CHAPTER ONE

THE ASSASSINATION OF RUFUS SRIMGEOUR

The pressures of being the Minister of Magic were clearly showing in the face of Rufus Scrimgeour. With the recent closure of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, and the final realisation that Albus Dumbledore was in fact dead, Rufus had plunged the Ministry into complete chaos.

"It's not my fault!" He bellowed at the Hogwarts board of Governors. "Why was Dumbledore out of the school that night? And why did he take a student along with him?"

Rufus had not been left alone since Dumbledore's death, and found himself constantly under watch from Aurors and his personal assistants.

Percy Weasley, his most trusted advisor, had recommended cough drops as a nice simple solution. It had taken almost an hour for Rufus to make young Percy realise that cough drops were a type of Muggle medicine, which were no good unless you actually had a cough.

Cornelius Fudge, the previous Minister, and Rufus' Muggle Relations Officer, was immersed in the chaos twenty-four hours a day. After all, many claimed that it was his fault that Lord Voldemort was still at large.

Dolores Umbridge, an ex-Professor at Hogwarts, had warned Fudge of the implications of remaining in office, and had caused him to step down as Minister, hoping to gain the power for herself. She had failed, and watched angrily as Rufus poured himself a cup of coffee.

All of these advisors stood around Rufus at that exact moment. Dolores was ranting about making Hogwarts a legal dumping ground for all Wizarding waste, while Cornelius urged Rufus to consider re-opening the school for at least one more term.

"Dumbledore always said, that the only person, who was a threat to You-Know-Who other than him was Harry Potter!" Fudge explained. "Just imagine the power the boy already has, and then think about how much more he could have by passing his N.E.W.T.s!"

Rufus pondered on this for a while, but it was Percy, who had remained silent for some time, who gave him the final nudge.

"My father has always said that it would be either Harry or Dumbledore who would bring You-Know-Who to justice, why not give him a chance to prove his greatness."

Sipping his coffee, Rufus pondered on this, and then his hair sparked in an unnatural flair. He stood, and smiled broadly, his left eye twitching slightly.

"Yes," he muttered. "Hogwarts will re-open."

Within minutes, a conference was called to announce the fate of Hogwarts. Rufus stood at a large podium, with Umbridge and Fudge to his left, and Percy to his right.

"It is my duty to inform the Wizarding community that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, a school which has suffered a great lost over the past few weeks, will be re-opening on September the 1st as per normal.

"I believe," Rufus continued. "That along with the staff, and the ever present members of the Order of the Phoenix, that we will be able to resolve the pressing matter of whom will replace those teachers that we tragically lost last term, and..."

Rufus paused suddenly. He looked up at the scaffolding, which held the building together, and winced. He thought he had seen something move up in the rafters, but there was now nothing there.

"I must also inform you that the Aurors are no closer to locating the criminals known as the Death Eaters, their leader, or their allies, Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape. I must say that –-"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" A voice boomed.

The members of the press turned to find a swamp of green light moving towards the stage. Everyone screamed, and ran. Umbridge grasped Fudge, and launched herself from the stage, taking the old Minister with her. Only Percy remained, along with Rufus.

The light hit Rufus, and he felt every fibre of his being, as it was torn from his body. The light dispersed, and Rufus fell to the floor, in a smouldering heap.

Percy, who had dived behind the stage just in time, picked himself up, and pulled out his wand. He pointed it at the figure, which was moving around in the rafters.

"FLIPENDO!" Percy shouted, and a burst of blue light shot from his wand. It hit the figure, which stumbled and fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. The spell was a childish one, but it was all he could remeber at that moment.

Percy approached the heap, and touched it, lightly with his foot. There was nothing inside the cloak. Whoever had been up in the rafters, whoever had killed Rufus Scrimgeour, whoever had managed to gain access to the building, was gone.

Percy knelt down, angry now. He brushed a hand over the cloak and his hand felt something inside one of the pockets. He pulled the object out, and the shock soaked over him.

The object appeared to be an envelope, and as he stared at it he realised who the killer had been. For the envelope was addressed to the traitor.

The man who had killed Dumbledore had been here. Severus Snape had killed the Minister...