The Speaker and His Wraiths

The Letter

Voldemort Says Hello

Harry eagerly changed the date on the coins as soon as he received a reply from Voldemort with the same owl he'd sent, after exactly 6 days of waiting.

September had finally bled into October, and storms were brewing between the teachers with Umbridge's continued interrogations. Harry and his Wraiths took a step back whenever tensions rose, but the leftover students kept getting caught in the crossfire and getting detentions.

"D'you think it took a few days to get wherever he is and back, or d'you reckon he just waited a few days to throw us off?" Harry asked Luna, focusing on his plans, as he walked between Charms and Potions.

"It's hard to tell." She said blissfully. "He seems the type for the latter though." She smiled and slipped away towards her own classes.

He had already Transfigured the new date and time for the next meeting, and saw people around the school touching their pockets as he walked by. A few nodded to him, while others smiled. They'd felt the coin heat up, and knew he'd changed it. They'd be there.

When the next day arrived, he was pleased to see nearly everyone had made it to their newest meeting, but concerned for the few who weren't.

"We're missing a few?" He asked, looking around. An upper year Hufflepuff raised her hand.

"Two of my classmates had detention, and a Ravenclaw asked me to let you know she's sick." Harry nodded easily and called on a Slytherin who had raised a hand politely.

"We're missing a boy who was given detention as well." She announced.

"Thank you, I think that's everyone we're missing actually. Two Puffs, a Raven and a Snake." He nodded to himself before smiling. "I called you all here to let you know I've received a reply from Voldemort." A few people flinched, but the majority just nodded. "I haven't read it, so we'll all be hearing it for the first time. Keep questions and comments for the end, please, and thank you."

He unfurled the rolled letter that he'd retrieved from his pocket and cleared his throat.

"Harry Potter,

I see you have changed. Good. I'd like to meet your Wraiths, and see your supporters for myself. I require a face to face meeting.

I propose we each bring 9 members of our ranks, our most trusted. With you and I, we will rank 20 among us. I know you are in school, Hogwarts, and suggest we meet over Yule Break in 3 months time.

My Death Eaters will not like this, and I do not trust it myself entirely. However, you know the locations of my Horcruxes at the very least, and I do believe you possess them. I require that you bring them to the meeting. I swear no harm will come to you and your Wraiths.

However, I do have trepidations to this alliance. As you may not know, we are fated enemies. I know of a Prophecy in the Ministry of Magic, and it holds you and I inside. Bring it to me when we meet, and I will consider it further.

Send a new owl,

Lord Voldemort"

Harry looked up at the students to see people clutching their neighbors, some pale, some stoic, some blatantly terrified. The Slytherins were blank, some shook as they struggled to control their features.

"Does anyone have anything to say?" He prompted. He waited a full 10 seconds before Malfoy cleared his throat.

"We're actually doing this. The Dark Lord... he's agreeing." Draco's voice shook but his face was full of pale boredom. Harry smiled slightly.

"He appears to be." Harry agreed. A confused Lavender Brown raised her hand.

"Isn't three months like... January? It's October." Harry smiled kindly.