HP: The Duelist of Hogwarts - 455

Chapter 455: The Plan Begins

History has a strange kind of inertia, always nudging events back onto their original course, as though some self‑correcting mechanism were quietly at work.

At Hogwarts, Borel served as the Ministry’s voice, while the Slytherin Brotherhood’s reserve organisation acted as his hands and feet. They hunted for traces of the “illegal group” on behalf of Borel, the Ministry, and Umbridge. At first, Hermione’s organisation managed to hold out. But they had taken in too many people, and their membership was far too mixed. After a week, Borel and the Slytherin Brotherhood reserves finally forced open a breach.

When Sean finished his evening research and returned to his room, he found Jensen waiting at his door. Sean’s brows drew together at once. A bad feeling stirred in his chest. He did not question Jensen in the corridor, though. He opened the door, let him in, and only then turned to face him.

“Something has happened to your little group, has it not?” he asked.

Jensen blinked, then nodded. “Sean, you already knew about that?”

“I knew from the moment you joined,” Sean said. “Tell me. What happened?”

“Before dinner, someone betrayed us,” Jensen said. “They leaked information about the group. While we were training, Borel turned up with members of the Slytherin Brotherhood reserves and boxed us in. They caught a few of us. Blaise, for one. And that Longbottom from Gryffindor. But the worst part is…

“They saw Potter.”

Potter.

Harry.

Sean’s expression finally shifted to genuine surprise.

“How in Merlin’s name is Harry at Hogwarts?” he demanded.

“We did not want to trouble you,” Jensen said quickly. “Someone suggested asking Potter to teach us some magic. Out of all of us, apart from you, he knows the most spells and battle techniques, and he can teach. The Weasley twins said they could sneak Potter into Hogwarts without a sound, and with his Invisibility Cloak, he would never be spotted.

“And for a while, that was true. He has come in before every meeting, several times now. We just did not expect a traitor this time. When they came to arrest us, one of the Slytherin Brotherhood reserves caught a glimpse of Potter. Just for a second, but he is sure. So the Ministry will definitely react.”

As Jensen spoke, Sean’s mind raced.

This whole mess, he realised, was very likely the result of Dumbledore’s deliberate indulgence. If Dumbledore had really wanted to stop Harry from leaving the Order headquarters for Hogwarts, he had no shortage of ways to do it.

Dumbledore knew what Sean planned to do with the Order’s headquarters and with Kreacher.

He was cooperating, in his own way.

With that thought, Sean raised his wand. A rune flared into being in the air before him, glowing softly. There was a sharp crack, and Kreacher appeared in the middle of the room, bowing low.

“Young master Sean,” he croaked. “Kreacher greets you.”

Sean gestured for Jensen, wand half‑drawn, to relax. Then he turned to the house‑elf.

“Kreacher,” he said, “are you ready to carry out the plan?”

Excitement blazed in Kreacher’s eyes at once.

“Young master Sean is finally going to set the plan in motion?” he said eagerly. “If the plan can be completed, Kreacher is willing to give everything!”

“This plan is dangerous,” Sean said, “but it will not cost you everything. All you need to do is exactly what we discussed before. For now, go and find Harry. Stay hidden nearby. When the moment comes, help him. Get him and one Death Eater together, and send them both to Number 12, Grimmauld Place.”

“As you command, young master Sean.”

With another loud crack, Kreacher vanished from the room.

Jensen looked at Sean. “You already had a plan?” he asked nervously. “Did… did we ruin it?”

Sean shook his head.

“Do not worry. You have not ruined anything.” He hesitated for a heartbeat, then went on. “Jensen, from now on, stay with Harry and Hermione as much as you can. Help them however you are able. I have only one condition.

“Quietly, gradually, you are to support Harry. Whatever choices he makes, whatever decisions he comes to, whether you think he is right or wrong, you stand behind him. Do you understand?”

Jensen nodded at once. “I understand. I will do exactly as you say.”

That was Jensen’s great strength.

Perhaps it was the result of serving as Sean’s attendant, perhaps something in his nature. Whatever the reason, when Sean gave an order, Jensen obeyed without reservation.

Blaise, by contrast, would always ask why. He would always think for himself. That was not a flaw; in fact, it was exactly how an independent person ought to behave. But for Sean’s purposes, Jensen’s obedience was far more useful.

Watching Jensen leave, Sean felt no particular worry about Blaise, who had been taken, or about Harry, who had not.

To begin with, Blaise’s mother was not someone the Ministry could easily handle. Even now, they had to show a little respect to the wealthy patrons backing them from the shadows.

Blaise might be given a hard time, but he would not come to real harm.

As for Harry, Sean’s teaching had not been wasted. Blaise and Harry had trained side by side with him, yet Harry was already at the point where he could turn around and teach Blaise and the others in turn. That alone showed how far his strength had come.

And it was not just his combat skills and magic.

His greatest growth had been in his character and his heart. From the first year on, Sean had been quietly guiding Harry towards independence and resolve. That work was finally bearing fruit. Harry now had his own thoughts and his own plans. One only had to look at what he was doing to see it.

That growth could only benefit Sean’s schemes.

And Dumbledore’s.

There was nothing reckless or meddlesome about it.

Harry was like a catfish in a still pond. Only when he thrashed and stirred the water would the other fish start to move and bite at the hooks Sean and Dumbledore dangled in the depths. Only then could their plans truly come to fruition.

Sean let out a slow breath, cast the Disillusionment Charm on himself, and slipped out of the Slytherin common room to make sure his plan unfolded as it should.