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Chapter 14 – The Return
The students were given one full day to decide: either stay and complete their education under Salazar Slytherin's auspices, or leave, after having their memories wiped of pertinent information so that Hogwarts would stay hidden and left in peace to give the remaining students a real and competent education like Hogwarts originally had offered.
Surprisingly, roughly 75% of the students decided to remain, especially most of the Slytherins. Apparently, many, such as Draco Malfoy, reasoned that: (1) he was getting a much better and varied education; (2) there was much he could learn from Salazar as well as the enigmatic group of new teachers; (3) Snape would be staying, if only because the teachers had no choice in the matter, so he would watch over Draco and keep him safe; (4) he would be spared serving the Dark Lord and taking the mark, making him a slave to an upstart Half-blood; (5) he wouldn't have to deal with Dumbledore who, in his opinion, was a worse dark lord than Voldemort; and (6) he could make up some excuse for his parents for his actions, such as spying, etc. To put it bluntly, he would be free of the things in his life that placed him in danger and from living the life he really wanted to live.
The three remaining Weasleys were going to leave because they knew their mother would have such a conniption that she'd even drive the Ministry to distraction to "get back her babies" and in this case, Dumbledore would probably agree with her. Despite everything, the Castle was still a powerful magical artifact and the library was remaining as well as many things Dumbledore had used as his personal items and for some of his more "questionable actions." He regarded such things as "trophies of war" since they were looted from dead Dark and also dead Light families.
Crabbe and Goyle really wanted to stay but Draco all but ordered them to go to "tell the real story" and so they were forced to leave. Although Draco hadn't forgotten, his two minions apparently had about having their memories erased.
Salazar gave one concession, and it was to the Muggleborns only. They were allowed to write letters to their parents/guardians to explain why they were staying. Thus, Justin Finch-Fletchley was able to ease his parents minds that he was safe and getting a much better magical and "normal" education and upon graduation, would be able to apply to university and be accepted.
The Creevey Brothers wouldn't be going onto higher education due to the expense and wanting to pursue other careers. Colin wanted to be a professional photographer/film maker, perhaps even traveling the world to film various sites, animals and endangered peoples and places to document their heritages before they disappeared. Dennis wasn't sure what career he would choose, only that he wanted to work with his hands. He still had time to decide and at this Hogwarts, the future was much brighter.
However, it was surmised by Salazar and the teachers, then proven true, that Dumbledore would confiscate the letters for clues to Hogwarts' current whereabouts and at the very least to sow panic and discord, things he was a master at doing.
However, he wouldn't find any clues as Salazar and his new friends were not only more powerful than Dumbledore, they were more skilled in esoteric magic, a lot of which Dumbledore had forbidden to be learned because he considered it dark, but mostly because such knowledge could make a strong wizard a threat to him. No one was allowed to be smarter, better educated and more powerful than Dumbledore – it was an unwritten law enacted by himself and not shared with anyone else.
One thing that would throw off all plans to track the students magically was, one had to admit, pure genius. It seemed that the Prof and Owlet had contacts in the Muggle governments and a rather large cargo plane was "borrowed" shrunken, taken to Hogwarts, unshrunk, the students loaded on board, shrunken again, then returned to the proper size at a military base in Germany. An aircrew was given a flight plan and then "convinced" to take off without looking in the hold. The relevant paperwork had been correctly filed so there was no need to check the aircraft due only to the "convincing" done by the Professor.
Owlet had placed all of the students under a sleeping charm due to expire when the plane landed. It was a given that feeling the plane takeoff, heading to the destination and the probable encounter of the odd air pocket or disturbance, not to mention landing would scare the hell out of the students and being strapped in might cause many to panic and then BOOM! Disaster would occur. The Professor had a few private elves who had the duty to wipe away any of the twos magical signatures. The magic of house elves were difficult to trace especially those whose masters were not known.
Therefore, everything went off without a hitch, the plane landed, the students woke up and there was a lot of explaining to be done but no one to do it. Eventually, Muggleborns in the military were called in and the rescued children were taken to St. Mungo's for evaluation.
Because he was Dumbledore, the old wizard was the first to be notified and he quickly had some of "his people" check for magical signatures, spells, charms and the odd curse or two. No signatures were found, only the spells for sleeping/waking of the students were visible, the charms for the flight crew and their involvement and, to Dumbledore's actual disappointment, curses could be detected.
All the children were interrogated about where they had been, who was responsible and why the majority of the students were missing. All that they could tell was that which had not been obliviated from their memory but, at least to the relief of the healers, DMLE and eventually the parents when they were finally informed, the children were returned, were healthy, not under any magic other than the obliviation and, not surprisingly, bewildered about where they had been, what had happened, etc. The last thing any remembered was going to sleep the night of the disappearance and waking up in a strange Muggle contraption and not knowing how or why.
Dumbledore was totally FURIOUS, because most of the students were still out of his reach, the magical signatures couldn't be traced and no dark magic had been used. He was going to tell the public that everything reeked of dark magic but Amelia Bones, the Unspeakables, the Muggleborn military, police and government magicals broke all of the "good news" before Dumbledore had a chance to give his very different version.
Two Unspeakables had found out about the confiscated letters and with great difficulty had managed to acquire them before Dumbledore changed them. The Greatest Wizard since Merlin was furious they were out of his control but grateful parents/guardians/relatives, etc. were relieved and knew why certain students had stayed.
However, since those students Dumbledore considered important and relevant to his plans, such as Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Susan Bones, Draco Malfoy and others, were still out of his reach, the castle itself was lost to him with its library and the other goodies Dumbles had acquired. Therefore, despite the lack of evidence and clues, Dumbles was determined to find HIS SCHOOL and SEVERELY PUNISH those who had defied him. At the moment they probably thought they had "won" but it was quite clear they really didn't know who they were up against, namely ALBUS DUMBLEDORE, the Greatest Wizard since Merlin (who would soon be surpassed by Albus) and Dumbledore ALWAYS WON (eventually).
The Professor and Owlet could confidently say that their main mission was accomplished, but now while the Magical World was occupied with the return of the students, the two talented witches had another mission to fulfill. Sal had requested it – to be done at their leisure but hopefully within six months. Said mission would more than annoy, irritate and upset all of Dumbles' plans and the old wizard would be too distracted to notice until it was much, much too late.
With the British Magicals, Dumbledore, Death Eaters and the news media concentrating on the return of some of the students and definitely not Hogwarts itself, it was a perfect opportunity to take a crack at the other assignment and see if it could be accomplished at all let alone at the present time.
Lord Voldemort had been left alone ever since word had come out about the mysterious return of some of the Hogwarts students and not the school. Most of his Death Eaters with children had asked permission to complain and ask "Where are our children" as well as blaming Dumbledore, the Ministry and Muggles. Voldemort sent the childless Death Eaters to sow discord, perhaps start a small riot and protest against Dumbles.
Thus, the dread Dark Lord was basically alone at Malfoy Manor with the exception of a few house elves and Nagini, who had busied herself with chasing the Malfoy white peacocks. He took the opportunity to actually relax while he waited for news, catching up on some reading he hadn't had time to do, while noshing on assorted tea sandwiches, a few pastries and the usual things found during a tea – except for the tea. He had the elf assigned to see to his needs to sneak out and on pain of a horrible death, not to tell that the Dark Lord sent him out for certain things not available even in the grand home of the Malfoys. He was nibbling at a salmon paste sandwich and drinking some ice cold ginger ale – in a goblet – because…well because he liked Muggle fizzy drinks. Just as long as no one found out about this "vice" he would continue doing it.
Thus, so absorbed in his reading and eating he didn't hear anyone or anything enter, stun the hell out of him and take him for a chat with THE Salazar Slytherin.
Since he was known to disappear on private business and not tell anyone where he was going, doing or returning, it was several days before the Death Eaters knew he was actually missing and only because Nagini had finally convinced someone – actually one of the house elves – that her Lord was gone. Never in their wildest dreams would they believe that the Dread Darkest of Dark Lords had been kidnapped!
Since he was still considered dead and not coming back by the Ministry, the Death Eaters decided to lay low and not do anything but wait for his return, or at least some sign where he was and what he was doing. They would have a long wait.
It was almost a year until Dumbledore found out, much to his sorrow, as outing and defeating Voldie was his greatest plan. Sometimes NOTHING went as it should.
It would be years before anything "hit the fan" as the Muggles say and then the world wouldn't know what hit them.