Odyssey of a Mage

by mootjeman7

Reincarnated into the Wizarding World of HP universe, Atticus Sayre grabs the second opportunity at life with both hands. With an understanding of what is to come, he dedicates himself to magic and subverting dangers posed to the world he now belonged to. Ruthless, Determined SI-OC. Fem Riddle

49. Chapter 49

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to the last chapter of the first arc! From CH50 onwards, the war arc begins!

The next three chapters of the second arc are available on P^A^T^R^E^O^N / Boombox117

This chapter is a little larger than usual but it ties everything up quite neatly in preparation in for the next stages of the story!

Enjoy!

---

-Break-

9th of June 1942

He sat down cross legged on the stone slab at the centre of the Castlerigg Stone Circle, surrounded by a runic circle marked out in his blood.

It was his first ritual of his fourth set, the first ritual of the remaining four ritual sets he'd do.

One ritual every day.

"Master, you have two minutes" Tweenie, his ever faithful elf said.

He breathed in deeply "Right" he said as he breathed out.

He brought his dagger forth and cut his right palm over the runes in front of him that was connected to the runic circle of which he was at the centre of.

His first ritual was a prepping ritual for the adoption of the magical ability of Fila. He'd obtain a greater affinity for lightning and would be more in tune with the weather. He wasn't quite certain to what degree but it certainly would be not significant, he suspected at the very least.

He began his chant as a chime rang out. The magical energies around him grew as he chanted. Swirls of blood red and white colours surrounded him as he completed his chant and he felt something settle within him, not quite painfully but certainly uncomfortable.

The next day came and he constructed the runic circle with his blood mixed with some of Fila's. A screech made him look up and he saw Fila overhead, clouds increasing and darkening into greys as she flapped her wings.

He continued to create the ritual as Fila gather her energies to create the storm.

Thunder boomed as he finished up the runic circle and he looked up ahead and saw Fila at the eye of the storm she brewed up.

Lightning flashed as he took his seat at the centre. The ritual involved three feathers from Fila, 120 degrees apart with a bowl of Fila's blood, a pint mixed with various magical plants that only bloomed during lightning. The potent mix was intended to facilitate the bonding process of the elemental affinity.

He began his chant and he suppressed a grunt as the magical energies were far more intensive this time. A storm of magical energies surrounded him as lightning and thunder cracked open the skies.

A pause in the chanting allowed him to drink up the potent mix, drinking every little drop of the concoction.

'Fila, it's time' he mentally messaged her as he got to the final bits of his chant.

She screeched and he looked directly up and saw her gathering an almighty amount of energy as her wings effectively became lightning until, finally, a massive bolt of lightning shot downwards and him dead centre on the face as he finished his chant.

He screamed out as lightning coursed through his veins, his muscles, his bones as it infused itself within him. It was the most agonising thing he'd ever felt as he fell unconscious.

"Master! Master!"

He groggily opened his eyes as he winced as he moved. "Tweenie?" he said pained.

"Master you fell unconscious for hours!" Tweenie said more than a little unhappily.

"Well Tweenie, I was hit by lightning" he said with false humour.

Something Tweenie didn't appreciate as he looked at Atticus balefully before conjuring a cup of coffee which Atticus took gladly.

"Will all the rituals be like this?" Tweenie asked hesitantly.

Atticus smiled grimly. Even smiling hurt a little and he had already done rituals that decreased the amount of pain he felt.

"The next five won't be like this" he told Tweenie before he sipped on his excellent coffee "The next five are meant to increase my immunity to magic. The next one is to increase my immunity towards fire, for example dragon fire will largely no longer truly burn me, the next one will be immunity against Nundu breath, the next one will be an immunity the compulsion magic various magical creatures have, the one after that will be immunity against acid whilst the last one is another increase against venomous creatures" he answered Tweenie.

The fifth set was physical rejuvenation. His stamina, his endurance, mental fatigue would all be reduced or increased. He'd likely no longer need to sleep for days on end.

His sixth and seventh set would be rituals to enable near biological immortality and controlled regeneration.

He suspected those would probably hurt the most.

He modified those rituals slightly, to fix his age at twenty eight rather than twenty one. He didn't want to perpetually look like a teenager as he suspected the chances were that he'd look like a young twenty one.

He closed his eyes as he raised his hand. His connection with Fila had deepened, he felt a connection with her magic that he hadn't before.

He opened his eyes and smiled victoriously as he saw his hand crackling with lightning.

He pointed his hand away and exerted a little to cause lightning to spring forth from his hand. "Excellent" he breathed out as he smiled widely.

Conjuring lightning was as easy as levitating something wandlessly now. One of the possible side effects was that he might well be able to feel closer connected to the weather system in the world...what that would mean, he wasn't sure as Aurilak postulated it.

He mentioned that those who had taken an affinity, like fire or water were able to have side effects that increased their attunement to nature. For example, those who had water as their affinity were able to draw water from the earth and able to sense bodies of water allowing them to manipulate their environment to a greater scale.

He was looking forward to finding it out.

For the next week or so, his days were filled to the brim. He finalised the enchantments on the spear and had begun to engrave the spear with the runic schemes he determined.

A few days after that, he was briefing his allies who would join with him to the continent to battle with Grindelwald and his forces. Benedict had joined with him, providing support in manpower and resources.

There were sixteen of them that would join him from those families whilst there were several mercenaries that they would use, sporadically to target their warehouses once opportunities presented itself.

His scientific projects were all on hiatus for the moment, much to his annoyance.

As was duelling. One of the effects of his rituals was that his magic, while not unstable, was fluctuating as the rituals took effect which would not end until the seventh of July, when the last ritual would take on effect.

Because of that, he spent much of it working on his shield creations. He was getting close in developing a shield that could protect against the killing curse but there were still some aspects that was proving difficult to overcome, namely ensuring that the shield worked without the emotional component.

The off white colour that was within the unforgivables bypassed shields and he'd isolated that frequency but he was having trouble constructing a shield that wouldn't need an emotional component, merely magical power.

For the moment, it was proving to be elusive but he was slowly getting there.

When he wasn't working on that, he was working with Tweenie with a task that was proving necessary as time went by.

It would be his most intricate web of deceit, one that he would do all he could to ensure would ensnare his target.

It would be poetic justice, he thought, for his target to be caught in it.

-Break-

Belsing POV

He groaned.

"Wha..." he groggily said as he parted his eyes and hissed as the brightness of the room hit his eyes.

"Whe.." he mumbled confusedly as he blinked his eyes before he moved his body but found he couldn't. He jogged his arms and found them bound jolting him firmly awake. "What the fu..." he hissed out as he rapidly looked around, his eyes adjusting to the bright light.

"I wouldn't bother." A suave voice called out and the light was moved away and he saw a white haired man with black eyes seated opposite him.

He inhaled sharply. He'd heard of a man of this description in Knockturn. A man everyone was wary of crossing as he became more and more prominent in the underground business.

The only man who had access to Basilisk Venom.

"Why am I here?" he said as evenly as possible as he watched the man who sat in his chair, relaxed and at ease, his legs crossed as he watched him.

He smiled thinly. "You are known within the...less savoury elements of society as a man who has quite the taste of obscure magical artefacts." He tapped his finger on the armchair.

"Well, if you wanted something, you could have just asked. Preferably over a Shepard's Pie of course" he said with as much humour as he could muster.

The man chuckled softly but shook his head softly "Perhaps next time." He said with intense eyes.

"Well, as long as there is a next time" he said with a shaky smile.

The man leaned forward, his dark eyes gleaming in the light. "I have a task for you. It does not depend on your willingness in truth" Belsing felt cold dread run up his spine.

"Your sanity, in the end will depend on how willing you cooperate. It doesn't matter to me if you end up brain dead after you complete your task but for the sake of efficiency and for it to work properly, you have this chance to cooperate." He looked at him with a vicious gleam in his eyes "It will not be offered again."

Belsing gulped. "What do you mean insanity?" He asked shakily.

"For the task to be fulfilled, I will be modifying your memory" Belsing looked at the man in horror "And I will be adding instructions that you will follow to the letter. The success of its reversibility will depend on your cooperation. Should you fight it, the risk of schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder and so on increases exponentially" he smiled cruelly before he sat back in his chair, his eyes inhumanely dark as he watched Belsing looked at him with pure terror. He didn't know what schizophrenia was but multiple personalities was something he'd heard about before in Janus Thickey's ward, people who'd been obliviated or had mind magic done to them breaking their minds and making them insane.

"Please..." He started choking and his eyes grew wide in horror.

"Do not beg. Do not offer any substitutions. Your cooperation is what I want, it is not what I need. There is nothing else you can offer me. Do you accept and will you comply or will I have to do it forcibly?" he said in a calm tone with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

His eyes teared up and he nodded rapidly and he felt the choking restraint leave and he breathed in and out deeply and looked at the man with fear in his eyes.

The man fluidly got up from his chair, his wand in his hand before it slowly was raised to face.

He smiled cruelly "Don't worry...It won't hurt...too much"

He trembled as the wand was pointed at between his eyes.

"Legillimens!"

-Break-

Scrimgeour POV

He knocked on the door and took a step back as he waited.

As he waited, he took a few moments to reflect back on why he was here today. That meeting with that mysterious man was often on his mind, the implications of a supposedly hidden Dark Lord causing him no end of worry. He hadn't dared mention it to anyone should the man be correct.

There was little evidence regarding the man's claims. By all accounts, Albus Dumbledore was a pillar of Magical Britain, a man who stands between subjugation and freedom of the Isles, a man of the Light who has several acclaims to his name.

He was broken out of his thoughts as a woman who was getting on in her years opened the door.

"Yes?" she inquired as stood by the slightly ajar door.

He straightened out "Are you Bathilda Bagshot?" he asked politely.

"I am." She answered with scrutinising eyes "And you are...?"

"I'm Rupert Scrimgeour, reporter for the Daily Prophet." He paused for a second "I have a few questions that I'd like to ask you, if you don't mind"

She eyed him for a few seconds before she opened the door and gestured him to come in "I expected one of you to come at some point" she said as he walked into the home.

He filed that away for later as he walked into the home, scrubbing his shoes clean before she led him towards the living room.

"Tea?" she asked kindly.

"Please" he said with a smile and soon enough he was seated opposite her with a lovely brew of tea in his hands.

A few minutes passed as they sat in silence before he broke it "You mentioned that you expected someone like me...a reporter?" he probed a little.

Her laugh was tickling as she set down her cup of tea. "Yes...Yes I did." She said with a sigh.

He watched her carefully as she readjusted herself and got herself comfortable on the sofa.

"Before I say anything, why are you here?" she asked.

"I'm here to ask about Albus Dumbledore" he answered, getting straight to the point.

Her eyebrows rose in surprise before she muttered "Well I suppose that makes sense too" just loud enough for him to hear.

She sighed "What would you like to know?" she said simply.

'Is he a hidden Dark Lord?'

He didn't ask that of course "I know that he grew up in this village, before it became completely magical." He halted for a moment "I'd like to know about his early years"

She scrutinised him "Are you writing a biography?"

"No, I have not planned on it but the option is there, I suppose"

"Hmm." She simply said as she scrutinised him before shaking her head. She looked into the distant as she leaned back in her chair "The Dumbledores did indeed live here in their youth, having moved here from Mould-on-the-Wold, after the tragedy that had hit their family"

His interest peaked "Tragedy?" he knew she was likely referring to the nasty muggle baiting incident but he wanted to clarify.

"Yes tragedy." She affirmed "Percival Dumbledore had been sent to Azkaban for the killing of three muggle boys, something that had followed the poor family for a long time. They never determined why he did what he did, you know" she shook her head.

"I'd always found it a little odd and I'm quite sure there is more to the tale than you think." She frowned for a second and met his gaze "Maybe something for you to look into" she mused before she shook away that thought.

Perhaps it would be. His research had determined that Percival Dumbledore had been sentenced in 1891, 51 years since the incident. Whilst it was effectively a lifetime for muggles, it wasn't all that strange for some to still be alive.

Maybe he could discover why by questioning those muggle families, maybe one of the three had siblings.

"What were the Dumbledores like?" he asked, changing the subject.

She hummed a little "Secretive" she declared after a few moments of silence.

He tilted his head questioningly. "Secretive?"

She nodded deeply "It is the best way to describe them, I think. We felt a little bad for Kendra but the secretive nature of the family made them a little...difficult to integrate within the community here. The boys were around all the time, of course, but the girl rarely was seen outside of her home. Kendra never accepted anyone in the home, always striving to meet with people well away from their home.

Why, I remember that they had been quite the source of rumours. Everything from little Ariana being a squib to a secret Vampire" she chuckled a little dryly.

"Ariana?" he asked surprised. His research hadn't determined a fourth Dumbledore.

She looked at him a little perplexed "You don't know about the sister?"

He shook his head "I didn't" he admitted "There is nothing about her in the places I've investigated. The Daily Prophet records don't mention a fourth Dumbledore. When Percival Dumbledore had been sentenced, they only mentioned that he was leaving behind a young family. The educational records that I could access also don't mention her"

She cackled a little "Well, it seems that Albus was quite good at covering up the dirty laundry" she mused before she side eyed him "Ariana Dumbledore is perhaps one of the most important figures in Albus' life. Everything in his early adulthood centres on the fate of the girl"

He furrowed his brows but she continued "Ariana Dumbledore died in 1899 under mysterious circumstances, a supposed break in where she got hit by an errant curse"

That was news. "Supposed?" he inquired.

She smiled grimly and got up and hobbled over to the fireplace where there was a picture stood up. She returned and outstretched her hand with the framed picture and he tentatively picked it up.

His eyes bulged but he couldn't take his eyes off from the picture "Is that..."

"That is my great nephew Gellert and Albus. It was during the altercation between Aberforth, Gellert and Albus that Ariana was unfortunately hit by a curse that killed her. Oh Gellert had been so panicky that day." She sighed before she despondently shook her head "He had been so guilt ridden in the role he played"

He finally took his eyes off the framed picture that was in his trembling hands. So...there was something here.

He met her gaze "How..." he trailed off, unsure to ask what he wanted to know.

She picked up her tea and sipped on it without a care before she let the cup of tea rest on her lap.

She met his gaze again. "Let me tell you the story of a great friendship and perhaps something more between two talented people, abruptly ended on a tragedy..."

-Break-

18th of June 1942

Emily POV

She watched as the landscape changed from countryside to urban. They were only ten minutes from Kings Cross.

She glanced at her compartment and saw that it was quite filled. She smirked inwardly as she thought back on the last month.

Since her outing as Lady Slytherin, things had changed significantly. She was undisputed leader, the person who was looked at with adoration and awe.

It hadn't taken long for the rest of the House to understand the shifting dynamics...the way the heirs of powerful families supplicated to her was enough for people to understand that magical power was not the only reason for them to do it.

She'd established the rules.

No longer were Slytherin's allowed to bully indiscriminately, and if they did they were required to ensure none knew if it was them.

The words mudblood were restrained to within the Slytherin common room and she'd set the target of each year to tolerate muggleborns to see if they were capable of converting them into true magicals rather than muggles with magic.

It had been rocky at first, she'd met resistance until she'd pointed out that if they were unable to convince them, how were they going to convince Magical Britain about the merits of traditions and their culture? She didn't care all that much about the redundant traditions that were downright idiotic and insulting but it was an easy way to get them onside

After that, earnest attempt was made. They'd found purchase as they made inroads with Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. It had been extremely noticeable to everyone the changing behaviour of Slytherin where before they sneered, mocked and attacked muggleborns, they now tolerated them if they didn't ignore them.

She of course had an ulterior motive to it, she could care less if muggleborns were accepted or not. Atticus had been successful in his arguments convincing her that at least a measure of equality was needed to head the magical world towards a direction that wouldn't lead the society towards a deathly downward spiral.

And so, she would readjust and use it to her advantage. Family lines that have died out would have their wealth and positions, if they were families of permanent seats at the very least, intact.

Over the centuries there have been countless attempts to seize the wealth of dead family lines, either by the Ministry or nominally related families. Hardly ever, if they were more than three generations apart, did it work.

Family magic had to be there, beyond simply having the necessary blood. She suspected that muggleborns born from squibs, with their wilder magic, would have an easier time stoking that slumbering ember that is family magic, in the right conditions.

Names mattered in the magical world, as did knowing where you belonged. Magic was a strange power, one that had depths that most never truly realised. Chances were, these squib descendants likely had weak links to family magic, courtesy of their lines' magic being reignited.

And so she could potentially have many lines reactivated, all indebted to her and that prospect had her relishing the possibilities. Atticus would be the person who'd give them the chances denied to them, and she'd give them their heritage. Even if they were legally disinherited, magically it was something that could not be done and no family would explicitly to disinherit those who had the family magic if they were not from the main line ensuring the ability of muggleborns to inherit even if that is not what those families had intended.

Most sensible families made provisions of ensuring their wealth remained intact in the case that an immediate heir could not be established, protecting their wealth until a magical and blood heir could access centuries of history.

With her unique status as the Slytherin, when she twisted it the right way, she'd be revered in both ends of the spectrum.

In the end, she would win.

The other rules she made was to make connections with other members of Hogwarts, citing that the world was never just Slytherins and that whilst they were the leaders, they needed capable people in the future and so she'd set them to make allies with various peoples.

Gryffindor would never become an ally that was certain with Dumbledore as its head but the other houses were receptive, especially as the change in behaviour seemed permanent – which it would be if she had anything to say about it.

"What are your plans for the summer My Lady?" a reverent voice called out.

She turned towards the voice and saw it was Lestrange.

She gave a small smile "I will be spending it mostly with Atticus" she answered easily. She brushed her hair behind her ears "We have plans to increase our duelling intensity" she said with a smirk.

"Is he as good as the rumours say he is?" Dolohov asked with an excited gleam. He wanted to enter the duelling circuit after Hogwarts. He was talented enough to become a champion she thought.

She lazily rolled her shoulders "I don't know what the rumours say but he is...quite good" she told them as she glanced at the occupants of the compartment.

"Better than you?" Malfoy asked tentatively.

"For the moment" she allowed and the surprised looks she obtained amused her.

Really, did they think she'd accept a lesser for a partner?

"I might be better than him at the same age" she added with a light shrug.

"Do you think he would agree train with us during the summer?" Carrow asked curiously.

"If I asked, certainly" she allowed. She glanced at him "I'll have to see about that though."

The train pulled into Kings Cross "We'll meet again in a week's time to discuss the summer editions of the International Magical Press" she told them.

They all agreed and soon enough she walked off the train and made her way towards the usual spot and saw him standing there lazily.

He smirked when he saw her and she raised an eyebrow in return.

She tilted her head in question at the smirk which he understood.

"Everyone here is picking up family members, their children or siblings but here I am, picking up a poor little fourth year girl, a cradle robber in action" he sighed dramatically.

She rolled her eyes at his antics "If anything, I'm the seducer in this relationship" she said pointedly as she forcibly grabbed his hand. "Corrupting a member of high society with my wily ways" she said dryly with a deadpan expression making him snort.

They apparated to Sayre Manor and as she walked through the Manor, the distinct quietness was immensely noticeable. She knew that he took some drastic actions, hiding away his sister and mother but even so, the lack of residents was surprising her.

*pop*

"Master" the female elf said dutifully "Shall I prepare lunch?"

"Hello Elsie" He glanced at Emily with questioning eyes and she nodded slightly. He turned back to the elf "Please prepare lunch" he paused momentarily "Surprise us" he added before the elf bowed and popped away.

"Where is your great grandfather" she inquired as they walked towards the dining hall.

"He's with Uncle Richard at the moment" he answered "We're alone for the next few days" he answered with upturned lips as they arrived at the dining hall.

Her lips twitched but she said nothing further as she took the seat that Atticus brought out for her and she offered a small smile before she sat down at the table.

"I think he wanted to meet with me at some point this summer too" she mentioned offhandedly as she took a sip of the glass of wine that was given to her.

She saw a look of mild consternation pass across his face before he sighed resignedly "I think he wants to finish the betrothal contract with you"

Her eyebrows rose. "Truly..." she murmured as she looked at him quizzically.

"Aren't you Head of House now?" she asked with a tilted head, genuinely curious.

His lips curled before he nodded sharply "I am." He dragged his hand through his hair "But never has a Sayre as young as me, since Henry Sayre I suppose, created his own contract. Plus, he doesn't want me changing any of my..." he halted for a moment as a look of pain passed and she remained quiet but observant. It seemed that the wound was still fresh.

The rejection of her own father had been painful, even if she'd never admit it. Even if he'd been a muggle, even if she hated the blood that ran through her veins that she gotten from him, to be rejected by your own blood, by your own father was something that hurt.

She wondered if that kind of hurt was the same for him...even if it was rooted in guilt rather than rejection.

"father's terms." He finished.

"Have you seen the contract?" she inquired as she felt inwardly a little wary.

He shook his head "No, not yet but I had spoken with father when he was writing it." He glanced at Emily "I know that you discussed it with him so I suspect the things you agreed with are probably there?" he said more questioning than anything else.

She shrugged lightly "There had been a few things that I made clear, some things that we hadn't resolved yet" like the number of...children.

She looked at him with half lidded eyes as strands of her fell away from her ears. "I suppose I'll find out soon enough" she answered.

Soon enough, lunch was served and they quieted down as they ate before they finished.

Once she finished her last bite, she took her glass of wine and drank it all. She looked at Atticus who was just about finished with his own meal.

"What do you plan on doing today?" she asked him. She had a few ideas of what they could be doing.

She missed his presence at Hogwarts, even if she'd been busy with her projects. Anne Sayre once mentioned something about being able to unbind to someone and she hadn't truly understood until she keenly felt his absence.

She was not looking forward to potentially years of this kind of absence whilst he was in mainland Europe.

It was why she was looking into joining him in the war.

She was also concerned about the possibility of losing him and it terrified her. He was hers and the prospect of being all alone again was something she was refusing to even think about.

He hummed as he mulled it over "I was going to go over my plans in the Wizengamot" he looked at her with sharp eyes "I will be formally taking up my seat at the Summer Equinox, after all"

She nodded in understanding. They'd talked briefly about that a few months back. Most members were sworn in at a magically relevant day, for traditions sake.

"You can help me with it, if you wish" he offered and she smiled.

"It would be my pleasure" she got up and stretched her lithe body and she saw that he was keenly following her body as she stretched. She smiled to herself as she turned to him.

"I'm feeling a little stiff. I can help after I take a bath" she said blithely as she glided towards the direction of the stairs before she halted and looked over her shoulder at him and saw he was still looking at her.

"If you want..." she trailed off softly as she turned a little further, meeting his eyes "You can join me?" she offered to him with a soft tone to her voice.

He said nothing before he got up, striding towards her. She followed his every move as he got behind her, his hands on her hips causing her heart to race a little as his arms snaked around her waist, his head in the crook of her neck.

He kissed her cheek lightly "I'd love to." He whispered to her and she grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the stairs.

She undid her tie they walked up the robes, dropping the tie on the steps. She glanced at him with a curl of the lips and saw he was looking at her with an amused look and an undeniable hunger in his eyes.

She resisted saying anything as turned back forward, eager to get to the bathroom. They arrived at the first floor bathroom door and she pushed open the door.

The bathroom was as exquisite as the rest of the home, spacious in as any room in the Manor with seamless marble floor that was heated to twenty four degrees, regardless of the weather.

The bathroom was split into three sections, the far end of the bathroom was a charmed shower that vanished water as soon as it hit the floor. On the left was the sauna room whilst on the right was the large bathtub that could fit three people with ease.

She let go of his hand and began to unbutton her shirt. She twisted on her heels and met his gaze as she continued to unbutton her shirt. She gave him a teasing look as she continued to walk backwards with grace, all the while keeping eye contact.

His lips twitched but he pulled his shirt over his head before dropping it on the ground. She licked her lips as her eyes roved over his body which was in excellent condition.

She ached to put her hands on his body but she resisted as she got down to her bras and her skirts. He unbuckled his trousers, kicked off his shoes just as she did and was down to her underwear whilst she took off her skirt.

She turned around and sauntered towards the bath, swaying her hips slightly as she walked.

"Morgana's sake, Emily" he groaned out making her smile widely as she turned on the bath. She looked over her shoulder and saw him walking towards her, with a certain stiff member on display.

"Is something wrong?" she said in a light tone as she ran her fingers in the bathwater.

He scoffed as he slapped her backside, she bit down on making any noise, keeping a neutral expression her face as she turned around with a raised eyebrow.

He looked at her lust filled eyes and a slow forming grin "It was there to be hit" he shrugged as he met her gaze.

"Is that so?" she purred slightly as she grabbed his penis, cupping it with her hand which caused him to groan a little.

"Hmmhmm" he made out in a strained voice. His arms went around her and he unclipped her bra whilst she began to take down his underwear, his member springing free at full mast. She wriggled out of her bra, her breasts hanging free as she touched his member delicately which caused him to shiver.

She looked up and met his gaze and stood on her tip toes and he leaned in, brushing his lips with her until he pressed his lips on hers firmly, cupping her cheek as they began to kiss and press against each other.

His member was pressed at her stomach and she suppressed a shiver as she felt the warmth of his cock.

They've made each other come, often several times a night and she was feeling exceptionally...unfulfilled but she had a plan.

She broke off the kiss and pushed against his chest, pushing him away slightly. She saw the frustration in his eyes, something she felt herself but suppressed.

She turned around and dropped her panties and stepped into the bubble bath, ignoring him before she sunk into the water, sighing contently as she went with her eyes closed.

She heard him put a foot in before he too was submerged and at the other end on the bath. She opened one eye lazily and saw him look at her a little amused with a tinge of exasperation in his face before he hung his head at the edge of the bath.

She closed her eye and sunk a little deeper in contentment as she rubbed her legs against his thigh. She felt him flick his finger against her foot, forcing her eyes open.

His were still closed though he was wearing a smirk on his face "You closed the avenues of further playing, don't go changing the terms now" he said in a smug tone.

She pouted a little, not that he could see and stopped. She fell asleep for a little while in the permanently warm bath until she was woken up but him kneading her foot.

She hummed a little contently as she opened her eyes, an expectant look on her face that he ignored as he continued to massage her feet.

She hung back her head, her eyes closed but fully aware of the pleasant massage. His hands went up her ankles, her legs as she felt the contours of his palms and fingers.

The silence was pleasant, warm as they enjoyed each other's presence.

"How was Dumbledore's reaction to the change in Slytherin?" he asked curiously as he continued to stroke her leg.

She let a small smile grow on her face "He looked at me as if I was the antichrist" she said with a vindictive gleam in her eyes.

Atticus' eyebrows raised and looked at her cautiously "Really?"

She couldn't help it and chuckled a little "Yes." She sat up a little in the bath and brushed her wet hair behind her ears "With the establishment of the Slytherin Court, my rule is absolute. Even if the rest of Slytherin House don't know why it is the case. Before, my heritage had been a problem, despite my power and academic achievement. A...barrier that I could not pass, no matter how brilliant or powerful" 'or cruel' she thought privately "I was." She shrugged lightly before she glanced at him "Now there is nothing to deny my rightful place at the top" her lips curled as she finished speaking.

He hummed as he watched her closely. "Did you set the rules you mentioned before?" he asked keenly.

She met his gaze and nodded. She knew that he was sceptical about the possibility of the Dark families adhering to it. She also knew that he was subtly challenging her about it.

He cared more about the muggleborns than he did of his fellow nobles, at least his fellow Sacred Twenty Nine. Not that she could blame him one bit. Many of them were exhausting to deal with, with all of their supposed superiority. But they were where power resided.

She'd been...tempted, at the time when Orion Black made the accusation of being a half blood, to deny it and say she was pure.

Whilst she hated that she had muggle filth in her blood, it was also what allowed her Slytherin blood to be cleansed from the inbreeding that polluted the Gaunt line. She inwardly grimaced as she thought on the prospect to be as...inbred as her relatives had been.

Her mother had not been beautiful, far from it. Whilst the signs of inbreeding were not as high in her as they'd been in her uncle, her eyes and face were far from pretty.

In the end, she'd accepted her origins. Atticus had accepted her, as did his family, wholeheartedly and without restraint. Ultimately, to deny who she was, even if there were things that she was not proud of, would only cause her problems.

Her counterpart hadn't been able to accept herself, going as far to create a fake name and ridding herself of her roots. Though she suspected insanity had probably taken root in her by that time.

Roots that she hated, yes, but it was prominent in her rise...from nothing to very top of the world.

She, after all, loved stories and what better story did she have than her own. She gazed at him, his wet hair hanging loose as he held her foot in his hands, waiting on her response.

From nothing and alone, to the top and with an equal.

"The rules are not terrible" she said lazily "And they know it too. The reputation of the house might not be the greatest but it has certainly dipped in the last six months. Not to mention, redirecting their ire towards the muggles is something that I'm working on...something that will be easily done. Of course muggleborns are more visible, and far more present in magical society but that is something that can be addressed, over time" she answered with a sigh.

He hummed but said nothing further. She knew that he was full in on his precious Illos. She was too, of course, but she saw the value of ensuring that Magical Britain was in their pocket. It was, after all, one of the most powerful countries in the world.

With their heritage, it would be easy to sway either side to their cause. Speaking of swaying...

"You mentioned that the Flamels are in?" she asked lightly as she watched him looked at her feet as he switched to the other foot.

She suppressed a moan as he hit the right spot. "Yes, they are. It's a risky prospect but one that I thought was necessary" he mulled it over "At least in the time scale I want to work at. By the time the war is over, I want to everything set up and organically work without requiring my complete attention so that I can build Illos"

He looked at with a curious expression on his face "They didn't seem to be against the idea of a magical King" he said with a little humour in his tone though she could tell that he was a little concerned about it.

"I don't see why they would." She said a little dismissively as she eyed him "We're literally building a country." She said flatly.

"It would be insane for us to not have some measure of control" she said with pursed lips as she tilted her head "You didn't mention me?" she said with a controlled tone.

He shook his head slightly "Not overly. They're still friendly with Albus and even if I have them under a secrecy oath, it is only a mild one. They deserve a measure of trust." He looked away for a moment and she knew he was thinking on Nymera.

Whilst he didn't overtly mention the Selwyn's, she knew that he was responsible for it. The Selwyn's facilitated the attack and warranted nothing less than utter destruction.

The family has been reduced to two members now from the main line with several distant cousins.

The Selwyn family will take quite some time to recover. She didn't fail to notice that he did it when Hogwarts was still ongoing. She knew he could be ruthless but she wasn't certain he'd be ruthless enough to destroy families root and stem.

The Greengrass family certainly warranted that response and yet he was very quiet on that. She was tempted to poke him on it. To know what he had planned for them but she decided to wait on it.

"We'll see if they're worth it, I suppose" she said quietly to which he didn't respond.

"Did you get your revenge on Black?" he changed the subject and she turned to face him.

Her lips curled "I did" she responded with a vicious smile.

He looked at her with a little mirth in his eyes before he turned a little serious "Was it really a good idea to torment Black like I think you might have?" he asked with a tilted head.

She looked at him with a flat look "Yes." She answered simply and she rolled her eyes at the expectant eyes he had for her.

"He...instigated the whole marital contract situation" she said with a clipped tone, barely concealed fury in her eyes.

"Ah." He simply answered, unease in his voice "Well, okay then" before he paused momentarily and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You know you can't torment people who are going to follow you all the time?" he said with a questioning look.

She looked at him with a deadpan expression "I'm aware." She said a little snippily before she retreated a little into the bath water.

"Good because it's a weak way to instil loyalty. Not only that, if they begin to fear you more than they revere you, it opens up to traitors"

She wanted to say that he would know all about having traitors in your ranks but she curbed her tongue.

When he realised she wasn't going to reply, he asked "How was his behaviour afterwards? I've met the boy before, in social functions before and during Hogwarts. He never seemed like someone who would quit so easily."

Her lips upturned "I have no concerns about him for the moment." She told him in a tone that suggested she wouldn't speak on it further. She had spent an hour on him after everyone left Slytherin's chamber. She didn't torture him, of course but she did do much to ensure he'd never be a problem to her again.

In a strange turn of events, Walburga Black had thanked her for...educating him for her. It had been incredulous but she supposed having favour of the woman who'd rule House Black, if she had her way, which it seemed might well be possible now, was not a terrible situation.

"Interesting that you're embracing the idea of being royalty" she probed gently as she eyed him curiously.

He smiled at her wryly before he turned away to look at the ceiling, a grim look on his face when he returned his eyes at her.

"You were right"

"I'm often right" she said with a straight face as she tilted her head. "You're going to have to be more specific" she said in a dry tone that mocked him a little.

He rolled his eyes before that grim look returned "About ruling, about the necessity of setting the terms without having to compromise" he thinned his lips "I was being naive when I thought I would have minimal involvement in that aspect"

She hummed as she watched him carefully. She was rather happy about his change. It had been foolish of him to think that he wouldn't be overly involved given how much he already loved Illos before it has even been created. She doubted he wouldn't be involved in every aspect. She doubted he'd let politicians get their fingers in his home.

Whilst she undoubtedly would rule...perhaps not with an iron fist but certainly with a firm one, Illos would be theirs and she rather wanted him to stand by her rather than push her to the forefront and let her deal with the parasites on her own.

"And foolish" she added with a smirk before she dropped it "You were never going to be in the background with Illos. You might not want to be a politician but you are a leader. You were always going to play the game, by right of birth and power."

She meant it too. He was a leader in his own right, even if he shied away from it.

He said nothing to that and they fell into an easy silence until she broke it.

"How are you rituals going along?" she queried "You must now be midway in your fifth set?" with intense curiosity in her voice.

His eyes gleamed and he nodded happily. "I am. I have a few rituals left of the fifth set before the true prize rituals begin" he said with a large smile.

"Hope you know I intend to be there for each ritual now that I'm here" she said with a raised eyebrow.

He shrugged carelessly "You can watch if you like. You'll be going through the rituals in just over a year and a half's time."

She smiled at that. They'd worked out the power of the rituals would remain the same if it was done every third day with the final ritual done on the 3rd of March. She'd be doing rituals just before her seventeen's birthday which was fine as long as the final ritual was done after her fourth maturity.

She was peeved that she'd have to wait so long but she would wait. She had plenty to distract her from it anyway.

"Higgs made an interesting comment a few weeks ago regarding this vote" she changed the topic.

"Oh?"

"Hmm. About how the Minister will actually vote this time"

His eyes turned sharp "Truly?" he murmured as his eyes grew a little distant before he shook his head.

"Yes, Spencer-Moon is not leaving it to chance. He wants Britain to remain neutral, especially after the disaster that was France."

"We've expected that the vote would go against war, even without the Ministry voting against it" his lips thinned "But that wasn't what we cared for anyway."

"Then what?"

"We intend to rally fighters to our cause when we leave for the ICW" he said with a glint in his eyes.

She narrowed hers and he continued "I intend to provoke some of them to join us when we depart for war."

"How?" she asked sharply.

He smiled thinly "By appealing to their sense of honour, their supposed nobility and the duties of their House."

Her eyes widened but she was distracted by a sound.

*pop*

She turned her head towards the elf.

"Master!" the elf turned to her with wide eyes "Mistress" the elf said noticeably more politely if distant with a bowed head before he returned his attention to Atticus.

"Tweenie, are you done with what I tasked you?" he inquired with keen eyes.

"Yes, master, I am done! All worked according to plan" the elf answered. He smiled grimly at the elf and nodded at it causing it to pop away.

She looked at him curiously with a tilted head "What was that about?"

"Its the Honey Trap plan" he said with a wicked glint in his eyes. She smiled in response.

"Ah" she said as she hummed. The trap to ensnare the Liesmith. Grindelwald and Dumbledore were obsessed with the Hallows and what better way for him to die on his way to obtain one of Death's Hallows, with no idea that it was a fake and a trap?

Problem was, it was sort of convoluted and he was apparently under the impression because it was convoluted that it would work. Little clues, vague directions and intrigue that played on the Bastard's arrogance in his intellect would ultimately ensnare him into the trap.

"If it doesn't work, I get the next attempt" she said with twitching lips. She wondered how normal it was for couples to plot the deaths of their enemies.

It was an adequate bonding experience. 'They who spill blood together, live long and happily together' she thought amused.

"Have at it. As long as it happens after his reputation is destroyed. Men like him like to leave a legacy."

"Of course" she said as if it was a stupid thing to mention. She wouldn't settle for anything less than complete destruction.

She retracted her foot from his hands and proceeded to stand up, the water running down her naked body. He looked at her with intense hunger in his eyes.

"Shall we discuss your strategy now?" she said in a bored tone, ignoring his gaze as she stepped out of the bath and onto the floor with grace.

He made a strangled noise "Sure" he said and she turned to him and saw him with a strained look.

"You know, you could have me" she said in a lazy tone as she waved her hand over her body, drying herself.

She extended her hand and a towel flew towards her that she grabbed. She turned to him, in all her naked glory with a dull expression on her face.

His face was strained as his eyes roved on her body. "I know" he said in a despondent tone. "But..."

"But you made that stupid remark about waiting" she said as she rolled her eyes. She wrapped the towel around her "You do realise you're not going to see me for some time, don't you? Waiting on some arbitrary time is incredibly foolish." She sighed a little dramatically as she turned around and began to walk out but not before she heard him mutter something.

"I am a fool, I know" she heard faintly and she smiled to herself.

Good to hear she mused. Maybe she'll make him completely hers by the end of the summer.

-Break-

21st of June 1942

He washed down the last of his breakfast with a glass of orange juice before he stood up ready to get dressed. Emily and Benedict were still eating their breakfast when he left the table.

An hour later he was ready to go as were Emily and Benedict, all adorned in his formal robes with the Sayre and McDowell crests on his breast. He wore Gryffin hide trousers, one typically used for duelling, to protect the legs whilst also keeping the ease of movement at a relatively decent level. It was a kind of statement...one that some would not fail to notice.

Speaking off Emily, it would be Emily's first time within the Wizengamot chamber, even if this time she'd be in the gallery with Benedict, watching him sworn in and watching the day's session.

After a quick trip through the floo network, he'd made his way through the Ministry, having noticed several clusters of people gossiping as they walked past them, intently watching him as well.

"There is a lot of interest in today's proceedings" Benedict offered to the pair of them.

"Because of the vote and the investments?" Emily questioned.

"Yes to both counts but also because it's been some time since a young Lord has been invested within the Wizengamot, especially one as well known as Atticus." Benedict helpfully supplied.

Soon enough they walked through the doors that lead through to the Wizengamot chamber and Atticus couldn't help but think that the chamber was impressive, aesthetically anyway.

It was a domed circular room with separated tiers. The upper tier was reserved for permanent seat holders, the place he'd be seated whilst the mid tier was for the noble elected whilst the ministry was opposite the hereditary seats.

The gallery was opposite the seats, high above where they could watch the proceedings. There were segregated areas, those for the press and for visitors that received approval. Most of the visitors tended to be kin or members of the household of Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot.

He felt a hand squeeze his and he glanced to the side and saw Emily looking at him keenly with a blank expression on her face, ever the controlled person that she was. He kept his face neutral but he squeezed back before she let go and walked away from him.

Emily went up towards the gallery whilst Benedict stayed with him to take the proxy for House McDowell.

They moved towards the cordoned off section reserved for those who would be invested within the Wizengamot. His eyes caught several elderly people with crests that he recognised. There were a few younger people, though they were clearly at least in their thirties. The elder people would be invested on behalf of their charges, taking a slightly different oath that would bind them to do the will of their charge along with the oaths of the Wizengamot. All of these were Houses that had suffered in the past few months at the hands of Grindelwald.

There were several points in time Lords and Ladies could be invested. There was no exact set time of course. You could get invested at the next Wizengamot session without problem but tradition dictated that investment should happen at a sacred day, in respect of Magic and the meaning behind the days. Not many people still adhered to such traditions, most of them being of the greyer and darker families.

As such, most bills would be voted on, on those days, annoyingly causing those days to become quite hefty.

The minister and his staff walked through the doors after the last few Lords and visitors trickled through.

"Seal the doors" Chief Warlock Gore bellowed as the doors mechanically shut with a thud.

One of the clerks stood up, dressed in the formal Wizengamot robes, indistinct and without any crests, holding a document within his hands.

"Chief Warlock, before this session of the Wizengamot can be brought to order, we have five investments of Heads of Houses to carry out" the clerk dutifully informed the Chief Warlock.

Murmurs rang around the chamber as people took stock of the situation. It was uncommon for that many investments to be done at the same time. It brought back the disturbing losses that was had only a few short months ago.

The Chief Warlock peered down his glasses and turned his gaze towards where Atticus and the rest of the people who'd be invested today were standing. He turned away from them and turned to the clerk.

"Very well" Gore intoned and gestured for the clerk to continue.

"Lord Halston, please approach the podium and swear the oath" the clerk announced.

And so he did. A few of the investments were done by a few young people who immediately assigned proxies for their seats.

Soon enough it was his time.

"Lord Sayre-McDowell, please approach the podium and swear the oath." The clerk intoned and Atticus walked towards the raised podium that was at the centre of the chamber.

"I, Atticus Markus Sayre, Head of the House Sayre, Head of the House McDowell, solemnly swear to act with honour, with fairness, with integrity as required of me in my duties and responsibilities granted to me by blood, by magic and by oath. I vow to uphold the laws of the Realm, to carry out justice on behalf of the People with fairness and without favour, this so I swear. So Mote It Be" he swore dutifully.

Chief Warlock nodded imperiously "The oath has been accepted and validated. Welcome Lord Sayre-McDowell to the Wizengamot."

Atticus inclined his head "In accordance with our customs, I am assigning Benedict Sayre as my Proxy for House McDowell." He declared to the chamber.

Chief Warlock Gore banged his gavel. "Accepted. You may take your seat Lord Sayre-McDowell"

Until he either absorbed House McDowell in the Sayre family, he'd remain double barrelled given the stature of both houses, even if Sayre was greater, within the Wizengamot. If he absorbed the house, the seat would go up for nomination. Only permanent seat holders could not be absorbed.

Atticus looked back at his great grandfather who nodded to him with a proud yet saddened glint in his eye.

He's witnessed, now, three generations of Sayres taking their seats amongst the Wizengamot.

He nodded to Eldric Carson, Marvin Garrick and Silas Merek, the Lords of their respective Houses.

He met them more often than he'd ever done so before this summer, planning and training with them for when they'd join him in the war against Grindelwald.

Soon enough, the session was ready to be begun.

Gore took his seat and banged his gavel "I call this session of the Wizengamot to order. My Lords and Ladies, please be seated" and the chamber did as requested

Gore looked around the chamber, making eye contact with numerous individuals as he held the floor.

"I welcome you all on this auspicious day, two weeks before arrival of Yule 1941. I now declare the 606th session open" Gore said imperiously.

"Hear, hear!" Lord Fawcett called out from his seat which was followed by a few more calls.

The first hour had been spent to get the more insignificant items of the docket, one of them being the restructuring of the taxing of enchanted quills.

Finally it was time for the main bill of the day, perhaps even year as Lord Bones stood up.

Murmurs began in the Gallery which quieted down.

"The chair recognises Lord Harfang Longbottom" Gore intoned

Atticus glanced at Spencer-Moon who looked impassive. Lord Longbottom was part of a powerful coalition that included several Most Ancient families, one of them being House Potter and Bones. Fleamont Potter didn't quite have the presence his father, Henry Potter but he shared some of the eloquence, according to Benedict, that his late father had.

The deal with Spencer-Moon was for them to abstain, along with their allies who hadn't been happy with it. Benedict had left him to take the reins of the coalition and so he'd been left to assure them of the futility of their actions should they seek to vote once more for war.

He'd told them that it changed nothing, none of their plans would be changed even if Britain remained firmly inactive in the war.

Of course, he left out the part where he'd act

"Thank you Chief Warlock" Longbottom spoke with a smooth tone before his eyes roved around, eying the chamber deliberately.

"Honoured members of the Wizengamot" he said with a solemn tone as he looked at everyone. "Much has changed since the last time the vote for war had been brought to this very chamber." Longbottom halted as a grave expression fell upon his face.

"Europe is evermore burning, the great nations of Europe fight to the death to survive the Scourge that is Grindelwald. The Americans have witnessed the plight and answered the call and fight against Dark Lord Grindelwald and his followers, all in the name of preserving the Statute, in the name of ensuring that the madman does not tear down centuries of structures and to deny him the opportunity to build his depraved Empire." He halted for a moment as he let the graveness of the situation fill the room.

"France has fallen" he intoned with deep solemnity "The enemy is at the gates" he said loudly racking his knuckles on the wooden frame of his box seat. "Grindelwald took down the French, reportedly killing hundreds on his own!" he loudly said as murmurs filled the room all tingeing with fear and worry.

"Each day we remain uninvolved, is a day the noose tightens around us. Each day that we delay, becomes another day we allow our enemy to regroup and plan the invasion of our nation." He craned his neck around "For this is no doubt that Grindelwald seeks to conquer all, to subjugate all! He's already tried to subdue us with assassinations, to silence those of us who feel the call of duty!" His eye went to the various new Lords and Proxies before they met Atticus who gave a slight nod in return before Longbottom cast his eyes away and continued

"We must fight, now, whilst we can still change the outcome of the war to terms we can find palatable, before it becomes too late!" he said finally as he took his seat back, a dissatisfied expression on his face whilst the room rose in noise as whispers and murmurs rang around the chamber.

His eyes caught someone else standing and realised it was Lord Adrian Sykes. The Sykes' family were an accomplished family, one that regularly churned out impressive witches and wizards and more often than not were Ravenclaws and Slytherins.

They were an independent House, one that preferred the fluidity of remaining independent rather than being in an alliance. Benedict mentioned that father had difficulty breaking ground with them.

"The chair recognises Lord Adrian Sykes" Gore intoned.

"And I thank you, most honourable Chief Warlock" Sykes spoke with a cultured voice before his eyes went to Longbottom.

"Lord Longbottom spoke well." He acknowledged with a dip of the head before his eyes sharpened "But the troubles on the continent merely highlights the necessity of remaining out of the conflict" murmurs of agreement was heard in the chamber, amongst the protests which seemed to be more subdued.

He stood tall, his hands behind his back as he marginally swivelled around "Gellert Grindelwald is an existential threat to Magical Britain, this cannot be denied and no one with any sense would even make a single disparaging comment to that singular fact. But" He raised his hand, that balled into a fist but he left his index finger raised "that does not mean we must declare war on Grindelwald and his coalition. The attacks that have happened on these Isles, as terrible the loss of life have been, and as devastating as it has been to lose my fellow peers of this great Nation, have only highlighted that we are ill equipped to ensure that these Isles remain out of Grindelwald's touch. Completely." He articulately explained to the chamber.

Atticus leaned back in his chair, his hand on his chin as he surveyed the room. He glanced at Longbottom, Bones and their allies and saw that they were unhappy with this direction that Sykes was taking it. A quick look at the gallery only showed that it was making the people think, and they weren't liking what Sykes was telling them.

"Are we prepared to join this war, to send our men, the very men that would be needed to defend these Isles should Grindelwald make his way towards us? When there are still methods that he could employ to breach our defences as he so ably showed only a short few months ago?" He posed to the room.

"So you would rather us cower in our homes, waiting on the day that Grindelwald manages to bother skip the Channel whilst the rest of Europe burns?" Bones said outraged as he stood up, apoplectic with fury.

Sound exploded in the chamber as people began to shout over one another.

Atticus was mildly amused at the scenes as accusations and anger rang around.

"Are you having a good time?" Carson asked drawing Atticus attentions.

"Can't say I'm bored" he said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Merek snorted but was cut off from saying anything by a loud banging.

"Order! Order!" Gore banged his gavel. It took a few moments for silence to reign again.

Gore looked at Bones disappointedly "Refrain from interrupting Lord Bones. If you desire to contribute to the debate, you must wait your turn" he said with a disapproving tone.

Bones' face pinched but curtly nodded.

He gestured Sykes to continue.

"Thank you Chief Warlock" he said with a polite nod before his eyes fixed on Bones "To answer Lord Bones' question, even if it was unsolicited" he said with a dry tone causing Bones to glare at Sykes "I would not have us cower but rather ensure that we remain sensible. France has fallen. Such an occurrence is unprecedented. The gravity of such an occurrence cannot be understated and it highlights the dangers that Grindelwald represents." He turned his eyes around the chamber "We must ensure that the Isles is kept safe and I do not see such a thing happening if we send our men to mainland Europe to be killed like so many other men." He finished what Atticus thought was a weak point.

He tuned out the next few men who spoke either for, or against until it was time for the vote.

"You may now cast your votes" Gore said.

The process of voting was simply. Within each seat there an enchanted orb that registered the person's vote. Abstain, aye or nay.

A slew of orbs went up, flickering one colour or another as people voted.

Murmurs rang in the public gallery as individuals began to tally the votes as more and more hands went up.

Until Spencer-Moon and his staff who all voted nay, their orbs reflecting that choice. At that point, furious whispers broke out as Spencer-Moon broke convention.

Atticus orb flickered into abstaining, as did his allies, and he received questioning looks, some even looked furious at the perceived betrayal. His eyes met Lord Black who looked at him with a blank expression.

Atticus gave nothing away as he turned away from him and met the eyes of Emily who looked on with a neutral expression, no doubt absorbing every little bit of information she could.

The votes were tallied and the declaration of war did not pass.

Minister Spencer-Moon stood up, quietening the room.

"I had originally desired simply for the Wizengamot to vote either for or against the declaration of war" he paused momentarily before he continued "But as our country faces, as Lord Sykes so aptly described, an existential threat to these Isles, it would be irresponsible for me and my staff to remain quiet on a debate and bill as important as this." He paused again letting his words sink into the room.

"My Lords, My Ladies, I understand the desire to aid our friends on the continent and make no mistake" he said smoothly as his voice rang in the room "We are not abandoning them. My administration will never allow such a thing to happen. The plight of France, of Russia and many others is heard and will be addressed as we seek to bolster their people with as much material aid as we can reasonably offer." Atticus had to say it, Spencer-Moon was not a terrible orator. "But our men will remain on the Isles. This is not a war that we can participate in. Grindelwald has not declared war against Magical Britain" furious outcries could be heard in the Gallery that Atticus noted to be members of families that had been killed by Grindelwald's followers.

Spencer-Moon spoke over them "And though his touch has been felt in these Isles, for a short period of time, I do not determine it to be an act of war. As a consequence of those outbursts of violence, we have tripled the budget of warding these Isles against any further excursions, we have increased the patrols of our men around our coast to ensure they do not enter our country through muggle means, we are doing all we can to protect these Isles, as we are required to do." He paused momentarily as he looked at a furious Longbottom. In truth many in the coalition were furious whilst Lord Black and his people were far more restrained in their reactions though Atticus could see anger in Lord Black's eyes.

"We are not required to declare war against Grindelwald for his attempts to destroy to the Statute. The ICW have that responsibility. We are not responsible to ensure European Ministries remained standing, we have no formal alliance with any of the Ministries. Our responsibility is and always remains to the safety of this country. And we do that by staying out of the conflict" Spencer-Moon declared before he took his seat which was the moment the room exploded, once more in accusations and attacks.

"Order! Order! ORDER!" Gore banged his gavel furious. It took a few moments for silence to reign again. He glared at the room, which was an impressive sight. A stern elderly man if there ever was one.

"The next person who breaches etiquette will be banished from this session." he bellowed in a disappointed tone. "Debate is now open" he intoned before he banged his gavel.

Lord Potter stood up and Gore glanced at the man before he nodded.

"Thank you, most honourable Chief Warlock." Potter said calmly before he turned his eyes towards the Minister.

"I am dismayed about today's proceedings" Potter said with a scornful tone "The Minister states that the responsibility of protecting our country does not coincide with ensuring that Grindelwald is put down like the maniac that he is, is disappointing and worrying" he glared at the Minister before he looked away, towards the rest of the room "To remain on the sidelines until Grindelwald becomes too great a threat to adequately put down is singularly the greatest danger we would be putting our country in. Grindelwald and his ideals must be defeated and we have a responsibility to the wider magical world and the muggle world." he exclaimed which Atticus noted had some reactions. Mostly annoyance by people like the Minister but some had looks of quiet approval.

Potter continued "A man like Grindelwald will not be stopped by wards, no matter how expensive or expansive."

Lord Jugson stood up to speak.

"And how do you propose defeating a man such as Grindelwald? A man who reportedly killing over a hundred people with a single spell!" Lord Jugson probed

Potter looked at Jugson "No man is invulnerable and despite the claims of his fanatical supporters, Grindelwald is a man, even if he is a skilled and powerful man."

Some people looked at Potter with disbelieving eyes. "Are you offering yourself Lord Potter?" Lord Fawcett called out in a snide tone.

Lord Potter looked at Fawcett with an amused expression "There are plenty of others ways than a straight duel. I may not be as powerful, perhaps not even close but brute force does not have to be the only way" he said in a somewhat cryptic tone.

After that, a few minutes of back and forth happened until he stood up.

Immediately, he captured the attentions of everyone.

Arcturus Black POV

Arcturus watched the young Lord Sayre stand up.

"Hmm, curious as to what he'll say. We weren't expecting him to back down" Lestrange mused who sat directly below Arcturus.

Arcturus remained silent as he watched the young man. He hadn't expected him to abstain either. Whilst his votes wouldn't have made a dent in the vote, it sent a certain message that Arcturus did not like.

The room quieted as the young man surveyed the room.

"My late father believed in duty." Sayre began smoothly as he stood tall, his eyes surveying the chamber. He made for an intimidating figure, even if he was so very young. His face leaked nothing out as it was impassive, his eyes guarded and hardened.

"It is one of many things that he taught me. The aspect of duty." He rolled that word out deliberately, as if tasting the word on his tongue. "Duty of family, duty of the responsibilities that each one of us, all of you seated in this chamber has in common."

His eyes hardened as his face fell in a sombre expression "He died performing his duty to family, targeted for doing his duty for his country and people by trying to convince many of you here today of the threat that Grindelwald posed and the responsibility our nation has to tackle the threat he poses. He and hundreds more died in what they believed to be the right thing to do." his voice as sharp as a whip as his eyes roved around.

Arcturus bit down a snort of amusement as several turncoats looked uncomfortable that he knew had promised Markus before his untimely demise to vote once more for war.

His eyes went to the Minister "The Minister correctly states that it is our duty to ensure the safety of this great nation, that it is our responsibility that we protect these Isles against those who threaten it." He paused momentarily as he let that sink in.

The Minister looked pleased at that admission whilst many were having pinched expressions. Curiously, he saw neutral expression of Sayre's long time allies.

"And yet, that duty cannot be discharged appropriately with the danger that Gellert Grindelwald presents just as a greater duty is ignored, a duty to magic." He said in a stern tone as he put his arms behind his back.

This caused some bouts of confusion given that Sayre had voted against war. Spencer-Moon seemed to be struggling to contain himself.

"Many of you wonder why I say this, given that I abstained." He inclined his head in acknowledgement of their confusion.

"I did not abstain because I believed war against Grindelwald was the wrong choice, I abstained because I recognise the futility of voting for war in these chambers." He looked intently at several members who were vocally against war.

"I once read a passage that describes what I have seen today in this chamber..." he trailed off as his eyes surveyed the room.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" he eloquently spoke amidst the silent chamber.

"That is what I see here today, my Lords, my Ladies, the wilful desire to cast away any responsibility that we hold to the safety of the Wizarding World that Gellert Grindelwald poses to our very world!" He thundered out, his eyes ablaze with power as they swept around the room. His arm was raised from behind his back and waved it in an arc.

"And make no mistake, Gellert Grindelwald is an existential threat to the safety of the Wizarding World, an evil that would sunder our world into depths we would never recover from should he win." He vehemently said in a furious tone, his voice carrying out towards the very edges of the chamber with little difficulty, his face twisted in passionate fire before he returned it into a more controlled fiery expression

"As we sit here, in safety and comfort, Europe burns to the ground, as thousands of our people, for those who have magic in their veins are our kin and brethren" he said with fiery eyes as magic began to shimmer around him causing Arcturus' eyes to widen "are slaughtered in their homes and in the streets as Grindelwald strangles Europe with a deathly grip in his crazed attempt of conquest" He gestured with both of his hands clenched tightly before he continued.

"As we sit here today content and wilfully delay any meaningful aid we can provide, Grindelwald continues to break the Statue of Secrecy that has safeguarded our world from the depravations of the muggles. Each day that we let him continue in his madness, is another day he edges nearer to victory, a victory that see us fall off into the abyss." He emphatically intoned as the room was captured completely in his powerful presence.

He paused, once more surveyed the room "You all represent the best of these Isles, hailing from storied families who have acted in best interests of the Wizarding World, in the best interest of our people" he said in a soft velvety voice.

"And yet, the proceedings today that I have witnessed leave me bitterly disappointed" he followed up with dissatisfied expression on his face.

This finally got reactions from everyone in the chamber as murmurs of disagreement and disapproval rang out.

"And why would you say that Lord Sayre?" Lord Ogden asked with a displeased look.

Sayre glanced at the man with a thin, grim smile. "Because it is clear to me that you have forgotten. That you have forgotten the wider duty to magic each of us hold, the duty towards the magical world that is being ignored by the posturing and the lack of honour that is being displayed within this chamber" he intoned harshly.

"What do you know of honour?! You're barely old enough to be amongst us" Lord Vaisey, an elderly man said in a scathing tone causing murmurs of agreement.

Sayre smiled thinly, his eyes shone dangerously as he looked at the man. "More than you could know, Lord Vaisey" he said with a dry tone that angered Vaisey.

He turned away from Vaisey in a dismissive way as he looked around the chamber and Arcturus eyes widened as the air shimmered around Sayre. He wasn't the only one as the boy exuded magical power.

"Honour is an interesting thing, something that is at least as old as our oldest tales. The quality of knowing and doing what is morally right to yourself, to the code of conduct you hold yourself to. My father's own honour dictated that he try and convince many of you to do what he believed was right, to stop Grindelwald from succeeding, to stop him from tearing down the Statute that has separated our worlds and to stop the depravations he continues to commit" His eyes met some of the people who voted against the war who had, Arcturus believed, pledged to vote for. Some of them looked somewhat guilty and shamed.

"I may be young, I may be inexperienced within these halls, but I know my duty and I know my honour. Tell me, my Lords and Ladies, where is the honour in doing little to nothing as our friends from the continent suffer at the hands of a madman who has broken the Statute by disclosing it to his insane muggle allies?" he orated smoothly as his arms were outstretched.

Arcturus glanced around and saw that the boy's words were angering several people whilst the more...astute were watching keenly.

Marcus had been an able man, someone who could make it difficult to refute his arguments but he lacked a certain...extra to win people over. He was charming when he wanted to be, certainly, but his ability to win people over was not his strongest suit.

Arcturus watched the boy carefully as he exuded magical strength. He wasn't the only one to notice. It was tightly controlled though it was shimmering in a deliberate way now, capturing everyone's attentions whilst making people cautious enough to listen rather than angrily retort.

He leaned back in his chair and watched him carefully. It seems as if the boy would be putting in a performance.

Sayre's eyes were sharp as a disappointed expression fell on his face.

"Every single of one of you, my Lords and Ladies, are seated here because of the legacy your family has wrought on these Isles. Each and every one of you are the legacy of incredible witches and wizards who have contributed to these Great Isles. And yet, when the call of duty is rung, many of you seem to ignore, eager to hide behind wards and technicalities as our brothers and sisters on the continent suffer of a megalomaniac who has delusions of grandeur" he said furiously causing immense uproar.

"Who are you to call us cowards? Who are you to chastise us when you voted to abstain? You speak of duty and honour and yet you are here with the rest of us instead of in France" Lord Prince sneered angrily.

"Hear hear!"

Sayre looked at him with an accommodating smile that Arcturus found more to be sharklike than anything else.

"Do not put words in my mouth, Lord Prince, I did not call you or anyone cowards, if you interpreted my words as such, that is your own prerogative" he said calmly with a glint in his eye.

Arcturus couldn't help it, he snorted.

"I haven't seen Prince that colour in a long time" Carrow commented dryly as Prince looked almost purple in embarrassment or rage...perhaps both.

He spared an upturn of the lips before his attentions were drawn back to Atticus Sayre.

"Gellert Grindelwald is a problem that we cannot hide from, that we cannot ignore. His message is a poison that has been injected in the veins of the Wizarding World, his actions a stark contrast to the honeyed words he has uttered as almost twenty thousand magicals lie dead at the hands of his associates and his own" his eyes blazed and Arcturus looked in shock at the strength of his magic.

He continued "The equivalent of two thirds of magical Britain lie dead in Europe and that number continues to grow" his voice almost a pained tone as his glowing eyes roved around the room.

"This is not a matter of light or dark as many would like to degrade this war to, it is a matter of freedom, justice and honour, all of which Grindelwald lacks in totality. He is nothing but a tyrant, the worst kind as he espouses the term 'For the Greater Good' for the most heinous reasons. A tyrant that claims that is for everyone's good is a tyrant that is the most oppressive." He straightened himself out as the room stood riveted at his words.

"Just like any other Dark Lord in history, his message can be reduced to a single aspect that he desires...control. He seeks to control us all and no amount of honeyed words can dispel that simple fact. There is no negotiation, there is no placation that will quell his endless hunger of conquest.

The deaths that he is causing only continue to decrease the magical population of Europe, continuing the decline of magicals that has been wrought by the wizarding wars of the 1700s, the devastation caused by Dark Lord Necronus in the 1830s.

And if we do not meet him across the battlefield, to end his insanity before it is too late, he may yet doom us all." He paused momentarily as he surveyed the room.

"And for that reason, I will join with the ICW to answer the call against Grindelwald. I will obey my duty to magic, for Mother Magic cries out at the wanton deaths that is carried out by Grindelwald and his followers.

They pervert magic with their insanity borne out of their drunkenness on power. The crimes against Mother Magic are vast but their greatest crime is the slaughter of our kin for all those with magic in their blood are kin.

That is an evil that cannot be forgiven, that cannot be forgotten and must be defeated. There is good and evil in all of us, just as there is light and dark. None can exist without the other and excess of either will lead to destruction, chaos and death. And once more, we must answer this challenge just as our ancestors have done time and again when a Dark Lord drunk on power attempts to conquer and change our world through violence and cruelty with disregard to the deaths that are left in their wake"

Silence reigned as Sayre paused his passionate speech until he broke it with a deathly whisper.

"We are the children of Magic. It is our duty to her that we fight for justice, that we fight with integrity, that we fight with honour. That we protect our people against the threats that seek to destroy us.

This country is one of legend, our sagas and our histories stretch for millennia. Some of the greatest witches and wizards in history hail from these Great Isles, many of them having cemented their legend as they fought against nascent Dark Lords, invaders and evil, regardless if their magic was dark, grey or light.

There is greatness in each one of us, My Lords, My Ladies, and it is time for it to be realised for what can be greater than fighting against a tyrant who seeks to strip us all of our freedom and integrity all the while committed acts of great evil?" he posed passionately to the room.

Silence reigned once more as people sat in shock that once again Sayre broke.

"I will do as my honour dictates, as my family honour dictates and I will answer the call of Magic to defeat a tyrant. Will you answer the same call? Will you answer Magic's plight? Will you stand by as Grindelwald desecrates more and more of our world? Ask yourself these questions, my Lords, my Ladies and do what you will. I hope to see you next to me as we drive back Grindelwald to the edges of the world before we send him to the damnation that he so richly deserves." He finished before he walked down from his box seat, walking towards the doors, the sounds of his steps echoing in the chamber before the room exploded in uproar and shouting as he walked out of the Wizengamot.

"Well" Lestrange said a little gobsmacked.

"Who knew the Sayres could be so dramatic" Carrow snorted.

Arcturus sent a mild glare at Carrow.

Nott spoke up as some of the noise died down, as Lord MacMillan spoke.

"It seems like he's changing the game" Nott mused in his trademark deadened voice.

"Hmm. It seems that it resonated with many too" Arcturus commented as he watched the reactions of the ardent pro war Lords.

Arcturus did not admit it but it seemed like this was the opportunity he needed.

When he got back to his Manor, he invited his sister to look into his memories in the pensieve.

When she came out of it, she had a contemplative look on her face.

"Well?" he asked.

Cassiopeia looked at him "Depravation of muggles, duty to magic, doom..." she listed off in a bemused tone before she took on a serious expression.

"He's saying a lot of things whilst being vague, all the while challenging the Wizengamot to uphold their noble obligations" she said to him. She smiled a little amused "It's clear that he's intentionally dramatic"

He nodded appreciatively. "Yes. It was obvious that he sought to provoke us." He paused momentarily before he eyed her curiously "Did you see the expressions on the faces in that chamber?"

She cackled and looked at him with an appreciative look "I did" she nodded agreeably "He managed to anger many people but he's also grabbed the attention of everyone. No doubt that was his intention, as you say to provoke but also to catch people in his sphere of influence."

"He's setting himself up as an alternative" he mused thoughtfully.

"Hmm. Quite the departure from the academic image he likes to show himself as" she said knowingly.

"Well, he certainly showed that he isn't a simple academic from the magic that was emanating from him" Arcturus breathed out annoyed.

She cackled a little "Oh, it's unfortunate you were unable to snare the boy. Did you see the tight control he has over his magic" she clapped happily.

"I did" he said in a curt tone as he glared at her "I'd always known the boy was powerful but that was more than I expected. It is worrying as it clearly doesn't show the depth of his power"

"Well, I'm sure we'll find out at some point. After all, he is showing his teeth for the first time"

"Yes and his remarks about it not being light or dark make it clear that he seeks to be nonpartisan, perhaps even a uniter of sorts" Arcturus pursed his lips.

Cassiopeia took a seat "You have to admit, he is well positioned for it. Plus, despite the fact that he is rather strange for his acceptance of the mudbloods, he isn't a muggle lover. His message was quite clear that he is only thinking of magicals" she said before she poured herself a glass of brandy.

She eyed him carefully "Better him than Dumbledore" she muttered before she took a large swig of her glass. She set the glass back on the table.

He scowled "We don't need the disruption either of them would cause. Already there is significant pressure to treat mudbloods better than they deserve. The laws that have them treated equally under the laws as common purebloods are nothing but a farce but a farce that they're working hard on making truth."

They remained silent for a moment until Cassie broke it.

"Do you think he will be successful in getting support?" she asked

"Yes. I have no doubt several of the fools on the light are jumping towards him."

"You call them fools but I know you ache to join the war" she said with a raised eyebrow.

He scowled as he sent a reproachful glare at her "We are owed blood." He stated simply.

"We are" she said agreeably "But our House needs a patriarch to keep it together."

"Besides" she continued "It's not as if we cannot support the war in other ways. We do have our connections on the mainland. We can utilise this for them" she offered.

He looked at him with a pinched expression before he conceded "Very well. We will work in the shadows."

She looked at him with a pleased expression and nodded. Her smile turned vicious and Arcturus wondered if he wanted to know what schemes she was coming up with in that crazy mind of hers.

-Break-

Fleamont Potter POV

Fleamont started off the official proceedings of the emergency meeting he called with his allies following the...eventful Wizengamot session.

Once formalities were cleared, the true subject at hand was discussed.

Lord Sayre's speech and his questioning of honour had been...controversial and more than a little confrontational.

The meeting went on for an hour or so until it broke away, several Lords having decided that they would join with the ICW, irrespective of the position of the Ministry and Wizengamot.

The alliance was split on this aspect...the call of duty has strong but to do it alone without the backing of the Wizengamot was something that many were uncomfortable with.

Lords Jason Steward, Harfang Longbottom and Archibald Bones were signing up whilst Lords Shacklebolt, Urquart were far more reluctant to commit to anything.

He looked up at the door as it opened.

"Charlie" he intoned tiredly as he gestured him to take a seat before he turned around and floated a bottle of firewhiskey and a pair of glasses that he then filled up halfway.

"Monty, how did it go?" he inquired with eyes full of interest.

He smiled a little brittle "Not as good as I hoped, better than I feared" he gave a light shrug as he passed the glass to his little brother.

"Shame" he said after he took a swig of his glass.

Silence reigned for a few moments and Fleamont wondered what his brother was thinking as he frowning hard.

"I'm joining the ICW" he suddenly said, catching Fleamont off guard.

"What?" he asked bewildered. "You've not even finished your Auror training." He commented seriously.

"I can finish my training with the ICW." He said with a grave expression "I've been thinking on it for a long time now, ever since the war started. I'd hoped...I'd hoped that we would fight against Grindelwald and his people but it seems that it is becoming very unlikely as time goes on." He sighed before he finished the drink in gulp and stared at Fleamont.

"Grindelwald's assassins almost got you Brother and it is clear that he is not going to stop killing people. I might not be good enough or powerful enough to kill him but I know I can be good enough to take down most of his best fighters" a determination filled his little brother's eyes.

With trepidation he asked "If I forbid you?" he asked quietly.

Charlie smiled grimly "I would still go." He answered just as quietly.

Fleamont looked at him with shrewd eyes. "You're not just doing this because you've been formally warned against approaching Dorea Black, are you?"

Charlus looked at him offended and more than a little pained before he shook his head "I'm not. Whilst I admit getting out of the country for a while is probably a good idea, my...situation with Dorea is not the reason why I'm doing this and I resent that you even make that kind of suggestion" Charlus said a little angered.

Fleamont raised his hands in defeat "Fair enough." He sighed before he straightened out.

"Very well, you have my blessing, even if you do not need it." He paused momentarily "Do not die little brother" he added quietly.

Charlus got up and smiled warmly at Fleamont "I promise I'll try hard not to." He said with a self deprecating grin which made Fleamont smile that he lost when Charlus walked out of the room.

He wasn't sure how long he was thinking about the situation until Euphemia walked into the office.

"Are you alright?" she asked in a concerned tone "You've missed dinner."

He got up from his seat and walked around his desk before kissing her on the cheek "I am. Just had a lot to think about" he said with a wry smile.

"Anything I should be concerned about?" she asked with curiosity.

He shook his head "Nothing that can't wait until the morning. I'm famished, what's been made?" he asked, changing the subject.

Her eyes scrutinised him for a few moments before she nodded.

"Well, Flopsie made this lovely..."

-Break-

7th of July 1942

Emily POV

She watched him paint the runes on bare upper body with his blood with slow and deliberate movements.

She crossed her legs and sat back against one of the stone pillars at Castlerigg as she eyed him intently.

Today would be the last ritual. The past couple of weeks had been interesting. The previous thirteen rituals had been greatly more painful looking.

She'd been impressed that he managed to hide any discomfort or pain during his meetings with a large number of people, many of them Lords, who he manage to snare with his speech within the Wizengamot.

The fallout of his proclamation of joining the war had been immense. The speech had the intended consequence of people joining up with the ICW in droves as he continued to persuade people to his line of thinking, to speak of the duty they had to magic and to their 'brethren'.

His numbers has already swelled as he conducted training sessions.

Her attention was grabbed again as he finished drawing the runes on the centre stone.

She got up and glided towards him and scrutinised the runes.

"I'm not certain what the reaction will be, you might have to be quite a way away." Atticus said distracted as his eyes squinted on the runes for the final time.

"You suspect the magical energies will be that intense?" she asked shrewdly.

He hummed in affirmative "I do." He looked up at her as he straightened himself out.

He walked away from her towards the golden cup, Helga Hufflepuff's cup, the one where the potion mixture that would bind the extended lifespan to him.

Her eyes went towards the ingredients that would be sacrificed. Amongst them, the basilisk eggs stood out.

Their potential lifespan would be sacrificed completely. Whilst Basilisks in theory could live longer than a thousand years, the strength in the ritual lied in capping the timespan, minimising any negative impact which Atticus and Aurilak reduced even further by creating a masterpiece of a ritual.

All of the rituals before today, in the sixth and seventh set, contributed in piecemeal as they reduced the negative effects to as close to zero as possible.

The minor adjustment that Atticus did to halt aging at age 28 only destabilised the ritual to a near insignificant amount.

She wasn't yet certain if she wanted to remain forever 21 or 28 or even 35. She did not particularly care and she was sorely tempted to halt her aging at 49 – especially given that magicals at 49 seemed no different than early thirties at the most – to increase the strength of the ritual.

It would be something she'd decide at a later date.

Atticus gathered the ingredients and placed them all in the required locations before he grabbed the cup and sat cross legged at the centre of the runic circle wearing nothing but his underwear.

He glanced at Emily "It's time Emily." He said softly and she nodded sharply before she walked away.

She was a few hundred metres away from the Castlerigg stone circle. She cast Tempus and saw that it was 6:59 AM.

She returned her eyes to the site, her breath slightly shallow as she watched with razor sharp eyes.

Her eyes narrowed as she saw faint light emanating from the centre of the stone circle.

She hissed, closed her eyes as the faint light turned into blinding light and a shiver ran down her spine as she heard him scream in agony.

The hairs on her arms rose up in chillingly fast fashion as the magical energies bathed her even from this distance.

Atticus POV

Pain.

Such debilitating pain that ran through every atom of his being. He was only faintly aware that he was screaming, the pain of his aching throat a distant tingling in comparison to the pain that was in everything that he was.

His eyes opened and he saw massive swirls of thick streams of magic surrounding him and the stone slabs that made up Castlerigg Stonehenge.

He was at the centre of change.

Time was a concept at this moment as he watched, as he screamed, as he was locked in position unable to writhe in pain, to curl up in a foetal position, these swirls of magic, a kaleidoscope of power swirling in a downward spiral towards him.

He gasped as the magic coursed into him, energising him, exhausting him all at the same time until the pain that had been starting to fall away rose back in furious vengeance, causing him to lose consciousness.

Emily POV

She watched through squinted eyes as she saw the bright lights decrease in intensity at the same time as the magical energy that had been washing over her like a steady tide receded away from her.

She waited several more minutes when the lights ended before she walked towards him.

She crossed past the boundary of the stone slabs and her eyes caught him unconscious with the runes still glowing, burning into his skin. She hesitated interfering until the runes stopped glowing and made her way towards him.

She unholstered her wand and floated him away from the centre stone and put him on the grass outside of the Stonehenge.

'Revenerate' she casted.

He came into consciousness, a pained look on his face as he came into awareness.

She conjured water and crouched down and lifted his head into her lap and fed him the water which he greedily took.

"How do you feel?" she asked keenly as she watched him. The runes that had been glowing sunk away into his skin, leaving an unblemished skin behind.

Those runes were the second part of the final binding ritual and it seemed like it had worked.

"In pain. Exhausted. Relieved" he answered a little dully.

"Can you feel the change?" she inquired a little impatiently.

He glanced at her as his head laid in her lap before he, with a pained hiss, drug himself up and sat across from her.

He frowned as he clenched his fist again and again. He closed his eyes, his frown still there. "I can feel nothing in particular, not that I expected anything." He conjured a knife and cut off his little finger and stared at his bleeding hand until it began to rebuild itself.

First the bone extended itself, growing slowly before veins, then muscle and finally skin grew until his finger was whole again. The finger that had been cut off dried up on the ground, a dried blackened husk.

"Well, it seems like the regeneration aspect still remains in place as it should. That bodes well for the life extension ritual to be a success" he mused thoughtfully.

They'd tested the extent of his healing capabilities and found that he would be able to regenerate an entire limb though it was taxing magically. It seemed as if regeneration took a lot of magical energy. Not enough to exhaust the magical core, but enough that it would deplete it almost by a third.

They'd determined that they'd need to figure out a way to use ambient magic to fuel the regeneration rather than solely the magical core, just in case if in a pitched battle such regeneration is required.

She said nothing as she stood up and extended a hand which he took. She helped him up.

"Well, you're not dead and you seem to be relatively fine. I suppose we'll find out the success of the ritual with time" she said calmly. It was a shame they couldn't truly determine the success of the ritual other than just simply waiting.

She supposed the fact that he was feeling no backlash was proof enough that it worked, considering the magical energy that was involved in the whole affair.

"As always, your words of care touch my very soul" he said a little dryly and she rolled her eyes.

"Come on, lets get back. You've got a meeting with Lord Potter and Charlus Potter in a few hours."

He sighed "I could use a nap to be honest." He complained before he shook his head and extended his arm.

His clothes sped towards him and he caught them before he left them floating in the air, grabbing his trousers first and he started to get dressed. "Lets go" he said as he finished getting dressed as he adjusted his robes.

-Break-

29th of July 1942

Emily POV

"Have you decided?" Benedict asked her as he watched her come into his office.

She glided forward and sat in the seat opposite him as she watched him carefully across the desk.

"The terms of the contract are...acceptable" she said carefully.

She'd hired a law wizard to go over it, to check for any hidden clauses whilst ensuring that her comprehension of the contract was correct.

The Law wizard confirmed that it was as it showed. The Law Wizard was specialised in contractual agreements, someone that Rockwood helped her find, known in the darker families as someone who able catch any...foul methods of control that aren't obvious at first glance.

He nodded imperiously "Good. The terms are quite open and allows for your independence as an equal within the relationship whilst keeping your assets within your control. Whilst no one will know the terms of the contract, people will know of the betrothal and eventual marriage once we file the betrothal with the Ministry." He said calmly as his fingers entwined as he set them on the desk, his eyes scrutinising her with cool detachment.

She pursed her lips "Are we not able to...delay the filing?"

He shook his head "No. There are various legal aspects that make it a necessity for it be declared, namely it redefines your status within the Wizarding World, as a future Lady Sayre, you will have greater freedom and privileges that you otherwise not have." He answered succinctly.

"I would have those privileges as Lady Slytherin anyway" she retorted.

"And yet none but a few know for the moment. To the wider world you're a nameless half blood that has been elevated beyond your rightful place. Only the fear and respect for our House has allowed us to get away with you and Atticus cavorting, regardless of how impressive you are. This will protect you even further now, even if you don't want it, and it shows that you belong to our world with the contract. That will go a long way into acceptance." He returned to her.

"Of course, until you make it known who you are." He added.

She didn't answer that and changed the subject "The escape clauses...they're far stricter than there is known to be" she probed.

Benedict leaned back in his chair and looked at her calculatingly. "You are dangerous Emily Riddle-Slytherin. I know you have little care for anyone or anything in this world and much of that little care is reserved for my Great Grandson." He leaned forward as his eyes hardened.

"I know of the path you could have taken and if I had my way, you would not be near my family" he said in a stern tone that rankled her. She fought to keep her composure.

"But for some reason, Atticus truly loves you and I would not see him be taken advantage of. He has a weakness, one that you're very well aware of. He considers you to be part of that family. You have a cruelty in you that, while well hidden, is very much still there. Atticus has worked hard at offering you a different path to the one you could have taken but I am not convinced that you will not spit on his efforts, on his kindness." He continued in a harsh tone.

She clenched her fists as she stared back in anger but he continued before she could say anything in defence.

"The escape clause will ensure that if you go down the path of destruction that you cannot harm this family in any way. Had I been able to, I would not have made it reciprocal given the danger you could well pose to the world but you would never have signed that, no matter how well I might have hidden it."

"Hell, if I had my way, I would have had him marry and have a child already given the dangers he's about to put himself in." He said in a harsh voice.

"Does Atticus know of your opinions" she almost snarled.

"He doesn't. Neither does the rest of the family. Markus did but for some reason, he had faith in Atticus and in you." He got up from his chair and looked down at her.

"Time will tell whether that faith will be proven to be right." He finished as he walked out in a brusque pace leaving her sitting there with the contract.

She snarled as she got up before she breathed in deeply, forcing herself to be calm. She ached to hurt him but she would not be so easily provoked.

Hours past until Atticus returned to the Manor and met her in the living room where she was alone as she attempted to distract her thoughts away from the meeting she had with Benedict.

He walked up to her and brushed her hair away from her cheek and kissed her. "My lovely serpent" he murmured as she leaned into his kiss. She turned to him with a tiny smile as he took a seat next to her on the sofa.

"How did your meeting go with your allies?" she queried.

He told her about it for the next ten minutes. It seemed that his coalition was growing as several heirs and branch members were joining up in his cause.

One of the measures he was taking was having them swear an oath on their magic that they are not Grindelwald followers nor were they ever followers of Grindelwald, to ensure there were no traitors in their ranks.

Sensible, naturally but he was evasive of having them swear oaths directly to him...preferring to earn it.

It was something she disagreed with, preferring a tight leash on those who would be involved closely with him but she knew he wouldn't budge on that.

'Those who follow freely are those who I want' was something he often told her.

"How did the meeting with grandfather go?" he asked her finally once they finished talking about the meeting with the allies.

"I agreed with the contract." She told him, watching his reactions. He smiled widely and grabbed her hands.

"Excellent." He said happily.

"Have you seen the contract?" she inquired with a calculating gaze.

"I have." He said with a hesitant tone "I agree with almost all of it and the ones that I'm not whole heartedly agreeable about are not terrible at all." He looked at her quizzically "I'm surprised that you're happy with the two children requirement"

She sighed as she leaned back on the sofa, readjusting to face him directly as she put one of her legs underneath her body. She met his eyes "There would be no agreement without that being there. The language of the contract, whilst hinting that as early as possible is preferable, it does not give a deadline. As long as the contract is met within child bearing age, which given that we intent to be in such ages for the next two thousand years at a minimum, is something that is not a concern in the immediate future." She logically stated.

"It does however state that the children must from us both." He said carefully.

"I'm aware" she said a little more snippily than she intended before she looked away. "It is something that can be addressed at a later date"

He remained quiet for a bit. He squeezed her hands "I'm ecstatic you're willing to compromise on that...no matter how long it might be away, fifty or five hundred years from now. I know it isn't easy for you"

She remained silent for a few seconds. She still didn't meet his eyes. "Do you truly want children" she asked a little quieter than she intended.

She heard him sigh and she glanced at him in the corner of her eyes. "I do" he admitted softly.

"Not any time soon...there is far too much that needs to be done and I would not have my children raised in a neglectful environment but ultimately, I do...I want to see little Emily's with my eyes and your face running around, learning all that we have to offer them." He said in a wistful tone making her look at him with a sharp look.

He continued "I knew of my duty to my House and I had resigned to it, marrying someone to ensure that my line continued. It had me concerned for the future, in all honesty, the danger of how neglectful I might be because of the lack of care I might have for the mother." He turned to her with warm eyes.

"With you...It is different. You are everything that I would want, even if I had not known that at the time. Powerful, incredibly intelligent, ambitious, cunning, not afraid of getting her hands dirty" he stroked her cheek "And so so beautiful" he whispered softly as their eyes were fixed on each other.

"I know you have difficulty imagining loving anything other than perhaps myself and yourself but you didn't imagine loving someone other than yourself either until you met me." He shrugged lightly "I have faith in you in that regard. Perhaps I'm wrong" he said with a slightly grim smile "But I don't doubt that I will love a child from the both of us with all that I have. If I have to, I'll love that child, children enough for the both of us." He finished.

She swallowed harshly and looked away.

She didn't bother telling him that she doubted that his faith in her was something that she wasn't sure he should have. She believed she loved him but she was certain she didn't love him like he loved her.

She suspected any child that came from her would be at best treasured like a valuable heirloom, like Slytherin's Locket rather than the love she'd observed Lady Sayre have for her children.

"You're happy even with the escape clauses?" she inquired changing the subject.

"It's not much of an issue because I don't see it happening...Do you?" he asked with a tilted head.

"Much can change in a few years time" she challenged. He peered at her with a piercing gaze.

"It would have to be unforgivable" he said quietly as he scrutinised her.

"I thought love forgave everything?" she mocked harshly.

He watched her carefully "Love can forgive much but everyone has limits Emily. You know mine." He said in a careful tone.

"I do" she answered softly leaving an awkward silence.

"You mentioned that you'd tell me what that centaur was talking about being a Son of the First Ones" she mentioned, once more changing the subject.

He looked at her with understanding, though she saw a hint of disappointment in his eyes that left as soon as it arrived.

"I did" he nodded slightly. He ran his hand through his hair. "It refers to a family secret...one that I cannot truly explain until we're married" he said with a slight grimace "I can tell you that it refers to one of the myths of my family." He added.

She looked at him displeased "You made it sound like you would explain...what changed?" she asked with sharpness in her voice.

He looked away from her "It is unimportant right now and I won't expand on that." He turned back to her "Drop it Emily...consider it a family secret." He said firmly.

She thinned her lips "Very well." She looked at him with harsh eyes "Know that I'm unhappy about the fact that you're still keeping so many secrets from me when we're meant to be equals and completely each other's"

"I know. But I will tell you the truth and all of it. But only when it is time. And right now, is certainly not the time." He said with finality in his tone.

She got up "Don't be surprised if I'm keeping things from you as well." She said harshly as she walked away not waiting for a response.

She was keeping things from him, that was true. Things she'd intended to tell him, things that she kept secret.

She'd continued to look into Horcruxes, and read everything from the few books on Soul Magic that she could find in the Slytherin Vaults.

She had no desire to split her soul, having recognised it to be a faulty method of immortality but she was looking into Soul Magic with the purpose of anchoring her soul to her body, her body that she intended to make as close as possible to indestructible.

The killing curse destroyed the nervous system but didn't remove the soul as far she could tell from Atticus' notes. That meant if she could fortify the body against the killing curse by protecting the nervous system, she'd be immune to the killing curse. Any other offensive magic would not be able to kill her so easily, especially with the regenerative aspects of the rituals that Atticus had created.

She had known that he was against anything to do with cheating death, working around the idea by simply extending your lifespan, simply delaying death but that was not enough for her.

She wanted true immortality and she would achieve it.

If he wanted to keep secrets, she would do the same.

-Break-

8th of August 1942

He stepped forward and surveyed the open field that was in a remote place in Scotland.

Forty seven people were here today, all of whom were from allied families or were muggleborns who'd contacted him to offer their services after he'd done them favours.

Dayton was also here, much to his annoyance. Benedict would not let him go without Dayton and several mercenaries who were contracted to defend him at all costs.

"Morning all. As you all aware, I am Atticus Sayre. Welcome to those of you that are new to these training sessions" he smirked a little "You're going to be put under a heavy training regime that will push you past your physical and magical limits"

"If you're wondering why I'm in charge and not someone older and more experienced" he motioned with his head to a well known duellist, Merle Lockhart who stepped forward and then he motioned Serak Carson, Karl Merek and George Mittenmeier to step forward.

He walked towards the other side of the field with the four of them at the other end.

He drew his wand.

"The rules are anything goes except the killing curse" he said loudly much to the surprise of some of the crowd.

The four nodded in understanding and Dayton stepped forward.

"On my mark, the fight will begin" he intoned.

Atticus breathed out deeply, sinking into his battle mode.

The magic of the universe became more prominent as swirls of magic became visible.

He watched the four men light up with their own unique strands of magic around their core. They were all sorcerer level magicals with Serak Carson the strongest amongst them.

He was the youngest there too, at an age of 23. He saw them speak to each other for a few moments before they stopped and signalled Dayton that they were ready.

Atticus simply nodded to Dayton.

"Begin!" Dayton shouted.

With several pops, they apparated out and soon enough he was surrounded by three of them whilst Lockhart remained at his position hurling spells at him that the other three soon followed up with.

He predicted the trajectories of the spells and twisted out of the way, allowing them to pass him as he bent his neck, twisted his body into a crouch before he swept his wand upwards, drawing earth from the ground to intercept a spell from his left side.

They continued to pelt him with spells that he evaded and dodged with economical movement, remaining as close as possible in his original position even as the spells were becoming darker in nature.

Mittenmeier transfigured the debris of the broken pillars that he had been raising into a dozen attack dogs that raced towards him whilst Merek conjured dragonfire that was coming towards him from behind.

He smiled widely as he apparated and with a silent pop appeared in the air above his original position and with a wide arc created a massive gust of wind that dispelled the dragonfire which also caused Merek to be unbalanced enough for Atticus to hit him directly in the chest with a mild blasting curse that took him off his feet.

Atticus apparated back towards the ground and ducked as Lockhart sent a gouging curse at his head before he snapped his wand towards Lockhart and sent a lightning bolt at him before he twirled his wand above his head, the earth rumbling alive as he created a serpent made of earth that targeted the dogs with a maw filled with dagger long teeth.

Lockhart shielded against the lightning and hastily fell to the ground before his shield broke and with a simple flick Atticus transfigured the earth behind him into a dozen fists that attacked his body until he was sent careening into the sky.

Atticus with smoothness in his every movement, motioned away from the four spells that whizzed past from sent by Carson and Mittenmeier.

They worked together as they sent spell after spell at him whilst Merek apparated on his right side but before he could send a spell Atticus with blinding speed sent a spell chain of a shield breaker, a metal binding spell that constricted him before he sent a stunning spell once the shield breaker broke through the hastily created shield and he was caught in the binding spell before he was stunned.

Atticus was aware that Lockhart was back up and so endeavoured to knock out Carson and Mittenmeier quickly now.

Atticus ducked under the conjured spears before he shielded against the spell chain that had been sent his way. They wouldn't break through his shield and gave him time to start to bring the earth alive as he raised a dragon from the earth that roared ferociously causing Carson and Mittenmeier a moment of pause, giving him an opening to tag a few stones with compulsion spells that he sent crashing near them.

They would subtly influence their behaviour, angering each other to a degree that they would no longer work efficiently with each other.

He twisted on the spot and lazily slapped away the organ liquefying curse back at Lockhart before he drew back his wand and created a fire whip that he snapped at Lockhart.

"What are you doing Carson!" Mittenmeier shouted as Atticus heard various blasts that was being sent at the dragon.

He waved his wand and conjured thousands of rubber bullets that he sent careening at Lockhart whose eyes widened and shielded against the hailstorm of bullets.

Atticus apparated behind Lockhart who swerved out of the way of the bonebreaker curse he sent at Lockhart's back but was too late to duck out of the way of the dull spike that Atticus raised from the ground that hit him on the head, knocking him out completely.

With a lazy flick of the wand, he bound Lockhart tightly and redirected his attentions to Carson and Mittenmeier who had destroyed most of the dragon but with a ease he redirected more earth to flow to the dragon, doubling the size of the dragon causing both men to scowl angrily.

"Fiendfyre" Mittenmeier bellowed and a fiery giant erupted from his wand that scorched the earth as it ran towards the dragon.

Atticus smirked widely and raised both hands, his wand tip pointing downward and his right hand open palmed as he directed the dragon like a conductor directed an orchestra.

The dragon roared and met the dragon head on with its massive maw open, biting into the fiery construct. The dragon inhaled, tearing apart the demonic fire whilst it melted from the contact but Atticus kept the dragon intact even as the earth melted into magma.

"Impossible" he heard one of the crowd say in a disbelieving tone.

He heard a quiet pop and he twisted around, momentarily breaking control over his dragon and batted away the cutting curse that had been sent at his back before he followed up with a blindingly fast spell chain that Carson could do not deal with before he soon enough was bound and unconscious, all happening within five seconds leaving him to retake control of his construct that had been almost unrecognisable as it was mostly a glob of magma.

Time to stop playing and with a quiet apparition, he arrived next to Mittenmeier, much to his surprise before he too was down and unconscious.

He returned his attentions to the Fiendfyre that had continued to consume his construct before he raised both hands and with a small amount of exertion snuffed out the demonic fire leaving behind a magma dragon that Atticus let go and returned to the earth, steaming and scorching hot as it was.

With a flick of the wand he floated all four unconscious men towards him before he walked back at a sedate pace to the crowd.

"That, was more of a battle than it was a duel" he informed them calmly "And yet, that is nothing compared to what you will see when you're out there fighting for your lives."

He glanced at the four unconscious men and with a wide wave, sent a modified enervate at them before he removed the binding spells on them.

"Merlin, even against four of us, you hardly break a sweat" Lockhart breathed out unhappily as he got to his feet.

"I've never seen transfiguration like that before, what is that spell?" someone asked.

"A family spell" he answered easily enough and that was enough to silence that line of query.

"Was it truly that easy for you?" one of the men in the crowd asked.

He looked at the man who seemed to be in his early twenties. "I wasn't trying too hard" he admitted. "But this was more of an exhibition than it was a true fight." He said with a piercing gaze.

"I was holding back my more dangerous spells and so were the men here today, even if it was anything goes – except for killing curses." He said loudly.

"A single mistake will cost you more often than not and you must always be vigilant when you're in battle."

"There is no honour on the battlefield. There is no light or dark. There is simply survival and victory. If you do not take down your enemy hard and fast, you may well enable that enemy to take you down, or worse, an ally that depended on you having their back" he said with a harsh tone that made many stand up taller.

"War is ugly and make no mistake, we are going to see a lot of ugliness, ugliness that war brings out in men." He said with scrutinising eyes.

"I will teach you how to fight at an disadvantage, I will teach you how to fight dirty and I will teach you how to retreat when you know you can't win. Survival of yourself and your comrades must be always what you strive for." He paused momentarily as he eyed them all.

"Dead men don't win. And my comrades, winning is what we are going to do" he said with a firm tone that galvanised some of the men here.

"Now" he said as he clasped his hands, a vicious smile on his face. "Time to do something about your physical fitness. Laziness will get you killed and it is the first thing that we're going to remove from you" he said with a menacing grin that made many wary.

-Break-

31st of August 1942

Emily POV

She sat by the lone tree at Sayre Manor in the comfortable shade as she read a tome on elemental transfiguration.

Atticus' affinity for lightning peaked her interest in it when he tried to change water into lightning, something that he'd been curious to see if it was possible.

It had been mostly a failure as the water exploded in a very explosive way, scorching hot vapours of water had been the result though there had been some flashes that could have passed for lightning.

In any case, elemental transfiguration was a well studied field, given that transfiguring water into earth and vice versa was not difficult to do but the more sensitive elements like lightning and air were a little more difficult to do.

She put down the tome as she cast her gaze at the lake in front of her. She'd be heading back to Hogwarts tomorrow and for the first time, she'd be away from Atticus for more than a few months.

It was an opportunity, she decided to view it as. Given how much of an impact he's had on her life, she could use the independence that it would grant her, not that he'd ever impeded on her in that regard but being cut off from him for some time might allow her to flourish even more than she had so far.

She sighed as she reflected on the summer. She'd met with Rockwood, Malfoy and Lestrange more often than the others, using that time to write in the International Magical Press, most of it being commentary on society whilst also having an abstract view on the war that is raging in Europe.

She hired several individuals who she put on strict contracts who would be able to gather the necessary information she'd need and who were able to edit the stories that she was getting from the network of people that Atticus had put her in contact with. She'd developed a decent relationship with most of them as they submitted interesting stories that were heavily magical centric.

One of the more popular series were the stories of the Incan magicals who had a rich magical culture that had been rebuilt centuries after a series of devastating wars had decimated their people.

In the advent of Atticus' rousing speech regarding the responsibilities that magical Britain had to dealing with Grindelwald, he's been able to position himself as a leader, as someone who was playing the game.

Something that he'd stubbornly refused to acknowledge until very recently. As a consequence of his more...public appearance, he was now inundated with various meetings with individuals who had an interest in his endeavours.

His meeting with Lord Potter and his alliance had been successful for the most part and he was also walking away with Charlus Potter and Albert Bones, heir to the House Bones in his ranks.

The ICW had sent several people who signed him and the people who were following up for training, separate for the training that he was conducting with a select few.

It would not be long now until he left for the war.

She got up to her feet and strode at a slow pace, deep in thought. Whilst he was away, it would fall to her to keep Dumbledore occupied. They did not want him to enter the war, taking away their opportunity to effectively cut him off from any influence by defeating Grindelwald who would not be as ruthless with him as he would be with anyone else.

That was something that they both found unacceptable. The Liesmith plot was convoluted but she saw the wisdom of having him chase around the country for the little clues that they were leaving behind, with clever aging techniques that would make it seem as if they were centuries old.

Whilst poisoning Dumbledore would be easy, and something that she was considering all the time, if it failed, it would forever have him paranoid and any other opportunities would have him pause if he knew that he was being targeted.

Not to mention that he likely was paranoid enough as it is and that any poison would probably be detected well before he even touched the medium.

Plus, it would make him out to be more of a martyr than she liked. No...having him ensnared in this plot, slowly killing him before being outed for what he truly was something she liked immensely.

Problem was that there were many things that could go wrong and she'd have to address the holes to ensure it was closed before they become a problem.

She walked into the back entrance of the house and made her way towards the dining room where she knew he was.

She walked into the dining room and saw him huddled over a stack of parchments, a deep frown on his face whilst he had a croissant in his hand.

He looked up and met her eyes and his frown melted away before he tiredly smiled at her.

"You look awfully concerned about something" she remarked as she took a seat next to him.

"Hmm. It's about the muggle businesses that I've been setting up" he replied with a displeased look.

"Oh?" she questioned as she leaned forward to look at the parchments. They were mostly financial reports, most of them showing negative net income.

"Hmm, whilst I knew the war was heavily impacting most of them, I wasn't expecting such a poor performance." He said with a sigh "I know it matters very little given that I can have practically unlimited gold but I do not want my businesses to be dependent on finance being injected all the time. I had thought the restructuring would have reduced the losses but it seems like it isn't enough."

She flickered through the parchments. She furrowed her brows "You're purchasing shares in electronics companies?" she queried.

"I am" he confirmed. "There are several that I think will be successful" she looked up and stared at him. His grin at that moment was exceedingly annoying.

"Your visions?" she drawled out.

"Yes." He said before he leaned in and nipped her ear with his lips. She pushed him away in annoyance.

"It's annoying that you can just pick and know you'll be successful" she said with a put out expression.

He laughed and looked at her bemused "I don't see why. After all, you're like the second person who benefits from it all, no?"

That was true. She wouldn't voice that out lest he think he'd won their little verbal bout.

"So this company Rank Organisation isn't an electronics brand but rather a film company" she commented.

"Hmm. The organisation for the moment owns a number of film studies and a quite a few cinemas around the country. Film will become huge after the muggle war and much of the development of television, will stem from the opportunities that are present in the entertainment industry. Plus it is an effective way to have influence over an entire nation.

You've already started with the newspaper but later on, magical televisions will be one of the things I intend to make popular." He ran his hand through his hair "With the radio and television within our control, we can subtly influence magical society towards something we want, all the while creating an industry that was previously non existent." His eyes gleamed "From there we can take it anywhere we want."

She laughed "You'll have no time for politics given everything you'll be doing" she said with scrutinising eyes.

He scowled "I have no need for politics when I can shape society without pandering to the pricks in power." He shook his head "Not that I will do it personally...too much. I'd rather not be another Dumbledore or a Machiavellian bastard."

She hummed noncommittally. For someone so willing to manipulate others, he continuously restrained himself.

"Why are these in parchments and not in paper? They seem to be more reports from the muggle world than something written in the magical world" she wondered aloud. Muggles used paper rather than parchment.

He laughed and smiled at her "I had my elves transfer the ink of the papers onto parchments whenever I receive mail from the muggle world. Whilst the ink is nonmagical, it doesn't make anything stand out should anyone look into it" he said with a shrug.

"Fair enough" she allowed. "Aren't most of your elves still creating those golems?"

"They are. At the moment most of the elves are continuing to inscribe the golems. Something like...six thousand are done. Less than a fifth of course but they're on target" he confirmed.

The golems would be used to prepare the site in Antarctica. With the huge amount of area that the Asteroid would cover, ensuring that the Statute was kept intact would mean that a lot of upfront work was needed.

One of the things she'd be working on was the creation of a massive web of illusion.

She'd almost finished the memory crystals already and she could use the time in the Time Room to arithmantically work on the problem.

"Fair enough" she commented.

He shook his head and moved the stacks of parchments away. "I'll leave this for Derek to sort out while I'm away"

He turned to her with a warm smile and he lifted his hand and brushed her hair behind her ear "Tomorrow you'll be heading back to Hogwarts" he softly stated.

She leaned into his touch "Yes" she equally softly answered.

A comfortable silence fell among them as they stared at each other.

"Last time we'll see each other for as long as the war continues" he commented.

"Hmm" she hummed as she placed her hand on top of the hand that was gently caressing her cheek.

She got up after a few moments, her hand now grabbing his, pulling him up. He pulled her into him whilst they kept their eyes on each other. He leaned in slowly and she met him halfway as their lips met.

Their kissing intensified before Atticus pulled her in even more, their bodies incredibly snug against each others.

She moaned when his lips travelled to her neck and she clasped hard on his hair before she pulled him away.

She stared at him with intense eyes "I'm ready Atticus. Don't make me wait." She intoned softly.

"Alright" he softly conceded and she smiled happily. She'd been working on him for a little while, hoping to convince him to abandon his foolish stance.

Without a word, she walked away towards the stairs, pulling him along gently as they held hands.

-Break-

4th of September 1942

His Basilisk skin robes fluttered in the heavy gusts of the cold watery wind as he stood on the highest peak of Ben Nevis, an ancient dead volcano.

Rain pelted him and the ground around him, the sound more akin to hail hitting stone than water and he looked up towards the sky and grey clouds removed any signs of stars existing, only the half moon shone dimly through the thick forbidding clouds.

He felt his hair, drenched and lumpy, against his skin, against his face as he stood impassive, a boulder refusing to roll away amidst the heavy downpour and angry winds.

His wand was pointed towards the heavens, his arm above his head, his hand gripping tightly.

His magic was under tight control though excitement tinged his magic as it waited to be unleashed.

He raised his free hand, outstretched it away from his body with an open palm. He closed his eyes as he searched the bond he forged.

There!

He willed to existence and opened his eyes, turning his head towards his previously free hand. A grey silver metal spear with radiant purple gold trident heads appeared in his hand.

Scal Slea he whispered as he looked at the trident spear. It was two and half metres long, a thin metallic spear with Abraxan hide for the hand grip.

The name is a word play on ancient Irish Celtic meaning Lightning Spear.

He felt the thrum of the bond, the bond between maker and creation. He'd imbued a sense of...being with the spear, not quite self aware, not quite like the Sorting Hat but something...more like Hogwarts...a whisper of sentience.

He let control of his magic go, his immense magical presence made manifest as the air grew dense with his purple green aura, swirling all around him, thick arcane energy twisted around him as the arcane energy grew into a vortex of power.

He clenched tighter to the spear as magic crackled around him, small wisps of white light that grew into flashes of small streaks of lightning as time passed, as the storm around him grew in intensity.

He inhaled, deeply, as he tasted the magic rich air on his tongue, reaching deep within him to connect himself to nature magic. He could feel the system around him...

The complex interactions of magic on the weather system, the passive influence it has as magic ebbed and flowed almost without any interaction with the world, waiting to be instigating, waiting to be bent to someone or something's will.

His magic and nature magic, entwined within him roared outwards and looked up into the sky and could feel the agitation that was there, the veritable fury that swelled within the clouds as lightning and thunder threatened to form.

He looked at his body, almost as if he was looking at himself in a third person perspective as streaks of lightning danced around his body with abandon, almost like he was a lightning personified.

For a moment, he almost succumbed to that thought, that he was lightning personified as he sunk, as he immersed himself into the depths of magic that he brought roaring forth.

His ears were assaulted by the almost constant crackling of lightning and magic and he once more sunk into himself, concentrating on his magic.

He turned his gaze skyward and saw the ominous grey clouds that were...waiting...as he connected with them. In that moment, he could feel the atmospheric pressure, the moisture in the air, the electrical charge that was waiting to be manipulated.

Was this how Fila feels...

Intoxicating...

The heavens were his to control, his to manipulate and he revelled in that discovery. As his excitement grew, so did the pressure differences of the storm clouds, as his anticipation reached its zenith, so did the electrical charge to the point a miniscule push would generate lightning.

It's time...

The air around him, once thick, once chokingly full of magic was now a multitude thicker in pressure as magic and air condensed around him.

He lifted the spear high in the air, his wand ready and perpendicular to his body, lightning and magic crackling all around him as he tapped into the magic of the world.

Thunder clapped with a violence that rattled his bones as lightning danced in the grey miserable heavens.

The tips of the trident spears glowed radiantly with golden white light as the earth was illuminated brightly by the constant, incessant flashes of light, as the earth shook in response to the furious shouts that thunder created.

With a sudden jab and a cry of exertion, he stabbed at the sky with his spear and time almost halted before three massive streaks of lightning detonated out of the trident towards the sky, ripping open the grey curtains that had obscured the universe.

The clouds were sundered, broken away as the streaks of lightning cut past them as if they were made of nothing.

Seconds passed...

Before he knew it, before he could know, the sky erupted with brilliant and countless streaks of lightning that seemed continuous, that seemed unending as the ground was lit up with thousands upon thousands of lightning strikes.

And he felt. Every. Single. One.

He was in rapture as he smelt the burnt air, the smell of ozone permeating through the air and into his nose.

The heavens were unleashed, the cage that held all that potential power, ripped apart, as lightning continued to chip away at the mountain that he stood on. He could feel the rising temperature, the thick droplets of rain that had pelted him broke into smaller, insignificant droplets that felt warm to the touch, heated by the high temperatures of countless lightning strikes.

He breathed in deeply, the warm burnt air sucked into his body. He closed his eyes, tightening his hold on the connection he felt, the connection that allowed him to feel the thousands of strikes. He clenched his jaw, he clenched hard as he pushed his will firmly on the lightning storm he created.

His hand that held on the spear shook as he drove his intent, his desire towards his spear and as seconds fell away, as seconds were ticked off, he felt the thousands of strikes reduce in numbers, slowly and slowly until the number of lightning strikes ebbed away into nothing.

His control was absolute. He felt the world obey, all of it in his control in that particular moment and he felt...

Godlike...

Was this what Zeus...what Odin...what Thor...felt like? When they'd gotten nature to obey them...to do as they willed?

He opened his eyes and he almost lost control when he saw. His spear was luminescent...alight with power as it shone brightly with magic and lightning. He understood now...

All that potential, all that charge was held by him in that moment. He felt in control, in absolute control as the power resided within him. He was the centre, he was the core, the heart of the storm.

The sharp sounds of lightning crackling drew him back into the moment and knew that it was time. Time to see, to unleash the power that he currently held.

He tightened his hold onto the spear, and drew it back, slowly and levelled it parallel to the ground with a bent arm. He felt the pressure built up within him, his magic revelling in anticipation as the density of arcane energy surrounding him increased.

With an fierce outcry he stabbed his spear forward and nothing occurred for a split second until the very air exploded almost lifting him off his feet.

Three thick tendrils of lightning spewed forward from the tips of the trident, a whizzing, buzzing sound echoed through the air as lightning cut across the air. He felt the pure power that was coursing through him, through the spear as it struck a smaller nearby mountain, the sounds of the impact thrumming through the air.

He watched in awe as lightning scythed into the face of the mountain. His arm began to buckle and he holstered his wand and gripped the spear with both hands, steadying himself, steadying the spear that was bringing untold amount of damage to the other mountain.

The smell of ozone intensified even more and he knew that he needed to draw back, he felt his magic dropping at an alarming rate.

He closed his eyes and breathed out heavily as he let go of the lightning, of the storm that he had control over. He forcibly closed the connection and he stumbled, almost falling down. He opened his eyes and saw his spear only softly glowing, no longer spewing immense amount of power.

He released the last bit of control and he breathed in and out heavily before he dropped himself on the floor, still holding the spear in both hands.

The rain began to slow itself to a drizzle before it ceased completely as he continued to catch his breath. He looked up on the sky and saw the full moon clearly as sky cleared for miles.

His eyes gleamed in victory, in triumph. He had control over lightning now. Not complete. Not yet.

But all he had to do now was practice.

He used the spear as a crutch as he got back to feet. He stared at it intently, his weapon of choice, his medium to the element that he chose. It hummed with power, he knew. He could feel the lightning that it channelled, the absorbed power of the storm.

Once more he pointed it skyward and a single stream of lightning spewed forward, thin streak of lightning before he ended it immediately.

His smile widened as he understood. It absorbed the power of the storm and now he no longer needed to channel nature magic to the same degree to conjure powerful lightning.

He already had the ability to wandlessly conjure lightning but it had been weak. Now...with the spear...

His eyes gleamed. He had a powerful weapon now that he could channel nature magic through as an extension of himself, reducing the taxing that channelling nature magic does.

It was a weapon that he would not need most of the time but it would be there for when he'd need it.

And that...

Would make the difference between life and death.

His family ability made that nudge clear. He looked towards the sky. Soon he'd be in France, fighting to the death with hundreds if not thousands of enemies.

Finally...finally...he'd be able to let loose.

---

Support me o to read all of my chapters between a few weeks to a month or so early! P^A^T^R^E^O^N / Boombox117