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Damaged Bridges	By : Gandalfs-Beard Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Harry/Hermione Views: 46850 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 6
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, all rights belong to Rowling and Warner Bros, nor do I make any money from the production of this work.

Chapter List
- 19
- 20
- 21
The Great Escape

Bellatrix cursed under her breath, out of earshot of the Dark Lord. Choose wisely he had said. But there were few Death Eaters of note left to choose from. Nearly the entire inner-circle had been captured at the Ministry at the end of June the previous year, and the Dark Lord had yet to authorise a mission to break them out, choosing to let them stew for a while in their disgrace.
Not that any mission to take Azkaban would be necessary soon. Dolores Umbridge was already making progress turning the wizard world on its head with her propaganda - muddying the waters. Up was nearly Down, White would soon be Black. And then the Death Eaters on the inside of Azkaban could be pardoned and released.
But for the time being, until the Wizengamot was turned, in Azkaban they would remain while the Dark Lord lay low, spending most of his resources on causing trouble in the Muggle world, which largely went unreported by the Daily Prophet these days.
Of the ones outside Azkaban, Severus Snape was already slated for the team to take Hogwarts, but Bellatrix didn’t entirely trust him. And Wormtail was off-limits as he had so recently become the Dark Lord’s favourite. Yaxley was no good, as he was one of the Dark Lord’s moles in the Ministry - but at least as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, he could keep the Aurors from interfering.
That left the Carrow siblings, one of whom was also an occasional Ministry asset. Alecto Carrow sometimes worked for the Operations division of the Unspeakable Office as a Private Contractor. But as Alecto was currently not in their employ, she would do. Indeed Bellatrix missed working with Alecto.
Not to mention that Alecto’s position as a Ministry Asset could potentially be an advantage in giving the taking of Hogwarts cover, giving the operation an air of legitimacy as a Ministry affair. Her brother Amycus was a bit of a loose cannon, but Alecto had him wrapped around her little finger - and occasionally other body parts as well.
Fenrir Greyback might make a good addition to the team - he was eager to please the Dark Lord in the hopes that he would earn a Dark Mark. Then there were a number of other Death Eaters who had evaded capture during the last war, none of them part of the inner-circle, and a plethora of recent recruits to the fold - including Draco, who had taken the Dark Mark not so long ago. Bellatrix decided she would simply have to decide which were the most worthy from among them.
Finally, after several days, Bellatrix had put together her team and been ready to lead the infiltration of Hogwarts, with the map of the maze of tunnels beneath the castle which Wormtail had provided. Breaking into Honeyduke’s after-hours without alerting the citizens of Hogsmeade was no challenge, and now they were making their way through the dark underground passages hidden beneath the castle.
Up the stone steps Bellatrix and her team climbed until they found themselves behind the stone inner-walls of Hogwarts and the timbers which blocked the secret entrance, just as Wormtail had described. Closely examining the ancient wooden beams, Bellatrix found the crack of which he had spoken.
Though she had very little but disdain for him, Bellatrix had to give Wormtail his due for having accomplished what no other Death Eaters could. He was right - simply expanding the crack would widen the hole in the magical protections which warded the castle. Checking the gold pocket watch in her robes, Bellatrix was pleased to see that they had made good time and were right on schedule. Nearly the entirety of the student body and staff would soon be in the Great Hall, as dinner was about to start...

~o0o~
Professor McGonagall felt a sense of unease as she sat down to dinner with Flitwick, Hagrid, and the others. Her stomach tied up in knots, she could barely consider eating. The absence of the headmaster in these troubled times was unnerving to say the least, and she had the strangest feeling that the other shoe was about to drop.
That was when she heard it - the sound of spells being exchanged just outside the Great Hall and yells from some of the Aurors currently stationed at Hogwarts. The staff peered in bewilderment at each other. There was a sudden commotion in the entryway and Flitwick rose to his feet, wand in hand.
Most of the Professors and students gasped in shock when they saw who it was. Hagrid roared, nearly knocking over the staff table when he leapt out of his seat.
“Snape!” he bellowed, “Yeh stinkin’ cowardly Death Eater... How’d’yeh an’ yer pals get inter the castle?” Snape merely returned Hagrid’s shouts with a scornful gaze.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Bellatrix cackled as more Death Eaters swarmed into the Hall, including a gleeful Draco Malfoy, a leering Fenrir Greyback, and the Carrow siblings, their wands all drawn.
Flitwick got off a stunning spell, hitting one of the Death Eaters before McGonagall grabbed his arm.
“Filius, no!” she ordered commandingly. “It’s too dangerous! There are too many students...”
“Very good McGonagall! You don’t know how right you are,” said Bellatrix. “If you’re not careful, some of the children could be killed in the crossfire.”
McGonagall peered at Snape, who looked on coldly, both knowing that he had to maintain his cover, and that he had been ordered to do so by the headmaster himself.
“Severus, how could you?” McGonagall snapped, keeping up appearances.
“Enough with the small talk, Minerva,” Snape sneered. “Where is Dumbledore? I have a score to settle with him.”
“Gone,” said McGonagall brusquely.
“Gone? What do you mean, gone?” asked Bellatrix incredulously.
“I mean he has left the castle,” McGonagall replied in a cutting tone. “He is at the Ministry, responding to the utterly baseless accusations made against him.”
“Ah! I see!” A smile crept to Bellatrix’s lips. “He is unlikely to return then. Dolores will see to that.”
“We’ll see about that,” said McGonagall. “In any case, seeing as he’s not here, you are wasting your time. Why not depart and leave us to go about our business.”
“Sorry Minny,” Bellatrix purred. “That won’t be happening. You see, the Dark Lord has decided that Severus should be instated as Headmaster, and the Carrows instated as his deputies. ... Though the Dark Lord is nothing if not magnanimous. If you and the staff behave, you will be allowed to retain your positions.”
“And as the new Headmaster, my first order of business is the rectification of Dumbledore’s deplorable lack of disciplinary measures,” said Snape unctuously, a sadistic smirk on his face, his eyes scanning the Gryffindor table. “Where are Potter and Granger? I do not see them among the other dunderheads which populate your House.”
“I have no idea,” McGonagall retorted. “There is no rule which states that students must show up for every meal.”
“Rules can be changed,” Snape shot back. “No doubt Potter and Granger are somewhere getting up to no good as per usual. No matter, we shall find them soon enough. ... Perhaps Weasley knows of their whereabouts.” His dark glittering eyes fell upon Ron’s.
Ron gulped.
“I dunno where they are! They didn’t say where they were going to hang out tonight,” he answered truthfully.
“Hmm... so I see,” said Snape coldly after a moment. “Still, it would be remiss of me not to investigate further. Report to my office after dinner Weasley. If we haven’t located Potter and Granger by then, we will be discussing this again in greater detail.”
Satisfied that all had been said which was necessary, Snape stalked out of the Great Hall in a swirl of robes. Seeing Professor McGonagall’s worried expression, Bellatrix smirked.
“Why so down at the mouth, Minny?” she taunted. “Anyway, don’t fret on my account. Greyback and I shan’t be staying long - just long enough to find Potter and Granger. The rest shall stay to help Severus and the Carrows keep order.”
Fenrir Greyback looked slightly disgruntled as he followed Bellatrix, Alecto Carrow, and half a dozen Death Eaters out of the Hall, apparently disappointed that he hadn’t been given an opportunity to bite or maul someone. Still, they were hunting for Potter and Granger... maybe he would get lucky and find a straggler on the way!
Amycus Carrow remained in the Great Hall - smirking disdainfully - with Draco and another half a dozen Death Eaters. Draco swaggered over to the Gryffindor table, grinning as they all glared at him.
“Miss me Weaselby?” he sneered. “You and Granger better watch out. As soon as the Dark Lord gives me the go-ahead, you’re both mine.”
“Piss off, Malfoy!” snarled Ron. “If you think I’m gonna let you push us around, you’ve got another think coming.”
“Whatever you say, Weaselby,” Draco sniffed haughtily. “We’ll just have to see about that, won’t we? It’s a new order around here now!”
Draco chuckled and strutted over to the Slytherin table, where he was greeted with slaps on the back, grins and cheers from Crabbe, Goyle, and Nott. Zabini sat silently, his expression brooding and pensive. No longer feeling very hungry, the rest of the students in the Great Hall murmured quietly and fearfully among themselves.
As soon as Malfoy was gone, Ron thought quickly, his heart pounding. If he stuck around, and Malfoy really did have the go-ahead from You-Know-Who to do him in, there wasn’t much he could do about it with Snape and all the other Death Eaters in charge.
Maybe he should do a bunk like Harry and Hermione had. But there was no way he was leaving Lavender behind. And there might not be another chance if he didn’t take it before meeting Snape in the heamaster’s office. He palmed the vial Harry had given him, mulling over his decision.
“Hey Lavender,” he whispered. “D’you trust me?”
“Of course, Ron,” she hissed back. Ron unstoppered the vial under the table, then surreptitiously slipped half of its contents into her pumpkin juice, and half into his own.
“Then drink this right away,” Ron murmured, “and when I say so, stick to me like glue. Don’t ask me why just yet, okay?”
Lavender didn’t hesitate. She picked up her glass of juice when Ron did, and hastily gulped it down. The wait was interminable as they picked at their dinners moodily. Finally, Alecto Carrow returned and quietly conferred with her brother. Ron could have sworn he heard Alecto mutter something like, “...Potter...” during their whispered conversation.
“Bloody Hell! ... Really?” Amycus Carrow growled, just loud enough to hear. “No point lookin’ anymore then, is there? The Dark Lord won’t be too pleased about this.”
“True,” his sister replied. “Still, he can’t blame any of us...”
Bellatrix appeared next in the Great Hall, looking furious. The Carrows and Bellatrix whispered amongst themselves, then she stalked back out, saying nothing.
“Right then,” Amycus said loudly, his voice resounding in the Hall, “Dinner is over, you lot. Get a move on back t’your dorms, nice an’ orderly like. Don’t make any trouble, an’ you won’t get hurt.”
Of course, orderly was a relative term when talking about hundreds of students filing out of the Great Hall. Even with more than a dozen Death Eaters keeping their eyes peeled for any potential troublemakers and their wands trained on the crowd, it was impossible for them to watch everyone. Feeling a bit buzzy, but more clearheaded than he had ever been in his life, Ron saw his opportunity and grabbed Lavender’s hand.
“Now,” he whispered, “follow me.”
Lavender’s heart raced and her breath quickened as she let Ron lead her towards the front doors, the throng rushing around them in the other direction as if they were swimming upstream. Despite her anxiety, she felt a surging tingle of euphoria and time almost seemed to slow down in the rest of the world while they continued to move forward at normal speed. She wanted to ask him what he was doing, but bit her tongue instead, squeaking nervously when Ron cracked open one of the front doors.
To Lavender’s great surprise, nobody seemed to notice them slipping out and then quietly closing the door behind them. It wasn’t until they had crossed the courtyard and were halfway down the path towards the tree-line of the woods ahead when someone else poked their head out the door.
It was only by sheer happenstance that Draco spotted the front door shutting out of the corner of his eye. Curious, not sure if he was just seeing things, Draco sauntered over to the front doors and opened them, peering out into darkening twilight. He spied two shadowy silhouettes halfway down the path.
Draco almost called out for one of the Death Eaters, then decided to see for himself who it was, not wanting to cause a fuss over nothing if it was just some other Death Eaters patrolling the grounds. Shutting the door behind him, Draco ran across the courtyard, then dashed quietly down the pathway. His eyes widened when a flash of orange hair caught in the shine of moonlight.
“Weasley!” Draco yelled, “Where the hell d’you think you’re going? Stop!”
“Oh no!” Lavender squealed.
“Bloody Hell!” Ron muttered, “Thought this stuff was supposed to make us lucky.”
A red bolt of magic shot by Ron, missing him completely. Malfoy got off several more stunning spells which missed Ron and Lavender by wide margins, red sparks bursting as the spells rebounded from the lawn and the bushes, before Ron managed to retrieve his wand from his back pocket.
“Stupefy!” Ron barked, returning fire. His spell hit Malfoy square in the face with one shot; Malfoy crumpled to the ground, out like a light. Ron gaped for a moment, surprising himself with his perfect aim, then he grinned.
“Hah! I reckon it did make us lucky after all. Come on Lavender!”
Ron grabbed her hand again and they sprinted down the path and into the woods. Even pelting at full speed it took them both a while to make their way to the wrought iron gates which guarded the entrance to the grounds of Hogwarts. Panting and breathless, it took them a moment to recover.
“What are we going to do now?” asked Lavender as she peered dubiously at the gates.
“Just push,” said Ron, grinning. Lavender reached her hand out and nudged one of the gates. She gasped in surprise when it swung open.
“Shouldn’t they be locked?”
“Yeah!” Ron replied giddily. “But we drank Felix Felicis, the Lucky Potion. We just got lucky that the gate was open for us.”
Once outside the gates, Ron shut them with a clang.
“Well, how about it Lavender?” said Ron. “You ready to apparate now?”
“Er... but we’ve only barely managed it a couple of times now, and you lost one of your eyebrows last time.”
“Yeah! But this time we’ll be bloody brilliant!” Ron chortled. “There’s no way we’ll mess up while we’re lucky.”
“Where should we go then?” asked Lavender.
“Well, I reckon back to my house, if you want,” said Ron. “Mum and Dad won’t mind once I tell them what’s going on at Hogwarts. They’ll know the best place to hide us.”
“Alright,” Lavender nodded, beaming back at her boyfriend. “Let’s do it then. I'll finally get a chance to meet your parents.”
“Okay, just think ‘the Burrow’ for your destination, and don’t let go of me so you won’t get lost along the way.”
Holding hands, Lavender and Ron twisted and vanished into thin air with a loud crack...

~o0o~
The fake Dawlish checked his pocket-watch, his heart thudding against his rib cage so hard he thought it might burst out of his chest; the fake Mildred Hopkirk glanced at it and squeaked.
“Bloody hell!” swore the invisible Dora, seeing the time. “We’re cutting it close! We gotta get you two outta here before you change back.”
The lift jerked to a halt before it reached the top level and the doors opened. A tall man with short bristly black hair and grim features stared back at the fake Dawlish. He seemed a bit surprised.
“Going up too, John? ...and you as well Mildred? Shouldn’t you two be headed down to the Minister’s office to assist in the containment of Dumbledore?”
“Er...” said the fake Dawlish, uncertain as to whom he was addressing.
“Albert Runcorn,” hissed the invisible Dora right in his ear as the rattle of the door closing covered her whisper, “He’s an Unspeakable. Dumbledore thinks ‘e answers directly to Umbridge.”
“‘Evening Albert,” the fake Dawlish responded more confidently. “Just some quick business in the Atrium. We’ll be heading back down shortly. And you?”
“Been in a late meeting with some department heads,” said Runcorn. “I’m going topside to coordinate the Aurors and Unspeakables who were called back to work to make sure Dumbledore doesn’t pull a fast one on us. They should be arriving in the Atrium right about now.”
The fake Hopkirk swallowed nervously, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
“You alright Mildred?” asked Runcorn. “You look a bit peaky.”
“That’s why we’re going up,” said the fake Dawlish, improvising wildly. “She’s feeling a bit sick. I’m making sure she gets to an employee floo without keeling over.”
“Ah! Of course,” Runcorn nodded stiffly. “You might even want to see Mildred home safely. She doesn’t look well at all. No need to worry you two - we’ve got plenty of others to do the job now.”
“Oh, thank you Albert,” said the fake Hopkirk, her voice quavering. “That would be lovely for John to take me home. I’m ever so grateful.”
Finally the lift arrived at the top level. The invisible Dora, and the fake Dawlish and Hopkirk followed Runcorn out of the elevator, and none too soon. Harry could feel the tingling which heralded the imminent dissolution of the effects of the polyjuice potion. He gulped at the sight of twenty odd Aurors and Unspeakables milling about in the previously nearly empty Atrium.
Hurriedly he made his way with the fake Hopkirk through the parting crowd as the invisible Dora followed in their wake, her hand clutching Harry’s arm so he knew that she was still with them. Harry had just passed the last Auror to see him staring strangely at them.
Crap, crap, crap, Harry thought to himself, feeling his hair beginning to lengthen and his body shortening. He took one look at the fake Hopkirk to see her hair growing tawnier and bushier. The trio made a break for it, running across the Atrium to the employee flooports as the polyjuice potion wore off.
“Hang on a minute!” Runcorn barked at the assembled Ministry personnel. “That’s Potter and his girlfriend. Stop them! ... Stop them! They could be trying to help Dumbledore escape.”
Stunning spells whizzed past Harry and Hermione’s heads as they ducked. In the nick of time, Dora shoved them into the first flooport they reached, flinging herself in after them. Arriving at the other end in what appeared to be a musty looking warehouse, they hurtled through the nearest doorway into a dark alley lit only by a few light-bulbs in broken sconces on the brick walls
Suddenly hearing several other flooports flaring into green flames behind them, they slammed the door shut and disapparated. Moments later the door burst open again, revealing three Aurors who cursed vociferously as they peered up and down the empty alleyway...

~o0o~
Senior Undersecretary Percy Weasley finished his sip of tea as the Minister ogled Dumbledore like a frog which had just caught a very juicy fly.
“...Indeed Dolores,” Dumbledore continued, as if not missing a beat. “You are quite correct. I have no alibi to speak of.”
“Well, well, well,” said Dolores, beaming brightly, “This isn’t looking so good for you Dumbledore. We will come back to that in a moment. Now what can you tell me about the muggleborn rebels? ...If they are indeed wizards, and not simply muggles you have trained to use stolen wands.”
“Tut, tut, Dolores,” Dumbledore responded, shaking his head and sighing as if speaking to a five year old, “I must say I am quite disappointed in you. Did you learn so little in your days at Hogwarts? Or is this simply the latest line of poor reasoning being promulgated by the Blood Purists? ... Surely you must know as well as I, that one must have magical abilities to be able to
use a wand.”
“Not so fast Dumbledore,” the Minister retorted. “Don’t think you can pull the wool over the Ministry’s eyes. Unspeakables researching in the Department of Mysteries have found convincing evidence that mud... muggleborn wizards are a fraud - part of a centuries long conspiracy to undermine the wizarding bloodlines.”
“Perhaps if you would allow me to examine some of this so-called evidence, Dolores,” said Dumbledore, as polite as ever despite the Minister’s near slip, “I could point out where this team of no doubt crack researchers have gone awry...”
Percy scowled, chiming in for the first time. “Let you into the DoM? You can’t be serious, Dumbledore...”
“I think not,” Minister Umbridge responded, her voice growing steelier. “The Department of Mysteries is sacrosanct as you well know. The Unspeakable Office must keep its secrets secure after all.”
“Well, if the evidence cannot be examined openly, how can one be certain of its veracity?” Dumbledore pointed out reasonably, waving a hand. “Surely you must agree that the accused have a right to expect transparency and accountability when it comes to the evidence presented against them?”
“Perhaps in other times, Dumbledore,” said the Minister. “But in these times, with sedition and treason afoot, and wand stealing muggles terrorising respectable wizards, we must take extraordinary measures to preserve the security and identity of our wizarding culture and traditions.”
“Well, then, I am afraid I simply cannot agree, Dolores.” Dumbledore peered at the Minister sadly over the top of his half-moon spectacles. “Without a system of checks and balances, there can be no true rule of law ... no fairness ... no justice...”
“Now look here Dumbledore,” Percy interjected, looking scandalised, “Law and Order is the highest goal of the Ministry. You can’t just go around hurling such unfounded accusations.”
“My point precisely, Senior Undersecretary Weasley,” said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling again. “I knew you were top of the class in your year for good reason...”
Percy goggled for a moment, his face turning purple.
“Well, I see we are getting nowhere, Dumbledore,” the Minister snapped. “Perhaps a few nights in a Ministry holding cell will loosen your tongue.”
“That is highly doubtful,” said Dumbledore, “as I have offered up everything I know regarding these matters, freely, of my own volition...” A clamouring interrupted Dumbledore as someone burst through the door behind him.
“What is the meaning of this?” sniped the Minister. “Can’t you see I’m busy?”
“This better be good, Runcorn,” Yaxley growled. “I told you to keep everyone just outside to restrain Dumbledore when we were finished.”
“I don’t answer to you, Yaxley,” Runcorn groused. “In any case, Minister, thought you should know - Potter and Granger, they were here in the Ministry in disguise - their polyjuice wore off just a moment too late for us to realise who it was to do anything about it before they did a bunk. I reckon they were here to do a bit of recon while Dumbledore kept us distracted, and back Dumbledore up if things got hairy, then ran out of time.”
“That sounds about right,” Dumbledore agreed cheerily when the Minister peered at him, a questioning look in her eye. “And I do believe that is my cue to depart.”
“Depart? Oh I don’t think so, Dumbledore!” the Minister snarled. “Haven’t I just said that you’ll be staying in a Ministry holding cell? And this is all the proof I need to hold you indefinitely, until such a time as I see fit to have you tried for Treason and Sedition. You won’t be going anywhere for a good long while. Don’t forget, the Ministry is warded by the same anti-Apparition charms as Hogwarts...”
“And you, Dolores, should do well to remember that I have other means of escape,” said Dumbledore, finishing with a little whistle.
There was a flash of flame; a scarlet and gold phoenix suddenly appeared out of nowhere and lit upon Dumbledore’s forearm as if it were a falcon alighting upon its handler. Then a blazing luminescence - nearly as bright as the sun - flared and Dumbledore was swallowed by the light.
When the temporary blindness faded, still seeing spots, everyone gaped in shock at the empty seat which had held Dumbledore.
“NO!” Minister Umbridge screamed, banging her fist on the desk. “This can’t be happening! Isn’t there a bloody ward against phoenix apparition?”
“Er... Madam Minister,” Runcorn said tentatively.
“What?” snapped Umbridge, her features livid.
“There’s a head in your private floo!”
Minister Umbridge whirled around to see whose head had appeared in the green flames flickering in her hearth. Very few people had access to her office floo.
“Out!” she barked. “Everyone out! And begin an immediate search while you’re at it.”
“Of course, Ma’am,” said Runcorn. “Corbin, Senior Undersecretary - let’s leave the Minister to it then.”
The three Ministry officials filed out of the Minister’s office as the Minister addressed the head in her fireplace.
“Severus, what brings you here?”
“A query,” Snape’s head replied. “The Dark Lord sent us to Hogwarts to oust Dumbledore, but Dumbledore was nowhere to be found...”
“That’s because he was here, being interviewed regarding his crimes,” said the Minister. “Those little hooligans Potter and Granger were here too, no doubt spying on us while Dumbledore was keeping us distracted, but they escaped the Ministry before we had a chance to detain them.”
“Ah, so that is why they cannot be located here at the school,” Snape sighed. “I may as well call off the search. The Dark Lord will not be pleased, but we have Hogwarts now and they are all on the run. They cannot hide forever with both the Ministry and the Death Eaters on their tail.”
“Quite so,” Minister Umbridge agreed, calculating quickly in her head. “And today’s events haven’t been a dead loss - they can be used to our political advantage. With Dumbledore’s escape, at least I have the proof needed to convince the Wizengamot of his treachery. And by the end of the month, once I have the public eating out of my hands, I should be able to cast off all pretense of neutrality and begin openly advancing Voldemort’s agenda months ahead of schedule.”
“Hmm...” Snape’s expression was pensive. “That should ameliorate the Dark Lord’s mood. And as to our taking of Hogwarts...?”
“Not a problem! I’ll say it was a Ministry operation,” the Minister stated authoritatively. “Did any of the Aurors stationed at Hogwarts to ‘protect’ it from Voldemort give you any trouble?”
“There were a number of them which we were forced to incapacitate. They are, however, all unharmed.”
“Very good!” The Minister nodded slowly. “I’ll have Yaxley pop up to Hogwarts tomorrow to explain the situation to them...”

~o0o~
The quiet dark square in Grimmauld place was lit only by a flickering lamppost. The three figures emerging from the shadows were relieved to feel springy grass under their shoes, and that the nightfall had covered their arrival.
“Blimey, that was a narrow escape,” muttered Dora, sounding breathless. “We barely made it out of there.”
“But we’ve got it,” Harry grinned. “Finally, we’ve got the locket.”
“Let’s get inside quickly and finish it then, before anyone has a chance to work out where we’ve gone,” said Hermione, glancing nervously up and down the street. “They might already have search parties out looking for us.”
AN:
@ BdwMedic: Thanks again! ... :-)
As to your query, there are any number of key scenes in the books featuring Harry and Hermione, and some other crucial moments, which would make good starting points. Sometimes it's hard to choose from among them.
The only thing to keep in mind is consistent characterisation, depending on where your starting point is. Harry in first year is a bit different from Harry in fourth year or Harry in sixth year.
For example, Moments in Love carries on based on Rowling's initial characterisation of Harry as studious, wanting to succeed in school, and makes him more consistent in regards to standing up against bullying, no matter who's being picked on, and who's behaving poorly. That version of Harry is actually a bit more mature than later versions of Harry--so if that's the version you're starting from, he really should be getting more mature as the story goes on than he is in canon.
Harry in sixth year is a bit thickheaded, more reckless, and has more anger issues related to the previous year from Hell, which began with being kidnapped and tortured and watching Cedric be killed, and ended with Sirius being killed.
Basically, just skim through the books and pick a moment which you think Harry could have made a different decision in, or Hermione, and take off from there.
- 19
- 20
- 21
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Damaged Bridges