"QUIET!!!" Headmistress McGonagall ordered as she reigned in her sadness at the corpse of her long time friend and mentor I was positioning like he had simply gone to sleep in his chair.
At least he got what he wanted: a pretty corpse.
Even his beard was still immaculate.
Fawkes did show up a moment later, singing his mournful tune as he flew a round the Great Hall, aiding to sober up the panicking students before Sol came to join and console the poor bird.
He would have flamed in front of that attack if Dumbledore hadn't requested him not to, resulting in a minor argument between man and bird for a while until Fawkes understood that the man wanted to die at this point. He was more than ready.
The poor Phoenix just needed some time.
"Teachers, begin war preparations and handle the students." The woman swiftly ordered.
The time to mourn would be after they dealt with Tom, just like how Dumbledore wanted with his death.
"Professor Bones, you will be coming with me to my office." She then said, earning me a raised eyebrow as this was a deviation in the general plan.
I simply nodded.
"Tickled Dragon!" The Headmistress shouted, causing the vast majority of students to disappear due to their portkeys, surprising many and worrying a good deal in Slytherin as some had looked rather smug due to Albus' 'assassination'.
But now they worried that they had been taken hostage from my surface sweeps of their minds.
Following after her, I gestured to Fawkes to take Albus' corpse away as we left, hearing the bird do so as the other professors began explaining the situation to the remaining older students.
Honestly though? For a decent number in Slytherin this was going to essentially be a way to preemptively stop them from causing any harm to others as Tory had gotten he mini-me to actually drug a few known Tom 'Loyalist' with some brews I wasn't going to question so they can have them by the balls.
"Headmistress, I am slightly confused as to why you've pulled me aside." I said as we walked out the Great Hall with a clipped pace.
"Albus requested a few things from me when I took over as Headmistress for the coming conflict, knowing that we would need every advantage that we could gain to protect this school and the remaining children." She spoke with a hard edge as she was currently suppressing her grief. "One of these was in relation to the War time wards and the powers they grant the Headmaster/mistress."
"Huh. Sounds like the man to make some additional plans." I responded after a moments thought.
It was completely in his nature to make plans outside of what he told me.
"Yes… it does." McGonagall smirked slightly as we reached her office. "Now this particular plan was made so that we could strengthen Hogwarts most powerful defender.
After all, there are more reasons as to why no one has ever conquered Hogwarts in a thousand years beyond its wards. According to our Grey Lady and the Dragon representing the war defenses, Hogwarts empowers its Head, usually because we are the strongest, most skilled or knowledgeable witches/wizards in the school, allowing us to match possibly stronger foes with the power granted by the lay lines. It is why we swear oaths and even bind our blood to Hogwarts, allowing us our benefits and control within the school."
"*Impressed Whistling* Neet stuff." I honestly complimented as it was a fascinating use of the power thrumming through Hogwarts.
"Quite. But right now, her most powerful defender is not myself, but you Professor Bones." She simply stated, which did form an easily solved puzzle.
"Now that sounds like it would be overkill Headmistress." I chuckled at the thought of me being empowered by Hogwarts' three Ley lines. "Might not even need our other preparations.
"If you are willing of course." The Headmistress softly spoke as we both knew what I would need to do with this power and the burdens which would come with them. "You will be sworn in as Hogwarts' Guardian.
Something not done since a Dark Lady Blight tried to take Hogwarts through her magical plagues in the 1400's, requiring us to call a French Witch for aid as that era's Guardian due to her near miraculous healing abilities countering her."
"That would explain the event being conveniently left out of many history books. Had to call a Frenchwoman." I found that little tidbit rather amusing as McGonagall rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, she was Muggleborn too?"
"Conveniently, it doesn't say, but no family name was mentioned either, so given the times it is a fair assumption." She nodded easily as she apparently either didn't know what I was hinting at or the woman I was thinking of just wasn't as big a deal in the magical world. "Regardless, are you willing to take up the mantle of Hogwarts' Guardian until this crisis is over?"
"I'd be delighted." I answered with a savage grin McGonagall was mirroring as she knew very well what I had planned before, but now I was going to go biblical of Tom's forces and she couldn't wait for some payback.
-Former Malfoy Manor
After the death of Lucius, the Head of House Malfoy became Draco, the boy never having been fully removed from the house and only removed as heir initially, but it went to him regardless due to being the only Malfoy anyway. The teen basically abandoned the dreary manor filled with now many unpleasant memories, leaving it for Tom and his ilk to enjoy while he and his mother basked in the warmer climates of Spain and enjoyed their ancestral lands in France while he wasn't at Hogwarts.
Tom had them taken it over and proceeded to completely bring down all previous defenses and remade the manor into his personal fortress, made incredibly deadly to assault or infiltrate due to his severely increased paranoia. Something the lost of most of his Horcrux certainly didn't help.
One of the upsides was that his followers had enough House Elves to maintain the manor pristinely, making it at least secure and 'worthy' of him. An important aspect now that he had to control himself in order to keep his new allies.
He couldn't act as he did against his branded followers because it would instantly turn many important houses against him, something which would in turn further increase the hardships he would face in his crusade.
"Severus… is it done?" Voldemort asked his last truly faithful follower.
"Yes, my lord." The potion master bowed without a hint of emotion. "The old fool is dead. Killed while eating sweets in front of all who supported him, like the senile man deserved.
The rest should be of no trouble with the Draught of Living Death inside them. Unfortunately, I could not poison or kill the other professors."
"That is no concern Severus. You have done your duties well and shall be rewarded once we take Hogwarts." The Dark Lord sinisterly smiled at the news. "For now, we strike as planned.
Send out word to our forces.
We strike at Hogwarts tonight before anyone can counter our initial move."
"As you command." Snape intoned, taking his leave.
He had done his part.
His final act as a performer on this stage set by Dumbledore.
And it was time for him to leave it.
"We shall meet you on the battlefield." A heavy Russian voice stated as a powerfully built man with greying brown hair and beard stood from his seat.
A member of the Magical powers ruling the Russian underworld, this man was sent with others to witness if Voldemort was truly worth following as the next force to storm Europe. They had sided with Grindelwald in the past and had gained much before he finally fell, and now they want to see if this could be repeated, allowing them to spread outside their national bounds.
Beside him was a leading member of a very unhappy coalition which had lost tremendous amounts of power and influence after the rise of Fortress Protection in their respective countries, having used the dark creatures infesting their lands to remain in power for centuries but now having lost all of it as vengeful families and new powers pounced of them.
A gaunt man with a rather similar atmosphere to Severus himself due to the greasy black hair, dour demeanor and impassive black eyes. Although he underestimating was foolish, he was spiteful and very knowledgeable in terms of natural posions and murders. Even going so far as to have a team of 'trained' Vampires he enjoys sicking on victims for his enjoyment.
Voldemort took a risk taking him in after the tensions he built up with the ruling vampire clans, but they were too useful to pass up.
Looking at the two departing, he frowned as he did not feel in control of those two groups. Not nearly as much as he would like since they had an annoying level of autonomy and the former could be very dangerous if crossed, even with his confidence in the measures he put in place to secure his life.
With the loss of his most dedicated and capable servants, his rage was truly legendary once he discovered Bellatrix's death even after he made so many efforts to ensure he survival from the curse she had been suffering, he had to rely on such people to bolster his forces. He needed time to train the lackluster youngsters amongst his people after all, but he did not have the time to spare right now, hence why he had to do so.
But soon, he would have access to all the fresh talents he needed now that Dumbledore was out of the way.
He simply needed to kill Harry Potter and any who would still try and stand in his way.
-Scotland, Outside of Hogwarts' Wards, June 12th, 8pm
"All forces are ready, Lord Voldemort." A man reported as he stood, looking down upon his alma mater alongside his precious snake.
Behind him stood those he had gathered to his cause, with over 230 magicals under his command, he could say that this was lacking for a full takeover of the British Isles, but once he took Hogwarts, things would fall in place swiftly. He just needed to regain his momentum so others would finally see that he, Lord Voldemort, was to be feared again.
That he was strong.
And with Dumbledore gone, that he was unstoppable.
He might not have the Vampires, Giants and Werewolves on his side like he had planned, losing much of the vanguard he would have preferred to use, but he would be victorious.
"Good. Wait for my command before beginning our bombardement." The Dark Lord ordered as he brought his wand up to his throat, an unsaid spell taking effect as he began to speak once more. "Hogwart… I have come for you."
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Author Notes:
Mostly a bit of an explanation regarding a few things and generally where Tom got new forces after his local followers have pretty much been decimate, or at least the high level or influential have been.
I think 230ish magicals is pretty decent considering Hogwarts as a whole should only have around 400 people on average over the last two decades.
It's certainly a lot less than what I should have been during canon since he has lost all the more disposable forces like werewolves and vampires, but that's why his only option is to attack Hogwarts in the first place. Tom just doesn't have any other plays beyond running away and trying to build up his power over time.
Unfortunately, due to his many Horcrux being destroyed, he's pretty much hanging by a thread in the intelligence department, having lost pretty every bit of true cunning and guile he used to have, now only really having power, drive and fear to push him on. Hence why forces did somewhat join his cause, but not fully committing to it.