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Chapter 73 - CH73

Turning a light smile to her, he turned from the phone and offered his nearest elbow. "As always, Miss Hoffstead," he said as she took his elbow, "In the service of Her Majesty."

The two walked out.

Two minutes later, a silent team of folks rapidly entered the hanger and, just as rapidly, soon had it stripped bare of anything to do with the 'mission'. They were gone within fifteen minutes. Riddle had been growing concerned for a few days that, with the sudden appearance of the Peverell Lord on the scene in magical Britain, there was a significant shift in where things were heading.

Plus, the minions were growing restless again.

He'd been wondering what to do when a minion hurried in and fell to his knees before his dais. "My Lord, I bring news."

"Speak," said Riddle, rising to his feet.

"A spy within the aurors informs me the Hammer-bitch has placed Dumbledore under house arrest at Hogwarts... for casting Fiendfyre in the Alley this morning," said the Death Eater. "Further, she has placed a rotating team of eight aurors, with two on the old fool at all times, to watch over him."

Riddle had already received the report of the second battle between the Peverell Lord and Dumbledore and his supporters; and that the Peverell Lord had won. He also knew Dumbledore had an arm severed and that he had cast Fiendfyre during his escape.

That last piece of information, alone, utterly stunned Riddle. He had no idea the old man would stoop to such an act.

"The old fool has been told that, should he leave the infirmary of Hogwarts without the direct authority of the Hammer-bitch, he will be again arrested and then dumped into a DMLE holding cell.

"My spy also informed me Hammer and Bones are trying to manipulate things so that, once they can get Dumbledore before the Wizengamot in trial form, they will be successful in their case."

"Of course they would be trying that," muttered Riddle.

Starting to pace back and forth, he began to think on how best to use this information. 'Dumbledore would have just had his arm reattached; so, he'll be stuck in a bed for at least the next twenty-four plus hours,' he thought. 'Plus, Hammer has now put aurors on him, who will practically sit on him if he tries anything.

'The old fool will not allow Longbottom to go anywhere without him there to "protect" him. That means, for the duration of the old bastard's house arrest, Longbottom is stuck at Hogwarts.'

Whirling around, he looked across those minions of his who were currently 'attending' him and said, 'Summon my Inner Circle! In celebration of the Peverell Lord's defeat, yet again, of the old muggle-loving fool we shall engage in a revel!"

Waiting only three quarters of an hour after their flight lifted off from Brize Norton and finally reached cruising altitude, Sam asked Jack, "If you don't mind responding, Sir; what was thatall about?" Still miffed about being turfed off the investigation and effectively out of the country, Jack replied, "It seems some of the NATO countries are now being read into the program. Worse still, it seems they're going to be joining us in future. It's something to do with whatever is happening down in Antarctica."

"The Ancient's base?" asked Sam, shocked. "That's... odd."

Jack nodded and said, "I do not doubt we'll find out more of what is going on once we get back to the SGC."

What he hadn't mention, but was worrying about, was his verbal interaction with the General. The man didn't sound... 'right'.

None of them yet had any idea they were heading into a 'Foothold' situation at the SGC. The SGC had been secretly overtaken by an alien race that had snuck in through the gate while one of the off-world teams was returning. They would be further surprised when they learned that the alien race also had 'glamour' technology and were using it to take the places of certain high ranking members of the SGC and other military personnel.

Later that afternoon, after finally being free of the pain potions and able to properly think strategically again, Dumbledore tried hard to order the aurors away again.

He tried to order that, as Headmaster, he had the right to declare them trespassers. They responded that, if so, then he would be leaving with them and going directly into a holding cell at the DMLE.

Using the floo in the infirmary he even contacted Hammer, direct, and demanded she pull them out. She called him an idiot for trying and shut the floo off in his face, ejecting him in the process. He tried to have the staff rally behind him to force them out. The staff refused, with McGonagall citing they were under DMLE orders to report him if he tried to abscond from the infirmary against a lawful DMLE directive.

It was while he was trying to figure out a way to manipulate the wards to block any DMLE auror, while also allowing Tonks to enter for Order meetings, that his special galleon vibrated and warmed up in his pocket. It was the one linked to his alchemically potioned spy within Tom's ranks.

With a start, he realised he'd not be able to get away with Neville to give the boy more experience and cementing his belief he would be the one who had to fight Tom, one-on-one.

With a sigh he pulled out the one paired with his 'agent' working in the magical detection grid office at the Ministry and, trying to appear nonchalant to the watching aurors as if he was just fiddling with the coin, sent the message alerting the agent to the attack planned for that evening.

Slipping the coin back into his pocket he drew his wand and sent a Messenger Patronus to his deputy.

When she turned up he cast a privacy charm over the two of them and quietly said, "Tom's planned another attack, tonight. I need you to summon the Order to meet me here."

"Is that wise?" she asked, indicating the two aurors.

"I'll explain it's a private conversation and they have no reason to listen in," he stated.

"They'll still be curious," she warned.

"Better they be curious than knowing," he firmly returned.

Trying to work around the fact two aurors were watching him, Dumbledore had to speak individually or in pairs with many of the members. He eventually used Filius Flitwick as his go-between between the Order and himself to let them know when and where the next attack would take place.

"This is a foolish way to do things, Albus," the little half goblin and Charms Master scowled.

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