The Year of the Revolution IV. The Outbreak

21. Protection

 "Let's go to the Duel Room and I'll test you," Albus said, getting up from his seat. "How do you usually practice?"

Lily, Cecile and Remus got up too. "The two of them against me, but they can beat me now," Remus replied.

"Do you use Protegos?"

"No, we tried not to do it to practice agility," Cecile replied.

"Perfect, I see that Prince has taught you well, he is going to be a magnificent commander," said the Headmaster. "He has left me astounded by how he has organized sixty people in two minutes, counting only half. I'm looking forward to half past nine and to see the training."

"You won't be able to see him one hundred percent today, Albus," Cecile said. "Remember that they broke his arm less than two days ago."

"Sure..."

"But maybe tomorrow yes."

"We will study if it is convenient for them to train tomorrow at the Lake," Dumbledore said. "If the Daily Prophet's here, it's better not."

"Yeah."

They had gone out into the room.

"All yours, show me what you know to do," Albus asked. "Remus, use Protegos if you're in a bind to keep the fight even."

They fought for ten minutes. The old man stopped the fight. "Wonderful. Remus, seventh-year level, and you both girls sixth-year advanced. You three could beat five malefics as long as they are not training on their own, and if they are camouflaged I don't think they are."

Lily thought, (Five, booah... how come Sev didn't tell me about this?)

"They aren't training, Albus. Prince told me," Remus said.

"Can you tell me their names now, to know if they are studying Defense NEWT?" the Headmaster asked.

"They're not doing it either, all the Ravenclaws who take it are in the Guard, and the two Gryffindors aren't doing it either."

(Ugh... three Raves and two Gryffs, at home,) Lily thought. (And this is all information from Lauren, she must have been reading the whole school since her parents put her in on the secret.)

"Tell me the names of the two Gryffs, they are the most dangerous," Dumbledore asked.

(He has read us about abbreviating House names. This Albus...)

Remus told him. Cecile and Lily knew them by sight. "Those two?" Cecile asked, alarmed.

"Well, yes, the ones you least expect," Remus replied.

"They have got up in the Great Hall, Remus, have you noticed?" the Headmaster asked.

"No, they haven't. I don't think they were even at the table."

"Okay, so they haven't infiltrated at first. But I'm sure they'll go out to watch the training, and so will the Raves. Tell me their names too."

Remus did.

"There have been some Rave upper-years risen at the moment," Dumbledore said. "Maybe they are. Has Prince revealed this information to the other commanders?"

"Maybe to the Slys, but the Raves don't know that he reads."

"Well, he should have. Nothing, there is still danger, but there are only three against more than sixty. And if he himself has read them, he already knows who they are. He must have also noticed if they got up and he will know how to deal with them. It will serve him to try them, to know the level they have and the danger they pose. And he will read them to find out if they have plans against him and warn the rest of the Raves to keep an eye on them. So in principle you only have to worry about the Gryffs, because I am convinced that the Slys have all left, and if they have not already done so, they will soon do so, the rest of their House is going to make their lives miserable."