Trinity

Chapter 17

Aberforth paused in the stairwell and waited for the two guests heading upstairs to get out of sight. He then waited until he heard their door open and close before pressing the section of wall that would open the hidden door. He ducked through it, closing it firmly then walking down the stairs. He'd just spent the last six hours at Grimmauld Place. He had been called in by Alastor Moody to help with the reconstruction of the shields and wards on the basement training room. He'd been astonished when he'd walked in the room. The wards were damaged and in some places magically mutated. The whole room showed signs of a massive magical earthing event.

He'd been even more shocked to find that that is most likely what had happened and that Harry had been the one to cause it. As far as he was aware, Harry had no training in earthing wild magic so it must have been done almost instinctively. But the lack of training showed in the results; both in Harry's injuries and the damage done to the wards.

"Aberforth!"

He looked up to see that he'd arrived in his brother's room and that Albus and Severus were both looking at him with surprise. Albus rose to his feet and hurried over. He ushered his brother to a seat and gestured for Severus to fetch some wine. Severus nodded and obeyed, only pausing to pour a potion in the wine.

"What did you put in it?" Aberforth asked as he accepted the glass from the Potions Master.

"A restorative," Severus replied as he and the Headmaster resumed their seats.

Aberforth nodded and drank heartily. He felt the effects of the potion in the wine flow through him and sighed.

"What has happened?" Albus asked firmly.

"Who is the best person to train Harry in earthing wild magic?" Aberforth asked bluntly.

"Other than yourself?" Albus said. "Nikolai Godovsky in Russia but I doubt you'd be able to talk him into coming to Britain."

"Then I'll do it," Aberforth replied grimly.

"There was a wildfire even when Harry tried to destroy the containment wards on the Horcrux," Albus said with understanding. "Is he alright?"

Aberforth nodded. "Burns on his hands that Poppy has healed. And there was some interesting damage to the wards on their training room. Alastor asked me to help him repair them. That's why I'm tired."

"Did Harry succeed?" Albus asked with a certain amount of intensity.

"So Hermione says," Aberforth replied. "The locket is just a locket now. She says the blast of the earthing was sufficient to destroy the soul fragment."

"Yes, it certainly would," Albus said with relief. "Still I think you'd best teach Harry how to earth magic. That is hardly the best way of destroying the soul fragments."

"Indeed," Aberforth said dryly. "So, is there anything I should know?"

"I take it you already know what Fenrir has done?" Albus asked.

Aberforth nodded. "I'm sure Severus as already told you of the little encounter at the wedding. Remus has gone back to the remaining werewolves to see if he can convince them to join us. He should be back in the next day or two."

"Good," Albus said with approval. "Voldemort has sent Fenrir and his pack up to the Forbidden Forest to cause trouble. Severus has similar orders."

"The Dark Lord wants Draco and I to lurk around Hogsmeade and create trouble to try and lure Potter or one of the others out," Severus confirmed.

"And where is Mr Malfoy?" Aberforth asked.

"Upstairs in his room, asleep," Severus replied shortly. "We arrived late this afternoon after you had left."

Aberforth sighed and tipped his head back as he thought. "Damn! There's no way I can pass this sort of information off as having eavesdropped on the right conversation. Nor can I mention that you and Draco Malfoy are here. I'd have the entire bloody Order in the place after your blood."

"I think we are going to have to leave this one," Albus said. "We will just have to hope that Harry will not overreact when he hears news of sightings of Severus and Draco."

"I think we've got a good chance of that happening," Aberforth replied. "Moody's been working hard with Harry to get him to control his temper. The insults that fly during their training sessions can get a little hair-raising and it's always exciting when Harry finally flies off the handle. But it's taking longer and longer for that to happen as the training sessions continue." He paused. "Did I tell you that Moody suspended them from carrying out any more missions until Harry gets his temper under control?"

Both Severus and Albus looked surprised then Albus chuckled.

"Pity I couldn't do something similar," he said with amusement.

Aberforth chuckled as well. "There was apparently quite the explosion of temper when Moody made the announcement. But it seems to be working."

"What is their next target once there are back in business?" Severus asked curiously.

"The orphanage," Aberforth replied. "They had the thought of speaking to some of the former students from Voldemort's time there. Harry remembered a few names. He put the memory of viewing your memory in a pensieve, Albus. Moody was able to get some clues as to where the orphanage is and I think Minerva was able to dig up some old records at the school. So those former orphans and the orphanage itself are their next stop."

Albus nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I had thought there might be something there but I did not have time to return. I had hoped to do so with Harry at some point this year. Do you have any kind of timeline for this?"

"No," Aberforth replied. "But I suspect they'll want to do it sooner rather than later. They won't have any trouble leaving the school when they need to. Ron is a prefect and Minerva made Harry the Head Boy and Hermione the Head Girl."

Albus beamed as Severus scowled.

"I'm sure Potter enjoyed hearing that news," Severus said waspishly.

"Actually he was a bit stunned," Aberforth replied blandly. "And I don't think he's entirely comfortable with it either. One of the reasons Minerva made him Head Boy was because he's the Boy-Who-Lived. He got this very exasperated look on his face when that was mentioned in passing a few days ago and I distinctly saw Hermione and Ron roll their eyes."

Severus was about to reply when he suddenly twitched and stood. "I must go," he said abruptly. "Draco is waking. I do not want him to come looking for me and not be able to find me."

Aberforth and Albus nodded and watched as the Potions Master strode up the stairs.

"Keep an eye on Harry for me," Albus asked his brother. "I shall have to stay here with Draco staying at the Hog's Head."

Aberforth nodded and stood. "I'd best head back upstairs. Like Severus, I need to be where I'm supposed to be."

Albus nodded and watched as his brother walked up the stairs.

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The first thing Harry was aware of when he woke was that nearly every part of him ached. He sighed and kept his eyes closed. This was becoming a rather familiar feeling and not a good one either. He sighed again as the memories of what had happened seeped back into his mind and he tentatively flexed his hands.

"Harry?" Hermione's voice from beside him made him start and his eyes flew open.

He saw the blurry figure beside the bed stand and reach for something on the bedside table then his glasses were being slid onto his face. The world came into focus and he saw Hermione looking rather anxiously at him.

"Hey," he croaked.

Hermione sighed with relief. "How are you feeling?"

"Average," Harry said after a moment's thought. "My hands?"

"Madam Pomfrey healed them," Hermione replied then she gestured towards a small jar on the bedside table. "She left instructions that we were to rub that salve into your hands twice a day for the next couple of days and that you were to behave yourself for at least a week. Do they hurt?"

Harry flexed his hands again. "No. They feel a little stiff and achy but they don't hurt."

Hermione hesitated for a moment. "Harry? What happened?"

Harry snorted. "I was hoping you could tell me. Remus said something about an earthing event."

Hermione nodded. "That's what Moody was talking about but he couldn't be entirely sure until he spoke to you."

Harry nodded and gingerly pushed the duvet down. "I might as well get up then. I take it Moody is here?"

Hermione jumped forward to help him then nodded. "He's working with Ron. We were going to alternate today so that one of us could stay with you."

"Where's Remus?" Harry asked with a frown.

"He went back to speak to the werewolves," Hermione said. "He wanted to try before we all went back to Hogwarts. He got an owl just after you were brought up here. A few of the werewolves who were with Greyback wanted to talk."

"That's good news, isn't it?" Harry asked worriedly as he headed over to his wardrobe and fumbled it open.

Hermione made an abortive attempt to help him but backed off at his sudden sharp look. "I suppose it might be," she said in answer to his question. "He seemed surprised but pleased by the note."

Harry made a worried and noncommittal noise as he headed towards the bathroom with his clothes. He shut the door behind him and dumped his clothes on the bench. In the privacy of the room he looked down at his hands. He gave a shuddering sigh of relief when they proved to look normal. A touch red and rather stiff but very much normal. No blackness or burnt flesh. That was at least one worry he could put away. He sighed and showered as quickly as he could before getting dressed and walking back out into his bedroom to find Hermione sitting in the chair beside the bed and reading.

"Did Remus say when he'd be back?" he asked.

"He wasn't sure," Hermione replied. "But he didn't think it would be more than a day or two."

"Wasn't he going to come with us on the train?" Harry asked as Hermione closed her book.

Hermione stepped forward quickly and opened the door, giving Harry a look that dared him to object.

"Yes," she said. "I'm sure he'll make it. He didn't think he'd be gone long."

Harry nodded and the two of them walked down the stairs. They headed straight down to the training room and walked in to find Ron throwing spells at the shielded wall with Moody watching closely. The ex-Auror turned when Harry and Hermione walked in and a pleased look settled on his face.

"Potter. Good to see you up and about," he growled.

Ron spun around and grinned. "Harry! Are you alright?"

Harry grinned back and nodded. "My hands are a bit stiff but otherwise I'm okay."

"What happened, Potter?" Moody asked intently.

"I'm not really sure," Harry replied as he leaned against one of the tables. Hermione stood next to him and Moody and Ron walked over and joined them. "I had real problems getting to the inner containment ward and Bill's instructions were pretty easy to follow once I was there. It was when the wards were collapsing that I had some trouble. The wards collapsed too fast and the shields and the wards on the room weren't able to handle it."

"Wildfire event," Moody growled while nodding in understanding. "Go on."

"I could feel the magic growing and about to spill over into the room," Harry continued. "I...I don't really know what I did actually. I guess I sort of grabbed at it and the next thing I know it exploded. I stretched out my hands in reflex reaction when I grabbed at the magic. I guess that why they got burned."

Moody nodded again. "You were lucky, Potter. Somehow you instinctively earthed the overflow magic. The explosion would have ten times worse if you hadn't and those burns would have been worse as well."

"Is that how the Headmaster's hand was hurt?" Harry asked.

"No," Moody growled. "That came from a protective spell that he missed."

"How do I avoid that happening again?" Harry asked. "Because I've got three more of these things to go."

Moody chuckled. "Don't worry. We'll get a teacher for you. We probably should have thought that this might happen. Just didn't think the wildfire event, if it occurred, would be that big." He scratched his head as he thought. "Aberforth knows a bit about earthing magic. I'll ask him if he'll teach you."

Harry sighed with relief. "Good. Thank you. Was the Horcrux destroyed?"

"As far as I can tell, yes," Hermione said. "The locket's a bit damaged and there are no signs of the soul fragment or any other kind of magic on it. I think the wildfire event also destroyed the soul fragment."

"There's also no sign of any kind of foreign or Dark magic in the room," Moody added. "So I think Granger's right. Just wasn't the best way to go about doing it."

Harry gave the ex-Auror a wry grin as Hermione and Ron laughed.

"So we're training then?" Harry said brightly.

"Granger and Weasley are training," Moody corrected. "You're behaving yourself. Poppy gave us orders."

"If you think your hands are up to it, you could go and check the potions next door," Hermione suggested. "There should be a few that are almost ready to be bottled."

Harry grumbled good-naturedly but gave his friends a wave and headed next door.

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Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny stood in the hallway with their trunks and cages around them. They were waiting for the cars Mr Weasley had organised and for once they were ready early. Harry was fingering the Head Boy badge Hermione had insisted he pin to his jumper and looking pensive. He and Ginny had spent part of last night talking and had decided that while they would not flaunt their relationship, they would also not hide it. Harry hadn't been entirely happy with the idea but Ginny had finally reminded him that Draco and the other Slytherins knew that they had been going out last year. There was no real point in trying to deny there was anything between them. She had also pointed out that the fact that she was his girlfriend might actually deter some attacks. Those who were truly afraid of Harry might just think twice before making him angry, which hurting her in any way would definitely do.

"Stop fiddling with it," Hermione chided him, her Head Girl badge gleaming.

Harry pulled his hand away from the badge and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. Bit nervous, I guess. I'm not really sure what I'm meant to be doing as Head Boy."

"Not much on the train," Hermione replied. "We just welcome the new prefects and organise the patrol roster."

"Who do you think they'll get to replace Malfoy?" Ron asked suddenly.

"Not much choice really," Hermione replied. "It'll probably be Blaise Zabini. Crabbe and Goyle aren't really candidates and Theodore Nott was more of a follower really. And Slughorn seems to like Zabini."

Harry and Ginny rolled their eyes, remembering that interminable lunch on the train last year.

"Tell me Slughorn isn't going to be on the train this year?" Harry said pleadingly.

"We'll have Remus with us," Hermione said soothingly. "We can always say we've got a prior invitation."

"Yeah, right!" Harry said with relief. They'd received an owl from Remus the previous night telling them he'd meet them at Platform 9¾.

Just then the cars rolled up in front of the house and Mrs Weasley, Moody, Tonks, Kingsley and Mr Weasley emerged from the kitchen and hustled them all out the door. The students got into the car with their various pets as Kingsley and Moody shoved their trunks in the boot then they were off. Once they arrived at King's Cross, Ron and Harry grabbed a couple of trolleys and the group made their way to the entrance. They slipped through and were relieved to find Remus waiting for them on the other side.

"There you are!" he said with relief. "Not that there's much of a crowd."

Harry and the others looked around. The usual crowd of students and families was absent. There were only about half the usual number of people on the platform. Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged grim looks and the group headed towards the train. They manhandled their trunks on board and Remus led them down to the compartment he'd commandeered. They then piled off the train to say their goodbyes. The whistle of the train had them scrambling back on board and they waved goodbye until the train went round the bend.

"We'd better go," Hermione said to Ron and Harry. The two boys nodded and the trio headed towards the front of the train as Ginny and Remus went to the compartment.

The trio walked into the prefects' compartment to find Hannah Abbott and Ernie MacMillan already waiting for them

"Heard you'd been named Head Boy," Ernie said sagely to Harry. "Good show, old boy. Job couldn't have gone to a better person."

"Bet Malfoy wouldn't agree with that," Ron said with a grin.

"True," Ernie replied. "Speaking of the Slytherins, have you heard the news?"

"What news?" Harry asked as he sat down.

"Practically all of the Seventh Year Slytherins aren't coming back," Hannah said eagerly. "There's only Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass returning this year."

Harry's reply was interrupted by the arrival of the other prefects. The news of the Slytherins had already made its way around the train so no one was overly surprised when a defensive-looking Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass walked into the compartment, both wearing prefect badges. Harry gave them a wary but friendly nod and Hermione smiled at them. They both seemed surprised by this relatively warm reception and even more surprised when the other prefects tentatively followed the lead of their Head Boy and Girl.

Hermione stood and got the meeting off to a start, introducing herself and Harry. Everyone grinned and Hannah made a quietly amusing comment that if everyone here didn't know them by now they never would. Harry grinned and agreed with her. Hermione laughed then continued with the meeting. It didn't take long to sort out the patrolling schedule and a couple of the new Fifth Year prefects made the comment that there weren't that many on the train anyway.

"Some are being brought straight to the school by their parents by Apparition or Floo but a lot aren't returning at all," the Fifth Year Ravenclaw said soberly.

"Hogwarts is still the safest place to be," Harry said staunchly. "You all know how much Voldemort wants me dead. Do you really think I'd be returning if it wasn't safe at Hogwarts?"

The others looked surprised then nodded in growing agreement; that was a good point.

"Besides the Professors have spent a lot of time over the holidays strengthening the wards," Hermione added. "The wards won't let anyone through who wears the Dark Mark."

"Why hadn't that been done before?" Padma Patil asked curiously.

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances. "Snape wore the Dark Mark," Harry said flatly, deciding not to lie to the prefects. "He somehow managed to convince the Headmaster that he'd made a big mistake becoming a Death Eater and he supposedly spied for our side. The wards had to be altered to let him through."

"Obviously Snape wasn't really working for us," Ernie said grimly.

"No," Harry said shortly.

"Well, Theodore and I don't wear the Dark Mark nor are we likely to," Daphne said with a hint of belligerence. "Not all Slytherins want to bow down before the Dark Lord."

"You'll probably find that the Slytherins who have returned this year are mostly neutral," Theodore added flatly. "Most of 'em won't declare for a side until they get an idea of which way the battles going to go."

"What about you two?" Padma asked archly.

"I'm staying neutral for the moment," Daphne said defensively. "I don't want to join the Dark Lord but I also don't want to get myself killed fighting against him."

"That's fair enough," Harry said firmly, ending any arguments before they could begin.

"I'm joining you, if you'll have me," Theodore said defiantly. "My father ended up in bloody Azkaban because of the Dark Lord and He's not done anything to get Dad out. My mother's spent the whole holidays whining about it. The Dark Lord doesn't care and he's a bloody hypocrite to boot. I've heard the rumours and I believe them. He's a half-blood. He's using the purebloods."

"Do you agree with what he says?" Hermione asked archly.

"All that purebloods are superior rubbish?" Theodore said scornfully. "No, don't be stupid. It's rubbish! The wizarding world would have died out years go if not for the Muggleborns and half-bloods. And unlike certain other people, I plan on thinking for myself."

"Would you be joining us if your father wasn't in Azkaban?" Harry asked.

Theodore gave him a long look. "Hard to tell. Maybe not. I'd probably remain neutral. I won't deny it's easier to be my own man without my father pressuring me."

Harry nodded slowly. "That's an honest answer and a fair one." He held out his hand. "I'm glad you're joining us, Nott."

Nott shook Harry's hand firmly and Harry saw a brief flash of relief in the other boy's eyes. He also noticed that the Slytherin Sixth and Fifth Year prefects seemed to be more in Daphne's camp than Theodore's.

Harry stood and looked over at Hermione. "Was there anything else we needed to do right now?"

Hermione shook her head. "No and it might be best if we did start patrolling. It might give the other students a bit of a lift."

Harry nodded and Hermione and Ron joined him. They'd decided that the prefects would patrol in groups of three or four just in case there was trouble of any kind and they had taken the opportunity to grab the first shift. Some the prefects left, heading for their own compartments while others stayed to catch up with friends.

Harry, Ron and Hermione slowly walked down the corridor, glancing into the various compartments as they passed them.

"That Ravenclaw was right," Ron said soberly. "The train's pretty empty and I don't think we've seen even one new First Year yet."

"They might some of the ones being brought straight to the school," Hermione said. "Being so young, their parents might have decided to be wary."

"Let's hope so," Harry said. "Min...Professor McGonagall had to talk pretty hard and fast to get the Board to reopen the school this year. The last thing she needs is for people not to come."

Hermione and Ron nodded grimly and they continued walking down the corridor, nodding in hello to those they knew.