mark_kiple

To be honest it was always my intention and plan to 'end' this book on the 20th chapter and gave it some sort of a cliffhanger ending. But, I really like writing this series, so I guess I'll continue it, though unlike the 20 chapters so far, I don't really have a plan in the long run, so I'm just going to roll with it, because of that, maybe the story points(?) will drop a lot, and I haven't written anything in a while too. Thanks, if you don't like what's going on in the next chapters, just ignore it lol, think of the 20 chapters as 'canon' and the rest are not.

It was just after midnight when Dumbledore sat with his fellow 'fighters' inside the Ancestral home of the Blacks. It was raining heavily outside, and the men inside were not discussing anything; they were waiting for the old man to speak. The dining room was filled with people loyal to him, including Lupin, the Weasleys, Shacklebolt, Snape, Tonks, Black, and many more. Though conflicts often arose between these now-adult groups, they were united under one cause: the fall of Lord Voldemort.

Mr. Weasley held a piece of paper that had just been delivered by an owl from Scotland. All eyes were on that paper, along with many others, each from different people, but all of that has already been opened, except one more. "It's from... Whitlock," Mr. Weasley announced.

"Archie? Goodness, Dumbledore, you invited him?" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley in surprise. "He's just a child!"

"We need all the help we can get, Molly," explained Dumbledore. "He is not going to battle; we need safe houses."

"He's already lost his family because of this. Are you suggesting he should get involved again?" Molly protested. "Even if he agrees, I don't support it."

"Whether he joins or not, he has become a target of Voldemort. Potter and Diggory's statements made that clear," Shacklebolt stated. "His encounter with Crouch last June indicates that the Death Eaters are targeting his manor as their base of operations, and I can't blame them; we are trying to do the same thing."

"Let the boy grow up in peace," Molly insisted. "We took his parents from him; we shouldn't take his childhood too."

"Voldemort is the one who took his parents from him, Molly," Black corrected. "And war is coming, one way or another; his childhood will be ruined."

Before things could escalate further, Dumbledore quickly interrupted. "Well, Arthur, could you please open the paper first?"

Mr. Weasley simply nodded, opening the waxed paper and unfolding it in his hand. There was only one word written on it. "Maybe."

"What?" Black said, confused.

"Only one word," Mr. Weasley showed the paper to the rest of the group. "Maybe."

"So, is that a no?" Tonks questioned. "Or a yes?"

"Well, it's quite obvious, isn't it? It's neither," Lupin commented. "Arguably, it's worse than a no."

"Enough of that," Molly said, taking the paper and folding it once again. "We'll take that as a no, I presume."

"But what is he trying to do? Watch the situation?" Shacklebolt questioned. "Being indecisive is not beneficial at the moment. His life is being threatened."

"Whitlock Manor is one of the most secure places in Britain, Kingsley," Dumbledore spoke calmly. "If anything, joining us would risk his life even more. He has made the safest decision for now; he's trying to stay safe as long as possible and only interfere when we are at a point of inevitability. I do not blame him; he's lost his parents to the war, and he's the last surviving member of his family."

"So you're saying that we'll have an ally in him, but he's trying to play it safe for now?" Sirius said, frowning a little.

"Perhaps. We need to talk to him a bit to confirm," Dumbledore hummed, turning to Snape. "Severus, keep an eye on them if they're trying to target him, see if you can contact the still-scattered group."

Snape didn't say anything and instead just nodded.

"And what about Harry?" inquired Sirius. "Voldemort has singled him out and failed. He will attempt it again."

"He will be safe at the Dursleys."

"He's imprisoned there."

"It's the safest option for him," pointed out Dumbledore. "However, we must enhance security for him this summer, especially when he is outside the house. It appears Voldemort has a plan involving kidnapping him."

"Shall we add two more guards then?" suggested Lupin.

"If you could, that would be ideal," nodded Dumbledore. "Let's conclude this meeting here; we must continue our efforts to find allies. I will be relying on each of you."

It was a warm day in Scotland, and I found myself standing amidst the vast expanse of green grass surrounding Whitlock Manor. I took a deep breath, and I couldn't help but admire the breathtaking view of the highlands. My mind had been preoccupied with numerous matters of late - the repercussions of my actions, the tasks that awaited me this summer concerning the family's businesses, and, naturally, the invitation from the Order of the Phoenix.

The weight of my actions had taken a toll on me, particularly the significance of the recent events. Although I wasn't well-versed in the intricacies of the Wizarding World's lore, I recalled fragments from the movies. The encounter in the Graveyard was meant to be crucial to the overarching story, but now it had been erased, and its consequences could be both beneficial and detrimental. On the bright side, it bought us some time for peace, at least for a few months. The Death Eaters remained scattered, Voldemort still lacked a physical form, and the 'good people' now had an advantage by being aware of Voldemort's active movements, despite the Ministry's denial.

The downside however, was quite concerning. It seemed that Potter's fate might be at stake in this narrative, unless somehow the Graveyard ritual could be replicated. I managed to save Diggory, but in doing so, I might have sealed Potter's unfortunate destiny.

I released a deep sigh at the prospect, deciding to set aside those thoughts for the moment. Raising my wand, I waved it through the air, causing a nearly invisible shield to materialize, creating a grand dome encompassing the entire manor. Chanting incantations, I continued to enhance and fortify the dome with more enchantments and spells.

From behind me, a voice spoke up, "I thought there was already an enchantment in place." It was Fleur, dressed in a rather expensive-looking trench coat, which seemed out of place on her, though I kept that observation to myself.

"Just a little extra protection," I replied with a smile, ceasing the waving of my wand. Beside me, a large bag lay filled with stakes adorned with runes. Crouching down, I opened the bag wider to retrieve the stakes. "Would you mind giving me a hand?" I asked Fleur.

Curious, she crouched down as well and inquired, "What are these for?"

"We'll place them around the vicinity, just outside the dome. Have loads of stuff on it," I explained. "Detection runes, self-destruct runes, and even more protective charms."

Fleur smirked, looking at me with amusement. "You're quite serious about making this place impenetrable."

"The manor is already impenetrable, but a little extra precaution never hurts," I shrugged, standing up and taking a couple of the stakes.

"These are more than just 'little precautions,' Archibald," Fleur retorted, rolling her eyes.

I chuckled at her response, closing the gap between us as she remained crouched, and gently kissed her forehead. "Let's get this done quickly," I suggested. "The sooner we finish, the sooner we can head fto Diagon Alley."

"Right," she murmured, standing up.  “Archie. ‘Ave they sent a reply?”

“Reply? No. It’s natural, the order is secretive, they want to leave as little trace as possible.”  

“Are you really alright giving a vague reply like that?” she asked again, her face filled with uneasiness.

“Dumbledore could probably guess what our intention is.” I said. “We are safer this way for now, Fleur. Unless you want to go back to France?”

She shook her head, denying the possibility. “No, I’ll stay.”

I just sighed at her words, for all her worries she’s quite a stubborn one. “Alright then, that’s settled. Now, let’s just finish placing these stakes…

mark_kiple

Older Archie

Made by AI