CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

"When the snows fall and white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives."

I do not own Harry Potter

-o0o0o0o-

Summer was nearly over and Harry, Theo, Sirius, Lucius, and Frank were headed off to the Ministry for the August Wizengamot meeting. It would be Harry's first time sitting in as Lord Potter and not Sirius filling in as Proxy for him.

They were going to meet Amelia outside the Wizengamot ancient chambers and were headed there now, in those disgusting plum coloured robes. Harry felt completely and utterly old.

Walking the gorgeous halls of the Ministry left Harry deep in thought for what was going to occur in that meeting. He had it on good authority that the light and neutral families were utterly tired of Fudge, and Cyrus was already gathering information for who would vote with or against them when they proposed Fudge's removal.

Once they greeted Amelia and Cyrus, they entered the chambers and took their respective seats, waiting for the Chief Warlock– or Sorceress in this case– Madame Marchbanks, to begin the meeting.

The gavel was heard and then the murmurs were heard once they realised Harry Potter was actually in attendance. The regular missives were discussed and they were going to move on to the bills before, as planned, Sirius raised his wand in the air.

"Yes, Lord Black?" She acknowledged, raising a brow.

"Before we move on to bills, Chief Sorceress, I would like to put forth a vote of no confidence in our Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge."

Furious whispering erupted from those who were not in the know or from the various department heads. Harry watched with gleeful malice as Fudge and his lackey Umbridge turned incredibly red in the face and turned to glare at him, with which he acknowledged with a slight incline of his head and a smirk.

"Seconded." He said, his voice although not raised, carrying throughout the room that went completely silent, watching him and his godfather.

"Well," Marchbanks said smoothly, recovering incredibly well. "We shall put it to a vote. Those who are in agreement with the no confidence vote and believe a change in…administration is required, raise your wands."

Almost every single wand in the light and neutral factions rose up, completely overriding those in the Dark factions – save Lucius and Theo, both of whom voted for his removal – and they didn't even need to put it to a tally. The vote was overwhelming, Fudge was no longer Minister.

Marchbanks hid a laugh behind a cough, watching the faces of Umbridge and Fudge as they rapidly turned from red to white. "Well, we need to vote and swear in a new Minister."

"I nominate Madam Amelia Bones." Theo said, rising to his feet and smirking at those in the Dark section who were whispering furiously to themselves and turning quite pale.

"Seconded." Cyrus Greengrass and Frank Longbottom said in unison, before smirking at one another.

Amelia looked as if she swallowed a lemon but she knew this was what was discussed between them all and so, gracefully rose and spoke clearly. "I accept the nomination."

There were mutterings and head nods and also mutinous glares as Yaxley from the dark faction stood up. "I nominate Lord Avery for Minister."

Avery stood up, his dark eyes glimmering hungrily. "I accept."

"Wonderful," Marchbanks said dryly. "Any more nominations?"

There were none. She nodded. "Very well, let's put it to a vote. All those for Lord Avery."

Only about twenty votes in his favour. Harry tried not to laugh as he noticed they all looked positively outraged. "All those for Madam Bones?"

The rest of the room voted for her and she nodded. "Then we must look into my replacement. I call for Frank Longbottom to take over as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Although it should have been Scrimgeour, he had stepped down as Head Auror in order to protect himself from being made a target by Voldemort and his death eaters, as he and Gawain Robards had discussed this with Amelia beforehand. They would continue working, and fighting, but for the time being held low profiles.

The man didn't like it, Harry knew, but Scrimgeour knew Amelia needed them alive and not as prominent targets on Voldemort's hit list.

Now it was his turn to look as if he swallowed a lemon. "I accept." He said, inclining his head. "And in turn, needing someone to take my position as Head Auror, I nominate Sirius Black."

Before Sirius could accept, however, a disgruntled Lord had other ideas.

"I object!" Yaxley shouted. "Lord Black is not an auror. He cannot become Head Auror."

"Lord Black was an auror, however. He was simply in retirement for the time being. Since his graduation from Hogwarts he had gone to the auror academy and was mentoring new people freshly out of the academy before he retired in order to care for his godson." Frank Longbottom objected, and since there could not be an argument to dispute the fact that Sirius was indeed qualified, talented, and powerful enough to be Head Auror, he was sworn in. "In the Laws that were formed since the very beginning of the Wizengamot, it was stated in a time of war, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement may choose it's main subordinate, in this case being the Head Auror, as someone they consider highly qualified though they may not be part of the Aurors currently so long as they have served a tenure as an juror beforehand. This law has not been used in centuries, but it has not been repealed and therefore still stands." Frank finished his statement, some of the people from the older families agreeing, noting they have heard of the very same law that the new Head of the DMLE stated.

"For those who are still wary of this unorthodox method, I assure you that this is only temporary, and Lord Black will step down from the position once this war has been won." Amelia said, her voice strong and unwavering.

After the meeting was adjourned, Fudge had his very last move to play. And play it, he did. He sought out Harry and the others as they were going to move out of the courtroom.

"Well played, Potter." he sneered. Harry simply smirked. "But I would love for you to know, you may have ousted me as Minister, but Dolores Umbridge will be the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher this year at Hogwarts, and she answers to me." he snarled, triumphant.

Harry merely raised a brow. "Does she? I assumed the Senior Undersecratary to the Minister, answered to…the Minister. So really–"

"She answers to me." Amelia snarled. And she smirked coldly, as she spotted the pink figure behind Fudge. "And oh no, it seems that she has so many things to do as Undersecretary, I'm afraid I cannot possibly spare her long enough to go to Hogwarts. Pity." She snapped.

Fudge began changing shades so frequently Harry wondered if he might have an apoplexy, and decided to make it worse. "But don't worry, Bill Weasley has so graciously accepted to take up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." He said, his eyes glimmering as he watched the Weasley man, Fleur Delacour, and Viktor Krum talking to the Headmaster. "With two triwizard tournament Champions as his teaching assistants." He inclined his head to the man and walked away, straight to the mass of reporters.

"Lord Potter, can you tell me why Minister Fudge is no longer Minister?"

"Lord Potter, is you-know-who really back?"

Potter! Potter! Cries of his name and questions aimed at him were flung at him, and he dutifully answered.

"Minister Fudge was a peacetime Minister, and now we are entering war. The old administration is no match for Voldemort. It is time to change things, out with the old, and in with the new. Minister Bones has my complete and full confidence." He answered two questions in one breadth, and inclined his head, before leaving with his family and friends.

"You really know how to shake things up, don't you?" Theo joked as they walked to the floo.

"Of course I do. We now have three of our people in arguably the most important positions of the ministry, and we have three of our people teaching at Hogwarts. Jean is going to sway the French ministry in our favour, and from what I know, Hagrid was sent to talk to the Giants."

"How do you know that?" Theo asked dubiously. Harry smirked.

"Molly Weasley apparently cannot keep a secret from her eldest children. Dora is an auror, Charlie is now working at a dragon reserve here and promised me access in case we need to ever use my…talents, to sway dragons in our favour. Should we need it, of course."

"Of course." Theo agreed, smirking. "And from what our darling Dora tells me, Andromeda has so graciously accepted Dumbledore's…invitation."

"There's only one thing we're missing." Harry said simply, but grimly. For all the people they have in the places of import, they are still missing one thing. A spy in the death eaters.

Theo grimaced, knowing his train of thought. That had to be rectified immediately.

-o0o0o0o-

Bellatrix, for all her fragile sanity, was bored. Even torturing muggles and mudbloods didn't seem to bring her the excitement she was looking for, and she was beginning to feel as if she was really going crazy.

Cissy and Andy were on opposite sides of the war now, and her Master was incredibly angry about the news brought by the last Wizengamot meeting. She cackled as she noticed Avery and Yaxley still could not walk properly.

She surveyed herself in the mirror, grimacing as she realised what Azkaban did to her. Her once lively, shiny, beautiful curly hair was tangled, matted, and disgusting. Her once lithe and toned body was now so malnourished she could see her bones peaking through. Her brilliant white teeth now decayed and yellowed, though a potion or spell could easily fix that.

She glanced at the dresser in her room, and saw the dirty worn parchment covered in faded ink. It called to her.

James called to her. For a moment, a mere moment, after she had just broken out, she could have sworn she heard him. Sworn she felt him.

His voice in her head. Whispering. And yet she could feel the love he once had for her. Love she had long since thought she had forgotten.

"Bella! Stop it!" the childish little voice pouted. She could see the flash of the twinkle in his eyes even though they were in a dark room. Sirius and Regulus hid under the covers, but not James, no, James was sitting upright in the bed, looking at her mischievously.

"You said you wanted a scary story Jamie," Bella chided, her voice melodic as she grinned at him. "Don't tell me you're scared." she teased, gasping.

"I'm not scared!" he said petulantly. "They are."

"Are not!" Sirius said, his voice muffled from being under the covers.

"No, you're not, are you?" Bella asked softly, her face affectionate. She brushed James' forehead and moved the hair away, and smiled as he leaned into her touch.

"Go to sleep you little pixie." She whispered, and he laughed.

"G'night Bella," the boy whispered tiredly, having enough energy to kiss her on the cheek before burrowing into the covers.

"Goodnight Jamie." She whispered.

She smiled at the memory, and then heard the very adult voice of James Potter in her head. He can help you, Bella. Harry can help.

She shook her head, and walked out of the room.

Nobody can help her.

Right?

-0o0o0o0o-

Entering fifth year was something that Harry had always assumed would be nerve wrecking, what with OWLs and all, but he found that exams were the last thing on his mind. The twins and Cedric would be graduating Hogwarts this year, and he already felt the way he'd miss them in the school years to come.

No, the only thing Harry felt right now was numbness. His gaze flashed to the quidditch pitch and he was bombarded with visions of the graveyard.

Except he wasn't in time. He couldn't get there in time. And Cedric died.

But he didn't die. He was right here, next to him, Head Boy badge pinned proudly on his robes.

Cedric was here. So why did Harry feel the coldness grip his heart so tightly he feared it may never beat again?

He shook his head free of those thoughts and instead looked at the thestrals carrying their carriages forth. He knew this would be a stressful year. He knew Voldemort would attack somewhere or the other, and he and his friends and the students (should he attack Hogwarts) needed to be ready for it.

So, the plan that had been affectionately coined Theo and Hermione's 'brain child' had been born. A defence association of sorts, a private club in which Harry and the others taught the older students of Hogwarts – meaning fourth through seventh years – defensive magic.

It would be coined the 'DA' and it will be supervised by McGonagall and Flitwick.

Not only was he going to teach them spells, he was going to teach them how to incorporate charms and transfiguration into duels in order to get the upper hand. Against experience, one can use speed and trickery to win a fight they normally will not win.

He needed to be prepared. Now that the horcruxes are destroyed, Voldemort is vulnerable. He hopes the man – because that is all he is, a twisted man – will fight him at the end of this year, so he can end it once and for all. Already the Ministry has passed a law that has made it legal for sleeves to be lifted up, and that caused an outrage from certain families.

Those families and heads of houses are now on the very top of the Ministry's radar. Harry just needed to hold out for a little longer, just a little more patience and the man would most likely go after the Prophecy, not knowing that Harry had taken that god forsaken orb long ago.

Harry glanced around at his friends, those he's had for years, and the newer ones such as Hannah, Luna, and Susan that he was building a relationship with as well. He looked at Daphne, the woman he knew in his heart of hearts would be his forever, just as he would be hers, and for a moment, he felt as though everything will be alright.

That they will survive in this war. That his generation would succeed where his parents' failed.

A/N: God i know im awful i've been gone for so long but everything has been incredibly hectic. Hopefully I will have earlier updates from now on but honestly I cannot make any promises. Let me know what you think on this chapter, I know it's really short, I apologize.