Harry Potter and the Great Civil War
By: Tellemicus Sundance
Muggles vs. Wizards
1980 – History Changes
The Dark War that being waged has grown and reached an all-time high in magical usage and is beginning to spill out into the streets of Muggle Britain. The Muggles are becoming increasingly suspicious of all the supernatural occurrences, environmental disasters, and drastic increase in unexplained and unsolved murders that have been taking place in the past five years. Conspiracy theorists create and spread rumors that send the populaces into panics and instill deep distrust with their own governments for supposedly not telling them the truth of the events taking place. The masses become an increasingly volatile powder keg with an ever-shortening fuse.
Then the spark happens. An arrogant Dark Pureblood causes a magical fight in broad daylight, witnessed and even videotaped by several Muggle families. After winning the fight (executing the Light Wizard), the Pureblood notices the Muggles and goes on a rampage, torturing and killing many of the Muggles. However, he didn't know what the Muggle video camera was or what it could do, so he ignored it as a worthless Muggle object. When the corpses of the Muggles were later discovered and the contents of the video examined by the police, the British press caught wind and managed to steal a copy of the video and played it on the evening news, exposing the Magical World to the entire world and there was no way that the Wizards could erase their existence ever again.
Slowly at first, news began to spread of certain individuals who were a part of this secret Magical World and that the Wizards were in the midst of a civil war. Muggles began to grow paranoid of their neighbors, friends, and family. This turned to fear, anger, and protests soon after. Some of the families who had relatives in the Wizarding world began passing along the sentiments of their neighbors to the Wizards. They demanded the Dark Wizard's arrest and incarceration for the killing of innocent people. One brave individual even went forward to the Muggles and stated quite publically how and where some of the major Wizarding communities hid themselves. When it was discovered that that person was later found dead for further exposing the Wizards, it drove the rage against the Wizards even deeper. With the knowledge of where these communities were, many Muggles began to discover the Alleys, St. Mungo's, and the Ministry.
Though some of them were taken by the magic and grandeur, many others began a series of protests that the Wizards stop killing Muggles. Enraged that the filthy Muggles would dare trespass within their domains, many Wizards (both Dark and Light) began to lash out at the Muggles, cursing and hexing them without remorse. This only increased the civil unrest to the point of riots starting to break out. But it was with the death of an innocent Wizarding child (5 years old) by the hands of a Muggle with a gun that the tension finally escalated into a full-scale civil war with Wizards lashing out violently against the Muggles who 'invaded their homes' and the Muggles were demanding that the Wizards stand trial for the countless murders and cruelty they'd inflicted upon them.
And it isn't just Great Britain facing civil war. All of Europe, Asia, and the Americas are in similar states of unrest and conflict.
Dark Lord Voldemort, seeing opportunity in the chaos, approached Wizarding Britain and used his colossal charisma to seize control of the Ministry for good. Now with the full power of the Ministry to back him, Voldemort has Dumbledore and all other Light families removed from power and increased the wealth and prestige of his loyal underlings. The Death Eaters then began a 'campaign of purification' to eradicate all the filth and scum that existed within their nation with extreme prejudice. Vicious battles between Dark Wizards and the Royal military/civilians break out all over the country. Dark Creatures, most notably werewolves and vampires, run amok with very few Wizards able and/or willing to fight them off. In desperation to survive the war, the British Parliament pass an emergency decree that allows the citizens the right to temporarily bear firearms to aid in the protection of their homes and family (especially since defenseless families were the Dark Wizards' favorite choice of victims).
During the fighting and senseless violence taking place, one magical family (among several others) gets overrun by the fearful, racist, and/or religious zealots of Muggles while they're in hiding from the Dark Lord. Though the parents are killed, the baby manages to survive because of an emergency Portkey (nametag necklace) that activated upon their deaths. The baby was taken to its aunt and uncle's home where they were forced to raise and care for it. They didn't do it because they cared for the child, only that its presence under their roof supplied them and their son with a unique protection that kept them from all harm. This was proven most notably when they were the only family on the entire street that wasn't killed and eaten by a surprise werewolf attack shortly after taking the boy in (which only solidified their realization that he was 'protecting' them). But because the baby (Harry Potter) was a magical child, he was forced to live in isolation from the rest of his 'people' and other children of his age group (excluding Dudley).
1991 – Background Information
War Efforts
Voldemort rules over Scotland (which had been conquered by the Wizards in 1983) with an iron fist. The Muggles and Wizards have regular skirmishes along the border, each trying to pierce the defensive line while using whatever espionage techniques they have available. Although the Wizards had several key spells and abilities that gave them a definite advantage in subterfuge, once the Muggles became aware of them and ways to counter them, the Wizards no longer were able to gain much ground or win quite as decisively as they did in the early battles.
In spite of the Wizards' best attempts, the Muggles hold strong and resolute thanks to their technology and new combat techniques that many Purebloods had been unaware of thanks to the evolution of technology. Though the Wizards regularly assassinate military officials and attack random houses (they can easily pass the border and enter deep into Muggle territory unopposed), the Muggles can retaliate by launching missiles and high-altitude bombers upon vital Wizarding communities and centers.
Though the Wizards are at war with the Muggles and are somewhat contained to Scotland, they still conscript as many magically-sensitive children into Hogwarts as they can. Enrollment is now compulsory and each of the students must wear badges to show their blood status—their place in society. Hogsmeade has been converted into a massive orphanage for all magical children who'd been born outside of Scotland and who aren't old enough to attend Hogwarts, this is to protect them from the Muggles' prejudices and their lives. Hogsmeade has also been transformed into the new center of magical society, complete with a new Alley, Ministry, hospital, and bank. Regardless of the changes taking place in society, Dumbledore still remains as the Headmaster of Hogwarts (the one position which neither the Ministry or Voldemort can remove him from, unless he voluntarily steps down or dies). However, for every magical child that they successfully 'save' from the Muggles, three more are left unfound or killed before the Wizards could reach them.
Harry Potter
As an unremarkable boy in the eyes of the Wizarding world, Harry is one such child who'd been left behind. When he realized that he was a Wizard, Harry was at first horrified that he was somehow part of the same evil magic-users who terrorized and murdered the innocent. He spent several weeks sulking and trying feverishly to hide his growing abilities. When it finally came to a head, Harry was forced to accept that magic was a part of who he was. On a suggestion from Dudley, Harry grew determined to learn the ways of magic so he could better protect himself and his relatives if the magical protections should ever fail. But because his relatives wouldn't let him leave their property for any reason, he was forced to teach himself how to use his magic. And though weary of his cousin, Dudley soon joined him and tried to help him as best he could. They both knew that it was Harry's presence with them that kept all of them safe, most especially against the Dark Creatures that haunted the streets at night.
Harry spends the several months learning to grasp and use his magic because he didn't have access to a wand or any other magical artifact. Once he's finally gotten a bit better control, he begins teaching himself how use it for a variety of things and finding what its limits were. Harry finds that though he's still bad at transforming things, he's especially good at telekinesis and teleportation. But unknown to Harry and the Dursleys, when he finally began trying to consciously use his magic, he'd broken the protection his mother had created for him and the family.
Not wanting to be left behind as his cousin grew stronger, Dudley joins the new special defense program that the British government created for the youth. It teaches them a variety of things, but mostly how to defend oneself and ways to fight against a Wizard. Dudley finds that he's surprisingly good with a gun. The instructor tells him that he could have a potentially promising career as a soldier; something that both Vernon and Dudley take great pride in.
1993-94
Wizarding World
After more than decade of trial and error, the Department of Mysteries has finally successfully created a new magical virus. This virus has the power to kill all non-magical people while having Wizards completely immune to its effects, though the virus is slow in spreading and killing.
The virus is spread through ingestion, primarily water. And unless it's been properly charged with high amounts of magic, the virus will not spread from one person to the next (usually through physical contact). But the only way to 'fully charge' the virus is with the death of a Wizard child, whose magic is still wild and untamed; a vital ingredient to the virus. The DoM quickly puts their efforts towards creating a final 'perfect' virus to meet the specifications that Voldemort has listed, but progress slow to nonexistent.
Draco Malfoy
At Hogwarts, Draco (and most other Slytherins) is practically living the life he's always dreamed he would. He's got everything he'd ever wanted; the respect of his House, the fear of the rest of the school, the wealth to buy whatever he wants, the magical skill to be a difficult opponent for nearly all of his year-mates, and the political savvy to get his way in nearly any argument he gets into.
Hermione Granger
Hermione frequently tries to rally the Gryffindors and the rest of the school to stand up against the Slytherins because she believes that blood shouldn't be the deciding factor of a person's destiny. Yet her very domineering personality and strict adherence to any and all rules/laws is constantly putting her at odds with everyone else and works against her efforts to recruit followers. And because of her Mudblood status (very bottom of the totem pole), she has very, very little influence. She is constantly teased by many Purebloods, even within her own house (the worst being Ron Weasley). Her only friend is Neville Longbottom, and that's fragile friendship at best.
The other students don't join her crusade because they fear the repercussions to their families and friends should they make their opinions known (even though they do agree with her on most issues). Their fears are justified when one day it's discovered that Hermione had been assaulted, hexed, and raped. Though she and no else knows who exactly was responsible, everyone knew it was someone from Slytherin and that it was a very blatant warning to her and them. Hermione was forced to quietly accept her fate and place in the magical society.
Harry Potter
While on a routine inspection of the neighborhood, the local Wizard Watch stumble across Harry as he's practicing his magic control (they see him through a window). They immediately call for reinforcements to destroy the house and the magic-user inside it. When the Dursleys returned home from grocery shopping, they were horrified to see that somehow Harry had been discovered and they tried to discourage the Watchers from harming Harry. But the Watchers wouldn't be swayed, believing that the evil Wizard had bewitched them to be his servants. The Dursleys are forced to watch as their home is destroyed by several mortar shells. They are allowed to take up new residency in one of the abandoned houses on the same street as 'payment' for what had become of their original home.
Unknown to them, Harry had actually survived by teleporting away just seconds before the mortars exploded. Realizing that his mother's protection had evidently failed, Harry decides that it's time he journeys to Scotland to see what the Wizards are really like. Harry has been raised all his life with Muggles, thus he feels very reluctant to want to fight against them for whatever reason. But at the same time, he wants to know the reasons for which the Wizards fight so passionately and viciously against the Muggles. Harry decides to make it his life's purpose to end the war and bring peace between Muggle and Magical.
1994
Hogwarts
Against Dumbledore's recommendations, the Ministry decides to bring back the old Triwizard Tournament. Although officially the Ministry is doing this as a way to bolster international cooperation between the nations of Magical Europe, the truth of the matter is that this was a scheme concocted by Voldemort to recruit overseas underlings into his campaign of purification.
However, Dumbledore was still able to convince the Ministry (and Voldemort to an extent) to create new safety measures and limits to better protect the chosen champions. When the Goblet of Fire is revealed, all of the Slytherins and other Purebloods signed up, but they secretly erected wards to keep all Half- and Mudbloods from being able to put their names in.
Harry Potter
Sneaking his way through Great Britain was actually much easier than Harry had first anticipated. He knew how to blend in with Muggles and could use his magic to flee and fight in times of emergency. He steadily made his way north towards Scotland and the reported 'Magic City' that was glimpsed in the Scottish Highlands. When Harry finally reached the border, he was just in time to watch a bloody and ruthless battle between the Wizards and Muggles.
At first he was just going to wait it out and let them kill one another, but then his morals got the better of him. He rushed down to try to stop the fighting. Using a considerable portion of his power, Harry was able to separate the two armies and cause them to regroup. He used this regrouping delay to flee before anyone could pin the event on him, he didn't trust two hotheaded armies to not let their prejudices and suspicions get the better of themselves.
Unbeknownst to Harry, some of the Wizards did see him as he used his magic and thus word began to spread through Scotland about a mysterious boy with strange abilities. Eventually, the Ministry was able to locate Harry. With no warning or reason, they caught him with a surprise attack and quickly subdued him, bringing him to Hogsmeade (where he was intending to go anyway). When he arrived, he was interrogated as an Enemy of the State due to his mysterious role in the battle, being subjected to numerous truth potions and other methods to get their answers. After many hours, they finally decided that Harry was telling the truth of being an innocent orphan who only wanted to learn magic. The Ministry brought him up to Hogwarts after casting multiple charms, hexes, and curses upon him so that he couldn't voluntarily leave the castle (only with a teacher or a registered escort could he do that until he turned seventeen).
Harry's reception at Hogwarts was as unwelcoming as the Ministry had been. After being Sorted into Gryffindor, he attends a few classes with his fellow students but he quickly realizes that the Magical World is highly flawed and restricting, in more ways than one. Like most newcomers, Harry doesn't allow himself to be intimidated by the Purebloods as he goes about his day and studies. At first they find this highly amusing and they eagerly anticipated the time of his submission. But after two whole months and not even a slight falter, they are becoming annoyed.
Finally, one of the Purebloods in Slytherin loses his patience and tries to attack Harry (after the First Task). Harry is easily able to fight off the Slytherin and continues with his day like nothing happened, something that causes all of the Purebloods to get into an uproar. Later than day as Harry was heading over to try and associate with the Beauxbatons students, he finds himself ambushed in the courtyard (in plain view no less) by ten Purebloods, led by Draco Malfoy. After a short but brutal fight, Harry is able to emerge victor because of his unique wandless fighting style and Muggle methods of battling Wizards. The fight was witnessed by dozens of students from all three schools and interest in Harry is piqued almost instantly. Harry finds himself as the center of attention when he arrives at the Beauxbatons carriage, even Fleur was interested in him.