Watchman on the Tower
by:
Lord Dreadnault
Author Note: I hope you were surprised at the end of the later chapter! Anyway, much thanks to my beta, Tori, and all reviewers who offered comments and or suggestions. Especially LBDomingo and Irene Finlay.
Chapter Four: Emperor of the Empire
"What do you mean the emperor has returned?" Harry demanded.
Andrew smiled, but Edward responded in his rasping whisper. "In short, he means you're the heir to the Dracon throne."
Both Harry's and Ginny's mouths fell open in shock. Their mouths were beginning to hurt, they had been surprised too many times in one day.
"You mean I'm the emperor of all this?" Harry asked in total shock.
"Not yet," Andrew answered, "you have to have the power of the throne consecrated upon you, and then you have to be crowned."
"How do you know he that he is the heir to the throne?" Ginny inquired.
"Ever since that one princess fled the island certain powers have been. . . keeping track of her and her descendants. Waiting for the prophesied one to be born. Waiting for the one who would be able to take the throne, learn the High Magic to its full extent, be able to become a Lord Grand Master." Andrew explained.
"Edward and I were also watching over the royal line. I must admit, we nearly had a stroke when the princess's only great-great-grandchild was born a squib! We were afraid that you wouldn't be born. Our fears were alleviated when your mother was born with magic, and then you followed her."
"You've watched me?" Harry said.
"More or less," Andrew replied, "you would have shown up on this island whether or not we watched you, but hey, we were curious!"
"If you had not watched him though, you wouldn't have recognized him, would you?" Ginny pointed out.
Andrew shook his head and pointed at Harry's eyes. "Hardly a normal color. Green yes, but not a natural green."
"Oh," Ginny said.
"What about this Lord Grand Master deal?" Harry questioned. "How am I supposed to become one?"
"We'll teach you." Edward whispered.
"Are you two Lord Grand Masters?" Ginny asked.
At this question the happiness seemed to slip away from Andrew. "We were. . . nearly eight thousand years ago. Then some wise guy came and assassinated every person who carried our blood, except one of my six brothers, and my nephew. Even my sister-in-law was killed. So then they buried us all six feet deep. They held a hero's funeral for us, while my childhood friend raised my orphaned nephew, trying to explain where his mommy and daddy went, and my surviving brother lay in a coma."
"What do you mean 'our blood'?" Ginny said.
"Our family." Edward responded coldly."
"Oh." Ginny said meekly.
"Then what are you two doing here?" Harry asked.
"We got promoted to deities, unfortunately." Andrew responded, still sounding fairly miserable.
"What's so bad about that?" Harry asked.
Andrew brightened up as his happy demeanor returned. "Well, it isn't socially acceptable for a respected deity to throw banana cream pies into people's faces." He held out his hand and a banana cream pie materialized in it. Andrew began to smile evilly.
"Um, I see," Harry replied nervously. "I don't need one in my face, thank you."
Andrew shrugged. "Your loss!" He stood up and walked over to the window at the end of the room, opened it, and threw the pie out into the busy street. A magically amplified splat resounded through the room.
"What did you do that for!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Don't worry, the banana cream goes away in about a minute." Andrew said while laughing.
Ginny sniffed in disapproval. Harry and Edward were smiling. "What do I have to do?" Harry inquired.
Andrew recovered from laughter. Follow me and Edward, please!"
Harry, Ginny, and Edward stood up and left the conference room.
~ ~ ~ ~
George Weasley, stood at the counter of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and surveyed his kingdom of jokes and pranks. Before the war had ever really began, Fred and he had launched their shop with the generous financial contribution of Harry Potter.
Their shop had got off to a good start from the very first. However, business had really begun to boom after the war. He and Fred had already opened a second shop in Hogsmeade, and were planning to eventually make Weasley's Wizard Wheezes a franchise that would be world renowned. That was where Fred was now, running the shop in Hogsmeade. The twins were planning to hire more help now that business was increasing.
Absently George glanced at his watch. Eight o'clock. The crowds of little pranksters and their parents would soon be arriving to make their purchases for the new school year at Hogwarts. The term began in only a few weeks.
He picked up the Daily Prophet and began to read. The Death Eaters and suspected Death Eaters were still being tried. All of the courts had been overwhelmed immediately after the war. George flipped the page to the business section. He pulled out his wand and marked an ad of particular interest. Gringotts was offering an incredibly high interest rate on savings accounts. That must be why everyone was at Gringotts this morning. He had noticed everyone heading that way instead of towards their normal jobs. He squinted at the fine print to see if he could see what the catch was.
All interest earned will be awarded annually at the end of the calendar year, beginning next year.
George didn't see how that was a catch. Either way, the account owners got their money, just not so soon. Why was Gringotts trying to get gold into their bank?
~ ~ ~ ~
Ron sat at his desk in his Hogwarts office with his feet propped up on the desk. He leaned back his head and took another swig of butterbeer Just then, his wife Hermione walked into the room.
"Ron!" she said in a disapproving voice
He choked on his butterbeer and sat up. "Yes?"
"You should be preparing your lesson plans! Not just sitting around and drinking."
"I'm finished for the next three months!" Ron responded indignantly. "See?" He held up the standard textbook, teacher edition.
Hermione took it from his hand, opened it, and flipped through the pages. "All you've done is highlighted the important parts and written assignments in the margins."
"That's all there is to teaching, isn't there?" Ron replied innocently.
Hermione dropped the textbook down on his cluttered desk. "I give up!" she sighed. "Aren't we going down to the Three Broomsticks for lunch?"
"Of course!" Ron said casually, not mentioning that he had totally forgotten.
"Then let's get a move on!" Hermione said forcefully.
The couple left the castle and began to walk down to Hogsmeade at a comfortable pace. "So," Hermione said, "have you began working on defenses against possible attack like Minerva suggested?"
"Not really," Ron answered.
"Why not?"
"You know, Voldemort is gone, we watched Harry kill him ourselves. This Carthade that Harry was going on about when he left isn't a threat."
"How I wish I could believe it." Hermione replied sadly.
~ ~ ~ ~
Harry, Ginny, Andrew, and Edward descended an old, stone, spiral staircase that had obviously not been used for several centuries.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked.
"You'll see!" Andrew answered cheerfully as they reached the bottom. Harry estimated that they were far underneath the palace by now. The dark passageway they were walking down reminded him eerily of the chamber of secrets from his second year, and gauging by the look on Ginny's face, it reminded her as well.
They strode ahead and the passage got darker and darker as they left behind the scattered windows that had lined their way. Andrew held out his hand and a ball of purple fire appeared, crackling merrily and lighting the way for them.
The foursome soon arrived at a dead end wall. Great, Harry thought a dead end, Andrew and Edward are just as lost as I am. The group stopped and Edward walked ahead straight towards the stone wall before them.
Harry examined the wall closer. What was Edward going to do?
He observed as Edward lifted up his hand that wore the gauntlet. Suddenly a golden seal appeared within the wall. Harry could suddenly see that there was a crack that ran down the middle and the seal was holding it together.
Harry tried to examine what the seal was, but it evaporated and the wall parted and slid open before he could make it out properly.
"Onward!" Andrew said, pointing for them to follow Edward.
Harry and Ginny strode after Edward, Andrew taking up the rear. As soon as they passed the open wall, it closed. Harry spun around to watch it.
"No need to fear," Andrew told Harry. "We can make it open again."
Harry then took a moment to examine the room they had entered. It was lit with incredible light, and the need for Andrew's ball of purple fire had expired. He and Ginny turned about scanning all the walls looking for the source of light. There was no source. Harry then looked up.
They were in the bottom of the tower that soared above the palace. Once again, Harry and Ginny's mouths dropped open.
"This way, please." Andrew said, guiding them towards the center of the room There stood a square platform that was raised approximately one foot above the rest of the floor. Floating one foot above the platform was a gold and sapphire staff. On the top of the staff there was a crystal clear ball in which a dark blue storm cloud swirled. Harry's eyes slid up and down the staff, examining it. It was a little taller than he was, with glittering sapphires and inlaid with elegant gold trimming. It seemed to posses a strength and power of its own.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
It was Edward who answered in his rasping voice. "Stretch forth thy hand Harry, and receive thy inheritance, and embrace thy destiny."
Harry felt himself compelled to walk forward. He stepped up onto the platform and wrapped his hand around the staff slowly. Suddenly he felt a great amount of power surge through him. He tried to let go of the staff but his fingers wouldn't budge. The power was going to burn him alive! He tried to force the power to stop, to leave him alone, but the more he tried, the more the power hurt him.
~ ~ ~ ~
Ginny watched her husband wrap his hand around the mysterious staff. What was going to happen? She spared a glance for Edward and Andrew. They were calmly watching Harry with expectant expressions.
She turned her attention back to Harry. He was now holding the staff, but he was frozen solid. He wasn't moving. What was happening?
~ ~ ~ ~
Harry gave up. He couldn't control it. The power was overwhelming him. He let go of himself and surrendered to the power. He felt it infuse every particle of his body. Suddenly he realized that the power wasn't trying to destroy him! It was trying to merge with him, bond with him, become one with him. He opened himself further to the power and absorbed as much as he could. He was in control now!
Harry felt the awesome power from the staff surge through his veins. After what seemed like an eternity it began to fade. It was still there, just not active anymore. He smiled and then realized how much energy it had taken out of him.
Harry watched as everything spun and then blacked out. The last thing he felt was himself falling.
~ ~ ~ ~
Ginny shrieked just after Harry dropped the staff and collapsed. She rushed over to him and knelt down, cradling his head in her lap. He was still breathing. Ginny looked up and Andrew and Edward. "Do something!" she wailed.
"Did you have something in mind?" Andrew asked innocently.
"Don't be wise with me!" Ginny replied crossly.
"All right, all right," Andrew said, "a night in bed and he'll be perfectly fine."
"Where?" Ginny asked beginning to calm down.
"In your new bedroom suite that comes free of charge with the new position your husband has graciously accepted." Andrew said, reminding Ginny of a Muggle infomercial.
Both Edward and Ginny rolled their eyes at Andrew as Harry's limp form floated up and began to move ahead of them towards the exit.
~ ~ ~ ~
The Dark Lord Carthade sat calmly and coldly at the large circular table in an underground chamber. Few within the very massive network of caves and chambers even knew precisely where it was. It was unplottable, like Hogwarts and other wizarding schools. The majority of personages came to the hideout came via portkeys. The portkeys could only be activated from within the hideout. There were other exits and entrances. However, no one but Carthade knew where they were, knew that they even existed.
Lord Carthade had began construction on it as soon as it became apparent to him that the fool who called himself Voldemort was going to fall. He had prepared it in secret, only letting his most trusted supporters, both inside and outside Voldemort's circle, know what his plans were.
When he had fled from Voldemort's last stand, Harry Potter had nearly caught him. If it hadn't been for the bumbling of the Ministry, Potter would have succeeded. Excepting that last fact, Carthade's rise to power had been simple, quick, and complete.
Lord Carthade had marshaled forces throughout Europe and America, forces that were ready to fight almost immediately. First he would topple the hardest target in Europe from the inside. Great Britain. Even without his influence, conquering Great Britain would be a piece of cake. The British had become fools after Voldemort's defeat, except for Potter and his new wife. They had been exiled though, conveniently getting them out of the way.
Carthade smiled coldly as he frigidly regarded a subordinate who had entered the chamber. "Yes?" he demanded.
The subordinate gulped nervously, regarding the Dark Lord before him. Voldemort had been skinny and frail, and different. His new master was nearly seven feet tall and very muscular. He had no doubts as to Carthade's strength.
"Everything is in place, my lord," he said timidly.
Everything was ready for his first step. The British Ministry of Magic would fall before night fell. "Tell Commander Tareif to began his attack." Carthade ordered.
"As you command my lord."
~ ~ ~ ~
Arthur Weasley, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, strode down the busy streets of Diagon Alley. He was on his way back to the Ministry after having lunch with some important officials from other Ministries.
He rounded a corner that headed for the main Ministry building. Just as he did so he suddenly heard an explosion coming from his destination. In shock he glanced up towards the Ministry, or rather, what was left of it. The gigantic building was in flames. Terrified people screamed, cried, and ran away from the Ministry. At their heels chased wizards in dark robes.
Death Eaters, or so he thought. He returned his gaze to the Ministry. Above the ruins of the English Ministry of Magic a symbol floated. It was a eerie, ominous, and loathsome; immediately reminiscent of the Dark Mark. But Arthur Weasley had never seen this symbol before: a raven clutching a blood red trident in its talons.