"I heard that a new restaurant has opened in Hogsmeade," as Astoria as they walked down the marble staircase.
"It's another branch of the Grand Elixir," explained Daphne.
"Wait, I love that place!" said Dylan excitedly. "Harry has taken me there a few times. Isn't it supposed to be the best restaurant in Magical Britain? Quite fancy too, actually."
"Yeah, and the food is delicious," agreed Astoria, grinning happily. She noticed that her soon-to-be brother-in-law was distracted. "Harry? Are you okay?"
"Huh?" blinked Harry in confusion. "Yeah, Tori, I'm fine. I just can't help but feel as though something is off."
He distractedly touched the Gryffindor and Slytherin rings on his left hand.
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Draco Malfoy opened the doors of the Vanishing Cabinet and was surprised to see Severus Snape inside.
"Move aside, Draco," said Snape silkily. "I need to step out. How much longer before the others arrive?"
Draco looked at his wristwatch. "Just wait about a minute and we can transport another person. The cabinet is too old to handle continuous travel."
Snape hummed as he watched. Gibbon arrived a minute later.
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"My Lord?" asked the portrait of a young woman, bowing respectfully.
"Alert the rest of the paintings in the castle," said Harry quietly. "There is something – odd – with the wards, I can feel it. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but just keep an eye out, all of you. If you find anything suspicious, inform me and Professor Dumbledore at once."
"Yes, my Lord," said the witch as she left her painting.
"Harry, what's wrong?" Daphne asked him curiously.
"Nothing," Harry answered reassuringly. "You know what? Why don't you three go ahead? Grab a table at the Grand Elixir and I'll meet you there for lunch. I'll just prowl around the castle for a bit."
All three of them frowned but seeing the determined look on Harry's face, they knew it was futile to argue.
"Alright," said Dylan softly. "Don't stay for long, okay?"
"Fine, brat."
"Dolt!"
Harry chuckled as he shook his head in amusement, watching the three of them proceed to the entrance hall. Quickly walking up the stairs, he went to his suite and grabbed the Marauder's Map, checking for anything out of the ordinary. The wards were not flaring up but Harry was way too paranoid to stay still. The attack on Potter Castle had given him a wakeup call – it was too close for comfort and he and Dylan could have easily been killed or kidnapped that night. Giving instructions to the portraits, he prowled around the castle, checking the Map as he went along. It would take time – Hogwarts was a large castle, after all – but he would ensure everything was fine.
Idly, he took the stairs leading him from the entrance hall to the dungeons. The attackers at Potter Castle had entered through the dungeons as well, so it was a good place to start.
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"Yaxley, report," said Rabastan as he observed the students through his Omnioculars.
"The two Greengrass sisters and your son have just left the castle," said Yaxley as he walked up to him. "I expect they'll be in the village in about ten minutes."
"Nott, did you tell your son not to come to Hogsmeade today?" asked Avery.
"And risk him babbling about the mission to his friends?" Nott snorted. "Have you forgotten that my son is a close friend of Harry Potter? I don't have a death wish. Besides, we won't be killing anyone here, so it's not a problem. Theodore will run and hide, I'm sure of it. Really, what a disappointment, that boy is. All the time fiddling with potions when he could be studying the Dark Arts and curses instead; doesn't use his wand unless necessary," he said in disgust.
"Get ready," ordered Rodolphus. He didn't really care for Nott's comments. He and Bellatrix would give anything for a child of their own but he convinced himself that he would have a nephew he could spoil rotten soon enough. Your father and I are coming for you, Dylan. You'll be back with your family very soon. "Potter isn't here. Inform Snape that Potter might still be in the castle. It's up to his team to kidnap the boy. We'll take care of Greengrass and Dylan."
"What about the younger Greengrass?" asked Avery.
Rodolphus paused. "Leave her. Follow the Dark Lord's orders; Harry Potter, Daphne Greengrass and Dylan Lestrange, no one else."
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"Potter is inside the castle," said Snape as he deactivated the mirror. "It's our job to capture him."
"Good," said Alecto Carrow in delight. "I've wanted to see what little Potter is made of. He looks quite delicious; very handsome boy, isn't he?" she said with a giggle.
Snape looked visibly disgusted. Why was he constantly surrounded by people who were enamoured with Potter's good looks? No, thoughts about Potter were a distraction and he could not afford to lose focus today. Their mission was vital as it would prove to the Ministry that the Dark Lord's power had not diminished, despite recent setbacks.
Contrary to the public's opinion, Sirius Black had not been a sitting duck over the past several months. Once Harry had informed him of Voldemort's return, he had swiftly taken charge, utilizing the best resources the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Department of Mysteries had to offer. Unknown to the entire magical population, the Department of Mysteries was more than just a research centre. It also worked as the nerve centre for the protection of Magical Britain, working closely with a secret elite wing of the D.M.L.E. The intelligence wing had been working more efficiently than ever before, thanks in part to the judicious use of the inflow of gold allotted to the department by the budget committee; the result of which made Voldemort snarl in anger.
The time was long gone when Sirius used to depend on flashy spells to win his battles. Now more mature and patient, he realised why the Black family held ultimate political power for so many centuries – it was due to the power of subtlety. He needed to work in the shadows to bring down the Dark Lord, in addition to the war effort carried on by the Aurors. Working directly with Amelia and Croaker, the Ministry had managed to target Voldemort where it would hurt most during wartime – money, personnel, and resources.
Even though the Wizengamot had been uncooperative in the beginning, Sirius had lashed out against the body for its cowardly behaviour. The attack on Diagon Alley before Yule was just unacceptable and if the members did not want to vote, they were to face jail time for treason as they were failing the people of Magical Britain with their uncooperative behaviour. With a few well-placed threats, the Wizengamot got its act together and had swiftly passed laws that would facilitate Sirius' work. Just two weeks later, secret organizations that operated underground were shut, with their leaders in Azkaban. Voldemort's biggest financiers also found themselves in Azkaban when Gringotts was forced to reveal their bank transactions, tracing them to phantom companies that were linked to various Death Eaters through a vast array of smaller businesses. In other words, Voldemort was slowly finding himself being drained of funds.
Waging a war did not come cheap, after all. The tight control the Ministry had over the black market was another big blow to Voldemort's forces. The sensor net was reconfigured, closing Britain and Ireland to the rest of the world, thus making sure that Voldemort could not take his campaign abroad without detection. That move hindered his plan to get more personnel from Europe. Sirius may not be fighting public battles, but he had stabbed the Death Eaters in the back. Security at the headquarters of the British Ministry of Magic in London was at peak efficiency, thus making it infinitely harder for Voldemort to infiltrate the government. The Dark Lord was already losing the war, which was why the current mission was extremely important to him.
The very thought of losing the war made Snape's upper lip curl in disgust.
Just as the last person, Amycus Carrow emerged from the Vanishing Cabinet, there was a loud crack as the cabinet crumbled. They watched mutely as the plates which Draco had installed came undone, destroying it.
"I thought you fixed it!" said Alecto furiously, glaring at Draco.
"I did! How else would you have entered the castle, you stupid woman? The cabinet is very old and I told you it might not last after this trip!"
"Watch your tone, boy," growled Alecto threateningly as she pointed her wand at Draco. "Or be prepared to face the consequences."
Draco glared back at the woman. "Touch me, Carrow, and you'll have to face Aunt Bella's wrath!"
"Enough!" Snape said harshly, killing the argument. "We have entered the castle as planned, so the cabinet isn't important anymore. After we kill Dumbledore, we won't be using this exit anyway. Draco, you have one chance only. Kill Dumbledore or face the consequences."
Draco gulped as his nervousness returned; his body trembled as he followed the rest of the Dark Lord's followers.
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Harry's heart began beating faster as he felt more disturbances in the Hogwarts wards. It was true that the wards answered to Dumbledore ultimately and the headmaster controlled them, but the family rings also gave Harry the passive ability to scan and sense the protective enchantments around the castle. Maybe he could directly access the wards, he wasn't certain, but he had never tried that because he would have to take control at Hogwarts' command centre which was the headmaster's office, just like how his study operated as the central command centre for Potter Castle. The Marauder's Map was showing nothing out of the ordinary and he was just about to turn around and climb up the stairs back to the entrance hall when there was a dot in the lowest part of the dungeons, a place that even the house-elves never ventured.
Severus Snape
What was Snape doing here? Wasn't he sacked? The dot was followed by another.
Draco Malfoy
This was weird ... Draco was a neat freak, so it didn't explain what he would be doing in such a filthy place. Unless Draco really was being buggered by Snape as he had claimed once? Another dot!
Alecto Carrow
Amycus Carrow
Saul Gibbon
A dozen names appeared, with them walking up the stairs to the castle proper.
"Expecto Patronum!"
The silvery thunderbird burst from the tip of Harry's wand and flew off to warn Professor McGonagall. If Hogwarts was indeed under attack, he would need backup in order to fight the Death Eaters. He went forward, idly checking the map. Any second now ...
He waited at the end of the corridor just as Snape and the others turned towards his direction.
Flashes of spellfire could be seen as the battle began.
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"Look, Daphne!" Astoria exclaimed excitedly. "Twilfitt and Tattings have a new selection of spring dresses. Come on!"
"Not again!" Dylan threw up his hands in exasperation. "Tori, how many clothes do you want to buy? You have more clothes than Spain! Daphne, do something!"
Daphne chuckled in amusement as she kissed Dylan's cheek affectionately. Just at that moment, the temperature suddenly dropped. She frowned as she cast a warming charm on herself, but it didn't help. The sky got darker until the village was bathed in dim, grey light coming from the distant sun.
"What's going on?" asked Tracy as she joined them, her arm locked with her boyfriend, Theo Nott.
"Dementors," whispered Daphne in fear as the soul-sucking demons descended upon them. Hundreds of students in the village began screaming in panic when Daphne, Astoria and Dylan raised their wands.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
The tigress, swan and eagle burst from the tip of their wands and charged at the incoming Dementors. The other members of the D.A., getting the hint, drew their wands and cast their patronuses too. Some were successful, but others weren't, however, the Dementors had not expected resistance. Just as they were driven away, two dozen Death Eaters Apparated in the middle of the village and started firing spells. The sound of sirens blaring could be heard everywhere, the alert charms installed by the Ministry of Magic activating immediately.
"Get that Caterwauling Charm deactivated!" shouted Yaxley through the magical earpiece embedded in his mask.
Dylan's face was stony as he joined the fight, twirling in mid-air, non-verbal spells flowing easily from his wand. Next to him, Daphne was dancing around the Death Eaters, avoiding their curses as she fired lethal spells at them.
The battle of Hogsmeade had begun.
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Harry slashed his wand in the air as the battle intensified, destructive dark curses slipping easily from his wand as he duelled Snape. The older man, however, was not an inner circle Death Eater for nothing. He too was very proficient in the Dark Arts and could not help but be impressed, however grudgingly, by Harry's talent in the Dark Arts. Draco Malfoy had been pushed to the side as he tried to shield himself from the flying debris and curses, looking in awe as Harry fought twelve to one.
However, the odds didn't last for long. The newer recruits were nowhere near as talented as the inner circle members and were quickly taken out by direct or stray curses cast by Harry and Snape. Harry grunted in pain as a cutting curse impacted his face, drawing first blood. His eyes darkened as more lethal spells flew his way and his anger at Snape intensified.
Do you want to play to your strengths? Then I'll show you mine, Snape!
Switching tactics ... Battle-Transfiguration it is ... let's see how to manage to evade my attacks now, you greasy git.
"I'll deal with him!" yelled Snape, through the magical communications device in his mask, to the Carrow siblings and Gibbon. "Take Draco and go! Finish Dumbledore and I'll subdue Potter!"
The other three nodded as they fought through the incoming spells, disappearing down a corridor in between Harry and Snape. Harry cursed his luck. Where were the teachers when you need them?
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"Hogwarts is under attack," said Harry's calm voice. "A dozen Death Eaters are deep in the dungeons, about to attack from inside the castle. I'm about to engage them but I need reinforcements."
The enormous thunderbird dissolved into mist as McGonagall looked at it in shock. As she and the rest of the teachers in the staff room were about to leave to help Harry, Professor Sprout ran inside, puffing.
"Hogsmeade is under attack," she said, panting. "All our students are in danger. Two dozen Death Eaters and by the looks of it, they've brought Dementors too."
"I'll take care of the attack inside," said Dumbledore, rising to his full height. This was not what was supposed to happen. There had been no attack on Hogsmeade from what Severus had told him. Maybe Voldemort did not inform Severus and the outside attack was just a diversion to bring the rest of the teachers out. It was still a few months early for him to die, but it could not be helped. Severus had been briefed about the soul piece in Harry's scar and how the boy had to die by Voldemort's hand only.
That was the only way to accurately destroy the soul piece and maybe, just maybe, save Harry in the process, but there was a very slim chance that the boy would actually survive. The information which he had given to Harry regarding the Horcruxes would also have to do. He had placed memory phials in his office, with any and all information he had obtained on Horcruxes, and had written in his Will that they were to be given to Harry; hopefully, the boy would be able to destroy the Horcruxes and end the threat of Voldemort for good. Albus only hoped the boy wasn't selfish and sacrificed himself when the time was right. There was no telling what would happen if Voldemort was allowed to gain more power.
As the rest of the staff quickly made their way to Hogsmeade, Albus Dumbledore made his way to the dungeons.
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"We're outnumbered," yelled Dylan. "We need reinforcements!"
Daphne twirled three hundred and sixty degrees and slashed her wand as a jet of orange light impacted a Death Eater, making the organs inside his body liquefy as he died a horrible, agonizing death.
"Tori, you need to leave, NOW!" he shouted. Astoria may be intelligent but she was not a warrior like her sister and he knew that. "Theo, take her with you and get the hell out of here!"
Theo and Tracy didn't hesitate. They dragged Astoria away, who wanted to stay and help her sister and boyfriend, tears streaming down her face.
"Let me go!" she struggled. "I need to help them!"
"You'll only be a distraction to them!" said Tracy firmly. "None of us is good at this and we'll only cause more problems. Don't lose your head, Astoria! Remember Harry's lessons! Look, other members of the D.A. are helping them. Harry and the Aurors will be here soon. Come on, let's take care of the injured! Lead the younger children away from here."
Fred and George Weasley were together, fighting with such ferociousness that it reminded the inner circle of their late twin uncles, Gideon and Fabian Prewett. Other members of the D.A. were fighting too. Neville Longbottom, Susan Bones, Ernie Macmillan, Parvati and Padma Patil, Cedric Diggory, Luna Lovegood, Blaise Zabini, Adrian Pucey, and several others.
"Don't kill!" hissed Rodolphus angrily through the magical communications device. "We are not to kill the children!"
"But they've already killed four of the new recruits! Take out Greengrass and your nephew, quickly! They're the ones doing the most damage!" yelled Avery angrily. Indeed, now there were only twenty of the Death Eaters, fighting against more number of students.
"Aurors and Order members on the way!" shouted Yaxley as he began duelling Amelia Black who had just Apparated into the village, bringing a contingent of Aurors with her.
Rabastan couldn't believe what he was seeing; the way his son fought was so magnificent that he was actually proud of the boy. Dylan was standing next to Daphne Greengrass, fighting him and Rodolphus, both teenagers not budging an inch.
"Potter has taught them well," snarled Rodolphus. "Their teamwork shows that they have been practising together. They're good, but not good enough!"
Rabastan grunted as a spell connected with his chest as he upped his attack. Both their targets were right in front of them. They needed both alive and unharmed, which meant they couldn't use their wide arsenal of spells against them. "We need to finish this soon before we lose our forces," he shouted.
"Nott, Avery, get behind those kids and stun them!" ordered Rodolphus.
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In the dungeons of Hogwarts, Harry Potter was engaged in a furious fight with Severus Snape as the corridor around them was being destroyed. Getting a signal from his comrades that Dumbledore had arrived, Snape sent a blasting curse at the ceiling, making the debris fall between him and Potter. While he knew that kidnapping Potter was part of the plan, killing Dumbledore was more important. If Potter was weakened, it would work in their favour.
Running up the stairs, he saw Alecto, Amycus and Gibbon fighting Dumbledore while again, Draco was pushed against the wall, though this time, Snape was sure the headmaster had done it to protect the boy. When Snape entered the corridor, Dumbledore's attack faltered and soon, his wand went flying from his hand as Snape disarmed him. He was quickly surrounded by the Death Eaters.
"Dumbledore wandless!" cackled Amycus. "Dumbledore defeated! Oh, how delightful!"
"Do it, Draco!" hissed Alecto as Draco slowly made his way towards the old man, his hands shaking like jelly.
"Draco, Draco, you are not a killer," said Dumbledore, shaking his head sadly. "I understand that you were coerced into doing this, but this is not the only path you can take, my boy. I urge you to reconsider. We can offer you protection, Draco."
"Yeah, right," snorted Amycus. "What help can you offer anybody when you're on the floor, about to be killed? What's the matter, old man? Reflexes aren't what they were, I see."
"Old age, Amycus … one day perhaps you'll understand ... if you are lucky ..."
"What's that supposed to mean?" said Amycus angrily. "Always the same, weren't you, Dumby, talking and doing nothing, nothing. I don't even know why the Dark Lord's bothering to kill you at all! Come on, Draco, do it!"
But there was no curse coming from the pale boy's lips. Snape realised that he had given the boy a chance and pushed Draco out of the way. The other Death Eaters said nothing, holding their breath in anticipation. Finally, the moment had come ... the moment they had all been waiting for ...
Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.
"Severus ... please ..."
Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore. "Avada K –"
He didn't finish the incantation as Snape began screaming in unbearable pain. There were several cuts forming on his body as inch by inch, he fell to the ground in pieces, bringing agonising pain to the former Potions Master of Hogwarts. The other three Death Eaters turned, only to be met with dark red jets of light. They too screamed as their skin melted, their blood boiling in their veins as they died painfully.
The last thing Snape saw before he died was the triumphant smirk on the face of a bruised and battered Harry James Potter, the boy he had come to loathe as much as his father.
"That's for revealing the prophecy to Voldemort, Snape," spat Harry as he looked at the several dozen pieces of Snape's body in satisfaction. He summoned Dumbledore's wand to his hand, idly noting that it felt warm and comfortable in his palm as though it was always meant to be with him.
Draco Malfoy threw up as he saw the dead bodies of the Death Eaters. He backed away, looking terrified when Harry looked at him.
"No, please," begged Draco. "I-I didn't have a choice! Don't kill me! My parents – tortured – the Dark Lord – threatened to kill – please!"
Harry simply stared at the boy. "Relax," he said impassively. "I'm not going to kill you."
Draco began sobbing his heart out, crouched in a foetal position. It was over. Dumbledore was not dead, but the Death Eaters were. The Dark Lord was going to kill him and his parents, he knew it!
"Harry, what have you done?" asked Dumbledore, aghast, his face pale, too weak to even get up. What had happened? One moment everything was going according to plan and Severus was about to kill him, and suddenly Severus and the other Death Eaters were killed?
Which meant … Harry was now the master of the Elder Wand! The power of the wand had not been destroyed as he had intended!
"You're playing a very dangerous game, Dumbledore," said Harry darkly. "If I, a person who only has passive control of the wards could detect that something was wrong, how could you, a wizard who is more experienced and knowledgeable than I, having complete access to the wards, not know what was going on? You willingly let this happen, didn't you? What was your motive? I –"
Harry stopped as his heart began beating faster, blood draining from his face. The locket hanging from around his neck was giving out pulses of magic and only now did he realise what that meant. The Potter crest on the locket was glowing with a dark shade of red.
"No!" Harry exclaimed in horror as he ran down the corridor, just as Professors Slughorn and Sprout entered.
Daphne and Dylan were in danger!
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"Your son is good, Rabastan," said Rodolphus as a smirk formed on his lips. The boy was actually enjoying this! "I can see why Dylan was able to wear the heir ring on his finger. He certainly is worthy of carrying the Lestrange name. Oh, I can't wait to spoil him rotten!"
Rabastan grunted. Yes, he was impressed too. It was disgusting that his son was a half-blood, but such talent for a boy who was barely fourteen years old ... yes, he was talented because he had been trained extensively by Harry Potter, but still ... the fact remained that Dylan would make an outstanding Death Eater.
Daphne Greengrass was no less. With all the injuries and cuts on her face and body as she fought them ferociously, she looked more like a warrior princess. In fact, Rodolphus was reminded of his wife when he fought the sixteen-year-old girl. Such power, such strength, such knowledge, such talent, coupled with beauty and grace – no wonder Potter was in love with her. Who wouldn't be? He certainly had been smitten with Bellatrix Black when he had been at school for similar reasons.
If not for that bitch Longbottom, he and Bella might have been blessed with a daughter like Daphne Greengrass. Rodolphus didn't feel guilty at all for what he had done to Frank and Alice. They deserved it for denying him and his wife the ability to bear children naturally.
"Get ready," hissed Rabastan. "NOW!"
"Stupefy!"
Four jets of red light flew towards the two teenagers from all sides. Daphne and Dylan were able to deflect the two being fired by the masked Lestrange brothers, but they did not see the two coming from behind. As the spells collided with their backs, they dropped to the ground, unconscious.
"Get their wands too," said Rodolphus. "Quickly, we must get out of here."
"DAPHNE! DYLAN! STOP! STOP! STOOOOOP!"
The roar of rage could be heard everywhere as Harry Potter ran towards them, his face writ with fury.
"Get him!" ordered Rabastan. "We'll take these two to the Dark Lord! Capture him too!"
Harry fired deadly cures at the Death Eaters just as the two holding an unconscious Daphne Greengrass and Dylan Lestrange Disapparated with a crack.
"NOOOO!" screamed Harry at the top of his voice, tears streaming down his face. "COME BACK! BRING THEM BACK!"
The Sword of Gryffindor materialised in his hand in a flash of gold as Harry began gutting down every Death Eater he could get his hands on.
"WHERE ARE THEY?" demanded Harry to a Death Eater. "Where did they take them?"
"I – I," stuttered Avery before his chest was impaled by the basilisk venom imbibed silver blade.
"I'm asking you again!" shouted Harry, ignoring a cutting curse that impacted his shoulder. Blood was pouring from various cuts on his body. "WHERE ARE DAPHNE AND DYLAN?"
"Headquarters," answered Yaxley, looking terrified as the sword inched closer.
"Where?" hissed Harry, his eyes turning impossibly jet black, green having completely disappeared. "Where is it?"
Yaxley choked as Harry tried to crush his throat. "F-Fidelius," said Yaxley before the blade impacted his heart too. Harry collapsed on the ground as the sword disappeared again.
The Aurors had managed to round up the remaining Death Eaters. The students who had fought were all injured but there had been no deaths among them because the Death Eaters had not been actively trying to kill, thankfully. They were being rushed to St Mungo's and the Hogwarts hospital wing.
"Harry!" cried Amelia worriedly, kneeling down in front of her son. Furious tears were streaming down his face as he looked at her; the world started spinning in front of him as his vision blurred.
"They've taken them away," rasped Harry, finding it difficult to breathe, not able to bear the pain in his chest. "Daphne and Dylan have been kidnapped."
With that, he fainted in his adoptive mother's arms.
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The Hogwarts hospital wing was filled with injured people as Madam Pomfrey and other healers from St Mungo's treated them. The Aurors were taking statements from various people, the dicta-quills noting it down quickly. There had been one death, however.
"Rufus Scrimgeour is dead," said Kingsley grimly. "He was killed during the battle."
Amelia sighed as she closed her eyes in defeat. "Anyone else?"
"No, he was the only one from our side but several of our people are badly injured," said Kingsley. "Fifteen Death Eaters are alive and the rest of them are dead. Their bodies are being transported to the Ministry morgue as we speak."
"Good. Shack, you're now the acting Head Auror until the Wizengamot makes it permanent or appoints someone else. Hold a press conference as soon as possible and tell them that no student was killed and that out of the thirty-six Death Eaters that attacked, only two got away. Also, inform them about the kidnapping of Daphne Greengrass and Dylan Lestrange. The more eyes looking for them, the faster we can get them back. Send a team to look for the two."
"Yes ma'am," said Kingsley as he left the hospital wing.
Amelia moved towards the bed of Draco Malfoy where Sirius was listening to the story grimly. She keyed herself into the privacy charm and heard him continue.
"– Snape was about to kill Dumbledore. He had just finished the first syllable of the Killing Curse when Potter arrived and killed them. It was," Draco swallowed as he tried to forget those images, "horrifying. They all died violent deaths. I begged him to spare me; he just stared back, telling me that he wouldn't kill me."
Taking a deep breath, he continued. "After that, Potter accused Dumbledore of knowing about the attack and yet not doing anything about it. That's when he looked horrified about something and ran away. Professors Sprout and Slughorn arrived and walked us to the hospital wing."
"You had no idea about the attack on Hogsmeade?" asked Sirius shrewdly.
"No sir," said Draco truthfully. "I wasn't told anything. I was only told to repair the cabinet and kill Dumbledore when the party arrived. I didn't even know who was supposed to come through the Vanishing Cabinet."
"Do your parents know about this mission? Why would Voldemort put you up to this? You're just a fifteen-year-old boy."
Draco shook his head weakly. "He never expected me to survive. He expected me to die trying. This was the punishment for my father's recent failures. When I did not succeed, he – he tortured Mother and Father right in front of me. Before that, he tortured me with the Cruciatus Curse. If I had not fixed that cabinet, he would have killed them. I was only fulfilling my duty as a son! I was trying to protect my parents!"
"You will not be arrested today, Mr Malfoy," said Amelia finally. "But you will be tried by the Council of Magical Law for your actions. You are not to leave Hogwarts until you have received your trial. Any attempt to do so will lead to arrest. Do you know why Daphne and Dylan were kidnapped?"
"They were kidnapped?" asked Draco in surprise. "No, I have no idea why they would do that."
After giving him a dreamless sleep potion, the couple went towards Harry's bed. The nearly sixteen-year-old boy was staring out of the window, a blank look on his face. When he had woken up, Harry had been hysterical until Sirius had to subdue him. The tears had since vanished, leaving a cold mask behind.
A mask much, much colder than usual, his emotions buried deep within.
"Voldemort's headquarters is under the Fidelius," said Harry quietly. "We need a new plan to get inside it."
"Are you sure Dumbledore knew about the attack?" asked Sirius, frowning.
"Positive," said Harry coldly as they walked towards the headmaster. Conjuring privacy screens and enchantments, he looked at the dying man without a hint of remorse in his heart. "Hello, Dumbledore."
"Harry," said Dumbledore as pain shot through his body. "My boy, I don't have much time. There is more information that you need to know. The Horcruxes –"
"The diary of Tom Riddle, the ring of Marvolo Gaunt, the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, the cup of Helga Hufflepuff and the locket of Salazar Slytherin. Anything else?"
"There is also his snake, Nagini," Dumbledore added urgently. "I know for sure that the snake is a Horcrux from what I have observed and heard from Severus. Then –"
He hesitated. His plan for Severus to give Harry this information had been shot and there was no other way. Albus knew that he was dying, so unless he parted with this delicate information, there was no hope at all. He only hoped that Harry, Sirius and Amelia would make the correct choice.
"My boy, there is no easy way for me to tell you this," said Dumbledore, closing his eyes. "When Voldemort attacked you on October 31st, 1991, when the Killing Curse rebounded on him, a part of Voldemort's soul was severed from his body and managed to latch onto the only living thing in the room – you. There is a piece of his soul in your scar, Harry. This is the reason your scar hurt that night last summer in Grimmauld Place. Your connection with Voldemort became stronger when he was resurrected and I believe it is because of that soul piece that you can speak to snakes and were able to claim the Slytherin Lordship. For Voldemort to be killed, all his Horcruxes need to be destroyed – including the one in your scar."
Sirius and Amelia looked at each other, relief evident on their faces. Harry's mind was processing information quickly as he realised now why he had Voldemort's memories in his mind. His house-elves might have destroyed the Horcrux, but apparently, Harry had retained the knowledge from the soul-piece.
"So what do you think I should do? Extract the soul piece and destroy it?" asked Harry mildly, ignoring the arrogance of the man in dismissing Lily Potter's heritage.
"There is no way a Horcrux can be extracted from a container, my boy," said Dumbledore sombrely. "I'm sorry Harry, but the only way for the Horcrux to be truly destroyed is if Voldemort destroyed it himself. You will have to willingly let Voldemort kill you. I'm sorry."
"Well, then it's a good thing that the soul piece in Harry's scar has already been destroyed," spat Amelia furiously. "You bloody manipulative old goat! You raised my son like a pig for slaughter! I'm half tempted to slit your throat right now!"
"It was necessary, Amelia! Voldemort has to be stopped! It must be done for the greater good of all! Countless lives are at stake."
"Alright," said Harry, with a dark, predatory smile on his lips. "Let's assume that you are right and that I will have to sacrifice myself. Tell me this – why did you knowingly allow Hogwarts to be attacked?"
Dumbledore opened his mouth to reply but began coughing violently. Even his blood was turning black because of the curse.
"No answer?" asked Harry, his eyes glinting dangerously. "I'm glad the curse I cast on the fake ring Horcrux is killing you, Dumbledore, because had I not already caused your death, I would have killed you on the spot."
Dumbledore's eyes widened in shock as he exclaimed, "Excuse me?"
"All the Horcruxes expect this newly discovered snake have been destroyed, including the one in Harry's scar," said Sirius quietly.
"Nice wand," Harry commented, twirling the Elder Wand in his fingers. "It looks quite unique too. Let's see how well it works in helping me shatter your already weakened mental shields."
"No! Sirius, you're the Minister of Magic!" said Dumbledore desperately. "You can't let him do this, not when I'm bedridden."
"You reap what you sow," said Sirius darkly. "You dare ask for mercy when you showed us none? You were the Chief Warlock and yet decided to throw me in Azkaban, knowing of my innocence. You placed Harry at Petunia's feet knowing how much he was going to suffer. No, Dumbledore, I'm not going to stop him. I'll even sign an executive order that ensures that what he's doing is legal. I want to know exactly how deep your betrayal goes."
"Amelia! You're known for always following the law. You yourself said that no one is above the law. This is wrong!"
Amelia looked at Dumbledore with barely concealed disgust. "Yes, I am a follower of the law," she said angrily. "But you are forgetting, Dumbledore, that I am also a wife and a mother! And what you did to my husband and children is unforgivable! I may not have given birth to Harry and Dylan, but I do consider them my children. Right now, my oldest son is in pain because his brother and fiancée were kidnapped. My other son was kidnapped and you knowingly did nothing! What next? Are you going to take Rigel away from me too? No, I'm not going to interfere this time. This stops now. It's people like you who manipulate those of us who strictly follow the law and use us for your own benefit. I need to get Daphne and Dylan back and you're being very uncooperative. Chief Warlock Albus Dumbledore, under the authority bestowed upon me by the Wizengamot of Magical Britain and Ireland, you are hereby under arrest. Harry, do it!"
Dumbledore couldn't do anything to stop it as Sirius and Amelia left, not wanting to watch. He had already been horribly weakened because of the curse and the resultant battle. He saw the cold blackish-emerald eyes and before he could even say anything to convince Harry not to do it, the boy struck.
"LEGILIMENS!"
After what seemed like an eternity, Dumbledore gasped as Harry pulled out of his mind, and stared into the black depths of the eyes that belonged to the boy in front of him. He wondered what had happened to the boy's eyes. Were they not supposed to be green?
"You know something? Had the Horcrux not been removed, I would have sacrificed myself," Harry said quietly. "Had the existence of magic been a threat, I would have sacrificed myself a dozen times over to protect our world. But you have the nerve to ask me to do so without giving me a choice, having taken everything from me."
There was sudden wetness in Harry's eyes as he stared at Dumbledore. "Who do you think you are? What right do you have in denying me my existence in the world? I'm not as selfish as you perceive me, Dumbledore. You took so much from me. You caused the death of my parents, you unjustly imprisoned my godfather, you placed me with magic-hating Muggles, you tried to manipulate me, tried to martyr me, sacrificed my brother and fiancée, and yet you expect me to forget everything and do as you say?"
"Harry –" said Dumbledore weakly.
"Daphne and Dylan are the most important people in the world to me," hissed Harry, his rage growing no bounds, a lone tear sliding down his face from orbs as black as the cosmos. "And right now, I have no idea if they are even alive. You knowingly let Daphne be kidnapped so that I would blame myself and walk to my death. No, Dumbledore. You have brought this upon yourself. Trust me, if anything happens to Daphne or Dylan, I will burn the very world you were trying to save!"
"A world without them isn't a world worth saving! Especially when it's filled with ungrateful, selfish, arrogant people like you! You expect me to fight fair and follow the law when you have taken the two people who are the reason for keeping my sanity intact! I am cornered by both my allies as well as my enemies. I am human too, Dumbledore!I have feeling and emotions too! I am not a tool to be used! Why can't you understand that?"
"You were so sure that I had to die that you formed such disgusting plans around it. Had someone in your family held a piece of Voldemort's soul in them, would you be willing to kill them so callously too? Would you be willing to kill Ariana, just to defeat another Dark Lord? Oh wait, you've already done that! I shouldn't be surprised that you did the same to me. After all, I am a relative stranger to you. Why should you care about my happiness? You better hope that Daphne and Dylan are alright, Dumbledore because if something were to happen to them, I swear in the name of Mother Magic, Voldemort will be the least of your problems!"
Dumbledore closed his eyes in defeat as Harry walked away. He had only been trying to save the world from Voldemort's wrath. Harry's words left a deep mark on him as he felt compelled to question himself. Would he have killed Ariana if she held a piece of Voldemort's soul in her too? Would he have been willing to sacrifice his sister like he had been willing to sacrifice Harry? Like he had sacrificed the boy's parents, godfather, fiancée and brother?
Albus choked back a sob, guilt eating him alive like the very curse that was slowly killing him, as he soon lost consciousness.