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Malice Magic

By Demonabyss

Dumbledore sighed as he looked over his paperwork. What had happened to Professor Snape was unbelievable. It had been nearly two weeks since that encounter and everyone was talking about it and the new DADA Professor. How Harry had been able to do that to a master Legilimens was beyond him. He wasn't even sure it was Harry. Then there was the new Professor. Dumbledore was sure Professor Cheshire was insane and not all together human. There was just something about that man's grin that bothered the Headmaster to no end.

The old man wasn't sure what to do. Harry was playing a whole new ball game with his secret weapon, Alice. It was interesting. Harry often spoke of Alice, 'quite fondly,' he mentally added, and what she was like, but he never physically described her in any way. It was very apparent that Harry was close to Alice and spoke to her often. How he did it though was a mystery to everybody. Some thought it was through telepathy, some through coded messages, and some thought that Harry had finally cracked up and Alice wasn't real. Dumbledore wasn't sure who or what to believe. He was used to having everything under control and being manipulated by him, but how could he manipulate someone that no one other than Harry had spoken to, or seen for that matter?

It was then the Headmaster noticed something on his desk for the first time. It was a heart shaped pendant with a swirling liquid in it. The old man picked it up, not sure where it had come from. However as soon as he picked it up, it started to shake violently. It suddenly burst apart and the liquid shot out. It covered the headmaster's face before he could do anything. The man screamed, but it was muffled as the liquid expanded and started to cocoon the old man. Unknown to him, the same thing was happening to Mr. Fudge and a few other specific witches and wizards as well. In no time at all, the old man was incased in a black insect like cocoon with red pulsing streaks marking it. It would be a few hours before someone found the cocoon or the others.

Harry sat in the Great Hall, smiling to himself as he read The Daily Prophet. It was an article about a strange "epidemic" though Harry knew it was anything but that.

Mysterious Cocooning Epidemic Strikes

This week, a strange epidemic has hit the wizarding world. Several witches and wizards were found cocooned in an unknown material. It is unknown if this caused by he-who-must-not-be-named or by some outside force. Some of the witches and wizards hit by this epidemic include, but are not limited to, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore of Hogwarts, High Inquisitor Dolores Umbridge, and The Head of Ministry of Magic Mr. Fudge. It is unknown if they shall recover. Several students of Hogwarts have also been affect by this epidemic but their names have not been released as requested by their parents. Currently, all those affect have been transferred to St. Mongo's and it is unknown when and if they recover.

The article continued on to talk of the war and how this epidemic might be related to it. 'Idiots. Moldy wart is too much of a coward and idiot to pull off something like this. I wonder how they'll react to when those cocoons 'hatch'?' Harry thought in a twisted manner as he knew exactly what those cocoons were for and it definitely was not to create some butterflies or moths, though that was an interesting idea. Harry decided to consider that at a later date and focus on current events.

A week passed since the epidemic started and nothing had happened. Voldemort was still on the loose and unknown, though surprisingly Death Eater attacks had dropped to nothing. McGonagall was acting as Headmistress until further notice. Students were still weary around Harry due to his new attitude and look. Professor Cheshire was now the new favorite teacher of all students, due to the numerous explosions in his DADA class and the interesting "side effects" of the potions he taught as a substitute for Snape in Potions class.

In the magical hospital of St. Mongo's, one of the cocoons started to move. Noticed by a nurse, she called a healer as the cocoon started to shake more and more violently. This particular cocoon held the body of Albus Dumbledore. More and more it start to shake until a hand burst out of it. This was joined by a second hand and the two then proceeded to force the cocoon open. The nurse and healer were both shocked to see neither Albus Dumbledore nor some type of creature arise out of the cocoon. It was a man, a much younger man then Dumbledore. He was much taller, about seven feet, long, lean, with an aristocratic face and straight white hair and stern metallic blue eyes. "Albus Dumbledore?" the nurse questioned.

The man looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Dumbledore? I'm sorry mam, but I believe you have me confused with the previous occupant. My name is Theodore Madera Hatterous, at your service," he said in a polite and formal tone of voice.

"B … but what happened to Dumbledore?" the nurse asked confused and worried. Who or what was this man and where did he come from? They had never encountered anything like this before.

Hatterous shrugged innocently. "I do not know myself. However, since I am here and he is not, it is only sensible that I take his place. Now then, could you get me some clothes, it's rather drafty in here," he asked calmly as if speaking to a pair of idiots. The two rushed away, one to get some clothes and the other to report this to the proper people, leaving Hatterous sitting there with a small smile on his face and a twisted gleam in his metal colored eye.

Through out the week a couple cocoons hatched to reveal completely different people from the ones that were originally in them. Hatterous had taken Dumbledore's place. Jacob Erland Wocker, a larger, well built man with dark hair and intense gold eyes, had replaced Mr. Fudge, and those were just the first two. It was unknown if any more would hatch and judging from what had come out of them, people were weary. Hatterous and Wocker had both declared that they'd be taking over their predecessor's jobs. Since no one had any good reason to say no, they were allowed to as most just thought of them as modified versions of their 'previous selves'. Boy, were they wrong.

Wocker was far different from Fudge. He ran the Ministry with an iron fist, increasing intelligence, upping public security, and cracking down on any and all Death Eaters, even suspected ones. He also had a way intimidating people without using an ounce of magic. It wasn't his size or the spells he used, it was the way he spoke and glared with his piercing gold eyes and what he spoke about. Wocker always seemed to know your deepest regrets and fears and would blackmail you with them if you dared cross him. Needless to say, he scarred the crap out of people.

Hatterous had become the Headmaster of Hogwarts, though no one knew of it just yet. They were going to make an announcement of it later in the week. He was just as easy to get along with as Dumbledore, but operated much differently. He was the biggest tight ass on time that anyone had ever met. He wanted everything to run smoothly and efficiently. He was also making plans to turn the Order of the Phoenix from an intelligence gathering group, like what Dumbledore wanted, into a guerrilla fighting unit as well as involving all students who were well trained in defense against the dark arts. Hogwarts was being turned upside down and no one knew it yet. Worst of all was that the strongest piece had yet to be put on the playing field.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

For those of you who can't guess, here's a BIG hint about the new headmaster and minister.

THEodore MADera HATTERous

JAcoB ERland WOCKer

Care to guess who's in Umbridge's cocoon or who the other witches/wizards/Wonder Landers are/will be?