Chapter Twenty Five: Repercussions:
Rufus Scrimgeour paced his office much like the lion he so resembled. He was angry and wanted someone to pay, mostly that vile creature that called himself lord Voldemort. That was why he had done what he had, be damned the ramifications if it got back to him. Innocent children had died, innocent students and he would not allow that to happen again. He told the Order of the Phoenix that did not officially exist to do whatever they felt to strike back at Voldemort including destroy any building or structure that Voldemort might be using, excluding only Hogwarts, the ministry and St. Mungos. James Potter had just left his office with that blessing and Scrimgeour knew James would retaliate against Voldemort spectacularly.
James had in the meantime headed to the order's headquarters, Black Castle, a place that Sirius had been able to "wake up" from its hundred years curse of sleep due to an evil ancestor of Sirius's who had set the once noble house of Black on its downward spiral this past century into an evil dark house. Now that Sirius was head of the noble and ancient house of Black and had mostly grown up (Lily still did not think he had at all of course) it looked as if it was back on track to being a great house. The castle was exactly twice as large as the home Sirius had grown up in. It was made of black stone and looked foreboding until one got into the castle.
From the entry hall with the grand staircase and two story high stain glass windows that showed the battle of St. George over a dragon to the paintings of ancestors and cheer glided walls this was a fine place to be. The entry hall had a carpet in green and silver as the Blacks had been in Slytherin for ages, before the last century this would not make a witch or wizard seem dark just crafty and into blood lines. Suits of armor stood before the doors to the dining hall of the castle and on the other side was the parlor and first level of the massive library. It was to the library James went and where he settled into a chair barely talking in the three levels of the massive library. Lily, Sirius, Remus, Emmy, Rita, and Moody were here for this grim meeting.
"The minister will not interfere." James said his hazel eyes hard with surprised rage, "we will be allowed to avenge those who were murdered."
"Good I have one here who can help, Raven get over here!" Moody growled.
"Auror Moody, esteemed witches and wizards." A stocky average height man clad in simple brown robes and cloak with hood up and face shadowed said stepping forward. "I am an unspeakable and can help with dealing with the dark lord."
"How can you help?" Lily asked.
"I am a spy in the ranks of the dark lord, I have protected the department of mysteries from the evils of the dark lord. In fact it is my families job to fight the evil of a dark lord or lady."
"Raven is your title is it not?" James said remembering some tales he had been told as a child, "you are part of the Raven guild!"
"I am, well spotted noble sir." Raven said bowing slightly to him.
The Raven guild was a secret society that had pledge in ages past to protect the human race from evil. It was rumored that they had once been a great race and had in their greed and pride fallen and were lost to history. Those that remained were allowed a way to redeem themselves and so they had pledged themselves and their families to fight all evil magical or muggle. No-one outside the clan was allowed to know who was in the Raven guild and even this unspeakable was safe, he would never use his family name and many would be shocked to know this was the "traitor" Augustus Rookwood who was supposed to be in Azkaban.
"So how can you help us?" James echoed his wife's question.
"Yes you wish to take out those followers of the dark lord in Azkaban?" Raven asked, "the only way you can do this is if you destroy the last clan of the Dementors."
"Last clan?" Sirius asked.
"Dementors were never to exist, man created him and man can destroy him." Raven replied, "I know how to destroy them and it will be hard but rewarding in the end. I will do so as it was my people that created them, and we must destroy them."
"Very well, you get rid of them and we will get rid of the prisoners." James said, "Voldemort will not get the Lestrange brothers or the others back, not if I can help it."
"Good here is what I have planned." Lily said.
Later that day three submarines headed out for Azkaban island off the shores of Scotland. It was a small bare island that gave of an evil sad air. The only thing on this island was the large prison surrounded by huge black walls with only one way into the prison. As the submarines came to the island those on board could feel the Dementors and James shivered. How could the ministry call themselves of the light when they allowed Dementors, demons really to guard a prison? There was no need, other prisons used goblins, dwarves and humans and of course strong spells woven into the fabric of the prisons, segregated as wizard and witches magic was different and this was the more humane way to keep a prisoner no matter how evil that prisoner had been.
"I hate Dementors." James said chewing on some chocolate.
"I know, they need to be sent back to hell." Sirius replied checking his weapons, "we just going to kill the prisoners or are we going to blow the prison too?"
"I say blow the whole island when we are done." Remus said, "that way the ministry will have to build a better prison than keep using this horror."
"Well let's make sure no innocents are harmed." James said, "Raven you ready?"
"Yes sir." The brown robed and cloaked man said.
"Good let's get this done." James said grimly taking out his magical data pad that showed where the prisoners, human guards and Dementors were, he handed out one to each of the team leads. "You know which dots are which, avoid the red, they are the Sith."
"I knew letting you watch Star Wars last weekend was a bad idea." Sirius muttered.
"My children were watching it, thought it was cool." James replied.
The wizards finished preparing to storm the island and stood ready to leave the submarine as soon as the ship finished docking. They stormed up to the prison and the guards seeing the robes and armor of the Aurors stepped aside. When they saw the brown robes and hooded cloaks of the Unspeakables they shuddered knowing who they were even without anyone telling them. One team got all the human guards and took them back to the ship while the rest went through the prison killing the prisoners within. These were prisoners who had been tried and convicted of treason, murder, rape and torture and should have been sentenced to death and in fact the minister had in a way allowed this to happen. James got to a cell that held Rabastan Lestrange and a white hot anger went through him.
"Hi Rabastan." James said staring at the ruin of a once powerful wizard clad in gray prison robes. "I swore revenge for what you did to Frank and Alice at your trial, remember that?"
"Ah so good to see you James, how is your mudblood whore of a wife?" Rabastan said, "still have you entrapped?"
"Go to hell bitch." James snarled.
Rabastan watched in anger and a bit of fear as James raised his wand at him. No he was not using his wand, he screamed in rage as he realized she was to be taken out not honorably by wand but by a filthy muggle weapon! James shot him dead and then calmly walked onto the next cell, this was war and because of that these people had to die. He did not like killing but knew he had to, to protect his people and his family. With that in mind he continued on and killed each prisoner with one kill shot to the head even when they tried to get away. Finally he was done and looked at his data pad and saw that the prisoner dots had faded as had the Dementor lights. He reached into his satchel and started to set the charges to blow this prison. No more would Azkaban house any prisoners nor would this evil place even exist. He walked back to the sub and went in and the ship left the island, once they were a safe distance away he pressed a button and the charges went off. The submarine surfaced and the solders walked to stand on the deck to watch the island crumble into the sea ending an evil era.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
The followers of Voldemort stood around his throne trembling in fear. There lord and master was beyond angry he was nearly insane with his rage. Azkaban was gone as were his followers whom he had carefully planned to have rescued. Now that was not going to happen and his rage was on one Severus Snape who was on his knees before him. He looked up as a trembling lower death eater came up fell to his knees at his feet and after kissing the hem of his robes handed a letter up to the dark lord. In a haze of pain Severus watched as Voldemort read the letter.
"So it was not the old fool, seems he cannot control his minions as well as I can mine." Voldemort said, "Severus!"
"Yes my lord." Severus said doing his best not to tremble in fear and pain.
"You will find a way to bring me Harry Potter, fail and I will see your family dead!" Voldemort hissed.
"Yes my lord." Severus said getting up and doing his best to remain standing even though he was in so much pain, "I will do my best to bring him to you soon."
"Good now get out of my sight!"
Severus bowed and left and once he Apparated back to the gates of Hogwarts he let his rage come forward. He wanted Voldemort dead more than ever now and he vowed he would see the evil dark lord dead for how he dared threaten his family. It was not as if Voldemort could get into the school now, the dwarves, humans and even Centaurs were going over the inside (for the humans and dwarves) and outside (the centaurs) of the ancient castle. A few holes that had not been blocked up were bricked and filled with stone and warded with magic and the outer walls of the castle were strengthened.
Yet Severus was not fully thinking on that as he headed up to the school anger and rage growing with every minute. He stormed into the school his pain forgotten as he stormed up to the headmaster's office. Thanks to the charm he wore he knew his family was safe and he did not need to go see them at the moment. He came to the gargoyle, gave the password and stormed up the revolving staircase. He threw open the door and stormed into the room startling Dumbledore who looked up and reached for a calming drought to give Severus.
"That evil foul creature threatened my family!" Severus snarled, "he wants Harry and I will not give Harry to him!"
"I see he threatened your son and wife I take it?" Dumbledore said.
"Not just them but all my family! I will not let the dark lord harm anymore." Severus shouted, he was losing it fast, "I would kill him myself if I could, I hate him, I hate him I hate him!"
"I know my boy." Dumbledore said getting up quickly and walking over to Severus. "Take this please, it will do you no good to lose your head over this."
"I will kill him!" Severus snarled but took the draught, "he killed children! Children headmaster how could he?"
"I know my boy I know, now go see Poppy and your family." Dumbledore said.
Dumbledore steered Severus to the fireplace and threw floo powder on the fire calling out the hospital wing and sent Severus through. He sat down at his desk the twinkle in his eyes gone as he was feeling the weight of this horrible war fully on his aged shoulders. Severus in the meantime had let Poppy take care of him and then he headed back to his quarters. Normally Poppy would have him stay but she knew he needed Emmy and his son right now not a night in the hospital wing. Emmy took one look at her husband and steered him to bed undressing him and tucking him in massaging his back until he fell asleep then she tucked him under the covers and kissed his cheek before she went to feed and put their son down for the night.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
On a cold Saturday a few days later Harry was taking a walk into the forbidden forest. Normally the centaurs did not want people in their forest and tolerated Hagrid and students here on detention and a few students who knew how to give proper tribute. Yet when they saw the lone boy walking into the forest they let him alone for they knew the weight this boy carried on his shoulders. Harry shivered despite his layers of warm clothing, his thick warm winter school robes and heavy black cloak with the hood drawn over his head dragonskin boots and warm gloves. He saw for the first time a Thestral and walked up to the skeletal looking creature with ghost white eyes and bat-like wings. He reached up and petted it sadly thinking on all that had happened.
Collin was dead, he had become such a good friend after his rather bad first year. Once he had calmed a bit and got to know the real Harry he had become a great fun and entertaining friend. He had a great since of humor and was very likeable, when his brother Dennis came to the school he helped tutor his brother carefully and introduced him to Fred and George. Now he would never do another prank and would never share his quick with the rest of the school. Harry heard someone crying and saw a figure huddled against a tree their hood over their face and Harry knew exactly who this was. He felt anger for Draco, he had lost his girlfriend to the death eaters and was suffering badly. Harry walked up to him and Draco quickly dried his eyes but did not look up as Harry cast a warming charm on his friend.
"You looked cold." Harry said.
"Thanks Potter." Draco said getting up, "I should go back."
"I tried so hard," Harry said, "in the battle, but you, you were amazing, I thought we could lick them all by ourselves, that they could not harm us. I didn't think they would, we are just kids, why would they want to kill any of us?"
"Pansy and I were going to get married, it was planned from since we were ten." Draco said, "at first I did not love her but I do, I did and now she is gone!"
"She was amazing," Harry said, "very smart and she had a since of humor. Collin, man you should have seen him at our last Quidditch match, and Dean then Terry and, and Percy, I grew up with him."
Harry could not go on, he found himself crying as he had not yet and Draco, not one raised to show emotion or caring walked up to Harry. In grief the two boys reached out to the other and like many a solder after a traumatic event sobbed in each other's arms. It was not unmanly or a cowardly thing to do but a natural course of grieving. They broke from their embrace when they heard someone coming up and saw the hooded form of Ginny. She saw the state the boys were in and took out some chocolate and offered it to both. She had cried herself out over the past few days in loosing Percy and it still hurt so badly and she had come here for some quiet time. Finding Harry and Draco was not what she had wanted at first but knew she had to help them.
"Hey Ginny." Harry said.
"Weaselette." Draco said using his nickname he had for the youngest Weasley.
"I came to get away from the others." Ginny said, "I know they mean well but one more person that says I am sorry and I will hex them I will."
"I know how you feel." Draco said.
"I have to end this," Harry said, "I have to stop Voldemort before he ruins the advances we have made in the past twenty years. We lost five good people because of Tommy boy and I will not allow any more to die if I can help it."
"It's not your fault, none of it is Harry." Draco said. "What did you do?"
"I sent a letter to Tommy boy telling him I want a duel." Harry said.
"Your mother is going to hex you six feet under after you take care of Tommy boy." Ginny said.
"You know you will have the school behind you Harry." Draco said, "even the Slytherins look what V-v-v stupid did to one of our house."
He was right and Harry knew that Voldemort had made a grave mistake in attacking students and killing a Slytherin. He was now hated by all the students and all the houses of Hogwarts were united unlike at any time before. Voldemort was going to go down, Harry had heard what his parents had done to Azkaban and Harry knew he had to step up and end this. Not that he liked that idea but he knew deep down only he could kill Voldemort and stop his reign of terror from starting fully again. He walked out of the forest with Draco and Ginny and headed back to the castle to get warm and decide exactly how he would duel the evil dark lord Voldemort.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Oh yes this is war and Scrimgeour knows it and of course like all good politicians he gave permission with- out officially giving permission to do something drastic. I promise no prison guards were harmed and James made sure they got off the island safely. I could explain how the Dementors were killed but it would take a lot of math and symbols and stuff I do not understand, let's just say that those who killed them knew exactly what they were doing. :)
As for how Draco and Harry broke down together that is perfectly alright. In fact it is very good that they were able to, this can be very good therapy to be with a friend who has gone through what you did. Now as for Harry writing a letter to Voldy? Yea his mother is not going to be pleased but she will stand by him as she knows her baby boy has to do this. She might hex him later though.
Oh and Please do review!