Chapter 9
Ragnock, Head of Gringotts bank, couldn't help but grin across his desk at his ally. The tall, broad shouldered man was sprawled gracefully on a comfortable wingback chair, glass of goblin wine held elegantly in his left palm, looking every inch relaxed.
His friend was a true actor, because the day one of his kind was completely relaxed was the day he fed himself to a dragon. The man did not look as he naturally did, the shorter sandy hair and more rugged features the opposite of what he normally wore.
"The games you played with my staff upon entering amuse me, my friend, but why play these games with me?" he asked, chuckling as he did with only few.
"I play this game because I will claim my heritage today, not as myself, but as another. The world will know the Heir by another name, just as few know of you Head Ragnock, or should I say King Ragnock."
The goblin never asked where the other got his information. The man always knew what he should not.
"So," the blonde continued, "should some goblin stumble into your office, I shall be protected."
"You enjoyed that entrance too much," he puffed up his chest, "'Lord Gryffindor is here to see Head Ragnock. He is expecting me, do not keep him waiting,' you say, in Gobbledygook no less. The poor young teller was still shell shocked when he opened the door here for you," Ragnock smirked.
"Funny that he didn't look for the ring, as I haven't claimed it yet," he pondered.
"You have a particular presence about you that dissuades others from asking unwanted questions, and you know it. Especially with that damnable voice magic of yours..."
Kai smirked, an action not as intimidating as in his natural form, "So, the day has come."
"Aye, my friend, I have been looking forward to this day for five years, hoping you would take up the title," the goblin leaned back in his chair, crossing his short arms on his lap. "A Riker, head of the UK Wizengamot, oh, this is a day of days."
"I am certainly looking forward to turning that disgusting governing body on its head. Their recent work has been less than pleasing. Still denying that Britain is at war? Really," Kai shook his head, disgusted at the corruption.
Kai put both feet on the floor, leaning forward, face suddenly serious, "Speaking of war, Ragnock, tell me exactly why I should not strike you down where you sit for not revealing my Potter Heritage to me all those years ago. It was the very reason, as you know, that I came to see you," if his tone was any colder, the red wine in his glass would have frozen.
A much younger Kai Boudreau had sat before him in an office quite similar. This young man was not nearly as comfortable as his future self would be.
Ragnock regarded the young man. One of the most powerful of the current Riker students if his sources were correct. All powerful Rikers ended up very wealthy men and Ragnock made a point to get to know those that were especially so.
One of those was Kai Boudreau. He was future council for sure. So powerful and still below the general Riker first year entrance age, and a War Mage. The goblin smirked internally; War Mages came from one line and one line only; though most did not know that.
Today he would find out if his suspicions were true; the to-be assassin was here for an inheritance ritual. He had no family and indeed thought that the ritual could help remedy. Human magic had failed the youth.
Slowly, the goblin placed the ritual potion, dagger, parchment and basin before the youth, trying to keep a non-threatening aura around him.
The mage held his hand over the goblin items, checking for traps and poisons before picking up the dagger.
"Put three drops of blood in the potion, shake it and then pour it into the basin. Dip the parchment in the basin then pass it to me so I can cast the spell."
The ebony haired student went through the process with meticulousness unique to blood magic users before passing the damp parchment across the table. He then cleansed the basin and knife with a wordless spell, removing all traces of his blood from the ritual area.
The goblin King waved a dark hand, activating the potion. His eyes bugged out.
The Gryffindor coat of arms, a roaring lion its prominent feature, sat neatly where Ragnock expected it to be with a banner naming him the Heir of the line.
What shocked him was the second shield, sporting a stag and a griffin locked in combat. He looked hard at the mage from the corner of his eye. Then, he saw it. The youth had Lily Potter's eyes and strong cheekbones. He had James Potter's jaw and nose.
It was Harry Potter, the Light's missing figurehead, completely unaware.
'Better it stayed that way,' Ragnock thought, 'if anyone found out his life would not be his, and Mishrak knows what would happen if Dumbledore got wind of it. I will wait until he's of age, untouchable by the ministries.'
He sighed, finishing his story, an action uncharacteristic to the powerful goblin. He was in deep shite.
Kai leaned back, eyes sad, feeling the truth of his friend's intentions. Ragnock's heart was in the right place, "If you had told me, I would not have spread it. Rather, I would have enjoyed the peace of mind."
"If I claim my Potter heritage, will anyone be alerted?" he would love to see his family's things.
"No, not if you don't want it. We keep strict confidentiality here. You could have come in your natural form and no one would have said anything."
"Let's get this over with so that I can visit my vaults. The next weeks will prove to be very busy."
Ragnock backed a laugh, "Your latest project?"
"Indeed, am I becoming that predictable?"
"No, except that you take on projects that no others would dare," he paused, considering. "Riddle will last longer than Marius."
Marius had been a dark lord that had ruffled a lot of wealthy feathers in Italy last year. Kai had been called in to put him down.
"I hope so; I'm always up for a challenge."
After a moment, two wooden boxes that the King had called for appeared. Inside were the family rings.
Kai slipped both on, one of his right middle and one on his right ring finger. A pulse of magic went through him, warm and welcoming, like a hug. Kai closed his eyes for a moment and enjoyed the feeling, unlike anything he had ever felt. Concentrating, he made the Potter Signet disappear, waiting to be called. Finishing his glass of wine, Kai stood, straightening his handsome burgundy robes.
"Shall we?"
They entered the cart track from Ragnock's private entrance, not desiring to go to the lobby. For long minutes they careened deeper and deeper in the catacombs. Close to the bottom they stopped.
A huge vault door loomed before them, the Gryffindor crest burned on the metal. Kai stepped forward, placing his hand on the G in the center. Feeling the prick of the door sampling his blood, he stepped back, waiting patiently.
Inside held what he expected, gold, jewels, books and other heirlooms. A few old books on blood magic wrote by Godric caught his eye, but the one thing he searched for escaped him.
"Where is the sword?" he muttered.
"Gryffindor's sword?" Ragnock queried.
"Yes. That is the only thing, outside of the family Wizengamot robes, that I need from here."
"It's in Dumbledore's office at Hogwarts."
"Pardon?" he hissed, "I'm sorry; I thought I just heard you say that a priceless family heirloom is currently an office trinket of a man not in my family."
Ragnock eyes widened comically at Kai's deadly casual tone, "Call it back to you, Lord Gryffindor. You are its master and it will come to you."
Kai smirked as he pictured the look on Dumbledore's face when the priceless artifact disappeared.
"Sword of my fathers, take your place at my side," the words slipped subconsciously from his lips, his hand out, palm up.
A flash of light and a long deadly sword appeared, balanced perfectly on his palm. He admired the gleaming blade and golden hilt, large ruby in the pommel, racing lions carved on the guard. He ran a hand along the blade, removing it when the blade bit into his hand. It was razor sharp. He slipped the blade into the dragonhide hip scabbard, knowing that the blade would be as much of a statement of his identity as the family ring or the Gryffindor family features his current form had.
Another flash of light and Kai redrew the sword lightning quick before he smiled at his newest guest.
"My brother," he said warmly as a beautiful red and gold phoenix landed on his shoulder, butting him with his head, "you were curious, were you?"
Fawkes trilled affectionately, recognizing the mage's aura and excited that he was of the founder's line.
"Who is your friend, Kai?" Ragnock, calmed, reverted to calling his ally by name.
"This is Fawkes. He is Dumbledore's familiar," Kai replied with a chuckle, stroking the bird's soft feathers.
"Truly?" Ragnock rolled his eyes at his ally's ability to charm even a phoenix. With the death on his hands, the phoenix should have been repulsed by the assassin.
"Gave Albus a bit of a fright, did I?"
Fawkes cooed something that sounded like a giggle and bobbed his head.
"Well, let's send him a note then," Kai waved his free hand, conjuring a desk and special parchment.
Sheathing the sword, he scratched out a note with his left hand in an elegant looping handwriting, laughing quietly as he wrote.
Admiring his work, he rolled it. Conjuring a candle, he lit it and sealed the parchment with the wax, imprinting his seal with the signet ring.
He handed the roll to the fire bird that grabbed it in its talons and jumped away in a burst of flame.
Albus jumped when he saw the Sword of Gryffindor vanish in a flash of light. He jumped again when Fawkes trilled and flame traveled away.
What was going on?
He walked to the display case quickly, casting detection charms all over the case. There was no magic picked up... the Sword had simply vanished! Thank Merlin the Gryffindor family had disappeared or he would be in serious trouble…
…in more ways than one.
Later, Albus would reassess his belief in Murphy's law.
Fawkes reappeared during his contemplation, dropping a neat scroll on his head. Scowling disdainfully at the bird, he looked at the scroll.
His eyes widened.
It wasn't possible.
That seal hadn't been seen in 600 years.
Gryffindor!?
With shaking fingers, he broke the seal.
The writing was neat and organized and had Dumbledore shaking in anger and disbelief.
Dear Headmaster Dumbledore:
I did not plan on contacting you this soon, but as your lovely familiar followed my sword, I decided to send him back with this message to you.
I am Lord Nicholas Gryffindor, head of the Gryffindor family.
Normally, I keep myself withdrawn from the British political scene, keeping my family out of the spotlight.
I find myself no longer able to do this.
The past years have shown nothing but corruption and decay in the quality of governing by the Ministry and Wizengamot. In fact, I find myself disgusted at the discrimination that is running rampant in our laws.
I felt it was time I stepped in.
As of the next Wizengamot meeting, on September 4th of this year, I will be taking over my rightful position as Head of the Wizengamot. You will return to your position as Lord of the Dumbledore family.
I thoroughly disagree with your stance in the wizarding world and the laws you have allowed to be passed under your care. In this time of war, the government needs strong leadership, someone who will stand up for those that cannot speak for themselves.
I hope we can work together towards the good of the entire magical world, not just the wizarding portion.
-Lord Gryffindor
PS. Mail sent to me will not reach me directly. A good friend, Kai Boudreau, is in your staff. Any mail or questions sent to him will reach me. Please refrain from harassing him. As you already know he is a formidable individual.
Albus muttered angrily under his breath.
How could he stop this? Through Boudreau? No, he probably put this ball rolling.
Walking to the fire, he tossed in some floo powder, "Kai Boudreau!"
No answer; Kai wasn't there.
Knowing he should not try to step through the likely highly warded fireplace, he pulled back and tried again, "Severus Snape!"
"Yes, Albus?" the dark professor stepped out of his kitchen.
"Have you seen Professor Boudreau?"
"He's gone to visit someone in London, that's all I heard," actually Snape knew Kai was meeting a political ally at Gringotts but Albus didn't need details like that.
"Thank you Severus," Albus replied, annoyed and pulled back.
"Well he's in a mood," Snape muttered to himself and went back to his dinner.
Albus wasn't the only Lord Kai had pissed off that day.
An icy haze wrapped around the room, curling its harsh fingers around those kneeling on the stone floor. The men and women gritted their teeth, trying to keep them from chattering lest the sound stir the monster before them.
The Dark Lord was angry, a cold fury bubbling inside him. It caused his power to ripple off of him, frigid tentacles lashing at his supplicating followers.
The Shadow was alive. Not only was he alive, he had been seen speaking with the bouncers outside of his club in downtown London, seemingly unaffected by weeks of torture. He snarled, cursing the man viciously in a language only the escaped prisoner would have understood.
All that power had been within his grasp, now gone. What he could have done with Leander on his left and the Shadow on his right. Now Dumbledore held that power in his hand.
"You are certain?" he hissed at the figure before him.
"Yes, m'Lord. He has been seen on the grounds," he paused. "I have been told he's accepted a position at the school as a defense professor, presumably to stay close to the action. My contact on the Board of Governor's says that they will be reviewing his files at their meeting in two days time."
"Keep me informed Lucius," the Dark Lord's voice was like a whip, making all before him flinch.
The doors to the hall burst open.
"My Lord! My Lor.." the words turned into a scream as the Death Eater fell to the Cruciatus. Moments later he was released.
"You will remember yourself Kareth. Now, what is it?" Voldemort drawled.
"It's Riker Venom sir! Something is wrong with him. The other Rikers are trying to subdue him, but it's not working!"
Voldemort's eyes went wide. What was wrong with Leander? "You are all dismissed; get out of my sight," he hissed to his followers. Looking to Kareth, his eyes darkened further, "Take me to him."
The sight that met his eyes was not what he expected. An uncontrolled vampire aura assaulted him as soon as he was through the doors. Leander, covered in blood likely not his own, had another Riker pinned to the wall by the throat, a wild look in his eyes. His hair was disarrayed and he was just in a pair of black sleep pants, his Riker brand standing out on his pale skin. Four others surrounded the pair, waiting for either to move.
"You had him here the entire time you bastard. You knew the havoc it was wreaking in the society! He was your fucking squad leader, Barracas!" the victim rasped, his face angry.
"Do not judge me," Leander spit, whirling his head to stare at those surrounding him, "you have done worse."
Voldemort saw his feverish, unfocused eyes and wild disposition and knew something was wrong. He didn't step into the situation yet, though, wanting to observe the other Rikers' anger at Leander's betrayal of Shadow.
Leander's eyes fell on a Riker that bore a small resemblance to Kai, long raven hair tied back and a pair of black knee high boots. He dropped the man in his grasp.
"Fight me Kai!" he hissed at the other Riker. "You will fall before me finally!"
"He's hallucinating!" the Riker barked before drawing a pair of sai and attacking.
The vampire spun, claws lashing out viciously, fangs flashing. They circled each other, darting in to strike then jumping out of reach. Blood flew as Leander's black claws ripped across the face of his opponent, leaving bloody gashes.
"Losing your touch, Shadow? There goes your pretty face!" Leander staggered for a moment as pain ripped through his body and he suppressed a retch, "What did you do to me, you little bastard?"
The Riker, a lithe Lycan attacked again, plunging one sai deep in the vampire's side. Leander roared before pulling it out and wielding it against his enemy. Sparks flew as the black sai clashed again and again, stabbing and slashing until the lychan fell, bleeding profusely from multiple wounds.
"Don't play with me, mage, you would never fall to me so easily!" Leander shouted, panting heavily, eyes unfocused, "What are you doing to me?!"
The vampire's limbs shook, almost unable to hold him.
"Hitomi...," one whispered. "You son of a bitch, you drank from him, didn't you? You're in blood withdrawal." He circled the weakening once-Riker. "Do you feel the devastating hunger yet? The disregard for any blood but his? The feeling that your blood will burn its way through your skin? The hallucinations and fevers have already started. I witnessed the effects of 4 ounces on a vampire, how much did you drink, traitor?"
Leander snarled but you could see his eyes widen in fear. Then the Riker that had spoken, who Voldemort recognized as Anaconda, struck, two sets of hands and feet battling fast. Leander's claws ripped viciously into his tall opponent's side but received a powerful punch to the face. The fight continued brutally until Anaconda showed why he was called such. Two black whips appeared at his side and he sent them forth, each wrapping around his opponent in a different direction, trapping him. A burst of magic down the leather and the whips constricted, pushing the air out of Leander's heaving lungs. The vampire could do nothing but collapse to his knees as the vertigo and exhaustion overwhelmed him.
That was Voldemort's signal to step in, knowing the entertainment was over.
"That is enough Riker Anaconda," unlike Leander, the rest had not given their first or last names, "release him."
Anaconda stood tall, ice blue eyes serious, "I apologize, Lord Voldemort, but this is Riker politics and it overrides any commitment we made to you. We currently don't have permission to take you in for what you did to Shadow, but we are under orders to bring Barracas in using any force necessary."
Anaconda didn't turn away, knowing this was going to be trouble. They'd hoped to get in and out without Riddle's notice but they didn't expect to find Barracas hallucinating and in a blood rage.
"I'm afraid that I can't allow you to do that," he drew his black cypress wand, voice just as polite as the Riker he faced.
"Kill us and you bring the whole council against you. You would not survive that," Anaconda stood tall, eyes flashing with power, voice apathetic.
"Well, it's good that I planned for confrontation, isn't it?" the Dark Lord sneered, brown eyes holding a sadistic glint. "Activate intruder wards" he hissed. The dormant wards lit up, striking down all but himself.
"Undetectable parsel wards, some of my best work," he thought to himself, admiring the results.
He levitated the unconscious Leander onto his bed and bound him to it. Calling the wards again, he banished the unconscious Rikers from his property, locking them out of the wards.
They were alive and that grated on Voldemort greatly. Unfortunately, the man's words were true. The Riker society was too powerful for him to face them all. They had members in every powerful political party and clan in the world. It was a force he did not want after him.
He enerviated Leander only to step back as the tall vampire coughed and convulsed, body shaking in cruciatus like spasms. His eyes flashed red and his fangs elongated.
Summoning a vial of vampire sedative to him, Riddle forced it down the raging vampire's throat. Leander still shook slightly, but the red drained from his eyes, which drooped. He moaned softly in pain.
"Baraccas, what is wrong with you?" Voldemort demanded.
"Blood withdrawal," he wheezed, coughing harshly, "Kai's…blood holds…wild magic. It's highly addictive…never thought…it would be so…violent."
"Wild magic?"
"S'why his blood magic is so powerful…draws magic…directly from environment," he coughed hard before breaking the bonds, rolling away from the Dark Lord and vomiting noisily.
'Wild magic in his blood?' the old man in a young man's body hmmmed to himself. 'That could solve my little problem…'
"Will you live?" he sneered.
"Yes," the response was weak but Voldemort nodded and swept from the room. He enerviated the unconscious Kareth by the door and told him to get a medic to take care of the Riker. Voldemort did not want to lose the talented vampire.
If only he could have had Shadow as well…
Striding into his quarters he sat in the black wingback chair behind his ebony desk.
"Another mystery," he murmured.
"About what, Master?"
Nagini slid up and placed her head on his lap, letting him stroke her scales.
"The Shadow."
"The other speaker? Hmm, he's fascinating and his blood has no scent."
"His blood holds wild magic," and if from a second twist of Murphy's law he felt the pulling begin, deep within his core.
"Damn," he pulled out a vial from a warded drawer in his desk and drank it. The magic snapped back into place.
Stealing the young boy's magic and resurrecting himself using the diary had been successful, but not completely so. The Creevy boy's magic was not compatible and kept trying to pull away.
If not for the restraining potion Leander brewed…
The potion used wild magic to leash the magic in his core. If he got a hold of the Shadow again, his blood could be the key to making the potion permanent.
There was no doubt that the Dark Lord wanted that power in his control. He wanted the Shadow.
And the Dark Lord always got what he wanted.