Chapter 54
The Ministry had struck back, and the infallibility of his name and support had been put into question. Most of his agents within the Ministry had gone silent, and Voldemort was now forced to wait for an opportunity to strike back.
He already knew the person responsible for the attacks, and it was none other than that Mud blood bastard. He should have killed him years ago
But he would not have to wait for long. Not at all, for the Ministry was not the only place filled with his agents. Not at all.
"My lord, I have the information you seek..."
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MILICENT BAGNOLD—The Minister of Magic
The plan had worked. Truthfully, she had been running out of options, and the pressure had been piling up for months now, and with each failing operation, she felt the ice thin under her feet.
But the tides had turned. They had struck back, and they had done so with prejudice. She was not the kind to celebrate death, but with what she knew of Malfoy and Greyback's crimes, she had no doubt in her mind that the world was better without them in it.
They were criminals who had little to no regard for life, and had slaughtered dozens of people already. And now they were dead, and using Crouch, she was also able to clean up quite a bit of her own Ministry.
It was why she had taken a few days to hold this press conference, even as the entire society hungered for answers. This was their moment to strike back and regain their lost confidence, and she intended to milk the best of this moment.
So, with a horde of reporters gathered for her, she glanced at the clock and saw that it was time to start, and yet one of the most instrumental faces in all this was still missing.
"Where is Alder?" she asked, and Edgar shrugged.
"I don't know," he said, as she turned towards his sister Amelia, who was perhaps the closest to him of all the people gathered here. She needed him here, for he was meant to collect his Order of the Merlin today.
He was to be the face of their entire campaign, and yet he was not here.
"He has gone out to see his sister," Amelia had an answer for her.
"Where?"
"Hogsmeade. He promised that he would be back before he is needed, he..." and she was not taking any risks.
"Go and bring him back," she ordered, and Bagnold was thankful to the boy for his contributions, but he still had a role to play here.
"As you wish," and the blonde girl slid out the back, as Bagnold took a deep breath.
"It's time," she said, and walked out, and immediately, flashes burned and lights flickered as reporters captured the moments with their cameras for their papers.
"Good morning, I apologise for keeping you all waiting here, but it is time to start this," and with that, she looked at the paper in front of her.
"Today, we are here to discuss two matters. First is regarding the two massive incidents that took place a few days ago, involving the Malfoy family and the werewolf Fenrir Greyback, and then there shall be a small ceremony for the Ministry has decided to award two of its brightest minds with Order of Merlins," and with that the game was on, as she looked up and saw them all eyeing her like a meal.
"Firstly, regarding the incident involving the Malfoy Family and Fenrir Greyback and his allies," and she knew that her next words would cause a pandemonium, and so she took a second to prepare herself for it as she looked straight ahead.
"...was a result of a Ministry Operation sanctioned by my DMLE," and just as she had expected chaos filled the Halls of the Ministry.
"Why was this hidden for so long?" "Do you have no shame?"
"How do you justify the killing of a Noble Family like the Malfoys?" "Is this discrimination against Werewolves?"
And a dozen other questions came her way, and she had expected it all. She waited, and waited, refusing to answer any question until silence once more came to the Hall.
"All questions will be answered in due time. My office has already prepared a small brief that will have the answers for most of your questions, but let me make one thing clear," and now she took off her glasses, as she stared straight into the lens.
"These operations were not a retaliation or a coincidence. They were a start, and to all the people who have allied themselves with this Dark Lord who thinks that he can rule over our country through fear and power, I am telling you that your time has come," and many had flocked to Voldemort's side, thinking that his power and influence would protect them from the consequences of their actions.
"If you are a criminal and have betrayed this country, then no Dark Lord will be able to protect you from the forces of law and order. You may choose to retaliate, but you shall suffer a fate no different than the Malfoys and Greyback," and this was a direct warning to all of Voldemort's followers.
"I advise you all to surrender, and if your grievances are of a political nature, then there are many avenues available for us to address them, but allying yourself with a Dark Lord who has no hesitation in murdering innocent men, women, and children is no way to enact reforms or changes," and with that she had left a door open for reconciliation, and Voldemort had fractured their society too much already.
As a Minister, she needed to strike a balance between power and conciliation, for while she may be fighting a war right now, she must also remember that a time after this war would exist as well, and she must lay the foundation for that time.
She glanced to the side, and still there was no sign of Amelia or Alder, which made her lips thin, but she had been in this position long enough to tackle such things.
"Now, for the next announcement, recently with corroboration from the ICW, the Ministry has decided to award two Order of Merlins Third Class to two very exemplary wizards of our country," and now the room came abuzz, for they may have heard whispers about one of them, the second one was a surprise.
"The First is being awarded to a Potions Master from Delgrave, one who has created a Potion that can help one of the most marginalised and weaponised communities of our society, the we..." and yet before she could say anything further, suddenly she stopped as she saw a bright and glistening ethereal raven fly through the Hall and she would have been alarmed if she had not seen it before.
"Alder," she whispered as the raven flew towards Edgar, while the cameras rushed to capture the ethereal creature, and a familiar voice came out of the raven's mouth.
"Need backup. Voldemort is in Hogsmeade...."
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ALDER EVANS
Alder and Lily had always been a team for as long as he could remember. They were twins, and though they did not share features like maternal twins, their bond ran deep.
He could always trust her to have his back, and she always felt the same way about him. So, it pained her greatly when he chose to abandon her and their bond in his quest for revenge.
It was selfish of him, and yet he had no choice left. Voldemort was gaining power and influence more quickly than he had expected, and he had struck too close to home.
He was a parasite, and his very existence was a threat to their world itself. He needed to be handled, and Alder was amongst the few people who could make a meaningful effort for that.
Lily's rage was justified, and yet it pained him no less, and so when, after months of silence, a letter came from her asking to meet, he accepted immediately, and so now he sat in the Hog's Head waiting for her.
The ownership had changed, and the inn was now run by an old man. A familiar-looking old man.
"You are Aberforth, right?" Alder guessed as the long-bearded man stopped rubbing the class and narrowed his eyes.
"You know my name," and Alder shrugged.
"I tend to know things," and this was Dumbledore's brother, the one who had been expelled from Hogwarts years ago for delving into some prohibited magic.
The man put down the glass and sat down opposite him.
"Albus was right about you," he countered, and Alder raised a brow.
"What did he say?" Alder asked, and the old man answered.
"He said you have a knack for knowing things," and Alder couldn't help but chuckle at those words.
"That I do," he couldn't escape those allegations.
"Where is he?" and the Headmaster had been out of the country for some time now.
"Away," Aberforth answered.
"Is that why you are here?" and again, the man bristled at his words.
"To keep an eye on things while he is away," and he did not answer him.
"Your friends are here," he said, and suddenly he saw two shadows emerge out of the back of the shop, and as they stepped out, he recognised them easily.
"Lily, James," he greeted, as Aberforth drowned his cup, while Lily met his gaze and refused to say anything before she ran into towards him, and wrapped her arms around him.
"Alder," and the familiar warmth made his eyes water as James gave him a nod and walked out of the inn, as him and Lily stood there hugging one another, before she finally separated.
"We should sit," and they chose a table beside the window as Lily and he plopped down, and there was not much to say or discuss.
"How have you been?" Alder questioned, hoping to break the ice.
"You ask that as if you haven't been getting weekly reports about me from McKinnon and James," she countered, and he chuckled.
"Guilty as charged," and while he was away, he remained well aware of the circumstances of her life.
"You have been missing classes," he reminded her, as Lily rolled her eyes.
"We are meeting after months, and that is what you ask about?" Lily complained, and Alder shrugged.
"Do you want me to ask about you and Potter then?" he countered, and now she was flushed in embarrassment at the insinuation, though she could not deny it anymore.
"We are not here to talk about me," she finally added.
"What about you? How are you?" she asked softly, and Alder smiled.
"I am fine," and she did not believe him.
"I read the Prophet," she added, and his face stiffened.
"I read about Malfoy and Greyback," and he had killed them, and yet he felt little remorse over it. Whether it was because of his maturity or the dread that would come later, he did not know. But it worried him somewhat.
"You did it, didn't you?" and he could not lie to her.
"What do you think?" he countered, and Lily sighed.
"I know that it was you," she added.
"This war has ruined enough lives," he added, and before he could say anything more, suddenly a loud explosion rocked the outside of the inn.
BOOOOM! BOOOOOM!
And as Alder's head snapped to the window, he noticed the eerily dark skies and a cloud of darkness hanging over town, and his heart sank immediately.
"You need to get out of here now!" he shouted as he reached for his wand.
BOOOOM!
But before he could do anything, a loud explosion sent him flying back, as the entire front of the inn was blown apart.
It was only through instinct that he had managed to cast a quick shield charm, but he still found himself lying in rubble as he coughed and pushed himself up.
"Lily! Lily!" he called out, as a thick voice answered back.
"She is fine," and this was Aberforth, and he looked to the side, and saw that the elder man had used a charm to save her from the explosion.
"But not for long," another voice came, as a dread filled his heart, and he looked up to see the Dark Lord floating up in the skies as sounds of wizards clashing with one another filled his ears.
"Tom," Alder gasped, as he gripped his wand tightly.
"It's time to end this," he whispered as he raised his wand.
"Avada Kedavra..."
"Tempest!"
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