Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K Rowling.
I own nothing but the original characters I make.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 234: Ready to Party!
One week before the Party.
Minister Parkinson had called his Inner Circle for one last meeting before the day to make sure everything was ready.
While looking at the faces around the table, he couldn't help but miss Montage, Flint, Derrick, and Pucey… they were four of his most trustworthy men and had known them for years.
The Minister could not help but feel guilty for what happened to those men. If only he had put more effort into investigating Potter's abilities…
'Now the table looks so empty without them… wait…' He just noticed there were five empty seats and not four.
"Where is Yaxley?!" Parkinson demanded to know.
This was an extremely important meeting. This may decide whether they succeed or fail in driving Dumbledore away and eliminating Harry Potter.
The men glanced at the empty seat belonging to Yaxley.
"I haven't seen him since… two weeks ago," Augustus Rookwood said.
Parkinson frowned. He now recalled an argument they had back then.
Yaxley had disagreed with his plans and had wanted to take a more subterfuge approach…
'Did he betray me?...' Parkinson could not help but think.
"No one has seen him?" he asked.
The men shook their heads or chose to remain silent.
'If they think they can betray me when things go wrong and suffer no consequences…' That would set a dangerous precedent for his rule as Dark Lord.
"Goyle, Crabbe, and Avery… find Yaxley and bring him to me… if he has betrayed us… we will have to show him what we do with traitors."
The men at least appeared to accept his order. He had chosen Crabbe and Goyle because they always followed orders and Avery because he was a sadist who enjoyed hunting people down.
"Now, let's get to the main topic of this meeting…." said Lord Parkinson.
"Greyback is bringing almost his entire pack. Twenty-eight werewolves plus himself," Antonin Dolohov said.
"That is more than overkill already. Do we even need the trolls?" Jugson asked.
"Five trolls and fifteen of the outer circle recruits. All ready for action," Walden McNair said.
"Excellent…" Lord Parkinson smiled. His eyes then moved to Mister Jugson.
"I know you all think that bringing such a force to deal with one boy is ridiculous, but must I remind you that this is the boy who killed four adult wizards with a single spell?!" Parkinson slammed his hand on the table.
He knew that his story about what happened that day at the arena was going to be hard to believe. That's why he went as far as to let these men review his memories of the event using a Pensieve.
But he was afraid that even with that… it may not have been enough.
"No matter! We cannot be too cautious with this. This plan cannot fail. There is too much at stake," Lord Parkinson said.
"He is right," Lord Selwyn agreed.
"In a week, we will get rid of that Potter boy, as well as the Boy Who Lived… and Albus Dumbledore will take the blame for the attack."
"Indeed. The documents are all ready," the new Minister assured them.
As soon as the press is informed about what happened in Hogwarts, they will find many documents implicating the Headmaster as the main culprit of the werewolf attack on the school.
The deaths of Harry Potter as well as the Boy Who Lived will be pinned on him.
Like the previous Minister, Dumbledore will be forced to leave the country.
"Just one more week…" Parkinson said in a soft tone.
<><><><><><><><>
One week later.
"You look so handsome!" Lily clung to his arm.
Harry was wearing some elegant dress robes made of black Acromantula silk.
"Mom, that's enough…" Harry grumbled.
"Did you at least leave Holly at home?"
"Yes, but I still think you and your father are being too paranoid," Lily huffed.
"Don't forget whose idea this party was…" Harry said.
"I know, but even that man won't be that bold to try anything here. The Headmaster will be at the party, as well as important people from the Ministry and a dozen Aurors," Lily pointed out.
"I wouldn't trust any of those Aurors," said Harry.
His father, Moody, Dawlish, as well as any decent Auror had either been fired or put at some desk position. Far away from the action.
The Aurors today at Hogwarts were all new recruits and were definitely part of Parkinson's outer circle of minions.
"Make sure to keep an eye on Lyra until I find out what that man is planning to bring here," Harry said.
The castle wards had been opened in order to allow all the guests to enter Hogwarts.
But even with the defenses disabled, Harry would be able to use the elves and the living paintings to act as his eyes and ears so he would know who comes in and out of the wards.
Someone knocked at the door of Lily's office.
"Mom! We are ready!" Lyra's voice could be heard on the other side.
"Come in! Let me see you," Lily answered.
The door opened and Lyra entered the room, along with Ginny.
"Luna and Tori are waiting for us around the corner, we can't take long."
The two girls were wearing dress robes with their house colors.
"Harry… you look so handsome," Ginny commented. She was feeling braver than usual today.
"You look great too, Ginny," Harry answered.
"What about me?!" Lyra exclaimed.
"Don't I look pretty?" she said in a teasing tone.
Harry got closer and placed a hand under her chin.
"You, my beloved sister, are the most beautiful of them all. Please, save a dance for me tonight…"
Lyra's face became red as a tomato.
"W-w-what?!"
Lily started laughing.
"Harry, stop embarrassing your poor sister."
Harry leaned closer to Lyra.
"You are a thousand years too early to tease me." He gave her a playful wink before letting her go.
He glanced at Lily.
"I'm going ahead. Remember what we spoke about…"
Lyra finally reacted.
"W-wait! Come back here!"
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