Magic On Strike
"No." Came the firm voice of a fifteen-year-old male with messy black hair after he'd opened the door to his home and set his green eyes, narrowed, on the minister of magic and the group of people he was assigned to house during the magic crisis.
/Flashback; 6/14/1996/
It was the last day of school for the students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry Potter was enjoying dinner with his two best friends, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger in the great hall. Their fifth year just ended, and like many others; they were excited to know they only had two years left. Harry was currently fifteen, but turning sixteen in a little over a month. Hermione and Ron were both already sixteen. Harry was most excited because he didn't have to return to the Dursley's this year, given his age and having begged Albus Dumbledore, his headmaster at the school, to let him reside elsewhere. The Dursley family were made up of Harry's maternal aunt, Petunia, then her husband, Vernon, and their son and Harry's cousin, Dudley. The three of them hated Harry because of his wizarding heritage, which started with Petunia hating Harry's mother, and her own sister, Lily Evans-Potter, who was a muggle-born witch. Harry himself was a half-blood due to his father, James Potter, being a pure blood. After a lot of talking about how he got treated over the years and given he could handle himself in most situations; Albus allowed Harry to leave the protection of the blood wards on the Dursley home, and move out. Harry had spent Easter week searching for a place to call his own as he refused to return to Godric's Hollow, his childhood home, and the place his deceased godfather, Sirius Black, had left him; 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry did what Sirius had done and let the Order of the Phoenix continue to use it as a headquarters. It still belonged to Harry as a property and acted like a safe house in emergencies, but he wouldn't live there permanently.
Harry finally found a cozy little cottage to call his and paid for it in full. The best part of the home, Albus gave Harry permission to use magic outside of Hogwarts so Harry could make the place his own. Harry was mostly moved in after Easter holiday, and was finishing things up now that Summer holiday was starting. All students would be going home tomorrow on the train, not set to return until September 1st, 1996.
"Promise we can come see you at your new place, Harry?" Hermione smiled.
"Of course. Just let me finish getting it all set up, then you can come visit." Harry told her and Ron.
The only condition to Harry living on his own was for weekly check-ins with Albus, Remus Lupin, who was like an uncle to Harry, and of course, other members of the Order. Harry agreed, of course. How could he say no if that's all he had to allow to live on his own. Monthly, someone would check in, but the weekly updates could be covered with a Floo call, or letter. Harry did still have his beloved owl, Hedwig.
"Is Floo set up yet?" Ron inquired.
"Not yet, but I'm going to be doing it once I return there. We can still use letters too," Harry informed.
"It's going to be lovely!" Hermione beamed.
"Yes. I'm throwing a house-warming party once it's all set. Inviting you two, your families, and a few other close friends of ours." Harry chuckled.
"We can't wait. It's really great you get to do this, Harry." Ron stated. "How'd you finally convince Dumbledore to let you move out of the blood wards?"
"I told him the truth about how my aunt and uncle treat me. My cousin and I aren't so bad off now, not since I saved him from the Dementor attack before fifth year. Not close, but civil." Harry admitted.
Without warning among all the talking, the air suddenly shifted as the fires around the room went out and next the candles floating above. The enchanted image the students had seen above them faded to nothing than the normal ceiling. Of course, the whispers started right away as Albus stood to try and magically restore things as they were. It failed. Several of the teachers had tried and it became clear by their worried faces that something had just gone wrong.
"What's going on?" A girl from Hufflepuff asked.
It started a chain reaction that everyone was now curious and maybe worried. Albus stood up, hands raised to silence the room. "Everyone will please, relax. At present, the situation is unknown. Now, teachers will meet me in the main corridor and the rest of you will remain right here under Mr. Filch's keen eyes. Continue eating and know that all will be alright." Albus informed.
Unable to really argue, the students remained at their tables and not really eating. Everyone was talking among themselves, wondering what was going on.
"What do you suppose happened?" Ron questioned.
"Anybody's guess right now," Hermione shrugged.
It was nearly an hour later when the teachers returned looking rather grim and that gave no one hope that whatever happened was good. "Your attention," Albus called once at the front of the room. "It has come to my knowledge through the ministry of magic that we're undergoing what can only be described as a magic outage."
"How is that even possible?" Someone remarked, the rise of now confusion and maybe anger coming forward.
"Please understand that our world is governed by people higher than the ministry itself. Speaking so, we were given our magic by the Goddess of Magic, Hecate. As it currently stands, she's placed a ban on all magic usage. This time tomorrow, the magic we have and use will be gone for an undetermined amount of time. We do not know how this has come to happen, but it is the best assumption that someone in our world has displeased Lady Magic indefinitely and this is her punishment." Albus paused as everyone listened, shocked, and taking it in. There wouldn't be any more magic after tomorrow. "This in mind, all students are to immediately, but calmly, return to their dorms and pack up their belongings. All students will exit the grounds in an orderly fashion and stay within their houses to await further instruction from your heads of house."
It was downright terrifying to think such a thing was happening, but Dumbledore wouldn't lie about something of this magnitude. Neither would the ministry. That was the scary part, this wasn't a joke. It was real. It was happening. This time tomorrow; magic would be taken from them. With their orders, moving with confusion and worry of what their futures would hold now, everyone did as Albus instructed.
. . .
It was now, Sunday the 23rd of June as all students had been sent home from Hogwarts on Saturday, the 15th. Harry was home and working on unpacking still. His room was done, and so was the living room, kitchen, library, and his little studying area inside his room, but that doubled as the library. Harry's home was three stories and appeared to be a little cottage. Harry was now working on putting little nick-knack things away in their place and moving things into the place he wanted them. It hadn't been a rumor, magic was now gone as of midnight, June 16th. Harry spent his Saturday after getting home going right to the store and fully stocking his home for a month. Who knew how long the punishment was lifted, and Harry preferred to be prepared for anything. At the moment, Harry was preparing to put up some photos, thankfully the charm on his house didn't fade out when magic disappeared and the same with his moving pictures. Harry was grabbing the ladder when he heard a knock on the door.
"Now, who could that be?" Harry said as he went over to the door to find Albus there with Minerva McGonagall, the Gryffindor head of house. "Professors?" He stated.
"Harry, my boy," Albus greeted. "May we come in to talk?"
"Of course, sir," Harry stepped aside to let Albus and Minerva into his home; he closed the door and led them right to the main room. "Can I offer tea, or biscuits?" He questioned.
"Tea would be lovely," Albus smiled. Harry went off to the kitchen to get a kettle going on the stove top. "Love what you you've done with the place."
"Just about done. Only hanging pictures still," Harry informed lightly. It didn't take long for the kettle to heat up and Harry grabbed the tea items and kettle, then a tray of biscuits and some cheese and fruit.
Harry set the items down and set cups in front of Albus and Minerva so they could make their tea however they took it. "Wonderful. Thank you, Potter," Minerva smiled. "I suppose I should call you Harry outside of school."
"Whatever you like, Professor McGonagall." Harry told her as he sat down. "So, if I can be bold, Headmaster…What brings you and Professor McGonagall by?" He wondered.
"Have you heard the news lately of the ministry decisions since magic has been taken in punishment?" Minerva inquired.
"I try to stay out of anything ministry related ever since last year with Umbridge and her High Inquisitor nonsense." Harry admitted.
"I'm sure you're aware that the pure-blooded wizarding and witch families were very reliant on magic usage in their households?" Albus mentioned. Harry nodded. "Without magic, many are struggling to handle their everyday lives. And so the ministry has decided to pair up muggle-born and half-blooded families with a pure-blood one to assist in the transition that this could very well be a longtime or permanent removal of magic." He explained.
"Is this the part where you tell me that I have to take a pure-blood family under my roof and teach them how to live like a muggle, sir?" Harry questioned.
"He's more preceptive than you assumed, Albus," Minerva chuckled, sipping her tea.
"Yes, Harry. That is precisely what I'm telling you." Albus said.
"So which family am I taking in?" Harry asked.
"Harry, first…You must understand that it wasn't my choice-," Albus was cut off when there was another set of knocks. "That'll be them with the minister."
"Wait, what were you saying, Headmaster, about it not being your choice?" Harry asked as he got up and went over to the door to open it up and find Cornelius Fudge, minister of magic, and behind him was a group of seven people he never expected to see, but he immediately knew what it meant. What Dumbledore was about to say. It all made sense.
/End Flashback/
"Good morning to you as well, Mr. Potter." Cornelius greeted.
"No." Harry repeated.
"Mr. Potter-," Cornelius tried.
"No." The teenager refused again.
"Now, Harry…" Albus attempted from his place on the couch.
Harry looked at the man. "No." His eyes went back to the group outside his house. "No!"
"Harry," Minerva was up now. "How about we all come inside and-,"
Harry slammed the door closed. "No! No. Hell no. Absolutely NOT!" Harry's eyes narrowed now. How could anyone believe this was remotely a good idea?! How could the ministry, Dumbledore, and McGonagall think this was okay?!
"Told you he'd take it well," Minerva sighed. "Potter, believe me…We didn't want it to come to this, but everyone else refused to take them in and it's not without good reason that the refusal is validated-," She stared.
"Then accept my refusal. I'm not letting them into my house." Harry told her and Albus.
"Harry. None of us want this, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I fought to change this, but the ministry believes this was the best course of action and they did try with others as Professor McGonagall stated. And you have valid reason as well. If you truly do not desire this, I will personally send them away. We'll leave you to consider things," Albus said gently. Albus motioned for Minerva to come with him and they exited the house.
"I take it the answer is still a firm no?" Cornelius asked.
"Give it time. It was thrown on him and the group we're asking of him to house is nothing short of his enemies. Literally." Albus said.
"Well, what choice do we have?" Cornelius said. "He's the only other half-blood who can take them in."
"You're asking too much of a boy, Cornelius. I ask you to remember Potter is a child. A fifteen-year-old boy…And we're here requesting he take in his enemies who have wronged him many times. I'm on Harry's side here, Albus. We shouldn't be asking him to do this." Minerva remarked firmly.
"Father…Why do we have to be here? We can stay at the manor and figure it out. I'm sure living like a muggle can't be hard," Spoke a male voice.
"You saw the state of the manor, my son. We have no choice but to live elsewhere for a while renovations are underway. And without magic, that will be a long time." Spoke a deeper voice.
"We have nowhere else to go, my Dragon," Came a female voice.
"What now, Fudge?" Asked the male voice.
"Let's just give it a few moments. Harry may hate the situation, but he's not cruel-hearted." Cornelius said.
Harry despised the idea, he really did. However, he could hear the discussions going on outside. As it appeared, the ministry decided Harry should take the group consisting of the Malfoy family, Bellatrix Lestrange and assumingly, her husband or brother, then there was Severus Snape and finally; the one Harry really couldn't believe. Voldemort himself. With no magic, he was safe from attacks of magical nature, but still; these were his enemies. How was he supposed to accept this? Hearing Lucius Malfoy inform Draco that they had nowhere to go with the manor destroyed, Harry felt bad. Oddly enough. Groaning, Harry turned and reopened the door.
"Just to confirm…Is this some kind of revenge on me for breaking into the ministry a couple weeks ago? Is this some kind of sick joke? Am I dreaming? Or have I died and gone to hell?" Harry finally asked.
"No, Mr. Potter. No revenge, nor joke. You're very much awake, and alive." Cornelius stated.
"That's disappointing. I'd rather be dead if you're seriously considering this to have been a good idea. Why in any of the realms, in what reality, did you believe this to be a wise decision?!" Harry glared.
"I'm happy to sit down and talk about this, Mr. Potter…But can we please come inside to talk. I do believe it's going to rain," Cornelius hoped.
"I should just close the door and walk away. You don't have the right to demand me to take in my rival and his family, the woman who killed my godfather several weeks ago, and the man who killed my parents…" Harry remarked. "No warning, no time to consider…Not even asking as you just assume I'll do it?" Lightning cracked across the darkened sky. Not long after, a boom of thunder. That meant the storm was on them now. "If I find out this is some kind of trap, I'll kill you and them, the old fashioned way. With my wand,"
"There's no magic right now," Draco smirked.
"Who needs magic? I'll just take a knife and sharpen the wood to a point and then it's a stake…" Harry scowled. The group blinked took a step back. "That's what I thought…Now get inside." Sighing, Harry finally stepped aside giving the clear motion for them to come inside after he held the door open.
"Thank you, Harry," Albus said, going back inside and then Minerva behind him; they went right back to the couches.
Harry walked past the group and realized they weren't following him and just standing rather surprised he actually let them inside. "Come along," He motioned for them to follow. Harry kept walking and led them through to his living room. "Have a seat. There's tea and snacks," He offered. He stood against the wall, arms folded. "You said we'd talk. So talk."
"It's quite simple, Mr. Potter. They have nowhere to go," Cornelius stated. "We felt you might be willing to take them in for a while show them how to live muggle-style?"
"I wouldn't have lived as a muggle if my parents hadn't been killed. And who do I have to thank for that? Right, the dark one who decided everyone must die to save face on the pure bloods." Harry countered.
"You hate pure bloods, don't you?" Severus Snape remarked.
"Not at all. My best friend and his family are pure bloods. Love them to death, basically a second family to me. Bless their hearts," Harry said. "I've got nothing against any of the lines. How it should be. Blood doesn't rank your status in life if we all do the same things." He informed. "Is this permanent?"
"Until magic is restored, and they have another place to go. Malfoy Manor was destroyed when magic was revoked and needs to be rebuilt before they can return there. And without magic, I'm sure you can imagine how long it'll take." Cornelius said.
"Given the size, and build itself. Nine months, at best, maybe. That's not including weather being a factor," Harry shrugged.
"Exactly." Albus nodded.
"And you can't put them up in a hotel or anything?" Harry questioned.
"The point of this pairing up was to guide them in living without magic, Mr. Potter," Minerva reminded. "It would do little to send them on their own."
"And how can I trust I won't be killed in my sleep?" Harry asked.
"There's no magi-," Cornelius began.
"And I've already covered there is more than magic to kill someone. Poison, stabbing, suffocation. Sorry, not about to chance it with the person who has been trying to kill me the past five years. Five times, six if you include fourteen years ago. And tries every chance possible." Harry informed.
"Severus is here to maintain the peace." Albus mentioned.
"No harm will come to you, Potter. I swear that on my life," Severus reassured. "And I don't need teaching of the muggle ways. I lived as one through childhood, my father wasn't fond of magic."
"Will you do it, Harry?" Minerva hoped.
"The ministry is prepared to foot the bills of food, and anything else required for the stay." Cornelius offered. "Bedding, toiletries, furniture. Anything you need, we'll provide."
"Trying to bribe me?" Harry arched a brow.
"We're doing it for others who have large groups too," Cornelius enlightened. "Many people offered to take in others who they are old friends with."
"Gee, I wish I was given that courtesy." He snarked. "Alright, fine. On a few of my own conditions." Harry stood straight.
"Name them, anything, my boy." Cornelius perked up at Harry's agreeing.