The Awakening of a Magus

The Awakening of a Magus
Chapter 46 - Mon, Aug 7 - Day 18

It's Show Time!

"Ah, Mr. Longbottom, I am glad you could come early," called McGonagall. "Come over here and stand opposite Ms. Granger." McGonagall, Vector, and Serif were in the Great Hall with Hermione, Ron, Rachel, and now Neville, finalizing their definition of the Founders' Dedication Rite that would begin the proceedings in less than two hours. "Dobby, we need you for a few moments," she said into thin air.

"Dobby is here, Missy Ma-gon! What does you need Dobby to do?" The house elf popped into view brimming with enthusiasm.

"Harry or Headmaster Dumbledore told you that you would participate in both rituals today, correct?" she checked. At the house elf's excited nod, she held up a hand to signal that he should contain his usual babbling. "Now, this will be the first ritual. We will have four students representing the Founders, right here under the enchanted ceiling. The Headmaster will be standing near Ms. Dragonrider over there, and you will be standing near Mr. Malfoy over here." She looked carefully to see if the house elf would have problems working with a former master.

"Oh, Mr. Draco Malfoy?" Dobby asked, then tilted his head. "Yes, Draco Malfoy is a good person now. Dobby will stand with Mr. Draco. He has great power. Not so great as the great wizard Harry Potter, but ..."

"Dobby ..." McGonagall scolded lightly.

The house elf gulped down his words, bowed his head and curled his ears in. "Dobby is sorry Missy Ma-gon. Dobby will not talk so much when there is work to do." And knowing he wasn't to punish himself too much anymore, merely grabbed a candlestick from one of the tables, hit himself in the head once, and put the candlestick back. Then he raised his head, smiled crookedly, and asked, "What does Dobby do besides stand, Missy Ma-gon?"

McGonagall stopped a moment, blinking, as she realized she had just been included in some mindspeech link. What are they up to now, I wonder, she thought to herself. Shortly after that, the last group from Diagon Alley appeared in the Great Hall. "Ah, good! Albus, Draco, come over here so I can tell you about the first ritual," McGonagall insisted as she gestured at them to hurry over. "Severus, your advice, please. Hello, Remus. I didn't know you were coming today." She was a bit surprised that Darius was there instead of Harry, but decided they'd tell her if there was anything important. She was correct, of course.

"I need to speak with you first, Minerva," said Dumbledore. "Darius, would you kindly pick up Kingsley and Dora to save time?" Dumbledore glanced around, checking who was in the room. When his eyes stopped on Neville, he heard Hermione's mindvoice. /* Sir, I think Neville should be told about Harry. He's the only one in the ritual that doesn't know. It's only fair, and saves the work of hiding it. He can be trusted as much as any of the staff can be, maybe more than some, */ she commented, thinking a moment about Filch. At Dumbledore's nod, she stalked over to Ron and Neville, dragging them over to the staff dining room. "We need to tell you something, Neville." And to Ron, she sent, /* You heard? */ Ron nodded and they proceeded to explain to Neville that his school roommate of four years was the most powerful spellcaster in history.

Chuckling softly, Dumbledore watched the students head off, nodding in approval that they put up several security charms around the staff room as a precaution. "Minerva," he turned back to his deputy. "Hogwarts is about to be inundated with onlookers for our rituals, if they aren't already arriving."

Darius appeared beside them with the two Aurors. "They are. Reporters, Ministry officials, and routine spectators are milling around at the gathering point and between Hogsmeade and the gates. These two were seen arriving outside. They announced that they were here for crowd control and anything else you need them to do." Darius sent his mind out to see who was near. "Draco, Savannah and Michaela are heading this way. I think they're looking for you. Could you keep them out of here until we explain about Harry2?" he grinned. Draco nodded as Darius sent an image of where the girls were, and he headed out to meet them.

"Harry2?" McGonagall questioned.

Dobby looked very confused. "How can there be two Harry Potters, Master Darius, sir?" Dobby knew that Darius was Harry, but was careful to use the name that matched the face, no matter who else was around.

Dumbledore took over the explanation as they all moved to sit at the head table, including Serif, Vector and Rachel. "Cornelius, during this morning's press conference, spoke glowingly about our coming rituals and some of the participants. We can't easily refuse to allow people to observe such a momentous undertaking, featuring the Magus and including Harry Potter, can we?"

Arial looked stunned, and glanced around to ensure there weren't any outsiders near. "Both the Magus and Harry Potter? But what can you do? Polyjuice won't last long enough and ..."

"Calm down, my dear," soothed Dumbledore. "We have taken the necessary steps to solve that problem, thanks to Miss Tonks, here. She is a Metamorphmagus, and is capable of Doppelganger. She is 'Harry2'." As Darius nodded that it was safe, Dumbledore asked, "Dora, my dear, if you would, please?"

Over the course of about 5 seconds, the young female Auror shifted, and became the image of Harry Potter. Harry2 smiled Harry's smile, and said in Harry's voice, "Hi, Professors! Are the rituals ready yet? Darius has come up with a way to include me, Neville, Dobby and Remus in the main ritual."

Snape now entered the conversation. "Minerva, that mindspeech linkage you felt just before we arrived also includes Darius, Albus, myself, Kingsley, Draco, Remus, and Harry here, so we can advise him if necessary on the intricacies of being The-Boy-Who-Lived. Darius, it's known that Harry is part of your circle. I suggest that the apparation wards be adjusted to accommodate Harry2, at least while in that form." Snape also glanced over at Dumbledore, who agreed.

Darius closed his eyes a moment, then reached over to touch Harry2's forehead, causing a purple spark. He opened his eyes, grinning at the surprise on Harry2's face, then sat back, saying, "Done."

While Remus proceeded to inform the rest of the adult members of the circle about Harry2, Severus went to speak with the three Gryffindors in the staff room. He saw that Neville was looking more than a bit shocked at learning about Harry Magus, and smirked his trademark smirk. He was surprised, though, to see the boy's face assume a crooked smile. "Mr. Longbottom?" he asked with only a hint of his old sarcasm.

"Professor, I'm not sure which is more scary: finding out who Harry really is, or finding out that you're on our side," Neville declared, holding tightly onto his Gryffindor bravery. Then he stared in shock as Snape reacted in a way he never expected ... he laughed.

"My word, boy," Snape exclaimed between chuckles. "You have the Longbottom backbone after all. Congratulations on finding it at last." He went to sit at the table with the students. "Mr. Weasley, we will need you to begin the Hogwarts mindspeech link, and you may as well begin with those in this room. It should be a separate group from those already defined." He sat back and waited.

Hermione explained to Neville, as Ron prepared himself to build his most wide-spread mindspeech linkage yet. "Ron is a true mindspeaker, Neville. He will be setting up a mindspeech link among all the Hogwarts faculty and staff, including those of us who are student assistants (I'll explain that later, Neville). It will also include the Head Boy and Girl and the Prefects. Sir?" she turned to Snape, asking how Neville fit in.

"Amend your definition to include any Founders' Blood at Hogwarts, and Mr. Longbottom qualifies on that count," drawled Snape.

Ron opened his eyes, in a slight trance, and said, "I'm ready, sir, but I'd like to start with getting everyone in on a relay-linkage, first, where everyone is connected only to me. Then I'll get the direct linkages set up a little at a time." Snape nodded in approval, something that Ron still wasn't used to seeing. Ron began by reaching out mentally to his roommate. /* Hey, Nev! This will feel weird at first, but it is -totally- wicked once you get used to it. */

When Ron was finished, Snape demonstrated how to provide a briefing across the link by telling them about Harry2 and the audience the rituals would have. "Those in the Circle have been told. We need to inform those outside the Circle who are part of the staff so they are not shocked to see both Darius and Mr. Potter at the same time. You can include them in the Hogwarts linkage as we do."

Snape continued, "Miss Granger, as I understand, Mr. Longbottom needs some practice with basic spell control now that he has a new wand. Work with him until we return, so that he doesn't disrupt the Founders' Rite." His last comment seemed harsh, but Snape's voice didn't have the bite it would have in the past. Neville just nodded and began to describe his experience at Ollivander's to Hermione, while Snape and Ron left to find the other staff members.

As they left the room, Snape said to Ron, "Perhaps a basic broadcast to everyone in the castle, asking the staff to meet us in the Great Hall would be the most efficient, Mr. Weasley. Do you concur?" Snape may not be terrorizing students as he used to, but he still delighted in keeping them off-balance, even if he did so by treating them with respect. He smirked as he saw the gobsmacked expression on Ron's face ... a sign he had again scored a direct hit.

Draco headed out to find Savannah and Michaela, to keep them out of the Great Hall. As he turned a corner, he heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, Draco!" Savannah called. "Thank the stars you're back. Something fishy is going on with Malvina and her crew." Both girls looked worried. Draco led them into a classroom, where he set up a silencing charm and gestured for them to sit and explain. "Well, first, they kicked us out of the dorms this morning, the two of us and Trevor. That wasn't too unusual ... they've done it before. About half an hour ago, I went by Malvina's room. I don't trust that ... witch as far as I can throw her. Everything of hers was gone ... packed up and gone. Micki was with me, but we hadn't seen Trevor for at least an hour. We checked all the rooms on both sides of the dorms. Malvina, Barry, Gregory and Vincent are gone and all their things with them. And we found Trevor in his room, Stupefied. When we woke him, he said the last thing he remembered was seeing the four of them go by the door, and hearing Greg say something to Malvina that sounded like, 'Good thing you got it. Now we can get away from these blood traitors.' He thinks Barry stunned him. We told him to go to Madame Pomfrey while we looked for you. I have a really bad feeling about this, Drake."

As Savannah spoke, Draco grew pale. How could I be so stupid not to realize she could be serving Him as I used to? he thought. When she finished, Draco stood quickly, dropped the charms protecting their conversation, and hurried out of the room toward the dungeons. Then he stopped abruptly, paling even further, and asked, "Do you know if she had that two-way mirror with her? The one with the cloisonné snakes?" When both girls nodded, he realized time was of the essence. He looked within, at his energy reserves, and decided. He pulled both girls close, wrapping an arm around each to keep them steady. "Trust me, 'Vanna? Micki?" At their nod, he nodded back and said, "Hold on."

They suddenly appeared in the Slytherin common room, just outside the door to Draco's room. The girls staggered a bit, surprised that Draco's magic was strong enough to carry both of them. The girls watched in awe as Draco stood straight, and began to show a faint but brightly colored green aura. He reached his hands out toward his door, then took out his wand and checked again.

"She's been in my room. Most of the charms are the same, but she missed replacing a new one I learned here. And she didn't know I could tell that it was her magic, and not mine that put them in place." He quickly took down the protection charms, and entered the room. Calling back to the girls, he warned, "Don't follow unless I say it's safe. I don't know what she did in here yet." Extending his Scanner senses, he began to see the residual magic from earlier that day. How the jinxes he had left inside were disarmed ... the faint signatures of dragon's blood ink and harpy feather at his desk, Dark Magic tools ... and the residual of a spell cast on the Barabbas manuscript. He both fell deeper into his power, and raised it to his call, and he heard a faint voice whisper ... Duplicationem, visi et invisi ... over and over. He suddenly felt more than a bit dizzy, and grabbed the desk chair, stumbling to sit down.

Savannah ran to the doorway, but stopped before entering. "Draco, please, let me come in. Are you ok? Should we get help?" When Draco gestured that the girls could safely enter, Savannah ran to Draco, hugging him in worry, then looked deep in his eyes. "What did she do to you, Draco? I'll kill her, I'll just kill her for hurting you!" she babbled.

"Calm down, Savannah. She didn't hurt me. I'm just worn out from trying too much magic right after apparating us down here," Draco reassured his heart-sister. "However, she did use some spell to copy that manuscript of mine, the one with the hidden text. I suspect now that she lied about what she could read yesterday. I'll bring in the reinforcements, so don't worry. As soon as I rest a bit, I need to Scan Malvina's room."

/* Severus, Harry, we have a problem ... */

Finding out from Remus about how castle expansion rituals had just become a spectator sport, Sirius and Sylvia met Remus at the Hogwarts gates instead of apparating straight in. Just after they arrived, they heard a familiar voice call from behind them, "Sirius! Over here!" Turning, they saw Addie Periwinkle approach, wearing a press pass and trailed by a shy photographer. She made quick introductions, gesturing at each in turn. "Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Sylvia Forester, this is my friend and sometime photographer, Pol Jones, short for Apollo," she said, grinning at her friend's displeasure at hearing his full name revealed. "I think you know his grandmother, Hestia?"

Sirius laughed, "Yes, the Joneses like to make up for having an ordinary last name by sticking their kids with names from mythology. Don't feel so bad, Pol. My cousin has a worse name to live with ... Nymphadora, no less. You take your life in your hands if you call her that, though. She's an Auror." Pol was feeling better as he shook hands with the group.

Addie came straight to the point. "I gather you've heard how this is all turning into a circus. Some of this crowd isn't so bad, but I'm ashamed of some of these jokers I have to call my colleagues. I know that both Darius and Harry like to keep a low profile, and it's just not going to happen this time. If you try to keep them out, it could get really ugly. Any plans? By the way, say the word and I tear up this press pass, and so will Pol. I've had it with these ... predators."

The three Circle members looked at each other, and began to grin. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" the three said in unison. To the puzzlement of Addie and Pol, the three did a quick scissors-rock-paper, which Remus won. Remus apparated away for a few moments, then returned smiling with something in his hands.

"If you're interested, I have been authorized to hire you, Adelaide Periwinkle, on behalf of Darius Magus as his personal representative, at three times your current salary. Your duties would include keeping the predators off Darius and his Circle, particularly Harry, by being the primary contact for all public communication. Arthur Weasley is the primary contact for Ministry business, but you might end up dealing with some of that as well. This will include press conferences, formal statements, negotiating with the media, and relaying messages from Darius and sometimes others in his Circle. You would need to agree to security spells, for your own protection, and a permanent mindspeech link with Darius and others to be determined later. You are authorized to hire at least one assistant, if you choose, one that can be trusted to have the same dedication to the job as you would." Remus smiled at Pol. "We know your family, Pol, and would accept Addie's recommendation when ... uh, if she makes that choice."

Looking back at their gobsmacked future associate, Remus explained further. "This isn't coming out of the blue, Addie. We considered this option during that conversation we all had last weekend. Darius has a great deal of respect for you, and has even done a background check on your career. We just weren't sure yet if you might be agreeable, but this ... situation seems the right time to just go ahead and ask you. Do you agree?"

Addie closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. This was the kind of dream job she had always hoped for ... making a difference helping someone who was capable of making a real difference. She decided to take a chance, organized her thoughts, pictured the Magus she had met the previous Monday, and mentally called, /* Darius, are you sure about this? */

She was thrilled to hear back, /* Yes, we're quite serious. Black, don't you dare say it! The Marauders aren't the only ones who know how to get even. */ Addie was laughing out loud, and opened her eyes long enough to swat at the man herself, since she just knew he was about to make that horrible serious-Sirius joke of old. /* Yes, Addie, you will fit in with this crazy group perfectly. Who else would I get that could put up with Padfoot and Moony? Please agree, Addie. We need you. */

Adelaide Periwinkle took off her press pass, looked back at the crowd, especially all the reporters, and looked at Pol, who smiled and took his pass off as well. They dropped the passes on the ground, took out their wands, said "Incendio" in unison, then looked at the others. Pol gestured to Addie to speak for them both. "You've just hired yourself a team. Where do we go for a briefing?"

An hour later, Adelaide Periwinkle was standing before the crowd that had been redirected to the Quidditch stands. She was reeling with the information she had received from Darius about the planned rituals, as well as from the experience of being linked to such an immensely powerful mind. She had been included in a mindspeech linkage consisting of herself, Pol and Darius, and would probably be added to the Hogwarts linkage after today's rituals. Pol stayed inside with various members of the Hogwarts staff, wherever he could be of help. Last she had heard, he was helping Professor Flitwick with the charms that would let the crowd see the initial ritual that would be conducted inside.

There had been some disruption about the time she entered the Great Hall, concerning some students who had disappeared, but the consensus had been that nothing could be done at this time. Apparently, they had willingly gone with family members, and could not be traced. Addie resolved to do her job to the best of her ability, 'better, if possible' she teased herself. She wanted to earn the trust they had all placed in her, and the amazing look of pride in the eyes of the man she loved, as Sirius watched her deal with the rush of information and power directed at her earlier. She understood that they would still need to keep secrets. They would tell her things if she needed to know.

A small platform appeared in the center of the Quidditch pitch. She climbed the two steps up, took her wand out to say "Sonorus," and began to speak. "May I have your attention, please?" As the crowd noise quieted enough, she continued. "My name is Adelaide Periwinkle. I represent Darius Magus and have been directed to inform you of today's proceedings. You have already been told that you must remain here at the arena and make no attempt to interfere in the ritual. Silencing charms will be placed around this area so that you cannot distract the ritual team."

A loud groan of protest was heard, and the crowd noise rose again. Addie raised her wand and sent up a noisy, flashy fireworks charm to regain their attention. "Arrangements are being made as I speak to allow you all to witness the rituals. Once they begin, you must remain here in the arena. If you wish to leave, you will be escorted out by one of the house elves. You may not return today once you leave. Sanitary facilities and simple refreshments are available on both the north and south sides behind the stands."

A purple mist began to form in the center of the Quidditch pitch, rising to the height of the middle risers. An image began to form, growing brighter and clearer, moment by moment, clearly visible to all in the arena, larger than life. Anyone who had attended Hogwarts recognized the inside of the Great Hall. The tables had been moved to the sides, and a circle had been marked on the floor, directly under the center of that amazing ceiling that reflected the outside so magically. Four quadrants were defined in the circle by an 'X', and in each quadrant was the symbol of one of the Houses of Hogwarts: Lion, Snake, Eagle, and Badger. The background of each quadrant showed nested diamonds, alternating in their respective house colors. There was already a silvery glow on all features of the circle, indicating that initial warding was complete.

Addie gently announced to the now-quiet crowd. "They will begin the Founders' Dedication Rite momentarily. The four students who will stand in each quadrant are legitimate descendants of the Four Founders. In addition, there will be three others to represent Hogwarts and those who serve Her. After this ritual is complete, I will take questions concerning the ritual, though I can't guarantee I will be permitted to answer all questions completely, for the sake of Hogwarts' security. Please be considerate of all those present. Any significant disruption may result in requiring those responsible to leave and not return to Hogwarts for the duration of these rituals. Thank you for your attention." And as Addie cancelled the Sonorus charm, she sent her thoughts to Pol and the Magus ... /* Show Time! */

Six out of the seven who would perform the Founders' Rite were pacing in various degrees of nervousness, the exception, of course, being Albus Dumbledore. "Now, children, Dobby, there is no need to be nervous. The mindspeech link will allow you to receive coaching if needed, but I don't believe that will be necessary. You all know your parts well. It's time for you to meditate in preparation. We'll begin in a moment."

They didn't take offense at being called 'children'. They knew that Dumbledore sometimes affectionately addressed some members of the staff as 'child'. And they felt rather young, indeed, at the prospect of participating in such a ritual. Even for Rachel, who had known of her Gryffindor ancestry most of her life, it was the first time to ritually invoke the hidden power of that ancestry. Neville had known for years he was of Hufflepuff descent, though he wasn't supposed to know. Draco's family had suspected, but couldn't prove he was of Slytherin blood. Hermione, who had only discovered her tie to Rowena Ravenclaw the day before, had dealt with her shock in her usual manner ... she conducted research. Madame Pince had brought her a book from the Restricted Section the previous night. The librarian had told her wistfully that the book hadn't opened for anyone else in centuries, that it was keyed to Ravenclaw blood alone, and she hoped Hermione would choose to share some portions of the volume with her someday. Ron stood with Hermione, trying to be supportive. Dobby kept walking over to objects, as though to grab them and beat himself, then would stop, slap his hand, and stalk over to another part of the room.

But, at Dumbledore's instructions, they each reached into a pocket of their white robes, and placed the ring they brought out onto the ring finger of their right hands. Even Dobby was wearing a simple white robe, which unsettled the eccentric house elf no end. For the four of Founders' Blood, the rings bore the crests of their ancestors; for the other three, the rings bore the Hogwarts crest. Each moved out to take their preliminary positions. Then the headmaster began.

"I am Albus. I am Headmaster of this place and I stand for Hogwarts herself." He stepped forward to his place behind the Gryffindor quadrant.

"I am Ronald. I hold the lines of communication among all those who seek to uphold the mission of Hogwarts, her faculty, staff, and student leaders, and I stand for them in this place." He stepped forward to his place at the exact center of the circle, facing Dumbledore, standing so his feet touched all four quadrants.

"I am Dobby." The house elf stuttered a bit, but steadied at the mindtouch of his beloved Harry Potter. "Dobby stands here for ones who serve Hogwarts but isn't human. Dobby stands here for the house elves, the ghosts, the portraits and those ones who live way down in Hogwarts Lake." He came forward, only a bit unsteadily, and stood opposite the headmaster, behind the Slytherin quadrant.

"I am Rachel, of the line of Dragonrider. I stand here for Godric Gryffindor, whose blood flows in my veins. May all here be done to honor Hogwarts and her Founders." As Rachel stepped into the Lion's quadrant and took her position facing outward, she felt a tingle of power flow through her, as the ritual, and Hogwarts herself recognized her right to stand there.

"I am Draco, of the line of Malfoy. I stand here for Salazar Slytherin, whose blood flows in my veins. May all here be done to honor Hogwarts and her Founders." Draco smirked slightly, as he imagined the murmurs of shock among the crowd outside to hear this. When he felt the tingle of power on taking his place in the Snake's quadrant, his expression changed to one of joy and awe: joy to feel such a sense of acceptance, and awe at the power within himself that responded to that acceptance.

"I am Neville, of the line of Longbottom. I stand here for Helga Hufflepuff, whose blood flows in my veins." Neville kept himself steady by remembering how his Gran looked at him with pride that morning in Ollivander's. "May all here be done to honor Hogwarts and her Founders." Neville stepped into place in the Badger's quadrant, expelling a sigh of relief as he felt the ritual accept him.

"I am Hermione, of the line of Granger." She imagined the shock of the observers when they realized a so-called Muggleborn actually was of Founders' Blood. "I stand here for Rowena Ravenclaw, whose blood flows in my veins. May all here be done to honor Hogwarts and her Founders." She stepped confidently into place in the Eagle's quadrant, but trembled a bit as the power of the ritual touched on her magic core.

The students raised their wands, while Dumbledore and Dobby raised their right hands. First, Ron pointed his wand straight up. He softly said, "So mote it be." A band of white light traveled softly from his wand halfway to the enchanted ceiling, where a small purple ball of energy had appeared. In turn, Dumbledore and Dobby said the same, and white light from their hands reached for the same purple energy. As one, the Founders' descendents turned to face the center, pointed their wands toward the ball of energy above them, and in unison stated the closing invocation, "So mote it be." The light from their wands glowed with the colors of their respective ancestors. The purple energy pulsed, then burst in waves of multicolored light that reached every corner of the Great Hall.

The crowd watching the image of the ritual was filled with wonder. Then they noticed that the wards, both around the castle itself and the grounds, began to shimmer with the same waves of color that had filled the image of the Great Hall. Even the most callous seemed momentarily to be filled with a bit of joy and comfort as Hogwarts herself seemed to approve of those within, and seemed to agree to abide by the changes to come.

And the image of the seven who had triggered and channeled this wondrous energy blinked out as though it had never been.

As the multicolored wave of energy faded, the seven lowered their wands, or hands, releasing the ritual. They looked at each other in wonder as they saw their previously snow-white robes now showed moving swirls of color matching the ritual energy that had been released. All eyes then went to Dumbledore, who quietly answered their unspoken question. "The power raised here was greater than I had anticipated. I believe our robes will permanently display Hogwarts' acceptance. Keep them safe, for they will be powerful artifacts to wear in the future. However, you will not need them for the remainder of the castle expansion ritual. Go now to the staff room, change into working robes, have a bit of refreshment, then meet back here in 15 minutes. The rest of the ritual team is on their way," he said, as Darius appeared nearby.

Darius gestured at the floor markings, and they seemed to seep down into the floor as they disappeared. He then returned the tables to their original places. "The school has been emptied of everyone except the team, including the ghosts and house elves. We just need the warding spell to protect the portraits before we all take our positions."

"And where will you be, exactly, my boy?" asked his Mentor with a twinkle.

"They want a show, they're going to get one. I've figured out how to control the floating I did during the storm last weekend. Once I'm in position where I can see each Quadralis and each anchor, I'll form a disc-shaped platform of purple lightning to stand on. It will anchor the power feeds to each location." Darius explained his plans quietly but with a smile, as the rest of the ritual team came into the Great Hall. The Heads of House held the piles of parchment that would be used in each Quadralis to define the changes they would impose on the castle. "I think similar lightning disks could float with each Quadralis to hold the ritual definitions. Should I use the House Heads as the focus for the power feeds, or the strongest in each group if different?"

"Focus on the strongest in each group. That would be Draco, Severus, and myself for certain. For Hufflepuff, you will need to decide if Sylvia or Sirius is the better focus after their Quadralis is formed. Both are quite powerful, but in different aspects, and it is difficult to decide which would function better in this case." Then Dumbledore reminded, "Don't forget that you promised the anchors a comfortable seat as they performed their function."

As Harry2 joined them, the last of the team was settling into seats at various House tables and the head table. "Hey there," Darius said quietly. "Was Addie able to keep the predators away from you?"

Tonks/Harry2 answered with a smile, "No worries, there, though I did get a few odd looks from the staff. I think they were trying to see if they could tell which Harry I was just from looking. It's quite exciting to be a piece of history like this, even in a minor role. How are you holding up, Sir Magus?"

"Oh, you've been talking to Draco, haven't you?" he commented at Harry2's form of address. In answer, he received such an innocent, puppy-dog face that he couldn't stop laughing. "Yes, I'm holding up fine," he responded finally. /* Better than I was before I got blind-sided by my own face giving me 'the-look'. I needed that. Thanks, Tonks ... Dora. Sorry, I like 'Dora' better, at least when we're among friends. If you insist, I'll call you 'Tonks' when outsiders are around. */ Darius found he was particularly comfortable with Nymphadora Tonks, no matter what form she was in. She treated both Harry and Darius as ordinary people far more easily than anyone else, even Ron and Hermione.

Dumbledore began a final briefing to everyone on the team, ending with, "Darius, what did you decide on the holographic spell for the observers?"

"The images will begin as soon as everyone on the ground is in position. They will alternate at 15 second intervals. One shot will have an overall compacted image of all the participants, then each Quadralis in turn, then one that focuses on the castle exterior. They'll probably be able to see me from the pitch as well. Addie will have floating globes traveling around the stands. If someone wants to ask a question, they summon one of the globes, ask their questions, and the globes will take the question to Addie who will decide which ones to answer. If she needs information, she'll call me. Hopefully, most of them will get bored and leave for the day after awhile."

"Thank you, Darius. Ladies and gentlemen, please proceed to your positions and be ready to coordinate via the mindspeech link." Dumbledore sighed as they all left for their positions. /* Severus, the missing children ... do you think they've gone to Tom? */

/* No question. Draco Scanned Malvina's room and detected her two-way mirror, with both a communication spell and a pensieve-like spell. Both her parents are Marked and with their Master. We should have examined the children more closely, especially after that incident with Draco, privacy be damned, */ answered the Slytherin in frustration. /* Draco and I looked quickly at the hidden text, on the pages following the names of the Klaatu-shah. There is also a listing of Klaatu-mehr, which I wish we had examined sooner. Both Malvina and her mother are listed. The girl lied to Draco when he showed her the hidden text. We have no doubt that the four missing students, and a copy of the Barabbas are in the Dark Lord's camp as we speak. */

/* We can at least be grateful they didn't seriously harm those they left behind. Mr. Nott has fully recovered, hasn't he? */ Dumbledore asked.

/* Yes, and at least I can confidently say that, though young, the three Death-Eater-rejects are most thoroughly dedicated to the Light now. Any indecision was swept away in the past few days. */ Snape was in position with the rest of his Quadralis. /* It's time, Albus. */

Darius apparated to the roof where he had enjoyed the storm the other night. Slowly, he began to drop the masking on his powers, reaching carefully into his well of energy. First his eyes, then his whole being began to glow with the purple fire that marked him Magus. He reached out to the wards around the castle and the grounds, melting his power into them to keep them strong, and to stabilize them during the changes to come. He laughed softly at the joy he felt, weaving the energy around him. He raised his arms slowly, spread out at the sides, palm up, then turned his hands suddenly palm down with a pushing motion. And he drifted up into the sky above the castle. As he reached a height that allowed him to see everyone in their positions, he clapped his hands above his head. Purple lightning shot out, surrounding him for a moment, then settling in a disc just below his feet, a flickering disc of pure Magus-purple energy, about 10 feet in diameter. He settled into place, then signaled the House Heads to begin their Quadralis rituals.

The Quadralis was invoked by each group simultaneously. In turn, all those in their North, South, East and West positions began to glow with the auras representing their personal magic. He watched the energies in each group of four spellcasters. Those energies danced as they sought to intertwine and balance. As all four magical formations stabilized, the four House Heads again spoke in unison to finalize this step of the rituals.

Darius then checked with each House Head. /* Minerva? */

/* All is stable with Draco, Rolanda and Hagrid, */ she answered.

/* Draco, prepare for the power feed. Severus? */

/* All is stable with Amelia, Rachel, and Anastasia, */ answered the Slytherin.

/* Severus, prepare for the power feed. Filius? */

/* All is stable with Albus, Ronald, and Poppy, */ answered the half-goblin, his mindvoice having a squeaky quality reminiscent of his real voice.

/* Albus, prepare for the power feed. Pomona? */

/* All is stable with Hermione, Sylvia, and Sirius,*/ answered the Hufflepuff.

Darius hesitated a moment, as he Scanned both his godfather and Dumbledore's niece. Both were exceptionally strong, as Dumbledore had said. For this ritual, however, he decided, /* Sirius, prepare for the power feed. */

Again, Darius called up raw energy from within himself. Again, he raised his hands above his head, and the energy collected in a ball. This time, the globe of energy grew until he was surrounded by it. He mentally focused on the four Quadralis teams, then more specifically on each one chosen to channel the power to the rest of the team. The globe of energy suddenly collapsed into the disc of energy at the feet of the Magus. As though the disc were a compass, the energy collected at each of the cardinal compass points, then shot down towards each Quadralis team, striking each globe of joined auras, sizzling as the energies adjusted to each other. Finally, each Quadralis aura returned to its previous state, except for occasional sparkles of purple skittering through the joined aura, and also the individual auras of those channeling the power feed.

The disc of energy floating high above Hogwarts shifted. To a lesser extent, energy collected between the cardinal points. Darius reached out to the anchors. /* Harry, Neville, Remus, Dobby, ready? */ As each mentally confirmed their readiness, Darius again reached for his power, then gave them a countdown. /* Three, two, one, now. */ The purple energy shot down to each anchor point, surrounding each person, then sinking into the ground at their feet. Between Dobby and Remus, and between Harry2 and Neville, the energy reached across and through the castle and grounds to connect them. Then, a circle of purple light formed around the castle, touching each anchor as the energy spun around the grounds. The anchor positions were farther from the center than the Quadralis teams, so that the teams were enclosed within the circle of light. Twenty-one spellcasters remained still a few moments longer as the energies settled. Hundreds of observers at the Quidditch pitch stared at the projected images and glanced over at the actual castle, stunned at the magnitude of what a Magus could summon, and the ritual had only just begun.

The anchors were smiling as the energy that had sunk into the ground below them, rose up in a mist to form each one's ideal for a comfy chair. They sat, and prepared to wait, read, use quiet mindspeech with those not in a Quadralis, or whatever they chose to pass the time with. In Dobby's case, he sat there knitting socks, and chatting with Winky, who sat on the ground beside him.

In each Quadralis, the members took their assigned turns, mentally focusing on the task each step required, or speaking the incantations described on the parchments, or performing ritual gestures, or channeling energies. There were fewer pauses than would normally be needed, because of the power feed. The first so-called two hour session was completed in 20 minutes, at which time parchment number one in each pile disintegrated into a layer of multi-colored sparkles, similar to the energies seen in the Founders' Rite, and faded away. After about a half-minute pause, the task defined by parchment number two commenced. That one took only five minutes.

Over a five hour period, parchments dissolved anywhere from two minutes to 15 minutes apart. About every five parchments, the half-minute break was extended to five minutes and house elves brought refreshments out to the teams. Within the quadrants defined by the anchors, the teams would shift position, but those shifts would be mirrored by the other teams.

At the end of five hours, a full 30 parchments had been processed. Many of the structural changes were confined to the inside, but a number were visible on the outside. Several new towers were visible, the overall footprint of the castle was significantly larger, many new windows helped to quantify the greater expanse of walls that supported the structure. The distance from the castle to the anchors was now noticeably less than when the rituals started.

The anchors stood at their positions, the lines of energy connecting them separated, then collected at the anchor positions, pooling at their feet. Suddenly, the energies sunk into the ground, waiting to be summoned again the next day. Each Quadralis returned to its starting position. Those who channeled the power feeds released them, and the purple sparks faded from their auras. Each House Head spoke the incantations needed to send the Quadralis energies into a dormant state. Such a state could be safely maintained for up to a week, so they would have no problem with keeping the energies quiet until the next day. The Magus had disappeared from his position high above the castle shortly after the power feeds were severed.

The images at the Quidditch pitch faded into nothingness and the charms surrounding the area dissipated. About 10 percent of the observers remained the entire time. They were tired, but thrilled to have witnessed such a monumental undertaking. Refreshments were available at the Quidditch pitch, as those remaining were informed by Addie that, after the team had enjoyed a quiet dinner for about a half hour, the observers would be allowed to speak with any team members who were willing to be interviewed for a short time. Surprisingly, those who remained to speak with the team after dinner, were courteous and respectful, even those of the media who remained. Many seemed too much in awe of Darius to bother him, and there was little complaint when he left the Great Hall earlier than the others.

Most of the reporters had left early to ensure their publications had prompt reports of the first hour or two of the rituals. And, as expected, there were several observers who dutifully made reports directly to known representatives of the Dark Lord.

During the quiet dinner shared by the team and the rest of the Hogwarts staff, the Sorting Hat was brought out for Rachel, Savannah, and Michaela, though they would remain in their current rooms one or two more nights. Rachel and Savannah would be moving to Ravenclaw, while Michaela was claimed by Hufflepuff. Draco assured Trevor that he would find allies among some of the returning Slytherins, reminding him that Professor Snape was adamant about protecting his students, even from each other.

Finally, at the end of a very long day, Darius reverted to Harry, Harry2 reverted to Tonks, and they spent about an hour up on the roof, just chatting about ordinary things before heading off to their respective rooms for the night.

(to be continued)