Ponders......will the idiot DE's decide that facing the maniac with the weird sword is safer then telling Voldy what happened at Bones Manor? That assumes they have at least one working brain cell, and I've never seen much evidence of that possibilty! The takedown of Snape and Dumbles was excellent, and I hope that humiliation is their new best friend! Has Harry chosen the first members of the Jedi council? If so, will Neville and the twins also be on it? I'm looking forward to Augusta and Neville's reaction to the news about Bellatrix. i liked seeing how harry and Hermione's relationship is advancing, and how Susan used her attraction to Harry to trick Dumbles! As always, a most excellent chapter! :)
Author's response
Once they face him...probably. While not the most intelligent of creatures on Earth, even Voldy's thugs have a sense of self-preservation. I counted out the casualties and added a half dozen to account for Amelia before Harry arrived. Out of an a strike force of fourty Deez, between seven and twelve returned. Five were captured and the rest were killed. I wouldn't want to report such casualties for a failed mission.
Voldy tends to take such disappointments out on his minions.
Dumbledore is caught up in his own superiority. His mistake is that he cannot imagine anyone being better than he. He based his attack on both the idea that no one would oppose him, and that Harry was incapable. He also had never seen a lightsaber before.
Snape, anytime I get to stomp on Snape, I take it. He strikes me a s the type who strikes from the darkness and expects to escape unscathed. I found out the hard way that a bully will continue to bully until his nose is broken.
Still, he does have a powerful protection, as will be seen in the next chapter. Don't worry, He'll be getting the punishment he truly deserves near the end.
Harry has indeed chosen his senior lieutenants. It will consist of Hermione, Luna, Neville, Susan, Tonks and Remus. Reasons fort that grouping will be explained later.
While I love the twins' characters, I need someone who can be serious. They will be in the group, but as regular students.
Voldemort. He's gonna throw a tantrum. He's also gonna be royally pissed that his spy in in custody. I suspect Snape is going to have a very painful reunion.
I wanted Harry and Hermione together, and while they are being intimate, I don't want this to be a major point of the story, otherwise I'd have to write the love lives of all the characters and that would be counterproductive. Suffice it to say what goes on behind closed doors stays there.
Susan. She was raised by one of the finest Aurors in the service. I was a cop for several years, and I've taught my daughter the survival tactics I learned both there and as a Marine. That includes deception.
Thank you. I'm gad you're enjoying.
Alorkin