Chapter 35: Muggle Weaponry 101

It turned out there was a battle inside the Ministry. Harry Potter and his friends went there, we still don't know why, and battled Death Eaters. You-Know-Who himself was there and he fought Dumbledore. Ministry officials came too late but they had seen You-Know-Who and captured some Death Eaters, including Draco's father Lucius Malfoy.

"I will miss you!" Nikki hugged Ianthé in Platform 9 ¾ , "Write to me or visit me in Romania!"

"I'll try, okay?" Ianthé hugged her best friend back.

Ianthé got her trunk as Edmond waited for her. She managed to exchange smiles with Ginny Weasley. Ginny returned a nod to her.

"Hurry, Théa. Family meeting!" Edmond helped her with her trunks.

They both went back to Herze Mansion using a portkey.

I never got to rest as Edmond and I immediately went to the meeting area.

"Dearie!" Margeaux Herze hugged her daughter tightly.

"Mum! I'm fine!"

Alexander Herze patted his daughter in the back, "You have done a great job of informing us about everything."

Ianthé's mother went out of the meeting room.

"It's my job, Papa," Ianthé sat on a chair beside Edmond, "Any other news or information, Uncles?"

Wilhelm Herze stood up, "It has been confirmed to me by my contacts in Denmark that dementors have indeed left Azkaban. They are now in the Dark Lord's employ. Most of them are breeding."

Ianthé winced, "They are breeding?"

"Girl, let me remind you that we are not here to discuss dementor husbandry!" Great Uncle Scipio Dreyfuss (the old but intimidating uncle) said in a gruff.

"But it is important, Uncle! Imagine what terror they would cause!"

Uncle Alfonse looked like he was concentrating on something, "She is right. We need to keep our eyes open all times. Has anyone else been contacted by the Dark Lord's inner circle?"

A man, a young man not older than twenty-five stood up, "I, together with another recruit, was ordered to hunt down and exterminate Karkaroff. My partner already found him. He's hiding in Romania. I was tasked to do the killing."

"Tarquinus, are you sure you want to do it?" Edmond asked sincerely.

Tarquinus nodded, "It would be detrimental for my rise among his ranks of followers. He also is in control of the werewolves headed by Fernir Greyback."

Great Uncle Scipio shook his head slowly, "That is very grave news…."

Ianthé's eyes twinkled as if she was suddenly hit by inspiration, "We shouldn't forget what a werewolf's weakness is. Who owns one of the largest silver mine in the European continent? Who has connections with the goblins who also hated the werewolves?"

Alexander Herze smiled. He is impressed with his daughter's presence of mind in times like these. "We do."

"The werewolves shouldn't be a problem, then. Imagine what one drop of silver in their blood would do to them," Ianthé whipped out her wand and enlarged a picture.

It was an unusual picture as it was not moving.

"My dear, what is that thing?" Uncle Wilhelm wore his monocle.

"It is a Muggle contraption, dear Uncle."

There was sudden uproar inside the room.

Honestly! Ianthé rolled her eyes and pointed her wand on her throat, "Sonorus."

"Oi!"

The whole room went quiet.

"Yes, I admit. I enrolled in Muggle Studies class back in third year," Ianthé threw her hands up in the air.

"Preposterous! How can that thing help us?"

"That is called a machine gun, Uncle. It is a high-powered Muggle weapon. Once a bullet hits its target, the bullet would puncture the body of the target."

"How is this connected to fighting the werewolves?"

Ianthé's smile widened, "Pretty easy, actually. Viktor's father has connections even to the Muggle world. Russia has a large surplus of weapons and we can get those weapons through the Krums. The bullets to be used should be made of pure silver. That's when we come in. We can also make bombs that have silver for shrapnel."

The older members of the family nodded, seeming to have agreed with Ianthé's idea.

"I happen to know some people who could make the bombs," Ianthé leaned back on her chair.

"We will give you the gold to finance the making of the bombs and when you reach Bulgaria, you know what to do."

Ianthé nodded, "What about Draco Malfoy? His father has incurred the Dark Lord's wrath, I presume… being cornered by under-age wizards… He might be pressured to do a task for pay back…"

"As a matter of fact, he does. The Dark Lord had a private chat with the young Malfoy," Tarquinus spoke.

"We'll talk about it when you come back," Alexander Herze got up and left the room.

Ianthé and Edmond followed.

"So, what's new with you and Andy?"

Edmond shrugged, "Nothing new. Her father's delighted to hear the news of us dating. And I already asked his permission for Andy's hand in marriage."

Ianthé stopped walking, "What? How did this exactly happen?"

"We just want to be together."

Ianthé laughed, "So that she can hex you anytime she wants to!"

Edmond laughed with her, "Are you ready to get back to Bulgaria?"

"Yep."

"What about your birthday?"

"I'll spend my sixteenth birthday in my fiancé's arms."

Edmond cocked his eyebrows and smiled, "You better get going then."

Author's notes: I have finally located the North Sea! Yey! Ms. Rowling mentioned that Azkaban is located at the North Sea --- a very cold sea, so I kept thinking it was in Eastern Europe! I finally found out it wasn't. It's the sea on the right of the northern part of the UK and some countries like Denmark, Norway and Iceland surround the North Sea. Just find it on a map for Merlin's sake!