Training and Confrontations

Chapter XXVII Monday, September 30, 1996

Twelve people were summoned to Dumbledore's office after dinner. Besides Harry and his five friends, Remus, Tonks, Moody, Professor Trelawney were there, as were, to Harry's even greater confusion, Nearly Headless Nick and Griselda Marchbanks, the ancient witch who was the chief O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. examiner.

"Good evening, everyone," Dumbledore said simply. "Everyone knows why we are here, except for Mister Potter. The story starts with Miss Lovegood, and to some extent Miss Granger. Miss Lovegood?"

Luna took a deep breath, and explained. "Six of us were studying privately this summer, partially under the guidance of Professor Lupin and Miss Tonks. Still, where we were had quite an extensive library. In reading a book on Occult ceremonies, I came across one which will supposedly summons a spirit, even one that has fully crossed over, up to a year after the spirit's death."

Dumbledore broke in. "For those of you who have not studied Fifth year Divination and the theories introduced then for the first time, the myriad ceremonies commonly called seances work to summons those spirits which have not crossed fully over fully into death. That would include those who are still fully in our world, such as Sir Nicholas here, and other deceased people who are further towards the realm of death and who cannot, therefore, be sensed by those who are not either very sensitive or who are full or nearly-full Seers. Those who are fully past this physical realm are generally beyond the power of any to call." He nodded to Luna. Harry and Ron looked confused, since they obviously had not paid attention to that material in class the year before.

"For the ceremony to work," Luna said, "there are many conditions listed. First, it must be conducted by a full Seer. I am a full Seer. While I was under the full suppression potion, I could not conduct this ceremony. I am now under half the amount, and the Seer I was studying with this summer believes I now have enough power to conduct the ceremony."

"The description also suggests at least two must be present who have some sensitivity to the Gift," Luna went on. "Professor Trelawney and Professor Marchbanks are both very Gifted, of course, and both Harry and Ron have some touch of the Gift as well. Neville and some of the others may have some of the Gift."

"Other parts of the book suggest that this sort of ceremony will not work for calling Muggles, unless it's used within a few weeks of the person's death. Also, for this to work, at least three people must truly desire to meet with the deceased, and desire it out of love and affection. . . ." Luna went on, and it was here that Harry stopped her.

"You mean . . . you want to conduct a seance . . . to call . . . Sirius?" Neither Marchbanks nor Trelawney reacted to the name, as Dumbledore had briefed them.

"Yes, Harry."

It was clear that Harry was not happy to have this sprung on him. Only Luna and Hermione could do this to him without his losing his temper.

Luna asked, "May I go on?" Harry nodded, obviously torn by numerous emotions.

"You, Professor Lupin, and Miss Tonks would all greatly like to see Sirius Black once again. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and I would greatly like to ease your pain." She paused, and when Harry said nothing, she went on, "The final condition to call someone who has gone all the way into death, besides there needing to be at least twelve people, is the presence of an earthly bound spirit as one of them. In other words. . . ."

"Me," Nick said.

"Exactly. Either Professor Moody or Professor Dumbledore would be the twelfth person."

"I am also sensitive to the Gift," Dumbledore said. "Beyond that, either Professor Moody or I would do equally well."

"If you decide to do this, Harry, it would be up to you," Moody said. "However, it might be best if it were Dumbledore, while I keep my eye out and make certain no one interferes."

"The reason why this was sprung on you like this is because we ran into a time problem," Hermione said, giving Dumbledore a dirty look.

"The best time to conduct the ceremony would be the evening of the First of November," Luna said.

"And I decided that this was an excellent professional opportunity for Miss Lovegood, as well as a good personal opportunity for you, Professor Lupin, and Miss Tonks," Dumbledore said. "In short, by involving Professor Marchbanks, Miss Lovegood has a chance to earn extra credit on her O.W.L."

"Really?" Hermione asked, now curious.

"Oh, yes. Such extra credit must be done in the O.W.L. or N.E.W.T. year, and may be done outside of the normal testing period only if the opportunity is time-sensitive," Marchbanks stated. "In this case, done on the First, or the evening before or after the First, this ceremony should have at best a fifty percent chance of succeeding. On six other days between now and next June there would be a seventy-five percent less chance of succeeding, and almost no chance on any other night. In any event, under the circumstances we'll actually be operating under, I'd say there is only a one in three chance of this fully working. I would participate in the actual ceremony, while there would be a few observers as well."

"The possible O.W.L. credit is not important enough for me to make you agree to this if you're not interested," Luna said quietly to Harry.

"We're sorry to spring things on you," Hermione added.

"Some of us didn't know anything about it until a few hours ago," Ginny said.

"You would have been informed tonight in any event, if with a bit more privacy, except there would be a fair amount of paperwork to do for the O.W.L. credit," Dumbledore said. "As it is, you must decide tonight if we are to get all the forms completed. I apologize for the rush."

Harry just sat in his chair, stunned.

Professor Marchbanks stood and slowly moved to Harry's side. "Do what you think is best for you, Mister Potter. It only has a chance of working if you want it to. We can actually wait and start filling in the forms in the morning, if you wish to go through with it." She glared at Trelawney, who had been keeping silent only with great restraint. "You! And Dumbledore! Escort me to my carriage."

The two hurried to the ancient witch, and helped her out of the room. Each of the others took their leave after patting Harry on the shoulder (or kissing his cheek, in the case of Ginny and Tonks), until he was left alone with Luna, Hermione, and the now-quietly singing Fawkes.

Hermione knelt in front of Harry, putting her head in his lap. "I'm so sorry. We didn't mean. . . ."

"To spring in on me," Harry said wearily. "I understand, and I'm not really angry with either of you. I'm sure Dumbledore talked you into keeping it quiet."

"In part," Hermione agreed.

"We didn't know until today if we would be allowed to do the ceremony," Luna said. "For all either of us could tell at first, it might even have been considered to be a Dark ceremony. I had to wait until I could ask the Sibyl, and she said it wasn't Dark, but that it might still be illegal in our world."

"And it is, unless conducted under certain conditions, which meant going through a lot of paperwork, which Dumbledore has already partially done," Hermione said.

"We didn't want to get your hopes up, and then not be able to carry through with it," Luna added, in a voice pleading for understanding. "I didn't know about this O.W.L. credit until this morning, when Professor Trelawney kept me behind and told me. We didn't know it had been tentatively approved until then, either. You know I don't care about O.W.L.s and such things."

"You should, at least a little," Hermione said, "but you're right, Harry shouldn't take that into consideration of what he wants to do."

Harry snorted, "Yeah, as if I wouldn't, any more than I would ignore the fact that you both obviously think it would be something I should do."

The two hugged Harry from either side. "Do you want a chance, maybe not a great one, but a chance to say goodbye to Sirius?" Hermione asked.

Harry sighed. "Yes, yes I would. As awful as the night of the Third Task was, it gave me a chance to say something to my Mum and Dad, and Cedric, too."

"Exactly," Hermione said. "As bad as it was, it also gave you a little closure. Hopefully, this will give you more. I wish I could say goodbye to my Mum and Dad."

"All right." Harry gave the two a one-armed hug each, and then he let them go and stood. "Tell Dumbledore to set everything up."

"Where are you going, Harry?" Luna asked softly.

"It's too late to fly. I need to walk." He kissed each girl, and then told Hermione, "Don't wait up for me." He walked out of the Headmaster's office.

Luna and Hermione hugged each other, worried about Harry. Fawkes sang a bit louder to try and comfort them.

Throughout October, Harry was much moodier than he had been in September. His room mates reported worse dreams, including some yelling or even screaming (although Harry never woke up), but his scar still seemed unaffected. Harry dealt with his problems without anger, but he spent more time flying and exercising. When he was able to find time to be alone with Luna and/or Hermione in their private suite, his lovemaking seemed more passionate but slightly less affectionate than it had been before.

While this was going on, Hermione and Ginny were concerned with Harry but even more concerned with Luna. The war against her in Ravenclaw was quieter but still active. No one touched her possessions, but her room mates never spoke a word to her outside of required interactions in class. The Seventh years ignored her as well. All of them, while not talking to Luna, had few hesitations in talking about her. By mid-October, Luna had actually been allowed to move in with the Fourth years, which finally largely ended much of the sniping.

Saturday, October 26, 1996 The First Hogsmeade Weekend

"Come on, Harry," Ron demanded.

Harry continued to pout. "No."

"Please?" Ginny asked.

"No."

"You've got to!" Colin exclaimed.

"No, I don't."

"It will be good for you," Hermione pointed out.

"I doubt it."

"Luna will be waiting," Hermione stated.

Harry hesitated, but then said, "She's understanding, and you two can shop together."

"Do we have to carry you?" Seamus demanded.

Harry looked Seamus in the eye, and Seamus felt a bit weak in the knees. "I don't think that would be a good idea, Seamus," Harry stated very firmly.

Everyone crossed off that idea.

At that point, Bonnie More walked up to Harry. She was the smallest and shyest First year in collective Gryffindor memory, even tinier than Dennis Creevy had been. Two Slytherin Second years had been picking on her in mid-September when Harry had happened upon the scene. Harry had scared the pair so badly that they had refused to come out from under their beds until the next morning, and then only because they were more afraid of Snape, who was yelling at them at that moment, than they were of the then distant-Harry. Harry, and then his friends, had semi-adopted her, and she was often found reading on the floor near either Harry or Hermione.

"Harry?" she asked. Even while Harry was sitting, she had to look up into his eyes. Her light caramel eyes looked at him pleadingly.

"Yes, Bonnie?"

She handed Harry three Sickles. "Would you please buy me some candy today?"

Harry sighed in defeat. "Sure, anything in particular?"

"No, whatever you think best."

"Let me get my. . . ." Dean handed Harry his cloak.

Harry sighed again. "Let's go. First stop, Honeydukes." He shoved himself out of the chair, put on his cloak, and turned to go.

"Harry!" Bonnie admonished.

Harry turned around and picked her up. The only girl younger than a Third year allowed into the HPSN gave her hero a hug and a kiss, and then Harry and the others left to go to Hogsmeade.

About half way to Hogsmeade, Harry suddenly felt the gloom lift off his shoulders. There was just enough of a chill in the air to be invigorating, the sun was bright, and the chatter around him was happy.

Harry felt an arm snake around his waist. He had slowly gotten used to that over the summer, and especially over the two months of term. Harry was not an overtly affectionate person, especially in public -- very few people growing up like he had with the Dursleys could be. Still, he had learned to accept the demonstrations of physical affection from his peers, and he realized that he actually liked it.

As another arm wrapped around him from the other side, Harry glanced and saw that it was Luna and Hermione today -- it could easily have been other members of the HPSN, but all of them had learned that Harry's favorites were Luna and Hermione, even if none of them had yet guessed how close he actually was with them. Harry put his arms around them in return, making certain he only brushed the undersides of their breasts, which made them both giggle.

It was in that frame of mind that Harry and his friends entered Hogsmeade.

Harry really had little interest in being in Hogsmeade, but he decided that the walk and especially the company had both done him a lot of good. He therefore entered Honeydukes, rented one of their 'bottomless bags' (not really bottomless, of course, but they would hold a very large amount of items inside without expanding very much or adding any real weight -- when you were finished with them, you left them out for the elves to collect and return to the business) and proceeded to test how much the bag would hold.

"The kid only gave you three Sickles," Ron pointed out.

"So I give the First and Second years some treats," Harry said with a shrug, allowing Hermione to toss in copious amounts of the string mints that also cleaned teeth.

Albus Dumbledore sat in a room in the back of the Hog's Head pub. With him was Severus Snape as well as Moody, Remus, and Tonks. Dung Fletcher came into the room and dropped a note before leaving.

"Ah," Dumbledore said, "Harry and his friends are in the Three Broomsticks. Harry is saying he's staying there until it is time to return and his friends are all enjoying an early luncheon."

"And why is that good news?" Snape asked.

"We're on one end of the village, the Three Broomsticks is almost at the other end," Moody said. "Any attack will most likely be on the center."

"And you think Potter can take care of both himself and those around him?" Snape demanded.

"Yes," Remus answered, which was echoed by the others.

At that point the door opened, and the bar keep, who was also Dumbledore's brother Aberforth, stuck his head in. "Albus, a hundred and twenty dementors are approaching the village. It looks like twenty will sweep this way, fifty will head towards the Three Broomsticks, and the rest will attack the center of the town. The aurors you brought in will attack from the rear shortly, while the Order people are already moving everyone towards here, the Post Office, and the Three Broomsticks."

"Right," Dumbledore said standing. "Madam Rosmerta knows?"

"Dung is fire calling now."

"Excellent. Let's go."

Snape frowned, but left through the fireplace. He would be alerting the teachers left back at Hogwarts. It was always possible that this was a diversion for a Death Eater attack on the school, and of course Snape had a higher price on his head than anyone other than Potter and Dumbledore. Tonks had started throwing the same insults Snape's way as Snape had used on Sirius Black the year before, and Snape was thinking of them as he left.

Pomona Sprout was herding a large protesting group of mixed Third and Fourth years towards the Three Broomsticks. Looking up from her charges, she saw a ring of students in front of the pub. Most were facing the sides, making certain there would be no approaches from the alleys. Harry Potter and his five friends were facing the street.

Granger looked at them, and then the girl's face froze. Sprout needed no other warning. "Run, children! RUN!" she called, and only then turned around. She saw there were a dozen dementors gaining on them, and a larger group behind the dozen. "Expecto Patronum!" she called. Her Patronus was neither very powerful nor large -- a small swarm of bees -- but she hoped it would delay the dementors long enough to spare the children, even if she knew she was doomed.

At that moment, a sweep of bright white light burst past her, and leveled the dementors into piles of rags. It traveled on into the further group, and the leading dementors fell to the ground, writhing in agony.

Sprout turned around, shocked.

Then she was reminded of her best friend throughout school, who had been Muggle-born. Sprout had stayed with her over many summers. A word she had learned in the Muggle church now sprang to mind to describe Harry Potter.

Wrathful.

Sprout had always liked Harry, although not as much as Dumbledore, Hagrid, McGonagall, or even Flitwick liked him. Today, however, she was very glad Harry Potter knew she was on his side. He was not angry. He was far from out of control. He was not even vengeful.

Harry Potter was full of righteous wrath. To Sprout, he resembled a god or hero out of myth, rising to protect the weak and innocent (although Sprout later admitted that the older students immediately around Harry did not look at all weak or even innocent).

"Stay here, and keep an eye out in all directions," Harry commanded as he walked towards her. Sprout didn't think he meant to include her, but decided to obey the order. Harry strode past her, his green eyes actually shining with his power. He lifted his arms into the air, placed both hands on his wand, and swept it down like a sword, aiming for the dementors. In a moment of dazzling light, they were destroyed.

Harry did not turn. "Neville, Ginny, Luna, Hermione, Ron! come with me! Dean! keep an eye out. Professor Sprout, could you take command inside?"

"Of course, Harry," she answered.

"You five, pay no attention to what's in front of us. Ron, Ginny! eyes behind us to the outside. Neville, Hermione! eyes skyward. Luna, eyes on the other four. Ready? Let's go."

The little knot moved off with perfect coordination.

Professor Sprout approached Dean. "How did he do that?"

"I don't know," Dean admitted. "I overheard Professor Lupin say to Professor Flitwick that he might be more powerful, although of course far less knowledgeable, than Professor Dumbledore or Voldemort. Right now, I believe it."

The group of six moved cautiously down the High Street of Hogsmeade, sending the small groups of students and townspeople they found running up the street towards the Three Broomsticks.

They were very cautious.

The street was not straight, and when they rounded the bend near the center of the town, they saw there were perhaps sixty dementors trying to attack the Post Office, which was being defended by several Patroni sent from inside the Post Office and attacked by several from the far side.

"Do you all love me?" Harry asked in a strangely serene voice.

"Of course we do," Hermione answered.

"Well, Platonic love, anyway," Ron added.

"Speak for your self," Ginny muttered.

Harry ignored that. "If you love me and can do it without taking your eyes off your assignments, think of that love you feel for me, and for each other or for anyone else." He paused. "Are you all ready?"

The others murmured agreement. They were ready.