The Leader

Chapter 77

"What the hell is that sound?" Severus asked, wincing in agony of the loudness of it against his very sensitive hearing. He could hear pins dropping, hay shuffling, drops of water miles away. He'd created a better version of his 'Muffliato' spell, to cease the infernal rackets he had to put up with. However, whatever this sound was, seemed to circumvent his spell, which was quite annoying, he'd worked hard on it and thought it to be foolproof.

The caterwauling ceased abruptly, with a flick of Harry's finger.

"The Floo network is closed, it's a way for my people to get in touch with me in the event of an emergency." Harry explained, already beginning to dress, the sound had definitely put them both of any further activity. Added to the fact, they were extremely curious about what could have happened that it was construed an emergency.

"Perhaps a result of your radio interview?" Severus mused, "I wouldn't put it past HIM to attack a town in seething fury over everything you dredged up."

Lord Voldemort had gone to immense lengths to hide who he was born as. Unfortunately, there was one person in the world that had known his true name. Not that Dumbledore had shared it, naturally, and Harry had used that titbit to his full advantage. He'd revealed absolutely everything on the radio. Damning the old fool to a banished existence. Nobody would want to associate with him now, to do so would be social suicide. Anyone that still did would be condemned right alongside him. What he'd done to Harry wouldn't be forgiven.

Harry was too beloved by the people.

Dumbledore had ensured that, and brought about his own downfall, there was a glorious feel to it.

Sometimes he got the feeling that Harry was ten steps ahead of everyone else.

"Wouldn't surprise me," Harry confessed, grimacing a little, innocents would always be caught in the crossfire, there was nothing he could do about it. It really sucked, but it wouldn't be for nothing. If that is what had happened, they wouldn't know until they got there. Hmm, he knew Dumbledore would likely attempt to throw him under the bus for the attack.

Shaking off his thoughts, he grasped Severus wrist, waiting for his nod before he apparated them both to the warehouse.

Nearly everyone was present.

All milling around, the second he appeared though, conversations begun to wane as they watched and listened curiously.

"What's happened?" Harry asked, terse and alert, ready to leap into action at any given moment.

"You're not going to believe this," Rick said, walking through the group, into the middle, as second in command, Shade had brought this information to him immediately then he'd attempted to get to Harry.

"Speak," Harry stated, truly expecting the worst.

"A group of wizards and witches broke into Hogwarts and tore Dumbledore to pieces,"

"What?!" Severus and Harry spoke utterly in sync, even their expressions were almost identical.

Out of all things they'd expected, this was nowhere on the list.

"Ronald Weasley is in critical condition, he tried to…ah, intervene," Rick added, knowing he'd likely have to say it two or three times before the end of the night.

"That I believe," Severus said dryly, the moron didn't have a single bloody sense of self-preservation, how someone so utterly asinine could be absolutely brilliant at chess (a genuine really) truly baffled Severus to the core. He suspects it was pure and utter laziness, but who knows, not even he had ever attempted to read Ronald Weasley's mind. The very idea was repugnant, the slow witless worm. "And Granger? I mean his wife?" they were never far from each other; she'd never abandon her precious Dumbledore.

"How accurate could this be?" Harry asked Rick a frown on his face, it was just so ludicrously…unbelievable really. Dumbledore overcome by a group of wizards and witches whilst in Hogwarts? Managing to rip him to pieces?

"As accurate as anything can be." Rick confessed, inelegantly shrugging his shoulders.

"Severus?" Harry questioned, seeking Severus' thoughts on the matter, a glimmer of disbelief still gleaming in his gaze.

"I can see something like that happening," Severus confessed, "Dumbledore made sure to build up your reputation for a decade before you entered Hogwarts. Even then when you were in the school you were safe from the rest of the magical community but no less beloved for it. To know they've been deceived, I can see a group attacking the old fool. He would never have expected something like this to happen, he was likely unprepared for it. He usually uses his phoenix in the event of an emergency."

"If he could talk to call him forth." Rick added, "Anyone worth their salt would likely shut him up before he could do anything."

"And claim his wand."

"That too," Harry added, "Hmm."

Everyone watched and waited, whispering their own thoughts on what could have happened.

"Then there is the fact he may have set this up, he's aware that his reputation was going to be completely obliterated now." Harry pointed out grimly. "He may have chosen to allow himself to be 'killed' while he works underground. The only possibility of his reputation being restored even remotely would be if he killed Voldemort. Or made it seem like he did."

"He's very intelligent, and it could be something he would do. He might be a proud Gryffindor but he's Slytherin through and through and knows best how to survive no matter what situation." Severus answered, grimacing, "Either situation is a very high possibility."

"Do you stay in Polyjuice potioned form when you die?" one of the female werewolves asked, Severus couldn't recall her name, she wasn't part of Fenrir's pack if he remembered well.

"No," came Severus immediate reply, "The moment you die, you begin to transform back to your original form."

"How is that possible? I mean if you can remain as you are how does the Polyjuice not react the same way?" came the befuddled response to Severus' statement, they weren't doubting him, not at all, but it was odd to think two different potions could be so vastly different. Harry had been aged up as his heart stopped through vampire venom. Rick spoke lowly, but it was likely heard by a lot of people who didn't know the full process of the way Harry had been turned, and that's the way it would remain.

"Very painfully," Harry grunted, shaking his head, having no desire to remember those painful memories, not that they were ever at the forefront of his mind. Luckily, he'd been 'human' at those times, so they were pretty murky but pain has a way of leaving an imprint behind. "I won't act or react until we know more, definitive news."

Rick nodded, not really surprised by Harry's assertation, but he had known it was information that he'd want to know immediately regardless of whether any action was taken. Still, if this was real, he couldn't believe it.

"Are they still within Hogwarts? Have they taken the school hostage?" Severus enquired; he could imagine the damage a group of grown adult wizards in a rage could do. Luckily the students should be safe, Weasley was likely only attacked for his interference.

"The Aurors were called, they're investigating it as we speak," Rick informed him, folding his arms he leaned against the building, utterly pensive.

"Wyatt?" Harry called out, knowing most of his people were here, with the exception of those who were on rounds or doing specific duties for him.

"What do you need me to do?" Wyatt asked, as he stepped forward, the half-vampire ready to do whatever was needed.

"Try and get information, don't risk your position, not this close to the finish line." Harry warned.

"If this is real or not, the Ministry will be in an uproar, if anyone wished to get in and out, it would be during turbulent times, such as these." Severus pointed out, terse and alert. "They've heavily relied upon Dumbledore on one hand, while taking credit with the other. Or at the very least attempting to." Giving his own opinion.

"True," Rick nodded, completely agreeing with Severus.

"What will it mean for our plans going forward?" Wyatt asked, brow furrowed. "Nobody here thinks for a second you didn't have plans for the lemon drop eating fucker." Giving Harry a look, wondering whether he was to go or not or if they were coming up with an alternative plan of action instead.

Fenrir scoffed, "I could think of something far worse to call him," even if he was trying to not swear all the time with new little ones in the pack. He was trying to be a good leader, someone they'd look up to, he was mostly failing, he swore worse than a damn sailor but he tried it had be worth something. They were luckily not here right now, they were sleeping as they were meant to be, in the cabin.

Harry laughed, "I'll bet you could." He'd heard Fenrir curse up a storm after stepping on a rather sharp stone some weeks ago.

"Until I can ascertain the veracity of the truth regarding Dumbledore, no plans will be made." He decided, Wyatt nodded his understanding, and stood down.

"How do you think HE will react to the news when it reaches him?" Rick questioned Severus and Fenrir who knew Voldemort best.

Harry hummed, agreeing with the question, as he turned his sight on his partner, in more ways than one.

Severus' brows furrowed as he thought on the question, his mind mulling over various different scenarios'. Discarding the utterly improbable ones, mulling over the possible ones until he was down to just a few possible ways. "When the Dark Lord celebrates, it's usually celebrated with immense violence. With Dumbledore gone…or believed to be…it's possible he might attempt to try and take the Ministry and Hogwarts, but his forces are seriously depleted, I'm not sure if he'd even considered such actions let alone decide to do so. it just depends on his forces and how desperate he is."

Harry cocked his head to the side, in silent agreement, "It's something I would likely consider," he confessed ruefully, not really caring that it made him similar to Voldemort. They already were in so many different ways that it would be concerning if he gave a shit.

"Then why not do it? Beat him to the punch?" Rick suggested, a bloodthirsty look on his face. "We have people in nearly every single department in the Ministry now, even the Unspeakables. We don't even need to kill many, just a few department heads and the Minister…the public will be eager for someone to lead them, they won't question it too closely."

"It's not like we're not ready to go at a moment's notice." Fenrir pointed out, and he knew they were ready, raring to go wanting creature domination over humans, well, truth was they just wanted equal rights, but if they had to scare the shit out of them to get better rights for themselves then so be it. He was fucking delighted that he was part of something like this, something that would make the world a better place for his kid, the kids to be in. Where they wouldn't be hunted down just for being a wolf, not by the law at least. He didn't delude himself that there wouldn't be people out there still prejudice, but it wouldn't be the them against the world, it would be the world against them. Once they won, they were going to be the top of the predator food chain, equal to vampires, and other creatures. It would be difficult, very difficult, not to lord it over the fuckers, but he would do his best not to. He knew the beginning would be the most difficult.

Harry truly was the way forward, the entire magical world loved him, they didn't care what he was. It was a very special situation that would never come around again. To think they had Dumbledore to thank for all this in more ways than one? Abusing Harry? Leaving him with muggles that hated him? Leading to him running away and becoming precious to a vampire, and becoming one himself? Pushing up Harry's reputation to an almost godly degree, on par with Merlin himself.

"Or…" Rick said, eyes lighting up with savage amusement, "Do you know that your most base underlying scent never changes?"

Harry arched a brow at the amusement, causing a stirring of his own, wondering at what sort of plan Rick may have in mind.

"Never?" Severus questioned, as the newest vampire there, it was understandable that there was still a lot of information he didn't know and had to learn about his new creature status.

"He's right," Harry confirmed, always happy to impart new knowledge on anyone that sought it.

"Under all the spells, charms, invisibility cloaks, heck even Polyjuice potion," Rick continued to explain with an expectant look on his face.

" Even Polyjuice potion? Have that hypothesis been tested?" Severus asked in utter fascination despite the alertness that was thrumming through everybody. The desire to go and fiddle away with the potions, and test all these wonderful theories. While he loved creating potions and spells, the idea of finding out new information was interesting. He really wanted to know if it was true.

Rick laughed, "Now you're sounding exactly like Harry a few years back," chuckling as he shook his head, "He tested it himself, using a dozen different parameters, and yes, we found them true each time."

Harry chuckled, recalling those times, he loved to test magic and it's extent, yes, even under the invisibility cloak.

"What kind of scheme are you thinking? Corpses stink of nothing but rot." Harry said, cocking his head to the side observing Rick thoughtfully.

"I was thinking, go back in time, use the map and see for yourself," Rick suggested, "That way we will know for ourselves, and if it is a set-up, you'll know and we will have warning and we can play to our own rules." He knew about the Marauders map, not only had he gotten to know Remus and Sirius – who loved to talk about the good old days – but he was Harry's second in command, he had to know anything of importance.

Severus whistled, impressed despite himself.

"Would you even be able to get into Hogwarts?" Fenrir asked, a thoughtful frown, he guessed vampires had a better sense of smell after all, since they could be tricked, as had been proven in the past. "The Dark Lord has surely tried, umpteen times and likely failed every time." He was wrongfully presuming it was a group of wizards and witches that had recently been students at Hogwarts not the entirety of Hogsmeade village.

Harry shook his head, "Wrong, he's been at Hogwarts at least once that I know off, I fought him there when I was eleven. Admittedly he was a mere shade, a spirit possessing the Defence professor at the time. He was there for the entire year, so the idea he can't get in is bullshit."

"It's also likely anyone with a Dark Mark can get in," Severus confessed, his hand pressing against where his dark mark had once been branded into him, and now gone. Which reminded him, he really should visit Narcissa and Draco again soon, he was all they had, and Draco was likely driving his mother to distraction.

"Just how bloody insecure is that school?" Rachel uttered; the female werewolf was aghast by what she was hearing. "I mean I know when they say it's the safest place in the world they were exaggerating its virtues, but bloody hell, not to that extent." Grimacing in distaste, how does one trust that their children were safe going to that damnable school?

"There was a three headed Cerberus stuck in a room, not to mention a highly illegal mirror that should be strictly regulated in the Department of Mysteries plonked where I'd be." Harry said sarcastically, "I'd truly have hated to think what would have been next for me in my second year."

Severus choked out a rusty laugh, having to fully agree with Harry there.

"Why exactly do we want to take over that?" Wyatt asked sarcastically.

Harry just grinned, "I was the exception not the rule."

Severus grimaced, "Too true," something like that shouldn't have happened, and he doubted Dumbledore would have done it if Harry had anyone that had remotely cared about him.

"Are you coming?" Harry asked Severus, deciding to go, what's the worst that could happen? They'd be denied entry and have to fly around for an hour and it wouldn't even be a waste of time.

Severus straightened further, coming to attention, "Yes," he didn't even need to think about it. There was a wicked gleam in his gaze that spoke of a ravenous hunger to see what had come of Dumbledore. The old fool had wished to see him die, ultimately, it's why he'd been sent here he knew that. Yet he was getting too live, thrive, even if he didn't deserve it, and it was Dumbledore himself who perished. Oh, he'd bet the old fool hadn't accounted on that. It would give him the greatest pleasure to see Dumbledore killed, it was nothing more than he deserved.

"We'll be using broomsticks," Harry warned him, hand out silently summoning his newest broomsticks, just because he hadn't returned to Hogwarts didn't mean he had stopped loving flying. He could run as fast as a broomstick could, true, but he did still enjoy flying without having to worry about being discovered or worse, manoeuvring around anyone or anything. He loved anything that could speed, motorbikes included.

Severus grimaced but remained unsurprised, it was the quickest way to get to their location.

"Shit, time, I…do we have a window for the timeline?" Harry said as the broomsticks smacked into his hand. He honestly wanted to smack his hand against his face at his own idiocy.

"It's being said the wards changed over to her at twelve past eight in the evening," Rick stated.

Severus paled, "Of course, Minerva will have become Headmistress upon Dumbledore's death, or transferred if it was set up." He was feeling rather foolish himself right now. He watched Harry set the brooms aside and took off. "Given the viciousness of the attack, it's likely eight o'clock no earlier, they clearly didn't risk retaliation and were swift in their retribution." Guessing, which was all they could do at the moment until they had confirmations.

"Is McGonagall any good?" Rick asked, a pensive look on his face. "I mean this attack is a good way to get rid of anyone in Hogwarts without anyone the wiser." Utterly uncaring about McGonagall, he hadn't been taught under her, nobody here, except for a few had been. He'd not heard anything bad about her, or anything really good either. He'd never gone out of his way to discuss her until this moment.

"In what way?" Severus asked blankly, not reacting to the threat that had been posed against her.

"Is she a threat to what we're trying to create? You have to realise Hogwarts is going to be ours as well," Rick pointed out, not surprised to see Severus nod his confirmation, the wizard was very intelligent.

"She had a werewolf under her care for seven years," Severus replied bluntly, "She was/is fond him; I don't believe she'd be prejudice towards any child under her care." He honestly believed that, she was a bit too blunt, too spirited and competitive – but so was he – they didn't make good Heads of houses. "The only thing is, she's a bit too…cautious of the Slytherin's but I am unsure if she's doing it to get back at me, for how I was with the Gryffindors due to my duties, or if she truly feels that way."

"Might be a better Headmistress than Head of house, anyone that becomes Heads of houses, if we win, will be forced to take classes at St. Mungo's on how to deal and spot an abused child." Harry said icily, he actually loathed McGonagall, she was ignorant, or negligent, either way it didn't bode well for her.

"Wouldn't Flitwick be better overall for us?" Wyatt questioned.

"Yes, likely," Harry agreed, "Let's get going."

Severus' gaze flickered to the gold shining on Harry's chest, he arched a brow, a time-tuner, where on earth had he gotten one of those? How long had he had it? Had he broken into the Ministry? Was borrowing it? Or had it been stolen a long time ago? "How long have you had that?"

"Precisely two minutes," Harry said with a devious smirk, technically he had, had only had it for two minutes since picking it up. He didn't intend to tell him all his secrets, he needed to keep some mystery to himself. "Shall we?"

Severus inclined his head, excitement thrumming through him, genuinely delighting in their little escapade. Snatching his own broomstick from where they had been left. They could probably actually run faster to the castle than use broomsticks, but no matter.

Harry smiled, seeing the little boy in Severus that he kept a tight rein on come out to play for a little bit. Clasping Severus' free hand, hooking his own broom under his arm, together he apparated them away, to a small secluded space not too far away from the warehouse and its surrounding land. It was a small outer building filled with rusted metal that was all bent out of shape. Whatever it was meant to be once upon a time, was unknown.

"Here," he uttered, wrapping the chain around both of them, getting ready to begin the process.

"You're not going to kill McGonagall, are you?" Severus asked, he wanted to know ahead of time, so he could prepare himself. She had been his co-worker for many a year, and before that she'd been his professor. He'd hated her while he was a student, but as a fellow professor, he had grown a little fond of her, mostly her wit and sarcasm.

"Is the idea abhorrent to you?" Harry asked, idly curious, more than actually asking for any reason.

"I…" Severus paused, frowning, "I have no opinion either way, I'd just rather know ahead of time."

"Then it's a good thing I have no intention of killing her, if I did have any intention, she'd already be dead." Giving him a vicious smirk, time-travel, lovely thing, and they'd already travelled in time, and seen what they were meant to see. Done what they were meant to do.

Severus huffed out an incredulous laugh, of course, how foolish.

Harry just grinned as he turned the time-turner the number they required.

And round and round the world outside changed, clouds darkening then lightening, as the darkness begun to fade a little, until light blasted out behind the clouds. The sun slightly subdued, but nonetheless out there shining brightly, especially for this time of the year. Birds tweeting from the trees they'd made their place of rest for the evening, now that they couldn't continue flying due to it getting darker.

"I'll apparate us to Hogsmeade," Severus told Harry, and with a silent nod, somehow heard and seen, he Apparated them to the actual station. The castle looming before them, Harry felt a deeper sense of nostalgia, he hadn't really expected it. His time there hadn't been a peaceful time, he'd been manipulated the entire year.

"I hate that I feel remotely…anything for this damnable castle," Harry said scornfully, wanting to cross his arms and stomp his feet. To rage against the injustice that had happened to him. It wasn't the castle's fault; it was Dumbledore's but feelings don't always get the facts in an acceptable way.

Severus grunted, no interest in getting into anything about the castle, he merely made them and the broomsticks invisible. Truth was, he felt very similar, the best of times and the worst of times in his life had been within those castle walls. They'd also been his sanctuary during and after the war, kept him safe when his nightmares got too much, where he swore, he could taste the waters of Azkaban which loomed over him in his nightmares.

"Stay close," Harry murmured, watching in utter fascination, as dozens upon dozens of wizards and witches poured out of their homes in Hogsmeade, all of them screaming and shouting, but one such person was able to corral all the different personalities and give them a target. "Move with them." Naturally they were moving at a glacial speed, especially for a vampire, the brooms didn't come into it really.

"This is…unbelievable." Severus whispered in awe, he counted at least thirty-five people running headlong into danger, to kill Dumbledore without a second thought. He was about to be mobbed, mobbed, this was to be Dumbledore's end? He'd expected him to go out with a whimper or a bang, to old age in bed or a duel with Voldemort. Shifting uncomfortably on the broom, he still didn't get how any of his students could stand being on these contraptions playing Quidditch for hours with a grin on their face. Okay, a sneer, but still.

Harry hummed his agreement, it was very morbid indeed, they were following a crowd with murder on the menu tonight. They were going to corner Dumbledore and kill him. How he didn't hear them would be a constant source of wonder to both vampires. They were loud, and the words they were chanting should have told Dumbledore everything he needed to know.

The complete sense of anticipation saw them through the ten-minute running, and the endless corridors which to be fair, a staircase had almost knocked him out – can a vampire even get knocked out? He'd clearly attempted to find out! – he'd learned pretty damn quickly to mind the staircases, as they flew through the corridors remaining so high so as not to be noticed, not that they could, they were invisible to all but their own vampire senses.

"Holy shit," Harry whispered, watching as the group descend on Dumbledore like hungry dogs after a feast. They weren't just using their wands; they were literally ripping him to pieces. They were watching as the group wrenched pieces of Dumbledore's hair and skin from his scalp. Their anger and rage were beyond anything either Severus or Harry had ever seen and they'd seen their share of violence. "It's really him."

"Insipid fool," Severus bit out, before wincing, ten spells must have hit Weasley simultaneously as he screeched at everyone to "Leave him alone!" as he attempted to use two spells – both failing as he wasn't pronouncing them correctly – to no avail.

"How did he graduate?" Harry asked utterly mystified, raising his hand, a purple beam left his hand and hit Ronald Weasley, and the wizard ceased moving entirely.

"What was that?" Severus asked, observing the spell hit Weasley, pondering on its effects, and wondered if that was the reason Weasley was in critical condition in a few hours.

"You'll see," came the devious reply, green eyes gleaming.

"Let's get out of here in case she changes any of the wards, if she does, we'll end up in deep trouble." Severus declared.

"Agreed, let's go." and with that both of them glided through the air, making their way out of Hogwarts and shooting past Hogsmeade.

They'd gotten what they wanted.

As difficult as it was to believe, Albus 'too many names' Dumbledore was really dead. It was no trick.

A/N – I struggled to get a way for Dumbledore to die that I hadn't already done a dozen times, and boom! This idea came to me, took a while to get out I'll admit but It's been really fun writing a different way for Dumbledore to be dealt with. Hopefully you all like it too will Ron succumb to his wounds or will Harry only maim him? will this be the end and the group Harry's leading exert control now that Dumbledore was gone? Will Voldemort have the same idea or will he just not have enough resources to bring to bear against Harry? I just need a way for Voldemort to die now lol one that hasn't been repeated…would you like to see Dumbledore or Ron's point of view of the attack in the next chapter? R&R