Unofficial Portkey Archive

Harry Potter and the Gilded Portrait - Part 3

Standard Disclaimers Apply…

A.N. - This is a rather long chapter because I'm attempting to wrap up as much of Harry's training I can fit into the confines of this story before it ends - One reader suggested it should have been made into a story of its own and they were probably right so if anyone out there wants to take this concept and run with it…be my guest!

Chapter 36 - Training Part 3

As everyone lined up in their assigned spots reassembled after breakfast, McTavish stood ramrod straight at the front of the perfectly square little group. Again, much to Harry's surprise (and a touch of dismay) the woman Bridgette was now lined up to his immediate left.

Although she was quite attractive in what seemed a rather reluctant and intimidating sort of way she gave off the distinctive `don't-mess-with-me' attitude. The other female recruits appeared to be much more normal or what Ron would call, `typical birds.' Of course, Harry trusted Ron's assessment of women about as much as a leisurely stroll through Gringotts completely unprotected. Ron had completely passed on Hermione after all.

"All right everyone," McTavish growled, "Please pay attention! Let's have a quick roll call before we begin the day. Very well, let's start with number one and go from there, shall we? Just respond with a here or present and that will suffice!"

"Preston Archer?" McTavish boomed loudly.

"Here," the first in line replied.

"Trevor Bain?"

"Here," said the next.

And on it went until he got to recruit number eight.

"Err, Heimlich…ehm, Fletch…err, Flesh…" McTavish stumbled, "Sorry laddy, you're gonna have ta' `elp me with that one if ya' don' mind."

A young man in a heavy German accent responded.

"Eet ish pronounshed Flet-Spitz-Zitzle-Brow. Perheps eet woult be best to just call me vat effry von elsh doesh…Spitz!"

"Right," McTavish replied blushing slightly, "Perhaps that's best." He made a note on his clipboard.

The instructor managed to make it through the rest of roll call without murdering the rest of the recruit's names too badly. With that he turned his attention back to the group.

"Vary good! We'll meet precisely this way at o-six hundred every morning Saturday through Thursday. You will take your places just as you did this morning, arms-length apart and standing at attention until instructed otherwise. Is that clear?"

"Yes Sir!" everyone said loudly as one.

"Excellent! Now for our first official lesson of this term," McTavish said, "Recruits, fall out and follow me. Come on now! Step lively!"

They made their way passed the Dining Hall and Physical Strength Training area, down a slight hill to what appeared to be a shallow valley that ran along the length of the compound. Not far away could be heard the North Sea pounding the craggy peaks that separated the compound grounds from the coast. They could see a few small ponds and a rather shallow marshy area between them. It was to the edge of this marshy section they all came to a halt.

To say the marsh had a pungent smell was the understatement of the decade! What was at first thought to be a marsh actually turned out to be a full-blown peat bog, complete with black-looking muck that bubbled and oozed here and there. The smell of rotten eggs and dead things permeated the sense of smell and watered the eyes.

Several of the recruits sneezed in response. McTavish chuckled.

"All right, gather round recruits, gather round!"

He waited a moment until everyone was once again in a tight group.

"This first exercise is very simple ladies and gentlemen. Quite simply all you have to do is…cross the bog! For the first portion we'll start at number one. On the way back, we'll reverse the order just to be fair. Alright then, Mr. Archer, I believe you're up!"

McTavish took a step or two back from the edge of the stinking bog as Archer made his way tentatively forward to stand at the edge. He glanced up at the Instructor with an inquisitive look of slight bewilderment.

"You mean…"

"Cross the bog laddy," McTavish said, his face completely unreadable, "Doesn't get any simpler than that does it?"

Archer stood there in thought for a moment, then shrugged and stepped off the solid edge and sank ankle deep in muck. As he made his way forward about three or four steps out it remained about ankle deep. They heard him comment.

"This doesn't seem so baAAAD!" Before he had finished his declaration he had sunk up to his knees.

"I think it best if ya keep movin' Mr. Archer!" McTavish said, his expression still giving nothing away.

One of the other recruits raised their hand to ask a question.

"Yes Mr. Ellsley?"

"What's in there?" He asked looking a bit pale.

"Honestly," McTavish shrugged, "No idea!"

With that Archer started moving a bit faster. As he waded his way through he sank up to mid chest in the nasty black glop leaving a wake of brackish black water. After about twenty feet of chest deep muck he started rising out until almost completely exhausted, threw himself out of the bog on the bank on the other side.

Harry couldn't believe what he was about to have to do. Thoughts of all kinds of things hiding in the muck passed through his imagination. He looked around to find he wasn't the only one thinking along those lines.

"Next" McTavish growled, "Quickly now, we've not got all day."

Trevor Bain made his way forward and with a pinched look on his face took the plunge following in Archer's footsteps for all the good it did. The results were exactly the same for Bain.

On and on they went crossing the bog and coming out the other side covered up to the chest with stinking black mud. Some did their best to try and clean off some of the muck and dig it out of their pockets but they were still a mess.

As Harry watched this all take place he began to think. If they had their wands crossing the bog would be a snap. All they would have to do is come up with some sort of spell or charm to make crossing the bog less massy like a solidifying charm or something of that nature but without their wands…

But then a thought invaded his consciousness…

What would Hermione do in this situation?

She had always been a great one for figuring out solutions to even the most complex problems. Crossing a peat bog was relatively simple compared to some of the things they had been faced with over the years.

There has to be a better way…and if so would I be allowed to use it? After all, the instructions were…'Cross the bog!" He didn't say how, simply get to the other side.

"Think stupid, think!" Harry muttered to himself. As he stood there watching the next step off the edge into the muck he realized Henry Nigglesby was now crossing which meant he was third in line.

As Nigglesby emerged he realized he had lost a shoe somewhere in the muck. With a flick of his wand the Instructor extracted the lost shoe from the bog. It came out of the muck with a nasty sucking sound as it popped free.

He wracked his brain, eyes combing the entire area to see if he could recognize something that might give him a clue. As he stood there chastising himself for not learning wand-less magic he realized these people, Auror trained as they were surely knew much more about wand-less magic than most but weren't using it so it must not be allowed in this task.

But there has to be SOMETHING!

He shouted it in his head as Daniel O'Rourke was about to step off the edge. The Bridgette girl was next, then him.

Then a realization dawned on him. He felt stupid that he hadn't thought of it earlier.

Well, are we witches and wizards or not! Nothing was said about having to do this the Muggle way! Just `Cross the bog!'

As he stood there O'Rourke was struggling to force himself into the muck while on the other side the others stood or sat about looking more than a little put out.

Should I share this with the others? Will I get in trouble for doing it this way? Why? The Instructor didn't say we couldn't.

Finally Daniel was about to take the plunge at the rather insistent behest of the Instructor when Harry decided to take a chance.

"Wait!" Harry shouted. O'Rourke drew his foot back and everyone turned to stare at him.

"Yes Mr. Potter," McTavish asked evenly, "You have something you wish to say?"

"I…I think I know a better way to cross the bog," Harry stammered nervously. He thought he was about to make a complete fool out of himself.

"Is that so?" McTavish asked folding his arms across his chest and pinning Harry in his steely gaze, "Well then, why don' ye go next Mr. Potter and show us the way?"

Harry's heart sank. His stomach rolled uncomfortably and he suddenly felt ill. He made his way shaking slightly to the edge of the peat bog. The smell struck his nostrils like a physical blow. He could help but wrinkle his nose at the stench which made some of the others snicker.

I'm about to make a complete idiot out of myself but…won't be the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last.

Another voice materialized in his head suddenly.

"Merlin's beard Harry! You've looked Death himself right in the eye and walked away more than once! You're going to worry about something as trifle as crossing a barmy peat bog! I'm surprised at you…really I am!"

With that voice echoing in his mind he focused on the opposite bank of the bog for a moment and, picking out a thick patch of marsh grass, he fixed it firmly in his mind's eye. He then turned and vanished with a pop! In the blink he was standing on the other side of the bog, clean, dry and very much red-faced waiting to be chastised for his action.

McTavish just look over in Harry's direction, nodded then looked back at O'Rourke.

"Alright then," the Instructor said quite calmly, "You're next O'Rourke. Get a move on lad."

Daniel O'Rourke, as well as all the others stood there gaping at the instructor like he had just transfigured himself into a Troll.

"You…you mean we can apparate?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, why not?" McTavish was grinning slightly now, "You are a wizard are you not Mr. O'Rourke? If you recall, all I said was cross-the-bog. I didn't say how, did I?"

Everyone was stunned speechless and most of them on the far side of the bog all covered with glop were glaring at Harry like he was Voldemort himself. He started sweating profusely.

"Well," McTavish said, "get on with it!"

The rest of them sheepishly apparated to the other side. After the last one crossed they were all then instructed to cross back in reverse order. When they were all back on the side they started from the Instructor got them all back into formation.

"Now," he said, now grinning openly at them all, "Would anyone like to tell me the lessons we've learned here today?"

One of the recruits covered in muck raised his hand.

"Yes Mr. Finster?"

"Always let Potter go first!" Finster answered.

Everyone burst out laughing, except the Instructor. He wasn't amused.

"I certainly hope that's not the only thing we've learned here today ladies and gentlemen. Not only would you greatly disappoint me but it would lead me to believe that we may have been a bit to hasty in our selection for this program."

The snickering laughter died instantly.

"Does anyone else care to take another guess?" McTavish asked a bit more seriously this time.

There was quiet murmuring among the group as Harry glanced around. They all looked deep in thought. The only thing he could figure was that it had been a trick…sort of…but then again…it wasn't. All they were instructed to do was cross the peat bog.

With a bit of surprise Bridgette Patterson raised her hand.

"Yes Ms. Patterson?" The Instructor pointed to her.

"I'm a Muggle born sir and I heard a saying once that I think sort-of applies here."

"Is that so," McTavish said, "Care to share it with the rest of us?"

"Certainly," Bridgette said, "the saying was look before you leap sir."

A very telling and knowing smile crossed the big Instructor's face as he beamed at Bridgette.

"I couldn't have said it better me-self lass! Did everyone hear that?" McTavish asked.

Everyone nodded except Bridgette. When Harry glanced at her he immediately noticed she was looking at him out of the corner of her eye with a rather odd look on her face. It was the type of look you give when you're not quite certain of what it is you're looking at. Inquisitive, speculative, then she did something completely unexpected.

She flashed him what Harry knew very few girls in the world possessed but he knew three right off the top of his head, Hermione, Ginny and Cho Chang…a radiant, thousand-watt smile!

He couldn't help but blush looking at his shoes trying desperately to keep a straight face.

"Look before you leap!" McTavish restated, "Don't just throw yourselves into a situation without thinking it through first, yes? Archer, what made you decide to just heave off the edge into the muck like that?"

Archer just shrugged his shoulders turning beet red.

"I thought that's what we were supposed to do. I guess it was the fact that we had to give up our wands that made me think we were supposed to do it the Muggle way sir."

McTavish considered his response for a moment.

"I suppose I can see how you may have made that assumption lad but let me ask you…was that the first thing you thought of? Be honest."

"Yes sir," Archer replied.

"That's what I thought," the Instructor grinned, "and to be honest that's exactly what we thought you would do. All of you! That's precisely why we did it just this way, to illustrate the importance of three basic concepts we want you to remember going forward after today."

"First, never take anything at face value! Not everything is as it seems. Take time to assess your situation, study your surroundings and make certain you've looked at any given situation from all angles before you leap off that cliff or go rushing into a room full o' dark wizard types! Agreed?"

Everyone shouted assent.

"Second, never take for granted that what you're told is correct! How do you know the bloke in front of you is making the right decision! Question everything! I'm not suggesting you defy direct orders but silently ask yourselves, is this the best possible solution to the problem? What are the consequences of my actions? Don't be afraid to put your superior's orders to the test, to yourselves, of course but if you decide they are mistaken suggest clarification and/or make suggestions to alternative actions."

"And third, but equally as important, you are not in this alone ladies and gentlemen! If you see someone about to make a mistake in judgment or do something stupid…STOP THEM! We're all on the same side here. What affects one affects us all! Before we are through with this training you will be relying on four other members of your team. If you can't grasp that concept you will not survive here, is that clear?"

There was a mumbling of agreement.

"I can't hear you ladies and gentlemen!" McTavish boomed.

"Yes sir!" they responded loudly as a group.

"Better!" The Instructor said, "Now fall out and return to your quarters, clean yourselves up and report to the Dining Hall for lunch."

They began to disburse.

"Oh," the instructor said, "I almost forgot. Well done Mr. Potter in figuring out what older and much more experienced Aurors could not seem to!

As the rest moved off they passed by Harry.

"Good job Potter," Gorman said. He slapped Harry on the back

"Yah, indeed, well done kid!" Bloom added patting Harry on his head.

With pats on the back, chest and head most of those covered in muck congratulated Harry as they went by. Before he was able to react Harry now found himself dripping with the same smelly glop most of the others were covered in. It was even dripping off the corner of his glasses.

"YUCK!" Harry yelled as he stood there, arms outstretched, dripping, "Come on…!"

A sudden flash of irritated anger crossed his mind but as he looked up he saw the Instructor covering his mouth with his hand trying to stifle a fit of laughter. His face was red with effort.

The look on McTavish's face was all it took. Harry burst out in a fit of loud laughter. It was all he could do.

A few of the guys who had covered him with the muck turned and watched Harry for a moment. Archer and Harcourt, glancing at one another chuckling and shaking their heads, made their way back to where Harry was standing dripping with glop laughing like a loon.

"Come on kid," Harcourt said, throwing an arm over Harry's shoulder, "Let's go get cleaned up."

After they had all returned to their respective dorms, showered and changed into clean uniforms Harry felt much less tense. The rest of his dorm mates were all babbling with chatter about their first lesson.

"Well," Casey Quigley said, "I don't know about the rest of you but that bloody lesson made me feel a bit stupid!"

"Oui," Giles LeBlanc agreed in a heavy French accent, "Makes one feel a beet `umble to know zee youngest and least trained of uz all has more common zense zen zee rest, no?"

"Ah," Tillman Rogers chuckled, "The kid just got lucky this go round! Let's see how he does when things get a bit more difficult!" He was smiling at Harry as he pulled on a pair of clean socks.

"Hey," commented Daniel O'Rourke pointing at the rest of them, "The bloke kept me from takin' a bath in that muck. Far as I'm concerned…he's my hero!"

All the rest of them broke out sappy sounds of affection and gushing admiration, some making smoochy faces at Daniel but Harry could tell it was all in fun. They all seemed to be smiling, laughing and jovial in their jest so he tried not to take it personal.

Hobart Tubbs, the self-proclaimed eldest of Dorm 2 was a bit more serious in his pronouncement.

"Fairly damned telling if you ask me and since no-one has I'll put my two knut's worth in anyway just for good measure," he said tying the laces of his freshly cleaned shoe. "What that little exercise illustrated to me is how we are all used to doing things our own way and it took an eighteen year old kid to make us realize we all have a lot to learn not only about ourselves but how we view our rolls as Aurors."

"We have been expected to perform completely on our own in the field with nothing more than our wands and our wits! When you look at things in this new way, or at least in the way this program seems to be structured, it makes me wonder why the bloody hell they didn't do something like this years ago," he straightened with hands on hips looking over the rest of the group. "Maybe things would have been different if they had. I lost my best mate in the fight at the Ministry."

"That's because we didn't have Commander Shacklebolt at the helm then." Someone said.

"Indeed," said another, "but it took him spending time in the Muggle world to figure it out didn't it?"

"Perhaps," replied Tubbs with a sigh, "but I suppose things were quite different back then. It just aggravates me that we've been subjected to such inept leadership over the past several years, is all."

"Well, this Minister's different, isn't he?" Quigley urged, "Sees things from a different perspective and not afraid to take advice from his staff."

"Say Potter," Henry Nigglesby asked frankly, "Wasn't the Minister's youngest kid one of the Golden Trio?"

Here we go! Harry thought glumly.

"Yah," Albert Lydecker added, "You're right Henry. Went to Hogwarts with you and that girl…what's her name?" Albert snapped his fingers trying to remember.

"Her..mine Granger or something like that," someone else said.

"She's a little cutie that one!" Another bloke said.

"She's young enough to be your baby sister you dolt!" Someone shouted before Harry could get defensive.

"I know," the bloke replied, "but that doesn't mean she's not a looker."

Harry was starting to get a bit agitated but tried to keep his frustration from showing.

"Boy that Weasley kid sure went round the twist didn't he?" Tillman Rogers commented with a chuckle, "Talk about letting fame go to your head."

"I'm surprised you didn't jump on the Savior of the Wizard World express yourself Potter," Quigley said matter-of-factly looking seriously at Harry.

Harry felt the heat rising up out of the collar of his shirt.

"Look guys…" he was about to retort but Tubbs cut him off.

"See here you dunderheads," Tubbs snapped, "If I'm reading Potter right and I think I am, he appears to be just as adverse to all this Savior nonsense as the rest of us, am I right Harry?"

Harry could only nod.

"Otherwise we would have seen his mug plastered all over the front page of the Prophet but from what I gather there wasn't a single word about him…so, it's just as the Director says then isn't it…we're all equals here! Mind you all remember that."

With that Tubbs made his way out of the dorm.

"Maybe Tubbs is right," Harry heard someone say as he made to follow Tubbs out the door. He'd heard about enough for the moment, "Potter doesn't seem to have the big head at all does he?"

"No actually," someone else muttered, "seems to be a rather quiet bloke for someone who's done the things he has!"

There was a smattering of agreement among the rest. Harry suddenly just wanted to become invisible again and found himself missing his cloak for the first time in his life. He thought about the cloak as he made his way to the Dining Hall.

Kingsley had asked Harry if he could take the cloak and allow the Unspeakables in the Department of Mysteries to analyze it to see if they could reproduce the similar effects in another like it. It would be an invaluable tool to be used by the Infiltration Specialists on each team even if they could produce something that might be even close to the original.

Harry baulked at first. He knew it was irreplaceable, not just because it was one of the Deathly Hallows but because it was the only one there was, it seemed, even across the history of the wizard world itself. Besides, it had been his father's and it was one of the very few things he possessed from his parents. That in itself made it priceless.

When he had told Kingsley those concerns and reservations the Commander assured him he would guard the cloak as if it were his own, only allowing it to be in the Unspeakables possession for the duration of their examinations, then it would be locked in the vault in the Minister's office until it was returned to Harry. He had reluctantly agreed.

Hermione was beside herself when she found out. She seemed to have very little confidence in the Ministry's ability to control anything let alone something as important as the Invisibility Cloak. She told him about her list and since then Harry had not slept well with that knowledge, but then he had reminded himself and her that Arthur Weasley was now Minister and Arthur knew all too well the importance of that cloak. Still, it had not mollified Hermione much at all.

Even though, he knew he wouldn't rest easy until he had the cloak back tucked safely in his own trunk.

As he followed in Hobart Tubbs' wake he felt someone sidle up next to him. When he looked up he found himself starring into Bridgette's subdued face.

"I suppose I should thank you for keeping me from having to cross that muck but I'm not going to pretend you did what you did just for me," she paused like she wanted to say something else but then just added, "anyway…good job kid." She elbowed him in the ribs as she moved on ahead.

Her comment totally confused him for a moment.

Is it just me or is the girl completely self-absorbed?

Harry could do nothing more than shake his bewildered head as he made his way into lunch. The crack about him being a kid didn't set well but he quickly realized he was quite a few years younger than the next youngest Auror in the place so he was forced to admit, the description kind of fit.

There was much discussion about the first lesson and some that thought Harry should have figured it all out faster than he did. To his surprise it wasn't Tubbs who came to his defense this time but Bridgette Patterson herself.

Everyone else just accused her of sticking up for him because she got to stay dry but the poking and cajoling was all light-hearted. Harry, on the other hand found himself mired in the depressing thoughts he had earlier about having to deal with his notoriety.

He decided to cut his lunch a bit short and left before most of the others were finished.

The next morning found them being issued a program itinerary to show them what to expect in the first 8 weeks of training. It was all a bit confusing to Harry but some of the others helped him understand what to expect. The itinerary was as follows;

Part One Training Lessons;

*-Cross the Bog, Lesson in teamwork and using deductive reasoning while in combat.

*-Introduction to the Gauntlet - Daily exorcize; Physical training obstacle course changes daily. Everyone required to pass the Gauntlet to begin each day's training.

*-Defensive spell, incantation, ward and protection from multiple/simultaneous attack

*-Combat on open ground - Use of anti-apparition wards, spells and traps

*-Combat in tight, enclosed or clustered environments

*-Using items in surroundings to aid in combat

*-One-on-one Dueling - Misdirection Dueling - Doppelganger Dueling

*-Multiple Hostile Interaction

*-Wand-less/Voice-less commands, spells, incantations, hexes and jinxes

*-Mental Training; Group application; Level one

Fear - Dealing with Indecision, Confusion, Panic

Confidence - Trust in others, Courage, Creating a defensible position

Pain Management

Anger management, grief, sadness

Dealing with prejudice

*-Tactical House - First level training - Each room of cottage contains different sets of scenarios recruits must work through on individual basis such as Secure Location, Hostage Rescue, Curse/Ward Detection and Removal, Hostile Takedown, Infiltration and Escape.

Each morning after roll call they had a physical exercise period for one hour then…they had to make a pass through the Gauntlet. That appalling torture device was an obstacle course designed to enhance strength, speed, balance and endurance and all the recruits had to pass through it cleanly before the actual training session would start for the day.

Harry couldn't help but think the old Hogwarts caretaker Filch would have been beside himself with glee to see this thing!

It was very difficult for most at first and what made it worse was that the obstacles changed daily. After about the first week they all seemed to be getting a little better getting through the thing and by the second week, most could pass through the Gauntlet on the first try.

Harry spent an inordinate amount of time nursing aches, pains and bruises in places where he never even knew he had places! The daily physical training was brutal but after just a short time he started feeling himself getting stronger and quicker. The daily aches and pains seem to subside to just a dull constant throbbing.

What was even more surprising was that none of the original twenty-five recruits quit the program and everyone seemed committed to seeing it through to the end.

Harry found himself being subjected to all kinds of tests and intense instruction and seemed to be able to hold his own fairly well. He found his more experienced fellow recruits willing and able to help whenever he struggled with a particular task and began to feel a little more at ease in the entire program.

No-one seemed to care about who he was or what he had done but he also discovered very quickly he didn't know nearly as much as he thought. The lessons and training was very difficult and utterly taxing. They would all return to their barracks after a day's sessions and the evening meal completely spent and exhausted.

After a while they all seemed to settle into a regular routine and Harry started feeling more and more confident in his abilities even though most of the other recruits could still run rings around him. To almost everyone's shock it was the rather quiet and freaky gothic Tonks look-alike that had the highest evaluation scores of anyone in the program.

One Friday afternoon while Harry took his turn cleaning the latrines he heard someone out behind the barracks in a small clearing. It was getting a bit late and the rapidly approaching twilight prevented him from being able to see much. There was a lot of grunting and the unmistakable sound of punches being landed hard.

Someone's fighting!

Harry rushed to the place where the noises had come from and pulled up short when he finally could see what was going on.

It was the Tonks look-alike, Bridgett Patterson and she was sparing with what appeared to be a collection of uniquely carved pieces of wood connected by little bits of rope. The thing's basic shape was humanoid with head, main torso, arms, legs, hand and feet all jointed at the right locations of neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees and ankles.

Harry watched stunned as the wooden puppet-like think attacked Bridgett relentlessly with kicks, strikes, lunges and punches and was amazed at her skill at dodging, deflecting and blocking everything the thing was throwing at her.

At one point he watched as the darkly beautiful gothic woman deflected a punch and spun inside the wooden dummy's outstretched arm. She slipped her own arm around the dummy's head and with a grunting heave hoisted it over her shoulder using her hip as the fulcrum point. She twisted and spun again slamming the dummy to the ground hard enough to rattle all its joints.

Harry knew if that had been a real person there would have been some serious broken bones as a result of that takedown. He couldn't help but marvel how physically tough and strong this woman was…not to mention her incredibly well-defined body. She was wearing a pair of rather tight black sweat pants and a matching sports bra. She was also wearing fingerless black leather gloves and a black bandana that sported a white skull and cross bones insignia on the front tied around her head. Much to Harry's surprise she was barefooted and it wasn't what you would call warm outside. The icy wind coming off the North Sea felt like it could cut right through the thickest garments, even though she was covered in glistening sweat in the early-evening setting sun.

Bridgett Patterson was about the only recruit that kept mostly to herself. She wasn't very friendly nor was she the chatty type. Since that first day after the Peat Bog incident she had not spoken more than a dozen or so words to anyone but everyone quickly came to realize she was one of the most skilled and talented recruits in the program. She was also the toughest, meanest and scariest.

Harry was about to go back to his chores when he heard her speak.

"You spying on me kid," she asked without turning to look at him.

She hoisted the wooden dummy back to its feet and it stood a bit wobbly for a moment until it seemed to shudder then stiffen, taking up its disjointed arms and hands to stand rigid and ready to begin sparing again but instead of attacking it just remained where it was holding inhumanly still…waiting.

"No," Harry replied quickly, "I was just…erm…I heard something and…well…just sounded like someone was fighting and I thought…"

"Thought you'd be the knight in shining amour and rush to save the damsel in distress?" She quipped, tossing him a sardonic smirk over her shoulder.

That comment raised the hackles on Harry's neck. He was beginning to think this woman one of the most un-friendliest people he'd ever met.

"Well I suppose that explanation might work if I had know before hand there was a girl involved but I suppose that's just a mere formality to you isn't it?" He replied a bit heatedly, then turned and began making his way back toward the barracks terribly annoyed.

He stopped when he heard her start clapping slowly, each sound making a loud cracking noise in the crisp still evening air. He stopped and turned to regard her.

"Well done Potter," she sneered, "You really put me in my place with that comeback. I'm impressed."

Suddenly something in Harry shifted and he felt his anger flair white-hot. Against his better judgment and tossing reason and common sense to the four winds he stomped back toward the woman and got right up into her personal space glaring angrily at her.

They were both almost the same height so they stood eye to eye. Harry's looked the woman right into her dark mascara-trimmed eyes, the intensity of his own not faltering this time. He was too irritated to be coy.

"Did I do something to offend you Ms. Patterson," Harry asked in an even voice tinged with a heated frustration, "or do you always just act as if someone has piddled in your porridge?"

Part of him was a bit surprised he could find the gumption to face down this powerful and very intimidating woman like this (and be snarky to boot) but another part of him, the part that stood face to face with incomprehensible evil and certain self-destruction told him this was no big effing deal!

For a moment they both just stood there leering into one-another's eyes. Harry's a bit angry and hers completely blank, showing no emotion at all. She then did something completely unexpected…she smiled…that same glowing `thousand-watt' smile he had seen that day in the peat bog.

"Well, well, well," she whispered, "The Golden Boy does have a spine and is, apparently, one of the only blokes on in this program that does."

That comment caught him almost completely off guard. It left him even more confused.

"What in Merlin's name is that supposed to mean," he asked taking a step back putting his hands unconsciously on his hips. This woman was so weird!

Bridgett just shrugged, she stood relaxed still regarding him with some odd internal amusement that reflected from her eyes and crossed her lips in that same sardonic smirk.

"I guess I just thought you'd be the last one to have the balls to tell me I'm acting like a complete arse to my face, that's all." She smiled again.

"Acting like a…" Harry stated completely knocked sideways by this strange conversation, "Well, then why do you act that way all the time. You telling me you act that way on purpose? That's…that's…" He couldn't seem to find the words to continue. Harry just threw his hands up shaking his head in disbelief then turned to go back to his chores with a growl of frustration.

"It's just some stupid defense mechanism that has developed inside me over the years," she called out to his retreating back, "and I'm afraid it's become a really bad habit sometimes. Other times…it's necessary..."

Harry stopped and when he turned to look at her the woman's whole demeanor had changed. Gone was that sneering look as well as the defiant glint in her eyes. This time she was looking at her hands and the new look on her face could only be described as terribly sad and empty.

"I've never been very good at making friends," Bridgett continued, "I've been alone most of my life bouncing from one orphanage to another and I suppose teaching us social skills wasn't all that important to the nuns and social workers. I found it more useful to learn how to fight. It was a survival thing I suppose but I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand."

Oh boo fecking hoo for you…poor little thing!

Again, the hackles on Harry's neck stood up and he made his way back to the woman to stand in front of her, looking her right in the eyes again.

"Oh I think I understand a lot more about that sort of thing than you can possibly imagine Ms. Patterson," he replied evenly, "Part of the problem is no-one ever gives me credit for knowing anything, so why bother trying to explain."

"Oh really," Bridgett sneered putting a hand on her hip and shifting her weight cocking sideways a little, "What the hell does the great Harry Potter know about being alone! The whole bloody wizarding world loves you. I'll bet you can't go anywhere without getting mobbed by all you adoring fans!"

Harry's eyes narrowed and his lips set in a thin line.

"You don't know anything about me," he groused, then turned and again began making his way back to the barracks.

"All one has to do is read the Daily Prophet Mr. Potter," she quipped.

"Then that's your mistake Ms. Patterson," Harry huffed, "You can believe what you like! I don't really care!"

"Mistake!" she hollered.

Before Harry knew it the powerful woman had his arm clamped by his bicep and spinning him around to face her.

"Then why don't you set the record straight Potter," she pinned him with a serious glare, "that way I can give you proper credit for what you know."

"Why bother," Harry stated getting very angry now, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you!"

"Try me," Bridgett replied, releasing his arm and folding hers tightly under her ample breasts.

"Why," Harry asked again. He had no idea why she was pressing him so hard. What did she care about his life or his past and what difference did it make?

"It's like the Director said, isn't it," she stated a bit more calmly, "we're supposed to get to know one-another but I want to know the real Harry Potter, not the barmy sot talked about in pubs or written about in books and articles."

"If I'm going to allow someone to watch my back I want to know who I'm really dealing with and weather or not I can trust him or her, know what I mean. Besides…" she smirked a little playfully, "You're the only one I can't seem to read very well. All the other blokes in this program are fairly easy to get a hold on but you…"

She left that last comment hanging in the cool evening air between them.

Harry's shoulders sagged slightly. He hadn't even given that prospect a second thought. He just felt she was trying to take pot shots at him for being a stupid celebrity. She was right…it was about trust but he was too blinded by his own anger to see it.

"All right," he replied, looking at her seriously, "What do you want to know? I don't have any secrets or anything to hide so you can ask me what ever you like and I'll tell you the truth but at the moment I've got lavatories to scrub to a gleaming shine, my turn for latrine duty."

"Ugh," Bridgett made a screwed-up funny face sticking her tongue out and Harry couldn't help but smile, "Better you than me this go-round. Tell you what, why don't you spar with me. I come out here three or four evenings a week to train with a doppelganger but I think it would be much more fun putting you on your arse then a bunch of spelled firewood."

"Great," Harry quipped, "That's all I need. If I didn't get bruised and battered enough by all this crazy training why not add getting thoroughly throttled by the toughest girl on the planet! Sounds like cauldrons full of fun!"

"First," Bridgett replied chuckling, holding up a gloved fist with her index finger pointing in the air, "I'm not a girl and if I have to explain the distinction between a girl and a woman then I'm going to be very surprised and a little disappointed in you Mr. Potter."

"Second," she flipped her middle finger up, "While I'll concede I don't know much about you I have learned by watching you during our drills that you're not one to back down from a challenge no matter how hard it might be and while I appreciate your comments about being tough, which I like to think I am to a certain extent, keep in mind you don't know all that much about me either."

"So what do you say Mr. Potter? You can tell me all about the real you while I teach you a thing or two about hand-to-hand combat that this place will likely never teach you...how to fight dirty and never lose!"

Harry considered her offer for a moment. He was convinced the woman could teach him things he'd never likely learn anywhere else and the prospect of having that secret knowledge was tempting but the idea of being slung around like a rag doll wasn't all that appetizing however…

"Alright," Harry replied eyeing her a bit wearily crossing his own arms, "With a few conditions."

"And what are those Potter?" Bridgett asked lifting her chin slightly.

"First," Harry replied, holding his fist in the air with his index finger pointing skyward just like she had, "As long as you don't forget I'm not made of wood I'll spar with you."

Bridgett laughed.

"Second," he flipped his middle finger up but then paused, thinking, "Well, I don't really have a second condition. I just wanted to hold my fingers up to be as annoying as you are!"

With that he turned and bolted toward the barracks laughing like crazy.

"Oh, you dodgy little…" Bridgett huffed and tore off after him, "I'll show you annoying you barmy bugger!"

But luckily Harry had reached the rear entrance to his barracks before she could catch him gasping for breath and cheeks flushed from the cold night air. It was almost full dark now.

"You just wait Potter," he heard her call from outside, "I'm gonna tie your bloody behind into knots when I get my hands on you!" Thankfully she was laughing when she said it.

Henry Nigglesby, one of his dorm mates, who was lying on his bunk reading, looked at him with eyebrows raised.

"Making friends are we Potter?" He chuckled grinning, "I can't imagine you trying to put the make on that woman. You must have a death wish!"

Harry just shrugged grinning.

"Bridgett Patterson isn't so tough," he quipped knowing that statement was complete hogwash and the look Henry gave him seemed to suggest the man agreed.

"I'd be careful around her if I were you," he said folding an arm behind his head gazing seriously at Harry, "I'd rather tweak the tail of a sleeping Norwegian Ridgeback then tangle with that one. She looks like she could tear your arms off and beat you to death with them!"

"Yah," Harry agreed still grinning, "but something tells me that bark is far worse then her bite."

They regarded one another for a moment before both of them burst out laughing.

"That was a really stupid thing to say wasn't it?" Harry quipped.

""You're words," Henry laughed, "Not mine. At least I know you've got some common sense in that head of yours!"

As the weeks passed December was fast approaching and Director Boreguard announced they would be given leave for a week during the holiday. Harry was beside himself with glee and wasted no time in writing Hermione to let her know. The letter he got back was so disjointed (which was completely unlike Hermione) with excitement it had made him laugh.

The days seemed to fly by as Harry was totally getting immersed in the training and finding he was getting better every day. His very unlikely new found friend Bridgett Patterson, who had picked up the nick-name `Stormy' by all the others due to her rather abrasive nature, began sparing with him three times a week.

In the first few sessions Harry had to admit she had played nice for the most part with Harry only being thrown flat on his back a few times.

They spent the majority of that time talking and getting to know one-another. He had basically recounted his miserable childhood living in the Muggle world completely oblivious to magic, wizards and witches and she quickly regretted her snide comments that first evening. Harry just let it go in his usual unaffected manner.

After they had become a bit more comfortable personally with one another Harry found himself relaxing a bit more around the woman even though she remained just as guarded and seemingly aloof to everyone else.

Even though, as the weeks passed, even her hand-to-hand training got tougher but he was learning some very useful and surprising fighting skills. She was amazing and found himself getting stronger and tougher because she didn't treat him like someone special.

She let him have it…and the scrapes, bruises and knots were a testimony she was not about to go easy on him…but he was getting better every session and after a while Bridgett began to find herself on her own butt more than once in a while.

Bridgett had confessed many of the guys they were training with had made advances to all the other girls and they were becoming a bit frustrated with the unwanted attention but thought going to the Director to complain was a sign of weakness on their part. Apparently none had the gumption to put the make on her with the exception of one Armando Bloom.

That bloke thought himself the gift to women everywhere but was quickly surprised one afternoon after training when he made the horrible error of swatting Bridgett on her tight and well-sculpted bum after she had set another speed record on the Gauntlet obstacle course.

She had grabbed his hand and all but tied the bloke up into very uncomfortable looking knots before she turned him loose.

It grated against Bridgett's nerves and Harry saw how much it bothered her. It seemed that many of the blokes didn't seem to take the women very serious even though most all of the ladies in the program were better at the training then the guys.

There were a few who considered the women as nothing more than window dressing so the Ministry could make itself look good. It was Harry who came to their defense but he noticed attitudes didn't change much.

It made him a bit uncomfortable because he knew just exactly how powerful and amazing a girl could be…He was in love with one of the cleverest and most powerful there was as far as he was concerned.

He told Bridgett all about Hermione Granger and the things she had done to help him through those first years and gave her most of the credit for getting him through the darkest years of his life.

"She sounds like quite an extraordinary young lady Harry," Bridgett said one evening after a grueling workout, "I think I would very much like to meet her some day."

"Oh, I don't doubt that you will," Harry smiled, "I'm in love with her. She one of the only people in the world left who knows me well and one of the very few I can trust without question."

"Well," Bridgett said giving Harry a significant look, "Who knows Harry. If this program is successful maybe there will be a few more you can trust. I'm beginning to see the real you and I must confess you're nothing like I thought you'd be. The idea of knowing someone like you has got my back doesn't seem so scary any longer."

"Well Ms. Patterson," Harry smiled, "the feeling is quite mutual."

"Ugh," Bridgett smirked, "Please don't call me Misses! It makes me feel old and I'm not sure how I like that."

"Alright then," Harry grinned, "Stormy!"

Bridgett's face scowled in affected anger.

"And I don't much like that name either," she huffed folding her arms tightly across her middle.

"Stormy…Stormy…Stormy," Harry quipped laughing as he backed away from her.

"Keep it up!" She warned but Harry kept taunting her until she flew after him and they tangled in a heated grapple. The spar was very evenly matched with neither being able to get the upper hand. Finally they stopped panting and sweaty even in the cold winter air.

"Well, well," Bridgett huffed trying to calm her breathing, "You've certainly come a long way Potter!"

"I've got a really great instructor," he grinned gasping, "She's amazing. I'll introduce you to her some day but mind you, she can be a bit grouchy at times…"

"Oh you…" He was off again running for his life, Bridgett tearing after him while many of the other recruits watched them laughing, poking fun and taking bets as to how many knots she would tie his arse up into.

That next week the recruits of the E-Spec Division got another bit of good news. Since they had performed to the highest standards and surpassed expectations the Director and all the instructors agreed they should get a free day so that Friday, after Kingsley's weekly meeting, all the recruits found themselves on their way to the village of Hardaway for a day of rest and relaxation.

Some decided, with permission of the Director, to go exploring the island. Since some would be separate from the main group all the recruits were required to carry their new communication mirrors with them, just in case.

Little did anyone know how important they would be during that time and Harry Potter had no idea he was about to get a major case of `Been there-Done that'…

"So," a recruit named Peter Fourth asked, "what do you lot want to do?"

"Isn't there a pub in this town," Benton Hooper inquired as a large group walked down the road toward Hardaway, "I'd love a big mug of frothy ale right about now."

"Four actually," someone replied.

One of the female recruits, Deanna Cranbury sidled up next to Benton, who was a tall African man.

"You know," she added, "That sounds top notch that does!"

"Yah," Casey Quigley agreed, "It does!"

"That's all fine and dandy you all," Hobart Tubbs said, "but mind you don't get too pissed please otherwise the Director might think twice before he lets us come down here again savvy?"

The others all grumbled but none disagreed.

"Where did those other blokes go," Daisy Weeks asked.

She was a willowy blond girl that didn't look stout enough to break out of a wet cardboard box let alone fight a bunch of sinister dark wizards but she had proved time and again she could hold her own in all their training sessions.

She reminded Harry, sadly enough, of Ginny Weasley. With that thought he began thinking about Hermione and began missing her terribly.

"Preston Archer and some of the other blokes in Dorm 1 went off to explore the island somewhere," Hobart replied, "I just want to find a nice quiet place to sit and do absolutely nothing for a while."

Many other mumbled in agreement.

Bridgett must have noticed the far-away look in Harry's eyes and thumped him in the ribs with an elbow. He jumped slightly.

"What was that for," he glowered at her.

"You look a million miles away there Harry," she grinned, "Wouldn't want you to step in a hole and get lost now would we?"

"Very funny," He smirked.

When they finally reached the town of Hardaway proper most all the towns folk greeted them warmly and all the recruits remained on their best behavior.

Harry, Bridgett, Deanna and a few others decided to peruse the little shops and vendors as they made their way down the main street through town. Bridgett bought a new bandana and Harry treated them all to an ice cream cone.

It was one of the best cones he had ever had because it was all made by hand (and with a little magic as well.)

They were all sitting chatting about nothing important when Harry felt his mirror vibrate in his pocket.

He realized, while he reached for his, everyone else's mirrors must have gone off as well because they all reached for them at almost the same time.

When Harry opened his a face appeared on the mirror. He recognized the face at once but couldn't quite remember the bloke's name but then one of the other female recruits Tracy Marcus piped up.

"Hay, that's Egbert Ellsley," she said, "He looks a bit frantic doesn't he?"

Harry noticed what she meant. The man's face was a mask of sheer terror as he peered into the mirror, eyes wide as saucers.

"…NEED HEL…" his panicked voice was breaking up, "WE'RE IN…CAVE…THE SOUTH ….THE ISLAND! WE …HELP!"

That last word caught everyone's attention. Bridgett surged to her feet just as Hobart Tubbs came flying around the corner of the building next door to them.

"Did you lot catch that!" He yelled as he stuck his head into one of the shops where some of the others were, "I think we've got a few recruits in trouble! Come on you guys get the led out!"

The rest of the team Harry was with were all on their feet now moving toward Tubbs.

"What should we do Henry?" Someone asked.

"We're gonna find them," he replied emphatically, "I'm sure the Director's monitoring the Comm. mirrors but I'm not willing to wait for a response. Which way is south from here?" He asked the local who ran the ice cream stand. Both he and his wife pointed off over their shoulders toward the far end of town.

"Do you know the cave the man in the mirror spoke of?" Bridgett asked.

The man nodded.

"Yes, it's a cave on the side of the sea wall down near the water line. It's only accessible during low tide unless ye want ter take a swim. It's low tide now so I'm a bettin' tha's where the lad is. Follow the road south outta town. Ya' canno' miss it. You'll run right inta the sea!"

"How far…" Tracy Marcus asked.

"About a mile and a half I guess," the woman said, "Maybe two." She shrugged, "But no-one goes near that cave!"

"Why," Deanna Cranbury asked.

"Because it's a haunted place," the man said frowning slightly, "No-one who's ever gone in there has ever come back."

"Let's move you lot," Bridgett shouted as some of the others rushed up asking what was going on, "Think we should apparate?"

"NO!" Hobart Tubbs shouted quickly, "There's no telling where we'd end up because we have no idea where we're going!"

"Good point," Harry replied.

"LET"S MOVE," Tubbs shouted, "I think we might have some team mates in trouble!"

Nineteen recruited set off moving just as fast as they could along the south road out of town. Tubbs sent Daisy Weeks back to the compound just in case the Director and his staff were not monitoring the mirrors. As they ran just as hard as they could someone asked a rather obvious question.

"What the hell do we do when we get there? We have no wands?"

"I don't know," Hobart Tubbs said huffing as they bolted down the road past field upon field of frozen tilled up ground. The soil was a black as coal. Rich farm land stretched as far as the eye could see to the left and the right.

Tubbs pulled his mirror and tried to raise the ones who went exploring and called them by name but there was no answer. He also tried to contact the Director but again the mirror stayed stubbornly blank.

Ahead they began to hear the sounds of the surf bashing against the rocky shore of the island. As they got closer the dark grey of the North Sea stretched out in an endless expanse along the edge of the land in front of them.

When they reached the edge the land fell away and they stopped at the cliff an easy 300 meters from the crashing waves below. The sea looked ominous and angry under the steel grey of the sky above.

The wind lashed them like icy swords as they all stood peering down over the cliff.

"Surely they didn't go down there?" Peter Fourth remarked, "How the bloody hell would they have gotten down there?"

As they stood and surveyed the craggy broken landscape below, Harry spotted a huge rock not far off shore. It stuck up out of the grey roiling surf like a pointed bow of a ship and as the shape and angle of the huge black rock settled into his mind he realized with a sudden frightening clarity and a bitter realization…he knew exactly where they were.

It all came rushing back to him as he stood there suddenly frozen with fear. He could see the cliff wall in his mind as if he were standing on the big rock below them…because he had stood there once before…with Albus Dumbledore!

"I think I know where they are!" Harry shouted against the howling wind. He pointed to a spot almost directly below them, "We have to get on that rock to see the cave entrance!"

"How do you know that?" Bridgett asked gawking at him with wide eyes.

"No time to explain!" He urged, "We've got to get down there now! If they're in the place I think they are those blokes are in big trouble!"

"What do you mean Harry," Tubbs asked, "What kind of trouble?"

"Inferi!"

"WHAT!" Bridgett shouted.

Just as she was about to press Harry for further details they heard the unmistakable sounds of apparition behind them.

Director Thurston Boreguard was rushing forward with all their instructors in tow. They all had wands at the ready. He regarded his recruits with a rather knowing tilt to his lips.

"So what do we have here ladies and gentlemen?" The Director asked, "Mr. Ellsley's communication sounded rather ominous."

"We're not sure Director," Tubbs answered a little out of breath, "but Harry seems to know!"

Director Boreguard's eyebrows when up as he fixed Harry with a bemused stare.

"That so, Mr. Potter?"

"Look," Harry replied gesturing frantically toward the cliff, "There's no time to explain! We've got to get down there now! If those blokes went into the place I think they did they're all in mortal peril!"

"Indeed," the Director replied, "How do we get in Mr. Potter?"

"From that rock," Harry said pointing to the boat-shaped outcropping, "There's Inferi in that cave!"

All the instructors looked shocked and stunned.

"Inferi!" The Director reared back slightly, "Instructors let's go! Harry could you show us the way?" the Director asked and Harry nodded emphatically, "The rest of you stay put! We'll call if we need you!"

In the next second Harry was standing on the outcropping looking up at the black craggy cliff that loomed over him. There was no mistaking it now. This was the place where Voldemort hid the locket Horcrux and the place that contained the lake full of the dead.

He dove in the water head first without hesitation and swam for all he was worth. The freezing water bit his skin like serrated teeth and knocked the breath from his lings but he swam with purpose. When he lifted his shaking form out of the water all the others were clearing the water on his left and right.

He dashed forward into utter blackness but as he picked his way into the cave he heard the unmistakable sounds of yelling and screaming.

With a crack several wands came alight and chased the darkness toward the back of the short entrance. He remembered the opening to the underground lake was off to the left and he didn't hesitate to move forward with his instructors at his heels.

When they reached the edge of the lake, the scene before them made Harry's breath hitch in his throat.

Hundreds of Inferi were chasing what appeared to be three men along the narrow lip that ran the circumference of the lake. They were throwing rocks at them, punching, kicking and throwing bodies away from them.

Director Boreguard, along with his staff wasted no time stepping around him to intercede. Hey began throwing curses and hexes knocking the Inferi back into the lake but they were relentless in their single-minded pursuit.

"Use fire Director," Harry shouted, "That's what works best!"

Director Boreguard regarded him for a moment but then turned and he, along with the rest of the instructors unleashed an inferno on the dead that drove them spitting, hissing and screaming back into the lake.

"Armando and Heimlich are in the lake Director," Preston Archer yelled as he collapsed to the stone floor of the cave in exhaustion, "They drug them into the water!"

In the next second, two of the instructors had a spluttering and choking Armando Bloom and Heimlich Fletshpitzitzlebraugh dangling above the placid water of the underground lake up-side-down by a leg. They looked, for all the world, like drowned rats but they were alive.

When the other recruits found their way to the entrance they all collapsed near the mouth of the cave profusely thankful for the rescue.

"How on earth did a bloody cave full of Inferi come to be here?" The Director asked completely beside himself with anger and confusion.

He eyed Harry for a moment but said nothing as he assisted his staff in helping the five adventurous recruits find their way back up to the top of the cliff.

When they were all safely back on dry land Instructor Ali-Ben Hassim used his wand to dry Harry off.

"Thanks," Harry said giving his instructor a nod.

"What the bloody hell happened down there," Hobart Tubbs asked as he helped a shaking Egbert Ellsley to his unsteady feet with the help of Deanna Cranbury.

"We'll sort it all out when we get back to the compound Mr. Tubbs," the Director stated, "I think it best to get these five explorers settled and into the warmth for now."

Tubbs nodded and they all began moving back toward town. Some of the other recruits helped the other four get to their feet. Harry slipped his shoulder under a quivering Preston Archer along with Bridgett.

"Grab my bum Preston and I'll throw you back over that cliff, got it!" Bridgett groused but Preston didn't look like he was in the mood to do anything but vomit. He was fairly green, "And you throw up on me I'll toss your arse back to Great Briton!"

After they had all returned to the training compound Director Boreguard asked Harry to his office to explain his knowledge of the cave and what it contained. They were stunned to discover the truth about Voldemort and what he had done.

Not long before Harry was to leave the island before the Christmas break Kingsley came with a small army of Aurors and Hit Wizards to clean out the cave and seal it up so no other unsuspecting souls could get lost in the depths of the darkness and despair the Dark Lord had left in his wake.

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