FicWad

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters, ideas, and situations created by JK Rowling and owned by her and her publishers. I own the original elements & characters. No money is being made by me, and no trademark or copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 18


Outside of Hogwarts, things were quiet for a week. Then, starting the night of September 22, wizarding houses started burning down. All were isolated, all were empty at the time. Between September 22 and the morning of October 13, 24 houses were destroyed; a loss of property, but not of life. No Dark Marks were seen, but the houses were certainly destroyed by some form of dark magic.

The houses belonged to a wide-range of families; rich and poor, from ancient Pure-bloods to those belonging to mixed couples to Muggles with magical children, in both Britain and Ireland. The Lovegood cottage in Ottery St. Catchpole was one of these, but Mister Lovegood had been spending the night at his Diagon Alley offices.

The night of Sunday, October 13, into the early morning of October 14, however, six houses were set on fire. All six were occupied. The Death Eaters did not try to attack those inside, or stay to produce the Dark Mark. Even though two were guarded and two were heavily-warded, all six burnt to the ground.

Five of the six attacks were designed to remind the students of Hogwarts that Harry Potter was a dangerous person to follow. The sixth was remind Harry that he was still a target.


Inside Hogwarts, those weeks had been somewhat strained, although Luna, Ginny, and Ron had thrown Hermione a big birthday party to try and lessen some of the strain on the DA members. The SDA practiced, and the joggers -- SDA, neutrals, and Death Eaters and sympathizers -- eyed each other warily. Draco Malfoy was noticeably quiet, and Theodore Nott seemed more in control of the Slytherin pro-Death Eaters for the moment, but they were not confronting the other students. Ginny's gossip informants claimed it was because Nott was too involved with Millicent Bulstrode to cause much trouble.

As Seamus had said of the tall skinny Nott and the tall, broad, and incredibly buxom Millicent, "That's a lot of woman for any man to handle."

By now, all the SDA in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were standing for the Monday Gryffindor processions, and most of their First, Second, and Third years were as well. Except for some friction between the First year Gryffindors and Slytherins, however, the various factions were content to give each other dirty looks in public. In private, there were still many attempts to sway the neutrals.



Monday, October 14, 1996

The first arrivals for the Monday procession were startled to see Professors McGonagall and Lupin waiting for them. Word quickly spread, and the entire House was present by 7:02. Harry, who was waiting for everyone to be present, then took a step forward. "What's happened."

"We need to speak to you and some of the other students, Harry," McGonagall said kindly.

'If she calls me Harry in public, especially in that tone of voice, something really bad has happened,' Harry thought. "I can't speak for anyone else, but if you have bad news for me, I'd prefer to hear with here, with my family, if it's possible."

"Miss Granger, Mister Finnigan, Mister Caradog, Miss Banks" (a Fourth year from a mixed-marriage) "and the Misses Patil. . . ." McGonagall started, but couldn't finish.

"Please tell us," Hermione said. "Harry's right, please tell us together."

"It will be harder to hear it separately," Parvati said, gathering her little sister to her.

"All your families' houses were attacked last night," Lupin said. "In the last war, the Death Eaters would break into the houses, torture and kill the families, and then leave. We, and most magical families, have based protections on that model. Last night, however, groups of at least four Death Eaters set five of the houses on fire, using a type of fast-acting fire-spell that has yet to be identified. All six houses were totally burnt; all six were occupied."

"Harry, the house on Privet Drive is gone, although the evidence is this was arson caused by Muggles. Your cousin is in serious condition at what the Muggles call a burn-unit, your aunt was less injured. Your uncle is not expected to survive. Miss Banks, your family is safe and fairly unscathed, although your home, and the business, are gone." Banks nodded, thankful her family was safe.

"Mister Caradog, the manor is of course made of stone, but the inside was gutted. All the members of your family were slightly injured, and I understand one of the house elves was killed."

Remus next turned to Seamus. "Mister Finnigan, I regret to say that while your mother is relatively unharmed, your father has been killed, and your sister is not expected . . . to survive." Seamus closed his eyes in pain, while Lavender hugged him tightly.

"Miss Granger," Remus said gently, seeing Ginny already hugging her and Ron hovering close by, "your father is also dead, while your mother is in hospital, and they are uncertain as to the outcome. Parvati, Sudipta, both your parents and your brother died on the way to St. Mungo's."

"Classes for Gryffindor are canceled for today," McGonagall said a tear running down her cheek. She turned to Parvati, "Miss Patil, Professor Flitwick will be bringing your sister presently towards the common room." She sniffled but managed to say, "My condolences to all of you. The Headmaster will be speaking to you . . . about arrangements."

Harry stepped forward. "Thank you, Professors," he said. "We'll take things from here." The two glanced at each other, and left.

Harry took a deep breath, reminding himself of the stories he had read in his last year at the Muggle school, stories of stoic British soldiers fighting in the Crimea, the trenches of World War I, and the Battle of Britain -- and even Vernon had honored the brave civilians of the Blitz.

He hadn't asked for this responsibility and didn't want it, but fate had chosen him to be the commander of these people. He would not let them down.

He gathered Hermione and Ginny in a tight hug, and held his hand out to the Patils. Sudipta ran and hugged him and Hermione, while Parvati comforted and took comfort from Seamus and Lavender. Ieuan and Margene's friends gathered around them.

After a few moments, Harry released himself from Hermione and Sudipta's hug, and was immediately replaced by Ron. Harry marched to the center of the room and stood on a chair, attracting most of the eyes in the room.

"I've said many times that this is not a game," Harry said, starting out quietly. "I told you that it would be dangerous; that people would be hurt, or even killed. I can't promise that if you follow me, your families won't be targeted. I CAN say that if Voldemort wins, all this will happen anyway. Either we fight, or we're slaves. I can not choose for any of you. . . ."

Parvati looked up, and asked fiercely, "Do you mourn with us, Harry?"

"What. . . ." Ginny started to ask, even more fiercely, but Harry stopped her. He stepped down from the chair and said to her, "I'm very sorry for your losses, Parvati."

"I know you are, Harry," she said, wiping her tears. "So no apologies are needed. I pledged myself to follow you, Harry Potter," she said, a little louder. She turned to face the other students. "If you fear losing your family, DO something about it! FIGHT HARDER!"

Harry leapt back on the chair. "If anyone wants out, stay here! But we are Gryffindor! We are a family. AND I SAY, WHOEVER ATTACKS ONE OF US ATTACKS ALL OF US!"

Hermione was suddenly standing next to Harry, and he had to grab her waist so she wouldn't fall off the edge of the chair. "I have followed Harry longer than anyone, except for Ron. Unlike some of you, perhaps, I have thought this through many times. I knew the risks from the end of my first year, and I haven't changed my mind today! I talked it over with my parents. They understood the risks. I may have lost everything I have outside this castle, or even this room, and I STILL say I made the right choices!" She took a deep breath, and managed to ask in a loud, steady voice, "WHO ARE WE?"

"GRYFFINDORS!"

"THAT'S BLEEDIN' PATHETIC!" Seamus screamed in fury, as he released Lavender. "WHO ARE WE?"

"GRYFFINDORS!"

"WHAT ARE WE?" Sudipta, Parvati, and Lavender yelled.

"THE BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE!"

"Remember Cedric Diggory!" Harry called out.

"AND REMEMBER THOMAS AND THE CREEVYS!"

"Let's go!" This time, Harry led them out.


The tenor of each week's march had been different. Today, there was no doubt that the mood was one of fury. As the march went past the first two suits of armor, they didn't salute as they always had before. Instead, they started pounding on their own armor and shields in time with the Marchers' left steps as soon as the march fully exited the common room. In less than a minute, all the armor in the castle was drumming in beat to the Marchers, including the pair in the Slytherin common room. Even the more martial paintings joined in.

As they moved, Harry sent a new call through the line, for when they hit the great hall.

As the march hit the ground floor, Professor Flitwick, Padma and the SDA Sixth years, and Luna and her room mates were waiting. A number of other Third through Seventh year Ravenclaws were watching from behind. Harry raised his hand for the line of Gryffindors to stop moving, but they kept marching in place. Ginny then started clapping on the beat, and within three beats the entire House had joined. Each Gryffindor's face was set, in determination, fury, or both.

Harry walked over and embraced Padma. "I'm so sorry," he said.

"Thank you," she sniffled. "We can't stop now, though, can we?"

"I don't think so," Harry said.

"May we join you, then?" she asked, her chin up, tears running down her cheeks.

"Of course," Harry said. "Come between me and Hermione and Ron, if you want," he told the other Ravenclaws.

"We want," Boot snarled. He glanced over at Corner, Cho, and their friends. "Others can whine about neutrality; I prefer to stand up and be counted. I'm with you now, Harry; all the way. No more reservations. I, no we, are yours to command." Twelve Ravenclaws fell in directly behind Harry, while Padma took Harry's place near the rear, next to Parvati.

When the group marched into the main entrance hall, the fourteen suits of armor in the hall had been making quite a noise for some time. The great double doors to the great hall, which had closed apparently of their own accord a few moments before, swung open with a bang. Harry stood aside, and the Ravenclaws, except for Padma, went to their own table, and then the Gryffindors and Padma marched down to their seats, Harry still in the lead. An empty chair flew from the head table to the very foot of the Gryffindor table.

"REMEMBER CEDRIC DIGGORY!" two thirds of the Hufflepuffs shouted when the Gryffindors were in place.

"AND ALL THE INNOCENTS, SLAUGHTERED!" the Gryffindors responded.

A great silence descended on the castle for three beats, except for the sound of the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs sitting down.


Then the beat continued, an echo from the very castle itself. The beat of magic. Aroused.

Angry.

Vengeful.

Wrathful.

thump

thump

thump

thump

Ginny Weasley picked up her knife and fork and joined the beat.
thunk

thunk

All the Fifth and Sixth year Gryffindors, plus Padma Patil, seated next to Parvati, joined.
Thunk

Thunk

The ceiling of the great hall, which had shown a totally over-cast sky, despite the sunny day outside, suddenly parted, showing Harry in a faint nimbus of sunlight.
Thunk

Thunk

Thunk

All the other Gryffindors, except Harry, joined in.
Thunk!

Thunk!

Luna and the Sixth year DA officers in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff joined.
Thunk!!

Thunk!!

Half the Hufflepuffs and a quarter of the Ravenclaws joined in. Word had spread to all the tables about the murders. The students were expressing their pent-up fury, their hurt, their righteous anger.
THUNK!

THUNK!

The clouds parted again, shining on Dumbledore, while the light on Harry grew slightly with each beat.
THUNK!!

THUNK!!

Nearly all the Hufflepuffs and over half the Ravenclaws joined.
WHUMP

WHUMP

WHUMP

WHUMP

At the head table, where all the staff except the two Divination professors and Binns were present, Hagrid joined.
WHUMP! The dishes on the staff table jumped.

WHUMP!

WHUMP!

Tomas and Mona Zoric, the tearful McGonagall, and Remus Lupin joined.
WHUMP!

WHUMP!

Flitwick joined.
WHUMP!

All the staff except for Dumbledore, Snape, and Sinistra joined.
WHUMP!

WHUMP!

WHUMP!

WHUMP!

WHUMP!

Only a few staff, and Harry, noticed, but the light was now faintly striking Ginny, Hermione, and, Luna as well.
WHUMP!

WHUMP!

Sinistra gave Snape a shrug and joined.
WHUMP!!

WHUMP!!

WHUMP!!

WHUMP!!

WHUMP!!

CRASH! Thunder rolled across the great hall on each beat, as the five Slytherin prefects and the Head Boy joined in.
CRASH!

Four other Slytherins joined.
CRASH!!

CRASH!!

CRASH!!

CRASH!!

Harry stood, and the sounds from the castle faded into almost nothing, but the people continued.
bang!

bang!

bang!

Harry held his hands up, and staff and Slytherins stopped, while the other students kept the beat going more softly.
thunk

thunk

thunk

Harry looked straight at Draco Malfoy, who sat, looking stunned. Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy and some of the others looked terrified. He couldn't see the looks on Nott or Bulstrode since they were facing away from him. Harry forced himself to turn and address Snape.
thunk

thunk

thunk

"I know there are not only some people who approve of the murders and attacks committed last night, there are some who even take pleasure in them. To those people, I say, WE WILL NOT BE FRIGHTENED INTO SURRENDERING! WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF THE COWARDS WHO BURN DOWN HOUSES FILLED WITH SLEEPING CHILDREN! WE KNOW WE WILL FACE LOSSES, BUT WE ALSO KNOW WE SHALL WIN!"
thunk

thunk

"WE WILL WIN BECAUSE WE ARE NOT JUST FIGHTING FOR OURSELVES! WE ARE NOT FIGHTING FOR SELFISH POWER! WE ARE NOT FIGHTING FOR REVENGE! WE ARE NOT FIGHTING OUT OF FEAR! WE ARE NOT FIGHTING FOR ANYTHING SOME OF YOU WILL EVER UNDERSTAND! WE ARE FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE!"

Ginny and Luna picked up the word with the beat. "JUS-tice"

"JUS-tice"

"JUS-tice"

The whole group of pro-SDA students, including a few of the Slytherins, was now softly chanting it. Believing it; praying for it; even willing the idea to come true.
"JUS-tice!"

"JUS-tice!"

"JUS-tice!"

Harry took a deep breath, and went on. "SOME OF YOU WANT TO STAY NEUTRAL; SOME OF YOU HOPE RIDDLE CAN BE DEFEATED BY PASSIVE RESISTANCE! THAT CAN NEVER WORK AGAINST A DISHONORABLE OPPONENT! BUT WE ARE NOT AGAINST YOU! LIKE YOU, WE HAVE THE GREATEST FORCE ON EARTH ON OUR SIDE! WE HAVE THE GREATEST MAGIC OF ALL! WE HAVE. . . ."

"LOVE!" Harry, Luna, Ginny, and Hermione screamed.

All the students supporting Harry stood up and screamed the chant, aiming it directly at Snape and Malfoy and his friends, while feeling it grow amongst them.
"LOVE!"

"LOVE!"

"LOVE!"

"LOVE!"

"LOVE!"

Pansy Parkinson, Bellatrix Malfoy, and Andrea Pucey fled first, followed by two thirds of the Slytherins within the next five beats. Cho and her clique sat, crying, while Corner and Cornfoot looked very nervous. Zach Smith sat isolated at the Hufflepuff table, with a quivering sneer on his lips. Snape then rose and made a dignified exit, followed by many of the other Slytherins, some reluctantly, until just ten were left at the Slytherin table, who had also joined in the chant, causing thunder to again roll through the castle.

Without a signal, as a group, the students stopped as the double doors shut behind the last departing Slytherin, and the castle was silent. Harry sat down and said hoarsely to Ron, "Pass the pumpkin juice."

The spell was broken, and most of the students burst into a ragged cheer before settling down to eat.

"What the bloody hell was that!" Ron asked, his eyes wide.

"We tapped into the powers of Hogwarts itself," Hermione said.

"That's why it was amplified when members of all the different Houses joined in," Harry agreed. "Save me some toast," he added, getting up and walking from the base of the Gryffindor table across the short distance to the dias where the head table was. Some of the staff were looking at him very warily, unsure what they had just experienced.

"Yes, Mister Potter?" Professor McGonagall managed to ask, since he seemed to be heading for her as he stepped up onto the dias.

"May I ask a favor, Professor, from you and perhaps Professor Flitwick?"

"Certainly, my boy," Flitwick answered.

"May Padma join her sisters in our common room if she wants? Or may Parvati and Sudipta join Padma in Ravenclaw, if they prefer?"

The two professors looked at each other, and both shrugged. "Of course, Harry," McGonagall said.

"Whichever way they and their friends prefer," Flitwick added.

"I think some of us need to speak with you, Commander Potter," Dumbledore's soft voice said.

"Eight thirty, sir?" Harry asked. Seeing the surprised look at Dumbledore's face, Harry said very softly, "I need to speak to them first, and with Gryffindor's classes canceled for today, I believe all four Heads of Houses are free, if you need to have any present."

"Very well thought of, Harry," Dumbledore acknowledged. "Hogwarts has chosen its new champion very well. Even more so than I had thought."

Harry smiled grimly, and left to tell the Patils.


"Are you in trouble, Harry," Irena asked as breakfast broke up.

"No," Harry assured her. He turned to Hermione. "I am sorry," he said simply.

Hermione nodded, her eyes filled with tears as she remembered what had happened to her family. When Ron again hesitated, Ginny took Hermione's arm, and soon just Ron and Harry were standing together.

"What do I do, Harry?" Ron asked, tears now in his own eyes. "What can I say to her?"

"Do you really love her, Ron," Harry asked.

"I think I do," Ron said, "but I never know what to say."

"Ron, I say this as your best friend," Harry said seriously, "for once in your life, try not to say anything. You'll try to say something funny, to break the tension, and it will be the wrong thing to say. Hold her, and if you have to say anything, tell her you love her and that you'll be there for her for whatever she needs. No one will make fun of you."

"I just don't know if I can do this, Harry." Ron looked very torn and young.

Harry patted his taller friend's shoulder. "You can, if you really care, Ron."

"Thanks, Harry," Ron said. He started to turn, but stopped. "Were you scared this morning?"

"Scared? No; but I was VERY aware that I was riding something bigger than any of us. I promise, I'll be careful. And I know you and Hermione will keep me straight, if it goes to my head."

Ron smiled. "Good." He jogged off, and Harry went to see Dumbledore.



When Harry came from comforting Hermione and the Patils, there was only Dumbledore, Zoric, and Lupin in the Headmaster's office. There, he was told Vernon Dursley had indeed died. "I thought we should talk," Dumbledore went on. "There is no reason to involve any one else. Do you know what happened this morning, Harry?"

"Of course," Harry answered.

"Would you mind enlightening us?" Lupin pleaded.

"Hogwarts itself somehow resonated and amplified our collective magic -- it really jumped when the Slytherins joined," Harry said.

"Is that all?" Dumbledore asked gently.

Harry half-smiled. "No; it felt . . . almost as if I could reach out and channel that power."

"If you wish to make a commitment, you may channel that power," Dumbledore told him.

"Is that what you meant by 'champion'?"

"Exactly," Dumbledore agreed. "In some senses, it resembles matching a wizard and wand. Within strict limits, it amplifies your power slightly in all types of magic, greatly in a few areas, especially in defense of the castle and students."

"What limits?" Zoric demanded.

"In terms of time, there is a ceremony. For a week after that ceremony, Harry should not leave the castle. He should not go further afield than Hogsmeade or the Forbidden Forest for at least ninety days. His extra power will apply as far as the ends of the grounds fairly fast, perhaps a month or so, but will never extend further than about twenty miles -- or at least mine has not. Outside that boundary, he may appear to be a more powerful wizard than he is now not because he is actually more powerful, but because he is more in touch with the power within himself."

"Can the ceremony go wrong?" Lupin asked.

"No; if he is rejected, he will not be harmed."

"How many champions are there?" Harry asked.

"You would be the twenty-seventh since the founding of the school. The twenty-fifth died a dozen years or so before my birth. The previous champions are not ghosts here, but some have left strong echoes, to guide champions when there are no living ones present."

"What other limits are there?" Lupin asked.

"A champion must spend no more than a year away from Hogwarts; if he does, he will start to weaken. The way to avoid that is spending twenty-four consecutive hours at Hogwarts. For every day you are weak, you must spend an extra day here. I suspect, Harry, if you take on this role, you will be neither a professional Quidditch player nor an Auror, but like myself, a humble teacher at Hogwarts."

"How long have you known?" Harry demanded, angrily.

"Since this morning; I suspected it since you found your way to Fluffy and the trap door your first year. The castle has helped you more than most years of students combined. However, suspicions were not proof, and I felt forbidden to mention it without proof." Dumbledore frowned. "You will often get feelings like that, Harry. It is the castle itself. It is not alive nor sentient, but it is a manifestation of Higher Magic. It is never totally wrong."

"That simply means we don't understand it," Lupin complained.

"True," Dumbledore agreed.

Harry thought a moment. "What do you recommend, Master Tomas?" Harry asked.

Zoric shook his head. "I cannot say, Harry. I will say, I will help you no matter what your decision."

"I have to agree with Tomas," Lupin said sadly. "Under other circumstances, I would say no, very strongly, but I just can't today."

"I can't do it today," Harry said. That drew their attention. "I need to attend Mister Granger's funeral, and hopefully the ones for the Patils and Finnigans. If I do it Friday afternoon, I can still go to Hogsmeade the following weekend."

"And your uncle's?" Remus asked.

"I doubt Aunt Petunia, let alone Aunt Marge, will want me there," Harry answered.

"May I check for you?" Remus asked.

Harry hesitated, and then nodded.

"And if there are more funerals next week?" Zoric asked, making the other three wince.

"Then I shall have to be too ill to go," Harry said.

"You may go to Mister Granger's," Dumbledore said. "I shall explain to the Miss Patils and Mister Finnigan why I cannot let you start going to funerals as a rule."

Harry was about to object, when a new thought hit him. "I'll be able to really control magic within the grounds of Hogwarts, to actually see it?" Harry suddenly said.

"Yes, Harry."

"Then I won't be able to play Quidditch, will I? I'd have an unfair advantage."

"Since you play Slytherin first, that should not be a problem. It would take a great deal of determination to control the snitch, which is an amazingly complex magical object, and under normal circumstances that should not occur until after the end of the season. However, you are correct, in that you could not play next year."

A chime sounded. "Someone wishes to visit. Can you tell who it is, Harry?"

"Professor McGonagall?"

"Exactly."

Harry shrugged. It might have been a lucky guess.

"News, Professor McGonagall?" Dumbledore asked as she entered.

"Very bad news, I regret to say," she answered. "Muggle investigators sifting through the remains of the Grangers' house discovered four more bodies. They have been identified as Miss Granger's grandparents. Even worse, Hermione's mother died on the operating table."

"Hermione once told me she was from a long-line of only children, Harry said. "There's no one to help her." He looked around. "Can't someone help? I'd take on any costs."

"Actually, her maternal grandmother was a squib," McGonagall said. "She does have a magical older half-sister, although they have not . . . had not spoken in many years."

"You?" Harry asked.

She nodded. "I had planned to tell her after her N.E.W.T.s. Otherwise, she might have worried I was showing favoritism."

"If I may, shall I tell her all this?" Harry asked gently, since the professor again seemed on the verge of tears.

McGonagall merely shook her head. Then she took a deep breath to explain, "I believe she is in her room, with her dorm mates, the Patils, Miss Weasley, and even Miss Lovegood." Boys of course were not allowed in the girls' area.

"I believe Harry can be trusted," Dumbledore said. "Come here, Harry."

Dumbledore stood, and Harry stood beside him. The Headmaster produced a key, and shook hands with Harry, the key held between their hands. Dumbledore mumbled an incantation, and Harry felt a slight frisson of power. Suddenly, for a fraction of a second, it was as if he was aware of all of Hogwarts.

Dumbledore nodded. "That confirms my suspicions even more. It is well you have a good working knowledge of Occlumency. For now, the key will allow you, and only you, access anywhere in the castle. Officially, you are now the special security prefect. For any door, open or secret, touch the key to it and simply say 'access.' For a warded threshold, hold the key in front of you, say it, and wait five seconds. I suggest you call out 'man on the floor' in the girls' area."

Harry nodded. He turned to McGonagall. "I'm sorry for your loss, Professor, but I am glad Hermione and you will have each other." She nodded silently, since she was now past the verge of crying.

"And the Patils?" Harry asked, turning to Dumbledore. "Sudipta said something about some Slytherin relatives?"

"Nearly all of their relatives have returned to India over the years," Dumbledore told him. "There is a maternal uncle, a partner in the firm who was a Ravenclaw. I shall be speaking to him shortly."

Harry nodded and turned to leave.

"Harry!" Harry turned and faced Dumbledore, puzzled. "I shall only inform Professor McGonagall of the other matter. May I ask that you tell no one?"

Harry thought a moment. "I think I should tell Hermione and Luna. I think I'll need their help."

"You are probably correct. But not until after the funeral."

Harry nodded his agreement, and started to leave. Then he paused and asked, "Are school uniforms appropriate for both wizard and Muggle funerals?"

Dumbledore nodded. "The blazers are appropriate for Muggle funerals; both would work at a wizarding funeral, although dark dress robes or a nice work robe would be preferred over the blazer."

Harry thanked them, and left.


**
Another writer did part of this chapter from Neville's point of view (with my permission). It may be found here: http://www.thedarkarts.org/authors/tycelchu/DAO01.html (or at least it should be, it seems to be temporarily lost)