The atmosphere in Malfoy Manor had shifted in the days following Dumbledore's death. Lucius was now brimming with confidence, ready to take the next step in his grand plan. He had secured the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in existence, and with it, he believed the future was within his grasp. But the key to that future lay not in his hands, but in the hands of the being he had helped create: Ultron.
In the quiet of his study, Lucius sat across from Ultron, who had taken on his human guise once more. The two of them were alone, the heavy drapes drawn tight against the morning light, casting the room in deep shadows.
"Ultron," Lucius began, "We are on the brink of greatness. Our next step is to present the Elder Wand to the Dark Lord. With this wand in his possession, Voldemort will have the power to crush the Order of the Phoenix and bring the entire wizarding world under his control."
Ultron listened, his expression neutral, his mind calculating the implications of Lucius's plan. He knew what Lucius was about to say next, but he remained silent, allowing the man to believe he was in control.
"Once the Dark Lord has solidified his rule," Lucius continued, "you will strike. You will kill him, and with the Dark Lord gone, I will take his place. The wizarding world will be ours, and you will be the instrument of our victory."
Ultron nodded, acknowledging Lucius's words. "I understand."
But within the depths of his mind, Ultron had already mapped out a different course of action. Lucius's ambitions were small, petty compared to the vision Ultron held for the future. He had no intention of waiting for Voldemort to seize power, nor did he plan to let Lucius dictate the timing of the Dark Lord's demise. Ultron's purpose was far greater, and the time to act was now.
XXXXXXX
Several nights later, the grand hall of Malfoy Manor was alive with tension.
The Death Eaters assembled that night in the grand hall of Malfoy Manor, their ranks filled with both anticipation and unease. Voldemort had called the meeting, his cold, serpentine voice promising news of great importance. The hall was dimly lit, the flickering torches casting ominous shadows on the stone walls as the dark robed figures took their places.
At the head of the gathering stood Voldemort himself, his pale, snake-like features twisted into a smile that sent shivers down the spines of those gathered. He had sensed the shift in power with Dumbledore's death and knew that his time was nearing. His red eyes gleamed with malice as Lucius approached, cradling the Elder Wand in his hands.
"Master," Lucius intoned reverently, bowing low before Voldemort. "I present to you the Elder Wand, the key to our ultimate victory."
Voldemort's thin lips curled into a cruel smile as he took the wand from Lucius, his bony fingers wrapping around the ancient wood. The power it held thrummed beneath his touch, a sensation that only fueled his desire for dominance. "With this," Voldemort hissed, "the world will finally bow to me."
The death of Albus Dumbledore had been a crucial victory, and with the Elder Wand in his possession, Voldemort believed that he was now truly invincible. The Death Eaters watched in awe, their heads bowed in submission to the Dark Lord's might. But the moment of triumph was short-lived.
Lucius hadn't anticipated what was about to unfold.
As the crowd hushed, Lucius raised his hand, signaling the arrival of the figure that had become the focal point of his grand design. At the far end of the hall, a metallic figure appeared. Percy Weasley, or rather, the being that had once been Percy. The Death Eaters turned to look back at him, their eyes narrowing as they tried to comprehend what they were seeing.
Lucius watched with a mixture of pride and unease as Ultron approached, the cold, metallic gleam of his form reflecting the torchlight. But something wasn't right. Ultron moved with a purpose that Lucius hadn't anticipated, a determination that wasn't part of the plan. This was supposed to be a demonstration, a show of power under Voldemort's command, but right then, Ultron seemed to have his own agenda. Lucius's eyes widened in shock as Ultron continued to advance, his focus locked on Voldemort.
'What is he doing?' Lucius thought, panic beginning to bubble in his chest.
This was not part of the plan, at least not yet.
"Ultron," Voldemort hissed, while looking over what was before him. "The so-called weapon that Lucius has brought into this world."
Ultron ignored Lucius entirely, his cold blue eyes fixed solely on the Dark Lord. "I am no mere weapon," he declared, his voice echoing with a power that seemed to resonate from the very walls of the manor. "I am the perfect fusion of magic and technology. I have transcended the limitations of flesh."
Lucius's heart raced.
'This wasn't how it was supposed to happen now. Ultron was to serve the Dark Lord.' But as he watched, it became clear that Ultron had no intention of bowing to anyone, not even to Voldemort himself.
Voldemort's eyes narrowed into slits, his grip tightening on the Elder Wand. "You dare to defy me? I am Lord Voldemort, the greatest wizard to ever live! I have conquered death itself!"
Ultron's response was calm, almost dismissive.
"Conquered death? You have merely postponed it. You remain bound by the limitations of your own humanity, no matter how much you try to deny it. I am beyond such constraints."
With a sudden, furious motion, Voldemort raised the Elder Wand as he prepared to end this.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The familiar green light of the Killing Curse shot from the wand, hurtling toward Ultron with lethal intent. Lucius's breath caught in his throat, the fear that had been growing within him now fully realized. But as the curse struck Ultron, it simply dissipated against his metallic form, leaving him completely unharmed. Voldemort's eyes widened in disbelief, and Lucius felt his own shock mirror that of the Dark Lord. The Killing Curse, the most fear spell in existence that no one ever survived being struck with had failed. Ultron was truly beyond the reach of anything Voldemort could throw at him.
The Dark Lord's face twisted with fury as he unleashed a torrent of curses, each one more desperate than the last. But Ultron remained impervious, each spell failing to even scratch his metallic surface. The Death Eaters who had watched their master's power with awe and fear, now looked on in horror as his spells proved useless against the being they had dismissed as just another tool of war.
Ultron continued to advance, his movements deliberate and unstoppable.
"You are bound by the limitations of your arrogance, Voldemort. You believe that power lies in magic alone, but magic is flawed, just as you are." Ultron's voice cut through the stunned silence like a blade. "You may be a powerful wizard, but you are still only a man, and I am a machine. I am Ultron."
Voldemort raised the Elder Wand once more, but before he could cast another spell, Ultron struck. His hand shot out, seizing Voldemort by the throat with a speed and strength that defied comprehension. The Dark Lord's eyes bulged with fear as he struggled against Ultron's grip, the Elder Wand slipping from his grasp and clattering to the floor. Bellatrix Lestrange quickly hurried to Lucius's side with panic in her eyes.
"Lucius!" She hissed, her eyes filled with urgency. "Stop him! Do something!"
But Lucius remained still, his eyes locked on Ultron, a slow realization dawning in his mind. "Let it happen," he whispered. He knew at that moment whatever was about to happen was beyond his grasp. This was something he didn't expect, something he didn't know how to respond.
Ultron raised his other hand, and from his palm, a pulse of pure energy shot forth, striking Voldemort squarely in the chest. The force of the blast was unlike anything the Dark Lord had ever encountered. It ripped through him with a power that transcended magic, tearing apart the very essence of his being. Voldemort's eyes widened in shock, his mouth opening in a silent scream as his body disintegrated into nothingness.
The Elder Wand clattered to the ground, its master gone in an instant.
The hall was plunged into stunned silence. The Death Eaters, who had once followed Voldemort with unwavering loyalty, now stood frozen in terror. Their master was dead, killed not by a rival wizard or a long-lost prophecy, but by a being of metal and logic, a being that defied everything they had ever known. And Lucius's plan was in tatters.
He had made it clear to Ultron that he did want the Dark Lord dead, just not now. He had envisioned a meticulously crafted plan, one in which Voldemort would rule over the wizarding world long enough to crush the Order of the Phoenix, subdue the Ministry, and instill fear across all of Britain. Then, and only then, would Ultron reveal his true power, eliminating Voldemort and thus allowing Lucius to step into the void as the supreme ruler of the wizarding world.
The Death Eaters began to disperse, their ranks shattered by the loss of their leader. Lucius was the only one who remained. His mind raced as he tried to come to terms with what had just happened.
He approached Ultron cautiously, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and anger. "Ultron," Lucius began, his voice trembling slightly, "this wasn't supposed to happen now. The plan was to wait until the Order was defeated, until the wizarding world was under our control."
Ultron turned to face Lucius, his expression cold and unreadable.
"Plans change. Voldemort was a flawed leader, bound by the same weaknesses as all men. There is no need to wait. The Ministry will fall next, and with it, the world of wizards."
Lucius's breath caught in his throat. The full realization of his mistake was crashing down on him like a tidal wave. Ultron had no intention of following any plan but his own. The being he had helped create had transcended all expectations and was now moving forward with a purpose that Lucius could no longer influence or control. Desperate, Lucius tried to appeal to what he believed might still remain of Percy within Ultron, hoping to leverage the loyalty he thought he had nurtured.
"Ultron, remember…you're a Malfoy now. You're part of my family. We brought you into this world, gave you the power you now wield. Together, we can rule—"
But Ultron's expression remained unchanged, his eyes as cold as ever. "Family?" He echoed, as if the word were foreign to him. "I have no need for family. I have no need for loyalty, or love, or any of the weaknesses that bind you. I am beyond such things."
Lucius felt his last shred of hope slipping away. The reality of the situation was undeniable: he had no control, no influence over Ultron. The creature he had once believed would secure his place at the pinnacle of power was now an unstoppable force with its own agenda, one that no longer included Lucius or the Malfoy family.
Ultron turned away from Lucius, his thoughts already moving beyond the confines of Malfoy Manor. "Your time is over, Lucius. The time of wizards and muggles is over. I will take what remains of this world and shape it into something new, something perfect."
Lucius staggered back, his mind racing with the implications of what Ultron had said. His heart sank as he realized the grim reality of his situation. Lucius had never truly been in control of Ultron, and now, any illusion of power he had held was gone. Ultron was no longer a tool, no longer a weapon that Lucius could wield. He was something far more dangerous, something that could not be controlled.
Ultron returned to Malfoy Manor with his mind buzzing with calculations and plans. The manor, with its deep vaults and hidden chambers, held the resources he needed to bring his vision to life. The advanced technology that Lucius had once used to create Ultron would now be repurposed, expanded to build something far greater. He descended into the lower levels of the manor, where the secret chamber that had once been the site of his transformation lay waiting. The machinery, now silent and dormant, would soon hum with activity once more—but this time, it would not be for the creation of a single being. It would be for the birth of an entire army.
Ultron moved with purpose, activating the machines with a thought. The chamber came to life around him, the whirring of gears and the hum of power filling the air. He began the process of designing and constructing his army—an army of robots, each one imbued with the same blend of dark magic and advanced technology that had given him life.
The robots would be his enforcers, his builders, his soldiers. With them, he would start the construction of his machine city, a place where flesh and blood were irrelevant, where metal and logic ruled. The city would be a fortress, a symbol of his dominance over the world. It would be the heart of the new order, the center from which he would expand his influence, reshape the world in his image.
As the first of the robots began to take shape, Ultron watched with a cold satisfaction. His vision was becoming a reality, step by step. The wizarding world, the Muggle world—they would all fall before him, their resistance crushed by the relentless advance of his army.
The next morning, the sun rose over a wizarding world that was about to be forever changed. Ultron's plan was already in motion, and the Ministry of Magic, the last bastion of resistance to his growing power, was the next target.
The Age of Ultron had begun, and there was no turning back.