Chapter 13

Short A/N

Hey lads and ladies,

I am for the next two days on a long trip back home.

The sun kissed Mediterranean Sea will be left behind for the dreary country of my birth.

But because of that I will have slight delay in updating this story.

The next instalment should come on Sunday!

And now onwards!

The consequences of Destruction

"Lord Black, a word." As the Wizengamot took a break the other members dissolved into little groups, discussing the recent changes of legislation.

Kingsley led him into his office and sat heavily behind the massive oak table.

As he gestured expectantly to the opposite seat in front of him, Aries sat with grace befitting of a Lord.

"Well, that was a total clusterfuck." Aries snorted lightly at that and leant back, a faint grin on his lips.

"Why? I removed a vital supporter of the dark and avenged a wrong committed against my family.

Two birds, one stone I'll say!" His silky voice betrayed no emotion.

Kingsley was a member of Dumbledore's Order. Aries wasn't prepared to cut them some slack.

They were crucial in his incarceration at the Durlseys were he was worked like a slave.

In the weeks after the Battle of Hogwarts Aries realised that if anything was a total clusterfuck it was anything that Dumbledore's faction did during the second blood war.

Never training him, never using anything lethal against the enemy. Trusting a known double-agent. Snape had to sell both sides short to play his role. How stupid was to trust in such a person?

His epic boner for his mum was equally disturbing. No, Aries stood firm and would exercise extra carefulness in dealing with anyone close to Dumbledore. Not in the least of course in light of the now obsolete marriage contract.

He refocused on Kingsley as he blew a sharp breath through his lips.

"You killed him! You obviously played on his weaknesses and tricked him into the duel! That is not the way of a light wizard nor the way the regent of the House of Potter should conduct his business!

I cannot believe that Harry would consider that the proper way of handling affairs!"

His voice shook in his anger and Shacklebolt narrowed his eyes on the youthful Lord Black.

Aries chuckled amused and shook his head lightly.

"I am not light nor I am dark. I am grey. The Blacks of old were lauded as the ones who guarded the balance between the light and the dark.

We are back and as we speak my ravens score the country to seek out all surviving members of my once great family.

Make no mistake, I will reunite us under one banner and then we will remind wizarding Britain why it feared and revered us so immensely.

The righteous kill of Draco Malfoy was only the cherry on the cake. As you without a doubt now realise."

Aries stood and let his aura flare up menacingly.

"Don't stand in my way and we will have no problems.

Otherwise you to which lengths I am prepared to go."

And with that he turned and strode back into the chamber and sat down in his ancestral seat idly playing with the newly acquired Malfoy Ring.

Oh yes, changes would come and the the people would either follow him into a brighter future or they would feel his righteous fire.

In a distinctive castle in Scotland a portrait of a white bearded old wizard awoke out of a fitful sleep.

He had a nightmare that all of his plans would unravel and the decades of careful manipulation were null and void.

But as he gazed through his old office which was now occupied by his rightful successor Minerva McGonagall he saw her slumped over the book of names.

He cleared his painted throat and spoke softly.

"Minerva? Is everything alright? Is there something wrong with the book?"

She looked wearily up to him and replied with a slight tremor in her voice.

"Yes, Albus. Harry Potter isn't listed anymore. It is as he were dead. I tried for weeks to contact him and Ms. Granger but both owls just returned with their letters.

So I checked the Book of Names and his name has disappeared!"

She poured herself a healthy measure of firewhiskey and gulped it down in one go.

Albus was shocked! Harry's Name had disappeared and he couldn't be contacted by owls?

That didn't bode well for his plans! No, that wouldn't do at all!

Harry had still a vital role to play. He had to mold the wizarding world into a paradise for the Light!

That was imperative!

By Merlin, if everyone could see the benefits of the light surely the could be redeemed for their transgressions and resume their lifes as reformed members of our proud society!

And now after Harry's triumph over the oppressing darkness it should be easy to herald a golden age of peace into their community!

Statues of him would proclaim him the great mentor of their saviour and his name would be immortalised as the likes of Merlin and Nicholas Flamel!

But now all of that was in jeopardy because that impudent whelp had obviously had hidden himself safely behind powerful concealing-wards.

Had he Fawkes he would have sent him after the wayward boy and haul him back but as Fawkes left after his death he could only continue to ponder over his dwindling options.

McGonagall instead gazed forlornly out of the window over the Black Lake.

She would search for her favourite student and if it was the last thing she would do.

Andromeda told her that Harry had helped her with Teddy.

Her next letter would be for the outcast Black sister.

Maybe she would let her know a way of contacting her young cub.

With that she sharpened her quill and wrote an urgent letter to her old friend and hoped for the best.