Protection: The Sword and the Shield

School Daze

......Great Hall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

The first month back at Hogwarts was more joyous for the castle's occupants than the last month before the yule break had been. The time at home in addition to the lack of continued attacks caused the students and faculty alike to start to doubt whether the danger had been real or that the chamber had actually been opened. Only two students and a cat had been attacked and those students (and the cat) were due for a speedy recovery once the proper potions had been brewed.

By the end of January, half the school believed the attacks had been a particularly cruel prank and that the story of the chamber was just a clever use of history and legend made to act as a smoke screen for the real perpetrators. The smarter students like, Neville and his inner circle, did not believe that the attacks had been a simple prank but had shifted from a belief that the chamber had been opened and a mythical beasts released to the notion that House Longbottom and House Potter were under attack.

Neville approached Harry with his concern and was pleased that his fellow heir saw the logic of Neville's suspicion. In the discussion that followed Harry suggested that if it was an attack; it was probably an attempt to test their defenses, which would be why friends from the outer band of their circle were targeted and not those closer to them. Neville saw the logic in that assessment and the two heirs promised to keep a close watch on their friends and associates as they were sure that another attack would come.

The truth was that Harry had planned out what would happen in the second half of the school year and the extended calm was part of that plan. Harry thought it funny that the events that were meant to scare and confuse him had been flipped and it was they who had started to jump at shadows. He had contacted Lucius Malfoy pretending to be a possessed Ginny to prepare the man for the part he was to play.

It was the first day in February and Albus was unhappy with the progress happening in the school. The tension that had built up before the Yule break had almost completely broken and there was no sign of any continued attacks from Tom. Severus had not been able to provide any help except to indicate that Lucius had not lost any of his smug attitude which suggested that the pause was not due to any interruption in the plan. In fact the man had seemed especially pleased though he did not divulge why.

Albus looked over to Draco and saw that the boy was as frustrated as he was. The tension and his bragging the previous term had started to form cracks in Nott's control within the house. No one had made any moves but it had been clear that Draco was happy with the progress that was being made. The time of quiet had undercut that progress and Draco was once again reduced to the three members within his house duty bound to remain with him.

Albus contemplated if there was anything he could do to force Tom's hand but decided that he had been suffering too many failures lately to risk losing significantly to the Dark Lord's plans. He comforted himself that the elves and paintings remained on alert and the school wards were also at a heightened security level. It was clear Tom could bypass the wards but the creature could not as he had felt the tremble in them when the attacks started.

Albus looked over to the Gryffindor table and suppressed his frown. He realized that he was doing that a lot in reaction to even looking at the boy who was currently holding court at one end if the house table. The boy was more skilled than his father had been and twice as popular and that was saying a great deal considering James had practically ran the school while attending. His eyes darted to where Severus would have been, had the man not refused to continue to attend non-mandatory meals.

Albus was worried for his potions professor. The man was consumed by his hatred for anything Potter and the younger Potter was too much like his father not to stoke that hatred. That the young heir was responsible for practically neutering the man at the school undoubtedly fueled that fire of hatred and Albus was sure that the explosion would be spectacular if allowed to happen. He was not ready to lose his spy because the man had no self-control though and had charged an elf to keep watch on the man and report if he made any moves toward openly attacking the boy.