The War of Shades

Chapter 32 Classes Amid War

It was good to be back to the relative comfort and familiarity of classes. Harry had been given permission to attend classes only as needed, except for Potions of course; however, as he thought about it, he realized he preferred to attend as many as he could. He already felt isolated being the only student without sunglasses and in many ways Harry was regarded by the other students as more of a teacher than a fellow student. The teachers, of course, never did so. This was all on top of all the other things that had set him apart - The Boy Who Lived, parseltongue, TriWizard Champion, etc. Class sessions helped to reestablish him as one member of the student body, albeit an exceptional one.

Everyone was regularly reminded as well of Harry's connection with Voldemort whenever he would suddenly break off what he was doing and begin writing down targets, while wincing with the pain in his scar, and then dash to a quiet spot to call Lupin on the mirror. Harry had standing permission to interrupt anything and leave any class for this purpose. Likewise, the student volunteers had standing permission to head for the fireplaces to take the Floo to the Ministry whenever Harry signaled an attack was on. On occasions this would leave 7th year classes with either no students or sometimes just Harry. Understandably, it was also somewhat difficult to get the students' focus back on classwork after they had just returned from battling dark wizards and witches and dementors.

Harry had to admit to himself how he ached to go on the response teams as well. He often discussed this with Reverend MacBoon in their sessions; Cameron helped Harry to view this as putting aside Harry's personal desire for adventure and playing the hero in favor of the greater good, and as such, it was not a burden, but an excellent opportunity at practicing further the sort of self-overcoming necessary to truly master universal love. Cameron guided Harry to the understanding that seeing to one's needs and even pursuing one's desires are not evil, so long as one does not hurt others in the process, but where others would be hurt, as in this case where Harry might be rendered unable to give warnings or oppose Voldemort, personal preferences must be graciously relinquished.

As with the previous year, Harry was well-focused on developing his skills. He believed it would render Sirius's death meaningless if he did not prepare with all his energy to successfully oppose Voldemort. If he ever felt like slacking off, a return to his room and a talk with Sirius's portrait brought it all back to him, even though the portrait Sirius encouraged him to mix some fun into his life as well. Harry had to admit that despite being more sociable than last year, he was dangerously close to becoming a real grind - he promised he would look for chances to just have fun.

Professor Snape appeared to put an emphasis on potions which had been developed fairly recently. Harry wondered if that was deliberate, intended either to help him with what he did not know through the scar connection or to trip him up by trying to catch him relying on what he knew through Voldemort. He recognized that assuming the choice of potions was based on his situation would be a rather paranoid train of thought, were it not for the fact that it was Snape, after all. Harry even let his control of legilemency lapse on one occasion when he looked up toward Professor Snape, who startled and then strode down the aisle to where Harry had returned his attention to his cauldron.

Snape spoke quietly but sternly. "Mr. Potter, I am excused from the obligation to wear those ridiculous sunglasses for good reason. You have been instructed not to use legilemency in the school, so of course, I knew that you would be violating that rule when it suited you. Consequently, I practice occlumency whenever I am in your vicinity - as does the Headmaster, I might add. I do not know what you were looking for, but I do not appreciate having you - particularly you - attempting to rummage around in my mind. For a first offense, I will let you by with only a single detention, only because I have already been so instructed. I believe Professor Sinistra has some chores that need doing and can supervise you tonight."

Harry hated to be caught out like that, but with his practice at self-examination, he realized that Professor Snape was right on all counts. Meekly he replied, "Yes, Professor." Then as Snape turned back toward the front of the room, Harry called quietly to him.

"What is it, Potter?" answered Snape with annoyance.

"You're right, Professor Snape. I let curiosity lead me to treat you poorly. I was wrong and I am sorry. Thank you for calling me on it."

A sincere decent apology from Harry Potter appeared to rankle Snape more than would have an evasion.

"Every time I think you cannot possibly find a way to be more annoying, you prove me wrong, Potter. Just get on with your potion, before your salamander hearts burst into flame."

At least Harry learned that he would never know the motive behind Snape's selection of potions. Having the matter settled was sufficient. Whatever the case, he accepted the challenges with vigor - one could never tell what skill or insight might turn the battle.

In Care of Magical Creatures, they were starting off with creatures likely to be on the NEWT. For September they studied runespoors, gnomes, murtlaps, and kneazles. Hermione needed little encouragement to bring Cruikshanks to class several days so that Hagrid could explain the features that identified him as a kneazle rather than a typical muggle cat. As Hagrid explained it, a kneazle wasn't really a different species than a cat; rather they were to common cats what wizards are to muggles - simply the magical variety of the same creature. However, that, as well as the effects of wizard selection in breeding kneazles to their preferences, gave rise to particular characteristics, just as a tall or robust person is going to have differences in bone structure from a short or gracile one.

Herbology was focused on the most difficult and dangerous plants and fungi to grow. Most of them would require a special license for a witch or wizard to maintain and, especially, propagate them. Many of these required Charms or potions to achieve a state in which they could be used for magic. Timing and methodology were crucial - whether the potion should be applied to the roots or the leaves, and if to the leaves, should it be brushed on, sprayed or poured; whether the roots or stems should be clipped, or the flowers pinched to stimulate more potent growth; which insects or other creatures should be allowed to infest the plants to incite desired reactions; the variations for particular purposes went on and on. The class seemed at times more like Snape's Potions conducted with living things than what Harry had previously thought of as a sedate branch of magic. And yet it was not truly like Snape's Potions, because as exacting as this was, Neville seemed transformed whenever he was in the greenhouses and outdoor beds, confident and joyous to the point that he was almost unrecognizable from the young man in Potions who still cowered at Snape's sneer.

Professor McGonagall seemed to have made it her mission to find a transfiguration Harry could not do, often giving him pages of instructions at the beginning of class and setting him to work by himself for the session. As he completed each task, he would catch her attention, point out the result, and she would acknowledge it with a nod so that he could move on to the next one. Sometimes she would catch Hermione's attention and nod in Harry's direction; when she saw Harry's work, Harry would grin at her, and he could tell that both of them were quite put out at the ease with which he could perform these changes. This actually saddened him, however. First because he valued both these women so highly. And second, because they perceived this recent influx of knowledge as all benefit: they did not realize the extent of the burden that was involved in carrying Voldemort's memories and awareness around with him all the time. Sometimes he felt like telling them so, but then he would keep it to himself, not wanting to seem to be whinging about his burdens.

In Magical History, Professor Binns included the first new material to his standard lesson plan since Harry had arrived at Hogwarts. The history of the goblin rebellions had to be updated with the most recent events - those of the previous year which led up to the Battle of Gringott's. Of course, nearly all of the students had participated in the events, so it was all the more remarkable to them that Professor Binns was able to make the recounting of the matter so excruciatingly dull that they could not even stay awake to hear about their own role in the Battle. Harry decided that perhaps Magical History was one class for which he could skive off.

Hagrid proved to be a wonderful student to Harry. Of course, Hagrid had unbounded enthusiasm for getting himself fully qualified. In turn, Harry responded with equal enthusiasm, since Harry liked Hagrid, Harry enjoyed being able to look Hagrid in the eyes, and Harry found it a wonderful respite from the squabbling that still seemed to break out regularly among the older students. Both of them enjoyed the camaraderie of spending such good times with someone else who also knew how it felt to be only partly accepted and to be also the subject of usually-unspoken suspicion.

The DA as well went mostly very well. In addition to the first years, Harry had to bring those who had not been in last year's DA up to quality. This included almost 100 Hogwarts students, mostly Slytherins like Crabbe and Goyle who had refused to join last year, but had reconsidered when the killings had begun in earnest. It also included adults who had asked to join to work on their defensive skills as well. Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacouer were among these. Charlie Weasley also showed up when he was visiting, although he was still spending more of his time in Romania.

Most of the older and returning students picked up the skills very well. Harry had made a point of personally working with them to get them up to speed quickly. With their many more years of magical experience and the relative maturity of their powers, he knew they would come around quickly. He was right, to an extent that often surprised even them: the older trainees found themselves doing things they had never been able to accomplish before. The perkiness, even strutting, in their steps at the end of sessions was unmistakable. With each breakthrough, they would return for the nest session even more enthusiastic. By the end of September, nearly all of them had been integrated into the platoons or squadrons.

Skills continued to develop among the rest of the DA as well. Although platoon and squadron leaders worked with their members on skills, they did not hesitate to ask Ron or Ernie for help, and when there still seemed to be a problem, neither hesitated to refer the member to Harry. Nor was there grumbling about being referred, as no one perceived it as a punishment but rather a favored opportunity: when Harry got involved, he not only got a person past the immediate problem, but sharpened up all of their spell and dueling skills. At the first session with squadrons, the broom corps had to go down the stairs and out through the great front doors; this took time from training, particularly for those referred to Harry for some work. Thereafter, to save time, Harry wished that the Room of Requirement had a rooftop entrance during training, and as soon as he wished it, it did.

Still, it nagged at Harry that despite the high levels of performance, fights and arguments kept breaking out. It always seemed to be over petty things, but it had come to spells being exchanged more than once. He, Hermione and Katie tried to unhex people, but at least nightly, at least one older student had to be taken to the Hospital Wing, in addition to the 10-20 younger students who were injured by classmates beyond the capacity of on-site healing. Harry tried to tell himself that it was just the stress of the war and training, but he remained concerned that there were more deep-seated rifts, all the more so because Voldemort began to take an interest in the squabbling as a weakness which could be exploited.

Not everyone found September to be so smooth. Somehow Ginny ran afoul of some rule or another often enough that she was in detention almost every evening. Luckily it hadn't cost Gryffindor many points, and she found a way to avoid detention on quidditch nights. It had gotten so bad that the twins started making book on how long she would go before getting another detention and what sort of infraction it would be. Ginny did not take to this very well. The one thing the twins would not make book on was who her detention would be with: it was always Snape, and he always assigned her to clean various parts of the castle non-magically. She even had to send an owl to her mother for additional jeans, as the knees of hers were getting worn through by the hard stone floors. She borrowed Hedwig for this, since Pig would be completely unable to handle a package with clothing in it.

Near the end of September, an announcement went out that Melony was to start giving a series of talks from the goblin viewpoint. She was going to start with several talks on magical history. Harry made sure he could attend, both for the information and because he had hardly seen Melony or Dobby since he had been back. Both looked too funny in their wrap-around sunglasses. Melony seemed to enjoy them, as it made the relatively bright lights of Hogwarts castle seem as dim as the goblin homes underneath Gringotts. Dobby just seemed excited to have yet one more way he could wear clothes.

Melony's first seminar was very well attended, by students and faculty alike. Afterwards, Harry noticed Madame Maxime engage Melony in a discussion which went on for quite some time. Harry found out at the next Defense lesson what much of that discussion must have been about.

"Cheeldren," began Madame Maxime, "I know you are all familiar with anti-Apparation spells to prevent ze particular sorcerer from disapparating. Most of you can pairform ze various vairsions quite well. 'owevair, at times, you weell 'ave need to protect an area from sorcerers apparating into or out of eet. As you know, thees castle is protected with such a charm. Beauxbatons as well is protected in this manner. When you 'ave 'omes of your own, you may wish to protect zem with antiapparation spells, especially if you are unable yourself to Apparate. The spells can also be used for businesses and open areas and adjusted to allow certain magical beings to Apparate while blocking uzzers. This is not a field of expertise for me. 'owever, I recently learned that we 'ave a staff member who is an expert on zese spells. We will 'ave a series of guest lectures on these spells by Melony, 'ogwarts' resident goblin. She was raised in a goblin tribe, called a 'ullaballoo, in Gringotts. The goblins have long made a study of anti-Apparation charms as part of their defenses against sorcerers. I 'ope you will all make Melony feel welcome and listen attentively."

Melony rose from the child-size chair she had been sitting in and approached Madame Maxime. Her ears barely cleared Maxime's knees, but they looked each other face-to-face, gave each other the 'air kisses' which are so typically French, and thanked each other. Then Melony ascended a podium which had been placed for her use.

Over the next three class sessions, Melony described the theory, use, effectiveness and adaptability of anti-Apparation spells. Harry found it most fascinating that unlike most spells, these spells generally required multiple magical beings, though it was not necessary that all of them be able to perform magic themselves. The strength of the protection depended on the strength of the primary spellsayer and the others involved, but the area which could be covered was more dependent on the variety of magical beings involved. She described how the goblins of Gringotts would employ a cooperative witch or wizard and a vampire or werewolf when they needed to renew the charm protecting Gringotts, as must be done periodically. Three different beings gave them the protection that a space the size of Gringotts' needed, at least when the primary spellsayer was a goblin mother protecting her home.

Hermione raised her hand. "Excuse me, Melony, how large an area could be protected by such a spell?"

"There are many factors, Miss Granger, but with the right combination of beings and particularly powerful participants, you could probably protect the entire Hogwarts grounds and several miles in all directions, including the Forest, the lake and Hogsmeade all at once from apparation or disapparation by all but the most powerful of sorcerers."

This explanation drew appreciative murmurs from nearly the entire class.

Then Melony added, "Mind you, I cannot be too sure about how long-lived such an expansive spell would be, but the question was the maximum area, not how stable such a spell would be."

At the end of the month, Harry learned of a new plan to emotionally undermine him. He called Dumbledore on the mirror.

"Professor Dumbledore?"

"Harry, is it another attack!? Is Remus unavailable/"

"No, Professor, it's not an imminent attack. But Voldemort has approved a proposal by Lucius Malfoy to attack someone I care about."

"I see, and I assume that the target was not named, since you have not said who it is."

"Exactly. Voldemort has not explained to his followers the extent of the connection, but he did prevent Malfoy from giving the details."

"What do you know about it?"

"Voldemort made sure it was not a physical attack on me, but said other than that, the Death Eaters could hurt or kill anyone they chose to."

"I see, Harry. Was Voldemort using legilemency during this talk?"

"No, Professor. He turned his back. He doesn't know how to suppress it any other way, and he doesn't care to learn that from me. Professor, it seems to me that we are all pretty safe on the grounds here, unless there was an attack of such a scope that he would have to be told first."

"Yes, I believe that's true."

"But what about other situations? How about the Dursleys - I've actually become fond of them over the past couple of years."

Dumbledore smiled. "The protection that you have there was reciprocal. As you still consider it your home, that household is still protected, not just when the people are in the house, but in all their activities - even more so because you are fond of them. It would take an attack by Voldemort himself to get to them, and you would know about that in advance as soon as he formed the intention."

"How about Mrs. Figg?"

"She is well-protected. Just trust me on that."

"Yes, sir. Then there are Hermione's parents and the other parents."

"Measures have been taken."

"Yes, sir. How about the Weasleys?"

"Molly and Arthur are living at Grimmauld Place, as you know, and are quite safe there. Arthur apparates directly to the Ministry of Magic. Security isn't perfect there, but it has been tightened considerably. I'll relay this new threat to him for appropriate response. The older brothers are all living at Diagon Alley, and participate in mutual defense with the other sorcerers and goblins there. It is a difficult area for an attack. All the other sorcerers you know are either there or in a similarly safe location, such as Longbottom Manor."

"Well, that leaves students on their way to Hogsmeade and people going on missions. Perhaps they are going to increase the size of raiding parties so they can disrupt rescues. They could cause a lot of injuries to defenders and allow the dementors a chance to give the Kiss."

"As for Hogsmeade, it too is protected by mutual defense efforts. I'll discuss the other possibility with others, but I don't want to say anything about a possible response in front of you."

"Of course. We have to keep things confidential. I understand. It's hard being on the outside like this, you know."

"I'm sure it is, Harry, but you aren't really on the outside. You are training people to be great fighters, and then letting others choose and implement strategy. You need not feel responsible for everything. Let others do what they are good at."

"Of course, but there's been a lot of squabbling among the older students. I hope the stress of the war isn't starting to divide us."

"Always trust, Harry, that we are all loyal."

"But loyalty won't carry the day when people cannot even work together."

"So far they remain very highly effective."

"I'll accept that for now, Professor, although I am not entirely convinced. Even Voldemort has noticed it - to his pleasure. Well, then that about covers it. I can't think of anyone else who becomes vulnerable."

"'Constant Vigilance!'" said Dumbledore with a wink. "I'm glad you've let me know about this, Harry. Try to trust that we will cover everyone."