During the dreadful war in the magical world, people went through many shocking moments that made them less sensitive to bombshell information, but some things are simply too intense to ignore.
Vincent lazily sat on the rooftop, resting beside one of the famous Lady Britannia statues on the grand Roman architectural building. However, no one could see him there, as his demonic power enveloped him in a mist that rendered him invisible, a unique way to explore cool and classical places, according to Vincent.
But his attention was drawn to one of the copies of the Daily Prophet in his hands, where the news that shook the foundation of the British magical world was plastered.
"Extra! The Fall of Noble Families. See in full the crimes of prestigious families Malfoy, Nott, Carrow..." Vincent observed with a satisfied smile the consequences of his actions. The document provided by Narcissa contained a complete and documented dossier describing the crimes of those families, from orchestrated massacres of Muggles to kidnappings of wizards, trafficking of magical creatures, and some secrets that Vincent preferred to keep to himself.
After reading, he yawned and settled against the lap of the seated statue, ready for a long nap. After all, he deserved some rest.
...
Inside a humble house, whose simplicity did not make it any less fascinating, its dysfunctional architecture gave the feeling that everything could collapse at any moment. Worn-out furniture mingled with chaotic yet somehow amusing disarray. This was the home of the Weasley family. Arthur, a stout man with red hair, paced anxiously back and forth. Secretly, he wished for some divine intervention or anything sent by Merlin to take him away from there.
Due to the tension of the war, he focused on the art of procreation, as there was nothing better to relieve stress and bring hope than true love. However, darn it, he already had three beautiful children, and his wife was pregnant with twins. His loving wife wanted to have children until a girl arrived.
Don't get him wrong, he loved having a large family, but the problem was the lack of Galleons. His job at the prestigious Ministry didn't pay much, and the work for the Order of the Phoenix was voluntary. Of course, some friends, like the Potters, offered promises of help. Lily Potter once encouraged him to pursue his dream as an inventor, but how could he do that when he had such a large family and only a stable income to rely on?
Now, there he was, stressed, with disheveled hair. Things had been very hectic lately, and he and his family were actively involved in the war. But this couldn't go on, after all, he had a family to raise.
However, at that moment, an owl flew in through the small opening prepared for messenger owls.
"Well, if it isn't Lorrel. What message do you bring, little owl?" He petted the owl, offering some treats, and took the message tied to its leg. "By Merlin's used shorts! The Wolf Shepherd has struck again, and this time it's something big."
He delved into the reading to make sure, and then received the unexpected visit of Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes. This was the safest method used by the Order of the Phoenix for communication. The name of the small group was chosen for this reason as well, after all, important orders and missions always came through the phoenix, which was a bit too literal in Arthur Weasley's opinion.
"Molly, you stay at home, I'll go to the Order's meeting. And no, you're pregnant and can't participate in this damn war," he said to his stubborn wife. "This time, I won't give in, it's too dangerous."
"Arthur Weasley!" she shouted, clearly unhappy. "Damn it, I'm pregnant, not incapable! I've saved your dirty ass several times against those damn Death Eaters."
Arthur pondered, she was right, but not this time. He took a deep breath and firmly affirmed, "No, Molly, the children need you here." He hid the phoenix's message and headed toward the Floo fireplace.
Molly just glared at him furiously as he left. He would pay for it, oh, he would definitely pay.
...
Somewhere in the Scottish Highlands.
Arthur emerged from the fireplace and was met with a bustling scene. These meetings were always lively; after all, one couldn't expect a place filled with Gryffindor Lions to be organized and quiet.
But today was even more bustling, and he soon noticed Miss McKinnon approaching him.
"Mr. Weasley, isn't Molly coming?" She asked, getting straight to the point, as she was close to Molly.
Arthur furrowed his brow. "Molly isn't joining today," he pondered, then added, "She's pregnant with twins, and I won't let her get involved in this madness," he said firmly.
Marlene McKinnon simply smiled. "Knowing her, good luck with that." And then she guided Arthur toward the members who were organized around a large table.
Dumbledore, who had overheard the entire conversation between Weasley and Marlene, couldn't help but frown. Difficult situations, along with the sacrifice of so many young people, he despised such circumstances.
After everyone had settled, Dumbledore stood up and began a brief speech.
"Thank you all for being here. For the greater good, we rise; for justice and peace, we fight. Sacrifices have been made, sorrows and loves have emerged. But finally, it seems we are closer to ending this madness," Dumbledore's sad expression, along with his words, touched those present, who united and forged strong bonds.
"Furthermore, I have received information that the Ministry has finally obtained a dossier on the crimes of many families supporting the Dark Lord. Lucius Malfoy is in custody, his wife Narcissa escaped testimony as she was under the Imperius Curse and was acquitted. Nothing more is known about her."
"Lastly, the Carrow and Nott families are under pressure from the Ministry. The Wolf Shepherd was the main force behind the downfall of many pure-blood families." Dumbledore fell into silent contemplation.
Dumbledore felt a sense of unease regarding this figure. He knew that without intervention, many innocent lives would be lost, but he also recognized that because of him, many lives had been lost. The count of Death Eaters killed by the Wolves exceeded hundreds. When he acted, no one survived. He was a ruthless executor. Dumbledore would never agree with such methods. Winning the war with such methods wouldn't make him any better than Tom Riddle, after all. But he couldn't speak ill of this supposed hero of the magical world. Not at this moment. He had more important things to worry about, like the strange prophecy revealed a few days ago about the birth of the savior.
"But it's not over yet. Take heart, but be prepared. Today, let's celebrate with food and drink. Let's rejoice also for those who have died for the noble cause."
With a snap, food and drink appeared on the table, which didn't surprise anyone present, but a cheer of greeting was heard.
"Uhu!" everyone exclaimed in unison, applauding and celebrating joyfully. They were all filled with happiness, except for one.
Peter Pettigrew stood in the corner of the room, silent. His expression was pensive, and a certain sadness flickered in his eyes.