"War is a series of catastrophes which result in victory."
Georges Clemenceau
30 minutes prior
Gideon Mallory and Vladimir Fenrir hurried down the halls of Hecate Academy. The arrangements were being made hurriedly. Chandra Firestone and Mad Eye Moody stepped into view, everyone hand their hands on their wands and a terse look on their face.
"Quarters have already been made available for the Minister and his entourage. Offices had been allocated and prepared." Firestone rapped off the details. "And the top level Auror cadets have been alerted."
Mad Eye picked up where she left off. "Further more, the orphanage and school have been secured and put on warning. The children are in their dormitories with a Perfect, Cadet and teachers on call."
"No one is getting into this school." Vladimir said proudly. Unlike Hogwarts, Hecate was prepared for times of war. He was confident in the safety of his students. Not even the Dark Prince, whoever he was, would dare try and attack Hecate. It would be stirring up a hornet's nest. "Contact London, tell them we await their arrival."
Gideon nodded. "Aye sir."
"Hello Darling."
Marcella Fudge had never seen this man before and so she was a little distrusting when he called to her. She was in the Ministry's library looking over the pages of moving photographs of Unicorns and Mermaids. The man looked friendly enough though. He was smiling at her genteelly, squatting down to her level.
"Are you Minister Fudge's daughter?" He asked.
Marcella nodded. The ebony cloaks he wore and the dark gloves struck her, she had never seen a man wear gloves inside a building. "Who are you?"
"Oh my name isn't important Lady Fudge, only my job. You see I'm suppose to ensure your father gets something very important. This is going to be very vital to the course of the near future. Do you think you could do me a favor and give it to him?"
"Is it that important?" She asked.
He nodded.
"Alright…give it to me."
The man pulled out a vial, no bigger then the ten year old's palm. It was filled with a dark reddish potion that seem to crackle and swirl. It reminded Marcella of fire. "Make sure he gets this." He said, standing and reaching for something inside his robe. "But now I must go."
Marcella didn't wait for the man to leave. If it was as important as he said, her father needed it now.
Cornelius Fudge looked near death with fright. Lewis decided to leave the fact that Fudge was shaking uncontrollably out of his report. Laud seemed to paint a grimmer picture then the sketchy reports from the Hallow did. But Lewis knew that everything he was saying was probably true. The reporter didn't think he liked that idea.
"Daddy! Daddy!"
Lewis turned at the same time everyone else in the Minister's office did. Looking through the twin doors that opened to the finely carpeted hallway, they all saw Marcella running down the hall towards them, something glowing in hand. Behind her, stalking towards the doors was a black clothed Death Eater who had his wand out.
It happened in the blink of eye. Lewis wasn't sure what happened first and when. He was certain either Desmond or Laud screamed for Fudge to get down. He thought he heard someone else yell for Marcella to drop the bottle. That voice sounded a lot like his. He felt something or someone push him to the floor just as the potion in Marcella's hand exploded into a firestorm. As Lewis pulled his hands under his body, to shield his face he wondered if Marcella was still alive.
25 minutes prior.
Sirius Black felt someone say "Ennervate" before he actually heard the voice. When he looked up, it was Arabella. She had her hand on his shoulder, shaking him awake. Her face was covered in blood and dirt from the blasts. Sirius moved his head slowly to combat the nausea that came with being stunned. He met the face of a dead bystander. The person who had saved his life.
"What's going on Ella?" He asked.
"The war's started." She said softly. She helped him up and handed him a wand. It wasn't his and he had to wipe the blood off but it would suffice.
Chaos was still reigning outside. Sirius was barely allowed time to catch his breath before he was forced outside by the screams coming from the town. As he stepped out into the night, he was amazed by the green light that illuminated the streets. He only had time to look up and acknowledge the Dark Mark before he had to fend off a civilian's curse. The person had either recognized the wanted man or was under the Imperius Curse. Sirius didn't have the time to choose which.
After he had said it, the Killing Curse suddenly lost all its terror. He was amazed how simply it worked and how easily the words had spilled out of his mouth. It wasn't a conscience decision he had made, more an act of instinct then anything else. Sirius stared at the dead body. He had seen death before but never like that. Never as pure and simple as those two words. It scared him.
But he didn't have time to be scared. Fletcher was on his knees in torment.
"Wait for it." Lucius Malfoy whispered.
Crabbe and Goyle, the elders, regarded Malfoy and nodded reluctantly. Besides them Nott pointed his want at the Headmaster Fenrir, Moody, Firestone and the other, muttering a curse under his breath at each one. He had no intention of moving till Lucius permitted it but that didn't mean he couldn't dream.
Lucius, however, seemed enthralled by the figure that stood nearest to Fenrir. He hadn't seen his brother Gideon in years. The years had been kind to the eldest Malfoy; pure gold had become the salty color it was now and sharp, hawk like eyes still surveyed his surrounding like fox held at bay by hunting dogs. Gideon even looked straight in Lucius' direction for a moment, before turning away. Lucius smiled, wondering if Severus had intended this family reunion. Of course he must have, Severus thought of everything. Isn't that how the rumor went? Lucius smiled underneath his mask.
Tonight one brother would be given to another as a gift. Lucius only wondered which brother was which.
Severus slipped the nettle wine he had been nursing for thirty minutes. Jacqueline was inching her foot up his leg and he smiled. Always the temptress, he thought to himself. He peered at her from under the rim of his hood. They were all wearing hoods; Jacqueline, McKenna, Malone and Raine and the rest of the Death Eaters who waited patiently for Severus' command. Erskine and Eoin were just outside the Hog's Head smoking a cigarette and laughing. Galen was sitting a few tables away, flirting with Rosemerta every time the bar keep passed. She seemed to enjoy it.
None of them had even glanced at Severus all evening. They were all too well trained for that. He stared down at the piece of cheap parchment in front of him. The one he had been scribbling on all night. He smirked to himself. Odd the things you remember about murder, some people remember smells, some screams, other remember faces. Severus remembered their names. He read over the list that written in his spidery script. The list was filled with the names of the Death Eaters he had sent out. Only he and Voldemort had ever known how many people were truly Death Eaters and only he and Voldemort had ever known all their names.
He was their Prince. Voldemort had trusted him to win the war. But first he had to start it. It seemed only right to him that it should begin with the death of the old order of things. He looked down at his pocket watch.
20 minutes prior.
"Where's Marcella! Where's Marcella? Where is my daughter?"
Cornelius looked like he was about to kill someone, preferably himself. He had torn red eyes that burned holes in Lewis' soul. The reporter felt his heart break. He went to the Minister's side and shook his head slowly. Fudge broke down crying.
Desmond was up and commanding the Aurors to search the Ministry. He was calling back the remainder of the forces at Hogsmeade. Hogwarts was not the target, he said, so it needed no protection. Lewis turned his head to search through the smoke for Laud.
Benjamin Laud was propped against the door cradling the stub that at one time had been his wand arm. On instinct, the old Auror had begun at counter curse when the firestorm exploded. The fire was still burning. Desmond lifted Laud to his feet and demanded Lewis do the same with Fudge.
"Where are we going?" He asked Desmond over the shouting and fire.
Desmond had blood coming from his ears. He was deaf.
"WHERE ARE WE GOING?" He shouted.
"Hecate Academy in America." Desmond said in a choking voice, undefined by tone or intensity. "It's the only safe place now."
Severus watched as the young boy entered the Hog's Head pub and search around. He knew the boy's job before the others in the pub did. The self-important look on the youth's face gave it away. A Ministry Herald coming to tell with navy robed Aurors and Hit Wizards all around him that they were needed in London. Someone was attacking the Ministry Headquarters. The Herald went from table to table whispering in hush, tense words to the robes not really noticing the faces.
The Herald came to Severus' table, told him the news then went to McKenna's. Outside Raine and Malone had already peeled themselves off the wall and were joining the main group to Apparate to the rescue. Jackie and him were the last ones out.
"Hey!" Raine called.
Right on cue, Severus thought.
The Head Auror looked back. He searched Raine's face but clearly didn't know who he was. "Yeah?"
"Hawke wants us here, don't you think some of us should stay?"
The Head Auror snorted impatiently. The stranger was right. "Take a handful of us and head over to the school." He ordered. "Key go with them and make sure they get pass those defenses alright. Tell the three up there to report to the Ministry when you get there."
The Hit Wizard, a woman and more then likely the one called Key, reluctantly stepped aside and nodded curtly. She turned to Raine. "Get your men and come on."
Raine turned to the group and began pointing. "Alright! Ya'll come with us."
McKenna, Jackie, Malone and Severus obeyed Raine's orders and joined him and Key in the trek up to the castle. Severus noticed the others were smiling to each other. It was going off almost too easily."
He checked his watch again.
15 minutes prior.
