Storm Clouds

As The O.W.L. Flies

**~**~**~**~**~**

Ron came out of the Great Hall after the practical portion of the Transfiguration O.W.L to find Harry and Hermione waiting for him. His face was ashen and beads of sweat were visible on his forehead. He walked across the entry hall on shaky legs, collapsing at last on the bottom-most step of the marble staircase.

Hermione sat beside him and put a reassuring arm around his shoulders. Ron could do little but shake his head for a full minute. When he finally look up and met his best friend's eyes he seemed more composed. At least his face had regained some of its colour.

"What part did you go wrong on?" Harry asked, fairly certain he knew what was troubling his friend.

Ron groaned. "What part didn't I go wrong on? I bet I made a hash of the entire thing!" He sighed heavily. "But I really lost it on the Inanimate Switching Spell." He closed his eyes and groaned again. "I turned my examiner into a cuckoo clock, and I have no idea how it happened!"

Both Harry and Hermione stifled grins. Transfiguration had been the toughest of their practical exams to date; nearly every fifth year had some tale of mental collapse, most of which had resulted in examiners being turned into birds. At least Ron was original in that regard.

Hermione finally took some pity on him and explained. "The Inanimate Switch was a bit of a trick question. That mirror was made of electrum, so resistant to ordinary spells. To make the required switch it needed to be done as an Animate to Inanimate Switch."

Ron glared at his girlfriend. "I suppose you figured that out and made the switch perfectly."

Hermione grinned awkwardly. "Actually, no. I figured out the trick of the electrum, but I still managed to mess up. My spell ricocheted and turned Professor McGonagall into an albatross."

Ron's jaw dropped, and then he started to laugh. He glanced at Harry. "What was your disaster?" he asked.

Harry almost winced at the memory. "Would you believe Professor Sinistra becoming a pink flamingo?"

"I'd have payed good money to see that," Ginny commented as she sat on the step beside her brother. A crowd of chattering third and fourth years were on their way down the stairs for dinner in the Great Hall. "I hope I get to have as much fun with my O.W.L.s next year."

"It wasn't so much fun when McGonagall changed her back," he said with a shudder. "If looks could kill. . ."

Ginny smiled. "I can imagine." She glanced around the entry hall. "Have any of you guys seen Fred and George? Mum's called through the common room fireplace five times today, wanting to know about their N.E.W.T.s. She's been driving me insane, and I'm not even taking the tests!"

"Here they come now," Hermione said, glancing toward the front doors, which were open to let the late afternoon sun spill in. The twins came in, side by side, identical grins of mischief on their faces.

Of course, Harry thought to himself, they can afford to look like that. N.E.W.T.s are finished. The fifth years had one last test - Defense Against The Dark Arts - which would take place the following day. Although with both Potions and Transfiguration out of the way many of them were starting to relax.

Fred and George both sat on the bottom step beside their brother and sister, still grinning.

Ron, suspicious of those grins, glanced sidelong at the twins. "What's going on? You two look much too satisfied with yourselves to not be in trouble."

"Us?" Fred asked, pressing a hand to his heart.

"You wound us, little brother," George chimed in with an identical gesture.

Ginny gave an indelicate snort and Fred spare a quick smile for her. "Well, I suppose it would be wounding if it wasn't true."

"I knew it!" Ron exclaimed. "Just what is it, and how angry with me is Mum likely to get?"

"That reminds me. Fred, George, would one of you pleeeeease call Mum and get her off my back?" Ginny asked. "With all of you sitting your exams I've been getting the brunt of the treatment. I don't know how much more I can stand."

"Anything for you, Ginny-winny," Fred replied. He stood and ruffled Ginny's hair before proceeding up the steps with George in his wake.

"What do you think they were doing?" Hermione asked, casting nervous glances at the gaping front doors.

The words were barely out of her mouth when a resounding explosion echoed across the grounds. It was followed by angry screams and a crowd of drenched students stampeding into the entrance hall.

Ginny grinned. "Do you think they managed to make the lake explode?"

Harry laughed. "I hope not. It'd be a shame if they killed the Giant Squid."

**~**~**~**~**~**

Harry, Ron and Hermione walked out of the written portion of their DADA O.W.L. the next morning looking somewhat dazed. Hermione's face was abnormally pale, and just like the previous day Ron's steps were unsteady. Ginny met up with them at the portrait of the Fat Lady, working to hide her smile at the state they were in.

"That bad?" she asked, trying to look sympathetic as the trio dropped onto a sofa in the common room.

Harry was the only one who could spare her a response. "Worse then we expected, I think." He gave a small shiver. "Makes me wonder what the practical will be like this afternoon."

Ginny laughed. "Come on, guys! Defense Against The Dark Arts is your best class! All three of you! What can you possibly have to worry about?"

Harry grimaced. "If you had asked that question before exams started I would have said 'Nothing at all.'. Now I'm not so sure."

"Worried about another flock of flamingoes, are you?'

"Hardly," Hermione snorted. "Messing up on this exam can have much greater consequences." She began to distractedly chew on the edge of a fingernail. "I just want it all over and done with, so I can get a decent night's sleep."

"Amen to that," Ron averred, leaning his head against the sofa's back and closing his eyes. "And never mind a night's sleep, let's take advantage of this break before lunch, shall we?" In moments he was snoring softly.

"How does he do that?" Hermione asked, shaking Ron's shoulder. The redhead didn't budge. "Honestly!" She looked at Harry and rolled her eyes. "Still, maybe he has the right idea." And she leaned against Ron's side and closed her eyes as well.

Harry shook his head and rose from the sofa. Hermione immediately stretched her legs out into the spot he had just vacated, wriggling around so that her head came to rest in Ron's lap. With a contented sigh her breathing slowed and then she too fell asleep.

Harry took a seat beside Ginny, smiling at his friends. He had always known about Ron's ability to fall asleep anywhere, and at anytime, but he had never suspected it of Hermione. The stress of exams must have caught up with her at last.

"Are you really worried about this exam?" Ginny asked.

Harry shrugged. "Not really," he said. "I suppose if I get in trouble I can always astonish the examiner with my perfect Patronus." He waggled his eyebrows and grinned at Ginny.

She rolled her eyes. "Spare me," she said. "I'm serious, Harry. I just thought you might be thinking about. . ." She broke off, glancing about the room to make sure no one was paying them any attention. "About the map and stuff."

"You think I'm not worrying about it?" he asked. "Merlin's sake, Gin, I'm terrified! But there isn't very much I can do about it, is there? Morgan will let us know if she needs our help, and until then I may as well concentrate on my exams. And besides," he continued, tapping his scar. "I can always rely on my early warning system."

"I suppose you're right," Ginny said with a deep sigh. She looked out the window at the blazing sun and brilliant blue sky. "It seems strange though, don't you think? Ever since you had that vision we've had gorgeous weather. Makes it rather hard to believe that he might be out there, right now. Lurking."

"I know." Harry put an arm around Ginny and she rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't think we need to worry now, though. I'm sure that Morgan and Lupin have taken care of this. The probably collapsed those last two tunnels, just to be safe. We may both be working ourselves into a state for no reason."

"You're right, I know you are. Morgan wouldn't deliberately endanger this school and everyone in it."

Those words were barely uttered when the tower began to shake as if in an earthquake. Panicked voices could be heard coming down the stairwell from the dormitories. Ron awoke with a start and sat up so quickly he dumped Hermione unceremoniously onto the floor. The shuddering continued for what felt like forever, only subsiding once every item on the common room shelves had fallen to the floor and a large crack had developed in the fireplace.

A group of third year students came timidly down the staircase. Ron extended a hand and helped Hermione to her feet, his face pale and his frightened eyes wide. "What the bloody hell was that?" he asked, his voice shaking.

No one could give him an answer, and silence reigned over the common room. It was only broken when Hermione pulled her wand, waved it at the fireplace and muttered Reparo. The crack mended itself in the blink of an eye. Once the repair was made she turned to face Harry and Ginny, lines of worry etched on her face. Before she could speak, however, Professor McGonagall's voice sounded through the castle.

"All students are to return to their common rooms and remain there until further notice. The Defense Against The Dark Arts practical O.W.L. has been cancelled. Do not, under any circumstances, leave the house dormitories."

Harry felt his stomach plummet to a point somewhere beneath his feet. It was really starting. Voldemort had the Marauder's Map, and he was going to use it. He met Ginny's eyes and saw his fears reflected there. He squeezed her shoulders, holding her tighter against his side. She slipped an arm around his waist and returned the pressure. "Nice day for it, don't you think?" she asked, attempting to defuse the situation with humour.

"We couldn't have asked for a better one," Harry replied.

**~**~**~**~**~**

Three hours later and the Gryffindor common room was full of students. Sandwiches, snacks, and drinks had been brought up by house elves so no one was going hungry, but curiosity was raging. A number of subdued conversations were taking place in corners, and despite his best efforts to ignore them snatches of talk kept reaching Harry's ears.

"Earthquakes aren't exactly common around here."

"Maybe it was an accidental explosion in the Potions lab?"

"It'd have to be a damned big explosion!"

"Maybe something happened to the defensive wards?

"Something that could cause that?"

Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He had a piercing headache, and it was only getting worse amidst the constant babble around him.

"Why don't you go upstairs and get some rest, Harry?" Hermione asked, her voice tight with concern. "We'll come and fetch you as soon as Morgan or McGonagall come to tell us anything."

"Rest?" he asked, unable to keep the scorn from his voice. "How the hell am I supposed to rest right now? That wasn't an earthquake, and you all know it! It was another attack, and this time much closer to home!"

Ginny glanced around nervously. Other students were looking uncomfortable, staring intently at the four of them ensconced in the corner. "Harry, you might want to keep your voice down," she said, pitching hers so that it was barely audible. "Everyone is now staring at us."

Harry surged out of his chair. "SO?!" Don't they deserve to know what's going on?! Don't they deserve to have a fighting chance to protect themselves?! I bet not one of them can turn into a phoen -"

"Potter!" Morgan's voice sliced across Harry's tirade, silencing him. "My rooms. NOW!!!"

Harry blushed bright red, but bit back the retort that sprang to his lips. Antagonizing Morgan was not going to help matters any. He squared his shoulders and with as much dignity as he could muster walked across the common room. His headache had achieved a new level of pain, and his scar was beginning to tingle uncomfortably. He slammed the door to Morgan's rooms behind him.

Morgan sighed as the echo of that slam faded. She felt tired, and suddenly much, much older than her thirty-five years. She glanced around the room. "Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, and all three Misters Weasley, if you would, please?' And she gestured toward her rooms.

Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Fred and George all stood and crossed the room. Ginny was the only one that had any inkling of what they were about to hear, and she was surprised at how calm she felt, all things considered. Ron was so pale that his freckles were almost black. Fred and George hid their nervousness under a cocky veneer, and Hermione just looked puzzled. Her eyes moved back and forth between Harry, Ginny, and Morgan, seeking answers.

"Sit, all of you, please," Morgan said, closing the door with a sharp click. All of the students sat except Harry, who stood before the fireplace, glaring defiantly at his aunt. He obviously had some things he wanted to say, and he didn't hesitate a moment."

"You said you'd take care of things. You and Lupin. This afternoon. . . It was an attack, wasn't it?"

"Yes and no." When Harry opened his mouth to respond Morgan cut him off. "Sit, Harry. There's no point in turning this into an argument. That won't help anybody."

"What does Harry mean by an attack?" Fred asked.

Morgan drew a deep breath. "We have reason to believe that Voldemort has information that will enable him to directly attack the school, despite all the protective and defensive wards."

"Information? What information? And how can you know about it?" Even as Fred spoke all eyes in the room turned toward Harry. He, however, continued to stare at Morgan.

It was Ginny that answered. "Harry had a vision. The evening before O.W.L.s started." Morgan acted like she wanted to protest, but Ginny silenced her with a glance. "If you didn't want them to know you shouldn't have asked them to join this conference." She faced her brothers and Hermione. "The short version is that Voldemort now has a copy, of sorts, of the Marauder's Map. He knows all of the secret passages, but not about which ones are no longer usable. . ."

"And that is our sole defense right now," Morgan said. "What happened earlier was Professor Lupin and I collapsing the tunnel to Honeydukes." She looked at the six eager, teenaged faces around her and sighed. "I'll not lie to you. There were Death Eaters in Hogsmeade today. We think it was a feint; a test of our defenses if you will, but better safe than sorry. Now when they strike for real it'll be on our terms."

"If they can get past the Whomping Willow," George commented under his breath.

"Oh, they will, you can be sure of that," Morgan said. "Voldemort knows everything, because Wormtail made the copy for his master. He knows everything that Peter knew, including how to freeze that tree."

"That Peter knew?" Hermione asked, catching the odd word out in Morgan's statement.

"Voldemort killed him. He'd outlived his usefulness." Harry's voice was dark with disgust. He turned to Morgan. "How did you know the Death Eaters would be there."

"Empathy, remember Harry? We've tracked down the spy. If you can call him a spy," she concluded, half under her breath and with a shake of her head.

"Spy?" Ron asked, exchanging a puzzled glance with Hermione. "What spy?"

"Long story," Ginny said, dismissing the question. "Who is it?"

"Would you believe Michael Corner?"

Ginny's jaw dropped. She knew Michael fairly well; he was a Ravenclaw in her year. She'd worked on a special Transfiguration project with him the previous year. He was an excellent student and a world-class flirt. She had always enjoyed verbally jousting with him.

"Michael?! I don't believe it!"

"Not wittingly, Ginny!" Morgan began to explain. "In fact, the whole thing is a bit of a muddle. It seems that Michael is an aspiring journalist, and he enjoys writing very detailed descriptions of life at Hogwarts to his parents. His father, in turn, is exceptionally proud of his son so he tends to brag and read those letters aloud to his co-workers. One of Mister Corner's co-workers is the nephew of a suspected Death Eater. . ."

"And that's how they knew the date of that first Hogsmeade weekend," Hermione said.

"Precisely," Morgan replied. "That was the first test. They wanted to get an idea of how well prepared the school would be if they wanted to strike against it. That day also told them that the Guardian of the Phoenix was alive and well, and at Hogwarts. It wasn't too far of a jump to conclude that the Guardian is searching for her successor."

"But the Death Eaters had fled before your transformation!" Ginny exclaimed. "How could they know what happened?"

"That's where Michael came in. In fact, that little nugget of information was the last piece they got through that channel. Mister Corner was already starting to suspect his co-workers, one of whom was with him in the parents box that day during the Quidditch match."

"So that's why he was so nervous and jittery," Ginny said with a nod.

Morgan looked directly at Ginny. "He was terrified of letting something slip. After the match, while I was talking to you and Harry in the hospital wing, he went to see Dumbledore. They set up a plan to feed false information to trap suspected Death Eaters in Mister Corner's department at the Ministry."

"And has it worked?" Fred asked. "Did they catch anybody?"

"It did, and they have. One Bartleby Harris, to be exact. He turned out to be basically useless, however. He was just a conduit for information. He can't get us any closer to Voldemort." Morgan shrugged.

"At least that explains why Voldemort had Wormtail make another Marauder's Map," Harry said. "He knew that information would be accurate."

"As accurate as Peter could make it," Morgan said. "And now we have to deal with what will happen as a result."

"So, what happens now?" Fred asked. "Do we just sit here and wait for the inevitable?"

Morgan grinned, a truly evil grin that sent a chill chasing down Harry's spine. "You should know me better then that."

**~**~**~**~**~**

The rest of the evening passed in almost complete silence. Somehow word of exactly what was happening had spread, and every student in the Gryffindor common room was in a state of anticipatory fear. Morgan had made it clear that no underage students would be involved in whatever happened, but that order had as much chance of being obeyed as Voldemort up and deciding to adopt Harry as a surrogate son. Some things just aren't meant to happen.

No one seemed to want to go to bed. The common room stayed crowded as the fires burned low and the clock ticked past two in the morning. Soft snores were emanating from nearly every corner of the room as the students snatched what sleep they could. The only two that remained awake were Harry and Ginny. She was restless and pacing around the room, unable to settle down for any length of time.

Finally, at almost three in the morning she dropped onto the floor in front of the fire. Harry moved stealthily across the room to sit beside her. Her hand slid into his, but otherwise she seemed unaware of his presence beside her as she stared into the embers. Their warm glow was reflected in her eyes.

"How do you stand it, Harry?" Ginny finally asked, after an interminable pause. "You've been a target all your life, and you cope with it. I've been a target for less than a day, and I'm a nervous wreck."

"Its OK, Gin. Under the circumstances you're allowed."

"I feel like such a brat! Where's my share of the famous Gryffindor courage now? Whining about what might happen to me when dawn breaks!"

Harry pulled his hand free of hers and placed an arm around her shoulders. Ginny leaned against him with a sigh. "You're allowed, Guinevere Weasley. Nobody will think less of you for it. Besides, true courage lies in being scared spitless, but going forward anyway."

"Easy for you to say," Ginny commented under her breath.

Harry shook his head. "I still get scared, Gin. Believe me. All the time."

"What do you do about it?"

"Swallow the screams and do what needs to be done."

Ginny lifted her head from Harry's shoulder to glare at him. "I'm serious, Potter."

"So am I, Weasley." Harry grinned. "Its really not as hard as it sounds. Besides, Morgan already said that no underage students are to be involved in this."

Ginny snorted. "I know of at least two underage students who'll be disobeying."

"Try four." At Ginny's questioning look he continued. "Ron and Hermione will be right there with us."

"I wonder about the rest of the students," Ginny said, returning her head to Harry's shoulder. "Will they help or hinder?"

Harry immediately thought of Pansy, and the chill he had seen in her eyes after learning that Ginny was the next Guardian. He would have given anything to speak to her now, to find out where her mind was. He was banking on the influence of her mediwizard father to make her more interested in preserving lives, but he was still uneasy.

And worse, he hadn't had a chance to convey his uneasiness to Morgan.

The embers of the fire burned lower, yet still Harry and Ginny sat up, waiting for dawn to break. Ginny dozed, leaning against Harry's side, but he couldn't find any rest. His worst nightmares were coming to Hogwarts, he knew. It was only a matter of time.

A pale pink light was just showing in the eastern sky when Morgan returned to Gryffindor Tower with Lupin close on her heels. Harry leapt to his feet. "Well?"

Morgan pulled off her glasses and rubbed her tired eyes. "We're ready," was all she said as she collapsed into an armchair.

Lupin continued the story. "We laid protective charms around the Shrieking Shack and along the tunnel. An alarm will be triggered, so we'll have time to gather our defenses.

The words had barely left his mouth when a loud claxon alarm began to sound. Every student that was sleeping in the common room jerked awake; the babble of frightened voices grew loud enough to almost drown out the alarm.

Morgan, meanwhile, had risen to her feet slowly and deliberately. She smiled in anticipation. "You have to give Voldemort points for being predictable. He makes my job that much easier."