Families Outraged, Dumbledore Plods On
Attacks in the prestigious school of witchcraft and wizardry have subsided during the last few weeks but parental ire against the aging Headmaster is stronger than ever. It has been weeks now since the attacks began but there has not been a single person apprehended or punished. An anonymous member of the Board of Governors is questioning whether Dumbledore is neutral enough to handle the situation given his relationship with Harry Potter. Mr. Potter, it has been speculated by many inside sources, is somehow involved in the fiendishly brutal assaults on Hogwarts' students but yet it is unclear if the Headmaster has even placed Mr. Potter in a position of suspicion in his ongoing investigation. One student, Draco Malfoy, who has allegedly been singled out for abuse by Mr. Potter in the past, tells this reporter that Dumbledore has his favorites and it shows. An unnamed Professor echoes these sentiments and levels accusations of scholastic dishonesty on the part of Mr. Potter…
"Those foul, loathsome, evil, twisted," Hermione broke off as Harry grabbed the paper.
"Don't get so wrought up over it Hermione, you know how the Prophet is," Harry said soothingly.
"Harry this could have serious consequences," she said stiffly.
"I guess so, but there isn't much we can do about it except trash my mail," Harry replied.
"Here's another one taking the mickey out of you too Hermione," Ron said as he grabbed the paper away from Harry.
"Don't read that rubbish," Hermione snapped grabbing it back. Harry had sneaked a tiny peek at it earlier. He didn't know that it was even legal for a paper to attack a prefect based on her grades and her friendships before, but that's exactly what the Prophet was doing. It was comical too, Hermione's grades were still some of the highest Hogwarts had ever seen though you wouldn't know that from reading Prophet articles.
"Yeah, it really is pointless to try and keep up with it. The Prophet has been churning out one hit piece after another against all of us these days, especially Dumbledore and me," Harry said.
"You'd think Dumbledore would complain or something," Ron grumbled.
"Yeah, they're real likely to respond to that. Look let's just forget about it. You guys wanna go to the Room of Requirement and practice some?" Harry asked.
"Er, no thanks mate, I gotta go for quiddich," Ron said.
"I've got to patrol Harry, but you can come with me if you want," Hermione said sweetly.
Ron rolled his eyes as his two friends headed out of the commons. Harry vanished when he stepped through the opening as he cast an invisibility charm on himself. As soon as they started down the hall Harry felt Hermione's long thin fingers wrap around his hand.
"Won't people be suspicious of you gripping thin air?" Harry asked snidely.
"I doubt we'll run into anyone but if we do I'll let go before they notice. No one suspects you can become invisible at will, especially now that cloaks are banned." Hermione replied.
"So what do you think is going on with Dumbledore? I've been sending him messages and trying to talk to him but he's either gone or he doesn't respond with more than a few vague lines." Harry said.
"I don't know Harry, but I do know that he owes you an explanation. Voldemort is getting bolder every day now and the death toll is rising among the Muggles too. He probably thinks that we can't handle his precious plan, whatever it is." Hermione replied bitterly.
"I guess we should just trust his judgement," Harry said.
"Yeah, that worked good last time," Hermione bit out, then instantly regretted her statement as she felt through her link Harry's emotions freeze over.
"If I had just trusted him and you it would have been fine," Harry said mournfully.
"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't mean to bring Sirius up but it works both ways. Yes I suppose if you had blindly trusted Dumbledore things would have been fine, BUT you had no reason to trust him blindly. He should have told you why he was behaving oddly just like he should tell you now. If you had of known what he knew then Sirius would be with us now." Hermione said forcefully. She knew that Harry understood this on an intellectual level, but emotionally it still ripped him apart. Without thinking she embraced him suddenly as he fought back long suppressed emotion.
"Thank you Hermione, for being there for me, I don't know what I'd do without you," Harry said thickly.
"I'll always be here for you Harry and I know that you'll always be here for me," Hermione whispered back fervently. She cast an invisibility charm and sat there motionless with Harry until curfew.
The next morning Harry awoke feeling vaguely guilty for dumping all his problems on Hermione, as usual. He didn't read any of the newspaper except the headline that boldly proclaimed a rigorous new curfew for the wizarding world at large. He sighed at this latest ministry power grab as he went down toward the great hall. Everyone else was already there and several people looked unusually nervous.
"What's going on with everyone?" Harry asked as he took his seat next to Hermione and Ron.
"Didn't you see the paper Harry?" Ron asked anxiously.
"Er, no, not really, just the part on the curfew," he replied.
"Voldemort just pulled off a coordinated attack on several muggle villages and a couple dozen muggle born families," Hermione said in a thin voice.
"Hermione, are your parents ok?" he asked with a sudden sense of dread.
"They're fine Harry," she said, "Dumbledore put powerful wards on our house, remember?"
Harry felt relief that Hermione's family was still safe. "Yeah, of course, they couldn't be safer."
Harry cringed at having brought up her parents at all. He certainly didn't want her to worry about her family, especially when there was nothing more any of them could do to protect them.
"The ministry has authorized aurors to use the unforgivable curses again," Ron broke in, shaking Harry out of his thoughts.
"What?" Harry asked, slightly stunned, "Against Death Eaters?"
"No, against anyone apparently. It's a blanket authorization." Hermione said.
Harry knew that no good could come of this. It was like during the last war. Aurors killing instead of capturing, show trials or no trials for suspects, storm trooper style tactics against civilians on the flimsiest of suspicion. It was like the ministry had gone insane. The campaign of misinformation against himself and Dumbledore, brutal tactics against innocent people, and even downright counterproductive actions against those like the Order of the Phoenix who were fighting Voldemort.
"Do you think Fudge is being controlled?" Harry asked, trying to grasp for some kind of reason for his bizarre actions.
"No, that's still unlikely, I think he's just exploiting the situation to enhance his own power like the ministry did during the last war," Hermione said darkly.
"There's no point in agonizing over it," Ron interjected, "we need to prepare for the D.A. meeting tonight anyway."
"Can you handle the rest of the lesson plan Ron?" Harry asked, knowing full well that Ron could and would immensely enjoy getting to lead the meeting again. Expectedly Ron beamed and eagerly agreed.
"Hermione and I are going to give a little speech first," Harry informed him.
"What about?" Ron asked. Hermione looked quizzical too.
"Well we've been passing out pamphlets on sentient rights for some time now and I think we should address the whole of the D.A. directly," Harry said.
"Is that really important now?" Ron asked.
"Yes it is Ron," Hermione said fiercely, "I don't think I need to catalogue all the damage that wizard kind has inflicted upon itself by oppressing its various members."
Ron looked inclined to argue but Hermione's expression was so grim that he seemed to chicken out of the confrontation before it even began. Hermione didn't give him a chance to reconsider as she jumped up quickly and grabbed Harry.
"We need to do some last bits of research from the potions book I lifted before the shelf in the forbidden section realizes its gone Harry. We can't put it off anymore," Hermione said.
Harry nodded and followed her. The book had been most valuable but they had been so occupied that they hadn't finished it as quickly as they had most of their other books. Harry supposed that they could trick the shelf again but Hermione seemed reluctant since she suspected that the protective enchantments were too strong to be fooled twice in a row.
The book was immensely old and engraved all over with large viscous looking snakes. The last few pages were even enchanted with protective spells to hide their contents from persons the book deemed unworthy for whatever reason. The reason for this soon became apparent as Hermione cursed the book into revealing its secrets.
"I didn't know you could even do such a thing," Harry whispered.
"The power of the basilisk made into a potion," Hermione said in awe.
"That isn't all, look here, this would be far more useful," Harry said.
"Fallen enemies wouldn't be able to be so easily revived by their comrades with this," Hermione agreed.
Petrifaction Potion - This potion is the half potion of the death potion created from the essence of the basilisk. Use this potion with caution since all those who are touched by it will forever sleep in magical near death except when revived by a Mandrake Restorative.
"We can use brute force to overwhelm the Death Eaters and then assure ourselves that they won't be revived when we move on in battle. It's perfect." Harry said.
They copied down the relevant parts of the book and returned it to the shelf. The ingredients needed for the potion were rare and dangerous. Harry was fairly certain that they were also probably illegal with the new restrictions handed down by the ministry. He would have to go to some of the more unsavory parts of the wizard world to track down the material he needed. Winter break was now upon them so he would soon have the opportunity.
"Now we need to get ready for the speech you decided out of the blue that we need to give," Hermione said with a smirk. Harry snapped out of his thoughts.
"Well I was thinking something along the lines of a short statement of general principles followed by a question and answer open floor. We want to get others to talking about this issue so that we can generate some understanding," Harry said.
"You may want to consider politics someday if you keep this up Harry," Hermione said. Harry blushed as she continued. "It isn't going to be easy to break through hundreds of years of wizard prejudice though."
"We've been doing pretty good with our flyers. I think some people have taken notice," Harry said optimistically.
"I hope you're right, I guess we'll find out tonight," Hermione said as she went back to writing.
The day flew by and before Harry knew it he was sitting in the Room of Requirement, which was now equipped with a podium, worrying nervously over what he was going to say. Harry had never been comfortable in front of crowds and his bad experiences with fame over the years had not eased him at all. Hermione had stroked his arm comfortingly but as it neared the time for people to arrive she stopped to keep from giving their relationship away.
Members of the D.A. were not quite as security conscious as they had been during the dreaded days of Umbridge but Harry still made sure that they weren't blatant in their arrivals. Staggered arrivals in varying groups ensured that no casual outside observer would spot any pattern to D.A. member's behavior. Everyone was chattering animatedly amongst themselves as curiosity built over what Harry intended to do.
Harry cleared his throat and stepped up to the podium. Hermione was sitting on a chair next to him and slightly to the rear to help with the questions after his speech.
"Harry, there's no point in being so nervous, you know everyone here and talk to them every day," Hermione said.
"I don't think my nerves will respond to logic," Harry replied as his stomach clenched a little more. Suddenly he felt soothing calm feelings begin to wash over him as Hermione poured her thoughts into his mind across the link.
With a deep breath Harry began talking about all the things he and Hermione had been trying to convince people of for months, or in Hermione's case years. The history of house elves, how that wizards had lied to them when they were first discovered and took advantage of their pliant nature. Next Harry described the plight of werewolves and how they were legally oppressed. The best jobs were denied to them by institutional discrimination, schools were closed to them, and even some businesses were barred from selling them things. They were barely allowed to own wands in many places, though England wasn't that oppressive yet. Giants fared even worse by being herded onto reservations or outright banished. They were strictly forbidden wands, any job above menial labor was likewise prohibited, and had even less political power than werewolves.
"That was very compelling Harry," Hermione complimented him as she stood beside him. The D.A. members all seemed to be a little confused but not outright hostile so Harry was hopeful.
"Why should we care about giving elves more rights if elves themselves don't care?"
Harry couldn't tell where the question came from as Hermione jumped on it.
"As Harry explained the house elves were once free before wizards discovered their existence. The elves were convinced to serve wizards through various lies and possibly mind control techniques. It wasn't difficult since elves are very agreeable compromising creatures by nature. Thousands of years of subsequent brainwashing have turned them into the perfect slave race. Only wizards can undo this engrained servitude by slowly returning to the elves the rights that all sentient creatures should enjoy."
"Well that's all good and fine for elves, they're harmless, but werewolves and giants are too dangerous," a Hufflepuff girl Harry only just recognized said.
"Wizards can be dangerous too, that doesn't mean we take away their rights," Hermione said.
"How many of you thought that Professor Lupin was the best defense teacher we've ever had?" Harry asked. "Werewolves are people too and what matters is the choices they make not the condition they find themselves in."
"That's right, how many of you know someone kinder or gentler than Hagrid who is himself half giant as you all already know," Hermione added.
"It isn't right to prejudge people and mistreat them simply because of a condition that they can't help. How would any of us like it if we were routinely discriminated against because we're wizards?" Harry asked. "Let me tell you it doesn't feel good. For ten years I had to live with Muggles that hated wizards and therefor hated me. I was treated like a criminal, confined in a cupboard, given terrible food, forbidden to go outside, and forced to do all the worst chores just because of my heritage. I didn't even know why until my letter for Hogwarts came."
Harry felt shock and revulsion come across his link with Hermione. She had known that his treatment was bad but he had never gone into such detail before. The other students were even more shocked and appalled. The discussion continued for another hour but after Harry's outburst the tide had turned in their favor. It was revelations of Harry's mistreatment for the crime of having magical ability that, more than anything, persuaded their peers as to the injustice of oppressing other sentient creatures simply because of what they were.
"I think that went very well Harry. You did a great job. We've probably got almost every one of the D.A. with us now." Hermione said proudly as Ron began the instruction part of the meeting. They were not going to have enough time to do much since the discussion over sentient rights had gone on for so long. Harry could tell that Ron was quite disappointed since he had become so fond of teaching. Harry had suggested that Ron might want to teach at Hogwarts after he graduated and the idea had really seemed to perk him up.
"You're the one who started everything with S.P.E.W. Hermione." Harry replied modestly to her praise.
"You were very brave to tell everyone about your treatment at the hands of the Dursleys. I had no idea it was awful." Hermione said.
"Well, I'll be away from them soon. After I turn seventeen I'm moving to Grimmauld Place and never going back." Harry said firmly. "Speaking of which, are you going to stay with me over the holidays?"
"I won't have to, I'll be able to apparate after we get our licenses. The next training session is also a testing session." Hermione said.
"I'd almost forgotten about that," Harry said, delighted that Hermione would only be a thought away from him.
"That reminds me of something that I've been working on. I think I've discovered a way to link us magically so that we can apparate to each other at will." Hermione said. She explained how she had found a charm similar to the one she had used to make the galleons for the D.A. except that it also created a bit of a magical link between the users.
"That sounds a lot like the Dark Mark," Harry said.
"Yeah, that's what gave me the idea, except that these would be tokens to carry like the galleons, not a tattoo to be branded on us." Hermione said.
"That could definitely be useful. Maybe we should bring this idea up to Dumbledore for use by the Order." Harry said.
"Well, actually, I don't think we should be so hasty about collaborating with the Order anymore," Hermione said hesitantly.
"What? Why? I know you don't like Dumbledore anymore Hermione, but he is leading the fight against Voldemort," Harry said.
"Yes, that's just it, he's leading the war against Voldemort everything else be ignored. I don't think we should take binding oaths and support the Ministry's latest round of excesses just to defeat Voldemort. I know Voldemort must be defeated, but at the rate things are going now we're going to defeat the Dark Lord just in time for the Ministry to gain absolute power over everything," Hermione explained.
"You really think Fudge wants to become a dictator?" Harry asked. He knew Hermione was paranoid about the Ministry these days but she had hidden the depth of her fears from him until now.
"Universal curfews, internal floo passports, strict censure of the press, aurors on every street corner, and now there are rumors that he is pressuring the goblins to confiscate suspected Death Eater gold," Hermione began listing off abuses.
"So you think we need a separate entity that we control, like the Order, to both fight Voldemort and be a check on the Ministry?" Harry asked.
"Yes that's exactly what I was thinking of. We can call ourselves the Bearers of the Light, since we have the light of truth so to speak. I've already drawn up plans for organization and recruitment." Hermione said brightly. Harry shook his head in amazement at all the scheming she had been up to. The D.A. must have just whet her appetite for secret organizations.
As soon as the D.A. meeting came to an end the trio headed back to the common room. Ron chatted to a mostly silent Harry and Hermione until he realized they weren't paying attention.
"You guys are ignoring me again," he grumped.
"Sorry Ron, we're just considering how best to create some new tools called emblems to aid us in apparating," Hermione explained.
"Oh wow, can I get one too then?" Ron asked.
"Yeah, I don't see why not, assuming of course we can make them," Harry said. "We want to be able to magically pinpoint each others location and apparate to them at will."
"Actually, I don't think it will be quite possible to have three like that," Hermione said. "The charm is based on the magic that makes the Dark Mark possible. I think I can make two emblems that can home in on each other but three would water the charm down too much. The most we can do is make client emblems that are slaved to the magic of the main two."
"Is this what you had planned all along?" Harry asked suddenly.
"Yes, it's the safest way I know of to be able to call people when we need them," Hermione replied.
"What are you two talking about?" Ron asked.
Hermione quickly gave him an overview of their plans to create a new organization that would be loyal to them first, not to the Ministry or Dumbledore. Ron seemed a little skeptical but he accepted their plan easily enough. When they returned to the common Ron sat down on one of the big squashy sofas to keep watch while Harry and Hermione huddled over a table in a corner of the room.
Fortunately no one came about to disturb the prefects and the Boy-Who-Lived while they were in the process of creating their emblems that Ron had dubbed the Light Marks. Ron scrutinized them as they worked. He could see sweat standing out on their foreheads as a dark mist flowed out of their wands. On the table sat two D.A. galleons that absorbed the mist as quickly as it flowed out. Slowly the coins turned into a puddle of golden colored goo before reforming into a wire frame design that resembled a burning torch. The mist flow diminished as the torch forms hardened.
"I think we did it Harry," Hermione said weakly. Harry slumped out of his chair onto the floor.
"Oi, mate, are you ok?" Ron asked as he jumped up.
"All…my energy…drained," Harry gasped.
"He'll be ok in a minute," Hermione said in a stronger voice. "That pushed us to our limits though."
"Scary, I've not see either of you collapse like that before," Ron said with a shudder.
"Don't worry, I'm feeling loads better now," Harry said.
Hermione dug around in her hat and pulled out two small bottles. "Here drink this." She instructed as she downed the contents of one of them. Harry quickly drank the other and felt a warm rejuvenating feeling permeate through him. "Restorative potion, works like a muggle stimulant except its revitalizes magical power too, in addition to alleviating physical fatigue."
"Nice one," Harry said thankfully.
"Ok Ron, now give us your D.A. coin," Hermione said. Ron passed it over and Hermione waved her wand over it a couple of times. The material shimmered and rearranged itself into a wire frame imagine of a burning torch except that it was silver instead of gold like Harry and Hermione's emblems.
"Ok, there you go, we can send you a message across the link that basically amounts to a "come forth" signal. When you feel the call you can apparate to us instantly if you so choose. Unlike our emblems though you won't be able to apparate to us unless we first tell you where we're at by calling you. We'll always be able to find and apparate to you though so long as you wear it."
"Well, better than nothing," Ron said. He sounded slightly miffed at getting the second rate emblem.
"It can't be helped," Hermione said when Harry began sympathizing with Ron. He reluctantly agreed and wished again that Ron wouldn't take everything so personally.
Harry found himself wishing that again as Ron got done taking his apparation test the next day. Harry didn't know what the big deal was since Ron passed his test well enough. His instructor said that his technique was quite acceptable, even if it was a little slow. His sulky attitude worsened though when Hermione took her turn. The test was a series of obstacles that each applicant was to apparate to as quickly as possible in the correct order. Hermione flitted quickly from place to place and even earned some brief applause when she reappeared back at the starting point.
Harry also passed his test with ease and was given a license dated for his birthday so that it would be valid the instant he became of age. He found apparation to be increasingly simple, as easy as thought. Most of the students were able to pass their tests though many people found the process tedious. Many of them muttered discontentedly about how broom flight was much better and Harry recalled Mad Eye telling him that many wizards never bothered with apparation.
After they all were returned to the castle Ron went stomping off muttering about packing for vacation. Harry and Hermione hurried along behind him to try to console his flighty mood.
"You did really well today," Hermione said soothingly, "You'll be able to apparate now."
"It takes all my concentration to do it. You and Harry jump around all over the place like you could juggle and cast spells at the same time." Ron grumped.
Harry considered that his assessment was probably correct but he didn't say that. "We've just practiced more than you have Ron. I'm sure with a bit more experience you'll be able to apparate as swiftly as you want to."
Ron seemed to cheer up a little but he still went up to his room pretty quickly after they got back. Harry and Hermione sat down on the chairs for a few moments while most people were likewise busy packing. Harry took out his wand and began twirling it in his fingers idly.
"Harry, that isn't safe," Hermione chided him.
"Sorry, I was just thinking…" Harry said.
"What about?" Hermione asked.
"I never told you this, but my wand is rather unique," Harry said.
"It's the brother wand of Voldemort's right?" Hermione replied.
"How did you know?" Harry asked.
"You showed me the battle at the graveyard. I recognized the effect that happened when you dueled him. I didn't want to say anything until you were ready to talk about it," Hermione said.
"I should have told you long ago. I guess I was embarrassed for some reason. I just hated the idea of having anything in common with him," Harry said.
"Here Harry, take my wand," Hermione said as she extended it toward him. "I've been thinking about a solution for this problem for some time now."
"Do you think this will work?" Harry asked, as he understood what Hermione was trying to do. With her wand he would be able to duel with Voldemort without having to worry about the prior incantato effect. He grabbed the wand and gave it a flick. Bright sparks flew out from it.
"See, I knew it would work," Hermione squealed with delight.
"But what will you do for a wand?" Harry asked as he performed a few simple charms.
"Silly, I should think its obvious," Hermione said as she pointed at his wand. Harry nodded and handed it to her. She waved it and similar sparks burst from its tip.
"Harry, our minds are so merged now due to our link that our magical auras are nearly identical. I doubt our wands even realize that they've changed owners." Hermione explained. "You can defeat Voldemort Harry, I know it."
Standing there with his beloved's wand confidence swelled Harry's heart and for the first time since he heard the prophecy he actually believed it.