Chapter 20: The Fall of Malfoy.

Hermione slowly opened her eyes, she couldn't see anything, everything was dark. She didn't have a wand in order to cast a lumos. She stood up and tried to walk but she tripped over something and fell. She felt a scream.

Hermione said, "Are you okay?"

The voice, she recognized as Neville's said, "I think so, where are we?"

"I don't know, I can't see anything and I don't have a wand to use."

"Let me see," Neville took his wand and cast "lumos."

Hermione and Neville gasped when they saw the sleeping bodies of practically every Hogwarts student that wasn't in the Malfoy sphere of influence. She saw that there was a curtain surrounding them.

The curtain opened and Penelope Clearwater entered the space, "So, you are finally awake! Let's wait for everyone to wake up. I want to explain everything once."

The group waited around an hour so everyone woke up. Penny then addressed the public, "First, I want to present you some friends". Ron Weasley, Dean Thomas and Luna Lovegood showed themselves up.

"B-But they were petrified!" Hermione yelled.

Ron responded, "Yes, we were petrified by the basilisk. But someone was able to smuggle our bodies from the headmistress office and cure us. My brother Percy."

Natalie questioned, "Percy?! But he is Umbridge's top dog. He sent us to detention on bogus charges!"

"Yes, I did," said Percy, making his presence in the group known, "I was a spy. Someone asked me to become Umbridge's top dog in order to have a better position to protect you. For the ones that are in the debate club, most of you have realized that the Malfoys control everything, the minister, the chief warlock and the headmistress are all Malfoy puppets. They want to cleanse the school from people from muggle families and people who in their words 'don't have wizarding pride'. We are going to make them look bad, we are leaving Hogwarts en masse. We are in a secret passage that leads to the cellar of Honeydukes, please be polite to them…"

"And maybe buy something!" interrupted Penny. Everyone laughed.

Percy brought a box with helmets, "Everyone of you take a helmet and put it on. The helmet will protect you from the basilisk, so you only get petrified. Never take off your helmet for any reason! Any surplus helmet will be given to the villagers, so they can be protected in case the basilisk escapes Hogwarts. If the villagers ask you questions, just answer with the truth," Percy pointed to another box, "That box has wands that were lost for more than seven years, everyone that lost their wand because of inquisitor Umbridge's decree take one to use. That's all I have to say for now, prepare yourselves."

Andromeda Tonks was with Ginny, Astoria, Demelza, Harry, Fred, and George in a rented room in the leaky cauldron, preparing their part of the plan.

"Why are we here?" Astoria asked.

"We need to cause a distraction for the DMLE, so the ministry is distracted," Andromeda signaled to a box with potions, "Here we have flasks with polyjuice in order to transform us into some random muggles, and here we have some tubes of a potion that was inspired on a spell in Ginny's book. Do as I do."

The group all changed clothes and took the polyjuice potion, all of them transforming into muggle office workers, they quickly left the room and entered Diagon Alley where they all cast bubblehead charms in order to shield themselves from the berserk fumes. Andromeda broke the first flask in the exit of the Leaky Cauldron. The children started to hurl flasks to the main stores in Diagon Alley, Flourish & Blotts, Madam Malkin's, Ollivander's, and the others.

People already started to behave in a more aggressive manner and some brawls were starting to occur. To maximize the chaos, Andromeda Tonks went to Knockturn Alley in order to enrage the people that were immerse in illicit activities and increase the danger for the normal citizens. As a final touch, she set Borgin and Burke's on fiendfyre.

The four of them regrouped in Diagon Alley, avoiding the curses cast by berserk people and walked back to the Leaky Cauldron, that was still somewhat normal. They broke the rest of their flasks and escaped using the floo connection.

Everyone regrouped in the Ballycastle Brewery waiting for a signal from Nymphadora Tonks in order to storm the ministry and rescue Sirius. The floo flared, Amelia Bones escorted by Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt left the fireplace, "Mrs. Tonks! I was looking for your cousin. The DMLE is short-stafffed because of a panic riot in Hogsmeade and a normal riot in Diagon Alley. We need Sirius' assistance in guarding the ministry."

Andy said, "Sirius was arrested by your boss as a favor for Malfoy's friend, Harry and the Weasleys all saw the incident, they can show you the memory."

Amelia replied, "Come to my office, I have a pensieve."

The small group took the floo directly to Amelia's office in the ministry, where she saw the memories of Harry, Ginny, Fred, and George.

"This is a blatant abuse of power, Cornelius must be arrested, and maybe most of the Wizengamot as well, I never found out about this! I hope they didn't give Sirius the dementor kiss. I need more backup, most of our patrol officers, hitwizards, and aurors are containing the riots, so I need citizens."

"I am calling Oliver Wood and his girlfriend Gemma Farley," Harry took his coin to send them messages.

Andromeda just cast a patronus, "Remus, Caoimhe, come to the ministry, NOW!" she looked at Harry and friends, "you four, return to the brewery!"

Harry and the Weasleys took the floo to the brewery. Five minutes later the civilian reinforcements arrived to Amelia Bones' office.

The group first scouted all of the courtrooms in order to see if the Wizengamot was there, but they weren't there. They looked for the minister in his office and he wasn't there. They asked the junior undersecretary, who was the only person of Fudge's circle in the ministry, where was Fudge using veritaserum, "Fudge went with the good members of the Wizengamot to Hogwarts in order to calm the students, the basilisk will only kill mudbloods and we want them dead anyway". Amelia asked Kingsley to arrest the junior undersecretary.

"This is a mess. I think we should rescue Sirius Black first, he'll be helpful in our operation at Hogwarts," Amelia took many objects and converted them into portkeys, "Everyone take one Portkey! We are going to Azkaban!"

Already in Azkaban, they were approached by a group of guards, the leader declared, "By the order of minister Fudge and the wizengamot, no one can enter Azkaban, not even the head of law enforcement."

"Hey! I'm your boss, not Fudge. In the bylaws of the ministry, Azkaban is under the department of law enforcement's jurisdiction. You're fired and under arrest!"

The guards didn't fight back and surrendered themselves.

Amelia said, "Good, that means that you understand who's orders you must follow. This will be on your hearing."

All of the ones that could cast a patronus spell, sent their patroni in order to protect themselves from the dementors. Just as they started to enter the prison, a big black dog appeared, a big black dog that transformed into Sirius Black, "Thank you for opening the way for me. They didn't use an anti-animagus cell for some reason."

Andromeda handed Sirius a wand, "There is a ruckus at Hogwarts because of the panic that is being caused by a rumored basilisk."

Amelia said, "We have a mission now. I was going to ask you to help guard the ministry. But it looks like there is a big conspiracy going around here. I had to send Scrimgeour and Robards to deal with a riot in Diagon Alley, because it had gotten out of hands. We should go to Hogwarts now, I put the ministry in lockdown."

Sirius said, "I think Kingsley should stay here with my young cousin Nymphadora and with Oliver, Gemma and Caoimhe."

Andromeda said, "Ted just sent me a message that he is waiting for me in the Shrieking shack with special anti-basilisk helmets."

Andromeda created a timed Portkey that transported Sirius, Andromeda, Remus and herself to Hogsmeade.

The first thing the group saw was that there were many escaped Hogwarts students in the village, the second was that some students were wearing armbands with a letter 'M', the third one was that everyone was wearing strange helmets that covered their entire faces. The group quickly walked to the shieking shack, before they were spotted by people.

Already in the shrieking shack, Ted Tonks was there with some copies of the first issue of the Hogwarts times and some protection helmets for the ones there.

The group all put some helmets on and Sirius guided the way through the secret passage to the Hogwarts grounds.

Amelia asked, "How did you know about this passage?"

Sirius answered, "You know that Remus is a werewolf. The shrieking shack was made for him in order to have a place for him to transform without endangering the students."

"Ingenious work! But that also leaves Hogwarts more vulnerable to intruders."

"Considering what Harry has told me. This passage isn't needed to have Hogwarts vulnerable. And there are more secret passages that Dumbledore didn't know about."

"I'll have to see about that. Curse him for leaving this disaster."

The group entered Hogwarts castle and went to the great hall, where they found most of the aurors, the Wizengamot, the minister, the board of governors and the Hogwarts staff arguing. Amelia noticed that two members of the staff were absent, Filius Flitwick and Rubeus Hagrid.

Fudge asked, "Madam Bones, what are you doing here? This is ministry business!"

"There is a rumor of a basilisk causing problems here. This makes this law enforcement business."

"There is no basilisk. I already arrested the culprit and he is in custody in a classroom. The culprit is the half giant, he even killed his own roosters to perpetuate the hoax."

"So, that's where he is, but where is professor Flitwick?"

"We don't trust that half breed, so he is being interrogated as well."

"I'll still investigate my lead."

"I don't trust you."

"Follow us then, Headmistress Umbridge and Deputy Headmistress McGonagall, you can follow us as well," Amelia then unshrunk a box with helmets, "please wear those helmets to protect yourselves from the basilisk's gaze."

McGonagall refused to wear a helmet, "I wont wear that helmet. Dumbledore was headmaster for twenty seven years and a teacher for a long time before that and he didn't find anything wrong at this building. The claims that there is a basilisk in this building are preposterous."

Umbridge on the other hand said, "This is just a claim to make the minister look ridiculous. Also if there is a basilisk, it will only attack people that were undesirable by Salazar Slytherin."

Fudge declared, "This is just a chance to mock me and nothing more, I won't wear a helmet."

The group walked to the second floor girl's bathroom. Amelia looked for the sink with a snake engraving, "Here it is, stay back, reducto! Reducto! Reducto!"

A hole was opened, revealing the pipes leading to the chamber. Amelia looked at the Tonkses, "Mr. and Mrs. Tonks, stay here, the rest of you are coming with me!"

"This is a fithy place," muttered Umbridge.

"Madam Bones! Stop this farce!" shouted Fudge.

"Silence! Everyone close your eyes! Reducto! Reducto! Reducto!"

The basilisk woke up, and looked at the group. Amelia Bones was petrified. Minerva McGonagall, Dolores Umbridge, and Cornelius Fudge didn't close their eyes and died instantly. Sirius and Remus heard the basilisk's movements and quickly summoned roosters "Gallusortus!"

Sirius quickly sent Andromeda a patronus. Andromeda arrived twenty minutes later with some brooms and a flask of mandrake draught.

"Sirius, Remus, you can open your eyes. The basilisk is dead!"

Sirius looked at his surroundings while Andromeda gave Amelia the mandrake draught, his eyes widened, "Oh, no! Professor McGonagall is dead!"

Remus added, "some less valuable lives have also been lost. Fudge and Umbridge are also dead."

Andromeda regrouped with Sirius and Remus while waiting for Amelia to wake up, "We had an altercation with Lockhart upstairs, he tried to obliviate us but he couldn't, he ended up obliviating himself."

Amelia woke up groggingly, "I don't understand what happened, but it looks like there is a bigger mess I have to clean up."

Two weeks later at the Kiln, the Hogwarts renegades started a bonfire party. Harry first showed everyone many newspapers with the following headlines:

Lucius Malfoy sentenced to life in Azkaban.

Heroes that killed Salazar Slytherin's basilisk receive Order of Merlin first class.

Gilderoy Lockhart's and Cornelius Fudge's Order of Merlin awards revoked.

How will the Wizengamot be elected now?

Get to know Edward Tonks, muggleborn candidate for minister of magic.

Fillius Flitwick named Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Everything is going well my friends, I'm thankful of all of you," Harry then took his holly wand and threw it into the bonfire, "Now every link between me and Voldemort is dead, the boy-who-lived is dead, and is all thanks to you!"

Everyone clapped and cheered!

"What are you doing Harry? Will you return to Hogwarts?"

Harry answered, "I won't, I'll take my OWLs and go full time with the Falcons."

Ginny added, "I'll do the same, with the Harpies, obviously!"

The twins announced, "We are taking our OWLs, have a few seasons with a quidditch team and open our joke shop!"

Percy laughed, "Haha, it looks like I'm the last Weasley in this generation that is going to take the NEWTs. I know that Ron is going to drop out after taking his OWLs to play with the cannons!"

"Don't worry, Ron, I'll give you company next year," Katie said playfully.

"Don't dismiss us Ron," said Hermione, Tracey and Demelza.

Gemma asked Oliver, "Why are you crying?!"

"I'm so proud, of all of them! There will be competition for places in the national team!"

"With me in the dueling circuit and you in Puddlemere, we are going to be the IT couple in sports. Well, until Harry and Ginny debut in their senior teams."

Penny Clearwater brought some bottles of sparkling butterbeer, "It's time to celebrate!"

Epilogue July 3rd 1999

"And now I pronounce you, bonded for life! Now you can kiss the bride!"

Harry and Ginny had their best kiss on their lives, they walked down the aisle to take the car to their reception. They celebrated a traditional wedding in the same day they eloped in the other timeline, they didn't want to anger their loved ones, whose number was a much bigger one than last time. They were still the second couple in the Weasley family to get married with Bill marrying the french Fleur Delacour two years prior to them. Sirius and his muggle wife have taken their mission of tainting the Black bloodline with muggle blood very seriously, with five children all metamorphmagi. Ron's romantic future is variable, he had a small fling with Katie during fourth year, but it now looks like he is going either for Tracey Davis or Astoria Tonks became Hogwart's head of Slytherin and made a lot of effort to better the house's reputation.

Harry and Ginny are both hot prospects just having their debut in English national team and both debuted fairly young in their respective clubs. It looks like the next world cup in 2002 could go to England this time.

Harry and Ginny in their car were reflecting about their new happy life, but also mourning the old timeline where almost everyone they loved either died or turned traitor.

"Harry, this is not time to brood. This is the happiest day of our lives. We went back in time to live our lives."

Harry pulled Ginny into an embrace, life was good now.