Later that day, Evan wrote Hermione a letter summarizing their week of training. He also wanted to know what her plans were for February 14th. February 14th that year was going to be a Wednesday – he and his team would be starting the next phase of their training: Ops of War next week and he doubted he would be allowed off, however, he wanted to know her plans so he could think about her on that day. Evan also suggested she look up his new friend's name, Aimon and, considering where he just completed his training, she could conclude who he was!
February 8, 1996. 04:30, CTCRM, Lympstone. Commando Training Course "camp site". An air-horn blared into his ears waking Evan and his team mates up. The Sergeants no longer tried to enter his tents or dorm rooms. Now they just sent in a small M80 lit explosive! (Evan told Dobby not to banish the explosive because that would be too obvious. Just to make sure nobody was standing too close to the explosive – it might be small but it could still do severe damage to a leg). The Sergeants were shouting, rousing them, telling them to get dressed, equipped and out on line in 90 seconds! Ops of War training started.
Because many soldiers from other branches of the military would be joining them (in preparation for the Commando Phase training), the first four weeks of the course would be a review of core military skills: fieldcraft tactics, patrolling, defense and section and troop-level attacks, troop weapons, signals, map reading and navigation (individual, section and troop-level), first aid, health, hygiene and of course – physical training. The rest of the course would be refinement of these skills and how they fit together during war.
The course then covers Commando skills including amphibious assault drills, cliff assault drills, helicopter drills and small-unit tactics. The construction, use and placement of explosive devices, as well as some basic disarming skills is also covered. The last week of the course is the infamous Commando Test.
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February 16, 1996 – 00:15 (12:15am). Evan woke up suddenly, remembering the remnants of one of his visions. It was early Friday morning. Voldemort appeared to be reaching out to the IRA to spread his chaos. The target – Charing Cross Road. Evan didn't think it was a mission for the military, but knew he had to follow protocol. He put a tired call to the Commander. "Good morning, Sir. I am terribly sorry for disturbing you at this hour." He began. "What is it, Midshipman?" the Commander responded tiredly. (He too had been up late planning future training missions and reviewing reports from ongoing training.) "Sir, I had another vision – this Voldemort contracted with the IRA to plant a bomb in Charing Cross near the Leicester Square tube station." Evan replied. "Do you have any other information of consequence, Midshipman?" "No sir. I am not that familiar with the location. I was unable to discern anything specific regarding location or time." Evan replied. "Very well, Midshipman. I will pass this on. Get some sleep – you have a strenuous training session in the morning. Good night" the Commander concluded, and then hung up the phone.
At breakfast, just a few hours later, the Commander nodded to Evan as he passed. The following morning, the newspaper reported that the local police and bomb squad located a bomb in a telephone box at the Charing Cross Road near the Leicester Square tube station the day before, and destroyed it. They further reported that this marked the end of the IRA's ceasefire and the resumption of its armed campaign in England.
February 17, 1996 – 21:00 (9pm) – CTCRM, Lympstone. Evan was excited – the Commander gave everybody the next day (Sunday) off. Evan was planning to go to London, visit Griphook and buy a gift for Hermione.
February 18, 1996 – 22:15 (10:15pm). Evan was exhausted. He just boarded the 171 bus travelling toward Charing Cross, from which he was going to take a train back to base, tentatively arriving at 4am. He had visited with Griphook in the morning, then Ballsak and Ragnok, Healer Anh, and a Goblin jeweler. The Jeweler allowed him to help make a gold and silver entwined bracelet for Hermione. The Jeweler, Sharptooth, showed him how to engrave protective runes on the thin strands, and further imbue the bracelet with blood-based protections. The bracelet would complement the neckless he previously gifted her, and would protect her from werewolves, vampires and dementors. It had been a painstaking process which he had only finished a half hour ago. Evan had considered just having Dobby pop him back to the base, but he needed to unwind a bit, and thought the bus ride would give him that time.
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