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ADVOCATUS DIABOLI
BOOK II: ENEMIES OF THE HEIR
CHAPTER 1
19 June 1992 - Kolumbiko Estate - Tazirbu, Libya - 10:07AM
Lily took another sip of her sweet mint tea, enjoying the pleasant heat of the sun as she relaxed in one of four solariums on the lavish Kolumbiko estate. She, Harry, Severus, Cassie (under an alias) and Sirius had arrived a week prior as Tom's family guests for he and Libra's impending wedding. Additional members of the Liaison Program were due to be in attendance in a few days as part of Tom's friend entourage. Everywhere had been aflutter with activity, and Lily was doing her best to stay out of the way, spending most of her time with Harry and Severus. The entire Kolumbiko family seemed to be there for the celebrations (well over sixty members), with Lord Haseeb and Lady Cyra serving as the hosts. Everyone had been exceptionally welcoming and pleased to meet Tom's closest friends, with Sirius already making himself quite comfortable by flirting with nearly every adult woman in attendance.
Snorting fondly in memory of Lord Black's incorrigible antics, Lily took another sip of her tea and further ruminated on the in-depth history of the Kolumbiko family that Tom had shared a few weeks prior to their arrival. The family's ancestor Ibn Abd-al Qolūm bin Iku was a powerful battle mage, highly skilled in Transfiguration and defensive necromancy. Together with General Abdallah ibn Sa'ad in 647 AD, the two formidable soldiers led a siege into Western Libya that successfully led to the seizure of Tripoli from the Byzantine magical and muggle armies of olde. This successful effort spurred the two into continuing their campaign, which saw them seize the stronghold of Sufetula and successfully execute the Byzantine Exarch Gregory and his magical vizier Umar, decimating their muggle and magical forces in equal measure.
As a reward for his magical and military prowess, General Abdallah - with the blessing of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan - had bestowed Qolūm bin Iku with one of the oases discovered by their cartographers upon further exploration of their newly seized territory in the year 652 AD. The estate - which was named Jawharat Alraml (the Jewel of the Sand) - was built directly in the middle of the oasis, utilizing the magical properties of the water as a natural protective barrier that amplified the various enchantments and wards placed on the estate. It was a one-story edifice composed of stone, marble, and stained glass, interspersed with impressive gardens that featured an incredible array of both magical and muggle plants. Each cardinal point of the estate housed a solarium, with the northernmost and southernmost serving as greenhouses. Directly in the middle of the estate was a massive water fountain that featured a statue made out of the magical water of the oasis. The shimmering liquid was in the form of Qolūm bin Iku moving his staff mid-spell, mounted on a massive mosaic marble basin bearing the family's motto: Biquat alsahr natahamaluh, which approximately translated to 'By the might of magic, we endure'.
With time, Qolūm bin Iku helped develop the surrounding village of El Jezeera, establishing himself as the ruling Caliph of the existing peoples. Naturally that caused a lot of conflict with the already established chieftains of the nine magical clans within and adjacent to El Jezeera. A series of notably violent skirmishes - one of which almost resulted in Qolūm bin Iku's assassination - finally led to a peace accord established between all ten clans, finalized in the ancient castle of Gasr Giránghedi. The ancient site, which the muggles believed to be an old castle in ruins thanks to the protective wards, still hosted all ten current sitting chieftain lords that observed and honored the olde ways. In fact, the venerable edifice was serving as the official venue for Tom and Libra's wedding ceremony, with the reception being held at the bride's home.
His marriage to Amne Garamante, the daughter of Chieftain Garamante in 676 AD, had further signaled the continuation of peace amongst the tribes, as Garamante had been a major initial instigator against Qolūm bin Iku. The birth of their son and heir Abbas in 678 AD had been a cause of great celebration, and ushed in a new era of change. 699 AD saw the Ab-dal officially change his name to Abdal Kolumbiko and establishing House Kolumbiko with him as Lord and Abbas as his first official Heir. Through generations of skillful maneuvering, ruthless machinations, meticulous application of wit and intellect, and the desire for excellence, House Kolumbiko flourished to be the one of the most powerful wizarding families in North Africa, with controlling majorities in the potions trade and several muggle holdings in oil and technology. They shared that mantle alongside the likes of the Gatwechs of Sudan, the Bennanis of Morocco, the Zidanes of Algeria, the Magdys of Egypt, and the Beys of Tunisia. To further strengthen its influence outside of the continent, the Kolumbikos ensured that members would be matriculated at key magical institutions: Uagadou, Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, Almadrasa, Durmstrang, Ilvermony, Castelobruxo, and Mahoutokoro.
"May I join you?" The dulcet voice of Lady Cyra Kolumbiko sounded to Lily's right, interrupting her musing.
"Oh! Of course Lady Cyra, absolutely!" Lily gestured to the seat next to her, but Lady Cyra had other plans.
"I'd actually wondered if we could take a small walk around one of the gardens," she said, gesturing to one of many gardens just beyond the solarium. "And please, it's Cyra." She smiled gently, prompting Lily to smile in turn and set down her tea. Standing, Lily was surprised when Cyra linked her arms through hers and led her to the garden. They walked for some time, with Cyra pointing out the occasional rare plant that caught Lily's fancy, providing an in-depth explanation about its aesthetic and medicinal qualities. The older witch had even offered to provide her some pressings of the plants that she was interested in, an offer which Lily had gratefully accepted. After some time, they settled into a bench near one of the garden's decorative ponds. From their vantage, they could see Harry, Sirius, and some of the Kolumbiko cousins playing a quick pickup game of football. The sight caused both women to smile.
"Are you and your son enjoying yourselves?" asked Cyra gently.
"Oh absolutely, it has been wonderful. Thank you once more for allowing us into your home, and yes, even Sirius." The two laughed at that, just as they watched Sirius kick in a goal and rip his shirt off, screaming in boyish excitement as his team cheered him on.
"I am glad to hear that Lily. As I understand, the end of your son's previous school year was most…harrowing." Frowning at the change in the conversation (and the unpleasant memories it evoked) Lily replied:
"Yes… it was rather harrowing. But I am pleased that both my sons and their friends made it out of that horrible situation." Her eyes blazed in recollection, still angry at Quirrell's temerity and Dumbledore's schemes. Seemingly sensing her anger Cyra gently rubbed Lily's arm (that hers was still looped through), smiling as she felt the tension slowly drain out of her.
"What's most important is that they are safe. And you will be there with them all the way." Her tone was unwaveringly confident, causing the younger witch to stare at her curiously.
"...Yes, their safety is tantamount to me. There isn't anything I wouldn't do to protect them." 'Or haven't done to protect them,' she thought internally, thinking of the protective ritual she'd done before to stave off the Dark Lord. To her surprise Cyra nodded firmly, seemingly pleased with her response.
"Excellent. Your support is tantamount as they continue on their forged paths." Lily glanced sharply at the older witch, feeling an internal shiver crawl up her spine at her suggestively portentous tone.
"...Their forged paths?" Cyra leveled a curious gaze at her, before her wand - ten inch acacia with fae wing fiber - seemingly appeared in her hand. Lily stiffened.
"Be calm, I mean you no harm." Cyra's voice was soft and reassuring, but Lily wasn't so easily assuaged. "I merely wanted to give a… demonstration." Methodically waving her wand at the sky above them, Lily's eyes widened at seeing it darken and become starry, stars and constellations standing out in stark relief against the midnight blue backdrop. Looking to see if anyone else noticed, Lily was surprised to see that everyone was seemingly unaware.
"Worry not, the spell is just for our viewing purpose." With a final flourish the older witch turned to gauge her companion's reaction, pleased upon seeing the red-haired witch's astonished reaction. There were several constellations whirling in the magically-created night sky, their stars twinkling in bold luminescence. There were some Lily recognized, but plenty she did not.
"Tell me, what do you know of my maiden family Lily?" The witch in question lightly frowned at the non sequitur.
"Um, well, I know that you are formerly Cyra Kama, of the Kamas of Senegal. Your family has also had roots in France since before the French Revolution, and have grown to be quite influential there as well." Cyra nodded amicably. "And, well… I also know of Laureana," Cyra's expression darkened at that, "and the horrendous harm Corvus Lestrange inflicted upon her and her family." Lily winced internally, but she was relieved to see Cyra's expression lighten.
"That is all very true. As is my family's affinity for astronomy and astrology. The Kamas have been trained in the language of the skies for generations, so much so that some would argue it has become our natural affinity." She paused for a moment while Lily listened on in open fascination. "While the Statute of Secrecy may have put a… damper on the exchange of information between ourselves and our muggle counterparts, we still do our best to maintain and advance our knowledge in this particular realm." She took a pause to collect her thoughts.
"You are familiar with Zoroaster, yes?" At Lily's responding nod, she continued. "During one of his various pilgrimages through ancient magical Egypt and Nubia at around 640 BC he encountered one of my ancestors Soulemayne Kama, who coincidentally, was also on an academic pilgrimage of his own, studying with the astro-scholars of Napata in the Kushite Empire. At that time, Zoroaster was compiling the Asteroskopita, an astrological handbook that outlined the known path of the stars for the basis of… making predictions." Cyra's voice took on an almost teasing lilt. "Together with Soulemayne, they traced the paths of several constellations that marked the sky, recording the multiple paths the stars could take…or not take. Once they'd compiled as much as they could, my ancestor was able to keep a personal copy of the completed work, which has been in our family for, well, millennia."
"That…wow, that is truly remarkable," replied Lily, completely engrossed in Cyra's story.
"Indeed," she smilingly replied. "Within the pages of the Asteroskopita, it is written that the path of the stars also served as Fate's language."
Lily blinked. "...Fate's language?" she asked dubiously. Inside, her heart had started to race and she bit back the urge to scream. Fate had already dealt Lily and her family a crueler hand than she could bear, and the thought of the thrice-forsaken four-lettered primordial force exerting even more influence of her sons' lives was distressing.
"Indeed," replied Cyra, warm brown eyes focused. She waved her wand in graceful arcs, causing the illuminated sky above them to draw closer, forming an almost protective dome around them, dusting their skin with the soft sparkle of the magically-created stars. Suddenly, some of the stars faded away, leaving some behind. Slowly, an ecliptic belt slowly formed, and Lily watched in fascination as twelve arcs slowly developed, each about thirty degrees long. The arcs housed twelve symbols that Lily somewhat recognized, even though their shapes were very divergent to the ones she knew.
"The zodiac?! What on earth does the zodiac have to do with Fate's language?!"
The Bride's Parlor - 2:06PM
Libra laughed happily as Cousins Dounia, Jumana, Scarlett, Vivian, and Chantalle danced with her niece Eurus, both gleefully tossing pink carnation and primrose petals into the air, delighted as the enchanted petals cycled through the air around them. The girls were meant to be practicing their walk and flower toss for the wedding ceremony in two days, but after too many servings of diblah, the girls were content to enjoy their sugar high. Many of the other women in her parlor indulgently laughed at the girls, some clapping their hands in song, content to egg the girls on in their endearing antics.
Several of Libra's female cousins and aunts were present, some she adored and others she was less than indifferent to. As though summoned, she locked eyes with Cousin Halyat, who sneered rather rudely as Libra sniffed in haughty dismissal, physically turning her entire body away from her. They had never gotten along well in their youth, their personalities too diametrically opposed. Mainly when they were little girls, and spoiled rotten Halyat believed she was entitled to Libra's prized books and toys. As the Lord's daughter, Libra had set her to rights many times, though Halyat was nothing if not churlishly obstinate. Thankfully their schooling years had been blissfully apart, with she at Beauxbatons and Halyat at Almadrasa.
Turning to face her massive gilded mirror, Libra quietly admired her reflection. Her thick dark curls were piled high on her head, leaving her swanlike neck bare. She admired the traditional robes she wore, fondly running her left-hand fingers over the namesake pin clasping her robe together. She paused, tilting her hand to and fro, admiring the glint of the afternoon light as it reflected on her ring's jewels.
In merely two days, she would be marrying the love of her life, securing their futures once and for all. There had been times when Libra had wanted to scream in Tom's face to 'GET YOUR BLOODY ACT TOGETHER!', frustrated by his lingering inability to take the next steps. Even her brother Sameer - one of Tom's best friends and confidantes - had grown increasingly irritated at Tom's hesitation. But then the greatest surprise had come on her most recent birthday; a romantic moonlit dinner in Castle Basilica's solarium, coupled with a charmed violin quartet, a sparkling ceiling of golden-hued fae lights, and an excellent five-course French meal of all her personal favorites. Tom, uncharacteristically and adorably nervous, leading her towards the solarium balcony, making stilted conversation about lunar mythology of all things, distracting Libra to maintain her attention on the sky and away from him. Finding Tom on bended knee beside her, presenting a ring in proposal. Her happily (and tearfully) accepting, before kissing him senseless and all but dragging the elated but seemingly shellshocked man to the bedroom, keeping them occupied well into the following day.
Lightly blushing at the steamy thoughts, Libra took a small sip of her tea, internally frowning as her mind went to more unpleasant thoughts. Almost reflexively, she placed her hand against her womb, a wave of bitterness overcoming her. Her fertility had always been an issue lingering in the back of her mind. Ever since she'd started puberty, she'd struggled with irregular menstruation, sometimes going months without having her cycle. The best potions and best healers hadn't been able to help her, citing that it was her 'natural state' (she'd nearly cursed the last Healer who'd said that to her), and therefore any attempts to correct it would be nullified by her own magic. One of her healers had compared it to a magical who wore glasses; their ocular irregularity that necessitated the need for glasses was considered a part of the magical's natural state, and therefore any attempts to correct it - even the most unconventional Muggle ones, ultimately failed.
And now, she would be marrying the love of her life and more than likely would not be able to bear him children. They'd discussed the topic of children before; Tom was mildly terrified at the prospect of being a father to his own children, but he did want to have a family with Libra. And in all those conversations, Libra had kept her 'issue' to herself, not wanting to ruin the mood (or deep down, scaring Tom into leaving her). It also didn't help that for the Gaunt Line to continue on, a child was needed. A male child.
'An heir that I may very well not be able to give him.' Libra clenched her jaw and took slow deep breaths, beating back her tears and smoothing her expression. She absolutely refused to let the gnawing thoughts eat further at her. With a quick wandless freshening up of her makeup she turned around, plastering a most convincing smile on her face, elegantly sneering at Halyat when her cousin stared a touch too curiously in her direction. No bloody way would she let that witch get one over her.
AN 1: And we're off! Here's a little background on the Kolumbikos, we'll see more in the next chapter, mainly Lord Haseeb, Sameer (his Heir), and some other key family members.
AN 2: If I haven't mentioned before, Libra Kolumbiko is cast as Sophie Okonedo. I imagine Lady Cyra as Rakie Ayola, and for Lord Haseeb, I was thinking F. Murray Abraham. Haven't decided on Sameer yet, but stay tuned!
Next Up: Tom & Libra's wedding, a quick Draco catchup, and a touch-base with Hermione