Interlude

The howling wind drowned out all sounds, and the sand and salt water it swept up blurred the vision of the ones who ran and flew over the beach, but their faces were hard with determination. They had been chosen to spread the words, to spread the glorious ideals of the one they looked up to, to announce the message to the world: 'He is back'

Prophet: October 15th.

Do not panic!
Gangs are terrorising the all-magical communities, claiming to be the servants of the long-dead, feared wizard whose name I shall not write. This is a lie! The gangs will be dealt with soon. Special Auror teams have been set up to put a stop to these vandals.

So far, five towns have suffered damage, and the people fear that the 'Death Eaters' might return. All over Britain, they appear, cloaked and masked, and storm in to preach about the 'good' ideals of the Dark Lord. Our Ministry fears it is a conspiracy, brought into life to rile the people up and spread panic. Your faithful reporter wanted to get to the bottom of this, and spoke to the minister himself.

"You-Know-Who is not back. The seeds of doubt have been planted before summer by Albus Dumbledore, but everyone knows he has seen his best days. Perhaps he regrets not taking the Minister's seat before, I do not know, but I do know that his plan will fail."

Would it really be Dumbledore behind this? Trusted sources have confirmed that he gathered up his own 'army' this summer. Is it them beneath the cloaks? And if so, why would he support the 'dark'?

One thing is certain: the people are completely safe once these rebels have been caught. And according to our government, this will be soon.

Quibbler: October 20th

Anyone following the news lately will have heard the message: You-Know-who is back! The Ministry denies it, as it has denied so many things in the past, including its ties with the vampiric community and the shady experiments in the ever-closed Department of Mysteries. We brought those to light, and now we will dispel their new lies as well.

Several 'riots' have broken out. Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, Ilkly, Appelby, Puddlemere, Falmouth and every other Wizarding community was made aware of the fact that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back. As Harry Potter has told us all before, He rose from the grave, using the Triwizard Tournament as a decoy. Unfortunately, Harry Potter reached the cup first instead of Cedric Diggory, for whom the trap was placed, but both boys were transported to the secret underground base of the Dark, and the world was saved from a glittering evil after all.

And now, Death Eaters are flooding the country after months of preparation. Months in which the Ministry did nothing. Recognisable by their cloaks and masks, they apparated in and out of villages, shooting stars from the tip of their wands in celebration.

However, before we all fall into panic, what exactly are they doing? When they are seen, panic spreads, but is there really a reason for it? Several bystanders who did not immediately flee to their homes were witness to well-prepared speeches, Death Eaters handing out flyers, and the spreading of ideals which are not as bad as the Ministry has us believe. Of course, the question remains: how much of it is the truth? Can we begin to place our trust in the ones who wrecked our country before?

I think so. Their approach is completely different than before. Pureblood supremacy is not the main issue, and Muggle hunting has been replaced by peaceful cooperation. Perhaps their leader has not only regained his life, but also his sanity.

By Xenophilius Lovegood.

Standing on a hill, a dark, tall figure waited, looking out over his people, who were spreading through the village at the foot of the hill. Slowly having gotten used to and opening up to these 'attacks', the villagers remained calm and actually listened to the words. The runes beneath his feet kept the Aurors away, and he smiled thinly. His vision, his world, would be realised.

In time

Prophet: October 31th

Attacks continue!

Despite the Ministries' best efforts, the terrorists who make Britain unsafe have not yet been stopped! Strange force fields surround the villages during attacks. Odd runic shapes have been found near the communities, and a team is still trying to decipher their meaning. Is it a message? Or is it a means to leave the towns open for attacks?

'Drastic measures will need to be taken', said Rufus Scrimgeour, head of the Auror Department. 'We will install a post at every possible target.' On the question whether or not this was really the work of the Dark, he had no comment.

Quibbler: November 12th

Have our leaders gone mad?
A valid question, if looking at the late actions of the MoM. The Ministry has taken many measures against the Death Eaters. Curfews, Auror patrols, vile creatures known as Dementors, spying glasses watching people in their living rooms, kitchens, toilets and broom closets. They have placed fire ghouls in the hearths so people can't floo anymore, and make use of magical fireflies imitating stars to detect people coming and leaving the villages.

And for what? So far, there have been no casualties, unless perhaps we count Henry Brennant, the fool of Ilkly, who jumped out of his bedroom window and set himself on fire when a firework spark had accidentally found its way to his room and spelled out the word 'pee'.

The strange fireworks are appearing all over Britain and are said to be 'the new Dark Mark'. Everywhere where Death Eaters go, this popular animated firework appears. Zonko denies having anything to do with it, but has already publically announced to want to hire the geniuses who created it. So far no answer has been given, but I would like to use this opportunity to ask if any of my readers could perhaps acquire such a delightful piece of firework. It would be a nice touch to the next birthday party of my dear daughter.

Fudge, as always, denies what is in front of him. Even with the extra 'protection' he has granted the people with, he does not want to hear word of it that the attackers could be followers of the Dark. He ended a reassurance speech to the public with his conclusion that it must be Dumbledore's doing somehow.

Dumbledore himself has not said a word yet. Are we, the people, supposed to be left in ignorance? The only one whom we seem to be able to trust currently is the Dark Lord.

I wonder if Fudge will still deny You-Know-Who's return when said Dark Lord will stand in front of the 'Goblin-Crusher'.

By Xenophilius Lovegood

Quibbler: November 17th

A big thank you for all our new subscribers and congratulations to Mrs Weavenbee, our 250th subscriber! A fabulous miniature of a dancing Snorkack will soon come your way!

Two men and a woman looked up at the odd house and down at the paper in their hands, as if wanting to confirm this really was the right address. The woman shot a flashy smile as the door opened and a man with long hair stepped out, wearing what seemed to be a combination of a Muggle dress and a wizard robe. Confused, the man listened to them, a smile slowly spreading on his face before he let them in.

Quibbler: November 22nd

Exclusive interview with Death Eaters.

The final proof is here: yesterday, three Death Eaters visited my own house, and let me ask everything I wanted, from their ties with the Nargle society to the case of Harry Potter. And yet again, something covered by the ministry has been brought into life: Azkaban is not as safe as we thought it to be!

1) Who are you?
We are Rodolphus Lestrange, Alecto Carrow and Evan Rosier. We are all Inner Circle Death Eaters. I (Rodolphus) escaped from Azkaban during the mass breakout a few months ago. What? Oh, yes, that wasn't in the news was it? No idea if the Ministry knew about it.
Rosier –in reply to my questioning him being alive- Ah, no, I'm still alive. I faked my own death so I could remain serving the Dark Lord.
2) What are the true goals of the Dark?
Equality and Freedom. 'There is no good or evil, only power' is one of the favourite quotes used amongst ourselves. Dark Magic, Light magic, and even muggle technology is, as a source, all equal. Why should one be practiced only in hiding, one in the open, and another not at all? It depends on what you do with it. We want to be able to practice magic out in the open without a Statute of Secrecy in the way, or laws which condemn the magic of our ancestors. Other things we want changed is the way people look at magical creatures. They are often suppressed while they have just as much of a right to live in freedom as we do.
3) Do you have ties with other communities of highly intelligent creatures like Nargles, Werewolves and Blurds?
Rosier: Never heard of Nargles and Blurds, but yes, we do have ties with the werewolves. They are humans like us, except on one night. It is unfair that they should be shunned their whole life for what they do on twelve or thirteen night in a year.
Carrow: They're not the only ones who will benefit when we take over Britain though. Nearly all creatures and beasts stand behind us, as they know in whom they can really trust.
4) How will you deal with your Lord's worst enemy: Harry Potter?
Carrow: That will be revealed soon enough. The only thing I'm allowed to say is that he wishes no harm to come to Potter. Soon you will have your answer.
5) How did the dark go from Muggle-hunting to Muggle-loving?
Carrow: did we?
Lestrange: Yes, we did.
Rosier: Let me handle this.
Carrow: but- (cut off by Rosier)
Rosier: As you can see, it's still an issue, even within our ranks… I am one of the few who really knows how much this point changed since the first war actually. Currently, we are experimenting with a few Muggles –oh, don't look at me like that, I expressed myself wrongly- We are trying to see what happens when befriending open-minded Muggles and then giving away our secret. It is a lot better than I thought it would be. When the Dark Lord ordered me to befriend Muggles I thought he had gone mad… hold on, can you cut this out of the article? No? Why not! Oh *** I'm ***.
Lestrange: Our original dislike for Muggles originates from the witch hunts, but those were centuries ago. While we did not change much, Muggles did, and according to our Lord, we are ready to get back to the time of Merlin, when wizard and Muggle alike-
Carrow: And witch
Lestrange: wizard, witch and Muggle alike lived together. Yes, in the First war we saw them as little more than… animals, I guess. We, as purebloods, have never really had much contact with them, and saw them as magic-fearing, lesser beings, but once you get to know them they're not all that bad. They're just… people with a disability, like Squibs. And thus, it is our duty to treat them as such and help them overcome their faults by giving them guidance.
6) Sirius Black: killer or leadsinger?
-laughing-
Lestrange: He sounds like a drowned cat when singing, and I can know, I was only a few cells next to him. If he ever was a leadsinger, it must have been from the worst band ever.
Rosier: However, he's not a Death Eater either. Never was, never will be. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I want to clear his name or anything, that man's a pain in... oh, will this get censored? Well ***. I just wanted to make clear that Black has nothing to do with us. Betrayed his family and our side by running to Dumbledore.
7)Does You-Know-Who know about the bloodthirsty side of Fudge?
Carrow: What bloodthirsty side? He's an ignorant, soft person. He should be glad he's not a woman, cause I doubt he could live with seeing blood every month.
Rosier: yes, what are you talking about?
-I, of course, dear readers, informed them about the heinous crimes Fudge committed against goblins, but was not able to convince them. Well, no-one can say I didn't try to warn them-

After the interview, these nice people gave me several flyers, which will be included in the Quibblers sent to subscribers. Spread the word: the Dark is not so bad at all.

By Xenophilius Lovegood.

Prophet: November 23rd

Quibbler banned!
After a few overlooked articles, the Quibbler finally went too far. It fabricated an article which made it seem like a long-dead Death Eater had been brought back to life and that two others, who are locked up in Azkaban, run free. The magazine has been removed from shops and kiosks and anyone who is in possession of one of the three last editions will risk a heavy fine. In the face of the very real threat of the continuing attacks of terrorists claiming to be Death Eaters, it is a crime to fuel the fire even more. The editor, Xenophilius Lovegood, is fugitive, as discovered by the Aurors who came to arrest him.

A determined smile that was more of a grimace spread on his face. So they wanted to stop him… his words, his opinion. They wanted to go against their own laws and suppress freedom of speech… he would not stand for it. With grim satisfaction, he checked the wards around the rickety shack he had transformed into a bunker with the help of a few nice fellows. Speaking of them, he should probably give Rodolphus his mask back which he'd forgotten while being busy creating a connection between the bunker and the Dark Lord's kitchen so Xenophilius wouldn't have to starve to death. Such a shame the death eaters weren't as helpful with giving him information. The man sighed, hoping his Luna would inform him about the on goings of the world as she had previous weeks.

Quibbler: November 26th

The Truth Suppressed!
As known throughout all of Britain now, the Ministry of Magic is trying to suppress the truth by banning this newspaper, leaving nothing but the Prophet to deliver the messages they want to be delivered. I was in the need to flee, and have set up a secret, heavily warded location. Thanks to a good friend of mine, who prefers to remain anonymous, a layer of extra security has been added to the printed Quibblers you will receive from now. Any Quibbler will look like another magazine. Words of truth behind every false witch&weekly smile, is the motto now! -and again, a thank you for the massive amount of new subscribers and praise I have received after the last edition.-

Prophet: December 5th

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named Returns!
It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard styling himself Lord –well, you know who I mean- is alive and among us again," said Fudge, looking tired and flustered as he addressed reporters. "It is with almost equal regret that we report the mass revolt of Dementors who have shown themselves averse to continuing in the Ministry's employ. We believe that the Dementors are currently taking direction from Lord –Thingy. We urge the magical population to remain vigilant. The Ministry is currently publishing guides to elementary home and personal defense that will be delivered free to all Wizarding homes within the coming month."

The Minister's statement was met with dismay and alarm from the Wizarding community, which as recently as two days ago was receiving Ministry assurances that there was 'no truth whatsoever in these persistent rumours that You-Know-Who is operating amongst us once more."

The Ministry turnaround is obvious. Yesterday morning a mass of Death Eaters flooded the Atrium. For weeks, villages were attacked, but now, the final appearance of You-Know-Who at the Ministry of magic confirms that it is not a joke or merely something planned by the followers of the Dark. Previous accusations that Dumbledore might have been behind it are out of window as well. Albus Dumbledore was unavailable for comment when this paper got printed.

Our Ministry has taken a new turn, and will try to do whatever it can to protect us from harm. What transpired at the Ministry however, is currently top-secret. No Ministry employee was allowed to give out more information on what was done and said by You-know-Who.

Meanwhile, we place our hopes on the only one who can defeat the villain now: Harry Potter, who has remained unusually quiet. Will he answer our prayers?

Quibbler: December 5th

The Dark Lord finally reveals himself!
Faithful readers will have long known that You-Know-Who has been back for a while. Yesterday, he and his followers appeared in the Atrium of the Ministry of magic and held a passionate speech about the future of the Wizarding world. The Ministry is trying to make his words get lost by erasing the memories by setting loose enslaved Blubbering Humdingers on everyone who heard it in an attempt to gain back control, and succeeded quite well, to my deep regret. Two courageous employees and fans of our all favourite newspaper immediately reported what they could rememberto the Quibbler:

"It was all so sudden and frightening. I was just crossing the Atrium to go to my office when they appeared. People started running, but it seemed a shield had been put up, as no-one could get out of the Atrium anymore once there. It was the first time I ever saw him, but there's no mistaking the stories. I knew exactly who went raised himself up on a platform even before he began to speak. But after he was done with his speech, they all… vanished."

"Yes, it was very odd. I don't know why they did so. It's almost as if they did not want to conquer the ministry. I cannot for the life of me remember what his words are, but I do know that they calmed me considerably, and I also know that the reason I don't know anymore is because of an Obliviation squad. Apparently You-Know-Who said a lot they didn't like for us to have heard." –note: while she calls them an Obliviation squad, they were actually a hidden branch in the ministry who secretly performs experiments on several magical creatures, hence the humdingers, which normally only suck up stray thoughts.-

And thus, the speech remains a bit of a mystery, but one surprising thing became quite clear. He is not the insane man many think he is. If we do not oppress him, this might even become a peaceful surrender. He certainly has no past of animal cruelty like Fudge and has even participated in a program to save the environment by picking up litter left behind by Muggles. A common misconception is that he did so by killing said Muggles to avoid them leaving waste behind in the future. His last words, however, still ring clear, for they still burn on the ceiling of the Atrium:

Magic will be free

By Xenophilius Lovegood.

Putting down both the Quibbler and the prophet, Harry stared into the darkness of the night, only vaguely aware of the man behind him. A soft sigh escaped his lips and he flexed his muscles, which were sore from practice. Ever since Marvolo had gotten rid of Harry's trace, he had been either studying, training or fighting.

A cold hand landed on his shoulder, and his mind immediately sought out the other's mind like his body automatically turned towards the man for comfort.

"It is nearly time, my love. Nearly…" Harry shivered a bit at the promise underneath that whisper.

"I know."

Prophet: December 9th

Boy-Who-Lived Unreachable!

For days, several reporters have tried to get access to either Dumbledore or Harry Potter, but every attempt was denied. What is goingon? Were Minister Fudge's words about Dumbledore true after all? Do they span together with the dark, perhaps? It remains a mystery. One of the saviour's friends, Ms Hermione Granger, seemed rather uncomfortable with our questions and scurried away after a slight apology. Draco Malfoy, one of Harry's classmates, was only slightly more talkative, and assured us there was no reason to worry and that "Potter is probably just busy." On the question what he could be so busy with, we got no answer but a shrug. What is Dumbledore hiding?

With a hard gaze that only ever entered his eyes when he was alone, an aged man sat behind his desk, appearing to be staring blankly at the wall, but nothing was less true. Albus blinked when a long thrill sounded, and he smiled ruefully. Fawkes looked as vibrant as ever, and the man wondered why people always thought phoenixes were that intelligent. It seemed as if the bird did not even sense the upcoming war or his master's dark mood. Well, as long as it warned him against intruders…

His lips tightened when he looked down at the papers on his desk. Harry… what should he do? The boy had gone missing around the same time Voldemort had appeared. And not only Harry, the Weasley twins had left as well… but Harry could not have gone with Voldemort out of his own free will, could he have?

The chair creaked as he leaned back in it, trying to understand what had happened. Had it been a ploy from the beginning? The moment he'd felt Voldemort's magic at the Dursley's residence… but when Harry had appeared again, Lucius Malfoy had protected… Albus groaned. It had seemed plausible at the time, that Malfoy would see something in 'saving' Harry, but honestly, the man's ideals were a far cry from light. Had he brainwashed Harry? Had Voldemort? If so… how could he ever get Harry to kill the Dark Lord? How could he ever get the boy so far as to sacrifice himself for the Light?

How was he even going to get Harry back in the first place?

Quibbler: December 13th

Harry Potter, he who will save our world once more.

First he saved us by taking down a Dark Lord, will he now save us by aiding said wizard? Word reached me that Harry Potter, also commonly known as the Boy-Who-Lived, escaped the clutches of Dumbledore weeks ago. This shocking news might frighten some, but in the light of the latest events, we must wonder whether or not this is really so bad.

Apparently, Harry Potter disappeared weeks ago, just before the Death Eaters started their campaign, and now, right after the Dark Lord publically appeared, news of that disappearance was finally released. Has he joined You-Know-Who?

The answer is unsure still, but, if we look at the timing and circumstances, there is a high possibility.

We shall know in time.

Quibbler: revised edition December 15th
Harry Potter, he who will save our world once more, but who would prefer to not be known as a saviour, as has become clear by a death threat after the previous article.

Smug, Harry read over the headline of the Quibbler article and skimmed over the rest, feeling rather happy about the fact that the line with the title Boy-Who-Lived had also been left out. He might have lashed out a bit too violently when seeing that the Quibbler, which he'd come to respect, now hauled him a saviour once more, and had taken… necessary steps to make it clear that it was not appreciated. He was no Saviour. He was an important head figure on the dark side now, but he definitely did not want to save anyone. He just wanted to make this world a bit more fair.

And indulge selfishly in Dark Arts when he would finally get the time for it, that too...

Prophet December 15th

Dark times heading our way without the saviour of the Light.

The Boy-Who-Lived has still not been found, and the rumours that he has joined the Dark have spread like wildfire through Britain. Has he betrayed all of the Wizarding World and joined the murderer of his parents? Or is he too an innocent victim of the scheming of You-Know-Who once more? Evidence suggests that he has not been captured, but he may only be waiting for the right moment to appear in which he can strike his enemy, our enemy, down.

Marvolo didn't bother reading the rest of the article, and gazed down at the sleeping boy on the bed, one of the hands clenching around the sheets, pulling it up to his face. Not that it would help much to get warm… Falling asleep naked on top of the blankets in December was not exactly a good idea. The man studied the goose-bump covered skin and silently cast a warming charm, a smile playing around the corners of his lips as Harry shivered and mumbled in his sleep, rubbing his head against the bed in an adorable way that made his hair look even messier. His gaze drifted down, and a perverted smirk spread on his face as he saw a forgotten stain of semen on the boy's arse. Bending down, he slowly licked at it, hardening when a low moan sounded from the sleeping teen.

The Dark Lord sighed and stood up straight again, looked at the ominous silhouettes on the chessboard at the other side of the room, and walked over to it, placing his finger on top of the grey queen. He hesitated for a moment and pushed it forward, out of the defenses of the towers and the horses to the front to face the threats of the pieces on the opposite side. A wave of hatred went through him as he regarded the king on the other side, a piece that was black on the back but of the purest brilliant white on front.

"You will fall." he whispered to it. "I will force you to fall."

Quibbler: December 16th

The Dark's announcement.

Despite the congregation of Nargle hybrids lurking in the area, the Dark Lord Voldemort has announced that tomorrow morning he will be making another announcement of sorts at the same place where the Quidditch World Cup has been held one and a half year ago during breakfast - I warn you to wake up early and have breakfast before because he has said:

"I urge all wizards, witches, and other magical beings to come to the fields where the last Quidditch World Cup Finale has been held at eight in the morning. There will be a temporary ceasefire between all, and I will personally make sure that no-one will break it. it is time to reveal my greatest asset, and I wish for all of you to know that fighting me is futile. This world, our world, has gone wrong somewhere, that somewhere being the day the Statute of Secrecy was set into place. My last announcement is not remembered by all who heard it because of the Ministry's meddling. I will not allow such a thing to happen now. Should you not come, and not have a good reason for it, know that you will be announced an enemy of my reign once I establish my rule."

"Very inviting…" Harry said, quirking an eyebrow.

"I do not promise rainbows in blue skies Harry…"

The teen grimaced. "I'd hope not. So this is it, then?"

"Of course. It is no use waiting any longer."

Sighing, Harry climbed on the man's lap and kissed him briefly on the cheek before laying his head on Marvolo's shoulder. "Will this really work? Will this convince people to come to our side?"

"Undoubtedly. I cannot tell how many, but some will come to us. And those who won't… well, at least we will have targets then."

"And here I thought the war had already begun." the teen said, and stretched his back. "The secret raids to capture traitors, secure important places…"

"Preparation is necessary for war if you want to win it. And I am rather set on winning…"

"I know... and I'll help."

"Thank you. That is all I ask." Marvolo whispered, and tugged on Harry's hair so the boy lifted his head. Leaning forwards, he placed his lips on the other's, slowly letting go of the tight control he had over his mind and body to get lost in emotion for a while. "My love…" he muttered, and then he hesitated, looking Harry in the eyes.

"What is it?" the other asked, noticing the turbulence in the mind of the man, but the thoughts were suddenly locked away. Marvolo grasped his hand and entwined their fingers, staring down at the small hand lying in his.

"Harry… when this is over… will you marry me?"

Emerald eyes widened, and Harry felt his heartbeat stopping before starting anew in a pace twice as fast. He turned his hand so he had a tight grip on the bony fingers and leaned forward again, crashing their mouths together fervently. He felt Marvolo's lips curling into a smile, and as the mental barriers were lowered again, they drowned in the feelings of happiness echoing through them.

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xx GeMerope