Draco stood on the highest peak over looking the valley and city of Godrics' Hallow. A wizard city was a sign of wealth. The few countries that could support one were easily recognized by their neighbors as a dominant part of their society. For the elite few countries like France and the Americans, they could support three cities the size of medium city. The muggle world may have the United States as a world power but in their world...
Draco sighed to himself. It was pointless think about the sheer force needed to take over such a large government. The city was cornered off in a modest valley and only accessible from three roads. Draco shifted his gaze to his men and pointed a finger towards the ends of the city. The silver blonde man had not visited this city before and was glad he could see the Gordric monument from his vantage point. Minister Granger had such success with the hard lined pure bloods with these cities. Godric's Hallow used to be a muggle town that had turned into a pure magical community. Draco remembered reading the name of the old town but had forgotten its original name. "Don't hurt the people, and if I see someone looting, there will be hell to pay!" That was welcomed by grumbling and a few relived looks from his lieutenants There were a few muggle families, but they were related to the magical folk that dwelled there. The fact that the town was a wizarding city allowed the sight that he looked below him.
"Spread out to the corners of the city, at my orders, erect the shields." There were several pops following the order. Draco counted to ten before he raised his wand into the air. He lit out a long plume of blue sparks and he saw the sky shift color from a hazy blue to purple.
He had to give the mudblood credit where it was due. He looked over the suburb to his left. "Two thousand people, all wizards completely out in the open. Just ten years ago a thought of a magical city this large would be absurd and likely suicide." Draco glanced at the one building he knew was only seeable to people looking for it. He was glad he was still able to aparate within the ward, but thought he should tell his men to fix that. Aparating in front of the building, Draco ran into the tall glass house that reminded him of the herbology classroom at Hogwarts. The building was surprisingly empty. He finally found what he was looking for after going through several doors. Four clear orbs sat on four individual pedestals. Each had a different sounding hum to them that harmonized with the others. Draco looked at them before he reached out and touched the closest crystal orb. These orbs were what made it possible for Magical Britain to flourish. That, and Grangers' city campaign. Draco pointed his wand at them and shielded them. "Better safe than sorry." He had seen what muggles had been capable of shortly after he left Britain and he was more intimidated from muggles now that he seen what their wars consisted of.
Draco stepped outside quickly and saw that his troops were already going door to door and placing letters for each citizen not to leave their houses. The less resistance the better. A woman ran up to the silver blonde and saluted. "Sir, we have sent out the messages, we are just waiting for your orders to sweep through the shopping district."
Draco looked at the slim woman who had been working under him. "Proceed." He saw her run off and he smirked. He started to follower her, almost hoping there would be some kind of resistance. Almost.
Draco looked over his shoulder to the blocks of houses behind him. Seven cities in five years. Yes you have to give the mudblood Granger credit.
Chapter 9 And your point?
Hermione Granger-Weasley finally rested in her chair and sighed. She hadn't seen Ron in almost two days and she knew she could not pry herself from this work load any time soon. The information Cyan and Mathew gave her was something that had been rolling in the back of her mind. She understood that making decisions were apart of her job, but those decisions rarely led to the level of commitment that Cyan implied. Passing a law committed the government to enforce it. Treaties signed with other countries committed the country to them, but Hermione never had given thought to personal commitment that she had agreed to inside that prison cell.
Hermione looked up and saw her aid. "We are ready for your address Minister. The Aurors are set up in Diagon amphitheater. The press has been waiting and looks as if they are going to get restless soon." Dawn smiled.
Hermione thought that a restless press was funny too. She took her cloak and nodded for Dawn to follow. The assistant walked into the Ministers office and waited for the Minister to lead. When they started walking towards the elevator Dawn said. "Remember Minister, when you give your speech people are afraid. Not about Harry Potter, nor about the attacks that lead to his um, bout of insanity. I think they seemed more worried about what the world would do if you were gone. The politicians know that if you are taken out of office there is no one who can lead the people as well as you. And those who would try are marked for their own bad decisions that led to their personal failures. The populace is afraid of open war. They may have been used to thinking of a threat from an evil lord, but not from their neighbors."
Hermione was glad for the reminders Dawn gave her. It would ground her reasoning in something she felt was true even if Dawn tried to exaggerate. "But they know I have had several assassination attempts since I have been in office, why are they afraid if I leave? I could just have easily died." Hermione sighed. She hated being a pessimist, but she knew she had to play her own devils advocate. No one else would.
"It more has to do with your choice in words from your address. Harry Potter left, and more people loved him as an example of what a good wizard is." She looked over to the Minister. "You are seen in the same light. If you leave willingly, everyone will wonder what they are doing wrong to be among people like you and still manage to drive you away."
Hermione gave a helpless sigh.
They left office and passed Dawn's assistant desk when the building shook. Hermione closed her eyes and knew this would happen sooner or later. She looked over to Dawn. "Dawn, you can leave if you want to. This is not just another assassination attempt. I guess its going to be open war."
"I have never left after the threats to your life or mine. I am not about to break that habit now. I won't leave you Hermione." Dawn pulled her wand and stood next to her boss.
Hermione smiled. "Thank you." The two walked carefully to the double doors and out to the stairs to the left of the hall. They saw nothing down the stairs and Hermione sighed when they made it to the bottom. "Stay behind me." Minister's assistant was about to protest before Hermione gave her a glare to rival McGonagal. Dawn cowed at the look and nodded.
Hermione opened the door and found a spell fight. She slid along the wall on her haunches and Dawn followed albeit uncomfortable in the position. Hermione found several Aurors. They tipped over the desks in the lobby and transfigured them into steel. The Aurors fired spells towards the entrance. Several bodies laid at the entrance and spells flew from outside towards the desks.
"What happened?" Hermione shouted over the noise of shattering rock and spells.
"There are about two hundred wizards at the door forcing their way in. They broke the wards and that's what warned us. The shake we felt from the building was from the wards when collapsed. They are bottle necked at the this entrance."
"Did all of the civilians evacuate in time?" Hermione shouted back.
"Yes, but you are still here."
Hermione looked at the half dozen Aurors who were leaning against the wall behind her. "Shacklebot, get several Aurors to escort the injured to my office." The man barked out orders and six injured Aurors were being levitated carefully to the back stairs. Hermione looked at the thirty other Aurors who had stopped casting a moment to look at her.
"The rest of you need to leave. If they are attacking here, then the invasion has started. Every single town is going to be under attack."
The men paled, by the information Hermione gave them or from the order Hermione shouted, she did not know. Hermione looked at their Hesitation. "Now! The wards in my office can hold off this kind of invasion for a long time. You need to see to our people." The men began to tug on their portkeys to leave the building, but several gave her a look begging them to stay. "Be safe, and take care of my people." They nodded and aparated.
"Dawn I want you to go too, there isn't anything you can do here." Hermione took something out of her pocket to reveal a gold Galleon. "This portkey will send you to my private office at my home. From there you can see if the towns are under attack. There are already instructions on what you need to do."
"But Hermione!." The wizards were already slowly walking in even as Hermione short hexes into the entrance.
"Go Dawn! I will go back with the other Aurors, I can't hold them here." The younger woman reluctantly took the portkey and felt her body tugged into it. When her assistant was gone, Hermione muttered. "Stay safe girl."
Hermione turned to the door and screamed loudly while casting as many hexes as she knew. Several people already pooling into the entrance fell to the ground. Hermione waved her hand quickly using her left hand to help the incantation. When she stopped she was relived to see that the blue robed wizards could not throw curses at her. She was also glad they had not been able to get beyond it. Hermione cast the sonorous spell to her throat. "This will be your only chance. Surrender or be annihilated." Her eyes stared at the men on the other side of the barrier.
Privately Hermione was chuckling at her bluff.
-o-
Dawn stumbled into the large round room. Desks lined the walls with only a single door that allowed entrance to it. She dropped the galleon and ran to one of the tables and looked through notes that were on largest one and saw a tablet with instructions Hermione left for her. Dawn's gaze lowered realizing that Hermione had planned for this. The note was addressed to her.
Dawn scanned the note and glance around the room and found what she was looking for. The book case she ran to already opened for her. Several vials and spheres of glass were lined inside. She found the color she was looking for and grabbed it. She uncorked it and poured it over the pearl like sphere. The Sphere turned to glass and began to glow red. "The signal has been sent." Seven spheres began to glow and each turned clear revealing a small miniature city with in them.
Dawn sighed before doing the last thing she read on the note. She walked up to the door and pointed her wand at it. "Lock." The door turned to steel and melded with the wall. Dawn swallowed before turning back to the book shelf and looked into different spheres. Each one had a model of the cities complete with miniatures of the soldiers who lined the streets. "Good luck everyone."
-o-
Harry ran out of the building to see the sky change to purple. His eyes shifted a moment and his mental eye saw what looked like an anti aparation magic weave through the sky. A single man stood in front of a line of wizards in blue robes. He raised his wand and a large yellow plume of light burst from his wand. Many people who were already scared of what was going on turned to him. "This is an occupation." Several people gasped while others screamed. The Army that had surrounded the city started escorting people out of every building. "Please drop your wands and evacuate to the streets. We are under orders to Arrest Minister Hermione Weasley and Harry Potter." Harry glanced but already knew there were a hundred wizards on roofs and lining the streets to cut people off from fleeing.
Many people started to head back into the building while others started to comply too nervous to rebel. Severus grabbed Harry's shoulder and pulled him back inside the building. "We have to do something Potter." Severus whispered into the younger mans ear.
Harry looked at Snape's wife and sighed. She looked as nervous as the others. "There is only one thing we can do right now." Harry looked at his wife. He was thankful they were both still in disguise. It would make things easier. Harry marched out the front door while others started to stop him. "I give up." He raised his hands in surrender and his wife followed him. Susan almost chuckled when she heard the potions master swear. Harry was thankful many people gave up as easily. He knew people were easily cowed. Show them an easy out, and they will choose it every time.
When Harry and Susan were out into the streets, many more people from other buildings started to walk out as well with their hands in surrender. Harry lowered his hands when people were herded into sections of the streets that were lined with blue robed wizards. He saw that people were gratefully giving up with out a fight and he snorted. "Give them a choice between right and easy…"
"I know Harry." Susan reached and squeezed his hand. "I know."
-o-
"Thank you for your cooperation." The man removed the wand from his throat and shouted a few orders to the men surrounding him. They complied and ran in different directions intent on finding anyone who had not surrendered. General Marlek had not been in a command of this magnitude and even with all his experience as head Auror for the Slovic Ministry, he felt over whelmed. He left the street and proceeded up the stairs of the near by building. He nodded to the men who lined the roofs across from the building window he looked out off before glancing at the people whom had surrendered with out a fight. "That's right, no fight, nothing will happen to you." He said it quietly to himself but he knew it was a plea for these people not to fight, to struggle. His force was just too large. Any resistance would be crushed. Marlek had no delusions that some of the men he controlled were ready for blood. They wanted Minister Weasley's head. They wanted justice for Clavis by having those heads that protected Potter.
Marlek looked over the intersecting streets where over a thousand people sat on the street surrounded by his wizard army. "Marlek sir, the buildings are all clear. Did you want to send the signal to Clavis that the city is secured?"
The man looked at the unfamiliar subordinate but nodded. "Yes, send the message that the city Dragon Tailor is secured." The man dashed off.
"Now that the message is sent, your army will be more relax." Marlek raised his wand but it was out of his hand the moment his fingers touched it. He turned to look at who spoke and was surprised at how young the woman looked. "British Auror?" He asked slightly amused. "What can you do with just you?"
The green haired woman smiled. Her features suddenly changed and Marlek gasped at the identical twin that stood in front of him. Her voice changed with her new body. His own voice answered. "More than enough. The Dark Wizard Corp can crush countries, your army is nothing for only one." Tonks cast a silencing spell on the man and knocked him out with a stupefy curse. She pointed her wand and transfigured the old soldiers clothes to match hers.
Tonks knelt next to the now disguised man and used a knife she had strapped to her waist to cut a trickle of blood away from the man. "Blood strengthen this knife, know your enemy and spare those who would be victims." The blood seeped into the knife before she tucked it into it's sleeve.
When she stood up she shouted. "Guards!" Several man bounded into the room wands raised. They saw the unconscious form on the floor, "Search through the city and find them, there will be more!" The men shouted while one of the obedient soldiers bound, silenced, and made sure the Auror was not going to escape. Tonks nodded to the soldier as he carried out the unconscious General. Tonks closed the door and silenced the room.
She raised her hand to her neck and reached for a pendant. She gave it a slight squeeze before speaking. "Aurors, the enemy are about to spread and search the city, prepare for counter attack."
-o-
"So any other ideas now that we are out in the open?" Susan sat down on the pavement and almost moaned at the number of people being forced out into the streets. It was just getting towards shopping hours and most of the city would be there.
Harry sat on the ground and looked at the number of wizards. He gave a low whistle. A few wizards looked at Harry's group for a moment before returning to their stoic positions. Harry leaned against Susan's shoulder and whispered. "Not really, Severus told me how many before we were forced out . It seems they are going city by city looking for me and Hermione."
Susan just glared at her husband. "Quite being so relaxed about it."
Harry smiled. "I was actually of just thinking of surrendering myself. They may just leave everyone here alone."
Susan glared at him. She was about to speak but another group of wizards passed by, patrolling through the streets. Harry was mildly amused that they were doing a face search. They knew he was a metamorphmagus. "Susan, no arguing. I am not going to give myself up. Besides, They probably wouldn't' be satisfied with just me."
Severus sat next to Harry and sighed. Samantha sat leaning against her husband wondering what he was going to do. She did not know the person he was talking to very well. "I finally finished talking to the wizards. They seem to just want to find Harry Potter and Hermione Granger." There are several people on their search list. Besides you they are looking for Tonks, Cho, Mathew Andrews and Alice. Harry stirred at the last two names.
"Maybe this Harry Potter should get a back bone and save us." Harry said grudgingly. Several people who sat by grunted in agreement. Harry scowled more. We'll have to find a way to make sure the two kids are alright. Alice can take care of herself but if they have an army just searching for her, I hope she is smart enough to run. Mathew is safe where he is. Are they looking for anyone else?
Snape's internal voice sounded irritated. No.
Harry half turned his head to Severus. You aren't disappointed they were not looking for you are you? Severus stayed silent while fussing over his left cuff of his robes. It was the closest he ever saw the man skulking. Harry grinned, making a mental note to bring up the conversation again later.
Harry looked up a few minutes later when there was shouting down the street. Several men immediately began running and Harry looked around while the people started to spread the news that Minister Granger was found and was currently fighting off several groups of wizards inside the Ministry.
Harry looked at his two friends and sighed. "Just give me a second to think of something and I'll go help."
Susan glared at him before noticing she was getting some undue attention from several of the guards. She smiled sweetly at them before turning away from them and sitting facing her husband.
-o-
Hermione looked through her barrier and saw the faint trails that it would not hold out much longer. She glanced at the men and sighed ignoring their fourth demand to surrender. She didn't bother talking to them, they were not the ones she needed to convince. She raised her wand and left the room casting several spells at a time while going up the stairs. She saw the elevator she pointed her want at the entrance. "Amlev" The door crumpled in a screech of metal. The doors fell inward and effectively shut down the elevator. She slowly weaved spell after spell as she walked up the flights of stairs. One to block entrance to the other departments while leading the way to her own office. After hearing the sound of a burning explosion she knew her barrier would have fallen and she cast a few vindictive traps where she stood when the wizards came to reach her.
When she walked to the top of the stairs and saw Dawns desk she sighed. She opened the door and had several dozen wands trained at her. "Just making sure everyone is alright in here." Several men didn't know if they should lower their wand it case it was a trap.
"I am closing the door and sealing it. Nothing can come in or out until a week passes or I unlock it." Hermione took a step back the doors immediately shut. There were several shouts of protests and demands to let her Aurors do their job. "I am sorry, but I can't allow that. If the worst comes to worst, you will be all that's left. Be safe." She shut the door again before anyone could run to stop her.
Hermione left the hall and closed the doors leading to her office and sealed those as well. She heard screams and a sudden splash and knew that several unlucky wizards found her muscle contracting traps. She waited patiently while taking off her robes revealing she was wearing a simple white blouse and tan slacks.
Hermione stretched slightly trying to remember the last time she actually had a duel and grimaced when she realized it was before she graduated from Hogwarts. When the first person came through the he suddenly stopped in surprise to see the very young and attractive Minister of magic trying to relax. He quickly regained his composure and took several steps before being slammed back by a wall of magic. He groaned in anger before seven more wizards came in. Hermione looked at them surprised at the number of people who made it through.
"That many people huh? How many started up the stairs then?" Hermione kept stretching with her wand in hand.
One of the men grounded out. "Sixty. Hermione Granger-Weasley you are under arrest for disturbing the peace, and aiding the war Criminal Harry Potter!"
Hermione looked at the man with her face showing no trace of emotion. She breathed in slightly before looking at the man strait in the eye. "I told your men before, They should surrendered when they had the chance." She flicked her wand and several paperweights on the desk flew to her feet along with a couch pillow behind her and several books for the shelves. "Just because I am a politician doesn't mean I can't defend myself." She flicked her wand again and each of the thirty objects turned into a silver sphere sitting at her feet.
Hermione took in a deep breathe and she let go of the barrier that had been protecting her. Several men immediately raised their wands to disarm her before Herimone pointed her wand at the spheres. "Wingardium Leviousa."
-o-
"We are Hunters. The town will be released shortly. Please do not fight and there will be no harm to any of you." The leader Hunter turned to his aid and said a few words no one else heard. "My name is Durma if you have any information to the location of Hermione Weasley, Harry Potter, Alice Niete Potter or Mathew Andrews, please come forward immediately. The sooner we have them in custody the sooner we may all go back to our lives." Durma turned away with a snap of his cloak and Harry gave an amused look to Severus who sneered back at him.
Harry cradled Susan much the way many of the other men were comforting their wives. Severus positions himself so he was doing the same to own. "Samantha it will be ok." Mrs. Snape nodded and Severus placed a slow sleeping spell on her. Harry and Severus leaned against each others back. "Do you want to make a move? Or do we wait this out."
Harry looked around to the people around him and found him self feeling a disturbing bout of apathy to their pain. "The leader doesn't seem to want to hurt anyone, but i can feel the intent of these wizards. They want blood."
Severus gave him an impatient glare. "If we fight now, we will be involving these people who are not even interested in knowing why I am being hunted. We wait. If they don't want to get involved that is their choice. We won't involve them."
-o-
Draken was relieved the room was silenced. The noise these invading wizards were making would likely bring half the city in on them. The spell fight lasted moments, and Draken noted the number of wizards they had captured.
"Draken Sir, we have our men in position, when you are ready we can set out the attack." The uniformed special Auror saluted and left the room.
"Everyone draw your wands and we perform the control spell on three. One, two three."
"Imperio." The group of unarmed and bound wizards stopped their struggling and looked blankly at the walls.
Several black robed wizards nodded to each other when their prisoners gave no effort to move. Draken was a black robed wizard with silver clasps around his neck. As the most senior officer there, he was given the task of regaining control of the city Mother Trees' Knot. He looked at the spell in wonder, and easily understood why it was considered an unforgivable spell. The idea of absolute control scared him. Draken looked at their group of controlled wizards. "When spells begin to fire, open disarming curses against anyone who is wearing your uniform. Until then, resume your given duties by your fellow soldiers as if nothing has happened." The fifteen blue robed wizards left the building.
There was a clipping sound and someone snorted behind the leader. "Sir, Auror Tonks says she is about to start her plan."
"Good, we will start our attack on these invaders as well. No one messes with Britain when the Dark Wizard Corps are on duty."
-o-
The thirty spheres shook violently before they began to increase to terminal velocity. The first seven crashed into an enemy wizard and Hermione heard the satisfying sound of bones crunching.
Three spheres floated in front of her and she flicked several repelling and reflecting charms on those spheres to deflect incoming spells. Hermione concentrated and ten of the spheres flew out the door and into the stairs. She concentrated imagining where they were hitting. Each sphere acted like a bludger zoning in on human targets. Cries erupted from the concrete shaft. Several of the wizards facing Hermione had enough time to realize that their men in the rear were being attack before they fell.
-o-
Harry shuddered at the sudden explosion from a building from down the street. The people surrendered screamed in fear when another building fell. Harry ground his teeth. These people were slowly but surely destroying every building in this town. He had known that Daigon was important. But why tear it down?
Susan shook slightly and Harry could tell that Severus was holding his own wife while she slept. A city block fell before many of the wizards who guarded them stirred. Harry saw wand fire down one street where the buildings were. He heard someone down that direction screaming for help. Many of the people around Harry huddled closer together and tried to block out the screams of pain and begging for aid.
Harry stood up and joined a few onlookers trying to see what was going on. Susan tried to follow him but found she couldn't' move. Her body crawled next to Severus. She wore the most vicious glare when she sat next to the older man. "Harry is making me." She gritted out. It did not hold long when people shouted for help again.
Harry saw that there were a few people that were actually resisting. He felt something in the bottom of his stomach before he pushed it aside. The group of men were likely nothing more than crafts men. Harry saw another of the men fall unconscious.
One of the men was dead from what Harry could see. It was likely an accident judging from the screaming several of the Hunters were doing to a couple of bound wizards. Harry pushed his way through the crowds and found himself standing in front of a circle of the blue invaders. Seven men of the twenty seven still stood. Their wands pointed towards the wizard Hunters that surrounded them.
"We won't give up. You will have to kill us first!" Screamed a determined clean shaven man.
"We don't want to kill you." Harry looked to his left and a single man walked into the circle. "We are here simply for the arrest of Harry Potter and Hermione Weasley."
"That's the biggest load I have ever heard. Why so many men? Why force everyone outside? Why destroy our homes!"
The leader looked at the group and sighed. He raised then quickly lowered his hand and fifty wands fired a barrage of spells. Harry tensed. His eyes recognized the pattern of many of those spells and most of them could kill the group of men. Harry closed his eyes and found himself in the middle of the group of rebels.
Harry dropped his disguise and smiled at the merchants surprise. The torrent of spells disappeared leaving only a gust of air. Harry looked around the men who he had just protected. A few were apprehensive but there were a few that were pleased to see him. "Count yourselves lucky." He looked up to the leader of the Hunters. Durma just gave the order to fire at Harry himself. "No more harm will fall onto you or the people of this city."
Another wave of spells fired at Harry only to pass through him and the group of people on the ground. Several Hunters collapsed with various injuries. Harry concentrated his magic and the purple barrier in the sky fell apart. There were a sudden mass of pops and Harry was glad many of the people had the presence of mind to aparate on their own. The slow ones allowed him a moment to concentrate. Then they too were forced aparated to the other side of the mountain range that guarded the west side of Daigon.
The purple barrier went back up again but not before many of the wizards that had been spread out through the wizarding city gathered around their main objective. Harry was almost tempted to give a show of trying to count how many people wanted him captured or worse. He shrugged off the inclination and gave a wicked smile. He turned to the man Durma who was still where Harry had seen him last. "How many Harry's does it take to bring down an army?" A silver tiger slowly appeared at Harry's side. Rain... Integrate.
The silver predator disappeared. Hundreds of wands pointed at the single man and they all flinched in nervousness when Harry Potter spoke. "Step." A silver form of Harry walked away from the real one. The clone turned towards its maker before changing from silver to the solid colors Harry wore. "Step." A second Harry walked out of scared wizard. This one lost its silver shine a moment later. Harry looked back to Durma and chuckled. "Not even one." A silver snake, wolf and eagle stood in front of a different Harry. Not a moment passed before all three grunted out. "Integrate." Two of the Harry's immediately aparated through the wards. The third Harry smiled and raised his arms. "Well now, looks like you guys got stuck with the nasty Harry." The ground shook, and it was the signal for the Hunters to fire their wands. Harry laughed before he disappeared. He was replaced by a sudden wave of water that rose over the tallest buildings wiping out all of the wizards in the city. The water kept flowing in different paths and they receded on the east end of the city. Harry stood there and saw the Hunters slowly floated and deposited on the road leaving the city. Harry grimaced at the city. He had to break a lot of things to take out the Hunters so fast. But shrugged off the damage since it stopped the bad guys from destroying the buildings. The Harry clone sat down and sighed glad it used most of its magic already. It would disappear in a few moments. It stopped and looked to the mountains. In all of the rush Harry had forgotten about that little detail. It was then that the Harry disappeared in a wisp of magic.
-o-
Susan sat still bound to her same position. She glared at the mountain. "I am sooo going to kill him for this."
Severus growled. "Not if I don't get him first." Severus did concede that it was probably a good idea, he was not in good fighting condition. He still felt weak and drained. He looked over to Susan and wondered if she was unfit to fight as Harry had deemed him.
Severus' wife still laid unconscious against her husband blissfully unaware of the war going on in the town not even a mile from them, or the murderous intent radiating from her husband. Severus looked around and sighed. It was just the three of them and he silently wished his wife would wake up and place his wand in his hand so he could remove the paralysis around Susan and himself.
"Damn it, he knows I hate being left out. And Alice is still being hunted."
Severus looked at the woman and knew he would regret his act of kindness. "Alice is not like her father. She is smart enough to know when to run. Besides, from what I heard she can take care of herself."
Susan wanted to give a death glare but gave it up. She struggled against her body and finally gave that up as well. "That's besides the point." Susan grumbled. She glared at the mountains blocking her view of the town. "DAMN IT HARRY!"
-o-
A man wearing a white thin robe looked over the pile of men at his side. He was not disturbed by the fact they had attacked him on sight, but the fact he had to be dragged from his teams lab deep underneath London. I have about eighty wizards here lined up for you Nel. His mind called out to one of his friends. His sewed eyes and mouth looked over towards the villagers who were watching him in awe. The mans' stitched mouth curved slightly. It was not often he visited the surface. Mostly because the laws required to allow him to see the surface forbade him to do anything beyond watching the world from a designated country side. I can hardly wait to remove these stitches. I like seeing.
Its not that bad Ziv. And what's so bad defending the country? Ziv looked towards his left and moved with blinding speed as a group of blue robed wizards were preparing to attack him. He pulled out a knife and cut loose a stitch on his left eye. It was just enough to let him see the people about to attack them. His eyes looked at the group and each fell to their knees. Each felt as if their lives were being judged. The mans' eye turned to an unnatural blue and the contingent of soldiers fell screaming into unconsciousness. Ziv closed his eye and used his wand to mend the stitch.
There is nothing wrong with defending the country Avi. But I like using my eyes with out the threat of killing someone. Ziv walked to the group of men and used his wand to line them up with the others he had with him. He turned to his left and felt several people who had been defending their home stare at him. His lips curved again before he walked down the street to where he felt more of the blue wizards were. His own small army of wizards had been asked by the Minister her self, well, by proxy, to help defend the cities. They all owed her one way or another so it was little surprise that all thirty of them had volunteered to help.
When Ziv was several blocks away, the adults fell to their feet and sighed in relief. "Dad who was that?" The father looked up towards the second story. The teenager son was standing at the window with his wand in hand. The father was tempted to ask if he had been aiming at the stranger the whole time. He decided to just count his blessings that his family was safe.
The mother was sitting beside her husband on the porch. Although she had never heard of someone seeing one before, she trembled out. "I think that was an Unspeakable."
The son looked over at the west side of town he could hear a battle being fought there. His brow lowered and he ran from the window. "Dad I am getting everyone together. Those Unspeakables or what ever might be able to fight a lot of wizards at a time, but there are too many. We have to help." The son ran down stairs and out the door. The father simply stood there unsure of what to do.
-o-
Hermione slowly remembered a lot of Harry's forgotten tips. Use your free hand to help cut down on casting time. She had to take a long time to practice to make her hands open doing two different motions at the same time. But it helped when long incantations and wand waving spells were cut to a third of their casting time. The room shook continuously. A silver sphere made contact with a wall or floor causing the wizards to loose their footing second after second.
The wizards that were in her office where ill prepared to stop a physical assault. The ones who were able to quickly raise a physical barrier spell still did not last long. the spheres shattered through their spells and still hit their target. She was silently thankful the enemy spells were so concerned with her spheres that they did not have the presence of mind to attack her directly. Three spheres could stop a few wizards, but the twenty in the room could still easily still over power her.
The Minister heard a determined scream. She saw one wizard reach out to a sphere that was heading strait for him He wrapped his arms around it and wheezed when the sphere crushed his ribs. "Do it now!" Hermione saw one of the other wizards point at the sphere preparing to disenchant it. She waved a finger towards the man and three spheres hit his legs abdomen and his head in three different angles. The body flailed for a moment in air before it crashed in a spin against the wall. Hermione focused her eyes on the sphere the one wizard was holding and another sphere his the sphere being held. Both bounced off the man's chest and continued their paths of destruction.
Hermione tried not to chuckle at the looks of the others. No doubt she would feel noxious about how many people she likely killed later, but she knew Harry's constant ranting about fighting was keeping her alive for now.
-o-
The group looked out of the second story window in silence. The wizards that had encircled their city immediately began take apart their stores and businesses while holding everyone in their homes. There were a few fights but they were quickly silenced. For many of the towns folk, there were just to many soldiers. "We are all here Owen."
Owen looked at his friends and grinned. "Think they have any idea what town they are picking on?"
Angela stood behind the blonde and playfully hit him on the shoulder. "They have no idea." Twenty-one voices shouted integrate before disappearing from the small house.
Owen was thrown courtesy of Angela, towards the southern end of town. He pointed his wand at the three blue robed wizards and they fell unconscious. Darin, a former classmate he never really knew pointed to the block down form them. A few business men were surrounded and held captive while their stores were being searched.
"Hey Darin, let me try something. Harry said that he did this once." Darin looked at him but nodded before stepping back and crouching on the edge of the roof to have a clear view. Owen jumped across several roofs until he was directly over the main group of wizards. He suppressed the urge to spit on them and raised his wand and concentrated his magic. He immediately felt the intention of his magic weaving and he smiled when he had all seven conditions placed on himself. He expanded his magical senses and realized that there were many wizards in each of the buildings. Owen exhaled, "Terror."
The air suddenly thickened and several of the blue robed men clutched their throats. Seven more fell to their knees and Owen smiled when a few from inside the buildings instantly passed out. His brow furrowed a second before he heard the first of what suddenly became a chorus of screams. Five seconds later, the city blocks around the blonde fell silent.
Darin ran up to the young man. "What the bloody hell was that?"
"I made them afraid." Owen was satisfied when the merchants were safe and did not feel the effects of the conditioned spell. "Lets keep moving, someone had to have heard that." Darin led the way as they heard shouts of alarm across the city.
Down below on the street, the fifteen wizards and witches looked at each other unsure what to do. They had noticed the boy as he left. "Lets fight too, I don't want stand around feeling like I can't protect my own home." The wizards drew his wand and started walking down the street. Several other witches and wizards saw him left and only took a few seconds to come to a decision and follow.
-o-
The small group of Hunters ran from to the screams expecting to see someone in their group had breached protocol and started to harass the towns folk. The group stopped and stared at the men who were laying face down unconscious. They immediately pulled out their wands and started forming a perimeter to investigate what happened.
A pair of cold hands began to reach out and rub one Hunters' back and there was a sudden purr from behind him. The man turned his head only to see a pair of clear eyes. "Hello handsome." The man screamed when the ghost kissed him.
The Bloody Baron looked at the girl with a half raised eyebrow. "Myrtle stop playing with them. There are a lot of wizards here harming the people."
Mrytle gave a slight moan. "But Mr. Baron, it is not often I get to see so many real men." Moaning Myrtle's voice turned dangerously savage. "It almost makes me wish to possess one to have some fun!"
Another ghost passed by them while continuing to force the wizards occupying Hogsmeade to retreat to the far side of the city well away from the Castle of Hogwarts.
"But your Hogwarts ghosts!" Shouted one man as he collapsed. Sir Nicholas removed his hand from the man's head when the man fell.
The nearly headless knight looked at the man and started walking forward with the other Hogwarts ghosts. "You didn't think we would just sit in our castle while you terrorize our neighbors Jonathan." The knight shook his head in disappointment. He recognized quite a few wizards and witches here. Most had graduated from Hogwarts and many of those had been in his house.
-o-
Tonks walked around the group of wizards dressed as a random soldier. She stopped right where she was supposed to be and looked directly at the top of a shadowed town house. She smiled at the small flash of light there and then screamed. "Harry Potter!" Tonks started running into mass of blue robed wizards. She fired three spells and tripped. She rolled on the ground and stood up as another random soldier. "There!" She pointed again. With out even looking several wizards fired spells in Tonks pointed direction. Tonks ran to the side as others began to get organized. She changed again. "Those guys are helping Potter! Arrest them!" almost a hundred spells flew towards the dozen wizards. Tonks looked into the corner of her eye and smiled. The spells reflected off the small group of wizards. "One of them is Harry Potter!" Tonks screamed again as another man. Hundreds of spells fired again surrounding the small group. The group disappeared and reappeared on a roof where several Aurors laid them unconscious. The hundreds of wizards were convening on the point began to fall as the spells that were meant for their target began to crumple the massive army.
Tonks used every bit of training not to laugh as she ran from several survivors. She whispered. "Imperio. Fight the other blue robed men." She continued to run in a wide circle casting the spell again and again. Slowly the numbers that reached over a thousand wizards fell to a few hundred. When ever a someone attacked an imperio'ed wizard the spells would some how disappear or be deflected. the thirty controlled wizards slowly fell the army and when there were just them left they each took a turn knocking them selves out.
Tonks finally made it to the window she saw and stood their laughing at the thought of not firing a single offensive spell. She grinned at her companion when the last of the wizards fell. The girl sighed. "Nice job there kiddo. Didn't think having one of those makes such a difference in fighting. Those guys would never had lasted as long if you had not been here to absorb and repel the spells fired at them."
Alice smiled from her chair. She was still panting and the sweat on her brow rolled off her face. "It would have been a little easier if I could have concentrated aunty." Alice childishly stuck her tongue out at the Auror.
Tonks laughed and waved for the other Aurors. she leaned out the window. "Get everyone lined up and placed in stasis fields. Gather their wands and then destroy them."
"Its too bad we were in a town, i could have easily disenchanted the wands."
Tonks shook her head and sat down on the chair next to the young ladies, "Naw, then we would have a thousand people charging us. A barrier spell only lasts so long Alice." Alice nodded. Tonks looked at the window again. "Besides, you don't need a wand to apparate. They could have escaped if you disenchanted the area. Their barriers would have collapsed letting them an easy out." Alice looked up surprised she had not thought of that.
Alice nodded and stood up. "Let's go down and help. I know Rin can get most of the work down faster than we could." Tonks stood up not bothering to tell the girl she needed to rest.
-o-
Seven minutes passed before the last wizard fell. Hermione looked at her spheres and sighed. Twelve of them were destroyed and the three she had protecting herself no longer looked like spheres. Hermione let the spheres fall to the ground and each one landed with a ground shaking thud.
After catching her breath she noticed three of the men were still conscious. She walked over to him and knelt down. "Is this what you wanted?" She gestured to ante chamber to her office. It no longer resembled a room as the walls were scorched with spells and dents from her silver spheres.
One man gurgled out and she saw that he had a large bruise on his neck and likely reached down to his broken collar bone. "Why is revenge so important?" Hermione stayed silent and the few conscious men didn't give her an answer. "Was it jealousy of what I made my country? Or greed that wanted my power?" Hermione swallowed in frustration at their pained looks. "Or were you really afraid that I some how change your home?" None of it was from what she was saying. They only thought of themselves. "You bastards think I am so high and mighty, I never said I was great. I am doing my job the best I can do. And i know it will never be enough, because I know that this world is far from being perfect." A tear managed to pass by Hermione's closed eyes. She opened them again and punched the man she crouched over. The woman stood and started walking away from the group that she was disgusted with. She stopped when she saw another man looking at her. He glared at her.
"I am not the only one fighting. Britain is strong. Stronger than you realize. We won't keel over at someone else's order. Every generation there are heroes. Right now, our heroes are being tested, and right now they are all answering. I know good people who don't see that." Hermione's voice broke while she regained her self control. Her quivering breath stared again. "But..." Hermione walked over the man. "I know that today Britain will make him believe. " Hermione walked towards her office intent on releasing her Aurors.
-o-
Harry arrived in one city and was surprised to see that it was not occupied. He turned his head and corrected his mistake. "Tonks, why do you look like that?"
The soldier was waving back and forth screaming his name. The man blushed slightly before changing back to the familiar heart shaped face of his long time friend. "Your late! I took apart the army already. Well they did it to them selves really." Harry looked at her blankly. "What?"
"Nothing Tonks, what about the other cities?"
"We are about to check ourselves." Harry nodded and aparated immediately.
Harry and his clone aparated into another city and saw that a huge battle was waged down several blocks. He followed the road until he started seeing bodies being collected. His face turned grim when he saw that villagers and Hunters lined side by side. They were all dead. Harry moved faster and saw where villagers had rebelled against the Wizard Hunters. Harry looked at the group of captured men women and children. Many of them were cornered in alleys and held there by the Hunters. He counted only ninety wizards and wondered how many started the invasion. Harry defeated the remaining force of Hunters as they were calling for help. He left his clone behind to help heal the city make shift militia. He didn't know what to say to the surviving villagers. But they all looked at him with a respect he had never felt before. He ignored the feeling and aparated to Godric's Hallow but not before he recognized a few of them. In an instant he realized who they were. Blood Knights. Harry felt his magic course through him in the instant he aparated. He remembered Cyan saying they would come to him when asked. He mentally shook his head. This was already over. When this last army was done, he knew there was only one other thing left to do.
Godric's Hallow was the largest wizarding city in Britain and anywhere else in the world. Only Frisland had a higher concentration of wizards living in one area and that was spread across four of their major cities.
Harry appeared in the center of town and was immediately fired upon. The spells wisped into nonexistence. He looked around and couldn't help but be impressed. He didn't know there were this many wizards in a policing force, much less the make shift army that stood before him. "Harry Potter." Harry turned his head and almost laughed out loud at the man who was watching him. The silver blonde was sitting on the head of Godric Griffindor.
"You don't look too happy to see me Draco." Several of Draco's men turned to their leader and looked at him suspiciously.
"Well, I never was looking forward to our reunion. Would you be so kind as to surrender?"
Harry shook his head and felt all four of his summons disengage from his integration. "You know I can't do that yet. I need to make a point first."
Draco laughed easily and thumped the head of Griffindor with his fist. "At least don't get too tired we still need to catch up after this fight." Harry gave a very Draco like smirk and raised his hands. His body already began to hum with magic.
- - - Chapter 9 And your point? - - -
A/N Geez this took me forever. Sorry about the total lack of any kind of writing. My lap top decided it was going to rebel. Hard drive is dead and the motherboard is fried. Go dell -.- This means that I have no idea when and what the next chapter will be posted although I am sad I can't get it up before the end of march. It marks that this story has been a work in progress for a year. Scary for me. I was just lucky I was able to recover most of this chapter before it died out one last time. I had to Frankenstein the power receiver to get the computer running. That's when the hard disk started getting fatal errors. grr. oh and if you see lots of un-capitalized letters, that is my word processors' fault. Using microsoft works. (yeah it does, but only when it wants to).
See you all next time. Chapter 10 should mark the end of this story and the beginning of year 6 of this time line. Happy day.