Endgame

Daphne watched as the massive starships around her gently floated in space, displayed by the monitoring enchantments. The past twenty-four years had been spent designing and producing warships to help win the war. She was standing on what represented the pinnacle of magical innovation. Hull made of a reinforced goblin alloy, powered by Varasma and Elvin alchemy, armed with wizarding weapons and fit with a piece of technology that was beyond their wildest expectations … the entire population of Sowilo City should go down in history as the greatest ever.

The weapon systems were a much more advanced form of her original invention, the Asthron. Along with that, they were also equipped with Varasma torpedoes, an evolved form of her Varasma-infused Asthron. The beauty of the ship, however, was the Tachys drive, a technology that was created using the magic of Apparition travel.

Apparition made a person travel large distances by warping space, time and magic around them. This technology was based on the same principle, only it was not a person, but a starship that would travel great distances at high speeds.

They had named it the Tachys drive, which in Greek, meant 'swift'. She couldn't be more proud. Her department's ideas regarding Tachys travel had started a new era in magical technology.

"My Lady," said the wizard wearing a navy-blue uniform. "We have crossed the planet's atmosphere without being detected. We're ready."

"Acknowledged," said Daphne. She waved a hand and a three-dimensional figure of her son appeared.

"Report, James."

"Varasma flow is stable and the Tachys systems are at peak efficiency," he replied briskly.

Daphne checked her calculations once again. She couldn't find anything wrong with them. She took a deep breath as she stood in the middle of the ship's bridge.

"Engage," she ordered. She felt the anxiety of everyone present. The screen in front of her contorted. Any second now …

With a massive movement, the starship slipped into the Tachys vortex, with stars blurring past her as they travelled at interstellar speeds.

The Tachys drive was a success. Everyone on the bridge cheered and Daphne too couldn't help but smile.

"Take us out of the vortex. Adjust our course and heading. We need to get back home."

HP*SAVIOUR OF MAGIC*HP

Harry twirled and twisted in mid-air as he avoided the bullets coming his way. They were on the outskirts of London, where the battle had commenced. He had received intelligence from Sowilo City that informed him that the other teams around the world had engaged the enemy as well, and that Camelot, Godric's Hollow and Hogsmeade had all been attacked by Muggles. He still didn't know how many were injured due to the attack, or worse, dead.

Knowing that simply launching an attack on the city would be useless and would needlessly shed blood, Harry had divided his forces into five teams, four of them taking out the British army in different directions surrounding London. The fifth, however, was tasked to Apparate directly into the city and apprehend the top-brass, and hopefully, root out Hermione Granger and her group of rebels.

Speaking of rebels …

"Traitors," growled Charlie under his breath as he duelled five witches and wizards at the same time. While Hermione had decided not to participate in the battle, the other members of Dumbledore's Army had no such qualms. They had divided their numbers and were quickly posing a problem for the Republic army. After all, more than a hundred witches and wizards amidst thousands of Muggles could do a lot of damage.

"Watch out for the tanks!" Harry yelled.

"I see it!" Charlie replied. Dodging it quickly, his wand slashing in the air repeatedly, he raised his hand and cried, "Team, charge!"

The army yelled, "For the Republic!" as they moved with swiftness and efficiency. They were outnumbered twenty to one, but they were still holding their ground.

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"Sir, we need to send the fighter jets!" cried the Defence Secretary.

"Not yet," said the Prime Minister. "It's a trap. They want us to use the air force. In this day and age, without jets, we'll be crippled. I'm not going to fall for it. Had I known we would one day be attacked by wizards, I would have insisted that we invest less in the navy and more on the airforce."

"I'll go fight him," said Hermione, her eyes blazing with anger.

"We can't lose you, Hermione, you're too valuable."

"Are you saying that I can't handle it?"

"I'm saying that you should think logically," the Prime Minister said in a condescending tone. "I'm sure you are a very talented woman, but if what Krum said was true and if I were to believe my own eyes," he pointed towards the large television screen, a drone from the battlefield transmitting the video to them, "then Potter is exceptional. I don't wish to lose you. You're staying here."

"Send another battalion to the front lines," he ordered. "Keep Potter occupied until we can force him to retreat. If we didn't surrender to Hitler during the Blitz, we bloody hell won't surrender to a freak like Harry Potter!"

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Three missiles from the launch vehicle flew towards them rapidly. Harry raised his arms and concentrated. With some effort, he managed to halt the weapons in mid-air. Turning them around, he pushed, sending them back where they came from. There was an explosion from the enemy's side and Harry smiled when as the launch vehicles and two tanks were destroyed.

"Great shot, Chancellor!" shouted a young Vampire. Unfortunately, there was another attack which the female didn't sense and before he knew it, the Vampire was dead. Green eyes darkened with anger as Harry moved forward.

"Charlie, focus on the tanks," he ordered through the communication device.

"On it!"

Running in a zigzag pattern to avoid the blasts of the tanks, Charlie and Harry shot destructive curses at them. With a boom, they exploded. A majority of the Muggle soldiers were shot down by the magical races while the rest scrambled for cover, trying to get a clear shot on their enemies, a tactic that soon proved to be futile.

The first wave of the battle ended with a victory for the Magical Republic.

"Move!" shouted Charlie. "We're pressing our attack into the city! Disapparate on my mark!"

Harry didn't follow them but with barely a whisper, he Disapparated as well.

Team Epsilon had found them.

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"Sir, we're losing the battle," the Defence Secretary said heatedly. "We need to send the air force to deal with this mess! Our infantry isn't able to combat Potter's forces."

The Prime Minister was in a state of shock. The drone that had been monitoring the battle led by Harry Potter had transmitted everything perfectly until it had been destroyed by an angry Veela. The way Potter and his group fought … the Prime Minister's legs started trembling. Never before had he felt this terrified.

For the first time, he realised that they were dealing with wizards, actual witches and wizards, who had control over an arcane force that he had never understood.

He had underestimated them.

"Sir?"

"Send the fighter jets," he said quietly, his voice cracking slightly. "All of them! I want those freaks destroyed!"

The Defence Secretary sighed in relief and barked instructions to his men. He was filled with rage. So many of their soldiers had died … he couldn't help but throw a nasty glare at Hermione Granger.

"I suppose you are happy?" he spat.

"Excuse me?" Hermione blinked in surprise.

"This is all your fault!" he screamed. "You were the one who bloody showed up on our doorstep without invitation, forcing us to act. Had you simply stayed away, we might have been able to avoid this stupid conflict! I ought to put a bullet through your head for your stupidity!"

"Andrew!" hissed the Prime Minister.

"How was any of this my fault?" Hermione shot back. Fear was creeping into her too, making her voice tremble. "I only wanted you to help those poor children that Potter had kidnapped!"

"Oh, who the hell cares about those stupid freaks?" spat the Defence Secretary. "As far as I'm concerned, your entire race should be hunted to extinction!"

"Calm yourselves, both of you!" the Prime Minister shouted. Taking a deep breath, he said, "We shouldn't be fighting. We have a war to win and infighting will only make it easier for Potter to –"

"Oh, it's definitely making it a lot easier."

The three of them spun around and paled when they saw that they were surrounded. The military base they were in was swarming with Potter's soldiers and the man in question was standing proudly in front of them, looking like an emperor who was about to judge the traitors.

"I thought you would be keeping a close watch on your bunker," Harry said, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "But you didn't. Despite your talent and intelligence, Granger, but you once again fell into the trap of thinking like a Muggle. You don't even have Anti-Apparition wards cast around the perimeter of the building. If this is how you've been hiding, then I really gave you too much credit."

"Murderer," spat Hermione, struggling against the magical binds that the soldiers had conjured.

Harry's face darkened. "Me?" he said quietly. "I'm the murderer? Who's accusing who, Granger? After all, it was you and that bastard Krum who orchestrated the attack that killed Algernon Croaker and my mother, not to mention nearly killed my then eight-year-old son!"

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but found that she had been silenced.

"You know, Granger, I had a big speech ready for you, about how wrong you were and why your actions have caused so much damage. But sometimes, I think seeing it is better than hearing simple words."

Hermione flinched as he loomed over her. Maintaining eye-contact, Harry forced Legilimency on her as he transmitted his thoughts to her. He showed her the prophecy, the failure of the Muggles, the deception of Krum, and how she had destroyed any hope for peace when she revealed the existence of magic before the United Nations.

Images are better than words; this certainly applied to her. The reality of the situation finally sunk in as Harry stopped showing her the memories. He stepped back and observed her, still processing everything he had seen in her mind. The fact that she had used magic to help the Muggle air force and weapons worried him; that would not be good for the Republic. It also explained how their cities had been attacked. However, there was also something else she was hiding … something he could not clearly see.

"No," she croaked out, her skin milk-white due to panic. "You're lying!"

Harry expression remained impassive. He didn't even spare the Prime Minister and his Defence Secretary a second glance. Their fates were sealed, anyway.

"I don't care if you believe me or not, but you should know that I don't lie. What I showed you was the truth. The Muggles are destroying the planet with their actions, and unless we do something about it, none of us will survive the inevitable destruction that that nature will heap upon us."

Hermione shook her head stubbornly, refusing to acknowledge the consequences of her actions. Part of her was mortified because she could understand that her betrayal was what actually started it all. Had she not approached the Prime Minister, things would not have escalated to this scale.

Harry briefly glanced at the Muggles who were glaring at him hatefully yet fearfully, trying desperately to free themselves from the magical binds. He paid them no mind.

"Leave them here," he ordered. "Get our people out. We're destroying this bunker."

"Yes sir!"

He turned back to Hermione. "I don't understand why you think I'm a Dark Lord. I'm fighting this war in order to protect my people. You just never embraced the magical world to see us as yours. For such a smart woman, you're incredibly stupid, Granger. You're so blinded by your own superiority and by your fascination with authority figures like Dumbledore and Krum that you never realised that there is more to the picture. Do you honestly think this man, the Prime Minister, wanted to help the people of the magical world? He was only using you for his selfish goals."

"You are a Dark Lord!" screamed Hermione. "You've destroyed my life! My parents, my husband, Mr Krum … they're all gone because of you!"

Harry shook his head in disgust. There was no arguing with her. Her mind was set and there was nothing he could do to convince her otherwise.

"What are you hiding, Granger?" he asked keenly.

When he sensed her rising panic, he took another peek into her mind. Harry's eyes narrowed as he put the pieces together.

"Daphne was right. It was you who cast the Fidelius Charm," he whispered to himself, ignoring the startled gasp that escaped Hermione's lips. "No wonder we were unable to find out what those protective enchantments were to be used for. You'd locked away the secret. Well, are you going to tell me what is it?"

The brunette simply glared at him, refusing to speak. Harry was not surprised.

"Fine. Have it your way. Goodbye, Granger."

"No!" Hermione whimpered. The knowledge of nuclear technology that was safely stored in her mind would soon be back in the open. And should that information make its way to Harry Potter's mind –

BOOM!

Harry walked away from the debris – or lack thereof, due to the Varasma-infused Asthron – with a stoic face as his soldiers followed.

Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes widened. The Fidelius Charm had been destroyed with the Secret Keeper, and the said secret was back in the open.

Nuclear weapons …

"That bitch!"

HP*SAVIOUR OF MAGIC*HP

Similar attacks were taking place all over the world. Harry's team had fought in Britain, while other teams fought in the United States, Russia and China. The one in North America was led by General Dylan Lestrange.

"This isn't going to be easy," he muttered. "If I didn't know better, I could swear that these weapons were enhanced by magic."

He was sweating profusely; the battle was becoming deadly. Even though they were winning, they were still losing people. It was costly, as losing even a single soldier could put them that much closer to defeat.

"Retreat!" ordered Dylan. "Apparate further north! We'll attack them in a semi-circular pattern from behind!"

"General, reinforcements have arrived!"

Dylan whipped his head to the side and couldn't help but grin. Fighters were approaching, but they were not American Muggle military bombers.

They were magical and belonged to the Republic. Jets of light impacted the Muggles as they scrambled for cover, but the curses being fired were not giving them room to retreat. Tanks, helicopters and missile launch vehicles blew up spectacularly.

The communication device in his ear activated.

"Hey, Uncle Dylan," Belladonna chirped. "You look like you could use some help."

The General chuckled. "Yeah, you could say that," he said sheepishly. "Get the transport ships here, Bella. We're retreating."

"Understood. I'll order my squadron to maintain fire on the tanks so that you can get your people out of here."

"Is the fleet in orbit?"

"Yes, our test was a success."

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"Admiral, we're in orbit," said the Elf.

"Open a channel to the fleet," said Daphne.

"Yes ma'am. Endeavour Command to the fleet – all communication channels open!"

"This is Admiral Potter. Target all your weapons on the satellites orbiting the planet. Destroy them."

"Acknowledged. Asthrons ready; the fleet is standing by. Awaiting final orders from Endeavour Command to begin attack."

"Fire!" she ordered.

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"Wow!" shouted Charlie, adrenalin pumping through his veins. "Now that's what I call a battle!"

His wife smirked at him, her Veela heritage giving her an angelic voice as she spoke to him, "My squadron destroyed eight tanks."

"Yeah? Tough luck, love, because mine destroyed ten!"

"Does that include missile-launch vehicles? Because my team took out five of those! And what was your score? Two, I believe?"

Charlie pouted.

Harry stood silently, ignoring them. Many were chuckling at their antics as the couple continued to banter playfully but he was not amused, still in a state of shock at what he had discovered.

Nuclear weapons … After twenty-four years, they still hadn't been prepared enough because they had forgotten about nuclear weapons thanks to the Fidelius Charm.

He exhaled. The transport ship crossed the planet's atmosphere. From the window, he could see the debris of the destroyed satellites. No doubt the Muggles were going crazy due to lack of proper communication channels.

Finally, the Republic fleet came into view. A proud smile formed on Harry's lips as he caught sight of the warships. Sleek in design and shaped like a dagger, the two classes of ships were a marvel to look at. The Dreadnought-class ship was five times as big as the Chasseur-class destroyers, but each had their own advantages and disadvantages. There were three of the former, each for him, Daphne and Dylan, and eighteen of the latter, six warships supporting each of the flagships. The transport ships docked in the main hangar of the Dreadnought, his command ship, and Harry immediately headed towards the bridge.

"Captain, report!"

The goblin saluted respectfully when Harry entered the bridge. "The Muggle satellites have been destroyed, sir, but our scans indicate that several countries are launching a massive strike with the help of their air force."

Harry nodded. Pressing a button on the transparent glass computer screen, he contacted the other two vessels that were commanded by his brother and wife. The life-sized holograms of both of them appeared on the bridge.

"Daphne, Dylan, Captain Bloodfang has informed me that the Muggles are sending their air force to attack us. Do you see it?"

"Yes, Harry," Dylan nodded. "I'm taking the far side of the planet. I have a score to settle with the American Muggles."

"I'll handle the east," said Daphne. "Our fighters are armed and ready."

"Good," replied Harry. "Captain, ready our troops."

"Yes sir!" said Bloodfang and barked, "Battle-stations!"

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The General watched in silence as their enemies approached their position. Dylan activated the communication device as he spoke clearly, "Launch the first squadron. All ships, fire at will."

Belladonna hopped into her fighter as the doors to the main hangar aboard the Resolute, her uncle's command ship, opened. As she took off, she could see that her twin brother was following her.

"That's a lot of planes we need to destroy," he muttered through their holographic communication device.

And it was. Tens of thousands of fighter-jets, helicopters and transport aeroplanes were approaching their position.

"Come on, brother, where's your sense of adventure?" Belladonna teased.

"Back on the ground, where I could use a wand," grumbled Charlie.

"Are you scared?"

"You wish!"

"You two are acting like kids," said a new voice. A holographic image of James Potter appeared, looking amused. "How about a game?"

"A game, Jamie?"

"Yeah, let's see how many of those contraptions you can destroy. Whoever wins will be declared the winner."

Belladonna laughed. "Only you can turn something as serious as a war into a game."

James smiled faintly. "As long as it helps," he confessed softly.

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"Take us into the lower atmosphere," ordered Harry. "Dreadnought Command to the fleet; commence attack. All ships, fire at will!"

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Washington D.C.

"Mr President, you've got to see this!"

The man in question exhaled and gritted his teeth. "What now?" he muttered to himself. It was bad enough that communications were mostly shot due to the freaks destroying their satellites, but going by the tone of the Secretary of Defence, this was probably bad.

"We managed to get a picture of the enemy's vessel," he said grimly. "It's truly a monster ship."

The President's eyes widened when he saw the image. "How big is this thing?"

"Probably more than three miles long, sir. And it's coming from space."

"It's probably an illusion – a magic trick. Besides, I don't care even if it comes out of their ass," he said stubbornly. "Our air force is the best; they can take care of it."

The Secretary of Defence doubted it, but he kept his opinion to himself.

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"James, what's the status of the reflective shielding?" asked Nicolas Flamel.

"We're working on it!"

"Hurry! We need to get them in orbit as soon as possible."

"Look, Mr Flamel," said James seriously, looking him dead in the eye. "I know that suddenly remembering the existence of the nuclear weapons has freaked you out but we're working as fast as we can. This is delicate technology, as you very well know. The enchantments have to be crafted carefully. We need time."

"We may not have it," the Elf replied grimly.

"In that case, we could use your help!"

Nodding his head, Nicolas joined his apprentice's son and their team in preparing the shielding devices.

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"Sir, we've been hit! Deck Four, Section Thirty-Six is in shambles!"

"Shields are down to sixty per cent!

"Increase magical flow to the dorsal enchantments to compensate!" Captain Bloodfang ordered.

"Well played, Granger," muttered Harry. "Daphne, Dylan, Granger and her team modified the Muggles' weapon systems. We're sustaining damage."

"Doesn't she have a nice way of hindering us, even in death?" snapped Daphne. The Endeavour, her flagship, shuddered as another torpedo came close to the Tachys system exhaust ports.

"Admiral, there's a pattern to their attacks! They're targeting our starboard ventral!"

"Keep our dorsal bow in the line of attack," she ordered. "Increase magical flow to the shield enchantments that power the vessel's starboard ventral. Continuous fire, starboard Asthrons."

"Yes ma'am!"

"Take us into a lower orbit."

"My Lady!" the commander gasped. "That will only bring us closer to their firing range."

"I know," Daphne smirked. "I have a plan."

Tapping the glass computer panel, she created a blue holographic image of the ship – or more specifically, a damaged ship.

"We're going to lay a trap for them," she said. "If we take the Endeavour into a lower orbit and cast an illusionary charm on the hull, we can bait them into targeting us. Let them think that we're in serious trouble. Once they move closer, the Chasseur-class ships of the fleet can surround them in a circular formation, blocking their escape."

"We can launch surprise attacks using our fighters, launching them from the Endeavour's supposedly destroyed hangar while the rest of the fleet can fire on them from all directions," the commander nodded.

"Exactly," Daphne said. Turning towards the officers, she ordered, "Activate the illusion. Increase magical flow to aft shields. They'll surely target the exhaust ports, thinking the vessel will implode. Take us down!"

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"General, I see the command ship of their fleet dead ahead! It's shielded. Our fighters are unable to destroy it."

"I see it!" nodded Dylan. "Ready Varasma torpedoes!"

"Ready."

"Take us about. I want to target the aeroplane's wings and engines."

"Asthrons in position!"

"Launch torpedos in quick succession – one, two and three! Target the last one at the nose. Fire!"

Dylan watched as the torpedos flew rapidly towards the large aircraft, destroying its left wing, then the right wing and finally, the cockpit. The battle continued, with him directing his fleet against the assaults of the enemy ships.

"We're being surrounded by similar planes, General!"

"Full starboard roll, evasive manoeuvre Lena-Seven! Fire!" ordered Dylan.

"There are several smaller ships approaching. Should I contact Commander Black's squadron?"

"I want the fighters of every squadron to act, not just Belladonna's. Open a channel. Resolute Command to the fleet, this is General Lestrange. Execute defensive formation Chakra, attack pattern Dylan-Omega-One!"

"Ready, General!"

"Do it!"

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"Minor damage reported on Deck Thirty-Two. Protective shields are holding."

"Come about to coordinates six-clicks-east," Harry ordered. "Ready Varasma torpedoes, dispersal pattern Potter-D-4. Fire!"

"Direct hit! Seven large enemy aeroplanes have been destroyed!"

"Chancellor, we've got several more magically shielded aeroplanes approaching off our port bow. They're flanked by nearly one hundred fighter jets. Should we fire?"

"No. Execute evasive manoeuvre Belladonna-One-Eight; stall them for now." Harry turned towards Bloodfang.

"Captain, do we have more fighters in the hangar?"

"Yes, Your Excellency," the goblin answer. "I have two squadrons available."

"Good. Tell them to prepare. Don't fire on the Muggles directly. Let them think they have us. I want to draw them in. Once they're close enough, open the hangar doors. The sudden attack by the Dreadnought's Asthrons as well as the fighters will take them by surprise. Tell the other ships of our fleet to block their escape. They'll be trapped in all directions."

"Red Squadron, departure confirmed," said Bloodfang. "We're opening the launch doors … now."

Harry's lips curved into a smirk. "Begin the air strike. Fire all Asthrons at the smaller vessels. Lock targets on the larger ones. Fire Varasma torpedoes, attack pattern Potter-Lamda-Four."

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The battle continued. Even though the Muggle weapon systems were modified with magic, and although there were thousands of military planes, helicopters and jets, they just couldn't keep up with the superior firepower and speed of the magical fighters and warships. That was not to say that the wizards were not suffering casualties. One of the warships in Daphne's fleet had been damaged, and many fighter pilots had lost their lives in the skirmish as well.

However, it was clear as to who was winning the war.

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"Sir, we're out of options."

The U.S. President rubbed his face with his hands, cold sweat trickling down his brow. How? They were the most advanced military in the world. How could these freaks take on not only the United States, but the combined militaries of every major country in the world?

"There is still one thing we can do," he said grimly. "I'm going to order a nuclear strike. Let's see what these freaks will do now."

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"James, is it ready?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure if they'll work just as we expect them to," James answered. "These shields and enchantments were not designed with nuclear missiles in mind. We've only had a few hours to modify it, based on the schematics of the shields that protect all the magical cities down on the planet. They were designed with nuclear weapons in mind, but these on the other hand … I just hope they manage to absorb the effects as intended. This technology is twenty-four years old. If only we'd known about the nuclear missiles while we were still in the temporal bubble …"

"They're no point in crying over spilt potion," Nicolas sighed. "Daphne, the shields are ready. Tell our people to deploy them at the specified coordinates."

"Acknowledged."

There were multiple cracks as the various Portkeys activated. The enchanted devices disappeared and re-appeared in space, orbiting the planet.

"Activating," muttered James. "I really hope we don't have to use these. I don't even want to think about my parents' reaction should something go wrong."

"Neither do I."

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Harry stood in the middle of the Dreadnought's bridge, waiting for the next shoe to drop. For more than seventy-two hours, they had constantly battled against the Muggles' air force. He was tired, fatigued and under a lot of stress, with dark circles under his eyes. It was a relief when he felt an arm encircle his waist as his wife stood beside him. Dylan immediately moved to take charge as he communicated with the officers.

"Do you think it's time to send them a message?" asked Daphne.

He exhaled. "Dylan, open a channel. Try to tap into the Muggles' public communication grid."

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"Mr President! There's a message for you on the television!"

"What?"

The Secretary of Defence turned on the T.V. and the handsome face of a young man filled the screen.

"Members and citizens of the United Nations," he began, "I am Harry Potter, the Supreme Chancellor of the International Magical Republic. I speak on behalf of my magical brethren. You have lost this war. Your army and your air force are crippled; your navy is useless against us. You should have listened to General Lestrange when he came to you with a peace accord. We did not want war; you forced this upon us when the British Prime Minister attacked multiple cities of Magical Britain, intending to kill all its citizens. The rest of you followed suit when you chose to attack us. As you can see, we will not sit idly by just because you can't deal with the fact that you aren't the only intelligent species that live on this planet."

"I'm offering you yet another chance. Surrender and you shall not be harmed. I will let you continue to live your lives the way you wish except for a few changes that I will demand from you, one of them being that you stop destroying the planet by using fossil fuels. You shall not cut down the forests and pollute rivers, nor will you hunt animals to extinction. These are my only demands and they're not negotiable. At least now, try for peace. Meet our demands, and our fleet will retreat. Our two worlds can separate once more, just like before."

"Cease your activities that are harming the planet and we shall leave you alone. Resist us and continue destroying the environment, and we shall do what needs to be done to protect our home. It's time to realise that you're not the only ones who reside here. This planet is a nurturing mother to all of us. We will die before allowing you to destroy it for your own selfish interests."

"You have one hour to reach a decision, after which I will come to you to discuss a treaty between the United Nations and the Magical Republic."

"One hour …"

"Stop using oil!" roared the President. "The nerve of this man!"

"I assume you aren't going to accept the deal, sir?"

The President glared at him. The phone rang and he answered it. He smiled with grim satisfaction.

"Confirmation code 5-4-Alpha-3-8. Launch confirmed."

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"Mum, I'm detecting several nuclear warheads activating all over," said James. "Do we fire at the source?"

"And risk contaminating the planet? No. The magical shields will absorb the power of the missiles."

"I'm really not sure if they're going to work," James pleaded desperately. "I know you're brilliant, Mum, but we haven't tested these wards in more than two decades! Only now did we remember their very existence!"

Daphne sighed. "We really don't have a choice. A chronic nuclear explosion could affect all life on the planet; I'm not taking that risk. The radiation and the explosion will be absorbed by the shield. That's how we designed it all those years ago. Trust me."

"They're not backing down … none of them! They've ignored your warning," said General Lestrange, turning back to look at his brother.

"Should I activate the shields to their full change?" asked Perenelle.

"Do it," Harry said quietly.

His green eyes were fixed on the screen as his words were implemented into action. His fists tightened, nails digging into his palm, releasing blood. Why couldn't the Muggles act reasonably for once?

Everyone watched with bated breath as one by one, the Muggles launched their nuclear weapons. Thousands of missiles took to the air, all heading towards the Republic fleet.

"That's overkill," Dylan stated. "And who knew the Muggles had hidden these weapons in every nook and cranny on the planet? So many of these countries are not even supposed to have nuclear weapons on their soil and yet …"

"It probably belongs to other countries," Harry said quietly. "I'm not surprised that they have secret launch sites all over the world. Though I have to wonder about the tactical advantage of this attack …"

"The Muggle leaders are not used to being cornered like this, with one or the other country having always tasted supreme power," replied Nicolas. "They're afraid and angry, making them take unsound decisions. I told you their anger towards anything magical will be dangerous."

No one answered him as they waited. Daphne was tapping the transparent magical computer screen, working at a quick pace.

"What in Merlin's name?" she exclaimed. "According to our scans, all those weapons are inter-connected – by magic! Activating any one missile would automatically trigger a launch for every other nuclear missile in the world!"

Harry's eyes narrowed. What had Ivan Krum's band of rebels done this time to help the Muggles fight the Republic's forces?

The enchantments took effect as a golden sphere formed all over the planet, connected by each of the devices in space.

BOOM!

Everyone flinched at the sound as thousands of nuclear missiles impacted the shield. Due to the Fidelius Charm erected by Hermione Granger, no one in the Republic truly knew what these weapons were – until the woman had been killed. Therefore, James and his team had very little time to modify and strengthen the shielding enchantments in order for them to work properly, based on magical technology designed by Harry and Daphne two decades ago; technology that had never been tested by the Department of Mysteries before.

The enchantment, in theory, allowed the bubble to absorb the power of the missile and reflect the stale launch device back towards the surface.

It would have worked perfectly had only a dozen missiles hit the shield. Unfortunately, when thousands of them bombarded the shield without a break, the magic required to absorbing it didn't do a very good job. Most of the radiation was absorbed, but not the power of the missile itself. In fact, the shield collapsed due to the stress and its resultant magical power was transferred into the weapon systems.

Daphne gasped and her eyes widened in panic. This was not something she had expected. It was as if nature itself was playing a crucial part in this conflict.

As the second trigger, the Banishing Charm, activated, the missiles were reflected back at the caster.

It all happened in a matter of seconds. The speed at which the shield reflected the nuclear missiles back towards the ground was so fast that no one managed to cry out in alarm. Huge expositions rocked the planet, thousands of mushroom clouds visible from space.

No one on the bridge of the Dreadnought dared to breathe a word as they all witnessed the effects of the nuclear bombs.

James collapsed on the floor, shaking badly. His wife cradled him, trying to soothe his nerves, but it didn't help, for she too shared his pain; guilt.

"T-They weren't s-supposed t-to –"

"They did indeed work," said Nicolas Flamel quietly. "The initial bombs that impacted the shield did not detonate, but when you throw more than ten thousand of those foul things at the same time …"

"Our families … every magical settlement down there … all gone!"

Harry didn't dare breathe. "Captain, run a full planetary scan," he said, his voice sounding alien to him.

"The magical population of all species is safe, Chancellor," Bloodfang said after a pause. "The shields around their cities protected them. It was probably a true blessing from Mother Magic that we all moved away from Muggle areas."

Everyone collectively exhaled in relief. James calmed down too. Their people were not dead.

"What of the Muggles?" inquired Dylan quietly, trembling slightly.

Bloodfang sighed. "Based on the number of missiles and their launch locations, we can estimate that more than ninety-five per cent of the Muggles are dead. The rest of them will probably not survive for long either. I'll probably give it another hour or two before they perish as well."

"The missiles absorbed the magic of the shields when it collapsed," Perenelle Flamel whispered. "Mother Magic, have mercy!"

Harry felt like someone was choking him. While he knew that war was inevitable and that there would be loss of lives, never had he imagined that the entire non-magical species would be eradicated. Billions of lives, all lost because of –

Because of whom? Him? Daphne? Dylan? Where they at fault for preparing for war? Or were the Muggles at fault for creating and using such harmful weapons in the first place? But was it really about the weapons? After all, the Republic fleet was armed to the teeth. It would be hypocritical of him to blame the Muggles for creating weapons to defend themselves.

"Master," Harry addressed Nicolas. "Please find a way to decontaminate the planet. While the effects of the radiation may have been absorbed by the shield, the devastation it left behind is still massive."

"I'll have it done," he bowed in respect, his eyes sadly looking at his apprentice. Harry would probably carry this burden for the rest of his life.

"Recall all fighters and restore communication channels. Contact every magical settlement – all of them – and verify if they're alright. Survey every ship in the fleet; I want a full damage and casualty report."

After issuing further orders, letting Dylan take over, Harry gently led his silent wife into his office, away from the bridge. As soon as the doors shut, Daphne collapsed on the floor, her gaze unfocused.

"I'm a monster," she whispered. "I've caused the deaths of billions!"

"You're not to blame for this, Daphne."

"How can you say that after what happened? This is my fault!"

"Is it?" Harry asked quietly, wiping her tears away. "Since the moment Voldemort was defeated, the prophecy has been hanging over our heads. It warned us that unless we stop the rising darkness, the planet shall be consumed. You managed to save us all! Without those shields, we probably would have been destroyed. Krum and Granger enhanced those weapons with magic! How else would it explain what happened, with the missiles all launching at once and absorbing the magic of the shield? That happened because they were already exposed to magic! That was not your fault. You did what any good leader would do under pressure; you saved your people!"

"B-But at what cost?"

"What could we have done differently that would not have led to this outcome? Hmm? We knew that magical children were treated horribly by Muggles, which was why we amended the Statute of Secrecy. Hermione Granger and Ivan Krum couldn't understand that and they chose to rebel. Their actions caused this. My actions caused this when I killed Krum instead of arresting him. I'm at fault, Daphne, not you!"

"Don't you dare blame yourself for this!" Daphne hissed in anger.

Harry took a deep breath. Truthfully, he was still in a state of shock over what had happened. His stomach was clenching painfully as guilt tore him alive. No matter what his wife might claim, he knew that it was he who was to blame.

He was marked by the prophecy. He was the one who chose to start the revolution. It was his mistakes that led to this point.

Was it truly a victory when you had no strength to even find it in you to celebrate? Had nature planned something worse had he failed in his mission? They would never know.

"We have fulfilled our mission," Harry said in an emotionless voice. "Granted, it was not how any of us expected it to end, but perhaps there was no changing it. Maybe the Muggles were meant to die at this point. We aren't Mother Magic to decide if this was good or bad for the world. We did our duty in protecting our people, our way of life, the planet itself, and magic. We protected magic."

"We did what we had to do, Daphne. It was their weapons and their choices that led to this. We defended ourselves, and our enemy's attack on us backfired. Maybe we succeeded, maybe we failed. Maybe we're heroes, maybe we're criminals. But we can't consume ourselves with such thoughts because it won't be us who will be judging our actions. History will speak for itself. There is nothing we can do – not now."

Daphne buried her face in the nape of his neck and Harry hugged her tightly, his face too buried in her hair. Both of them were trembling, crying silently.

They would carry this guilt for the rest of their lives. Even if they had not been the ones to slowly destroy the planet due to pollution, or create weapons that were capable of mass destruction, or enchant such weapons to help Muggles win, they would still feel responsible for their actions because both felt they could have done better, even if no one else agreed with them. As far as the rest of the magical world was concerned, they were the greatest leaders ever born; leaders that had helped preserve their people's lives and culture from being obliterated by another race that was determined to hate and end them.

War was always brutal. It had lasted thousands of years, from the moment the original humans had been cursed. The conflict had ended soon but the war had been waged for millennia, all because certain people thought they could exploit nature for their own benefit.

The universe was strange and mysterious. Nature always triumphed, despite all odds. No one was above nature, and anyone thinking as such was a fool. The feeling was humbling. Nature had repeatedly given the Muggles a chance to reform but they chose to ignore it in their arrogance and ignorance, finally paying the price. The magical races would have to remember this, for should ever make the same mistake, they would one day experience the same fate in a different form.

Karma … The universe indeed worked in mysterious ways.

Daphne finally got her breathing under control. Wiping her tears away, she slowly stood up, helping him up too.

"Come on," she said in a raspy voice. "We still have a lot of work to do."

They didn't know how they were going to deal with the present situation, but they were willing to put aside their pain and guilt, for they had a duty to their people.

Their job was not done yet; not by a long shot.