"Well, least tis better than hangin' upside-down wiv me blood rushin' to me head." Hagrid mused as he lay on the stone flagstones, trussed up in magical ropes and bindings. Above the assembled students and teachers, a pair of robed figures hovered on broomsticks, figures that wore helmets which were open, but showed nothing more than dark shadows with just enough hints of features to allow expressions to be seen. "How's Neville doin'?"
"Still out cold." Hermione fretted as she looked down at the boy whose head was cushioned in her lap.
"It would seem that we have misplaced another dozen students." Flitwick noted from where he sat nearby, his arms tied behind his back. "Draco Malfoy and quite a few of those who follow him seem to have vanished."
"Probably joined the Death Eaters." A voice grumbled from one of the three Weasleys sat nearby.
"Oi!" Hermione protested. "Unless you have evidence, don't accuse people of things! Besides, it was joining the Death Eaters that got his father kiled. Do you really think that Draco Malfoy would want to follow in his father's footsteps like that?"
.
"How closely do you intend to follow your father's footsteps?" Nott asked as he and Draco stood atop the Astronomy Tower, watching the distant collection of Aurors and others through the enchanted telescopes.
"As closely as it takes for me to gain the power he once held." Draco stated coldly. "And yes, I know that my father's path led him to his death, but that was because he assumed that his victory was assured and he did not care about what his enemies would do. I have no intention of making tht mistakes. I have spent quite some time observing Potter, taking notes about his friends and allies, acquiring details about the assets that he can bring to bear… that kind of thing. There's almost nothing I do not know about him now."
"Draco!" Voldemort half-shouted as he appeared on the balconey behind them. "Did you know Potter was blood-adopted?"
Draco blinked. "…what?"
.
"…what?"
The assembled witches, wizards and giant magical snake all stared at Luna Lovegood, or, to be more precise, the watch on Luna Lovegood's wrist from which a small holographic representation of Jor-El was being projected.
"I am sorry, Jorel." Albus Dumbledore finally managed. "I fear my hearing must be going. Can you please repeat that?"
"Lord Potter and Miss Weasley have both been extracted from Hogwarts and are undergoing Healing at The Pottery." Jor-El repeated. "Unfortunately, Tom Riddle is now aware that they are no longer within his grasp."
"He will not be taking many more chances." Albus mused. "With two of his hostages having escaped, he will do his utmost to keep the others where he can see them.
Jor-El vanished, to be replaced by a small schematic of Hogwarts with several glowing dots. A crystalline caret surrounded the largest group in the Great Hall.
"All hostages are currently being held at this location. There are two unknown individuals watching over them utilising broomsticks to keep out of reach."
"Where are Tom Riddle and Gellert Grindlewald?" Albus asked.
"Individual tentatively identified as Tom Riddle is currently descending from the Astronomy Tower. Unknown individuals are now marked. Unable to identify due to masked bio-magical signatures."
"There aren't that many of them." Amelia Bones mused, leaning forwards to examine the hologram more closely, then she half-turned to look at the Curse-breaker who had appeared by her side. "Yes, Mr Weasley?"
"The boss sent me over to give you a warning." Bill Weasley looked coldly furious. "He's identified one of the Wards as a Bleed-off Ward with a very nasty twist. It's linked to the Wand-Ward, meaning that should we take down the Wards, the backlash will go through everyone affected by the Wand Ward… such as all the students!"
A growling mutter briefly rose and then Albus held up his hand for silence.
"We cannot risk hurting the children by breaking the Wards. Bill, can the Wards be… dismantled without causing a backlash?"
"Not without access to the Wardstone." Bill shook his head. "We can't get in without breaking the wards, but we can't break the wards to get in. We're stuck."
A short man wearing a mauve top hat staggered up to them, panting for breath.
"Albus… checked the tunnels… all blocked… no way through…"
"Thank you for trying, Dedalus." Albus sighed. "It would seem that my old friend and my old student have been plotting very carefully indeed."
"Where is he going?" Amelia asked, her attention fixed on the dot marked Riddle. "There aren't any corridors there and… how did he do that?"
"I think I know." Albus mused.
.
Voldemort exited the Owl Tunnel and coasted to a halt amongst the rafters of the Great Hall. Looking down at the sheep-minded brats below, he frowned as Alecto moved closer.
"My Lord?"
"Alecto…" Voldemort pointed at one end where a solid curtain hung across one corner, then he motioned to where a boy was crouched behind a second curtain in another corner, that curtain being semi-transparent. "Explain?"
"Conjured curtains so that they can use potties, my Lord." Alecto supplied with a smirk. "Gender-linked, I can see the females aren't trying anything while Amycus can keep an eye on the boys. We asked Mr Grindlewald to help and he was happy to."
"Huh." Voldemort looked at the solid curtain again. "Well thought out. Has everything been quiet so far?"
"It has, my Lord." Alecto almost purred. "They've been good little sheep."
"Excellent." Voldemort gave the people below another long look. "I shall arrange for someone to take over from you soon. In the meantime, is there anything that you need?"
"We're fine for now, my Lord." Alecto grinned.
Voldemort smiled. "The I shall go and greet our newest allies."
.
The group in the Entrance Hall gaped in astonishment as Voldemort swooped down from above, coming to a stop just inches above the flagstones.
"Walden?"
"These are them, my Lord." Walden MacNair replied with a bow. "Ready to follow."
"You have done splendidly, my follower." Voldemort said with a benevolent smile, then he turned his attention to the mob staring worshipfully at him.
"Welcome, my friends and allies." Voldemort declaimed, rising slightly so that they were all looking up at him. "You are here for the beginning of a new era, a golden era that will give rise to an age of magical superiority greater than even Atlantis!
"Already, we hold the future of the Wizarding World in our hands and under our benevolent direction, we will lead them into a future brighter that any have dared imagine before!
"With your strength, your courage and your wisdom, we can recreate the world as it should be, removing the flaws that have bedevilled us for so long, disposing of the imperfections that have held us back and the parasites that have taken that which we have earned through our own skills and effort!
"I promise you this and I ask for only one thing in return. Will you stand by my side? Will you lend your wands and hands to the building of our perfect world? Will you stride forth with me to claim the future for your children, grandchildren and their children? Will you join me on our incredible journey? What say you?"
The cheers echoed off the walls and Voldemort beamed at them as he spread his arms.
"Then don the helmets that Walden is about to hand out and let us begin our glorious mission together!"
As the new arrivals queued up to claim their assigned headwear, a shorter figure slipped into the Vanishing Cabinet.
.
"Situation update." Jor-El supplied, causing the intense conversations nearby to halt. "New arrivals have entered Hogwarts through a device identified as a Vanishing Cabinet. All new arrivals have masked bio-magical signatures. Adversaries now number forty-five."
"Vanishing Cabinet!" Albus cursed. "No wonder they got through the Wards so easily! Jorel, track that cabinet at all costs, we need to destroy it as soon as we get through the wards!"
"Compliance."
Albus gave a nod of satisfaction, then paused.
"Jorel… exactly how were Lord Potter and Miss Weasley brought out of Hogwarts?"
"That information is currently classified, Chief Warlock."
"And who can de-classify it for us?" Amelia Bones asked intently.
"Lord Potter."
"If Potter can get out, perhaps we can use the same method to get in." Amelia mused.
"Which still leaves the problem of the Wand Ward." Albus pointed out.
"Wand Ward?" Luna asked curiously. "Would that work against staffs?"
"Your grandmother used to use a staff." Albus remenisced. "She taught me, but I always preferred using my Wand… I was younger then and valued mobility more than shields. I don't see why it should work against staffs, but mine is in my… Excuse me for a moment, please."
Albus turned on his heel and vanished with an almost-silent crack. Luna tilted her head slightly, then she took off her watch and laid it on a nearby tree stump.
"Back soon." She chirped, then she blurred into her avian form and took to the air, vanishing towards Hogsmeade.
Bill chuckled and reached for his belt. From a pouch far too small to hold it, he pulled out a six-foot long oak staff inlaid with willow and silvery runes.
"Cursebreaker." He said in explanation. "Sometimes we need shields far stronger than a wand can provide. I'll get to work on the gate area. If I can get a grip on the Wards, I may be able to distort them enough to let us get through. Does anyone else have non-Wand foci that they can use?"
"I have a bracelet." One witch said, lifting her arm to show the item in question. "It lets me project a shield."
"What good is that?" A wizard asked and the Witch sniffed.
"Staffs let you shield or cast, albeit at the cost of mobility which is why I never bothered to learn. If I shield a Staff-user, he or she can cast spells without worrying about being interrupted."
"My ring lets me cast low-level hexes." Another Wizard offered.
"I have an enchanted shield at home that deflects spells back at the caster!"
"I studied swordsmanship when I was younger, I still have the sword I used. Its blade can deflect most spells."
"I'm an Animagus." Auror Richards stated. "I can swoop in to strike anyone trying to attack us."
"I need to get more Aurors Staff-trained." Amelia muttered to herself. "Merlin, I need to get Staff-trained."
.
.
"Your staff, Miss Lovegood."
"Thanks, Jor-El!" Luna grinned as the fully-repaired staff floated into her outstretched hands. "You've changed it."
"I took the liberty of re-aligning the interior core to increase thaumic resonance with your own magical signature by 315 percent, Miss Lovegood. The runic arrays will allow you to alter the length of the staff at will in addition to enhancing its durability by a factor of 85. It will also absorb any spell which hits it, converting it to pure thaumaturgical energy to aid in spellcasting.
"The tips are shod in a crystalline alloy which is virtually unbreakable and reflects kinetic energy, meaning that any strike will hit at double strength. The ends also contain modified dimensional switch-plates which can rotate end-units into and out of their associated sub-dimensions. The top end contains a spearhead, a spiked flail, a sword-blade and a war-hammer. The other end contains both a single and a double axe-head, a sword-blade and a halberd-blade. Practice is advised before attempting to deploy the modifications in combat."
Luna nodded as she examined the modified staff, then her smile widened as a long blade formed at each end even as the staff shrunk.
"Amazing!" She breathed as she carefully stepped through several paces of her favorite Kata, then she let it revert as she heard footsteps approaching.
"Harry! Ginny!" She paused just long enough to put her staff on the ground before lunging forwards to catch both new arrivals in a fierce hug. "Welcome back!"
.
"You're back." Nott noted and Malfoy nodded.
"I am. It seems that my father didn't know about Potter, there was nothing about his adoption in the files. I double-checked and even asked Barty, he didn't know either."
"Have you already told… him?"
"I have." Malfoy stated as he gazed at the distant crowd, then he peered through the telescope. "Shit."
"What?"
"Potter's back. Nott, tell our Lord that Potter is at the gates, then tell the other Slytherins to get ready to run for the Cabinet if things go bad. With Potter no longer imprisoned… I do not wish to experience the same thing that happened to my father and this time, Potter has more allies."
"Understood."
Draco nodded and then turned back to the telescope, one hand stroking the scaled leather belt he was wearing.
"Potter's doing something… Fuck!"