AUTHOR'S NOTES
Hello everyone! I've been on FF for almost ten years, and I've always wanted to write a story, but until today, I wasn't sure if I could do it. First of all, English is not my first language, in fact, it's been a while since I last studied or spoke it, and I hope to practise it with the story, just the same as the writing; which I hope it will get better with time.
This story is going to be built around the incredible world created by Rowling, but I will try to dig deeper into it. This fic is also heavily inspired by the works of geniuses of the Epic Fantasy genre like George. RR. Martin and Brandom Sanderson. In fact, I'm going to adapt his allomancy system from Mistborn into the biggest magical system related to the HP world; it will be just another mechanic of the system.
There will be various very important characters in the story. That means there will be multiple POVs in the fic; both from my OCs and from those characters Rowling created but sadly didn't get enough screen time because HP was a Harry-centric story.
That being said, this will be a Ron-centric fic, with him as the main character; but as I said before, there will be many other characters. Why is he the chosen one to represent this fic? Well, mainly because I'm so tired of people constantly bashing him for no reason at all; the guy has flaws, sure, but just like everyone else.
During the first chapters, there will be a fair amount of POVs from the OCs. The reason after that is because I want to develop some subplots and do a bit of worldbuilding before the main storyline begins. Around chapter 5, the canon storyline begins and the fic becomes way more Ron-centric.
There won't be any unnecessary bashing or Mary Sues / perfect characters; at least, I will try my best. No person in this world is perfect; all the characters are complex people who can change and be shaped because of different experiences. Remember: the higher you get, the harder is the fall.
Lastly, I just wanted to say this story was also inspired by other great Ron-centric fics; which you can find in the favourite list in my profile. That being said, I need to give a special shoutout to one of them:
- Fate; by TheTrueSpartan: It's simply the best story I've ever read here, and it's not even close. If you haven't read it yet, I don't know what are you waiting for. In fact, the author's dedication and hard work were the main reasons why I started this story; so the minimum I can do is to give him some very special props.
To finish this rambling, I just wanted to say this: I'm writing this story for me, as a challenge and because this is the kind of fic my past self would have loved to read. If anyone enjoys it and wanna tag along for the ride, I would be honoured and very happy to have them; but even if no one reads it, I'll keep writing until I don't enjoy it anymore.
Scala ad Caelum
Chapter 1: Aftermath
Sirius Black POV
Sunday 1st November, 1981 (Godric's Hollow) - Past midnight
Padfoot was on hunt duty tonight.
The exact moment he had remembered where James and Lily lived, he had known that his life was about to change completely. Sirius had only hoped for it to not be as awful as he thought it was going to be; despite that, his hopes had been completely crushed at the moment he reached where the Potter's house was supposed to be.
That fucking rat had betrayed them.
In the first seconds after reaching the house, he had been confused. His lifelong friend, one of his three brothers in all but blood, could not have done this. This was a mistake; there was no way this was happening.
Then, the only two feelings he could feel were despair and blame. He had been the one to suggest Peter as the secret keeper, after all; he was the only culprit. Who would have thought that the most cowardly and weak of the four marauders was the one with the knowledge to change the entire course of the damned war; to change Sirius' world.
The young man had not seen it coming, but now, it was as clear as water, and that rat was going to pay for it with his miserable life.
Sirius had been waiting for hours under the moonlight, but that fucking bastard had to appear at some moment. Peter was a traitor, but he couldn't live with any regrets, could he? He had to come to see it with his own eyes. How his actions had killed the man who accepted him into the Marauders when nobody wanted to be his friend; the man who acted like a brother to him since they were just eleven years old.
He would have liked to say that it was a bit hard to reach the decision; the truth was that it wasn't. As soon as Peter Pettigrew put a foot in Godric's Hollow, Sirius was going to kill him. He would have to live with the feeling that it was his decision that really got his brother and Lily killed, of course. He couldn't do shit to change that, but Sirius was taking the bastard's life even if it was the last thing he did.
Now that little Harry was safe with Hagrid and Dumbledore, he had no worries. Tonight, Sirius was a man on a mission, and he was not going to fail; not this time.
Finally, after a few hours of waiting, Peter appeared. There he was; he had come to see the price of his actions, just as his old friend had supposed he would.
Sirius left Padfoot to turn back into a human. Then, he cast a Disillusionment charm on himself so he could get closer to him; he also silenced the noise of his footsteps with a Silencing charm.
He was about to kill him when he suddenly heard his own voice coming out of his mouth. "What have you done, Peter?" Sirius found himself asking with a low voice. "Why?"
That made Peter jump instantly, grabbing his wand with a trembling hand. He looked everywhere, but he couldn't see him; Sirius was still invisible after all. "He was going to win! And he was going to kill us all!" Peter exclaimed, looking on the verge of madness. "I had to do it, Sirius! I have never been as brave as the three of you! I don't want to die this early!"
Hearing the confession from Peter's mouth made something shift inside Sirius' body. All the memories from all those years together at Hogwarts were quickly forgotten. Now, the only thing he could feel was rage and bloodlust. "Betraying them was your first mistake, Peter," Sirius told him with a cold voice, just as he turned visible. "Thinking that I wouldn't kill you the moment I saw you, was the second; your last one."
"Sirius... Please, wait," the rat begged, as he aimed his wand at his old friend's face. That only fueled his anger; how could this rat still point his wand at him?
Sirius didn't think twice about what he was about to do, he just let his magic do the talking. "Avada Kedavra!" He shouted with rage.
Peter was quick enough to turn into a rat, barely dodging his death sentence by inches. He started running from him, trying to avoid his imminent fate; but that wasn't going to happen. Sirius transformed himself into Padfoot, and started running after him; despite that his natural advantage, Peter was a coward, and they sure knew how to run.
The persecution continued for some minutes and on many streets. Peter was barely able to dodge his claws and bites, using his small form and the obstacles of the street to dodge them. The muggles were trying to let the huge dog do his thing, moving aside so they wouldn't get knocked down by his huge strength.
Finally, they ended in some kind of square with no exits but the one which was at Sirius' back. Both Peter and Sirius knew that there wasn't more running to do, so they both regained their human forms; not caring about the muggles who were watching them with horror and bewilderment on their faces.
"This is it, Peter!" Sirius exclaimed, looking right at his old friend's eyes. "I shouldn't have told James to make you the secret keeper. I failed them, and I will live with it my whole life, but you won't have to live with that."
"I see," Peter said with his high pitched voice; eyes starting to swell and tearing up. "I'm really sorry, Sirius, believe me. I wish things hadn't turned into this."
Just as Sirius was starting to cast the killing curse, Peter moved his wand way faster than he had ever done before, as he shouted: "COFRINGO!"
Sirius was barely able to cast a powerful shield on time, one that blocked the explosion; despite that, he still was thrown into the wall that was behind him, making him feel a bit dizzy and confused. When the wizard regained his senses, he found hell itself. The little square was filled with the dead bodies of those poor muggles that had been caught by the huge Blasting curse.
And where Peter last stood, there was nothing but one of his fingers. Sirius couldn't believe it. He had been bested by Peter fucking Pettigrew. The rat had escaped right under his nose.
Sirius fell to his knees and started to laugh maniacally. That rat had really escaped. He had failed once again
After what seemed like an eternity, he started hearing voices getting closer; Sirius was able to recognise Gawain Robards among those who came. "Merlin..." the Auror muttered. "What the hell happened here?"
Then, the young man was surrounded by many Aurors, who were making him questions about what had just happened in the square. Some familiar faces appeared in front of him; brothers of war who had fought many battles with him and the Order of the Phoenix; people whom he would trust to cover his back in battle.
But he couldn't answer their questions; his mind was completely blank. He had failed. James was dead. The world had never been as black as today. Despite that, he wasn't right on that last thing; it could go way worse, and he knew it as soon as the words came out of Cornelius Fudge's mouth: "Aurors, seize him immediately," the man ordered with a commanding voice.
Sirius was hit by a hex that bound his hands and ankles, and when he was about to shout at them what the hell were they doing, he was hit by aSilencing charm.
"Sirius Orion Black, you are arrested and sentenced to trial under the Wizengamot's eyes," Fudge announced. "You are framed for the murder of twelve muggles and Peter Pettigrew's death. The surviving muggles have already given their testimony. You have the right to attend a fair trial, but until then, you will be put under custody."
No. It can't be possible; this can't be happening,Sirius thought. He was trying with all his might to break the Silencing charm so he could tell them the truth. But it was useless, whoever had hexed him, had done it with well.
"Gawain, look at this," Gerard said while showing the Auror the rat's finger. He was neither an Auror of a member of the Order, but he had fought many battles with them. "If those muggles were right with the descriptions, this is all that remains of Peter Pettigrew."
No. Please. Listen to me. Let me explain. Gerard, Gawain, you can't be serious, you have to trust me! Sirius exclaimed in his mind. This can't be the end! That fucking bastard was still alive. He knew it. He wouldn't have done it if he had known he would have ended up dead. This was just another cruel joke. The rat couldn't have escaped, right? He was Peter Pettigrew, the stupidest of the four Marauders. He was a coward who sold their friends so he could live a few more years. Life couldn't be so unfair…
James, Lily, Harry... I am sorry. That was his last thought before he was hit by a stunner right in his head.
Lord Elend Shawn POV
Monday 2st November, 1981 (Shawn Manor) - Early morning
It was a cold morning, colder than usual at least, or so Elend thought. The winds of November were always a signal that the winter was close, but for Lord Shawn, it had been too long since he remembered other feelings but coldness and despair.
He was reading a book called 'The Way of Kings', one of the most ancient manuscripts he had in his manor's library, when one of his elves, Jiru, called him. "Master, Lord Covan is here," Jiru announced after bowing.
"Let him in," Elend sighed while closing the book. He already knew what was the purpose of the man's visit, but that didn't make it easier.
Lord Covan Redfield didn't take more than one minute to get to his main study. He practically stormed into the room, sweating and breathing heavily.
Covan was a man in his early thirties, with brownish hair that almost reached his shoulders. He was tall and broad of chest, the result of many years of training and battles, but like almost every man on these hard times, he had prominent bags under his eyes, making him seem older than he really was.
"Tell me, Covan, it is true what Dumbledore said?" Elend asked with hope.
"Yes, I just came back from Godric's Hollow," Lord Covan answered. "The house is in ruins and almost burned to the grounds as if it was struck by lightning, but there was no sign of his body. It was like he hadn't been there."
"It is odd indeed," Elend muttered. There was something very strange about Voldemort's defeat, and whatever it was, it was making him very anxious. "But if Dumbledore says that it was a work of very ancient magic, we must believe him. He would never announce the Dark Lord's demise if he wasn't completely sure of it."
"That is not everything, Elend," Covan continued. "The baby—one-year-old Harry Potter—survived the Killing curse as if nothing had happened; he only received a little scar in the forehead with the shape of a lightning bolt, but other than that, he was completely fine."
"Yeah, I've also already heard it from Dumbledore," Elend nodded, remembering his conversation with the Great Sorcerer. "That has to be related to that Ancient Magic which Dumbledore talked to you about." Then, an idea came to Elend's mind. "Wait, how did you find James and Lily Potter?" It was just a faint hunch, but it was the only magic capable of a miracle like the one which ended that demon.
Lord Covan took a moment before answering. "James Potter was found dead in the staircase; my guess is that as soon as he felt the Dark Lord presence, he tried to hold him for as much as he could. But he must have grown confident that the Fidelius Charm would protect them because he didn't even have his wand close at hand."
"What about Lily?" Elend asked.
"She was found dead in Harry's room," his friend answered. "Right in front of the baby's crib, as if she had tried to protect the child with her own life."
"That is…. interesting and certainly unexpected," Elend muttered, now lost deep in his thoughts. "Tell me, I know that Dumbledore mentioned something about ancient and powerful magic, but… did he really elaborate anything about it? What could have been? How was it possible?"
"Yes, he did," Covan answered instantly. "He muttered something about the power of sacrifices and love as soon as he saw Lily's corpse. But I didn't really give those words a second thought; you already know how much he loves to talk about the power of love and all those kinds of things."
"That is a kind of magic I've only read about once or twice in very ancient books," Elend commented with a tired voice—briefly showing a moment of weakness—but then, he quickly regained his composure in order to continue the conversation. "But as saddened as you can be about the Potter's fate, I guess you did not come here to talk about their demise or how Lord Voldemort really died."
Many wizards weren't able to pronounce the Dark Lord's real name; even those who excelled among the rest, as Lord Covan Redfield did, had problems with it. But Elend could understand why. Only those who had fought in the war had really known what Lord Voldemort and his followers were willing to do in order to crush the resistance and the Ministry.
Elend would never forget the first time he saw the Dark Lord in action. How easy was it for him to kill seasoned wizards that were very talented and experienced in both battle and duelling… In fact, the first time they crossed wands, Elend could barely stand on his feet just by the sheer intensity of his presence.
"You are right," Lord Covan solemnly nodded, wincing very subtly after hearing the taboo name. "Do you really think he is gone for good, Elend? Do you really think that the most powerful dark wizard in history could be defeated by a baby when even Albus Dumbledore himself couldn't?"
Just as he was about to answer, the office's door was suddenly opened with a loud thud, and his wife, Lady Athena Shawn—formerly known as Athena Black before their wedding—came into the room with the strength of a gale. "Lord Covan, I was not informed that you were already here," she huffed with little exasperation after realizing the presence of the other man in the room.
"My Lady, I came here as soon as I confirmed the news." Lord Covan said after bowing down a little.
After hearing the confirmation from Covan, Lady Athena's exasperated facade turned into an exhausted one; the one everyone adopts when they realize that they have just solved one big problem just to find another one even more mind-troubling.
Athena turned to her husband. "Elend, what are we going to do now?" She asked. "You do know we can't stay in England any longer. The surviving loyalist Death Eaters will not stop. I know my sister Bellatrix very well, they are not going to believe the demise of their hero and saviour; they will try to kill us all in his name!"
The usually collected woman had ended up raising his voice a lot, but as soon as she realised it, her ever calm voice came back. "I will not risk our son's life. We have to get out of here. Alex needs to live in a place where he will not have to hide all the days; in a place where he could go outside and breathe fresh air without us having to be watchful all the time; in a place where the shadow of a horrible war doesn't loom over us."
"I have already considered everything," Elend answered, trying to soothe her. "I've been living a war for far more time than I would have ever wanted. Even though I have done horrible things... all the people I have killed and tortured... I would do it again without much thinking. Do not get me wrong, it was them or us." He took a moment to regain the composure, looking to both his old friend and his wife, before announcing: "I won't let my son and heir Alexander pay for the things his father did in the war. It is time for us to move and carry on with our lives; like a family."
"Thank you, Elend," Athena sighed with great relief, her eyes swelling with more tears moment by moment. Then, she turned to look at Covan. "You should do the same, Lord Covan; it has been too long since you last saw your wife and children; it has been too long since you last took a rest from fighting."
"Yes, it has certainly been a long time..." Covan muttered with a faint smile on his face. "I can't believe it has been more than a year since I last saw my son. Looking back at simpler times, I can't believe how much I wanted to leave Denmark and go to war."
While both Covan and Athena were exchanging words, Elend rose to his full height, finally getting up from his chair. He had so many thoughts in his mind that he didn't realise he was standing by the window until his wife noticed it. "What is the matter, Elend?" Athena asked worriedly. "I know you very well, and I don't like a bit when you get lost in your thoughts like that."
Lord Elend sighed exhaustedly. It had been too long since they all had a break, and after Lord Covan's news, his two companions might have started to think they were finally going to have that rest they both strongly desired. Now, he was going to shatter their illusions with just a few words.
"Before you interrupted us," Elend started to explain. "I was about to answer one of Lord Covan's questions." While saying that, he turned to look at his old friend before continuing. "I do not think Lord Voldemort is completely dead, something tells me that he is not gone for good. It might be my instincts, or it might be Magic itself trying to warn me against being a fool. But I've learned to trust my instincts, and I won't let my guard down ever again."
"But Dumbledore said-" Athena exclaimed.
"Yes, I know what Dumbledore said, and he told everyone in the Order that Lord Voldemort had been defeated, not that he was dead," Elend cut in. "I have yet to talk to him face to face, but do not stress ourselves for nothing. I do think that Lord Voldemort is going to be gone for a long time at a minimum, but we cannot pretend that he is gone for good."
Elend took a moment to choose his words before continuing. "We should carry on with our lives until we hear more of what Dumbledore has to say. For now, I think you should go back home, my friend. Just like we should get ready to leave England as soon as possible, my love. I do not want to be here longer than necessary." He finished, now looking at his wife.
As soon as those words left his mouth, Athena walked out of the room, leaving the two friends alone once again.
"Have you really decided to leave England?" Covan asked. "If it is because of the loyalists, they will all end up in Azkaban or dying sooner than later; it is just a matter of time. They will just destroy themselves looking for the one to lead them."
"It is not them why I want to leave as soon as possible, Covan," Elend answered. "The ones who worry me the most are those who are not that loyal. Purebloods lords like Lucius Malfoy will claim they have been victims of the Imperius, and they will be excused for their crimes because money is what is needed the most after a war."
"Yes, but I don't think Crouch will allow them to walk away like that," Covan pointed out. "That man's life is his duty towards the Ministry and the people of England."
"Bartemious Crouch is a good leader in times of need," Elend agreed. "But he won't be able to make those filthy Death Eaters rot in Azkaban; nobody can do that. The Wizengamot is corrupted; all they'll have to do is pay a great amount of money, nothing more."
"Fuck them too, then," Covan cursed with a bit of rage. "What are they going to do, Elend? We have dealt with way worse. Malfoy, Yaxley, Nott... we will end them all if they try something, but I don't think they are bold enough to try something on you, my friend."
"They won't try a thing, not in the near future, at least," Elend stated. "But in a few years, people will have forgotten what they did in the war, and they will have the same influence in the ministry as they've always had. That is way more than what I have, Covan."
"Don't be stupid, Elend, your lineage is far purer than most of theirs. That has to mean something for the other pureblood families which weren't on the Dark Lord's side."
"I wish it could be like you are saying, my friend," Elend sighed. "But my family is not part of the Twenty-Eight Sacred, and that means a lot to them. It doesn't matter if the Great House Shawn is part of the Ancestral Council like House Malfoy or House Black are. In England, the Twenty-Eight will always be more important than my family; that is why I have to leave this country."
"I get it, Elend," Covan finally surrendered. "If that is what you have decided, I can only hope the best for you. I'll be looking forward to our next meeting. If you need something from me, you know I will be there, Elend. Our families are more than friends and allies, you are like a brother to me."
"Thank you, Covan." A new life meant new opportunities and the chance to forget past traumas, but it also was a very hard decision to make. It didn't matter how many battles Elend had fought in his life; this was a new experience in which his magical mastery wouldn't save him, and that scared him so much.
Severus Snape POV
Tuesday 3rd November, 1981 (England) - Near midnight
Drinking was the only thing that allowed Severus to keep going.
He had always used his great Occlumency to keep his mind out of those thoughts which could make him lose his focus at important moments; especially during those moments when he acted in the name of the Dark Lord. Those were the most dangerous times to lose composure
Unfortunately, after the events of the past days, Occlumency was no longer an option.
He had already experienced many moments throughout his life that helped him to become a powerful wizard and an important member of the army of the Dark Lord. His life at Spinner's End; the hate of a muggle that was supposed to be his father; that look of pure disdain expressed so well in Lily's face...
Oh, Lily, what have I done? Snape thought while taking another shot of the bottle.
Right now, he was at one of the properties which belonged to the Dark Lord; donated by some pureblood wizard that wanted to ascend in the ranks of the army. Those properties were mostly used by the snatchers to meet and rest. It also was their torture chambers and cells, of course; in the end, that was everything they were good for.
In fact, some of them happened to be there when Severus came. Now, their bodies were left on the floor, lifeless.
The young man had been looking for a place where he could be alone; a place where no one would find him. He didn't need the company of those lesser men. And they were no longer on the same side, so the killing had been very easy to do. In any case, who was going to mourn some filthy rapists and torturers?
Everything was so good between us, and I had to fucking left her for scum like those men. I'm truly the stupidest man in history. Those kinds of thoughts had come to his mind since the moment he knew it was over. The moment when some stupid man had dared to announce the demise of the Dark Lord in front of Bellatrix; said man was more than that dead, of course.
He was as drunk as he had ever been, but that didn't stop him from summoning his wand in his hand while turning around at the moment he felt a new presence coming into the hideout.
He was starting to cast the Killing curse when he found himself totally blinded by a bright, golden gleam, so he tried to shield himself the best he could in his current state. Whoever the intruder was, he was far more dangerous than those snatchers whose bodies lay on the floor. Severus could feel traces of his magic in the room with great intensity, and that was something that only two wizards could do, so that meant Albus Dumbledore had finally come for him.
Severus found himself smiling after the realisation. So this is how it ends. I wish he had killed me that day. That day when I realised that I had sentenced her life. With those thoughts on his mind, he lowered his shield. What was he going to do against Albus Dumbledore in his current condition? No, it was better to go in peace before he could do something to remind himself once again of the failure of a man he had become.
But the final he was waiting for didn't come.
"You are quite difficult to track, Severus," Dumbledore stated. "This has been just another time in which I had to remind myself how lucky I am to have someone like Fawkes as a friend." There he was, the Great Sorcerer. Some people believed he was the only man whom the Dark Lord ever feared. They were obviously wrong.
He did not fear a single man.
"I have to say that I'm terribly disappointed about the security wards of this hideout," the old man continued, eyeing the luxurious room. "Those men you've killed were the ones in charge of this place, snatchers if I had to guess; am I correct, Severus?"
"What do you want?" Severus asked. He had no time for the old man's nonsense. "Just get it done, Dumbledore. I want none of your pity and moral speech."
"What am I supposed to get done?" He wondered. "If I had come to take your life, you would already be dead. But that is not the case. I'm here because I wanted to know how you were doing."
"How... am I doing?" Severus repeated with a little bewilderment in his voice, and then, he sneered. "So you had to torment me a little before you got it done. I can't complain, this must be what I deserve after all I've done."
"That was not my intention, Severus. I've already told you I'm not here to kill you," Dumbledore repeated. "I know you are in great pain and you need some time to soothe it, but there is no time for that I'm afraid. You have always been a very intelligent man; you must have already figured out that Lord Voldemort's loyalists are going to hunt you down once they finally realize that their lord's demise was true and not some false information we spread."
"They are very welcome to come and try, that would be a fitting ending," Severus snorted with dry humour. "Killed by the very same people for whom I left everything I had. That would be a very poetic ending for me, wouldn't it?"
"Wouldn't that be such a shame?" Dumbledore asked back. "I still think there is more good in you, Severus; think about it. Like everyone, you have committed mistakes, but there is still a chance for redemption. I am a firm believer in second chances, my boy. I think Lily would have agreed with me."
"Don't dare to pronounce her name!" Severus exploded with rage; because of the sudden burst of emotion, the bottle of whiskey which rested on the table was shattered into thousands of fragments. "You promised me that she would be safe! That you were going to protect her! But she is gone, and I won't ever get to see her again!"
"They trusted the wrong person," Dumbledore muttered, now with evident sadness in his voice. "But you can still do something for Lily. Her son, Harry, is still alive; the rumours are true. Somehow, the baby survived Voldemort's curse, but he will need protection in the future. I would be very glad to have someone as talented as you helping me, Severus."
"Protection?" The young man repeated. "The Dark Lord is gone, and with him out of the game is just a matter of time for his followers to either get themselves killed or to claim that they were just under the Imperius. I'm sure that Lucius is already talking in the Wizengamot."
"You know as well as I do that Lord Voldemort has many more followers out of England, who would be very happy to kill those responsible for his masters' death," the old man said. "Besides that, I truly hope to be wrong. But I don't think that Tom is gone for good. Something tells me that, and I have learned to trust my instincts."
"How can that be possible? If he was somehow alive, he wouldn't be hiding. He would even be more sure of his victory than he had ever been!" Severus exclaimed. That couldn't be true. That demon couldn't be alive.
"Tom has done things no wizard believed to be possible," Dumbledore explained. "If there is someone in history who can survive the magic that turned against him, that one would be Tom. But that could be the best scenario for him. The most possible outcome is that he could be as weak as a soul can be, so we may not see him ever again; at least not like a man. But if there is something that I have learned over the years, is that it is better to be prepared for the worst possible scenario."
Those words made Severus crumble in fear. That was not possible. This had to be some old man's nonsense; but the young wizard knew the Great Sorcerer wasn't bluffing. Those kinds of thoughts were the ones that followed the ending of war; the ones that made you a war veteran.
Deep inside him, he knew that Dumbledore could be right. No person could ever say there was something impossible for the Dark Lord. He almost was one with Magic; he understood it better than anyone has ever done before him. No one, maybe not even himself, knew the limits of what he could archive.
"You could be right, old man," Severus said after some seconds of silence. "But I'm not the man you are looking for. I'm sure you can get someone like Alastor Moody or Elend Shawn to protect the child." With that being said, Severus got up from his couch and started walking towards the door. There was nothing for him to do here. He would have to look for another place to be alone before Bellatrix or someone else found him.
Just as he was getting out of the room, he heard Dumbledore's soft voice. "The boy has her eyes, Severus. Think about it, this may be your last chance. You can be a better person, just like she wanted."
Ashram POV
Sunday 8th November 1981 (Greece) - Early morning
Ashram was waiting for Xaladir to make his appearance. He was standing near the border of a cliff, looking to the calm sea and the waves colliding with the rocks that formed the bottom of the cliff.
"You have finally come," a voice said from behind him.
Ashram turned to the voice, knowing very well who it was. "Xaladir, it has been a long time," Ashram greeted in response. It was true, it had been more than two years since he last saw Xaladir, and he was exactly as he remembered. A tall man with short, greyish hair which almost resembled a shade of dirty silver, with a short-cut beard that seemed to be freshly shaved.
The man's bare presence demanded respect. He was a very powerful wizard, one of the Five Masters who formed part of the elite of the Order of Merlin. Most people and countries might have forgotten their existence, and it was not strange. The Order of Merlin had been acting in the shadows for centuries, following their own agenda, and only a few people seemed to remember its existence.
"The Dark Lord has fallen," Ashram announced. "Nobody knows how, though; all the people I have asked tell me the same. That they do not know how it could have happened."
"I have my own theory," Xaladir commented; still, he didn't elaborate on it. "But I have not summoned you here to tell you why I think the man who called himself Lord Voldemort died." Then, he started to walk towards the border of the cliff, next to where Ashran stood.
"I am here to end our partnership, you are no longer of use to me," the Master told him, looking at the younger wizard eye to eye..
To be honest, this was what Ashram had expected after receiving the summoning, and quite frankly, this may be the best possible outcome for him. Xaladir and his kind were very dangerous people to play around with, but before the ending of the meeting, he had some questions that needed answers; so he decided to push his luck a bit.
"You do not seem very disgusted about the Dark Lord's death," Ashran pointed out. "I thought you were trying to use him to fulfil your own agenda. What made you change your mind?"
Now Xaladir was looking at him once again and Ashram started to fear that he might have pushed his luck too much, but then, the Master answered him. "I understood he was way out of my control. At first, I thought I could manipulate him, but this whole time I have been keeping an eye on him." He took a moment before continuing. "He was powerful, maybe more than anyone has ever been, but he was a fool and he became mad in his search for power."
After saying that, Xaladir just turned around and started walking towards the centre of the island, just to disapparate with a loud 'pop'. So that was what happened,Ashran thought, a very shady smirk forming on his face. Xaladir realized that he was playing with powers way beyond his reach, and he got scared.
The Russian smiled; there were not many wizards who could make one of the Five Masters to coward like that, throwing away many years of plotting and planning. That was the reason why Ashram thought of Lord Voldemort to be the one.
The chosen one to clean the world of those who owned it; to clean it from the men who allowed the decay of the magic; the same magic that was feared by every living muggle and creature in the times of the Ancient Wizards.
Ashram suddenly felt an icy presence right under him, getting closer and closer. He was also here.
A few seconds later, a dementor-like creature, which was around one metre tall, appeared rising over the border of the cliff. He wasn't a real dementor; anyone could see that if they observed how the end of the creature's body was almost faded, as if he was an ethereal creature. But the moment he saw one of the Azkaban's guards, he liked them enough to adopt their forms.
He called himself Kadir.
Ashran found him five years ago, in a Rumanian forest while he was in one of his expeditions in his search for knowledge and power. He would never forget that day. Kadir told him he was an Essentia; a creature made of magic in its purest form. There were others like him with different purposes and powers, but his dementor-like companion was an Essentia Vindictam, or that was what he told him. The wizard had no way of knowing if it was true or a lie Kadir had invented.
It was him the one who told Ashram to join the Dark Lord ranks. Kadir understood what the real objective behind his search for power and knowledge was, and he shared it, which was the most important thing.
In the past five years since their encounter, the Essentia had helped him a lot on how to really understand magic; just as he had also shown him many spells and curses which was long forgotten. Some of the said magic was far above Ashram control and capacities, but he had learned some concepts and ideas which had been really helpful in the past.
"He spared your life in the end," Kadir stated. He had a deep voice which fitted very well with the appearance he had. "His mind was weaker than I thought. He got scared of the Dark One as every other man did before him. He wasn't as special as you believed him to be."
"You may be right," Ashram answered. "He may not be as special as I believed him to be, but he was as intelligent as I told you. He wanted to use the Dark Lord for something, but he didn't put himself in danger since he had us for that. Now that his plans won't be possible, he only has to break our partnership and walk away as if nothing happened at all."
"He doesn't deserve to be considered a follower of the Ancient Wizards," the Essentia hissed. "He is like every one of your people. The Dark One was the only exception, but he got carried away by a prophecy. He ended up failing like everyone before him."
Kadir hated the way wizards behaved in the present. According to him, the Ancient Wizards were focused on the constant development of their magic. They were feared both by muggles and magical creatures. They were the kings of the world.
But in the present, wizards had turned into weak men who preferred to play a game of power to obtain control of society and politics. Most of the time, the only thing they archived was to kill themselves in their silly games, provoking the loss of very precious magical blood.
They needed a true leader like Lord Voldemort was, but unfortunately, he had ended up failing because he wasn't able to control a prophecy; one of the most ancient and dangerous branches of magic.
Ashram didn't care too much about the purity of the blood like some of the loyalists did. He was a half-blood after all. But the purity of some lineages was something that linked the wizards of the present to the ones from the Ancient Times, and that was something which had to be preserved. That being said, if some muggle-born had the talent and the ambition to become a great wizard, they had to be respected; at least, that was what Ashram thought.
"Come on, it is time to go," Kadir announced. "We have a difficult mission to complete. The Dark One's demise is a very tough complication, but we shall not give up. Change is an accomplishment that only those who seek it harder than the rest can reach, and we are above those men who are ruining what the Ancient Wizards did. We will be the change itself, Ashran the Wizard."
Yes, the Essentia was right. This was not the end. Ashram had already spent many years trying to change how the wizards acted with his numerous travels around the world before Kadir found him.
This was just the beginning of his destiny.