Chapter Text
Harry Potter and the End of Innocence
Prologue
Daily Prophet
January 1 1998
Diagon Alley
Chosen One Fights Death Eaters
In a fierce battle today in Diagon Alley our hero--The Chosen One, Harry Potter--and his entourage engaged 27 Death Eaters. After killing or incapacitating 24 of them and successfully casting Praedia Bellica over the defeated, Mr. Potter and 43 girls or women plus the three remaining Death Eaters were mysteriously transported past anti-Apparation and anti-Portkey wards erected by Aurors under the direction of Minister Scrimgeouer. During the fighting, ten wizards and Mr. Robert Granger, father of Hermione Granger, were killed. The injured, numbering more than 100, were taken to St. Mungo's Hospital. As of this time, there is no trace of either Mr. Potter or any of the women. "We are actively searching for Mr. Potter and all of the women involved," said Minister Scrimgeour when questioned.
Mr. Potter, aged 17, returned to public life today after a six-month absence. While there have been rumors of Mr. Potter fighting Death Eaters and dueling wizards all over Great Britain and on the Continent, there have been no confirmed sightings of him until today. Now Mr. Potter has disappeared again.
Are we left without a saviour in these dark times? Where is the Chosen One? What are the Death Eaters doing to these poor women? Why is the Ministry of Magic completely ineffectual in dealing with the threat posed by Tom Riddle and his gang of thugs?
"Remus, what the hell happened?" asked Kingsley Shacklebolt as he came out of the Floo into the Kitchen of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place.
"Kingsley, I have no idea. Let's get the Order together and see what we know." Remus touched his wand to his locket and sent the call. While they were waiting, he and Kingsley set up the drawing room with chairs facing the front and two large chalkboards.
Meanwhile, in Little Hangleton....
"Bellatrix, what are we going to do with these people? We have Potter. Let's kill the rest and get him to the Dark Lord."
"No, Narcissa. We keep these cows to break Potter with; then if he's still alive we take him to our Lord. We can't take any more chances with the luckiest git alive. Allison, get these sluts into the amphitheater where they can see while I loosen Potter up. Narcissa, I want you to brew a Maximas Fertilitas potion and then mix it with an Immoderatus Secus and a Raptus potion."
"Bella, you can't mix those--it will kill whoever you give it to."
"So much the better, Narcissa. Then I'll bring my Lord Potter's corpse to punish and we'll rule the world. Get brewing. How long will the potions take?"
"All night, Bellatrix."
"Good--then I get to play with ickle Potty for a while."
Across wizarding Britain....
As the night drew down closer, mothers and fathers tried to comfort their children and themselves. Wives, husbands, sons, and daughters in over a hundred households were late. They should have been home by now. Everyone knew it was a bad sign in these dark times when a loved one was late. As these houses prepared for the worst, the post-owls with the evening edition of the Daily Prophet were winging their way with the bad news. The Ministry owls followed close behind--most, thankfully, with news of the wounded. A few, though, carried the worst news possible.