Disclaimer: I don't own the characters; they are property of JK Rowling.
A/N: Thanks to those who have reviewed. It means a lot to me. Please, if you read leave a comment. Hope you will like this chapter. Thanks to my beta GeoTube.
Chapter Nine
"Voldemort Strikes"
Next days, the `Order of the Shadows' began to work, studying the Dark Arts books that Harry had already studied, obviously in secret, and they started to train themselves in Occlumency. A great but unexpected test for it was on an evening, when Snape found almost all of them in the library.
The Potion Master was almost sure they were doing something not allowed, so he tried to force the minds of Draco, Hanna and Hermione, but he wasn't able to find what they were doing, so had to leave, disgruntled.
Even if Draco was in the group and he was his favourite student, Snape would have loved to take points away from the others, and he hated when he couldn't come up with a reason to do so.
Harry was satisfied for how the members applied themselves to the work, taking on their shoulders the great responsibility of saving the Wizarding World, but he kept his sad and depressed look. In this way, neither Ron nor the teachers could suspect anything about him and he could keep leading his group in their training.
He pretended also to be strongly affected by the harsh comments on him, even if he was almost laughing about them inwardly. It took a great control on himself to go through all that, but letting them think their plan was working had given him a bit more space, since the control on him was lessened and he used every moment of it.
In the years he had become good in this hiding of feelings thing, both at Dursleys home and at school. It was handy at times.
One morning, however, Harry could not hide his feelings, as all the school couldn't. On the `Daily Prophet', there was an article which shocked all the students and the staff too.
"Death Eaters attacked St. Mungo's!" was the title on the first page. There was an image of the reception of the magical hospital totally devastated, with the healers crying and sobbing. Seeing it in a moving image was even more terrifying, as it seemed they were really there.
This picture led many students to cry, because if Voldemort attacked the St. Mungo's, the situation was already surely very hard to keep under control and no one could predict his next strike.
The article continued. "Tonight, a group of six Death Eaters entered the St. Mungo's pretending to be wounded wizards. Once in the building, they started to destroy first the reception, killing ten healers who were there, and at least other twelve people, waiting for their acceptance turn. They then, started to destroy every floor of the hospital, entering in the sections with the patients, and killing every person they could see…finally, after at least one hour of devastation, the Aurors arrived, but the Death Eaters apparated away, leaving to them only an huge mass of bodies to recognize. In the whole hospital, only six healers and twelve patients survived to this attack. Maybe this is really the start of the unstoppable chaotic power of the Dark Lord…"
Harry wasn't able to read more. His hand was trembling, while keeping the newspaper, and nobody wanted to harass him in that moment. All the Great Hall was silent, in great sorrow. Neville was one of the most affected, since his parents were there.
"Please, listen to me." Dumbledore spoke, "What happened is terrible, and I am not the first who is shocked by this event. However, we have to go on in our lives, and you all have to study the best you can, trying to develop your skills. Everyone could be useful, in this war…" He looked Harry in the eyes, almost to add "You are not", finding an angry look in that green eyes. The challenge between them had officially started.
"We will see who the unreliable is, Headmaster" Harry thought, holding the older wizard's gaze.
Harry had strengthened the work for his Order, and he dared to organize training session as for the DA. Hermione obviously couldn't be always present, however she did try her best, because she knew how much Harry needed her support. Draco was another of the best members, plus he was handy as being in touch with his father who was a Death Eater he had learned some tricks the dark wizards liked to use in duelling, so they learned to expect them and not be surprised, and he managed to shut up the Slytherins, who were speaking against Harry. This particular problem, however, led Ron to make a harsh comment to Harry, one day when they were walking in down the same corridor.
"Well, Potter, if you have the support of the Slytherins, maybe you can switch houses, going to join them. Me and the Gryffindors barely suffer you sitting at our table…"
"It is not true, Weasley" Neville, who had been following them, said. "Maybe many of us are with you, but personally, the one who I don't suffer, is you, and your mouldy brain" he added. They were by now in the Great Hall, so the other Gryffindors could see and hear the scene.
Few other first years joined Neville against him, who shrugged, and turned to Hermione, who was sitting on his side.
"I'm glad I convinced at least you, of all the ones who surrounded that Potter last years. I'm so proud of your cleverness, Hermione. You saw the truth, and followed the Light"
Harry was almost bursting in laughter hearing what Ron had said, but Hermione made him really need to control himself.
"Actually, I didn't say anything, because if I started to speak, your ears would have been filled of insults all the rest of your life, Ron Weasley. And you have not convinced me more than a stone could change itself in a swan." Hermione said as she stood up, and exited the Great Hall, where they were having dinner. The look Ron had on his face was really priceless.
It was like they had just told a little kid he wouldn't be able to play with his favourite toy for a month.
For the next days life in the castle went on as it was now usual. Harry was more and more used to have everyone against him, but surely knowing he had a group backing him up was doing wonders on his mood. He would have been thoroughly depressed if he knew he wasn't doing a thing while Voldemort was rising to the highest of his power.
Almost a week later, another event took place; this time, the `Daily Prophet' was reporting a Death Eater attack against the Ministry.
"Ministry under attack!" was the title. The article explained the particulars. "This night, the British Ministry of Magic was attacked by Voldemort's army. Death Eaters entered the Ministry from the visitors' entrance, there, they killed the guards in the reception, and started to destroy all the offices, with particular regards for the Aurors floor, where there were also the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, with the Improper Use of Magic office, and the Wizengamot's Administration Services. They were also interested in destroying the floor of the auditions, the floor of the Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee, and the fifth floor, in which there was the Department of International Magical Cooperation…"
Harry looked around himself, finding only students frightened by what had happened. Looking up, Harry saw that even Dumbledore was concerned.
"Maybe, if all of you morons weren't so busy to accuse me, this could be avoided…but no, all of you have to blame me for something I am not responsible for, and you don't worry about what Voldemort is doing…" he thought.
Next day, the `Daily Prophet' reported another bad news.
"Some German Death Eaters have attacked a Russian fleet, in the Barents Sea. A group of Russian followers of Voldemort did the same with the German navy in Hamburg. The two groups led the terrorist action leaving signs as it was a Muggle Government of their respective country acting. Because of this the German and Russian muggle governments are now near declaring war against each other"
Harry chose not to read the rest of the article. He ran to the Owlery, took Hedwig and wrote two letters. One for the Russian Minister of Magic, and the other for the German one, trying to explain the situation as clearly as possible, asking them to hold their respective Muggle Governments from starting a war. He knew they already knew it had to be done, but irrationally he thought his letters could help them understand the situation.
Next day, he read that the war had begun, there was a huge air battle between the two nations. Harry shook his head, sad for the upcoming events. Now in the Muggle World there was a war too…
Around three days later, he received the answers of the two Ministers, who wrote him that they had successfully stopped the war, for the moment. The Prophet read good news today, but he couldn't remain happy for more than two minutes. A brown owl flew to Hermione, and she suddenly burst out crying. Ron tried to comfort her, but she ran away.
As quickly as he could, he ran out of the Great Hall too, searching for her.
He felt he knew what had happened.
Voldemort had killed another time. The Grangers were dead.
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