AN: This turned into a giant chapter but I didn't want to leave it on a cliffhanger.
Harry shoved open the cracked wooden door of the Hog's Head Inn, stepping in with a determined look and ready to argue if the barman told them they couldn't come in.
"Close the door, boy, you're letting in a draft," the barman said, wiping a glass with a dirty looking rag.
Harry moved to the middle of the room, followed by Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Fred, and George.
"What do you want?" the barman asked, still wiping the glass with a deadpan expression.
"To get to London," Harry said, holding up the bag of floo powder he'd taken from the Room of Requirement. "We need to use your floo; it's an emergency."
He put the glass down and didn't seem to be in a rush as he regarded them. Finally, as Harry was about to repeat himself, the barman nodded at a rickety staircase at the end of the bar.
"Second door on the right."
Harry nodded and thundered up the stairs, easily finding a threadbare room with a large fireplace, two rickety chairs, and a side table in it.
"Dunno why he's always so grumpy," Fred muttered, looking around the room.
"'Least he let us through without reporting us to Dumbledore," Ron said.
"He still might," Hermione warned, crossing her arms.
"Right," Harry said, poking the embers that had nearly burnt out in the grate. "We're going to floo to Sirius's house. I don't know if the Ministry lets people in by floo, especially after hours."
He tossed a small pinch of floo powder in and waited as the fire caught. Sirius didn't answer the floo call after a minute of waiting, and Harry frowned. He knew he could floo straight through, but needed to warn Sirius of the others so that they wouldn't be turned away.
"Where is he?" Harry muttered.
"What time is it?" George asked, looking slightly guilty as he glanced at his brother.
"Half seven," Hermione immediately answered.
"He's at a meeting," Fred supplied, also looking guilty. It didn't abate when everyone turned to look at him.
"George and I are opening a store in Diagon Alley. Sirius is going to give us some money to get started, and he's meeting with the goblins right now."
"Bloody hell," Ron said. "Does mum know?"
"Not yet, and you're not going to tell her either, you muppet," Fred said. "We get enough aggro as it is."
"Sorry, that's great and all, but can we focus?" Harry impatiently said. "I have to get you all to London."
"Us all?" Ginny said, with a smirk. "As if you don't need to use the floo as well."
"I don't," Harry said, reaching into the bag for more floo powder. "I can apparate."
He tossed the powder into the fireplace and shouted for Kreacher.
"You can what?" Ginny demanded. She turned and smacked Ron's arm. "When did he learn how to apparate? That's not fair."
"Last year," Hermione quietly answered, as Ron gave Ginny a dirty look and pulled his arm out of her reach. They heard a grumbling noise with some shuffling, and watched as Kreacher appeared in the fire.
"Master Sirius is not home," Kreacher said, giving Harry a sour look. "Call later."
"No, wait!" Harry said. "Did he say when he'd be back?"
Kreacher stared at him and then glanced to the right and left of Harry, looking at the other students.
"No."
"Kreacher," Harry started. "We need to come through to get to London. I know I'm on Sirius' visitor list, and I will vouch for the others."
Kreacher stared impassively at Harry, not answering, but also not disagreeing.
"We aren't staying."
Kreacher turned his head up and then walked away from the call, leaving it connected and the flames burning strongly.
"Is that a yes?" Hermione asked.
"As good as it'll get, I think," Harry said, holding out the bag. "You need to say it clearly. We're going to Grimmauld Place."
"Does Sirius live close to the Ministry?" Luna asked, grabbing a handful.
"Not really," Harry answered. "But he's close enough, and he's got a motorbike that we can take to get there."
….
The only other entrance that Harry knew of to get to the Ministry was through a disused phonebook. Sirius' motorbike's sidecar had expanded to fit everyone, as Sirius had told him it would, but the phone book did not have the same sort of magic cast upon it.
"Get your elbow out of my face, Ronald," George muttered, shoving his way in.
"Just wait and come in after us," Ron told him.
"Rescue Mission," Harry shouted, answering the welcome witch recording.
"That had better be your wand," Fred joked to Neville, causing Ginny to smirk.
"Isn't this going to tip them off that we're coming?" Hermione asked, as the phone booth floor started to descend like a lift.
"I don't think so," Harry answered. "I don't think they expect people breaking someone out to register with the welcome witch."
As they entered the Atrium, Harry wasn't surprised to find it completely empty. It was eerier that way, though the last time he was there people were staring at him as he was shuffled along to the courtroom and that wasn't much more comfortable.
"Where do you think Snape is?" Ron asked, his wand out just in case they encountered anyone.
"Further down, in the Ministry holding cells. But we're not going there yet. We need to get something from the aurors' offices first."
He pointed toward the lifts and patted his shirt, ensuring the key was still there.
"Right on," Fred said. "Breaking into the aurors' offices? Might have cool stuff in there."
"More than might," George agreed.
…..
Harry specifically left George and Fred to guard the lifts as he approached the aurors' offices as he didn't trust that they wouldn't set off any alarms or straight up nick things from people's desks. The door was a fancy wooden one with a brass sign on it depicting a wand and justice scales, with the imposing title of MAGICAL LAW ENFORCEMENT – AUROR DIVISION.
Harry pulled the key out from around his neck and held it up so he could see it better, reading the words stamped into the top of the key.
"Integrity," Harry said, waving his wand at the door. He heard the lock click open and smiled to himself as he walked into the office. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny came in as well, mostly curious about what was in there. Harry already knew what he wanted though, and went to the cage by the windowsill.
"Mr Monster Muffins?" Ginny read out, staring at the cage. "They have a Monster Book of Monsters as a PET?"
"I think aurors are probably a little weird," Harry said. "They have to be, considering the evil things they handle every day."
"Most likely," Hermione said. "Humour is a healthy way to deal with disturbing issues."
"Why do you need it, though?" Ron asked, as Harry used the key from Kingsley to open the cage. The book was looking at him with curiosity, but didn't look like it was about to attack.
"It's got some information in it that we'll need later," Harry said, petting the book before picking it up.
Ron stared at him.
"If Umbridge turns into a giant snake or spider I am fucking out," Ron said.
….
Snape was sitting in the shadows of the cell on a bench, his elbows resting on his long legs and his fingers steepled in front of his chin. He looked lost in thought but turned his head slightly as he heard noise echoing down the corridor. He was the only one in the Ministry's small section of cells, which had not surprised him.
He and Dumbledore had had many strong arguments over the past few days about what would happen first; if the public would demand their resignation from Hogwarts, if Dumbledore would be arrested, if Fudge would hold his own press conference. Snape had also put to the table that he might be jailed, and whilst Dumbledore had at first thought that unlikely, Snape had prepared Harry for the remote possibility.
He would have rolled his eyes at his predicament, but he was at least prepared and would shortly see if his assumptions were correct. The noise was getting closer, but Snape remained still. The footsteps were heavier, that of an adult, not a boy like Harry, and again were what Snape expected.
"Severus, my old chum," Lucius Malfoy said, appearing from the shadows of the poor lamplight.
"Old chum?" Snape replied. "Hardly."
Malfoy laughed at the response, but there was no friendliness in it.
"I do enjoy how acerbic you continue to be, despite being on the wrong side of these bars."
"It's a gift," Snape said, waving his hand toward Malfoy. "What do you want, Lucius?"
"Oh, just a little friendly conversation," Malfoy said. "You see, you won't be here for very long so I had to visit whilst I could. I don't fancy going to Azkaban to see you."
Snape raised his eyebrow, but said nothing. Malfoy's expression turned dark.
"Because you will be going to Azkaban. Unless the other Death Eaters kill you, of course. You murdered the Dark Lord; one of our last chances to rule over the wizarding world once again."
"One of?" Snape repeated, his eyes sharp as he looked at Malfoy.
"That's right. You haven't been successful," Malfoy smugly said. "There are many people who believe in the supremacy of pureblood witches and wizards. Many people in positions of power and influence, who are happy to follow the suggestions and advice of one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight."
"You? You actually think you're that powerful?" Snape asked.
"What would you know about power?" Malfoy sneered. His face twisted into one of shock as Snape suddenly sprang up from the bench and lifted Malfoy off his feet, an invisible hand grasping the front of Malfoy's robes and slamming him up against the bars.
"It would appear that I know a little," Snape hissed, twisting the fabric with wandless magic until Malfoy began to wheeze.
"The younger generation overwhelmingly will not stand for war or racism, Lucius. You are outnumbered. And I will watch your family and reputation be destroyed by your arrogance and hatred."
He flicked his hand quickly to the side, flinging Malfoy to the floor.
"You bastard," Malfoy coughed, pulling at his collar. "You filthy half-blood bastard."
"We have long ago established that I am not a bastard," Snape snidely said. He twisted his head, looking down on Malfoy but also listening to the other fainter sounds he could hear in the corridor. "Fuck off, Lucius. You do not scare me."
Malfoy's lips curled up into a dark smile as he got up to his feet.
"Don't I? You should reconsider that dearly. You have no influence in the Ministry; Fudge is no longer in charge," Malfoy said.
Snape schooled his impression to look bored, so that Malfoy would not have the satisfaction of seeing his concern.
"You now are?" Snape asked. "I must confess I never much saw you as one to work."
"Don't be ridiculous," Malfoy snapped. "As ever, I continue to operate in the background. An advisor, if you will, to the new Minister. Dolores Umbridge."
"EXPELLIARMUS!"
The shout echoed down the hall and Snape watched with partial amusement as Malfoy was knocked off his feet. His wand shot out of his hand and zoomed toward the end of the corridor, where Snape saw several teenagers standing with their own wands out.
"Wicked," a Weasley said.
"He won't be out for long," Snape warned, crossing his arms.
"Was a good shot though, wasn't it, Dad?" Harry grinned, walking up to the cell door and stepping over Malfoy. The younger Weasleys, Lovegood, and Granger stayed by the front entrance of the block, and Longbottom and the twins were dragging Malfoy into an empty cell.
"You're not supposed to be here until tomorrow," Snape said. "With the Order, not your group of friends."
"I know. But Kingsley said you'd be here tonight and that the other Death Eaters had escaped from Azkaban," Harry said, glancing back at the group. Ginny Weasley was staring back at them and Longbottom, who was closer and could hear more of the conversation, had a frown on his face. "And they can help."
He withdrew a second wand from inside his jacket and passed it through the bars of the cell to Snape. Harry was carrying the book with one hand, and though he seemed to be a bit at a disadvantage holding both the book and his wand, he had a proper stance for fighting and had shifted into it.
Snape took the wand and did a few passes, testing to see what sort of magic kept him locked in. He had a satisfied smirk on his face only seconds later as the door popped open.
"If you are correct in that the Death Eaters will be here, then your friends will return to the school," Snape said, sticking the wand up his sleeve and smoothing out his jacket.
Harry gave him an annoyed look.
"Uh, no. We've been training for this. All of us."
"Most certainly not," Snape interrupted. "You may have been in training for this but I do not know what may be coming, nor their skill levels, nor am I their guardians. They will return to the school."
"They came to help break you out," Harry stubbornly said. "They're not afraid, Dad. We all know what could happen if the Death Eaters actually take over."
"And that danger will be faced tonight," Snape countered. They had reached the end of the hall where the rest of the group was, and the twins were standing with their arms crossed.
"We're not leaving, sir," Fred said. "We reckon Harry did all right enough teaching us and it sounds like you're outnumbered."
"I have yet to be outnumbered," Snape said, his voice sounding as snobbish as he could manage.
"Besides, we're 17," George said, pointing his thumb toward Fred. "You finally can't kick us out."
Snape gave him a sour look.
"The rest of you I can. You will return from the Atrium," Snape sternly said. He pointed toward the lifts and raised his eyebrow, which was enough to get the group moving.
"I think it's nice that you call him dad, Harry," Luna offered. "It makes you sound like a real family."
"Yeah," Harry said, without commenting any further as he appeared to be fighting a blush.
"How did you get here?" Snape asked, as they waited for the lift. "Were you followed?"
"We flooed from the Hog's Head," George said, his chin sticking out ever so slightly in a silent challenge.
"Then the headmaster knows you're here," Snape said, pulling apart the lift doors.
"How?" Harry asked.
"The barman is Aberforth Dumbledore. His brother," Snape answered, grabbing one of the lift handles overhead.
"His what?" Fred said, his jaw dropping as the lift gave a sudden lurch.
…
"Now see here," Fudge protested, as Umbridge flung the door open and walked inside. "You must make an appointment just the same as all the other employees."
His desk was nearly empty and Fudge only had two more things to sign before he could leave for the night. It had been an eventful day full of press and questions from Ministry employees over Dumbledore's conference.
"You needn't concern yourself with appointments for much longer," Umbridge said.
"I beg your pardon," Fudge asked, sitting back in his chair with an incredulous look on his face.
Umbridge withdrew her wand and drew a rectangle in the air, hovering between her and the doorway. There was an old film feed in it that Fudge could see, showing the inner levels of the Ministry.
"The vigilante group has come for you, Cornelius," Umbridge said. On screen, Snape walked fully out of his cell, followed by Potter. In the top of the screen they could see a few shadows belonging to the other students.
"I informed you that this group has been training for months," Umbridge continued, a triumphant look on her face. "Students from all houses, calling themselves Dumbledore's Army. Sanctioned by Albus Dumbledore himself, and secretly trained by Severus Snape. And here they are, at the desolated Ministry in the evening, to find you."
"And they will be arrested again," Fudge firmly said. "Snape for the murder of a wizard without Ministry direction, and Potter for breaking him out of a Ministry jail cell. I have several ways to summon aurors here, Dolores. I am not unprotected."
"Are you not?" she sweetly asked. "After Dumbledore's conference today it is plainly evident that you've lost control and trust of the public. Who is to say that you haven't lost the same of the aurors?"
"I have not," Fudge protested, slamming his hands down on the desk. "I did what was necessary to protect them. What he used, that information, if it got into the wrong hands…"
"Instead," Umbridge said, leaning on Fudge's desk, "You gave Albus Dumbledore the opportunity to tell the public; where he still kept that information a secret, and maintained their goodwill. It will be no surprise if people look to him as a new leader."
A bead of sweat appeared on Fudge's brow as he glanced between Umbridge and the screen, where Snape and the students were waiting for the lift.
"The werewolf!" Fudge said. "The werewolf is tenured. He's promised to never run for Minister, in return for that."
Umbridge tilted her head.
"He doesn't have to run if his loyal supporters drive you out. And they will, Cornelius. A weak man who hides behind secrets and inaction. They have proof that you knew of the Dark Lord all along. Unlike Dumbledore, you did nothing about it."
"There was nothing to be done," Fudge insisted. "It was a theory and nothing more. There was no body to be found and the world was celebrating."
On screen the group disappeared into the lift.
"Leave now, Cornelius," she said, pointing her wand at him. "Or this coup d'état will get violent."
…
Umbridge sat in the very-recently abandoned seat of Fudge, her hands running over the large mahogany desk top. Magic had moved all of his possessions into boxes in the corner, which she'd look through before setting the remainder alight. She'd hoped to remain more subtle in her message that he needed to leave, but she wasn't that surprised that Fudge had refused to take the hint.
Umbridge had learned political speak and between the line conversation from her early days as an intern at the Ministry, and used it regularly in her daily work. It was for this reason that she knew blunt threats were taken much more seriously, as they were unusual coming from her.
"Leave now, or I will send the dementors after you," was a threat anyone could understand, no reading between the lines necessary. Umbridge was able to import just how easy it would be for her to do it, and she took satisfaction in the understanding that dawned on Fudge's face as the message, and realisation that she'd done it before, hit.
She would have stayed to enjoy her new office longer but the night was still young and there was more work to be done. Work that was already going slightly off plan, from what she'd seen in the video she'd used to scare Fudge. She'd send a house elf to free Malfoy, and tear into him later. For now, she had a fight to orchestrate.
….
A cheery automated voice announced the lift's arrival to the Atrium floor, and several wands stuck out as the door opened. The waiting area was empty though, and Snape stepped tentatively out, followed by the others.
"I suspect that we will not have a clear path to the fireplaces," Snape quietly said. "Floo powder."
He held his hand out to Harry, who produced the bag after a second's confusion.
"Each of you take enough to return. Dumbledore's office is the location name."
Snape gave it as an order, and waited until Neville, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Luna had taken powder.
"I am not responsible for you two," he said, pointing at Fred and George. "I will lead, stay behind until I confirm that the pathway is clear. Do not stray from the group, and have your wands ready."
"What about me?" Harry asked.
Snape gave him a one-over with an assessing gaze.
"Keep the book safe."
Harry nodded and tightened his grip on it, causing the book to growl slightly.
"Harry. Remove your spectacles. Broken glass will be a hazard," Snape added. Harry grinned, shoving his glasses in his pocket. He liked wearing them but didn't need them at all, and knew that was Snape's way of saying to take care and don't do anything that would bring more risk to himself.
They followed Snape toward the brighter lit Atrium and listened for the sounds of any other person.
"Is that it?" Ron asked, his whisper barely heard. "We're going back? What about the Death Eaters?"
"I'm staying to fight them," Harry whispered back.
"Yeah. Well, we're not leaving either," Ron said, his voice trailing off as Harry and Snape stopped walking. Snape flicked his hand backward, signalling to everyone else to stay in the corridor.
"Professor Snape."
Umbridge, dressed in an obnoxiously pink skirt and jacket suit, stood next to the great statue in the Atrium, looking up at it.
Snape said nothing in return, but stood still as he looked at her. She finally turned away from the statue to stare at him.
"The Ministry does not take too kindly to those who escape from our holding cells."
"Is that a posted rule?" Snape dully asked.
Umbridge gave him a withering look.
"It reflects poorly upon the Ministry, of course. Fortunately for the both of us, you were expected to escape this evening."
"Was I?" Snape asked, his arms hanging still at his side. Harry could see that he had his wand within easy reach. "And why would that be? Would it have anything to do with Lucius Malfoy also hanging about in the bowels of the Ministry?"
"Lucius is not the only one here, Snape," Umbridge said, with a smile. "And if I'm not mistaken, you and your little group are here to see Fudge? The public will be very interested to read about how you and your army came to drive him out."
"I don't believe that that is why we are here," Snape calmly said.
"But it's what they'll believe," Umbridge told him. "They believe that you have been working against the Ministry to grab power and take over. I'm sure some will be saddened to hear that you perished in your bid."
"I have no intentions of that," Snape said, drawing his wand and pointing it at her.
"I don't care about your intentions," Umbridge spat. "Lucius Malfoy spoke very highly of you from your work in the first war and imagine my disappointment upon arriving at Hogwarts to see you have taken in that boy and are actually a muggle apologist."
Snape stood straighter at that, a stormy look on his face. Harry couldn't tell if he was more annoyed at being called a muggle apologist or because she'd complained about Snape taking him in.
"Because blood supremacy means nothing," Snape said. "It is…"
"It means everything!" she snapped. "We cannot have tainted blood defiling the wizarding world, sullying the genes of our kind, and destroying our culture and traditions by bringing in muggleisms."
"Innovation will be verified and monitored to ensure it is not disruptive to our world," Hermione quietly said, quoting Umbridge's speech from the opening feast.
"The Dark Lord was a half-blood," Snape said. "And wrought more power than the purebloods that followed him. I am also a half-blood, as is Potter, who have clearly accomplished what no aurors were able to do. And then there is yourself, a pureblood who is currently trying, and failing, to stage a coup and overthrow the government."
Umbridge looked flustered at this summary and smoothed out her skirt to hide that she was unsettled.
"But you aren't, are you?" Snape said, pushing forward. Umbridge held her wand up again to keep him in place. "You're trying to take over the Ministry, yes, but you're a half-blood as well."
"I will not be spoken to like this," she hissed, backing away a little as she kept him at wandpoint. "And I will succeed. You and Potter will die here tonight, killed by the defenders of the Ministry in your attempts to oust Fudge. And as I am the natural successor…"
"Yes," Snape dryly said, "you've mentioned this. But you've never made clear who is going to kill us. Because if you try, rest assured that I will destroy you."
"We are, of course," Narcissa Malfoy said, coming into the Atrium from an opposite corridor. "Severus, you have angered many of our closest colleagues, and I'm afraid that they have some words to share with you."
"Curses, I'll bet," Ron muttered.
She snapped her fingers and the fireplaces lit up, flaring green as several Death Eaters arrived.
Snape shifted ever so slightly to a fight stance, stepping in front of Harry a little. From the corridor Fred, George, Ron, Neville, Luna, and Hermione held their wands out and made themselves known.
"Hah!" came a cackle from the group of Death Eaters, from a woman dressed like how Harry as a five-year-old had imagined witches to look. He recognised her face from Daily Prophet articles, and knew it was Bellatrix Lestrange. "A teacher and his group of ickle students come to save the day."
Umbridge gave them a nasty smile, looking like Christmas had come early for her. It was not a surprise to Harry, given that they were the students who had talked back to her more often than not through the term.
"Dispose of them all," Umbridge said, before walking off toward the end of the fireplaces.
Harry shifted his stance, subconsciously petting the book in his hand to keep it quiet.
"You see, Severus, the old and powerful families win in the end," Narcissa said with a smile. "We may even consider allowing you and your half-blood runt to live."
"How very generous of you," Snape dryly replied. "And presumptuous."
"The least I could do," Narcissa said, pretending to bow slightly. "Though I cannot guarantee that I can stop any of my fellow colleagues, of course. Now that they're all aware that you are the one that killed the Dark Lord."
Snape held his own wand close to his side, ready to fire at any second, though he remained outwardly calm-looking.
"The pleasure was indeed mine," Snape confirmed, holding his head snobbishly high.
"You traitor," Bellatrix hissed. "You and a bunch of students are going to fight us? We, who wrought terror and torture for years upon society?"
"With everything I have," Neville suddenly growled, sending a knockout-knees hex straight at Bellatrix. Harry had half a second to look surprised before he had to duck as several spells came back their way, her surprised laugh echoing through the Atrium. Harry and Hermione got out protego as quickly as they were fired upon, but Snape had cast a strong and large shield that covered the group.
Another whoosh from the fireplaces sounded and Sirius Black, dressed in dark battle robes, walked out of the flames.
"Sorry, lads, I seem to be late to the party," Sirius said, with a cheeky grin. He turned to the group of Death Eaters standing by Narcissa and opened his arms as if to give a hug. "Narcissa, it's been a while. How are you, my conniving bitch of a cousin?"
He swung his wand up and rocketed off a spell that shot Narcissa across the Atrium, sending her careening into a lower-level office window. He dodged the volley of spells that came right back at him, laughing happily.
Harry felt Snape's strong grip on his shoulder as he was pulled toward the statue in the middle of the Atrium.
"Do not do anything stupid," Snape said, sending a curse toward a very tall Death Eater. "Keep your wits about, and be safe. Keep the book close."
"I will," Harry said. He darted to the other side of the statue and saw Fred and George fighting two Death Eaters who looked like the fathers of Nott and Crabbe.
"Reducto!" Harry yelled, cracking the tile wall above where Nott senior was standing and causing it to rain shards of tile down on them.
"Destroy them," he heard Narcissa order, as she slowly made her way to her feet.
Ginny and Luna had run back toward the lifts, staying in the low light of the corridor entrance and hexing the Death Eaters they could see. Hermione and Ron were back-to-back, fighting against two skinny Death Eaters with creepy masks on. More people arrived through the floos, and Harry only had a second to check that they were members of the Order, and not more enemies.
"Harry!" Neville yelled. Harry looked over to his left and saw that Neville's legs appeared to be doing a jig as he fought to keep the Death Eater he was battling from cursing him again.
"Finite incantatem," Harry cast, relieving Neville. Just after casting the Monster book bit him and Harry dropped it in surprise. It skuttled off toward the fountain statue and Harry dodged spells as he ran after it. He flinched as a large ball of fire shot past him and hit the back of a Death Eater. Snape had sent it and he lifted his head in inquiry toward Harry to make sure he was okay. Harry gave a thumbs up and kept on his hunt of the book, having lost sight of it.
"Looking for someone, Potter?"
Bellatrix slinked toward him, her wand doing circles in the air as she tried to look like she wasn't ready to hex him in a second. Harry felt like a mouse under the watch of a hungry cat.
"Yeah," Harry said. "Your boss. Oh wait, we killed him months ago."
He jumped out of the way as she cast the cruciatus at him, casting a protection spell over himself.
"Cheeky for a boy who is soon to die," Bellatrix spat, sending a hex at him.
"My Dad taught me," Harry said, dodging it successfully. Her expression grew furious as Harry was able to dodge or block more of her curses, and Harry saw her wind up to cast what he suspected would be a particularly strong one.
"Sectumsempra!" Harry yelled, whipping his wand toward her before she had a chance to finish casting. She blocked most of the spell but Harry was surprised to see a bunch of her hair fall to the ground and a gash appear on her face. He'd seen the spell in Snape's potion book and saw it was marked for enemies. He'd also figured out what the Latin meant, but seeing it cut something right away was shocking.
"You little bastard," Bellatrix spat, hitting him successfully with the cruciatus.
Harry writhed on the ground but kept hold of his wand, gritting his teeth as he fought the pain of the curse. He was dimly aware of the others fighting around him and felt a sense of panic at the fact that any other Death Eater could curse him at the same time. He couldn't even reach his mole tattoo to warn Snape.
She flicked her wand down, ending the curse, and then used it to pull him to his feet. Bellatrix grabbed him by the collar and held him up, her wand at his throat.
"Do you understand, Potter?" she hissed. "The Dark Lord may be gone, but the Death Eaters never will be. I could kill you now, but I think I'll make you suffer first."
Harry had a second to feel a tendril of fear in his stomach before he crumpled to the floor and Bellatrix shrieked, her hand turning into a purpled mash of bone and skin. Snape, looking incredibly angry with his robes larger around him, had his wand trained on her.
"Don't touch him," Snape warned.
Bellatrix growled at Snape, cradling her broken hand against her chest as she focused her rage and wandless magic at Snape. A wall of water from the fountain flew at Snape, distracting him enough that Harry could see that he hadn't noticed Narcissa Malfoy approaching.
"No," Harry said, pointing his wand at her. "Locomotor Mortis!"
She blocked his spell and engaged in a fight with him right away, and to Harry's surprise was very quick with her casting. All around him he could hear spells being shouted out and grunts echoing as people were hit, and he had no idea whether he and his friends were winning or not. He registered that Snape was battling Bellatrix now, but the rest of his concentration was focused on surviving his fight with Narcissa.
"Isn't that cute," Narcissa said, her voice calculated and mean. "Potter and his second-hand father, against the noble Black sisters."
She worked even quicker, firing shots at him with every swish of her wand. Harry had quick reflexes from quidditch, but he couldn't stop the last hex, which made his body feel like it was encased in quicksand.
"Picking on a child are ye?"
Mad-Eye Moody thundered across the floor and cast a spell at her that Harry could feel the power behind. His body was slow to shake off the hex on him, but he was able to crawl away from the fight and get back to the fountain statue, where he could see the book hiding under the carving of the wizard.
He could hear screams behind him as someone was injured, and Harry didn't recognise them so he hoped it wasn't one of his friends. He didn't know how many of the Order had arrived, but felt like they might be gaining the upper hand.
Harry had just reached the book, scratching the fur on its trembling spine, when he heard something that made him stop
"Neville!"
Ginny's voice echoed through the Atrium, pausing the fight for a fraction of a second as everyone turned to place it. Bellatrix, who had Neville twirling in the air under wandpoint, gleefully stared at Ginny. Ginny didn't look injured, but she was being held by a Death Eater and was unable to cast a spell to help him.
"Is this your boyfriend then?" she asked, clearly enjoying that she might be causing more pain than originally planned. "Pity that, as we have some unfinished business, don't we Longbottom? You see, you want to avenge your parents, and I want you to suffer the same fate."
"No!" Ginny yelled, trying to wriggle out of the tight grasp she was in.
"Cruc-" Bellatrix started, before her face froze, the angry and excited look slipping into a slack-jawed surprise as she crumpled to the floor and revealed Sirius standing behind her, hard look on his face and wand extended.
Her eyes stayed open as she lay on the floor, and Harry realised that Sirius hadn't stunned her, or disarmed her. He'd killed her.
Harry stared, wondering if Sirius had used the killing curse. Wondering if his parents had fallen the same way.
Neville dropped to the floor with a crash, but picked himself up quickly and held his wand up, albeit backward, ready to fight who was next. He hadn't needed to though, as shortly after he stood more people arrived by floo and a giant, powerful gust of misty fog swept through the Atrium, blinding the combatants. When the fog cleared Harry saw that Ginny had been freed, and that each Death Eater had a wizard or witch in auror robes holding them at wandpoint.
"That is enough," a strong female voice said. Back toward the entrance where the fireplaces were stood a woman that he recognised from his trial over the summer. Surprisingly, Dumbledore was standing next to her. "Students, Professor Snape, and…colleagues of Albus – stand to the left."
Harry reached down one last time and managed to get enough of a grip on the book to pull it out from the statue, ignoring its low growls. Harry immediately pet it as he walked, cuddling it close. He could tell that Snape was watching him carefully, likely watching to make sure Harry hadn't been injured.
"Aurors, restrain the Death Eaters. Someone else, explain exactly why this Atrium has turned into a battlefield."
She glanced around, but no one seemed to know where to start with the explanation, which Harry understood. Everyone had bits of information, but Harry figured that only Snape and Dumbledore knew the whole thing. And perhaps Kingsley, but he'd not seen Kingsley appear yet.
"And please explain why Severus Snape is not in a holding cell below," she asked, turning to look right at him.
"It is a classic situation of overthrowing the government, Madame Bones," Snape said, standing beside Harry and speaking loudly. "My arrest was unjust, and used as a method to entice Harry Potter and his friends to come here, where we could be accused of plotting to overthrow Fudge."
"Well, what is it?" Bones asked, as she tucked her wand away in her robes. "An attempt, or a set up? And why are the Death Eaters here, if you did not bring them?"
"Both, you'll find," Dumbledore answered. "It seems that despite keeping Voldemort's death under wraps, my very fear came true none the less. A ministry employee using his death to put herself into power and push the very same prejudicial beliefs that Tom Riddle held. Her intentions were to use Professor Snape and Harry Potter as scapegoats."
Harry watched as the Death Eaters were marched off toward the lifts, where Harry figured they'd be brought down to the cells. He thought about warning that Lucius Malfoy was still locked up down there, but then shrugged.
"Those are very serious accusations," Bones said.
"Untrue ones!"
Harry's head whipped around to his left, where he saw Umbridge being led back into the Atrium by Kingsley.
"Potter, Dumbledore, and Snape are the true traitors!"
Kingsley rolled his eyes and used his wand to stick Umbridge's feet to one spot on the floor. One of the other aurors that had remained, who Harry recognised as Tonks from meeting her over the summer, moved closer to Kingsley to help with Umbridge.
"We have proof," Snape confidently said. "Proof that she ordered the Dementor to attack Harry and my father over the summer, proof that she wrote all the letters to the Prophet. Proof that she blackmailed an auror, questioned the Master of the Hall of Prophecies, helped the Death Eaters escape Azkaban."
Umbridge went white and Harry smiled.
"In here," he said, holding up the book. The aurors seemed to be confused to find Harry holding the book, but Amelia Bones had a strangely exasperated look on her face as well. He expected the confused looks from the aurors, because after all who would keep evidence in a book that actively bit people? Especially one that looked exactly like the 'pet' they had in their office. But Harry was surprised by Tonks' reaction.
"You put evidence in Mr Monster Muffins?" Tonks yelped, glaring at Kingsley with a look of utter betrayal. "He is our mascot."
