Discussions.

Sorry it took a while. Got a bit stuck there. Still not entirely satisfied, but it will do.

I am also looking for a Beta, so if anyone is interested, please let me know in a review or a pm.

DEATH EATERS ATTACK AND COLLAPSE: IS OUR COUNTRY SAFE?

By Rita Skeeter

Late Wednesday evening the esteemed Dolores Umbrdige, Under Secretary to our Minister Fudge, was brutally attacked during a detention with one of her pupils, the recently obliviated Harry Potter, who had been taken down to the Forbidden Forest for reason's unknown, by the Hogwarts High Inquisitor.

It is with great regret that the Daily Prophet informs the public of the demise of Dolores Umbridge after this horrific attack. Umbridge was somehow blinded and also exposed to the Cruicatus curse for a prolonged period of time and is now residing in a secure ward in St Mungos Special Treatment, her mind no longer functional. This crime was committed by one of You-Know-Who's most trusted followers, Bellatrix Lestrange. A member of His inner circle in the first war, Lestrange no doubt came to collect on some revenge against a now vulnerable Boy-Who-Lived and Under Secretary Umbridge was in the way. At present it is unknown what Dolores Umbridge was doing in the Forbidden Forest with Harry Potter, or how Mr Potter managed to escape from Lestrange. Luckily however, two Hogwarts Staff, Professor Severus Snape and Professor Minerva McGonagall, arrived on the scene and managed to subdue the dangerous escaped convict before she could inflict too much damage. As it was, the altercation resulted in five students loss of consciousness. Harry Potter, the recently disowned Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini and Neville Longbottom. After an altercation with one of perhaps the most dangerous Death Eater, these five boys are lucky to be alive.

After speaking with several teachers and students at Hogwarts, it was uncovered that Mr Potter was supposed to be attending detention with Professor Umbridge, writing lines. After speaking with several other students who had experienced detentions with the Ministry Professor to discover if she had ever taken them out to the Forest, it was learned that Professor Umbridge had a very questionable method of detention. Writing lines with Blood Quills. Not only is this a very dangerous thing to practice but also very illegal. Several students have already got scars marring the back of their hands as a result of such detentions. The question now stands, what was Dolores Umbridge doing with the Boy-Who-Lived in the Forbidden Forest? It is believed that she ordered Mr Potter to follow her to the Forbidden Forest where she tried to attack him. Umbrdige was then distracted by the arrival of Lestrange and Potter fled, luckily escaping mostly unscathed. Although the details are not certain, from what has been reported this is likely the way the attack transpired.

Despite the way in which the incident occurred, it appears as if most - if not all - the students at Hogwarts are relieved that Professor/High Inquisitor/Under Secretary Umbridge has left and feel much safer now that she is locked in a ward in St Mungos, many claiming that she was "Already crazy, at least she won't hurt anyone now."

Lestrange is now under watch by several Auror's, however, it seems as though she has fallen in to a coma during the attack at Hogwarts. Incidentally, around the same time, several ministry officials and indeed, several ordinary citizens fell into unexplainable comas as their magic force drained away too rapidly for their bodies to handle. Healers are unable to find the cause, however, it was a shock to learn that most, if not all these people bore the mark of You-Know-Who, the Dark Mark. This only goes to show that You-Know-Who had certainly returned, though what the collapse of more than fifty of his Death Eaters means no one is sure.

When asked to comment on the matter, Minister Fudge stated that, "I have every faith that no ministry official has been involved in any matter as ludicrous as the one you are suggesting. This is an illness, nothing more. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has not returned."

And yet throughout the year there have been more and more attacks on Muggleborn families and ordinary Muggles by Wizards. Incidents of seeing the Dark Mark conjured above ruined homes and fallen Aurors has been raised to an all time high. It is apparent that the Minister is either blinded to these events or refusing to acknowledge what is right in front of him.

Among many of the unconscious Death Eaters was one Lucius Malfoy, whom is known to have been pardoned by Fudge himself whereas Sirius Black, a man innocent of the crimes put against him spent thirteen years unjustly in prison where he had been thrown without a trial. Again, when the Minister was questioned, he got rather flustered and had only denials and excuses to state. "It was a very regrettable situation in regards to Mr Black, however, unlike Mr Malfoy's case all the evidence was there, pointing to Black."

And yet Mr Black was convicted and Mr Malfoy was not. This begs the question as to whether or not our country is in the right hands. How is it that innocent men are sent to prison without a trial and guilty men are escaping free? How can we feel safe when even Hogwarts is being attacked by crazed and ruthless Death Eaters?

It is time the public accepted the fact that You-Know-Who has indeed risen. The question that now must be answered - what is he planning? Why did more than fifty of his followers collapse Wednesday Evening? Where is he hiding? And most importantly, what is the Ministry going to do about it?

The article was printed on the front page of the The Quibbler, since Fudge had stopped it's printing in the Daily Prophet and although it wasn't as scathing or ridiculing as Rita usually liked her articles to be, she was happy knowing that it was going to be read by nearly every witch and wizard in Britain. Already sales for the Quibbler were higher than they had ever been, including the sales after she had published her article of the interview with Potter. The people were swallowing the story with relish and people had begun to crowd outside the ministry, demanding answers and action.

Back at Hogwarts, six students sat in the Headmaster's office each one of them having read the article, with three adults in seated in the room with them.

"It is my belief that whatever transpired between you boys and Voldemort caused the collapse of all the Death Eater's." Albus said with his usual wise tone.

Harry snorted and grinned up at the man, leaning forward on his chair as he scooped up another spoonful of ice-cream - Draco and Theo should lighten up about it, he missed breakfast after all - smothered in chocolate topping, pausing with the spoon to say, "Well that much is obvious. Why do you think it happened though?"

Minerva's lips thinned, "Potter, you will refrain from making such rude comments."

Harry shrugged one shoulder and swallowed his ice-cream, "Was just wondering." And he dumped another mouthful of ice-cream in his mouth.

Minerva's nose wrinkled. "Potter, why are you eating ice-cream?"

"He missed breakfast." Neville explained brightly, smiling softly at the disgusted looks on Draco, Theo, Severus and Minerva's faces.

"So you are eating ice-cream?" Minerva asked, clearly revolted.

Draco shuddered, "He alway's does. I don't want to know how he even convinced the House Elves to allow him to eat such an unhealthy breakfast."

Harry just grinned again, "You wouldn't say that if you had tried it." Harry tapped the spoon - clean of course - against his chin, "I was even thinking of trying it for dinner. Steak and ice-cream, mmmmm."

"Yuck." Both Draco and Theo muttered.

Blaise chuckled, "I think I'll try some of that too."

Blue eyes glittering in amusement, Albus coughed lightly bringing the attention back to himself. "I'm glad to see you all so cheerful, but I'm afraid we still have some small problems to deal with."

"Such as?" Theo asked sceptically.

"Such as what has happened to the Dark Lord." Severus responded snidely.

Draco frowned, "He's dead, isn't he?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think that? All you did was push him out of Potter's useless head."

"So he's alive?" Neville sounded rather meek, as if all the confidence he had gained the the last few months had just drained out of him.

Albus nodded gravely, linking his fingers together on the desk. "I'm afraid so."

"The Dark Mark has a fail safe in it. If Voldemort were to die, his followers would follow. Currently they are all in a coma, which indicates either that he is close to death, or he is using their magic for himself." Severus explained.

"So either way he's pretty weak right now, right?" Blaise asked curiously, if a little excited, "We could take him now couldn't we?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Not likely, Zabini."

Blaise wouldn't be deterred, "Why not?"

"What about all those people connected to V-V-Voldemort who might die?" Neville asked worriedly.

Theo scowled, "They deserve it for joining up with someone as foul as the Dark Lord."

Albus appraising eyes toward Theo, "Do you really think so? Most of them would not have had much of a choice. You all could very well have ended up serving him, had it not been for Harry."

Theo's scowl deepened, yet he did not dispute this fact.

Harry sat up straight with a small smile. "I know, I'll talk to him."

Everyone looked at him.

"You'll what?" Draco asked incredulously, leaning forward in his chair to stare at Harry as the others glanced around with similar expressions.

"One does not simply talk with the Dark Lord, Potter." Severus said dryly.

Harry rolled his eyes, his smile turning into a grin. "You've got to stop calling me that. Besides, I've done it already."

"Are you mad?" Draco asked, standing so suddenly he sent his chair clattering back onto the floor as he advanced on Harry, "You could have died last time! You can't do that again! You can't expect us to let you do that again! Merlin, Scarhead, weren't you afraid?"

Harry blinked several times - fear, laughter. Mad, never ending laughter. - knowing that this was just Draco's worry coming through in anger. He stared up at his friend, his brother, and gave him a reassuring smile.

"I was afraid. But not of him. I know what I fear, and I know I won't have to worry about her ever again. But I can do this."

"You're just going to let him into your head? Well you know what, I won't let you!" Draco had grabbed the front of Harry's robes and pulled him to his feet so that they were almost nose-to-nose.

Harry shook his head, stepping back as Blaise and Neville rose uncertainly, ready to restrain either one of them if it turned into a fist fight. "No. I'm going to go into his head."

Draco's steel blue eyes widened, his mouth opened and closed several times as he tried to find something to say.

"Ok, I'm starting to agree with Draco, you are mad." Theo murmured uncertainly.

Harry glanced over at him as Draco's hands loosened their hold on his robes. "I can do this. Trust me."

"This is ridiculous, sit down, all of you." Minerva snapped. "Potter, you are not doing anything of the sort. You said so yourself, you broke the bond you have with him."

Harry laughed and pulled his bag up from the floor and onto his lap. "I've been reading that book, and there are some bits in it that only Parselmouths can read." He pulled the book our and handed it over to the Potions Master. "I could get into Voldemort's head if I wanted to. I am going to. I'll talk to him, and fix this problem."

"You can't honestly think it's as simple as that?" Theo asked sceptically.

Harry shrugged one shoulder. "I do." And with that he took out his wand, tapped his own head and said in parseltongue, "Legilimens."

"No!" Several shouts filled the office as Luna stood from her chair beside Harry to grab him as he tipped backwards.

The small Ravenclaw almost buckled under the sudden weight but Draco darted forward to help her just in time. "I swear, if he's not back in five minutes I'm following him in there." Draco growled as they laid the limp body down.

Luna just smiled up at him and said softly, "The Sungaltops are rather fond of him, I doubt they'd let him come to any harm."

Harry on the other hand was once again experiencing a roller-coaster type ride. He had been sucked inside his own head only to tumble along a tunnel of memories until he came across one with Voldemort in it, which had sucked him along another tunnel. He was twisting and turning and tumbling before suddenly he was spat out in a rather comfy looking room.

Landing in a heap on the floor, Harry coughed a few times, pushing himself to his feet to look around.

"Who are you?" Asked a timid voice.

Harry looked to his left and blinked. There was a young boy sitting on the floor, toys and paper and pencils spread about around him. He was thing and wiry, looking up at Harry through startled if slightly fearful brown eyes.

"Um, I'm Harry. Who are you?" Harry answered, offering up a small smile.

The boy frowned a little. "My name is Tom. How'd you get here?" He demanded.

Harry stood a little straighter. "Tom? As is Tom Riddle? I made it then." He muttered this last bit mostly to himself before answering the boy's question. "I used a spell in parseltongue to enter your mind."

Tom blinked several times, tilting his head in much the same way Harry did when he was curious. "Really? Could you get me out of here then?" His tone had become excited, all traces of trepidation gone.

Harry chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm. "Get you out of here? Are you stuck?"

The boy nodded. "Yes. He locked me in a very long time ago, and I've never been able to get out."

"He?" Harry asked curiously, making his way over to the boy and sitting in front of him, mindful not to disturb any of the toys.

Tom glanced about and then pulled a sheet of paper closer. "Him." He said, placing the picture in front of Harry. "He looks like me, but he's all shadowy and grey."

Harry studied the picture with a curious frown. "This is interesting. He looks exactly like you, but for the colour of his hair and skin and eyes."

Tom nodded. "Yeah. But he's bad. He does lots of bad things. I try to get him to stop, but he never listens to me."

Harry shook his head, "Well, we'll just have to make him, won't we?"

Tom looked up excitedly, "You can make him go away?"

"Maybe," Harry said with a shrug, "But you'd have to help me."

Tom bit his lip. "I dunno. He scares me. Doesn't he scare you?"

Harry shrugged again, a small smile gracing his lips. "No. I don't really know him, so I've nothing to be afraid of him."

"Oh. You're really brave."

Harry laughed, picking up a little car toy and driving it around on the floor. "Not really. I know I am definitely afraid of someone. It's just not him."

"Who are you afraid of?" Tom asked curiously, grabbing another car and driving it around near Harry's.

Harry grinned as they played, trying not to think about the answer as he said it. "A woman named Bellatrix. She has this laugh that really gets to me. Though really, I don't know her any better than I know your other half." Harry paused for a moment before asking, "Don't you get bored in here? It's so small."

Tom shrugged as he looked up sheepishly, "I know. I can make it bigger. But I like the play room. It's comfy, you know? Hey, do you think you could play a game with me?"

Harry laughed, "I think we already are, but sure. What do you want to play?"

Tom placed the car on the floor and got up, "Um... Oh, I know!" The boy jumped up and the room began to change. "Let's play tag. When I was little, the other kids used to always play, and it looked like such fun."

Harry grinned as he looked about the little field they were now standing in. "Alright, but afterwards, let's have a snowball fight."

Tom bounded up excitedly, "Yeah! Let's do that too!" Then he darted forward and hit Harry's arm lightly, "You're it!" He shouted gleefully, racing away from Harry in delight as Harry laughed and gave chase.

They played tag for a few minutes, before Tom grew bored and changed the field to a snow covered area and they had a snowball fight. Then they made snow angels and snowmen.

"This is so fun!" Tom shouted joyfully as they patted down a snowman, "I wish you'd come much sooner Harry."

Harry smiled at the young boy. "So do I. Say, maybe next we-"

He was cut off as a rumble shook the ground. Tom's eyes went wide, terrified.

"He's coming!" He whispered in fear.

Harry frowned, glancing about. "Come on, Tom, let's just keep making our Snowman. Don't let him bully you."

Tom shuddered a moment before gulping and giving a little nod. Harry could see the boy was still very tense as they began sticking on the eyes and mouth of the snowman.

"What are you doing?" An angry, familiar voice snarled.

Harry turned to see the shadowy figure of Tom's alter, Voldemort standing behind them and his green eyes narrowed. "We're having fun."

Tom glanced at Harry worriedly, giving a shaky little nod. "Y-Yeah."

Voldemort's face twisted into an ugly sneer. "Having fun? You, Potter, should not have come here, I will kill you for this!"

The man raised his wand, but Tom cried out, "No! You can't! He's my friend!"

Voldemort glared as Tom raced forward, grabbing at the hand that was rising. "Get off me you little filth."

"This is your body Tom!" Harry shouted stubbornly, "This is your body and he can't rule over you here."

Tom glanced back uncertainly. Harry nodded encouragingly as Voldemort scowled and shook Tom off.

"You can have as much fun as you want, all you have to do is believe in yourself Tom." Harry said softly.

Tom bit his lip, looking up at the looming figure of his alter ego. A frown marred his young face.

"You aren't part of me." He said softly, getting to his feet and standing stubbornly before the evil figure. "You can't be part of me anymore!"

"That's it Tom!" Harry encouraged, "That's-"

Harry jerked forward and cried out when his head connected with something hard. "Ow!" He grumbled.

"Damn Scar-head, must you insist on making things difficult."

Blinking away stars, Harry focused his eyes to see Draco kneeling before him. Startled, Harry looked around. He was back in Albus's office.

He gasped, "No! Tom! I left him!"

Draco frowned, "Wait, what? What do you mean?" His hand fell away from where it had been rubbing his forehead.

"I wouldn't worry."

Harry looked up and saw Luna's face a few inches above his own. That was when he noticed he was half-lying in her lap. He smiled up at her.

"No?"

Luna nodded, a vague little smile pulling at her lips. "No. I believe he will be fine."

"Hold it!" Draco shouted, standing up and crossing his arms. "What happened, what is going on, and what are you talking about!"

Harry laughed and turned to look at the room at large. "I think I solved the problem. Voldemort won't bother anyone anymore."

Albus raised his eyebrows, but when Harry did not elaborate, he smiled. "Very well then. I guess the next thing to discuss would be where Harry is going to stay for the summer."

"Well he's going to stay with us, of course." Blaise said with a grin and a wink at Harry.

Severus frowned however Albus said,

"Actually, I believe Sirius is under the impression that Harry will be staying with him at his house."

Severus snorted, "In that hell-hole? There is no way Potter will stay there."

"He could stay with me?" Neville suggested mildly, "I'm sure Gran wouldn't mind."

Blaise frowned, looking as though he wanted nothing more than to stomp his foot. "He's staying with us."

"Perhaps you should call Sirius, Albus, let him know what you are discussing." Minerva suggested with a small smile.

Harry frowned a little, wondering what she was up to. Severus groaned.

"Excellent idea, I'll get him now."

When Sirius finally arrived, the discussion turned into a shouting match.

"He's staying with me! I'm his godfather!"

"He's staying with us we're his brothers!"

"You're not his brothers! You're not even related!"

"We shared blood!"

"Only one of you!"

"Potter will not stay in that filthy house!"

"Oh and I suppose you want him to stay in your greasy hole?"

"Don't mock me Black!"

"Don't mock me Snape!"

"HEY!" Draco shouted loudly, slamming a hand down sharply on Albus's desk.

Minerva had escaped with a small smirk of what Harry suspected was victory, and Albus was watching the whole scene with amusement. Harry and Luna had stayed mostly quiet as everyone else shouted about where he was going to stay.

"I believe I now own the most adequate living space of all of us, and there is plenty of room there for everyone to stay." Draco snapped haughtily. "So Scar-head will be staying with me." Draco's tone challenged them all to object.

Blaise blinked and then smirked, "Actually, that's not a bad idea. But if we're staying at your place, I call dibs on that blue room."

"I get the maroon one opposite Blaise's." Theo piped up quickly.

Sirius grinned, "Hey, nice idea, I bet Malfoy manor is much nicer than my mother's house."

Draco nodded with a smirk. "Of course. You can have one of the master bedrooms if you'd like?"

Sirius nodded, quite pleased with the turn of events.

"Wait a moment-"

"You can have your usual room Sev, don't worry. I'm sure we can clear away all my parents rubbish quick enough." Draco cut off Severus, turning to Neville. "You'll be staying too, right? We'll be room-mates."

Neville blinked several times, "Oh, uh, sure." He grinned, "I'll have to clear it with Gran, but I don't think she'll mind."

Draco grinned back, "Great, Luna, you are welcome to stay as well."

Luna nodded distractedly. "I'm sure Daddy will be happy to let me stay so long as we still go looking for the Crumple Horned Snorkack every once in a while."

"Can I help?" Harry asked, inadvertently cutting off another would-be objection from Severus.

"Of course, Daddy would be delighted." Luna smiled at him.

Neville blushed, "I think I'd like to go too, Luna."

Severus tried again to object, just as Draco said, "Ok, so we'll organise an outing to catch Luna's dragon. And Harry, we need to have a chat with the Weasley twins. Aren't you going into business with them?"

"Oh, ok." Harry grinned.

Albus smiled, "Excellent, so it's all settled then? You'll all be staying at Malfoy Manor then?"

Draco nodded and Severus slumped in his chair. "Excellent." He grumbled, although no one heard him.

"Sirius, here's a portkey there, could start getting things ready?" Draco asked, handing over a little silver key.

Sirius grinned wickedly, "Sure thing, boss."

Severus groaned, "Brilliant. The place will be a mess before we even get there."

Harry snickered. "Cheer up, Sir. Just think, when the summer ends you'll have thought up plenty of ways to torture the new first years next year."

Severus rolled his eyes as every laughed at his expense.

So here it is. I was contemplating leaving it at this, but I've decided to write one last chapter, there are a few ideas I still want to fiddle with before ending it. The last chapter may take a while to get up, I'm still a little lost on how to get it out right, plus I have exams that I should really study for.

Thanks again for all the reviews and the favs and the alerts! It keeps me going!