Quoth the Raven
Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames are not.
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Chapter 43: Soon Again I Heard a Tapping
The fallout from Her Majesty's visit was explosive. Many members of the Wizengamot now saw the writing on the wall and wondered just what it all meant to their way of life. No-one wanted to lose their magic, or their life, yet, if they did not step carefully they risked both.
Her Majesty and her entourage made it back to the royal coach unhindered, and it was Port-keyed away before anyone could even think of using any spells on her. Of course, it then became clear to many just why Lord Potter had called down the ancient magicks which suppressed all spells with aggressive intent in the formal chambers. The total lock-down of the rest of the building took care of any others who might prove problematic.
The newspapers and the Wizarding Wireless were present when Lord Potter was called before the Wizengamot on his actions and his statements. However, the original session took a dramatic turn.
A seated monarch had attended the Wizengamot; it was unheard of in recent memory! The press went into a frenzy. It was frightening, it was history in the making, it was the scoop of the century! Never since the Great War had so many special editions been printed!
Their focus shifted, from Lord Potter and his heroic feats, to why Her Majesty felt it needful to interfere with the Wizarding world. Many of the pure-bloods were outraged, while others saw their world being threatened by the actions of a few. They had been given notice.
Madam Longbottom knew she had her work cut out for her as the chamber cleared. No longer could they afford to sit idly by and allow their world be destroyed by a minority of small-minded bigots. She flagged down several of her cronies and made working luncheon dates.
Cornelius Fudge was so shaken by the royal visit that he ignored many of his underlings' attempts to claim his attention. His office was flooded with owl post from panicking wizards and witches. It took his staff days to deal with the mass of letters.
Cornelius was thankful that Delores Umbridge had been fired weeks ago; he shuddered to think how that creature would've handled this new development.
"Weatherby!" Cornelius shouted for his aide. "I need you to run to run down to the Hall of Records and pull all of the laws that have been passed in the last five, no wait, ... since the fall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. We need to know what we are dealing with. Get some of the junior ministry workers on this. I need it two days ago!"
Percy Weasley paled. That's a lot of work. Why now? Why did that muggle queen have to stick her nose into wizarding business?
".. . .And find Lucius for me! I need his advice! This will never do. So much work. Why couldn't she just leave it to me? Why of all days, did she have to come here!" Cornelius bemoaned.
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Lucius Malfoy shuddered as he replayed in his mind the scenes in the Wizengamot Chamber and later with the Dark Lord. He came to the grim realization that Severus was right: there were forces in play here that would see a new dawn.
Lord Potter was now the primary force to be reckoned with. But where would the pure-bloods stand? The Old Ones were notoriously bloodthirsty and, if They are involved, then the Wizarding World was looking at a possible bloodbath. And Lord Potter was at the heart of it all.
It was clear now that Dumbledore was on the way out. Not only had he ignored the fore warnings, but he was showing his age. The Dark Lord was also on the way out, if all Lucius had learned was true. According to the Old Ways, the Dark Lord had become an abomination, a deviant who tried to cheat Death, and the Old Ones would have their due.
Then there was the Muggle Queen. Lucius had to hand it to her: she wielded her power with a well-practiced hand. With the Muggle-borns siding with her, the Wizarding World would have to comply with her edicts or face dire consequences.
Again, where should the Malfoys stand in all this?
Lucius quickly sent off missives to many of his fellow pure-bloods as he dodged yet another owl from Cornelius. He had no time to deal with that fool!
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In Little Hangleton, a serpent-like man was throwing what any parent would call a humongous temper tantrum. An unrecognizable Ministry worker lay dead at his feet. The fact that the Muggle Queen had made it in, and out, of the Ministry without his, Lord Voldemort's, knowledge was inexcusable! That she remained unharmed was an insult for which his followers would pay dearly!
"And where were my loyal followers?" he railed, but the dead wizard could not answer. "Where were my spies?" Taking the dead Death Eater's arm, he placed his wand to the Dark Mark, calling all his loyal followers to come to him. He would have answers!
Everything he had worked for was now in jeopardy. How dare that arrogant Muggle undo the work of a life-time?
"And find Lucius! And Severusssss! I need my most loyal followersss!" he shouted to no one as there wasn't anyone alive in the room to hear him.
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Albus Dumbledore scowled as he tried to repeatedly call his wand back. It was the Elder Wand and he could not have lost its allegiance in such a paltry manner! He just couldn't. He hadn't seen where it landed that day. And so he'd walked the main street of Hogsmeade for hours afterwards, searching high and low, ignoring those that called out to him. He just had to find that wand!
While he was searching, he could not help but go back over the last session of the Wizengamot. How had he not been informed that Her Majesty was to attend? He was, after all, the Chief Warlock in service to the Crown. What did she mean, he was close to losing his magic? Was he not doing what he could to better the Wizarding World? Did he not have a plan for the greater good? That she so coldly dismissed his achievements was a blow to his lifelong, selfless efforts. It was totally. . . inconceivable!
As he returned in despair to his office in Hogwarts, he failed to heed the warnings on the wind as several ravens circled overhead, their jeering calls ignored by the old wizard.
Albus rubbed his temples as a sharp, piercing pain lanced through his head. When did he lose control? How could he get things back on track? Merlin, he'd better go see Poppy for another headache potion. He couldn't afford to be side-tracked by another headache at this stage of the game! And he just had to find that wand!
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Sirius Black and Remus Lupin stared up at the forbidding walls of the Tower of London. The simple tracking spell placed on Harry's left shoe during the press conference at end of the emergency meeting of the Wizengamot had led them to a place that sent a shiver of fear down their spines.
"Why here, Moony?" Sirius whined. "You can feel the wards on this place. I remember my dear old mum teaching me about it and the blood that powered them."
"I don't know, Padfoot. Why don't we ask?" Remus muttered as he went to the tourist ticket booth.
A few minutes later, they were met by a Warder dressed in black and red. They knew right away the man was a Squib. After they told him that they were looking for Harry Potter, the man nodded.
"His Grace will meet with you. You need to do exactly as he says if you want to enter the Tower complex. The wards, sir, can be deadly to those that are not oath-sworn to Her Majesty's service. Come this way." He led them to a small gate away from the tourist entrance.
They were met by Wolf, who told them the requirements, then led them through the Waterloo Barracks to the flat Harry shared with his adoptive parents.
"Come on in, Sirius, Mr Lupin," called Harry as he opened the door. "The protections are lighter here for the families of the Warders. Just don't do any spells. They don't like them and you haven't been keyed in to them."
"Who is it, John?" called a woman.
Sirius recognised the voice from Saint Mungo's. He mouthed, 'John?' to Remus, who shrugged.
"You remember Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, Aunt Maggie? From the hospital? Seems they've come to call." He offered the men a seat at the small kitchen table.
Both wizards took in the homey atmosphere of the flat. They noted several photos on the wall depicting Harry at various ages. They also noted it was a bit cramped, but very lived-in. Harry placed a tea service on the table as well as a plate of biscuits and sandwiches as an older woman walked in.
"Yes, dear, I remember. I am not that far into my dotage," she chided. "Sorry, but Ben is on duty at the moment. He'll be here in a bit. One of the ravens tangled with a cat."
Harry frowned. "Which one?"
"One of the newer ones. Ben mentioned the name but..." she said as she started to pour out tea. "Now, gentlemen, since you are here, what can we help you with?"
"You knew about the tracking charms!" Remus accused, looking over the five place settings.
Harry smirked. "Got it in one. It's a bit of a routine to check. I've been combat trained since I was eight."
"But how? You shouldn't have been able to detect it!" Sirius exclaimed. "That was a Prongs' special!" He glared at the teen.
"Yours was just the only one I allowed to stay put. What do you think?" he ended with a smirk raising one eyebrow.
"However," he went on to clarify. "You weren't the only ones that zapped me with tracking spells." He spat in disgust.
"Half a mo! You mean you pranked us?" Sirius sputtered. "But... I thought you didn't like pranks!"
"No, Lord Harry James Potter doesn't like pranks. That noble lord has an image to uphold," he said arrogantly, then, it was as if from one moment to another, Harry Potter morphed into the fun loving John McIntrye.
Remus pondered a bit. "So which is the real you?" He asked, starting to understand that there was more to this young man than he'd realized. He wasn't sure how he felt about it.
John sighed as they made themselves comfortable around the kitchen table. "It's as I've said before: I was five years old and I didn't even know my real name when I came here. Yes, here to the Tower. If it hadn't been for a few people, I would've died.
"When my real name came out, it was decided here was the best place for me. The wards took me in almost immediately and have protected me ever since. Here, I'm known as John Hadrian McIntyre. That had better not get out, especially to a certain interfering old wizard with delusions of godhood."
Sirius and Remus nodded. "Understood. So, pranking?" Sirius asked, eagerly.
Remus groaned at his friend's one-track mind. "Sirius!"
John laughed and shifted, hopping to the back of his chair and cawed. Both men stared at the young raven as both it and Maggie seemed to be laughing at them.
"You knew!" Sirius stated as he glared at her.
"Aye, I did," she said, calmly. "Scrapper's a fixture here at the Tower and has been since he was a fledgling. And though he is a raven Animagus, the wards around the Tower have a hard time distinguishing him from the real thing."
Sirius sat dumbfounded, staring at the raven, who promptly turned back to John. However, it was Remus that groaned as he finally got the pun. "Bloody hell... Scrapper John McIntyre!"
"Yes?"
"Who thought it up?"
"Me." Ben McIntyre walked in, hanging up his belt and placing his cap over it. "I could use a cuppa, Maggie!"
"It's in here, Ben, dear."
"How's the raven, and did you get the cat?" John asked with concern as his uncle entered the room.
"He's doing better; 'twas only a wee scratch. And yes, we did. The beastie won't be hanging around here any more." he replied as Maggie poured out a cup of tea as the warder made himself comfortable. "Ah, Maggie, luv, that just hits the spot," he said taking a sip.
"How long has Har... er, John... been an Animagus?" Remus asked, getting things back on track.
Sirius could not get over how John had become a raven animagus so young!
Over several cups of tea, the story of how John came to live at the Tower came out.
Both of their visitors sat stunned, mouths agape. When they learned John had arrived at the Tower as a severely injured fledgling raven, neither man could wrap their minds around the fact that they had failed Prongs' son so badly.
That afternoon, Sirius and Remus learned a lot about John, as he liked to be called. Harry Potter was for the Wizarding World; that's how they saw him, and who was he to make them give up their illusions? Here, he was just John - well-hidden, well-protected and well-loved.
However, it was in John's bedroom that the two wizards got the biggest shock. They hadn't realised that he followed the Old Ways, and The Morrigan in particular. But there She was, in all Her glory, in a painting sitting on a shelf with several snow globes. Sirius noted that each scene in the globes was a vignette of something, or someone, in John's life.
"But worshipping The Morrigan is dangerous!" Sirius stated. "She's very powerful and blood-thirsty. Not a forgiving Goddess. . ."
John looked up at him and nodded. "I know."
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John remained at the Tower for a week after the Wizengamot meeting. He was fed-up with wizards and their bigotry. He had many things to finish before the Solstice, which was fast approaching. If he and Wolf were correct, everything would be over and done with by then.
He was worried about Hermione though. She was back at Hogwarts and he was uneasy. He knew that he could not leave her there alone - not with Dumbledore, and definitely not with all the pure-bloods. They would be out for revenge now that the Crown had put them on notice.
She was the most important person in his life, and he knew he had to return for her sake, or find a way to get her out of the school altogether. With that in mind he called her parents.
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Sorry it took longer than we thought. Frau and I were not happy with this chapter. For some reason, it wanted to be a filler and we tried add more substance.
Until next time. -GF and the Frau
