Harry Potter and the Six Founders

Chapter 9 - Serious endeavors

In the morning the various chests and cages holding everyone's belongings and pets were assembled and they made their way to King Cross Station and to platform 9 ¾. After the usual rush, they found themselves a compartment and took their seats, grinning in anticipation.

Remus and Tonks were also riding the train, and Harry assumed that more protection was being organized. In his mind he imagined Mad Eye Moody leading a squadron of exhausted Aurors on broomsticks, criss-crossing the sky above the train for hours, and his grin widened.

"What are you thinking of?" asked Ron. Harry told him and they all laughed at the image until a knock on the door interrupted them. It was Draco, alone.

Ginny went to open the door and he entered. They greeted each other. The atmosphere became more subdued, even though they exchanged timid smiles.

"Ok Draco, let's get this over with," said Harry, breaking the ice. "You're blowing our minds. Until we get your story, we won't be able to think about anything else. What really happened?"

Draco grinned at the admission. He understood their position well enough.

"All right. I was changed." He grimaced. "It was done according to the Slytherin way, which most others would probably find pretty brutal, but it's something which we all accept. We pride ourselves on being stubborn and hard to break."

They listened to him with attention.

"What you say is very interesting," said Hermione. "I'm convinced that we should all have a better understanding of the basic principles behind the various Houses."

Draco nodded and went on to describe, briefly, his feelings at the start of the summer and, in more details, the events at Salazar's Retreat.

When he described the ceremony of the Marking of Snape they all winced. He kept his eyes downcast.

"I couldn't watch it to the end. It was sickening. And worse of all, it was my own father."

When he got the time when he was left alone for the night, he found that Ginny's hand was on his shoulder. Somehow it seemed normal, and it certainly felt good. At least the others didn't remark on it. Perhaps they hadn't noticed, so enthralled were they by his story.

Draco continued. He watched Harry's face when he described the Sorting Hat and sure enough, the other boy's eyes opened wide. Yeah. How would you like to meet your precious Gryffindor? He knew the answer of course.

Harry was fascinated. Immediately he determined to find a way to share the same experience.

Will Dumbledore let him me borrow the Hat? Would it work?

When Draco finished his telling they all stayed silent for a moment. The shopping cart went by and Ron jerked up and stopped it. He started to order their usual selection - basically everything on display. Harry absentmindedly passed him a purse of money. It was now an accepted tradition that Harry always paid for the group treats.

Ginny took the occasion to adjust her position.

"So basically you changed your outlook concerning muggles and heredity," summed up Harry.

"And the practice of what everyone calls the Dark Arts," corrected Draco. "Voldemort is wrong because he uses false pretences to pursue selfish aims. He is a perversion of Slytherin ideals."

"He's evil!" cried Hermione, outraged. "He kills and tortures people! Isn't that the most important?"

"You're right of course, but if he only did that, he would simply be a criminal. He wouldn't have as many followers and he wouldn't be such a menace."

"He's right," added Luna. "Last year Voldemort was protected by the Ministry. If it hadn't been for Fudge's attitude, the Aurors would have hunted him from the start and nobody would have given him refuge."

"Hermione. Let there be no misunderstanding," said Draco earnestly. "Neither I, nor Salazar Slytherin would ever condone such actions. He told me so. They are not even necessary for unleashing powerful magic as you have demonstrated. It is unfortunate that they are an easy, if inefficient, way to do so. The way the Dark Arts are taught is partly responsible for it by not stressing the danger involved. That kind of magic should only be attempted by wizards with the appropriate discipline and moral fibre."

"You mean Slytherins?"

"Not necessarily, but part of our training is supposed to forge these qualities. Then again there have been perversions."

Hermione pondered this. Draco continued.

"Right now my main goal, and professor Snape's, is to correct this and to restore our House to its proper standing. In the school and outside it. This implies that Voldemort be destroyed and it should fit with what I understand of your plans. Can you tell me more about your side of it?" he finished.

"Yes," answered Harry. "Our objective is to reunite the Houses and the wizard community against a common enemy, but that's suppose to be a temporary thing, and around a set of common values."

"We start with the DA group - which I hope you'll join, along with other Slytherins - then the whole school and then onwards, through a new association which we'll be launching."

"What are those common values?" asked Draco.

Hermione passed him a stack of papers.

"This is the current draft for the bylaws of the association. It combines input from a number of sources, including Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. For obvious reasons Slytherin is under represented but you're here to remedy to that."

Draco scanned the pages. After a few minutes he frowned.

"I don't understand this part about House Elves and magical minorities." Hermione sighed and described once again her position. She'd already toned it down a lot - it was actually mostly symbolic - and she despaired of ever being understood.

Draco grunted and shrugged his shoulders. House Elves exploitation wasn't something which bothered him a lot.

"Okay I'll think about this later. Let's leave it at that for now." He continued reading silently. When he finished he handed back the sheets.

"There are a number of minor points which I would like to change, but basically I would agree with such a document," he said. "It will take some work however to have a majority of Slytherins to go along."

"That is actually the case for most of the school," intervened Luna. "We know we're still at the level where we have to convince people individually. When we'll attain a critical mass such a document will really be necessary and made public."

They discussed some more until Hermione reminded them that it was time for the prefects to have their meeting. They changed into their school robes, and then she, Ron and Draco got up to leave the compartment and make their way to the head wagon.

"After the meeting I'll have to spend some time with my House," explained Draco. It's going to be complicated enough with the best of them."

At that point Harry let out a yell and put hand to his brow.

"Harry! What is it?" cried Hermione.

"Scar... Burning!" said Harry through clenched teeth.

He forced himself to enter the Occlumency routine and the pain subsided, at least it became more bearable.

"Someone warn Remus quickly!" he breathed.

A tremendous noise was heard, and the train began to lose speed with a screeching sound.

Hermione activated the general alarm on her magical DA coin. They all took out their wands and Ron began to organize them.

"Luna you stay here and try to get feedback from Harry. Hermione you go and get Remus, I'll handle the DA students. We'll have them post lookouts in all directions. Draco and Ginny take out your brooms. If somebody's not on patrol we may have to be ready to fly outside." He was all business and no one objected.

Harry closed his eyes and tried to extract some information from his connection with Voldemort. It was difficult because, if he opened his perception too much, the pain returned in force.

Hermione hesitated and bit her lips. She couldn't help him. Ron was right and it was important to organize their defense. They had discussed that Luna's talent could be used to help Harry communicate in case he was attacked. They couldn't relay the information through the coins yet - she would have to develop a kind of talky walky. Stupid not to have thought of it before.

She ran toward the head compartment where Remus would be staying with the Aurors. She found him in the corridor.

"Harry's had a scar attack. The DA's organizing to defend the train. I'll be relaying any information we can have."

"Right!" said Remus. "We're sending scouts outside to give us some information. Tell Draco, Ginny and Ron to get ready to fly but not yet. Unless they're very close, we should be safer in the train."

She went back to check on Harry. Ron was organizing the DA students into trios, two for defense and one for attacks, and posting them at critical positions.

Harry whimpered in pain. He was locked into a mental battle with Voldemort and the pressure on his mind was terrible. He did get a picture of the train, seen from the front on their right. He struggled to rebuild his Occlumency shield, and he was barely aware of Luna giving the information to a white faced Hermione. After a moment the pain abated.

He was panting. Luna had his face in her hands and was looking at him anxiously.

"Are you all right Harry?"

"Yeah," he gulped.

Hermione came back saying that the aurors were converging on the supposed location.

"Listen." he told her. "I think I can hold, or at least hamper him. It could give them an edge when they attack."

She looked at him anxiously. She wanted to scream out to tell him not to attempt such a dangerous thing. But she knew it wouldn't make any difference.

"I won't be able to do it long so we'll have to time it," he continued. "Can you set up a relay to do that?"

She didn't move.

"It's all right Mione," he said gently.

"Right." she said finally and went out again.

He sighed and forced a grin at Luna.

"Not my idea of fun."

She grimaced. She had been able to feel part of his pain. She could block most of it, but even then it had been pretty bad.

"Lie down and rest. I'll try something."

He did and she positioned her fingers on his temples and placed her brow against his, after a moment he felt a delicious soothing effect. He smiled and relaxed.

"Hmm," he murmured. I wonder if she could teach Hermione to do that.

I don't know but I can try, came the answering thought.

??!

Don't think about it, Relax.

Hermione returned and she absentmindedly reflected that in normal circumstances she would resent violently what Luna was doing. At the time she felt only gratitude that she could help him.

"It should be time in 10 to 20 seconds." she said. Harry sat up and prepared himself. He looked blankly at the wall waiting for her signal.

Hermione raised her hand.

"Soon..." Harry concentrated, ready to hurl his perception at his enemy. He tried not to think about the pain. It doesn't last. It's not important.

"Now!" she yelled.

He lowered his shields and willed himself to engage Voldemort. At first it seemed to work. He could see the flying specks of the Aurors flying toward himself/Voldemort, he even recognized Remus on one of them. He tried to engage the dark wizard's mind and felt the vision blurring. Gotcha!

Then the backlash of Voldemort's riposte hit him like a truck It was every bit like a Cruciatus spell. He screamed in pain, and he could hear Luna scream with him. He barely managed to cut off the contact and stumbled on the floor.

Hermione was terrified, she immediately went to him.

"Harry! What happened?"

Harry couldn't speak for a moment. He wringed in the lingering pain of the curse and tried to signal her that he was okay.

"... almost got through. I think I unbalanced him for an instant but he was too strong." He closed his eye and probed gently. "I don't feel any pressure anymore. It looks like he's gone but I don't think he was alone."

As if to confirm this a yell was heard in the corridor.

"Dementors!"

Harry stood up awkwardly, grabbed his broom and they ran out to see. Ron, Ginny and Draco were already in the air and they signaled two directions in which Dementors were spotted. Harry started toward the train door despite the protests of Hermione.

"Check the lookouts. And make sure the younger students are safe. We can take care of these but there may be more."

The monstrous creatures could be seen gliding toward the train, attacking from the rear. Several students screamed as they felt their terrifying emanations. Harry jumped on his broomstick and circled the train before launching his first Patronus spell.

He visualized Hermione in his mind and expressed the full joy of it into the spell. "Expecto Patronum!" A tremendous silver stag emerged from his wand and rushed toward the nearest group of Dementors.

He could see that his friends were handling the other side of the train. Ginny seemed to be having some trouble but on her second try she managed a small silver bird. It looked like an eagle.

"Harry! There's a third group at the front." Hermione was signaling him from the open door.

He could see that the Aurors were still some distance away and would not be back in time. He pushed his broom to maximum speed and flew alongside the train toward the first monster that was battering a window. He could see the open screaming mouths of the students behind it.

"Expecto Patronum!" he screamed.

His stag crashed into the Dementor and drove him away.

The Aurors gathered around and soon had the situation under control. No one was hurt although several first years had been shocked. Harry made a last flying pass above the train before landing. He could see Malfoy kneeling and speaking softly to a young boy, who was clinging to Ginny.

Here and there cheers were heard for those who had defended them. This is going to do wonders for recruiting. And to silence those who would downplay the gravity of the situation, he thought.

He flew toward Remus to check up and make his report. A new group of Aurors apparated near him. Some looked to have been in battle themselves.

Remus spotted him and frowned.

"Hey Harry! Are you all right? You look like hell."

Harry told him what had happened. The Aurors were suitably impressed.

"You're Harry Potter," one of them said. "Proud to know you. I'm Lewis Calton. You and your friends did a good job." He nodded to Draco who had joined them.

Remus resumed the situation.

"We missed Voldemort but he was definitively thrown off for a moment. I think he'd have gotten some of us otherwise. As it was we bagged two Death Eaters. Good show." He looked at Harry in appreciation.

Remus' praise and the knowledge that he had probably saved some lives pumped Harry up. He flashed a big grin at his friend.

"However there were other attacks," added Remus with a grim expression. "One of them on Azkaban where they managed to free several prisoners." He looked at Draco. "Including Lucius Malfoy."

Draco's face hardened, and he paled a little. "And the other attacks?"

"Muggle homes. Diversions probably. They timed it well and figured to have at least one success here or at Azkaban."

Harry sighed.

"It could have been worse."

The full toll of his efforts was beginning to weight upon him and he felt very tired.

"You did well, all of you," said Remus, ruffling his hair. He glanced at Draco. "We'll handle the protection until Hogwarts so don't worry about it. Go inside and rest now."

Harry and Draco returned to the train. Harry turned toward his friend.

"What do you think, about your father?"

Draco's voice was cold.

"I don't expect anything good out of this. At least he's still hunted. I just hope he won't come near our home."

"Do you think he'll try to contact you? Would he get suspicious?"

Draco considered this.

"Yeah he might, him or some others. I'll think up some story - tell them that I' trying to infiltrate and spy on you."

He looked at Harry with a guarded expression. Harry looked back.

"Are you afraid that's what we might believe?" He shook his head. "Don't. I trust you and besides, Luna would detect a deception."

"She's a handy resource," grunted Draco.

"I think that all things considered we've got a pretty good team," said Harry with a grin.

"And getting better," shot back Draco.

They climbed up the stairs, and were pressed by enthusiastic students congratulating them and clapping them on the back.

"Thanks Harry! Good job mate!"

"We knew you had it in you Draco!"

Draco joined a group of Slytherins, who looked at him with a mixture of incredulity and newfound respect. Harry was ambushed by Hermione who gave him a passionate kiss, which drew several whistles and more cheers from the witnesses.

They spend some time checking up on the other students. The train trolley was going back and forth, and everything was on the house. Most of the first years were being told of the previous exploits of Harry and his friends, and he was rather embarrassed by their reverence.

"You're Gryffindor aren't you?" asked a determined looking girl with short black hair. "I want to be sorted in your House!"

Harry smiled and sat down next to her. He noticed that some older students, Hufflepuff by their robes, were rolling their eyes.

"You'll be welcome of course but you will learn that no House is better than any others. It really depends on what you're best at," he said gently.

"I want to be fighter like you!" the girl said defiantly.

"Then you will be Gryffindor or Slytherin." That last drew an outraged gasp from one of the Hufflepuff. Harry turned his head to look at them. "There was a Slytherin among those who fought today. Don't forget it."

"I thought you were enemies."

"No. The Houses are different. There's competition for points and Quidditch of course, and sometimes there's some of animosity between students, but we're not enemies. When we all stick together nothing can resist us."

"Are these things going to be back?"

Harry looked at the girl. She didn't seem to be afraid, only curious. She's certainly a good candidate for Gryffindor.

He felt she should be told the truth.

"For the rest of the trip I don't think so, and in any case more people have arrived to protect us. But until Voldemort is destroyed, yeah, they'll probably try again but we're much better defended at Hogwarts."

He winked at Hermione and turned back to the girl.

"The school has lots of protections. Have you read 'Hogwarts - A history'? If not then Hermione here, who can probably recite it by heart, can tell you all about it - Ouch!" he said as Hermione slugged him on the shoulder.

"Harry Potter you may be a hero, but I will not have you disparage scholarly endeavors. I believe the world would be a better place if books were treated with more respect."

"Yes Hermione," he said demurely. Then, in an aside to the girl. "Be like me and always agree with her. I'd rather face Dementors than make her angry."

Everyone laughed, including Hermione. The bantering had a soothing effect on their nerves. The two of them took their leave and finally returned to their compartment. Harry complimented Ron on his efficient organization.

"Aw Harry, it was plain common sense," Ron replied modestly.

Inwardly of course he was very proud of himself. He knew Harry liked and respected him but it was the first significant action in which he had showed himself to be anywhere near his level. Even the Aurors had praised his tactics.

"I don't think it was just that. Good showing mate!" Harry gave him a high five, and Ron's smile was like a shining star.

"Where's Ginny by the way?" he asked, suddenly aware that one of their number was missing.

Harry kept his mouth shut. He had last seen her with Draco but he didn't think that Ron should be made aware of his sister's developing infatuation. At least not yet.

"I think she's still with some of the children said Luna. Technically correct. No need to mention who else she was with.

Draco was walking toward the Slytherin compartments. Ginny was still following him, and he was becoming distinctly aware of it. If I'm reading the signs correctly she's really hitting on me. I'm going to have to decide what do about it.

"Ginny?" He stopped walking. They were in a quiet spot where they could talk more or less privately.

"Yes."

He could feel the hopeful tension in her. She was more nervous than when they'd affronted the Dementors.

"I noticed that you've been kind of close to me today. Am I imagining things that aren't there?" he asked carefully.

"I like you. I'd like us to be partners," she answered straightforwardly.

He grimaced. Just like that. Well she's cute, she's got guts and brains and I frankly like her too, but I've seen the way her brother looks at the boys she goes out with. A fight with the Weasleys is the last thing I need. And then how will this go with my other plans?

"Okay." He smiled. "I like you too but there may be... complications."

Her face fell.

"Is there another girl... is it Pansy?"

Pansy had been Draco's date at the Yule ball and they were often in the same group during Hogsmeade weekends.

"No, no! It's nothing like that," he reassured her. Pansy Parkinson was nothing more than a convenient date for him. He didn't want to tell Ginny that he was concerned about other people's opinions. Personally he didn't give a damn but there was a political angle to consider. And that could be important.

"Listen we don't have the time to discuss this properly here. I've got to go back to my group and you to yours. Can we meet somewhere discrete after the feast?"

She grinned mischievously.

"Astronomy Tower at eleven? Everybody should be asleep."

"It's a date." He made to go, but before he could, she gave him a quick kiss of the cheek.

"Hey. What was that for?"

She said nothing, she only smiled and waived at him before leaving.

Draco touched his face where she'd kissed him. He'd gone out with girls before, and did much more serious things than such a simple pecking. Still, this felt a little special. Let's not get carried away. I've got to use this occasion to grab the initiative among the Slytherins.

He straightened up and joined the compartment of the senior Slytherin students.

Most of his year was there, including Crabbe and Goyle who eyed him gingerly. The more important seventh year Slytherins were there too. Everyone greeted him pleasantly enough, but they were clearly waiting to him to make the first move.

Draco knew that the leadership of his House was at stake here. They would be looking for weakness and they would pounce if he showed any. He felt for the undercurrents of the group and could sympathize with their confusion. Up to now he had been the arrogant, but not very impressive, son of a powerful and rich wizard. All of this had changed, his father had been branded a criminal and imprisoned while he had shown heroic behavior and he certainly looked more powerful than he had been.

And he had worked as part of Harry Potter's special group.

Draco considered one of the new Slytherin prefects. Lyn Merkin was a fifth year student with no particular affiliation. She had a reputation as a no-nonsense and fair minded girl. He didn't think she would challenge him. In fact it should be easy to make her an ally, as long as he wasn't isolated. The other important students would be Millicent Bulstrode, who had the making of a matriarch and was totally committed to the old traditions, and Montague, the seventh year prefect who was the captain of the Quidditch team, and who probably fancied himself as the natural leader of the Slytherins.

Millicent he could work with. Montague was a bully and would have to be made irrelevant.

Draco smiled inwardly as he saw the opening he had to take. He turned to Lyn.

"Are all the young ones all right?" he asked her.

"Yes," she replied without thinking. "Including the first years who should be sorted with us."

She meant the children of traditional Slytherin Families.

"Perhaps we should assign older students to stay close to them. They might be some nightmares tonight. And I will ask professor Snape for some sleeping potions."

"Right. I'll get on it."

That's it. Now I'm the one who's taken the initiative both in defense and in caring for the troops. Let them challenge that. Draco turned toward Montague and his tone was accusatory.

"I didn't see many of us in the defense teams. In fact I didn't see any."

Montague bristled.

"Don't take that tone with me Malfoy. You're not in charge here."

"Perhaps I should," Draco replied calmly. "I'd certainly do a better job than some others."

He continued before they could react.

"I'll grant you that this was a surprise. But others, specifically Potter's group, have been preparing themselves for more than a year, and they were ready."

He surveyed them all. There were some angry murmurs but no one dared speak up.

"If I hadn't been with them our House would have been shamed. At least now we're part of the winning team."

And now they can't object to my cooperating with Harry's friends. They can't attack me at all and now all I need to do is to make them want to follow me.

Montague tried a bid.

"What does it matter?" he said sullenly. "We don't care what the other Houses think."

"Of course we do," countered Draco. "We should be respected and not hated or despised."

He saw in some of their faces that he had hit a nerve. Not everyone was comfortable with their current reputation.

"House Slytherin is supposed to be strong one," he continued. "The next time, this coming year, I want us to be the heroes."

He looked at Millicent.

"What better way to defend our values than to be admired?"

She turned to Montague and then back to him. When she nodded slightly, he knew he had won.

"What's your plan for that?" she asked.

"We stop trying to exist against the other Houses. We cooperate, but we follow our ways and we excel in them." He gestured toward the outside. "These are hard times. Success will depend more upon willpower and strength than upon loyalty, thinking and bravado. These qualities will be needed by everyone but we should be the hardest and strongest."

He could tell that they were receptive to his arguments. All he had to do now was to act as if he was the leader, and then they would follow him. Montague had shut up and seemed to be sulking. He moved to take a seat in front of Millicent and the other students immediately made room for him.

"We have a number of things to discuss," he began.

Serious Endeavors ch9-11