Exams and Battles
It was breakfast and the entire student body was present, as had been expected. The Headmaster nodded as McGonagall finished getting everyone's attention.
"Good morning! As some of you may have noticed, as of this morning we are hosting several members of the Wizarding Examination Authority in these whilst they administer standard examinations for OWL and NEWT students over the next three weeks.
"NEWT testing will be administered in stages. The OWL theory and NEWT theory examinations for each subject shall take place during the morning periods. From 1:30 until 5:30 each day for the first two weeks, OWL practical examinations will be completed. For the final week, NEWT level examinations will take place within the Great Hall.
"NEWT level students will receive their final scores within one week of the year's end, thus allowing them to use this information for any employment they may seek upon completing their schooling. OWL scores will be delivered by the end of July, thus allowing students to plan for their NEWT studies.
"Students who are not taking examinations will be expected to attend classes as scheduled for the next two weeks, at which time their year shall end, save any summer assignments being given."
Dumbledore gave a genial smile. "While I am certain that there will be at least one attempt to cheat, I implore you to avoid it. No student has succeeded in cheating in 80 years. Auto-Answer Quills, Smart-Answer Quills, Remembralls, Detachable Cribbing Cuffs, and Self-Correcting Ink are all banned from the examination hall. In addition, wit-sharpening potions, Liquid Luck, and any other enhancing potions are also banned from being used by students taking these examinations. Pepper Up potions and calming draughts may be used if approved by Madam Pomfrey. Otherwise they are also banned. As for the various remedies that some older students have tried to foist upon younger students: Hogwash. These home remedies are a waste of time and money at best and damaging at worst."
Dumbledore looked out. "Breakfast will be finished by 9:30. Testing begins at 9:45 and finished at 11:45 precisely. Should you finish your examinations early, motion to a Proctor, who will retrieve your examination, and you will be allowed to leave. For Practical examinations, all students taking the examination will wait in the hallway until called."
He smiled one more time. "Now, normally the examinations are given in the Great Hall. Beginning this year, examinations will take place in a special room. I will warn you that the wards in that room will detect any potion-use as well as the items banned. The door to that room should be appearing soon. Because of this, students may use the Great Hall before, during, and after examinations to study and prepare."
Albus looked at a time piece. "As a matter of fact, the door should be appearing just about …. Now!"
Suddenly, very near the main entrance, a door appeared at the back wall.
This was Gary's idea. With the Room of Requirement making all things possible, Gary had suggested to the Headmaster, as well as the Examiners, that it could be used quite effectively without requiring the Great Hall to be disassembled.
At 9:00, the Head of the Examination Authority would enter the Room on the Seventh Floor, requiring a room that would be ideal for the testing of that day's subject.
The Head of the Examination Authority would then request the room to open to the waiting area the examiners were located in. Once inside, that door would disappear and at an agreed upon time, a door to the Great Hall would appear.
Also included was a door to the infirmary for any student hurt during testing or who had a panic attack or other affliction.
The Room had been tested the night before and several permutations had been explored. The Examiners were more than impressed with the newly-found resource (new for them anyway).
Also included was the requirement that a ward be placed which would sound an alarm if any student entered with a forbidden item or who was under the influence of a forbidden potion. A sixth-year student had been asked to help test this and it worked.
Amusedly, when the student had taken a small dram of liquid luck (enough to last for two hours) the immediate compulsion given by the potion was to avoid coming into the examination room.
Also included within the room were lavatories for students claiming they couldn't wait for personal hygiene needs – there would be no need for one of the Examiners to escort any student during the exam. Each lavatory was a self-contained cubicle with a toilet, sink, and the needed towels and toiletries. There were silencing wards between the cubicles. There was a light that showed each cubicle in use and a light which showed a student passing out in the bathroom (it had happened before).
One member of the Examination Authority would remain in the room to maintain its form until the end of testing for that day.
There was also one more door that would be created: A door to the staff room which allowed for observers to enter a room which could look into the examinations but not interact with the students.
Gary had suggested that in case a member of the Board of Governors or other Ministry official might protest the newly instituted procedures and demand to observe.
It also allowed Professors who were not proctoring to observe the students taking examinations.
As the Head of the Examination Authority would require immutability during the period, no student entering could change the room at a whim.
Gary had ensured a booklet on how to access the room and set up the exams was included for the Wizarding Examination Authority to keep. A copy was also given to the Headmaster and his Deputy.
The testing went very smoothly. A few attempts to cheat were easily caught by the wards. A few others who had attempted to put information for a fellow student who would "need to use the facilities" to find information left by an earlier student doing the same were stymied by the Room's safety procedures for the examinations.
There were a few glum Slytherins as well as a Ravenclaw or two.
A few students had panic attacks and were sent to Madam Pomfrey for calming draughts. Because there was a door to the infirmary, such students could be returned quite quickly to finish their examinations.
All in all, the Examiners were quite pleased.
Gary had been waiting for word to come of some grand move attempted by the Dark dufus. Even though, in his world, this had been predicated upon Voldemort attempting to kill him at the end of the year, it did seem that this was the normal modus operandi of the idiot: Try something before Hogwarts ended and Dumbledore was available. Prepare for a summer of mayhem.
And so, Harry wasn't that shocked when a fearful Petunia Dursley used her portkey on an emergency basis the first Saturday following OWL testing.
Petunia had actually successfully taken the Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, and Defense OWLs. She hadn't studied Astronomy and she wasn't ready for Herbology. She also wasn't ready for the Creature OWL. She made no attempt on Runes and Arithmency either. With her sister and Severus helping on Potions and her enthusiasm for wanded subjects (vindication that she was a witch), the four she took were the ones she had been ready for.
It had required her taking a Pepper Up potion as her magic levels were not what most witches had and she had needed the energy. But as it was deemed acceptable if prescribed by the school healer, there had been no problems because it was needed.
And so, it was a very cheerful Petunia who had returned to work at Fortescue's the first Saturday after the exams were done.
As she had been serving customers, a disturbance had occurred. Suddenly, several black-cloaked figures had apparated into the alley. At the front was the smirking Dark Lord that Lily and others had warned her about. She had quickly told the customers to get inside and had followed.
One of the Death Eaters, at Voldemort's direction, had moved to attack the shop. He had heard about this witch and, as a Muggleborn and a late-developing witch, she was considered less than acceptable.
However, as soon as the attack was attempted, the wards that Gary Septimus had insisted on installing activated and no damage was done.
Voldemort, upon that discovery, was less than pleased. He attempted to add his own power and was shocked when his efforts were rebuffed as well.
After a few minutes of frustration, Voldemort had decided that it wasn't worth it and had gone toward what was his true destination: Gringotts.
With that, the customers had quickly fled via apparition or rushing toward the Leaky Cauldron to floo out. Petunia had grasped her portkey and escaped, hoping to alert someone who could do something.
And so, with the almost hysterical Petunia explaining things to her sister, Gary and Albus were quickly alerted.
Albus had quickly sent off a Patronus to the Auror department at the Ministry. Gary looked at Albus. "So, are we ready to go?"
Albus looked steadily at his Defense Professor. "Are you certain we should go? I am certain that Gringotts will repel any attack and the Auror department has been alerted. I plan on going because Tom is my sin – I should have done something. But this isn't your fight."
Gary gave a tight smile. "You'd be surprised. Give me five minutes and I will be ready."
Albus nodded. "I will see if any other Professors which to aid us."
Gary, as promised, was back with five minutes. He had finally moved the soul pieces into one, single item. (He had cheated and used his divine power – he wanted to make it as easy as possible to release the pieces all at once. He would have to look in other dimensions for the spells that cursebreakers used to cleanse an item.) However, he had created replicas that now held the pieces. These were made of dried wood. He had ensured they looked real but had the properties of wood. With the protections stripped and only held loosely by the items, he figured destroying them near the Dark Dufus would cause the pieces to either dissipate or to return to Riddle.
He was crossing his fingers a bit, to be fair. He planned on ensuring it was only him and Riddle nearby when the items were destroyed.
When he arrived back to the office, Dumbledore was waiting along with Flitwick and McGonagall. Each was given a portkey to get out if things went south. Gary refused one. At Albus' look, Gary shrugged. "Won't need it."
Exasperated, Dumbledore (who also didn't keep a portkey) asked Fawkes to transport them to Diagon Alley via Fortescue's.
They arrived within the ward (nothing stopped a phoenix – unless warded specifically against which most people woudn't even consider).
They saw that there was some damage. A few dead wizards and witches were on the street. A large number of Death Eaters were attacking the Goblins that had come out to defend the Bank.
Voldemort just watched.
They immediately noticed no Aurors in sight. McGonagall cursed the inefficiency of the Ministry.
With a tight smile Gary said, "Let me get his attention."
Albus shook his head but allowed him.
McGonagall and Flitwick were creating barriers from debris – they wanted at least some cover.
Gary quickly pulled out the replicas and stood in the middle of the Alley. When he was forty feet away, he yelled as loud as he could, "HEY! IDIOTS! LOOK OVER HERE!"
Voldemort and a couple of Death Eaters no immediately involved with attacking the Goblin guards turned. Voldemort motioned and one large Death Eater sent a killing curse.
Gary banished the Diary replica right in the path of the curse.
Voldemort's eyes widened just briefly before the curse hit the book – and it exploded. The shaped of the soul piece within it appeared and then also dissipated.
Voldemort yelled "STOP FIRING" – true fear in his voice.
With his voice subtly amplified Gary called back, "Oh, come on! I've still got … four items left to shield with! Don't stop now!"
Gary watched closely. He could feel Voldemort gathering his magic. In the very instant of apparating, Gary wandlessly "finited" the remaining items and apparated himself.
Voldemort appeared right next to where Gary had been standing just in time for the four remaining soul pieces (all making less than half of his soul combined as the Diary had contained fully half) flowed out of the items – and right into him.
He was visibly taken aback.
From his new position he cried out to the other Professors, "ATTACK!"
While McGonagall sent a stunner, Flitwick didn't hold back: He had enough kinship with the Goblins that had already dropped that he was furious and a stunner would not do. Albus also sent a deadly spell at Voldemort.
The Dark Dufus, distracted as he was, successfully dodged. Gary said, "We'll attack his back up – you take care of the idiot."
With that the three attacked the Death Eaters who were surging forward to back up their leader.
Albus quickly moved toward Tom and started casting spells.
With glee, Gary downed a couple of Death Eaters he recognized by their shape: Walden McNair and Mulciber's father. He also dropped another wizard who he later found was the father of his student, Avery.
In addition, the Death Eaters would regret turning away from the Goblins who were guarding Gringotts: They set to the wizards who had been attacking them with great ferocity.
When he had a moment, Gary set up anti-portkey and anti-apparition wards. Since the Aurors hadn't arrived or would likely come via the Leaky Cauldron, he didn't think it would prevent assistance and he wanted to ensure that the Death Eaters present were taken care of.
It should be noted that as a group the Death Eaters were quite terrifying. But outside of a few notable exceptions, they weren't necessarily that good individually.
Dolohov found that Goblin axes were just as deadly as the Avada Kedavra curse. Igor Karkaroff found that he would not be able to run away – McGonagall got him with a stunner and banished him away from his fellows so they couldn't revive him.
Dumbledore and Riddle were having a battle and Riddle, newly hit with several parts of his soul that were not necessarily reabsorbed, was having a very hard time.
Riddle tried to apparate – and ran into the newly erected ward. And it was no weak ward.
Being that he was fresh and newly warned that stunning your opponent was a bad idea when it was life and death, Dumbledore was pretty effective in cutting down Riddle's defenses and injuring him.
At one lull, he tried to brute force the anti-apparition ward. It did not give. Gary smirked to himself that Riddle would have no luck with a divinely-placed ward.
Finally, Riddle was hit by a powerful cutter and failed to shield in time: It cut right into his chest and hit his heart.
At that point, all fighting stopped. The Death Eaters remaining – only a couple – quickly put their wands away and raised their hands.
The Goblins quickly moved to disarm them and put them into chains.
Dumbledore, a bit winded from the fight, watched quietly while this happened. He also was gathering his breath.
Finally he turned to Gary. "Were my eyes deceiving me or did I see you destroy the Diadem of Ravenclaw?" It was the one item that he was familiar enough from its description that he had recognized it. The Cup and Locket and Ring seemed random items.
Gary laughed. "Not really. That's a long story. I'll explain once we get back to Hogwarts."
At that point, the Ministry Aurors rushed down the Alley from the Leaky Cauldron – far too late for their presence to have any effect. They stopped and looked wide-eyed at the carnage they witnessed.
Gary snarked, "Finally! The backup Albus called for arrives!"
Crouch, who was leading the Aurors, was offended. "Who are you to question the Ministry?"
Incredulous Gary replied, "The one who helped Dumbledore do your job!"
Before Crouch could answer, one of the Aurors cried out, "THAT'S VOLDEMORT!" It was perhaps, Gary mused, before any taboo was put on the name. Or that Auror had more stones than most. One or the other.
Everyone looked and saw that: Yes, the body on the ground very near the Headmaster was, indeed, Voldemort. And it was obvious that he was dead.
Albus sighed. "It is truly a shame that such a powerful wizard had to be destroyed. But it was necessary. I will regret this necessity for the rest of my life."
Everyone looked in shock at the Headmaster. Needless to say, Dumbledore became even more well known than he had been.
It took a few hours, but eventually the Professors were allowed to return to Hogwarts. They had been warned (especially Gary) that they would be asked to return to provide further testimony.
When it was announced at Hogwarts that the Dark dufus and the minions he had following him were defeated and Riddle killed, there was wild celebrating – from most of the students.
There was a group of Slytherins that seemed quite put out by the news, including the younger Mulciber, Avery, and a few others. Barty Crouch Junior was included in that number.
Gary had no sympathy.
Severus Snape, Gary was happy to notice, seemed relieved at the news. As were a majority of even the pureblooded students.
Dumbledore gave permission for the students to celebrate (after reminding the NEWT students that examinations would take place as scheduled on Monday).
Gary then explained, in a meeting with Dumbledore and the other staff, the reason for Riddle's reaction to what he had done. He also turned over the various Founders' relics to the Headmaster – on the condition that they weren't displayed only in the Headmaster's office. They could be put away or displayed publicly or returned to any family, but Gary demanded they not be as vanity pieces by Dumbledore.
The Ring he had anonomously placed in the Potter Vault with an explanation of exactly what it was – and a warning about hubris.
It took a few days but the Wizarding world finally got back to business. The Ministry was doing their witch-hunting thing. It was found that the majority of Death Eaters were actually captured, although Igor Karkaroff got a light sentence by giving up a few that were not.
Lucius Malfoy was one of the names that was coughed up. He was able to testify under Veritaserum that his father had given him an ultimatum. With the body of the Dark Lord proving that he was dead (and a quiet word from Gary that he wasn't coming back and why as well as a brief conversation with Arcturus Black about what he would do if he tried to hide his misdeeds) Lucius Malfoy was quite willing to give over all the information he had.
He did have to live under probation for a few years and he had to pay restitution to the families of those he had been forced to attack.
Gary ensured, despite some misgiving from Dumbledore, that Riddle's true past was widely published. When some backlash occurred mentioning how it was obvious that his Muggle roots was the cause of his insanity, Dumbledore willingly disagreed loudly, being a half-blood himself. He also cited several half-bloods that were quite well known for being good influences on society. There were few that could argue with him.
One person that Barty Crouch really wanted to skewer was, however, Garrick Septimus himself. When Crouch tried to claim credit for helping bring down the Death Eaters, Gary was very quick to give an interview which kaboshed that idea quiet thoroughly.
Gary really disliked Crouch.
And so it was that following the end of the year, Crouch had drummed up just enough support from the families who had lost members to demand Gary present himself before the Wizengamot to explain his actions.
Gary was unsurprised that they wanted to make it a closed-door meeting. Gary was popular and he really wanted to keep it secret that he was going to maneuver the Wizengamot into pressing charges for killing so many purebloods.
And so, it was June 15, 1976, when the Wizengamot was called to order to listen to and question Garrick Septimus, former Professor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy.
Crouch took special care to put up the wards which would prevent outside interference – he really did not want Dumbledore interfering.
Gary smirked. He had already taken steps. The Wizarding Wireless provider had been perfectly willing to assist him. Crouch would be quite surprised when he found out. Gary could just cry crocodile tears for the man – big, fake, crocodile tears.