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Chapter Seven: Darkness Calls

Crabbe and Goyle were not the brightest bulbs in the box. Not by anything but they were loyal to Draco Malfoy to a fault. All of Draco's recent misfortunes seemed to be when the Weasley girl was possessed by the Dark Lord and attacked him. Crabbe and Goyle wanted revenge for their friend's attack and they were going to get it by any means necessary.

They spotted their target walking out of Dumbledore's office. She appeared to be a bit distracted which meant grabbing her to gain revenge for her attack on Draco would be a lot easier.

Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles eagerly. They would worry about what exactly they would do for their revenge at a later but right now, they would just grab Weasley for now. The two walked up, raising their fists in the air but something whizzed through the air, sticking into the wall.

Crabbe and Goyle turned around as Harry Potter just tossed a shuriken at them that narrowly missed their heads.

"I really hope you aren't doing what I think you are going to do," said Harry who decided to go up to Dumbledore's office to see why the old man was keeping Ginny so long. "Attacking one of my friends, not nice is it."

Crabbe and Goyle raised their fists. Their revenge on Weasley for attacking Draco last year could wait for later, they were going to pound Potter into a pulp. They remembered what happened to them the first time they meant Potter, despite the strain it took on their brains to do so. They wouldn't need their wands to do this or perhaps it was the fact that they forget they even possessed such tools to use.

Crabbe and Goyle rushed at Harry and at the last minute, Harry side stepped, causing Crabbe and Goyle to run headfirst into a wall before falling to the ground.

"These are really the best Draco can afford. Surely with his father's vast fortune he could afford better goons," said Harry casually stepping on Crabbe's face as he walked over to Ginny. "Ginny, what happened in Dumbledore's office?"

Ginny looked up at Harry, giving her head a shake, incapable of speaking. Harry could see a blank look in Ginny's eyes and he recognized it as a scaled down version of what happened to Lockhart when the charm backfired on him at the end of Harry's second year.

"Ginny, come with me, we've got to get you to the hospital wing," said Harry looking terrified, hoping against hope Dumbledore did not fry her brain by doing a memory charm or something like that.

Ginny numbly followed him with a blank stare in her eyes. Harry felt a surge of anger and as he walked by, every window he passed seemed to shatter. If Dumbledore did this, he would pay. Harry could care less if he would go to Azkaban for killing the Headmaster, he would make him pay.

In the Hospital Wing, Harry looked at Ginny urgently as Pomfrey examined her, using a series of complex spells Harry did not know. Harry felt partially this was his fault, as he should have insisted he’d come with Ginny to Dumbledore’s office instead of letting her go alone. Dumbledore would not dare try anything underhanded in front of Harry. That is if the Headmaster valued his head remaining on top of his shoulders.

"Mr. Potter, it seems that young Miss Weasley has been exposed to an Imperius Curse by a powerful person along with a memory block," said Pomfrey. "The person who did these acts to your friend appears to have thrown a little too much power into them. Your friend will make a full recovery but it will take a couple of months."

"Memory block, is there any way to take it off?" asked Harry in an exasperated voice.

"Not without destroying her mind," said Pomfrey grimly. "It will take time for the block to disappear and it will only start to disintegrate ten years after she has been a full recovery."

Harry's eyes narrowed dangerously. He had an owl he needed to send, to the Minister of Magic. If he could prove Dumbledore was doing what he was doing, he could get him tossed in Azkaban.

On his way to the Owlery, Harry bumped into Snape.

"Potter, where in the name of Salazar Slytherin are you going in such a hurry?" asked Snape irritably.

"Can't talk Professor. Ginny in hospital wing, Dumbledore's going to pay, manipulative old fool, memory block, need to get the Minister of Magic here," said Harry, his green eyes blazing with a fury unmatched by anything Snape had ever seen before.

Harry brushed past Snape as Snape looked bewildered. He wondered what Mr. Potter was blathering on about. Dumbledore did something that enraged Potter. Snape decided to head to the Dumbledore's office, to get to the bottom of this. Snape felt he was going to be driven to the Mental Ward in St. Mungos before the end of the year.

Harry arrived at the Owlery, pulling a piece of parchment, some ink, and a quill out of his bag before scribbling a note.

Dear Minister Fudge:

I have evidence of dark deeds within the walls of Hogwarts. I would suggest you along with some of your best Aurors come here to investigate my suspicions. I will meet you at the Hospital Wing of the school.

Harry Potter (yes that Harry Potter)

Harry quickly attached the note to a barn owl's leg.

"Get this to the Minister, quickly," said Harry a bit sharply to the owl due to his own temper getting the better of him.

The owl hooted but flew off. Harry looked off in the distance. He had a vision dancing in his head of a katanta right at Dumbledore's throat, the old man pleading for mercy as Harry prepared to make him pay for his crimes.

Snape arrived at the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk.

"Yes, Severus, make it quick," said Dumbledore curtly. "I am a very busy man, my plan for today went astray."

"Would that plan involving putting a block on the memory of one of my Slytherins?” asked Snape in a slightly agitated tone of voice.

"Severus, all of what I do is for the greater good," replied Dumbledore calmly. "Do remember your place, through. I would hate to see your insides shredded to bits painfully as you died a slow and painful death for attempting to disobey someone who you have an Unbreakable Vow with. Now, tell me what have you learned that made you storm into my office."

"Potter appeared to be in a rage about something, babbling about Ginny Weasley being in the hospital wing, about a memory block, and about you being a manipulative old fool," said Snape as Dumbledore glared at him. "You did tell me to tell you exactly what Potter told me, did you not, Headmaster."

"Anything else Snape," said Dumbledore in a cold voice that gave Severus shivers.

"He mentioned something about getting in touch with the Minister of Magic," said Snape.

Dumbledore looked at his pawn for a few seconds. It was time for enact some serious damage control. No doubt the Minister would be on his way right now.

"Snape, leave, do not tell anyone of what you know," said Dumbledore. "I will deal with the Minister of Magic."

Snape left as Dumbledore reached into his desk drawer, pulling out his second wand. Dumbledore purchased this second wand on the black market so he could have one wand to use for darker forms of magic and his second wand to use for everyday non-suspicious forms of magic. Potter was starting to be a thorn in his side that he needed to remove. It would take some careful thinking but perhaps finding a way to send Potter on a short trip would give Dumbledore time to map out a better strategy.

As for the Weasley girl's condition, Dumbledore could care less. Dumbledore realized for his own plans to go through people would be sacrificed. So what if a twelve year old girl suffered permanent brain damage from Dumbledore throwing a bit too much of his magic into his memory block. It would all be worth it when Dumbledore took his place as the most feared and most powerful magical entity of in the history of mankind. It was his birthright, not that half blood abomination Riddle, not Harry Potter, but his. By the time Dumbledore's plans were finished, he would be a god as the title of Dark Lord was beneath someone of the Headmaster's stature.

Harry waited outside the Hospital Wing for his guests to arrive. In a flash, a portly looking man with a lime green bowler hat and a purple robe with the title Minister of Magic pinned on it walked up. This man had a half a dozen Aurors flanking him and a toad faced woman carrying a clipboard brought up the rear. It struck Harry how strange it was that they entered the school without encountering any kind of resistance and wondered if Dumbledore was cracked in the head for relying just on Dementors to keep Black and Lestrange out.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, so pleased to finally meet you," said Fudge, grabbing Harry's hand and shaking it eagerly. "I’m Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. I received your message, quite a shock getting mail from Harry Potter."

"Yes, but I called you here today on a very serious matter," said Harry. "Follow me into the Hospital Wing."

"Great Scott!" exclaimed Fudge, seeing Ginny's present condition. "What happened to her?"

Before Harry could answer, Dumbledore walked into the Hospital Wing.

"Minister, so glad to see you here," said Dumbledore. "I see Mr. Potter's message managed to reach you in time. You see this girl was attacked in the corridors. I have not a clue how they managed to slip in but Sirius Black and Bellatrix Lestrange decided to attack her. No doubt attempting to send a message to young Mr. Potter. Thankfully, Harry alerted me at once, so I can manage to hold them off. Alas, they appeared to have escaped before I could call the Dementors to subdue Lestrange and give Black the kiss."

Harry's eyes rolled straight into the back of his head and to his surprise so did a young twenty-year-old female Auror with the group. The Boy-Who-Lived wondered whom in the name of Salazar Slytherin Dumbledore thought he was fooling. Harry could have taken out both Black and Lestrange with or without his wand. He did not need or want the Headmaster Manipulator's help.

"Anything else you can tell us," said Fudge.

"Well, Ginny was leaving from Dumbledore's office jus before I found her," said Harry carefully implying that he felt Dumbledore was not innocent in this matter.

Dumbledore's eyes went wide for a split second. So there was a reason that this meddling brat got sorted in the Slytherin House after all. He thought it was the hat malfunctioned but Dumbledore was counting on Harry to be like his father a little too much back in those days and have utter hatred for all things Slytherin. It appeared Harry was going to try to manipulate Dumbledore into Azkaban but the Headmaster had a spare wand up his sleeve and he would show Harry that playing with fire could get you burned.

"So you're saying Harry, that Dumbledore might have done this," said the twenty-year-old female Auror who rolled her eyes along with Harry with a calculating smirk. "Nymphadora Tonks by the way, Apprentice Auror and former member of the Slytherin House, although calling me by my first name will get cause you to get strangled by your spleen shortly after it gets ripped out even if you have defeated You-Know-Who three times."

"Tonks, remember to learn your place, Apprentice," said Dawlish. "Your job is to observe, not question."

Dawlish then turned to Harry Potter.

"What are you driving at Potter?" asked Dawlish.

"I'm just saying, shouldn't pursue every possible avenue?" asked Harry. "It would make me feel a lot better about giving the Ministry of Magic my full support and would definitely raise your Public Image with the general public."

Fudge grinned as Harry smirked. It appeared that this man thrived on high approval from the people. Harry could have patted himself on the back for his fine use of Slytherin logic.

"Give me your wand, Dumbledore," said Fudge eagerly. "I’m not accusing you but I want to make sure you are innocent because I hate there to be any doubt whatsoever about your lack of guilt."

Dumbledore handed the wand to Fudge, with an expression on his face Harry did not like at all. Harry had seen Dumbledore's wand a couple of times before, but something appeared to be not quite right with Dumbledore's wand. Fudge placed his tip to the tip of Dumbledore's wand.

"Prior Incantato," muttered Fudge at Dumbledore's wand.

Spells erupted out of the end of Dumbledore's wand. It appeared to be normal, everyday spells with the most dangerous spell being an Incendio Charm.

"It appears that Mr. Potter was wrong," said Fudge with a bit of a neutral look on his face. "Still, we had to confirm any suspicions, for the greater good."

Harry knew the greater good was in reality Fudge's own approval rating.

"Now, since this annoyance is concluded, we can go back to working on things with more significance, as running to Hogwarts just because a twelve year old girl was attacked is unimportant a waste of time and resources," said the toad faced woman in a sweet voice that made Harry cringed. This woman only talked for a brief time but Harry hated her already especially when she basically said Ginny being attacked was not important. Harry's hand twitched, dangerously close to his wand and more or less, this woman irritated him so much, he snapped.

"Yes, I'm sure the Ministry of Magic does have more important things to do," said Harry sarcastically. "Like perhaps letting more of Voldemort's old followers escape from Azkaban or setting Dementors around a school full of children. Extremely brilliant decisions you guys have been making as of late..."

"Hem, Hem," said the toad-faced woman cutting off Harry mid diatribe in her sickly sweet voice. "Who do you think you are to question the Ministry of Magic, Potter? We are doing what's in the best interest of the..."

"Silencio," hissed Harry, putting his wand at the woman's throat, striking her silent.

Harry briefly considered doing something a bit more interesting than he did but he did not want to tempt fate by having the office of the Minister of Magic against him cursing his very life like the Shredder, the Foot, The Elite Guard, Hun, Voldemort, Lestrange, Black, Dumbledore, Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, The Purple Dragons, Baxter Stockman, and probably at least a dozen other people that Harry had forgotten about due to acquiring a few too many enemies in recent years.

Dumbledore seized his chance, using a subtle form of Leglimency to take brief possession of Fudge's mind. While in this primitive form, Dumbledore could not possess people for long and they had to be weak minded. Dumbledore needed to get Potter out of the way so he can make further plans and three months was enough time to start formulating something/

"Assault on a Ministry Official," said Fudge. "Potter, by my decree you are to go to Azkaban for three months due to this act. Subdue the prisoner."

Harry looked at the Aurors who had their wands raised at him. Umbridge grinned; even through she could not speak. In hindsight Harry wished he had used something with a bit more punch if he knew it would send him to Azkaban.

"Three months for using a Silencing Charm," said Tonks incredulously. "Minister, even you can see that is a bit harsh."

Tonks did not even get around to saying how wrong she felt it was to throw a thirteen year old in Azkaban before Dawlish managed to speak.

"Apprentice, remember your place," said Dawlish. "You’ll be removed from the training program for questioning us although you can earn favor and avoid expulsion by capturing Harry Potter."

Tonks raised her wand with hesitation, a battle brewing in her mind between loyalty to the Slytherin House or her job. She felt against all of her principles she had no choice as once a person got fired from any Ministry department they became blacklisted for life from any employment in the Wizarding World.

"Sorry," whispered Tonks before raising her wand. "Stupefy."

Harry saw the jet of red light coming at him. If it were anyone else but a former Slytherin, Harry would have blocked it and blasted the Auror in question into the wall. However, Harry found out from Daphne and Theodore how hard it was to get a break as an Auror by being a former member of the Slytherin House. So Harry allowed himself to be captured, to help a fellow Slytherin.

Harry went down from the jet of light. If Dumbledore was honest with himself, that seemed a little too easy.

"Excellent work Tonks, you may be promoted to Trainee Auror yet," said Dawlish approvingly.

Tonks looked at the ground, not too happy at what she was forced to do by these impulsive Gryffindor Aurors. The other Aurors lifted up Harry, carting him off to serve his three-month sentence at Azkaban for putting that silencing spell on Umbridge. A sane person would think such an act would normally mandate an Order of Merlin, First Class but no one every accused the office of the Minister of Magic of being sane.

Little did anyone know, Luna was standing outside the Hospital Wing, listening to every word. No one seemed hardly ever pay attention to her due to her beliefs in the strange and the mysterious, which made Luna the perfect person to overhear a conversation without detection. What Luna heard horrified her! She needed to warn Harry's family and friends that he was being carted off to Azkaban for attacking that foul toad faced woman that appeared to insult him by something she said. Luna felt a great injustice was done on this day. She would have to inform everyone that was important to Harry of his current situation, as she felt they would want to know.

In Dumbledore's office, Fudge and Dumbledore were having a quick meeting.

"What do we tell the press?" asked Fudge. "What about the girl's parents?"

"I shall tell them their daughter was attacked by Lestrange and Black and suffered overexposure to the Cruciatus Curse from Lestrange," said Dumbledore. "As for the press, Potter is being sent out of the country for his own protection due to the dark threat that escaped to Azkaban."

"So, do not tell them about the boy's trip to Azkaban at all," said Fudge who now wondered why he sent Harry Potter to Azkaban but he would be perceived as a weak within the Ministry if he backed out right now.

Dumbledore looked at Fudge with his blue eyes twinkling. He needed Potter to be respected so when Dumbledore manipulated him into taking out Voldemort, Dumbledore would get twice as much respect for guiding him to victory. Then Dumbledore could make it look like Potter died from expanding too much energy against Voldemort.

"No, not a word, if this gets out, it could be a scandal to ruin my plans for the greater good," said Dumbledore.

"You never did tell me what these plans are, Albus," said Fudge.

"Now, I won't spoil the surprise but I do promise you when everything is all said and done it will be epic," responded Dumbledore with a smirk.

Elsewhere in Dumbledore's office, a beetle was hiding behind Dumbledore's lemon drop dish, listening intently to every word. Rita knew by following Fudge to Hogwarts in her Animagus form she would stumble upon a big juicy story and she had just hit pay dirt. The news story of Harry Potter being sent to Azkaban, apparently in a plan conspired by Fudge and Dumbledore would make Rita rich and famous. She could hardly wait to put the quill to paper to write the story she just stumbled upon. This find would make her career.