Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
Harry Potter
September 4th, 2017
Over the years, Harry Potter had met many interesting men and women, both magical and not, in his capacity as an Auror. A not-insignificant portion of them were lawbreakers to some degree, ranging from simple pickpockets to fanatics trying to restart Voldemort's dead cause. There was even one memorable encounter with a mermaid who tried to singlehandedly stop a muggle underwater oil line but did so by convincing a whale to ram into it.
But it was the men and women who worked with him on the side of the law that Harry appreciated the most. He had met Hit Wizards, foreign Aurors, muggle soldiers, and police officers. He had also met men and women who worked in the shadows, for the light, a concept that unsettled Harry on the best of days.
Meeting with those men and women was always particularly interesting, as they had a paranoia second to none, and would often request to meet in the oddest places. Such as the London Eye, on the South Bank of the Thames, at midnight.
"Don't you ever sleep?" Harry Potter asked. He had to apparate into the capsule at the top of the wheel as the operator had long since gone home.
The man waiting for him was as indescribable as a blank wall. Brown hair, brown eyes, pale skin, and a slightly rumpled suit. He looked no different from the thousands of other businessmen in London, and would not be considered any different, were it not for the fact Harry knew him to be a high ranking member of the British intelligence community.
"Our foes don't sleep, wizard. Why should I?" the man asked. Even his voice was unremarkable. "You said you had information?"
"Because you look tired, M," Harry said, sitting down. "As for the information, are you familiar with the Riddle Coins?"
M grew even more still if that were possible. He fixed Harry with an intent look before lighting a cigarette. "More than I wish, less than the Crown desires. Has someone figured out what they are?"
Harry wrinkled his nose at the smell. "They're a test, of sorts, although the who and why still escapes us."
"So we still know nothing," M snorted. "How did you find out they're a test?"
London truly was beautiful from this height. Harry's eyes traced the horizon, admiring the twinkling lights of the buildings at night. "One of our missing person cases, one we had linked to the coins. She reappeared three days ago. But she's an unfortunate dead end. Magic has her tongue-tied."
"Figuratively or literally?" was M's curious inquiry. Harry shot him a look. "I know you're squeamish Potter, but you know why this is important. You're not the only one who wants to find those missing people."
Harry grunted. Six years ago, M had contacted him, demanding to know why wizards were kidnapping muggles. They had investigated many of the crime scenes together, determined to find a lead, but only had grainy CCTV footage of unknown witches and wizards vanishing with muggles. Harry wouldn't have considered the cases linked to the missing magicals, were it not for the fact his gut said otherwise, and he had long trusted those feelings. So he read M into the situation and lent him Aurors to examine new crime scenes. Unfortunately, it never bore fruit.
"What's your tally up to?" Harry asked softly. M was silent for a long moment; the only sounds he made were the soft inhale and exhales of his breath, smoke accompanying the latter.
"Almost three thousand. Yours?"
Harry closed his eyes in horror. Three thousand missing muggles, in addition to the missing magicals. "Almost six," he whispered. "And tens of thousands more from around the world, if not hundreds."
"Christ. What do they need that many people for?" M asked. Harry shrugged.
"Our new lead managed to tell us they're performing tests. They're studying magic," Harry said. M choked on his cigarette and began coughing. "Easy, M!"
"Easy?" M choked out. "You just told me some unknown faction had thousands of people studying magic! How the hell am I supposed to take that easy? Potter, you have no idea who they've taken from us, do you?"
Harry frowned. M had given him several boxes worth of files, but he had only managed to go through a few. Even still, much of the information was incomprehensible to him; muggle investigation methods were far different from magical ones. He shook his head, and M sighed, flicking his cigarette down and snuffing it out with his shoe.
"Potter, they've taken scientists, engineers, doctors! They picked their way through the best and brightest in the country, and from what my counterparts tell me, the world. Someone out there has almost a hundred thousand of the most educated men and women that have ever lived on this planet! Why the hell would that make me calm?"
Harry felt horror claw its way down his spine. "The other countries are reporting similar numbers?"
M's jaw became tense. "Often worse. It doesn't help that your kind is so damn obvious, I've had to help smooth over King's Cross this year. One of yours attempted to curse a tourist!"
"Yes, Derek Howards, we have him in custody. I thought the Obliviators handled the event?" Harry asked in concern. M gave him a disbelieving stare.
"You mean the idiots who don't look around for cameras? We had to work overtime to prevent the internet from revealing your damn world. I thought you were supposed to tell them to watch for cameras, and that includes cell phones!"
Harry winced. It was true most witches and wizards were oblivious toward technology, even himself. Still, it was part of his job to be aware, and he made sure each of the men and women under him knew of the dangers of exposure. But mistakes were still made, and all it took was one accident.
"I'm sorry, I'll talk with them again. But are you certain the missing muggles are that dangerous?" Harry asked. M rolled his eyes.
"You're right, what damage could somebody do with a nuclear engineer or geneticists? How dangerous could an aerospace engineer be? It's not like they know how to make missiles or anything! Jesus, Potter, I know you stopped going to normal school when you were ten, but try to have a clue! We're talking about the people who keep society afloat, and the ones who know how to sink it, this is bad," M muttered angrily.
"And they almost definitely have your witches and wizards, people who give a finger to the natural laws of the world with a wave of their wands," M said, shaking his head. The London Eye suddenly started moving, startling Harry.
"I thought the operator was gone?" Harry demanded, wand in hand and not quite pointed at M.
M gave him a dark look. "He is. I have an associate nearby who is in control. How else did you think I got up here? Or how I was going to get down without magic?"
Harry, wisely, did not say that he hadn't considered the needs of the muggle across from him. Instead, he holstered his wand.
"Thanks for the information, Potter. Tell your Obliviators to watch for the bloody cameras," M reminded him. Harry nodded.
"I'll let you know if I find any new information," Harry promised. M gave him a nod of thanks.
"Likewise."
A moment later, Harry disappeared with a pop, apparating away. The London Eye capsule slowed to a stop, and the doors slid open, allowing M to leave. Before he did so, he pulled a phone from his pocket and typed a simple message before hitting send. He then dropped the phone and ground his foot into it, destroying it thoroughly.
And his message?
"Seeker is searching."
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
Daphne Greengrass
September 4th, 2017
It had been over a decade since she had spent a weekend with Astoria, and Daphne had forgotten what it was like. It wasn't bad, nor was it good, but there is a certain kind of familiarity that siblings have, that they never lose, no matter time or distance.
"Your wand is not a knife, Astoria."
Astoria rolled her eyes at Daphne. "You never did like cutting charms."
Now it was Daphne's turn to roll her eyes at her sister. "That's because mother thought we'd look good with bangs."
"I did. It's not my fault you're so picky," Astoria replied.
The two sisters were eating breakfast in the garden, enjoying the pleasant weather. The Malfoy peacocks were strutting in the distance, ignoring the House-elves trying to herd them to their feeding bowls. They were just as pretentious as Daphne remembered.
"Draco isn't going to be joining us?" Daphne asked, loudly cutting her fruit tart. Well, as loudly as a woman brought up with high society manners could be.
"No, one of his properties has an employment shortage. He had to go find someone to fill the position," Astoria explained. "He should be back for morning tea."
"The trials of a landlord," Daphne snarked. Astoria giggled.
It was something Daphne remembered from before she had left, that Draco would be busy at odd hours with his various business ventures. The Malfoy family's vast wealth had not come to be by being lazy after all, and after the deaths of his mother and father, Draco had taken over the responsibility. Despite his often brash and arrogant nature, Draco had quite the head for business and had managed to double his family's holdings in only a few years.
It still didn't excuse the peacocks in Daphne's mind, one of which had managed to launch a House-elf into the air. Astoria watched it happen in resignation.
"I know they enjoy it, but I wish the House-elves would restrain themselves. The last time Granger was here for an inspection, she raised hell when she thought we were feeding them to the peacocks," Astoria said.
Daphne raised an eyebrow. "I thought she was married? And what inspection are you talking about?"
"Oh right, it happened after you went missing. Granger started some ridiculous movement to free the House-elves while at Hogwarts, puke, or something like that. Anyway, she continued it after the Final Battle, and she seems to focus quite intently on Draco for some reason. If she weren't such a poor conversationalist, I'd be concerned she was trying to get his attention," Astoria said smartly, sipping her tea.
"And she is married, to that wretched bore Ronald Weasley. Even his given name is horrid, but there's so many Weasley's it's simpler just to call her by her maiden name. Did you know she even answers to it while at the Ministry? The scandal!"
This time Daphne did roll her eyes. "Astoria, it's quite common in the rest of the world for a woman to keep her family name after being married. It's only surprising to you because of how much pressure the Wizarding World puts on having an heir."
Astoria sniffed in disdain but giggled. "I know. Still, I'm happy with Scorpius; he'll become a remarkable young wizard, I just know it. I just wish I could..."
Daphne knew why her sister had trailed off with a choked sob. Their family had a blood curse inflicted upon them for generations, a remnant from a bitter and now extinct family that had declared feud against them. It was a nasty, insidious thing, twisting the organs of whatever poor soul it infected, slowly killing them. The damage could be temporarily healed, but gradually, after many painful years, the curse would collect its due: It would kill its host.
Daphne and her father had both escaped it, but Astoria had not. She had lived her entire life with the knowledge that someday, far sooner than she'd like, she would die as her organs failed her. The Wizarding World had no cure for it.
But Daphne did.
So she grabbed her sister's hand and held on tightly, squeezing it gently. She waited for Astoria to compose herself before she spoke. "Astoria, there is a way."
Astoria looked at her with wide, confused eyes. "What are you talking about, Daphne?"
"There's a way to heal you. I found it; it's why I'm back in England. To tell you."
"What is it?" Astoria asked. There was no way Daphne could mistake the desperate hope in her sister's voice, nor how it tugged at her heart.
Daphne placed her Riddle Coin on the table next to their forgotten breakfast. "You need to solve it."
Astoria looked between the coin and her sister for several intense heartbeats before scowling. "How is that supposed to help?" she demanded.
"The people who made these coins can do things with magic that are beyond your wildest dreams, Astoria," Daphne explained. "Removing a blood curse is child's play to what they've done, what they're still doing."
"How would you know?"
"Because they removed it from me," Daphne said, shocking Astoria into a stunned silence. "They found where it lingered in my blood, inactive. And then they removed it, Astoria! No child of mine will ever have to fear for an ancient curse to end their life before the proper time. It's possible!"
"How?" Astoria asked, desperation and hope warring on her face, tears ruining her make up. Daphne pushed the coin forward.
"Solve the Riddle Coin. They do not accept power or wealth or even servitude for their services. They only want those who are willing to go to the edge, to push the boundaries of the world," Daphne said.
"How do you know this, Daphne?" Astoria whispered. Daphne closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath before letting it out.
"Because I helped design the coins. I know their real purpose, why it's so important for people to solve them. I'm the reason why they were created," Daphne whispered. It did not matter to her that they were at Malfoy Manor, hidden behind wards that had protected the grounds for centuries. This information was too dangerous to be careless with, but Astoria needed to understand.
"What?" Astoria hissed. "You've been kidnapping people?"
"No!" Daphne denied for they hadn't been. "Everyone came willingly; it's part of the Riddle Coins restrictions; they cannot be used to kidnap anyone. But they are created to find people like you, like us, people who have a great need that cannot be fixed by the magical world. It's an invitation and a test!"
"A test for what?"
"Betrayal. Astoria, we're studying magic, its origins, powers, everything! If what we knew was shared with the world, everyone would wage war to possess it. They would be so desperate to get their hands on it; they'd destroy it just to deny it to everyone else. Think, Astoria, how would a magical remove a blood curse?"
"You can't," Astoria said, "it's part of the curse. Only the original castor could end it."
"Yet, we have a way. Please, you need to solve the coin, Astoria, it's the only way to save your life!"
Astoria was silent, thinking over Daphne's words. Daphne reluctantly released her sister's hand, allowing her space and time to think over the information Daphne had given her. The House-elves had long since vanished, taking the peacocks with them, and leaving the garden blessedly silent.
"What about Scorpius? And Draco?" Astoria finally asked. Daphne sighed in relief that Astoria seemed to be considering the situation.
"Children are only separated from their parents under specific circumstances, none of which apply here, so Scorpius could join you there. Draco is a more delicate situation," Daphne said, pausing to think of a way to explain it gently.
"Draco is a good man!" Astoria protested.
"Who is a branded Death Eater," Daphne said, cutting off Astoria's protest. "Unlike Scorpius, he would need to solve the Riddle Coin himself in order to be invited, and he would need to prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that he means no ill will to anyone there. He would need to prove his trustworthiness."
"I don't want to go without him," Astoria whispered. Daphne took her sister's hand once more.
"Astoria, if Draco loves you, truly loves you, he would demand you go to be healed, even if it meant leaving him behind. But if you don't believe me, you could ask him yourself," Daphne said. Astoria looked at her in confusion for only a moment, before Draco's approach could be heard, speaking to another man.
"I'm just saying it seems odd that the werewolf population has fallen so low. I didn't even see one in Knocturn Alley, and they're usually all over the place," Adrian Pucey said. Draco shook his head.
"Last night was the full moon. They're probably all sleeping it off. You worry too much, Adrian," Draco said. His smile brightened when he saw Astoria, but fell when he saw her ruined make-up. "Everything alright, love?"
"Yes," Astoria said, rising and fixing her make-up with a sweep of her wand. Daphne also rose. "Daphne and I were just reminiscing about the old days. Is your business concluded?"
Draco nodded and clapped Pucey on the shoulder. "Yes, Adrian and I found a new teller to look after things on the weekend. Everything should settle down once they're trained up."
Pucey rolled his eyes. "Even a Mudblood can't screw it up, Draco. Who's this?" he asked, his eyes fixated on Daphne. She politely smiled, hiding the way her insides seethed.
Astoria tugged Daphne forward. "This is my sister Daphne, Adrian. You might remember her from Hogwarts. She's been missing for a few years and only recently managed to make her way home."
"Ah, of course! I remember now. You are as beautiful as ever, Ms. Greengrass," Pucey said, holding out his hand. Daphne reluctantly placed her own in his, feeling her skin crawl as he leaned forward to kiss her knuckles. "Please call me, Adrian."
Daphne almost ground her teeth at the presumption. "I must insist not, Mr. Pucey. It wouldn't be proper."
"Of course, it is! Draco and I are old business partners. I consider him and his wife family. I could even see myself considering you the same," Pucey said. Daphne felt bile in her throat.
"Perhaps, but I shall make my exit. I'm sure you and Draco have much to talk about, and I wouldn't want to intrude," Daphne said.
"Actually, Adrian and I were just here to pick up some parchments, which we've done. So you're not intruding upon anything," Draco said helpfully. Daphne gave her brother-in-law the most politely annoyed look she could without outright glaring.
Adrian stepped forward before Daphne could spit out a retort. "It's fine, Draco, I'm the one intruding here. Perhaps Ms. Greengrass would escort me to your Floo? I'd be able to apologize to her properly." The wink Adrian Pucey shot Draco left no illusion to what the man would attempt to do.
Astoria began to speak up. "I don't think that's a good idea. Draco, we need to-"
"What a splendid idea, Mr. Pucey," Daphne said, cutting off her sister. "Astoria, Draco, we'll talk later. Perhaps, sister, you could fill him in while I'm away? Mr. Pucey?"
Adrian Pucey looked at Daphne's offered arm with boyish glee. He took it and began to walk away. "Goodbye, you two! Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"
Privately, Daphne felt that there was very little that Adrian Pucey wouldn't do. As he led her through Malfoy Manor, talking about himself of all things, Daphne internally smirked. Unfortunately for Pucey, there was even less that she wouldn't do.
"So would you like to get dinner sometime?" Adrian asked, his eyes practically stripping Daphne where she stood. His hand was still wrapped tightly around her arm, almost like a warden's guiding a prisoner. It would be his undoing.
"Imperio."
Daphne's wandless Unforgivable smashed into Adrian's mind like a rampaging bull. Whatever resistance he might have had crumbled beneath her rage and intensity, putting him entirely under her control. His face went slack, and his eyes glazed over as the spell completely removed his free will.
"You know," Daphne said as she casually removed her arm from Adrian's now loose grip, "I asked Alexander what he was going to do about you, but when I brought up your name, do you know what he said?"
Adrian said nothing as she denied him the ability even to form thoughts.
"He said, who? Who. That is all you amounted to in his mind, even after you and your gang of thugs assaulted him in our fourth year. Assaulted him for having the gall to teach Pure-bloods and Half-bloods and Muggle-born together, showing them the joy of magic. He had forgotten all about it until I brought it up, and he was completely unconcerned about whatever you were up to these days."
Daphne began to circle Adrian as she spoke further. "But I never forgot. I always wondered why he didn't do anything to get revenge against you. Still, eventually, I realized that you were so small, so petty, so beneath his notice that you weren't even worth the mental energy to devise a punishment.
"I could respect Alexander's choice on that. But then I met you today, and you spoke! You're still nothing. But now you're going to serve a purpose," Daphne said before leaning in to whisper into Adrian's ear.
"You are going to go to London. You're going to pull out your wand, in full view of the Muggles, and begin to curse and kill them to the best of your ability. They will attempt to stop you, restrain you, but you will not let them. You will not stop until they kill you. Now Floo to the Leaky Cauldron," Daphne ordered, stepping back.
Daphne watched in silent satisfaction as Adrian Pucey disappeared in a flash of green fire. Then she turned around and left. She had a sister and brother-in-law to talk to.
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
Alexander Dantes
Seventeen Years Ago
He was half-frozen and slightly delirious from the lack of oxygen, but Alexander had never felt more alive as he stood on top of Mount Everest. He had done the climb without magic, wanting to experience the danger like every other climber in the past. The mountain was Alexander's final stop on his world tour, as Daphne called it, and the one he had been building up to for weeks.
But standing on top of the world, looking at the horizon, Alexander only felt accomplishment. The past two years had been good to him for many reasons, chief among them the freedom he and Daphne now shared. They were no longer bound to Hogwarts, to England, and used magic freely, exploring the world and each other. That she was in Japan with her sister was of no consequence, they could speak to each other whenever they pleased with his stone tablets.
Alexander eyed the descent, a ferocious wind already ripping snow and ice from the mountain below. He could pursue it, he had the ability, but Alexander had one more thing he wanted to do. So he rose.
Wizards had dreamed of magical flight for centuries, long before the Wright brothers ever created their first plane. Wizards had created levitation charms, brooms, even the Animagus transformation, but true flight had eluded most witches and wizards throughout history. Until Voldemort and Alexander Dantes independently figured it out.
Most wizards would try to cast a spell upon themselves, trying to fuel it with power to achieve flight. All that would occur instead was a sudden burst of acceleration before the spell failed, unable to handle the weight of the wizard carrying it. But the two men had discovered the secret.
True flight needed almost no magic to cast and maintain the spell. Alexander could fly from one end of the world to another as easily as he could lift and hold a boulder with a levitation charm. It required focus, sure, but it wasn't draining his magic like Alexander thought it should. Only testing his mental endurance, which he had in spades.
Alexander wasn't just content with knowing he could fly; he wanted to know how he could. He spent hours floating in the air as he had Daphne casting diagnostic charms at him, determined to unlock the secrets. But it was a careless act that clued him in onto the secret:
Daphne grew tired of his requests and threw a rock at him.
It hit, of course, Pure-blood heiress she may be, but Daphne was not a poor shot. But the rock, instead of falling to the ground after hitting his stomach, began to float with him, orbiting his body slightly. Alexander was shocked and realized the answer he was seeking a moment later.
Gravity, a force that bound everything together, was somehow being manipulated by his magic. It wasn't just being negated, but being manipulated to pull Alexander in directions and at unnatural speeds. To test his theory, Alexander flew through a field of corn and was delighted by the invisible sphere the corn revealed to be around him. He began testing it in earnest.
The sphere could only be slightly manipulated. Despite Alexander's best efforts, it resisted being forced into a new shape, and Alexander reasoned it had to do with the same reason why planets, moons, and stars were all spheres, gravity dictated it so. He did find he could harden it, creating a sort of invisible shield around him. Testing it gave mixed results.
It could be broken, and when it was, Alexander was sent spinning out of control as various air currents and his limbs betrayed his flight. It resisted physical objects best, only slightly warping spells, throwing their aim off by an invisible margin. Fire was fascinating to watch, it seemed to consume the entire sphere but could not reach Alexander. It did prevent oxygen from entering, but a bubble-head charm eliminated that danger.
But with a proper understanding of what he was doing and how he was doing it, Alexander figured out how to teach it to someone else. And so, in a time-honored tradition that he had only done to himself, Alexander threw Daphne and himself off a cliff.
Daphne, quite reasonably, objected to this quite vocally. But Alexander felt it was essential for anyone who could fly not to have a fear of heights. He and Daphne spent several weeks hardening her nerve, as a loss of her focus in flight could spell a brutal and messy end.
Finally, Daphne was ready. He wrapped them both with his magic, instinctively casting the spell that had no name, no incantation, and no wand movements. The world fell from beneath their feet as they rose. They hovered, standing on air, a hundred feet in the air. Alexander could feel Daphne reaching out with her magic, touching his in the air around them. And then she mimicked it.
They learned, quite violently, what happens when you create a void within a void. They were pulled and pushed together quite forcefully, crashing into one another and repelled until Daphne lost her focus. A bit wiser to the dangers, they landed, and Alexander had Daphne try it once again.
It took her hours to succeed, needing to feel how Alexander's magic formed his sphere repeatedly, but she succeeded. Slowly she rose under her own power, floating in the air. With a grin, Alexander joined her, bumping her bubble with his own, and sending her drifting away. With a savage grin on her face, she pushed back, and the pair flew for hours, dancing only as birds could. And then they made love.
But that was the past, and in the present, Alexander was speeding through the air faster than any non-magical jet. The world rushed by him, and Alexander had no fear of it. Up here, nothing could touch him.
Alexander landed in Cape Horn an hour later. Distance was no restriction to his flight, and while it lacked the punctuality of Apparation, it was exhilarating flying at a speed no human could touch normally.
Cape Horn had changed very little over the past year. Alexander and Daphne had built a single home near the cliffs out of stones, covering it with dirt and grass, so it blended into the surroundings. Attached to it was a porch that overlooked the ocean, warded against the elements, so it always remained dry. The most important thing the pair raised were wards all over the island they claimed, to keep out everyone, save the invited.
Underneath their house, Alexander had dug out a large basement to use as a workshop. It was opened up to the sea, like the porch above, and illuminated with jars of enchanted fire he created. Counters and shelves filled the room, including one moderately sized box that sat in the middle of the room. Next to it lay a basketball-sized red stone, glinting in the light.
It was to here Alexander walked, grabbing preserved food to eat along the way. He sat down before the box, placing his food next to it, and began to work.
"You should eat. You look half-dead," a sleepy voice to Alexander's left said. He barely gave the portrait there a glance.
"Half-dead is still completely alive, Helga," Alexander said.
Helga Hufflepuff, one of the Founders of Hogwarts, rolled her painted eyes at him. "Where is your better half? Maybe she'll knock some sense into you," she said, waking the other inhabitants of the frame.
"Is the sexy one back? Oh, good," Gordric Gryffindor said, stretching his arms and not at all taking note of the fact that he knocked Salazar Slytherin to the side. Salazar gave him a dirty look.
"Is it time?" Rowena Ravenclaw asked, her eyes fixated on the box Alexander was working on.
"Almost, just waiting on Daphne to get me the final census records," Alexander said. He picked up a small stone and began to carve runes into it.
"Ah, the sexy one isn't here," Gordric said. "Wake me back up when she is."
"I still wish you'd tell me what the coins are for," Rowena said. "The runes you created are fascinating. I've never seen their like before. Are they a common tongue in this era?"
Alexander nearly bit his lip from trying to restrain himself from laughing. He was not going to tell Rowena Ravenclaw that he plagiarized the Klingon language, or what a Klingon was. He was still trying to explain electronics to her, as the first time she had seen a microwave, she panicked and tried to cast spells from her frame.
"No, they're not. They're also not one magicals are familiar with, so most won't be tempted to empower them with magic. The ones who do recognize it won't be believed. After all, how could 'muggles' create a runic language?"
Alexander wasn't overly concerned with the magicals deciphering it regardless. Runes were actually created from multiple letters forming a concept, that could then be further tied to one another to create different effects. It was rather like building a tower out of matchsticks if the matchsticks were actually dynamite, and everything was on fire.
He finished carving the needed runes on the stone in his hand and placed it on the basketball-sized Philosopher's Stone, that Alexander had slowly grown over the years. A transmutation spell later, and it was now a material that gleamed like gold, but wasn't found anywhere on Earth or even the solar system. It joined its fellows in the box on the table.
"I thought you didn't like expansion spells," Salazar said. "Yet here you are, using one."
Alexander rolled his eyes and flipped the founder off. "You're usually not one to call out a hypocrite, Sally. Besides, the coins will only be in the box for another week, so they'll be fine."
Alexander and Daphne had been terribly amused to discover Salazar Slytherin was actually a woman. Or man. It really depended on Salazar's mood, as being a Metamorphmagus made things like gender a gray area. Most defaulted to their birth gender, but some like Salazar didn't know, as they were abandoned at birth. It did explain how Salazar could speak Parsletongue, as the magical language required distinctly inhuman vocal cords and vibrations.
Still, Salazar was the most accepting of Alexander and Daphne's plan. Rowena was a close second, more curious about the magic they were using, and Gordric didn't care about anything but fighting and humping anything vaguely alive. Helga was the sticking point.
Helga had created Hogwarts with the others with the intention of accepting all magicals, regardless of their station in life. That the institution she had created had fallen so low was a blow to the witch, and she felt horrified at the experiences and information Alexander and Daphne shared with her. It took them many arguments before both sides were content.
Alexander dropped another coin into the expanded box. He often used magic to speed this up, making thousands an hour, but he knew he was nearing the end. Japan was the last country they needed census data from, after all. Once Daphne returned from her vacation with her sister, he could recheck the count and be finished.
And then the real work could begin.
Magic Break Can't Be Seen
AN: Cape Horn was chosen for a lot of reasons, but mostly because it's isolated and badass. I'm glad some of you are excited to see some representation for your home countries here!
Story structure: The first half of each chapter will be showcasing what's happening in the "present" (2017, when Canon officially ends). The second half are flashbacks to what Alexander and Daphne have been doing for the past 19 years leading up to canon. Hopefully I've written/will write them in such a way that the story flows smoothly and you as the reader enjoys it. I'm usually not a fan of using flashbacks, but the alternative was writing two repetitive stories, and I'd like to avoid that. I hope that clears things up.
The Elder Wand: Is destroyed. As much as I would have enjoyed Alexander studying the Deathly Hallows and discovering their secrets, it wouldn't change or add anything to him. As for Harry using it against Alexander, well, he has a different purpose in my story.
A better question would be: Is muggle technology canon or will I be boosting it? The answer is: No, I will not be giving the muggles a tech boost. In 2017 it was already advance enough to be a credible threat to revealing the magical world, so it'll stay that way.
M: He's from a crossover! Just kidding. Well, sort of. It's actually supposed to be Ralph Fiennes who played both Lord Voldemort, and M, in the latest James Bond films. I was originally going to write something about Harry recognizing him as Voldemort, but realized M has a nose and hair, which makes them look drastically different. Might put it into an omake at some point though.
Adrian Pucey: Some of you were put out when I didn't have Alexander get revenge on him in the previous story. To be honest, I still stand by what I said, Alexander just didn't consider Pucey to be on the same level as the rest of his targets. Still, I wrote this scene to let you guys know that it isn't just Alexander getting his revenge on the world. There are other people who aren't happy with the state of things.
Flight: Yes, Alexander is manipulating gravity, no that does not mean he can suddenly tear apart a planet. What he, and now Daphne, are doing is basically taking control of gravity in a small area around themselves. This makes it so the only thing with gravity is their own bodies, which they can "throw/push/pull" with their magic. So it isn't Superman Flight, they can't fly through a mountain unharmed, and it does have an upper limit in terms of speed. But it requires very little magic to actually manipulate the "weakest" known force in the universe. As for the speed cap? Faster than any man made vehicle, including space shuttles. It'll be explored in more depth later.
Also: They cannot displace the gravity around their bodies to start manipulating things from a distance. They already have magic for that, so it'd be unnecessary anyway.
The Founders of Hogwarts: Ta da! There was an amusing story written a number of years ago about the perverted ghost of Gordric Gryffindor hanging around. My Gordric is a little homage to that, and I'd appreciate if anyone could tell me the name of that story.(EDIT: Harry Potter and the Sword of Gryffindor by cloneserpents, thanks .hughes!) Rowena and Helga are both stereotypes of their fanon selves, but Salazar...
Salazar "Sally" Slytherin: I actually had a long thought about this one. The only known Metamorphmagus we know of is Tonks, and her son, in canon. Harry has also portrayed the ability to regrow his hair, but it's never stated clearly he is a Metamorph as well. But I'm going to assume he has a very weak ability for the purpose of this story. Because Harry is a Black on his father's side, and Tonks is a a Black on her mother's side. So it's confirmed that the ability is hereditary, and what other ability does Harry have that is hereditary? Parsletongue. Now Metamoprhs can change their body to varying degrees, it is not outside the realm of possibility that this is how Parsletongue is spoken, biologically anyway. Still no idea how Ron opened the Chamber of Secrets in Year Seven, we'll blame witchcraft, but I still think it's viable the two abilities are linked. My final proof that Salazar was a woman? The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets was in the girls bathroom. No guy would ever think of putting it there, it's too sneaky. A reach, I know, but I'm not going to stop poking fun at canon.
The basketball-sized Philosopher's Stone: You think Alexander wouldn't be working on growing it now that he has the time and privacy to himself? I almost did boulder sized, but I felt that was a little too ridiculous.
I hope you're all enjoying the story! The next UPDATE will be in THREE DAYS!