Training and Confrontations

Chapter XLIX

Sergius suddenly looked over his shoulder. "One of them is coming." A second later, a heavily-robed figure faded into view next to the outside door.

"Ah," Sergius said. "Chandra, this is Luna Lovegood and Hermione Granger. I believe you have already seen Ginevra Weasley, even if you were not introduced. Luna, Hermione, Ginny, allow me to introduce Chandra Gungu, one of the solidity known as the Lords of Magic."

"Titus Sergius," Gungu said in his expressionless voice. "How . . . nice to see you again." He turned to the three girls. "Harry Potter has requested to meet with you before he meets with these two. Would you care to join him now?"

All three teens looked at him with deep suspicion. Dumbledore looked at them, and then exchanged a glance with Sergius.

"It is quite safe," Sergius told them. He turned and faced Gungu squarely. "These three are under my protection."

"So?" Gungu replied.

The air rippled. "It would not be wise to confront me over this," Sergius warned.

Gungu considered, then bowed. "As you wish." He turned to the girls. "Shall we leave?"

"Take us to Harry," Luna demanded.

Gungu almost frowned, but said nothing. He and the girls faded away.

"It was out of character for Miss Lovegood to confront anyone like that," Dumbledore said, frowning.

"Luna and I had a very nice conversation, although none other could overhear us," Sergius said, with a sly half-smile.

"May I know?"

"Your trio is just two steps away from forming the most powerful magical gestalt in over two thousand years. One step beyond that will make Harry slightly more powerful as he was last month." He hesitated, then added, "They could even take a third step, which would make them, collectively, almost as powerful as the Lords over time."

"Oh . . . dear. . . ."

The three young women appeared in a windowless room, illuminated only by one dim candle. That was enough to show the most important thing in the bedroom.

"Harry!" Hermione ran and embraced her lover. "We've missed you!"

"We have," Luna agreed, joining their embrace.

"I've missed you, too," Harry murmured into their hair. He looked up. "Are you alright, Ginny?"

"I suppose."

Luna reached over. "Come here, silly goose." She pulled Ginny into the group hug.

"Are you certain you're alright?" Harry asked gently.

Ginny nodded, but started crying, mostly from relief.

Half an hour later, Harry shifted on the bed. The four had been lying there for nearly half an hour, while each had told the others what had happened to them. "I hope you all know I have no intention of joining this group today."

"Good," all three women stated firmly. At that moment, a fission of power tickled Harry's senses. He had been able to draw power from his lovers and friends since the first trip to Rushak. That ability had grown over his Sixth year at Hogwarts. After the defeat of Voldemort, the ability had diminished slightly.

Now, it was back in full. Harry sensed the tendrils of power from all three of the women near him. To his great surprise, he realized that the powers were not just flowing from the three to him, they were flowing in all directions. The connections were bringing all four of them together.

Harry looked at them Luna and Hermione had obviously grasped the significance even before he had. Ginny was wide-eyed in wonder at what she was feeling.

Then, Ginny smiled.

With that acceptance, all four realized, the connections were permanent.

A knock at the door made all four sit up and get off the bed quickly. "Come in," Harry called out. He was glad that it was Dumbledore and a person who could only be Sergius.

After Dumbledore made the introductions, Sergius asked, "Have you made your decisions, or may we advise you?"

"I hope I can get some advice from both of you later on," Harry said, "but I know what I have to tell these people now."

"Then come along. We might as well get things moving."

"They're willing to hear me this quickly?" Harry asked, surprised.

Sergius shrugged. "If you are ready, they will listen. We have just met, Harry Potter. Let me warn you. Your power is great, but it is not as great as these people's. My power is great, but I have to coexist with these people for a very long time to come. I will help as I can."

"Thank you," Harry answered.

Sergius was correct. By the time the six people had walked to the Audience Chamber, the thirteen Lords had gathered on their thrones. Tom Riddle was also present, once again trapped in a circle of light.

"Titus Sergius," said the oldest of the Lords. "Welcome to your proper place. Would you sit with us?"

"Not yet," Sergius replied. "As I promised long ago, I will take my place as the final player when the time comes. It has not yet come. I have come to stand by, and perhaps advise, Harry Potter."

"Why?" another demanded. "You did not counsel me. You did not counsel Dumbledore. Why counsel Harry Potter?"

"Because of all who have been considered, I find him the most worthy. Not because he is the most powerful, for that would have been our brother M here. Not because he is the most able. Certainly not because he is the wisest. No, Harry Potter has the most compassion, the greatest capacity to love and to be loved. Should he decide to join, he will bring great gifts to the Lords. For the moment, I wait to hear his words."

"What have you decided, Harry Potter?" Gungu asked.

"I will not join you today, or any time soon," Harry answered. "I am certainly interested in knowing more about you, and what you hope to accomplish. Compared to you, I don't have much time, but I should certainly have years to decide, not minutes."

"True," Gungu agreed.

"But I must ask you, do NOT transform Riddle," Harry pled. "It's not a deal. If you really believe in the Light, do not allow Riddle to follow Darkness again."

"You promised!" Riddle called out.

"We promised to consider your request," Gungu reminded Riddle.

"We will consider. Titus Sergius, return Harry Potter and his friends either to the guest room or to your quarters. Albus Dumbledore. Please remain. We will inform the rest of you when we decide."

As they were walking towards Sergius' quarters, Ginny asked, "Why did they want to meet with Dumbledore?"

"They probably know he's dying," Harry answered. "They can probably restore him, and still make him immortal."

"He wouldn't!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Why not?" Luna asked.

"It would go against what he's always said about death being 'the next great adventure', and Voldemort's pursuit of immortality being wrong," Harry said.

"And yet, he is a good friend of mine, and an even closer friend to Nicolas Flamel," Sergius pointed out.

"And he might wish to join to help guide the Lords," Luna added. "That would be very like him. He would not want to be nearly-immortal for its own sake, but could be tempted by the good he could do."

"But. . . ." Hermione sputtered.

"He would still be working behind the scenes, as he so enjoys doing today," Luna responded.

"I suppose," Hermione said, "but it seems wrong." She turned on Harry. "Why would you want it?"

"I don't know if I do," Harry admitted. "I don't want to close off the possibility. I need to talk with Dumbledore and Mister Sergius. . . ."

"Call me Titus Sergius, or Sergius, or just Serge, as you prefer," Sergius said.

"Thank you. I need to know a lot more about their agenda." He looked Hermione straight in the eye. "Are you afraid we won't grow old together? That if I join them, I'll leave you? I don't know about the first, but if immortality requires the second, I won't do it."

Hermione burst out into tears, and hugged Harry fiercely. Harry hugged her back, and managed not to roll his eyes.

"You would, of course, fail to grow old with your friends and lovers," Sergius said. "However, while forming new attachments is discouraged, it is understood that you will maintain, and cherish, those ties you already have."

"They can ask me again when I'm thirty. Until then, I hope they, and you, will answer an awful lot of questions."

"Hello, children, Titus," Dumbledore said, coming into the sitting room of Sergius' suite a while later.

"My, Headmaster," Hermione said severely, "you certainly have a bounce in your step and a twinkle in the eye."

"Ah, yes, well . . . eh. . . ."

"You took the Lords up on their final offer, I take it," Harry said expressionlessly.

"I made a deal," Dumbledore admitted.

"Out of which, you get immortality," Hermione accused.

"Out of which, I had to accept immortality," Dumbledore agreed. "I do not look forward to it."

"Tell us," Luna suggested.

"I will be staying here the rest of the summer," Dumbledore told them. "I shall be restored in health, and undergo the first transformations required of me. I shall be returning next year, and will not, after all, be returning to Hogwarts after this next year. This was required of me."

"And in return, if this was such a sacrifice?" Hermione asked.

"It was, Miss Granger. I have been closer to death than I am at this moment, or if you prefer, closer than I was before this offer was made. I was not tempted then. I was not just now."

Dumbledore shrugged. "What else was implied in this deal? First and foremost, they will not help Riddle for three years, starting from today. Should he somehow manage to find some new ceremony to push him towards immortality before that, the Lords will attack him in unison. They shall destroy him. Riddle understands that very well."

"So that means that Harry has three years to catch him and put him away, rather than kill him," Hermione summed up. "If he doesn't catch Riddle, they will help Riddle."

"Correct. Harry is not to chase after Riddle for one year. If Riddle chooses to hide, he has a year to find a good spot. If he is foolish enough to cross paths with Harry, well, Harry may deal with him as he feels he must."

"What about everyone else?" Luna asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Harry may not chase after Riddle for a year. May the British Ministry? May you? Or anyone else, for that matter?"

"Actually, I suppose they may, although actually the same restrictions which apply to Harry apply to me." Dumbledore shrugged. "Despite the recent changes in the Administration, I doubt they would be able to do much beyond insuring he does not hide in Britain, which you, with your abilities, could insure in any event. If Riddle is that foolish, Harry may inform the Ministry, and they may capture or kill him, or Harry may."

"And what about Harry?" Hermione asked.

Harry just looked at Dumbledore, who looked sadly back. "You are committed to nothing more than you were before. You and I will talk often over the course of the next year, but they do not expect any further decision from you until you are thirty."

"I see." Was it luck, or had they been listening in?

Dumbledore turned to Sergius. "Have you considered my request?"

"I have, but I need some additional information." Sergius turned to Harry. "Would you like me to work with you, Harry Potter, over the next thirteen months? I can help you develop your gifts and powers, and will advise you on anything you wish."

"Thank you, Titus Sergius. I accept your offer."

Sergius nodded, and turned to Dumbledore. "I shall be there."

"Titus Sergius will teach the N.E.W.T.-level Defense classes, and will be there for all of you to go to."

"Is there any reason for us to stay here, then?" Titus Sergius asked Harry.

"I suppose not," Harry admitted. The three girls looked at each other, and none had anything to add.

"Good luck, then, Albus Dumbledore."

The group disappeared.

"Merlin," Dumbledore said, "I hope I have done the right thing."

One of the Lords appeared next to Dumbledore. "I believe you have," Merlin said. "It was not easy for you. It should not have been. Come. We have much to do."

"Where are we?" Ginny asked.

"Somewhere in Hogwarts," Harry answered.

"Exactly when are we?" Ginny asked. "I mean, I don't even know what day it is."

"It is Saturday, July Nineteenth, shortly before Six in the evening, local time," Titus Sergius answered. He turned to Harry. "Your friend the werewolf is here. Will you run with him tonight?"

"I thought the full moon was tomorrow," Harry answered.

"At Four-twenty, local time," Sergius replied. "Ten and a half hours from now."

"Oh . . . well, I was planning to."

"Then come along to dinner. You should rest afterwards."

"Do you know Hogwarts well?" Hermione asked.

"I taught here for almost a hundred years, centuries ago," Sergius replied. "I also have visited a few times since. Minerva McGonagall knows me, and knows of me."

Sunday, July 20, 1997

After being up half the night running with Remus, Harry was feeling rather bleary-eyed at breakfast. Nonetheless, he dragged himself into the great hall, where there was the final meeting of the Order of the Phoenix, along with the non-members of the staff along with the Minister and a few select members of the Ministry and the Board of Governors. As he came in, the Weasleys finally released Ginny from their embrace.

Harry and his six friends sat at the Gryffindor table, to Tracy's amusement. The Minister and the leaders of the Order, plus Sergius, sat at the staff table along with the Minister and the Hogwarts staff. The members from the Ministry were seated along the Slytherin table (which Tracy did not find as amusing), while the regular Order members sat at the Hufflepuff table while the Board of Governors sat at the Ravenclaw table.

Dumbledore, to nearly everyone's confusion, was missing.

Professor McGonagall called the room to order, and annouced that breakfast was served. When that failed to quiet the room, her glare -- followed by the further announcement that nothing would be imparted until after she had eaten, and that they could please themselves if they wanted nothing to eat before lunch -- did.

"No hints?" Ron asked Harry as he scooped a pile of baked beans onto his eggs and toast.

"No," Harry said. "We need to hear what McGonagall says. You'll have a chance to hear more details later."

"Fair enough," Ron admitted.

When the clattering of the silver died down and everyone who was interested had poured their second (or third) cup of coffee or tea, Minerva McGonagall stood. The hall quieted.

"You are all aware of the events of some three weeks ago," she started. "In short, due in large parts to the efforts of Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter, the Dark Wizard formally known as Voldemort" (a number of the audience still winced) "was defeated and transformed back to his former self, Tom Marvolo Riddle, Junior, a half-blood wizard who had been a Slytherin Prefect and then Head Boy in 1944."

"He sought retransformation, begging the favor from a powerful sect in Asia. They wanted to speak with both Professor Dumbledore and Mister Potter, but sent Riddle to lure them to them. To do this, Riddle kidnaped Ginevra Weasley. Mister Potter, along with Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood, approached the group from one direction, while Professor Dumbledore, accompanied by this wizard, Titus Sergius, approached from another."

"Professor Dumbledore and Mister Potter negotiated with this group. These people had no interest or reason to harm Miss Weasley, and they released her unharmed. Mister Potter and his two friends, along with Titus Sergius, accompanied Miss Weasley back to Hogwarts last evening. Professor Dumbledore is still with this group."

"The Headmaster will return to Hogwarts in late August. He shall, however, be retiring after this academic year."

"The group has agreed not to help Riddle in any attempts at restoring his transformations for three years. Should he try and find anyone else to help him, or try to transform himself by himself before then, the sect will help to track him down and then destroy him."

"Neither the Headmaster nor Mister Potter may try and track Riddle down for a year. Therefore, unless Riddle is foolish enough to attack or at least approach either, which I grant you he may be, neither the Headmaster nor Mister Potter may help in capturing this criminal."

She glared at Minister Bones, and then at the Ministry officials. "Please note that YOU, and the other Ministries around the world, may track and capture Riddle. I grant you, he is still a very powerful, evil, dangerous wizard. I doubt there are more than two hundred wizards or witches around the world who could match his power. On the other hand, I doubt there are any three aurors in the world who together would not be more than his match, if they have any abilities to work together. From what we know of Tom Riddle, he is unlikely to run and hide."

She sighed. "I grant you, Tom Riddle is unlikely to come back to Britain, unless it is to launch an attack on some target. Still, his crimes here, and in neighboring countries, far surpassed the point where any Ministry can have any legitimate qualms or objections to searching for him. It is up to our Ministry to put pressure on those Ministries to find him, and arrest him."

McGonagall looked over at the British members of the Order of the Phoenix (by far the vast majority). "While the Headmaster will be exploiting his contacts, and may have missions for the overseas members, the Order of the Phoenix is standing down in Britain, until further notice." She glanced around. "Just for your information, Titus Sergius will be joining us for a year, teaching the Sixth and Seventh year Defense classes."

She glanced over the group. "I have arranged the release of a statement to the press covering these points. Good morning." She left the table.

"Could you all wait here?" Harry asked his friends. When they agreed, he made his way over to Mister and Mrs. Weasley.

"What may we do for you, Harry?" Molly asked.

"Several favors," Harry admitted, drawing them aside.

A few moments later, Harry came up to his friends and led them from the great hall. "Come on," he said, "we need to talk."