Before Christmas Week
In Dumbledore's office, Lord Henri Potter greeted the Deputy Headmaster with a nod. "Mr. Dumbledore," he acknowledged, tension evident in his demeanor.
Dumbledore's eyes showed genuine concern as he inquired, "Lord Potter, how have you been? You've been away from the public eye for quite some time. Is everything all right?"
Henri Potter tensely replied, "I've been busy, undoubtedly."
A heavy silence settled in the room, and Henri's frustration grew evident. "Honestly, Albus, I'm not good at this sort of thing," he muttered, cursing whoever had put him up to this.
Dumbledore, his expression unruffled, offered Lord Potter a cup of lemon tea. "Perhaps we can try again?" he suggested coyly.
Annoyed, Henri stated, "I'm a man of action, not words. I have a word from my…. friends"
Dumbledore's response held a touch of irony, "Ah, yes, your friends. You've made some interesting choices since you left my tutelage."
Henri's temper flared, and he snorted in anger. "My friends are the only ones in Great Britain who have the courage to do what needs to be done. Some people can't be bothered." Immediately, Henri realized the gravity of his words, feeling the tension rise in the room. Insulting someone of Dumbledore's stature was a risky move.
However, Dumbledore's response was not one of anger. Instead, he smiled, but it was a smile tinged with sadness, as if he understood more than he was letting on.
Henri placed a map of Stalingrad on the table, showing glowing red spots and passing a stack of notes to Dumbledore.
"These red spots, they have been personally warded by Grindelwald." He pointed towards a series of trenches and walls. "They are crucial junctures that we need to secure in order to eject Grindelwald from Stalingrad."
"Henri – I" Albus started but was interrupted.
"All we ask is that you pay these sites a visit and loosen them up for us. We are losing hundreds by the day because we cannot maneuver properly and are vulnerable to artillery and monsters." Henri said. "We will personally take responsibility for your safety. Not a soul will know you were there!"
Dumbledore leaned back slightly in his chair, his expression serious. "I appreciate your offer, Lord Potter, but I must firmly decline. The situation you're describing is far more intricate than you might grasp."
Henri wasn't ready to give up. "We can make it worth your while, Professor. We understand the risks, but if anyone can navigate those deadly words and make a difference, it's you."
Dumbledore's tone grew more resolute. "You underestimate the complexities involved, James. There are forces at play beyond what you've seen. I may have had my share of adventures, but my expertise lies in education, not the battlefield."
Henri's frustration showed. "Albus, we're fighting a war, and we need every advantage we can get. You have abilities, knowledge, and influence that can turn the tide."
Dumbledore's gaze softened, but his answer remained firm. "I appreciate your belief in me, but I cannot risk it. I have responsibilities here at Hogwarts, and there are aspects of this conflict that are beyond even my power to influence."
Henri paused, realizing that his plea was in vain. With a sigh, he nodded reluctantly and angrily packed his stuff. "Very well, Professor. I understand." There was a hint of disappointment in his voice.
Dumbledore's expression was both compassionate and resolute. "ECLIPSE's dedication is admirable, but there are other ways to contribute to the fight. Be careful out there and make wise decisions."
The two men shared a moment, a shared understanding of the weight of their roles in a world gripped by darkness. With a final nod, Henri stood, and Dumbledore did the same.
They exchanged a brief but meaningful handshake.
Hogwarts
Morrigan meticulously measured ingredients, her hands steady, creating potions of profound impact. One vial, shimmering silver, held the truth itself—veritaserum. In these concoctions lay the power to unveil secrets and unleash untamed fury. Being a "once in a lifetime" prodigy had its own perks. Pity Ashley Redwood would enjoy none of these benefits, only scorn would be her reward.
It's time. Morrigan thought to herself and walked towards her prey.
What a wretch. Morrigan thought to herself as she surveyed the crying girl.
"Miss Parkinson." A smirking Morrigan said as she approached a distraught Rachel.
"What the hell do you want?" Rachel wailed whilst in the midst of a sobbing session, not even getting up.
"Miss Parkinson, please whatever happened, crying on a toilet is no way to fix it." Morrigan said as she struggled not to puke. Morrigan gave the spoiled princess a look over. She was a sobbing mess through and through. Her hair cluttered, eyes red, and nose sniffy, the girl clearly had been mourning.
Weak.
"Leave me alone!" Rachel fired back.
Morrigan sighed and discretely aimed it at her.
Confundo. She wordlessly cast it at the witch, and she immediately stopped crying and looked up at Morrigan with teary eyes. If Morrigan hadn't spent the last 4 years of her life closely observing the depravity of Parkinson, she most likely would have believed that Rachel was grieving for Martin.
Alas, that would have been a lie. No, she didn't mourn for the loss of her "friend" Martin, but for the sheer tantrum Ashley had thrown. The girl had viciously lashed at Rachel as an outlet. Rumor has it that Rachel, in a bizarre turn of events, had finally grown a spine and shouted back. Ashley was furious and the two had come to spell fire. Rachel realized her mistake and apologized immediately.
Unfortunately, Ashley was in a less forgiving mood and banished the girl from her presence. Ashley now moved into her new clique. Clearly there was no shortage of morons hoping to shoot their shot with the billionaire princess.
Fortunately for Parkinson, Riddle Inc. was always open to desperate fools. Even on weekends and Christmas. And right now, one Rachel Parkinson was due for a premium treatment.
Completely ignoring her personal space, Morrigan went to work on Rachel. She pulled out her wand and aimed it at a horrified Rachel's nose, "Episkey!"
With a crack, bones mended, and the nose reoriented itself back into the correct place.
Rachel watched Morrigan work on her in stunned silence as wounds were stitched, balms were applied, and healing spells made her see and feel better.
"There you go!" Morrigan said with a beaming smile to Rachel.
"I- uh – uh Thanks, I suppose." Rachel said.
"Just doing my job, Miss Parkinson." Morrigan said. "Now that we have applied sufficient healing, Miss Parkinson, do you mind explaining why a bright young girl is doing out here in the toilets instead of preparing for the journey back home?"
Rachel merely sniffed in response and said nothing.
"Rachel, I need to know what happened. You can't expect me to just ignore reports of violence on a school student." Morrigan said but Rachel was still stubborn.
Sigh.
"On my honor as a Slytherin, I will handle this with the utmost care. I know we have had our past differences – even fights, but such blatant abuse" Morrigan said while gesturing to her bruises, "is beyond rivalries. This is sick. One woman to another, let me help you."
"Why are you asking me this?! You know damn well what happened Riddle!" Rachel snarled, "For all I know you killed Martin as a way to get back at Ashley and doing this to me!"
Morrigan mentally twitched at the girl's inane prattle as Rachel once again devolved into sobs.
Audibly sighing this time Morrigan wrapped her arms around the hysterical girl and soothed her. She ran circles around her followed by liberal use of confundo to discreetly move the girl towards her side.
Morrigan pulled out two cups, poured out pumpkin juice. If Rachel was wiser to her surroundings, she would have noticed a levitating vial empty itself in the cup. Morrigan handed the cup to Rachel.
"A tonic, to calm the nerves." Morrigan said as she insistently placed it near Rachel's lips.
With a frown towards Morrigan, Rachel drank the "tonic" with compulsions roaring at her to do so. Immediately, the veritaserum raced inside her veins and Rachel found herself becoming more amenable to talking.
"What happened?" Morrigan asked, no longer in the mood for coddling.
"Martin died. He was supposed to smuggle us cupboard twin in Hogwarts but failed repeatedly to locate it. He recently told us to meet urgently and that he had located the second cabinet."
Riddle's mind went blank at this, but she regained her composure swiftly.
"Why is the cabinet important? Weren't you two grieving about Martin?" Morrigan asked.
"Nobody cared about Marting" Rachel said, "Both Ashley and I hated the pervert. He even tried to sneak a camera into the female showers." Rachel shuddered with revulsion and Morrigan's eyes narrowed.
"The cabinet?" Morrigan asked.
"The cabinet are twins and the bridge the gap between two places through magic. Essentially, you can travel back and forth between places, bypassing a significant portion of wards. One of the cabinets is located in the basement of Redwood Manor." Rachel said.
She took a deep breath before continuing, "Rachel's father has lost significant standing with Lord Grindelwald over his failure to purge the ministry. Abraham wanted to prove himself lest Grindelwald have him deposed. The plan was to sneak in assassins to Hogwarts, kill Dumbledore, and take him back to Grindelwald as a trophy. Since no Auror would ever secure a warrant for the minister's house, the twin is perfectly safe."
"In the last place Dumbledore expects to be infiltrated." Morrigan wondered out loud.
"Exactly." Rachel and Morrigan couldn't help but softly whistle at the sheer boldness and simplistic ingenuity of the plan.
"The trumped-up kitty has pretty sharp claws" Morrigan mused. "Here I was expecting a love affair, but instead end up finding treason to fulfill multiple life sentences in Azkaban."
Rachel shivered at the mention of Azkaban but continued at Morrigan's indication.
"When Martin died, we no longer knew the final place of the second cabinet. Abraham was furious and tortured Ashley as a punishment." Rachel's eyes widened in fear as she stared at Morrigan, "He even used the cruciatus!"
Morrigan once again wrapped her arms around the shivering girl.
Morrigan's voice was persuasive, dripping with sympathy, as she whispered, "But you deserve better, Rachel." She meticulously sowed seeds of doubt about Ashley's intentions, recounting past instances of cruelty, the family's wealth misused to belittle them like mere House Elves.
"You will remember, Rachel, that I was there when all those times Ashley used as a meat shield against my spells. How she took presents from you whenever she was jealous. I recall how you sobbed in your second year how she forced you to change your haircut when boys paid you more attention." Morrigan silkily said as she hugged the girl.
"Nobody under me has to fear glowing too brightly." Morrigan purred, "Infact, my dear, I encourage people to grow, explore and conquer."
She placed her hand Rachel's chin and forced her to look into her purple eyes.
"I know how she forced you to break up with your lover during the 4th year because you were spending less time with her. Doing less homework for her and more time exploring yourself." Morrigan said.
Rachel's eyes watered again. Morrigan gave her another contaminated tonic.
Rachel's loyalty wavered, caught between the familiar but oppressive world she knew and the uncertain path Morrigan offered.
Then, in a decisive moment, Morrigan struck with precision, "I'm aware of the Parkinson family's downfall, the poverty inflicted by the war," she announced, a masterful gambit. "Pledge your loyalty to me, and I'll ensure the Parkinsons rise from destitution."
Fear crept into Rachel's voice as she hesitated, the prospect of a lifeline tantalizing yet perilous. "How could you possibly manage that?"
Morrigan's sly smile was a calculated reveal of her trump card, an answer that held both power and intrigue. "The Malfoy heir, Abraxas Malfoy, is at my beck and call. Seve me well and he will be your betrothed. Imagine the sheer Malfoy wealth at your beck and call!"
Rachel gasped in response, "The Malfoys will never agree to such an arrangement!"
Morrigan merely laughed as she got up from the ground, "Allow me to demonstrate, little one."
Nagini! Come forth!
An anaconda with blueish hues slithered from behind Rachel as she yelped and scooted aside. It slithered up Morrigan's legs and comfortably wrapped itself around her shoulders. Morrigan stared down at the pale Rachel with a triumphant grin.
"You are a parcel tongue!" Rachel gasped and Morrigan amusedly nodded. Rapid gears turned behind Rachel's eyes as the full scope of the revelation dawned upon her.
"You are Salazar Slytherin's heir! That's what Abraxas knew!" Rachel yelled..
Morrigan laughed loudly.
Christmas Party
Amid the flickering glow of enchanted candles and the festive decorations adorning the Great Hall, the Christmas after party was in full blast at Hogwarts. Laughter, music, and the joyous roars filled the air. Some students, unable to return home due to the ongoing war or personal circumstances, had decided to make the most of the festivities within the castle's walls.
The half-empty castle meant that the prefects' duties were somewhat relaxed, and the professors knowingly turned a blind eye to the party.
Everyone needed a break, even in times of turmoil.
Harry, courtesy of his networking, was tasked to smuggle in a stash of butterbeer and firewhiskey from the hidden tunnel beneath the one-eyed witch's statue. The professors had technically forbidden alcohol during the academic year, but on this special night, they weren't strictly enforcing the rule.
The party was somewhat tucked away due to it being near the dungeons, making it less noticeable to the rest of the castle's occupants. Harry had marked up the prices on his booze, knowing he could use the extra galleons. In these times, money was tight, and every little bit helped. He had even enforced a higher markup for his share, which had initially led to some grumbling and scowls from the students.
Malfoy, Greengrass, and Potter—unlikely allies in this endeavor—came together to buy whole crates of the contraband, a rare show of unity.
Harry strung along in a lowly lit corner getting snogged by one grateful patron after another. This was his first time, and he was sloppy, but the women were more forgiving in the boozy atmosphere.
A bubbly Hufflepuff jumped off the perch they were seated on in a hurry as she stared in wide eyes at something behind him. A voice said,
"The last one, isn't she a bit young for you?"
Harry turned around to see Morrigan standing behind him and his flame dried up instantly.
It was weird to see her standing in casual attire of loose curly robes and pants with loosened raven hair. It almost made her look human. Almost. Morrigan scowled as if she sensed Harry thoughts and shook her glass at him. "Loosen up, Petrov. It will do you some good making more friends around here."
"I wasn't aware it was the prefect's duty to ensure introversion is cured." Harry said.
Morrigan audibly snorted at his comment. She took another swing from her glass before promptly turning her attention to him again.
"Come." She spoke. "We have business to discuss."
Harry trailed after her as she led them away from the festivities.
"Our work proceeds apace, but I will need things from you." She said, "This will require your particular talents."
Harry nodded in agreement. Freedom was priceless.
"My sources tell me there is a particular set of cupboards in Borgin & Burkes. They are connected to each other in magical ways." Morrigan said.
"This relates to us how?" Harry said.
"People in her camp tell me she intends to sneak one in Hogwarts." Morrigan said, "What purpose does it serve her is beyond me for now."
"And these people refused to comment?" Harry said.
"True." Morrigan said.
"Why? Something like that hasn't stopped you before." Harry said.
Morrigan looked taken aback. "I beg your pardon?"
Ah, fuck. Wrong Riddle.
"Never mind" Harry said, "How can you be sure that the cupboard is at Borgin & Burkes?"
"I had people make creative inquiries and certain entities previously involved with Martin were outbid to make them more cooperative." Morrigan paused as a drunken Gryffindor passed too near to her wards, "Besides the process is made infinitely simpler when you know what you are looking for. A bird's eye view if you will. All you need to do is bring the cupboard to Hogwarts. I will take care of the rest."
"Awful lot of words to say Malfoy threw money around." Harry sneered. At this Morrigan looked cross.
"If you prefer, I can pull my hand away and let the Aurors do their job?" Morrigan said.
A brief pause followed between them as Harry rationalized his viewpoint.
"Why are we bringing the cupboard to Hogwarts if Martin's threat has been neutralized." Harry said.
"Because I said so." Morrigan said.
"That doesn't make any sense." Harry said.
"It doesn't need to. You only need to do what you are told." Morrigan said, "That is the price of my help. Now you can be a good boy and be cooperative or eat cold soup on freezing oceans with Dementors for company."
Harry grit his teeth but forced out, "Why? Why bother with all this?"
Morrigan walked away.
It technically isn't illegal. Harry thought.
His funds were in a crunch. Morrigan's chores didn't come cheap.
Also, with the economy in the gutters, internships or jobs looked like forlorn prospects. Only a fool would have let his talents go to waste. Harry's mind rationalized that in times of war, morality often took a back seat. His booze venture being a positive example.
It would be unwise to rely on Slughorn's generosity lest the fat man lure him into another hair brained scheme. One dark chick was already one too many.
He found Hagrid nervously shuffling in front of their designated meeting spot. Besides him was a massive crate of iron and wood that Hagrid did his utmost to make innocuous and failed miserably. The pale full moon's light was reflected off the dense snow field around them.
It was a perfect winter's night. Perfect for ungentlemanly deals done in the cover of the night.
"Arry!" Hagrid greeted him with a wave as Harry made his way through the snow. "Glad to see yer here. In y'know one piece and all despite the night."
"Hagrid. Good to see you too." Harry said. "I see you have been proactive." Harry gestured to the crate.
"Oh yes, he' been keeping good for now. But he's been getting big now." Hagrid opened the crater and an angry clicking noise followed. "I haven't named him yet. Between hidin' 'im from prefects and rest, I don't get a lot of time bonding with him."
"I imagine it can be tough." Harry said while peevishly staring at the baby Acromantula below him. In a few decades, it will be the size of a small truck with human like sentience and have his children chase Ron & him through a forest. The spider chittered more furiously as he detected an unfamiliar scent and heat signature.
The "baby" spider was still ferocious enough to take his arm if he wasn't careful, Harry thought as Hagrid continued to ramble in the background.
Harry's attention shifted but Hagrid persisted. "It's good to finally meet a decent bloke in Slytherin, y'know. Most of 'em are a bit mean, especially Morrigan Riddle. But not you. You are different, friendly. Most Slytherins look like they are made of stone. You are nice to people from all houses and really good with magic. Not like me. You must be of course " Hagrid continued. "Why else would Dumbledore pick you as his apprentice?"
"Those Slytherins don't represent me, Hagrid. You've got nothing to fear from me." Harry said.
Hagrid seemed to be on a roll, still rambling about Dumbledore's assistance. "Yeah, Dumbledore helps me a lot. I don't want to disappoint 'im. I can't afford to be expelled."
Harry ignored Hagrid and focused on the monster below.
Quiet Beast. Unless you want to end up as serpent king's food. The spider immediately fell silent at the use of parcel tongue and covered in fear.
"Blimey Harry! How did you do that?" Hagrid said.
"He says he wants to be called Aragog" Harry said as Hagrid stared at him. Hagrid owlishly stared at him.
"Just a simple trick, Hagrid. Don't worry about it." Harry said. "Also, trust me. We are doing nothing wrong here. Dumbledore won't know a thing." Harry said with a disarming smile.
"O-oh ok." Hagrid said.
Harry procured two vials from his robes and presented them to Hagrid.
"By your will, master Hagrid." Harry said. "Vials of Acromantula venom and parts please."
"Parts?!" Hagrid yelled.
"Don't worry, Hagrid. It won't die trust me." Harry said.
That son of a gun can take a lot more. Harry thought.
Hagrid petulantly stomped around in the snow for a bit before getting to work.
4 Hours Ago, Before Detention
A young man of desolate description stood inside an establishment of equally desolate worth.
The large barkeeper ominously loomed over him like a tarantula eyeing a caught prey.
"Mr. Borgin, I presume." The boy said.
"You are in a very wrong part of town, boy" Borgin said, "Best get leaving while you still can."
The boy's eye twitched, "I am here on business."
"Fuck off." Borgin interrupted.
"On behalf of a mutual platinum associate of ours." Harry said and mouthed the word Malfoy to Borgin.
Obviously, neither the Malfoy patriarch nor Abraxas Malfoy knew he was here. If anything came up, he would hide behind Morrigan. That should work for now.
"Oh." Borgin croaked, "My apologies sir. What do you want?"
"A trade really." Harry presented him with two vials of acromantula venom and body parts.
Borgin took the labelled vials and whistled softly.
"Alpha Acromantula Venom. Premium goods. What do you want with this?" Borgin said.
"Consider it an advanced payment." The boy said.
"For what?"
"For what's about to happen. You may want to clear out your shop within an hour." Borgin's eyes widened at the implication.
"Also, you may have come in possession of a mahogany cupboard. Closet size? Our mutual friend wants it." The boy inquired.
"Oh, that old thing? Take it. I have no idea where my brother got it from. Hardly seems magical. If you ask me, we got conned." Borgin said. "Might I interest you in anything else? Hag teeth? Banshee hair? Hand of Glory?"
"I will take the hand." The boy shrugged and tossed a few coins his way.
"Pleasure doing business with you er?"
"Ronald. Ronald Granger." The boy said with a smile and left the shop.
Knockturn Alley
Harry, formerly Ronald Granger, scowled as he waited on the cold snowy rooftop above. He bought a hooded cowl down over his blood red hair to be snugger.
Morrigan had her own games to play, Harry had his own. He refused to be play ball with her if she couldn't be bothered to be straight with him. She will get her damned cupboard but under his terms.
A team of aurors lay in wait outside of Borgin and Burkes. Harry peered through his improvised binoculars at the scene below. A flash of thick black hair passed by his vision and Harry homed in on his target.
Senior Auror Gloria Bones.
This was the only way he knew to draw her outside of the ministry for a one-to-one chat.
With a sharp exploding sound, the wards on the shop came down and the front door popped open.
The aurors lunged inside as Gloria Bones waited outside in anticipation. A guard stood behind her, but Harry knocked him out cold with a quiet stunner. Quickly grabbing his body before he fell, Harry gently laid the man down to rest. His heart pounded in his body as he made his move.
"You know they are going to find nothing inside." Harry said as he raised a weak magical shield.
Gloria whirled around and fired some nameless, colorless spell that shattered his shield and threw him against the concrete wall behind.
Damned damaged cores. Harry muttered as the impact took the wind out of him. In an instant Gloria was above him, knees on his chest, arms tied behind him, and a wand pointed at his neck.
"Identify yourself, citizen! This is an active crime scene!" Gloria shouted at him.
Not wanting to enrage her further, Harry quickly said. "Harry Petrov. Previously involved in arrest of Grindelwald's slavers. You granted me an immunity deal in exchange for being an informant."
The woman's eye narrowed and nostril flared, "You were to stay out of trouble, boy."
The wand twisted painfully in his neck, "You are on very thin ice here. Speak!" Gloria ordered.
"I know of a murder involving the very top of your hierarchy that Aurors are trying to coverup." Harry said. "I can help you!"
Gloria looked behind her as the sound of objects being shattered inside the shop were sounded. Even when she was not facing him, Harry could sense the gears turning in her eyes.
"Rest assured, Auror Bones, this will catapult you to the top of your department. How would you like to become head of the DMLE." Harry said and smirked.
Gloria pointed her wand at his face, and all went dark.
A cold splash of water struck his face and Harry woke up with a gasp.
He was naked save for a pair of boxers and on a steel chair with his arms and legs tied behind him. A single light of an orb hovered above them like a flickering bulb.
He tried to summon his magic and disappear like he did to Aunt Marge, but no luck.
A door opened and a furious Gloria walked inside. The door slammed shut and Harry gulped. This was going in a very different light than he imagined.
"W-where are we?" Harry gasped out, shuddering in the cold.
"A classified place where degenerates like you can't screech about mage rights within the hearing range of the Prophet's reporters." Gloria said.
"There's no reason to treat me like this, Auror Bones." Harry said, "I assure you; we are on the same team here."
Gloria said nothing but stared at him. Harry took this as his cue to continue.
"I wasn't lying about the earlier thing. There really was a murder at Hogwarts that goes all the way up to the minister. Ashley Redwood did it, but the minister is protecting her!"
Gloria was still silent and stoic. Harry heart raced in nervous anticipation. Either he will be tortured, killed, and dumped in an unknown place, or he will be free. No 50-50s here.
"All the aurors in Hogwarts are treating this entire matter like a summer break back to their childhood. The thing is, Ashley Redwood was in love with Martin, but he didn't care. That's why she killed him!" Harry said.
"Do you have any proof?" Gloria finally broke the silence.
"It's all circumstantial at the moment, but there are a lot of moving part here that you need to examine before it all makes sense!" Harry said and was greeted with a piercing pain in his left shoulder.
Harry screamed as Gloria twisted her spell deeper into him before relenting. Harry was left teary eyed from the pain.
"You have no proof; you have nothing and accuse the minister of fucking magic of conspiracy?"
Harry screamed as Gloria twisted her spell deeper into him before relenting. He was left teary-eyed from the pain.
"You have no proof; you have nothing and accuse the Minister of fucking magic of conspiracy?" Gloria exclaimed.
Harry, gasping for breath, urged her to be impartial. "Auror Gloria, I had nothing to gain from approaching you with this, but everything to lose. I'm not foolish enough to underestimate the Minister's power. You know as well as I do how deep this goes."
He winced, the pain still reverberating, but his resolve was wavering. "I'm asking for justice, for the truth to be revealed. Don't let politics blind you to the reality we face."
Gloria turned to leave the room before Harry shouted, "Redwood has twin cupboards. They are dark items outlawed by the ministry a hundred years ago! Redwood is doing something involving Hogwarts! She has one half of it under her manor!"
Gloria stopped at the door and turned to stare at him.
"Whatever they were doing clearly worried Martin, so she decided to end him before he contacts you guys!" Harry said, "Hell, if need be, I can tell you where the cabinet is."
Gloria looked at the orb above him and said, "Debrief him then cut him loose. Throw him near the school."
"The story is farfetched; I won't deny it." Lieutenant Yara said, "We pressed the kid pretty hard, with measures that are not entirely legal for minors, mind you."
"I doubt the entire story, but the cupboard still needs to be removed from school grounds." Lt. John said. "After that, we need to officially take the kid into custody and slap him around till he coughs up the truth. I still think immunity agreement with him was a mistake."
How would you like to be the head of the DMLE?
Harry's words echoed in Gloria's head. If the boy was speaking the truth, this would put her on top of the food chain. Even the old matriarch croak would be on par with her. If the minister was involved, putting Abraham Redwood in chains would be a dream come true.
The youngest DMLE head ever, Gloria Bones!
Major! Major! Yara's voice snapped her out of her stupor.
"Yes, I hear you damn it." Gloria snapped.
Sigh.
"We did pull out the files on the Hogwarts murder case. Progress is slow. Dreadfully, suspiciously slow." Yara said. "Looks like they sent the most incompetent simpletons to do the job."
"The entire department has been filled with simpletons when the new administration took over." John said.
Yara was about to reply before a red flash on her files alerted her.
"Hold on, there is something here."
Yara's eyes widened as she stared at the red flash on her files. Without hesitation, she passed the file to Major Gloria, who quickly used her authorization to access it. Both of them exchanged worried looks, a sense of foreboding settling in the room.
"What's up?" John said.
Gloria's voice carried a mix of disbelief and concern as she read the contents. "It's about the three aurors we sent to investigate the Hogwarts murder case."
Yara's eyebrows furrowed. "What about them?"
Gloria continued; her words carefully chosen. "They were subjected to disciplinary training, John."
"Disciplinary training? What does that even mean? They were supposed to be investigating a murder, not attending training sessions." John said.
"It's not that simple. They were caught with extremist Grindelwald literature in their belongings. This changes everything." Gloria said.
The gravity of the situation began to sink in for John. "Extremist literature? Are you saying they were sympathizers? What the hell were they doing with that?"
Gloria's expression was grim as she nodded. "Exactly. We can't just overlook this. It puts the entire investigation under scrutiny. If it's revealed that our own aurors had ties to Grindelwald's ideology, it would be a disaster."
Gloria stood up and looked at the two, "The kid was right. The minister is involved somehow and is in cahoots with a dark lord."
"Or Dumbledore is pulling our strings to get rid of a neutral minister so he can commit aurors to the meat grinder in Russia and not get his hands directly by being in the trenches himself." John spat out.
The three looked at each other in silence. Gloria was the first to break it.
"We must move to Hogwarts immediately and secure that cupboard. This is beyond politics. Children's lives are at stake here." Yara said.
"Is it really? The kid is awfully good at getting us promoted" John said.
Gloria shot him a dark look, "Mind elaborating on that lieutenant?"
John stared back defiantly, "This is treason, Major. Just one step shy of it."
Another stressful pause filled the room as the three aurors contemplated the situation.
Gloria took a deep breath and spoke.
"Yara, get your staff and draft a letter, outline the entire situation minus the Petrov kid. Name him as a classified informant. Address them to Lord Potter and Black." Gloria said. "I will personally meet them today to see the water's temperature."
Yara saluted in response.
"As head of the counter-intelligence team, it is my sworn duty to explore all potential threats within the homeland." Gloria said and looked towards John. "Regardless of the threat's origins or association."
"We will never get a warrant to breach the minister's residence." Yara said.
"Ergo, we meet Lords Potter and Black." Gloria said but John interrupted her.
"That won't be enough. Everybody knows they are political rivals of the minister." He spoke.
"That's why we go to Hogwarts today under the guise of meeting old friends from the department, one of you must place an alarm spell around the Petrov kid's cabinet. Whatever surprise comes from there, we need to be alert." Gloria said. "If Hogwarts is under threat, we have enough legal leeway to enter Hogwarts. Also, Hecate be willing, we will gain enough goodwill from Dumbledore to get his support against the minister. The sheer goodwill he commands will be enough to rake the minister's heels over coal in Wizengamot."
Yara and John stood ashen faced in front of her and didn't respond. Gloria sighed at the display; she too was getting cold feet.
"Remember." Gloria said, "Whatever we do, we do for the greater good."
"Even if it's a coup?" Yara asked.
"Even if it's a coup." Gloria said.
Hogwarts
Christmas break was over and so were his fun days.
Slughorn had yelled his ears off over the evils of truancy. Apparently getting taken by Aurors in an illegal detention center amounted to a full day away from Hogwarts. Unfortunately, Slughorn had forbidden him from leaving the castle unless it was for classes, for an entire month.
The only respite was Dumbledore's alchemy lessons. Today they had underwent advanced transfiguration. Quite literally the nature of alchemy. Dumbledore had insisted on performing the tasks wordlessly and forced him to memorize a whole bunch of runes and formulae. The old codger could be quite unrelenting when the moment called for it.
He was also subjected to a full month's detention under a prefect. Luckily, Morrigan swooped in and volunteered for the duty. So it was without further ado, he was hanging out with her in the chamber. Nargulith slept inside his statue-esque lair.
Morrigan watched as he ground a fine black powder in a crushing stone.
"One of your alchemy pet projects?" Morrigan questioned while reading an old book whose covers looked very illegal to own in Hogwarts to Harry.
Harry grunted in affirmative.
"Wise of you to plan ahead." Morrigan said.
Just like that fateful day when Muggles had dropped bombs on them, Harry instincts roared at him to prepare. With intense dueling out of the picture, he needed to prepare. Taking a page from the muggles book, he worked on his own handheld devices.
A self-rotating fire spell revolved around a container hardening it. Harry summoned it as cooled off and poured the crushed powder in the containers.
"Did you do as I said?" Morrigan asked.
"The cupboards near the Ravenclaw tower. Just like you wanted." Harry said as he continued making more containers.
Morrigan nodded. "All the pieces are in place now. Now we must simply wait for the night. Do ensure all those little toys of yours carry you through the night."
"Duly noted." Harry said. Never once in his life had the best of laid plans ever gone off without a hitch. He wasn't about to let the ghosts of the past haunt him again.
Morrigan had told Rachel to inform Ashley that she had managed to secure the cupboard as a peace offering. Ashley had been stunned at the news and welcomed the girl as a prodigal sister returning home. Rachel smiled sweetly at Ashley but in her heart, she counted the minutes down to her inevitable demise.
Potions Class
After a week of plotting in the darkness, attending a class like a regular kid felt weird.
Harry scowled as the potion returned green fumes instead of the instruction's stated colorless vapors. He had been doing well in potions under Slughorn's tutelage, but that had been shot down. Apparently, they were to be grouped in pairs for their end-term cross-functional project involving Terraflorix Enhancer.
He discreetly glanced up from his titration apparatus at the stoic girl in front of him. Dark hair, pale skin, and deeply reserved emotions – this was a Black through and through.
It was Dorea Black. Wife to Charlus Potter, his grandmother.
She seemed to be a far outcry from the warm expressions that he had come to associate with the Potter family. Albeit his sample size had just revolved around one Lily Potter who always seemed to be brimming with vire de vivre.
On the opposite was Dorea Black. Immaculate, polished, polite, and posh. So far, she had been pretty tolerant of his screw ups, but Harry had spent a lifetime observing Petunia's bubbling anger erupting into a beating.
Harry was confident that Dorea was about to reach that same exploding point if he didn't shape up. And worse off, Harry was confident Dorea's wrath would be a lot worse than anything Petunia could ever conjure up. He had seen some of the people in Slytherin and Gryffindor ending up in a peculiar states courtesy of the Black family's signature spells.
There was also the fact that he was a suspect in a murder investigation.
Dorea glanced over at the disaster titration that Harry desperately tried to hide. With a sigh she moved to salvage the wicked concoction.
"Leave it" Dorea commanded. "Go ahead and chop the nirnwood. Silver knives only. Inch apart."
"Yes, ma'am" Harry whispered under his breath and moved without complaints. He knew when he was out of his depth.
25 minutes later with the potion salvaged, measured, and then checked by Slughorn, Dorea flicked her workstation to its original state. Harry moved to chase after her. He had already made his move with one grandparent. What's the worst that could happen?
"Dorea wait!" Harry called after her as he chased her fleeting form. The stiff rapid gait told him all he needed to know about her mood. Like the potion, Harry needed to salvage this relationship fast.
"Listen I just wanted to apologize for earlier." Harry started.
"It is fine." Dorea insisted as she still charged ahead while Harry awkwardly kept pace. "Just follow my lead, Mr. Petrov."
"Uh yeah" Harry said. "Listen, I would still like to make it up with you. This is the third time you have saved the project. I just feel bad."
"Study harder." Dorea said, leaving Harry frowning after her marching form.
A few students snickered at his plight, thinking he was a spurned lover. Harry glared at them, and their giggling shut up immediately.
He would need another approach.
Astronomy Tower
The Day After
"Thank You! Thankyou thankyou thankyou!" A cheerful, sobbing Helena rammed into Harry and wrapped her arms around him in a bear hug worthy of Molly Weasley. Harry stifled tears as memories of past life threatened to overwhelm him.
"This is perfect for the research, Harry!" Helena sobbed. "I hope you didn't go through all this trouble alone."
Then she audibly gasped and looked at him with horror-stricken eyes. "Harry how much did you spend on these? This must have cost a fortune! Please tell me you didn't bankrupt yourself." Helena rambled on and on.
Hermione would have loved you. Harry thought to himself.
Helena. Harry spoke but she didn't stop.
"Helena!" Harry said with a firm grip on the girl's shoulders. "All is well. And no, I am not bankrupt. An associate of mine just had extra stock that was going to waste. That's all."
"An extra stock of telescope of tubes, Harry?" Helena confusedly dazed. "That sounds very weird, Harry. No offense of course."
"None taken Helena – just…." Harry sighed, closing his eyes. "Just know that friends do things for friends and don't look a gift horse too deeply in the mouth."
Helena's eyes slightly narrowed but she acquiesced.
"Very well, Harry. I just hope one day we can trust each other to be perfectly honest with each other." Helena said. "Still, I am very thankful. Also, I do apologize for not getting you a present…."
Helena trailed off before continuing, "Money is really tight, friend."
Harry was about to protest before Helena shushed him with a raised hand. "So, I did the next best thing." She held a shiny red leather-bound book in front of him.
"Here take it. I read your letter about your new potions partner and your difficulties impressing her." Helena cheekily said. "So, being the benevolent witch that I am, I decided to compile all my potions notes for the year into one book. You can have it."
Harry took it with awe. "I don't know what to say, Helena."
"Just know that friends do things for friends and don't look a gift horse too deeply in the mouth." Helena said with a grin.
Harry laughed in response and for the first time in weeks, felt at peace.
The Fiery Night
Hogwarts
Morrigan had told him to shelter down in the common room for the night. Her "spy" had told her that Ashely would make her move tonight and he didn't need to concern himself with anything anymore.
An owl hooted nearby with an invitation from Helena to join her tonight in the astronomy tower. Harry began to write a polite refusal when the alarm blared in the common room and Slughorn's voice echoed through the walls.
Attention Slytherins! Armed suspects have broken into school premises. Immediately head to your dorms. Prefects initiate lockdown protocols!
Bloody hell?! Did Morrigan let Grindelwald's people inside Hogwarts?!
Harry furiously breathed before another panicked thought struck him. He stared at the letter in front of him.
Helena is outside. Fuck.
Harry shot an angry glare towards Riddle and her posse and bolted from the common room.
Students hurried in every direction, panic filling the air as they rushed to get to their respective common rooms. Harry's heart pounded in his chest as he maneuvered through the panicked crowd, pushing past students and ignoring the shouts of confusion around him.
A jock in quidditch gear was running away towards the Hufflepuff common room, Harry aimed his wand at the jock's broom and stole it from him. He didn't notice losing it in the pandemonium. The grand staircases shifted unpredictably, creating new paths that Harry had to adapt to on the fly.
He aimed his wand and the window nearby and shouted
"Reducto" and it shattered and cool wind blowed inside.
The chill winter air struck Harry, and he leaned closer to his broom to speed faster. The tower soon loomed in sight, and he bailed from the room.
"HELENA?" he shouted inside the tower.
There was no response.
"Helena?! Its Harry!" He yelled again.
A muffled cry sounded from the corner and Harry ran towards it.
"Oh no no no …. Not again…." Harry whimpered as he a bloodied from Helena came into view. Visions of a past life of failing another prodigy echoed in his mind.
"H- h- harry" Helena wheezed out.
"You are going to all right." Harry said, forcing Helena to focus. "We are gonna get you to safety."
He focused on a pile of junk lying near him and transfigured it into a small makeshift chair.
"Cooperate with me here, kiddo." Harry encouraged Helena as he loaded her onto the levitating broom.
"Harry" Helena whispered. "I overheard them. They are going after Dumbledore."
Ah, so that's what Riddle wanted.
His grit his teeth and forced himself to appear positive for her sake, "Eh, let's just focus on you first."
He gently led her down the tower and made his way towards the infirmary.
The infirmary had been locked up and they refused to open unless the alert was lifted. He had threatened to blow down their door unless they admitted Helena immediately. Upon hearing of an injured student, they softened their stance and let her through.
The nurses had insisted that he too stay but he had forcibly pushed them off and marched through the doors. He had an assassin squad to get even with.
As he neared the cupboard's location. The sound of spell fire reached him, and he spied at the duel below,
"Surrender now! Aurors!" The familiar voice of Gloria Bones yelled.
Ah, so now you believe me.
"Dispose of the blood traitors" A voice commanded, "The rest of you with me."
A clankering sound echoed near the departing trio and they yelped back in surprise their shield raised up. No spell fire came as the red garbed assassin trio curiously looked at the containers. The containers came alive as runes glowed in front of them and a dark pungent black substance enveloped the entire room.
Now you fight on my turf.
The sound of coughing wracked the hall. Many of the squad cast lumos but there was no illumination.
Harry took the "hand of glory" and grinned as the light source, only visible to him, lit up the entire environment.
One of the assassins limped towards his general direction and was rewarded with a bone breaker towards his legs. He wailed in pain and the other assassins took their as their cue and fired back at the sound's general direction.
One down, two to go.
Another one, a woman, was now openly vomiting due to the pungent smell. Harry fired at her.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry fired and in quick succession. "Stupefy!"
The witch was slammed into the wall behind her and was knocked out.
"Enough!" The main assassin roared and conjured a flaming pack of wolves and unleashed them at Harry.
The wolves didn't care about not being able to see as they set everything ablaze in a 180-degree angle. While Harry was distracted, the man aimed his wand at the rooftop and fired a spell, a magical translucent fan appeared that sucked all the blackened air above.
Harry hid behind a Portego shield as the last of the wolves crashed into him in a suicidal charge. The intensity of the heat made his eyes water and skin blister.
Having lost the element of surprise, Harry grimly evaluated his slim chances against the master assassin. The enemy didn't give him a chance to think and wordlessly fired a relentless stream of dark spells.
Harry transfigured a broken statue head into a cobra and infused venom in it.
A spell raced towards him, and Harry raised another shield and poured all his strength into it.
Hide now. He ordered the cobra.
The spell crashed against his shield and Harry felt the onset of physical stress due to his exertion. The spells rebounded of his shield and raced back at the attacker. Wasting no time Harry ran away from the main combat area and palmed the bracelet in his pocket.
He placed it on his wrist and went invisible.
"I will skin you alive little boy!" The man slurred as the effects of the Cobras poison took hold of him. He took a potion flask and took a swing of it.
Harry weighed his options; his magic was all but depleted and he was on his last legs.
"Avada KaDevra!"
A haunting green curse struck and obliterated several portraits and pillars. Harry gasped at the macabre display of power. He is no longer playing.
Most likely the potion rejuvenated him. Harry thought.
"Ah! So, you think to hide from me now?" The man yelled, "No worries boy. I will show you a little trick we invented in Stalingrad to hunt bastard sissy snipers!"
"Bombarda Maxima!" A massive explosion ripped open the entire corridor and Harry was hurled away from his hidey hole. The bracelet shattered on the ground impact and Harry was exposed.
The man aimed his wand at him, and Harry ordered.
Kill him!
The cobra lunged at the man and struck deeply in his calf. The wizard yelled and set the snake on fire in retaliation. With maddened eyes he turned towards Harry but suddenly stiffened and violently shuddered.
He screeched as smoke erupted from his body and then suddenly dropped dead.
A pissed off Morrigan stared at the man's paralyzed form below her. Without a word she approached him and waved her wand over him.
Harry tried to shout at her but could only manage gargled chokes. He had blood in his mouth.
"Calm Harry. I took care of the other two that raced in front of him. The snakes whispered to me that you were in trouble." Morrigan said. "Dumbledore just arrived and has incapacitated all the attackers."
Aw jee thank you…... Harry thought.
"The aurors have located the cupboard and are already pursuing the fleeing men through it." She said, "Soon they will stumble onto the minster's dungeons and find a collection of dark artifacts there."
She turned towards him again as Harry could only glare at her anger. Morrigan frowned, "Stay awake Petrov, we will be at the infirmary soon."
Harry could only nod with repressed motor functions. Soon, unconsciousness gripped him.
Minister of Magic Abraham Redwood Flees London Pursued by Aurors
In a shocking turn of events, Minister of Magic Abraham Redwood has fled London while being pursued by Aurors, leaving the wizarding world in a state of upheaval and uncertainty. The Daily Prophet has learned that an attack on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is linked to the Minister's manor, leading to an emergency session of the Wizengamot and an overwhelming vote for his impeachment.
Last night, Aurors launched a raid on the Minister's manor in an operation shrouded in secrecy due to its highly classified nature. Details of the raid are limited, but the fact that it occurred shortly after the attack on Hogwarts has raised suspicions among the wizarding community.
The Wizengamot, convened in an emergency session, acted swiftly, impeaching the disgraced Minister in an overwhelming majority. Red warrants have been issued for Abraham Redwood, and he has been declared persona non grata, prompting speculation about his whereabouts and motives for fleeing.
Adding to the intrigue, Redwood's daughter, who attended Hogwarts, has also vanished from the school, making her the subject of a summons issued by the Department for Magical Law Enforcement. The sudden disappearance of both the Minister and his daughter has raised concerns about their connection to recent events.
With the Minister's impeachment, the wizarding world now faces a critical situation. Emergency elections are anticipated to be announced soon to determine the future leadership of the Ministry of Magic. While the circumstances remain uncertain, the Daily Prophet urges all citizens to remain calm during this crisis and trust in the institutions of the wizarding community to restore order and stability.
As investigations continue into the attack on Hogwarts and the reasons behind Minister Redwood's flight, the Daily Prophet will provide timely updates on these developments to keep the wizarding community informed and prepared for the days ahead.
Dumbledore wrapped the newspaper and casually threw it away. Grindelwald had finally done it.
He had attacked Hogwarts.
Attacks on him in Eldermoor were on thing. Attacks on him where his students could be collateral damage was a line in the sand that Grindelwald just crossed. He was quite willing to let the chips fall where they may, but this demanded retribution.
His phoenix sang a gentle melody to calm his mood and Dumbledore sent an appreciative glance his way. The phoenix probably restrained much of his younger impulses from acting too aggressively. He sighed and got up towards his phoenix and gently pet it.
"Old friend, I need to get to the Potter Manor."
Hogwarts
Chamber of Secrets
1 week later.
Harry walked with purpose towards the Chamber of Secrets. A million things demanded his attention at the moment, but he was too enraged to think straight. Morrigan waited for him in the chamber.
He found her standing in the middle of the chamber staring at him with an impassive expression. Nargulith lingered behind her.
"You got some guts Riddle" Harry shouted as he stood in front of her, wand in hand. If today was the day he ended this, so be it. "Did it ever occur you to tell me about a plan involving Grindelwald's men sneaking into Hogwarts to kill Dumbledore!"
Morrigan's voice was calculated, "The plan worked to perfection. Redwood was exposed. His administration is no more, and the Parkinson girl has told a perfect tale of how Ashley was involved in Martin's murder. None are concerned about you anymore."
"Not the point here! You risked lives! Hundreds could have died!" Harry yelled at the cold abomination in front of him.
"And pray tell how many lives are lost daily in Russia, France, and Poland due to Grindelwald's action? Hm?" Morrigan mockingly said. "All because Dumbledore is too cowardly to embrace his strength and do what's necessary. I needed to devise a proper cassus belli to motivate him. An attack on his precious Hogwarts was the only way to do so."
Harry's frustration was palpable, "You can't just play with people's lives like that, Morrigan! Innocent lives were put in danger because of your actions."
Morrigan's tone remained unflinching, "Innocence is a casualty of war, Harry. Sometimes sacrifices are unavoidable in the bigger picture. This conflict has lingered, and Redwood's influence must end. I forced the hand of those who should lead. Not rely on teenagers to do their thinking for them."
"Also you are the last person who should talk about trust and deception, Potter" She forced the last bit out with a deliberate malice. "Wearing a false name and hoping to have a grand reunion with your family."
"Don't involve them in this. They are not relevant at the moment." Harry shot back.
"And don't assume I'm oblivious, Harry. You tipped off the aurors about our plan, about the cupboard. Only you knew, beside me. Disloyalty toward me has severe consequences." Morrigan said.
Harry's fury briefly fizzled, and he took a step back. Morrigan smiled coldly at his reaction.
"Only two of us knew about the cupboard, Harry. I told Abraxas it was a portkey." She said.
"Helena could have died because of your actions." Harry whispered.
"A tragic but acceptable consequence. However, I do point out she lives." Morrigan said. "Accept the circumstance as is Harry, you cannot win this."
Something broke inside Harry at Morrigan's last response. He pulled out a bag and held a crystal piece infront of her. Morrigan aimed her wand at him in caution.
The symbol of fury clearly etched on cube in dragon tongue.
"Know what this?" Harry whispered again. Morrigan shrugged but looked alert.
"Formulated Mercury enhanced with rage" he said and smashed the crystal on the floor and threw one at the basilisk behind. An explosion racked through the chamber and Morrigan was blown back. Nargulith angrily hissed as he was temporarily blinded.
Morrigan lept out with a fury and charged at him wand glowing green,
"You dare Petrov, after everything I have done for you?!" Morrigan yelled leveling the wand between his eyes.
Before she could fire Harry pointed toward the inside of his jacket. Dozens of wires interlinked with large shards of crystals with similar rune markings as before and Riddle paused.
"I knew I could never win this against you Riddle. But I won't allow you to be a winner either." Harry said. "If I go down, you go down to hell with me."
Even the stoic Morrigan's resolve wavered at the implication, and she held up her hand to stop Nargulith from striking.
"My terms are simple, Morrigan." Harry said. "You want service and loyalty. Fair enough. I expect some decree of decency in return."
Morrigan didn't reply but stared at him.
Calculating.
Glowing wand to the forehead. Enough explosives to bring down the chamber. The two heirs stared at each other in an impasse.
Author Notes: Another chapter and the second last chapter of the Slytherin civil war arc. I am kinda beat right now with flu so couldn't thoroughly edit the document. Apologies for grammar errors. Will edit it first thing in the morning.
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