The Devil as a Father – Chapter 41
Professor Minerva McGonagall was having a great day. She had been in shock and denial for a while after realizing that Albus had used and betrayed her very badly, making her loyal to the point of going against her own moral dictates, and doing stupid things. It had nearly driven her insane, but being turned into a cat and then the forgiveness, help and support Lord Morningstar had given her really helped. Battling the strange celestial being had done something too. Maybe it was the satisfaction of a good fight, but now she no longer wanted to be a cat all the time.
Lucifer seemed to be delighted with her and to trust her with his precious children. That healed something in her heart. Being so betrayed had really taken the wind out of her sales. She had ignored bullying and actually done all the old man's paperwork as well, taking time from the children in Gryffindor. Part of her wished he hadn't died so she could have a wee conversation with the old coot, but perhaps it was better. Albus had been so certain he was right all the time, even a good beating wouldn't have changed his mind or even made him think. She wondered how many children he had done this kind of manipulation to, how many lives he had his stubby fingers in.
She was presently in cat form because well, the boy kept giving her a brand of expensive crème that made her whisker twitch and made her feel terribly hedonistic. Of course, that scotch last night had done the same thing. Narcissa had a wee bit of a hangover this morning, she could see the signs, and Minerva had drunk twice as much without a problem. A well, pride comes before a fall, she would probably get hungover next time.
Maze had invited her, Narcissa, Dr. Linda, Miss Ella, and Lady Morningstar to have drinks together downstairs in the club tonight. They would be given full access to Lord Morningstar's finest stock. She needed to transfigure herself some new robes for that. She would ask Narcissa about it.
She sat lazily in cat form and watched the family eat a Morningstar lunch of five different pizzas. Italian soups, and antipasto salads. It was tempting but her tummy was full and she was content watching these happy and loved children talking excitedly about their projects.
Maze gave everyone a report on the attack last night, and the children all fell silent.
Harry looked at his Dad and asked softly, "Do you still remember everything Dad?"
"Yes, I am remembering more and more," said his Dad, "I am very proud of Maze and everyone for protecting us as we slept. I'm going to lay new wards today and everyone is invited to watch."
"Who protected us?" asked Les, sitting up with interest. All the children sat up with similar expressions, their concerns for the moment put to rest..
Maze looked proud, "I didn't even have to fight. Aradia and I stood guard over everyone, because we all slept in the same room, which was good strategy against an attack. Then the wards attacked back, and the house elves attacked, Goldie transported herself and attacked and Professor McGonagall was in cat form outside and she attacked too. Dobbie was hurt, but was healed. KynKyn gave me healing feathers for that kind of situation and it saved him."
Lucifer smiled happily and said, "House Elves to me."
All the elves appeared in an excited grouping, even Dobby, who looked tired but alert.
Lucifer stood and looked at the elves, "I want to formally induct all the Elves associated with the Morningstar family, her allies and friends, in the Family rolls as heroes. This includes Maze, my faithful friend, Aradia, Goldie and Professor McGonagall. All of you have served with honor and as is appropriate for the Morningstar Family, gave our enemies hell. Therefore I wish to honor all of you."
Minerva sat up, jumped down and turned human and smiled. She recognized that Lucifer was also using this to make the children not worry. Being kidnapped from his family and losing his memory twice was horrendous. And for the littles who had just been recently adopted to be forgotten by everyone was a crime worthy of death in her humble opinion.
Lucifer now raised his hand, and suddenly the elves, Goldie, Aradia, Maze and herself were suffused with a sense of wonder and power. All the old ills that plagued Minerva, especially stiff joints, disappeared. In the bookcase that held Lucifer's books and treasures, a plaque appeared in gold.
She walked over and looked, and saw that it had the names of all of them, including the individual elves, and commemorated the date of the battle of Lux and Lord Morningstar's gratitude of them all, including them in the Morningstar Family, if they weren't already, in perpetuity.
"Damn," said Maze, "That's really nice, Lucifer. Do we get prezzies too?"
Lucifer smiled and then walked around and gave everyone a hug.
Maze pouted and said, "I was thinking more of money and knives." Lucifer winked at her and she smiled.
Then the children got up and started hugging everyone and Minerva was besieged with small hands and happy faces. It was lovely.
After Lunch, they all went to the basement, accompanied by the two angels who were now awake and starting to remember, and Sirius Black, with Mooney, who were upset at missing a good fight, until they heard that it was a celestial. Then they grew silent.
Lucifer snapped his fingers and gave everyone Mage sight.
"This is a practical demonstration of warding. Harry, you have learned a lot, please tell them what I am doing."
"The red wards he's putting up keep anything bad from coming in through the basement," explained Harry, "This is not just humans, or sentient beings, but also earthquakes, bombs and floods." He laughed, "It also keeps out bugs, and rodents."
Minerva snickered. The door opened and Patrick came in. "Problem?" he asked..
"Laying protective wards," said Lucifer, "We were attacked again last night by whatever stole my memory and the children."
Suddenly there was a flash and the short woman who was the Angel of Death appeared. "Hi you guys, I don't have a lot of time, but I'm here to give you memories back of the children."
Daffodil jumped up and down and clapped her hands. Rose began to dance and the boys grinned.
The angel smiled at the kids and waved her flaming sword and everyone who wasn't an angel stood up and stared into space. Chloe cried and picked up her children and kissed them. An impromptu happy dance contest burst out, and Maze, with suspicious brightness in her eyes, started to swing Hermione and then Ron in her arms happily.
The little angel waved at them, and Lucifer rushed over and kissed her cheek. "Smell you later, big bro," she whispered. Then she popped away.
Now Lucifer kissed his Queen and grinned, because he just remembered his first sight of his little ones. He made dance music start up and everyone danced for a good half hour until they were all either tired or jacked up with energy.
"Now that we remember each other, and yes, I just remembered our first meeting and holding you all for the first time, and I remember Neville, I would like to continue doing wards."
"Yippee," said Daffodil.
"Dear Elves, could we get some iced juice and iced tea for everyone here," Lucifer asked the ceiling.
All the elves popped in with trays filled with different juices and ice tea. "Thank you, dear," said Chloe affectionately, "What would we do without you?"
The elves all squealed and then popped away. Minerva started snickering again.
"What amuses you, Professor?" he asked.
"That you, the Devil, Lord of Hell, Maker of all Magic, creator of light and the stars, the most power being on earth, as near as I can reckon, are so sweet to your elves, and the children, and the animals. The non-magical humans are scared silly of you, for fear of hell's wrath, but you are actually a verra good mun, in every way." Her Scotch origins started to leak out at the end.
Lucifer looked pole-axed and smiled at her rather shyly, while Harry looked extremely pleased.
"Thank you, Dear Lady," said Lucifer softly.
"Please," he said, raising his voice so they could all hear, "Now back to our lesson."
He gave everyone mage sight again.
Daffodil grinned. "I can see even more," she said.
"You have all seen the red. Now notice this overlay that looks like lightning." They gasped as little golden lightning bolts seemed to be zipping around them.
"These," Lucifer explained, "are for those with ill intent, or under force by someone, or who desire destruction – they will receive back everything they give or are thinking of giving in the form of lightning strikes on only them. So say this evil angel tries to so much as touch one of my children," herein he gave them all a very fierce and possessive look, "none of you children will be harmed but the enemy will be electrocuted very harshly."
"Um," said Hermione, "Isn't all electrocution by definition harsh?' she asked.
Lucifer grinned. "When it's more on par with being on the sun, it is."
Hermione looked shocked. Sirius who desperately wanted to prank Lucifer and couldn't figure why Harry kept changing him into baboons, sloths, guinea pigs and turkeys, suddenly experienced enlightenment and was quiet the rest of the day. Moonie didn't even smirk at him.
The boys were all impressed, as all boys are by anything explosive.
"Any more questions?" asked Lucifer
Daffodil said quietly, "Daddy, why not just dump them on the sun, so you won't have to use so much power protecting us from the explosion."
"Why Darling, you are a genius. Lucifer snapped his fingers and the golden lightning bolts changed to tiny suns that sparkled merrily.
Chloe closed her eyes and said "Remember, the children are mortal, Dear."
"Oh yes, Darling, I am most aware of that," said Lucifer. "I never want anyone in my family hurt again."
They traveled to each floor separately and put on different wards, many of which would protect the building for theft, fire, plague, armies, armaments, devils, angels with ill intent, non-specified beings with ill intent and diseases. Whenever anyone thought of anything, they suggested it, and Lucifer could always take that idea and do something. They watched in amazement as he layered wards, put up more protective shields, and then suddenly he stopped. "Maze," he said, "I'm warding all of you so if anyone is attacked, and yes, me too, we'll all know. Does this bother or offend anyone?"
Maze looked thoughtfully at the children. "No – it's a great idea, my Lord."
"My Queen?" he asked. "Maze said it, sweetheart, great idea," said Chloe with approval.
Then Lucifer stopped, and went to Daffodil. "My darling flower, I will also listen to you if you have concerns."
She looked at him with those innocent but ancient eyes and said, "Put up a ward so that no one possessed by another can come in the building, and another one that frees them of their possession if they have no ill intentions or murderous rage."
Lucifer kissed her forehead and said, "Immediately, my princess."
They spent the day placing wards. Lucifer had a special way of warding that Minerva McGonagall felt was lost knowledge. Everyone else had to ward a location, but Lucifer could ward people. She was engrossed in the lesson right along with the children, who asked wonderful questions and had ideas that she never would have thought of.
Their last stop was on top of the building, where Lucifer sent a six mile perimeter warning ward over Los Angeles.
Then he sat with the children and taught them to place their own wards, on toys, on Aradia who started demanding extra belly rubs as payment and on their things. Minerva followed his examples and was delighted. She noticed Ron Weasley, who she had previously thought very little of, was extremely apt in copying the movements, thinking of intent, and the child even noticed when a ward had a weakness or gap.
This resulted in Lucifer making a huge 3-dimension map of the Lux with all the wards in different colors.
Finally Lucifer smiled. "We can continue this on another day. I will finish these wards and let you scan them and think about their strengths and any probable weaknesses. Then we will go to the Weasley's and do their home and you can see the differences that different landscapes and structures make in needs.
Ron grinned happily, "That is so great. Did you ask my Mum?"
"Yes," said Lucifer, "I sent Goldie as my communications owl and your Mother fed the little stinker till she came home bloated. She's still sleeping."
Everyone giggled at that. The little dragon had missed breakfast and snored away in her basket bed, while occasionally letting out a tiny fireball.
When dinner was over, Chloe announced that the ladies wanted to have a tribal night.
Lucifer smiled at her. "I seem to recall a few of them. I shall watch the children."
Dan looked up from his dessert and smiled at Lucifer, "I'll help. We could watch movies or cartoons."
Mrs. Edwards smiled at them. "I would like to watch Japanese anime." Lucifer and Dan looked at each other, shrugged and said, "why not?"
Thus the entire Morningstar Clan developed a new addiction, which started with My Neighbor Totoro and KiKi's delivery service.
Meanwhile, all the ladies of the extended tribe met downstairs, after Lucifer had sung and played the piano for his many patrons.
Many young woman sighed as he waved goodnight after his set. Maze noticed that Chloe gave a bit of a smirk.
"Thinking you have won him over them?" asked the demon.
"No, I'm thinking of him helping the children with bath time, and cooking meals and helping with chores and wondering what they would think of that."
They grinned toothily at one another.
Then Minerva came down the elevator dressed up in a floor length sparkling dress, with diamond earrings and necklace to match.
"You are sparkly," said Narcissa who also wore a lovely full length dress in gold lame, with a slit up the side showing that she had very nice legs.
The women all sat at one table, trying various drinks and talking about what was happening. Ella was interested in Chloe's new ability with the sword, and how she and Maze and caused great slaughter in hell. Miss Linda was glad all the children would be meeting with their special buddy and therapist.
Chloe was excited about how well Trixie was doing in math and very proud of the work the children had done on their phone and video game applications.
Minerva was impressed with how everyone took turns teaching the children. Chloe was helping them all learn to write and to type, and had the older children playing typing games that made them compete and giggle happily, while they were learning to write and also learning to type pretty fast. Lucifer taught them about business and magic. Their tutors taught some magic, and Minerva said softly, "I would like to teach them about transfiguration and how to use it in battle."
Chloe nodded and looked pleased. "We haven't had too much transfiguration going on. Lucifer tried to teach it, but apparently his type of transfiguration can only be done by Neville and Harry. It doesn't last as long."
Then a very handsome young man who was too aware of his own charm, sidled up to their booth and asked if Chloe wanted to dance.
Chloe was perfectly polite as she explained she was married and only danced with one man.
The man got mad. "Listen bitch, no one says no to me." He leaned forward, "I can make you very sorry." His sneer was self-satisfied and promised violence.
Chloe closed her eyes and gave a soft sigh. Then she opened her eyes and said, "I said NO."
The man found himself hurled backward and then sliding on his ass all the way to the bar. He got up and stalked to them. Chloe and Maze stood and when he reached them, he pulled a knife. Maze pulled a knife and Chloe made his knife hellishly hot in his hand until he screamed and dropped it on the floor.
"What kind of voodoo are you pulling on me?"
Then a full security Lux security team, headed by Patrick, who looked aggravated, grabbed him and drug him out.
Patrick hissed at the man, "We have you on camera threatening Mrs. Morningstar, and then pulling a knife on her. We've called the Police and are handing over the tape to them. You may no longer come to the Lux. When a woman says no, you respect it here."
The woman calmly watched the man yelling as he was drug to the security station.
"So if we teach the children transfiguration, we could turn him into a frog?" said Chloe conversationally.
"I think a pig would be more appropriate, although the sliminess factor of the frog might work as well," said Minerva thoughtfully.
They all cackled and spent the rest of the evening talking and enjoying themselves.
When they all retired for the evening, Chloe noted that Lucifer already had all the children in bed, and was reading a book and waiting for her.
"I can force throw people across the room," she said conversationally as she slipped beneath the covers.
He looked at her, "I know, the ward showed me everything. You, Maze and Patrick handled it so fast that I didn't see the need to frighten the children.