Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter story or characters. I do, however, reserve the rights for any characters I develop and the plot of this story.
Harry Potter and the Veela Life Debts
By Jojobevco
Chapter 23
The Muggle Blockade and the Fall of the Ministry for Magic
October 31, 1995
5:50 PM
A Street
Near the Ministry for Magic
London, United Kingdom
A lot of sirens blared, loudly. London was a major city of the world and was host to a number of motorcades each day. There were royal motorcades, government motorcades, foreign motorcades, etc. But not for many years, had the people of London seen a motorcades as well armed and armored as this one.
There were obviously the Special Escort Group motorcycles, but many more of them than usual, blocking off traffic further ahead. They were also armed, not only with their usual Glock 17s, but with HK MP-5 sub-machine guns as well. They were followed by the most heavily armed motorcade anyone had seen in a long time. There was the Diplomatic Protection Group, armed with their department's own specially modifed, magic-resistant Glock 17s, their MP5s and some sniper rifles as well. Also in attendance was Royal Protection, who had just been briefed on magic a week ago.
The strangest part was the vehicles in the middle. 24 F107 Scimitars were moving through the streets, each with a crew of three, each fully armed with live ammunition for its 30mm gun and its 7.62mm machine gun. There were staffed with men from the Blue and Royals and Life Guards, who had traded in their horses for light armor. In the middle of them were five FV432 Infantry Vechicles that had been quietly transferred to the Grenadier Guards and Coldstream guards stationed in London over the past week. Inside each of them was ten guardsmen, still in their ceremonial uniforms. All they had been told was that they were needed for a "high priority counterterrorism operation ordered at the highest level." And in the dead middle of it all was an FV105 Sultan Command Vehicle. Flying over head were the three Eurocopter Tigers on loan from France. Amazingly, they had gotten this all together in less than forty minutes.
The Vehicles came to a stop and surrounded a half block area, paying particular attention to a phone box and a public restroom. Unfortunately, a family on a daytrip from Greater Whinging, Surrey, on their way back to their car from visiting the sights around (including Whitehall) got caught in the net.
"FREEZE!"
"GET YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!"
"GET ON THE GROUND NOW!"
Agents from the DPG ran forward and surrounded the husband, wife, teenage son, and six year old daughter with guns pointed at their heads.
"Check them for Imp! Check 'em for Imp!"
A DPG Agent ran forward with a pen light, checking their eyes.
"Pupil reaction is normal, no cloudiness; they're clear of Imp!"
"Check them for Poly! Check 'em for Poly!"
One of the agents with his gun pointed at the father asked, "WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A RUBBER DUCK?!"
"Excuse me?"
"WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A RUBBER DUCK? Tell me now! Or we will detain you!"
"I don't know, to entertain children in bathtubs?"
"GOOD ANSWER!" He then turned to the wife, pointing his gun at her and screaming, "WHAT BRAND OF LAUNDRY DETERGENT DO YOU USE!"
"What?"
"YOU HEARD ME! WHAT BRAND OF LAUNDRY DETERGENT DO YOU USE?"
"Um, Persil."
He then turned to the teenage boy, "WHO IS THE HOTTEST ROYAL?"
"Hottest?"
"BEST LOOKING!"
"Zara Phillips!"
The agent was about to move on but turned back for a moment, "Really, Miss Phillips, not the Princess of Wales?"
"Diana is old enough to be my mother! Ew!"
The agent turned to the last member of the family, the six year old, "SING 'THE MUFFIN MAN'!"
The girl sobbed, "Daddy, I'm scared!"
The agent got down on one knee, "Now listen here, you either sing 'The Muffin Man' or we'll lock you up and you will never see your family again! Do it! Do it now!"
The girl looked at the agent with a gleam in her eye,
"Oh, do you know the Muffin Man,
The Muffin Man, the Muffin Man,
Do you know the Mudblood
That lives on Drury Lane!"
The girl grabbed a rather large stick out of the back of her corduroys and pointed it at the agent.
"Avada-"
The agent immediately grabbed the wand out of the 'girl's' hand and spun her around, flipping her on the ground and cuffing her.
Agent Smith and Colonel Lafleur had been by the command vehicle positioning units when the commotion had them running.
"Agent Griffin, report!"
"Girl sang a corrupted version of 'The Muffin Man' then pulled a wand and tried to AK me."
Lafleur nodded, "Let me guess, 'The Potion Man'?"
"No."
"'The Mudblood on Drury Lane' then?"
"Yes, how did you know?"
Lafleur was mindful of the family, which was currently freaking out, "The community that our targets come from is terrible at creative writing; they haven't put out anything good in centuries. Many of the Nursery Rhymes are interchangeable between the cultures. One comes up with it and the other adopts it. Stick with anything written after 1900 and you'll be fine."
"Where's the real daughter, then?"
Lafleur looked into the girls eyes and blew past the limited occlumency shields the Death Eater had, "She's alive, she's been locked in a janitor's closet at Whitehall, I'll go with the family, retrieve the girl and obliviate all of them."
As he led the sobbing and confused family toward a waiting DPG vehicle Louis turned to Agent Smith, "And you didn't want to check the children, John. You now have an enemy that can become anyone. Keep that in mind."
It was at this point that the Commander stepped out of her Sultan. Her uniform was very different from everyone else's. First of all, it was an actual combat uniform, as opposed to the ceremonial dress the rest of the units were wearing. She had a khaki Beret on her head. She had no unit or rank insignia, in fact, all she had was a Union Jack on her arm and a name plate of "Wales." She was a ghost, one of those, 'I don't exist, so you damn well better do what I say' uniform wearing types. As she walked over to Agent Smith, she replaced the Beret with a combat helmet, showing her grayish-white hair in the process.
"Sitrep, Agent Smith!"
"A 'DE' was impersonating a young girl. We captured the DE and discovered the location of the daughter. Colonel LaFleur went with them, he'll wipe their memory."
"And you didn't object?"
"Frankly, if you found out your daughter was replaced by a homicidal maniac ma'am, wouldn't you want to forget?"
The Commander nodded, "True," she then looked around, "So, where is this DE."
Agent Smith looked over to the sidewalk where they had left the enemy, no one was there, and the guards were looking at a grate. He jogged over, the Commander following at a more sedate pace.
"Where's the prisoner?"
The guardsman looked over to the commander his eyes widening, "Ma'am, you're not going to believe this."
The Commander crossed her arms and just looked at the soldier, "Try me."
"The prisoner turned into a rat and escaped into the tunnel."
Agent Smith pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head, "Must have been Pettegrew, Bugger." He looked up at the Commander, "Sorry ma'am."
"My sentiments exactly. MINISTER DELACOUR!"
The minister walked over, "Yes?"
The Commander pointed at the soldier, "Obliviate him."
"Are you sure?"
"Our troops are so hopped up on, what are those called?"
"Notice-me-nots?"
"Yes, those that it really doesn't matter."
As Minister Delacour was modifying the soldier's memory, five Saxon armored vehicles, not unlike those used by American SWAT teams pulled up, and 48 men in covert ops gear got out. They entered the phone box that was being surrounded by the rest of the troops and descended.
An aide unnecessarily reported, "Sparks, Standard, and Torrent have deployed."
The Commander nodded, "Now, we wait."
6:15 PM
Outside the Visitors and Employee Entrances to the Ministry of Magic
London, UK
"Target is in the box, I say again, target is in the box, ETA 45 seconds!"
That radio call from the lobby sent the troops above scrambling. Safeties were taken off, guns were loaded, and the Choppers flew into stationary position around the phone box.
Minister Delacour and Agent Smith dragged the Commander behind one of the armored vehicles and peered around it.
The Commander spoke into her radio "All units, fire on visual, I repeat, fire on visual!"
They all waited with bated breath and itchy triggers until an approved spotter from the DPG screamed into his radio saw the top of Lord Voldemort's pasty white head and screamed, "VISUAL!"
At once numerous machine guns, pistols, sniper and assault rifles opened fire on the box. Half a second later they were followed by the resounding BOOMs of 24 30mm turrets off of the Scimitars. Each turret would fire six times. Simultaneously, 34 7.62 mm Machine guns on the Scimitars, Saxons and the FV432s opened fire. A full second after the ground forces, the helicopters opened fire, each of them started pounding away with their own 30mm turrets, Hellfire missiles and SNEB rockets.
After ten seconds, the order came to. "CEASE FIRE!" and they did. everyone stood up and looked at the very large crater where the phone box used to be.
"Did we get him?"
Minister Delacour waved his wand like a divining rod and then shook his head.
"Non, he must have apparated out."
"Damn it! Well, Minister, fix the thing so we can launch our invasion please."
Agent Smith started shepherding his agents and the Royal Protection ones to the employee entrance where they started flushing themselves down into the lobby using counterfeit Ministry entry coins (provided by Weasley Wizard Wheezes). Minister Delacour cast another notice-me-not on the crater causing the troops to look away and wander aimlessly around the perimiter. He then cast a high power Repairo on the phone box causing it to reappear and the shaft to reassemble. Another fixed the crater.
"And that's permanent?"
"For about 150 years."
"Wow."
"Yes, it is impressive, now I believe you need a change of uniform."
The Commander held her arms at her sides as Minister Delacour waved his wand, dispelling the transfigured clothing.
The Queen adjusted herself and looked back at the Minister, "Well, We are certainly happy to be out of that drab green and highly patriotic clothing."
"How political, Elizabeth."
The Queen of England quirked an eyebrow at the Minister for Magic of France, "Pot, Kettle, Jean-Pierre."
"Well, Your Majesty, shall we get going?"
The queen paused for a moment considering her attire. She was wearing her State Opening of Parliament Robe, and was carrying in one hand the Sceptre with the Cross in her left hand, and had the Great Sword of State sheathed on her left side, angled for easy draw from its magically modified auto eject sheath. On her head was the St. Edward's Crown, the oldest in the Crown Jewels. The rest of the Jewels had been left out for practicality and to send a message. There would be no mercy today, only complete subjugation.
The Queen actually felt better in the now magically lightened and armored (but still much lighter than usual) robes and accessories.
The queen stepped into the middle of a phalanx of Guardsmen who had been briefed on the ceremony. They all marched into the elevator where a guard picked up the phone and dialed 62442 before handing it to one of the Queen's white gloved hands.
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."
"Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, accompanied by an escort from our Grenadier and Coldstream Guards, here to terminate the right to rule of the illegal Ministry of Magic formed out of the Council of Wizards."
"Et hem."
"Oh, and accompanied by Jean-Pierre Delacour, Minister for Magic of France."
"Thank you. Visitors please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes."
Ten badges spewed of the coin return. The machine had been rather, innovative in its naming style, the Queen's read, Liz, Pretentious Muggle. The Guards' said, Guard, Muggle Thug. Jean-Pierre's said, Jean-Pierre Delacour, Invading Gaul. The queen just smiled at the badge and attached it to the front of her robes, the others following her lead.
"Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to surrender to the guard at the security desk, who will then execute you and take your property under Ministry Law."
The Guards got nervous and pointed their rifles at the machine. The queen just looked at it and just said, "You can try."
The box started to move as a crack of light hit their feet, the guards crouched down and peered through the glass into the atrium at the gathered agents, special ops units, Aurors, Epic Class Duelists, house-elf, and support staff. At the far end they could see a group of Usurper Aurors as well as a man in a bowler hat, who was apparently Usurper Minister Fudge, and a woman that looked like a pink toad with a blue face, who was apparently Senior Undersecretary Blueberry Umbitch.
The doors open and the elevator's pleasant evening wish was drowned out by the spit-polished boots of the guards moving forward, rifles aimed at the Usurpers, the Queen in the middle desperately trying not to smirk. The DPG and Royal Protection Agents followed their lead, pointing their guns at the Usurpers, the French Aurors were standing down for this portion to prevent an international crisis, but Fleur, Harry, and Gabrielle had drawn their wands and fallen into the middle of the phalanx, directly to the right of the Queen. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were off to the right of the formation and Dumbledore was off to the Left. Luna was behind the usurpers, riding a giant red triceratops. They stopped about ten feet from the gathered Usurper Aurors, Minister and Blueberry. The guard directly in front of the Queen and Fleur stepped to the side and moved to the back of the formation, moving Harry and the Queen forward.
Delores Umbridge's eyes widened in alarm. The Blueberry knew exactly what was going on. She pointed her wand at the Queen and screamed, "Avada Kedavra!"
And nothing happened. Clearly, preventing communication with the Queen also prevented casting spells at her.
Well, nothing happened from her wand at least, the rest of the lobby was a flurry of activity.
Harry tackled the Queen to the ground, expertly keeping her from being stabbed by any of her accessories.
Every gun and wand in the place in the hands of a Briton opened fire at the Blueberry.
Luna charged the rear of the usurper group, her horned triceratops flinging them into the air.
The French stood by and did nothing; this part was completely on the British.
All the wands and guns kept firing until everyone was out of ammunition. Then the wands stopped. Time stood still for a moment, before the Fudge-Loyal Usurper Aurors keeled over, dead or badly injured. The Blueberry was burst all around the atrium.
The only one of the Usurpers left standing, metaphorically, was Minister Fudge, who had been shielded by Dumbledore and then bound by him in chains. He was as white as a sheet and seemed to be begging and pleading
Harry stood and helped the Queen up.
"Ah, thank you Mr. Potter. We do believe that We owe you-"
"NOTHING!"
The Queen shot a look at Minister Delacour who was practically jumping and waving his arms, "You owe him nothing! He was just doing his job as a citizen of the crown, that's all."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief, even though it was only called a "Veela Life Debt." You can never be too careful.
The Queen followed his eyesight over to Fleur and Gabrielle and her eyes widened in recognition, "Oh, yes, well, moving on then."
"Ahem, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted by the Usurper Umbitch, that is her name right?"
"Umbridge ma'am."
"Umbridge then. Ah yes," the Queen walked over to Minister Fudge and glared at him. "Cornelius Oswald Fudge, claimant of the title 'Minister for Magic' and Usurper of The Crown. We find you guilty of high treason and sentence you to death by decapitation." She drew the recently sharpened double handled Great Sword of State and slashed it across Fudge's neck, removing his head from his body.
Ron looked over to Hermione and whispered, "Can she do that?"
"Technically, the Magical portions of Great Britain have been in a state of revolt since the founding of the Ministry for Magic. As the leader, well, Fudge sort of has an automatic death sentence, confirmed by a secret act of parliament a few weeks ago."
Ron looked on in horror, "Is she going to kill my dad?"
Hermione glanced at her watch, "Not unless he does something stupid in the next minute or so. The only other person directly covered by the warrant was Voldemort. And the Queen was actually going to let Fudge go until his minion tried to kill her."
The Queen handed the sword over to Dumbledore, who started cleaning it, while muttering, "Probably going to make that illegal soon."
The Queen then walked over to the Ministry seal in the center of the Atrium and looked at the ceiling and started intoning in a loud and commanding voice,
"We, Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith do hereby declare the Council of Wizards, doing business as the Ministry of Magic, to be in violation of the Magna Carta Liberatum and terminate its right to rule effective immediately!'"
The whole room seemed to stop for a moment as if judging the Queen before all the lights went out. A small pedestal arose from the middle of the ministry seal, on which was a large white orb that seemed to be pulsing at a steady rate. The Queen picked up the orb.
The pulses of the orb changed, they now matched the Queen's heartbeat. As she held it she said, "We, Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith do hereby declare our magical regions, lands, and subjects to now be part consolidated into the newly established Duchy of Magic."
The orb glowed brightly for a moment before returning to its previous pulsing. The Queen then turned to Harry who was still at her side and handed him the rather heavy orb, "Harry, be a dear and hold this for us."
AN: Please review! Thanks to those who have!
AN2: Actually, it did become illegal to execute someone for most cases of high treason in 1998
AN3: Also of interest is that the army units used in the attack (except for the SAS), all have the Queen as their Colonel-in-Chief.