The War

The War generally refers to The War between the Vampire Courts, mainly the Red Court, and the White Council of Wizards. The War was kicked off with the events of Grave Peril.

Description & How it Began
In Grave Peril, at Bianca's Ball, Bianca threatens to kill Lydia with Amoracchius, which will undo the Sword. Harry and Michael Carpenter have no choice but to stop Bianca and save Lydia. They do, but then are surrounded and Susan is overtaken by a hourde of vampires. Harry in his pain and fury starts to throw fire around, burning vampires, thralls and walls alike. Michael gets Harry and Lydia out with Lea's help, but Susan is left behind.

Later, Harry returns to get Susan and Justine. Bianca had laid a trap, waiting with her hourde, she orders them to take him and they consume him in a nightmarish attack. He awakes in a locked room with Justine and Susan, who has been poisoned by the Vampires' toxin. Bianca intended for Susan to kill Harry and change her fully into a Red vampire.

Near the end of Grave Peril, Bianca and the Red King's representative, Don Paolo Ortega declare that Harry has started a war between the Red Court and the White Council. Bianca bargains that Harry can go, all will be forgiven, if Susan stays with her. Harry refuses. He calls up the spirits of Bianca's victims and with their aid, he escapes with Susan and Justine with the aid of the ghosts of Bianca's victims.

In the Series
At the end of Grave Peril, the Council is at War. It's been reported that Paris and Berlin have broken into chaos. Now Harry has gotten notice that the White council is coming to Chicago to find out what happened.

In Summer Knight, Ebenezar McCoy gets the news that Archangel, a White Council stronghold in Russia, was attacked by the Red Court. The fortress is destroyed and Simon Pietrovich and hundreds are killed. There are no survivors. The Wardens say that there is evidence that someone let the killers in past the defenses—a traitor. It would have to be someone who knew the defenses well.

In Death Masks, Duke Paolo Ortega challenges Harry to a duel under the pretense of wanting to end The War.

In Death Masks, Shiro Yoshimo, Harry's second, tells Harry The War is not his fault. He explains that the Red Court has been quietly building their resources for years, and that is how they were able to lauch an attack days after Harry defeated Bianca. Harry's not the casuse, he's the excuse. Paolo Ortega and the Red Court intend to end the White Council in one stroke and the duel is just a means to delay for time since they lost the element of surprise.

In Dead Beat, Harry updates Mortimer Lindquist on that latest battle he knows about in The War. There was a nasty battle in Mexico City three weeks prior in which the "Wardens bloodied the Red Court's Nose" throwing a wrench into their plans.

In Dead Beat, Captain Anastasia Luccio drafts Harry Dresden, resistantly, into the Wardens while telling him the long tale of davasting losses in battle after battle: Cairo, Madrid, Acapulco, Sao Paolo, Athens, Belize, and the most devastating battle was in Sicily. All of their wounded were gassed in a Congo Hospital along with hundreds of human civilians. And, the Reds trapped them in The Ways calling up Demons and Outsiders. Ebanezar McCoy and Martha Liberty came to their aid buying time for the Merlin and the Gatekeeper to put up a shield that held off an army of vampires. That morning, Luccio buried 143 Wardens out of 200.

At the end of Dead Beat, Harry tells Morgan and Listens-to-Wind that he thinks that Cowl had a deal with the Reds to keep the Council busy while he performed the Darkhallow. The Reds would get the Senior Council out of the deal. Morgan thinks the Edinburgh defenses are too good. It would take a god to break the defenses and that's exactly what Cowl was planning to do with the Darkhallow.

In Proven Guilty, the Council's primary allies are: Venatori Umbrorum and the Fellowship of Saint Giles. The Venatori's strength is in analyzing information from a wide variety of sources. The Fellowship was turning out to be a formidable ally having been touched by the Red Court's dark powers and with a real interest in seeing it's downfall. Neither group is capable of challenging the Red Court in face-to-face combat, but wreak havoc on their suppy chains, intelligence and support approaching from the mortal side of it. The provide the council with information on the Reds which has bought them needed time to launch successful raids and to regroup.

In Proven Guilty, Ebenezar McCoy asks Harry to find out through his Fae contacts why the the Faerie Courts have not responded to the Red Court's assault on the Council within Faerie, why they have not retaliated to the incursion. McCoy asks privately, it's not an official mission. The reds are watching Hospitals sending hits on the Council's wounded. Harry learns from Lily and Fix that Mab has forces around the Summer's borders which keeps Summer from coming to the aid of the Council or the Venatori who are under attack by the Reds.

Later in Proven Guilty, Fix informs Harry that the Reds found the Venatori headquarters in Oregon. The Council answered their call for help. The Reds interfered with The Ways causing Wardens to get sidetracked. When Harry rescues Molly from Arctis Tor, it causes Winter to return, which allows Summer to aid the Wardens and the Venetori. At Molly's trial, Lily bestows the Order of Silver Oak leaf pins to Morgan and Dresden for their actions.

In Small Favor, Harry tells Michael Carpenter that Faerie is on the edge of internal war, which could reignite The War between the Council and the Vampire Courts.

In Turn Coat, both sides are getting their strength back after years of war that is still continuing. But the Vampires could replace their losses faster than the Council can. If the Council dissolved now due to internal strife created by the traitor and perpetuated by setting up Morgan for the murder of one of the Senior Council, that could start a feeding fenzy amongst their enemies. And, that could bring about the collapse of the Council. The War had reduced the ranks at Headquarters making the War Room and the barracks seem lonely and empty.