-Break-
20th of March 1943
Arcturus POV
He grumbled under his breath "Ungrateful brat" as he read the latest letter from his sister.
"What was that?" she said, her head bowed as she stocked up her kit with potions.
"Nothing" he answered gruffly, bringing his glass of whiskey to his lips, something that Cassie rolled her eyes at before sending him a bemused expression that almost seemed to be fixed these days.
He dropped the glass slightly, no longer making contact with his lips as he pondered his situation.
Honestly, why was he stuck with two rebellious sisters? The other families had daughters that were well behaved and did everything their Lord fathers or brothers commanded and yet he was stuck with two damn headstrong sisters, in their own way.
He brought the glass to his lips and tipped the glass in such a way that the firewhiskey merely glided down his throat and set his jaw slightly as he looked at his sister.
"Dorea's has informed me of the successes in Croatia, the injured are remaining there whilst the rest are moving elsewhere – she suspects Belgium" He told his sister who hummed thoughtfully.
"Have you verified what Dorea told us? That it is Belgium that they're heading towards?" she questioned.
"Yes. The men that we recruited to join have been able to communicate back to us. He's reduced the secrecy, he had to in truth given that it is no longer simply his own private army and more a coalition of forces with the ICW and former prisoners making up the bulk of his forces." Arcturus grunted. Of course none of his men were anywhere near close to the command structure but they were close enough to know where things were headed. The only oaths that were required was to swear to magic that they were no agents of Grindelwald or any affiliated with him.
"What about Potter and Dorea?" Cassie asked with a teasing tone to her voice, enjoying the discomfort she was causing him.
He clenched his jaw for moment before relaxing "They are…behaving" he ground out.
She cackled "But they are courting no?" she said with a smile in her voice as her eyes glinted in amusement.
"Yes" he said annoyed.
She laughed "You should have left it be, kept the spying on Sayre and his men than on Dorea." She smirked at him "It would have done your heart a lot of good"
He waved it off. "Yes, yes." He said impatiently "I did not call you here to taunt me about Dorea" he said snappishly.
She eyed him curiously before a well-manicured eyebrow rose in waiting expectation.
He narrowed his eyes momentarily before a cool expression set on his face. "Kreacher!" he called out and the elf popped. He stared at the thing sternly "Bring me the pensieve and the memory vials".
*pop* the elf left without a word and in his place arrived a pedestal with a pensieve and four vials set upright in a wooden rack.
Cassie's eyes shone slightly as her eyes inevitably drifted to the pensieve. "Oh, they managed to sneak up on them then?" she asked curiously, her eyes showing immense interest as she stood up, making her way towards the pedestal.
He grunted a confirmation as he set his empty glass on the table, the glass being replaced immediately with a new one with firewhiskey.
"And we managed to capture one of the men who'd escaped during an encounter with Sayre" Arcturus stated with a terseness in his voice, one was borne out of fraught grimness that he was loathed to show.
"Truly?" Her voice was musical as her eyes sparkled with anticipation, eager to devour any information like the Black Widow she was whilst she stood over the pensieve, her eyes now swivelling towards the vials.
He leaned back in his chair, watching his sister grab one of the vials with a calm expression, one that belied his feelings on what she was holding.
She glanced at him curiously, intrigue sharpening her eyes as she poured in the first vial in the pensieve "You've already seen it." She stated, already knowing the answer.
"I have. Several times" He said with a little grimness entering his tone, something she picked up.
"I see" she murmured before she plunged into the pensieve.
He glanced at her before he looked away, his thoughts swirling in his mind, much like it had ever since he first seen what his sister was watching.
What he had seen…
Any Lord Black was required to know the history of the House and House Black…well…the House was one of the most storied Houses in the world.
Not for great deeds – oh there were plenty of those too – but rather for the uncanny ability to be on the triumphant side of any conflict, whether or not they took part of it or not.
House Black was steeped in blood, in subterfuge and power. Even during the days of its early beginning, their family had been known as ruthless and a family not to cross and time had only increased those facets of the family.
So ruthless that any discord within the family was never truly allowed to exist for their power had come from the multi-generational members, all of whom were more often than not at least mid-level Sorcerers. Discord was ruthlessly culled, one way or another and more Lords of House Black had used magic to induce compliance than not.
And yet, such methods had ensured they remained near or at the top.
Being a family of high magical ability and strength, such power allowed further power to develop, such power allowed them to spin their webs across the entirety of the Isles over time to the point that the Ministry was little more than their tool to exact their purposes through information gathered, gold and reputation when there was a reason and will for it.
But there was one type of power that eluded House Black truly…And that was an Archmage born with the name Black.
Despite their multi millennia existence as a House, they had never yielded an Archmage. No matter how many times they tried to boost their bloodline with those of powerful families, whether through alliances or through coercion, it had not worked.
It was ironic in truth, for a family that named their children after stars, there had never been a moment when the stars had aligned to allow for a scion of House Black to be born as an Archmage.
So much so he had mused to himself that it might have been the real reason why they named their children after stars, to wish, to appeal to magic, to the stars, to allow an Archmage to be born Black. There was an ironic piece of poetry there.
Archmages were a rare bunch of magicals for whom the stars had aligned for.
Magical strength, lineage, intelligence, natural attunement to magic and willpower were crucial to achieve the power ceiling of being an Archmage.
Despite what mudbloods and blood traitors would have you believe, lineage was key as family magic played a big factor as it augmented power levels.
Xavier Charleston was born from a cadet branch of the now extinct House Winterdon, a Most Ancient House that was as old as House Black. It was not difficult to understand that his own family magic was as strong as any Most Ancient House even if he was a mongrel.
It was one of the reasons why none believed Rasputin to be a mudblood, merely a scion of some long forgotten House or a bastard of one of the Great Russian Houses.
In any case, House Black has always had a jealousness towards Archmages. They'd proven that rituals were not able to cross that power ceiling, no matter how much stronger a high level Sorcerer became. That barrier would remain as per the will of Lady Magic.
It was to their fortune that more than half of these Archmages, at least in the Isles, tended to become Dark Lords to give them a reason to dispose of the threat and the same time bolster their own reputation.
House Black never allowed a threat to their power to exist, at the very least unimpeded. Their history was steeped in betrayal, in using Dark Lords whilst stabbing them in the back when there was an opportunity that would elevate the family.
Ezkridis was one example of that. Before he truly dived into madness, they had welcomed him, using his genius to further their own expertise in Dark Magic before setting the Wizard's Council on him in the background.
There was even an entry in one of his ancestor's journal, the grandson of the Lord Black in the time of Ezkridis and the Peverells, that suggested that they'd helped along his insanity once his usefulness had ended.
Any 'benevolent' Archmage or Archmage to be, was ensured they would not pose a threat to their powerbase and surreptitiously met an ignoble end. There were those like Godric Gryffindor that had no ambition beyond becoming the greatest Battle Mage that were left untouched given that they were no threat to their power, but those like Grindelwald and Dumbledore?
His family record demanded of him that he could allow neither of them would be able to exact their plans but unfortunately they were a different calibre of men…both having a kind of cunning, each different from the other, that made it necessary to act against them in a way that required a great deal of planning and unfortunately, House Black only had himself and Cassie to pick up the planning.
Dumbledore was relatively easy now, with how his reputation continued to be tarnished the longer he remained holed up in Hogwarts, inactive and toothless. His excuses of not being a fighter, merely a teacher fell on deaf ears as Sayre, a boy not even reached his final maturity, up and left to fight in a war.
He hadn't even had to do much either considering that the boy's allies were doing it for him in that paper of theirs for he had no doubt he had some influence there.
When it came to Grindelwald, there unfortunately was no easy solution.
And with the kind of man Grindelwald was, he would not be dealt with armies of Sorcerer level wizards, no…
He was far too cunning, intelligent and powerful to allow himself to be defeated through trickery and sheer mass of enemies. It was this judgement that had a small but significant impact in staying his hand, the fragility of the House being the most significant with the death of Perseus and his father.
He'd allowed many to think that he was allowing Houses in the Traditionalist faction to vote to their liking because he was 'new' to being Lord Black thus still building his influence but it was truly part of his plan.
Oh he wanted war, no doubt about it, the debt that Grindelwald owed House Black made it personal but he wanted…needed to avoid being overt.
It would have been easy enough to browbeat his allies and enemies alike into voting to war with the information they had on hand, even those lickspittles like Greengrass, but that would have created targets onto their backs that they could ill afford when the majority of the next generation were nothing but children.
His own desires had come second to the House as it should.
And so, he'd settled on the long term plan, one that shifted and changed, one that had stemmed from patience and later was born out of expectation of a boy.
He'd known Atticus Sayre was an Archmage to be for a long time, it had been his main reason to attempt to tie Dorea or Lucretia to him. His children would have been children of House Black, even if it they did not bear its name. Through one of them, he might have been able to tie a daughter into his mainline, bringing in the powerful Sayre blood into his own.
It likely would not have yielded an Archmage in House Black but their families would have been tied so tightly that it would not have mattered. It would have propelled House Black into spheres unknown.
It had been a play that he was disappointed to bear fruit, especially given to whom he was now tied to, or would be tied to.
He shook his head at that. That was a headache he could not dive into now.
He had not expected Atticus Sayre to match Grindelwald, to be able to defeat him but he had expected him to be the best option that would not result in a massive change in political power
He had hoped Atticus Sayre would be able to inflict great damage to Grindelwald and his cause before Grindelwald was taken down through a concerted effort of Sayre and others…and himself once it became time.
How wrong he was. He had been operating on a timescale that was longer than it actually was. Atticus Sayre was an Archmage now, one with capabilities of magic that seemed impossible.
That thing with the transfiguration…if it was transfiguration…
It had made him reflect on what he knew of Atticus Sayre.
He'd met the boy when he had been but six years of age during one of the gatherings between friendly Houses. The boy had been quiet, aloof but there was a spark there, a spark that he would now characterise to have grown into an inferno, one that was uncontrollable, unyielding.
As he aged, as he grew, Arcturus could not help but be impressed with the boy, especially when he'd informed them of the capabilities of the muggles with the demonstration of the muggle bombs, the greatness of the threats that muggles had presented.
And yet…
He had not truly understood Atticus Sayre.
A boy genius, one who seemed to revere magic but paradoxically venerated muggle science, so much so he's created an institution that would allow for both to be studied to great degree in Ireland, an institution that was headed by the famous Flamels, an institution that was shaping to become one of the great centres of education with the professors that they now yielded.
A boy who could kill so dispassionately yet speak of the kinship they all shared due to magic, a boy who could rally men to his cause but with a few words, a boy who could out argue the most stubborn of men about the old argument about blood versus magic…
He did not know what the boy's ambition was. His reluctance towards politics made it clear that he had no interest in dominating the Wizengamot and his behaviour with his…followers made it clear that he was no conqueror to be and yet Arcturus knew that the boy was not unambitious, to think that would be folly.
No one would be so excellent in magic had they not have an ambition. None would speak of magic as he did without passion in their hearts and where passion was…there was a hunger for power.
It left him in an uneasy position, once Grindelwald was dead. Family tradition dictated that he act against Sayre, to curtail him at the very least lest House's Black position is threatened, age old history demanded that ruthlessness of him.
And yet…
There was the bond of blood – no matter how distant given that Benedict's wife had been a Black – and there was a millennia old pact between the families that he was loathed to destroy, especially given that Atticus Sayre may not be a threat, in the conventional sense, to their power.
It was that thought that had kept him occupied ever since he'd seen those memories.
His sister left the pensieve with grace but he could see she was rattled, years of siblinghood had made him all too aware of most of her tells and she'd never been one to truly fool him when it came to being shocked.
"Watch the next ones" he told her and she turned to him with a grim expression before she did as he told her.
Half hour later, she exited the pensieve having watched the last memory and a troublesome expression crossed her face before she shook her head, as if to shake it away.
She stood there in silence before she suddenly glided towards the chair next to him, not sparing him a look before she snapped her fingers and a glass of Ogden's Brandy appeared floating in front of her. She gulped a substantial amount of it before she slumped slightly in her chair.
"He's no longer hiding" she said at last breaking the silence they had been sharing.
"No…he isn't" Arcturus grunted before bringing his fourth glass of firewhiskey to his lips. He stopped for a moment as he glanced at his sister "And?" he questioned before he sipped on his glass, taking a moment to savour the taste on his tongue.
His sister turned to him with incredulous eyes "And?" she parroted not so unharshly "We always suspected he was likely going to be an archmage level wizard but never this soon"
Arcturus sighed "Yes, it's concerning he's this powerful without even yet going through his final maturity" Arcturus pursed his lips. More than once had he chastised himself for not pursuing a betrothal with the boy when he'd met him when he had been but a child. Even more so when he'd heard of the boy's prowess in magic.
"You think that is concerning?" His sister said scathingly as she stood up and began to pace in front of him, wearing a troubled expression "I wouldn't call an eighteen year old Archmage capable of wielding magic like he's centuries old merely concerning" She turned her eyes to him, gazing at him with piercing eyes. "What I would call that is Morgana damned nightmare" she hissed out.
Arcturus' expression changed and it was of sourness "Do you think I don't know that?" he ground out exasperated, his stormy eyes staring back at his sister.
"Do you think I do not realise the impossibility that he is capable of? The magic that he wields so expertly?" He thundered as he sat up in his chair, leaning forward, his eyes fixed on his sister "That he simply radiated magic as if he was Magic herself, so much so that his eyes damned changed white glowing orbs?!" Silence filled the room as brother and sister sent venomous glares at each other, neither of them yielding.
Arcturus continued "Causing a scene about it won't change a single fact about the situation" his tone acidic.
Her nostrils flared as she seethed before she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, a rare show of restraint from his sister.
"His magical prowess is a nightmare…but it is not what the most dangerous thing about him…"
She reopened and them and sent him a cold glare "Arcturus…you don't understand. Why is he doing all these things with the mudbloods, with the speeches about magic? Why is he creating a loyal group of men that would follow him to ends of the world?"
Arcturus stared at his sister for a moment. "You believe he'll be another Grindelwald?" he questioned calmly. He had pondered about it himself a great many times before he dived into his own memories about the boy…the memories of Dorea speaking about the boy she'd befriended.
He knew of a boy who had argued out men many times his age, winning each argument with his obsession with magic and his views on it. He was every bit a Ravenclaw, a scaly Ravenclaw, but a Ravenclaw nonetheless.
He didn't have it in him to be a Dark Lord like Grindelwald. Not because he did not have the power or the draw…no, Sayre had other ambitions, that was certain.
"No…I think he'll be worse." His sister stressed out before she frowned for a moment.
"Grindelwald is and will always be a rogue rather than one of us. Atticus Sayre will not have that issue amongst the nobility and not just amongst the British nobility – of Europe's nobility. He would not fall into the trap of becoming like Grindelwald, one who operated in the open, one who sought to upend millennia of magical society." Cassie continued her tirade before he interjected.
"And how does this tie in with his activities?" Arcturus questioned sharply as he stared down his sister "We both know that he is operating in the muggle world, purchasing companies and building a Merlin damned shipping company" Cassie's eye twitched. It was a sore point that she hadn't been able to discover if there was magic being used in the shipping company. In truth, most of their information gathering had been through a copious use of Obliviation and truth serum and even then, none of the important people, like that mudblood Derek Saunders were able to divulge any significant information. It seemed Sayre had bound his people tightly with oaths and likely contracts.
"What conqueror has interests in the business world of the muggles?" Arcturus posed to her.
Cassie shook her head before she turned her eyes on him, a spark of…something showing her eyes "You're thinking too..." she paused for a moment "small" she said finally after the pause, her eyes turned unseeing as if she was stuck in her mind.
"The boy has always been…different" Cassie began slowly, life returning to her eyes, now wearing a glean that seemed to shine with calculation "Markus Sayre never told you about who the Seer was, did he?" Cassie's eyes were as sharp as a knifes edge, her tongue wetting her lips before they thinned out.
Arcturus' eyes widened in shock "You believe…" Arcturus trailed off, looking to the side, his mind spinning at the thought.
Could it be…
"It makes sense" She said lowly and he turned sharply to her, his eyes boring into her.
"Markus Sayre would not have called a meeting where the attendance spanned the entire political spectrum on the whim of a Seer, no matter how much the situation might have warranted for it." Her lips thinned as their gaze met.
"To out that you have a Seer in your employ is not something that you would do unless the situation truly called for it" She continued, her eyes turning sharper "And no matter how…genteel Markus Sayre might have been, he was a Sayre and they looked out for their own. He would not have risked his Seer if the Seer did not have significant influence on him to not only risk the secret outing of him having a Seer but also listen enough to return to the fold politically in a way that no Sayre had done for centuries"
Arcturus mulled it over. "Perhaps" he conceded thoughtfully as he rubbed his chin in contemplation "The low number of deaths, relatively speaking, in the ranks of the Mimpost despite the numerous battles they've been in" He trailed off.
She picked it up "The investments, the school, the mudbloods…" Her eyes sparkled with victory as the corner of her lips sharpened and she smiled a shark-like smile.
Arcturus glanced at her "And yet…the Seer…Sayre was unable to save his father…and a number of his maternal family" he pointed out to her, the chink in the armour of the theory she was weaving.
She pursed her lips as she nodded slowly "He is still young, no doubt his ability is not as refined…yet. Markus Sayre increase in security could have been in anticipation of an attack, more than a simple solution to the attacks that had been happening at the time. Could merely been a fault of Markus Sayre to not heed the warning enough" she countered.
Arcturus nodded silently. He was not completely convinced but there was startlingly enough evidence to rightly suspect. "And you think that this is connected to his…movements?"
Her eyes darkened and she looked away. "Ever since those bombs that had the capacity to destroy wards, even ancient ones such as ours, I have not been idle dear brother" she turned back to him, her expression turned into a cool one.
"The muggles are improving in an unprecedented rate, in a way that truly leaves me astounded at how the animals are able to change their miserable lives like they are."
Arcturus scowled at her. "They're still nothing but animals. Who cares if they create metal contraptions that can fly. We've flown for millennia"
Cassie sent him a glare "Of course they're nothing but animals but it does not mean an animal cannot maul you or destroy you. Many a foolish wizards could attest to that when they attempted to hunt Dragons" she said with a mocking sneer.
Arcturus snorted.
"Either way" she continued, a serious expression falling on her face "It does not change the fact that the world is changing and I believe Atticus Sayre knows this. There is no other reason why he'd put in so much effort with the mudbloods"
Arcturus turned sharply at her "You think they'd betray us?" his tone was deathly as he stared at his sister, his eyes as cold as the harshest winter.
Her lips upturned in a mocking smile "Any animal who is cornered lashes out eventually". She took a sip of her brandy, before closing her eyes in contentment as she let of a satisfied hum. "The mudbloods are a sizable minority and they will only grow as the filthy muggles grow. The days of half their children dying in the crib is long past, unfortunately" she said with a sour tone "There are only 14,000 or so pureblood in the isles in a population of 32,000. Half-bloods and squibs are estimated to be just a bit less than the population of purebloods." She turned to her brother "But it doesn't truly reflect the situation – many of our people are old, Arcturus, half of the population are either past or approaching the twilight years whilst the mudbloods are largely much much younger to the point that they might well become a greater population in the next century" she sneered "They breed far too much and too fast"
"Surely it's not that dire" he asked aghast. Cassie turned to him with a withering stare.
"It is. I have a few friends in the DOM" she said with a wicked smirk before it fell off "It seems like we have been having too many single children each generation to the point that it actually hard for purebloods to have more than two children" she shook her head "Mudbloods, tainted with their filthy muggle blood tend to have much easier time having children" she scowled.
Arcturus absorbed the information with grimness. He had not known it was that dire.
"Do they know if it can be reversed?" he questioned.
"Of course it can be reversed." She said with a certain look "But that is a matter for politics" she said with a pointed look.
Arcturus nodded. It seems like he would have to deal with it after the war. To be overrun by mudbloods…
The end of their ways…
Was that what Sayre was trying to stave away?
"Is he's trying to stave it off by bringing them honey?" Arcturus questioned as he considered what she is saying.
"Perhaps." She said noncommittally "The mudblood population is quite high and likely to continue to grow at an unprecedented rate and no matter what we do, there will always be mudbloods" she screwed her face disgusted "And to cull them would only descend the nation into a bloody civil that would devastate us"
Arcturus scowled as he sat back in his chair. That was true. The Light families would never stand for it and it would tear the nation apart. Blood would spill and a significant percentage of it would be pure.
Exactly what they don't need at this time.
"The efforts of that half blood bitch too makes me think that she knows that he Sees the future" she continued, breaking him out of his thoughts.
Arcturus glanced at her, his eyes shining full of contempt for that girl.
He had come to believe that she was responsible for his Heir's change in behaviour. Before…he'd been impulsive but he'd also been strong. Not as strong as he would have liked…nor as…stable, but he had time to work on him.
It seemed, however, the boy had changed significantly when he'd returned last summer…more withdrawn, snappish.
He changed once more once he'd returned on Yule but that strength of his was no longer completely his.
Where before he was a leader, he was distinctly a follower now and he chose to follow her.
And he hated the girl for it. He had toyed with eliminating her but it would draw too much attention and should Sayre find out…
Arcturus was nothing but patient, he could wait.
He turned to his sister "Speaking of the half blood…Have you find anything about her parenthood?"
Her face twisted in disgruntled disgust "No." she bit out "Whatever they've done, they've been meticulous" she sighed as she collapsed in her chair. "We can start rumours but without evidence…"
"Especially given how popular she is…" he shook his head. She had fed on the popularity of the masses with the way she conducted herself, tearing apart the old pureblood ideologies…In a way he grudgingly respected her for her cunning, she certainly was worthy to be of the blood of Slytherin but he hated her nonetheless for attempting to tear down the structure his family had been a part off for such a long time.
"It's a good thing that it's hasn't been as well received in the Traditionalist faction" Cassie mused before she spied Arcturus a glance "It would have caused you significant issues otherwise"
Arcturus scowled "Even so, there are plenty of…defectors". Houses like Parkinson, Bulstrode and so on, a great many of those who had kin fighting alongside Atticus Sayre, were shifting their stances to align with the Slytherin half blood.
"Inconsequential for now." Cassie dismissed "When she enters the political sphere however…" she trailed off.
Yes…that would be a damn problem. Especially once has the influence of the Sayre name behind her.
And with the way Orion follows her…
The dominance of House Black…
He scowled angrily and turned to her sister with a furious expression on his face.
"Do you think we would be able to create a rift between the half blood and Sayre?" He posed to his sister. He did not believe it but his sister had a devious mind.
"Would we be able to? Of course" she said dismissively before she grew serious "But whether or not we get away with it…" her eyes hardened "You should have had her killed a long time ago, Arcturus, especially with how Orion changed because of your inaction"
Arcturus clenched his teeth as his hand tightened around his drink. It was becoming evident that he should have.
It would have freed Sayre to marry one of House Black, it would have increased his control over the nascent Archmage and he would know what the boy planned.
Instead…now Sayre and Slytherin were very likely to dominate in whatever they have planned and it seemed that it would not be something of their liking.
A moment of silence fell amongst them.
"There is great change coming Arcturus and we are dangerously ignorant of what it is. He is playing a larger game, so is she, and we must find out what it is, for the sake of the family." She said in a solemn tone, one that was very strange to hear from her.
Arcturus sighed as he swivelled the glass of firewhiskey in his hand. The muggles, mudbloods, Sayre and Slytherin…Grindelwald…
"Perhaps we should step forth" Arcturus mused quietly to himself before, after a moment, he glanced at his sister who had a quizzical expression her face.
"Out of the shadows?" she quirked an eyebrow.
"Yes." Arcturus nodded before looked away for a moment "It seems that we have missed several steps when it comes to Sayre. We have struck blows to Grindelwald, to be sure but instead of strengthening the family, I get the distinct feeling we're losing ground" he thinned his lips.
"Sayre's name is world famous now and should he defeat Grindelwald now…" His eyes turned troubled. He never thought the boy could do it. But after seeing those memories…
"Hmm. Perhaps there is hope for you yet?" his sister intoned with a slight mocking lilt to her voice.
He turned to her with a scowl before he glanced at her curiously. "You think he'll defeat Grindelwald?"
His sister stared at him before she turned away "My gut says that he will. Whether it will be in a few days or several years, I don't know. But he will eventually" She laughed abruptly before she shook her head. "The more I see of the boy and hear of his exploits, the more I start to think the old tales grandmother used to tell us about the Heralds of Lady Magic isn't such a fairy-tale after all" she said distractedly.
Arcturus frowned. Archmages were often claimed to be Heralds of Lady Magic, those who signified a change to order of things. They were blessed by Lady Magic herself, her vehicle for change.
For good or ill.
He sighed. "Yes, I think we should move along a great many of our plans"
His sister perked up, her eyes gleaming in excitement.
"Starting with…?" She almost asked in a sing song voice, her eyes glistening with barely repressed glee.
"Durmstrang" he answered simply, his eyes hardening "That will be our entry in this war."
His sister's smile turned positively predatory "And Magical Britain?" she asked hungrily, eager to break Magical Britain's resistance to the war with her claws.
His face broke in a ghost of a smirk, one that promised, one that brought foreboding promise. "Why, dear Cassie…They'll helping us along"
Cassie cackled with abandon, her form shaking in absolute delight. It petered out and she turned to him once more "Well dear brother, time to show that House Black still can make the Ministry move whenever it wants" she smiled.
-Break-
21st of March 1943
Dumbledore POV
The green fire of the floo died down as he stepped out of it, his hands patting himself clean from the ashes of the fire.
"Mr Dumbledore" He turned to the voice and saw that it was Lord McKinnon.
"Lord McKinnon" he bowed his head slightly.
Lord McKinnon smiled and extended his hand which Albus took. "The others have already arrived, we were just waiting on you" he told Albus.
Albus offered a small genial smile and was led into the meeting room.
After exchanging pleasantries with the men present, Lords Shacklebolt, Cornfoot, Brown, Ogden, Macmillan, Smith and Heir Prewett, brother of Lord Ignatius Prewett who fighting with Sayre, representing House Prewett, he took his seat.
"As you all know" Lord McKinnon began, his eyes sweeping across the table "The war against the Dark has entered a precarious stage" Lord McKinnon took a pause and turned to Albus who took over.
"My friends" Albus began with a warm smile as he looked at them before a serious expression took over, all levity on his face having gone "With the ICW forces sweeping across the East of Europe, liberating Ministries from the yolk of Dark Wizards, the influence of Grindelwald has never been lower in years" he looked at them all, his eyes staring down at them behind his half moon glasses "All of that will be for nothing should he win in Belgium." He declared.
"And what would you have us do?" Smith interjected not unkindly but his voice had a distinct lack of warmth. "Not even Charleston can defeat him and from what I've heard, he was incredibly lucky not to have been killed." He pointed out to the room.
They murmured amongst themselves uneasily.
Albus raised his hand in a placating gesture "I understand" he soothed before he brought his hand down once he had the attention of the room once more "Grindelwald is powerful, exceedingly so but he can be defeated and he will be defeated for the Light cannot be defeated by the Dark." Albus intoned with strength behind his voice.
"And are you finally entering this war? As the Daily Prophet suggests?" Prewett asked sceptically.
Eyes bored down at him, waiting on him to answer.
Albus nodded slowly "I am." He declared to the room, his eyes roving over them. Their eyes widened at the admission.
"Truly?" Brown asked distinctly surprised "Don't take my words as insult, Mr Dumbledore but you have always denied that you would join the war claiming that you were a teacher and not a fighter." He paused momentarily as he eyed Albus "What changed?"
Albus gave a long suffering sigh as he sat back in his chair, theatrically running his hand across his face and beard.
"I…I realised that it is the duty of men of the Light to fight against the Dark" he glanced at them all, his eyes hiding a sheen of calculation "In whatever form it may take." He told him in a sincere tone before he continued with a solemn tone "I am not a fighter, My Lords, I am but a humble teacher who only wishes to guide the next generation of witches and wizards on the path of good. However, I cannot abide by the loss of life at the hands of Dark Wizards who seek to descend this world of ours into Darkness" he said solemnly. "We all have a duty to nurture the Light and I shall do mine" he said with a stoic nod much to the pleasure of the Lords at present.
"I am pleased to hear you say that" Cornfoot said with a large smile.
"I will not leave immediately" Albus told them as he looked around the table "I have several matters to attend but it will be soon" he said with a nod and they accepted his words easily enough.
Inwardly he was conflicted. Many of his plans had to be expedited with the way Gellert's movement is crumbling around him.
To be sure, he was still as ever indomitable, he thought with an inward forlorn smile but his movement was on the brink of collapse. Only Gellert's continued victory in Belgium likely ensured loyalty, likely out of fear instead of free will.
'Oh Gellert…why did you not listen when I told you the shadows were better to bring about your vision?'
They may have diverted in their goals, Albus no longer sought domination over the world, merely to ensure that power did not corrupt the magical world and would remain on the path he knew would be best for it but he could have made an exception for Gellert had he desired to take the patient approach to bring the muggle world to heel without death and destruction.
Magic was infinitely capable and a copious amount of compulsion charms, imperius and other mind alteration spells could have ensured the muggle world could not threaten the magical world.
"Speaking of other matters" Lord McKinnon moved the meeting along, to the main topic at hand.
"The balance of the Wizengamot is in a perilous situation" the man's baritone voice carried through the room effortlessly.
"And the return of House Slytherin may well tip the balance irrevocably should we do nothing to stop it" McKinnon said in a grave tone that matched the expression of the men present.
Albus watched them all carefully, immensely pleased that he was invited in to this conversation. The reveal of Emily Slytherin had wide repercussions in Magical Britain, her shocking reveal and the publishing of several passages of Salazar's Journal made her an instant political powerhouse that had many vying for her attention.
Her interview, her words held such power that almost everyone within Magical Britain were all at attention for anything more to do with Emily Slytherin. The dark pureblood families should have been in disarray as a consequence of her disorientating and provocative words…words that spelled doom for any pureblood movement, especially when she was moving for a revival of antiquated traditions that he despised.
The worst thing about it was that the muggleborn population of Hogwarts were interested in them, much to his dismay. Her words about Salazar wanting to introduce muggleborns to magic was something that muggleborns wanted. He'd heard several in his House speak in that regard and he knew he needed to quell that as much as possible.
Muggleborns coming into the magical world early would have the detrimental effects of them possibly integrated in the magical world with greater ease. That was not acceptable.
He needed discord…he needed conflict between the blood statuses to ensure that he held a firm grip on Magical Britain. If she was successful, he could see tensions reduce…he could see greater unity in the magical world and that made it more difficult to prevent powerful individuals rising in his country. Individuals who would learn more about magic than he wanted them to know about…that magic had no light or dark slants which would make many of his plans a near impossibility to fulfil.
"But what can we do?" Cornfoot asked plaintively, bringing him out of his thoughts. "She's far too popular at the moment for us disparage her through the media" Cornfoot's astute eyes flittered across the table "And given the clear influence she has in the IMP and the largest percentage of ownership the Sayres have in the Daily Prophet, I somehow doubt our success" he added dryly.
Ogden almost growled for a moment "That paper" he spat out "is doing all the work for her" His eyes flashed "Do you know that it has actually overtaken the Daily Prophet as the most popular paper in the Isles?"
"Yes, I knew that" Brown sighed wearily "My sister's godson works at the Daily Prophet and it has sent them in a tailspin." He eyed Cornfoot "For the moment, we cannot effectively halt her or even counter her in the papers."
"There's always Witch Weekly" Prewett added unhelpfully in an attempt to add humour to the grim conversation. He sobered up "She's controlling the narrative" Prewett said contemplatively "And it is a narrative that resonates with everyone" Albus looked at him curiously.
He had been surprised to hear that Heir Prewett was attending this meeting, especially given how entwined his Lord brother was with Sayre and by proxy Slytherin.
But according to McKinnon, a long time friend of the current Heir Prewett, he disdains all things Slytherin and would never betray them, even to his brother. He had peaked in the man's mind at the beginning of the meeting and so far he could not detect any deceit.
"You're referring to comments she made regarding magic, traditions and blood status?" Albus commented.
"Yes" Prewett nodded as he sat back in his chair, his finger tapping thoughtfully on the table "And they are comments that should be causing immense tension, especially given her shockingly moderate stances on muggleborns"
"I can't believe the darkest of the dark houses can utter what she's said without alienating them" Macmillan said in disbelief.
"She's surrounded herself with the heirs of most of those families" Albus pointed out, his hands clasped in front of him as he drew everyone's attention "She's been planning for a long time and it is now bearing fruit" he said meaningfully.
"To what end though?" Shacklebolt asked "I don't believe that tripe she's said about Salazar, even if the journal has been verified"
Albus suppressed a bout of rage. That infernal journal truly was responsible for much of the quietness that was coming from the dark houses. All of them revered Salazar Slytherin, the man they championed in their pureblood cause, the man they saw greater than Merlin.
For her to use that journal for her stances was a stroke of genius, he thought begrudgingly.
"What do the dark families want?" Smith said in a contemptuous tone "They've always wanted power, always scheming and plotting on how to increase their power at the cost of everyone else" Smith said disdainfully "She's nothing else but the same."
Albus smiled inwardly "I quite agree, Simon" he said in a warm tone and Smith was preening from it. He turned to Shacklebolt "She is indeed scheming to place herself in a position of power" he glanced around the room "And it is something that we cannot allow. Already we have a Dark Lord on the continent wreaking havoc, we do not need another in own country running unchallenged."
They looked at him with surprise "You think she'll be like Grindelwald?" Brown asked worriedly.
Albus put on a genuine grim look. He did believe her to be a future Dark Lady "Yes." He said simply "Likely even worse. I was the one who informed her of her magical heritage and took her to Diagon Alley. The matron told me many things about her, her cruelty and the monstrosity that hid underneath a face of beauty" Albus said in a grim tone.
He sighed dramatically "I did not believe the words of the Matron, thinking that she was simply exaggerating because of the girl's accidental magic. But as I have observed her during her stay at Hogwarts, I've been dismayed to see that there was truth in the Matron's words. Truly, she has been steadily growing in power and in followers and mark my words, my friends" he said in a steely tone as he looked around the room "She is gathering followers and she may well be gathering forces from all corners of our society."
"We must do something to stop her" Smith said furiously.
"We will" Albus said smoothly.
"And how do you propose we do that?" McKinnon asked who looked at Albus with shrewd eyes. McKinnon was an old man, a man quietly sat amongst his peers at the Wizengamot, seldom adding to the sessions. His main focus was business rather than political but he was very clearly of the light and Albus had a few opportunities to speak with the man. Nothing like today but he hoped he would be able to…foster a closer relationship with the McKinnons. They owned the sole Scottish ridgeback dragon range and were the main supplies of dragonhide robes to the Aurors, something that closely tied them to the Ministry despite not being an overtly politically inclined family.
It also helped that their sole Dragon ranch was a bitter point between them and the Sayres who owned by far the greatest number of Dragon sanctuaries and ranches around the world. The fact the McKinnon's managed to win over the DMLE contract during the low points of the Sayre family, usurping it when House Sayre had been perilously close to extinction, was a bonus in Albus' mind. They would never share the same platform for a very long time.
"By fostering better relationships with other light Houses" Albus said plainly "I understand that the light coalition is mostly to oppose the more…abhorrent laws the dark coalition would seek to pass but the coalition is not whole…it is fractious and we need to change that" Albus told them.
"I'm not sure that will fruition into alliances" Shacklebolt said with a frown "You have to understand Mr Dumbledore, much of what Lady Slytherin says resonates with a lot of people, and many who are neutral or light are listening. They will humour us but they will not go into an alliance with us without just cause."
"And unfortunately, our suspicions are not enough" Prewett added. "It's a shame that you found nothing, Karius" he said to McKinnon.
"I know" he sighed "It seems that there is nothing wrong with what she said about her father's side of the family. If her father was a muggle, she's done an extraordinary job of covering it up" McKinnon looked at Albus who only frowned outwardly whilst he raged inside.
He should have looked into the Riddles much sooner. He was sure that she was part muggle but any evidence that would prove him right was gone. He'd met with McKinnon a few days ago and asked him to look into it, hoping that the man's resources could find something he could not and yet it proved to be just as fruitless.
It was a shame – the prejudice against muggles would have made her life much more difficult to do what she was doing. As it was now, her claims that she was part muggleborn was just enough to warrant to ignore, especially given how pureblood she was in her demeanour. She integrated astoundingly well, no doubt helped further along by the Sayres and that connection made it all too easy.
Conversely, being part muggleborn appealed to the half bloods and muggleborns just as much.
People ignored children's desire to fit in, Albus noted. It was one of the things he had observed during his time in Hogwarts, especially during the early years when he'd been ostracised in Gryffindor because of his father's actions. Many people who later became little more than adoring fools had at first disdained him, following the crowd in their treatment of him. Once he had shown his brilliance to the world, all of that changed.
Muggleborns were seeing her as a role model, something he despised to his core.
"Likely the Sayres doing" Ogden muttered.
"Probably true" McKinnon nodded in agreement.
"It would have helped discredit her…at least in the eyes of the purists" Macmillan commented.
A silence fell among them until Albus broke it "As I said, we must find common cause with our fellow Light Houses." He turned to them "I believe that she truly hates muggles and that will be something that many will not accept, not after the way Grindelwald has waged his war"
Prewett considered Albus' words "You intend to use her childhood and her desires to break with muggles completely?"
"I do. The muggles are not our enemy, my friends, and we share more with them than we do with the dark families" Albus said firmly "Most of the light coalition recognise that and we must press on that."
"Fleamont likely would hear us out if that were the case" Brown mused.
"Aghh" Smith waved dismissively "Fleamont declined to meet us when he heard why we were meeting. He might keep his mouth shut but he is no ally of us, even if we bring out concerns about her and the muggles, not when his little brother is on the continent fighting with her betrothed against Grindelwald"
"That is another problem we'd have to deal with" Prewett said in a serious tone. "By all accounts, the Sayre boy loves that girl." Prewett eyed Albus intently "Most people will dismiss our concerns about her when her betrothed is fighting a Dark Lord and we're…" he trailed off, keeping his eyes on Albus.
Albus suppressed a desire to sneer at the man. "Love can be blinding" he said in a simple tone "No doubt she's ensnared him early on. Once the truth of her comes out, he'll see the Light"
"You think he'll break with her?" Brown asked surprised "As far as I know, the Sayres are very selective of their betrothed and have never broken a betrothal." He pointed out.
"If he is for the Light, he will" Albus said as he met the man's eyes "If he does not, we'll know where his allegiances lie and that is something that we will have to do deal with"
Besides…
The reports of what he heard about the boy, the sheer brutality he killed his foes made him think he was well on the path of zero redemption. The boy may well be lost to power and the influence of the Slytherin girl.
Not everyone could resist temptation as Albus did.
Ogden shuffled awkwardly in his seat "I do not think you know what you're saying" he said warningly "Lord Sayre is a respectable man who is fighting for the Light. To marr him with her is unconceivable"
"Not to mention, it will not endear us to the public should we make a move against him as well" MacMillan said.
"I thought your daughter was friends with Lord Sayre?" Prewett asked curiously.
"She is" Macmillan confirmed "But she has told me herself of the concerns she had about the girl. This meeting and her heritage only confirmed to me that my daughter was right in her assessment. Ultimately the country comes before any personal allegiances" Macmillan said sharply.
Several around the table nodded.
The meeting carried on for a few more hours until he was left with Lord McKinnon. "That went well…perhaps more actionable information would have been preferred" he mused to Albus.
Albus chuckled "Rome was not built in a day, my Lord" he smiled at McKinnon before he sobered "We are heading towards the right direction and the Light will prevail" he assured McKinnon.
"Just so." McKinnon nodded agreeably before his expression changed into steel "Should we need to take…action, would we have your agreement"
Albus met the man's gaze and nodded slowly "I would look elsewhere if it became necessary. It would be for the good of all should it be necessary" he told the man.
McKinnon eyed him for a moment before he nodded "Excellent."
Albus returned to his quarters with a happy spring in his steps. Finally there was movement on that front. Riddle had sent him reeling with her reveal and he knew she had to die or at the very least sent to the Dementors for his future plans to work. Even if she was nullified politically, her influence over his Hogwarts was unacceptable and he knew she'd never allow him to become Headmaster, something she could and would prevent.
He found himself looking at the paper sprawled on the table.
HEROES FROM BRITAIN MARCH ON! KNIGHTS OF MIMPOST CONTINUE TO MAKE COUNTRY PROUD WITH LORD SAYRE LEADING THEM
By: Jason Kaggish
It's been a fortnight since the Knights of Mimpost, led by the famous Lord Sayre, and an ICW contingent liberated several nations in the Balkans having followed his impressive feat not long after they liberated Switzerland from Grindelwald Acolytes.
The news has been warmly received after the failed…
He stared at the paper with distaste before he incinerated it.
He sighed in a longwinded fashion. "And my day had been going so well…" he muttered to himself before he shook it off.
Sayre was a threat to his goals, he knew that now. He had thought the boy would be able to be controllable, to be so busy with magical exploration – even it worried him – that he would not be able to interfere with the fated duel with Gellert.
But with what he discovered of the boy…
A cold look crossed across Albus' face. He was far more powerful than he had known. He had heard…rumours of the boy being able to tear down Genelum's wards but he had dismissed it.
Even he would not be able to do it and he doubted Gellert could. Not in the timescale that Sayre had apparently done it.
It was unconscionable and yet…
The rumours persisted.
Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia…
The boy was building a legend that was far too dangerous to his goals. He was already a scion of the oldest House of Britain and then to become a national icon as he was well on the way now?
The art of timing was crucial, it could make or break ones goals. Albus had learnt a great deal from his mother regarding this. His mother who had raised three children on her own after their father had attacked the muggle children who had destroyed Ariana.
A memory flashed in his mind, an occasion of when he'd sat on her lap, upset at the words of one of the boys in the village about his father.
'Albus, your father did what he deemed necessary to avenge your sister. What he did might or might not be wrong, it is up to you to decide but it was his fault for getting caught as he did. Never let your enemies know what you plan on doing until the time is right. When you can't be held to account'
He had taken the words of his mother to heart and all his life he had found her words to be true.
He had intended to defeat Gellert when the time was right, when they all believed him to never step up, increasing his legend when he inevitably did defeat Gellert.
He would be able to maximise the rewards that he could reap. He'd win with grandiosity, in a grand spectacle that he and Gellert would show to the world before Gellert would fall before him.
He took out the necklace that hung around his neck and stared intently at it. The symbol of his and Gellert's eternal proclamation that they would never stand against each other.
Magic had woven them together to hold true to that proclamation. Magic that he would destroy in a few days. He felt a deep, harrowing sadness overcome him, the day of the proclamation still as clear in his mind as the very day they took it, even decades after it happened.
Gellert had to be stopped. For his own good and for the good of the magical world. He would use Gellert's sacrifice for the Greater Good and usher in a golden age for the magical world led by him.
Gellert's way would not work and his would.
Once he'd fall, the sheep he'd gathered would scatter and he'd usher in a new world order, one that relied and hung over every single one of his words.
But with Sayre inevitably making his way towards Gellert, his stomach had twisted at the notion of Sayre taking everything away from him, a feeling that would not go away.
He had to conclude everything with post haste before it was too late.
He walked over the desk and looked at the parchment that laid adorned on it. He grinned as his eyes flashed in satisfaction. He'd finally discovered the Arithmancy for the mausoleum and had determined where exactly it would appear next.
In three days, he'd have the Resurrection Stone and whatever other treasures laid in the Mausoleum.
Soon, he'd be ready to enter the war too…to take the Elder Wand and to elevate himself higher than any other living wizard.
Only the Cloak would remain absent from him then but he would have time once he was in position to guide the magical world to his vision of the world. A world where he would guide the magical world towards the Light and away from ruinous elements of magical society, shaping the future generations to the paths he set for them.
-Break-
Anne Sayre POV
Anne sat in the beautiful garden, listening quietly to the gently swaying trees, trees that swayed in the artificial winds that technology created instead of magic.
Technology was as subtle as anything she had ever known – not that she had ever known anything about it. Many creations that were beyond her even if she lived a thousand lifetimes. Creations that even magic might not even be able to create. Her despise for muggles had taken a blow when she realised that this was possible, all without the aid of magic.
It seemed her son was wiser beyond his years, in a way that struck her blind ever since she'd arrived here.
She remembered when he had been eight or nine years of age, practically begging to be allowed to go into Muggle London to purchase muggle books, something that she had disdained and forbid until he had won her and Markus over with sound reasoning.
Despite herself, she let off a soft smile. Her little boy could always worm his way into her heart with just a look and a few words.
She upturned her head and looked at the ceiling of that hung high, its silver grey colour bringing her back from her contemplation.
It was the thought of her eldest that made her seek a moment to think to herself. Her heart clenched at the heartbreak her daughter was suffering, broken in such a monstrous way.
She'd hugged her daughter to sleep on more than one occasion as she cried herself to exhaustion.
That monster…
That monster ripped out her heart and fed upon it, laughing as he did, over the still living corpse of her beloved.
To tell the truth, she had been unhappy Sophia was smitten with a half blood. It seemed neither of her children would have completely pureblood children with the choices of their spouses but she'd relented, especially given that Charles Etherington was an extremely well connected man in MACUSA, something they would need in the future if they wanted to reassert themselves in the Colonies.
When Sophia had confessed this to her, not long after the death of Markus, she'd been furious but she'd quickly but begrudgingly set that anger aside when she'd discovered just how much she loved the man.
To see her like this…
Anne stared at the fluttering sextupled winged birds in the distance, her mind drifting off in a trance like state as she watched the birds play with another, their cries beautifully echoing in the garden that was fashioned out of the artificial forest.
"How is she?" Moira's soft words almost startled her out of her reverie. She peered around and saw the tall exotic woman just behind her before she moved over and took a seat next to her.
"The same" Anna sighed as she looked at Moira with a glance. The woman had become a friend of her during their…stay here.
It was hard to believe at times that she was friends with the woman who had inspired the tales of Morrigan…who was Morrigan herself.
She had no true magic of her own, except perhaps a very weak version of Legillimency, one that was focused towards empathy rather than memories and thoughts, something that many of her people were capable of.
It was likely the full extent of the magic she might have wielded as she was much much closer to being a squib than a witch.
It was kind of amusing, to think that the person, person who inspired the tales of Morrigan, the Celtic Goddess of war and nature had no magical ability of her own. That all of the tales were inspired by the technology that was left behind with her.
And of course, a healthy campaign of misinformation by her children who wanted to honour her and to protect her. Better they think she was a Goddess than anything else for it might have resulted in unwanted attention by parties that could well hurt their mother.
"Hmmm" Moira hummed musically before they fell into a silence.
They both listened in silence to the trees, the therapeutic nature of it soothing much of Anna's anxiety and sadness for her daughter.
"I might be able to help" Moira said finally, breaking the silence after some time passed.
Anna turned to her friend with surprise etched on her face. Moira smiled at the look. "I might not be as soothing but I think in this situation, she needs something else." Moira told her as she stood up, her hand extended to Anna.
Anna looked at Moira quizzically but Moira gave nothing away behind that kind smile of hers. "Very well" she said after a moment and took Moira's hand.
She stood up and followed Moira towards the exit stairs that assembled into existence. They made into the hall that overlooked the artificial forest and her eyes spotted Sparkly Dawn, the artificial servant that served Moira.
Sparkly Dawn floated over to Moira. She spoke to him in her tongue, a tongue that she had not in truth tried to learn. Their conversation lasted a few minutes before Moira turned to Anna "My apologies Anna. There are some things that are easier to convey in my tongue than in your own."
Anna nodded "It's fine" she smiled before she looked at Moira curiously "Is it related to Sophia?"
Moira nodded before she gestured Anna to walk with her "Yes. Sparkly Dawn's aid will be necessary for what I have in mind."
Anna gazed at Moira curiously and Moira let off a small smile "It will distract Sophia from her malaise. I have noticed that Sophia has an interest in other things that foreign to her"
Anna smiled and nodded in agreement "Yes, she does. She loves travelling for the Sayre companies and would always take the time to visit a new place if she could. She is not as intrepid as one of her cousins but she is certainly interesting different things from what she knows" Anne looked at Moira curiously.
"Are you going to introduce her to something new?" Anne questioned.
Moira had a teasingly smile on her face "Yes. One she will appreciate eventually." Anne let it go as they walked towards Sophia's room.
They arrived at Sophia's bedroom and the doors parted in silence as Moira, with her mental connection, had them open.
The facility was bio-metrically connected to Moira. She didn't really understand what they meant, just that it was probably similar to how family wards worked.
Anne spotted Sophia crouched on top of her, staring absentmindedly at the window screen, one that showed turbulent seas around Ireland.
Anne's heart broke as she saw the lost expression on her daughter's face and made her towards her. She sat on the edge of the bed and put her hand on her knee and this broke Sophia out of her daze.
"Mother" she said in a distant tone, the emerald green eyes that were so similar to her own looked a mere cheap knock off in comparison to usually bright and radiant they were.
"Oh Sophia" Anne whispered sympathetically "How can I help?" her eyes searched Sophia's face.
Sophia flinched. "I…I-I don't know" she whispered, her eyes closing "Every time I sleep, I see his face, so so…evil" a dry sob escaped her throat "I see poor Charles broken and that laugh is just in the background, like an evil song that never stops making me feel so…small" Sophia's arms went around her legs, a sign of comfort that painfully reminded Anna of when Sophia curled into herself when Markus had died…when her grandparents had died.
"I can...obliviate you of the memories" Anna offered, once more. She'd offered once and Sophia had angrily and tearfully refused. That she would not forget no matter how much it hurt her and how much it scared it.
Sophia stared at her with red eyes and after a while, mother and daughter staring at each other, Sophia shook her head "No…I…I can't do that to Charles." She said weakly "It would be a lie to do that."
A lie to whom Anna wanted to ask desperately.
"Quite right" she heard Moira say as she sat on the other side of the bed.
Sophia looked at Moira who had a serious expression on her face.
"My people…" Moira began, trailing for a moment before she looked into the distance "My people believed that to forget ones experiences would also erase a part of them…of what makes them, them"
Anna turned to Moira in surprise.
Moira continued "Life…Life has its upturns and its downturns. It will shape you, for better and worse" Moira stared at Sophia with a strong gaze "And it is up to you to decide if you will let it break you or if you mend the pieces and become stronger for it"
"How?" Sophia whispered desperately "I can't sleep without his voice, without hearing that laugh…" Anna's heart broke to see the desperate look in her daughter's eye, so much so she had to restrain herself from hugging her. She would not disrupt what Moira was doing. She only hoped that it worked and it brought back her daughter.
"By confronting your fear, Sophia" Sophia's eyes widened in shock and terror and Anna's heart nearly skipped a beat. Did Moira intend Sophia to face that monster?
Over her dead body Anna vowed.
Moira let off a soft laugh and shook her head "No, not what you're thinking." Moira said with a bit of mirth in her tone as her lips upturned apologetically.
Anna snorted despite the serious of the situation and that broke Sophia out of her shock as she gaped at Moira before she growled a little that turned into a small huff as a little light entered her eyes.
Anna carefully watched her daughter. This was more like Sophia.
Moira turned serious once more "You feel like this because you feel weak" Sophia opened her mouth to respond but Moira stuck up her hand, stopping Sophia in her tracks.
"You do feel weak Sophia. You feel helpless at the situation your beloved is in, you feel helpless at the fear that he managed to induce in you despite being so far away, safe from his reach" Moira gave Sophia a knowing look and Sophia turned away from it. "That weakness that you feel is what is causing your terrors, that inability of being able to protect what you care for most…to feel safe"
"When will that go away" Sophia asked quietly, unable to meet Moira's eyes. Moira leaned forward and stuck a finger underneath her chin and turned Sophia's head towards her, her eyes bearing down on Sophia.
"That is for you to decide Sophia" Moira said in a gentle tone that made Sophia's face drop even further "But I can help you there" and Sophia looked at Moira in surprise.
Moira smiled warmly at Sophia and looked at Sparkly Dawn.
"Miss Sophia, within my memory banks are the greatest collection of combat techniques that have been refined for hundreds of thousands of years, many of whom can make even the best trained of your kind struggle with" Sparkly Dawn said.
Sophia looked wide eyed at the metallic servant and turned to Moira with a hint of disbelief on her face. "Combat? Hand to hand?" she questioned.
"Not just hand to hand. The repository has a great deal of techniques that also include weaponry of my people, weaponry that had been refined over the course of many wars my people have fought." Moira's eyes darkened slightly "Weaponry that could incinerate a thousand men within minutes, even against the greatest of shields your people are create" Moira smiled wryly "I am not known without reason as a Goddess of war" a glint of mirth entered her eyes though Anna could see elements of seriousness there.
Sophia gaped at Moira before she caught herself and turned to Sparkly Dawn tentatively "Will that help?" she asked with hope in her voice.
"Human feelings are not within my ability to decipher" the servant said in a tone that Anna would classify as dismissive and her eye twitch at it.
Honestly, Moira's people should have done a better job in creating servants. Their elves would never be allowed to speak to any wizard or witch like that.
Sophia snorted before she began to giggle lightly. Anna smiled at the sight. She always did get on with the 'rust bucket', as Atticus would say, better than any of them save Moira.
Sophia glanced between Moira and the servant and nodded finally "OK…I will give it a try"
Moira smiled "Don't give it a try…just do" she said standing up.
Sophia resisted rolling her eyes, Anna could tell, but nodded nonetheless.
"Miss Sophia, follow me and we can get started" Sparkly Dawn said as he turned around went towards the door.
Sophia stared after the trailing floating servant.
"Well?" Moira said expectantly, breaking Sophia from her thoughts.
"I didn't think it would be now" she mumbled as she got off the bed.
"No time like the present" Moira said with mirth in her eyes even if her tone was neutral.
Sophia hurried after the metallic servant and soon enough it was just her and Moira.
Anna stood up and turned to Moira, a sincere expression on her face "Thank you"
Moira smiled at Anna and merely tilted her head in acceptance, her eyes warming as she looked at the doors "She reminds me of my daughter." Moira lips twisted in fond remembrance "She's better behaved than mine own daughter was but she is sweet. She just needed a push to do what she already knew she had to do"
Anna stared at Moira. This…woman who lost so much. Her people, her mother…only to wake up to find out all she knew was long dead and gone…her people's legacy all but burnt away except a single world with a people that resembled her own but were…so much lesser.
It grated at Anna to think so but how could she not? What were magicals in comparison to a million years of Empire that spanned billions of stars?
"Why do you do it?" Anna couldn't help but ask and Moira turned her with a curious expression and Anne continued.
"Why do you help us all so much? I know the bond of blood that you have with my children but it's so very little…" Anna trailed away. "You're leaving the legacy of your people to my children and I want to understand why. The muggles would have need of it more than we do"
Moira's curious expression fell away, a distant expression crossed her face. "Did you ever consider that my people were as violent as your own? Perhaps even more so?"
Anna shook her head. What did a people who had plenty of all need to war about?
"Our people are not so different, Anna. You are more primitive, true, in both biology and in technology though your own people are slightly different but nonetheless you are more primitive and more emotional, but your iteration of humanity is not so different than ours were." Moira looked towards the raging seas that showed on the window screen.
"My people were fractured for tens of thousands of years, war upon war was waged for so many untold generations. Over petty things, over things that did not matter. These were truly the dark ages for my people, so much so we forgot the location of our homeworld in our conflicts.
Only by a united enemy, an enemy that terrified us all had us unite for survival sakes and only then did we truly rise to become as great as we were, enough to rival those who had terrified us." Moira smiled sadly even as her eyes were distant but emotive, her eyes seemingly showing her inner turmoil.
Anna was not sure what to say but she walked over and grabbed Moira's hand, silently giving support.
Moira looked down at Anna with a small smile showing that she appreciated it, her tall status easily towering over Anna but in this occasion Anna was the support that held Moira.
"It is the fate I expect of this world" Moira continued, causing Anna's eyes to widen.
"If there is a few things your two peoples inherited from mine, it is your capacity for brilliance and violence. Neither of your people will accept being suborned to the other and both of your histories are rife with it.
With the way the peoples that do not have your connection to Neurophysical Energy are advancing, sooner or later, they will discover you." Moira's tone was matter of fact, as if it was a forgone conclusion.
"And with the way your people's arrogance is" Moira looked at Anna apologetically but held a sternness in her gaze "I can see there only being war."
Anna let go of Moira's hand. "We've hidden the magical world from the muggles for a long time, we will be able to keep doing it" she said in denial.
Moira shook her head "That is a folly of your people Anna, that you expect things to remain the same when time and progress waits for no one."
"We would win" Anna said, with confidence she didn't feel.
She hated the look Moira gave her "One to one?" Moira posed to her "Of course you would. But you are not facing a million muggles. You would face billions. Your people are miniscule compared to theirs in population size, your people are fractured, no more than theirs but for you to win, you would need every single one of your people to even have a chance to win"
Moira's eyes darkened very much "I know what it is like to face enemies that outnumber you and it is something you would face to a great degree"
"We have magic" Anna said furiously, dismayed at how she was downplaying her people. "We can make them fight amongst themselves!" she exclaimed.
"And do you not think they would not have safeguards about that?" Moira posed to her "Not to mention, it would take a single defector from your side for them to know everything about you. Where your population centres are, where your schools are."
Anna fell ice poured down her spine. If that were to happen…
"They could simply pre-empt the attack and in the chaos you would be nearly defeated. Oh plenty would survive but they would be hunted down. Your population is already tiny, a culling like that would doom your people to extinction" Moira said dispassionately.
Anna swallowed thickly. "We would not so unprepared"
Moira looked at her sympathetically "From what I understand the other human leaders of many nations already know of your kind, do they not? Do you not think they already know the kinds of threats you pose and would plan for it, should it become necessary?" Moira said gently.
"So you're helping my people to ensure we win?"
Moira shook her head "I'm helping your people because I want you to survive and thrive." A small smile fell on her face "Your people are a miracle, Anna, in a great many ways that would have left many of my own people with envy, despite the great accomplishments we have achieved. To see your kind be extinguished would be such a waste"
"And…" Moira paused for a moment, looking directly at Anna "I trust Atticus with the future."
Anna blinked with surprise at that. "What do you mean?"
Moira bore down her beautiful eyes at Anna "Your son knows that eventually cohabiting this world is impossible, at least right now. For both peoples to survive, you both need space, in more ways than one. You need the distance to grow to your full potential, away from the secrecy you've hidden yourselves and the other humans do not need the threat of powerful humans that can kill them with but a wave of a stick"
"This island of Atticus'…" Anna said with shock.
"It is but the beginning. Eventually, a new home amongst the stars will be found for your people." Moira told Anna.
Anna's mind whirled.
How deep did Atticus' plots go?
"And, in time, both your peoples will unite, once time and distance has eroded the hate and fear in your peoples." Moira finalised.
Anna looked away from Moira, towards the raging seas that were miles above them on the surface on the window screen
As she watched the raging water crash against the rocky landscape, she truly feared, for the first time, what the future held for them all.
And knowing that her son, her dear little boy was putting such a great responsibility on his own shoulders for their people had her heart jump in trepidation.
Was this why he needed to become a symbol? Why he was so headstrong about defeating Grindelwald?
The threat of muggles?
Oh my son…what have you Seen? She wondered, half despaired, her eyes fixed on the crashing sea.
