The Necromancer

Chapter 45

Mr Pluck's terrifying proclamation was met by dead silence from all around him. It lasted for a long time as everyone looked at everyone else in disbelief. No one had seen this coming, least of all Harry.

"How is this even possible?" Bones finally asked as she ran a trembling hand across her cheek down to her throat. "Are you sure they're all dead, Mr Pluck? Dementors don't kill their victims when they suck their souls out."

Before Mr Pluck could reply, Harry said, "They can if they speed up the proceedings."

Even Tom gave Harry a questioning look at hearing that. "Please explain," Bones said, narrowing her eyes at Harry. It was clear from her behaviour that while she might not have any proof, she seemed certain Harry knew more about the whole mess than he was saying.

Sighing, Harry absently rubbed a hand on his chest as he spoke. "When souls are ripped from a body quickly, the body dies instantly."

"That's what happens when one is hit with a killing curse," Tom said quietly with a nod full of understanding.

"Exactly." Harry glanced at the people around him, to see if they also understood this concept. "Usually, dementors remove a soul slowly, drawing out the process, savouring it. The body then remains alive for a while longer, depending on how much magic is left in the victim. But dementors can reap a soul quickly enough to kill their victims. This is what happened here, I'm sure. I doubt you'll find anyone left alive."

"But why would they do such a thing?" the young Auror named Parker asked, looking like he wanted to cry, his bottom lip trembling. "They worked for the Ministry. They shouldn't have attacked us."

"They only went along with the Ministry's demands as long as it suited them," Tom said in a voice that made it clear he found Parker to be terribly naïve. "They were never loyal to anyone here."

Harry wisely kept his mouth shut, even when Bones gave him a searching look.

"Something must have set them off," Bones muttered, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. She bowed her head but once again glanced up at Harry. "Or someone ordered them to attack."

"Are you accusing me, Madam Bones?" Harry asked, jaws clenched. He wasn't about to let anyone utter any kind of accusations against him without a shred of proof. "Because I assure you, I did not order any dementor to attack."

"Are you willing to repeat that statement under Veritaserum?" Bones asked, not at all impressed by Harry's rising anger.

Harry whipped his wand out of its holster. "I can do better than that. I, Harry James Potter, swear on my magic that I did not order the dementors to attack anyone in Azkaban or in the Ministry of Magic today. So mote it be." A woosh of magic swirled around him, confirming the vow. Harry wordlessly cast his Patronus and the silvery barok loped around the room a few times before dissolving again.

Everyone stared at Harry with wide eyes, even Tom. Swearing on your magic was incredibly dangerous, because vows could be very tricky things. One never knew how certain words or phrases could be interpreted by the vow, so hardly anyone was willing to make them when their magic was on the line.

"Yes, thank you, Mr Potter, for clearing that up," Bones said, and Harry could at least appreciate that she wasn't giving him any false apologies about her earlier suspicions. Harry could well understand why she'd considered him a suspect in the first place. A powerful necromancer shows up out of nowhere and next thing the wizarding world knows the dementors go insane and murder innocent people left and right. If Harry had been in her shoes, he'd have been suspicious of himself as well.

"There he is!" Fudge said as he came storming up to them, his usual entourage following closely behind. "Amelia, arrest Harry Potter! He is behind this!"