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The Fall of the Ministry of Magic
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The Veil, The Void, The Realm of the Dead
Most people don’t understand the Veil located in the bowels of the Ministry. It is located in an isolated room. A stone arc with a wispy cloth draped over it. Whispers could be heard through it. Some thought they were voices of the dead. Others thought they were a siren’s song to lure you to stepping through the arch.
Some bright mind noted that people who disappeared into the Veil, never returned. That bright mind turned the magical wonder into an execution chamber. A bloodless way to execute undesirables. The room was renamed the Death Chamber. Criminals were pushed through the Veil. The living began to incorporate the Veil into their culture. Slipping through the Veil became a polite way to denote a death.
The Veil was misunderstood. The Veil was a transition. A passage into another realm. Lord Death guarded the Veil to redirect the living. For the living had no place in the Realm of the Dead. The crossroads was his domain. He ruled all planets. All universes. All the dead.
Because this one planet, in this one universe, liked to throw living beings through the Veil, Lord Death developed a system. He interviewed the living before shuffling them off to a compatible world. They obviously couldn’t return to this one. Their souls would reincarnate in the new universe, essentially punishing the first for throwing away souls.
When Sirius Black slipped through the Veil, he was the first to recognize Lord Death in a long time from this world. He didn’t beg for his life. He didn’t desire to return. He offered Lord Death a traditional plea. A sacred offering to the god. An offering of balance. A life for a life.
Take me. Save Harry from Voldemort.
Lord Death recognized Sirius Black. He gifted him the Grim as his animagus form. House Black were spies and guardians. The Raven. The Grim. Loyal followers of the Shadow Lord. One of his many faces. As such, Sirus was one of the few on this world who knew him. Who praised him. Who still worshiped him. He would grant him this boon.
Curious, Lord Death looked in on the world Sirius Black departed. The gods long ignored this world. Just as the people of the world long ignored the gods. He saw Sirius was not the first to make this plea for this specific life. To make this sacred offer for this one human. Hadrian James Potter was saved when his mother made this plea. The boy was saved. The criminal fled as a wraith. This world spat on her sacrifice. They belittled her gift to her son. They demanded too much from the son. The survivor. The child touched by death.
It was sacrilege. His one view showed him this dying world. To save Harry Potter, Lord Death would need to remove him from this world. He would need Sirius to guide him. Lord Death smiled. He was owed a death. He would take the life of the criminal and all his slaves. His grim would be the guardian for the child in a new world.
So, I say. So, I swear. So, mote it be.
Lord Death called Mother Magic and Lady Fate to him. Three gods to intervene. Three gods to maintain the balance. Three gods to cleanse this world of corruption. Lord Death heard Sirius’ plea and sought to rectify the gross problems of this world. With a hand on Sirius’ shoulder, the three gods moved to appear in the middle of the conflict.
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Ministry of Magic, Atrium
The atrium of the Ministry of Magic was distorted with the ambient magic thrown maliciously about. Harry huddled by the Fountain. Bellatrix cackled with glee. Voldemort and Dumbledore dueled intensely. Around the edges, Death Eaters, the Order, and random ministry employees collected. Some dueling. Some hiding. Some trying to escape.
Then the world froze. Even the spells flying in midair froze in place before they faded to nothing.
Four figures appeared in between the two dueling masters of magic. The emaciated form of Sirius Black was immediately recognizable. His raging grey eyes scanned the atrium looking for his pup.
The other three emanated power. A woman with a shifting form. All manner of age, race, color, hair, and eyes. She was impossible to identify. A second woman with pale blonde hair, flawless skin of pure white, and a metallic dress. The man was shrouded in darkness. His form was completely covered by a cloak and hood. Light disappeared into the void of his cloak. Glowing eyes of white power showed under the hood.
“It appears we arrived just in time,” Death announced into the unnatural stillness.
“It appears we did,” Magic replied as her form shifted.
“This is a good time to intervene,” Fate told them. Her voice lilting in a musical quality. “This is a pivot point for this dying world.”
In the background, the floos flared and the atrium grew crowded with aurors, ministry employees, and spectators. Sirius’ eyes finally found Harry.
“Pup,” Sirius cried as his voice echoed through the chamber. “We got here in time. I was afraid I lost you.” He ran forward and pulled Harry to him protectively.
Sirius seemed to be the only person who could move in the center of the atrium. The others were locked in place. The perimeter was not frozen, but stunned to immobility.
“What’s going on here?” Fudge broke the silence. He tried to sound imperious. He failed. “That man… where are the dementors?” he shouted as he spun in place.
Death pointed at Minister Fudge. One skeletal finger pointed out of the sleeve of his robe. The minister froze in place, like Voldemort and Dumbledore. His eyes flashed in panic at his inability to move. “You will not touch my Grim with creatures avoiding my gaze,” Death told them.
Shock, gasps of fear, and horror rolled through the audience. Many recognized him now. Lord Death stood among them.
Death turned back to Voldemort frozen like a statue. Only his eyes flicked around the atrium, seeking escape. Seeking someone to bend to his will. “Is this the one, my Grim?” Death asked Sirius as he took two casual steps toward Voldemort.
Sirius kept a tight hold of Harry. He turned to Death with anxiety written on his face. “Yes, Lord Death. That is the resurrected Voldemort,” he replied with a steady voice.
“Voldemort…” Death’s voice trailed off in disapproval. “Did you intend to insult me with your fake name, Thomas… Marvolo… Riddle?” he asked, dragging the man’s given name out. “It is quite insulting. You may flee, but you cannot escape.”
“He has defied balance,” Magic replied. “His soul is fractured and incomplete. His magic is stolen. He has corrupted this world.” Her faced morphed through features. Each displayed disgust and distaste.
“He is not the only corruption here,” Fate added with her silver eyes piercing Dumbledore. “This one corrupted one of my prophets to generate a false prophecy. To tie an unborn child to that monstrosity. To manipulate the world.”
Magic turned her shifting yes to Dumbledore. “His magic is stolen as well. His corruption is deeper and more visceral,” she said as she gazed at him. “He is playing with one of your toys,” she told Death.
Death held out a hand. The Elder Wand flew out of Dumbledore’s grasp to Death. “I wondered if this was still making trouble in the worlds. So, this is where it went,” he said with amusement. He snapped his fingers and a snitch and a cloak appeared. “No matter,” Death replied as the three objects disappeared into the void of his cloak. “I won’t let them die with this world.”
Death turned back to Voldemort. He raised his arm and let his boney finger swirl before Voldemort. A pop saw a collection of objects, a snake, and Harry appear before him. “Interesting,” Death replied. “You attempted to corrupt two living beings with your soul fragments.”
Death extended his hand above the objects. “Return,” he ordered them. Dark smoke poured out of the objects. Harry started to scream as the soul fragment left his scar. Nigani writhed on the ground as another soul fragment left her head. The smoke surrounded a small violet glow above each of the horcruxes. Once the smoke stopped, the glowing fragments slammed into Voldemort. He only remained upright because he was still frozen in place. Nigani’s form stilled. Harry stopped screaming as blood dripped down his face.
Sirius raced forward and pulled Harry away from Voldemort and Death. He wrapped himself around the boy and held him tight.
“Interesting,” Death finally said. “You are marked for death, but you do not have enough soul to survive the journey. Half your soul is already destroyed.” He snapped his boney fingers. Voldemort collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. His body sprawled awkwardly in a heap on the floor.
Death turned away from him. He glanced around the room until his eyes settled on Bellatrix. He raised his hand and Bellatrix shot across the floor. His boney hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled it up. The dark mark stained her skin.
Death pushed his finger into the mark on her arm. Magic flared around him. All around him dark, oily smoke popped as the marked Death Eaters popped into existence beside him. They all screamed in pain and fell to the floor writhing. Some were in costume with white masks and black cloaks. Some were not. Their clothing and robes marked them as not being involved in the assault. Some were still wearing prison rags, sunken skin, and protruding bones of prolonged starvation.
Death snapped his fingers again and the bodies of the Death Eaters stilled and slumped into death.
“That takes care of one side,” Death told the crowd. “Now for the rest of those marked for death.”
“One moment,” Fate told Death as she stalked forward to Dumbledore. “This one manipulated fate. I reserve his punishment.”
“Done,” Death replied.
“This one is abusing his magic to tether children to him,” Magic replied scornfully. “Stealing their magic and binding them to his service.”
“Then I decree his fate is to face Circe and die forgotten, without magic, and slaughtered like the animal he is,” Fate announced to the atrium. Golden light seared everyone’s eyes. It blasted out from Dumbledore’s form and seared into the brains of everyone present. Everyone blinked away the pain of the godly degree.
Magic stepped forward. “You are a greedy pig. You are not fit for my gift,” she snapped her fingers and golden light fled Dumbledore. He sagged. His form slumped with exhaustion and age. His eyes no longer twinkled. His robes became dull and lifeless. Then he shrank and morphed into a small swine. Aged and infirm. “Live the rest of your life as the pig you are,” Magic told him before he disappeared with a pop.
Magic turned to the crowd in the atrium. Most were in shock and horror. She nodded to Death before she turned to address the crowd. Death moved to stand behind Sirius. He placed one boney hand on Sirius and Harry.
“I am disappointed in all of you,” Magic’s voice resonated throughout the atrium. “You all failed to honor your gift. You all failed to use it wisely. You chose to abuse it and abuse those you were sworn to protect. Very well, you have made your choice. This world is dying. It will last longer without your magic polluting it. Do not call on the gods. We will refuse to hear your pleas. You will live without magic as a consequence of your actions.”
Magic snapped her fingers once and a pulse of magic swept through the atrium and beyond. Death sheltered Sirius and Harry, exempting them from the punishment. Several people collapsed in the atrium. Several more aged visibly. The Fountain shattered. The magic of the Ministry was gone. Stone flakes began to fall as the structure could no longer hold without magic. The younger people screamed and fled. Magic and Fate joined Death with Sirius and Harry. The crumbling stone avoided them. They were in a small pocket of serenity in the chaos of the atrium.
“I… I don’t have magic anymore?” Harry asked with wide eyes.
“You, Hadrian James Potter, are the exception,” Magic told him with a benevolent smile. “Along with your godfather, Sirius Orion Black the third. I would not take magic from the avatars of the gods.” She paused as she shifted forms again. “Although, I think our avatars will need to move to another world. This one will not last long.”
“Perhaps I can offer a location,” Fate spoke cautiously. “I know of a world where many humans are tied to fate, but they seldom achieve their goals.”
“Does this world have magic?” Magic asked.
“It does,” Fate replied. “However, the magicals do not depend on a focus and seldom receive training. One of my favorite magicals is a half-demon. The gods are less involved in that world.” Fate held her palm before her a glowing ball in her hand. Magic and Death touched the ball. Information on a cosmic scale flooded their minds. They saw all aspects of the world. The good and the bad.
“An interesting world,” Magic said in consideration. “I accept. I will move my avatar there.”
“I am intrigued by the League,” Death replied. “They are dedicated to balance, but use death to ensure it. I will send my Grim there.” Sirius jerked in place and clutched Harry tighter. “Don’t worry, my Grim, your godson will go with you.”
“He is no longer tied to a false fate,” Fate replied. She waved her hand and their wands disappeared. Around each of their wrists was a leather band with a stone imbedded in it. She changed their wands into something else. “They will behave the same.” Then she touched each of their foreheads. Knowledge flooded their minds. Not only knowledge of magic of this world, but magic, history, and culture of the new world. She pulled her hand away and chuckled at their dazed looks.
“They will need to change,” Magic replied. “This world tried to break them. This will not do.” She gently placed her hand on Sirius’ head and he morphed and changed.
Sirius filled out. The shadows under his eyes disappeared. He looked younger. Healthy. The spark returned to his eyes. He looked 21 again.
“This world stole your years,” Magic told Sirius. “I have returned them. I have shrouded your time in a cell. Those nightmares will no longer plague you. Though you can still recall events you experienced.” She repeated the gesture with Harry.
Harry grew and cried out in pain as his bones broke and reformed properly. He aged several years. He looked 19. Fit. Strong. His magic pulsed through him.
“This world stole your life and growth,” Magic told Harry. “That pig stole your magic and bound you to him. You no longer require schooling. I have shrouded your childhood pain. I have healed your body to it’s potential.” She gently touched the bridge of his nose. “You will not need corrected vision any longer. You rival my avatar in magic. On this new world, you will be my champion.”
“Seek out the lost Golden Child,” Fate told Sirius and Harry. “Guide him into the warrior he is fated to become. Temper him with balance.”
“Purge the corruption from the League,” Death added. “Mark evil for death. I will find them. Protect humanity, as is your purpose, my Grim. Teach the world to honor the gods. Restore balance in the world.”
The three gods stood back from where Sirius and Harry were standing, surrounded by the collapsing atrium in the Ministry of Magic.
“My Grim,” Death said with humor in his voice.
“My Champion,” Magic said with a smile before he face morphed again.
“Help my Golden Child,” Fate directed as the world faded into blackness.
Sirius kept a tight hold of Harry as the darkness pulsed around them. Flashes of light, like stars, pierced the darkness and faded. It seemed like an eternity before their surroundings began to take shape.
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