Chapter Text
Dumbledore gets to work as soon as Evie is gone, summoning the Order with a quick patronus message. His normally serene demeanor is cracking as he speaks quietly so the group can’t hear. His hair and beard are frizzy from what just happened. He tried to send Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ominis, and Sebastian back to their classes, but none of them would have it.
Hermione sits with her arms crossed, her brow furrowed as she exchanges glances with Ron, who chews the inside of his cheek, clearly struggling to hold back his questions. Harry, ever the silent observer, leans against the wall, his eyes downcast. Ominis stands near the window.
Sebastian paces back and forth as he worries for Evelyn. He knows she’s powerful. He can barely believe that she turned into a dragon. It’s the most magnificent thing he’s ever seen in his life.
The first members of the Order finally trickle in, including Snape and McGonagall. Sebastian assumed they’d be dealing with their classes or their houses. Maybe all the classes got cancelled for this.
They whisper quietly to each other as they take seats at a large table Dumbledore transfigured for their meeting. A few others Sebastian doesn’t care to know the names of take seats around them.
Then Sirius strides into the room with Remus at his heels. “What the hells is going on?” His gaze slides to Harry and he looks him over. “Are you alright Harry?”
“I’m fine,” Harry answers immediately. “I’m worried about Evie…do you know anything?”
Remus places a gentle hand on his shoulder in greeting. “Just what Dumbledore told us…”
Sirius glances at the group of Order members for a moment before moving towards Harry and lowering his voice. “Did she really turn into a dragon?”
“She did,” Ron answers. “It was wicked cool.”
“You must be Ominis,” Remus greets him and Sebastian glances at his once closest friend. They have only had a short time to speak to each other, and it wasn’t all that enjoyable. Ominis had to tell him what happened in that place and then Sebastian had to tell him that Anne died. Both of them cried and embraced as they watched over Evie as she slept.
“That would be me, Ominis Gaunt, a pleasure to meet you,” Ominis’ voice is soft and he looks exhausted. His curse has only attacked him once that Sebastian saw and it made him think of Anne which took his breath away. He can’t lose Ominis too.
“I’m Remus Lupin and this is Sirius Black. We’re glad to have you with us,” Remus tells them in his kindest voice. “We’ve heard a lot about you.”
Ominis forces a smile that doesn’t quite reach his cloudy eyes. “I hope only good things?”
“We heard a lot about a prank that you played on someone named Duncan,” Ron cuts in, easing some of the tension.
“You would tell people about that one,” Ominis lets out a short chuckle as he rolls his eyes in Sebastian’s direction.
Sebastian smiles at him fondly, the ache in his chest easing. “It’s one of my favorite memories,” Sebastian tells him honestly. He could use that one to produce a patronus it brings him so much joy. They had so much fun tormenting him.
“What’s happened?” Molly bursts through the door with nearly the entire Weasley crew behind her. “Ron?” She marches right up to him and takes his face in her hands like she’s checking him over for injuries.
“Mum I’m fine,” he shakes her off with an embarrassed flush.
“Did you or did you not go into the Forbidden Forest where there were Death Eaters waiting?” Her voice is like a whip that has everyone falling silent. She has that effect on people.
“We-we couldn’t let Sebastian go on his own Mum…” Ron protests and his eyes dart around for help.
“And you,” she turns on Harry who goes pale under her scrutiny. “How could you risk yourself? When so many people have been trying to protect you?”
“I…I…” Harry stammers and Hermione wisely remains quiet beside him.
“Evie was out there fighting for her life,” Ron speaks up. “And Sebastian was going to help her no matter what, so Harry and I agreed to go with him. She needed help, Mum. She’s our friend.”
It takes a moment, but Molly nods her acceptance. Tears line her eyes but Sebastian can see that its pride. Pride in Ron’s bravery. Then she turns blazing eyes to Dumbledore. “You let that girl go off on her own after everything she’s been through?”
Sebastian grins as Molly’s motherly instinct has pitted her against Dumbledore. It’s a sight to behold.
“Molly…” Dumbledore attempts to soothe her in a calm voice.
“We know that girl has been through hell, Albus. She came to Hogwarts again looking for safety and you let her go? Transforming into a dragon to do so? I’m at a loss of words!”
“I’m not. It sounds wicked,” Fred and George repeat as they slide up next to Sebastian. “We’re glad she’s alright. Wish we could’ve seen the dragon bit though. We were at home with Mum and Fleur when the message arrived.”
“It’s good to see you guys,” Sebastian nods to them. He hasn’t seen them since just after he lost Anne when he was at his lowest point.
“How would you have proposed he stop her?” Snape sneers. “The girl is more powerful than any of us thought.”
“She’s still a girl! She was scared and angry and probably hurt. It shouldn’t take much to stop her from running off!” Molly places her hands on her hips. Sebastian doesn’t point out that Evie was about to take on Aurors after defeating dozens of Death Eaters, he doesn’t even know her kill count from the forest battle. If he hadn’t stunned her nobody would have been able to. Only he was able to do that because he could get close to her.
“Evie took Professor Dumbledore’s wand,” Hermione manages to whisper to stunned silence. “She won its allegiance and it answered to her when she held her hand out. He couldn’t do anything to her, Mrs. Weasley.”
Moody grimaces and his magical eye scans the group. “What’s done is done. We need to know the next steps you want us to take Albus.”
“I agree,” Kingsley nods. “Where was she going?”
“I want to know why she would leave after just getting back to Hogwarts,” Tonks raises her hand like she’s in class, grinning when Sirius chuckles at her.
“This is a mess,” Professor McGonagall shakes her head. “Students saw the dragon Albus. Some of them are scared and want to go home. I suspect a few of sent letters to their parents.”
“Hogwarts is the safest place,” a woman Sebastian doesn’t know interrupts. “They should remain here.”
The door creaks open suddenly, interrupting the tense atmosphere. The Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, accompanied by a handful of his aides, including Percy, all stride into the headmaster’s office. His face is a storm cloud of fury.
"This is unacceptable, Dumbledore!" The Minister’s voice echoes through the room. "A dragon was spotted leaving the school and then moments later it was off the coast of southern England. By the time we arrived, it was gone, but we have witnesses. Muggles! We have records. You knew about this and didn’t inform the Ministry? What the bloody hell is going on?” His eyes sweep over the room, narrowing at the sight of everyone gathered. It’s quite obvious it’s a meeting of the order.
“Percy!” Molly sobs and throws her arms around him, nearly knocking his glasses off. But he lets her hold him, not even making any comments as Arthur moves to join them, placing his hand on Percy’s shoulder. Sebastian is a bit surprised considering how strained things have been with all of them.
“Dumbledore I’ve warned you already about your constant interference in this war with Voldemort. But this?” The Minister gestures around. “This is unacceptable.”
"You’re not here to point fingers," Dumbledore says, his voice now firm, though a hint of strain remains. "We’re here to solve the problem. We are on the same side Minister.”
The Minister sneers. "You’re out of your depth, Dumbledore and so obviously on your own side. The Ministry will handle this. You’ve had your chances. Many of them. That’s over. Now I want to know what you know. I want to be able to trust you and the aurors here.”
The meeting with the Minister stretches for hours, a tense battle of words and accusations. Every time Dumbledore tries to steer the conversation back to a more productive place, the voices rise again. Always sharp and insistent. It’s as if every argument, every doubt that’s been brewing for months, has come to a head. The Minister is rightfully furious. Sebastian understands he’s been doing the best he can without all the knowledge Dumbledore has kept hidden. He never thought he’d actually side with the ministry in his life. But Dumbledore’s secrets have made everything worse.
Sirius paces, as he shouts at Dumbledore over every decision he’s made in the name of secrecy. Remus, ever the calm one, tries to keep things civil but is clearly struggling to understand how the man they’ve trusted could be so deceptive. Professor McGonagall’s frustration is obvious as she cuts through the back-and-forth with pointed questions, demanding answers, while Mr. And Mrs. Weasley both remain tense, fists clenched, his silence more telling than anything he might say. Tonks is quieter than usual, her eyes darting between the two sides.
Finally, Dumbledore’s house of cards starts to crumble.
“I—I had to keep you all in the dark,” Dumbledore finally admits, his voice uncharacteristically weak. “There were too many forces at play... too many moving pieces. I could not risk letting the enemy know that I knew.”
The room goes silent, hanging on his every word. Dumbledore looks older in that moment, as though the weight of the years is catching up with him in real-time.
“You were right to be angry,” he continues. “I thought I could control things. That I could protect you all by keeping certain truths hidden. But I was wrong. There’s more... more at stake than I let on.” He looks around the room, meeting the eyes of those present, his regret evident. “Voldemort split his soul with dark magic into pieces with a cursed object called a Horcrux. He cannot truly die until they are destroyed.”
The revelation crashes over the rest of those gathered like a wave. It’s as if time stands still for a heartbeat. No one speaks; no one moves. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all look at each other. The students here are the only other people that were aware of such dangerous things.
The group just stares at Dumbledore, as if waiting for him to explain, to offer more, but he doesn’t.
“You’re telling us...” The Minister begins, his voice trembling with disbelief, “that we’ve been fighting him all this time, and we haven’t even scratched the surface?”
“Yes,” Dumbledore says quietly, the words bitter on his tongue. He looks incredibly displeased that he’s being forced to speak about this. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you. Voldemort’s immortality is tied to his Horcruxes. As long as they remain intact, he cannot die, no matter what we do. And I didn’t know how many he had, or where they were. I’ve been looking for them…along with Harry. He destroyed one in his second year which is how I learned of them and then I found and destroyed another over the summer. I believe he successfully made 6.”
“6,” Kingsley shakes his head in disbelief. “He tore his soul six times? Has anyone done such a thing?”
“As far as I can tell,” Dumbledore nods. “I’ve only been able to find a half dozen memories that pertain to it.”
“So all the battles, all the lives lost, the destruction we've faced... and you didn’t think it was important to tell us this sooner?” The Minister’s fury rises, his face red with the weight of this revelation. “You’ve led us in circles, Dumbledore! You’ve played games with our lives, our futures…and for what? For what?”
“Calm down, Minister,” Remus Lupin says softly, stepping forward. His voice is controlled, but there’s an undercurrent of anger beneath the surface. “Blaming Dumbledore now won’t change the fact that we have to deal with this. He made mistakes, yes. Plenty of them over the years. But right now, it’s the truth we need, not the blame. He does have a point that we’re all on the same side. The side that is fighting Voldemort.”
The Minister doesn’t respond, his eyes still locked on Dumbledore, but the room grows quieter as the gravity of the situation sets in.
Bill’s brow is furrowed as he processes what Dumbledore said. He speaks up, “If there are Horcruxes... how do we even begin to find them? How do we destroy them?”
“That’s where Evie went,” Sebastian interrupts, arms crossed over his chest. “I told her about the Horcruxes when she woke up. She destroyed his snake when she escaped. She could sense that it was a Horcrux though she didn’t know what it was. She’s now out hunting them. She’ll take care of it.”
The Minister’s expression hardens, but it’s clear that he is struggling to hold his temper. “So, you’re telling us... that students know about these Horcruxes? A young girl is out hunting the most dangerous dark magical objects of the deadliest dark wizard of all time without Ministry aid?” His voice rises. “A young girl?”
Sebastian’s jaw tightens, a fire burning in his chest as he responds. “The Ministry has never done anything for us. We never would ask for help from you” he sneers. “And she didn’t have a choice; Dumbledore has kept all of this under wraps. If Harry wouldn’t have asked me what a Horcrux was we wouldn’t have known what was going on. Evie is powerful enough to destroy them without any dangerous tools or spells. That was evident when she killed his snake in her escape.”
Sirius glances at Dumbledore, his expression filled with skepticism. “But we’re just supposed to trust that she’s hunting them, alone, and we don’t even know where she is? I know Evie is strong and powerful but what if she needs help?”
“I know she won’t stop. She’s hunting them because she knows it’s the only way to end this,” Sebastian continues, unable to temper the flare of pride in his voice. “She believes she can find the rest; she can destroy them before Voldemort has a chance to regroup. Believe me, nobody wants that bastard dead more than we do. We are not the sit around and wait kind of people.”
The Minister's voice breaks the tension, his tone sharp. “Dumbledore,” he begins, his eyes narrowing, “now that you’ve told us about these Horcruxes…and I suppose we must take your word for it. We don’t have time for me to consult the Unspeakables. But what about the ones that have already been destroyed? Do you still have them?”
Dumbledore’s gaze shifts downward for a moment, his fingers brushing over the items he’s carefully placed on the table before him. With a soft sigh, he picks up the diary and the ring, holding them up for all to see. The diary is worn, its leather cracked and faded, and the ring gleams ominously in the dim light.
“This is the diary of Tom Riddle when he was a student,” Dumbledore says, his voice steady but heavy. “It was destroyed some time ago. And this...” He holds the gold ring up for all to see, the large black stone set in its center catching the light. “This was the ring of his mother’s family. He took it from his uncle and made it into another Horcrux.”
Ominis’s breath hitches, and he stands abruptly. His hand reaches out, fingers trembling slightly as he reaches for the ring. He turns it over in his hands. “This ring,” he says, his voice low and strained. “It’s... it’s my family’s ring. My father used to wear it.”
Sebastian gently places his hand on Ominis’ shoulder. He remains silent, hoping to convey his silent support. Sebastian knows better than anyone that Ominis had a terrible relationship with his family. His father and brother forced him to torture muggles and even tortured him when he refused. He doesn’t even know the whole story of how he was cursed by them after he disappeared.
Dumbledore’s voice breaks the silence, steady and sure, as he turns his attention to Harry. “Harry, I believe it’s time for us to begin the search for the remaining Horcruxes.”
Sirius speaks up, his voice cutting through the tension in the room. His eyes are locked on Dumbledore with an intensity that makes everyone pause. “No,” he says, the word sharp and firm. “Harry is not going with you. Not on this.”
“Sirius, I—” Harry starts to protest, but Sirius holds up a hand, silencing him.
“No, Harry,” Sirius says, his tone soft but forceful. “You’ve already risked enough. You’re not going after those Horcruxes with him.”
“But I need to help,” Harry insists, his voice rising a little. “I’ve already been part of this fight from the beginning. It’s always been about me. I have to be involved.”
Sirius remains firm. "You’ve faced Voldemort too many times before. I am your godfather and it’s my job to protect you. I know I haven’t always done the best job in the past,” he runs a hand across his forehead, showing the wear in the lines of his face. “But I will this time.”
“Sirius, I understand your concerns, but Harry has already proven himself in ways I can never explain. He is uniquely suited to this task.” Dumbledore rests both his hands on the table, his damaged one looking frighteningly like that of a corpse.
Sirius’s eyes narrow. “I don’t care what you say, Albus. I’m not letting him do this. You want to go after the Horcruxes, fine. But Harry’s not part of it. Not now, not ever again.”
Harry looks at his godfather, straightening up to his full height. “Sirius, I’m not a child anymore. I’ve been fighting this war since he killed my parents. I can’t sit back while you go off and risk everything. I have to help.”
Sirius’s face softens, but the worry remains. “I know you’re not a child, Harry. Merlin, you’ve never had a chance to be one. But you’re still too young to carry this alone. We’ve lost so much already. I lost your mum and dad. I won’t lose you too.”
The door bursts open again, and the same Auror from earlier rushes back into the room, his face pale with disbelief. He barely catches his breath before he speaks. “Minister, everyone, Gringotts was just attacked... by a dragon.”
A collective gasp ripples through the room. The Minister looks stunned, as though the words don’t quite register with him. He rests a closed fist on the table. “A dragon? At Gringotts?”
Sebastian swallows thickly, his heart pounding with worry for Evie. He knows she can handle herself. But Gringotts? Why would she attack them?
“What’s the damage?” The Minister questions, his thick brow knitted together.
“The lobby was destroyed but there were no injuries…the witnesses said that the falling debris was transfigured into raindrops. I’ve never heard anything like it.”
“There were no injuries? Deaths?” Percy questions, obviously stunned. He pushes his horn-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose.
“No,” the auror replies as they shake their head. “Nobody was hurt. There’s some pretty extensive damage and one of the high security vaults was eviscerated.”
Sebastian is a bit surprised. He would have thought Evie might have gone after the goblins while there. Surely, they would have tried to stop her. She still has nightmares of things that happened in their original fifth year. Of Ranrok. Though Sebastian supposes he is the one that truly hated goblins. Evie befriended some and killed only when they attacked her. She only ever targeted loyalists.
Harry leans closer to Hermione and whispers, “A Horcrux must’ve been hidden in the bank. That’s the only reason Evie would go there. Voldemort would use a high security vault to make sure no one gets close to his Horcrux.”
Hermione’s eyes widen at the suggestion. “That... that’s actually a genius idea, Harry,” she admits, her voice low with awe and Harry flushes at her praise.
“We should send a team to investigate immediately,” one of the aides with the Minister voices. This is a woman with a pinched face. “We should at least send aid to the goblins. They won’t be pleased. It wouldn’t look good if we did not aid them in their time of need.”
“What vault was attacked?” Bill questions, his sharp gaze assessing. Out of everyone here he knows the most about Gringotts as a curse breaker for them. “Did they provide you with the name of the account holder?”
The man who brought the news blinks at him like he misheard the question. “It was one of the old ones,” he finally answers. “Deep in the ground. It was actually guarded by one of the dragons of Gringotts. But it did nothing…in fact it was freed by the other dragon and has since vanished. More muggles saw it Minister…we now have two dragons on the loose in Southern England.”
“What vault? I mean who did it belong to?” Bill repeats, his fist hitting the table to get everyone’s attention.
“It was the Lestrange Vault,” the man finally answers.
“It wouldn’t be the first time Voldemort trusted his top Death Eaters to protect one of his Horcruxes,” Dumbledore whispers as he gestures to the diary.
“My cousin Bellatrix certainly fits that criteria,” Sirius mutters and he and Tonks share a dark look. Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black is probably the most loyal follower he has and one of the most dangerous.
Dumbledore’s fingers stroke his long, silvery beard, his eyes twinkling with that characteristic, almost infuriating calm. Sebastian can practically hear the gears turning in the old wizard’s mind, weighing each word carefully, calculating how to frame his thoughts in a way that will make him sound both the most reasonable and the most intelligent in the room. Merlin, it makes him want to punch him.
“We have to do something,” Kingsley declares, his voice firm and eyes like steel. “If there are Horcruxes out there then we should be helping Evelyn. Not sitting here and waiting.”
“We shouldn’t rush in blindly,” Bill reasons. “Though I agree someone should check on the Goblins. The last thing we need is them siding with the Death Eaters over a slight.”
“Greedy assholes,” one of the other aurors mutters, voice dripping with disdain.
“I don’t care for comments like that in my school,” Dumbledore scolds him, his voice quiet but carrying an undeniable weight. His gaze is steady, piercing through the air. The room quiets for a moment, all attention turning to him as he speaks. His tone is firm, but there’s no anger in it just a type of calmness.
“Helping Evelyn is one thing, but putting ourselves in harm's way without proper strategy is reckless.” Tonks, now standing near the door, her arms crossed as she watches the group with a sharp gaze. It’s surprising to hear her not looking to charge in. “If we rush in like we always do, we’ll only make things worse. We need to think this through.”
“Tonks is right,” Remus adds, stepping forward slightly, his tone even and she brightens at his words. “We can’t keep charging in without a plan. The last thing we need is to go in blind and give Evelyn more to worry about. We’ve seen what happens when we do that.”
“A strategy?!” Harry’s voice rises, his fists clenched. “We’ve had a strategy for the last year and look where that’s got us! People are dying! Evelyn’s out there alone fighting to stop Voldemort and protect us. Now we want to sit down and come up with something?”
“This isn’t the time for emotional outbursts, Potter,” Snape sneers from the corner, his dark eyes glinting with disdain.
“Then what do you suggest, Severus?” Sirius interjects sharply, quick to Harry’s defense. “More waiting for you to go play spy? Because that’s worked so well for us in the past, hasn’t it? You couldn’t even find her.”
“Enough!” McGonagall’s voice rings out, a wave of calm cutting through the rising storm of voices. But even her tone, usually so soothing and authoritative, is almost drowned out by the raised voices around them. “We will not get anywhere by shouting over each other.”
The room doesn’t quiet at first. The bickering continues, louder now, with some of the Aurors yelling their opinions, others gesturing wildly, like they’re all speaking different languages. It’s a rare sight, this disarray, and it makes Sebastian’s stomach churn.
How is this group supposed to be the main force opposed to Voldemort?