It was the worst of times. It was... the worst of times. It was a time of anarchy. Muggles tortured. Homes burned. Crops destroyed. People stampeded. And cattle raped... wait that's Blazing Saddles. My bad. But you get the point. Vold War I was a time of uncertainty. Like Hitler, Alexander the Great, and Napoleon before him, Voldemort used his might to assert his rule over Britain with the aim of Magical World domination and the purging of all Muggles and Muggleborn witches and wizards from the planet. Dark times indeed. The dark mark constantly fixated in the air for almost eleven years. It is said those that don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it. Though we do not have a Pensieve (but God, could I use one) full of memories of the old times, we can take what we have been given and try to construct how things used to be in order to figure out how things will be this go 'round. I submit for your entertainment and consideration: VOLD WAR I!

A LONG TIME AGO...

Voldemort's illustrious rise to power began while he was in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Tom Riddle started his first year at Hogwarts in the 1938-1939 school year. We're gonna ignore the WWII allegory for now but suffice it to say, at that point in Magical History, Grindelwald was probably at the height of his powers and had a full six years before he went toe-to-toe with Dumbledore and got beaten like a red-headed stepchild (no offense to any real red-headed stepchildren). But during all those years until Grindelwald's demise, I imagine Hogwarts to be a hotbed of activity. We know Dumbledore was the Transfiguration teacher at the time and Armando Dippet was the Headmaster. Obviously Dumbledore was doing double duty (lot of alliteration, and, man, Dumbledore could use a vacation) as well. But I also imagine that with this war happening, Tom Riddle, being the studious little monster he is, was in the library at all times and researching fun things like his family tree, how to be immortal, legends about the Chamber of Secrets, fun things like that.

Then, he discovers his true identity as well as the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. I believe that deep inside of the Chamber is a storehouse of Salazar Slytherin's private journals and texts on dark magic. And on that note, here's a quick jump into the present. If Voldemort, acting through Ginny Weasley, was able to enter the Chamber of Secrets, then you can believe Voldemort sticking out of the back of Quirrell's head was able to do the same. WHEELS IN MOTION! But I digress. Where are we? 1944-1945: Voldemort graduates Hogwarts as Head Boy and proceeds to kill his father and grandparents (such a charming child). With that action, his fate is sealed and we begin the countdown to Harry's birth. Vold War I by my count begins in 1970. This is calculated by the fact that we are told in the books that the first war lasted eleven years until Harry stopped Voldemort. Voldemort dies in 1981 minus 11 years equals 1970. So from 1945-1970, Tom Riddle disappears and fades from memory. These are the lost years. During this time, Tom Riddle is building his empire. Those closest to him are already calling him Voldemort and he is deep into researching the deepest mysteries of magic. He travels the globe learning everything there is to know about magic. Several times I wager he traveled through some body of water into that underground water reserve found in the Chamber of Secrets (maybe...maybe...). He goes through a variety of physical transformations so that none who meet him could connect him with that half-blood weakling Tom Riddle and thus to his horrible Muggle parentage.

Looking back at the prophecies, fate becomes key. So many events. What are the odds that six sets of parents have six set of kids all the same year who will all grow up to be instrumental in saving the world? And all of them start the training that will be crucial in their battling of the dark enemy at the same time that he STARTS his war. Farfetched? Perhaps. A stretch? Most likely. But the EXACT year that the most powerful wizard in history begins his bid for world domination, is the same year that six kids - a werewolf, a pipsqueak, a beauty, a rebel, an abused child, and an athlete (sort of a Breakfast Club of sorts) - each accept a calling to Hogwarts that will lead nearly all (and, by the end, probably all) to their death, but not before they plant the seeds and set the wheels in motion that will lead to the ultimate destruction of the evil wizard. This is no doubt the year that Lily Evans and James Potter meet. This is the year that Petunia is given a real reason to hate her sister more than just because she's hotter. This is the year Sirius and James became best friends. This is the year of the Whomping Willow. This is the year Peter Pettigrew finally made friends. This is the year that began the Marauders' learning how to be Animagi. And this is the same year that the war begins.

THE WAR

The war is fought on several fronts. On one hand, the connections Voldemort forged in school planted the seeds of future collaborators. On the other, he finalizes the steps of his magical transformations to make himself immortal. Now a thought I had. The Potters had to "thrice defy" Voldemort. My question is: could history be repeating itself? Our trio was running around as eleven year olds defying Voldemort. Voldemort was rising to power while the Marauders were in school. Who is to say that at least one of those three defyings couldn't have happened in the hallowed halls of Hogwarts (again I love alliteration)? The Marauders knew that castle inside and out (I know, with the exception of the Chamber of Secrets). But who is to say that Voldemort didn't make a trip or two to the castle for one reason or another. Perhaps to steal some special potion ingredients. Perhaps to pick up some of the collected works of Salazar Slytherin. Who knows? But I feel that as JKR has shown us already that history has a way of repeating itself (*coughbasiliskcough*), that it is entirely possible that James and Lily and the rest of the Marauders met up with Voldemort on one occasion while they were still at school.

Meanwhile in the outside world, the number of Death Eaters was growing. Muggle torture and murder was a norm. Giants, furious at being hunted to extinction, were ready to reclaim their place in society. The magical community was divided. Wizards and witches thought they were lords of the earth, with all other creatures subservient to them. In this egotistical society, it was easy for a rebel-rouser to use fear and oppression to persuade people to his thinking. It worked for Hitler and it can work for you. It's all in the dictator's handbook.

So the Marauders grow up and join the Order of the Phoenix, an underground resistance squad that goes out in the night for some vigilante justice against the forces of evil. Snape runs off and joins Voldemort, who he believes can teach him the dark arts that he is so enamored with, not to mention give him a surrogate family that cared for him in ways that his real abusive father never could. Petunia marries Vernon. James marries Lily, much to the dismay of Snape and Lupin, as well as Sirius ('cause now he's lost his best friend to a chick). Meanwhile Peter Pettigrew looks at his side and sees that it is the losing side. Voldemort gains more of a foothold with each passing day and the great Dumbledore, despite his best efforts, can't seem to stop him. There are wizard duels in the streets. The veil is getting more new occupants with each passing day.

Then one day Dumbledore (now Headmaster of Hogwarts) remembers that besides saving the world, he also has a school to run. Though he wants to discontinue Divination, he agrees to interview a young Sibyl Trelawney, who after a few moments proves she probably couldn't predict that an hour will be over in sixty minutes. But then something strange happens: THE PROPHECY! During the middle of which, a spy for Voldemort is discovered and forcibly ejected from the premises. He hires her instantly, more for her protection than anything else. Dumbledore realizes that this is the turn of the tide. At this time two couples fit the description, both of which are about to have babies: the Potters and the Longbottoms. After weighing the options and taking what he knows of his former pupil, Tom Riddle (and we should ask ourselves when and how Dumbledore discovered that Tom Riddle and Voldemort were the same person), he is able to deduce that the Potters are the best bet.

THE LOST DAY

A week before the Lost Day, Lily Potter casts the Fidelius charm on her home and family in Godric's Hollow on the advice of Dumbledore. All close to them assume that Sirius Black is the secret-keeper when in fact, Peter Pettigrew was chosen. He, of course, goes instantly to Voldemort and tells him of the Potters' whereabouts. On October 31, 1981, Peter Pettigrew pays the Potters a call. But he is not alone. Emerging from the shadows is a fierce Voldemort who demands the boy. James yells for Lily to take Harry and run. James tries to hold him off but is murdered almost instantly. Voldemort enters the bedroom to find Lily and baby Harry. Voldemort demands Lily stand aside. Lily offers herself in exchange for sparing the boy. Voldemort aims his wand and kills Lily, but not before Lily's sacrifice is marked down as a magical binding contract. Voldemort attempts to kill Harry but the spell hits Harry and backfires summarily ejecting Voldemort's life essence from his body. But, because of the steps Voldemort took, the life essence does not enter the veil, as it should. It merely hovers. Voldemort's body is now useless. So, the spirit of Voldemort flees.

Peter Pettigrew has been hiding. Should for some reason the Potters have prevailed, he would have feigned Imperius Curse or tortured coercion. Should Voldemort have prevailed, he simply ascends the steps and takes a place at his master's side. But neither of these things happens. His master is seemingly dead, and the Potters are a mere memory. But there sits baby Harry crying with a freshly forged scar on his face.

Pettigrew panics. He doesn't know what to do. If the Death Eaters find out about Voldemort, they'll kill him. If the Order finds out he betrayed the Potters, he'll be chucked in Azkaban and that's if Sirius doesn't find him first. OH NO! Sirius! Sirius is supposed to check on him in a day and a half. What does he do? In a mad panic, to erase all traces of him being there, he goes outside and blows up the house with his own wand. He then goes to Lucius Malfoy. Malfoy would essentially be Voldemort's right hand man. He's got friends in high places and has a cool head under pressure (as we'll see in the Battle at the Ministry). So he calls on the Malfoys late in the evening. Being a Death Eater in Voldemort's inner circle, Lucius would know all about Peter's treachery and his secret deal with Voldemort. Peter frantically tells the story. Everything must happen quickly. If Voldemort is out of the way and the Ministry finds out, it's over. All the Death Eaters will be rounded up instantly and taken to Azkaban. With so many Ministry officials in high places who have ties to Death Eaters, namely CORNELIUS FUDGE, they were able to avoid prosecution thus far. But as Arthur Weasley has said time and time again, everybody KNEW who the Death Eaters were, there was just no way to prove it. Translation: I'M SCARED OF VOLDEMORT! But with him out of the way, justice would give way to furor, and the Death Eaters would be rounded up. What to do? Not to mention by showing up at the Malfoy residence, Peter Pettigrew is implicating him not only with Voldemort, but everyone Malfoy is associated with becomes a Death Eater by association. Their only chance is to divert suspicion.

Voldemort's dead, how can we spin this? I got it! The baby killed him; this is true. Everyone in that room is dead except a one year old so we can make up whatever we want. Voldemort is dead and Harry lived. So what if Voldemort had a servant that was his most trusted, faithful, craziest, and most powerful Death Eater ever and he betrayed the Potters and then went on a mad killing spree in search of the Dark Lord? You, Peter, track him down but he destroys you (or so we'll say, of course) and then he's chucked into Azkaban. This way, you get away and all of the Death Eaters pale in comparison to this one guy and once again there is no evidence linking us civilized folk to Voldemort. The Ministry will breathe two great sighs of relief in one breath because we will have handed them dead Voldemort and his most faithful servant on a silver platter. Then it hits Peter: SIRIUS! Everyone knows the Potters were under protection, what if we say that Sirius was the Secret-Keeper. Everyone would assume that anyway. That makes the crime even more despicable and him even more evil.

So with the plan in place, and the patsy ready to take the fall, Pettigrew leaves and Malfoy calls in his good buddy the junior Minister of the Department of Magical Catastrophes, Cornelius Fudge. The next day November 1, very early in the morning before the Dursleys' have woken up, Fudge stops by the Malfoy residence. Malfoy tells him the entire story and like a good puppetmaster tells Fudge exactly what to do and what to say in the days to come. Malfoy is on his way to Godric's Hollow to meet Pettigrew. Fudge must come as well and give it a quick once over so that if and when the investigators are called, Fudge has taken care of all the incriminating evidence. After that, Fudge returns to the office and Pettigrew hides in such a way that Sirius will go look for him and find him.

Fudge begins to spread some rumors that the Potters are dead and Voldemort destroyed. Dumbledore, many miles away, is also receiving intelligence that Voldemort is destroyed. He confides in Professor McGonagall, who takes it upon herself to go to Number 4 Privet Drive and protect the Dursleys not only from a potential Death Eater attack but to watch them and see what they are like. She does this, not on orders (because Dumbledore is surprised yet not surprised to see her), but because she has been in Dumbledore's confidence and has been in the thick of the intelligence of the Order. Meanwhile Dumbledore, who is not the secret-keeper must use ancient magic to find a way to lift the Fidelius Charm so that Harry can be retrieved if he is still alive. Then of course, Harry must be protected as crazy Voldemort supporters might come after him. This takes a good part of the day. Once satisfied the Fidelius Charm has been lifted, he dispatches Hagrid immediately. He then writes a letter to Petunia Dursley and places it in his pocket.

Meanwhile, Hagrid arrives in Godric's Hollow. He sees a smoldering pile of rubble. He frantically searches and to his shock finds an unscathed (save the scar on his forehead - unrelated injury) baby Harry. Just as he picks up the child, Sirius arrives on his flying motorcycle. Shocked at the death of his best friend, he resolves to take care of Harry, but Hagrid has his orders from Dumbledore. Sirius gives Hagrid his flying motorcycle and Hagrid rides off to be in the last two pages of "The Boy Who Lived" in Sorcerer's Stone.

Meanwhile, Sirius is heartbroken that his best friend is dead. Then it hits him: it was Peter! Peter was secret-keeper and the only one who could have told. It takes him several hours but he tracks him down in the middle of a heavily populated Muggle area. Peter shouts the lines given to him by Lucius Malfoy in the middle of the street and 12 Muggles rush to their doors. He then cuts off his own finger. Then with Voldemort's wand behind his back, which he retrieved from the house before destroying it, Peter flicks the wand giving Fudge, who is hiding, the signal. Fudge blows up the street, but from Sirius's point of view the flick of the wand he sees was a casted spell (but he, of course, couldn't actually see through Peter to the wand so one guesse that after 12 years in jail, he constructed his own version of the events). A huge gaping crater appears and Peter Pettigrew turns into a rat and scampers away. Instantly, Fudge appears (first on the scene) and sends the signal and a squad of Department of Magical Catastrophes officials appears. Fudge already has the story ready and tells them how Sirius is a crazed lunatic (having probably hit him with a Cheering Charm before the officials arrived - pg. 317 PoA, "Harry slightly overdid his [cheering charm] out of nerves and Ron... ended up in fits of hysterical laughter") and carts him off to Barty Crouch who sends him straight to Azkaban with no trial.

IMPLICATIONS

Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. Voldemort was killed before all of his machinations were brought into fruition. Now he's back. Four of his five objectives are already done. Now all that he needs is "the army of creatures whom all fear."

The image of the statue at the Ministry of Magic will be more important than ever. I hate reading S.P.E.W. stuff. But I think JKR has it there for a reason. I think perhaps there will be a time when house-elves and Goblins join wizards and witches and work together EQUALLY to defeat Voldemort. This new war, VOLD WAR II, is just beginning. There will be many more casualties before the end (flashes of Lupin, Pettigrew, Dumbledore, the Dursleys go across the screen). The first war started the same year the wheels first started cranking that brought Harry into this world. It was put on pause for thirteen years, but now its back on and it'll be harder than ever. But in both cases, it will start and end with Harry Potter.

1/20/05

Posted by: Nicole

If you would like to contact Brandon, you may do so at Greatbman at aol dot com.

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