I certainly have no rights to Harry Potter, but this won't stop me writing this story. However, you probably already know this. As it is my specialty, and as in my other big stories, this shows how things go if something went different right at the beginning. Please note that I'm not a fan of bashing and also don't expect the two main pairings to differ from canon. However, the path to them certainly will be quite different. I also want to try and subvert certain plots and things that became common in the fandom over the years.
I do my normal rythm of publishing every second Saturday, until the year is complete. Then the story will go on hiatus again to give me time to write ahead so I can have a publishing schedule.
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Chapter 64: Ministry Under Siege, Part I - Apology Gone Awry
Minerva McGonagall looked thoughtful while walking to the teachers' lounge. Today had been the day of career advice for the fifth-year students, and like every year she had heard multiple students ask her why they were given that only years after having chosen their electives. She honestly understood that it would have made more sense to give the advice before the selection of electives, alas, even the Headmaster had not managed to make a change despite trying.
The career advice for her Gryffindors had been... interesting, to put it that way. Some clearly needed more help while others were pretty sure in what they wanted to do.
I have to impress on Miss Brown to take her studies more seriously. She has to learn that life does not work like those stories in her magazines, she thought, knowing that Lavender was one of her more problematic cases.
Entering the teachers' lounge, she saw that the only other person present was Slughorn. He looked up from the sweets he was testing out and waved her over. "Ah, Minerva! Want one?"
Taking one look at the sweets, which seemed to be more sugar than anything else, she decided to not even bother. "Sorry, Horace, but I have to decline."
"Afraid of sugar shock?" Slughorn joked, before his expression turned a bit sad. "I've been back early since the Slytherin fifth years were not so numerous for career advice."
McGonagall knew what that was about. After what happened, Slughorn had become highly reluctant to give career advice to former members of the Inquisition due to all trust being lost in them. Considering that with Malfoy, Parksinson, Crabbe and Goyle four of the ten fifth year Slytherin students were on that list, and all four had openly declared to skip on career advice, it had resulted in Slughorn having the least work during advice day.
"Any students that were interesting?" she asked him, knowing Slughorn liked to talk about such things.
"Oh, most are as expected, but Mr. Dursley did stand out, since he openly admitted that after school he wished to first attended a non-magical school for adults to get a degree there. That answer honestly baffled me a bit," Slughorn admitted.
"It's not as unusual as you think," McGonagall said while pouring herself some tea. "Mr. Dursley is the first muggleborn student you've had in a long time at career advice and times have changed. The majority of the muggleborn students nowadays seeks non-magical education after they are done with Hogwarts. You couldn't have known that due to your house only recently getting muggleborn students again."
"Fascinating... Maybe I should ask Miss Granger at the next meeting of the Slug Club about it," Slughorn mused. "Speaking of, anything interesting with your students?"
McGonagall sat down in one of the seats. "Well, I impressed on them that despite them already having future plans, it always a good idea to have something solid in case their plans don't go as expected. Like Mr. Weasley for example. He's a very gifted chess player and is preparing for a great future there, but I convinced him that having something solid to fall back on in case things don't work out is a good thing. He's honestly thinking about getting a license as a Quidditch trainer."
"Ah, speaking of them, I have followed their thoughts about the future with interest," Slughorn told her.
"Of course you did..." Slughorn's activities were no secret and she knew he was putting a special interest on the Six.
McGonagall then continued "Talking to them, their interests were confirmed. Miss Granger is highly interested in politics but knows she needs a career to make money, and she picked law. Mr. Longbottom is financially secure and it's his fondest wish to become a herbologist. Miss Lovegood knows she will take part in her father's publication of the Quibbler, but also wants to become a researcher for magical creatures. Miss Weasley wants to play professional Quidditch, but she also is planning for the case that that doesn't work out."
"I knew it. They are all careful and that is good. What about Harry, you left him out?" Slughorn remarked.
McGonagall sighed. "He knows he doesn't need the money, so he's following his passion. I'm blaming Sirius that Harry has developed a serious interest in going into law enforcement."
"Ah yes, I've known about his godfather's day job for a while and I find it remarkable that someone as rich as him lives so humbly and actually has a day job. Not giving him the proper attention was one of my bigger blunders." Slughorn looked quite regretful.
McGonagall knew Slughorn was still kicking himself for not seeing the potential Sirius held. "You know, the truly interesting part is, that all six of them have made the decision to get a non-magical education after Hogwarts."
"All of them?" Now Slughorn looked truly interested. "Could it be that Magical Britain feels... too small for them?"
McGonagall knew it was not that. "I actually asked and they told me they want that, having a feeling that the future job market of Magical Britain wouldn't be very favorable, even for them."
Slughorn finally understood. "They don't think Magical Britain will come out of this in good shape, do they?" he asked, now being a bit nervous.
"They don't. Horace, be honest with me, do you really think things will stay the same after the sheer level of utter failure the Ministry demonstrated this year?" McGonagall asked Slughorn.
Slughorn for his part looked a bit more nervous now, but decided to face the truth. "I tried to not think about it... The ramifications were simply... Does it mean they think the Ministry is going to lose the war?"
"That's one interpretation, but the much more likely one is, that they feel that the war will uproot everything."
The thought left both teachers with an uneasy feeling. Even during the last war their world had seemed so stable, they had never thought it would get uprooted. Back then however, the Ministry had still been in while not good then at least serviceable shape. This time however, after watching the many failures of the Ministry, the thought that their whole world could get turned on its head now no longer seemed so far-fetched.
...Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, May 25th...
This was the final Quidditch game of the school year - tactfully set a bit before the final exams - and it was Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff.
This year the situation however was a bit complicated. Slytherin had lost their own game the previous week against Ravenclaw, meaning that as of the moment, both, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, had two wins, while Gryffindor only had one. This meant that Gryffindor had to win this game - and that with a good point margin - in order to have a chance to still win the cup.
However, the highly shameful way in which Slytherin had gotten their second victory due to Draco brutalizing the other side - Ginny in particular - made things different from normal. The Syltherin team had been willing to have that game annulled, but due to technical reasons that was not possible. Thus the Syltherin Captain had announced that should they win the cup, they would forfeit it right away, thus making the second place winner the actual champions.
Up on the stands there was discussion about the game.
"It was good that your Captain right away declared that your team would never accept the Cup should you win it. After what Malfoy did during that game, it would literally be sullied with blood should you have accepted it," Hermione said while they waited for the teams to enter.
Dudley grimaced, remembering how Draco had brutalized Ginny. "There was no way we would have accepted it. Had he not decided that, there would have been a mutiny."
"Yes, the reputation of Slytherin had suffered quite a bit due to the majority of the Inquisition coming from our House, so we really want to show we are not like that," Millicent agreed, thinking about the changes their House had gone through ever since the fall of Umbridge.
Instead of turning Slytherin into a den of bigotry, hatred and supremacist views, the radical students had instead accomplished the opposite: they had erased their influence and even presence from the House. With them being isolated and soon gone, Slytherin was free of such influences for the first time in decades. Granted, that also was an accomplishment, but most certainly not the one Malfoy and company had thought it should happen.
"In a way there is a big irony. They wanted to use their terror to 'cleanse' Slytherin and mold it according to their ideas due to their power slipping away. The only thing they have accomplished, is, that Slytherin is now cleansed of them. We know for sure we won't see any of them again after this year," Daphne then explained in more detail.
"Good riddance. Must be a big relief for all of you," Neville remarked, feeling that should make everyone's lives easier.
"You could say so. No longer having to share a dorm with Parkinson finally allows me to relax," Daphne agreed, then looked around. "Ah, there is Astoria and her friends. They know Hufflepuff has no chance anymore to win the Cup, so it's just their team wanting to give it their best. Their team has not recovered from losing Cedric."
"They would have lost Cedric either way, but the brutal way it happened ensured they wouldn't find their spirit for the game this year," Luna observed. "They never managed to find closure due to what happened this year."
That was a fact no one really liked to talk about. While Cho Chang had been affected badly by Cedric's death and subsequently lost her enthusiasm for Quidditch, resulting in her losing her place in the team, with Huffepuff it was the entire team and they could hardly replace the whole main team. They had lost both of their previous games and their chances for winning this one were slim.
"Ah, there they are." Neville used his omnioculars. "Interesting, both team are wearing black armbands."
"Black armbands? Then they want to show respect for Cedric, since they had not been capable of doing so before," Hermione concluded.
"Attention. May everyone stand up for a minute of silence to honor Cedric Diggory."
All students did so and showed their respect for the late Cedric. The teams then shook hands and promised a fair, clean game with no fouls; just pure skill deciding the winner. And soon enough the game started and gave everyone a positive surprise.
"It's indeed a very fair game," Millicent remarked after observing things for a while. "However, it's obvious that Huffepuff is at the disadvantage."
"As I said, they have not found their spirit for the game. They need some more time," Luna repeated before munching on a pretzel that Neville had given her (the elves having gotten the idea to provide snacks for the games).
Up in the air, Ron saw that the re-united team was very much motivated, which was a stark contrast to the atmosphere of the last game. He had given out the general tactic to make as many points as possible and for Harry to delay getting the snitch, even if it meant blocking the way for the Hufflepuff seeker, which was a fair tactic.
Let's hope they don't get the snitch, since if they do then all the strategy would have been for nothing, he thought, before blocking a quaffle shot.
Despite having to play fair, Fred and George had a lot of fun in their very definitely last Quidditch game at Hogwarts. Following that would be the NEWT exams, and they both by now only wanted it to be over with - and very much wanted a good result so they wouldn't be in breach of contract. They had already found the premises and everything was arranged, they just needed to finish school before they could build their shop for real.
"Damn it, George, put your attention on the Hufflepuff chasers and not on Angelina!" Fred barked to his twin.
"Oh, eh... yes, Fred!" George still was astonished how him getting a steady girlfriend had made him so different from his twin in that regard, especially since Fred and Parvati ultimately had decided to stay just friends.
The game went on for some time, Harry actually blocking a few attempts of the Hufflepuff chaser to get the snitch, until he saw a hand sign from Ron, meaning he felt they now had enough points and he should go for the snitch. That was a relief for Harry.
About time, I was starting to feel bad for my Hufflepuff counterpart... Harry then started to search for the snitch to end things.
"Ah, Harry as spotted the snitch!" Neville called shortly later when seeing Harry suddenly race to a point at the other end of the pitch, the Hufflepuff chaser hot on his heels. "He got it! He got it!"
Loud cheers erupted from the Gryffindor section of the stands at this win, Harry proudly presenting the snitch to the crowd before landing and in a gesture of fair play shaking hands with the Hufflepuff chaser. However, first the points needed to be calculated and that meant waiting until Madam Hooch would announce the final result.
"Let's hope you made the right call," Harry said to Ron while they waited.
"I honestly hope so as well." Ron felt nothing would be more embarrassing than not winning the Cup due to him giving the signal too early.
Finally, after several minutes, the result was in. "Your attention please! As of the finally tally, 40 points ahead of Ravenclaw, on the first place, is Gryffindor!"
Now there was no stopping the cheering. Many Gryffindors ran down the stairs and onto the pitch, carrying the entire team on their hands and shoulders and toward where the Headmaster sat, who was ready to give the Cup to the rightful winners.
After all the things that had happened at the school over the year, this finally was something they could enjoy without any problem.
...Hogwarts, June 10th...
"Talk about difficult... Thank all goodness this is now over," Ron sighed while letting himself fall into the grass close to the shore of the lake. Many other students had the same idea while some were playing with the giant squid.
"And the funny thing? That were only the OWLs. Just imagine how difficult the NEWTs will be," Ginny reminded her brother, her own stress level showing.
"Did you have to remind me, Ginny?" Ron groaned, closing his eyes for the moment. "I know for sure that I won't get an OWL in History. The utter repetitiveness blurred all those events together in my mind."
There were grunts of agreement, his friends making no secret that History of Magic was not their favorite topic. Seeing even Luna agree with Ron, Hermione sighed. "I admit it, even I needed to concentrate in order to not lose track of the correct events."
Considering her sheer academical powers, Hermione admitting that meant something.
"Regardless what kind of grade I get in Astronomy, and regardless how awesome the planetarium is, I know I won't continue with it. It has no practical use," Harry said while cleaning his glasses.
"An understandable position, though I myself try to keep Astronomy. Its connection to Divination is important to me," Luna said while enjoying the sun shining in her face. Even she had been worn down by the stress and now only wanted to relax.
"I know for sure I won't get an OWL in Transfiguration, I simply don't have enough talent in that regard. However, I'm very optimistic about Charms," Neville admitted, being pretty sure had had not done well in the Transfiguration exam.
"I still think it was the funniest thing seeing Snape's expression when the testers for Defense spoke so highly of him teaching so many students the Patronus charm," Ron thought aloud with a fond look. "I wish someone had made a photo."
"Better be careful. You know what happens to those that land on his bad side," Hermione warned her boyfriend.
They did remember the punishments Snape gave, though nothing could compare to the tense atmosphere when Snape had tested them on everything they had learned on their own, until he had shown to be satisfied. Still, the way Snape had tried so hard to keep his expression neutral while being praised for 'his good work', had been comedy gold which had threatened to break their concentration. Though none of them had laughed, since they knew there otherwise would have been hell to pay.
"It would be unwise to make an enemy of him," Luna remarked dryly.
"But speaking of Defense, I have the feeling that despite everything I won't get an O in that. I'm simply better at theory," Hermione admitted, looking a bit ashamed.
"Relax, you don't need a perfect score. Don't put so much pressure on yourself," Ron told her, trying to reassure her. "Remember, it's OK if there are things you are not really good at, just like you don't enjoy being on a broom."
Hermione blushed a little that Ron was doing this right in front of their friends, but on the other hand nothing could top their PDA right after they managed to avoid getting killed by Umbridge. But Ron was right, she didn't need a perfect result, just a good one that would net her an OWL. It's the same as with flying, which she didn't love, but she nonetheless had learned to safely use a boom.
"I wonder if I should take Alchemy next year. Professor Dumbledore is teaching that if there is demand," Hermione wondered, knowing one needed good marks in Transfiguration and Potions for that.
"Alchemy reminds me of that damn stone causing all of our trouble back in first year. Also, what do you want to give up so it fits into your schedule?" Harry wondered, knowing Hermione's schedule already was packed.
"True..." She was highly reluctant to give up any subject, being driven to excel now less due to outside expectation but due her own ambitions.
"I say: don't worry about that now. Just let go of your worries..." Neville suggested, not even bothering to open his eyes.
"Very true. We now we have two whole weeks of sweet doing nothing..." Ginny sighed in bliss, knowing they would need the time to recover from the stress.
"Not entirely. You remember the lessons with the Headmaster still continue," Luna reminded her friend.
"I honestly can't decide what's worse; Snape being like a drill sergeant in our regular lessons or us being afraid to disappoint Dumbledore in our special lessons," Harry mused.
That also was a development that had set in after Umbridge was gone. Dumbledore indeed had started to teach them things they needed to know in order to defend themselves better - things which were not part of the normal lesson plan. The point was to prepare them, and with the open outbreak of the war that was more important than ever. After all, Voldemort was not only after Harry, he also now for sure had a score to settle with all of them.
"Nonetheless, we do need those lessons. Remember what happened last week," Harry then reminded his friends.
They did remember. "You mean the failed attempt to collapse that bridge pylon? Thank God that was stopped in time." Hermione did look a bit uneasy, since it had happened a bit too close to her hometown. "Without those good Samaritans discovering it in time..."
They knew all who Hermione meant with that. Though they of course didn't know for sure, since after all they hardly were in the direct information loop, they had enough information to puzzle together that it had been agents from MI-X who had prevented that sabotage at the last moment. Sadly, they had a feeling that the Death Eaters would try again and God only knew what kind of damage they would cause.
And the worst thing? Those attacks on non-magical targets didn't even serve any purpose in the war itself. The Death Eaters only did that out of their hatred of people without magic and as a demonstration of power to show how unprepared the Ministry was.
"I honestly don't want to imagine them succeed with something that big. The death toll would be horrible." Neville looked disturbed by the very idea, wondering how people could be that sick to commit murder to either to make a statement or just for fun.
"Looks like you got through your OWLs in one piece."
Looking up they saw that Remus had approached them. "Oh, hello Uncle Remus. No more exams you have to conduct?" Harry asked, always enjoying Remus' presence.
"All done, and I can proudly proclaim that I managed to help my students to make up for all the damage that Umbridge caused." Remus clearly took great pride in the fact that he had managed in less than two months to undo the damage done by Umbridge due to her unwillingness to teach the students anything.
"I do have a question? Did you struggle much with your OWLs in your school time?" Luna asked, remembering that even she had been sweating a bit in some topics.
"Surprisingly, no. Remember, I was the egghead of the group, so I had prepared properly and at the start of my NEWT years had the free choice which subjects I wanted to continue, since I passed all of them. Prongs on the other hand had some weak subjects and Padfoot was sweating bullets in some subjects and failed those. Of course being young and dumb back then, they tried to hide it with bravado," Remus told them, though he most certainly didn't want to remember one certain bad incident that happened before the last exam.
While they talked, Ginny did notice something; a detail no one had noticed up until now. Granted, Ginny was far from being a girly girl, but there were some quite stereotypically feminine behaviors in her, and this was one of them.
"Eeehhh?! Mr. Lupin, is that a wedding band on your finger?" Ginny asked, sounding a lot like a stereotype she disliked, while pointing at Remus' left hand.
The others saw it as well and Harry gave Remus an interesting look. "Uncle Remus, is there something you need to tell us? I bet it's about Dora."
"I knew I couldn't hide it forever..." Remus muttered, before deciding to come clean. "You see, after what happened in Diagon Alley, I proposed to Dora and she accepted right away."
"This sounds quite romantic," Luna said, sporting an expression that made it clear she was imagining herself in such a position. "Though, why didn't we hear of the wedding?"
"Oh, it happened the previous weekend. It was a small and private ceremony, just the two of us, Andromeda, Ted and Sirius. We had planned to reveal it to all of you once school is over," Remus explained, sounding sorry for not saying anything.
"Is it because you wanted it that way, or because you didn't want to present a huge target?" Ron asked a bit bluntly, ignoring the annoyed look Hermione was giving him.
"Actually, it's both," Remus admitted. "Andromeda was disappointed, but Dora and me simply are not that big on spectacular ceremonies. Though of course the security problem played a big part as well."
It was another reminder of how dangerous the times already had become that Remus and Dora had to think of the security aspect of their wedding and thus scale down their plans. At least they never had any big plans at all, but considering what they had heard from Bill and Fleur, that would become a serious problem with their wedding - yes, they had gotten the news that Bill had proposed and Fleur had accepted - since Mrs. Weasley would want a big ceremony for her oldest son.
"However, now that I'm a taken man, there is one thing I want from all of you..." Remus saw he had their attention. "I know all of you are still struggling with it, but please only call me by my first name. I honestly never want to hear 'Mr. Lupin' from you again."
"Uncle Remus, isn't that a bit childish?" Harry groaned.
"No, since I feel incredibly awkward that your friends still call me that at times. I think by now we should be familiar enough with each other. You had no problem doing the same with Padfoot," Remus reminded them.
"It's because you radiate authority, while Sirius, despite his job, is... well, Sirius," Ginny lamely tried to explain it.
"You also call Diane by her name," Remus reminded them.
They knew they couldn't win. They also knew they could be prone to slip up, but it looked like 'Mr. Lupin' was a thing of the past for them from this point onward.
...June 19th...
"Please repeat that. I don't think I've heard correctly."
That was the only thing Harry could say after what the Headmaster had relayed to them.
They all had enjoyed their various activities on this Wednesday, secure in the knowledge that there was no more school work for now, when they had been asked to come to the Headmaster's office. Imagine their surprise that not only was the Headmaster present, but also Remus and even Sirius, meaning this had to be something more important. What they they were told had outright baffled them, even Luna having no words.
Dumbledore understood the reason Harry's request, it after all was a bit difficult to believe, thus he decided to give the short answer. "Minister Bones wants to make an official public apology in the name of the Ministry of Magic to the school and asks you, Harry, together with your friends to represent Hogwarts."
"Why us of all people?" Ron asked bluntly.
"Minister Bones had been open in that Umbridge trying to outright murder you played a big role at the selection," Dumbledore explained, playing at the fact that those news had caused big waves.
"And me being the Harry Potter doesn't play a role, right?" Harry asked with biting sarcasm. "They spent the better part of a year trying to paint me as an idiot while treating me horribly, and now think I'll forget all of it?"
"And what about us? Do they just see us as useful extras attached to Harry?" Ginny added, also feeling some bitterness.
"I know what that actually is," Hermione concluded. "The Ministry is in dire need of good news, so they want to present Harry front and center as a big ally of the Ministry, while we are just a bonus. It's all a propaganda move."
"Fat chance!" Harry snorted, seemingly already having decided to tell the Ministry to screw itself.
"All of you, calm down!" Sirius finally barked and the authority in his voice made them fall silent. "We all know how this looks to you, but there are some things you have to consider first. The most important point is, that Bones is not Fudge."
"And what difference does it make?" Harry asked, his trust in the Ministry at an all-time low.
"The difference actually is a big one. I've been working together with Amelia Bones ever since she came into office. She is serious about trying to clean up the Ministry and the war effort. However, Fudge's reign has put so many stones into her path, that she is struggling to move them all aside," Dumbledore started to explain.
"Also, Fudge was a weak man; him being fearful of losing his position to Dumbledore or Sirius and his jealously of your fame had driven his actions. Amelia Bones is nothing like that. After all, yu should remember her from the trial," Remus added.
Harry did remember Amelia Bones from when the Ministry had tried slap Sirius and him with bogus charges after the clash with those dementors. She had been calm, collected and managed to not get drawn into the bullshit the Ministry had set up. From what he had glimpsed, Fudge and Umbridge had not been fond of her, but he guessed that openly going against her would have been suicide.
"Ehm, are you sure? My parents are telling how cutthroat politics are," Neville asked, remembering the explanations his parents had given him.
"I won't deny that, but Amelia's main interest is the fight against Voldemort, not backstab politics," Sirius said, remembering the times had had met with her due to his rising political career.
"All good points, however, as well-founded as your doubts are, I can put them to rest. I of course suspected something in that line as well and had a longer conversation with Amelia," Dumbledore finally said. "I managed to convince myself of the honesty of her offer. She truly is of the mind that the Ministry owes Hogwarts an apology and that the six of you more than anyone else due to the mortal danger you hand been in."
"Then why make such a big production of it?" Ron wondered.
"Alas, as much as Amelia would like to keep it small, the need for the Ministry to openly admit its errors demand what you call 'a big production'. However, she promised me she would keep it strictly professional and strike down any attempt to use you for endorsement of the Ministry," Dumbledore promised them.
"If it makes you feel better, I will be there with you. Not only to give you support, but also to show them how much trust the Ministry has squandered away," Sirius offered. "Don't forget, you can also just decline."
"You want to give us your support as well, Uncle Remus?" Harry asked.
"I would love to, but I better don't enter the Ministry." Remus looked apologetic. "Minister Bones is working to get rid of those anti-werewolf laws that Umbridge created, but until she has done so, I better don't risk it. Though, I think Arthur will be there for sure."
"There is no way Dad would miss giving us his support," Ginny agreed, knowing her father would insist.
The Six then conferred among each other for a few moments, still feeling a bit uneasy with the whole thing. However, it being presented like that, they could get some satisfaction from how much the Ministry had been humbled.
"Should we really do that?" Hermione asked, being more sensitive to such matters. "Nothing against Minister Bones, but considering the sheer level of corruption in the Ministry, I doubt she can manage to fix much, regardless how much effort she puts into it."
"All of this makes me glad I never want to go into politics; it's a huge headache. I'll go with whatever you guys decide," Ron said, feeling it was not his playing field.
"We should let Harry decide," Luna reasoned. "He is the one most affected by this, thus he should be the one to have the final say."
"No pressure, eh?" Harry sighed. "Well, I think we can trust Minister Bones not to try anything funny. Let's give her the benefit of the doubt." Harry then saw his friends agree with him and looked up. "We'll do it, but we'll also ensure before it, that there will be no funny business."
Dumbledore nodded. "Then I'll contact the Minister right away so that she can tell you date and time for the ceremony."
The Six hoped they weren't making a mistake.
...some hours later, the Riddle House...
"And that is what the Ministry has offered them?" Voldemort asked, wanting to make sure.
"Yes, my Lord. They want to make an official apology. Potter and his friends are to represent the entire school, though it is more likely Umbridge trying to murder them plays a significant role at the selection," Snape repeated.
"Interesting... Though of course if not for her already being a cripple, I would skin Umbridge alive for her attempting to kill Potter. No one but me has that privilege," Voldemort thought aloud while scratching his chin. "And their reaction to it?"
"They were highly reluctant to accept, their trust in the Ministry at an all-time low, though in the end they did do so," Snape told him honestly.
Snape honestly didn't want to report this, knowing that nothing good would come out of it, but he knew it was either him, or Voldemort would just get it from a different source and then wonder why he hadn't reported it. Dumbledore had agreed with him that this was the lesser of two evils, as it would ensure Voldemort seeing more value in him. It was a gamble, but it seemed Voldemort was interested.
"So, the Ministry, after slinging mud at them for almost a year, now all of a sudden wants to get back into their good graces? Quite amusing..." Voldemort petted Nagini for a moment. "Severus, it's quite obvious the Ministry is trying to present them as good soldiers for the just cause."
"They will never do that. They are arrogant brats, but they are smart enough to never again trust the Ministry," Snape reminded his Master.
"Of course they won't. After all, why trust someone who put countless knives into your back?" Voldemort mused. "Go back to the school, Severus, and continue your work. Pettigrew will return you to an outside location."
While being escorted away, Snape was still a bit unnerved that he had no idea where this place actually was. It looked like the inside of a mansion, but that could be anywhere and there was no hint on that, especially since the shutters were closed at all times. Add to it that the house was most likely magically hidden - and he disturbingly didn't even know if that actually was the case - and it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Voldemort waited patiently until he was sure Snape was out of the house. As useful as Snape was, there were some things he didn't want him to know about. After all, he had not yet reached that level of usefulness to him. Snape already was rewarded for his cunning with him not altering his mark as he had done for all those who had disappointed him, as well as all the new recruits.
An interesting addition of mine to one of my best inventions. Too bad I held back on using it, but the right moment will come, Voldemort thought.
Finally... "Barty, Amycus, Alecto. To me."
"How can we serve, Master?" Amycus asked while they walked in front of the throne, looking quite eager to do so.
"You have heard what Severus reported to us. What is your opinion on that?" Voldemort asked them.
Alecto snorted. "It's a propaganda move. Despite what they claim, it is intended to boost morale by having their 'savior' and his little friends accept the apologies of the Ministry to present a united front."
"It also is a disgusting display," her brother Amycus added. "They are bending over for those brats just to ensure they won't trip them again."
"Hmmm, crude but to the point. It obviously is intended as a morale booster," Voldemort agreed, pleased that those two, despite not being the most sophisticated of his followers, have seen the Ministry's intentions right away.
"My Lord, I can see that as what it is: a desperation move. Just two months in and the Ministry is already feeling the pressure of our campaign. Alone the number of egos that will be hurt by the Ministry officially apologizing to Potter and his friends will be significant," Barty added, looking thoughtful.
Voldemort nodded in agreement. "You are making a good point, Barty. They would have never done so if not for them being desperate for positive news."
That indeed was true. Over the past month they had done several attacks, making an example of some people who in his opinion had been too bold in opposing his new doctrine. If those attacks alone made the Ministry swallow their pride and apologize to those children than they really had grown weak over the past decade.
"However, you surely don't want to just give them that win, regardless how minor it is. Am I correct?" Barty then deduced.
Voldemort again petted Nagini, the snake enjoying the attention, before he answered. "Indeed, it looks like I have to put my foot down and remind them of how things are. They have to learn that Lord Voldemort is not effectively opposed with such a propaganda show. Instead, I have to teach them a little lesson to show where they truly stand."
"Oh, and Potter being present is a nice bonus, right?" Alecto added.
"Humiliate and kill their savior in front of their very eyes... That would have a dramatic effect." It seemed Voldemort started to like the idea, his old love of grand displays shining through. "I want to eliminate Potter anyway - he has been alive for way too long and could become a true danger to me. I thought about it and this time we need to separate him from his friends, then he'll be at my mercy."
"Which mercy, Master?" Amycus asked.
"Exactly, Amycus." That was answer was telling a lot about Voldemort.
...Ministry of Magic, June 21st...
It felt weird for them to just walk into the Ministry after all what had happened, part of them feeling like this all could be some sort of trick. They knew things had changed, but the loss of trust it was difficult to change their mindset now.
"Uhm, Dad, I remember from that one time you took us to your workplace that there should be more activity than this," Ron remarked when looking around while they were on their way to the office of the Minister for Magic.
Indeed, it was a little surprising that they saw cpmparably few people for something as big as the Ministry. It still was annoying enough that they were being recognized constantly, but the lower number of people still was noticeable. It did create the question of what exactly that meant - exactly what Ron had just asked his father.
"Minister Bones felt that it would be chaos should they do the ceremony while the Ministry is fully staffed. Only the essential people are at work right now, the rest will come in an hour after we are done," Arthur explained.
"That's considerate. It will save security a lot of grief," Luna added while taking in their surroundings. Most of it just was corridors or offices, but she didn't mind. "Though, this place does not look like the den of wickedness Daddy likes to describe it as in his articles."
That made Arthur laugh. "I've read those articles in the Quibbler. Xeno has quite the lively imagination."
"Oh, I think reality tops the Quibbler in this case. After all, we did experience a bureaucracy of evil, which is worse than anything Mr. Lovegood can come up with," Harry said and it was clear he didn't meant it in a funny way.
Luna blinked. "I... never thought of it like that. Interesting."
Sirius saw Arthur flinch a little when hearing that and he understood that as a man who had worked for over two decades in the Ministry, Arthur felt more than anyone else how deep it had fallen. That the children now where openly talking about seeing the Ministry as the den of an evil bureaucracy only underscored how utterly any kind of tust in the institution had been shattered. Even worse, this very well could be permanent damage.
"I honestly don't like the looks I'm getting," Harry complained. "They act like I'm sort sort of Messiah who's going to save them. Strange that it doesn't happen at school."
"Your fellow students don't act like that because they are too young to have experienced the war, so while they know of you, it's more detached. The adults however, who had experienced the war in all its horror..." Sirius tried to explain it. "They are desperate to not experience something like that again and grasp at straws, even if it means believing you are some kind of savior."
"I find it rich that as soon as they knew Voldemort is back they put all those expectations onto me, while before they couldn't have cared less about me," Harry snorted, not being impressed.
"Harry, an honest question: When have you become so cynical?" Sirius asked, looking a bit concerned.
"Don't get me wrong, I haven't suddenly decided that the world is a bad place. But after the crap the Ministry pulled, and especially after Umbridge, my trust in magical authorities is highly limited." Harry tried to hide it, but his disillusionment was undeniable.
"And all of you feel like that?" Arthur asked. He honestly understood perfectly well why they could feel that way, but that only made it more depressing.
"Nothing against you, Dad, and we know there are good people in it, but Ron and me, we both honestly can't trust the Ministry after all the crap they've pulled," Ginny told her father and Ron nodded in agreement.
"The system is utterly failing." That was all Hermione wanted to say, not trusting herself to stay calm if she gave more details.
"I'll be honest. Has all what happened instilled any trust for the Ministry in you?" Neville asked, him not giving a clear answer actually making it obvious how he thought about it.
Luna frowned. "I can not trust a system which has failed so utterly, is this corrupt and fails more with every passing day."
"I just wish we adults wouldn't have put such grim future prospects onto your shoulders," Arthur sighed. He knew it was the failure of cleaning house and reforming the Ministry after the first war which had contributed greatly to the current situation.
"Can I be frank?" Hermione asked and got a nod of approval by the adults. "Considering all we've seen, the Ministry in its current form won't survive the war. I compared that to many other government that already were corrupt and then broke down in a war. I don't know what will replace it, however."
The adults couldn't dispute this.
The members of the Order of the Phoenix didn't like to talk about it, but consensus indeed was, that the Ministry had become too dysfunctional to survive after the war, regardless who wins. The Order however right at the moment had bigger worries than to concern themselves with how Magical Britain would be organized after the war - a war they had to win first to make the problem relevant.
The remaining distance to the office of the Minister they walked in silence, wondering what would become of the future.
Entering the office, they were surprised to see Minister Bones rubbing her eyes while sitting behind her desk, before she put her monocle back into place. The woman did look tired and they all had a good idea where that came from, since they also had followed the news of the attacks that had happened since Voldemort had announced his return.
"Ah, welcome. I hope we can talk before the ceremony. There are some matters we have to discuss," Bones greeted them, sounding as tired as she looked.
Sirius looked alarmed at that. "Minister, don't tell me you plan to..."
Bones however held up a hand to silence Sirius. "No, I don't. Let me tell you right away I don't plan anything in that regard. How could I after all what I have learned and what Susan has written to me in her letters?"
"Ah, yes. Susan has become quite sought-after in the school. The teachers had to make an official statement that the students have to stop bothering her," Neville thought aloud, feeling Susan was one of the nicest Hufflepuffs in Hogwarts.
"She wrote me that she dislikes the sudden spotlight on her," Minister Bones added, remembering the rather strong words her otherwise well-spoken niece had chosen to convey how fed-up she was with her sudden prominence.
"But that's certainly not why you asked to talk with us before the ceremony, correct?" Arthur asked.
"No, it is not..." Bones then waved her hand at her desk, which was piled with files and other papers, as well as the map behind it, which held red dots marking when the Death Eaters had struck. "It is all much worse that I had imagined. Uncovering the sheer scale of corruption and the rot within the Ministry..."
Harry finally broke his silence. "You realized this war will be much worse than the previous one. It is nothing personal, Minister Bones, but as much as we worry about the people, our compassion for the Ministry is very limited."
"And I can hardly blame you. No, I wanted to talk with you first in order to reassure you that this is not a public relations stunt," Bones finally told them. "I'm doing this to hammer it home to the public that what had been done at Hogwarts was wrong on many levels you can't count them."
"And you selected us to represent the school due to what Umbridge almost did to us?" Luna's question was more like a statement.
Minister Bones appreciated that those teenagers were smart about it. "Yes. You probably have followed the sheer outrage after it became public that Umbridge had almost murdered the six of you..."
They did follow it. While the reaction from their parents had been concern for them and some frank words with the Headmaster (quite frank considering Dumbledore had looked like someone had hung him by his beard for several hours), public reaction had been much more explosive once the news had hit. While the cynic in them felt the reaction would have been less severe without Harry in the group, the effect was undeniable.
Arthur had told them of a rain of exploding Howlers descending onto the Ministry during the public outrage that Umbridge had tried to murder students. Hogwarts had also been visited by numerous rather irate parents and there had been lots of screaming, those news having been the last straw for a few parents. Rumor was that three or four students would be withdrawn from the school after the school year was over.
"I think she got us there, mate," Ron remarked to Harry.
Harry sighed, seeing that the Minister truly had no other motives. "All right, let's get over with this and then we can go back to our own business."
o
"Looks like a pack of vultures," Ginny said while looking through a gap in the curtains into the hall where the ceremony would take place, noting that half of the seats were filled with members of the press. "I've developed a serious allergy against the press."
"After what happened first with Skeeter and then the Prophet smearing Harry and Dumbledore, who could blame us?" Ron told his sister, he himself also not liking that many press very much. Considering his yearning for attention in his earlier years, this was a remarkable change in attitude.
"Can we got over with this as quick as possible?" Harry asked the Minister.
Madam Bones knew these teenagers wouldn't have much patience with this. "I going out there now. You only need to enter the stage once I'm done and introduce you. I'll do most of the talking."
"Thank all goodness..." Neville didn't like being in the limelight like that and it showed.
Madam Bones then walked onto the stage to talk with the press and rest of the audience, leaving the rest of them to wait while listening to what she had to say. It was interesting to listen to, since she was not skirting around the issue and was very frank about the failures that had happened, which not only had gotten all of Magical Britain into this mess, but also wronged the students of Hogwarts especially.
"What a relief to witness that she is not like Fudge at all," Hermione said after a while.
"I told you she is nothing like him," Arthur reminded them. "However, after all what happened you probably needed to witness that first hand to actually believe it."
"Trust is destroyed easily. Rebuilding it takes considerable effort," Luna added while playing with her butterbeer cork pendant. "We are very careful now."
"Not that we can blame you." Sirius wouldn't say so aloud, but his trust in the Ministry also was pretty much gone. He honestly felt the Ministry wouldn't survive the war in its current form.
"Alright, she is honest about it. Still doesn't mean others are and I most certainly refuse to become something like the good soldier Tommy for them. I'm not available for any kind of propaganda," Harry insisted.
They waited some time longer before Bones gave them a signal, indicating that they are to walk onto the stage for their part of the ceremony. Thankfully, they weren't expected to say much for all of this, as the adults could do most of it for them. Still, it felt uneasy for them to walk onto the stage under a storm of flashlights from cameras.
Minister Bones was about to speak again, when suddenly the lights started to flicker before... -Groooom- It felt like shudder went through the Ministry, then the lights dimmer, casting everything in a strange twilight.
"Minister, what's going on?" Arthur asked, being alarmed.
"I don't know..." Seeing the members of the press start to get uneasy, Bones turned to the security and was about to ask for something, when another voice cut in - a voice the Six sadly knew all too well.
"This is Lord Voldemort speaking to you. We have sealed all exits and isolated the various floors from each other. The impertinence of your little ceremony is a direct affront. Harry Potter, surrender yourself to me. Any resistance will be punished harshly."
That magically amplified and projected voice caused a panic among the press and other members of the audience. Like a bunch of headless chickens they tried to flee through the exits in the hope that perhaps the lifts were still working, ignoring all and every attempt of the security to get order into the growing chaos.
"How did THAT happen?!" Harry cursed, his opinion of the of the competence of the Ministry now hitting rock bottom.
"Traitors in our ranks," Bones growled angrily, calling back security when seeing how pointless their task was. "I need to organize our troops for the counter-strike. The intruders won't be able to stay here for more than half an hour. Their position can't be that strong."
Deciding that it was best to leave the Minister to her duty, Arthur looked to the Six. "She is right, outside pressure will make this invasion untenable, but it still will be ugly. We better try to find our way out of here. Follow me."
They knew that Arthur knew the Ministry inside-out due to working in it for over two decades. Wands drawn, they made their way through the chaos-filled corridors, panicked people running past them. People were banging against the lift doors, desperately trying to get them open despite lifts obviously having been shut off.
"They must be really ballsy to strike at the heart of Magical Britain so early in the conflict," Hermione said with no small amount of worry.
"That's all interesting, but how do we get out of here?" Ginny cut her off, reminding her that they were in the middle of said strike. "In case you didn't notice, it's Harry's life which is at stake."
"Are there any exits that don't use magic?" Ron asked his father.
"One. It's an emergency exit that leads into the basement of a house, but to reach it, we first have to get to the upmost level, and the only way to accomplish that is by the stairs," Arthur explained.
He was about to lead them to the nearest stairs, when suddenly... "Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Screams erupted people panicked, trying to seek shelter in nearby offices, while at the same time shouts and the sound of spells being cast erupted.
"They have to be down there!" "Get those fools out of the way!" "There they are!"
"Crap! Run! Run! We'll hold them back!" Sirius called to the Six, before he and Arthur were already being in the middle of battle.
They didn't need to be told twice and made a run for it. They had no idea where to go in this labyrinth of corridors where everything despite the signage looked the same, but right at the moment all that mattered was getting away from Death Eaters. It was a bit eerie how fast the corridors had cleared, people hiding themselves away in fear.
"Crap! Crap! Crap!" Neville repeated, feeling that this day would take a bad end.
Turning another corner, they suddenly found themselves in a big office space, the big hall holding many desks separated by dividers, the artificial windows on the walls showing the outside of London. However, they had no time to orient themselves when hearing tow voices from behind.
"I heard something!" "Down there!"
They quickly made a dash into the big office space, knowing Death Eaters could appear at any moment, and they indeed did - two of them. Both of them didn't waste time to throw around spells, forcing the Six to dive behind the office dividers, which also were beginning to get torn apart by spells.
"Give up now! Little snots like you have no chance against us!" one of the Death Eaters called.
"Yes, you have no chance, you little snots!" the other one added, sounding very sure of himself.
They didn't even bother to deign that with an answer and instead gave each other some hand signs - God bless Mad-Eye Moody for teaching them some really useful stuff during their special lessons with Dumbledore like giving commands without words - then enacted their plan. Granted, it was no great plan, but considering their situation it was the best they could do.
"Lubrico!" Luna cast, while pointing her wand on the floor under the Death Eaters.
"Woah, what the?!" the Death Eaters gasped when suddenly the floor underneath them had become very slippery and they were in sudden danger of falling.
The distraction was enough for them to not put attention to where it was needed.
"Repello Death Eater!" Harry called, his spell hitting one Death Eater like a speeding truck, blasting him through several divider walls before he hit the room wall, falling to the floor in a heap. He would not get up from that anytime soon.
Ron meanwhile also wasn't idle. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he called out and his spell made the other Death Eater hover and flip in mid-air... before Ron cut the spell and his opponent fell down head first, causing what looked like an instant-KO.
"That spell might look harmless, but it's really useful," Ron commented.
"We know it's one of your favorites, but we should better leave now," Hermione reminded him, knowing there would be more Death Eaters coming this way.
They knew that was the best they could do and made haste to reach the exit at the far end of the hall. They could already hear steps, meaning someone had heard them and was now checking out what was going on. Judging by the sound, it had to be at least three people and they didn't want to risk another confrontation.
The exit did lead to some stairs, but only two floors up.
"Where does that lead to?" Ginny wondered.
To be honest, I don't care, as long as it's away from them," Neville said while they started to race up the stairs, hoping it would not lead them into further trouble.
...minutes later...
"Damn it!" Sirius cursed while trying to make his way through the labyrinth that was the inside of the Ministry of Magic.
That he had gotten separated from the children was bad enough, but getting back to them - wherever they were right at the moment in this mess of rooms and corridors - proved to be very difficult. He'd already been forced to defend himself against no less than three attacks, but his attackers always fled when things turned bad for them, hinting that there was an order from Voldemort to not risk it.
Crap, Arthur would find his way through this mess right away, but I can't find him, either! Sirius thought while quickly walking down another corridor, hoping to find the next set of stairs.
After defending themselves against several Death Eaters, circumstances had forced both men to go separate ways and since then Sirius had not managed to find Arthur. Sirius knew that the Weasley man was capable enough of defending himself, despite his reputation, but he would have felt better having him at his side in this dangerous situation.
He knew the children must have been hunted as well when walking through the big office hall and seeing how it had been partially torn apart by spells. He'd also found the corpse of a Death Eater, his neck snapped, making him wonder how that had happened. He hoped that meant the children had offered strong resistance and then got away. His mind wouldn't accept any other possibility for his own sanity. The following stairs had led him to another floor full of offices, meaning the search was beginning anew.
Dumb of us that we both left our mirrors at home, and using a Patronus in this situation would scream 'I'm here, kill me!', Sirius thought.
His thoughts stopped when seeing a Death Eater appear from behind the corner. "Shit!"
The Death Eater however was faster, evading the spell, which blasted a hole into a wall. "Sirius... Finally we meet for real."
Despite not having heard this voice for almost fifteen years, Sirius recognized it right away, causing much pain of the past to re-surface. "Peter..."
Pettigrew took off his mask while not taking his eyes off Sirius. Sirius saw a change in the man compared to the last time he had seen him all those years ago: he now looked hard and unmoved. That was a stark contrast to the young man they had dubbed as untalented and cowardly and the change was making Sirius nervous.
"What? No vow of eternal vengeance? No direct attack?" Pettigrew asked in a mocking tone.
"Why did you do it? Were you really that big of a coward that you sold them out as soon as you could?" Sirius asked, not even bothering to hide the hurt in his voice.
"That's rich, coming from you!" Pettigrew looked really angry, but didn't attack. "Maybe your memory is faulty. Didn't James and you decide to select me because you saw me as a useless waste of space that no one would suspect?!"
Sirius was taken aback by the sheer venom pouring out of Pettigrew. "But, weren't you...?"
"You are not even denying it..." Pettigrew's hot anger was making space for a cold one that was even more frightening. "I never was an equal in the group, I was only included so that the three of you had someone you could look down on and compare yourself favorably to! Rich James Potter, the jock that everyone likes! Gifted Remus Lupin, the smart guy with perfect grades! Sirius Black, the rebellious cool rogue! Tell me if I'm wrong..."
Sirius was taken aback at the sheer bitterness pouring out of Pettigrew. Yet, as much as he wanted to, it was difficult to deny that their young selves had used Pettigrew for exactly that - having someone to look down upon in the group who didn't share the things they had. In retrospect it had been incredibly cruel to use a kid, who only was looking for friends, like that. However, as much as it pained him to admit that, some facts didn't change.
"While there is no excuse for us having done that, it also is no excuse for what you have done. Prongs, Moony and me, we were many things I'm not proud of nowadays, but we were never accomplices to murder," Sirius returned.
"Of course you have to believe what suits you best," Pettigrew snorted before putting his mask back on. "Nonetheless, I can't allow you to interrupt the upcoming meeting between my Master and little Harry."
"Harry..." Sirius knew that the time for words was over and moments later spells were being exchanged.
Crap, he really isn't any longer the loser he used to be! Sirius thought when witnessing Pettigrew deflect his spells while dishing out spells of his own.
That came as a nasty surprise for Sirius, who still had the picture of the loser Wormtail in his head. To witness how in over a decade the man had become hardened, disciplined and actually skilled was a bitter wake-up call. And a dangerous one, since that had taken Sirius by surprise and was now throwing him off his game, giving Pettigrew openings that Sirius normally would never allow to happen.
"Shit!" Sirius curse when an exploding charm barely missed him.
"You seem to have difficulties, Padfoot. Have you grown soft?" Pettigrew mocked him.
Knowing that Pettigrew was trying to provoke him, Sirius recalled his lessons and calmed himself. "You won't stop me."
With those calmly spoken words the tide turned quickly, Sirius having regained his cool and now giving his full concentration to systematically pushing back Pettigrew. His opponent of course noticed, but was too busy with defending himself to do anything about it. What he did notic was, that Sirius was forcing him into a dead-end corridor.
He's serious about this! No way I can allow him to take me out! Quickly looking around, Pettigrew noticed something. That should work!
-BLOM!- Sirius was taken aback when suddenly Pettigrew fired an explosion into the ceiling, a thick dust cloud forcing him back for a moment. It took him several moments before he could conjure a gust of wind to blow away the dust, but by that point Pettigrew had vanished.
"What in all names...?" Looking around, Sirius spotted a crack in the wall. Peering through it, he saw one of the stairwells on the other side and could hear Pettigrew running upstairs. "Damn it, he turned into a rat and slipped through the crack!"
Now that he no longer was in direct danger, Sirius admitted to himself how much the confrontation had shaken him.
While being confronted with the man who had sold out the Potters was bad enough, it were the uncomfortable truths that Pettigrew had spelled out which had the most impact. In a way James, Remus and himself had made Pettigrew into what he was now by taking a student who was looking for friends and designating him as the loser of the group; the one they could feel superior to by comparing themselves to him.
While that was no excuse for Pettigrew's own decisions, it still gave them context. In retrospect, they had never given him real friendship while actually looking down on him the entire time. The other Maruaders having him in the group so that they had a loser who would always come short compared to them had been incredibly cruel, even though they themselves at the time had been blind to what they had been doing.
Their thoughtless cruelty of their youth in the end had come back to bite them big time.
"Pull yourself together, Sirius! There's no time to lose. The door to those stairs has to be close by..." he then berated himself for wasting precious time.
He prayed that the Death Eaters had not managed to get a hold of the Six yet.
o
"Well, what do you have to report?" Voldemort asked the approaching Death Eater while waiting in the atrium of the Ministry.
The whole atmosphere in the atrium was strange. There were Death Eaters and they were keeping guard on everyone they had surprised in or near the atrium, essentially making those people hostages. The magical lifts were all blocked, as were the exits apart from those controlled by the Death Eaters. Just moments ago Voldemort had snorted at the fountain, feeling that it was crappy art even if he agreed with the message that those creatures had to bow to them.
"They are still hunting them. For teenagers with little experience they are turning out to be quite slippery," Rodolphus Lestange reported.
"That was to be expected. Scared prey tends to be highly motivated. Though... I can't help but to wonder if Dumbledore actually did give them extra training," Voldemort mused. "Nonetheless, I'm starting to get impatient and we don't have all time in the world."
That also was a fact. Despite the shock effect they had achieved, this only had been possible due to the Ministry only being staffed by a skeleton crew at the moment as well as having the element of surprise on their side and moles doing an inside job. They would not be able to repeat the feat. They also only had limited time before the entrances would be breached by security. In Voldemort's mind they had already wasted enough of their limited time.
Voldemort then waved over the disguised Lucius Malfoy. "Are the barriers to the outside holding?"
"Yes, they do, my Lord. It will be a bit before they are breached. More than enough time for you," Malfoy reported.
"Good. See that it stays that way." Watching him leave, Voldemort knew the men's fate was already sealed, regardles what the outcome of this day would be. The amusing part was, that Lucius had no clue of that.
You've made too many errors, Lucius, and will soon pay the price, Voldemort thought. You made yourself replaceable, not having heeded my words that I was keeping you because you are useful to me.
That moment the doors to one open the stairwells opened and a Death Eater emerged. Voldemort knew right away it was Pettigrew. "Report," Voldemort ordered.
"I ran into Black, my Lord. I dueled with him, but he proved to be more skilled than anticipated and I was forced to retreat," Pettigrew admitted.
"Disappointing, but that was to be expected. Black after all is known for being a difficult opponent..." Voldemort mused.
"Can I take care of him, my Lord?" Bellatrix asked. Even though her face was hidden by her mask, the anticipation was clear in her voice.
That was a reminder for Voldemort why Bellatrix was so compatible with him. "Patience, Bella, patience. You will soon enough get your chance to cut down all the family which has pulled the Black name through the mud. But perhaps you could do something else for me?"
"I'm ready to do anything for you, my Lord!" Bellatrix said eagerly.
"No hesitation. Very good.." Voldemort then looked back to Rodolphus. "Rodolphus!"
"What are your orders, my Lord?" Lestange asked.
"Little Harry has to be separated from his friends. I don't need them dead right now, just out of the way, and then herd Potter up here. That is something I've waiting to do for a long time and I don't want any interference like last time," Voldemort ordered. "Bellatrix will be in charge down down. Listen to her. Obey her."
"As you wish, my Lord!" Lestrange saluted, not even blinking an eye that he had to take orders from his nominal wife, then made haste to convey the orders.
"Oh, I thank you so much, my Lord. I will not disappoint you," Bellatrix told Voldemort, before she followed Rodolphus in order to take charge of the effort.
"Soon enough we will meet again, Harry... and this time no one will be there to help you..." Voldemort said to himself.
to be continued...
Next Episode:
"Ministry Under Siege, Part II - Open Hostilities"
Notes:
Here the notes.
I did no those 'normal' scenes because I felt I also need to show that the world is of course more than just the conflict that broke out. I had no wish to show the career talks, but felt that McGonagall and Slughorn talking about it is a much better choice. It also allowed me to show Slughorn being nervous about the current situation (will be important in Year 6).
As usual, in my Quidditch games what happens outside of the game is more important than the game itself. I've become quite fond of the format.
I also didn't want to show the exams, since that would have been boring, but the aftermath is interesting. The war is seeping into conversation, and we hear of everyone being active. And then there is Remus and him amarrying Dora in a small ceremony. I felt it did fit for both of them that they didn't want to make a big production of it.
Of course the meat of the chapter is Minister Bones wanting to give an official apology. I felt that's within her character to do so. Sadly, Voldemort of course hears of it. I hope him and his followers completely getting the intentions of Madam Bones wrong shows nicely how different their way of thinking is.
Things naturally go downhill and it gets worse when the Six are separated from the adults, though I made a point to show that by this point they are already capable of defending themselves, though that of course is still limited, as we'll see later. That also gave me a chance to finally have Sirius confront Pettigrew and I think their confrontation should be interesting.
Naturally, Voldemort intends to get Harry after hearing the initial failure. Also, Lucius doesn't know yet that Voldemort is about to kick him to the curb.