A/N: Note to self: get better author's notes.
Chapter XXXVIII: Martial Law
Even from his teenage years, Harry knew the fickle nature of political dealings, and exactly how yesterday's allies could be tomorrow's enemies. Or, the occasional upstart nobody knew about, and who would go out with a bang as quickly as he had appeared. At least, that was the plan on paper. He wouldn't have the necessary coercive support without Harry and Ron's departments, but there was still the odd chance he could pull out a surprise nobody was prepared for...
Public outrage of the Ministry's indifference and lack of response to the people had increased to mass demonstrations in Diagon Alley and the Ministry's institutions there, including Gringotts Bank. Every type of slogan was being shouted, from outright revolution, to taking over the Muggles and one particularly interesting one, calling itself the Wizards' Anarchy Movement, appealing for members and support...
Peaceful protests were beginning to wane, as reports of riots were beginning to be brought in, and the Prophet did not help the situation with its bombastic coverage of the events, no less than glorifying whatever the cause of "these young, capable wizards, whose ideas will define tomorrow's future..."
Tomorrow's future? The paper was growing from bad to worse on a daily basis now, Harry reflected with a hint of amusement. Yet, the situation truly worried him.
He was the first one to rise on the promised Monday morning. Kingsley had gone back to the Ministry over the weekend, but before that had arranged them to meet him in the Minister's office at precisely six o'clock.
The hand on the clock moved - four thirty. Harry was still growing nervous. What could they say to placate the crowds? People were mad, and every government from every period in history knew that once popular support was lost, the ruling class always went under...
Hermione would have to salvage her cabinet from the jaws of the political predator himself - the people.
The sound of footsteps diverted his attention from the consecutive pointless article. Harry looked up, and saw the object of his recent thoughts walk into the kitchen.
"Couldn't sleep either?" he asked.
"Nope," she nodded, rubbing her eyes to hide the tiredness on her face. "Too nervous. Might even pass without the coffee this morning."
"No coffee? This is serious," even at the dire prospects, Harry found a way to joke about it.
"Very funny," Hermione quipped mirthlessly. "Just hope we aren't trampled to death today..."
"I'm sure it won't be that bad," Harry consoled her. "There might be strong feelings, the occasional Avada Kedavra, but overall, we should be fine."
"It's amazing how casual you are about this," she pointed out neutrally.
Harry took a moment to reply, "If I was casual about it, I wouldn't be up at this hour."
Hermione was about to snap something back, but managed to check herself. Everyone was on edge - there was no need to worsen the atmosphere, as it was already near the breaking point.
The two lapsed into a silence, which was only broken by the persistent ticking of the clock on the wall. The time neared five, when a third pair of feet made its presence known. Ron shuffled in, half asleep still. Inwardly, Hermione was still both amazed and frustrated by this ability of his to sleep through all kinds of cataclysms...
"Morning," he offered a bleary greeting. "Where's the coffee, mate?"
"Morning," Harry said. "Over in the pot. Help yourself."
"Don't mind if I do."
Just as Ron was done pouring his cup, a surprisingly chipper Ginny almost skipped in to join the others, followed by a rather awkward Draco. He seemed to have lost all of his cool...
"Well, at least one of us is awake," Harry observed with a knowing smile. "Sleep well?"
"Well, good morning!" Ginny's excitement was really not proper for the circumstances, in Hermione's mind at least. "Last night was amazing!"
She put particular emphasis on the last word. "You couldn't have picked a better time," Ron's comment was mix of both satirical and indifferent. "On the bright side, if you get killed today, you'll die happy!"
"Oh, lighten up!" a voice that was not Ginny's, objected. All five heads turned to see Luna standing at the door. "What if the kids heard you! Thank God they're still asleep!"
"Smooth, mate," Harry told Ron in an undertone. "Real smooth."
"How was I supposed to know she was there?" came Ron's response, right before he turned to his wife. "I'm sorry, love, I didn't mean it!" And with an excuse in the form of a steaming mug of coffee in his hand, he proceeded to make amends by offering it along with a one handed hug. "I love you."
Luna took the coffee, and returned the embrace. "You're forgiven."
The time was approaching five thirty by now. If they would be on time, now was the moment...
**
"Barely made it, I see," Kingsley's stern voice, in place of his usual calm tone, welcomed them by way of a morning greeting. "Sit down."
For their legendary status, the trio obediently took three of the prepared chairs across from Shacklebolt, and Luna, Draco and Ginny proceeded to occupy the remaining ones.
"What's going on?" Harry opened the discussion.
"Intelligence tells of an organized mass protest that will take place in front of the Ministry in the next hour. So, expect people to start gathering very soon. This will be your chance to show yourselves. Make peace with the people."
"How bad could it be?" Ron asked the room at large.
"Trust me, it will not be roses at all," the Auror reassured them. "Furthermore: the chance of you failing and the government collapsing is very high. From there, anything can happen. In such an event, the Aurors have prepared a safe passage for you all back to Grimmauld Place, as Apparition will not be possible from where you will be."
"What should we say to them?" Hermione's voice betrayed her nervousness.
The Auror took a deep breath, and exhaled with resignation. "It is your government. I can't help you. For that, I will leave you to figure out what to do. What I do want you to know, however, is that you will have the necessary support for whatever it is you decide."
With the meeting cut abruptly short, Kingsley wished them all good luck, turned around, and walked out the door on the other end of the office.
"Well, then," Hermione threw up her hands. "What now?"
"We work this out," Harry answered with conviction. "Any ideas?"
"Aren't there some sort of procedures for this?" Draco pitched in. "So we don't have to make it up as we go."
"Revolutions don't follow procedures, Draco," Hermione pointed out. "And we're on the verge of one here, unless we do something about it."
"And what do you know about revolutions?" Draco challenged her.
"I know the Muggles have already gone through that stage of history. Not yet for wizard society."
Her chilling remark shut him up immediately. "I see."
"Alright books for brains, what did the Muggles do then?" Ginny tried to speed up the process of finding a resolution.
"Reinvented democracy," Hermione told her, smiling slightly. "Assuming we're able to retain power, maybe some reform won't be completely out of the question."
"Let's talk about this later," Ron cut across Hermione's ambitious, by wizarding standards, plans. "We have an angry mob to confront, in case you hadn't noticed!" He nearly barked out the last three words.
Harry checked his watch. "Almost time for the protest to start."
"As if it hasn't started already," Luna finally spoke. "How are we going to do this for crying out loud!"
On this rare occasion, her demeanour was replaced from the one of perpetual coolness to outright worry.
The clock on the wall announced seven o'clock. Awfully early, but not when revolution was in the air...
Willingly, or unwillingly, the six of them rose from their seats.
"I don't insist on sitting behind closed doors. I'm going out there to meet them," Harry said.
"Are you suicidal?" Ginny objected. "They'll rip you to shreds!"
"That can be dealt with," Harry told her with a sour smile. "Let's go."
As opposed as most of them were to the idea of meeting an angry mob directly, Harry's word weighed in its place, and it was not questioned. As such, the rest followed him out of the office and down the stairs.
With every step, the chanting and shouting grew stronger and stronger. Harry did not slow down, and instead maintained the same constant pace. The others behind him only grew more unsettled.
Within minutes, they reached the entrance hall, where on the other side of the heavy wooden doors, the stable torpor of the crowd's anger could be heard.
"Revolution! Revolution! Long live Black!"
Had he really won this much popular support? The hero of the masses. Hermione remembered how well that went for the Muggle analogues of the current situation…
"Down with Potter! Down with Weasley! Down with Potter! Down with Weasley!"
From near saints to the scum of society…people definitely were fickle.
"You make sure nobody can enter past the doors," Harry instructed. "I'll make the introductions."
Nodding, Ron, Luna, Ginny, Draco and Hermione formed a semi-circle around Harry to provide the best repulsive capacity.
"On three. One, two -"
With a swish of his wand, Harry made the massive doors creak open. Along with the blinding morning sunrise, came the vastly amplified protest. Without hesitating, Harry walked forward, while the rest cast the necessary spells to prevent a Bastille-style takeover.
"Down with Potter! Down with Potter!"
If it was possible, the din reached new heights, yet Harry did not flinch. Not to mention every single wizard and witch present was armed with a wand….and several spells did narrowly miss Harry. He was prepared, however, and no harm came his way.
The hope, in his mind, was that his presence there would eventually placate the people enough so he could make himself heard. They had every right to be mad, but he needed to assert who was in charge…
"Where are the rest of you, cowards! Traitors!" a magically amplified voice shot out at Harry, and the insult was immediately picked up by the crowd.
"Traitors! Traitors! Hang the traitors!"
To Harry's grim amusement, the citizen body finally keyed on the correct chorus of the aforementioned slogan.
He thought he could try to give it a shot. "Listen to me!"
Ponting the wand at his throat, murmuring the Sonorus spell, and coupled with the fact that he was a uniquely powerful wizard, had a tremendous effect, given how much louder, more furious and determined his words were.
The protesters were stilled into silence.
Except for a lone voice. "What could you possibly say, coward! You're a traitor!"
The murmur went through the sea of people, and tempers threatened to flare once more.
"I can tell you why there has been no effective government for a long time. I can tell you that that will be rectified. I will tell you the reason for the entire ordeal."
He did not appreciate the fact he sounded almost as an idyllic poet, about to recite a passage about how just and correct his actions were in the face of a unified people, who basically spoke the truth about public matters…
"Go ahead," the same voice prompted his sarcastically. "Explain yourself to these people!"
"Fine," Harry said sternly. "One reason - Bellatrix Lestrange, and the focus of myself, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley to defeat and prevent her from raising herself or Voldemort once again!"
The name of the Dark Lord still seethed horror in the public memory, and Harry's usage of said name had a welcome effect on instilling additional silence…
"Are your words true, Mr. Potter?" the same voice said again. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely."
This time, however, the owner of that voice had raised himself above the crowd. To his surprise, Harry recognized him immediately as Gaius Black.
"You!" he couldn't hide his astonishment.
"Me!" the pompous counterpart replied. "Your worst enemy, Mr. Potter!"
"What is it you want," Harry was not in the least bit intimidated by this self-styled challenger…
"Justice for the people, Mr. Potter," Black answered in what Harry assumed was a tone he had acquired in oratory training. "Accountability for your actions."
"I am accountable, along with everyone involved in the legitimate government!" Harry protested on his own turn. "As you might know, my job requires a certain degree of secrecy, but the Minister of Magic, Hermione Granger, she will provide account of all you need to know!"
"It's a simple question, Mr. Potter," Black said, "it is a public secret that the six of you have concentrated the levers of power in a very dictatorial matter, left society to run itself, left public policy without direction and disappeared to sort out your own ends!"
"That's a heavy accusation," Harry rebutted him. "What's your proof?"
"What else could your absence mean!" Black nearly shouted, attracting supporting echoes from the protesters.
"I have everyone you need to question here with me, Black," Harry pointed out.
"The consecutive lie!" the populist leader declared to those around him. "Bring them out if you speak the truth!"
Harry took his words and motioned behind him. A second later, the other five indeed appear at his sides.
"What will you do, Black?" Harry challenged him on his own turn. "How will you face Lestrange? She will kill mercilessly until you're dead!"
"I'll fight her with every means I have at my disposal!" Black replied feverishly. "Honour and courage. Not sneaking away from responsibility."
He had hit a nerve with Harry. "What do you know about nerve! Do you not realize Lestrange is the main threat to bringing down the Ministry and imposing a new regime? Do you know she is also insane? What her regime will be! You cannot even begin to imagine!"
Harry had finally managed to stun this loudmouth into incoherent confusion.
"You are right, Mr. Potter."
The sly female voice came from behind him. It took Harry a second to realize whom this voice belonged to. Whirling around in horror, he came face to face with its owner…Bellatrix Lestrange herself.
"How did you - "
"Even the great can be surprised, Harrykins," she cooed in that horrible voice. "Do enjoy the show, hmm?"
Overcome by the surprise, nobody could do anything to stop her. Out of thin air, Death Eaters, their faces obscured by the infamous masks, and mounted on brooms, zoomed over the crowd, and began firing random Killing Curses at the people.
Mass panic ensured, and some of the braver ones tried fighting back, but they were no match for the much better equipped Dark opponents.
Harry, his mind starting to work again, whipped out his wand, and Ron came up beside him, also ready to fight. Looking quickly around him, Harry noticed Lestrange was gone as quickly as she had appeared.
This was becoming far too personal - she would pay through the nose for this.
"Take them out!" he gave the order, and six spells shot out from the doorway, each trailing a Death Eater. From within the crowd, well timed offensive spells also took out several ill-intended flyers, and with a sudden feeling of thrill, Harry noticed his parents among those adept spell-casters.
Remus had done his job once again…without him, the Order would be much more isolated from the current events…
"Reducto!"
The gory curse caught a Death Eater, flying by with his aim on them. The curse impacted his shoulder directly, and it was merciless in severing the arm right off - blood spattered those below, and with a curdling scream, the Death Eater flew headlong into the wall of the building. The crowd retreated enough for him to finish a very rough landing onto the pavement, from which he did not rise again…
"Thorough job, mate," Ron told Harry. "This way is better for him as it is…"
"Let's end this," Harry turned his attention back to the remaining Death Eaters.
However, to his dismay, they all seemed to be in retreat, rising higher and higher from the protesters, who were still scared and disoriented, and assembling towards a single point in the sky.
"Do you really want that to happen again?" Lestrange's vastly amplified voice filled the air. "Harry Potter and his entourage is the enemy! Join the Death Eaters to finally bring peace and security!"
Harry could not believe his ears. In fact, he was sure his mouth had dropped open. All that he was sure was that his mind reeled at the words, unable to comprehend.
Did Lestrange just try and appeal for public support? Had she just shown up in the flesh and blood?
Before an answer could be formulated in his head about this, the witch he and the Order had been after this entire time, disappeared with a blinding flash, accompanied by a thunderous crack.
Hermione's Avada Kedavra streaked past the empty space, where Bellatrix and her Death Eaters had been hovering a moment ago.
"That bitch," Hermione seethed. "I will kill her with my bare hands!"
"Calm down," Harry turned around. "How could we not know about this? We should have seen something coming!"
"Well, we didn't!" Ron snapped. "No more spies in the Death Eaters, remember!"
"Forget that," Harry snapped at him in return. "Innocent people were killed!"
"I can see that!" the redhead's temper flared up. "There is nothing we can do!"
"Yes, there is," Harry restrained his tone. "We re-establish Luna, Draco and Ginny immediately."
"What do you mean?" Ginny asked him determinedly.
"You three," he turned to the deputies. "You are no longer part of the Order's active wing. From this moment, you assume government duties, until Lestrange is dead. We resign," he pointed to himself, Ron and Hermione. "I will entrust you with making sure this government lives."
"Does that mean we aren't going to be in touch?" Luna's worried voice surfaced once more. "We can't do anything without you."
"Oh, don't worry," Harry reassured her. "You will be informed of what's happening."
Still disbelieving, still shocked at what had happened, the six of them made their way back into the building and towards the Apparition points for Grimmauld Place.
Lestrange had gone public with her intent to bring revolution…something told Harry that all of this would climax and end soon. Very soon.
A/N: Sneak attacks and mass protests…fallout comes next…I have the sneaking feeling this chapter spells failure. :/
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