Chapter 70: The Plan
Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
I own nothing but the original characters I make.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 70: The Plan
"What?. What do you mean by that?. You are staying for the break?"
The Room of Requirement was warm and peaceful, thanks to the fire crackling softly in the hearth.
Harry sat in one of the armchairs, his hands clasped in front of him and an expression of concern on his face as he tried to understand what his friend just told him.
A frown formed on Draco's face. "It's not like we want to say, Harry. I very much would like to see my parents."
"Aye...and I miss my Mom's cooking..." Crabbe added.
"The Chief Inquisitor called us to her office the other day and explained to us that our situation is kinda unique, because though we are not being punished, we are still under strict supervision of the teaching staff of Hogwarts and told us that until the school year was concluded, we have to remain in the castle," Draco explained.
"That's..." Harry muttered. "That's the same thing they did to me last year."
Draco nodded. "It is."
"We are basically prisoners at this point, aren't we?" Crabbe concluded.
"So that's what she was trying to avoid..." Now Harry understood her decision better. "She must have seen this coming."
"She?" Draco asked.
"Right." Harry had called this meeting and told them it was urgent.
And this was the main reason for doing so.
Harry stared into the flames of the fireplace for a long moment while gathering his thoughts.
Draco broke the silence first. "Harry, you look like you've seen a ghost. What's going on?"
"By she, I meant Daphne...she is not coming back after the Christmas break."
"What?!" Draco exclaimed.
"She said nothing to us." Crabbe sounded hurt.
"She is being extra cautious with this. And she is right to do so." Harry said. "The walls have ears in this castle. But that is not why I called you here..."
"There is more?" Draco asked.
Harry took a deep breath. "I've made a decision. I'm also leaving Hogwarts as soon as I am able. Which would likely be at the end of this school year."
Draco blinked. "Leaving?..."
"Permanently," Harry interrupted. "I'm leaving Hogwarts for good. I'm going to escape this place and never come back."
The silence that followed was heavy.
Draco stared at him, his grey eyes wide with disbelief. Crabbe's jaw tightened, his dark eyes fixed on Harry.
"Escape?" Draco repeated, his voice barely a whisper. "Harry, you can't be serious. You're talking about running away. Where are you going to go?. You are still a minor without a licence to perform magic outside of Hogwarts. The Ministry will not allow you to be unsupervised. It is against the law."
"Forget the law, Draco. I'm talking about survival here," Harry said, his voice flat. "As long as we stay in this school, in this country, we will never escape Dumbledore's grasp. He controls everything. The Ministry, the press, the professors. Even the students. There's nowhere to hide."
"Are you going to leave the country as well?" Crabbe muttered.
Draco shook his head slowly. "But where would you go? You have no family, no money, no-"
"I'll figure it out," Harry said. "Daphne's family is going to France. She warned me to leave too, and she was right."
Draco's face paled. "To France?"
"We only have a couple of days before the break starts. If you are going to say goodbye to her, you have to hurry, but be subtle about it. If the Headmaster finds out that her family is trying to escape, he may do something about it." Harry explained.
"That's probably why she didn't tell us anything." Crabbe glanced at Draco. "Perhaps it would be best if we..."
"Yeah..." Draco nodded solemnly. "We better not say a word and pretend we didn't know. It will be safer for her."
"That's true," Harry added.
"And you want to do the same as well? Leave everything behind?" Crabbe asked.
Harry met his gaze. "What do I have to stay for? My family is dead. My memories were stolen. My friends are being used as hostages. Dumbledore has taken everything from me. The only thing I have left is the hope that I can escape one day and get away from his shadow."
Draco ran a hand through his hair, his expression torn. "Harry, I understand why you want to leave. I do. But I can't do the same. Neither can Crabbe."
Harry's stomach tightened. "What do you mean?"
Draco sighed heavily. "This is our home, Harry. Our families have lived in this country for centuries. The Malfoy legacy goes back like a dozen generations. I can't just abandon it. If I leave, I'm not just running away from Dumbledore...I'm turning my back on everything my ancestors built."
Crabbe nodded slowly. "It's the same for me. My family may have fallen from grace and is not as old as the Malfoys, but this is still my land. My blood. I can't leave it behind."
Harry felt a cold weight settle in his chest. He had hoped they would come with him, that they would all escape together. But he understood their reluctance.
He was different from them. He had grown up in a completely different world, had no ties to this land, no legacy to protect.
With the Durleys gone, leaving was simple for him. For them, it was a betrayal of everything they had ever known.
"I understand," Harry said quietly. "I won't ask you to leave your home. But could you help me prepare?"
Draco's expression softened. "We'll help you. Whatever you need."
Harry nodded. "Oh...there's something else. I've been investigating a secret chamber, the Sanctum of the Brave. It was created by Godric Gryffindor himself."
Draco's eyes widened. "The Sanctum of the Brave? Harry, that's just a legend."
"No, Draco. It is much more than that. It's real," Harry said. "I found the entrance. Ginny Weasley is helping me open it."
Draco's face went pale. "Ginny Weasley? Harry, you are trusting a Weasley with this?"
"I know what you are thinking," Harry interrupted. "But she's different. She's helped me. She warned me about the professors, she-"
"She's a Weasley," Draco repeated, his voice sharp. "You can't trust anyone from that family. They're all loyal to Dumbledore."
Harry met his gaze. "I know the risks. But I have to try, because she may be the only key to open it. That chamber could be a hiding place for us. A much better one than this room. A safe refuge. It could even contain something we can use to fight back. It is said that Godric Gryffindor hid his most powerful magical artifact in that chamber."
Draco shook his head, his expression troubled. "This is too risky, Harry. If Dumbledore finds out you're exploring a secret chamber-"
"He won't," Harry said firmly. "I'll be careful. And if it works, it could be our ticket out of here. If it doesnt...then we'll find something else."
Crabbe spoke up, his voice thoughtful. "Yeah....we are going to need a fallback plan. In case things go wrong. Mother always told me to never put all the eggs in one basket."
Harry nodded. "I agree. Draco, you think you can secure a portkey or some means of escape?"
Draco hesitated, then nodded slowly. "A portkey?...I might be able to. My father has contacts. But it will take time, and portkeys won't work inside the castle. You would need to go onto the fields for that."
"Take as much time as you need," Harry said. "Crabbe, can you gather supplies? Food, potions, anything we might need if we have to move quickly."
Crabbe nodded. "I can do that."
Harry looked at both of them, a surge of gratitude washing over him. "Thank you. Both of you. I don't know what I would do without you."
Draco placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get through this, Harry. Together."
Harry smiled, but his mind was already racing ahead. There was something else he needed to do. Something he hadn't told them about.
A message that needed to be sent. This could be his last resort.
Later that night, Harry made his way to the owlery.
The tower was cold and dark, the wind howling through the open windows.
The owls hooted softly, their eyes gleaming in the dim light.
Harry approached the perch where Vesper was waiting. The dark grey owl tilted its head, its amber eyes fixed on him. He had been so busy with his plans that he had not visited his owl in weeks, and guilt pricked at him.
"Hey, boy," Harry whispered, stroking the owl's feathers. "I'm sorry I haven't come sooner. Things have been... complicated."
Vesper clicked his beak softly, as if forgiving him. He hopped onto Harry's outstretched arm, his talons gripping gently through the sleeve of his robes.
"I have a very important mission for you," Harry said, his voice low and serious. "A message that must be delivered without fail. No one can know about this. My life may depend on it."
He pulled a piece of parchment from his robes and held it up. The note was sealed with wax, the address written in careful, neat handwriting.
He had spent an hour composing it, choosing every word with care. It was a message of hope, of a plan that could change everything.
Vesper tilted his head, his amber eyes fixed on the parchment. He seemed to understand the gravity of the task.
"Take this to the person it's addressed to," Harry said. "And wait for a reply. If they try to send you back with a message, bring it to me. If not...stay there. Do not return to the castle. You hear?"
He tied the parchment to Vesper's leg, his fingers trembling slightly. The string was tight, the knot secure.
"Fly safe," he whispered. "And don't let anyone follow you."
Vesper spread his wings and launched into the night sky, his dark form disappearing into the clouds. Harry watched him go, his heart heavy with uncertainty.
He had set the wheels in motion. There was no turning back now.
Harry stood in the owlery for a long time after Vesper had vanished from sight.
A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it.
You can support me on P@treon if you like and get 10 advanced chapters. You can also find character images to view for free in Collections/Harry Potter: Mirror Images
-.com/Kriogenix
For donations and commissions, go to .com/kriogenix