Chapter 15 - The Tip-Off
Remus ran into Harry’s room at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place shortly after hearing an ear-splitting scream. He knocked the door open to see Harry, eyes as wide as they could be, sitting up in his bed with his legs completely straight in front of him and his arms locked behind him. When Remus tried to move him, he noticed Harry’s muscles were so tense that it was not even impossible to bend one of his arms by hitting it. Harry was almost hyperventilating by this point. Remus started shouting for the rest of the Order living with them to help him. Garrison was the first on the scene. He analyzed what was happening and slowly pulled Remus away from Harry, advising him to let it continue until it ceased. Tonks came up seconds later, along with Aberforth, who also advised waiting for it to stop. The four stood in stunned silence for several minutes, staring at Harry’s frozen form while listening to his labored breathing.
Suddenly, Harry flew back to the head of his bunk as if hit by a disarming curse. He scrambled out of the bed and onto his feet, backing away from the mattress as though it was a dragon. When he bumped into the Order, he screamed again before realizing he was awake and they were there to help him. He collapsed, covered in sweat from head to foot and still breathing very quickly. Several seconds later, he revived and the Order carried him back to the bed. Harry’s eyes were going everywhere, as if to check each corner of the room and every shadow for an attacker.
“Harry, what on earth just happened?” asked Tonks, holding his head in her hands, which forced his gaze to focus on her. Harry looked as though he had seen death in person, for the fear in his eyes was very evident. He was now shaking slightly, and did not answer.
“Move aside,” said Aberforth in a stern voice as he pushed his way past Tonks to sit next to Harry. He looked at the boy eye to eye and began speaking in a calming voice.
“Harry, do you know where you are?” When Harry did not answer, Aberforth tried another question.
“Do you know who you are?” Again, there was no response. Harry just stared into nothingness as if hypnotized. Aberforth exhaled slowly, seemingly trying to find a way to communicate with Harry without the use of spells.
“Harry, did you have a dream, or a vision? You do not have to speak. Just nod your head once if you had a dream, or twice if you had a vision.”
After waiting around ten seconds, Harry nodded the first. Aberforth sighed, noticeably comforted with the response. However, a few seconds later, Harry nodded a second time. Aberforth looked at the other Order members in surprise before turning back to Harry and muttering a sort of incantation. It was time for answers, and Harry seemed unable to do that on his own momentarily. After the spell was cast, Harry visibly calmed down and closed his eyes.
“Harry Potter, this is Aberforth Dumbledore. I want you to tell me exactly what you saw just a moment ago.” He waited and watched intently for almost a minute before Harry spoke.
“I found myself lying in darkness. There was absolutely nothing around me. I started walking around to try and find a way out. I saw a tunnel leading up, so I started to climb. There were rocks and dirt blocking the way, so I pushed them aside and pulled myself out. When I looked around, all I could see was destruction. It was everywhere. Flames and smoke burned what was left of buildings. I started walking, but stopped after a few steps when I saw a pile of bodies. Their eyes were open, but there was no life in them. As I looked up, I noticed there were more than these. All along the street, there were thousands, each was no longer living. Some were crushed by parts of the buildings that used to stand in this city. I carefully walked through the street, trying to avoid stepping on anyone.”
“So what happened?” asked Garrison.
“Do not speak!” said Aberforth, focusing his attention only on Harry as he continued.
“I saw a man in a black robe. He was walking around the buildings and on top of people. I started to follow him. When I got closer to him, I felt cold. It became hard to breathe, as if the very air I was breathing was filled with a poisonous hatred. I kept quiet, sneaking closer to the man. He was heading towards a building. It was the only one still standing. It had pillars in the front and two giant doors. The roof extended a great distance from the entrance, ending in a pointed arrow just above where an enormous staircase began in front of the man. It was tall and had no windows, yet seemed to reflect whatever was outside. I’ve never seen a building like it before.
“The man noticed me several times, and began walking faster. He practically ran up the staircase, which was very long, to the front doors. A guard tried to stop him from entering the building. He pulled out a wand and used a powerful curse on him before throwing him down the stairs. That’s when he noticed me, and we locked eyes. I’ll never forget those eyes. They were stained with blood, a hint of yellow beneath. He didn’t have a nose, just two slits to breathe into. He looked like a serpent.
“He screamed my name and hurled the same curse at me. His voice sounded strange, almost like it was another language. When I dodged his curse and had my wand out to return the attack, he was running into the building. Again, I followed him. I stopped next to the guard. His eyes were as lifeless as the bodies I passed on the street. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt sad. As I reached the top of the stairs, I noticed the building seemed to change. The closer I got to it, the more I saw its uniqueness. When I was finally close enough to see my reflection, I looked in amazement: I was not alone. I saw my whole family, my friends, everyone in the Order. Everyone I missed and wanted with me. Looking around, they were no where in sight, but they were waving at me through the wall. I was curious, so I went in.
“There were books everywhere. I have never seen so many. I looked closer to the ones nearest me, and saw they had every topic imaginable. I did not see anyone inside for some time. When I entered a dark corridor, I felt the air become tense again. I noticed a door at the end, so I walked in. The man was there, holding something, and I stood quietly behind him. He didn’t notice me, so I walked toward him, wanting to get a closer look. It was...I can’t describe it. Something powerful. I knew he shouldn’t have it, so I ran up to him and grabbed it. We fought for it evenly for a time before I gained control and threw it to the ground. When it broke, I heard the man get up and start shouting. As he said the curse again, I ran out of the room and closed the door. I could feel the power of the spell, but the door blocked it. I started running as fast as I could. For some reason, I did not have to look over my shoulder, as I knew exactly where the man was. It was as though I had a third eye that was watching him at all times.
“I felt an odd feeling inside me, as though something unseen was calling to me. I ran down different corridors, the feeling getting stronger, until I finally felt I’d past it. As I was backtracking, the feeling came back. It was getting more profound, and I stopped when I felt it was the strongest. I looked at a huge shelf of books, which was where the source had to be. The feeling was so intense I almost had no strength left of my own. Yet I felt compelled to find the source. Then I noticed a book that was sticking out more than the rest.
“I pulled it out and started looking through its pages. It read like a diary, with different spells and incantations that I had never heard before. My eyes were drawn to one, and I read it as quickly as I could. A page before I finished reading the article, I felt him. The man was coming this way. There was no more time. I closed the book and started running again. I saw someone else a little ways down. I couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman. Whoever it was smiled at me as I came closer. Then the man in the black robe hurled the same spell that hit the guard outside at this person, and they fell to the ground. Terrified, I started running in the direction where I came from. I could sense the man coming in my direction, and knew there was not much time.
“I saw a ladder, so I called to it and it came to me. I started to climb just as the man rounded the corner and started sending curses at me. I shot one at him which seemed to tie him with invisible ropes as I continued to climb.
“I could feel his anger fill the air again. He was starting to get free of the curse, so I began to climb faster. I reached the top before he freed himself. The man was now hovering to the top of the bookshelf.
“He was almost halfway up before he pulled something out. It was something familiar, but I couldn’t place where I had seen it. It was some sort of ancient weapon that was never used anymore. A feeling came over me: a different feeling. One of knowledge and strength. I threw the book at the man, who destroyed it with a thought. When we were level, he pulled out the weapon and threw it at me. I used a spell and it disappeared. Then he spoke, saying it was over for me, and the future was his to claim. I told him it wasn’t and held up my wand.
“We exchanged curses multiple times, once more, we were evenly matched. I saw one of my spells knock him over the top, and I thought I won. The man pulled himself back up, though, and I started feeling pain all over me. After he stopped, I could barely stand. I tried to think of the spell he had used before. For some reason, it did not work, no matter how hard I tried to use it. The man knocked my wand out of my hand and pushed me back to the ground. He shot his curse at me, and everything stopped. A bright light surrounded me and I felt myself falling from the bookshelf. That’s when I woke up.”
Harry’s eyes shot open and darted to every corner of the room. When he the Order standing beside him, he calmed down.
“I’m sorry, did I wake you?” he asked. “Thanks for checking on me, but I’m alright.” With that, he fell back asleep, seemingly not remembering anything of what just happened. The Order was left standing there dumbfounded. All except Aberforth, who slowly rose to his feet.
“Come,” he said, “we have much to discuss. This is more than I ever imagined it could be.”
When Harry woke, it was midday. Stretching, he felt as though he had slept very little, but he was not sure why. He walked down the stairs to the kitchen, where Aberforth and the others were talking.
“Sorry,” he said, “I must have overslept.”
“On the contrary,” said Aberforth, “you did not sleep enough. Why don’t you have a seat?”
Harry sat down in the middle of the group, looking at all of them. Each had concerned looks on their faces and confusion in their eyes. Curious, Harry asked them why they were looking at him like that.
“Harry, do you remember anything from last night?” asked Remus.
“I remember waking up in the middle of the night with all of you next to me, but nothing else out of the ordinary,” said Harry. “Why? Did something happen last night that I should remember?”
“Bring your Pensieve here, Harry,” said Garrison. “There’s no need to explain the whole thing to you when you can just watch it.”
Harry grabbed the Pensieve and set it in the table. Aberforth instructed Harry to recall the moment he woke up with them next to him and imagine whatever happened before that. He told him to pull out that memory. A moment later, Harry pulled a silver strand from his temple and placed it carefully into the bowl. Aberforth encouraged him to peer inside. Harry complied, and a few minutes later, he slumped back into his chair.
“What does that mean?” he asked, noticeably shaken by the recalled memory.
“That’s what we’ve been discussing since you told us that story, Harry,” said Tonks. “We’re not really sure what it was.”
“Though I have a hunch,” said Aberforth, a dark tone to his voice. “It’s not clear what happened, as I have never seen anything like it before, but the best I can think of is that you had a vision. You matched the symptoms almost perfectly, except for the stillness and difficulty breathing. Visions are common among those with the Seeing Eye, but those without, such occurrences are very rare. In fact, I do not believe there is one recorded case of it happening to someone without that gift, which is why this seems almost impossible. But there is no other way to explain it. What the vision entails, though, baffles me even more.”
Harry shifted uncomfortably in his chair, nervous from the memory of the vision and the questions unanswered as to what it could mean. He knew he did not have the Seeing Eye. His scores in Divination could attest to that. Yet apparently he did have one, and it was not something that he looked forward to seeing come to fruition.
“You said you came out of a dark tunnel and had to fight to get out. There was a lot of destruction and death immediately in your path, which led to the man in the black robe. That man has to be Voldemort, and I believe this to be so for a number of reasons. According to your description of him, he matches the man in the black robe exactly. Additionally, he has left both death and destruction in your path all your life. You followed him, as you were meant to do. He saw you, as he has in the past. You both walked towards the building. Therefore, the staircase must be the time between the present and the final duel that is to come.”
“Which is inside of a library?” Harry asked.
“I am confident it was not a literal library,” explained Aberforth hesitantly. “Though I’m not entirely sure, I believe it was some combination of elements that are to take place between now and that final battle. The events to come may play out in a similar fashion to this.”
“But what events?” Harry demanded, getting more worried and confused with each passing second.
“I do not know,” said Aberforth after a moment’s thought. Harry’s gaze fell to the ground, a look of defeat on his face.
“Then what good does this do?”
“Until we can decipher everything from it, nothing,” said Garrison. “Not all visions come true, though, and most are usually just a preview of possibility. In any case, after it is solved, it may give us a glimpse of what may happen in the future.”
“We will not wait for that moment, however,” said Aberforth, his voice growing stronger again. “That is why your training starts tomorrow.”
“That soon?” asked Harry, surprised.
“We are obviously running out of time, Harry. If we do not get you ready for this duel, there’s no telling what evil might befall us, not to mention the rest of the Wizarding world, leading up to that final battle. Therefore, I will go to the Ministry and find a few Aurors available. Rest up while you can today. Come tomorrow, you will experience instruction the likes of which you’ve never seen nor will ever forget.”
Aberforth was not lying, and the next day, Harry woke early for his lessons. Remus and Garrison Apparated the three of them to what seemed to be a training room. The white floor had several markers on it. There were stands to one side at varying heights and a sloping platform opposite it, which led to a host of odd objects. None of which looked very friendly, Harry noted. The wall in front of him contained glowing words of wisdom which changed every few minutes to other quotes from famous and influential Aurors of the past. Harry now stood in the center of this unusual room, seeing Dumbledore and Moody approaching him.
“That wall,” explained Aberforth, “is our way of remembering those who have gone before us. Many of these Aurors were the best of their time, and their wisdom was written as a way of forever respecting them and noting their strengths in order to add them to our own. In time, you will have these memorized, but for now, read them during your breaks from training.”
“This room is where the Aurors train their newest members,” said Alastor, picking up where Aberforth left off. “The stands to your left are at different levels. These stands serve two purposes: observation and variation. At first, we Aurors will observe your progress from those stands, getting several different angles and opinions on your performance so we can pinpoint exactly what you’re doing wrong and correct it quickly.”
“And the second?” Harry asked nervously.
“The second purpose,” he added with a grin, “is variation in combat. When you seem to have a grasp on what we’re teaching you on a level playing field, we create an un-level one. The stands hover and move in all directions, giving us infinite possibilities of height and placement of attacks. This, in turn, helps prepare you for attacks from all sides and become a better duelist.”
“What about the platform?”
“That platform is a different sort of test,” said another Auror, who walked in with five others, each dressed in blue robes and standing off to one side in a line. “One which you will face in time.”
“With that,” said Aberforth, “let the training begin.”
For the next several weeks, he was thrown across the room, cut open on practically every part of his body, bruised, battered, and mentally abused. The Aurors showed him no mercy in their teachings. They used every spell he was to learn against him, making him feel the pains and burns of their attacks. They also sent their thoughts into his head, clouding his mind and making it harder for him to concentrate on what they were actually saying. As a result, Harry missed most of their spells with his countercurses and blocks and felt the brunt of everything. At the end of the third week, Harry did not have enough energy to stand. Frustrated, he shouted at them.
“Why are you doing this to me? I thought this was supposed to be training, not abuse!”
“This is training,” said an older Auror in a stern but non-threatening voice. He extended his arms to both sides and hovered from the stand he was observing from to where Harry was standing on the ground. When he landed, he further explained what they were doing.
“You see, by performing these curses and spells on you, their power and effects are felt and known. You know exactly what each spell does, how that effect feels, and how to block it. If we instructed you differently, and you were hit with these curses in a duel, you would be shocked by the amount of pain inflicted, and the duel would most likely be over, as your concentration would be on the pain and not your opponent. By doing this to you, you are given the experience and knowledge of what to expect and how to stay focused. Now get up and try again.”
Harry’s abuse continued for another week. Though the team of Aurors was looking for the Horcrux, their main focus was Harry. After his training, one or two of the older Aurors would sit with him and teach him how to focus and close his mind. Alongside his Auror training, Garrison brought in some Healers, who helped him learn how to heal himself quickly with his wand. Then he was taught how to use Healing in the heat of battle without being hit with an unfriendly spell. Following his mastery of these, he was taught how to Heal just by his thoughts, which helped immensely. From all this training, Harry had developed the deepest of respect for the Aurors and Healers, and in return, earned theirs.
Aberforth was also a big part of Harry’s training. Though he would not duel with Harry, he taught him many other things vital in becoming a successful Auror. He showed him how to read an opponent’s movements to see whether or not he was going to throw a curse, a jinx, or a spell. He gave him several books to read with other techniques Harry never knew were capable of being performed by a human. Aberforth also taught Harry how to use Legimancy, which revealed to Harry which spells and curses were going to be used before they were performed. Harry told him about his duel with Snape the previous year, and Aberforth nodded in agreement of what the Potions Master had said. Until Harry could hide his thoughts and read those of his opponents, he would never win a duel, let alone one against Voldemort.
Harry’s life seemed to be a never-ending cycle. He was constantly moving from one teacher to the next. Each Auror had something new for Harry to learn that helped him become more successful. He was constantly told to read from books and memorize spells. When he thought he knew all the spells and curses in the world, they used another one on him that he did not know, which would throw him off. Each spell, save for Avada Kedavra, had a countercurse, and they showed him everything. The proper execution of the curses, pronunciation, stance, technique, and the possible errors if it backfired. They showed him how to counter a countercurse, which, as Harry learned, happened rather often in a duel. That was the most difficult thing to do, though, as he had to read his opponent’s mind while thinking the counter-countercurse. He was thoroughly confused for most of the time. He was relieved by one aspect of his training, though: whenever he had a question, he knew it would be answered immediately.
“I was wondering about something,” Harry said after one successful training session. “Why is the only curse without a countercurse Avada Kedavra?”
“No one has ever lived long enough to find one,” said one Auror.
“There have been many attempts at finding one,” said another. “Other than yourself, however, no one has been able to live through the full experience of the Killing Curse.”
Harry began to notice a difference in himself after a time. Not only was he more confident than he had ever been in his life, he felt he could beat someone in a duel. Unfortunately, this arrogance led Harry to a place he was not expecting. Once he thought he had their teaching routine memorized, they switched gears, taking a defensive position and letting Harry attack. Their countercurses were much faster than his, and he ended up getting hit quite a few more times than usual. Though he was learning quickly, the Legimancy was difficult to practice and master. It took time and dedication to learn, and Harry was naturally impatient. That was the first thing the Aurors noticed and worked to rid him of, along with his anger attacks and dumb-luck victories. They taught him how to fight, how to disengage a duel, how to evade detection through self-levitation and invisibility, and even a few spells he could use while flying on his broom.
“There is more to being an Auror than simply fighting,” said Garrison one day after training. “There is a mentality and responsibility to justice that is unparalleled in the Wizarding world also. Though I may not be one, I have worked with so many in the past. I have endured most of the spells you have been hit with recently. A few of them are new to me, too, however.”
“So what happens if I actually find this Horcrux,” started Harry. “Then I fight off Voldemort’s Death Eaters. Then, somehow, someway, I defeat Voldemort himself. What’s after that?”
“That’s something you’ll have to discover when the time comes. And I’m confident it will come, Harry. There is a flame in your soul that won’t be extinguished until this fight is over. I’ve no doubt of it. You really need to watch your anger, though. It can be your worst enemy in a duel. If you try to move too fast through a duel, or life in general, you’ll miss something that you’ll never get back again.”
“Is that what happened to you?”
Garrison did not answer. He looked away from Harry for a time before standing and walking away. As he was leaving, he said that Harry would one day hear the tale, but it was not yet time. That moment had yet to arrive. From then on, Garrison was less and less a part of the training. Healing was less a part of the training altogether.
After seven weeks, Harry was showing drastic improvement. He was still no match for an Auror one on one, but he could hold his own in a mock-duel with one for a couple minutes before he was beaten. One afternoon, Moody came walking into the training area quickly. He approached Aberforth, who had been watching Harry’s training intently from the lowest stand. As the two spoke, Aberforth’s expressions displayed his shock. He stopped the training and approached Harry.
“I just learned some rather interesting news from Alastor,” he started. “Voldemort has heard about the death of his snake and is checking his Horcruxes. The Aurors have noticed him checking the cave and the mountain terrain, which means the next one he’s going to check is the one you don’t have yet! He’s moving fast, so we must be ready. Prepare yourself. We may be able to end this tonight!”
Harry Potter & The Silhouette Of Eternal Benevolence by JourneyJosh
Chapter Notes: After a startling realization to how near the end is, Harry's training with the Aurors is started immediately. Expecting more of the same as he got with Garrison and Moody, Harry is overwhelmed at how efficient Aurors truly are at the art of fighting, teaching him things he never knew existed. As he progresses, a tip-off is received, revealing the location of the sixth and final Horcrux, interrupting Harry's training and sending him off on what could be the end of the war.