When one individual panics in the spring of 1992, he triggers a cascade of changes to the events of Harry Potter's second year. The results are tragic for Magical Britain.
DISCLAIMER! This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy.
~~~*** Author's Note: Children are dying in the Middle East. The world has moments of great pain. I think that's where the darkness in this story originated.
~~~*** CHANGE SCENE
Albus DumbledoreAfter three days of boredom, Albus suspected that he was not unconscious or ill – he was imprisoned within the tower from which he ruled Magical Britain for the last fifty years; okay, it was only forty-four years since he'd become Grand Warlock of the Wizengamot and Headmaster of Hogwarts, but it sounded better to round the number up to fifty years.
'Ministers for Magic come and go, but the Grand Warlock is a fixture that can't be replaced,' Albus told himself. 'The ministry is scrambling to find me! No, they must know where I am, so they are attempting to breach the wards of the castle. With the state I left them in, it shouldn't take much longer for the Aurors to break in.'
'Did Tom manage to get a body and take over the castle? That was Slytherin's basilisk,' he mused.
With only his original wand available, Albus found that his natural magic had been greatly reduced. Rather than blaming his decline on his advanced age, he convinced himself that Tom Riddle had stolen his power.
And without the wards present in his mind, he found his days to be boring and too routine. The meals that arrived twice a day were plain but nourishing. His captor intended for him to remain healthy physically while leaving him bored to the edge of madness.
The two windows that once looked across the quidditch pitch and the road to Hogsmeade now refused to open. The stain glass figures were no longer animated – simply stationary.
'Has it only been three days?' he groused. There were no animated portraits to argue and discuss history. The portraits that remained – the earliest headmasters and headmistresses were simply animated paintings that could make a few movements and say one phrase – their name and the years they served at Hogwarts. All the books he'd removed from the library were missing, as were all the books he had 'saved' from the disasters that ended many magical family names.
At no time did Albus think about the children he deserted. He never wondered about the professors he left behind. He assumed they were all dead and eaten by the basilisk.
~~~*** CHANGE SCENE
Alastor Moody's MoveA week after the catastrophe, during daily funerals for the dead children and staff, Head Auror Alastor Moody approached three individuals; Matron Pomphrey, Minister Ogden, and Director Bones, and broached the subject of bringing Albus Dumbledore to justice. With a frown on her face, Bones reminded them that Dumbledore had broken no laws – he'd abandoned the students and professors to their fate.
The castle itself had removed him as headmaster, severed his control of the wards, and confined the wizard to a tall, isolated tower.
Poppy explained what she'd understood – the portraits of the former headmasters had all be placed around the castle, the books and doodads were removed, and Dumbledore was left without any contact with the rest of the world.
"If Hogwarts releases Albus, he'll have nowhere to go," Moody said. "His brother has put up a selective notice-me-not for the Hogsmeade Tavern."
"Does Albus have any gold in Gringotts?" asked Ogden.
"There's no way to know," Amelia replied. "The goblins protect every client's privacy. They will provide information on convicts, but the wizard has to be arrested, tried, and convicted before magic allows them to provide statements to the government. That was a clue about Lord Black that we all ignored – Gringotts would never permit the government to seize his vaults."
Moody looked pensive and opined, "But civil suits can freeze his vaults. Every parent who lost a child can sue Dumbledore for not doing his job and endangering the students – the wards should have told him about that diary being in the school and that a basilisk was moving through the halls."
Lord Ogden added, "Those muggleborn students who were petrified – they can sue too. There was no reason to leave them as statues. And the school vaults have paid for their treatment. Hogwarts can sue the former headmaster to recover those funds."
"Let's get the best lawyers started on it," Amelia said. "As soon as the minister takes the lawsuit to the Grand Warlock, Lady Longbottom put it on the docket and that will allow the lawyers to file papers with Gringotts to seal Dumbledore's vaults. He can't get his gold and escape to another country."
Without hesitation, Ogden recommended, "Let's use Theodore Tonks and Andrew Proudfoot – a brilliant muggleborn and intelligent pureblood. And the ministry will pay the retainer and mandate equal treatment for muggleborn, half blood, and pureblood."
~~~*** CHANGE SCENE
Dobby ShoppingAfter an animated discussion with the elves at Longbottom Manor about the wardrobes of 'Mr Harry Potters' and 'Mr Neville Longbottoms', Dobby spoke to Kreacher Black Elf, who remained the leader of the elves for the Black family. The elves looked at the wardrobe of Mr Draco Malfoy who had represented rich pureblood wizards, Mr Justin Finch-Fletchley who represented rich muggleborn wizards.
They observed the stuffy old pureblood wizards who strolled through Atrium of the Ministry for Magic again, dressed in the fashions of the 1500's when they went to the Wizengamot. It was Kreacher who noticed the foreigners from Magical USA, Magical France, and Magical North Africa. Their robes were simple outer robes with open fronts that allowed greater movement. Underneath these robes that bore some protections from rain, hexes, and dust, the wizards all wore high-quality muggle garments.
It took three days of searching in their free time, but Dobby discovered the wonder of muggle department stores for standard muggle garments for growing teenage wizards. And he located a squib tailor who specialised in tailored suits for rich wizards. Dobby provided accurate dummies of the two heirs of the Black name to guarantee a decent fit without the boys having to travel the establishment for fittings.
When the new garments appeared in their dresser drawers, Harry appreciated the clothes as did Neville but neither boy understood where the new shirts, jumpers, trousers, pants, socks, etc. originated. The trainers and new boots made tears appear in Harry's eyes. Neville asked carefully and Harry confessed, "These are the first new shoes I've ever had in my life."
When the formal outer robes appeared hanging in their wardrobes, the mystery was compounded – on Neville's outer robes was the crest for Longbottom family with the Butterfield and Black family crest underneath it. The family crests were sewn on the upper left chest panel, and across the back. On Harry's robes were the Potter crest first, and then the Black and Slytherin crests.
"What are these emblems?" asked Harry, pointing the crests on their robes. The boys took the robes to Lady Augusta who stared at the robes for a minute and then called the head elf for Longbottom Manor.
In short order, the elf explained that the Black family elves investigated the situations for both possible heirs of the Black family, provided them with wardrobes befitting their position in Magical Britain, and magnified the strength of the wards that surrounded the house and the secondary wards around the estate.
Augusta sat back to think, called for tea for all three of them and explained to Harry and Neville how they were the heir to their family and heir to other houses that didn't have a proper male heir at that time.
"In your case Neville, your eldest daughter will be heir to your mother's family name – Butterfield. If you had had a sister, she would be the next Lady Butterfield."
"So, how did I get saddled with Slytherin?" asked Harry. "There were people making remarks about me being the heir of Slytherin all year because I can talk to snakes."
Augusta smiled and said, "Harry, you have another gift from Mother Magic if you can talk to serpents, dragons, and other reptiles. We'll investigate with Gringotts about the family title in a couple days."
"But people said it was evil," Harry added.
"Magic is magic!" insisted Augusta. "If you use the magic for good, it isn't evil. The dark lord who killed your parents could speak parsel tongue, but I don't think he ever spoke to any dragons."
~~~*** CHANGE SCENE
Sirius Ventures Out to Gringotts BankIt was two full weeks before Andromeda Tonks agreed to allow Sirius to venture out into the world. She and Remus Lupin would escort him to Diagon Alley where he would visit with Ironstream, the vault manager for the Black family at Gringotts. If he had enough energy after the visit (where he would take the ring that made him head of the family), he would venture into Flourish and Blotts for books dealing with recovery from mental torture and sort through his memories.
Kreacher and four other house elves would attend Lord Black (presumptive) and protect him from wizards who might benefit from his sudden demise (Lucius Malfoy perhaps?).
Andromeda understood that her sister had a request of the new Lord Black, and there were multiple vassals with requests for funds and support from the new lord. She had her own request for her cousin once he was Lord Black and on an even mental keel. But today, she made certain the petitioners knew they were not allowed to approach her cousin and the elves were prepared to pop anyone foolish enough to approach the wizard still recovering from the years of imprisonment in Azkaban.
"I want to go through the Leaky," Sirius argued. "I want to feel normal!"
Andromeda frowned but agreed finally. For Sirius to argue so strongly and coherently was a good sign for his eventual complete recovery. Remus simply took his place as the lord's liegeman, standing on the left and just behind Sirius as they approached the floo in the Tonks' home.
Sirius carried his regular wand, two hidden wands (left wrist and ankle), and three portkeys that Kreacher insisted the 'stupid wizard' wear as a bead in his hair, and bracelets on his left wrist, and right ankle. When the exonerated Sirius Black stepped from the green flames into the common room of the Leaky, several patrons squeaked and ran away but no one fainted or pulled their wand and cast spells at the man. The arrival of Remus Lupin standing immediately behind Black, caught the attention of the proprietor and customers.
Nodding pleasantly to the patrons in the tavern, Sirius crossed the floor and tapped the sequence of bricks to open the door into Diagon Alley. The two wizards crossed the alley without any problems though several wizards and witches watched them. Two wizards apparated away to spread the news; the first went to the newsroom at the Daily Prophet and the second hurried to Malfoy Manor to advise Lucius Malfoy.
~~~*** Change scene
A Short Battle"Narcissa!" shouted Lucius after Amycus Carrow had apparated away. He was alone in his study and waited impatiently for his wife to appear.
The witch stood in the doorway to her husband's study after another two minutes. He failed to notice she was dressed to venture out of the manor when he declared, "Your cousin is out and about! He just went into Gringotts Bank with the werewolf as his guard."
"Oh dear," Narcissa said in a mournful tone. "I understand Lupin has a mastery in defence from Magical USA. He'd be a great defender if anyone were to be stupid and attempt to assassinate the new Lord Black."
"Lord Black?" asked a startled Malfoy. "Do you think he'll try and put on the ring?
"Why else would he be going to Gringotts?"
"To get funds to run away," Lucius suggested. "To pay for entertainments with the werewolf?"
He complained, "You never tell me anything about your visits with your sister and her patient."
"My sister?" Narcissa asked. "I hope you mean Andromeda and not Bellatrix! Why do you think I'm visiting with the witch who was disowned by Lord Antares Black…what? Twenty years ago?"
"Where are you going?" Lucius asked when he suddenly realized his wife was dressed to appear in public.
"The ministry," she replied. "Lady Longbottom has a tea for ladies of the Wizengamot this afternoon. Almost all the funerals are complete and we're going to talk about a memorial."
The couple had attended more than thirty funeral services for Slytherin and Ravenclaw children. Draco's pyre had burned late into the night and Narcissa had remained at the site until the sun rose the next morning and never spoke of their son again (with Lucius).
Not certain what to say, Lucius turned away as his wife walked away. He heard the whoosh of the floo when the witch left.
"Elf!" Lucius called out. But like the last three weeks, none of the elves appeared. The wizard rose and made his way up the stairs to find a robe to wear when he apparated into Diagon Alley.
Over two hours passed before Lord Sirius Black reappeared on the steps of Gringotts with his liegeman, Remus Lupin, once again at his side. As soon as Lord Black stepped off the bottom step of the bank, Alecto Carrow, Amycus Carrow, and Antonin Dolohov, leapt forward with spells flying from their wands and aimed at Lord Black.
Dolohov's scream was cut short as two elves grabbed the wizard and popped away in two different directions. The man's head, arms and upper chest flopped about on the cobblestones for a moment. Another invisible elf grabbed Alecto Carrow and threw her on top of Gringotts Bank, then threw her off to land on the cobblestones.
A high-pitched voice called out, "Let us do that again!"
The witch flew through the air three more times, landing on the hard stone roof of Gringotts Bank. Then her body was thrown into the air to land on the cobblestones of the alley.
"You betrayed all purebloods, Sirius Black!" shouted Amycus Carrow as his wand fired off three fast spells.
Hearing the attacker's voice, Sirius Black's brain fell back into the mindset from the Death Eater insurrection. He grinned as he thought, 'Death Eater opening salvo will be piercing, bludgeon, and cutting. Very predictable to try and put me down.'
But Sirius remembered Alastor Moody's lessons – dodge, shield, and blast! The new lord dropped to the cobblestones and rolled forward. The piercing spell struck the walls of the bank. The bludgeoning spell followed to hit the wards around Gringotts and contributed energy to make them slightly stronger. The cutting spell proved effective in an unintended way.
As Sirius rolled forward, he cast a shield over his form as he drew closer to this attacker. With the wand in his hand, Sirius was at Carrow's feet, and his own bludgeoning spell caught the wizard underneath his chin. Amycus Carrow's head flew into the air and collided with the mangled corpse of his sister as it flew from the Gringotts' rooftop for the last time.
The third attacker ignored Sirius Black to concentrate his attention on Remus Lupin. The two werewolves moved around in the alley and Fenrir Greyback growled, "Time to bow to your alpha! You can't ignore me…"
The cutting spell thrown by Amycus Carrow hit Greyback in the elbow of the man's right arm, severing the limb. Blood spurted and the werewolf had to concentrate to stop the flow of blood. But that second was all Lupin needed. Remus leapt flatfooted across the two-metre space to carry Fenrir to the ground. Wearing two wands in wrist holders, both of the younger man's hands closed around the older werewolf's throat while the wands cast piercing spells into Greyback's skull where they scrambled his brain.
Enraged that anyone would dare attack Sirius Black as soon as he stepped out in public, Remus yanked on the head of the werewolf and pulled it off.
Greybeard's torso flopped around, blood pouring out onto the cobblestones as the head lay some distance away, the mouth trying to open and howl. The werewolf curse refused to allow the soul to escape to the afterlife; if the head could be reunited with the neck, the wolf might reunite Fenrir and continue his cursed life.
Before Aurors could arrive, Sirius used his wand to banish Fenrir Greyback's blood. And he grabbed the head of the werewolf by the hair and handed it to a goblin guard. He smiled and said, "A gift for my vault manager."
The goblin vanished inside the bank in only two seconds. The animated head of Fenrir Greyback would sit in a glass jar among the other gifts presented to Ironstream for many years.
Rufus Scrimgeour led the patrol of Aurors dispatched from the DMLE to investigate the attempted assassination of Lord Sirius Black. There were three bodies (but only two heads) and the Aurors accepted the stories of the new lord and his liegeman concerning the attack and their defence against their attackers.
Smelling more enemies lurking in the shadows, Remus Lupin kept his wand in his hand and fired several piercing spells into the empty alcoves before the Aurors cast spells to reveal any invisible persons by coating every physical form with a blue sparkling dust that would last for five minutes. Two more bodies hidden underneath invisibility cloaks were found in the alcoves. The two dead wizards were revealed to have been Stanley Goyle and William Crabbe.
Sirius frowned and said, "All these attackers are vassals of Lucius Malfoy…except for Greyback."
Scrimgeour ordered the Aurors to collect the bodies and take them to the morgue at the Ministry for Magic. A senior Auror would perform the notifications for the wizards with a junior Auror in attendance to learn the accepted procedure. Head Auror Alastor Moody had modified the procedure slightly after the two witches had been injured by families with the child notifications – Goyle and Crabbe had attacked the Aurors who brought the news of deaths of their sons.
~~~***Change Scene
At Malfoy Manor, Lucius dealt with a wounded thigh himself. Without an elf to bring him potions, he had to conjure a bandage and then call Bristol Brewing on the floo and purchase the potions he needed through the flames. Fortunately, he had the necessary galleons available – they didn't sell anything through the floo on account – cash only.
~~~*** CHANGE SCENE
The Ladies of the WizengamotWhen Narcissa returned to the manor, she did not seek her husband's company. Mrs Parkinson had shared with the gathered ladies her good news that her sister-in-law was indeed pregnant with a healthy fetus. In six months, there would be an heir for her family. Hearing this, several ladies shed tears remembering their lost children, Narcissa among them.
But Lady Longbottom promised them faithfully that time would help with the pain of loss. And eventually, there would be children to carry on the family names.
Narcissa spoke up at that point, "And we need to have more than just an heir for our husbands. There must be more babies to grow up to be lawyers, healers, and Aurors. The leading families of Magical Britain must lead with large families."
"But the magic won't spark enough wizards and witches!"
Frowning, Narcissa said, "Then we must look to the muggleborn and half-bloods for husbands and wives for our children!"
"What? Are you serious? That's sacrilege!" decried several witches.
"Who are the most powerful wizards in Magical Britain?" asked Lady Longbottom.
Mrs Parkinson was reluctant to admit it but eventually she said, "Albus Dumbledore was incredibly powerful in his youth."
"Dumbledore is a half-blood," revealed Narcissa. "As was Severus Snape, the youngest potion master this century. The memory of Professor Flitwick shows Snape leading the attack on the basilisk that gave a few children the chance to escape."
Amelia Bones spoke up, "As was Tom Riddle."
"The Dark Lord Voldie…Flees-From-Death was a half-blood?" asked Narcissa, not attempting to hide her surprise.
"Just barely a half-blood at that," Bones continued. "The Unspeakables are chasing down…his story. It appears that he was the son of a muggle nobleman and a squib from a defunct pureblood family from England. They were the Gaunt family who claimed descent from Salazar Slytherin."
One lady asked, "How did a squib marry a nobleman? Even in the muggles, there are prejudices against the poor."
"The squib used love potions to capture the muggle's attention," Bones revealed. "When she fell pregnant, she stopped feeding him the potion and once his mind cleared, he fled from her side."
The ladies all agreed that love potions were to be avoided in their lives. And to use one on a muggle meant the squib had to be desperate to escape her family.
~~~*** CHANGE SCENE