Chapter 24

As Dumbledore sat in his office wondering what he was to do, the bumbling fool blustering and demanding answers from him was testing Dumbledore's patience.

Minister Fudge had stormed into his office as soon as Dumbledore had sat down to try and think on how to retrieve Harry from wherever it was he had run off to. But Fudge and his hangers on and the insufferable ball of pink known as Dolores Umbridge had waylaid him with their prattleing and blustering rather then letting him set about retriveing his student.

"And if Harry Potter isn't back in Hogwarts by the end of the day i will have you removed as headmaster for not only letting a student be taken by memebers of your faculty, but also seemingly being the student choose to leave with these kidnappers!"

Dumbledore was ready to just petrify the fool but the fake clearing of a throat in a voice that made Dumbledore's skin crawl.

"Perhaps Minister, we should have professor Dumbledore suspended as headmaster until he returns Mister Potter to Hogwarts, after all we wouldnt want him to get bogged down with his duties here when a young and impressionable mind is left in such vile hands."

Dumbledore seemed to be the only one thinking the toad in pink was hiding venom in her words.

"And who would you have replace me my dear Dolores?"

The smile on Dumbledore's face was as grandfatherly as he could make it but he was unable to truly hide the contempt he held for this women. The sickly sweet smile that spread across Umbridges face made Dumbledore feel some of his teeth rot with how much she put on it.

"Well of course it would have to be one of the board of govener members, perhaps Lucious Malfoy, he is such an upstanding member of the board and the wizengamot."

Dumbledore knew that Lucious had many members of the wizengamot in his pocket and he also knew that Dolores was a firm supporter of pure bloods being in power.

So he knew that she would name him thus had a prepared argument that would keep such a thing from happening.

"While i would agree with you Dolores, I'm afriad that the school charter forbids parents of students from being headmaster and that should i need to be relieved of duty, the deputy head will take charge until my return ir a new headmaster is appointed."

Umbridge looked like she had swallowed a lemon whole with the look thay slread across her face at every word, Dumbledore struggled to hide a smirk behind his grandfatherly smile but managed to do so.

Dumbledore had been dancing in this field of subterfuge since before Umbridge had even been born. So it wasn't that hard to out maneuver the poor girl who seemingly didn't understand jjst who she was trying to box in like all the poor people under her employ.

"Well then since a plan seems to be in place, as minister of magic i hereby place you on permant leave until the return of the kidnapped student or until a new headmaster can be found."

Fudge seemed to inflat with his own self importance as he issued this decree with all his entourage merely nodding along.

"Very well then Cornelus, I will step down until mister Potter has been returned to Hogwarts, allow me the day to notify professor McGonagall and then the students to this change."

Fudge nodded and then adorning his bowler hat turned and left with his entourage trailing behind him, Dumbledore couldnt help but think just what this may lead to for the future of the wizarding world.

Horus was in the war room and was struggling on how to fully approach the cleansing of Terra, he had already received reports from all the legions and the different militarium units ready to abandon their posts to help with the cleansing of Terra.

But he had them all hold their positions until he had a firmer grasp on the situation, thus he had called on the two best legions to deal with such a problem.

The first was the grey knights, they had a thorough track record when it came to dealong with demonic incursions, and while their body count may have been to high, it would be necessary to deal with this particular instance.

The second was the sisters of silence, their inate abilities made it so that even the most powerful demons could not face the might of the imperium and that Terra would once again be cleaned of this taint.

Horus also knew rhat the sisters would give their very lives to protect their lord and insure his survival at any cost more so then even the most devote of followers.

The knights would also keep their lord in check, since he was still so young, and ere on the side of caution when dealing with chaos.

The one problem Horus had was the legion of the damned, even with all the authority and power he had, horus could not truly command the legion, they simply appeared and vanished at a whim. While they only did so at moments when they where needed most, Horus would still remain under the radar when it comes to the governing bodies of old Terra for as long ad they remained.

But he hoped the lord woild keep them under control if they showed ul on Terra during the cleansing of this taint that dared to desecrate their home world.

Horus didn't miss as Magnus entered the war room and joined him at the strategy table.

"Brother, I've heard that you have been here since the lords signal reached us and that you have been mumbling to yourself."

Horus hadn't realized he had been mumbling to himself, perhaps this situation disturbed him more deeply then he thought.

"It is nothing Magnus, just trying to make sure that no one abandons their post to go on a crusade across Terra."

Magnus looks at his brother before shaking his head.

"While you may gool others with that reasoning brother, you cannot hide it from me, what is disturbing you so?"

Horus said nothing for a while and simlle stared down at the map displaying their current war fronts across the galaxy, then with a sigh he spoke.

"I find it strange that every time we looked into the history of Terra or father mentioned old Terra, he never brought up this incedent. Did father never know of it, or did he know of it but not deem it important enough to bother with?"

Magnus wasn't surprised by his brothers questions, he knew Horus was loyal, but questions would still be present when something so monumental happened and wasn't ever spoken of.

"I do not have the answers for yoy brother, nor do i think we will ever get such answers. But we must believe that our father didnt share it because it never became a problem for humanity as a whole."

Horus looked over to Magnus and saw the determination and trust in his eyes as he continued to speak.

"We must trust that what we do is for the betterment of humanity and to see its future unimpeded, that is why our father made us."

Horus thought for a moment on jis brothers words then nodded.

"You are right Magnus, even if it is before when we where made, we are still humanities protectors, even if they do not know we are here."

Horus seemed to straighten and grow with each word he spoke.

"We are the sons of the emperor of humanity, their sword and shield, their bulwark. We stand against the evils of the universe and do not falter."

Magnus felt the power in Horus words and his skinned seemed to buzz from the power.

"Even if we must all die to ensure their survival, humanity will still stand."

Magnus straightend and repeated his brithers words.

"Humanity will still stand."

With a nod Horus returns to starring at the startegy table as magnus salutes his brother and turns to leave, with a new purpose stoking the flames of his conviction. Soon the words of Horus would spread amongst the legions and then to the amrada, leading to a new truth taking hold of the soldiers of humanity.

For even if all of them fell, they would never let humantiy fall, either to enemies outside or from within.

Harry waited for the drop ship to arrive with his new team, they had been going over the memory Harry had seen and what each item looked like, with Harry's memory and ability to draw, they ahd a sketch of what they were looking for.

Now it was time to cleanse Terra of this taint that dared to sink its claws into their world, for they are humanity and they would allow no other to claim their world or their people as their own.