Chapter 97. Cheerful Girl, Gloomy Boy
Petunia was just finishing dusting in the living room - carefully wiping down each shelf with porcelain figurines and frames with photographs. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
Petunia clicked her tongue in annoyance - she couldn't wait to finish cleaning and now she was being distracted. Removing her apron and smoothing her hair, she went to open the door, wondering who it could be at this hour.
Standing behind the door was an elegant couple, completely unlike the familiar residents of Little Whinging. The man was in a fancy suit and dark sunglasses, and next to him was a remarkably beautiful woman with long light hair.
"Good day, we are the Einzbern family. My name is Kiritsugu, and this is my wife Irisviel von Einzbern," the man broke the awkward silence. "We have come from Germany on business related to your nephew, Harry."
Petunia froze, blinking rapidly. What nonsense? How did these people know Harry?
"I-I'm sorry... I, really, do not understand what you are talking about," she finally stammered, trying to figure out how to get rid of these strange strangers as quickly as possible.
Petunia was clearly hesitant about letting strangers into the house. The man, who introduced himself as Kiritsugu, sensed her doubts and decided to reassure her:
"I understand your reservations, Mrs... I'm sorry, I didn't ask your name?"
"Dursley. Petunia Dursley."
"Mrs. Dursley, we definitely do not intend to cause any trouble. But the matter is truly important and concerns your nephew's safety. If you allow, I would like to explain everything to him in person."
Petunia hesitated. But the woman next to Kiritsugu suddenly smiled charmingly, and somehow it had a calming effect.
"Alright, come in," Petunia said confusedly, ushering the guests inside.
She called for Harry, thinking to herself, "I hope this doesn't cause any trouble for the boy."
Harry came down the stairs and paused, surprised to see the strangers in the hallway.
"These people want to talk to you," Petunia said. "About your... talents."
She clearly did not want to mention magic in front of strangers.
Harry looked warily at the couple. The man seemed serious and authoritative, while the woman was remarkably beautiful, like a porcelain doll.
"Hello, Harry. My name is Kiritsugu, and this is my wife Irisviel. We would like to discuss something related to your gift. Understand that this is about your safety."
Harry frowned. How do these people know about him? What do they really want? He decided to be cautious:
"I'm listening. Come into the living room."
Harry escorted the guests into the living room. Kiritsugu and Irisviel settled on the couch, while Harry sat opposite in a chair.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" he asked, looking straight at Kiritsugu.
Kiritsugu hesitated for a moment, choosing his words. Finally he spoke:
"Harry, you are aware of the existence of special powers that go beyond the ordinary. Your abilities are one manifestation of such power. But there are others, much more dangerous. I came to warn you of a looming threat."
Harry became even more wary. This person clearly knows about magic. But what is this threat?
"Please, be more specific. What threat? And how do you know all this?"
Kiritsugu smirked. The boy is observant and cautious. Good.
"I will tell you more detail. But first, promise that you will listen to the end and make the right decision."
Kiritsugu continued, looking straight into Harry's eyes:
"What you call magic is just a part of much larger secret forces of this world. There is something that can grant any wish, but obtaining it is fraught with the greatest danger. I am here to warn you and offer cooperation."
Kiritsugu spoke of something that grants any wish. Harry frowned:
"Are you talking about the Grail? I know something about it."
Kiritsugu was surprised that Harry was informed. But he continued:
"Yes, I'm talking about the Holy Grail. Forces seeking to possess it have already shown themselves. I can help you, but we need to unite our efforts."
At that moment, Petunia peeked into the room:
"Harry, a girl named Jeanne and some guy with a girl came to see you and Dudley. I don't know them."
Dudley looked into the hallway and was surprised to see Kurisu and Okabe. What do they need?
Dudley smiled warmly at Jane and invited her to the living room. Then he turned to Kurisu and Okabe:
"Nice to see you! Didn't expect to meet you here. Let's go to my room, it's quieter to talk there."
Kurisu and Okabe nodded, clearly intrigued. In the living room, Jane greeted Harry joyfully. Seeing Kiritsugu and Irisviel, she politely greeted them:
"Hello, I'm Jeanne. Nice to meet Harry's friends."
Irisviel smiled in response to the greeting. Kiritsugu gave Jeanne an evaluating look, noting her unusual appearance. Then he frowned, realizing that the situation was clearly getting out of control. He had expected to find only Harry and his relatives here. The unexpected appearance of a whole group of strangers disrupted all plans. But Kiritsugu quickly composed himself. The main thing now was to figure out who these people were and what they were after. He looked at Jeanne again, noting some strange features in her appearance and behavior.
"Miss Jeanne, would you be so kind as to explain how you ended up here? And how are you connected to Harry?" Kiritsugu inquired.
Jeanne smiled in response to Kiritsugu's question and replied, "I'm just visiting friends. Harry and I go to the same school in Scotland. It's vacation time now, so I decided to stop by and see how they're doing."
The answer sounded perfectly ordinary, but Kiritsugu felt something was off. Something wasn't right here. Suddenly, a loud cry from Okabe rang out from the second floor: "Are you kidding me? I'll show you where the crayfish hibernate!" Kurisu and Darly's voices followed, trying to calm him down. Kiritsugu tensed even more. What chaos was unfolding in this house?!
To top off this whole scene, a tall young woman entered the living room in a strict black suit that accentuated her slim figure. A delicate eight-year-old girl with large ruby-colored eyes followed her. Her long silvery hair was braided neatly. She wore a light blue dress, giving her the appearance of a porcelain doll.
"Mom, I missed you!" the girl ran up and hugged Irisviel.
She affectionately patted her on the head. "I missed you too, sweet Illya."
The woman in black apologized, "I'm sorry, the young miss insisted on me bringing her to you."
Kiritsugu looked disapprovingly at his daughter. "Illya, mom is busy right now. You can wait in the next room."
"No, I'll stay!" she stubbornly declared, hugging Irisviel.
Irisviel just smiled. "Let her sit next to me, I don't mind."
Harry glanced at the woman in black. Her short dark hair and calm, focused expression set her apart. She caught Harry's gaze immediately and looked back at him. Her response made Harry uncomfortable, and he involuntarily shivered, feeling out of his element.
Illyasviel took a step towards Harry, and her dark ruby-colored eyes suddenly narrowed. The girl's lips moved, uttering words that were terrifying for a child:
"My grandfather says you are the enemy of our family. I must hate you."
Harry flinched, his eyes widening. The words from the child sounded particularly ominous. Irisviel furrowed her delicate brows and looked at her daughter in concern.
"Illya!" she called out firmly but calmly.
The girl turned around, her long braid flicking behind with her head. Irisviel approached her and placed her hands on her shoulders.
"Your grandfather is mistaken about Harry," she said softly. "He is our friend, and we should help him."
Illyasviel lowered her head, the braid slipping off her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, mom, I was just joking..." she murmured softly.
Irisviel hugged her daughter and gently stroked her hair. Kiritsugu sighed and looked at Ilyasfil with a concerned but serious expression on his face.
"Jokes are fine, but not ones that are so mean," he gently corrected. "It's better to try to be friends with Harry."
Illyasviel nodded and timidly reached out her hand to Harry.
"Let's be friends! I won't joke like that anymore," she said.
Harry weakly smiled in response and shook her hand. Irisviel noticed the sadness in his eyes, and Harry silently pondered what his life would be like without Voldemort. She took Harry's hand and smiled encouragingly.
"Don't worry, you're not alone. Your friends and we will always be there for you and help you."
Her warm hand and sincere words touched Harry. For the first time since being with this family, he felt truly calm.
After the conversation with the Einzberns, the atmosphere in the living room gradually lightened. Suddenly, a girl entered the room - the same Elen that Harry and Dudley had sheltered at the request of the deceased Prime Minister. She walked to the table to pour herself a glass of water. Irisviel immediately turned her attention to her and smiled warmly.
"Hello, dear! How are you feeling? Don't be shy, join us."
Kiritsugu also looked at the girl. Her face seemed vaguely familiar to him. He studied her from head to toe.
Her noble and delicate facial features, porcelain skin, emerald eyes with long lashes... Her entire appearance exuded a special, elusive beauty and grandeur. Kiritsugu sensed a hidden strength of spirit in this Elen, which he could not explain. He felt like he had seen this girl somewhere before, but could not remember where.
But then Helen pressed her lips tightly together, and Kiritsugu realized.
"It must be just tricks of the mind," he thought, looking away.
Irisviel did not notice her husband's excessive attention to Elen. But when she turned to him, she noticed his strange, focused gaze, as if he had seen someone from his past. "Does she resemble Natalia Kaminski?" Irisviel wondered. She only knew about Natalia that she had once replaced Kiritsugu's birth other and had taken care of him a lot.
"Is something wrong, dear?" Irisviel asked.
Kiritsugu blinked instead of answering and waved his hand dismissively at his wife.
"No... I just thought for a moment that I had seen this girl somewhere. I must have been mistaken."
But sometimes he still continued to throw strange, thoughtful glances at Helen after that. After another strange glance from Kiritsugu towards her, Helen suddenly said:
"Sometimes fate plays wicked jokes on us, making us see things that were never there. Don't attach any importance to it, Mr. Einzbern."
She slightly, almost imperceptibly smiled at the corners of her lips - but it was a smile full of sorrow and longing. Kiritsugu was startled by her words, as if struck. For a moment, his gaze seemed to recognize this girl, but then it disappeared. He only nodded in response and no longer looked in her direction. Incredible pain awakened in the depths of his heart and secretly tormented Kiritsugu, making it so strong that he wanted to scream - it seemed so unbearable. What is happening in this house anyway?
After a brief conversation with Irisviel, Helen apologized and left the living room so as not to disturb the conversation. Kiritsugu continued to watch her thoughtfully for a while. There was something about this girl that caused him vague unease, like a premonition. However, he was not allowed to ponder further by Illyasviel, who ran up to her father and tugged on his sleeve:
"Daddy, can you tell me the story of the twelve labors of Heracles again? It's so interesting!"
Kiritsugu sighed, but nodded in agreement. Joyful Illyasviel sat down next to him, ready to listen to her favorite story.
"My dear Illyasviel, I see how your face lights up when you ask me to tell this story. How I love watching you get carried away by the adventures of legendary heroes! But today I want to tell you about a feat no less great than the twelve labors of Heracles. It is the feat of ordinary people who perform small and large acts of kindness every day. Our world is troubled right now. There is much sorrow and pain. But in difficult times, it is especially important not to lose faith in goodness. We can help each other, support each other, show compassion. And together, we will overcome any trials. I believe that you, my brave girl, can also perform many acts of kindness. Help your mother with household chores, cheer up a crying child, share your joy with others. And let kindness bloom in your heart always. Then the whole world will become a little brighter. And tonight, let's go out to the yard and plant flowers. Let them delight us with their beauty, reminding us that even a small act of kindness has great significance."
Okabe descended the stairs and found himself in the living room where the guests had gathered. Upstairs, leaning on the railing, was Dudley, watching with curiosity what was happening below. Kurisu stood nearby, her eyes not leaving Okabe. Kiritsugu, noticing the guest, rose to greet him. When Okabe stepped off the last step, Kiritsugu bowed in greeting and said:
"It's good to see you, my friend..."
But then Okabe suddenly turned around, grabbed his mobile phone, and started loudly talking into the turned-off device. Dudley watched with interest, leaning slightly over the railing. Kurisu furrowed her brows, watching Okabe's strange gestures - she was clearly concerned about his erratic behavior.
"They found me again. The organization has already sent their agents to my friend's house... What? Reinforcements are on the way? Good... El Psy..."
"Kongroo!" Okabe shouted the last word dramatically and fell silent, extending his hand with the phone. Dudley burst into laughter, and Kurisu shook her head in puzzlement, as if saying, "This guy is eccentric!" Maya cautiously took the strange device from his fingers. Examining the smooth curved sides of the phone with curiosity, she opened her mouth in amazement.
"What... is this?" Maya asked Kiritsugu incredulously. "It looks like technology... but too unusual!"
Kiritsugu furrowed his brow, glancing at the switched-off display. Clearly something was wrong here... Kiritsugu carefully inspected the device in Maya's hands. Despite its unusual appearance, the layout of buttons and the presence of a speaker with a microphone hinted that it was some sort of long-distance communication transmitter. However, the working principle was clearly different from their familiar radios or phones.
"It seems... this is also a communication device," Kiritsugu cautiously speculated. "But the design is quite non-standard."
Kiritsugu reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a bulky mobile phone the size of a small book.
"This is what I use for communication," he said, showing the device to Maya.
Next to Okabe's compact gadget, this massive "brick" looked particularly archaic. Maya gasped, comparing the two devices – the progress of technology was evident!
"Incredible! So, phones will eventually become as light and flat as this?" she asked enthusiastically.
Kiritsugu silently handed the phone to Okabe.
"What's your name, cheerful guy?" he tried to start a conversation again. Okabe began gesturing with his hands, and said:
"I am a mad scientist, my name is Hooin Kema!"
When Irisviel and Illya heard Okabe's self-introduction, smiles appeared on their faces.
"How great, a real mad scientist!" exclaimed Irisviel, clapping her hands in excitement. Her reaction was genuine and spontaneous, like a child seeing a magic trick for the first time.
Looking at them, Okabe felt embarrassed.
"It didn't impress you at all, did it?" he asked.
"No," replied Irisviel, approaching him. "I've never met a real mad scientist before in my life."
Illya ran up to Okabe and hugged him, looking up at him with her big eyes:
"You're so funny! And probably very kind, since you came to entertain us," said Illya. She hugged him just above his knees, barely reaching his calves.
This straightforward reception touched Okabe. Overwhelmed by the unexpectedness of it all, he looked around as if seeking support from the others. But in the eyes of those present, there was no mockery or disdain for his eccentric behavior – only genuine joy and friendliness.
And Okabe felt a pleasant warmth spreading through his soul. Now he, too, smiled sincerely, feeling like a welcomed guest.
"So, Harry, what do you think?" Kiritsugu asked the young man. "Are you willing to collaborate?"
Harry looked thoughtfully at Kiritsugu. He appreciated the warm reception and friendliness with which the Einzbern family had welcomed him. But the decision to choose allies in the upcoming battle for the Grail was not easy.
"I appreciate your offer," Harry said slowly. "But I hope you understand that I can't give an answer right away. This is a very serious step, and I need to think it over carefully."
He looked at Dudley, who was standing nearby with the girl Ellen.
"Dudley, you summoned a Servant. What do you think about this? Should we work together with the Einzberns?"
Dudley pondered:
"Well, they seem like reliable allies. And little Illyasviel is so cute! But you're right, this is a serious matter. Maybe we should consult with our friends?"
"Yes, I agree," nodded Harry. "I need to think and consult. I can't give an answer right away. But I promise to inform you as soon as I make a decision. The call of the Grail is my destiny. And I must approach it responsibly."
After Harry's words, there was a pause. Suddenly, Makise's voice echoed from the stairs:
"Harry, in my calculations, an alliance with the Einzberns will give you the best chance of victory. Their experience, resources, and magical power will be very useful."
"Yes, I agree!" added Okabe. "Together, we can devise an excellent plan."
Elen, who had been silent until then, softly spoke up:
"Harry, I can see that these people are sincere in their desire to help you. Listen to your heart - it will guide you to the right decision."
Harry paused for a moment. Then he nodded firmly:
"Alright. I have made my decision. I think together we have a much better chance. I agree to form an alliance with you and your family, Kiritsugu."
Upon hearing Harry's words, Kiritsugu warmly smiled and reached out his hand for a handshake:
"I am glad you have made such a wise decision. We will do everything possible to help you conquer the Grail."
Harry shook Kiritsugu's outstretched hand firmly:
"Thank you for your trust. I will also do my best to justify it and not let our new friends down."
Little Ilyasviel clapped her hands joyfully:
"Hooray! Now Harry Potter himself is on our team! We will definitely win!"
Irisviel hugged her daughter warmly and smiled at Harry:
"Welcome to the family, Harry! We are very happy about our alliance."
And so the alliance was sealed with handshakes and friendly embraces. Now both sides were full of determination to work together towards a common noble goal.
My friends!
I address you today from the royal palace in Westminster. As you know, our country has been going through difficult times recently. There were forces that threatened our unity and prosperity. But now is the time for reconciliation and renewal! I, King Arthur, have made the decision to officially recognize the Death Eaters as allies of the crown. Their leader, Lord Voldemort, has made invaluable contributions to the restoration of order in the country. His followers have proven their loyalty to the crown and their willingness to work for the prosperity of Britain.
Therefore, I appoint Lord Voldemort as the new Prime Minister. I am confident that under his leadership, the government will effectively address the pressing issues faced by our citizens. Voldemort possesses the wisdom and determination necessary to carry out reforms.
Some may mistakenly view the Death Eaters as a threat. But I assure you - they desire only peace and prosperity for all kingdom residents, regardless of background. Their methods may seem harsh at times, but it is only to protect citizens from the dangers that lurk in these difficult times.
I believe that together we will build a just and democratic society, drawing on the wisdom and experience of our new allies. Let us leave disagreements in the past and move forward towards a bright future! Long live Britain!
Harry sat in front of the television screen, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white. The screen was broadcasting a self-proclaimed individual who had taken on the guise of the great King Arthur. His once golden armor now looked charred, with crimson veins running through it like scars. In his hand, he held a sword as black as coal, with a broken blade that resembled a distorted version of the legendary Excalibur.
"How interesting, Sir Arthur has decided to update his look," the news anchor commented somewhat hesitantly. "These armor pieces look so... uh... modern and stylish. And the sword is simply magnificent, a true work of art!"
"Well, well, old Artie finally caught up with the times!" Vernon Dursley exclaimed loudly.
"I always knew that the king was a man with progressive views," Petunia added uncertainly, shifting her gaze from the screen to the perplexed faces of the guests.
Dudley and Macey exchanged puzzled glances, while Okabe furrowed his brows and remained silent.
"How dare he..." Harry gritted through his teeth. He looked around. "Can't you see that it's a hideous forgery?" Harry couldn't help himself from addressing the Dursleys.
Next to him sat Elen, her eyes fixed on the screen. Her face was inscrutable, only a hint of sadness flickering in the depths of her green eyes.
"Elen... you were in the royal court, weren't you? This imposter is not the real Arthur. I can feel it!"
The girl remained silent, looking at the screen as if she saw something inaccessible to others.
"Please, tell me what's going on! We have to stop him," Harry exclaimed, grabbing her hand.
Elen just smiled sadly in response.
"Everything has its time, Harry," she quietly said, not taking her eyes off the screen. "Right now, this world is entangled in lies. But the day will come when truth will prevail. Lies cannot rule forever."
The Dursleys sat in complete bewilderment, whispering and glancing at them. But Harry and Elen already knew - a difficult fight against darkness awaited them. And they would not back down.