Chapter 3: Reforming the Army

(Chapter I , Chapter II, Chapter IV)

A few minutes later Harry, Lupin and McGonagall were in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. Eric the watch wizard opened his mouth to say something when McGonagall stopped him and said “It’s an emergency. Where’s Scrimgeour?”

“In his office.” said the watch wizard aghast as they trio rushed past him into the elevator.

A moment later Lupin entered the Minister’s office with the others behind him. “What’s the meaning of this?” asked a surprised Scrimgeour.

“There’s going to be an attack on Diagon Alley. We need aurors.” said Lupin curtly.

“And what makes you think I’d believe all this? Explain yourselves.” Scrimgeour said calmly.

“All will be explained soon enough! We are in danger. For now we request you to send aurors to Diagon Alley.” said Lupin keeping his calm “For now. All I have to show you is this.”

He took out the message with the phoenix feather and threw it on Scrimgeour’s table.

“This can be a hoax. Have you thought of that? Have you Remus? You just rush into my office and ask me to send aurors to Diagon Alley. Should I send all the aurors just because you received a message from someone who wants all of them in Diagon Alley? Has it occurred to you that this can be a ploy?” asked Scrimgeour, his anger getting the best of him.

“We are in no position to take risks Rufus.” said McGonagall, angrily.

“Think about all the people whose lives you are going to endanger. Pay heed to the message. But know this. If an attack does take place, the people have none to blame other than you.” said Lupin.

This seemed to have an instantaneous effect on Rufus Scrimgeour. He seemed to be deep in thought for a moment after which he said “I will send them.”

“Thank you, minister” said Lupin as they walked out of his office.

When they got back to the Atrium, Lupin spoke “Harry I want you to apparate to the Burrow. Stay there. Hermione has been staying there for the past week.” Saying this he and McGonagall disapparated. Harry closed his eyes and focused his mind on the Burrow and turned. Soon he had the uncomfortable feeling of being squeezed into a rubber tube.

When he opened his eyes Harry found himself on top of the dining table in the Weasleys’ kitchen. He found Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Fred and George staring at him with an amused look on their faces. “Really Harry, You could have just used the front door!” said Fred with a grin at which everyone burst out laughing. Harry got down from the table and joined them.

“What’s with all the laughter?” said Mrs.Weasley as she entered the kitchen. She noticed Harry and rushed to him and gave him a quick hug.

“Oh Harry dear, I’m glad to see you here at last. Arthur went to pick you up from your uncle’s place. But you weren’t there. We were really worried. And then when Arthur met Flitwick later he was told that you had gone to the ministry with Remus and Minerva.” She said.

Then Harry began to explain about what had happened to him since Lupin had met him till their meeting with Rufus Scrimgeour. He didn’t tell them about the vision he had because he didn’t want Mrs.Weasley to brood over it.

“You – Know – Who’s going to attack Diagon Alley?” asked Fred. Harry nodded. “Does the Order know about this.” asked George.

“Lupin said most of them were sent to Diagon Alley. So I think they know about it.” replied Harry.

“Blimey, it’s just been a few days since their attack on East Surrey and You – Know – Who’s already planning another?” said Ron.

“You prat! Did you think that he was going to wait for you show up in knickers before he decided on another attack? Of course he’s planning an attack. We’re going to be in danger all the time until he’s destroyed!” retorted George.

Ron’s ears turned red at this and he said angrily “It was just a question!”

“Ron! George! Stop it! I’m really worried about your father and Bill.”
Mrs.Weasley turned to look at the clock on the wall. Two of its arms were now at ‘Traveling’ and then stopped for a moment at ‘Home’ and then went back to ‘Mortal Peril’. Just then a tired Mr.Weasley entered the kitchen through the back door with Bill Weasley behind him. Bill saw Harry first.

“Been well Harry?” he asked and on Harry’s nod turned to Mrs.Weasley with a grim look on his face “The wedding has to be postponed. Diagon Alley is You – Know – Who’s next target. Harry must’ve told you all this already. I’ve talked to Fleur and it’s alright with her.”

“I’ve got your trunk and your other stuff from the castle Harry.” said Mr.Weasley. Harry had completely forgotten about it and thanked Mr.Weasley.
“Not a trouble Harry.” replied Mr.Weasley then turning to Mrs.Weasley he said “Molly give me something to eat. I’m on guard duty tonight with Tonks, Kingsley, Dedalus and a few others.”

Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione left the kitchen and walked up the staircase to Ron’s room. They sat down on the bed and Harry said “I’ve got to tell you guys something. The night before, I had a vision. And this time it wasn’t Voldemort.”

He then launched into a narrative of the vision. Ron, Ginny and Hermione listened keenly and then finally when he finished Ginny spoke “Harry do you think the phoenix was Fawkes?”

“I dunno” he replied “One more thing that puzzles me is that Dumbledore’s portrait in Hogwarts is completely blank. There nothing on it. Just blank Canvas. But I saw Dumbledore in the portrait after he died.”

Snape closed his eyes and placed his wand on his temple and drew out a silvery strand of memory and dropped it into his pensieve. He then placed his wand in it and entered the memory. He was back in his office in Hogwarts. He heard the sound of footsteps pattering on the damp dungeon floor. His door opened. He saw himself look up to see Filius Flitwick.

“Death Eaters! In the Castle……Severus….Hurry!” he panted. Snape watched himself get up and walk to Flitwick. “Where are they Filius?” asked Snape.

“Seventh floor. The-”

Before Flitwick could finish Snape stunned him. The Snape in the memory walked out of his office and the real Snape followed. Both of them ran into Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood outside the office.

As Snape watched himself speak to the two girls, thoughts streamed in his mind. It must’ve been Potter. It can’t have been a coincidence that these girls were standing outside his office. Potter must’ve suspected Draco from the beginning. If only he knew what had actually happened that night in the tower. The fool wouldn’t even try to understand. Impertinent, just like his father had been.

He had been following his memory self all the while without realizing. Snape looked around and saw that he was in the Astronomy Tower. Snape heard Amycus speaking.

“…the boy doesn’t seem able-”

“Severus…”

It was going to happen right now, Snape thought. He glimpsed at Dumbledore’s weakened figure and then back at his memory self, the latter’s face etched with harsh lines of hatred. Hatred for doing this to Dumbledore, he thought. He swiftly moved to the battlements and gazed down. And there, he had been right.

“Avada Kedavra!” he heard his memory Snape shouting the killing curse. He turned back and saw Dumbledore getting blasted into the air and flew over the battlements where Snape was standing; for one heart-stopping moment Snape thought he heard the cry of a phoenix, then everything around him dissolved to black and Snape found himself back in Spinner’s End.

“…..leave us alone! Stop it! Stop what ever you’re doing to my son!! STOP IT!” screamed Petunia Dursley. She saw Dudley twitching on the floor crying out in pain. Her husband lay dead near the doorway of the house, spread eagled. “Please spare my son! STOP IT! I don’t know what you want from us…leave us alone…” she sobbed.

“Where is he Muggle?” said a cold voice sending a shiver through her spine.

“I don’t know what you are talking about……leave us alone…..what did we do to you?” she sobbed. Her bloodshot eyes moved around taking in everything. The house lay in total devastation. Furniture lay splintered, fragments of glass and china were scattered on everything. How had this happened? Why were they torturing her? Vernon was dead.

“Crucio!” said the cold voice now pointing the wand at her. She let out a howl of pain. Was there no one to help them? Was she going to die, tortured by these killers?

“Tell me where the boy is and I will spare you and your son.” the voice said.

There was silence for a moment after which a trembling Dudley spoke “L-leave us…w-we…we don’t know anything…..we don’t know where he is….I swear…we don’t…he just disappeared the night before…l-leav-” a flash of a blinding green light illuminated the night and Dudley dropped dead in mid-sentence. And at another flash of green light Petunia fell lifeless on the floor.

Harry tossed and turned in his bed. He couldn’t sleep. It was because he was still thinking about the vision. The phoenixes in the seaside cave and Dumbledore missing from his portrait were somehow interrelated. Something was definitely weird. Harry puzzled his brains out. He tried to remember the night in the astronomy tower.

The Death Eaters were blocking the doorway. Dumbledore was wandless. Harry had been petrified, and his safety had cost Dumbledore’s life! Then Snape had come in the tower. Harry’s insides burned with anger at the thought of Snape. He remembered how much loathing and hatred he had seen on Snape’s face that night. He killed Dumbledore. Dumbledore had always trusted him. The traitor!
“Wait a minute!” said a voice inside Harry’s head.

He had seen two other people get killed by the Avada Kedavra curse. But none of them had died the way Dumbledore had. The curse hadn’t had any blasting effect on them. Dumbledore was blasted off over the battlements when Snape had used it on him. But, the others he had seen, they had just fallen limp, spread-eagled. Can Dumbledore still be alive? If he was why hadn’t he still tried to contact any of the members of the order? Where was he now?

Then Harry remembered the phoenix feather messages. It must’ve been from him. He lay on his pillow staring at the ceiling. The ghoul in the attic dropped a few pipes, Ron let out a loud snore and the room fell silent once more.

Harry’s mind was racing, now thinking about the remaining horcruxes. There’s been an attack on the wizarding world already and now Diagon Alley was in danger.

“And you haven’t done anything yet!” said the voice in his head.

Tomorrow. He said to himself. Then he started thinking about his parents, Sirius and Dumbledore. Everyone he loved was gone. Tears rolled down on the pillow. He then thought about Ginny. He had broken up with her because of Voldemort. Everything that had happened to him was because of Voldemort. His mind then went to Fawkes’ lament. A sudden calmness gripped him and he fell asleep. Pigwidgeon and Hedwig hooted in their sleep, Ron let out another of his timely snores and the room was silent again.

“Harry! Harry…….wake up sleepyhead!”

Harry got up and put on his glasses to see that it was Ginny who had woken him up.

“Ginny, what time is it?” asked Harry drowsily.

“You’re late for breakfast.” she said “Everyone else has finished eating. So, I brought you yours.”

“Thanks.” said Harry, hungrily grabbing a piece of toast that had been brought for him.

“You do know that I’m going to help you find the horcruxes don’t you Harry?” asked Ginny suddenly.

Harry choked on a piece of toast that he was eating. “Enapneo” said Ginny pointing her wand at his throat, grinning.

“It’s not funny” frowned Harry “and how in the world do you know about the horcruxes?” he asked lowering his voice, looking at the door nervously.

“Well….it wasn’t actually tough finding it out. I mean you haven’t been practicing occlumency have you?” she said grinning.

“WHAT! Ginnerva Weasley! You’ve been spying on your own boyfriend! And I’ve told you before…..I don’t want to lose you to him…..you, Ron and Hermione are all I’ve got! So you’re not coming with us and I want you to promise to never reveal anything about the horcruxes to anyone!” snapped Harry.

“Alright! I promise.” She said frowning.

“And when did you learn leglimency?” asked Harry.

“I’ve been practicing. Well, mostly on Ron. I’ve learned the bat bogey hex. So, I thought I’d try and learn something new.” She said with glint of mischief on her eye. Harry made a mental note to himself to start practicing occlumency. And he was going to tell Ron and Hermione to do the same. He started on the pumpkin juice when suddenly Ginny sprang up gave him a quick kiss and said “You know you can’t stop me from coming.” and ran out giggling before Harry could say anything.

Harry sat staring stupidly at the door. A part of him was shouting out in joy and another part of him was angry and flabbergasted. He finished his breakfast and then went to find Ron, Ginny and Hermione. He found them in the kitchen, discussing worriedly.

“…the messages were right after all.” said Ron

Hermione saw Harry and said biting her lip “Harry. I’m sorry. The phoenix feather message. It was true….your aunt and uncle……they’ve been murdered by Voldemort….and so was a squib called Arabella Figg. I think you know her and…Someone from the order…..who had been there as a look out….he’s been killed too.”

Harry, who had never felt an ounce of sympathy for the Dursleys, clenched his fist in anger. They had nothing to do with this. They never did anything to Voldemort. It was because of them sheltering Harry that they were now dead. They might have been cruel to him but they did give him shelter knowing the risks involved. And now they were gone. His last relatives….gone.

“We’ve got to stop this.” said Harry. Hermione could sense anger in his voice. Harry continued “Hermione, Ron, Ginny…….we’ve got to start preparing. Hermione…..do you have any books on advanced spells?”

Hermione looked nervously at Ginny and then Harry added “Both offensive and defensive.”

He turned to Ginny and Ron “While Hermione tries to get us some books…..we need to get the old DA back together. Many of them will still be ready to help us. And we need not let them know anything about the Horcruxes.”
At the mention of horcruxes Ron and Hermione glanced nervously at Ginny. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Harry cut him short “She already knows Ron. Leglimency.”

Ron looked angrily at Ginny and was about to say something when Harry spoke “It’s ok. It’s my fault. I should’ve practiced occlumency mate.”

“Harry. Once we have the DA members with us, where are we going to stay? They can’t possibly stay here.” said Hermione.

“Yeah, I’ve thought about that too. We’re going to Hogwarts. That’s the only place where we can stay.” Harry replied.

“Speaking of Hogwarts, I was thinking last night guys, about Dumbledore….and the vision….” And he told them about what he thought. He told them everything that he had thought about and then finally said “So do you think Dumbledore might be alive?”

“I dunno mate. He could be. But I reckon he would’ve tried to contact someone from the order if he were alive. I really don’t know mate.” said Ron.

“Ron, even if Dumbledore was alive, it’s not necessary that he’d try and contact us. Look, I think he already has contacted us. Yes, the phoenix feather messages. It must have been him. Maybe he’s doing something about the horcruxes right now as we speak.” said Hermione.

The four of them sat in silence for a while and then Hermione spoke up “I’ll go and check about the books Harry. We can’t stay silent like this any longer. We’ve to get started.”

Harry nodded solemnly. He watched Hermione leave the kitchen and then looked at Ginny. Both realized the dangers they will put each other into. What ever happened they were going to stay together. Always.

Harry and Ron left the kitchen and returned back a few minutes later with quills, ink and sheets of parchment. They started to work. They worked continuously writing a letter to each of the members of the DA. They didn’t talk to each other till they were done.

“We’ve got a lot of letters to send Harry” said Ron glancing at the pile they had just finished writing “How are we going to send them? I don’t think Pig and Hedwig can mail all of these quickly.”

“They can do it.” replied Harry “They might take some time, a week at the most, but they can do it. We can get to the castle first and then start practicing. The others can join in when they arrive.”

“Ron, Harry, Ginny! Come for dinner!” came the voice of Mrs.Weasley

All of them made their way to the kitchen. Hermione was already there seated next to Fleur. Harry hadn’t seen Fleur since he had arrived.

“‘Arry! ‘Ow ‘ave you been doing? My English ‘as improved a lot! Bill ‘as been teaching me.” She said.

“Nice to see you too Fleur.” said Harry grinning.

After that no one spoke. They ate their dinner in silence and then retired to bed. Harry and Ron bade goodnight to Hermione and Ginny and then made their way to Ron’s room. Ron fell on his bed and without even bothering to pull on his covers fell asleep. Harry chuckled as he pulled on his covers. Good old Ron, he thought.

The dark mark hovered eerily over the astronomy tower. Dumbledore was pleading with Snape. Snape had his wand out, pointed at Dumbledore.

“Severus please….”

Snape face was etched with hatred and fury as he turned to face Harry. Then there was a flash of blinding green light.

“I am the Half Blood Prince, potter!” came Snape’s voice.

Dumbledore was falling from the tower.

“It was my fault Harry!” he muttered “All my fault!”

Then at another flash of blinding light he disappeared. He heard Fawkes singing his lament. Harry ran to see who had died. He moved quickly through the crowd that had gathered near the foot of the tower in the ground. To his shock Ginny was lying on the ground spread-eagled.

“No!” cried Harry.

His voice echoed in the empty graveyard. Harry got up quickly and looked around his surroundings. This was the graveyard where he had come three years back. This was the place where Voldemort had had his rebirth. He scrambled and tried to find his wand. Then came a cold voice behind him.

“It is all your fault, potter!” sneered the snakelike face of Voldemort.

Behind him stood his Death Eaters repeating what Voldemort had said.

“It is your fault!” they chorused.
“It is your fault everyone had to die!” they screamed.
“They had to die because of you!” they whispered.
“NO!” shouted Harry.

“Your parents, your friends, everyone, they die because of you! It is all your fault!”

Harry clutched his forehead. His scar was searing with pain.

“All your fault….” came the voices again and Harry awoke with a start.

(Chapter I , Chapter II , Chapter IV)

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