Life Begins Anew

Chapter 54 Decisions and Actions

Temporary Headmistress McGonagall met the contingent of wizards and witches from the Department of Law Enforcement at the gates to Hogwarts. She was pleased that Kingsley Shacklebot was in charge of the investigation in the murder of Albus Dumbledore.

“I’m sorry that we did not get here earlier. This is really just a formality as we already have an eye witness report from Boy Who Lived.” Kingsley told her as they walked to the castle. “It is required no matter if the death was witnessed or not. It is the law and we cannot afford to give that snake a legal reason to avoid the Kiss.”

Tonks took her hand and gently spoke. “I know that you and Albus have been involved for a number of years Minerva. And it is difficult for you. We need to see the quarters of Severus Snape to see if we can find any evidence to bolster our prosecution of him when he is caught. Has anyone been in his rooms since…?”

“No Tonks.” Minerva sniffled. “I had the castle close off the entire dungeon after the murder. I knew that there would be an investigation.”

“Tonks take our fellow Aurors and wait outside the entrance the dungeons. I need to speak to the Headmistress for a moment.”

Tonks nodded to her boss as she motioned the team to go with her.

Kingsley looked to the Headmistress, noticing the she was barely keeping it all together. “Minerva, Plan 1A is in effect, but you know as well as I do that there will be deaths within the Order and you are a prime target, as you are an officer.”

“Yes I know Kingsley. And it does not matter if I die. I would prefer it actually. Albus and I are Bonded By Touch and I think that I would prefer the Veil now that he is gone.” She choked out. “I know that he will be at the Veil waiting for me.”

Kingsley looked to her in shock as she told him about her first year as a new professor at Hogwarts. “All this time?” He asked her.

“Yes. You know that when you consummate the Bond there will be a child. It was dangerous times during Voldemort’s first reign. We gave our child up for adoption to a wizarding couple in the States. We made sure to sever all ties. Our son lives and that gives me comfort.”

She continued. “Besides , the Order will go on. I am sure that Albus took care of that, and the identified witches and wizards will rise up when needed. They will not get noticed by Voldemort as only Albus and one other knows the identities. A code word here and there and the Order will rise from the ash. Minerva looked to him. “I know that Severus is a traitor. But what of Sara Snape?”

Kingsley looked to her. “Sara Snape is loyal to us. Do not ask me how I know it, but I do.”

He looked grave. “I hope that you do not get caught. Your death would be unbearable to me.”

Minerva motioned that they should make their way to the dungeons. “Your death would sadden me as well.” He heard the Headmistress quietly reply.

Soon they found themselves at the dungeon entrance, the Auror team waiting for the Headmistress to release the wards.

They felt the protections drop and walked down the corridor until they found themselves at the entrance to the Potions professor’s personal chambers.

Tonks began a series of ward detection spells and shouted out in surprise. “Kingsley! Snape’s chambers are not warded at all.”

Kingsley opened the door and they walked into the chambers. The only thing left in the room was a desk. He directed his team to explore the other areas of the chamber. “Kingsley, everything is gone.”

Kingsley looked to the team. “This means that Snape planned this. This was a premeditated murder, probably ordered by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.”

He directed his team to the Potions classroom and grabbed blank parchments and quills and handed them out. “Write your report and we will have Headmistress McGonagall witness it as she is an outside party. This will put a nail in the coffin of that murderer when we bring him to justice.”

Kingsley looked to his team. “After this, we will visit Sara Snape as she is a witch of interest.”

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Sara called out to DEATH and waited for his appearance as she stood outside the Minister of Magic’s home.

“DEATH, How many wizards and witches will I have to kill to complete my mission?” She coldly asked as she observed the dwelling of the Minister of Magic.

“Thirty Sara.” DEATH replied. “He is clever as he figures correctly that his death is imminent.”

She looked at the dwelling as she called her wizards to her. ****Come to me brothers! Time for an assassination. Thirty Aurors are present. ****

Slightly and Bootstray appeared next to her.

“Quick death or long?” Slightly asked.

“A quick death for the guards. I will take care of our Minister.” She replied as she drew her wand out. “Let us begin!” She coldly commanded.

Sara, Bootstray , and Slightly broke the wards as they began to kill the Aurors. It was pitiful as it was obvious that most of the older Aurors were lax in their guard duties. It was obvious that most did not perceive a threat.

But the young Auror protecting the study was a different matter. They battled the wizard three on one for ten minutes before he fell.

Sara knelt and looked into the dead wizard’s unstaring eyes. “You were most worthy. I hope that the Veil will sort you accordingly.” She closed the wizards eyes as she whispered the prayer for a worthy opponent going to the Veil.

Sara stood up and opened the door and the Minister noticed the masked Death eater enter his study. “Minister, I have an appointment with you courtesy of the Dark Lord.” She began her torture.


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Harry woke first and stood up and stretched as he looked to the sleeping witches and wizards in the tent. Everyone was still asleep. He took a shower and dressed into his now dry school robes and began breakfast after looking out of the tent, noticing that the light was bright outside.

Ron woke up and dressed, smelling the fry up of eggs, sausages and beans. “Harry, let me help you.”

Harry grinned as he pointed to the scrambled eggs on the stove. “Tend to the eggs Mate.”

Soon, the smell of hot food rousted the rest of students and they dressed and lined up for the food. Only Hermione was missing. Harry and Ron served out the food and went to look after Hermione.

Hermione was still deep in sleep, face gaunt and dark rings around her eyes.

Ron looked to Harry worried. “She is pregnant, and she had to set strong wards Harry. Do you think she overtaxed herself?”

Harry leaned down and shook Hermione. The only reaction he got was a growl as she turned away, still deep in sleep.

“I’m not sure Ron. After all, I’ve never had to look after a pregnant witch. Have you?”

Ron looked thoughtful. “How long do you figure she’s along Harry?”

Harry thought for a moment. “Maybe a month or two.”

Ron replied. “With a wizarding pregnancy, the first few months, the baby pulls at the magic of the mother. I remember Mum saying that once. And then dad would flow magic to her when needed. I do not know how to do that. Do you?”

Harry looked to Ron shaking his head.

Ron stood up and pointed his wand and made an extra room with a bed. “Harry, let her sleep undisturbed. Hopefully she will wake up soon.”

Harry picked her up off the floor and placed her on the conjured bed, covering her up and kissing her cheek and removing her leather pouch from her neck as he closed the door to the new room.

He looked into the pouch, noticing the neo natal and pepper up potions in her pouch. “Do we dare give her a potion Ron?”

“Let her sleep Harry. If she does not wake after a while, we’ll risk a Pepper Up potion. Snape would not have provided potions that would harm her. After all, she is his Bonded.”

“I agree Ron.” Harry replied, worry apparent in his voice. “We need to tell the group of our plans.”

They looked at each other in sudden realization. In that moment, they grew up.

Ron sighed as he looked to the sleeping form of Hermione and followed Harry to address his fellow students.

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Sara severed the head from the Minister’s body and picked it up by the hair as Bootstray and Slightly observed her.

She looked to them. “Things are going to rush forward now. Something happened on the Hogwart’s train. The Dark Lord called me to perform this duty now versus the date that he gave me. I noticed the blood spots in the snow and heard the wails of the students on the train. He is making his move now.”

Bootstray took a chance as he grabbed her hand with his gloved one. “Be well my love.” Noting that she did not pull away.

She looked to him for a moment not saying a word as she pressed her wand to her Mark and disappeared.

Slightly looked to his friend questioningly. He knew that Sara told him not to pursue his love for her.

Bootstary answered Slightly’s unspoken question. “Love heals a Dark Soul with time. I will remind her of my love at every opportunity that I am given. It is all I can do.”

Slightly looked to his best mate. “I hope at the end of all this, you will not be hurt. You know she plans to die.”

Bootstray smiled. “I am hoping that I can change her mind.”

Slightly looked to him and hoped that his mate’s desire came true.

They both apparated back to Prince Manor.

Sara appeared in front of her Dark Lord and immediately bowed before him.

Voldemort eyed the severed head and entered her mind, seeing the altered intense battle that she had with the Aurors and the torture and murder of the Minister.

“Thirty Aurors guarding the Minister and you accomplished this. I am impressed Sara.”

Sara looked to her Lord. “As you saw, most were lax. I did not have a challenge My Lord until the end.”

“Go Sara, to wherever you will spend the holiday. At the end of the holidays, you will most likely stay at Hogwarts. I have not decided yet.”

“Your will My Lord!” Sara reverently replied as she walked away from the Dark Lord.

Voldemort pressed his Mark, calling Severus. It was time to find out who were the true officers of the Order of the Phoenix.


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Harry addressed the group of twelve muggle-born students.

“We need to stay right here for a week. The plan is that the Death eaters will figure that we will follow the train tracks to King’s Cross. Then we will make our way to London without magic.”

Harry heard the gasps of shock.

Harry looked to them. “You are muggle-born. We lived without magic before, and we can do it again.”

Justin Finch-Fletchley pushed a young student in the dress of Slytherin. “And what do we do about this one?” Pushing the young snake forward. “I say we leave this one behind!”

“No!” The students heard as they noticed Hermione leaning on the door to her room, still draped in a blanket.

“Mr. Donaldson is the same as us. If you leave him to the elements, then I will leave.” Hermione walked to the young Slytherin and picked him up, glaring at the group.

The muggle- borns looked to her.

Seamus looked to her. “Are you sure Hermione?”

“Yes, I am certain. The decision to stay here is a sound one. One with Mr. Donaldson with us!” Hermione replied weakly.

“Harry, my pouch please.”

Harry handed it to her as she as she pulled out her books. “Of Age wizards and witches, you will read these books. You are the only ones that can cast spells as you are of age.” She replicated them and handed them to the seven of age wizards and witches.

“We can cast magic with no thought. The underage cannot. We will look after them.” Hermione looked to them.” Even Slytherin! Read the books!” She commanded.

They watched as Hermione went back to the room that she appeared from.

Harry looked thoughtfully to his fellow students. “Hermione is exhausted from the wards she had to place to protect us. I suggest you do as she says.”

Ron replicated the games that he found to keep the group preoccupied. “We will be here for a few days. Keep yourselves preoccupied.”

Harry and Ron entered Hermione’s room, noticing that she looked even worse.

Ron looked to her. “Setting the wards taxed you Hermione. Do you know how to transfer magic??”

Hermione was barely able to stay awake. “You grab the intended’s hand and focus Ron. Then the magic flows. “ She flopped back to her bed, unconscious.

Harry grabbed her hand and did as she instructed. He willed some of his magic to her and broke away, gasping. She was at a state to take all of his magic.

“Ron, do the same!” Harry commanded weakly as he fell to the floor.

Ron grabbed her hand, focusing some of his magic to her. He felt his magic flow to her and then stopped. He realized that Hermione must have taken more magic from Harry than him.

He looked to Hermione sleeping peacefully in her bed and to Harry on the floor unconscious. Dad always joined his mum, sleeping. He enlarged the bed and placed Harry upon it, wrapping his arms around the sleeping witch.

Ron pointed his wand and locked the door feeling exhausted. He slipped in on the other side of Hermione, wrapping his arms around her and immediately fell asleep. He hoped that their magic was enough as her Bonded was not available.

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Snape stood in his library at Spinner’s End and grabbed Draco’s hand and apparated to Muggle London. “Draco, you will kill today, many times or the Dark Lord will kill us both.”