay with that as he preferred to walk up. The exercise would do him good. He got to the thick wood door and knocked. The door opened of its own accord and Harry looked in. He was surprised to see Fudge and Umbridge there with McGonagall. This should be interesting.
"Lady McGonagall," Harry said as he bowed.
McGonagall nodded to him. "Do come in Harry. We need to discuss things."
Harry walked in and the door closed behind him. Other than the things that was obviously McGonagall's, the place hadn't changed much.
"Ah. Good evening Mr. Potter. So, nice to see you," Fudge began as Harry turned to him. "I must apologize for creating a bit of trouble for you down there this morning. I should have thought to speak to Miss McGonagall beforehand but I wasn't thinking. So, now here we are. I am here to present you with your one thousand galleons and my congratulations on sharing first place with Cedric Diggory."
Fudge placed the bag in Harry's hands and nodded to him.
"Now, seeing as to how my little announcement has caused you a bit of trouble, it was decided that you should start your summer holidays a bit early. You can leave anytime you wish. No need to sit for your end of year exams, you've been exempted from them," Fudge beamed.
Harry nodded. "Thank you, sir."
"Now I must be off. Work to be done," Fudge said and went out the door with a smirking Umbridge.
Harry turned to McGonagall as soon as the door was closed. "He really is clueless to everything, isn't he?"
"Harry, you have no idea," McGonagall said. "But you are right. He went out to lunch and never came back the moment he became Minister of Magic."
"I'm willing to bet all of this was your idea," Harry said, lifting the bag. "Giving me the money here and letting me out of the castle two weeks early since I don't have to sit for the end of the year exams, and most importantly, avoid everyone wanting my scalp."
"It was, and of course he grabbed all the credit for it," McGonagall grumbled.
Harry smiled. "Ah, but that's what makes him such a great politician."
McGonagall sighed. "I know. Now off with you, and please keep in touch with me."
Harry saluted. "Aye aye, captain."
Harry left the office now feeling much better than he had since breakfast.
Harry's private flat, that evening.
Harry set down the last letter and looked at the group that had assembled in his quarters. "So, can any of you agree or disagree to any of that?"
Fred spoke up first. "Can't fault any of their logic. Your dad was right about one thing. Someone's got everyone all worked up over you. They were looking to get you out of your comfort zone and they succeeded for the most part. But you did use it all to your advantage by stepping back and looking to see who the key players were in all of this and a few of them emerged. Snape. Dumbledore. The Death Eaters. Someone was pulling their strings from the background, directly or indirectly."
"I got that feeling too. Anyone get that impression?" Hermione asked.
Nearly everyone in the room agreed.
Neville nodded. "I bumped into Victor Krum earlier. He asked me to pass on a message and that was he was unable to be here and that he would keep watch from his school, and most importantly, Karkaroff did a runner last night."
"I'm not surprised by that," Harry said as he sipped his iced tea. "I do remember telling all of you that he told Snape that his tattoo was getting more pronounced. That has to be some nasty ink put on a person."
George looked up from the bit of parchment he was working on. "I can imagine the kind of spells that Twinkie put on it. I can guess at loyalty, compulsion, obedience, power draining in the event he needed to boost his own magic, and who knows what else."
"Good guess," Miyamoto said from his place in his painting. "Back in my day we didn't need any of that. Being samurai was enough."
"Okay. The plan for now is for you guys to put in your time for the last two weeks. I'm heading home to hook up with Sirius and Lupin and see what they must say about all of this since they didn't write back. I'm sure that Sirius is neck deep in cases since a few of the Aurors checked out after Sirius got done with them. Rumor has it that the real Mad Eye Moody got recalled back to the Teams as Sirius calls them. I won't know anything else until I do a sit down with them. You guys need to play it cool and go along with the others and watch to see who does a lot of the talking. Get with Cedric if you can and see which way he's leaning on this thing. If he's going to back me, great. If not, then I know someone got to either him or his dad. Train. Get up to the R&R and train. The more you work at your skills and magic the stronger you get. And not just your magic. Do some strength training as well. Do some fight training too. You need, we all need every advantage we can get against the brats," Harry said. "But do take a bit of time for yourselves."
Luna smiled at that as she snuggled into Neville. "Oh, we will."
Harry had to smile at that. "Good. You two got the right idea. Once school is done, I'll call a meet at my house. By then we should have a good idea of what's going on."
"I don't think he's going to start anything just yet, having just regained a body," Neville said. "My guess is that he will lay low for a bit to see where he stands with his crew, maybe do a bit of recruiting, look for targets of opportunity, and see who starts making noise about him."
"I'd do that if I were him," Fred stated. "Neville's called it right."
George leaned back and handed his bit of parchment over to Fred. "I agree. I'd be a bit wiped out from regaining a body and then having gone through a wizard's duel I'd be laid up for a bit."
"But where?" Hermione wondered.
Harry finished off his tea and sat back. "Good question. It would have to be someplace familiar to him, or the house of a supporter, or the house of someone from his inner circle. I'm betting it will be some time before he's able to get up and get around, and that means nothing from him or his crew until mid or late summer."
"That means we have time to prepare before they make their appearance," Fred observed.
Harry nodded. "It does, but I'm not waiting for them to make the first move. As I said, I'm picking a target of opportunity and working that angle."
"You kids need to head out," Miyamoto suddenly spoke up. "Dinner in the great hall."
That broke up the meeting. They all headed out except for Harry. Dobby popped up with his dinner and Harry smiled. He could always count on Dobby to make him laugh.
"Hey Dobby," he greeted the elf. "Thanks for dinner. The plan is now that I'm heading out to home tonight or very early tomorrow morning. I've got clearance to leave, so that's what I'm going to do. That tournament from hell is over, but what happened because of the damned tournament isn't. There's going to be a lot of trouble coming, what it is I have no idea. This is not going to be a good summer. Working holiday, I'm afraid."
Dobby nodded his head, his ears flopping. "I understand, Master Harry. We'll be ready for them."
Dobby popped out and Harry turned to his dinner.
Harry left the castle by a side door at four in the morning. He paused for a moment to reach out with his senses to ensure that there wasn't anything out there to get in his way. He swept himself with his Ollivander wand to ensure he hadn't picked up anything unusual and he hadn't. He slipped into the nearby bushes and headed for the far side of the grounds where the Forbidden Forest started. He paused by the first stand of trees to check the area. So far, so good. Harry turned and headed into the forest looking for the path that would take him off the grounds of Hogwarts. Harry had long ago learned that a part of the Forbidden Forest lay just inside the Hogwarts grounds, and Harry had taken pains to mark the spot where he knew he would leave the grounds and be able to portkey out of there. Harry listened to the sounds of the forest around him and it sounded normal to him, which meant the wildlife was going about their business as usual. Harry paused at a small stream to get a bit of water for his bottle and paused to listen to the sounds around him when suddenly they abruptly ceased. That meant there was something or someone in the immediate area that shouldn't be there. Harry stood up and in the space between breaths Harry was in Getsumi no Michi (a ninja discipline) and very aware of everything around him. Now he sensed the person approaching his position. Harry didn't waste any time. He began to move quickly through the trees, but the person behind him picked up his pace and made an effort to stay behind him. Harry immediately began using evade and escape tactics to outrun the guy that was following him. Harry tried everything to shake the guy. They went up and over tree branches, around trees, up and over large boulders as well as around them. Finally, Harry decided he should confront the guy and find out just who he was. Harry had the perfect place in mind. It was a clearing where he had made his stand against a flock of the Dementors. He stopped in the middle of the tall log that lay across the stream of water that flowed through the place and waited for the man to show. Harry had no idea just who the person was, he naturally assumed that it was a man following him. The person arrived in the clearing and saw Harry standing in the middle of the log waiting for him. He stepped forward and approached Harry. He was dressed all in black, a black mask covering his face. Harry immediately knew this man was ninja.
[Ninja,] Harry said to him, [Why do you follow me? Did the Dumbledork hire you to follow me? He is a man with no honor.]
The ninja glared at Harry and then suddenly attacked, his hands in claws rushing at Harry's face. Harry stepped back and casually flicked the attack off to the side and initiated one of his own. The fight was on. For the next few minutes the both of them traded blows, punches, kicks, and various other moves. Harry concentrated on what he was doing and where he placed his feet, having learned that lesson at the graveyard battle with Voldemort. At some point the ninja drew his ninja-to and attacked. Harry was able to block each sword strike by attacking the man's hands preventing him from completing the moves until the ninja wised up and back flipped out of range. Harry drew his sword and attacked, going offensive. Harry struck hard, driving the ninja back until the man forward flipped over Harry. Harry didn't waste any time. He spun around and pressed the attack once more, pushing at the ninja. The ninja moved backwards until he hopped off the log and back onto solid ground. Harry followed him, pressing the attack but pacing himself so he wouldn't tire out quickly. The ninja moved around him and Harry followed, pressing the attack until the ninja hopped back and raised his hands.
[I give,] he said. [We must talk.]
Harry watched him warily. [What is there to talk about, ninja?]
The ninja sheathed his sword and reached up for his mask. Harry didn't let down his guard. He had seen this before in training and it had turned out to be a trick. Harry reached out with his senses and scanned the area around him. It was just him and the ninja there, nobody else. Harry still wasn't letting down his guard. The ninja pulled his mask up and back, revealing his face to Harry. It was the Japanese man from the third task.
[Daito Shouta,] Harry bowed towards the man, relaxing just a little bit but not completely.
The man returned the bow. [Lord Harry Potter. You are very skilled. Someone taught you well. The Kokura Ninja Clan?]
Harry smiled. [Yes. I am Yamada Tadeo.]
[I am honored to meet you, Tadeo. We have much to discuss,] Daito stated.
Harry nodded. [You can find my Japanese family at the Japanese Embassy in London. Yamada Kotake is my father. He will know where to find me.]
Daito nodded. [I know of him. I shall contact him immediately. Time is crucial, and what I have to say is important. What I have to offer you is important.]
Harry bowed. [I would be interested in what it is you wish to tell me.}
Daito returned the bow. {Until we meet again.]
Daito disapparated leaving Harry alone in the clearing. Harry stood down and sheathed his ninja-to. He swept himself clean with the Potter wand and sighed in relief. He was clean of anything. He glanced at the Potter Family Ring he wore and thought the password that would activate the portkey function. A moment later he was gone, and the forest slowly returned to its noisy state.
Potter House, whereabouts unknown.
Harry popped into the arrival room and turned to see Constantine Potter, the guardian spirit of the house. Constantine was a boy who lived way back in the days of old, gaining guardian status when he defended the house and the people in it while his father and brothers had been away.
"Welcome home, Lord Potter," he bowed formally. "Sirius and Remus are in residence."
"Good. Where are they right now?" Harry asked.
Constantine sighed. "In the kitchen. Something about pizza flavored coffee."
Harry grinned at that. "Yup, that sounds like them. Always wanting to come up with something new and interesting. I better go make sure they don't blow up the place."
Harry left the arrival room and dropped his pack on the couch on the way to the kitchen. He found them sitting at the kitchen table.
"Trying to blow up the place?" Harry asked casually.
Both men turned to see Harry standing there with his arms crossed in front of him and looking stern.
"Uh oh, methinks the warden has returned," Sirius cracked.
Remus tried his best to look innocent as Harry sighed.
"Boys, boys! What the hell am I gonna do with the both of you?" Harry asked.
Sirius smiled grandly. "Love us?"
Harry sighed. "You know I already do."
Remus frowned. "Aren't you home early? You aren't due for another two weeks yet."
Harry went to the counter and looked for a clean coffee cup and found one. He poured a bit of coffee into the cup and sipped it. Butterscotch coffee. Harry returned to the kitchen table and took a seat.
"Not my idea. Have you guys heard the announcement his greatness Minister Fudge made at breakfast yesterday morning?" Harry asked.
"No, but I'm sure it was a doozy," Sirius said, noting the serious look on Harry's face.
Harry sighed. "Well, you ain't gonna believe this crap…"
When Harry finished his monologue a half hour later, Sirius excused himself and left the kitchen. When he returned, he was carrying a bottle and three glasses. He sat down after putting the glasses and the bottle on the table. He opened the bottle and poured out three fingers of something and then put the bottle on the table. He pushed one glass to Remus, one to Harry, and kept one for himself. He raised the glass and the other two did the same.
"May the Wizarding World rest in peace," Sirius said and then downed his drink in one shot, followed by Harry and Remus.
He leaned back in his chair and contemplated things for a moment. "We have a lot of work to do. First off, Dumbledore went and did what I suspected he would do, and that was to restart the Order of the Phoenix. Yes, Remus and I did not get invited. Fine by me, as we have a few friends that got in the front door and they will keep us informed as to what goes on. You can bet they you will be the number one target, Harry. You will be wanted by three groups, the crybabies at the Ministry, the bird club, and the snake lovers. Dumbledork, Fudgie, and Moldy are gonna want you head on a silver platter if they can't have you playing for them, and they will want you playing for them and will go to great lengths to recruit you. So, you need to make a decision as to who you're going to play for."
'Me, myself, and I," Harry retorted. "I've got Dumbledork's number. Fudge can have the damned ministry for all I care, and Moldy can go play with himself."
Sirius and Remus smiled. "Good. That's what we thought you would say."
"I have some idea at what kind of game Dumbledork is playing, and I don't like it. He expects me to kowtow to him and hang on every word he speaks and follow him blindly. Now that I know what the Prophecy says, it ain't gonna happen. I get the feeling he's gonna play me right up to the last second and give me half assed training and then throw me at Voldemort. At some point when both of us are weakened, he'll step in and finish us off. He'll hold me up as being some kind of brave hero and tell the world that Moldy managed to kill me and he killed Moldy. He'll use my supposed sacrifice as a way to take over the Wizarding World completely and rule. Fudge is wearing blinders. He's so weak and wishy washy. He's gonna try and shoot down anyone who tries to upset his apple cart by yelling liar at them when they try to tell everyone Moldy's back. He's bought off everyone he can. What he doesn't know is that Umbridge is measuring him for his funeral suit. You should have seen the look on her face while Fudge was acting oh so grandly when he gave me the thousand galleons. If he gets his claws into me, he would trot me out and make it look like I was doing something great for him. If not him, then the next Minister of Magic. Count on that. Moldy's only mission in life is to kill me and get off on it. Man's so delusional it isn't funny," Harry stated.
Remus nodded. "I think you've got all of that summed up very well."
"I agree. Calling a meet here once Hogwarts lets out for the summer?" Sirius asked.
"Yes. I'm sure the crew will have quite a bit to report then. We need to lay some plans for the summer and work our asses off in the training room," Harry said.
"Good, because we restructured our little club on paper and need to present it to all of you then," Remus said. "There's something else we need to discuss, too."
Harry raised his head and looked at them. "What's that?"
Both men looked at each other for a moment and then back at Harry. Harry had the sudden feeling that he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.
"Out with it," he demanded.
Sirius sighed. "Okay. It's like this. We love this place and being here, but we think you should have another place to operate from. Not my idea, Ragnock was the one who proposed it. It is a piece of property in the middle of England, perfect for getting anywhere in moments. It has the absolute best security arrangements goblin produced on the place, including some I suggested. It's a two story, nice colors that makes the place blend in with the other houses, and before you ask, no, it's not the Dursley house. Wrong neighborhood. You need to go and see it for yourself."
"If anyone were to find this place like Dumbledork, the ministry, or Moldy, it's gone. Completely compromised. I don't want that to happen to you. I love this place, it feels right to me. It feels like home to me. I've never known a home other than Hogwarts and this is it," Remus said. "That's why we jumped at Ragnock's offer of a more secure base. You really have to see it."
Harry sighed. "Okay. I'll keep an open mind about this idea. Right now, I'm gonna go upstairs and get dressed to go workout."
"Good, because the goblins upgraded your training room," Sirius said.
Harry turned to look at them on his way out of the kitchen. "Oh, I can't wait to see what your deranged little mind cooked up now."
Both men laughed as Harry departed the kitchen.
Harry sighed as he wiped his face off with the small hand towel as both men huddled in the corner. He had to admit the first of many new scenarios was pretty good. DE's in the Japanese Embassy. Harry had to wonder where they had gotten the blueprints to the place because it was damn near close to the place, including the play room that Miyoshi played in. The cafeteria had been perfect for a food fight, something Harry had truly enjoyed. But the rest of the scenario had been something to think about as Harry hadn't realized that they could be trouble in there if for some reason the family had been compromised. Harry decided to bring that up at the family meeting.
"Harry, you did well with this one," Sirius started the briefing. "You have been keeping up with your training over the year at Hogwarts despite all of the problems you were dealing with."
"Miyamoto made arrangements for me to train in another room because my band knew about the R&R," Harry explained. "I'm still convinced that Hogwarts is sentient and is aware of everything."
That had been an ongoing argument between the three of them for the longest time.
"I'm not going to argue that point right now," Sirius continued. "I'm glad that Miyamoto was able to find you new training quarters. I hate to quote Mad Eye, but constant vigilance. That and constant working on your skills plus using the war gaming skills has done you a lot of good and you need to keep at it."
Harry knew they were right. Especially now that Voldemort was back. He was going to need to work his skills a lot harder than he ever did before.
"Playtime's over, guys. From here on one it gets real," Harry stated.
The three of them knew that things were about to get worse. Beyond worse.
Next Episode: The quiet before the storm.