4,184LAST TIME
"Harry, get out of here." Dumbledore whispered. "You're in no condition to fight."
"Professor—"
"Fawkes."
In a rush of fire, Harry was taken away from the chamber, and thrown onto something soft, his head hitting a pillow. Fawkes trilled and disappeared, leaving Harry in the room.
Darkness swam in his vision and sleep overtook him. Within moments, Harry was fast asleep.
Ch.84 Meetings and Opportunities
10th July 1996
Ministry of Magic, Britain
The pure white tip of the eagle-feather quill scratched across the parchment, the feather occasionally brushing against Amelia's chin. Her golden monocle gleamed, its glint falling over the stack of parchment on her desk. The image of the ruins of a massive building, torn, with bodies piled in heaps around it shone on the front page of the Daily Prophet on the edge of her desk.
A knock interrupted her, and she looked up as the door opened and Penelope Clearwater peeked in, her eyes furious.
"Yes?"
"Minister, there's… someone from MACUSA demanding to see you. Immediately." Penelope scowled, and Amelia raised an eyebrow.
"Well then, let him in. I don't have all day."
Penelope nodded and held the door open, glaring at the man who stormed in, his dark blue cloak billowing behind him. He slammed a file upon Amelia's desk, rattling the things on it. The Daily Prophet tumbled off the desk, falling upon Amelia's feet below.
"Minister Bones—"
"You better have an explanation for slamming a file on my desk, Jacobs," Amelia put her quill back, eyeing the droplets of ink that had splattered on the parchment. "And the tone."
"Explanation? EXPLANATION!? It is you who should be explaining why the children of my country were kidnapped by the force you sent!" Jacobs burst, spittle flying from his mouth. "I want the citizens of my country returned, right now!"
"Jacobs, I suggest that you calm down."
"Calm down? CALM DOWN?" He roared. "Albus Dumbledore took a dozen children out of a MACUSA controlled hospital and—"
"You mean they liberated the children from a prison." Amelia felt a wave of rage well in her chest as she rose from her seat, her tone sharp as a knife. "A prison where their powers were being experimented with and they were used as tools, turned into living weapons? Is that the hospital you're talking about, Jacobs?"
He took a step back, his face twisting in fury. "You Brits have no right to interfere with the operations of—"
Amelia's fist hammered onto her desk, thin cracks spreading on the glass. "No, Jacobs. You had no right to do what you did."
"They were Obscurials."
"They were children who were hurt for their whole life." Amelia snapped. "You should have protected them instead of using them and trying to turn them into weapons."
"MACUSA only acted in the best interest of the witches and wizards of Magical America." Jacobs drew himself up, anger brimming in his eyes. "We had to do all we could to combat your dark lords and the other threats that Europe spawns, thanks to the rampant dark magic! You hide behind your secrets and ancient texts while we scramble for scraps to defend ourselves!"
"How typical," Amelia scoffed. "Calling what you are not privy to as Dark Magic. You've no idea what dark magic is, Jacobs. You've barely even seen any true dark magic."
"Which makes the Obscurials all the more needed. Not even Grindelwald wanted to face an Obscurial on a rampage, Bones. It means they have enough power to take him out if needed."
"If needed? YOU'RE TALKING OF CHILDREN!" Amelia thundered, a breeze ruffling through the office, and the enchanted window behind her rattled. "Children, Jacobs. Have you no shame? You'll sacrifice—"
"A life in front of a million is no calculation, Minister. And it is not the age that matters. It is power." Jacobs balled his fist. "After all, you yourself drafted Harry Potter, a child, into the International Protection Act, no?"
"No, he isn't. Not officially. He chose to follow the Order of the Phoenix on his own accord when he heard Grindelwald was on the field." Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Also, the children you were holding were untrained and trapped, given no choice of their own. Harry, on the other hand, is a legal adult in the eyes of the ministry and one of the most powerful wizards on the planet with skills to match."
"That it may be, but my point still stands. He acted under the International Protection Act and so did Albus Dumbledore. And they took our citizens away, effectively kidnapping them."
"And what you were doing to the children was classified as a violation of Wizard rights," Amelia snapped.
"And you do not have the power to take action against it!"
"No, we don't," Amelia's voice turned frosty. "But the ICW does. The one who liberated the children was the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, after all."
"Who will face international justice, regardless of who he is!"
"Empty threat, Jacobs," Amelia snorted. "You try to drag Albus Dumbledore in front of ICW, you will be the one who will come under fire, not him."
"But, my dear minister Bones, it wasn't Albus Dumbledore who was the first on the site." He smirked. "It was Harry Potter. It was his phoenix who took the obscurial children away."
"You'll have better luck with Dumbledore, Jacobs." Amelia rolled her eyes. "If you accuse Dumbledore, he might just have you admit you were wrong and call it a day. But Harry Potter? I know he'll not rest until he has sanctions imposed on the whole of MACUSA. Believe me, the last person who tried to politically suppress him ended up on the wrong side of a dementor with the whole Wizengamot voting in its favor and declaring him, my predecessor as the Minister of Magic, a traitor."
"He doesn't have that kind of pull in the ICW."
"He would still do it. The best course of action, I would suggest, is to keep your head down and stay the hell away from him. I know Harry Potter well."
"I would suppose you would." Something ugly gleamed in Jacobs' eyes. "But do you really know him?"
Amelia frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"He's dating your niece, your ward, isn't he?" Jacobs smirked as Amelia nodded. "Well, your niece isn't the only one Potter's dating. There's another girl."
"Daphne Greengrass," Amelia said.
Jacobs looked startled, his eyes widening.
"Oh, yes, I know," Amelia laughed. "You thought you could exploit it, didn't you? Have me turn against Harry and take away the support he might garner from Britain in the ICW."
"Why are you supporting him!? He's cheating on your niece, who might as well be your daughter as you've raised her for her whole life."
"I wouldn't call what they are doing as cheating exactly." Amelia rolled her eyes. "Potter has more than one house to take care of. He's just doing his duties as a future lord. Now, if you're quite done, some of us have better things to do than blackmail each other with the shenanigans of children."
Jacobs spluttered in indignation.
"Now, I suggest you get the hell out of my office before you embarrass yourself further," Amelia said. "Penelope? Escort this gentleman out, please. And ensure he doesn't come back, would you?"
11th July 1996
Grimmauld Place, London
Harry studied the grain of the table between his fingers, his foot tapping impatiently under it. The slight crackle of the fire and the murmur of voices drifted to his ears. He heard the door creak and glanced up to see Dumbledore standing at the door.
"Good evening, everyone." Dumbledore smiled at the assembled Order members. "We'll begin shortly once all members have arrived." His eyes flicked to Harry. "Harry, my boy, there's someone who wants to meet you in the meantime."
Harry frowned and looked toward the kitchen door, seeing a boy of around Astoria's age lingering outside, and shifting on his feet as he stole furious glances at the people assembled in the kitchen.
"Ethan." Harry rose from his chair. "How may I help you?"
"Err…" he nervously glanced around, gulping at the many eyes on him. "I just wanted to say sorry, man… sir. I… I shouldn't have lashed out— not after you and your bird saved our lives."
"It's alright," Harry waved his hand, glancing at Dumbledore, whose eyes twinkled. "Professor, why don't you brief them about what happened yesterday? I'll have a word with Ethan."
"Feel free."
Harry stepped out of the door, leading Ethan away toward the hall. The eyes of the portraits who remained turned toward them as Ethan's eyes darted around. nervously.
"So, Ethan, how've you been adjusting?"
He jumped slightly, turning to Harry. "The… new place is a lot better, thanks. I— are you sure you aren't angry or something? I attacked you, man."
Harry shook his head and patted his shoulder. "You were scared and in a dark, underground chamber with people you had never heard about before. Had I been in a similar position, I might've done the same."
Ethan frowned, but nodded, accepting it. "Sir—"
"Harry, please."
"Harry," Ethan licked his lips. "Can I ask what's exactly going on? I mean, I heard from the professor and Mr. Scamander, but they were vague at best. And I want to know what's going to happen to my friends. And me."
"Do you know what's going on out in the world, Ethan?" Harry asked.
"The hospital didn't let us watch TV, man. We don't know what's out there or where we even were."
"Right." Harry winced. "There's a man called Gellert Grindelwald who has been terrorizing the magical world at large for the past few months. We had put him away for a long time, but he broke out with the help of another. He's what we call a dark lord— the leader of magical terrorists. With me so far?"
"I guess."
"So, to suit his own purposes, he wanted to get you and your friends. We don't exactly know why he targeted you, but the last time he got his hands on an obscurial, he used him to tear apart a city and nearly break the statute of secrecy."
"I have heard about that before," Ethan said. "The Statute of Secrecy. It was what the doctors whispered about. But I don't know what it is. Not exactly."
"Well, it is an international law— it is the law for all witches and wizards to follow," Harry sighed. "It says that we cannot do magic in public or reveal our existence to the muggle— non-magical world. We stay separate, hidden from their eyes, and in doing so, remain a secret."
"But why?"
"Ever heard of the Salem witch trials? No?" He sighed. "Well, a few centuries ago, we were found by muggles. Let's just say that the muggles didn't take to our existence well."
Ethan's eyes darkened. "What did they do?"
"Killed us, of course. Muggles aren't very accepting of magic." Harry glanced at the boy. "As you might already know. Now, while a sufficiently trained wizard or witch can handle themselves, not all might be so lucky or skilled. Caught unprepared, it all but takes a stone to the head to knock someone out."
"And this Grindelwald fellow wants to start it again?"
"He wants to return the favor, so to speak. Conquer the muggle world and impose them under a magical rule— his rule, to be more precise."
"So, what's wrong with that?" Ethan demanded. "We should—"
"Ethan, we can't." Harry cut in. "I realize that Grindelwald, in some respects, may be correct. His agenda's tempting even. But humanity, be it magical or muggle, has never taken well to oppression, has it?"
"So, you are saying we might lose?"
"If we win, it won't be without heavy losses," Harry sighed. "Or without resistance. And once we win, how do you keep a population that's almost fifty times your size under your command? That too, all over the world? And that's not considering the fact about what the muggles will do if we push them too far and make them desperate."
"What can they do? We have magic!"
"They have nukes. They have missiles. They have weapons of mass destruction that can lay ruin to most magical places in the blink of an eye."
"Can't we prevent that?"
"Not everyone has the resources to defend themselves against heavy artillery, let alone missiles." Harry pursed his lips. "And I do not think anything can withstand nuclear bombs. Someplace like Hogwarts might be in for a chance, but it is a thin one at best."
"So you're afraid."
"We are wary, Ethan. Such a war could cause the extinction of magic as we know it. If it doesn't, it will be a massacre on both sides at the very least. Millions of innocents will die for the delusions of one man. Is that what you want?"
"I suppose not."
Harry patted his shoulder and gave him a nod. "As for you and your friends? We'll keep you safe, away from all the nastiness. We'll try to teach you magic at Hogwarts, at least those who are eleven or older."
"And those who aren't?" Ethan looked up, meeting his eyes.
"We'll figure something out." Harry shrugged. "We cannot keep you at Hogwarts for long. A few? Sure. But so many?"
"Why? Because we are a danger?"
"I won't say that your magic isn't volatile or even dangerous." Harry held up a hand, as Ethan's face darkened. "But with enough precaution and perhaps some healing, you can keep it under control, I'd say. If you can unleash it at will, you can keep it in too. Though it isn't the reason why your friends cannot stay. Just a fact that you all will need to take care of."
"Then what's the problem?"
"Hogwarts' Hospital Wing doesn't have the resources to keep you forever, Ethan. Madam Pomfrey can only do so much. Plus, Hogwarts is a school."
"So, where'll we go?"
"That, Ethan, is something you must ask the headmaster. I am, after all, just a student like you will be."
11th July 1996
Grimmauld Place, London
Harry pushed the kitchen door open, the voices of the Order members spilling out into the hallway, and Harry smothered a twinge of irritation and closed the door behind him.
"SILENCE!" Harry roared, and the room quietened. "What happened?"
"MACUSA has decided to call out the Order of the Phoenix, specifically Dumbledore and you in international court, for violating the new act." Sirius fumed. "They are saying that we kidnapped the citizens of their country."
Harry felt a brief stab at his heart, buried by a tide of anger at the American ministry. He glanced at Dumbledore, the headmaster's calm eyes meeting his, and Harry pushed the anger to a side, letting out a breath.
"Right. We'll deal with them there." Harry glanced at Dumbledore, who inclined his head in agreement. "What else do we have?"
Some of the Order members shared a look as Harry took his seat.
"We were discussing moving on Voldemort's forces while the bastard's down," Moody said after a moment. "The Aurors and the Order could take out a decent chunk of the remaining Death Eaters, crippling them."
Harry's eyes moved to Snape, who sat in the shadows, a sneer forming on his face as he met his gaze. "Snape? What are your buddies doing now that your master is bodiless again?"
"Harry, manners," Dumbledore chided, shooting Snape a glare as the Potion master scowled. "Despite the tone, Severus, could you answer Harry's question? I'm certain we'd like to know about the happenings within the ranks of Death Eaters and if there has been something from Gellert's side."
"The Death Eaters are hopeful that the dark lord will… return as he did in the graveyard," Snape drawled, shooting Harry a withering look. "Many have turned to Rookwood, who was instrumental in the return of the Dark Lord during the last time. And he has taken command."
"What about instructions? He must've told you all to do something." Arthur piped up. "Or sent them somewhere."
"I am unaware of any of the specifics. Rookwood has chosen to keep me away. The only instruction I have is to keep an eye on Dumbledore and Potter."
"So, you are bloody useless as always." Harry snorted, and Snape's eyes burned as he whirled around on him.
"I will not sit here and be insulted by the likes of you, Potter," Snape spat.
"Then stand there and be insulted." Sirius grinned. "No one likes you, Snivellus."
"Sirius, Harry. Please let us not provoke each other, shall we?" Dumbledore raised a finger. "Back to the matters at hand, we could certainly try to apprehend the Death Eaters whilst Lord Voldemort is down. But there's something else I fear."
"Grindelwald. But he won't divert his resources to Britain," Amelia said. "Without Voldemort here, Britain is a threat to him. He didn't dare touch us at the height of his power, thanks to you. Now we have Harry and you. If he comes here, he would be facing the ministry, the order, and you two. He wouldn't dare. Not alone."
Harry glanced at Dumbledore, whose face darkened, the wrinkles on his face deepening.
"Amelia, the way Gellert operates isn't one meant to cause terror amongst the masses, but rather to accomplish a goal or in some cases, make a statement." Dumbledore let out a tired sigh. "The infamous burning of Paris wasn't done to kill people. It was done because Gellert wished to make a statement when Louis, the French Minister of Magic at that time, called him some rather unpleasant words and indicated he was a man of words, not actions."
"Let's not forget that his Acolytes took over the castle of Ottoman and Beauxbatons while Paris was on fire," Harry said. "And they took over Beauxbatons without a single child being harmed."
"You sound impressed," Augusta Longbottom leaned forward, her eyes hard.
"I am of the opinion that whatever he did, however he did, he took over a school without spilling a drop of blood." He met Augusta's furious gaze. "Voldemort or his Death Eaters wouldn't have extended the same courtesy to Hogwarts, would they?"
Augusta nodded, her gaze still half furious, half conceding.
"I will put the Aurors on alert for now," Kingsley said. "The Order can take time to heal and get their strength back. I do not think that Grindelwald would be laying low. After all, his recent defeat would leave him with much ground to cover back."
"He might even try and make a point by attacking Britain, going by what he did in Paris," Molly said, her voice sharper than her kitchen knives. "The French minister then just made some comments. Harry injured him. That would leave him wanting to get back."
Harry felt the cold wood of the elder wood against his skin as he glanced at Dumbledore, who gave him a nod.
"I will put the Unspeakables onto the project of turning the magical detection grid sharper. They've already been designing a spell to detect offensive attacks, especially Unforgivables, but they've had little success."
"Bring Hogwarts in on it," Dumbledore said. "I am sure between Septima, Filius, Minerva, and Bathsheda, we can help. Maybe even our young minds from the Order could chime in."
"You're looking at it as a spell problem, sir." Harry leaned forward. "So are the Unspeakables, probably. The magic of the Unforgivables is volatile and somewhat imprecise due to the varied success of the spell being cast. But the problem is not with the spell."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "It is with the ward itself. While we cannot say if the Unspeakables haven't considered it, but I can say for certain they do not have the expertise that we can bring on board. Or specifically, Perenelle and Gringotts can."
Their eyes turned to Bill and Perenelle, who shared a look and nodded.
"We'll see what we can do, I suppose," Perenelle said. "A way to detect the casting of Unforgivables would be… useful."
There was a pause for a brief moment.
"So," Moody grunted. "How do we plan on taking down the Death Eaters?"
11th July 1996
Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts
"So," Harry glanced around the room as he stepped out of the floo. "We do have a lot of problems. Starting with MACUSA, followed by Voldemort, and Grindelwald, of course. I do not think Voldemort will stay without a body for long."
"He won't, of course." Dumbledore picked up a device from a stool and fiddled with it. "But it presents us with an opportunity. A rare one."
"We can act upon whatever crazy leads you have on his Horcruxes and investigate more freely than we had been."
"Indeed." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "But our window is rather short. Four days, if my guess is correct. Or nineteen, if we are lucky."
Harry's forehead creased, and he glanced at the calendar in the office. "A new moon is in four days. And then, the full moon."
"The seventh of the year."
Harry felt blood freeze. "The most potent days for rituals after the solstices. The full moon's better but… the seventh new moon might have enough power to suffice too."
"Precisely. Which is why Tom will undoubtedly attempt something if he has the chance and the adequate resources. But it is something we cannot leave to chance."
"We only have four days to act. Where do we need to go?"
"I have a rather shrewd idea as to where one of the Horcruxes might be." Dumbledore picked up a pair of thick dragonhide gloves. "And there are a few things I wish to confirm from an old friend, in addition to offering him a job."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "A new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"
"Not exactly, I'm afraid." Dumbledore picked a quill from his desk, tapping it with his wand. "I did rather not risk either of us falling prey to the curse on the position. But the friend I speak of has some knowledge that only he can offer. First, to him, then MACUSA, and finally, to the Horcrux. Are you going to accompany me, Harry?"
"Of course," Harry raised a finger and frowned. "Why MACUSA though?"
Dumbledore's eyes hardened, and Harry felt the magic thrum in the office. "To send a message and end their unpleasantness once and for all. It has been some time since I reminded some people who I am, wouldn't you say?"
"Seems like I am going to have fun today."
"Indeed, we are, my boy. Indeed, we are. Now, if you would?"
Harry grasped the end of the quill and felt a tug behind his navel, and the headmaster's office disappeared in a swirl of colors.
AND… DONE! Hope you all liked the chapter!
So, yes. The light side is moving upon the Death Eaters, while MACUSA has fucked up. Bad. As for what Voldemort is up to, let's just say that Dumbledore's shrewd ideas are usually correct. But how Voldemort accomplishes it, will be a sight to see… in the coming chapters, of course.
Also, some of you are thinking that Voldemort's dead. He's not. He still has his Horcruxes left, which Dumbledore and Harry will be dealing with in the coming few chapters. From the next chapter, we'll shift into the final gear, picking up pace and building to the final fight. We're in the last lap now.
If you wish to read the next few chapters, they are already up on Pat-reon. So, if you want to (and can), please subscribe and support me as an author. It would mean a lot to me if you do so. There you can even find additional short stories, polls, and lore compendium apart from my normal long fics!
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Also, before I forget, I now have a BRAND NEW Harry Potter fanfic, BLACK DAWN! The first chapter is already up on FFN and AO3, just head to my profile and you'll find it there.
Black Dawn summary: On the night of Halloween 1981, a butterfly flapped its wings, and the world changed. Albus Dumbledore made a different decision, impacting the fate of two of the greatest houses of wizarding Britain, and the dominos began to tumble. For instead of the Dursleys, it was Lord Arcturus Black who took Harry in as his own.
I hope you all will give it a read.
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AHarryPotterLover1: Charlus is dead now and there'll be no resurrecting him in any way or form, unfortunately. He's earned his rest.
Majin Prune: It has a spiky tail, yes.
HowlnMadHowie: Definitely the former. He has dreamed of the Hallows forever. Voldemort was merely a tool who's not quite gone but put down for now, yes. And he knows that the best laid plans can go awry very fast, very soon.
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Thank you for all your reviews!
A huge thank you to Mughil, Zaby, and Tulayb for betaing this chapter.
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