A Gamers rise in Marvel
Disclaimer: I don't own marvel or any other work of fiction.
Chapter 14 : You're a witch Jeanne (More or less!)
Cleopatra's Needle, Central park 01:58
Unknown Auror
The Auror truly regretted her actions towards the director and was certain that he was smirking a the situation he put her in. She only wanted to handle a case that wasn't as boring or monotonous as her usual assignments. Not to mention the paperworks she had been doing for almost three months was utterly degrading.
An Auror should be out in the field, not sitting behind a desk. So when Director Graves told her of a mission of utmost importance, she had originally been quite ecstatic. Here she was thinking that the director took her nagging to heart and finally gave her something worthy of an Auror. It seems she spoke to soon, as this case was something she would never have touched in a hundred years.
If the director hadn't given a direct order, she would have flat out refused. The absurdity of the task was even greater.
Escort an unknown demonic witch to the heart of the MACUSA. She could barely believe her ears when he told her this. Mages who dabble in the demonic arts are sometimes some the the worst the magical community once had to offer. Their exposure to the darker energies and whispers of demonic beings always ensured some form of insanity within them. The greatest threats to the statute of secrecy were caused by them in actuality
The biggest one she could remember was the massive Killings and atrocities committed by the French commander Gilles de Rais in the 16th century. This was the reason the French ministry introduced the first bans of magical branches in their legislation afterwards. It was quickly adopted by the other ministries and was later amended to include the unforgivable curses. All knowledge of demonic magic had also been systematically destroyed.
So to find a witch, who not only studied demonic magic, but also has dealing with the Lord of hell himself? How could the Ministry have let this happen?
While this question did plague her mind, she thought of the identity of this "Dragon Witch". The Aurors from Las Vegas stated that she appeared to be of Asian descent. Later inquires made with Zatanna gave them a bit more information. Though she didn't give them a true name, the aurors were able to deduce from the staff that a viewer of Zatanna's Show was allowed backstage after the performance. They got the name Shiki Ryougi, clearly of Japanese origin.
This opened a new possibility as to the origin of her demonic studies. It was no secret after all, that two of the great Satans and many other devil peerages made their home in Japan. This however opened another can of questions.
The Japanese ministry, the HCC (History Compilation Committee) shares a close alliance with the devil community. While the devils' magic is mainly hereditary, some of them still know the spell of their less than kind relatives dwelling in Hell. These devils are however as mentioned earlier, allied with the ministry.
Any attempts of mages to learn demonic magic is immediately reported and punished. While sometimes, such cases are avoided completely, some do go undetected for a short while until the mage in question is detained and sent to Askaban.
That would usually be the verdict for this "Dragon Witch" as well, but that would be far to problematic. We don't know her connection to Lucifer and what consequences her incarceration would bring. The Ministry would have preferred to leave the issue alone, but the director thought otherwise.
He believed that a positive relationship with the witch could not only be a bridge to building a dialogue with hell, but that it would also help with the rising Demonic Presence within America.
Her killing of the defiler, who had been an issue for the Pacific state department for some time, showed the potential for some sort of alliance it seemed. She could understand the directors thought. The MACUSA desperately needed a way of defeating demons of their own.
Demons keep out of Japan due to the devils there and also avoid Europe. The old Magical Families there have all the resources and ancient magic required to combat any demonic incursion. if they fail, then they can still count on the Vatican to solve the issue.
America hasn't been so lucky. Most magical families were like the first immigrants, looking for a fresh start in the US. None of them came from old money or great Power. Sure our schools and magic were more than up to par with out European counterparts, but our knowledge of ancient demons? It was sadly lacking, as we simply didn't posses the ancient writings that were relevant to the subject.
The only other magicians capable of helping would be Kamar Taj, but they only react to what they consider "Mayor Threats" and therefore refuse to help us as well.
We do have an American option in the Speedwagon Foundation, but they are unaware of the Magical world and have as far as the MACUSA know, only dealt with some sort of Artifical vampires in the past. Involving them is too great a risk for such little gain.
And the last option is of course the worst one.
The church is considerably worse. They believe that the secularisation of America during the last few decades coupled with the lack of historic and holy monuments make the country worthless and therefore not worth helping. Sure the country still held a considerable religious community, but it simply wasn't enough for them.
The Iscariots would probably want us to fall into Armageddon before they came in and purged the rest, remaking America as they wanted.
It also wasn't a secret that The Church held a greater hatred for the MACUSA than most other ministries. What set us apart was that the American ministry held a more progressive approach to solving magical issues. After Grindelwald's Dark war which greatly affected the second world war as well, the MACUSA decided to address the issues that led to it in the first place.
The treatment of Squibs, Monsters such as Vampires and Werewolves, and Nomajes were all revamped and this radically changed life of the wizarding community. It was for this reason that Voldemort's campaign never spread to the states, as he couldn't gain any followers. Those who were persecuted and shunned in Europe were free in America. They simply didn't see the reason to fight for rights they already had. Sure there were some who joined for the sake of magical supremacy, but they were a miniscule minority.
It was also no secret that many magical beings fled to the monster Metropolis to avoid being conscripted during the dark wars. The MACUSA is allied with the kingdom, but even they do not know its location. They only use Portals and apparition to get there after all. This secrecy deeply saddened the Auror's Husband, as he was someone whose work dealt with mystical beings after all.
And now she was getting sidetracked once again. The Auror was currently overlooking all the citizens and tourists visiting the park keeping an eye out for her target. A target, who was supposedly Asian, can now be anyone as the director stated that she apparently used glamour charms to conceal her identity. The only identifying trait she supposedly had was a the icon of sin(Lucifer's Mark) imprinted on her hand.
She honestly thought that there were far better suited Aurors with diplomatic skills than her. She may not want to admit it, but she did have a brutish attitude at times when it came to her work. She also did things by the book and would honestly rather just arrest this witch( Though she does admit that the witches help could prove to be invaluable to the MACUSA) . She also made this clear to the director, who stated something rather interesting concerning the Dragon Witch. She supposedly valued open and direct honesty over honeyed words and complacency. Something he apparently deduced during the Phone call he held with her.
She sometimes forgets that Director Graves is also acting Spymaster during wartimes. HE clearly has the skills for it after all.
But even so, with all this information at hand, she couldn't help but fell nervous and slightly terrified at this assignment. Meeting a witch who is probably insane to some degree with untold powers does that to you. She had already been standing in front of the Needle for twenty minutes and was unsure if she may have actually missed the witch. The Aurors from Las Vegas stated that she had a domineering magical presence and should be sensed easily.
Not feeling any signatures nearby she decide to take a break for a bit and sit on a bench overlooking the park. She stays there twiddling her thumbs for a few minutes before she is suddenly interrupted by a feminine voice.
"Is this seat taken?"
The Auror stares up at the stranger and is greeted by an incredibly and almost unnaturally attractive brunette standing in front of her. She's dressed in formal clothing making her seem as an office worker or secretary at first. The unique colour selection may indicate an executive position though. She couldn't be sure and frankly didn't care that much about the Nomaj. It didn't mean she wouldn't be courteous though.
"Not at all. Feel free." she says after which the strange woman sits down next to her. The two sit in silence for a while before the woman says
"Hard day at Work?"
" What? " the Auror replies confused at the Nomaj's reply
The woman merely smiles back and says "Its all over your face you know. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you're stressed. What's got you so glum? "
Rather surprised at the strangers deduction, the young auror gives in rather than embarrassing herself further." Well you're not wrong" She pauses for a bit, unsure whether or not she should continue. She obviously cant divulge any important secrets, but a bit of tweaking of her story could help. The most unlikely of people can always give good advice and even wisdom for any problem.
"My boss he...he gave me a task that is definitely out of my expertise. I'm supposed to meet someone here to make an introduction as we wish to make a business partnership of sorts. Its just that I don't have the diplomatic skills required for this sort of thing." She confesses.
The brunette next to her merely smiles and says: " Now why do you say that? I know I haven't known you that long, but you do give a rather polite impression so far."
"Perfect proof that you haven't known me that long" She chuckles at the response. " Ive been told that my attitude when it came to my work usually created more paperwork in the end. My colleagues claim that my strict adherence to the rules leave me unwilling to compromise and this often leads to botched interrogations and investigations."
"I guess that could lead to problems in that line of work. I assume your in some form of Law Enforcement?" the woman asks her.
The Auror was now cursing herself for revealing this much to the No-Maj." Something of the sort, yes" She hesitantly replies.
The other woman pauses in thought for a while before answering:" I can see your dilemma then. Strict following of the rules for the law enforcement is preferred, but in some cases it could be detrimental. I'm thinking cases in which a drug organisation is arrested by testimony of one of their lower members. Your technically compromising the law by making a deal with the Snitch, but the end result is extremely good...
While I'm no expert on the matter, I can give my suggestion though. Try to get a balance of both." The woman states, greatly confusing the Auror. While she did understand the example, she wasn't exactly sure where the woman was going with it.
The brunette continues:" Sure, acting for the greater good is admirable and all. But one does have to make sure one doesn't go to far for the goal. Choosing a lesser evil for the good of the many is still supporting evil in some regard. The drug dealer who snitched on his fellow members could use the power vacuum he created to build his own operation...or probably be killed for snitching.
But you should get my point. Strict adherence to rules would hinder progress and compromise, but giving them up for the greater good will also end badly.
What I'm trying to say is.. Try to keep true to yourself but don't deny any other options without considering them at least. Following the greater good has lead to killings and the removal of freedoms and morals. But adhering to your own code could cost lives just as well.
I guess in the end, try to find the path that leads to the best results for the smallest price." The woman finishes.
The Auror is honestly amazed by this answer, as it has given her a new perspective to her job and how she should operate. She smiles for a bit while thinking that giving thus Nomaj some time paid off after all. "I have to say, your answer is quite something, but I have to ask. Aren't you a bit young to be this wise already?"
This causes the brunette to snort as well as she suppresses her laughter. After calming down, she answers:" Well I admit,it wasn't based on my own experience, but rather my opinion on a movie I watched once. It described an alternate world where the cold war refused to stabilise. The world which was racing towards nuclear annihilation caused a man to destroy various cities around the globe in one supernatural attack. His reason for this was to end the cold war by uniting the two sides against a common and much more terrifying enemy which he completely fabricated. His peace which sacrificed millions saved the billions still living. Sure it was absolutely reprehensible, but It ended the cold war in the end. That was the one side of the story and where the mentality of chasing the greater good ends in the extreme.
The other side came from a man who knew the truth of this plot and wished to reveal it. To him, Peace based on a lie simply wants worth it. He followed his code without question and stated "Never Compromise, even in the face of Armageddon". He was someone willing to destroy the global peace that just ensured just to reveal the truth and the "Evil" behind it.
Both men represented the extremes of their believes. I can honestly sympathise with both and therefore believe a middle ground should be sough instead. Though I guess that situation called for desperate measures."
The Aurors answers after a short silence." That... was quite the tale...I...thank you for giving me your thoughts on this. It really gave me something to reconsider. And I have to agree, a middle ground would be preferable in such situations."
She pauses for a bit" You know, I have to admit. Talking to you has helped me quite a bit. I...would you mind if we talked more from time to time? I'd honestly like your opinions on other topics as well."
"Not at all. I'm sure I can find the time." The brunette answers with a brilliant smile.
The auror turns to her before sticking out her hand" forgive my manners, I'm Porpentina Skamander. Pleasure to meet you"
The brunette reciprocates the handshake and clasps the auror's hand. The movement draws her attention to the woman's hand, on which the icon of sin is clearly depicted. In total shock at the revelation, the Auror turns her attention back to the woman before her, who was now looking at her with shining eyes of crimson and lilac. The sudden burst of a magical presence appearing from her is just as terrifying.
"A pleasure to meet you as well, You can call me Jando or, as you probably already know me by, the Dragon Witch"
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Jeanne Dark
My first thought concerning her name is 'The new timeline is BULSHIT'. I guess both Fantastic beast movies were either completely discarded or somehow torn apart here. I cant put to much thought into it as I have to introduce myself now as well.
She sees my mark as expected and is now staring into my glamourless eyes with absolute shock as I introduce myself. I also drop the partial presence concealment I was using to hide my magical presence with. I give the name Jando which is just my name mushed together. I considered using JD instead but that wouldn't be that helpful in a professional setting. I also really don't want to give my real name and saying dragon witch can get tedious over time.
We stand there for a few seconds completely frozen. My grinning face and her trembling one.
Barely containing my laughter, I soon burst out and let go of her hand.
"Bwahahah, You should see your Face right now! Its bloody priceless!" I say in between my laughter.
"Wha..I...What." she stutters out, clearly overwhelmed with the situation.
I continue laughing for a bit before eventually calming down. Tina has assumed a rigid position and is clearly wondering if she may have alienated or offended. Or she's thinking I'm insane as her initial thoughts revealed when I used my eyes to analyse her earlier...
Demonic mages tend to be insane. Very cool. No Competition for me then, at least not any competent ones.
Breaking the silence I say:" Calm down already, will you. I'm not going to bite or anything"
She quickly stands up from the bench and assumes a combat ready stance with her wand poking out of her sleeve. When did she even get that out?
I raise my hands and say "Look. I said I'm not going to do anything and I wont. I'm not exactly insane as you expected as well. I mean sure I got some issues, but they aren't as bad as you may imagine." I chuckle at her while lowering my hands again.
She herself calms down after a while and puts her wand away. " ah...I am Porpentina Skamander, Senior Auror of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Ive been tasked with bringing you, the Dragon witch, to the New York Headquarters." She states in a professional tone.
I chuckle once again:" Oh come now, you can talk normally to me Mrs. Skamander. We've already talked a bit, so there's no need for the formality. For what its worth, I'm sorry for deceiving you. I was serious about what we discussed earlier though. I do hope you take some of it to heart." I answer.
She stands in thought for a while before saying:" I...I'm sorry as well for pointing my wand at you. It wasn't warranted... well it was, but you get the point. And yes, I will think about what you said. I will take it with a grain of salt, as it was said by a demonic witch, but I will think about." She says making me smile once again. She prompts me to stand and" Well miss ….Jando, I think we should get moving, as we have already taken more time than necessary. I was merely supposed to bring you to HQ, but we have already taken up a lot of time now." She says while walking towards one of the many walkways in the Park with me following after her. I look at my phone and see that its already 02:38. Damn we really are late.
While she leads me to the HQ or whatever, I take a peek at her Status.
Porpentina Scamander LV 89
REP: 34
OBE: 12
Thoughts of you: Is confused by your stereotype defying behaviour/ hopes that diplomatic talks weren't compromised.
Ive got to pump these numbers up. "Hey Tina, Can I call you Tina.."I don't give her time to answer Ive got to say though, you definitely haven't made a bad impression with me as you feared earlier. Polite but headstrong and not a kiss ass. There's nothing I hate more than some annoying brown-noser." I laugh out.
This causes a rather positive reaction from her( Plus 5 REP points to be specific). Did the MACUSA perhaps anticipate this? Is this why they sent her, because I understand her earlier worries. With what I remember, she was a rather by the book Auror and would have wanted to arrest me instead. The Directer is either trying to sabotage this meeting or was actually able to determine parts of my Personality from the Phone call...
Its probably the second.
After all, you said his position was the same as the secretary of homeland security.
He probably has the Qualifications needed for that.
Damn, totally forgot about that. I wonder if he was also the same Guy who was replaced by Grindelwald in the first movie.
I will probably soon find out, as Tina leads us to the...public bathroom? She leads me to a supply closet which a t first glance appears completely inconspicuous. My Mystic eyes however do show the hidden door and secret chamber just behind it.
Tina uses her wand and moves it in a pattern while chanting. I cant really understand any of it as I barely remember the spells from harry potter. Besides the main ones of course. Considering this is a entryway to The ministry's building, id probably guess its a password of sorts as well. The door opens up and reveals and empty room with a light switch hanging from the ceiling.
Tina gestures for me to take her hand while she grasps the switch with the other. I do as requested and Tina pulls the switch.
We are suddenly pulled through an absolute roller-coaster of movement and turbulence. Its the most nauseating experience Ive ever gone through. It continues for few more second before landing us in a similar room with the same setup.
I promptly collapse to my knees and empty my stomach, much to Tina's shock. "Are you OK?" She quickly asks while approaching me. She tries to hold my hair to make sure it wasn't dirty, only to accidentally pull the entire wig of revealing my snow white hair. There goes my little disguise.
She quickly stutters out" ahh... your hair...i...im so sorry."
I finally stand up and address her:" Don't worry about it. You were only trying to help...it was a crappy disguise anyway and im sure it would've been seen through eventually. And this wasn't your fault. Ive never used a port Key or apparated, so I was surprised by it."
I hadn't considered yesterday that certain skills and wizards sexist that can easily see through disguises. Mad Eye Mooney was one if I recall correctly.
Not wanting to leave a mess( and not wanting any cleaning personnel to find any human bits in my vomit) I summon up a bit of my blue hellfire and remove the vomit without scorching the ground in the process.
Tina stares in amazement:" What..what magic was that?!"
I merely smirk" Hellfire my dear." She stares at me in shock while I continue: "I'm a witch dealing with Demons, of coarse id learn something"
"Yes but...to use it for cleaning?"
"Hey now. There are lots of spell for cleaning after all. I was just using something more unorthodox to do it." I chuckle a bit before pulling out my phone again after she handed me back the wig which was promptly burned as well." I think we should get going though, its already 02:54" I tell her, making her eyes widen.
She quickly heads out the doors with me soon following. We round a few corridors before finding ourselves in a large Foyer with a massive Staircase similar to the one in Hogwarts in the distance. While walking up the stairs, I notice that eerie lack of people on the ground floor. They got a lunch break or something?
While stairs rearrange themselves to form our path, we start hearing voices from the floor above. Tina and I start ascending the stairs to the upper floor while the voices start to become clearer.
"i want the park completely secured and teams of three creating a perimeter. Were dealing with a demonic witch so be prepared for anything. Killing curses are authorised for this operation and be sure-"
I tune out the rest of the man's orders, as I progress what was going on. Of coarse they wanted to take me out, god damned bastards. So much for friendly conversation.
While thinking of this betrayal, I fail to notice Tina rushing upwards in a panic and the man also speaking of a possible hostage that needs saving.
I summon St. Catherine's blade and cover my arms in Hellfire as my attention is returned to the upper floor. While slowly beginning to rush up the staircase, completely prepared to fight, I'm interrupted by Tina's Voice screaming out above me.
"Please wait! I'm OK! I'm Ok! She's here, we were just late!" She quickly yells out prompting various gasps of surprise among what I assume to be a squad of Aurors.
The voice issuing the orders earlier says: " Officer Skamander!? Are you unharmed?..we thought something happened."
Now calmly assessing the situation, I slowly go over what just happened. I recognise the voice from that of Director Graves and judging by what Tina said, they assumed that I either killed or kidnapped her to some degree. Considering were nearly an hour late, id understand it. Well the route to the port key took too long, They should've foreseen that!
And to send a squad to kill me right after that? He does know that the literal devil is backing me right? That would cause actual consequences for the ministry.( I'm not actually sure if Lucy would do anything, but Graves doesn't know that!) All that risk just to save one Auror?!
One Auror...So he is a "No man Left behind" kind of guy...I can honestly respect that.
I hear footsteps slowly coming down the stairs. I quickly use my mystic eyes to peer through the concrete to see Tina descending. I guess she explained the situation and is now coming to get me.
She comes in to view and immediately stares at the cursed blade im wielding and the flames surrounding my arms in shock. I'm guessing a cursed holy blade is even rarer to them. (considering the only Magic sword remember from the Universe being the Sword of Gryffindor.)
She slowly says in a somewhat fearful tone" There was a misunderstanding, they thought you-"
"Had killed or captured you, because were so late. I got the fist of it." I quickly interrupt her. I extinguish the flames and lean the flat side of the sword on my shoulder. The fact that im not getting rid of it entirely unnerves Tina.
I don't really care that much right now. I don't even have defences against physical attacks and now I might be surrounded by people who can sling out an Avadakadabra when im not paying attention. I'm keeping my blade out thank you very much. 'urgh, sometimes I really hate being a glass cannon' I think to myself.
She slowly gestures for me to follow her again. While ascending the stairs, she is constantly giving me nervous looks here and there. Probably afraid of further escalation with my sword out. We slowly move towards the floor and two dozen Aurors come into view. Most of them are shocked by my sword and start pointing At me once more.
The director , Who is in fact the same one who had been impersonated by Grindelwald in the Movie, turns to his men and raises his hands." STAND DOWN! That's an ORDER! Put your wands away now!"He yells out to them.
One by one they slowly lower their wands and eventually holsters them. To prevent further escalation, Director Graves orders them to return to their stations as well. Soon they all do so, leaving the Directer, Tina and myself in the large hall.
Relaxing my posture, I chuckle:" That could've gone better" while still balancing the blade on my shoulder.
Graves turns to me and gives a light smile:" Do forgive this little understanding. We were working with the information at hand and believed that your lateness indicated nefarious motives. Misses Skamander here has confirmed that this was clearly not the case." He says while approaching me and eventually extending his left hand for me to shake. "I hope you can forgive this transgression and will try to continue in the making of an Arrangement with the MACUSA. I am Percival Graves, We already spoke on the Phone as im sure you recall."
The fact that he is holding out his left hand is rather considerate, as I'm currently holding the blade with my left. It means that he isn't forcing me to disarm myself. He also defended his actions while making his apology instead of profusely apologising. The right amount of Pride without being arrogant or rude. A pretty good mix, I'd say.
I give a light smile in return to him:" Its quite alright. The misunderstanding was understandable after all. Besides, I was also going for a more hostile route as you can see." I say while gesturing to the sword." If The young Auror here hadn't moved before I did, then I'm sure we would have traded blows and even lives today." He nods his had in understanding to that.
Finally grasping his outstretched hand, I introduce myself :" Jando the Dragon witch and currently demon hunter in service of the devil himself, at your service."
" Quite the name and title. O must say you grow in mystery by the second. Magic swords are rather rare and to see one not just of supreme quality but also containing a cursed and holy essence at once? It is quite something. But inquiries to such things should be postponed for later. We have a meeting to attend so we can decide on more pressing matters." He states.
I nod for him to lead me to the meeting. Soon enough, the three of us travel through the ministry and finally see other faces in the building. I guess they were hiding earlier...Weren't the Aurors going to attack me in the park though?...Maybe my magical presence sent them running?
Well judging by the stares I'm receiving, I'm both a source of fear, great interest and in some cases even disdain. The onlookers aren't important though. I have to prepare for the meeting with who I assume to be the president. I cant be to sure so I'll ask anyway
While walking down a long corridor I pose my question. Graves turns his head to me: "As you might imagine, the President of the MACUSA as well as the Supreme Mugwump of the international confederation of wizards will both be attending. Another and rather unexpected addition will also be the Sorceress supreme of Kamar-Taj, the Ancient one. They've been rather interested in you as any contact with Lucifer is extraordinarily rare. They've asked us..." His speech cuts of as he realises that I stopped dead in my tracks quite some time ago. The fact that I have hidden my magical presence with presence concealment also worries him.
WHY!. FUCK! Why the hell is she here! This is a serious problem. If The ancient one sees me she will immediately realise my identity and might even expose it to the mages. What's worse is that I cant possibly fight her at my current state. She will know Kaecillius is lying to her and that Ive been dealing with devils. This will not only sour our relations but may end in my imprisonment or enhanced supervision. I cant let that happen!
"Is something wrong" The director asks in slight worry. Well he should be worried!
I answer in an irritated tone:" I was here to attend a meeting with the MACUSA! There was no mention of The ancient one!" I calm down for a bit before continuing: "Look id want to work with you and don't mind the Hogwump being here as well, But I cannot meet the Ancient one. It will lead to trouble on all ends and could have dire consequences." I say while massaging my temples.
Percival Graves stares at me with a serious expression: " Has Kamar taj angered you in any way, are you enemies?" Oh shit. If he thinks that, then he might sell me out to them in retrospect. A Friendship with Kamar-Taj may hold more Value to them than working with me. It will only have consequences for me. Unless of course.
I tell the Truth.
"Is there a way to prevent me from lying to you? My reasoning would sound preposterous otherwise." I say hoping for a solution.
He stares in surprise at my request before his expression sours in though: " There is, but you may not like it."He says while pulling out a small bottle from the inside of his suit:" We were prepared to interrogate you for Misses Skamander's Location so we prepared Veritaserum in advance."
This causes a slight gasp from Tina, Probably because the use of Veritaserum is highly regulated within the wizarding community.
I quickly take the bottle from his hand and remove the cork." You will ask simple questions and only inquire further if it is absolutely necessary. Any attempts to uncover my identity or facets of my private life will cancel the meeting. Are those conditions acceptable?"
He is clearly amazed by my willingness to take such a potent truth serum but soon agrees.
I down the bottle and let the clear fluid flow down my throat.
Gamer's Mind activated
And with that, Ive won. I look at the director and not for him to begin.
"Now then. Why can you not attend a meeting with the Ancient one?"
"Because she is my friend and that I am allied with Kamar-Taj"
Clearly shocked at my statement, he obviously wants to ask how that could have happened. Why would Kamar-Taj deal with a demonic witch, it made no sense. He wants to ask o how this came to be but quickly realises that this would violate the earlier agreement. He rather says "Please explain why you do not wish to meet her"
" I am befriended with Kamar-Taj and specifically the ancient one. They do not however know of my affiliation with demonic elements. This revelation would not only cause a rift between us but would also endanger myself and others due to ensuing conflicts with Lucifer and his subordinates. Kamar-Taj may believe that I was tricked into the devil's servitude and may open hostilities because of it. I entered my contract with Lucifer willingly." I added that last parts to make him somewhat scared of the consequences should that happen. He has even more reason to hide me now.
He grabs another bottle from his suit and says" Thank you for answering... I will remove the Ancient one from the meeting in a manner that wouldn't raise suspicion. I'll claim that you couldn't arrive due to more pressing matters arising." He gestures to the bottle:" This antidote will cure the effects Of the truth serum within an hour. It will immediately remove the compulsion to answer but will continue to force truthful words. Will you attend the meeting in that state?"
I nod in agreement.
He then continues:" Very good," He turns to Tina" Mrs. Skamander. Please escort Ms. Jando to my Office. I will bring the others shortly to continue the meeting." With that, he enters the room holding the other officials.
Tina and myself soon arrive at the office. She holds the door open and says" I..I will be going now, as im not authorised to attend...I hope everything works out."
As she goes to leave I say "Tina one last thing." She turns back to me :" Even if this meeting doesn't pan out. if you ever need anything demon related, or even no-maj related. Give me a call ok?" I say while handing her a slip of paper with my phone number on it. " You definitely made a good impression."
REP + 10 (49)
She is quite surprised by the proposal, but eventually accepts and takes the slip from my hands. She bids me farewell and is now on her way to...something.
Now alone, I enter the very large office and find a work desk as well as a round table on the opposite side. This will be used for the meeting then. With nothing else to do, I start looking around.
Its all very organised and neat, a few books, and scrolls in shelves and the like. I don't disturb anything and make my way to the table instead.
I peer around and use my Mystic eyes to look for the directer and the other two. I soon find them all leaving the room from earlier. I activate another function of my Mystic eyes. I was honestly amazed the first time that I was even capable of using them like this. Sound waves are actually vibrations transmitted of air particles. By using my Mystic eyes, I can not only see these vibrations, but also have my eyes work out the data to determine what is being said.
I have magic subtitles. Yeah let that sink in.
I obviously make use of them to see what is being said between the three.
The first voice is from a slender woman wearing a really weird Headdress: " Director Graves. Would you mind informing us as to where you are talking us. And would you also please tell why the dragon witch didn't appear, I even heard whispers of you gearing up with your Aurors to hunt her down. If you compromised this meeting with any reckless behaviour, be informed that it may hold dire consequences for you."
I'm guessing this is the Same President of the MACUSA as in the movie. I wonder if they have term limits actually. The magical energies and wards surrounding this place make it hard for me to see more than their general shape and outline. I could use more Mana to see through that, but may spook some more mages if I do that
The next voice to speak comes from an older man wearing thick robes and a cap. He is also sporting a rather long beard. I have a suspicion to his identity, but am still unsure of it. His words are: "Now please Ms. President, Mr. Graves is a skilled and competent mage. I'm certain he had a good reason for his actions. So why don't we give him the chance to tell us."
With that, Percival begins: "Thank you Supreme Mugwump, and yes my reasons were sound." He tells them of the misunderstanding that occurred with my lateness as well as the confrontation that occurred with his aurors. He also mentioned my sword which got the older man's attention it seemed. After that its about me not wanting to me the Ancient one, the truth serum and the fact that the serum is still working( At least they believe it does). What rubs me the wrong was is how positively he described my mental stability. Are demon mages really that bad?
I'm actually quite glad that that is all they know about me. Zatannah kept my secrets and that is appreciated.
I'm broken from my thoughts by the group entering the room.
I rise from my Seat as the three look at me in interest. Graves is the first to speak: " May I introduce Seraphina Picquery, President of the Magical Congress of the United States of America and Albus Precival Dumbledore, here as the supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards." He then points towards me: " Jando the Dragon Witch" to which I give a light bow and say: "It is an honour and pleasure to meet the two of you, I hope this encounter will prove to be productive" Making decent impressions and having a polite attitude always helps in diplomacy.
"Now then," Percival continues. He gestures for us to take our seats and begins recounting the events which transpired in Las Vegas. They also inspect my Icon of Sin to determine my Validity. After that is all said and done, The President begins her questions.
"You gave us the means of contacting you and were also welcome to a meeting with us. May we assume therefore that your activities will continue to some degree?"
I answer:" That is correct. Lucifer has tasked me with the killing of various demons which have wronged him to some degree. While perfectly capable of doing so on my own, an advanced information network like the one the MACUSA possesses, would prove invaluable to finding them. I obviously wont demand anything from you but will propose an agreement you may find advantageous. As I posses a direct line of communication and a bit of Sway with Lucifer himself, I will be able to assist in any demonic issues you encounter. In return I wish for access to your information network in order to locate or track any targets of my choosing."
The presidents eyes widen, clearly amazed by my knowledge of the matter. I didn't get all of it, but analysing Tina for more than 20 minutes before I sat down next to her really helped. " That will benefit us greatly I admit. Demonic threats have been cropping up over America and we are simply not equipped to subjugate them. We would gladly accept such an agreement." She pauses to give me a light smile before gesturing to Percival: "Due to his position, Directer Graves will probably be your main contact to aid you in your endeavours as well as helping us with ours."
Before I can reply, Percival cuts in: "Are there any further conditions to a mutual cooperation?"
He really is a smart one. I answer him:" Nothing to serious. Id prefer if you kept my existence and appearance secret if possible. Judging by the way most people in this building reacted to me, id guess that ship may have sailed. Even so, id like you to suppress or even deny any information of my Existence as a demon hunter."
"May I ask why exactly?" Dumbledore asks. His first words here so far.
" Id prefer any demons not knowing of me to prevent them to flee or even create countermeasures. I will not mind the information of me being a demonic witch who has come to an agreement with the government being released though." I say. Both officials seem to accept my reasoning.
"Lastly, and this isn't a condition by the way. Id like to establish a form trade relationship with you. The sort where we both offer Items and services to one another. I'm requesting this, as a close friend of mine has suffered from grievous injuries and cannot be healed using conventional medicine. I wish to ask if you'd be able to help her in any way. Concerning the requests. Id be more than willing to accept any from other ministries as well, as long as they are handled and approved by the MACUSA of course." My idea leaves a lot of freedom with it. Even if they deny a request, the previous deal still holds. This new agreement would not just benefit relations, but would also allow exchange of knowledge and resources. Lastly, it gives The MACUSA a monopoly over my services and will only boost cooperation between us.( I actually did it because I don't want mail and paperwork from all over the world)
Seraphina speaks up:" Such a proposal would work excellently... I must ask though, as we had no record of your identity or how you acquired your magic, we had assumed that you were a foreigner. But judging by your willingness to tie yourself to us, may we assume this is not the case?"
Looks like she isn't that dumb either. I honestly want her to be part of my harem as well. The fine olive skin and lean body underneath her clothes really speak to me. And besides, who wouldn't want a political leader as ones secret sex slave. The power trip I'd get from that would be amazing. Ive also considered doing it with Percival, but do believe something like that may hinder his abilities in the long run.
I'm going to admit, from all the men Ive met so far the only ones id be willing to sleep with are Peter and Aldritch (When he gets hot and super villainy). Ive always been Bisexual, but am I steering for a female centric harem here?...
I should probably talk about that later, as the lady in question is currently awaiting my answer. Gathering myself mentally, I start spinning my tale. I basically claim that I was the only child of a dark wizard who had fled to America illegally to continue his research. He dabbled in demonology and lost his life in the process. The demon who had been summoned felt the magical potential in me and took me on as a disciple. During this period, I lived as a no-Maj while training under him in secret.
This would explain why I am missing from any registries, but still know so much about the Magical World to the greater extent. After telling my story, the President basically agrees to have me legally registered (under my title of course) and will send out an Auror to give me a tour so to say of wizarding America. ( I may have already requested Porpentina)
The next Person to speak is Dumbledore:" I'm rather curious, but what forms of demonic magic are you actually capable of?" he asks.
I guess this was to be expected. Time for some half-truths, because I really want to increase my Value to them." Well most of my abilities are Combat related, such as hellfire and the magic sword I wielded earlier. Other than that, im rather versatile in elemental magic and am currently learning Advanced Enchantments based on Demonic scripture. My last two skills are a bit less developed at the moment. Those are Necromancy and Soul magic respectively. I can only create undead husks and the Soul magic is mainly used for the extraction and separation of souls."
Both Seraphina and Percival's eyes darken a bit at the mention of my necromancy, but soon let up as I mention how relatively harmless it is. Dumbledore however seems to have taken quite an interested in my Soul magic.
The rest of the talks soon come to a close and we all leave the office. Once more, I Analyse all the people assembled before me
Percival Graves LV 134
REP: 25
OBE: 15
Seraphina Picquery LV 124
REP: 50
OPE: 30
Perk acquired "Power Magnate": Persons of interest and Power will be drawn to your great charisma and Leadership( REP/OBE gains with politicians and leaders multiplied by 2)
I guess my Helltaker perk has already been helping me out with her. Not bad at all.
Albus Dumbledoor LV 357
REP: 25
OBE: 0
Seraphina thanks me for my time and returns to her duties. Percival remains in his office and is busy with the paperwork concerning myself. I'm meant to return within an hour to discuss further details and the first steps to finding my Targets. That leaves only myself and Dumbledore alone, a chance he was waiting for it seems." Miss Jando, might I ask for a private conversation before you leave the premises?"
Deciding that it couldn't hurt to humour him, I nod in approval. He then takes us to an empty meeting room and asks:" Your soul magic...does it only work on demon souls or can it also be used for humans?" Where is he going with this?
"It works on humans just as fine. They only need to be unconscious for it to work. Ive mostly used it to remove the souls of my targets so I could deliver them to Lucifer personally."
He sits in thought before requesting that anything uttered in this room right now remain a secret. " Tell me, would it technically work in removing a piece of a soul lodged within another without killing the host in the process?" he ask me.
Does that mean?...i think for a bit before widening my eyes and saying" You want me to remove the Horcrux from Harry Potter!" My answer startles him.
He swiftly reveals his elder wand and is pointing it at me. "How could you possibly know that!" he booms out. He must probably be thinking im a death eater or something. A normal person wouldn't know after all. Good thing I've already thought of an excuse.
I stare him down in with an irritated frown, Not showing that he could absolutely vaporise me right now. "Demons Talk Dumbledoor! They keep track of what souls are going to hell and especially if a soul is fractured so someone can become immortal! Now put down your wand!" I bellow out.
He soon relents and lowers his wand." Please forgive me, I had assumed your knowledge came from the Deatheaters. I hadn't considered your source. I still wish to ask of you to save him. Ive taken quite a liking to him and do not believe he should die just to defeat Voldemort.."
Even with his apology, im still pretty pissed of. There's now way im doing this for free now. This does work in my Favour though. If I recall, While magic was rather good at healing people. Permanent wounds and damage from drug abuse wasn't something they usually handled and would probably be unable to help. But Dumbledore has something that can bypass all that.
" I want one year to prepare and I want to be paid in advance." I state my terms.
" Why so long ? Id rather it be done as soon as possible. All Horcruxes negatively affect the Psyche of those around it. The longer I leave the boy in such a state, the worse it may affect him or those around him."
"Because something like this requires Precision and Preparation. I usually rip the souls out without caring about whether the affected lives or dies. For such a procedure, I will need to prepare as something as important like that cannot be mishandled. On wrong move and the Boy will die!"
I state. I'm actually talking out of my ass right now. Its just that id prefer to have my Soul magic at a higher level before I try something like that. A year should be more than enough to gain some new Guinea pigs to do just that.
He eventually accepts:" I see, im sorry for rushing you. I hadn't considered the complications." he pauses for a bit before looking at me once again." You mentioned you wanted to be paid in advance, How much do you ask?"
"I'm not out for money, but something else. I mentioned earlier that a close friend was grievously injured. Well that's an understatement. She had her ligaments severed, has received numerous injuries during her captivity. The worst part is the fact that she was drugged at lethal levels during this time. Even the best healers would have trouble with her recovery. The best option I can think of right now are Phoenix tears. And you happen to own one."
He slowly understands my plight and seems to be accepting of it. Probably because I myself am also trying to heal someone in need.
" That can be done...thank you for your help and I wish your friend the best recovery." He says while summoning Fawkes into the room. The bird flies around for a bit before landing on Dumbledore's Shoulder. He goes to his neck and removes a necklace with a small vial attached to it.
He hands me the vial after which I say: " Thank you Dumbledore." I pause for a bit before continuing: "I Swear upon my name and Magic, that I will remove the Horcrux from Harry Potter within one year, without killing him in the progress."
Such a promise means a lot for the normal mage, but for me whose Magic works on a fundamentally different Level? Its basically powerless. I do plan on upholding my Promise, just not to pay for it if I should fail though.
" I thank you Dragon Witch. I put my faith in your abilities and wish you the best" He says before apparating with the Phoenix in an amazing display. He honestly shouldn't have done that. Because of his carelessness, I just gained one of the greatest treasures in the Magical World.
I go down in my knees and pick up the item in Question. A feather from the Phoenix, Full of DNA for me to use. Or specifically DNA to clone.
To bad that mages underestimate modern science. The opposite is true as well, Scientists dismissing magic entirely( Something which occurred often in later stages of Marvel stories). But if one uses both, unimaginable results may ensue in the end.
My last stop is now Percival office. I arrive quickly and begin to help him. We establish my Name as a title only, and also work out the paperwork required to open a Bank account in the American Branch of Gringotts. Fun fact: The American Gold coin, the Dragot, is about 2000$ worth in its exchange rate. Quite something.
I also ask Graves about some more important issues, such ass how much the Actual US government has involved itself with the MACUSA. And to my delight, there is none of it. The US Government knows nothing. Why one may ask? Because of the second group I wanted to ask about. SHIELD. Turns out that some Auorors caught onto some unsavoury activities done by shield in the 70s. That being the Assassination of John F. Kennedy by the HYDRA sleeper Agents in Shield. The Aurors don't have a name, but still decided to cut contact with shield and by extension the Government. They obliviated everyone involved and destroyed as much evidence as possible. They even used the imperious curse to force those affected to destroy any evidence that may have survived.
With my business done, I head to a secluded spot and open a portal back to my Apartment.
Its Time to fix Wendy.
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Next part will take a while longer again.
