Return of the Stag :: Book One #wattys2016

Chapter 15 - The Ministry pt. 2

EDITED

Previously: Two spells then came flying at the trio. James grabbed Harry pulling him away and down to the ground out of harm's way, but Sirius wasn't fast enough. He was hit by one, the other soaring over his head and hitting the wall, causing the neatly tiled wall to explode. "NO!" Came two pained yells. Harry and James moved at an equal pace to approach the fallen man, friend and family alike. Remus, kept Harry from getting to close, seeing the pain the young teen could be going through. Harry fought Remus, yelling for Sirius, not being able to see his fallen godfather because his father was blocking his view. He stopped struggling for a minute looking around to see Bellatrix, smiling evilly before the female death eater turned and ran to the Atrium, yelling. "I KILLED SIRIUS BLACK! I KILLED SIRIUS BLACK!" she said until she screamed in pain falling when Harry cast Crucio on her.

James crouched down by Sirius' body, tears threatening to fall. "Come on Padfoot, don't be dead, don't be dead." He prayed silently. He felt for a pulse, eventually finding one and letting out a breath of relief. He turned to sit down and face Remus and Harry only to see that only his friend stood there, watching Harry's retreating figure running after Bellatrix. "He's still alive." He managed to get out quietly. Remus nodded, aiming his wand for Sirius and murmuring a single spell. "Evenerate." Remus sighed, pocketing his wand. "Harry ran after Bellatrix, thinking that Sirius was dead." He said as Sirius came to, coughing for air. "Sirius!" James said and pulled his friend into a hug, despite the groans of protest he got. "Easy now James, shouldn't you go after Harry," Remus said making his friend see sense and James immediately let go of Sirius getting up and running after Harry, Harry's friends following after him. Remus shook his head, offering a hand to Sirius to pull him up off the ground. "You alright there Pads?" He asked, getting a nod in reply. "Let's go after James." He said starting after the five teenagers who were following James.

Harry kept his wand trained on Bellatrix, as he came closer to her. "You've got to mean it, Harry. She killed him. She deserves it. You know the spell, Harry. Do it. So weak." Came Voldemort's voice. When Harry turned around, his wand was knocked out of his hand and he backed away, prepared to hide if needed, until, one of the fireplaces lit up green and none other than Albus Dumbledore stepped out. "It was foolish of you to come here tonight, Tom. The Aurors are on their way." Albus said, holding his wand at the ready. "By which time I shall be gone, and you...shall be dead," Voldemort said before he and Dumbledore started duelling. When Voldemort broke all the glass he could and used it to try and hurt or possibly injure his foes, but ended up failing he frowned, lowering his wand. He disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, mixing in with the newly formed sand. He overtook Harry's body, causing the boys to fall back to the ground in pain, gasping out in surprise and catching the old headmaster's attention. "You've lost, old man," Voldemort spoke through Harry, also causing Harry to relive some of his worst memories. "Harry," Dumbledore said quietly trying to reach out to the boy he knew was in there. "So weak...So vulnerable...Look at me." Harry was thrashing against Voldemort's control, letting out screams of pain, Dumbledore trying to help him break from it. "Harry, it isn't how you are alike. It's how you are not. Harry?" Dumbledore looked up from Harry when he heard footsteps. He saw James, Sirius and Remus, leading the other five teenagers out, obviously, all of them looking for Harry. When harry saw them, they brought back his memories of being with them. "You're the weak one...and you'll never know love or friendship. And I feel sorry for you." Harry said, finally forcing Voldemort out of his body. He was thrown onto his back, Voldemort's body particles bursting out of him and retaking their solid form. Voldemort leaned over Harry, wand still in hand. "You're a fool, Harry Potter. And you will lose everything." He said quietly before there was the sound of apperation and ministry workers started appearing out of the fireplaces. Fudge in the lead, froze when he saw the scene. "He's back." He said, lip trembling.

James was the first to break away from the group, dropping down next to Harry, and taking his son in his arms. Harry was unconscious. "Oh, Harry." He said, letting his tears fall this time. He felt two hands on his back, recognizing them as Sirius' and Remus'. He felt his friends pushing against him, as he held his son in his arms. Fudge was talking with dumbledore, but constantly casting glances at the trio around Harry. After a couple of minutes, Fudge approached the group. "Mr Black, we are very sorry for your stay in Azkaban, as you were put there without trial, and that is unfair and against our laws. We give you pardon and will grant you one wish that is within our capabilities." He said with a nod to Sirius. "Don't send people to Azkaban without a trial. No one deserves what I got, and what my Godson got because of it." He said placing a hand on Harry's head. James smiled, his tears still falling. "And is it true that you, James Potter, came back from the dead?" He asked. James nodded. "Came back October 31st. Been staying with Sirius cause I don't have anywhere else to go, besides my parents' old place." He said. Fudge nodded before retreating over to the other Ministry Workers. "James, take Harry to Potter Manor. It's a safer place than Grimmauld to have him. Take his friends and see if the house-elves can help patch them up." Dumbledore said. James nodded, lifting Harry off the sand-covered Ministry floor and started for one of the fireplaces. Sirius and Remus following him. Remus motions for the other five to follow. He took Ron and Ginny, Sirius took Luna and Neville while James took Harry and Hermione back to Potter Manor.