Chapter Twelve: Arianna's Orders

A.N: Hello, fellow HP freaks. I told you I'd update soon. I hope you like this chapter. I left you with a bit of a cliffy in the last one. I must warn you that the topics of this chapter are a bit more serious than you're used to seeing from this story. But you all know how I love to go from serious to lighthearted in the blink of an eye. That is how life really goes after all, plus it keeps you on your toes. Oh, and in reference to one of my recent reviews, no it is not dark and smelly where my heads at. I, personally think that it would be a bad idea for Draco and Snape to turn out as bad guys. I don't think an author should actually condemn his/her red-hairings. But thank you for that review. It's the first negative one that I've actually gotten. And to my other readers, I'd like to ask a question: Do you think that Draco and Snape are bad or good? Be sure to answer in your review. Thank you to my reviewers and those of you who have waited patiently for me to update. Love ya!

"Hogsmeade has been attacked!" Ari said, sitting behind her desk in her office, smoking a cigarette as though it were the only thing in the world that could calm her nerves. Harry and the others were shocked to their very core. They just stood there, open mouthed and looked back and forth at one another, waiting for someone to say that it was a joke.

"Percy," she continued, "ready the wizarding guard. They need to scour the town for survivors and perhaps catch some of the culprits."

"The Ministry has already sent some people, Your Majesty," Percy said, "They have arrested five Death Eaters and so far have only found one survivor in the wreckage."

"Who?" she asked.

"A girl by the name of Luna Lovegood," he said, "She was apparently in town with her father, visiting some relatives. They are all dead."

"And Uncle Aberforth?" Ari asked now, looking like she might cry.

"He is safe," Percy said, not looking at all as confused as Harry felt, "He was visiting your grandfather's grave when it happened. He saw the town being attacked and was able to notify the ministry and myself very quickly."

She let out a sigh of relief, "And what of the girl? Where is she?"

Harry and the others felt very concerned for Luna. She had already lost her mother and now her father and other family members too. His heart went out to her.

"They sent her here," Percy answered, "She said that she was a personal friend of Harry and the others and wanted their help. I had a hell of a time convincing them that she wasn't lying or delirious."

"Bring her to me," Ari said, "and ready the guard anyway. I don't trust some of those ministry idiots."

He nodded curtly and left them. Ari sighed again, massaging her temples wearily. "Ari?" Harry said, "Who is Aberforth?"

"My grandfather's brother," she answered. Oh, Harry thought, of course. He remembered Dumbledore mentioning him once.

"I didn't know he lived in Hogsmeade," Harry said.

Ari nodded and said, "He owns the Hog's Head."

Harry and the others all looked around at each other in shock. That was why the man behind the counter looked so familiar! Harry could have smacked himself. And then he remembered something. "Didn't he try to buy some of Sirius' silver from Mundungus?"

Ari laughed and looked up at him, "He was never a paragon of virtue, my uncle."

"Ari," Percy said, walking in with Luna, "This is the girl. The one who survived the attack."

Luna lifted her dreamy eyes to Ari and bowed her head slightly in respect for her queen. Ari smile gently at her and said, "Prepare a room for her on my level, Percy. She could use some rest."

Percy nodded and Luna said, "Thank you, My Queen."

"Call me Ari," she said gently.

Luna rounded on the others then and Harry reached out and hugged her to him. Ron came forward and put his arms around her too. Hermione and Ginny were not far behind as they stepped forward and offered their silent condolences.

When they separated, Luna said to Ari, "I'm so sorry to intrude like this. It's just that I had nowhere else to go."

Ari stepped from around her desk now and wrapped her arms around the girl. It was then that Luna broke down. She was crying freely in Ari's arms now, her body convulsing as she did so.

"There, there," Ari said, smoothing her hair, "I'll try my best to make things better. Percy," she spoke over the girls head, "Tell the ministry that my uncle and any other survivors are to be brought here. And I want the Death Eaters brought here as well to be interrogated by my people."

Percy nodded again and left to do his errands. Luna pulled away finally and wiped her puffy red eyes. She looked gratefully up at Ari and smiled ever so slightly.

"The survivors will be staying here until their homes can be rebuilt," Ari said, "You are welcome to stay here as well if you like, unless the Weasley's wouldn't mind having you at the Burrow."

"Oh, that would be fine," Ron said, "The more the merrier." The twins and Ginny nodded at this as well.

Suddenly, Luna was attacked by another wave of sobs. They all stepped forward now and consoled her.

"Thank you so much," Luna said through her tears, "You have no idea…"

"Not at all, Luna," Ron said, "It's our pleasure."

"Miss Lovegood," Percy said, walking back in with a house-elf in his wake, "This is Iris. She will take you to your room and get you anything else that you may need."

Iris nodded and smiled at the girl before taking her hand and walking out the door with her.

"You have house-elves?" Hermione squeaked indignantly at Ari once they were gone.

"Of course," Ari said, "They are very helpful."

"But that is slavery!" Hermione seemed very shocked that her friend was using a house-elf. Harry winced, wishing that Hermione could have waited a little while before bringing this up.

Ari looked confusedly at her for a moment before saying, "Hermione, what are you…ohhh," she hit a realization, "I forgot. House-elves aren't free in Britain."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked her, backing down a little.

"Hermione," Ari said, "things were different in America. You know how we Americans are all hopped up on freedom and equality." Hermione looked disbelieving, "Well, about most things anyway. House-elves have been free there since the Emancipation Proclamation. And they are in Egypt too. The Egyptians never believed in involuntary servitude. The only slaves that we ever had here were prisoners of war and they were usually killed…"

"What about the Hebrews?" Ron asked, interrupting her.

Ari waved him off impatiently. "That's all just a bunch of Biblical mumbo-jumbo. There has never been any evidence that that actually occurred. Anyway, all my house-elves are free and very well paid. Don't worry about it, Hermione."

"Oh," Hermione said, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks.

"So, anyway," Harry said, getting back to the important topic, "how extensive was the damage at Hogsmeade?"

"Total," Ari said sadly, "it was completely raised to the ground. The Death Eaters left nothing untouched."

"Oh my god," Hermione breathed, bringing her hands up to her mouth.

"It doesn't look like we'll have many more survivors," Ari said, "and it'll be a while before everything is rebuilt."

"Your Majesty," Percy said, walking back into the room again, "I just got done speaking with the ministry. The Death Eaters are on their way. I told our officers to throw them in the dungeons and have them guarded by Sphinxes."

"Good work, Percy," Ari said, "Are there any more survivors?"

"A couple," he said, "they found Hagrid alive and kicking under the rubble at the Three Broomsticks. And he managed to protect Madam Rosemerta as well."

"I am very glad to hear that," Ari said, "Anyone else?"

"A couple of wizards from Hungary and three witches who lived in town," Percy said, "That is all so far."

"How many casualties?" Ari asked now, looking scared of what the answer might be.

"Seventy-one," Percy said, "so far. Women and children among them."

"That bastard!" Ari yelled, throwing an inkbottle at the door. She crumpled to the ground and buried her face in her hands. Harry and the others joined her there.

"Do we have accommodations for everyone, Percy?" Ari asked now, looking up at him.

"We have enough room to house all of Hogsmeade," he said, nodding as he did so.

"Good," she said, "I want my best men to post security around Diagon Alley and any other wizarding communities in Britain large or small."

Percy nodded, taking her words down on his clipboard. "I also need the Eye of Horus gassed up and ready to go tomorrow morning. And ask your parents if it is all right to bring Luna Lovegood along with us to the Burrow. I know that they won't say no. It's just a courtesy really. And when the Death Eaters arrive have them put in separate cells. Each one is to have the Liberatum spell cast on them to determine whether or not they have had the Imperius curse placed on them. If any of them have been under Imperius, I want their deaths announced so that we can protect them from Voldemort. After that, I want the real Death Eaters to be offered anything it will take to get them to divulge the names of their fellow conspirators. After we have exhausted all of their information," Ari paused now and Percy seemed to know what to expect, "have them tried for murder and executed."

Hermione and Ginny gasped. Harry, Remus, Ron, Tonks and the twins looked very grim as though this were a very sad choice but ultimately the right one. Ari put her head down, looking very upset about what she had to do.

"Yes, ma'am," Percy said, briskly dotting the last period. He kneeled next to her now and placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with shining eyes.

"You're doing the right thing," he said sincerely before standing up and preparing to leave.

"Oh and Percy?" she looked at him hopefully, "Have any of the Death Eaters at the ministry applied for amnesty?"

Percy looked at her sadly and shook his head. Ari looked deflated. "There is a list of names on my desk," she said to him, "of all the Death Eaters who have infiltrated the ministry. They have twelve days left. You know what to do with it."

Percy nodded grimly and took the list from the desk. Harry shook his head sadly, wondering how Ari must feel having to order so many deaths.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked her.

"I just wish that I didn't have to do this, you know," Ari said, "I wish that things didn't have to be this way."

Harry nodded and they all wrapped their arms around her and around each other, knowing that they would never be the same after this. They were ordering deaths and killing Death Eaters. The war had finally become very real to all of them.