A Short one for you guys.
Chapter 5 - Fall of the Ministry
Sirius sat at his desk in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, seething with frustration as he scribbled furiously on a piece of parchment. He had been summoned to the Ministry earlier that morning, though he couldn't quite remember why. Ah, yes—an enormous pile of unfinished paperwork. Sirius was confused; he hadn't realized he had so much work to do. But apparently, Scrimgeour wanted every last detail of the past six months' battles and missions.
"Why are you all dressed up?" came a voice, pulling him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see his coworker, Ben Sharpe, standing beside his desk with a stack of files in hand. Sirius, in a black suit with his hair neatly combed and a folded handkerchief tucked into his pocket, barely registered the question.
"I'm supposed to be at a wedding," Sirius muttered, glancing at his watch. It was nearing three o'clock—the ceremony was about to begin. "And it's about to start."
"Shouldn't you be running out the door instead of sitting here like some office-bound owl?" Ben asked.
Sirius groaned, rubbing his temples. "I would be running out the door if it weren't for this ridiculous mountain of paperwork. Scrimgeour wants every single detail of the missions over the last six months. Honestly, I don't know how he expects me to focus on anything else."
Ben snickered, sitting on the edge of Sirius's desk and holding up a file. "Well, at least this wedding isn't your wedding, right?"
Sirius rolled his eyes. "No, not yet, anyway," he replied.
Ben raised an eyebrow. "What's that mean? You and Sandra aren't married?"
Sirius shook his head. "Never got the chance," he said. "We were going to after Josh was born, but then the war... and me getting locked away for twelve years."
"And now you're back, working for the same Ministry that locked you up without a trial," Ben said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Well, it was Bagnold's Ministry back then," Sirius muttered. "Fudge wanted to get rid of me, but Scrimgeour was the one who wanted me back. He saw it as a way to get close to my kids, but I saw it as a chance to get insider information on certain things."
Ben frowned. "What does that mean?"
Sirius paused, then waved it off. "Er, nothing." He quickly changed the subject. "Are those for me?" He nodded at the files Ben was holding.
"Oh, right," Ben said, handing the files over. "They're the Death Eater files for the ones who were either captured or killed during your missions."
"Great," Sirius sighed, flipping through them. "Reginald Frost? We went to school together." He glanced up at Ben. "Thanks for these."
"No problem," Ben replied. "I hope you make it to the wedding." With that, he left Sirius alone.
Sirius tossed the files onto his desk with a frustrated sigh and leaned back in his chair. Just as he was about to abandon the paperwork and head to the wedding, something caught his eye. A lone figure stood across the room, cloaked and hooded. The person seemed out of place. They knocked on Pius's door.
Sirius watched as Pius opened the door, his expression initially confused but then quickly softening into something calmer, almost welcoming. Pius nodded and closed the door.
The figure turned and walked away, and Sirius, sensing something was off, stood up. Quietly, he followed. He rounded the corner, only to see the figure split into three. They were talking to one another. Sirius instinctively drew his wand.
Suddenly, the lights around him flickered. For a moment, he lost track of the figures, and when he looked back, they were gone. Something wasn't right. Sirius continued down the corridor, hoping to catch up. He passed a small alcove, unaware that someone was lurking there.
"Sirius Black."
A gravelly voice cut through the silence, freezing him in his tracks. He turned quickly, and a man stepped out of the shadows, his wand drawn. The man's weathered face narrowed as his cold, blue eyes locked onto Sirius. It didn't take long for Sirius to recognize him.
"Corban Yaxley," Sirius spat, tightening his grip on his wand and aiming it directly at Yaxley. "How'd you get in here?"
Yaxley smirked, his voice dripping with disdain. "That's a trade secret, Black. We've been waiting in the shadows for weeks, biding our time. Waiting for the right moment to strike."
Sirius narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"
Yaxley's grin widened. "We've been planning for weeks, and now, we're taking the Ministry." He raised his wand. "Avada Kedavra!"
The green curse shot toward Sirius with lethal speed. With a quick roll to the side, Sirius narrowly dodged the deadly curse, his heart racing. Before Sirius could react, screams and shouts of terror echoed around them.
"You hear that, Black?" Yaxley sneered. "Music to my ears." With a flick of his wand, he sent a curse toward Sirius, who quickly raised his shield to block it.
"You're not taking the Ministry," Sirius snarled, firing a stunner at Yaxley. The Death Eater deflected it with ease.
"It's already done," Yaxley replied coldly. He waved his wand in a circular motion, jabbing it forward. Sirius was thrown violently through a wall, his body crashing against the rubble. Dazed, he could still hear the distant shouts and screams.
"If you're a pureblood, you have nothing to worry about!" a voice cried out. "If you're half-blood, maybe we can bargain—"
"But if you're a Mudblood," another Death Eater yelled, his wand raised high. A flash of green light surged toward a Muggle-born wizard, killing him instantly. "Then you'd better run!"
Sirius staggered to his knees just as someone grabbed the back of his head, jerking him upright. Yaxley's voice whispered cruelly in his ear, his wand pressing against Sirius's neck. "You see that, Black? Mudbloods need to be purged from this world. Only the pure can live. You can live too, Black. See the error in your ways and join us."
Sirius gritted his teeth. "I'd rather die," he growled.
"That can be arranged," Yaxley hissed. "But before that, an old friend wants to see you."
After what felt like an eternity of terror in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Sirius and several other witches and wizards were dragged into the center of the elevator atrium, surrounded by a handful of masked Death Eaters. Sirius was the last to be thrown into the group. His wand was taken, and he couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling of helplessness. His gaze shifted to Yaxley, who had Sirius's wand now securely in his possession.
"I thought the Ministry was full of top-tier Aurors," a familiar voice called out, cutting through the tension. The face of Lucian Donovan, a notorious Death Eater from Romania, appeared from the group of masked figures. He stopped in front of Sirius, kneeling with a smirk. "Ah, Sirius Black. Pleasure to see you again. I met your son a few months ago. I'm actually glad to see him survive that little attack. Perhaps we can have our rematch soon."
Sirius glared at him, his hatred palpable. "A lot of hostility in those eyes," Lucian remarked, grinning. "I like that."
Lucian stood, glancing around at the group of prisoners. "Here's the deal," he announced loudly. "You pledge your allegiance to the Dark Lord, and you may live. Serve under his Ministry with Pius Thicknesse as the Minister—"
Pius. Sirius's stomach twisted with unease. He'd always known there was something off about that man.
"—You rebel against us," Lucian continued, looking down at Sirius with a smirk, "and you'll either be imprisoned, or death will come swiftly. But I will say this: if you're Muggle-born, you'll tell us. It may save your life. If you don't... we will find out, one way or another. Our new Ministry will start rounding up every Muggle-born soon, and if you don't volunteer to bring yourself in, the consequences will be dire. Even worse if you can't prove you're a true witch or wizard!"
A man at the back of the group raised his hand hesitantly. Lucian raised an eyebrow. "Question?"
"W-what about half-bloods?" the man stammered.
"Ah," Lucian smirked. "If you can prove your parents are purebloods, then you might be given the opportunity to serve under us." He glanced around at the many terrified faces, his gaze landing on Sirius's defiant expression. "You will see what happens to those who rebel against us," Lucian sneered. He strode toward Yaxley, pulled Sirius's wand from the inside of his coat, and tossed it to him.
"What the hell are you doing?" Yaxley hissed as Sirius caught the wand.
"I'm an honorable man, Yaxley," Lucian replied coolly, drawing his own wand. "I'll give another honorable pureblood a fair fighting chance." He waved a hand to the Death Eaters and captives. "Out of the way!" The crowd quickly scattered, forming a ring as Lucian and Sirius squared off. Yaxley stood behind Lucian, his eyes narrow with suspicion. "I will not tolerate any trickery this time, Sirius Black."
"Oh, of course not," Sirius replied, barely hiding a smirk. Anyone who knew him well was aware that "honor" wasn't exactly his forte. He was a Marauder at heart.
For the first minute, they traded spells—dodging, deflecting, and testing each other's defenses. Sirius sensed Lucian wasn't fully committed to the duel, especially considering what Josh had told him about this man. An idea sparked in his mind. First, he'd surprise Lucian with a simple prank spell, one he hadn't used since his teenage years. Then, he'd turn the tables and use Lucian to take out the surrounding Death Eaters.
Sirius began sending rapid spells toward Lucian, pushing more power into each one. He shouted and charged forward, throwing Lucian off guard. In an instant, Sirius morphed into his shaggy dog form, growling and lunging toward Lucian, his mouth wide open. Lucian ducked just in time, but Yaxley let out a cry as Padfoot tackled him to the ground, sinking his teeth into Yaxley's wand arm.
"Arg!" Yaxley growled. "Get off me, you damn mutt!"
Padfoot leapt off as Lucian closed in from behind, and Sirius swiftly reverted to human form just in time to raise a shield that absorbed Lucian's curse.
"I said, no tricks!" Lucian barked, unleashing a barrage of curses and jinxes against the shield. His magic was absorbed harmlessly. "What is this magic?!" he demanded, his voice rising in frustration.
"It's mine," Sirius replied with a grin. He flicked his wand. "Release!"
With a sharp cry, the magic in his shield surged outward, firing a barrage of spells that struck every Death Eater in sight, knocking them all out. The captives, now freed, scrambled for their wands, their confidence renewed.
Lucian, eyes blazing with fury, glared at Sirius. "Giving me a fighting chance was your first mistake," Sirius said, casually polishing his wand. "Trusting me to fight fairly, or thinking I was an honorable man, was your second."
He smirked at Lucian and then magicked some ropes around the man. Sirius turned to the others. "We have to take back the Ministry."
"You're crazy!" A woman shouted. "We need to get out of here." A couple of people nodded in agreement.
"Who knows how many of them are really here," Ben spoke, "There could be many on the other levels and could be getting here in any second - " And as if on cue, the elevator dinged. Everyone turned towards the lift, aiming their wands at the one that was coming into view. Soon, the doors opened to reveal a heavily disheveled Scrimgeour. He limped out of the lift and glanced around, seeing that the Aurors were standing, and the Death Eaters were knocked out.
"Good job Aurors," He complimented. Sirius rose an eyebrow. That should be his compliment alone.
The Aurors expectantly looked at Scrimgeour. "We're abandoning the Ministry," he instructed.
"What?" Sirius blurted. "We can't let the Ministry fall into their hands!"
"We've got no choice Mister Black," Scrimgeour growled. "My people sacrificed themselves to get me to safety. So, it's in best interest to leave with any survivors we have on hand now." Sirius wanted to argue, but deep down, he knew the Minister was right. He didn't like it, but there was no other choice. "Everyone, into the lifts, to the Atrium!" Scrimgeour barked. "Be ready!"
Sirius and the others piled into the lifts, the metal doors closing with a soft ding as they descended. The cool, impersonal voice echoed over the intercom: "Ministry Atrium, floor level."
As the doors slid open, Sirius and the other Aurors filed out, stepping into the Atrium. The space, usually bustling with activity, was eerily silent. They halted near the familiar fountain, its waters still. The place felt abandoned, though a few lifeless bodies, bloodied and cold, littered the floor.
"Stay alert," Sirius said, his voice low but firm, as the group began moving cautiously toward the fireplace exits. "If things go south, head to Hogwarts."
The Aurors passed the bodies, their faces grim. Some shuddered as they walked by, the sight of the bloodied corpses unsettling. They were nearly at the fireplaces when a sudden twitch from one of the fallen bodies caught Sirius's attention.
Without warning, the bodies began to stir, shuffling slowly to their feet. One lurched forward and attacked a nearby woman.
A blood-curdling scream sliced through the air, drawing the attention of the entire group. The woman was trapped in the grip of a reanimated corpse, its fingers digging deep into her skin.
"Inferi!" Ben Sharpe shouted, his voice a sharp command. "They're Inferi!"
Panic swept through the group as the undead began to stagger toward them—some walking, some crawling, and others stumbling in a grotesque display of unnatural movement. Aurors began to fire off spells in a wild frenzy, hoping to defend themselves, but their efforts were chaotic.
"Focus, use fire—fire!" Sirius and Scrimgeour shouted in unison, trying to regain some semblance of order, but it was no use. The chaos had already taken hold. In a desperate attempt to protect his colleagues, Sirius cast an Incendio spell, setting an undead Auror ablaze.
"Just leave them!" Sirius shouted. "Get out of here!"
But before anyone could react, a sickening squelch sounded from behind him. Sirius spun around to see Scrimgeour staring at him, wide-eyed and horrified. Following the Minister's gaze, Sirius's heart dropped. A hand was protruding from Scrimgeour's chest, its fingers wrapped tightly around his heart.
"Well, this is a bit of a surprise," came a voice from behind them.
Sirius's blood ran cold as he turned to face the man who had just appeared. Lucian.
His mind raced as he looked from Lucian to Scrimgeour, still frozen in shock. Without thinking, Sirius pointed his wand upward, desperation rising in his chest.
"Expecto Patronum!" he cried.
Crack!
Josh, Daphne, Hoshi, and Tonks appeared inside Hogsmeade village, immediately surrounded by chaos. Guests and family members from the Weasley/Delacour wedding were scattered throughout the area—some crying in terror, others scrambling to help one another. Many residents and refugees poured out of the nearby buildings, trying to make sense of the commotion at this late hour.
Josh guided Daphne to a bench and gently sat her down. His eyes immediately fell on the wound at her leg. It was a clean cut, nothing too deep, but still a reminder of the danger they'd narrowly escaped.
"It's nothing serious," Daphne said, sensing his concern. "Just a simple cutting hex. Nothing vital was hit. Though if it had been a little higher, it could've sliced open a major vein."
Josh carefully placed his handkerchief over her wound. "I'm glad you're okay," he said with a small, relieved smile.
"I'm glad you're okay too," Daphne replied, her hand brushing through Josh's hair.
"Daphne!" The sudden shout made them both look up. Victor, Daphne's father, was running toward them, panic written across his face. He stopped in front of them, his breath heavy. "What the hell happened? Where's Astoria?"
"I'm fine, Dad," Daphne reassured him, gesturing a few feet away. "She's over there with Sandra. She's perfectly fine."
Victor's relief was short-lived as he looked at Josh. "What happened?"
"The wards at the Burrow broke," Josh said, his voice grim. "The Ministry fell, and the Minister is dead."
Victor's face drained of color. "That can't be…" he breathed out, shaking his head in disbelief. "If the Ministry is gone... then Hogwarts is all we have left."
"Then we're going to have to strengthen it," Josh said, his voice steady. Suddenly, Daphne gasped. Josh and Victor turned to her.
"What is it?" Josh asked, concern creeping into his tone.
"If the wards at the Burrow are weakened... what about the wards here?" Daphne asked, her voice laced with worry.
"Shite," Josh muttered under his breath, his eyes scanning the crowd. He jumped onto a nearby barrel to get their attention. "Everyone, listen up!" he shouted as loud as he could. The crowd fell silent, all eyes turning to him. "I need anyone and everyone who's an expert at wards to come over. Now!"
Several familiar faces made their way toward him. Victor, Sandra with Artie, Seiko, Hoshi, Bill, Fleur, Molly, Fleur's parents, a few wedding guests, and even some Hogsmeade residents approached.
"Joshua, what's going on?" Sandra asked, her brow furrowed with concern.
"The wards may have been weakened now that the Ministry has fallen," Josh said grimly. A few residents gasped in shock at the news. "We need to reinforce them as soon as possible."
"What do you suggest?" Victor asked.
"We need people to surround all of Hogsmeade, at key points," Josh explained quickly. "Make sure to include the newer buildings and Hogsmeade Station, just in case. We also need to cover all the houses on the outskirts."
"You're talking about Hogwarts-level wards, maybe even bigger," someone from the crowd called out. "I don't know if we can do that."
"We can do that!" Josh responded firmly. "You're all strong. We just need to pool our magic together. We can make this happen!"
"Alright, what kind of wards are we talking about?" Bill asked, his tone practical.
Josh scratched his head, unsure for a moment. "Uh, good question, Bill. Anyone got ideas?"
Hoshi raised his hand. "We could use the Maximum Shield Charm, the Imperturbable Charm, Fianto Duri, and the Enemy Repelling Charm."
"Those are good. Really good," Bill nodded in approval. "Perfect, actually."
"What about the others who aren't here?" Sandra asked. "Like your father?"
"We'll use the Enemy Repelling Charm," Josh said, his voice steady. "We need to account for enemies who bear the Dark Mark, dark magical creatures like Dementors or Acromantulas. Everyone else should be able to enter freely."
"That's fine, but what about the human enemies who don't bear the Dark Mark?" someone from the crowd asked.
"We'll have to take the risk," Josh said, some groaning in frustration. "Look, they'd have to be idiots to come here, surrounded by us. If, and that's a big if, they try, we'll handle them. Simple as that." A tense silence followed as everyone processed his words.
"Alright, you heard the kid," a Hogsmeade resident spoke up, a determined glint in his eye. "Let's get to work."
Everyone who was going to cast the wards split up, heading to key points around Hogsmeade—from the station to the homes just outside the village. Josh magically enhanced his voice, his words booming across the village. "When everyone's in position, cast your charms!"
His voice echoed, and soon, the air was filled with the sound of voices casting their spells, the incantations ringing through the village as the wards took shape.
Josh, along with Hoshi and Bill, took their positions in the center of the village. Josh focused intently, letting the flow of magic surge through his wand. He stole a glance at Daphne and was surprised to see Artie in her arms. For a fleeting moment, an image of Daphne holding a different child flashed in his mind.
"Concentrate," Hoshi called, breaking Josh from his thoughts. Josh refocused, reshaping his magic and continuing to strengthen the wards.
It didn't take long. The work was complete.
Soon, everyone gathered around.
"If you were a guest at the wedding, come see me. I'll help you get back home," Tonks shouted, standing beside Remus and a few resistance soldiers. "If you want to stay, we can arrange somewhere for you to go." A few wedding guests who weren't from Hogwarts began to make their way over to Tonks.
"If you're injured, come to the Infirmary. We'll take care of you," Scott's voice rang out.
"That's my cue," Daphne said, standing up carefully with Artie still in her arms.
"Wait, where are you going?" Josh asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"I have to take care of the injured," Daphne said, passing Artie to Josh.
"But you're injured too," Josh protested.
"It's just a scratch," Daphne assured him, flashing a reassuring smile. "Plus, all the more reason to head to the Infirmary."
Josh sighed, glancing over at Scott, the man who caused him to hesitate—only because of his own jealousy. He pushed the feeling aside. He trusted Daphne. "Okay," he said softly. "When can I see you again?"
Daphne raised an eyebrow. "How about breakfast?"
Josh smiled and nodded. "Sounds good."
Then, instinctively, he leaned in, moving to kiss her. Daphne mirrored him, and they shared a quick kiss before she turned and lightly limped toward the Infirmary, joining the others who were injured.
"Did that just happen?" Josh heard, turning to find Rina, Astoria, Shaun, Seina, Neville, Hoshi, and Ginny staring at him in shock.
"What?" Josh asked, confused.
Rina rolled her eyes as Astoria and Ginny giggled. Shaun threw his arms up in frustration. "I'm thirteen, and even I know," he muttered to Seina, who giggled in response.
Josh felt a warmth spread in his chest as he tried to brush it off. "Rina," he called to his cousin. She ran over, and Josh placed Artie in her arms, pulling out his DA coin from his jacket pocket. A message had appeared on it: 'Safe at Grimmauld.'
"Thank Merlin," Josh muttered, relief washing over him.
"What is it?" Neville asked, his voice filled with curiosity as the others gathered around.
"Harry and the others are safe," Josh replied, and everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.
"I'm glad they made it," Neville said, his expression thoughtful. "Hopefully, no one knows where they are."
"I don't think so," Josh said, glancing at the coin. "They're at the Order Headquarters."
"Where's that?" Shaun asked, looking eager for more information.
"Well, I can't tell you that," Josh said with a smile, pocketing the coin. "I'm not the Secret Keeper."
"I don't know what that means," Shaun said, furrowing his brow.
"Come on, buddy," Neville said, giving Shaun a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Let's get you back to Hogwarts. You'll need to be well-rested for your upcoming mission."
Shaun nodded and bid Seina a quiet goodbye as he, Neville, and a few others began their journey back to Hogwarts. Many others followed suit, making their way back as well. Josh and his family remained behind, waiting for Sirius to arrive.
Sandra and Rina sat together, Artie cooing in Rina's arms, while Seina watched curiously. She was offered the chance to hold him but, shy as ever, declined. Regulus sat forward on his knees, his expression tight with worry. His thoughts were with his brother, still at the Ministry, and he hoped he'd be joining them soon. Regulus couldn't shake his concern about the Enemy Repelling wards, especially given the tattoo on his arm. Josh approached him, holding out a special DA coin.
"Take this," Josh said quietly. "It'll let you pass through the wards. Just don't lose it."
Regulus nodded gratefully, carefully slipping the coin into his pocket. Seiko sat beside her husband, offering him a quiet comfort, rubbing his back as he sat with his head down, lost in thought.
Josh walked over to Hoshi, who was standing a little away from the group. "You were amazing out there," Josh said with a grin. "I've never seen magic like that—it was powerful."
Hoshi shrugged, a small smile on his face. "My village is surrounded by a magical forest," he explained. "They say the longer you live there, the stronger your magic becomes. It's something in the air, or the land—no one's really sure. But it definitely makes us stronger."
Josh raised an eyebrow. "Your mother must be powerful, then," he said, glancing over at his aunt and uncle, who were talking quietly nearby.
Hoshi nodded, a look of pride in his eyes. "She is. She's an Alchemist and an Aurologist—pretty skilled at dueling as well."
"Aurologist?" Josh repeated, unsure.
"Study of Auras," Hoshi explained, glancing at his cousin. Josh nodded, finally understanding. Josh then looked over at his aunt, Seiko, who was staring at him again. It been happening a lot lately and Josh wondered if it was something she could see in him. If she did, why hasn't she said anything.
"I've been meaning to ask you something," Hoshi said, his voice quieter now.
Josh turned to face him. "What's up?" he asked, sensing the weight behind Hoshi's words.
Before Hoshi could say anything, there was a sudden Crack!
Everyone turned sharply to see a disheveled Sirius, along with several of his colleagues, land in the center of Hogsmeade. They looked haggard—tired, stressed, and worn—but there was relief in their eyes as they finally stepped onto familiar ground, grateful to be somewhere safe.
Sirius's family quickly made their way over to him, and Sandra jumped into his arms, relief flooding her face. "Thank Merlin you're okay," she murmured into his chest. After a moment, she pulled away and slapped him lightly on the arm. "What took you so long?"
Sirius chuckled softly but winced at the slap. "We were almost out, but we got caught between a few Inferi," he explained, causing Josh to shudder. The thought of Inferi made his skin crawl. He hated them—those lifeless, creepy creatures sent a chill down his spine.
"What happened?" Josh asked, eager for more details.
Sirius's expression darkened as he recounted the attack at the Ministry. "That Lucian is one dangerous man," he said, his voice grim.
Josh frowned. "Seems like he's stronger than I thought," he replied. "He can walk through fire and punch right through a man. What can't he do?"
Regulus, who had been listening closely, spoke up. "We need to look into him. I'm sure Romania can give us some insight on who he really is and what he's capable of."
Sirius nodded, a sense of unease settling over him. "We need to be prepared," he said, his voice steady despite the tension in his chest. "We can't afford to underestimate him."
Sandra, who had been listening quietly, spoke up, her voice tight with worry. "What about the Ministry? What's left of it? Can we even trust them right now?"
Sirius shook his head. "It was chaos. The Death Eaters had their own agenda today. It was a tactical attack. And it succeeded. Yaxley said they were waiting for the right moment. Assume most Heads will be replaced by High Ranking Death Eaters. Most of the other Ministry workers are either dead or forced to work for them or turned. We can no longer rely on them for help—not right now. That's why we have to take matters into our own hands."
"Then what do we do?" Sandra asked, her eyes wide with concern.
Sirius looked at each of them, his family gathered around him and took a deep breath. "We move forward. We strengthen our defenses, figure out how to deal with the Dark Lord and his lieutenants, and find a way to protect everyone we can. There's no room for hesitation anymore."