"There is no information in the memory which is relevant to you. He did not talk about his plans with me but you already have a pretty good idea, I'm sure. There is nothing in that memory that will interest you, sir."
"We've already got people working on it," Amelia took over. "We are monitoring the borders for any incoming giants, but I can already say that we will have no luck with the werewolves. Dementors… we're still thinking about what to do because right now they're still at Azkaban. Anyway, a press statement was given this morning about Voldemort's resurrection. People are in denial, but it won't be for long. Panic will grip them soon enough and the country will be in turmoil."
"I have contacted the members of the Order of the Phoenix," said Dumbledore quietly. "We will have a meeting soon to see what can be done. The first thing we need to do is find a place to hold our meetings. Hogwarts is not secure; there are too many chances for the information being leaked. What we need is a secure home with established wards which I can put under the Fidelius Charm."
Sirius' eye twitched in annoyance as he did not miss the subtle suggestion behind those words. How he wished he could smack that sanctimonious bastard in the face, but he couldn't! Dumbledore was the Chief Warlock, a post nearly as powerful as his own. Even if he hated Dumbledore and would like nothing more than to throw his wrinkled old arse in Azkaban, he was more useful working for their side. The old man also wanted Voldemort dead. If only they could get their hands on that blasted locket! But Sirius was clear about one thing - this would only be a temporary alliance. After Voldemort and his Death Eaters were gone and done for, he would ensure that somehow, Dumbledore lost his positions one by one. He was not the Minister of Magic for nothing.
He may hate Dumbledore, but right now, Voldemort was a bigger threat.
...
Everyone in the Great Hall was reading the Magical Daily in utter silence. The headlines sent shivers down their spine.
LORD VOLDEMORT RETURNS!
Press conference held by Minister of Magic Sirius Black confirms news!
BOY-WHO-LIVED KIDNAPPED AFTER HE WON THE TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT
Triwizard Cup turned into a Portkey to kidnap Harry Potter
HARRY POTTER NEARLY TORTURED TO DEATH!
Reports say that he is recovering at Hogwarts - news of his extensive injuries unconfirmed, but experts speculate multiple exposures to the Cruciatus Curse; cuts on his body suggest he was tortured with a knife and whipped several times!
"Dangerous times ahead - be cautious," warns Lady Amelia Black, Head of the D.M.L.E.
Barty Crouch Senior impersonated by his supposed dead son for a year!
Why did no one detect it?
PANIC GRIPS THE MASSES!
SECURITY AT HOGWARTS TO INCREASE OVER THE SUMMER
Key members of the Ministry and Wizengamot are to be apprehended for being Death Eaters
How much did we screw up at the end of the last war?
LORDS MALFOY, NOTT, AVERY WANTED FOR QUESTIONING
New evidence points to the fact that they may have been willing Death Eaters all along
LUCIUS MALFOY BEHIND THE OPENING OF THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS AT HOGWARTS TWO YEARS AGO
Wanted for questioning regarding the matter
Theodore Nott placed his newspaper down and buried his face in his hands. He had hoped for years that this would never happen. Now there was no escaping his fate. He looked at Blaise Zabini who was giving him a speculative yet knowing look.
"What are you going to do?" asked Blaise.
"Is running away an option?" asked Theo wryly. "Because if I don't, I have only two options in front of me - join him or be killed. Hopefully, Father would tell the Dark Lord that I am not Death Eater material but I doubt it. Like Dylan and Draco, both my father and grandfather were Death Eaters and the Dark Lord would take my refusal as a personal insult."
Blaise hummed in agreement. "You're still too young for him to recruit," he observed. "You're only fifteen, so you still have time. I doubt the Dark Lord would mark anyone who is still at school. Hopefully, by then, he would be defeated."
Theo looked at his best friend incredulously. "Defeated? Did you look at the state Harry was in when he arrived?"
"We don't know what happened there," said Blaise calmly. "You know how talented Harry is, I'm sure he would have put up more of a fight had he not been caught off guard. Either way, there is nothing wrong in hoping for it. You may not be looking forward to serving the Dark Lord, but dear Draco is."
...
Harry grunted in pain and exhaustion as he placed his head on Daphne's lap, closing his eyes, enjoying the sensation of her fingers stroking his hair. They were in a compartment in the Hogwarts Express, returning to London. Harry was glad that he had finished his N.E.W.T.s because he would have been too distracted to write his exams now. He tried to sleep, but his body still ached. Opposite to him, Dylan and Astoria were sitting close to each other, speaking in soft tones. Harry's mind drifted back to the conversation he had with Theo this morning. He knew the Slytherin's position would be difficult, but he hoped that he could end the war before his friend would be forced to take the mark. Just as he closed his eyes, the compartment door was rudely yanked open.
"You'll pay for this, Potter," said Draco in a low voice. "You and your bloody godfather can't send Aurors after my father to have him arrested! The Dark Lord is back and he will teach filthy half-bloods like you a lesson. With him in charge, the balance in the world shall soon be restored."
Harry got up slowly and looked at Draco with calm, cold eyes. "Take a seat, cousin," he said quietly.
"Why?" Draco sneered. "Want to negotiate terms for your surrender?"
"Draco, don't act like a child and take a seat, your goons included. I have faced and duelled Voldemort, so you don't scare me."
Draco narrowed his eyes in anger but sat down; Crabbe and Goyle looking clueless but curious. Harry waved his hand and the door sealed shut with a silencing charm in place.
"Yes, the Dark Lord is back," said Harry, crossing his legs gracefully and looked at the three of them with critical eyes. "And we are at a crossroad. Tell me, Draco, why do you hate me? For the first two years, we ignored each other. I was fine with that because quite frankly, I didn't care about you. But then you started annoying Dylan and I don't take kindly to anyone insulting my brother -"
"He's not your brother," said Draco imperiously.
The temperature in the compartment dropped as Harry's emerald orbs darkened. Dylan's grey eyes were hard as he coolly observed the meeting.
"After I threatened you to back off, you wisely did, and yes, it was me," Harry continued, ignoring the gaping face of Draco. "But you started it again after my name came out of the Goblet of Fire. I didn't have a problem with those stupid badges because they were so childish that it wasn't even worth my time. My brother, however, felt differently and so he acted. The end result was your own Head of House punishing you."
Draco gritted his teeth. This conversation was not going the way he wanted.
"You have been raised in a pampered environment, Draco. You have no idea of the real world out there. You have never experienced hardship, pain and hunger like how Dylan and I have. You are excited at the prospect of becoming a Death Eater, but let me tell you right now, Draco, it's not going to be easy. You expect that being a Death Eater would be the greatest achievement of your life, but the fact of the matter is that it would destroy you and your family. Take heed of my advice and stay out of this war and the Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy will live to see another day. Don't make a mistake that could get you and your mother killed because this war is going to be brutal."
"Are you saying that I can't handle it?" spat Draco, shaking in anger. "I am capable, Potter, to handle anything! I'm one of the top students in my year! I am not a stupid weakling that got beaten up by a bunch of worthless Muggles like you and your brother . I don't need your advice because I am going to be on the winning side! And the day will come when you realise how great I am!"
"He does not give rewards, cousin," Harry said finally as Draco got up. "He hands out more punishments than rewards. All I am asking is that you think about it. I'm not asking you to join my side, just to distance yourself from me, Dumbledore and Voldemort. If you do, you have a chance to survive this war. If not…"
Draco glared at Harry as he walked out, slamming the compartment door close as he went. Crabbe and Goyle were giving Harry funny looks as they passed.
"Trying to prevent him from taking the mark?" asked Daphne quietly.
"I tried, but it obviously didn't work. He's not a killer; trust me, I know what I'm talking about. Not everyone can take a life and Draco certainly can't. Yes, he's a smart boy, but Voldemort honestly doesn't care about that. If he becomes a Death Eater, he is doomed to fail. All I can hope is that he does not involve himself in the war personally. I hope he realises the truth before it is too late."
"Draco is not Death Eater material; he's just a pampered little boy who is too confused by the world around him, doing his best to please his parents. If something drastic happens in his life, he'll break into pieces. I've observed that over the past four years and so has Sirius. He sees the world in black and white, which, unfortunately, most others do as well. You can't fault him when Dumbledore and Voldemort are guilty of the same. I was guilty of the same too but I came to realise over the past few years that everything in life is in shades of grey. Draco's life isn't going to be easy now that Voldemort is back. Theo is mature enough to understand what's going on, but Draco hasn't realised it yet."
"And I was actually attracted to him? I must have hit my head on something," muttered Astoria to herself, but Dylan heard it. A small smile formed its way to his lips as he turned towards the window.
....
Join my exclusive website for 60+ thrilling chapters!
Link: [email protected]/MidnightWonder
If you join now you will get 2+ Chapters for free as well.
Don't miss out, join now!