Charlie does the Foxtrot or Damn the Torpedoes by Lady FoxFire

[Reviews - 18]
Printer

Chapter or Story
Table of Contents
- Text Size +

Author's Chapter Notes:

Why is it that flamers never sign their flames? Are they jealousy of my work and fear that I would follow them back to their story and then give honest criticism about it instead of saying something is unreadable, clichéd and dumb?

Note - Snape is a Pure-blood in this fic

Almost three weeks had passed since that day the Wizengamot has found Harry guilty and snapped his wand and during that time Dumbledore had his agents searching in the wizard community and the Muggle world for Harry with not even a rumor of his location for their efforts.

But as they say time stops for no man or wizard and it was soon the first of September.

Dumbledore stood before the students in the Great Hall having been sorted and fed as he made his yearly speech.

“Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is four hundreds and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch’s office door.”

“We have two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of the Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.”

The students applauded politely to the announcements.

Dumbledore continued, “Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the –

“Hem, Hem.”

Dumbledore stopped midway through his announcement, turning he looked down at the seat in which Professor Umbridge sat.

The woman, who between her short stature, wide girth and bulging eyes resembled more of a toad than a human female, rose to her feet and looked out upon the students of Hogwarts with an oily smile.

“Thank you Headmaster for those kind words of welcome,” she said in a high-pitched voice that one would expect to hear from a woman who was trying to sound much younger than her age. “Well it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say! And to see such happy little faces looking back at me! I am very much looking forwards to getting to know you all, and I’m sure we’ll be very good friends!

Umbridge repeated the “Hem, Hem” sound she had used early to interrupt Dumbledore before continuing on with her speech

“The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you…”

Whatever Umbridge intended to say next was interrupted when the massive doors of the Great Hall swung open with such force that the wall they hit vibrated afterwards.

Two squads of goblins in full armor marched in.

“How dare you enter here and interrupt me you… you…” Umbridge sputtered as her face grew red in anger.

Dumbledore rose to feet and with a touch of wandless magic forced Umbridge back into her chair. “Greeting dear goblins,” he said with the ease of an experienced politician. “May I inquire as to the reason behind your visit to our school.”

“Gringotts business, Dumbledore, with the approval of your Ministry,” a goblin wearing a helmet in the shape of a skull replied. “We’re here to retrieve some wayward animals for their master.”

Dumbledore brow furrowed. “What animals?” he asked. “The only animals we have here belong to the students and those that are used in Care of the Magical Creatures lessons.”

“No. I do not speak of the children’s pets or those animals you use in training,” the goblin stated. “These beasts are some that have strayed away from their new master’s keep since his regent failed his duty to maintain his house.”

“I see,” Dumbledore said in a tone that said he really did not understand. “Will you need help in retrieving these animals?”

The goblin shook his head. “No. No, that will not be necessary. My team is well trained in capturing these beasts even if we haven’t had the opportunity to do so in many years.”

“Of course,” Dumbledore replied with a nod of his head in acceptance. “How long do you believe it will take to collect these animals?”

“Not long,” the goblin answered with a toothy smile. “In fact if we could begin now we should be able to leave your school within the hour.”

Dumbledore nodded his head in approval.

The goblin’s toothy smile became more menacing as he signaled his team to bring up an old battered crate similar to the crate used to store the different balls used in Quidditch. The goblin in charge kicked open the crate and out flew a number of rust colored collars. The collars circled around the goblins for a moment before zipping off in all directions.

Panicked screams soon filled the air.

“Get it off! Get it off!” one of the 7th year girls in Hufflepuff screamed as she tugged at the collar encircling her throat.

The professors and older students grabbed their wands as the younger students dove out of the way if a collar came too close for comfort.

“What is the meaning of this?” Dumbledore demanded as he witnessed Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle being collared.

The goblin in charge looked at Dumbledore with an expression of satisfaction. “We’re collecting the wayward animals as you agreed we could.”

“These are children, not animals!” Dumbledore snapped.

“Not according to wizard law,” the goblin answered.

“What… what do you mean?” McGonagall demanded as she watched as a collar encircle Snape’s throat.

“The Act of 1522, which states that all livestock and chattel must be branded with their owner’s mark,” the goblin replied.

“And what does this have to do with what you’re doing here?” Dumbledore snapped.

The goblin sighed. “That animal,” the goblin pointed at Snape, “is branded with his former owner mark. The same Act also declares that the off-spring of marked animals are the property of their parents’ owners.”

“I am not an animal,” Snape declared as he aimed his wand at the goblin in charge only to have a surprised look on his face when nothing happened when he tried to cast a spell.

The goblin snorted. “No freeman would willingly allow himself to be branded like a beast.”

“Severus was cleared of all charges,” Dumbledore pointed out.

The goblin shrugged his shoulders. “And this is important, why?”

“Because Snape is an innocent man,” Dumbledore replied.

“As are Malfoy, Nott and a number of other people who paid for their freedom,” the goblin countered, “but that doesn’t mean they’re not chattel. And Gringotts has been asked to collect the new owner’s animals… chattels… for a fee of course.”

“When my father hears what you’ve done…” Draco snarled as he stalked over to the goblin with princely aired he was known for.

The goblin snorted as he signaled his men to herd the collared witches and wizards into a manageable group. “What makes you think he doesn’t already know?”

Draco stared at the goblin in shock.

“Your parents, your siblings have already been taken to the holding pens, where you will soon join them,” the goblin addressed the group of collared students. “Your new owner asked that those of you who attended Hogwarts be last to be collected. He thought that witnessing such an event might sway others from following the same path as your parents.”

“The Ministry won’t permit this!” Umbridge declared as she finally snapped out of the shock she had been in.

The goblin pulled out a document from pocket hidden on his armor. “I believe this says I have permission to collect these… chattel,” he said as he offered the document to Umbridge who snatched it from his hand. “Signed by Minister Fudge, himself.”

“It’s clearly a fake,” Umbridge snapped as she thrust the document back at the goblin in charge only to have Dumbledore take it from her.

Dumbledore read the document over it before sighing wearily. “This document is real,” he said solemnly before handing it back to the goblin. “What will be their fate?”

“That is up to their owner,” the goblin replied as he tucked the document away.

“And who is their owner,” McGonagall demanded saying the last word with distaste.

“Harry Potter,” the goblin stated simply.

“This is wrong!”

All eyes turned to the Gryffindor table where Hermione stood with righteous determination. “Slavery was outlawed in 1833 when Parliament passed the Slavery Abolition Act,” she declared.

“And two years later, the Wizengamot passed the Freeman Act, which made it illegal for a witch, wizard or a squib to own a Muggle, a Muggleborn or Half-Blood,” the goblin stated. “The Act makes no mention of owning a Pure-Blood since they believed no Pure-Blood would ever allow themselves to be marked as a slave.”

“Pride goeth before a fall,” Flitwick said softly.

“That is often the case with witches and wizards,” the goblin stated. “Which brings up another matter.”

Dumbledore took an uneasy breath before asking, “And what matter is that?”

“Hogwarts,” the goblin said simply. “The Founders’ heir has come to the conclusion that the school has become a place that teaches hate and bigotry and is therefore closing the school.”

“They have no right to close Hogwarts!” Umbridge declared. “The Ministry won’t allow it.”

“The Ministry has no say in this matter. As was written in the by-laws, if there was an ever a time when the heirs felt that Hogwarts had fallen away from its duty then the heirs had the right to close the school,” the goblin stated.

“My family can trace our linage back Helga Hufflepuff,” Madam Sprout said proudly. “And I know no one in my family has ever suggested that Hogwarts has become what you claim it is.”

The goblin nodded his head in acceptance of Madam Sprout statement. “Of course none of that matters since you and your family are unofficial heirs.”

“What!” Madam Sprout sputtered. “I can show you proof of my lineage.”

“That may be true, madam but none of your line has approached Gringotts and asked to be tested to discover your inheritance,” the goblin explained. “Of course that is a moot point now that there is an official heir to the Founders.”

“And who is this heir,” McGonagall asks.

“Why Harry Potter, of course,” the goblin replied smugly.

“I was right! Potter really is the Heir to Slytherin!” someone shouted out from among the students.

The goblin turned to face the students. “Actual Salazar Slytherin never fathered or adopted any children.”

“But the Dark Lord,” Draco sputtered from among the other collared children. “He’s the heir of Slytherin.”

“Slytherin’s half-brother. Born to Slytherin’s father and a Muggle tavern wench,” the goblin explained.

“No! You’re wrong,” Draco protested in the defense of his beliefs. “He must have fathered a child after he left Hogwarts.”

“He never left Hogwarts. The other Founders turned on him and killed him when he became a threat to the school and it’s children,” the goblin said. “In fact it was in this very room in which he died. His remains were burned someplace in a forest close to the school.”

The goblin turned back to Dumbledore and the other professors. “You have 72 hours to leave Hogwarts. Take only your possessions. If anything belongs to the school which includes books, potion ingredient and medical supplies are removed from the school, the parties involved will be charged with theft and punished to the strictest letter of the law.”

“But the students,” McGonagall said.

“Mr. Potter has already agreed to refund the tuition for this school to the parents that have already paid,” the goblin stated. “In addition Mr. Potter has been in contact with other magical schools and they have agreed to accept the students. Of course they all won’t be attending one school but split up among those that would accept them.”

“But this is my last year at Hogwarts! I don’t want to go someplace else!” someone shouted from among the students.

The goblin turned around. “And that is not Mr. Potter’s or my concern. If you want someone to blame for allowing Hogwarts to become corrupt then I suggest you look to the staff of Hogwarts, the Ministry, your own parents and finally at yourself. Think about how many times you have witnessed a fellow student torment a younger student; how many times they have been seriously harmed. Look at the different Houses you have been separated into and how they have caused fighting among siblings and childhood friends. How many times fighting between houses led to fighting between families outside of school. No, Hogwarts teaches hatred and then that hatred is bottle-fed to the next generation. It is time this ends.”

And with that the goblins walked out of the Great Hall, pushing and dragging their prisoners with them.

~*~

The sons and daughters of those who were marked with Dark Lord’s brand were ushered together into a room in which was furnished with a number of strange metal chairs that faced a table and chair.

“Sit down,” one of the goblin guards ordered, pointing at the strange metal chairs.

Those children who weren’t old enough to have started Hogwarts yet clung to their older brothers and sisters.

“What’s going on? Where is mummy and daddy?’ one of the youngest of the children whispered to his older brother.

“Shhhh, you need to be quiet,” the older brother whispered.

“Where’s mummy? I want mummy!” the little one demanded.

The older brother picked up his little brother and hugged him. “I know. I want mummy and daddy too.”

It was a few minutes after the children had taken their seats that a man dressed in a Muggle suit walked in. Sitting his briefcase on the table, he looked over the children before saying. “I am Adam Pierson. And I am the only chance of freedom you will ever have.”

A few of the children looked upon Mr. Pierson with hope while other dismissed him and his words.

“To begin with I will explain the circumstances that led to you being here,” Pierson said as he opened his briefcase. “In the mid to late 70’s, your parents swore allegiance to one Tom Marvolo Riddle, who is better known as Lord Voldemort. I believe the wizard community would classify him as being a Half-Blood. In order to join Mr. Riddle’s little group your parents agreed to be branded with his symbol, the Dark Mark. Under the wizard Act of 1522, this signifies that they became his property to be used as he wished. Anyone who agreed to wed someone branded with the Riddle’s symbol automatically became Riddle’s property as did any children born from the relationship.”

“Now while the Freeman Act ended this practice in 1835 for muggle-borns and half-bloods, it did not cover Pure-Bloods, which from my understanding all of you are,” Pierson stated.

“The wizard world won’t stand for this!” Draco spouted as he rose to his feet. “My father is an important man! Not only does the Malfoy family have a seat on Wizengamot, we have many friends in the Wizengamot and they will not stand for this!”

Pierson turned his full attention on Draco. “Draco Malfoy, I presume?”

Draco tipped his chin up slightly so that he was more or less looking down his nose at Pierson.

“Let me correct some of your preconceived notions,” Pierson said calmly. “First off your father was an important man and now he’s a slave… shoveling Hippogriff dung, I do believe.” He glanced over to a goblin for confirmation. The goblin nodded his head while smiling evilly.

“The Malfoy fortune, business and properties now belong to Mr. Potter since slaves can not own anything,” Pierson stated simply. “As for the Wizengamot… I think they will find it difficult to do much of anything when they need majority vote to make any changes to the existing laws, which I believe is 75% of the votes only to find that Mr. Potter owns 30% of the seats in the Wizengamot. And since he is not permitted to take or vote any of those seats due to Fudge having him declared guilty, Mr. Potter must abstain from voting.”

Pierson walked around the desk and over to Draco. “To put it simply, Mr. Potter has gutted the Wizengamot and will shortly destroy the economy of the wizard community in all of Britain. And you, little boy are his slave to do with as he pleases.”

“And what about our parents?” one of the girls asked.

“Your parents each received a dose of Veritaserum and were then questioned about their role during the war and since; in addition, they were questioned about what they desired to do with their lives. Based on that information they were assigned the jobs they will work for the rest of their lives,” Pierson answered.

“I want my mummy,” one of the younger children sobbed.

Pierson sighed sadly. “I know little one.”

“My mother wasn’t a Death Eater,” a young man in the back said as his stood up. “She would tell me I would have to look beyond being a Pure-Blood, Half-Blood or Muggle born. That it was someone’s magic that was important, not their blood. I remember seeing my father strike her for saying that… what will happen to her?”

Pierson glanced over to one of the goblins.

“Mr. Potter is still deciding her fate and the fates of others like her,” the goblin answered.

Pierson nodded his head in thanks before turning back to the children of the Death Eaters.

“And our fate? You mentioned that you were our one chance at freedom,” one of the older children said

Pierson nodded his head. “In an act of compassion, Mr. Potter approached Her Majesty about your fate and Her Majesty has agreed to make all of you wards of the crown with some conditions. First your magic will be bound and you will have no access to the wizard world.”

The ones who were old enough to understand what exactly Pierson was saying shouted in outrage. Pierson stood there and allowed them to shout and rage.

“Are you done?” Pierson asked as when the young people had quieted down for a moment. “Because I can assure you that nothing you say and do right now will change Her Majesty’s or Mr. Potter’s mind. Your choice is simple, either a life as a Muggle with the chance of finding happiness or the life of a slave; no magic, no children, no freedom and no happiness.”

“Would we stay together?” a big brother said as he held his little sister in his lap.

Pierson nodded his head. “Yes. We plan on keeping brothers and sisters together,” he replied with a smile before allowing it to fade. “However it was decided it would be best for you not to be allowed to stay as group.”

“Why is that?” Draco said in a snide tone of voice. “Afraid we’ll plot behind you back?”

“No. It’s because some of you are snide little brats who will make the others miserable while they try to adapt to life without magic,” Pierson glared at him.

“I would rather be a slave in the wizard world than live among some filthy Muggles,” Draco snarled.

“Fine,” Pierson shrugged his shoulders as he signaled a guard to collect Draco. “I believe your new job is cultivating and harvesting crowberries in the moors of Scotland.”

“What? No!” Draco exclaimed as the goblin hauled him out of his chair and dragged him towards the door.

“Wait,” Pierson called out when the goblin and Draco were only a few feet from the door.

The goblin turned Draco around so he was facing Pierson and the other children.

“I can only assume from your protest that you have changed your mind Mr. Malfoy,” Pierson said smugly, “And that you find yourself embracing the idea of living the rest of your life as a Muggle.”

Draco nodded his head.

“Very well. You may release him,” Pierson directed.

The goblins released their grasp on Draco’s arms, allowing him to drop to the floor in an ungraceful lump before they took their former positions.

Pierson gave a small nod of approval before turning back to the other children. “Now as I was saying…”

You must login (register) to review.