Ah, another great chapter! Hmmmm, I wonder what would have happened if there had been a collaboration between the Marauders, Peeves and Dobby? It seems that that the one with Dobby, Peeves and Harry is making life interesting at Hogwarts! I loved seeing how Prof. McGonagall's gimlet eye saw the resemblance between Dobby and Sirius! And if Dobby teachers the next generation of Marauders...... she might look back on the Marauders and the twins as the "good old days"! I can't say I have any sympathy for Draco, paticularly if his "indisposition" has kept him from going after anyone lately. Hopefuly Dumbles' interference with the necessity for medical treatment of students will come back to haunt him! It's a pity that they had to cover Draco this time, but hopefully he'll get his very soon! (muahahahah) As for the necessary treatment.....well I'm sure that Draco will never forget it! It was also nice seeing Arthur give Dumbles a very public spanking! The image of "the Great Albus Dumbledore" took another hit and I wonder how many of the witnesses have children and Hogwarts and/or lost family, etc in the first war? They might start wondering how safe anyone has been with Dumbles' "leadership" and his acting as though Arthur shouldn't have provided a safe base for his family and friends with the DE's around. Dumbles's confirmation that yes, he did mess with peoples' minds and no, he saw nothing wrong in doing so was icing on the cake! Will the Dept. of Mysteries and any reputable mind healers start getting emergency calls for checkups? It was also nice to see the byplay between Arthur and Amelia, and Harry and Carolyn....chuckle. I loved those wards at the Burrow! The DE sign was priceless.... but given how well some DE's can read it wouldn't have mattered anyway. I also liked seeing the confrontation between Dumbles and McGonagall! Are her hands constantly itching for her claymore? Dumbles might find himself facing a mob with pitchforks and torches very soon! Trust Dumbles to get a bug zapper for Rita! It's a pity Snape won't meet any lethal wards as a bat! He really gives bats such a bad name too! So Dumbles intends to try and use the old "Harry is a dark lord" line? Given Rita's article he'll look like either the village idiot and/or a dark lord wannabe himself! Will Dumbles plan to replace Amelia with Parkinson get out through Snape and the DE's or through Harry's spies in the castle? Either way could be the last straw for dear old Dumbles....... As for Pansy, I'd say that neither her biological father nor her stepfather really gives a rat's elbow about her. It doesn't suprise me that her mother met a fatal accident either! Nice bunch, the DE inclined purebloods! Was it a case of which parent offed the other first? Harry's traing aids should make classes even more interesting, and I'd bet that Moody would love them! As for Harry and Hermione's latest "interlude" you know Voldy's got to be feeling the pain......such a pity! I liked seeing how Mrs. Figg was able to connect with Judith and Carolyn. I hope she also makes friends with the children! I think that she and Harry both will benefit from their interactions with kids.....and Harry's talk with Kyle about safety was well put! And as for Valentine's Day.....well Hermione kept her promise; no dwarves anywhere! I thought the flying elves were a great replacement! On the other hand Hermione best watch out, Harry does have a devious mind and might think of something in return! As always the next chapter will be waited for in great anticipation! :)
Author's response
Hello, Teresa.
Minerva and the gimlet eye.(Sounds like a cheap detective novel): She's been teaching for far too long to miss something like that. I've been raising my daughter since her mother died, fifteen years ago, and she still tries to pull one over on me and I keep telling her: "Birdy, I've already tried everything you're trying now."
The Marauders, Peeves and Dobby? That does not even bear thinking about. Imagine poor Minerva trying to control the school with them all?
As for Dobby teaching the next generation...alas, that is a story for another time.
Draco: With anyone else, it would be clear warning to 'back off', but as we've seen so many times before, in canon and fanon, Draco just doesn't learn! You're right though, He'll remember that particular 'treatment' for the rest of his life.
Dumbledore's interference: was borne of his obsessive need to keep Harry under his control. Draco'
s humiliation will indeed bring that into play, but it will also begin Dumbley's downfall. Remember, the story is scheduled to end in late June, and it's already February.
~~They might start wondering how safe anyone has been with Dumbles' "leadership" and his acting as though Arthur shouldn't have provided a safe base for his family and friends with the DE's around.~~
And that is exactly the idea I wanted to get across, both with the very public argument and the later article. Dumbledore is treating everything as secondary to his own requirements. The people who witnessed his bluster, will no longer look upon him as the 'epitome of the light', and with Rita's article, that opinion will spread.
More importantly, the population of Magical Britain is slowly beginning to see just how they have been led around by the nose. By the time I'm done, they'll be questioning everything, until it can be confirmed. It may not be convenient, but it will result in a better government.
The DoM will get the requests, and the ministry people will be first in the queue.
"Arthur!" Amelia said. "There are six dead death Eaters on your property."
"But the signs are right there!"
"Yes! Inside the wards!"
Dumbly/McGonagall: Absolutely! It's only Harry's request that's keeping her from going medieval on his arse!
Torches and pitchforks: May.
Actually, a bug-zapper is a very effective device. Since Dumbledore rads the muggle newspapers, (GoF) he would also read the adverts.
The lethality of the wards, were Dumbledore's bluff. Tactically, if you had a shape-shifting spy, it would make little sense to prevent that spy from reentering your defenses. Since he didn't want her to know of Snape's form, he lied. (It would also explain how he missed the Marauders attaining their animal shapes in the first place and that Pettigrew was in the castle for nearly eight years after he was supposed to have died.)
I took the bat from canon, which I thought was pretty stupid. (He made a Snape shaped hole in the wall) Somebody was watching Loony Toons!
Dark lord: He started the process back in September, but it never caught on. Now, he's going to try to blackmail the prophet into parroting his words or reveal their knowledge of Rita's animagery. It wouldn't help, though. He's burned too many bridges, and Harry's built even more.
Assassination attempt: Basically, yes. Since Dumbley wants the Deez to carry out his plan, Snape will have to bring the idea to Tom, who also want's her gone. as for final straw, also yes. Amelia isn't too forgiving of people who try to kill her.
Rat's elbow: aim a little farther south. I can see Snape as seeing it as a sexual conquest, and as for Parkinson, it would be well in character of the bigoted purebloods to have an adulterous wife to be killed, which is hypocritical in the extreme, given the number of men with mistresses.
Moody would have an orgasm if he saw them. "Potter! I want a hundred of these things for the Auror Academy!"
Interlude: Aah! Young love!
Mrs. Figg is an important character, as she was a moral foundation for Harry. He couldn't have picked up any moral guidelines from the Dursleys, as they had none themselves, and so he had to look elsewhere. Arabella is a victim of Dumbledore's depredations as anybody. Really, her only real fault with minding Harry was she couldn't allow him to enjoy their visits, or the Dursleys, under Dumbledore's control, would stop the visits. Dumbledore would take that out on her, and as I mentioned, since she' was already thought dead, it wouldn't be a problem for him to make it so.
With her newly formed relationship with Judith, she will learn some gentle exercises, study yoga, Tai Chi and the force, and became healthier and better able to help out.
Kyle: While in the castle he is perfectly safe, but children's habits form at a young age.
Hermione. Naah! All she has to do is take him to bed. Of course, he could tie her down and...
Thanks for you lovely review.
Alorkin