Chapter 17 - Stepping Up
Albus was soon given an opportunity to witness first hand what his appointment as interim Minister of Magic meant to the ordinary witches and wizards of Britain. It was perhaps a tad unkind to consider the gathered Order members as ordinary. After all, here was a group of individuals who had potentially risked their very lives by banding together to stand in opposition to the Dark Lord. Through their discussions and decisions, decisions taken in this very room, the country was well down the road to ridding itself of the Death Eater problem, and Lord Voldemort too.
Without exception, every single member was pleased and also relieved to hear Albus had taken over the reins of government. If this scene replayed itself around the rest of the country, Albus was certain he'd made the right decision.
After the meeting broke up and the 'inner circle' met, a red-faced Albus wasn't feeling so sure. Kingsley was using all of his considerable skill as a raconteur to unveil his version of the new Minister of Magic's first official task, this afternoon's meeting with the muggle Prime Minister. Kingsley's rather dramatised version of events of course resulted in much embarrassment for Albus and Emma, while everyone else appeared to find it hilarious. That Severus was laughing along too Albus accredited purely to him finally breaking from Voldemort. While Severus was of course also delighted to take on the position of Defence Professor, he wouldn't actually teach his first class until Monday. Albus would have a quiet word with Minerva later, hinting that this might be the opportune moment to give Severus a taste of school management. Having him as acting Deputy Headmaster for this preset period of time could let all three of them see if he wanted the big chair someday.
That Albus wouldn't be in the castle when Horace made the unpopular discovery that Harry Potter was not going to be attending Hogwarts this year was simply another bonus of his interim Ministerial appointment. He would advise Minerva in any dealings with Horace to allude that, should Voldemort be defeated, the reason for Harry Potter not attending Hogwarts would no longer exist.
While Kingsley had changed subjects and was now talking about protecting prominent muggles at risk, Sirius interrupted him with a name none of them had thought of including in that 'at risk' bracket - and also instantly garnered Albus' full attention.
"Shack, I understand why Tonks would be near the top of your Officers on protection detail list but there's a need for her skills a lot closer to home. Emma here now works for the Phoenix Force, the Minister of Magic and the muggle Prime Minister. I would like Tonks to be Emma's bodyguard anytime she's on official business - make that anytime she leaves the house."
Emma was about to protest when Sirius effectively took away her argument. "When you are meeting with the muggles, there may be occasions where a demonstration of Magic could save loads of time, and any arguments. There is also not a snowball in Hell's chance of you entering Diagon Alley or the Ministry of Magic without an escort everyone in here trusts."
While Hermione was telling her mother what a great idea that was, Harry just had one of his own. He need a question answered first however, and knew exactly who to ask.
"Moony, can muggles see a Boggart?"
"Muggles can feel their presence, and may even glimpse them, although they seem less capable of seeing them plainly and are usually easily convinced that the Boggart was a figment of their imagination." As Remus rhymed off his textbook defence professor answer, the Marauder's face broke into a wide grin as he realised where the young wizard was going with this. "Harry, that's genius!'
With everyone now looking at Harry, he expanded on his idea to the group. "The biggest problem we've got here is Dementors can't be seen by muggles, making the job of convincing them of the dangers extremely difficult. As Moony here just confirmed, Boggarts can though - especially if they were concentrating on seeing that something. My Boggart is a dementor, allowing these people some first hand experience of the effects while they would be in no danger whatsoever."
A kiss from Hermione and a pat on the back from Sirius signalled instant acceptance of that idea. Pensieve memories of their encounters with the creatures in third year should go a long way to convincing any doubters too.
Shack quickly accepted Sirius' original proposal for Emma, but also said he would up the protection detail anytime Harry or Hermione were involved.
This had Mad-Eye chuckling too. "I would like to see anyone trying to attack Emma with those two present. Trust me on this, Shack. Since that abomination was removed from Potter's head, his power is beginning to rival Albus'. His little Miss here is no slouch either, some of her spell choices are just plain nasty."
Glancing in surprise at one another, Hermione then answered for both of them. "Why thank you, Alastor. That's the nicest thing you've ever said to us. We're almost in tears here..."
"Their sense of humour hasn't improved any though..." That Mad-Eye was relaxed enough to crack jokes just proved to everyone how comfortable he felt in this company.
Amongst the chuckles, Amelia also had a serious proposition. "If these two are going to be taking time out from their training to help Emma, I wonder if they could do the same for me? I have a particular class of trainees who are good, just nowhere near as good as they think they are. Learning that can be a hard lesson. My main job as their trainer is to see that lesson is not a fatal one. With time pressures on me, we're having to cut a few corners. I think these two dumping them on their arses will get that message across far quicker, and with a far greater impact, than borrowing a couple of aurors from Arthur."
This immediately raised concerns from Emma. "Do you think these two are ready for that?"
Hermione was quick to allay those fears. "Mom, this will be a controlled environment. It also lets Harry and I know what level we're at too. This could be win-win, even if we get beaten."
This had all four of their trainers chuckling, Shack being somewhat out of their training loop since taking over the management of the Phoenix Force.
Sirius then moved to console the concerned parent. "Emma, Harry's father and I trained as aurors. Moony here is a defence expert. These two regularly kick the snot out of us."
Those comments were soon being endorsed by Moony, Mad-Eye and Amelia. They also piqued Severus' interests, though for a totally different reason. "I didn't realise they'd advanced that far, or Harry was so powerful. How far advanced are the Weasleys and Miss Bones?"
As the former Defence Professor, it was to Remus the question was fired. He took great pride in being able to answer honestly. "All four would probably pass the practical portion of their N.E.W.T.s right now. They really worked hard all summer, even continuing their training while on holiday."
Turning to Minerva, Severus then surprised them all - and cemented Albus' opinion he would make a good acting Deputy. "I plan on testing their abilities, and then perhaps using their talents as classroom assistants. I would of course repay their help by setting aside some time to continue their advanced tutoring."
A nod from Minerva settled that as an issue, and the meeting started to break up. The entire membership had earlier been tasked with trying to forecast what Voldemort's next move could be. Those predictions, and what the Order's response should be, would be the main topic for discussion at their next meeting.
Emma had a meeting with the government tomorrow, not leaving them a lot of time to track down a Boggart. Albus would drop of his pensieve in the morning while Shack would send Tonks along on bodyguard duties.
-oOoOo-
The four of them were standing in the wings of some anonymous but rather grand conference room, deep in the bowels of Whitehall. There were at least twenty people in the room, all waiting to receive their presentation. A mix of military, muggle ministerial and civil servants were casually looking them over, all the while being told everything about today's meeting was classified as 'Top Secret'. That the PM then went on to mention Magic in his introduction saw quite a few raised eyebrows. In this company, that was almost considered a riot.
Emma, Harry, Hermione and Officer Tonks were then introduced, it was showtime.
Taking a deep, calming breath, Emma stood to begin her carefully prepared presentation. "Good morning everyone. Can I begin by saying I perfectly understand your scepticism to the Prime Minister's introduction. I am not magical, and neither was my husband, we were both dentists. A little over four years ago our lives were changed by a Professor arriving on our doorstep to explain our daughter - Hermione here - was a witch, and needed to go to a special school to learn to control her Magic."
Taking a sip of water, Emma glanced around the room before continuing. "I'm certain I can speak for every parent in the room when I say we all consider our children to be special. Our daughter had displayed some cases of what we now know was 'accidental magic', basically her uncontrolled Magic getting away from her. The Professor actually putting a name to these frightening incidents, claiming they were perfectly natural and offering assurances that schooling would see them stop, had my husband and I really wanting to believe her. We still required proof though, and I would ask Officer Tonks - who is magical - to provide that proof for you today."
Slowly standing, Tonks surveyed the room. Even though they were underground here, the room's designers had made the attempt at elegance. Exquisite Georgian wall panelling was complimented by ceiling mouldings of the same exceptional quality. What really made this style work however, and were sadly though understandably lacking here, were the large Georgian windows that would have flooded the room with natural light.
Taking out her wand, Tonks chose one wall and began transfiguring every second panel into a window that perfectly matched the style of the room. These windows not only let in light, each unbelievably looked out onto a different view of London. That this feat was impossible had more than a few of her audience on their feet and closely examining her work. When a person who was clearly military knocked on the glass and the pigeon that had been perched on the windowsill flew away, he nodded his head and sat back down.
As the room slowly settled, Emma thanked Tonks and indicated the windows to her now mesmerised audience. "I have known about magic for a number of years now yet sometimes I still have to stop and stare in wonder." Tonks sat, leaving the new windows where they were. Anyone doubting Emma's words would only need to turn their heads slightly to see proof she was telling the truth.
"While Magic is a wondrous thing, there is also a dark side to it. Dementors are without doubt one of the darkest creatures to ever roam this planet. These foul creatures had been contained and controlled by the Ministry of Magic for centuries, that changed when a terrorist recently released them from that control. The witches and wizards of Britain had been successfully fighting against this terrorist, incapacitating him while identifying and destroying his rabid followers. We thought this nightmare would soon be ended. Then he somewhat recovered, freed the Dementors and murdered the magical head of government, the Minister of Magic. They lost nineteen people the same night those civilians died in London. This was not a deliberate attack on your citizens. They were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, innocent victims of the attack on the magical head of government. My daughter and her boyfriend have some experience with these creatures, and have a device that will allow us to view their memories. This should give you some idea of what we all face."
There was some shuffling as people moved their chairs to get a better view of the stone basin that had just been pushed to the front of the table. Drawing her wand, the young lady touched the piece of wood to her forehead where it appeared to draw out a silvery thread. This was placed in the basin and a few taps later had some in her audience almost salivating at the potential of such a device. All though were fixated on the scene playing out in front of them.
They watched on as a bedraggled man quickly became overcome by the effects of creatures that had no place existing outside the realms of one's nightmares. They held their collective breath as a younger version of this couple battled on bravely to resist against the seemingly inevitable onslaught of the very personification of death. One had the young man in its bony clutches, removing its hood provided a glimpse an even more terrifying sight just before the memory faded - due to the young lady whose memory they had been watching passing out.
One glance at Emma was enough for Hermione and Harry to realised a mistake had been made. They should have let her watch that memory before today's presentation. As Harry held Emma's hand, Hermione fielded the questions that came her way.
"That gentleman was so affected by the dementors because he'd spent twelve years keeping them company on Azkaban. The dementors had been placed around our school, supposedly to protect Harry from the same man we saw there. Sirius Black was in fact innocent, and Harry's godfather. We escaped because my Harry is a very powerful wizard. He managed to cast the charm both of us had been attempting and sent them all packing." Hermione wasn't actually lying, she just didn't see the need to complicate matters by mentioning time-turners, which was why they'd used her memory in the first place.
Thinking a demonstration of Prongs would also cheer up Emma, Harry cast the charm. The waves of positive energy flowing through the room had an immediate effect, and Emma was once more able to continue.
"As my daughter just said, Harry is a very powerful wizard. Both she and Officer Tonks can cast that charm, just not with the same potency as Harry. You apparently need a very happy memory to cast this charm and I have no intention of asking either of them what memory they use."
The smiles and few chuckles that last comment raised allowed Emma to once more pick up the thread of what they hoped to achieve here today.
"Now that charm is a defence, a shield if you will. At best it chases them away, but they then unfortunately become someone else's problem. The magical community don't have a way to eradicate this problem, that's why we are here today. Officer Tonks has an old trunk here that a magical creature called a Boggart has taken residence in. These creatures won't physically harm you. I'm told they can read your mind, specifically to discover your greatest fear, then change their shape into a physical manifestation of that fear. Having just watched Hermione's memory, I now understand perfectly why Harry's greatest fear is a Dementor. Our plan today is for Officer Tonks to open the trunk and Harry be the first person it sees. This should allow you to not only see the creature but experience some of the physical effects too - in complete safety."
The trunk was opened and what appeared to be a mist escaped. As Harry stepped forward, the mist took on a form everyone in the room now recognised as a Dementor. The temperature dropped immediately, waves of chilled air spreading throughout the room. All clearly felt the dread as well, Harry soon let them know that reaction was normal in the presence of a Dementor.
"Simply being near a Dementor will see it forcing you to relive your worst memories, and then it feeds off your pain. As you will be experiencing, this is also extremely debilitating. This allows them to use their final weapon, these creatures will steal your very soul by sucking it out through your mouth. I hear my mother pleading for my life, the night she was murdered by the same terrorist who freed these creatures. I was fifteen months old at the time, and that is the only memory I have of her. These creatures need to be ended, and then we'll deal with the person who released them." Casting 'ridiculous', Harry soon had the Boggart back in its trunk - much to the relief of everyone.
Tonks and Hermione were soon passing out chocolate to the entire room. Hearing a dentist say 'trust me, it works' before munching on a large chunk herself convinced everyone present this was a good idea.
Even after consuming her heavenly confectionary, Emma couldn't suppress a shudder when considering some of her previous proposals to the Prime Minister. "While I still think an oxyacetylene torch would harm a Dementor, getting close enough to use one might be the main problem. I could hardly think straight with just a Boggart in the room. I'm assuming the effects of a real Dementor are actually worse?"
Both Harry and Hermione instantly agreed with that. A couple of the military people had actually been asked to bring some infra-red detectors with them. After what they had just seen and heard however, that gear was still in the cases. They decided to have a brainstorming session first, before Harry would once more release the Boggart to test the equipment.
He though had another thought, one Harry just went with. "Hermione here has two non magical parents, my mother was the same. It's also possible for two magical parents to have a non magical child. They are then collectively referred to by the rather derogatory term of squib, and shunned in the magical community. Finding work there is almost impossible for them. These people know about Magic, can actually see Magic but can't perform any. If any of these people made their way into your military, they wouldn't need any kind of special goggles to see a Dementor."
Notes were now being taken all around the room as information flowed freely. There was excitement at Harry's suggestion, though tempered with not having the knowledge of how to identify if any of their troops were squibs.
Working along the principle of keeping it simple, Hermione made a suggestion of her own. "Why not ask for volunteers for a special task force, 'Operation Voldemort' or something similar. That should get their attention, a few careful questions could confirm they really are the people you're looking for. They also will know about being able to travel anywhere in the country in a matter of moments and should fit in easier when working with our Aurors or Phoenix Force."
Considering the amount of knowledge and skills any chosen troops would have to learn, and they wanted to have squads up and running by yesterday, individuals able to shortcut any of those processes would be highly prized. Since this would take very little effort, these suggestions were certainly up for consideration. Hearing that there was already squads of Phoenix Officers waiting to instantly respond to any future attacks at least bought them some time to get prepared. On learning that these creatures had a hive mind also concentrated their thoughts, they might only get one chance at attacking the Dementors and needed to make it count.
Tonks then side-along apparated one of the military there to the Phoenix Headquarters, an introduction to Shack and quick step outside the door to view Diagon Alley saw a totally convinced Colonel being returned to the meeting.
The Prime Minister sat back wearing a contented grin. He knew how sceptical this room originally was to the information these people were delivering, yet they were without exception totally convinced what they saw and heard here today was true. Asking Mrs Granger to work for him was proving to be a master stroke, she'd stepped up and delivered today. Those two teens were helping immensely too. The PM wondered how long these magical windows would last, and if he could convince Officer Tonks to leave them in place. He could easily designate this room as 'Top Secret', and they really were a wonderful addition.
-oOoOo-
The four students that had been training all summer were finding it hard to slot back into Hogwarts as normal school children. In the grand scheme of things, what were house points - and even Hogwarts quidditch matches - when their country was practically at war? Those feelings weren't helped by this morning's Prophet.
Azkaban Sacked, Minister Murdered, Dementors Attack Diagon Alley. After reading that, they were supposed to go and spend the next few hours in Herbology?
The same newspaper was also full of supposition that Harry Potter had been involved in chasing the Dementors, and the Dark Lord, out of Diagon Alley. Their four training partners currently stuck in Hogwarts knew that was a distinct possibility, and that Hermione would of course have been at Harry's side. They couldn't help wishing they had been there too.
While news of the attack had of course spread throughout the country yesterday, seeing it printed in black and white somehow made the whole thing more real. That Dumbledore had temporarily taken over as Minister of Magic was being universally acclaimed as a brilliant move. That McGonagall was going to take over the running of the school was never in any doubt. That she appointed Snape as her Deputy came as a severe shock to almost everyone, and the only thing that had cheered up members of the beleaguered Slytherin House since they'd arrived back in the castle.
The shocks weren't over though as the new Acting Deputy approached them at lunchtime.
"Messers Weasley, Miss Bones, I was of course aware you four were receiving extra training in defence over the summer holidays. I was hoping we could set aside a time where I could evaluate the extent of that training, with the view to seeing you four become classroom assistants in your respective defence classes. I'm going to have to push the practical sides of the OWL and NEWT classes to get those students through their exams, you four could be a great help with that. As payment, I would like to offer my time where you could continue the advanced lessons you have been learning all summer."
It was left to Susan to agree, both with the idea and a time for the evaluation. Ron, Fred and George were all left speechless from the exchange.
"Well, I don't know about you three but I for one am glad of the extra lessons. Otherwise we'll just be twirling our thumbs in defence and learning nothing new."
"I know things are changing but I can't believe we just volunteered for extra lessons - from Snape! What did you two put in my lunch?" Unable to suppress the shudder that went through him, Ron had finally found his voice to answered his girlfriend. That he even had a girlfriend was at least one change Ron was very happy with.
Looking at his own plate left George shaking his head. "Whatever it was, we must have put it on our own lunches too. Snape being civil to Weasleys, we must have been pranked?"
Speaking of pranks had Fred's thoughts turning to their heroes and now mentors. "Do you think Padfoot and Moony put Snape up to this?"
Susan couldn't help but smile at their antics. "I'm sure he spoke with those two, or else he wouldn't be making this offer. I'm also sure it's a genuine offer."
All three Weasleys looked at one another before uttering the only appropriate comment they thought acceptable for the occasion. "Bloody Hell!"
-oOoOo-
The auror recruits certainly understood the reasons behind why they were blitzing through the usual cadet training process, their current crazy schedules had not seen the light of day since the last war. Instead of trepidation that they would be underprepared though, this group of cadets seemed to think the current circumstances made them better that all those who had come before. This was the exact attitude Amelia needed to drum out of them, otherwise they wouldn't be graduating.
As she and Moody entered the room, Amelia could hear her old mentor growling at what he found. There were eight of them, six wizards and two witches, all sitting there chatting - and not paying attention to their surroundings.
Moody could easily spot the ringleader, sitting side on with his feet resting on another chair. As he and Amelia approached the podium at the end of the room, the old auror's grin was predatory. Both Moody and Amelia knew what was coming next. Then again, since they had arranged it, they really should. The two of them reaching the podium and turning around to face the cadets was the signal for today's lesson to kick off, both were looking forward to the show.
Noah Allen had of course noticed the two old farts entering the room. When one of them had a face that seemed like a werewolf had used it for a chew toy, with a ridiculous false eye and a wooden peg leg clumping along the floor to compliment the facial disfigurement, it would have been hard not to notice them. If this was the results of the old way of training aurors, then Noah was delighted to be included in these accelerated and advanced classes.
With the current severe shortage of aurors, he was certain it wouldn't take him too long to be appointed Senior Auror. He was leading this group after all. When the Head of the DMLE had to be recruited from the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Department, the sky was the limit for those aurors with a bit of vim and vision. Noah had no problem envisioning himself sitting in that office one day, and how different things would be then. He'd just decided to put his feet down and grant these two oldies some of his attention when his vision went black, probably because of the stunner he'd just been hit with.
Moody had been deliberately making noise with his peg leg and walking slowly, giving his trainees time and cover to get in position. He was pleased as punch to see Potter had also spotted the ringleader here, and taken him out first.
Harry's training instantly indicated what the main problem was with this group, and that Moody and Amelia would crucify the lot of them no matter how this battle turned out. He had three of them down before the first shield was raised. He managed to pick off a fourth before the first spell was returned in his direction. Whipping off his invisibility cloak gave the remaining auror cadets something to concentrate on, and was an invisible Hermione's cue to open fire from the other side of the room.
Her spells put another two down before the remaining pair realised the were under attack from both sides. Hermione whipping off her cloak too caused enough of a distraction for Harry to pick off the wizard who was just about to cast a curse at his intended, leaving one lone witch against both of them.
Realising the futility of the situation, the witch dropped her wand and held her hands up in surrender. That Hermione then hit her with a stunner shocked the witch almost as much as the curse did.
Moody was livid, but not with his pair of trainees. "Did that stupid bitch just throw her wand away and try to surrender? Amelia, you can't let these people graduate into aurors. At the moment, this lot would do more harm than good."
"I hoped they'd do better but was actually expecting them to perform poorly. That though was a disaster. What can we do?"
"We go hardcore on them. I expect half of this lot to piss the seats we're going to restrain them to by the time I'm finished." The gleam in Moody's good eye told them he wasn't joking about that last part.
Amanda had been having a pleasant morning, then the whole thing had rapidly turned to shit. Being revived and finding herself restrained to a chair, she had no idea how bad things were about to get. A livid Moody vented his anger all over the recruit from mere inches away.
"You had seven comrades down. You were their last chance, and you fucking threw your wand away. If I was in charge of your training you would already be kicked out the door. And Amelia tells me you're one of her best - pathetic."
She tried to answer this man who was screaming at her. "They had beaten everyone else, what chance did I have? She stunned me after I clearly surrendered."
"Not much of an auror when you can't take on two children who haven't even taken their OWL's yet, but that's not my point here. Have you any idea what would happen to you, and your comrades, if you surrendered to Death Eaters? They would do far worse than stun you, this girl here knows that. She was also assuming you had some kind of back-up plan, and wasn't for being taken in. Granger, would you ever part with your wand?"
Both Hermione and Harry had experienced Moody in this kind of situation before, and knew he was deliberately trying to provoke the response he wanted from these cadets. "No, Sir. Never voluntary."
"And if someone managed to take it?"
Hermione answered Moody by producing a wicked looking dagger from somewhere about her person. "Having no wand doesn't put me out of the fight."
Moody's scarred featured somehow managed to form a smile. "Someone taking Granger's wand will either meet her blade, or have Potter here splatter them all over the nearest wall. They work as a team, something you lot apparently have never heard of. Sit there and think about that, and what Death Eaters would do to a captured female auror, while I work on the rest of this lot." Amanda was then hit with a silencing charm, allowing her to hear but not participate in the rest of the 'debriefings'. After hearing how Moody treated some of the other cadets, Amanda began to think she had gotten off lightly by comparison.
Reviving the cadets in roughly the reverse of the order they were taken down meant Noah was last to find himself restrained to a chair. While he might have been physically restrained, his verbal outburst was anything but.
"What the fuck was that all about? If this is your idea of training then it sucks…"
Moody had expected nothing less and didn't shout back at this one. "I seem to be using the word 'pathetic' rather a lot when describing you lot. Probably because that's what you are. This is supposed to be training yet you never noticed Amelia and I dawdling as we entered the room, allowing your two opponents to enter along with us. We took our time reaching the podium, again to give them the time they needed to get into position. This class is so poor though they could probably have ridden in here on dragons and you wouldn't have noticed, unless one of those dragons had shit on you. To be honest, cleaning dragon shit is about all you lot are good for."
The enraged cadet wasn't about to accept that assessment. "It wasn't a fair test…"
That instantly got Mad-Eye shouting back. "Fair? You want fair? If we lived in a world that was fair, we would have no need for aurors. You're training to become one of the people who enforce fairness, you won't find any coming your way. If you're expecting the bad guys to announce themselves before playing fair, then it's better if we bomb you out now, rather than you being killed while on duty. Constant vigilance is the only thing that will keep you alive. Fuck fair, expecting that will very quickly see you dead."
Noah managed to stop himself from using the word 'fair' again, but only just. "I don't think this test was a, a true reflection of our abilities. Set up a proper test and see how we do."
Looking along the line of cadets restrained to their chairs, Moody asked them a question. "Anyone else agree with that? Think they deserve another shot at a 'fair' test? Nod your heads if you do." Mad-eye didn't think it was coincidence that the three people who nodded were amongst the first to fall in the original encounter. His magical eye had already spotted Harry and Hermione getting ready for the task. Four against two were acceptable odds to the couple, they routinely fought that scenario in their training, and this was certainly preferable to going against all eight.
Releasing everyone, and lifting the silencing curses, the large room was soon cleared of all the chairs. The four cadets not fighting were advised to join Amelia at the podium while Mad-Eye spoke to the four who were about to do battle.
"Now I want there to be no misunderstandings here, are you ready to take part in this test?" Four answering yeses were hardly spoken when a bludgeoning curse from Harry threw Noah into two of his compatriots. Hermione took down the remaining cadet still standing before the three on the floor had their wands summons and once more found themselves restrained.
The summoned wands were swiftly handed to Moody, earning Harry and Hermione a rare smile from their most demanding mentor.
"I asked if you were ready, you said yes. Funnily enough, you didn't fare any better being ready than you did when surprised."
A mixture of embarrassment and anger had Noah's face red. "You didn't tell us it was about to start…"
A wave of his wand released the cadets before Mad-eye casually tossed their wands onto the floor. "In the big bad world outside, I won't be there to tell you what's happening. That's actually a very big part of the job you're being trained for. By the way, that's training you just failed miserably - twice."
As Moody, Harry and Hermione headed over to join Amelia and the other four cadets, Noah lost the plot. Snatching his wand from the floor where Moody had so dismissively tossed it, Noah decided to see exactly how well prepared these people were for having curses fired at them when they least expected it. The problem with that line of thought though was all three were expecting Noah to do that very thing.
Harry and Hermione instantly split either side of Mad-Eye while the old auror raised a shield. As the curses were being harmlessly deflected away, his two trainees opened fire. Moody's wand then somewhat needlessly covered the other three cadets, all of whom watched while Noah was taken apart by opponents who were fitter, faster, more powerful and better trained than they were. These two also seemed able to read each other's minds, their fluid movements and constant spell casting never giving Noah a second to even think about what to do next.
Noah was easily the best dueler amongst all eight cadets yet what his seven colleagues were witnessing here was nothing less than life changing - or at least career changing. The aggression that saw Noah win the large majority of his duels against other cadets was practically being ignored by this pair of exceptional teenagers. When Noah started to focus that aggression on the young witch, her partner's overpowered spell blew through Noah's defences and ripped his wand from his grasp. The witch then magically caught Harry's victim in midair as he was blasted backward and then Noah found himself immobilised and stuck to the ceiling.
Moody then casually strode forward to speak to the cadet, though his words were intended for all the cadets in the large room.
"One day, you'll be able to tell your grandkids that Harry Potter and his betrothed, Hermione Granger, took you apart in a duel. At the moment, putting you in auror robes would almost certainly mean you wouldn't see those grandkids. Being an auror is so much more than carrying a badge. Aurors are a highly trained group of witches and wizards, who will willingly put their lives on the line to uphold the laws of this land. That means you have to implicitly trust the auror standing next to you to have your back, and that they trust you do the same for them. These two already had that part down pat, well before I began training them. How many people in this room can say the same of their fellow cadets? Until you inspire that level of trust in your colleagues, you're not ready to graduate - no matter how desperate we are for aurors."
Turning to his old student, Moody verbalised what both of them already knew. "Amelia, this is your call. At the moment, you know what that call has to be. These people need to go away and think about whether this is the job for them. If it is, then some attitudes need to change - and fucking quickly too. People who practice the Dark Arts don't play fair, they never will, and that's who aurors go up against. It's time to step up or ship out. Now I intend to take my two trainees for lunch. They did such a good job today, I'm even buying."
Amelia smiled as the trio left the scene of carnage that was once her cadet class. Shack would probably believe Harry and Hermione beat the eight of her cadets up. Moody buying the both of them lunch would be another matter entirely.
Releasing Noah from the ceiling, she commanded the cadets to sit. After making her way back to the podium, Amelia turned around to see she now had their undivided attention. Perhaps there was hope for some of this lot yet. With new aurors being recruited every two weeks, there were now four classes behind this one. News of what had happened here today would soon reach those other cadets, as would her reactions to it. Any cadets she was forced to lose from this batch would help focus the minds of those other classes. As her former mentor said, it was time to go hardcore on this crowd - and Amelia had learned from the best.
Chapter 18 - Surprises
Ian MacLean was a confused man, not a condition he was used to. Ian deliberately led a intensely private and minutely structured life, even for a solider, but that was the way he liked it. After eight years in the Black Watch, and attaining the rank of sergeant, Ian was happy and content with where his life was.
A priority one memo appeared about to throw a spoke through the wheel of the life he'd built for himself, but Ian simply had to put his name forward. Volunteers were asked to submit their names for a special task force being formed, called Voldemort, to combat the terrorist group who had killed those civilians in London.
Thanks to a past life Ian had lived, a life he'd almost forgotten about, he knew what was really being asked for here. He didn't know why this task force was being formed, but knew he wanted to be involved. His Commanding Officer had sat Ian down with a questionnaire that further signposted the direction this task force would be going. He almost laughed out loud at some of the multiple choice answers available.
'Hufflepuff is: A, a house. B, a plant. C, Asthma inhaler. D, a pub.'
With a dozen questions on the paper, the chances of anyone guessing all twelve correctly would be astronomically slim. For people of a certain background however, the test was incredibly easy. Ian was then swept away to a waiting staff car that was currently speeding down the A9, taking him from Inverness to Edinburgh. He was told there would be some Brass waiting on him there, and yet more questions would be asked.
As the driver was being tight-lipped, Ian was left with no other option but to sit back and enjoy the ride.
-oOoOo-
The Order meeting was a lively one. Almost every member thought the annual Halloween weekend Hogwarts students visit to Hogsmeade was too tempting a target for Voldemort to pass up. A few, while not disagreeing, offered the opinion that was simply too obvious. While all eyes, and all their resources, were turned toward Hogsmeade, a practically undefended Diagon Alley would then be a choice target.
Everyone agreed on one thing however, they didn't have the manpower available to guard both effectively.
Emma now considered herself a member of this group and didn't feel so out of place offering her opinion. "By that time, we will certainly have our new Phoenix Force communications system up and running. The government also hope to have their Dementor task force in place well before that date too. We want these dementors to attack en mass, so they can be dealt with all at once. I agree Hogsmeade, full of children from Hogwarts, is the more tempting target. Before we get into details of how to plan for that, is there any way we can effectively close Diagon Alley for the day? When the dementors attacked at night, the only casualties were those people caught in the pub while Voldemort murdered the Minister."
There was some lingering resentment within the group over how fast this muggle had been promoted in their society. Some of that resentment was reflected in the tone of the question fired at Emma. "Wouldn't shutting Diagon just let the Dark Lord know we were onto him?"
Before anyone else could cut in to try and defend her, Emma fielded the question herself. "Yes, it probably would - if you phrased it like that. Announcing well beforehand that the closure was due to the wards being upgraded, or a better excuse than that, takes Diagon Alley away as a target. We can then focus all our thoughts and resources onto Hogsmeade."
Minerva then put her foot down, hard. "If we think there's going to be an attack on Hogsmeade that day, there's absolutely no way I'm allowing the children in my care to be used as bait!"
There was a rush of people agreeing with Minerva, but also claiming the children being in danger would never be part of any proposal made here. Shack then took over the meeting. Conjuring a large blackboard, he drew a chalk line down the middle of it before writing both suspected targets at the top.
"This is what we do with the Phoenix Force, write down the problems and work our way through them. We all accept these are the two most likely targets, just as we also know splitting our force to try and cover both would be suicide. I think closing Diagon Alley for a day is a great idea, we just need an excuse to do so."
The suggestion from Sirius of "Checking chimney pots so no more will fall on Death eaters" raised more than a chuckle, and saw the whole mood of the meeting relax.
After noting down a few more 'suggestions', Shack then moved their attention to the 'Hogsmeade' side of the board. Hermione knew what she was going to say next would be unpopular, but she felt it had to be brought up. "Harry and I would expect to be included on this mission but there are four of our friends, who trained just as hard as us all summer, that will want to be there too. Everyone knows there is a threat of Dementor attacks. Reinforce that point and only allow those students who can cast a patrons, and want to go, to leave the castle for Hogsmeade."
it was with a sigh, Amelia answered that point. "Had the attack on Diagon Alley happened before the express left for Hogwarts, Susan would have been there to help us defend it that night. All six of them had already been declared ready to go on a mission by Mad-Eye and me, and I know Susan is really looking forward to seeing both of you that weekend."
After a reluctant nod from Molly, Arthur said basically the same about their three sons currently attending Hogwarts. Both Weasley parents made the point though that Ginny wouldn't be anywhere near the village until this problem was solved.
A question was asked about warning the villagers about a Dementor attack, this triggered something in Harry's memory and saw him speak out.
"In primary school, my class did a project about air raids during World War Two. A siren would sound to warn people the bombers were approaching, and there would be wardens to make sure people took shelter. Everyone knows those Dementors are out there, and they could attack at anytime. A similar warning system for Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade could save lives, even if they attack when we're not expecting them. This is something that could be put in place very quickly, with a couple of practice drills getting people used to it. Yes I think Voldemort will go for Hogsmeade when the Hogwarts students visit but it's only common sense to put safety measures in place now. These safety measures would also be a great help if he does arrive when we suspect he will."
Thinking that was a great idea, Shack wrote it down under both headings. The practicalities were then discussed, with Amelia offering her cadets to serve some shifts as lookouts. It would give them a degree of practical experience and responsibility without overly endangering them. Setting off the siren if they spotted Dementors, then taking cover, shouldn't be beyond any of them. It was then decided a few Phoenix Officers and Aurors would cover the 'warden' positions. Seeing people on the streets, and having a plan in place, should also help bolster the dented confidence of the witches and wizards of Britain.
Albus was constantly being amazed at what these people working together could achieve. His experiences over the years working with the Wizengamot, where every member appeared to have their own agenda, had probably soured him from dealing with committees.
Here though they were all working toward the same goal, and coming up with good ideas. Albus well remembered standing there helpless as Fudge arrested Hagrid, just to be seen to be doing something. Now they had something tangible that should not only reassure the people but save lives in the case of any dementor attacks. With both him and Arthur at the meeting, they were effectively making Ministerial policy here - and a lot quicker than having to go in front of the Wizengamot with any proposals.
As the plans were coming together, Emma had another suggestion to add. "If we think there's a high probability of knowing where and when the attack will take place, wouldn't it make sense to base the government's troops there to begin with? It would certainly prevent any delays or complications in getting them there. In a situation where seconds will count, this too could save lives. With the military currently trawling their ranks for people who know about magic, they should have no problem fitting in."
This caused quite a stir amongst the members until Arthur pointed out the Ministry were well aware of what was happening with their muggle counterparts, and fully supported it. As Arthur was speaking, something else came to Harry.
"Magical tents! We stayed in one for last year's Qudditch World Cup - it was brilliant! Loads of room on the inside, with kitchen and toilets too. A few of these could hold all the troops. Some camouflage or spells and no one would even know they were there…"
This had Moody laughing out loud. "You can just see Riddle leading his Dementors into Hogsmeade - and straight into an ambush. We taught you well, kids. You keep making these suggestions, and we might just see the back of this arsehole once and for all."
Having never seen one of these magical tents, Emma asked if they could get hold of one before her next scheduled meeting. Taking a working sample along would let the military see if they were suitable for their use.
Amelia let Arthur know that the Auror Department had a few of these, used mainly for field exercises. He promised to dig whatever they had out and bring it over. Tonks, Harry and Hermione should have no problem learning how to magically erecting them before that demonstration.
As the meeting came to an end, everyone again left with a spring in their step. All could see what they were doing was helping this war to be won by the side they supported. Since that was the very reason they were here, Order members were entitled to feel rather pleased with themselves.
-oOoOo-
Sitting facing a full Colonel, Ian was shocked at what he was hearing. "The Statue of Secrecy doesn't apply to our conversation. It is covered by the Official Secrets Act however, and classed as top secret. We are now aware your record before you joined the army would, out of necessity, have been altered by you. We are also aware of the secrecy reasons behind those alterations so you're not in any trouble here. Now I would like you to tell me how you were able to answer all those questions correctly."
Taking a deep breath, Ian then revealed a side of his life he'd tried to forget. "My records are actually pretty accurate. My father was a policeman and my mother a secretary. When I was eleven, I went to Hogwarts. I don't know if you've heard the term muggle born?"
The Colonel confirming that he did, and had actually met one, had Ian continuing.
"I started Hogwarts in seventy eight, not a good time to be an eleven year old muggle born. Bigotry was rife and the muggle born families were having their homes attacked by Death Eaters. I got off the train at the end of my first year and was taken to a new house. My parents had moved so the school or Ministry wouldn't have their address. The same thing happened at the end of my second year, since things in magical Britain had actually gotten considerably worse. Christmas that same year we went shopping in Diagon Alley after getting off the Express. There was a Death Eater attack that day, the bastards attacked families out doing their Christmas shopping. A witch had my father under the torture curse before the aurors arrived and chased the Death Eaters away. That was the final straw for us."
Looking at his record in front of him, the Colonel began to understand. "Your family moving to Australia makes sense now."
This had Ian shaking his head. "If I withdrew from Hogwarts, the Ministry would wipe mine and my parents memories of magic. We would still be in danger but not even know it. At the end of my third year, my parents met me off the train as usual but we then headed in a totally different direction after King's Cross. We stayed two nights in Southampton before boarding a ship to take us to our new lives. Magic was forgotten about as I joined mainstream education in Australia. Four months later, baby Harry Potter put an end to the war. We were trying to settle into our new country, then my father suffered a massive heart attack and died. Mum and I stayed and made new lives for ourselves, right up until my seventeenth birthday. My mother introduced me to her fiance. He didn't like me, I hated him so I left. I worked my way back to Scotland and joined the Army."
"Are you still in touch with your family?"
A shrug from Ian was then expanded on. "I get a card for my birthday, and one for Christmas. Our bi-annual communications suits all of us. I apparently have a couple of younger siblings now. Since my father died, the word 'magic' is never mentioned by my mother. She blamed that curse for weakening my father's heart, and she may be right, so I have no way of knowing whether Emily or Marianne are magical."
With his steely gaze now locked on this officer, Ian finally spoke about what had brought him here today. "That day in Diagon Alley marked a change in all our lives. Without it, my family would probably have stuck it out a little longer - we would certainly not have left after Harry Potter defeated Voldemort that Halloween. Without those curses, my father might even still be alive. I'm assuming this task force will be going against Voldemort and his Death Eaters, and I want in."
This almost earned him a smile from the Colonel sitting opposite him. One glance at MacLean's record was enough to get him on this task force. That he was a wizard too, albeit an untrained one, put Ian's name near the top of the list. "What can you tell me about Dementors?"
That question rocked Ian back on his heels. "So that's what killed those people in London? I was just about fourteen when we left Britain, and these things were on his side then too. Even at that age, I could see this was a problem that the magicals should have dealt with. Instead they invited them back to guard their prisoners, and simply stored the problem for another day."
"They have a new man in charge now, Dumbledore I think his name is. He's asked for our help to take care of this problem, we intend to exterminate these creatures. Do you have a problem with that?"
"No, not at all. Sorry, I was just shocked that Dumbledore had taken charge. Everyone wanted him to do so the last time but he refused. I wonder what changed his mind?"
"I don't know, but I do know we want you on this squad. Sign here that you understand this can never be talked about and you're in."
Ian was reaching for a pen before the Colonel had stopped speaking.
-oOoOo-
The three adults watched on as the two in the pool flip-turned and began another lap.
"I thought the pool was supposed to relax them. These two are now treating it as an extension to their training. They've already put in a training shift that left Remus and me knackered, yet those two are still going."
Emma knew exactly what was going on here, the mother in her only wished she didn't. "They now have a date when this might end. Harry is pushing himself so hard to try and be sure he's as ready as he can be. Hermione wants to be right by his side so is pushing her limits alongside him. Perhaps they'll get a bit of a rest tomorrow, both are coming with Tonks and me to the meeting." She knew the next bit would be controversial but was every bit as determined as the two teenagers currently in the pool to get her way on this.
"The muggles will have a command post set up in Hogsmeade, especially that weekend. That's where I'll be too…" As she'd expected, both Sirius and Remus instantly objected to that. Both also did so quietly as not to disturb their two charges who were effectively still training.
Having put a lot of thought into this, Emma cut both of them off at the knees before they could get into their stride. "Listen, the only way I'll be in danger is if Voldemort wins. That will only happen if everyone I love lies dead in Hogsmeade. If that happens, him getting to me really won't matter because I'll already be dead inside. I wouldn't have survived losing Dan without those two in the pool. I wouldn't want to survive losing them - I need to be there."
Sitting beside Emma, Sirius placed a supporting hand on her arm. Remus was further away but smiled as he realised what Emma was up to here. "You want our help to convince those two you need to be there."
Emma, though caught, was unrepentant. "Hermione is every bit as stubborn as her father was, and you just know Harry will back her to the hilt. Those two are a formidable team, I'm going to need all the help I can get."
Sirius could only nod in agreement with everything Emma had said. "I don't know if I would want to go on if we lost those two either. If that were to happen, you know they would need to have gone through Remus and me first?"
Emma tried to smile, it was hard though when she felt like crying. All that was forgotten about though as the three of them were soon soaked through.
They glared at a smirking pair of teens. "You three were far too serious sitting there…"
"I heard a challenge in there, Moony."
A prank war was soon unleashed, though the only spell to hit Emma dried her clothes. Remus filling the pool with ice cubes soon ended the war, at least when Harry and Hermione quickly summoned him and Sirius into the now freezing water alongside them quickly saw the fight go out of all four of them.
All four were soon out their giant ice bath, wrapped in hot towels, shivering and laughing at the same time. Dobby appearing with pepper up potions for them almost saw the madness continue into a second phase before Winky announced their dinner would be ready in a matter of minutes. The sight of the stern little elf standing there impatiently tapping her foot set Emma off laughing too.
"We'll be right in, Winky. Just as soon as these four get dressed for dinner."
-oOoOo-
Arthur and Shack had joined them for what was basically a tour of the muggle training facility being used to prepare the troops who would be going up against the Dementors. They were watching the troops being put through their paces but, to be honest, none of them were impressed. Paper targets, guns and equipment that looked to have been bought from the nearest garden centre wasn't exactly inspiring confidence amongst the watchers in these troops' abilities to deal with Dementors.
With having a foot firmly in both camps, Emma thought it was up to her to get the ball rolling. "Will they be wearing protective headgear? That might stop them getting their souls sucked out their mouths?" She didn't actually come out and say what they were watching here wouldn't, but everyone who heard her knew that's exactly what she meant.
The Colonel almost winced at the obvious disappointment dripping from Emma's questions, he tried to answer as best he could. "We could put them out there in suits nothing less than an armour piercing round could harm. Those type of suits though are designed to work deep underwater and they would barely be able to do more than lift their arms on land. While it would keep them safe, they would be useless in a battle. Yes that is certainly an extreme example, but do you get my meaning? It's all about keeping them as safe as possible - without hampering their ability to fight back."
They were currently standing on a viewing platform above the action and the Colonel signalled to an aid what he wanted done. While waiting, he tried to explain further why striking that balance was so important. "The main reason we went to the trouble of recruiting people who could see Dementors was to save them relying on technology, technology that can be cumbersome and might even fail around a lot of Magic. It's the same with protective headgear."
The aid arrived with what looked like a high-end motorcycle helmet attached to shoulder pads and a chest plate. The wearer's head would be fully enclosed and it had straps that would lock around the body. With a nod, Shack agreed to be the Guinea Pig. Two minutes later, he was wearing the contraption. Shack got it at once and signalled for the helmet to be removed.
"My vision and hearing were severely impaired, my movement was restricted too."
The Colonel was nodding in agreement. "That's almost exactly what our troops said too. They didn't think the trade-off was worth it, preferring to rely on their reactions and weapons to keep them safe by taking the Dementors down before they reached them."
Here Harry just had to say something. "Sir, shotguns are going to be useless against Dementors. Those other things your troops are using look suspiciously like something my uncle had for burning weeds on his driveway."
"Good eye, son, that's exactly what those are. Our tech people are putting the finishing touches to a version that uses oxyacetylene. We plan to use incendiary ammunition in those shotguns too, hopefully to keep the Dementors off us. It's funnily enough called 'Dragon's Breath', and fires burning magnesium shot. It burns at over sixteen hundred degrees Celsius, which should at least hurt them. These creatures are supposedly intelligent so our aim here is to ensure that if we don't wipe them out, we should at least hurt them enough to see them leaving us alone. We can't use that ammunition here because it could set fire to the buildings - something I was hoping to discuss with you today."
Arthur was able to reassure the officer. "All the buildings in Hogsmeade will have fire suppression wards, so that won't be a problem. We could easily have some fitted to the buildings you're using here. Shack and I could probably do one for you now to let you see how it works?"
That offer was quickly accepted and a loud piercing whistle called a temporary halt to the exercise. They left the viewing platform and approached one of the nine buildings that made up the training area.
While Arthur and Shack placed some basic wards around the bare building, Tonks quietly moved to cover one of the soldiers who marched toward them. He was over six foot tall, dark cropped hair, broad of shoulder and appeared focused on Harry. Just from the way he walked, Tonks sensed this was a dangerous man. His gentle lilting Scots brogue though was completely different to what the Auror was expecting, it was almost disarming.
"Mister Potter, it's an honour and a pleasure to meet you sir."
Harry thought at first he was dealing with a boy-who-lived fan but the soldier's next words floored all of them. Inclining his head toward Tonks, the Sargent said the last thing any of them were expecting.
"The last time I saw one of those uniforms, your father was wearing it. I was thirteen and Christmas shopping with my family in Diagon Alley when we were attacked by Death Eaters. My father was placed under the cruciatus curse before the Aurors arrived. The medic who attended wasn't going to treat my father, purely because he was a muggle. Your dad grabbed him by the robes and threatened to punch his head off if he didn't treat my father right away. We left there with enough potion to last my father a couple of days. I was really too shocked at what had happened to thank your dad properly, I'd like to thank his son."
Harry was delighted to shake the hand that belonged to Sargent MacLean. They all wanted to know more but the exercise was about to continue, and the troops were ordered to change ammo for this one.
Wondering how 'Dragon's Breath' would affect a Boggart pretending to be a Dementor, Tonks fetched the trunk that contained the creature. Seeing who would be doing the shooting, Tonks stayed by Harry. While she could tell everyone this was to protect the teen, it also gave her another opportunity to get close to the softly spoken Highlander who had caught her eye.
As the Boggart morphed into Harry's greatest fear, Ian waited until everyone had experienced the effects of being close to the creature. With the now protected house behind the bogus Dementor, Ian finally opened fire. The effect was devastating. From a distance of about six yards, the pump-action shotgun ripped three rounds in as many seconds into the creature whose screams were louder than the gun. The burning magnesium tore the creature apart, while setting it on fire. The Boggart was trying to change shape and flee back into the haven of the trunk, but appeared unable to do so. It's body was breaking up and burning too. As parts of it reached the trunk, it too burst into flames and became a funeral pyre for the now dying Boggart.
As an impressed Shack watched on, two thoughts solidified in his mind. He really, really wanted one of these devices - and never, ever wanted to piss off a people who could produce things like this.
Since it wasn't thought possible to kill a Boggart either, all were now a lot more confident of their plan for dealing with Dementors. The 'Dragon Breath' rounds should at the very least damage the Dementors and allow those with oxyacetylene 'wands' to finish the wounded creatures off. Hermione's comment that it almost sounded like a magical battle raised more than a few chuckles.
When the magicals present erected the tent, the Colonel was left almost drooling once more at the kit these people had available to them. While it looked like a normal tent on the outside, inside held him, his squad of twenty two troops and their six visitors. Arthur explained that two of these would be erected in Hogsmeade for their use, with another being equipped as a field hospital.
A date was agreed for them to move to Hogsmeade, with robes indicating they were part of the Phoenix Force allowing them to freely walk around the village. Being able to get his troops on site well before the expected battle, and allow them to become familiar with the village, was another plus none of them had been expecting. The guests were invited to stay for lunch and all eagerly accepted. Ian was asked to sit with them and soon discovered Miss Granger was the muggle born the Colonel knew. The teens were very interested on hearing what Hogwarts had been like when he attended, while Ian was just as interested in discovering what had changed in magical Britain since he'd left it.
As they were getting ready to leave, Tonks asked Ian if she could show him around Hogsmeade sometime they were both off duty? Sargent MacLean very quickly accepted and, as she was Mrs Granger's bodyguard, was sure they would see each other again to arrange a date and time. All in all, everyone thought today couldn't have gone much better.
-oOoOo-
Amanda was left wondering if things could get any worse. Being ripped a new one by Special Investigator Moody was followed by a tirade from Madam Bones the instant their visitors had left. Bones had pulled no punches and everyone was left in no doubt their futures as Aurors was now on the line. As if that wasn't bad enough, she now found herself stuck up a recently erected watchtower in Hogsmeade with Noah Allen as a partner.
She couldn't stand the wizard before, when Noah thought he was God's gift to everything. Since getting his arse kicked - twice - by a teenager who'd yet to sit his O.W.L.'s, Noah's demeanour had actually gotten worse. As bad as listening to Noah explain why she should date him had been, his continual whining about how the entire world was conspiring against him was really grating on her nerves.
"…Of course the entire morning was set up for the little shit to win. Couldn't have their precious boy-who-lived getting his arse kicked by the better wizard, bad for moral and the war effort. I mean, sicking us up here as lookouts? We should be down there on the streets, making a difference. Bet those two teens will be down there if we sound the alarm. Can't you just see it? Look at us, leading the fight. More pictures and press inches in the Prophet - while we're hiding in this stupid contraption."
Looking round, Amanda could see Noah was leaning on his telescope, rather than using it to search for threats.
"Noah, we're the frontline here, leading the defence of the village. Us giving a warning that the village is about to be attacked can and will save lives. If I have to sound the alarm, you bet I'll be shooting right into the shelter seconds later. You're welcome to stay up here in the open and duke it out but, as far as I know, the only person able to repel that many Dementors is Harry Potter."
Knowing that name would rile Noah even more, Amanda returned to searching her designated area for threats. After a few stuttering starts, Noah eventually managed a comeback.
"That's just hearsay. I bet the jumped-up little shit can't even cast a patronus."
Smiling at how predictable Noah was, Amanda then closed her trap. "He's been able to cast one since his third year at Hogwarts. It's a stag - and I've seen it. During a quidditch match, Draco Malfoy and a couple of his goons tried to put Potter off by pretending to be dementors. Potter's patronus was so powerful, it knocked them on their arses - and he still caught the snitch! Remember the Malfoys? Remind me again who it was that dealt with them?"
As she'd hoped, this shut Noah up and let her get on with the job they'd been assigned in peace. Amanda applied another warming charm to her heavy cloak and searched her designated area once again.
They were in a wooden tower, about twenty foot off the ground. The alarm siren was on the roof but, above waist height, the tower was open on all sides - hence the need for warming charms. A hatch in the floor was accessed by a spiral staircase, that staircase instantly became a slide if they sounded the alarm. That slide would take them into a secure room that the tower was built upon. Positioned about fifty feet from the Hogshead Inn, it was one of four watch towers positioned to add security to the village.
She had Noah pegged as a boastful bore from the minute they'd met. Discovering he was a glory hound too meant that, should they both eventually qualify, she would be doing her best to avoiding getting partnered with Auror Allen. A partner like that could get you killed.
Her partner was currently seething with anger. That anger was directed against the world in general, and those who couldn't see what a brilliant auror Noah Allen would make in particular. That anger was all consuming, and easily explained why he missed the flashes of sunlight that were being reflected off the telescope watching them from the edge of the forbidden forest.
Peter was studying the defences of the village, more to get away from his master's guests for a few hours than anything else. Peter didn't need a Boggart to tell him what his new greatest fear was, Nagini's animated corpse scared the life out of him. That she would accompany him as he led the attack on the village meant there was no escape for Peter, not unless the snake was permanently stopped by the defenders in the village first.
Scanning those defences, Peter was feeling somewhat disappointed. The defences were almost immaterial anyway, the attack would go ahead no matter what they were. Yes those towers would give them some warning but he could only see a few extra officers on the village streets. There was certainly not enough there to deal with what his master intended to unleash on Hogsmeade. Until Nagini was taken care of though, Peter would be signing his own death warrant by transforming into Wormtail.
He well understood that this was a suicide mission his master was sending him on, the Dark Lord's last hurrah before he melted into the background. Melting into the background however was also something Peter was an expert at, a skill he hoped would see him wriggle his way out of this deadly situation too.
Getting Nagini killed, while staying alive himself was going to be the extremely tricky part. After that, no one would notice a rat slipping away amongst the carnage the attack would leave behind. Having slipped out of the country before to search for his master, Peter was confident he could do so again. This time though, it would be to get as far away from his master as possible. If the Dark Lord thought him dead, Peter should just about be able to manage that.
-oOoOo-
Harry had his hands over Hermione's eyes as he led her toward the ballroom at Grimmauld.
"Harry, you're spoiling me. I'm beginning to think that our afternoon shopping trip to Harrods though had an ulterior motive."
"Well, there were things that needed to be gotten ready for the birthday girl's party. Only the best will do for my betrothed."
As the doors in front of them were opened, Harry removed his hands from her eyes. That was the cue those inside had been waiting for.
"Happy Birthday Hermione"
The volume of that greeting had Hermione taking half a step back, straight into Harry's waiting arms. Then she saw who was all there and tears started to flow.
"Ron, Ginny, Susan, Fred, George - what are you all doing here?"
She was soon mobbed by their friends, Ron answering for all of them. "It's your birthday, silly. Where else did you think we would be?"
Ginny couldn't help but laugh at her brother's non answer, knowing Hermione would never be satisfied with that. "The Minister of Magic invited us, and the Headmistress is here too."
Looking around, Hermione could see all the other people who were there, making this easily the biggest birthday party she'd ever had. Harry, whose arms were still around her from behind, gave her a comforting squeeze as she thanked their friends for coming.
Ron again was first to answer. "Free food, and mum's here with a birthday cake she made for you. Of course we were coming."
A glare from Susan clearly said 'behave' before she could get a word with Hermione. "Don't believe a word this big lug says. We've all missed you two terribly, and really couldn't wait to come. Harry's had this planned for a week or so, and the twins have been warned no pranks."
"Yeah, but where's the cake?" Ron's joke on his one track mind had all of them laughing while Hermione dished out hugs as if they were going out of fashion. There were quite a few people from the Order and Phoenix Force here too, and she made sure to thank each of them personally.
A wonderful dinner that Dobby, Winky and even Kreature had helped prepare was immediately followed by the birthday girl opening her presents. Hermione was becoming rather overwhelmed that all these people cared for her. Seeing this, Sirius started playing music. Hermione soon found herself in Harry's arms on the dance floor, she kissed him in a way that had cat calls coming from the crowd.
"What was that for."
Smiling at him, Hermione gave Harry another peck on the lips. "Just for being you, though arranging this wonderful day for me might have had something to do with it."
"We've been training so hard recently, I thought we could do with a break. The gang are staying over tonight and will be spending tomorrow with us too. In six weeks, this war could all be over. Yes we need to train hard but I thought times like this would remind us all what we're fighting for."
This earned Harry another kiss before Hermione rested her head on his chest. Harry wasn't sure if he was meant to hear what she said next, but he did. "I know what I'm fighting for."