A/N August 25th, 1939. Great Britain and Poland sign a pact of mutual support. Britain pledges its support for Poland should it be attacked. This is a setback for Hitler's strategic plans. Even though war is declared upon Hitlers invasion of Poland, only minor skirmishes occur until May of the following year. Great Britain and Germany ration various food products – meat and flour. During summer, Hitler had guaranteed the neutrality of Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg and Switzerland. Denmark is attacked in April of 1940. Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg fall during Operation Fall Gelb that starts on May 10th.

If Albus Dumbledore had thought his new son would suddenly be a bright, happy child, he would have been sorely mistaken. Fortunately he was too much of a realist by now to be very surprised when Tom avoided him for most of the next week. He was doing well in class, there were no complaints, but he was certainly a bit distant. The end of term was approaching fast, and Albus's meetings with the small group of wizards involved in fighting Grindelwald became more frequent as the threat of war increased.

Tom, meanwhile, kept himself busy studying for his tests. He was allowed to take the second year tests, and if he passed, he would be placed in third year come September. Alastor grinned when he heard that particular bit of news. He himself was a second-year Gryffindor, so they would share some classes. They already did, in Defense, which Tom took with the second year students.

The end-of-the-year project for that class dealt with shielding in duelling, and they had to work on it in pairs, since the project included both a written and practical assignment. Alastor had firmly ignored his house mates and asked Tom to be his study partner for that particular project. Tom, secretly pleased, nodded.

"I have some books I bought this summer," he said, "on duelling."

"Good. My Dad is an Auror," Alastor said happily, "if we start on the project soon, we can send our work to him first to look it over and suggest improvements."

Tom readily agreed.

"Say, you never did tell me if your guardian ended up adopting you after all," Alastor noted as they walked towards the Hall a little later, both with their school books and extra books under their arm, "did he?"

"Yeah," Tom replied, a bit hesitant, "he did. The woman who was there, Miss Harris, she said she remembered you from when your stepdad adopted you."

Alastor beamed. "I remember her! She brought two chocolate frogs and gave me one, then we tried to see whose frog jumped farthest. I won."

Merope, who had been following the boys around while taking an occasional dive towards the walls to chase imaginary mice, let out a happy mew.

"Merope liked her," Tom shrugged, "there was this awful woman, though…Mrs Ellerton."

He told Alastor the things the older woman had said. Alastor screwed up his nose in disgust. "You know, we should send a dungbomb-trapped letter to her at the Ministry," he suggested.

A devious smile appeared on Tom's face at that.

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Aberforth grinned like a schoolboy. "So, it's official now? I have a nephew?"

His brother nodded. "Yes, Tom's mine."

Ignatius and Horace offered their congratulations on the newest edition to the Dumbledore family. Horace nudged his friend in the shoulder.

"So, they didn't ask the big question?"

Albus turned to him, his blue eyes twinkling. "They did, actually. He said yes!"

Horace gaped like a fish, before closing his mouth. A wide smile spread across his face. "That is SUCH a major step, Albus!"

"Isn't it? Of course," the other man added ruefully, "he has been avoiding me since. But he does seem to be seeking out that Moody boy more often, so at least he's not closing himself off completely. Some children his own age, and our house elf seem to be less threatening to him. I will be having a talk with him soon, to see how he is doing."

Horace nodded. "Well, everyone is here," he sighed, "and the situation does not look good."

He spread out some maps on the table. "I don't think we can avoid war anymore."

With that, the group launched into a discussion on various tactics, studied the potential support from the Wizard populations, and then could do nothing but wait for further developments.

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"Miss Harris!" Albus exclaimed as the woman entered his office, "good to see you again. I hope nothing is amiss with the adoption procedure?" he immediately added, concerned.

"No, not with the procedure," the woman was apparently trying to hold back a grin, "I am here to lodge a complaint against your son, though."

Dumbledore's eyebrows moved upwards. "A complaint?"

"Actually, I do not really mind that much, myself," Miss Harris grinned, "it was humorous. Mrs Ellerton, who, by the way, had been given her notice after our conversation last week, was cleaning out her desk when a letter arrived for her. When she opened it…well. It was a dungbomb-trapped letter."

The whole situation raised so many questions in the Professor's mind that he did not manage to make a sound at all.

"Mrs Ellerton's behaviour was deplorable, and it was not the first time," Miss Harris frowned in disapproval, "since I was appointed Head of the Department I warned her several times. This was one incident too many. Either way, while she was clearing out her desk on her last day, a letter, apparently sent by your son and his friend Alastor, arrived for her. She opened it without checking."

A girlish giggle escaped the Department Head for a moment. "Excuse me. She…ended up reeking of manure, badly and had to be escorted from the building. Of course I am obliged to undertake action, so we tracked the wand signatures."

Albus chuckled, too, then sighed. "I will get both boys up here."

A few minutes later, two boys were squirming slightly in front of his desk. Miss Harris had a hard time keeping a straight face.

"Sending trapped dungbomb letters to Ministry officials is a very bad thing to do," Albus scolded firmly, having tightened his Occlumency shields so he would be able to remain stern, "you two are very lucky Miss Harris is willing to forego official reprimands in favour of leaving disciplinary actions to me."

Tom did not risk a glance at the woman, but Alastor did, and noticed her struggle to stay serious. He knew then they were not in very serious trouble, and gave Tom a reassuring nudge.

"Tomorrow afternoon, when you would have had an extra free period because Professor Slughorn has obligations elsewhere, I will take you to the Ministry to clean Mrs Ellerton's office," he said, giving both boys a sharp look, "until not the faintest whiff of dungbomb smell remains. What is that, Mr Moody? Yes, I know it is Wednesday tomorrow. You had better hope, then, that you will finish cleaning in time for your Chess Club meeting. Otherwise you will have to miss it."

He shook his head, catching Alastor's eye. That boy knew they weren't very upset with them, and he gave a small smile.

"If you would excuse us, then, Miss Harris, Mr Moody – I would like a word with Tom."

"Certainly, Professor," Miss Harris said cheerfully, "Come along, Alastor. You can walk me to the gates and tell me how you are doing in chocolate frog racing these days."

After they had left, Albus shook his head. "Honestly, Tom."

"She deserved it," Tom muttered sulkily.

"True," his father agreed, and he looked up in astonishment.

"That does not mean I approve of your prank," Albus reminded him, "but I agree, she was most unkind."

Inwardly, Albus did not much feel like scolding Tom excessively. The prank had been out of line, but understandable, and cleaning the reeking office the next day would be punishment enough for both boys.

Meanwhile, Tom sensed that his new father had been annoyed with the woman's behaviour as well, and it made him feel a little safer. The professor had not agreed with all those jabs at him.

"I haven't seen much of you this week," Albus continued, his voice warm now that he was done lecturing, "how have you been?"

"Good," Tom said. Feeling he should offer a little more information than just one word, he added, "Alastor and I are going to do our Defence project together. And the day after the exams, I am playing Minerva McGonagall in the semi-finals of the Chess Club."

"Ah, excellent," Dumbledore walked around his desk and put an arm around the child's shoulders, "you are a good player if you can take on Minerva! I take it your chess pieces have gotten used to you, then?"

Tom allowed himself to be steered towards the couch. "Yes, sir. They trust me now. It's fun to play with pieces that cooperate with me."

"Yes, it is. Do remember to occasionally take a break from studying, Tommy. I know you want to pass the second year tests, and I will help you, but remember I am proud of you whether you pass them or no. It would do no good if you worked so hard that you collapse from exhaustion and are unable to enjoy our holiday."

Tom looked up. "What are we going to do, sir?"

"Father," Dumbledore corrected gently, "Mr Ollivander has asked if you want to come help him for a few weeks. And we are going to spend some time with my brother Aberforth."

"Do you have to leave again, like during the Easter holidays?" Tom said with feigned disinterest.

"I will have meetings," Albus nodded, "I never did tell you why, did I? Remember I told you before about Germany, and the possibility of war?"

"Yes sir…father. You said that there was a chance there would be war, and you hinted that Wizards as well as Muggles would be involved," Tom recalled.

"Exactly," Albus said, "and now there is n longer a chance, Tom – it is practically a certainty. The question is when the war will come, not if. Unfortunately, I will have to be involved in it."

That seemed to actually distress the boy a little. "Why?"

"Very few wizards believe that the war can affect us. Only a small group knows who the wizard behind the Muggle Chancellor is. He is a Dark Wizard, Tom, one of the most dangerous. He would sacrifice Muggle, Wizard, house elf, child, adult alike in his quest for power. And…"

Albus hesitated. "I am part of a small group of Wizards dedicated to stop him."

"Is it wrong to seek power?" Tom asked.

"Not necessarily," Albus replied carefully, "It is never wrong to seek to better ourselves. It IS wrong to murder others in one's quest for power, arguing that we are better than them. You must understand, Tom, that this wizard believes himself to be superior to everyone else. He would kill you, Rowdy, Alastor, Professor Slughorn, everyone that he deems does not deserve to live. That is what we oppose. With great power comes great responsibility, Tommy, and that includes a responsibility to those not as powerful."

"Mr Ollivander said the same once," Tom remarked.

"I know. I agree with him. One day you will be a powerful wizard, too, Tom. Remember that it only requires a fair amount of magic and some wand waving to be a powerful wizard, but it requires integrity and responsibility to be a great wizard."