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The next morning, as per the plan Polyjuice potion had been procured and Voldemort had be disguised into an unspeakable. Lucius was ready to head to ministry with his master and ensure they got in. They wouldn't be taking the horrible toilets or the payphone of course, they would floo in. Voldemort arrived a little after Lucius. Rookwood had also taken Polyjuice to look like Mrs. Mac Dougal so that he could be the rear guard.
Once inside the department they went straight to the hall of Prophecies but when they got to the one that read Harry Potter & Voldemort, the orb was missing. Their one hour was nearly up as Voldemort let out a howl of rage and destroyed the whole rack of prophecies that was stored there. The blast alerted the authorities who came to find Voldemort and Rookwood. The poor young Aurors were no match against him as he turned to smoke and sucked the life out of all of them. Voldemort flew to the main atrium. There was no more time for hiding, he was going to take ministry today.
As he arrived shattering every single piece of glass he realised that all the falling glass was being turned to sand. There right by the Fountain of Magical Brethren was Dumbledore. The two wizards battled as the people around ran for their lives. Fudge came running out of his office and was horrified to see that all his denial was for naught. Jets of Black, green and red flew, Dark and light magic swirled around them as they tried to kill and capture each other. Other Death eaters appeared as did other members of the order. The Ministry's Aurors also joined the battle. There was absolute mayhem in the atrium. Dumbledore managed to nick Voldemort and get a drop of his blood, Voldemort looked at him with his eyes wide. Suddenly, all the death eaters and the dark lord vanished.
"He's back!" Fudge said Horrified "he's really back…." He said slowly as he sat down and saw his career crash in front of him.
That day the daily prophet released a special afternoon edition. The first page showed Voldemort and Dumbledore battling each other, the second page showed head Auror Rufus Scrimgeour being made minister of magic. The back fold had a large picture of Harry from the Goblet of Fire tournament with the headline - The Saviour Of The Wizarding World.
—
As Hermione read the special edition over lunch, she was furious "Look at this… How did they find out that Harry took the Prophecy away? Who told them?! I know Tonks wouldn't have told anyone, that means it was Dumbledore… He's the only one the press spoke to! He knew… He knew all this time and he did nothing!" Hermione said hissing angrily
While Ron was trying to calm her down, Harry was sick of receiving apologies and apologetic looks from a lot of his house mates and former members of the DA. "You think I should tell Isoble about what I saw?" Harry asked them in a whisper
Hermione looked over to the Ravenclaw table, Isobel had been one of the few who had believed Harry at the beginning of the year. She hadn't gotten the news yet, Hermione wondered if McGonagall was still looking to confirm her parents death since the Deputy Headmistress had been missing all morning. "I don't know…" She said softly
—
The News of Voldemort's return had put a somber air over the castle. Many students were talking about how they might not return next year because of it. Blaise knew that he could transfer to Durmstrang or even get a tutor but he knew Draco would have to return, he had a choice to make. The Slytherin in him wanted to run away to a Chateau in Italy, but he always believed that he was more than just a boy sorted into a house. As he was wandering the halls contemplating his next move, he bumped into the very enigmatic Luna Lovegood once again
"Oof! Sorry…" He said steadying her "We need to stop meeting like this…" He said giving her a charming smile
"I quite enjoy bumping into you Blaise…" Luna said smiling at him "So are you trying to get rid of the wackspurts again?" She asked
"Something like that…" He said "What about you?"
"Oh I was just taking the flyers off the notice board. People returned my things, some even came with an apology note. It was nice of them. Especially since the feast is tonight." She said showing him the flyers with drawings of things she owned
"You're quite the artist…" Blaise said examining a particularly nice sketch of a pair of trainers
"Thank you" Luna said "and you are nice person. Your heart is in the right place.I'm sure whatever the Whackspurts are trying to confuse you with won't work…" Luna said
"Even though I'm an evil Slytherin?" Blaise asked mockingly
"You are so much more than your house Blaise…" Luna said, she then hoisted herself on her tippy toes and gave him kiss on the cheek "There… now you should be able to see it too…" She smiled and skipped away
Blaise just stood there watching her. A light breeze wafted towards him carrying her scent, radishes mixed with moss and rain. She was like the great English outdoors on a rainy day. He hated rainy days and he hated the outdoors but for some reason he couldn't help but breath her in. In that moment knew he, he knew he was coming back the next year. Not just for Draco but also to get to know Luna Lovegood a little more.
—
Later that night at the feast as Dumbledore took his place, he was greeted with a thunderous applause. McGonagall and Snape seemed to be the only two teachers who held a serious expression on their face. Harry was grateful, he had a lot fo questions but for some reason Hermione had lost her faith in Dumbledore entirely
Harry however still went up to the headmaster's office to speak to Dumbledore
"Come in Harry…. It's been a long year for you hasn't it?" Dumbledore said
"Where have you been Professor, I haven't been able to talk to you, you kept avoiding me, I have questions! Everyone has questions! You didn't tell the order about Horcruxes and you didn't tell anyone about what the prophecy truly says and you knew I could take it and keep it safe but you didn't think I was capable enough to do it? And Mr. Weasley got attacked because of it when I could have just picked it up and brought it to the order! Don't you care?!" Harry yelled finally letting all his anger out at the headmaster for the year
"Take a seat Harry…" Dumbledore said calmly
"I do not want to take a seat! I want answers! " Harry said
"Very well, what would you like to know?" Dumbledore asked
"Am I a Hrocrux?" Harry asked
"It's possible…" Dumbledore said
Harry sat down heaving
"How many more are there?"
"I don't know…"
"But you know who knows…"
"Perhaps…"
"Where have you been?"
"I've been trying to find all of them and also trying to find out how many there were. I was travelling and talking to people he's met. I have found a few memories that I was going to show you next year."
"Why then? Why not now? Vol… Evil tom isn't going to wait!"
"Evil tom?" Dumbledore asked amused
"Yes, apparently his name is cursed. If you say it he knows where you are and all protective enchantments fail" Harry said
"I assure you, that curse won't work on something as fortified as Hogwarts…" Dumbledore said "However I'm glad that you are calling him by his given name - Tom…"
"I assume you are going to look for more Horcuxes over the summer?" Harry asked
"I am, and before you ask, no Harry, you can't join me yet. You have to go back to your aunt's home"
"Why!"
"Because she is related to you by blood and it is that ancient magical bond that keeps you safe in her home…"
"But I want to fight! I want to help!"
"I know, and I promise you will get your chance. Now go ahead and try to enjoy your summer vacation…"
"I have one more question?"
Dumbledore looked over the edge of his half moon spectacles, but the question left him surprised
"Are you looking for the deathly hallows?"
—
Later that night Snape had been summoned by Dumbledore. He was asked to justify telling the order about the Horcruxes, especially when he knew that Sirius Black would never keep anything from his godson. Snape had told him that with Dumbledore's disappearance the Order was planning something rash that would have destroyed the plan completely and that telling them was a risk he needed to take. Knowing that he was colluding with the men who had once made his life miserable made his skin crawl but he did what had to be done. Dumbledore had then asked him for an update on Voldemort and Snape had told him that they were planning to make Pius Thickness the face of it all. After much serious conversation, Dumbledore finally asked him sombrely "Do I need to worry about your loyalties wavering Severus?"
That had broken Snape's facade of indifference "My loyalties! You want to worry about my loyalties! EXPECTO PATRONUM!" He yelled and a beautiful doe appeared at the end of his wand, trotted around the room and dissolved through the window…
"Still?" Dumbledore had asked
"Always…" Snape replied
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