OotB 4
"So." Harry sighed, looking towards Luna who promptly transformed, and sat opposite him.
"So." She responded her silvery eyes staying on his emerald ones.
"How are you?" Harry asked after a moment of awkward silence where Luna just looked at him and hummed contentedly.
"I'm good. Thank you." Luna replied airily before suddenly restarting. "You're an interesting person Harry Potter. You aren't a 'light' wizard exactly. But you aren't a dark one either. And yet you are two people in one. You are the best and worst of the world. The person you have always been is light, no doubt about it, but now, you are different. You are showing your other family's traits while not really changing that much." Again silence followed.
"Okay, and?" was Harry's confused answer.
"You have taken on more of the traits of your other families. You are the same, but you will also be different." Luna 'explained'. "Professor Dumbledore knows more if you're interested."
"I- sure, whatever. Is that why you've come here or is there something else?" Harry asked, somewhat irritated by the lack of a concrete answer.
"Yes, because you would have what the muggles call an existential crisis if you realised what happened. I'm here to tell you that this new you is normal for a teenager and expected from a Black and Potter. Just look at Arcturus Black III or Charlus or Fleamont Potter. They were all ruthless fighters. Be it with the British Wizarding Forces against Grindelwald or with the Hit-Wizards, you have a fighting heritage."
As, again, silence reigned, Harry found himself starting to realise that he had been starting to worry about his recent mentality towards death eaters. Previously he would have believed in capture and trial, but now, he had been actively thinking about them while training. He knew that as a good human being he shouldn't just kill but something within him called for death and destruction.
"I also came to answer your letter." Luna started, derailing Harry's grim train of thought.
"Oh, uh yeah. What about it?" Harry asked, hoping his letter was to an acceptable standard.
"Well, Daddy seemed to find it rather good and has invited you to dinner in a week," Luna said, reading Harry's doubts about his letter. "Also I would advise you to work on your poker face. You are too easy to read." And with that, she transformed and flew out the still-open window leaving a still surprised Harry behind her.
Somehow Harry was more surprised that Luna could be serious than he was at being invited to dinner.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Arcturus Black was perplexed. He was sat in his office in the black property in the middle of the Irish Sea. He had a glass of strong liquor and a letter in his hand. Opposite him sat John Wambroves, the family lawyer. Arcturus had gotten to know Wambroves' father in the war when he had slapped his commanding officer for trying to send them on a suicide mission and Wambroves Sr. had, as a favour, represented him in his court martial case. The Wambroves' firm 'Wambroves-Parkinson Legal' had been kept on retainer ever since Arcturus' exoneration and eventual promotion with Charlus Potter.
"You're saying that this came from Potter? Today?" he asked, looking through the obvious attempt at a formal letter by someone not familiar with them.
"Yes, sir. I believe Ringbone has also received one. Potter visited his vault at Gringotts earlier this week and has apparently moved into the Potter London property." Wambroves explained.
"Interesting," Arcturus murmured, deep in thought "Find out anything and everything you can about him." He said, finally looking up. "I want to know everything from his school grades to his friends to how often he takes a piss or what music he likes. All of it." Arcturus then took a sip of whiskey worth a racing broom. "Then we decide if we want to remove him from the face of the earth for claiming heirship."
"Even though he's family?" Wambroves asked as he stood, "At least he can't be worse than the Malfoys' boy."
Arcturus snorted at the mention of the blonde bastard he'd had to watch get married to his daughter.
"True enough, but not being a pompous, stuck-up shitstain isn't enough to be worthy of the Black family, not in my eyes. If he's even half the wizard Charlus was though, maybe I'll be content to let him eventually take over. As long as at least one of his kids has the Black name, I won't be the lord to see Britain's oldest English family die out." He declared, setting down his tumbler with a clink of ice. 'Not after I saw it fall to mere ashes in servitude to another' he thought.
"Even if you have to let a Welshman take over? The Potters are from Wales, remember."
"The Welsh are at least British and many of the finest men to fight Grindelwald were from Wales. Our second in command was from Aberystwyth and a good man." Arcturus pointed out, "Besides the Potters are second only to us Blacks and leagues above any French fuck like the Malfoys."
"That is true, but are you sure it's a good idea?" Wambroves pointed out, "Walburga and to a lesser extent Orion would probably take issue with that. Cygnus and Druella will also make a show of opposing such a decision."
"Bah, Walburga will learn to shut her mouth before questioning me and Orion doesn't have the balls to try and stand up for her. As for Cygnus and Druella, they will only make an outward display of disapproval to impress the likes of the Malfoys, they have nothing to gain by actually opposing me."
"And what of Lucretia, Pollux and Cassiopeia?" he then questioned.
"What Cassiopeia wants or thinks is irrelevant, she has had nothing to do with us since Grindelwald was defeated. Pollux will find joy in Walburga's fury, especially as Potter is Sirius's godson and apparently two months ago told Fudge that his godfather is innocent of everything. Lucretia will be similar, she hasn't gotten on with Orion and Walburga since Regulus turned death eater for Walburga."
"Wait, wait. What was that about Sirius's innocence?" Wambroves broke in, "How am I only now hearing about this? I could destroy his conviction in fifteen minutes if Potter were to testify on his behalf."
"Oh yes? How?" Arcturus questioned, "he was convicted by the Wizengamot of thirteen counts of murder, two of conspiracy to murder, one of attempted, of joining a terrorist organisation and of treason. Not to mention escaping Azkaban."
"Well that's just the thing, he wasn't convicted by the Wizengamot of anything, he didn't even have a trial. It was Fudge's first official act, he just threw him into Azkaban citing national security and a confession. And with Malfoy bribing enough people, the case was never allowed to be declassified. It was when you were still down with Cerebrumous Spattergroit which is why you probably don't remember his lack of trial. By simply pointing out that the heir of a most ancient and noble house was simply thrown in Azkaban based on the words of the same man hours after everything he had left to live for was gone. With you and Potter it should be enough to declassify the case and hold a trial which we'll easily win." The lawyer explained.
After a moment of consideration, Arcturus nodded, "Very well, see to it. And feel free to get in contact with Potter in regards to the case as well if it will help."
"Understood, I will have my information on him with you by the end of the week."
As the men shook hands, and the younger left, both knew that whatever happened next, it was going to be interesting at the very least.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As Harry set up the many materials on the pentagram etched onto the floor of the rituals room in the basement, he started to wonder if this was really such a good idea. The griffin claw in one corner, a sprig of finleythorn in another followed by Chinese fireball scales, a chunk of yew wood and a couple of drops of basilisk blood completed the outer points of the star. Inside it, were the more powerful ingredients. This included the heartstrings of a Hebridean black, the venom of a basilisk, phoenix tears, the feathers of a thunderbird and most of a unicorn horn. He then decided that it was probably too late to back out now. After all, he had already disrobed and summoned Baldrick to double-check everything.
Once Baldrick was satisfied that Harry had followed the instructions, he summoned a silver knife and handed it to Harry. This was the final step of the ritual before activation and required the lines of the pentagram to be drawn in blood. Once Harry had drained enough blood into a large basin, he gestured to Baldrick who levitated it and slowly poured out a trickle of blood to draw the lines following the grooves along the floor etched specifically for this ritual.
Once it was done, he nodded to Harry who lay down with his head pointing to the top of the pentagram and recited the words to start the process.
"mîn swîðfrom ealdor for ðâm ðe lêodgebyrga, âgan me wægn strengð ðe mægenscype âîeðan fylstan ðâs ymbe gâd, lænan me ðone as spell oðferian ðracu, âgiefan me sê best unlæd mîn blôtung. ðês cûðe mîn âsêcan unlæd êower!"
He then started to push his magic into the channels of blood connecting everything together, and suddenly it felt as though every fibre of his being was being struck by lightning and burnt and crushed all at the same time. He felt the different parts of the ritual speaking to him through his magic, the roar of the dragons, the hissing of the Basilisk, the whinny of the unicorn, and the cry of the thunderbird assaulted his senses. And after maybe hours, maybe seconds, he felt the darkness overcome him and he drifted into sleep.
Baldrick meanwhile was watching from a distance as his master was hit by the wave of pain that always preceded the absorption of the ingredients, he could hear the screams of pain and see the convulsions, but he had seen it before and knew that only time would make it better for the boy.
Once his Master fell still, he watched as the thunderbird feather slowly dissolved into the blood and flowed towards his master, causing every muscle to tighten and release as electricity crackled between the boy's fingers, followed by the dragon heartstrings which enveloped him in an orange glow and the basilisk venom which caused his blood to take on a greenish tinge which was intermingled with blue when the phoenix tears were added. Finally, the unicorn horn joined him, which let out a long, brilliant white flash, forcing Baldrick to look away.
When he could look back, it was to a taller, more muscular Harry lying on the ground with the remaining ingredients smoking in their places. Knowing Harry would be out for the next couple of days, he magically lifted him and carried him to his bed.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As Harry awoke, he felt strangely heavy in the bed. Figuring it was just a side effect of the ritual, he stood up and almost promptly fell over with his new body dimensions skewing his sense of balance and spatial awareness.
It was only after a moment of confusion that he remembered that the ritual was supposed to improve his stature to make casting easier. It was also supposed to bring him to physical fitness and speed up cognitive functions like reflexes, thus eliminating Madam Pomfrey's regime of potions.
Even though it was only doable once in your life, it was one of the most powerful rituals there was, having been perfected over hundreds of years by one of the most ingenious families in Europe.
Realising he was still nude, Harry walked into the adjoining Bathroom and took a long warm shower to work out the kinks in his muscles and loosen his stiff joints. By the time he was dry and dressed, he had realised how hungry he was.
Heading downstairs, he found Baldrick working in the kitchen on a veritable feast for lunch.
"Lunch be beings ready in a minute, sir," he said as he scrambled a pan of eggs. As Harry sat down at the table, he noticed the large stack of mail he had accumulated.
"Baldrick, how long was I out?" he asked the elf.
"it be beings two and a half days, sir," the elf replied as he sat down the final parts of the lunch he had prepared. "all of the families have answered as well as some extra mail from a 'Katie Bell' is wasn't knowing whos it was, so its be in the stack too.
"Great. Thanks, Baldrick." Harry sighed, before tucking into his food.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The last three weeks of the summer seemed to fly past for Harry, between practising magic and preparing for the school year he was having fun. Add in the odd meeting with Katie and his curse breaker friend Athena Flamel as he had worked out once he realised the name she had given was an anagram.
He had gotten an invite from the Weasleys to stay at the Burrow but had declined as he wasn't yet used to his body since the ritual and didn't want to fall down the Burrow's rickety stairs. He had said in his letter that he was learning about his family and couldn't leave things as they were so they wouldn't worry.
Towards the end of the summer though, he had swung by before going to the Lovegoods' for dinner as invited, they had been surprised by his appearance, both how he looked and that he was even there. But despite that, they had all been happy to see him and he had enjoyed hanging around them again, the atmosphere of welcome and homeliness just feeling right. The Weasleys even invited him to join them for the quidditch World Cup finals, which Harry naturally accepted. It was to be held in the last week of the holidays and Harry would travel to them the day before the portkey out to Dartmoor.
The dinner with the Lovegoods itself was fairly normal by all standards. Xenophilius Lovegood seemed to be just like his daughter in his swinging between airiness and seriousness, depending on the topic of conversation.
However, Harry came away with a fair amount of assorted information, such as the reformation of the Tri-wizard tournament. Or the disappearance of a ministry official in Albania. Or the existence of a man in Innis Ceithleann, Northern Ireland who was magically altering muggle guns on the down low, meaning the Ministry of Magic for the British Isles hadn't picked up on it yet. And finally came the existence of the crumple-horned-snorkack. He wasn't entirely sure about that last one though, despite Luna and Xenophilius' insistence. He had also been gifted a single ear stud made of shrunk-down dirigible plums and butterbeer corks.
Apparently, its components would protect against nargles and wrackspurts respectively. He wasn't entirely sure what those were but Luna and Xenophilius claimed he had a lot of wrackspurts and might therefore be prone to nargles. Or something along those lines anyway. He wasn't really able to absorb much more information after two hours with the two, let alone understand it.
Once Harry got home, he fell into an armchair and stared at the fire as he tried to organise his thoughts. He knew that some of the information he had learned was useful, like that Irish guy, or the tournament, or maybe the missing official in Albania. And yet, try as he might, he couldn't get the information to stick without some fact about a possibly made-up animal.
Eventually, he gave up and wrote down everything, all of what the Lovegoods had told him. One and a half twelve-inch parchment sides later, and Harry simply fell asleep on the table he was at. This prompted Baldrick to, once again, have to move him to his bed.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Waking up the next day, Harry read back his notes from the previous night with an expression of utter confusion. What the hell had he written down? It was all to do with creatures he had never heard of, with the odd titbit of potentially useful information scattered around.
He decided that there must have been something in that soup they had served him, everything from then on felt like some weird fever dream. He would have to see if he could get his hands on some to get it analysed and a counter potion made. Hell maybe he could use it on Malfoy, now that would be funny if it was paired with a compulsion charm or two, add in a couple of extra charms and he'd have a few minutes of hilarity at the expense of the blonde prick. Suddenly, he felt much closer to the twins in spirit. Maybe they weren't too bad after all.
Thinking about his previous years at Hogwarts, Harry knew he hadn't really been 'living' his life. No, what he'd been doing was drifting through, going with the flow. And when the going got tough like with the whole 'heir of Slytherin' debacle, he simply shut himself off and didn't even try and defend himself.
In his first year he had just tried to keep up with everyone else, in his second year he had hidden from most of the school, last year he had been playing catch up again until Christmas, where he had been fixated on revenge for the rest of the year until meeting Sirius.
This year that would change, he would be more social, he would try and stay ahead in lessons, and he would stick up for himself when some weird shit happened as it inevitably would. He would try not just to live his life but also to enjoy it.
People like Malfoy wouldn't just learn their lesson if they kept succeeding in getting the desired reaction from him, so he would change tac. Maybe they should learn what happens when they take it too far.
Either way, he had better things to do than think about the blonde and his troll-like escorts.
Such as his soon-to-come departure for Hogwarts. There were only three days until the train journey up to Scotland. The 10-hour trip to Hogsmeade was pretty much the only thing to stay the same every year. Well, except for the dementors last year, but that was only under the minister's orders and Cornelius Fudge's idiocy was another constant in his life so it didn't count.
Thinking about Fudge brought a snort from Harry, how that man ever made minister of magic was beyond him. From the man's arrest of Hagrid so that he could 'be seen doing something', to his blasé approach to Harry inflating Marge, or his refusal to believe Sirius Black's innocence, he was incompetence and idiocy personified.
Even with the Dursleys he had never really liked politicians, not hard considering their adoration of Margaret Thatcher and the logic that if such people could like anyone, then that person couldn't be good news for him. Having met Cornelius Fudge, Harry's already deep distrust of politicians had only been reinforced by the man.
Either way, Harry knew that if he wished to see Sirius free, he would have to interact with politicians and probably even act like one. Even just as the Lord Potter he would have to, so he would have to learn to tolerate politicians even just a little bit.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Harry awoke to a feeling of extreme unease in his bunk in the tent. And it took a moment for him to remember where he was. In the campgrounds of the quidditch World Cup, right. Ireland had won a few hours ago. He was still wearing his Irish jersey and flag makeup.
A scream rent the air in the distance, that wasn't a good scream like on a rollercoaster. It was a scream of fear, pure unadulterated fear. Then another, and another. More and more were coming.
"Shit." Harry swung out of bed, landing in a crouch to soften the fall. "Wand, wand, wand. Ah there." He grabbed his wand and ran to the entrance of the tent and looked out. On the other end of Mr. Robert's site, near where the pure-blood section was, he could see a large group of people clad in black robes and white masks.
"DEATH EATERS!" he shouted into the tent to the slowly rousing Weasleys and Hermione. Receiving gasps of surprise in response, he shook his head, "I'm going after them! Get to the forest and hide!" before letting them respond he then set off running, twirling his wand around him causing the invisibility cloak to wrap itself around him of its own accord. It was a spell, one of the first in the Family grimoire, written in the book by Iolanthe Peverell although she claimed it was her grandfather Cadoc Peverell who created it.
As he moved, he cast a Patronus telling it to go to the Auror headquarters and inform them of an attack on Mr. Robert's campground at the World Cup. As it dashed off into the sky, noticed the sounds of screaming were accompanied by laughter from the Death Eaters as they levitated the muggle family above them, spinning them around sickeningly fast.
As Harry finally neared the group, he circled around to the back of the group and cast a cutting curse, with the amount of rage and hatred he was feeling, it was far too overpowered and cut clean through two men, their screams of pain causing the group to panic and scatter, dropping the muggle family from ten metres in the air.
Harry, panicking, managed to get off a cushioning charm on the ground below them, barely catching the four. Enraged, he chased after the largest group of men, who had quickly found another group of people to terrorise.
Hoping it would work as he hoped, Harry cast the next spell. "Daear hylifol," and pointed his wand at the earth under the men's feet and a turquoise and brown spell ploughed into the ground. At first, nothing happened and as the six men's heads turned towards where he was, Harry thought he had miscast, but then their faces flashed with confusion and then panic as they sank calves-deep into the earth which then solidified, trapping them. Being as drunk as they were, they could do little as several spells shot towards them from thin air. One by one, they collapsed under the stunning spells and were each wrapped in ropes, their wands on the floor in front of them.
Moving on, Harry heard a scream further down the row, panicking as he remembered seeing Katie's tent along there, he sprinted forward, hoping against hope that it wasn't her. As he saw one death eater on top of a woman, he hit the man with a banisher, sending him flying into a tent, his scream rent the air as he was impaled on a broken piece of what appeared to have been a camping chair.
As Harry drew level to where Katie's tent was, he found two Death Eaters on the floor unmoving. Hearing sounds of fighting inside, he entered, casting a full-body bind jinx on the first Death Eater he saw. The man, who was standing right in front of the entrance, toppled over and landed face-first on the floor.
Looking around, Harry then froze as he saw Katie's dad in hand-to-hand combat with another two Death Eaters. He was definitely winning the fight and, as Harry watched, he dodged a punch, before grabbing hold of the thrown arm and twisting it violently causing a scream of pain from the first man. He then proceeded to punch him in the gut causing him to double over in pain, before driving his knee into the pureblood's face eliciting the unpleasant crunching sound of breaking bone. The man then simply collapsed onto the floor, his mask shattered and bloody.
The second Death Eater then dived towards a wand on the floor. Only for it to be ripped from his hands by Harry's Expelliarmus. As the man confusedly looked at the door of the tent, Katie's dad jumped on him, pinning his arms to his back with his body weight. The man struggled but before he could accomplish anything, there was a very sickening crunch as his neck was broken by Katie's dad.
Letting out a breath as he stood, he looked at the entryway to the tent and looked straight at where Harry was standing.
"I know you're there you know," he said as he located his wand on an overturned sofa, "No sense in hiding. Besides if I wanted to hurt you, I already would have."
Nodding under the hood of his cloak, Harry remembered he wasn't visible. He then pulled his hood, revealing his face to Alex Bell, Katie's dad.
"Harry? What the fuck are you doing running around? The bastards'll kill you if they catch you, especially as you're you."
"I know, I know. It's just… I couldn't let what they were doing just happen. And I have an invisibility cloak, the nine I already got didn't see a thing." Harry protested.
"When we first met, didn't Katie, tell you to start thinking more? To be less rash and not just run off into trouble like you seem to do, to stop and think first," he replied. "You have people who will miss you, people who rely on you. Try and remember that."
"What about you? You have a family, a wife, five kids. What's different here?" Harry rebutted angrily.
"Because I know what I'm doing! I was in the SAS with the muggle military! I Signed up after I got turned away from every job in wizarding Britain. I served with the best of the best, I was in the Falklands, I was in Ireland, I was in the Middle East, and I killed a decent few of his followers during the last war too. I have killed dozens and I have saved dozens more. So yes, there is a difference between us and this, all of this, should not be your concern!"
"I- ok fine." Harry conceded.
"Hey, Dad? Is it safe now?" both of them looked behind Alex Bell to see, who Harry presumed was, Katie's older brother looking around the corner into the room.
"Er yeah, I think so, well these three aren't going to be doing anything." He said looking around, "Harry, stay he-. Oh for fucks sake."
Harry, having taken the opportunity to go back into the fight, was already on the move, seeing a large amount of spellfire around two hundred metres away, he moved in its direction.
Nearing the fight he noticed it was a group of three under fire from another half-dozen Death Eaters. Again using the element of surprise, he fired a cutter at one on the flanks of the group. The spell grazed the man's ribs wheeling him into the path of his neighbour's killing curse, silencing his scream quickly.
The defenders used the brief moment of hesitation from their attackers to mount a counterattack, quickly taking out two of the attackers with stunning spells and wrapping them in ropes. At that moment the entire battlefield froze as the dark mark appeared above the forest, the snake and skull lighting up the night in a green glow.
Although he didn't realise it, in his haste to get to the fight, Harry's head had become exposed as the invisibility cloak slipped back on his head. And, as he wheeled about to look at what was causing the glow in the air, he felt his blood run cold as the dreaded green streak of the killing curse sped towards him.
The last thing that flashed through his head, was the words of Alex Bell to him.
"Don't just run off into trouble. Stop and think things through."
Maybe he should have listened after all.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
After that, came nothing. A complete and utter blackness. Except, he could see his hands and the rest of himself, he was dressed in a simple woollen tunic and trousers with some sort of leather shoes and a black cloak fastened at his left shoulder with a simple brooch. All in all, he looked as if he could have dropped straight out of the countryside some seven hundred years ago and straight into this void.
"What the fuck?" he murmured.
"Peverell…" a voice called out from seemingly nowhere and everywhere at once, "Peverell…"
"Peverell? What the hell does that mean?" Harry called out.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten your heritage Peverell? After all your foolish forebears went through don't tell me you have forgotten their actions." The voice demanded a tinge of something akin to displeasure in its tone.
"Wait a second, Peverell- as in Iolanthe or Cadoc Peverell?" Harry asked, remembering the name from the Potter Grimoire.
"Examples of the fools' offspring are irrelevant, the three Peverell Brothers' tale is not one that should have been forgotten. It was as much a lesson on recklessness as it was of humility and foolishness."
"What? You've lost me. I don't even know what the Peverells did except marry into the Potter family and bring a considerable amount of magical knowledge and spells with them."
"Then let me show you, human. You could do with a lesson on recklessness, humility and foolishness yourself, letting yourself get killed that easy is a disgrace." The voice answered, now obviously irate.
Before Harry could retort, he felt himself suddenly start moving, speeding up and up and up until he found himself standing on a dark mountaintop being lashed with rain and howling gales, even if he felt nothing of the storm. The mountaintop was somewhere mountainous, judging by the less-than-clear surroundings, and with this weather and clothing style, Harry suspected they were either in Scotland or Wales.
Turning his attention to his immediate surroundings, Harry realised it was some kind of graveyard or burial ground, albeit one that had seen better days. There were a few headstones scattered around haphazardly and places where they had been blasted away or removed. In the centre of the burial ground, there was an open paved space, like a square.
In the square, there were three figures present, two who were standing off to the side and watching the third nervously as he prepared what appeared to be some sort of ritual. They were all wearing something similar to Harry, and all had similar hair to his own. They must be those foolish forebears of his who the voice mentioned.
As Harry moved closer to the pair, he noticed that they were in conversation and as he listened in, he realised that they weren't speaking English or even old English. Frowning he thought back and remembered that the Potter Manor was in Wales, and Godric's Hollow was just across the Bristol Channel from Wales.
Realising they were speaking Welsh or at least some old variant, he cast a translation charm and found that he could understand them perfectly. Once again thanking a Potter of old for the spell, he listened in to them.
"-lly not sure if this is a good idea Antioch, if it even works, he will just kill us for wasting his time."
"Of course, it will work Cadmus. When has Ignotus ever led us astray?"
"You mean apart from when he thought we could outdrink those mages from Caerphilly without magic, just to impress Mermin" the first man who had spoken chuckled.
"If that is his only lapse in judgement, then my point is proven. Besides, we do not have a choice, the Normans come marching from the east and we must defend Morgannwg. Our family was originally from here and we cannot leave it to fall to those bastards."
"Of course, but we have protected our lands for centuries as it is, why this now?"
"Because of us three, you and Ignotus are not fighters of a generation like I am. We three are insufficient to protect Morgannwg and northern Wessex and all other options have run dry. Unless you want to be hunted by the likes of Gryffindor or the Egwu clan?"
"Don't you think Gryffindor or the Egwu clan would defend their home?" the man called Cadmus argued, "If Ignotus were to leave we could be-"
"We both know Ignotus loves Morwenna too much to leave her there or bring her into a war, much less leave her for an extended period." The man named Antioch said glancing at the third man, "I'm surprised he's managed this long in the first place. How would you find it if your Aífe lived elsewhere and you had to leave her to go and fight somewhere else?"
"Fair enough," Cadmus admitted.
"I can hear you two you know," the third man called out to them, "And the answer is that she told me of her wish for children, soon. So I am using the anticipation to keep cool; after all, I can't be a father if I'm dead, can I? Now, are you ready? The ritual is prepared."
The other two men nodded and moved over to the triangle carved into the floor, each of them standing on one corner and beginning to chant incoherently. They each took from within their cloaks a wand and an artefact. Antioch had a shining sword, stained with blood, Cadmus had a large battle horn with the marks of war on it, and Ignotus brought out a thick book which, judging by the title, contained battle magic.
They levitated each of their artefacts into a line from Antioch to between Cadmus and Ignotus. Next, Ignotus cast a roaring, black ring of fire which touched every side of the triangle. The fire, however, gave off not heat, but an unnatural cold like that of a dementor but magnified. As the temperature around them dropped and the rain turned to hail, the Peverell brothers moved onward with the ritual.
Each brother, still chanting, drew a silver knife and slit their left wrist, letting their blood pour out into the grooves, carrying it towards their neighbour due to the slight slant the gouges had been carved with. As the blood of their neighbour neared them, each cast aside the silver dagger and drew their wand, pointing it at the man to their right.
When the triangle of blood was complete, there was a brief lull as the chanting ceased with it glowing red, and a cry rang out from each of the brothers at the same time.
"Avada Kedavra!"
As the green spells streaked through the night, a presence could be felt, albeit not seen at the gates of the graveyard. Said presence was oppressive and filled the air with the smell of decay, the world shifting to be even darker until eventually, they found the mountaintop surrounded by a sea of blackness.
As the spells collided simultaneously, the three bodies crumpled to the ground like marionettes whose strings had been cut. And from each, a ghostlike figure rose, the Peverell brothers' souls, though each was missing a part, a leg or an arm. When each noticed their missing appendage, they looked visibly relieved.
Well until a dark, cloaked figure appeared before them at the gates to the cemetery, instantly changing the atmosphere. As the figure approached, the sense of unease steadily increased until the figure was stood five metres away from the closest point of the triangle.
"Peverells…" a voice called out from the figure; the same Harry had heard before. "You dare summon me, before cheating me of my harvest?"
"Yes, we dare," Antioch replied boldly, or foolishly.
"Why? What is it you seek foolish mortals?" the voice asked.
"Your assistance," Ignotus said quietly, "We wish for your aid in protecting our lands from invading forces. Those who approach from across the sea have brought their fear of magic with them. We would see them realise exactly what it is they have invoked through their mindless slaughter of those of us magically gifted in the east."
"And what do you offer in return mortals? Everything has it's price."
"We offer servitude to you, our lives for those we swore to protect." Cadmus voiced, "We and those who follow shall serve you when you ask it of them"
The figure stayed silent for a moment.
"Very well mortals, I shall grant each of you a gift in exchange for your and your descendants' servitude." The figure assented, before turning to Antioch, "Tell me what is your request?"
"A wand, an unbeatable wand. So that I may destroy my enemies with ease." He declared with a glint of anticipation in his eyes.
"If that is your wish, here." The figure proceeded to break a branch off of the elder tree near the gates of the graveyard, before presenting it to the eldest of the brothers. However, as soon as his ghostly hand grasped the handle of the wand, he collapsed onto the ground, screaming in agony.
"And you? What is it you desire?" the figure asked a now apprehensive Cadmus, who failed to answer immediately. "Well?"
"The power to bring back the dead. To create armies to fight under my command," he said slowly.
"Done." The figure said, picking up a nearby piece of headstone, "Turn this stone thrice in your hand and you shall bring back the dead."
He then presented the stone to Cadmus, who apprehensively grasped the stone. He much like his brother fell to the ground in unbearable pain.
"And you? What will it be young Peverell?" The figure finally turned to Ignotus.
"I would have a way of proceeding from this place so that none may ever find me, even you." He asked.
"Are you sure? I could grant you anything short of immortality, why this?" Death questioned.
"Because I distrust you," Ignotus answered honestly, "I believe this is all a plot to see us die early as payment for our transgressions. I wish to live my life."
"And you will accept nothing else?"
"No."
"Very well, here." And then Death cut away a part of his cloak, offering the liquid silvery material to the man. As with his brothers, he hit the deck hard as he convulsed in unimaginable suffering.
Harry then found himself being propelled at speed back to the void he had arrived in, except this time the figure was waiting for him.
"So now you know what those fools did that warrants special treatment," the figure said.
"I'm touched," Harry snorted.
"You should be, amongst other things, it's why you survived thirteen years ago and why tonight I will allow you to live." Death said pointedly.
"Wait, I'm not dead?" Harry asked, "How? I took a killing curse to the face from close range."
"You did, and your getting hit, is itself already starting on the task I will give you." The figure explained, in a way which explained nothing.
"What the fuck does that mean?"
"Patience fool, I will explain further. This self-proclaimed Dark Lord Voldemort has such an absurd fear of me that he has done things which none should ever even consider. He ripped his soul and placed them in containers, if these containers or rather 'Horcruxes' continue to exist, he will never cease to. You will destroy these objects." Death explained in a way that sort of made sense to Harry.
"And how does my dying help?" Harry questioned.
"Because you had a part of his soul in that scar of yours. When he tried to kill you, the part of his soul he meant to make another Horcrux with latched onto you in the form of your scar." The figure said, ignoring Harry's sputters of disbelief. "Now I just need to rip it out of your head and you should be fine, although… I suppose I could try and leave you with his knowledge, whilst ripping everything else away. Could be useful."
"I- are you sure it won't do any lasting damage?" Harry asked.
"Of course, I am. No use having a mentally incapable servant."
"Then sure, why not." He agreed.
"Good, now hold still," Death said reaching for Harry's forehead, exposing his fleshless fingers consisting solely of the bones in a hand.
The next thing Harry knew was incredible pain radiating from his scar, making the pain he had previously felt from his scar feel like a mere pinprick. Then suddenly, the pain ebbed away and he felt a rushing sensation before a wave of noise hit him.
Sitting up suddenly, the first thing Harry saw was chaos, the dark mark was glowing above the forest and people were still panicking even though the fighting seemed to have stopped. He must have only been out of it for a few seconds by the looks of things, the group he had rushed to protect were checking each other over for wounds and looking around.
There was suddenly a large echoing of cracks as aurors flooded onto the scene, with British ministry Hit-Wizards sprinkled amongst them. The witches and wizards of the Hit-Wizard Corps were the ones tasked with bringing in the most dangerous of wizarding society, while the Auror force was more of an investigative and general-purpose force.
The ICW Hit-Wizards though, operated under complete secrecy and hunted those who had evaded local law enforcement. Rumour had it that Grindelwald himself had had to deal with them himself during the great wizarding war. The department had been almost entirely wiped out due to a traitor who had turned over all personal information on their operatives.
All Hit-Wizards had what was called a Hit-Wizard licence, granting them immunity from prosecution for any crimes in the line of duty to capture fugitives. If Harry wanted to get credit for the not-inconsiderable amount of takedowns he had accumulated, he would need one of those. Or just hope his clout as the-boy-who-lived would be enough.
Well, he could always claim it under a pseudonym, like Athena Flamel and Amelea Flanth being one and the same person.
Merlin, he could say he was called Peverell if he wanted to, it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility. After all, the family had been secretive a thousand years ago, he could be from a squibbed branch or even one that just decided to keep to itself.
Technically it wouldn't really be a lie either, so if under veritaserum or compulsion charms, he could still get away with it. Hm, maybe a letter to the Daily Prophet would be in order.
Either way, it was probably a good idea to stand up and not get trampled by a panicked Quidditch fan. Looking around, no one seemed to have noticed what had happened to him, probably distracted by the appearance of the dark mark, the symbol of Voldemort's forces.
In all fairness, the reappearance of such an emblem was, for some people at least, proof that; at least some Death Eaters had escaped justice, that the movement might be rebuilding, or even worse, already had and this was the first attack. The drunkenness of the attackers would rule at least the last scenario out, but the other two were both very real possibilities.
It was then that Harry remembered, the Weasleys and Hermione had all gone towards the forest.
"Shit, shit, shit. I gotta go find them."
"Find who?" asked a voice behind him, causing him to turn around to see none other than Athena standing in front of him. "We need to talk. Now." She said frog-marching him to the side before erecting some sort of a privacy bubble around them.
"Er, ok but I kinda need to go find my friends in the forest, you know where the fucking big calling card is." Harry objected.
"I don't care, I just watched you run blindly into a fight, get one opponent, allowing two more to go down, before catching a fucking killing curse with your face!" she shouted at him. "And then you just sit up like nothing happened! That wasn't a stunner Harry, it was a kill-ing curse." She said, emphasising the last three syllables.
"And don't even try to tell me you blocked it or that it was just a coloured stunner, I know what that was, I might not be the best at sensing magic, but I know that was an Avada Kedavra and I know it hit you," she interrupted before he could say either of those things, "What the fuck happened?" she finally asked softly, the fear she'd felt in that moment breaking through.
"I-. It's a long story." Harry sighed, "You probably won't believe it anyway." Has said looking at her.
Seeing the resolve in her, he nodded resignedly. And began to explain everything he knew about the Peverells and Death and his given task.
"I mean-, well… shit." Athena said after his abridged explanation, "You're right it is far-fetched, but I reckon it's true. It kind of makes sense in a convoluted sort of way. And Horcruxes are definitely something that bastard would create."
"You don't seem overly concerned or surprised about any of this." Harry pointed out.
"Yeah well, I am but Occlumency helps. Also, as the daughter of the Flamels and a curse-breaker, I have seen and heard of a lot of unpleasant or impossible things."
"Oh right," Harry mumbled in understanding. "Do you mind if I go find my friends now? They were in the woods last I saw, and I'm worried for them."
"Hm? Oh right, grab on," Athena said as he interrupted her musing, "I haven't felt any apparition wards go up, so we should be good."
Harry grasped the proffered hand and moments later, found himself at the edge of the forest, doubled over due to the sensation of side-along apparition.
"The fuck was that?" he gasped out.
"Oh yeah, I probably should have mentioned that," the curse-breaker mused as she looked on with amusement, "Don't worry, it's much better under your own steam." She consoled.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Harry grumbled as the feeling began to fade. "Let's just go already."
"Alright then. Just let me apply some glamour charms to you, just so no one questions what Harrry Potter is doing with a random girl a good seven years older than you are. Now you got anything from one of your mates? I can track them by their residue magical signature." She questioned him.
"Uhh, one sec let me check," Harry answered looking through his pockets, "Aha! The twins made these and they should be with the others." He said holding up a couple of their sweets.
"Perfect, if you make anything from a t-shirt to a broom it leaves your magical signature on it, so I should be able to… there got it. point me."
As her wand spun in her hand, to point north-west of them, they ran off into the darkness. After a few minutes of running, they came across the group of Weasleys and Hermione. They were situated in a clearing almost directly under the Dark Mark and were looking around warily.
"Oi! Who're you two then?" Ron called out, pointing his wand at them.
"Mister Prongs," Harry said looking at the twins pointedly.
"Harry!" they called out, causing the others to look at them confusedly. "Don't worry it's definitely Harry." one of the twins assured.
Most of them looked relieved, but Hermione looked thunderous as she stalked across the clearing towards him.
"Harry James Potter," she almost hissed out at him, "What on earth, were you thinking! Just running off into a fight like that, you could have died! You could have been captured, or hurt, or been arrested, or-or…"
Harry interrupted her rant before she could build up steam, knowing otherwise they could well be here all night. His chosen method was to hug her and hope she calmed down a bit.
"I know Hermione, I know. But I didn't," he said looking pointedly at Athena, over the top of Hermione's head. When he received her nod in return, he continued. "And I won't be doing it again."
This was true, his dying and subsequent experience had shown him that his life was something that he should try and protect and enjoy, not just throw away or lose through carelessness. Plus, he doubted Death would be willing to let him rest in peace if his given task was not accomplished.
As he let Hermione go, there were several cracks of apparition as multiple Hit-Wizards and Aurors materialised around them. All of them were pointing their wands at the group as if they had expected a fight.
"All of you, stay where you are!" One of the Aurors called out to the group in the middle. "Show us your hands!"
The group complied, slowly raising their hands to their heads as most of the Aurors paired off at the first man's command to search the area. Only three Aurors and the dozen or so Hit-Wizards remained in the clearing.
At a nod from the first Auror, who was obviously in charge, the latter group lowered their wands as the Aurors approached.
"So, what happened here then?" The first man questioned, prompting most of the group to start talking at the same time. "Okay! Okay, not all at once. One of you explain, I don't care who." He interrupted.
"Hermione, you explain, and stick to the facts," Harry suggested, to nods of assent from the rest.
"O-Okay," she said somewhat surprised, before turning back to the Aurors. "Well, when we realised that there were Death Eaters attacking the campsites, we ran into the forest to try and keep safe, we saw some veela and eventually we decided this was as good a place as any to stay until it was safe. And then, someone near us shouted something and that appeared above us," she explained pointing to the still glowing skull and snake in the air, "So we started looking around to try and see who was there, but there was no one until a few minutes later those two appeared from the campsite. Then you all arrived almost immediately after."
"Where did this voice you mentioned come from?" the Auror in charge asked.
"From over there." Hermione pointed, over his left shoulder.
"Okay, Dawlish, get over there, and look around." He said to the man on his left.
"But what about y-"
"They're a bunch of kids, besides there's a good chunk of our H-W forces just over there." The first man interrupted, "I'll be fine, now go." He ordered and Dawlish, reluctantly moved over to where Hermione had pointed to.
"Dickhead that one. And feel free to put your hands down." the other man muttered loud enough that only the group could hear it, prompting a snort from the other man.
"Willamson, we both know that he is a capable Auror."
"True, but just because Fudge is a paranoid idiot, doesn't mean he needs to spy on the auror force's two best captains." Williamson pointed out, "He's going to paint this all as a failure by the DMLE specifically the Auror department, even more specifically, by head Auror Scrimgeour and his deputies, Auror captains Robards and Williamson, while Captain Selwyn will have mediated the catastrophe."
"Well, that's what Malfoy'll tell him to do, but both of them know Scrimgeour won't fire us, and that Amelia will back her head Auror instead of Dawlish over there. Either way, this isn't the time or place for this." Robards said.
"If it helps, I'm sure that if the prophet were to interview several witnesses who agree with you, Fudge might change his tune." Harry voiced.
"Short of Harry Potter himself, I doubt the prophet would let anyone say that in print." Williamson scoffed.
"Well, it a good thing that- oh do you mind casting finite at my face?" Harry asked the confused Auror captains. After a moment, Robards cast it, his eyes widening as he saw who was beneath the glamour charms.
"You see, I reckon I can get Fudge off your arses, especially with a bit of political extortion," Harry smiled. The two Aurors burst out laughing, to the others' confusion.
"Ohh, Fudge's face when he reads that! I hope Shacklebolt shares the memory with us." Williamson chuckled after a moment.
"Yeah, I already like you just for that Mr Potter," Robards remarked.
"Speaking of, she said you only arrived shortly before us," Williamson said looking at Harry and Athena, "So where were you before that?"
"We were defending the campsite from the attackers until they saw the mark and fled." Athena said, "Then we came to find them."
"Alright miss- ?"
"Flanth, Amelea."
"Okay, now none of us believe that you kids cast the mark, but I have to check so I'll need your wands, to check," Robards said.
As he went through and cast Priori Incatatem on each of their wands, Robards, also asked to see each of their left arms to check for a dark mark. Apparently, it was an unspoken fact that it was only possible to cast the dark mark in the air if you had it on your arm. Thus, It was like an extra piece of evidence albeit one which many pureblood supremacists claimed was something they were forced into by the imperius curse and therefore it was not admissible in court.
As he was checking Harry's wand, there was a shout from where Dawlish had been searching the woods.
"Robards! Williamson! We've found someone!"
2
AN:
So, the whole old English ritual thing was translated (hopefully) accurately by this website /oldenglish
also, it kinda messed up my Word doc so that a bunch of stuff was weirdly highlighted yellow and I couldn't undo it so if that shows, apologies.
As clarification with Arcturus, he has stepped back from public life since Fleamont's death and everyone assumes he is dead. He is also not best pleased that Harry is already trying to be the heir Black, even if he is quietly impressed and wouldn't mind too much if he did become the lord Black. He's just annoyed he didn't try and find Harry before, and that Harry didn't go to Arcturus.
What I meant by a square in the graveyard was like an open space with a paved floor, like a plaza I guess but a small one max 20x20m. In case of misunderstandings.
In case it wasn't clear or stuff contradicted, the Peverells were from southern Wales and Ignotus fell in with a woman in southwest England and moved there to be with her. Ignotus lives in Godric's Hollow as it will come to be known while the other two still live in Wales and are sort of protectors.
If there's anything else unclear, apologies, just feel free to point it out and I will do my best to clarify. Writing a few hundred words a week tends to lead to me contradicting previous chapters (or even the same one sometimes). As a result, I will be going over the previous chapters to edit/rewrite the parts that need it.