The Art of Peace

Chapter 19

The Journey

The journey goes on

Its end never to be found

But worth all the pain

Ginny looked at the scene before her in astonishment. She had known that Harry had met other witches and wizards in the period after he left England, but this was unbelievable. It was an army, and one that was at least half the size of the forces of Light back in England. Being such an exclusive community due to the rarity of magical talent, it was unusual for a battle to consist of more than one or two hundred soldiers on each side. Of course with the range and tenacity of a magical attack, these battlefields were still quite large. The size of the army was not the only strange thing, though. What made it stranger was the fact that Harry was a part of it, and apparently a well-respected person. It was not just his being in the army that confused Ginny. She knew him well enough that he could not live life without trying to save someone. What was so odd was the way people took his advice without question. Harry and his muggle friend were moving through the hustle with someone who was apparently the general, giving out orders and telling people which weapons and supplies to take or leave behind. Of course, if it was odd that Harry was respected, what was a muggle doing in all of this? Ginny knew from Harry's letters that Sifu had taken him in and eventually introduced him to his new home, but why would these witches and wizards treat him with the same easy deference that Harry did? It was just another strange thing about this entire situation. She had known Harry would come back with her; he was the tragic hero type, after all, despite how much he tried to escape it. However, this was just something she could not get over. What would her family and the Order leaders say when she got back? What would she say to explain the sudden appearance of this massive group of reinforcements? It was enough of a shock that the four hundred person strong army had decided to come, but many of the non-military members of the community were coming as cooks, doctors, and other support personnel as well, and it was all the result of this Sifu deciding not to let Harry return alone. It was amazing that even here Harry Potter was Harry Potter, despite who he tried to be.

She had heard from Dumbledore the story of Snape's first contact with Harry when he had wanted company in the hospital wing, so she had actually been expecting him to be blonde or under some other surprise. Of course in a country as foreign as this, his natural black hair was probably a better disguise, but even his scar showed now. From his relationship with the people around him, she knew they either did not know about its significance or did not care; it did not take knowledge of the language to understand that. Breathing in relief at the completion of the army's preparations, Ginny stood as the troops and supporters clambered into the carts. Finding a spot in the same cart as Harry and his friends, she settled in for a long ride.

Contrary to her expectations, the ride was anything but boring. Almost as soon as they were underway Harry gave her a parchment that translated her words into Tibetan and words spoken to her into English. Lobsang, as she found the general was called, questioned her intensely on the disposition of the forces in England for both sides, making liberal use of maps and charts. Thankfully the cart was charmed to keep out the wind, so it was at least a comfortable ride. A few others asked questions as well, but for the most part they were content to listen to the quasi-briefing with their own variations of Ginny's parchment. She found that apart from Lobsang most of the questions came from Sifu, and when he spoke everyone else grew silent as if their lives depended on his words. Finally, she could not take the suspense any more. Turning to Harry she addressed him.

"So why is your friend Sifu coming? Isn't he just a muggle?"

Harry's face darkened; as did the expressions of the rest of the cart's occupants once they read the translation. Claude spoke up hotly.

"Sifu is better than any ten wizards you English have, except maybe Harry, he's only worth two of him. Harry, how can you let a bigot like this be your friend?"

Harry spoke up hastily. "She didn't mean anything by it. She just doesn't know any better."

A translation slid across the parchment. "That matters not. She insults those she has never met. What type of things do your people teach, Harry, that leads their children to have such a lack of respect?"

"I apologize for her, Lobsang. Wizards in England are very prejudiced, I know, but there are many well-meaning witches and wizards who should not suffer for their culture's mistakes. Whatever you think, I must fulfill my duty," Harry returned.

"Of course you must do your duty," Lobsang replied, "but do not forget that their lack of respect of other people is but the first step in renewing this war for the next generation. Your Voldemort is the result of learning such as this, and to prevent another such leader to rise you must start with the children. Remember that in the time of your victory."

Harry inclined his head to the venerable leader as Ginny looked on in shock. What was wrong with what she had said? Did they really look on Sifu, who although a nice man was still a muggle, as an equal? Even her father with his love of muggles looked on them as foolish little children and he was one of the greatest men she had ever known. What did this muggle know that made him so important, and what was the deal with the others thinking she lacked respect? How was she to know that Sifu deserved it if no one told her? Leaning over to an obviously still angered Harry, she whispered in his ear.

"I'm sorry I insulted Sifu, but why didn't you tell me they liked him?"

Harry just looked at her in what she could only describe as shock. He sat still for a few moments before excusing himself from the others to erect a privacy ward around the two of them for a reply.

"So you can insult anyone if they have not proven themselves to you?" he asked angrily.

"Of course not! I would never insult another wizard or witch, but he's just a muggle, how was I supposed to know he was important to everyone as more than someone to talk to?"

"Just a muggle, you say? Since when does that matter? Sure, we have special powers they lack, but I've met muggles who could put any wizard to shame, not that that should matter. A person is a person, whether a wizard or not, and should be respected as such. I'm not fighting Voldemort just because he is evil; I am fighting him for all the people he has killed that had no voice just because they were muggles. I remember the World Cup and how the muggles were terrorized. It didn't mean as much to me then, and I am ashamed of that, but for that behavior to be condoned by any society shows that it is in its death throes. Don't you understand that when you treat other people or sentient beings as less than you, you are just paving the way for a society to be destroyed by its own lack of humanity? Why do you think we had Goblin Wars or Giant Rebellions? What do you think happened to great empires like Rome? They grew cruel and fell from the inside. A more tolerant society may have left Tom Riddle other options to use his power in constructive ways. If I had stayed in England I could have become the next dark lord if I didn't die first, and it would have been easy because lots of people would follow me." "Do you really mean all of that, Harry? You think that stuff about muggles and giants and goblins' being equal is true?"

"Of course I do. When have I ever lied to you? Well, about anything other than where I was going, but that is beside the point. Will you give muggles a chance and apologize to Sifu? It is the only way everyone here will talk to you again with any amount of respect for you."

"I'll apologize, Harry, but I'll have to think about the whole muggles being equal part, that just doesn't make sense right now."

Harry looked like he wanted to debate the point further, but brought down the wards instead for Ginny's apology.

"Sifu, I apologize for my rudeness. I was not thinking. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course I will forgive you, child," he replied, "but you need to learn to keep your eyes open. After all, one of us so-called weaker humans could save your life some day."

Sifu was disturbed as he sat back in his seat. To see such prejudice in one so young was sad, to say the least. It spoke a lot about the state of the society he was about to be introduced to. Harry had explained many of the prejudices of the wizards he had gone to school with, and how the war was based on many of those same prejudices, but to see it first hand brought it to the forefront. Of course Sifu understood their fear of what the non-magical people would do when faced with magic; not everyone was as open-minded as he, and Harry's relatives were probably more typical than he wished to believe. However, even thought they had to hide their magic, it was astonishing to think that a wizard would refuse to use some of the technological innovations merely because they were muggle. The only good result of that was the absence of guns in this war they were heading towards.

It was several hours of an uneasy and mostly unbroken silence later that the carts finally crossed the North Sea and began the relatively short journey over Northern England and Scotland to Hogwarts. Soon the great expanse of the Forbidden Forest came into sight beneath them, causing the wizards and witches who had never seen it before to look out in awe at the obviously magical area. Sifu was especially excited as he could see the faint ripples emanating from the various magical creatures below. The view of Hogwarts coming over the horizon drew gasps and murmurs of astonishment, and within a few minutes the carts were landing a couple hundred yards outside the gates. Immediately Ginny and Harry moved towards the castle to forestall any misunderstandings on who was landing outside. To Harry's surprise, he was met, not by Hagrid as he expected, but by none other than Severus Snape. Smiling at his former nemesis, Harry extended his hand in greeting.

"Professor Snape, it's a pleasure to see you again under better circumstances."

"Potter," Snape sneered, refusing the hand. "Weasley, too, I see. What made you come back? Did you think you were needed to save the day again and gain even more fame for coming back from the dead?"

"I'm sorry you think that Professor, and before this gets any worse, I am sorry for everything I did to you over the years. I owe you a debt of gratitude for looking out for me while I was in school despite your dislike of my family."

Snape looked at him in shock. A Potter was apologizing to a Snape?

"I accept your apology, but this changes nothing. Now, why are you here and who are all of these people you have brought with you? Are they more fans?"

"Anything but, sir. These are all trained warriors, and they have been training non-stop for almost three years now. They have come to help, nothing more. I would advise you and whoever is in charge to work with them because they are not leaving until either I kill Voldemort or he dies for killing me."

Sighing in disgust, Severus agreed. He would do anything to get out of having to treat a Potter like a normal person. Turning around, he led Harry and Ginny inside. Once there Harry looked around in awe. It was still Hogwarts, but there was a more martial feel to it. Many of the unnecessary decoration had been removed and only bare stone remained in most places. Entering the Great Hall was like walking into a different world. Even though it was the middle of July now, the Hall was full of diners of all ages. The majority of those around military age were gathered around tables to one side of the Hall dressed in war cloaks. Everyone else filled the remainder of the Hall to overflowing. They were ignored as they moved through the Hall, the constant commotion and Harry having cast a glamour spell over his scar keeping unwanted observers away. Cautiously, Harry approached the High Table, where an obviously thinner and older Albus Dumbledore was deep in discussion with several others. Reaching the end of the table, they were finally noticed by the occupants. A distraught Arthur Weasley jumped up and ran to his daughter.

"Where have you been? How could you leave without telling us, especially at a time like this? Do you know how worried your mother is?"

Ginny just cowered in front of her father as attention shifted towards the small group. A gasp came from the Headmaster as he realized just who was with Ginny and the Potions Master.

"Harry? Is that you?"

"Yes, Headmaster, I've come back."

Silence filled the table as people figured out just who 'Harry' was. Of course he was different now without his scar and he was definitely not the scrawny child he had been before due to the muscles he had gained from four years of almost non-stop physical training, but he still looked like a Potter. Whispers quickly filtered through the Hall and conversations ground to a halt. Arthur Weasley just looked at the boy who had been like a son in astonishment. Finally he spoke.

"B-b-b-but you're dead! Aren't you? I was at your funeral for Merlin's sake!"

"I know, Mr. Weasley, and I am sorry you had to go through that. I assure you, though, that I really am alive - never died, actually."

Arthur just grabbed the table behind him and shakily eased himself into a chair. Grimacing at the attention he was receiving, Harry turned to Dumbledore once more.

"Headmaster, perhaps we could continue this outside? I have some people you need to meet."

Dumbledore merely got up and followed Harry and Ginny out of the hall, leaving a stunned crowd in their wake. The Boy Who Lived had returned.

A/N: Well, a very quick post for me, but don't get used to it. I've been writing a lot because I needed to keep my creativity up for a huge Biochem paper. As usual, thanks to Ters and Kraeg001 for the beta work. Peace all.