Trial by Fire

AN: Shock another chapter?!  I hope you'll like this too. Its short but there is a reason for that. Also I really hope you can help with the names for Harry and Sev's children as i'll be needing them soon! ;) As always please read and review.

unneeded - I thought you might like the name and you'll just have to wait with everyone else for once and not have a spoiler but to answer your questions, yes they are and one of each :)

theladykt - I can't wait to see what names you come up with. And mellow Draco is really growing on me too ;)

Chapter 23 – Underway

In a dark room, in an unused classroom in Hogwarts, two figures were cloaked in darkness. Both were hidden in the shadows and had their hoods fully drawn, leaving no part of their faces exposed. The pair talked in barley audible whispers.

“You have confirmation?”

“Yes”

“Excellent”

“The time has come. Finally we can strike”

“Yes, no more failed attempts. This time we will be successful”

“They must be informed immediately”

“Agreed”

After the brief conversation was over the figures both pulled out what appeared to be innocent blank pieces of parchment. They both wrote something on the parchments before the words burst into flames, leaving behind a blank untouched piece of parchment again.

“It’s done”

“Until we receive word I don’t expect to see you, understand?”

“Like wise”

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In a dark manor far, far away a Dark Lord sat upon his throne. This particular Dark Lord had a headache to rival a supernova but the only outwards sign of this was the occasional eye twitch. The reason for the eye twitch was currently enchanting lemon drops so that they would move around the plan of the battlefield, knocking over the pieces. He repeated his mantra over and over again, ‘It’s to get the boy, it’s to get the boy!’.

Voldermort observed his pet snake Nagini slithering into the room. He watched on in amusement as she silently approached Dumbles from behind. Nagini coiled her body and then raised her head so it was level with the back of Dumbles. She then butted his head hard and hissed at him, “Youuuu are annoyyyyying myyy massssssster!”

Dumbledore shrieked like a little girl as he spun around and flicked his wand at Nagini, turning her into a bunny. Dumbledore snickered at the sorry state the snake was now in. “That will teach you to sneak up on people”

This was the final straw! No-one was allowed to touch Nagini! “That is it! How dare you!” He quickly transfigured Nagini back to her normal self before flicking his wand at Dumbles.“ Let’s see how you like it shall we!” With that he quickly turned Dumbledore into a goat. “Quite fitting don’t you think you old goat?” He only got a bleat in response. Voldermort sneered at the goat before saying to Nagini, “Lunch my pet”

“Thannnnk yooooou massssster!” Nagini hissed before chasing off after the rapidly retreating goat.

The chase didn’t last too long. Soon Dumbledore was able to transform back to his usual self, which also brought back the eye twitching.

“Now my dear boy was that really necessary?” asked Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eyes despite looking rather dishevelled.

“Yes!” Voldermort snapped at him “It really was”

Just then pieces of parchment appeared. One in front of Dumbledore and one in front of Voldermort. Both instantly snatched up the notes and grinned at the content.

Both notes were identical and said ‘It is time. The boy is weak. Strike now’

Twin grins broke out on both of the men’s faces. It looks like they agreed on something after all. It was finally time to strike.

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Hermione was torn. She missed being in Gryffindor but she was really loving being in Ravenclaw too. It was nice to be able to discuss Ancient Runes with someone who actually understood what she was talking about. At first she had missed her friends. Ron was being absolutely stupid though. He was acting like a jealous git, ignored her and was bad mouthing Harry to anyone who would listen and that wasn’t very many people. If she saw him in the halls she just ignored him or walked in the other direction now. She did miss Harry though and it was strange for her to see him with Luna and Draco all the time rather than her and Ron. She was shocked when she found out he was pregnant. She couldn’t believe it when she heard the rumour and when Harry was confronted about it he didn’t deny it and now he was huge! Hermione felt bad about the way she had been treating him. Instead of snubbing and turning her back on him she should have been there to support him and be happy for him. Right then and there Hermione decided that she was going to be the first one to try and offer the olive branch to Harry. It was after all her who had forsaken him. Yes that was what she was going to do. Now all she had to think about was how to approach him?

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Harry was in a daze as he approached his common room the day after being released from the infirmary. He couldn’t believe how quickly gossip spread in this place. It hadn’t even been a full 24 hours and already everyone seemed to know he was expecting twins. He hadn’t even had the chance to get use to it yet himself. However he was touch by the amount of student and teachers that offered him congratulations. So he wasn’t surprise that when he entered the common room he was swamped by his housemates wanting to wish him well.

Harry smiled as he looked around the room at his housemates. So much had changed in such a short amount of time. Luna and Draco had managed to work with the rest of them and everyone had now managed to unlock their powers and take the dampeners off their magic. Everyone had some red in their hair. A few only had a streak here or there while other had considerably more. This led to a lot of students trying some funky new hairstyles out to show off their hair.

He looked over and Luna and Draco who nodded in return before they started ushering everyone over to the fire circle. Once everyone was seated and ready Harry addressed them. “Thank you for all agreeing to meet me today and thank you for all the heartfelt congratulations. Now down to business; there is something I need you all to help me with…”

To be continued…

AN2: please don't forget to send in your names! thankies!