All of Harry’s late nights at the Ministry had him sleeping in past noon most days, but he couldn’t help but wake up the moment the sunlight shone in through his windows on election day. The day that he and Daphne had worked so hard towards was finally here, and it felt like the greatest relief. Their work in changing Britain for the better was far from over, but this was the first major hurdle that they had to overcome to see their dreams manifest into reality.
Today was the day that Daphne would become the Minister for Magic.
It had taken so much to get here. Defeating a resurgent Death Eater uprising and removing Head Auror Dawlish from his position, wiping out the vile remnants of that despicable order in France and putting a stop to Emile Delacour’s plans before he could try to resurrect Voldemort, and now using every clever trick they had to win over the voting public so that they would support Daphne’s electoral bid. In just a few short years, he’d managed to do so much. And now he stood on the precipice of a new beginning.
Harry lingered around his room for hours, trying to calm his excitement down. He couldn’t let nerves get in the way of him doing his job and seeing things through to the end. Eventually though, it became too much and he finally got up and started getting ready.
Harry dressed smartly in his finest black robes—ones that Daphne had bought for him last Christmas—and reapplied a carefully-crafted disguise so that he could blend into the crowds at the Ministry of Magic. There would be polling stations across magical communities in Britain where citizens could cast their votes, but many would choose to travel to the Ministry of Magic to do so. By the time the polls closed, the atrium would be filled to the absolute brim with ten-thousand witches and wizards eagerly waiting to hear the results.
Finally, he would get to see all of his friends and family again. It had been hard lying to them all, even if it was a necessary evil in order to ensure his plans to stop Rhys weren’t sabotaged. Out of everyone though, he missed Delphini the most.
This poor young girl who’d been caged away from a young age had truly wormed her way into Harry and Daphne’s hearts. After everything she’d been through in being raised in an environment surrounded by Death Eaters and then losing Narcissa, the woman who practically adopted her, she deserved to have a loving and caring family. The fact that Voldemort and Bellatrix were her biological parents didn’t change Harry’s feelings towards her at all.
He wanted to go back home to Greengrass Manor and see everything that she’d been up these past weeks that he’d been gone. Daphne had told him that she’d already clued in on the fact that he was still alive, so hopefully she wouldn’t be too upset with him when he made his return.
Harry smiled as he looked himself over in the mirror. It was a little too arrogant to be thinking about the future when he had yet to guarantee it. He needed to be focused when he dealt with Rhys and his cronies today.
“Good morning,” Eloise said as Harry came down to her restaurant. She was busy in the kitchen preparing the produce she’d gotten in earlier this morning. Several enchanted utensils were taking care of simpler tasks like dicing vegetables, stirring soups, and organising the kitchen, but Eloise was handling the much more delicate job of filleting fish.
“Morning,” Harry said, practically beaming.
“Today’s the day, yes?”
Harry nodded. “In a few hours, the polls will close, and Daphne will be the new Minister.”
“I do hope to see some better protections for muggles coming soon,” Eloise commented lightly, but Harry knew that the sentiment was anything but.
“Believe me, they’re going to be a priority for us,” Harry assured her.
“Us?” Eloise raised a questioning eyebrow.
Harry didn’t feel the need to hide his plans knowing that everything was basically assured. “I’ll have a different position within the government once Daphne is in charge. A position with a bit more influence.”
“I suppose sleeping with the Minister has its perks,” Eloise winked at him. “Good. It’s well past time that things change around here. The fact that the man who nearly killed my brother is still allowed to walk free…”
“He won’t for much longer,” Harry promised.
Eloise’s eyes flickered up to his, searching for any hint of deceit. “What do you—”
“Don’t ask,” Harry interrupted. “Just know that what happened to Mathis hasn’t been forgotten. I can’t say anything more, and you shouldn’t either.”
Eloise nodded in understanding. “Will you be back here tonight?”
“No,” Harry shook his head. “Thanks for letting me use that room upstairs.”
“It was no trouble at all,” Eloise said. “We’ll be listening in on the wireless later tonight to hear the election results. I made you some food; you should eat before you leave.”
“Thanks,” Harry smiled as Eloise lifted a cloche off of a silver tray, revealing thin slices of baguette with butter and jam on the side, a small bowl of fresh fruit, fried eggs, and a couple rashers of English back bacon. The tray and a hot mug of tea floated over to a small table in the corner of the kitchen.
He took his time devouring Eloise’s delicious cooking as he listened to the rhythmic pattern of her knife hitting the cutting board as she worked. When he finished, everything floated over towards the sink where an enchanted sponge got to work cleaning. Then, he quickly said his goodbyes and headed out the side door.
Diagon Alley was absolutely brimming with life as Harry stepped out into it. It rivalled the busiest summer days when parents brought their children to buy their Hogwarts supplies. All around him, people were talking about the election, and the overwhelming consensus was that everyone knew Daphne’s victory was assured. He slipped through the crowd, just another nameless face, and eventually reached the Leaky Cauldron, which was as busy as Harry had ever seen it. Wirelesses had been placed atop every table with the Wizarding Wireless Network News playing, updating everyone on the latest as it came to the election. Exit polls, opinions pieces, and live interviews were blaring through the pub.
The queue to use the fireplaces was quite long, but after waiting for nearly fifteen minutes, Harry finally managed to floo directly to the Ministry of Magic.
As he stepped out of the flames, he saw that there was already a small crowd forming around the fountain. On either side of the atrium, along the walls, several queues had formed for witches and wizards to cast their votes at the polling stations established near the wand checkpoint.
There was a heavy Auror presence out today, as there always was during big events like this. Many of these Aurors would be pulling double shifts to ensure that everything went fine during the day and that the celebrations in the evening didn’t cause magic to spill out into the muggle world.
Thankfully, it was quite easy for Harry to slip into one of the smaller crowds forming just past the fireplaces. It was where people were waiting around for their friends and family to arrive before they headed deeper into the atrium to try to find a good spot to watch the stage where the winner would be announced in a few hours time.
Harry lingered there for quite some time, finding himself drawn into conversations by nearby witches and wizards who were all eager to talk about what changes Britain would see. It heartened him to hear that so many muggleborns who’d mostly left the wizarding world behind were here today to support Daphne and all of her progressive changes she wanted to bring. And what was even better was that they were being welcomed with open arms by witches and wizards who were still a part of the wizarding world. They were rubbing shoulders together like old friends would as they talked about anything and everything.
Eventually, Harry felt that quiet mental connection he’d formed through the Imperius Curse grow in intensity. Lestrange must’ve just arrived.
Mentally, Harry ordered Lestrange to come over and see him. It wasn’t hard to pick the man out of the crowd, but Harry frowned as he realised that Lestrange was alone. He’d expected others to be here as well, but maybe Rhys was simply relying on one man to cause all of the chaos while he sat back and waited for the Ministry to crumble.
“Where’s Rhys?” Harry asked simply when Lestrange found him. He’d stepped out of the crowd and found a quiet spot near the middle of the atrium.
“At his manor,” Lestrange said, his tone lifeless as his will crumbled beneath Harry’s domineering Imperius Curse. “He doesn’t want to get caught up in the destruction of the Ministry.”
There would be no destruction now that Harry had dealt with all of the explosives.
“Is he gathering any forces there?” Harry asked.
“Some die-hard pure-bloods are there,” Lestrange answered. “There aren’t many remaining who are willing to support Rhys’ extreme methods. There can’t be more than fifty, and many of them are old men and women from the Wizengamot or members of their families. They aren’t fighters.”
It would be an easy cleanup job then.
“What commands has he given the two Aurors under his control?”
“To follow my every command.”
“And what commands have you given them?”
“To protect me and guide me through the crowds to the stage. They’re to help me get on stage as soon as Elphias Doge announces the winner of the election. They’ll guard me while I take over the microphone and make our grand announcement that the Wizarding World will finally be cleansed of the corrupting filth of muggles and blood traitors.”
“Then what will you do?”
“Activate the explosives and take this portkey out,” Lestrange explained, opening up his robes slightly to show off a slim piece of parchment stowed in an inner pocket. “The first explosions will drop the wards against portkeys and apparation, giving me a few seconds to escape. I’ll return directly back to Rhys’ manor.”
An idea jumped straight to the fore of Harry’s mind. “How is this portkey activated?”
“Through a passphrase,” Lestrange told him. “I can’t say it aloud or it’ll render the portkey useless.”
“Can you spell it out loud?” Harry asked.
Lestrange nodded. “P. U. R. E.”
“Simple. I like it. Hand it over, if you would.” Harry grinned. As Lestrange did so, Harry stowed the portkey within his robes. “I have some new instructions for you. Your plan will be changing a bit.”
And so he whispered a new plan to Lestrange. It only took a minute to explain everything to him, but once he finished, Harry felt a strong pull of resistance from his connection to the man. Lestrange didn’t want to do it, but he had no choice.
“Y-yes,” Lestrange managed to get out. “I’ll do as you said.”
“Excellent. On your way.”
Lestrange wasted no time in disappearing into the crowd, and that was when Harry moved deeper into the atrium as well. However, he instead slipped into one of the many alcoves and donned his invisibility cloak once he was sure that no one would notice him.
The crowds in the atrium were swelling as more and more people arrived. It was, ironically, this fact that made Harry less worried about accidentally bumping into anyone while he was invisible. Unless he got completely surrounded and made an obvious gap in a crowd, most people would brush off the fact that someone touched them because there were just so many people trying to cram into the atrium.
He walked carefully alongside one of the polling lines, using a bit of space between them and the crowd to hurry deeper into the atrium until he finally reached the stage that’d been erected to host the official announcement of who would be the next Minister for Magic. Harry got jostled around a bit as he squeezed through gaps of people, but his cloak remained perfectly in place. He eventually reached the barriers that sealed off the back of the stage. Aurors stood guard at specific gaps to ensure that no unauthorised persons slipped through, but all Harry had to do was wait for a moment when one of the Aurors shifted their footing or stepped back for a moment to slip through the gap and into the open space beside the stage.
Ministry workers were running around here, ensuring that everything was working smoothly. There were regular deliveries of ballots coming in from across Britain arriving via Ministry house-elves, who handed them off to staff members who took them to the lifts to be brought to the Minister for Magic and Support Staff on Level One where they’d be counted.
Two small pavilions had been set up, and there Harry saw both candidates and their support teams waiting for the time that they’d be called up on stage. While Daphne was dressed up in beautiful, dark-blue robes, Amelia retained her formal black robes. The difference in morale between the two groups was shocking. All of Daphne’s aides seemed jubilant and excited to get on with the election results while Amelia’s camp had a somber tone to it. Amelia’s fist was digging into her cheek as she stared blankly at the floor, probably thinking about her entire campaign.
Harry picked a quiet spot where he wouldn’t accidentally bump into anyone and waited. He removed his glamours, ensuring that he looked exactly like Harry Potter again. A couple more hours went by, and the noise coming from the atrium kept growing in intensity. The polling stations had closed nearly twenty minutes ago now, and Harry’s expectation of ten-thousand witches and wizards being in attendance to hear the results live may have been a few thousand short from his estimation.
One of the lift doors opened up to reveal Elphias Doge stepping out with Tonks at his side. Harry felt a pang in his chest as he knew that Tonks was going to be one of the first people to learn that he wasn’t dead when he revealed himself soon. She was the type of person who’d feel this betrayal deeply, even if she understood that her genuine grief was likely one of the key selling points to confirm for Rhys that Harry was indeed dead.
“Madam Bones, Lady Greengrass,” Doge addressed them as he showed a bound scroll in his hands. “It’s time.”
Regardless of the fact that Daphne’s victory was basically assured, he could still see nervousness flash across her face as she stood up and followed Doge. Harry climbed the steps onto the stage just behind them and took his place near the very back.
Cheers and roars of excitement rose up from the crowd as everyone took to the stage. The noise was practically deafening as it reverberated around the atrium, and everyone was perfectly distracted as they stared up at the stage where Daphne and Amelia stood at a respectful distance away from one another. No one was paying attention to the two Aurors who were escorting Lestrange to the side of the stage.
Doge stepped up to the podium at the centre of the stage as Daphne and Amelia flanked him on his left and right respectively. “Britain, these past few weeks, you’ve heard from our two candidates about why they should become the next Minister for Magic, and you’ve made your voices heard today at the polls. As of seven minutes ago, we have officially counted every single vote and are now ready to share the results. This scroll, sealed and signed by the current Minister for Magic himself, has the answer you’ve all been waiting for!”
He waved the scroll in front of him, and the crowd went into a frenzy. Countless cameras flashed as Doge pulled the scroll back to him and teased the seal with his thumb. He snapped it open and reverently unfurled the scroll. Taking a deep breath, he scanned the contents with his eyes.
“With sixty-four percent of the votes, our next Minister for Magic is Lady Daphne Greengrass!”
Fireworks exploded overhead, and the sparks that remained formed into a grand image of Daphne’s face, but Harry didn’t really look at it. What he focused on instead was one of the happiest smiles he’d ever seen grace Daphne’s lips. He wanted to rush over and celebrate with her, but he knew that wouldn’t be wise without his plan being completed first.
Doge turned and shook Daphne’s hand, gesturing for her to take her place before the podium to address Britain, but that was Lestrange stormed onto the stage with his two Aurors, Farley and Stebbins, at his side. Tonks reacted quickly and tried to intercept them, but Farley instinctively battered her back with an Explosive Hex. Tonks didn’t have time to shield herself as she was knocked cleanly off of the stage. Amelia tried to draw her wand, but Farley reacted instantly with a well-placed Disarming Charm.
“What is the meaning of this?” Doge demanded as he spun around and took up a protective place in front of Daphne, but Lestrange paid him no mind.
“Britain, here me now!” Lestrange roared, his voice already affected by an Amplifying Charm. “For too long, we have stood idly by as this corrupt institution has made a mockery of our kind!”
Aurors stood on the ground around the stage started converging on it, trying to put a stop to whatever was going on, but Farley and Stebbins quickly took up defensive positions and started blocking the incoming spells. Daphne, Doge, and Amelia all ducked for cover as jets of light shot overhead, crashing against magical shields. The crowd was screaming in fright, but Lestrange’s words boomed above them.
“Wizards and witches have always been destined to rule over muggles, and yet the fools at the ministry try to chain us! We cannot abide by this any longer! Today, Britain will change forever!”
Farley and Stebbins were struggling now as spell after spell peppered their shields. Lestrange could see this too. He had only seconds before one of them would crumble, and then he’d be left vulnerable.
That was when Harry moved. He darted forward and positioned himself right behind Lestrange.
“Rhys Orpington is a man of vision! He will lead this new world of ours! Bear witness as the Ministry is destroyed and a new one is built in its place!”
Harry tore off his invisibility cloak and drew his wand in one smooth motion. With a confident sweep of his wand, he stunned Lestrange before striking Farley and Stebbins in their backs with the same spell. The three of them collapsed to the ground, and suddenly Harry became the centre of attention.
“Sonorus,” Harry said, placing his wand at the tip of his throat. Thousands were staring up at him in disbelief, awe, and wonder. “Britain! Tonight, you heard directly from a man involved with Rhys Orpington that he was planning to destroy the Ministry of Magic and kill thousands! Orpington nearly took my own life, and it is to my greatest regret that I pretended to remain dead in order to uncover this monster’s plans. The Ministry is safe and secure for now, but nothing can be guaranteed until Orpington is brought to justice!”
There were some cheers that sprang up, but it was clear that the majority of the public was still overwhelmed or confused at what was going on. That was a problem that could be dealt with later—maybe he could do another front-page interview with Rita. He still had an important task at hand to deal with first: capturing Rhys.
“Aurors! To me!” Harry roared.
For a moment, no one moved. Then, Daphne rushed forward to his side. She applied the same charm to amplify her voice.
“Your Minister for Magic orders you to follow Harry Potter’s commands,” Daphne declared firmly.
Tonks was caught up in a state of pure shock. Her entire body was frozen except for the slight tremble that was running through her body. She couldn’t peel her eyes away from Harry even with so many of her Aurors looking to her for guidance. But then Gabrielle climbed onto the stage and started barking out orders.
“Lewis, you and Wallace are in charge of overseeing the crowds in the atrium. Call in the reserve squad and ensure that everyone leaves in a timely manner. Bates, Mills, and Cox, organise your squads and join us on stage!”
Suddenly, everything began to work like a well-oiled machine. Harry nodded approvingly to Gabrielle, who was still busy getting everyone in position. Tonks disappeared from sight as the crowd shifted around as Aurors moved to their assigned positions. Harry took out the portkey and placed it atop the podium.
“We’ll be taking this to Orpington Manor,” Harry informed Gabrielle and the Aurors who were joining them on the stage. “There shouldn’t be many combatants, but there will be many witches and wizards we’ll need to take into custody. You should prepare by having one member of your squads assigned as a jailer to watch over the—”
Harry was interrupted as Daphne tugged his wrist. He spun around just in time as she kissed him deeply in front of the enormous crowd.
“Get this bastard, and then come back to me,” Daphne said breathlessly as she broke off the kiss. “There’s so much we have to do.”
“Is Kingsley ready to officially hand over control of the Ministry to you?” Harry asked.
Daphne nodded. “Hermione made sure that he'd be waiting in his office. I’m heading up there right now to ensure he delivers his official resignation to the Wizengamot, and then I’ll be sworn in as the new Minister for Magic.”
“Wonderful. It’s all going as we planned,” Harry smiled.
“But we’re not done yet. Get going. I’ll see you back here when it’s over.”
As the Aurors moved to regain control over the situation in the atrium, Harry, Gabrielle, and the Aurors she’d picked out headed through the wand checkpoint and made their way to the lifts. They took them down to the lower levels to the tiny cavern that Aurors used to apparate or portkey out of the Ministry. The Aurors on guard there looked shocked to see Harry alive, but all it took was a charming smile and a promise for a later explanation for them to allow him and the others into the cavern.
Conjuring a table, Harry set the portkey down on it and put one finger on the parchment. Everyone else did the same.
“We’re going to arrest Rhys Orpington and any of his followers at his manor,” Harry told them plainly. “Given the fact that they were prepared to blow up the Ministry of Magic, we must expect that they’ll fight back with lethal force. You are all hereby allowed to respond with the same level of force that they use. Is that understood?”
“Yes, sir,” the Aurors responded, immediately accepting Harry as their commander.
“Pure,” Harry said, and they were all whisked out of the Ministry of Magic.