The Order of the Pheonix
Chapter Twenty-Seven
England
Giants and Werewolves began an assault on London near Diagon Alley just after sunset. The wizards and local police were attempting to clear the area as the alchemists and their army defended the Ministry of Magic several blocks over from the direct assault of Death Eaters.
Luckily, Mustang had correctly predicted the civilian attack was a decoy to split attention away from the Ministry where Lestrange had been taken. She had already been moved, this knowledge was only known to Fudge and Mustang. Fudge assumed Elric had also been informed, though Fudge had not updated Umbridge.
The Ministry was cleared of all faculty aside from a handful of Aurors, Fudge, and Umbridge by ten in the evening. By midnight the Ministry had fallen to the Death Eaters. Fudge had left ten minutes earlier after ordering a retreat. Umbridge was captured, refusing to leave her office.
Diagon Alley was also now deserted, aside from Gringotts. The streets were in shambles as giants knocked into buildings and ripped out the electrical lines. Civilians in the area had been advised to take cover in basements or ground level while further out, they had been advised to leave the city.
Sirens and the cries of people trapped could be heard all over the city, even as Fudge met with Mustang and Elric to regroup. The Emperor and Prime Minister joined the moments later. "The Amestrian border is under siege. He is attempting for force you into withdrawing aide in favor of protecting your borders." Ling said calmly, even as the room around them shook.
"He wants what we cannot and will not deliver. Returning to our border simply gives him a larger target. No, this ends here in his lands, not ours." Mustang replied coldly. Ling and Edward were the only ones who did not frown at his tone, both knowing that he was calculating his next move but to the others he simply sounded unconcerned. "Edward, perhaps you should return to the safehouse. Not the central one, the one where we placed our reluctant guests, and see what information you can gather. Take Snape, he is well equipped."
"Are you sending your son off to interrogate someone? It sounded like you were suggesting he do so violently." The Prime Minister frowned.
"Not violently, no. Edward has no need for violence. He is my son, but he is also my second in command. I assure you both of my elder sons are well suited to leading in my place. Including questioning prisoners." Mustang replied before returning his attention to Edward. Before he could say anything else, however, the room shot once more before the ceiling began to cave in above them.
Severus Snape managed to grab the Prime Minister and Ling to take to safety, while Fudge grabbed Mustang without thinking to do the same. Edward moved himself without witnesses appearing in a different location altogether than his father and the others. He landed instead in a nearby park he had chosen earlier should the need arise.
Yuery and Neville had moved to the kitchen as the securest part of the house, Sirius Black and Kreature joined them on the other side of the room closer to the door as the building shook from an explosion down the street. Yuery frowned as he clutched his wand in front of him and listened for invaders as Neville fretted about the underage magic law to himself and worried about his own wand between his fingers.
"No one is going to punish you for defending yourself boys." Sirius told them as he watched the doorway, though the protection spells around the house still held. "It is going to be alright; I will protect you."
"We will." Breda said as he walked back into the room with a frown. He had just completed another check of the doors and windows. "Your father and grandfather will be fine Yuery, this is just another war for them to win."
"I know you don't believe that, that it is just another war. All wars are dangerous and every war someone doesn't come home." Yuery said calmer than he felt. "You do not need to coddle me; I know we are all scared. It's okay. Mom always says that being afraid in a bad situation proves you are smart, not weak."
"Your…mom…sounds like a very smart lady." Sirius offered, stumbling over the idea of calling someone other than Lily the child's mother.
"She is very smart. She's an automail mechanic and has been since she was younger than I am now." Yuery said proudly. "My Dad is smart too, the youngest state alchemist in history. Yeye was the youngest before him. All of my family are very smart and very brave. We have fought in several battles and wars over the years, I know the risks involved here. My Dad is trying to protect me, I know, but I should be out there. I'm who they want. They are going to just keep hurting people until they get to me."
"If you walked out there right now threw your wand down and let them kill you without a fight, which would not stop them." Sirius frowned at the idea of it but carried on after a moment. "People like them, they don't stop until someone stops them. They did this long before you were born, and they would not stop. Not until they are all dead themselves."
"I know that I am not a little kid. I have seen men like them before and heard stories of even more. I should still be out there helping where I can." Yuery frowned. "I promised to stay here as long as possible, and I promised to stay hidden and keep Neville hidden so that is what I will do but that doesn't make any of this right."
"There are no right answers in war, only wrong ones and worse ones." Breda sat heavily next to the boys with a tired half smile. "I have seen enough of them over the years to know that. I lost Vato to the aftermath of war. Your Dad lost his birth mother to the side effects of war. Jean lost his wife to war. Your grandfather and father both nearly lost their sanity to war. Do not feel so quick to run into battle. Alex may not make it back. You may lose some of your families to it. We will not give up, not until this is over and that latest monster has been stopped."
Before anyone could respond an even larger boom shook the house. Sirius frowned up as if he could see through the ceiling into the sky above them. "The giants have joined the fight then." He offered with a sigh. "No doubt the werewolves have as well. It is going to be a long night child; I suggest sleeping while you can. Breda, I believe we should take it in shifts."
"I will not sleep yet. I have no need for it." Breda shook his head. "Perhaps if the evening grows long before we get word, however I doubt it will become a necessity."
"I know you don't trust me, and with good reason after I used very dark magic around your people, but I assure you I wish no harm upon any of you." Sirius tried not to let the lack of trust bother him, knowing he had caused it himself after his attack of Amestris.
"Dark magic means nothing to me or anyone else here." Breda frowned with a shrug. "Using forbidden information or spells is nothing new to this group. It is a matter of stress and worry. Alex is out there somewhere. I am here. It truly has nothing to do with you and your company."
Edward entered the room as Breda finished speaking, covered in plaster dust and small cuts from the collapsed room. He sighed as he sank tiredly into a chair in front of the fire and thanked Kreature for a cup of tea. "The Ministry has fallen, as expected. So has Diagon Alley. Creta is gone, Amestris' shield still holds, and I am relatively certain everyone made it out before the building collapsed. Please wait until later for further questions." Edward rattled off tiredly, assuming correctly that questions about what was happening outside the building would be asked.
"Where is Yeye then?" Yuery asked quietly.
"I don't know right now Yu. Minister Fudge grabbed him, and I am not sure where he chose to go. I'm sure we'll hear from him soon." Edward said before standing and brushing his clothes off. "I need to get back out there, I just wanted to check on you all. Please, stay inside."
"Elric." Sirius caught up to Edward just inside the entry hall. "I understand why no one trusts me, after using forbidden magic as I did, but I can help with this fight and- "
"You are helping, by keeping those boys here and safe you are helping us all. Personal feelings aside, can you imagine the damage it would cause to learn that the Death Eaters had caught those boys? The public would demand immediate action, and one not favorable to winning this war." Edward replied, before turning to leave. He stopped once again as his hand touched the knob. "It wasn't the dark magic; the forbidden spell use itself that made us angry Black. It was using it to kill and then pretending there was no intent."
"I- she was not my target."
"I am aware; however, she is who you ultimately aimed for, and who was the one who suffered your wrath. You had your reasons. Until you are ready to admit fault though, there is no point in this conversation." Edward turned back long enough to glare at the man. "You cannot deny that you don't know. Severus and Dumbledore questioned it. Remus as well. You can sense it on me, the mistake I made. Do you think I am a hypocrite? I am not. My own children know, so does everyone of importance."
"So, you did kill someone then." Sirius frowned. He had convinced himself he had been mistaken about the strange feeling surrounding both Mustang and Elric, but if they were dark wizards after all he would have to find a way to interfere with his vow.
"No. I tried to save someone who was already dead. The price was too great. There is no equivalent for a soul." Edward sounded sad as he responded, adding before Black could ask. "My mother. I tried to bring back my mother. It nearly cost me my brother, it cost me my leg and my childhood. I told all of my children the story, so they would know never to repeat my mistake."
"I don't know that would work; you repeated your father's obviously."
"No. His was after mine, and he was forced into the circle, he didn't draw it." Edward shook his head. "Should we all survive this, remind me to tell you the story of Promised Day." Edward walked out of the house before Sirius could say anything else, Breda appeared beside him as he watched the younger man leave.
"Fell honored. Very few people know the story he's offering you and even fewer understand it. Not very many people know about him trying to bring back his mom either, it really is a serious crime in our country, much like your curses are here. "Breda said as they walked back down to the kitchen. "Of course, most who make that mistake don't survive it. As far as I know there have only been four. Ever."
Mustang and Fudge appeared in Fudge's sitting room just outside the city. Mustang frowned as he reoriented himself before demanding they return to the city instantly to help his son. Fudge shook his head, refusing to return to where they were being attacked without any knowledge of the current situation.
Mustang then turned to leave but before he could, someone pounded on the door. From the other side they heard an unknown deep voice demand that Fudge come out of hiding. "We know you are in there and we know you can take us to our people Fudge. Return them instantly."
"What do we do? If we apparated now there is a chance they will be able to follow us." Fudge's eyes were wide as he looked around the room for a place to possibly hide.
"If they dare to enter, they will not leave. "Mustang responded grimly as he pulled out a pair of white gloves. Fudge noticed a marking on the backs of both as Mustang glared in the direction of the door tightening the fit of the gloves on his hands.
"What is that?"
"When I was given my State Alchemist name, I was named Flame." Mustang's voice had become deadened, as if there was no emotion behind his words. "When I returned from the first war, the Fuhrer named me the Hero of Ishbal. The remaining Ishbalans named me Fire Demon and more accurately Murderer. With the snap of my fingers, I can flatten an entire block with flames."
"We have spells that can do the same." Fudge offered, the man seemed to hate this power and that in itself made it frightening.
"The closest you have is fiendfyre. Though once cast it cannot be controlled." Mustang stared blankly ahead as the pounding increased. "It was cast in the Battle of Xing. Strongarm buried it to stop the spread. It was cast again in another situation. I put it out."
"Y – you put out fiendfyre?" Fudge asked a bit afraid.
"We told you Mr. Fudge. One Alchemist is considered enough, two an army, more than that…overkill. We sent in a dozen alchemists while I was in Ishbal including myself. They lost." Mustang sighed, he really did hate to talk about this, his guilt had never faded, even as he outwardly agreed with his family that he had made amends and that Bradley was truly the one to blame for it all, he still blamed himself. Much as his sons still blamed themselves for things, he felt they should not. It appeared to run in the family. "There is a reason we assured you that this will end quickly with us involved. As it stands, you have access to three of the six alchemists that were involved in Promised Day. Myself, Fullmetal, and Strongarm. The other three are not available. However, there are many others who are ready to fight both here and protecting my border."
The door crashed open then, to reveal several men including, to Fudge's dismay and fear, Fenrir Greyback. Greyback lingered in the entry to prevent them from running while the other three advanced into the room. Mustang waited until they were all inside before snapping. A single flame sparked from his glove and before they could react it whipped around the room catching the three men before also hitting Greyback who ran from the doorway and disappeared.
"We should go now; he will return with others." Fudge said as he caught Mustang's sleeve intending to apperate. Mustang nodded, quickly smothering the flames before they could engulf the rest of the house and they disappeared.
Greyback made his way back to the Riddle House as he healed, his skin still angry looking as he arrived. Everyone backed away from him in fear as he pounded on Voldemort's office, his own anger making him bolder than any of them dared. Voldemort opened the door with a glare, before turning back to his desk "You failed to capture them then."
"The Amestrian controlled fire with his eyes." Greyback growled.
"Then take his eyes. I will not give you a third chance." Voldemort waved him away as he looked at the clock. He had another hour before he returned to Amestris' border, and he had made it very clear to his men he wanted the Amestrians captured before then.
How incompetent were his followers? Half captured, the other half failing to capture a handful of foreigners who were not even wizards. Greybacks injuries were interesting though, considering his explanation. Perhaps they were wizards after all. He knew there were some where they came from, they even had a school according to what he had learned. Nicolas Flamel was the only 'alchemist' of note as far as the Hogwarts history books were concerned so perhaps it was simply a different word for wizards then?
No matter, they would be captured, and he would use them as leverage to regain what was rightfully his. He still had no idea how they had managed to find his horcruxes, clearly the traitor Snape had helped them. Luckily, he had no idea what they were, the only one who was truly a threat in that area was Dumbledore. So, he would need to find a way to get to the old man and get rid of him as well.
Hogwarts was next on his list. The school would soon be under his control and the next generation of wizards would be trained to behave properly instead of mingling with muggles and mud bloods. Once that was taken care of, along with the Potter and Longbottom brats, there would be nothing standing in the way of his victory.
"Sire. I beg your pardon." Zambini said from the doorway, "We questioned the Umbridge woman, and she believes she knows where they hid the prisoners. She also had insight into the foreigners."
"Then bring her to me immediately and return to the hunt. I want them captured now." Voldemort snarled; the man nodded before disappearing only to return moments later with the woman.
She had not been drugged, spelled, or otherwise compelled to tell them anything, however he could tell she was being honest with her answers. "They took the prisoners to an old estate belonging to Elric's family. Apparently, some of his relatives came from here." She began without prompting. "The Flamel Cottage, just outside Surrey. I believe they have offered their help to the Minister to try to take over themselves. It was their idea to break the Statue of Secrecy with a press conference, and they have Dumbledore captured out there in their homeland refusing to return him. A few years ago, one of them came here and attacked Hogwarts. They helped defeat her at the time, but it has long been my belief that the whole thing was a set up to get in with Fudge and take him over."
"Go there now, retrieve our people and burn it down. They will have no refuge to run to when I am done with them." Voldemort ordered his followers, who immediately departed. "Now, is there anything else you have kept hidden?" he asked Delores Umbridge who settled back into her chair with a smirk.
"I am the undersecretary to the Minister of Magic. I know nearly everything he does. What do you need to know?" she said calmly.
"What do they know about the concept of horcruxes?" Voldemort asked.
"Nothing. Horcruxes are taught as nothing but legend, there would be no reason for them to have even heard of such a thing. We are not going out of our way to trade secrets with them, even Fudge isn't that foolish."
"They have one of mine in their midst. Severus Snape has betrayed me and become a double agent. He, to the best of my knowledge, also has no idea of this subject. However, they all seek to keep from me what is rightfully mine. First the prophesy then the boy." Voldemort said, intentionally dismissing the conversation about the horcrux. She had confirmed what he had been told before, it was not a subject that was covered, it was unlikely the Amestrians knew the importance of what they had stolen aside from it belonging to him.