The Merlin room of the Ministry of Magic was furnished in rich browns with portraits of famous wizards, long dead dotting the walls. A large oak table dominated the room. Once this table had been round and served as the centerpiece of feasts for a famous king and his warriors. The days of knights and heroes were long past. The wizards had ascended.

At the head of the table, sat Minister Tom Riddle. He had a mournful expression, as if he actually cared that several followers had died in the debacle that was the First Task. Riddle had called for an inquest and summoned the wizards who had attended as well as those investigating. Dumbledore and Lord Black sat opposing each other on the table. with foreign headmasters and the other members of the Board of Hogwarts also seated. Riddle had a coterie of department heads there but the number had been depleted by Grindelwald. The head of the DMLE and the Unspeakables sat separately, preparing for their presentation.

"We are gathered here to discuss the First Task." Riddle said.

"Minister, I have a report on the scores here" said an anxious Ludo Bagman.

"Scores? Do you think I care who won the event?" Riddle replied. Bagman shrunk into his chair. The Triwizard was supposed to a moment of triumph for the Department of Magical Games. Now, the only thing he hoped was to escape retribution either from the Minister or the goblins.

Fortunately for Ludo, Amelia Bones was ready to report. She levitated a large crystal ball into the center of the table. "This is Gellert Grindelwald." A handsome but arrogant blond teenager appeared, his eyes peering into the distance. He had his arms crossed with a strange twisted wand in his right hand. He wore a drab gray and brown military uniform as he posed for a portrait. "Gellert attended Durmstrang Institute from 1893 to 1899. He was expelled in his sixth year for several offenses, including suspected involvement in the death of another student. He then spent the summer in Godric's Hollow with his great aunt and died later that year."

Another image flashed on the screen of the Dumbledore family a hundred years ago. "Albus, Abeforth and Ariana Dumbledore were with him when he died at the village cemetary. He was killed by a stranger."

Riddle asserted. "How can that be, if he is still alive today?" Riddle of course knew that answer.

Dumbledore said. "I saw him die as did my brother and sister. He was hit by a Blasting Charm."

"And who was the stranger?"

Dumbledore took over. "No one knows. He had never been seen in Godfric's Hollow. He was an older man, well dressed, perhaps in his 70s. He had a manticore feather wand." There were murmurs in the crowd. Manticore feathers were rare and often pure blood heirlooms. "Olivander believed that there were wands like that in Europe, but he had never made one himself. We never found out more about him."

Riddle said. "What was your relationship with Grindelwald, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore flinched. "We were friends, Minister - even closer than friends. He was a brother to me. "

"And did you know the character of the man?'

"Did I know I had met a dangerous Dark Lord? No, he was a student. We were both interested in rare magic."

"Like the Deathly Hallows" Riddle probed.

"Like many young and curious wizards. He wanted me to help him find the Hallows."

"And did you? Did you help him find the Hallows?" Riddle said in an accusing tone.

Lord Black intervened. "Minister Riddle - if Grindelwald was killed, he was unlikely to have any of the Hallows. Dumbledore, had you any idea Grindelwald was alive since 1899?"

Dumbledore answered "No, Lord Black. I was certain he was dead. I would swear an oath to that."

Riddle said. "I merely point out that Headmaster Dumbledore should have known better. He befriended a dangerous Dark Lord who assaulted a stadium full of students and killed several pureblood wizards."

Lord Black said. "True. But the friendship was 95 years ago. A wizard can change a great deal in 95 years, particularly if he used dark magic to keep himself alive. None of us were aware of this Grindelwald. You were not aware of Grindelwald, Minister?"

"No."

"Then I do not see how Headmaster Dumbledore should be either." Lord Black directed his next question to Amelia Bones. "Do we have any idea where he may be now?"

"Possibly Germany. Last week, Mykew Gregorovitch disappeared. His wand store in Berlin has been looted. Gregorovitch once claimed to have sold the Elder Wand."

"Sold the Elder Wand?" Lord Black asked.

Amelia replied. "Yes in the 1930s." Ridde grimaced. Was it that easy to get the Death Stick? At least he had killed for his Hallow. She continued. "Most people believe Gregorovitch was lying. But perhaps Grindelwald did not."

Riddle asked "Germany is a large place. Is there any way to trace Grindelwald?"

"No, Minister. With the Elder Wand, he can evade detection easily. " Amelia said.

"What of these obscurials? The boys from Durmstrang?" asked Riddle.

"Newt Scamander, one of my former students, has been working with them. He believes that he can treat them so they are not a threat." Dumbledore said.

Riddle disagreed. "Even if these boys are not a threat, Grindelwald can create more obscurials. The aurors believe that he somehow infected the boys. That means he is a threat to any pureblood child!" Riddle continued. "Further, with the Elder Wand, he is extremely dangerous."

Dumbledore said "Perhaps he can be disarmed. If someone else were to gain mastery of the Wand.."

"A Dark Lord would not give up the Elder Wand. It is the most powerful weapon in our world. If you had the Elder Wand, would you let yourself be disarmed?"

Dumbledore had no answer to that. Riddle continued. "We face a great and certain danger. We will need all resources to fight Grindelwald. I am declaring martial law. Our aurors must have the ability to respond to these threats. Only they can protect our freedom."

A sense of disquiet settled on the room. Lord Black said "Minister, the aurors fled when Grindelwald attacked. Are the aurors enough?"

"What do you suggest, Lord Black?"

"We should train everyone to defend themselves. If Grindelwald attacks, we will need more than aurors."

"The Ministry must lead in this battle. We shall root out spies and traitors like Severus Snape. We must stand united. I expect everyone here to follow the Ministry's lead."

Lord Black replied "The Noble Houses have always been independent, Minister. It is not possible for the aurors to defend all of our lands."

The two powerful wizards stared at each other. The third should have spoken up for Hogwarts. Dumbledore did not. Nobody was happy when the meeting ended.

Later on a lower floor, Lily and James Potter entered the cells housing the DMLE prisoners. Severus Snape was there, guarded by several aurors and in magic inhibiting chains. Lily and James placed both of their wands on the table. No magic was allowed.

"Hello Severus." Lily said.

The potion master betrayed little. He looked straight ahead. "Potter. Lily." If the Lily was said with a tinge more of emotions, it was hard to tell.

"Severus, we need to know more about Grindelwald. What is he planning? What does he want to do? Why did he have Harry entered into the tournament?" Lily said.

The potions master refused to answer. "Snape, I know we have had our differences. I am sorry for them. But anything you say would help. Madame Bones will offer you a reduced sentence. It will be Azkaban, but with limited exposure to the dementors." James added.

Lily said. "Severus, please. If you cared for me, you would know how important Harry is to me."

"Don't mention Harry to me. I loathe him." Snape said.

"Why?" asked Lily.

"Your child - he was the one that drove me to this. The prince of the Potter family. Loved, unlike me." His vitriol burst forth. "I have hated Harry since he was born. That's why I left Britain."

"What is Grindelwald planning, Snape?" asked James.

"They will come for you. They will end your family, Potter. Then you will know what it feels like. To have lost, like me."

"They? Who's they?" asked Lily. "Who else is working with Grindelwald?"

The potion master kept quiet after that.

The Potters met with Amelia Bones afterwards in her office. "Any luck?" asked Amelia.

"He didn't want to talk." said James.

"I know. We have tried legilimency. His shields are very good. And so far, he seems immune to veritaserum."

"There was something odd, Amelia. Snape said they would come for us. Why would it be they?" Lily said.

"Grindelwald and the obscurial?"

"But Harry made contact with the obscurial. If the obscurial wanted to attack the Potters, why wouldn't he have attacked then?" Lily said. "Grindelwald hasn't attacked us. He attacked the Slytherins in the stadium. Why them? Why not us?"

"Well, the Unspeakables would rather keep this silent but.. Grindelwald created something called a soulcage." Bones revealed the image on her crystal screen. "The people that Grindelwald killed were absorbed by the soulcage, and increased his powers."

"Still, that doesn't explain why he wouldn't target us." said James.

"Actually it does. The soulcage works on the principle of dark magic. Those who have used more dark spells are better fuel for the Soulcage. Croaker thinks the Soulcage is somehow part of Grindelwald's return from Death."

"But Amelia, if the Cage works on dark magic, then who did he kill?"

"A lot of Ministry officials. Travers, Selwyn, Jugson. I know. Saul and I are worried too."

Riddle sat in his office, listening to Amelia Bones and the Potters. He had long ago placed undetectable listening charms in every department head's offices. Snape had talked. As Crouch, he must have seen the list of people he intended to have killed, with Charlus and Dorea Potter near the top.

He summoned Regulus and Lucius to his offices.

"Why is Arcturus Black still alive?" Riddle hissed.

"My Lord, we hired an assassin from Europe to make an attempt after the first task. He was killed by Grindelwald." Regulus said.

"Do you think Grindelwald knew of your plot? From Snape?"

"No, My Lord." Lucius and Regulus both answered.

Riddle handed the list to Lucius. "Grindelwald has done us a great favor."

"My Lord?" Lucius asked hesitantly.

"We can kill anyone in Britain. We merely need to blame him. Get started, Lucius. No more vandalism. I want them dead." Lucius and Regulus both gulped.

Lord Black read in his manor. He had a slim book, and the covers were marked with golden swirls on a background of black. He looked up and the saw the Potters entering. Harry had come with his grandparents from Hogwarts. Lily and James had returned after their interview with Snape.

"What are you looking through, Arcturus?" asked his sister.

"The Prophecies of Tycho Dodonus. There is a possible reference to an obscurial." replied Black.

"Does it say anything?" Dorea asked.

"If it does, I am not clever enough to decipher it." Black filled in the Potters quickly on Riddle's plans. Lily related what Snape and Amelia had said.

"So, they are coming for us? But who is us? Is it Lily and James? or Charlus and myself?" asked Dorea.

"We don't know. Snape's Occlumency has withstood legilimency and Veritaserum." Lord Black was lost in thought. "In Harry's visions, a Dark Lord came after the Potters when Harry was a baby. A Dark Lord who was not Grindelwald."

"Uncle." "Yes, Harry?"

"I have the Invisibility Cloak. Grindelwald has the Elder Wand. Who has the Resurrection Stone? Isn't it unlikely that two of the Hallows would resurface - but not the third?"

"That is a good question. Harry, Can your Cloak sense the other Hallows?"

"No. I think Ignotus hid himself from his two brothers, or at least the other Hallows to avoid their fate. He saw both his brothers die from the Hallows. In the tales of Beedle the Bard, he never tried to regain them."

"Ignotus was a wise man. No one has heard of the Resurrection Stone for centuries. If Grindelwald gains it, he would use it against us. Of course, we have no idea of its powers." Lord Black sighed. "I do not trust this martial law. All of us need to stay on our guard. Strengthen our wards. If they come for us, whoever "they" is, we need to make them pay."

At Hogwarts, the first Defense Against Dark Arts class was held on Tuesday. Despite their rivalry, the Gryffindors and the Slytherins always took DADA together. The arrest of Snape, who had been impersonating Barty Crouch Jr., was a hot topic of gossip at the school. Barty had been found in an unplottable chest, drugged and incoherent. He was sent to Saint Mungo's where they believed he would recover but not be in any shape to teach class for many months.

On each student's desk was a plain green book, Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard.

"Hem, Hem, Hem." A witch all clad in pink addressed the class. There was no response. "The correct greeting is Hello, Madame Umbridge. Let's practice that again."

"Hem, Hem, hem."

The class grumbled back "Hello, Madame Umbridge."

"In light of the discovery of that traitor, Severus Snape, I have been appointed the new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher. This is the approved reading for students of all years." A Slytherin hand was raised. "Yes?"

"We are using the same textbook as First Years? Who don't know any magic?" asked Daphne Greengrass.

"Tut, tut. This book speaks of magical theory, and the proper way to react to dangers." Another hand was raised. "Yes?"

"But there are no spells in the book." Parvati Patil said. "How can Defense Against Dark Arts have no spells?"

"You will find that the right defense is calling on the aurors. Minister Riddle has declared that we must support our aurors in responding to that foul foreigner."

"But what if we get attacked and aurors aren't around?" asked Ron.

"Raise your hand first." She waited until he had raised his hand. "Do you expect to get attacked in my class, Mr. Weasley?"

"We got attacked in the stadium!" He replied hotly.

"And you should have asked for the help of the aurors, then.

Nobody wanted to point out that most of the aurors fled. "Right, let's start with your lesson. Mr. Malfoy, please read the first paragraph of Chapter One."

"Basics for Beginners." Draco read. The rest of the class groaned.

Later that afternoon, Harry was ready to teach his muggleborn class. It would only be a short class, and he hoped to cover how to deflect hexes. It was a fairly advanced technique, suitable for fourth years, but he thought even the younger students would enjoy watching the older ones attempt to deflect spells.

Usually there were fewer Hogwarts students in his class but today there seemed to be quite a few. Ron rushed up.

"Harry, she's out of control. She doesn't want us to learn magic at all."

"What are you talking about Ron?" Harry noticed then that the Hogwarts students looked distinctly unhappy.

"Umbridge, she is a menace!"

"Detention, Mr. Weasley. For your disrespect." The Inquisitor loudly proclaimed.

"He will serve that detention with me, Madam Umbridge." Harry replied.

He was about to begin the class when a loud and persistent "Hem, Hem, Hem." rang through the air.

"Yes, Madame Umbridge?"

"I am afraid, Mr. Potter, that there has been a change to Ministry Policy. Going forward, a license will be required to teach Defense Against Dark Arts."

"A license, from who?"

"The Ministry for the Certification of Teaching Documents."

"I have never heard of that Department." said Harry.

Umbridge smiled. "It was just created this weekend. To help us prepare for defeating Grindelwald. I highly doubt that you will get a certificate."

"Why is that?"

"I am the head of that department. Your last few classes have shown that you cannot be relied on as a teacher with your filthy half blood assistant." Umbridge said. Harry held on to Gabrielle's arm to make sure she didn't retaliate.

Umbridge turned to the class. "Mr. Potter cannot teach Defense Against Dark Arts." She turned to walk away. "I look forward to your application for a license."

Riddle had finished for the day. Meetings, meetings and more meetings. Perhaps he should just have forced Pius Thickness or one of these other idiots to be Minister. Riddle though had worked at the Ministry for quite some time. Taking the orders from a fool like Pius or any of the other bureaucrats would have been too much. At least as Minister, he would receive reports first from the DMLE or the Unspeakables.

Riddle took out the box that held the Gaunt ring. He put in the forged note, and recast the Curse. It was extraordinary dark magic, a Withering spell so powerful that it would kill on touch. He thought again of how odd the Alarms would ring for the Unforgiveable Spells when the Withering spell was nearly as lethal as the Avada Kedrada and just as painful as the Crucio.

He had dismissed everyone on his floor. He heard a knock. Regulus entered. He looked pale and troubled although the dementor following him explained it. The 10 foot tall creature was wrapped in chains.

"You may go, Regulus."

Riddle cloaked himself in a dark mask and a black robe. There were cameras and alarms on the DMLE level but he cast multiple Confundus spells. An Imperio would have been easier but he didn't use it yet. The confunded Ministry employees turned off the cameras. He motioned for the dementor to stay outside the cell so he could speak alone.

"Hello, Severus. And to think, I thought you were Barty Crouch, Jr."

"My Lord."

"You betrayed me, Severus. I am quite impressed. To hide from me, you must be a natural occlumens."

"My Lord." The desperation was clear in his voice. "I have not told anyone of your plans."

"Perhaps. But the Unspeakables may break you eventually. And what if you escape, Severus. You will go back to your old Master. Where is he anyway?"

"I do not know." Snape gasped as Voldemort cast his legilimens.

"Impressive. You don't know. But how can I tell what are you hiding? Even now, your mind does not fully give up its secrets."

"I will serve you My Lord. I can spy on Grindelwald for you. I will."

Voldemort silenced him with with a stunning spell. He had thought about freeing Snape to lure Grindelwald to him, but Snape's conversation with the Potters had sealed his fate. Snape knew that he meant to kill many of Britain's leading wizard families. It was too risky to bet against his mind breaking, Who knew what would happen if Dumbledore or Black got their hands on him.

Voldemort walked out of the DMLE cells. Using his confundus spell, he forced the employees to turn the cameras back on. They would show the final end of Severus Snape. He motioned with his wand. The dementor entered the cell and hungry as ever, administered the Kiss.