The Sweet Sound of Destruction

It was a few hours before noon in Diagon Alley. Shop owners were running around fussing with shoppers and placing various stock on the shelves. People were up and about, strolling around, looking at goods, haggling prices and chasing after children.


Then, he appeared, just out of thin air. A turquoise net appeared in the sky as he landed.


A few of the shoppers noticed his attire, and screamed.


He wore a black cloak and wizards hat and a white, sinister looking skeletal mask on his face. The mask had be drawn on, a smile covering the skeleton-like teeth on it. The eye-holes were outlined in the same black.


Nearly everyone was screaming and pointing, some were even turning around on the spot, before stumbling and falling to the floor.


He walked up to the main entrance, a tall brick wall, before turning around to face his audience.


Six men and a woman in long red robes ran out of the crowd, trying to reach the masked man. Just before they got anywhere near him, everything stopped.


Everything went quiet. It was as if time froze...


He tapped the 11-inch length of wood against the wall behind him.


Tick-tick-tick-tick. The noise echoed around the alley, reaching every crevice and corner.


The sound of a throat being cleared as he lifted his baton, as if to lead an orchestra. All eyes of his audience were glued to the piece of wood.


"The overture," he whispered, his lips curving into a smile behind his mask.


He swept the baton in a long semi-circle, crimson energy sprang along its length. A small thrum echoed out, barely reaching the outer edges of the crowd.


"Into the crescendo," he said, a small chuckle leaving his smile.


He gave his baton a few small flicks, letting it slowly jump upwards. Loud, deep thrums echoed out into the distance, matching the small flicks of the baton.


The tip of the baton grew a pure white. His eyes under the holes glowed a bright emerald in the light of his baton.



"And...!" he yelled, just before losing himself with insane laughter.


His wand exploded into various colours of whites, pinks, reds, and everything in between.

* * *

It was nearing six o' clock before a large group of Aurors and the Minister were able to get through into Diagon Alley. They hadn't been able to apparate in, and all the entrances from Knockturn Alley had been sealed shut.


That only left the brick wall entrance just out of the Leaky Cauldron.


Which, coincidentally, had been magicked shut, made unbreakable and reinforced with a couple of traps.


And the Curse Breakers weren't working for overtime pay.

After the spells had been removed, the entourage had entered the mouth of the alley. And jaws had dropped.

Nothing was left. Nothing. Not even Gringotts.

Ollivanders? Destroyed. Apothecary? Gone. Florish & Blotts? Fortescues Icecream Parlor? Madam Malkins? Flattened, smashed and blown away.

Hundreds of torn bodies scattered the remains of Diagon Alley

The Aurors all gasped, some of them tilting their heads and mouringing the dead. The others turning around to throw up.

Minister Fudge also closed his eyes and bowed his head, the realisation that his career was destroyed hit him hard.

And out in the distance, a laughter echoed.