Thank you again for the reviews and follow!

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Revolution

Ron and Parvati entered the Ministry workshop where Padma, Hugo and Terry were pouring over the Purification Device. "How long until it's working again?"Ron asked.

Terry looked up. "A day. Maybe two."

Ron scowled. "That's longer than I'd hoped for."

"It was pretty messed up,"Hugo explained. "We're having to completely regenerate some parts of it."

Ron sighed. "Keep me posted. I want another trial run as soon as possible."

As they left, Parvati looked at her friend with concern. "Something's worrying you."

"Harry."

Parvati shook her head. "He's not going to be a real threat. I know he's getting support but that's just discontented mumblings. At the end of the day, people aren't going to be rising up against the Ministry."

"They're not going to be rising up to defend it."

"We don't need defending. We've got plenty of people here."

"But have we got enough?" Ron thought for a moment. "The thing is, believe it or not, Harry's been pulling his punches."

"What do you mean?"

"A raid here, a raid there? He's not attacking us full-on, he's not using his full resources. He's basically just been trying to get at the Device."

Parvati considered this. "True,"she admitted.

"If he decides to step things up a gear, to go after the Ministry itself…then things really will get serious."

Hermione found Harry pouring over plans again. The small victory of disrupting the trial run had done little to calm and relax him. They both knew it was only a temporary triumph, that more trouble would follow. Plans had to be made. "What are you looking at?"she asked him. He didn't answer, which worried her. She came to his side and saw he was once more looking at plans of the Ministry. "Are you planning another raid?"

Harry was silent for a long time before finally answering. "I'm planning to take over the Ministry."

Hermione gaped at him, aghast. "Harry!"

Harry turned on her angrily. "Well what else can we do, Hermione? We can't sneak in and destroy the Purification Device, it's too powerful. We can't sneak it out in our pockets, take it to some secure location where we can destroy it at our leisure. So we have to take charge of where it is. We have to take the Ministry."

"And what about Ron and the others?"

"Lock them up, I suppose. There's plenty of cells there."

"And then? Set up a benign dictatorship? You're talking about overthrowing the elected officials!"

"We won't have to take it over forever,"Harry replied defensively. "Maybe we can make an agreement with them afterwards, see Ron restored to office so long as these plans are disbanded. Or maybe we can hold an election, have the people decide who they want to rule them. So long as there's an end to this."

"Harry…you're talking about staging a coup."

Harry looked at her, unflinching. "Yeah, I guess I am."

Hermione took a deep breath. "Okay. Where do we start?"

James and Nymphadora were also currently looking over a plan of the Ministry, carefully sequestered away in James' room at Gryffindor Towers. James looked at his sister quizzically. "What do you think?"

Nymphadora gave him a sceptical look. "I think you've inherited Dad's habit of trying to do the impossible."

"Well, nice to know I've picked up a few traits from him."

"Couldn't you have found a better one?" Nymphadora sighed. "The Order of the Phoenix have tried to raid the Ministry about half a dozen times. What makes you think that…Dumbledore's Army will do any better?"

"Because they won't be expecting us."

"They'll be expecting someone."

"But that's the beauty of it!"James insisted. "They'll think the someone is already there!"

Nymphadora still looked sceptical but at least she was willing to discuss it. "Okay, I'm listening."

"We have to be very careful, time this just right. And we have to keep a close eye on things. But I'm guessing the Order will give us the distraction we need…and then we can end this once and for all."