His son was finally at Hogwarts.
Just as it should have been a year ago.
He would never forgive the kidnappers for taking away a happy childhood year from his son, hurting Albus, giving him a year full of suffering and trauma.
According to Ginny and the therapist (an eccentric but helpful man), Albus actually didn't remember a lot.
Harry didn't know if it made him feel relieved or if it just made him more worried. How would it be when he remembered… everything? And what was everything? Harry still didn't know! He was trying to discover but there were many obstacles.
The Romanian government wasn't letting the aurors inside the Wynn Forest! William Magis wasn't being helpful either, pressing Harry for him to focus more on the Dark Path (he was already doing so…, he was capable enough to do more than one thing at once).
They hurt his kid.
The kidnappers would surely pay one day.
They would pay.
Harry Potter was happy that Albus was finally having a normal childhood (no beds with restraints, scary and cold forests, sedatives in the soup, blood, or abuse). But he was also concerned.
He would ask Neville to watch his son.
If they were going to be teaching him at home, Ginny could start teaching and they could also hire private tutors, Harry could also help when he wasn't on auror duty, they could do a more liberal teaching schedule and educate Albus at home.
After all, he and Ginny initially thought it was too early to send Albus to Hogwarts, but Albus seemed determined to go and Harry knew that going to Hogwarts had always been his son's dream.
If they had refused to send him, they felt that they would be depriving their son of something very important.
But…
He was worried.
Albus was better than before.
In the beginning, it had been very difficult.
Albus had spent a whole week at St. Mungus in a catatonic state, he didn't speak to anyone or show any reaction to anything. Both him and Ginny thought it would be permanent, that Albus would never recover from what had happened. That the trauma had been way too big for his mind and body.
It had been torturing to see Albus like that.
When he spoke for the first time and recognized them, Harry felt immense relief.
His little angel was back.
His little sweet angel, his beloved child…
He remembers wanting to keep him away from all the world's dangers, from all the bad people, to be there for him always, never leaving his side. To be his hero.
When he returned home, Harry has been suddenly awakened by his son's screams. He was having terrible nightmares at night, but he usually only remembered little details about it or didn't remember them, he just woke up in panic.
Al spent a lot of time alone in his room or sleeping on the couch with his cat wrapped around him, he was also frightened by sudden loud noises, barely ate, and did not like crowds very much.
Albus acted very shyly, preferring to be left alone with his cat and some books.
It was different from the normal and happy Albus that he was used to, but he could handle the fact that his son was a little quieter than before.
According to his therapist, Albus may be repressing memories and thoughts about the past year, he believes he was doing it unconsciously, but he warned that they should not try to make him try to remember those memories and should wait.
In most of these cases, the memories came back sooner or later, when the victim was ready to deal with them.
He asked the man why his son was experiencing these behavioral changes if he didn't remember well the year before.
According to him, it was something related to residual memories or trauma, a change in his behavior patterns originating in the subconscious.
The therapist advised him, after Harry called the man, privately, to send Albus to Hogwarts, saying it would be good for him to interact with people his age and to have a normal routine for a child wizard. He was slowly improving, according to the healer.
He thought that seeing his brother in that catatonic state had affected James very strongly, he saw the way he was being kinder to Albus and seemed somehow sad that Albus had changed so much, Lily was happy that Albus was back and she had written to Hermione to ask for a few more books to give Albus as a welcome gift. A letter arrived and Harry opened it very quickly, it was from Albus.
He quickly read the letter.
…
Well, Ravenclaw was a very good house and he had also made friends.
It was a good sign. Albus was improving.
He was afraid that his son would be very stressed by the crowded and noisy environment at Hogwarts, but he could only trust Albus's judgment, if he thought he was ready to go, maybe he would be fine.
At least he said he would be fine.
He had to water Albus' plants... Neville has given Al all kinds of plants since he found out that Albus had been reading about Herbology.
From beautiful plants that changed color to larger plants with intimidating spikes. Al's room was now full of many plants that he had to place in the upper parts of his wardrobe so that his cat would not try to eat them.
Neville once told Harry that his son revealed that plants always made him feel calmer and better.
He could give more plants to Albus then. Maybe for his birthday, he didn't know what was Al's favorite plant but he would discover.
"Ginny, guess what house did our son got sorted into?" Harry asked rhetorically as he passed his wife Al's letter. She smiled reading the letter.
She had been a nervous wreck in the past few days, as she thought Albus was not ready yet and was extremely worried about him.
"Ravenclaw. I have to tell Luna."
At least his and Ginny's routine was slowly returning to normal.
William Magis often called him now to discuss ways to control the "war" that took place between the PNM and the Dark Path. The DPM had recently attacked a cafeteria that belonged to one of the members of the PNM, they had broken almost everything and written on the walls: We have friends in high places too. The Circle is closed, but it will open for us.
Circle.
The word Circle in that context... what did it mean, exactly?
One night, the Auror Department had arrested a young man named Henry Malen.
Apparently, the news of Garret Olivanders' sudden disappearance had spread and the young man entered the store to try to rob the store and re-sell the wands, but apparently, something traumatized him a lot and he was found in a completely delusional state, walking at dawn in the Knockturn Alley, laughing and shouting nonsenses.
"I saw it. The Star is in the Circle, but the Circle is closed. But if we open the Circle, the Star will set us free. But the Star is the Circle! They are the same thing! The Circle is the answer, open the Circle in the night of the Star."
He had been taken to St. Mungus after that (he hadn't been able to steal anything), but he just continued to murmur about Stars and Circles. And now a message written by DPM informs that the "Circle is closed".
He did not understand the connection ...
He remembered Clayton talking about a Circle…, some tribal belief…, but what did it have to do with the DPM? And…
It didn't connect well. The information was confusing. Didn't make much sense.
Harry heard the doorbell. It must be Norman O'Neill.
"Mr. Potter, Mrs. Potter. Greetings." O'Neill said formally, taking off his hat and holding it to his chest. Waiting to enter the house.
Meeting at his home was more private and secure than at the Auror's office, in part because of Horton Cirley, who had the irritating habit of trying to hear what was being said behind doors.
He and O'Neill went to Harry's small home office.
He was there to discuss Albus's case. The man was being so good to him, so helpful.
He remembered that last year he hadn't stopped working even at Christmas! He had said he had no family waiting for him for Christmas.
The benefits of being a man without kids…
At least he'd never mentioned anyone.
No children, no partner, never talked about a wife, a free man, with lots of time to work…
"Well, the Romanian government does not seem very inclined to accept our entry into the Wynn Forest again for a formal investigation, Auror Potter. I think they are purposefully delaying the process with many additional requirements and bureaucracy. But I have been conducting my own investigation, reading newspapers, and talking to some experts in magical folklore and I can say that almost everyone in the theoretical field is convinced that the forest is haunted or at least has very bad energy, "said O'Neill and his expression was rigid and irritated.
"The land where Albus was found was within an old property of the Nostrad-Ikabonf Family," continued the auror, raising his voice slightly. Harry raised his eyebrows. He did not remember having heard the name Nostrad before. The name Ikabonf he knew, Celin Ikabonf, and a teacher from Hogwarts. Seeing his confused look, O'Neill started to explain.
"The Nostrads-Ikabonfs, Mr. Potter, used to be two old families called so-called pure vampires."
Vampires?! No way…
"It seems that many historians of magic attribute the supposedly bad energy of the place to some rituals performed by the Nostrads-Ikabonfs. A woman told me that the families "desecrated the soil with blood and evil and ruined the entire forest with its bestiality and degradation" and that they did the same with that forest in Ukraine after they left Romania," said O'Neill.
"I suspected that there was still at least one of them in the forest, they might know something about Albus's case, after all, but Miss Merryshell, a Romanian magical historian I talked with, was totally horrified by that assumption and said that even if only one of them was in the forest, everyone would know because all the villages near the forest would have been completely wiped out already," said O'Neill, mysteriously excited.
"Mr. O'Neill, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but do you think they have anything to do with Albus' kidnapping?" Harry asked, trying not to sound too skeptical.
"They may know something, we can't ignore anything, Mr. Potter," he insisted, Harry decided to just thank O'Neill with a smile, inviting him to stay longer and maybe come over for dinner another day.
Since Albus' rescue, Harry and O'Neill have become very good friends, as Harry could never thank his colleague enough for finding Albus.
Unfortunately, his colleague would be busy all week, as he now had to continue his investigation of the Proud New Magicians without his partner (who were still at St. Mungus, with an infected leg).
The group has been a little too quiet lately after the DPM attacks. Perhaps the PNM was trying to show that they were, in fact, peaceful and did not need to be further investigated and could therefore be considered a legitimate movement, and maybe even gain formal protection against some threats based on the Freedom of Speech Law and some similar legislative initiatives.
The problem was that normally after their meetings, very critical of the Ministry, many people went astray and provoked fights with whom they called SUMIMAs (Supporters of the Ministry of Magic) nearby. Calling the SUMIMAs "corrupt, good for nothing, supporter of old ideas" …
The PNM also incited a series of attacks and hate crimes against goblins and werewolves.
PNM members' families and friends claimed that the movement is a kind of cult that isolates its new members from the public, until they become Proud, after receiving training to defend ideas and the PNM as a whole.
There were also serious complaints about illegal magical researches.
O'Neill was looking for a 9-year-old boy named Ortiz Cadis, who had mysteriously disappeared. The PNM was the prime suspect.
"For hierarchy and order" had been written with the boy's blood on the ground. The parents said hooded wizards entered their residence abruptly when they were watching the children's show "the witch Vania and her magic lizards" on the newly purchased muggle television, they said that "youth is the answer, your child will be used for Proud purposes!", then they took the boy who went with them after they threatened to kill his parents in front of him.
It was believed that the boy was being kept in captivity receiving training and learning the PNM's ideas. The PNM's "officials" channels strongly denied that such an incident was even remotely related to their group…
There had been a considerable increase in the number of children (under 11 years old) being kidnapped or simply disappearing without any explanation…
They suspected the PNM because the DPM simply didn't do things like that. Generally, they would prefer older people.
No children are allowed in the movement. Elliston had said that "to join him in his revolution, it was necessary to have already awakened "a political awareness and a critical capacity" necessary to undertake long-lasting decisions that could change the wizarding society's future". Children were not allowed in DPM under any circumstances, only conscious and mature adults… He could respect that in Magnus Elliston.
Meanwhile, the UK DPM had sent a threatening letter to the local auror office, demanding an enormous amount of money, if they did not receive it, they would interrupt the national floo network (Harry thought they were thinking about using the money to spread the movement across the country…, they were publicly affronting the PNM, so they might need more resources).
Well, he was soon going to work, he had to coordinate things, help the Auror Department.
But for now, he still had some time to stay at home, so he started writing a letter to Albus and another to James, he would then show it to Ginny to see if she would like to add something to the letter, but now she was busy taking care of a very hungry Lily in the kitchen who had just woken up ("-I'm tired of pancakes, mom! I want to eat the bouncy ice cream cake that Uncle George gave us. Please, mother. Please-").
Albus,
I am very happy that you made two new friends and I am also very proud of you for being placed on Ravenclaw, your mother is also proud and is now writing Luna to tell her the news. It is a wonderful house and the common room is really beautiful (don't ask me how I know that).
I hope all of your classes are interesting and that you can learn a thing or two about most subjects from your teachers.
If you need anything, you can write home anytime you want, and if it's urgent, you can tell Neville, Hagrid, or a teacher.
With love, mom and dad.
It was a short letter, but Albus' letter was not very big either.
He just wanted everything to be okay and for Albus to like the teachers and housemates.
He had thought a lot. Enough already. He just wanted his son to be a happy, normal kid, who went to Hogwarts. That was good enough. Albus just had to be Albus.
He was a bit shocked that Binns had practically disappeared out of nowhere after being at Hogwarts all this time, but he didn't think the case was a priority or was too dangerous, so he had designated Lino Steely as his first official case of auror, the boy he had just completed his training a week ago.
He was a very agile and intelligent boy, but he had little to no real experience and Harry knew that the less important and less dangerous cases could be a good chance for him to improve his investigative skills and gain some experience in the camp. Lino was friends with Ted Lupine, his godson. Ted was almost completing his training as he would soon become an auror.
But…
Lino Steely was still missing.
It was supposed to have been a very simple mission, the young auror should just investigate Biins' disappearance.
Harry thought that Biins had, at last, "died" (definitively) after being a ghost for so long. The mission had been considered "low danger". Otherwise, he would not have let Lino Steely (who had no real field experience) go alone.
Now one of his godson's best friends was missing.
Ted was devastated.
In Lino's first case as an auror, he decided to stop at Hogsmeade for a break before entering the castle and start his investigation. He was last seen leaving the Three Broomsticks, but he never made it to Hogwarts.
In addition, O'Neill was assisting in the investigation of the strange dark substance that had appeared at Hogwarts, but it was difficult to make progress on the case since they had no samples or any additional information about what it was.
No one could explain exactly what had happened.
Nearly Headless Nick had been eaten by a dark substance and some students got burns on their skin after coming in contact with it.
The media had been pressing the auror department for some time.
The Department of Mysteries was trying to theorize about what happened, Otto Marchbanks, Head of the Department, was very interested in the research he was conducting, based only on reports and descriptions that the aurors had received from the Principal and from the teachers who witnessed the event.
Mister Edward Daniels Ikabonf had tons of theories himself…
At least…, the "Cheshire's culprit" had stopped attacking people, mysteriously.
He looked at the clock. He had to go to work. He kissed Ginny and asked her to send the letter.
The Ministry was full of reporters and journalists who shouted and asked for information, with giant cameras and flashes of lights.
"Mister Potter! Mister Potter!" Dennis Sallinger screamed at him, sticking the microphone in his face, and hitting his ribs with the notepad.
"No comments." He said, shortly.
"MISTER POTTER! HEY! HEY! MISTER POTTER!" How could someone scream so much?! He looked at the journalist, irritated.
"First of all, how's your son? I hope he's well, I always wished for his full recovery and always believed—"
He was leaving.
"HEY!"
"What?!" He wanted him to stop screaming in his ear.
"Would you give me a special interview? Also, will the DPM be attacking the Ministry?"
"No interview, I have nothing to talk with you," emphasized Harry, firmly and strictly. That was the man that said that his son was dead and that he should stop searching for him... "The Auror Department is doing a good job at monitoring the DPM's activity. Therefore, there will be no attack."
"But—"
Harry just left, not giving the journalist any more attention.
Getting there, he sat in his chair and let out a sigh, tired.
They had to move the department underground, as now the Department of Marketing and Public Relations occupied the region next to the Minister's office. The place was small and cramped, with cobwebs and dust everywhere. Spiders too, of course. Ron hated it.
"Ugh! Spiders. Pretty sure this one is dangerous, Harry. I swear! It's yellow and green, not a good sign," whispered Ron, pointing at the ceiling where a fat and ugly spider was coming down from its cobweb.
Horton Cirley stood up and crushed the spider with violence using a giant book, without any mercy, his face was irritated, he was stressed. Everyone was overworked.
"I'd like to remind you both gentlemen that I've already offered financial capital to build our own building, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley. The Minister has already endorsed, and approved such measure…, maybe because I think his excellency William Magis may feel intimidated by me and may want me to stay away for him and… his business," he said, arrogantly, "But for some reason, you two have refused my offer," said Horton Cirley, pretentiously, poking the spider's web with his wand. Small baby spiders fell to the ground. Ron turned pale almost instantly... Horton knew of Ron's arachnophobia and Harry thought he saw a small smile on the man's face.
"Just a few spiders, Weasley," he said lightly, "Be a man."
Harry (and Ron agreed) wouldn't be owing him anything.
He trusted his instincts, and they clearly said: do not trust Horton Cirley.
He always followed his instincts as they were usually right, more than that, they were precise, his instincts have saved him lots of time already in his missions.
For example, he knew he could completely trust O'Neill, the man was a trustable veteran auror who helped him find his son, a very competent and serious man, ambitious, focused on his work, overall a good person.
As he had no kids and no wife, he had more free time than the usual family man.
Harry knew he could always ask for O'Neills' help.
He was thinking about giving O'Neill more responsibilities, promoting him, rewarding him for all the hard work. He wanted to create the special position of Special Veteran Auror, Third in Charge (something like that…, he had to think about the name better), then O'Neill would be formally the third in command, being the main responsible for the PNM's investigations.
Some new aurors would be arriving from the auror's Academy and Harry was thinking of dividing the work into investigative units.
He'd give O'Neill a well-deserved promotion and some direct subordinates. He and Ron would investigate the DPM with the help of the others. He wanted Horton Cirley, Otis, and Ogden to be responsible for the general threat's cases that might appear.
"Let's try to do our best here for now," Harry said, diplomatically. Horton Cirley cast an angry look at him.
"If you're going to promote O'Neill, I recommend talking to Dennis Sallinger first...," said Cirley vaguely. He had always been a perceptive man.
"What? I'm not talking with him," stated Harry, affronted. Why did Cirley bring the journalist to the conversation so suddenly?
"I'm just saying he may tell you some surprising things about O'Neill," stated Cirley.
"Aren't you two friends?" Asked Ron, critically, Ron was trying to avoid the spiders that now crawled through the ground, Cirley stepped on one of them, crushing it with his highly expensive boots.
"Friends? No offenses, Mister Potter, Mister Weasley, but that's why any of you should never get into politics," said Cirley, with a genuine laugh, finding it all way too funny "I'm afraid, mister Potter…, that you may have the wrong picture. That you may think that O'Neill is something that he isn't," said Cirley, truthfully.
"You just don't want him promoted," stated Harry, he saw right through the man. He was envious of O'Neill.
"I'm not envious. I and O'Neill are, indeed, close. But I can say that he's more similar to me, than to you. You know that…, if I wanted to, I could transfer to other most… valued departments," Harry knew it was true. The world belongs to the rich, to the privileged, and to the well-connected. Horton Cirley was all that, "I just say that because I worry you may be much of an idealist for this job, mister Potter," he stated, coldly.
"I do my job well. If you aren't happy with my administration, you can—"
"Oh, Mister Potter, please. I'm just warning you. I'm being… a good subordinate. Maybe in the future, you'll learn that O'Neill is more ambitious and ruthless than you perceive him to be," he said, mysteriously, immediately returning to reviewing papers and writing reports.
Angry, Harry said he would be taking a quick break, called Ron to the Ministry's restaurant to discuss some things with him.
Why Cirley had to be so envious? Provoking everyone without a reason? A con-man, a politician…
He could trust O'Neill.
He couldn't trust Horton Cirley.
He knew the type of people Cirley was…, the Ministry was full of people like him! He knew well.
All that stress wouldn't do him any good. He wanted to get away from Horton Cirley, to get away from the world and from the ideas, the man represented, from the world with no real friends, no real emotional attachment, just ruthless politics, and shallow ambitions.
O'Neill was different. He helped him find Albus because he genuinely cared about his son, he said how much he loved children, he was an idealist, who loved helping people in general, without second thoughts.
He didn't know much about his personal life, but he didn't need Dennis Salligers' gossip to inform him on anything. He would ask O'Neill if he needed to, to get know him better.
They arrived at the Ministry's restaurant.
"So, we both agree on O'Neill getting a promotion?" Ron asked taking a big bite of the sandwich he had just ordered.
"Totally," he stated.
It would be great if Hermione could join them too. Sometimes they were able to meet and have interesting conversations, but the friend was extremely busy in the Law Enforcement Department of Magic.
William Magis' main ally and Horton Cirley's great opponent, Isidis Grace, was trying to pass a controversial law that denied those who were considered "non-humans" several rights and freedoms.
"Non-Humans" was a denomination set to included werewolves, house elves, centaurs, mermaids, ghouls, giants (and half-giants!), goblins, among others.
Isidis had found some parliamentarians who sympathized with her absurd ideas, they even used the denomination "The Enlighted Ones" to refer to those who supported the bill.
Hermione, who had obviously strongly opposed the law, was facing widespread political attacks, and even being defamed with widespread disinformation campaigns.
All of that had been partly a consequence of an incident involving the murder of a couple who had previously supported DPM by werewolves who had also been members of DPM.
Harry didn't know much about it, but the anti-werewolf sentiment was high.
She also accused the protests that now took place weekly (in support of the werewolves, goblins, and other groups' causes that asked for more jobs and larger social assistance programs) of being too violent and of showing "a dangerous and shameful side of the noble wizarding society!", saying that "these non-Humans and these anarchist rioters should not be able to manifest themselves here! No free speech for terrorists."
It didn't help that the Minister of Magic himself, William Magis, had approved a plan to transfer more than 2 billion galleons to Gringotts and cut funding for much-needed programs like Wolfsbane for All (that gave the potion for free to all werewolves in the UK), People's Food (distributed food to those in need), and Integration (aimed at helping Muggle-born better learn about the wizarding world before starting Hogwarts, that one was Hermione's personal initiative).
All of these programs did not cost the public coffers more than $ 300 million, Hermione stated that the decisions were clearly politically motivated.
It was not the first time that William Magis seemed to favor bankers and businessmen, cutting social programs of public utility and seeming to sympathize with controversial ideas about a supposed wizarding superiority over what he called non-Humans.
He had once said:
"It is a matter of intellect, Mr. Potter. Non-Humans don't think like us, who are simply smarter than them..., we were made like that, it is biology, an important muggle science. I appreciate muggle contributions to our society, we can always use them in our favor if they are good, but they can't do magic, and we can, it's a matter of being rational! I believe there is a place for us wizards and a place for werewolves, centaurs, muggles, and mermaids. Our place and their place. We shouldn't have to mix with them. It's… unnatural, corrupts our noble genetics."
How could anyone still have the courage to say such retrograde things? If William Magis wasn't the Minister of Magic—
"I've never been very kind to him, Harry, I feel a little guilty now," said Ron suddenly, pulling him out of his thought-line.
"What?" Said Harry, confused.
"Nearly-Headless Nick, Harry. Well, and maybe Biins, too. Do you think that thing that devoured him attacked Biins too, right? I mean, they are both ghosts and have been at Hogwarts for quite a while, but all of a sudden this thing comes and starts attacking ghosts and hurting students," said Ron vaguely.
"This teacher… Edward Daniels Ikabonf thinks someone used dark magic to conjure this thing," said Harry slowly, thoughtfully. It made sense for him…, but who?
"In this case, it has to be a teacher, right?"
"Yes." It had to be. According to Neville, strong magic was emanating from it, together with a "terrible cold". It seemed to be way too complex for a student to be able to do it.
"An upper-year with potent magic?" Suggested Ron.
"But then it would have to be potent dark magic," told him "We increased the homeschooling's oversight—"
"But we never know, Harry. We never know what happens in the family, when we leave a kid alone with their parents, what if something like Erika's case—"
Erika's case was very difficult, heavy, and constant child abuse that went unnoticed for far too long, which shocked Ron a lot.
He couldn't save the 7-year-old girl. The girl's aunt had lost custody and she had moved in with her parents who, unlike her aunt, had no criminal records, but they believed in strange and bizarre theories..., they tried to make Erika "a receptacle", through a strange ritual involving forbidden ancestral black magic, the girl had not resisted. The parents said they were sorry for Erika, but that it needed to be done. Erika's father, Igor Kassminov, swallowed the necklace his daughter had forcibly worn in the ritual.
O'Neill, who had been investigating with Ron, had to contain the younger auror who was completely in shock with the graphic ritual scene.
O'Neill questioned the couple (Harry didn't trust Ron enough for that, he was afraid he would punch the couple or worse), but soon after, both of them ended up taking their own lives after drawing strange symbols on the ground with their own blood, Harry remembered the phrase "I saw the truth, but the truth was terrible".
Harry thought Ron never fully recovered from that case.
Harry didn't judge him.
There was a special place in hell for people who abused children.
"And Lino, Harry? Do you think this thing attacked him or ..."?
Harry had no idea, the lack of news about Lino's case worried him, he had sent another auror to the forest to investigate the situation and was waiting for new information.
Ted had asked about Lino almost every day, worried about his friend.
Everyone at the Auror Academy was very nervous about Lino's disappearance, but Ted had gone so far as to offer to go personally to Hogwarts, accompanying the responsible auror… but the grandson still couldn't, he hadn't graduated as an auror and, after what happened to Lino, he had faced a minor inquiry that questioned his decision to send Lino to investigate, Harry had been reprimanded and thought he should be careful with the Internal Affairs Department until things calmed down.
He only wished they could find Lino in good condition. He wished everything would be fine.
A loud siren interrupted his thoughts, followed by the sound of glass breaking soon after... and screams of horror and fear. It came from the Ministry's entrance hall. He and Ron quickly pulled their wands deftly, running to the scene without thinking twice.
When they got there, they saw a crowd of employees looking in terror at a tall man who was holding Otto Machbranks, head of the Department of Mysteries, hostage.
The man held the wand pointed at Otto's neck, had long gray hair, and laughed frightfully, in a cold and lunatic manner. The man wore a symbol that Harry quickly associated with the DPM! A bird flying through dark clouds, towards the so-called "freedom".
"What is not of this world must not be comprehended by those who don't value freedom! I, Hugo Ransel, came here to carry out the mission, looking for the Circle's opening! The Circle is closed, but we ask: can it be opened to the Dark Path Movement? Long live the leaders of the Circle who, even in death, live! Long live Magnus Elliston, the Free Man. May the Proud New Wizards be exterminated and overshadowed by the light of our freedom!"
There was another man with a mask on his face:
"Vampirical Glory and Eternal Terror. The ghostly Mysticism that terrifies the East! Mysticism, potent magic, the mysticism of the dark. I seek the truth, it frees me. From the Other-World, I call upon creatures from the Beyond! To open and close the circle. Come the Star of Tomorrow, grant our wishes. We know! Returns the Circle's emissary! The Star's Receptacle. He's among us in this world! I now leave that life behind, may the Star shine, may the New Tomorrow come! Star of Tomorrow!"
Then the men cast a spell on themselves, he heard the terrified Otto scream. There was a huge and strong explosion. Before Harry could do anything, the two fallen and bloody bodies on the floor disappeared, disappeared magically. There was no more signs of the strangers or Otto.
People screamed and cried, horrified and scared.
What, exactly, had happened so abruptly? Where did those men come from? How did they get into the Ministry? Why had he done that?
Many questions, but no clear answer to any of them.
"Otto!" Mrs. Machbancks cried at the top of her lungs, she was in the crowd and had seen it all.
"Everyone, calm down. We will be conducting an investigation immediately!" Shouted Harry, trying to be heard.
"No, no. NO! It can't be! Otto, m-my husband, dead. Dead" Mrs. Machbanks was hysterical, "OTTO! OTTO!"
He exchanged a look with Ron, trying to analyze the best way to proceed.
"How did those men get here? Who let them in?" She shouted angrily, tears streaming down her face.
That was a question that Harry would like to answer soon.
" —"
"YOU! Why didn't you save Otto?!" She cried her finger raised, accusatorily pointing directly at him. Guilty invaded him almost immediately.
He asked Ron to report the situation to William Magis.
The Minister had heard the commotion and the alarm and now he arrived, he seemed surprised and shocked by the scene. The crowds had not yet dissipated. Several people looked at the place where the strange wizards and Otto were a few seconds ago.
A wizard in purple robes was crying and whispering to another employee about the whole situation, while a chubby man tried to comfort the hysterical Mrs. Marchbanks.
"Harry!" It was Hermione. She wore a very elegant outfit, "What's going on ?!" She asked, pale and breathless, stopping in front of him, casting confused looks at another crowd, who had just arrived and were starting to gather together with the people who witnessed what had happened and begin to exchange information eagerly.
He had the impression… he could hear Dennis Sallinger's voice from afar, together with other journalists, already seeking information about the incident.
What a disaster! Right in the middle of the Ministry! Two people! An explosion! One employee was dead! And… from the Department of Mysteries…, what a nightmare!
Isidis Grace and Mordek Sotto (one of the biggest supporters of the non-Humans legislation) were standing talking to a chubby witch trying to find out what had happened.
Harry reported what he saw to Hermione, trying to be as discreet as possible.
"Potter! Come to my office, now! We need to discuss this," ordered William Magis, approaching him with a very serious expression on his face.
At that moment Isisdis walked towards them fast, her long black dress swayed along with her long golden braids, her brown skin contrasted with her deep blue eyes and the high heels made her gain several centimeters.
"Minister, could Your Excellency include me in this small meeting? I know that Potter is and always will be… you're the favorite in this Ministry, but I believe that I also have the right to know what's going on Excellency," she said… seductively?
The Minister looked at her closely but then smiled.
"Sure, Isidis. I believe that your cooperation will be necessary, the name Hugo Ransel seems familiar for you too, right?"
"As soon as I heard the name of our culprit soon associated such horrible crime with the man's non-Human nature," said Isidis, mysteriously.
"Potter and Grace. In my office. Now," ordered Magis.
Harry had no choice. He accompanied the Minister. Isidis followed, assertive with an arrogant expression on his face.
Upon entering Harry realized that the Minister had given his personal touch to the room.
Photos of himself, certificates, diplomas, and awards he had obtained, some marble sculptures he had made, and his controversial autobiography: Magis! - The Ministerial Eagle.
Harry hadn't read it, but Hermione had done it and she had told him that the book was nothing more than a manifestation of the man's narcissism, self-praising at all times.
His bookshelf was relatively empty, Harry noticed, but there was a whole single author's collection, by Razor Collins Manticon: "The importance of Hierarchy, Conservatism, and Morality - A Traditionalist and Non-Relativistic Account"; "Between a Man and a Woman! The Love and the Structure of Our Witch Society"; "Esotericism for Conservatives: Journey of Reason"; "A New History's Critique: For Common Sense and the Traditional Pillars"; "We will not be silent! Against the Paranoia of Non-Humans' Defenders", "The welfare state's lie: how social programs make people lazy and should all be banned and abolished!".
If Harry was a little more interested in politics, he would prefer slightly less... conspiratorial and exaggerated books.
Hermione had said something about Razor Collins Manticon, (and Harry was sure he had heard that name before), something about him being a bit of a reactionary and a demagogue.
"Potter, what happened is very serious. Very serious indeed!" The Minister began speaking, sitting in his black chair. Isidis interrupted them.
"Excellency," she said, leaning forward, mysteriously three buttons of his dress were now open, Harry looked away, "Sir," she continued saying strangely with a tone that was a little inappropriate for the occasion, "you know the culprit was a werewolf with a concise history of juvenile delinquency, a non-human," her tone at the end was emphatic as if demanding something. Harry didn't like the way she said non-Humans, with disgust and disdain.
"Yes, Isidis and... well, you know you don't need to call me sir or excellence, only William or Magis is fine," said the Minister absently while looking at Isidis's unbuttoned dress. This was making Harry a little uncomfortable. He'd like to leave.
"It's a matter of respect, excellence… all your efforts to give us an ever-better wizarding society made me love politics! A young gentleman trying to provide us a better world, I read your biography and it thrilled me! So inspiring. You are a competent, intelligent, and good man, I know that I can trust you not to let these horrible non-Humans cause disorder and chaos in our healthy magical community. The new law I'm trying to pass would help—" Harry had to interrupt the woman, the priority was the murder that had just taken place at the Ministry and not the prejudiced law she was trying to pass!
"Minister, Otto Marchbanks was investigating the Hogwarts incident with the black substance, lately, wasn't he?"
The Minister cleared his throat, turning his attention to the auror. Isidis shot him an annoyed look, but Harry ignored her.
"Yes, he sent me a little preliminary report, here it is."
Known data about the object of study: a black substance, capable of changing from solid to gaseous state (which forms some kind of "fog"), causes frostbites if it comes in contact with the skin and is capable of attacking ghosts (it has attacked the sorting hat too).
Theories: None specific so far. But something that can hurt a ghost is not common ... a basilisk can paralyze them, but the thing seems to "eat" the ghost, apparently (according to visual reports). Perhaps it is a strong manifestation of black magic, of older origin. I have reviewed several cases and found nothing specific related to this.
Black magic of ancient origin? Harry put the report in his pocket and realized that Isidis was trying to spy on the contents.
"Sir, I want to investigate it myself. I'm going to Hogwarts. I've already sent an auror to investigate Lino Steely's disappearance, but I still haven't heard from him, I'm starting to get worried about it and if Otto Marchbanks who suffered this attack was investigating this substance—" Started Harry.
"Say no more, Potter. I was going to send you there to investigate anyway, but I need you to do something else, too," said the Minister, opening his drawer and taking out a small parchment of paper.
"I... well, I've received some voter's letters, many people have children studying in Hogwarts, and ... they have been dissatisfied with some of my general actions for a while, so my Marketing Department elaborated a special speech to promote me and my government, you can modify some parts, but I ask you not to change the general message!" Demanded the Minister, with a rigid expression. Harry picked up the speech and briefly read a random excerpt:
The Ministry is fully committed to the defense of the population and will go to great lengths to protect students. Minister William Magis is extremely competent, always wanting to do the best for the wizarding population. Currently, some groups have been unhappy in the UK, but there is no reason for further protests and disorder, everything will be resolved through gradual reforms that help the market economy and can attract investments to the country. Tax, labor, and student reforms are on the way! All to improve the general quality of life of the magical population [...]
In other words, there was, according to William Magis, no reason for citizens to make use of their legitimate right to protest against measures that would harm them since everything would be resolved by gradual reforms? Was that it? Or Harry was interpreting it wrong?
The details of these reforms were not well specified and at the end, there was an excerpt blaming non-Humans for the current problems of the wizarding society: "non-Humans are not well integrated into this country and do not understand the need to prioritize Humans (with magic). Wizards are the protagonists, performing the country's continuous transformation towards ever greater economic progress, and economical liberalism, labor law flexibilization, and—"
He didn't want to say any of that.
But he decided not to openly criticize the Minister for the time being.
"Right. I will do my best," he said vaguely. The man nodded with a satisfied smile on his face, Harry said goodbye to Isisdis with a small nod and then left Magis' office.
The next day, one day after the Ministry incident, Laurent Baltus received him promptly.
The Principal appeared to have been crying, he was rather nervous and shacky.
Was it safe to have a Principal who didn't deal well with pressure?
Neville Longbottom could do a better job with his eyes closed!
Harry didn't know the new teachers very well, but at least Flitwick, Hagrid, and Neville knew.
Hermione had been shocked by the choice of the new History of Magic book, she had criticized the book more than a thousand times as "not appropriate for beginners, too hard, ideas that were simply too polemic and not widely accepted, with strange historical interpretations mixed with mystical fallacious precepts!"
Well, Harry never liked History of Magic…
It was just a book, and History of Magic was a non-practical magical subject.
Could it be this bad?
"I saw it, Mr. Potter. It was a very strange substance if we can call it that because it looked like a living organism, a creature!" Fear in his eyes, his hands trembling "I don't know how it could attack a ghost and then dissolve into that strange kind of fog and disappear, this thing is dangerous for living beings too! The students suffered frostbites when that thing exploded… just before it disappeared," Laurent Balthus said frantically, trying to quickly gather the reports about the incident, looking stressed, and very anxious.
Running Hogwarts was difficult and he knew that journalists and photographers were trying all the time to get new information.
"I'm trying to find out if there is any connection between this case and others. Has anyone found any traces of this thing?" Asked Harry, looking curiously at the pictures in the room. Professor Dumbledore took a nap while Snape looked at him disinterested with his arms crossed. After a while, the former professor left his painting. Harry couldn't help but smile. He felt nostalgic.
"I searched with the teachers' help, but we found nothing. The half-giant," Harry didn't like the disdain in his voice, "contacted the centaurs asking if they saw anything strange in the forest, we are checking the Hogwarts's grounds, but they refused to give us any useful information, saying that they would not interfere this time. I wish you could find this thing before it hurts anyone, I'm being pressured here, so be quick" said the Headmaster in a demanding tone…
Harry decided he wouldn't gain anything more by talking with the man, he left the scene to begin his investigation.
Several students looked at him in surprise and astonishment ("It's Harry Potter!").
It was always good to go back to Hogwarts, a deeper sense of nostalgia invaded him, especially when he looked out at the Quidditch pitch.
He looked for anything suspicious on the castle's hard rock walls but found nothing.
…
In the Astronomy Tower, he saw a strange symbol carved in the rock, a circle with a star inside, an image of an arrow cut in half, and the name Otto Marchbanks. Another star at the top.
He touched the Star with his fingers.
What was happening?
Did someone order the murder of Otto Marchbanks from inside Hogwarts?
Why was this image there, with the name of the Head of the Department of Mystery crossed out?
The strange member of the Circle had mentioned a Star.
Circle. Star. Tribal beliefs.
"Receptacle" … He remembered Erika's Ritual and the two-man at the Ministry who mentioned the word.
It seemed to be all connected to a Circle and a Star. And now connected to the DPM?
Confusing…
"Open the Circle" to the DPM…, Circle. A movement? The DPM wanted to join this Circle movement against the PNM.
The Circle… the Star… whatever it was; it had to be connected to Otto Marchbanks' murder, and his name was crossed out in a Hogwarts' wall.
Biins and the sorting hat incident happened at Hogwarts.
Otto Marchbanks was investigating the incident and the substance and now… was dead.
And he heard Clayton mention this "Circle" before, was it connected to Albus's kidnapping too?
On the tribal chant too.
The Circle…
O'Neill had revealed that the lands where Albus was found had belonged to the Nostrad-Ikabonf's.
He didn't know how, exactly, this all connected. But he had to better investigate this Circle… or Star… movement?
(Was it a movement? What was it?)
And try to find information about the Nostrad-Ikabonfs…
Vampires…
"Even in death, they live"
But Harry's reasoning was abruptly interrupted when he realized…
He was being watched, there was someone in the corner of the door looking directly at him.
How long had he been observed before he realized?
Harry turned quickly, his wand in his hand, ready to hit anyone with a spell, but there was no one.
Harry ran to the door, went down the narrow stairs of the Astronomy Tower, and checked, there were only two long empty corridors. The corridors were so long that it was impossible to disappear in such a short time.
"Homenum Revelio," said Harry, but nothing happened.
He was about to give up and return to the Astronomy Tower when he thought he saw a black figure heading southeast. He ran in that direction, but unfortunately, found nothing.
He would have to investigate futher.