Once Upon a Time
England
The two brothers stood in front of a grave. It had become something of a yearly ritual for them to meet here. A shrine where they would pay homage and confess to their sins. Or it would have been if the grave had a resident. This one was empty. For the sake of their own spiritual health, the brothers had organized this as a closure.
Ariana Dumbledore. 1885 – 1899.
May you find peace in death so cruelly denied to you in life.
To Albus's utter surprise, it was Aberforth who had recommended this to him. To think that the most volatile of Dumbledores had recommended an idea so mature to him would have made Albus proud once. Now it barely registered to him as he glared down at the memorial.
"Brother." Aberforth greeted him as he joined Albus's side. Albus didn't bother replying but merely stared down at the grave. Aberforth sighed deeply at Albus's reaction but said nothing.
"This was a mistake," Albus said. "She isn't dead. Why is there a grave for a person who still lives?"
"It has been 5 years, Albus," Aberforth said. "We have turned up every nook and cranny of his old haunts searching for her. We must make peace with the idea she has gone beyond our reach."
Albus snorted at Aberforth.
"That is weakness. There are still plenty of areas we haven't searched. Plenty of rituals we haven't looked into" Albus said and Aberforth looked at him with disappointment. Albus stood taller than him. He was in fact the tallest of his family members.
At times, Aberforth couldn't help but marvel at his brother. Even if he wasn't a wizard, Albus would have been the star of any occupation he chose. With a clean clean-shaven strong jaw, stoic face, long hair, and piercing blue eyes, Albus looked like a cavalry officer of an old European army rather than a nerdish researcher.
Such greatness and yet he is still so blind to the world around him. Aberforth said.
"And what exactly will this fervor cost us now?" Aberforth said. "Admit it, brother, there is no use crying over spilled milk."
Albus furiously rounded up on Aberforth, but the younger brother was faster,
"You have used dark magic," Aberforth said and this seemed to have the needed reaction. Albus looked deflated at the accusation but quickly put on a stoic expression. Albus snorted at his reaction.
"Hiding behind Occulumency does you no credit brother," Aberforth said. "Your eyes tell me everything I need to know."
"Magic is magic. It is a tool." Albus said but was cut off.
"A load of tripe fed to you by that thug and Kendra" Aberforth said.
"Careful" Albus warned.
"Gellert and mother." Aberforth corrected himself. "We both now know, there are limits to what we do. There are some prices that should never be crossed no matter what. There are magicks that should be left buried in history."
A cold wind blew between them.
"Mother and father followed no such compulsions and look at what became of them." Aberforth. "One serves life in Azkaban and the other hasn't been seen in over a year."
"They did what was necess-" Albus said but Aberforth interrupted him.
"Sure necessary! One played macho and left behind three children under a lunatic. The other went off on the deep end trying to be perfect leaving behind three children." Aberforth said. "If it wasn't happening to me, I would say it is funny how perfectly selfishness hides behind the cover of necessity."
"What do you want?" Albus said. A flash of thunder went above them and soft rain started to shower them.
"Come home brother." Aberforth sobbed. "I have already buried our parents and sister in my mind. Don't make me dig another grave. Leave Gellert and mother to their follies. They will meet their ends soon enough. Just come home."
Albus stood stunned at his reaction. His brother who just a few years ago had been full of bile and hatred against him, now begged him to come back. As if being controlled from the outside, Albus couldn't help himself. He crossed the distance between the two and enveloped him in a hug. In times like this, it was easy for Albus to forget that Aberforth was still a child, not even into the beginning of his manhood.
"I am coming home now, Aberforth," Albus promised his younger brother.
Stalingrad | Russia
Albus Dumbledore
A disguised Albus Dumbledore stood amongst the crowd as Russian forces discussed their next plan of operations. Amidst the hushed murmurs of the Russian troops gathered in the dimly lit tent, Commander Ivanov stepped forward, his voice steady and commanding.
"Brothers, it's time we shed the cloak of shadows we've worn for too long," he declared, his eyes burning with unwavering resolve. "For far too long, we've danced on the edge, striking at the enemy's supply lines, hiding in the shadows like ghosts. But today, today is different."
A few catty hisses sounded from the sides of the tent and Ivanov grinned in response. "And of course, who could forget our dear sisters fighting alongside us? Forgive me for forgetting about you, Night Witches." Ivanov said and politely bowed in their direction.
A few of the soldiers muttered "Hear Hear" in response to Ivanov. Before they could get sidetracked, Ivanov immediately jumped up and stood at attention.
"Our enemy, Grindelwald, is no longer the unstoppable force he once was," Ivanov continued, his voice growing louder. "His teleporting portals are shattered; his once swift movements have become sluggish. The time has come to strike, to surround the Germans, to finish what we started."
He paused, letting the gravity of his words sink in. The men exchanged glances, their determination growing with each passing moment.
"We have struck at his Greenhouses, medical tents, armory, and ammunition depots. He can no longer supply his troops. We have credible reports of many starving German troops. Entire frontline formations are on the brink of collapse. Now is the time we emerge from the shadows and strike back!"
Several soldiers nodded in determination and the excitement in the tent grew.
"We call it Operation Uranus," Ivanov announced, and a wave of excitement rippled through the tent. "The first phase of the operation will comprise of completely locking Grindelwald in. That means no apparition for any cowardly German who wants to flee Russia."
Ivanov pulled out a sleek, black-painted rock with glowing runes etched on it. He nodded towards the corner where several other familiar rocks were presented.
"A gift from our foreign English friends. It involves the first phase of Operation Uranus." Ivanov said. "This devochka here has a dozen runes and charms encoded on it related to space and time. For those of you numbskulls who didn't finish Durmstrang, that means it prevents apparition."
"When spread out across the front, these will form a 50-kilometer-wide anti-apparition barrier. With no portals, Grindelwald will be a sitting duck for the great bear." Ivanov said.
"Today, my brothers," Ivanov proclaimed, his voice ringing with authority, "we rise from the shadows and become the vengeful storm that Grindelwald never saw coming. Today, we rewrite the history of this war. For Mother Russia!"
The troops roared in response; their spirits ignited with newfound purpose.
URRA! URRA! URRA!
A large explosion ripped through the cold night and angry screams and orders echoed in response. Dumbledore watched with a mixture of pride and concern as the wards fell around him like torn-up paper. It was rare that circumstances ever allowed him to fully unleash his might. Grindelwald was the only one who had so far ever measured up in fully engaging his intellect. Like children unleashed in a park by their parents on a Sunday morning, his Russian colleagues swarmed the hidden observation post. The men inside put up a desperate resistance but would soon fall since they had been surrounded from all sides.
As Albus scanned his surroundings for signs of reinforcements from Grindelwald, the concern overwhelmed his pride. The latest word from Britain he received had been most concerning. Lord Potter was missing, kidnapped in broad daylight from Diagon Alley. Despite the best efforts of ECLIPSE, his whereabouts still remained unknown. Worse, Lord Greengrass was now injured in a desperate rescue mission that wiped out an entire squad of volunteer operatives. Thus, the intel he had received from ECLIPSE about Grindelwald had begun to dry out. Their spies within Grindelwald's camp still reported, but they had no idea who was a double agent.
Dumbledore broke out of his reverie by the sudden silence from the observation post. He frowned, if his allies had won, there would have been a great deal of commotion and they would have reported back to him by now. Instead, the post was now silent as a crypt. He quickly pulled out his wand, stood in a loose stance and cast revelio. Nothing magical was reported back to him. It was as if everyone from the outpost had suddenly vanished.
Even recent apparition leaves traces. Dumbledore thought. With a careful gait, he slowly moved towards the outpost to investigate. As he took a step, a wave of magic washed over the area. Dumbledore raised his head in shock at the bizarre spectacle, a blood-red dome now stood over the entire area. Dumbledore's demeanor immediately became grim, he recognized the tell-tale signs of blood magic being done. Someone very powerful had arrived discreetly at this location.
Discretion will be the better part of Valor right now. Dumbledore theorized he needed to immediately leave this place and come back with reinforcements. He aimed his wand at the closest blood-red wall near him and fired a series of spells at him. He nodded in satisfaction as the red color slowly began to fade away till a shrill noise ripped through the silence of the night.
ALBUS! HELP ME! THEY ARE HURTING ME ALBUS! HELP!
Dumbledore's blood ran cold at hearing those familiar words. It was the voice of a person he hadn't heard in years. Only one person other than his brother knew about the owner of his voice.
It is Grindelwald. He is here. Dumbledore whispered. As if his words were heard by him, the main double doors of the observation post opened invitingly with a loud bang.
Aberforth tear tear-stained face came up in his mind, but Albus ruthlessly crushed it and compartmentalized it in his brain for later. With a wave of his wand, Albus transfigured nearby trees into flaming hunting dogs.
He marched in. Grindelwald would rue the day he used this cheap trick on him.
Modern Times.
Somewhere in California | Desert Highway
The relentless sun beat down upon the desert highway, casting a shimmering haze over the barren landscape. Dust devils danced in erratic circles around a young boy and a tall, pale girl, their impassive faces untouched by the scorching heat. The air seemed to sizzle around them, but not a single bead of sweat marred their brows. The blonde and noirette moved in unison.
Neither man nor beast stalked their paths for so ferocious was the heat. The two walked confidently in the middle of the highway, the asphalt didn't faze them one bit. Even truckers avoided hauling their mighty machines at this cursed hour of the day, much preferring to hide away under electric fans, sipping on chilled beer and rum.
Small dust tornados spiraled around them as if nature itself dared not disturb their purpose. They moved with an air of nonchalance, their steps unhurried, as though they were strolling through a tranquil garden rather than the inhospitable desert.
Approaching a small, weather-worn tent nestled along a curve in the highway, the two exchanged wordless glances before nodding in unison. The blonde, with a purposeful stride, entered the tent first. The girl with a skeptical look on her face eyed the tent before shaking her head and entering after him.
Inside the seemingly modest tent, dimensions twisted like a riddle's answer. Mr. Drew, a towering Texan with a shiny pate as devoid of hair as the barren desert landscape outside, greeted the newcomers with his signature rapid drawl. "Well, howdy there, folks! I reckon you must be Harry. The hag over in England shoulda told you 'bout me long ago!" He clutched Harry's hand with an enthusiasm that belied his immense stature.
Harry nervously eyed the behemoth in front of him. Mr. Drew is nearly 7 feet tall with nary a strand of hair on his head or brow. A small tint of bronze shined on his skin indicating some time spent under the sun. Harry had experience with behemoths before, Hagrid had been one of his closest friends. But while Hagrid radiated an intense friendship and wholesomeness. Mr. Drew radiated as much wholesomeness as Dudley eyeing a chocolate bar on a Sunday afternoon.
Harry Petrov, a diminutive figure by comparison, accepted the hearty handshake with a reserved smile. "Pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Drew."
"Words, boy, words just can't capture how much I despise that wretched creature. The madness, the god-awful stench, and the complete inability to hold a civil conversation—believe you me, I've entertained the notion of cutting ties with England entirely. And for heaven's sake, don't even get me started on those incestuous pureblood aristocrats of yours. Bash! Flimshaw! You'd think they descended from Venus to Earth while the rest of us crawled out from the mud!" He clapped Harry on the shoulder with eager enthusiasm, his rapid southern drawl punctuating each exasperated sentiment. "Boy oh boy, what a creep show that place is."
"Although I did suspect the hag's boss to be someone a bit older…. Eh, certainly not a boy not even in his manhood." He said gingerly and eyed Harry again.
"I suppose that makes you even more interesting." Drew grinned, the fake accent forgotten as gears churned in his mind. He stiffened for a bit as a voice gently coughed from behind them. He straightened his suit and turned to greet Morrigan.
Mr. Drew's bulbous smile faded as he extended his hand toward Morrigan Riddle, her glowing purple eyes fixed upon him, and she didn't reciprocate the gesture. Instead of faltering, Drew's grin grew even wider at the gesture, and he turned his handshake attempt into a polite bow.
"Ah, ain't that somethin'?" Mr. Drew mused, a crooked grin carving its way across his features. "Ain't one to be triflin' with pleasantries, I see." He withdrew his hand and shifted his massive frame to wave his arms in a surprisingly elegant gesture. "Welcome to my humble abode, folks."
The interior of the tent seemed to defy the laws of space and temperature. A chill hung in the air, a stark contrast to the oppressive heat outside. Mr. Drew, his grin returning, ushered Harry and Morrigan further into the expanse.
With a flourish, he displayed his wares, boasting, "I'm the best trader in magical goods on this side of the ocean, even if the Ministry would frown upon it." His eyes glittered with mischief as he unveiled a chilling array of cursed blades, shrunken heads haunted by malevolent spirits, tomes containing dark magic translated into modern English, and even a few tattered, time-worn flying carpets and enhanced muggle gunpowder.
As Morrigan's patience wore thin with the ostentatious display, she whispered, "Enough." Her voice, though hushed, carried an authority that resonated throughout the tent.
Mr. Drew paused; his grin undiminished. He gave an exaggerated bow toward Morrigan, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Well now, my dear," he purred, "what can I get for you?"
Morrigan looked at Harry and stirred into action. Harry pulled out a bulging folded parchment and handed it over to Mr. Drew. He whistled looking at the exhaustive list of products mentioned on the list.
"This gonna cost you some pretty penny, my dear." Mr. Drew said. Harry stifled an annoyed groan while blocking the sheer smugness radiating from Morrigan and letting a hefty bag fall on the table near him.
It took a while for Drew to gather all the required items while Harry waited inside the tent, Morrigan had wandered inside the tent, bored by the vulgar bean counting. She fiddled with a clawed gauntlet. Drew handed over the items to Harry with a grin,
"Careful lad," he said while counting his coins. "That one's got venom."
Harry accepted his change without a word and made to leave the tent.
Drew my man, you haven't got the slightest clue. Harry thought as he watched Morrigan discreetly pocket the gauntlet before briefly smiling and then walking over to him. The two left the tent leaving an amused Drew alone in the spacious room.
Giovani Manor
U.S.A
Under the scorching summer sun, the sprawling lawn of the grand old manor glistened with perspiration. An irate catering head, Angry Joe, perspiration dripping down his forehead, barked orders at the perspiring waiters scurrying about with trays of hors d'oeuvres.
"Move faster, you slackers! This isn't a garden party; it's a whole damned summer gala!" Joe's voice was laced with frustration as he waved his clipboard like a conductor's baton, attempting to orchestrate the chaos.
As he directed the sweating staff, a young man in a crisp black suit approached him, unruffled by the tension in the air. Joe squinted through his frustration and sweat at the newcomer. "Who the hell are you?"
The young man maintained a cool demeanor, beads of sweat forming on his own forehead. "I'm Ryan, here to stand in for Steve for the entire event," he replied politely.
Joe's face turned an even darker shade of crimson. "Steve? I was never told anything about Steve being replaced!"
Ryan met his furious gaze with calmness. "Well, sir, the supervisor himself told me about the change. He had to leave for a family emergency and asked me to take over. He's gone to Texas."
Joe's anger shifted to bewilderment, but he couldn't refute the young man's words. He flipped through his clipboard, searching for any note of the change. His eyes widened as he finally stumbled upon a hastily scribbled message from the absent supervisor.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, realizing his mistake. He glared at Ryan. "You should've introduced yourself earlier. Now we're already behind schedule, and I've got half a mind to—"
Ryan interjected with a placating smile. "I apologize for any inconvenience, sir. I'm here to help, and I know the plan inside out. We can get things back on track if we work together."
The catering head grumbled in defeat, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "Fine, Ryan. But we better not have any more surprises. This wedding needs to be flawless."
Ryan nodded with determination. "You have my word, Joe. We'll make sure it's a day to remember for all the right reasons."
With a begrudging nod, Joe reluctantly turned his attention back to directing the waitstaff. As the hot sun continued to beat down, Ryan joined the team, seamlessly slipping into his new role, determined to salvage the event and keep things running smoothly.
Harry scowled as he unfolded a golden snitch from his knapsack. The afternoon sun was about to set. They had been scouting the manor for two whole days before an opportunity presented itself for infiltrating it. Sneaking into a manor was one thing, but Morrigan confounding someone to eat near 100 Klondike bars and going to beer fest to put him out of working order was another. Harry had replaced him while he recovered at a hospital a mile away.
In another life, Hermione and Ron would have been aghast at such a tampering of free will. It was borderline dark magic. But now, after Rupert and everything else, Harry was too mentally exhausted to think of clever ways to subvert the tropes. He and Morrigan saw what needed to be done, and then did it in the most efficient manner. Harry wanted Morrigan not to pry too much in the cyborg business, this was the price for her silence. Harry was willing to pay for it.
It was not her casting dubious magic on people that howled at him. It was the deafening silence of his own moral compass that shook him. He felt he should have confronted Morrigan, defended the man, or told Dumbledore or something. It was nothing novel to him. He had done that in his first and second years against another Voldemort.
The snitch came to life and started to gently fly alongside the manor wall. The snitch changed colors as it encountered physical objects, wards, hexes, and other defenses. It flew silently over a tall wall and entered the manor. Morrigan had explained the purpose of this device to him. Apparently, she had spent the last years trying to come up with a mapping slash charting device after getting frustrated with Hogwarts's maps. Harry wondered if this was how "the Marauders" came up with their map.
He flipped the onions in the large cauldron as Joe cast an evil eye at him before nodding at his work and continuing. Between him and Snape, Harry wondered who was more successful in raising his ire.
He spied from his eye's corner at the snitch circling above the manner before entering through a stained-glass window.
No, this is something more advanced than what the Marauders did. Harry thought. The snitch was actively avoiding people by being outside of their line of sight. Soon it would provide Morrigan with a blueprint of the manor.
I must admit, this is some solid charms' work. Even Hermione would have struggled to replicate this feat with such fine precision. Harry thought. She really is good.
The smug pale face of Morrigan came in his mind looking at him in amusement and Harry blushed at the image and focused on the task before him. Harry gave the broth below three clockwise stir to distribute the spicy concoction he poured into the cauldron.
I never knew you were so talented a cook, Harry. Morrigan's voice chirped in his ear and Harry remembered the invisible earpiece. Another piece of magical wonderwork albeit not that impressive to Harry who had witnessed similar muggle works. Harry's seeker instincts could feel another snitch hovering above him.
This one was Harry's own recommendation to Morrigan, a snitch that captured vision from a bird's eye view. It was linked to a magical viewing mirror back in their "HQ". Through it, Morrigan could guide him via the vast manor grounds and keep an eye on visitors. Morrigan had been delighted by "Harry's creativity." He didn't have the heart to tell her that he was borrowing the idea from Muggle drone technology he had seen Dudley fiddling with.
Morrigan. Harry thought. All his roads so far had led to her. What had started out as a temporary alliance had slowly morphed into a growing dependency. To his regret, Harry hadn't bothered to look up to the great war during his time at Hogwarts. He didn't know what the death eaters or Voldemort fought for beyond a rudimentary understanding of Pureblood supremacist policy.
Most of the time, Tom Riddle was too busy trying to kill him and Harry defending himself for them to have a nuanced discussion about their relative differences. This cursed timeline had everything in the opposite direction. Riddle, his most hated enemy, had become his salvation more than once.
What will do with each other? Will we go back to fighting like the last time? Harry thought.
In his darker moments, he had considered wielding her like a weapon. The wizarding world of his time had no compulsions about using a mere baby to fight Voldemort. Why should he? A person of her talents would be a far greater match for threats of the future than Dumbledore would be. Bless his heart but the headmaster was at times too kind in dealing with threats. His ambivalent attitudes towards Snape's bullying and Dementors proved that.
Harry shook his head to clear his bleak thought as he heard Morrigan speak again.
Joe and the others are on their break, move now. Morrigan ordered and Harry scuttled.
Taking orders from Voldemort is great. Harry sarcastically thought. He pulled out the Potion vials from his pocket and put in a few drops in every dish he could find. When the final preparations for serving the dishes were made, none would suspect this to happen.
Harry quickly removed his top garb, warped it around his waist, and dashed towards the break yard. His side cook watched him approach with a wary glance,
"Hey man, what's -" Harry didn't give him the time to finish and hit him with a confounding charm. Jenkins jerked forward violently and threw hot coffee all over him. Harry screamed in pain, gaining the attention of the crowd. Joe swore up a storm and angrily strode towards them.
"Jenkins what in tarnation is wrong with you, boy?!" Joe screamed at a horrified Jenkins who was too shocked to even stutter apologies. The rest of the group pulled a groaning Harry from the ground.
"Boy," Joe said taking a break from dressing down Jenkins. "The bathrooms are on the North side, get yourself cleaned up."
"But Chef! He is hurt! He ne-" Joe silenced her with a glare.
"He'll live," Joe muttered and shoved Harry towards the restroom. "The show must go on."
Once again Harry was on his feet and running towards the restroom. He pointedly ignored the separation wall and darted left. The restrooms were farthest from the cook site and nearest to the main entrances. The manor guards had strictly forbidden the catering staff from leaving their designated zones. With an apparent injury, it was highly unlikely that many would come looking for him soon. Thus, leaving him with a plausible alibi.
Harry scrambled and took cover near the side of the grand staircase. Two large men, muggles by their appearance, carrying double-barrel shotguns met.
"Ayo Johnny! Where you have been man?" The not-John greeted John.
"Ah, you know just keeping an eye on those lazy cooks. Do you know they still haven't prepped desert?" John said to not-John.
As the two rambled about the incompetencies of chefs and their kind, Morrigan spoke again, "Move it, Petrov. Guard with hound coming up behind you."
Harry put on his bracelet, went invisible, and dashed. Earlier, Harry had consulted his "grimoire" and placed charms on it that prevented his footsteps from echoing beyond his immediate circle. For the thousandth time, he cursed himself for not somehow bringing the cloak from his own timeline.
The hound trailing behind him paused and sniffed in the ear as the guard tried to egg him on. Harry picked up his pace and ran. The main door was out, they didn't know what defenses the residents might have placed on it.
Guard coming upfront. Hide. Morrigan said.
He cannot see me. Harry countered.
The pathway is too narrow for him to not hear you. He will be in your radius. The hedges on the left will provide cover. Morrigan said and Harry dashed. The sun was now beginning to set, casting pinkish hues over the entire manor ground. Harry hid in the large shadows cast by the hedge's presence as the guard whistled by him.
Proceed now. The snitch tells me there is a door by your left, an entrance for the guards, proceed through it. Morrigan said.
Harry moved silently and crouched near the door. He waved his wand over the door and felt no wards guarding the door.
Strange. I expected the manor to be secured with magical means as well. Morrigan said.
Harry paused at the door and pointed his wand at the gap between the door and the floor.
Homenum Revelio. Harry cast and waited for the spell to report back.
Your charm-work does you credit. Morrigan said.
I had a great instructor. Harry said and Morrigan laughed in response. The spell reported three souls inside the room.
Your area of expertise, Harry. Sneak in and it's all yours. Morrigan said. Harry fondled his bracelet and took a deep breath before getting to work. The right side of the path was earthworks. Harry reached into his pockets and pulled out a couple of seeds. He briefly dug into the ground with his hand and buried it in the ground. He then pulled out a potion vial containing the Terraflorix Enhancer and poured it liberally over the ground.
The vines have been planted, Morrigan. Harry reported.
Position marked. Morrigan replied and Harry moved on. He reached for the guard room's door and pulled out his knife, he gently inserted it where the locks were supposed to meet. The knife gently vibrated in response, letting him know that the door was open.
Remind me why are you using these objects when you have a perfectly functioning wand? Morrigan said as Harry reported his progress.
Most activity detection wards are based on detecting the buildup of magic for spells. Magical objects are already charmed. They don't have any build-up. Harry grunted as he sneaked into the room. Luckily for him, all three of the guards were fast asleep in the dark room.
You have fascinating insights, Harry. I wonder where you learned that. Morrigan said.
One day, I will write you an autobiography of my life. Harry said and heard Morrigan snort over their link. Harry stood in the middle of the guardroom, pulled out his knife again and dug into a loose tile. He took out another seed pair and buried it in the Earth.
Crossing from the guardroom, Harry entered a long dimly lit hallway where the snitch awaited him silently in the air. There was a minimum of six doors leading to only Merlin knows where. Luckily, the snitch had by now compiled a decent enough blueprint for them to follow.
Morrigan, I am inside the manor. Near the hallway next to the guardroom, you spoke about. Harry said.
Good. The manor is covered in greenery. Plant the seeds in the pool room, main hall, and the tea gardens. Avoid contact with the guards at any cost! Morrigan said.
A metallic glint caught his eye and Harry followed it and found himself in a storeroom. It was the snitch fluttering soundlessly in the air.
Why is the snitch following me? Harry said.
The manor is getting crowded now. It seems the Giovannis are night owls. Morrigan said.
That still doesn't explain why it is following me. Harry said.
It kept running into people with too many close calls. Summoning it back to me would take too long. Ergo, take care of it. Morrigan said. Now Focus! No contact!
I really need to do something about the scent. Harry angrily thought as he was forced to leap into another room to avoid a guard dog. The dog growled and gave the air a few suspicious sniffs, but nothing came up. The dog's human getting impatient at the nothingness, angrily yelled at it to catch up. The dog scurried to catch up.
Harry waited till the dog was out of its site and crawled alongside the railing. He spied on the duo sitting below,
"Honestly, Josie," Amy said, her voice tinged with concern, "something's truly amiss in our family these days."
Josie's eyes rolled heavenward, and she let out an exasperated groan. It was an old argument; one they had revisited many times before.
But this time, Amy's patience had worn thin. She snapped, "No, listen this time, Josie. I mean it."
Leaning in, she whispered, "I went to Washington with Father as his aide last week."
Josie's eyebrows shot up; her annoyance replaced by curiosity. "You went to Washington? What for?"
Amy leaned back, a proud glint in her eyes. "I met Senator Donald there. He had the kindest words for both me and the Giovani family."
"Most probably sucking up for new funding." Josie snorted.
"The oddest thing was, he told me how generous it was of Uncle Julius to contribute financially to his first election campaign."
Josie couldn't hide her surprise. "Senator Donald? That old man? His first campaign must've been a decade ago!"
Amy nodded, a satisfied smile gracing her lips. "Exactly, Josie. Uncle Julius helped him financially in that very first campaign."
Josie's astonishment lingered, and she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a hushed tone. "Julius Giovani? He doesn't look a day over 30!"
Amy chuckled, her eyes twinkling. "You've got a sharp eye, Josie. And that's precisely what I was getting at."
The two paused to sip their tea, contemplating their thoughts.
"I always knew our family was into some pretty occult stuff, I never suspected they were this far," Josie said. "I mean, do you remember Grandma Carlton?"
The two exchanged a look and shuddered.
"Now that was a proper witch. With all her wicked robes, strange books, and pets." Amy said. "Did I ever tell you she threatened to turn me into a toad for taking a flower from her gardens?"
"Pure evil," Josie muttered.
"All I know is that the annual family function tomorrow has something to do with this. All the best and the brightest of our cousins participate in the ritual." Amy said. "Think about Josie, when was the last time we saw any of our winning cousins?"
"Papa said that Uncle Julius sends them abroad to further the family foothold," Josie said.
"How convenient," Amy muttered.
"How come we are never invited to compete?" Josie said and Amy sipped her tea. "I mean we are good Giovannis. We are smart, pretty, and rich. How come we are not let in the eternal youth's secret?"
"I wondered the same. I think I may have uncovered something." Amy said. "You know the weird corridor they won't allow us in?"
"The creepy one with the six doors and no light?" Josie said.
"Exactly!" Amy said. "So, I went snooping through the main meeting room where Uncle Julius likes to conduct business. That creepy skull -"
Before he could snoop further, Harry heard footsteps echoing behind him alongside a dog's snarl. Harry wasted no time in scurrying away. He contacted Morrigan and relayed to her all he had just heard.
So, the Giovannis try to play both ends of the isles, now? Interesting. I doubt the ministry would be too happy about their breach of the statute. Something to ponder later. Morrigan said.
Harry made to comment on that, but Morrigan cut him off.
Regardless, the snitch has picked up nothing arcane. Likely the manor has more to it than it meets the eye. If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that the skull thing is a good place to start. Morrigan said.
I will head over to it right now. The defenses will take time to break. Harry said.
No, that would take too long. The others are now beginning to search for you. The mind-altering wards have begun to falter due to the number of people. Morrigan said.
What now? Harry questioned.
Get to that Amy girl and make her spill the beans. Morrigan said.
How the hell do you expect me to do that? Harry said.
Stun her, drag her to someplace quiet, and make her talk. Morrigan said.
Harry's eye bulged and he took a deep breath to rant about this, but Morrigan seemed to have anticipated this,
Alternatively, you can abort this "favor" right now and I will dedicate every waking moment from right now to investigating the attack on the Potters. Morrigan said.
That got Harry to immediately shut up. Through gritted teeth, he whispered,
Firing stunners will require magic to build up. It might trigger an unknown ward. Harry said. Morrigan didn't reply and Harry rolled his eyes in annoyance. Harry gripped his hair out in frustration and silently screamed in frustration. Only the damp darkness of his hideout replied to him.
Amy and Josie gently sipped their tea, their conversation now revolving around the latest fashion and hairstyle trends – a far outcry of their earlier morbid gossip. Josie saw a guard approach her and bowed slightly.
"Madam Amy," The guard said. The two girls exchanged weird looks and the guard panicked at his faux pass.
"Uh Yes?" Amy said.
"There is a visitor who wishes to speak with you. He is waiting in the main meeting room." The guard said. Amy frowned but Josie didn't care about the eccentric guard and simply got up.
"You know the visitor is for me, right?" Amy drily said.
"Oh no no no!" Josie chided by shaking her finger in a negative gesture. "I know what is going on here. Little baby Amy has finally grown up and has a man now!"
Amy paled at the accusation while the guard awkwardly stood by.
"Oh, come of it!" Amy protested but Josie cut her off.
"Guard! Escort us to the meeting room." And eagerly pushed him towards the exit. Amy sat stunned for a moment before dashing after them.
Josie grandly threw open the main doors of the meeting room and strode into the room as if she owned it. Amy discreetly trailed behind her, worried about what was about to happen.
"Well, guard, where is he?" Josie said. The guard didn't respond but swiftly moved grabbed Jose by the throat and slammed her into the wall behind her. Amy screamed but was silenced when the guard lowered a pistol at Josie's head and made a "shush" motion to Amy.
"What do you want?" Amy hysterically whispered. "We have money! Just let us go!"
"Silence!" The guard said. "The hidden entrance, girl. Open it."
Amy looked confusedly at the man before he gestured with his gun to a weird skull behind her. Amy looked at it and her eyes widened at the implication.
"Stranger, you have no idea what you are getting into just take-" Amy said, but the guard pistol whipped Josie across the back of her head. Josie's screams were muffled by the guard choking her. The guard in turn now looked extremely pale and panicked. A sobbing Amy turned and placed her hand in the creature's mouth and gasped. A door opened behind the skull wordlessly. Amy pulled out her and it was bleeding.
Blood magic. The "guard" thought. The guard gestured for Amy to enter the room and dragged Josie behind her who winced at the sharp pain of a gun jabbing her in the back. As soon as they entered the room a sudden blast of air filled with the smell of a dozen potions and dusty tomes hit them. A satisfied glint went off in the guard's eye, there was too much ambient magic here, and they could get away with a minor spell.
"Sorry for this, Josie." The guard said and the women's eyes widened at the implication. Before they could protest, a red beam of light struck her, and she felt stunned. Amy lunged at the guard but he deftly dodged,
Incarcerous the guard said, and thick ropes restrained Amy's hands and gagged her mouth. The guard took a look around the room and started fiddling with everything.
Think Mr. Guard Think, Harry thought to himself. Metamorphosizing his features had granted him entry to the secret library. Looking around, the books and research notes seemed interesting, but nothing would even begin to interest Morrigan. The manor had become a lot more interesting by the minute, but it still dearly held its secrets from Harry. Harry cast a frustrated glance across the library and stared at his other wand.
Do I risk it one more time? Harry thought to himself. Making up his mind, he held his wand afloat and chanted.
Homenum Revelio.
Amy's eyes widened for the second time as the middle of the room glowed red and a staircase materialized in front of them. Harry grinned in satisfaction, carried Josie over his shoulder and forced Amy to march ahead of them. The trio descended the dank, musty staircase and the manor changed from immaculate and serene to damp and dark. A foul stench of balm and mud greeted him. Amy protested from her muffled mouth but couldn't form coherent sentences. They were now properly underground, and Harry had no idea of how to navigate the massive tunnels that now stretched out before him.
Harry grunted in pain as the recoil of the muggle rifle kicked in his hands and stunned his ears. The only respite was that its projectile struck the zombie directly in its brain. It fell down like a puppet whose strings were cut. The Giovannis soon went from being moderately interesting to downright terrifying.
Political interference, muggle connections, creepy artifacts, and now zombies. Harry thought as he desperately tried to run away from the horde coming after him. What's next?
All had been going smoothly till Amy had dashed infront of them, avoiding Harry in a tight corridor. She jumped forward and pressed a button that seemed to unlock all the metal doors around them. Harry faces contorted in horror as a pungent smell emanated from the opened doors and a flock of zombies started marching from them.
He watched in grim horror as the horde gained on them and leaped at Ami. Clearly, she didn't expect the zombies to attack one of Giovanni blood but they cared not. The girl tried to desperately battle against the abominations, but they bit into her soft flesh and tore her to shreds with their claws. He pulled out his wand and tried to summon his magic but to no avail. Whatever wards were present in the tunnels/caverns prevented him from active spellcasting. He struggled to hold back tears at the macabre sight. The zombies had now stopped chasing him since they were more interested in Ami's fresh blood. With a grunt, he carried Josie in a fireman's carry and ran. He left the Muggle rifle behind since it was now out of ammunition.
Harry didn't know how long and far he had now been running inside the tunnels. The weight of Josie was now growing heavy on his small frame. He rasped and awkwardly ran forward, out of breath and now out of strength. In his exhaustion, he didn't notice a puddle of water dripping and slipped on it. On his descent, he hit his head on a red lever. Harry didn't notice a cavern opening below him and slipped below, unable to contain his and Josie's momentum on his back.
THUD!
He fell on his back and screamed in pain. His eyes were wet in pain and his limbs felt like the heaviest thing he had ever encountered. A brief moment passed by till his consciousness returned to him. Grasping in pain, he got up and took stock of his surroundings. The room he was now in was a far outcry of his surroundings. It was heavily furnished. He laid Josie down on a comfortable-looking couch and left the room. With a cautious step, he decided to explore further. Exiting the room, he entered a long corridor that stretched into the distance. The soft, ambient lighting and plush carpeting beneath his feet hinted at the grandeur of this mysterious place. Every step he took echoed softly, making him feel even more isolated.
As he continued down the corridor, his curiosity grew, and he wondered what else this peculiar place might hold. Then, just when he least expected it, he stumbled upon a grand entrance that opened up into what could only be described as a magnificent library.
Bingo. This is exactly what Morrigan wanted. Harry thought to himself.
His eyes widened in delight as they feasted upon the astonishing sight before him. The room was lined with towering shelves, each filled to the brim with ancient books, dusty tomes, and priceless artifacts. The air was filled with the rich scent of aging paper and the hushed whispers of forgotten knowledge. The entire atmosphere seductively beckoned him forward. It beckoned him to come and take his due. It was the least he could do to reward himself after what he had endured in his adventure so far.
With eager anticipation, he moved closer to the entrance of the library, eager to explore its treasures. However, as he reached for the transparent door, his excitement turned into frustration. No matter how hard he pushed or pulled, the door remained sealed shut, as if it were an impenetrable barrier. Growing increasingly desperate, he searched the corridor for something that might help him gain access. His eyes fell upon a nearby rock, and he grabbed it with a sense of determination. He swung the heavy stone at the transparent door, hoping to shatter it or at least weaken it enough to force it open.
The impact of the rock against the door produced a sharp, echoing sound, but to his dismay, the transparent barrier remained unbroken and unyielding. He struck it again and again, each attempt more fervent than the last, but the door refused to budge. A set of runes glowed upon the door in response to his breach attempts.
Great. More wards. If only I could cast Lumos here. Harry morosely thought to himself. If
He gave them a close glance and even with his rudimentary knowledge of the art realized he was completely out of his depth here. With shaking hands, he pulled out a parchment and quill and quickly began to jot down the runes and wards he felt. He briefly felt Rupert's disappointment at the prospect of biting off more than he could chew, but he ignored the worrying rolls in his gut.
With an exasperated sigh, he turned away from the library door and stared down at the end of the hallway. A grand door with more opulence than the library door stood towards the end.
I wonder what's in there. Harry thought and marched towards it.
With his heart pounding in his chest, Harry continued his determined march towards the grand door. As he drew closer, an unsettling sense of primal dread began to creep over him, shrouding his every step. It was as if an invisible force was pulling him in, and he couldn't resist its eerie allure. He felt like a thirsty deer walking on instinct towards a watering hole haunted by a malicious reptile.
His anxiety grew with each passing moment, and when his trembling hand finally rested on the large door's ornate knob, it felt as though his stomach was tied in knots. A rush of nausea surged through him, bile rising in his throat. Panic threatened to overtake him.
Desperate to regain control of his emotions, Harry drew a deep, shuddering breath and summoned the basics of Occlumency. He closed his eyes briefly, blocking out the overwhelming fear that had taken hold of him. Slowly, he felt his racing heart calm, and his thoughts steadied.
Feeling much more composed, Harry turned the ornate knob and pushed open the grand door. A bright, unnatural light flooded his vision, causing him to blink rapidly to adjust. As his eyes adapted, a gasp escaped his lips.
The room he had entered was a nightmarish vision of macabre gothic decor. Sinister statues of skeletons stood frozen in bizarre and grotesque dances; their eerie grins etched in stone. The walls were adorned with ferocious skulls of unknown species, their empty sockets seeming to leer at him from every angle. In fact, the entire wall on the inside of the room appeared to be constructed entirely of skulls, forming an eerie mosaic of death. A shiver of dread raced down Harry's spine as he took in the unsettling scene before him. The room seemed to pulse with an ominous energy, and the air felt heavy with foreboding. But what truly sent a chill through him were the large, gleaming coffins that occupied the center of the room.
The coffins were unlike any he had ever seen. They were made of an impossibly shiny, reflective metal, almost as if they were crafted from polished obsidian. Each coffin seemed heavy and imposing, their presence casting an eerie shadow over the room.
He walked toward the occupied much of the middle of the room. He wrangled with it for a while before he spotted a switch and pushed it. The coffin's door released a mighty hiss sound and mechanically opened. Harry instinctively took a step back and looked at the foot of the coffin. He read the inscription on the coffin and felt that his brain was playing tricks on him.
Kendra Dumbledore.
Beneath This Steel Sleeps a Bloodthirsty Siren of the Night. Forever Hungry for Virgin Blood.
May the midnight darkness forever protect her from the lies of the light.
Harry quickly got up and looked inside the coffin. He gasped out in horror at the abominable sight inside. A woman lay inside who must have been a beauty in her time. Yet now, she looked like a nightmare from the depths of man's most horrid dream. She looked like a leech that had sucked in too much blood and now couldn't move. The woman was impossibly swollen from her head to her toes. A thick, bulbous liquid flowed just beneath her skin; Harry was certain that even the merest pinprick would have created a torrent of abominable liquid flowing out of her body. Her red eyes locked in with Harry's disguised black eyes. He felt entrapped as a bulbous hand reached out towards him. A massive wave of nausea took him, and his world started to go dark.
In his last waking moments, Harry saw the woman's eyes widen in shock before darkness took him.
Harry woke with a gasp in a dark corridor. It wasn't the one where he had last stood conscious. He didn't know how long it had been since he had lost consciousness. With a pained grunt, he stood up and pulled himself against a wall to catch his breath. He desperately tried to think of anything but his last memory. He looked around to see foul-smelling liquid near his place.
I must have puked here. Harry realized and shuddered. He looked at his hands and they were now of his old body. The guard's disguise must have broken when he lost control of himself. Harry wondered briefly how he had gotten away from the wretched woman, but his head throbbed whenever he tried to think about it. He palmed his wand and got up, grunting, from the ground. He couldn't wait to get back to Morrigan and tell her to shove this plan.
The entire place was hell's abode and Harry couldn't wait to tell all this to Dumbledore so he could come back with Aurors and burn this place down to ashes.
He spotted another staircase leading further below into the caverns. He steeled himself at the prospect of confronting more horrors. If he wanted this place destroyed, Harry would need to familiarize himself with every possible horror this place could spring up on them. He descended the staircase in utter darkness for a while before the sudden illumination caught him off guard. Before him stood a grand hall of immaculate polish the likes of which he had never seen before.
The hall was spacious and grand, adorned with ornate marble statues that glistened in the eerie, unnatural light. The floor beneath him was polished to a mirror-like shine, reflecting the strange and unsettling scene before him.
In the center of the room, a halo of bright green energy casts an otherworldly glow, illuminating the chamber with an unnatural brilliance. A sense of foreboding filled the air, and Harry watched in growing fascination as several figures surrounded the radiant green halo. Each of them seemed to be emanating dark, twisting strands of energy, like malevolent tendrils, that converged upon the protective shield.
"Keep at it Kindred!" A harsh voice commanded them. "Lord Julius demands results by daybreak!"
As Harry's eyes darted around the room, he felt his breath catch in his throat. At the heart of the shimmering green barrier sat Albus Dumbledore in a calm lotus position. His eyes were closed in deep concentration, and his countenance appeared serene despite the chaotic scene unfolding around him. Harry quickly pulled out his invisibility bracelet, ready to descend below and help his master.
As if sensing his apprentice's rash plans, Dumbledore's eyes opened and directly made contact with Harry's in his hiding spot. A wave of disappointment and anger washed over Harry as he could feel Dumbledore's emotions wash over him. A vision came upon him, and Harry recognized it as Dumbledore trying to convey him a message.
The vision burned itself into Harry's memory as he saw a secret door to his left leading to a long tunnel at the end of which there was a staircase that led to a forest outside. Harry gasped as he recognized that Dumbledore had burned an escape route into his mind.
I will be back for you, old man. Harry thought and another wave of negative emotion washed over him.
No! I will be back! Harry yelled in his mind and ran. He had no choice but to get back up. Where once he had resolutely thought about never coming back to the manor, Harry vowed to now return. He had no delusions about doing so or worse, succeeding. alone.
I need Morrigan. Again. Harry morosely thought.
Harry vowed to enact vengeance upon this house of abominations.
Santa Monica | California
Beach House
Throughout their interaction, Morrigan had the poise of a perfect pureblood lady. Right now, seeing her in black pajamas, tank top, boots, and frazzled hair was something else. Even right now, Morrigan was a sight to see. Pale skin shone in the light of illumination orbs and the moonlight. The frazzled hair complemented her demeanor as she had spent the better part of the day analyzing every part of Harry's story and analyzing the blueprints from the snitch.
The night air was cool in comparison to its daytime counterpart. It carried with it the unique scent of seawater and salt, mixing in the air with its weird taste. The full moon shone upon them from a clear sky providing much-needed illumination. The moon was complimented by an uncountable number of stars shining down upon them from the heavens above.
Cooling charms are good, but the feeling of cool wind upon your skin is bliss. Morrigan had declared.
She tried to focus on the makeshift herbology "lab" in front of him. She carefully used a stopper to place careful drops of the terraflorix enhancer on the budding seeds. Herbology was not her field, but Harry's work needed to be done. Right now, he wasn't in the mental state to work on anything complex.
Dorea Black, you are a blessing. Morrigan thought as the potions bubbled alongside the seeds. In a few hours, they would bloom to life as if they had been planted for weeks. Mr. Drew, true to his illustrious reputation, had delivered the goods. The myriad of plants would provide much-needed support for their operation tomorrow. Harry's contacts did bear fruit.
A sob came from her left, breaking Morrigan from her reverie. She turned around to see Harry sitting on the floor hugging his knees with his face buried. Long blonde hair covered his face. Morrigan could tell he had spent the last few hours crying silently. He was integral to her plans, he needed to bought back to the present.
Harry gasped as he felt a warm presence engulf him from behind. Pale skin arms interlocked with his own and a lock of black hair fell across him. It took a while for Harry to realize Morrigan was hugging him. His breath shuddered and heartbeat quickened at the action. He tried to turn around to face her, but Morrigan kept him locked in place.
He craned his neck behind to get a good look at her and went speechless. Intense purple eyes met his. Harry had never been in a situation like this before and didn't know what to do. He could see Morrigan's lips moving but couldn't seem to hear what she was saying. The sound of ringing and blood flowing in his ears was too loud. He fixated on her red lips trying desperately to figure out what was happening. Morrigan suddenly stopped as if sensing Harry's cluelessness. She smiled at the confused expression on his face, leaned in, and kissed him.
Harry panicked but Morrigan was firm and embraced him further. Soon Harry relaxed in her embrace and let her take the lead. She broke away from her, lips shining wet and leaned in next to his ears.
"Bravery, my dear. Be brave. We will soon burn all those who threaten us." She whispered and Harry could only nod dumbly at her words. Satisfied, Morrigan went in for another round and this time Harry neither resisted nor panicked. He leaned deeper into her embrace.
The world could wait for the moment. He needed to live this moment.
Author Notes: A large chapter after a very long time. Please review and let me know your thoughts on it. This is the last large update for this story. It will be on a very brief hiatus. During that time, I will review some of the previous chapters and correct the grammar and structural mistakes that many have requested fixed. I thank you for your patience and "kind" reviews and PMs on that. Meanwhile, pls pls leave your reviews. What do you think of the story so far? What do you think will happen in the future? Any changes or new characters you would like to see? Looking forward to hearing from you.
Stay blessed! :)