CHAPTER 4 All Hell Breaks Loose
The heavy rain that had been pouring down all morning in the all-magical village of Hogsmeade in the north of England had finally ceased by noon-time, and while the drops fell from the over-burdened blades on grass growing at the edge of the village, at that very moment, a crowd had gathered in the large assembly hall on a small side street of Hogsmeade. Journalists were proceeding on walking in and out of the hall; their quik quotes quill and notepad ready in their hands.
The Minister of Magic had decided only two days earlier to hold a press conference to assure the magical community on the new and ongoing threat that the Shadow King posed. When news had filtered to him that his group the Blood Kindred had attacked St. Mungo's with the intention of killing Harry Potter, Rufus Scrimgeour knew he needed to assure the public and as fast as possible, before the Ministry lost control of the situation.
Rufus was sitting in a small cold room adjacent to the main hall, where the Ministry had set up a temporary command centre for the press conference. Rufus was leaning back against a hard wooden chair, his press officer standing across from him leaning against the edge of the wooden table, repeating to him the speech he was about to give.
"Now Minister, I urge you to keep the questions to a minimum. The press are likely to trap you in with questions on why we haven't found out who this Shadow King is", his press officer said, leafing through the parchment sheets. "Your popularity has already dropped ten points after the whole book explosion debacle two months ago".
"Now Sally!" Rufus cut in holding up his hands silencing the young woman. "I know how to give press speeches and I know how to calm them down".
"I'm sorry Minister, but this is an important chance for us to win over some votes again. We can't let this opportunity pass us by".
"Sally. Stop it!" Rufus growled, standing up quickly, his hands supporting his heavy weight on the table. He turned his sharp gaze on his young press officer and she silenced, looking away alarmed.
"Minister, it's time to go", a tall wizard wearing the telltale robes of the Auror special guard that had been hired as the Minister's private bodyguards. Rufus Scrimgeour nodded his head curtly, grabbed his wooden walking stick and began limping towards the door. As he made his way to the make-shift stage that had been set up for him, the flashing bulbs of the magical cameras went off, hurting his eyes and causing blind spots to gather at the edge of his vision. He slowly ascended the steps to the podium, pausing when he reached the pedestal. Scrimgeour placed a silent Sonorus charm on himself and shuffled through his notes, clearing his throat before he began.
"Ladies and gentlemen. I thank you for coming to this press conference today, despite it being called up on such short notice", Scrimgeour's voice was rough and gravely as he cleared his voice once again and continued. "These are dark times indeed and I am here to assure the public that we are doing everything to capture this new threat that are the Blood Kindred and their leader, this so-called Shadow King. We have made a number of leads that I am not at liberty to speak of at this moment, but rest assured we are doing everything we can to regain control of this situation. We once again ask for the magical community's help. You suspect any suspicious activities or know of anyone who might be involved with the Blood Kindred to contact a Ministry official or an Auror and remember, do not take on these wizards and witches alone. They are extremely dangerous!" Rufus Scrimgeour stopped in the middle of his speech when he spotted the raised hand of a male journalist, and with a side-wards glance at his press officer Sally who nodded to him; he cleared his throat and added.
"Yes, what question do you want to ask me?"
"Minister, Jeremiah Paxworth of the Evening Prophet", the man began standing up from his seat. "What can you tell us on this rumour that a certain Malfoy is the leader of the group, the Blood Kindred?"
Scrimgeour looked down at his sheets of notes for a moment, taking some to collect his thoughts before he looked up again and fixed the journalist with his trademark sharp glance.
"Your sources can be commended Mr. Paxworth, we had hoped to keep that piece of information from the media for the time being, while we dealt with this situation, but he is the main suspect in the explosion that occurred two months ago, and we do believe him to be the leader of this Blood Kindred", Rufus Scrimgeour replied.
"Minister!" a female journalist stood up, trying to get his attention.
"Yes, Madam?" he asked, fixing his gaze on the auburn haired woman in her late thirties.
"Emilie Zola of the Wizarding Herald, Minister. What can you tell us of this Shadow King? Have there been any discoveries since your last discussion on this subject a month ago?"
"We are not here to discuss the latest theories or rumours on this Shadow King and who he might be", Rufus Scrimgeour replied testily, taking a minute to calm his breathing and smooth out the irritation in his voice. "As I informed the media two weeks ago, we have not gathered any new relevant pieces of information that we can share with the public at this time".
A flurry of hands rose as he finished his sentence, but Rufus Scrimgeour lowered his head and glanced down at his notes. The large hall was abuzz with whispers and mutterings as journalists vied for the Minister's attention. Scrimgeour quietly shook his head at the media, he had never gotten on well with them, and they were useful for a political career but far too unstable and unpredictable for his liking. Inside he snorted at their insipidness and buzzing for their headline stories starkly reminded him of the flies that buzzed around him in the vast hall. He took a deep breath and prepared himself for another round of dull and prying questions, when the air in the hall changed. No longer could he hear the mutterings of the press. Slowly raising his head, Rufus Scrimgeour looked up to see a group of wizards had just entered the hall. Each wizard had the same luminous red robe on and from the light streaming in from the open doorway behind them it gave the impression they had gold faces, but the streaming light could be playing tricks with the Minister's eyes. All heads turned to look at the newcomers, and it took only a second before the screaming and shouts began. Pandemonium erupted and the fifty or so journalists and photographers scrambled out of the way, dropping their equipment along the way, each pushing others out of the way in order to get out of the firing line. The hall was filled with shouts and screams when the journalists began panicking, hexing others out of the way. The Minister's private guards of Aurors had split into two groups, the first began advancing on members of the Blood Kindred, pushing their way through the panicking crowd, while the others, quickly surrounded the Minister, wands ready. Scrimgeour stood transfixed at the podium, mouth wide open, startled at the breach in security, and it was this moment of hesitation that cost the Minister his life.
Two Blood Kindred had separated themselves from the group and with a loud crack had disapparated, only to re-appear right in front of the Minister. All it took was a well aimed and quick muttering of the fatal curse for them to breach through the Aurors' defences.
"Avada Kedarva!" the Blood Kindred yelled out, his wand aimed at Scrimgeour's head and when the green bolt of light made contact with the Minister, a look of surprise was on his face. He fell flat backwards onto the stage floor, a dull thud being issued from his fall, that no-one noticed in the chaos of the hall. The only ones who realised the Minister had just been murdered were his personal body guards, who stood dumbfounded around the Minister's body, not sure what to do.
"What!" Kaylee cried jumping out of her seat. "What happened?"
"He was assassinated while giving a press conference in Hogsmeade. You're wanted on the scene". The woman replied, heaving slightly from the lack of air. She took a deep breath and added, "Shaklebolt requested you on the scene. It's in the village hall of Hogsmeade, you're to Apparate right outside it and I would hurry they're in very bad moods over this. Rumour has it the Aurors that were part of the Minister's private guard are going to be severely disciplined and maybe even charged with negligence".
"Merlin help us. Thanks Sofia, I'll go there straight away!" Kaylee replied, standing up. She opened a desk drawer and began rummaging inside as the woman named Sofia walked back out of the Aurors' Headquarters in a hurry, most likely to pass the news on to someone else.
"We're coming with you!" Hermione declared standing up also and picking up her coat that she had hung carefully against the back of her chair.
"Hermione, don't be silly!" Kaylee replied not looking up as she continued delving through her desk drawer.
"I'm a Ministry official Kaylee, and if this involves the Blood Kindred I will be there!" Hermione spoke coldly, fixing Kaylee with a hard glare. Kaylee must have found what she was looking for, because when she stood up again, she had extracted her Auror badge and was busy pinning it to her travelling cloak. She looked up and met Hermione's glare, keeping eye contact and levelling her with a hard look of her own. The continued their eye contact for another few seconds, before Kaylee dropped her head and acquiesced.
"Fine, but you're there only to help us with the Blood Kindred. Try and stay out of the way of my superiors and don't give them a reason to take you off the case or suspend you from work. I imagine absolute hell has broken out in Hogsmeade and the less they notice you the better for us all!" Kaylee donned her travelling cloak and pulled her wand out of her trouser pocket, nodding to Hermione. "We should go now. I don't want to keep them waiting".
Hermione nodded in reply and went to put on her own coat, turning to Ron.
Ron, sensing he was about to be frozen out of the scene, took a step away from her, holding his hands out in front of him. "Oh no, you're not telling me to go home now Hermione!"
"Ron, will you please just listen to me!" Hermione pleaded. "You're not working for the Ministry. I hate saying this but you're a Quidditch player. The Ministry consider you a civilian and you know very well they won't allow you on the scene". Hermione sighed shaking her head.
"Hermione I'm coming with you!" Ron replied matter of factly. He turned around to face Kaylee and directing his statement at her. "Kaylee I'm coming with you. I'm not going to be left out of this and before you start worrying that you're going to get in trouble, I'll stay out of the way". Kaylee was unsure for a moment, she didn't want to risk her new position and the respect she had been given with it, but she had to take into account Hermione's sharp intelligence. She was legendary at Hogwarts for all the things her, Ron and Harry had done, and Ron, though a little underestimated, Kaylee knew he had a brilliant knack of extracting information form people they usually wouldn't tell him. They were also Harry's best friends and she didn't want to lose their friendship. Surely they can take care of themselves and they're both sensible enough to stay away from any real trouble.
"Alright then", Kaylee sighed, as she assented. "But we have to go now!" The urgency in her voice was enough to convince both Ron and Hermione to hurry as they made their way out of the Ministry of Magic and Apparated to Hogsmeade.
Upon arrival outside the main hall of Hogsmeade, Hermione could see what Kaylee meant by mayhem. A large crowd had formed around a glowing magical perimeter that had been erected by the Aurors, watching with fear and in some cases curiosity and barely concealed intrigue. It was most likely it had not leaked to them yet that the Minister had been murdered, for they would not be reacting in such a way if they knew! Kaylee shook her head at their idiocy and walked over to the glowing blue barrier that was being used as a perimeter. A young Auror, certainly no older than nineteen and just out of College, came walking up to the edge of the perimeter, holding out his hand to stop them from coming closer.
"Ma'am, I'm afraid you're going to have to take a step back or I will have you escorted from here", he called out, his deep voice contrasting sharply with his youthful face.
"I'm an Auror, Kaylee Griffinstock and you're going to have to open this perimeter for me so I can get through", Kaylee replied confidently, taking a step closer to the perimeter.
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to see some identification Ma'am before I let you through". He looked apprehensively at her; afraid he was going to get into trouble.
"Here it is", Kaylee replied slightly irritated showing him her badge that was pinned to her travelling cloak.
"Very well Miss Griffinstock", the young Auror spoke nervously. He cast a charm that opened a doorway in the perimeter and Kaylee strode on through, Hermione and Ron at her heels.
"Wait a minute", the young man added, pointing his wand at Ron and Hermione so they could not walk through. "I didn't see identification on the both of you". His voice was commanding and authoritative once more, now that Kaylee, the Auror had walked through.
"I'm a Ministry official!" Hermione declared, pulling out her identification card and holding it up so he could read it. "Now can we please go through?"
"I don't think so Ma'am, my orders are to let only Aurors through. If you could please step away from the perimeter".
"Oh for heaven's sake!" Kaylee cried out impatient. She turned around and walked back to the young Auror, and gathering up her most imposing attitude, and turned her harsh glare on the now withering young man. "I'm an Auror and I order you to let these two through, they are working with me on this case. Now if you have a problem with my orders you can call your official, but might I remind you I outrank you and we don't want things to turn messy, now do we?" Her voice had lowered a tenor and the young man had to lean in closer to her to hear her speak, but it done the job, for he took one frightened look at her and quickly ushered Ron and Hermione through before closing up the perimeter again.
Kaylee nodded satisfied at him and added, "Good job young man!"
Once inside the perimeter, they began to fully take in the sight before them. Aurors were rushing to and fro, passing on pieces of information, while the Obliviator Squad had been called to assess the situation, for they best knew Dark Magic. Other high Ministry officials such as the Minister's assistants, various other Ministry officials working in his office and his deputy were all gathered in a small group, huddled close together for protection and fear they might be attacked next. Hermione spotted her own boss Mr. Hodgkins talking in low tones with Kaylee's superior Saunderson, every once in a while glancing around fearfully.
"God they must be really on edge!" Ron commented, nodding his head over to Hermione and Kaylee's bosses.
"I imagine they are. To have their own Minister murdered right under their noses", Kaylee replied, and then she turned around to face Ron and Hermione, adding in a lower tone. "Okay can you please stay out of the way of both Hodgkins and Saunderson or else we all get in trouble. Ron you can use my guest pass". Kaylee searched through her pockets before pulling out a rather crumpled card that read Guest on it. She handed it to him, who pocketed it in an inner pocket, nodding his head at her.
"Don't worry Kaylee, I'll keep my nose clean". He grinned at the two women for a second and then added. "Now where do we start?"
"Well you stay in the background, I would advise you to stay out of the hall, just lay low while I go and talk to Saunderson, see what he wants me to do!" Kaylee replied, lightly grabbing both Ron and Hermione's upper arms and leading them towards the alleyway that swung along the side of the large stone building that served as the village hall.
"Stay here and I'll be back with you in a second". She gave them both a stern look that she hoped would get them to listen to her and quickly made her way over to her sandy haired boss. Saunderson was the type of man that could only intimidate a person, and that was not just because of his impressive size at six foot four, but also his very strong personality that just seemed to fill a room when he entered it.
Five minutes later, Kaylee was striding back to the alleyway, which thankfully was still devoid of Aurors and spotted Ron and Hermione leaning against the corner of the building, discussing in low tones. When they heard her footsteps, both looked up at the same, time visibly relaxing when they realised who it was.
"So that's going on exactly?" Hermione asked urgently, taking a step towards the blonde haired woman.
"Well he was giving a press conference and Blood Kindred managed to get past security and make their way into the hall while the press and Aurors were there. The details are sketchy, but it seems they got past the Aurors and murdered the Minister in front of everyone. Reports are coming in that up to twenty people have been admitted to St Mungo's for minor injuries and trauma", Kaylee replied, her brow creasing as she began to worry.
"How did they manage to get past the Aurors?" Ron exclaimed stunned.
"They don't know but I have been hearing mutterings, and Saunderson seems to have implied this to me too, but they reckon the Minister's personal Auror bodyguards failed miserably in letting the Minister get murdered so easily. Seems quite a few people are outraged at how poorly they defended the Minister and the press. I wouldn't be surprised if this turns into a major scandal!"
"Holy crap!" Ron exclaimed, still taken aback. "You don't think there was a leak in the Ministry or maybe the spy we're looking for do you?"
"Let's just say it this way", Kaylee replied darkly. "I'd rather it were just mere incompetence on the part of the Aurors than a Ministry spy that has infiltrated our ranks that deep!"
"So, what did Saunderson tell you to do?" Hermione asked changing the topic to one that wasn't making her feel that uneasy with the situation.
"Help in damage control. Well I suppose that's what you get for still being so young to the force," Kaylee muttered displeased. "They put a new head on the Auror team that's dealing with the Shadow King and Blood Kindred since Harry is still incapacitated. I'm meant to be working in conjunction with him".
"And we won't get you in trouble?" Hermione queried.
"No, I ran the idea past Saunderson of bringing in outside control and he was fine with it as long as you stay out of his way and I don't tell you confidential information", Kaylee replied. "For an intimidating man, he can be quite reasonable!" She smiled quickly at them before turning on her heels and walking towards the entrance of the hall, Ron and Hermione in her tow, cloaks billowing behind them.
As they walked through the large mahogany doors into the village hall, a spectacle greeted them that quite took their breath away. The simply built stone building had wooden rafters stained black with age from which hung the remnants and tatters of Ministry flags, some burnt to a cinder, each hanging limply from their poles. The oak wooden panelling running around the bottom half of the walls was stained red in places, which Hermione guessed could only be blood. Similarly pools of blood were speckled across the hard floor, each one cordoned of by a rippling clear barrier that was being examined by some Ministry officials from the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. The room was only filled with a handful of people all Ministry officials or Aurors examining the scene. The stage was located at the back end of the hall, the podium still standing in the middle, but even from the doorway, Ron and Hermione could see the burn marks that were surrounding the stage.
"What happened after Scrimgeour was killed?" Ron asked. He too had noticed the burn marks littered around the hall and the pools of blood. "Did they put up a struggle?"
"Yes, or at least that's what I'm told. The Aurors and Blood Kindred battled for quite a few minutes before the Blood Kindred Disapparated and Ministry reinforcements came swarming into the building", Kaylee replied, taking in the scene herself. She began making her way into the hall, noticing the dim lighting and wondering why no one had bothered turning on the light. She walked past the pools of blood, making her way into the centre of the room.
"Right, I'm going to go find out exactly what's going on here!" Ron declared, pulling out the guest pass Kaylee had given him earlier from his pocket and strutting away before Hermione even got the chance to protest. She in turn stared at Ron's retreating back in slight disbelief, but shook her head and turned her concentration on Kaylee.
"What's all left to do? Did the Blood Kindred leave anything behind which we can use?" Hermione asked.
"Not as far as we know", Kaylee replied pulling out her wand from her cloak pocket and making her way to the stage. She leant in closer to examine the scorch marks on the stage, lightly pressing against it with her wand.
"Look at this burn mark. That was done by fire, but I see no evidence of any fires being started", Kaylee queried, turning her question on Hermione.
Hermione crouched down on her knees next to Kaylee, pulling out her reading spectacles from her pocket and closely examining the burn mark.
"You're right", she replied taking of her spectacles and looking around her for any more scorch marks. "This must have been done by a hex of some sort, but I don't know of any that could do this kind of damage".
"You reckon Dark Arts magic?" Kaylee asked, cocking her head to her side to look at Hermione next to her.
"Must be" Hermione shrugged her shoulders. She stood up quickly that surprised Kaylee, who also got gingerly to her feet and watched as Hermione was looking around herself, a frown on her face.
"What's wrong?" Kaylee asked looking in the direction that Hermione's head was turned.
"Have you noticed how dark it is in here?"
"Yeah I was wondering about that earlier. Why do you say that?" Kaylee asked.
"See those candelabras up there hanging from the rafters?" Hermione said pointing to them.
"Yeah?" Kaylee had no idea where Hermione was going with this.
"They're as bright as ever, yet for some strange reason it's darker in this hall than it should be", Hermione replied.
"What do you reckon?"
"It must be a charm of some sort. Let me see", Hermione mused, pulling out her wand and pointing it at the ceiling. "Finite Incantatum!" A bright light issued from her wand that shot towards the rafters and spread out across the ceiling, encompassing the entire roof until it glowed momentarily a bright hue. A moment later the brightness returned in the hall, as normal light was restored. Hermione looked around, trying to figure out why that charm would have been placed, when she turned her attention on the back wall, behind the stage and gasped. Painted across the entire back wall in red were the words, "The Age of the Shadow King has returned. All those who oppose him shall be destroyed".
"Oh Merlin!" Kaylee gasped, her jaw dropping as she read the words written on the wall.
"What the hell happened?" Ron cried startled as he came running up to them, standing next to Hermione, a protective arm across her waist. Hermione was blinking up at the wall, apparently lost for words.
"Is that blood?" she gasped.
"Could be", Kaylee, replied still shocked. "Why would they do that?"
"Fuck knows!" Ron exclaimed and then he turned his attention on Hermione and Kaylee. "Listen I think you should hear this". Both women turned to Ron to hear what he had found out. "I was just talking to an Auror and he's told me of something interesting you might want to know. They've been hearing some rumours that the Blood Kindred might be working from the Scottish moors", Ron declared slightly pleased himself for having discovered this piece of information.
"Yes Ron, but we hear these rumours almost every week, some person or other saying they believe the Blood Kindred is here or there", Kaylee sighed.
"Well normally I would agree with you, but I discovered something else. It seems an independent source has also spoken of whisperings of a dark menacing force that they called a ghost found up in the moors. Their description matches that of the Shadow King", he was grinning at them both.
Kaylee looked impressed at this piece of information ands commended Ron on his skills, adding, "I'll put someone on that lead, see what we get out of it".
"There will be no ordering around of Aurors under my division!" a chilly voice replied behind them. All three turned around to see who had spoken that, and Ron and Hermione looked on stunned at who had turned up, glancing quickly at each other for reassurance before returning their gaze to the new woman.
Kaylee had no idea who the person was. "I'm Auror Kaylee Griffinstock and may I ask who you are?" she spoke politely eyeing up the tall woman with the white blonde, perfect hair.
"Krista Speketer", she replied eyeing Kaylee with a thorough scrutinization. "I'm an Auror as well I'm head of the special branch but I was promoted and put in charge of the Shadow King case, so I'm your new boss".
Just to add, again it seems I've written a corker once again, bt I'm happy to add that it's 1000 words less than the last chapter:-) I'm getting better. Again please read and review and let me know what you think. Ideas and constructive criticism is appreciated as always.
Also for those of you who haven't read The Greatest Thing There Is or have forgotten, Krista is Ron's ex girlfriend. Remember the girl we somehow just didn't manage to like? Well she's back and you know she's gonna be causing some trouble.
Oh the fun:-)