As January began to wind down, Harry and his friends continued to do their research, and carried out reconnaissance missions, keeping an eye on the Ministry entrance, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmeade. By picking up copies of the Daily Prophet whenever they could, they learned of the Muggleborn Registration Commission, a committee that was 'seeking to ascertain where self-proclaimed 'muggleborns' had stolen their magic from, since it clearly wasn't inherited.' Harry wanted to go beat something to a pulp when he read that Umbridge was heading up the committee.
He did manage to let out a bit of his frustration by transfiguring some of the practice dummies to look like their former Defense professor. By the end of the afternoon, not one of them was left in any sort of fighting condition.
It made him feel better, though only slightly.
Once he had vented his frustrations, they discussed whether or not Umbridge had taken the Dark Mark yet.
Harry wouldn't put it past her, but knew that she didn't need Voldemort's mark to act the way she did.
Hermione passed him the list of missing muggleborns who had failed to submit themselves for questioning; it was a list that took up several pages in the Prophet. Harry was relieved to see so many of his friends' names on the list, because that meant that they hadn't been caught yet. He recognized many of the names as belonging to students he had attended Hogwarts with. Both Creeveys were listed, as were Dean, Justin, and Sheila, amongst others.
He hoped that they were all safe, and hiding well, but knew better than to try and look for them. He would most likely just lead the war right to their doorstep. The best thing he could do for his friends was continue to search for the horcruxes, and then defeat Voldemort.
Towards the end of January, Harry voiced a thought that had been niggling in the back of his mind ever since Hermione had found the story of what Luna had called the Deathly Hallows.
"I really wish we could speak with Ollivander," he commented, drawing everyone's attention away from what they had been doing - going over notes, or reading through books they hoped would be of use.
"Why?" Hermione asked, setting her sheaf of parchment down.
Harry bit his lip. "I just can't get the story of the Elder wand out of my head. And who better to ask about it then a wandmaker? I hope he's all right. No one has seen him since the attack on Diagon Alley last month."
Ginny pursed her lips. "Perhaps we can try and figure out what happened. There might be some sort of trail leading from where he was taken."
"It's too dangerous," Hermione argued. "What if you're caught?"
Harry shook his head. "I know it's dangerous, but I just feel like it could be important."
No one looked too happy about the idea, but they knew not to argue when Harry had an idea like this. After all, his instincts were usually right.
Harry sighed. "We'll use caution. After dark, so fewer people will be around. We'll use Dissilusionment Charms, Notice-Me-Not charms, and whatever else we can think of. And not all of us." Several of them looked like they wanted to protest, but knew that all of them traipsing around Diagon Alley would just call attention. Harry almost smiled at seeing that knowledge in their eyes, warring with their belief that they should all go. "Ginny, myself, and Luna. That's it."
Luna smiled dreamily. "I'd love to find out more about the Deathly Hallows. Wait until daddy hears how I've been continuing the search even with everything else going on."
Harry shook his head slightly, but kept smiling. "Tomorrow night. Sound good?"
"Not really," Hermione frowned. "But I know we're not going to talk you out of this, and who knows? It might actually turn up something of use."
Harry smirked. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "You know that's not what I meant, Harry."
Harry nodded agreeably. "Yeah. Anyway," he stood up. "It's getting late. I'm going to get some sleep. Night, everyone."
They all said good night, and soon enough, everyone was heading up to get some rest.
XXX
Harry, Ginny, and Luna made yet another promise to be careful, before Harry and Ginny transformed into their phoenix forms. Luna grasped onto one of Harry's tail feathers, and in a flash of flame, the trio disappeared. They arrived in a shadowed Alley near the Leaky Cauldron. Harry and Ginny transformed back, and after applying several more charms to keep themselves from being noticed by the few people still in the Alley, the trio made their way towards through the dark pub, and to the storefront that belonged to the elderly wandmaker.
Luna kept a lookout, while Harry and Ginny set up some tracking spells, trying to determine what had happened on the day the Alley had been attacked.
Harry frowned minutely, observing the spells they had cast. Beside him, Ginny was also looking frustrated.
Why is it saying Ollivander is still here? she asked, annoyed.
Harry pursed his lips and waved his wand again, in an intricate pattern. Gin, there's some sort of ward blocking the front, but I'm also getting a tangle of magic that seems to be some sort of protective ward coming from inside.
Can we take down the first ward? Ginny asked, glancing at Harry.
Harry nodded slightly, and took his wife's hand. Together, they worked to bring down the ward blocking them from gaining access to the shop.
It took a few minutes, but they were rewarded when they felt the magic around the door disappear. It was a good thing they had both excelled at Ancient Runes, since it definitely helped them in knowing how to disassemble wards without simply overpowering them, the way they had on the ward the Death Eaters had put up at Hogwarts the previous June. That time, they had simply poured so much magic into the ward that it had just shattered. Tonight called for more delicacy, than raw power. It was for that same reason why they didn't want to just use their phoenix abilities. Notice-Me-Not charms didn't cover everything, and they didn't want to take the chance that the glow from the phoenix abilities bringing down the wards would be seen by anyone.
Luna glanced over as the ward came down, and smiled. "Shall we go in?"
Harry nodded, and the trio made their way cautiously inside.
They searched through the shop for nearly an hour, before Ginny found where the second, larger concentration of magic was coming from. This would take much longer to disassemble than the ward on the door.
It required all three of them, but after an hour of hard work, the wards were gone, and in their place stood a simple wooden door.
Slowly, Harry reached out and opened the door, almost surprised that he could.
The door creaked open softly, and Ginny pulled him back as a dark jet of sparks flew out of the hidden room, narrowly missing him.
He looked at Ginny thankfully, before they returned their attention to the situation at hand.
"Mr. Ollivander?" Harry whispered. "It's Harry Potter. Are you in there?"
They waited for a moment, before a hoarse voice replied. "What colored sparks did your wand make when you bought it seven years ago?"
Harry smiled slightly. "Red and gold," he said reminiscently, remembering the many wands he had tried before getting to the right one.
After another moment of silence, the door opened further, and a bony white hand peeked out, gesturing them inside.
Harry looked around the room with interest, noting that it was much larger than it should be, considering the dimensions of the shop, but then, that was without factoring magic into the equation. The room housed a corner with a small cot, a kitchen of sorts, and a curtained area that Harry suspected was a bathroom.
Mr. Ollivander was watching them warily. "This is quite a surprise," he commented, his voice raw with disuse.
Harry turned his attention to the wandmaker. "I'm sorry we startled you, Mr. Ollivander. This is Ginny and Luna, though you probably remember them. We wanted to speak with you about something, and we had heard reports that you had been taken during the battle. We had hoped we would be able to find some sort of trace of where you were, and maybe rescue you. Clearly, it wasn't needed."
Ollivander almost smiled. "Yes, my captors did not think they would receive much opposition from an elderly man such as myself. I may be advanced in age, but I am quite talented with a wand, and fortunately, I still had it with me. I overpowered the Death Eaters who had me, and made my escape. I was not about to let them drag me off to endure the questioning of the Dark Lord." He gestured to the room around him. "This was a little hidey-hole I made during the first war with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I must admit that I am impressed you were able to get through the wards."
Harry nodded. "It took some effort, but we knew it would be worth it."
Ollivander inclined his head. "Well, since you made the effort, I must honor your request to speak. You claimed to wish to consult me about something. Can I offer you a seat?" He raised his wand and conjured up four chairs.
They all sat down, and Harry leaned forward slightly. "Mr. Ollivander, we're doing some research, trying to end the war. We came across something that... confused us, I guess you could say."
Ollivander's eyes widened. "You know how to end the war?"
Harry bit his lip. "We believe so, but that's not exactly why we're here. Have you ever heard of the Elder Wand?"
Ollivander sat back, startled. "Most wandmakers believe that Elder wood is not suitable for wandmaking, because of the one wand."
"So you have heard of it," Ginny said, trying not to sound too eager.
Ollivander nodded. "There have been stories over the years; the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny. The Elder Wand. But I believe it to be the same wand, simply reappearing under different names."
"Do you know where that wand is?" Harry asked, focusing intently on what Ollivander was telling him.
The wandmaker shrugged. "Who can really say?" he replied evasively. "It is certainly possible to trace the wand's course through history. There are gaps, and long ones, where it vanishes temporarily, lost or hidden, but it always resurfaces. There are characteristics unique to this wand in particular that those learned in wandlore can recognize."
"Is it true that you have to kill the previous owner to possess it?" Ginny asked curiously.
Ollivander let out a half smile. "Whether or not it needs to pass by murder, I do not know. The history is bloody, it is true, but that could simply be due to the fact that it is such a desirable object."
"When did it last surface?" Harry asked.
"The last known duel fought over the wand occurred over a hundred years ago. More recently, there had been rumors that Gregorovitch, a European wandmaker, had acquired a wand of immense power and was studying it to reproduce its characteristics. However, this was over fifty years ago."
Harry furrowed his brow. "Gregorovitch... could he still have it?"
Ollivander shook his head slightly. "I don't think so. Shortly before his retirement, by chance, we traveled to the same location, to collect materials for wands. We happened to stop in at the same pub, and I heard him bemoaning a thief for stealing his most precious possession so many years ago. He may have been talking about something else, but I believe he was referring to the unbeatable wand."
Harry sighed disappointedly. "So it's missing again."
Ginny frowned. "Someone stole it from Gregorovitch. Do we have any idea who? Did he say anything else?"
Ollivander furrowed his brow in thought. "I believe he may have mentioned something about how much life could have been spared if he had managed to kill the thief before he had disappeared. He was quite drunk at the time."
Ginny sighed. "How are we supposed to figure this out?"
Luna smiled serenely. "Perhaps the answers are right at our fingertips, if only we open our eyes to see them."
Harry looked at her sharply, and then his eyes widened and he turned back to Ollivander. "All the lives spared. You don't think...?"
Ginny's mouth dropped as she caught Harry's thoughts, but Ollivander looked startled and confused.
Harry's expression was eager as his mind raced towards the conclusion. "This happened in Europe. Who was the most feared Dark Lord there in the last fifty years or so?"
"Grindlewald," Ginny breathed. "Could it be...?"
Harry nodded. "It makes sense. Grindlewald knew of it, because Gregorovitch had been bragging about using it to reproduce the characteristics. He wanted the wand to aid him in his domination. Or maybe he believed in the Deathly Hallows tale, and wanted it for that."
Ollivander looked disturbed. "I have not heard of the Deathly Hallows, but that does seem to fit the circumstances. I am not sure what you intend to do with this information, but I am glad I was able to be of assistance."
Harry nodded and stood up. "Thank you, Mr. Ollivander. You've been a great help." He glanced around the bare room. "Are you certain you're all right here? We can take you somewhere well protected, if you wish."
Ollivander tilted his head to the side. "This place has been safe for me for the last few weeks, but I do admit that I miss the human contact. Are you certain your location will be secure?"
Harry nodded again, smiling. "Trust me, it's protected by goblin wards."
Ollivander looked at the two girls, and then back at Harry. "Thank you, Mr. Potter, for your offer. Allow me a few minutes to collect my belongings."
Ollivander puttered around, collecting some clothing, while Harry made a one-way portkey to McGonagall Castle. It would deposit Ollivander in the Entrance Hall, and would ensure he could get through the wards, since Harry, as the McGonagall heir, would be the one creating the portkey.
When the wandmaker was ready, Harry handed him the quill portkey. "This will take you to McGonagall Castle. We'd appreciate it if you wouldn't tell anyone why we were here. Just tell Aunt Minerva that you saw us, and we sent you because you would be safer there, than where you were staying."
Ollivander nodded. "Thank you again, Mr. Potter. I wish you luck in your endeavors, and hopefully we will meet again under more fortunate circumstances soon."
He gripped the quill tightly, and a moment later, disappeared. Ginny and Luna grasped Harry's hand, and he used his ring to take them all back to Lion's Castle.
As it was late, they all went to bed immediately, waiting until a more reasonable hour to discuss what they had learned with the others.
XXX
They discussed the late night excursion over breakfast the next morning. Everyone was relieved to hear that Ollivander was all right, and would be safe at McGonagall Castle from here on.
"So you think that Grindlewald had the wand last?" Hermione asked, looking at Harry skeptically.
Harry shrugged. "It's a bit of a leap, where the facts are concerned, but it does make sense, and the timing fits. He stole it from Gregorovitch, and used it to gain power in Europe."
"So then what?" Susan asked. "Where is it now?"
Harry glanced at her. "Think about it. Dumbledore defeated Grindlewald and ended the war. I don't think you have to actually kill the previous owner in order to win the wand's allegiance, just defeat him, so using that logic, Dumbledore would have taken possession in 1945."
"But that would mean..." Hermione gasped. "Voldemort defeated Dumbledore. He has the wand!"
They all looked ill and slightly afraid at that knowledge.
"So... what do we do now?" Ron asked, after a moment's silence.
Harry sighed. "What we can. Train, keep searching for horcruxes."
"But You-Know-Who's got the Elder Wand!" Ron protested.
Harry nodded grimly. "Not much we can do about that. We just have to keep on task. We'll get through this."
With a newfound determination, they buckled down and continued their dueling practice and research, as January turned to February.
Valentine's Day saw a fresh blanket of snow on the ground, as they decided to take a day off, and just enjoy themselves.
Rather than each couple going off on their own, Harry had the elves make a formal dinner for all of them. He didn't want Daphne to feel left out, since she was the only one without a significant other in their group. They all dressed up, and had a wonderful evening, enjoying the delicious food and each other's company.
Before they separated to their bedrooms for the night, Daphne thanked them for what they had done. She knew they could have gone off on their own dates, and it meant a lot that they had chosen to include her.
Harry slung an arm across her shoulders and smiled. "We're all family, here, Daphne. We have to look after each other."
Daphne beamed, and gave Harry a peck on the cheek, before they all wished each other good night, and headed to their rooms.
XXX
The end of the month seemed to bring on a warm front, with the snow they had gotten for Valentine's Day melting by the end of the next week. Here and there, a few hardy flowers and plants could be seen poking up from the thawing ground.
Harry spent many afternoons studying the Marauder's Map, trying to come up with patterns, and form a schedule for which Death Eaters were in residence at Hogwarts at certain times. Voldemort seemed to enjoy spending time in the Slytherin section of the castle. He was there about half of the time when Harry checked, with no real pattern for timing that he could see. Remembering what they had learned from Snape, Harry knew that the Dark Lord had been using Malfoy Manor as a base before taking over the castle, so he had to wonder if Voldemort was still spending time there. The numbers of Death Eaters varied by day; there could be anywhere from five to fifty in residence at any given time.
He did notice that there seemed to be fewer Death Eaters there between midmorning and midafternoon, as opposed to later in the day.
They all tried to come up with some sort of plan to get in, but knew that all of the known entrances would be watched. And that wasn't even getting into avoiding detection once they were in.
Harry remembered the secret passage that Hogwarts had told him about, and knew that that could be a good entry point, but only if they had a plan for once they got in.
Hermione was very interested in this secret passage, especially since they hadn't heard of it before.
"How did you find out about this?" Hermione asked curiously, interested to hear that the passage wasn't on the map.
Harry glanced at Ginny, before he answered. "We were told of it." He bit his lip. "It might sound crazy to you, but Hogwarts told us."
Hermione blinked, startled. "You mentioned before that Hogwarts told you something was wrong in the castle. Is this like that?" Ginny nodded, and Hermione bit her lip, thinking. "It's not that I don't believe you or anything, it's just so strange to think about a castle being sentient."
Harry shrugged, smiling slightly. "Hogwarts may have originally been built out of wood and stone, but a thousand years of magical beings walking through the halls have given the castle some semblance of awareness. She understands what's going on, but even she isn't all knowing." He winced lightly. "She can't really evict the Death Eaters, but she might be able to help us if we get in."
"How so?" Blaise asked.
Harry bit his lip. "She may be able to shield us a little. I wouldn't want to rely on that, though. Voldemort will have undoubtedly put up his own warning spells, to let him know when someone has entered the castle. I wouldn't guarantee more than an hour or so of time to search. What we need is a distraction."
"What kind of distraction?" Neville queried.
Harry sighed. "Something like what Voldemort did in December, and last June. Something to draw them out, and leave the castle as unprotected as possible."
"But how?" Daphne asked.
Harry shook his head. "We'll have to think about it. We'll talk with Aunt Minerva and the others, and see if they'll be willing to help. But none of it will mean anything if we can't get the last two horcruxes."
"The snake will be with Voldemort," Ginny pointed out reasonably. "It will probably be the last one we go after. Before we get Nagini, we need to make sure the others are all destroyed."
Harry nodded his agreement. "First we need to find the diadem. And my bet is that it's at Hogwarts."
"But where?" Hermione asked, exasperated. "You said it yourself, Harry, we'll only have a short amount of time. We can't search the whole castle!"
Harry sighed again, putting his head in his hands. "I don't know. Where would he hide it?"
"The Slytherin common room?" Ron suggested. "You said he spends a lot of time there, when he's in the castle."
Harry grimaced. "He wouldn't put it somewhere someone could accidentally find it. Luna, when we were researching his past last year, you said he had applied for a job shortly after graduating. He probably wanted access to the castle, and even better, access to the younger generation. But he didn't get the job, so he had to have hidden the horcrux somewhere to or from the headmaster's office."
They all pondered that for a moment.
Ron threw up his hands in frustration. "The castle is huge! How can we even begin to guess where he hid it?"
No one had any useful suggestions, so they decided to leave off before they got even more annoyed with each other, and headed outside to unwind in their animal forms.
Over the next few weeks, they continued throwing out ideas, but no one came up with anything solid.
More reports of Death Eater attacks plagued them, and Harry definitely lost sleep over the names he recognized, hoping that his friends were all right. He knew the only way to ensure their safety was to end the war, so the best thing he could do was keep searching for the horcruxes.
But still, he worried.