Harry Potter is no more. After the defeat of Voldemort the Goblins left Harry no choice but to give up his name and to become Lord Aries Janus Black. This steers him in direction that he couldn't even fathom. First self-written fanfiction. English is not my native language!
Prologue
ARCTIC GAZE — FIERY HEART
Some changes from canon, mostly in the romantic department. Ron and Hermione never dated. Ron stayed happy with Lavender and proposed to her after the Battle of Hogwarts. Hermione is single, Luna is single, Harry had a very brief relationship with Cho but no Ginny as she is still happy with Dean!
Conversion Galleon to Pounds is not 1 to 5. An ounce of pure gold was worth over 200£ in 1998. So for the sake of my abysmal math skills the rate is one Galleon to 200£.
Prologue
The World Court of Magic
Headquarters of the International Confederation of Warlocks
Rome, Italy
02.05.2000
The gathered members of the ICW were looking down onto the floor of the arena. Their gaze locked on a lonesome figure clad in black hebridian dragonhide. The man had long black hair that stopped evenly between his shoulders. His high cheekbones looked like carved-out marble on his handsome face.
His modest height belied the magical strength that this man possessed.
But all of that was only superficial. What drew their collected gaze in like moth to the flame were his eyes.
His eyes which shone with power. His eyes which were like emeralds. His eyes which were cold like ice.
The Supreme Mugwump Babajide Akingbade leant forward and with a flick of his wand his amplified voice were heard throughout the colosseum.
"Members of the ICW, we are here today exactly two years after the fateful defeat of Voldemort. By the hands of a man who is here today to be questioned about his methods and ability which he employed against the forces of the Dark Lord and said Dark Lord himself.
This inquiry shall provide much needed answers to since unanswered questions.
To be safe and to ensure that only the naked truth is spoken is the use of Veritaserum authorised.
Auror Markwart, administer the serum."
The mentioned Auror walked stiffly towards the still man in black. His emerald eyes swivelled onto him and bore themselves inside his soul. Markwart pulled the stopper out of the flask and held it before the hero of the wizarding world. Whom without a sound opened his mouth and tipped his head back, so that the Auror could give him the truth potion.
The aforementioned blazing green eyes dimmed slightly and glazed over. The expected signs that potion was working as it should.
Akingbade cleared his throat and looked down on a parchment and spoke.
"We are beginning the inquiry. The respondent will be asked several questions in relation to his actions against the dark lord and consequently his followers up to date of the second may 1998 which marks the sound defeat and the end of the second blood war with the battle of Hogwarts."
"The respondent is Harry James Potter, son of James Charlus Potter and Lily Potter nee Evans…"
The man in black narrowed his eyes and said with nary a whisper, "No, my name is not Harry James Potter and James Potter isn't my father. Not anymore."
The baffled crowd looked at him and he could hear an ocean of whispers erupt in the ranks of the colosseum.
The Supreme Mugwump cleared his throat again and hit a few times with his gavel.
"Do you say that you're not Mr. Potter? What about James Potter? Who are you and what have you done to Harry Potter?"
The agitation was palpable and the tension thickened in the air.
The man closed his green eyes and leant back in his chair. His voice was soft but echoed with an underlying power throughout the rotund space.
"My name is Aries Janus Black. My father in blood and magic is Sirius Orion Black. My mother is Lily Potter nee Evans."
The silence which followed these words were almost oppressive. The man continued to speak and the rapt attention that he gathered would be sorely missed at the next meetings of the ICW.
"After my defeat of Voldemort, I had to go to Gringotts in London which was heavily damaged because of me. A small group that I led during the ongoing war broke into the vault of Bellatrix Lestrange.
Our objective was to steal an artifact of Helga Hufflepuff, her chalice to be exact. During this incident we freed a Hungarian Horntail and fled with him after the successful raid. But during said flight the dragon did enormous damage to the rail system underneath Gringotts and destroyed the Entrance Hall.
After I explained my actions to the Horde and their king Ragnok, I was fined and banned from Gringotts. But the goblins informed me about several options that I had open to me. Sirius' will was really straightforward. As sole beneficiary I had the option to perform a blood adoption which would make me legally a new entity which would allow me to continue doing business with the horde.
That was the first step in my campaign for an independent life.
So there you have it.
Harry James Potter is dead, long live Aries Janus Black."
Aries rolled his eyes and smirked sardonically. Crossing his legs, he looked above to the gobsmacked confederation.
The game had begun.