Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the Harry Potter Universe. All recognisable characters, plots, and settings are the exclusive property of Joanne Kathleen Rowling.
I make no claims to ownership, nor am I making any profit.
And that includes no donations for early chapters or shit like that. It's completely free.
Type:- Self-Insert OC Fanfic.
Genre:- Tragic Love Story involving Time Travel.
Pairings- Ares Alexander Potter/Daphne Greengrass. Haven't decided on the others yet.
Author's Notes: To be frank, I've completely fucked up canon.
Warning:-And this story mentions every possible dark thing that can be done in fanfiction. This involves blood, gore, depression, torture and mentions of sexual situations. NO LEMONS, HOWEVER. This sentence is bold, underlined and italicized. So I can't be blamed if you don't read the warning. So please don't read this story if you're sensitive.
This story has no beta since I wanted to try it on my own and secondly, my editors are underage.
So it's all me and my mediocre abilities. I would, however, welcome it if someone wants to offer their service. Contact me on Discord or FFN. I could use the extra help :)
Tales of a Dying Heart
by
Ares Alexander Peverell
Chapter 3
"Are you certain of this, Draco? Will we succeed?" Astoria asked him worriedly, chewing her lips. Although there was a glint of loss and pain in her eyes that made him want her to hug her and never let her leave.
"We will, Tori. WE WILL," he declared, lightly kissing her.
The couple covered their adorned black cloaks and touched their bracelets that served as their portkey.
"Fallen"
"Ah! So you have finally joined us," Ares spoke, seeing Astoria and Draco appearing on the nearest seat. It was amusing to see the purebloods almost falling off the chair. Daphne would have loved to see this.
Shut up! Ares used all of his willpower to control the magic itching inside him from erupting.
"You've been busy," Draco spoke with a steel in his voice, "First Arrhenius Bariston, the underworld don. Maria Shellings, the ICW representative for the Ministry, followed him and now Tiberius Odgen?"
"How many more people do you plan to murder?" he spoke shakily. His wife tried to calm him down; sending a scathing glare towards Ares.
"And do you have a problem, Draco?" Blaise interrupted rudely.
"No! At least you're doing something instead of the Salazar-damned fucked up ministry," Draco spoke, conviction clear in his eyes. He was not against killing, no matter how cowardly he was.
In a split second, the carefree visage of Ares turned into a darker one.
"Why would they?" he chuckled humorlessly. "It was initially the Ministry's plan after all to eliminate the entire dark faction in one stroke. I suspect an organization behind it which has been controlling the current ministry," Ares said, resting his forehead against his knuckles.
"What?" It was Astoria that spoke this time. "Th-That's not possible. We would've known something at the very least," she spluttered in denial, shocked by his proclamation.
"I killed every single one of those attackers single-handedly, Astoria. Each one was a trained assassin: recruited to serve as a hidden militia for achieving a particular goal," Ares spoke wheezily.
"The cloak they possessed had the same Enchantments as the one worn by the Unspeakable. This is not a coincidence." he continued
"Your brother's faction has recently gained power after your 'death'. The Wizengamot was in tatters, although very few people looked sad at the proclamation." Draco spoke, sneering.
"I know. This could've been a perfect way to remove the entire dark faction in one strike." Ares answered back.
"But why didn't they try this just immediately after the war?" Astoria asked.
"Because despite my status as a national hero, they knew too well that going against me was suicide. I killed half of Voldemort's inner circle and I am a well-known practitioner of the darkest magics. And I supported magical equality rather than their stupid Light Magic nonsense. They waited until my brother and I had a fallout before going out for the kill. Harry's very name emboldens the light wizards against the dark. And that's when I left."
"That MUDBLOOD Granger has been the reasons so many anti-pureblood laws have passed. Dark wizards are being beaten. They deny us work and the hate we face is palpable. It's not as if another Dark Lord wouldn't have risen," Draco sneered.
"Ironically, they ended up fulfilling their own prophecies. Didn't they? That I would become a dark lord." Ares smiled; no humour visible on his face.
"This is the same that happened to Dumbledore. Look what happened?" Astoria told them. "The old coot almost did more harm than the Dark Lord ever did."
"My brother is many things. Powerful as hell, stubborn and too noble for his own good. But a Slytherin he is not. I believe that we all got played. I have some insights, though. Any information you have on it is welcome. Had I really died, they would have gone for the Dark Faction and the Ministry's fall would've succeeded it. With the Ministry's resources and favour, my brother would've been their next target. Fame is a fickle friend after all."
"Blaise show them the insignia," he asked, gesturing towards the man.
"Of course, milord," the man in question spoke formally, leaving the trio in uncomfortable silence.
"I don't expect you to call me that," he told them. "No matter what I do, he doesn't stop calling me that."
"A dark lord who doesn't enjoy being called one. I don't know whether to laugh or cry," Astoria muttered sarcastically, although there was a hint of sadness in it.
In an ideal time, they would simply be like a happy family. Daphne would join in and giggle at Astoria's sarcastic tone and likely respond with her tone. Sadly, the time was long gone.
"Daphne never wanted this, you know. She had seen enough of this war that she hoped to leave all of this and never return. Even if it was her home and she would've likely missed it," Astoria suddenly spoke up, snapping him out of his musings.
"Perhaps in an ideal time, Tori. Perhaps in an ideal time," Ares managed a grim smile.
Astoria couldn't comprehend how the man was even functioning. He seemed sleepless, starved maniac and it was likely that he hadn't even shed a single tear.
"I only have revenge to live for, Tori. It's something that was a part of my life since I was born. Voldemort, Antonin Dolohov, Bellatrix Lestrange, Walden McNair, Corban Yaxley. Some of us are destined to be murderers. People like me remain unloved. Fate makes us feel worthless and when we finally achieve anything, it teases us with the forbidden fruit of love and snatches it away. I'm hanging, yet conscious all the same." the words escaped his mouth like a prayer for redemption.
"That's not true," she tried to deny the accusation.
"Is it? I guess we'll never know. I'll mostly end up dead with the path I am walking on. Just make sure Malfoy that you don't stare too long into the abyss. I'll be frank with you, I don't care a damn about what happens to you. But Astoria cares about you and she's the only semblance of a family I have left besides Harry. I don't want to see her hurt," Ares told them, his eyes flashing red.
"I know I can't do it alone. All I require is information and some help. I don't expect you to raise a wand for me." he spoke, pacing around the room. It was strange to see such a powerful man seem so broken to Draco. He kept looking between his wife and Potter, a certain fear resurfacing in his mind.
The next thing that Astoria did was surprise everyone in the room, including herself. She stood up, walked towards him, and slapped him hard across the face.
"The Greengrass name is almost over. My blood curse makes my life hell. My parents are dead, my sister is no more. I won't allow my honour to die as well. It's the only thing that I have left," she spoke with such conviction that Ares knew she would not change her stance.
"And nor would I," Draco spoke, meeting Ares' eyes fearlessly.
Blaise entered the room as the two men were busy looking at each other.
"We've been searching for this insignia. It's something that we have found on all the soldiers," Blaise asked as he presented it to the duo.
"What language is it?" Astoria asked. "She had never seen the shape nor the language that was written on it,"
"I don't know. The translation spell gave no results. It's certainly not in Parselscript, Atlantia, Old Egyptian or Illyrian since I know them myself," Ares responded, eliciting astonished looks from the trio present.
"And it's certainly not a variant of Italian or Greek," Blaise clarified.
She looked at her husband.
"I have seen this logo," he informed them. "It's the logo that was imprinted in Alain Dimitrov's study. I visited him with my father because of orders from the Dark Lord," he added, seeing the curious looks sent his way by the remaining members of the group.
"The same Alain Dimitrov who's known for trafficking Veela's? Blaise clarified.
"Indeed. The same. Because of his trade, he has also gained quite the influence in the Wizengamot and among the newer politicians. He serves as a powerbroker and received additional security from the Ministry. He's invited us to his party tonight to gain some support for a bill," Draco explained to them, although he was curious himself about their invitation.
"With you presumed dead, they think your brother is out of the equation, too. Even Granger and Weasley have been absent." he expounded, sneering a bit while mentioning the trio.
"Don't worry. I'll give the Ministry plenty of reasons to worry tonight," Ares spoke with clarity.
"Will you kill him?" they asked him without emotion.
"I might as well do some favour to this world and get rid of this scum. I can make him speak like a songbird. But where's the fun in that?" he whispered, eyes glaring as the group present could feel his aura surrounding them.
Ares' power was intoxicating. It whispered to them like a siren, soothing yet carrying an innate sense of danger within its folds. They wanted more, more and more.
They snapped out of their musings as it paused. It must've taken all their ability to not prostrate and bask in that aura.
"Time for play is over. It's time to hunt," he whispered.
"Blaise, organize the rest of them and keep them on standby. Why I know they are capable, they are too impulsive to be of any significant use. Draco, Astoria, just make sure not to get caught in the crossfire. Go there and monitor things. Your portkey can apparate you back here if things go wrong," he commanded, not a hint of hesitation in his voice.
[Königtum und Größe][Same Evening]
Ares and Blaise apparated near the entrance of the estate. For irony's sake, he had worn a dark cloak inspired by Voldemort's design. While it was more than just for show, psychological fear would incite even more fear in the people responsible. It would force them to make silly mistakes.
Willing a shadowy aura into existence, he walked towards the entrance of the beautifully decorated estate. With Blaise walking behind him, he raised his new wand, admiring the craftsmanship. It was as if it listened to his very blood sing and cast magic according to it.
He raised a Parsleward to ensure no one's escape.
Who would've thought that Grindelwald would make a better wand maker than Ollivander and Gregorovitch? He might've as well dropped being a Dark Lord and become one. Ares thought in amusement.
"Ardesco"
Ares hurled a humongous fireball made of molten rock and metal from his wand, smashing into the ornately decorated doors of the estate and blasting it apart. The fireball continued to travel, vaporizing or smashing several guards into a pulp as it passed. It soon hit the secondary warding of the house with a deafening bang, severely cracking it.
"Now that's a way to crash a party," Blaise murmured beside him, somewhat in awe at the destruction which a single spell had caused.
"RUN or DIE," he spoke, his voice echoing in the ears of the guards.
Ares got his answer as seven security guards surrounded them. The other remaining guard tried to hobble away to warn the others. Ares knew Blaise would deal with it as he chased after the guard running in the opposite direction.
Before they could even fire a single spell, Ares waved his wand in a circular motion. Five jets of green light emerged from his wand at a devastating speed. Four bodies dropped to the ground as the remaining three somehow avoided the swarm of Killing Curses.
They retaliated in kind. In a flash, they fired a plethora of lethal curses mean to kill in the most agonizing ways.
"Imprimis"
A bluish silver shield appeared in front of him, negating the spells in an instant. The spells kept hitting his shield, making Ares wonder in amusement whether they would realize that it did nothing to him. He held on to the shield for several minutes.
"I'm bored. Let's play," he spoke, tiring of playing around.
"Soporo, Sectumsempra, Sectumsempra, Pierre Scutus, Immolatio"
While the guards shielded against the initial explosion, the incoming onslaught tore through their already weakened shields. It slashed the first guard to pieces: his flesh torn apart from his skeleton.
The second guard fared a little better. The Shield-breaker blasted him back with an incredible force. He hit the wall with a sickening crunch: his bones shattering to dust.
The third guard was not so fortunate. The flesh burning curse picked his flesh away, making him writhe in agony. Moments later, only a smudge of burnt flesh was left on the floor.
Ares felt no remorse for the guards. They had decided on their own destiny; He had given them a chance to run. It was up to them to take it or break it.
He entered further into the enemy territory, his aura flaring around as he kept himself ready.
Following the sound of spells, he came across the scene of Blaise fighting five guards all by himself. It impressed Ares to see him easily defeat two of them. Numbers soon turned against him, however, as twenty more guards joined their comrades.
Ares intervened before they could go for the last strike.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm sure that we can come to an agreement. There is no need for unnecessary bloodshed," he spoke, strolling towards the guards. Blaise sighed in relief at his presence.
"Who the fuck are you? And what did you do to my guards," presumably the head of the security, questioned him?
"Your guards are dead. As for me, I'm the worst nightmare that your organization will ever see." Ares spoke, eyeing the patch of the guard with a fire burning in his eyes.
The guards had the audacity to laugh at him.
"We are ten times your number, in case you cannot count properly. You think you can defeat us?" the head taunted him mockingly.
Ares gave a low, chilling laugh at that statement. Partially removing his glamour, the red eyes shone were visible for the world to see.
His opponents took a step back in fear.
"Y=Y-You Know Who," he whimpered in fear. Ares could hear several murmurs of dark lord alive through the crowd.
"NO! I'm not Voldemort. Although I suppose we cannot cancel the Dark Lord part." Ares murmured to himself. Although the silence ensued, made everyone hear it regardless.
He walked towards the guards as they continued their spellfire. Deflecting tens of spells, he reached beside Blaise. Adding a protection rune behind him almost instinctually, he decided not to play around this time.
Ares raised his wand in a sharp upward motion and incantated.
"Terra Eruptus"
Rock pillars the size of a house erupted from the floor, impaling several of Ares' opponents. The smooth polished floor strewn with parts of the impaled people. The group cried out in terror, urging each other to escape.
There was just a minor problem. There wasn't any escape from Ares' wrath.
He didn't stop there. He crossed his arms in an X motion before slamming down.
"Ancille Cleavale"
A devastating shock wave erupted from the motion. Something literally squared soldiers that had shielded against the initial onslaught into cubes as their bodies fell apart. It broke the rock pillars into large chunks. Grinding the security force into another a paste. It filled the air with the copper smell of blood.
The white marble floor was red with blood and viscera swimming around it.
"Monster! You will die," the lead guard spoke, struggling after being buried under a massive rock. Ares walked towards the man and pulled his head. The man tried to spit blood at him, narrowly avoiding his clothes.
"No one is a monster. The world forces us to become one. We tear the world apart, burn it to the ground and bury the ashes. A new world is born when our blood spills on the ground. A world filled with happiness, hope, and… and love. It does not matter how I die, but rather how many I take with myself," Ares softly spoke, emotions brimming in his voice.
They turned back to red as he inserted his wand into the soldier's mouth.
"Say Goodbye to this cruel world," he whispered gently, speaking with love and care.
"Confringo"
The head burst apart like a balloon, showering Ares with gore, brain matter, and chunks of white bone. Two eyeballs dropped to the floor, portraying the horrors of their demise.
Casting a wandless cleaning charm, he turned towards Blaise. The man in question had his eyes fixed on the remains of the Man.
"Does it disgust you?" he asked softly.
Blaise hesitated for a moment before answering, "NO! It was necessary. For revenge and for justice. Something which we deserve but are unlikely to get. Our own wands will do what needs to be done."
Ares nodded at that before walking towards the main gate. The answers lied just several doors away. He really hoped that all of this was worth it. His rationality was slowly escaping him. All that was filled in its place was bloodlust and rage.
Yeah! Another chapter completed guys. This ride is going to get wilder. It'll mostly be action from here now, with only some chapters here and there that will not be action-filled.
I have a Discord server where you can find me. Join from the link given below. It has spell effects and much more to offer, including talking to me or getting story update info in real-time.
Discord Link- /6ngeKHXktN
With love,
Ares.