"The Wards are holding… for now." Bill Weasley reported to Headmistress MacGonogall as the other teachers and various honored guests looked on. "However, without a Wardstone, they won't last long. I'll need to recast them the day after tomorrow… if they hold that long."
"Making a Wardstone to protect Hogwarts would take at least a month." Albus noted. "Bill, if you can show me how it's done, I can probably hold the Wards in the meantime."
"At your age? Not a good idea." Bill countered. "What we need is a new Wardstone and maybe a spare, but the Gringotts Warders are booked solid for the next few months…"
"I have an idea." Filius Flitwick said. "Jorel, I need to speak with you."
"Good afternoon, Professor Flitwick." Jor-El said as his image formed above the map-table.
"Can you create a new Wardstone for Hogwarts and how long would it take?"
"Please state the Wards you wish to be included."
.
"Help! Help!"
Auror Tonks looked at Auror Moody, who was frowning as he looked round for the source of the muffled yelling.
"Bunch of kids behind the wall." He finally stated. "Can't see the trigger-point to… oh, that's clever. It's fully mechanical."
Reaching out, Moody pushed a small stone, causing it to sink into the wall and a hidden room to open, disgorging almost a dozen children.
"I thought we were going to die in there!" Draco half-wailed as he staggered out. "I thought I was going to miss the game! What happened to my hair?"
.
"They've all been Obliviated." Moody shook his head. "I had one of the others use Legilimancy on them to confirm it. They've all lost the last couple of weeks and they've had hairs taken from their heads. My guess, Gellert had some of his helpers in Hogwarts under Polyjuice, secretly setting things up for him. He always was good at planning ahead."
"That would make sense." Amelia Bones agreed ruefully. "Did Professor Snape have anything to add?"
"He noted that Draco seemed to not trust him recently, but he was shocked to discover about him being replaced." Moody admitted. "I've had the room searched and aside from an odd pile of ashes on a shelf, there's nothing there to give any clues about who they were. According to Jorel, those people, whoever they were, took a Portkey out after the Wards fell… how did they fall, by the way?"
"Miss Lovegood." Amelia half-smiled. "She managed to gain access and somehow chopped it in half. I've put her forwards for an Order of Merlin, third class."
"Girl deserves it." Moody agreed.
"I've put Lord Potter forwards for one as well." Bones added. "He took on five Obscurials just to make an opening for everyone else… I heard he managed to survive."
"He did." Moody confirmed. "Tonks checked for me. Apparently he's very bruised and battered, but alive and will be up again within a few days. No-one seems to know what happened to the Obscurials, though. Current money is that giant snake of his ate them when it went to his rescue."
"Very good." Amelia nodded. "Carry on."
Moody stumped off and Amelia turned to look at the approaching cloaked figure.
"Is there a problem?"
"We have finished our preliminary exams of the body of Voldemort." The Unspeakable stated. "There is no doubt that it was him, his magical signature is an almost-perfect match, but the body did not start out as his."
Amelia blanched. "Then… who…?"
"Before the Possession, it was Millicent Bagnold."
"What? How is that possible?"
The Unspeakable shook his head. "We don't know… yet. One of our numbers thinks he might have used some kind of talisman to take her over, then transfigured her body to match his old one."
"At least I can close that case on her." Amelia sighed. "Thanks, Croaker."
"You are welcome." The leader of the Unspeakables replied, his voice grim. "I don't want him to return any more than you do."
.
.
"Miss Granger?"
Hermione looked up from her book to see an apologetic-looking Auror.
"Sorry to intrude, but several witnesses have reported that you used an animagus form."
"I did." Hermione confirmed warily. "Is this a problem?"
"Not yet." The auror shrugged, looking even more embarrassed. "But… can you please register your form within a week? Any longer than that leaves you at risk of legal action from… the more… traditionalist members."
"I understand." Hermione replied. "I will go this weekend…I think Professor Flitwick will be able to accompany me."
"I will." Flitwick seemed to appear from nowhere, causing both Hermione and the Auror to jump in shock. ""Since I'll be escorting Heir Longbottom and Miss Weasley too, it won't be a problem."
.
.
"Sirius? What are…"
Remus waved to the five statues encased in magical protection fields and Sirius leaned back in his chair.
"Those are the Obscurials that Riddle recruited. SssSthss managed to petrify them and she told me where she had left them. I collected them."
"And why do you have them here?" Remus asked. "Did you think your study needed decorating?"
Sirius shook his head, then rose and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the Teggs Nose Cavern. "No, Remus. I intend to let them live."
Remus joined Sirius in looking out of the window. "I don't follow. They're dangerous."
"Yes they are." Sirius agreed. "And given how thoroughly SssSthsss petrified them, it'll take Jor-El at least four months to make a Mandrake Draught strong enough to counter it. Fortunately, they're in stasis at the moment. To them, it'll seem like no time passed."
"But…" Remus shook his head. "Okay, so you've got several months until they can be healed. You know that every Magical Government hates Obscurials, right?"
Sirius nodded. "I do, but you remember that one of my ancestors was a pirate? He hid several islands from the Muggles. I've asked Jor-El to put a Switching Room on one of them and set things up."
Remus looked at Sirius quizzically. "For what?"
"For them." Sirius nodded at the statues. "Until they can grow their own food, Jor-El will have food transported to them. Water, education and other stuff will be taken care of. They'll have a happy life, far away from those who wish them ill and if we should encounter any other Obscurials, then the population of the island will increase."
Remus stared at Sirius in amazement.
"What? Do I have something on my chin?"
.
.
You–Know-Who Back?
Hogwarts Captured And Liberated In A Day Of Action!
Yesterday, Hogwarts was captured by forces led by the escaped prisoner
Gellert Grindelwald (former Dark Lord and scourge of Europe – see page
7 for more details) and a second wizard who claimed to be the resurrected
Dark Lord Who Must Not Be Named! At the head of a force which included
no less than five Obscurials (living manifestations of corrupted magic) and
several dozen Witches and Wizards, the terrorists struck immediately after
the Ravenclaw/Slytherin game and took the entire school hostage!
It was only the brave actions of Animagi Luna Lovegood (White Bird) that let
the authorities learn of what had transpired. Acting with his usual energy
and decisiveness, Minister Fudge recalled Albus Dumbledore from his search
in the oriental countries to lead the quickly-assembled task force that was set
the mission of rescuing the children whom Grindlewald's forces were holding
at wand point!
The battle itself was hard-fought with Lord Potter, having escaped captivity,
taking on the Obscurials in a raging battle that flattened a large section of
the Forbidden Forest. We can only speculate as to the ferocity with which the
young Lord fought, but when all was over, it was he who walked out of the
Forest, bruised, battered and severely injured, but alive.
Albus Dumbledore, wielding a Staff instead of a wand, engaged the Dark Lord
Grindlewald in single combat. The duel between them was one of such power
and technique that several huge craters, the soil in them fused into glass by the
sheer destructiveness of the spells used, are currently visible in what was once
the front lawn of Hogwarts Castle. Once again, the forces of good triumphed and
it was the Supreme Mugwump who emerged victorious, having finally slain his old
enemy.
The hostages themselves were able to free each other from their dire situation
with the revelation that three of them were Animagi. Heir Neville Longbottom
(form–ape), Pureblood Witch Ginevra Weasley (form–bear), and Muggleborn
Witch Hermione Granger (form – cat) was able to use their abilities to take down
the Carrow Siblings who had been guarding them. Amicus Carrow is deceased due
to a broken neck while Alecto Carrow is in a coma. Healers at St Mungo's are unable
to estimate when she might awaken to stand trial for her actions.
However, the most important part of this is the fate of the one who claimed that he
was truly He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Unofficial sources indicate that Grindlewald
may have used a forbidden necromantic ritual to resurrect the Dark Lord. If this is
the case, then we can only offer our heartfelt congratulations to the heroic wizards
Aberforth Dumbledore (the owner of the Hog's Head pub) and William Weasley
(Cursebreaker at Gringotts) who also used Staffs, allowing them to deploy spells
that were powerful enough to halt the resurrected monster in his tracks, stopping
him long enough that the massed spellfire of the second wave of rescuers could put
an end to his (un)life.
For her bravery in escaping and calling for aid, Luna Lovegood is being considered for
an Order of Merlin (Third Class)…
.
Barty Crouch lowered the paper and scowled, then he pulled himself out of the chair that he had been sitting in. Pausing just long enough to ensure that Nagini was comfortable in her glass tank, the rock she was lounging on heated by the application of special runes, he made his way past the partially disassembled Vanishing Cabinet and out the front door of the small mansion.
Giving the boat that was floating on the large pond a wistful look, Barty moved towards the small orchard which, due to climate-control Wards, always had at least some trees in fruit.
As he picked various fruits and berries for his tea, Barty glanced back at the mansion. Despite what the Carrows had believed, it still needed a lot of work to restore it fully.
But restore it he would.
And when his Master returned once again, Barty would be waiting.
He was the hidden dagger that would someday strike at the heart of the corrupt and venal society that allowed half-bloods and mud bloods to imagine themselves as the equals of their superiors.
He would be ready.
It was just a matter of time…
.
.
"…and… there!" Bill Weasley stepped back as the new semi-crystalline Wardstone of Hogwarts began to glow faintly from the power surging through it. "Let me check… yes! The Muggle Wards are already up… the others are powering up. We have a smooth takeup and I don't see any problems at the moment… looking good."
"Thank you, cursebreaker Weasley," Jor-El said as his image materialized. "I am monitoring the Wards as we speak."
"They do seem to be powering up faster than I expected, though," Bill noted as he waved his wand through another diagnostic spell.
"I am routing spare magical energy from The Pottery to aid Hogwarts."
"You can do that?" Bill blinked in surprise. "Wow. You should talk to Gringotts about that. They'd love to know how to remotely power Wards."
"It is currently a Family Spell."
Bill sighed. "Oh well. Just promise me that it won't get lost. Too many Family Spells vanish as families fade away."
"The Potter Family Spells have all been recorded."
Bill nodded and began running another string of diagnostic charms.
"Okay. I won't ask any more about it… I may have gone slightly too far as is."
Jor-El didn't reply and Bill glanced up at the other members of the Warding team entering the room to stare in amazement at the new Wardstone.
"A multi-level Wardstone…" One of the older members breathed. "This will revolutionize Warding!"
"Once we work out just how in Merlin's name it's possible." A second one groused.