A Call to Arms

He stared at the wand he held in his hand; his eyes narrowed as he tried to feel anything different about it. There was nothing. It felt as it always had after he had liberated it from the wandmaker, yet, it had behaved very strangely indeed whilst he had been duelling The Serpent.

Was it something the Hit-Wizard had done, or was it a failing on Gellert's part?

He could not be certain, but it was unsettling.

All had been going to plan, though admittedly, his foe had put up a much better fight than expected, had even held his own quite admirably until the very end, until the Elder Wand had turned on Gellert.

He had tried to rationalise such thoughts, but he couldn't.

The wand had attacked him with the same ferocity it had done his bidding, and when it was done, Gellert had been whisked away from the cave, his impending victory stolen from him by the same length of wood he held.

How was that possible?

Gellert was no expert in the workings of wands, and he knew there was magic in the world beyond his understanding, but he needed to understand this.

Why had the wand acted as it had?

That was the burning question, and though he knew that he couldn't formulate an answer that would leave him comforted, it did not prevent him from trying to do so.

Never had been so flummoxed.

He was pulled from his musing by a knock at the door, and an eager Cassiopeia Black entered without being bid and took a seat in front of him.

The bright smile she wore faded as she took in his demeanour, and her lips thinned in displeasure.

"What happened?" she asked.

Gellert shook his head in response.

"I do not know," he replied honestly. "It was going so well, and then…"

He flicked open both of his hands, and the wand he had sought out for much of his life clattered on his desk.

"So, he is alive?"

"As much as I am," Gellert confirmed. "He has been quite the enigma, and now, quite the concern."

"What will you do?"

Gellert pursed his lips.

"I must understand what happened," he mused aloud. "It would not do for us to meet again only for the same thing to happen."

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Cassiopeia asked.

"Unless you are an expert on wandlore, I do not think so."

"Why don't you speak with Gregorovitch?"

Gellert snorted.

"I would not give the man the satisfaction," he denied. "I could do without his smugness."

"Then why not Ollivander?"

Gellert frowned.

He had of course heard of the family, and their stellar reputation when it came to their work.

"I will give it some thought," he decided. "For now, there are a few things I can look into myself before involving any other."

Cassiopeia looked at him questioningly, but he didn't elaborate.

Whatever had happened between him and The Serpent would remain that way.

Only Cassiopeia knew of his plan to confront the Hit-Wizard, after all.

No, to ensure his reputation was not sullied, it was best kept concealed in the hope that he could make sense of just what had occurred and why the usually flawless wand had failed him.

(Break)

Unless work were to have brought him here, Harry had not envisioned that he would be visiting Bulgaria again so soon. The country was gripped by misery, the death of the many that had resisted Grindelwald's ambitions still felt by those that were helpless to do anything.

The Bulgarian's last hope had been that the ICW would fulfil its duty to intervene were such a thing to happen, but they had been all but shattered when their pleas had been met with only ignorance.

Harry felt a mix of pity and sorrow for them, the sadness, anger, and hopelessness each felt not something that could be missed when he met the eyes of any he passed in the street.

Still, there was little he could do alone.

If Federov was right, however, they may well be granted a glimmer of hope yet.

He could only wish that he was here to begin liberating them. Instead, he found himself seeking the counsel of one man.

"I did not expect to see you again," Gregorovitch greeted him, his eyes wide in surprise.

"And here I am," Harry returned as he closed the door behind him, checking that he was not being watched by any outside.

Gregorovitch eyed him speculatively for a moment.

"Might I assume that you have not yet confronted him?"

"You would be wrong," Harry sighed. "I hadn't planned on it happening so soon, but it did."

Gregorovitch nodded.

"And?"

"Something happened that I am struggling to understand, something with the wand."

"Is that so?" the wandmaker asked curiously.

"It's difficult to explain, but I thought you may want to see it. I have never heard of anything like it happening before, and if there is anyone that can make sense of it, I believe that would be you."

"See it?"

Harry nodded and removed his pensieve from within a charmed bag he carried. Placing it on the counter, he placed his wand to his temple and withdrew the memory.

"A pensive," Gregorovitch commented appreciatively. "Quite the expensive commodity."

"But it is worth its' weight in gold," Harry pointed out.

Gregorovitch chucked.

"Will you be joining me?"

Harry shook his head.

"I have viewed it several times, I have no need to do so again."

"Very well," Gregorovitch muttered, "but this had better be worth my time."

After only hesitating for a moment, he plunged his head into the stone basin and Harry took the opportunity to look around the shop.

For the most part, it was identical to Ollivander's. Boxes upon boxes were stacked on top of one another behind the counter, and there was little else to see.

Harry assumed that the workshop was in the rear of the premises, but he did not intrude there.

He did not think the wandmaker would appreciate it.

"Good lord," Gregorovitch gasped when he emerged from the pensieve, his already pale skin having somehow lost more of its' colour. "I have never seen anything like it. The rumours about you do not do what I saw justice."

"I didn't come here for praise, Mr Gregorovitch, but to understand what happened with the wand," Harry pointed out.

"Yes, of course," the wandmaker said apologetically, his tone more respectful than it had been previously. "What happened is exceedingly rare indeed. I have only read of it happening and have not met a recipient of it."

"A recipient?"

Gregorovitch nodded severely.

"The wand acknowledged you," he explained, though his words did not clarify the matter for Harry. "From what I saw, it worked well enough for Grindelwald until it encountered your blood. It must have recognised it."

Harry frowned thoughtfully.

"What does that mean? Have I won its' allegiance?"

"No, no, no," Gregorovitch dismissed, "the wand will still be loyal to him, but it is aware of you. It marked you so that it may find its' way to you when the time is right."

"When the time is right?"

Gregorovitch nodded.

"Grindelwald has won the allegiance of the wand, but that doesn't mean it will remain loyal to him. The wand craves power, and there is much power to be found in blood. I'm certain the wand remembers serving your ancestors, and it will one day wish to return to where it belongs."

"So, I just have to wait?"

Gregorovitch shook his head.

"No, I suspect the wand wants you to prove your worth to it," he replied. "If you defeat Grindelwald, it will return home. It was created for or by the Peverells, and I suspect that it will take one to wield it as intended. From what I saw, you could win."

Harry released a deep sigh.

"It wasn't supposed to be my fight."

"But it has become yours," Gregorovitch countered. "The wand will not allow him to lose until you prove you are worthy. It marked you his equal, Serpent, and it will wait for the day that you are ready to claim it."

"His equal?" Harry asked, a sense of dread filling his stomach, the words of the prophecy that already hung over him being echoed.

"Yes," Gregorovitch reiterated. "I had already lost hope that there was someone who could save us from him. I have witnessed his power, and now I have seen yours. With what happened with the wand, I would say that it was fate that brought the two of you together, and that there are other powers that will ensure you face each other again. The world works in strange ways, and I do not believe that it would allow a monster like him to see his ambitions through."

"This just gets better and better," Harry grumbled as he retrieved his pensieve and placed it back in his bag. "Thank you, Mr Gregorovitch."

"Wait a moment," the man requested, heading into the back of the shop.

He returned a few moments later holding a small box.

"Remember the advice I gave you about your own wand," he said as he handed it to Harry. "There is not much that I can do to help you, but I would like you to have this. Go ahead, open it."

Harry did so and found that there was a wand holster of sorts within.

It was not made of dragonhide as traditional ones were, but a silky material. To the touch, it was soft, but there was magic weaved into it that he had never felt the like of before.

"This holster is quite special. Simply place your wand inside, and it will always find it's way back to it when you are not using it."

Harry nodded appreciatively.

"That's some spectacular enchanting work."

"It is unique," Gregorovitch explained. "I have never come across anything else like this and have spent many years attempting to replicate it. I have failed at every turn and believe it would serve you better."

Harry had never heard of a such a thing, and he certainly wouldn't turn a gift like this down.

"I will look after it," he assured the man.

Gregorovitch offered him a bow.

"Do come again if you require my services," he offered. "You always bring such interesting things to discuss."

With that, the wandmaker returned to the backroom of his shop and Harry took his leave, unsure if he felt better or worse after the conversation with the man.

Worse, likely, but only more so when his licence was alerted within his wallet.

He removed it with a sigh, tensing as he read the short, succinct message from Federov.

It's time.

There was no mistaking what the man meant, and ensuring he had everything in place he might need, Harry activated his portkey, hoping that all of his superior's efforts would not be in vain.

(Break)

Never in all his years as a Hit-wizard, and now the Head of the Department of Justice for the ICW did Ivan believe he would find himself in the difficult position he did.

All his career, he had been upstanding, and righteous for the most part. Of course, there had been times where he'd needed to play the system to achieve a desired end from time to time, but nothing that would put his peers or the body he represented in a state of disrepute.

The same could not be said for the Supreme Mugwump. The man had served as a representative since before Ivan had even applied for a job as a Hit-Wizard, and he couldn't imagine why, after all these years, the man would become a traitor.

Perhaps Ivan would get to the bottom of it today.

Gaining enough support had not been easy, but with some assurances and enough proof of the man's misdeeds, he would weed out the corruption.

He simply had to.

If the ICW did not begin fighting back against Grindelwald soon, then all would be loss.

One by one, nations would continue to fall until there were none left to stand against him.

Already, he had laid claim to much land, and his influence was spreading like a disease across the continent, and seemingly further.

A coming together was needed to combat Grindelwald, and the ICW was the best chance at that happening.

"Come in," he called as a knock sounded at his door.

The sight of Evans entering filled him with more confidence than Ivan had felt previously, though the nervousness he felt would not be shifted.

"Are you sure you want to be a part of this? If things go wrong…"

"They won't," Harry said firmly. "I won't let that happen."

"Nor will I," Ivan agreed, "but if things go wrong, you must get out of there. If I didn't feel that I needed you, I would not have you with me at all. The guards may attack if they are in on it."

"I'll be ready," Harry promised.

Ivan offered the other man a smile, surprised that he believed him so easily.

"Then shall we get this over with?"

Evans nodded and gestured for Ivan to lead the way.

They made their way through the corridors of the ICW headquarters until they reached the chamber where the meetings were held.

Unusually, and to the surprise of Ivan, two guards garbed in white robes stood either side of the entranceway and blocked them from proceeding into the room.

"You will submit your wands," one of the men demanded gruffly.

"Submit our wands?" Ivan asked incredulously. "I have never had to hand it over."

"After the last time," the guard bit back, staring at Harry in distaste, "the Supreme Mugwump insists that no wands other than those of the representatives and the guards are to be allowed in."

"Preposterous!" Ivan snapped. "The day I…"

He fell silent as Harry place a hand on his forearm.

"It's quite alright, gentlemen," he said cheerily. "We wouldn't want you scary guards to shit your pants at the thought of us being armed."

The guard stepped forward with a growl but was held back by his colleague.

Ivan could only shake his head as Harry produced his wand and placed it in a box that was indicated by the calmer of the white-robed men.

Hesitating for only a moment, Ivan followed suit and they were allowed to enter the chamber.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he whispered worriedly. "This is going to get ugly."

"Then you'd better stay close to me," Harry advised. "Do what you came here to do, I'll make sure no one tries anything."

Ivan snorted in response.

Evans didn't even have a wand, and yet, he seemed as confident as ever.

Still, Ivan would not be deterred from his intentions.

As daunting as his task was, carrying it out was a necessity.

"I call to order this meeting of the International Confederation of Warlocks dated May 11th, 1939," the Supreme Mugwump declared. "As is his prerogative, this gathering was requested by the Head of the Department of Justice, Mr Ivan Federov. The floor is yours, Federov."

The Japanese man was displeased and didn't try to hide it.

Ivan stood as he removed his folder of evidence, of which he had made several copies and hid them in various places.

Releasing a deep breath, he received a nod of encouragement from Harry, and addressed the room.

"In my capacity as the Head of the Department of Justice, it is my responsibility to overlook the work of our Hit-Wizards, and to investigate anything within the ICW that I deem to be out of sorts, or suspicious," he began. "Recently, I have uncovered some rather troubling things."

The Supreme Mugwump was becoming impatient quite quickly, but Ivan ignored the man.

"What troubling things are you referring to, Mr Federov?" the French representative questioned.

Ivan had already spoken with the man, and he had been disgusted to learn what their leader had been doing.

"I am referring to corruption, and even treachery of a most despicable nature."

Murmurings followed his statement, but not willing to be cut off or silenced, Ivan pressed on.

"I first became suspicious a number of weeks ago when I was visited by the Supreme Mugwump and the representative of Italy. They wished to carry out an inspection of my files," he explained. "Of course, that is not unusual, but they requested to see the personnel files where the sensitive information pertaining to the Hit-Wizards is stored."

"Out of the question!" the Irish representative shouted angrily. "Only the Head of the Department has access to those files. It has been that way since 1812!"

"What is it you are alluding to, Federov?" the Supreme Mugwump demanded, the grin he wore quite smug.

"Oh, that in itself could be excused as an error on your part," Ivan replied, "but not the rest of what I have uncovered since."

"Uncovered?" the Italian interjected nervously.

Ivan nodded.

"I have proof here that the Supreme Mugwump has taken to meeting the emperor leader of Japan," he revealed holding the photos he had obtained. "Not only that, but at every turn, he has hindered any attempted resistance against Grindelwald. Why would he do that? It has been known for years now that he is operating in Europe, that he is gaining territories for himself. Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Germany," he reminded the representatives, pointing to each empty seat of the absent countries in turn. "He not only stands in the way of us fulfilling our duties to our members, but he too breaks the Statue of Secrecy."

The Supreme Mugwump was visibly irritated by the accusation, but he kept his composure.

"Lies!" he bit back. "These photos prove nothing. I can assure you they are fabrications. Guards, you will remove Mr Federov from these chambers, and we will discuss his conduct immediately!"

"If you have nothing to hide, you will allow Mr Federov to finish his rather interesting presentation," Doge broke in. "I too am rather concerned with the evidence provided today, and what we have been informed of before now. I'm sure I am not alone in wondering why there is currently no resistance against Grindelwald. He has taken control of several countries, and yet, we have done nothing."

"I agree with my British friend," the American voiced. "It seems that the No-Maj citizens of my country are right to distrust his lot," he added, pointing to the Supreme Mugwump.

As Ivan had hoped, others followed suit, insisting that the Supreme Mugwump explain himself.

"THIS IS ABSURD!" the Italian shouted loudly. "Is it not our job to ensure our nations are united?"

"And yet, there are some here that are acting to see you all divided," Harry replied. "It is rather sickening to say the least that there are those of you that profess to have the interests of the many at heart, but you are helping Grindelwald. Isn't that right, Supreme Mugwump?"

"I will not have my honour questioned by a Hit-Wizard!" Sato snapped. "You have no business here, Serpent. Guards! Remove him."

The four men dressed in white converged on him, and oddly, Harry remained calm as they drew their wands.

Ivan did not miss the look of satisfaction plastered across the features of the Supreme Mugwump, though his eyes bulged as Harry slid his own wand into his hand.

"You were supposed to disarm him!"

"We did," one of the guards spluttered.

"ENOUGH!" the French representative snapped. "I vote that the Supreme Mugwump is seized and given Veritaserum. That will put an end to the matter."

"I will not be subjected to such treatment!" the Japanese man declined hotly. "Guards! You will escort me safely from these chambers until my peers see sense."

The Supreme Mugwump was

"They won't be doing any such thing," Harry snorted. "It is like the Frenchman said, if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about. If I were you gentlemen, I would put those wands away."

The guards looked at one another for a moment before doing so, but the Supreme Mugwump was not so compliant.

He seethed in his native tongue before drawing his wand and backing slowly towards the exit.

"You will let me leave!" he commanded.

Most of the other representatives were hesitant to intervene. The Supreme Mugwump was not ungifted with his wand, but that did not deter Harry from blocking his path.

"Oh dear," Ivan muttered, knowing the situation would only become more volatile.

If only he had his wand, perhaps he could have prevented it. Without it, the fight between the Japanese man and Harry erupted quickly.

The Supreme Mugwump went on the offensive, hoping his experience would be enough to best the younger, quicker man.

Ivan frowned as it suddenly began to rain within the chamber, courtesy of a charm used by the veteran.

In only a matter of seconds, a couple of inches of water had fallen, and Ivan nodded his understanding.

With the water in place, fire and lightning spells could not be used effectively, but Federov had his doubts that it would hinder Harry.

If nothing else, the boy was as creative as they came with magic, and the Japanese man would surely discover that in the coming moments.

In a surprising continuation of his work, the Supreme Mugwump utilised the still-falling rain, charming single droplets to shoot towards his opponent. Those that missed exploded as they hit the water, and Harry acknowledged the precise work with a grin.

Ivan shook his head.

Evans enjoyed this type of thing too much.

If he hadn't come to know him so well, he would believe him to be insane.

In a turn of events that shocked the aggressor, Harry began returning the droplets, something that not only took pinpoint accuracy with his wand work but was equally risky. Not only did he do this, but between these rebuttals, he began sending projectiles of his own.

Quickly, the Supreme Mugwump realised that he could not hope to match the pace, and ended the rain, yet, the large pool of water continued to slosh around the floor.

In a moment of rather terrifying inspiration, Harry waved his wand and a column of water shot towards the ceiling, morphing into an enormous serpent as it did so.

Without preamble, it struck out with its' maw and engulfed the Japanese man, and the room released a collective gasp.

Ivan knew better.

It would take more than that to finish this duel.

As though he had foretold it, a disturbance was soon seen within the water, and the snake collapsed, only for several shards of sharp ice to be sent towards Harry in response to his impressive piece of magic.

Unmoved, Harry hissed loudly, and wall of fire appeared in front of him, melting the projectiles before they could reach him. He then hissed again before grabbing the flames with his free hand and cracked it like a whip towards his opponent.

The Japanese man hastily conjured a shield that emitted a plethora of sparks as the whip snapped against it. The embers continued to burn, and the shield was suddenly engulfed in flames.

Before it could be snuffed out, it exploded, and only another quickly conjured shield prevented the Supreme Mugwump being horribly burned, but Harry was not done.

Ivan frowned as the fire Harry held was thrown into the air, and another spell courtesy of the younger combatant collided with it as it descended.

With a screeching sound that was uncomfortable on the ears, the fireball slammed into the ground and formed a circle around the now concerned Japanese man.

Frantically, he did all he could to vanish the flames, to no avail.

The more he attempted to do so, it appeared that his magic only fed the fire, and soon enough, he could no longer be seen.

"Is it over?" the British representative asked.

In reply, the flames suddenly flared before collapsing to the ground.

Smoke filled the room, and it took the effort of all the guards to clear it.

When they did, it was to the sight of the Supreme Mugwump on his hands and knees, coughing and spluttering, yet his wand remained in his hand.

Harry, however, did not allow him time to recover.

With a final hiss, the almost prone man was set upon by half a dozen large snakes that emerged from the floor and wrapped themselves around him, squeezing tightly enough for veins to appear across his forehead, his skin reddened, and eyes bloodshot from burst vessels.

He fought with all he had, but the man eventually succumbed to the pressure and lost consciousness.

"Let him go," Ivan instructed.

With a nod, Harry did so and relieved the Supreme Mugwump of his wand.

None spoke, seemingly all at a loss of what to say or do in such an unprecedented scenario.

After a few moments, it was the Frenchman that took the lead.

"We should question him under Veritaserum," he suggested. "He is guilty of something. I have no doubt of that."

Most of the other representatives voiced their agreement, and those that did not, kept silent, evidently deterred from supporting the man after what they had witnessed.

"Mr Federov, if you and your subordinate could leave, we will carry out our investigation," the Frenchman instructed. "A representative will find you when we are done to explain any developments."

Ivan offered the man a bow before gesturing for Harry to follow him.

Neither spoke as they made their way back to his office, but when the door was closed behind them, Ivan breathed a sigh of relief.

"That could have been much worse."

"It could have been better," Harry countered.

Ivan nodded his agreement.

"Thank you for stepping in when you did," he said sincerely. "There is one thing I'd like to know. How did you get your wand back? I saw you leave it in the box with mine."

"I have my secrets," Harry replied coyly. "I will never be without my wand, no matter where I am."

Ivan snorted.

Trust him to have a solution to such a problem.

"So, what happens now?"

Ivan took a seat behind his desk.

"We wait," he answered simply, "and hope that they understand that the time to act is now. If we delay any longer, there may be no coming back from it."

Harry nodded.

"Even now it will be difficult," he muttered. "I've seen what he can do."

"You've seen what he can do?"

"I fought him only a few days ago," Harry huffed. "He lured me into a trap, and it almost went horribly wrong. The Greeks that were disappearing were leaving to join his ranks. I followed one, and he hadn't been spiked with a potion, nor was he under the Imperius Curse. He went to Grindelwald willingly. It only makes me wonder how many others have done the same."

"Too many," Ivan said darkly, "but it is not that concerning me now. How are you? What happened?"

Harry released a deep breath and shook his head before he began his explanation.

Ivan listened intently as Harry spoke of his investigation that led him to the beach, and in turn to the cavern that he and Grindelwald had confronted one another.

Merely listening to the details of the fight that had ensued made Ivan nervous, but what he took away from it most was that Harry was sitting in front of him, that he had survived when he should have perhaps been killed.

"Damn," he declared when the young man finished speaking. "You must be careful, Evans. He will be baying for your blood now."

"He will be, but I do not think he will look to do so soon. Not until he can make sense of what happened."

"And you have?"

Harry shrugged.

"I have an idea, but it remains to be seen," he answered cryptically.

Before Ivan could press further, a knock sounded at his door and both he and Harry drew their wands in anticipation.

"Who is it?" Ivan asked cautiously.

"It is Monsieur Abreo."

"The French representative?" Harry whispered.

Ivan nodded, his wand remaining in hand as he bid the man to enter.

"You were right, Mr Federov," Abreo sighed. "After being given a dose of Veritaserum, Sato admitted that he was a supporter of Grindelwald and was working towards helping by aligning the Japanese with the Germans."

"Just as I thought," Ivan chuckled humourlessly.

"That is not all," the Frenchman said darkly. "According to Mr Sato, Grindelwald has gathered a significant force numbering in the thousands. Not a singular country can hope to stand against him if he chooses to spread his territories."

"No, they cannot," Ivan replied worriedly.

"In light of this, many of us have agreed that we will begin to assemble a force to combat him on the continent. Many others have decided to remain neutral, but with what we have, we can fight, and hope that others will join when they understand the severity of what we face."

"So, what happens now?" Harry asked.

"Now, those that are in agreement will return home and call an emergency meeting of their governments. There they will explain what has been revealed to us today, and our intention to recruit a force. It will be down to each country to begin assembling and training their men. From there, we will agree countries of deployment where training can continue. This will not happen overnight, but we will do what we can."

It was better than nothing, and though Ivan knew he would find himself frustrated in the coming weeks, he took comfort that the ICW was no longer remaining idle in the face of the threat the world faced.

"What do you need me and my men to do?" he questioned.

"You will continue with your work until told otherwise," Abreo instructed. "There is much to do to repair the damage done to the ICW today, but we will manage. We will look to vote in a new Supreme Mugwump in the coming days, and Mr Sato will be put on trial for his crimes. When we hold our next meeting, that will tell us who our true allies are and who will choose to turn their backs on us. I have my suspicions already, but I hope that I am wrong."

"As do I," Ivan muttered.

"I suppose I should be thanking you both for what you did today, but I will reserve my judgement for the coming months. For better or worse, we are now preparing for war."

Those were the Frenchman's parting words, and as he took his leave, Ivan turned his attention to Harry.

"Are you ready for this, Evans?"

The young man nodded.

"What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to be ready for anything," Ivan replied. "Grindelwald is feared for a reason, but you have survived him. It may well be that you need to do so again. There will be few willing to confront him."

Harry's jaw tightened, but there was no fear in his eyes.

Ivan couldn't decide if he was insane, or simply even better than he had seen today.

What he did know, however, was that this was not the same boy he had interviewed at Hogwarts.

Evans was growing, and the more time that passed, it could only benefit him more than it would their enemies.

Still, the coming months would be difficult, full of loss and suffering, and Ivan couldn't help but look forward to when the fighting would be over.

How long that would take, he knew not, but he looked to it, nonetheless.

(Break)

Arcturus had never been summoned for an emergency gathering of the Wizengamot in the evening, and as he entered the chambers where the Lords and Ladies of the country would gather, it was to a mood of confusion and tension.

Even Hector Fawley seemed to not know why they had been called, and he ceded the floor immediately to Doge, and Arcturus felt himself filled with dread.

He was the representative for the ICW, and if his expression was anything to go by, he was not the bearer of good news.

"My fellow Lords and Ladies, it does not bring me great pleasure to call you here this evening," he began. "Today, many things were brought to the attention of the International Confederation of Warlocks, things that will affect each of us."

"What has happened, Doge?" Lord Yaxley questioned.

Doge deflated, seemingly lost at where to begin.

"Firstly, we learned that the Supreme Mugwump has intentionally breached the Statute of Secrecy," he sighed. "After a considerable struggle, he was placed under arrest, and revealed under the influence of Veritaserum that he has allied himself to Gellert Grindelwald."

Shocked silence met the revelation until Lord Malfoy spoke.

"Have others done so?"

"That is yet to be determined, but it is the threat that Grindelwald poses to us all that made this meeting a necessity," Doge replied. "The Supreme Mugwump informed us that Grindelwald's numbers are significant. Although he could not give an exact figure, he believes no nation alone can hope to resist his forces."

"Ha!" Yaxley called out. "We are British! It has been almost a thousand years since we were conquered."

"And yet, a threat now exists that could," Doge returned irritably. "Because of this, the ICW is now officially preparing for war."

The Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot began whispering amongst themselves, some worriedly, some in disbelief.

Regardless of the reaction, none were relishing the news they'd heard.

"What does that mean for us?" Lord Potter questioned.

"It means that as of now, we must once more ask the wizards of Britain to answer the call of our country, ask them to fight to keep ourselves free," Doge explained. "I wish it wasn't so, but a threat is coming for us, and it is time for us to meet it head on. Now is not the time for us to ignore what is happening across the channel. To do so would see us fall."

"No, you cannot ask this of us!" Lord Ogden argued. "Some of us still remember the fathers, uncles, and even grandfathers who fell during the last war. Our wounds are not yet healed."

"I know," Doge replied sympathetically. "I lost my father and two uncles during the last war. I remember as well as you do, Lord Ogden, and if there was any other way, believe me, I would pursue it. We have no choice. War is coming, and we must be prepared to eradicate the threat looming over us. Grindelwald has already proven that he will stop at nothing. It is time for us to prove that we will not allow him to walk all over us."

Murmurs of agreement followed the impassioned speech, but Arcturus found it difficult to be patriotic.

He had feared this day coming, and now that it was here, it felt worse than he could have imagined.

For all the flaws of his family, and the foolish decisions that some had made, the last thing he wanted was for them to become enemies of their country.

That was now inevitable, and though Arcturus had chosen his side long ago, it didn't make him any feel better about what was to come.

(Break)

Charlus watched as his father entered the kitchen, his visage grim. Unusually, William headed straight for the pantry, and he returned shortly afterwards clutching a bottle of whiskey.

He poured himself a measure before downing it.

"I can only assume that the meeting was not a good one," Angelica commented.

William shook his head.

"Not a good meeting at all," he sighed. "The ICW has decided that this Grindelwald has now become too much of a threat to ignore. They are forming an army to fight him. It looks as though Britain is going to war."

"Bloody hell," Charlus muttered. "Harry said it would happen, but I didn't believe him."

"A smart lad that one," William chuckled dryly.

"What does this mean?" Angelica asked worriedly. "What will happen?"

"Well, tomorrow, the Prophet will make the announcement, and anyone who wishes to volunteer for service will register at the Ministry. From there, it all depends on what the ICW decide to do. It is likely they will choose tactical places to make their stand, and the countries involved will adopt war measures. Emergency wards will be put in place, and they will remain there until the war is over."

Angelica had paled.

"It's going to be like how it was before, isn't?" she asked.

William nodded.

He remembered the previous war, the news arriving of people having been killed in battle, the misery and sadness that had plagued the country for years.

Even now there were those still feeling the effect of it, William included.

"You're going to volunteer, aren't you?" Charlus asked.

He watched as his father sagged in his chair before the man nodded.

Immediately his mother began to sob, and Charlus felt as though he had been kicked in the chest.

"I will not have it said that the Potters did not answer the call when we were needed," William said firmly. "Besides, it won't only be me. Yaxley, Bones, and several others have assured the Wizengamot they will receive support. Only those without an heir or close male relative that can become one will not fight."

"I can go," Charlus volunteered. "You don't have to fight, dad!"

"You will be staying here," William instructed. "In my absence, you will carry out my duties, and you will help out as much as you can from home. You're my heir, Charlus. If anything was to happen to me, the future of our family is in your hands. There will be no arguments, understood?"

It was not often his father was so firm, and all Charlus could do was nod his agreement, as reluctantly as it was given.

"William, you cannot do this," Angelica protested.

"I must," William countered. "I am a Potter. We fight for those that cannot fight for themselves. That is how it has always been, and it will not be me that shirks my responsibility. I am a Lord of this land. How can I call myself that if I am not willing to fight for it?"

"Will, please…"

William shook his head.

"My own father went to war…"

"And never came back!" Angelica snapped.

William's jaw tightened, and Charlus could only look between his parents in sadness.

His mother would not change his father's mind.

"Perhaps I will not either, but Charlus is here as I was when my father left."

"Dad…"

William held up a hand to silence him.

"I have prepared you as well as I can, and I know that you will make me proud, Charlus. Now, share a drink with me. We haven't taken nearly enough time to enjoy such simple things."

He poured another glass and handed it to Charlus, and Angelica stormed from the room, her tears flowing freely.

"You will need to be there for her, son," William sighed. "She knows that I am doing what I must, but this won't be easy for her. I know I am asking a lot from you, but I know you will be fine."

"I will," Charlus choked, sipping the whiskey.

His father stood and laced a hand on his shoulder.

"I am doing this in the hope that you do not have to make a decision like this in the future. Tomorrow, I will set the family affairs in order, and you will become the acting Lord Potter. I don't feel any need to wish you luck," he finished, the smile tugging at his lips genuine.

His father left the room, likely to try to offer some comfort to his wife, but Charlus remained where he was, nursing the whiskey in his hands.

In only a matter of moments, his world had crumbled around him, and for the first time in his life, he feared for what the future held.