The Divine Darkness

Chapter 31: It Ends Here Tonight

"Excuse me?" Harry asked dangerously, acid green eyes narrowing in on the kneeling form. "What did you just say?" The Death Eaters around them shifted uncomfortably when they felt Harry's magic leak out and fill the air with ominous threat. Voldemort stepped next to him, even with his shoulder as he gazed down at the form of Snape.

"Albus Dumbledore," Severus replied bitterly. "He's not alive."

Harry sneered. "Then how, pray tell is he a figurehead for the light?" The smaller wizard looked up at the dull sky, contemplating, and then back down at Snape. "Please tell me he's not a damned ghost." The thought of having Albus Dumbledore floating around as a ghost was simply...revolting.

"No," Snape denied shortly.

Voldemort hissed softly, his wand lifting again toward the fallen wizard. "If you follow Harrison, you will address him with respect." Harry felt a brief smugness make its way through his chest at his lover's order.

The potions master looked to the ground, his shoulders hunching. "No, Lord Malfoy, he is not a ghost, but a portrait."

Voldemort and Harry stayed silent, both of them flabbergasted. "You're kidding me," Harry grimaced. "The Minister is working with a bloody portrait?" Voldemort hissed in laughter. It was easily mistaken for just hissing, but Harry could See the amusement coming off of the Dark Lord. "Nothing is funny about this..." Harry hissed at the man, frowning. "I kill him and he comes back, as a bloody portrait no less... bloody hell."

"Oh, it is amusing, little one."

Harry threw the man a look and then back down at Snape. "It is... a mystery on how many portraits the man has." Severus started again. "I assume there is one in the Order's headquarters as well as one in the Minister's office. As well as one in Hogwarts. He was his own witness against his murder." Snape buried his fingers in the ground. "The Ministry also has allies we, the Order, don't know about. A couple of them. I know the giants are on the light side and the dementors take their position defending Azkaban seriously. But they are not on any side."

"For now," Harry remarked stiffly. "We'll see how they hold up against a Seer." After all, dementors were magical creatures as well. He had no idea how they would react around him. He could feel Voldemort's curiosity as well. Perhaps a trip to Azkaban was in the works...

As far as Snape's confession, Harry knew the 'mysterious' allies were the assassins. But Snape said there were a couple of them, and for the life of him, he couldn't come up with anyone else who'd side with the light.

"The Unspeakables are now active in the war, along with the Aurors. Both groups have been trained hard for this war, My Lord. The Order is gaining courage now that Dumbledore is dead but still with them and offering his guidance."

"More like manipulations..." Harry hissed under his breath. "Is there anything else?" Harry pursed his lips, frowning. "What about the werewolves? Where did the Ministry bring them?"

"Azkaban," Snape murmured hoarsely.

Harry tensed, turning to gaze up at the tall man next to him. "What do you think, My Lord? Should we plan a break out for Azkaban again?" Crimson eyes turned away from Severus and onto him. "We'll have Greyback with us this time around, along with the assassins. I know a few other wizards who would join us as well. And as soon we break out your...broken followers along with the werewolves who were thrown in there by the Ministry, we'll have all but a new army."

The Dark Lord looked expressionless. "Perhaps we may gain the dementors with your abilities as well." Harry turned away from the crimson stare, feeling a grin threatening his face at the Dark Lord's insistence that he could gain more allies.