Past Present

"As I'm sure you're all aware by now," Dumbledore said, glancing over the wire rims of his glasses at everyone seated around the table, "the main purpose of this meeting is to ensure a proper beginning of the revived Order of the Phoenix. And perhaps, for some of us, to put the ghost of the old one to rest. We've not had a lot of news, lately, on any front, and I regret to say we haven't much idea what might be in the works. One of the other reasons for calling this meeting is so we can gauge what our hopes of external support might be. It's obvious we can expect no help from our own Ministry, or Fudge, at present. So in that regard, we are in far worse shape than we were for the first war. Our best hope, therefore, is bringing as much of the foreign contingent to bear as possible. A lesson we learned all too harshly the first time around. Lestrev's given us a lot of leads, and a great many of them are still mulling over their possible participation. We can't count on all of them, or maybe even on a good portion of them joining, but we've hope on at least a couple of fronts. The Bulgarian Ministry?" Dumbledore asked abruptly, looking expectantly at Viktor.

"Firmly aboard, even if it is only a suspicion. The Minister buried too many the first time around to ignore the possibility of a second war. Ready and willing to do anything you might request. Including leaning on Fudge, if possible," Viktor said succinctly. "In fact, he already was on Boxing Day. Sorry, but he thinks Fudge is an ostrich, too."

"Russian Ministry?" Dumbledore prompted.

"Hazier. Alexei's father seems to think they're leaning toward believing it, just waiting for some hard proof. But given enough time to work on them, he might be able to convince the right person without it. They are, however, reluctant to acknowledge it publicly until they haff to. Afraid of looking like fools if it is not so. But, if convinced, I think they would be just as willing to fight. Plenty of them lost loved ones to Death Eaters. But they think it is not sensible to officially support you. After all, your own Ministry says you are a wanted criminal, a little soft in the melon, at the head of a group... well, let us be honest, we are not the most respectable crowd, now are we?" Some nervous laughter filtered around the room. "They want proof. I do not think it has to be something of the caliber it would take to convince Fudge, but remember, they've not been privy to all the events at Hogwarts the last few years. If they could just question Harry for a few minutes, I am sure that would be enough," Viktor replied, casting a sidelong glance at Harry. "I already spoke to some of them. Short conversations. Too short. But if Harry could tell them half of what he's seen..."

Dumbledore nodded approvingly. "Perhaps. Veritaserum wouldn't even convince Cornelius. Perhaps a more sensible man than Cornelius, that Russian Minister... Durmstrang?"

"On a par with Hogwarts, I am afraid. Potenko has politely asked a few people he is in doubt of to leave. A few others, he outright fired. Questioned some of them directly, others were just hunches. Of course, that does not take care of the students... but at least it makes things harder... to affect the school at large. He has increased security. Anyone who showed up looking for a fight would find it. Death Eaters would be crazy to attack the place. It is a fortress at the best of times. Now... even more secure. And unlike Hogwarts, there is no real reason to attack Durmstrang. No Harry Potter at Durmstrang. No Dumbledore. And, no different from Hogwarts, I'm sure there are likely to be children of Death Eaters there. An outright attack on the school, either one, would be ill-advised. No way you could get your supporters out beforehand. No risking killing one of your own, either. It's why you want hostages, prisoners of war. Different situation, for the schools, having children of Death Eaters there, but the same result. Makes them reluctant to pull anything. Besides, Voldemort is going to harbor hopes that the school will be a source of support. A school full of pure-bloods with skills at Dark Arts... he is thinking it will be... let us say... fertile recruiting ground eventually. He has no reason to think Potenko is any different from Karkaroff. At this point, Voldemort thinks Durmstrang is his apple to pluck when the time is ripe. He thinks Potenko is no more than a simpering toady who would sell his own mother if it were to his advantage. In other words, another Karkaroff. I suppose Durmstrang is at least as 'safe' as Hogwarts, possibly safer."

"And finally, Beauxbatons?" Dumbledore asked, nodding approvingly.

To Harry's surprise, it was Viktor who answered again. "Unless Hagrid has heard differently in the last few days, Madame Maxime is still having trouble convincing her Board Of Governors and her Ministry. They think we are all, to put it bluntly, barmy. Fleur reneging on her support did a lot of damage. When one of the main witnesses to the events of last year changes her story, it is a bit difficult to convince anyone."

"Any word on where she is?" Dumbledore asked the table at large. Uncomfortable silence and shuffling in the chairs.

"I wasn't finished," Viktor said bluntly.

"What else, then?" Sirius asked impatiently.

Viktor bit his lip and looked at the table. "It just occurred to me, I think Beauxbatons is where it starts. It only makes good sense," he said softly, knitting his brows together.

"Beauxbatons? But that makes no sense... " Lupin protested.

"It makes perfect sense. I took Military Strategy for a year. There are two approaches you can take to any enemy. Hit the strongest part first, or hit the weakest part first. Voldemort is going to think Hogwarts is the strongest part. Harry Potter is there. Dumbledore is there. Even when they are not there, physically. Harry is the one who defeated him. As a baby. Dumbledore is the only one he ever feared. I've read the history books, thanks. Hogwarts is the strong link. If Hogwarts manages to convince much of anyone that Voldemort is back, he's had it. All of Europe against him, most likely. Half, anyway. Everyone's still suspicious of Durmstrang. Durmstrang is still pretty suspicious of everyone else. He probably doesn't worry about much of an alliance being initiated there. So Durmstrang is neither the strong point, nor is it the weak point. He might not even see Durmstrang as part of the enemy, yet. Fighting Dumbledore, Harry and Hogwarts so far has gotten him nothing. So that leaves the other strategy. Go for the weak, show your enemy somebody's head. Get them as frightened of you as possible. Tepes did it with his own people. Heads on pikes, bodies on pikes, what's a few of your own dead, even, if that's all you've got? Better when you can do it with the opposition. The Khan did it. Nothing quite takes the wind out of your sails when negotiating with the enemy like having to take a toast out of the skull of your former leader. That's what Voldemort tried to do by taking Harry last year."

"But... but..." Arthur Weasley protested weakly, paling, and the words died on his lips.

"Let's say he had succeeded. Everything went according to plan. Cedric didn't show up in the graveyard. Didn't get between Harry and the Avada Kedavra, it worked and Harry didn't make it back. What would have happened? Chaos. Voldemort would haff killed one half of what he saw as his greatest opposition. He would haff succeeded in doing it right under Dumbledore's nose. None of us would haff known he had his body back. A big wedge between the three schools. Everyone would haff been suspicious of everyone else. Lots of finger pointing and accusations. I guarantee... that Durmstrang would haff taken the blame somehow. You keep isolating it, suddenly anyone who offers Durmstrang an alliance seems pretty attractive. Or maybe Dumbledore would haff taken the blame. And Voldemort had an undetected spy inside Hogwarts, Crouch as Moody. No revival of the Order. No opposition waiting for him. And I guarantee you, when he was ready, he would haff shown us Harry. Harry was supposed to be a trophy. He would haff claimed responsibility when he wanted to instill fear. Well, he cannot do that now. So on to the weakest part."

"I find it very offensive that you keep saying Beauxbatons is the weak point..." Hestia Jones began, but Viktor tented his fingers and stared her down for a moment, and she trailed off under his gaze.

"Isn't it? You want to cut Beauxbatons off from Hogwarts. Beauxbatons is the most likely natural ally of Hogwarts. The French and the English haff never been the closest, but they pull together when threatened. It's physically closer than Durmstrang. And how many French Death Eaters are there in Azkaban?" he asked, surveying the table. No answer. "That is what I thought. What does he haff to lose? No allies inside, it's a damned French cottage, not a fort, almost undefended, all he has to do is get past the gates. And better yet, they do not believe he exists. The damage you can do when someone underestimates you... And if he does even minimal damage, he gets to taunt us with it. Prime 'head on a pike' material. And he's got someone on his side who knows the school inside and out."

"Who?" Theodore Thripplewhite asked curiously.

"Fleur Delacour. She spent seven years there. I don't think Beauxbatons is as tricky to know as Hogwarts and Durmstrang. Not so secretive. Not so many secrets inside. I doubt even the headmasters know half of what there is to know about either Durmstrang or Hogwarts."

"You're certain she's... turned?" Thripplewhite pressed.

"Who said she was on our side to begin with?" Viktor asked heavily.