Chapter 33:
23th November 1976, England, Black Manor:
Today could prove itself to be very important. Arcturus hoped they could come atleast on some type of consensus, unlike the recent meeting he had with Dumbledore where neither budged on their position on any important issue.
A few hours later saw Arcturus Black at the head of the long table in the meeting room of his manor. The room was adorned with ancient tapestries and the flickering light of floating candles created an atmosphere of solemnity. As the members of the Dark Moderate Alliance trickled in one by one, Eric Greengrass, Arcturus' trusted ally and second-in-command, sat beside him. The rest of the room was soon filled with Lords and Ladies, each with their own agenda and interests. Marvin MacMillan and Burton Rubisheart, influential figures in their own right, were present as well.
Arcturus cleared his throat, capturing the attention of the room. "Lords and Ladies, thank you for gathering here at my behest today. Let us aim for understanding and seek common ground today as we're currently facing crucial decisions that will shape the future of our magical society.
He glanced at Eric, who nodded in agreement, showing his support and spoke up. "Like he said We must find ways to bridge our differences and foster unity. Our strength lies in our ability to work together, even in the face of the ever growing threat of You-Know-Who's supporters in the Wizengamot."
Oswald Travers held up his hand and Arcturus nodded at the elderly man allowing him to speak up. And speak up he did.
„If I may, I do not think him to be a threat but rather an opportunity, Lord Black. Think about it, the amount of mudbloods has been steadily increasing during the last 100 years and not by a small amount. If we continue to let their numbers grow like this we'll have to face a future where we are in the minority. Already things like Christmas are celebrated in Hogwarts instead of Yule and our traditions face more and more ridicule by mudbloods." Travers spoke, his voice becoming more and more passionate by the sentence. Murmurs of agreement came from several members and Oswald's speech had garnered more than a few head nods. Jacobius Fudge and Robert Selwyn even clapped for a few seconds.
Arcturus raised his hand to address the sentiment that had resonated with his allies.
„I see this sentiment is somewhat supported by the others so let me be clear. We do not need a homocidal megalomaniac to avoid a future like that. And you may not know this but more purebloods than half bloods and muggleborns combined were killed in the war during the last month. Voldemort does not accept opposition, he doesn't even really accept a neutral party. Sooner or later if his power continues to grow we will have to either bow down to him or become the opposition ourselves and at that point we might be the last ones left to oppose him. I am not saying we should start to fight him on the battlefield no I am not suicidal, noone in this room would stand a chance against that monster. But what we can do is stonewall him in the Wizengamot, help the Ministry fight against the insurgents and strengthen ourselves."
„From your words I gather we will still eventually oppose him more openly?" Oscar Trembley asked sceptically.
Arcturus hesitated a moment before responding.
„I do not know yet. Perhaps we won't need to as I have gotten interesting information. First, there is Warlock Dumbledore's organisation that is continuing to grow albeit slowly but as the situation continues to deterioate the amount of new members will increase. Second, the recent attacks on the Burkes and the Pyrites got him as many new enemies as he rid himself of through the attacks while it cost him a lot of his death eaters. Third, it is kind of ironic but I have it on good authority that the last raid performed on a smaller muggle town didn't go too well as several smaller groups of robed and masked individuals appeared at some point and hit the raiders so hard they had to flee."
„Hmmm so you are saying another resistance group has been created? If so how did these robes look like?" Eric's curious voice halled through the room.
„From what I have been told by our spy, the group is wearing light grey robes with patches on the shoulders that contain roses on a black background. Their masks are entirely coloured red."
„But we do not have any idea what they call themselves?" Marvin chimed in rubbing his chin deeply in thought.
„Unfortunately not, no. Back to the point of if we will oppose Voldemort however: Right now? No. In the future? Possibly, it all depends on how aggressive he'll continue to be." Arcturus replied shrugging.
„Lord Black with all respect but you cannot possibly mean that." Robert Selwyn said outraged. „The man is obviously no saint but noone of us here can honestly say the same about themselves, can we? Sure his methods could be more diplomatic but surely if we were ourselves to ally with him we could influence his faction to be less violent."
„You forget that Voldemort doesn't want just cooperation, he wants complete submission." Arcturus said sternly subtly warning his ally not to overstep his bounds in this meeting. „Forgetting your slight misconduct, I obviously don't know everything about what's going on within his group of followers but from what Abraxas told me over the years the picture he painted to me was one of utter submission. Voldemort does not accept criticism, you are very lucky if you get away with it. Only the members of his inner circle are allowed to sometimes propose change to already existing plans."
„Wait wait, what do you mean with what Abraxas told you over the years? We are talking about the late Abraxas Malfoy, yes? If so how could he possibly know that information?" Burton asked with an eyebrow so impossibly raised Arcturus always wondered if his trusted ally kept practising the expression ever since they first met in 1954.
Arcturus sighed and thought about how to handle the situation. But seeing everyone looking expectantly at him and the fact that Abraxas wasn't here anymore he decided to spill what he knew.
„Abraxas was one of Voldemort's first followers, having joined him sometimes in the late 1940s before Voldemort went on a tour to gather extensive knowledge about anything he deemed worthwhile. Back then Voldemort was charismatic more than the lunatic he is now. Back then Abraxas thought they'd achieve the aspired change via political means and they could have done so eventually but when Voldemort and his death eaters began assassinating people in the late 1960s doubts began to grow within him and in 1971 he had enough and joined our alliance. Only the political clout of his family allowed him to not be hunted immediately for his treachery."
„Wow okay that's.. I don't know what to say" said someone but Arcturus couldn't quite make out who it was.
Celine Bulstrode raised her hand, speaking up, "Arcturus, now that we have finished that topic, what about the recent proposals from the Ministry regarding magical creature rights? Some believe it goes against our traditions and I have to agree atleast somewhat."
Arcturus nodded, acknowledging the concern. "Indeed, the issue of magical creature rights is a contentious one. Let us remember our duty to protect the magical world while respecting the rights of all beings within it. We must seek balance and understanding. I disagree however, that our traditions are based on hating other groups of people. Even more, as the recent proposal of further actions against werewolves has shown, Voldemort wants to make him seem like some sort of saviour to the werewolves. We absolutely cannot allow that to happen, else we find ourselves facing dozens if not hundreds of physically superior wizards and witches."
„Wouldn't it be even more important then to find every single werewolf and terminate the threat?" asked Jacobius sceptically.
„I don't see how we could ever achieve something like that. The moment the werewolves even hear about the possibility of such a law they'd immediately run to Voldemort. Not to mention most of them are hiding and unless they're transformed it is very hard to spot a werewolf."
„I have to agree with this, not to mention that even if we don't want to admit it, most werewolves hate being what they are. It's only sickos like this Greyback who revel in it and try to cause as much chaos as possible." Maximilian Max said. The poor lad had already lost two family members to the beast even before Greyback became widely known.
Arcturus looked around the room, gauging if there were any more pressing matters to discuss.
„Okay anything else we need to talk about?" Arcturus asked into the room after noone moved for a few seconds.
Danielle Orpington eventually chimed in, "Arcturus, what about the increasing authoritarian measures of Minister Minchum? Martial Law has still not been suspended."
„It is indeed quite worrisome but I am afraid his efforts are helping the Ministry stand strong against Voldemort and are thus necessary for now. As soon as that changes however we shall do our best to repell his more authoritarian actions and if that's not working forcing him to resign" Arcturus said strongly and this time there was little dissent within the group. Silence filled the room and Arcturus saw that nothing more needed to be discussed about today.
„This is your last chance to bring another topic of your choice forward my friends..." But noone came forward. „Well then..."
Arcturus leaned forward for a final sentence, his voice firm yet measured. "We must not allow our differences in this alliance to tear us apart. Instead, let us engage in respectful dialogue and find compromises, it is vital if this alliance is meant to survive and prosper"
The meeting ended soon after that and everyone left for their homes leaving a thoughtful Arcturus behind. Some members of his alliance were clearly more vulnerable to Voldemort's ideas than others. He might have to keep an eye on Oswald Travers and Robert Selwyn.
**Scene Break**
29th November 1976, England, Lestrange Manor:
"So have you seen our Lord recently?" the first death eater asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
"Nah, can't say that I have, mate," the second death eater replied, his tone casual. "But this ain't the first time I've had someone ask me that."
"Wait, really?" the first death eater responded, a hint of surprise in his voice. "Huh, wonder where he could be."
The second death eater shrugged, uncertainty evident in his response. "Dunno, man, I mean it's not like him to disappear for so long but we're just the grunts, aren't we? If something's up, we're going to be the last ones to hear of it. So I wouldn't think about it too much."
"Yeah, you're probably right," the first death eater agreed, realizing the futility of speculating. "Hey, have you heard about the raid we're allowed to join soon?"
The conversation shifted to a different topic, the two death eaters eagerly discussing the upcoming raid, their anticipation overshadowing any lingering thoughts about their absent leader.
**Somewhere else*
"You know, I've heard that our Lord is currently on a world tour to find some lost artifact," the first death eater remarked, his voice tinged with intrigue.
"I thought he went on a recruiting tour in Ireland? I hear he's been sighted in the Ministry there," the second death eater chimed in, sounding slightly perplexed.
"You're all wrong. He was seen in Spain and is apparently trying to set up the first death eater cell outside of Britain," the third death eater interjected, confidently asserting his information.
"Huh, but our job here ain't even finished yet," the first death eater mused, his tone reflecting a sense of practicality. "Shouldn't he focus on Britain for now before extending our efforts abroad? If anything, why Spain? A recruiting tour at our neighbors in Ireland makes much more sense to me."
The second death eater pondered this for a moment, realizing the validity of the point raised. "True, it does seem a bit premature. But hey, we're just the foot soldiers. Our Lord's plans are beyond our understanding. We shouldn't question him."
"Agreed," the third death eater concurred, his voice laced with caution. "Questioning our Lord's decisions is not good for our health."
The conversation concluded with an unspoken understanding that it was best to trust and follow their leader, despite their own uncertainties and speculations.
**Scene Break**
12th December 1976, Netherlands, Rotterdam:
It (as y'all already know) was all turning out to be a mix of things. After touring through Ireland and Spain, Voldemort had turned his attention towards the next stops of his tour meaning Italy, France and the Netherlands. It wasn't too successful but he got a few dozen recruits from the nations. Mostly cannon fodder though, unfortunately. But it wasn't like most recruits from Ireland and Spain were any better if he was being honest. The only lights in the darkness so far were Fiona O'Hara from Ireland, Carlos Rodriguez and Lucia Garcia from Spain, Vittoria Spadoni from Italy, Jean-Pierre Favre from France and Marvin van Bommel from the Netherlands. Those few he deemed worthy of being more than grunts were immediately put in charge of the recruits from their nation. He had been disappointed so far but his hopes were still high, especially for Germany and Russia. He didn't know enough about the rest of the countries he was going to visit to make a guess though so he was going to be pretty much in the dark after he'd leave Europe.
**Scene Break**
16th December 1976, England, London, St. Mungos:
Kevin McKinley lay motionless in the hospital bed, his body still and pale. Several charms and trinkets monitored his vital signs and regularly sent signals to the relevant healer if it was time to administer potions to the patient. It had been weeks since the devastating battle of Hogsmeade, and the healers had done everything they could to stabilize him and promote his recovery. Now, they could only hope that he would wake up.
In the quiet room, a healer named Wesley Crusher carefully monitored McKinley's condition. He had been assigned to his case ever since the assault on the Pyrites after eventually asking for the post. Why? Well Kevin McKinley obviously couldn't have noticed but Wesley had indeed witnessed the extent of his injuries and the heroic efforts to save his life in Hogsmeade two months earlier. Wesley had grown a little attached to this courageous auror and had dedicated himself to helping him heal.
As the hours passed, Wesley's attention was suddenly drawn to the body of McKinley. His eyes widened with anticipation as he observed the man's eyelids fluttering. Gradually, Kevin McKinley's eyes opened, revealing the deep blue irises that had seen so much in the line of duty.
Wesley couldn't contain his excitement and quickly moved closer to the bed. "Mr. McKinley? Can you hear me? How are you feeling?," he asked, his voice filled with a mix of relief and joy.
Kevin blinked several times, his gaze struggling to focus. He seemed disoriented and weak, but Wesley knew that the man's strength was hidden beneath the weak surface. "I am ugh fine given the obvious state I am in," Kevin murmured hoarsely, his voice barely audible. "What happened?"
Wesley smiled in an effort to calm the man. "You were injured during the battle of Hogsmeade, Mr. McKinley. You've been in a coma until now. Don't worry you're safe now. The attack has long been over"
Kevin's brows furrowed as he tried to process the information. He winced, feeling the pain coursing through his body. "How... how long?"
"It's been a few weeks since the battle, today's December the 16th." Wesley replied gently. "But don't worry, you're in St. Mungo's, and we've been taking care of you. You're going to be okay."
Kevin's lips curled into a faint smile, gratitude shining in his weary eyes. "Thank you... You and the others... you likely saved my life."
Wesley waved his hand dismissevely but smiled. "It was a team effort, Mr. McKinley and our job. I am just glad to see you awake and on the road to recovery. Take your time, rest, and let your body heal. We'll be here with you every step of the way. If you will excuse me, I have to give notice to Head Healer Mellowstream"
As Kevin closed his eyes, exhaustion pulling him back into a slumber, Wesley remained by his side until another healer had entered before departing. It was a small victory, but an important one. The healing journey would be long, Kevin knew that but he was determined to get well as soon as possible and return to the world he had fought so valiantly to protect. Then he remembered the healer's words who he had forgotten to get the name from and grimaced. Abelon McKinley, his father, would likely not be happy with him even if he only did his duty, not to mention how his mother, Bree, would react.
**Scene Break**
17th December 1976, Netherlands, Venlo, Van Bolten Residence:
Former Head Auror Kevin McKinley wakes up from coma!
Voldemort looked at the news with more than a little distaste. He had unfortunately completely forgotton about the man but oh well it wasn't like McKinley was still in his position so he'd be pretty much no threat from now on.
„Is everything alright, my Lord?" asked Rudi Van Bolten him while his son Daniel was running energetically through the house totally unaware of the thoughtful glances thrown towards him by the most dangerous man in Western Europe right now.
„Yes, yes it is or atleast it will be, do not worry about it Mr. Van Bolten" Voldemort said waving his hand dismissively.
**Scene Break**
19th December 1976, Russia, Yekaterinburg:
Denis „Hardi" Khartvig had long been starting to get annoyed at the girl for wasting his precious time. Couldn't another one do this job? Maybe one of the new recruits? Following this girl around and making sure she didn't discover anything incriminating wasn't that hard, was it?
And now she even had a stupid companion who was obviously hoping for some type of romance if the looks he was giving her was any indication.
'I have to give it to her though. She is damn ruthless for using his obvious crush on her in that matter... Still the only good thing I can see in this is that the boy is the son of a noble family... wait that gives me an idea' he thought at first morously and then thoughtful. With the realisation that the boy would be very vulnerable once the girl left he quickly scribbled a letter to Roman Zyippova, who was in charge of handling prisoners.
After sending their house elf Beenie with the letter back to the castle he placed a tracking charm on both of them when they were... preoccupied and then proceeded to spy on the couple before finally after another boring endless day they finally said goodbye to eachother. The girl promised to visit within the next few weeks before she apparated away. Hardi instantly stunned the boy, bound him and apparated him to the castle before tracking the girl's location somewhere in Britain.
'Perfect, it's showtime. Ohh I hope those death eaters will make it interesting' he thought with glee.
**Scene Break**
21th December 1976, Scotland, Hogwarts grounds:
Jasmine Potter stood on a hill in Scotland, her gaze fixed upon the majestic sight of the school she had once been a student of. The sunrise beautiful to see from her location. It had been a long journey for her, traveling to various magical communities around the world, seeking knowledge and uncovering secrets. Her most recent stop had been in Russia, where she had come across a group called Smietrolovskoye Bratsvo, the very group that piqued her interest and drew her attention. It had become her little pet project during the last couple of weeks but she had uncovered less than she would have liked.
As she erected her tent, preparing to settle down for a while, Jasmine was unaware that she had been tracked by a watchful figure. Hardi observed her from a distance, noting her focused expression and the air of determination that surrounded her. He waited for her to leave again so that he could follow her until she arrived at her home or somewhere else she'd stay but she suddenly took out a wizarding tent and began to set up camp only erecting the most basic of wards around her.
'What a foolish girl' Hardi thought with a sneer.
Knowing that Jasmine would be stationed there for a period of time, Hardi seized the opportunity to send a message. He had anticipated this moment and had already prepared a letter, addressed to Adolphus Pyrites, a man he assumed to be a follower of this Voldemort. After giving the letter and an accompanying portkey to Beenie , telling him where to go and watching the house elf apparate away he continued to watch the girl.
Now, all that remained was to wait and see what would unfold. Jasmine's presence in Scotland, her gathering of information, and the knowledge she had acquired about the for her mysterious Smietrolovskoye Bratsvo could prove to be a valuable piece in the intricate puzzle that Voldemort's followers were trying to solve.
**Scene Break**
21th December 1976, England, Pyrites Courthouse:
Adolphus Pyrites had just gotten up and was currently not in the best of moods. His mission was going... less than stellar. His mother and his siblings had disappeared and even his sister didn't seem to know where she was. Speaking of his sister... Jennifer had to be coerced into coming back to the Courthouse instead of living with the McKinnons for a while until she could buy her own flat. When he had read that in her letter he had promptly froze her personal Gringotts account even if it cost him quite an expensive bride. But now Jennifer could be made to see reason. If even that didn't work out she could always be sold off. A pop brought him out of his thoughts.
„Lord Pyrites. Beenie is only here to deliver a message from Master Denis. Beenie wishes you a good day." a house elf said briefly before quickly disappearing with another pop, leaving behind a letter that now layed on his bed. Opening the letter he quickly read through it his mood a lot better once he had read it.
Honorable Lord Pyrites,
A young girl with the surname Potter has been snooping around our base of operations for some time and has finally returned back to her homeland. It is my pleasure to inform you I managed to track her location. She is on a hill near your magical school that distinguishes itself by having one of the largest trees in the area on it's peak. Should that description not be enough (which is likely) I have created a portkey that will bring you in eye sight of the camp she has recently set up. Consider this letter as a token of good will and the base of possible cooperation between our Lords. Do not sit on this information too quickly however as it is unknown how long the girl will stay in her current location. I wish you and your comrades good luck Lord Pyrites.
~ Denis Khartvig on behalf of House Smietrolov
**Scene Break**
21st December 1976, Scotland, Hogwarts grounds:
Bellatrix looked at the little campsite scoffing at the weak protections the Potter girl had set up. Knowing the Potter family had no other young female member at the moment, she was sure it was Jasmine Potter she was facing. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately?) she knew just how capable Jasmine could be if she set her mind to it. The girl, even though she was two years below Bellatrix, had managed to hold her off for several minutes when they dueled in Hogwarts during Bellatrix's seventh year.
While Bellatrix was observing Jasmine Potter stood in a secluded forest clearing, admiring the view of Hogwarts Castle from a distance. Little did she know that danger lurked nearby. Unbeknownst to her, Bellatrix Lestrange and a group of three other Death Eaters, including Adolphus, had tracked her down and were preparing to launch an attack. Unbeknownst to them, Denis was still watching the scenes, eagerly awaiting the battle. Knowing how the death eater would go at doing this was knowledge that could help them immensely in the future if it ever came to a conflict between his friends and Voldemort.
The Death Eaters moved silently, closing in on Jasmine from different directions. With a signal from Bellatrix, they simultaneously launched their curses, aiming to catch Jasmine off guard. But as the curses flew towards her, Adolphus, in his haste, miscalculated his aim and inadvertently cast a powerful Bombarda spell at a nearby tree instead.
The force of the spell struck the tree with explosive impact, causing chaos to erupt in the clearing. The tree splintered and shattered, sending wooden debris flying in all directions. The unexpected explosion caught everyone by surprise, including Bellatrix and her companions.
As the tree exploded, the flying splinters found their mark. One struck Bellatrix in her right eye, causing her to cry out in pain. The force of impact damaged her eye and partially blinded her, disorienting her and rendering her unable to continue the attack. The other Death Eaters also suffered injuries from the flying debris, forcing them to pause their assault.
Seizing this opportunity, Jasmine swiftly gathered her most valuable possessions and hastily apparated away from the chaotic scene, leaving the Death Eaters bewildered and disorganized. Though she was unable to retrieve all her belongings, she escaped with what mattered most to her, her life and the few precious items she managed to gather.
Bellatrix was not happy. Immediately she turned to the one she correctly deemed responsible and used the cruciatus on Adolphus until the young man was a twitching mess but not long enough to render him insane. The group then reported back to Lestrange Manor... well except for Adolphus who fled to the safety of his home for the time being. He would face the true punishment at another time.
**Scene Break**
21st December 1976, Scotland, Hogwarts:
„Albus, Jasmine Potter has appeared on the gates and asked to speak to you about something important. She was apparently just attacked by Bellatrix Black and several other death eaters but managed to escape mostly unharmed." Minerva told a thoughtful Albus after walking through the door. Albus was awake immediately.
„Send her in as soon as she is comfortable" he told his friend firmly. He wanted to know how the death eaters had suddenly found out her location. As far as he knew Jasmine Potter had been traveling the past 5 years and recently never stayed in one location for longer than necessary as the situation in Britain became worse and worse.
**Scene Break**
22nd December 1976, England, London, Ministry of Magic:
Alastor Moody paced back and forth in his office, his brow furrowed with deep concern. He had just received the final verdict from the Ministry, and it weighed heavily on his shoulders. Jordan Pyke, a talented and dedicated young auror, was being expelled from the Auror Corps due to a deeply ingrained prejudice within the Ministry.
With a heavy sigh, Moody summoned Jordan into his office. The young auror entered, his usually confident demeanor tinged with a mix of confusion and trepidation. He had heard rumors circulating about his fate and he knew that as a recently turned vampire his situation was difficult but nothing had prepared him for the moment that was coming.
"Jordan," Moody began, his voice laden with regret. "I'm afraid I have some difficult news to share with you."
Jordan's eyes widened, his heart sinking in his chest. "Sir, what's happened? What did they decide?"
Moody paused, searching for the right words. "The Ministry has made a grave mistake, my boy," he said, his voice heavy with frustration. "They've succumbed to their own prejudices and decided to remove you from the Auror Corps."
A mix of shock and disbelief washed over Jordan's face. "But... but why? I've given everything to this job! I've proven myself time and time again even though I failed during the assault on the Pyrites!"
Moody nodded, his expression filled with sympathy. "You have, Jordan. Your dedication and potential are unquestionable. But there are those within the Ministry who still harbor deep-rooted biases. They fear what they don't understand."
Jordan's fists clenched, his frustration evident. "It's unfair! I've worked so hard, and they're throwing it all away because of their ignorance."
Moody placed a hand on Jordan's shoulder, his voice filled with determination. "I won't let this be the end for you, lad. We'll fight this injustice together. Your potential should not go to waste. Come to me after the year has passed and I will most likely have an offer for you, you will not refuse"
Tears welled in Jordan's eyes as he looked at Moody with gratitude. "Thank you, sir, I will. I won't let this defeat me."
Moody nodded, satisfaction in his eyes. "That's the spirit, Jordan. I've seen your strength and talent firsthand. You have the potential to be a great boon to the light side, regardless of what the Ministry says, even if you don't fight for it directly."
As Jordan left Moody's office, a fire burned within him. He knew the road ahead would be challenging, but he was determined to prove his worth and challenge the prejudice that had tarnished his career. Moody's cryptic words confused him a little but he held his head high even as he said goodbye to a few friends he had made over the months.
**Scene Break**
26th December 1976, Wales, Evergreen Residence:
It was a cold and dreary day when the Order of the Phoenix, led by Albus Dumbledore, convened in their current headquarters. The room was filled with esteemed members, their faces reflecting a mix of concern and determination. They were gathered to hear an important briefing from Jasmine Potter, who had spent the last five years traveling the world, gathering crucial information.
"Honored friends and allies," Dumbledore began, his voice commanding attention. "Today, we are joined by Jasmine Potter, who has returned with valuable insights to share."
Jasmine stepped forward, her presence commanding respect. "Thank you, Professor. I have gathered information on several countries, but there are a few that warrant our immediate attention: Russia, Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and China."
As Jasmine delved into her findings, the room fell silent, each word carrying weight. She provided insights into the political landscape of each country, highlighting key challenges and potential threats.
"Romania's Ministry is a mere facade and only there so the ICW doesn't come knocking, with the true power lying in the hands of the Dracula Clan," Jasmine explained. "Similarly, Bulgaria and Hungary are grappling with the severe challenges posed by werewolf populations. In Germany, the ICW has appointed a new overseer after the last one died under unexplained circumstances and chose a retired hit wizard to be her replacement for some reason. The exact circumstances on why this particular person was appointed and the man even chose to take on such a position remain unclear, but it appears he aims to bring change to the country by breaking it free from ICW supervision. China is facing an increasing influence from the muggle government, with rising disruptions caused by muggle-born individuals.
The Chinese Ministry is so far holding it's ground but the purebloods there are slowly becoming nervous as any efforts to use the imperius on the muggle leadership has failed as the leadership is protected by chinese muggleborns and squibs. However, my deepest concern lies with Russia."
Jasmine's voice became even more somber as she spoke about the rising instability of Russia.
„The most prominent criminal organisation there is Roslovskoye Sestricheskvo but the newly formed paramilitary group called Smietrolovskoye Bratsvo is the one that's making me worried. From what I have found out, they have only recently formed but are very well organised already and quickly expanding their reach in Russia. They're even negotiating with the Dracula Clan and the Italian Mafia for cooperation."
„Well that's all great and stuff but you know that's for the Russians to worry about. Why should we here in Britain be concerned? We already have You-Know-Who to worry about you know" - Mara Evergreen said sceptically. Jasmine Potter was young, sure, but even a 23 year old must have realised the serious situation Britain was in right now.
„Yes I am aware of that but I think that the Smietrolovskoye Bratsvo might be working with the death eaters. Hold on let me explain. During the last week or so in Russia I felt... watched. It was really uncomfortable but I could never really confirm it. Not long after I came back to Britain I was attacked by a death eater group. The thing is I was camping on a hill near Hogwarts perfectly hidden from sight. How did they find me there? They couldn't have known I was there unless someone from Russia tracked me to my campsite and alerted the death eaters." Jasmine said her gaze sharpening and daring anyone to say what she said wasn't true.
The room stayed silent for a moment, everyone thinking about the implications about Voldemort potentially having international allies.
„If what you say is true and I am not saying I don't believe you Ms. Potter but if this is really true then we might face an ever bigger problem than we have thought so far." Emmeline Vance spoke up, her voice filled with concern.
„I agree with Emmeline, if You-Know-Who has international help now all of the sudden then we'll have to bring this to the ICW immediately." Frank Longbottom said firmly and nodded in agreement.
„Don't be stupid boy, what could they even do? Hmpf this is all speculation and it's not like it is illegal for him to cooperate with other organisations. If this is even indeed the case because I cannot really imagine him cooperating with someone else instead of subjugating him so let's not jump to conclusions, I have been making that error too many times recently anyway." the ever cautious and opinionated Alastor Moody scoffed, expressing his doubts.
„Let us not doubt and speculations to divide us and make us fight eachother as we are all friends here. I have to say that I also cannot imagine Voldemort cooperating with anyone as that just doesn't fit his character but if there is even a slight possibility of it indeed being true then we'll have to take it serious. Ms. Potter would you be willing to lead an expedition team back to Russia?" Albus Dumbledore asked the dark haired woman who nodded in agreement.
„Sure I'll have to go there next month anyway as I promised someone I'd visit him so yeah I could take a few more with me."
„Thank you Ms. Potter. Does anyone volunteer for the mission? I will not force anyone but it would be better if we had atleast a team of three going there." - Albus Dumbledore said scanning the room for volunteers.
Frank Longbottom, Dedalus Diggle and Emmeline Vance eventually were the ones volunteering for the mission.
**Scene Break**
29th December 1976, Scotland, Hogwarts, Headmaster's office:
It was a joyous day for Albus Dumbledore for once as he had finally managed to get the Fortescues to join him.
„Alright Albus, Mariana and I will join your little band of viligantes. I just hope you are not gonna make us walk to our doom." Kylian Fortescue said with a shake of his head.
Elsewhere
In Lestrange Manor the occupants were not so happy as Albus Dumbledore was that day.
„Man it sucks they just delayed our raid" said the first death eater.
„Yeah and just because the last attack on that Potter girl failed" said the second death eater grimacing at the unfairness of everything.
„Well atleast we get to watch the humiliation of Adolphus Pyrites" said the first death eater running his hand through his hair in frustration.
„Yeah that's something to look forward to, I guess." replied the second death eater but the doubt was easily visible in his voice.
**Scene Break**
31st December 1976, England, Pyrites Courthouse:
Jennifer stepped into Pyrites Courthouse, not really excited to see her brother Adolphus but she had no choice, didn't she? No.. not if she wanted to remain a Pyrites. But something felt off. Adolphus's lackluster greeting wasn't too abnormal but his immediate order for her to join him in his study made her feel a little uneasy in her own home. She knew what that often meant for muggleborn rooms and wondered if Adolphus had someone waiting for her.. she shuddered at the thought but shook her head. No, Adolphus may not be the friendliest person around but he was not a monster.
After settling in and indulging in her usual routine of grabbing a snack and packing her things away, Jennifer made her way to Adolphus's study. She stood in front of the door for a moment reminiscing on the time when she was once allowed in to see her great grandfather.. that that moment was him scolding her for being a child and refusing to obey her parents was of course ignored by her.
As she entered, she noticed that the room had been completely changed by her brother. It was now much darker and didn't have the homely feeling to it, it once had, anymore. Adolphus gaze was fixed on her, an expression of firm sternness on his face, and could she even see a hint of anger on his face?
Adolphus wasted no time, his voice firm with authority. "Jennifer, things have changed around here and from now on this will also be the case in your own life. Your recent behavior has been far from acceptable for a young, pureblood woman."
Jennifer couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Oh, do enlighten me, dear brother. What, pray tell, does 'acceptable behavior' entail? Should I cease associating with anyone you deem unworthy?"
Adolphus's voice grew colder. "Precisely. It's time you stopped surrounding yourself with mudbloods and blood traitors. It reflects poorly on our family."
Jennifer scoffed. "And who exactly are these 'worthy' individuals? I suppose it's just the esteemed company of the moronic traditionalist purebloods in Slytherin, is it not? How noble."
Adolphus's face flushed with anger, though he maintained a more subtle approach to insulting her. No he'd not be talkd back by his own sister, not after having been humiliated by Bellatrix Lestrange in front of every, single, death eater in Lestrange Manor that day. "You know as well as I do that our heritage and traditions demand certain allegiances. It's time you aligned yourself accordingly."
Jennifer's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Oh, how foolish of me to forget our noble heritage. I'll be sure to drop all my friends and beliefs, just to satisfy your narrow-minded view of the world."
Adolphus's control began to slip, his frustration mounting. In a sudden burst of rage, he lunged at Jennifer, catching her off guard. The scuffle was brief but intense, with Adolphus quickly overpowering her.
As the dust settled, Adolphus attempted to assert his dominance with the Imperius Curse. The curse hit his sister straight in the face but... wait why did nothing happen? He tried his best to assert his control over her mind but his efforts were in vain, much to his mounting frustration. Jennifer's will remained unyielding, which only fueled Adolphus's anger... or so he thought.
„Honestly Adolphus, how pathetic can you be? Using an unforgivable on your own sister and then failing at even casting it?!" Jennifer cried out laughing and holding her stomach before she became somber again. Adolphus exploded and punched Jennifer's head so hard, her head bounced back from the impact.
„Well I hope you'll like Azkaban cause you better believe I will be taking what just happened to the aurors. See ya, big brother" she said angrily before starting to walk out of the room. Her head swam from the recent impact and she forgot that Adolphus was still very much capable of attacking her.
Frustrated and seething, Adolphus yelled „Oh no, you won't you bitch!" and ran towards his sister, forcefully took Jennifer's arms and dragged her into her room after snatching her wand away. He sealed the room with a quick colloportus and felt his mood rising at seeing the spell work, leaving her trapped and isolated.
Adolphus was beyond angry at his sister and he had to think of a way to make her submit if the imperius didn't work for him. Luckily family magic forbid her to seriously harm her Lord so he didn't have to worry about that but it didn't mean he could get their family magic to make her submit to him... A devilish plan evolved in Adolphus' mind and he gulped... he had never forced himself on someone before but... if he was seriously going to do this he'd cross a line that couldn't be uncrossed. Sure he had stolen, pillaged, plundered and killed but rape was on a whole another level. Still he had to make her submit somehow and this was the only thing he could think of currently. A grin spread through his face. He'd show that bitch.
End of Chapter