The Potter Alliance

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Staying at Potter Manor had been great for Harry. Sleeping with Susan every night was also great for Harry. It was the first time in his life that he felt so loved, and so at home, and he couldn't quite get enough of it. He counted the days until graduation, and the end of the war where he could live his life in peace, but until then he knew he couldn't lose focus on the end goal.

Susan and Harry were working on the start of her Animagus abilities which were coming along smoothly, but admittedly slowly. Harry had done it in under six months which was considered incredible, but now with Susan he was guessing it was going to take at least 10, and he knew she wasn't happy with that thought.

The young lady had actually been struggling a lot, and with the first holidays passing by without her aunt he knew that she needed a win. He wasn't sure what, but he hoped something could help bring his girl a bit of peace.

School started back, and the second term had begun, and things were going as well as they could be. Harry had been attending Professor Slughorn's meetings, and Dumbledore had continued his private tuition with him. They had been covering mostly advanced defensive magic and stayed away from offensive spellcasting. It was clear to Harry that for whatever reason Dumbledore would not teach him anything lethal that he could kill someone with, and that went well with the headmaster's style of always giving people second chances, and a shot at redemption, which Harry would respect for now.

The DA of course was going along fantastically, and Harry was about ready to promote several in the beginner group to the advanced group. In the advanced group Susan and the others had been doing really well at leading it, while Harry took a back seat and really began focusing on his training. The time was coming, and they all knew it.

It was a cold night in February when Susan, Harry, and the other couples of Hogwarts had just finished celebrating Valentine's Day. It was a few days after when they were all in the Great Hall having dinner, and a small note found its way to Harry at the Hufflepuff table. Looking around to see who sent the note the young man picked it up, and read it carefully, "I have found one of the seven. Please come to my office after dinner, and we can discuss what is to happen next. Ice Mice."

Harry knew the short and sweet message had to be from the headmaster, and he grinned in triumph hoping that he was taking another small step towards the defeat of The Dark Lord. Susan peered over his shoulder reading the note, and said quietly, "I want to come with you...to this meeting."

Thinking for a moment the boy wanted to say no but knew that would only invoke the red heads' wrath. Knowing there was no point to argue he agreed with a slightly forced smile. He did not want Susan to be involved in the Horcrux hunt, but there was no reason she couldn't be in the meetings to start it off.

After dinner Susan and Harry went arm and arm to the Headmasters office. Arriving at the Gargoyle Harry spoke the password that would grant them access and followed the ascending staircase to the Ancient Wizard's office.

Opening the door two young magical teenagers saw the wizened old man smiling benignly on them, "Good evening Harry, Ms. Bones, I was unaware you would be bringing company."

"Susan insisted on being a part of the meeting, and with everything that has happened I figure she has just as much of a right to know what's going on in the war and the hunt as anyone. Now what did you find, headmaster?" Harry asked, trying to dance around the extra personnel tonight.

The Headmaster gave a slight nod in understanding and did not push the subject, "I have found a location. The Orphanage that I believe your friends and yourself watched me meet young Tom Riddle all those years ago. I went there again and began having a look around and found that a field trip that they used to take back in the 30's was to a set of cliffs and overlooks. I started my investigation there, and began searching for signs of magic. It wasn't easy, but I found a cave where I believe young Tom Riddle was taking children and torturing them. Not necessarily with normal curses and hexes, but with mind magic and psychological warfare."