The Eighth Year Universe
Love Wins
Everyone Thinks We Won't Make it
The chapter title is from the song:
2% by Jenna Raine.
The Ministry for Magic
Friday the 17th of September
Ben had decided that Draco would not be allowed to watch the memories. It wasn't procedure; someone in the Auror department had to review the evidence, then that evidence would be taken to the Head of the DMLE, and from there, the Minister would be informed.
However, as Harry had pointed out, "This is different."
He knew he was being biased because, really, it shouldn't have been any different. If this were any other Minister, Harry knew that he would follow procedure – even if it had been Cygnus Greengrass.
But this wasn't his father-in-law. It was Draco, who was one of his best friends and his Auror partner of a decade.
"He shouldn't hear it from Tiberius," Harry had told Ben firmly, "He should hear it from me."
And Ben knew that Harry was right. Because Draco wasn't just the Minister to Ben either – he was his mentor, the man who had taught him everything he knew about being an Auror.
So Ben nodded and agreed to let Harry view the memories with him. Once they were done, Ben could process them as evidence, and Harry could fill Draco in on whatever they had discovered.
Still, standing in the pensieve with Ben, Harry felt nervous.
When the first memory materialised, Ben and Harry found themselves standing in the drawing-room of Cauldwell House, watching a husband and a wife argue.
"What do we stand to gain from this, Septimus?"
Septimus glared at his wife, "What do we stand to gain? Everything, Lotus."
Lotus scoffed, "Everything? Do you think we can have 'everything', thanks to Alfred Nott? He may be a big fish, but this isn't a pond, sweetheart; it's the ocean."
Septimus shook his head, "You don't understand. He knows things, Lotus. He knows that the Potter boy is going to defeat the Dark Lord. We are on the wrong side, but I can plead ignorance when it is all over. He used my daughter to draw me in."
Lotus raised an eyebrow, "You may escape Azkaban, but if the Dark Lord loses, then Alfred Nott most certainly will not."
"He will," Septimus said carefully, "He has a plan. He knows how to thwart death, just like the Dark Lord. He has promised us everything we could ever desire if we help to bring him back once the danger has passed."
Lotus crossed her arms over her chest, "And what, pray tell, has he offered us, Septimus?"
Septimus's eyes flashed, "He says that under his rule, things will be different. You will have the power and the wealth you always wanted – the sort I could never give you."
Lotus narrowed her eyes, "And all we have to do is help him return?"
Septimus nodded, "Yes."
Lotus bowed her head, "Fine."
The memory shifted from 1998 to 2005. They were still in Cauldwell House, but Lotus wasn't speaking to Septimus this time. Instead, she was talking to Lucia Cross.
Even in memory form, seeing Lucia again made Harry's skin crawl.
"Why have you invited me here?" Lucia asked distastefully.
"Because, Miss Cross, you and I can help each other," Lotus said with a smirk.
Lucia scoffed, "I highly doubt that. You're a pureblood. I hate everything about you."
Lotus tutted, "It's rather rude to tar us all with the same brush, don't you think? Not all purebloods are so adverse to your ideology."
Lucia raised an eyebrow, "You want me to tear down the hierarchy?"
Lotus smiled slightly, "Let me put it bluntly – when you tear down the hierarchy, there will be chaos. It wouldn't hurt to have one sympathetic pureblood on your side to guide you through that, would it?"
Lucia's hand had never stopped hovering over the pocket where Harry knew she kept her wand. Harry wasn't surprised that she hadn't trusted Lotus – like Tiberius's Russian informant had said, the Lestrange's were untrustworthy rats.
"And what do you get out of this?" Lucia asked with narrowed eyes.
"The satisfaction of seeing my rival families fall from grace," Lotus said with a shrug, "And my husband back. He was wrongfully imprisoned, and when you tear down the hierarchy, I suspect getting him early release will be easy."
Lucia didn't seem convinced.
"In return, I will give you the funding that you so desperately need," Lotus said cheerfully, "It's rather a good deal, isn't it?"
She held out her hand, and Lucia looked at it suspiciously for a long moment before sighing and holding out her hand.
"I suppose so."
The memory shifted again, but not quite so far in the future this time. Lotus was standing in an alley with Lucia. Harry would guess it was somewhere in the north of England.
"Why did you ask to meet me here?" Lucia hissed.
"Because I need something from you," Lotus replied shortly, "The Auror that they say is dead. What do you know about that?"
Lucia stiffened slightly, "Nothing."
Lotus scoffed, "Don't lie to your benefactor, darling. Is he alive?"
Lucia glared at Lotus, "Yes," she admitted.
"Good," Lotus said quietly. She glanced behind her to make sure that she hadn't been followed, "While he is alive, question him for information regarding his father, and take some blood."
"Blood?" Lucia echoed, "Why?"
"The blood of our enemies is always a useful thing to keep on file, sweetheart," Lotus said calmly.
She turned and left the alley before Lucia could say anymore.
Harry cursed internally. Knowing Lotus was bad and seeing quite how bad she had been were very different things. He knew that Lotus had never had the highest opinion of Theo, but she had seen how much Theo's death was affecting Sadie, and that whole time, she knew he was alive. It made Harry's blood boil if he was honest.
The memory shifted once more to later in 2005 after Lucia had killed herself.
Lotus was dressed up to the nines as she sat in a locked cell in the high-security sector of Azkaban. A buzz sounded, and the door opened. Septimus stepped out in his grey and black prison clothes, looking grim.
Lotus smiled, "Hello, darling."
Septimus sat down and nodded, "Lotus."
Lotus sighed, "You look awful, love."
Septimus shook his head and looked down silently.
"I don't suppose you saw the news in the latest copy of the Prophet?" Lotus asked calmly.
"No," Septimus replied.
"That girl, the one who killed all of our pureblood friends," Lotus said with false disdain, "She killed herself during her trial."
Septimus looked up and met her eye, "Did she?"
Lotus nodded. They had to be careful about what they said, on account of all of the guards standing around listening.
"So that's that awful business finished with," Lotus said, "And I hear the Wizengamot refused your plee for early release?"
"Yes," Septimus said. He frowned down, "They did."
Lotus smiled and reached across the table to take his hand, "Do not fear, I will keep trying," she promised.
Harry sighed; it was all a subtle way of saying 'damn, it didn't work' and 'don't worry, I have something else up my sleeve'. He chanced a glance at Ben, who was keeping his facial expressions neutral.
This was too personal for Harry; he couldn't do that.
The memory shifted, but they were still in 2005. They watched Lotus set the fire that destroyed Katerina and Isaak's apartment building. As the Russian Ministry file said, the Muggle police saw their parents trying to escape and killed them.
Then Lotus waded in as the hero who swept Katerina and Isaak away to the family observatory in Russia, where they could stay for a while and be looked after by Alina Lestrange, her cousin.
When it shifted again, they saw Lotus set the fire that destroyed Jelena's orphanage. As the only wizarding child there, her magic saved her. Then Lotus waded in to save the day once more, and she whisked Jelena away to the observatory where Katerina and Isaak were being 'cared for'.
The memory then shifted to 2008, not long after Septimus had been released from Azkaban. Lotus was in Germany with Katrin Luther's parents, Petra and Klaus. They were sitting around a nice drawing-room drinking wine.
"We cannot in good faith help you, Ana."
Harry frowned at the use of 'Ana' instead of 'Lotus'. But Ben remarked from his side, "Her official name is Rohana Lotus Cauldwell, but she's gone by her middle name for years in Britain."
With a nod, Harry turned his attention back to the memory.
Lotus sighed, "Klaus, please try to understand - "
"I understand where you are coming from, Ana," Klaus cut in, "But we cannot help you. We are in a prominent position here in Germany, and we cannot sacrifice that. If we were to be in known cohorts with you when your husband was convicted of manslaughter…."
Lotus swallowed and tried to hide her irritation, "Falsely imprisoned."
"Ten people died because of him," Petra said quietly.
"False is not the word I would use," Klaus agreed.
Lotus opened her mouth to argue, but Klaus shook his head, "You told us you were coming here to celebrate Katrin's birthday, so that is what we shall do tomorrow. But you will have no funding from us, I am sorry."
Lotus nodded, and the scene shifted by a few days. They saw Lotus kill Klaus and Petra, then stage it to look like a Muggle burglary gone wrong.
She then did what she always did and waded in to gain Katrin's trust. She told Katrin about Russia and the friends she could make there. Then she took her to the observatory to spend the rest of her summer there.
Harry rubbed his eyes as the scene shifted to the crucial one – the night that Alfred Nott came back.
It made Harry feel sick because this took him back to the graveyard. He could still taste the metallic blood in his mouth, feel the coldness of the blade against his skin, see Cedric's body get launched across the ground with that green light.
He gave himself a little shake and concentrated on the memory.
They weren't in a graveyard – they were in the old observatory. It was a creepy old stone building with a retractable copper roof. The ritual took place in the topmost part, with the dome partially open and a full moon shining through the gap.
There was a locket lying on a desk, it had the initials 'A-C' engraved onto the front of it, and Harry imagined that it had belonged to Almina. He watched Septimus do the ritual, starting with putting the bones into the cauldron, then he held his hand over the cauldron and gritted his teeth.
Lotus, rather alarmingly, sliced his left hand off with no sign of disgust. Septimus cried out in pain and fell to his knees as his hand splashed into the cauldron.
Rather than rushing to her husband's aid, Lotus lazily healed the wound enough to stop the bleeding. Then she uncorked a vial of blood and poured it into the cauldron.
"Put his soul inside," Lotus instructed.
Still in pain and walking hunched over, Septimus nodded. He grabbed the locket and threw it into the cauldron. Then they covered their eyes as a bright ray of light flooded the room.
When it faded, a hand gripped the side of the cauldron, then another. A head appeared with a gasp, and Alfred Nott pulled himself to his full height and climbed from the cauldron.
Lotus gave him a cloak to wear, and Alfred sucked in a deep breath then surveyed his surroundings.
"Where are we?"
"Russia," Lotus replied calmly, "The year is 2008."
"2008?" Alfred hissed, "You were supposed to resurrect me after the battle!"
"I…I was arrested," Septimus said. He cowered under Alfred's gaze, "I spent ten years in Azkaban."
"How pathetic," Alfred muttered.
He turned to Lotus, "And what is your excuse?"
"I had no idea how to bring you back," Lotus said calmly, "I had to wait until Septimus was released. I did try to get him released early, to no avail."
"Then you started kidnapping kids," Septimus muttered.
Alfred raised an eyebrow, "Kidnapping children?"
"Exceptionally magical children," Lotus added, "I thought if we were to bring about a revolution, we may need an army?"
Alfred scoffed, "It is not an army that I need. But still, they may prove useful."
Harry shot Ben a frown as the scene shifted.
"So the Statute Saboteurs aren't an army?" Ben asked.
Harry shrugged, "Or they weren't created to be an army, not initially anyway."
The scene had shifted by quite some years to the first Statute Saboteur attack in Europe – those around the Hungarian ministry in 2018.
"What the hell did he spend ten years doing then?" Ben muttered.
Truthfully, Harry didn't know, but he did think he was beginning to get a better picture of the story.
"The Hungarian ministry is a waste of time!" Alfred snapped at Septimus.
Septimus took a step back, "I'm sorry, Alfred. I was going with the information available. By all accounts, it should have been there."
"But it wasn't!" Alfred hissed, "The Swiss stole it so that the ICW could protect it. Do you know how difficult it will be to get to now?"
"I'm sorry," Septimus said again. He was clearly terrified of Alfred, "We could always try to explore the other leads first….perhaps the rumours about the Swedish ministry are true?"
"Perhaps," Alfred said under his breath.
He looked up at Septimus. His eyes had a glint of red to them. But beyond that, he looked much the same as he had around the time of the Battle of Hogwarts, perhaps a little older.
"Instruct Katrin to move her forces to Sweden. If you are wrong this time, I doubt you will be of use to me for much longer."
Septimus swallowed and nodded.
The scene shifted again, and Alfred was holding Septimus by the neck this time.
"You were wrong, again!"
"It was… there!" Septimus gasped.
Alfred loosened his grasp, and Septimus slid down the wall, "But it wouldn't work because it wasn't complete. Stones were missing."
Harry frowned at that.
"Then find one that works!" Alfred snapped. He threw a hex at Septimus and stalked from the room.
Once more, the scene shifted. This time Alfred was sitting behind a desk with his head resting in his hands.
"I cannot take one more false lead from you, Septimus," Alfred ground out through gritted teeth, "What do you mean the one in Italy is a fake?"
Septimus was wringing his hands together, "Alfred…I know…I know it's not somewhere you think we can infiltrate but….England - "
"Shut up, Septimus."
Septimus nodded and shut his mouth.
Alfred looked past Septimus.
Harry turned slightly to see who he was looking at.
"Katrin, do you think you can infiltrate the British Ministry of Magic?"
Katrin stepped forward. She looked much the same as she did now, so this memory was clearly a recent one. She shrugged and looked at him with her piercing blue eyes, "Any ministry can be infiltrated if you know how they operate."
"The Department of Mysteries in this one is different," Alfred said darkly, "Trust me, I have seen it with my own eyes. The security is extreme, and the place is a maze to those who do not know it."
Katrin smirked, "Then we seize control of someone who does know it. I can have Jelena scout the place out and find a suitable Unspeakable to manipulate."
Alfred smiled slightly, "You are a Lestrange through and through. Your Aunt must be proud of you."
Septimus made a face at that, probably because he wasn't happy that Lotus got all the praise while he quivered at Alfred's feet.
"I am," Lotus said. She shot a smile at Katrin.
Katrin bowed her head, and Lotus stepped into the room wearing her usual elegant attire.
"Alfred, I know you prefer order to chaos, but the Dark Lord infiltrated the ministry twice. Both times he managed to do so because he ensured their resources were stretched and completely scrambled their minds to the point that nobody trusted one another."
Alfred smirked and leant forward, "Yes. We recreate that sense of fear; you are perfectly right, Lotus. Once the world is broken, and they all believe that their brother could turn on them at any given moment, getting into the ministry will be easy."
Lotus smirked and shot Septimus a long-suffering look, "I am much more than just a pretty face, Alfred."
Alfred ignored Lotus and looked at Katrin, "Focus your energies on England, Katrin. Sow the seeds of dishonesty, and before long, they will be on their knees."
Katrin nodded and turned to leave; then the memory faded out.
There was a slightly longer pause before the next one began to form, but when it did, it was loud.
"Alfred, this is not the way!"
"Do not tell me the way, Septimus!" Alfred snapped, "You know nothing of this pain!"
Septimus swallowed and looked at Lotus for help. She also looked unsure, but she addressed it more subtly than Septimus had.
"You share your husband's reservations, Lotus?"
"No, Alfred," Lotus replied, "I agree that an attack will reduce morale and leave the ministry in a state of disarray. But to attack Diagon Alley on August Weekend….several innocent lives would be lost. I just wonder how necessary that is?"
"Yes," Septimus agreed quickly, "Wouldn't it be better to attack the ministry itself?"
"The ministry is too heavily warded for an attack like this," Alfred said offhandedly, "It can only work somewhere like Diagon Alley, where Muggles can do our bidding."
"Yes, but on August Weekend?" Lotus asked gently, "The majority of the people in the alley will be children, Alfred."
Alfred got to his feet and looked at Lotus darkly, "You do not understand grief the same way that I do, Lotus. A parent who loses a child, a husband who loses a spouse, it unhinges you. That is what we need to happen. We need the world to fall apart."
Lotus swallowed and looked across the room at Septimus.
"You will ensure that the Muggles plant the devices on August Weekend," Alfred said with a note of finality.
The scene shifted once more into the final memory. Lotus was in England this time, communicating with Septimus via a two-way mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she was in her funeral clothing.
"Did you know our son would be there, Lotus?"
"No," Lotus replied coldly, "Had I known, I would have killed Alfred before I let him plant those devices."
Septimus looked just as bad as Lotus. His eyes were red, his grey hair long and untamed, and a messy beard was beginning to grow on his face.
"He is planning something big now," Septimus said darkly, "He achieved what he wanted to with the attack. The ministry is in disarray. Within the month, he will break into the Department of Mysteries and if he finds it…."
"What does he want with it?" Lotus asked irritably.
"He wants to perform the darkest ritual known to wizardkind," Septimus whispered, "Necromancy."
With that, the mirror was cut off, and from a cry on Septimus's end, Harry presumed that was because Alfred had caught him talking to his wife. Lotus dropped her mirror, and it smashed, just like Harry's mirror from Sirius had done.
With that, the scene shifted, and they were surrounded by silver and black shadows once more. Harry pulled himself out of the veil and sat down opposite Ben's desk.
Ben did the same thing, taking his seat and looking at Harry.
"What does he want in the Department of Mysteries?"
"I know," Harry admitted, "And I can't tell you."
"Harry, I am the Head Auror," Ben reminded him, "I have the highest level of clearance possible."
"No, you don't," Harry said quietly, "Unspeakables have the highest level of clearance, and they are the only ones who should know about anything that exists in the Department of Mysteries. I shouldn't even know it's there, Ben."
"But you do," Ben said slowly, "Because of the Battle that took place there in 1996?"
Harry just nodded, and Ben accepted that for an answer. It was true that Unpeakabbles operated on a different clearance level from anyone else in the ministry, after all.
"But necromancy?" Ben questioned, "Is that possible?"
"I think so," Harry sighed. He rubbed his eyes and wished he still kept a snitch in his pocket; having something to fiddle with would be very helpful right now.
"How do we stop him?" Ben asked quietly.
Harry looked across at the Head Auror and answered truthfully.
"I'm not sure that we can."
The Minister for Magic's Office
When Harry had relayed the news to Draco, the blonde man stopped pacing and sank into his comfortable chair. He let his head drop onto his desk, and he was silent for five long minutes.
"I don't know what to do anymore, Harry. I don't think there's anything I can do. Destiny is marching towards us, closing in and….I'm at a loss."
Harry placed both of his hands on the desk and said, "Maybe you can't stop the prophecy, Draco. But maybe the prophecy is the end. Silver eyes crying through the wind, and the light fading from the golden one…."
He shook his head and pushed himself up to full height, "Someone is going to die, and with any luck, they do that sacrificing themselves to stop Alfred Nott from doing whatever he's going to do."
"It does sound like he's going to bring Voldemort back."
"It does," Harry agreed, "So for now, let's just roll with that and operate on a worst-case scenario basis."
Draco swallowed and nodded, "In which case…we make sure the security is as tight as possible on Mabon and that there is a skeleton staff in this building like I said."
"Yes," Harry agreed, "But I don't think it would hurt to issue a statement to the press either. Get it in the prophet tomorrow. Announce it on the radio tonight. Remind the population that we are in a lockdown and that, while they can celebrate Mabon, they ought to gather privately in small family groups, in their own homes."
Draco nodded again, "Okay."
Harry sighed and paused in front of the desk. He reached over and gripped Draco's wrist, "After you have done that, go home and spend the weekend with your family. Time is marching on, and you don't know how much of it you have left, so appreciate the time you do have."
Draco let out a breath and nodded, "I'm not going to tell them about this until Monday."
"I understand that," Harry promised.
"I just want a last weekend of normalcy, Harry," Draco said, with tears pricking at his eyes.
Harry felt a lump rise in his own throat. He nodded and said hoarsely, "I know you do, and you deserve it,"
Draco nodded and pulled his wrist out of Harry's grasp. He walked to the door, then paused and took a shaky breath.
"Thank you for vouching for me all those years ago and standing by me ever since," Draco said sincerely.
Harry forced a tearful smile and nodded, "Anytime," he promised.
- TBC -
