Chapter 21

Amelia walked up to Harry and Hermione "I am sorry we did not get here sooner. It took time for me to gather forces as we were scattered for our protection."

Harry grinned at her "You were an added bonus at the end and you saved many lives."

Professor Maconagel walked up "Head master Potter can we get the castle from under lockdown so the students can send messages home."

Harry turned to Hermione and she stepped forward "Amelia is this all that's left of the Ministry personnel?"

Amelia shook her head "No, this is all that is left of the auror corp. I brought 95 with me and it looks like we lost seventeen."

Harry spoke "I have about thirty-five that sought refuge with me."

As Harry said that Auror Bob Philburt stepped forward "I am down to sixteen. We had ten die and the rest are in very serious condition. "

Harry nodded to him "I release you from your oath and thank you for your help and your sacrifice." Philburt moved behind Madam Bones."

Hermione spoke again "Now that we have that out of the way we need to figure out how to rebuild our government and help people who need it."

Amelia gave a sigh and stood straighter "I am the most senior person still alive and it falls on me to put us back together."

Bella walked up with her wand in her hand. Hermione and Harry raised theirs and all three pointed them at her. Amelia looked shocked but before she could raise her wand, Harry had snatched it from her hands. The rest of the aurors saw this and raised theirs.

Hermione as calmly as if taking a casual stroll stated "Stop, you are going to have to surrender." Loud gasps were heard from the crowd. Undaunted Hermione continued "Madam Bones what do you think is going to be rebuilt?"

Amelia answered "The ministry, our government and getting back to the way we were."

Harry answered "No, that is not the right way to fix this and we cannot allow this to start all over again." Amelia's eyes looked at him in surprise.

Hermione gently began "We cannot have it that way it was. Changes must be made otherwise another Dark Wanker will be born in twenty to thirty years and we have no stomach for that. Your choices now are to surrender or die, Mrs. Bones."

Amelia's eyes flashed and then burned with anger "I did not help you to then betray my country for a self proclaimed dictator."

Harry showing her no concern or remorse stated "Amelia Stop! Listen very closely to me because I have no patience for this. Look behind you and then look above you."

Amelia looked behind her and saw that her Aurors had been deftly surrounded by what she now knew were the High Guard elves. She also did a mental count and realized her Aurors were outnumbered four to one. Tactically she was in a very bad position and should she fight she knew they had little hope for victory. She turned back around and looked at Harry before he pointed up and there appeared a High Guard War sled floating. Her mouth hung open in awe.

Harry twitched his fingers and a target appeared fifty foot away. Harry clicked his fingers and suddenly fifty steel darts appeared in the target. Harry turned back to Amelia and his eyes became deadly serious with his resolve. "You have no hope of winning and I would have your forces massacred in less than two minutes. You don't have a choice it is just the way it is going to be."

Professor Maconagel began in indignation "Harry I did not help you so you could do this. You are acting as dark as Voldermort himself."

Hermione answered "Minerva, shut it! You don't understand anything that is going on here or what needs to be done to fix our country. You adults had your chance to fix things for the last fourteen years. You already left to a teenager and you presume he should just turn his back and let the adults do it all again. You are making assumptions about our intent without knowing what we are truly up to"

Minerva was about ready to retort when Harry spoke first "Voldemort is no longer here he died by my hand…for the second time. This country owes me and I am going to collect my due." Harry turned and faced Amelia Bones "My due comes only in magical Britain's absolute and total surrender to me."

Amelia looked at him and then her shoulders slumped in defeat "As interim Minister of Magic I and the Ministry surrender." Amelia turned to her aurors "Drop your wands and listen to Lord Potter."

Auror Shacklebolt stepped forward "Amelia you can't do this, not after all we have been through."

Amelia turned on him "Shack don't be stupid or daft. We have no choice look around because we are already surrounded. They hold the upper hand here as we have walked into a very clever trap."

Auror Shacklebolt turned to Harry who had no emotion on his face as he glared just as harshly at the older auror "Potter I believed in and I trusted you. I can't believe my trust was so misplaced." He threw his wand down on the ground in front of Harry and began turning to walk back.

Harry watched as every Auror came up and did the same thing one by one. Harry turned to Bella "Have the High Guard make camp here. We shall be staying for a while. Bella meet us in the great hallway in ten minutes."

Harry then turned to Amelia "Have your aurors take back their wands and begin clean up of the battle field. I want you and Auror Shacklebolt to stay with me." Harry turned to the Goblins "Ragnok do you need assistance with your wounded?" Ragnok shook his head no. "Good, have you selected another to represent your people on the council of nine?" Ragnok smiled and nodded yes. "Good, follow me to the great hall."

Harry then turned to the werewolves and found the second in command and told him to follow. Harry then turned to a crowd of ministry workers and yelled out "Is Remus Lupin here?" Soon a commotion came from the left side of the group and Harry actually smiled as he saw him. "Remus you will follow me to the great hall."

Remus stood proud "I don't think so Harry and I'm appalled by your behavior tonight. Do what you want but I will not follow you blindly. So kill me now and be done with it."

Harry gave a slight smirk "What no comment about how James and Lilly would be disappointed with me? What about you were willing to follow Albus Dumbledore as he let hundreds of innocent people die as he did nothing to help? "

Remus actually growled "I don't think I can say their names in the same sentence as yours."

Harry laughed "Remus your attitude is exactly why this society is so sick and twisted. You allow murders to walk freely among you and you do nothing to stop them so you can maintain your allusion of a light soldier." Harry turned to look at Amelia "You train Aurors to fight crime so the Ministry political justice system can release them to start all over again." Harry shook his head and snorted a small laugh "And now suddenly because I tell you I am not going to allow it any longer, you say I am dark… so be it, if your way is light, then dark I will be! You may hence forth refer to me as Dark Lord Potter."

Harry faced him "My people, my family call me the general. You think you know me but you don't. None of you know me." Harry stated with conviction while pointing at different people. "The only people that know the real me are Hermione, Queen Bella and the High Guard. They are the only people who took the time and made the effort to learn I am not the boy who lived… I'm just Harry."

Harry moved forward to close the gap with Remus "I am not my father and I am not my Mother. I promise that you will do nothing that goes against your conscious." Remus looked to him for a moment and then nodded his assent. Harry turned quickly with an entourage back to the great Hall.

Harry asked Ragnok "Did you have any Death eaters that survived?"

Ragnok spoke solemnly "No, Harry all one hundred fifty did not survive the battle."

Amelia grimaced "That is not possible unless you killed defenseless men."

Harry kept walking "That is absolutely correct and I made sure none survived on my part of the battle field as well but before you get your righteous indignation up about me or the goblins committing murder, hear my story."

Harry continued walking "Do any of you know how one takes the dark mark and are you aware it cannot be forced upon anyone. It has to be taken willingly for the magic to work?

Amelia answered "I have reports that invalidate that statement. That is simple not true."

Hermione answered back "Don't tell me you have statements from the DE's captured after the first war. Only problem with your premise is that you did not use veratim serum and those death eaters were lying." Hermione then added "More to the point is I can prove it."

Amelia stopped walking "How can you prove that now? You just killed all the witnesses?"

Harry shook his head "Not all of them are dead. Lady Hogwarts has one and I have another in stasis in the dungeons. I would hope the testimony of two would be enough proof for you."

They walked into the great hall and Harry moved all of the house tables to the side with a wave of his hands. Nine more chairs were placed in front of the staff table and Harry sat down in the Head master's chair.

Harry called out "Lady Hogwarts can you bring Professor Snape to the Great Hall?" Lady Hogwarts did not answer but a very naked and crying Snape appeared tied to a chair.

Snape looked up through his tears "Are you here to gloat Potter and to watch me in my wretched misery?"

Harry looked at him "No Snape I am not. You have knowledge and I want certain people to hear it." Harry turned to Auror Shacklebolt "You can give him a dose of Veratim serum and Amelia you can do the questioning."

Amelia and Shacklebolt stood up and went to the prisoner to administer the dosage. When Amelia saw that his eyes had glazed over she began asking questions.

"What is your name?"

"Severus Tobias Snape"

"Were you ever a death eater?"

"Yes."

"Did you ever take the dark Mark?"

"Yes."

"What did you have to do to get the dark mark?"

"I had to murder a muggle family with a girl. I raped the girl as the family watched and then I killed the family while the girl watched, after I killed the girl her murder and blood was used for a ritual to create the dark mark."

Amelia looked very shocked and on the verge of being sick and took several seconds to get her bearings back before she could begin again. "Did every death eater go through this ritual?"

"The spell to create the dark mark could not be caste without a murder and the victim's blood." Snape answered.

"Can the Dark mark be done by an imperious curse or other means on a person unwilling to accept it?"

"No, the mark must be taken willingly because it is tied to the person's soul."

Amelia sat down heavily on a chair and tears ran down her eyes. Snape was given back to Lady Hogwarts and then Hermione brought in a young looking man of perhaps nineteen or twenty. She sat him down on the chair. Hermione looked over to Amelia "I have another for you to question and he will be banished to the spider colony as soon as we are done."

Amelia spoke softly "I think I have heard enough from Snape's testimony."

Hermione stood straighter "No, you need to hear his testimony and you will do it in front of all these witnesses. You definitely won't like what you hear and I hope all of you are ashamed by it."

Amelia wiped her eyes and stood up as Shacklebolt gave the dosage of serum.

"What is your name?"

"Marcus Allen Flint."

"How old are you?"

"I turned nineteen in January."

"When did you graduate Hogwarts?"

"Two Years ago."

Amelia asked the standard questions about the dark mark and Marcus Flint's answers matched Snape's. Amelia indicated she was done. Hermione stood up and then began asking her own questions.

"When did you take the dark mark?"

"One month after I graduated from Hogwarts."

"How many girls did you rape since you received your mark?"

"I raped over two hundred girls since then."

"How many are still alive?"

"None."

Hermione wiped her eyes "Why is that?"

"That is my signature, my mark, I rape them then kill them unless they are really good at satisfying me, then I would take them home to my dungeon and keep them for a week, then get rid of them later."

Amelia threw up on the floor after hearing the detailed answers that Hermione asked. Amelia had recovered and began to sip her tea with shaky hands.

Harry looked into her eyes "How brutal do I seem now, Amelia? How brutal would you have been hearing his testimony?" Harry didn't wait for any answers from her "What I did was a service to a society of pampered politicians and adults who were charged with protecting that society and failed. I executed the criminals instead of letting innocent people be slaughtered."

Amelia with her voice quavering replied "We didn't let innocent people suffer."

It was Hermione that jumped up in outrage "Really…that is your excuse? It won't wash here this time. Everyone in the ministry and Britain's society is responsible for this because the magical adults were bunch of gutless sheep. After the first war you allowed eight death eaters free reign to do whatever they wanted for fifteen years. Where do you suppose Flint learned to do what he did. How many innocent muggle families did Lucius Malfoy murder, how many from Mulciber, Avery, and Knott? It was a weekly game to those butchers." Amelia's cup crashed to the floor as she looked at Hermione in horror as she realized the truth of it.

Hermione wasn't finished by any means "Instead of using veratim serum to prove a death eaters claim was a lie, you place an innocent man in prison without trial, you tried a thirteen year old for defending himself, you allow a sadistic undersecretary to torture children for telling the truth, and make two fifteen year olds be on the run for months to stop a mad man and you want us to turn it all over to you so you can start it all over again."

Shacklebolt got out of his chair and held her shoulders to comfort her he looked at Harry "That is enough she is not responsible for this. Its more complicated than you can imagine."

Harry stood up and his eyes had fire in them as he slammed his hands down "NO ITS NOT! IT IS NOT COMPLICATED AT ALL. IT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT RIGHT IS AND WHAT IS EASY!"

Hermione stood and gave Harry a concerned look "It was the responsibility of every adult in this room to make it right and every single one of you failed. You failed because you were sheep led by corrupt politicians and an antiquated pureblood ideology and a society a hundred years out of date."

Harry sighed and sat back down "How could I just turn this back to the adults who could not do it right the first time? If you were me Amelia could you just turn everything over so it can go back to the way it was? I have spent six long years clawing and fighting to get to this point and I don't want to go through this again or have any one's child have to either."

Amelia looked at him as she wiped her eyes "I wouldn't Mr. Potter. I would want some changes. I would want something to assure that it will never happen again."

Harry called out "Can you show my memory from twenty-five years from now?" Lady Hogwarts appeared "My lord… Harry are you sure?" Harry nodded to her.

An image appeared in the air above the table. The image soon clarified and an older Harry was coming home and Hermione greeted him with a kiss as their three children came up and hugged him. The group watched the family interact and the doorbell was heard. Hermione answered it and two aurors held wands to her neck.

"Harry Potter you, your wife, and children are under arrest for doing restricted magic. In that you are a half blood, she is a muggle born, and your children are half bloods and magic was recorded being done here. In a decree, signed into law yesterday from the Ministry of Magic only pure bloods are allowed to do magic."

The group watched a mock trial occur and then Harry and his family were found guilty. They made Harry watch as his children and his wife were thrown into the veil.

"Stop the memory." Harry had tears in his eyes. Harry calmed himself for many moments before he could speak "That is my future in twenty-five years. In my grief and psychosis I will wipe out all magical and muggle life in twenty-five years. All because what I really want in life is some peace and to enjoy being with my family. The first time I killed Voldemort I thought my job was done. I thought I could fall into anonymity and just be me."

Amelia said in shock "Wait a minute you said the first time you killed Voldemort… you time traveled?" Amelia looked shocked "That is impossible and very illegal."

Hermione leaned over and got in her face "So is being accomplishes to murder and murder itself. Only one side can commit crimes in war and everybody else must play by the rules? Does that really even make sense to you?" Hermione stomped her foot in disgust "Mrs. Bones I was assured that you were a fair minded individual but your statements are making me believe your head is so far up your arse, you are just as bad as Minister Fudge."

Amelia's head snapped up "I don't think that is necessary and I am not like Fudge at all."

Harry stood next to Hermione "Then quit acting like it. You are using the same arguments the old ministry used to use on innocent people while they let people like Marcus Flint run freely. Only an idiot fights a war with love taps and hugs."

Harry turned to address everyone in the hall "I have one philosophy about war. War is very simple. First, there are no rules. Second, try to avoid it if at all possible. Third, if unavoidable then make war so terrible, so brutal, and so horrible to the opposing side that your friends and enemies never ever want to push you there again."

Hermione bent down to catch Amelia's attention "Listen well, we did in one week what the whole Ministry couldn't, nor the entire British magical community was willing to do. If you adults don't get your stuff together this time, then I guarantee you that when Harry and I comeback we will wipe away every magical on this bloody island."

Shacklebolt stood up "That is… you wouldn't… I mean men, women, and children?"

Ragnok stood up "I and my people have known Queen Bella, Harry, and Hermione for four thousand years. There use to be a village in our realm that didn't believe them either. When Harry was forced back… well the town was flattened completely, no survivors. He gives no third chances… I advise you to believe him."

Harry looked into Shacklebolt and Amelia's eyes "I hate war as much as the other person. I hate killing but what we did was necessary to save the magicals on this planet. Eventually Lord Voldemort would have breeched the statue of secrecy with the muggles and the amount of war they would bring to all magical… it's unbelievable." Harry looked deep in thought for many seconds "I want peace, I want to enjoy my marriage to Hermione and my family more than anything. This war was about protecting them. If I don't continue this then what you saw will happen in twenty-five years."

Minerva spoke first "You thought saving the society was enough but you didn't change their behaviors. The purebloods and their idealogy rose again, only they were much more slytherin about it the next time."

Hermione wiped her eyes "We didn't pay attention and they swooped in and took everything from us."

"Amelia the warrior's hardest fight is never on the battle field it is in the arena of politics. The bias that has corrupted this country for two centuries cannot go on. I was sent back by my alternate self to conquer a country and set it right. Ask Ragnok, and the other nations if being conquered by me is a bad thing.

Ragnok stood up "Everything we hold honorable and dear today is because of what Harry, Hermione, and Bella taught us after they defeated a corrupt Goblin leadership four thousand years ago. Our form of government, society, justice, and right or wrong they taught us. They called themselves conquerors but they have always acted more like friends or family, never dictators. Most of my people hold them in reverence and anything they ask of us we do."

Amelia looked up at Harry "You're telling me you conquer people to fix their society?"

Harry looked sheepishly "Yea, well they kept attacking our city and I wanted some peace. The only way to do that was to win the whole country."

Ragnok laughed "Madam Bones do not let Harry fool you because his motto is to avoid war at all cost but if war can't be avoided, then be as quick and brutal until it is done. Even the Goblins know to never get on his bad side or the price you pay is all out war the likes you have never seen."

Ragnok also chuckled "On the other hand he is always there to lend a hand to family and everyone he conquers is new family to him. We have nine nations in our realm and we have lived in peace, harmony, and mutual respect for thousands of years. The only groups we cannot get along with are the humans because they have no honor and no respect for us."

Harry shifted in his seat "I don't see why you have to embarrass me so much…I am working on it!"

Ragnok, Hermione, and Bella laughed.

Amelia sat in awe "You have nine nations that co-exist without problems and have done so for thousands of years? How?"

Bella spoke up "Madam Bones there are always conflict between different groups. It is unavoidable. What is important is that both groups feel satisfied when a conflict is resolved. If any of the parties feel cheated by the resolution or feel it was unfair, then that society breaks down quickly because any being will seek fairness and justice above all else."

Bella looked at everyone to ensure they were paying attention "What do you think is the most important thing in resolving any conflict."

Minerva spoke out "Understanding the issues."

Bella smiled "That is so true but there is a basic premise or idea that has to be met to understand the true issues."

Amelia sat up straighter "Each party has to tell the truth. Without it nothing can be resolved."

Bella grinned "Bingo!" Bella reached across the table and picked up a stack of papers and threw them across the table for all to see. The daily prophet, witches weekly, and other printed news were shown to them. "Britain is sorely lacking in truth. In fact nothing that is printed in any of this drivel is true."

Bella stood at the head of the table "In our realm, I would have every editor and every reporter publicly on trial and then beheaded for writing even a word out of context. What beings see must be the truth, it is that important."

Harry sighed "That is why tomorrow the high guard will arrest every editor and every reporter and hold public trials. Any that are found to have lied and wrote those lies will be executed."

Amelia and Minerva both gasped "You can't just kill people like that!" They shouted.

Hermione rose from her seat "You think it is morally repugnant to act this way? You think that it is wrong? Yet you allow them to continue and it leads to a conflict that kills thousands and that is ok? How stupid can you be?"

Hermione continued "These people with words alone have slaughtered thousands yet you wince at punishing them… why?"

Amelia stood up "You can't just kill people because you don't like what they say. That is not the way a good society works."

Harry looked at her "That is a sheep talking and the exact reason why this society must change. Wrong is wrong and must be punished. The truth is so important in our everyday life that without it societies become corrupt, governments learn to serve themselves instead of the people they are supposed to serve and protect. Without the truth there is no good in any society. That is why in the nation of nine the most severe punishments are reserved for those that lie. In the nation of nine it is and always will be death."

Bella frowned "It is brutal but are you proud of what Britain was yesterday?"

Hermione started next "You and Auror Shacklebolt are going to be tried next and then every ministry employee is going to be publicly tried." Amelia looked up as Hermione said this. Hermione stared back at her without batting an eyelash "The way a government is run is the next foundation that is very important for society. If someone seeks public office for personal gain, they do so for the wrong reasons. It is not tolerated. The public must trust their government."

Minerva said with a quavering voice "What happens to those who don't meet the right standards?"

Harry arched his eyebrow "I would think by now that would be obvious if they have lied, accepted bribes then it is public execution. Much depends upon the severity of their acts. For bribes not only does the official receive death but so does the person who bribed them." Harry looked at Amelia "Yes, it is brutal and yes many who have grown up to accept this behavior will die. But for those who survive the message will come across very quickly, don't do it or you will die."

Amelia looked very concerned "Harry you are very quick to kill people. It seems that you find it too acceptable. Your society and its laws seem very harsh."

Harry sighed "Yes they are and I am as brutal as required to make things right. The alternative to me is much harsher. Amelia Imagine if these concepts had been applied after the first war was over. If the government had sought the truth and that all the death eaters had been punished instead of coddled? If Fudge and his pureblood cronies had been held accountable for their actions in the last few years? What would our society be like today?"

"Tell me you didn't know that Fudge and his little gang of thieves weren't on the dole? Tell me you didn't know many officials that took bribes or those that thought it was ok to do that?"

Amelia looked down in shame "I cannot say I didn't know."

Harry looked at her with a piercing gaze "Do you think that two sixteen year old kids would have had to do what we did, go through what we suffered to kill Voldemort and more important to me is how many innocent lives magical and muggle would have been saved?"

Amelia sat in thought "I guess it is going to take me awhile to adjust to all this."

Hermione looked with sympathy "Amelia and Minerva it is usually the first year that is brutal and even I wince at some of the memories that this brings. I also know from the five nations that were the worst that in the end things will be better. People will feel more settled and happier."