Roads of Rebuilding and Recovery
Hogwarts, July 16, 1998
“Longbottom!”
“I will call you by your last name if you don’t use my first.”
“Neville!” the caller shouted back with a grin.
“Yes, Draco,” he stood up from replanting lavender, in a newly constructed greenhouse.
“Wait, you took my advice!”
“Yes, the greenhouse will have an abundance of lavender, peppermint, hellebore, wormwood, and in a completely separate and mostly safe area, a worrisome amount of mandrakes.”
“Good, Madam Pomfrey will need an insane amount of dreamless sleep, calming draught, and draught of peace. Especially with the new plans for the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw teams in the Forest tonight.”
“Surprisingly enough, when you aren’t being rude, you Slytherins are actually quite useful.”
“I won’t tell Pansy you said that.”
“Thanks…Why did you come in here screaming for me anyway?”
“Will you please come to the Hunt tonight? We need a double-checker for rare ingredients!”
“Sure. We also need to finish the list for the Friday Transfers.”
“Alright.
“How’s our spy doing?” Neville asked regarding Gabrielle Delacour, who was a spy. Namely to keep an eye on McLaggen, and signs on how the Beetle could be getting some of her information exclusive to Hogwarts.
“Gabby reports that McLaggen is being a ‘jerk’...
“Why’d you say that with air quotes?”
“The term in French was most definitely not as polite.”
“Sounds fair for a pre-teen,” Neville laughed.
“And that according to the map, she refused to tell me what that means, but says that you’d understand, the Beetle is not on the premises.”
“I do understand, and as far as I know, I’m not allowed to tell you.”
“That’s fair.” Draco grabbed some notes from Neville’s hands and gave him a quick “See you later” and was off to post the teams for the evening. Any quarter moon was a good time to go into the Forbidden Forest, especially with so many students and people to protect them.
Draco waved ‘Hi’ to Anthony Goldstein, the hero of the month, mostly because he brought help, 15 students in their year back, all of whom had transferred out of Hogwarts between their first and sixth years. Anthony had also sent out a notice internationally for help at Hogwarts, that being what gained Krum’s attention.
When Draco reached the front doors and into the Great Hall, he sent the list that Neville had made out to the various designated spots around the castle and grounds. He immediately heard yells and sighs and a handful of other undistinguishable noises.
The list is as follows:
‘Heads:
Professor Binns - Head of Great Hall Supervisors
Non-House Ghosts - Great Hall Supervision
Professor Hagrid - Dark Forest Supervisor
Charlie Weasley - Head Air Supervision on Norberta
Firenze - Head of Forest Conservation Team
Buckbeak - Magical Creature Protector
Cho Chang - Guard
Oliver Wood - Guard
Marcus Flint - Guard
Viktor Krum - Guard
Cormac McLaggen - Transportation to and from the Great Hall Supervision
*As always, Guards are Watching to Prevent Attacks in the Need Arises*
**House Ghosts are on Peeves Duty**
***If a Head, including and most importantly Firenze, tells you to do something or not to something, then you do so immediately!***
Teams:
Neville Longbottom - Herbology Supervisor
Draco Malfoy - Potions Supervisor
Dean Thomas & Seamus Finnigan - Hellebore
Hannah Abbott & Ollie Rivers - Porcupines
Emma Vane & Terry Boot - Wormwood
Anthony Goldstein & Sophie Roper - Crocodiles
Greg Goyle & Millie Bulstrode - Peppermint
Roger Malone & Alice Runcorn - Lavender
Wayne Hopkins & Anne Perks - Lavender
Lisa Turnpin & Ernie Macmillan - Crocodiles
Susan Bones & Michael Corner - Porcupines
Justin Finch-Fletchley & Mora MacDougal - Crocodiles
Kevin Entwhistle & Stephen Cornfoot - Moonstone
Manda Bocklehurst & Sue Li - Unicorns
Megan Jones & Sally Smith - Unicorns
****As always, no harm is to come to any creature. Unicorn Horns are only to be the shed seasonals, that the Unicorns will lead you to. Porcupine quills are willingly given up by the creatures or found as the animals shed. No more than 220 milliliters or 8 fl. oz. of blood from a single crocodile. You may not chase them.****
*****Crocodile Blood is an Actual Substitute for Crocodile Heart*****’
Professor Binns floated into the Great Hall only minutes later, with a grin on his face, “You’ve certainly caused a stir!”
Draco looked up from a muggle psychology book about PTSD from his cozy reading spot up against Norberta, whom he had recently made peace with, and laughed, “Well, we can only go into the forest for harvest twice a month. Might as well make use of it. And with all of the extra people, we’ll get much more done this time. And then it will all be organized and categorized, and the school will be mostly empty for the weekend…” Before Draco could finish, a clatter of plates erupted, meaning that dinner was served.
Most of the workers clattered in clean because of only doing the final touch-ups outside. Others, who had started on inside projects came in, with a variety of supplies and colors on them. A handful of kids patted Norberta hello, and went on to start eating. All of the students, future and past, sat down at one large table, including the professors and the dozen or so kids in their younger years who didn’t want to or couldn’t go home. They all sat down at one end of the table, interacting and talking more lively than usual. A lot of wizard-kind was more silent and stilled, especially the younger kids, the ones who never had a truly good year at school. Gabby was the one that was getting them out of their shells.
The small group of students staying for their Eighth Year were whispering among themselves about a surprise they were working on… until Hagrid walked in shouting, “The moon’s up now kids, let's go!” Everyone quickly finished up their food, with the Headmistress walking the children out to the Clock Tower, which had finally been deemed safe, inside and out, for a summer sleepover. The workers quickly assembled into their groups while Charlie roused Norberta, and they all started out for the Forest.
Hours later, teams started going up to Neville, then Draco, then Hagrid for approval on the amount of work that they had done. Millie and Greg were done first, followed only minutes later by Dean and Seamus, and then Terry and Emma. After going back to the Great Hall to put stasis charms on their harvest, the groups went to the tents on the Quidditch Pitch where they had all elected to stay. Kevin and Steve were quick to follow, collecting moonstones being a tiring task.
“Remind me again, why is there a bloody float of crocodiles in the Forbidden Forest?” Anthony Goldstein said as he and a former Slytherin named Sophie came trudging up to the flora gathers.
“A muggle breeder set a few grown ones free a few decades ago, they have turned into a thriving population of escapees, and have made quite good friends of the unicorns,” Firenze said still gazing up at the stars.
“That’s actually a large problem that muggles have, particularly in the United States,” Sophie said. After Umbridge’s horrors in her Fifth Year, her parents sent her, and a few of her friends to Ilvermory in the States.
The lavender collectors, hearing the conversation smiled, and laughed and were quickly followed by Susan with a limping Michael, “Uh guys, a little help.”
Draco and Neville rushed over to administer some first aid for the porcupine quills, while like everyone else, trying to control a few giggles.
“Firenze!” a rouge voice called, and a centaur known as Bane ran up, “It is no longer safe for them to be here. There is something here. The stars show the signs, it is not the dragon as we thought,
nor the humans.” He quickly trotted up to Firenze and they talked in rushed and worried tones. Hagrid quickly joined the conversation and called Wood, Flint, Krum, and Chang, to them. After more whispers, Cho mounted her broom and flew up to Charlie to relay the information.
“Neville, Draco, we need to speak to you.”
“What’s wrong?” Neville asked.
“There was a creature spotted a handful of miles North, one who should not be out…”
“It was Greyback, wasn’t it?”
The centaurs nodded.
“We must go now,” Bane said, “The Unicorns shall need our protection.”
Firenze nodded, “Guards, get your workers back to the castle immediately.”
“Cho, go with Firenze and Bane. Manda, Megs, Sue, and Sal are with the Unicorns. Escort them back to the castle as quickly as you can.”
“Oliver, find Hannah and Ollie with the porcupines, then head off to the crocs with Marcus. Buckbeak, take Michael and Susan on your back and bring them to the Great Hall. Susan can send a Patronus to Madam Pomfrey if needed. Marcus find the kids with the crocodiles.”
“Viktor, go with Charlie, see if you can do a scan for Greyback, you’re both Seekers..”
“And bring him this,” Neville said handing an old piece of parchment to Krum, “Charlie knows what to do with it.”
“What was that?” Draco asked
“I don’t have permission to tell you.”
“Okay?”
“Go! Everyone! Now!” Neville shouted as the Gryffindor and Slytherin quickly got to work dismantling the main campsite, trying to make it look as if they were never there. Wood grabbed Hannah and Ollie and brought them to the castle, then zooming off to find Marcus. Cho came and went with the four girls down by the Unicorns and escorted them to the castle. A few minutes later she stood guard while Neville and Draco finished up. The boys quickly handed the supplies to McLaggen and ran back to fight with Cho, if needed. Flint and Wood quickly brought Mora, Justin, Ernie, and Lisa back to the castle, and continued to stand guard.
Krum came back and had everyone go back into the castle, noting that ‘He got away!’ and ‘Charlie and Norberta were fixing the damages!’
Soon, the man and dragon were once again in the Great Hall, with the other builders who had come inside from their beds on the Pitch. Charlie walked to the new landline, and put in a call to the Ministry, alerting both Kingsley and the Aurors, and then a call to Grimmauld letting them know. He then came and addressed the scared former students, and the concerned staff. “All he did was burn the Dark Mark into a few trees and rocks. The entire area has been warded off for the Aurors and Kingsley, when they come in the morning.” A few sighs of relief went around and everyone when off to sleep in sleeping bags in the Great Hall, not wanting to go out again until the sun was up. The teachers quickly went off to the Clock Tower to protect the kids.
When only Neville and Draco were left awake, Neville whispered, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, Greyback didn’t get too close, but he did sent a signal to everyone with the mark. A strong one. It was meant as a warning. I don’t what about though.”
“We’ll figure it out…soon,” Neville finished as the boys went and crashed.