The Heart of Gryffindor
by SJR0301
Part II - Chapter Ten
It was nearly two in the morning before Bones managed to contact Dumbledore and tell him of the day's events. Despite the hour, however, the Headmaster appeared to be alert.
To his surprise, the elderly wizard took the news of Harry’s escapade with surprising calm. In the two-way mirror, the blue eyes even twinkled a bit when Bones complained about Harry's propensity for nosing out secrets and bending the rules. Upon hearing about the meeting of Malfoy and Hayden, though, Dumbledore sobered quickly and appeared to be actively alarmed.
"You've heard of Hayden?" Bones asked the headmaster in surprise.
"I have followed his career with interest," Dumbledore answered. "It's rather unusual for a wizard to seek employment in what is basically a Muggle field; especially one like Hayden, whose father was one of Grindelwald's associates."
"He's not English?" Bones asked in surprise.
Dumbledore shook his head. "His father was an Austrian wizard and his mother was English. He went to Durmstrang for his training and then showed up a few years later in English films."
"It's quite odd, considering," Bones said.
Dumbledore appeared to be lost in thought for a moment. Then he sighed and said, "Grindelwald and his followers didn't mind working with their Muggle government, you see. I always thought, though, that if they had won that war, that the Muggles would have found themselves very sorry indeed for making use of their wizards."
"These developments make it more urgent that we stop Malfoy, sir," Bones replied. "It looks like they were attempting to deliver another potions box to Bellatrix Lestrange’s and Harry knows about that, too. He's sure they're going to try to bring Riddle back."
"He knows we're looking for the child?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes," Bones answered. "And I'm afraid it's going to be difficult to keep him from simply going after them."
"He mustn't do that," Dumbledore said sharply. "They'll kill him. They'll think that they can use him to bring Voldemort back."
Bones shivered. "Do you suppose they could actually succeed in killing him?" he asked. "Considering that he survived Riddle’s attack?"
Dumbledore's face in the mirror was abruptly as perfectly inscrutable as the great stone Sphinx. "I should prefer that they don't have a chance to try. Harry's had enough. He's come close to dying three times in the last year and half. That's enough for anyone."
"You're going to have some trouble with him," Bones warned. "He says he's not afraid of dying. He says ---he says death isn't bad." He paused to see the effect on the old man, but still Dumbledore appeared quite calm.
"He is extraordinarily brave," Dumbledore said after a moment. "He will always put himself at risk to rescue another. Just keep him there and do whatever you must to prevent him from seeking Malfoy out or letting everyone know he's not dead."
"He's agreed not to act without permission," Bones said. "But I'm not sure how long that will last. For a few days, maybe, while he's preoccupied with his affair with Ginny Weasley."
"His affair?" Dumbledore asked, but without surprise.
"They say they're getting married," Bones answered, and he was thoroughly astonished when Dumbledore's expression changed to one of pure triumph and then one of amusement. "Have they told Molly yet?"
"Apparently not," Bones said. He was further surprised when Dumbledore asked his next question.
"So when will you and Sergeant Kray make up your minds, Edgar?"
Bones opened his mouth and shut it in annoyance. "If I can ever get a day off long enough to ask her properly, without a dark wizard acting up."
Being thrown off by Dumbledore's personal question, Bones hesitated before launching into his next concern. "Professor," he said, "will you let Arthur Weasley know about this?" He paused again and added, "And tell him I'll have to inform the Muggle Prime Minister. This is exactly the sort of thing we're supposed to be watching out for."
Dumbledore nodded. He had sobered once more as though he knew what was coming. Edgar continued reluctantly, "You also know the PM might want Harry involved in this. I won't be able to put him off with the excuse that Harry hasn't finished his training. After all," he said dryly, "what more training does he need now that he's defeated the worst and most powerful dark wizard in history?"
***
Harry had trouble sleeping that night again, though not because of seeing Malfoy and not because of seeing Norway dead. He knew he ought to be worried about the Death Eaters; he knew he ought to be worried about Hayden; but what kept him awake was a persistent joy, that seemed to hum though his being like the song of the phoenix.
The image of a house, a home, a place that was his own, where he would be loved, played in his mind over and over. A simple refrain that swelled into a great choir of happiness. For that night, he was truly glad to be the Boy Who Lived.
He watched the stars wheel through the clear night and took pleasure in locating the brightest star in the sky -Sirius. He felt as if the star were the incarnation of his godfather, illuminating the heavens with his courage.
In the morning, Harry reported to the conference room for the meeting with Major Halsey. At a glance from Bones, he stayed quiet at first and answered questions as simply as possible. He was surprised that the major was uninterested in his having had Ginny in his quarters. But the real surprise was that the major liked the idea of an undercover mission.
When Daniels protested that none of them had completed their training, the major brushed that by.
"We've suspected Hayden was still in the thick of things for years. This is our first chance to confirm that and get inside his organization."
"Maybe," Daniels answered. "But if you're going to send someone undercover, make sure it's someone who can fend for himself."
While Daniels did not name names, Harry knew by his pointed glance that Daniels thought little of his chances. He decided that he'd better say something as he had a feeling that although the officers understood security and terrorists, they had little understanding of actors and the theatre.
"They'll be expecting all three of us," Harry cut in. "They'll think it's strange if we don't show up for the call-backs. I mean, no one turns down a chance to be in something like this, do they?"
"I agree, sir," Mac said. "It wouldn't be normal if we didn't go back and try for a part with Annie O'Hara."
"Three of you is too many at risk," Daniels replied.
"Not all three of us will get in," Johnny put in. "We should all try. Then if even one of us gets in, we'll have a shot at getting in with Hayden."
"You, then, Carter," Daniels said. "At least you've got the looks for it."
"He wanted all of us," Harry said again.
"That's not true," Mac said. "The Director wanted you, Harry."
"Potter?" Daniels asked. "Not seriously? What for?"
"For King Arthur," Mac answered.
"You don't know that," Harry said. "They called us all back."
"Yeah, I do," Mac said. He looked at Johnny and they nodded in agreement. "You should have seen him," Mac continued, directing his comments to the officers. "He pulled the sword out of the stone just like the real thing. And he knows how to use one, too."
"You're supposed to be able to pull it out," Harry said wryly. "It's rigged for you to do it. Not like the real one at all."
Bones interrupted quickly and Harry was truly astonished when the Inspector agreed with Mac and Johnny. "You should send all three," he said calmly. "That way at least one may get in. And Mac is right. Harry has the best chance because he has acted before. Of all of them, he has the best chance of pulling this off."
"Have you?" the major asked, and Harry knew they'd won.
He nodded and answered, "I played a pirate in Hamlet. It was fun." He grinned with amusement, perhaps because his happiness from the previous night had stayed with him. "It was my first job."
"Don't be so modest," Bones said. "It was Hamlet, you played."
"How do you know everything?" Harry asked. "I think you must be related to Hermione in some other life," he muttered darkly.
Bones smiled at him and said with irritating enjoyment, "I saw it on the telly. They showed it because it was Annie O'Hara's first role, playing Ophelia in the park. And there you were. I'd say you have a shot at this if any of you do."
"I didn't know they taped that," Harry said. "It's a good thing I didn't, too. I'd probably have refused to go on. And I only did it because the real actor eloped with the girl who was supposed to play Ophelia."
Mac looked at him dubiously and said, "Isn't Hamlet supposed to be played by someone older? It's supposed to be terribly difficult."
Harry shrugged. "It wasn't too hard. I just imagined Claudius as Voldemort and the rest was easy."
***
"I can't believe they're letting Harry do this," Ron said. "This Hayden met with Lucius Malfoy, right? What if he mentions Harry to him?"
"He's using an alias," Ginny said. But she looked no happier than her brother.
"Which alias?" Ron asked.
"James Black, the one he used in the pub with Norway." Ginny answered.
"Oh, that's just great," Ron said. "I bet Malfoy can figure that out easily enough. His Dad's name and Sirius' combined? And there was another article in the Daily Prophet that Harry was spotted again."
"He can't have been spotted," Hermione interrupted. "He's been here the whole time."
"Are you sure of that?" Ron asked. "He went to London without telling us, didn't he?"
Of the three of them, Ron had been most upset that Harry had gone off and done something without them - again. And it was no use reminding him that they had gone and done things without Harry and had kept things from him. "He should know better," Ron had fumed. "And see, if we had told him what was going on, you know he would have gone out and tried something, and got himself killed for real. Dumbledore was right to keep things from him this time."
Brittany Halsey, who strolled over with the sort of elegant grace that made heads turn, even when the woman was clearly preoccupied the most serious concerns, interrupted their conversation.
"Aren't you annoyed," she asked, "that those three went off and planned a whole investigation without telling any of us?"
"Yeah, we are," Ron, answered right away. Clearly, he was thrilled to have found someone of a like mind.
She focused her deep blue eyes on Ron and continued; "I thought Harry usually did everything with you three. It must have been Johnny's idea," she said with displeasure.
"Why do you think that?" Hermione asked.
"Usually, he tells me everything," Brittany answered. She scowled in annoyance, but even that could only make her appear more charming. Hermione was forcibly reminded of Fleur Weasley.
"He's your cousin, isn't he?" Hermione asked.
"Johnny is, yeah," Brittany replied. "It's probably Mac influencing him, though. Mac has him convinced I'm some pathetic weak girl who has to be protected all of sudden."
Ron looked alarmed at that, but Hermione was inclined to be sympathetic. "I think it's a male thing," she said. "They can't help themselves." Feeling possessed of an unusual spark of mischief, and knowing she would surely provoke Ron, she leaned forward and said confidentially, "It's just they have this deep seated fear that we women are really much smarter and stronger than they are."
Ron had flushed and Ginny was giggling silently. "We all know you're smarter than all the rest of us, Hermione," Ron said loudly. "But not even you or Ginny are more powerful than Harry is."
Brittany looked surprised and then amused. Hermione, however, said quite seriously to Ron, "You've made my point. Here we are worrying about Harry getting in trouble, when you know that when it comes down to it in the end, he's the one who gets everyone else out of trouble."
Ginny stopped giggling and said, "At what cost? I think we should go with them to this meeting."
Brittany's blue eyes took on a sparkle and she said, "That's a great idea. We can say we're friends of theirs and we'd like a shot at a part, too."
Another voice cut in then. "You'd like a shot at what part?"
Hermione blinked. Standing next to his cousin, Carter looked more like her brother, even her male twin. They had the same silvery-golden hair, the same lake blue eyes and the same extraordinary beauty. She gawked at him for a moment thinking that had he lived in ancient times, he could easily have passed for Apollo.
Carter smiled at her charmingly, giving her cause to wonder further. "So?" he asked. "What are you all plotting? Conspiracies dense and undetectable?"
Hermione didn't reply because trouble himself arrived. "Who's plotting what?" Harry asked. His green eyes gleamed with curiosity and delight and she knew that at a word, he would be willing to go off and get into some kind of mischief, great or small. What struck her most, though, was that she couldn't remember him looking that happy and whole in at least a year or two, or perhaps ever.
"We are," Brittany answered, "plotting on crashing your auditions. We want in on the game."
Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione and Ginny in comprehension. "You want to nanny me again," he said.
"You need a nanny," Ginny answered, "or a guard."
"Why don't I take Hermione then," he asked wickedly. "My pet lioness on a leash."
"Not Ron or Ginny?" Johnny asked. He seemed to have caught Harry's intention to provoke. "Between the three of them, you've got your own Round Table already."
That caught Harry's attention. He flushed and said heatedly, "They are better than any knight of the Round Table. They're the truest, best friends ever."
"Now that," Johnny said, "is a hell of a testimonial." He paused and smiled at all of them, only this time without any hint of false charm. "I think I'd be flattered to be counted among your number."
"You count," Harry said instantly. "You stuck up for me with Daniels." He continued with a wry kind of self-criticism, "and you probably saved my life by preventing me from jumping out and confronting Lucius Malfoy."
"Really?" Hermione found herself saying with fascination. "You actually stopped Harry from doing something that rash and stupid?"
"Oh, thanks, Hermione," Harry said.
"It wasn't easy," Johnny answered. "I had to restrain him by force and if he wasn't so skinny and still half-grown, I'd never have been able to hold him."
"Half-grown?" Harry protested. "I am not half-grown."
"Better than half," Brittany said kindly. "Much better than half." Which made Harry blush. He blushed more when she added, "Are you really marrying Ginny?"
"He is," Ginny answered immediately. "I am," Harry said almost at the same moment. All the mischief and irritation cleared from his face and he looked simply, purely happy. Then he looked at Hermione and asked, "So when are you and Ron going to make up your minds?"
"I already have," Ron answered. He looked at Hermione and added, "I would have bought you your ring yesterday if you had gone shopping with me instead of dragging me off to investigate Norway, you know."
"I don't care about rings," she found herself answering, not altogether truthfully. Because she knew she would care about something he would give her.
"I know," Ron, said, "it's one of the reasons I love you so madly." Then he turned bright red and said, "Why do I always mess these things up and make a complete prat of myself?"
"That's why she loves you," Harry said. He looked off into the sunlight and said, "Christmas would be good."
"Christmas?" Ron asked. "What's Christmas got to do with it?"
"For the wedding," Harry said. "What better present could one have?"
***
Energized by happiness and the prospect that he would have real work to do at last, Harry threw himself into his training for the next two weeks. He badgered Mac to train with him in defense class until he could retaliate to being thrown by a clever move in which one entangled one's opponent's legs while still down and threw him as well.
He also persuaded Hermione to research everything there was to know about Hengist and King Arthur although she complained that their resources were pitifully meager at the Compound.
"You've got the entire internet," Johnny had remarked, upon overhearing her complaint. She had said later, "It's just not like the library at Hogwarts. I'd have everything you could want to know about Merlin and his times if we were there."
"Did we ever do that in history?" Harry asked. He tried to remember but all that came back to him was vague recollections of giant wars and goblin wars and the founding of the International Confederation. "You slept through it," Hermione answered. "The real question is what does Hayden find so interesting about it? If I knew that, I'd know what to look for."
"As far as I can tell," Harry said, "he seems to be interested in the victory of the Anglo Saxons. He's just as obsessed with race and blood purity as Voldemort was."
"I wonder," Hermione said, "if what he's really looking for is a weapon."
"A weapon?" Harry asked. "What makes you think that? And what kind of weapon when he's already connected with gangs who're importing arms and bombs and things."
"But he's a wizard," Hermione answered. "Or a Squib or something, because he mentioned Grindelwald, didn't he? And he knows Malfoy. Maybe he's looking for a wizard weapon. Something that would give his group extra power and make him as strong as Voldemort."
"I dunno," Harry answered dubiously. "He didn't seem to think much of Voldemort, which is weird, if you think about it. I guess he doesn't have any time for losers."
"I think," Hermione said contemplatively, "that the dark wizards will wake up and realize Voldemort is truly gone soon. And then there'll be a competition to see who can take over his throne. Maybe Hayden's already looking for that crown as he's calling himself by the name of a king."
~~~
On the second Sunday after Norway's death, Harry, Johnny and Mac returned to London, only this time, they had Inspector Bones for company. Ron and the others had been highly annoyed at not being included, but Bones had put his foot down and none of them had been willing to directly disobey the Inspector.
They were all given mobile phones, which were more like walkie-talkies. And the Major had given them a last minute lecture in which he had instructed them to follow Bones' lead, but to use their sense as well.
They arrived at a small film studio at the London outskirts, a place that looked more like an old warehouse than anywhere that a movie might be made.
"Hayden will be suspicious if we bring you," Harry insisted.
"No, he won't," Bones said calmly. "I'm your agent. Anyone with any sense who signs a contract has an agent."
"I think you mean a lawyer," Mac replied.
"I am a lawyer," Bones responded. He dug into the pocket of his charcoal suit and pulled out a card that read, E. A. Bones, Barrister, the Middle Temple.
"You'll have to arrest yourself for impersonating an officer of the court," Johnny said.
"No, I won't," Bones answered. "I really am a barrister. I worked as Queen's counsel for several years before I joined the Yard."
"Then why did you want to be a policeman?" Mac asked.
Harry grinned and said, "He likes figuring out who done it more than he likes persuading the jury, I bet."
"That makes us two of a kind, then," Bones replied.
"Oh, go on," Harry protested. Bones, however, simply smiled.
The warehouse was dark except for an area at the far end, which was brilliantly lit by several floodlights. Two camera set-ups stood at angles to the floodlit spot and in the center Hayden was having it out with his Director.
"I'm not working with him," Hayden said coldly. He pointed to a thin man who wore wire-rimmed glasses, jeans and a tweed jacket. The man also had a small pony-tail despite the fact that he was middle-aged and Harry had the feeling that he'd seen the man before.
"That's ridiculous," the Director said. "Goldstein is an authority on anthropology, magic and cults of the Dark Ages. He just had an article published about the Druids in the Oxford press. You wanted this to be authentic. He's here to make things more authentic."
"I don't need one of his kind to work on my movie," Hayden replied.
"His kind!" the Director said. "That's what this movie is all about, isn't it? This isn't about being authentic. This is about your barbarous views of history. It's no wonder you didn't give me the script till yesterday. You knew I'd not like it, didn't you?"
The Director shook a pile of pages at Hayden and said, "Crap! That's what this is! Not a script. It's a total load of shite, and don't think I'm filming the movie with a script the way this one is right now."
"It's in your contract," Hayden answered. "I have total script control."
"So sue me," the Director said. "You only wanted me so you could sell this garbage using Annie for her popularity. No one comes to see you any more. And no one will ever come to see you again if this movie is made the way you want."
Hayden moved forward threateningly and seized the Director's neck. "You'll make it my way, or not at all."
Harry didn't need to think; he sprang forward only to be yanked back by Bones. Bones coughed loudly and said, "I think that qualifies as a battery, Mr. Hayden. You want to let the gentleman go."
Hayden released the Director, who threw the script down and said, "You can sue me all you like, and I'll sue you back, Hayden. I can assure you, though, I'll see to it that everyone knows what kind of picture you're trying to make here. I can also assure you, that people in Britain have very long memories. They remember the war. They remember what they fought for. No one will make a movie with a person of your kind."
Hayden spat at Goldstein and turned on his heel. He walked past them as though they didn't exist and out of the warehouse. Harry again moved, only this time to follow, but again, Bones stopped him. "We've got a team out there to follow him," he said very softly. "You need to stay to talk to these people. Anything else will look odd."
"So much for my new epic," the Director said wryly. He turned to Bones and said, "Have we met? We have, haven't we?"
"I shouldn't think so," Bones said smoothly.
But the Director looked from him to Harry and said, "Yes, we have. I remember you. You're the policeman who showed up at King's Cross Station the day Annie and I ran into him."
He looked at Harry as if he suddenly recalled more than he would have liked. But it was the other man who exclaimed in astonishment. "Harry Potter! Is that you?"
***
This is a disaster, Bones thought in alarm. And Harry would respond without affectation. "You're Anthony's father. We went to the museum last year."
The Director raised his eyebrows and said, "I forgot that was your real name. How do you know Mr. Goldstein?"
"My son Anthony went to the same school as Harry," Goldstein replied. He seemed completely bemused and kept staring at Harry as if he'd seen a ghost. Then he seemed to collect himself and he added, "A small public school up north, you know. Anthony got into Harrow, but we wanted something with a, erm, smaller student-teacher ratio."
He put out a hand as though to shake Harry's hand, but Bones moved quickly and as unobtrusively as possible between them. This left Harry standing at the edge of the floodlit center, and in the odd zone between light and dark, Harry seemed to be lit with a faint aura so that he seemed almost transparent for a moment.
"Well," Bones said with as perfect a calm as he could muster, "it appears that there won't be a movie after all."
"It's just as well," Harry remarked. "I think that small comedy will be better for Annie anyway."
The director stared at him and said, "Did Annie tell you about that?"
"Oh, no," Harry answered. "The dragon lady did."
"The who?" the Director asked.
"You know, the casting lady. The one with the red fingernails who's always nasty to the people auditioning," Harry responded.
The Director laughed and the tension broke. "Perhaps you'd like a part in it?" he asked.
"You'll want someone better known," Bones cut in, "if it's a small cast."
"You weren't really auditioning," the Director said with disappointment. "You were chasing him, Hayden, weren't you?"
Bones smiled at him and said, "You're very quick, sir. We intend to catch him, too. And if you'll let us take a copy of that script, we might get a hint of where to look for some solid evidence."
"What are you investigating him for?" Goldstein asked.
"Suspected hate crimes, and conspiracy to plan a terrorist attack," Bones answered calmly. "He seems to have an interest in taking over where that fellow who called himself the Lord of Death left off."
He breathed an enormous sigh of relief when Goldstein looked horrified and then glanced from Bones to Harry and back again with a swift look of comprehension. "I see," he said. "Good luck to you then. I expect you'll need it."
Bones was congratulating himself on their almost clean exit until Harry called back as they left, "Say hi to Anthony for me." He barely managed to refrain from lecturing Harry as he noticed that Carter and MacCready were looking curiously at Harry.
Bones was surprised, however, when, instead of questioning Harry, Carter gave him the lecture he deserved.
"Don't you ever think before you act?"
Harry opened his mouth to respond and then shut it, perhaps in the realization that speaking without thought now would merely underline his hasty responses. Bones could not help enjoying Harry's dilemma. The narrowing of his green eyes gave hint of his annoyance as he finally answered, "Sometimes swift action is necessary."
"There's a distinction between swift and rash," Carter replied. "You would have complicated the situation if you had jumped in like you wanted to."
"Hayden is a dangerous man," Harry answered. "I shouldn't be surprised if he's done murder before. And we couldn't be sure he'd respond to words alone."
"What do you have to base that on?" Bones interrupted. "We don't have anything that I know of to suggest he's actually taken part in something like that."
"You don't know much about him at all," Harry answered. "And I know what I saw in his eyes when I faced him at that audition two weeks ago. He's a killer and he doesn't like being beaten either." He paused and said broodingly, "I bet he's given your tails the slip. I bet he escaped and we'll have trouble finding where he's gone to ground now."
"Hayden is an actor, Harry," Carter responded. "He was acting during that audition and so were you. At least, I hope you were."
Bones found that quite intriguing, but nowhere near so as Harry's response.
"He was acting as much as I was acting," Harry answered. "And if you had ever studied acting, you'd know that the projection you produce is composed of the reality underneath. He was saying lines for the movie, but he meant every bit that he said about half-bloods and weaklings for real. He really does mean to conquer Britain again for the pure-bloods, for the Aryans." He said this last with a cool derision that drew looks of surprise once again from Carter and MacCready, and once again, Bones wished Harry would learn to be more careful about everything.
"If that was a projection of reality," MacCready said slowly, "then you sure gave a good imitation of someone who wanted to kill, too. And what gets you in such a snit about the half-blood thing? That's a fantasy, isn't it? I mean, how many people are there really who are descended straight from the Anglo Saxons? Look at Johnny, he's half French. And I'm Scots and Irish and English and a bit of Spanish, believe it or not."
"It's the damage he'll do because of his fantasy that gets to me," Harry answered. "Look at how he reacted to Mr. Goldstein. That was disgusting, what he did."
"It was," Carter agreed. "But it's not a good idea to fight someone like him by playing into his fantasies. That merely encourages him and reinforces his pathology."
"Have you ever dealt with someone like him before?" Harry asked. "I mean, outside of a casebook."
"Why?" Carter asked. "What's that got to do with it?"
"Because," Harry answered, "If you'd ever dealt with someone like him, someone who is consumed by his obsession to the exclusion of everything else, you'd know that you can't escape from him by refusing to play along. He'll draw you into his reality and he'll kill you on account of his fantasy, and the only means of surviving his evil is to understand that and to fight back with everything you've got; because if you try to ignore him, or deal with him rationally, he'll not only kill you, he'll harm everyone else you care about first just for the pleasure of inflicting pain on you." After that, Harry lapsed into silence and refused to be drawn into further discussion. Nor did he notice that his fellow recruits seemed to regard him with a mixture of pity and concern and curiosity.
Harry's vehemence made Bones worry more than he had before. He wondered just how badly Voldemort had damaged Harry and whether Dumbledore had been right to oppose his involvement in all of this. He worried, too, that Harry's reactions were fraying the secrecy of their assignment. They all; the Prime Minister, Arthur Weasley, and Dumbledore, and even Bones himself; had failed to see that Harry's participation in the Security Services might cause the very breach of secrecy they all wanted to avoid; at least, the one that the wizards wanted to avoid. He wasn't so sure about the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister was all too delighted to have his own wizards and might not be at all troubled if the other officers in MI-5 knew what they had on their hands. And worse yet, Bones worried that this fellow Goldstein, who had recognized Harry, might let Harry's survival slip out. Though the fellow's look of comprehension suggested he might be intelligent enough to keep quiet.
***
The following morning, the entire class was assembled for their first session, which was supposed to be a coordinated lesson on case management. Lieutenant Daniels came in a few minutes late and passed out thick packet e-mails to each person.
"This," he said, "came off of Norway's hard drive. We had a hell of a time getting past his password, but we did in the end. You'll see at a glance that we were lucky to get this when we did."
Harry leafed through the e-mails and saw that there were numerous ones to Hengist; presumably Hayden; and others to a number of unknowns. He looked up in surprise though when Daniels added, "Looks like you're entirely cleared Potter. Not only has he been communicating with the probable head of the Anglo Aryan alliance, he's got a number of communications in here that seem to pertain to an upcoming event." Daniels made a grimace of disgust and added generally to all of the recruits, "We want you all to go through these as carefully as you can. Look for anything that will suggest when this event is planned for, where and anything else that might identify some of these other parties. We've upgraded the watch on the Alliance from likelihood of demonstrations to likelihood of serious violence." Daniels paused again, and said, "Well, get to work then. And if you have any ideas, however silly you think them, don't hesitate to note them down."
Relieved that he was no longer under suspicion, Harry said quietly to Ron, "its too bad Norway did die. We would have learned a lot more if we could have questioned him."
Ron glanced around to be sure the others were absorbed in their tasks and said very softly, "Would you have, you know, used Legilimency if you had to?"
"Maybe," Harry answered more softly still. "If it would have saved lives, maybe."
