Harry Potter and the Dreams of Kings
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and related characters belong to JK Rowling, Warner Bros etc. anything else is mine.
Chapter 10
It was early morning several weeks later when several crates of live bats were delivered to the little known goods and tradesman's entrance to the Ministry of Magic.
"What are these for?"
The large thickset pair of deliverymen shrugged and fished out a letter.
"Letter from the Ministers Office, that's all I know."
"Better bring them in, we wouldn't want to be questioning the Minister now would we." All three men laughed.
Several hours later a letter about the bats reached the office of a retired ministry official in East London, he grimaced, cleared his appointments for the week and locked himself in his study.
Mid afternoon that day found Percy Weasley, Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic in his office writing reports, which he liked for two reasons, they were long, dry and unfailingly factual which anyone who knew or had heard of him would agree suited him extremely well, and even better nothing in them reminded him of his family, the ever annoying Potter boy (as several people call him) and best of all Albus Dumbledore.
They were not people Percy allowed himself to think of except when extremely necessary, which it increasing was as more and more evidence appeared of three things that Percy did not like, one You Know Who being back and rapidly gathering strength, two the increasing power of the Potter boy and three the fact that the Minister is unwilling or unable to act to stop either of these things.
Percy noted several things on the parchment in front of him, and made the corrections on his report, banishing thought of anything but work.
Harry Potter was reading a letter by the light of a glowing crystal sphere floating above his desk, he crossed the room and gestured at the fire in the fireplace, Dumbledore's bearded head appeared in the dancing flames.
"I believe there will be an attack, I am going to London to lead the defence."
"You don't want me to move?"
"My information suggests the inner circle and Tom are not going to be there, I would like you and most of the order to cover this area in case Tom is staging a two or three pronged assault."
"You want me to hold back in case Tom himself appears."
"Yes, only one of us can duel Tom and I am needed to lead my own forces."
"I understand."
"Good."
Harry left to collect those he would need.
"Tea, Lucius" Cornelius Fudge, British Minister of Magic asked his well-dressed platinum blond guest.
"Yes Please, Minister." Lucius Malfoy said. "I never really thanked you for ensuing my release from Azkaban, did I?" Lucius said standing up.
The wall across from the minister melted away revealing the Ministers private entrance and a dozen hooded, masked and cloaked wizards.
"Please allow me to do so now." Lucius Malfoy says with a mocking bow. "Avada Kedavra." With a blast of green light, Fudge fell dead.
The door opened and several Aurors rushed in only to fall under a firestorm of Killing Curses.
"Take no prisoners." Lucius ordered.
The front wall of the reception area exploded inwards, dust clouds filling the whole room, dozens of large forms charged in, flashes of red, blue, yellow and green light lit up the place, followed by thuds and the crunch of shattering bones.
Elsewhere Bats swarmed into the building from the storage areas, morphing into pale black clad warriors whose claws ripped into the unprepared wizards.
Amelia Bones immediately marshalled her people and withdrew to the Aurors Barracks physically and magically barring all entry.
"A second wave of Death Eaters came from the top floor down."
"The only way that could happen is if they came in the Ministers private entrance."
"Yes." Amelia admitted grimly.
Percy Weasley creped along a dimly lit corridor, wand in hand.
After several minutes he came to a open area, several burn circles on the wall smoked faintly, the room was strewn with bodies, several Trolls lay with clubs still in their hands, gutted in pools of blood, broken and twisted bodies of Death eaters and Aurors lay everywhere.
A curse flew through the air barely missing Percy; a Death Eater pointed his wand at him.
"Expelliarmus." Percy flew back and hit the wall.
"Not the Weasley I was looking for but I can make do." The Death Eater said grinning wickedly.
"Cru…" A large grey furred hand grabbed the Death eaters head and yanked hard, pulling off the head.
The large taloned and clawed beast threw the head away and looked down at Percy.
Percy noticed a medallion around its neck with a familiar symbol
A phoenix over crossed swords in a double circle of flamesand stars.
The symbol of the Great Alliance and the wizard kings of Cessian. Percy remembered it from a book he read for the History of Magic OWL.
"Percy." It growled.
"Lupin, is it you." Percy asked, nervous.
"Yes, Come with me."
"Why did you save me?"
"Because I hate them more than I do you, because you shouldn't die for being an idiot and because Molly lost two brothers to Them, she shouldn't lose a son, even a disgrace to the name of Gryffindor and Weasley like you."
They walked quickly and in silence for several minutes, until they reached a heavily scarred corridor, littered with bodies, furniture and other debris.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Lupin said holding up the medallion, which flashed red, He grabbed Percy and jumped through the wall.
Percy found himself surrounded by people, mostly Aurors and Jolen Ra (wearing the medallions), with a few Order members or other wizards.
"Arthur I found something of yours, you want me to throw him back?"
"No thank you, Remus." Arthur said "Hello, Percy."
Several hands grabbed Percy, and turn him round to face the expressionless faces of the Weasley twins.
"Can we hurt him?" Fred asked Kingsley.
"Ask Harry, when he gets back." Kingsley said and moved off to talk to another Auror.
After about half an hour of tense waiting, Harry appeared through the wall.
The Death Eaters are holed up in a second floor meeting room, the remaining Trolls and vampires are there too, the Dementors fled when I entered the Ministry.
"What are we waiting for." George said, "Lets go kill the bastards."
"Indeed."
Harry led them to another room scattered with dead.
"Torian, does that wall support anything?" Harry asked.
"Yes, but it will not hasten the buildings collapse by a large amount."
"Then please remove it."
Torian made a ripping gesture with both hands, and the wall shattered inwards, revealing a crowd of the enemy.
The two groups charged each other, Remus and the Jolen Ra engaging the Trolls and vampires, while the others engaged the Death Eaters, Ethan jumped over a Death Eater and slit his throat from behind, Kingsley blasted away at a pair of Death Eaters, Torian raising a fist and speared anotherwith a lightning bolt, Harry burned half a dozen to charred bones with red-gold fireballs.
Soon it was over, the enemy vanquished.
"Harry is that all of them?"
"Yes, the building is secure for now, I need to meet with Amelia Bones, Kingsley and Remus, you know what to do."
"Harry, Remus found our dear brother Percy, can we hurt him."
Harry shrugged "don't do anything dangerous to him, we don't have any spare Healers." Harry said and walked out.
The room was fire blackened and strewn with rubble, Harry met with Amelia Bones.
"Director Bones."
"Your Lordship."
"In the circumstances first names might be better, if you agree."
"Certainly, Harry I owe you a great debt."
"Amelia, I wish I could have saved more, how bad is it?"
"Almost total, of the fifteen hundred ministry personal who work here, almost all were in, twelve hundred and sixty three are confirmed dead included the minister and his personal guard."
"That leaves two hundred and thirty seven, of which fifty one are here on site, Kingsley will check St. Mungo's for others."
"What do you suggest I do?"
"Enact the Covendale Protocol." Harry said grimly.
"That would put the Wizarding World under martial law."
"Five sixths of the Ministry are dead, and the building itself is structurally weakened, its wards completely destroyed, the Protocol will give my people the power to maintain control."
"It is the best option."
"Its pretty much the only option, my people out numbered the DMLE anyway, now we are pretty much the only military force left."
"Yes, although which of your people the Protocol covers is up for debate."
"I wouldn't put the DA in the field until the school or village is attacked, and that wouldn't happen yet, our enemy is not foolish enough to risk another loss like this one."
"I hope not, I will announce it now."
"I need to return to Hogwarts."
A crowd engulfed Harry the moment he entered the grounds. He signalled for them to stop talking.
"No questions, an announcement is eminent and the exact figures will be posted by morning, I suggest all of you without pre-assigned duties return to your common rooms and stay there."
Prefects led the shell-shocked students away.
Ginny, Neville and Seamus came up to him.
"Harsh, its bad isn't it."
"Yes, and I don't want any incomplete information floating around, that being said I will be calling a full meeting tonight, there is a lot to discuss."
"Right." Neville and Seamus walked away.
It was bad wasn't it? Ginny asked.
Yes, I can defeat anyone and help people physically or magically but the mental cost of this will be healed by others.
What about it's cost to you? I know this hurts you too.
I didn't have friends or family there and I have you to help me.
What about Dad and Percy? I know he is a git but he is also my brother.
He certainly is a prize moron, don't worry Remus found him, he is alive although whether he is unharmed depends on the twins.
You left him with them.
They are under instructions not to do anything they can't undo if necessary, but I am disinclined to let him get off completely free and its only fair the family deal with him.
Besides would you prefer I had left it to Ron?
No, he might have killed him
And it would be a pity if Ron got into trouble particularly now.
Indeed.
They headed back, still holding hands.
Harry walked into the meeting room; the staff had started having meetings in an old conference room when the need for space had forced them out of the Headmasters office.
"Glad you could take time out of your busy life to grace us with your presence."
Harry glared at the potions master.
"What happened with the Ministry, Harry?" asked Albus.
"They are gone." Harry said flatly.
Eight faces lost all colour, several teacups slipped from suddenly nerveless hands, even Moody looked shocked.
"Gone, surely not all the people?"
"No, there are survivors but the Ministry building is destroyed, I received word from Kingsley that it collapsed some ten minutes ago, he also sent the final figures on the dead and injured.
"Why would he send them to you, Potter?"
"Because thirty seven minutes ago Amelia Bones as highest ranking official in Wizard Britain enacted the Covendale Protocol."
Even Moody paled at this.
Snape looked shocked then realisation dawned.
"You, Bones made you the focus?"
"What does that mean?"
"The Covendale Protocol." Snape said "automaticallyputs the highest ranking pureblood or lord in the country in charge, putting the people under marshal law, and giving the person in question total authority over any military forces that remain."
"And that's you Harry?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because we cannot afford another loss like the one today, the Ministry is destroyed and most of the survivors are traumatised, Amelia Bones and a force of about thirty are guarding the injured at St Mungo's and about two dozen other mixed fighters are at home or tracking resources for me."
"So few."
"Yes, and Tom has barely started."
"There is no neutrality anymore, just two sides and the dead." Harry said grimly.
Classes were cancelled for a week after the Ministry attack, the List of Dead was posted in every common room by Harry, every house and year was hit by grief as hundreds tried desperately to cope with lost parents or sibling or both.
Harry, Neville and other senior students helped the younger ones as much as they could, and slowly they got to the point where they started to heal.
"Look at them." Nott sneered, Pansy and her crowd joined in, Crabbe and Goyle just stood there, looking bored.
"What's wrong, has something bad happened" Pansy said and sniggered.
"Parkinson, Shut up." Neville said, drawing his wand, several others followed suit.
"QUIET." Harry thundered "Parkinson, Nott two hundreds points EACH from Slytherin and a months detention with Filch."
"You can't do that."
"Yes I can, as Head of the Defence Association I have the full power of a Professor in terms of disciplinary powers, and a weeks detention with me just because you don't believe me."
"I didn't know you could do that?"
"I got partial Professor status as head of the DA so Dumbledore could make me go to staff meetings."
"Partial status?"
"Yes, I don't get staff quarters which would be pointless because I already have the best room, I don't get paid and I do sometimes have classes or did before the Ministry attack, I have been withdrawn from the student rolls, I can still take the exams at the end of the year if I have the time."
"End of the World over school is a given even for me." Hermione said, with a slight smile.
"Although nothing else will stop you from getting a record number of NEWTs."
"that's true." Ron pointed out, and then ducked a feather pillow conjured and sent his way by his girlfriend.