A/N: The war begins!

Chapter Thirteen


The sky began to fell as the two strolled out. Hot and thick air launched at them, hinting the summer's heat. The originally azure of the sky mixed into a new depressing but beautiful deep orange and brown, the sun sinking lower and lower each time the color changed.

Harry had followed the Minister out of the pub, across two roads and even a small bridge. By then he was beginning to run out of patience for the lack of respect he had for Fudge.

"Where are we really going to, Minister?" Harry asked with a bite of annoyance in his voice. He was tired from his outburst back in the school and the air was not cooperating either, it was making him sweating and aching.

The older wizard made no reply but continued on walking, his pace longer and faster as usual, as if he was eager and excited for some reason. Harry felt a gentle swish of air by his robes and was grateful for the cooling wind.

After another ten minutes or so, though, Harry was beginning to get anxious. "Minister, we can talk here, can't we?" he tapped the older man on the arm.

For the first time, Fudge turned to Harry and Harry could see an odd expression on him, mixed with excitement and impatience. "No, not here, Harry, we may be overheard here. Let's go further up there, shall we?"

Fudge pointed to a little hill standing firmly not very far away from them. He began to head towards the road again, but Harry did not move. There was something strange going on

"No, Mr Fudge, we can talk here. I don't have a lot of time, if you excuse me. What is it that you want to talk about, anyways?" Harry looked suspiciously at the now sighing impatiently Fudge.

"Alright, I guess here'll do." The Minister exhaled finally. His hand went rummaged through his hair and he paused before he said, "Let's see how we should say this, young man. I er- own you an apology."

Harry frowned even harder. "What for?"

"For not believing you and Dumbledore when you declared you saw You-Know-Who's rebirth. For feeding the press unworthy news to make you and him sound like a manic. For giving you hell in the magic world. I'm sorry, Harry."

Harry stared. Fudge was acting very weird; he was talking to him but looking around, as if expecting someone- or something- to arrive. What's more, the cowardly mad man had just apologized to him and Dumbledore, who he was still imprisoning.

"And what makes you say that?" he said, still not in trust of the Minister.

An insane smile suddenly appeared on the paled face of the old wizard's, so familiar to Harry that he suddenly took a few steps aback, unnerving each time he did.

"What makes me say that, Harry?" Fudge dropped his voice into barely more than a whisper, steeping forward to Harry and blocking his exit- Harry's back was against a wall- he gave out a mad and high laugh Harry did not recognize. For one absurd moment Harry thought he was facing Lord Voldemort, but Fudge began talking again.

"I've seen Him, young lad. I've seen the Dark Lord, I've talked to Him, and most of all,"- Harry could have bet his everything on the next sentence Fudge was going to voice, for he knew already- "I work with Him."

"That's right, I work with Dark Lord, terror of your souls."

* * *

"Minerva, I ask for one moment if you please?" Severus' tone was erupted with anxious and fear, something not one could have heard in years.

He was standing in front of the Headmistress' office, knocking desperately for help from the temporary Head of School. Although he was mostly annoyed with Sybil Trelawney for her misty and hushing behaviors, he also knew that one did not make a prediction everyday. It was a must to find out what she meant, and Severus' brains were stuck by then, feeling as helpless and tired as ever.

"Minerva, open the door!" he raised his voice. What on earth was the woman doing inside, while such important and shocking events had just occurred?

He waited for another two minutes and could not take it any longer- hissing the password, he entered the room without permission.

The room was deserted, except for the usual decorations and stationary, no one- not even Fawkes the phoenix was inside. "Minerva?" Severus called out.

No answer.

Sighing impatiently with rage and frustration, Severus leaved the room, slamming the door shut behind him and walking right into Minerva McGonagall herself.

"Severus! What are you doing here, demolishing my door? I looked everywhere for you!" The old woman exclaimed. Severus did not waste time arguing.

"I need to talk to you, Minerva. Shall we go inside?"

To his surprise, McGonagall shook her head, looking very pale. "No, no- the Ministry is under attack, Severus- all of the Order is there, fighting right now, this moment."

Severus was stunned. So what Trelawney predicted was true, and happening right now. Wordless, he asked shakily, "The Dark Lord- he's there?"

"I'm not sure, but there are about fifty Death Eaters, a dozen Dementors and a few giants attacking according to Remus Lupin, he just warned me by the Network."

The blacked hair wizard felt very weak suddenly, his head aching more than ever. "We shall proceed there now, then." He stated with firm.

"No, I will. You will go to Hogsmeade and find Harry Potter, shield and guard him, find Dumbledore and inform him. "

"But where can the Headmaster be?" Severus dropped his voice, avoiding the hearings of a third year passing by.

McGonagall sighed and looked as if she was about to faint either, "See Azkaban and everywhere you should think of. Until then, find Harry Potter. Now."

Severus nodded and started towards the Great hall when McGonagall called him again,
"And Severus, notify Fawkes to warn Dumbledore and the lot!"

Turning back to the Headmaster's office to summon the bird, Severus knew perfectly that the day had come. The final day of war.

* * *

"You- what?"

He could have guessed already but it did not keep him from getting shocked by the new piece of information.

Fudge laughed in his insane way again, "Me and the Dark Lord are partners. We work together. We fight together. We are equal."

"You're- you're mad" Harry's right hand traveled inside his robes searching for his only weapon, but made no succeed. His wand was gone.

Fudge saw Harry's movement and laughed softly in his ear- they were barely inches away from each other now- "Uh-uh, Harry dear. I waited too long for this. I'm not going to let your little smartness ruin everything." The older man charmed tight coils around Harry, gripping him so hard he lost feeling with his fingers. "Shall I introduce you a few soul mates of mine I met when I part up with the strongest power on earth?"

At the gesture of Fudge's hand, Harry squinted his eyes in the darkness- the sun was completely gone now- and identified three other Death Eaters wearing masks approaching them.

"We meet again, baby Harry." Harry recognized the voice of Bellatrix Lestrange's immediately and it incensed him so much if it was not for the tight coils around him, he would have attacked not caring about the other opponent's arrivals.

One of the Death Eaters was playing around with Harry's wand with his fingers. He saw Harry looking at it and Harry could almost feel an evil grin forming behind the black mask.

"No weapons allowed, Potter. You may want to be more careful about your possessions. Such easy task, summoning it away from its owner." So that was why there was a sudden breeze of wind inside his robes. The Death Eaters were so advanced, Harry did not even notice anything strange with his wand gone.

Fudge clapped his hands together and gave a happy sigh. "So, shall we go then?"

The others nodded and before Harry could even open his mouth in protest or think up of some kind of plan, the small party, imprisoning their victim with them, made a sound of noise and then vanished into the chilling night.

* * *

He felt a thud as his legs hit the ground. Everywhere was so dark, he could not see a thing. The ropes were gone from their grip, leaving Harry shuddering in the darkness. Shaking and bracing himself up, Harry made no success in possessing his body correctly in order to make it stand up.

He struggled for another minute and then gave up, wondering why the Death Eaters had not finish him off already. In fact, although he lost the ability to see, he had the strangest feeling that someone- or something- was looking at him very near.

Then, suddenly as it seemed, light flooded the whole area, illuminating the air and blinding Harry for a few moments. He opened his eyes to reveal a medium sized rectangular room. It looked like a dining room, with arm chairs forming a semi circle around the incensing fireplace at the front of the room and a large wooden table standing at the back. He was kneeling on a small rug in the middle. Tom Marvolo Riddle's house. He had been here before, in his dreams. There were no doosr, no windows, no lights, and it suddenly hit him that the brightness of the room could have only came by magic. By a powerful charm. By a powerful wizard.

By Voldemort?

"Welcome, Harry Potter," a voice at the back of the room made Harry jump, and so he whirled around to face the Dark Lord himself, sitting on the table which was empty as Harry had saw just a few seconds ago, wearing a expression between seriousness and amusement, "Welcome to the Deathday Party."

And as Harry's eyes and Voldemort's met, white pain blind him once more, his scar splitting open, scathing his whole body

* * *

"Damn that bloody bird!" Severus swore loudly. He was furious; the magic society was under heavy attack, their best hope against the Dark Lord was endangered, the only person he ever cared about was no where to be foundand he was there, in a calm and still room, playing hide and seek with a pet bird.

Severus kicked a chair sideways with rage and then ran further inside the room, where shelves stood holding large numbers of ancient books that only that old man Dumbledore would bother to read. He had checked there for the third time, but Fawkes was unlikely to leave the office and Severus was determined to find that bird.

"Dumbledore is in great danger, animal, so unleash yourself and be helpful!" If it was not enough, he was shouting to an animal which was not even in attendance.

He gave out a cry of desperation and fury, knowing perfectly well that if it was not for Albus Dumbledore, he would have gave up such long time ago, not having a wild goose chase with an animal. Calming himself, he continued shifting the cupboards and prayed -which was again something one could never have the opportunity to see in years for Severus never believed in God- that somehow a miracle would occur, guarding the one he loved away from fate.

* * *

"Crucio!"

For the tenth time, the same incantation echoed trough the lips of the red-eyed man, bringing Harry agony and amusing the few Death Eaters in the room.

Voldemort had only tortured him for about fifteen minutes, but he was wondering if he would ever make it to sixteen. The pain was so horribly that Harry could no longer identify where it came from- the curse or his own scar.

"Harry PotterHarry Potter" An odd and cold voice hissed through his ear as Harry tried but failed to sit up correctly, panting hard as he gave pressure to the wound he had on his left arm from a dagger of Peter Pettigrew's, "Few hours later, you shall be gone within existence whilst I remain immortal, denying the hilarious fact they say about you are my conqueror."

Harry could not manage moving physically, but he could see. Using his eyes, he gave a piercing look straight into the gleaming eyes of the demon and said with great effort, "Youwish."

Voldemort smiled in his pathetic way, "Still determined and the hero here, are we? Perhaps you will need a reminder of why you are here? Cornelius, if you please."

Fudge stepped forward eagerly and kicked Harry hard on the chest, Harry feeling a few cracks. He bit his lips in order to will himself not to permit even a slightest sign of weakness as the pain shot through his body.

"Please, allow me, my Lord." A woman's voice said from Harry's behind, tone filled
with excitement and actually hunger.

Voldemort shook his head. "No, not now, Bella. I promise your chance later. Right now, he has the right to know everything.:

He turned to Harry as Harry spat blood on the floor, "Now, Potter, would you have the pleasure to know my plan leading to tonight's success?"

Harry glared at the tall wizard and saw his smirk of amusement. "No thank you, just kill me and get it over with!"

The evil man shook his head and made an impatient noise while the others laughed all around them, "Uh-uh, Harry Potter. It does not work like that. We still have to await another member to join our party. Until the real fun begins, I promise you enough time to acknowledge you my pride. Why, I am proud of my own great mind. I am not ashamed to admit it surprises even me occasionally."

"Too true, my Lord," a Death Eater agreed quietly in one of the corners, but Voldemort took no notice. He was concentrated on his victim lying on the floor, who was staring back with firm hatred.

"Years I have planned to achieve possession of the prophecy made about you and me, two extraordinary wizards, Harry Potter," he whispered, his face now turning to an expression of abhorrent and loathe, "But you have, like you had always did, demolished. my desires last year. This year, though, a new branch of magic attracted me. Potions.

"I guess I shall begin with my rise. After my rebirth two years ago, so called Death Eaters flee, loyal ones returned, coward ones either chose the race or convince me their loyalty to me. I, personally admit, that I am not a fool. I knew it was only the matter of time when one amongst would betray me again.

"Among those who returned to my ally, Severus Snape was the cleverest one. He held knowledge and intelligence one could not find for years, and it was exactly what I was looking for. For that reason, I shall deny my wise for once. When he attempted to convince me his loyalty, I accepted it without doubt. I longed for true service, one who would use his brains once in a while, not filthy blinds with stubborn minds, failing me over and over again. I should have saw one could with such intelligence would never remain in service of the others loyally.

"So there I made my first mistake. As to say, a wise move in such pathetic fail, too. I found out a lot about advanced Potions when using Severus Snape. He knew more about the subject than any other would ever have, and he told me about the Eternalize Potion. I realized my desire and need for immortal life stronger than ever, since I have experienced the horrible and helplessness when floating between life and death for all those years.
I decided my next target, apart from the prophecy and you, would be the potion. Seeing my fail to possess the prophecy and killing you last year, I took full concentration on the potion. It was a need to be done, and so I planned all very carefully. I knew the best chance of the success of my immortal life would be important and meaningful lives of the ingredients. My loyal servant here, without doubt, shall be Bellatrix Lestrange. She has guide me through life, and so shall she in death."

At the mention of her name, Bellatrix Lestrange gave out a sob of triumph as if this was the most beautiful sentence she had ever heard of and answered croakily, "Thank you, my masterI shall be ever loyal to youmy master, my dear Lord"

Voldemort continued, "My enemy, apparently, shall be you. But how to achieve hold of you, while that Muggle lover fool is still at your aid in the school?

"I knew it was only the matter of time when I needed to plan to kill Albus Dumbledore. And right then I could merely remove you from his protection, due to the pity fact I have to admit that he is now stronger than I am. But, of course, once I am returned into full power, which I will in anther few hours, the intention to kill Albus Dumbledore will no longer be a threat to me.

"The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, seemed to be having problems when coping with defeating me again. I shall be proud to say one thing- if anything, I possess a strong ability of playing with the men's minds. I see through them, I use them, I know when and how to achieve my desires with them."

Harry remembered the dream of Voldemort planning to "conquer" Fudge. He had thought it was the prelude of the Minister's death back then, but it seemed like Voldemort had even more horrible plans with the fate of Cornelius Fudge. Fudge, however, had not seemed to notice whatsoever.

"Allow me to start from here, your Lordship?" Fudge interrupted with glee and pride writing all over his face. Voldemort smirked at him, with a very lack of obviousness so that only Harry noticed it. "Yes you may."

Fudge turned to Harry as he spoke with triumph, "The Dark Lord offered me the chance to work together. As equals. He promised me the same honor as him when we finally reach our goals. I washappier beyond my dreams." Then he laughed highly and cruelly, matching Voldemort's, who was laughing also, but Harry thought he had a very great idea the reason Voldemort was amused was not agreeing with Fudge's.

"Youfool..."Harry panted, clutching his chest hard from panting hardly, "Fool, do youdo you really think he'll give you all that? He'susing youyou're tricked"

And with that, Harry let out a bark of laughter which was beyond reason and fear. All he knew was that he would fight until he was dead

Fudge as still smiling with firm, though his face fell slightly t Harry's words, "You're mistaken, Potter. What do you know about us? I and the Dark Lord have became very close right after parting up. It was I who send that letter to Hagrid, allowing the giant to tramp over Hogwarts once Dolores Umbridge, whom we "rescued" from the hospital last year, informed us the beast's existence. It was I who imprisoned Dumbledore for after I told the Dark Lord about every little detail about you and Dumbledore's relationship, including how he sacrificed himself for you when it came to that DA club you set up last year, the Dark Lord recognized he would sacrifice himself again for Rubeus Hagrid. That was how we removed Dumbledore from the school, the Aurors as well, having you completely deserted without aid and protection. The road to you was cleared. The only thing left to do was to get you here tonight."

Harry gritted his teeth and swore under his breath and shook his head, "Youhow patheticyou really believe that him, the demon of the century, would want to part up with a- alike you? You wait, I'll bet even my life that the situation for youisn't much better than mine right now!"

Silence followed after Harry's statement. Fudge's smile vanished and so did Voldemort's.

"Very well, Potter. You are not as useless as you seem." The tall thin wizard patted Harry on the shoulder then turned to the nearly petrified Fudge, "He is correct, Cornelius Fudge. I lied. I used you. And it may be time you leave my service with honor- the honor to be defeated by the Dark Lord himself."

Birds nesting on the trees outside the yard flee as a piercing scream cut through the night.

* * *

"All students are to stay in their dormitories for this evening. Prefects and teachers shall patrol around the school to maintain the security. Anyone found against the rules shall face expulsion immediately."

As a crowd of students rushed by to get back to their towers, Severus stared helplessly out to the night. Hold on, the boy who lived

* * *

A few of the Death Eaters pulled the body of Cornelius Fudge out of the room as Voldemort and the others laughed freely, Harry still staring wordlessly at the spot where Fudge had been standing a few seconds ago. He was really mad

"So, Potter, where were we?" Voldemort grinned widely and sat down on one of the chairs comfortably, while Harry lost feeling of his pain in the shock of Fudge's sudden death, "Ah, yes, the Eternalize Potion. I had my way to you, my enemy, and now remains the traitor.

"As I have said before, I knew someone amongst my allies would betray me sooner or later. It was only the matter of time and loss. The earlier I found out, the less loss I would face.

"So I planned on the first task given to my Death Eaters since my rise. The attack on Hogsmeade. I knew perfectly well it would go wrongly and that it was a great opportunity to find out which one, which foolish pathetically one, was to turn his back to me.

"And I did. I knew the answer right after the fail of the attack, and though I had no intention to demolish such a clever servant, it was a must. My other servants, ones who did not know about my plans of getting the potion, ones who failed me too much to be awarded knowledge of important plans, thought I was showing mercy when I only demolished the Dark Mark on Severus Snape's flesh. But the Dark Lord never shows mercy. Especially," Voldemort's voice was barely in a whisper by now, "Not to traitors."

Silence again. Harry wondered for a second whether he could stand it anymore. All of this was too much, too much hints of the terror inside the man he was facing. He did not want to know any further about Voldemort's stupid plans- all he wanted was a nice and clean death for he saw no defense- his wand was gone, his body was too damaged to
achieve any physical movements, not to mention his desire to fight

"And so nowI call on Severus Snape."

Harry's head snapped up to meet Voldemort's eyes and saw, to his horror, a phoenix- his source of hope and energy always when in danger- lying on the Dark Lord's feet.

* * *

He was about to give up he attempt of finding the bird. He could not stand it anymore- who could have, anyways, looking for a pet bird when one was supposed to be involved with life and death.

Whipping his wand out, Severus crossed the room and was opening the door when a sudden small explosion behind him made him whirl around.

There on the floor, lying motionlessly with a kind of beauty Severus never could have described, was a single phoenix feather. The flaming scarlet and orange of it arranged its soft but handsome colors and for a while Severus merely stared at it.

Then it hit him. Fawkes' feathers- a sign of danger. Dumbledore must be in great danger right now or he would not have sent the warning.

Crossing the room, Severus hesitated for a moment, debating whether to seek more help before going. Then he remembered

Harry Potter's braveryhis desire to saveto rescuethe ones he loved. Dumbledore, everything he could have wished for to him, in helpless situations, waiting for Severus' aid while he was having doubts

"I shall not lose to Harry Potter!"

With that, he reached out to touch the feather, disappearing into thin air bringing also his firm and new founded bravery with him, containing no fear, but merely pride.


A/N: I'm very very very sorry this took so long! I was very busy, scouting camps and everythin'...anyways, I hope you all liked it and thanks for all of the reviews, I really appreciate it. I'll find time to make more personal replies, but right now please just give me more reviews! Thanks!

PS I use the Microsoft Word to write, how can I make Itallics? Can anyone help me? Thanks!