Chapter Thirty
Madame Pomfrey just arrived with more Aurors as the name rang out. She hurried to the Mage's side, wand swishing in quick movements. But her hope died as she read the readings. "It's too late. I'm sorry."
"No." She barely heard Severus' voice as he tightened his hold on the body. Leaving him, she hurried to Millicent, determined to at least save someone that night. Even with their leader's fatal fall, Isis bade the allies to follow his last words. Raja and Lucas held the Minister as Maya laid a hand on his forehead.
Eyes closed, Maya searched the life thread, forcing her gift to her whim. Surprisingly, it worked. She felt another's presence. "It's not him."
"Who is it?"
Searching her mind for a match, "We caught him before."
Albus walked over, curious at the statement. Isis smiled and pounced. "Headmaster, do you know any altering spells?"
Blue eyes blinked, quite shocked at the blunt question. Though surprised, Albus chanted a powerful reversal spell. As the features began to melt, Thor gathered the fallen Hydra's blood into their original vials and binding the fallen three females. He knew the so-called Minister would be the next to die after the Mages allow the Aurors to fish for information.
Said Minister had suddenly melted into a healthy looking Peter Pettigrew. All but the Mages cried out in shock. Even the all-knowing Albus Dumbledore was quite shocked, "That's quite a feat. Peter has been locked away in a safe location since he tried to kill himself in Azkaban before his sentencing."
"That wasn't Peter Pettigrew, if this is truly him. But we've overheard conversations that said Peter was always timid, quiet, and scared. No one knew how he was in Gryffindor since he never had the courage. He barely spent time with his friends, making it easy to betray them. But this confident, healthy Peter suggests that this is the true Pettigrew. That he was smart, cunning, and brave enough to fool even the most powerful."
Suddenly Albus felt like he was staring at Harry Potter. A boy who was a Gryffindor but with Slytherin traits. A boy who fooled an unpersuasive sorting hat, even his own professors with his abilities. Everyone thought Harry was more related to Voldemort but now Albus could see a better match between Harry and Peter, two students he couldn't save no matter what he tried to fix since losing Tom Riddle to the darkness.
"Your Minister was Peter Pettigrew since their threads match."
"For how long was this possible?"
"Their thread was overlaid by your dark lord, Voldemort. He was able to capture the real Minister. You cannot create a new body to fool even magic, it must be based on a real person. A life thread, even a spirit, cannot be fooled nor can it lie." Maya had already matched each of the life threads to their sources, even though Voldemort was dead, as well as give her truthful opinion.
"Then how?"
"Ask your enemy here. Get what you need from him. I must return his corpse as well as the girls to She-Demon with the blood. If I don't show soon, the world will see Hell and more bloodshed then your Voldemort caused."
"We'll need to go to the Ministry. But your, uh," not sure what to call the Chimera, Albus merely pointed.
"We'll take care of it. Leave the girls. I'll prepare a clone of their magic that won't come undone by any test."
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By mid-morning all but one Mage was left behind with the bodies of three females. The members of the Light had taken away the Death Eaters, missing students, and a stunned Minister, as well as War Mage Osiris.
Preparing the other fallen bodies and blood, the Mages disappeared by Spirit travel, lending their strength to Maya and Raja. They hurried to the Ministry of Magic, which was overwhelmed. It seemed almost every magical paper and wizard heard of the downfall of the new Dark Lord from whispers around the members of the Ministry, hurrying to the Ministry to find out.
What shocked the community was the Malfoy defense. As the other wizards felt they were lying, five Mages stormed inside, daring them to imprison the blonde couple. With the Mages on the defense and proving the Malfoy's innocent, the court let Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy free. Draco had been shocked.
He had overheard because they wanted it, hoping he would save himself. As well as to stop his wedding to a manipulative Parkinson. He shed his first public tears upon his parent's freedom and acceptance of their mate, if another heir would further the Malfoy line since Draco's birth was complicated. Narcissa would never have another child but hoped for grandchildren. Her bluntness made Lucas and Lucius laughed while Draco flushed and stuttered.
The next case, the Death Eaters, worried the Ministry. In response, Thor offered to take the most dangerous home as blood gifts to his people. With that agreement the large group had been divided, only a few were being kept by the Ministry. Those staying were placed in a high security newly remodeled Azkaban, with a powerful block on their magic by the Mages.
Then came two more shocks. A lengthy conversation with Mage Isis, who bore the Council's and She-Demon's permission, revealed that War Mage Osiris was really Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived. He had left to train to fight Voldemort. Returned to destroy him only to stop another attempt to rise from death, and then giving up his life to truly stop it. The spell that was used to raise Voldemort was now being taken from the Ministry and locked away for good with She-Demon. But the mages secretly believed that Harry Potter would rise again. The Potters were of demonic blood and only She-Demon could truly destroy someone of her blood, although by default the Chimera was under She-Demon's control.
And the very last shock, Minister Cornelius Fudge was really Peter Pettigrew. Under a very strong truth serum, administered and made by Potions Master Severus Snape, they learned quite a bit.
"What is your real name?"
The Minster looked emotionless as he answered, "Peter Pettigrew."
"Where is the Minister?"
"My Master buried his body inside his father's grave the day I joined the Death Eaters."
"How did you become Minister Cornelius Fudge as well as yourself?" This question caused everyone to be on their seat's edge.
"The night I decided to join, my Master already taken Fudge from his home. His wife had been placed under Imperious and remained asleep. My Master wanted control, complete control without worrying the Minister would try to fight back. He enticed the Snape family to create an altering imperious potion, which Severus Snape succeeded. I became the Minster under that potion while my Master created a magical illusion with my blood.
"Every few weeks until my graduation I had to renew the illusion. Then a few days before I betrayed the Potters as the Minister I began my Master's ruling throughout the world by keeping any and all Death Eaters from remaining in prison. After his first demise, I set up Sirius Black, transfigured a rat to look like me to be in hiding in case Black ever got free, and took over as Minister until my Master returned to power."
In a corner, one demonic Mage waited as the questions continued. She was ready to leave. At her feet laid three sheet covered females, each chained to her left wrist. In Thor's excited grasp was a single parchment expressing gratitude of his help to save the world and presenting him gifts, who were all placed in a shrunken glass cell for easy managing, while the Mages placed the Death Eaters under sleeping spells for the travel. The twins were stroking the still form of the Chimera while Lucas had gone off with the Malfoy's.
After their questioning, the Ministry wasn't sure what to do with Peter when a figure flew forward. With an audible SNAP!, the man's neck had been swiftly twisted around and then the body tossed into the nearest wall, snapping more bones. Before anyone could even stop the act, Isis punched her right fist into Peter's chest, snapping the veins to his heart.
With blood dripping from her right hand, which she began waving, she bound, covered, and chained the still body of Peter Pettigrew. "I am taking him. You've got your answers and now I must answer to my queen." As she made her speech, her mind warily touched She-Demon's. A forceful tug transported them all to her side.
"Forgive her. She had been told to bring the traitors of an ally to Queen's side, dead. The four had conspired to kill King Cassius, an ancient Hydra. They bled him dry and Queen wanted their lives as payment." Thor dipped his head in respect as he explained to a shock court, who all heard or knew about this queen and really wished to not become the next victims to this Queen.
"I guess our sentencing is done. This courts is now dismissed." Eager to print the reporters fled as three mages disappeared for home, for a long visit.
Speaking of home, Isis was nervously kneeling before She-Demon. With one hand covered in dried blood, Isis could only hope she had pleased the woman who still held her life in jeopardy.
With several imps scavenging the bodies and vials, satisfied with their findings, the demonic queen smirked. Loving the revenge upon the traitors, she waved a hand towards the injured Isis, who struggled not to flinch.
A fiery warmth flooded Isis' body as the magic healed the slowly knitting wounds and replenished the blood loss. Isis knew she had been truly forgive. "Go to your mates. Take them home. I shall deal with the bodies and blood at a later date." The young demon fled from sight, anxious to be with her mates.