Harry Potter and the Flying Squad (01) - Sahits

"Yes ... I mean, yes, Professor."
"Do you want to stop right now?"
"No, Professor ... But I'd like to know about the two exceptions."
A short smile. "I knew you would ask. The first principle that'll hold - I'm going to use the
person who's suited best for the task."
Harry beamed. A second later, his eyes widened in astonishment.
Slightly but unmistakably, Snape had nodded!
"The second principle I'm not violating is that the person - without denying the personal risk
involved - is up to the task."
Now it was Lupin who nodded.
Recognizing it, Harry's mind was ready to take conclusions.
"There's a third reason ... It's not a principle, rather an axiome - we have no other choice, and
this is why even Mrs. McGonagall has agreed to invite you, Harry."
Surely enough, it was McGonagall's turn to nod.
"Now you're probably full of questions, Harry, so it's time to answer them ... We have
gathered information about an attack planned by the Dark Forces. Their plan is as devilish as
we could have expected ... You should hear it from the one who found out - and who had to
pay for it."
Dumbledore turned to his right. "Severus?"
Snape's eyes met Harry's. For the first time, as long as Harry could remember, this look felt
from peer to peer.
Snape's first words gave Harry the second shock of this evening. "The plan I figured out is so
cruel in itself - there's no need to emphasize any detail ... Mr. Potter, what Voldemort plans is
this - at the end of the summer vacation, when all students return with the Hogwarts Express,
they are going to attack the train ... Their goal is to take all students as hostages - gaining
sufficient pressure on the wizarding world to win the battle right away."
Harry stared, unable to speak, to think about what he'd heard.
Snape waited a few seconds, then continued, "For obvious reasons, students are useful as
hostages only if their parents are wizards - if at least one of them is a wizard. Students with
Muggles parents on both sides are useless in their opinion ... So the planning is to - to kill
them at the spot, using their deaths as a brutal warning to all wizard parents."
Harry's stomach contracted painfully. Killing Muggles-born students - that meant Hermione!
This thought broke the stunning shock, slowly but steadily, a burning rage was building in
him.
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