Chapter Four

Earling Magnuson

… - ...

Friday August 19, 1994 (A week before the World Cup)

As he was good at it, Peter Nott began winding up Lucius. A third stiff drink wasn't a good idea either. "Soooo... You lost the Black Family seat that was never yours. They come up for sale once in a while... More frequently, in the case of accidents." Lucius said nothing.

Nott continued, "Just pay Fudge 100,000G and you'll take the oath next month." Lucius would cut off all of his hair before he'd own up to having a cash-flow problem.

"Or did Narcissa catch you at something, slap your hand and tie her purse shut so it wont open for you?

"Har Har Har."

Still Malfoy said nothing. Inside, he was seething.

Nott added, "Some of the lads are going to have some of the old fun at 2 am after the World Cup. Do you want to join us, or did she tie those up too?"

"I'll be there. Where do we meet?"

"My tent on the west side of the stadium. Be there at 1:30. Don't forget your kit."

… - ...

Harry, Nym, Andy and Ted arrived in Iceland for a week long holiday. As Harry had never been out of Britain, everything was new and delightful. Harry had an adjacent room next to Ted and Andy. Nym requested a room on a separate floor in the hopes that she might meet a local lad at a pub who wanted to get to know her a bit better.

There were a surprisingly large variety of things to see and do. The second day there, they drove their hired car for a grand trip around the island then marked off places that looked interesting. There were waterfalls, active volcanos, hot springs, beautiful scenery and towns with interesting places to shop. Everything looked fun.

For some reason, Iceland had a disproportionate number of magical people. Whereas there was a one magical per 2,000 people on a world-wide average; in a country of 375,000 people, there were 900 magicals in the town of Vic alone.

They happily spent the morning walking by and into the various shops. While the locals certainly appreciated the magical tourists that came by to shop, Ted appreciated the fact that unlike many tourist areas, where the shops effectively all sold the same two dozen trinkets and t-shirts, the shops in Vik all seemed to have their own niche.

As they were walking by, Harry noticed one and said, "I want to stop in here." The sign read Magnuson Enchantments. Beneath it was another sign that read, If you can read this, you're welcome to stop in.

Ted asked, "Where?"

Andromeda could see it; Nym and Ted couldn't. She said, "You two go take a look at the next few shops. We'll catch up."

Harry walked in first. He said, "Good morning."

The shop reminded Harry a bit of Ollivander's, without the creepy tape measures flying around. The Proprietor introduced himself. "Good morning to you both. My name is Earling Magnuson. "

Harry replied, "I'm Harry Potter. This is my guardian, Andromeda Tonks."

Recognition came to him. He said. "That was your basilisk that was pictured in the London Gringotts. Well done."

Harry immediately liked the man. He looked exactly like the Doc Brown character from the Back to the Future movies that he'd seen with Hermione while snuggling on their sofa. Magnuson said, "I see that you're both familiar with enchanted items. Madam, that looks like one of the Black Family rings. There are many enchantments layered on it – protection, a truth compulsion and an excellent protection from Legilimancy." Looking at Harry, he said, "Yours is the Head of House ring. It has the same, with the addition of a mild compulsion for obedience should you express your will and protection from some poisons. It's an exceptional piece of work.

"You also have one of the fabled Gringotts Artificer Masterworks. Congratulations young sir. You must have made a personal friend of the director. Are you here today for an item, or an introduction to enchantments?"

Harry said, "An introduction, if you please."

"Do you have the day available?"

Andromeda started to say no when Harry replied, "Yes. I do."

She gracefully said, "I'll pick you up at four. Enjoy your day. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Magnuson."

He invited Harry to sit down and began. "The first question most people have is, what is an enchanted item? They generally fall into three categories – jewelry, items, and space related.

"Your ring is very typical of a jewelry item. They almost always affect the wearer, or someone in the immediate proximity of that person. Protection, enhanced appearance, invisibility and language translation are common examples.

"The Bowmaster bow that you're carrying in the expansion case around your neck are two examples of items. The bow will expand to be the ideal size and strength for the user. The mokeskin carrying case is an excellent example of a space expansion. Normally you could place any number of items in such a case. Yours is designed to safely store the bow, 36 arrows and a small storage compartment."

Harry nodded in understanding. Everything that Maguson said made perfect sense to the teen.

"Tents and magical trunks are examples of items that are similar in function but are usually enhanced differently. Tents are almost always enchanted using charms, whereas trunks are almost always constructed with carved runes."

Harry asked, "Backing up a bit, when you say enchantments, are you saying that the item had charms applied that somehow are long lasting or permanent?"

Earling replied, "Yes. Long lasting is far less arrogant to say than permanent. After the charm is applied or the item transfigured, the item is sealed, so the magic doesn't leak away as quickly. Your watch, by example. The portkey function is powered by magical energy that is stored within the item. It's also voice activated, meaning that a person who is unable to wield magic could use it once or twice until the stored magic level was less than what the apparation would require; in which case, it wouldn't function."

"How do you keep the magic of the charms from leaking?"

"There are two sealant spells commonly in use. This first one is a total sealant." He demonstrated the incantation. "It would commonly be used in a single use enchantment. If done properly, it would last for hundreds of years. Say you transfigured a chair and sealed the transfiguration. The chair would easily last 100 years."

"The second is a partial seal. Your watch is an extraordinary example of that. It will absorb magic from you and could also be quickly recharged if absolutely necessary."

Harry asked, "How long would it last for a nonmagical?" He was thinking of Dan and Emma.

"The apparation function would last five years, give or take. You could put it on for a day and it would recharge." He demonstrated that one as well then added, "You seem quite interested in this. The best school to learn and eventually master Enchanting would be the Salem Institute in the States."

It had been an eye-opening day for Harry. He could easily envision himself as an Enchanter. He said, "Thank you, Earling. How much do I owe you for the day's lesson?"

"100G would be more than generous."

Harry gladly paid him. Magnuson handed him his business card. Both men thought that they'd received excellent value for their time and energy.

… - …

Their last day in Iceland was outdoors. First they were taken to the Akurey Island. They managed to get up and close with hundreds of puffins. They were a sea bird that were on shore for a few months a year to lay and hatch an egg, then teach the baby puffin how to live on the sea. Harry thought that they looked like one of Hagrid's cross-breeding experiments – in this case a cross between a large billed parrot and a penguin. After an hour, they were taken to the next island. It was a small dragon reserve that specialized in Swedish Short Snouts. The dragons were content to eat seafood, including sharks, seals, various large fish and any dead fish which floated to the surface or washed ashore.

On the way back, they rented broomsticks and were disillusioned for an hour, so they could float through the air, watching for whales.

It had been a delightful holiday but it was time to go back to Britain. The World Cup was being played that evening. Harry felt no remorse about missing it. They'd just be getting home as it was starting.

… - …

Saturday August 27

After reading about the massacre at the World Cup, Harry portkeyed over to Hogwarts to see Professor Flitwick. He honestly didn't have much interest in the demise of a bunch of politicians who he'd never even met. He asked the question, "How far away from a Death Eater would I have to be to truly have an advantage?"

Flitwick pondered the various dimensions of his question for a moment and replied, "There are considerations and exceptions to consider. If you and I were dueling at 100 feet, and you saw me cast a spell, I fully expect that you could dodge it, assuming that I hadn't cast a wide angle spell."

Harry nodded and replied, "Agreed."

Flitwick added, "How could I disguise my effort?"

"Cast silently, or perhaps send a colorless spell."

"Very good. How else?"

"You or someone else could distract me, so I didn't notice you casting."

"Good. How else?"

"If you could apparate silently, you could disappear and reappear behind me; especially if you used multi-jump apparations, or could hold a disillusion charm while apparating."

Flitwick replied, "Excellent. That said, I hope you've added the new upgrades to your watch. The one mile anti-apparation ward will only last ten minutes but ten minutes can be an eternity in a street fight." He added, "Let's turn the discussion around. Assume your anti-apparation ward is up. You can launch arrows considerably farther than the bad guys can cast spells. If you were able to disillusion your arrows, they'd never see them coming. That would be a true advantage that would terrify them."

He added, "I hope you're not feeling responsible regarding the attack at the campground?"

Harry looked surprised. "Me personally? No. I wasn't even in the country. I feel bad for Susan's Aunt, who probably saw this coming and most likely was ordered to mind her own business."

He added, "What makes me mad is that hundreds of people probably saw those idiots and did nothing. If 400 people cast stunners at them, they would have become red mist. So the idiots killed 20 people. For what? I don't see the point."

Flitwick remarked, "As I heard it, the attacks were concentrated in a small area. A bunch of tents were torched. Most of the people who were killed burned up inside the tents. I simply don't have more details; I left right after the game."

"I should let you get back to what you were doing, Professor. I'll go back to Barchoke and ask about the new watch features. Thank you for helping me. I appreciate it."

"Anytime, Mr. Potter."

… - …

As the Wizengamot was meeting, Dumbledore (now only a regular member) hadn't been at the castle to bother Harry. The topic of the day was the World Cup. Amelia showed her memory from the planning meeting. It was damning to all of the participants, but since they'd been killed, it was moot.

She was nominated to take the minister spot but declined. As second choice, Scrimgeour was nominated, accepted and was elected.

… - ...

The afternoon after the World Cup, Narcissa called Lucius into her study. When the door closed, she said, "Well Husband, you and you little friends couldn't have done worse for our cause if you'd tried. What in Morgana's name happened?"

"The ministry maintenance crew removed the Anti-apparation wards when the game started. They only had them up to collect the camping fees. We met in Nott's tent, put on our uniforms and apparated to the other side of the stadium.

"We torched a dozen tents and left. That was it... Except Arthur Weasley stepped out and tried to arrest Goyle. Crabbe wounded him. That was it. We left.

"We went back to Nott's tent, took off our uniforms and dispursed. That was it."

She had a deadly look on her face. "That was it... That was it? Did any of you bother to check in advance to see whose tents you would be burning up? Maybe I should put you and your playthings in a space expanded tent and light it, so you can see what you did. That was it? You and your idiots killed every friend that we had in the ministry."

She held up the paper.

"Fudge, Umbridge, Hopkirk, Slughorn, the new Hogwarts Head, Ogden's sister and son, Pansy Parkinson, a French official I knew and his family. Barty Crouch, the Finance Director, and four Aurors were killed, plus Arthur Weasley was seriously wounded. You even killed Hooch the flying instructor. Why didn't you finish the job and torch Nott's tent an hour later? How could you be so foolish? Why didn't you torch Parkinson's tent too and burn up his wife while you were at it? That was it?

"If you wanted to have a little fun, why didn't you go rob a Barkley's Branch? You'd at least have had something to show for it. You spent millions bribing your way out of Azkaban and you accidentally killed off the recipients of almost half of the gold. What happened to your good will and influence? That was it?

"Clean up the dungeons and don't bring anyone else back into my home. You won't find the wards so accommodating in the future.

"When Moody comes for you and arrests you, what's your story going to be this time? It wasn't me, it was the one-armed man?

"Go."

Desperate to change the subject and believing it utterly futile to state that he didn't know who would be in the tents, Lucius pointed out, "His Mark is getting clearer."

"I know that. If he returns and finds you knutless, we'll be dead in 48 hours. You bankrupted us keeping you and your idiot pals out of Azkaban. They'll pay us back... It's been ten years and we haven't seen a sickle. Between Moody and the Dark Lord, you're a dead man walking. I'd put your affairs in order if I were you.

"Go."

… - …

After the meeting, Dumbledore went back to the castle in a state of shock. He could hardly breathe. He felt sick. The forgiving government that he'd nurtured for over a decade was gone. Ironically, they'd been attacked by those who'd asked for forgiveness and had, for the most part, been living respectable lives.

He felt that his social experiment had fallen apart right from underneath him.

The question that he couldn't answer was, why?

… - ...

A/Ns

I always thought that Narcissa was far and away the more capable and dangerous of the two Malfoys. Lucius is in a hard situation. My vision is that he'd spent most of his fortune keeping himself and a handful of his pals out of prison. His base of support – Fudge, Debit, Umbridge and Hopkirk died because of his doing. Oops.

Earling Magnuson becomes an important, albeit rarely seen character in the tale. That section might be worth re-reading.

I envisioned Dumbledore going back from the Wizengamot meeting feeling like a person who'd just walked out of a casino having lost a serious amount of money that they shouldn't have been gambling with. For years, he probably felt that Fudge was controllable. Hopkirk had done a bit of his bidding, and he'd made a deal with Crouch regarding Black. Most of his powerful chess pieces had just been swept off of the board.

There are several time skips in the next chapter. Watch the dates.

Thanks for reading.

… - …