Birthday Celebrations

That day of golden peace was soon interrupted, as Hermione, Harry and Ron were summoned to the headmistress's office. Once up the spiral stairs they were confronted by Professor McGonagall, Madame Maxime and Mad-Eye Moody.

“Ah! Do come in and take those seats over there,” the Professor indicated. “We have been talking about the future.”

“I know what mine is,” mumbled Harry.

“Perhaps so, Mr Potter! However there are some things which I think you ought to know first.”

Harry adopted his usual stubborn look until Hermione nudged him and glared. Harry nodded to her, changing his look to one of resignation.

“Firstly,” McGonagall continued, smiling grimly at the exchange. “Despite the discussion about closure at the last staff meeting, I have been prevailed upon to continue as Headmistress for the next year. It would not do to let You-know-who know that he had disrupted the normal course of events here. The Ministry agrees to this, saying that business as normal would give positive signs to the community. Mr. Moody feels that we must offer extra security to those children who do join us next term. I understand, Mr Potter, that you recently had a team of young people who formed a vigilante group. We feel that such a group, re-energised, would form the basis of our new Defence Company.”

“But Professor Dumbledore set me a specific task to fulfil!”

“That which you will not tell us about, I suppose, Mr. Potter?”

“But ....”

“That will have to wait young man! Unless you can achieve it before term recommences.”

Ron looked defiant, and Hermione had to give both her friends warning looks.

“There will be always at least two of the Order here to help you and to give you extra DADA training. Having seen some of your special spells, Harry, it may be that you will be teaching us too.” Harry thought Mad-Eye was trying to smile.

The Headmistress ignored the interruption. “I would hope that you all would be able to continue with your studies as well. It is my opinion that your final year might be elongated by an extra term or two, dependant on your extra duties, and the ferocity of engagement. You would form the officer cadre for the Company and the three of you would become junior members of staff for that purpose. I would point out that you would no longer be accommodated in a house, and we have suitable arrangements made for the seven new officers. This means that you would need to appoint one member from each house to join you. However we do have a problem with Slytherin, as the most promising young wizard appears to have absconded.”

Ron’s eyes opened wide. “Malfoy!”

“Quite so Mr. Weasley; the very same!”

“Eet ees most important that ze British School be kept goink,” added Madame Maxine. “Eef one link in ze chain is broken, all of us are lost.”

“Please go and think about this. Remember the fate of the whole wizarding world probably hangs on your reply. However, before you leave, I have this memory vial to give you from dear departed Albus.”

Harry glanced up at the new sleeping portrait. Dumbledore woke up, nodded and mouthed Pensieve, held up three fingers and then returned to his nap.

Harry caught on. “Professor McGonagall?”

“Yes Mr Potter?”

“Please may we use the late headmaster’s Pensieve?”

“That is one of the items you will be given in your new quarters, Mr Potter. However you may use it here if you think it is urgent.”

“I think it may well be very important,” said Harry, receiving a confirmatory nod from the portrait.

“Very well Mr Potter we will leave you three to consult the silver oracle.”

“Thank you Professor.”

“Harry?”

“Yes Mad-Eye?”

“Before you leave Hogwarts there is a special new flying spell that you ought to learn, which I think you all may find very useful.”

Ron’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. Hermione squeezed his hand and whispered. “Later.”

“May we see you after we have looked at the Pensieve, please?”
“Of course you may, my boy!” The magical eye gave a curious lurch and seemed to look at all three of them at once.

Once the three adults had left, Harry and his friends went over to the alcove and carefully transferred the Pensieve to the desk. Once they were all comfortable and staring into its silvery depths, Harry opened the vial, said the words of enchantment and poured the silvery liquid from the vial into the basin. They followed it and as the mists cleared Dumbledore was seen to be talking to Snape in this very room. Snape looked quite rebellious, but there was still a feeling quiet intimacy between them.

“You know about the Horcruxes, Severus, and that Draco Malfoy has to be part of the team that recovers at least two of them.”
Ron gasped and looked horrified.

“Yes, Yes Albus, but a Potter/Malfoy team still seems highly unlikely.”

“We will have to arrange to challenge another school at Quidditch and have them in the same team rooting for each other.”

Harry growled softly.

“Potter's potions are showing equally well as Draco’s now. I'll have to pair them off next term.”

Harry growled more fiercely.

“I hope you have a good supply of spark quenching charms,” Dumbledore chuckled. “Harry will be accompanying me to find that next Horcrux, you know. If anything goes wrong, you must carry on destroying them.”

“Come now Albus, nothing will go wrong, will it?” Snape held hands with Dumbledore briefly.

“What … With this from one go?” Dumbledore held up his burnt hand. “If I loose my powers you must kill me before the Death Eaters get to me … Promise?”

“It won’t come to that. I’m still researching the cure, you know.” They held hands again.

“It might! And I want to know that you will stop them having my knowledge and soul. As Fidelius keeper of Hogwarts you must promise to kill me before they get the secrets; whatever happens, Severus. I’m very serious about this!”

“All right; I understand! We can’t have the other side getting your charms and spells, especially the ones that guard
Hogwarts. I’ll do it as a very last resort, I promise, but it will hurt greatly.”

“Yes I know; it would hurt very much if I had to do it to you. Now, how do we knit Harry and Draco together? …”

The image faded and three silvery faces looked at each other in astonishment as the Pensieve's glow slowly diminished. Thoughtfully they left the headmistress’s office.

“We can’t do it without that prat Malfoy.” Ron voiced all their concern. “I’m not pleading with him to join us. Besides you told us that he was tryng to kill Dumbledore.”

“I don't think that the corridor is a good place to discuss this Ronald!”

Ron looked sheepishly at his dearly beloved and went red.

“Very good idea, Miss Granger, perhaps you would like to see the quarters you will inhabit if you agree to join the staff? You could have your discussion in there. Then maybe you can tell me about Mr Malfoy joining you?” McGonagall came round the corner, where she had been waiting to return to her new domain.

She led them off towards the professors’ common room. Stopping before a picture of four dancing witches: “Cherubim,” the professor announced.

One of the witches looked up and came over to open the picture frame. “Are you the new team then?”

“Some of us might be,” Harry replied carefully, “Thank you.”
That got him a sharp look from the headmistress.

The room inside resembled the Gryffindor common room, but was somewhat smaller. The window overlooked the tutors’ garden, and beyond that, over the hedge, down to the lake and its newly erected memorial. Harry looked away quickly with tears in his eyes and received a quick shoulder hug from McGonagall, who looked equally serious. Then she continued:

“The four doors on each of the two side walls lead to private bed/study rooms with their own private bathrooms, making seven in all. The eighth door leads to a room with various possibilities and includes a summoning alcove.”

They went to look at this room. It was set out as a dining area with seven chairs seated round a circular table.

“King Harry's round table!” blurted Ron. He received a sharp kick from Hermione and two equally dirty looks from Harry and the Professor. “S-Sorry Harry!”

“This can be cleared so you can have practice sessions in here. It is warded in a similar fashion to the Room of Requirement. There is an extra entrance here so that your trainees have no need to troop through your common room if you would prefer them not to. Now I’ll leave you to your deliberations.”

“Thank you Professor, we have much to talk about.”

“I hope your conference comes out in our favour, goodbye!”
McGonagall used the extra entrance and disappeared.

“Let’s go and look at the rooms.” Ron's eagerness showed.

“We should be discussing things, not being tourists,” was accompanied by a female frown.

Ron took no notice of Hermione. “Harry, just look at this; there’s a smashing desk with drawers and shelves above for books. And the bed, it’s almost big enough for four. That’ll be nice when Herm ... Oh! Err!” Ron went very red. Hermione had, by this time, come over to look and was admiring the desk. Harry had found a walk in wardrobe; then went to look at the bathroom facilities.

“This shower would easily hold two, as well.” Then Harry realised he had also put his foot in it.

Luckily Hermione was still in raptures over her study area, Harry caught Ron’s eye and giggled. “I suppose we had better sort things out. Will you give us a silencing charm please, Hermione?”

They drew three chairs round the common room fire and looked at one another.

“The Horcruxes are our priority, aren’t they?”

“Yes, but we can’t leave Hogwarts undefended, can we?”

“Then we’ve got to find Malfoy too, or we won’t have all the Horcruxes.”

“That Pensieve conversation put a different shape on things, didn’t it?”

“I’ll say! We’ve got to have bloody Malfoy on our side.”

“Now we’re sure that Snape’s on our side aren’t we? It will be good to have a senior who knows what we’re looking for.”

“He’ll probably know how to destroy them too.”

“Ooh yes! I hadn’t thought about that.”

“I’m not sure I could put up with Malfoy’s sarcasm all the time.”

“Let’s deal with that when we find him, or he finds us.”

“Maybe we ought to tell McGonagall about the Horcruxes. There’re going to be times when we need to talk to Dumbledore’s portrait.”

“He was quite insistent that we told no one else.”

“Yes but things have changed since ... Well you know what I mean.” Harry looked as though he was about to cry, so Hermione hugged him.

“Snape knows! It seems only fair that McGonagall knows too. After all she’s the headmistress now, and if we accept, she’ll be someone we’re responsible to.”

“I think we have no choice but to accept, we can’t abandon our school, can we?”

"At least if one or two of us go off, she’ll understand the urgency."

Harry made up his mind. “OK! We’ll do it. Tell McGonagall about the Horcruxes, then get the old DA together, then go and get Malfoy. Yes?”

Ron nodded and Hermione added, “Harry, you go and tell McGonagall. Ron and I’ll round up the DA. We can reactivate the Galleons, but they won’t know where to come to. So we’ll meet them outside the Room of Requirement and meet you here with them. Okay?”

“Um … Thanks very much. Right! I’ll go and see Herself then.”

They separated. As he was leaving by the other door, Harry turned round to look at the picture. This was of four scantily clad males dancing round a fire. Before he closed the door Harry asked: “Err? Excuse me? I’m part of the new team using these rooms. Would you mind telling me the password, please?”
One of the men shrugged on his wizarding cloak and came over. “You’re Harry Potter aren’t you?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“We hope to be of service to you, but you’ll have to guess.”

“Um … The others were Cherubim ... Angels? No! Ooh I know, Seraphim?”

“At your service sir.” By this time the others had put on cloaks and were bowing to him. “Please will you introduce us to those who are allowed to enter?”

“I will as soon as I return from seeing the headmistress.”

“Headmistress? Oh yes! Of course! Dumbledore was a great man and a great loss. I take it that McGonagall has accepted?”

“Yeah!”

“Great! She’s very good! Now we can have a proper welcome party for Albus!”

They all crowded out of the picture waving. Harry hoped that at least one of them would have returned to open up by the time he came back.

Half an hour later Harry returned smiling, encountering a small throng of the old DA members outside the portrait. One of the wizards was staring glassily out at them, his cheeks were much redder than before and he was weaving about unsteadily. Harry introduced Hermione and Ron with difficulty, trying to keep the wizard’s attention from wandering. Neville was next and he was left attempting to introduce the others. That gave Harry and his two friends a short period of privacy.

“Well how did it go Harry?”

“I'm glad we told her, Ron. She had a look at that memory and came up with the idea of Voldemort’s ancestral home for a hiding place for another Horcrux. She also said that she thought Snape had a hideout somewhere hear there. So we might be able to gather a few lost sheep at the same time.”

“I don't think Snape and Malfoy would like to be known as sheep.” Hermione frowned: “Don’t forget Mad-Eye wanting to teach us that new flying spell.”

“Thanks Hermione, I had. Ron, would you go and ask him to come here, say in half an hour? Meanwhile Hermione and I will tell the others about things.”

“OK! I’d only get all tongue-tied and het-up if I tried to tell them, anyway.” Ron departed.

As soon as they were all assembled, Harry started things going and then became lost for words, so Hermione took over. After various questions had been answered, Hermione and Harry seemed to have sorted the various members’ worries.

“We need one person from each house to act as house lieutenants with us. We won’t be attached to any particular house as we will be junior staff and we would like Neville to act as the Gryffindor lieutenant. We also have ideas about whom will represent Slytherin, but we would like the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw houses to choose one person whom they think will be a strong enough organiser.”

Out of the three remaining Hufflepuffs Susan Bones was elected and Anthony Goldstein became Ravenclaw’s choice. After checking that everyone still had their Galleons with them, Hermione said that they would all be contacted as soon as further plans were decided and to have a good holiday ready for battle next term. Then the three friends and the three new officers retired to their common room and to explore their new bed/study rooms.

“Do we have to stay here tonight?” asked Susan.

Harry looked at Ron and his girlfriend, neither of whom seemed bothered. “No Susan, if you would prefer a last day with your Hufflepuffs. However, come next term, we officers will be resident here. It might also be a good idea if you, Neville and Anthony go to see the headmistress about altered tuition times.”

“Come on Susan,” Anthony said, going towards the door. “Let's go see McGonagall and get it over with. By the way guys, I’m happy to be called Tony.”

Harry took the new ones to meet the picture witches and wizards and learn the two passwords, returning with Mad-Eye in tow.

“Well now! You seem to have some nice quarters. Do you have anywhere where you might fly around on your broomsticks?”

“Um! I'm not sure,” replied Harry. “McGonagall said our dining room was like the Room of Requirement, maybe that will be suitable for us.”

Hermione gave Harry an odd look and led them through the door, going over to the summoning alcove. “Please may we have room to fly in?”

There was a whoosh as the ceiling lifted and, at the same time, the end walls went in opposite directions.

“It's almost as long as a Quidditch pitch,” said Ron, in amazement.

“Thank you; that will be fine.” Hermione returned from the alcove smiling triumphantly.

“Right!” It was Mad-Eye's turn, “There is a new charm which allows one person to patrol on their broom without being seen. The spell lasts for up to an hour and allows you to see through the bubble. However, there is a drawback. Only one witch or wizard can use it at a time. If two people in bubbles come within half a mile of each other then they are drawn together like magnets. Once the bubbles touch you lose most of your directional control and whiz round in circles until the spell wears off. Your best bet if that happens is to try and land. Then you can cast the counter spell. For some reason the spell and its counter spell only work when you’re on the ground; therefore you must cast the spell before you take off and finish it after you have landed.”

Mad-Eye took them through the charm a few times before allowing them to try it. “Don’t forget to say the time when you make the spell though. I haven’t enough hours to wait until it wears off on all three of you.”

“Will we be able to tell the others about this?”

“Yes Hermione, but only the officers to begin with, because you are the ones likely to be on patrol round the grounds. Seven of you should be able to have a reasonable rota, so that someone is up there and another down here as anchor person. You see this shell like device. If you hold it you can speak and be heard by the person in the bubble and vice versa of course."

“Ron, do you want to go first?”

“I’d rather it was you Harry.”

“What about you Hermione?”

“I think I agree with Ronald!”

“Okay then! Avio Incognito, Quinque.”

As soon as Harry’s feet left the ground he disappeared. “Ooh! This is great!” came out of the shell. “Are you sure you sure you can’t see me? - - - Stay still Ron.”

There was a whoosh and Ron’s hair blew about.

“Harry you daft ass; that was too close.” Ron went red as usual.

“Mad-Eye, can I touch people through the bubble?” asked Harry via the shell.

“No Harry! Neither can you cast spells except within it. It also reflects any accidental spells sent at you.”

“Does that mean someone could hit me if it was on purpose?”

“How would they know where to aim if they can’t sense you?”

“Um! Oh Yes! I see.” There was the sound of feet touching down. “Avio Incognito Finis.” Harry reappeared about two feet away from his takeoff point.

Ron allowed Hermione the next go, then forgot the number when his turn came round. “What do I do now? I can’t stay up here for an hour?”

“Come down Ron. Land and say the end words.”

“Oh yes! I’d forgotten that. Thanks Hermione!”

“Honestly; Boys!” Hermione said in disgust, as Ron landed. “Mad-Eye, we don’t really need the time factor in the spell do we? I mean we can just land and Finis can’t we?”

“Yes I suppose you can. Don’t go over the hour and one minute though, or you will either plunge to earth and/or suffocate from lack of oxygen.”

“If we touched down, ended the spell and opened it again, then we could keep going?”

“Yes, I suppose you could, Harry. Don’t forget the amount of energy a spell needs too and wear yourself out. It’s not as taxing as Apparating, but nearly so.”

“Thanks Mad-Eye. I’m sure it will be a help.”

“I’d best be off. Oh yes! I nearly forgot! The headmistress would like to see you three, now you've learnt the spell.”

“Right! We’ll go and see her in a couple of minutes.”

§§§§§§

The three friends went to see the Headmistress.

“Come in, do sit down. I’m glad you made the correct decision; I don’t know what we would have done without you all heading up the team. Now I have an item for you too.” McGonagall handed over something that looked like a Muggle fountain pen. “It allows the wearer to exit and enter the wards round our school as long as he or she is using the new spell.”

“Thank you Headmistress, that’ll allow us to patrol outside as well.”

“Please do not lose it, there is only one other, and that will be with the foot patrol of Order members. They have an equivalent inconspicuousness charm. Now; about your search.”

“I have told my friends about your ideas, Headmistress.”

“Thank you Harry. Perhaps I need say no more, except; please be careful and be back a few days before term starts. Oh! And good hunting.”

§§§§§§

They got back to their new quarters and were relieved to find that the house-elves had moved their things. Neville and Tony had also moved in.

“We've flooed our guardians to say that we may be late, saying that we have some special schoolwork to finish,” explained Tony.

“My grandmother is very pleased that I have been singled out for something special. Although I was a little vague as to what it was.” Neville added, “she’s used to me being muddleheaded so I played on that a bit.”

“My uncle supposes I have some extra schoolwork to do, as he thinks I don’t pay too much attention here, so I didn’t disillusion him. I take it that what we are doing is best not broadcast by proud relations?”

“For the time being at least, thank you. Although some publicity will be given to the extra precautions being taken, in order that the frightened ones can be coaxed back to school. I see that the house-elves have already decided which rooms we are to have. Is it boys one side and girls the other?”

“No Harry. You three have one side and us four the other. You’re in the middle one Hermione! By the way, who is our fourth one? I thought Slytherin were all Dark.”

“They may well be devious, but quite a few aren’t Death Eaters in the making.”

“I bet Malfoy’s on the wrong side though.”

“Sorry to disillusion you, but he’s the one we have to persuade.”

“What? After all he did two nights ago?”

“I was there. He did not kill Dumbledore, Snape did. Keep this to yourselves though. Despite that, we’re very sure Snape’s still on the side of light. If those Dark Ones had obtained Dumbledore’s memory, they’d have destroyed the school and we would all have been lost.”

“But he was strong enough to beat them easily!”

“It seems not. He was on his last legs when Snape came to him, old age I suppose.” Harry felt terrible not being able to tell them the truth. “So Dumbledore asked Snape to do the decent thing, and he did. I’m glad I was under a paralysing spell at the time. I wouldn’t have had the courage to do it.”

“What you? The Boy-who-lived! Go on?”

“Who’s your dearest friend? Imagine having to kill him or her?”

Tony thought for a bit. “Oh! I see what you mean.”

Susan breezed in. “I say; you lot look very down in the mouth. It’s the last evening at school, why aren’t you celebrating?”

“Because it’s not! At least not for us.”

“What d’you mean?”

“Neville and I are staying behind for a few days to help out.”

“Oh well! I had nothing special planned; a couple of days on the beach and nattering to old friends. Nothing I can’t put off for a few days. So what will we be doing?”

“We have a new charm to show you tomorrow; then you’ll be using it to keep an eye on things. Some of the Order will be around as well.”

“The Order? What Order?”

“It’s a special group of people who deal in security matters. McGonagall will make them known to you, as and when!”

“Ooh! How exciting Harry!”

“Probably not! Just the opposite actually; you might well hope that it will be boring, because if it isn’t, then you’re up to your ears in Death Eaters, as we have to go on another assignment until just before term starts.”

Hermione let out a big yawn. Ron cottoned on quickly for a change. “I'm tired; can we go to bed?”

“But we haven't eaten yet. Let’s ask the house-elves.”

“No don’t bother them.”

“Oh Hermione, you’re not on about that again are you?”

“No! Just ask the summoning alcove.”

“Oh! Right!”

Neville ordered for all of them; they sat round the table eating and chatting generally about all the latest gossip. It was interesting, as now three different points of view were represented, not just the usual Gryffindor rubbish. Ron and Hermione disappeared bed-wards first, Harry followed soon after, but the other three were still full of excitement, sitting round the common room fire swapping information, and learning about each other.