AN: I bet you didn't expect me to update this one today too, did you? lol. I actually had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I can only hope that you all enjoy this as well. Barty/Harry is such a rare pair, but I certainly enjoy writing it.
After claiming the Potter, Peverell, and Gryffindor lordships, as well as his heirship rings, the two wizards headed towards Ollivanders. There was a lightness between them as their day had brightened up at the prospect of the Goblins planning on ways to drag Dumbledore through the mud.
"I went ahead and informed Tom about everything we know," Harry commented as they walked down the street, smirking. "He's pleased that Dumbledore is doing his work for him. All we have to do is give a small shove, and then the Headmaster will fall into the grave he's been digging." Barty snorted at the words, nodding.
"My Lord isn't wrong. This will make things all too easy for us," Dumbledore had too much political power and this would thankfully level things out, enabling the public to finally see bits of the truth. "I can only imagine his surprise when you officially join Wizengamot. You'll be one of the youngest to ever join."
"What's the average age?" Harry asked. "I had assumed it was around seventeen, but I could be wrong."
"It can depend on the family. Take Lucius Malfoy, for example. His father stepped down and gave him the seat once he had married Narcissa. There can only be one Lord or Lady in the family, with the exception of twins." Barty explained. "While some families immediately pass down the Lordships once their heir turns seventeen or a certain age, some wait. Lucius was twenty-six when Abraxas passed down the lordship."
"That makes sense," Harry admitted, understanding it a bit more. "This might be a dumb question, but how long can seats go unclaimed for?" Barty smiled a bit at him, shaking his head in what had to be amusement, seeing as how his eyes had a certain gleam to them.
"It's not a dumb question. To answer it simply…indefinitely. As long as the bloodline lives on, no matter how diluted it may be, magic will keep the seats available. They only vanish once that line officially dies out."
"How often does that happen? Do the seats disappear permanently, or can they reappear? In terms of squibs." Harry tried to explain, hoping Barty would understand his question. The older wizard seemed impressed but spoke up, nonetheless.
"Magic can be a fickle thing. If all that remains of a line is a squib, then it will disappear for a while. If in the following generations the magic resurfaces, then the seats will reappear. As for how often that happens-" Barty trailed off, shaking his head. "I'm not too sure about it, but too often probably. Even though the Crouch family is part of the sacred twenty-eight, they thankfully had enough sense not to inbreed and mess up the gene pool." They both made a face at that.
"As grateful as I am to speak to snakes, I hate knowing how much inbreeding the Gaunt family did." Harry paused again and made another face. "Or the Black family, for that matter."
"While the Black family is horrible about inbreeding, the Lestrange family is just as bad, if not worse. The past two generations are the only two that have not inbred. Mostly part to the only remaining heirs being in Azkaban."
"Do you think Tom will try and get them out?" Harry inquired softly, looking thoughtful. "I can understand him needing all of the allies he can get now, but…I hope he won't try to break them free." Harry admits.
"I don't think he will. They are part of the reason our side has such a bad reputation now. Of course, the Dark Lord also made his own mistake by trying to kill you-" Harry missed the way Barty had unconsciously clenched his fist at that, carrying on. "But they attacked the Longbottoms on their own volition," Barty said with a frown.
"I was always wondering why they attacked the Longbottoms. I know it took place after Tom vanished, but I was unsure if that was the reason they attacked."
"I think it was part of it. Truthfully, no one had any idea where the Dark Lord went or what happened that night. We heard he was killed, but many of us were suspicious by the lack of body. Your parents were both dead and you were only a baby-we knew there was something else at play. Since the Longbottoms were Aurors and members of the Order of the Phoenix, we had suspected them of knowing something. That was the guise they used to convince me to spy on them." His words were softly spoken, but Harry could feel the raw emotion in every word.
"All they wanted to do was avenge him and make anyone suffer." Harry supplied and Barty gave a small sigh at that.
"Even if he weren't dead, they believed that the Dark Lord would be pleased with their actions and praise them when he returned. They could not have been further from the truth. All the accusations and talk of the Dark Lord torturing his followers and muggles stemmed from the attack against the Longbottoms. The public assumed that he had somehow ordered the attack in advance." It was times like these where Harry was thankful for their privacy charms. "The worst part of all, they were his most loyal. Bellatrix in particular." Barty admitted, running a hand through his hair. "There's no denying that they would have followed to him to the ends of the Earth, but it won't get them anywhere now."
"How loyal were you?" Harry asked, finding some of his Gryffindor courage as he spoke. Chuckling, the older wizard glanced towards him.
"I was also one of his most loyal followers. I believed and still believe what he was doing was for the best. Until…." Barty trailed off, frowning a bit as he gazed at Harry. "I never understood why he went after you. He explained why he was doing what, but even then, it felt wrong." The Death Eater exhales, almost shakily. "It wasn't until after he returned that he admitted his mistakes to me. He had been so afraid of death and losing the war that he blindly listened to the prophecy."
"Merlin, that thing is a load of rubbish." Harry could not help but snort. "Tom told me about it through our mind link and we figured it out. The prophecy's already come to be. A long time ago, to be exact." Barty looked intrigued and Harry was about to answer him when they finally reached Ollivanders. Huffing, the Death Eater absentmindedly moved some hair from Harry's eyes.
"You can tell me when we get back. I never heard the full version." Barty mumbled before they headed inside. Ollivander was at his desk, perking up at the sound of his door opening.
"Curious, seeing you so soon, Mr. Potter. Is your wand broken? A shame, that would be. It was a lovely thing…" The wizard stops talking as he looks to where Barty was standing, a thoughtful look in his eyes as he hums. "Even more curious. I hadn't thought I would be selling another wand to you either, Mr. Crouch." Barty looks alarmed, looking down at himself to see if his glamour had vanished. When he finds that nothing has changed, he looks up with an eyebrow raised. "I remember every wand that I have ever sold, and your eyes haven't changed a bit." The wandmaker commented, waving his wand and wordlessly locking the door.
He was looking between the two customers, eyes quickly calculating.
"If you would lower your glamour, please." The wandmaker motioned towards Barty, who sighed as he waved Harry's wand, the glamour peeling away with ease. Ollivander caught the wand, eyes sparkling. "Ah! So, it isn't broken. Strange, though…" He mused, tapping his chin in thought. "That particular wand rarely produces advanced magics for all those but it's owner. It can be rather temperamental to all, but not to you it seems." Ollivander explained, a gleam in his eyes as he beckoned the two wizards to come closer.
"As I recall, your first wand was Walnut, dragon heartstring and eleven inches." Ollivander brought forth a similar wand but frowned as the box flew back to the other side of the room when it reached the wizards. "No, it seems that won't do…" The elder wizard was busy taking their measurements, bringing out wand after wand. They all had the same reaction, though. All flew back into their spots as soon as they were in close vicinity to the wizards. While it would seem Ollivander was frustrated, his eyes held a sparkle of fascination and awe, enjoying the challenge as he headed towards the back.
"I forgot how long this process could take," Harry joked, hands inside of his robes as he looked towards the Death Eater. "Did you have a reaction like this when you first tried out wands?"
"Worse. One of the first wands I tried out nearly set this place on fire. Ollivander was quick to grab it and take it far away from me. My mother was a mix of amusement and terror." There was a small smile on his face as he spoke, one of the better memories of his childhood. "Knowing you, you no doubt made a mess as well." Harry snorted.
"Yeah. I kind of shattered a vase and caused a lot of wands to go all over the place. I felt bad knowing he had to clean all of that up." Harry was going to say more, but Ollivander appeared and Harry frowned, hearing a faint hissing sound.
"Very peculiar indeed. It seems that we will have to use some of my more…unique wands. I had always wondered when these would be called forth." But as the hissing became more frequent, Harry had to interrupt the elder wandmaker.
"Pardon me, sir…but do you have a snake?" Ollivander glanced at Harry in wonder. "I swear I hear hissing…" The wandmaker's brows furrowed for a moment before something clicked.
"Mr. Potter, do you happen to be a parselmouth, by chance?" Surprised by the question, Harry nodded, having thought that most of the wizarding world knew that fact by now.
"Yes. Why?" There was another gleam in Ollivander's eyes as he rushed towards the back again, holding two boxes in his hands when he returned. Now that the wands were closer, Harry realized that the hissing had been loud because there were two. They sounded the same to him, his emerald eyes staring intently at the two boxes. Once they were placed in front of them, they stayed, unlike the other wands that had flown back to their place on the shelf.
"Just as I figured. These wands are extremely unique. As you are well aware, I primarily use three types of cores when crafting my wands. That isn't to say I have never made exotic wands before." As he opened the box, he watched in surprise as the wands immediately flew into both wizards' hands.
Warmth was beginning to envelop the two wizards, a familiar tingling sensation spreading between the two. Ollivander could only hold his breath and watch, his own skin starting to form goosebumps at the power in the air. It was crackling around them, the wand boxes around the room shaking from the magic unleased by the two wizards.
He finally let out the breath when the power began to subside, the tingling sensation still in the air as it slowly started to fade away. The wandmaker doubted that he would ever have such a reaction like that again and took the opportunity to marvel at the rare event, his heart beating as the magic lingered before fading out.
"A fine match indeed," Ollivander spoke, clasping his hands together. "I have been waiting for the day to sell those wands. I never thought I would sell both in the same day. You see, those wands have dual woods, but in reverse. For you, Mr. Crouch, your handle is made from walnut, while the shaft is made from willow. As for Mr. Potter, his handle is willow, while the shaft is from walnut. Both of these wand woods only produce their best magics to those of the highest brilliance and intelligence. And, to those with the greatest potential." He spoke, looking between the two.
"Sir? What about the core?" Harry questioned, earning a deep chuckle as the elder was filled with more excitement.
"Ah, the core is what makes those wands utterly unique and powerful. Inside those wands is the Horn of a Horned Serpent, one of the rarest cores to obtain, and a feather from a Katyogle."
"A Katyogle?" Harry asked, having never heard of the beast before. The wandmaker didn't look to be surprised by the lack of knowledge and spoke up about the creatures.
"They're powerful Owls, Mr. Potter. They are known to be some of the wisest creatures on this planet, and the common owls are nothing compared to them. Even as a standalone core, a katyogle feather can create some of the most powerful wands. Of course, it's a matter of finding a worthy Witch or Wizard, first. The reason these cores aren't as common is that a Katyogle rarely donates their feathers, only offering them when they know it's needed." Ollivander looked at the wands again, humming. "As for the other core, it's almost as rare as the Katyogle."
"And why is that?" Barty questioned this time. Again, the wandmaker spoke up to explain some facts about the beast that wasn't well known.
"Horned Serpents are known to be solitary creatures. They rarely show themselves to anyone. Despite being some of the most powerful creatures, they spend most of their time hidden in the shadows to observe. They are clever and resourceful creatures, only making themselves known to those they know they can trust." The wandmaker smiled a bit, motioning towards the wands. "Horned Serpents are known to form permanent bonds with Parselmouths. It's even rumored that the wand will produce a soft hum when their owner is in danger." The Death Eater stole a glance towards Harry, something akin to relief flashing through his eyes for a moment. "Now, when you combine those two cores…" The wandmaker trailed off, giving a light chuckle to himself. "The world can expect great things from you two indeed."
"Are these brother wands, sir?" Harry couldn't help but ask, thinking back to his original wand. If he and Tom had brother wands, what would stop him and Barty from having the same thing?
"Not this time, Mr. Potter." Ollivander chuckled. "While the wands are uncannily similar, they are not from the same creature. Instead of coming from the same creatures, it was a pair of mates that provided the cores." He spoke nonchalantly, either missing or ignoring the flush on Barty's cheeks. "These are as rare as brother wands, but not unheard of." He explained, moving back behind his desk. "It was an honor to see those wands finally land in the right hands. That'll be fourteen galleons total, please." Harry wordlessly paid the elder wizard. "Thank you, gentlemen." Ollivander grinned a bit at Barty. "Don't forget your glamour, Mr. Crouch." He added with a wink.
Taking the opportunity to try his new wand, the Death Eater gave a small wave and within seconds, a flawless glamour was in place.
"It's perfect." Barty mused, knowing that even his original wand had never felt this way. The magic around him tingled with power, a soft sigh escaping him and Harry, who felt the magic wrap around him. Ollivander watched the interaction and grinned.
"Wonderful! It's not every day I make a match like this." There was knocking on the door and the Elder Wizard was quick to stand up. "Ah, another customer perhaps…" As he made his way to the door, he failed to notice the two wizards step aside and make their leave.
"Dad! I tried floo calling you, but you didn't answer. I've got some information on the Acacia shipment." Gerald Ollivander made his way inside the stop, stopping for a second. It was if he sensed the power in the air as well, taking a deep breath. "Merlin…what the Hell happened here?"
"A match made perfectly, my son. A shame you couldn't witness it." Garrick Ollivander responded wistfully, still in awe. "In all my life of providing wands, I have never experienced anything like today. That pair will certainly change this world."
"Oh? Did you manage to sell another set of brother wands?" Gerald was shuffling some papers, organizing them as he placed them in the back.
"I daresay that this was a better experience." Garrick Ollivander commented, leaning back. "After all, it's not every day that you sell Soulmate wands." He heard his son give a surprised choke from the other room, popping his head from the corner to look at him in awe.
"Was there anywhere else you needed to go?" Harry asked, slowly trailing his thumb along the handle of his new wand, the power behind it feeling perfect.
"Actually, yes. We should get you some new robes." Barty commented, glancing at the younger. "Now that you can claim your seats, or use the Dark Lord as your proxy, you will need more traditional robes if you desire to attend some of the meetings." He explained, soon clearing his throat. "There's also the fact that you deserve clothes that fit you." His tone was dark, making Harry offer a small smile.
"It's still kind of weird that I'm able to do this now. Had someone told me I would be doing this a year ago, I wouldn't have believed them."
"What? Living with a Death Eater or being away from them?" Barty joked, making Harry snort.
"Honestly, I don't think I would have been too shocked at living with a Death Eater even a year ago. Maybe when I was a first or second year." He chuckled. "But being able to use magic outside of school now and not have to worry about…" Harry trails off, giving a small shrug. Barty catches the flash of fear that still resurfaces whenever the younger thinks about the Durselys, and each time it makes his hand itch for his wand, wanting to make those muggles suffer more and more each day.
The Death Eater wasn't sure how it was possible to hate someone more and more each day, but with each unspoken pause Harry provided, it made the hate build.
And at one point, he thought he had hated his father above anyone else in this world.
"Anyway," Harry offers another smile, seemingly less strained this time. "Where is the best place to buy those sorts of robes?" Not missing a beat, Barty begins to explain the best robe shops in Diagon Alley, standing closer to the younger wizard as they go to finish their shopping.
So, I had a lot of fun writing the wand scene! I wanted it to be unique and something I've never done before, so I decided after a bit of research into all the wand woods and cores, that I would go a new route. I haven't come across many stories that often point out Harry's parseltongue abilities when it comes to wands, so I thought the Horned Serpent core would be a nice aspect.
Hope you enjoyed the reveal ;)