A/N: Sorry to all who have been waiting for me. Real Life has been hell lately, things contriving to make me unable to write. Don't worry, my stories will be finished. And updated regularly, now.

Chapter Twenty Two- Ministering

With a word, Fudge and his captive were sent out of Hogwarts, Harry's wand slipping from his fingers and clattering to the ground of the Faculty Lounge in their wake.

The sunlight streaming through the hallway windows of the castle did nothing to improve the Potions master's mood as he strode through it, making his way to the headmaster's office. His perpetual scowl was deepened to a degree that indicated to the students that they had best stay out of his way. That was one of the reasons Severus had mastered the look.

At the moment, though, he wasn't concerned with frightening the idiotic pupils, but with getting word to Dumbledore about the one he personally thought of as the worst of them. He may not have been able to force the Minister to allow him to remain in the Lounge, but Severus knew he had to do something about the situation. Fudge was an imbecile; unfortunately though, he was a powerful one, and therefore dangerous. Not that Snape was troubled about Potter really, but Dumbledore did seem to have a rather annoying affinity for the brat and wouldn't be particularly happy if harm came to him. And Severus really didn't want to deal with that on his watch.

"Severus?"

Jerking to a sudden stop, Snape had his wand out and pointed before he realized that the voice came from within his mind. Sneering, he thrust his wand back inside his robes and started walking again.

"What do you want now?" snarled Severus, keeping his voice low so no one heard him talking to himself.

"Oh, not much," Hogwarts' voice replied with a disgusted air. "Just that, if you are going to contact Albus, you might want to speed up a bit."

Snape raised his eyebrow. "Why would I do that?"

"Because that overstuffed dolt of a Minister has just attacked and kidnapped Harry," stated the school casually.

"What?" Severus exclaimed, halting mid-step.

"This isn't really the time to stop- you need to get Albus," Hogwarts instructed. "And lower your voice, you're scaring the children."

Snape scanned the hallway in front of him quickly, and sure enough, several first-years were standing near a window, looking at him with nervous expressions. With a snarl, Severus sent them scampering and he began walking faster towards the headmaster's office.

"What happened?" he demanded angrily.

"Fudge knocked him out and portkeyed the both of them away."

"Why didn't you stop that?" asked Severus in a sharp voice.

"Only the headmaster or deputy headmistress can bypass my Anti-portkey wards in any other part of the castle, but the Lounge can be accessed by anyone, you know that," Hogwarts explained curtly. "I knew I should have had Albus put in those safeguards in there too, but only the staff was to know of that concession."

"And the Aurors who assisted Dumbledore in changing the wards," Snape stated. "And of course, the Minister of Magic."

As Severus reached the stone guardian of the headmaster's office, he found it already opening for him, without him having to say the current ridiculous password. For all of its blasé attitude, it seemed Hogwarts wanted him to hurry.

Within moments, he'd made it into the office and had tossed a handful of Floo powder into the hearth. Kneeling down and leaning into the fire, he looked forward to see the Ministry's interior. With a biting tone, he forced the wizard watching the Floo connection on that side to go get Dumbledore, promising severe consequences if it took too long.

By the time the man returned with the headmaster in tow, Snape had managed to think of several different punishments. Pushing the thoughts aside, at least until his next class of Gryffindors, he told Dumbledore that he had to speak to him, and pulled back out of the fire.

"Severus, what is wrong?" questioned Albus as soon as he stepped from the fireplace.

"Headmaster," Snape began, "Minister Fudge arrived shortly after mid-day and demanded an audience with Harry Potter. When the boy came, Fudge forced me to leave the room, and as I was coming to contact you, he reportedly abducted Potter."

"Not reportedly, you boor," Hogwarts immediately interjected. Then to Dumbledore, though Snape heard as well, it said, "It was about ten minutes ago, Albus. A portkey out of the Faculty Lounge."

The twinkle of the headmaster's eyes hardened as his expression went dark. "Severus, call Minerva back, then meet me in the Lounge."

The steel voice sent chills down Snape's spine, but it made him smirk. His own temper may have been legendary, but Albus', though hard to bring on, was quite a bit worse. Fudge had just made a very grave mistake.

It wasn't long before Snape and McGonagall were making their way to the Lounge, the latter having been apprised of the situation. Walking into the open door, Severus was disgruntled to see Black and Lupin demanding that Albus explain what had happened. The Potions master was pleased, though, to note the distressed expressions the mutts wore.

"Fudge has taken Harry," Dumbledore calmly stated, his eyes glinting. "I've only been able to catch a faint trace of the portkey trail, but it is enough to go on. Minerva, remain here and watch after the school. Sirius, Remus, Severus, we're going to find the Minister."

"It's too late, Nyx," a pained voice spoke in Harry's ear. "There's nothing we can do."

Harry tensed and pushed away the pale hand that reached for his shoulder. "I'm not leaving it like this, Lokae, I refuse."

"What do you suggest we do?" questioned Lokae, his voice now holding the faintest hint of sarcasm.

The silence stretched for a moment before Harry could even think to answer. The sunbelt's light streamed in through the Academy's open window, seeming too cheerful for the situation. Harry leaned heavily against the dais before him, blinking back burning tears as he gazed down at two of his closest friends and most trusted allies. Their bodies lay next to one another, Sa'na's golden skin, even in death, a contrast to Reina's more silvery pallor.

Running his fingers gently over the Veela's forehead, Harry brushed back Reina's hair, then dropped his hand to the edge of the platform. He couldn't bring himself to look at Sa'na's face- the blackened wounds marred the distinguished Elfish features nearly beyond recognition.

Taking a deep breath, Harry pushed away from the dais and turned to face Lokae, his expression set. The determined look in his eyes was all the Vampyr needed to know what he had planned. Startled, Lokae shook his head, his dark hair falling forward from its band. He didn't pay it any mind.

"Nyx, you can't-"

"I have to," Harry answered, moving to walk past the taller male. Lokae grabbed his arm in a swift movement. "Lokadion, let go of me."

"No, Ataernyx," snapped Lokae, spinning Harry to face him directly. "Are you really that idiotic, or have you just lost the last of your wits! It could kill us all!"

"Or it could save us," Harry growled. "All of us! There is no other chance, Lokae, can't you see that? We, too, will die."

Lokae's blackish eyes flashed crimson. "More than just us may die if you do this. I can't let you take that risk."

"It's not your choice." Harry wrenched his arm free. "In the end, it might not matter any step I take. But I have to try to set this right. I can't let you stop me; I will save them. And you."

Harry grabbed the front of Lokae's vest in his left hand, yanking the Vampyr close. Leaning up, Harry pressed his lips firmly against the other's, quieting any words. His right hand trembled as he quickly reached behind him and summoned a weapon. As the stake slapped into his palm, Harry brought it forward, and pulling away from the kiss, stabbed it cleanly into Lokae's heart.

For a moment, Harry stared into his comrade's eyes, his hand still clenched around the stake. As realization and then betrayal entered Lokadion's gaze, Harry jerked away, his back hitting the dais behind him. In the second it took for the weapon to do its job, Harry shuddered in absolute horror.

No blood came from the wound, as Lokae's heart didn't beat, but before he had time to reach and grasp the stake, his skin began disintegrating. From the point of entry outwards, the Vampyr's body transformed to dust before Harry. The last sight of Lokae's face showed no physical pain, but the look made Harry feel as though he too was dying.

With a burst of dust and a blast of wind, Lokae was destroyed, leaving Harry standing alone in a veritable morgue. . . .

With a gasp, Harry jerked awake, sitting up abruptly. The movement caused an explosion of pain in his head, and he barely swallowed a moan as he bent over his knees. The dreamed memory slowly faded from his mind as he choked in a breath. Suddenly a blast of bitter wind rushed over him, and forcing his head up, Harry saw a black spectre hovering over him in the surrounding darkness.

Harry struggled backward, but his back hit a rough wall, pulling him up short. Somewhat haphazardly, he tried summoning first his wand, then any other weapon, but nothing came. The figure above him moved closer, and the temperature dropped low enough to cast his ragged breath into vapour. Half-formed visions lanced across his mind, thoughts and memories of pain intermingling, ghostly tendrils striking him. It took a woman's voice ringing in his ears, calling his name, to make his unwitting brain realize what was happening.

The Dementor came ever closer, its scabbed hand reaching toward him. Harry forced himself to concentrate, to ignore the intense feeling of being overwhelmed, and to raise the shields in his mind. It took an effort beyond which he thought himself capable, but finally the Dementor's effect slowly receded.

Seemingly angry at the lack of sustenance it was now getting, the Dementor swooped closer, attempting to grab him. Harry ducked aside and half-crawled in order to get away. Before going very far, he was once more stopped by a solid wall. Now, Harry could see dimly that it was stone, and following the line of it, he went forward, further from the Dementor.

The creature came after him, so Harry struck out against it, making it glide back. Harry continued along the wall several more feet before he had to stop, this time because of a row of bars. It took a moment for him to realize that he was in some kind of cell, but as the Dementor reared close again, his attention was distracted.

Backing as far as possible against the wall, he waited for the creature to near him. As it did, Harry pushed up from the floor as quickly as possible, catching a fold of its tattered robe in his fist. Swallowing heavily at the stench of its breath, Harry flinched as the back of his hand came into contact with its scabbed flesh. Pivoting on his heel, he pulled the Dementor around and slammed the vile form into the bars with a sickening squashing noise.

Harry jerked away, disgusted, even as he stayed on guard. The stone floor beneath him was uneven, and he stumbled back, barely remaining standing. His vision blurred for a moment, then cleared, and Harry forced himself to get a grip. Reaching the side wall, he pressed a hand to it for added balance and wearily watched the Dementor before him.

For a second, it seemed to be stuck against the bars of the cell, but suddenly it wrenched away and turned its hooded face toward Harry. As it stared at him, it seemed to shake, then shimmer, and Harry realized that a mist was forming around it. From the fog, a figure seemed to be taking shape, swirling in the air. It became more substantial with every turn, becoming dark and solid.

The twisting slowed, and as it did, Harry saw clearly the rotted unclothed flesh of a new Dementor. Frozen in place, he watched as a flash of brown lashed over the creature, leaving behind the standard ragged robe. Briefly he wondered how the first had bred so fast, but he didn't dwell on it. The mist in the cell dissolved as both Dementors shifted in midair, then slowly moved forward.

"Oh, Myrddin," Harry muttered, leaning hard on the wall as the strength of the attack on his mind doubled.

While it wouldn't have been much of a problem normally, Harry found his breath speeding up with the effort of holding his mental barriers. He started feeling vaguely enraged at how easily he'd been overtaken, first by Fudge, and now this. Using that, and the rush of adrenaline that came with it, Harry focussed within himself, seeking his magic.

With a concentrated build up of power, Harry calmly stated, "Frigidum!"

Magic shot from Harry's body, smothering the Dementors immediately. There was a wail that rose the hair on Harry's arms, then a crack. As the spell took complete effect, both creatures abruptly imploded, their bodies crushing in until nothing was left.

Fighting a sudden feeling of nausea, Harry sat heavily on the ground. He wasn't quite sure whether it was the exertion from such deliberately controlled wandless magic or the sight of the dying Dementors that had made him ill. Closing his eyes, he waited for his stomach to settle.

Outside his cell, Harry heard a door slam open, and he stood quickly. A flash of light greeted him, and he had to blink rapidly as the small chamber was flooded with it. Shaking his head, he finally succeeded on discerning the silhouette that walked in front of the bars.

"Well, well, Mr Potter, quite a show," Minister Fudge said in a tone of mock admiration. "Though that was one of my rather dwindling stock of Dementors. And the Rapid-Breed worked on it, as well. I am going to have to take compensation from your vault, I'm afraid. That potion is quite expensive; I'm sure you understand."

"What's going on, Fudge?" Harry questioned sharply. "Why am I in prison? Headmaster Dumbledore won't let you get away with this."

Fudge tutted. "Oh, now, now, Harry, no reason to get hostile. You aren't in gaol, merely a holding cell, of course. We only need you to answer a couple questions, that's all. And Dumbledore knows that, too."

"Right," Harry replied, sarcasm laced in the one word. "I'm sure you got his permission to kidnap me from school."

"Harry!" Fudge exclaimed, his expression shocked. "How could you say such a thing? Kidnap, indeed. Having been denied access to you, I had to find, er, more delicate channels."

Harry was cut off from answering when the same door outside opened. Two large men walked in, their faces set in unpleasant expressions. By their uniforms, Harry assumed they were Aurors. Glancing toward the new arrivals, Fudge smiled grimly, then turned back to Harry.

Tapping his finger against one of the bars, Fudge said, "Now, Harry, just a couple things. Where have you been?"

"I was at Hogwarts, as you well know," Harry responded.

"Funny, very funny," Fudge chuckled, narrowing his eyes. "And before that? For the time you've been . . . missing?"

Harry reached up and pushed his hair away from his face. "I'm sure the headmaster has explained."

Fudge seemed to bristle at that. "Oh yes. Well, then. What is He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named planning?" he snapped. "Is he going to come back to the Ministry?"

"How would I know that?" replied Harry in the same curt tone.

"What about Dumbledore!" Fudge demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Minister."

"Don't play fool with me, boy!" Fudge gripped the bars of the cell, his face turning livid. "Dumbledore threatens me with displacement, but I am the Minister! I will find out what is happening. If I have to go through you, so be it."

With that, Fudge whipped around and jerked his head toward the Aurors still standing near the door. They stepped forward as one, then the one closest to Harry's cell lifted his wand and the barred door swung open. Before Harry could react, manacles lashed from the floor and ceiling, catching his arms.

Memories hit him, only some being ones the Dementors had pulled to the forefront. His heart skipped a beat, then Harry lashed out wildly with his magic at the restraining cuffs. Instead of affecting them, it flew back into him, causing his body to shake.

"None of that, boy," Fudge said. "Those work just like that nice restraining spell I used to get you here. I'm especially glad we have it, after seeing you handle those Dementors."

Harry forced himself to stop trembling and calm down. Emotions are going to be the death of me, he thought.

Fudge smiled in what was supposed to be a nice way. "Now, is there anything you want to say?"

"Yes," Harry stated angrily. "Go to hell."

Raising his chin, Fudge glared at him, then gestured to the Aurors. They stepped into the cell, and Harry noticed that neither had their wand out any longer. As they stepped up to him, he also saw the smirks that they wore.

Harry braced himself as the first punch hit, pain lancing through him. Others quickly followed, as Fudge's two men got into their job. Harry refused to make a sound, though the crack from a couple of broken ribs betrayed him.

For several minutes it continued, until his assailants seemed to tire. Fudge finally called them off, then stepped into the cell himself.

"Anything, now?" Fudge asked, tipping Harry's bloodied face toward him with a glove covered hand.

"Just what I said before," Harry ground out, concentrating more on standing on his own feet and not dangling from the manacles, than on Fudge.

The Minister stepped back with a nod. The two Aurors moved forward and began again. Harry took every shot, but struggled to focus past it. He looked down at the chains on his ankles, and saw the hinge on them before a streak of pain blackened his sight for a moment.

Biting his lip to stop even a gasp, he felt one of the men hit his shoulder. The joint nearly jumped out of place, and hot agony slid through him. Riding the wave, which allowed him to ignore that they were now drawing blood even beneath his robes, Harry shot out another burst of power.

Though nowhere near as strong as the last, this one struck the manacle hinges and blasted them apart. Thanking his luck that it hadn't rebounded, Harry grabbed onto the closest Auror. Both were clutching their faces where metal had lashed them. Using the one he held to regain his balance, Harry then pushed him into the other, seizing his wand as he let go.

Dimly Harry registered that Fudge had his wand out, but with a quickly muttered spell, that was taken care of and Fudge was thrown across the room. Turning the wand on himself, Harry forced a minor healing spell through his body, knowing that was the best he could safely do.

Glancing around, Harry shook his head to clear it, and rubbed blood from his eyes. He attempted to Disapparate, but wasn't really surprised when it didn't work. Pulling a face, he made his way out of the cell to the room's door. Turning and binding the three other wizards, Harry then walked out, the wand held at ready.

He found himself in a bright hallway, though he wasn't sure where the light was coming from. It was clearly empty, and had a feeling of disuse. Walking down the passage, Harry realized that it had no other doors leading off from it except the one he had come from and one he saw at the other end.

Making his way toward that door, he was careful to sense for any magical signatures or any sounds that were coming near it. Pausing at the door, Harry listened for a moment more, and hearing nothing, slit it open and slid through.

Harry stepped into another hallway, a wider and shorter one than the last. This had several doors along it, all of which had the same sign announcing that no one was to enter except at risk of death. Not feeling in the mood to explore, Harry quickly looked for the door that was the way out.

Halfway down the corridor, he heard footsteps and shouts coming from the hall he'd just exited. Groaning, he realized that either he hadn't bound Fudge and the others properly, or someone else had entered another way and released them.

Having nowhere to run, Harry leaned into an alcove of a door and prepared to face the Minister and his lackeys. Just as they ran into the hallway, a door on the other side of the passage burst open, and several people stormed in.

A/N: Don't attempt to kill me. Next update will be this week.

Now, I need to address the Half-Blood Prince issues. I finished days ago, of course, and have been thinking about it ever since. Pretty much constantly. As cool as it was to have well, you know who, (not You-Know-Who) as the Prince, I am so angry with what happened at the end, and who did what. Frankly, I already have theories on how it was all planned . . . or something. Anything. Okay, enough desperation.

My story will continue how I had planned it, as it is already AU, but some things from HBP will possibly be thrown in. I was brainstorming with my friend Rini, and we came up with a few ideas that might even make Betrayal better than I'd planned.

The Half-Blood Prince will continue to be depicted as I see him.

So, in conclusion, some spoilers might/will pop up, so be warned.

Best Regards and Pleasure Reading,
Zenn

PS- Thanks to Prongs Rini for the idea to have the Dementor breed in the cell.