Chapter 19 – Snake
(Confession and Penance Arc, Part Six of Seven)
"…Nothing again."
Smash. There was something strangely therapeutic about watching Samael-Yamata run into the Quidditch stands like an angry, drunken idiot. Stupid thing still hadn't given up on destroying the indestructible landscape. Harry was content to let it keep trying since it kept him from having to avoid any attacks other than the stray jet of Poison. He floated in midair about a hundred or so meters from one end of the field, twirling the Elder Wand idly while he tried to craft another spell.
After the fused monster had shrugged off the (vastly overhyped, in Harry's opinion) Killing Curse, the Wizard had gradually amped up the intent behind his spells intended to induce death in various ways. A Magician's spell repertoire was only as limited as his imagination and his mental training. Having lived for far longer than most Magicians, Harry had a wide selection of spells available to him. The problem was there were only so many ways to kill someone or something, and his target was powerful enough that nothing short of a majority of his available reserves backing a spell would cause any appreciable effect.
So, Harry was currently testing different methods of killing or otherwise neutralizing the threat the Dragon posed. As soon as he found something that worked, he'd throw as much power into it as he could and hope for the best. He was only slightly annoyed with himself for leaving the Sorting Hat and Augusta outside. They might have helped with brainstorming.
The Killing Curse in its most basic form was supposed to "kill" the soul. Before he learned how souls worked, Harry took this at face value. Now that he knew souls didn't really possess a concept resembling death in their natural states, the most deadly of the Unforgivable Curses was a lot less impressive. Souls were bound to things. This could be anything with magical energy of some sort. The Killing Curse severed all of a soul's bonds, usually causing death as a side effect. Being a homunculus, the fragments within the artificial body weren't so much bound to it as they were just stored there, so Harry's first spell had been shrugged off.
Another spell left the Elder Wand, the third variation of the Killing Curse so far.
The first simply incorporated the concept of Death, but the monster either retained enough intelligence to recognize it or just reacted on instinct, blocking it with a curtain of Poison. It had then retaliated by firing Sin at him. Harry teleported somewhere out of sight, and quickly realized his enemy was dumb as a rock because the Dragon fused with Samael lost interest and began ramming into the stands.
The second tried to halt all biological processes. Harry didn't think that would stop it completely, but it might have disrupted its concentration and allowed him to sever the magical bond to its spell over Kyoto that it somehow maintained across temporal dimensions. Said bond already proved impervious to destruction via conventional and unconventional means, so he could only surmise it was being actively maintained. The spell did temporarily cause the monster to crumple to the ground, boneless, but it recovered soon afterwards.
Harry's most recent variation was designed to strip away magical energy. With any luck, he'd banish the soul fragments from their container. It had disappointingly little success, but there was hope. When the spell impacted its target, the oversized head of Samael on the end of a long snake neck writhed around a bit more. Harry was sure it wasn't his imagination. Unfortunately for him, his spell had unintended consequences.
The fused monstrosity stopped its rampage. The homunculus of Samael blinked a few times, its eyes regaining some lucidity as it looked around. When it spotted Harry floating a ways off, all nine heads hissed menacingly at him. The subject of its hatred blinked in response.
"I didn't… did I?"
Several magic circles materialized in the air, boxing Harry in. His eyes widened.
He teleported right before he was caught in an explosion of dark energy. When he reappeared, another box awaited him. Rather than escape again, Harry figured his secrets were pretty safe inside his pocket dimension and took control of the magic. Moments later, his opponent was caught in a much larger explosion, amplified by the Wizard's own energy.
Harry smirked. He never got tired of his opponents being surprised by that. He lamented the fact that the eight heads of Yamata no Orochi seemed to have lost all semblance of intelligence, judging by their lack of reaction to having their magic circles hijacked, but took consolation in knowing he had definitely shocked the homunculus fused with them at least.
"HOW? I COMMAND YOU, SIN!"
Not waiting for an answer to its question, not-Samael repeated its earlier tactics with the addition of its conceptual magic. Taking a risk, Harry took control of the magic again, absorbing the extra component in the form of the soul fragment he knew was the source. The homunculus let out a triumphant cry.
Images of the past assaulted his mind. Money. Fame. A castle. His first real family.
You have everything. It's all yours to enjoy… Gluttony.
More images. His daughter's graduation. An award ceremony. Meetings with the ICW.
What gives them the right? You deserve to rule… Pride.
The world fast-forwarded itself. Everyone was at war. Two words sealed the fate of his people.
It would be so easy. It's their fault. Kill them. Again. And again… Wrath.
Time passed, but nothing changed. He fell into despair. He isolated himself.
Who cares what happens? Nothing matters anymore… Sloth.
It didn't hurt. The whispers were incredibly tempting, but in this one instance, Harry was inclined to listen to a few. Namely, the ones inciting him to violence. He let Sin course through him, its energy fueling his magic-banishing Killing Curse. He idly thought about naming it and possibly patenting it or something. Maybe later.
"Avada Kedavra!" the Wizard intoned.
The spell shot out like a missile, taking its target in the head. The homunculus and the body it was fused to were blasted backwards. The effects were definitely visible now. Long neck deformed and became something closer to a torso. Two protrusions on either side became arms. Soon, rather than just another head, the entire upper body of the Samael homunculus looked like it had been removed from its other body, enlarged, and reattached to the middle of Yamata no Orochi's eight heads. Both arms clutched at its head as the homunculus screamed in agony.
Harry watched the results of his spell in satisfaction. His satisfaction slowly morphed into a feeling of contentment, then outright joy before he shook his head wildly. No, he wasn't like this. He would never lower himself to the level of his enemies. He didn't get happiness from causing others pain and suffering.
More visions. He remembered the last years he spent with Ophis. He used the would-be Death Eaters better than the real Voldemort ever would. With the resurrected Merlin at his side, the Dark Lord Voldemort and his army waged war with the entire wizarding world.
You did it once. Do it again! Make everything yours… Greed.
At the height of his reign, Voldemort did the unthinkable. He committed ritual suicide along with every member of his army. A miracle occurred that day. Everyone they had kidnapped was returned safe and sound. Everyone they had tortured recovered, waking up in their hospital beds. Everyone they had killed went home to their families, back from the dead.
That day at midnight, the world ended, and Harry Potter gained his true freedom. In that singular moment, with access to the combined magical power of all of wizardkind, he was more powerful than he had ever been. With it, he forged a new seal and gave its key to Ophis.
Infinity. Apocalpyse. The End. Imagine what they're capable of. Imagine if you were their Master. Imagine if you wielded them, controlled them… became them. Envy.
Harry twitched as he fought for control of himself. That he had any measure of control at all was telling. Sin wasn't like Death. It wasn't immediately dangerous on its own. It made people do things they normally wouldn't, most of which included killing others and eventually, themselves. When infused in a spell, its user was rumored to be able to incite the suicidal impulse or enthrall others.
The magic of Sin in the soul fragment had no intent. The fragment was safely stored separately from Harry's own within his body, while the energy from it was being used to fuel his spells so he didn't need to expend his own. This was the first time the Wizard had ever attempted such a thing, but it wasn't like he'd gotten much chance to practice fighting other concepts in the past. Sparring with Ophis didn't count, and he never actually fought the End.
Another modified Killing Curse sent the writhing mass of heads into a frenzy. If everything in the dimension weren't immune to alteration both physically and magically, Harry was sure he'd have to remake the entire Quidditch pitch from scratch. As it was, he drew some small amusement from watching the heads smack into things, including each other.
He lost consciousness for a moment as his mind was overwhelmed. When he came to, Harry realized he had fallen to the ground. From almost twenty meters above it. His body ached even though his magic had acted to cushion him.
"Okay. Maybe I underestimated Sin just a tad." Speaking out loud made it easier to differentiate his own thoughts from the whispers still echoing through his head. He stopped channeling magic, but they didn't stop, only becoming more muted.
"Good enough."
Harry quickly took to the air to avoid eight streams of Poison that formed a small lake beneath him. Apparently Samael-Yamata was done writhing in agony. On the bright side, mage sight told him his spells had achieved success in a different way. The soul of Yamata no Orochi was once again its own entity, floating in the center of its chest. The portion of Samael's soul sitting in the homunculus' torso made for a tempting target.
"Avadaaaaah?!"
It teleported. The spell was a clumsy attempt at best, depositing the gigantic body of the Dragon several meters above Harry and giving him plenty of time to avoid being crushed, but that was to be expected. Neither Yamata no Orochi or Samael were known to teleport, so in all likelihood this was either of their first time doing it. Harry's money was on the homunculus. It had probably cast the spell with the intent to crush him in the first place, and its unfocused intent caused its magic to put its body at an appropriate height to accomplish said objective.
His analysis of how a Dragon the size of a small castle managed to transport itself several meters through time and space complete, Harry restarted his incantation once he was sure the slightly stunned monster wasn't about to try again. For the umpteenth time, he wished he could cast this particular spell silently, but the equivalent of muscle memory for magic kept it from being as effective if he did.
"Ahem. Avada Kedavra!"
As the green-tinted spell sailed through the air, his magical energy pulsed once. Harry's eyes widened when he felt Sin break free from its restraints.
Aren't they beautiful? Make them yours… Lust.
The last cardinal sin assaulted his mind with memories of every woman he'd ever been with, along with everyone who tried to seduce him and was even marginally successful. The world faded away.
Harry was standing in a bedroom, the one he shared with his fiancé in her mansion. An illusion of Serafall, sitting on their bed devoid of clothing, spread her legs invitingly. She smiled at him and beckoned him closer. Her hair was tied in a single ponytail. As more of the room came into focus, Harry saw the scattered pieces of her magical girl uniform were the more enticing version she'd started wearing after they'd met for the second time.
"I'm waiting, Harry-kun~"
He took a single step forward, but stopped.
"This isn't real," he told himself. "I'm in a fight."
His bedroom melted away, but Serafall and the bed stayed. Harry now stood in his room in Yasaka's mansion. Joining his fiancé was the mansion's owner, similarly undressed. Just like a few days ago, Serafall was behind her once more. He turned around and found himself face-to-face with Kuroka, also nude.
"What's wrong, Harry-kun?" She pressed herself to his front. "Don't you love us? Isn't this why you finally accepted me?"
Another body pressed itself into his back. A strand of white hair fell across his chest and he realized he was suddenly naked as well. Koneko rested her head in the crook of his neck.
"Me next?" she asked breathily.
Her appearance snapped Harry out of it. She wasn't the petite girl he had grown used to seeing for the past few years. Her body had returned to its original form, a near carbon-copy of her twin sister's.
"…Shiro." He shook his head and banished them both away from him. "This is wrong."
The illusion wavered.
He couldn't trust his eyes, but he couldn't close them. His body rebelled. Only his magic followed his commands. That was fine. He felt outwards and recognized hostile intent. He cast a teleportation spell on himself and was transported approximately ten meters into the air. Nothing moved, but he could vaguely sense some frustration and also surprise. Both morphed into hatred strong enough for him to pinpoint its source. One part of his mind told him his hands were empty, but another told him he held the instrument he needed to break free.
"Dea-"
His mouth was covered by Serafall.
"Are you going to leave me alone again, Harry?"
Everything faded to black. He was forced to look straight ahead. Augusta was standing there, dressed in the black robes she'd worn when they met in the woods.
"Are you going to replace me?"
A spear of energy, dodged by teleporting back to the ground. Another spear, but not directed at him. Barriers erected by two separate magical cores. Explosions. He strained his other senses, ignoring the feeling of Serafall behind him, her breath on his neck. A flare of magic. He was surrounded. He swapped places with the hatred-leaking entity. The other one seemed less inclined to kill him.
His previous wives. Various Hogwarts graduates. Ophis, in female form.
"Are you going to go back to them?"
Harry clenched his teeth. The small part of him that reminded him Ophis was a shape-shifter gave him enough awareness to throw the illusion for a moment. He saw Yamata no Orochi and the Samael homunculus, facing each other down. They turned to him as one and both threw their concepts at him. His vision was replaced by the void once more as he teleported behind the Quidditch stand next to him. More women appeared. Through it all, Serafall remained.
Now, it was Rias and Sona, only older. Grayfia and Tiamat. Gabriel and Griselda.
"Or maybe you like them more?"
He was trapped. He couldn't sense anything outside. Slowly, his field of view expanded. One by one, all of the women smiled at him. His lust was strangely absent. Serafall moved from her position and joined them. He noted he was wearing her old magical girl outfit. She looked as beautiful as ever.
"Wouldn't you like us all?"
She held her hand out and smiled. He smiled back.
"DEATH!"
Harry blinked. He looked down at the spear impaled in his chest. The homunculus holding it laughed in his face. The two of them were standing in the middle of the Quidditch pitch. The twitching body of Yamata no Orochi lay around them, its eight heads splayed across the ground. A glimpse of its soul told Harry the Dragon was still alive, but greatly weakened.
"I win, Master of Death."
He turned forward. The homunculus had a gloating expression.
"…Win?"
"You were a fool to think you could overcome the temptation," it said arrogantly. "You're just a human, and all humans are fatally flawed. None could hope to resist Sin, that which doomed your race to begin with."
It smiled wider at Harry's silence, assuming he was in shock. It twisted the spear and drove it deeper.
"Now, you have fallen victim to the same fate as your ancestors. And the magic of Death belongs to me." It pulled the Elder Wand from Harry's hands. "I wonder what I should do with it first. Ah, I know! I'll send you off as you deserve. After all, even if your reign was brief, you were its 'Master' for a brief time. It's a shame I won't be able to bring your soul back, but I suppose sacrifices have to be made. I'll content myself with the souls of your friends and lovers."
It cackled maniacally, its voice noticeably different from its previously hate-filled tone. The homunculus pressed the point of the Elder Wand to Harry's chest, next to the spear.
"Goodbye, Harry Potter. I command, Death!"
Nothing happened.
"Hrm? What, is it broken? I said, 'Death'!"
The homunculus jabbed the stick into Harry's chest repeatedly.
"Death! Death, Death, Death, Death, Death! Why won't you die? I demand DEATH!"
Finally, the Wizard smirked, unseen by his enemy. He acted, his movements lightning fast. One hand gripped the solid spear of energy and pulled his body forward along the length. The homunculus was surprised long enough for him to impale it in the chest with his other hand.
"Wh…whaaa…t?"
"Expelliarmus. Obliviate."
The Elder Wand swapped hands. Harry's concentration wavered from the pain and the magic of Sin. Thank Merlin for countless hours of practice and his magical muscle memory. Thank the Elder Wand for not needing wand movements and having its own magical core. Also for being the only wand in existence able to shoot magic from both ends.
"Eh?"
"I'm coming for you, Rizevim."
Without further ado, he ripped the broken soul of Samael out. The magic allowing the leader of the Old Satan Faction to channel his consciousness into the homunculus dissipated. The corpse disintegrated into dust. Harry took control of the spear and absorbed it to accelerate his healing. His shaky stance became more firm. He turned and walked to one of the heads of the Venom Blood Dragon laying nearby.
"Your turn."
"…You are not what you seem."
Harry stopped at the hissing.
"You're…?"
"Look into our soul, and tell us if we lie, 'Master of Death'. We have no quarrel with you."
The Elder Wand remained pointed at the center of the Dragon's chest. The Wizard idly noted the Dragon spoke similarly to Yasaka, except it clearly wasn't using the royal pronoun.
"You're an Evil Dragon."
"How long have you lived, and yet you still believe in such labels?"
The Dragon's hissing was weak. It didn't even bother to lift its head. Harry could tell its energy was recovering slowly, but his own regenerated much more quickly in this dimension, supplemented as it was by raw magic. He had nothing to fear from the large serpent. It couldn't escape, and the magical link with the real world had vanished with the destruction of the homunculus.
"Are you saying the myths are wrong?"
"No, but we would suggest you are misinformed."
The two of them regarded each other. Harry indicated for Yamata no Orochi to continue.
"For all your years, you are young. You think yourself merciful and understanding, but you are bound by your morals," it hissed. "Power is all that matters. You hold more of it over us. Soon, we will descend into madness, as is the fate of all Dragons who gain enough of it. We were born this way."
"Apocalypse suggests otherwise," Harry countered. "And you aren't making a convincing case for yourself."
"Our madness is a result of a desire to gain more power. Personal power and power over others. Apocalypse occupies itself in an endless void of limitless energy, where it grows ever stronger."
"Remind me why I'm not killing or sealing you?"
"We know you have other options. Would you condemn us for our very nature?"
Harry narrowed his eyes. The Dragon was counting on his morals. He grudgingly admitted it was on to something. Then again, he could still be a little disoriented from Sin. The mass of energy in the hand not holding the Elder Wand drew his attention. He had rejoined the soul fragment inside him with the rest of it earlier. With a thought, it was condensed into the size of a pebble and sealed inside a glass vial. Moments later, the vial was transported to a secure room underneath the fake Hogwarts, even further below the underground dungeons that currently held both Euclid and the Valkyrie.
Yamata no Orochi waited patiently. Its eight heads rose into the air to all stare at Harry, who met eyes with each of them one at a time. His soul-searching ability told him what the Dragon wanted, but he wasn't convinced.
"You obviously have something in mind."
"We are vastly more powerful than your current familiar."
"Denied. I can't have a known Evil Dragon working for me. And I'm not setting you free. You told me yourself you'll go crazy sooner or later."
"Rumor has it you count Infinity as a friend."
In an instant, the Elder Wand was pointed back at the Dragon's chest again. The only reason he hadn't tried to kill it was because he knew where the conversation was headed.
"You don't scare us, Harry Potter," it hissed. "If you are what we think you are, you already know what we want. That you have not acted to end us further reinforces our suspicions. Tell us what we must do to satisfy your morals."
"…A binding magical oath. Agree to swear one. Swear it on your concept."
Eight heads smiled eerily at him. The hissing resembled laughter.
"A pleasure, Master."
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
"So mote it be."
Harry shuddered as the flash of light signifying the activation of the oath faded away. Something about Yamata no Orochi's hissing was unnerving, even when it wasn't directed at him.
"So? Where are we to stay?" the Venom Blood Dragon asked.
"Can you draw power from the Dimensional Gap?"
"Unfortunately, no. If all Dragons were capable of such, we'd travel there and find ourselves killed in short order anyhow. Such a convenient solution to all our problems would be too much to ask for."
Harry thought it strange that the Dragon apparently felt nothing for its brethren and cared not for itself dying in pursuit of power, but attributed it to a simple difference in mentalities.
"But is it dangerous to you?"
"The Gap? No. We are magically resistant to its properties and could survive there comfortably if not for its other occupants."
"I'll hide you."
"Nothing could possibly hide us forever."
"I have something in mind. And you only need to stay there until I find a better place for you."
It would be a short-term sacrifice with long-term payoffs. Possibly sooner if he could find another place in time. It would also delay his plans with Serafall, but he could substitute the wand for the cloak if necessary. Not having access to his conceptual magic might be a little bit of an issue if he ran into another concept-user, but in an emergency, he could potentially delay anyone until the literal end of time. He also had one other alternative he could turn to, but that was the last resort of last resorts.
"You seem to have made up your mind. We are waiting. Where is this other familiar of yours?"
Harry sighed.
"Malfoy. C'mere."
The little snake popped into existence on his shoulder. The Evil Dragon recoiled and rammed into one of the stands. It hissed incoherently as its eight heads all waved through the air to look its comically-smaller counterpart. Harry smirked.
"Infinity?"
"No, just a piece of him."
"'Him'?"
He frowned.
"This again? How long has Ophis been female?"
"As far as we are aware, she has never been anything but."
He blinked. Twice. Was it possible? The snake on his shoulder sat there silently and obediently as its master carefully thought about his previous assumptions.
"Is Ophis not a shape-shifter?" Harry asked.
"She is," Yamata no Orochi replied. "But she has never taken a non-female form. In fact, we recall a period of time in which she changed her appearances regularly. All of them were what the other races would have called attractive. She has always been on overly curious individual."
"That… sounds like… her."
"We believe it was when she learned about the non-magical concept of modern beauty," the Dragon added.
"How long ago was this?"
"We were sealed until recently, but… thousands of years ago?"
Harry deadpanned at the creature.
"How does that qualify as 'modern beauty'?"
"Time is relative. We thought it strange at the time, but she wore clothes none others wore. It is only recently that we are able to identify matching examples among humans."
"She… wore clothes from today, thousands of years ago?"
Ophis, the Dragon God, wielder of Infinity, identified itself as female for as long as an Evil Dragon could remember, and was thousands of years ahead of her time in terms of fashion? Were there two Ophises? Was Harry actually in an alternate universe? Suddenly, the thought of the Dragon leading the Khaos Brigade didn't seem as far-fetched.
"What faction were you a part of, in the Khaos Brigade?"
"You tell us. You can read our thoughts, can you not?"
"Humor me."
Eight heads sighed in unison, the sound somehow the same despite coming from snake-like mouths and throats.
"As far as we know, we were not part of a formal faction. We do not remember anything of the other factions, either. If you had to classify us, we would fall under the leadership of the person who controlled the homunculus of the Dragon Eater, Samael."
"And as far as you know, Ophis leads the organization as a whole?"
"It is what we were told, and it was confirmed by multiple unrelated sources within the organization, if you could call it that."
Harry resolved to ask Vali more when he saw him next. Too many things didn't match up. He initially thought the world was a carbon-copy of his old one, but if an entity like Ophis, who should have survived the end of the world just like he did, was different, then that assumption was possibly wrong. What if the End wasn't the same? What if the seal didn't even exist? It wasn't like he had been able to check.
Wait. Vali wouldn't have all the answers he wanted or needed. The teenager already told him he wasn't exactly high up in the Khaos Brigade even though he had access to its leader. Ophis only met with him because he housed a fellow Dragon in his Sacred Gear. Albion might know more, but Harry would have to consult a much older source for information. As much as he would prefer to ask Apocalypse itself, their last meeting had ended poorly, and fighting the Great Red in the Dimensional Gap was an exercise in futility. Transporting it elsewhere was similarly impossible since its existence was anchored there. Besides, its magic was volatile and dangerous. No, questioning Apocalpyse was not an option.
With Ophis and the End out of reach, that didn't leave many other living entities that should have survived. The Satans and the Biblical God were dead, their souls out of his reach for different reasons. Azazel might have been the longest-serving leader of one of the Three Factions, but his power was below even Sirzechs'. The Hindu deities were unlikely to respond even if Harry gained an audience. Ditto for the other pantheons. Harry paused in his thoughts.
"Yamata no Orochi. When the world ended, did you feel anything?"
"No. If such an event indeed occurred, we were not aware. None of the other Dragons, save for perhaps Infinity and Apocalypse, would have either. That you speak of it so casually only reinforces our opinion of your true nature."
"Just making sure."
The other pantheons. Harry had two options there, both conveniently located in Europe. He didn't know of any extremely powerful Norse Gods with concepts, but he knew Odin led them. The Valkyrie sealed in the basement of Hogwarts would surely be missed. Alternatively, Harry had just spoken to Hades. They weren't on the friendliest of terms, but something as important as the potential end of the world had to be worth something. He could also use Samael's soul as a bargaining chip.
"Are you satisfied, Harry Potter? We are still recovering, and would prefer to do so outside of this… place."
Harry shook himself from his thoughts. Malfoy turned to look at him.
"Right. Wait here," he said distractedly. The snake slithered to the ground where it began a staring contest with the eight heads of Yamata no Orochi.
The Wizard chained two teleportation spells to move from his pocket dimension back into the real world where it was anchored then from the real world to a random spot in the Dimensional Gap he was sure was empty. Once there, he created a containment bubble big enough for its future occupant to move around without immediately running into it, draining a good portion of his restored reserves. They refilled instantly from the raw magic coursing through the realm, causing Harry to sigh in relief. He considered fighting here from now on, but he then remembered his dispute with the Great Red and reconsidered.
Next, he laid several powerful concealment charms on the space. He also layered strengthening enchantments on the bubble itself. He cast an autonomous movement spell on the entire space after transferring it somewhere else in the Dimensional Gap to keep the entity he could sense heading towards its original position from finding it by accident. The bubble would avoid the Great Red and move away from spatial distortions that signaled the arrival of anyone or anything else. As a finishing touch, Harry drew the Elder Wand.
"Fidelius."
He tied the spell to the realm so that it wouldn't need to be refueled. It wasn't perfect, but it would hold for a while. The Great Red would find it eventually regardless, as it did everything that intruded on its home. If it couldn't pinpoint it, the Dragon had the tendency to rampage until it was sure it was alone. The magic of Apocalypse also naturally eroded other magic, so it was only a matter of time until all of Harry's measures failed.
Thus satisfied, Harry transitioned from the Gap directly to his pocket dimension, anchoring it to the other realm. Yamata no Orochi looked at him expectantly. His first familiar reclaimed its position on his shoulder.
"Let's go."
He put his hand on the Dragon's belly. A moment later, they were floating in the void. The Dragon wandered around and poked experimentally at the walls of its new temporary living space. They stretched like rubber, but snapped back into place after a while. Eight heads looked to where Harry was floating.
"We see… Yes, this will suit us fine for now. You realize, of course, that this will not last long?"
"It's just for a week at most," he assured. "I'll be back with the actual thing I'll be using to hide you. If we're lucky, I'll find another place, but I wouldn't count on it. Malfoy will alert me if anything happens."
The snake floated off his shoulder and resettled on one of its much larger counterpart's heads. The Venom Blood Dragon watched it with seven other pairs of eyes before sighing and leaving it alone.
"Very well. We will await your summoning."
Yamata no Orochi turned its heads away and promptly disregarded him. Harry sighed tiredly even though he didn't really feel it anymore. His reserves had been topped off by the raw magic of the Dimensional Gap, his magic naturally restoring his physical and mental stamina as well. He transported himself back into Kyoto, standing in the same place he stood in when he first went into his pocket dimension.
Augusta plopped the Sorting Hat back onto his head.
"How did you…?"
"Welcome back, Master. Is now a good time?" the Hat interrupted him.
"Have you two been waiting here the entire time for me to come back?"
"We assisted your fiancé. We have only been here since hostilities ended about an hour ago."
He looked to Augusta. She smiled and waved. He waved back and nodded in gratitude. She beamed and threw herself at him in a hug. He fought to suppress his instinctive reaction to having one of the subjects of his run-in with Sin in such close proximity. The spirit woman must have noticed his stiff posture, because she pulled away and looked at him with her head tilted.
"…It's nothing, Augusta." Harry rested a hand on her head and ruffled her hair. She began smiling widely again and puffed her chest out proudly. He gave her head one last pat and looked around himself. The district was deserted. Most of the buildings were little more than rubble, having been victims of the initial fusion of Yamata no Orochi and the homunculus of Samael. The rest of the city was similarly deserted, if in much better condition.
If the Hyakki Yakou was on course, most of the Youkai and civilians would be well on their way to Tokyo by now, which explained the general lack of life. He couldn't see any armored homunculi anywhere, so presumably they had been cleared away or they had disintegrated like their leader. He searched for the defenders that should have been left behind.
"Miss Leviathan is in a meeting with Miss Yasaka. I believe Miss Sitri and her bodyguards are also in the central ward."
"Ah. Thanks." Harry began walking. Augusta fell into step beside him, skipping cheerfully.
"Master, do you have time now?"
"Time for what?"
"You told me to wait unless it affects your immediate plans. I have judged that this information is likely to affect said plans."
He stopped walking.
"Hat…"
"Euclid Lucifuge was constantly communicating with another party. I believe it was his master."
Oh, was that all?
"Augusta and I believe he has entered into a familiar contract of sorts, or some sort of servitude bond with the man known as Rizevim Livan Lucifer. It resembles the bond you have with two others that neither of us recognizes."
"Two of my bonds?"
"Ah, now that you are actively thinking about your bonds, I can pinpoint the knowledge. Mister Lucifuge is a member of Mister Lucifer's Peerage."
"You said the bond was similar to mine. Read my thoughts about the types of Pieces."
"…Yes, we believe the Piece inside of him closely resembles the Tyrant Pieces you use. However, I am also sure it is not quite the same. I would need to see it again to confirm if the properties are similar."
"How come I didn't see anything while I fought him?"
"Your so-called 'mage sight' differs from conventional soul sight as a result of your concept. You do not see what others, such as Youkai or Augusta, would. The Piece blocked your sight and allowed you to see its master immediately. In all likelihood, you were unable to notice its presence since it dominated Mister Lucifuge's soul."
Harry was too obsessed with the implications to complain about the Hat casually discussing his conceptual magic. If the Khaos Brigade had access to Pieces that functioned like Tyrant Pieces, they were exponentially more dangerous. By enslaving others, they could potentially make themselves infinitely more powerful. With the literal power of Infinity on their side, that was not a prospect he liked. He thought back to the battle.
"Wait, was it damaged by my spell?"
"Possibly. Again, it would probably be best if you checked."
Harry frowned once more. He didn't want to delay his meeting with the defenders even more, but this was important. He put a hand to his Time-Turner. This time, Augusta and the Hat followed him, and the three of them appeared in the dungeons of the replica Hogwarts. In front of them, lying on the floor in the cell, the body of Euclid Lucifuge was curled up in a fetal position. His regal clothing was in disrepair.
Harry's eyes widened. Mage sight confirmed his suspicions before he even opened the door.
"…Dead."
Augusta pulled on his arm urgently.
"Master, the Valkyrie!"
He abandoned his examination of Euclid and turned around. In the cell across from the Devil, Harry saw the grey-haired Valkyrie covered in black wisps of energy. She was still in stasis, held there by the enchanted Sword of Gryffindor. The glowing runes held the darkness back.
"You should thank the Phenix Clan sometime."
Later.
Harry walked over to her cell. In the entire dimension, only the interior of Hogwarts was free from the magic of his special Time-Turner, which was convenient because it meant the replica castle reacted to his unspoken commands. The cell door swung open of its own accord, the occupant floating out. The cloud of darkness tried to follow her, but was repelled by Harry. August was mildly peeved she couldn't affect it.
He looked at the cloud, made of individual wisps that scattered on the wind when faced with the magic of Death emanating from the Elder Wand. His mage sight told him frustratingly little about them, only able to identify its source as the "dead" Piece in the adjacent cell, still bonded with Euclid.
"It's definitely not a Tyrant Piece."
"What can you tell me about it?"
"The Piece absorbs the magical energy its host's core. After the process completes, the energy is converted into… something else and transferred to the… King of the Peerage."
Harry summoned the vial of Samael's soul to him. The black wisps immediately swarmed it and were sealed into a separate vial. More wisps came out of Euclid's body and were similarly sealed away. After a few seconds, they formed into a chess piece. Harry examined the solid black Bishop. It gave off a sinister feeling to his magical senses, and his mage sight only told him it used to belong to one Rizevim Livan Lucifer. Idly, he wondered why they ignored the soul of the woman nearby.
"Well, your assumptions aren't quite correct there."
Augusta poked at one of the vials and was surprised when she was able to touch it. Considering Harry had made them with the ghosts of Hogwarts and other souls in mind, it was only natural. She snatched both from his grip and marveled at the small containers. Her attention was grabbed by a case of them that Harry teleported next to her. He let her play with them and juggle them around as he retrieved the two that actually held important things.
"I've been meaning to ask this, but why can't she talk? I can communicate with souls just fine, but I can't read hers or hear her when she speaks with you."
She stopped, dropping all of the vials. Harry winced slightly as they all bounced off of the ground unharmed. He knew he had enchanted them to make them ultra-resistant to breaking, but the sound of glass hitting the stone floor still unnerved him. Augusta ignored it and ran up to him with both hands clasped as if praying. The smile on her face ruined the image though.
"Most likely part of the Biblical God's machinations to prevent one with your powers from gaining access to his tools."
"You mean…?"
"Yes. Dear Augusta possesses a Sacred Gear. It only bonded to her on her deathbed."
"What?"
Sacred Gears didn't work that way. It would defeat the purpose of their growth to bond with a dead or dying soul unless it had the power to reverse the phenomenon. Twilight Healing was in Asia's hands. The most famous healing Gear, the Sephiroth Graal, was with the vampires.
"Hers is related, although it cannot heal. Rather, your knowledge is correct. Except, there were three Gears created in their 'final forms', so to speak."
Harry's mouth fell open as purple flames manifested around Augusta.
"We are both projections of the Gear. That is why she cannot communicate with you. In truth, I am still seated on her head back in Great Britain. Her body is being preserved in stasis by her organization. I surmise that my ability to communicate with you is due to our bond. We were initially unsure if it would work."
For the second time, Harry Potter stared at Augusta with the Sorting Hat on his head, completely speechless. His mind whirled through possibilities but came up blank. The two of them weren't here? Great Britain was almost ten thousand kilometers away! Over five thousand miles! How had they even found him?
"It was her dying wish," the Hat explained. Her organization appealed to the Magician's Council, the leader of which accepted the request to search for you. He contacted us about a week or so ago and told us you were expected to be in Kyoto. We simply waited in the city for a sign of your presence."
Her organization? They got Mephisto, of all people, to help? The Devil was practically famous for his neutrality. He refused to enter into contracts no matter how powerful the other party. His pact with Lord Orion and Harry was the talk of the century among Devils, never mind how the Magician community took it. Just who was Augusta, for her to be important enough for him to lend his aid?
"I'm glad you finally asked, Master."
The Hat cleared its throat theatrically.
"Please, allow me to introduce… the founder of the Hexennacht Order of Magicians and wielder of Incinerate Anthem, the Holy Cross, Augusta Greyback. Incidentally, as you are listed as the co-founder of the Order, you became its de facto leader after she was killed."
The Wizard wished he were capable of fainting.
"Fainting would be incredibly counterproductive, Lord Potter."
"…Don't… call me that…"
Augusta giggled silently.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
"Excuse me?"
"I apologize, Sitri-san, but Leviathan-sama is not taking visitors at this time. Please return to your room."
Fenrir sighed as his ward predictably became angry. Tensions were high after supposed allies turned on each other. Everyone was unsettled. Regardless, the Tengu guard standing in front of the sliding door leading to Serafall and Harry's room was steadfast in his duties.
"I'm her sister!" Sona protested. "Yasaka-sama declared the end of hostilities an hour ago!"
"With respect, Sitri-san, Yasaka-sama ordered a cessation of hostilities. We are still on guard. Familial status is unfortunately not enough to bypass direct orders from one of the Four Great Satans. Again, please return to your room."
In the werewolf's opinion, the guard didn't seem particularly apologetic or respectful. In his defense, he had probably been standing there since all of Kyoto's remaining forces were recalled. The only defenders who had been given leave were those gravely injured at some point during the invasion. Some even refused.
Fenrir shuddered and frowned as he remembered the past hour and a half. He was under no illusions. His resistance to the initial madness spell cast at the very beginning of the invasion had been bypassed completely. If it wasn't for the gift from the Master of Death, he would have been completely enthralled. He couldn't help but wonder if that might have been preferable to having to fight his pack mates. Without the help of the female Devil he was supposed to be protecting, he would have had to gravely injure or outright kill them, or, more likely, given up his own life for theirs.
As pack leader, he knew what his choice would have been.
Not that it had mattered much in the end. Every one of them was badly injured, though only four of the roughly two dozen he had come here with had died. Three of the dead werewolves were victims of the armored homunculi before madness had even claimed the city.
Soon after the Night Parade started, Fenrir lost control. His ward had succumbed before him, so he never targeted her, but moments later, both regained their senses and found themselves surrounded by hostiles. Five minutes of desperate fighting culminated in them being cornered in an alley. Then, the Satan Leviathan had swooped in and saved them, teleporting all of them to Yasaka's estate. Fenrir's trepidation at being right under the nose of what could be the most dangerous enemy in the city was alleviated when it was revealed that she, too, had been restored by the magic of the Master of Death. More accurately, the leader of the Youkai was kept sane by the small bundle of cloth she held like a lifeline.
She couldn't transform into her nine-tailed fox form, and the ley lines were tainted, but in her estate, they were all relatively safe from the chaos outside. No matter how hard the Youkai and their allies tried, the wards surrounding Yasaka Shrine were nigh-impenetrable and fueled by the ley lines. Their taint did not affect their efficacy as a fuel source for non-sentient spells. With the giant eight-headed snake and its accompanying Blue Dragon gone, Fenrir, Sona, Serafall, and Yasaka could have weathered the siege for as long as was needed. With the leader of the East Faction, the majority of the non-Tengu Youkai, and all of the civilians out of reach, there was initially no reason for them to leave.
Of course, things were never that simple. Different people had different levels of resistance to the madness. That, or people were being selectively released to add to the body count. Unable to watch her people tear each other apart, Yasaka ventured out on her own. Serafall followed her. Fenrir stopped Sona, stating the situation was well beyond their ability to contribute positively to. She grudgingly agreed.
That was when one his pack mates had come to her senses in the plaza. He had leapt out of the safe zone without hesitation before his companion could stop him, and had been swarmed. He was forced to watch as one of his closest friends was killed. He was knocked unconscious in short order. When he came to almost an hour later, a paper ceiling above him, it was all over.
Sona's reaction to Fenrir's sudden charge was swift, but not fast enough. She had spotted the woman looking around her in confusion a split second after he had and correctly predicted her werewolf bodyguard would act to save her. She wanted to do the same, but she saw how everyone else in the plaza had turned towards the lone woman. Her premonition came true as the werewolf woman was killed by a spear through her chest in seconds.
Fenrir's desperate attempt was stymied moments after he left the wards. He was battered and beaten by his fellow werewolves and at least ten separate Tengu. When he fell to the ground, unmoving, Sona feared the worst. The rest of the crowd stopped attacking him. It was like he didn't exist, like all of the other corpses littering the plaza and adjacent streets. She cast a spell on his body and pulled him into the wards, only discovering his continued breathing after he had passed through them.
The rest of the invasion was spent caring for him in a spare room as Serafall and Yasaka periodically returned with other survivors released from the spell controlling most of Kyoto. At some point, she thought she saw Kuroka and a white-haired version of her bouncing around too. Eventually, she had fallen asleep from exhaustion. When she woke up, she was told by Fenrir, standing nearby, that the invasion had ended. The spell had been seemingly nullified almost an hour ago. Her first act after standing up was to search for her sister.
The stoic Tengu guard barring her way remained unflappable in the face of her mounting fury. Fenrir sighed once more and stepped forward, putting a hand on Sona's shoulder. She turned her glare on him, but he waved it off and addressed the Tengu.
"She's not there, is she?"
Sona blinked.
"C'mon, let's go."
"Wha-?"
"Shh."
Being shushed like a child by anyone other than her older siblings was normally one of the few surefire ways to invoke her wrath, but her anger abated when he began pushing her down a different hallway. Fox fire embers floated around them idly, but they didn't do anything except hover. Fenrir stopped at the entrance to the estate. Sona blinked in confusion. They hadn't been heading towards the entrance as far as she knew.
"What are you doing?" she demanded.
"Werewolf," he answered simply. "You want to see your sister? Follow me. Just don't blame me for what happens."
She didn't know what he meant by his warning, but he didn't give her any time to think about it, breaking into a brisk walk. She quickly went after him. They made more turns than Sona could remember. Again, she suspected magic. How Fenrir was able to navigate the hallways on his own, she wasn't sure. She didn't even know how he was able to track her sister's scent. She asked him.
"I'm not. I don't know what she smells like anyway."
"What?"
"She's wearing the Master of Death's ring. It's like a beacon to my senses. Not even the wards can hide something like that from me."
Sona wanted to ask him why Harry's ring stood out to his senses, but they stopped in front of a doorway before she could.
"We're here," he announced. He sniffed the door a couple of times. "Warded. But you'll get in fine."
"How do you-?"
"Don't ask. You don't get to. Not yet. Remember, don't blame me."
Fenrir crossed his arms briefly. He then clicked his tongue and left.
"If you want to go back to the entrance, just walk around randomly. You'll get there," he called back over his shoulder.
Sona bit back her retort and any choice insults her mind came up with. In the end, he was the one who had taken her here at her selfish request. It would be extremely discourteous of her to return his favor in that way. She promised to thank him later, no matter how much his attitude pissed her off.
She turned to the door and grabbed a hold of it. She opened it and came face-to-face with someone she wasn't expecting.
"Nii-san?"
"Sorry So-tan. We'll talk later."
Her world faded to black.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
"Was that really necessary, Harry-kun? We could have done this later."
Harry turned around after knocking Sona out and left her in the hallway. One of the Tengu was already on his way to take her back to her room. The door closed by itself behind him.
"We could. But I've been in over a dozen relationships. Prior experience tells me it's better to get this stuff out of the way as soon as possible."
"We've technically known each other for decades, Harry. Is that your definition of 'as soon as possible'?" Serafall asked teasingly.
Harry winced.
"Well… you're a special case…"
"Uh huh. I'm sure you said that to all your future wives."
He winced again. Their bedroom was well-lit. Serafall was wearing her combat magical girl uniform, minus her jacket, shirt, and frilly skirt. In other words, she was basically in her lingerie. Harry didn't even bother trying to look away. He knew she appreciated it from the way she kept uncrossing and re-crossing her legs as she sat on the edge of their bed. The scene reminded him of his visions of lust, but he didn't care. He was allowed to fantasize about her. He had also discarded his combat jacket, shirt, and jeans, leaving him in his boxers.
"Sera, I love you. I mean it."
"Mm… I love you too, Harry-kun!"
Her bright and chipper tone was the same as always. All that was missing was the tackle-hug and subsequent lip-lock when he usually told her he loved her in private. He sighed.
"So, how much do you remember now?"
"I think I got it all!"
Harry blinked.
"All of it? Really? I find that kind of hard to believe…"
Serafall pouted at him. The stone in the ring on her finger blocked his mage sight, just like the rest of the Deathly Hallows did, so he couldn't tell if she was actually telling the truth or not. The stone itself was silent.
"I did!" she exclaimed. "I totally did! I even remember our first time!"
Harry blushed.
"Ugh… that… was pretty early…"
"Technically the first date!" she said unashamedly.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. His action caused her to tilt her head.
"You used to wear glasses."
He looked up and met her eyes. She looked cute like that. She looked cute all the damn time. No wonder he had to discourage so many other jerks from going after her.
"I used to need them. Then I got a cosmetic pair for old times' sake after my eyes got better. Eventually, they got broken and I was too lazy to buy another pair."
"I like your eyes."
"I like yours too, Sera."
She beamed at him. And there was the tackle-hug. Still a no-go on the kiss though. Too bad, he liked her kisses. He'd never admit it to her, but he secretly loved her lack of shame when it applied to their private activities. He hugged her back.
"So, do you really remember everything, or are you just saying that?"
And there was the kiss. Strange timing. Wait, why did his face feel wet?
"Sera?"
He pulled back. She was crying. He had made her cry. He… had made her cry. Harry was conflicted. He couldn't kill himself. He opened his mouth to apologize, but she put her finger on his lips. The index finger of her left hand. His eyes traced her hand until he saw the ring. The stone was gone.
Immediately, he looked for it. He didn't have to look far. There it was, sitting innocently in upturned palm of her other hand. Serafall smiled at him. Inviting him to look at her. Telling him she had nothing to hide. He didn't have to.
"I forgive you, Harry. And… I love you anyway. My answer hasn't changed."
"Sera… I…"
"Shh…"
She drew him back into the hug. The two of them fell onto their bed.
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine. You couldn't have known."
"But I-"
"You did what you thought was right. I don't blame you. Nobody blames you. It's not your fault."
Neither of them said anything for several minutes. They just lay on the bed silently. Harry had closed his eyes after Serafall began to run her hand through his air. The Resurrection Stone glowed softly. Eventually, Harry opened his eyes.
"Will you marry me, Serafall Sitri?"
"Yes. Of course, Harry Potter."
He nodded and kissed her. She returned it enthusiastically. Then he continued.
"I'm going to die, Sera."
"Not if I can help it."
"I won't let you stop me. It needs to happen."
She got on top of him. She supported herself on both arms as she looked into his eyes.
"Then I'm going to drag you back from the dead and make sure you never leave me again"
"What if the world ends?"
"I won't let the End stop me from being with you. We'll find a way. Together."
She pressed her forehead to his.
"Do you remember what you asked me when I wanted to be your Queen?"
"…I asked if death was worth it."
"Capital 'D'?"
Harry didn't answer.
"Mm. Well, I'd rather be dead than be apart from you. Does that count?"
"I won't let you die, Sera."
"Then make me your Queen."
He looked at her.
"You're not ready."
"Your magic says otherwise."
Harry's eyes widened, but he chuckled.
"That's right… I did tell you, didn't I…?"
"So? What's it gonna be, Master of Death, Hogwarts, and probably like fifty other things besides?"
"Please don't make that my new title."
"If I threaten to do it, will you make me your Queen?"
He sighed. She obviously wasn't going to budge. And his flimsy excuse wouldn't work anymore. What was he even waiting for at this point? It only took one thought, and the black and white Piece appeared, floated above them both. It settled on Serafall's back. To his surprise, the Resurrection Stone began glowing brighter. He smiled when he received its message. His things came up with good ideas sometimes.
"I, Harry Potter, take you, Serafall Sitri, to be my wife and Queen."
He felt her tense in his arms.
"H-Harry?"
"I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you all the days of my life."
"Harry, wait. I, uh. I'm not ready. I wasn't ready! I thought I was ready, but I'm not ready!"
He smiled wider at her flustered state.
"Do you, Serafall Sitri, take me to be your husband and King? Do you promise to be faithful to me, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love me and to honor me all the days of your life?"
"I, uh. I… Uhhhhh…"
"Well, Sera?"
She pouted at him and pounded on his chest ineffectively.
"That's not fair! We were supposed to get married in a big ceremony. It was next week! You're cheating! Why do you have to do stuff like this! Wh-why do you have to do this to me…?"
She slumped down on his chest. He relented.
"We can still have the ceremony, Sera. Just think of this as our official, official engagement."
She giggled wetly through her tears.
"Y-you mean our third engagement? Our official, official, official engagement?"
"Sure, let's go with that."
Serafall wiped her eyes.
"On one condition!"
Harry blinked.
"Uhh, okay. What is it?"
"I demand two wedding nights!"
Cue deadpan.
"Really, Sera?"
"Hey! You have at least two missed weddings to make up for! You owe me! Oh, and two honeymoons!"
"Careful, Sera. I might get cold feet at this rate."
"No take-backs!" she said as she snatched the Piece from the air in an amazing display of flexibility. In the same motion, she tore her bra off. Pressing the Piece in between her exposed cleavage, the next articles of clothing to go were the ones covering their lower bodies. She used a spell to teleport the underwear onto the bedroom floor. She left her stockings on. She smiled at him seductively.
"You do remember what happens when someone bonds with a Piece, right?" Harry asked as more of an afterthought. He wasn't really opposed to it in the first place. He was just still feeling emotional. In the end, his emotions were forcibly stowed by a different part of his body.
"That just means you get to do all the work, and I get to have all the fun!"
"You evil, evil woman."
He paused just long enough to activate the bonding process. He watched as the Piece sank into her chest as he sank into her. She sighed contentedly and slowly lay down on top of him. This was nice.
"So… can I get you to copy yourself?"
So much for a romantic wedding night. He bopped her on the head lightly. She couldn't rub it as usual, so he did it for her. She sighed happily again.
"Is that a yes?"
"No," he replied firmly.
"Aww. I'll convince you someday."
"No, you won't. I'd sooner get a harem."
"Deal!"
"Wait, no. That's not what I meant!"
"No take-backs!"
A/N: Friendly reminder that our update schedule can be found on my profile. Additional story details are also posted there.
No lemons, sorry. This is the closest we'll ever get. Probably.
The original name of this chapter was Confession, way back when this story was first posted. It was also going to be the last chapter of the arc. Back then, the arc's name was just Confession too. But then stuff happened. The Penance part of the arc came into play after we thought about how we wanted to end the story. Fun facts.
Arc-ending chapters don't get previews.