The Dawning… Of a New Night
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and NCIS belong to their respective creators, J.K. Rowling and Donald P. Bellisario. I’m not making any profit from this story.
Author’s Note: This story was written for EmyPink, her gift for the Secret Santa Exchange: 2009 Edition on NFA. I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter Two
In the Oval Office
“Ring, Ring…”
“President Obama speaking, what is the situation Minister Scrimgeour?”
“The “nuclear attack” that you’ve no doubt heard about is the work of Death Eaters, you need to call in Aurors, and lots of them. I’m sending in my best, and I have gotten in contact with the rebellion group’s leader. He’s sending as many people as he can spare. There was an attack in Wizarding London, last night. It seems they did them back to back.”
“It wasn’t a nuke? There were no survivors for the whole thirty miles. Why didn’t you alert me in advance?”
“Because our source only knew about the attack on London, he claims to have no knowledge of any plans to attack anywhere in the U.S.A. Hell, he says that he was under the impression that the Death Eaters wanted nothing to do with your country.”
“And you believe him? You make it sound like he isn’t one of them; does he not have the Dark Mark on his arm?”
“President Obama, I have thought all of these questions as well. The rebellion leader assures me he is on our side.”
“Do you trust this leader’s word?”
The phone is silent on the other end for what seems a long time. Finally Minister Scrimgeour coughs.
“I think we will all end up dead if we don’t listen to Dumbledore.”
The President is silent. He has heard of this mystical man, rumored to be as great or better than Merlin himself, has heard that he is the light side’s greatest champion, and that he was the person who organized the group that saved the world from this madman last time. That doesn’t mean he likes leaving his country in another man’s hands, especially one with so much power. He has no choice, not if he wants to make it through this, if he wants his daughters and wife to.
“How soon can his people show up?”
He can hear the sigh the Minister lets out.
“Tomorrow afternoon. Which Aurors are you using?”
“Aurors? You mean my ghost-catchers?” The President attempts to make a joke.
“I think that they would prefer to be called what they really are, President Obama. They’re dark wizard catchers; you should not joke about the dangers of their job.” The Minister of Magic is highly offended.
The President sighs, why he even bothers to try and lighten things up is beyond him.
“Never mind Minister, it was a slip of the tongue.”
“Now, back to business, you know I don’t make that decision. Secretary of Magical Defense Morrow does. We’re going to have to bring in some Muggle authorities.”
“The Statue of Secrecy says…”
“You’re forgetting, Minister, that is a European Wizarding Law. Our constitution says that if needed, the Wizarding World can be revealed to Muggles in times of crisis.”
“Do you have someone in mind?”
“I believe Director Morrow knows just the team…”
Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place
Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix
Resistance Group against Lord Voldemort
Nymphadora Tonks, Ministry of Magic Auror, and Order of the Phoenix member, who if you did not want to be cursed with the bat bogey hex, you would just call Tonks, could not believe it when Dumbledore came into the living room of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place with her boss, Rufus Scrimgeour walking next to him. She raised her wand; ready to defend the children upstairs if need be, all around her, everyone else was doing the same.
Dumbledore seemed old and weary, an expression she was not used to seeing on the Headmaster. She could not blame him; the fight at Diagon Ally had left three of their people gravely wounded. And the only reason that only three people ended up gravely injured, no one dead, and a few bumps and bruises on the others, was because they had advanced warning. Then there was the attack on American soil. The Death Eaters were getting braver, going where they would not have dared to, just a few months ago.
“Calm down now, I have invited the Minister here to talk with us about the situation that occurred in the United States two nights ago. “
“Are you out of your bloody mind, Albus, inviting him here!? How do you know he’s not working for the Dark Lord?” Alastor Moody, former head Auror, shouted what they were all thinking.
Dumbledore turned to the Minister of Magic.
“Your left arm, please, Rufus,” he asked calmly.
Glaring at Mad Eye Moody, the Minister of Magic pushed up the sleeve of his left arm, revealing, smooth, unblemished skin.
“Is that satisfaction enough for you, Alastor?” Dumbledore’s tone made it clear he wasn’t asking. Mad Eye Moody grudgingly nodded.
“The Minister has been in contact with the President of the United States, and their Director of Magical Defense. I assume you know why. The President has asked that six people with more experience fighting the Dark Lord come join forces with his Aurors. In exchange, he would send six of his Aurors to be better trained here.
If you should want to go to America and fight, then you need to know it will be a long mission, there is no knowing how long, and must be handled carefully. If you feel you are unable to do it, then do not agree. Once you start, I can not afford to bring you back at unplanned times.
I already have some ideas of who our first choices should be so if you would let me check if you are able to do it. I will answer any questions in a minute.”
Dumbledore’s wise gaze sweeps the room, and I feel a tingle of something I can not explain run down my back.
“Charlie Weasley?”
I see Charlie’s head snap up and Molly start to protest. He seems to think for a minute.
”What about my Dragons?”
I want to laugh so hard at that it isn’t even funny. Charlie and his darn Dragons!
“If you should choose to go, I promise you your dragons will be looked after in Romania.” Dumbledore swore seriously, though there was a hint of a twinkle in his eyes.
“I’ll do it,” Charlie states. Molly is in panic mode by now, and sets about trying to make sure her son stays where he will be safe.
“Charles,” She begins tearfully. Charlie holds up his hand to stop her from talking.
“I need to do this, mum. I’ll be in danger anywhere I go, and better me than Percy, the Twins, Ron, or Ginny, and Bill has a family to look after now. ”
He looks at her, his father, and his older brother. His father simply nods. He understands, he may not like it, but he understands. His brother sends him a thankful look, his hand resting on his wife’s stomach.
Molly Weasley starts crying, looking at her husband for help to keep their family all together and safe. He looks at her, tired and worn.
“He’s right Molly. He’s the best one out of all of us for this mission.” Not sparing his sniffling wife another glance, he focuses on who is next to be called.
Seeing that his father has dealt with his mother for the moment, Charlie sits back down, and waits for the next person.
“Minerva?”
Now everyone’s head snaps up. Professor McGonagall? She wouldn’t, would she? The woman in question sighs and holds up a bag. “You know that I already said yes, Albus.”
Dumbledore smiled at his deputy head mistress, and nodded. “Indeed, I do, just wanted to check.” She sighs again, and gives him a look that says to get on with it.
“Sirius Black?”
It was then that Tonks noticed her cousin was absent. As the occupants of the room looked around, Sirius came through the door, his godson, Harry Potter following behind him. Each held a bag in their hand.
“Bloody hell, no, Albus! I may not be able to stop Charlie from going, but Harry’s just a boy! Are you trying to lure the Dark Lord to him? And you Sirius, how can you agree to this?!” Molly Weasley had had it.
Surprising everyone, it was Harry that spoke up, not Sirius, not Dumbledore, but Harry.
“Mrs. Weasley, I know you think that I would be safer hidden here or at Hogwarts, and I know you are not alone in that belief, but the raw truth is I’m never going to be safe from Voldemort. Even in Hogwarts he has managed to get to me; it is only a matter of time before someone fails to show up in time to save me. If I go on this mission, I can learn what I need to defeat Voldemort once and for all. And if something does happen to me, I went down doing what I thought was necessary. Please, I don’t expect you all to like it, but try to understand.”
Harry looked every person in the eye while he spoke, and when he stared into hers, Tonks felt like she was seeing him for the first time. More then likely, she was. This was the Harry that had stayed hidden, that didn’t come out for fear of rejection, but this Harry no longer had that choice. This Harry was taking charge and Merlin help anyone who tried to stop him. She smiled at him, and for the briefest of seconds, he smiled back.
“So, both of you are coming?” Professor McGonagall asked, and when Harry and Sirius nodded, she mumbled something that sounded a lot like, “Wonderful! Now I’ll never get any rest.”
“Nymphadora Tonks?”
Tonks felt the room spin around her, and heard Remus sigh. She knew he knew what she would say, and it would kill him not to be there with her.
“Yes, I’m coming, Sir.” Tonks felt her heart break as she realized this might mean she could go months, years, she could even die, without being able to see Remus. She had to do this though; she had to make the world safer for the next generation.
Dumbledore had an enigmatic smile on his face as he looked at her. He looked around the room, grinned wider, and then called out the last name.
“Remus Lupin?”
Remus didn’t seem to notice that Albus had called him at first, but Tonks had. Remus was coming with her? That would solve… The thought died in her mind. As much as she wanted him to, it wasn’t safe, for anyone. She was about to nudge him, when Sirius spoke up.
“Remus, mate, get your head out of the clouds!” He barked at his best friend.
Remus snapped his head up, looked around and seeing the looks on everyone faces, asked what they where all thinking.
“What?” Dumbledore just smiled at him.
“I asked, if you are willing to go on the mission?”
Remus’ face darkened. Why was Ablus asking him that? Everyone knew he couldn’t go because of his “furry little problem.”
“Did I forget to mention what else the Minister is here for? He has ever so graciously gotten us hold of an advancement of the Wolfsbane potion. It went through trials in America and has had wonderful results. You won’t transform, Remus, you would take the potion and sleep for the three days of the full moon.”
Remus looked like he could not believe it. Here it was what he had been waiting his whole life for, a cure to this curse. He had three things to ask first before agreeing, though.
“Would I feel anything? Can I still harm people? Are you releasing this to everyone, or is it a bargaining tool?”
Dumbledore turned to the Minister of Magic. He stood up and looked right at Remus.
“You won’t feel a thing, you can’t harm anyone if you take it on time, and yes, we were waiting on America, we received permission to use the invention three days ago.”
Remus’ gaze shifted to her, and she gave him the tiniest of nods. He took a deep breath and exhaled.
“I’ll do it. When do I need to be packed?”
Dumbledore grinned, the twinkle temporally back in full force.
“I suggest you get ready now, you leave in eight hours.” He turned to go, and then turned back. “Good luck. Behave with the Muggles.” He walked off, humming.
Charlie Weasley, Professor Minerva McGonagall, Sirius Black, Harry Potter, Tonks, and Remus Lupin looked at each other in shock.
“MUGGLES?”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Death Eaters attack a Navel base, and in doing so bring two very different worlds together.