Prologue
Ashes of Truth
Dark clouds obscured the new moon, bathing the world beneath in an unearthly darkness. Two black-robed figures popped into existence. They looked around, seemingly anxious, before relaxing slightly as no-one rose up to meet them. They shared a knowing look and hurried towards the corner of the dark street. From there, they peered towards a large stone house in the street known to Muggles as Privet Drive. Their eyes glistered as they watched the house from far away, unable to get closer due to the powerful wards installed all over the street. The old fool Dumbledore had done his homework well on this one. If was not surprising, of course, considering that none other than Harry Potter lived in that house during summer breaks.
'The wards are strong as ever,' one of the two black-robed figures grunted. 'I don't understand why we are send out here every night. For all we know, the entire Order of the Phoenix could be trapping us here.' He looked around again, nervously fidgeting with his black wand. The other Death Easter snorted. 'Our master gave us orders Yaxley,' he said in a warning tone. 'We obey, without questioning. Questioning can be dangerous, as you surely know by now.' The man smiled behind his deathly mask. He had seen the severe punishment Lucius Malfoy received form their master when he had returned empty-handed from the Department of Mysteries a few weeks ago. He could still hear the screaming in his head. His smile broadened. He had always liked pain, and power, and now he had both. He had been named the leader of a group of Death Eaters that was to watch Privet Drive every day and night. It was a huge chance and responsibility, and Yaxley wasn't about to disappoint his master just yet.
'I know,' the other man, a young recruit named Dennis Pollever, said in a low voice. 'I am no foul Yaxley. I only want to make clear that nothing has changed over the last three weeks. We can't get in there. We can't get to the Potter boy, and you know it.' He spit on the ground and shook his head. Frustration was practicaly radiating from the young Death Eater. Yaxley scowled. The young man had only completed his vows two months ago, when he had first killed someone in the service of the Dark Lord. He was a greenie.
'Have patience,' Yaxley growled in a dangerous voice. 'The Dark Lord knows what he is doing. The Potter boy can never hope to win this war. Our master will see to that. Somehow, he seems to think that the wards are weakening. We don't see the evidence, not yet, but we will. We'll just have to wait for it.' He left the rest of his thoughts unspoken. Once the wards were sufficiently weakened, he and his fellow Death Eater would storm Privet Drive. Every Muggle would be slaughtered, and the Potter boy would be delivered to their master. And then, Yaxley knew, he would rise above his fellow Death Eaters to become the trusted right hand of Lord Voldemort. Lucius Malfoy had had his chance. Not, it was Yaxley's turn. With a feral smile he continued watching Privet Drive from afar.
Albus Percival Dumbledore sighted as he read yet another report of several Death Eater attacks in southern England. Several Muggles had been killed, and many more needed to be obliviated. It was a pure mess. Silently, he once again cursed the stubbornness of Prime Minister Fudge. The man would not be Minister anymore within a few days, Dumbledore knew, but the damage had already been done. There was a vote of no confidence coming, but Dumbledore doubted that they would get a truly capable Minister next. Followers of Voldemort had already infiltrated the Ministry. Dumbledore was sure they would do everything they could to slow reforms and destabilize the government. The enemy of the wizarding world was already inside its walls.
The old men shook his head as he burned the paper. Severus Snape had done well. He had discovered yet another plot to attack Muggles in broad daylight, this time in the city of Birmingham. Dumbledore made a mental note to send a Patronus to Grimmauld Place to warn the Order. Fighters would need to be dispatched to counter the Death Eater threat. Maybe Remus, and Allostor Moody, and probably Bill Weasley, since he was very gifted with wards and shields. As the Headmaster of Hogwarts rose from his comfortable seat, his eyes fell on the large sing sitting on his desk. He frowned. He had almost discovered a way to brake the ancient dark magic in the ring and destroy the piece of Voldemort that was locked inside of it. That would be another major step towards victory. However, the road remained long and exceptionally dangerous. Dumbledore knew well that Harry Potter held the key to success. Once again, the mind of the ancient wizard turned towards the sixteen year old boy. He would be at the center of the hurricane, and didn't even know how important he was. But he would, soon, Dumbledore was certain of that. The time had almost come for the Boy Who Lived to take up the role he was destined to fulfill: that of a champion of the Light in its long war with Darkness.