The War Begins…
"Sir?" a young Auror came into the office.
"What is it, Simpkins?" asked his superior.
"Sir, I think I heard the sounds of people apperating" Simpkins said.
"Getting to or from Azkaban is impossible by that method" the older Auror said. All newly qualified Aurors were required to do two months at Azkaban. It was also used for Aurors recovering from injury and placed on light duty. All that was involved was the transfer of prisoners, checking visitors, and ensuring that the inmates got fed and other things that they needed. The prison island was well protected from invasion, and only a small wooden boat allowed entry and exit off the island.
"Sir" Simpkins protested. "I know what I heard. I heard the sound of maybe a half dozen arrivals" but the superior shook his head.
"I've been doing this job a lot longer then you have, son. Believe me when I say there is no way a Witch or Wizard could apperate here" the other Auror said.
"Sir, where are the elves?" Simpkins asked, looking around and finding none of them within view. Under normal circumstances, the elves always could be seen going to and fro, and one always sat in the duty office ready to take a message or other errand.
"Oh fuck…" the Auror said, rising to his feet and getting his armour on. Just as he put it on, the main doors opened up and Death Eaters rushed inside and started firing spells. "Ministry of Magic" the Auror tried to use the fireplace to raise the alarm, but nothing happened.
"They cut the floo off" Simpkins said. The pair rushed out the office and joined their fellow Aurors in the repulsing of the Death Eaters – but the numbers were just too great.
"They'll try to get their own out first, then anybody willing to join them" said the senior Auror. "We're outnumbered and cut off from reinforcements" he added.
"What do we do?" asked another Auror.
"Take down as many as we can" was the simple reply.
#
"Senior? We're getting reports of bright lights in the area around Azkaban" said an Auror. Her senior frowned, then tried to get the prison on the floo. He was more worried when the prison failed to reply to his call.
"What is the weather like, Miss Combs?" he asked.
"Heavy cloud cover, showers and a lightening storm" Combs said, looking at the last report she had from the island. If the lightening was too bad, then it could cut off the island via magical means until an hour after the storm had broken.
"If the storm hasn't passed when we leave, let your replacement know and have them contact Azkaban for an update" the Senior Auror said.
"Yes, Sir" Combs turned back to the rest of her work. The Senior Auror made a note in the duty log, then sat back and thought about what was going on.
"Combs, get me the latest location of the Minister and the Department heads" he said. He couldn't place his finger on it, but thirty years on the force had taught him to trust his gut feeling.
#
Within forty minutes of going in, the Death Eaters had freed their brethren and gained seven new recruits from the others there. The rest were slaughtered along with the Aurors. The newly recruited Death Eaters took the symbol of their service, and were then sent away to start training in the Dark Arts.
#
"We are still unable to contact Azkaban, Madam Bones" said an Auror.
"That's highly odd" she said. "That storm passed over two hours ago. They should have been able to check in by now" but before she could say anything else, another Auror came rushing in with a bloodied face.
"Madam Bones! We've got reports of Death Eaters attacking key places, and they've even got into the Ministry!" she said. Coldness swept through Bones before she rose to her feet.
"Recall all Aurors to defend the Ministry" she ordered. "Have all non essential personal begin evacuation plan" she grabbed her wand from the desk and headed out to join the fight.
#
"Harry!" Hermione shook him roughly. "Wake up, Harry!" and Harry opened one eye and looked at his girlfriend.
"Wazzup?" he asked.
"Voldemort's attacking" Hermione replied, and Harry sat bolt upright in bed – ignoring the headache and allowing the covers to fall to his lap.
"Here?"
"Not here" Hermione amended. "He started by attacking Azkaban to free his followers there. After that little visit, he went for the Ministry, Diagon Alley and dozens of places" she said, letting Harry swing his legs out of the bed and handed him the trousers from the previous night.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Susan Bones got a message from her Aunt saying that they are evacuating the Ministry. They're protecting the Magical Transportation department in order to get as many out of there as possible. We've not heard from them since" Hermione said. "McGonagall's waiting downstairs for you" she added as Harry slipped on a t-shirt and headed downstairs.
"Morning, Parvati, Lavender" he said as he passed the other two girls. He had spent the night with Hermione, and the pair had spent half the night playing games and drinking Butterbeer with the other two
#
"Morning, Mr Potter" McGonagall said. "Miss Granger has told you what has happened, I assume?" and Harry nodded.
"She has" he said. "What is the current situation?" he asked her.
"Diagon Alley is under the complete control of the Death Eaters, most of our other key locations have gone as well and the Ministry is still fighting hard" McGonagall said, falling into place beside Harry as they left Gryffindor.
"They can't hold on for much longer" Harry said. "Once they've got control of the Ministry, they can find the names and addresses of all the Muggle Born students. Once they know that, they can take out their parents and put the students into prison camps. Is the WWN on?" but McGonagall shook her head.
"I was listening to the shipping forecast, and just after that, there was the sound of glass breaking and then screaming. The station has been off the air since then" she said.
"How long do you think the Ministry can hold out?" Harry asked her.
"I don't know" said McGonagall. "We've not heard from them for a while now, and they could already be overtaken" and she told Harry other bits and pieces as he started to think.
"Get down to the chamber and tell Griphook and the other Goblins that they are going to have company. I'm going to call a meeting of the entire school and let them know what we're doing" he said.
"And what is that?" asked McGonagall.
"Readying for war" Harry said.
#
NOW HEAR THIS! NOW HEAR THIS! ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE TO GO TO THE GREAT HALL AT ONCE! THIS IS NOT A DRILL. REPEAT: THIS IS NOT A DRILL. HEAD BOY AND GIRL AND PREFECTS REPORT TO THE HEADMASTER'S OFFICE. MADAM POMFREY TO THE HEADMASTER'S OFFICE.
#
"Can I have you attention please?" Harry said as he stood at the front of the hall. "As some of you might now know, forces loyal to Voldemort have started to attack Dozens of key places such as Azkaban and Diagon Alley. The Ministry is under heavy attack but is not expected to last much longer. They are holding out long enough to get everybody out using the emergency floo network. Those of you who are Muggle Born, have a Muggle parent or are Pureblood but didn't know it are to go with Professors McGonagall, Sprout and Flitwick. You'll each be taken to your homes and get your parents to bring back to here" Harry paused to look at the worried crowd. "Voldemort will want to take over the government first of all, but the Ministry is evacuating the Department heads to here. Because I don't know when we might be attacked, I want everybody not getting their parents to pack their trunks. If we have to get into the chamber, then we've got to do it quickly" he added, and then Harry looked devastated. "I regret to announce that breakfast will be a little late this morning" and he got laughter from that.
#
"Hello, you two" said Mrs Granger as Harry and Hermione arrived via Dobby.
"Mum, we've got some bad news" said Hermione.
"Oh my god… You're pregnant!" said Mrs Granger dropping the teacup to the table and spilling the contents.
"If only that were the case" Hermione replied, glaring at Harry who was laughing. "Voldemort is attacking the Ministry and other places. Once he gets the locations of all the students with Muggle families, he is going to kill them all or hold them hostage" and at that moment, the front door to the house opened and Hermione's father walked in.
"Hermione" he kissed his daughter. "Harry" he greeted the young man.
"Please don't kiss me as well" Harry told him.
"To what do we owe this pleasure?" asked Hermione's father.
"You might want to make some tea first" Harry advised. "This might take time to explain" and they sat down to talk.
#
People arrived in dribs and drabs as students told their parents what was going on. Fudge arrived with the Departments heads, and Bones later told Harry that Fudge had refused to leave whilst others were still in the building. The Death Eaters took over the Ministry and nearly everything in the whole of Magical London. A few well defended places held out, but the sickening thing was the Goblins at Gringotts just sat back and did nothing. It was the general agreement that they had made some kind of deal with Voldemort, but nobody could find any evidence to back that up.
"Can we expect anybody else to come to our aid?" asked Harry.
"Not likely" said Fudge. "Dumbledore fixed it so that nobody would enter from the ICW. We're on our own" and Harry just shook his head.
"Thanks to him, this war might be over before it has even begun" he said.
"We could escape to other countries" suggested Bones. "Try to regroup, gather support and then attack You-Know-Who"
"And that would leave him with no counter to his plans of killing and dominating the muggles" Harry said. "We stay, and we're going to fight that bastard until we either die or we have won" and he left the office given to Fudge.
"Who put him in charge?" asked Bones with a raised eyebrow.
"Nobody, Amelia" Fudge replied. "However, there is one thing that I have learned over the last few months – don't cross Harry Potter"
# # # # #
The wireless played live sounds of the Death Eaters raiding homes and killing men, women and children. It was hell in the outside world, and Harry was burdened with the fact that Hogwarts could not support anybody else living inside it or the caves underneath it. Despite the mixing of magic and non magical people, the group got on more or less very well. Patrols were set up to walk around the grounds of the castle, and also in the highest towers of the school to observe the surrounding area.
"Harry, we've been looking for you" Hermione's call brought Harry out of his thoughts.
"What for?" he asked.
"We think we know where a Horcrux is" Hermione said.
"Where?"
"Godric's Hollow" Hermione said. Harry's entire attitude hardened as he followed his girlfriend to a sideroom that held Pansy, Fliss and Griphook.
"What is all this about a Horcrux?" he asked.
"We were talking about finding them, and Fliss was going by and heard us talking. She claims to know where one Horcrux is" Pansy said.
"Fliss, this is very important" Harry bent down to look into the girl's brown eyes. "Where did you see the Horcrux?"
"Well I think it is in the house of a very old lady" said Fliss, brow wrinkling as she thought hard. "Mother took me there sometimes. One time I got bored and started looking around the house when the lady fell asleep. In one of the rooms upstairs was something that felt really creepy. When I got near and picked it up, it started speaking to me and calling me bad names. I dropped it on the floor and ran out back downstairs"
"Anything else?" Harry asked. "This is very important" he reminded her.
"Well…" Fliss frowned even more. "She did smell a bit funny. Like when an apple goes bad. And she felt really icky"
"Do you know what the address of the house was?" Pansy said.
"Um…" the little girl shook her head. "No" but Harry assured her that what she had said was very good indeed.
"So what could it be?" Harry asked.
"I might know" Griphook said. "A few years ago, I was tasked with transferring some items from the Malfoy vaults to another. It was mainly a few bits of furniture plus a locket that we had been told not to touch. When we moved it, it slipped and one of the younger assistants grabbed it before we could warn him. He put it back in the bag before going mad. He died about three weeks later after smothering himself in Barbecue sauce and going to the dragon pens"
"Who?" Hermione asked him. "Whose vault?"
"Bathilda Bagshot" Griphook said. "However, it has been sometime since that happened, and I can not remember her address – only that it is in Godric's Hollow" and everyone kicked themselves for not thinking to copy all the records before Voldemort attacked. Harry was thinking this whole war was in his mind when a thought came over him.
"Mione, go and get Luna"
"Luna?"
"Just… get her" Harry said, and Hermione realised what he was thinking. She was as much against the idea as Harry himself was, but it was the only avenue open to them.
"Why do you want her?" asked Pansy. Harry jerked his head backwards to indicate that he didn't want Fliss to hear.
"Luna can see into a person's mind. Not very well, mind you, but she has been practicing for a while now. If she can look into your sister's mind, then we can get the address and get rid of one of the Horcruxes for good. Voldemort would be one step closer to dying permanently" Harry told her.
"I won't allow it" Pansy argued.
"Look, Pansy, this is the only option open to us. This is going to cause Fliss some discomfort, but we need that information badly. Voldemort's soul is in that locket, and we don't stand a chance of winning if it remains intact" Harry could understand Pansy's situation. She wanted to defeat Voldemort as much as anybody else, but she didn't want pain to be put upon her sister.
"You'll have to ask her" she told him.
"Hey, Fliss, we need to have a word" Harry said to the girl.
"Ok"
"In private" Harry said.
"Panny? Is he going to marry me?" Fliss asked her sister, and Griphook fell off his chair laughing.
"No" Pansy replied. "Why do you ask?"
"Well Harry said he wanted to speak to me in private. Don't boys propose to girls in private?" Fliss said.
"That's true" Pansy told her, "But Harry has to ask you for something, and he wants to do it with nobody else listening. I've already said yes, but you have to make the choice yourself" and Fliss frowned before moving to the far side of the room with Harry.
"Fliss, you know that we need that address really badly?" and Fliss nodded at Harry's question, "Well one of my other friends can look into your mind and find it out without you having to think" he said. "The only problem is that you are going to get one heck of a headache, and you'll sleep for the rest of the day" and Harry waited as Fliss tried to weigh things up in her young mind.
"Do you need it badly?" she asked after a full minute of thinking, and Harry just nodded. "Well I guess its alright then. Do I get something in return?" the girl asked.
"Of course" Harry smiled.
"Then that's alright" Fliss said as Luna came in with Hermione.
"Hermione said you wanted to see me, Harry" the blond said.
"Luna, we know where something vital to Voldemort is kept. The trouble is, that we don't know where the house is" Harry explained. "Fliss has been there before, but she can't remember it. She has agreed to let you use your gift to find it"
"I can't do that" Luna said. "Doing it for friends as a good trick is fair enough, but I can't delve into the mind of a child. It's against the law for a start"
"Luna, this is important. If we can find this piece and destroy it before Voldemort can retrieve it, then we'd be able to cut part of him off. Fliss is the only person that knows the place it is kept" Harry looked into Luna's dazzling blue eyes. "You know I'd never lie to you, Luna. Have a look inside me and see if I am telling the truth" but Luna smiled and shook her head.
"I know you are telling the truth" she told him. "You are too honourable to do this otherwise. Tell me one thing though: how important is it? I know you said its valuable, but what does that mean?"
"Enough to risk lives to get and destroy" Harry said. "You know about the Horcruxes, Luna? Well Fliss thinks this locket is one of them, and is being kept in Bathilda Bagshot's home"
"Well lets do it then" Luna said. She told Fliss to think hard about the last time she went to Bagshot's house, and then closed her eyes to go into the girl's mind. It was almost ten minutes before the eyes snapped open, and Pansy only just caught Fliss before she smacked her head on the floor.
"Did you get it?" asked Harry.
"I did" Luna assured him, and told him the address.
"Luna, you don't know how much this means to me…" Harry hugged her and then turned to Pansy. "She alright?" he asked.
"She's asleep, but that's not to be unexpected" she told him
"She might just have saved hundreds of lives" Harry said, looking at the sleeping figure. "Have Dobby get her anything she wants"
"Now what do we do?" asked Hermione.
"We go and get that locket" her boyfriend replied. "We can't trust the Aurors in case one or more of them are spies for Voldemort. If we tell Bones and Fudge, they'll insist on sending Aurors they trust. This is something we can't leave to blundering idiots with a fetish for red cloaks"
"So when do we leave?" she asked.
"We?"
"Where you go, Harry, I go as well" Hermione said.
"During the night" said Harry. "A few of us will go in, hunt for the locket, and then get out before anybody notices"
"Who goes then?" asked Griphook.
"Well me and Mione, you'll have to come as well to tell us which locket is the one we want. Daphne and Neville might do as well" Harry said.
"Are you sure about Neville?" asked Hermione. "You know how stuck he can be in mock duels"
"I'd bet my life on him" Harry told her. "Let's go and rustle up some armour and make sure our wands are in top condition" he added. "This seems simple, but we'll not take chances on this. For all we know, Voldemort might have switched it for a fake and stationed people ready for anyone who comes to take the locket" and the group dispersed to get ready and inform Daphne and Neville they would be needed.