How It Began
4:14 pm Ministry of Magic
Carl Morgan and Ennis McGregor were bored. They were on guard duty and there's nothing more boring to an Auror than guard duty, especially in the bowels of the Ministry of Magic where no one ever went.
"Who goes there?" Carl cried, seeing a figure walking toward them. The figure turned out to be a woman, dressed in brightly colored robes and with an easy smile. She grinned at the two, but said nothing.
"What are you doing here?" Ennis demanded, he was more suspicious of the two.
"Come now, En. Maybe she's just here for company." Carl said, jokingly. The witch seemed to be a pretty lass, well, anyone could be considered pretty when they had to stick around En's ugly mug all day. "What's a pretty lass like you doing in a hell hole like this?" It was the last thing he ever uttered.
Before they even realized what was happening, the woman pulled out her wand and pointed it at them. She smiled and cried. "Avada Kedavra!"
Ennis had a moment to curse his partner before a wave of green light hit him and darkness descended.
The woman quickly pocketed her wand and stood before the huge metal doors the two Aurors had been guarding. She quickly went to work. Charms, wards, and hidden spells were quickly disabled. Goblin built, the vault was. The thing Fudge should have known was that all goblins have their price, money or the safety of their families, it was all the same.
The huge doors opened, revealing a swirling, groaning thing that seemed to be a cross between gears and sparkling lights. The woman knew what it was. The Protector, the heavy shields that had been set up in the Ministry of Magic after the battle nearly two years before. It was the main defense of the Ministry.
The woman smiled and pulled out a small glowing ball. She tossed it toward the Protector and there was a terrible explosion that rocked the entire sub levels, sending a wave of fire and choking smoke. The woman vanished in a blast of heat and pain, her job was done.
XXX
4:17 pm
"Get out of the way, boy." Snarled an Auror.
Andrew Keller flinched away from the scarred face that stood before him. The Auror's one eye glared at him, while the other was twirling around in it's socket. Keller quickly got out of the Auror's way and sighed with relief as he watched the limping man vanish around a corner.
Keller pushed open the doors and entered the Auror headquarters; it was a noisy place. The grim looking Aurors talking furiously in small groups or looking over stacks of parchments and pictures.
"What are you here for, boy?" An Auror asked.
"Just delivering some paperwork, sir. I'm from clerical." Keller responded quickly, hefting a large box filled with parchment.
The Auror smiled thinking his quick response and fidgeting was due to fear. "We don't bite, kid." He joked waving him forward.
There was a sudden explosion that rocked the Ministry. The Aurors went quiet for a moment and then moved as one, heading for the door. Keller took this moment to hurry toward the back of the Auror Headquarters. In a small unguarded room sat a second charm. It wasn't strong, but it prevented people from apparating and using portkeys into the Ministry.
A pale looking woman tried stopping him, but she was dealt with quickly and quietly. No one noticed anything, the panic of the explosion was covering his actions. He tore the charm up and grinned, now they could wipe this place clean.
XXX
4:16 pm
"Crucio!" Lucius Malfoy yelled. The troll began screaming, rolling about upon the ground as pain racked its body. The other trolls backed off and watched the spectacle with fear evident upon their faces.
"Understand this, you cursed fools. I will not allow disobedience." With each word the troll let out a scream, until finally it lay still. "Understood."
The trolls didn't meet his hard eyes, but they understood. The message was very clear to the scores of other creatures that had been gathered over the last few days. Goblins, giants, trolls, and many other creatures. Their fear of Malfoy was so great that they didn't even consider fighting one another, for many were bitter enemies. Instead they huddled together, thoughts on the mission ahead.
"Now. All of you. Get a disk and hold on. Now." They didn't have to be told twice. There was a scramble as the monsters grabbed the disks. Malfoy just stood there glaring at them.
A few more moments. He thought, glancing at his watch and tapping his foot impatiently. He smiled. Now. He could almost feel the explosions that were rocking the Ministry. There would be chaos, there would be panic. There would be fear.
"We go now!" He roared. The monster flinched, but many smiled at the prospect of killing. Malfoy felt the sensation of a hook being jerked behind his navel and the grassy meadow field the monster army was gathered upon vanished away.
XXX
4:22 pm Hogwarts Castle
Dumbledore and McGonagall were walking through the halls of Hogwarts. Dumbledore watched the children running down the halls, laughing and playing. It was a tender sight, the sight of youth and joy.
"I can't believe the year's almost complete." McGonagall said, watching as a herd of first year students ran by, they didn't even seem to notice the headmaster or the professor. Neither stopped them, they deserved their play.
"Another year of students leaving, and another year of fresh minds to teach." Dumbledore said, a small smile beneath his beard. He stopped before a large window that overlooked the fresh green lawns. Out in the center of the lawn sat two boys, one red headed and the other dark haired, they were busily tending their brooms and sharing jokes.
McGonagall followed Dumbledore's gaze. "My has it been really seven years since he started here? It just seems like yesterday he came running late into my class on the first day." She smiled at the thought. "Once this thing with Voldemort is over, maybe he can have some peace in his life."
Dumbledore nodded, he watched the two boys for a moment. "He's been saying that something's going to happen; that Voldemort is planning something terrible, he can almost feel his joy." Dumbledore shook his head. "I've been looking for any information that might support his assumption, but I'm afraid that he might be wrong, again. Voldemort's tricked him before. Using his link with him to feed him false information."
McGonagall nodded, no one spoke of what happened during Halloween, but there were plenty who thought that Harry had slipped into madness. "I just hope this thing is over with quickly. I'll be terrible for him, but at least afterward he can live a peaceful life, not one stalked by death and pain. Its just too much for a boy to handle. He shouldn't' have to worry about these things. He's just too young."
"He's a good lad, no one deserves the life he has had. Once Voldemort is destroyed, then we can live peacefully. He's-" Dumbledore's eyes went unfocused for a moment. He looked southward and his hands suddenly gripped the stone windowsill. "The Ministry is under attack."
XXX
4:23 pm
Voldemort, the Dark Lord, looked south and nodded to himself. "The attack begins." He said to himself. A brief terrible smile appeared upon his face, before vanishing.
The woman standing beside him shivered for a moment. It was a terrible thing to see her master smile. Very bad things tended to happen to those at the receiving end of the smile.
"We are ready, my lord." Bellatrix said, bowing deeply and hoping that the fear, excitement, and hunger for battle didn't show in her voice. She waved her hand to the two score of Death Eaters and three as many dark creatures. Finally after nearly twenty years they were taking the fight to the doorsteps of their enemies. "Just say the word and Hogwarts will burn."
4:14 pm Ministry of Magic
Carl Morgan and Ennis McGregor were bored. They were on guard duty and there's nothing more boring to an Auror than guard duty, especially in the bowels of the Ministry of Magic where no one ever went.
"Who goes there?" Carl cried, seeing a figure walking toward them. The figure turned out to be a woman, dressed in brightly colored robes and with an easy smile. She grinned at the two, but said nothing.
"What are you doing here?" Ennis demanded, he was more suspicious of the two.
"Come now, En. Maybe she's just here for company." Carl said, jokingly. The witch seemed to be a pretty lass, well, anyone could be considered pretty when they had to stick around En's ugly mug all day. "What's a pretty lass like you doing in a hell hole like this?" It was the last thing he ever uttered.
Before they even realized what was happening, the woman pulled out her wand and pointed it at them. She smiled and cried. "Avada Kedavra!"
Ennis had a moment to curse his partner before a wave of green light hit him and darkness descended.
The woman quickly pocketed her wand and stood before the huge metal doors the two Aurors had been guarding. She quickly went to work. Charms, wards, and hidden spells were quickly disabled. Goblin built, the vault was. The thing Fudge should have known was that all goblins have their price, money or the safety of their families, it was all the same.
The huge doors opened, revealing a swirling, groaning thing that seemed to be a cross between gears and sparkling lights. The woman knew what it was. The Protector, the heavy shields that had been set up in the Ministry of Magic after the battle nearly two years before. It was the main defense of the Ministry.
The woman smiled and pulled out a small glowing ball. She tossed it toward the Protector and there was a terrible explosion that rocked the entire sub levels, sending a wave of fire and choking smoke. The woman vanished in a blast of heat and pain, her job was done.
XXX
4:17 pm
"Get out of the way, boy." Snarled an Auror.
Andrew Keller flinched away from the scarred face that stood before him. The Auror's one eye glared at him, while the other was twirling around in it's socket. Keller quickly got out of the Auror's way and sighed with relief as he watched the limping man vanish around a corner.
Keller pushed open the doors and entered the Auror headquarters; it was a noisy place. The grim looking Aurors talking furiously in small groups or looking over stacks of parchments and pictures.
"What are you here for, boy?" An Auror asked.
"Just delivering some paperwork, sir. I'm from clerical." Keller responded quickly, hefting a large box filled with parchment.
The Auror smiled thinking his quick response and fidgeting was due to fear. "We don't bite, kid." He joked waving him forward.
There was a sudden explosion that rocked the Ministry. The Aurors went quiet for a moment and then moved as one, heading for the door. Keller took this moment to hurry toward the back of the Auror Headquarters. In a small unguarded room sat a second charm. It wasn't strong, but it prevented people from apparating and using portkeys into the Ministry.
A pale looking woman tried stopping him, but she was dealt with quickly and quietly. No one noticed anything, the panic of the explosion was covering his actions. He tore the charm up and grinned, now they could wipe this place clean.
XXX
4:16 pm
"Crucio!" Lucius Malfoy yelled. The troll began screaming, rolling about upon the ground as pain racked its body. The other trolls backed off and watched the spectacle with fear evident upon their faces.
"Understand this, you cursed fools. I will not allow disobedience." With each word the troll let out a scream, until finally it lay still. "Understood."
The trolls didn't meet his hard eyes, but they understood. The message was very clear to the scores of other creatures that had been gathered over the last few days. Goblins, giants, trolls, and many other creatures. Their fear of Malfoy was so great that they didn't even consider fighting one another, for many were bitter enemies. Instead they huddled together, thoughts on the mission ahead.
"Now. All of you. Get a disk and hold on. Now." They didn't have to be told twice. There was a scramble as the monsters grabbed the disks. Malfoy just stood there glaring at them.
A few more moments. He thought, glancing at his watch and tapping his foot impatiently. He smiled. Now. He could almost feel the explosions that were rocking the Ministry. There would be chaos, there would be panic. There would be fear.
"We go now!" He roared. The monster flinched, but many smiled at the prospect of killing. Malfoy felt the sensation of a hook being jerked behind his navel and the grassy meadow field the monster army was gathered upon vanished away.
XXX
4:22 pm Hogwarts Castle
Dumbledore and McGonagall were walking through the halls of Hogwarts. Dumbledore watched the children running down the halls, laughing and playing. It was a tender sight, the sight of youth and joy.
"I can't believe the year's almost complete." McGonagall said, watching as a herd of first year students ran by, they didn't even seem to notice the headmaster or the professor. Neither stopped them, they deserved their play.
"Another year of students leaving, and another year of fresh minds to teach." Dumbledore said, a small smile beneath his beard. He stopped before a large window that overlooked the fresh green lawns. Out in the center of the lawn sat two boys, one red headed and the other dark haired, they were busily tending their brooms and sharing jokes.
McGonagall followed Dumbledore's gaze. "My has it been really seven years since he started here? It just seems like yesterday he came running late into my class on the first day." She smiled at the thought. "Once this thing with Voldemort is over, maybe he can have some peace in his life."
Dumbledore nodded, he watched the two boys for a moment. "He's been saying that something's going to happen; that Voldemort is planning something terrible, he can almost feel his joy." Dumbledore shook his head. "I've been looking for any information that might support his assumption, but I'm afraid that he might be wrong, again. Voldemort's tricked him before. Using his link with him to feed him false information."
McGonagall nodded, no one spoke of what happened during Halloween, but there were plenty who thought that Harry had slipped into madness. "I just hope this thing is over with quickly. I'll be terrible for him, but at least afterward he can live a peaceful life, not one stalked by death and pain. Its just too much for a boy to handle. He shouldn't' have to worry about these things. He's just too young."
"He's a good lad, no one deserves the life he has had. Once Voldemort is destroyed, then we can live peacefully. He's-" Dumbledore's eyes went unfocused for a moment. He looked southward and his hands suddenly gripped the stone windowsill. "The Ministry is under attack."
XXX
4:23 pm
Voldemort, the Dark Lord, looked south and nodded to himself. "The attack begins." He said to himself. A brief terrible smile appeared upon his face, before vanishing.
The woman standing beside him shivered for a moment. It was a terrible thing to see her master smile. Very bad things tended to happen to those at the receiving end of the smile.
"We are ready, my lord." Bellatrix said, bowing deeply and hoping that the fear, excitement, and hunger for battle didn't show in her voice. She waved her hand to the two score of Death Eaters and three as many dark creatures. Finally after nearly twenty years they were taking the fight to the doorsteps of their enemies. "Just say the word and Hogwarts will burn."