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DTWL: chapter 7
🕑 Added 2025-09-29 17:44:32 +0000 UTCA/N: before you begin, I would like to apologize, this chapter was supposed to be at least 6k words to make it more clear but if you read my message in the chat you’d know that I was on a new meds and my sister is watching over me like a hawk—despite me being the eldest and her the youngest— I can’t really say no to her.
P.S. my brother usually takes care of the editing and stuff but he’s not available so I used AI (DeepSeek) to be precise.
- I will start working on the next chapter now, so expect one tomorrow, as well as the next chapter for my Harry Potter multiverse story.
Thank you for your support…♥️
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[ Albus Dumbledore ]
I arrived in Diagon Alley without much fanfare; not even the quiet pop of Apparition was heard—although that was to be expected. With my Archmage Essence, mastering magic had become much faster and easier.
I felt my magic respond to my will, enveloping me in Disillusionment, Notice-Me-Not, and a few other stealth charms. I did not want to create a ruckus by simply appearing in the middle of the alley.
Taking a few deep breaths to calm myself, I inhaled the different scents around the small street known as Diagon. The most obvious and attractive to me was the sweet aroma from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, mingling with the smell of pastries from Sugarplum's Sweets Shop right across from me.
Should I go in and order some? I thought, and decided that I should. Disguising myself with self-transfiguration to turn my hair blond and my body a bit thinner, I started walking towards Sugarplum's first.
The shop had a very small, one-person entrance that would have barely accommodated me before my disguise, which made me wonder how someone like, say, Hagrid would fit in.
The inside, though, was a stark contrast to the narrow entrance; it was a huge, magically expanded space with three floors, complete with staircases, tables, and glass displays.
All kinds of nifty little magical enchantments made the place feel homely, but I didn't really want to explore the store. I headed towards the witch at the counter, ordered some Cauldron Cakes and a few different pies, paid for them, and left.
I didn't forget to get myself two large orders of unicorn milk-flavored ice cream from Florean's parlour across the street before reapplying my stealth charms.
I started walking around aimlessly as I ate my sweets, watching the common populace of witches and wizards go about their day, completely oblivious to what had just happened at the Ministry.
I need to rectify this, I thought. Maybe add a news announcement function to the Archive? I pondered, stuffing my face with the last bite of the chocolate pie.
The alley was lively, though not as crowded as it tended to be before the Hogwarts year started, but that was to be expected. It wasn't the only shopping place in London, after all. There was still Knockturn Alley, which, despite its ill-repute, was frequently visited by those wanting to buy second-hand stuff. There was also Horizont Alley and Carkitt Market, making three different shopping places connected to Diagon Alley alone.
I ignored the earthy smell that assaulted my nose as I walked by the Magical Menagerie, knowing full well the shop itself smelled anything but. It was an enchantment on the door that made passersby inhale the scent of earth and rain.
Sigh, I feel much better now, I thought, taking a big bite of my last pie—a strawberry-flavored one—and leaning back against the wall next to the door of Ollivander's wand shop.
Today was not a good day for me. I was having fun studying the Room of Requirement, planning what to do, and then came the attack. It still feels so abrupt to me... Couldn't the attack have happened a few weeks later, at least? That way, I might have actually deserved a bit of the guilt I feel right now.
I know it wasn't my fault, and that I couldn't have done anything, but feelings are just unreasonable.
Nevertheless, I should start preparing for everything, I reminded myself, and that starts by getting rid of Voldemort as quickly as possible.
I vanished the now-empty pastry bag, took one of the ice-cream plates, and started eating and walking again, heading towards the tilted building of Gringotts Bank.
The ice cream tasted amazing. It didn't taste like milk at all; in fact, it tasted like something between vanilla and something else I couldn't quite place.
I added a few more esoteric concealment charms as I approached Gringotts. I walked up the stairs and stood behind one of the guard goblins, waiting for the door to open from the inside.
I didn't have to wait for long. The bronze doors opened, revealing a slightly hunched-back old wizard walking out with an angry expression, muttering quiet curses at the goblins as he left.
I could understand why. Goblins were not like the fanfiction from my past life portrayed. They were greedy little creatures that would definitely stab anyone in the back—even their kin—in pursuit of riches and indulgence.
I slipped past the old man into the bank and started to look around while eating my ice cream.
Comfort food is a great way to avoid self-blame and guilt, I mentally gave myself a thumbs up for thinking ahead.
I had been trying to avoid thinking about how I handled things an hour ago because, whether I liked it or not, I might have let my emotions get the better of me. It wasn't like I hadn't seen people dying before, in both my lives, but something about today's attack just bothered me.
Still, I wasn't ready to think about this just yet. Maybe later, after I had gotten all the Horcruxes? At least that way, I would have a sense of accomplishment to fall back on? Eh, whatever.
I am still not as well-adjusted as I thought myself to be, huh. I shook my head as I started creeping behind one of the tellers, an ugly-looking goblin, no matter how formal and nice the suit he was wearing looked.
I watched as he went about his job, sneering at the witch in front of him and muttering thick, guttural noises that were their language.
The observation didn't last long as I utilized my Archmage Essence to analyze the goblins, in an effort to gain access to their brand of magic.
Goblins, no matter how many rebellions and laws they tried to pass, were still considered magical creatures, and like most, their magic is slightly different from that of a wizard. Sure, they can use the same magic as wizards if they get access to a wand, but they still won't be able to utilize it like wizards do. Their magic, much like that of the dwarves of old, was most suitable for enchantments and crafts.
Still, to think they have greed as a concept ingrained into their very magic... I withheld a whistle as I started to deduce how their goblin silver was able to gain the properties of poison and curses.
I need to get my hands on their crafting formulas and recipes, I added a new objective to my ever-growing list of things to do.
Nevertheless, I had gained what I wanted, and now it was time to head down and get my hands on that Horcrux. I just needed to hitch a ride with a descending goblin to avoid raising questions about a missing cart, and then my second objective would be achieved.
After that, I just needed to visit 12 Grimmauld Place, Malfoy Manor, and the Gaunt Shack before heading back to Hogwarts.
X_
While Dumbledore was having a Horcrux-collecting adventure, the world was not having a peaceful time either. The news of what had happened had started to spread everywhere, with the Daily Prophet in chaos as they scrambled to write an urgent news issue…
"Miss Skeeter, do you have the new article ready?" Liam, an intern editor, asked the only journalist who still hadn't finished writing her piece.
"Liam, I had a perfectly fine article written in under five minutes, but your boss rejected it…" Rita Skeeter snapped, making him wince.
"Miss Skeeter," he said as calmly as he could, "Mr. Cuffe denied the print of your last article, saying you can't do your usual spin on things this time. You either complete the article, or we will have to go with Miss Gerard's piece instead."
"Ugh, you people just don't understand what the public wants…" she complained, typing the last few sentences.
Rita would have never accepted rewriting her piece again if Barnabas hadn't plainly stated she wouldn't be writing anything for the foreseeable future if she didn't.
She didn't understand what the big deal was. So she had asked why, if Dumbledore could solve the problem so easily, he hadn't arrived faster? A good question, in her opinion. And that little thing about him forcing the Ministry to pay more than it could was a perfectly fine concern. It wasn't like it was the first time she had written something like that about Dumbledore, but people today were so touchy…
"Here, and tell Barnabas I am not rewriting anything after this. If he doesn't like it, he should have written the article himself…" Rita said, handing the piece of paper to Liam.
She still didn't know how this Liam had convinced Barnabas Cuffe to hire him as an intern, but she would soon. She had a feeling there was more to this than just a normal apprenticeship…
X_
[ICW, Secure Meeting Chamber 3-A]
The air in the windowless, sound-proofed chamber was almost statically charged with tension. Around the polished obsidian table, the select committee of the International Confederation of Wizards had assembled with a speed that spoke of genuine crisis.
"Let's dispense with the preliminaries," began Roystan Guzman, Vice-Director of the International Security Force, his voice cutting through the low murmur. "We've all seen the preliminary alerts. Eda, for the official record, summarize the situation in Britain."
Eda Strongarm, the British Representative, gave a tight nod, her posture rigid. "As of one hour and twenty minutes ago, Chief Warlock Albus Dumbledore has declared a formal State of War for the British Magical Territories. This declaration follows a coordinated, large-scale assault on the Ministry of Magic's primary public entrance in London earlier today. The attacking force consisted of at least six previously undocumented anomalous entities, working in concert. Auror casualties are confirmed at seventy-eight fatalities."
A sharp intake of breath came from Heinrich Webb, the Swiss Delegate. "Fatalities only? There were no wounded?"
"There were over sixty personnel in critical condition," Eda clarified, her tone grim. "Dumbledore's intervention included a previously unrecorded area-effect healing phenomenon. He restored all survivors to full health upon his arrival. The memories we've secured show wizards and witches with… injuries incompatible with life, moments before being restored."
"A mass, instantaneous healing of that magnitude…" muttered the French representative, leaning forward. "This goes far beyond any known magic..."
"The implications of the attack itself are what concern this council," Guzman interjected, steering the conversation back with practiced authority. "We've reviewed the memory packets. The entities displayed tactical coordination, spell resistance that rendered standard combat protocols useless, and a level of lethality that was previously undocumented. This attack would have resulted in a total wipe of the response force had Dumbledore not intervened. His application of the Diabolica curse, while extreme, was the only measured response that proved effective."
" 'Effective' is one word for it," said a stern-faced woman from MACUSA. "The public use of a curse of that classification, regardless of the target, is a violation of at least three international statutes. It sets a dangerous precedent."
What an idiot, was the collective, unspoken thought of nearly everyone in the room.
"A precedent?" Eda's composure cracked slightly. "With all due respect, these creatures were eating my people. They tore through Protegos and shrugged off Killing Curses. The precedent we should be discussing is that our world is no longer safe. Dumbledore's previous claims—that these events are connected to the global anomalous phenomena—are proving to be the closest theory we have to the truth. This was not an isolated incident, but the beginning of a pattern."
A tense silence fell over the room. This was the core of their fear, spoken aloud.
Guzman broke it. "His 'ascension' and his new 'Archive' magic were already destabilizing the global balance of power. Now, his theory might be true. And today, he has demonstrated both the collective need for that magic, as well as his power and his willingness to wield it unilaterally. He is acting as a head of state, bypassing his own Minister."
"What is the ICW's official position, then?" asked Webb. "Do we condemn his methods, or do we recognize the threat he identified?"
"The Security Directorate's position is one of extreme concern," Guzman stated formally. "We cannot condemn our own Supreme Mugwump and the only wizard who has successfully repelled an attack of this nature. However, we cannot endorse a unilateral declaration of war by a single nation against an unknown, extradimensional enemy. It drags us all into a conflict we do not understand."
He steepled his fingers. "Therefore, our immediate course of action is twofold. First, we issue a global advisory, upgrading the anomalous entity threat level to 'Beta' and mandating all member nations review their emergency defense protocols. Second, we formally summon Albus Dumbledore to appear before the full council. Not as the British Chief Warlock, but as the Supreme Mugwump, to explain his actions and present his evidence for this… 'invasion' he speaks of."
He looked around the table, his gaze hard. "We are no longer managing isolated incidents. We are potentially facing an invasion. And we have one man who claims to have the answers, while simultaneously becoming the single greatest unknown variable in the equation. So we tread carefully and try to make the best of the situation."
The meeting continued for fifteen more minutes, addressing what provisional measures they could implement while awaiting Dumbledore's response to their summons.
X_
[ Hogwarts Castle ] [ Harriet Potter ]
Finally, she exclaimed, doing a little dance inside her head while keeping her face blank.
They really shouldn't put History of Magic right after lunch. That's just an invitation for the students to take a nap, she thought as she walked the corridor, heading towards the Gryffindor common room.
They didn't have any classes left for the day, so she planned to finish her homework quickly before taking Hermione and Cassius to practice later.
She looked back searchingly but couldn't find them. They actually had the guts to skip History class altogether today, huh…
They're doing their 'Wizard Culture Education' thingy, aren't they… She might have joined them too if her dog-father hadn't already taught her everything about that.
Still, she couldn't help but wonder why Hogwarts didn't have an official course for it. It's not like Muggle-borns would just know it by themselves…
Cassius had done the smart thing by proposing the formation of that club. They got to learn about wizarding world culture and teach their fellow students about Muggles in return.
A club like that wouldn't have even formed if not for the Headmaster scaring them all, would it? Harriet huffed in amusement as she descended the stairs.
Although, she herself wouldn't have done that, because now, almost every student inside Hogwarts was starting to get antsy. Sure, the Hogwarts library hadn't been this crowded in years—if Katie Bell's words were to be believed—but soon they would start thinking of ways to kill Muggles en masse.
She'd heard the Slytherins were already starting to get some really disturbing ideas.
I don't think Dumbledore will allow that to continue. We still have a lecture with him tomorrow, so I'll ask him then.
Harriet sighed as she arrived at the Gryffindor entrance. The Fat Lady was not in her portrait. She would have called for her if she hadn't heard that off-key voice coming from the portrait next to the door.
Poor Sir Cadogan, she thought as she saw the aforementioned knight—a portrait of one of the few blind wizards in history, a very brave Gryffindor if the tales were to be believed—flinching every so often as the Fat Lady raised her voice higher and higher.
Harriet found herself chuckling in amusement as she continued to watch the funny situation unfolding inside the small painting: a blind wizard trying to run from the singing lady following him.
I love magic, she smiled at the thought, knowing full well this situation wouldn't be as funny, or might not even happen, in real life.
The Fat Lady finally returned to her painting, complaining about how Sir Cadogan had run away.
"Courage," Harriet said quickly, giving the Fat Lady the password before she could start demonstrating her singing talent.
The Fat Lady grumbled a little, but the passage opened anyway. Harriet quickly went inside, searching for and finding Hermione and Cassius sitting together by the fireplace.
"Hey, how's your club thing going?" she asked as she sat in the armchair next to Hermione.
"Ugh, don't remind me," Hermione grumbled. "We still can't find a time when everyone is free enough to gather, other than during our History class."
"Well, it's not like you're missing out on anything," Harriet shrugged. Truly, their History class was a joke.
"I already told you, Hermione, it's only temporary. It's not like our ghostly professor is taking attendance," Cassius interjected, saving them from the argument again.
"I know that. It just bothers me, okay?" Hermione huffed and leaned back.
"So, what did you do? What new information did you discover?" Harriet asked. "And more importantly, what did you teach??" She was a little excited to hear what kind of stupid questions they'd been answering this time.
This was their first official meeting for the club, but they'd been acting as a help desk for everyone since Dumbledore's lecture. It was quite funny.
"Don't start," Hermione swatted her arm lightly in annoyance. "Do you know how hard it is to explain atomic bombs and how they work to them?"
“Yeah, I imagine it was funny,” Harriet replied with a smirk.
“Yeah, haha. Try explaining atoms to someone who doesn’t know what they are,” Cassius said. “‘They’re those small things that you can’t see, and when you rub them together they go boom,’” he continued, in a mocking tone, hands flailing around for visual effect.
They continued to talk about some of the other funny questions, like “What are T.V.s and why do they work?” and “How come Muggles developed so many different weapons?” etc…
Some questions she found were quite clever, while others just showed how ignorant wizard-kind actually was.
Harriet found herself thanking Merlin that her dog-father had insisted she get a Muggle education.
“Hoot!” “Hoot!”
The sound of owls filled the common room as more owls than she could count entered. Her own white owl—Hedwig—was amongst them.
“Hey, girl,” she cooed, stroking her neck. “What do you have for me?” she asked, taking the Daily Prophet from under her claws.
“Hey, why is Hedwig delivering the Daily Prophet? Where’s the post owl?” Cassius asked.
“I don’t know. Hedwig always takes the papers from the post owl and delivers them herself,” Harriet shrugged as she unfolded the paper.
Didn't they already deliver today’s issue? The thought died as her eyes locked onto the headline, her blood running cold.
THE DAILY PROPHET (British - Urgent Evening Edition)
CATACLYSM AT THE MINISTRY!
Dumbledore Declares War After Coordinated Monster Attack Leaves 78 Dead; Miracle Healing Saves Dozens
THE WHITE LORD'S WRATH: Dumbledore's Fiery Retribution Purges London of Monstrous Foes
Ministry Sealed, Fudge In Emergency Talks with the Wizengamot as Britain Enters Wartime Status
Amelia Bones, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, states that the Ministry will be compensating the families of those who died in the attack.
Multiple heads of noble families have donated to a relief fund.
“Oh shit,” she heard Cassius say as he stared at the moving pictures of the monsters.
“What?” she and Hermione asked in unison.
“It’s just the attack… yeah, the attack… it took me by surprise,” he answered.
He’s lying, she could tell by the way he avoided eye contact and repeated himself. She didn't know why, but she didn't have time to figure it out just yet.
“I need to check on Sirius…” she said, quickly standing up and hurrying towards her dorm room to get the two-way mirror her dog-father had given her for communication.
