I do not own Harry Potter. I do own a TV, isn't that nice?
Chapter 15 – The Second War
It was nearing two o'clock in the morning when the Death Eaters, dressed in their full terrifying regalia, stood in a circle on a beach in the south of England. In the centre of the circle stood Lord Voldemort. "Brethren!" He began, his voice so quiet his followers had to strain the hear him over the surf. He stalked the circle as he spoke. "Brethren. During my slumber I received a divine vision. Testimony to the likes as which has never been heard. I have been chosen to return the Wizarding Race to where we rightfully belong." He continued. "First, we will concur the Ministry, then the muggles will be crushed beneath our boot!" Voldemort walked around the circle until he found Antonin Dolohov. "Brother Dolohov, you have returned to us from the giants. What news do you bring me?"
"The giants are undecided. Some wish to join your cause, some wish to oppose it, many more however wish to simply be left alone."
"I had not foreseen this." Voldemort admitted. "But it is not overly surprising, very well. You will return to the giants and bring back those who wish to join us." Next, he moved on to Lucius Malfoy. "Lucius my slippery friend. What news have you?"
"My Lord," Malfoy bowed. "Rumer runs abound that Harry Potter is about to take his place as Lord of the House of Potter."
"But he is but a boy." Voldemort protested.
"This much is true, but he has apparently been emancipated so is within his right to take his seat."
"This is unwelcome news. Potter is a thorn in my side, a thorn I would like to pluck as soon as possible, but he will have to wait. MacNair, how fares your mission with the ministry woman?"
"The Umbridge woman has been welcoming to my advances My Lord." MacNair declared, "And surprisingly accommodating of my peculiarity's. However, she is far too loyal to the Minister of Magic to join us willingly."
"Then she will join us unwillingly." Voldemort said. "Place the wench under the imperius, a high-ranking ministry official in our pockets will be beneficial."
"As my Lord commands." MacNair bowed.
"My Lord!" Wormtail called out. "I have news on the relatives of Harry Potter."
"Well spit it out!" Voldemort demanded.
"I know where they are!" Wormtail declared. "The wards protecting the house have fallen."
"That can mean only one thing." Voldemort decided. "Potter is no longer there. Still, we can turn this to our advantage. Wormtail, you will take a detachment of our followers, go and kidnap these muggles and bring them to me. They will be the first to fall in my quest to remake our world."
"My brethren when we go from this place you will scour the land. I must find the final resting place of Salazar Slytherin! I need to find the staff of Slytherin, with it we will rule the world!" Voldemort began to laugh maniacally and pointed his wand to the sky. "Morsmordre!" The Dark Mark blazed in the sky. Whether the Ministry of Magic knew it or not, the
Second War had begun.
It was the middle of the night and Hermione had joined Harry in bed, they were snuggled and fast asleep. There was a sudden knock, the door opened, and the light was switched on. "Harry?" Mr Granger said. Then stopped dead when he saw Hermione sleeping in Harrys arms. "Get up the pair of you!" He demanded.
"Daddy?" Hermione said sleepily. "Oh shit!"
"Up, now! Remus is downstairs. He needs you to go with him to Hogwarts." Mr Granger marched out of the room slamming the door.
"Fucking hell!" Harry swore quickly dressing.
"Dad is going to kill us." Hermione said still sat in shock.
"That as it may be." Harry said. "He is going to at least have to wait until we find out what is going on at Hogwarts." Hermione ran to her room, quickly dressed and followed Harry down to the front room where Remus stood waiting.
"I don't know what's going on, but Dumbledore sent word to me that we are to meet here and that we would be collected." Remus explained.
"Daddy." Hermione began.
"Not now Hermione." Mr Granger snapped. Remus shot a questioning glance to Harry.
"Later." Harry muttered quietly. Remus nodded. A second later there was a bright flash of flame and Fawkes the Phoenix sang overhead. "Hello Fawkes." Harry smiled; he always felt a great affinity for the fire bird.
"Grab on then." Remus said taking hold of Fawkes's tail feathers.
In an instant they were gone, and Dan Granger was left alone in his living room and incredibly angry.
Dumbledore passed his office, where Severus Snape sat shivering close to the fire clutching a glass of fire whisky. McGonagall stood ashen faced and Moody was muttering vile obscenity's while sipping from his flask. A flash of fire indicated Fawkes arrival. Dumbledore moved to greet Harry, Hermione and Remus and directed them to seats. "I am afraid I have disturbed your slumber with grave news." Dumbledore announced pouring three fresh glasses of fire whisky. "Tonight, Tom Riddle fired the Dark Mark into the sky."
"What?" Harry demanded. "Where?"
"Who died?" Hermione asked taking a sip of the whisky.
"No one died Gra…" Snape began. "Miss Granger, the Dark Lord cast the mark to send a message."
"What's the message?" Harry asked.
"I'm back!" Snape replied. Dumbledore grilled the potions master for details of the meeting. Snape told them about the envoys being sent back to the giants, about the attempt about to be made on Umbridge and the Minister as well as the threats against the Dursley.
"I can assure you Harry," Dumbledore said. "That your relatives are safe."
"Good." Harry said. "I want someone watching the house."
"We do have some there at all times." Dumbledore said. "Can I ask why?"
"When they show up, I want to go in and get them."
"Harry, we do not murder people." Dumbledore said reproachfully.
"Respectfully Sir," Harry began, "I am not talking about murdering anybody, I'm talking about capturing them and finding out what they know. Then we can turn them over to the Ministry."
"What I'm worried about." Hermione said. "Is how Bellatrix escaped Azkaban and it hasn't been reported."
"That is troubling indeed." McGonagall agreed.
"Very well, Harry." Dumbledore agreed. "If and when Voldemort sends his Death Eaters to your relatives' home, we will apprehend them."
"I want to go with the team." Harry said.
"Come now Potter, you don't have any experience in the field." Moody told him.
"No experience." Harry repeated. "Two bloody months ago I fought him to a draw. Four years ago, I defeated Quirrell who he was controlling. I saved the Sorcerer's stone. Three years ago, I defeated a mother fucking Basilisk and stopped Voldemort from coming back. Two years ago, I held off over a hundred dementors with a single god damned spell. That is not to mention the Triwizard tasks. There's your bloody field experience sir."
"Aye, that's me put in my place young Potter." Moody apologised, "I'd certainly follow you."
"Very well Harry." Dumbledore conceded. "It will be as you wish. I will devise a way for you to be contacted when the raid will, what is the correct term? 'go down.'"
"Thank you, Sir." Harry said. "Is there anything else Professor Snape?"
"He is looking for the tomb of Salazar Slytherin." Snape replied. "I do not know what he wants in it, but I have been ordered to help in the search."
"Good." Harry responded. "Do it."
"Excuse me?" McGonigal demanded. "Surely you can't be serious Harry?"
"I am deadly series." Harry replied. "If Professor Snape doesn't do his part he will be suspected. I don't want you to be hurt professor."
"Your concern is touching." Snape responded coolly.
"Very well." Dumbledore nodded. "By now the Ministry is no doubt aware of the Mark being cast. I should appear in the Wizengamot on the morrow."
"I will join you." Harry decided.
"As is your right" Dumbledore nodded. "You will be under a great deal of scrutiny however."
"Then let them scrutinise me." Harry said. "And afterwards, Professor Dumbledore, I would like you to accompany us to Glastonbury Tor, I think it's time I collected my inheritance from Merlin."
The meeting continued long into the night.
At the same time, the Ministry of Magic was in an uproar. Cornelius Fudge was forced to descend from his top office into the murky waters of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, where just about every off duty Auror and Hit Wizard had been called in. When Fudge got to Amelia Bones office the Chief Warlock was giving firm orders.
"Shacklebolt, take five aurous and hit wizards and secure the seen. I want full wards, no one in or out without my say so."
"Yes Ma'am." Shacklebolt nodded.
"And Shack?" she added. "No Press." Shacklebolt nodded again and left. Bones turned to the Minister.
"Yes Minister, what can I do for you?"
"You can start by telling what in the blazes is going on Amelia?"
"What's going on Minister?" Bones asked incredulously. "What is going on is that tonight the Dark Mark was seen over the south coast."
"It didn't cause this much panic last year." The Minister said flippantly. "It seems like an awful waste of time to pull the full department in. Think of the overtime Amelia."
"The over time?" Bones demanded. "You have got to be kidding me. And for your information there was a hell of a lot of panic last year, your staff covered it up. The summoning of the Dark Mark is a crime and is, there for, in the jurisdiction of this department to investigate said crime. As the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement it falls to me to decide how to allocate this departments resources for criminal investigations. As such Minister I would thank you for allowing me to run my department as I see fit."
"Hem…Hem…" came a cough from behind the Minister. "Oh, dear me Director, it seems to me that insubordination towards the Minister is not something to be tolerated in Department Heads." Umbridge said sweetly.
"It seems to me that the Minister should allow the Department Heads to do their jobs." Bones fired back.
"Department heads may be changed when necessary!" Umbridge said with a sneer. "The Ministers Office requires complete co-operation from all of the Department Heads."
"Very well." Bones said. "If you're going to sack me then sack me, if you're not get the hell out of my office and let me get on with my God damn job for Merlin's sake!" she said. "Oh, and Minister, you should know I have already ordered a full session of the Wizengamot to convene tomorrow morning."
"Oh, come now Amelia, is that really necessary?" Fudge said trying to placate her.
"Yes, Minister, as Chief Warlock I think that it is."
"Be careful Amelia." Umbridge warned. "Disloyalty will be remembered."
"As will incompetence." Bones shot back and pushed past them into the bull pen where dozens of aurors and hit wizards milled about awaiting assignments. "All right listen up!" she called. "I want an outer cordon two miles around the beach and get someone down to the Department of Mystery's. Tell whoever is on duty there I would like the area swept for magical signatures. If we are lucky, we will be able to discern who cast the mark. Come on people MOVE IT!" The Wizards hurried out of the room to their assignments.
Authers Notes: Hello all! I hope you are all doing well and are safe, healthy and happy. Thank you to every one for reading and to every one who has liked/faverited/followed the story.
Jkarr: Thank you for the review. Harry really needs all the help he can get.
Firebird-fenix: Thanks for the review and thanks for the idea, but I have other plans for Draco…
Irishblue69: I hope your ok and safe after your hurricane. Thanks for the kind feedback I'm glad that your enjoying the story and thank you for all the work your doing in this mental time. the Amazon guy round my way is becoming a beloved friend, we're seeing so much of him. Stay safe out their!
Karatekid-Ninja: Thank you as ever for your review. I'm so glad your still with us and still enjoying the story.
Thank you as well to my brilliant Beta Ginn-Sensu. You know I have to look up the spelling of your name every single time?
Stay safe, stay healthy and for fuck's sake stay the fuck at home (unless you're a key worker then thank you and just stay safe and healthy)