A Loyal Heart

Chapter 123: Epiphany

I stood there staring at the group of Hogwarts students with my heart beating so hard, it felt like it was about to jump right out of my chest. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths before I ended up freezing the entire bar over. I was vaguely aware of Cedric wrapping his arms around my waist in a bid to calm me down but I knew it was something I needed to do for myself.

Admitting out loud to how many people I had killed was not something I had ever wanted to do. It was something that haunted me in my very worst nightmares. The only person who truly understood what I felt was Dad. He did things that he couldn't speak of during the war, just like most of the soldiers who fight in wars. But at the end of the day, you do what you have do to defend your own.

Authors note: Yes, that was a quote from Keith Urban's song for you. What can I say, I love country music! And Keith Urban, but I am Aussie so that's kind of a given. Fair warning, more Taylor Swift lyrics quotes are coming up in this chapter as well.

When I opened my eyes, I saw that none of the student's had left. Cassy was smiling a sad smile at me, knowing to a point what I was going through. Luckily for her, she had never had to do what I did with the helicarrier that day in Washington but she had been in the position where it was killed or be killed. So, she knew what it was to take the life of another, which was something this group of kids needed to understand.

"Taking a life is never easy," I said in a softer tone than I was using only moments before and breaking the silence that had fallen over the room. "But in that moment, you don't have a choice and that is something all of you need to understand before diving head first into everything. Because at the end of the day, this will end up as a war. Admittedly, a war that neither Cassy or I have ever fought but a war never the less. You have to understand that it's not about what a single person can do but what you can do with the people you sever with. There is a saying that my dad told me about when he was fighting in World War 2, 'With you I serve, with you I fall down. Watch your breath in, watch you breathing out'. They are also lyrics from a song. It means you have to learn to rely on the person fighting next to you but worst of all, you have to be prepared to watch that person take their last breath and to comfort them as it happens. So, I meant what I said before, if you aren't ready for what this road leads too, I suggest you leave now and forget that you ever considered coming to this meeting today."

"Elsa's right," Cassy said, picking up where I left off. "I haven't been in as many life-or-death situations as Elsa has but I have had to watch someone I care about take his last breath. His name was Pietro Maximoff. He was one of the most stubborn people I have ever met but he was also funny and kind and he was a loving brother to his twin sister, Wanda. This will end in a war; I have no doubt about that and it won't be easy. But in saying that, if you are willing to fight, to serve as Elsa said, alongside each other, both Elsa and I will be more than happy to teach you to fight in ways that you won't be taught at Hogwarts, even with a competent DA teacher. We can teach you hand to hand combat and fair warning, even without any of her magic Elsa will kick your ass. We can also teach you stealth, sabotage and espionage. But that's solely up to you."

"Elsa and Cassy are right. You don't do these types of things on your own," Harry said. "I'm not trying to sound modest but I had a lot of help with all that stuff I did."

"Not with the dragon, you didn't and neither did Cedric," one of the Ravenclaw boys pointed out.

"Well, kind of," Cedric chuckled looking down at me, remembering how I helped him prepare for each of the tasks.