Desperate Measures

Chapter 33 - Epilogue (aka Dusk to Dawn)

-1998-

Draco and Harry spent the remainder of the year at the Palace. Their days were spent caring for the babies, meeting relatives, alternately ignoring and planning for the war that was now in full swing, and determining what would be their duties to the Crown.

The Royal Ward-Master was sent to Draco and Harry's home to evaluate what needed to be done to ensure the new family's security while residing there. The man had returned and promptly closeted himself with the Royal Architect. The next morning Draco had found himself the official apprentice of both men, the recipient of quite a large salary, and politely and eagerly requested to teach his techniques to both his new master's people. Draco, dumbfounded, had simply nodded and gotten to work learning and teaching.

Harry continued to take lessons from his grandfather on all those things he would have been taught had he grown up in the Palace. He also spent a great deal of time with various family members, especially his great-grandfather with whom he had formed an almost instant rapport. Time was also set aside for refusing the numerous letters Albus Dumbledore sent begging Harry to return and with Gaius to plan the tracking nets they were going to erect. Most of his time, though, was spent possessively watching over his babies.

Gregory and Vincent spent their time with the Veela Royal Guard. While the Queen had been sympathetic towards the young men and the discharging of their vassal oaths, she refused to have any member of her family, and by default their mate, guarded by anybody less trained than the Royal Guard. Greg and Vin were ecstatic with the opportunity, if exhausted nearly every day.

Hermione threw herself completely into her new position and visited about once a month. She kept Harry up-to-date on the status of magical Britain and how many secrets her people had managed to hide. Hermione had also spoken to Gaius after the birth of the babies and arranged with him to take in the soon-to-be eleven-year-old muggle-borns found by her seers before they could receive their Hogwarts letters. It was quite the puzzle in Britain that year why there were no new muggle-born students coming to Hogwarts. Gaius and Hermione just smirked and made plans for future years.

Pansy and Neville married in August. The outcry was enormous. However, far from becoming outcast as she'd feared, Pansy found herself invited to more social engagements than ever before as the gossipers from both light and dark sides tried to ply her for information. She carried an emergency portkey with her everywhere, but attended as many events as she could. Pansy put her skills to good use and collected great amounts of information, which she faithfully passed on to Hermione for the Unspeakables, Gaius for the Malfoy family, and Draco for the Veela Queen. Neville was invited to a greater number of engagements as well, but had to decline most invitations as in September he started attending Andromeda's School of Plants in Greece. Pansy continued to remodel their manor and in December the couple announced that they were expecting their first child.

Voldemort's new General started the campaign against the muggles with a terrifying bang. On September 26 he supervised the flawless destruction of a sold-out concert in Wembley Stadium – over 80,000 people met their deaths that night. After that attack the General started widespread guerrilla attacks. Every month from October to December the General organized devastating raids in muggle Britain. Three unfortunate towns had had their fire and police stations razed, major access-ways destroyed, and hundreds of magical fires set all about town that started firestorms. Deaths from the three attacks totaled nearly 15,000 with another 45,000 displaced. The attacks were all extremely well organized and lasted no more than ten minutes start to finish and, as a result, the muggles, the Ministry, and Dumbledore's Order were unable to anticipate, mitigate, or stop any of the attacks. The only thing the wizards could do was assist in stopping the magical fires.