Sirius' head snapped up. Dylan and Astoria looked at each other
worriedly. The Healer's face was devoid of expression.
"Sir, Lady Black was in a terrible condition when she was brought to
the hospital," she said. "Apart from losing limbs, her internal organs
also suffered massive damage. When we were in the process of
healing her, we discovered that the area of the bombing had been
poisoned with chaotic magic. It interfered with our attempts to heal
her."
Tears flowed down Sirius' face as he held Dylan's arm tightly.
The Healer took a deep breath. "I'm afraid we couldn't save her."
Dylan felt his eyes moisten as his father cried heartbreakingly. He
closed his eyes and desperately tried to remember the good times
he had with the only woman who had ever shown him the warmth of
a mother's hug. The woman who had adopted him as her son
despite knowing whose child he was; the one who had selflessly
provided him , the orphaned son of a sworn enemy, a home, and
loved him as her own.
And that woman, his beloved mother, was now dead?
The floor and walls began to tremble slightly. The grey eyes were
glowing, burning with anger. The windows in the corridor cracked
due to his rage and the Healer actually swallowed in nervousness as
she witnessed Dylan's raw power. He looked furious.
A soft touch brought him to the present. Astoria intertwined their
fingers and whispered softly to her husband, "Please calm down. Not
here, not now … please …"
Dylan took deep breaths in order to reign in his anger. He couldn't
lose control; not unless he wanted to destroy the building.
"I want to see her."
"Minister, I –"
"I want to see my wife," Sirius said forcefully. The Healer nodded
reluctantly. She ushered them inside.
Amelia's body was covered by a white sheet, but her face was
visible. Sirius gently touched her pale face, shaking due to the sobs
that were threatening to come out. Dylan conjured a chair for his
father, who collapsed, holding his wife and crying.
"Dad?"
The group turned towards the door to see the panicked face of the
fifteen-year-old Rigel Black. The teenager immediately rushed
towards his father.
Dylan and Astoria quietly left the room. The Blacks deserved their
privacy.
"What?" asked Harry, shocked beyond belief.
"G-Grandma's dead?" whispered Belladonna.
"Dylan, what are saying?"
"I'm sorry, Harry," Dylan said, his red-rimmed eyes filled with tears.
"Apparently, the site was contaminated with chaotic magic. She was
already very badly wounded and it interfered with their healing
magic. There was nothing they could do."
"Oh, Merlin, what torture is this?" moaned Daphne, burying her face
in her hands. If Amelia couldn't survive the experience, what chance
did her eight-year-old son have?
The door to Healing Room 9 opened and the Healer walked out.
Harry and Daphne stood up immediately.
"How is he?" asked Daphne immediately.
The Healer paused. "Your son is alive, Lady Potter. We found traces
of a full-body shield when he was brought to us. I suspect either
Lady Black or Mr Croaker cast it on him before they escaped.
Without that shield, he wouldn't have survived."
"Thank you," whispered Daphne under her breath, hoping her
message was conveyed to the souls of Amelia and Croaker.
"Unfortunately, not everything is good news. While his limbs were all
intact, the shield was still not enough to save him from the effects of
the bomb. Some of the debris managed to penetrate a few vital
organs. We healed him in time, but during the procedure, we
realised that he was infected with chaotic magic."
Harry and Dylan looked at each other. Their eyes narrowed.
"The chaotic magic interfered with the healing process," said the
Healer. He paused. "I'm sorry, Your Excellency, but your son is in a
coma."
"Is there a chance that he'll wake up?" asked Astoria.
"It's possible," the Healer nodded, though somewhat reluctantly. "If
all traces of the chaotic magic leave his system, he may wake up.
But we don't know how deep the infection is. Chaotic magic is
referred to as chaotic for a reason. It's very unpredictable."
"Can we see him?"
"Of course."
They were guided into the healing room. James was lying on a bed.
To the naked eye, he looked perfectly fine, but the moment Daphne
sensed his magic, she knew that her son was not fine at all. Sitting
down on the bed, she gently picked up his hand and brought it to her
lips.
"Jamie, it's me," whispered Daphne, her voice cracking. "Won't you
open your eyes for Mummy?"
"Daphne," Astoria said slowly but couldn't form the words to
continue. She had never seen her sister this distraught before.
Simply speaking to James would not get him to wake up, but
Daphne did not seem to be in any state to listen to reason.
Charlie and Belladonna buried their faces in their father's chest,
crying silently. A lone tear slid down Harry's expressionless face as
he watched his wife fall apart.
The five-year-old boy shook his head. "Uh-uh! If I go to Hogwarts,
then I'll have to leave you! And I'll never leave you and Daddy. I'll be
with you forever and ever!"
"Jamie, you promised us that you'll be with us forever!" Daphne
sobbed. "Come on, Jamie, please wake up!"
He didn't respond.
The blue orbs turned white. They were glowing ominously. Her
breathing was ragged. Daphne gritted her teeth and balled her fists.
"I need to get out of here," she said quietly.
"Mum," said Charlie worriedly. "Mum, don't leave!"
A smile found its way to Daphne's lips, but the smile did not look
happy. She gently ran her fingers through her oldest son's hair.
"Don't worry, Charlie. I'll be back before you know it."
Once she made her way out, a hand grabbed her wrist.
"Harry, leave me alone. If you don't let me go, I can't guarantee the
state of this city, let alone the building."
"I'm not going to stop you," he said, his voice very soft, his breathing
calm and even.
Harry hadn't felt this furious since the day Daphne and Dylan had
been kidnapped during the Battle of Hogsmeade. He had lost his
mother, and his beloved son was in a coma that he may never
recover from. He felt something he hadn't felt since Voldemort's
death.
Blood-lust.
"I wanted to ask you if you wanted to join me."
Daphne turned towards her husband. "The Muggle Prime Minister
was involved," she said, her voice hard. "I can feel it. But chaotic
magic is not something Muggles have in storage, is it?"
"I'll find out who is responsible for this," he promised.
Harry watched as she disappeared down the flight of stairs.
Returning to the room, he gently kissed James' forehead, instructed
the twins to stay with their aunt, and walked out of the hospital with
Dylan by his side.
"Report!"
"We've been keeping an eye on various top Ministry employees who
might have been involved, Chancellor," said Kingsley. "As for what
we've found out, the Unspeakables revealed that Admiral Croaker
was investigating the possibility of the Muggle Prime Minister being
involved in the information leak about the magical world through their
internet."
"Of course," Dylan said through gritted teeth. "Why didn't we
consider that possibility?"
"The Prime Minister is not my concern at the moment. Based on
what I've been informed, this incident definitely had magical
involvement," said Harry.
He sat down and closed his eyes, thinking hard. Harry knew in his
gut who was involved, but he needed proof before confronting the
man, the linchpin, the mastermind behind this attack. The bomb was
Muggle, but what was the epicentre of the magical attack?
Harry's eyes snapped open. "Do you have samples of the chaotic
magic that was present in the area of the attack?"
"Yes, sir," nodded Kingsley.
"What are you thinking?" asked Dylan curiously.
Harry didn't answer. Instead, with a wave of his hand, he summoned
various alchemical instruments. He worked silently for more than
twenty minutes. Finally, a thin sheet of glass, his computer, glowed
as it displayed the map of Britain. Using the chaotic magical
signature, he had created a compass, leading to a place in Scotland.
However, the coordinates were all over the place; powerful wards
prevented him from getting the precise location.
"Dylan," Harry said, motioning him to come closer. "I want you to
leave for Sowilo City as soon as possible. Tell Padma to begin the
initial stages of Operation 24."
"Understood," nodded Dylan. "Do you want me to contact
everyone?"
Harry paused, thinking hard. "Yes. Also, inform my secretary to
convene an emergency session of the I.C.W. Send envoys to the
Elves, Goblins, Centaurs, Merpeople, Veela and Vampires. The
shockwaves of this attack will be massive. We have to be ready."
"I'll have it done."
"Damn it!" cursed Ivan Krum. "It didn't work."
Percy Weasley was shell-shocked. This was what Krum and the
Prime Minister had planned?
"He escaped, sir?" demanded Hermione. " How? "
"Mr Krum," Percy said shakily. "A bomb?"
"Yes, a bomb," snapped Krum. "According to the Magical Daily News
, Algernon Croaker, Amelia Black and James Potter were caught in
the blast instead."
"You mean Potter's youngest son was there too?" exclaimed Percy.
He swallowed. His stomach was churning. Something in his gut was
telling him that this would not end well.
Krum didn't respond. He took deep breaths. "I was hoping that this
plan would be enough to end Potter's reign, but apparently, he is
luckier than I thought. We'll have to use the time-turners and go
through with our original plan."
"Sir," said Hermione hesitantly. "We need to do it soon."
"I know," Krum said curtly. "With his son now injured or perhaps
dead, Potter will take his ire out on the Muggles. We don't have
time."
Percy was conflicted. This was not what he had signed up for. He
seemed to be regretting ever getting involved with Ivan Krum. The
man was a hypocrite. He claimed that he was protecting the
Muggles, yet he orchestrated an incident that probably brought more
instability to the already volatile Muggle world. He claimed that he
was doing his best for the people of the magical world, yet his
interaction with the Prime Minister went against the International
Statute of Secrecy, their most sacred law.
Next, the man was advocating time-travel, something that was very
strictly controlled by the Department of Mysteries and was illegal
without their consent. Someone who broke the laws of time would be
sent to prison for life, for any damage to the timeline could be
catastrophic. They were breaking yet another law by going back in
time. There was also a law that forbade the charming of Muggle
objects. His late father had worked in that office for several years,
and yet, here he was, supporting a man who wanted to charm all the
military equipment of the Muggles in order to stop Potter.
Krum was blatantly violating the Statute of Secrecy again. Who
knows what Muggles could do with such power?
Worst of all, Krum's attack had led to the deaths of two of the most
highly renowned and respected witches and wizards, and probably
the death of a poor child as well! How could Krum and Hermione
claim to be better than Potter if they did this ?
They were here to stop the rise of a very powerful Dark Lord, but at
the same time, were Krum and Hermione not bothered that an
innocent child could be dead right now because of their scheming?
For the first time, Percy felt like a fool. He swallowed. Always,
throughout his life, he had been sticking to the rules, always
following the law diligently. But recently, due to his involvement with
Ivan Krum, he had committed acts that he promised himself that he
wouldn't do; in other words, he had shamelessly broken the law. His
father would be ashamed of him.
The thought of him causing the death of an innocent child due to his
actions was too much to handle. Even worse was the fact that the
man he had until now idolised didn't seem to bat an eye. His wife
didn't either, even though she claimed that she was doing this for
magical children.
Didn't James Harrison Potter fall under the category of magical
children as well? When did their noble cause turn into this? Children
were considered as the gift bestowed upon them by Mother Magic
and yet, they were not bothered that their actions caused the death
of an innocent child?
Would Krum react the same way if his son or daughter were killed in
the same manner? Would Hermione?
Percy made up his mind. Everything was not lost. He would have to
leave and inform Minister Black of what they were planning. He had
been hearing things only from Krum's perspective; maybe Potter did
not want a war with the Muggles. Maybe he was just being a
cautious, yet misguided leader. But one thing was clear; he would
not give up his values in order to work under Krum any longer.
"Hermione, I need you to go protect the Prime Minister," said Krum.
"Once the dust clears, gather the members of Dumbledore's Army
and prepare for our jump through time. I'm afraid Potter's retaliation
will be quicker than we originally planned for."
"What about you, sir?" asked Hermione.
"Percy and I will join you shortly. Don't worry. Now off you go."
Hermione nodded. Kissing her husband's cheek, she left the cottage.
Once they were alone, Krum drew his wand and within a second,
bound the younger wizard.
"What are you doing?" cried Percy. Krum didn't answer. He flicked
his wand once more, summoning a small bottle containing
Veritaserum. He forced Percy's mouth open and poured three drops
on the latter's tongue. After interrogating him, he sneered.
"I thought so. Don't take me for a fool, Percy. I could read your facial
expressions and realised immediately that you were having second
thoughts about this. That's why I interrogated you. You think Potter
may not be as bad as you originally thought; you're feeling guilty, and
you're trying to bury that guilt by blaming me. So you want to go
inform Sirius Black of what we're planning, huh?"
"Let me go," Percy said fearfully. He struggled, but there was nothing
he could do. He was bound.
"Hermione is like a daughter to me. I know that she'll be devastated
should anything happen to you. Unfortunately, the fate of the world
rests on my shoulders. I can't take the risk that you'll reveal all my
secrets to Harry Potter."
Percy's face was white as a sheet. "You're going to kill me?" he
whispered.
"No," Krum said, shaking his head. "I'm not a monster, Percy. I'm
sorry for what I'm about to do, but I'm afraid my actions are
necessary for the protection of wizards and Muggles alike."
"Necessary for the protection of wizards and Muggles?" spat Percy.
"You mean for the greater good? "
Krum's expression hardened as he pointed his wand at Percy's
forehead. The ginger swallowed in fear.
" Obliviate! "
"A Fidelius Charm," muttered Harry. His eye twitched in annoyance.
If there was an enchantment he truly hated with a passion, it was the
Fidelius; a truly pesky ward that could avoid detection.
The enchantment was quite complex, with only the Secret Keeper
being able to reveal the location of the premises. However, what
made the Fidelius Charm quite unpopular was the many loopholes it
offered. Harry had thoroughly studied everything about the charm
more than a decade back, when Voldemort had placed Riddle Manor
under the Fidelius.
For any enchantment to protect a magical house, one needed a
wardstone. This, however, could be avoided if Varasma was
substituted for the granite stone. Unfortunately for Ivan Krum, his
cottage was powered by conventional magical technology. Equally
unfortunate was the fact that his enemy was the Master of Death
himself.
Closing his eyes, Harry brought his hands together. A concentration
of magic slowly formed between his palms, creating a small sphere
of golden energy. With a cry, he threw the sphere at the ground.
Back inside the cottage, Ivan Krum had just Obliviated Percy
Weasley when he felt the ground tremble. He held a nearby chair for
support, wondering if it was an earthquake. His eyes widened with
panic as the floor beneath him cracked open. The granite wardstone
exploded, the shards flying across the room.
The Fidelius Charm had come unravelled.
He immediately rushed towards the window in order to see what was
going on. Krum gritted his teeth in anger. Even in the moonlight, he
could recognise the stiff and erect posture of Harry Potter. The
Supreme Chancellor was unmoving, his cloak billowing in the wind.
"Not today, Potter," whispered Krum. He turned on the spot in order
to Disapparate but found the air to be quite solid. He frowned. He
touched his Portkey, but that too didn't activate.
"You can't escape, Krum," said Harry, his voice magically enhanced.
"If you have done nothing wrong, then why are you so eager to
leave?"
Krum said nothing. He swiftly moved towards the door, throwing all
sorts of protective enchantments that he hoped would save him from
Potter's wrath. He didn't respond to any of Potter's comments,
though. The younger man was doing it on purpose to get a reaction
out of him. Krum wouldn't give him that satisfaction.
Harry leisurely walked towards the house. "What's the point in
erecting wards that I can break with ease?" he commented lightly. "I
destroyed your Fidelius with one shot. Do you think I'm not capable
of vaporising this cottage in an instant?"
" Salvio Hexia … Protego Totalum … Cave Inimicum … Fianto Duri
… Protego Horribilis … Protego Maxima … "
"You know, I was still unclear of your involvement, even after I
tracked the chaotic magical signature to this house," said Harry, not
breaking stride even though Krum was erecting all sorts of protective
enchantments to keep him out. With a wave of his hand, he disabled
them and walked forward as if they were cobwebs. "But if you
weren't guilty, then why would you be this hostile? It was you who
collaborated with the Muggles. Your actions killed my mother, put my
son in a coma that he may never wake up from, and managed to
start a conflict between wizards and Muggles!"
"Imbecile," shouted Krum. " You're the one who started the conflict
between the two worlds with that barbaric law! All those poor
Muggle-born children are suffering because of you."
"No, they aren't," Harry shot back, his eyes jet-black. "I personally
ensured that each and every rescued Muggle-born was placed with
families who wanted them. Due to your blind hatred towards me, you
never realised that the Muggle-borns that were rescued actually
suffered . Some of them were happy with their Muggle parents, but
more than ninety per cent of them were not! I did it to protect my
people from the wrath of Muggles. And yet, you couldn't understand
that. You're as self-centred and arrogant as Albus Dumbledore,
believing that you alone are right and that everyone who doesn't
agree with you is wrong. Your actions have destroyed any hope for
peace. The moment I realised that you were a threat, I should have
disposed of you like I did your master."
Krum's face was writ with anger. Abandoning his efforts to keep
Potter out, he walked out of the cottage.
"If that is true, then I will avenge his death," spat Krum.
He slashed his wand in the air. Harry dodged with lightning-fast
reflexes. He hadn't even drawn his wand. Colourless spells flew from
the tips of his fingers as the Supreme Chancellor and his
predecessor duelled each other to the death.
HP*SAVIOUR OF MAGIC*HP
It was eight p.m. The city of London was in chaos. Number 10, the
residence and office and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,
had been bombed. Media outlets reported that the Prime Minister
and his family were away during the incident, which was deemed a
terrorist attack, and that it was sheer dumb luck that saved them
from the catastrophe. The entire world was in a state of shock. Law
and order were quickly becoming a problem as thousands of people
took to the streets, showing the terrorists that they would not
surrender despite an attack on their soil.
Daphne Potter stood in front of the Palace of Westminster, her eyes
glowing eerily, completely white in colour. It was a deadly sight, and
anyone watching would certainly not call her human. Her shoulders
were stiff with tension, with cheeks stained with tears.
She had tracked the Prime Minister here, to the parliament building.
Legilimency had its uses. Apparently, there was a legislative session
going on, which meant the man would be present. They were all
debating on the best possible method to kill her children, no doubt.
She was furious, crazed, while her blood boiled. Her magic
screamed for release as her heart broke for her youngest son.
A son that was as good as dead.
How many other magical children had undergone the same thing?
How many unknown, nameless, faceless mothers had wept for their
dead child during the witch hunts? How many times had wizards
given Muggles an opportunity to reform before the Statute of
Secrecy was implemented? The memory of the girl who had turned
into an Obscurial still haunted Daphne. She had watched helplessly
as Ivan Krum's orders were executed, killing the poor girl, just
because she had been tortured endlessly by the Muggle Jackson
Barebone.
The dark clouds were shaped like a human child. Even nature
seemed to share her pain as it created a memorial for her beloved
son. Her little James, the apple of her eye, the one everyone loved
unconditionally. He was so lovable that in eight years, not once had
Charlie and Bella fought with him. While the twins sometimes acted
like they shared an enmity as deep as a Basilisk and an
Acromantula, they never took it out on James because he was just
that lovable.
How could anyone dream of attacking such an innocent soul? The
cloud didn't seem to help matters any.
Daphne felt more tears pool in her eyes. The tears quickly turned to
anger. After all that they tried to do, this was how they were being
repaid? She immediately took off into the air without the help of a
broom. She took in the sight before her and glared hatefully. She
brought her palms together as her anger reached epic proportions.
HP*SAVIOUR OF MAGIC*HP
"It didn't work?" asked the Prime Minister. "Why not? What went
wrong?"
They were in the Prime Minister's official state car, with several other
cars and motorbikes part of the motorcade. The security in London
had been beefed up because of the attack on Number 10. They were
currently on their way to the parliament; the attack had caused a
crisis which they had to deal with, lest terrorist organizations take
credit for it.
"Apparently, Potter was abroad during the attack," sighed Hermione.
"Unspeakable Croaker, Director Black and Potter's youngest son
were caught in the blast instead."
"And what's their condition?"
Hermione winced slightly. "From what I could gather, all three of
them are dead."
The Prime Minister nodded, though he did seem miffed about
something. "Any idea why Sirius Black didn't come to Number 10 as
requested?"
The younger woman blinked in surprise. "I didn't know that Minister
Black was invited," she replied. "Sir, why would we invite him?"
"No reason," the Prime Minister said evasively. Observing the
nervous look on Granger's face, he changed the subject. "So, when
is Mr Krum going to begin the next stage of the plan?"
"I have everything ready, sir. We can start tonight."
As they were talking, they heard the patter of raindrops. Within
moments, the downpour had slowed down the motorcade.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," grumbled the Prime Minister. "If I
didn't know better, I'd blame magic for this too."
Hermione chuckled.
Lightning flashed brightly as torrential rain lashed against the city.
Nature seemed to be in-tune with Daphne's fury. It was as if they
were both a single entity.
A cube materialised in her hand. It was glowing a luminescent blue
from the inside. This was one of her creations – a Varasma -infused
Asthron , the most destructive weapon that was currently in the
department's arsenal.
"You want to see death so badly?" whispered Daphne hatefully.
"Then I'll show you all what death really means!"
With that, Daphne dropped the Asthron . She watched with immense
satisfaction as the cube impacted the building. There was a blinding
flash of blue light as a magical explosion rocked the area around the
ancient structure. Waters of the Thames River churned, but the city
was unaffected. There was no debris, there was no harmful waste. In
fact, there was nothing at the site at all.
There were no two stones on the ground to ever prove that the
Palace of Westminster ever existed.
"How do you intend to handle this situation, sir?" asked Hermione
The Prime Minister was about to reply when there was a blinding
flash of blue light. The ground seemed to tremble slightly. The
motorcade immediately halted due to the spectacle, but they
recovered quickly in order to get the Prime Minister to safety.
"What the hell was that?" exclaimed the Prime Minister.
Hermione was slack-jawed. From her window, she could see the
barren land by the Thames River where the British parliament once
stood.
"Sir," she said shakily, swallowing heavily. "I think Potter is on to us."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because I'm confident no one else would have the courage or the
power to destroy the Palace of Westminster."
The Prime Minister's eyes widened. He removed his mobile phone
and barked instructions. The car changed course immediately. Police
sirens could be heard everywhere, as the city of London was
immersed not only in rainwater but also in chaos.
"Hermione, contact Krum immediately. We're going to a secret base
for us to conduct operations. Whatever you do, get it done soon! I
will not let this Harry Potter destroy my country, do you hear me?"
"Loud and clear, Prime Minister," whispered Hermione. She removed
her communication mirror from her bag and said, "Ivan Krum."
There was no answer.
"Percy Weasley!"
She swallowed.
The Prime Minister snorted. "Welcome to the worst day of my life,"
he spat bitterly.
HP*SAVIOUR OF MAGIC*HP
Ivan Krum conjured a metallic shield to deflect Harry's spell. The
force of the spell impacting the shield was enough to create a gonglike
noise. Harry flew high in the air and twisted. He magically
scooped up mud from the ground and created golems to attack
Krum. The older wizard slashed his wand and decapitated the
golems with a fire whip. With a flick of his fingers, Harry conjured a
dozen tigers which Krum transfigured into massive boulders that
Harry blasted to smithereens. Jets of light flew in all directions.
"These moves, those specific attack manoeuvres … I'd recognise
the fighting style of Albus Dumbledore anywhere," observed Harry.
Krum smirked proudly as he conjured a sphere of water in order to
trap his enemy. It didn't work as he expected as a tornado destroyed
it.
"Very talented you may be in Charms, but Transfiguration is a lot
more complex than that," Harry taunted. "Your version is crude and
sloppy. Dumbledore would be so disappointed in you."
With a cry of rage, Krum pointed his wand directly at Harry's chest
and cried, " Avada Kedavra!"
A jet of bright green light flew towards Harry who simply brought his
hands forward. Bolts of lightning flew from his fingertips, meeting the
Killing Curse mid-way, deflecting it, the lightning bolts impacting the
attacking party. Krum screamed in pain as he dropped his wand,
withering and moaning on the ground, with no one around for miles
to hear or help him.
"You are under arrest, Mr Krum," said Harry calmly. "You have the
right to request an attorney to represent you. The Confederation
shall judge you for your crimes."
"I thought you were the Confederation, Potter," spat Krum, his entire
body trembling. "Are you going to crown yourself the emperor of the
magical world? I won't let you!"
Harry smiled grimly. "You delusional old man," he shook his head. "I
wonder if you were ever sane enough to be a part of society."
"It's you who shouldn't be a part of the society," said Krum furiously.
The former Supreme Mugwump knew that he had lost. However, in
order to eventually defeat the man before him, he was determined to
take his secrets to the grave, and that meant provoking Potter to a
very dangerous extent – and he knew exactly where to strike. Krum's
only hope was that Hermione would one day manage to defeat their
greatest enemy. With that intention in mind, he spat, "You and that
whore you call a wife are a menace! I'm glad that your worthless
spawn died, Potter, for the world is now rid of another authoritarian,
inhumane monster like you and your filthy, monstrous wife! Once I'm
done with you, Daphne Potter and Dylan Lestrange will be tried for
their crimes, and I'll ensure that they and your two other children
suffer for the rest of their lives, being used by the criminals in jail for
their pleasure! That's all a filthy slut like her is worth! As for that
blood-thirsty bastard you call a brother, I'll keep him alive just long
enough for him to feel every vein in his body being cut until he
drowns in his own blood! You'll be forced to listen to your precious
baby brother's screams of agony, living with the constant guilt that
you were unable to help him! In the end, I'll make sure that you
spend decades in a cell, alone, with the memories of what was done
to your wife and brother, because that's exactly what a Dark Lord like
you deserves!"
The green eyes darkened. Harry stood perfectly still and silent as
Krum struggled to reach for his wand. His breathing was calm and
even and not a muscle twitched in his body. His magic seemed to be
sizzling due to immense anger.
Harry could tolerate any amount of pain or insult directed towards
him, but never would he accept anyone insulting his wife or causing
her pain. She was more precious to him than the entire universe.
Should anything happen to her, he wouldn't hesitate to burn the
world down in his anger and grief. She was the one who held him
together, the one who was as sacred as Mother Magic herself, the
one who had enough compassion in her that the entire universe
could reside within her heart. She was divine.
And this man called her, his wife – a woman whom he greatly
admired, respected and loved – a whore? A monster? The same
man who was the cause of James' suffering and promised to torture
Charlie and Belladonna to death?
'You'll be forced to listen to your precious baby brother's screams of
agony, living with the constant guilt that you were unable to help him
…'
No one said that Harry was rational when it had anything to do with
Dylan.
Dylan …
His mind went blank. All he registered was the fact that Daphne and
Dylan were threatened. And that was unacceptable. A primal,
inexplicable need to protect the two of them over all others, a feeling
he could not explain, overtook all other senses.
The control over his emotions slipped.
Unadulterated rage overpowered any rational thought. Just as Ivan
Krum reached for his wand, Harry unleashed a flurry of lightning
from his fingertips. Shadows from the white lightning bolts could be
seen on the ground as the man screamed and withered in pain until
he finally stopped moving.
After what seemed like an eternity, Harry collapsed on the ground
next to Krum's charred body, breathing deeply. As seconds turned to
minutes, slowly, his mind cleared, enough for him to realise what he
had done. He stared at his hands, wishing that he hadn't lost control.
He closed his eyes and clenched his fists.
He had made a mistake; a very big mistake. He shouldn't have killed
Ivan Krum. Apart from the fact that it was against the law, they had
lost the opportunity to extract valuable information from his mind.
The man's brain was probably destroyed due to the lightning attack.
There was no hope of avoiding the war now.
But he had also broken the law, just weeks after advocating that the
law applied equally to everyone. A lone tear slid down his cheek.
He had failed as a leader.
He had failed as a husband.
He had failed as a son.
And he had failed as a father.
Most important of all, due to his inability to stop Krum before it
became out of control, he had let the conflict between wizards and
Muggles rise to epic proportions. The attack on the Prime Minister's
residence was only the beginning. With how unstable the Muggle
world was, things would quickly spiral out of control.
Harry grabbed a fistful of mud, trying to control his emotions. War
was imminent; a war that he, Daphne and Dylan worked so hard to
avoid. And it was all his fault for not taking care of the threat sooner.
He had failed in protecting his people.
Warm tears fell to the ground.
"Why didn't I trust my instincts?" he whispered. "Why did I let things
get out of hand?"
Closing his eyes, he bowed his head, hoping to seek solace from
nature. The cool breeze ruffled his hair. For several minutes, he took
deep breaths, trying to get his violent magic under control.
When he finally opened his eyes, the orbs as black as the cosmos
glinted with determination. He would not fail his people. Not again.
He may have failed all the members of his family, starting from
James and Lily Potter to Sirius and Amelia Black, to Daphne Potter,
and finally his little children, but he couldn't afford to fail the hundreds
of millions of magical beings depending on him. The planet itself
depended on him for the survival of the magical way of life.
With a rejuvenated sense of momentum, he got up.
It was time to prepare for war.
HP*SAVIOUR OF MAGIC*HP
Morgana's Hospital for Magical Care
Daphne Potter gently stroked her son's hair, her eyes red-rimmed.
Her face was devoid of emotion. In fact, she didn't know if she was
capable of feeling emotion at all. She sat in silence for several
minutes when suddenly, there was a familiar screech from above. A
vortex opened and a small bird emerged from within its depths.
Chāyā made soft sounds as she butted her head against Daphne's
face. Daphne smiled faintly.
"Will you stay with him?" she asked. The royal phoenix trilled
mournfully, nodding its head in acknowledgement. Kissing James'
forehead, she got off the bed and walked out of the healing room.
"Mum!"
Daphne closed her eyes and exhaled, feeling all the stress melt
away as Charlie and Belladonna rushed into her arms. Her eyes,
however, didn't swell with tears. She had shed all the tears that she
could. She simply stood, resting her chin against their heads.
"Mum, what's going to happen now?" asked Charlie, his voice
trembling.
"Is James going to be okay?" Belladonna couldn't help but ask.
Daphne smiled sadly. "I don't know if James is going to be fine," she
replied. "But Chāyā is looking after him now. You both have had a
long day. Let's head back to the castle. I promise to bring you back
here first thing tomorrow morning."
The kids looked ready to protest, but they were too exhausted to
argue with their mother. Leading them out of the hospital, Daphne
held them tightly and Disapparated.
Potter Castle seemed to be enveloped in darkness due to the recent
tragedy. The bright and luxurious surroundings seemed cold and
hollow instead. The portraits were all silent as the three of them
walked past them on their way to the second floor of the east wing,
towards the family bedrooms.
"Mum, don't leave," begged Belladonna. "Stay with us tonight,
please!"
"Don't worry, you two," Daphne assured them softly. "If you don't
want me to leave, I won't. Come on, it's time for bed."
She silently led them to her bedroom, not willing to let them out of
her sight for even a moment. After undressing and tossing their
clothes in a nearby hamper, Charlie and Bella immediately jumped
on the bed and within moments, were fast asleep in each other's
arms. Daphne waved her hand as the blankets moved to cover the
twins in order to keep them warm. She looked around. Even the
familiar, palatial environment of the master bedroom felt alien to her
without James.
But that was not what was bothering her. She walked towards the
mirror and stared at her reflection … tall in stature, with the build of a
warrior, her long dark-blonde hair held up by a bejewelled tiara as
always, a locket with the Peverell crest glinting from around her neck
with diamond earrings dangling from her earlobes. Anyone else
would see an astonishingly beautiful woman standing before it. But
Daphne only saw a monster; a monster who was incapable of
controlling her powers and emotions; a monster who did not deserve
the title or the powers bestowed upon her by being the Master of
Death.
Why couldn't she be like Harry and Dylan? Why had she let her
emotions get the best of her?
Daphne had always feared this moment. The first time she lost
control, she had threatened Lord Voldemort to his face. Dylan had
suffered because of that mistake. The next time, she had let the
rogue Unspeakables and Muggles stop her during the Obscurial
attack, and with one swift hand motion, she had silenced them all;
permanently. A little girl died because of her mistake.
And now, because of her inability to control her emotions better, she
had launched an attack; an attack that was not authorized by
anyone. Granted, she was now the Head of the Department of
Mysteries, but that didn't make it right. In fact, it made it worse
because she had failed as a leader this soon.
Slowing removing all her jewellery, with her hair down, Daphne
walked towards the balcony. She was consumed with a feeling she
never thought would be this painful.
Guilt.
Chāyā trilled mournfully as she tried to get the little boy to wake up.
The royal phoenix was still very young, a fledgeling in reality, who
had not even gone through its first burning day and hence, she was
not fully aware of her powers.
Tears fell from the dark eyes of the phoenix and into the mouth of
James Potter. Chāyā also began singing. A phoenix's song was said
to have healing properties that were unmatched by any other
magical species. As the bird sang, it lifted the spirits of everyone in
the hospital.
James' body seemed to twitch slightly. Chāyā suddenly became very
still, her dark eyes staring at the young boy's form. She tilted her
head in confusion and interest. Understanding filled her mind as she
soon began singing.
There was still hope.
HP*SAVIOUR OF MAGIC*HP
"Operation 24 will be ready to begin in a month, Harry," said Dylan
quietly.
"A month?" Harry repeated. "Why not sooner?"
"It's a massive commitment," Dylan pointed out. "It will not be easy.
People have to prepare for it. It takes time."
"The envoys –"
"Already done. An I.C.W. meeting has been scheduled for next
week. That should be enough time to prepare for everything. Do you
still think a peaceful solution is possible?"
"I'm not sure, Dylan," sighed Harry, running his fingers through his
raven-black hair. "I made the biggest blunder possible. I killed Ivan
Krum instead of arresting him. I shouldn't have done that. We don't
know how deep his betrayal goes. I found Percy Weasley in the
house, but the man had been Obliviated. He doesn't remember
anything of the last ten years. I could only gather fragments of his
erased thoughts which showed me that for whatever reason, Krum
Obliviated Percy before I got there."
"He probably wanted to deflect to our side. Krum would then have to
get rid of the threat, wouldn't he?"
"Still … he'll probably be in St Mungo's for quite some time.
Meanwhile, I've sent Aurors to search the country for Hermione
Granger. She seems to be involved in this plot too, from what his
fragmented memories could tell me. I can't believe she had me
fooled!"
"You mean had Dobby fooled," corrected Dylan. "Not you."
Harry bit his lip. "She's smarter than I gave her credit for," he
muttered. "Or maybe Krum advised her to use some obscure spells
to avoid detection. The man knew his way around concealment
charms, I'll give him that. If it wasn't for that chaotic magical
signature, we would never have found him."
After bidding his brother goodnight, Harry proceeded to his bedroom.
He blinked his eyes in surprise when he found his children on his
bed, fast asleep. He looked around for his wife and found her in the
balcony off the bedroom.
"Did you find him?" asked Daphne, her voice hollow.
"Uh-huh," Harry said, standing beside her. He moved to wrap his
arms around her waist, but his wife moved away, unwilling to face
him.
Harry narrowed his eyes, but continued. "Ivan Krum was behind it.
And apparently, so is Hermione Granger. I've already told Padma to
get started on Operation 24. We should be ready in about a month."
"So Krum has been arrested, I take it?"
"No. He's dead. I killed him in my anger."
Daphne looked at him with something akin to surprise on her face.
But she immediately turned away.
"What about you?"
Daphne grimaced. She waved her hand instead, summoning a
handheld E-Mirror. Harry frowned slightly as he activated it,
displaying the face of a reporter.
"Breaking news! Recent reports from the Department of Magical Law
Enforcement have shown that there was yet another attack on the
Muggle world this evening. As you all know, the first attack took
place at the office of the Muggle Prime Minister, which many
speculate was a trap set for Minister Black and Supreme Chancellor
Harry Potter."
"Unfortunately, Algernon Croaker, the then global head of the
Department of Mysteries, Lady Amelia Black, the then head of the
D.M.L.E., and James Harrison Potter, the son of Lord Harry and
Lady Daphne, were caught in the blast instead. The Ministry has
confirmed that Mr Croaker and Lady Black died in the attack. May
Mother Magic help their souls find purpose again."
"Mr Potter's condition, on the other hand, is unknown to us, though
there are rumours that the Supreme Chancellor's youngest child may
also have succumbed to his injuries. Many are refusing to believe it,
all of them optimistic that the eight-year-old boy will make a full
recovery. Streets in the cities of Hogsmeade, Godric's Hollow and
Camelot are lined with people, encouraging druids to perform
healing rites to appeal to Mother Magic to save the life of the little
boy."
"An hour ago, the Magical Daily also received word that another
tragedy had struck the Muggle world. The Ministry assures us that
there were no wizarding casualties this time, but the place of attack
seems to be the Palace of Westminster, which, according to our
sources, acted as the building used by the Muggles to serve as their
legislative headquarters."
"The entire building has been destroyed, with practically no debris.
Our experts have been unable to identify what caused this in the first
place, as Muggle bombs have been historically known to leave a lot
of destruction behind. Is this more proof to show us that the Muggles
are headed for another world war? Will they also bring the magical
world into their conflict, as they already have? What does the
Supreme Chancellor have to say about this?"
"Stay tuned for more."
"In other news, the funeral for Mr Croaker and Lady Black will be
held tomorrow –"
"You destroyed the British parliament?"
Daphne didn't answer. She seemed to be shivering.
"Daphne," said Harry softly.
"I let my emotions get the best of me."
"You were in a state of shock. Anyone would do the same."
"Did you and Dylan react the way I did?"
"Yes, in fact –"
"No, you didn't. You didn't destroy an entire building in your lust for
revenge," said Daphne, finally turning to look at him. "Tell me, Harry.
What is the job of a good leader?"
"Daph –"
"Please answer the question."
Harry exhaled. "Their primary responsibility is to protect their people
in the face of danger," he replied.
Daphne smiled faintly, but there was no happiness there. "How ironic
that I did the exact opposite," she said softly. "In retaliation for what
they did to my family, I destroyed their parliament and started a
conflict between wizards and Muggles. If people are going to die in
this war, then it is my fault entirely. I can already feel the blood of
millions on my hands and the war hasn't even started yet."
"Daphne –"
"In my anger, I committed the biggest blunder possible, Harry. It was
arrogant, ill-advised and selfish. And now the entire magical world
will pay for my mistake!"
She took a deep breath, running her fingers through her hair. "My
actions created a self-fulfilling prophecy," Daphne chuckled
humourlessly. "And all this time, we were thinking that just
maintaining secrecy would be enough. It would have been if I weren't
so emotionally unstable. This is my fault. The blame can be laid
squarely at my feet."
Harry didn't respond to that. He knew that she would only get more
upset should he defend her actions. Both of them made mistakes
tonight that could change the course of the future in unknown
directions.
The effect of their actions would be felt through time. They were both
as culpable for what happened as the Muggles.
Wrapping his arms around her, Harry pulled his wife to his chest for
a tight hug. The couple embraced each other, their arms the only
source of comfort they could seek at the moment.
"I don't blame you," Harry whispered.
"I know," Daphne said softly, as tears welled up in her eyes. "But I
blame myself. And that guilt is eating me alive for knowing what I've
done."
Harry simply stroked her hair as he stared into the distance