- TEN HOURS PT II -

Hour 4 - 11:02pm - August 2nd, 1976 - Earth - Universe Designation: 1.638.2

Ragnok finally got to his feet, stepping away from the desk. "Well then, let us begin,"

Harry turned to the first artifact on the table. The long-lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. He examined the large sapphire at the front of the diadem, which contained the soul fragment he was looking for. He looked up at the two goblins in front of him. Griphook had been excused by Ragnok. "You might want to cover your eyes," Both goblins merely looked at him. Shrugging at their continued caution, Harry's eyes glowed a bright emerald green light. Two beams of solar energy bore down on the sapphire embedded inside the diadem. He did his best to keep the energy he pushed into the beams a minimum, maintaining a heat level strong enough to expel the fragment. And expel it he did.

A burst of black mist dislodged from the diadem, smacking into Harry's chest. If he wasn't as durable as he was, the force of the hit would have sent him through the wall. Given his strength, the black mist merely bounced off of his chest. Before it could move, Harry redirected the fragment into one of the containers he had used to hold the diadem before. Once it was inside, he closed it shut. The other two fragments would join it as the three faded into the aether. Harry performed the same actions on the Locket and the Cup, placing the soul fragment into his container.

"That should do it," Harry said, examining the five artifacts. "Voldemort's Horcruxes are eliminated. Once I leave here, I'll work on the next step of my plan. Taking out his followers,"

"What would you like for us to do while you are doing that?" Torvik asked.

"Well, that's where my last order of business come in," Harry finally took a seat at the other side of the table, with Ragnok taking his seat at his desk. Torvik once more stood at Ragnok's side. Harry continued. "I would like to request the formation of my own group of vaults. Three of your most secure vaults," Ragnok nodded, motioning for Torvik to write the information down while Harry spoke. "The first vault will be my treasury. I want both the -"

"There is a problem, Lord Potter," Ragnok interjected. "What title would you like to place on these vaults? The names Potter, Black, Peverell, and Gryffindor are all taken. We cannot call it the Potter Treasury because that name is already taken," Harry frowned. What to call it. What to call it. It took him nearly five minutes to come up with the name he wanted. Ragnok nodded. "Very well. Vitae. The Most Noble House of Vitae. Now that that issue is resolved, please continue,"

Harry bowed his head in thanks before continuing. "The first vault will be the Vitae Treasury, containing the sum of the Potter, Black, Gryffindor and Peverell family's wealth. Sell half of those Houses investments and place that money inside the Treasury as well," Ragnok and Torvik's eyes widened. Harry was well aware that with how much money the Potters and Black's alone had placed into investments and for how long those investments had been growing, he was looking at nearly a trillion galleons just for the half he was selling. Luckily he didn't plan on using it all at once, because he was sure the Goblins didn't have a trillion galleons lying around in circulation. "The second vault will be my personal storage vault. Place these artifacts inside and ensure that only I can enter. I want no one - goblin or human - to be allowed entrance," Harry summoned a parchment and quill to hand, taking a moment to quickly write out a list of items he wanted to be transferred. He passed it to Torvik, who examined it. "I want the third vault to be set aside to collect the rest of both House Peverell and House Gryffindor's wealth made from donations or investments,"

"Very well," Ragnok nodded as Torvik continued to scrawl down the information. "That will be done immediately. Though I cannot make any promises about transferring all of your investment funds,"

"That's alright. I plan to discuss a form of non-physical currency with you at a later date," Harry waved the concern away, though his statement earned him raised eyebrows from Ragnok and Torvik.

Torvik spoke. "As Managers of both the Potter and Black vaults, I will warn you that both the Potter's and Black's will not be pleased with this development. You are effectively stealing right from under their nose, placing their assets inside the Vitae vaults. Be prepared for backlash,"

"Oh, I'm more than prepared for them," Harry said. "I plan on involving them in managing the assets of each house, though some will not be involved. Once all assets are transferred to the three new vaults, add fifty thousand galleons to the Black Treasury. Remove access from everyone but Arcturus Black III, Sirius Black, Regulus Black, Bellatrix Black, Andromeda Black, and Narcissa Black,"

Torvik's toothy grin appeared once again. "That's respectable. It will be good to see the eldest Black's be knocked down a few pegs,"

"My thought's exactly," Harry said with a smile. "My last order of business is simple. I want you to transfer fifty thousand galleons from the Gryffindor vault to the Weasley vault. Don't inform them who sent it, just tell them it was a generous donation. If they try to send it back, tell them that a fee of forty-nine thousand galleons will be charged from the donor and given to the Weasley's,"

"A non-existent rule," Ragnok pointed out.

Harry shrugged. "They don't need to know that. They just need to keep the money,"

"Very well," Torvik nodded, adding it to his list.

Harry took a minute to think about his list. He had destroyed the Horcrux fragments, claimed ownership of the Black, Potter, Peverell, and Gryffindor lordships, established his own set of vaults with the four families combined wealth, given a fair amount of money to the Weasleys, and ignited an alliance with the goblins. All in the span of two hours. Nodding at the progress, he turned back to Ragnok and Torvik. "If anyone from the Potter and Black family's try to get into the vault who aren't authorized, tell them to await for my message. If those allowed entry try to enter alongside someone who isn't, ensure those who aren't allowed do not gain entry,"

Torvik bowed. "Of course, Lord Potter. How is it you plan to message them?"

"They will know it when they see it," Harry answered with an identical bow. "Now, my business here for now is concluded. Your assistance has been most valuable. Thank you,"

"It was our pleasure, Lord Potter," Ragnok replied.

"If it is alright with the two of you, I would like to start and maintain correspondence with the two of you to continue our business together. I have many plans for the betterment of both mankind and goblin kind. I hope the both of you will be a part of that,"

Ragnok nodded. "I will look forward to any letters sent by you, Lord Potter. As will Torvik," Torvik gave an identical nod.

"Very well. I bid the two of you good rest," Harry dropped into a low bow, Grimnash escaping his lips. "Ruk'morrath, Ragnok Tor'zai Vathar Veyorn vur Torvik Zar'khir Vorzal. Thruk zar'ok vor'karn veknor venok, vur veknar gresh vor'karn veknar'zar vor'zeyr vor'murdar," Good 'morrow, Ragnok the Chief Overseer and Torvik the Vault Keeper. May your vaults pour with the wealth of your enemies while their blood pours onto your blade.

"Thruk veknor zar'nor vor'durthar, Goth-Pottar. Karn veknar'drak murdar nar'zerok vur veknor zar'thruk veknar'kal." May you succeed during your travels, Lord Potter. Your enemies offer little hope against the might of your power. Harry's smile widened as he bowed once more. Ragnok and Torvik bowed in return. With his business concluded in Gringotts, Harry shot out of the office at the speed of sound, leaving a gust of wind in his wake.

Hour 7 - 2:32am - August 3rd, 1976 - Earth - Universe Designation: 1.638.2

Amelia Bones was confused. She had been woken up at two in the morning by an emergency call from the Minister of Magic and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. A call to all Aurors to report to the Ministry. Apparently, someone had made a move on supposed Death Eaters on the island, and they were making quick progress. And so Amelia found herself in her Auror robes, standing in the middle of the massive room containing all of their cubicles. Her cubicle wasn't far from Barty Crouch Snr's office, meaning she could hear him screaming at one of the junior Auror's about an incident in the Midlands. Amelia wasn't focused on that. She was focused on reaching the spare fireplace in the office behind her cubicle.

Unused and currently empty, Amelia locked the doors, placed some anti-eavesdropping charms around the room and stepped toward the fireplace. Amelia took a moment to ignite the wood within the fireplace. Once it was lit, she pulled some floo powder from the top of the fireplace she tossing it in. "Hogwarts. Headmaster's Office," The fire ignited into green flames as Amelia stuck her face into the fire. She was immediately met with the Headmaster's office. Despite it being two in the morning, Albus was standing behind his desk, examining a few loose pieces of parchment. "Albus?"

The aged Headmaster turned to his fireplace, raising an eyebrow at her appearance. "Ms. Bones?"

"Yes," Albus dropped one of the loose parchments he was holding, moving toward the fireplace. Once he was closer, Amelia started. "The Ministry is on high alert. Someone is making a move against Vol...You-Know-Who. I wanted to know if you knew anything about it. If the Order was behind it,"

Albus frowned. "The Order isn't behind any kind of attack. We haven't coordinated any strikes against Tom. But..." Albus turned away for a moment, examining the wall to his right with interest. Amelia didn't know what was running through the headmaster's head as he thought to himself. Eventually, Albus turned back to Amelia and the fireplace. "I have a suspicion as to who our unknown attacker is. Let me investigate this matter and I will get back to you. Take care of yourself, Ms. Bones," With that, Albus turned away from the fireplace. Amelia knew that was her indication to end the floo-call.

She did just that, returning to her cubicle in the main Auror hall. It wasn't until she sat down at the cubicle that she took in what Albus had said. Attacker. Singular. A singular attacker doing this much damage? Reports had already come in indicating nearly half a dozen attacks on Death Eater outposts. Chunks of Malfoy Manor had been torn from the manor, the wards surrounding it completely collapsed. Aurors had found dozens of Death Eater's inside the manor, their bodies scattered across the halls and in dozens of pieces. They found Abraxus Malfoy in his study. His throat had been completely crushed, though from the formation of the bloodsplatter, it seemed the killer had used only one hand. It was rare to find such carnage turned back against the Death Eaters.

The Avery Manor had been blasted into nothing, leaving only a charred crater in its wake. The newly discovered Death Eater safehouse in the Midlands was in a similar condition. The structure had been torn apart, with dozens of bodies spread across the building. Chunks of bones and muscle covered the floor and walls, indicating some sort of sudden explosion of the bodies. Amelia was growing concerned as she went over the evidence they had collected. If one person was truly behind the carnage the Death Eater's had faced and lost against tonight, then she was worried about what the future held. How could the Ministry and the Auror's face something like this? Albus' lack of fear was the only thing calming Amelia to the point that she didn't immediately rush to Crouch.

"SOMEONE'S KILLED THE MINISTER!"

Amelia's eyes nearly popped out of her skull as she spun toward the source of the voice. One of the Junior Auror's, John Dawlish, was leaning against the doorway leading into the Auror Office, his eyes bloodshot red as he peered into the room. Amelia was one of the first to her feet, rushing past her fellow Auror's as she entered the hallway. It took her only two minutes to run up the stairs leading to the first level. After all, the elevators were bound to be full with people rushing to see the Minister. Amelia would get there faster.

In true fashion, Amelia sprinted into the Minister's office, finding the small room positioned between the main office and the hall. It was used by his secretary to screen meetings and anyone wishing to enter. There were already over a dozen Aurors inside the room, each scrambling to get a look inside. Amelia pushed past them all, uncaring if some were her superiors as she stepped into the main office. When she did, she was shocked by what she saw. Edgar Bones, Amelia's older brother and a skilled Auror in the department, was standing front and center next to the Minister's body. The body itself was in nearly perfect condition, only with one major detail. His chest.

Harold Minchum's robes had been torn open at the front, revealing his overweight chest. It was pale, yet Amelia was more focused into the Dark Mark cut into the man's chest and abdomen with what looked like a knife. Edgar's voice seemed to echo through the room as the other Auror's watched him examine the body. "His eyes aren't faded. No AK. Initial diagnostics don't indicate any curses or spells hitting his body. This was a magicless kill,"

"I found a wand!" Everyone in the room spun to the right-hand corner closest to the door, where Senior Auror Crawley was holding a small wand. It looked to be roughly nine inches long, made of a silver wood Amelia didn't recognize. Apparently Edgar recognized it. "That's Walden Macnair's wand. I see him in here all the time doing odd-jobs for the animal executions office. Are there any curses on it?"

Crawley took a moment to cast some diagnostics on it. His face contorted into a scowl. "A couple expelliarmus', an unlocking spell, and a few AK's,"

"There was an unlocking spell cast on the door," Edgar pointed out.

"I found the knife," Hardened Auror Alastar Moody pushed Amelia aside. She hit the wall, though she was quick to recover so that she could witness the events occuring. Moody was holding up a small tactical knife drenched in blood over the serated steel. He waved it around for Edgar to see before tossing it onto the Minister's desk. "Did you check the Minister's wand?"

"I did. A shield charm and a knockback jinx," Edgar replied with a frown.

Amelia frowned as well, trying to piece together the puzzle left behind in the office. It seemed Crawley, as skilled as he was, got there first. "It seems to me a job gone wrong. Macnair broke into the office, either to kill the Minister or steal something in this office. Macnair tried to disarm the Minister, who defended himself. The second disarming spell was sent at the same time as the Minister's knockback jinx. Macnair was thrown back, losing his wand, while the Minister lost his own. Macnair then pulled his knife and butchered the Minister before he could retrieve his wand,"

Everyone in the room was still. It certainly made a modicum of sense given the evidence presented to them. Edgar, though, wanted to make sure everything was done correctly. "Well. Until we've done a thourough investigation, bag both wands and the knife for evidence," Moody shook his head, turning away to leave the room. Crawley stepped forward, placing the wands the bloodied knife into three separate evidence bags. Edgar's eyes narrowed as he examined the secretary office, which held several dozen Ministry employees trying to enter the office. Edgar's temper got the better of him. "For Merlin's sake, someone cordon off the bloody crime scene!"

Hour 9 - 4:07am - August 3rd, 1976 - Earth - Universe Designation: 1.638.2

Harry had been busy in the hours since leaving Gringotts. For over four hours, he had sped across the continent of Europe, taking out any attachment of Death Eater's he could find. He had destroyed Malfoy Manor, left the Avery Manor a charred mess, and had slaughtered hundreds of Death Eater's before deciding to finally go after the man himself. Tom Marvolo Riddle. Lord Voldemort. He hovered over the Riddle House. The house on the hill. The manor located not far from the graveyard where Harry's Voldemort had been resurrected in his fourth year. The graveyard where Harry had been tortured and used as an ingredient for that resurrection. Where Cedric Diggory had died.

Now, Harry merely examined the house. He had done everything he needed to do. Destroy the Horcruxes. Develop a relationship with the Goblins. Kill as many Death Eater's as he could find. He had even succeeded in breaking into the Ministry of Magic. It had been surprisingly easy all things considered. Harry had sped into the building at the speed of sound, even the blur of him flying through the halls obscured by a concealment charm. All anyone could feel was the calm wind emmited from him as he flew past them. They never knew he was there.

Having stolen Macnair's wand off of his corpse, it was simple for Harry to arrange the 'crime scene' exactly how he wanted it. He took a bit of pleasure in killing the Minister, especially given he actually was assisting in Voldemort's criminal activities. Harry carved the Dark Mark into the man's torso, giving the entire Ministry a clear indication of who carried out the act. A few planted spells and jinxes on each wand and a dropped knife in the corner would give the Auror's everything they needed to reach a conclusion. Macnair, whose body Harry had turned into a mass of flesh and bones by merely flying into him at the speed of light, had killed the Minister. Given Harry's actions tonight, they would no doubt assume Macnair would later be claimed by the carnage. Closed and shut case.

A faint blue light drawing closer to his location above the manor drew Harry's attention. Dumbledore's Patronus, a phoenix, flew a few feet from Harry before coming to a stop. It flapped its wings powerfully, hovering in the air before him as Dumbledore's voice spoke. "Harry. I've heard from Amelia Bones that there have been a number of attacks against Death Eater outposts tonight. I informed her that the Order of the Phoenix were not involved. However, given yours and your sisters hatred for Tom, I have it in good authority to ask if you are behind these sudden attacks. If you are, please contact me immediately. If you are not, promptly ignore this Patronus. Thank you,"

Harry almost laughed. He had never head Dumbledore be so professional and yet so anxious in his life. He decided to take pity on the man and send out his own Patronus with a message. Turning back to the Riddle House, Harry smiled. His x-ray vision let him see twenty-seven targets. Voldemort was in his chambers with two Death Eaters gaurding the doors. Eight sat in the dining room. Six were situated in the living room. Five patrolled the grounds of the manor. There were two two-man patrols moving in the south and east corridors. The last man was sitting in a loo.

Reaching out with his right hand, Harry pressed his palm against the home's wards. With practiced ease, he easily bypassed them, watching them crumble to dust. Harry was quick. He quickly erected his own wards around the manor. Anti-portkey and anti-apparation. With his access to the home now permitted, Harry allowed gravity to take him. He fell through the ceiling, crashing through four floors before slamming into the first floor. His mind went into overdrive. In a blur of black he sped into the kitchen. Two beams of green light cut through the room, cutting the eight Death Eater's inside in half. He moved on before their bodies hit the floor, his feet carrying him into the living area.

The six Death Eater's inside had already gotten to their feet, their wands trained in different directions. Harry barreled through the first Death Eater he saw. The man's body crumbled under Harry's mass, his flesh and bones scattering as Harry occupied the space he had once stood. He did the same to the next three, leaving behind nothing but bloodied mess before clapping his hands. The force of the clap sent the last two flying back into the wall, their bodies crumbling to the ground. For good measure, two beams of green light cut through their heads, sending brain matter and blood across the floor.

Fourteen down, thirteen to go. He shot upward through the ceiling, spotting one of the two-man patrols directly ahead of him. His heat vision made quick work of the two before they could fully turn to face him, cutting their bodies in half. Sixteen, eleven. Harry once again shot through the ceiling, spining around to find the other two-man patrol turning the south-east corner. Their wands were drawn. One sent a killing curse toward Harry while the other sent a cutting curse. The killing curse bounced harmlessly off Harry's chest while the cutting curse tore through his cloak, drawing a bit of blood from his chest. Harry paused, peering down at the cut in annoyance. "I like this cloak,"

Before the two Death Eater's could react, Harry had crossed the distance between them. He snapped both of their wands, depositing them to the ground before shoving the two through the windows behind them. Only his shove sent them flying at over one hundred kilometers an hour, where they slammed into the trees nearby with deadly force. Eighteen, nine. A well-place heat vision blast went through two floors, catching the man in the loo in the face. Harry cringed at the sight that must be for the Auror's that no doubt arrived later. Nineteen, eight.

Harry turned and shot up into the fourth and final floor of the manor, where Voldemort's chambers were located. He sped through several walls before coming to a halt in front of the man's chambers. Voldemort was standing there. He wasn't exactly how Harry remembered, though he matched the physical appearance of many Voldemort's Harry had learned about in the Domus Mortis. This Voldemort still looked human. He had dark brown hair, a strong jawline, and a posture that screamed nobility. The only thing linking him to the Voldemort Harry remembered was the redness of his eyes, which bored down on Harry in a mix of rage and confusion.

The two Death Eaters, who Harry recognized were Rabastan Lestrange and Antonin Dolohov, were at either side of their master. All three had their wands drawn. Harry almost laughed. He certainly smiled. Voldemort spoke. "You are the one that has been visiting our outposts?" Harry didn't answer. He merely nodded. Voldemort growled in uncontrolled anger. "WHO ARE YOU?!"

Harry once again remained silent. Instead, he unleashed his heat-vision on Dolohov and Lestrange, detaching their heads from their bodies with practiced ease. Twenty-one, six. He disappeared in a blur of black, reappearing a moment later. Twenty-six, one. Voldemort was the last man standing. The man had recovered from the shock of Harry's display of heat vision and aimed his wand in Harry's direction. "AVADA KED-" The green energy collecting at the tip of Voldemort's yew wand never got a chance to reach Harry.

The former Gladiator darted forward at the speed of sound, grabbing Voldemort by the throat. Harry allowed his hood to fall, revealing his face to the man whose variants had tormented nearly every Harry Potter in the Multiverse. Emerald green locked with crimson red. Harry smiled at the terrified expression on Voldemort's face. "Goodbye, Tom," Before the man could reply, Harry jerked his hand to the left, snapping the dark lord's neck in a fluid motion. The red eyes dimmed as his life left him. Harry pulled his hood back over his face. It was done. All he needed to do now was setup the final part of his plan.

Gripping Tom's body in his hand, Harry shot down the hallway, falling back through the hole he had ascended through until he was back on the first floor. "Let's get this over with," Harry spoke aloud as he dropped Tom's body onto the floor of the living area. Reaching into one of his pouches, Harry removed a shrunken trunk that he placed onto the floor. After opening it, Harry casually dumped the body inside before closing it, shrinking it, and placing it back into his pouch.

A shift in the magical energy of the manor alerted Harry that someone had arrived. He wanted to make sure the newly arrived individual wasn't a Death Eater. Harry was saved the trouble of investigating the manor by the sound of a burning cigarette comingf from behind him. Turning to face the entryway of the living area, Harry spotted the newcomer. The man was leaning casually against the splintered doorframe, a cigarette dangling from his lips. He was wearing a trench coat that was torn at the hem, his tie crooked, and his entire appearance screamed someone who had just stumbled our of a muggle street after a mugging. That or a rough night on the town.

Harry froze for a moment, processing the unexpected visitor. This visitor was undoubtedly John Constantine. Harry hadn't heard of a universe in which the two crossed paths. He was familiar with the magician's work and his personalities, with the Domus Mortis being on high alert to kill any John Constantine that caught so much of a whiff of its existence. If Harry didn't know better, he would say John Constantine was one of the few people in the entire omniverse that the Domus Mortis feared. Constantine raised a single eyebrow and smirked, his eyes flickering between the blood-soaked walls, the limbs scattering the floor, and Harry. Harry, meanwhile, stood holding the now shrunken trunk containing Voldemort's lifeless body.

"Well, well," Constantine drawled, his voice thick with sarcasm and genuine curiosity. "If it isn't the Man-Without-Subtlety. Didn't expect to find the definition of boy wonder tearing through Riddle's little mansion of horrors like a sodding wrecking ball,"

Harry frowned, his stance shifting slightly to reflect his unease. John Constantine was not to be taken lightly, even if he appeared more invested in the carnage surrounding them than starting a fight. Harry decided to cut to the chase. "What are you doing here, Constantine?"

"Me?" Constantine questioned. He gestured lazily around the room, blowing out a stream of smoke. "Oh, just the usual. Tracking some magical energy that lit up my radar like bloody fireworks. Thought I'd pop in to see what fresh hell was brewing. Instead, I find you...cleaning house,"

Harry's eyes narrowed. "You're not here for Tom?"

Constantine chuckled darkly, taking another drag of his cigarette. "Tommy-boy? Nah, mate. I've got bigger fish to fry. Or at least I did until you turned his goons into bloody confetti," He once again motioned to the bloodstained walls and scattered limbs. "Can't say I'm disappointed. Saves me the trouble, though your doing this with the subtlety of a troll in a china shop,"

"Voldemort's finished," Harry replied, slightly annoyed by Constantine's presence and over-analysis of his methods. Harry wasn't trying to be subtle. He wanted everyone to know what happened. "His Horcruxes are destroyed. His followers are either dead or scattered," Holding up the shrunken trunk, he added. "This is the last piece of the puzzle,"

Constantine's smirk faded slightly, his expression turning more serious. He stepped into the room, his boots crunching over shards of glass and rubble. "So you're really doing it, then. Wiping him out for good. Can't say I blame you, but you do realize the kind of power vacuum you're creating, don't you?"

Harry stared at Constantine, unflinching. "Better a vacuum than the alternative,"

The magician nodded, seemingly satisfied with that response. He knelt briefly to inspect a bit of blood splatter on the floor, muttering something under his breath that Harry heard but ignored. He stood once again. "Fair enough. But if you're making moves this big, you're bound to attract the attention of the wrong sorts. You've already got Dumbledore sniffing around, and that's just the tip of the iceberg,"

"Let them come. I've faced worse than Dumbldore," Harry's expression never changed. The faint hint of annoyance continued to pierce Constantine's soul.

"You're not wrong there, mate," Constantine said, chuckling slightly though it lacked its prior humor. "But there's a reason I popped in. While you've been busy turning the Dark Lord into a cautionary tale, something nastier's been stirring. A ripple in the aether. Old magic. Dark as they come. The kind even Tom wouldn't mess with. Figured I'd warn you before it finds you first,"

Harry's interest was piqued, though he kept his tone neutral. "What kind of magic?"

Constantine's face grew grim. "Blood-bound curses tied to something older than wizarding kind itself. Whoever's stirring the pot isn't just dabbling. They're looking to unleash something nasty. Your little massacre tonight? It's just added fuel to the fire,"

"Hmm," Harry turned away to consider this for a moment. John Constantine wasn't one to spout warnings unless they had weight. "Do you know who's behind it?"

"Not yet," Constantine admitted, dropping his cigarette to the floor before crushing it under his boot. "But I'm working on it. And if you're smart, you'll keep an ear to the ground. Whatever's coming...it's not going to care about who's on the side of light or dark. It'll come for all of us,"

Harry nodded slowly, filing the information away for later. "If you find anything concrete, let me know,"

Constantine's smirk returned. He gave Harry a mock salute. "Oh, don't worry, Potter. You'll be the first to know. Assuming I survive long enough to tell you. But who knows, it might find you before I can. Which is why I'm gonna give you this," Reaching into his coat, Constantine pulled out a weathered grimoire that he tossed to Harry. "I thought you might need this,"

Harry caught the book easily, eyeing it warily. "What is it?"

"Old magic," Constantine answered. "The kind that can bind the residual energy of Riddle's Horcruxes before it seeps into the fabric of reality and makes things worse. You're powerful, I'll give you that, but even you can't brute-force your way through every problem,"

The former Gladiator hesitated. He didn't trust Constantine, but he couldn't deny the man's expertise. Taking the book, Harry flipped it open and scanned the pages. The spells and rituals inside were unlike anything he'd seen before, a blend of ancient wizarding incantations and something darker, almost alien. Harry's frown deepened. "You think this will help?"

Constantine shrugged. "Can't hurt. Just don't come crying to me if it blows up in your faces," With that, Constantine turned to leave, pausing at the doorway. He glanced over his shoulder. "Oh, and Potter? Try not to blow up the whole bloody country while you're doing whatever it is you plan to do. Some of us still like a pint at the pub without wading through a war zone,"

Harry couldn't help but smirk faintly. "No promises,"

Constantine shook his head with a chuckle before disappearing into the shadows. Alone in the manor once more, Harry glanced down at the grimoire handed to him and the shrunk containing Tom Riddle's corpse. His gaze lingered on the book. Whatever Constantine had warned him about could wait...at least for now. There was still work concerning Voldemort that needed to be done, and Harry wasn't about to let anything derail his mission. Firm in his determination, Harry shrunk the grimoire and placed it into his belt. "One problem at a time," he muttered. He vanished from the Riddle House in a blur of motion, leaving behind only the faint hum of energy that lingered in his wake.

The Ministry of Magic was in shambles as dawn approached. The Minister of Magic had been assassinated in the middle of the night in his office. That by itself had the entire government building shook to its core. Officials and employees stumbled through the halls, unsure of what to do. It had been quite some time since a Minister of Magic had been assassinated. It left them feeling empty and nervous. What would happen? Who would replace Harold Minchum? How had Macnair gotten inside without detection? Was everyone safe inside the Ministry building? What if some of the leftover Death Eater's attacked in a desparate bid for power before whoever was wiping them out finished the job?

These questions circulated the entirety of the Ministry for two hours after Minister Minchum's body was found in his office. Two hours in which Amelia Bones anxiously awaited news from her brother, Edgar. He was leading the investigation that had begun immediately after the body had been found, and was functioning as the de-facto leader of the Ministry despite the official heirarchy. The Wizengamot would hold an emergency hearing in the afternoon once everyone was alerted of the assassination. A new Minister would have to be elected.

Now, though, Amelia was sitting in the atrium. She was sitting at the edge of the fountain, going over the notes she had been collecting. There had been almost four dozen attacks reported in the past five hours, all ending in the deaths of at least one Death Eater. Abraxus Malfoy had been found with his throat crushed outside Malfoy Manor. Emil Avery Sr had been found with his eyeballs missing outside of the destroyed Avery Estate. Igor Karkaroff's head had been found in the dirt outside of a massacred Death Eater outpost in the Midlands.

Forty-six attacks committed in five hours. Nine attacks in one hour. Two attacks every fifteen minutes. The distance between each location left Amelia with one conclusion. The person behind these attacks was powerful and fast. It was possible this was one widespread coalition of people launching a coordinated attack on the Death Eaters, but Amelia wasn't fooled. Not only had Albus Dumbledore alluded to a single attacker, but the evidence spoke in favor of this as well. While only a dozen or so of the massacres had been cataloged by the Aurors and crime analysts, that information alone had bore plenty fruit.

The attacks were all similar. Blood everywhere. Body parts scattered across the location. Some individuals cut in half like butter. Some missing limbs or heads. And yet none of it was magical. They had yet to uncover a single magical signature left behind that indicated a magical attacker. The only magical residue had come from the Death Eater's, who had all hurled dark magic at their aggressor in desperation. Who could do this much damage without magic? Amelia had studied muggles and those with mutations across the pond. She had never heard of anyone being capable of this much destruction.

POP! Amelia's eyes shot up from her notes. All around the atrium, employees hastily traveling the building slowed to a standstill at the sight before them. At the center of the atrium, just a few feet from Amelia, was a sight Amelia had never thought she would see. Amelia felt the magic surrounding the Ministry of Magic morph and shift as the man in front of her examined his surroundings. He was wearing a black cloak, trousers, and boots. He also had a black hood that obscured his face through a number of charms. Amelia took note of his posture. He looked about 5'5 and skinny. And yet the power radiating off of him told Amelia all she needed to know. This was who had been terrorizing the Death Eater's.

A scream ran through the atrium. Amelia winced as she focused on what was in the man's hand. A body. "It's him!" Someone screamed. It was indeed him. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. You-Know-Who. Lord Voldemort. The same dark lord Amelia Bones had had the displeasure of fighting once before in her Auror career. She had barely managed to escape alive, an altercation that stayed with her to this day. The powerful, enigmatic, and insane man she had fought that day was now being carried by his broken neck, his body limp while it was held by the cloaked man. His voice echoed through the atrium. "Where is Edgar Bones?"

"Who's asking?" Amelia asked, a bit too quickly for her own liking. She didn't know where her confidence came from. Especially when she believed this man had single-handedly wiped out the Dark Lord and his followers.

The cloaked man turned to Amelia, examining her from beneath his hood. "A friend,"

"I'm right here," Amelia and the cloaked man turned, facing Edgar Bones. He had arrived within the atrium and was standing only a few feet away, examining the scene in front of him with interest. "You killed him?" He inquired, motioning to You-Know-Who's corpse.

The cloaked man nodded before unceremoniously dumping the corpse onto the marble floor of the atrium. "I killed him. As well as his followers. The war's over,"

Edgar's stone-faced expression never wavered. "You killed them all?" Another nod from the cloaked man. "Do you have anything to do with the Minister's assassination?" No response. Everyone in the atrium, including Amelia, waited with bated breaths as silence permeated through the room. Edgar sighed. "Why shouldn't I arrest you right now?"

"Simple," the man said. "You couldn't hold me,"

Silence once again. Amelia was gripping her wand with so much force she thought it might snap. She was ready to start throwing curses at a moments notice. And yet the determined and battle-ready part of her slowly crumbled as she remembered who they were up against. A man powerful enough to kill the Dark Lord and his Death Eater's in five hours. A feat the Ministry had tried and failed to do for years. The cloaked man raised a hand, stepping back. "My mission is simple. To end the threat of Voldemort and ensure the safety and betterment of the wizarding world. I won't hurt anyone unless they deserve it or they hurt my loved ones. So let's leave it at this. I killed your Dark Lord and solved your problem. Now you'll leave well enough alone and won't try to track me down or find out who I am,"

"You're making an impossible demand," Amelia spoke up. "You're too dangerous to let -"

The cloaked man turned to her sharply, cutting off anything Amelia had planned on saying. After a moment, he sighed. "I won't interfere unless absolutely necessary. The stage is set for some real change. I'm hoping you're up for the task, Mr. Bones," The man said, motioning to Edgar. "I'm hoping we can eventually get along and come to rely on one another. After all, we're all living on this rock. Might as well co-exist while we're at it," With that, the man kicked off of the floor. He was flying. Well, hovering. He lifted higher into the air, shooting up to the ceiling of the atrium before disappearing in a CRACK!. Amelia and Edgar shared a concerned look. What exactly did the world have in store for them now?

Omake:

11:45am - August 3rd, 1976 - Kamar-Taj, Nepal - Earth - Universe Designation: 1.638.2

The Ancient One sat cross-legged in the stillness of the sanctum's meditation chamber. Candles floated in the air around her, their flickering flames forming a sphere of light that danced along the polished marble floor. Her eyes were closed, but her mind expanded across dimensions, tracing the delicate web of cosmic threads that made up the universe. Tonight, however, her focus was fractured.

A disturbance rippled through the astral plane, a sharp tremor that carried with it an ancient, dark resonance. The Ancient One's lips pressed into a thin line. She hadn't felt such raw energy in decades. Not since she had sealed away a cursed grimoire deep within Kamar-Taj's restricted archives. That very signature now blazed brighter than ever, yet it was far from the sanctum. Her eyes snapped open as she reached out. With a flick of her hand, a projection of the disturbance unfolded before her like a map. The epicenter was unmistakable: Great Britain. More specifically, a manor soaked in death and destruction.

The Ancient One frowned. "So, the book has found another wielder,"

With a motion that seemed effortless, she summoned a glowing portal. Stepping through, she appeared in the Hall of Forbidden Texts deep within Kamar-Taj. The room was dimly lit, its high shelves packed with ancient tomes bound in leather, dragonhide, and metals imbued with spells. She strode purposefully toward the center of the chamber, where a circular dais sat. Raising her hand, she called forth the sigils guarding the dais. They shimmered and resisted for a brief moment before dissolving to reveal an empty pedestal. Her suspicions were confirmed. The grimoire she had hidden there, the Codex Infernum, was gone.

"How?" she whispered, her brow furrowing.

A/N: Feel free to leave review, favorite, and check out the linked in my profile for early access to chapters!