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
BurrowThe evening after the duels began quietly at the Burrow. Molly and Arthur returned home through the floo. Percy, Fred and George asked their parents about the trip to the Ministry for Magic and what occurred. When Arthur explained that their mother had duelled and defeated Albus Dumbledore, the teenage boys rushed to find and embrace their mother.
After assurances that she was well and not harmed, Percy asked, "Mum, how did you beat Dumbledore? He's got so much power!"
Molly smiled at the twins and said, "Albus Dumbledore never paid attention to the magic that house witches used. The twins have a great charm called Chicken Cluckers and I turned that coward into a rooster, then I used the charm to clean a chicken before cooking it."
"Mum! You plucked Albus Dumbledore!" shouted George.
Fred stared at his dad and then turned to his twin and shuddered before he said, "Mum…you're scary strong! Those charms…we can't cast them as spells."
"You will someday," Molly said. "Just keep up the exercises for your magical core and practice magic every day."
The flames flared green and Penny Clearwater's head appeared. She called out, "Percy Weasley! Percy! My dad says for your family to put up wards to deflect mail and howlers to the ministry! Now! Dad says to do it now!"
Arthur and Molly took ten minutes to show their three sons the incantations needed to add these two wards to the existing wards around their home. They gathered around the ward stone in the back of Molly's still room where she brewed potions and preserved herbs and spices.
"Won't we get in trouble with the ministry?" asked Percy. "For using magic outside of school?"
"No," Arthur answered. "After tonight, no one is going to question your mum about magic being used at our home."
"Where will our mail go?" asked George.
"To the DMLE," Arthur replied. When the wards were complete, the boys filed out of the still room. Percy headed for the floo to call Penny while Fred and George went to their room to revise their notes from classes with Professor Flitwick at Gringotts.
They'd signed up for Flitwick's charms class at Fleamont Day School and for the Arithmancy class he would teach. The twins were glad that they wouldn't have to return to Hogwarts – it wouldn't have ever felt right to walk into the Great Hall where their siblings, friends, and competitors died.
Alone in the still room, Molly and Arthur fell into each other's arms again.
"I was afraid I'd lose you."
"Never! You'll never lose me."
"Nothing will bring our babies back," Arthur mourned.
"Seeing him dead helps me move…live with it."
The wizard whispered, "There'll be more babies someday that you can help feed, teach, and spoil."
"I hope so," Molly sighed. "Bill and Charlie are dragging their brooms along the ground about finding witches and sparking some babies."
Arthur chuckled and said, "They're always comparing how happy we are to how a witch makes them feel and no woman can compare to their mother."
Pursing her lips, Molly smacked her husband's arm. "They're picky that's for certain."
~~~*** CHANGE SCENE
Alastor MoodyWhen Moody stepped through the flames into his receiving room, he found it spotless. He heard voices outside the door but stopped when he smelled pot roast.
The door opened and his eldest daughter, Bernice entered the room. She smiled and greeted him saying, "Papa, you're late! We were just about to start dinner without you!"
"Who's here? Who cooked?"
"Richard, my kids, Sylvia and Joe and their kids came to eat. And Winky has everything under control."
"The elf?" asked Alastor.
Bernice took her father's arm and helped him hobble to the dining room where his other daughter, son-in-law's and six grandchildren gathered around the expanded table where a glorious meal was spread – pot roast, potatoes, carrots, peas, bread, fruit, drinks and desserts waited to be consumed.
Freddie, the eldest grandchild (and magical) had snuck a fingerful of icing off the chocolate cake, that he slipped into his mouth while wiggling his eyebrows at his grandfather.
Watching his family around the table, Alastor felt his sacrifice and fight in the blood wars were worthwhile. His two daughters were both squibs and his wife refused to desert them in muggleland. When the girls attended schools there, they'd sought out other squibs, each married two intelligent men, and built good lives brewing potions and working as chemists with muggle pharmaceuticals.
Bernice married Richard Coble (who proved to be Bartimaeus Crouch's eldest squib son cast from the family) and Sylvia married Joe Prewitt (Molly's cousin). They're children were all under 11 (thank Merlin!) so none had been lost at Hogwarts.
And in September, Freddie Coble would enrol in Fleamont Day School. Alastor sat down to an excellent dinner and apologized to Winky when he forgot to drink his potion before plating up his dinner.
"Mr Alastor's remembers to drink potions or Winky not lets him have any cake…or only piece of chocolates cake after Mr Freddie licks off all icing!" the elf threatened. Blushing bright red, Freddie pretended he didn't understand what the elf meant but his mother just smirked.
After dinner, Alastor would find a way to talk to Richard and Bernice about claiming the Crouch estate for Freddie and his siblings. There was some property and money in vaults – there'd be no reason to let the goblins liquidate everything and lock down the vaults for a thousand years.
~~~*** CHANGE SCENE
Daily ProphetThe Daily Prophet trumpeted the formidable magic of the house witches who cared for their families in Magical Britain. The photo on the front page showed Albus Dumbledore's transformation from wizard into rooster. The article that accompanied the photo listed the events leading up to the duel, the exchange of spells, and Molly Weasley's use of a wooden spoon as her magical focus to cast the charms that transformed her opponent into a rooster and then gutted the giant bird.
Edmund Greengrass, who'd attended the session in the Wizengamot, vetoed any notion of publishing the photos of the butchered rooster or the body of Dumbledore after the charm wore off. He stated in no uncertain terms, "No one reading our newspaper needs to see the dead body of that wizard."
Companion articles on the first two duels (and the arrest and execution of Barty Crouch, Jr as an escaped convict) were the main stories on pages 2 and 3. Photos were included of lady Longbottom facing off against Dolores Umbridge, and Alastor Moody standing opposite of Bartimaeus Crouch, Sr. and then the moments before Albus Dumbledore and Molly Weasley began their duel.
~~~*** CHANGE SCENE
House Witch CharmsA companion piece listed the charm that Molly used to butcher the rooster and included the name of the book that most house witches received as wedding gift when they were setting up house. (Flourish and Blotts Booksellers sold out all copies before the middle of the afternoon and placed an order for more copies from the publisher.)
Hogwarts appeared to be following the news (an owl delivered a copy to the school library each morning). Three dozen copies of the book, 'Happy Home Charms and Cantrips', appeared on the return desk at Fleamont Day School. The library at the school had only possessed two copies of the book and the librarian, Mrs Elizabeth Darrow had planned to place the book on the 'use in library only' list. Now she would allow the students to check out the thirty copies delivered from Hogwarts.
'And Flitwick will enjoy a contest for the students to find differences in the charms from 100 years ago and today,' Mrs Darrow decided when she noticed the charm to 'popcorn' in the 1975 edition that wasn't in the 1886 edition.
~~~*** CHANGE SCENE
Longbottom HallThe floo activated early that next morning, and Lord Black, a frequent visitor to the hall that summer stepped through and hurried to the breakfast room.
"Uncle Sirius! What are you doing here?" asked Harry. Neville looked up from his breakfast as the wizard sighed with relief that the newspaper hadn't arrived.
"Where's Lady Longbottom?"
"Gran's not come down yet," Harry said. He motioned toward the far wall where an owl roost hung above the reach of boys just about to turn twelve. "Hedwig's hiding the newspaper and won't let us have them."
Sirius glanced at the Snowy Owl who glared at the godfather for her boys. The wizard smiled and inclined his head toward the owl.
"Harry, remind me to buy your most marvellous familiar a dozen mice. Does she prefer vanilla or chocolate mice?"
"Huh?" asked Harry while Hedwig barked her laughter and approval.
Neville explained, "He means white or black mice."
Harry pursed his lips and told Sirius, "She likes all flavours of mice!"
The door opened and Augusta Longbottom walked in, her surprise to find Sirius Black her so early evident on her face.
"Is anything wrong, Lord Black?" she asked as both boys approached the witch for quick hugs before returning to their breakfasts.
"No, my lady," Sirius replied. "Everything is well with the world this morning."
"Won't you join us for breakfast?"
Another place setting with a steaming cup of tea appeared beside Harry. While Sirius sat beside his godson, Hedwig landed on the table and held out her leg to Augusta.
"Thank you, Hedwig," the witch replied, taking three copies of the Daily Prophet off the owl and passing one to Neville, the second to Harry, and keeping the third for herself. (The papers were restored to full size once they were removed from the owl's leg.)
There was silence while the boys read the cover article. Then Neville said, "Ron's mum put paid to Dumbledore then?"
"Mrs Weasley showed every wizard in Britain to never doubt the power of a determined witch," said Sirius in agreement with the boy.
"Wow! A chicken!" Harry exclaimed. "That's something the twins would like to do."
When the boys opened the newspaper and read about Gran's duel, they both rose to hug and cry for a moment. Neville and Harry both argued, "You can't do that Gran! What if you got hurt?"
~~~*** CHANGE SCENE
Fleamont Day SchoolHermione Granger was pleased that her new Day School was only a thirty-minute car drive from her home in Crawley. She would use the reusable Port Key provided by Gringotts every day to travel back and forth from school, but it was nice when her father had a meeting at Fleamont, and he drove the family car so she could also attend.
This morning's meeting of the Board of Governors was to finalize the school schedule and the holidays they would observe. While the adults were talking, Hermione and Mille were able to talk about books, boys, and the school uniforms they would wear this autumn. Like typical almost thirteen-year-old girls (Millie's birthday occurred only fifteen days after Hermione's), the girls rebelled against their parents with small acts of defiance.
Today, Millie brought Hermione a copy of the Daily Prophet, the forbidden newspaper for the muggleborn witch. The other girl hinted, "The first three pages will knock your cauldron off the flames and spill the potion all across the floor!"
The articles and photos caught the young witch's full attention and consequently, she was caught off guard by her father sitting beside her in the faculty lounge.
"Dad, I didn't see you," Hermione said, trying to hide the newspaper.
"There must have been something terribly interesting for you not to hear me approach. What's in the Daily Prophet today?" asked Daniel Granger easily. He'd been informed about the duels during the meeting and already glanced at the photos and articles.
"Millie just…we didn't mean…" stammered the girl, embarrassed to be caught.
"It's fine, honey. Let's look at what's here to hold your attention."
Offering the newspaper to her father, Hermione explained about the duels, three deaths, and the statement that the newspaper would not show photos of the dead former headmaster. They talked about how such things didn't happen in the real world any longer and how magical people thought differently about such things.
"We've got a lot to teach the witches and wizards to continue to protect the Statute of Secrecy," stated Hermione. Daniel nodded in seeming agreement but kept his opinions to himself for now.
Granger had contacted his old army unit after Hermione's peculiar skills manifested and brought his wife into the meetings with MI-5.5 to learn about life on the other side of the Looking Glass.
The prime minister depended on the magical people working in the armed forces and intelligence services to keep him abreast of developments. Daniel was pleased when he learned the John Major was pushing hard against the Ministry for Magic to modernize.
The three duels to the death would be brought to the attention of Her Majesty, and Daniel Granger could imagine the dressing-down the Prime Minister and Monarch would give the Minister for Magic when next he was called to their presence.
~~~*** Change Scene
Lucius MalfoyThe close brush with disaster that Malfoy experienced on 15 April should have taught the wizard a lesson and brought about change in his behaviours if not his beliefs. But he had remained enamoured at the notion he could obtain the wealth of his wife's family if he could only eliminate Sirius Black. The disaster among his vassals outside Gringotts allowed Sirius Black to claim the estates and vaults of Lucius's vassals while he denied any knowledge of their activities.
However, Lord Black doubted the word of Lucius Malfoy and said so publicly. And Lucius hesitated to challenge the wizard to an honour duel – Black fought well outside the bank and Malfoy knew the man had been a feared opponent by every Death Eater.
Then Lucius had received the 'Notice of Divorce for Cause' from Gringotts. Lord Black remained the arbitrator of the marriage contract between the Malfoys and Black families and 'after in-depth discussions' with Narcissa Malfoy (nee Black), Lord Black invoked his right to declare the marriage null and void. Everything granted to Lucius at the time of their marriage had been recalled – fertile, land, manor home, elves, vaults, and prestige.
He had sought refuge with Cantankerous Nott, but the old wizard was not welcoming. Nott sneered at Malfoy after allowing the wizard to step from the flames into his receiving room, "You've lost everything, Malfoy! And have only yourself to blame."
"What do you mean?"
I don't know the particulars, but I can read reactions and smell fear. The day that Bones reported on the 15 April catastrophe, you knew more than you revealed. You knew exactly what happened with the Horcrux, but the evidence steered the DMLE away from you."
"You're imagining things, old man."
"No, I don't think so. And your wife realized you knew more!"
"Narcissa isn't…"
"I don't know your wife personally except to know she loved her son. Like I loved my grandson," Nott growled. "When Narcissa Black looks at you, does she only see the man who manipulated events to bring about her son's death?
Nott stepped closer and whispered, "The Black family avenges every member killed by others without cause. You killed an innocent child of the Black family – I imagine your life can be measured in days."
The older wizard stepped back and said, "So I'm certain you can understand why I cannot…will not offer you house room for even a single night. Hit wizards are certainly looking for you now."
"Hit wizards?"
Nott grinned and said, "Remember Doge aggravated Lord Black and his cousin with his vote on the orders of Merlin and questioned the right of Heir Potter to vote the Slytherin seats. The man still cannot step outside his home without being pelted with rotten tomatoes."
Lucius grimaced and remembered an article in the Daily Prophet about questions regarding Doge's mental health after a month of pelting.
"You better move on, Lucius. See if you can make it to the continent and vanish. Change your hair colour and name, play muggle for ten years."
Throwing floo powder into the flames, Lucius Malfoy stepped into the green flames and vanished. Cantankerous was questioned ten days later when the DMLE was asked by Gringotts to investigate the disappearance of Mr Lucius Malfoy. The wizard had come to Gringotts and requested the bank to prepare all his assets for withdrawal and left to collect his luggage from the Leaky Cauldron where he'd spent the last week. But Mr Malfoy never returned to the bank.
The man left a valid will at the bank and his much-reduced wealth was donated in total to the DMLE to pay for armour and training for Aurors.
Reporters and gossips learned quickly that it was social suicide to ever question Narcissa Black about Lucius Malfoy in any conversation. She cut anyone who dared to ask a question about the man.
~~~***CHANGE SCENE
Narcissa BlackWhenever Lord Black appeared at the Wizengamot, one of his cousins always appeared at his right side while the werewolf remained on his left side, to defend his liege lord from all dangers, either Healer Andromeda Tonks or Narcissa Black stood on his right to advise the lord in votes, conversations, and commitments. After a month in company with Remus Lupin, Narcissa acknowledged that the wolf was a formidable opponent, but this week she'd bested him in two duelling contests at the Black Manor House in London.
Without Sirius present to dispute her words, she'd threatened the wizard that he should never hold back in a fight. Lupin demurred that he dared not harm Miss Black in a friendly duel, and this made Narcissa laugh. "Friendly? How friendly did it feel when I separated your left leg from your body in three pieces in a single fight. Andromeda is able to reattach limbs quickly and efficiently, so you never had to suffer Alastor Moody's disability, but if I banished the limb, you'd be without the leg forever.
Remus frowned and Narcissa leaned in closer to whisper, "And no amount of gold in the Black family vaults can regrow the leg of a wizard cursed with lycanthrope!"
Now Remus moved, pushing the witch up against the wall of the duelling chamber and using one arm to pin her torso and off arm while his other arm held her wand arm up, aimed at the ceiling.
"Witch! You're playing with a monster! The wolf wants to throttle you and rip you to shreds your sister can't put back together!"
Her eyes wide with surprise, Narcissa froze feeling the power in the man's form and magic. Her core reached out to Remus Lupin's and pulled him even closer.
"Lycanthrope isn't transmitted from a father to his children," she stated breathlessly. "We have no family connections…your muggleborn mother makes you very strong magically – you can spark as many children as the Weasleys! And our sons and daughters will be strong witches and wizards."
The werewolf stared for a moment before the witch's alure pulled him in and he discovered he wanted – needed – to kiss Narcissa Black. On the staircase leading to the duelling chamber, Sirius Black smiled and left without making a sound.
~~~*** CHANGE SCENE