Historic Escape

Peter Pettigrew was in misery. He had not left this cell in nearly two years! The wards here prevented him from turning into his Animagus form as well. There was a mad glint in his eye as he laughed, watching the warden who was approaching him. The man was going to inspect his cell all alone? Without any backup? The fool! But of course, he was poor little Wormtail who was not talented in magic. It was always about James and Sirius ... who remembered poor little Peter when the Potter and Black heirs were nearby? Those two had everything! The money, the brains, magical power, good looks and dozens of pretty girls running after them, craving their attention … and what did he have? Nothing!

It didn't take long for him to kill the pitiful wizard in his anger.

Picking up the dead warden's wand, Peter transformed for the first time in two years now that he was out of his cell. Scurrying about, he found his robes in the place where he was forced to remove them. Peter was glad that the secret pouch in the robes was enchanted by a spell taught to the Death Eaters by the Dark Lord himself. No one knew about it and it could not be detected by common D.M L.E. employees. Wearing his old clothes and checking if he had his master's wand with him, Peter transformed to get closer and quickly cast the Imperius Curse on two of the high-level wardens. That, in turn, led to them going into their office to retrieve the ward scheme for the cell doors.

The mad glint in his eye showed how happy he was at the sight of the doors of nine other cells opening wide an hour later. Ha! So much for high-security prisoners! The stupid Ministry relied too much on Dementors! It was something Dumbledore used to complain about back then but nobody listened to him. There was also very limited security provided by the Aurors on weekends because nearly all the Aurors and wardens let the Dementors do the job, not wanting to be there more than five days a week; something which went unnoticed by Head Auror Rufus Scrimgeour until now.

"Hello Wormy," said the babyish voice of Bellatrix as she grinned widely. "Looks like you've finally done something useful with that ability of yours. Maybe we can play with the wardens for a while."

"We need to leave, Bella," said Rodolphus Lestrange firmly, taking her hand in his, giving it a soft squeeze, happy to be reunited again. "Dolohov, did you get the wands from the vault in the Head Warden's office?"

Dolohov nodded as he passed their wands back to the rest.

"Let's not waste our chance," snarled Rookwood. "Move!"

"Don't worry about the Dementors," said Bellatrix, with a mad grin painted on her face. "I have had twelve years to convince them."

"To the Dark Lord!" whispered Rabastan.

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Harry's face was devoid of all emotion as he sat in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. His breakfast was left untouched. Sitting beside him was Dylan, shaking in fear, face pale, as he read the headlines on the Magical Daily newspaper.

MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN!

Ten high-security prisoners escape the former escape-proof fortress!

LESTRANGES AT LARGE AGAIN!

Peter Pettigrew suspected of helping Death Eaters escape using his rat Animagus – wardens found dead at Azkaban

SENSOR NET AROUND BRITAIN AND IRELAND STRENGTHENED

International Floo and Portkey travel tightened

"BOY-WHO-LIVED A MAJOR TARGET," SAYS MINISTER FUDGE

Muggle Prime Minister warned about impending attacks on the Muggle world

"BE VIGILANT," WARNS DIRECTOR AMELIA BLACK, HEAD OF THE D.M.L.E.

"Aurors deployed all over the country. Please cooperate with them," says Head Auror Rufus Scrimgeour

DEMENTORS TO HELP WITH THE SEARCH – TO ALSO BE STATIONED AT HOGWARTS SCHOOL

"We cannot rely on Dementors; they are as dangerous as the escaped convicts," says Chief Warlock Albus Dumbledore

"WE HAVE EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL," says Minister Fudge.

How far is the truth?

KNOW YOUR ENEMY –

Antonin Dolohov – convicted of the brutal murders of Gideon and Fabian Prewett

Augustus Rookwood – convicted of leaking highly classified Ministry of Magic information to You-Know-Who

Peter Pettigrew – convicted of the betrayal that led to the murders of James and Lily Potter and also the illegal incarceration of Sirius Black and deaths of thirteen Muggles

Maximus Jugson – convicted of the brutal murders of the members of the Ancient and Noble House of McKinnon

Timothy Travers – convicted of the murder and decapitation of Benjy Fenwick

Thorfinn Rowle – convicted of the brutal murders of Edger Bones and other members of the Ancient and Noble House of Bones

Thaddeus Mulcibur – convicted of placing the Imperius Curse on several employees of the Ministry of Magic

Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange – convicted of the torture and permanent incapacitation of Frank and Alice Longbottom

People everywhere were shocked to stillness, terrified at what they were reading. Newspapers were being read and the Magical Daily News channel on the newly developed E-Mirror was running in all households as they listened to experts give information on how to ward and protect your home. The sales of the mirrors increased drastically as the others fled to the stop. Information such as that was pure gold.

"That's him?" asked Dylan in a small voice as he looked at the snarling moving photograph of Rabastan Lestrange.

"Yes," said Harry quietly.

"I can see the resemblance somewhat. Harry, what are we going to do?"

Harry remained quiet, staring at Dumbledore who was quietly talking to Severus Snape. "I don't know; I just don't know."

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Harry gritted his teeth as he searched for that blasted diadem. He had been at this for nearly two months now. Because of the memories he had accessed when he saw the diary and Hufflepuff's Cup, he was able to know the location of the other Horcruxes. Ravenclaw's diadem was here somewhere in the Room of Requirement. The ring was placed in the shack that once belonged to the Gaunts, but Harry had no idea where the hell that was. Slytherin's locket was in a cave, the location of which Harry didn't know. It was turning out to be frustrating because the room here was so huge that it was difficult to locate the diadem!

Turning into his Animagus form, the golden eagle soared above the junk, occasionally landing on something so that he could observe. It had been a week since the Death Eaters had escaped Azkaban and Harry was on edge. The reason was twofold – one, the Death Eaters were out there, especially Bellatrix who would love to get her hands on the Boy-Who-Lived. Two, there were a bloody hundred Dementors outside Hogwarts castle.

Harry hated the Dementors. The day after they had arrived, when Harry had gone for his usual morning run, he felt something he had never felt before. The cold was horrible and the grounds were dark. He could feel the negative emotions in the air, making him miserable. Bad memories resurfaced but thanks to his Occlumency, he was able to shield himself long enough to get back to the castle. He had since been working out in the Room every morning along with practising the Patronus Charm after having been explained the theory by his Aunt Amelia. Merlin knows he didn't want to be defenceless with those beasts around.

Flying back to the ground, the eagle transformed back into a human as Harry used the point me spell again. He had done this so many times that he felt like burning the entire place with Fiendfyre and be done with it! But he couldn't do that. For one, there were some really good treasures here that he was quietly shipping off to Potter Castle using his elves. Really, no one was going to miss it. Another point me spell showed the bust of an ugly witch with a diadem on it. Another memory slammed into his mind.

He laughed loudly as he removed the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw from under the tree stump in Albania. Stupid Helena; did the ghost really think he would help her and return it to Hogwarts as a lost treasure? Never! He was Lord Voldemort. It belonged to him and him alone. He would turn it into a Horcrux at the first available opportunity. Then, it would be returned home. He would place the diadem in the one place he was confident no one other than him knew about at Hogwarts; right under Dumbledore's crooked nose.

Harry gasped as he came out of the memory. This was the Horcrux. Levitating it from on top of the bust, he asked the Room to change. The surroundings shimmered and a ritual room appeared with a book on a pedestal. Harry smirked. This was the ritual he and Sirius had found in the Potter library – an ancient cleansing ritual that got rid of the taint of dark magic on any device. It would not get rid of the Horcrux, but it would take care of any lingering dark magic to make the diadem taint-free.

Harry placed the diadem on the ground. Pointing his wand at the item, he summoned all the hatred he could muster.

His eyes were an eerie blackish-green as he snarled, "Avada Kedavra!"

A jet of pale green light impacted the diadem, making it wobble and scream loudly. After it stopped moving, Harry checked the diadem for the soul piece using the spell which Sirius had found in the book of Scorpius Black III. It had been destroyed.

Levitating the diadem to the ritual pentagram, Harry began chanting the words in ancient Greek as he walked around the diadem. Fifteen minutes of chanting later, he found the diadem to be red hot. With a final incantation, he swished his wand, pouring water on it. Slowly picking up the diadem, he scanned it. From what he could tell, there were no more additional spells cast aside from what Rowena cast herself. Swallowing his nervousness, he placed the diadem on his head and closed his eyes.

One hour later, Harry's lips curved into a smile. "Lady Rowena, you were a genius," he whispered to himself. The diadem innocently glinted under the light from the fireplace.

The diadem of Ravenclaw did not bestow the wearer with superior intelligence. It actually worked on a more fundamental principle in that it allowed the wearer to remember everything he had in his mind – an artificial eidetic memory. Harry, being a natural Occlumens already possessed a perfect recall memory, but he had been unable to access Voldemort's memories which were in his mind. He had only gained the passive abilities from those memories, helping him with his practical application of magic, making it much easier for him to learn it in the process.

But now, thanks to the diadem, Harry was able to access all of Voldemort's memories which were in his mind. He would truly learn from the Dark Lord like a student would from a teacher by viewing the memories. He would be the Dark Lord's equal, even if would take some time and a lot of effort.

Most importantly, as he accessed more memories, he would be able to know the location and defences of the rest of the Horcruxes.

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"Mr Lestrange, the Headmaster would like to speak to you," said Professor McGonagall, giving the boy a rare smile. "Please stay behind after class."

Oh, Merlin, thought Dylan. He nodded to her but gripped the locket with the Potter crest that was hanging from around his neck. It was something which Harry had given him after the mass breakout from Azkaban; he had seen Daphne wear a similar one too. Harry had said that if Dylan ever needed him, to grip the locket tightly and call for him. It was connected to the locket which Harry wore himself.

Once the class was over, Dylan was being escorted to the seventh floor when Harry came towards them from one of the corridors leading to the Head's office.

"Ah, Dylan," he nodded. "You're already here. Good, let's go."

"What are you doing here, Mr Potter?" asked Professor McGonagall in surprise. "Mr Lestrange has a meeting with the Headmaster."

"I know, Professor," said Harry. "That's why I'm here."

"I'm afraid I don't understand," she frowned at him. "What does that have to do with you?"

"I have this letter here from our guardian, Lord Sirius Black, which says that Dylan is not to meet the Headmaster unless I'm present at all times. It's just a precaution."

"Mr Potter," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "I do not like the implication you have just made."

"It's no secret that Sirius and I don't trust the Headmaster," Harry told her. He turned to the gargoyle and said, "Acid Pops."

Professor McGonagall wondered how Harry had known about the meeting so quickly, not to mention how he knew the password to Dumbledore's office. Maybe it had something to do with his title as Lord Gryffindor? She knew for a fact that Dumbledore was not at all pleased when that information had come to light. She wondered what other powers Harry had over the castle.

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When he heard a knock on the door, Albus Dumbledore smiled as he called, "Come in."

But this good mood was spoilt when he saw Dylan Lestrange being escorted by Harry Potter. It was not that Harry wasn't welcome, but not at this particular meeting. How was he to influence Dylan if Harry was here as well?

"Harry, what are you doing here?" asked Dumbledore, looking confused. "I asked only for young Dylan."

'Ah, using his first name like you do mine so as to induce familiarity, just as Sirius said you would. We already know of that trick, you old goat.'

"Oh, I know you only asked for Dylan," said Harry calmly as he casually put an arm around the younger's boy's shoulders; the height difference was quite noticeable. "But I have a letter from our guardian saying that if you want to talk to Dylan, I am to be present at all times. Nothing against you, Professor, but it's just that I feel protective of him."

"I see," said Dumbledore as he looked at the sheet of parchment. The seal of the Head of House Black was present. "Well, in that case, do sit down."

Harry sat down regally as always and Dylan sat next to him, looking around curiously. His eyes lit up when he saw the phoenix which trilled at him happily, something which Dumbledore did not overlook.

"Ah, I see you have noticed my familiar," said Dumbledore smiling happily. "This is Fawkes. He is a phoenix, Dylan. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers second to none and they are also amazingly loyal. In fact, young Harry here would not be sitting with us today if not for Fawkes healing him last term."

"Yes," said Harry, his voice devoid of emotion. "He likes me and I'm fond of him as well."

Dumbledore chuckled, wondering mentally if it was a good sign. Did Fawkes really like him? Did that mean there was hope to bring Harry back to the light? Mentally he was dancing in joy! He hadn't done that in a while. Those Dementors reminded him of what happened to his father and how he had died in Azkaban, bringing bad memories of Ariana and Gellert to the forefront of his mind. He really hated those creatures and was disgusted that they were stationed so close to Hogwarts, a school filled with children.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Dylan," Dumbledore smiled warmly. "How have you been adjusting to Hogwarts over the past two months? I have heard from all your teachers that you are doing quite well in your classes."

"It's much better than my earlier life, Professor," said Dylan smiling brightly, but Dumbledore noticed that the boy would not meet his eyes.

Dumbledore sighed, shaking his head sadly. "It truly is sad what happened to you, my dear boy. I'm sure life has not been easy for you, but as I always say, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times. You need to look for the light, young Dylan."

Harry mentally snorted as he gave points to Dumbledore. What a fine way of telling Dylan that the 'light' was good and the 'dark' was bad, especially given the recent escape of the boy's father and the rest of the Death Eaters.

"My life was turned around when Harry and Uncle Sirius found me," said Dylan, looking at Harry with respect and affection shining in his eyes. "I found two adults who decided to take me into their family and a big brother I know I can always count on. When I have them, what more do I need?"

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Ah, yes," he said slowly. "I'm quite curious about how you bonded so quickly. For someone who met only about four months back, you have already established that you consider each other siblings. Curious, wouldn't you say?"

"Oh, I don't know about that, Professor," said Harry, leaning back in the chair as he crossed his legs, looking very much like a prince of the realm. "Dylan and I have a lot of things in common and it was easy for us to bond. Both of us are technically orphans and were raised in an abusive environment. I spent several days in the hospital with him when he was there and we just clicked. I, unfortunately, will never be able to have siblings considering that my parents are dead, but if I wouldn't trade Dylan for anyone in the world."

"Hmm," said Dumbledore, stroking his beard. He had underestimated just how much Harry cared for the boy.

"How are you feeling about the whole incident with Azkaban, Dylan?" asked Dumbledore gently. "I'm sure it is not easy knowing who your father is. He was actually a nice boy when he was your age. Sure, he and his brother had a tendency to practice the Dark Arts, but no one could have imagined them turning into something like this. They were enamoured with Lord Voldemort and his ideals and it twisted them. I know it is not easy being Rabastan's son, knowing that he has escaped Azkaban and is roaming free."

"Where are you going with this, Professor?" asked Dylan slowly. "If you're worried that I would seek out my father then you are worried about nothing. I know that he will kill me the second he realises who I am. He may be my father, but Harry, Uncle Sirius, Aunt Amelia and little Rigel are my family now."

Dylan felt his hand being squeezed comfortingly and he let out a shaky breath. He had not felt very certain about that last part, wondering if they truly thought of him as part of the family but this was certainly a confirmation. His chest tightened as he felt a warm emotion in his heart.

"I'm happy for you, my boy," said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling. "It is for that reason I must insist that you stay at Hogwarts over the winter holidays. It is not safe to leave the confines of the school and the wards would more than compensate for any lack of protection which would be provided to you. You need to be safe."

"Excuse me?" said Harry haughtily. "Déjà vu, Headmaster. I seem to remember something similar about me staying at Privet Drive for my own protection. Lack of protection? Do you think we would abandon him somewhere during the holidays? Absolutely not! Dylan is not staying here alone. I repeat, the war wards I can raise around Potter Castle are more than sufficient to keep us safe. Black Manor too is quite safe and I don't think Bellatrix would be stupid enough to attack us there. Hogwarts is actually the last place we should be. I don't deny the wards around the castle are excellent, but they are severely compromised due to the thousands of students who have been here. Secrets can be learnt; they don't stay secret for long."

"I am only looking out for him, Harry," said Dumbledore, shaking his head. "Just like how I was looking out for you when I said that you should have returned to Petunia. But you never listened and now that her family has moved away, there is no point in talking about it."

Harry's eyes grew colder. "Is that all, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore sighed as he dismissed them. Well, he did learn some valuable information, but he had never expected for a moment for the insistence of staying at Hogwarts would work. He needed people to check the wards around Potter Castle, just in case.

"Severus, can you come up to my office, please?"

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"Expecto Patronum," chanted Harry. A bright silver mist formed from the tip of his wand, but it didn't take a corporeal form.

"Why wouldn't it work?" said Harry, his eye twitching in annoyance.

"You're trying too hard," said Daphne, pushing him back on a soft armchair. "You need a distraction."

"And what would that be?" he asked, smiling slightly. Daphne smirked as she sat down next to him and cupped his face, nuzzling his face against hers.

"Do you want me to tell you or show you?" she whispered lightly as she kissed his cheek.

Wrapping one arm around her waist and another stroking her soft, wavy dark blonde hair, Harry leaned forward and captured her lips with his. They moved in sync as they both smiled into the kiss.

"Maybe I should use this for a happy memory," said Harry, smiling at her. He looked into her deep blue eyes as his smile slowly faded. "Daphne, what is love?" he asked curiously.

"What?" asked Daphne, blinking owlishly at his sudden question.

"Love," said Harry slowly. "When someone says that they love you, what does that mean?"

Daphne's heart melted at the innocent question posed to her by her fiancé. Her eyes filled with furious tears when she realised that Harry had never grown up feeling such emotion. Thanks to his less than happy childhood and his natural Occlumency barriers, he tended to suppress his emotions nearly all the time. He was emotionally stunted, so naturally, unused to emotion, so he didn't know what love meant, having never experienced the warmth of a mother's hug. Had Harry been raised by his parents or Sirius, they would have identified the problem and sought out Mind Healers at an early age, but without help, he was feeling overwhelmed and confused. No one had explained it to him for him to understand.

"Love is an emotion when –" she began but didn't know what to say. How do you explain love? "It is a strong feeling of affection you feel for someone you care about. There are different forms of love. There is romantic love between two romantic partners. Then there is parental love which one feels for their mother and father or the love a parent feels for their child. There is the sibling love which one feels for their brother or sister. It comes in various forms and intensity and it can be a wonderful thing."

"Really?" asked Harry, looking thoughtful. He sounded like an inquisitive four-year-old child. Sadly, when it came to understanding emotions, Daphne's assessment wasn't far from the truth.

"Do people who love someone care deeply for the other?"

"That's how it is supposed to work, yes," said Daphne slowly. "In its truest form, when one person loves another, be in any form of relationship, you tend to think of them and their happiness before yourself. Your parents stood in front of Voldemort and fought him till their dying breath to protect you. That shows how much they loved you."

Harry swallowed. He had never thought about love like that before. "Is that the parental love you were talking about?" he asked. "Then what about what I feel for Sirius and Aunt Amelia?"

"That is also another form of parental love," explained Daphne patiently. "They are the closest thing you have to parents and they treat you like their own son. They obviously love you and I'm sure you care deeply about them too."

"What about Dylan and Astoria?"

Daphne smiled slightly. "I know that both of them care deeply about you. Dylan's adoration for you is clear as day for anyone to see it. He idolises you and I can't tell you how much it meant to him when you called him your brother in front of everyone in the Great Hall. Astoria might be sarcastic towards you and may tease you constantly, but that's her way of showing that she cares. Love can be expressed in all kinds of ways."

Harry's eyes moistened despite himself. "What about you? Do you love me?"

Daphne wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled her face against his. "I do love you, Harry," she said softly. "I love you very much."

"I – I think I love you too," whispered Harry as they cuddled on the armchair in front of the roaring fireplace, lost in their own world.

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The Quidditch season had finally started at Hogwarts. Roger Davies was now made the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain and he was explaining the strategy for today's game. The weather was horrible and people could barely see what was going on. Heavy rain was pelting against the ground and Harry wondered, not for the first time, why they were playing in such conditions. International Quidditch matches were all weather controlled and had covered stadiums.

"Look, I know the conditions aren't ideal," said Roger. "But we won the Quidditch Cup last year and we have to win this year too! We have the best team in the school, so let's show them what we eagles can do."

Casting charms on themselves to repel rain so as to see better, they kicked off from the ground. Because of the weather, Harry did not bother playing an interfering seeker but instead kept looking for the snitch. The Hufflepuff team captain and seeker Cedric Diggory was somewhere nearby as well.

When the score was 80-60, Harry suddenly spotted a glint of gold in the air. Apparently, Cedric had spotted it too because he went after it. Higher and higher they went and the rain pelted against their faces, lightning flashing. Harry zoomed ahead of Cedric, his natural instincts as an eagle guiding him and he smirked in triumph as his left fist closed around the snitch.

Precisely at that moment, the temperature dropped drastically. The Nimbus Thousand and One which he was riding was rapidly being covered in ice. The already dark stadium was plunged into darkness and Harry realised what was happening when bad memories assaulted him. He was in complete shock at what he was seeing.

Fudge had lied.

There were not a hundred dementors placed at Hogwarts. There were about three hundred of those foul demons circling the Quidditch pitch. Knowing that he was only seconds away from being kissed, Harry flicked his wand to his hand, remembered his conversation with Daphne when they confessed their love to each other and shouted –

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

An enormous creature burst from the tip of Harry's wand. If he had to guess, Harry would have thought the creature was probably sixteen feet in height. It was a Thunderbird.

Below, in the stands, people began panicking as the Dementors descended towards them. Daphne had also practised the Patronus Charm, but she had never succeeded in conjuring a corporeal patronus before. But she knew the theory, so she tried it again. Summoning all her happy memories and emotions and thinking of the time Harry told her that he loved her, she pointed her wand at the incoming Dementors and shouted –

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A large tigress burst from the tip of her wand and charged at the incoming Dementors. Daphne looked stunned for a moment at seeing the patronus as she saw an enormous silver bird in the sky as well. Harry must have created a patronus too.

The staff of Hogwarts also realised that unless they helped, the students would all be kissed. Several of them got up and pointed their wands in the air and yelled –

"Expecto Patronum!"

Numerous, the Dementors may be, but they were no match against the combined assault of so many powerful patroni. The massive Thunderbird patronus stood proud and regal amongst them all, towering over the rest as it chased away the last of the soul-sucking demons. Even though the rest of the patroni faded away, the thunderbird still remained as Harry slowly descended to the ground, shaking badly. The patronus approached him, bathing him in warmth. He couldn't help but swell with emotion as he touched it.

"Thank you, my friend," whispered Harry as the enormous thunderbird patronus disappeared.

Mayhem gripped Hogwarts as several students had fainted due to the Dementor exposure. Albus Dumbledore looked angrier than Harry had ever seen him and one look at the Headmaster's face let him know that the Dementors would be gone from the school the next day; the aura around the aged Headmaster was something Harry had never felt before. It was a testament to how furious Dumbledore truly was.

He was right. After the disastrous incident, Dumbledore had wasted no time to head to the Ministry to talk to Fudge. The next morning's newspaper article about the attack of the Dementors on hundreds of young witches and wizards made Fudge want to weep. He was still licking his wounds from seeing Albus Dumbledore the previous day. Nobody had seen the Chief Warlock that angry before and Fudge understood then and there why the man was considered one of the most powerful wizards in the world.

The Dementors were ordered back to Azkaban the next day. Hogwarts and Hogsmeade breathed a sigh of relief, but there was a war going on in London. Not a physical one, but a political one. Fudge had essentially committed political suicide. He would not last even a month in office anymore after the disaster with Azkaban and the Dementors at Hogwarts. The war was about who the next Minister of Magic was going to be.

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Pandemonium.

That was the best word that could be used to describe the Wizengamot, the legislative and highest judicial body of Magical Britain and Ireland. Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge was shrinking in his seat as the shouting got louder. It wasn't his fault! He had just followed the advice of his Senior Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge, but no one cared about that! No, all of them were talking about him.

"Those bloody soul-sucking leeches should never have been placed at Hogwarts in the first place!" screeched Lady Acton furiously.

"Now, now, I'm sure Minister Fudge was just doing what he thought was best to protect our children," said Lord Lucius Malfoy smoothly. "The decision was taken bearing in mind the danger posed to the common folk after the mass breakout from Azkaban."

"Dumbledore told him that the Dementors were not trustworthy," snapped Samantha Hudson, an elected representative. "They should be confined at Azkaban where they belong! Our children could have been kissed! I'm surprised you are so calm about this, Lucius. Wasn't your own son admitted to the hospital wing after the attack?"

"While that is true, I see no reason to blame our esteemed Minister for it," said Lucius. "The breakout was hardly his fault. If the D.M.L.E. had done their job properly, we wouldn't be in this position."

"Normally I would claim responsibility for any mistakes made on my part and my department, Lord Malfoy," said Lady Amelia Black, her voice booming. "But this time, my department cannot be blamed. I have repeatedly asked for an increase in the money allocated to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, but the Budget Committee keeps diverting money to other departments which don't require those additional funds. Many people over the centuries have shared their distrust of Dementors and yet no one listens! If more Aurors and wardens could be placed at the prison instead of relying on the Dementors to do all our work, then such a problem could be avoided in the future. Think about it for a minute. Five wardens were killed during the escape. There are thousands of Dementors at Azkaban. How can ten high-security prisoners leave the island unless they had help?"

"What are you saying, Lady Black?" asked Mr Doge.

"I'm saying we should look at other options and stop relying on Dementors because they aren't trustworthy. Start streamlining the budget for one and give it to important departments. My department is the one which maintains law and order in the country, for Merlin's sake! If we don't have funds, who is to take care of the people?"

"Are you saying that your department alone is important?" shouted the Head of the Department of Magical Transportation, Corban Yaxley.

"Members of the Wizengamot," said Sirius, standing up. "There are ten high-security prisoners on the loose; all of them inner circle Death Eaters. This situation would never have existed if we had actually taken action twelve years ago. Each one of them has committed mass murder. Those people should never have been sent to Azkaban in the first place. They should have been executed!"

"Is that so, Lord Black?" asked Dumbledore sharply. "If that had been done twelve years ago, then you would not be alive as of this moment."

"Yes, thank you so much for reminding me of my ten years of illegal incarceration in that hellhole, Chief Warlock," said Sirius sarcastically. "If the people responsible for granting me a trial had done their job, I wouldn't have lost ten years of my life and my godson wouldn't have had to grow up in an abusive household. Thank you very much!"

"Execution is not something we consider good for the society," said Lord Nott. "It is better if they are imprisoned."

"If we can find them," Amelia added bitterly.

"Really?" asked Sirius sarcastically. "You think pushing such people through the Veil of Death is more inhumane than making them stay in Azkaban for life? I would love to speak more about this but that's not the point of this meeting. We're not here to talk about the living conditions in Azkaban but about the safety of the people of Magical Britain. All of you please realise that at times like this, we must act! If we sit here talking about budget cuts and the past, it won't solve anything."

"We are currently a laughing stock in the international community! We have to catch the escaped Death Eaters before the Quidditch World Cup this summer. Millions of Galleons of taxpayers' money have been invested in it and what now? Can we let it all vanish because we are not willing to fund the most important department in the Ministry at a time of need? How do you expect Hogwarts to host the Triwizard Tournament if the visiting schools don't feel safe?"

"What do you suggest, Lord Black?" asked Dumbledore.

Sirius took a deep breath. "Magical means of transport have been cut off," he explained. "The sensor net has been strengthened to the maximum level possible around the borders. If magical means of escape is not possible, then the only other alternative is leaving the country through mundane modes of transport that cannot be tracked. Tell the Muggle Prime Minister to use the army he has at his disposal and monitor every method one could possibly use to leave Britain. We can focus our efforts on chasing them inland. If they reach the continent, they will not be under our control! It is still not too late. We need to act!"

"You can't be serious!" scoffed Lady Rosier. "You expect those Muggles to actually find the escaped convicts?"

"Maybe not, but it will give us an edge," snapped Amelia. "Our Aurors are spread thin as it is and we don't have the personnel to carry out the large-scale search which Lord Black is suggesting. Time is of the essence! The quickest available option is for us is to use the superior numbers of the Muggles. It may not work, but why leave it to chance? Even if we capture a single Death Eater, it brings us that much closer to finding the rest!"

Lucius Malfoy pursed his lips in frustration. Sirius and Amelia were getting more powerful in the political sphere by the day. He had tried to contact the escaped Death Eaters, but they obviously didn't trust any of those who had evaded Azkaban. Lucius had no option but to wait and hope for the best. He didn't know what Bellatrix and the rest were attempting. The Dark Lord was dead. What could they hope to achieve?

"I feel that this current administration does not have the capacity to lead us in these dire times," said Lord Cyrus Greengrass calmly.

Fudge whimpered.

"I suggest that new leadership is needed. I hereby call for a vote of no confidence in Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge."

"Seconded," said Sirius.