CyberTech Worlds Clash
Chapter LIII
The Fifth World
Lindsey wasn't very happy. Though, that was mainly because she had to crawl out of bed, where she had been cuddled up with the exceptionally cute red-haired human girl, curled within her arms that morning, so who could blame her? However, they had a thing to get to and it was only supposed to be a distraction, but they ended up snuggled and falling into a peaceful sleep. Then seeing, Holly so sweetly asleep after having suffered so much, Lindsey would have loved just lying under those soft covers, in each other's arms forever if she could.
It was actually difficult for Lindsey to keep from smiling. She had a reputation to keep up after all. She was walking with her new partner through an old district of London on the other Earth that hadn't been named so she was just thinking of it like most as Fifth-Earth since two new convergences happened relatively on-top of each other, and this world was pretty defenceless if you discounted magic, but Lindsey knew that Peak and Tower Earths were probably already coming up with ways to protect this world. Magic was hidden away a lot better on this Earth as there were no powerful companies like CyberTech that pushed the boundaries just because, and without super-powered humans (yet at least), it would take this world a lot longer for non-magical's to discover sorcery in some way shape or form – or would have been had the universe not started its way into joining with the others.
Lindsey supposed as places went, it was certainly different. She wouldn't say uninteresting. Though, in a way, she found it a waste. They had all of their powers and potential and they squandered it to live in the equivalent to the Earths medieval period. She wondered whether they had noticed that the rest of the world had moved on or not, and mildly wondered what they would think if they discovered the convergences – they would probably shit themselves and panic.
It wasn't too bad despite that though. Lindsey was wearing a long black cloak over her normal Lantern uniform with the hood up hiding her in shadows. Holly was walking beside her wearing some grey cotton trousers she gave her, and white top, which was too tight for her. Lindsey liked the show, but it was a shame that she was hidden by her matching cloak with the hood up, but that was better, Holly was all hers – well, hopefully.
Lindsey found it weird that neither of them was getting more than customary glances. If they were dressed like they were and walking around in the City of London they would get more than slight looks of curiosity, and maybe even a cop or two asking them why they were dressed in cloaks, and looking pretty suspicious.
They were interrupted by a bleeping sound. Holly looked to Lindsey in curiosity as she raised her ring to her mouth. "Sinarch?" she asked, curious.
"Master! I have been going through my data from our Convergence Jump, and almost missed that our sensors picked up the ID of a ship trying to sneak through the Sol System without drawing attention to itself. I would not have detected the ship if I were not always on the lookout, and I'm afraid to say it had just reached the edge of sensor range as we were jumping between worlds. It is Miss. Misty's ship...!"
Lindsey grimaced. "Keep extra alert when we jump back, understand!"
"Yes Master," the computer agreed before going quiet.
"I guess this Misty isn't your friend?" Holly startled her as she interrupted her thoughts while they still carried on towards the huge marble building the other side of the alley.
"No... well, not quite… maybe?" Lindsey said impishly. "She doesn't handle her drink well and well... I met her at a star dock… she got drunk and one thing led to another, and she ended up sleeping with someone who wanted to keep her and… was a bit gangster about it and she killed them… it… whatever. She got me dragged into it and in the end, we ended up fighting a horde of Syndicate mobsters, and… then the Green Lanterns turned up and we got commended for some reason, even though it was a big misunderstanding and we were already doing a runner because neither of us wanted to deal with them. Anyway, Misty is actually human, and a Yellow Lantern, and now has some kind of 'lady-crush' on me or something and thinks we're besties-foresties, or whatever that's supposed to mean?"
"So, she's stalking you?!" Holly said with narrowed eyes.
Lindsey sighed and shook her head. "No… well… I never exactly told her we weren't friends."
Holly smiled. "So, you are besties-foresties?" she asked while snickering but Lindsey offered a half-hearted glare-pout. "Okay, so she's nearby, and she might or might not be stalking you, so does she even have a clue that you are on Earth?"
"I don't think so," Lindsey answered thoughtfully. "I've been hiding around this planet not just because it's the best place for entertainment and supplies, but to avoid her too, but mainly supplies, I deliver back to the colonies. She's a Yellow Lantern, so she doesn't want to be on or near a planet with multiple Green Lanterns, since they're at war and she could find herself taken down and in jail, especially since the Earth has a lot of powerful heroes."
"Good!" Holly declared smirking. "Otherwise, I'll have to kick her butt and put her in her place, or get her drunk and see how amusing it is."
"If the second, prepare to go to war after," Lindsey replied, smirking in return. "I'm a lantern of rage and anger, not warring for wars sake… I've had my fill of war thank you."
Holly smile reassuringly and reached out taking Lindsey's right hand in her left. Lindsey slid her fingers between Holly's, and held her hand in return, but otherwise didn't react.
"Don't worry… I'll look after you," Holly said with a cheeky smile. "You know," she added looking down at her bare feet. "The magical world might be complete idiots but they manage to even keep outside clean. The stones are nice and smooth too."
Lindsey rolled her eyes, but couldn't argue against that as it was true. "It's a shame that the man in the pub didn't take a leaf out of the street cleaners' books! It's no wonder those three storefronts either side looked like they had been boarded up for years; no one wants to open anything next to that!" she said causing Holly to snicker as they came to the steps up to the bank with two wrinkly goblins guarding it eyeing the pair in suspicion.
"Yeah, they're non-human, but still Terrans," Holly said quietly as they walked passed them. "I suppose they can be smarter than human-mage," she said, smirking as she led Lindsey into the huge marble building where huge desks lined the gangway. "Yes, I think they are compensating with the huge desks. Looks like they want to sit above everyone else, and then they think wizards are arrogant."
Lindsey shrugged as she had seen it all before. Well, she had come across plenty of arrogant losers in her short life time. She let Holly lead her up to one of the goblins at his desk. She waited patiently for a few moments while he blatantly ignored her. Her eyes narrowed dangerously from within the shadows under her hood.
However, the goblin carried on, shuffling papers, and other things that seemed unnecessary just to annoy them. Though, Holly let Lindsey go and stepped forward, the goblin twitched slightly as he felt his fight or flight instincts prickle.
"Dipshit!" Holly said coolly. "If you don't look at me now, I'm going to tear off your fucking face!" she hissed out, startling the creature.
The goblin looked at Holly to see her cold glare and actually flinched as he looked into her dark eyes. Her cloaked and hooded appearance was giving her a darker and more dangerous aura.
"Good!" she continued with mock politeness and a 'smile'. "Now. I have some business to discuss, so if you could hop off your highchair and fetch someone important!" she said in such seriousness that he just gaped at her for a moment before his face started getting redder by the second with indignation and rage.
"How dare you!" he screeched down at her in a rage, pointing his finger at her. "This is our land and you dare speak to us like this?!"
"Shut up!" Holly replied, unconcerned that everyone had turned to watch. "You don't leave customers waiting, it is bad for business, and you are wasting my time, your time, and the banks time!"
"Who do you think you are human!?" he demanded while other goblins had come from a large side door following a regal and important looking goblin.
"Better!" Holly said, ignoring the teller as she pulled her hood down to cause gasps of horror to run through the chamber from the humans, but her bank teller looked like he was going to throw up. "You must be Mr. Manager?" she guessed from his smarter attire, and much stronger presence. "I take it you came to see me personally?" she asked coldly.
"I had another… yes, I'm here to deal with what you need, Lady Potter," he agreed as he changed his mind and gestured for one of his attendees, and the attendee or P.A. or whatever looking extremely nerdy and important nodded smartly and headed off.
"I thought I would be Lord of my house Mr. Manager," Holly corrected him. "I am the last in line and head of my family, aren't I?"
"Indeed, Lord Potter, please excuse me," he agreed with a small smirk. "And my title is Guld Manager, translated from my tongue into yours, My Lord."
"Then, Guld Manager, I have business with you," she said leading Lindsey over. "First, I believe that some of your staff need to go on a customer service course, because next time I might have to put my fist through their faces if they treat me like shit again! I don't care to be rude to people for no reason, and I expect the same courtesy in return."
"Yes. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Lord Potter!" he said letting his cool look spread over the goblin at his desk and he looked like the world might be coming to an end. "You should think yourself lucky that you were not... harmed by Miss. Potter. You shall be on monitored probation, and... perhaps some training in customer service will be sufficient punishment. I am sick and tired of having to hear whining purebloods about some of my front room staff taking so long to sort out their business, and I have had other complaints from more reasonable clients pass my desk too.
"You should also note that we do not wish to waste time either. Time is money to both sides of the counter!" he said before turning to Holly. "Miss. Potter, My Lord. If you and your guest would like to follow me, I shall be only too pleased to deal with your needs personally, and take over as your personal accounts manager so we do not have such issues again," he said before walking back the way he came with the girls following.
"Where do you think you're going Potter!?"
It was a human man. He interrupted before Holly could enter through the hall. He held a wand nearly in her face before she had broken his arm. He screamed as he fell to his knees. Holly had grabbed his hand, crushing his hand and snapping his wand as she twisted and he looked up at her with tears in his eyes and whimpering. His arm was at an odd angle from how she had twisted it as wild magic flowed through her muscles. Lindsey found the scene hot, and if she wasn't so composed, she would jump Holly right there and then.
"To complete my business with the Guld Manager," Holly answered while the human looked up at her in terror, tears pouring down his face. "Then I'm going home with my... friend," she finished while Lindsey pulled down her hood and leaned on Holly, her hands on her waist from behind for effect while Holly rose her right foot and kicked him in the face as she let him go, and he screeched as he shot across the ground and crashed into a desk unconscious.
"My apologies Miss. Potter," the Manager said as he made some gestures and guards rushed in to remove the man. "Please," he said gesturing towards the door as two guards held it open for them.
The manager led the pair through some corridors, and his guard broke off once they were back within the bank proper. The manager reached a large and regal looking office with beautiful wooden floors and walls, freshly varnished and polished. His desk was huge but at a normal height for everybody to be comfortable. The chairs in front of the desk were comfortable black leather and high backed.
The manager sat at his chair the other side of the desk and pulled out several folders from an obviously magical file draw. It seemed like a cool thing to have. It beat having to send people out to fetch everything since they didn't use computers in this bank yet that Holly knew of.
Still paintings of previous head goblins lined the walls with shelves containing odd and old magical gadgets and trinkets. The managers' desk had odd and weird things on it made out of things from crystal to silver and gold.
"Let's see now Miss. Potter," the goblin began as he opened up one of the ledgers he now held while nodding in thought. "Your finances and investments are all doing above and beyond. You hold some shares with in a fair few well organised portfolios.
"You have a few investments in the magical world, but your grandfather was a clever man. He saw the way the muggle world was advancing. Therefore, he started buying into things he felt was an interesting venture. I knew him personally as I ran his investments before I gained my position of Guld and Manager. He made my family quite wealthy as I saw to invest with him making him and myself richer for it – we don't normally take wizard advice but he was a good man, respect for respect was a kind of motto of his. Maybe you will show to have a savvy business mind too, Miss. Potter."
"Maybe," Holly replied with a smile. "So, can I ask you, what do you know of… alternate universes?" she asked straight to the point.
The goblin nodded thoughtfully as his brown eyes rose to look at Lindsey as she sat looking bored and like she would have preferred standing but couldn't change her mind now.
"I don't know much about the situation," he spoke carefully. "Goblins, of say my age can perceive things that many others cannot… our magic's… deal with space. It is, in this reality at least a semi-kept-secret of which… well, it is how we built the bank network through many different places in the Earth."
"You can Convergence Jump?" Holly asked in surprise.
The goblin looked confused. "I'm guessing not in the same way you are thinking, but we can communicate through these dimensions. They other two sides have made a deal with each other not to confuse families as one, and not to ask too many questions about each world, and take things as they come, but you could have gone to one of them if you had chosen as we have joined this… pact, and finished with the contract last night."
"So… if I wanted something in one of the other dimensions?" Holly asked thoughtfully as she didn't expect that as she was thinking to just bring a lot of money over and get the other goblins to do what was needed.
"Whatever you need, Miss. Potter," he agreed. "I believe they call one Earth Tower and the other Peak?"
"Oh, yes, we're going to Tower-Earth," Holly said while he nodded and started writing in a new ledger. "So, how much disposable cash do I have, first?" she asked and he flipped to a page in one ledger and ran his finger across a page and flipped it for Holly to see, and her eyes widened in awe as the numbers were in Galleons, Pounds, and Dollars, and pretty massive – quite honestly, she had never expected near that much.
"So," she continued as she returned the book. "Can I get at all of this, now?" she asked nervously.
The goblin looked partially surprised before nodding. "Yes, you were emancipated when you were thirteen," he agreed thoughtfully while looking over another book. "Your godfather signed the papers a few weeks before he was killed during the incident at Hogwarts."
"B-but why?" she said in shock. "He was my godfather, but he betrayed my mum and dad, didn't he?"
"I'm sorry, I have no idea," the goblin said. "We sent you mail that obviously never arrived. When Mr. Black died, you inherited all of the Black's portfolios, vaults, and properties. He made sure to make his will when he signed the papers emancipating you as his heir. According to the notes, Mr. Black was adamant that nobody else could take claim of it."
"That bastard old man!" Holly hissed in fury as she stood and looked like she was going to break something before she took a few deep breaths when Lindsey touched her arm, and could almost feel the primal forces beneath Holly's skin for a moment. "I'm okay," Holly said before taking a few more deep breaths before taking Lindsey's hand and they retook their seats.
"My apologies," Holly said gently to the manager. "I just discovered that Dumbledore murdered my godfather after having him waste away in Azkaban for ten years for a crime he did not commit."
"Quite understandable," he replied as he made a few more notes. "Maybe if we get to… what services you would like our counterparts on Tower-Earth to provide for you, it will help keep you centred My Lord."
"Yes, thank you," Holly replied gently. "There's this city in Florida that I rather liked the look of. Domino City. It is where I met my very own hero, here," she said squeezing Lindsey's hand a little tighter and smiling at her while she blushed a little before turning back to the goblin. "I think we could need a home… somewhere near the city but not too close, something big with muggle and magical securities. I would like it near one of the lakes, maybe use this digging talent to create an underwater entrance for… some pretty big ships," she said as they went off giving specs for the correct dimensions and kept adding things they wanted or needed for their own 'stronghold'.
"I also want to own the Leaky Cauldron, and Nimbus," Holly continued thoughtfully.
"Very well," Guld Manager said thoughtfully as he looked over multiple ledgers as if he was perfectly at home and would never get confused. "The Leaky Cauldron has been up for sale multiple times… that's strange, it technically is still up for sale, but not… its like its listings are hidden. It looks like another of my staff will need punishing, and they will be looking into some hard labour for this… but this could be beneficial for us to place in a fairly low offer… though, its valuation is rather low considering its strategic value. If wizards allowed for us to buy into owning within their world I might have been interested."
Holly looked over the price as he showed her, and she looked shocked. "Wow, I didn't think the magical world really did fairy tales. That's on an instant sale?" she asked in confusion.
"Yes," he agreed. "It means we are authorised to sell straight away to the asking price… well, as long as they have the money or mortgage of course."
"Okay," Holly said in awe. "For that price I will still feel like I'm robbing them, but just buy it."
"Yes, ma'am," he said scrawling a few things. "Done, you now own the Leaky Cauldron-."
"I need a company name," Holly said thoughtfully.
"Fairytale?" Lindsey suggested as she was quite lost with all of this stuff but she did know what a fairy tale was as her people had fairy tales too.
Holly grinned slightly. "Fairytale," she agreed with a thoughtful nod. "I like it, it sits so well, yes."
The goblin nodded as he continued writing. "That is all fine, Miss. Potter, but it is unfortunate, but we won't be able to buy Nimbus, as they are owned solely by a pureblood family who will not sell as they have had rather high offers before," he said with a frown as he looked over something in a file. "However, you do own Brand Brooms. They produce the Comet racing broom and Cleansweep series brooms, but they've been having money issues because of Nimbus undercutting them, and the possibility that Nimbus stole the Two-Thousand and One, which is how it came out so soon after the Two-Thousand!"
"I see, so they're not doing very well?" she asked, curious. "Didn't they copyright their designs?"
"Yes; they did," he answered. "They even tried taking Nimbus to court. The judge didn't want to listen and found in favour of Nimbus… well, he dismissed the case without looking at it."
"So, Nimbus paid him off?" she asked coldly while he nodded. "I see… whatever offices and warehouses Brand have I want shut down…" she began thoughtfully and rather annoyed. "I want you to find a new location and up the security, and vet all current and future members of staff with background checks if you have too, and I want you to find the thief, and destroy their life for daring to steal from me. They cost Brand all of its hard work, resources, and cost and handed it to our competitor! Then we will wait before suing him and Nimbus for copyright infringement, damages, and lost revenue, and I will not stand for any more bullshit like this."
"Yes ma'am," Guld Manager quickly said as he wrote down what needed to be done. "I will make sure of it My Lord," he agreed. "I shall deal with this matter personally since your previous account manager seems to have not even bothered to contact you on such matters since your emancipation. Though, from records your father didn't care much if at all about his financial responsibilities your previous account manager let things run much too lax."
"Nimbus own the Firebolt, don't they?" Holly asked and the manager nodded. "Even if you have to do some poaching of talent, I want a new racing broom out before the Quidditch World Cup next year. Would it be possible to use a material that… isn't wood?"
"Do you mean, plastic?" the goblin asked with a frown. "Nimbus, from rumour actually tried plastic… it didn't work."
"Well, no, I was thinking something like carbon fibre," Holly replied while shrugging. "Its strong, durable, and light… and… how did they think plastic was going to work…? I always thought there was a reason plastic items enchantments didn't last very long."
"Yes," the goblin agreed with a nod. "There is. The enchantments just can't adhere to plastic as it can with other materials. They choose wood as its lighter and its easier to craft compared to metals, and layers of enchantments can last for the lifetime of the broom. I will have some people looking into this, carbon fibre, and see whether it could possibly work. We will try to get a broom ready in time to take the Firebolts place as World Cup broom."
"Good," Holly said with a small grin. "Undercut Nimbus at every turn, and launch the broom they stole from us as a budget racing broom," she said sweetly and he shrugged and nodded as she looked over the book and saw it hadn't been released because of the court case. "Call it the Cumulus," she said as a wide and vicious grin stretched her lips.
The manager couldn't help himself as he snorted a laugh. "Hoping to anger them into taking Brand to court, and thinking they won't be able to fight back?" he asked with an amused smirk. "Then call the new broom the Cloud Killer?" he said chuckling.
"I don't get it?" Lindsey couldn't help but ask.
Holly smirked at her. "Nimbus is a type of cloud, and so is cumulus," she said while Lindsey nodded in approval as that was pretty clever. "But cloud killing… close… but I don't want to kill them, I want to break them… so how about, The Cloud Breaker!"
"If that doesn't get them worked up, I don't know what will," Guld Manager said as he continued writing in his ledger. "Now, before I forget, Miss. Potter… what do you wish for the Leaky Cauldron?"
Holly smiled at him. "Tear everything inside it down and strip the building to its core. Then I want all three of the vacant buildings around it and opened up into the Cauldron. I want it turned into a restaurant, bar, and inn and I want it big and open, child friendly with convenience foods and takeaways. I want it to keep in muggle standards with muggle conveniences. I also want a beer garden out on the magical side, and no smoking inside. The magical barrier is useless, just idiocy to 'awe' first year muggle-born students so lose it completely."
"Large and airy, with large glass windows with wards to stop the muggles paying attention?" he asked while she nodded thoughtfully.
"Of course, and how about we rename it, The Magical World Entrance!" Holly said thoughtfully while trying not to laugh but the goblin and Lindsey seemed to think it was amusing too.
"That is actually rather genius," the manager said with a nod of approval. "I'll hire some new artists to design some signs."
Holly shrugged. "Then how about on this side the place can be called The Magical World Exit."
Guld Manager nodded. "Might as well go all in, now you've started," he agreed thoughtfully. "Also, shall we discus some extra investments you may be interested in…? Buying up Diagon Alley would net Fairytale the wrong kind of attention; taking over the Leaky Cauldron alone will have us investing effort to keep noses out, but there are plenty of other places to invest for which people wouldn't bat and eye or give as you humans would say, a shit."
"Yes," Holly agreed with a few amused chuckles as she calmed herself. "I was accidently in Knockturn Alley once. How about I… clean it up… do my civic duty, and help clean up a long overdue and overlooked neighbourhood. I would be doing them all a very big favour by taking over."
"Money and threats are rather good ways of doing that," he agreed. "Your name, and the name of Fairytale will be kept as clean as we can keep them."
"Sounds good to me."
Meanwhile, several miles from Hogwarts a large narrow white craft with grey stripes landed with a crunch on an empty road. Though, anyone looking would see nothing as the craft was cloaked, so it was like nothing landed. The only thing was the hum of the engines and push of the air from the thrusters, as the side doors opened to reveal the inside of the Javelin to reveal a large black man with bald head and tattered and dirty robes as he had to look the part, so couldn't change or shower.
Kingsley was still awed that he had been in space, and he looked to the teenage girl with him as she was wearing jeans and a shirt with boots and a robe left open and was clean since she didn't have any part in why Harry Avalon made the deal with MACUSA of that other universe to let him go. He wasn't Dumbledore's property, and had to give the old bastard a message, and then he planned on quitting the Order, and maybe he would go to Amelia Bones, his real boss and tell her everything, minus the alternate universe stuff as he swore, he wouldn't, not yet.
Zatanna gave Kingsley an amused smile as the ship closed its doors and took off and back into space to jump back. Hopefully she would be able to get a ride from the Sinarch home, but she did have means of calling a ride if she couldn't.
"Have fun," Zatanna said with a shrug as she stepped backwards and swished away as she disapparated.
Kingsley sighed and looked sick, but he strengthened his mind, and then apparated to the front gates of Hogwarts.
"So, MACUSA is threatening us?!" Dumbledore asked thoughtfully once Kingsley had finally returned. His blue eyes were twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles', but this time they weren't amused as his plans were not going his way and it was getting more complicated trying to adapt.
"Yes," Kinsley said coldly. "They say you need to keep out of the US! You know they hate us. They also offered Hope Potter protection while she is in the states. However, it is a sorcerer by the name of Harry Avalon to whom the actual threat derives. He took down and killed all of my men singlehandedly with powers I had never seen before and works closely with MACUSA!"
"Could it be?" Dumbledore asked himself in awe. "MACUSA must have fallen to the dark. Why else would they allow this man to murder upstanding pure-bloods and that must be why they want the Girl-Who-Lived. We must retrieve her ASAP… but how, if they have such a Dark Lord ruling over them already?!"
Kingsley groaned and hid the eyeroll better than most would have. "And I've given you my warning," he said tiredly while looking as if he wanted to be anywhere but at Hogwarts in the Headmasters office, especially since the ginger fool Ronald Weasley had been invited to hear about everything with other members of Dumbledore's minions that Kingsley would rather not see.
"God! You're useless!" Ronald Weasley spat out while other Order members were there, agreeing with the boy while a very few tried to keep their mouths shut or Dumbledore would ruin them and they would have no hope in this world once they were labelled dark. Though, that was starting to have no meaning since it was given to everyone who disagreed with the light so much, so maybe they shouldn't have cared about it. "You didn't bring back MY property!" the boy hissed out in spite.
"She's going to beat you to death someday if you're lucky you spiteful little brat!" Kingsley couldn't contain himself as he spat out his anger at the boy. "That girl is beyond your comprehension. She is powerful, smart, resourceful, and strong, everything you are not, and you know the day she gets her hands around your scrawny little neck will be a day to celebrate!"
"Don't you talk to my son like that!" Molly Weasley, a fat ginger haired woman growled out at him brandishing her wand. "That girl dared to try doing something disgusting with my daughter. We're just trying to get her back, to sort her out, make her proper!"
"Oh, shut up you fat bitch!"
They were startled to see a brown-haired young woman (as she no-longer cared about changing her hair colour anymore) with her wand out in the fat woman's face. Her blue eyes were as cold as ice. "You, filthy hypocrite!" she spat out in disgust. "It's just like purebloods like you to hate people for hating people who are different and then hate another person because they're different! Holly is the last member of my family remaining since my mother and father were murdered by Death Eaters because of self-centred pricks like your filthy son!"
"Now, now Miss. Tonks," Dumbledore interrupted with his 'I'm always right' smile of amusement. "I know you felt a kinship with Miss. Potter, meeting her-her first year of Hogwarts, your final, I believe? I know that the recent death of your parents, and with Miss. Potter's betrayal, and with your mother being her godmother, not being able to take her in, as she was only safe with her real family; it has hit you hard, but there is no reason for you to accuse good people like the Weasley's."
"I wasn't blaming the Weasley's," she spat out in disgust as she heard the emphasis on real, like those filthy human-begins were real anything except real scum. "I blame you Dumbledore. I hate you. I-I can't stand to look at you! Voldemort and his filthy Death Eaters have only been back at it for several months and you've already let countless people die, and tried to fucking enslave an innocent girl defending herself… you're fucking sick! I know you're just after her money, but it looks like you get fuck all…!"
"A-are you going dark too?" Dumbledore asked, looking genuinely concerned.
Nymphadora Tonks just looked at him with her mouth hanging open in disbelief. "Do you fucking hear the bullshit that comes out of your mouth?" she demanded, but he just gave her a pitying look while other Order members started buzzing with anger about how she was talking. "You know what, call me evil and dark all you like, ruin my career and life or whatever; I don't give a shit, but screw this? I'm going back to work where Amelia Bones isn't an incompetent piece of shit!" She stormed out of the office straight away before anyone could think of caring to stop her while looking around in disgust, and slamming the door behind her.
"What a rude girl!" Molly Weasley said shaking her head. "How dare she speak like that about Albus Dumbledore? He is a great wizard and knows what is best for everyone."
"Fuck this, but I'm out too," Kingsley said, shaking his head. "I really hope you don't piss off Avalon too much because he'll crush you without a single fuck to give," he finished before he left at a more leisurely pace, but was gone within moments.
"Albus...? Aren't you going to stop them?" Molly Weasley quickly asked in concern.
"No, no," Dumbledore replied with a gentle smile. "I'm sure everything will work out. He just needs time to cool down. He's obviously been through a lot and been through something terrible with this new Dark Lord Avalon," he said smiling as everyone in the room shuddered. "As for Miss. Tonks. She is still mourning the loss of her parents. I'm sure she will return and apologise," he said while the man in the long brown coat with peg leg and crazy blue-eye eye-patch saw Dumbledore looked as if he really believed that either would return.
Alistor Moody was a little concerned for Nymphadora Tonks. If her parents hadn't been killed because of the Orders incompetence, she might have been stuck with the Order. She was probably better off just leaving it all behind, and maybe some day could find Potter and stay with her in the US.
Dumbledore was a moron so he wouldn't take the warning from MACUSA seriously, and he considered a wizard willing to kill pure-bloods dark, even though they were seemingly killed for their attack on Potter. Things were going to get quite bad as Dumbledore was obviously off his rocker by a long way.
Neither Dumbledore nor the Order saw how racist and ridiculous they were. They saw not killing, as not stooping down to the level of the Death Eaters. However, in reality it was letting the Death Eaters get away with murdering muggles and muggle-born mage after torturing and brutalising them first. Then if the Death Eaters were captured and jailed, they were tortured into insanity and death because of dementor exposure, double standards or what; it made little sense.
The scene was interrupted when the fireplace in the office blazed with emerald flames and the head of a man appeared in the fire. "Albus! Potter is at Gringotts. My partner tried arresting her, but she broke his arm and knocked him out before she went off with the bank's manager. I'm at the hospital now. Potter was with another girl. They-they're obviously disgusting together.
"There was something else. This girl she was with. She was different. Her skin tone was greyish, and her eyes were red."
"Never mind that, everybody, we must get to her before she tries to-to, um… to use her inheritance to get off of all of her crimes!" Dumbledore was quick to say as he scrambled for things to say, and quickly standing up from behind his desk.
"B-but how could she get off? She is guilty!" Molly Weasley said, shocked.
Dumbledore didn't answer her as he looked to the rest of his Order. "We must hurry before Miss. Potter leaves back to the United States. I do not know why she would come here to see the goblins, but fear not. I do not feel that MACUSA are much of a threat to us as this Dark Lord Avalon," he said pausing for the flinches, "is nothing compared to the horror of the Dark Lord Voldemort," he said pausing for more flinches. "But this is our chance to not have to deal with them at all. It would be best to be cautious if MACUSA are using killing curses at their master's command. We have the Death Eaters to deal with as it is," he said quickly leading them charging out of his office.
Minerva McGonagall left the office at the back with Alistor Moody and gave him a look.
"If the goblins choose to defend Miss. Potter…" Alistor said as they left down the moving stairs. "… they will use every magical lore to not only get her out of trouble but those who originally attacked her sent to Azkaban for the rest of their pathetic lives, and they will do so slow and dirty, and I met that girl… she had intelligence and cunning in those eyes, and this dangerous glint… Dumbledore no longer has control as she is about to start taking his pieces."
"Good," McGonagall replied coldly. "I'm sick of this. Albus is insane and all of these people are blindly bowing to him while he tries to enslave their hero! She is going to come for him if she is anything like Lily was, and she will make him suffer."
Zatanna Zatara had arrived at Diagon Alley easily enough, but she hated this place. She didn't even have Lyra with her to keep her company. Though, introducing Holly to her alternate universe sister like that would probably blow Holly's brain as the poor girl had a lot of crap on her plate. Zatanna was chosen because she had done this before with helping Lyra, and now Lyra was a semi-productive member of the Teen Titans and too adorable sometimes.
However, Zatanna was feeling like her head might explode with the information she had gathered in that pub before she had gotten kicked out along with the Landlord, customers and staff as some company called Fairytale had bought it out and closed it down because of health and safety issues the new owner apparently had with the place. The landlord looked shocked and confused until he was handed some papers and whooped for joy as the old guy could apparently 'finally' retire.
Though, Zatanna couldn't blame the new owner for shutting the place down to clean it up and possibly add a few renovations. That filthy landlord had tried getting her to buy herself a drink. First, he didn't accept nomaj money, and second, she would rather kiss Poison Ivy's poisonous ass. She would have less chance of catching something, or getting poisoned. Hopefully, the new owner would know how to hire people to keep the place clean. Then she would need some cute girls and guys behind the bar so that younger people... she paused those thoughts and shook her head clear as it wasn't her business.
It was with slight disgust that she walked through the London magical district. She had gotten plenty of information at the pub about the runaway. 'Hope Potter', and what they knew about her and thought about what was going on. The plebs were apparently rather ignorant to the actual truth, but they knew a twisted bit of the truth. 'Hope' – well, Holly was apparently a muggle hating, wizard hating murderer. Well, Zatanna knew Holly had it in her to kill, but this was messed up; Holly wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last 'hero' forced into a situation where she had to kill her enemy.
The people talked about Albus Dumbledore as if he could do whatever he wanted to anyone, especially Hope Potter. Light seemed to shine out of Dumbledore's arsehole from the way most talked of Dumbledore. The old white wizard wanted Holly to become some mangy pureblood morons' wife when it was certain she was gay or heading that way from all of the crap she has had to put up with from the 'men' in her life.
Zatanna could tell what was going on. It was obvious to anyone with some sense. Dumbledore had made himself into some kind of 'saint' – Dumbledore ruled them and they hadn't even realised it. Therefore, Zatanna took a mental note that this was the worst Dumbledore. He wanted them all to conform to pureblood bull-crap and bow to him like everyone else, minus the Death Eaters. He had gained so much control and power he hated that Holly had seen his poop dribbling from his lips.
The old man had gained control of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He had been grooming the children into his own personal group of douche bags. Zatanna wondered what would happen if someone gave people the option of another school, just swoop in and take muggle-born kids a year earlier. If Hogwarts was going to stay in Dumbledore's hands for too much longer, they could have arranged something, but Lyra's brother was no doubt already thinking of way to take the old bastard into custody to join his Peak-Earth self in jail.
Shaking her head clear, Zatanna brushed her fingers back through her long black hair. She had to remind herself to stop thinking too much into these things. She was much too young and poor to think on things that Harry Avalon could do.
It was all a little strange. Apparently, Holly was accused of kissing another girl, as a girl would do, experimenting and whatnot. Zatanna saw nothing wrong with that. She had even thought about Lyra like that a few times, as the girl was ridiculously good at being adorable. She and all of her girl friends were really close and she wasn't the only one who mistakenly let Wondergirl stay over and ended up being cuddled all night. Though, Zatanna was pretty sure Lyra enjoyed the attention as she hadn't ever had a mother growing up and no proxy either, so she did enjoy her friend's affection.
It was easy to see why Dumbledore would finally charge after Holly with the gay accusations. The magical world was on the backwards side, this one more than most because of this Dumbledore. Though, even for idiots, the magical world treated it as if she had committed the greatest crime in the history of criminal activity, and went way overboard with Dumbledore's encouragement.
Zatanna felt sorry for both Holly, and even this pureblood girl who probably didn't have a clue what was going on, but being a pureblood could claim ignorance, and then Dumbledore could blame Holly. It was another girl who had caught them, surprisingly a muggle-born. Lyra's friend's alternate reality counterpart, or sister; she wasn't sure how it went, but Lyra's family were special in these worlds, so magic did whackier things about them. That made Zatanna think, not about the muggle-born girl, she couldn't care less about a girl who would betray her friends, but then she was being brainwashed, so she had to feel a little bad. It was that the UK's magical newspaper, the Daily Prophet always added brackets behind names of muggle-born or pureblood or halfblood telling everyone about their magical blood when they were mentioned in the paper; that was strange as Tower-Earth didn't have that, as she had looked it over those few times they had to pop over there for Lyra.
It was no wonder Holly was so violent and desperate to escape though, with how corrupt and terrible the people who were supposed to look out for you were. It was after the attack by a pureblood boy that Holly was arrested, but Zatanna knew that she had defended herself. She had been threatened with jail where she would die slowly and painfully under the Dementors.
However, that wasn't it. Dumbledore suddenly announced her marriage to a Weasley boy. Not even a clever or nice one. He was a boy who was in the low percentage of students, and wouldn't go anywhere in life. In other words, he was stupid and way below Holly's station. She was out of his league in looks and smarts, but he was easily controlled as he didn't care to think for himself.
Therefore, Holly ran, killing any ignorant Dumbledore or ministry flunky on her way out, and showing them who the boss really was. It all seemed so complicated. What would Dumbledore have to gain from any of that crap. Power? Control? Holly's family wealth combined with the Black family money?
Then to top things off that douche bag Voldemort had been resurrected on this world too. She had a sneaking suspicion that this Dumbledore was partially responsible, as Holly didn't play ball. After all, it would make his control over the foolish easier when he was the 'beacon' of the 'light' when the 'dark' had returned.
Zatanna wasn't anything like The Batman when it came to investigating, so she should just take notes and send them on to Harry Avalon and the Justice League once she was done to see what they made of it.
It was near the large bank that Zatanna noticed a crowd formed around the entrance. She found that suspicious as the goblins wouldn't likely be okay with that and shimmy them away – with spears glowing with magic. She liked goblins. They knew how to keep the peace when it came to douchey wizards. It was kind of amusing how they scared kids even though they were fairly family orientated outside of precious gems and metals.
Struggling, Zatanna squeezed through the crowd and managed to pop out where a large group of people semi-circled the doors to the bank where two girls stood with black cloaks draped over them and goblin guards to either side of them. The girl to her right had long crimson hair down to her waist, and she had emerald green eyes, while the others eyes had a red glow, and her brown hair was up in twin tails.
Zatanna moved around to get closer. She could see in the group that it was headed by an old man with long white beard and hair. He was wearing bright blue robes with gold stars and moons on it. His blue eyes sparkled with triumph over his half-moon glasses. He was the stereotypical wizard posing as Merlin, and he was homophobic and wearing something – no – she was kidding herself, even drag artists wouldn't touch his wardrobe.
Next to the old man stood a ginger boy. She knew who he was straight away. He looked so smug and eager that Zatanna was almost tempted to hex him on sight. Holly was much too hot for him, and that was not mentioning that she was a much better person.
"Mr. Dumbledore!" Holly said with a pleasant smile as she stepped down towards him as she looked to his following and stopped at the bottom of the stairs with Lindsey joining her. "And his brainwashed minions!" she said sounding genuinely pleasant, but for those hateful eyes while the minions hissed out in anger but Dumbledore waved his hand and they obeyed to shut up.
"Miss. Potter, how nice of you to finally give up without a fight!" the old man said, smiling in glee.
Holly burst out laughing for a moment as she replied. "Give up what? Magical lore Mr. Dumbledore," she said pulling out a simple white envelop from her cloak and throwing it to him. He caught it looking concerned. He pulled it open and read the content. "As you can see Mr. Dumbledore, I'm calling out the Malfoy family for the brutal attack on me, and my solicitors shall make sure they don't crawl away… the Dursley's get some reprieve for now… but some day?
"In addition, Aurors will be on their way no matter what that incompetent minister or you want. Therefore, Ronald Weasley and his mother will be arrested for attempted bloodline theft. You, Mr. Dumbledore, are being sued for my kidnap from my godmother Andromeda Tonks nee Black. I have also filed papers for Mr. Sirius Black, stating that he was not my secret keeper, and that he was illegally imprisoned without charges, or his day in court as the saying goes, and even in the magical world it is innocent until proven guilty. I am filing for his death and the death of a family friend, Mr. Remus Lupin at the hands of Dementors under your authority, as you and the ministry are responsible for their murder-!"
"You're the filthy murderer!" Ronald Weasley spat out taking a few steps closer. "You can't get away with killing people!"
"I killed those who were attacking me!" Holly replied, nonchalant. "It is within my right to kill my attackers if they leave me with no choice, shit for brains, and magical lore supports this."
"You bitch!" Ronald roared out. "You will be mine!" he cried out as he drew his wand only to get flung away by an invisible force while Lindsey had risen her ring to fire. However, none of them attacked. Ronald hit the floor, whimpering while other members of the Order drew wands quickly when Zatanna stepped from the crowd of the Order to stand by Holly.
"I didn't think he deserved the quick way out!" Zatanna commented whimsically as she gestured to Lindsey with her black plastic wand with white tips like a muggle magician would use in a child's show. "Azkaban will do his delusional head wonders," she said smiling at Holly. "I hadn't thought you would turn the tables after what I had heard, but I'm glad you're using their backwards bull crap to screw these monsters over!"
"Thanks... I guess," she replied with a small grin. "W-who are you?"
Zatanna smiled a little. "My name is Zatanna… I got dropped off this side to hopefully convince you two from getting into too much trouble, and need a lift home when you leave."
"Oh," Holly said with a small smile before looking to Lindsey, she looked reluctant but nodded as she recognised the name. "Cool. Then let's get out of here... we have nothing more to discuss, and an extra girl helping me with some shopping will be cool. I've heard some good things about Metropolis' shopping, so we can leave now if you want? I need some new clothes."
"Okay," Lindsey agreed with a nod, looking to the brunette witch in question. She nodded nervously before a huge red sphere encompassed the three of them and started rising into the sky.
"Stop Potter...!" Dumbledore roared, firing as they rose faster and faster until they were gone and out of sight. The spells had harmlessly bounced off the shield before they were too high, as the Order were too pussy to use anything dangerous as that was their go-to-response, and only certain people would use more deadly spells, and only on the disobedient.
"Pity...!"
They turned to see a regal looking goblin. He smiled cruelly at them. "So much more paperwork," he said with a sigh and shake of his head before looking to a bookworm looking goblin with the notebook and pen. "Please make a note to add to the record of an attack by wizard terrorists going by the title Order of the Phoenix, led by Albus Dumbledore upon The Lord Holly Potter," he said before turning his back and walking back into his bank while some of the crowd gasped as magical lore was held in rather high regard by most of them.
"Albus?" asked a woman's high-pitched annoying voice. "What the hell is going on? We have to capture her for my son!"
"Actually, you're under arrest!"
They turned as one to see the crowd of spectators had parted for a small force of aurors led by a woman with deep red hair with a few strands of white.
"Amelia Bones," Dumbledore muttered in surprise while she was smiling viciously.
"Arrest the Weasley woman and boy!" Amelia commanded and they moved forward. The Order could not do anything to stop them. "It's time you are dethroned Mr. Dumbledore, and I have warrants," she said coldly.
"They will be out within twenty-four hours!" Dumbledore said smugly.
Amelia continued smiling. "I don't doubt it, but eventually you won't be around to bail any of your minions out, and Miss. Potter now holds a lot of power, and you pissed her off!" she said coldly. "Let it be known that any of my staff caught with you in anyway shape or form, Albus Dumbledore, and they are done, I shall fire them on the spot," she finished while he started to show concern as Amelia turned with her people dragging Ronald and Molly Weasley kicking and screaming out of the crowd and disapparating away.
to be continued...
Authors Note: I know, another post so soon... again... there must be something wrong? Nope. Just found a path forward. I do hope you found this chapter interesting. I have more coming up soon. So please, mark as favourite, and follow, and review.