𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒

Chapter 34

The four students waited with bated breath as to what the old Headmaster would say to what they had found out.

"Very well done, all of you," Dumbledore complimented, looking over the map and the figure drawn on it. "I'll call a meeting of the Order to apprise them of this development."

"We'll come too," Harry announced. "We need to know what we should do next."

Dumbledore smiled indulgently at the dark haired Gryffindor. "For now you will do nothing.

You will all remain within the safety of the school."

"What? No," Harry complained. "We have to stop Voldemort. I have to stop him."

Dumbledore rose from his seat behind the desk and approached the seat Harry was sitting in. He placed his hand on the teens shoulder. "We don't know if Hogsmeade is his true objective," he began. "But..." Harry started to interrupt.

"Harry, my boy," Dumbledore stated with a bit more firmness. "This could all be a trick, and even if it isn't, we don't know when he plans on attacking the town. I need to speak to the Order members about this so we can decide what to do. I promise I will keep you all informed if anything of importance comes up." He patted Harry's shoulder a couple of times and then moved around the desk, returning to his seat, letting the teens know that their part in this was over for the time being.

Harry stood from his chair indignant, ready to argue with the Headmaster.

"Thank you, sir," Draco stated formally, standing at the same time as Ron and Hermione. "We'll await your orders." The blonde and the other two Gryffindors began to move towards the door, Hermione grabbing Harry's hand and dragging him along with them before he could complain.

"What the hell are you guys doing? We're not going to do anything?" Harry asked incredulously. "Of course we are," Draco replied disdainfully. "But we're going to do it on our own."

Ron and Hermione nodded their agreement. "He just wants to keep you safe, you know," Hermione added, trying to sooth her friend's anger and resentment against the old man as the group walked towards Draco's rooms to figure out what they could do without anyone else around to hear their plans.

Draco was of the opinion it was more than just keeping Harry safe. 'Safe to either kill or be killed by the Dark Lord,' the blonde thought disdainfully. Sometimes the Slytherin wondered if Dumbledore didn't just think of Harry as some kind of weapon, one he was trying to with-hold until the Gryffindor teen could do the most damage. It bothered him that perhaps the old man didn't have his boyfriend's best interest at heart, but rather was willing to sacrifice him for some greater good.

Draco scowled at the thought as he led the others to his rooms.

XXX

"I think I might have figured out when he's going to attack," Hermione stated after a few moments of silence. The four teens had been in Draco's rooms for almost an hour contemplating when the Dark Lord would invade the town. There was no doubt in their mind that it was indeed Hogsmeade that the evil wizard would be after, the conquest of the wizarding village would put him in good range of the school itself, especially after hearing from Harry about his dreams of the town being over-run by Death Eaters. It was all just too coincidental for them to ignore.

Hermione, of course, had been going though her many books that she had run off to bring, meeting the boys at Draco's to try and find any kind of date or event that may have some significance for the Dark Lord. "Here, see. March 21st. It's the Ostara, or what the muggles call the spring equinox," the young witch explained, opening her book on the table and pointing out the relevant information.