IS ANYWHERE NOW SAFE?
It emerged yesterday that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named launched an attack on sixteen year old Harry Potter just seven weeks ago today. The Boy-Who-Lived was kidnapped from inside the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during a Quidditch Match. He was taken to Azkaban Prison, now under the control of You-Know-Who, where he was tortured repeatedly by You-Know-Who’s followers who are more commonly known as Death Eaters.
No word has so far come from either Albus Dumbledore, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts, or Harry Potter himself with regards to his condition. Rumours that the boy has been tortured into insanity remain unconfirmed. Questions have been raised over whether Albus Dumbledore should have been more careful with regards to the safety of Harry Potter, and other students, whilst at the school and some concerned members of the Wizarding community have raised comments that the school itself needs to be more strongly protected.
“The school should be protected by Aurors continually,” Shirley Mills, senior member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, said exclusively to the Daily Prophet. “It is a disgrace that something such as this should have been allowed to take place.”
Griselda Marchbanks, Head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority, issued a statement last night with regards to safety at the school.
“I have been made aware of the safety precautions in place up at the school and I am fully supporting Albus Dumbledore. Safety at the school is as tight as it has ever been and it is clear that the Staff are doing the best they can to ensure the continued safety of the students.”
On the topic of staff, it has also become known the Minerva McGonagall, former Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, was brutally murdered at the age of 72 by You-Know-Who’s followers as she attempted to rescue Harry Potter from the clutches of the Dark Lord. Rumours that a second Professor of Hogwarts, as yet unnamed, was also severely injured during the attack also remain unconfirmed.
In last night’s ‘Question Time’, the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was asked as to why he failed to inform the public of the loss of control over Azkaban. Fudge declined comment. A Ministry insider, who has requested to remain anonymous, revealed that the Ministry had lost control of Azkaban to You-Know-Who well over two months previously.
“It is a disgrace,” the Ministry official said looking decidedly irritated. “Since the current Minister has not been informing the public of what has been taking place at the Ministry, I think it is high time that a Vote of No Confidence was enforced.”
For more information on the safety of Hogwarts School, turn to pages 3, 4 and 5.
A report on the subject of a ‘Vote of No Confidence’, please turn to pages 8, 9, 10…
Hermione sighed as she folded the paper up.
“You see, Harry, I told you the Prophet didn’t know what they were talking about.”
Harry shrugged in sullen answer. “They got most of it right; it’s just all unconfirmed.”
“Come on, mate,” Ron said quietly. “We’ve only got one day left before the end of term. Can’t we just, you know, try and move on?”
“As much as I hate to admit it, Ron’s right, Harry,” Ginny answered before Harry had even opened his mouth. “P… Professor McGonagall wouldn’t want us to be miserable like this. Gryffindor courage and all that…”
Harry looked at the floor. “But it was others as well; Hestia Jones, Deadulus Diggle…”
Ginny put her arm around Harry in gentle comfort. “Harry, don’t start beating yourself up over this again. They all knew what they were getting themselves in to and they died fighting for what they believed in. It was their choice, Harry, not yours.”
Nodding in silent, unwilling agreement, Harry closed his eyes as Ginny’s words hit home. “Will you all give me some time?” Harry breathed, looking up at Ginny as he spoke. “I just want to… have some space I suppose. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
As he stood up, Ginny allowed him to go. “Don’t be too long, Harry.”
“I won’t,” he answered, walking towards the portrait hole. “See you at dinner.”
“He’s changed, hasn’t he,” Ron stated as soon as the portrait swung shut again.
“Yes,” Ginny replied heavily. “But, I don’t know, he seems almost better for it. Like he’s steeled himself somehow to whatever he’s been hiding from us.”
Hermione looked suddenly thoughtful. “You’re right Ginny,” she said suddenly. “It’s like whatever was weighing him down has lifted off him; I think he’s told someone what was worrying him.”
“Dumbledore?” Ron said eagerly. “Because it’ll be good that he’s at least told someone we can trust.”
“Maybe,” Hermione answered slowly. She was, for the first time, immensely glad that neither Ron nor Ginny were Legilimens. She had a shrewd guess as to whom Harry would have told, and that person most certainly wasn’t Dumbledore.
“Potter?” a voice said quietly behind him as he sat on the window sill in the Eastern Tower of Hogwarts looking at the Quidditch Pitch. The sky was a thick, sapphire blue and a few cotton wool clouds drifted lazily across the sky. Some of the students were sitting on the lawns in front of the castle while others were swimming in the lake or playing Quidditch. The sounds of laughter drifted up with the breeze making Harry feel more alone than he’d ever felt but, in some strange way, more calm and determined too.
Harry turned around and Snape stood awkwardly leaning against the door frame watching Harry closely.
“Fallen out with Weasley and Granger again?”
“No,” Harry answered, turning back to the window. “Just thinking.”
“He won’t do anything for a good long time yet, Harry. The Clamcelo would have drained a good deal of his power. He won’t make any move for several weeks at least; he’ll just stay quiet for a few months until he formulates a new plan, and regains his former power.”
Harry looked round at the Head of Slytherin again but lowered his eyes as Snape just stared at him before he continued.
“You will meet him sometime in the future and, when you do, it will be either you or him. He won’t take chances again; you have been the bane of his existent for longer than you realise.”
For a split second, Harry was almost sure Snape had smiled.
“Sir, can I ask you something?”
“That largely depends on what it is you want me to do. If it is award ten points to Gryffindor, the answer is no.” Harry couldn’t help it; he smiled and Snape just looked at him indifferently, his pale face impassive.
“Will you tell me what is going on with Vol… I mean, You-Know-Who?”
Snape turned away from Harry and began to walk, limping slightly, down the corridor.
“I’ll see, Potter.”
Harry shrugged slightly, looking back out at the sunlit grounds as he thought of what Snape had just said. An hour later, Harry walked downstairs to meet Ginny for lunch and, when he saw her, he smiled broadly for the first time in nearly two months.
“And so we now come to the end of another year at Hogwarts,” Dumbledore said as he stood up for his usual end of term speech on the last day of term. The wall behind the teachers’ table was draped in black although above it, a huge red and gold banner with the Gryffindor lion hung proudly, fluttering slightly in the gentle breeze flowing through the hall.
“I must first acknowledge the loss of a great friend, colleague and Professor.” Dumbledore started, his eyes lingering on the Gryffindor Table. “Minerva McGonagall was hard working, valued fairness and equality for all those she met and, most importantly, believed in standing up for what she believed in.
“Professor McGonagall, as many of you may now know, was murdered by Death Eaters on the instructions of Lord Voldemort. She died defending both herself and others despite being outnumbered by her enemy and for this, I honour her.”
Dumbledore reached down and picked up his goblet; every person in the hall followed suit and the whole school drank to the Deputy Headmistress. As Harry sat down, he did his best to ignore the stares of a few fellow students. Dumbledore had so far not mentioned him and he hoped it stayed that way. Ginny, through her tears, noticed that the look on Harry’s face was identical to Snape’s. Almost subconsciously, she reached out and held Harry’s hand.
“Lord Voldemort has a gift of spreading distrust and hatred and, over the coming months, his attempt at gaining power will only get stronger. It does not matter which House you are in, or what path your friends, or parents, chose to take. It is up to you and you alone, to decide which course you intend to follow. Many of you have already suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort and I regret to say that I fear many more of you will also have friends and family taken from you before this war is over.
“Voldemort will use lies and false promises to gain followers; be responsible for yourself and do not let your principles be swayed by his followers. If we stand united, we can remain strong in the face of this onslaught. Voldemort has no understanding of love, trust and loyalty and it is these qualities which he fears above all others.
“Remember Minerva McGonagall, and the principles she fought for. Many of you will soon be faced with a difficult choice and will need to decide which side you will follow. All I ask is that you consider carefully which road you intend to take; take the path which you feel is right, not the path you just feel is the easiest. Remember Minerva McGonagall.”
A respectful silence filled the hall as Dumbledore sat down and Harry looked up at Ginny, Ron and Hermione and smiled sadly before repeating Ginny’s last words before the Quidditch final.
“Let’s go get ‘em.”
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny shared a carriage down into Hogsmeade. The year had been a long one and Gryffindor Tower had been unusually quiet since the Quidditch final. Dumbledore’s speech, though, seemed to have rekindled everyone’s spirits and the Gryffindor courage seemed to fight its way through the melancholy silence.
The train ride back was uneventful and the Weasleys, Hermione, Harry and Neville had a compartment to themselves. All too soon for Harry’s liking, the train began to slow down and they all walked through the enchanted barrier dividing Muggle London from Platform 9¾. Molly, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Fred and George all stood waiting the other side of the barrier. Harry smiled at the sight of Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia staring at the Weasleys like they had the plague.
“Harry dear, did you have a good term?” Molly pulled Harry into a bone crushing hug as she smoothed his hair in a motherly fashion.
“Yeah,” Harry answered and then groaned in pain as two large thumps announced Fred and George’s greeting.
Molly let go of Harry and looked at the twins in anger.
“Boys! I told you to behave yourselves! I only let you come because you said you“”
“Mum,” Bill said, laying a hand on his mother’s shoulder. “I was wondering…” Both twins unashamedly gave a thumbs up sign to their older brother.
“Harry,” Ginny said quietly in his ear. “I’ve just asked Dad; hopefully you’ll be able to come and stay with us after a couple of weeks. Professor Dumbledore has said it’s ok.”
Harry grinned as he faced Ginny. Ron and Hermione walked over hand in hand to say goodbye.
“See you, Harry. Really soon I hope.”
“Bye, Harry! And good luck.”
Smiling in appreciation, Harry walked over to the horror struck Dursleys who were throwing disgusted looks at Bill who, for some reason, seemed to be offending them.
“Are you coming or not, boy? I am not waiting in this station for ever.”
The Dursleys walked out of the station, Dudley waddling behind them. Harry hung back for a second to say farewell to Ginny.
“See you, Gin,” he said quietly, pulling her into a hug. “I hope it won’t be too long…”
Ginny nodded in silent understanding and, for a second, kissed Harry fleetingly on the cheek before grinning mischievously at him.
“Mind you behave yourself, Potter,” Ginny said in mock seriousness. “I don’t want any competition.”
“Don’t worry, Ginny. Lord Voldemort is just a warm up compared to you when you’re angry.”
Harry left the station with a grin on his face. If they could still laugh after what had happened at Azkaban, maybe a victory in the coming war was not quite as impossible as he thought.
A/N : *Sniff* I’m actually really sad that I’ve come to the end of this story; thanks so much to all of you who have taken the time to read this and a special thanks to those of you who have taken the time to give me some encouragement and advice as and when I’ve needed it. You guys rock!
I also want to say a huge thank you to Alexis Taylor, who’s moderated the earlier chapters of this story and also a massive thanks goes to Chelsea, who has moderated almost all of the later chapters. Thanks guys!
The sequel to this, ‘Harry Potter and the Flame of Obitus’, is now posted so I hope you will all keep reading (and reviewing!).
Once again, thanks a lot and three cheers for JKR who invented this magical world in the first place.
~ Stormy x