Deciding Fates

Twenty Ninth October Nineteen Ninety-Four – Godric's Village: Town Library.

"Are you certain Amelia?"

"Yes," Amelia Bones replied. "Kingsley's words were very specific. Your wishful little country won't be able to stand against the combined force of those bastard Aurors and Goblins."

"Fuck," Ted cursed.

"I'd advice moving camp and dispersing into groups for now. We have to lay low until the right time to strike comes."

Amelia had been urging Ted to forget the dream of creating an independent nation and focus on waiting for the right time to strike the Ministry.

Ted was against it and so were the hundreds of muggleborns who were a part of the Rebellion. They had enough strength now to fight the Aurors. They refused to recognise the laws of the Ministry.

Now a tough choice lay before them. Stay and fight meant there would be deaths for certain, run and hide meant accepting defeat.

"We have to hide," Ted said with a frustrated growl. Why the fuck had Harry Potter killed those goblins?! All their plans had been thrown into the fire and left to burn. He hated doing this but he had to do it. The fighting had to happen on their terms.

"I've sent word to Vance that we're going to break camp. We should be able to find at least seven safe houses. You can pass the information to the rest while you and I need to go to Hogwarts."

Ted scoffed.

"So you'd already planned all this?"

"Don't be an idiot," she snapped. "I like to be ready. It's a miracle your band of brothers have managed to make it this far."

Ted scowled.

"We believe in our cause. You're only here because you got nowhere else to go. Don't confuse your purpose here Amelia. You and your Aurors need us more than we need you."

Amelia rolled her eyes. "If I wasn't here, by tomorrow you'd be a pile of burnt flesh. Don't be an idiot Ted. I'm here to help because the Ministry has been taken over by pureblood bigots. Now are you going to come or whine some more?"

Ted sighed and controlled his anger. "Has anyone told you you're too damn bull headed?"

"I'm a Taurus," Amelia retorted. "Now let's go. We can't waste time."

Thirty First October Nineteen Ninety-Four: Dusk

Headmaster's Office

The day was finally here. The office had been rearranged with one chair on which Harry was sitting near the fire place and five chairs before him in which sat, Dolores Umbridge: Ministry Representative, Andromeda Tonks: Harry's lawyer appointed by Dumbledore, Pius Thicknesse: Director of the Auror office, Albus Dumbledore: Headmaster of Hogwarts and Percy Weasley: the new scribe to the office of the Minister.

Dumbledore was not happy about the representatives. He knew who they were and who they fought for. But he had little choice in the matter. This had to be done if his plan was going to work. His mind was alert and wand ready at all times.

Harry was startled at the resemblance Andromeda Tonks had with her daughter. He found her presence amusing. He had killed her daughter and now she was defending him. Harry wanted to tell her the truth and see what she would do. Her green was filled with hurt and Harry was curious to see if her red would influence the desire for revenge through her green.

He smirked at his Jury. He looked half bored, half amused. To the others it felt like Harry was saying he was guilty and he didn't care what they thought. He only cared about the time that was being wasted because of this trial business.

He saw the pale red of Dolores Umbridge, emoting a weak and venomous nature. Her yellow was acid coloured and there seemed to be a lot of interaction between her yellow, red and blue. She was planning something unpleasant. That's what the colours told him.

Dolores Umbridge hated him at first sight. Her hand shivered in the excitement of imagining her prospects in the Ministry ladder once she succeeded.

Pius Thicknesse cleared his throat and glanced at Percy.

"Right," Percy said brightly. Harry noticed he was the only one who's orange was glowing bright. Percy was enjoying himself.

Harry smiled at the thin and tall redhead. He was beginning to enjoy himself too. His adrenaline was beginning to flow faster.

"Harry James Potter," Percy began formally. "You stand accused of goblin slaughter by the Goblins of Gringotts. How do you plead?"

Dumbledore had given Harry a full breakdown of what he had to say. He had repeated told Harry to say not guilty and keep quiet. Andromeda Tonks would do all the talking and if things went sour Dumbledore made Harry promise he would not react.

Harry turned his eyes on Dumbledore's calm blue. Dumbledore was hiding behind occlumency. Harry could see the headmaster was not at rest. He was holding breath for Harry to say the right words.

Harry smiled politely. "Not guilty," he said.

The breath Dumbledore was holding was released subtly.

"You deny killing four goblins with an unauthorised spell?" Pius Thicknesse asked. Harry felt his voice was like a boot sliding against slime.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the man. He oddly had red faintly around the violet of around his forehead. It was strange. Harry had never seen something like that before.

"Mrs Tonks will speak for me," Harry said, his voice barely a whisper and yet clearly audible. He nodding at the dark haired woman.

Dumbledore felt relief flood his blood. It was done.

Andromeda presented a bunch of parchment to Umbridge. "Written and signed statements and sequence of events," she said firmly. Her dark eyes looked down on Umbridge with superiority. Andromeda Tonks was the pureblood all pureblood families wished their girls would be. When she had rejected all marriage proposals from upstanding families and married a muggleborn for love there had been outrage.

It was all everyone could talk about a during that time in the past and when Greengrass died her husband became the source of hatred that was born from her decision to marry him. That was, at least, the way the other purebloods saw it.

Andromeda and Ted saw the source of the hatred quite clearly. It was bigotry plain and simple. They fought in silence for years and when Lucius Malfoy; the source of pain for hundreds of muggleborns became minister, they refused to fight silently anymore. The death of their daughter, however, had shaken them terribly. They were heart broken and they blamed the Ministry.

Only Dumbledore suspected the truth. Harry Potter was the real monster.

"Excuse me Tonks," Umbridge simpered. "This is supposed to be a preliminary trial. We have to ask questions and decide if there is to be an immediate sentencing or if a trail before the ministry is necessary."

"If you have any questions," Tonks replied smoothly, "You can ask after reading our statement of events."

Umbridge scowled and the veins in her wide and short neck stood out purple.

"Mrs Tonks," she began cruelly.

"Take the statement Umbridge," Thicknesse interrupted. "I suppose this means you're leaving the decision in our hands Headmaster Dumbledore?"

Dumbledore knew what he talking about. Thicknesse was getting down to the real question of it. Was Dumbledore going to try and stop the trial or not.

Dumbledore turned to Tonks. She was Harry's appointed representative after all. And she knew what Dumbledore wanted.

"The Ministry can review our statement and get back to us with the final decision," she said.

Pius Thicknesse turned to Umbridge. Getting the blood was her test. He had strict instructions not to interfere. This was the Dark Lord's game and his rules applied.

Umbridge's lips trembled. Her whole plan revolved around poisonous question for Harry Potter. Her mind raced, half in panic and half in anger. Suddenly her glare vanished and she smiled, putting on a mask of agreement.

"Very well," she simpered. Umbridge opened the clip of her pink bag and summoned an official parchment. Another flick of her small wand and an inkpot and quill rose out. The quill flew out of the pot and began to scribble on the parchment. Seconds ticked by and when the sound of feather tip scratching against parchment stopped, the parchment floated to Tonks.

Andromeda plucked the parchment out of the air and after she was done reading she scoffed. "The signed statement is in the bunch Dolores," she said.

It was basically a letter that stated the submitted writings were true.

"Then Mr Potter wouldn't mind signing it with a blood quill would he?" she asked triumphantly. Umbridge glanced at Dumbledore who looked annoyed and Harry who was scowling. What was a blood quill? Harry wondered. Umbridge's colours had changed. Her yellow was sinking into the red of desperation.

"This is not a blood feud or Gringotts. There is no need for a blood quill Dolores," Dumbledore said.

"Blood is binding Headmaster Dumbledore. This is an official statement and all official statements have to be signed in blood as per the new Ministry bylaw regarding the functioning of a court house."

"Convenient," Andromeda spat. Blood quill were barbaric tools. It had been long since the practice of signing in blood was stopped. The gesture was purely symbolic and unnecessary.

Harry on the other hand didn't think so. Finally, her colours made sense. This was her plot.

Umbridge put her stubby fingers that were crowned with large rings holding precious stones into her purse and pulled out a black quill.

The moment Harry saw the quill he saw it's purpose. It would forcibly extract blood from the point where skin first made contact. Blood was powerful. His studies with runes had taught him that. "Why do you want my blood?" he asked the plump government official who was wearing a soft pink cardigan that gave Harry an irrational urge to burn.

Dumbledore's eyes widened. So this was the plan. Voldemort wanted Harry's blood! Blood of an enemy was a powerful ingredient for dark resurrection rituals.

The atmosphere thickened with tension. Fear rolled out of Umbridge. She had thought she would not get caught. She had overestimated her intelligence. She was being pushed into a corner.

"It is standard procedure now," Umbridge said her voice trembling.

Umbridge stood up and Dumbledore's fingers slipped into the pocket of his robes and grasped his wand. His eyes were on Pius. The man was a formidable duellist.

Umbridge snatched the parchment from Andromeda, walked to Harry and stuck out the quill. "It's just a signature Mr Potter. You are free to go after this."

Percy Weasley held his breath and never stopped scribbling. He didn't understand what was happening and he focused on doing his job which was recording all that was being said and done.

Harry stretched his arm and gently took the quill from Umbridge. He looked at it and saw the dark energy that was sealed in the quill. Harry looked into her pale brown eyes that didn't hid the malevolence that corroded her heart and then with his other hand, he snapped the quill in two.

"No," he said simply and dropped the broken pieces on the floor.

Umbridge saw red. She snarled and drew her wand to attack and was blasted off her feet by Dumbledore.

She was blasted into the oak entrance door of the office and she fell in a heap on the floor while coughing blood.

Pius stood up and Dumbledore turned his wand on the head of the Auror office but the man didn't draw his wand. He looked mildly amused.

"Care to explain this Pius?" Dumbledore asked with warning in his voice.

"My apologies headmaster. Dolores actions are shocking. I have no idea why she acted so. Not to mention the bylaw about blood quills is a lie."

Dolores was in pain after that unpleasant banishing spell but she looked up at Pius with betrayal in her eyes.

Pius smiled at her nastily and collected the bunch of parchment she had left on her chair. "We will review your explanation and owl Mr Potter when our decision is made.

Dolores. Stand down. Your behaviour is unbecoming of a Ministry official."

"But -" Dolores shrieked.

She was stunned by Dumbledore.

"What game is this Pius?" the headmaster asked with a frown. He glanced at Harry who was eyeing Dolores curiously. Dumbledore was glad Harry had listened and stood down no matter what. He wondered what had made Harry listen to him. The boy's mind was unreadable.

"No game headmaster. We came to hear Mr Potter's side of the story and now, as per his representative – Mrs Tonks, we have got it."

Andromeda was confused. She wasn't able to understand what had just happened. Why had Dolores attacked Harry?

Dumbledore narrowed his eyes and magic thickened around him. He was done playing games. "What is Voldemort planning?" he asked coldly.

Percy and Andromeda gasped. You Know Who?!

Pius's eyes flickered red and Dumbledore's eyes widened. Pius was being controlled? But he didn't sense the Imperius nor a Confundus curse or possession. What magic was this?

"The Dark Lord died almost fifteen years ago Headmaster," Pius said softly. He stood up. "I thank you for your cooperation Mr Potter."

Harry sat that quietly after Umbridge had turned violent with a tiny smile on his lips and an empty look in his eyes. Those eyes scared Pius Thicknesse. It reminded him of the time the Dark Lord sat alone on his throne. Planning. Scheming. What followed was always death.

Pius quickly averted his eyes. He had never been brave enough to face up to such eyes.

"Would you like to keep Dolores or am I free to take her with me?"

"Take her," Dumbledore said. He lowered his wand but never removed his eyes from Pius.

"Come on, let's go Weasley," Pius muttered. He flicked his wand at Umbridge, levitating her, and tossed some floo power into the fire place. "Ministry of Magic Auror Division," he shouted.

The flames turned green and one by one, the three from the ministry vanished into the fire.

A breath later Andromeda turned to Dumbledore with fear in her eyes. Dumbledore met her gaze with silence and turned his eyes on Harry.

"Thank you Harry. You can leave."

Harry slid off his chair and silently left the office.

Dumbledore then flicked his wand and his office rearranged itself into its original form. "Andromeda. Would it possible for you to take me to Ted and the rest of the rebellion leaders?"

"Tell me what's going on Albus."

"Lord Voldemort has returned," Dumbledore said simply.

Terror began to spin a web in Andromeda's gut. She had not forgotten the horror of the last war.

Malfoy Manor Dungeons - Near Midnight

"My Lord. They have arrived."

All ingredients have been bought and Voldemort himself had readied the potion. The last ingredients to join the potion were flesh of the servant, bone of the father and blood of the enemy forcibly taken.

Voldemort glanced at Lucius. "Send them in," he said.

Pius Thicknesse walked in first. He was followed by three hooded figures.

Voldemort's eyes burned red with passion. His true knights had returned.

The three stood still for a moment, their bodies rigid with shock. The Dark Lord looked different but none of them failed to recognize his presence. They knelt on one knee simultaneously and bowed their heads in reverence.

"My Lord," choked a female voice in disbelief and joy. It was hoarse with disuse and rich with femininity.

"Rise and remove your hoods," Voldemort said softly.

The Malfoy Manor dungeons were carved out of solid rock that served as foundation for the ancient house. The stretched for about a mile in a spiral beneath the surface and on both sides of a main path were prison cells large enough to fit barely four people. The cells numbered in thousands. The downward spiral of dungeons went at least ten stories below however only the top two levels had been used for other purposes in the last hundred years. The entrance to the dungeon was from a secret entrance under a secret chamber below the living room.

Sticks of fire were held in metal brackets, fixed at long intervals, to bask enough light for them to see each other and the bars of steel clearly.

One by one, the four removed their hoods.

They were Voldemort's most reliable Knights. Their station was above that of Lucius as well.

The faces were revealed. A woman with untamed and thinned curly black hair. Her face was hollowed and lined with age and suffering but her wide, strange purple eyes and large smile revealed crooked yellow teeth painted a different story. This was Bellatrix Lestrange.

Beside her was a tall man, bald with the tattoo of a dragon stretching up from his neck over the side of his wrinkled face and ending with fire billowing atop his head. He too, looked ecstatic. His name was Rudolphus Lestrange. He preferred a cleaver over a wand.

Behind them stood a boy who looked like he had been starved and neglected for years. His name was Regulus Black. He had dark black hair and pale blue eyes that reflected a calm indifference.

"Welcome back my dear loyal friends," Voldemort said with a dark smile. "Welcome back."

"I never doubted," whispered Regulus. "I always knew you would return."

"Not yet I haven't," Voldemort replied. "Tonight, however, in the presence of my Loyal, I will return to my true self and reignite our dream of a pure and untainted Britain."

The dream bloomed in the hearts of those around him. All of them wished it. Dreamt it. Wanted to do it by themselves. It was only Lord Voldemort who had united them under his power. And after almost fifteen years of darkness, they could see the light again.

"Bring the rest in Lucius," Voldemort commanded.

Lucius bowed and went deeper into the dungeons and for a moment disappeared in the darkness. Metal clanged in the darkness and when Lucius returned he was followed by two men. The shorter of the two came into light and everyone in the rock cut dungeon recognized Peter Pettigrew. He looked worse than all of them combined.

It was not Peter who surprised them all. It was the man behind who shocked the former prisoners of Azkaban.

His messy black hair was easily recognizable. His brown eyes were glazed with the film of a strong imperius curse.

It was James Potter.

Voldemort had never intended to go after Harry Potter's blood. It was a smoke screen meant to lower the guard around the pure-blood enemy whose half-blood son had defeated him.

Lucius released the curse and brown eyes blinked rapidly in confusion.

"W-where am I?" he asked childishly.

"Welcome… Lord Potter," Voldemort said with an evil smile.