Blood Filled Chalice

One Memory to End Them

Last Time:

Cornelius looked at the mirror just in time to see all the cameras focus on one man yelling at the crowd of scared reporters and prepare to shower everyone with deadly curses. The Dark Lord was in Gringotts and ready to slaughter every innocent person in range ...

XXXXXXXXXX

Relief flooded through Harry after the trial on abuse finished. The ruling placed all the consequences on the Potters and Hagrid actually won money from the Potters! The reasoning was that since James injured Harry as a child then James should pay Hagrid the exact amount for those medical treatments.

Of course, considering all of James' money was in the Potters' accounts, which Harry now owned, Hagrid declined the fine. It felt too much like taking money from his own son and ultimately not a proper punishment. The goblins agreed and a job will be added to the growing list of punishments.

The court took a brief lunch break before returning. The media went wild when Sirius explained his part and 'Minerva' made some comments on Michael's behavior at school. Only a few select people noticed that the goblins didn't take notes or ask in depth questions of the headmistress. Of course, they knew Minerva wasn't real so they weren't concerned with making anything she said part of the record.

Right now there was going to be another break so a goblin could discuss with Albus on if he wanted everything broadcast or not. As a result there were many people, mainly reporters, going in and out to stretch the legs until the good stuff started. Even Remus managed to slip in to check in on them in person. Harry could hear a few reporters mulling over ideas on how to stay in the room without being spotted if the goblins tried to kick them out.

"There are some determined reporters out there." Harry commented casually so the goblin in his section heard.

The goblin, Snarltooth, scoffed, "Nothing we can't handle."

"Good to know, but I'm also worried about what any 'Boy Who Lived' supporters might do outside of here. If Michael is locked up some people might be mad." Harry sighed and waited like the others until he smelled something. Despite all the other scents he locked on this frighteningly familiar scent and he stood up. His red eyes scanned the crowd looking for the owner.

Hagrid immediately saw his son's distress and easily reached over to touch Harry's shoulder, "What's wrong, little giant?"

"He's here." Harry said with a dangerous growl. Hagrid, of course, understood what Harry meant, but it wasn't as clear to anyone else. The young creature looked at Noles and Lucius, "The Dark Lord is here." He hissed bluntly, but just as he locked onto the hooded person in the crowd he found another smell. It was Albus' scent. His mate was being escorted by goblins and straight into danger ...

Harry could sense the Dark Lord's magic shift and the doors shut. The creature saw the wand appear from under the robes, but couldn't react in time to stop the people, who were wondering why the door closed, from being blasted with a powerful blast of magic. Everyone who was too close was sent flying and crashed to the ground violently. Many were clearly hurt, but it wasn't strong enough to kill and for a good reason.

"Keep all those mirrors on me and broadcast this!" The hooded person yelled threateningly as he amplified his voice with his wand. Terrified by this powerful person the reporters scrambled to turn the cameras and mirrors to catch everything. "This has gone on long enough. It was amusing at first, but I won't allow that weakling," a bony finger was thrust in Michael's direction, "to have the honor of killing a Dark Lord ... AS IF SOMEONE AS GREAT AS ME WILL FALL TO A CHILD!"The hood came down revealing none other than Marvolo Gaunt.

A dead silence filled the room. It took a few seconds, but one by one all of the reporters or Aurors recognized the dark lord. Some only recalled the pictures from years ago. However, like Sirius, some were old enough to know the dark wizard from the actual war.