Here I go playing in JKR's sandbox again

Sorry for the wait, folks. I just lost my muse. Short chapter. Covers a LOT of time. Trying to get motivated again.

Chapter 10

December 18, 1995

DADA Classroom

Neville and Harry were just finishing a practice duel. Hunter made a few suggestions on their technique. It was then that a young Slytherin entered with a note from Dumbledore for Hunter.

A meeting with the headmaster was not high on Hunter's list, but It was of little consequence. Harry and Neville were both leery of this meeting, but Hunter instructed them to return to their dorm and pack for the train home for the yule break.

When Hunter arrived, he found once again Snape with Dumbledore there. "My apologies Headmaster, I have a habit for entering before you finished with your previous meeting." Dumbledore just waved his apology off. "No apology necessary my boy. Professor Snape will be here for the meeting as well, as it concerns both of you."

Hunter was already on guard with that comment. Dumbledore began to explain though, before any speculation continued.

"Voldemort has taken quite an interest in you Lord Black." Dumbledore began. "You have been outspoken, certainly, and quite charismatic. You are undoubtedly powerful, as many have seen. In truth, Voldemort sees many of the qualities he himself holds dear." Hunter had heard something similar to that before.

"And how have you learned this headmaster? Your spy here?" Hunter nodded to Snape. The headmaster shook his head and handed Hunter a piece of parchment. "No, it was penned by his own hand. See for yourself." Hunter took the parchment from Dumbledore. But as soon as Dumbledore released it, the parchment glowed and disappeared, along with Hunter Black.

"It is done. Severus, return to your quarters and prepare to take over DADA when the term begins. Lord Black will not be returning."

Hunter Black landed on his bum, and furious at what had just occurred. "A port-key. That miserable, lying, no-good, traitorous goat-fucking bastard made a port key!" Hunter ranted before he hard the hissing voice of his new host.

"Such language, and in regards to the illustrious headmaster. Unbecoming of a noble lord such as yourself. Wouldn't you agree, Lord Black?" Hunter didn't have to look to know who his new host was. It was Voldemort.

Hunter righted himself and banished two of Voldemort's boot-lickers to the walls as he did. "They we're merely assisting you to your feet." Voldemort scolded "And searching my pockets as they did so." Hunter replied. A quick scan of the room and Hunter realized he was in the dining hall of Malfoy Manor. One magical scan of the open chair (obviously intended for him) and Hunter pulled it back before looking at Voldemort, as if asking if he could sit. A nod from Voldemort and Hunter sat. "So, I am told you wish to meet with me…." Hunter began.

Harry awoke from a nightmare. His scar was on fire. He saw Hunter in an elaborate room in a fight for his life against a multitude of Death-eater's. His screams had awakened Neville who was on him instantly.

Harry saw Hunter in a fight with Voldemort and many Death-eater's. Harry felt he had to get to him. To help him. But Neville held firm. "We don't know where he is, how to get there, or who to get to help us. We were told what to do if this type of thing happened. For now, we wait it out."

Harry didn't like it, but Neville was right. Without knowing where this fight was, it was a lost cause. But he wasn't just going to let it go. He sent word to Sirius.

In the morning, Dumbledore approached Harry, telling him to come to headquarters as something had happened to Lord Black. Harry began questioning the old man, as did Neville, but Dumbledore was evading. The plan had been for Harry to spend the holiday with Neville, so Harry asked Neville to take the trunk home while he played along with the headmaster for the evening.

One night is all Harry stayed at headquarters. Harry played along until he caught Dumbledore in a lie and then let loose. Dumbledore knew Hunter was missing but couldn't explain how. Sirius knew but had never mentioned it, and certainly not in the time Dumbledore have learned of it. Either Dumbledore knew what happened or he was reading their outgoing mail. Neither was acceptable. Magical power is useless when you are suffering a kick to the block and tackle. Much to Molly Weasley's dismay, Dumbledore was beaten muggle-style, before Harry stormed out of the room, to the floo and off to the Longbottoms.

When the next term began, Hunter was still missing. Dumbledore knew he wasn't dead, as neither Harry nor Neville had been declared Lord Black. And he knew he wasn't with Tom, as Severus reported the casualties, and the necessity of the Azkaban raid. Black had injured or killed twenty Death-eater's. That included Lucius. Narcissa was holding regency until Draco came of age.

If the Ministry discovered Hunter's absence. There would be a full investigation, so Dumbledore had to cover. This also worried him, because when Black did return, he would be looking to kill his betrayer. Why couldn't these fools just see it was for the greater good, and submit to his utopia?

A month passed before Hunter's disappearance made it to Cornelius Fudge's ears. It wasn't even Umbridge who let the proverbial cat out of the bag. It was Susan Bones, who met with her Aunt Amelia, in Hogsmeade. She immediately tracked down Harry, who explained what he knew and it started the ball rolling. Fudge wasted no time in elevating Deloris to "High Inquisitor" and giving her almost absolute power in Hogwarts.

In a perfect world, (well perfect for Dumbledore, Fudge or Umbridge) the push for the trial for Sirius Black would have stalled when the power for said push, Lord Black, disappeared. Instead, Amelia Bones pushed harder and faster. The apparent kidnapping of Lord Black had proved beyond any doubt in her mind, that not only was Sirius Black innocent, but that there was a plot to eradicate the House of Black.

"NOT ON MY WATCH IT DOESN'T!" she roared from her desk. But for all the power she put into this trial, she was being derailed or outright blocked at every turn. January became February, which flowed to March and still no trial. AND still no Lord Black.

Hogwarts had turned into a police state. Hunter, if he could see it, would have said it was worse than he had endured. It was almost rivaling Voldemort's Hogwarts when Snape was Headmaster. Slytherins and many ministry-syccophantic students had become untouchable, and there was at least one in every house.

McLaggen enjoyed the power he had been gifted, and was using it for it's full measure until Harry and Neville cut his legs out from underneath him. Literally! That also finished the power trip of others like Cho's friend Marietta Edgecombe. It did not curb the Slytherins though.

Umbridge, with her Educational Decrees, had worked her way through and eliminated Dumbledore by trying to have him arrested. Dumbledore, as he had in the other timeline, just escaped via Fawkes. That was in March. As It was almost April, Umbridge felt she was secure.

One thing that certainly did not go according to her plan was the blood quill. When Umbridge tried to use them on Harry an Neville, following the handling of McLaggen, Harry recognized it for what it was. Harry openly argued with the toad and challenged her so much that she never saw Neville call a Longbottom elf to him. Neville followed suit and had his elf take it to Augusta Longbottom.

"I severely hope that I am mistaken, and this is not a blood quill Madame Umbridge. For the use of such, on the lord, head, of heir of an Ancient and Noble House, would give them the right to call for a duel to the death. You would make that kind of mistake with a journyman swordsman would you?" Harry drawled almost Malfoy-like.

Umbridge realized her plan had failed and went to take the quill back. Harry held it back in a game of muggle keep-away until Umbridge used her wand and incinerated the quill in Harry's hand. Harry, seeing a wand drawn upon him, fired a bone-breaking hex at his attacker, sending her broken body to the wall and left her unconcious.

Umbridge retalliated with detentions scheduled until Harry graduated. Unfortunately, that was when a raging dragon known as Augusta Longbottom stormed in. Minister Fudge and several aurrors trying to subdue her. Umbridge spent two more weeks in the care of Madam Pomfrey due to the attack Augusta completed before Amelia Bones could calm her down. Fudge had found a way to sweep the whole incident under the rug though. He couldn't go after the Dowager Longbottom without sinking his Undersecretary. But Amelia couldn't prosecute Umbridge without condemning Augusta. The warning had been heard though and Umbridge was much more careful now.

April 5, 1996

After months of obstacles, Amelia Bones was finally able to get a trial for Sirius Black. She could not lose the arguments. She had proof, a lack of trial, and a defendant willing to take veritas serum. But with the corruption rampant in the ministry, Black could still be sentenced.

Fudge sat as Judge and there was a packed court. Amelia could win, but it was going to be a battle. Fudge read the charges and began the trial. Just as Amelia began to speak, the doors to the hall were blasted open. As the dust settled, a pair of glowing orbs advanced and the sound of a peg-leg or walking stick tapped along the floor.

Eyes went wider than the Black Lake when Lord Hunter Sirius Black bellowed "Fudge, you bloody traitor!" Hunter, walking with what appeared to be a muggle crutch, was followed by a strange group of aurrors. The leader stood as his team surrounded the Minister. "Cornelius Oswald Fudge, by order of the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, you are under arrest!"