A New World
This is a story about the wizarding world after the downfall of the Dark Lord. The story begins thirteen years after the Deathly Hallows. The main character Lissy Quixley is an new character. She is clever, tough and a rule breaker who does not respect authority
Soon Lissy comes into contact with familiar characters from the Harry Potter world, including the trio we all know and love. I have imagined the sort of people that they have become since the downfall of Voldemort, and the way they influence the wizarding world today.
As the story opens, a very powerful wizard is on the loose, and it is Lissy's responsibility to find him quickly. As the story deepens, we discover how the actions of Harry, Ron, Hermione and other familiar characters are changing the future of the wizarding world.
Chapter One – The Sirens
14 May 2011
Thirteen years after the fall of the Dark Lord.
i)
The sirens filled the streets of London with their dissonant wail as fire engines, ambulances and police cars raced along the city streets towards the tragic scene. Dutiful police officers in fluorescent yellow coats herded the Muggles of the city away from the disaster area, and cordoned off the roads with streams of blue and white tape. The crowd stood at the edge of the controlled zone, starting at the scene disaster, phones pressed to their ears, voices raised over the noise. Within minutes helicopters were whirling loudly overhead, and reporters leapt from news vans to stand staring into camera lenses and speak with a tense authority about the events unfolding.
Lissy Quixley stood hemmed into the crowd with her wand in her hand. She shuffled awkwardly in the hustle and bustle. She wanted to see what was happening, but she was too short to see past the tall Muggles in front of her. Thinking nothing of it, she jabbed the nearest one with the point of her wand. He flinched, and she pushed past him before he could stop her. With another few quick jabs she made her way forwards, until she was standing at the front up against the police tape. To her frustration, all she could see from here was a row of fire engines and police cars further down the street.
A Muggle policeman on the other side of the line gave Lissy a suspicious look. She would have looked like a Muggle herself if she were judged purely by her physical appearance: a young woman, short in stature, with long dark hair and big brown eyes. However, the officer did not seem to like her purple robe very much, and looked at her as though she was hiding something. The policeman was holding a big weapon which the Muggles called a machine gun. It was an inelegant device which could only wound and kill, far from the wandcraft of wizarding folk. Lissy did not want to see a gun used, especially on her, so she tried to look unassuming.
A short distance away, on the other side of the police line, a female news reporter was speaking into a large black camera. '...the police have yet to offer verification, but unconfirmed reports suggest that what has been described as a massive car bomb was detonated here in Fleet Street just fifteen minutes ago.' The reporter paused for a moment, and held her hand to her ear. 'No, no casualties have yet been announced, but unconfirmed reports suggest that as many as nine people have been seriously injured, with at least two possible fatalities. Police are urging the public to remain calm. No word yet from the government, but a statement from the Home Office is expected shortly.'
Lissy's heart missed a beat. Fatalities. Death. It was worse than she had feared. She kept her wand close to her chest and pushed her way back through the crowd. A whole team of Aurors would be on the street within minutes, if they were not here already. It would not take long to confirm that this was no Muggle bomb, but a serious magical matter, and they would immediately begin hunting for the culprit.
If the Aurors found Lissy here they would ask questions, and she would be compelled to tell them the truth. That could not happen. She had to deal with this herself, quickly, before anybody else could interfere. It the Aurors found the culprit first, this situation could become dire.
'Lissy!' barked an authoritative voice as Lissy emerged from the crowd. She jumped and turned around. A tall middle aged wizard was walking towards her. His crumpled hat was at a crooked angle on his head, and his patterned green robes swished as he strode forwards. Lissy's fear abated. It was her partner, Bosman. 'I came as quickly as I could, kid,' he said. 'What's going on?'
Lissy tried to keep the worry out of her voice. She had to be professional. 'I was in the office. The Trace was triggered here, so I came as fast as I could.' She looked Bosman in the eye. 'A car exploded. Two Muggles died. Others are injured. I can't believe it.'
Bosman nodded and looked towards the scene with a grim expression on his face. 'Merlin's beard...' he said. 'Was it him, then? Miller?'
Lissy sighed helplessly. 'I know he was meant to be here today at around this time. Obviously I can't say for sure.'
'But you think it was him?' he asked, pressing her.
Lissy nodded.
'Right,' said Bosman. 'Have you seen any Aurors yet?'
Lissy shook her head. 'I haven't seen any, but they'll be here somewhere.'
'Well in any event we've not got much time,' Bosman said, cracking his fingers. 'When the Aurors confirm this was a magical incident, they'll run their own check at the Trace Registry. It won't take long to work out who we've been watching recently... and the other incidents surrounding him. It's serious, so I doubt the Registry will protect his anonymity.'
'So they'll get his address,' said Lissy.
'Yes,' said Bosman.
'Damn it, this is our jurisdiction, not theirs,' said Lissy, as she stamped her foot. 'We need to go to him now, before the Aurors find him.'
'Yes of course, in a moment,' said Bosman, with a curt not. 'First I want to see the scene of this explosion. I need to know what we're dealing with.' Bosman held out his hand to her. He was about to disapparate and wanted to take her with him to the same location. Lissy hesitated. Bosman was wasting time. Stubbornly he said: 'Well you could go ahead and find Miller on your own if you want, kid, but I can't think what you'll say to the Aurors without me.'
'Oh, fine!' said Lissy, grabbing his arm angrily. The moment she touched his hand they were away.
The pair apparated on top of a roof overlooking the tragic scene. They were five storeys up, so it was unlikely that anybody would see them. On the other hand Lissy and Bosman had a clear view of the devastation in the street below. It was immediately obvious that a car had indeed exploded. Its smouldering remains and blasted-open roof were lying strewn at the side of the road. All around there were injured Muggles being attended by others in bright orange clothes. The injuries looked bloody and very serious.
Lissy's heart ached with sorrow. 'I'm going to go and help them,' she said.
'You will do no such thing,' said Bosman gravely. 'You know the rules. No interference.'
'Hang the rules!' said Lissy, looking up at her partner and clenching her fists by her side. Her wand was still in her right hand. 'This is our fault,' she said.
Bosman looked at her wand warily but shook his head. 'No interference with the Muggles. That's an order.'
Lissy gave in. She did not care about getting into trouble, certainly not when all she wanted to do was to help people. Yet Bosman was a stronger wizard than her. If she disobeyed him he would overpower her anyway. It was pointless. Damn it all, she thought.
Bosman looked back at the scene below and Lissy could see the sorrow in his expression. It was obvious that he deeply regretted that they had not been in the close vicinity of their mark, Miller, at the time. Lissy told herself that it would not have made any difference if they had been there, but it did not make her feel any better.
'The Aurors will take time to link this to Miller and to find his address,' said Bosman eventually.
'What's your point?' said Lissy.
'If I go back to the Ministry now, I can stall for even more time,' said Bosman. 'I should be able to stop the Trace Registry from revealing his address to the Aurors for a little while. They'll call in the lawyers and have a row about it.'
'And in the mean time, I should go and wait at Miller's home, and hope that he gets back there before the Aurors show up,' said Lissy, understanding him.
'Yes,' said Bosman, thoughtfully. It was a sensible course of action. If the Aurors got their hands on Miller first they would claim jurisdiction and lock him down without a second thought. They had to stall for time. Bosman asked: 'You know what this means, though don't you?'
Bosman's gaze said it all. Lissy was going to have to take Miller into custody herself. That meant she had some explaining to do. She had never had to do this on her own before.
'I'll do it,' she said, nodding confidently.
'Good,' said Bosman. 'Now go on, kid.'
Lissy disapparated.