Transfiguration Classroom, Hogwarts, 10/1/1991, 09:39
Harry was currently trying to complete his first Transfiguration spell, turning a match into a sewing needle. Harry had been having marginal success in charms but he had yet to have any luck in Transfiguration as of yet.
The past month had been pretty uneventful for the most part. After the novelty of Hogwarts had worn off, he had come to realize it would be years before they were taught something more impressive than the unlocking charm and lumos or wand lighting spell.
It turns out that there was more to casting spells than pointing your wand and saying some funny words. There were mountains of theory for each spell they learned as well as precise wand movements and proper pronunciation otherwise the spell could have different results than what the caster intended.
Focusing on his match, Harry cast the spell for the third time and was rewarded when it changed into a perfect sewing needle.
"How did you do that?" Susan demanded from his left.
"Imagine the sewing needle as you cast the spell," Harry replied as he reversed the Transfiguration.
"Five points to Gryffindor, Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall said from directly behind them making the both jump in surprise.
"Thank you, professor," Harry said as he turned to see her looking over his match stick.
"Try again," McGonagall encouraged.
"Yes ma'am," Harry nodded before going through the wand motions again as he cast the spell.
Harry beamed when the matchstick transformed into a perfect sewing needle, much to his relief.
"Excellent Mister Potter, let's see you try Miss Bones," Professor McGonagall said, looking at the redhead expectantly.
"Yes Professor," Susan said nervously as she went through the wand motions.
"Acusignis" Susan whispered as she jabbed her wand at the matchstick.
Harry beamed as Susan's matchstick slowly transformed into a slightly oversized sewing needle that was the same size as the match.
"You're getting close, Miss Bones now you just have to focus on making the needle the appropriate size," Professor McGonagall said, sounding quite pleased.
"Yes professor," Susan answered at once.
Harry watched as their head of house moved over to Seamus and Dean who had somehow managed to set their matches on fire.
"Thank heavens I got that spell right," Susan mumbled as she reversed her Transfiguration.
"Same, ha ve you heard from Fred about our order yet?" Harry whispered as he attempted the spell again.
"Yes, they promised to pick up our supplies on their Hogsmeade trip Saturday," Susan answered.
"Good, then we just have to figure out how to deploy it," Harry beamed.
"I may have that part figured out, Hannah told me how to get into the kitchens," Susan smirked.
"Excellent," Harry grinned as he watched her cast the spell perfectly.
"I think we can get it in the pudding," Harry said as cast the spell on a fresh match and was a bit surprised to see a perfect sewing needle where the match had just been.
"I can't wait for Halloween," Susan gushed as she cast the spell on another match, changing it to a perfect sewing needle.
'Neither can I," Harry thought to himself as the bell rang, signalling that class was overand they had to make their way to history of magic.
Peverell Beach House, Cornwall, 10/19/1991, 17:39
Harry entered the dining room feeling pleased to finally be home after a gruelling week of classes.
"Daddy, your home!" Carina squealed happily as she looked up from her plate and saw him entering the room.
"Hey princess", Harry smiled warmly as he took a seat next to Bellatrix, idly noticing that Iggy was unusually quiet.
"We had a very interesting day today, Harry," Bellatrix said casually as she watched Harry fix himself a plate.
"Oh, what happened?" Harry asked, sensing that she was upset about something.
"Your son took that broom you have locked in your trunk and flew it over the ocean," Bellatrix said in a voice of forced calm.
"The Comet?" Harry asked hopefully.
"No, the Nimbus," Bella corrected, shooting their son a withering glare.
"Did he?" Harry asked, his own eyes narrowing in his son's direction.
"I just flew over the beach," Iggy defended weakly.
"I told him not to," Carina added, looking almost gleeful at her brother's predicament.
"Hush Carina," Bellatrix warned, shooting her daughter awarning look.
"So what is his punishment?" Harry asked as he looked over at his wife.
"I thought that he could assist Narcissa with her formal dance lessons after his regular lessons are finished," Bellatrix answered with a malicious grin.
"Mum?!" Iggy exclaimed sounding horrified.
"That's an excellent idea, Cissa is always having trouble finding proper assistants," Harry beamed, impressed at how vindictive his wife could be when she wanted to be.
"I'm glad you agree because you'll be joining him," Bellatrix sweetly, making Harry's smile disappear.
"Huh?" Harry asked as he looked at her in confusion.
"This is the second time a child has gotten ahold of one of your brooms, I think you need to be taught a lesson as well," Bella answered matter-of-factly.
"Mummy, you can't punish daddy," Carina protested, looking scandalized.
"Oh, but you'll find that I can, dear," Bellatrix smirked.
"Bella, is this really necessary?" Harry sighed as he looked at his wife almost pleadingly.
"It is. Children seem to keep getting a hold of your racing brooms and running amok with them," Bellatrix said before sipping her wine.
"Iggy, you seem to have a knack for starting trouble and dragging me in with you," Harry sighed, remembering the bouncy ward incident.
"Indeed he does. As another part of his punishment, he will not be getting that racing broom for Christmas this year," Bella said matter-of-factly.
"But mum-
"Silence you knew that you weren't supposed to fly that broom," Bella said, cutting off her son's protests.
Harry felt a bit disappointed that Iggy had pulled that stunt as he had finally talked his wife into letting him get the twins real broomsticks for Christmas this year
"I guess I'll take the broom I got him back to the shop," Harry said as he began to tuck into his dinner.
"You got me a broom?!" Iggy exclaimed.
"I did but it seems you are not ready to have your own broom," Harry shrugged between bites of roast.
"You might as well take them both back or Iggy will just steal his sister's," Bellatrix added.
"Mum!" Carina gasped looking horrified.
"She's right, princess. I can't give one of you a broom and not the other," Harry agreed, already sensing a tantrum brewing.
"It's not fair!" Carina exclaimed angrily before she got up and stormed out of the dining room.
"Well, that went well," Harry sighed.
"Yes, so how are things at the school going?" Bella asked as she pushed her empty plate away.
"Same as usual, I think the Greeks are going to move the griffins back to the reserve next week," Harry said somewhat sadly.
"I told you not to get attached to them," Bella said, giving him a sympathetic smile.
"I know but it's harder than you think, the chicks were quite cute and Hera is unlike any griffin I've interacted with," Harry defended.
"You and your creatures," Bella said fondly.
"I moved the griffin lesson ahead for my seventh years so they could see them before the handlers come to take them to Greece," Harry said.
"They're not sending another one in January then?" Bella asked sounding genuinely curious.
"No, they already informed me that they won't be sending another griffin to Hogwarts until the year after next," Harry said with a shake of his head.
"I guess you can show the pensieve memories," Bella consoled.
"True, those always go over pretty well. So besides the broom debacle, how was your day?" Harry asked as he took a drink of his wine.
"It went very well, I found a merchant to sell my enchanted razors for me, so I have a rather large order to fill before the first of next month," Bellatrix said as Ignotus picked sullenly at his plate.
"That's wonderful, which shop?" Harry asked curiously.
"Madam Primpernelle's, it's a store for witches though the razors would give a man a very close shave as well," Bella said sounding very pleased.
"Can I be excused?" Ignotus asked grumpily.
"You may, you still have homework to finish," Bellatrix said, giving him a pointed look.
"Yes mother," Ignotus said stiffly before sweeping from the room.
"I think the children are upset with me," Bella said, sounding almost amused.
"They'll get over it, I can't believe the little prat took my broom for a flight," Harry snorted.
"Yes, he was hundreds of feet up when I came out on the deck after lunch, he looked like a gnat," Bella scowled.
"I guess I'll take the new brooms back before I come home tomorrow," Harry shrugged as he pushed his empty plate away.
"No, if they behave they can have them for their birthday," Bella said with a put-upon sigh.
"You're going soft on me," Harry smirked as he stood up.
"I am not," Bella protested as she too rose to her feet.
"So are you really going to make me help Cissa with her dance class?" Harry asked as he led his wife into the sitting room.
"No but you really should, Cissa is hosting a ball on Yule and she could really use your help getting her students up to snuff," Bella said as Harry sat down in his favourite chair and she took a seat, sitting sideways in his lap.
"I swear, every time I turn around Narcissa has something for me to do for her," Harry sighed as his wife snuggled into him.
"She has made us quite rich," Bella pointed out, sounding amused.
"I know, we just recently broke the seven-figure mark in our vaults and that's not even counting what's deposited in the children's trust vaults every month," Harry said as he wrapped his arms around her.
"I noticed, I had to draw out a few thousand galleons to buy razors to enchant and the vault looks to be close to the limit," Bella admitted.
"I'll bring that up with Long-Blade next time I go to the bank," Harry promised.
"Good... so about Narcissa?" Bellatrix pressed as she kissed his neck sending a pleasurable tingle down his spine.
"Fine, I guess I'll do it, though I thought she would make the Weasley boy be her dance assistant," Harry said feeling a bit distracted by her teasing.
"She broke that off weeks ago," Bella giggled.
"Really?" Harry asked, surprised he hadn't already heard about this.
"Yes, I think she just wanted to scratch an itch.She broke off their arrangement before he left for Egypt," Bella shrugged.
"It's probably for the best, Draco hated him," Harry snorted as they heard an awful commotion coming from upstairs.
"It sounds like they're having another fight," Harry grimaced as he heard Carina's high-pitched screams.
"Yes," Bellatrix said as she got to her feet and swept from the room, a look of annoyance on her face.
Sighing, Harry got to his feet to give his wife assistance though truthfully when she dressed them down he just stood back and let her vent her spleen.
He really only jumped in when one of the twins talked back and that was more to keep his wife from getting any angrier.
Harry could kind of sympathize with Arthur Weasley, when Bellatrix dressed the kids down, she could really build up a head of steam that could leave their ears ringing.
From what he gathered, Carina had picked a fight with Ignotus for causing them both to lose out on getting real brooms for Christmas.
The argument had quickly escalated into a fist fight and both of them were sporting bloody lips and bruises on their cheeks.
Ares watched on from a basket in the corner of the room looking almost amused by the fight but he quickly slithered out of the room when Bellatrix started berating the twins.
Harry wasn't really surprised that they had gotten into a fight, not that it mattered, the kids were too old to be fighting like two-year-olds.
Harry couldn't help but wonder if all twins were like this but was soon brought back to the present as Bella marched Carina out of Ignotus' room.
"Are you alright, mate?" Harry asked as he drew his wand and began healing his son's injuries.
"I'm okay, dad, but Carina can really throw a punch," Iggy said as his bruises receded.
"I noticed, you two can't keep fighting like this," Harry sighed as he took a seat in Iggy's desk chair.
"She started it," Iggy pointed out.
"Doesn't matter who started it, it's bad form to hit a lady," Harry said, giving his son a pointed look.
"She's not a lady, she's my sister," Iggy argued.
"She will be, though she certainly isn't acting like one at the moment," Harry said with an exasperated shake of his head.
"I'll try not to fight with her so much," Iggy sighed as she wiped away blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Good man, so how did you like the Nimbus?" Harry asked after making sure his wife wasn't standing right behind him.
"It was amazing, the broom flew so fast," Iggy gushed.
"Tell me about it," Harry grinned.
"I'm sorry I took your broom without asking," Iggy said as he looked down at his trainers.
"I don't believe you, you're only sorry you got caught," Harry smirked.
"I am sorry I got caught," Iggy admitted, his face flushing in embarrassment.
"You will be, Cissa's going to make you dance with all of the young heiresses," Harry said as he stood up.
"You have to go too," Iggy pointed out as he looked up at his father.
"True but I only have to dance with your aunt. Anyway I need to check on your sister and you have homework to finish," Harry said as he made his way to the door.
"Dad?" Iggy asked before he could leave the room.
"Yes?" Harry asked turning back to meet his son's gaze.
"Did you really get me a broom for Christmas?" Iggy asked.
"I did but now I have to take it back to the shop," Harry said before making his down the hall to see how Bella was getting on with Carina.
HMS Wakefield, 10/31 /1991, 02:49
Lewis Selwyn sat in on his cot unable to sleep after lights out. This muggle prison was hell! Even by muggle standards, this place was rough. The other inmates had dubbed this hellhole the Monster Mansion as it was where the worst of the worst inmates were sent.
Truthfully he would have preferred to have gone to Azkaban rather than here but the ministry had shut it down after the dementors were destroyed a few years ago.
The few inner-circle death eaters in ministry custody had been moved to a top-secret holding cell but people like him were sent to places like this.
Lewis was pulled from his thoughts as he heard footsteps in the corridor outside of his cell. This was very unusual considering the time of night. The guards usually only did a bed check right before lights out and then watched the CCTV over the cell block until the next head count after the morning wake-up call.
Lewis turned to try and catch a glimpse of who was out there through the bean port of his cell door. Markus had barely peaked out of his cell when his vision was filled with light before the cell door was thrown open. His cellmate jerked awake before he was hit with a stunning spell and slumped back onto his cot.
Lewis stared at a tall figure in hooded grey robes with a wand clutched lazily in his right hand. The area under the figure's hood looked like a dark hole, no doubt due to some type of concealment charms. Something about this person sent a chill up his spine, Lewis could feel actually feel the power radiating from this mysterious figure standing in his open cell door.
"Lewis Selwyn, I've been waiting to meet with you for two years now," the stranger said in a man's voice that sounded familiar but he couldn't place where he'd heard it before.
"Who are you?" Lewis asked feeling fear in the pit of his stomach as the man stepped into his cell and shut the door behind him.
"You can call me Reaper, I am here to discuss what you did to poor Penelope Clearwater," Reaper said as he directed his wand at Lewis.
"H-he told me to do it!" Lewis exclaimed sounding hysterical even to his own ears.
"You were ordered to cause a distraction, you went the extra mile and raped a twelve-year-old girl," Reaper sneered before lazily flicking his wand.
Lewis flinched as his shirt was ripped open, exposing his bare chest. With a second jab of Reaper's wand, Lewis collapsed to his knees as a blood-curdling scream left his lips.
It felt like a white-hot knife was carving into his flesh and he couldn't move away as the pain intensified to unimaginable agony as the seconds ticked by.
Looking down at his chest, Lewis saw that tiny strips of his flesh were being peeled away from his body only to fall to the floor with a wet 'splat' sound that made him want to vomit.
Lewis tried to move but his arms and legs wouldn't cooperate. All he could do is scream as more and more of his flesh was torn away.
As he neared the point of passing out, he idly noticed that the area where flesh was torn away formed a bloody dark mark that took up most of his torso. I looked a bit different from the mark on his arm, there was a scythe crossing the skull of the mark and the snake was beheaded.
Lewis gasped as the spell finally finished after what felt like an eternity and Lewis gasped as the stinging pain lingered all over his torso as warm blood continued to seep out of the wound.
"Normally I would just kill you quickly but I have taken a liking to young Penelope," Reaper said as he sheathed his wand and drew a weapon that Lewis had become intimately familiar with...a chiv.
"Your circumstances necessitate me to not draw attention from the muggles and Patterson over there is a lifer anyway," Harry said as he stalked towards the kneeling man.
"Please don-
Lewis was cut off as Reaper rammed the six-inch knife made out of a filed-down piece of metal into his throat and ripped it back out, spraying the floor in blood. Lewis's last conscious thoughts were how much it hurt. Lewis gurgled helplessly as Reaper thrust the chiv into him again and again until everything went black and his lifeless body collapsed to the concrete floor of his cell.
Harry watched Lewis Selwyn collapse into a pool of his own blood before he lifted the hand of the unconscious man laying on his cot and placed the chiv in his hand.
Harry knew it would take a few days for the ministry to learn of Selwyn's death but he was confident that Voldemort would find out shortly after. This is why he cut the mark of the Reaper into Lewis' chest, well that and he wanted the death eater to suffer a bit.
Taking the time to remove his magical signature from the cell, Harry opened the door and stepped back into the corridor.
He had to make a stop at the control room to turn the CCTV back on before he could leave but all-in-all, Harry was satisfied with what he'd accomplished here tonight.
Great Hall, Hogwarts, 10/31/1991, 17:49
Harry was sitting at the head table as the students chattered excitedly and enjoyed the excellent food offered at the annual Halloween feast.
He had his eye on Quirrell but the man seemed to be more concerned about his meal than anything else, which was a relief in Harry's opinion.
Quitrell had done anything out of the ordinary all year and Harry had been watching the man rather closely. He was starting to think that his arrival in the past had prevented Quirrell from being taken in by Voldemort.
His trip last night had been a success, he had made his way out of the prison with little effort and only wished he could see Tom's reaction when word finally got back to him. Harry was just about to help himself to some treacle when a loud obnoxious sound cut through the room courtesy of the headmaster.
'THPPTPHTPHPHHPH!'
McGonagall looked over at the headmaster disapprovingly as giggling broke out around the four house tables.
"Albus, show some decor-
'THPPTPHTPHPHHPH!'
Minerva's eyes bulged before she broke wind even louder than the headmaster.
"Good heavens, Minerva!" Pomona exclaimed before she blushed crimson and farted louder than the other two, the sound echoing around the cavernous room.
'THPPTPHTPHPHHPH!'
The hall had broke out in laughter by now as the students' conversation had stopped due to the obnoxious sounds coming from the staff table.
'THPPTPHTPHPHHPH!'
Harry had to fight his own laughter when Minerva farted again, her face turning bright red as every eye in the hall turned to look at her.
'THPPTPHTPHPHHPH!'
Harry lost the battle and broke into a deep belly laugh as Snape farted, his usually impassive face showing his embarrassment.
'THPPTPHTPHPHHPH!'
Dumbledore looked at his plate of custard dubiously, ignoring the laughter from the students as he waved his wand over the pan his eyes widening in surprise
'POOOOOOOOOOT!'
Harry turned to see Professor Flitwick covering his face in embarrassment as he was overcome by whatever was causing this absurd flatulence.
'THPPTPHTPHPHHPH!'
"I do believe we are being pranked," Dumbledore muttered at Minerva's questioning gaze as Sinistra passed gas that was so loud it was able to be heard over the laughter of the students.
'THPPTPHTPHPHHPH!'
"I believe someone spiked the custard with a modified flatulence powder," Snape said after breaking wind a second time.
'POOOOOOOT!'
"I believe your lions are behind this," Harry told Minerva as he spotted Susan and his younger self laughing uproariously as Professor Flitwick farted yet again.
"Indeed," Minerva muttered as she eyed two students in particular.
"Not the Weasley twins, I meant Potter and Bones," Harry said having to struggle to suppress his laughter.
"Oh, I should have-
'THPPTPHTPHPHHPH!'
Minerva was cut off midsentence as she let out a very loud fart, her face turning crimson.
"I suppose we should be grateful that it is just a sound effect," Harry muttered as Dumbledore farted again.
"Indeed, I can't believe I have seven more years of these shenanigans to look forward to," Minerva muttered darkly.
"A bit longer than that, little Edgar Black is just like Sirius," Harry said gently.
"Good heavens," Minerva muttered as she stood up from her seat and marched towards the Gryffindor table.
'Poot!'
'Poot!'
'Poot!'
'Poot!'
'Poot!'
'Poot!'
Harry had to struggle not to laugh out loud as Minerva farted every time she took a step. Harry felt some amount of sympathy for his younger self as Minerva's embarrassment was quickly replaced by fury.
The prank was childish to be certain but Harry couldn't deny that he found it hilarious. The look on Minerva's face when the prank had taken effect was priceless.
Still, he had a gut feeling that he would be stuck overseeing their detentions.
Deciding not to worry about that now, Harry cut himself a serving of treacle and ran his wand over it to check for the presence of anything he would rather not ingest.
Seeing the pastry was clean, Harry began to eat while he watched Minerva dress down Harry and Susan.
'All in all, this was an alright Halloween,' Harry thought to himself as Minerva led the two first years out of the hall.
Abery Manor, Hampshire, 11/3/1991, 13:39
Voldemort listened as his spy filled him in on the murder of Lewis Selwyn. He wouldn't have thought anything of it until Runcorn told him about the mark carved into Sewyn's chest, the mark that had been the bane of his existence since last Halloween.
According to the muggle coroner, Selwyn was killed early Halloween morning which made it pretty obvious that this was a message to him.
He was very upset that he hadn't been able to learn very much about the person or persons bastardizing his mark and killing his death eaters. This was the third attack where this particular mark was left behind.
He would have to find a way to deal with this already he was sensing unrest in his ranks.
The death of Corban Yaxley had really unsettled his followers, especially when they learned of the manner in which he was killed.
He would have to find out who this man was
Voldemort already knew that some of his younger followers were contemplating leaving his service. This could not be allowed to get any worse.
No, whoever was attacking his servants must be stopped... and soon!
"Perhaps I could draw him to me," Voldemort muttered out loud as a plan began to form in his mind.
Voldemort was pulled from his musings as his death raters began arriving for the meeting tonight.
He had plans to make a grand spectacle for his birthday, he had stayed in the shadows long enough, and it was time for the world to know he was back.
Hogwarts Head's Office, 11/3/1992, 23:39
Albus was sitting in his office pondering the unsettling news he had just received. It would seem someone attacked his former student while he was in muggle custody.
Albus already suspected this was the work of his care for magical creatures teacher as Lewis Selwyn was indirectly involved in the attack on Professor Peverell's home two years ago.
Albus wasn't sure how to handle the situation, if he was being honest with himself, he wasn't even sure he should try and interfere.
Lewis Selwyn had committed a truly heinous crime inside of this very castle and Albus could not pretend that he was upset at his passing, especially after what the man had done to little Penelope Clearwater.
However, this led to more questions as the mark carved into Mister Selwyn's chest was also found floating over two other attacks in the past year.
The first was Grace Edgecombe who was found dead in her home along with her lover, Corban Yaxley. Albus remembered Harry questioning Severus about the woman but had put it from his mind at the time.
Then exactly one year after the attack on the Peverells' home, Grace Edgecombe was attacked and from what Alastor had told him, she did not die easily.
Dolores Umbridge's murder had taken him by surprise, at least it had until the aurors searched her home and found evidence of her conspiring to assassinate the minister and correspondence between her and Thomas Avery.
The auror department had tried to investigate Avery as he had strongly intimated in his letters that he wished for Umbridge to take care of the minister for him. Unfortunately, the ministry could not locate him and he had sent a proxy to vote for him on tbeWizengamot since.
Truthfully, they didn't have enough evidence to arrest Avery but they could still question him under veritaserum to investigate his involvement with Madame Umbridge, that is if they could find him.
It was obvious that a vigilante was taking it upon his or herself to deal with corruption in the ministry as all three of the people killed were ministry employees.
Sighing to himself, Albus stood from his seat and opened the cabinet where his pensieve was stored and drew a memory from his temple before dropping it in the basin.
Before he could activate the pensieve there was a knock on his office door.
"Enter," Dumbledore called before he shut the cabinet and hastily retook a seat at his desk.
Albus was unsurprised to see Severus enter the office looking thoroughly wrung out.
"Albus, I have news," Severus said without preamble.
"Oh?" Albus said as he gestured to the empty chair on the other side of his desk.
"The dark lord was furious when Runcorn delivered news of the attack, he plans to lure whoever is killing death eaters into a trap," Severus explained as he took the offered seat
"That does not surprise me very much, what poor fool will play the bait?" Albus asked as he popped a lemon drop into his mouth.
"Albert Runcorn," Severus admitted.
"Ah so he believes the pattern is ministry employees as well," Dumbledore said with an approving nod.
"He does, he is furious that he only has one reliable contact inside the ministry because of the Reaper," Severus agreed.
"Reaper?" Dumbledore asked with interest.
"That is what the death eaters have taken to calling whoever this man is because of the scythe he leaves as a calling card at all of his attacks," Snape shrugged.
"I see, any news about Voldemort's immediate plans?" Albus asked with interest.
"He has sent the Carrow twins to meet with the giants, I believe he wishes to use them," Severus admitted.
"That could be a mistake, those two are certainly not diplomats," Dumbledore pointed out, looking almost amused.
"Dolohov will be going with them," Snape said, sobering up the headmaster up.
"That is most troubling. If Antonin assists, he could use the Durmstrang ship to transport them into almost any body of water he wished," Dumbledore said looking alarmed.
"Yes, he plans on using the ship. He told us tonight that he already attempted to use it to come to Hogwarts last year but he hit some type of barrier that nearly destroyed the ship," Snape said, giving Albus a curious look.
"When I learned of his employment at Durmstrang, I activated the ancient protections over the Black lake," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling happily.
Before the Tri-Wizard tournament came into being in the eleven hundreds, Durmstrang was controlled by Viking wizards. Durmstrang had led raids on Britain and Scotland with the first iteration of the Durmstrang ship. It was a Viking longboat that travelled by a magic that was similar to portkey travel through the medium of water.
In Eleven eighty-six, a large contingent from Durmstrang arrived in the Black lake intent on laying siege on the castle.
Fortunately, they were waylaid by the giant squid who very nearly crushed their boat before the attackers beat a hasty retreat.
After this attack, the first headmaster of Hogwarts commissioned the goblins to set massive ward stones in the lake to prevent the durmstrang ship from being able to travel so close to the castle without the head's permission. After the Tri-Wizard tournament came into being and a nonaggression treaty was signed between the three schools the wards were deactivated.
Thankfully the wards had never been completely removed just put into a dormant state.
Albus had brought them to life once again when he had learned that Dolohov had a position of power at Durmstrang, knowing an attack from the lake was almost inevitable.
Albus pulled himself from his musings and looked over at his potions master.
"I will notify the order of this development, does Voldemort have any clue as to who is carrying out these attacks?" Albus asked curiously.
"No, he is putting pressure on Runcorn to find out who is doing this," Snape shrugged.
"Very well, I shall let you get some rest. Well done as always, Severus," Dumbledore said by way of dismissal.
"Good evening, Albus," Severus said before rising from his seat.
Albus watched Severus leave his office pondering this new information. Giants were a big problem and could cause serious damage especially if they were the vanguard of a death eater raid.
He would have to set up some kind of watch for the arrival of the giants but with so much coastline to watch, Albus knew it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Albus had a feeling that the order was not going to have much success but he would still post lookouts on coastal wizarding areas on the chance that they got lucky.
In the meantime, he would look into this vigilante the death eaters had nicknamed, Reaper.