Authors notes:
So sorry for the delay on this one, for some reason this site just straight up would not let me upload my word document this week? Next chapter is still on schedule to be posted on the 4th of March, unless some other glitch happens I guess.
I can't believe how many lies are in here. The fic was named after this chapter in particular. I'm guaranteed to lose track of some of the nonsense I've made up.
This was pretty much fully written, weighing in at about 7500 words, and then it somehow gained another 1500 during editing? Don't know where they came from. I didn't even add any new scenes or change the ones I already had written back in December. Oh wait actually there was one topic of discussion that I added, tee-hee, there I go lying again.
Beta read by Circade.
Dumbledore was already waiting for them in the entrance of Grimmauld Place, out of the way of the morning bustle that came with having about a dozen occupants in one house.
Kronnis had opted to wear his finest coat from Facemaker's Boutique. The delicately embroidered black jacket sat snugly over a dark red shirt. Silver thread and clasps shimmered as he moved, birds and leaves almost jumping off the fabric. Matching black pants and similarly patterned shoes completed the outfit.
It wasn't as ostentatious as the attire other nobles in Baldur's Gate were fond of, but that suited him just fine. First impressions were important, and if they were allowed into the chamber where the hearing would be held, he was not going to be sitting there in eye-wateringly bright colors.
The Emperor was wearing the same style of black tunic and cloak that he had been for the past several days. The faint pattern on the fabric exuded a sense of quiet dignity, which they had judged as just enough for the occasion, even if it were not as adorned as Kronnis' own garb.
The only change in the illithid's outfit was the veil hiding his face, completing his admittedly slightly transparent disguise. It would have to suffice. No one here would recognize him as a mind flayer if they caught a glimpse of claws and mauve skin, and a more otherworldly appearance could help sell their story.
They exchanged pleasantries with the headmaster and discussed the finalization of their plans for the day, having received an enthusiastic confirmation of their appointment from the Minister two days prior. Once they were prepared to depart, Dumbledore offered a robed arm and a warning. "Keep a tight hold, the experience may be a bit nauseating."
Praying to Eilistraee that he would not vomit or otherwise make a fool of himself, Kronnis clasped a hand together with the Emperor on the headmaster's arm. A pulling sensation hooked into him, and the world blurred away. His body momentarily felt like it was being stretched in an unfamiliar, sickening way before his sight reasserted itself.
The dusky interior of Grimmauld Place had been replaced by a well-lit and bustling hall. Black stones made up the walls, an interesting design choice, and he could make out the top of a glinting golden statue over the heads of the occupants. Wizards and witches strode by, clothed in dark formalwear and robes. He could see flashes of other creatures, two seemingly different species of goblinoid or elf-looking beings running to and fro between the legs of the much taller humans.
Dumbledore stepped forward and they followed, letting him guide them through the crowd. It took a couple of seconds, and some double-takes here and there, but soon more and more faces turned their way. Companions were elbowed and fingers began to point in their direction.
Kronnis knew the Emperor would never lose his composure over such a small crowd, but this amount of public exposure was by far out of his partner's comfort zone back in Baldur's Gate. Granted, if anyone caught sight of him back home and recognized him as a mind flayer, there would be riots and probably an attempted lynching. The consequences were not quite so severe here.
Regardless, they did their best to stand tall and ignore the attention. Whispers quickly began to reach his ears as people stopped to stare. Gossip about their appearance was spreading like a wildfire.
"It appears that the public is split on their opinion of Dumbledore," the Emperor whispered in his mind. "Most believe the propaganda published in the Prophet, thoughtless sheep that they are, but being headmaster of the only wizarding school available to the local population has earned him deep-seated respect."
Kronnis touched his mind to his partner's. Tenuous as his half of the connection was after the death of his tadpole, he was still strong enough to project thoughts and emotions, as well as reach into the ever-teeming brain of the Emperor. "Sounds like the situation isn't as hopeless as it first appeared. No luck finding anyone thinking things they shouldn't be, I expect?"
"No. There are too many to sift through here. Unless someone has clear thoughts about Voldemort, I will not be able to determine if they are hiding an association with him."
"Shame, was really hoping we'd stumble right across a lead and make this easy for ourselves."
A chuckle echoed through his mind before retreating as they arrived at an unoccupied elevator, one of many lining the walls. As it descended, the floor rattled in a manner that Kronnis was not altogether comfortable with, but they arrived at their destination without complications. A voice chimed into the elevator to announce that they were now on level nine, the Department of Mysteries. A flight of stairs nearby allowed access to their intended destination, the level containing the courtrooms, which were another floor down.
The halls here were almost deserted, the lack of conversational din giving the structure an eerie atmosphere. Some cordial nods and greetings were exchanged with the few officials they passed. Confused looks followed them, but Dumbledore's presence seemed to reassure them that they were here on official business.
The Emperor suddenly spoke in both of their minds as they followed the twists and turns. "The Minister is down the hallway to the left, speaking with a Lord Malfoy." Recognition shot through Kronnis; Malfoy was one of the names mentioned by Harry when they had discussed Voldemort's resurrection, identified when the dark wizard had summoned a group of Death Eaters to the graveyard. The man was pretty high up on their list of investigation targets.
"Ah, perfect. Let's see if we can get you into the courtroom now." Dumbledore turned down the hallway, striding confidently towards their now located goal.
Once they rounded the corner, Kronnis could see a portly man dressed in black robes and a matching hat. The shine of an elaborate necklace stood out amongst his unadorned clothes. Next to him stood a taller wizard with well-kept blond hair, aristocratic features, and a cane in his right hand. Based on the descriptions Harry had given them, the blond man was surely Lucius Malfoy, which meant the shorter one would be Minister Cornelius Fudge. The two paused their conversation as Kronnis' group approached, composing themselves and hiding the shocked looks that had passed over their faces.
"Minister, Lord Malfoy," the headmaster greeted each man. "A pleasure to see you. I hope you don't mind that we're a bit early. Our guests wanted a small tour of the Ministry building before their appointment," he continued, leaving them no room to speak up. "I must take my leave to make my own preparations for the hearing; I trust they will be adequately cared for in your capable hands?"
As the Minister struggled to put together a response, sputtering in an unseemly manner, Dumbledore quickly said his goodbyes – the nonanswer providing him the opportunity to leave without argument. Quick steps took him back down the way they had come, leaving Kronnis to begin their plan.
He addressed the Minister with an apologetic smile, faking chagrin at the headmaster's abrupt departure. "I beg your pardon if we're imposing. We," he gestured to himself and the Emperor, "are the delegates from Baldur's Gate. I am Kronnis Teken'rret, from the House of Delvers in the Void." Playing up his drow heritage as an exotic culture was not difficult. Growing up as minor nobility in Menzoberranzan did end up having some upsides after all.
"It is our pleasure to meet the Minister for Magic. We have heard many great things about Wizarding Britain." His partner gave a slight incline of his upper body. "I am the Emperor. My name is not a formal title, more of a respected honor given to members of my family line, as we descended from the founder of our city. You may simply address me as Emperor." Kronnis had taken particular pleasure in suggesting the use of this half-lie as part of their cover story.
The wizards' eyebrows rose as the deep tones of the Emperor's voice reached their minds. The Minister still looked lost for words, but Malfoy recovered smoothly. "The pleasure is ours, truly." A cunning smile punctuated the words. "I heard whispers that we would be receiving foreign visitors. I hope the journey hasn't been difficult?"
"Very pleasant actually, it's marvelous to see how the surface has changed. Our forefathers had forbidden contact with the outside world for so long, we frankly didn't know what to expect when we began our investigative expeditions," Kronnis explained.
Fudge finally joined their conversation, belting out a welcome of his own. "Fascinating! I'm honored to welcome you to our culture, on behalf of Wizarding Britain." Kronnis personally thought that the man was laying it on a bit thick. He didn't even have to read his mind to feel the self-importance oozing out of that smile. "I understand Dumbledore has agreed to host you at Hogwarts. The Ministry would be more than happy to offer you alternative lodgings, should you need them. A suite suited for ambassadors such as yourselves would not be difficult to set up."
"While we appreciate the proposal, we specifically requested to stay at Hogwarts. As an institution of learning, this will be an opportune way to familiarize ourselves with your culture and history. The finest school of magic in the world surely boasts an impressive library for us to make use of, and we value this chance to act as impartial observers to the education of your next generation." The Emperor's formal tone and praise was deliberately sculpted to flatter Hogwarts' internationally-renowned standing, and the Minister by association.
His eloquent speech powered on, hoping to avoid awkward questions if enough reasoning was given right out of the gate. "On a more personal note… during our exploratory investigations we heard a great deal about the Triwizard Tournament held at Hogwarts last year. While it is disappointing that we were not prepared to make contact in time to witness the Tournament ourselves, being hosted by the establishment that emerged victorious is an honor."
"Ah, yes, those are very good points," Fudge finally admitted, almost to himself, before bouncing back into an enthusiastic response. "Let me assure you that we hold our education to the highest standards. In fact, I am personally appointing a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year! Professor Dolores Umbridge will be bringing a more Ministry-approved curriculum to Hogwarts. I should be able to introduce you later."
Kronnis took over again, eager to move on to his staged demonstration. "That's wonderful news, we're excited to see how your education differs from ours. We haven't actually had the chance to speak with Dumbledore about anything but the most pressing of topics regarding our stay. We only arrived two days ago you see. The use of magic was really the only subject we were able to have a brief chat about. Curiously enough, it seems our cultures developed quite different methods of casting spells."
Wriggling his fingers to draw their attention, he casually summoned Dancing Lights into the air, subtly guiding the glowing orbs to flit agilely around their group. "Back home this is a common spell to provide lighting. Particularly skilled users can manipulate them in complicated theatrical performances." A miniature version of Baldur's Gate grew at their feet with another wave of his hand. Having only witnessed this view once from Ramazith's Tower, his use of Minor Illusion had been practiced over the past couple of days to sharpen the details and show what the city would look like without natural light, inspired by views of the Underdark.
Artfully carved rock outcroppings decorated city squares and entrances. Gurgling underground rapids replaced the Chionthar, its rocky banks settled by houses and strange, bioluminescent farmland. Snapping his fingers dramatically, he sent the motes of lights streaking through the streets, twining around towers, and finally combined them to become a false sun, resting in the air above their heads.
Not a truly impressive display in anyone's books; the collection of parlor tricks was mainly intended to highlight the differences between their use of magic, leading credence to their claims of foreignness. Anyone could create an illusory image of an exotic city, but to perform casually without a wand was the real show.
"In our culture I'd be referred to as a sorcerer, someone born with innate talents in magic. Others often need to devote time and study to achieve what comes to me naturally, and many dedicate their studies entirely to specific branches of magic."
The wizards across from him inspected the false image of Baldur's Gate with interest, spending some minutes asking questions about particular features that caught their eye. He subtly recast the spells a few times as they ran out, disguising the flickers in the illusion as lapses in concentration as he answered them. Eventually, he let them fall altogether as they moved on to other topics, a deliberate hand movement dispelling the city and its fake sun.
Malfoy looked thoughtful. "You mentioned your culture forbade contact with the outside world; how long have you been hidden?"
"While the exact time frame is unknown, we have managed to narrow it down to close to a millennium. The early histories are very chaotic. Conflicting accounts between Vasyl Grabower and Gregor Puvica are still being argued by historians ever since an excavation about seventy years ago unearthed a buried structure near the entrance of the Underdark; our term for the cave system we call home." Kronnis wondered where the Emperor pulled those names from. They had planned to be vague about the origins of their culture, but a certain level of improvisation was necessary. They simply couldn't plan ahead for all the different questions that might be pointed their way.
Outwardly, he nodded along with the explanation, smoothly picking up the story. "Vasyl is one of the first names we have a record of, leading the earliest group of refugees into the caves that are now our home. More and more joined him over time, magical creatures and humans alike, as the non-magicals of the area became violent towards any evidence of sorcery."
"Baldur's Gate, the main settlement and seat of power in the Underdark, is actually pretty varied in comparison to what we've seen of your culture." He gestured to the men standing across from him. "Wizards here all seem to be humans, but once we closed off the Underdark to the surface world, our population was so diverse that not one race had a clear majority. I'm sure you've noticed that neither of us are human."
Some fabrications would be needed for this part of their story to pass muster. "Personally, I'm a drow, a race that has a mixed ancestry of human and fey blood. Nowadays, drow are the most populous race in Baldur's Gate. Our magical skills make us natural leaders." From what they had heard of wizards, half-breeds and magical creatures were seen as lesser. Claiming that he came from the dominant race of their culture, one with strong magical powers, would hopefully overcome that association.
"We have records of many new races that developed over the centuries as our people adapted to life underground. Most of us are actually quite sensitive to sunlight now. It doesn't bother me that much but, well…" he looked at the Emperor.
"Illithids such as I suffer the most from sunlight sensitivity. Archives indicate that we quickly lost some of our original features, developing new ones better designed for underground life. We did, however, retain our strong telekinetic powers."
Malfoy and Fudge had been nodding along to their story, their full attention resting on the tapestry of lies being woven before their eyes.
"I can't believe there's been a separate magical society under our feet this whole time," Fudge commented.
Kronnis laughed. "Well, if you knew about us, we wouldn't have been doing a very good job of hiding ourselves from the world."
"You must have been one of the first, if not the first, group of magicals that hid themselves from the muggles," Malfoy remarked. "The International Confederation of Wizards only enacted the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy in 1692." He quickly followed up with an explanation, seeing their blank faces. "This is the law that all Ministries follow to hide the wizarding world from muggles today."
Fudge's excitement had slowly begun to taper off, his eyes frequently checking a timepiece during their conversation. "I'm afraid we'll have to wait until our meeting to discuss this further, but I look forward to hearing more about your culture. An alliance between our worlds could spell marvelous things for us."
"Actually, we had a request. I am aware there is a hearing taking place today," the Emperor began, holding Fudge's gaze. "I work in judicial matters myself in Baldur's Gate. We were wondering if it would be possible to witness the proceedings of this trial to educate ourselves on your legislation and legal process?"
Hesitation flowed through the wizard. "Oh. Usually, guests aren't allowed…I suppose I can make an exception this once. I believe today's hearing should be fairly straightforward," he replied. "I have to go inside to prepare for the trial, but once the doors open to let in the Wizengamot you can enter as well. Just take a place at the end of the chamber, opposite of where I'll be seated."
The Emperor bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, we will ensure that we do not disrupt the proceedings."
Malfoy took this opportunity to speak up. "I could keep you company until the trial begins. Actually," the cunning smile from before returned to his face, "I wanted to extend an invitation for you to join me one evening at my manor. Perhaps once the school year starts and you've settled in?"
How convenient. An opportunity to weasel more information out of the man, just handed to them on a silver platter? This trip was already proving itself to be more than productive. Kronnis couldn't wait to interrogate the Emperor on what was going through the Lord's head.
The Minister nodded enthusiastically. "Lord Malfoy is well-connected and from a respected family, I'm sure he can help you establish contacts throughout our society." He rushed his words, hurriedly excusing himself before rushing down the hallway.
Kronnis turned to Malfoy, a bright smile on his face, playing the role of eager foreigner. "We'd be honored to accept! Please, let us know if there are any customs we should follow. Is it normal for guests to arrive with a gift?"
"Not normally, unless the parties are close. Shall we wait by the courtroom? I can take the time to explain some wizarding customs." Malfoy gestured for them to follow, leading them to an ornate door a couple of hallways down. On the way, he went through some of the basics of how wizarding society functioned, before informing them that he would send a more formal invitation with additional information through owl post at a later date.
The Emperor turned the conversation to the upcoming trial, requesting information on the structure of the judicial process and the players involved. While they were deep in discussion, comparing the Wizengamot with the court in Baldur's Gate, Kronnis watched other formally dressed wizards and witches arrive to enter the courtroom.
Soon enough, he spotted Harry approaching with Arthur Weasley. The pair stopped for a quick hushed conversation before Arthur ushered Harry inside. Green eyes narrowed at Malfoy as he walked by their group. Kronnis had to resist the urge to wink at him, remaining stoic under the pretense that he had no idea who this boy was.
"Ah, it appears the defendant has arrived," Malfoy drawled, looking down his nose at Harry's retreating back. "You should go inside now, the trial will likely begin shortly. The benches the Minister mentioned earlier will be on your right."
The Emperor thanked him. "I have enjoyed our discussion. We look forward to meeting with you soon."
Walking through the doors, they were greeted with a roughly oval shaped room. Wooden benches ascended on all sides. To their left was an assembly of dozens of wizards and witches, with Fudge standing at a podium, his attention focused on some papers he was shuffling about.
They took their seats on the empty right side of the room. Harry, who was already seated in the lone chair in the center, watched their entrance, his anxiety obvious in his expression.
"Lucius Malfoy is heavily involved with Voldemort. He was there at the resurrection, just as Harry said," the Emperor whispered privately in his mind, filling the silence as they waited for the trial to begin. "A stroke of luck that we ran into him. He is unaware of Voldemort's whereabouts at the moment. The man is being very secretive with his plans, even to his most loyal followers. All Malfoy knows at the moment is that Voldemort is contacting old allies and gathering his forces, with the expectation that the inner circle will soon be contacted to assist."
Kronnis suppressed a smile. He'd figured that his partner had found some juicy information in Malfoy's brain, given how eager he had been to draw out their conversation. "And, of course, it's purely a coincidence that he invited us to his manor," he projected his sarcastic response back.
Amusement radiated from the creature sitting next to him. "He is a bit suspicious of us being part of some scheme of Dumbledore's, but does not believe an elaborate story such as ours could be fabricated and kept up convincingly. As long as we do not slip up or give any reason to believe that we are not who we say we are, his suspicions should dissipate soon enough. If we truly are ambassadors from a foreign magical civilization without preexisting ties to others, we could be the key to a powerful new alliance for Voldemort."
"Good thing we truly are from a foreign magical civilization without preexisting ties to this world," Kronnis laughed.
"Indeed." Out of the corner of his eye Kronnis could see the Emperor's purple eyes crinkle in a smile. "Perhaps we should bring a gift from our plane. Not necessarily something from Baldur's Gate, but something otherworldly enough that it would help cement our story."
As they conversed, the trial began to play out before them. The Minister was currently steamrolling Harry's objections.
"Not only does he believe that we could be potential allies for Voldemort, but it seems he needs to redeem himself. Some sort of magical book was entrusted to him for safekeeping during the last war. For whatever reason, he smuggled it into Hogwarts through Ginny Weasley's schoolbooks several years ago. I am not sure of the details, but somehow the book is related to a series of petrifications that happened that year. Some students almost lost their lives. We should ask the headmaster for more information on those events, but the important part is that the book was lost or destroyed and Voldemort is furious about it."
"Ah, he's looking to get back into Voldemort's good graces by forming some sort of an alliance with us."
"Precisely. I believe we are in a good position to play into his plans a bit. Act as though we are interested in the past war and both sides of the conflict. He will likely put us in contact with others sharing his ideals, Death Eaters of high standing in socie-" He broke off as the courtroom doors were thrown open.
Dumbledore confidently strode in, loudly declaring himself as the witness for the defense. Just in time too, since it looked like the trial was going poorly for Harry. An elderly lady meekly followed him into the room and was quickly introduced as Mrs. Figg, who was present for the event. Her testimony, which backed up the few words Harry had been able to get out, infuriated Fudge.
Kronnis knew Dumbledore had some sort of plan. A surprise witness was certainly a twist, and slightly puzzling. Why did wizarding courts allow unprepared evidence to be presented? "The old man's got some tricks up his sleeve, wonder where he was hiding her."
The Emperor hummed, focused on the trial. "This is a sham, Fudge wanted an excuse to expel and discredit Harry. Whatever happened with these dementors practically gift-wrapped the opportunity for him."
"You think the attack was planned? Does Fudge know anything about it?"
"I think it was planned, but Fudge seems to believe Harry is making the whole thing up. Dementors are apparently under the Ministry's control. Fudge does not believe they would act on their own-."
He broke off again, as a woman with a pink collar peeking over the neck of her black robes voiced her criticism at the implication that the Ministry had anything to do with this attack.
"Ah," the Emperor sounded amused. "Speak of the devil, I suppose. That's Dolores Umbridge, the witch that the Minister is planning to appoint as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. She is the one who ordered the dementors to attack Harry."
That certainly complicated things. "Lots of plots behind the scenes here," Kronnis mused. "Does she look like she has any ties to Voldemort?"
A subtle head shake. "I cannot find any indication that she is working with Voldemort. She is angry that her plan to silence Harry failed. I believe she was trying to help the Minister without his knowledge."
Kronnis tuned in again as Dumbledore suggested that the Ministry look into their little rogue Dementor problem, and tried once again to convince the Minister that Voldemort was back.
"Dumbledore is not going to get anywhere with that. Fudge is paranoid that the headmaster is planning to take his job, whatever he says will be considered some sort of manipulation. I am not sure if anything short of seeing Voldemort with his own eyes will convince him." As the trial wrapped up, the Emperor continued discussing the Minister's thought process with Kronnis, planning together how to approach the wizard.
A decision was eventually reached. The witness testimony had thankfully been enough for the majority of the Wizengamot to rule that Harry should be cleared of all charges.
The courtroom slowly emptied out, with some members giving them curious looks now that the formal hearing had concluded. They remained seated, waiting for the Minister to finish speaking with some individuals they didn't recognize about unrelated matters.
After a few more minutes, he approached them with a pained look on his face. "I must apologize, this trial became a bit more complicated than I anticipated."
"Nonsense. I must applaud you, this seemed to be a difficult case. I admire your dedication to maintaining the secrecy of magic. It is true that care needs to be taken to ensure that the non-magical society does not discover us. Breaches of your Statute of Secrecy should be taken seriously." The flattery straightened the Minister's back.
"Yes, you are right, these are serious matters," Fudge echoed back. "Mr. Potter is lucky to have had a witness to his claim. I assure you we will be looking into these allegations regarding the dementors."
Kronnis nodded. "I'm curious about these dementors actually. We don't have anything matching their description in the Underdark. Perhaps you can enlighten us on the way?" His hand motioned to the doors of the now empty courtroom.
"Of course, we use the dementors to guard our prison, Azkaban." The Minister began, elaborating on the history of dementors as he led them through the halls, ignoring curious glances from passersby.
Purple carpets and mahogany doors greeted them on the first level of the Ministry, along with a familiar figure waiting for their group. Fudge greeted her with warmth. "Ah, Dolores. I'd like to introduce you to the Emperor and Kronnis Teken'rret, the delegates from Baldur's Gate that I told you about."
Kronnis eyed the fake smile on the woman's face as they exchanged pleasantries. She was putting on a good act, but he could tell she didn't think highly of them.
"It's too late for Dumbledore to find a new professor now, so the Ministry needs to step in. As I mentioned earlier, I believe Dolores will be a fine choice to fill the position for Defense Against the Dark Arts." Pride and pep filled his voice as Fudge elaborated on his plans for Hogwarts. "The students need a more regulated curriculum; one the Ministry is stepping up to provide. Dumbledore has not had a single teacher in that position stay longer than one year in quite some time." A disappointed shake of his head followed his last words.
"A pleasure. We'll be sure to keep in contact once Hogwarts is back in session." Kronnis flashed white teeth and a charming smile.
She tittered. "Of course. Please, come to me with any concerns you may have regarding Hogwarts. We'll be looking closely into the educational standards of the school."
"A fine proposal. I hope you will not mind us joining you for tea from time to time?" the Emperor asked.
Her fake smile melted away and was replaced by uncertainty, clearly taken aback by the mental form of communication the mind flayer employed. Nevertheless, she simpered on. "It would be my pleasure."
"Thank you, Dolores," Fudge beamed, obviously pleased by the prospect of their collaboration. He then suddenly seemed to remember the reason for their presence here, and sent an apologetic smile her way. "You must excuse us though, our guests have travelled far for this meeting."
A short walk down the hall brought them to the largest and clearly most important door on the floor. Opening it, the Minister proudly showed them into his office.
Elaborate patterns swirled along the walls, accenting shelves of books and tasteful decorations. Ignoring the plush chair and dominating desk in the center of the room, the Minister guided them to a luxurious lounge off to the side, surrounded by the most impressive-looking trophies and artworks. He gave them a secretive look once they were settled, and with a flourish of his wand summoned a set of crystal glassware and a bottle of dark amber liquid from a drawer of the large desk.
"Now, I must first ask," he began, slowly filling the three glasses on the walnut table between them, "how much do you know of recent events here in Britain?"
Seasoned spice and sweet fruit filled the air, a rich aromatic. Kronnis waited until his glass was slid across the table before plucking it off the expensive wooden finish. "Not enough, I admit." A sip sent the taste of expensive liquor burning down his throat, stronger than the wine-based beverage he'd expected. "We mentioned earlier that we'd heard of the Triwizard Tournament. The international community was practically buzzing about it. You also recently had a war, about fifteen years ago I believe? Unfortunately, it's a bit difficult to catch up on centuries of history, and we weren't able to focus on just one region. It was important to have a grasp of the international community at large before we made any moves."
"Perhaps you could fill us in on what you consider to be the most important and impactful events?" the Emperor suggested. A subtle gesture caught his glass in the faint purple glow of telekinesis, summoning it to him just as Fudge was about to slide it across the table. All for show of course. The illithid had no intention of removing his veil. Tentacles were firmly staying put, pinned awkwardly in place.
The Minister eyed the Emperor's demonstration with thinly masked interest before launching into a summary of the past hundred years or so, describing how the war with Grindelwald influenced both international and local issues over the following years. Another explanation of the previous war with Voldemort was given, differing slightly from what the Order had told them. Kronnis could pick out parts that the Minister was either downplaying or emphasizing based on how they reflected on the Ministry.
Predictably, no factual mention was given to Voldemort's return, although Fudge did seem a bit nervous when he ended his history lesson and turned to other matters. "Has Dumbledore mentioned anything about You-Know-Who? He seems convinced that he's back."
"He did mention it actually, but he was not able to produce any evidence beyond saying that the Potter boy witnessed his resurrection. We have not heard anything else about this during our investigation into contemporary events in the world. It is a bit concerning, but it is easily possible the boy was mistaken. Do you have any further information on the matter?" the Emperor questioned, sounding vaguely concerned and curious.
Fudge looked relieved. "It's preposterous, they have no proof whatsoever. I'm not sure what Dumbledore is up to, but I will not stand for these lies! The streets would be in chaos if the public believed this deception that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back, and I intend to keep order."
Kronnis gave an agreeable nod at the passionate words. "You have a responsibility to keep the peace. Claims like these should be backed up with evidence. Has the Ministry looked into this?"
A pause. "Well, it is hard to prove the absence of something. It'll be difficult to investigate until any evidence does come to light about you-know-who's return."
"Understandable, it wouldn't do to waste resources turning over every stone looking for a dead man." It was frustrating to agree with Fudge. Not even bothering to look into the supposed return of the most powerful dark wizard in generations showed how incompetent he was. On the bright side, his cluelessness boded well for their own deception, although it was only necessary in the first place due to his ineptitude.
"We would not mind keeping an eye on the headmaster," the Emperor offered. "I am concerned that this suspected delusion may impact the school environment."
Kronnis found the prospect of playing double agents exhausting. He manipulated, and to some extent spied on politicians back home in Baldur's Gate, but was typically seen as a distinct entity; courting and being courted in turn for advantageous positions by other players dancing to the same web of politics spun throughout the city. As the Hero of Baldur's Gate, he had quite a bit of freedom, and did not pretend to work for anyone but himself. Well, actually, that was a lie. He worked with, for, the Emperor. Rebuilding a commercial empire was hard work and required a public face, preferably one without tentacles.
Working with - manipulating, his mind whispered - both sides of this conflict that Dumbledore and Fudge had with each other required an almost perfectly composed song of lies. Normally he would find this enjoyable, but one wrong step could be unrecoverable. A poked hole potentially so large that their whole illusion would fall apart, ruining their efforts. His fingers itched with the urge to find Voldemort and just start flinging bolts of lightning at his face. Or at least some Death Eaters they didn't have use for, he wasn't too picky.
He was broken out of fantasies of blackened corpses, some sporting long blond hair, by Fudge's response.
"I would appreciate your help, but please, I'm sure you have other duties you'll need to attend to." His attempt to downplay their offer seemed slightly inauthentic somehow, contrasting with the triumphant smirk he was struggling to hide. "If you do happen across any information, just inform Dolores and we can take it from there. Pleasantries aside," he leaned forward, "I would like to know what your plans as ambassadors are, and how I can help make your stay as productive as possible."
Leaning back himself, Kronnis let the Emperor field this question, taking the opportunity to finish his drink. The sharp, fruity tones had grown on him.
"Establishing relations with your Ministry, offering cooperation on current issues, and learning about your culture are our main goals. Most of this can be accomplished by living among you and meeting the population." The incredibly bureaucratic-sounding lies flowed smoothly through their minds, the Emperor's experience with legislation and political jargon evident in his words. "I would say most of these are being addressed. Your offers of assistance are most appreciated."
"In preparation for our culture to establish contact with the outside world we were tasked with making the rest of the magical community aware of our presence, in addition to gaining information on current world politics. Innovating on the use of magic and learning new ways to apply it are also of interest to Baldur's Gate. We are hoping to come to an agreement regarding an exchange of students or visitors in the future. Perhaps our involvement in a future Triwizard Tournament could be arranged?"
The Minister nodded. "Yes, I believe all that should be possible, with a little help. I was going to ask if you would be opposed to a quick interview for the Daily Prophet, our main source of news. You would be able to have the information you need to disseminate to the public published. I could call in a reporter once we finish our meeting. I'm sure rumors will be spreading about you soon enough. You, ah… aren't exactly subtle." He seemed apologetic.
Kronnis coughed, trying to choke back a bark of laughter at that statement. "That would be perfect, thank you." If only the Minister knew how subtle the Emperor was trying to be. "You go through all the trouble of walking around with sore feet instead of levitating and they still say shit like this," he projected his words to his partner, along with an image of himself shaking his head.
The weight of exasperated purple eyes rested on him for a second before they turned their attention back to the Minister.
"As for some of your other goals, I mentioned earlier that Lord Malfoy should be a great help to you in finding connections within our society. If you ever have holes in your schedule that you need to fill, I would be more than happy to put you in contact with others specializing in whatever topics catch your interest."
"Perhaps some Ministry officials could give us an overview on the functions of different parts of your government at a later date. Many other topics that we are interested in should be covered by the Hogwarts curriculum and library."
While they were distracted, discussing topics of interest, Kronnis snuck his hand out to snatch the untouched glass of liquor that the Emperor had at some point set quietly back down on the table. Fudge had been easier to manipulate than they thought, his allyship almost secured at this point. Flattery, offers of assistance, and agreements on points important to the man had him eating out of their hands. Figuratively, of course. Although, a devious little mental suggestion could have made that image reality. A sip hid his smirk at the thought, bringing the taste of sugared fruit back to his tongue. It tasted a lot like victory.
"I have some questions of my own," Fudge said, changing the topic. "Perhaps you could regale me with details about Baldur's Gate, and tell me more about yourselves?"
They answered with a mix of information about city and the real Underdark. Most of the particulars provided were accurate in regards to Baldur's Gate where possible, to keep their facts straight. Only when necessary were small details changed to match an underground setting.
Compared to wizarding culture, the picture they painted of their home must have sounded like a utopia for magical creatures seeking to coexist with witches and wizards. They tried to limit the races mentioned - humans, gnomes, and dwarves - in accordance with information on local magical creatures provided by the Order. Drow and Illithids had to be thrown in as well to account for their own presence.
Not wanting to make knowledge of the Netherbrain Crisis public, they instead explained Kronnis' influence in the city as due to being a member of nobility. This was a combination of unrelated facts and just barely a lie, for while he certainly rubbed elbows with Baldur's Gate's finest pedigrees, he didn't truly have any official titles to his name in the city. Only in the Underdark did his House have any power, and he wasn't entitled to call upon it anymore, having abandoned Menzoberranzan and his family as a young adult.
The Emperor's cover story was a bit more complicated. They were hoping that the information about being sensitive to sunlight would prevent any questions about his concealing attire. There was really no choice but to pass illithids off as a race of some sort of intelligent magical creature, separate from humans. Claiming that he was descended from the founder of Baldur's Gate was a bit pompous, but really only a small piece of misinformation, in comparison to the drastically more complex fabrications they had come up with. And it was another excuse to make them seem like important, high status individuals that could be trusted with the duty of representing their people to the outside world.
"We were selected as diplomats due to our knowledge and experience in the political matters of Baldur's Gate, magical and scholarly ability, and our involvement in the investigation of the outside world. It actually would have been difficult to send anyone not involved in the investigation group, since they would have had to catch up on the extensive amount of time that was spent studying various languages." The deep tones of the Emperor's voice concluded their story.
Fudge seemed enthralled by their narrative. He had poured himself another half glass of the amber-colored liquor partway through their explanation. "Fascinating. I've never been one for travel, but I would love to visit your city someday."
"Perhaps we can arrange a visit in the future. The Dukes will still be rolling out legislation regarding travel to and from the Underdark for a while, it's very restricted at the moment. The citizens are fairly nervous about the big change, but we hope that with continuous news from the outside world they'll settle and grow more accepting of repealing the more archaic isolationist laws." Kronnis tried to temper the man's expectations. The last thing they needed was an immediate demand to see the city.
"Of course. I imagine such a change would be complicated and take years to properly manage," the Minister agreed. "I hate to cut our meeting short, but I believe the offices of the Daily Prophet will be closing soon. Would you mind if I called up that reporter for the interview?"
"Not at all, we should be getting back to Hogwarts soon anyway," Kronnis said, beginning to feel the heat of the second glass of unidentified liquor he had consumed.
Fudge stood to send a message to the office of the Daily Prophet, enchanting a small piece of parchment to flit through the air and slip under the door. Together, the three of them made their way to a room designed for interview use a short distance away.
It did not take long for a pair of men to join them, one carrying a large mechanical contraption with a lens. They were introduced as Andy Smudgley and Adrian Plotcher. Andy eagerly began their interview, a quill noting down their every word, while Adrian started setting up the contraption he'd brought. It was supposedly a camera that would take an image of them.
Kronnis repeated the prepared cover story for the third time that day, answering the who, what, and why of their presence in Wizarding Britain. Giving just enough information to intrigue readers, but not enough to bog down the article with the encyclopedic number of details they had prepared. Fudge added comments at certain points about how the Ministry was working with them and nurturing their alliance.
They graciously accepted Andy's profuse gratitude once they finished the interview, as the journalist exclaimed that this article would be the biggest break of his career.
Lacking the ability to give an obvious courteous smile, the Emperor inclined his head as indication of his own appreciation. "We would not have been able to so clearly accomplish our goal of announcing our delegation without the assistance of the Daily Prophet."
A brilliant smile met his words. "I'll be sure to pass your thanks on to the Editor-in-Chief."
Adrian cleared his throat to get their attention, putting a stop to the political circle-jerking going on in the room. He stood waiting behind the machine he had been fiddling with. "Are we ready for the picture? I'm all set up now."
"Yes, yes. You're probably not familiar with photographs, right? Muggles invented them about one hundred years ago," the Minister began, confidently explaining further as they shook their heads. "They're used to create an instant image of whatever the camera is pointed at, like creating a realistic painting without having to spend hours working on it." His chest puffed out. "Of course, we've been creating moving paintings for centuries, it was only natural that we developed a potion that could be applied to photographs to animate them as well!"
Realization dawned on Kronnis. "Oh, is that how the moving pictures in the newspapers are made? We've seen a couple of those."
"Precisely! Now, we'll have to stand in frame for the photograph…" Fudge positioned their group in front of the camera and guided them on how to move, ensuring that the resulting images captured him shaking both of their hands in turn. Adrian took several photos, on the off chance that some wouldn't turn out as intended.
Kronnis repeatedly faked the same public relations smile, felt the Minister's clammy grip, and then watched a hint of hesitation flicker over Fudge's face as he slid his strangely small hand into the Emperor's, alluring claws dwarfing weak, pale fingers; he could feel his own patience beginning to slip.
Once finished, the men from the Daily Prophet said their goodbyes, and they were left alone again with the Minister.
The Emperor again thanked him diplomatically for his hospitality, and feigned disappointment at their imminent departure back to Hogwarts.
"Do you need access to our floo system to get back? You can use the fireplace set up on this floor." Fudge offered.
Kronnis shook his head. They were still unsure if the floo would work for the Emperor, given that it seemed to run on verbal commands, and were hesitant to find out. "We're not familiar with floo travel. I had planned to teleport us back."
"Ah, do you have your own version of apparating?"
"In my experience it feels a bit different. Our method is much more comfortable." He said his own goodbyes to the Minister before making a show of summoning his magic to envelop both himself and the Emperor, expending a seventh level spell slot to cast Teleport and bring them back to their bedroom in Grimmauld Place.
Feeling himself wobble at the sudden change of location, he seized the opportunity to fall dramatically against his partner's chest. Long arms and a faint purple haze caught him as he went weightless, groaning in an exaggerated manner. "Ohhhhh I'm so sick of the Minister already. Self-serving prick."
"I have seen you drink entire bottles of wine and still manage to dance your way around the Ducal Palace's ballroom." Kronnis could feel the eye-roll infused in his partner's response to his whining. Clawed hands pinched as they pulled him up, and he reluctantly stood on his own feet again.
"Whatever Fudge was serving was strong. You're lucky I kept it together for the rest of that meeting," he sniffed, ignoring the mind flayer's assessment of his level of sobriety.
"There was no reason for you to steal my drink as well."
"It would have been rude if we didn't drink it!"
The Emperor held his gaze with a raised brow ridge.
"And," Kronnis emphasized, continuing once it became clear that his statement would not be dignified with a response, "I didn't even have the entertainment of being able to read anyone's mind like you did."
"Next time," the Emperor reassured him. "I did not come across anyone with occlumency shields as strong as Snape's. Lucius was fairly skilled, so you should probably stay out of his head, but feel free to skim the minds of others we have encountered today. It seems an uncommon talent among wizards."
"That's a relief, I really wanted to know what the Minister was thinking."
A dismissive hand-wave. "Nothing too important, mostly planning out how he can make himself look good with our help. He was fairly open about most things, although his idea to install Dolores Umbridge as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor might be a problem. He is hoping to gain more influence in Hogwarts through her and find excuses to give her the power to make changes in the school. Likely with the end goal of deposing Dumbledore as headmaster, given how Fudge suspects that Dumbledore is trying to steal his own job."
While he spoke, Kronnis' deft fingers rose up to undo the veil uncomfortably hiding his partner's tentacles, purple appendages stretching in the air as they were freed one by one. "Take the enemy out before he can take you out. Makes sense. Do you think Dumbledore knows? He must be aware that Umbridge is joining his staff this year."
"I would be surprised if he does not already suspect that the Minister has something like this planned. The headmaster has his own spies in the Ministry." Large hands joined his own, threading their fingers together. The sight was a great deal more pleasing to Kronnis' eyes than the joining of his partner's claws and Fudge's clammy hands had been earlier. He had to push away the image of mutilated fingers as he felt irrational thoughts building at the memory.
"Spymasters and informants, manipulations and conspirators. Adding another puppeteer might just topple this whole house of cards."
The Emperor's laugh echoed through his head. "Implying things again, are we?" Hands shifted their grip to teasingly hold Kronnis' wrists in the air, as though he were held up by strings.
Kronnis hummed, allowing his limbs be freely manipulated. "Suggesting. What if we didn't just feign interest in Malfoy's ideas? Or, what if Baldur's Gate was… looking to expand?" He leaned forward as far as possible, the strong grip on his immobile arms limiting his range of movement, their position pleasingly accentuating his next words. "You know I'd gladly be your puppet, whatever we do." His words were a breathy whisper, snaking out from a toothy smirk.
A confession of love? Obedience? Consent for the Emperor to sink his claws into his brain? Whatever it was, it was uniquely theirs, and only theirs.
Fondness and stifled possessiveness radiated across the link between their minds, caught by an iron portcullis of will before they could spill too far. "You know we already have enough things to worry about in Baldur's Gate. I am dreading the mess we might come back to when we return for a visit." An uneasy moan echoed behind his words, concern about the state of their investments clear in his voice. "And we have no way of knowing whether Voldemort is trustworthy. It would be simpler to stabilize the magical world, and then work out what we can take advantage of to further our commercial endeavors."
Kronnis pouted as his hands were released during the Emperor's rumination, recognizing the change in topic as the end of his efforts to tempt his partner into some fun. "We don't even know if the people here will trust us after this charade is over. If Voldemort took charge, I doubt that would be an issue. We could negotiate trade agreements in advance, and he'd likely enforce them in the aftermath, whether people liked us or not."
"We would be putting a lot on the line. Dumbledore is unlikely to betray us, and goodwill from our help will go a long way. I cannot say the same of Voldemort. You may be a powerful sorcerer, but we still do not know how we match up against wizards here."
Kronnis tilted his head, the corners of his mouth turning with a goading smile. "Isn't investing all about risk?"
Purple eyes smiled back, enjoying their back and forth. "It is, but the risk should be measured. Calculated. Right now, our best option is to continue working with Dumbledore, and I doubt that will change."
"Fair enough. I suppose we'll still have to figure out a game plan for our visit to Malfoy's manor then. I think you planned a visit home right after the school year begins?"
"Yes. I was thinking perhaps something from our wine collection would be an appropriate gift. We have some exotic vintages."
"As long as it's not one of my favorites." Playful warning aside, Kronnis paused. "Now that I'm thinking about dinner with Malfoy, I realize we never had lunch. I'm going to head down and see if there's any leftovers, not sure if I'll make it to dinner."
Two steps from the door, he stopped again. "What about Umbridge? She didn't seem too thrilled about us."
"She is willing to go along with the Minister's plans regarding our presence, but her first impression of us was not exactly positive. The second she saw us she labelled us as half-breeds. We will have to hope that our cover story goes some way towards changing her mind, and work closely with her in Hogwarts to maintain a connection and some level of influence over her."
Kronnis huffed. "I'll have her know I'm a full-blooded drow, not a half-drow."
"You may have a better chance of getting close to her," the Emperor advised. "Although our professional demeanor during our brief conversation went a long way towards smoothing over her initial impressions, the term 'unnatural creature' floated through her head whenever she looked at me."
"The racism in this world astounds me. Don't they know the correct term is aberration?" he shook his head in mock disappointment before restarting his walk to the kitchen, faint laughter following in his mind.
The urge to have them do nasty shit every time I get them alone in a room together is killing me. I'm really holding myself back. Can't do this two times in a row.
DO NOT expect chapters to regularly be this long. I'm aiming for about 5-6k words each, give or take, depending on what I need to work through and how scenes end up. This was hell to edit. I must have spent like 6 hours with my beta going over my army of commas and 'the man's that I had to fire and replace with periods and other descriptions, not to mention the countless hours I spent before that fixing phrasing and magicking up another 1500 words.
Kronnis is. Unhinged. Drastically more so than when he started out. He was supposed to domesticate the Emperor but I think they just made each other worse somehow. whoops.