Tannim's blog: "Harry Potter and the Mental War"

August 2^nd

By morning, they had all mastered the spell wandless and silently.  Harry apparated to Grimmauld Place and retrieved his Firebolt, and returned in time for breakfast.

They returned to the War Room for final reports.

"Last checks, people," Ron told the assembled lieutenants.  "Hogsmeade?"

"Ready and waiting," Fred replied.  He had dropped off the second Amoeba Suit, this one in a female cut, for Ginny.  She had quickly changed, and she and Harry now looked like the perfect match everybody knew they were.

"Ministry?"

"Standing by, locked and loaded," said Tonks.

"Madam Pomfrey and St. Mungo's are standing by as well."  This was from McGonagall at the Floo.

"All right, excellent.  There has been a slight change in plans.  Remus will stay here to coordinate things, and he has his instructions.  Hermione, Ginny, Dobby and I will be joining Harry at Azkaban.  We found a flaw in the operation, and we're the fix."

"Are you sure, Ron?" asked Lupin.  Ron nodded as Harry handed him the Firebolt and Dumbledore's pocket portrait.

"Moony, we're the only five who can do it, save Fred and George, and we can't spare them from Hogsmeade."  Harry looked at Lupin and Tonks.  "The spell is 'Inciendo Scourgis.'  It kills Dementors."  Harry turned to Ron.  "Dumbledore has a portrait in the warden's office.  He's our link to inside."  Ron nodded and stuck the portrait to his shirt.

"All coins on full conference!" Ron barked.  Six coins turned on.  They walked outside.  Ron and Hermione mounted the Firebolt and Dobby climbed on behind Harry.  The five joined hands.  Harry put a disillusionment charm on each of them, and Fawkes came over.  Harry and Ginny each grabbed his tail, and Fawkes took them all to Azkaban.

"Good luck," whispered Remus.  Tonks gave him a hug and a deep kiss, then disapparated to the Ministry.  Fred disapparated to Hogsmeade, and Lupin went back to the War Room to be near all information sources.

* * *

They apparated to over Azkaban with a crack.  Harry let go of Ron and let him fly off.

:Ready, Ginny?

:Ready, Harry!

They both changed into their phoenix forms and let go of Fawkes.  They took positions at the three corners of the tower, and Fawkes picked up Dobby and circled overhead, high enough to blend into the sky.

A bell below chimed noon.

Death Eaters apparated onto the rocks at the tower base.  The Dementors moved to the roof of the tower to leave. A cry came out.

"MORSMORDE!"  The Dark Mark appeared in the sky.

"Execute!" Ron ordered.

Suddenly the entire tower was bathed in two rings of white light.  Hundreds of Patronuses appeared, herding and containing the Dementors.  At the same time, stun bombs started falling on the Death Eaters, catching most of them unawares.  The few that stayed conscious managed to get off one volley of spells before the second set of bombs hit them.  Only Snape escaped, but that was intentional-Harry had planted a doppelganger of him in the prison a week beforehand.

"NOW!" shouted Ron.

"INCIENDO SCOURGIS!"

Five orange beams from four directions came down and hit the Dementor ring.  The Dementors erupted in flames as the Patronuses disappeared.  The Aurors began to secure the prisoners and haul them inside as the orange inferno consumed the Dementors.

In six minutes it was all over.  The five landed on the roof and went to see O'Malley in his office.  Harry and Ginny changed back into human form.  Fawkes set down Dobby and then landed on Ginny's shoulder.

"Well done, Warden.  Any casualties?"  Harry asked.

"One guard got a little too close to a Dementor and got kissed," O'Malley replied.  "But we've picked up seventy new guests, and the entire Dementor group here of a thousand had been destroyed.  I hate to lose anyone, but I think we call this one a win.  I'd love to know how they got destroyed, though."

"Old magic, Warden, obscure and forgotten for a long time.  Then we'll be off.  Send any word with Dumbledore.  Expect more guests soon.  Thank you for your help.  You just helped deal a major blow to the Dark Lord.  Please let me know about funeral arrangements for the fallen guard."  Harry shook his hand and the five joined hands again and disapparated back to the War Room.

Operation Squeeze Play was a success.