The Godfather of Magic

Chapter 1: Vito Peverell-Flamel-Gaunt-Andolini-Corleone

1930

Liberty Island, New York, New York

America, Land of Opportunity
Imagination
Dreams
Magic

250 year old Vito Peverell-Flamel-Gaunt-Andolini-Corleone-di-Santa-Maria-Quixote-di-Monte-Cristo-di-Gryffindor pushed the brim of a hat worthy of that name down over his brow. But you can call him 'The Don", like everyone does. He wore only his dignified but well-worn jacket over a buttoned-down shirt and tie and slacks, muggle-style. His shoes he kept shined like his hat, but the rest of his clothes he kept carefully inconspicuous. He was not here to attract attention to his status, only to honor it. Ostensibly here to escape the seeming danger to his life posed by Don Ciccio's family, he was actually here to protect the man's life. And his own identity. Back in his quiet Sicilian village, his name was considerably shorter. He tucked the dusty old book he had rescued from the ruins of his villa under his arm as protectively as if it was bound in diamond and rubies and gold instead of ancient leather, "The Tales of Beedle the Bard". The only odd thing about his appearance at all was the curious shape of his cufflinks. A line inscribed in a circle inscribed in a triangle. He had easily passed these off to curious muggles as a sign of his profession as a teacher of geometry, and that is what the port officials thought he was here to do. Muggles were never curious about important things like that. Vito Corleone was not like other 250 year olds. That is to say, dead. No, "The Don", as he was even to his closest friends, was to all appearances a spry young lad no more than 35. "The Don" was a Wizard. The most powerful Wizard in the world, or soon would be.

His father had been the Secret-Keeper of the Greatest Secret in History, one that took precedence as the mission of the Family even above such concerns as serious as honor and revenge. Last wills and legacies were that important. Antonio Corleone was no ordinary Sicilian, and Don Ciccio would rue the day he crossed wands with The Family. But not today. Not yet. There was important business to conduct. He would wait years. He had lived three lifetimes of ordinary men, his father had lived seven. He could be a very patient man. He came from very patient stock.

Many centuries ago, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was founded. That was when all the trouble started, really. The Baron. The Hallows. The Chamber.

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Albion, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whole mis-adventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.

Thus spake the seer of the Honorary Ancient and Most Noble House of the Sybils of the Wizengamot, one of the few Honorary Houses of that august body presented with their titles for gifts and prestige considered exceptional even by Wizarding standards, Cassandra Scheherezade, and was recorded by Merlin himself in the Hall of Prophecy. That prophecy had been removed and studied carefully by the first Flamel, one of the Ptolemies, founder and first Head of the Dept. of Mysteries, who had discovered he could remove it because it concerned his Family. He had then discovered it concerned almost every Family in the magical world, and that is why it had to be stolen, and destroyed. The only record of it now was in "The Don"'s Pensieve which he had magically shrunk to fit into his pocket along with the few other precious possessions he carried from his home. This was what had driven him away from the Old World, from Italy, and Scotland, from claiming his rightful place among Noble Wizardkind and hiding with muggles and the senselessly free rabble of America. He would bring class to this land, tame it, gain control and power, wealth and knowledge. And then he would uncover its secrets and take what should never have been brought here back to its proper home.

And then he would get his revenge.