Guardian Wand

Chapter 7


[cont.]

Barely missing the quickly appearing aurors, Magnus reached the bank's steps, meeting a squad of goblins in the process of regrouping. Walking up to the highest-ranking goblin, he looked into its grizzled eyes through the slits on the goblin's helmet, the stare a dare to him to make an aggressive move. He could practically feel all the weapons poised to kill...15 if his numbers were correct.

Holding the stare, he lifted his right hand to expose his flank, and slowly extracted a knife with his left. Bringing it slowly forward, he flipped the knife and bowed his head, presenting his knife handle first to the goblin, which the goblin quickly took.

Some tension lifting, he glanced up to the commander to see him lifting his helmet's faceplate, intent on observing the weapon.

"A goblin weapon, boy? Lower your arms, brothers! He is accepted by the clans!" A Hoorah meeting the statement, Magnus felt the tension lift fully, yet kept his pose.

"Stand up straight, brother in arms. We mean one of ours no harm."

Standing up, he glanced down the street, seeing Bones approaching and aurors spreading. Accepting his blade back, he holstered it before asking the goblin commander if the lockdown had been lifted. Receiving a nod accompanied by a grunt, he placed his fist over his heart, receiving the same from the commander, he started for the doors.

"You're a good fighter, youngling! When the wizards tire of your skill, come to us. We shall meet you with open arms!" Waving back, he hastily entered the bank, heading directly to the hall he could find the safe room from.

A glance behind him through the now open door, he saw Amelia greeting the goblin commander, continuing at an almost casual pace towards him. She was gonna catch him some time, and he fucking knew it.

After exiting the public's view, he checked his holsters, cursing at the loss of his oldest and fondest weapon. He'd have to get into the Ministry to reclaim it then, which would be a Merlin-damned nightmare in itself. Halfway down the corridors his glamour's seemed to appear on him, as if water running down from the top of his head, his hood dropping before morphing into a collar of 'Peter's' jacket.

Turning into the next hallway, the end of which held the safe room, a loud cough caused him to turn, only to find Director Amelia Bones almost right next to him. A hard shove had him against a nearby wall, facing Amelia his right arm held in place by a surprisingly strong grip. His left hand however was holding a knife right next to her jugular vein. Feeling something pressing into his ribs, he glanced down to find a Webley in her right hand.

A smile gracing his face, he looked up to find a matching smile. "Nice. Your own?"

Her smile turning into an actual laugh, she pressed harder into his ribs, before calming herself. "We both know this is still loaded. There were only two shots for the last group. Now, you will fucking answer me, or I swear to God, Hecate, and Merlin that I will pull this trigger and paint the wall behind you with stomach and spine."

An emotionless stare meeting her eyes, he couldn't help himself, "Technically it'd punch a decent crater into even these old walls." A snorted grunt, somehow followed by a disgruntled growl, following his joke; the gun was pressed harder still, Amelia apparently having forgotten the blade next to her throat.

"Okay, okay. If that's mine, which I'm sure it is, then be careful. Very light trigger. Now, what the hell do you want?"

"I know you're somebody called 'Corvus', you have ties to Waverly, and I'm pretty damn sure you took Harry. Now, is that boy in there Harry? And if he is, and I ask him how you treat him, and it's anything less than 'I am so happy', you are greeting all of those Death Eaters in Hell. Understand?"

Confused expression forming on his face, he asked, "You know I'm Corvus ? And how sure are you that I have Harry?"

"I'm sure beyond any reasonable doubts. And everything points to him being with you. Now please, answer the questions!" The end of her sentence barely a loud whisper, he relented, and realised that Bones had ties to Harry. 'Constricted throat, glossy, slightly-red eyes, shake in her grip, fast breathing.'

"Yes, that is Harry." He felt the grips on the gun and his wrist loosen, and seized his chance. Quickly pulling his right hand free, he grabbed his gun, but let his momentum propel the gun down the hall.

Looking back at Bones he realised that she was now brandishing her wand. Sighing, he relented again, "Why do you care? He's legally my charge, I signed the contract in blood to authorize it."

Relenting slightly, she hissed, "He was supposed to be with me! That's why I care! The Potter's will was expressly disregarded when he disappeared. And the goblins would only open it for him after it was sealed. None of us coud find trace of Harry for eight years, and then one night I get a call from Dumbledore, Harry's living arrangements were attacked, and he was gone. Lo and behold, right under our noses this whole time...and under some fucking stairs."

An angry pair of eyes meeting his again, her fire quickly flickered out when she saw the pure fury in his. "Yeah I saw it. If you were there, you would've seen them too! They deserved every single rune on their worthless bones, and I know you agree."

Her wand falling away, she leaned into him, sobbing. "There was so much blood...How did he survive all that? Oh god..." Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, and running his spare hand through her hair, he silkily said, "It's my understanding that Potters are notorious for being durable."

A chuckle meeting his statement, he pulled the now calm Amelia away, before casting some spells to clean her. "He's a good kid. And I am treating him as well as I can. Remember, you might be looking for him, but so is Voldemort. If you want, I'll let you greet him-him, if he wants. But you're not seeing me, no idea when you might get pissed and put an APB on me."

About to gesture down the hall, he noticed her bare feet. "So that explains how you snuck up." Offering a hand for her to balance on as she put her shoes back on, they started back down the hall. Picking up his Webley along the way, he thanked her for bringing it to him, she thanking him for not letting the knife dig into her neck, a muttered thank you concerning cleaning her receiving a smile.

Two goblins protecting the room, presented their weapons, the witch and wizard's hands raised, Magnus said "We are here after an invitation was extended to us by Banker Bonegrind." Glancing at each other, the one leaned to a gold plate on the wall. Pressing a button, a muffled voice called out, him muttering something in return, followed seconds later by another voice, speaking for almost a minute. Another mutter was followed by the guard turning towards them.

"Manager Bonegrind has requested you and one Director Amelia Bones to go to conference room 7, accompanied by your charges."

Nodding, Magnus thanked the guard, whom only grunted and unlocked the door. An excited Harry and Susan peeking out. "Come on guys, we've got a meeting." With another fist over his heart greeting the guards, Magnus and the kids followed Amelia as she walked through the halls as if on home soil.

"Here it is, room seven."

"How'd you know how to get here?" He said, ushering the kids in.

"I accompany, and have filled in as, the goblin liaison on multiple occasions. They like warrior types, as you probably know, so I am a better buffer between politicians and warriors than most other candidates."

Nodding in understanding, he entered the conference room, finding platters of food and drinks laid out. The kids talking with Bonegrind, they approached the group.

"Banker Bonegrind. Thank you again for your invitation to the safe room." Amelia said, looking away from the goblin's eyes as a sign of casualness or submission, Magnus didn't know. Again, shaking the goblin's forearm, he smiled. "Twenty-four.", the goblin's returning smile turning slightly more feral.

"You have made this goblin a few hundred galleons richer, for that, I thank you."

His nod an indication for him to continue, the goblin let go of his arm and turned to the table, indicating to an almost tome-looking binder.

"I thought you might enjoy some food and drink as we have a file for you to read. It cannot leave this room, understand? So, you have as much time as you need, but you cannot take actual pieces from that file, and its information is sealed in your head by opening it. Standard files. I shall return in an hour or so to check on you. You have the utmost trust of Director Ragnok, something few of wizard-kind can admit...don't waste it."

Watching the goblin exit the room, 'Peter' turned to Amelia.

"Well...this is an interesting day after all. Shall we?" Motioning to the refreshments.

The kids already eating and talking amiably between themselves, the adults loaded some food onto their plates and dragged the tome closer. A smile gracing Magnus' face, he cancelled Harry's glamour charm, making Susan gasp.

"He said he was Harry Potter, but he couldn't show me his face! It is you!"

A full-blown laugh racking his body, Magnus flipped open the folder, instantly sobering at the sight of the Potter will. Amelia gaining her sense back first, asked him why he reacted like that.

A whisper escaped him, "I-I can't read his parents' will...I'm barely his guardian, let alone somebody with enough connection to him to read this." He carefully moved the will over to Amelia, only to have it moved back.

"I was there when they did the ceremonies. Harry was supposed to go to me, remember? Or at least, after the Longbottom's, Sirius, and James' parents. Read it, he won't mind."

Holding her eyes for a moment longer, he broke the seal to the copy of the will.

'We, both with sound mind and body, swear this as our final will. All previously written wills are from henceforth invalidated.'

Realising it was a transcript rather than a letter, he skipped ahead, mostly missing emotional speeches, words of love, money transfers, and property details.

'In regards to Harry losing a parent, all custody and materials shall be given to the other parent. In the event of loss of both of our lives, we want Harry placed with Alice and Frank Longbottom. If they are unavailable, Sirius Black, Euphemia and Fleamont Potter, Susan Bones, or Remus Lupin shall take custody of Harry, either in a manner they all see fit, or individually upon selection by an appointed ally. In the case of Remus, arrangements have been made with the bank to deal with his situation.'

Glancing up, he saw Amelia looking at the kids, clearly lost in thought. Harry would've been happy.

'Under NO circumstances is Harry Potter to be placed with Lily Potter neé Evans' muggle family, the Dursleys. Failure to comply with this will weaken the will, allowing the situation to be resolved as Gringott's bank sees fit, in accordance with the allied ties forged between the Goblin's, and House Potter.'

A confused expression marring his face, he slid the will to Amelia, indicating the last line.

"So that explains how I got hired. But who the fuck placed him with in that hell-hole?"

A dark look crossing her face, she leaned back.

"Information for information, my dear 'Peter'." His alias barely forming in her smirking mouth.

"Fine then, if you even know, you will give me initials, and I shall answer any questions you might have."

Nodding, she promptly leaned forward and quietly stated, "One AD."

Eyes-widening, he blurted out, "Dumbledore?"

The same dark look reappearing, she elaborated.

"He was in the right place at the right time, as per usual. Took Harry before any of us even knew James had died. Now, my question. How old are you, and how did you end up working for Waverly of all places?"

His eyes gaining a hard look, Amelia not stirring in the slightest, he sighed.

"I'm almost 20 now." Her eyes widening, he continued, "I got into some bad business as a kid, had some real bad accidental magic happen. I ran away, was found, nearly beaten to death, killed the men attacking me...and my first handler, Jimmy Warth, found me in a puddle of my own- and three-men's blood. Took me in for a while, saw my potential...started training a week after I turned 13. I only officially ended training barely six months ago."

Looking at Amelia, he saw her gob smacked face unchanging, her body frozen. Snapping his fingers in front of her eyes, she stirred.

"H-how?"

"I'm a fighter...and I wasn't ever going down without taking somebody with me. Warth recognized it instantly, realizing later that I had an above average core, and proposed a new life to me...one where I was the one hurting bad people, ridding Earth of scum...it's been 7 years now, and I still haven't regretted a single trigger pull, slash, stab, spell, curse, jinx, or any real choices."

Slumping slightly in her chair, Amelia processed his story, uttering a while later.

"You mind me asking your score on the tests?"

Smiling, he sat back himself, enjoying a mug of goblin mead.

"Above 80 for most of my subjects. If I rememeber correctly, I apparently 'have issues with insubordination, patience, and a record of excessive violence', and it was 'recommended that I am not enrolled in any agency programs, at this time'." A chuckle following his statement.

"Fuckin' proved 'em all wrong, though. Twenty-Nine successful missions, four failures. A better ratio than even some of the best veterans from Waverly."

Shaking her head, Amelia grabbed a glass of what she ascertained was a wine.

"Remind me to never repeat what happened in the hall earlier. Harry's obviously safe with you, and I care too much for Susan to die now."

A laugh meeting her statement, he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"As far as I'm concerned, you're the only external ally I have here, which means you fall under my protection, which means you fall under Waverly's protection services. Don't worry, you're gonna be fine."

A comfortable silence descending between them, Susan and Harry happily rattling along to each other, he took another sip from his drink before turning to Amelia.

"Shall we go through this file? I would like to go have a shower and a nap."

A smile and nod made him move the file to between them.

"Section 1, Enemies...Okay they gave us an orientation file...nice!"


[Time undisclosed]

Pacing his office, Albus Dumbledore awaited word concerning the attack in Diagon Alley, being told the battle was over giving him an excuse to not floo through. Green fires spilling from the floo, he turned to see Kingsley stepping through.

"Ah, Kingsley my dear boy, Lemon Bitter?" Receiving the traditional shake of the head, Albus continued, "What news do you come bearing?"

Both of them sitting down, Kingsley sighed.

"We lost 41 civilians, having another 97 in St. Mungo's. We also found 81 Death Eater bodies littering the grounds. A lot of the civilians seemed to have fought back, accompanied by goblin guards. The most interesting part though, is Diagon itself...we recovered several bodies with signs of a professional having intervened. Large gunshot wounds, some bodies had stab marks, and the rest found dead had the same magical signature on their wounds, scrambled."

Sagging in his seat at the loss of life, he shot up at the mention of a professional.

"Professional? How so?"

Coughing, Kingsley continued, "Clear stabbing marks, no struggle. Gunshots were lined up to decimate enemies, and maim those behind them, not a single civilian hit either. And the spells just reeked of controlled power...a very lucid pattern. We have reason to believe this was one man, although with no witnesses coming forward yet, and the alley still under lockdown, nothing is proven yet."

Nodding, Albus leaned back in his chair, intertwining his fingers.

"Do you believe it to be the same man from Harry's abduction?"

"I believe it could very well be. The magical signatures are consistent with the patterns used to scramble them. If it is, however, I believe Harry to be safer than he has been in years."

Albus frowning at the statement, he continued undeterred, "Sir, the kills were excellent. We suspect he killed the 22 we've counted so far in under 10 minutes...a feat almost impossible for most Hit Aurors. We shouldn't kick the hornet's nest on this one, sir. We don't have shields that can stop bullets that large." Unfortunately, leaving out evidence found of a Portkey, and reports of a dark figure fleeing towards the bank, melting into the goblin ranks present.

Closing his eyes, he thanked Kingsley and bade him leave.

Who was this man? How could he scare Kinglsey Shacklebolt, a pillar for Gryffindor bravery, so easily?

Albus dared himself to find out. This was his game, and he would be damned if he lost.


A/N: Sorry that this one took a while, had to rewrite a decent portion of it, and was also out of town for a couple of days. I hope you enjoyed it. Ch. 8 is on its way, soon. Same story as always, reviews and PM's of all sorts welcomed.

Have a good one.