There was something distinctly wrong about a building that was normally full of such activity being quiet. As Harry burst out of the doorway and entered the main atrium of the Avalon Ministry he couldn't help but feel as if he were an intruder in some solemn tomb, invading a space that no living person should enter. When he'd last been at the Ministry, when he and Sirius had come to give their statements about Regulus and his capture at Hogwarts, it had been the afternoon and the Ministry had been full of people moving about. While many had been there to hear from Sirius how he planned to reopen the Black Family Gym at Mordred's End and the Potter Family gym at Griflet's Hollow (or Godric's Hollow... honestly it seemed that the town was always changing its name and he could never remember which one it was calling itself that month) many more had been moving about on their own business. There were those that were arriving for the most trivial of reasons; passports that needed to be renewed, meetings to get exemptions for the zoning of their lands, take tests to get their Potioner's License, and many others. They moved about either is a grand rush, scared they would miss a deadline, or with the trudge of the worn down and beaten because they had been sent to yet another office to get another permit just to be told they needed something else.

Then there had been those that had been there for life changing moments. Those that had been registering their final badge so that they could take part in the Avalon Cup. Parents celebrating the birth of their babies by filing their birth certificates, bouncing pink little bundles that cooed or squawked. Excited newlyweds rushing to finalize their new lives together. Of course there had been those that didn't wish to be there... the criminals being dragged to court, to face their final sentencing. The desperate who had nowhere else to go to plead their case. The mourners filing the death certificates And mixed amongst that chaos of good and bad had been those that simply were heading off to do their jobs; the nameless figures in the background who kept Avalon and its government running smoothly. Those that hurried to offices that no one knew existed in departments that the populations had never heard of, working away to ensure that the ship kept on moving.

All of this had created a strange storm within the Ministry building when Harry had visited, with hundreds of voices murmuring and muttering to themselves with the occasional loud exclamation bursting to the surface for all to hear.

But now things were different. The dark of night had brought with it not just shadows but stillness.

The Fountain of Eternal Unity had in the light of day been an impressive sight, with its towering figure of some grand male trainer holding aloft an ancient Pokémon summoning sphere and the female trainer who clung to his leg, staring with adoration. And below both of them had been the Pokemon that Harry had asked Sirius a thousand questions about, not caring in the slightest that he was acting like a rambunctious child: the solemn guardian of the Avalon glades Sentorest, the striking master of consuming flames Mantirex, and the cocky Lord of the Seas Caprocean. But now in the darkness of the night the fountain was quiet, someone having turned off the water that bubbled to the surface during the day, and the statues that stood high above Harry and his friends now took on a sinister guise. The Trinity Pokémon were monsters that had emerged from the shadows of the past and the female trainer looked like some vampiric creature clinging to her meal's leg. And the high-standing male trainer... Harry could feel his cold blue-black stone eyes staring at him, wondering why he had dared to invade his home. Even brash Hedwig flew towards the statue only to pause moments before landing... then deciding to dart down and rest on Neville's shoulder instead.

The crowds have been replaced by patches of black that flickered and danced as Harry and his friends moved pasted the dimmed safety lights that were embedded in the walls at floor level. And their footfalls, in that great cavernous room, bounced about so that it sounded like some ghostly army was on their heels, chasing them down. When Harry motioned for them all to stop and take a moment to gather their breath and get their bearings even their panting echoed about them obscenely and monstrously. The entire atrium seemed determine to drive out any intruder that came when they weren't supposed to, if even through sheer fright.

Of course he was an intruder.

"Alright," Ron finally said, pointing towards one wing to their right. "That leads to the Gym Leader Chambers. I remember dad taking us there a few years ago."

"Fudge wouldn't go there," Hermione stated.

"He couldn't go there," Luna stated with a slight smile. "After the war and the... unpleasantness... that happened there beforehand only a Gym Leader can get in. Biometrics insure that."

"Later," Harry said to Ginny, having noticed to gleam in her eye at the challenge. He looked about before nodding, pointing to another offshoot. "And that is where the Ministry holds public events and hearings," he said, remembering when he and Sirius had been there last.

"There then?" Ron asked.

Neville though shook his head. "Too big. Would be awkward. Fudge would have the meeting if there was a full session called but for a meeting like this?"

"And I think the smaller courtrooms are out," Hermione reasoned. "Would put things off on the wrong foot."

"Except we can't judge things by how Fudge would do them," Jasmine stated. "This is Voldemort."

"Yes and no," Harry said, looking about the atrium. He didn't like standing around in the open as they were... felt far too risky. They were on enemy territory, after all. "I've dealt with Voldemort three times now in different bodies and I noticed that whatever soul he consumed last seems to alter him slightly. Not even sure if he realizes it. Or maybe he does and that's the point... like flavoring the meat."

"So he's Pennywise," Luna stated. The others looked at her and she sighed. "One of these days I am going to get you uncultured cretins some library books..."

"The point," Harry continued, "is that Voldemort acts differently with each body. With Quirell he was more spiteful. Cho Chang made him rash and emotional. Moody was far more in control and cautious. With Fudge who knows what he would get." He looked about the Ministry's main hall again, desperate for an answer. "You didn't get anything from Umbridge?" he asked Hermione.

"Nothing but what I looked for. I would have had to dig deeper to even see if she knew about the meeting and where it was taking place. The former she might have but being in the loop of where Fudge was holding it? I doubt it. She wasn't invited to come so there would be no need for her to know. And Voldemort would want to keep things as close to the vest as he could. The more people that knew exactly what he was going to do and where the better chance of someone messing things up."

"Like us," Ron said with a grin.

Harry rubbed his chin. "There has to be something-"

A light flicked on, just out of the corner of Harry's eye, and all of them whipped around, Pokeballs out and bodies tense. It was only when Leon emerged from a suddenly illuminated storefront, one that featured brouchures and train schedules for all of Avalon, that they all relaxed slightly.

"Sorry about that," the Leafeon said with a grimace. "Was trying to see if I could sniff him out. Didn't expect the lights to put on."

"Motion controlled," Harry reasoned. "It's-"

"That's it!" Jasmine exclaimed, turning to Ginny. "Can you hack into the utilities programs?'

"Well... yeah," Ginny said. "That actually wouldn't be that hard. I doubt they'd have much protection on it. Assuming there is even a program to begin with."

"Do it."

Harry placed a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder. "What are you thinking?"

"Ministry would have automated features to button things up for the night. No way would they pay someone to walk around flipping switches to turn off the power. Everything would be automated and on a timer."

"So?" Ron asked.

"They'd also want something to override the commands, to turn the lights back on or keep them from flicking off if someone was staying late. Wouldn't do if you were in your office working on a project and the lights, or your computer, suddenly went dark because it was 7pm. There would be commands-"

"And Fudge would use one of those to keep the lights on for a secret meeting!" Ginny finished, fingers flying quicker over her dex's keyboard as she activated her hacking programs to begin looking for weaknesses in the program. "Okay I just need-"

Harry's head snapped up the same time Leon's did and Jasmine joined him a few moments later. "We got incoming." He spun towards an archway that had been behind him. "Orion! Can you freeze it in time?" The Empoleon shook his head and Harry grit his teeth. "Then do it the moment there is a lull. Everyone... get ready."

The words had barely left his mouth when two aurors came around the corner, the lights in the hallway they were running through flicking on to reveal them wearing the standard blue uniforms of the Auror Corps. Harry instantly knew these two, a man and a woman both in their mid 20s, were low level, as Tonks had told him that only senior Aurors, the detectives and commanders, were allowed to be lax in their dress. Those that walked the beat had to dress in the uniform no matter what. The two newcomers stormed into the atrium only to pause, blinking when they saw that the intruders were school kids. That was enough time for Orion to fire off an Ice Beam and begin sealing their way out. The Aurors looked at each other, mentally debating what to do as Harry knew from talking to Tonks and Jonas that standard operating for law enforcement was to always retreat if their route to connect with their support was being cut off. But he also wagered that the embarrassment of running from students would not allow them to simply turn tail and regroup.

Sure enough the Aurors pulled out Pokeballs, both of which Harry saw weren't any commercial brand balls or custom ones but the standard issued Ministry ones: both halves steel gray with a dark blue line in the middle along with a similar colored indicator light.

"Herdier!" the male Auror called out, sending out the shaggy-coat dog Pokémon.

"Gumshoos!" the female Auror called out, the long-bodied Normal type with very odd yellow fur on top of its head appearing and looking up and down his foes.

Luna instantly threw her hands in the air. "Nope! I'm not dealing with that one! Rule of Cautious Editing!" She slapped Neville on the shoulder. "Tag, you're it."

The teen shrugged and pulled out a Pokeball. "Works for me… girl, its been far too long. Flora! I choose you!"

"Let's make this one big reunion tour!" Harry said with a grin. "Bulma!" He threw out her Pokeball and the Togekiss burst forth with a trill that only grew happier as Neville's starter appeared below her. Flora had grown huge since they'd last seen her, the mighty Venasaur letting out bellow and stomping her foot as her vines emerged from her back. "Just like Second Year, huh Nev?"

"Just like-"

"Xena!" Jasmine shouted.

"Emolga!" Ron added with a grin, sending out his own Pokemon as Jasmine's bladed wonder shot out from where she had been keeping watch, joining the battle.

Harry shot his girlfriend and best mate a look and Jasmine rolled her eyes. "This ain't an official gym battle, luv! We have to use every advantage we have! Xena, Sacred Sword!" The blade-Pokemon rushed forward, swinging its shield (rather than its sword body, oddly enough) at the first Auror's Herdier.

"Protect!" the male called out and the Herdier braced itself at the right moment, bouncing the attack back so that it didn't damage him.

"Takedown!" the woman shouted and her Gumshoos rushed towards Xena before she could move the right herself.

"Air Slash!" Harry called out, Bulma giving a hard blast with her wings at the sleuth-Pokemon, knocking it back before it could strike the Aegislash. "Now, Dazzling Gleam!"

"Protect as well!" the female Auror declared, Gumshoos rolling into a tight ball to prevent the bright fairy lights from doing little more than splashing off the cold tile.

"Herdier, Crunch on the Emolga!" the male said just as Ron was calling out for his Pokemon to fire off a Thunderbolt. The bolt of lightning went wide, hitting no one, but Herdier connected with Emolga and sent him crashing to the ground, the little flyer wincing as he struggled to get to his feet after the savage bit and fall.

"Flora, Giga!" Neville called out and his starter shot out a beam only for him to curse when Gumshoos moved to intercept it and used Protect to ensure the attack did no damage. "This is getting annoying!"

"Auror tactics," Harry called out as Gumshoos switched to a Takedown, crashing into Bulma and forcing her down to the ground only for Emolga to counter with an Iron Tail to knock Gumshoos back. "Protect each other and then attack when an opening makes itself known."

"Give up now!" the male auror called out.

"Should I be concerned that it took them this long to actually try and talk with us?" Hermione asked; She had moved to protect Ginny along with Luna, the red-haired teen still working to hack the dex and figure out where Fudge was.

"I think we have an Ed-209 situation here," Luna complained.

Bulma let loose a blast of Psychic at Gumshoos but Herdier used another Protect to ensure his teammate was safe. "This is getting annoying," Harry groused.

"I just said that!"

"I don't know why you children are here but you have committed breaking and entering!" the female auror called out as her Gumshoos moved now into the defensive position while Herdier moved to perform a Crunch on Flora. "Stand down now and don't make this any harder on yourself!"

"How about no?" Jasmine asked with a smirk. "King's Shield!" Xena sheathed herself and moved to intercept the attack, Herdier clanging hard against her metal form and stumbling back. "Sacred Sword again!"

"Protect!" the female auror called out, her Gumshoos, much to the gang's annoyance, moving to intercept the attack again. Jasmine had been trying to edge her way towards where the Aurors stood, so she could get them physically involved in the fight, but was having no luck. The battling Pokemon were making it hard for her to find an opening. "Get on the ground now, hands in the air, and don't move!"

"I ain't Gary Coleman and you aren't a bike store owner!" Luna called out only to yelp when one of Emolga's lightning bolts zipped a bit too close for comfort.

"We have to break those Protects!" Neville called out.

"I got it!" Ron called out. "Jasmine, Sacred Sword them again!"

"Okay…" the Johtoian said, confused at what Ron was getting at but hoping he had some strategy in place and wasn't merely flailing about hoping for a bit of good luck. "Sacred Sword!"

"Protect!" the male auror called out.

"Emolga, Encore!" Ron called out quickly. His flying electric type nodded and released a cheer filled with sparks that radiated out of his body and hit the Herdier just as it stopped Aegislash's attack and Gumshoos moved to strike Flora.

Harry, seeing what Ron had done, grinned even as Flora took a Takedown from Gumshoos. "Bulma, Air Slash!"

"Protect!" the female auror called out. Her Gumshoos did as commanded but the Herdier didn't launch into a counter… instead it tried to perform another Protect that failed.

"Now Sacred Sword!" Jasmine roared, thrusting her fist into the air as the attack finally hit and sent Herdier slamming into a wall, badly hurt. "About time!"

The two aurors shared a look. "We can't risk Protect again, not with them being able to Encore," the woman said.

"Herdier can protect you every other hit but that Sacred Sword will take us down hard… we need to subdue them now." He pulled out a box and pressed a button on it. "Get ready for capture scenario seven."

"Look out guys!" Hermione called but it was too late, the male auror throwing out the box that trembled as it struck the floor before unleashing a wave of energy. Harry cried out, nearly dropping to his knees as his cybernetic hand fritzed out and he saw all around him everyone's Pokeballs begin to spark. "The hell?" He said, the prosthetic making it feel like he'd just drove his hand into a light socket and then let it go completely numb.

"Pokeball Lock," the male auror said sternly. "Locks out all Pokeballs from activating. We finish this with the Pokemon we have."

"Damn it," Jasmine snapped. "Uncle Jonas uses those. They last ten minutes. We have to stall!"

"You won't be able to!" the female auror declared. "Gumshoos, yawn!"

"Ignore it!" Harry called out but it was too late, the attack hitting all of their Pokemon and making their eyes droop. "They'll be asleep in a minute. Need to finish this now."

"We will," Neville said. "Get ready to activate Flamethrower. Ron, Jasmine, both of you fire on Herdier!"

"Got it!"

"Will do!"

"Flora… SUNNY DAY!"

With a grunt the Venasaur's flower shook and a ball of solar energy shot high into the air, racing up to the atrium's ceiling and bursting into blinding yellowish-white light. All the Pokemon, and their trainers, slammed their eyes shut against the glare. But that was just what Bulma needed and the Togekiss opened her mouth, feeling the warmth of the false sun flow within her and build the fire that was gathering in her belly from a simple blaze into a raging inferno. In that moment something clicked within her, as had happened with many Pokemon when they went from believing that they understood fully everything about themselves to suddenly realizing that there was so much more left to go.

Thus while Emolga used his Thunderbolt to burn off the final Protect the Aurors had, allowing Jasmine's Xena to connect with a Sacred Sword against Herdier, Bulma let loose not a stream of fire but one grand burst, the inferno taking on a rather distinctive appearance of an X-Cross.

Fire Blast.

The two normal types went down in a heap, utterly knocked out, and their trainers only have a few minutes to stare in shock before Jasmine was on them, smashing one of her bracers right into the male auror's head, right about where his neck met his skull and leaving him to bonelessly drop to the ground. The female auror tried to back away but Jasmine grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into a wall.

"Did you laugh?" she hissed. The auror gurgled, clawing at Jasmine's hand, but her Speaker-enhanced strength and durability meant she didn't even feet a thing. "Did you laugh?" she repeated. "When they told you about how my dad swung from that noose your brothers and sisters put around his neck… Did. You. Laugh?" Jasmine stared at her for a long moment before letting loose of full body shudder and slamming the woman against the wall, knocking her out.

Luna instantly rushed to her, giving her a side hug but Jasmine only allowed her to do so for a few moments before she pulled away, smiling weakly and shaking her head before moving to stand by herself.

"Alright, anyone got any Awakens or a Pokeflute?" Harry asked, looking at the limp Pokémon that lay all around him and his friends. He knew he needed to get them back on schedule if they hoped to get through their mission; that last battle had proven that while with surprise they could take out the aurors if the law enforcement of Avalon was allowed a chance to gather themselves and come up with a plan it would be a much harder battle. They had barely managed to squeak out that win and Harry wasn't in the mood to gamble again. They needed to find Fudge, save the professors, and prove that the Minister was Voldemort. Only then would they get the aid they needed.

He looked past their sleeping Pokemon towards the rest of the atrium. The floor was scorched with burn marks and one of Xena's Sacred Swords had taken a chunk out of the grand statue in the center of the room but otherwise things weren't that bad. The Aurors were slumped in a heap, Jasmine flexing her fingers as if to work out some kinks in her hand. The Herdier and Gumshoos were lying on their backs, knocked out and not likely to be up and fighting anytime soon.

"I got it," Neville said, pulling out a bag and pouring out some blue berries that resembled children's tops and had cream-colored bottoms. "Chesto Berries are far more natural. No chemicals and Awakens use Chesto Berries anyway, they just add in preservatives-"

"Please tell me you aren't going to go on a rant about organ medicines," Ron said with a groan even as Emolga popped awake the moment the berry was placed in his mouth.

"If it works it works," Neville wagered.

"Alright, how much more time do you need, Gin?" Harry asked.

"Almost there... 90 seconds? I want to cover my tracks, just to be safe."

"Got it but hurry. We barely won against these two." Harry grimaced at that; much like when Jonas had unleashed his full skill without any thought of restraint the battle against the aurors had been a reminder that despite all he had done and learned he still had so much farther to go. Rather than focus on that dreary thought he instead made his way over to Jasmine, who was staring at the knocked out aurors, her lips pressed together in a thin line. "You alright?"

"I will be," Jasmine said softly. "They weren't there. We know that it was only the high up aurors, the detectives and such, that were in the woods that night." She swallowed. "And yet I still want to kill them. They weren't involved and I still want them dead. And I need to remind myself that I can't do that. That I can't let such... all consuming hate... govern me."

"It won't," Harry promised her.

"How can you be so sure?" she asked softly.

"I know you."

She shook her head though. "But I'm not sure I know myself anymore." Jasmine shook her head in frustration. "I keep thinking it will be easy… and it is. In the moment, at least. The pounce, the attack, the thrill of the chase, letting all that anger finally burst forth after tapping it down..." She wrapped her arms around herself. "But then afterwards I just feel so… sick to my stomach."

"It means you're still human," Harry whispered.

"Humans hurt my dad," she reminded him.

"Then you still have your morals."

"Better."

"I got it!" Ginny called out. "The Minister had the lights on in his office at 7pm this evening."

Hermione blinked at that. "if the answer to this is, "he is in his office" I'm going to be very disappointed."

Ginny scowled. "He isn't in his office. He left that and went down two stories and activated the lights in Conference Room 4-C. And they haven't been off since."

"4-C. Right." Harry recalled the Awakened Bulma and rushed towards the elevator. "Let's go!"

The rest of his friends hurried to catch up, all of them so focused on getting to the conference room they didn't notice the cloaked figure that had been observing them from the second story the entire time.

"My lord, Potter is on his way," the figure said. "Should I kill the aurors he defeated?"

"No," the Nocturne Agent heard in his earpiece. "It will do me no good if Harry is linked to their deaths. Restrain them and set them aside but see to it that they are not harmed."

"Yes Lord Voldemort."