Albus Dumbledore sat on his 'throne' as his new depute led the severely reduced line of first years into the Hogwarts great hall heading towards the sorting hat, the headmaster had no idea what the hat's greeting was this year as it required all his considerable concentration and experience to hold his temper from exploding. The trouble was that in whatever direction he glanced there were images to make his blood boil. If he looked to his left there was his new defence professor, dressed in robes that were outlandish even by Dumbledore's standards and already pissing off anyone who had to sit near the boastful bore.
The view in front of him was of the Hogwarts great hall containing less than half the students he would normally expect to be there on the first of September while to his right was the woman who had heaped fuel onto the fire that was the raging debate of whether Hogwarts was safe. He didn't know how they found out but the press had jumped all over the fact that his new head of Gryffindor was sending two of her children elsewhere to be taught, totally ignoring the fact that she still had three children at Hogwarts including the Head Boy.
For any parents swithering on their decision the fact that a Hogwarts head of House would let her children go abroad was the final nudge needed towards them making the same choice, even looking towards the ceiling brought no relief as it mirrored the storm that was brewing outside and also matching the mood in the hall perfectly.
Albus knew this was going to be a difficult year but mistakenly thought this was the low point, it wouldn't take too long for him to realise just how wrong he was.
-oOoOo-
Hermione was sitting between her husband's legs with her back leaning on his chest as Harry's arms encircled her while together they watched the sunset over New York harbour. It was the first of September and their thoughts had been drifting elsewhere all day.
"Have you any regrets love?" Hermione asked.
Harry looked deep in thought for a moment before answering, "The only things I'll miss about Hogwarts will be the Gryffindor Quidittch team, Hagrid and Neville. According to our latest information from Cissi the whole team has moved to France while Neville's gran is having him home schooled. That only leaves Hagrid and compared to what we have here even his size doesn't come close to tipping the scales in Hogwarts favour."
It was a mischievous Hermione who asked, "Were you taking into account the fact that Draco's staying with us now."
He kissed the top of her head, "I think our guest has had his eyes well and truly opened in the last few weeks."
Hermione was chuckling now, "I don't know about opened but his eyes just might end up square shaped if he watches any more of your 'Thundercats' tapes, he spends hours in his room with his eyes glued to the screen."
Harry held her tighter, "Believe it or not I know exactly where Draco is coming from, he's having to adjust to everything he'd been told up until now being considered as wrong. I sometimes wonder how things might have turned out had I shook his hand on the Hogwarts express a year ago, I could have been sorted into Slytherin and ended up just like him."
It was Hermione's turn to be deep in thought as she recalled the changes Minerva's visit had bestowed on her family's lives, "I have to believe you would still have raced after me into that bathroom but can't make my mind up whether Draco would have came with you."
"We have to give him time to settle into his new world, Draco Black will need to be a different person from Draco Malfoy or the oath he took could have serious consequences."
"I think he enjoyed the lessons today though not quite up to joining us in the gym every morning, I don't know if he's ready to see Nym in her exercise clothes yet."
Harry was glad Hermione couldn't see him blushing, Nym's exercise outfits and her teasing left him red faced each morning. Any time he tried to tease her back it was as if he just dug himself a deeper hole to sink into and of course his wife thought it was bloody hilarious. Just when Harry thought he was getting the hang of this teasing business the experience would be taken to a whole new level and he was left floundering once more, it was always in fun though and Nym's comment of 'that's what happens when you're the youngest in the family' had him smiling for days.
They'd met and instantly liked the instructors Griphook had arranged for them and, with the exception of Minerva they were all American. This would enable them to portkey in one day a week and the charms on their home would prevent any of the professors from remembering where it was.
"I think the idea of having one professor per day is really going to work, we can always pick up on other subjects later on but dropping herbology, astronomy and history leaves us free to concentrate on transfiguration, potions, charms, and defence with the addition of runes and arithmancy being taught by the same professor. After living here even Draco should be able to pass muggle studies giving us seven core subjects."
Hermione couldn't hide the excitement she got from learning new things, "This means we should be able to sit our exams earlier, we have Nym and Minerva to help us with anything we struggle at plus our own library. Draco is quite capable of keeping up with us so we should be able to tear through the courses, do you think Minerva would help us become animagi?"
Harry had to smile at how well he already knew Hermione, "I have asked her and she said our magic had to stabilise first but our bond should speed that process up. She's going to teach us meditation techniques that will help when we're old enough to begin training; apparently Nym can't because she's a metamorphous and the two are incompatible."
Hermione then asked the question that had been on all of their minds, "What do you thinks going to happen in Hogwarts?"
"I hope nothing," said Harry with a passion that belied his years, "I hope we're wrong and the press slaughter me for scaremongering or worse, I don't care about the gold it's costing. If we're right then there are students at Hogwarts who are going to get hurt. We don't much like Ron now but I still wouldn't wish any harm to him."
With that said both Potters headed off to bed, tomorrow would be another hard but satisfying day and they were now getting up at six to use the gym before breakfast.
-oOoOo-
The two red heads were thinking this must be some kind of record, even for them. They were shown into the Headmistress's office and they hadn't even attended a class yet, for about the first time they could remember both could truthfully claim they'd done nothing wrong.
The headmistress entered and both boys were sure Hagrid would be head over heels in love at first sight of this woman, she was, if anything taller than the Hogwarts keeper of the keys. She was dressed in a yellow robe and had accessorised with a bright yellow feather boa that must have required a full flock of birds for its construction. Her eyes held both twins in a gaze that would have them confessing any misdemeanours they'd pulled within seconds, they would have to seriously cut down on the pranking as Snape would have killed for a glower like hers.
Amazingly enough her voice was sweet and light but there was no mistaking the steel in her words, which, though in accented English was easily understandable and a lot better than their French.
"Ah gentlemen, please be aware your infamy precedes your arrival at my school. I will be totally honest with you both and say that behaviour, which may have been overlooked in Hogwarts, will not be tolerated here. Beauxbatons is running very near its full capacity of students and I won't stand for any disruptions due to childish pranks, any trouble and you'll both be shipped off to your mother at Hogwarts. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"
"Crystal Ma'am," they answered together.
"Good because I would hate for there to be any misunderstandings here, this is an education establishment and not a test market for pranks 'R' us!"
Both wizards left her office wearing expressions akin to religious fervour.
"What a brilliant idea!"
"Yea, don't like that name though, couldn't see that ever catching on."
"What about 'Weasley Wizard Wheezes', kind of catchy don't you think?"
"Oh yes but I think we should name our first product in honour of Madam Maxime, what was your impression the first time you saw her?"
George didn't hesitate, "Big bird, big yellow bird."
"Right," said Fred, "our first product will be something that transforms the victim into a big yellow bird."
George could immediately see a problem, "Do we really want to pull a prank on someone that makes them bigger than us?"
"Good thinking, so small yellow bird."
"A Canary?"
"And we can call them…"
Together the twins announced their first product to an unsuspecting world, "Canary Creams!"
A jubilant George proclaimed, "Zonko's won't know what hit them."
Fred was always the more ambitious one though, "The world won't know what hit it."
-oOoOo-
Cissi knew the approach was coming; she was just surprised they hadn't waited a week or so.
Edmund Parkinson sat beside her in the Wizengamot restaurant, "Madam Black, we were sorry to hear of your husband's demise and offer our condolences. However you are now a very powerful player in the Wizengamot and we would like to ascertain where your sympathies lie."
The blond Black's alarm bells were immediately ringing; this was too crude, too direct meaning she was dealing with amateurs or people so powerful they didn't need to bother with social niceties.
"Member Parkinson I accept your condolences in the spirit they were offered, as to my sympathies, since I'm voting by proxy they hardly matter. My Lord Potter-Black makes the decisions that affect my family."
"As was demonstrated by your husband, situations can change incredibly quickly." Edmond didn't say any more as Amelia Bones had joined them at the table but couldn't resist a parting remark, "Big changes are coming and I would hate to see you on the wrong side of them."
Amelia watched him walk away before speaking to Cissi, "Sorry for interrupting there but that looked pretty intense."
"It was," replied a thoughtful Cissi as she tried to evaluate the level of threat she'd just been delivered and didn't like her conclusions.
Amelia was pondering over his parting remark, "These people talk of change but the only changes they crave are one's that solidify their grip on the power they wield, any changes they are in favour of would not benefit the witches and wizards of Britain. Have you decided your position on this issue?"
Cissi nodded, "My son and I made our positions quite clear when we became Blacks and swore allegiance to our Lord, you must be aware of his position on these matters."
Amelia knew it was cards on the table time, "I know and completely agree with his position, our world stands at a crossroads and unless the correct path is chosen the magical population of Britain could find itself confined to the dark ages. I would like the opportunity to guide us down what we see as the correct path and offer an alliance between our houses with the aim of achieving this common goal. I have fought the good fight my entire adult life and cannot, no will not change my direction now."
Cissi again had a lot to chew over, Bones had just declared herself a player who opposed the darkness and wished an alliance with Harry, from her knowledge of the woman she was positive this was genuine and would be recommending the family accepted the offer.
"Thank you for such honesty and trust Amelia, I will of course pass this directly to Lord Potter-Black, we expected trouble from a selection of purebloods but apparently they have a timetable shorter than anything we had considered. Edmund's confidence is very worrying; it's almost as if their plans are all in place and just waiting for the right moment."
Amelia could see the woman was worried and trusted her assessment of the situation, "We're going to have to watch our backs and take care of our loved ones, can we change the subject for a moment?"
-oOoOo-
A CAT! a frigging cat, they did this to him over a cat.
Albus Dumbledore sat with only Fawkes and a rapidly diminishing bottle of firewhisky for company, the more he drank the sorrier he felt for himself and the more irate the beautiful phoenix became.
Albus was drowning in a firewhisky fuelled self-pity party as he could see his epitaph now, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin, First Class, and Grand Sorcerer; Headmaster of Hogwarts; Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards; Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot; Conqueror of the dark wizard Grindelwald and discoverer of the 12 uses for dragon blood – SACKED because of a mangy moggie that was found petrified in a corridor.
After some more firewhisky he had to admit that Snape had played his part brilliantly, the governors had met the same night and he was unceremoniously given his marching orders and booted out the castle leaving the former death eater in charge.
Fawkes had quite enough of this; he knocked the remains of the firewhisky over onto the table before setting it aflame. Albus found himself jumping back and landing on the floor with a singed beard but his phoenix wasn't finished with him yet, perched on his chest the majestic bird began to fiercely screech at the prostrate wizard.
To Albus this was more potent than the strongest sobering charm and seemed not only to clear his head of the alcohol befuddlement but put everything else into perspective as well.
"Oh Fawkes, what have I done? The writing on the wall said 'beware' and they arrested Hagrid yet I'm lying here feeling sorry for myself. Those children are in terrible danger and my friend's in Azkaban but all I could think off was my damaged reputation." Albus Dumbledore cried like a baby while Fawkes sang a comforting song from his perch, his wizard was back on the path he'd been slowly but surely straying from.
-oOoOo-
The news from Hogwarts was not well received in New York; two people who would die to protect Hogwarts students had been removed from the castle leaving Snape in control.
"I don't know what else I could have done," Harry was sick with the thought of his friend in Azkaban, just confining Hagrid in an enclosed space would be bad enough without adding the dementors.
It was Amelia who spoke, "You got more than half the students out of Hogwarts and safe, that's more than my entire department could achieve. Fudge ordered Hagrid's arrest because he was apparently expelled the last time this happened and the incidents stopped. No investigation, no trial just directly to prison because the minister said so, our government is not supposed to work that way but my hands are again tied. It will appear in the Prophet tomorrow that Hagrid is a half giant so no tears will be shed or questions asked, it's Sirius all over again."
Hermione filled in the blanks for her parents and Harry, "Giants are considered dangerous, homicidal beasts, revealing that fact strips away all his support and rights."
Dan wasn't sure if Harry was going to explode with anger or cry, he'd heard them talking often about their large friend who had given Harry his two most precious gifts, Hedwig and his photo album. "So let me see if I've got this right, they won't take the threat to Hogwarts seriously because the warning came from an elf, when it looks to be coming true they arrest a man with no evidence to support it and, based purely on who one of his parents was they can get away with it?"
Minerva was nodding in agreement, "Not only that but they throw the most powerful wizard in the country out the castle and leave it to the tender mercies of that Slytherin, I shouldn't have left!"
Hermione tried to comfort the woman, "You're more than needed here, where does this leave us in Britain Cissi?"
"I think these incidents are going to be used to re-align the government even more towards pureblood philosophy, Fudge may not know it but he has staked his career to Hagrid being the bad guy with the attacks now stopping. We all know Hagrid's innocent so Fudge will be lucky if he's still minister by Halloween and I can't see any chance of him lasting until Christmas. I think they'll also move to get rid of Amelia here, I hope by sacking rather than an accident but they won't want her around asking questions or stirring up trouble."
Amelia had quickly come to respect the fact that this was no dumb blond, that title was reserved for her former husband. She was now certain who had the business head in that family and had to agree with her assessment that she would be next on the list behind Fudge, "Depending on how discussions proceed later I may just jump before I'm pushed, I could do more good with my reputation still intact."
Hermione agreed, "I think Griphook needs to speed up our withdrawal and I'd like to contact the Longbottom's to offer them at the very least another option. There's no way that we can help anyone at Hogwarts since the best minds in the wizarding world couldn't figure out what was doing the attacking far less where it's hiding."
Harry also added, "I think it's time for Cissi to get out to, what about the Tonks – do we need to get them out as well?"
Cissi conceded, "I'll talk to the Longbottom's then have a chat with Andi and Ted, I agree with Amelia that things could go bad very quickly and I don't really want to be around when it does."
Emma was quick to jump in, "We have plenty of space here and they're all welcome."
Hermione was trying not to get annoyed at her mother offering their home to everyone while Harry was delighted that she thought of the place as home enough to make the offer.
Harry and Hermione walked into there second meeting just as unsure of the situation as their first, Nym was there in her big sis role she revelled in so Harry got straight to the point.
"Draco, Susan you both know our backgrounds and I'm totally out of my depth here. I don't want to knock your customs but as head of Draco's house I won't let this betrothal proceed unless you both want this. I know this might be awkward for you but better that than married to someone you don't want to be with."
Draco answered quickly, "Thanks Harry, when my father made arrangements with the Parkinson's I was still a child so I really appreciate being consulted this time. Unlike Pansy, Susan is a beautiful, bright, bubbly girl who I would be delighted to get to know better."
It was a blushing Susan who replied, "I'm also glad of this opportunity to give my opinion, had it been Draco Malfoy I would have been using this chance to say no but I think I like Draco Black and definitely want to get to know him better."
It was a now much relieved Harry who had an easy decision to make, "Ok guys, as long as this is what you want I will give it my blessing as Lord Potter-Black."
Susan hesitated a second before asking a question, "Harry, could I ask a big favour, I understand from my aunt that you want me to come here for school and I think that would be great but could we include Hannah? She's been my best friend like forever and we do everything together."
Draco's eyes glazed over before a smack on the back of his head from big sis Nym set him right, "Mind, gutter, out!"
The laughter at Draco's predicament and the fact he accepted the ribbing with good grace cemented Susan's decision, next to Harry Draco had been the best looking guy in Hogwarts but with the worse personality. Having spent some time chatting, the change to him was a revelation, especially his attitude to all things muggle and if Hannah came here it would be perfect.
"Ok Susan, I'll talk to your aunt about getting permission from her parents to come here," the former puffs reaction told the Potters that they'd made the right decision, whether Draco and Susan would come to anything was entirely up to them as there would be no forced marriages in any house they were head of.
Amelia promised to talk to Hannah's parents and thanked them for even considering it; Harry asked the question he was terrified of the answer to.
"Can we do anything to help Hagrid or would we just be drawing attention to him, I can't help wondering if I hadn't intervened would Sirius still be alive?"
Amelia could see the cracks where the boy was desperately trying to become a man and once again had her decision to align her house with this wizard confirmed, there were people in Britain who had known Hagrid for years not as concerned about him as Harry. "Sirius was a high profile prisoner who could have brought careers grinding to a halt if he'd been found innocent, Hagrid is a simple soul who will be so glad of being released he would probably disappear into the forest and never mention it again. When Fudge goes they might just release him but if they know we're behind any movement to make this happen I think we would be lessening his chances"
Harry lay in bed holding Hermione; this was the best part of the day though waking up beside her ran it pretty close. Here he could be just Harry, the luckiest person in the world because he had Hermione in his arms.
She kissed him, "What's up love, worried about Hagrid?"
He held her tighter, "I desperately want to help him but the best thing I can do for him might be nothing and I hate that."
She could only hold her husband and hope this turned out alright, Hagrid was one of the most important adults in his life and she was worried what his reaction would be if anything happened to their friend at the hands of the ministry. "We both know Hagrid would never have left Hogwarts while Dumbledore was there, when he gets out we can make sure he's ok and give him a job looking after Potter manor."
The fell asleep wrapped in each others arms.
-oOoOo-
Albus had a glass of firewhisky in his hand for the first time in almost five years but this was a special occasion, Harry Potter turned seventeen today.
Gazing into the amber liquid the old wizard asked himself for at least the millionth time if he made the right decision telling Harry of his destiny that day in the Hogwarts infirmary, things had been going bad before that but seemed to accelerate out of all control from that day on.
He let his thoughts wander backwards as he seemed to do more and more these days; the attack at the castle when it came was swift and deadly leaving four students dead in a corridor. The school was closed and the evacuation began immediately, it was only then that they noticed the youngest Weasley was missing. Molly was hysterical and they had to physically drag her out of the castle. The elves, ghosts, portraits and teams of aurors searched the castle from top to bottom but her body was never found as Hogwarts now lay empty and abandoned.
The ministry's reaction was swift and predictable; Fudge was sacked being replaced with Dolores Umbridge. Amelia had resigned the week before citing 'irreparable differences' with the direction the ministry was taking. She proved to be more of a seer than Sibyll as just about everyone with a light connection lost their jobs, the only exceptions being Arthur and Amos who'd just lost children at Hogwarts so were spared for now.
Then the incident that changed everything for Albus, now that it was blatantly obvious that Hagrid had nothing to do with the attacks he began lobbying to get him released. The Prophet headline announcing Rubeus Hagrid had been killed while trying to escape from Azkaban nearly saw Albus sent there as his temper exploded in the ministry building, leading to his vault being confiscated to replace the statues and fountain he destroyed. The idea that Hagrid could sneak along a corridor was a sick joke that Albus didn't find funny in the least, the bastards had got away with murdering Sirius so couldn't see any reason why a half giant should be any different.
The laws soon started changing to favour the purebloods even more than they already did and an exodus began from people of mixed blood and muggle borns that the ministry appeared to be encouraging but all that came to an abrupt and sudden end then the killings began.
It started with the Creevey family, muggles who had three magical children but found themselves the first casualties of the new war and supplied Albus with his new calling. His underground railway helped witches and wizards escape the persecution in Britain being very successful in the beginning but the ministry got more and more vicious.
He had his suspicions that the ministry was now being run by someone else and after all the death eaters were released from Azkaban and quietly given jobs in the ministry he was pretty sure, Voldemort had returned and was running Britain from the background while Albus found himself declared an outlaw for working against the ministry. He was in good company as Harry already had that title though so far he appeared to be the only one who was at least one step ahead of the ministry.
Very early on they tried a smear campaign in the Prophet only to have it backfire spectacularly; their claim that Harry didn't give them enough information and was then somehow responsible for the attacks at Hogwarts was a lie too far. There were parents the length and breadth of the country thanking Harry Potter that their children hadn't been in Hogwarts at the time and weren't prepared to have their families saviour slandered like that; the aurors had to be called to protect the newspaper offices.
They then tried to confiscate the former Malfoy manor to replace Hogwarts only to discover that all his properties were protected by the fidelius charm, apparently Snape was fit to be tied as he fancied ruling the roost at the manor as headmaster of the new school.
A school had indeed been opened but was now more about teaching the purebloods their place in society and demonstrating to the rest what there's now was rather than any academic pursuits. Tales of purebloods leading the muggle borns around by means of a collar and lead were only the beginnings of deeds performed in the name of education. Harry's foresight had already got most of them safely out of the country as their parents clamoured to flee Britain and join them, needless to say Severus Snape was the only former Hogwarts professor working there.
Laws were then passed making it illegal for anyone other than a pureblood to be educated abroad and giving financial assistance to aid this branded you an outlaw.
They got an even bigger shock though when they finally gained access to the outlaw Potter-Black's vaults only to find them empty, Harry had already moved every Knut he owned out the country. The ministry was left looking like idiots again and whoever was giving the boy advice really knew their stuff. The real shock was when they tried for his family and friends to find them gone as well with even the Longbottoms being spirited out of St Mungo's, that had impressed the hell out of Albus and he figured the Dursleys would be safe as even he didn't know where Vernon's sister lived or whether they'd bought a new house since.
Harry had continued to help as people who Albus was trying to get out the country would suddenly find funds appearing in their muggle bank account or vault as whispers began to emerge of a new group calling themselves 'liberty' who'd begun fighting back.
Albus had finally made contact with them just over a year ago outside a small 'camp' though the memory brought a rye chuckle from the old wizard's throat.
Flashback
Albus watched from the undergrowth as the scene before him played out like something from the worst days of the Roman Empire, purebloods were gods who had the power of life and death over the chattel. Chattel being anyone else not of pureblood and in front of him was a conditioning camp, they were expected to be demure and obey their betters every whim and here they were taught the consequences of not carrying out that task.
He was waiting for darkness to fall in the hope of being able to rescue a couple of these prisoners, Albus was in all practicality working with his hands tied behind his back because the magical net that covered the country had been perverted to suit the ministry's new requirements. Accidental underage magic use could now see you and your whole family end up in a place like this if you didn't have the right bloodlines, it had also been specifically set to look for his magical signature so casting a single spell would have him up to his arse in ministry death eaters within seconds.
It was then he felt the wand point press into the back of his neck and only his recognition of the voice that whispered to him kept Albus still.
"You're getting a bit too old for this shit Albus, stay there and let the youngsters show you how it's done."
So he did and what he saw was a revelation, they moved like black ghosts as they swiftly and silently eased their way through the camp. Not a sound was made and no prisoners taken with the camp being overrun in minutes as they started to move the prisoners to a central area for transportation out of here, not one spell had been cast so the magical net was blissfully unaware that a ministry camp had just been wiped out.
"I would suggest you make yourself scarce old man, when we portkey these people out of here the magical detectors in the ministry are going to light up like a Christmas tree and this area would become extremely unhealthy to anyone with the last name Dumbledore."
He turned around to look into the eye of Amelia Bones, the scar tissue and eye patch told of a violent end to her monocle wearing days.
"Yes Albus, that's why I leave this to the younger generation and work in planning and observing now, seems we both picked the same spot to observe the action from. There's always a place in our organisation for a warrior of the light?"
"I'm flattered Amelia but prefer to work alone now, that way if I make a mistake it's only my life on the line. At one time I would have baulked at the methods used here tonight but that wizard died with my friend Hagrid, they want to turn the clock back centuries then so be it. You live by the sword then you die by the sword or whatever your people were using down there."
Albus heard a slight buzz and watched as Amelia removed a device from her pocket, then a voice sent the old wizards brain into hyperdrive, "Auntie, are you ok?"
"Sorry for alarming you love but just chatting to a very old friend here, code green so don't worry. Am ready to go when you are."
"Right, beginning countdown now!"
Albus felt a wave of hope pass through him that had the old wizard feeling better than he had in years, "Tell Harry he's back."
Amelia just nodded, "We know Albus and we're working on it now get the hell out of here."
As she and everyone else disappeared by portkey it was a rejuvenated Albus Dumbledore who took the good advice he'd been given and got his arse well away from there.
End of Flasback
It was only later that he recalled the insignia on her robes, a hand carrying a flaming torch but with a phoenix emerging from the flames. The significance was not lost on the old wizard, their country was going to have to burn away the darkness for them to emerge stronger into the light.
Half a century ago Albus had fought a war and, like any civilized person never wanted to repeat the experience again. He now realised they were wrong and hadn't dealt with the conditions that created a dark lord therefore promptly found themselves facing another, even if his original, somewhat naïve plan for Harry to defeat Voldemort had succeeded the conditions would still have been ripe for the next one to come along.
He also wasn't forgetting that the purebloods had gained total control of the government before Voldemort even appeared this time and that they were the bastards who murdered Hagrid and Sirius, with his supporters already in control of the ministry he could just walk right in and take over without anyone being the wiser.
Albus took another sip of his drink and the warm feeling that passed through his body was not entirely induced by the firewhisky, that Harry Potter was putting together a force to liberate Britain was a thought powerful enough to warm his old bones on even the coldest of nights.
He held up his glass in salute and said "Happy Birthday Harry" before draining the contents and smashing the glass into the fireplace, his next drink would be in a free Britain.
-oOoOo-
Edmund Parkinson hated entering the throne room because you were never sure which dark lord you were going to be faced with, the young man who considered everything carefully or the red eyed lunatic who was more likely to have you leaving the room carrying your bollocks in your hand, the voice bade him enter and his spirits immediately rose at the blue eyes which greeted his presence.
He knelt and gave his news, "My Lord, we have word of Potter. A booking has been made for a surprise birthday party in a muggle establishment to celebrate his coming of age." Edmund would never admit that it was entirely down to luck his daughter had discovered this from reading someone else's mail.
"Well people should get what they wish for on their birthday so if he wants a surprise then that is what he'll get." Voldemort's eyes suddenly had a decidedly red tinge to them as his hansom face contorted with rage, "Send a squad, kill everyone there but bring me back Potter. Damaged is permissible but he better be breathing or else you wont be."
"Understood my Lord," replied the death eater as he backed out the door, hoping against hope to escape without being tortured.