Please read the A/N at the bottom, it is very important.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for the plot.
The Second Darkness
Chapter 15: The War on Fudge and the Daily Prophet
The portkeys appeared in front of them, Harry and half of the DA grabbed onto one. Ten minutes later when everyone had managed to get at least a finger onto a portkey they felt the familiar tugging around their navel and suddenly they were back at Hogwarts.
Harry hit the ground and sank to his knees. The adrenaline was gone from his body and the pain and fear hit him at last. He put his hands to his side and took them away to find the covered in blood. He could feel searing pain in six places on his body but it was hard to tell where they were, he was covered from head to toe in blood.
He tried to stand but quickly fell back to the ground as his left leg gave way underneath him. He forced himself to his feet a second time and managed to stand. Ron and Hermione hurried forwards to support him as he swayed dangerously. Both of them were bleeding freely from several places and Ron had a shining burn on the side of his face.
Harry began to limp forward towards the castle. Ron and Hermione stared after him,
"Where are you going?" Ron called out to him.
"Great Hall, everyone will be at lunch." Lunch, the word hit Harry like a sledge hammer, they had been fighting for thirteen hours...
Harry continued limping towards the castle. He opened the doors and stepped into the Entrance Hall. With a heavy heart he slowly headed towards the large, oak double doors to the Great Hall.
His shoes echoed in the empty hall, the distance closed and Harry's heart grew heavier. He paused as he put his hands on the double doors and closed his eyes,
"Let them understand." He prayed. He shoved the doors open and stepped into the Great Hall. Silence fell and every head turned to Harry, hope on some faces and despair on others. One expression was clear on every face, horror. Standing in front of them was a boy who, twenty-four hours earlier, had been clean, healthy and had a relatively happy expression on his face. The change was scary.
There was no happiness in his face, he was terrified. He was covered from head to toe in blood. There were numerous cuts and burns on his body, his face was covered with dirt and there was a long gash starting at his left temple and running down his cheek mixing blood and dirt. Underneath the layer of dried blood and dirt, his face was pale and terrified. It was his eyes that were the scariest. There was a terror in them and a haunted look, there was no shine in them; they were dull and scared. He was swaying slightly and was clearly exhausted. Every face turned to horror. He opened his mouth,
"We lost." Exhaustion took over and he collapsed. Hagrid and McGonagall hurried forward, Harry forced himself to his feet,
He swayed dangerously again and shook his head in a vain attempt to clear it. Harry answered the question they all wanted to know but no one dared to ask.
"It was hell. We went there with just over nine thousand men. Just over three thousand returned. Terror, blood and death. That's all there was." Strength failed him and he staggered forwards. Hagrid caught him before he hit the ground. He never heard the screams of terror and disappointment that filled the hall.
------------
Harry woke up in the hospital wing the next morning. All his cuts were healed and he felt much better. Madam Pomfrey could clearly work miracles. Harry groaned and sat up, Madam Pomfrey hurried out of her office.
"Good, you're awake." She handed him a goblet full of a bright yellow liquid, "Drink. All of it." She ordered. Harry drunk it down and made a disgusted face. She looked in approvingly,
"How long have I been asleep?"
"Thirty six hours, and I'm not surprised," she added when Harry looked astonished. "You had four first or second degree burns and at least six deep cuts. Two of which were infected. What you had been doing, I don't want to know. Using yourself as a human shield is my guess. I have never seen someone in such a bad condition! None of the other students who were fighting," here she made a disapproving face and Harry couldn't help but grin, "were in such a bad state, most needed a couple of cuts healing and a dreamless sleep potion and that was it." Harry's grin broadened,
"Can I go?"
"You've only been awake for five minutes and you're already bored of me?" her tone was serious but she looked relieved to see he was alright. "Very well, you can go." She left the room so Harry could get changed.
Five minutes later he was running down to the Great Hall, his leg was still slightly painful but apart from that he felt fine. He opened one of the doors and tried to slip in quietly but to no avail. The students weren't having any of it; most of them looked up and cheered to see his return. Harry grinned and began walking towards the Gryffindor table. The students all noticed one thing; Harry's grin did not reach his eyes, they had not lost their haunted, terrified look.
Harry went to sit in his customary place between Ron and Hermione, but stopped short, the two were sitting rather close to each other and a recent memory of two people in a freezing forest changed his mind, instead he walked around the table and sat next Ginny. He began reaching for the sausages.
Harry had barely sat down when the loud rustling of hundreds of wings announced the arrival of the morning post. Everyone began talking loudly as people paid their owls and took their 'Daily Prophet's off of the owls. The excited chatter soon began to fade into a stunned silence and people began staring at either Dumbledore or Harry. Wordlessly Hermione handed her copy over to Harry and he stared at the front page.
ASSAULT ON YOU-KNOW-WHO'S CASTLE FAILED. DUMLEDORE AND POTTER TO BLAME.
Last night Aurors and Goblins assaulted You-Know-Who's castle but failed, probably due to blunders by Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore. Writes Daily Prophet reporter Susan Flayhen.
Recently the location of You-Know-Who's castle was uncovered and despite warnings from the Minister of Magic plans were made to attack. Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter were to lead the army assaulting it. Originally only having six thousand Goblins they forced the Minister of Magic to give them over two thousand Aurors.
"I didn't want to give them a single Auror, but they forced me to, I knew the assault would fail, unfortunately the fools didn't and went ahead with it anyway." Says Cornelius Fudge.
Dumbledore and Potter were indeed fools, they are not leaders no matter how much they want to be and could not possibly lead an army effectively. It was clearly another of Potter's attempts of increased fame. Next time Potter; leave the leading to those who know how.
Harry did not read the rest of the article. Fury boiled through him at Fudge's stupidity. He stood up and walked over to the top table, it was one of the few times when the teachers were present at breakfast.
He strode towards Dumbledore and crouched down beside him. Dumbledore did not look angry, instead he looked calm.
"Can Fudge not see how stupid he is being?" Harry asked him angrily, the rest of the school had broken out in excited mutterings, many of them casting looks at Harry and Dumbledore.
"Evidently not." Said Dumbledore shaking his head. Harry paused, thinking about the words he desperately wanted to say. Eventually he decided to take the risk.
"We need him out of office. He's still leaning on the 'Prophet' by discrediting us he's making it harder for us to defeat Voldemort as we will have less support and easier for Voldemort to gain support." Dumbledore nodded his head slowly,
"That's exactly what I've been thinking. The problem is getting him out of office." The two of them noticed the silence that was descending over the hall as people strained to hear what they were saying. Dumbledore turned back to Harry,
"Come to my office." The two of them rose and walked out of the Great Hall. They strode along the corridors in silence. They approached the stone gargoyle and Dumbledore stopped in front of it.
"Pear Drops." The stone gargoyle began to move aside and Dumbledore turned to Harry, "Not as nice as lemon sherbets but still very nice nonetheless." Harry could not help but laugh. They climbed the revolving staircase. Dumbledore sat behind his desk and Harry stood opposite it.
"The question is how to force Fudge out of office." Dumbledore mused.
"I see two options, force an election and hope our candidate wins or," here Harry hesitated, "kill him." Dumbledore's widened, few people could say they had successfully surprised him but Harry definitely had. Harry hastened to continue; "Even if we do force Fudge out of office he can still make trouble for us. We need to prevent him from causing any trouble for us. We need to make Voldemort's job as difficult as possible and give us every advantage we can possibly get." Dumbledore nodded slowly,
"I admit I had not seen that coming but I can see your reasoning. We have to hope that it doesn't come to that."
"Another option is to force him to keep quiet, threaten him. Its not what we want to do, none of this is but it has to be done if we want to win."
"We shall do that. Now we have to find out a way of doing it." Harry grinned,
"Give me half a dozen members of the Order and I'll do it for you." Dumbledore looked grim.
"I trust you Harry, so I'll give them to you, just don't do anything stupid, if this goes wrong we will be in serious trouble." Harry nodded and turned to leave,
"But what will you do if something does go wrong?" Dumbledore called after him. Harry turned around, his face grim,
"I'm an assassin, what do you think?" Harry didn't wait for a response, but turned and left.
------------
Harry sat in front of the fire that night, staring into the dancing flames, long after everyone else had gone to bed, thoughts running through his head. The haunted look had returned to his eyes. In one day everything had been turned upside down, they had gambled everything on winning that assault and had failed; he would probably have to kill the Minister of Magic, Voldemort was growing ever stronger and they were growing ever weaker. Harry put his head in his hands and began to cry softly, his tears unheard, his prayers unanswered.
Ron and Hermione came into the room after doing their rounds. The common room was dark and empty apart from one figure silhouetted against the flickering flames of the dying fire. It didn't take Ron and Hermione long to recognise the figure who was shaking, his body racked with silent sobs.
"Sirius?" said Ron softly to Hermione. She shook her head. They silently moved over to Harry and crouched down in front of him,
"Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione asked gently,
"I watched them die. I led them to their deaths, the Aurors, the Goblins everyone. It's my fault, my fault!"
"You had no option. You had to do it, you had to try."
"You don't understand. It was my fault; I knew the attack would fail. I knew it would, Voldemort is growing stronger and we're growing weaker." Ron gently tapped Hermione on the shoulder, and nodded towards the now dead fire. Hermione understood immediately and went to make a new one.
"It's you who doesn't understand. They were prepared to die for you, they were prepared to fight and to sacrifice themselves. You didn't make them, they went of their own free will." Harry nodded, but still didn't look happy.
"Harry, what's really wrong?" Ron asked him, "I've been your best friend for six years, I can tell when you're hiding something." Harry shook his head.
"No, that was it. I just feel so guilty, I feel as though I've let everyone down."
"Tell me the truth, if you can't tell your best friend then who can you tell?" Harry considered it.
"If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone."
"I swear." Harry sighed, fresh tears rolling down his face.
"I'm going to have to kill the Minister of Magic." Whatever Ron had expected, that was not it.
"What!" exclaimed Ron and Hermione simultaneously.
"We have to force him to stop discrediting Dumbledore and I, if he won't keep quiet then me and Dumbledore have decided that he will have to be assassinated, and it will have to be that assassinates him."
"Bloody hell!"
"You can't Harry, you'll be caught and that will be classed as treason, a crime that carries the death penalty!" exclaimed Hermione. Harry shook his head.
"You don't understand Hermione, these things have to be done. We have to win against Voldemort and to do that we need every advantage we can get. If Fudge makes life difficult for us and easier for Voldemort then he has to die."
"But why you? Why not someone else?" asked Ron, fear obvious on his face. Harry sighed,
"Because I am the assassin, because I am prepared to risk my life for what is right." Ron and Hermione were forced to accept Harry was going to do this. "It's not certain, though, he may decide to shut up when I threaten to play noughts and crosses on his back using my sword."
------------
Over the next few days Harry found it difficult to concentrate, his deadly task was a constant reminder of the brutality of war. Deep down Harry knew that it was more than likely that Fudge wouldn't keep quiet and that Harry would probably have to kill him.
Ron and Hermione were always seen with their heads close together, talking in urgent whispers, glancing at Harry every so often. They had accepted that Harry would do this and were prepared to help him in every way possible.
One night when the common room was empty apart from the three of them, Ron and Hermione walked over to where Harry was sitting, staring into the flames, his face sad and his eyes dull.
"Me and Hermione have come to a decision. When you go into the Ministry of Magic, the DA and us will be waiting outside, if you get into trouble use the galleon and we'll come and help." Harry shook his head.
"No, this is one time when you definitely don't have to put yourselves in danger. I forbid you to come, I'm not risking you dying when you don't have to." Hermione laughed,
"Harry, you're the one who has to live. We're not risking you dying. You're the one who has to live for the prophecy. It doesn't matter if we die. We're not important. We can die and it doesn't matter. If you die then we lose. You've got to live" Ron nodded in agreement.
"Yeah mate, we're expendable, you're not. If we have to die to protect you then," Ron shrugged, "It's a small price to pay for victory." Tears came to Harry's eyes,
"Thanks guys, this means a lot." Ron grinned,
"Anyway, we've been through worse." Ron shrugged again, "Taking on the Ministry of Magic? Easy mate. We should fight left handed to make it fair." Hermione and Harry burst out laughing.
------------
Harry woke up the next morning with the familiar feeling of dread; it seemed to be permanently there. He got up and shook Ron awake.
"Wha'?" said his best friend groggily. Normal speech was not something Ron could accomplish in the mornings.
"Swords training for me. In was wondering if you wanted to come and find out how you managed to survive the killing curse." Ron was instantly awake.
"All right then." He leapt out of bed and quickly dressed. He followed Harry down into the common room.
Five minutes later they were still staring up the stairs to the Girls dormitories trying to work out how to get Hermione.
"Any ideas?" Ron asked Harry. Harry nodded slowly. He turned and walked about three feet away from Ron.
"Ron, do you trust me?" Ron nodded warily; he could sense Harry was up to something.
"Yes."
"Idiot. Banisco!" Harry's banishing charm sent Ron flying up the staircase and crashing into the wall at the top.
"Aargh" groaned Ron as he picked himself up from where he'd landed in a heap at the base of the wall, "Thanks for that! You didn't have to do that, we could've just yelled for her, rather then send me flying into a stone wall at a hundred miles an hour!" Harry couldn't help but laugh. Ron's angry muttering was soon cut short as what looked to be every Gryffindor girl in the school came out of their rooms. Ron blushed crimson when he saw that many were wearing nothing but their knickers and bras.
"Um... Is Hermione around?"
"What's happening?" asked Hermione, coming out of her dormitory. "Ron! How did you get up here? Why are you up here at seven thirty?" Ron turned around and looked at Harry scandalized,
"Seven thirty? You got me up at seven thirty! What the hell were you thinking?"
"Ron, what do you want?" asked Hermione impatiently. Ron turned back to her,
"Um, yeah...me and Harry...we were...yeah...spell...find out...Lupin...I'm going to go now." Said Ron quickly, turning around and putting his feet on the staircase. There was a thud of gears clicking into place and just enough time for Ron to realise what was happening, his expression to change to horror and for him to say,
"Shit." Before he tumbled head first down the sliding staircase to land in a crumpled heap at the bottom. He picked himself off the floor and glared at Harry who was laughing so hard he had to lean against a chair for support. Hermione slid down the sliding staircase five minutes later, fully dressed. She walked over to Ron and put her hand in his. Harry was collapsed on the floor laughing and Ron gave him a vicious kick in the ribs before walking out of the Portrait Hole.
Standing up with difficulty, Harry winked at the girls at the top of the stairs before running out of the Gryffindor common room after Ron and Hermione.
------------
Harry caught up with Ron and Hermione at the bottom of the marble staircase, Harry smirked at Ron's angry face.
"Forgive me?" Harry asked innocently.
"Sod off." Harry's smirk broadened. They walked out into the grounds, the dew still apparent on the grass. Thick grey clouds were massing overhead and it looked like it was about to rain any second. Lupin could be seen standing by the lake waiting for them.
"You're late." He said with raised eyebrows as they approached.
"Yeah, sorry. Ron's fault, he was messing around." Harry said, somehow managing to keep a straight face. Ron turned to Harry disbelievingly.
"Me?! Hang on, who was that banished me up to the girls dormitories so I smacked into the wall and woke every single bloody girl in Gryffindor and got to see half of them in their bloody knickers!" It was Harry's turn to raise his eyebrows,
"Surely you're not complaining about that?" Harry asked in mock horror, without waiting for him to answer Harry continued, "Parvati looked good in her pink ones, Lavender too. Although Ginny looked rather nice in her white ones." He mused.
"Harry, that is my sister you're talking about." Ron said in a calm but deadly voice. Harry raised his eyebrows again,
"So? She's growing up. She's turning into a rather hot young women."
"Sirius would be proud of you." Commented Lupin. Ron however looked aghast,
"I cannot believe you just said that." Harry grinned at him and was just about to answer when Lupin interrupted.
"As amusing as this is, we've got swords training to do, Harry." Harry nodded and was just about to get into the starting position when he remembered something,
"Hang on Lupin, one thing, how the hell is Ron still alive?" Lupin looked thoughtful.
"In don't pretend to be an expert about this, I don't even know the incantation, but I will tell you what I know." He sat down and leant against a tree. The other three sat down on the wet grass opposite him.
"You know that most Death Eaters lack the power to produce a proper Avada." The three of them nodded, "Well, the spell is like a substitute for it. It is not a proper Avada, merely a shadow of it. Avada Kedavra is an extremely complex spell, that's what makes it so hard to produce, Spell Strippers have studied Avada for years and are still not sure exactly how it works. They do know it attacks the brain and the heart, possibly shutting them down immediately, no one is totally sure. Now, Spell Strippers have also stripped this spell and know exactly how it works. It attacks the brain and the heart and begins to shut them down. It takes twenty-four hours for the process to fully complete and to make sure that no one heals someone hit by the curse it creates the illusion that the person is already dead. The curse isn't as complex as Avada and therefore isn't as hard to produce." Ron looked stunned,
"I thought you said you weren't an expert." Lupin laughed.
"I'm not. You should listen to a Spell Stripper. Now," said Lupin standing up, "Harry and I have work to do." Ron and Hermione nodded and began walking back towards the castle. When they were out of sight Lupin turned to Harry.
"Dumbledore's told us. I'm one of the six." Harry felt a rush of nausea flood through him as he remembered but nodded anyway, slightly reassured by the fact that Lupin would be there.
------------
Harry was sitting in the common room that night trying to do his potions essay when the Portrait Hole swung open and in stepped McGonagall. She scanned the common room and finally her eyes rested on Harry.
"Potter, you're wanted in the Headmaster's office" Harry nodded and stood up. He followed McGonagall down to Dumbledore's office. She didn't follow him in; instead she turned and walked towards the Transfiguration classroom.
Harry walked up the revolving staircase and into Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore was sat behind his desk looking grave.
"What would you like to see me about, sir?"
"I sent a letter to Fudge earlier on requesting him to stop discrediting us. I have just received his reply. He says he is merely telling the truth and on no condition would he lie to the wizarding world. If we are to be discredited by the truth then that is our problem." It didn't take long for the truth to sink in.
"So Fudge must die." Dumbledore nodded grimly,
"Fudge must die." Harry felt sick. Physically sick. He was terrified, absolutely terrified. He had to kill the Minister of Magic. For a fleeting moment, Harry considered refusing. But he knew he had to. He took a deep breath,
"I'll do it. I'll kill him. Fudge will die." Dumbledore nodded sadly, and a single tear trickled down into the old man's beard.
"Thank you." He said softly. Harry nodded, bowed and turned to leave the room, knowing one thing for certain
Fudge would die.
And he, Harry Potter, will be the one to kill him
A/N VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ.
Ok, that's another chapter done, the final one of this fic. Unfortunately I have important exams on the twenty-first and I need to revise for them so I will not get the next fic "The Light at the End of the Tunnel" up until after them, probably the 1st of July. I am really sorry.
On the 3rd of July I break up for the summer holidays and fly back to Malaysia and will not be able to get anything written for two months. Again, I am really sorry.
The next fic will be about twenty chapters, maybe more.
I hope you've enjoyed this fic, I have enjoyed writing it. To everyone who reviewed: Thank you, you have made this fic a pleasure to write.
Kaydon – Thanks for the reviews. Quidditch? I think I have stopped writing that, I am too busy with the rest of the plot. Though I might throw in one or two matches in the next fic.
WhiteWizard101 – Thanks for the review.
OoXandiaoO – Thanks for the review. I'm sorry I made you cry...
Rocky235 – Thanks for the review? Surprised Harry is still alive? How come?
Sarah – Thanks for the review.
The Lord of Pencil - Thanks for the review. I never said Harry killed about 3500 Death Eater. That is extreme. No I don't train with swords but I would seriously love to. Nice drinking game...
Pixielax06 - Thanks for the review.
Lillypotterfan - Thanks for the review.
Charmed103 - Thanks for the review. Yep, they lost.
Colm - Thanks for the review.
Jessy-Allens - Thanks for the review.
The Enchantresses - Thanks for the review.
Anime-Master7 - Thanks for the review.
LogicalRaven – Disappeared? Where have you gone, my friend?
Keep reading and reviewing 'cos I'll keep writing.
Fireboy
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for the plot.
The Second Darkness
Chapter 15: The War on Fudge and the Daily Prophet
The portkeys appeared in front of them, Harry and half of the DA grabbed onto one. Ten minutes later when everyone had managed to get at least a finger onto a portkey they felt the familiar tugging around their navel and suddenly they were back at Hogwarts.
Harry hit the ground and sank to his knees. The adrenaline was gone from his body and the pain and fear hit him at last. He put his hands to his side and took them away to find the covered in blood. He could feel searing pain in six places on his body but it was hard to tell where they were, he was covered from head to toe in blood.
He tried to stand but quickly fell back to the ground as his left leg gave way underneath him. He forced himself to his feet a second time and managed to stand. Ron and Hermione hurried forwards to support him as he swayed dangerously. Both of them were bleeding freely from several places and Ron had a shining burn on the side of his face.
Harry began to limp forward towards the castle. Ron and Hermione stared after him,
"Where are you going?" Ron called out to him.
"Great Hall, everyone will be at lunch." Lunch, the word hit Harry like a sledge hammer, they had been fighting for thirteen hours...
Harry continued limping towards the castle. He opened the doors and stepped into the Entrance Hall. With a heavy heart he slowly headed towards the large, oak double doors to the Great Hall.
His shoes echoed in the empty hall, the distance closed and Harry's heart grew heavier. He paused as he put his hands on the double doors and closed his eyes,
"Let them understand." He prayed. He shoved the doors open and stepped into the Great Hall. Silence fell and every head turned to Harry, hope on some faces and despair on others. One expression was clear on every face, horror. Standing in front of them was a boy who, twenty-four hours earlier, had been clean, healthy and had a relatively happy expression on his face. The change was scary.
There was no happiness in his face, he was terrified. He was covered from head to toe in blood. There were numerous cuts and burns on his body, his face was covered with dirt and there was a long gash starting at his left temple and running down his cheek mixing blood and dirt. Underneath the layer of dried blood and dirt, his face was pale and terrified. It was his eyes that were the scariest. There was a terror in them and a haunted look, there was no shine in them; they were dull and scared. He was swaying slightly and was clearly exhausted. Every face turned to horror. He opened his mouth,
"We lost." Exhaustion took over and he collapsed. Hagrid and McGonagall hurried forward, Harry forced himself to his feet,
He swayed dangerously again and shook his head in a vain attempt to clear it. Harry answered the question they all wanted to know but no one dared to ask.
"It was hell. We went there with just over nine thousand men. Just over three thousand returned. Terror, blood and death. That's all there was." Strength failed him and he staggered forwards. Hagrid caught him before he hit the ground. He never heard the screams of terror and disappointment that filled the hall.
------------
Harry woke up in the hospital wing the next morning. All his cuts were healed and he felt much better. Madam Pomfrey could clearly work miracles. Harry groaned and sat up, Madam Pomfrey hurried out of her office.
"Good, you're awake." She handed him a goblet full of a bright yellow liquid, "Drink. All of it." She ordered. Harry drunk it down and made a disgusted face. She looked in approvingly,
"How long have I been asleep?"
"Thirty six hours, and I'm not surprised," she added when Harry looked astonished. "You had four first or second degree burns and at least six deep cuts. Two of which were infected. What you had been doing, I don't want to know. Using yourself as a human shield is my guess. I have never seen someone in such a bad condition! None of the other students who were fighting," here she made a disapproving face and Harry couldn't help but grin, "were in such a bad state, most needed a couple of cuts healing and a dreamless sleep potion and that was it." Harry's grin broadened,
"Can I go?"
"You've only been awake for five minutes and you're already bored of me?" her tone was serious but she looked relieved to see he was alright. "Very well, you can go." She left the room so Harry could get changed.
Five minutes later he was running down to the Great Hall, his leg was still slightly painful but apart from that he felt fine. He opened one of the doors and tried to slip in quietly but to no avail. The students weren't having any of it; most of them looked up and cheered to see his return. Harry grinned and began walking towards the Gryffindor table. The students all noticed one thing; Harry's grin did not reach his eyes, they had not lost their haunted, terrified look.
Harry went to sit in his customary place between Ron and Hermione, but stopped short, the two were sitting rather close to each other and a recent memory of two people in a freezing forest changed his mind, instead he walked around the table and sat next Ginny. He began reaching for the sausages.
Harry had barely sat down when the loud rustling of hundreds of wings announced the arrival of the morning post. Everyone began talking loudly as people paid their owls and took their 'Daily Prophet's off of the owls. The excited chatter soon began to fade into a stunned silence and people began staring at either Dumbledore or Harry. Wordlessly Hermione handed her copy over to Harry and he stared at the front page.
ASSAULT ON YOU-KNOW-WHO'S CASTLE FAILED. DUMLEDORE AND POTTER TO BLAME.
Last night Aurors and Goblins assaulted You-Know-Who's castle but failed, probably due to blunders by Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore. Writes Daily Prophet reporter Susan Flayhen.
Recently the location of You-Know-Who's castle was uncovered and despite warnings from the Minister of Magic plans were made to attack. Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter were to lead the army assaulting it. Originally only having six thousand Goblins they forced the Minister of Magic to give them over two thousand Aurors.
"I didn't want to give them a single Auror, but they forced me to, I knew the assault would fail, unfortunately the fools didn't and went ahead with it anyway." Says Cornelius Fudge.
Dumbledore and Potter were indeed fools, they are not leaders no matter how much they want to be and could not possibly lead an army effectively. It was clearly another of Potter's attempts of increased fame. Next time Potter; leave the leading to those who know how.
Harry did not read the rest of the article. Fury boiled through him at Fudge's stupidity. He stood up and walked over to the top table, it was one of the few times when the teachers were present at breakfast.
He strode towards Dumbledore and crouched down beside him. Dumbledore did not look angry, instead he looked calm.
"Can Fudge not see how stupid he is being?" Harry asked him angrily, the rest of the school had broken out in excited mutterings, many of them casting looks at Harry and Dumbledore.
"Evidently not." Said Dumbledore shaking his head. Harry paused, thinking about the words he desperately wanted to say. Eventually he decided to take the risk.
"We need him out of office. He's still leaning on the 'Prophet' by discrediting us he's making it harder for us to defeat Voldemort as we will have less support and easier for Voldemort to gain support." Dumbledore nodded his head slowly,
"That's exactly what I've been thinking. The problem is getting him out of office." The two of them noticed the silence that was descending over the hall as people strained to hear what they were saying. Dumbledore turned back to Harry,
"Come to my office." The two of them rose and walked out of the Great Hall. They strode along the corridors in silence. They approached the stone gargoyle and Dumbledore stopped in front of it.
"Pear Drops." The stone gargoyle began to move aside and Dumbledore turned to Harry, "Not as nice as lemon sherbets but still very nice nonetheless." Harry could not help but laugh. They climbed the revolving staircase. Dumbledore sat behind his desk and Harry stood opposite it.
"The question is how to force Fudge out of office." Dumbledore mused.
"I see two options, force an election and hope our candidate wins or," here Harry hesitated, "kill him." Dumbledore's widened, few people could say they had successfully surprised him but Harry definitely had. Harry hastened to continue; "Even if we do force Fudge out of office he can still make trouble for us. We need to prevent him from causing any trouble for us. We need to make Voldemort's job as difficult as possible and give us every advantage we can possibly get." Dumbledore nodded slowly,
"I admit I had not seen that coming but I can see your reasoning. We have to hope that it doesn't come to that."
"Another option is to force him to keep quiet, threaten him. Its not what we want to do, none of this is but it has to be done if we want to win."
"We shall do that. Now we have to find out a way of doing it." Harry grinned,
"Give me half a dozen members of the Order and I'll do it for you." Dumbledore looked grim.
"I trust you Harry, so I'll give them to you, just don't do anything stupid, if this goes wrong we will be in serious trouble." Harry nodded and turned to leave,
"But what will you do if something does go wrong?" Dumbledore called after him. Harry turned around, his face grim,
"I'm an assassin, what do you think?" Harry didn't wait for a response, but turned and left.
------------
Harry sat in front of the fire that night, staring into the dancing flames, long after everyone else had gone to bed, thoughts running through his head. The haunted look had returned to his eyes. In one day everything had been turned upside down, they had gambled everything on winning that assault and had failed; he would probably have to kill the Minister of Magic, Voldemort was growing ever stronger and they were growing ever weaker. Harry put his head in his hands and began to cry softly, his tears unheard, his prayers unanswered.
Ron and Hermione came into the room after doing their rounds. The common room was dark and empty apart from one figure silhouetted against the flickering flames of the dying fire. It didn't take Ron and Hermione long to recognise the figure who was shaking, his body racked with silent sobs.
"Sirius?" said Ron softly to Hermione. She shook her head. They silently moved over to Harry and crouched down in front of him,
"Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione asked gently,
"I watched them die. I led them to their deaths, the Aurors, the Goblins everyone. It's my fault, my fault!"
"You had no option. You had to do it, you had to try."
"You don't understand. It was my fault; I knew the attack would fail. I knew it would, Voldemort is growing stronger and we're growing weaker." Ron gently tapped Hermione on the shoulder, and nodded towards the now dead fire. Hermione understood immediately and went to make a new one.
"It's you who doesn't understand. They were prepared to die for you, they were prepared to fight and to sacrifice themselves. You didn't make them, they went of their own free will." Harry nodded, but still didn't look happy.
"Harry, what's really wrong?" Ron asked him, "I've been your best friend for six years, I can tell when you're hiding something." Harry shook his head.
"No, that was it. I just feel so guilty, I feel as though I've let everyone down."
"Tell me the truth, if you can't tell your best friend then who can you tell?" Harry considered it.
"If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone."
"I swear." Harry sighed, fresh tears rolling down his face.
"I'm going to have to kill the Minister of Magic." Whatever Ron had expected, that was not it.
"What!" exclaimed Ron and Hermione simultaneously.
"We have to force him to stop discrediting Dumbledore and I, if he won't keep quiet then me and Dumbledore have decided that he will have to be assassinated, and it will have to be that assassinates him."
"Bloody hell!"
"You can't Harry, you'll be caught and that will be classed as treason, a crime that carries the death penalty!" exclaimed Hermione. Harry shook his head.
"You don't understand Hermione, these things have to be done. We have to win against Voldemort and to do that we need every advantage we can get. If Fudge makes life difficult for us and easier for Voldemort then he has to die."
"But why you? Why not someone else?" asked Ron, fear obvious on his face. Harry sighed,
"Because I am the assassin, because I am prepared to risk my life for what is right." Ron and Hermione were forced to accept Harry was going to do this. "It's not certain, though, he may decide to shut up when I threaten to play noughts and crosses on his back using my sword."
------------
Over the next few days Harry found it difficult to concentrate, his deadly task was a constant reminder of the brutality of war. Deep down Harry knew that it was more than likely that Fudge wouldn't keep quiet and that Harry would probably have to kill him.
Ron and Hermione were always seen with their heads close together, talking in urgent whispers, glancing at Harry every so often. They had accepted that Harry would do this and were prepared to help him in every way possible.
One night when the common room was empty apart from the three of them, Ron and Hermione walked over to where Harry was sitting, staring into the flames, his face sad and his eyes dull.
"Me and Hermione have come to a decision. When you go into the Ministry of Magic, the DA and us will be waiting outside, if you get into trouble use the galleon and we'll come and help." Harry shook his head.
"No, this is one time when you definitely don't have to put yourselves in danger. I forbid you to come, I'm not risking you dying when you don't have to." Hermione laughed,
"Harry, you're the one who has to live. We're not risking you dying. You're the one who has to live for the prophecy. It doesn't matter if we die. We're not important. We can die and it doesn't matter. If you die then we lose. You've got to live" Ron nodded in agreement.
"Yeah mate, we're expendable, you're not. If we have to die to protect you then," Ron shrugged, "It's a small price to pay for victory." Tears came to Harry's eyes,
"Thanks guys, this means a lot." Ron grinned,
"Anyway, we've been through worse." Ron shrugged again, "Taking on the Ministry of Magic? Easy mate. We should fight left handed to make it fair." Hermione and Harry burst out laughing.
------------
Harry woke up the next morning with the familiar feeling of dread; it seemed to be permanently there. He got up and shook Ron awake.
"Wha'?" said his best friend groggily. Normal speech was not something Ron could accomplish in the mornings.
"Swords training for me. In was wondering if you wanted to come and find out how you managed to survive the killing curse." Ron was instantly awake.
"All right then." He leapt out of bed and quickly dressed. He followed Harry down into the common room.
Five minutes later they were still staring up the stairs to the Girls dormitories trying to work out how to get Hermione.
"Any ideas?" Ron asked Harry. Harry nodded slowly. He turned and walked about three feet away from Ron.
"Ron, do you trust me?" Ron nodded warily; he could sense Harry was up to something.
"Yes."
"Idiot. Banisco!" Harry's banishing charm sent Ron flying up the staircase and crashing into the wall at the top.
"Aargh" groaned Ron as he picked himself up from where he'd landed in a heap at the base of the wall, "Thanks for that! You didn't have to do that, we could've just yelled for her, rather then send me flying into a stone wall at a hundred miles an hour!" Harry couldn't help but laugh. Ron's angry muttering was soon cut short as what looked to be every Gryffindor girl in the school came out of their rooms. Ron blushed crimson when he saw that many were wearing nothing but their knickers and bras.
"Um... Is Hermione around?"
"What's happening?" asked Hermione, coming out of her dormitory. "Ron! How did you get up here? Why are you up here at seven thirty?" Ron turned around and looked at Harry scandalized,
"Seven thirty? You got me up at seven thirty! What the hell were you thinking?"
"Ron, what do you want?" asked Hermione impatiently. Ron turned back to her,
"Um, yeah...me and Harry...we were...yeah...spell...find out...Lupin...I'm going to go now." Said Ron quickly, turning around and putting his feet on the staircase. There was a thud of gears clicking into place and just enough time for Ron to realise what was happening, his expression to change to horror and for him to say,
"Shit." Before he tumbled head first down the sliding staircase to land in a crumpled heap at the bottom. He picked himself off the floor and glared at Harry who was laughing so hard he had to lean against a chair for support. Hermione slid down the sliding staircase five minutes later, fully dressed. She walked over to Ron and put her hand in his. Harry was collapsed on the floor laughing and Ron gave him a vicious kick in the ribs before walking out of the Portrait Hole.
Standing up with difficulty, Harry winked at the girls at the top of the stairs before running out of the Gryffindor common room after Ron and Hermione.
------------
Harry caught up with Ron and Hermione at the bottom of the marble staircase, Harry smirked at Ron's angry face.
"Forgive me?" Harry asked innocently.
"Sod off." Harry's smirk broadened. They walked out into the grounds, the dew still apparent on the grass. Thick grey clouds were massing overhead and it looked like it was about to rain any second. Lupin could be seen standing by the lake waiting for them.
"You're late." He said with raised eyebrows as they approached.
"Yeah, sorry. Ron's fault, he was messing around." Harry said, somehow managing to keep a straight face. Ron turned to Harry disbelievingly.
"Me?! Hang on, who was that banished me up to the girls dormitories so I smacked into the wall and woke every single bloody girl in Gryffindor and got to see half of them in their bloody knickers!" It was Harry's turn to raise his eyebrows,
"Surely you're not complaining about that?" Harry asked in mock horror, without waiting for him to answer Harry continued, "Parvati looked good in her pink ones, Lavender too. Although Ginny looked rather nice in her white ones." He mused.
"Harry, that is my sister you're talking about." Ron said in a calm but deadly voice. Harry raised his eyebrows again,
"So? She's growing up. She's turning into a rather hot young women."
"Sirius would be proud of you." Commented Lupin. Ron however looked aghast,
"I cannot believe you just said that." Harry grinned at him and was just about to answer when Lupin interrupted.
"As amusing as this is, we've got swords training to do, Harry." Harry nodded and was just about to get into the starting position when he remembered something,
"Hang on Lupin, one thing, how the hell is Ron still alive?" Lupin looked thoughtful.
"In don't pretend to be an expert about this, I don't even know the incantation, but I will tell you what I know." He sat down and leant against a tree. The other three sat down on the wet grass opposite him.
"You know that most Death Eaters lack the power to produce a proper Avada." The three of them nodded, "Well, the spell is like a substitute for it. It is not a proper Avada, merely a shadow of it. Avada Kedavra is an extremely complex spell, that's what makes it so hard to produce, Spell Strippers have studied Avada for years and are still not sure exactly how it works. They do know it attacks the brain and the heart, possibly shutting them down immediately, no one is totally sure. Now, Spell Strippers have also stripped this spell and know exactly how it works. It attacks the brain and the heart and begins to shut them down. It takes twenty-four hours for the process to fully complete and to make sure that no one heals someone hit by the curse it creates the illusion that the person is already dead. The curse isn't as complex as Avada and therefore isn't as hard to produce." Ron looked stunned,
"I thought you said you weren't an expert." Lupin laughed.
"I'm not. You should listen to a Spell Stripper. Now," said Lupin standing up, "Harry and I have work to do." Ron and Hermione nodded and began walking back towards the castle. When they were out of sight Lupin turned to Harry.
"Dumbledore's told us. I'm one of the six." Harry felt a rush of nausea flood through him as he remembered but nodded anyway, slightly reassured by the fact that Lupin would be there.
------------
Harry was sitting in the common room that night trying to do his potions essay when the Portrait Hole swung open and in stepped McGonagall. She scanned the common room and finally her eyes rested on Harry.
"Potter, you're wanted in the Headmaster's office" Harry nodded and stood up. He followed McGonagall down to Dumbledore's office. She didn't follow him in; instead she turned and walked towards the Transfiguration classroom.
Harry walked up the revolving staircase and into Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore was sat behind his desk looking grave.
"What would you like to see me about, sir?"
"I sent a letter to Fudge earlier on requesting him to stop discrediting us. I have just received his reply. He says he is merely telling the truth and on no condition would he lie to the wizarding world. If we are to be discredited by the truth then that is our problem." It didn't take long for the truth to sink in.
"So Fudge must die." Dumbledore nodded grimly,
"Fudge must die." Harry felt sick. Physically sick. He was terrified, absolutely terrified. He had to kill the Minister of Magic. For a fleeting moment, Harry considered refusing. But he knew he had to. He took a deep breath,
"I'll do it. I'll kill him. Fudge will die." Dumbledore nodded sadly, and a single tear trickled down into the old man's beard.
"Thank you." He said softly. Harry nodded, bowed and turned to leave the room, knowing one thing for certain
Fudge would die.
And he, Harry Potter, will be the one to kill him
A/N VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ.
Ok, that's another chapter done, the final one of this fic. Unfortunately I have important exams on the twenty-first and I need to revise for them so I will not get the next fic "The Light at the End of the Tunnel" up until after them, probably the 1st of July. I am really sorry.
On the 3rd of July I break up for the summer holidays and fly back to Malaysia and will not be able to get anything written for two months. Again, I am really sorry.
The next fic will be about twenty chapters, maybe more.
I hope you've enjoyed this fic, I have enjoyed writing it. To everyone who reviewed: Thank you, you have made this fic a pleasure to write.
Kaydon – Thanks for the reviews. Quidditch? I think I have stopped writing that, I am too busy with the rest of the plot. Though I might throw in one or two matches in the next fic.
WhiteWizard101 – Thanks for the review.
OoXandiaoO – Thanks for the review. I'm sorry I made you cry...
Rocky235 – Thanks for the review? Surprised Harry is still alive? How come?
Sarah – Thanks for the review.
The Lord of Pencil - Thanks for the review. I never said Harry killed about 3500 Death Eater. That is extreme. No I don't train with swords but I would seriously love to. Nice drinking game...
Pixielax06 - Thanks for the review.
Lillypotterfan - Thanks for the review.
Charmed103 - Thanks for the review. Yep, they lost.
Colm - Thanks for the review.
Jessy-Allens - Thanks for the review.
The Enchantresses - Thanks for the review.
Anime-Master7 - Thanks for the review.
LogicalRaven – Disappeared? Where have you gone, my friend?
Keep reading and reviewing 'cos I'll keep writing.
Fireboy