The War of Shades

Chapter 58 Report to Headquarters

Harry didn't know if his ears or his chest hurt more. He was determined to get back to Hogwarts for the year-end feast for his last year, and he wasn't about to let Neville Longbottom slow him down. Harry would have apparated from London, but even though he was an excellent apparator rated to transport things, creatures, and people by apparition, he was not certain he could take both Neville and his Firebolt broomstick that far by apparition without splinching, and he had no intention of leaving either behind.

At least that was the story he told Neville. Harry could have taken both Neville and the Firebolt and hopscotched up Britain by apparation, arriving at Hogwarts' grounds in less than five minutes. However, as much as apparition felt good to Harry, flying a broom was the ultimate and Harry felt like he had earned doing something he enjoyed. Neville sat behind him on the broom and had his arms locked around Harry's chest as hard as he could. Every so often Neville would open his eyes, look around and scream in terror. He could hardly be blamed, thought Harry, since Neville had never mastered flying, and Harry was traveling as fast and high as his world-class racing broom would carry them.

They had passed a fair number of muggle jet aircraft flying to America already. Harry knew they would not show up on their radar since he and Neville were both too high and too small. This was little comfort to Neville. Neville had been uncomfortable with heights ever since he first showed he was a wizard when his uncle dropped him out of a window and he bounced; Harry had to agree that with Neville that bouncing was not likely if Neville happened to fall from this height. Harry tried to explain that to travel at top speed they had to be high enough that there was nothing to run into, since he couldn't steer around much at this speed. Harry had conjured an aerodynamic bubble around them to reduce wind drag, as well as to capture oxygen for them to breathe. This also did not comfort Neville. The only thing Neville found tolerable about flying at this speed was the notion that it would be over all that much sooner.

Harry thought it best not to mention that the muggle governments had radar arrays watching the skies over Britain and that in response to an object as large as the two of them traveling at this speed which did not respond to radio contacts would probably either scramble NATO aircraft or attempt to shoot them down by anti-missile missiles. Harry had placed a Disillusionment Charm on them as they ascended, so he knew the fighter pilots would not be able to see them, but he was not so sure that the instruments would be affected by the charm. Just in case, Harry kept craning his neck about looking for something gaining on them, but he told Neville he was just looking for landmarks.

"They should just about be there now," Harry called to Neville about the time that passed the Firth of Forth. "We're not too far either."

Neville just clutched tighter.

Harry took out his mirror. "Remus?" he called into it.

A few seconds later, he saw Lupin's smiling face. "Harry! On your way then? Ho, Neville doesn't look too happy."

"He's overjoyed. I'll tell you all about it when I get there," said Harry. "Are you there yet?"

"Yeah, we circled the Great Hall and looked in the windows before setting down out front. Everyone was inside, but they hadn't started the feast yet. I could've sworn Dumbledore glanced up and winked at the window. I think he's on to us. Hold on, George has got an extendable ear through the door. George, let me hear - it's Harry on the mirror."

"Hi Harry," came a chorus of voices.

"Harry," Lupin came back, "he's speaking now: he's saying what an extraordinary year this has been, with an attack on Hogwarts and all; how proud he is of all the students and staff. Now he's remembering all who were killed, naming each one - oh, this is very sad,... it's taking so long, ... I hadn't realized there were so many. There must be over fifty."

"Yeah," said Harry sadly. "That sounds about right. I came across far more than I would have liked."

"I'm sorry, Harry, that must have been hard, sorting through the living and the dead that way. Now he's asking for a minute of silence for them. ... Aah, now he's calling attention to the fact that a number who survived are not at the feast - oh, I can hear it in his voice: he knows we're here - how does he do that? Well, time for our grand entrance. I'll hang the mirror in my robe so you can hear."

Harry heard the big doors to the Great Hall open and susurration from the students. Distantly he heard Professor Dumbledore welcoming them and asking them for an explanation, "and this had better be a good one!" he added in mock-stern remonstrance.

It was up to Hermione, as Head Girl, to speak up. "It is a good one, Headmaster, the best. Last night, Harry asked for volunteers to fly with him to finish it with Voldemort."

The school's hubbub could be heard as Hermione paused for it to abate.

"He had a plan and we left at 1:30. Harry led us to the North Sea island where Voldemort was."

"Yes," spoke up Professor Snape, "but didn't the Dark Lord look through Potter's mind and know you were coming? You'd be sitting ducks on broomsticks over the open sea."

"That would be true, Professor," said Hermione respectfully, "except Harry learned to block his mind to Voldemort."

"Really!? He finally worked on his Occlumency?"

"Sort of. As he told it to me, he could never block out all emotions the way he said you wanted. But he learned to give up all negative emotions. With only kindly emotions in Harry's mind, Voldemort could not see into it, but Harry could see into Voldemort's. Harry knew this from looking into Voldemort's mind, so Harry knew Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange were asleep after Voldemort had given her a potion to restore her from the spells that hit her in battle."

Hermione went on to describe the petrifying of the dementors. When she got to the part where Neville was shouting 'Petrify', she was interrupted.

"Now hold on a second, Miss Granger," said Professor McGonagall. "That just brings up something I've been wondering since yesterday when Mr. Thomas was petrifying dementors. A petrification curse would not work on one, and Longbottom wasn't doing it right anyway - so why were the dementors petrified?"

"Because the wand that first Dean and then Neville used was a fake wand with a quartz cap at the end ..."

"Trick wand, courtesy of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, 10% discount for Hogwarts students," piped in Fred and George together, as they had obviously practiced all too often, and then did a silly dance together with Ginny.

"And inside the fake wand," continued Hermione, after a quick grin at them, "was a baby basilisk staring out at them."

Everyone who had not been in on the secret gasped.

Professor McGonagall responded first. "That is an incredibly dangerous sort of beast - WHO in his right mind would hatch such a thing!? WHY am I asking that question? Hagrid!!!"

She looked down the table at Hagrid, who was doing a remarkable job of shrinking for a twelve-foot tall man.

"Well, erm, they said they wanted a pet, and Neville already had the toad to hatch it under. Anyways, Harry could talk to it in parseltongue and we got it to crawl up that tube - I thought it was a pet carrier. I didn' realize it was a fake wand. I ... I made sure they fed it right."

Dumbledore smiled and said, "While I appreciate the results, Hagrid, I believe you may have taken 'Care of Magical Creatures' a bit too far. I do believe we are going to have to make out a list of forbidden pets."

Professor McGonagall pointed out the obvious. "We have had such a list for years - it appears he views it as a shopping list instead."

Professor Dumbledore smiled and agreed. "Perhaps this time, however, at the end of the list we'll add 'and we really mean it.' Getting back to present matters, it seems that they prepared carefully, in that it appears there were no deaths or unintended petrifications. Do go on, Miss Granger."

Hermione continued. "Well, sir, almost none. Once we had the baby, we tested whether a basilisk peering through quartz would petrify dementors by testing it on the lethifold that we use for patronus practice. We also brewed a depetrification potion, just in case there were mistakes."

This time she rolled her eyes toward Hagrid, who surveyed the ceiling and walls and blushed furiously, with Madame Maxime next to him, rubbing his back and laughing.

It was Madam Pomfrey's turn to interrupt. "Miss Granger, did you test it as I have instructed you?"

"Yes, Madam. First, we petrified a ferret and then restored it. We also tested it on the lethifold. Well, then, just as we finished petrifying all the dementors, Bellatrix Lestrange came running out of the house there. Seeing that their guards were being destroyed, she ran out yelling 'Expelliarmus' and pointing her wand at Neville's. Well, of course, Harry had figured that would be the first thing she would try, so Neville let the wand he was holding go to her. Neville's wand came flying right at her, basilisk and all. She never knew what hit her - petrified in that maniacal stare of hers."

The whole school laughed and cheered at that.

Hermione continued describing how Voldemort came running out and Harry had confronted him so serenely, how Harry had tried to heal Voldemort even when Voldemort was fighting back and how Voldemort had attacked the raiding party and they had responded with their patronuses to give Harry a chance to heal him. Then she described Voldemort's cry of "Forgive me, Master Severus, I have failed you."

All eyes turned to Professor Severus Snape, who looked dumbfounded, opening and closing his mouth like a trout out of water.

"Headmaster, no matter how much you trusted Professor Snape, Harry could not stop harboring suspicions. He had always been so harshly and unfairly treated by Professor Snape, in class and out, that no matter how many times Professor Snape had helped the forces fighting Voldemort, even saving Harry's life several times, which Harry acknowledged, he could still not totally block out his suspicion that Professor Snape was really still on the Dark side. Voldemort had sensed that one remaining well of resentment in Harry and had made preparations to exploit it perfectly. Harry was momentarily stunned and Voldemort seized the opportunity - he wheeled around shouting Av- erm, the killing curse, and pointing his wand at Harry."

"The bright green spell shot from his wand and as it reached Harry, every one of us felt a pain like we had been kicked by a centaur - we all were knocked over, and some actually passed out. As we got up, we weren't close enough to see all that well, as we were behind the dementors and it was very dark. We could see that instead of hitting Harry and disappearing, as spells normally do, the harsh green light just held and lingered between them for the longest time. Then the sky started to lighten, and we saw one of them turn his head our way."

"Then the wizard who looked our way - it turned out to be Harry - crumpled to the ground. Voldemort continued to bear down on him even then. I don't know how Harry held out, but after what seemed such a long time, there was a massive flash of green light. I blinked and Voldemort was no longer there. The enormous red rim of the sun was just over the horizon of the sea, and we cautiously made our way up to Harry. Next to him was a pile of robes. Our aurors, Mr. Dawkins and Miss Tonks, checked that and found a wand, some dry bones, a shriveled hand and dark brown powder in it. Most of the rest of us rushed to Harry instead. He wasn't moving, so I checked for a pulse, and breathing, and ..."

Hermione stopped to compose herself. She went on sadly. "There were no signs of life. It was ... horrible. After all he had done for us, after all we had put him through, after all he had risked and sacrificed to secure our lives and safety, all signs showed he was dead. I don't think there was anyone there who wasn't crying. I don't know how long I knelt beside him there, but then I felt a tug at the edge of my robes, and I looked up and saw his hand moving. He asked for water. And the crying redoubled, but this time for joy. It was marvelous. Mr. Dawkins gave Harry his water and we took care of some details. We used Mr. Dawkins' canteen to get sea water to douse the trick wand with ..."

Fred and George again piped in. "Trick wand, courtesy of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, 10% discount for Hogwarts students." And again they did a silly dance together with Ginny, with Luna Lovegood joining as well.

"AHEM! We doused the wand with the canteen of sea water, and it turned into a rooster, which began to crow. Of course the crowing killed the basilisk. The rooster was about to eat it, but we weren't too sure about how poisonous a dead basilisk would be, so I encased it until we could get it disposed of properly - or even studied."

Just then Hermione's presentation was interrupted by a sound like an approaching siren from beyond the main doors. Ted Nott and Susan Bones broke from the returning raiding party and opened the doors and in came Harry and Neville from the entry hall on the Firebolt. Harry was doing barrel rolls and corkscrews and loopdeloops and slow rolls and every manner of maneuver available. Neville was hanging on for dear life. The siren sound was Neville's scream.

Finally Harry set down and Neville staggered to the nearest table, where several of the Hufflepuffs scooted down to make room. Such was the change within the school over the last two years that Harry could and did step to the Slytherin side and leaned against their table, as it was the nearest one, and he was as welcome as if he had leaned on Gryffindor's table.

Professor McGonagall saw Neville's distress and asked him if he was all right.

"That GIT has been flying like that for the last 15 miles, ever since he saw Hogsmeade!" gasped Neville. He grasped the glass of wine that appeared on the table, saying a blessing for Hogwarts' wonderful house elves, and took a deep drink. Most of the school, particularly the younger ones, tittered at hearing the great Harry Potter called a git.

Professor Dumbledore smiled at him, and asked, "And what has detained the two of you? You missed a delightful story from Miss Granger."

That seemed to perk Neville up.

"Actually we didn't miss it, Headmaster," he said, standing up again. "We've been listening on Harry's communicating mirror. We've been to London. Harry insisted on going there first. He's that kind of guy," said Neville.

"What kind of 'guy' is that, Longbottom? Late?" sneered Professor Snape.

And Neville walked right up to Professor Snape with total confidence, and spoke across the staff table more firmly than anyone had ever heard any student address Snape.

"No, Sir, Professor Snape! He's the kind that could have come back here to the hero's welcome and celebration that he so much deserved, but insisted on taking his friend to London first so that he could use his new-found healing ability to restore that friend's parents to health! And so, Professor Snape, YOU can remember him the way you will - this is always the way I will think of him."

Harry looked down, feeling his cheeks warming.

"So that's what you two were off to do. Why didncha say so?" said Ron.

"Good show," said Lupin.

But Hermione was not congratulatory; she was aghast. "Oh, no, oh NO! Oh, Harry, you ..., you great FOOL!!" she yelled through growing sobs.

She buried her face in Ron's chest. Ron looked completely perplexed.

"Now, now," said Professor McGonagall. "What brings on an outburst like that? I'd like to think a kindly deed like that is in keeping with the highest of Hogwarts - particularly Gryffindor - ideals."

"I believe I understand, Professor, and I think you will too, soon enough," said Professor Dumbledore, his voice cracking a bit, "but let us hear Mr. Longbottom's tale first, while Miss Granger collects herself."

Neville went on, a bit bewildered by Hermione's reaction. "We got to St. Mungo's about 9:30. We went up to my parents' ward. They were just as vacant as ever. Harry told me to go get my Gran by the Floo Network. When I came back he set to healing my Mum. He sat in a chair, and he asked me to sit behind him and grab as tight as I could to hold him up facing her. I had heard about the green light he has, but it was still amazing to see. It must be very draining because Harry alternately got very, very tense and then started writhing. He was very hard to hold onto. And then it stopped, and my mother focused on the two of us, and looked past Harry to me and said 'Oh my, oh my, this has got to be my Neville.' And she hugged me, for the first time in sixteen years, and we cried.

"Then Harry did the healing thing for my Dad and it was even worse. Harry got very pale and dripped with sweat. He looked like he would just fall over and die. But after several minutes, Harry looked up and said 'Mr. Longbottom, there's someone here who'd like to meet you.' I always thought he'd be a tough guy, you know, he's an auror and all, but he laughed and cried and hugged me too. Then he hugged my Mum and Gran and then started back in on me. Harry went off awhile, but after we had gotten most of that out of our system, he showed back up and we told them what had been happening the past couple of days. We kept it brief. We knew my parents had sixteen years to catch up on, but I didn't want to keep Harry too long."

Professor McGonagall then asked, "But if you were trying not to keep Harry, why did you come as well? Surely you wanted to spend time with them?"

Neville stammered a bit, clearly looking for what to say.

"Well, Professor, they said they would have to go through getting a check-up and getting checked out and back home and that Gran could catch them up on things over the past sixteen years. They said I should be here for the year-end feast my final year here."

"Neville, that's not all they said!" Harry verbally prodded. "Tell them, Neville. Tell them what your Dad told you."

Neville looked pleadingly at Harry, who would not back down. "Hrmm. Right, Coach," Neville reluctantly agreed. He crossed his arms loosely and looked off a bit, composing himself and, pursing his lips, finally said, "Right, then! My father told me, ... he told me that, ... an auror's mission isn't over till he's reported back to his HQ."

Neville raised one hand to cover his eyes, but everyone could see his shoulders shaking.

"Yes, yes," said Professor Sprout, "Doesn't that sound like Frank Longbottom - motivating his people by building them up!"

Harry started up. Something had occurred to him. "Neville! Neville, show us your patronus."

Neville sniffed a second and looked at Harry. "Harry, you know I've never gotten more than a large cloud."

"But Neville - you've never had a truly happy thought, have you? Don't you think you could do it now?"

Neville thought a second and, flashing an enormous toothy smile, straightened up. Pushing back his sleeves, he pulled out his wand and, pointing it, roared "EXPECTO PATRONUM." Out of his wand shot a silvery substance which formed into the shape of a thirty-foot Hebridean Black dragon. The students had to duck under the tables as its tail swished. Then it belched a ball of silver flame at Hagrid, who was already in ecstasy at the sight of it. As it was a patronus rather than a real dragon, the 'flame' left Hagrid's masses of tangled hair frosted like snow on a pine. The great dragon then bowed to Harry, who bowed back. It nuzzled Neville, who was breathing deeply and staring wide-eyed, barely believing he had produced such a protector. Then the dragon unfurled its wings, took off and circled the great hall before disappearing into silver vapors as it headed for the ceiling.

"Neville," gibbered Hagrid, "that uz beautiful."

"Show-off," teased Ron.

"I didn't know I had it in me!"

"Mr. Longbottom," said Professor Dumbledore, with a warm smile on his face, "I happen to know that the primary impediment to your being awarded a NEWT in Defense Against the Dark Arts was the poor quality of your patronus. I do not know if the matter can be reconsidered, but I will see to it that the NEWT committee is aware of this, as well as the events of the past thirty-six hours."