Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I do own alot of books. probably about 300 or so
Chapter 34
The American Doctor examined his handy work, the infected parts of Voldemort's leg had been cut away and the leg amputated. The Doctor was pleased with his work as he continued to monitor his patient whilst the Dark Lord was still unconscious.
"Vitals seem good." He muttered to himself. "Blood loss was minimal, an infusion of blood replenishing potion and a unit of O Neg has brought him back to nominal blood and blood flow." The Doctor examined the IV tree with expert eyes measuring the amounts of fluid.
"How is the Dark Lord?" Snape asked from the door.
"He is still unconscious." The Doctor told him. "And he can stay that way for as long as I want."
"What do you mean?" Snape demanded.
"Do you really think I don't know who you are?" The Doctor demanded. "We've met at least three times at conferences in the last seven years, Professor Snape. I know who you are, I know what you do."
"I am a loyal follower of the Dark Lord." Snape protested.
"You are a spy and a traitor." The Doctor accused. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but it is true. Listen to me Professor Snape, I can keep this murderer unconscious for the rest of his life. I can end this war here and now. Say the word and it's a done deal!"
"Knew it!" Bellatrix Lestrange called as she dropped her invisibility cloak. "For months I have been warning the Dark Lord that you were not to be trusted."
"Bella…" Snape turned around in shock. "I don't know what this squib is talking about."
"LIES!" Lestrange screamed. "I heard you. This filthy disgusting aberration is threatening to keep The Master asleep."
"He gave me a choice. You interrupted before I could ma…" Snape tried to explain.
"Silencio!" Lestrange cast stopping Snape mid speech. "And now Good Doctor…" she said rounding on the crippled medic. "You will bring my Master back to me."
"If I wake him up now he will be in tremendous amounts of pain." The Doctor explained.
"I can quell his pain."
"Oh yeah? Give him a little bit of Physical Therapy do you?" The Doctor sneered. "Yeah I use prostitutes for that too."
"Wake him up." She demanded.
"No."
"Crucio!" She cast at the doctor. He fell to his knees and laughed.
"I live in constant pain. This is nothing." He spat as blood ran down his nose.
"Revive the Master!"
"Fuck you!"
Bellatrix screamed in rage.
"Avada…" She began to cast the killing curse at the chuckling Doctor but before she could finish Snape grabbed her from behind and pulled one of the Doctors scalpels across her throat. Bellatrix giggled as she sank to her knees blood rushing from her neck. It did not take her long to die.
"We should get out of here." The Doctor said.
"Yes." Snape agreed, knowing his ability to talk again was proof positive of Lestrange's demise. "Can you walk?"
"Could you walk after a cruciatus curse?" The Doctor demanded. "That hurt like hell."
"All right. Lean on me." Snape guided the Doctor out of the room and towards his own chambers. "This is an emergency portkey that will take you wherever you need to go. Hold on to it and just say it out loud."
"Princeton Plainsboro Hospital Princeton New Jersey." The Doctor declared as the two disappeared.
The Ministry was in an uproar. Dumbledore's declaration of an imminent vote of no confidence had sent Fudge into a political tail spin. He was finished and he knew it. There was no way he would be allowed to carry on. Now was not a time for appeasing the electorate. That time had passed, and Fudge admitted he was never really that good at it. Now on the eve of political annihilation was the time for settling scores. He couldn't move against Dumbledore, he tried that and failed already, Potter was out of reach as was Black, but what about the Muggle Born girl? Potter's girlfriend. Didn't he read that she murdered a wizard with a muggle gun? He sent a memo to Rufus Scrimgeour the newest head of the MLE Department . Within Minutes the former Chief Auror arrived in his office.
"You wanted to see me, Minister?" Scrimgeour asked as he entered.
"Yes Rufus." Fudge responded with a smile. "Please sit down. Can I have Weatherby fetch you a cup of tea?"
"No thank you Minister. What can I do for you?"
"Well I am curious on how the case against Hermione Granger is going?"
"Granger?" Scrimgeour asked, confused. "I think it got thrown out because Dolores…"
"No, not that one." Fudge smiled. "I mean the one involving her killing a wizard in Newcastle."
"A clear case of self defense." Scrimgeour stated. "She fired the weapon at Wormtail as he was attacking Potter."
"No." Fudge corrected. "Granger, a muggle born teenage witch murdered a pure blood adult wizard with a muggle weapon. I want her brought in and charged."
"Minister this is not in the public's best interests." Scrimgeour objected.
"Sod the public interest." Fudge spat. "If you won't do it Scrimgeour I will appoint a Department Head who will. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Minister. I will detail some men to it immediately." Scrimgeour said, shaking his head.
Harry and Hermione had just finished their Charms class and were headed to the great hall for lunch when Professor McGonagall called them into an empty classroom.
"Now Potter, I need you to remain calm." McGonagall told him.
"All right." Harry nodded. "Tell me what it is you need to tell me and I will try and not let my head explode."
"It's not you." McGonagall said, turning to Hermione. "You must be brave Miss Granger."
The door to the class room opened and a squad of Aurors entered the room.
"Hermione Granger?" the lead Auror demanded. "I am Sergeant John Dwalish and I have a warrant for your arrest."
"Again?" Harry sneered. "What for now? Outsmarting Ministry Officials? WWMB?"
"What does WWMB mean?" McGonagall asked.
"Walking Whilst Muggle Born." Hermione whispered.
"No." Dwalish snapped. "You are under arrest for the Murder of the pure blood Wizard Peter Petagrew."
"What?" Hermione demanded. "That was self defence."
"You will get your chance to tell your side, Granger. Now come with us." Dwalish demanded as two Aurors stepped up to her and began to shackle her with magical binding handcuffs. "Secure her wand."
"The hell you will!" Harry said, stepping in between Dwalish and Hermione.
"Move out of the way, Potter." The sergeant snapped.
"Lord Potter." Harry said.
"What?"
"My name. It's Harry Potter Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble house of Potter, and Miss Granger here is my intended. You will show me, and her, the proper respect."
"I Have a warrant My Lord." Dawlish stated. "I must arrest her and take her in."
"Be that as it may, you will absolutely not be taking her Wand."
"Standard procedure."
"She is under my protection." Harry said drawing his own wand, "And I will defend her!"
"Gentleman." McGonagall interrupted. "May I present a compromise. How about I hold on to Miss Grangers wand for safekeeping. I am her head of house."
Dawlish considered his situation. He was unsure he could beat even a crippled Harry Potter.
"That would be acceptable." Dawlish conceded. "My Lord?"
"Very well." Harry nodded. McGonagall took possession of Hermione's wand.
"Miss Granger's solicitor is Ted Tonks." Harry said to no one in particular. "If she is questioned without him, there will be serious repercussions, and if anyone dares to harm her I swear to you whoever harms my intended will face the full displeasure of House of Potter."
"Are you threatening an Auror in the execution of their duty?" One of the others asked.
"No. I am stating facts. Miss Granger is a prisoner and therefore she is protected from harm. She is under my protection, so if any one does harm her I will be forced to call that person out."
"It will be ok Harry." Hermione whispered to Harry as the Aurors led her away. Harry turned to Magonigal.
"Where the fuck is Dumbeldore?" Harry demanded.
"I do not know Potter." McGonagall replied. "I am beginning to wonder the same thing."
"Find him." Harry commanded. "Find him and tell him to get the hell back here!" Harry stormed from the room to contact his solicitor.
Albus Dumbledore was not in England. After his announcement in the Wizengamot he had travelled to the United States of America to chair a meeting of the ICW Secrecy Committee. This committee unlike the General Assembly or the Security Council was top secret and exclusively invite only.
Dumbledore sat at the head of a table of six diplomats from the USA, France, Germany, Russia, Japan and Australia.
"As you have seen, the evidence is that the British Ministry of Magic has drastically failed in its duty to keep our world hidden from Muggle eyes. Indeed never in our history has there been such a magical attack against the muggles of our own nation. The motion on the table is that the ICW does indeed censure the British Ministry of Magic. Remember that such a motion may only be passed with a unanimous vote. It is with great regret that I must call for a vote. All those in favour that the British Ministry of Magic is censured say Aye"
"Aye." America voted.
"Aye." Germany and France followed suit.
"Aye." Russia and Japan confirmed.
"Aye." Australia ended the round of votes making it a unanimous ruling
"Well." Dumbledore said, drawing himself up. "The Ayes have it. The Ayes have it. Now as the Supreme Mugwump it falls to me to deliver this resolution to the President of the General Assembly and see it is enacted forth with. I thank you for your service here today Gentlemen."
Dumbledore took the magically written resolution with him as he left the conference room. He walked with purpose and poise to the office of the President of the International Confederation of Wizards. Unlike his own position as Supreme Mugwump, which was mostly a ceremonial one, the office of president worked full time and was selected every four years from member nations. At the moment the president of the ICW was a witch known as Joyce Bell, a former Unspeakable from the Austrian Ministry of Magic.
Dumbledore knocked gently on the door and entered without waiting for an invitation.
"Albus, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked standing up to shake the elder wizard's hand.
"I do apologise for the intrusion, Madam President, but I come with grave news." Dumbledore said sadly, handing over the scroll. The President read it quickly.
"Bloody hell!" she swore. "You want me to declare the British Ministry of Magic is to be Censured?"
"My personal wants have little to do with it." Dumbledore shook his head. "As Supreme Mugwump it was my duty to convey the committee and call for the vote. The result of which you are now holding and as the President I am afraid it is your solemn duty to enact that resolution."
"But surely there must be something else we can do?" The president objected. "We are talking about either dissolving the British Ministry until a new election can be called or political exile for your own country."
"Alas the time for half measures has long since passed." Dumbledore shook his head. "I am afraid this is now the only option. Now I must return to Hogwarts and prepare for the coming storm."
Dumbledore took his leave.
"Shite!" the President muttered.
In his lair the muggle drugs coursing through Voldemort's system finally began to wear off. The Dark Lord groggily sat up on the table he had been resting on. First he put his hands on his head before he began to examine the rest of his body. When he finally got to the amputated leg he frowned. He felt sure that he had instructed Severus on how to create him a new limb. He pulled his wand from his robes.
"Ego crus argenteum voco" He cast. A silver liquid flowed from his wand and formed the shape of a leg. Once he was satisfied he used his wand to guide the leg to the stump. "Sigillum" he commanded as the new silver prosthesis attached to his leg. He swung his legs over the edge of the table and began to pull the IV from his arm. Finally he shuffled to the edge of the table and allowed himself to stand. He tested his waist between his new and his existing leg. He shuffled forwards a few inches before he could feel a sticky substance on his foot. "What on earth is this?" he mumbled, his head still not fully recovered from the anesthesia. "Blood? Mine?" he continued to question things. "No, too much. Even I would have succumbed. Then who's?" he continued further around the table and there he saw the body of Bellatrix Lestrange. He knelt down beside her and felt for a pulse he knew he would not find. She was cold. Dead for several hours by his reckoning. Too long for even him to bring back to life, but perhaps not so long that he could still get answers from her corpse. He steadied himself, this was after all about to be a very powerful and potentially dangerous necromancy spell. "Labhair rium spiorad Bellatrix LeStrange."
The ghost of Bellatrix rose from her body.
"Master!" she cried. "I knew you would come for me." The Ghost said. "You have given me a new life!"
"I am afraid not Bellatrix." Voldemort shook his head. "I am using an ancient Celtic spell to summon your spirit here for but a short time. But I can not hold this spell for long. What happened here? Who did this to you?"
"It was Snape and the muggle healer." Lestrange told him. "They were discussing whether to keep you sedated until they could decide what it is to do with you. I wouldn't allow that. I attempted to kill them, but Snape crept up behind me like the coward that he is a slit my throat."
"Severus?" Voldemort repeated. "Severus Snape? You are sure?"
"Yes Master." Lestrange confirmed. "They spoke of how his true allegiance is to Dumbledore and the school. He has turned away from the path of the righteous My Lord."
"So it would seem." Voldemort nodded. "I will have vengeance upon him in your name Bellatrix. But now I am afraid it is time for you to return to your eternal slumber."
"No My Lord!" The Ghost begged. "I'm not ready. Please."
"Ready or not, your end has come Bellatrix. I can not hold the spell any longer."
Voldemort released the spell and the ghost of Bellatrix Lesrange sank back into her body. Voldemort touched his finger to the dark mark on his own arm and Death Eaters began to appear.
"My Brothers and Sisters." Voldemort declared, "We have been betrayed by Severus Snape. He has killed our sister and turned from our holy mission." He motions to the body of Bellatrix. "The person who brings me the traitor will be rewarded beyond all riches."
Authors notes:
So we come again to the end of a chapter where I ramble for a while before signing off.
I would like to properly welcome my brand new Beta Poly. Thank you for fixing my mistakes, glareing and otherwise. I appreciate your work hear.
Thank you to every one who has liked and faverited this story and me. The update schedual might be a bit wonkey whilst i settle into my new job, find time for writeing and then facter in the extra time between my finnishing a chapter, sending it off to Poly, Poly to work their magic and get it back to me, then for me to upload it and properly format the chapter so please bare with...
Now i have had alot of reviews since the last chapter, most of them positive, some of them not. but Ach-y-fi.
Ilena Petrova: It is true that Poppy regrew the bones of an allready attached limb, but their is no evidance in cannon that she can complitely regrow severd limbs, infact Mad-Eye moody is missing a foot and he didnt have it regrown.
Jkarr: It was nice of the good doctor to sign on as a guest star. however part of the contract was I am not allowed to print his name. I'm glad you caught who it was though.
Rick: Dumbeldores name holds a lot of power and sway in the wizarding world
Steve: Whoa buddy! you need to take a little bit of a chill pill. I will not be massacering magicals by the score in this story. sorry to dissapoint sir.
Mikeblade: You sent so many reviews in one after another. So I will reply to them one at a time.
I used voldamort to bring parkensen family into the fold in this story in that way because i want to establish the possibiltiy of betrothal contracts in this story. Also this story is Alternet Universe. their fore anything that is established in cannon can and will be twisted in any way i want.
Dumbeldore dose not want to kill Harry. He wants to use Harry to meet his own ends. Also Dumbeldore isnt a cowerd, he is a manipulator. and further more this isnt a Dumbeldore bashing tale. sorry to disapoint you.
In Cannon Percy sided with the Ministery in the Order of a Phionix. This stroy is Alternet Universe, and takes the place of book five. In my story Percy is a spy for Dumbledore.
Guest 1: Thank you for you kind review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Guest 2: Asinine? What is Asinine? Is it me? I hope its not me. is it you?
Hudy Leak613: Why thank you. Hope you enjoyed this one as much as you enjoyed the last one.
midnightscar 17: Another reviewer spamming my inbox with multiple reviews in quick sucsession. All of them about bad spelling. I wouild be happy to give you a refund simply send proof of purchaise to: I am dislexic PO Box screw you. You dont have the currage to publish a story of your own, but you are more than happy to critises others work. thats cowerdly. please dont bother to review again they will be deleted.
Thanks for reading. I hope to see you all in the next chapter.
CJ