The End of the Dark Lord
Order of the Otter: Temporary HQ
Everyone was gathered around the wireless for an important announcement:
In one week's time, the Dark Lord will inaugurate the New Dark Order. The ceremony will be held in the main square of Diagon Alley. Every wizarding family will send at least one representative under penalty of law. None will have any excuse, and failure to attend will be dealt with most harshly. The time has come: we the magi will finally take our rightful places as the lords of humanity. We are to come into our greatness, an historical event that is unprecedented. In years to come, you will be able to tell your children that you were there to see it happen.
"So he's gone and done it?", Harry asked.
"We did force his hand", Furry Lucius reminded. "At least now it's out in the open. Time to pay the muggle prime minister another call".
Albemarle Barracks:
"Lance Corporal Charlus Potter, reporting as ordered".
"At ease, Corporal. You have been selected for a special mission", his commanding officer explained. "Can you guess the reason you were selected?"
"I can. I have made it no secret that I am what is called a 'squib' – I have no magical abilities, but I know all about Magical Britain".
"Precisely"
The commander got up and stepped to the door: "You can come in now".
Harry entered.
"May I introduce you? Harry Potter: Lance Corporal Charlus Potter".
"Corporal Potter", Harry offered a hand.
"Mr Potter"
"He will brief you".
Turning to the commanding officer: "Permission to speak frankly".
"By all means".
"He is just kid… no offense intended".
"None taken", Harry said.
"By normal standards, yes, and we wouldn't be including him. However, in his world, he is so much more. Have you heard of the Order of the Otter?"
"Certainly, it was their communique that led me to come forward, after all".
"Then you can appreciate that Mr Potter wouldn't be sent if he didn't know what he's doing".
"Corporal Potter...", Harry began.
"Yes, we are likely related. I come from the squib side of the Potters. We went our separate ways during the fifteenth century".
Harry was briefing Cpl Potter:
"There will likely be a boy my age there. He has very red hair, he's tall and lanky, and freckled. You are not to do him any harm…"
"May I ask why?", Cpl Potter asked.
"He's one of a family with whom I am quite close. I'm asking out of respect for the family. You see, he's the youngest boy of the family, his older brothers have accomplished great things before him. Two were prefects of House Gryffindor, one was both a prefect and Head Boy. Another was a Quiddich star, and team captain. Two other brothers are successful businessmen, and another Senior undersecretary to the Magical Prime Minister. He has a nasty jealous streak that led him to the Big DIC's ranks. I can't say it was all his fault. I will deal with him in my own way".
"I don't know what a 'House Gryffindor' or 'Quiddich' are, though I see your point. This boy's feeling inadequate and jealous".
"Yes, that's his problem: always in someone else's shadow. It was the Dark Lord's main selling point that turned him".
"I see… agreed: leave the red head alone".
"Another thing, should you see a rat, shoot it".
"A… rat?"
"There is a class of magi who can transform themselves into animals: the animagi. It's uncommon, as it is a very difficult bit of magick to master. I have a personal score to settle with that rat".
RAF Norham
Hermione was briefing the pilots chosen for this mission.
"You won't be able to see Nott Manor since there are Notice Me Not and other concealment charms on the manor and property. Like most magical residences, it's also Unplottable. That means it doesn't show up on any maps…"
"Then how will we know?", one asked.
"I have the geo co-ordinates, so that's not a problem. You fly to those co-ordinates and release the bomb".
"It still seems a bit of over kill".
"There's something there that must be destroyed, otherwise, the Dark Lord keeps coming back, and we do this all over again…"
"How is that possible?"
"There is a dark artifact, called a 'horcrux' – it prevents its owner from dying. It's an incredibly evil artifact that none but the darkest of dark wizards will use. This is why we're doing this right now. He used his horcruxes to reincarnate after it was believed he'd died back in 1981. He didn't. We need to be sure we've destroyed all his horcruxes".
"What opposition can we expect?"
"It's likely he'll be using dementors as guards. You won't be able to see them, but they give themselves away…"
"That feeling all the joy has gone from the world?"
"Indeed, that and unexpected cold".
"Then how…"
"There will be magi on board who will drive them off".
Diagon Alley
At the check point, Harry and Charlus presented their wands for identification. Harry's student wand was spelled to falsely identify him as Roger Clearwater, and Charlus' as Dagomir Bronsky, a foreign visitor. It was fortunate that the Death Eaters didn't have the time for a closer inspection, such was the line waiting to check in.
Harry and Charlus fell in with the crowd that was gathering. Other families were headed to Hogwarts, these being those opposed to Voldemort and his Dark Order. Harry and Charlus made their way down the main drag. As always, Grigott's dominated the alley. Charlus pointed.
"What's that building?", he asked.
"The Wizarding bank, Gringott's. It's run and managed by the Goblin Nation…"
"Goblins? I thought…"
"So does all of normie Britain, but I can guarantee, goblins really do exist. It was part of the deal that ended the Goblin Rebellion of 1612. They get Gringott's in perpetuity".
"And you trust them?"
"Goblins are extremely greedy, and will keep safe anything entrusted to them. I'm not saying they won't try to put one over if given the slightest chance, because they will. You need to be careful not to give them any leeway they can take advantage of".
Charlus was looking all around.
"Try not to look like such a tourist", Harry reminded as they continued following the crowd.
"We're here, this way", Harry said as they slipped out of line. Down a narrow alley that led to a burned out building.
"What was this and what happened?"
"Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, Fred and George's joke shop. They didn't show Whatshisname the appropriate respect, so his followers set it on fire".
"They all right?"
"We haven't heard a word, but we can hope".
They made their way up to Fred and George's apartment. It had a good over view of the main square where the stage was assembled. There was a dais with the special guests seated. Speeches were being given, in the run up to the main event.
They dragged a table over to a window that no longer had a pane. Harry took a small box from a pocket and returned Charlus' equipment to its original size. A spotting scope, the AWM sniper rifle chambered in Winchester .300 Magnum, five shot clip. Charlus sighted through the scope. It was thoughtful that the road was lined with flags that gave a good indication of wind direction and speed.
Charlus cast off his robe: "I am doing this as one of Her Majesty's soldiers", he explained as he was wearing his uniform under the typical wizard's robes.
"How far?", Harry asked.
"A little over 800 meters".
"Can you do that?"
"I've shot to 1100 meters", Charlus reassured. "This won't be a problem".
Through the scope, Harry recognized Ron Weasley. He was relieved to see that Percy wasn't there.
"Now it's just a matter of waiting", Charlus explained.
Nott Manor
The Death Eater on guard duty watched a most unusual sight: a large airplane with four engines driving propellers was coming in. He'd never seen anything like this before, and like most magi, barely knew what a plane was. Why would these muggles be flying so close? He didn't see the threat.
As he watched, a door opened, and something cylindrical fell out. A parachute opened, and the container was drifting his way. He watched and wondered as he'd never seen anything like this. He wondered if the normies weren't simply discarding some trash. There was a flash of light, and that was the last thing he saw. The thermobaric explosive leveled Nott Manor and everything else within a radius of 500 meters.
Diagon Alley
The waiting was finally over: the preliminary speeches delivered. The Dark Lord was taking his place at the podium.
"My dear friends", he began his speech. "This is the most glorious day in magical history…"
Charlus was sighting through the scope, adjusting for windage and elevation.
Harry was looking through the spotting scope: "I'd advise not watching", Charlus warned. "It's a gruesome sight".
"After everything I've been through, with that asshole literally controlling every aspect of my life since the day I was born, I need to see. I need to know he's finally out of my life for good".
Charlus placed the center of the reticule on the snake-like nose. A gently increasing squeeze of the trigger, and the rifle fired. A split second later, a splatter of blood on the backdrop, and the Dark Lord fell backwards. Harry was relieved the wraith-like form that had appeared after Voldemort abandoned Professor Quirrel's dying body did not appear. Furry Lucius and the RAF had gotten their timing right; Voldemort died with no horcrux to save him this time.
Since Harry had cast a Quietus on the window frame, few heard the shot. The guests sitting behind the Dark Lord looked around, perplexed, and not knowing the danger they were in. Another shot ended the Lestrange line as Rodolphus was the next to fall. Then it was Madam Umbridge's turn as the representative of the Ministry. Then Peter Pettigrew got his just deserts. A fifth Death Eater dropped, and the empty clip ejected.
The panic finally set in, and the crowd was scrambling away from what they didn't understand.
"Time to go', Harry announced as he returned everything small enough to fit into a match box. They joined the crowd pouring out of Diagon Alley. On the way, there was a small boy, maybe four or five, crying, separated from his parents. Harry scooped him up before he was trampled underfoot.
"I gotcha", Harry reassured, "now let's see about finding your parents".
"There he is!", a panicked, but now relieved, mother called out. "Thank Merlin you found him!
"Come, Billy, let's go home".
"Thank you, Son", the boy's father said.
"The least I could do", Harry said. He silently cursed all those cowardly assholes who simply ran by the lost boy before him. He was certain that they wouldn't mind running over a small boy as they sought to save their own asses.
With the final death of the Dark Lord and four of his most faithful followers, Imperious curses around the Ministry fell. Aurors rounded up Death Eaters at the Ministry. In Daigon Alley, Amelia's Order of the Otter aurors were busy arresting Death Eaters.