I'd like to thank brianna-xox for betaing. She improved the story a lot.
Chapter 19: Deceptions Revealed
London, Ministry of Magic, September 26th, 1999, 17.15 hours
"A word, Hermione."
Wand-Leader Hermione turned towards Benjamin. The senior Wand-Leader of the Corps' Investigative Branch was leaning against the wall outside her office and had apparently been waiting for her to return from seeing Tonks and Cresswell off.
"Of course, Benjamin," she said, with more confidence than she felt. She suspected what this was about - she probably had not been subtle enough for the experienced investigator.
"In private." He gestured with his head towards his office.
Once inside, Benjamin cast a privacy spell and sat down on the edge of his desk. "You've been investigating the Obliviators."
"I told you that." Hermione remained standing.
"You said you were not allowed to observe them in the muggle world. But you did it anyway, didn't you?"
He knew her too well. She nodded.
"You found something. Something worse than corruption. You didn't check our files just to be thorough in your investigation." Benjamin's tone was calm, but she could see that he was tense. Not aggressive, hopefully.
"Yes." She didn't like to admit it, but denying it would have been worse.
"What did you find out?" He stared at her.
She didn't flinch. She had expected that. Had planned her response. "You have to see that for yourself."
He didn't say anything for a few seconds. She was almost certain he suspected what she had found out. "We're in the middle of a war. If what I suspect you found out is true, then this could destroy us."
"We need to decide our own future. We can't do that if we don't know our past," Hermione said.
"You sound like Dumbledore." Benjamin frowned.
Hermione fought to keep her expression from betraying her thoughts. If he suspected that she had been working with Dumbledore… She shrugged, and said: "You know that he'll be ruling the country after the Dark Lord's defeat. If the Corps doesn't make a decision, he'll decide our future."
"He also said entering politics was a mistake for many." Benjamin folded his arms over his chest.
"Letting others decide our fate is a worse mistake. Do you trust the acting Minister with our lives?" Hermione scoffed. Then she sighed. "And you know as well as I do that if what Tonks and Cresswell told us is true, then the Corps will change no matter what we do."
He pressed his lips together but didn't deny it. "Do you want us to become Aurors?" His tone made it clear what he thought about that idea.
She shook her head. "No. I've been thinking about this for some time." She saw his eyebrows rise marginally. "It's not the blood that makes us different, it's how we are raised."
"And that will change. If the exiles aren't lying." Benjamin didn't add 'if we're not taken from our families anymore', but she knew his meaning.
"It just means we'll have to start training the new Wands later. After Hogwarts."
"Like the Aurors?" Benjamin sneered.
She scoffed. "Certainly not. Signing your name on a parchment and receiving a red robe is not training. I'm thinking a few years, at least. To teach them all they need to be Wands. To be part of the Corps."
"It still won't be the same. They'll have families, friends outside the Corps."
She had friends outside the Corps. She didn't say that though. Instead she said: "No, it won't. But I'm hoping it'll be close enough." She sighed. "The alternative is that the Corps ends. We'll not get any new Wands, and we'll either get folded into the Aurors, or they join us." She shuddered at the thought. "But we can't keep going as we did." They couldn't take children from their families and raise them like they were raised. That would make them no better than the Minister.
"You've given this some thought."
"Yes." It was her future. Her family's future.
He closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them again, he met hers. "It's clear what you discovered. And it's also clear that no one will believe you, not without proof. Even I would love to doubt you." He narrowed his eyes. "You could have been memory charmed. The evidence faked."
She couldn't have him demand her memories. Not at this point. "That's why I want you to discover the truth for yourself. I trust that the Investigative Branch will be able to spot any forgery."
Benjamin snorted. "We can't waste too much time going through the motions though. Gather the rest. We'll bring in all Obliviators for questioning. With Veritaserum and pensieves."
Hermione nodded. "Fudge too," she said.
Benjamin hissed, his eyes widening. He had to know what that meant. He didn't say anything though, just nodded. "Him too."
She had thought she would feel satisfaction, knowing the Minister's lies would be exposed, but all she felt was sorrow for the grief her fellow Wands would soon be feeling.
London, September 26th, 1999, 20.04 hours
"Please have a seat, Harry," Albus Dumbledore said, conjuring a comfortable chair for the young wizard.
"Rather spartan furniture," Harry commented as he sat down. "I thought you took all your belongings with you."
Albus chuckled. "This is just a temporary safe house closer to Diagon Alley. I am looking for a home in Hogsmeade or Godric's Hollow, so I will not be limited to muggle transportation." He had a few prospects, but secrecy and safety was a concern - it wouldn't do to let the Dark Lord's spies find out where he had moved to. He wanted to restore his brother's home, but that would have to wait until Tom was defeated.
"Well, I'd certainly never suspect that a master of Transfiguration was living here." Harry snorted. Then he grew serious. "You didn't call me to talk about furniture though, did you?"
Albus gently shook his head. "No, I did not." He leaned back in his own seat. "I think I have found an alternative to dealing with your burden." As Harry's eyes widened, Albus added: "It's by no means a certain success. But I think it has a lot of promise."
Harry nodded. "What is it?"
"Are you familiar with the Deathly Hallows?" Albus asked, folding his hands on his chest.
Harry shrugged. "I've heard the tale as a kid. Three powerful items, crafted by Death himself, for three brothers who tricked him. The Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility. Many have sought them, no one found them, ever. It is like a magical version of the Holy Grail. Just without the rabbit." He chuckled.
Albus didn't know what rabbit he meant. "It's more than a legend. They exist."
Harry drew a deep breath. "Crafted by Death himself? Does that mean Death exists?"
Albus smiled. "Death exists, in as much as sooner or later, it claims everything alive. But whether or not it has a consciousness, much less the ability to work magic, I cannot say. But the three Deathly Hallows do exist. And they are exceptionally powerful."
"Why haven't they been found yet, then? Or rather, where can we find them?" Harry leaned forward. "If those can deal with this," he tipped on his scar, "Then I think we should start searching for them at once."
"I already know where they are," Albus said. He smiled when the young man frowned. It was a guilty pleasure, to tease the boy like this.
"And where are those legendary treasures?" Harry wasn't quite pouting, but he came close.
"One of them is in your pocket."
Harry blinked, then gaped. "In my… the cloak!" He pulled the shimmering fabric out of his enchanted pocket. "That's the Cloak of Invisibility?"
"Indeed. I've known since your father gave it to me to examine. I didn't advertise the fact, of course." Albus sighed. "You were in enough danger already."
"But… you just gave it to me, without telling me?" Harry was shaking his head.
"It is yours. It has been in your family for generations. Passed on from father to child. I am not certain, but I believe the Potters descended from the Peverells of the legend."
"I've been using a Deathly Hallow for pranks…" Harry chuckled.
"A far better use of such an item than what others have been used for." Albus sighed. "The history of the Elder Wand is drenched in blood. The Resurrection Stone has been used for the worst Dark Arts you can imagine."
Harry nodded, looking at the cloak in his hands. "I guess I should have known it wasn't normal, seeing as it never faded."
"That is but one of its powers. A wizard hiding underneath it also cannot be revealed by any spell I know," Albus explained.
"But you saw through it when Ron and I tried to sneak into the girls' dorm!" Harry exclaimed.
"I did not. I heard you move, and I saw how the dust on the floor was disturbed by you passing me." Albus chuckled. "I confess that I did let you believe I could see through the cloak, so you'd not try it again."
Harry snorted, shaking his head. In a more serious tone, he asked: "You said you knew where the Hallows are. That means you know where the other two are?"
Albus nodded, and pulled out the Resurrection Stone. "I have verified that it can summon the souls of the dead."
Harry stiffened. "He isn't dead though, is he? Can he even die, as long as I live?"
Albus smiled. "The prophecy hints at that, at least."
"I thought it meant that by suiciding, I could remove his last link, effectively killing him," Harry said.
"I think Miss Weasley has made it clear that she will not let you do that." The old wizard sighed. "According to the legend, he who possesses all three Hallows will be the Master of Death. As the legend has been proven to be true in parts at least, I believe that this could be the power he knows not: The ability to kill him, despite his precautions." He drew his wand and put it on the conjured low table, next to the stone.
"That's the...?"
Albus nodded. "I won it from Gellert Grindelwald."
Harry took a deep breath, then laid the cloak on the table. "All three are united then."
Albus chuckled. "It is not that easy, alas. I have not yet discerned who will have to unite them."
Harry drew a hissing breath. "The power he knows not." He smiled wryly. "I don't suppose that we can simply pass the things back and forth to check?"
"It is not quite that simple." Albus gently shook his head.
Harry closed his eyes and sighed. "It never is, is it?"
London, Ministry of Magic, September 26th, 1999, 14.30 hours
Wand-Leader Hermione, leaning against the base of the fountain in the Ministry's atrium, watched over The Quibbler she was holding as Cornelius Fudge exited the Floo connection, followed by his bodyguard. The Head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes hadn't been in his office the day after the Malfoys had died, claiming to be sick. Apparently, Dumbledore returning to Britain had cured him. He looked unconcerned even as he returned from lunch. As expected.
She waited until the man had passed her, then started to follow him. The bodyguard didn't seem to notice her - her brown robes sometimes worked better than an invisibility cloak when among purebloods. Halfway to the lifts, Dean joined her, carrying a few scrolls of parchment.
"I've got the reports you wanted!" he said.
"Very good Dean." Hermione let her wand slide into her hand, the movement hidden by her sleeves.
They followed Fudge into the lift and ignored his scowl, chatting about reports and other boring minutiae. As soon as the doors closed, they struck. Hermione whipped her wand up and stunned the bodyguard with two quick spells before he could react. Dean, closer to Fudge, grabbed the wizard's wand arm, used it to slam the man against the wall, hard, then stunned the dazed wizard.
She raised her eyebrows at him and he shrugged. "Didn't want to give him the chance to cast."
It was a good excuse, but she didn't think that had been the real reason. "Let's disillusion them."
When the doors opened on the floor where the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes was located, the clerk waiting there saw no one but the two Wands. Dean glared at him and started to close the doors again. The man took a step back, muttering something Hermione didn't catch.
They descended to the Wands' floor, dispelled the Disillusionment Charm, then levitated the two unconscious wizards out.
"Two more for the cells," she announced.
Sally-Anne, standing guard at the cell tract, whistled. "Wow… Fudge as well? First the entire Obliviator Squad, now him?"
Hermione shrugged and quoted one of her instructors: "One arrest leads to another. Keep it quiet though - last I heard, we might have to take the retired Obliviators in for questioning as well."
"Alright, Hermione."
Hermione stared at her for a moment, then nodded. Sally-Anne was a gossip, but she'd not talk to anyone outside the Corps.
Benjamin was in the processing area when they entered. He glanced at the stunned Department Head, then nodded at them. "Good work. We've got everyone who's still working for the Ministry then."
"What's next?" Hermione asked, dropping the prisoners off - literally - at the desk there.
"Veritaserum interrogation of the Obliviators we arrested this morning implicates their predecessors as well," Benjamin said. She knew he was angry, but he hid it well, acting as if this was just a routine bust.
"Do you want us to go after Ottokar Merriweather?" Hermione asked. She'd love to arrest the man, after he had escaped her once already.
Benjamin shook his head. "No. You'll relieve Cleo and Robert as acting Obliviators."
Hermione knew better than to protest the assignment. Benjamin knew she was among the Wands most familiar with the muggle world. Good enough to have tracked and observed the Obliviators there without being spotted. It made sense to take over for the Obliviators her own work had caused to be arrested.
She just hoped it wouldn't take too long to find some permanent replacements - she was a Wand, not an Obliviator.
"Did anyone ask Dumbledore if there are former Obliviators among his people?"
Benjamin rubbed his chin, "Good question, and good idea. I'll check with Sarah if we can get some exiles to step in." He grinned. "We need every Wand on our duties, not filling in for corrupt criminals." He looked at the widely smiling Dean. "That doesn't mean you don't have to go, though; but with some luck, you'll be relieved by some exiles."
Dean sighed. "Well, hopefully, nothing will happen during our shift."
"If we detect accidental magic by a muggleborn child…" Hermione started to ask.
"Then you memory charm strangers who observed it, and inform the parents," Benjamin interrupted her.
Hermione nodded, smiling faintly. She was very glad that there wouldn't be any more kidnappings, but at the same time, she couldn't help feeling a bit sad that the Corps wouldn't be the same anymore. Even if it had been built on lies, it had been the only family she could remember.
London, Ministry of Magic, September 26th, 1999, 15.00 hours
"Good afternoon, Wand-Commander Sarah," Albus Dumbledore said, smiling at the witch. Once more he was struck at how young the Wands were, even their leader was barely in her thirties. "May I introduce Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley?" He pointed at the young couple. Harry had insisted on bringing his girlfriend along, though the Professor didn't know if Miss Weasley had urged him to first. "You already know Sirius Black," Albus added. "Harry, Miss Weasley - Wand-Commander Sarah."
The Wand nodded, introduced her subordinates, and everyone shook hands - but for Sirius, who kissed the witch's hand. "I certainly remember you, Sarah."
Albus saw Harry rolling his eyes at his godfather's antics, and hid a smile of his own. Sirius's flirting might look uncalled for, given the circumstances - this was a strategy meeting, after all - but might also serve to bridge the gap between the Wands and the rest of Wizarding Britain. Provided, he added, Sirius didn't overdo it. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, after all.
The Wand-Commander recovered quickly, frowning although not glaring at Sirius before turning to Albus. "You wanted to meet and discuss the war."
"That is correct," he said. "You have probably heard of Harry. He is the only wizard known to have survived the Killing Curse."
Sarah frowned slightly. "Him surviving the Killing Curse seems a bit questionable. It was also claimed that he had destroyed the Dark Lord, which was proven to be false."
Albus hid his annoyance. To have been outmaneuvered by Lucius so completely back then… it was among his greatest failures and regrets. Instead his smiled. "I think that if you check the Department of Mysteries, you will find that there is a prophecy concerning Harry and the Dark Lord. A prophecy I heard when it was uttered. It proclaims that he has the power to vanquish the Dark Lord."
Albus saw that Harry had pulled Ginny to his side. He regretted doing this, but the Wands had to know Harry's importance. "The Dark Lord knows this. That was the reason he attacked Harry's family in 1981."
"Does that mean the Dark Lord will seek him out again?" Sarah asked.
"I believe so. Harry not only is the subject of a prophecy, but he also is one of the few who defeated the Dark Lord." He held up his hand when Sarah seemed about to say something. "I know you have doubts, but I was there in the aftermath of the attack. The Dark Lord did attack the Potters personally, he did kill Harry's parents, but he failed to kill Harry."
Sarah slowly nodded. Whether she was accepting his reasoning or simply letting him continue Albus couldn't yet say. After another glance to Harry, whose face had lost all expression now, he resumed his tale. "Further, I have been training him. Preparing him. He will be essential for the fight against the Dark Lord."
"Are you saying that Mister Potter was trained to face and defeat the Dark Lord?" Sarah's doubts were clear in her expression.
"He has the power to vanquish the Dark Lord. Power can take many forms. While I have certainly trained him well, if I do say so myself, I do not plan on him duelling Voldemort."
Miss Weasley muttered what Albus thought was fierce agreement while Harry chuckled. "While I might not be quite on the level of the Dark Lord, I make excellent bait," the boy said. That earned him an elbow into his ribs from his girlfriend, Albus noted. Miss Weasley apparently didn't fully appreciate the boy's dark humour. The professor turned his attention back to the Wand-Commander.
"You do not want to share what his power is then." Sarah stared at Albus.
"You are correct. I do not want to offend you, but I prefer to keep the exact details of this a secret. While I doubt any Wand would turn traitor, the Ministry is probably riddled with spies." Albus smiled placatingly. "What I can tell you though is where the Dark Lord is hiding."
That caught the attention of every Wand in the room. "You've found him?" Sarah asked, an eager gleam in her eyes.
Albus nodded. "Yes. He's currently hiding in a small cottage in Lancashire. It will be well-defended, no doubt about that, but I am confident that working together, we can overcome his followers and himself."
"He returned from death once before."
"He did. He will not repeat this feat. My word on it." Albus would ensure that.
He just hoped it would not cost Harry his life.
London, September 26th, 1999, 18.14 hours
Ron Weasley watched as Harry, Ginny and Sirius entered the new safehouse. The older wizard was grinning widely while Ron's sister and his best friend looked angry - though whether it was with each other, with Sirius, or both, he couldn't yet say.
"How did the meeting go?" he asked. "Did they agree to a combined attack?"
"They did, in as much as us tagging along with them is a combined attack," Harry said. "We're supposed to stay back and wait for Voldemort to emerge before engaging him."
Ron pondered this a moment. "That sounds like a decent plan, given that we haven't fought side by side yet." So why were they angry?
"And as soon as we agreed on that, Sirius tried to seduce the Wand-Commander!" Harry said, glaring at his godfather.
"There was no 'try', Harry," Sirius grinned. "We've got a date."
"She agreed to another meeting to plan the assault in detail. With Dumbledore," Harry said in a flat voice.
"Tsk, tsk, Harry!" Sirius shook his head. "You need to learn to pay more attention to witches. It's no wonder Ginny's so often annoyed at you."
"I'm not!" Ron's sister cut in.
Harry's godfather ignored her. "Sarah is… receptive to my advances. The blushing, the glances… trust me, I know witches."
"Blushing? Glances?" Ron looked at Ginny.
She shrugged. "I wasn't paying attention to the witch."
Harry sighed. "If she curses you, or has you arrested, then I want it to be on record that I don't know you."
Ron thought that it couldn't have been that bad, or Dumbledore would have stepped in. But he would have to ask Hermione for details later.
"What did you do today?" Harry asked, conjuring a seat and sitting down. Ginny sat down on his lap right away.
"Mostly helped people move to safe houses," Ron said. He was one of the few who knew where all of them were, and how they could be reached with muggle means.
"Sounds boring," Ginny said.
"It was," he agreed. "But I can't do much more without endangering my cover." And he couldn't do anything about that until the Wands knew the truth about Malfoy. "Neville is in Britain as well, checking his ancestral house with his gran."
"No surprise there," Sirius commented. "If not for Neville, Augusta would have stayed in that house until her death." He snorted. "Which would not have taken long, given how bad things were back then." He shook his head. "I wouldn't want to be the family that moved into the Longbottom Manor."
Harry shrugged. "They probably can afford to move. And Malfoy wouldn't have given the manor to a stranger."
Ron nodded, but he couldn't help feeling that there was a good side to the Burrow having been razed: They wouldn't have to kick out a family that had lived there for 20 years. Any children would have considered it their home, and the whole scene would have been awkward at best. That would have spoiled the Weasleys return to their home.
He checked his watch. It was time to head to the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione would be back from work soon. They would be eating dinner with Luna.
London, Diagon Alley, September 26th, 1999, 19.16 hours
Wand-Leader Hermione sighed with relief when she entered Ron's room and found her boyfriend on the bed, reading the Daily Prophet. She sat down next to him, kicked her shoes off and then kissed him.
"How did it go?" Ron asked.
"I had to fill in for the Obliviators. We've arrested the whole team, and most of the retired ones last I heard." A few had ran, but whether from the returning British exiles, or from the Wands was not yet known. Even with everything handled in the Corps, people would have noticed some arrests.
"So… they'll know the truth soon," Ron said.
"Yes. They were still interrogating them when I left, and had commandeered all available pensieves to check their memories. They'll be at it all night." As she would have been, in their place, if Benjamin hadn't sent her away under the pretext of having to be well-rested in case she had to take over Obliviator duties tomorrow as well.
"How do you think they'll react?"
She shrugged. "I can't say. It depends on Sarah, mostly. How much it takes for her to believe us. If she wants to check the evidence herself… then it could take a while."
"I hope she believes you. I'm tired of being 'Antoine'," Ron said.
"Revealing your real identity and mission will still ruffle some feathers." At best, she thought.
"Will it cause problems for you?" He held her in his arms. "I don't have to reveal myself."
She shook her head. "No, I'm sick of all the deception myself. I want to be with you, not with Antoine." Many Wands would understand what she had done. Some would not, but it'd be worth it. The Corps couldn't be living a lie. Her family deserved better. Both her living family, and her dead one.
He nodded. The stayed like that for a bit, her in his arms, leaning against his chest, until it was time to meet Luna.
London, Diagon Alley, September 26th, 1999, 20.05 hours
"You're both very tense. Did something happen?" Luna asked, stopping with a forkful of pasta halfway to her mouth and cocking her head sideways to look at Hermione and Ron.
Hermione sighed, then checked if their privacy spells were still working before answering: "They've arrested the Obliviators and Fudge."
"Oh!" Luna perked up. "Then the truth will be out there, as they say!" She frowned, then pouted. "I'd have expected you to be happy about this, not sad."
Hermione smiled wryly. "I'm just nervous about how the truth will be received." She took a deep breath. "Once they figure out I've been lying to them for so long…"
"For a good cause though," Luna said.
"That doesn't matter that much, in my experience," Ron added. "People simply hate being lied to."
Hermione remembered how she had felt, after discovering first Malfoy's lies, then Ron's, on the same day, and nodded in agreement. Ron patted her hand on the table - he had to have remembered that evening as well, she knew.
"Pride! Always getting in the way of common sense!" Luna scoffed. "No wonder nargles thrive in Britain!" She gestured, apparently forgetting that she had been holding a forkful of pasta, and some noodles were sent flying across the table, hitting Ron in the chest. "Oops!" She smiled sheepishly while Ron cast a Cleaning Charm. "Don't worry overmuch. Your friends will forgive you, just as you have forgiven your paramour." She peered at Hermione. "You have forgiven him, have you?"
"Yes!" Hermione answered.
"I'm still alive, am I not?" Ron said, grinning.
Hermione glared at him, but she couldn't hold on to her annoyance when both Luna and Ron laughed, and joined them.
She didn't know if it Luna had planned that, but she was feeling better about the revelations tomorrow would bring.
London, Ministry of Magic, September 27th, 1999, 08.30 hours
Wand-Leader Hermione hid her nervousness behind a stoic expression as she stood with the other members of the Investigative Branch in Benjamin's expanded office. The senior Wand-Leader was leaning against his desk, but he was too stiff for the casual posture. She glanced at the other Wands. Some looked angry, some confused, but none looked as shocked as she had expected them to be. She looked at the pensieves on his desk. It seemed the most important revelation was still to come.
When the last Wand had entered - her team had been here five minutes before the appointed time, of course - Benjamin cleared his throat and addressed his Wands. "You all know that we've been uncovering a massive conspiracy among the Obliviators. Most of you also know that it directly affects the Corps."
That caused some muttering. Colin nodded rapidly - Hermione's teammate had been shocked by what he had heard. She felt a bit guilty about making arrangements so he hadn't been watching the interrogation of the murderer of his family, but she hadn't wanted him to learn about that out of the blue.
"And you know that this was done on the orders of Cornelius Fudge." Benjamin took a deep breath. "I've personally interrogated him. The memory of the interrogation is in those pensieves."
Hermione glanced at the other Wands to study their reactions. Some looked puzzled, some eager, but a few showed that they were beginning to suspect just why Benjamin would be doing this. Those looked rather apprehensively at the devices on his desk.
"Now, watch this memory." Benjamin waved his wand, and the pensieves spread out, floating to prepared smaller tables.
Hermione pondered skipping this, she had interrogated the man herself, but decided against it. Any Wand who didn't watch the memory would arouse some suspicion. So she joined the others.
When Hermione pulled her head out of the pensive, she made an effort to appear upset, though she didn't think she would have had to bother - the rest of the Wands were too shocked to pay much attention to her, or so it seemed. Colin was staring at the device, mumbling "No. No. No." over and over. Dean looked like he wanted to hit something, anything.
Cleo was shaking her head. "I want to see his memory! It could have been tampered with!" She sounded as if she was pleading. Many others agreed.
Benjamin pulled out a handful of vials. "Here. Analyse them. Take all the time you need." He sounded grim. Most of the Wands almost ripped the vials out of his hands and dived into the pensieves.
This time, Hermione didn't join them right away. When everyone else was inside the memories, she looked at Benjamin. "Well done."
He sighed. "It's the only way I could think of to make them believe what they don't want to believe. How did you do it? Did you sneak his memories into a pensieve?"
Hermione shrugged. "No. I thought it through. Tried to come up with possible explanations, alternatives. It was the only explanation left."
"Eliminate the impossible, and what's left is the truth, right?" Benjamin quote their old instructor.
Hermione nodded.
"Not everyone can do that. Many need to see the evidence, test it themselves." He shook his head. "I still don't want to believe it. Our whole lives, built on this… " He trailed off, scoffing.
Hermione squeezed his shoulder, a bit awkwardly. "But we can't let them live a lie." They owed it to the murdered families of the Wands to expose this.
He nodded. She turned away, and entered a pensieve herself. She wanted to see how the Minister had looked when he had given the order to murder her parents.
It was almost noon when the last Wand, Ashley, had withdrawn from the pensieves, shock written on her face. She had been crying too, judging by her puffy red eyes. She hadn't been the only one, either. Colin had too, and had taken half an hour to calm down.
Ashley shook her head. "Could… could the Dark Lord have impersonated the Minister, set this all up?"
Hermione had answered that once before. "Theoretically, yes. But then - why would he have done it, back then? And why wouldn't the Minister have put a stop to it after the Dark Lord was gone? Why would anyone have done this back then, and not done anything else since?"
Ashley squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head wildly. "Curse it! Curse him! Damn the Minister!"
Cleo walked up to Hermione while Ashley was being comforted by Robert who had gone through this just a quarter of an hour before. "You don't seem to be that shocked."
Hermione could have lied, but she was quite sick of deceiving her friends. "I have been investigating this for some time."
"You knew already?" Cleo whispered. "But then why…"
"I couldn't think of a way to tell everyone without warning him," Hermione said, truthfully. "I'm sorry."
Cleo stared at her for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. I can understand that."
"But you don't really accept it yet," Hermione said, snorting.
Cleo nodded slowly. "It's still a shock, one of too many today."
Hermione knew that feeling far too well. But she also knew that Cleo would get over it. Hopefully.
London, Ministry of Magic, September 27th, 1999, 13.45 hours
Wand-Leader Hermione was waiting with Benjamin for Sarah to return from lunch. Apparently, the Wand-Commander had gone out to eat. Something Sally-Anne was convinced meant she had a date. Hermione doubted it, and had said so to her fellow Wand.
Then Sarah stepped out of the lift, followed by Sirius Black, and Sally-Anne whispered "Told you so!"
Hermione didn't have to glance at her to know she was grinning triumphantly. At least the more than slightly exasperated expression on the commander's face could be taken to mean that it hadn't been a date on Sarah's side. Then again, she didn't really look angry either. That Black considered it a date was a given; Hermione had heard enough tales about his womanising ways from Ron and Ginny and even Ron's mum. She was still struggling to think of the witch as 'Molly'.
The two spotted the waiting Wands, and Sarah grew serious at once. "I take it you have urgent business for me?"
Benjamin nodded. "Urgent and internal business," he said, with a glance at Black.
"Ah… I'll leave you to your business then, cherie. Though you still owe me dinner," Black cheerfully said, waving at the Wands.
Sarah nodded at him, then watched him leave for a moment before turning back to the waiting Wands. "My Office."
Inside, Benjamin and Hermione stood at parade rest while Sarah sat down behind her desk. "What happened?"
"We found out that the Corps has been lied to since our founding," Benjamin reported. "None of us were abused by our muggle parents. The reports and files were faked. In reality, we were kidnapped by Obliviators and our families murdered for the most part. All on the explicit orders of Minister Malfoy himself."
Sarah opened her mouth, then closed it, taking deep breaths. "You have evidence of this?"
Benjamin presented her with the vials containing the memories. "The entire Investigative Branch has analysed the memories. We found no sign of tampering." He looked straight at her. "Sarah, it's true."
The Wand-Commander rolled one of the vials around in her hand. "That's why Dumbledore sent those muggleborns. He knew this would happen."
"None of the older muggleborns were abused," Hermione said.
"This will shake the Corps to the core. Maybe destroy us." Sarah stood up and started to pace. "The entire Investigative Branch is aware of that?`"
"Yes." Benjamin nodded. "From the start they were involved in the investigation that led to this."
"Merlin's arse! It can't be kept quiet then," Sarah muttered.
"You would try to suppress this?" Hermione asked. She couldn't believe this.
"At least until the attack on the Dark Lord's base is over. We don't need this kind of issue distracting us. Not right now." Sarah shook her head. "Tell everyone to not spread this news! Send them on an isolated assignment, if you think it's needed!"
That sounded like a decent reason, Hermione thought, as she and Benjamin nodded.
"We also need an idea how to deal with this." Sarah ground her teeth.
"Short-term or long-term?" Benjamin asked.
"Both." The Wand-Commander sat down again. "This is the biggest blow we've ever been dealt. Damn it!" She sighed through clenched teeth and muttered another curse under her breath.
"We'll get through this! We're the Wands of Britain. We may have been lied to from the start, but that doesn't change that we're the ones protecting Britain," Hermione spoke up. "We can keep doing this without kidnapping children. We'll just train recruits after Hogwarts."
Sarah looked at her. "I certainly hope you're right." Shaking her head, she added. "But no matter what, we'll do our duty. We'll deal with this after we have killed the Dark Lord."
Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, Britain, September 27th, 1999, 17.30 hours
The Dark Lord Voldemort looked at his most trusted follower. The one wizard who had done more for his resurrection than anyone else. The one who had killed the worst traitor for him. And the one who might be a traitor himself. Severus Snape.
"I've to thank you again, Severus, for ridding us of Lucius. That traitor's death has advanced our cause a lot. We're on the brink of triumphing." He stood up from his chair and took a few steps towards the map of Britain that was stuck to the wall in his room. The potioneer followed him with his eyes, but didn't move otherwise. "Or so I'd like to say. Alas, my oldest enemy has used this opportunity to return to Britain, and the sheep left leaderless by your action have flocked to him, hoping he will protect them from my justified wrath."
"A setback, milord, but nothing more." Snape sounded confident. As usual. And yet...
"A setback, indeed. It wouldn't have been much of a setback, if not for the rather well-timed demise of Lucius's family. If his heir were still alive, I doubt that Dumbledore would have dared travelling to Britain." Voldemort walked to the other wall, where a mirror hung. He had started to get used to his inhuman appearance. It was only temporary anyway - after his victory, he'd restore his original appearance. He had all the time of the world to dedicate to the task. Death could not touch him anymore, after all. "Quite the suspicious timing, wouldn't you agree?" In the mirror, he saw Snape jerk slightly behind him.
"I suspect that Rookwood had prepared such an attack, in case he managed to kill Lucius, and his hired assassins were ready to strike as soon as whatever means he had devised to detect his rival's death signalled them." Snape spoke smoothly. Confidently.
"An interesting theory. But just a theory. It presumes that Rookwood is still alive. And it assumes that Rookwood had found a way to alert them of Lucius's death, but had not managed to find a way to kill Lucius. Quite a large number of assumptions, wouldn't you agree?"
"It fits the facts, milord."
"And yet there is also the fact that Rookwood did not reappear after he had killed his rival, to take over Britain himself. Such fortuitous timing, yet he was outmaneuvered by Dumbledore? When all he had to do was reappear and invent some explanation for his hiding? Isn't it far more probable that he is dead, killed in this 'accident' in the Department of Mysteries? But then, how did he manage to find assassins so loyal, they would do his bidding even after his death? And a means to alert them at the exact time Lucius was killed? Assassins so skilled, they could beat the guards of the Malfoys with ease, ruthless enough to kill both the wife and son of Lucius, yet so caring, they did not kill anyone else?" He turned to the spy. "Have you ever heard of assassins like that? I haven't. And trust me, I've been looking for assassins for some time."
Snape swallowed. He was nervous now, Voldemort knew. The Dark Lord grinned. "No, there's another, more plausible explanation: Treason. Someone knew when you'd kill the traitor, and informed Dumbledore. And Dumbledore jumped at the chance, had Lucius's family killed and took over Britain. My realm."
"Your logic is impeccable, milord. We must find this traitor then. Let me recall who I talked to about my mission…"
"There's no need, my friend. I already did that." Voldemort smiled. He could almost see Snape's thoughts now. "You didn't talk to anyone. Not among my people." He snarled at the traitor. "You were the traitor! You told Dumbledore! No one else had the opportunity!"
"Milord! I brought you back from death! I'm your most loyal follower! Why would I betray you?"
"Why would you betray Lucius, after all those years staying at his side? He thought you were his most loyal friend as well. But you have been working for Dumbledore all these years, haven't you? Spying on Lucius, and then, when rumours of my impending return started to appear, seeking me out so you could earn my trust and spy on me."
"No, milord! I did not betray you!"
"So, you haven't been flooding this room with the second part of Dumbledore's poison for the last few minutes then?" Voldemort held up a red-tinted glowing crystal. "Hoping it would react with the liquid you used in my resurrection?"
Snape drew his wand, as quick as a Duelling Champion. But the Dark Lord had decades of experience on him, and his inhuman, tainted body had the reflexes of a snake. His Torture Curse struck the traitor before he could cast a single spell.
While the man screamed, writhing on the stone floor, Voldemort stepped closer, commenting almost casually: "I had discovered that addition to my body when I first started to look into ways to restore my appearance. At the time, I thought it merely the result of some mistake made by my most trusted follower." He stepped on the man's wand, crushing it. "That changed, of course, once I saw through your machinations. And I took steps to protect myself against this ploy."
He ended the curse, leaving the man shivering and twitching, suffering from the effects of the curse still. As he should. Voldemort didn't know if Snape had heard, much less understood him. It didn't matter. He'd make him pay for his treason.
And he'd use him against Dumbledore.