"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Benjamin Franklin.

November 1st. 1981.

It would seem that the Wizarding World was celebrating. They were celebrating the end of the First Wizarding World.

But for the Death Eaters. It was the day of infamy. Their leader. The Great Lord Voldemort had met his end. And at the hands of a boy who was only 1 year old at that.

Lucius Malfoy was just coming back to their hideout. His wife Narcissa was also there. "What's happened?" He asked.

"Trotsky has told the rest of the Death Eaters to go into hiding." Narcissa answered.

And to prove her point, Trotsky was speaking to other Death Eaters.

"And who put you in charge?" Bellatrix asked with a hint of insanity.

"Myself. With Lord Voldemort disposed at the moment. I am in charge. And I say, we grieve later and plan our next move." Trotsky answered. He was in charge now. The last thing the Death Eaters needed was division in their ranks. "But for now, we remain in hiding."

"I say we go after the Potter boy." Snyde interrupted. "Roast his little head on a fire." 

"We are not going to do that!" Trotsky slammed onto Snyde. Everyone looked a little stunned at that. Normally. Trotsky was one to keep cool about this type of stuff. "And even if we wanted to find the Potter boy, we can't. He's gone missing and no one knows where. Clever of Dumbledore to do that." He muttered.

"If only you could've protected Ksenia with that kind of cleverness." Snyde commented, and he looked so smug about it.

"CRUCIO!" Trotsky yelled as he shot the torture curse, full power at Snyde. The Snyde that was Merula's father. And all the Death Eaters stood back. Finally, Trotsky released his grip.

"You mention my daughter again. And you will know what my fury will look like." Trotsky warned angrily. 

Snyde looked to Malfoy who just shrugged. "That's what you get for insulting his daughter." He simply said.

"No one will do anything until the time is right. Is that understood?" Trotsky asked.

All the Death Eaters nodded. But little did Iosef know that Bellatrix Lestrange, Barty Crouch Jr, and the Snydes had their own plans. They all apparated away.

That left Trotsky and the Malfoys.

"Forgive me, Lieutenant. But with Lord Voldemort gone... what are we to do next?" Lucius asked.

"We prepare for his return, and if he does not return. We will make him a martyr. Not even death can stop Lord Voldemort." Trotsky answered.

"But the Potter boy can." Narcissa commented to herself. "I'm sorry, My Lord. I know that-"

But Trotsky cut her off. "Don't be. Clearly, Lord Voldemort underestimated the Potter boy. Or rather..." His thoughts drifted to something else. "...Of course." He realized. "The Protection Spell. When Lily Potter sacrificed herself for her son. She cast a protection spell over the boy. So that we couldn't harm him. Quite brilliant. There's nothing like a parents love for their child." He knew what that was like.

"Is that possible?" Lucius asked.

Trotsky nodded. "The Protection spell survives through Lily's blood until Harry comes of age. And when I say, blood. I mean with a relative of Lily Potter. And if what Peter Pettigrew has told me is correct, Lily has one remaining blood relative, left."

Lucius and Narcissa looked at each other confused then back at Trotsky. "Well, who is it?" Narcissa asked.

"Lily's sister, this... Petunia Evans if I recall." Trotsky answered. "A Muggle family."

"Filthy scum." Lucius muttered.

"That doesn't even begin to describe it." Trotsky replied. He also heard some disturbing rumors about Petunia Evans and the family she married into. The Dursleys. And the way they feel about Magic. Basically, the Dursleys were everything Trotsky said was wrong with Muggles.

"Well, why not just kill the Muggles and take the boy?" Lucius suggested.

"Even if we knew where the Muggles were, we can't." Trotsky answered. "We don't know how widespread this protection is. It could extend to the Dursleys themselves." 

"Damn." Lucius thought. There was always something. "At least Harry Potter is away from Sirius Black. Pettigrew saw to that." He said like there was some good news out of this.

Trotsky laughed. "And they actually thought that Sirius would get James Potter, his brother killed like that. You'd have to be an idiot to believe that." He then looked at Narcissa. "Apologies. But you have to admit..."

"Yes I know." Narcissa cut him off. "But my cousin chose the wrong side of the war. He turned his back on our family, chose to side with James Potter. And now he's paid the price for it by life in Azkaban." But there was some regret in her voice. 

"And we'll all probably suffer the same fate." Lucius grumbled. 

"You won't." Trotsky reassured. "You are Lucius Malfoy of the family Malfoy. You have more influence than the Minister himself. Tell them that I cursed you and your wife with the Imperious Curse." He ordered.

Malfoy nodded his head. It was brilliant. Trotsky was already a notorious name, and if Lucius could play his cards right, he would get off scot free, and Trotsky would take the fall. "You would've made a fantastic Slytherin if you went to Hogwarts." He commented to Trotsky.

"Good to know." Trotsky thought. 

"But, what of you?" Narcissa asked. 

"My war's not done." Trotsky informed. "I've heard about some power within Hogwarts called the Cursed Vault. It may contain the power we need to resurrect Lord Voldemort." He turned to the Malfoys. "Go. You served the Dark Lord well. Raise your son, Draco. And when everything is complete. He will be the new generation of the New Wizarding World." 

"Well... Draco is an infant who needs his family. And a mother who loves him." Narcissa admitted.

"You can't be any worse than the way the Snydes treat Merula." Trotsky pointed out.

"Until we meet again, Lieutenant." And with that, the Malfoys left. But not before Lucius asked one more question. "Should you find Harry Potter, what is to be done?"

Trotsky turned. "It seems a waste to kill him. Lord Voldemort is bound by the Prophecy. Neither can live while the other survives. But if Potter can be turned. He could become a powerful ally. He will join us, or he will die." He answered.

Back to the Present.

"Where you going, Potter?" A big boy asked chasing the 10 year old Harry Potter throughout the halls of St. Grogory's Primary School. Harry had gotten entangled in another game of Harry Hunting. A game that was made by his cousin Dudley and his just as stupid and mean friends. He had no friends there, since all the students were afraid of Dudley's Gang, all of whose members hated Harry all simply because Dudley did. Harry had lived 9 miserable years with the Dursley's, ever since his parents were killed by a Car Crash. Harry lived with only a lightning bolt scar. Or at least that's what Harry thought. And Harry was forced to live with his only living relatives. His Aunt Petunia, his Cousin Dudley, and his Uncle Vernon. They all hated Harry, even though Harry never understood why. He slept under a cupboard under the stairs. And he was treated more like servant then actual relative. But he didn't have any time to think about all of it, because he was being chased up to the roof by Dudley. 

"No where to run, Potter!" Dudley yelled as he chased Harry up to the roof of the school.

"Come on, Dudley!" Harry complained. "I didn't mean to bump into you and make you knock your books down." 

"And how about I bump into you and knock your classes down?" Dudley asked sarcastically. 

"Good one, Duds." Another friend of Dudley's named Piers praised.

"Yeah, knock him over like his parents." Another dumb friend of Dudley egged on.

Dudley cracked his knuckles. Harry knew what was coming. His glasses were going to get broken again.

But at the last second. A large shriek screeched through the air. A large Vulture was coming straight at Harry Potter.

It made Dudley turn their gaze at the Vulture.

"Shoo! Get off you stupid bird!" Dudley yelled.

The Vulture didn't seem to like that comment. It turned toward Dudley and screeched barreling its talons at Dudley.

"Oh, bugger." Dudley thought.

"RUN DUDS! They like to eat the Big ones first!" Piers shrieked.

Dudley ran away from the Vulture in pure terror, leaving Harry on his own.

But the Vulture simply looked at Harry. It allowed Harry to pet him.

"Um... Thank you?" Harry thanked. He then went back into the school after it was apparent that Dudley's gang was gone.

Talos who saw the whole thing from behind an air vent stood up. "You weren't kidding when you said that Muggles treat Wizards like Cattle. Though I never expected it to be even kin, Uncle Iosef." He commented to the Vulture.

The Vulture transformed into his human form. Into Trotsky. "Me neither." He replied. "Never in a million years would I think that Harry Potter would be subject to abuse to Muggles." Although the situation reminded him of what Merula's father would treat Merula.

"Seems we underestimated the cold, and ruthlessness of Muggles." Talos noted.

"You did. I didn't." Trotsky pointed out, remembering of what the Soviets did to Ksenia.

"Should we just kill the Muggles and be done with it?" Talos asked. He wanted to teach that gang a lesson.

"No. The Muggles are doing their part. After we've destroyed Hogwarts. We speak to Harry Potter, tell him that he's a wizard. Show him what we can do. And turn him against the Muggles that subject him to suffering and pain." Trotsky answered. And he smiled. The Muggles were making it too easy for him.

"I leave for North America, today. Stay in the shadows until I return." Trotsky ordered. Unlike Rakepick, he knew that Talos would obey. Especially now that Fudge would regulate marshal law.

"Yes sir." Talos replied as Trotsky transformed back into a Vulture and flew off. 

"2 Days ago. The town of Bath England was destroyed be the Terrorist Organization known as R, led by Death Eater Criminal, Iosef Trotsky." Fudge informed in front of the press. "We will not allow terror to win this day. We have not faced a worse threat since You Know Who. But rese assured, Trotsky will fail just as You Know Who did. But if we are face this threat, we must stand strong... and perhaps must sacrifice our own freedoms to do it." 

The cameras all flashed and Fudge took a deep breath. "As of this moment. I herby order the use of Marshall Law declared. Aurors will be operating on the clock ready to strike the wrath of Trotsky and his fellow criminals. This monster wants a war? We'll give him one." He declared. "And to spearhead the effect of Marshall Law, I name Madame Undersecretary, Delores Jane Umbridge as overseer." 

And Umbridge the nasty Toad Wart that she was looked at the flashing cameras and giving her famous toad wide smile. "I am honored by the Minister of Magic. And I will take immediate action, in bringing down the Remnant Cultists." Umbridge looked directly at Mad Eye, Ryder, Ethan, and Jacob who were watching the whole thing from the side. "No longer will our Aurors who have proven to be defiant and lazy, act so. We will impose round the clock shifts and they will not rest until the threat is destroyed, not now. Not ever." Umbridge did her little signature giggle as the cameras flashed on her. "Progress for the sake of progress, must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, protect what can be protected..." There was more to say, but Mad Eye, Ryder, Ethan, and Jacob headed back for Mad Eye's office.

"I forgot how much I hated that woman." Jacob grumbled.

"What the hell is Fudge thinking?" Ryder asked. It was bad enough when Umbridge spoke, but now they were all going to have to take orders from Umbridge.

Mad Eye didn't seem to like it either. He looked like he lost betted money on a Horse Race. "I've always said constant vigilance. But, there is such a thing as too much." He added.

"Well, we better get some Wide Eye potions. And a lot of coffee." Ryder said under his breath. "If Fudge wants extra security, I can tell he's going about it the wrong way." 

"So what do we do now?" Ethan asked. He didn't like the idea of Toad Wart of all people given the authority to enforce marshal law. And Ethan was hoping that Lizzie would solve the Runestone soon.

"Same as you. I'm hoping that Lizzie gets that Runestone translated." Jacob answered as if he could tell what Ethan was thinking. But he also knew that Ethan looked out of it. "Are you okay?"

Ethan looked at him. "Yeah. Just... Was all of this, my fault?" He asked.

Jacob looked at his brother. "What?"

"This Marshal law. It happened because Trotsky warned me of the consequences of a victory. What happens with the next victory I do?" Ethan explained.

"Don't go beating yourself over it, E. This is all Trotsky." Ryder tried to assure.

But that was when Ben ran inside the office. "We've got a problem." 

Everyone looked at Ben. "What kind of problem?" Mad Eye asked. 

That was when he saw Umbridge outside with hordes of Wizard Press.

"Nevermind." Ryder grumbled.

Jacob walked outside to see all the press focused on him. 

"Jacob Bauer." Umbridge greeted. But Jacob could see that there was no friendliness in her eyes. "I had a hunch that you survived."

"Surprised?" Jacob asked.

"I should've known that you would. Being the nasty rule breaker that you are." Umbridge replied. "Although come to think of it, why are you here at the Auror office, being that you were expelled from Hogwarts?"

"Helping my brother." Jacob answered. 

"Look over here, everyone. The two rule breakers of Hogwarts who put the school in great danger, and are menaces to society." Umbridge announced to the press.

"Don't call them Menaces to society!" Ryder interrupted. "If it wasn't for Daniel's sons, the Ministry would've fallen years ago."

Ethan was glad to see that Ryder was standing up to Umbridge of all people. But he made the mistake of showing his face in front of Umbridge.

"And there he is now!" The press all swarmed over Ethan, cutting him off from his friends.

"Uh. Wait a second." Ethan started to say before flashes surrounded him.

Umbridge seemed to be on an agenda. She charged ahead. "Just as I said to you all. Ethan Bauer, the Curse Breaker of Hogwarts. And the man responsible for the marshal law in effect will be happy to answer all of your questions." She did it with the widest smile Ethan ever saw on her so far.

"Ethan!" Jacob shouted. But he was drowned out by the press.

"What do you think you're doing?" Mad Eye asked.

"My job." Umbridge answered. "Ethan Bauer wants to play the hero. Let's give him a hero size audience. And the perks that come with it of course. Hm, hm." 

"You can't do that!" Ryder protested.

"Actually I can." Umbridge replied throwing a decree in front of Ryder. "As High Enforcer of Marshal Law as enacted by the Minister. I have the right to let the press choose who they interview and who they don't." She informed.

"Does that include putting pressure on a kid?" Ryder asked sarcastically.

"Only if the child is a menace to order and structure." Umbridge answered. "I mean look at him. He's unstable. Don't you see the menace?" She asked Ryder.

"Oh, I'm looking at a menace, alright." Ryder replied while looking at Umbridge the whole time.

But back to the Press who was surrounding Ethan. "Mr. Bauer. Is it true that your Circle of Khanna is directly responsible for the sudden attacks made by Iosef Trotsky?" A press member asked.

"What? No." Ethan answered. "The Circle of Khanna is built to fight R."

"Then why have you not combined your efforts with the Ministry to fight R?" Another press member asked.

They were all converging on Ethan now. "How many other members are there?" "Is it true that you recruited minors to your ranks?" 

"Are you trying to fix your brother's mistakes?"

"That's not what I said." Ethan said feeling his heart pound.

"How would Rowan Khanna feel about this, if he was alive?" A Press member asked.

"I..." Ethan stuttered.

This whole thing made Ryder want to just punch everyone in the gut. "You have to step in." He told Jacob.

Jacob started to go but Umbridge shot a spell that prevented Jacob from going forward. "He's fine." She informed.

"He doesn't sound fine." Ryder growled.

"I don't appreciate liars. Mr. Ryder." Umbridge replied. 

Ryder shook his head. "And I don't appreciate you, Umbitch." He wanted to say.

"Ethan Bauer. Do you feel it's your responsibility to stop Trotsky after the murder of Rowan Khanna?" A Press Member continued. 

"I just want to stop Trotsky, before he unleashes his chaos!" Ethan snapped. "I'm just trying to do the right thing." But he could feel sick in his mind. And the press was not helping matters. They never really did.

"Are we safe?" 

"Is humanity safe?"

"Are you prepared to accept the burden of the world on your shoulders?"

"What would your father think of this?"

"Would he be proud of you?"

The voices started to fade more and more from Ethan. Ethan couldn't describe the pain he was in. It felt like when Trotsky injured him in the Cursed Vault. Except there was no duel going on. The flashes from the cameras were going off and felt more like lightning strikes then flashes in his mind. "All my fault. It's all my fault." He said to himself. "I did this. It's all my fault."

"That's all! No more questions!" Ryder jumped in front of Ethan and took him inside as Mad Eye shut the door to the press and making Umbridge's nostrils flare.

Ethan's eyes fell wide as he looked at the floor. His breathing was heavy.

"Ethan?" Jacob snapped his fingers at Ethan.

"Jacob?" Ethan asked like he was 6 years old again.

Ben and Tonks looked heartbroken at seeing their friend in his state like that.

Jacob gave his brother a sympathetic hug. "You're okay now. The press are gone." He reassured.

"Paparazzi." Ben muttered under his breath. 

"What just happened?" Tonks asked.

"Umbitch put pressure on Ethan. Wanted to give him a nervous breakdown." Ryder answered.

"I really don't like that woman." Ben commented. And neither did anyone else in the room.

"And that woman is going to be in charge of enforcing Marshal Law?" Tonks asked in disbelief. 

"Apparently. And with Umbridge in charge, I know what that means." Mad Eye answered.

What it would mean was endless inspections of wands and security. More personal freedoms suspended, and interrogations using Veritaserum. 

"I'll get the Wide Eye Potion. It's going to be a long shift." Ryder informed.

"Jacob. Why don't you take the kids back to Hogwarts before this gets any worse." Mad Eye requested.

Jacob nodded holding Ethan's shoulders. Ben and Tonks followed him.

And on their way they saw Umbridge arguing with Reg Cattermole. 

"Your wand was used to curse the windows." Umbridge had told him.

"I told you, a Metamorphmagus impersonated me and stole my wand." Cattermole protested.

But Umbridge held up her hand. "Save your lives for the trial. Guards!" 

And two Ministry workers took Cattermole away. "Trial! You can't do this! I've been loyal to the Ministry for years!" Cattermole shouted. And for once Ethan was glad to be leaving the Ministry.

Meanwhile.

The United States of America. After their split from Great Britain, America had grown from 13 Colonies, to a 50 State Superpower in less then 200 years. And with America came M.A.C.U.S.A. 

M.A.C.U.S.A had been the American equivalent of the British Ministry of Magic. With its Congress and President situated in New York City. But not all was peaceful. During the American Civil War, Wizards from the Southern States decided to split from M.A.C.U.S.A becoming M.A.C.C.S.A or the Magical Congress of the Confederate States of America. But it was disbanded when the Civil War ended with a Union victory. But the problems were only just beginning. After the incident involving a dim-witted witch named Dorcus Twelvetress, the President of M.A.C.U.S.A at the time: Emily Rappaport created Rappaport's law, which would enforce strict segregation between the No-Maj and wizarding communities in which wizards were no longer allowed to befriend or marry No-Majs, and penalties that broker these laws were harsh.

Or it was. Until WW2. When the Morgan Brothers, two wizards who joined the U.S. Army went to fight in the European Theater. Their performance and their abilities caught the attention of General Dwight D. Eisenhower who was impressed with their skills and fascinated by magic. Despite breaking Rappaport's Law, the Morgan brothers were held as heroes by the American Wizarding World who praised them for protection from the Nazis and Japanese. In the 50s, as Eisenhower took office in the No-Maj world and the start of social and cultural change in America, New M.A.C.U.S.A President, Isaac Wright decided the time had come for Wizards to reconnect with the No-Majs and revoked the Rappaport Laws. Times were changing. And the President of the U.S. and M.A.C.U.S.A would stay in contact with each other to monitor events. Similar to what Great Britain did.

"His name is Iosef Trotsky. He's a Ukrainian Death Eater, and is looking to exterminate all No-Majs and build a new world order." The New M.A.C.U.S.A President: Robert Sanders was explaining to the U.S. President. 

President George H.W. Bush was looking at the files. "How widespread is this Trotsky?" He asked.

"According to our source, James Ryder, Trotsky is mostly contained to Europe." Sanders answered. 

"And do you trust this source?" Bush asked.

"Ryder's one of our best. He served in the First Wizarding War as an emissary from America." Sanders answered.

Bush nodded. He remembered hearing when that happened. He was starting as a Vice President under the Reagan administration at the end of the conflict. The threat had been contained to only Great Britain, but America was still on its guard at all times.

"But to tell you the truth, I wouldn't be surprised if Iosef Trotsky found his way to North America. And if that happens-" Sanders started to say.

"We need to be prepared." Bush interrupted finishing his thoughts. "And what steps is the Wizarding World going to take?" He asked wanting to know what was being done about all of this.

"The British Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge is enacting Marshal Law. Until the threat is contained." Sanders answered. "Though that may prove tough to do. Britain doesn't really have the man power to enforce it 24/7. And..."

"The Ministry seems to be exchanging its freedom for its security." Bush realized. It was always bad when that happened. And Bush knew it.

"And according to Ryder's reports. There's been one person that's been fighting Trotsky ever since the threat of R came to light, 5 years ago." Sanders added.

Bush was now intrigued. "Who?" 

Sanders swallowed hard. "A... 17... year old kid named Ethan Bauer." He said it as if he couldn't believe his own words.

And he could not blame President Bush for thinking the same thing. "You mean to tell me, that the threat of this Trotsky and his Remnant have been active for almost 5 years, and no one except a teenage boy took this potentially global threat seriously?" He asked. 

"Until these events, we saw it as no credible threat to world security." Sanders explained.

"Well we've got one now." Bush replied.

Sanders couldn't argue that one. 

"Alright, if this Ethan Bauer is the only one that's doing anything to stop Trotsky, we have to help him in whatever way we can." Bush declared.

"That's why we've dispatched Ryder. To help and guide Ethan as best as we can. He was good friends with his parents in the war." Sanders replied.

"A man he trusts, good." Bush said. "We need to be careful with this kid. Wizard or not, he's still a kid. And at his age, with so much at stake. He could crack under that amount of pressure. I've seen what happens to men under pressure." He just hoped that Ethan was alright given that the fate of the world was at stake and many were going to try to exploit him. 

"Okay." Lizzie had been at the Runestone for hours. "Okay, I'm so close. I can feel it." She continued to translate more of the Runes. Writing down her notes as she did. And it was coming along famously.

"Source." Lizzie wrote down the first word. "Power." The second word. "Transfer." The third word. "Contain." The forth word. Then the Runestone started to glow. As if it was resonating incredible power. All the pieces started to come together. "What are you up to, Trotsky?" Lizzie asked. 

And it was as if the Runestone was showing Lizzie images. On the Cursed Vaults, Hogwarts consumed by curses. Ice, Fear, Sleep, Portraits, Stone. And that's when it clicked for Lizzie. "So that's your plan." She realized. She could only hope that Jacob or someone would come soon.