Chapter 3

The Ministry Cracks

The Minister of magic was a physically strong man; he was not a figure many muggles would be quick to cross. And Wizards were even more reluctant to cross him. Justarius had taken office years ago shortly after The Dark lord fell 16 years ago. Justarius had been head of auror office and relied heavily on his own duties to fight the Death eaters. He had killed a handful and caught many more. He was considered one of the best wizards in the country and possibly the world.

When people heard of he-who-must-not-be-name's return few feared the consequences, for they believed the minister wouldn't allow the death eaters to take control. People were quick to rally behind him and he had always been a good leader so the people had hope. But even being powerful and having great leadership can crumble when ignorance is brought heavily into the picture.

Justarius believed he had the ministry much too secure for anyone to be imperioused. But it would be this ignorance that would cause him to fall. Justarius woke up every morning in his home in his bed at 5 in the morning. Throwing off the blankets he would go to the bathroom and wash up. He would shave his face and his head. One of his favorite attributes was his hair, or there lack off. He kept himself bald as possible and the minister loved it. He kept it like that always.

He would give himself a confidence boost by looking at his finely tuned body; he had sculpted muscles that he had fallen in love with. In his most recent years as minister he fell into a blanket of calm. A tapestry of peace that he could not break. He had fallen in love with three things, his job, his tapestry, but most importantly himself.

The man loved himself more than he loved his job, the government he ran, or the people that relied on him. His life was too great to change. When the death eaters returned he changed few things. Hoping that he could cling to that safety net he loved so much.

When Horbey had come to warn him of that he had lost control of the ministry Justarius refused to believe. Horbey cursed the man for being blind to the obvious. The fight could be heard clearly throughout most of the entire ministry and scared just about the entire staff.

"Justarius my old friend you must understand! Peace has blinded you! Don't fall to the same enemy as Fudge!! You are twice the Wizard and twice the minister as that pompous ass!" Horbey screamed.

"Don't tell me how to do my job! I have done it just fine for 16 years! I know what I am doing and I am sure that everyone here in the ministry is more than safe!" Justarius yelled in returned. At this point the minister had gotten out of his chair and held his wand tightly in his hand. Horbey had not made any sign of violence. When he spoke all the anger from his voice had gone, Horbey seemed to be pleading.

"Justarius you must listen to reason, you must! If you wish to keep you position as minister." Justarius shook his head.

"Horbey I know my ministry rather well, now you may leave." Justarius also was calm when he spoke. He no longer argued, it was obvious that the man would not listen. Horbey walked out of the minister's office muttering curses under his breath. Justarius paid no heed to the warning that was given to him. He ignored that his entire staff was beginning to act slightly different. All the signs were there and yet the minister refused to believe. He had doomed everything.

Everything was normal in the minister's office. Justarius sat at his birch wood desk. He had recently gotten it, and was his pride of late. He was pouring over papers from the newly appointed minister of magic in London. Scrimgeour had given him plans to try and stop Voldermort from getting control of the ministry. London seemed much worse off then America did. They were already facing deaths. A giant attack had devastated the country and the dementors were roaming free across the country.

Justarius was not facing things as seriously as his counterpart. He wrote a return letter explaining that the death eaters did not stand a chance at taking the ministry. After Justarius had sent his big farm owl away with the letter a knock came at his door. And Edward Delirium entered; he was a tall and buff wizard. Like the minister Edward was a formidable looking muggle and an even more formidable wizard.

"Yes Edward what is it?" Justarius asked taking his seat behind his new desk. The minister could see his own reflection in the polished wood. He smiled at it and looked through a stack of papers. After several seconds the minister had not heard an answer from the head of the auror office.

"Edward is something wrong? What can I help you with?" Justarius asked a notation of concern and a slight a bit a fear in his voice. Once again there was not an answer. When the minister looked up Edward had his wand out and pointed at the minister's chest. Justarius had realized that he was being attacked.

A jet of green light had flown from Edward's wand. Justarius did not think he acted. Throwing his new desk forward it hit the jet of light in mid air and the desk exploded. Justarius was already feet away with his wand out. He shot stunning spells through the smoke of the explosion. As the desk burned he took a second to regain himself. He could hear other feet moving quickly around the room. Whether the other feet moving around were friend or foe he could not tell and he did not care. All that Horbey had told him was true. The shocking realization had sent him out of his peace coma and back into the man he had been 16 years previously. He was once again the strong wizard who was head of the auror office.

To his right feet moved, and to his left. Justarius backed to the wall so that he could not be surrounded. The Desk was still burning filling the office with smoke making it nearly impossible to breath and even harder still to see. Justarius kept his eyes open though they burned and watered fiercely.

To his front a wizard spoke a word of magic and the desk was immediately put out. The smoke slowly dissipated and Justarius could see clearly once again. In front of him were five figures in black robes with wands pointed at his chest. Two to his right, two to his left and one more in front. Drakan pulled off his hood and stared directly into the eyes of the minister of magic. Justarius had his wand in his hand pointed directly at Drakan's chest.

"You know how many people have wondered who would win should we duel?" Drakan asked smiling. "Why don't finally provide an answer to that question." Drakan finished, the smile was gone. Not even Drakan was completely sure of the outcome of this next duel.

"You must know that you cannot win one on one. With out the help your bastard friends here you are as good as dead!" Justarius yelled. Drakan did not laugh, he did not smile.

"I'm gonna be honest with you Justarius. I do not know who will win this fight. But should you let your confidence blind you now like it has in the past you will lose. None of my servants here will help me. It's just me and you here minister." Drakan said his voice sounding sinister rather than it usually did. Justarius had gone serious also. He was still one of the greatest wizards in the country, but he knew that Drakan was also. Silence came quickly.

"I am afraid you speak the truth Drakan. Neither of us truly know who is the Stronger me or you. Though I hope it the latter we can't be sure, and I think that finding out who is the better is an excellent idea." Justarius spoke. Drakan could not speak. Though it was quite often to find a dark wizard over confident, this was not Drakan. He had always maintained that his greatest attribute was his modesty. Knowing that he was the not best was cause to improve and knowing that there was a chance he could lose this duel made him focus that much more.

After another brief silence both wizards bowed low. When they straightened they raised there wands. Sweat was dripping down Justarius chin. It had covered his head causing it to shine. His red robes seemed to weigh a ton. He felt for a moment light headed. Never before had he been this excited, this alive, and this nervous. He wandered if Drakan felt the same way. But he hadn't the time to linger on the last thought Drakan had acted. Firing a shot of fire form his wand Drakan twirled his wand between his fingers silently planting a shield that would protect him.

Justarius was slightly caught by surprise but gathered himself quickly. Muttering a few charms he caught the ball of fire in his bare hand, wincing at the heat he flicked his wand and the fire turned to a snowball. He threw it at Drakan muttering words and the snowball turned back into fire only this time it was black fire. When it hit the shield the fire vanished. The shield turned to glass and shattered. Before the glass had even hit the ground Drakan had molded the glass into a tiger that was black with green stripes. Justarius took a breath then flicked his wand and transfigured the mound of ash that was the remainder of the desk into a golden lion with a main of fire.

Drakan waved his wand and the tiger charged. Justarius did the same. The animals lunged at each other and met in mid air. They clawed, scratched, and bit till they hit the ground. The animals were no longer of concern. The wizards that had created them were dueling once more. Justarius flung jet of red light after jet of red light at Drakan, but the dark wizard was flawless, knocking them away with his wand as if with ease.

A roar of agony from the animals, a victor had emerged. The lion stepped over the now disintegrating corpse of the black and green tiger. Drakan moved his eyes from Justarius for a mere second to handle the lion. Justarius seized the opportunity to through another jet of red light at the dark wizard.

It managed to hit Drakan and his wand went flying into the air. The lion lunged and landed on top of Drakan. Drakan snapped his fingers in the Lions face and the lion turned to smoke. The smoke moved to the center of the room and molded into a snake. The viper slithered quickly at Justarius. The wizard flicked his wand and the snake turned to ash. When Justarius looked up Drakan had his wand again.

Swearing quietly Justarius blocked several jinx's before a jet of green light went whizzing by his ear. Drakan was scared, his brief moment wandless had terrified the dark wizard, and his confidence shaken he wanted the duel over with quickly. Justarius knew this and smiled slightly. Green light flew at him constantly at a speed that amazed Justarius. He had never seen a wizard send spells this fast.

Justarius dodged spells left and right trying to think of something to do to end the line of green death. He acted upon the first thing that came to him. He flicked his wand and turned the ash of the dead snake into a giant brick wall separating him completely from the death eaters. Drakan cursed on the other side.

"Damn it! Reducto!" he heard Drakan yell. Dust came off the wall and it shook but held. Justarius knew it wouldn't hold long. He had mere seconds to think through his next plan. He could Dissaparate and seek the help of Horbey. Or he could wait till Drakan managed to destroy the wall and attempt to finish off Drakan. Doing so might end the war quickly. It would certainly restore peoples trust in him. And should he win he would work harder than before to destroy the remaining death eaters.

Time was running short and he still had not made up his mind. He was the minister of magic running and letting the death eaters have control didn't seem right. Justarius knew what a true wizard of his stature would have to do. He gritted his teeth and put up his wand. After a few more shakes the wall crumbled to pieces and Drakan stood on the other side while a mound of bricks sat in the middle of the room.

"Justarius, you seem to be struggling. Are you not as strong as you once were? Past your prime perhaps. I think that you know that you cannot win. Submit to me. And you will live." Drakan spoke grinning.

"I would rather die then serve you Drakan." Justarius said. Drakan giggled. As did the other death eaters.

"You are the second person in two days to tell me this. The other one escaped, but I don't plan on letting you do the same thing." Drakan said.

"Shut up and let's finish this."

"Very well minister."

There was no pause this time. Neither took any time before acting. Justarius knew what was coming. He charmed a brick to fly at Drakan as he sent a ball of green light out of his wand. The explosion happened no more than a foot from Drakan. He was consumed in flame, and sent flying into the wall. Justarius did not take time to worry of Drakan. The other four death eaters moved to fight quickly. Spells were coming from all directions. Justarius could not handle the onslaught that was being sent his way. Throwing bricks at all the death eaters the minister of magic apparated out of the ministry and into a dark street away from all the death eaters. Despite his best efforts he had still lost the ministry to Drakan, if he was still alive.

Acting quickly the minister walked to the door of the house that was in front of him three times hard, three times soft, once hard, soft, and then hard one last time. Horbey answered the door and realized immediately what had happened. Justarius had blood coming from his forehead and his robes were torn and ripped. The ex-minister was invited to sit on the couch and was served tea.

"I am sorry, you were right, horribly correct my friend. The ministry is gone. Drakan has control now." Justarius said stuttering.

"Don't worry old friend, I have found a young wizard that has the potential to become more powerful then Drakan." Horbey spoke. "Now drink some tea Justarius. With Drakan in control of the ministry our job becomes so many more times more difficult."