Chapter 50

You Have Chosen Poorly

Battle of Astronomy Tower, Part 1

May rolled into June. The wolf attacks stopped. Delphini may have known and developed the potion, but losing the facility and supplies apparently set their plans back enough the triggered attacks were no longer viable. From both the heads of the Aligned Houses and from Order reports, Harry began receiving news of mutual intelligence meetings and officially sanctioned tandem missions, largely with the D.M.L.E. Auror's providing leadership and the houses providing manpower. It seemed, by all accounts, the war turned a corner.

Harry's biggest challenge was the Defense N.E.W.T. that Tonks planned for the last week of class. "Because any sooner is dumb and none of you should worry. Which was none too soon as the pressure of end of term finals and fifth year O.W.L.s came to the final lap. Having been there the year prior, Harry largely became a silent partner. He kept the pumpkin juice and tips flowing for Ginny, Luna, and Colin as he could. Ginny always kissed him in appreciation, but as tradition, the Fifth years had to do the work. After one delivery in early June, he met up with Harry and Hermione out on a balcony enjoying the view of Scottish summer green having finally fully arrived.

"You're being really awesome to Ginny." Ron admitted as he leaned up against the stone.

"Thanks mate." Harry shrugged, "We're looking at a year next month, so I figured we've reached the point in that relationship where I can bring her drink as she studies." he grinned.

The other two laughed. "Who are you anymore?" Hermione joked, "Because I did not spend five years with 'this' bloke." she said pointing at Harry.

"Me?" Harry asked. "When did you become the insulting comedian?"

"Meh," Hermoione replied, looking over her shoulder to Ron. "I had a good teacher."

Ron looked over to the wall on the opposite side of Hermione. "Oh! You mean me!" he laughed. After all of them had a chuckle, he continued. "I 'spose that means it's my job to ask how we are on finding Six and Seven?"

Harry sighed. "Seven, nothing. Not a damn thing in Hogwarts library, but I do have a stack of lightning magic to practice now. If the Old Man is to be believed, he doesn't know."

"Best I have found on Ravenclaw's Diadem is that after Helena's graduation, she had plans to visit what later became Albania." Hermione said.

"Albania is a big country, lot of square footage." Ron said.

"I am open to any ideas to narrow it down." the brightest witch replied with her arms open.

"I might have a couple of … loose threads we could try to pull. Longshots." Harry offered.

"Don't keep a girl waiting." Hermione replied as she leaned up against Harry's chest.

Harry took his copbook out and flipped back several pages. "From my Moody training. Over in Kerny at there is a bookshop tea room called the Old Lantern. I doubt they would have material themselves, but they might be able to point a direction. Then … " Harry sighed, "... up in Angus there is a place called Third Eye that the Captain said to be careful, but if you needed Seer services, that's the place."

"Harry Potter, being open to a Seer?" Hermione mocked.

"This… is important enough. Yeah, I'll step outside my comfort levels." Harry flipped through his pages. "Last I got is way up in Isle of Skye at House of Cards. Moody said he'd gotten more than one tip there, but I get the feeling that it was for current cases. If this isn't the definition of a cold case, I don't know what is."

"What about Scrimgeour?" Ron asked.

"I would be very surprised if the Minister of Magic knew about Horcruxes." Hermione said, looking over her shoulder.

"If we were talking about a politician like Fudge or Bagnold, I'd agree with you. But Scrimgeour was Head Auror of D.M.L.E. If any good guys might know about dark evil magic, it would be them."

Hermione nodded. "That's actually… very well reasoned Ronald."

"I don't expect him to know, but he knows people who may. He has access to… well he's the Minister, he has access to everything. And Harry has a positive relationship with him?" Ron said as he looked over to Harry to see if his assumption was correct.

Harry smiled. "Yeah, after Avalon, we're okay."

"Alright, so it sounds like we do have a few leads. So a few owl letters and a few day trips this summer?" Hermione asked. Ron and Harry both nodded in agreement.

Thursday, 19 June 1997

Harry was finishing his rune work for class when he felt a warmth in his pocket. He grabbed it to see it was the crystal ball linked to the scry snitch he had monitoring the Room of Requirement. He had seen Draco's enter earlier in the day so Harry expected this was finally him leaving.

To his surprise, it wasn't a couple, or any student. It was Professor Trelawney, poorly and awkwardly covering several bottles of sherry waiting for the Room door to complete. The door opened and Trelawney entered, just like Harry had hundreds of times before.

"Harry," Ron whispered. "I know we're gettin to the last two weeks, but I'm fairly certain Professor Babbling will still give you detention mate."

"I'm fine." Harry replied putting on a better facade of doing his work while he watched the image. He wondered when he missed Draco's exit. He made a note to check the charm or the snitch to look for blind spots. Just as he was thinking though, he saw the Room's door burst opened and Trelawney fall out backwards. As she fell to the floor, Harry could see the expression of fright on her face. Harry knew. She saw. Whatever room Trelawney required was the same room Draco required and she'd seen what he was doing… and it terrified her.

"Sorry Professor, I have to go!" Harry said, sweeping his things into his bag with a single gesture.

"What?" She asked, turning around in confusion.

"D.M.L.E. Emergency!" Harry yelled as he dashed out the door and down the hall. He ran as fast as he could and in the middle of a class hour the halls were mostly empty. What few students that were on free periods… well the sight of Harry running someplace this year wasn't unusual. Harry only stopped when the crystal ball in his hand warmed again. He looked down to see Draco dashing out of the Room. The expression of joy on his face was sickening to Harry.

Professor Trelawney was not a fast woman and as Harry hurtled around another corner he finally caught the professor

"Professor —" Harry hurried forward and stepped directly into Professor Trelawney's path. Some of her glittering beads had become entangled with her glasses. She hiccuped loudly, patted her hair. "Where were you Professor?"

"What?" she asked looking at him curiously

"Professor, I saw you enter and leave the Room of Requirement!"

"What?" She looked suddenly shifty.

"The Room of Requirement," repeated Harry. "You were in there when another student was in there."

"I — well — I didn't know students knew about —"

"Not all of them do," said Harry. "But what happened? You fell out of the room and looked panicked ..."

"I — well," said Professor Trelawney, drawing her shawls around her defensively and staring down at him with her vastly magnified eyes. "I wished to — ah — deposit certain — um — personal items in the room…"

"I don't care about your sherry!" Harry yelled, glancing down at the bottles. "Every one older than a Second year has figured out you like to spike your tea. I care that you got into the Room of Requirement while it was being used by a suspect! That Room has had me locked out for months!"

"Oh, well I got in all right," said Professor Trelawney, glaring at the wall. "But there was somebody already in there."

"I know!" demanded Harry. "That's why I'm here. Who was in there?"

"I have no idea," said Professor Trelawney, looking slightly taken aback at the urgency in Harry's voice. "I walked into the room and I heard a voice, which has never happened before in all my years of hiding — of using the room, I mean."

"A voice? Saying what?"

"I don't know that it was saying anything," said Professor Trelawney. "It was... whooping."

"Whooping?"

"Gleefully," she said, nodding.

Harry stared at her. Harry was awash in emotion, but this was too important to let them get the better of him. He grabbed his copbook and started writing. "The voice, was it male or female?"

"I would hazard a guess at male," said Professor Trelawney.

"And it sounded happy?"

"Very happy," said Professor Trelawney sniffily.

"As though it was celebrating?"

"Most definitely."

"And then —?" Harry said with a wave of his hand to encourage the Professor to keep talking.

"And then I called out 'Who's there?'"

"You couldn't have found out who it was without asking?" Harry asked her, slightly frustrated.

"The Inner Eye," said Professor Trelawney with dignity, straightening her shawls and many strands of glittering beads, "was fixed upon matters well outside the mundane realms of whooping voices."

"Right," said Harry hastily; he had heard about Professor Trelawney's Inner Eye all too often before.

"And did the voice say who was there?"

"No, it did not," she said.

"Everything went pitch-black and the next thing I knew, I was being hurled headfirst out of the room!"

"And you didn't see that coming?" said Harry, unable to help himself.

"No, I did not, as I say, it was pitch —" She stopped and glared at him suspiciously.

"And that's when you left the Room?" Harry clarified.

"That's when I was thrown out!" Trelawney defended.

Harry put his book away, and reflexively brushed his hand against his wand to make sure it was in his holster as it should be. "Right, come with me."

"What?"

"You just reported an assault." Harry said bluntly, taking the professor's arm and heading back to the Room. "You're taking me to the scene of the crime."

"But… you're just a student."

Harry shook his head in irritation as they walked. "Oh yeah, just a student. I've spent more time in that Room in the last two years than anyone else. I'm just a student who's been deployed to the front every damn month this year. Lady, it's been a long time since I was 'just a student.'

"But… " she tried to protest.

Harry played a hunch. "Professor, I will give you two options. You either take me to the Room variant you asked for, or I will personally escort you to tell Professor Dumbledore."

Professor Trelawney drew herself up at this suggestion, looking haughty. "The headmaster has intimated that he would prefer fewer visits from me," she said coldly, but more importantly she started to walk more freely to the Room. "I am not one to press my company upon those who do not value it. If Dumbledore chooses to ignore the warnings the cards show —" Her bony hand closed suddenly around Harry's wrist. "Again and again, no matter how I lay them out —" And she used her free hand and pulled a card dramatically from underneath her shawls. "— the lightning-struck tower," she whispered. "Calamity. Disaster. Coming nearer all the time..."

"Right," said Harry again, rolling his eyes. There were reasons he dropped Divination.

She seemed to pick up on that feeling. "I miss having you in my classes, Harry," she said soulfully as they set off together. "You were never much of a Seer... but you were a wonderful Object..."

Harry did not reply; he had loathed being the Object of Professor Trelawney's continual predictions of doom.

"I am afraid," she went on, "that the nag — I'm sorry, the centaur — knows nothing of cartomancy. I asked him — one Seer to another — had he not, too, sensed the distant vibrations of coming catastrophe? But he seemed to find me almost comical. Yes, comical!" Her voice rose rather hysterically, and Harry caught a powerful whiff of sherry even though the bottles had been left behind. "Perhaps the horse has heard people say that I have not inherited my great-great-grandmother's gift. Those rumors have been bandied about by the jealous for years. You know what I say to such people, Harry? Would Dumbledore have let me teach at this great school, put so much trust in me all these years, had I not proved myself to him?"

Harry mumbled something indistinct.

"I well remember my first interview with Dumbledore," went on Professor Trelawney, in throaty tones. "He was deeply impressed, of course, deeply impressed... I was staying at the Hog's Head, which I do not advise, incidentally — bedbugs, dear boy — but funds were low. Dumbledore did me the courtesy of calling upon me in my room. He questioned me I must confess that, at first, I thought he seemed ill-disposed toward Divination... and I remember I was starting to feel a little odd, I had not eaten much that day... but then…"

Now Harry was paying attention properly for the first time, for he knew what had happened then: Professor Trelawney had made the prophecy that had altered the course of his whole life, the prophecy about him and Riddle. "…but then we were rudely interrupted by Severus Snape!"

"What?"

"Yes, there was a commotion outside the door and it flew open, and there was that rather uncouth barman standing with Snape, who was waffling about having come the wrong way up the stairs, although I'm afraid that I myself rather thought he had been apprehended eavesdropping on my interview with Dumbledore — you see, he himself was seeking a job at the time, and no doubt hoped to pick up tips! Well, after that, you know, Dumbledore seemed much more disposed to give me a job, and I could not help thinking, Harry, that it was because he appreciated the stark contrast between my own unassuming manners and quiet talent, compared to the pushing, thrusting young man who was prepared to listen at keyholes — Harry, dear?"

She looked back over her shoulder, having only just realized that Harry was no longer with her; he had stopped walking and they were now ten feet from each other. "Harry?" she repeated uncertainly. Perhaps his face was white to make her look so concerned and frightened.

Harry was standing still as the shock crashed over him, wave after wave, obliterating everything except the information that had been kept from him for so long... It was Snape who had overheard the prophecy. It was Snape who had carried the news of the prophecy to Riddle. Snape and Peter Pettigrew together had sent Riddle hunting after Lily and James and their son...

Harry was at odds with himself. He wanted to hunt Snape down and hex him. He wanted to arrest the bastard for something, accessory to murder sounded good, two counts. Harry also wanted to march up to the Old Man's office and chew him out, again. This time for hiring the bastard equally as responsible for his parents death as Pettigrew. In his dazed stance of thoughts his hands fell to his tactical belt that had barely left his person in the last six months. It had become more of a symbol of his training over the last year than anything else. One of Tonk's first lessons came to mind, "an auror's first duty is to protect, serve, and uphold the law." Harry glanced down to see the copper coloured hair bracelet around his wrist. He made a fist in frustration, but the reality of the last year brought clarity. He took a deep breath, this time not for courage but for control. Vengeance wasn't an option, at least not today or right now. Not when he had duties and promises to keep.

"Harry?" Professor Trelawney asked again.

With as much strength of will as he had ever mustered before, he came back to the Professor's side. "Sorry, your prophecy of me… not the most comfortable subject."

"Oh." Trelawney said reflexively, then in a moment seemingly of understanding. "OH! My apologies, Mr. Potter. I-"

Harry raised his hand. "Not the time or place, ma'am. Let's focus on your case." He said as they returned to Room. He stood out of the way and gestured for Trelawney to lead the way. As Harry had done commonly before the Professor walked back and forth in front of the door. It appeared, and Harry was excited but Harry hand learned, the hard way, to temper that excitement. "Professor, please confirm this is the same room variant."

Trelawney led the way into the Room of Requirement. They were standing in a room the size of a large cathedral, whose high windows were sending shafts of light down upon what looked like a city with towering walls, built of what Harry knew must be objects hidden by generations of Hogwarts inhabitants. There were alleyways and roads bordered by teetering piles of broken and damaged furniture, stowed away, perhaps, to hide the evidence of mishandled magic, or else hidden by castle-proud house-elves. There were thousands and thousands of books (Hermione would love that), no doubt banned or graffitied or stolen (she would hate that). There were winged catapults and Fanged Frisbees (something for Ron), some still with enough life in them to hover halfheartedly over the mountains of other forbidden items; there were chipped bottles of congealed potions, hats, jewels (Something for Gin), cloaks; there were what looked like dragon eggshells, corked bottles whose contents still shimmered evilly, several rusting swords, and a heavy, bloodstained axe.

Trelawney confirmed. "This is the room I was going to hi- er store my person-"

"You were going to hide your sherry, Professor." Harry said bluntly. "Again, I don't care. What I care about is where in this room you heard Draco."

"It was Draco?" Trelawney repeated. "The student who tried to poison-"

"Allegedly," Harry clarified. "Surveillance suggests so, yes. But more importantly, where were you and where did the voice come from?"

Trelawney led the way forward into one of the many alleyways between all this hidden treasure. He turned right past an enormous stuffed troll, and knelt by a trunk with a chalk drawing of the all seeing eye on it. Trelawney started to reach for it, but then started nervously looking between the trunk and Harry. Harry shook his head. "I told you, I don't care about your sherry. Clearly this is where you were. Where did you hear this 'whooping'?"

Trelawney started putting his bottles into the trunk, then gestured to the left. "It came from that direction."

Harry walked a short way, not really knowing what he was looking for, something out of the ordinary was his best guess, but finally pausing beside a large cupboard that seemed to have had acid thrown at its blistered surface. He realized in a cathedral sized room full of junk, everything belonged. He opened one of the cupboard's creaking doors: It had already been used as a hiding place for something in a cage that had long since died; its skeleton had five legs.

"Harry, unless you need me further?" Trelawney asked seemingly apologetically.

"No, Professor," Harry sighed, "You can go. I'll let you know if I have further questions." Harry escorted the Professor to the door.

Back out at the hall Harry tested his luck. He waited for the door to fade away then reapproached the Room for it to register him again. With the images in his head, he requested the Room of Lost Items. The door appeared and Harry entered again… and to his relief the room he had just been in reappeared. "Now we're on an even playing field, you platinum blonde son of a bitch." He muttered to himself.

Realizing he was at the extent of what he could do by himself, he left the Room and headed back to classes. Sergeant Tonks was his first instinct. Hermione may be able to recognize something from there too. At least whatever had made Draco happy.

Then reality hit him. Draco was happy. Draco was celebrating. The logical deduction, whatever Draco had been doing… he was done… and successful.

"Bloody hell." Harry swore.

Still frustrated he started walking back to Gryffindor Tower, trying to think of his next move, a pair of hands reached out from the Demiguise statues and pulled Harry behind it. Reflexively, Harry drew his wand… only to see long golden blonde hair under an emerald green hood. "I applaud your reflexes, Potter." she said with her eyes looking at the wand pressed into her throat. "But I am here as friend not foe."

"Daphne?! What the hell?" Harry asked as he put the wand away. "What are you doing here?"

"I would think that would be obvious. We need to talk." she replied curtly, clearly and nervously looking around.

"Send a letter then! We have a system for a reason."

"But we do not have time, Potter!" Daphne all but yelled.

"What do you me-" Harry stopped mid sentence, already realizing. "Draco?"

"Clever as ever," she nodded. "Yes, he came storming into the Slytherin Dorms ordering us all to stay in… tonight. He seemed half crazed. But as there are many hours of 'tonight' prior to our appointed letter chat you see why I sought you in person."

Harry nodded, "Understood. Any idea why he wants Slytherin to stay in?"

Daphne shook her head. "He only said it would be best for our health."

"Damn it." Harry swore. "Daphne, I know I've asked you this before, but we are out of time. Whatever Draco has planned, it has to do with the Room of Requirement. Whatever he's been up to, he's finished. I've narrowed it down to the room version he uses. Do you know anything about what he's up to?"

Daphne looked at Harry, and for a moment her exterior cracked. "On Astoria's life, which I fear is a very real statement, Harry, I swear to you I do not know. You've never judged me by my robes before, please don't start now."

Harry exhaled deeply. "No judgement Daph, just … desperation."

"Daph?" she repeated in surprise with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, Daph, I tend to shorten my friends' names." Harry took a moment to flash a grin, something he felt Daphne could use right now. "Look, thank you. You've delivered your message and done your part. Get back to your dorms. Take care of you and yours. I'll do my thing and… rally the troops I suppose."

Daphne nodded and started off, then turned to her confidant. "Harry… you really are a decent fellow."

Harry nodded. "You're still a decent lady, watch out for Astoria."

Harry ran back to Gryffindor Commons. He didn't pay attention to who was there. He dashed up to his dorm and then down to his room and book shelf and grabbed his copy of the First Year Divinations course. Just then Ginny came down the stairs. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Don't you dare say 'nothing.'"

"Wouldn't dream of it." Harry said, wrapping her his arms around her waist and picking her up. "Honestly, I don't know what or where. I barely know when. But yeah, it sounds like 'something' is happening, tonight." He didn't let go until he relayed to her the encounters since he left Runes class.

"Okay, " She nodded, "What do we do? How do we play this?"

"I'm heading to Tonks right after this. I'm going to make the executive decision, get the team ready, but quietly. I hope to the gods I am wrong and don't want to panic the other students."

"Got it." Ginny nodded.

"Here, take this." Harry opened the cover to his divination book to show he had carved out the interior. In the false box was the liquid luck he had won at the beginning of the year.

"Harry-" Ginny tried to object.

"Look if spells start hexing here, then that means it's bad. Take a sip, pass it on."

"And where are you going to be?" she demanded.

"If they wait long enough, I'm going to be right beside you," he reassured. "But we don't know the time factor. I'm going to talk to Tonks and Remus."

"Harry, I really don't like this." Ginny's nerves were clear to Harry.

"I don't either," he said, taking the vial and placing it in Ginny's hand. "Look, I love you. I respect our partnership. I have never asked you to sit out a fight." He gently rubbed her cheek and pressed his forehead to hers. "I'm not starting today. But I have also promised that I will look out for you, like with the gloves and the bracelets. This is just the next extension."

Harry could tell she was forcing herself to wrap her fingers around the vial. He loved Ginny's stubbornness sometimes, he hated her stubbornness sometimes.

Harry kissed her forehead. "Look, I hope I'm wrong. I hope you just pocket it and then later tonight you can just relentlessly tease me about how paranoid your boyfriend is."

"What about your luck? If this starts up before we meet back up?" she asked, her emotions now clearly increased to worry visible in her eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey," he comforted her with another hug. "Six years I've been making my own luck around this school." He broke far enough away to look her in the eyes. "And I am a lot more motivated these days. I love you Ginny Weasley."

Ginny didn't waste time with words. She grabbed his collar with both hands and kissed him fiercely. Harry didn't need further encouragement. He returned the kiss just as heatedly.

"For luck." Ginny explained after.

"Better than any potion." Harry grinned.

"I love you, Harry… and I am nowhere near done with you. Don't go being a prat tonight."

As quickly as he arrived, Harry left Gryffindor again. Ginny tugged at the Cadets nearby, Neville, and Seamus, and walked over to Hermione. She looked around. "Where's Ron?" she asked.

"He has a shift at the Astronomy Tower. His final." Hermione replied, looking around. "What's wrong?"

Harry quickly changed, including his gloves and grabbed a broom and quiver off the rack then ran and caught Tonks and Remus at her quarters. To say they were surprised was an understatement. Tonks agreed it was prudent to have the team dressed and ready, and on standby.

"We could post guards by the Room," Remus suggested, "Keep Draco out."

"What if it's a bomb? What if it's another cursed item?" Tonks asked as she shook her head. "No, we need to know what's in there. I'm flaming Bill."

"Bill?" Harry asked.

Tonks was already heading to the Training Room and counted off with her fingers as she replied. "Order member, Curse Breaker, experienced in finding things in ruins. Good in a fight if we need that."

Remus and Harry shared a look and shrugged. Once Tonks flamed and explained. Bill simply replied, "Let me get my bag." Moments later he flamed through. "Still making life interesting Harry?" He asked as the four of them headed to the Room of Requirement.

"You know I dream of boredom Bill." Harry groused.

"So you date Ginny?" the eldest brother said wryly. Tonks and Remus smiled at the pair.

They were a corridor away when Harry felt a warmth in his pocket. Harry reached and grabbed his scry orb just in time to see Draco open the door and slip into the Room. "Draco's inside the Room already."

"Damn it!" Tonks said as they started running.

"Bill, technically this isn't your fight." Harry tried to offer.

"I'm Order," he replied. "My school and my family. How is it not?"

"My brother." Harry smiled.

"No door." Remus yelled as they approached.

"I got it!" Harry explained as he ran back and forth summoning the door as quickly as he could. Unfortunately the Room did not seem to recognize urgency, the door spawned at the same speed it always did. Harry stood chomping at the bit waiting for magic to finish its work.

Tonks used the time. "Harry, describe for me again what the interior of this area is like." Harry did so quickly. Then Tonks reminded, "Okay, so odds of probability, we are not going to be in plain sight when we step inside. You said Trelawney heard Draco before she called out.?"

Harry nodded to confirm.

"Alright then." Tonks continued, "Let's try the same, go in quiet. Find Draco, see if he will point out whatever the hell he is working on." The men all nodded in agreement. As the door finalized. Tonks clarified, "Potter take lead, you know where we're going."

Harry flashed the McGonagall shield up and took point. Carefully he opened the door… to nothing. Or no one more specific. There were plenty of things there. The rows and rows of flotsam and jetsam still loomed over them. Harry led the way down what felt the right path and was comforted when he found the enormous stuffed troll and the, and the trunk with a chalk drawing of the all seeing eye on it. "Trelawney said it was to the left." Harry linked. "I'm going to take the high ground." he said as he looked up.

Tonks nodded as Harry mounted the broom and silently and slowly rose to above the pseudo ordered debris. He didn't have to float very far before he heard voices.

"Well done nephew." a feminine voice he recognized called out. He flattened out against the broom and flew toward it. Quickly he found a view of a smug Bellatrix smiling at Draco. Harry lowered himself between two rows to hide the rest of his body. Keeping high enough to barely peer over. From Tonks's brief negotiation from Bill's rescue, Harry recognized Thorfin Rowle. From wanted posters he recognized Corban Yaxley.

Harry immediately linked to Tonks and Remus. "Visual on Draco. Two rows over. With Bellatrix Lestrange ,Thorfin Rowle, and Corban Yaxley."

"Gods damned!" Tonks replied, then clearly to the larger group. "All units. Death Eaters in Room Of Requirement. Count four Death Eater Officers. Secure Room Exit…. And someone tell McGonagall!"

"I'll tell McGonagall!" Ginny replied.

"This is Longbottom. Reaper and I leading Bravo team. Rally at Room of Requirement."

"This is Thomas, I'll have Charlie team rally and ready at Training Hall."

As Harry listened and watched. He saw Amycus and Alecto Carrow, and a third wizard, middle aged, black hair emerge from what looked like a wardrobe. Harry looked curiously at that, surprised the three of them could fit.

"Sarge, be advised, three more Eaters. The Carrow siblings and a third I don't recognize."

"What? How?" Tonks linked.

"They stepped out of the damn wardrobe! I don't…" Harry stopped mid sentence as a memory of the twins talking about shoving Montague into a Vanishing Cabinet last year. Bill's voice came to mind, 'Broken things can be fixed.' "It's a Vanishing Cabinet! Draco's been fixing it!"

Tonks swore. "Potter, we're about to attack but I can not stress this enough. That cabinet has to go."

"And I am our heavy hitter, understood." Harry said as readied himself for the fight. He looked over to see a horrid beast of a man emerged. He was a big, rangy man with matted gray hair and whiskers, whose black Death Eater's robes looked uncomfortably tight. He had pointed teeth and long yellowish nails. Harry knew he was finally looking at Fenrir Greyback.

He didn't even have a chance to report it back before he heard Tonk's spell boosted voice "D.M.L.E.! Drop your wands!"

"Ohh, look at that boys." Bellatrix purred. "Fresh out of the box and the Auror's already here." Then she snapped viciously back to the others as she cast a shield as the Carrow siblings, and Rowle started to return the spell fire that Tonks, Remus and Bill had loosed. "Gibbon, Yaxley, set the trap! Draco, show them the way. Greyback, have your fun!" Draco and the two wizards took off running while Greyback leapt upwards scalding the walls of discarded refuses with ease… straight for Harry.

Surprise was on Harry's side as when Greyback reached the top, Harry greeted him with a witchbolt at point black range. Greyback howled as he was blown backward and crashed back down to the floor. Harry immediately aimed at the Vanishing Cabinet. 'Fulgur fulmenso!' Harry's bolt crashed down to the cabinet… and simply arc around it. "Shit!" Harry swore.

"It's Potter!" Bellatrix screamed. 'Avada Kedavra!' Harry rolled on his broom to dodge, then realized hovering around was stupid. He took off down one aisle and hovered at the end to add his fire to the team.

"Damn cabinet can stand up to a lightning bolt!" Harry reported.

"Try inside!" Bill replied.

"What?" Harry asked as he landed by him and raised his shield to offer cover for the pair of them.

"Teleport magic is delicate. The exterior may be warded, but if you land a shot inside you may get the results we need!" Bill yelled.

Harry looked up to see three more emerge from the trunk and took off running following Greyback for the door. "Or they're going to march a whole damn battalion into this room." Tonks reminded between spell fire. Bill and Harry exchanged knowing looks. Harry tapped his glasses and checked. As he hoped, the cabinet glowed like a lighthouse.

"I need cover! Keep firing!" Harry ordered as he hurled a pair of instant darkness capsules into the fray. The shroud soon covered over the Death Eaters. Harry leapt back to the broom. He grabbed it with his left arm and held his shield in front to cover himself from the hexes now being flug wild. With lightning charge in his eyes, a shield on his arm holding the broom and his wand pointing forward, he felt very much like a medieval joust as he flew forward. Heeding Bill's advice he waited and held his shot. Finally the door opened again, two more Eaters stepped out, then… Harry couldn't believe it. From the silhouette alone, Harry recognized Delphini stepping through. 'Fulgur fulmenso!' Harry cast again. This time the bolt hit Delphini square in the chest unprepared. An instant later the cabinet exploded in the largest blast of yellow Harry had ever experienced, The force sent him backwards and crashing into the floor and into a wall of broken furniture. Everything went black.

Neville stood ready on the right side of the corridor to the Room of Requirement with Katie, Luna and Terry. Susan had the left with Ernie, Lavender and Seamus. The door had receded but they all knew that meant nothing. Finally, the carving started to emerge again. "Ready!" Neville. "But clear your targets, friendlys inside!"

The Door finished and cracked open… and for a moment… nothing. No one emerged, nothing happened.

Neville reacted more than he thought. "SHIELD WALL!" The faster of them, Neville, Susan, Luna, Katie, and Seamus's reflex reacted to Neville's order. As the teams set their shields as a fireball blew. It was enough cover that the teams were protected from the worst of the shield but all of them were blew backward to the floor. Yaxley stepped out focusing hexes on the Nevilles side.

"Fire!" Neville ordered.

Quickly Yaxley's shield was being pummeled by bombardas. He started with a snide smile on his face which quickly faded as the strength of the hexes the cadets were throwing were far stronger than he anticipated. His body twitched as he struggled to hold his shield. He yelled over his shoulder. "These damned students are stronger than we anticipated! Be quick!"

"You didn't even have to ask!" a low sinister voice replied. along the top of the door, then dashing along the ceiling was a blur of fur and sound of snarling.

"What the hell?" Susan asked as she fired but Greyback proved too quick.

"We'll play clean up later," Neville reminded. "We need to shut this down now."

As Neveilled turned his attention back to the door behind Yaxley's shield, the long black hair and calculated smile he had long engraved into his mind. "Lestrange." he growled. His rage soared, but he kept his control. "Back to formation! Fire at will. They can't block us all!"

Yaxley was starting to shake from the stress of the bombardment. Then Lestrange laughed. And Neville knew no good could follow. Lestrange pulled from her pocket a clear diamond. She kissed it and cackled maniacally. Then threw it outward.

"Scat-" Neville tried to warn, but didn't have the time to finish as the jewel exploded into the brightest white light he'd ever seen. The force wave hurled all of them backwards and against the wall. Neville's back and head ached from the impact, but the most frustrating part was the flash blindness. He could hear the foot steps of several people running out of the Room but surrounded by friendlys he couldn't risk a blind fire.

But he could think. And he had the link. "Intruders! Intruders in the castle. They have breached from Room of Requirement!"

"Seven Hostiles, including Lestrange and Yaxley." Susan linked in additionally.

"Sue, can you see?" Neville called out.

"Fuck no," Susan replied. "But I can listen and count."

Moments later two more, much slower footsteps emerged. "Good godric," Bill said. "Are you alright?"

"Bit blindeed and sore, but yeah." Neville reported. He could already feel Bill's scry energy going over him.

"What happened?" the curse breaker asked. Neville and Susan reported the events. "That sounds like a Blinding Shard. I can't do much for the injuries, but I can handle the flash blindness. Visio sana.'"

Neville's vision returned as he saw the kind face and dangling fang earring of Bill. "That's miles better, thanks mate." Bill moved on to Luna and proceeded to the rest of the team. Neville looked over to see battered and bleeding Remus holding an unconscious Tonks, worse yet, from her left shoulder a spear of jagged wood stuck outward with blood soaked into her sweater and starting to drip down to the floor.

It felt like fire in his veins. No wait, it felt like knives piercing through his skin. Hang, no, still not right. It felt like fiery burning knives slicing from his head through blood and heart - just like it always did. It was more than enough pain to wake Harry up from his daze. In the background he could hear the link chatter.

"Intruders! Intruders in the castle. They have breached from Room of Requirement!"

"Seven hostiles, including Lestrange and Yaxley."

Harry pushed a pair of chairs that had fallen over him off to the side and then quickly grabbed his flask and took a drink. He could also feel a familiar pain in his chest. He swore as he felt the familiar feel of blood across his forehead and running down his left. He didn't have time to be slowed by injuries and a Riddle-ache. As soon as he had the coherence to focus on the link. He checked in. "All units, on alert. Riddle on site! Repeat, Riddle is in the school."

"You see em?!" Seamus chirped in with panic set in.

"Negative." Harry replied. "I feel him. It's complicated. Just everyone be on guard."

"We already are." Susan replied, "Where are you?"

"Room of Requirement. Status?"

"You better get to the door and see." Neville replied.

It was then that Harry actually started looking around. Judging from the bits of debris and smoldering pieces still falling down, he couldn't have been out for more than a few moments. But the Room was quiet clearly the battle had already left. Harry took to his broom and lifted off for a better view. He flew to the center of the crater; the base plate of the Vanishing Cabinet was still there, though highly scorched over, marking the epicenter of the blast. The last two Death Eaters layed on the floor with cabinet shrapnel still running through their chest. The pools of blood and lack of breathing gave Harry clear signs they were dead.

Quickly he rejoiced with the Bravo team, pausing only when he saw Tonks. "Merlin." Harry said as he immediately grabbed a small vial of blood replenisher from his belt. "Here, she is going to need one at least."

"Agreed," Remus said as he held her steady for Harry to apparate it into her. "But then I am taking her to medical. I'm sorry."

"Why? No, you absolutely need to. Use your portkey. it will cut your distance down." Harry nodded. "Sorry Sarge," He said as he took the link off her ear and gave it to Bill. "If they're out I need you on the same link as the rest of us."

"Logical," Bill said as he clipped it on and attuned.

Harry looked back to Remus as the professor apparated away. "Seamus, Ernie, Luna there's a pair of bodies in there. Get them out. Seamus, I get the feeling you know your way around another man's pocket occasionally?"

"Maybe, more of a prank than anything, but aye."

"Go over the bodies, I want to know if there is anything unusual on them. Plans or anything. Luna, I want your eyes on them. If anything magic pops, I want to know."

"Merlin have mercy." Professor McGonagall gasped as Ginny reported the hostiles link message she was receiving. The head of house turned to Ginny. "Miss Weasley, this is not a typical request a teacher usually asks. But you are not a typical student."

"What do you need ma'am?" Ginny asked without hesitation.

"Tonight, your wand, on patrol with me. I will not stand idly by when my children are being attacked." McGonagall said more sternly than Ginny had ever seen her before.

"Yes Ma'am," Ginny purred as she popped it from her glove holster.

The witches made it to the Great Hall when they heard the muffled cries of five Hufflepuffs Fourth years huddled in the corner.

Ginny took a look out position by the main doors while Professor McGonagall quickly knelt beside them. "Jessica, Amber, is anyone hurt?"

"No ma'am," the blonde replied. "But there was some beast of a man running on the walls howling and barking."

"Which way did he go?" the cadet asked, but McGonagall nodded in agreement that it was important.

"Outside," the child sniffled.

"We have company!" Ginny shouted.

The Hufflepuffs all started to cower and cry again. McGonagall looked down at them and smiled. "Sweet children, don't cry. Those fools will not touch a single hair on any of your heads."

As McGonagall rose her usual neutral and calm demeanor fell away. Minerva was enraged. "Crimson! With me! And when this comes to hexes do not hesitate and do not hold back!" she shouted as she left the Great Hall. With the raise of her hand and a glow from her ring the doors slammed shut and glowed red.

Crimson linked in "Carrows in Entrance Hall by staircase." She took a position by the Professor's right side already with her aura inflamed.

McGonagall walked out to the center of the entrance hall with an expression of pure contempt. "I am the Deputy Headmistress of this school. You will not harm any of my children!" She raised her wand already glowing orange. "Leave now with your lives!"

Amaycus snickered as looked. "Your girl has my attention more than you old lady, and neither of you scare me."

"Then you have chosen poorly." McGonagall replied without hesitation or remorse as she shot a firebolt at Amaycus. Crimson followed suit and fired her own firebolt at Alecto. Both of the Carrows dodged and took cover behind suits of armor.

"Oh the bitches like to play." Alecto taunted. "I like to play rough! Crucio!" he launched a green blast at Ginny, who quickly somersaulted out of the way. The blast missed her and crashed into the Gryffindor hourglass. The hex exploded the glass sending rubies up and out then falling down like a shower of blood.

"Carrows in the Entrance Hall by staircase." Harry heard over the link. All of them recognized Ginny's voice.

Bill voiced what they all thought. "Go! We'll catch up."

Harry took off for the staircase as fast as he could run. "Be there in a minute!" he linked as he reached over and tapped the charm on his gloves, deactivating them temporarily.

"You're on Seventh Floor!" Ginny replied.

"Not for long!"

"What are you going to do Harry?"

"Trust me and keep hexing!" Harry ordered as he came to the stairwell. He reached behind and pulled his broom from his quiver. Broom in hand Harry did something he had wanted to do since he was first year, but never for this reason. With a smaller hop Harry was able to get his right step onto the banister. Then with all his might he leapt to the center of the stairwell. Instantly he started to plummet. He could feel his electricity start to surge in anticipation of another fight and quickly he moved his broom to ride it down and bobbing and weaving and spinning to avoid the swinging staircases around him. At the last moment he pulled up hard into a tail stand. He flashed up the McGonagall shield as he came to a rapid vertical stop inches from the floor. He saw a lumpy looking Amycus hurling green curses towards Ginny whose hair was flying with a life as it own as she deftly dodge and return fire. What pissed Harry off the most though, was Amycus was giggling, seeming to enjoy the sport. "Crucio… Crucio… you can't dance forever, pretty…"

Purely as a distraction Harry roared, "D.M.L.E.!" When Amycus turned to look he roared again "Fulgur fulmenso!" The bolt of lightning erupted from Harry's wand and threw Amycus flying hard into the stone wall and breaking apart one of the suits of armor. That proved to be sufficient distraction for his sister to look. McGonnagal didn't hesitate, she took the opening to hex Alecto with a particularly strong blast, throwing her back ten feet onto the stone floor.

"I will not be beaten by some old hag!" she hissed. As Alecto tried to raise her wand Harry and Ginny both cast at her 'Expelliarmus!' The dual charge of the spell senther wand flying.

Not relenting, McGonagall hexed Alecto again, throwing her into a second suit of armor. Seeing the opportunity McGonagall reached forward with her ring again. "I am a professor! And this is my school! Armis capsas!" The various pieces of armor leapt to independent life and flew to the proper parts around each of the Carrows standing their bodies up inside animated armor with a life of its own. Once both of the Carrows were encased she squeezed her ring hand, 'Colloportus!' locking the death eaters in their metal form fitting cages.

Harry ran over to Ginny and hugged her. "You okay?" he asked sincerely.

Ginny nodded in the hug. "They didn't touch me. What happened to you?" She asked, looking him over, then noticing the gash in Harry's forehead now crusted over in clotted blood.

"Same as normal," he shrugged. "Explosion, Room of Requirement."

"Mr. Potter," McGonagall said with concern. "You are bleeding."

"And I am pretty sure I have a cracked rib too ma'am. But I'll deal with it in downtime. Already got my pain killer in my system."

"Mr. Potter-" McGonagall said again, this time disapproving.

"I play through the pain so others aren't hurt! Give me a better option ma'am." Harry summed up with his arms open wide for any offered suggestions. As they debated Harry's health, Bill and the Bravo team finally caught up.

"You seem to have settled the area well enough." Bill smiled.

"We try." Ginny smiled and she hugged her brother.

"Mr. Weasley, you are welcome at Hogwarts any day, but today more than most." McGonagall nodded with a smile.

"Sergeant Tonks flamed me just before everything started." Bill explained.

"What is 'everything'? What is happening in my school?" McGonagall demanded. "Cadet Weasley explained that Mr. Malfoy has used the Room of Requirement to some effect."

"He repaired a Vanishing Cabinet." Bill explained. "And used it to teleport in…" He looked to the Cadets.

"Seven Death Eaters." Susan repeated.

"Why?" McGonagall asked, "Terror attack?"

"Seamus, Luna, anything off those two soldiers I took out?" Harry asked.

"Nah, Harry, sorry." Seamus replied.

'Then unknown ma'am." Harry replied to the Professor.

McGonagall took a breath and returned to her stoic nature. "Where is Sergeant Tonks or Professor Lupin?"

"Medical ma'am. I was able to blow up the cabinet to prevent further invasion. But in the blast, both Tonks and Remus were injured. Tonks was the worst between the two. So logic suggests the squadron is yours." Harry reported.

McGonagall looked around at the cadets before her. She seemed to hold a gaze with Bill, then finally rested her gaze on Harry. "No." she simply said.

"What?" the cadets replied.

"I am a Professor, and I will assist. But I do not know your tactics, abilities, or methods." McGonagall looked squarely at Harry with a focus that cut through all his pretense and defenses. "Mr. Potter, you have been preparing for this for six years. I need you… NOW!"