Harry Potter and the Scar of Fate

Chapter 12

Taken at the Flood

Harry smiled.

"I'm afraid that's not possible," he said quietly.

"Stop being a moron, Harry. I think it would be better if we started with the Death Eaters, till Voldemort was left alone for you," said Hermione.

"Excellent, Ms. Granger," said Dumbledore. Everyone agreed with her. There was nothing Harry could do.

So it started. Classes were summarily dismissed. The DA and the entire faculty were actively raiding with the remaining Aurors. Lupin had been made the temporary minister. The Centaurs helped them immensely. The students left at Hogwarts were brewing Healing potions and helping Madam Pomfrey and running errands.

Panic had broken out among the Death Eaters. They were being taken, slowly and steadily, no matter how hard they fought. If the Death Eaters ever appeared to win, Harry or Dumbledore would show up immediately and squash them.

The only problem was the Imperius curse. Many people had been cursed, and it was extremely difficult to understand what side they were on. Hermione took a day off from the fight and spent it in the library. She came up with an Imperius recognition spell the next morning.

If anything could have sealed the Light side's success, it was that. The hurt and angry witches and wizards fought with all their might, determined to bring down the Dark.

The Death Eaters were forced into hiding. As far as they could estimate, only twenty were left. Most people were returned to the re building work, but few still continued hunting for the Death Eaters.

When the few remaining Death Eaters were not found, the students were returned to Hogwarts, while the Aurors kept their eyes open.

Exhausted, but exhilarated by their success, the students recovered quickly under the able healing of Madam Pomfrey. The faculty had not suffered any serious injuries. In fact, so great were their strategies that neither side had incurred any casualties. The Death Eaters were sent to Azkaban.

The re-building of the Ministry took a month. Harry had been granted special leave from his classes to help Dumbledore to work at the Ministry. They made it exactly as it was before it had been destroyed. All traces of destruction were removed.

When Harry finally went back to Hogwarts, he was shocked to find Ron studying, until Hermione reminded him that it was time for their N.E.W.T.s.

Exam schedules came out soon. Everyone was studying hard, determined to learn well. The enmity between the houses lay forgotten totally. Harry was pleased to see that the Slytherins were now as much of a part of the Hogwarts family as the other houses. Harry had become the ideal for many students. Hermione, Ron and Draco were not without fans either. So were Neville and Luna.

The exams went well. Harry came out of his Defence Against the Dark Arts practical grinning like a Cheshire cat. He even found Transfiguration rather easy. Potions had improved, either due to Snape's change of attitude, or due to Harry's increased prowess, or due to Hermione's monitoring.

The results came out early, even the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, maybe because of the extraordinary conditions. Never in the history of Hogwarts had the students done so well. Harry was fairly shocked at his grades. He'd the top marks in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration, which was not surprising, but he was next in line to Hermione in everything else, and had equalled her in Potions! They had tied for the first position.

"Excellent grades, Harry!" Lupin beamed at him. "You're good enough to be the next minister!"

"If I survive, Remus," said Harry quietly.

Lupin had grown serious at that. "You will, Harry, you will. Light shall prevail. And I've no doubt that you will be elected! Do take up the post, Harry."

"We'll see."