(Harry Potter Fanfiction) But Title Erased For Security Reasons

Chapter Seven

Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, Unknown Location

The Temporary Minister for Magic had just announced that the ban on magical creatures and half-breeds in official posts and public places would be lifted. That meant a sudden flooding of public transportation with vampires, banshees, werewolves, harpies and all sorts of creatures that frightened the wits of whichever unfortunate wizard happened to cross their way.

At this time of trouble, a new leader had emerged:

The author of volumes of bestselling books that dealt with magical creatures and the proud winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile-Award for five times in a row.

Gilderoy Lockhart.

Dumbledore wanted Lockhart in Hogwarts for some mysterious reason.

"Albus, I don't think Tom is going to appreciate-" McGonagall began, but the Headmaster silenced her. Tom Riddle was a powerful, dangerous wizard and it was better to take all the precautions necessary to prevent him from helping Voldemort. Besides, Gilderoy Lockhart had to be put back in place, and the world needed to see what a dark wizard Riddle was. It was like killing two birds with one stone.

"Albus, have you forgotten how that boy can be?" Flitwick asked, remembering Lockhart's school days.

"It is wartime, Filius. If anything, Lockhart is an internationally recognised champion against dark forces." Dumbledore said, and the rest did not speak about the matter further. Besides, there were more disturbing things to worry about, like the mass breakout from Azkaban.

The Ministry had assigned Dementors to prowl around in search of the fugitives. Inferi were spotted in lakes near Muggle residences and holiday destinations. The presence of werewolves on the streets didn't help much either. The Order often clashed with Voldemort's sympathisers and even more disturbing was the kidnap of Gellert Grindelwald from Nurmengard. There were rumours that Lord Voldemort was going to use Dementors to suck away the former Dark Lord's soul and turn him into a very powerful, very skilled puppet.

Half the members in the Order didn't like the fact that Snape, an ex-Death Eater, was allowed into the Order but Tom Riddle was not. Why was it that Albus Dumbledore, who could see the good in everyone and everything, so vehemently refused to see it in his Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor? Most of the members of the Order remembered the black-haired professor as a charming and wonderful teacher. True, his eternally youthful body was mysterious but he couldn't be a dark wizard. He just couldn't.

* * *

Vine Cottage, Little Hangleton

"What a load of rubbish!" Riddle slammed the Daily Prophet on the table furiously after seeing Skeeter's article. Like adding fuel to the flame, Skeeter seemed to have spun a story about 'Voldemort' being the alternate persona of a miserable Muggle-born low-salary Ministry worker with an inferiority complex, who had suffered under the regime the of pure-blood bigots in his school years, who was determined to lead them into a path of self-destruction for his petty revenge. Riddle was spitting fire, and had half a mind to go pay Ms Skeeter a visit, but Dolohov reminded him that, ironically, such an action itself would count as 'petty revenge'.

Riddle was in a very bad mood all day. He grumbled as he prepared his syllabi for the next term. He hadn't been receiving letters from Potter either, and he was itching to give out detentions. He would ask Draco the next time he 'formally' visited Malfoy Manor. Lucius seemed to be a good enough Minister and he knew he was going to pay the family a visit soon. But he kept worrying because even if Harry had been put in Slytherin, he had the fierceness of a Gryffindor. He was not the sort to break promises.