JPOV

The sound of exited children and other concert goers echoed through venue like a wild thrum of anticipation. I couldn't believe Dad had bought us all VIP tickets to see Knoxas! I had been waiting for this tour stop ever since the American band announced they would be making their way to the UK. That was nine months ago now.

"James fucking Potter you absolute legend you!" Connor beamed from the other side of the isle. A hand shot out to block my best friends path as he tried to pass the red rope. "Oy, see the minister for magic's son. We're with him." The cheerful menace added cheekily to the security guard as he proffered a cheap bottle of Prosecco to me over the barrier. I nodded to the usher and then to my red knight Stanley Bergen who seized the bottle from Connor no sooner than he had hopped the velvety divider. Connor's diamond stud twinkled distractingly in the moonlight but it was the arrival of Katie Holt and Andrew Thomas behind him that drew my attention. They at least had the courtesy to wait for the guard to let them pass.

"Kat! You made it!" I shot enthusiastically over the bickering of Connor and Stanley.

"Of course Jamie, as if I'd miss this. You made my entire summer." She offered kissing my cheek in greeting.

"Andrewww!"

"Jamessss! The Gryffindor beater returned, extending his arms wide. We clapped hands and did a shoulder hug as our own greeting.

"Well lads, I've persuaded good old Bergen here to return my contraband to us so long as we agree not to sneak any more booze after that. What say we? Can we all behave?" Connor asked returning with an opened bottle and those red plastic cups the muggles tended to use.

"Boooooo!" Kat shot to my knight.

Andrew and I shared a glance before turning to boo Bergen as well.

"Call me good old Bergen again Finnegan and I'll shove the bottle right up there. I'm the youngest red guard on the force. I can't let you guys get away with drinking. The boss will have my balls if i do."

I stared up into the stands towards the direction Bergen pointed and took note of the older red guard surveilling me from afar. Perched in one of the lighting towers, her arms crossed cooly over the railing, was the keen-eyed Trista Mordane. Trista, who wore a falcon mask these days, was the former head of security for her cousins of the Fawley family. It was boredom that saw here switch to ministry work. She even ran security at Gringotts before she supposedly had gotten bored of that job too.

Connor's arm came around my shoulder with a cup in hand. "To James and his dad for getting us into the sickest concert of the summer" He toasted jovially, pouring the frothing liquid into the cup and handing it to me. Andrew took the bottle and served Kat and himself.

"To Harry Potter and his very fit first born!" Kat whistled as she downed her first cup before any of us had a chance to clink her glass. We laughed and settled into our seats as the stage was still being set up.

"How long until they go on?" Andrew asked, checking his watch.

"Dunno, shouldn't be long now, they're supposed to start any minute."

"Holy cow, if it isn't the little Marquess herself. Isn't that Alexa Fawley?" Connor cooed, pointing to a stunning blond woman in a ruby red dress who was taking her seat in an even more prestigious box to the front right of the stage. Beside her sat Emile Travers and a black haired asian woman i didn't recognize.

"She's a year ahead of us isn't she? What's she doing here and not at the Carnival of the Moon?" I asked curiously.

"Maybe she ditched it like you James? Not all the Pureblood or officials who were invited decided to go."

"Also a lot of heirs weren't even invited or left after the first night." Andrew added. Kat looked at him skeptically.

"What? I follow the gossip some of the time. Anyway what's the deal with you and Fawley Connor? She's way out of your league mate."

"Let the poor boy dream, he's smitten with a great lady above his station. Let him fawn after her if he wants. Its hopeless." Bergen teased.

A wiry looking wizard with thick glasses and a clip board ran hurriedly onto the stage. He seized the mic and an audible reverb screeched through the enormous speakers above the towers.

"So sorry everyone, there's apparently global news breaking right now and we'll be temporarily using the stage's screen to broadcast live from the Court of Prince Augustin Valois. The band will be performing immediately afterwards. I'm sorry for the interruption."

There were groans of protest that erupted through the throngs of attendees but also a myriad of gasps. Most people throughout the millennia had heard little of the sacred rituals of magic performed at the Valois court, and were even less likely to get a chance to see them. For countless centuries the mystery of the Carnival of the Moon had remained shrouded in veils of rumor and secrecy.

Something tempted me to look up to the Fawley heiress as she laughed with her friends. It looked as if she had an idea this would happen.

The screen before us lit up and we were transported to the ornate halls of the french palace.

At the same time the full moon's light shifted a bright red and the great ballroom began to darken ominously. Every candle and flame lantern present there, bristled into varying shades of color to represent the seven fonts of magic. Blue, Green, Yellow, Purple, Black, Red, Pink

"Noble guests. Please, prepare for Ashera's Aria" I heard an attendant say in multiple languages.

The boy i recognized as Cyril moved to sit at a Steinway piano. I noted a troupe of classical musicians around him begin to play softly in the background.

Then Augustin Valois himself stepped forward at the head of a great staircase, his wife, children, brothers and sisters all rising from their thrones.

"We who are born of the goddesses magic, have gathered to pay her our ultimate tribute. We gather as we have gathered thousands of times before during the most auspicious date of the year, to honor the memory of our lineage. Here during the carnival of the moon we rejoice, celebrants to the gift of magic!" Augustin exclaimed in hushed jubilation, speaking in english instead of french.

Every guest moved to the edges of the gigantic ballroom to empty a space at its center, channeling their excitement in barely audible whispers to one another.

A ravishingly androgynous blond veela boy stepped forward with a tray towards an equally ravishing brown haired beauty. The stunning woman deposited her bracelet, hair jewelry, including a golden comb, onto the receptacle. I watched as she fastened her long hair into a ponytail before adding emerald earrings to the tray also.

Next a much older Scorpius Malfoy handed a veelish girl his smoking jacket and bowtie, undoing his shirt a few buttons from the top. Both figures next removed their shoes and turned to face each other as more attendants came to take those as well. The formal ritual of it all made me want to gag.

The delicate first bars of the Divine music began and I could feel the energy raise my hairs to attention even as the music distorted through the microphones and speakers.

"For the first time in history, I, Augustin Valois, Prince and current Supreme Founder of France, patriarch of the Valois family, have arranged for the world to witness this inimitable performance of Ashera's Aria. Great Britain has the honor of providing both participants this night. The vessels of the goddess Ashera will be played by: Albus Peverell-Potter, newly minted as Principes Septum of the Rhoyne, acting as the princess Ljos; and Duke Scorpius Malfoy of the Avalon who will perform the role of prince Sval. Let the world rejoice at the fortune you have to witness their song."

SPOV

Al and I stepped forward then to grab a section of the silken artifact Ribane which had been held aloft by the strange elf Methuselah. The moment the object made contact with our hands, the ribbon separated at its center, allowing us to wrap and manipulate our respective half for the dance. I took the golden white section and Al held the black silver portion. We bowed to each deeply, in a slow ceremonial style. 'Another night to change our lives' i thought absently with silent sigh.

(Look up "Song of the ancients: Devola" - Nier: Automata ost.)

(for the second half the same song but its Fate version "Song of the ancients: Fate")

JPOV

"Oh my god James is that your brother? He's taken a transmog potion for this. His voice is stunning!" My girlfriend Amanda chirped as she watched the enormous floating screen above the stage. Our friends seemed equally excited to watch the strange performance.

"I can't believe this is being broadcast live over the entire globe." I complained, annoyed that Knoxas had agreed to suspend their concert to play the broadcast from the french court. "Ashera be good, look how stuffy the palace looks. I'm glad I didn't have to go to that."

I did have to admit that Al's voice was even more beautiful in his female body, although I was beyond curious why and how they got him to agree to take the sex changing draught in the first place.

"Tsuriji pufuralekaiii…

Kwondzuvai… undovartsu wronduwail

Tjortetei… jeki liago…"

The two performers moved like perfect reflections of each other, a mirror dance where their motions flawlessly matched the other's. The two participants circled each other, their arms shifting in an ancient style that reminded me almost of a flowing martial art. Was it called water dancing? Something like that if i recall.

Just then, an eighteen year old Scorpius's voice joined Al's and even I had to admit how melodious the two sounded as they meshed together.

"Jiunmata ivelischpfuli

Neftyoma sorepiyamei

Schijiyako alefni fatalliliya

Nic'hpisfa unhoreselye"

The dance flowed like liquid metal, their arms pushing and pulling at each other in tide-like motions.

"Wow she's so beautiful!" I heard a girl say to my left. The crowd was transfixed at the sight and sound of the Aria.

"Who knew a Malfoy could make such beautiful music" another girl noted.

Otrajain aforeje kurasolda

Towari hatasei mic'hatasei tsufrallai

Otrajain aforeje kurasolda

Towari hatasei mic'hatasei tsufrallai ilja

Ullilya kojijichatjukaijai-wa nyame fretsumekri fretsumekri linganmai

Ulreri manja huteharraku-mu harirch lahadachfei lahadachfei shindulhwo

There was a tender intimacy in the manner in which the two dancers moved that caused me to bristle angrily. 'Its always Scorpius' I thought to myself. He's always involved in these damned games. I just hope Al can tell what he's really up to. How can someone as smart as my brother not know that Scorpius was at the center of the Purist revolution? 'Maybe Hermione and Dad purposefully ordered Al to stay close to him?'

"They look so sweet together. I can't believe we get to witness the Aria like this. Its almost like the performance is an expression of love." Amanda cooed.

I bristled again, annoyed at the word love. I had read in the papers that Albus was now one of the seven Princes of magic. Many of my friends had been texting me all day about the development. Word of the 'Love prince' had almost sucked all of the fun from the concert… Now i had to sit through this?

(Change to: Song of the Ancients - Fate)

Just as the refrain ended, a strange energy began to take over the chamber at the Palace. Audible gasps could be heard erupting from the guests present for the performance.

Fiery drum beats emerged from out of nowhere as even the musicians could be seen turning to one another in confusion.

Suddenly thick black flames engulfed my fathers eyes as his body was seized by some foreign spell. I watched his mouth fall open as his limbs bent outwards like a possessed marionette. The same thing occurred to Aberforth Dumbledore and a number of other wizards in view of the cameras, but each time the color of the flames differed by the individual.

Black, Pink, Red and Green flames lit on a circlet that appeared on my brothers forehead, glistening angrily like stars. Likewise blue, yellow and purple flames now appeared on Malfoys brow where an identical circlet now rested.

The two figures looked strange and alien as their movements increased in speed and intensity. The beat picked up tempo as did the push and pull of their twirling and serpentine like strikes.

Without warning the blond wizards blue eyes shifted to a molten gold just as Al's turned a glowing silver.

"KUWATA, TSUNOWO VRALAI!

TSURIJI PUFURAALEKAIIII

KWODZUVAI UNDOVARTSU WRONDUWAIL

TJORTETEI JEKI LIAGO"

"Brother shall i stop this?" one of the Valois could be heard shouting to Augustin through the cameras. The mad frenchman held up his hand as he could not tear his eyes away from the beauty of Al and Malfoy's enchanting steps or sweeping arm maneuvers.

"Do not interfere! This is ancient magic laid out at the founding of the world. You'll kill yourself if you try and stop them!"

"KUWATA, TSUNOWO VRALAI!

TSURIJI PUFURAALEKAIIII

KWODZUVAI UNDOVARTSU WRONDUWAIL

TJORTETEI JEKI LIAGO"

Waves of colored energy washed forth from the dancers limbs each time the two made contact or almost grazed one another. I could see my mother grip my father to try and steady him as he shook under the strain of the magic at work.

Likewise I noticed the same as Lorcan and Lysander gripped the Supreme Mugwump who trembled under the weight of the green flames that engulfed him.

Ribane sparkled in the glow of the raging colors, twirling and floating like a serpent in the air. How did i know its name?

"Jiunmata ivelischpfuli

Neftyoma sorepiyamei

Schijiyako alefni fatalliliya

Nic'hpisfa unhoreselye"

The Valois hall watched on in astonishment, even as the whole world observed the strange ritual in equal enchantment.

The dancers gripped each other by the forearms, throwing their chests and heads backwards as they bent away from each other like the limbs of bows being drawn. As quickly as they came together they parted and spun, more colored fire flooding the space around them as their movement shed incomprehensible amounts of energy outwards. The guests who were closest stumbled or toppled backwards under the pressure.

A chorus of soft echoes joined the music suddenly in the heat of the drumbeats. I noticed the Japanese royals were the first to start singing along as the tempo picked up pace. Not a moment after did the young blond Cyrille add his chords to the performance, and soon, many of the nobles present who knew the lyrics had leant their voices to the music of the Goddess.

Otrajain aforeje kurasolda

Towari hatasei mic'hatasei tsufrallai

Otrajain aforeje kurasolda

Towari hatasei mic'hatasei tsufrallai ilja

Ullilya kojijichatjukaijai-wa nyame fretsumekri fretsumekri linganmai

Ulreri manja huteharraku-mu harirch lahadachfei lahadachfei shindulhwo

As the music reached the height of its frenzy, all the light and magic that had washed out from the two dancers began to gather and swirl around them like a miniature storm. The magic intensified and exploded like a beam through the ceiling, raging into the sky with a power beyond description. The pillar of rainbow passed harmlessly through the ornate roof and continued uninterrupted towards the heavens, illuminating the city for miles. We all stared helplessly as the enormous beam became visible to us even off the screen. It shone like a beacon from the south, all the way from the continent.

Then only silence as the cameras faltered and burnt out, leaving the screen above the concert stage full of static.

What on earth had happened?