Not According to Plan
"You shouldn't be going alone!" Hermione protested. "If Harry is in danger inside the Ministry, it means that something has gone terribly wrong."
Morgana nodded as she finished her hurried preparations before turning towards the young woman.
"You will all only get in my way," she explained patiently. "I do not know what I am getting into, but given this is Harry, it's going to be as dangerous as anything you could imagine. I will be fine, but I will not have your deaths on my conscience. That is final."
She'd spoken with authority, and though Hermione did not like it, she nodded her understanding.
"Well, we will be coming with you," Sirius declared, pointing to himself and Remus.
"Fine Morgana agreed. "I may have a use for you, but do not get in my way. I expect this will get very messy, and when it does, I'll tear the entire building down to get my husband out of there."
"And we will both help you do that. Let's go."
Morgana merely nodded in response as the three of them took their leave of Grimmauld Place, none the wiser to what was happening in the Ministry of Magic, but prepared for whatever it was they might face.
Morgana simply expected the worse.
Harry would not have sent for her so urgently if it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be.
Saying nothing to either Sirius and Remus, she apparated away a short distance from the Ministry, and immediately sensed something was indeed deeply amiss the moment she arrived.
(Break)
"They're going to reach us before help can arrive," Amelia pointed out as the Death Eaters continued collecting the wands of the remaining members of the Wizengamot. "You would think they would've taken ours first."
Harry shook his head.
"They're leaving us to last because they think we are more likely to comply if we see no other can help," he explained, "but that will prove to be a mistake."
Amelia hummed.
"That still doesn't change our position," she pointed out.
"No, but it just got a lot better."
Amelia frowned at him, but Harry was already preparing his next move.
"You're going to do something stupid, aren't you?"
"Naturally," Harry murmured. "It would be best if you were to duck when I tell you to."
"Potter," Amelia warned exasperatedly. "There are too many here."
"Bones, they are already dead. If we do as they wish, we will all die. The very best we can hope for is that we manage to somehow save some of them whilst we get the hell out of here. Do you think Riddle will spare them?"
"Not unless they serve a purpose."
"And they serve none," Harry said darkly. "He owns the Ministry now, and he has no need of them. He will just intimidate their heirs into doing his bidding. That's what he does."
What was that?" one of the nearby Death Eaters asked as the sounds of a disturbance sounded from above.
"It doesn't matter!" another snapped. "Our task is to secure this room. The others will handle whatever is happening out there."
For several moments, the Death Eaters remained still, listening to the continued rumblings coming from above, but soon enough, they stopped, and they proceeded with gathering the wands of those who had yet to give them up.
"We will be better allowing them to herd us with the others," Harry murmured, noticing that was what the Death Eaters were doing with those that had surrendered. We might just be able to get more of us out."
"Potter, we can't get out of this room. The protections…"
Harry released a deep breath before closing his eyes once more.
"You said only Fudge can control them?"
Bones nodded.
"Then we need to find a way to get him to his office."
"How?"
Harry frowned thoughtfully as he pondered the conundrum he faced.
Without control of the protections, and no way to reach them from here, it was a near impossible task, though not entirely.
Or was it?
"What happens if Fudge vacates his position without a successor?" he asked.
"The next most senior person within the room will become Minister of Magic."
"And that is you?"
Amelia shook her head before nodding towards Albus.
"My position is more powerful, overall, but Albus is the most senior."
"And he might just have the means to get to Fudge's office," Harry murmured thoughtfully. "We will need distraction."
"Can you create one?"
"No, they're watching me too closely, but when they gather us into a huddle, you can do what I need. They will notice you missing, but they won't kick up half the fuss if it was me."
Amelia did not seem pleased by it, but she nodded.
"What do you need me to do?"
"You just need to tell Fudge to formally declare that he has vacated his position. We might not be able to hold the Ministry physically, but getting the hell out of here is a start. Can you do it?"
"How…?"
She broke off as Harry covertly passed her his cloak, and Bones' eyes widened.
"I can do it," she assured him.
Harry nodded as he met Albus's gaze once more, hoping the man would act the moment he needed to.
(Break)
"Well, that certainly got their attention," Remus said breathlessly, eliciting a grin from Sirius.
"Oh, Moony," Sirius sighed, "that's just the very beginning."
"What did you do?"
"I may have added a few adjustments of my own to the Decoy Detonators."
Remus could only shake his head, and Sirius chuckled amusedly to himself as he removed several more of the contraptions he'd purchased from the Weasley twins.
"What adjustments?"
"You'll see," Sirius said giddily. "Just watch."
They'd already sent dozens of them down with the telephone box entrance to the atrium and had flushed several more down the toilets.
Evidently, the Dark Lord had been unable to fully secure the building as of yet, but it was only a matter of time before it was done. Until then, however, both Remus and Sirius were content on causing trouble for those within, and as another series of explosions sounded, the latter slapped his knee whilst laughing heartily.
"Get ready, Moony," he urged.
"For what?"
Another explosion sounded, this powerful enough to cause the pavement they stood upon to tremble, and the muggle sewer covers began to be hurled into the air, followed by a gout of waste, and an unpleasant smell.
Remus wrinkled his nose in response.
"You destroyed the sewer system!" he groaned.
"Not quite," Sirius said with a grin, "but those within the atrium will now be finding themselves covered in shit.
Remus shook his head once more, though he grinned at the seemingly never-ending ingenuity of his friend.
"You know, I think the world was a safer place with you in Azkaban."
"Maybe," Sirius agreed, "but I do hate the Ministry for what they did to me. So what if some of the gits get caught up in it. It's no less than they deserve."
Remus gave his friend's should a comforting squeeze.
"Do you think the distraction worked?"
Sirius shrugged.
"Well, just in case it didn't, let's create a few more, shall we?" he asked, removing a box full of trinkets that had undoubtedly been provided by the redheaded twins.
(Break)
She continued scuttling along the floor of the chambers of the Wizengamot, and spotted Harry standing next to a redheaded woman
The situation they found themselves in was rather dire, but before Morgana could ponder what she would do, her husband looked towards her and shook his head.
Harry had evidently come up with an idea of his own, which meant that chaos would inevitably ensue.
Still, she trusted him enough to know what he was doing, or he was not so certain, but would try something ridiculously foolish that he'd somehow make work in his favour.
Until she knew for certain, Morgana would wait but would be ready to act when she was needed.
She had ideas of her own for the Death Eaters within the room, and she had no doubt she would be able to implement them when the time was right.
Morgana would show them that it was unwise to threaten the life of her husband. They may claim victory today, but they would not claim him.
(Break)
"What the bloody hell is happening up there, and what is that smell?" One of the Death Eaters demanded as another entered the chambers.
"Muggle sewage pipe exploded," the seconded muttered miserably.
"You bloody idiot! Get back up there! That wasn't done by accident. Somehow, they know we are here! You were supposed to secure the building!"
"We did secure it! Not a single message was able to leave here!"
"Well, someone managed it. Get moving and guard the entrances until we can take full control of the protections. Move!"
Harry snorted amusedly.
With all the commotion unfolding around the building, Amelia had managed to sneak beneath the cloak without being noticed, but it was only a matter of time before her absence would become apparent.
Still, so long as she could make it to Fudge, and Albus acted accordingly, they might just be able to escape the situation they found themselves in.
Harry did not relish being surrounded by so many Death Eaters, and oddly, they did not seem so interested in him.
He suspected that Tom had told them not to engage with him, but focus only on securing the Ministry, or they were not aware that he would be here, but did not wish to provoke the ire of their master.
Tom had made it clear enough that only he was to kill Harry, but that didn't mean he couldn't be delivered to the Dark lord on a silver platter.
Riddle would love nothing more than that.
He would revel in having Harry unarmed and presented to him.
Not that Harry would allow that to happen.
No, he would sooner die here than succumb to that eventuality.
(Break)
'You must bring down the protections.'
To convey such a message using the Mind Arts was no easy feat, but Harry had repeated those words to him several times whilst they'd made eye contact across the room.
What the young man was planning, Albus didn't know, and though he'd tried to reiterate to Harry that he did not have control of the protections within the chambers, the words had only been repeated in response, only more vehemently.
It wasn't until Albus noticed that Amelia Bones was missing that he realised what might just be happening, but even so, the only way to escape the room to do what was necessary would undoubtedly be noticed.
Was Harry prepared for such a thing?
Albus didn't know, but Harry had time again proved himself able to find a way out of situations like this, and the headmaster knew he would have to show the man some faith.
He did not have a better idea, after all, and if something wasn't done, most within the room would be killed.
They meant nothing to Tom, and being rid of them would be the easiest option.
With so many Death Eaters in the room, the odds were stacked so heavily against any kind of retaliation, but Albus could see no other way of leaving this room alive without it.
Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself for what needed to be done, ensuring his escape was close at hand.
(Break)
She couldn't quite believe what had happened.
The chambers of the Wizengamot were sacrosanct, and yet, the Dark Lord had proven over the years that such things meant little to him.
He would profess to being a traditionalist with the intention of preservation the magical heritage of Britain, but his flowery words had always been contradicted by his actions.
He cared not for the sanctity of magical culture, the rich history of their people, or even who lived or died under his regime.
He cared only for power and to see those he identified as his enemies suffer under his leadership.
In many ways, he was no different to any other would-be Dark Lord, but Voldemort did not care for progression or preservation. He cared only for what he could gain for himself, and the misery he could exact upon others.
Amelia had grown wise to the man during the first war, and even more so in recent days.
The Dark Lord was responsible for the extinction of many pureblood families he claimed to represent, and many others he believed to be undesirable.
He was a hypocrite, and yet, he was an incredible danger to all.
Amelia shook her head of her thoughts as she carefully navigated her way towards the pale Cornelius Fudge, who was standing next to Rufus Scrimgeour, Dolores Umbridge, and a few others he'd brought into his confidence over the years.
Doing her utmost not to be detected, she manged to climb the stand the Minister would address the Wizengamot from, and cast a silencing charm over Fudge, so that his inevitable outcry would not be heard.
"Cornelius, you need to listen to me very carefully," she whispered. "If there is any hope of us getting out of this, you must do as I tell you. Now is not the time to argue or do anything foolish. Nod if you understand."
The man did so, though it was with reluctance.
"You need to declare to all within the room that you are vacating your position with immediate effect. It is the only way the protections within the room can be brought down."
"I control the protections!" Cornelius whispered back harshly as the charm wore off.
"Then bring them down."
"I cannot unless I am in my office…oh," he finished defeatedly. "But then…"
He seemed to understand what was happening, and he shook his head.
"We will all be killed before…"
"No," Amelia cut in. "Potter has a plan, and it might be damned stupid, but it is all we have. If you do not do this, we will all die. Make your last act as Minister a noble one, for the love of Merlin."
Cornelius's gaze swept around the room, and he swallowed deeply before nodding.
"I'll do it," he agreed quietly.
"Thank you, Cornelius," Amelia said sincerely.
Both of them knew what would happen the moment he followed her instruction, but somehow, Amelia did not doubt that, for once, Cornelius Fudge would do the right thing."
"WHERE'S BONES? She was bloody standing next to Potter. WHERE IS SHE?"
"I-I don't know," one of the other Death Eaters stammered. "She can't have gotten far!"
Carefully but as quickly as she could, Amelia made her way back to her spot whilst the Death Eaters frantically searched for her,.
(Break)
"Come on, Fudge," Harry murmured. "Do the right bloody thing!"
It had been several minutes since Amelia had departed, and as expected, her absence had indeed been noted by the Death Eaters.
It was now or never that Fudge would need to act, and as Harry looked towards the current Minister, he could only silently urge him to do so.
Fortunately, the man seemed to find some courage from somewhere within him, and he stood from where he'd been sitting.
"What are you doing, Cornelius?" Dolores Umbridge asked worriedly.
Fudge merely shook his head ins response before clearing his throat loudly.
None paid him much heed until he began to speak, but when he did, they all stopped searching, and immediately raised their wands.
"I, Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic, hereby vacate my position with immediate effect," he declared, his voice hoarse and gaze fearful.
No sooner had he uttered the words, no less than a dozen jets of green lights were hurled towards him, and Fudge, Umbridge, and a few others surrounding them collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
In the midst of the shock of what had happened, a pillar of fire erupted within the room, and everyone froze for the briefest of moments whilst they digested what had happened.
In the space of just a fleeting moment, Fudge had been murdered, and Dumbledore had managed to escape the clutches of the Death Eaters.
Harry could only hope the headmaster knew what he was doing with the protections here, because almost as sudden as the stillness had fallen, chaos erupted within the chambers.
"KILL THEM ALL!" one of the Death Eaters roared.
Harry sprang into action, felling two of those nearby with a handful of spells that left no chance of survival but he knew that they were heavily outnumbered, and most members of the Wizengamot that had not been in on the coup had surrendered their wands.
Knowing this, Harry knew he needed to use everything at his disposal, and as he watched Amelia Bones, and those that could do their utmost to protect the others, he drew his sword and threw it in the air.
His time spent with Godric would certainly not go to waste but given just how many enemies he found himself facing, he wasn't so sure how effective what he intended to do would be.
Perhaps he would catch some of them off guard.
He would hope for that whilst he sought out any other advantage he might find.
Engaging another Death Eater and quickly dispatching them with a curse that tore his spine through the flesh of his back, he briefly shifted his attention towards his sword once more before hitting it with an animation spell.
It was as though the blade had a mind of its own as it began spinning around the room, targeting the masked and robed figures, who did their utmost to avoid the sword.
Most were successful, but there were those not so fast or fortunate.
Their screams filled the room as the basilisk venom imbued into the blade took effect, and several fell.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted Morgana, who had made her way into the public gallery, and Harry smiled proudly as he wife began unleashing her own magic upon the Death Eaters.
Those hit would suffer, but eliminating the threat was not the intention here.
No, eventually, the numbers would become overwhelming, and they needed to escape.
That would be the only victory to be had here, and that was all that Harry would strive for.
(Break)
He released a deep breath as he clung to the edge of the desk that had belonged to Cornelius Fudge. The sudden influx of magic had proven to be overwhelming, but Fawkes had arrived promptly to transport him from the chambers of the Wizengamot.
Fortunately, the protections of the Ministry of Magic were somewhat similar to those around Hogwarts, and though being given sudden control of such a complex array of magicks was disorientating to say the least, Albus knew he needed to act quickly.
Tightening his grip to stay upright, he closed his eyes in a bid to feel the individual protections and managed to find those connected to the Wizengamot chambers.
For the most part, they remained intact, but they were not functioning as intended in others.
Somehow, someone had found a way to interfere with them and had done so without Cornelius becoming aware of the changes, or, the man simply had not noticed through the emotional turmoil he was experiencing in giving up his power.
Regardless, Albus knew he needed to do something, and as he focused on lifting the rest of the protections so that those within had the ability to escape, he breathed a sigh of relief as the magic yielded to him.
Still, the overwhelming feeling of the magic continued to plague him, and though it caused him considerable discomfort to do so, he managed to send a patronus to Harry before collapsing to the floor, where he was transported away from the Ministry of Magic by Fawkes.
(Break)
Curses left her wand at a rapid speed, and though she'd managed to catch the Death Eaters by surprise, there were too many of them to mount an offence that would see several of the innocents within the room either terribly injured or killed.
Usually, Morgana would not care so much about things, but Harry was doing his utmost to ensure he could help those very people escape.
It was just a part of who her husband was.
Somehow, despite how the world had treated him throughout his life, his still managed to maintain a good heart, even if those around him were undeserving of it.
Morgana often felt that way about herself.
She knew that she often lacked empathy and care towards others.
In truth, she had been unable to feel anything except for disdain towards most others until Salazar had shown her genuine kindness, but it had been Harry who'd pulled her back from the brink of becoming someone as cold as the Dark Lord she found herself fighting against.
She was grateful for it, but in this moment, it would certainly be more convenient if her husband was a little less himself.
No, she could not ask or expect that of him.
Although he was often noble to a fault, it was one of the things she most admired about him.
Oh, he was ruthless and unforgiving to his enemies, but not to those that had not wronged him.
Morgana dodged a vicious looking orange spell that had been sent towards her by one of the masked figures before returning fire, her own spell melting the mask the man wore into his face.
His scream was bloodcurdling, and even if he was to survive what had happened, he would never appear as he once had.
Such a thought brought a smile to Morgana's lips.
The man deserved nothing less than to suffer for his part in what was transpiring around her.
She chanced a glance towards Harry, who was now wielding his wand in one hand and sword in the other.
Oddly, the Death Eaters seemed to be avoiding him, but Harry proved to be as relentless as ever, stalking his chosen targets around the hall as they tried to restore order, with little success,
The members of the Wizengamot and media who had been disarmed were attempting to take cover behind anything they could use to shield themselves from the ensuing chaos, but not all were fortunate.
Some had already been killed, either by errant spells of on purpose, and others injured.
It wouldn't be so easy to get them all-out, and Morgana expected some would be left behind.
Even so, she knew she needed to prepare for their impending exit, and she removed several of the emergency portkeys she carried.
When the moment came that they could leave, they would need to do so without hesitation.
Until then, the fighting would continue, and as another of the Death Eaters bore down on her, she levelled her wand at the man.
Taking inspiration from Bellatrix Lestrange, she smiled as she unleashed her next spell.
"Crucio!"
(Break)
He drove the blade of his sword through the stomach of one of the Death Eaters taking aim at the nearby Rufus Scrimgeour, though Harry found himself needing to avoid a killing curse sent towards him.
Fortunately, Amelia Bones was on hand to assist him, and the attacker collapsed to the ground, wrestling with the chain that had been wrapped around his neck.
"Potter, we can't keep this up," the woman said breathlessly. "They're already gathering themselves, and when they do…"
"I know," Harry assured her. "We're just waiting for Dumbledore."
As if on cue, the phoenix patronus belonging to the headmaster appeared in front of him.
It said nothing, but Harry knew what it meant, and he readied himself for a final push to ensure they could get away with as many of the innocent members of the Wizengamot as possible.
"Are we ready?" Morgana asked as she reached them, firing a sickly yellow spell towards a Death Eater taking aim at Amelia from behind.
The woman it collided with squealed like a pig in distress but fell silent as Morgana's second spell landed.
"We need to gather…"
Morgana shook her head and waved her wand towards a group huddle by one of the stands.
They were sent skidding across the floor towards another, and she cast a large bubble around them.
It wouldn't hold up long under an onslaught of spells, but it was better than nothing.
"You too, Bones," she instructed.
"I need to get Scrimgeour," Harry broke in, rushing towards the man, who was continuing to fight off the Death Eaters as best he could.
It was a testament to the Auror he had once been that he was still alive.
The others that had been around him were dead, but Rufus still stood with the intent to do so until his last breath.
"Time to go," Harry informed the man, pulling him towards the huddled group, blocking an incoming curse with his sword before returning the favour, blasting a large cavity into the chest of his assailant.
The man didn't make a sound as he thudded to the ground, but now was not the time to ponder such things.
A sudden chill that had been lurking menacingly in the air suddenly became prominent, and the dementors that had been lying in wait swarmed into the chambers from the high ceiling above.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Harry sent the creatures spilling towards the Death Eaters, and taking hold of Scrimgeour once more, dragged the man into the bubble.
"Now!" he said urgently, as several spells were fired towards them.
Keeping hold of the Scrimgeour, he activated his portkey, and the two of them were pulled from the chambers of the Wizengamot, though something sharp and heavy slammed into Harry before they'd managed to fully exit the building.
(Break)
"Merlin, what the hell is going on in there?" Sirius grumbled as he and Remus continued to watch the Ministry of Magic from a safe distance.
"I don't know, but it's gone a little too quiet for my liking," the werewolf murmured. "Wait here, I'll go and speak with the Aurors."
Sirius scowled unhappily as Remus made his way towards the large gathering of red-robed men and women.
After something of an animated conversation with one of them, the Aurors vanished, and Remus rushed back towards Sirius.
"They've all just been summoned to Hogsmeade by Bones," he explained. "Come on!"
The two of them apparated away, and as soon as they arrived, Sirius turned into a dog to avoid being spotted.
He was still a wanted man, after all.
Making their way towards the centre of the village, they found the Aurors assembled outside of The Three Broomsticks, where a dishevelled Amelia Bones could be seen talking to them.
"The Wizengamot meeting was nothing more than an ambush," she explained. "Although I cannot be certain of the exact number, most of the Lords and Ladies are now being considered missing. I will look to produce a full list for accounting. As of now, we must assume that the Dark Lord has taken control of the Ministry of Magic, which means that officially, Britain is very much under his control. As ever, we will continue to do our jobs. This is the time that we must come together as one if we have any hope of winning this war. For now, I want you all to return to you duties in groups no smaller than four, and you will use your emergency portkeys if necessary. You are not to engage the Death Eaters until further notice. Understood?"
The Aurors nodded their understanding but said nothing.
"Half of you are to remain here whilst those he need treatment as transported to St Mungo's, and I want a strong presence there too," Bones continued. "Those remaining here will help secure the village. Go!"
What had happened was quite the shock for them to process, and even Sirius and Remus were taken aback.
"There's Harry," Remus murmured, nodding to where the young man was standing with his wife and Rufus Scrimgeour.
He was bleeding heavily from his arm, which Morgana was tending to, but both seemed to be holding up well enough given what had just happened.
Sirius barked as he lumbered towards his godson, whining as he caught a whiff of the curse he'd been struck with.
He'd been lucky not to lose the arm entirely, but Morgana seemed to know what she was doing.
"I'm fine, Padfoot" Harry assured him. "I expect the Healers will arrive soon enough, but we need to secure the village, just in case."
"I'll help," Remus volunteered, drawing his wand and moving off to assist the remaining Aurors.
"I never expected…" Scrimgeour said darkly. "The Ministry…"
"Belongs to him now," Harry cut in. "It can and will be taken back, but not now. I must find Albus. Morgana, stay with Padfoot and make sure he doesn't get himself into any trouble. Do what you can to help this lot. I'll see you back home shortly."
Morgana nodded.
"What about me, Potter?" Scrimgeour asked.
"If I were you, I would lay low. You were never officially voted in as Minister, but you will still be a target. Better yet, you'd be best fleeing Britain if you have anywhere you can hide."
"I will not hide! I will fight for the people I have spent the past decades protecting!"
Harry eyed the man speculatively as he nodded.
"Then report to Bones. She is still your boss."
With that, he apparated away, and Sirius looked on as the Healers from St Mungo's began to arrive.
It was only then that he noticed the group not so far away from where he was stood, huddled fearfully and surrounded by Aurors.
The could only be a couple of dozen at most, which meant that the majority of the Wizengamot was either dead or had been captured by the Dark Lord.
It was a troubling realisation, and Sirius did not know what could be done to undo what had happened today.
Dark times lie ahead of them indeed, and as things were, he could see no silver lining to the cloud hanging over Great Britain.
(Break)
He chuckled to himself as he leaned back in the chair belonging to the Minister of Magic.
The Dark Lord had received reports of quite the skirmish taking place in the chambers of the Wizengamot, but as yet, the details of such were lacking.
Still, his coup of the Ministry of Magic had been successful.
According to what little he'd heard, Fudge was dead, as were many other members of the august body he'd yet to capture.
"Come in," he called as a knock sounded at the door. "Ah, Yaxley. I hope you are ready to assume your role as Minister of Magic."
"Of course, my lord, but we may have a problem. Things we could not foresee came to pass."
The Dark Lord frowned at the man's nervous tone.
"Speak, Yaxley," Voldemort urged.
"We were indeed successful," he began reassuringly, "but Potter was there, and the damned fool Fudge vacated his post before I could be sworn in. My Lord, we lost several of your followers, and Potter escaped with several of the members of the Wizengamot."
The Dark Lord's nostrils flared.
He had not expected Potter to be present during the proceedings.
"And Dumbledore?"
Yaxley swallowed deeply.
"It seems as though he is the current Minister," he explained. "When the Minister of Magic resigns a post, the responsibility and power falls to the next senior member of the Wizengamot, if another has not been sworn into the position."
"The Chief Warlock has that honour," the Dark Lord grumbled.
"The reason he was named Chief Warlock is because he refused the position of Minister of Magic," Yaxley explained. "At the time, it was the logical thing to do. If Fudge was murdered, anyone thought to being a follower of yours could not assume the position, my lord."
The Dark Lord hummed unhappily at the revelation.
"So, we hold the building, the resources, but not the power."
"We have the Wizengamot, my lord, and that counts for everything."
"And the Aurors?"
Yaxley shook his head.
"All have refused to return to the Ministry, my lord, but we will replace them with our own people."
Lord Voldemort released a deep breath before frowning once more.
"If Dumbledore is officially the Minister of Magic, then he has control of the protections here?"
"Naturally, my lord."
The Dark Lord chuckled to himself.
"Then perhaps I can use it to my advantage," he said thoughtfully. "I expect you will be Minister soon enough, Corban. For now, ensure the building is as secure as you can make it. I will add my own protections in due course. For now, you are to have yourself voted in as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. I expect it is a position you will not hold for long."
Yaxley didn't seem to quite grasp the Dark Lord's plan, but he nodded before taking his leave of the office, and Lord Voldemort shifted his attention towards the protections.
If they were indeed tied to the old fool, he could certainly make life difficult for his former professor until the arrangements he desired could me made.
Perhaps he could even put an end to Dumbledore without the need of facing him again.
(Break)
He watched as Dumbledore's eyes flickered open occasionally.
The man was drifting in and out of consciousness, and evidently struggling with the influx of magic. It was not something Harry had accounted for, though in hindsight, he knew he should have.
Being responsible for the protections of Hogwarts was a heavy enough burden to carry around, but adding the additional ones of the Ministry had taken quite the toll on the headmaster.
"He must rest," Madam Pomfrey sighed as she checked the man for the dozenth time. "His body needs to adjust to what has happened. He is very old, Mr Potter, and even as brilliant as he is, the body can only take so much. What of your wound?"
It continued to bleed, but Harry shook his head.
"The curse has been lifted, but I will need to take some blood-replenishers for a few days until the bleeding stops."
Madam Pomfrey quirked an eyebrow at him.
"I wasn't aware you are a Healer, Mr Potter."
Harry snorted amusedly and shook his head.
"I am dreadful, for the most part, but my wife has something of a gift for it. She has spent the past several years watching over me and tending to my many injuries."
"Much like I used to during your time here."
Harry nodded, though what little amusement he'd managed to find in the moment vanished as Dumbledore began to convulse rather violently in his sleepy state.
"What is happening?" he asked worriedly.
Madam Pomfrey shook her head.
She seemed to be as lost as Harry, but she did what she could by tending to the thrashing headmaster.
As quickly as they started, the convulsions stopped and the man's eyes shot open, yet, they were filled with panic.
"Albus, can you hear me?" Madam Pomfrey asked.
Dumbledore's eyes shifted to Harry, and though it was only the briefest of glimpses, he saw enough to act upon what he saw.
With a flick of his wand, a jet of red light rendered the headmaster unconscious once more, and Madam Pomfrey looked at him in horror.
"Potter! What do you think…"
She broke off as Harry held up a hand and gestured for her to follow him.
Hesitantly, she did so, and Harry held a finger to his lips as they exited the Hospital Wing.
"You must keep him unconscious," he whispered after casting a silencing charm on the door. "Somehow, he has been possessed by the Dark Lord."
Madam Pomfrey's eyes widened in horror, and Harry took her carefully by the arm.
"He must be watched at all times until I can free him of the magic. Wait here."
He re-entered the Hospital Wing and offered the professor a look of apology as he relieved the man of his wand. It was too dangerous for him to be in possession of it, though when Harry took hold of the length of wood, he flet a sudden coldness wash over him, much like he experienced every time he found himself in Godric's Hollow.
However, he'd never felt it so prominently before, and the wand itself seemed to be whispering in his mind.
Shaking his head of the presence, he returned to Madam Pomfrey.
"You'd best inform Professor McGonagall of what has happened whilst I fi this."
"How will you do that?" the Healer asked worriedly.
Harry released a deep breath as he realised what must be done.
"I'm going to have to find a way into the Ministry of Magic to destroy the protections tying him to it," he explained. "If he could be trusted to take control of his own mind, he could simply vacate the position, breaking the connection, but Voldemort won't let him do that. He will want to destroy Albus in any way he can, and we gave him the bloody means of doing so."
The horror the woman was experiencing only increased as Harry explained what had transpired.
"Potter, entering the Ministry would be suicide!" she protested.
Harry snorted humourlessly as he nodded.
"You might be right," he agreed, "but I 've always found a way to get things done, and I'll have to do it again, I suppose, won't I?"