Occupied France
They jogged through the streets and alleyways. Elizabeth had charted them a course through many of these sights to lose any pursuers who could trace their apparition journey. She held up a hand for them to wait as she traced the last of the steps. Harry, tired from an entire day of combat, sat on the steps of a cafe's back exit.
The left side of Harry's skin prickled and he glanced toward his left to see that the shadows were darker and heavier than usual. Out of instinct, he gripped his wand and braced himself for trouble. His breath hitched when the figure emerged from the shadows and stared at him. It was a large black dog with sleek fur as if it had been staying with dedicated groomers rather than slumming out in the trash. It neither snarled nor leered at Harry. It didn't bark or growl; it merely sat on all fours with its back upright. Harry wasn't fooled.
Harry knew what it was. A loony divination professor from another life had told him what these creatures were. Back then he had rubbished those claims. A certain deputy headmistress had told him that it was rubbish. But looking at the dog now, he knew he wasn't freaking out or hallucinating due to hunger. The dog stared at him. It was serene. As if a gentle messenger who understood the significant grimness of the message it heralded.
The dog's posture was firm but his eyes were understanding. Harry knew it took no pleasure in this but merely wished to give him an update. Its glowing yellow eyes locked directly with his. Harry nodded at the dog, and, to his amusement, the dog returned the gesture. There was a grim serenity to this entire affair. At some level, Harry knew the dog was sentient and understood all.
A jerk on his body jolted him awake and Harry awoke to see a frowning Dorea shaking him awake.
"Harry, we need to keep moving," she said, her voice edged with urgency. "Elizabeth's found us a safe house."
Harry blinked, the vision of the black dog fading but its message lingering in his mind. He nodded, shaking off the weariness that clung to him like a shroud and stood up.
"Let's go," he said, his voice steadier than he felt.
Unknown Location
Black Hand Fortress
Mariam Shah stood in the dimly lit chamber, a cold sweat on her neck as she faced Grandmaster Eric and Zero. The once formidable Grandmaster appeared troubled as his cruel eyes wandered all over the document instead of their usual drilling into a man's soul. Zero lounged near a pillar opposite the Grandmaster.
"Mariam," Zero said, "Share with the kind Grandmaster what you told me earlier."
Taking a deep breath, Mariam reached into her satchel and pulled out a stack of neatly organized documents, several small, glowing vials, and a thick envelope sealed with an official insignia.
"Grandmaster Eric" she began, her voice steady, "there is no doubt whatsoever that the Giovanni family was behind the so-called Operation Unthinkable perpetrated by the Allied Forces."
She lifted one of the vials, the iridescent liquid within swirling gently. "These memory vials contain firsthand accounts from operatives who witnessed the infiltration of the signals and counterintelligence headquarters in France. The Giovannis managed to penetrate our defenses with alarming ease, embedding their agents deep within our ranks."
"Lovely." Zero said in a bored tone, "What of the command staff over there?"
Mariam picked up the sealed envelope, breaking the wax seal with a swift motion. "I have here a sworn statement, signed by General Nimitz himself. According to the General, the attack on the Giovanni facility was an act of self-defense. The Giovannis had attacked the HQ in a bid to take control of the owlery and the communication network to sow chaos in the rank and file."
She unfolded the statement, her eyes scanning the familiar words. "General Nimitz asserts that the Giovanni family saboteurs were the ones behind the rumors of a coup d'état against Grindelwald. They used this to provoke our enemies into attacking our panicked defenses."
Grandmaster Eric leaned forward, his eyes glinting with interest. "And you are certain of this, Mariam?"
Mariam nodded firmly. "I am, Grandmaster. The evidence is incontrovertible. The transcripts, the memory vials, and General Nimitz's statement all align. The Giovanni family cast the die and they lost the draw."
Agent Zero pushed off from the pillar, stepping closer to the table. "These changes everything. We must act now. We need to directly confront them on this and drag them in front of our lord to face justice."
Mariam watched as the Grandmaster and Agent Zero exchanged a knowing look. The weight of her revelations settled over them, a silent agreement forming in the shadows of the chamber. The path ahead was fraught with danger, but with this new information, they had a fighting chance.
"Thank you, Mariam," Zero said. "Your work here is invaluable. We will take it from here."
The Grandmaster made a dismissive motion, ordering her to leave but Mariam remained. Eric cast a deathly glare at her, anyone who dismissed his orders fell to a painful death. A series of charms on her insides detected her anxiety and immediately pumped a flurry of potions inside her. They sedated her panic and forcibly altered her brain chemistry to make her more confident.
"I-I sincerely beg your pardon, Grandmaster, but I would like to stay." She said.
If anything, Eric's gaze grew even colder. Zero moved to forcibly dismiss her before she said,
"I would like to help. I have been studying the Giovannis for years now. Long before anyone did. I know who and what they are. I know how they think." Mariam said. "I know where we can strike to find out the truth. All I ask is for a chance….."
"A chance for what, Mariam Shah?" Eric asked. She looked at the deeply frowning form of Zero, ready to end her the moment his liege commanded him.
"Vengeance, my Lord. The Giovannis cost me my Lord's favor and everything I worked so hard to get. Let me return the favor." She said.
"And you are 100% sure that the Giovannis are behind this disaster? Are you completely sure that they rebelled against our Lord, your master, Gellert Grindelwald?" Eric asked.
"I am, Grandmaster." She said. Eric stared at her before turning to Zero and nodding.
"Leave none
The hunt was on!
1 Hour After Op Unthinkable
Sebastian & Helena
They lay by the gentle stream, the soft murmur of water blending with the distant sounds of their chatter of the main campfire away from them. They had snuck away, seeking a moment of peace after the chaotic morning. Helena's lips found their way to Sebastian's, kissing him with fervent lust. Tears had welled up in her eyes when she first saw his haggard form return with Harry from the awful mission. By all accounts, it was a ravishing success, but the sight of her friends and her new crush so wounded had been a tough one.
She had watched the operation from afar, guiding Harry through the multiple layers of wards and magical traps surrounding the Giovanni facility. But seeing Sebastian injured and exhausted had torn her. They immediately stripped their clothes and cuddled under the stars, seeking comfort in one another.
Helena's hands roamed over Sebastian's back as she pressed close to him. A playful smile spread across her face, and without warning, she launched into a tickle war. Sebastian laughed, trying to fend off her tickling fingers, but he soon retaliated, sending Helena into fits of giggles.
As they rolled in the grass, Sebastian's eyes caught sight of a small tattoo on Helena's wrist that he hadn't noticed before. He paused, gently teasing, "Has my bad boy persona affected you so much that you're getting tattoos now? My, what would Queen B think?"
"Firstly, it's Dorea, not Queen B." Helena laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Second, you're awful! It's cultural, not because of you."
"Well, I was thinking more of Queen Bit-" He started but Helena exclaimed, "Sebastian! Please don't! And drop it. You are not getting it out of me."
He raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin on his face. "Oh really? Tell me the story, or I'll keep tickling you until you do."
She tried to run away but Sebastian held her down and in his worst impression of Harry, said, "The interrogation will continue until the subject relents."
She squirmed under his relentless tickling, laughter spilling from her lips. "Okay, okay! Stop, please!" she managed to gasp between giggles.
Sebastian finally relented, and Helena caught her breath, properly tilting her wrist to show him the tattoo. It was an intricate design of a rook with a scroll clutched in its talons.
"This," she began, her voice softening, "is from a story about Rowena Ravenclaw. The owl represents wisdom and the scroll, knowledge. It's a symbol of my heritage and a reminder of the values I hold dear."
"Well, wasn't Ravenclaw's symbol an Owl?" Sebastian asked.
"My my, Mr. Prewett, when did you start paying attention in class?" Helena chided, "But you're right. It's not Rowena's direct symbol. It is of a branch family long thought to be extinct."
"She had branch families?" Sebastian asked.
"Oh yes. After her death, there was a schism amongst her children. Some wanted her to use her knowledge to usurp Gryffindor's ideologies of cooperation and seize Hogwarts for themselves. The others wanted to pursue Rowena's mission of peaceful cooperation and knowledge for all. They wanted to support Godric." She said. "Those who honored their mother's legacy branded themselves as rooks. The others branded themselves as shadows. Soon a multi-generational war erupted between the families."
"Why would the Shadows revolt against their own mother's ideals?" He asked.
"That…. Is a very complicated story. Are you sure you want to know? Might spoil the mood…." She said and Sebastian egged her on to tell it.
"There was once a student in Hogwarts. A pureblood heir whose name has been lost to history. He was a magical prodigy with a thirst for dominating and bullying those below him. However, his talent for magic covered much of his infractions in the eyes of the then-headmaster, Salazar Slytherin. Everyone expected him to apprentice under Rowena one day." Helena said.
"Right. That sounds like it didn't end well." He said and Helena nodded.
"However, Rowena, disgusted by his actions, took a muggle-born as an apprentice instead. The lordling was furious. This was a slight against all-natural order for him. Long story short, he killed her out of spite." Helena said.
"How did a twerp like him manage to kill THE Rowena Ravenclaw," Sebastian asked.
"Nobody really knows. Urban legend has it that a mob of Puritan muggles had once learned of a coven of witchcraft. Back then, Hogwarts was still under construction and didn't have the defenses it does today. The mob marched upon Hogwarts, threatening to kill them all." Helena said.
"Muggles." Sebastian snorted and Helena swatted him to shush and let her continue.
"Rowena loved each child like her own. She had cultivated them from all over Europe. Her love for them was beyond anything so she armed herself and with a few volunteers marched to meet the challenge head-on. Obviously, she handily started killing them before a curse struck her from behind and rendered her immobile. An ambitious muggle knight, seeking glory, beheaded her while she was defenseless."
"Let me guess the traitorous weasel was the apprentice scorned?" he asked and Helena nodded in affirmative. "It is said before Helena's soul passed into the afterlife. She cursed the lordling to forever live on a jester, humiliating himself and others like him for the amusement of others."
"So, in response to that, shadows believed their research should be shared amongst only Ravenclaws as even Purebloods couldn't be trusted. Rooks believed that they should only double down on Rowena's mission." Helena said. "That's why to honor the Rooks, I have them tattooed on my wrist. Also, it's kind of why I decided to open a tuition club within Hogwarts."
"Tuition club?" He asked.
"Yes, muggles don't always educate their children although their literacy rates have skyrocketed in the last decade. Many who arrived at Hogwarts could even barely read English much less do magic. The purebloods used this as a reason to reduce their admissions." Helena said.
"How very helpful of you." Sebastian remarked, "You're a better mage than me."
"Sebastian, even bumbles the ghoul would be a better mage than you." Helena deadpanned.
"Oh really?" Sebastian said as he narrowed his eyes at her.
"Really really," Helena replied, narrowing eyes of her own.
"Tell me something oh Rook," Sebastian asked and Helena raised an eyebrow. "Is Bumbles a better tickler than me?"
Helena's eyes widened as Sebastian pounced on her and started tickling her mercilessly. The two wrestled back and forth before Sebastian paused and looked up in horror. A set of familiar voices were discussing something.
"Oh blazes, it's Queen B and Harry," Sebastian whispered and Helena's too looked worried.
"Where are our clothes?" She whispered.
Harry & Dorea
Harry watched from the sidelines as Dorea went to work on Nimitz and Mariam. Mariam had proven uncooperative, so she had been drugged with several dozen hallucinogens brewed by Dorea. Meanwhile, Helena cast multiple charms to edit her memory and make her more cooperative with their demands. They had ruled out Imperious as being too easy to beat by methods such as the thief's downfall and general observation. They needed Mariam to act naturally here. Imperious was just one part of the larger puzzle designed by Helena.
Nimitz was more cooperative. In exchange for following the plan, the Bureau would move his entire family to the United States and give them new identities and money. He would most probably be executed by Grindelwald for gross incompetence, but that was the price he was willing to pay. Harry could respect that.
Soon Mariam would lead them onto another Giovanni outpost Owl had told him about. It had been a surprise to him, and Harry had demanded the source of the info but had been denied firmly. All he knew was that Mariam would lead a squad of Black Hand to attack the Giovannis and in the ensuing pandemonium, they would nab Agent Zero.
Besides him, Bridget patched up the rest of his team. She pumped them full of pepper up, healing, restoration, and healing potions. After that, she thoroughly went over their limbs with lips full of counter-curses to reverse any magic caused by dark magic.
Harry sighed; he hated pushing his team like this. He hated causing mass deaths all over their world. He held strong. While the entire allied frontline celebrated with jubilant roars over their recent, massive victory – not all children in the military were equal. Special forces like him were expected to work. Especially so when all else were celebrating.
He needed to be strong for a little bit longer, here. Mariam Shah had reported on the existence of Agent Zero, a notorious enforcer of the mysterious Grandmaster of the Black Hand. If they could get their hands on Zero, the treasure trove of the information he would reveal would be the final nail in Grindelwald's coffin and this blasted war would be over in less than a year.
"Tempus," Harry muttered and a spidery clock appeared. They still had 30 minutes before Mariam's signal, and they sprung the ambush. He ordered the reinforcements from the French underground to start preparing. Meanwhile, they wore the disguises of Giovanni family enforcers to hide their true nature. Harry would have preferred if Owl had sent the bureau's men, but he was told they were stretched thin gathering intel from other fronts and assisting the military.
For whatever it's worth, they were promised a month-long shore leave after their job was complete. He spotted Dorea staring at him, trying to get near and talk. He nudged with his head where they could talk without being overheard.
"Harry"
"Dorea"
The two greeted each other and stared at each other for a while. Bruised and scarred face met unblemished aristocratic beauty. She placed a hand on his cheek,
"You are far too stretched for this, Harry," Dorea said.
"I know," Harry said.
"Yet you still proceed," Dorea said.
"I do," Harry responded.
"Oh!" They both turned to see Helena and Sebastian stumbling onto their spot, out of breath with clothes on the wrong limbs. "Sorry to interrupt you two… We -uh – will go over there." Helena said as she grabbed Sebastian's hand and ran away giggling into the night.
"The boy is a bad influence on her," Dorea remarked as she stared at their backs.
"Damn straight," Harry said. "She is not getting together with him."
"Correct. I am surprised you let it simmer this far, Harry." Dorea said.
"Helena might be an annoying child…" Harry said.
"But she is ours…." Dorea continued, "And I'll be damned if a degenerate like the last Prewett settles with her."
"100% correct," Harry said and the two looked at each other in resolute agreement. That was before both broke down in laughter. They regained composure after a while and Dorea wiped a tear from her eye before she spoke again. Dorea let out a few quick breaths and turned to Harry.
"We all know this is optional, Harry. We have accomplished our core objectives. Let us leave this to the French partisans and exfiltrate." Dorea said.
"You know I can't do that, Dorea. I started this. I must see it through." Harry said.
"Why not? Why must it always be you? From the muggles to Grindelwald, why must you continue to place yourself amidst all this?" Dorea said and Harry turned. "You have done your duty to your country. When they write the history books, they will one day learn it was you who dealt the most decisive blow of the war. You don't need to do anything else."
Harry grinned at that, and Dorea was annoyed. "What do you find so amusing here, Mr. Petrov?"
"I just like it when you are not mad at me anymore. I suppose I should get in danger more often." Harry said and Dorea swatted his arm.
"I am still mad, mind you. I just can think rationally even when sneaky classmates go behind my back to decide my fate." Dorea said and Harry winced at that.
"I am sorry about that," Harry said.
"I know," Dorea said.
"Will you forgive me for that?" Harry said.
"I will, in time. But for that, you need to stay safe." Dorea said.
"I was only trying to keep you -" Harry tried but Dorea interrupted him.
"I know, Harry. However, that wasn't a decision for you to make. If you want to make and retain lifelong friendships, you must let people make their own decisions. As much of a smartass as you are, not even you can see every end. We are all big boys and girls here. We know what we can contribute to the war effort." Dorea said.
"I understand. Or at least I think I do." Harry admitted.
"Good." Dorea said, "Now for the last time, will you stay?"
"I can't Dorea. As you taught earlier, we must let people decide." Harry grinned as Dorea stared at him in annoyance for a few moments before remarking, "Smartass."
Harry laughed at that while she remained perfectly serious.
"I drew cards today. Run a few calculations. The fates say that your mission outcome isn't well." Dorea said in a quiet tone.
"I thought divination was Helena's area of expertise in the Bureau," Harry said.
"It is. She did the entire process twice. I stumbled on her while she was having a panic attack over the result. I managed to get Elizabeth to calm her down before I did the numbers myself." Dorea said and handed him a tarot card. Harry smiled bitterly as he once again saw it.
It was the image of a grim staring back at him.
"Do you now understand my fears?" Dorea whispered and Harry sighed.
"If anyone here must meet him." Harry said swinging the card in his fingers, "It should be me."
"Why? Why, damn you, why?!" Dorea angrily whispered.
"If there is anybody here who should die, it should be me. This is your world. I am just a stranger who shouldn't have been here. This time isn't mine." Harry said.
"W-what?" Dorea asked incredulously.
"Oi Harry! We are about to leave!" Charlus yelled at him, and Harry nodded.
"I gotta go," Harry said and handed her a blue journal. "Keep this safe for me, will you?"
Dorea gingerly took the journal as Harry marched over to where the squad was assembled, ready to depart. Harry placed his hand over the portkey, and they immediately disappeared.
Once more unto the fray, the last good fight they will ever know.
Odd Bedfellows
Agent Zero
Zero felt his heart his race. Behind him stood an entire wolf pack. They were the elite of the elite. The best combatants chosen from the land who had sworn their life and soul to Grindelwald's idea of a pure world. He grinned maniacally behind his mask, long had the Giovanni been a plight upon their pure world. Whatever need his lord had of them, it was long past irrelevant since they mounted a coup against him.
The Grandmaster had forbidden him from joining the legions on the field of battle. Thus, his time had been spent playing cloak and daggers. Now he was unleashed! They apparated on top of the palace where the Giovannis had been spotted by Mariam Shah.
"My! My!" He cackled, "Such wealth! How much have leeches leeched from our lord!"
"Not so loud Agent Zero." Mariam angrily whispered and shoved her away.
"I will show you loud, you pansy." He said.
"Soldiers! Tear open a hole in this abomination!" He shouted and a series of wizards marched forth and leveled their wands. They shouted and a massive hole tore open in the wall. "Summon forth flames and burn it down. We shall force the leeches to come forth!"
Soon a series of demonically bluish pillars of fire rained down and started chipping away at the palace as if it were mere grass in front of a toddler. Meanwhile, Zero raised his hand and a giant dome covered the manor in all directions. It radiated a deathly white hue and Harry didn't dare go near for fear of what the magic would do.
"Holy hell, Chimera. We have to get in there before they leave." Charlus remarked.
"Bloody unlikely, Lion. I fired off a few spells, and it goes deep underground. So that's out as well." Sebastian said. Harry didn't reply to the duo and tapped his wands at the snitches flying overhead. They glowed green signifying that the data was being transported back to her.
"Librarian, we need to get in there, ASAP! Over." Harry said.
"Affirmative, Chimera. Let me see what we can do here." Helena said. "Meanwhile, connect to the sparrows, we need to work together here."
Harry nodded to himself and extended his psionic abilities to the snitches flying overhead. His mind-melded with them and linked with Helena to a level they couldn't have before. She guided his wand arm to match her intent. Several spells for running diagnostics, testing, challenging, and teasing the wards ran through his wand. The others waited in cover while they worked. Clearly whatever Helena was trying wasn't working because the ward looked brighter than ever and the sound of fighting inside raged on.
Helena then pointed his wand straight ahead and chanted, "Revelare Nexus."
A strand of lights appeared, visible only to them, showcasing the links between the spells. Harry wondered if this was an advanced version of Rupert's spell. The most prominent strands were being linked to someplace inside the palace.
"They are most likely linked to Zero. Without him bothered, these will take a while to break through, Chimera. I am sorry." She said.
"Sodd that." Harry said and forced the "sparrow" snitches to fly overhead till they spotted Zero burning a pair of vampires to a crisp. Harry focused through the psionic crystals and fired a bludgeoning psychic lance at the Black Hand lieutenant. Zero immediately fell down and held his head.
"That's it, Harry! Keep at it. I have almost got it!" She exclaimed.
Meanwhile, Zero grunted in pain and frothed as a mental lance deeply gutted his brain. He pulled one of the corpses near it and slit their throats. Dipping his fingers in the pouring blood, he drew symbols on his forearm. Back with Harry, the dome disappeared with a noise as Helena rejoiced.
"Yes! We are through! Go get him, lads!" She shouted in joy before seeing through Harry's eyes the bizarre specter. "Oh, Merlin! Is he a blood mage?"
Suddenly, a lance 10 times stronger than Harry struck back at them. The man swatted away Harry and seemed more interested in her.
"I will gut your little friends. But first tell me little piggie, who are you? So smart to tear down my wards?" He forced further into snitch and into their minds and saw Helena's face.
"Oh." Zero said in a deadpan, "I know those looks… This just got very interesting."
Meanwhile, Harry through pain, pointed his wards at the snitches and shouted "Reducto!"
The snitches blew apart into ash and the painful connection vanished. Sebastian picked Harry up while Charlus moved forward.
"Harry he's too powerful, you need to retreat!" Helena implored through their gear, but Harry ignored her. This was long past business. This was now personal. The three came up to the front lawn to see Zero waiting for them. He greeted them with a bow and Sebastian retaliated with a killing curse. Meanwhile, Charlus transfigured the nearby fountains into fiery knights that charged at Zero.
He was good. Harry had to admit. Not only was he dueling with the three of them blow for blow, but he also managed to reinstate the ward around them. His communication with Helena and Dorea went silent. Harry pulled at his bracelet, went invisible, and observed from a vantage point. He needed a way out of here quick before the victor of the fight inside returned to join the fray outside. He turned to observe westwards and spotted Mariam's dead body lying a few feet away from him.
Damn it! Harry raged.
However, before Harry could act, the wards around them went away in a blink. He could hear Helena's frantic calls to raise him.
"Helena was that you?" Harry asked quietly. However, the fighting inside the palace too had gone silent. Zero and his team too stopped dueling and broke off. A terrible feeling of unease had settled over the entire battlefield. Something had gone wrong here. Very wrong. Very unnatural.
He saw Zero's last remaining soldiers rally around him just as Charlus and Sebastian did with him. Soon the palace's front door crashed open and a Black Hand agent was tossed through them. A clicking of high heels on marble floors followed before revealing an elegantly dressed woman in a boater hat.
"My my, aren't you all just some very rude guests." She said surveying the battlefield before her eyes settled on Zero. "My zero, it's been too long young man! How have you been?!"
"Kendra." Zero growled and Kendra's smile grew wider, revealing rows of sharp teeth. "Kill her. Whoever kills her and brings me her head will be rewarded with whatever he wants from the Grandmaster."
Holy Merlin! Dumbledore's vampire mother was here! This was bad! Harry panicked.
"I won't do that, my dear. My son absolutely hates people who try and hurt his mama." She said. Soon another pair of footsteps and out entered a face that made Harry nearly flatline. Parts of his face were rotted away, displaying the grisly skull below. One of the eyes had been replaced by a stone. There were sewing marks all over his skin. The man had a very blank look on his face as if he was not mentally present here. However, despite his disfigurements, he would recognize that face anywhere.
It was Albus Dumbledore.
Or a version of him raised again through perverted necromancy. Regardless, the situation had turned from bad to worse. Kendra's gaze then turned to them.
"Oh, and you must be British lads raising so much havoc throughout the land. Trying to force me and Gellert apart. Well good for you then. You have won." She said. "When I'm done here. I will be sure to add Gellert to my location. And then I will come for your miserable little island."
She snapped her fingers and vanished. Albus turned to stare at them all. Harry knew the man was assessing the threat before he unleashed a torrent of arcane might at them.
"Chimera, we need to get the fuck out of here!" Charlus shouted, "Zero was bad enough but with Dumbledore here we are sure as dead."
Zero glanced at him as Harry glanced back. A mutual understanding passed between the two. A year ago, he would have laughed if anyone recommended allying with Grindelwald. But right now, that was the only way to survive. Another set of wards engulfed the place, cutting off their traveling means.
Zero snarled as he flanked with his team from the right while the Piranhas did from the left. A stream of 6-7 lights of vivid colors raced towards Albus but he merely raised his wand and the spells stopped in midair. With a flick of a wand, waves of violent winds tossed them away. He turned to the Black Hand and transfigured the entire marble walkway into large trolls that rushed them. The Black retaliated by firing Fiendfyre in unison, but Dumbledore raised his wand and a shield saved him as the fire raged around him. The piranhas tried to flee on foot while Dumbledore was preoccupied but their path was blocked by utter abominations.
A large monster arose from the ground with no face or body of its own. Instead, it was a combination of multiple limbs of Giovanni family's victims. They fired multiple spells at it which all bounced off harmlessly. The heat from the fiendfyre vanished and Harry knew Dumbledore was done with the Black Hand. Harry briefly glanced back to see Zero helplessly floating in front of Dumbledore. With a swift downward gesture from the headmaster's wand, Zero was torn apart limb from limb and a fountain of blood and guts, decorated the palace gardens.
To his credit and Harry's amazement, Charlus and Sebastian had managed to defeat the abomination. Charlus with his transfiguration constructs had managed to hold down the abomination while Sebastian successfully constructed a series of long counter curses to dispel the magic holding it together. Unfortunately, the wards still hung over them. As Dumbledore killed the last of the Black Hand, a plan came to Harry.
He turned to the duo, "You two. Listen to me carefully, now. These are my orders and I want you to follow them till the end."
Sebastian and Charlus exchanged a look and Harry continued, "Charlus, I know you have the Potter family cloak on you at all times. I was hoping we could hide its presence, in case they develop counterspells until the time came to assassinate Grindelwald. However, beggars can't be choosers. I will distract him with every fiber of my being while you two race as far away from here to the riverside. Get as close as possible to the wards. Not even Albus can see through the cloak."
"How do you know? That's Albus fucking Dumbledore. No bleeding cloak will distract him." Sebastian angrily said but Charlus was pensive. Harry chuckled at that.
"It's no ordinary cloak, Sebastian. But now is not the time for that. Go now. Run!" Harry ordered.
"We are not leaving you, Harry," Charlus said.
"Now is not the time, Charlus. You must be out there. Leading the fight against him and the Technocracy whenever they came out from the shadows." Harry snapped. "You are Lord Potter now; you have a duty to Britain."
"You know more than me. You lead us all here. Nearly brought down Grindelwald's army. You are far more useful. Take my cloak. I will distract him" Charlus declared but Harry shook no.
"Look, you dumb morons." Behind them, the dying screams of the last agent went off. "I am a nobody who wasn't even meant to be here. You dying, fucks the timeline up. I am a worthless nobody whose magical cores don't even work." Harry said.
"What timeline?! What the hell?" Sebastian yelled but Harry ignored him.
"Besides do you want to leave Dorea alone in a world where these things walk?" Harry said pointing behind him where Dumbledore slowly turned in their direction. "Do you want your future child to grow up in this world? Do you want her alone at the wedding altar?"
That argument gave Charlus pause.
"You know?" Charlus asked.
"Of course, I know. We are brothers, no?" Harry said. He felt a bit guilty playing that card but squashed his guilt.
"I would have loved to have you as my best man." He said quietly and Harry nodded. "We will remember you, Harry," Charlus said quietly as he pulled the cloak around them.
"Fight well, Harry," Sebastian said, now crying angry tears.
"Die well," Charlus said and they were off into the night.
Dumbledore's eyes tracked them, and he raised his wand in the air. For whatever it's worth, zombie Dumbledore didn't have half the physical agility his alive counterpart did. Before he could do anything, Harry struck Dumbledore's mind with everything he had. He felt his teeth push into each other and start cracking under the strain. Dumbledore's mind was like a fortress made out of adamantium. Harry's brutal blows were like sledgehammers against a main battle tank.
Still, that brief distraction was all he needed. He pointed the wand to his heart and whispered in parseltongue, "Activate."
He felt his heartbeat faster and faster. It felt like it would soon escape his chest. He had learned about this during his self-study at the Bureau. The human mind places limitations on one's use of their physical strength. The belief was that the full use of one's strength would cause irreparable physical damage. In a sense, it was your subconscious protecting you from the wanderings of your physical mind.
It was theorized that this phenomenon also extended to magical might. It was no longer a theory in Harry's mind. Most people who did this would permanently damage their magical cores, but he didn't care. His core was toast, and he was soon about to die. Might as well put on a show for all the undead specters. He felt his mind slipping away as his body pulled in more and more magic. The device in his heart completely removed all inhibitions and Harry even felt his metamorph abilities go into overdrive. He took several forms in a span of seconds. For one moment he looked like Hermione in another he was Fred Weasley. Soon he looked like Snape before transforming into Sirius.
His grip on Dumbledore's mind vanished but it was of no concern. Stone and marble tore away from the ground and levitated around them. Trees were ripped from their roots and twirled about in a frenzy. Whatever remained of Zombie Dumbledore's rational mind stared at the bizarre display in silent observation. Harry bled as he felt his eyes melt away and he became blind. Harry laughed in reckless abandonment. Soon his mission would be over. This singular responsibility, this continuous war, the bloodshed, and the cloak and dagger – all of it won't matter in a few seconds.
He heard Hermione and Ron's laughter as they all tried to get on the Firebolt and race around the ground after exams. He remembered the sheer amazement at visiting Diagon Alley for the first time with Hagrid. He remembered his mum and dad in the mirror.
Meanwhile, Harry glowed bright blue and massive waves of magical arcs collided against each other and gave off thundering noises. Dumbledore finally remembered his programming and tried to tame him, but it was too late. He felt a dagger slip between his ribs, but it didn't matter.
A massive explosion rocked the place and Harry with his last remaining sentient will, forced the force into a shaped charge toward zombie Dumbledore. The remains of the palace were instantly obliterated, and Dumbledore huddled down before disappearing inside the massive heat and blast. The wards around them malfunctioned in response to the sheer magical energy released.
Charlus and Sebastian raced away from the ground. Charlus turned back one last time to see a massive explosion obliterate the palace. Sebastian grabbed him by the collar and activated the emergency portkey. They vanished instantly before any ill effects got to them.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Americas
Grindelwald stood at the entrance of the ancient tomb, deep within the uncharted jungles of South America. Shadows danced around him, cast by the eerie glow of his elder wand. The humid air buzzed with the presence of a million threats: wraiths glided silently, traps lay in wait, inferii lurked in the shadows, and curses were woven into the very walls of the tomb. But Grindelwald moved with unerring confidence, his wand humming with power as he struck down every obstacle that dared to challenge him.
Even without the elder wand, Grindelwald would have prevailed through sheer skill and might. But with the wand, he was nigh unstoppable. The locals had clearly underestimated the potential of future dark lords when trying to safeguard his inheritance. Their ancient magic and fierce guardianship were formidable, but they were no match for Grindelwald's raw power and dark ingenuity.
He strode through the tomb's narrow passages, leaving a trail of vanquished foes and disarmed traps in his wake. The ancient stones seemed to whisper of his approach, acknowledging the presence of a true master of magic.
Central Chamber
He entered the grand chamber, its oppressive silence broken only by the shallow breaths of a massive Chimera lying bleeding a few meters away. The creature had made the fatal mistake of challenging Grindelwald, only to be swiftly cut down by the elder wand. Its once-majestic form now lay in a pitiful heap, its skin separate from the flesh. Grindelwald had ensured its last moments would be painful, spent recognizing the fatal flow of its condition.
With a flick of his wand, the heavy stone casket was torn apart, ancient debris scattering across the chamber floor. Grindelwald's eyes locked onto the prize; a stone clutched in the skeletal grasp of the head priest. He wrenched it free, the cold surface of the stone sending a thrill through his body.
"This is it," Grindelwald murmured to himself, his voice echoing through the tomb. A lifetime of toil and suffering was vindicated in this single moment. The elder wand in his hand seemed to hum louder, resonating with the stone he now held. The long-lost siblings recognized each other, their combined power sending a surge of magic through the chamber.
Grindelwald felt the raw energy course through him, a connection forged between the elder wand and the Resurrection Stone.
He had done it. Against all odds and through countless trials, he had claimed the two most powerful objects in the wizarding world. And with them, his vision of a new order, a world reshaped by his will, was within his grasp.
He vanished immediately from the tomb; the anti-apparition wards were helpless to stop him.
He reappeared in Berlin and examined the stone. He would admit that the Allies had taken him by surprise. He wasn't directly leading the war preferring his underlings to handle it while he pursued the stone all over the world. After all, he had done, and won the brunt of the fighting. They should be able to do it. But alas that was not to be.
His intelligence agencies fought with each other. His army generals thought themselves too good for their jobs. His Blackhand had grown fat and lazy, losing operatives by the dozen all over the world. Worse all, the thieving, snickering, and backstabbing Giovanni had tried to coup him. Or so the rumors from Eric confirmed. The darker whispers said that Kendra had somehow brought back Dumbledore as a thrall.
His own people rebelled against him as they thought him weak and ill-suited to his station as Emperor of All Magi while he worked to find the stone. Grindelwald walked forward and with a wave of his wand, the room became alit. Waves of waves of sarcophagi from an ancient bygone age littered the room. They were the 10,000 black sentinels who were sealed by the so-called God Mage Hermes Trismegistus who before was known as Thoth. A name that would evoke reverence even from the likes of Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, and Merlin.
Gellert sneered at that. By the time he was all done and through, his legend would far eclipse any that came before or will come after.
The undead army was crafted to battle alongside powerful unknown creatures who were revered as Gods in an age before Hyperborea, when the seas of the Earth had yet to swallow Atlantis whole and reset human civilization. The being known as Apep used them in his war against Horus and Osiris.
The army required neither sleep nor food. It marched for as long as it was told to do so. It felt neither pain nor sorrow. Whoever died, was easily resurrected by the power of the stone. With three rotations within his palm, Grindelwald felt a signal go out. The sound of cracking and escaping air filled the air as after nigh an Eon, the army of the dead awakened to unlife and wreak havoc upon the Earth.
Grindelwald chuckled in a fit of madness. Soon the entire Earth would acknowledge him as its master.
1 day after the explosion
Bureau of Arcane Intelligence | Eldermoor
Some smiled. Some reminisced. Many cried. Such was the occasion. Despite his short tenure and young age, Chimera was a legend amongst those of the bureau. His actions during Operation Unthinkable had made all but made him amongst one of magical Britain's greatest legends.
He was the one who struck the first blow to Grindelwald and such a mighty one it had been that the Dark Lord hadn't been spotted by any, even his own Black Hand for well over 24 hours. No doubt he was weeping in shame. Even the empty grave, built to give closure to the bureau, was marked with the epitaph, "To Those Who Struck the First Blow".
His name was in the hall of heroes, marked upon the martyr's wall in blazing blue ink. It was right alongside the first martyrs: Henri Potter, Edward Greengrass, and Sirius Black II.
The Piranhas sat in the locker room where Harry had first organized most of them. What should have been a booze-filled party with hollering, hooting, and firecrackers was now a somber affair. The glue that bound that together. That brought them all together. That guide to the light was now gone.
To Charlus and Dorea, it felt like a room full of strangers. And it could be agreed that it was. Elizabeth and Bridget were only there because Harry brought them on board. Sebastian was Harry's pick and mostly hung out with Helena. Dorea and Helena were close, due to Harry, but Helena rarely spoke with Charlus.
The firewhisky bottle poured another round into their shot cups and they raised it and toasted, "To Harry!"
"The midget who fucked up Grindelwald in 100 ways till Sunday." Sebastian slurred as he downed his glass in one go.
"Hear hear." Elizabeth and Bridget chanted.
"To a friend who gave everyone a chance and was a bright light in all our eyes." Dorea raised her glass, "I only wish I had told you once how much I appreciated you and how brave you were. How brave you made us all feel…." She sobbed unable to speak further and then downed her glass. Charlus hugged her from the side as she cried.
"To Harry," Helena said, "He saw how shit our world was and how shittily it treated him and still wanted to change it for the better."
"To Harry. He was a brother to me. He saved my father's life and mine before. And now he saved us again at the cost of his life."
They drank deeply and mulled about. Helena hiccupped as she hugged Sebastian.
A knock at their door interrupted their drinking and they glared at Nicolas as he entered the room and surveyed the scene.
"I understand your grief, but this is not the first time the bureau has lost an agent. It will not be the last. I suggest you get used to that instead of drinking yourself into a stupid stupor." Nicolas said.
"or maybe if someone gave us the right fucking intel of what we were about to get into. He wouldn't be dead!" Charlus roared at him and threw his glass. It broke harmlessly against Nicolas's shields.
"Young man, considering your inebriated state, I will let this slide. But if you must know, Harry above all knew what was at stake. He knew how important capturing Zero would be and what it would mean for our war effort." Nicolas said, "I suggest you honor his memory by being above petty differences and feuds and strike back harder."
"Why are you here, Director?" Dorea asked calmly as she held an outraged Charlus down by a spell.
Nicolas didn't reply but pulled out a series of boxes and handed it to everyone in the room.
"The remains of Harry. As per his instructions should he be killed in action, they should be distributed to a select few people." Nicolas said. "These people include you."
"Why are they opened already?" Helena asked.
"Standard department policy to ensure it isn't something that damages operational security," Nicolas said and the temperature in the room dropped further.
"You mother-" Sebastian said but Dorea stood up and shook the man's hand.
"Thank you, Director Owl. Please allow me to escort you outside." She said and looped her arm around the man's own. Nicolas sent one final glare towards the team before walking away.
"Gladly Miss Black," Nicolas said.
Charlus snorted in disdain as they exited the room. He opened his box and saw a letter inside. He looked at it, it was pretty standard stuff written by him to be brave and focus on the future instead of the past. His thumb brushed near one of the words and a shock ran through him. He gasped as the words recognized the magical signature and the contents of the letter rearranged themselves. He read it briefly before tucking it away in his shirt. It was too dangerous to read these things out in the open.
Dorea entered the room and asked, "Are you ok Charlus? It looks like you saw a ghost."
Charlus gave her a thumbs up in response and Dorea narrowed her eyes but didn't question further. The group sat in silence as they fiddled around with their "inheritance."
"D-d-did anyone." Helena slurred, "Did anyone tell Morrigan?"
A few thousand kilometers away, Morrigan sat atop the great pyramid of Giza watching the sunset in a blaze of glorious orange and yellow splendor. A letter had arrived on an urgent basis briefly describing Harry's new status. As a close associate, the army had deemed it wise to inform her.
Name: Harry Petrov. Designation: Theory Analyst. Status: Killed in Action
She wanted to curse the sender's skin off for writing such a weird designation. Who gets killed being a theory analyst. Especially in action? Sensing an impending mood storm, Cassie had wisely led her entourage away from her. People who annoyed her in such conditions tended to be in pain. A lot of it.
A few angry tears threatened to escape the corner of her eyes but Morrigan pushed them away. She wouldn't cry. Not anymore. Not ever again. She had sworn to herself to never cry again after her disastrous first year at Hogwarts. She hadn't made friends, didn't settle into the culture, and was routinely ostracized for being poor. That was she had stumbled upon the chamber of secrets.
No, she won't cry. Crying was for the likes of Charlus, Dorea, and Helena. No doubt those fools were doing the lion's share of crying. Morrigan cursed all 3 of them for getting her beloved killed. Especially Charlus. No doubt he was instrumental in cutting her off from Harry. Had she been with him, he most likely would have been alive.
From now on, Charlus was a dead man walking.
A compulsion from the letter suddenly drew her attention and she saw it was from Harry to her. She smiled bitterly at that. A bit too late for such things. She felt a glamor on the paper and immediately removed it. She read the letter and paused. This was certainly beyond what she predicted. Beyond her wildest delusions. She reread the letter again to ensure she got it right the first time.
It was surely addressed to her. It was titled,
"The Last Will and Testament of Harry James Potter."
The Giovanni Family Castle
Unknown Location
Kendra's thralls grunted as they dragged the body with them through the crypt. Kendra was in another dimension right now with the food comma she had endured from her feeding frenzy. She was covered in blood, her robes utterly ruined. She glanced down at her prize as it was lowered into a large casket.
She grinned at the mutilated pile of flesh and bones below her. The eyes were missing and ear drums popped. The entire core was obliterated. But he was alive. Oh yes, he was still alive. Like a lover, she caressed his cheek as the body moaned in pain.
"Oh, you've been oh so naughty, . I had to spend two weeks fixing my son after what you did. No matter, I recognize you now. You stole from me, no? Don't worry munchkin, you will still serve me. You will make up for all that you did to me, no?" Kendra said in a babyish voice.
"My blood on a dagger kept you alive, didn't it? Fascinating thing vampire blood. Can handle even the gravest of injuries. But enough of that." Kendra said. Even though the body no longer had ears to listen to. She knew he somehow understood what she said.
She took a clan dagger and sliced her wrists. The retainers held his body down and opened his mouth. She lowered her hands and the blood flowed down his throat. Even though the body had lost its brain matter, it knew enough of what Kendra was doing. It howled in pain and thrashed against its captives, but it was no use. A few more streams flowed from her wrists to his throat before she relented. The body moaned in pain and cried without tears.
There was no salvation.
"Sweet dreams, my little prince," Kendra said as the two retainers placed a massive granite slab over the casket.
Void?
In a sleep that felt like a lifetime, Harry's eyes shot open. He gasped as he satup immediately and frantically searched around. He was in his regular form now. Messy black hair and vivid green eyes. He glanced about and cursed as he saw smoky white as far as his eyes could see.
He really really really hated this place.
The last thing he remembered was dying and something of a casket. This was something certainly not new but very unwelcome. He never knew how long he would be here before being tossed into another hell hole, not of his choosing.
"Relax Potter. We have all the time in the world." A voice said from behind and Harry leaped around to see glowing red eyes glaring at him from across a small dinner table. The man's skin was deathly pale and scale. He was completely hairless. Even on his eyebrows he had nothing. Harry knew this man from back in the day.
"Lord Voldemort." Harry cursed with as much venom as he could muster.
"Astute observation, Potter." The man replied.
"What are you doing here?!" Harry yelled.
"Being stuck in the limbo, same as you." Voldemort said.
"What do you want?! Wasn't one of you enough?" Harry said.
"Calm Potter. Conserve your energy. You will need it for what's to come." Voldemort said.
"And what is coming?" Harry said.
"Your future. Our future." Voldemort said.
"Can't wait to find your hand in it." Harry sarcastically said.
"Oh, I have no intention of hiding my hand. Believe it or not, Potter, I am your only chance at salvation here." Voldemort said and Harry stared at him dumbfoundedly.
He gestured to the chair opposite him, "So it would behoove you to sit and listen to my proposal."
Author Notes: So that was a thing. I imagine many of you would be shocked and appalled. I look forward to seeing your reviews. I imagine they will be interesting, to say the least.