Disclaimer: I don't own HP. JKR does. That's why HBP is the way it is…
A/N: Thanks to all of you who have reviewed, that means a lot to me. Please, if you read, review!
Chapter Eight
"Preparations"
Harry's fears, however, were calmed few days later, when on the "Daily Prophet" an article appeared, reporting movements of great quantities of Death Eaters, proven by the destruction trail, directed to Hogwarts.
It was near the half of February, and finally there were some clues of the Dark Lord's activity. Harry dedicated totally to organize the defence, dividing the members of the Army in groups, assigning to each group a park zone to defend, once the attack was started.
He recommended every day to not spare the use of the hardest hexes they knew, because the Death Eaters wouldn't be softer seeing an army of students fighting them.
After that, he left the members free for that evening to give them a bit of relax, since they had been under a strong pressure for many days. He went in the Gryffindor common room. There he distracted himself a little taking care of his Firebolt 2003 with the specific kit Hermione gave him, then he went to bed.
Next morning he went to run alone, without waiting Hermione, starting before and finishing later than usual. He wanted to be completely fit, so he trained himself harder and longer. For this reason he didn't wait Hermione: that training was really hard and he didn't want to charge her too much, and he didn't want to stress her too much. That was his battle after all. He was the one with Hogwarts destiny on his shoulders.
So she observed him from a window, smiling proudly but also worried. Even if she knew about the Prophecy, that didn't keep her from wanting to help him till the end.
For not stressing too much the Army, Harry gave them another free evening after a long and heavy evening of training, so Draco took the opportunity to speak with him.
"Harry, I know how much you feel the responsibility of the battle, and I hope to not offend you, but I want to say you one thing: even if you trained us perfectly, and now we are at an excellent level, I don't think we can win this time" the boy said sadly.
"Draco, I know that all of you are worried, I'm too, but we have to win, in a way or another. We can't let Voldemort destroying all the good things that we have in the magic world. If we lose this battle, it would be all finished! We have to fight for that, at the best we can, and never lose hope". He patted Draco on the shoulder to reassure him, but inside, he knew what Draco had said was really close to reality.
"Right! We can't allow it!" a voice behind them said. It was Ginny Weasley. Ginny had been one of the best in the practices, and Harry was really proud of her. He hugged her and ruffled a bit her hair. "This is the spirit I want from every one of you, Gin. See, Draco, how my little sister is taking this?"
Ginny, hearing Harry calling her "his little sister", blushed and smiled.
Harry returned with her in the common room, where he started studying the Hogwarts map, wondering if he had covered all the accesses to the castle from the park, with his groups disposition.
After a three hour meditation, he asked Hermione to accompany him for a walk. He needed to relax a bit.
She accepted, so they crossed the painting and started wandering in the castle, in the passages, chatting a lot. Speaking with her was very useful for Harry, for clearing his mind from the worries.
Not that evening though.
"Harry, do you think we will succeed?" she asked.
"Of course, luv. We have to. We can't let Voldemort win. I will not allow him to take Hogwarts, my real home" he said, with strong determination. Voldemort had taken a lot from him, but not Hogwarts. He would not let him win.
He hugged her, looking firmly in her eyes.
"Do you trust me?" he asked her, seeing her was not so hopeful.
"Of course I trust you, Harry, but…"
"If you trust me, trust that we will triumph" he interrupted her, then he kissed her passionately, searching her tongue and feeling going insane at everyone of her moans. For her and with her he would face everything.
"On the other hand", he thought, "I had already faced him many times, and every time I succeeded in defeating him, or at least in not being killed. This time would not be different."
Definitely, Harry was waiting the start of the battle, sure, maybe a little unconsciously, that this time he would had closed all the bills with Voldemort, in the good or in the bad way.
Many days passed, and the attack didn't arrive. In the meanwhile, another bad article on him was published.
Hogwarts defense led by Harry Potter
By Grace Meddlers
We have heard that the castle of Hogwarts, if attacked by the Death Eaters, like it seems probable seeing where the Dark Lord's followers are heading, is going to be defended by students led by the Head Boy, Harry Potter. Surely you'll remember the article I wrote on the boy this summer, underlining all his bad traits, that don't make him a good Head Boy. It is clear that he is not good to lead the defense of the castle, too, for the same reasons.
I wonder why Headmistress McGonagall had assigned the boy on that, instead of calling the Aurors. Surely, the Ministry would be more prepared to face Death Eaters than the students.
A little upset for the article, Harry went down for breakfast, where everyone reasserted their esteem for him, despite the article. Harry thought that Draco, a couple of years before, would have used it for months to insult him, and smiling for that thought, he said hello to Ron and Hermione, and sat down near them. Draco was now one of his best friends, and if a Slytherin dared to say something against him, well, it would be better for him to be able to Disapparate before Draco could hex him into oblivion.
When the owl mail arrived, he received a letter, from the Minister.
"Dear Harry,
I want to reassert my trust
in you; this is the trust of
the all Ministry; don't let that
Meddlers disturb you;
I will take care or her.
However, I've decided to send
some Aurors to help.
Arthur Weasley"
Harry, grateful, put the letter away and went to prepare for the morning duels. By now the lessons were only in the afternoon, giving Harry a larger freedom of training the Army.
He asked himself if he would be able to confirm the expectations all of them had on him. However, a look in the Hermione's eyes, full of love and admiration, gave back to him all the needed certainty.
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