Chapter 13
Minister Black Found Dead
Wizengamot to Meet for Appointment of Interim Minister
By Cassandra Ironwood
London, England - In a shocking turn of events, Minister Sirius Black II, the 80-year-old head of the Ministry of Magic, was found dead in his sleep. The wizarding community is mourning the loss of a long-standing figure in the political landscape. However, behind the grief lies a web of controversy surrounding the late minister's tenure.
Minister Black had been marred by persistent allegations of corruption, incompetence, racism, and discrimination throughout his time in office. Many believe that the immense stress and mounting pressure finally caught up with Lord Black, leading to his untimely demise. Political analyst for the Daily Prophet, Horace Morbage, suggests that his death came just before an inevitable investigation by the Wizengamot that could have led to his impeachment.
As news of Minister Black's passing spread, various factions within the wizarding community have begun vying for control. The conservative block, led by the influential Redwood family, clashes with the emerging voices of the younger houses, such as Potter and Greengrass. With the appointment of Arcturus Black II as the new head of the House Black, the wizarding world eagerly anticipates his role in shaping the family's political stance.
Observers speculate that power struggles and longstanding feuds between the Redwoods and the Black factions will prevent a unanimous front of the ultra-conservative agenda. This, in turn, may provide an opportunity for the younger houses to establish a moderate wing, introducing a fresh perspective into the political sphere.
Amidst these internal power dynamics, muggle-born activists are raising their voices, decrying the ongoing powerplay within the Wizengamot. They advocate for increased rights and political freedom to prevent muggle-born witches and wizards from seeking refuge in the muggle world or falling under the sway of Grindelwald's camp. (See page 3 for more on their demands.)
Echoing these sentiments, Lord Henri Potter has urged the Wizengamot to gather in Eldermoor and break Britain's neutrality, aligning with the allied powers against Grindelwald. "It is time for the wizarding world to shed the yoke of neutrality and stand united against the forces of darkness," Lord Potter asserted. His bold statement highlights the growing call for action among the younger generation.
In the midst of this political turmoil, the venerable elder Albus Dumbledore remains unreachable for comment. The Wizengamot's next convening session in Eldermoor, where the appointment of the interim minister will take place, has yet to be announced.
The wizarding world watches with bated breath as the delicate balance of power hangs in the balance, waiting to witness the next chapter unfold in this time of uncertainty and transition.
"Ahem" A young man politely coughed trying to gain attention, the man sighed and folded away the newspaper.
"Have a seat" the older voice told the young man and the boy sat.
"Arcturus" the man said, acknowledging the boy.
"Arcturus" the boy replied.
The man frowned as the boy's eye gleamed with an unknown emotion.
"Pardon me, Lord Black." Arcturus II replied, correcting his faux pass.
The man sighed once again in frustration and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"You have nothing to fear from me, nephew." Lord Black said.
The young man didn't reply but merely raised an eyebrow.
"The family is yours. The money is yours. And you can take the damn house for yourself." Lord Black said.
"I have never implied ownership over any of the aforementioned or the Black seat, Lord Black." Arcturus said. "You have my loyalty."
Something shattered inside as Lord Black snapped,
"The man was brother too damn you!"
"I have never implie-" The boy started.
"Then what in Merlin's name are you implying?" Lord Black threw aside the paper and leaned forward; dark eyes met dark eyes. "Mind me nephew, this is your first and last chance to come clean." Black said.
Arcturus's expression wavered, his eyes watered, and Lord Black immediately regretted the last minute. Arcturus tried to control his emotions but wavered.
Damned occlumency Lord Black muttered. He lept up from his seat and forcibly grab the young man in bear hug. Arcturus was startled for a minute before he relented and sobbed openly in his uncle's arms.
"Calm down Arcturus. Whatever I did happened for the greater good of the family." He tapped the boys back in a shushing motion. "You know what he did to you. You know what he had planned for Dorea and the rest."
Visions flashed in Arcturus's eyes, his father commanding him to use hapless muggles as target practice. Forcing him to use the unforgivables on them. Harsh upbringing with cold halls and cold comfort of money.
The boy calmed down as the vision faded away and Lord Black guided him back to his chair. He dragged his own near him and firmly gripped the boy's hand in his own.
"F-father's death was no accident, was it?" Arcturus asked.
"The less you dig into this, Arcturus the better." He moved the boys hand to his chest. "Trust me when I say this when the time comes. I will tell you about everything, but right now is not the time. There are tremendous things happening in the shadows that threaten everyone."
Lord Black let go of his hand, flicked his wand, and drinks poured for them.
"We now have a chance to break free from the past, Arcturus. Avoid a much bloodier war against Muggles and do better for everyone in the world. Even muggleborns and non-humans." He handed one to Arcturus. "You have talked about in the past how you wanted this Arcturus, I can make it happen now."
"H-how?" The boy asked.
"Let's just say Grindelwald isn't the only one with friends working on agendas. Trust me Arcturus, everything here is yours. This is your last year at Hogwarts. Make good with your N.E.W.T.S and enjoy a bachelor's life." He took a mighty gulp of his drink and continued. "Don't be so eager to rush into this life. It will come for you anyway."
He tapped the boy on his shoulder, and he got up, "Now go hug your sister, make merry, and enjoy this brief period of freedom."
The tall boy nodded, shook his hand, and left.
Lord Black sighed and sat down, he needed to compose himself for another tough meeting with far less forgiving individuals.
Britain demanded that the Black family rise to the occasion. And rise they shall!
Toujours Pur – They will always remain pure, come no matter what. A standard for the masses to rally around.
Stalingrad. Russia
The city was a ruin.
Once it was a bustling metropolis of a million strong and more. Once this city comprised of proud jutting boulevards, uniformly cut housing schemes, and metal statues of peasantry heralding the new ideology of this land.
The industrial and magical heart of this ancient land was now in tatters.
Russia was now in tatters. Their muggle counterparts of the Soviet Union were even worse off.
A few families' madness had drowned their entire world in war and have now bought it on a collision course with the muggle one. He could foresee a much more horrifying war in their distant future.
All because a madman was willing to risk at all to justify stupid, foggy visions.
A stout man and his crew quietly sneaked through the wreckage at the edges of the city.
He could hear the dull echoes of Muggle bombs and artillery relentlessly pounding the Earth. What they didn't know was a parallel war being fought between Russian and Axis magical forces.
He spied on remnants of spell fire lying around. Ice shards against rocks, fire burns on trees, and inferii and arcomantula corpses stretching for miles. He instinctively reinforced their invisibility charm. While they were not exactly friends with the Russians, this mission was not exactly sanctioned. They were acting alone under plausible deniability.
"Swiftly friends! Move!" The man hurriedly whispered to his men as they ran. He spied the edges of the wards lying only a few more meters.
"Donovan!"
"Captain!"
"Frequently scan the areas and watch for traps man!" He said as a wizard nearby foolishly stepped over a spell mine and began to glow red. He pointed his wand at the fool and timely fired a counter-course before he cooked alive.
"Aye Captain Potter!" Donovan acknowledged and took point while glaring at the sheepish fool.
They soon were at the doors of bunker, even if Grindelwald wasn't in there, he was confident they would a high value target.
Two rows formed on the opposite ends of the bunker's meeting walls, Potter pointed his wand at the gate and shouted.
"Reducto!"
The gates gave in with a loud boom and as soon the dust cleared, multi-colored spell fire raced outside the door. The squad didn't waver. He pointed his wand at the opening while leaning back.
"INFERNO!"
A large flaming moose materialized that charged inside as Donovan shielded the creature from opposing spell fire and counter curses. The moose trampled a couple of hapless fools too confident in their individual shields.
The moose continued getting bigger till it reached deep inside and exploded in a roar of fire.
"Brilliant as always, sir"
"Cook these bastards alive."
"Focus men" Potter said as he signaled his men. "Donovan, take point, shield upfront. The rest of you, maintain testudo at all times till we are inside."
With Donovan taking the lead, the squad formed a tight line behind him, their wands at the ready. Charred corpses from the earlier explosion littered the ground, their contorted faces reflecting the agony of their demise.
Captain Potter's calm and collected occlumency shields mentally protected him from the unsettling sight.
The battle commenced earnestly as the massive interior of the bunker came into view. No muggle could have ever imagined such a small building on the outside could have hidden such a massive interior.
AVADA KADEVRA
A female voice roared at them from the corner. His "armored" column had a sliver of panic run through them as the unblock-able unforgivable raced at them. Potter reacted swiftly in transfiguring the concrete remain of the blown gate into a muggle shield.
It cracked and fell apart as the green light struck it dead on. A murmur of appreciativeness ran through the squad at his quick thinking. Potter didn't relent as spell fire started pouring at them from the corners.
"Squad, shield your eyes" He whispered as they lay beneath the safety of multiple protegos.
Potter raised his wand.
LUMOS MAXIMA, He yelled and surged maximum power in the spell.
A blinding flash of light tore open inside the bunker and cries of being blind rang out across the bunker. The spell fire turned haphazard, missing them entirely.
With a hand gesture, three squamates lowered their shields and the latter two poured more magic in the shield and covered them. Meanwhile, Potter pulled out his inheritance and wrapped it around himself.
Under invisibility he maneuvered opposite the squad to further infiltrate the bunker while his squad drew enemies away from him.
Meanwhile his compatriots moved in with precise spell fire knocking on their enemies. A witch in grey robes fired a violet hex at Donovon but the wizard behind him immediately conjured a second shield and hex splashed harmlessly against it.
The witch blinked at the display before waving her wand in a wide arc but was interrupted.
Donovan fired, "Diffindo!"
The curse cleanly slashed her wand arm in 2 and she howled in pain and jets of blood sported out. A stupefy struck her knocking her out cold.
He turned around to reinforce his other squad mates, who were now on backfoot as three other mages rained fire on them. He proceeded to reinforce that front.
Grindelwald's forces were formidable but outmatched this time around.
Donovan signaled his shieldmate to stop defending him and engage. The two unleashed a barrage of spell fire at Grindelwald's trio. Donovan conjured a golem and unleashed it on the trio. Forcing one of them to strengthen the wards around them as the golem mindlessly slammed his hammer at the shields.
AVADA KADEVRA
The man shouted in desperate bid as the flames licked his body. Donovan lept out of the way but his shield mate wasn't so lucky. The curse tore through his flimsy defense and knocked him dead.
"JENSEN! Donovan screamed as the man was knocked dead. Tears threatened to overwhelm him, but he held strong. A few quick mental occlumency exercises and he put a lid on his torrent of emotions.
Whatever damnation Potter wanted from this hellhole; he better hurry up!
A few pops in the air sounded off signaling the arrival of Grindelwald's reinforcements.
Donovan grimaced as his squad reunited. They were four strong now.
It was going to be a long fight.
Captain Potter
The light footsteps tapped on the floor as Potter did his best to sneak about the bunker.
A guard rushed past him in a hurry to aid his comrades. He choked and died on his own blood as a reward. A smirking Henri Potter rushed alongside the tilted ramp away.
There was a surge of magic coming from below and Henri could just sense something massive was cooking below. His associates had caught on this and passed the tip onto the Russians but no avail.
The Russians simply could not spare forces for to check out an obscure dugout on a whim for a bunch of "cowardly English" who couldn't be bothered to fight.
For 100th time this day, Henri cursed Minister Black for imprisoning British volunteers who tried to join the foreign legion. He could only pray that Merlin granted Arcturus speed to do what needed to be done.
He took off his cloak and ran below. A bird whistled somewhere and before Henri could react, his world was upside down. He cursed his own brashness as blood flooded his brain in force, and Henri felt a headache come on.
Worse yet, he felt soft shadowy tendrils snake up his legs and Henri felt like puking. He was sure the tendrils would grossly incapacitate him in some way.
Damned Grindelwald and his slow acting sadism. Henri thought.
Another wave of headaches and other pain engulfed him. Having no choice, Henri reached down in his satchel and pulled a white glass globe.
Sod, this will attract every remaining guard towards me. Henri thought but his survival instincts took over. He tossed the globe at his legs and white flames engulfed the base of the shadowy tendril and a shrieking noise sounded for a second.
Remember Henri, the white flame is a parasite that leaches magic. Expensive to make, only use as a last resort. Also, it makes one wicked noise.
The parasite leached the magic and Henri felt the tendrils retreat and some of his strength returned to him. Now with a much clearer head, Henri waved his wand around and cast Revelio.
His mind's eye worked alongside the charm until the two intersected and Henri found his target.
He had located the source of the ward's sigil and directed a surge of magic towards it. The sigil overpowered and gravity around him strengthened.
Henri gritted his teeth in pain as he felt he was being torn apart. He would have to be faster than the spells' gravity.
He released even more of his magic in the sigil and it glowed blue. Seconds trickled by as the sigil glowed a hotter shade of blue before it exploded, releasing Henri from its grasp.
He collapsed to the ground, panting, and injured, but relieved to have overcome the obstacle. Taking a moment to recover, he consumed a healing potion, allowing his strength to gradually return. He foraged around the satchel and pulled a blue mana potion and downed it one go.
This will give his core an extra boost from the outside. Henri crawled along the ground and rested against a wall.
"Hands up!" A German accented voice shouted at him.
Damned bastard. Henri grumbled to himself.
Henri, still slightly disoriented, decided to play dead, leaning against a wall. The guard approached cautiously, wand at the ready, and prodded Henri's leg to confirm his demise. Satisfied, the guard muttered a German expletive and reached for what he thought was Henri's wand.
Fool. This is your friend's wand. Henri thought.
To the guard's surprise, Henri's wand was in his left hand, and with a swift and decisive motion, Henri whispered, "Imperio."
A pang of guilt tugged at Henri's conscience, but he justified his actions as a means of self-preservation. The guard, now under the Imperius Curse, obediently followed Henri's mental commands, acting as if he were on the guard's side.
However, the magical mine detected the guard as an intruder, triggering a magical anomaly.
"Son of a bitch!" Henri yelled as he jumped back and raised his shield. His "friend" wasn't as lucky.
Grains of sand whirled around a petrified guard. It soon turned into a tornado and the man weakly screamed as he instantly aged from early 30 to a frail old man of 90s before finally turning into dust himself.
A horrified Henri stared agape at the display of dark magic in front of him.
Thrice damn you, Grindelwald! Henri muttered.
He stepped cautiously around the mine and started working on a counter curse.
Research Chamber
The stench was the first thing that hit him.
A combination of sterility potions, blood, puke, and balms. It reeked of despair.
Henry braced himself as he wrapped himself in his family cloak and peered below and became transfixed. The gaping maw of hell greeted him back.
He said a prayer to Merlin and began descending down.
The entire laboratory was a breeding pen without restraints or oversight. Pained whimpers and gurgled cries of mutants greeted him. The floors were occasionally covered with blood.
The tall walls were covered with row after row of enclosed pods brimming with silvery liquids. The creatures inside cast a macabre black shadow on the glass walls.
He pulls out a camera and starts photographing the nightmarish sights.
He sees trolls with 5 eyes, spider like teeth, and 4 arms. The plaque below them read "heavy bruiser infantry."
There are massive snakes that look like baby basilisks, he even photographs cross-species of snakes with trolls. Their ugly giant frames with autonomous snake tails that maliciously eyed Henri like meat.
A few mers are also present there.
A trio of storage tanks contain massive creatures that look like werewolves. Henri nervously inched closer to see the plaque beneath them explained the experiments as build a new breed of werewolves hesitant to silver. Muggleborn children were kidnapped, inflicted with lycanthropy, and pumped full of silver to build their pain tolerance.
Henri felt bile climb to his throat as he documented the evidence.
A tapping fist on a glass pod on the other end draws his attention. He runs over to her and sees a very beautiful young lady with blonde hair. She looks no older than 18 and has silvery skin. Something about her draws Henri closer to her before his occlumency kicks in.
Veelas. He thought to himself.
Grindelwald didn't even spare these poor souls. These must be children of the French underground. Henri thought.
She is crying and aggressively gestures to a lever beneath her pod.
She is begging me to release her.
His hope rises at the prospect of a survivor in this crazed hell as he scans the lever for any traps. There were none there.
Still, he felt hesitant in opening it. All the magical creatures here were altered in some way and brainwashed for war. Yet she appeared unchanged.
"She is hiding something." Henri whispered.
The girl weakly punches the glass door again in a bid to gain his attention. Her eyes appear watery even through the liquid surrounding her. Henri could tell she was crying.
Paternal instincts roared at him to free and comfort her.
"She is no older than, Charlus" Henri said and shuddered at the thought of his boy being subjugated to such a fate.
Steeling himself, he tugs at the lever and a gush of the said silvery liquid pours out. He pulls out a vial and samples some of it. A flick of his wand and several other documents, plaques, and charts neatly arrange themselves and place themselves inside his satchel.
A shivering sound breaks his reverie, and he looks down at the Veela clutching herself.
Something is wrong. He thought again.
The young girl beckons him to come closer and makes a hugging gesture while smiling sweetly at him.
Potter nervously reinforces his magic and palms his wand. The young girl, frustrated at his shyness, leaps from the ground to hug him. A lifetime of auror and chaser training kicks in and he dodges the girl.
"Enough!" Henry yells and he points his wand at her. "REVELIO!"
With the pod door's words no longer protecting her, the spell washes over and breaks her glamor.
She has fangs, red eyes, and now scaly skin. Grindelwald forced vampirism upon the young veela.
She leaps at him again but this time he dodges and aims his wand at her and fires a stunning spell which hits her. He doesn't relent as he raises his hands up and brings down quickly, a fire wall conjures all around the abomination and consumes here. Hisses and snarls break out, but Henri doesn't relent until there is silence.
Henri falls to his knees and promptly breaks into angry swears.
A moment passes before he regains his composure and looks up.
A trio of symbols combined together to represent the Deathly Hallows. The words below said, "For the Greater Good." Henri instinctively clutched his cloak.
He drew his satchel and pulled out strange boxes that his benefactors had given. A remark of "Epcot Industries" is stamped on of the boxes.
"This is what I think of your greater good your filthy demon" Henri angrily mutters before he starts placing the magically cooked explosives all around the room.
He will purify this abomination of flesh with cleansing fire.
The Containment Room
Henri lets out a relieved sigh as he places the last of the magically cooked explosives. He restrains the bile rising in his throat and controls himself from blowing the place up. His intel had said there would be another level. He spies a small door on the other end of the hallway and is eager to leave this macabre place.
He enters a small room and clean cool air greets him. He ventures inside and sees two raised crystals directing an energy field that traps a strange automaton. It looks vaguely humanoid. Henri waves his wand and casts a spell that forces the crystals off. The containment shield is no longer there. He moves closer to the weird metal creature and photographs it as well.
He waves his wand and casts several investigatory spells around it. The creature has not a whiff of magic about him. It might as well be a muggle car he had once seen Henri wonders. Henri stood back to fully take in the creature's features.
It has a very short torso, curved legs like a bird, and a small head, but large arms with humanoid fingers and large blocks on its forearms.
Although the creature's red dull eye unnerves Henri, he peers closer and sees an inscription on the shoulder "Battle Automaton: Seeker. Property of the Technocratic Union. He frowns again and snaps a photograph of the inscription. It appears to have been carved on it.
The camera's flash seemed to have jolted the creature. It let out a whirring sound as its now glowing eyes looked with Henri's face. It said in a monotone voice to Henri "Facial features, 86% familiarity. Priority target recognized".
Henri's face widens in puzzlement he raises a calming hand to the automaton "I mean you no harm stranger, let me help you out. Grindelwald has corrupted you!" The device merely raises an arm to him and says, "Eliminate Priority Target Potter".
A large crack shot rings through the room and Potter roars in pain as his arm is ripped off completely. He howls as the machine raises another, but Potter is faster this time he roars, "Fiendfyre"
The room becomes alight as the weird metal creature starts melting. Potter suddenly feels his brain is hazy. An intense headache comes upon him, and he barely manages to pull out his emergency portkey and apparatus out.
The rampaging fiendfyre soon meets the explosives outside and the place erupts in a flurry of explosion.
In his final moments Henri prays to Hecate and Merlin to save his team.
Hogwarts
Dumbledore | Harry Petrov
His heart pounded rapidly, and his throat twitched as Harry knocked on Dumbledore's door.
He had finally received an invitation to his first lesson. Nervousness didn't even begin to describe his state at the moment.
Dumbledore, dressed in vivid blue robes adorned with twinkling stars, welcomed Harry Petrov with a warm smile. The younger Dumbledore, without his signature half-moon spectacles, approached Harry with an air of kindness and curiosity.
"How are you feeling, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, his voice gentle and soothing.
Harry, feeling nervous in the presence of the renowned wizard, hesitated for a moment before responding. "I-I'm alright, Professor Dumbledore," he stammered.
"Hmm, I sense some unease in your voice, my boy. Please, share your thoughts with me. You can trust me." Dumbledore said.
Harry took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "I... I can't help but feel overwhelmed, Professor. You and I both know that I am all but crippled. I fear that I may not possess the necessary energy or abilities to succeed."
Dumbledore's smile softened, and he placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. "Ah, Harry, it is perfectly normal to have such doubts. Alchemy is indeed a complex and demanding field. But let me assure you, my young apprentice, your energy and abilities are not the only factors that determine your success."
Harry's brow furrowed in confusion. "But, Professor, isn't alchemy all about harnessing the energy within oneself and performing extraordinary feats?"
"Harry, my dear boy, alchemy encompasses far more than raw energy. It is a blend of science, art, and spirituality. It requires a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of all things and the delicate balance of the universe."
He motioned for Harry to join him at a small table, upon which appeared a tray filled with an assortment of biscuits, honey tea, and chocolates appeared with soft pop. "Let us have a seat and explore the wonders of alchemy together," Dumbledore suggested warmly.
As they settled down, Dumbledore poured steaming tea into delicate porcelain cups, its aroma filling the air. "Alchemy is not merely about physical prowess or magical energy," Dumbledore began, his voice carrying a captivating tone. "It is a journey of self-discovery, a path that reveals the depths of one's soul and allows for the transformation of both matter and spirit."
He took a sip of tea, savoring the taste, before continuing. "Quite often young apprentices believe that alchemy is but an advanced format of potions and transfiguration."
"You mean it isn't?" Harry questioned.
"While those two are intricately linked to Alchemy, they are not all that there is to it. Emotions play a significant role in this journey. Alchemy operates on the principle of correspondence: "As above, so below." The macrocosm of the universe reflects the microcosm of our experiments. By manipulating the elements, we aim to create emulate this phenomenon and bring about change in ourselves."
Dumbledore reached for a piece of chocolate, holding it out to Harry. "Here, indulge in this sweet temptation, and allow its taste to awaken your senses."
Harry took the offering. "I am not sure I follow."
Dumbledore nodded in understanding before elaborating. "The Law of Equivalent Exchange teaches us that to obtain something of value, we must be willing to give something in return. Consider the chocolate you consume. Some baker sacrificed time and energy to transform the materials into the amalgamation of flavors that you consume."
"So, there is a connection between the larger universe and the smaller world of our experiments?" he questioned, seeking further clarity.
Dumbledore nodded, "Precisely, Harry. The baker understands that there is a connection between the chocolates they create and the larger world around them. They observe that the qualities and patterns present in the universe, like flavors, textures, and ingredients, can be reflected in the chocolates they make."
"Harry. In alchemy, as in life, sacrifices are necessary, but they are not meant to break us. They are meant to shape us into the individuals we are destined to become." Dumbledore said.
Not Harry. Take me instead please. Not Harry!
Stand aside girl!
No!
He shuddered but kept it under control. It's been too long since he had heard her.
Dumbledore's sharp eye caught onto it but missed the ball.
"You are not alone on this journey, Harry," Dumbledore reassured him, his voice filled with compassion. "I will be here as your guide, your mentor. Together, we will explore the depths of alchemy and unlock the secrets it holds."
With a flick of his wand the table vanished, and the room started to croak as the wall pushed to expand.
With another flick a narrow table appeared with corked bottle on its top.
"One of the cardinal rules of alchemy and perhaps magic itself are, energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It can only be converted from one form into another." Dumbledore said.
Harry stared at the bottle.
"You must tap into this energy, purely raw, to remove the bottle's cap. That means no use of spells or wand motions to direct magic. Using your emotions alone, you must transform the latent magic around us, into usable energy to remove the cork."
Harry raptly listened while staring at the bottle.
"Er, Harry, you may begin" Dumbledore said, and Harry blushed.
He aimed his wand at the bottle and focused.
A cracking sound filled the room before the bottle smashed into a thousand pieces.
Dumbledore merely chuckled at the display while Harry gaped in horror.
A quick reparo and the bottle was back on display.
"Again" Dumbledore ordered, and Harry complied.
E.C.L.I.P.S.E.
Lord Black's Secret Speech
ECLIPSE - Elite Collective for Law, Intelligence, and Protection of the Secret Expanse
Lord Black snorted at the name. It was weird but his fellow mages were melancholic by nature, assigning secretive names to their political block was a part of the game. It made them yearn to be part of ancient magi orders that were practiced in secret.
Although now the stakes were much higher than mere death of a cult at the hands of maddened muggle. Their very way of life was at stake.
One hand a maddened dictator wanted a total war with Muggles. On the other, entropy awaited them with bated breath.
Thus, a group of like-minded Pureblood families had formed ECLIPSE. It had all started when during a soiree organized by him in 1940, they had studied the Muggle industrial revolution. The sheer pace of a society advancing through 200 years in 20 years was mind-numbingly shocking.
The callousness of the muggle heart as the waters polluted, hundreds died working to death in factories, and greater ecological damage frightened them.
Some had laughed as a "gun" was produced before them. They weren't laughing as it tore a hole through the laughing wizard faster than he could conjure shields. Memory viewing screens showed ghostly visages of what muggle air force could do, the sheer scope of the industry, and their scientists explaining the future of man in the 20th century.
The message driven was very clear to the attendants; The muggles no longer fought with sticks, stones, and shields. An existential crisis shuddered through the elite gentry and nobility. Most had chosen to forget that evening via an orgy of lust and drink.
One man hadn't. He stood in the corner, constantly watching and rewatching the memories and projections. One of his house elves had later identified him as Gellert Grindelwald.
A small part of him still felt responsible for motivating and unleashing this monster upon the world.
Lord Black approached the meeting point, feeling a brief shudder run through him at the news he was about to discuss with his colleagues. Walking through the thick Eldermoor fog, he finally reached a red fire hydrant. He tapped his wand against it three times and muttered the password, "Revolution."
The fire hydrant quivered with magical energy, and an illusionary shield formed around Lord Black, intended to confuse any unsuspecting Muggles. A hidden stairway materialized beneath him, and he descended into a narrow hall that led to a red door at the end.
As he approached the door, powerful wards probed his mind and magic, testing his identity as Lord Black. He briefly dropped his shields, allowing the wards to confirm his authenticity.
Inside the room, Lord Greengrass greeted Lord Black. "Good to see you, Black. How's Henri Potter? Will he be joining us today?"
Lord Black sighed. "Unfortunately, Henri is still injured. He won't be able to attend the meeting."
Lord Greengrass nodded, his face reflecting concern. "Such a shame. Henri's mission was daring, to say the least. I wish it had been under better circumstances."
Lord Black agreed somberly. "Indeed. The evidence he provided sheds light on the full extent of Grindelwald's madness. It's truly disturbing."
Just as they were deep in discussion, a voice interrupted their conversation. Lord Greengrass turned towards the sound and apologized. "Excuse me, Black. Let me introduce you to someone important."
A graceful figure approached them, and Lord Black found himself momentarily transfixed. Lord Greengrass stepped forward and said, "Lord Black, I'd like you to meet Juliette Delacour, the ambassador of the French Underground Resistance against the Axis occupation of France."
Lord Black gathered himself, extending a courteous nod. "A pleasure to meet you, Madame Delacour."
Juliette Delacour smiled warmly. "Likewise, Lord Black. I've heard much about your efforts in the fight against Grindelwald. Your dedication is inspiring."
As the meeting began, Lord Black couldn't help but feel a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. The presence of Juliette Delacour added a new dimension to the proceedings, reminding him of the gravity of the situation at hand.
A few more pops sounded outside signifying the arrival of new guests.
ECLIPSE was now in session.
His people were down. But he will be damned if they let fires consume them awakened.
The Secret Expanse will be defended at all costs.
Lord Black stood before the gathered crowd, his eyes sweeping across the room as he prepared to deliver his impassioned speech. The true might of England had assembled in Eldermoor, a mix of human wizards and magical creatures. Veela graced the room with their enchanting presence, while the absence of centaurs and goblins was notable. Among the esteemed guests, Lord Black's gaze settled on Viktor Epcott, the powerful CEO of Epcott Industries, a muggle-born who had risen to prominence outside the confines of pureblood influence.
Clearing his throat, Lord Black began, "Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, I am honored to stand before you today." He paused, surveying the attentive faces before continuing. "The recent discoveries made by Lord Potter in Grindelwald's lab have shed light on a deeply troubling reality."
Viktor Epcott interjected, his voice firm, "Grindelwald is simply capitalizing on a system created by the Purebloods themselves."
Rookwood, unable to hold his tongue, sneered, "Go back to your muggle-loving ways, Epcott."
Lord Black's eyes flashed with anger as he interrupted sharply, "Silence!" The room fell into an uneasy hush.
Lord Black composed himself, his voice resonating with conviction. "The ideology of Pureblood supremacy has bred violent cults, decay, and a general malaise within our society." He glanced around the room, his gaze meeting the eyes of each attendee. "We find ourselves fixated on blood purity, while Muggles dominate the skies and seas, dreaming of landing on the moon."
Lord Black continued, his voice filled with urgency. "In our fear of Muggleborns, we have willingly ceded three-quarters of the planet to Muggles. Our neglect of magical creatures like Elves, Centaurs, and Goblins has perpetuated a cycle of rebellion against wizardkind." His words resonated with a profound truth.
With conviction, Lord Black declared, "Britain has been the worst offender, willingly sacrificing volunteer soldiers to Grindelwald's cause due to Eldermoor's xenophobia and racism. If we continue down this path, we will be overwhelmed by our enemies."
He raised his voice, his words carrying a powerful message. "It is time for a paradigm shift, reminiscent of the Founding Fathers and Mothers of Hogwarts. We must embrace inclusivity, unity, and a new era where magic is accessible to all."
"We must embrace unity above all. Else the world outside will drown us in our own blood with gunpowder and steel."
Pausing for a moment, he continued,
Lord Black's voice rang out with conviction, his words carrying a resounding power. "Let us not be deceived by the false allure of Grindelwald's rhetoric. He is nothing more than a twisted messiah, no better than the dark wizards who came before him, like Herpo the Foul."
The room stirred with murmurs of agreement and anticipation as Lord Black continued, his voice resonating with authority. "Make no mistake, deep within Grindelwald's heart, the seed of Pureblood supremacy still thrives. While muggleborns die by the tens of thousands as mere foot soldiers in his meatgrinders, the Pureblood families of Germany and beyond spare their own children by generously donating to his cause."
A palpable tension filled the room as Lord Black painted a grim picture of Grindelwald's true intentions. "Grindelwald believes in a twisted concept of 'first among equals.' Should he succeed in his ambitions, his first target will not be the Muggle world, but rather the very muggleborns he claims to liberate."
A hush fell over the crowd as Lord Black's words sank in. "In Grindelwald's eyes, muggleborns are seen as too closely associated with Muggles to be fully trusted. Their fate, should he achieve his aims, would be one of subjugation and oppression."
Lord Black's voice rose, carrying a note of urgency. "We cannot stand idly by and allow such a twisted ideology to gain further ground. We must unite, muggleborns, purebloods, magical creatures, all of us, against this common enemy."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, meeting the eyes of each person present. "The time for division is over. We must cast aside the shackles of prejudice and embrace a future where every individual is valued, regardless of their blood status. Only then can we truly defeat the darkness that threatens our world."
His voice resolute, Lord Black concluded, "Together, we can dismantle the foundations of Grindelwald's tyranny and Muggle domination. United we stand. Divided we die."
A shiver of nervous panic and anticipation went through the crowd at his bold declaration.
The tension was rife in the air with the mention of war and conspiracy.
A woman stood up from the corner of the hall. She looked drunk and gazed around the murmuring crowed too busy to notice her. She stiffened for a moment and her eyes rolled up. Shuddering she raised a wand towards Lord Black and shouted,
"For the UNION!"
AVADA KADEVRA!
The End.
Author's Note: That is that I suppose. Sorry if I got Alchemy a bit iffy. I am still trying to learn this complex subject, if you have any suggestions, please please let me know. Don't forget to leave a review about what you like or hate about the chapter or story so far.
The final segment was partially inspired by Khrushchev's secret speech.
Ciao!