Rating:
PG-13
House:
Schnoogle
Genres:
Action Drama
Era:
Multiple Eras
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix Quidditch Through the Ages Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Stats:
Published: 01/08/2005
Updated: 06/29/2005
Words: 244,306
Chapters: 66
Hits: 89,703

The War of Shades

quintaped

Story Summary:
Seventh year - The scar connection becomes wide open, giving both Harry and Voldemort ever more detailed views into each other's mind. Harry works on practicing the message he gained in Egypt (Harry Potter and the Goblin Rebellion), but Voldemort launches the Second War to fill Harry with hatred and anger and to strip him of all who are loyal to him. Ever more desperately Harry trains himself and others to fight, but something is making all of his friends fight each other. Harry must find a way to stop the internal warfare or Voldemort will be able to launch an attack on Hogwarts that will destroy all who are capable of resisting him, including Harry. Through all this, Harry must learn for himself how he will finally vanquish Voldemort.

Chapter 34

Chapter Summary:
At the Halloween feast, Hedwig returns from a flight for Ginny grievously injures - she had been intercepted and her left leg cut off. As Hagrid rushes to help her, Harry remembers the hand-restoring spell Voldemort performed in the graveyeard and modifies it ofr Hedwig. Still Hedwig is at death's door as Hagrid takes her to give her help. Harry is distraught as he and his freinds leave the feast. Draco Malfoy cannot resist the opportunity to taunt Harry. Harry is enraged and vents his anger through a spectacular display of lower. Although he harms no one, he is given immediate detention with Reverend MacBoon.
Posted:
03/23/2005
Hits:
1,157


Chapter 34 Hedwig

October brought cold, increased rain, and wind. That did not stop Ron from conducting outdoor squadron training. On one particularly cold, wet and gusty night, Harry asked if they wouldn't rather do indoor drills.

"It's just like quidditch," he explained. "You can't just decide to hold off on fighting until the weather's nice."

The members of the squadron looked around at each other and after a leaden pause, they started to cheer. However, Harry found out later that Katie had to unhex Ron no less than 18 times.

More and more of the trainees were able enough to be integrated into units. Once they had mastered the basic disarming, blocking and disabling spells, they were ready to join a unit. This way they would see the improvement they would need to stand against real fighters. The team leaders would teach them additional spells as they practiced. Being treated as fully participating members of units encouraged all to work on their skills diligently and progress was obvious.

Harry began to be concerned about Ginny, however. She was missing as many sessions as she was attending. She couldn't hold her tongue in class and kept getting detentions. Harry had known for a couple of years that she had the twin's penchant for sass and sarcasm, but he was surprised she couldn't curb it even long enough to avoid discipline. He made an offer, which was accepted, to give her a half hour of private dueling and spells training before breakfast twice a week. Harry found himself hoping that she enjoyed those sessions as much as he did.

Harry learned through his scar connection that the Dark forces were starting to suffer greater attrition in their raids. He tried to ask Dumbledore and Remus about what changes had been made in their strategies in responding, but they not only would not tell him but also specifically instructed him not to try to get the information from the students. He only needed to be reminded that revealing strategies would tend to make them more vulnerable. Harry warned them, though, that the success of the responses was causing Voldemort to seek other strategies. They acknowledged what Harry told them, but allowed no response.

October also brought the first Quidditch matches. Gryffindor's first match was against Hufflepuff mid-month. While Hufflepuff had been a patsy the year before, they returned their entire team and this year had no weak positions, though no dominating positions either - they were simply a solid team. Rather than try to run up the score, Ron instructed Harry to focus on simply getting the snitch as quickly as possible. Harry took that to heart, especially since he had it in the back of his mind that if he were killed this way, it would destroy Voldemort's power. He would seek the snitch, but he wouldn't hold back in any way. When he saw the snitch near the goalposts, he gave pursuit at blurring speeds. Showing the effects of his training program he put on maneuvers that were breathtaking, whizzing between the goal posts, corkscrewing between other players, stooping to within inches of the ground, rocketing upward only to make hairpin turns before finally catching up with the snitch and grabbing it, securing a Gryffindor victory. At the end of the month, Slytherin also won over a Ravenclaw team which had three new players.

Near the end of the month, Ginny again needed new jeans, as hers were once more worn through by her detentions, so Harry allowed her to use Hedwig to ask her mother for some new ones. They were all at the Halloween Feast when the sound of wings at the upper windows was heard, followed soon after by screams from those over whom the snowy owl flew. Rather than her usual graceful flight, Hedwig was barely keeping from falling. Still carrying the new jeans, she crashed into Ginny. Harry immediately noticed a growing puddle of red around his beloved owl and pulled a wing back to discover that her left leg had been sliced off at the knee joint. She was bleeding profusely. Ginny immediately used a napkin to stanch the blood loss. Screams went up all around. Hagrid saw that Hedwig was hurt and immediately began making his way through the students, pulling his creature care supplies from his pockets as he came.

Harry trembled with rage initially at the horror of what had been done to his innocent pet. As he stared at her, overcome with guilt and grief at the gruesome injury, he felt his own left leg begin to ache, and Hedwig turned her head and hooted weakly at him. He began to breathe more deeply and composed himself. His mind raced feverishly.

Then Harry remembered. He had seen this sort of thing before. As he searched his mind, he realized that he knew what to do - only he could do it better than he had seen before. Harry waved Hagrid back as he reached the table. Harry pulled his wand, mumbling an incantation and performing a complicated series of motions with his wand, and then thrust it at Hedwig's bloody stump. Instantly there appeared where her leg should have been a new one. It was steely in appearance but very light: titanium. It would be light enough for flight, extremely strong, free from rust or tarnish and the talons were completely mobile and needle-sharp.

Harry lifted Hedwig and brushed her head feathers as Hagrid gave her a blood restorative. Hagrid then gestured for Harry to hand Hedwig over.

"That'll give her a chance. I'll take 'er to me cabin. She's terribly weak, but I'll do everything I can."

"I know you'll do your best, Hagrid: your care for animals comes from the heart," replied Harry.

"And if I ever get hold of whoever done this, they'll be lucky if I do no more to them than what they did to her."

Harry clamped his eyes shut, holding back the tears. Then he said, as much to convince himself as Hagrid, "No, Hagrid. We must forgive, even the most awful of things. We will not return evil for evil, but just try to stop it."

"Sure, Harry, whatever you say. You let me work with 'er a bit, then you come 'round."

Harry watched as Hagrid carried Hedwig out of the Great Hall, cradling her like a newborn baby. Then Harry also walked out of the Hall, with his friends all around him, silently comforting him. They had almost reached the stairs when they heard the Great Hall door open again.

"Potter!" It was Malfoy, who sounded jubilant. "Hey, Potter!"

Harry looked over his shoulder to see Malfoy wave a roast chicken leg in the air, then take a bite. He smacked his lips and said "Mmm! Tastes like chicken."

"Malfoy, don't!" said Hermione.

But Malfoy was not to be deterred. Grinning evilly, he added, " - now there's a real owl treat."

No one even saw Harry draw his wands but instantly he was turned toward Malfoy with a wand in each hand. Harry's eyes blazed red with a venom his friends had never seen before. The air around Harry shimmered like a mirage. Hermione told Denis Creevey to get the professors as Harry's friends tried to calm him.

Harry's left arm and wand were suddenly thrust in the air, beating it with deliberate circular swipes. As he did so enormous black clouds boiled upward, filling the entire open space between the stairs. The clouds roiled and took on a deep red aspect and lightning slashed viciously between and out of the clouds. Draco shifted his head up and down from the seething clouds above him to Harry's right hand wand, which was pointed right at Malfoy's heart.

"Harry, no, he's not worth it!" yelled Ron.

"His FATHER mutilated Hedwig and HE makes light of it! And you tell me not to do anything!" Harry breathed deeply and deliberately.

"Harry," shouted Hermione over the roar of the winds emanating from the clouds. "Practice forgiveness and goodwill - that's what we learned in Egypt. You have to do it."

Harry did not answer her but he continued to draw a bead on Draco, as if contemplating what sort of hex would be severe enough. By now the Professors and most of the students were standing in the now-open doors of the Great hall, not daring to confront either the lightning storm or the evident wrath. Harry's right hand clenched on the wand. Ginny stepped in front of his wand and gently placed her hand on his lower arm in a silent plea for him to relent. Harry looked into her face, pain in his eyes, and then thrashed his wand over her shoulder toward Draco who was struck squarely in his chest and then doubled over cackling.

"Harry, was that a ... a cheering charm?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah," said Harry, straightening up from his attack posture, and beginning to swirl his left hand wand the opposite direction, clearing up the black clouds. As they disappeared, Harry used his right hand wand to clear up the rain that had fallen on the various floors.

"Why a cheering charm?" asked Neville, as the clean-up was concluded.

Harry looked at him weakly, as if his energy was all spent. "Thanks to all of you, I got hold of myself enough not to hurt him. I could feel Voldemort fueling the fires of my rage - but you - yes, you - beat him back with your support and care. Still I couldn't completely restrain myself from hitting Draco with something for his making light of something so hideous, so I decided to hit him with something non-injuring."

"I'm not so sure about that, Potter," said Professor McGonagall, as she approached him. "While you were dealing with the water, several of the professors, including myself, have tried to lift the Charm and we have been unable to do so. Look at him there - laughing uncontrollably, rolling on the floor: he can't even catch his breath beyond a few gasps. Just how strong a charm was that?"

"I gave it everything I could, Professor."

"Can you lift it? He could actually die laughing at this rate."

"I'll try. I was very angry before,"

Harry pulled his wand, and called out "Finite Incantatem!" The spell did not lift entirely, but left Malfoy able to breathe and only giggling madly rather than howling as before.

"That's better. Madam Pomfrey should be able to help him from this point, although it could take a few days for the spell to wear off," said Professor McGonagall. "You are aware, Potter, that you must have detention for this. I want you to report immediately to Reverend MacBoon. I think sorting things out concerning your owl is the best detention for you right now."

"Yes, Professor McGonagall. Thank you," said Harry. "Before I go to the rectory, Professor, may I check on Hedwig?"

"I think you are a bit overwrought for that right now. You two Creeveys, go check on the owl and carry a report back to Mr. Potter at the rectory. And you three," she said, indicating Ginny, Ron and Neville, "I want you to accompany Mr. Potter there. Miss Granger, don't protest. I need our Head Girl to assist in restoring order right now."

"Yes, Professor," said Hermione. Then she whispered to Harry, "I'm so proud of the way you controlled your anger. With your stress, that must have been a monumental effort."

Harry nodded acknowledgement. "I think I'd better go to the rectory, Hermione. We can talk later."

At the rectory door, Neville knocked. Reverend MacBoon soon pulled the door open wide.

"Ah, it's nice to have a visit. Please come in. Get out of the rain," said Cameron.

Harry scowled as he brushed past him. "It's not exactly a social call, Cameron." He flopped himself into one of the two overstuffed easy chairs. Cameron took the recliner, while the others found various seats.

"Not a good mood, Harry, and yet it sounds more worried than angry."

Neville explained. "He's here for detention, Reverend. Well, it was called that, but the intention was more of a cooling-off period and counseling session. The Death Eaters caught his owl and cut its leg off and Harry restored it with a magical one. He wouldn't have had detention for that, but when Draco Malfoy taunted him, he popped his cork and conjured a thunderstorm and hexed Draco."

"Nothing permanently damaging, I hope?" asked Cameron.

Ron grinned and laughed nervously. "Naw, Draco got what he needed - Harry hit him with a Cheering Charm."

"Ahh! So Harry, I was right then. You are more worried than angry," said Cameron.

"Yeah, that and frustrated. I felt Voldemort fueling my anger, trying to push me over the edge. Even though I've made it a habit to push my emotions the opposite of how he pushes me, this was nearly too much. The thunderstorm was a way for me to let out rage safely, but that would not have been enough. My friends pulled me back. If there's any anger now, it's that I can't check on Hedwig because I'm here for detention. Hmm - no, it's not anger, not any more, just frustration."

"Of course, anger over such a heinous act is understandable."

"Understandable, but not forgivable for me - I can't afford to lose control."

"Nothing is unforgivable, Harry. You found a reasonable way to vent it, except hexing someone. Anger is on occasion unavoidable, but needs to be expressed nondestructively. We'll just have to work even harder."

Ron gave Harry a nudge. "I've got to say, I have never seen a bit of magic like that storm before, mate. If I hadn't been so freaked by it, I really would have enjoyed it."

Ginny frowned. "Ron, it was big magic alright, but he didn't learn that here. I find it very disturbing whenever Harry does magic he's learned from Voldemort."

"Is this concern because of your particular experiences, Miss Weasley?"

"I'm sure that's part of it, Reverend. I know what can happen when he gets inside your head."

"I can understand your concern, but for the time being Harry has no choice but to have Voldemort's presence with him. Generally, where one is performing the spell rather than its object, evil resides not in the magic, but in the magician. When Harry uses it to prevent an eruption of anger, then it is well-used. I assume no one was hurt by your storm, Harry?"

"Mmm," said Harry, roused from his brooding, "Oh, sorry, no, I even cleaned up the rain. Snape would have Ginny mopping it with a dishrag if I had left it."

"Hey there, you, I've had a few nights without detention," said Ginny in mock anger.

Ron scoffed. "Hah! Very few. You'll be turning in your Prefect's Badge before long."

Harry scowled. "You people can act blasé if you want, but I'm here on detention instead of seeing to Hedwig."

"Well, let's find out about her," said Cameron. "Who has her?"

"Hagrid," said Ron. "He started tending to her before she was off the dining table."

"Well then, Harry, you know she's well cared for - no one loves animals more than Hagrid."

Just then there was a knock on the door. Cameron answered it and let in the Creevey brothers.

"Just got back from Hagrid's place. Things looked pretty dicey when we left. She was out cold and Hagrid was giving her more blood restorative. Dumbledore himself showed up and sent us back here," said Denis.

Harry jumped up and headed for the door. Cameron caught him by the arm.

"Harry, you know she's in the best hands possible, and if there's anything that needs doing that Hagrid can't do, the headmaster can. You must not act impulsively."

Harry looked sadly toward Cameron. "She's been with me through everything. She's stayed loyal even when I haven't treated her so well."

"Pets are like that."

"I feel like it's my fault. She was targeted because she's my owl. They wanted to tear me down by hurting the ones I love. Everybody I love is targeted just because I care about them."

Harry covered his eyes with one hand and sniffed.

"Everybody I care about would be so much safer if I was just gone."

"Harry, you can't go blaming yourself," said Cameron. "For whatever strange reason, you've been dealt a tough hand, but you've got to play it out. None of this is your fault."

Neville stood up and faced Harry. "He's right, Harry. None of us chose war - it's been forced on us. And if not for you, where would any of us be in responding to it. This school didn't make us ready to stand up to Death Eaters - you did. Don't you even think about taking that from us. We still need you."

"Neville's right, Harry," said Ron. "And we don't just need you as a coach. You're a heck of a friend, too."

Then Ginny took a turn. "Harry, the bad things happen around you because you stand in the way of bad people doing what they want. Don't be a fool about this - you blaming yourself for the danger is like an umbrella blaming itself for the rain."

Harry looked at her a few seconds, considering the analogy. Then he started to put his arms out to hug her and hesitated. She put her arms around him and hugged; Harry then relaxed and hugged her back.

"You git," she said softly. "You should know you're always welcome to a hug - especially from me."

"Besides, Harry," said Colin, "things'd be pretty dull without the action you stir up."

"Imp!" said Harry, smiling weakly. "I could do with some boredom."

"I understand, Harry. Say, that was an awesome bit of work with the replacement leg: looks like it's fully functional and wicked strong and sharp. She'll be able to hunt wild boar with that. Where'd you learn that one?"

"I saw something like that the night in the graveyard when Voldemort got his body back. I told all about it in that interview. Peter Pettigrew had cut his hand off and Voldemort conjured a silver one. I had to modify the spell for an owl leg and to make it light enough for flight."

"There ya go, Ginny," said Ron, "another example of Harry using You-Know-Who's magic for good."

"Ron, are you still afraid to say Voldemort?" asked Neville.

"Let's just leave it at 'old habits die hard,' okay?" said Ron.

The Creeveys both started clucking like chickens and everyone laughed as Ron made a playful slap at them.

"Well enough," said Cameron. "Now it's my detention to administer, so I'll have to chase the rest of you away. I need time to speak privately with Harry."

After they left, Cameron turned to Harry. "You have good friends."

"The best," said Harry.

"You would hurt them immensely if you died."

"They could be hurt much worse if I live."

"There's got to be another way. Let's talk about Hedwig and prayer. I think that may help you get closer to finding that other way."