Categories > Books > Harry Potter > The Slayer, The Avatar And The Guardian Of Light

CH86 - The Balance Of Power

by GuardianOfLight 2 reviews

What To Do Next

Category: Harry Potter - Rating: G - Genres: Crossover,Drama - Characters: Draco,Fudge,Poppy Pomfrey,Professor McGonagall,Snape - Warnings: [!!] [?] - Published: 2008-02-17 - Updated: 2008-02-17 - 4243 words

2Exciting
Chapter 86 - The Balance Of Power

Dimension: 563 - Earth
Date: 29th September 2001 AD
Country: Britain - Scotland
Location: Hogsmeade
Time: Late Afternoon


There was silence

There was a deadly silence.

It wasn't that there was no sound.

This was anti-sound.

What you get when there is absolutely nothing.

No sound of breathing.

No bird song.

No sounds of wind rustling leaves.

Nothing.

Ron looked down to where Ginny had been lying.

He picked up her dropped wand and stared at it.

The silence was broken by a faint whisper from Draco.

"She's gone....she's gone."

His mother put her hand on his shoulder.

"It will be ok Draco."

He spun round so fast she nearly fell over in surprise.

"Ok....ok." Draco was getting more and more frantic by the second "O sodding K....SHE'S GONE....GONE!!!"

And as bad as his reaction may have seemed, it was a lot better than Ron's which only Neville noticed.

He started shaking violently collapsing to the ground dropping Ginny's wand.

"Ron....RON!!" Neville shouted trying to snap him out of it; he spun round to the Professor's "He's going into

shock."

McGonagall ran over and bent over him drawing her wand.

"Glacialis."

Ron immediately stopped shaking and froze.

"I've put him in stasis," she explained turning back to the other group "Mr Longbottom levitate him back to school

as quickly as you can, tell Madam Pomfrey what has happened."

Neville nodded before carrying out the instructions.

"Everyone else gather the injured together as well as any students still conscious," ordered Lupin "Tell them to

get back to Hogwarts as quickly as they can and to take the injured with them, if the injuries are serious or if

they have been bitten by either snake or vampire put a stasis charm on them."

Luna got up and did as ordered while Draco was pacing furiously behind his mother looking frantic.

Lupin got in front of him and grabbed his shoulders.

"Get out of my way." Malfoy barked.

"Malfoy, panicking will not solve anything; we need to plan our next move carefully."

Draco glared at him for a moment before nodding slowly, not wanting to risk a tussle with a werewolf.

"Alright," Remus then straightened and looked to Mrs Malfoy "Narcissa a pleasure to see you again."

"Likewise Remus."

Draco's attention snapped to them.

"You know each other?"

"Indeed." his mother replied.

"We were at school together," Remus explained "I was going to suggest you escort your son up to the school before

making a discreet exit....I doubt your husband will be pleased to know that you were in Hogsmeade during the attack

and even less so because you fought against the Death Eaters."

Their conversation wasn't the type you would have if you were trying to cover up your loathing for each, rather the

type that says ‘it has been too long' and ‘last time we met it was under better circumstances'.

"If it's all the same to you Remus I think I better leave now, I will point out to Lucius that if I had sided with

the Death Eaters I would have been identified and arrested and I would have lost our estate. Take care of my son."

"Yes milady." he replied with a slight smile and bow

She started to turn away before stopping and turning back.

"When you revive Dumbledore....tell him....tell him I will see him soon."

Remus seemed taken aback by this but smiled and nodded.

She turned and walked about five meters before stopping and Apparating away.

Remus bent down and picked up Ginny's wand then turned to Hermione and Buffy (she had moved towards them when Ron

went into shock).

"Get Adam's staff and that disk of his, then head back to the school."

The pair both moved over to where Adam had been standing, Hermione bent down and picked up the disk and pocketed it

while Buffy retrieved the staff before realising how many of the Death Eaters who were unconscious that littering

the street were still unbound, they were being bound but there were not enough people doing it.

"Hermione take this, I'll see to tying up these Death Eaters." she said throwing the staff to Hermione immediately

drawing her wand and turning her attention back to the Death Eaters.

As soon as Hermione's hands closed around the staff a pulse of magic flowed up her arm.

"Wow."

Buffy turned back to her from where she had been conjuring ropes.

"What's....Oh."

Hermione had never felt this much power, the magic was literally radiating from her.

"You're glowing."

Remus turned at Buffy's comment and spotted what the others had not.

"So is the crystal."

The others turned to look at the staff; the crystal at its peak was pulsating.
________________________________________________________________________

Dimension: 563 - Earth
Date: 29th September 2001 AD
Country: Britain - Scotland
Location: Hogwarts - Hospital Wing
Time: Late Afternoon


Later that day in the Hospital Wing.

Draco was pacing furiously up and down the room, McGonagall, Remus and Buffy were standing near the beds of

Dumbledore, Harry (both of whom they had been unable to wake) and Fleur (who all but those with knowledge of the

mating were at a loss as to why she was unresponsive and as to when she had been hit), Ron (who were still

unconscious), Buffy (who was reluctantly being forced to lie down by Madam Pomfrey after her run in with the

deflected fireball not to mention all the other injuries she had picked up) and Hermione (who had Adam's staff by

her bed).

The rest of the room was filled with Hogwarts students, with injuries ranging from cuts and gashes (like Neville

and Luna) to comas from the snake victims, one area of the ward had been screened of; behind the screens lay the

corpses of Hogwarts students.

So many had been injured during the fight that a Rapid Response Medical Team had been dispatched from St. Mungo's

to help Madam Pomfrey and Tonks (Auror training includes emergency medical expertise) with the injured, especially

those bitten by snakes for whom Professor Snape was rapidly mixing potions to slow down the effects until the

correct snake species could be identified and the anti-venom's could be acquired from sources in the Muggle world.

"How many did we loose Poppy?" McGonagall questioned to the rapidly moving nurse.

"Five." She replied, not stopping her work "One sixth and one forth year Gryffindor, a sixth year Hufflepuff and

three third year Ravenclaw's, many more are in critical condition."

"Who.... who died?" Hermione asked slowly.

Madam Pomfrey turned slowly "I believe the ones you knew were Dennis Creevey, Seamus Finnigan and Susan Bones."

There was a collective gasp from most of the conscious occupants of the room and exclamations such as:

"Poor Colin." and "Oh no." and "No it's not true....it can't be."

Draco growled in frustration before turning to the Deputy Head "Yes, but what are we going to do about Ginny?"

"Mr. Malfoy you will not talk to Professor McGonagall that way." Lupin ordered turning to him, he was a little

taken aback by the look Draco sent his way but did not show it.

"I don't give a toss about how I should speak to her, THEY'VE TAKEN MY GINNY!!"

Half the wing gasped at his rudeness and the rest at his use of the words ‘my Ginny'.

Snape began moving towards him but was stopped by a calm hand from McGonagall.

"Mr. Malfoy." She replied in a calm voice "We have no idea where they have taken Miss Weasley and Professor Berio;

we can do nothing until we know where they have gone."

Draco sighed "I'm sorry."

"Understandable Mr. Malfoy." she replied, turning to Hermione and more importantly the pulsating staff "The only

clue we have to their whereabouts is Professor Berio's staff."

Lupin walked up to it and picked it up to examine it "Hermione, you said you felt a flow of magic come from the

staff when you touched it."

"I can still feel it Sir, I....I feel more powerful than I have ever been I....I can't explain why."

"I think I can." all the conscious heads in the wing turned to the source of the voice, which unusually happened to

be Buffy.

"When James attacked Adam I saw a small flash of light pass from Adam into the staff." she explained getting up and

walking over to Hermione, much to the annoyance of Madam Pomfrey and the other medical personnel around the room.

Lupin thought for a moment before picking up a scrap of bandage material from the next bed and placing it at the

foot of Hermione's.

"Hermione, would you levitate this please."

Hermione looked at him curiously before turning to McGonagall who nodded, she looked equally baffled. She drew her

wand.

"Wingardium Leviosa."

There was a bang, a cloud of smoke and a sound of breaking stone.

When the smoke and dust cleared Hermione looked to see what had happened.

The table was a smoking ruin surrounded by stone fragments.

She looked up to see where they could have come from, what she saw made her and those around her gasp.

There was a huge hole in the ceiling, at least a meter radius, hovering in the centre was the bandage fragment

looking slightly singed.

"Merlin!" someone in the ward exclaimed.

Hermione dropped her wand and back peddled away from it.

"What....how....I didn't....what." she attempted.

"I think that proves my theory." Lupin continued stopping only to summon the bandage back to him with his wand and

to utter a repairing charm on the table. The ceiling had rebuilt itself; the walls were charmed to auto-repair

reasonably sized breaks so it did not surprise him as much as some of the others.

"I believe Professor McGonagall, that the flash Buffy saw was Adam transferring his power into his staff."

"But why would he do that?" asked Buffy not taking her eyes off Hermione.

"Adam is very powerful, he did not want to risk his power falling into the wrong hands, when Hermione touched the

staff the magic flowed into her, if James and Voldemort (collective shudders at his use of the name) got hold of

his power and combined it with their own and even if Harry and Dumbledore were conscious they would be very

difficult to stop."

"Then why did Hermione get the power instead of me?" asked Buffy "I touched the staff before her."

"My guess would be that he trusted Hermione to take care of his magic....I am not trying to suggest that you are

untrustworthy Buffy," he added at her move to protest "He just trusted Hermione more."

"Miss Granger," McGonagall began turning to Hermione "Have you had any additional contact with Adam, that is to say

more than your class mates have had."

For a brief second she went into panic, remembered the kiss.

"NO, no, no....no." she said a bit too loudly.

"Hermione?" Lupin asked calmly, he knew she was hiding something.

Hermione then glanced at Draco and remembered the conversation in the tower.

"I mean I....I saw him up I his tower once....just once....we talked....that's all....just talked."

"Did you talk about anything private....something he has not told the rest of us?"

"We talked about his past and....and we talked about....about the ring he gave Ginny and who it previously belonged

to."

Draco flinched at Ginny's name.

"Well it seems that that conversation has earned you a special incite into his life that the rest of us are not

aware of." Continued McGonagall.

Hermione's eyes flicked briefly to Draco then back to her Head of House.

"If he trusted you with knowledge of his life then it seems he also trusts you with his immense power as well."

Hermione gulped.

"The question remains as to what to do now?"

"Well, I can tell you that for whatever reason," interceded Madam Pomfrey "The other Healers and I are unable to

wake the Headmaster or Professor's Potter and Delacour."

"I still want to know what happened to Fleur." Asked Remus "I didn't see her get hit by any of James's attacks and

she was fine up until then."

Tonks, Hermione and the other conscious DA members exchanged looks before the Auror reluctantly cleared her throat.

"Yes Tonks?" asked McGonagall "Did you have something to add?"

"Yes." She nodded "I believe the reason that Fleur is unresponsive is because Harry is unresponsive."

"I'm afraid I don't follow you Tonks?" replied McGonagall at the same time as Buffy said "Huh?" but evidently Lupin

did understand as his eyes widened greatly and he spun around to look at the Auror.

"You don't mean....They're not mated?"

There were gasps all around the room and all those who were conscious spun to look at Tonks, awaiting her

confirmation.

"Since August." She nodded "Only a few of us know of it."

"As their souls are connected what affects one will also affect the other," Explained one of the Healers "But

luckily curing one will also cure the other."

At that moment the doors of the Hospital Wing banged open and Minister Fudge walked in, flanked by four Aurors.

"Oh this can't be good." Muttered Buffy to Remus as Professor McGonagall moved towards the new arrivals.

"Minister," she greeted calmly "What can I do for you."

"You can explain how this happened." he replied hotly, gesturing to the injured.

"That is easy Minister," the Deputy Head replied "Hogsmeade was attacked by a large number of Death Eaters,

Vampires, snakes and a Basilisk and no Aurors showed up to counter them, as such the students, staff and shoppers

had to do the best that they could without them."

"Whether the Aurors showed up or not is not my fault Professor McGonagall, I...."

"Actually Minister," interrupted a voice from the doorway "It is."

Looking around the Minister's bodyguards Buffy was able to see the commanding form of Amelia Bones enter the room,

followed immediately by Mr and Mrs Weasley, the Delacour's and several other people that she did not know, all

apparently parents because as soon as they entered the room most of the crowd immediately separated and headed for

the beds of their children, Amelia though moved to stand in front of Fudge so he was directly in between her and

Professor McGonagall.

"If you had not ordered me to change the redistribution of Aurors so that your office had a larger protective force

there would have been six Aurors stationed at the MMD Room watching for high concentrations of magic rather than

the two that were there and were stunned AGAIN because there were no one there to watch their backs while they

watched the detectors."

"Director Bones, it is your responsibility to...."

"You are right, it is, but I can only do my job so long as you do not interfere with the stationing of my Aurors.

If you recall my Auror deployment plan was to station at least a dozen Aurors in both Hogsmeade and Diagon Ally but

because of your interference and your belief that ‘they would not dare to attack' all said Aurors were guarding the

Ministry or patrolling areas of the country that would not have needed to have been patrolled if the MMD Room was

fully staffed to watch those areas for magical activity."

"You have no pro...."

"Yes I have proof, as my most efficient secretary saw fit to use a documentation quill to minute the conversation

from the time that you entered my office and ordered me, despite my objections to change the distribution. And with

that our business is now done." Amelia concluded before turning to Professor McGonagall and in a much softer voice

asked "Where is my niece?"

The Deputy Head gestured in the direction of the screen, behind which the dead students and several weeping

families were concealed.

"Thank you." She nodded before walking past the Minister and disappearing behind the curtain.

The Minister then broke the quiet in the sombre room by turning back to McGonagall after his defeat to Madam Bones.

"As I was about to say Professor McGonagall, I wish to speak to Dumbledore immediately."

"Then you will need to wake him up first." interrupted Madam Pomfrey angrily "And as I and the rest of the Healers

are unable to wake him, Professor Delacour or Professor Potter, I find it hard to imagine you being able to do so.

And while you are in my Infirmary Minister you will keep your voice down, speak politely and be conscious of the

feelings of others. People have died today and many more are critically injured and you are busy trying to shift

blame away from yourself."

"Professor McGonagall I will not be spoken to like this," spluttered Fudge "Kindly keep control of your nurse."

"I am in control Minister," McGonagall returned "And I happen to agree with Poppy. Please keep your voice down."

Fudge obviously sensed defeat again as he shifted his attack, ignoring the requests to keep his voice down.

"As Dumbledore is unable to fulfil his duties as Headmaster the Ministry will, with immediate affect take control

of Ho...."

"You will not Minister." Interrupted Professor McGonagall, taking a step closer to the man.

"I beg your pardon Professor McGonagall, but as Minister...."

"As Minister of Magic," began Professor Snape, stepping out from behind a small table where he had been mixing more

potions he moved to back up his colleague, the Minister's Auror guards tensed at his manner "Since all your

education degrees were abolished you have no authority over who runs Hogwarts....Minister."

"And encase you have forgotten Minister," continued McGonagall "I am not just the Transfiguration Professor and the

Head of Gryffindor House. I am, as you just pointed out when you ordered me to control Poppy, the DEPUTY

Headmistress of this school. As such I run the school in the Headmasters absence. Goodbye Minister."

Fudge spluttered for a few more seconds before turning on his heels and leaving, his Aurors guards having to jog to

keep up.

"He already knew that Dumbledore was incapacitated before he came here." Explained Arthur Weasley, moving from his

son's bedside "He came here to take control of Hogwarts as the Headmaster was incapacitated, he still fears

Dumbledore and will do whatever he can to take power away from him."

He paused for a moment before continuing in a lot less certain tone.

"What of my daughter? What are we going to do?"

"We are going to find her Arthur." Replied McGonagall, laying a hand on his shoulder "Her and Adam, but we must not

act rashly and we will have to do it ourselves, the Headmaster, Potter and Miss Delacour are all incapacitated and

despite the best efforts of Severus, Poppy and the Healers they remain so."

"As we have been unable to cure them of this ailment," Snape interceded "I believe our best course of action would

be to find Professor Berio and Miss Weasley, as it was Professor Berio's brother that caused their current state he

may be able to bring them out of it."

"I agree," added Dimitri, standing from his chair between Harry's and Fleur's beds and moving over to the group

"Adam stayed with us when we were sheltering Harry over the summer, from what I learned of him I would agree that

he is our best chance at curing my daughter, Harry and your Headmaster. Dimitri Delacour, we met briefly during the

Triwizard Tournament."

"Minerva McGonagall," returned the Professor "I am sorry for what has happened to your daughter, rest assured Comte

we will do all we can to cure them."

"I know you will Professor McGonagall as my wife and myself will be helping you." Replied Dimitri before his face

turned darker "I will not let anyone attack my daughter and the man I someday hope to be able to call son and get

away with it."
________________________________________________________________________

A meeting was held later that day in the staffroom to decide on the best course of action.

All the Hogwarts staff, Amelia Bones, Kingsley, Mr and Mrs Weasley and the Delacour's had been present as were

Hermione, Ron and Draco after they had pressed the issue and Hermione had pointed out to Professor McGonagall that

Dumbledore and Adam would have let them attend.

They had come to the conclusion that beyond the Aurors following suspected Death Eater targets there was little

else they could do.

England was too big to search all of it and their only mole (Snape) could not return as he had not been summoned

and as he had no important information that would justify his return, in which case he probably would not be

allowed to leave. Not to mention the fact that he did not have a clue as to where Voldemort's base of operations

was as the Dark Lord had put up wards preventing any multiple Apparation's to the area so Snape could not take

others with him and never allowed his followers outside when they came before him so they could not even narrow the

field by identifying the surrounding area.

They were, in a word.

Screwed.
________________________________________________________________________

Dimension: 563 - Earth
Date: 29th September 2001 AD
Country: France - The French Riviera - Marseeleveyre Mountains
Location: Chateau Delacour
Time: Evening


"I call this emergency meeting to order." Called Dimitri, as the members of The Alliance Court fell silent around

the table.

Dimitri, Ragnok, Dobby, The Veela Matriarch, Madam Maxime, Viktor, Bill, Colette, Tonks, Mr Ollivander, Bane and

Aragog were gathered around the table, thankfully the room at the Chateau was large enough that both of the last

two Alliance members could fit in, though neither obviously were sitting on chairs and chosen instead to sit on the

floor in the manner of their species.

"Firstly I wish to greet those new members of the Court, Aragog and Bane of the Forbidden Forest, but unfortunately

we do not have time for longer greetings as we have much more serious matter to discuss. Harry has been rendered

unconscious and is completely unresponsive to all forms of medical treatment, also affected due to their bond is my

eldest daughter Fleur. In addition to this Albus Dumbledore has also been incapacitated and Adam and one of our

members, the sister of William, has been kidnapped. We are here to decide on a course of action, as Harry, Fleur

and Dumbledore are stable and in no immediate danger I suggest that we concentrate on finding Adam and Miss

Weasley."

"It's a good bet that V....Voldemort and James are holding them somewhere in Britain." explained Bill, the worry he

felt for his sister was evident on his face though he was trying very hard not to show it.

"Which means that my people will not be able to use our flying ability to help search," explained The Matriarch

"There are no Veela colonies inside the UK and it would look suspicious if we suddenly started appearing all over

the county."

"Agreed." Nodded Dimitri.

"For the same reason we cannot be of much assistance," added Ragnok "Although there are many Goblins in Britain we

always stick to the areas around our banks, so again we cannot do much without arousing suspicion."

"The Order and the Aurors are already scouring the country for them," explained Tonks "But they cannot cover the

entire country by themselves."

"What about ve Centaurs and ve Acromantulas?" asked Madam Maxime.

"Many of my kind have already departed for the other forest," explained Bane "Living amongst the trees we are more

likely to notice signs of human activity where the Human Aurors would not."

"I have already sent many of my sons and daughters out to cover as much of the country," added Aragog's low voice

"The youngest of my children are light enough that they can be lifter by the wind and a therefore being disbursed

widely though it will still take us days to cover the length of the country."

"We could use the Floo Network to speed up the distribution." Suggested Viktor "We could take some with us and

travel to the far corners of the country so they can spread out from there, then when they have searched we can

bring them back."

"I agree to this." Gestured the Acromantula.

"Good." Nodded Dimitri "We will begin as soon as this meeting is over. For now I believe our best chance of finding

them resides with the House Elves."

"House Elves are already searching Death Eater homes," explained Dobby "Littlest Wheezy and Professor Guardian have

not been found."

"Have any of the Death Eaters hinted at the location they may be held at?" asked Tonks.

"No Miss Tonksy," replied Dobby sadly "Only former master and Miss Trixe have spoken of it. Dobby thinks other

Death Eater's not know about capture. Other Death Eater's seemed surprised when they heard about kidnap."

"Voldemort is probably trying to keep their location as secret as possible, with only those Death Eaters closest to

him permitted knowledge of their location." Suggested Tonks.

"So there is not much else we can do except hope," sighed Dimitri "And Pray."



AUTHORS NOTE: I apologize that this chapter took so long to be published but both myself and my beta have been

extremely busy of late. I have self beta'd this chapter to avoid you waiting another week.
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