Chapter 23. Conspiracies and Corruption

The group appeared on a back alley, around the corner from the main entrance of the Ministry of Magic. They had just stepped into the Atrium when, unexpectedly, they were surrounded by at least a dozen aurors, all of them armed, it took all of the teen's self-restraint not to draw their own wands, or simply begin attacking without them; after training for so long, fighting back was a deeply ingrained instinct, one they found extremely hard to suppress.

"What is the meaning of this?" Eriol demanded.

Despite the fact that he was, really, just eighteen years old, he was also the head of an Ancient and Noble House, the Hiiragizawa house, which descended from the father of Clow, just like the Li's descended from the mother, even when the Wizarding World as a whole ignored that Eriol was, in fact, Clow Reed's reincarnation, they knew he was part of that Clan and, technically, his descendant.

"Lord Hiiragizawa." Kingsley Shacklebolt, the leader of the contingent of Aurors spoke. "You, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley and the Asian contingent have been asked to the DMLE to present testimony concerning the battle that presumably took place at Hogwarts the 2nd of July of last year."

"Presumably?" Harry's eyes narrowed at the insinuation, his aura flaring at his indignity.

"You're insinuating we're liars?" Shaoran grumbled, while he had more control over his own aura and power, his education made it so he took greater offense at the man's words than even Harry did, which wasn't good.

"I'm not insinuating anything." Kingsley tried to defend himself. "I'm just telling you things as they were told to us."

"Do you really need a dozen armed aurors to guide a group of unarmed witches and wizards, most of whom are still students, to a questioning?" Tomoyo asked, knowing there was something else going on.

"No." Kingsley admitted.

Before he could find a tactful way of explaining the other part of his orders, someone else went and complicated matters.

"We're here to place Draco Lucius Malfoy under arrest." Another auror, Dawlish stated with satisfaction as he pointed his wand straight at the named blonde.

The reaction was instantaneous, as Naoko pulled Long and spun, drawing her wand from the holster on her wrist at the same time she went to stand between him and the pompous auror.

"Incarcerous!" Dawlish called the moment the girl began moving.

"Reflectus!" Naoko called the first spell on the top of her mind.

Things just snowballed from there, as the ropes meant for Long, or even Naoko, instead tied up Dawlish; the rest of the aurors reacted to what they saw as an attack and immediately began firing their own spells.

"Shield!" Sakura called, holding her wand up, while in her free hand she clasped her key.

A pinkish-hued shield immediately enveloped all teens, even as they drew their own wands, just in case; though they knew there was no way any spell short of an unforgivable would be able to get through Sakura's shield, and even that last part was questionable.

None of the wizards and witches around them seemed to notice that the shield that the auburn-haired girl had conjured wasn't the standard shield resulted from a protego spell; however, a few of them almost immediately noticed just how strong it actually was.

Kingsley could only watch as the situation descended into chaos, as Dawlish laid still on the floor, bound, and ten other aurors fired spell after spell against a shield, which didn't even ripple under the constant onslaught. He'd no idea how the young woman was doing it, but her shield was stronger than any he'd ever seen before.

The Head Auror could also see the fighting stances all the teenagers had taken; the moment the shield fell, or more likely the moment it was let down, retribution would come, and despite the fact that it was technically just nine teenaged wizards and witches against almost a dozen of the best aurors, something told Kingsley that if it came to a full-on fight the teenagers would win hands down.

"Cease fire!" Kingsley ordered, with as much authority as he could muster. "I said cease fire! Stop this insanity!"

It took a few more seconds, but eventually the aurors stopped, half of them just couldn't go on, they had kept the barrage of spells going for three minutes with no result and it was just too much at once. Some others were furious, as they realized that no matter what they did it was useless, they just couldn't accept that teenagers who hadn't even graduated yet from school could possibly be stronger than them.

"Now, lets handle this like civilized people, no fights." Kingsley declared stoically.

"They attacked Dawlish!" One of the aurors stated.

"Actually, the young miss just returned the attack he fired in the first place." Kingsley pointed out. "Which makes it Dawlish's fault, I never ordered an attack."

"We were ordered to arrest the stupid blood-traitor!" Dawlish hissed, while still bound and on the floor.

"And you thought it was a good idea to throw an attack against an unarmed barely legal-aged wizard?" The leader asked in a disbelieving tone. "You should know your actions go against the law. This will be cause of an official reprimand, and if Mr. Malfoy wishes, he's in his right to preset charges against you."

"The little blood-traitor can do nothing!" Dawlish snarled, furious. "He's nothing!"

"Dawlish, you're suspended and will be detained, I will present your case to Rufus Scrimgeour myself." Kingsley stated, he turned to the other aurors. "One of you take his badge, wand and take him to a holding cell."

"But sir…" The same auror who had defended Dawlish before couldn't believe what was happening. "Dawlish is right…"

"It's an order Auror Fraisier!" Kingsley snapped. "And if you refuse to follow you will be detained and investigated as well!"

That closed the matter, for the time being at least.

"Miss Kinomoto, you may let your shield down." Kingsley stated turning to the girl, still holding her wand up.

"I don't think so, Shacklebolt-san." Sakura replied, proving she knew who the man was. "What guarantee do I have me and my friends will be safe if I do? I may not have time to raise another shield next time we're attacked from behind. No, I'm not letting my shield down until we get someone here, someone we actually trust and who can guarantee there won't be a repeat of this attack."

It was a good thing Fraisier and another Auror had already taken Dawlish away, because no one really wanted to think what he would have said to the young woman's defiance.

The teens knew Sakura would have no problem creating another shield at a moment's notice, and all of them could defend themselves or fight back at their convenience, however, they were trying not to give too much away.

They had also noticed the way Dawlish had referred to Long, whom he still called Draco, calling him a blood-traitor, which immediately raised red-flags in all of their minds. Ron was actually rubbing his temple at the headache the almost chaotic mental-argument that had been going on since Naoko had moved to defend Long had caused. When he'd been offered to become part of the psychic circle Ron had been thrilled at the prospect, he really hated being left-out; but in that moment, having to actually deal with over half a dozen other voices echoing around inside his head, sometimes at the same time…it wasn't that good.

*Naoko, you really didn't have to do that.* Long said, as he laid a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, his other one held his wand.

*It was no problem.* Naoko assured him. *And don't worry about me, I was never in any danger. Sakura-chan could have had the shield in place the second that so-called auror just took aim, but this way she didn't show off more than necessary, and I got a good hit in, even if technically it was his own…* she giggled.

*You sure you're alright, even with so many spells coming at the same time, koi?* Shaoran asked his wife softly.

*Perfect.* Sakura answered, no sign of strain at all. *Despite the fact that they are lots of attacks, none of them is particularly powerful, nor are the casters, so it's really not that hard to keep the shield up.*

Comments kept going, until Ron was the first to notice the term the auror who had begun the attack was using to refer to Long, and the second time he said it. Maybe it was because he'd heard that term many times, directed to his own family, or maybe because he was the only one not focusing on a particular conversation, in any case he was the first to notice it, and brought everyone else's attention to the fact.

*Hey guys.* He called, still not quite used to that method of communication. *That auror, Dawlish I think is his name, just referred to Long as a blood-traitor, for the second time.*

*Blood-traitor?* Tomoyo asked, confused by the term.

*Is that like family traitor?* Naoko inquired.

*Somewhat, possibly.* Harry answered.

*It's actually used for more than that.* Hermione pointed out. *Just like the terms pureblood, half-blood or muggleborn, or the one so many purebloods like to use so much against others: mudblood…* she snorted. *In that case a blood-traitor would be someone who acts against those of his own status; most likely a pureblood saying or doing something that goes against pureblood beliefs.*

*That term has been used frequently against us Weasleys.* Ron added. *Because our family sided with the light, against Voldemort, his Death Eaters and the blood-supremacists.*

*And they're calling Long that?* Tomoyo had a hard time wrapping her head around the concept, it was all so archaic…and ridiculous as far as she was concerned.

*I have a feeling my f…Lucius Malfoy is somehow involved in this.* Long murmured with a sudden foreboding feeling.

*If you're right, he just might have something to do with the 'request' that was made for our presence at DMLE Headquarters.* Eriol said with a sigh.

*Just what the hell happened while we were in China?* Shaoran almost growled inside their psychic connection. *We were away just for a little over three weeks, things couldn't have gone so badly that the Ministry would trust the word of a DE like Lucius Malfoy…not after everything that happened, right?*

.-.

As it turned out, things could go that badly…and worse.

The group arrived to the office of the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Rufus Scrimgeour, surrounded by the remaining aurors, though they had all strongly refused to surrender their wands, and after the episode in the atrium, Kingsley had decided it was better not to try and force them.

The moment the teens stepped into the office and saw just who was inside they all had their wands up and were on a defensive formation again, with Long being unwillingly pushed into the center of said formation. And it was that the people in that room were: Rufus Scrimgeour, Cornelius Fudge, Dolores Umbridge and Lucius Malfoy.

"Guys, I can defend myself just fine!" Long complained as he found himself surrounded by his friends in different defensive poses.

"You have friends who want to help you Long, so now just shut up and deal with it." Harry half-snapped at him without turning his attention away from those in the room.

He could almost feel the phantom pain in his hand where the words 'I must not tell lies' had been carved into his skin, until his Asiatic friends had combined some of their talents to completely heal the back of his hand, finally erasing those awful words, even if not the memory of them once being there.

If any of those in the office so much as moved wrong, another fight would ensue, Kingsley and Scrimgeour both realized that immediately.

"Why is that blood-traitor not in a cell yet?" Umbridge demanded as she made a move to approach the group of teens.

"Halt!" Shaoran ordered with all his authority.

Umbridge was so shocked at the tone the Chinese young-man was using against her, no one had ever dared talk to her in that tone, that she actually stopped.

"If you so much as try to touch any of us, we will bring you down." Shaoran told her in a no-nonsense tone, the tip of his wand actually lighting up with the power in his aura.

"And who the hell do you think you are?" Umbridge demanded, very offended. "Nothing more than a no-name brat that…"

"My name is Xiao-Lang Li, son of Xiao-Len Li, Head of the Li Clan and Leader of the Eastern Magical Council." Shaoran interrupted her in his coldest and strongest voice. "Who do you think you are lady to take that tone with me?"

Umbridge actually was left speechless for a few seconds, as she searched for a way to take back control of the situation, she had no idea what to do. The toad-like woman was so used to people squirming around her, moaning, whimpering, wanting but being unable to refuse the orders she gave, and then this young man came and he obviously wasn't afraid in the slightest, he didn't know her name, or who she was, neither did he seem to care; and Umbridge really didn't know what to make of his name or the titles he'd claimed for himself.

Others, for good or bad, did.

"Lord Li, you must know that regardless of the power your titles may hold in Asia, this is Europe." Fudge said in a self-sufficient tone. "Now, we're not trying to make this an international incident. The order has been given for Draco Lucius Malfoy to be arrested."

"On what charges?" Eriol asked, with an eyebrow raised.

"Blood betrayal." Fudge said seriously. "He has betrayed the Honored and Old House of Malfoy, his place as a member of an outstanding Pureblood Family, as well as his own father, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy…"

"Why, because he refused to do as his father and followed a psycho like Voldemort?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"Don't talk about matters you don't understand Potter!" Malfoy stated coldly.

"Oh, I understand way more than you do." Harry retorted. "At least I'm brave enough to stand up to the bloody psychopath rather than get on my knees and kiss his robes. And for your information Malfoy, I am Lord Harry James Potter, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, so that's Lord Potter to you!"

Malfoy actually looked like he'd just bitten into a lemon, particularly because he knew that under the rules he himself was trying to enforce, he would have to address Potter the very way he'd just demanded.

"Just arrest my traitor of a son!" Lucius demanded of the aurors.

However, after what had happened in the atrium, none of the aurors were too willing to take another go at the teens.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Mr. Malfoy." Shaoran pointed out. "You see, Draco Lucius Malfoy no longer exists, he's now Long Kido, adoptive son of the Kido Clan of Shanghai and, as a part of the Eastern Council, under the protection of the Li Clan. So you cannot touch him, you cannot touch anyone in our party, in fact."

"He's my traitorous son and I will do as I bloody please with him!" Lucius said strongly as he tried to point his stick, where some knew his wand to be hidden, at his son.

"You will not threaten us Mr. Malfoy." Sakura declared strongly as she pointed her own wand straight at the blonde's face. "Any attempt of you against any of us will be met with force."

"Shut up stupid mudblood, your kind have no place in our society." Lucius snarled.

"Don't you dare use that word on my wife!" Shaoran roared, with enough power that the room actually vibrated around them.

"Lord Li?" Kingsley was shocked beyond anything he might have been before at the display of power coming from the young man.

"She is Sakura 'Ying Fa' Kinomoto Li, my wife, and as such Head of the Li Clan and the Eastern Magical Council." He turned to face Lucius again. "She's so far above you Malfoy, you aren't worthy of even looking at her, far less using your idiotic insults against her!"

"You Asians have no power here!" Lucius snarled.

Scrimgeour could only watch the proceedings in silence, he knew he had to find a way to stop everything before the Ministry collapsed around them, the young Lord Li was just so powerful it totally baffled him; and yet he had no idea how to diffuse the situation. It had been bad enough when Fudge had arrived to his office with his Undersecretary and Malfoy demanding that the young heir of the second man be arrested under the Old Laws; he hadn't liked it, but it's not like he could change those laws. And yet, things in that moment had gotten so out of hand…just who was Xiao Lang Li to be that powerful?

"Actually Mr. Malfoy, you're mistaken." Eriol pointed out.

He too knew that they needed to diffuse the situation, before Shaoran made things worse. It wasn't time to reveal the truth about all of them, about their heritage, their true power…the time would come, but just not yet.

"What?" Everyone turned to look at Eriol instantly.

"The Li Family are connected to Clow Reed, just like us Hiiragizawas are." Eriol explained with false calm. "Also, because of their status as Leaders of the Eastern Magical Council, they have international diplomatic benefits, similar to those of any Head of a Noble and Most Ancient House here in Britain." He fought to keep his smirk back. "So, as you can see, Sh…Xiao Lang, most definitely has the authority to command respect from everyone in this room, and to keep Long Kido under his protection."

Fudge was gaping, he'd never expected something like that. How was he supposed to give Lucius what he wanted for his latest 'donation' when he didn't really have the power to take his traitor of a son away from the foreign lord? When the Asians were accepted into the country no one told him they would hold that kind of power?

"Excuse me Lord Li." Scrimgeour decided it was time to settle matters. "I have noticed you keep calling the young man Long Kido, instead of Draco Malfoy, may I ask why that is?"

"You may sir." Shaoran nodded, turning to the man as he calmed down just slightly. "The truth is, Draco Lucius Malfoy no longer exists. He has forsaken his old family and traditions; he has also been taken by an Eastern Magical Clan, the Kido Clan, in a Magical Adoption, during which he became Long Kido." He pondered slightly before adding. "As a matter of fact Harry-san and Hermione-san too have been adopted by Eastern Clans, the Shin and Sheng Clans respectively; though in their particular cases they belong to both their original families and the new ones at the same time; unlike Long-san, who decided to disown his old 'family', so to speak."

Scrimgeour nodded slowly, while trying his best to process everything he'd just been told. He'd heard about Magical Adoptions, though there hadn't been one in Britain in at least a century; he also had never heard about a subject of said adoption still belonging to his original clan after the fact, but with Harry Potter claiming Lordship of the Potter Family, after having been made part of the Shin Clan, it was obvious it was quite possible.

"So, as you can see." Sakura continued where Shaoran had left off. "You cannot arrest Draco Malfoy, because he no longer exists."

It looked like Malfoy was going to say something else against the young woman when Amelia decided to step in before things went south again.

"Miss Kino…I mean, Lady Li?" Scrimgeour corrected himself. "I wasn't aware a marriage had taken place. Usually Headmaster Dumbledore notifies us when his students get married before graduating, so the Ministry will register their change in status."

"It's something recent." Sakura admitted. "We just got married a few weeks ago, while we were in China. Just got back today, as a matter of fact. Akizuki-san, Eriol-san's g…assistant, informed us that our presence was required at the Ministry, so we came right away."

"Well, then I thank you from your quick response Lady Li, and congratulations on your nuptials, you as well, Lord Li." Scrimgeour turned to both in turn.

Shaoran nodded stoically, recognizing what the man was trying to do, he still wasn't about to drop his guard.

"Very well," Scrimgeour went back to business. "Since Draco Lucius Malfoy no longer exists, then the order for his arrest is hereby canceled."

"Head Scrimgeour, I demand…" Lucius began.

"You cannot charge Long Kido under the Old Laws, since he's not a member of the Malfoy Family, nor related in any way to you." Scrimgeour pointed out coldly. "Also, since he's under the protection of a foreign Lord, your insistence on this matter could very well cause an international incident. I'm sorry but you'll just have to let this matter drop Mr. Malfoy."

Lucius Malfoy was livid, beyond furious, but there really was nothing he could do about that. He would have to find another way to get vengeance upon that traitorous son…former son of his, and he would, with the help of his Lord he would have his revenge…

"Very well, with that matter settled." Scrimgeour declared, turning back to the teens. "I imagine you've all been informed that the reason we requested the presence of you all was to inquire about the events that took place at Hogwarts on the 2nd of July of last year…"

All the teens sighed, they might have won one over Malfoy, but their day wasn't going to get any better…it just might get worse…

.-.

Things hadn't gone good after that, not at all, but then, the teens had expected that much; what they hadn't expected was just how bad things could get.

Eriol's loud and highly-unusual cursing echoed all around the main sitting room of the manor as the group of teens materialized in it after their rather eventful visit to the Ministry of Magic. Nakuru and Spinel rushed to meet them the moment they sensed their arrival, only to freeze in shock shortly after entering the room at the language being used by their master.

Behind the two guardians entered Sonomi, Severus and the Grangers, who had been invited to dinner and had been wondering how things had gone, by that point they knew things hadn't gone well, not at all.

"That bad?" Sonomi was the first to dare ask anything.

"Worse than anything we could have imagined." Tomoyo admitted with a sigh as she burrowed her face in her hands.

"First they attempted to arrest Long-kun on some phony charges." Naoko began enlisting. "When they met resistance they began firing curses at us and only Sakura-chan's decision to create an unbreakable shield stopped the situation from turning into a full-out battle."

"Long's situation was averted easily enough." Harry continued. "You cannot technically arrest someone who doesn't exist. Their order was for the arrest of Draco Malfoy, and, technically, he no longer exists. So there was nothing they could do on that front."

"But then came their questioning related to the battle of last summer at Hogwarts…" Sakura added grimly as she held her key tightly.

"What happened?" Severus asked, really not liking where it all seemed to be going.

"Nothing." Shaoran answered simply.

"Nothing?" None of the adults were expecting that.

"Exactly, nothing, at least as far as the Ministry is concerned." Eriol muttered coldly. "That bastard Lucius Malfoy managed to somehow spin things in a way that Fudge doesn't think a battle ever happened. After all, when he and all his aurors arrived, all they found was our group celebrating, no battle whatsoever…"

"What about all the DEs that were arrested that day, there in Hogwarts?" Severus insisted.

"They were there to attack, of course, but there's no way to prove the attack ever actually happened in the first place. Hogwarts wards might have been enough to stop them." Tomoyo declared with a sigh. "After all, there's just no way a group of students could have been enough against that many of them. All the creatures Voldemort sent that day were totally annihilated, and the body of the so-called Dark Lord was destroyed as well, so there is no proof of anything!"

"What about using a pensieve?" Sonomi suggested.

"No way." Harry shook his head immediately. "Memories of minors won't be accepted, even those of us off-age now, since we weren't back then, it won't be allowed. And even if they were, our memories are dangerous as well. If we try to hold back the scenes that show us as sorcerers the authorities will realize we are, in fact, hiding something; if we show them they most likely won't believe any of it, and if they do it will only cause a disaster since it's quite obvious that those in power will see us as a threat."

"Damned if we do, damned if we don't." Long half-quoted darkly. "We really have no way to win this one…"

"We do." Hermione's interrupted and her voice, her steel-hard, cold and confident voice, interrupted the pity party going on.

"What do you have in mind?" Eriol was curious about her demeanor.

She'd remained quiet since their return, and suddenly to see her so confident…

"We're going to put our plan in practice." Hermione stated in a tone that broke no argument. "The plan we had thought would only complicate things at this point…" she shook her head. "Well, things cannot be more complicated than they are right now, and if we don't take control of the situation soon, it'll be too late. If Lucius Malfoy and those like him are allowed to hold onto power much longer they will then push out those who are just and honorable, like Scrimgeour. If that happens we might as well hand our country to Voldemort right now."

The grim expressions from everyone around told their own story. Hermione was being cold, but no one had the slightest doubt she was also right. Measures, drastic measures needed to be taken least they wanted Voldemort to take over.

"So…we'll prevent the Death Eater's takeover of our society by taking it over ourselves?" Harry asked with his brow furrowed.

"Exactly." Hermione knew how insane it sounded, but they really had little choices there.

"Just making sure." Harry nodded.

The adults didn't say a word. While Severus and Sonomi couldn't help but think the teens must be insane to even consider that road, they also knew the situation was serious, and hard decisions needed to be made; the Grangers on the other hand didn't really understand what was going on, other than the teens seemed to be planning something very insane and dangerous…something they were beginning to grow used to when it came to their daughter and her friends.

"And how exactly are we doing to achieve this?" Long asked.

He was all for their plan, but he really had no idea how they were supposed to do it.

At that, Harry and Hermione, followed then by everyone else, turned to look straight at Ron. It took a couple of seconds but the redhead soon realized they were expecting his input; and while that truly surprised him, it had been some time since anyone had turned to him expecting anything at all, he knew it was important and considered the options carefully, soon realizing that regardless of what path they may choose to walk to achieve their goals, there was one thing they needed to do first if they had any hope to make things work.

"Well, if we want to do this, we cannot do it alone." He declared.

He was so serious in that moment, only his two best friends could remember seeing him like that before, the first time they had been together in an adventure, when he'd decided to sacrifice himself in a giant game of chess to give the other two a chance to reach their goal: protecting the Philosopher's Stone from Voldemort…this time things might not be as dangerous, yet, but they certainly were as important, maybe even more so.

"So, what's the plan Commander Weasley?" Long asked, half-smirking.

Ron actually chuckled, as did everyone else in the room.

"To begin." Ron stated, still serious. "We are calling for backup. We're calling all the members of the DA, whether students or graduated, to a meeting, tonight."


The new subplot has been presented! (You have no idea what this plan is going to mean, and cause, really). And Ron will be having a pretty important role in what's to come. To be absolutely honest I usually consider Ron either an immature brat, a jealous prick or simply a non-entity, this is one of the few times I've actually taken the time to build up his character into someone important, believe me, Long's quip is just the beginning.

Hope you liked this chapter.

A thousand thanks to everyone who's come back, especially those who've reviewed. You make me extremely happy, and make all my efforts in bringing this story back from the grave (almost literaly) and finishing it worth it. I hope you'll enjoy all that's to come.

In the next chapter: revelations from the past come, it's time for the secrets that surround Naoko's past and origins to begin to untangle.