Hello, everyone. ThunderReborn from 2025. This chapter has originally been edited by Darklord331. Finally, in April 2025, this chapter was edited again by my current beta reader, Waroyer123. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, and Studio Pierrot.
Harry Potter is owned by J.K Rowling.
All other references of characters or abilities are not mine.
Please support the official release.
"Hello." – Normal talking
"Hello." – Ichigo's thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
": Hello.: " – Goblin Language
": Hello.:" – French.
"$: Hello.:$" – Parseltongue
Chapter 39:
One of the nearby goblins noticed the situation and walked toward them. This goblin was dressed in a traditional business suit.
": What seems to be the problem? :" the new goblin asked. Kaien and Artoria heard a harsh, rasping language.
": The lady has traces of Fae magic on her. :" One of the goblin sentries reported in their native language.
" I see… I will take care of it. :"
" Very well, Head Goblin Nagnok. :" The new goblin turned to Kaien and Artoria.
"Please come with me." The goblin sentries allowed them to proceed. They followed Nagnok through a passageway, soon arriving at a door. The name Head Goblin Nagnok was etched on a golden plaque on the door. The goblin opened the door and motioned for them to enter the office. The office looked like a typical business office, with a wooden desk and a few wooden chairs. It was lit by candles.
"Have a seat," Nagnok said. Kaien and Artoria sat down and waited for the goblin to take his seat. After a moment, Nagnok finally faced them. "If you couldn't tell, I am Head Goblin Nagnok, and you are?"
"My name is Kaien Shiba," Kaien said.
"I am Artoria Shiba," Artoria added.
"You may be wondering why you were stopped by the guards," Nagnok said.
"We were wondering about that," Kaien replied.
"As you know, goblins are very sensitive to different types of magic. One of the guards detected Fae magic on Artoria here," Nagnok explained. "Would either of you know why that is?" Kaien looked at Artoria.
"Do you have any idea what to say?" he asked.
"The truth?" Artoria responded.
"The reason I have Fae magic is that I have this." Artoria summoned Excalibur and Avalon. Nagnok's eyes widened.
"Is—is that what I think it is?" Nagnok stammered.
"What do you think it is?" Artoria smirked.
"It's Excalibur: Sword of Promised Victory and Avalon: The Everdistant Utopia," Nagnok said. Artoria pulled Excalibur from Avalon. Nagnok stared at her. "Legend states that Excalibur was returned to the Fae while Avalon was lost in time. But you have them." His eyes widened with realization. "That means you're a descendant of King Arthur."
"Close, but no cigar," Artoria said. "I am Artoria Pendragon, King of Knights and Once and Future King of Britannia," she declared. Nagnok stood in shock.
"Impossible. King Arthur died close to 2 millennia ago. Yet here is someone who claims to be King Arthur. Is she lying? But she has King Arthur's legendary armaments. However, she looks no older than eighteen. I must verify this claim."
"Your Highness," Nagnok said. "May I request a drop of your blood?"
"Why?" Artoria glared at Nagnok.
"I wish to use it to verify your identity."
"Fine then." Nagnok pulled out a knife and a sheet of parchment.
"Use that knife to cut yourself and let one drop of blood fall on the parchment." Artoria followed his instructions, taking the knife and gently raking it over the palm of her hand. She closed her hand into a fist, allowing a drop of blood to land on the parchment. The parchment began to glow red. Slowly, black ink appeared in front of them, spelling out Artoria's name and title. Nagnok's eyes widened even further.
"I…I need to let my king know about this development."
"Oh?" Artoria said. "Why?"
"Because your unexpected return could be a gift or a curse for our people," Nagnok replied.
"Why did I say that?" Nagnok thought.
"Well then. Let's go meet the King of the Goblins," Artoria said.
"Um…" Nagnok hesitated.
"You will take us to the King of the Goblins," Artoria said, using her authority once again.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Nagnok said, leading them down a hallway. Artoria sheathed Excalibur in Avalon and kept it at her waist, ready for any moment's notice. As they walked, everyone remained deep in thought.
"Why am I leading them to the King?" Nagnok thought. "Did they cast a spell on me?" He considered. "There wasn't a magical instrument in sight."
"Artoria, is it a good idea to do this?" Kaien asked.
"Honestly… I wasn't expecting this, but we could use this to our benefit."
"How?"
"I might be able to answer that," Kyōka chimed in.
"Please explain," Kaien said.
"According to the history books, which may be biased, goblins and wizards/witches have been at war many times. The history books portrayed the goblins as holding a lot of lost magic. During one of the treaties, in exchange for some of this knowledge, the land on and underneath Gringotts was given to the goblins, as their nation."
"What!" Artoria snarled. "How dare those fools think they could split my country apart."
The trio soon arrived at a giant steel door. In front of the door were two goblin guards, dressed in armor and wielding axes.
": Head Goblin Nagnok, why have you brought two humans here? :" one of the guards asked.
": I bring news that King Gringott XX must hear about. :" Nagnok replied.
": Does this news explain why you are bringing two humans with you to see him? :"
": It does. :" The guards stared at Nagnok for a moment.
": Very well. All guards will stand by to protect the King while you and your…" The guard looked at Kaien and Artoria. "…guests are there. :"
": Very well. :" Nagnok replied. The steel doors slowly opened. Nagnok entered the room, followed by Kaien and Artoria. They found themselves in a large room decorated with various pieces of armor and weapons. In the middle of the room stood another goblin, dressed similarly to the others. However, on top of his head was a golden crown, embedded with various gems. Kaien and Artoria saw more goblin guards filing in, surrounding them in the process. The King stood up from the table, and all the goblins took a knee, bowing to the King. Kaien and Artoria remained standing, staring at the King.
"What are you two doing?" Nagnok whispered.
"Please don't do this," Nagnok prayed.
"A king does not bow to another king unless admitting defeat," Artoria said.
"Oh?" King Gringott XX said as he stood up from his throne. "A pair of humans dare enter my domain and claim themselves my equal?" The goblin guards pointed their weapons at them.
"I do dare because my kingship is much older than yours," Artoria declared.
"Wait!" Nagnok yelled, standing up. "I have proof that she is speaking the truth."
"Oh? Do show me, Nagnok." Nagnok took the parchment with Artoria's true identity and handed it to one of the goblin guards. The goblin guard took the parchment and presented it to King Gringott XX. King Gringott XX took the parchment and began to read it.
"Impossible!" he yelled, throwing the parchment away.
"It is possible, King of the Goblins," Artoria said.
"Guards!" King Gringott XX shouted. "Attack these fools!" he ordered. The guards raised their weapons at them.
"Stand down and bow to your rightful ruler," Artoria commanded, channeling her authority. King Gringott XX's eyes widened in shock as all of his goblin guards bowed toward Artoria. Before he realized it, he was also on the ground, bowing to her.
"Stand," she ordered. Everyone stood.
"What horrid magic did you use on us!" King Gringott XX shouted.
"It's simple. It's magic's way of expressing my authority over my people," she replied.
"What!?" All the goblins were shocked to hear this.
"But according to the treaties, this land is ours!" King Gringott XX yelled.
"Did those wizards and witches have the authority to do so?" Artoria countered.
"They said they did."
"Both you and they believed that they did," Artoria said.
"But magic flashed golden when the treaty was signed."
"In that case, both you and they are separate but still under my rule," she said.
"Grr." King Gringott XX growled as he pulled out his sword and attacked her. She drew Excalibur and blocked the attack. King Gringott XX continued to strike at her.
"Nagnok, do you know who is next in line for the throne?" Artoria asked as she blocked his attacks with Excalibur.
"It will be me," Nagnok replied.
"Do you agree that King Gringott XX attacked me first?" she asked as she blocked an overhead slash. "And that if I were to kill him, it would be in self-defense?"
Nagnok sighed. "Yes, I will."
"Good." Artoria sidestepped away from King Gringott XX, causing him to lose his balance. She raised Excalibur and brought it straight down on King Gringott XX, decapitating him. His head flew and landed a few feet from Nagnok. The crown flew off, and Nagnok caught it, placing it on his head.
"I present to you the new King of the Goblins," Artoria declared.
"Hail King Nagnok XI!" the goblins chanted.
"Thank you. Thank you," King Nagnok XI said. "May I be allowed to perform the traditional goblin funeral ceremony for my father?"
"You may," Artoria replied.
"Thank you." King Nagnok XI nodded. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"We were interested in learning more about the goblins," Kaien said.
"I see… may we have this discussion at a later date?"
"Sure," Kaien said.
": Guards, please escort Her Majesty and her guest out of Gringotts. :" King Nagnok XI ordered. The guards nodded and escorted them out.
Kaien and Artoria were quickly and quietly escorted out of Gringotts. They could tell that their goblin escorts were filled with mixed emotions about them.
"Artoria," Kaien called out.
"Yes?" she replied.
"Do you want to see if you can get a wand?" he asked.
"A wand… why?"
"According to your legend, you received a dragon's magic core, allowing you to perform magic with your sword." She nodded. "Is it possible for you to use that magic core to perform spells as well?"
"Hm…I don't know."
"Most people wouldn't expect you to suddenly pull out a wand and attack them with spells."
"Fine." Artoria agreed. As they were walking down Diagon Alley, they arrived at Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. They entered the wand shop. The shop was tiny, and empty except for a single, spindly chair in the corner. Thousands of narrow boxes containing wands were piled up to the ceiling, and the whole place had a thin layer of dust. Suddenly, an old man with pale silvery eyes and white skin appeared.
"Welcome to Ollivanders. I am Mr. Garrick Ollivander. May I know the names of my customers?" he asked.
"My name is Kaien Shiba."
"My name is Artoria Shiba."
"She needs a wand," Kaien said. Mr. Ollivander turned to Artoria.
"Oh? I don't remember ever selling her a wand," he commented.
"I wasn't raised in England," Artoria replied.
"I see… very well then." Mr. Ollivander pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?" he asked.
"Wand arm?" Kaien asked.
"I am ambidextrous," she replied.
"I see… stick out your right arm," Mr. Ollivander instructed. The tape measure began to measure Artoria's right shoulder to her right finger, then her right wrist. The tape measure continued to measure from her right shoulder to the floor, then from her knee to her armpit. He repeated the process on the left side of her body. After that, he measured her neck. Finally, the tape measure returned to Mr. Ollivander's pocket.
"Hmm… none of my premade wands will work for you," Mr. Ollivander said.
"I see…" Artoria said.
"However, that may be expected due to your age," Mr. Ollivander whispered as he went to the back. He pushed out a cart with different small compartments. "I want you to slowly move your hand over each compartment and let me know which one feels right for you." Artoria nodded and began to wave her hand over the compartments.
"I found three compartments," Artoria said, pointing out the different compartments. Mr. Ollivander walked over and opened the first compartment.
"Blackthorn is best suited for a warrior," he said, then opened the second compartment. "Cypress is associated with nobility." He opened the final compartment. "Rowan is best suited for the protector." He pushed the cart away and brought out another one. "Next, we will look at the wand cores. Repeat the same process as before, but hold all the wood in your other hand."
Artoria held the wood in her left hand and began to repeat the process with her right hand.
"None of them responded," she said.
"Interesting," Mr. Ollivander said as he pushed the cart into the back and another one was pushed toward her. "These wand cores were picked by my other family members." He watched as Artoria repeated the process. "I found two," Artoria said. Mr. Ollivander opened the compartments.
"Hm… to think these heartstrings will finally be used," Mr. Ollivander said.
"Are those heartstrings special?" Kaien asked.
"They are. According to our journals, one of my ancestors, Dewin Ollivander, was an apprentice of Merlin. Merlin was tasked with finding a magical core for the heir to the throne. On their journey, they encountered two dragons. One was a large red Western Dragon, with a long neck and green eyes. The dragon had red and golden spikes throughout his body."
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Kaien thought.
"While the other was a white Western Dragon, with blue eyes and two gold horns. They were battling a different being. That being noticed them and asked for their assistance. In return, they could claim any part of the dragons if they were victorious. In the end, the red and white dragons were killed. Dewin Ollivander took the heartstrings of both dragons, while Merlin took the fractured magic cores of both dragons," Mr. Ollivander explained.
"Interesting story," Artoria said.
"To think your body houses parts of Ddraig and Albion," Kaien thought.
"Ddraig? Albion?" Artoria thought.
"I'll explain later," Kaien replied.
"So, how much will this wand cost?" Artoria asked.
"Hm… I will not charge you for this wand," Mr. Ollivander said.
"How come?" Artoria asked.
"It fills me with great pleasure to create a wand with such old and powerful cores," Mr. Ollivander said. He then turned to Kaien. "Do you need a wand?"
"No, I don't," Kaien said.
"I see… but you must have a staff," Mr. Ollivander said. Kaien raised an eyebrow.
"How could you tell?"
"Your magic… it's very potent. No wand would be able to handle that." Kaien sighed.
"I will bring out my staff if you swear not to reveal any information about it."
"Very well," Mr. Ollivander said. "I, Garrick Ollivander, swear on my life and magic that I will not reveal any information regarding Kaien and his staff." A brief flash of magic followed.
Kaien summoned his staff and presented it to Mr. Ollivander.
"Amazing," Mr. Ollivander said, gently holding it in his hands. "Does it have a name?"
"She does. Her name is Mysteria."
"I see," Mr. Ollivander said. "I can see that a Rainbow Moonstone, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Topaz, Black and White Star Gemstones were used in the top." Kaien nodded. "Then the wood used was Ash, Aspen, Ebony, Elder, Fir, Pine, and Yew." Kaien nodded again. "For the staff cores… I can tell there's a phoenix feather, Thestral hairs, and something from three dragons and two Japanese foxes."
"Close enough," Kaien said. "May I have her back?"
"Sure," Mr. Ollivander said, handing the staff back to Kaien. Kaien sent the staff back to his mindscape.
"Come back in a few hours to pick the wand up," Mr. Ollivander added. Kaien and Artoria nodded and left the shop.
"It's almost lunchtime," Kaien said. They returned to the Leaky Cauldron and approached the counter.
"Good afternoon. What can I getcha?" Tom asked.
"We'll get two plates of Fish n' Chips and two butterbeers," Kaien said.
"Anything else?" Tom asked.
"No," Kaien replied.
"That will be 2 galleons," Tom said. Kaien handed over the money.
"We're expecting Professor McGonagall to arrive in a bit. Let her know where we are," Kaien said.
"Ok then," Tom replied. Kaien and Artoria sat down at a table.
"Earlier, you mentioned those dragons…" Artoria said. Kaien cast a privacy ward around them.
"Ah, those two dragons that Mr. Ollivander mentioned were Ddraig and Albion, the Two Heavenly Dragons. It appears that Myrddin and his ancestor allied with the Christian God to help kill them. The Christian God took their souls and made them into Sacred Gears."
"What are Sacred Gears?" Artoria asked.
"Sacred Gears are items with powerful abilities bestowed upon humans by the Christian God," Kaien explained.
"I see… you mentioned you know where Ddraig and Albion are?"
"Ddraig is currently with Issei, our next-door neighbor. While Albion is with Vali, a devil/human hybrid."
"I see…" Artoria said. Kaien looked up to see an elderly witch dressed in emerald green robes. She wore square spectacles and a pointed hat cocked to one side. Kaien took down the privacy ward.
"I assume you are Kaien Shiba and Artoria Shiba?" she asked.
"May I also assume you are Professor Minerva McGonagall?" Kaien asked.
"I am," she replied.
"Nice to meet you," Kaien greeted. She joined them at the table.
"According to your letter, you wish to learn more about the magic we teach," Professor McGonagall said.
"Correct," Kaien replied.
"I see… but why Hogwarts?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"It's actually because of me," Artoria said.
"Oh?" She looked at Artoria. "I am his adopted sister. I'm originally from England." Professor McGonagall took a closer look.
"She does have more European characteristics," Professor McGonagall thought.
"Please continue."
"When I heard that Kaien was planning to travel the world, I suggested Hogwarts. It allows me to visit my home country and allows us to learn more about Western Magic."
"I see…"
"I've heard that you also teach Transfiguration at Hogwarts. Is that true?" Kaien asked.
"That is true. Do you have a question about it?"
"I do. Have you heard of the Law of Conservation of Mass?"
"No, I haven't."
"The Law of Conservation of Mass was created by Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, a nonmagical scientist. It states that mass cannot be destroyed or created."
"What is mass?"
"Mass is defined as the amount of matter in an object. Think of a box filled with small beads."
"How does that relate to Transfiguration?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"When you transfigure a small object into something bigger, do you create matter, or do you use something else as a substitute?" Kaien asked. He could tell Professor McGonagall looked confused. "Think of a small box made from bricks." She nodded. "Now, you take the small box apart and use those bricks to make a wall. But then, you realize you need more bricks. Do you create more bricks, or do you transfigure the air around you to create them?"
"I do not have an answer to that scenario," Professor McGonagall admitted.
"I have thought of a possible explanation," Kaien said.
"Oh? Do explain," Professor McGonagall replied.
"Nonmagical scientists have determined that the air around us also has mass. So, my theory is that in Transfiguration, it uses the surrounding air to provide more mass to finish the transformation, or the excess mass is turned into air and discarded."
"Interesting theory. Too bad we can't test it right now."
"We could test it later at Hogwarts," Kaien suggested.
"Good idea," Professor McGonagall said.
"Then we will see you at Hogwarts," Kaien said. Professor McGonagall nodded but then stopped when she realized she had just granted their request.
"So, how will we get to Hogwarts?" Kaien asked.
"You'll need to go to northwestern London, to King's Cross Station. Walk down the platforms until you see a sign indicating Platform 9 and Platform 10. You must walk through the wall—it's an illusion for Muggles. After that, you'll board the Hogwarts Express," she explained.
"I see…" Kaien said. Professor McGonagall stood up from her seat.
"Nice meeting with you, Professor McGonagall," Kaien said, extending his hand. She paused for a moment before shaking his hand. Professor McGonagall then walked away.
"Two Fish-n-Chips and two Butterbeers," Tom said, placing the plates and bottles on the table.
"Thank you," Kaien said as Tom walked away. They sat down and began eating their meal.
"Sneaky, using Transfiguration, a subject she's an expert on, as a way to get her trust," Artoria commented.
Kaien chuckled. "That was an additional effect. I was genuinely curious about it. There are laws in Transfiguration where you can't 'conjure' food or certain metals. I wonder if it's due to a lack of understanding of the inner components of the food and metals, or if it's because there's not enough power to make it happen."
"Hm," Artoria said. "What do you want to do next?"
"Well… I saw a sign pointing down a dark alleyway called Knockturn Alley," Kaien said. "Want to explore it?"
"Sure," Artoria agreed. They stood up and returned to Diagon Alley. As they walked down the street, they spotted an old, worn wooden arrow with the words "Knockturn Alley" written on it. Kaien and Artoria pulled up their hoods to cover their faces and walked into Knockturn Alley. As they walked, they noticed a few people moving quickly through the alley, their hoods up as if they were trying to take care of business and leave quickly. They came upon a store called Borgin and Burkes.
"Let's try that place," Artoria whispered. Kaien nodded, and they entered the store. Inside, they saw a glass case with a withered hand resting on a cushion, and in another display case, a blood-stained pack of cards. Evil-looking masks stared down from the walls, an assortment of human bones lay on the counter, and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling. At the counter was a stooping man with oily hair.
"Good afternoon. I'm Mr. Borgin. How can I help you?" he asked.
"We're here to buy knowledge," Kaien replied.
"Knowledge? What kind of knowledge?" Mr. Borgin asked.
"All kinds of magical knowledge," Kaien said.
"Hm…" Mr. Borgin said, walking away from the counter toward a brick wall. He tapped the wall, and it slowly moved forward, revealing a hidden bookshelf. "Have a look," Mr. Borgin said.
Kaien and Artoria walked over to the bookshelf and began browsing the books. Mr. Borgin returned to his counter and waited for them.
"Some of these seem interesting," Kaien said, pulling out a book written in Parseltongue. Artoria looked at the books in confusion.
"Kaien, what are you talking about? All I see are squiggly lines."
"Mr. Borgin," Kaien called.
"Yes?"
"What language is this book in?"
"That's a book in Parseltongue," Mr. Borgin answered.
"Oh, that explains it," Kaien thought.
"Hm?"
"Ophis granted me the ability to read and speak Parseltongue."
"Oh," Artoria replied.
"Besides this book, do you have any more books about Parseltongue?"
"Parseltongue books…" Mr. Borgin muttered, then walked to the back of the shop. He returned with two books and a tome. Kaien went over to Mr. Borgin and looked at the books and tome.
"We'll buy these, as well as these," Kaien said as Artoria carried over twenty books to Mr. Borgin.
"Interesting selection," Mr. Borgin remarked as he looked over the books, which covered topics ranging from combat spells to illegal blood rituals. "How about 1200 galleons?"
"Good offer," Kaien said, "but I know some of these books have been sitting in your store for a long time. I also understand that you need to make a profit. What about 900 galleons, with a promise to return and purchase more from your store?"
"Hm… 1100 galleons," Mr. Borgin countered.
"Let's meet in the middle with 1000 galleons," Kaien suggested.
"Hm… fine," Mr. Borgin agreed. Kaien quickly paid for all the books, then sent them to his mindscape.
"Good business, Mr. Borgin," Kaien said.
"Good business," Mr. Borgin agreed, before realizing he didn't know the names of his newest customers. "I apologize, but what's your name?"
"Aizen," Kaien replied. Mr. Borgin nodded.
"Good day, Mr. Aizen," Mr. Borgin said as Kaien and Artoria left the shop. They quickly and calmly exited Knockturn Alley and made their way back to Ollivanders.
"Ah. Mister and Miss Shiba," Mr. Ollivander greeted.
"Hello, Mr. Ollivander," Kaien said.
"I've just finished Miss Shiba's wand," Mr. Ollivander said, pulling out a wand. "Ten inches, made from Blackthorn, Cypress, and Rowan with two dragon heartstrings." Artoria looked at the wand.
It was a deep red, almost black. She carefully took the wand, and everyone could feel the rush of magic emanating from her.
"It's perfect," she said.
"Good," Mr. Ollivander replied.
"Do you have a holster for this?" Artoria asked.
"I do," Mr. Ollivander answered, presenting her with a small leather holster. "This goes around your wrist. It has anti-summoning, anti-detection, and anti-theft charms on it."
"How much is it?" Artoria asked.
"15 Galleons," Mr. Ollivander said. Artoria handed him the Galleons and then attached the holster to her left arm, hidden beneath her robes. She inserted the wand.
"You'll need to flick your wrist for the holster to eject the wand," Mr. Ollivander explained. Artoria flicked her wrist, and her wand shot out of the holster and into her left hand. With that, they made their way back to their hotel room.
When they arrived, they found Kyōka, Mysteria, and Hōgyoku either reading the new books or experimenting with the new ingredients they'd purchased earlier.
"Looks like they've already started," Kaien said.
"Artoria, let's begin your magic training," Mysteria said.
"What?" Artoria asked, looking confused.
"Kyōka, if you please," Mysteria said. Kyōka pulled out the Trainer and sent them inside.
"I'm going to take a nap," Kaien said.
"Okay, Kaien," Kyōka replied as Kaien went to sleep.
Time Skip: 2 Days
Over the next two days, Kaien, Kyōka, and Hōgyoku spent their time reading the new books and experimenting with spells using Kaien's staff. Artoria spent those days focused on learning how to control her magic.
While Kaien was reading one of the books, an owl arrived outside his window. He walked over, opened the window, and took the letter from the owl.
"Are you here to wait for a reply?" Kaien asked. The owl nodded.
Kaien walked to his desk and opened the envelope.
"Dear Kaien Shiba and Artoria Pendragon, this is King Nagnok the XI. Thank you for your patience as we completed the necessary tasks. We would like to invite both of you to Gringotts today or tomorrow for a meeting. Please reply as soon as possible. Sincerely, King Nagnok the XI."
Kaien glanced at the clock.
"Four hours should be enough time to prepare for this meeting," he thought. He pulled out a sheet of paper and quickly wrote a response.
"Dear King Nagnok the XI, Artoria and I would be happy to meet with you later today. We will be there at 2 PM. Kaien Shiba and Artoria Shiba."
Kaien folded the letter and handed it to the owl. The owl flew away, and Kaien closed the window.
"Mysteria and Artoria, if you can, can I see you right now?" Kaien called out.
A few seconds later, Artoria and Mysteria appeared.
"What's going on, Kaien?" Artoria asked. Kaien handed her the letter. "Do we know anything about the Goblins?" she asked.
"We do," Kyōka said, bringing out a few old books. They spent the next two hours reading up on Goblins.
Time Skip: 4 Hours
Kaien and Artoria walked down Diagon Alley and soon arrived at Gringotts. The guards immediately recognized them and nodded in acknowledgment. Kaien returned the nod, and they entered the bank's lobby. A goblin quickly approached them.
"Honorable guests, may your vault flow with gold," the goblin said.
"Greetings, Goblin. May your enemies fear your blade," Kaien replied.
"We've been expecting you," the goblin said. "Follow me." Kaien and Artoria followed the unnamed goblin.
"May I know your name, Goblin?" Kaien asked.
"It is Griphook," the goblin answered.
They soon arrived at the throne room and entered to see King Nagnok sitting on the throne, going through various paperwork.
"Welcome, Kaien and Artoria. May your enemies know your strength," King Nagnok said.
"May your enemies taste defeat against you," Kaien replied.
"Let's go somewhere more comfortable," King Nagnok said, rising from his throne. "Follow me." He led them to a wall behind the throne and placed his hand on it. The wall slowly opened to reveal a private office. They all entered, and King Nagnok sat on one side while Kaien and Artoria sat on the other.
"So, how can Gringotts help you?" King Nagnok asked.
"Is a King supposed to do this?" Kaien asked.
"Normally no. However, due to Artoria's true status, it only makes sense for me to handle this," King Nagnok replied. "Now, what can Gringotts do for you?"
"Well… we have a few questions," Kaien said.
"Go ahead."
"The first question is: is it possible for us to learn your language?" Kaien asked.
"Hm… normally, most witches and wizards disregard our language by calling it that humiliating name," King Nagnok replied.
"Guess not calling their language Gobbledygook was a good thing," Kaien thought.
"I agree," Artoria replied. "Each language has its own name and should be respected."
"Very well," King Nagnok said. He pulled out a sheet of parchment and wrote their first request down. "What else do you wish?"
"What services does Gringotts offer?" Artoria asked. King Nagnok cracked a smile.
"Gringotts offers many services. We have Curse-Breakers, Ward Makers, Weaponsmiths, Armor Smiths, Goblin Doctors, and Networking."
"Interesting," Kaien said.
"Do you have any books on Warding, Curse-Breaking, and Enchanting that we could purchase?" Kaien asked.
"Hm… We could sell you those books, but there are a few things that need to be done beforehand," King Nagnok said.
"Oh?" Artoria asked.
"We need you to sign a contract that you will not use the knowledge gained from these books to go against us in any form," King Nagnok explained.
"Please elaborate," Kaien said.
"The knowledge you gain from our books must not be used to attack us physically or to sell objects that have been enchanted using this knowledge."
"What is the duration of the contract?" Kaien asked.
"Fifteen years," King Nagnok said.
"That long?" Kaien asked.
"That is the standard duration," King Nagnok replied.
"Oh? So we get the standard duration? It seems you think we're not equal in this discussion," Artoria said, glaring at King Nagnok. His cold gaze could feel the intensity of Artoria's glare.
"T-ten years. That's as low as I can go," King Nagnok stammered.
"It's fine, Artoria. We should be out of the contract by the time we return to our time," Kaien said, trying to calm her.
"If you say so," Artoria replied. "I could simply take it from them."
"Not a good idea. We want them as allies, not enemies," Kaien replied.
"Fine," she said.
"Ten years is fine," Kaien agreed.
"Anything else?" King Nagnok asked.
"We also wish to acquire books about the old Magick," Artoria said.
"Hm… You're aware that the old Magick you speak of is banned in many countries," King Nagnok said.
"Does your country ban it?" Artoria asked, rolling her eyes. King Nagnok smirked.
"No, we don't," he answered, writing down their request on the parchment. "Anything else?"
Artoria and Kaien shook their heads. King Nagnok placed the parchment on a tray, and it soon vanished.
"Give it 10 to 15 minutes for the items to be collected," King Nagnok said. "If you don't mind me asking, how is it possible that you are here, Artoria?"
"Should we tell him the truth?" Artoria asked Kaien.
"No," Kaien replied.
"I got this," Artoria reassured him. "It was due to Myrddin."
"Myrddin?" King Nagnok asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Over time, his name transformed into Merlin," Artoria said.
"Oh. Please continue," King Nagnok said.
"Myrddin saw a vision of my coming death. He knew that he couldn't tell me about my fated demise, so he cast a spell to send me to Avalon when I was on the brink of death. There, I lay as Avalon, the scabbard, slowly healed my body. What Myrddin didn't know was that I wasn't able to leave Avalon without opening a dimensional rift. It took me a long time to gather enough energy to open it. I didn't realize that the spell also forced me to reincarnate into this world."
"That's when my family discovered an abandoned baby in the forest," Kaien said. "They decided to take her in and adopted her."
"As I grew up, I began regaining memories of my past," Artoria added.
"I see," King Nagnok said thoughtfully. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
"Enter!" King Nagnok called. The door opened, and two goblins entered, carrying two stacks of books. They placed the books on the table.
"Thank you. You may go," King Nagnok said. The goblins quickly and silently exited. Artoria and Kaien began to examine the books.
"Are you satisfied with the selection?" King Nagnok asked.
"How would we know? Some of these books are written in your language. Until we learn it, we can't determine if they're genuine," Kaien replied.
King Nagnok smiled and grabbed the first book from the pile.
"This book was written by Primis Flitwick (1). He was the first child of a witch and a goblin. At a young age, he learned both English and our language. Eventually, he wrote a series of books to help those who knew English learn our language," King Nagnok explained.
"I see…" Kaien said. "For now, we'll take Primis Flitwick's series." King Nagnok nodded approvingly.
"Smart choice."
"How much are the books?" Artoria asked.
"For both of you… it will be free," King Nagnok said. Kaien opened his mouth to speak, but King Nagnok held up his hand. "Don't worry. Not all books will be free—just these."
"Very well," Artoria said.
"I do have something else," King Nagnok said, pulling out two tickets. "In one week, Britain will be hosting this year's Quidditch World Cup Finals. An associate of mine gave me these tickets and wondered if you two were interested."
"Hm," Kaien muttered.
"It would be interesting to see a Quidditch match," Artoria said.
"We'll take them," Kaien decided.
"Excellent," King Nagnok said. "That will be 20 galleons." Kaien opened his pouch and handed over the 20 galleons.
"The Quidditch stadium is in Dartmoor, South Devon. There will be Ministry-issued portkeys available to take you there," King Nagnok added.
Kaien nodded. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"I do," Kaien said. "Are you able to invest in the non-magical world?"
"It's not often someone suggests it, but we are capable of doing so," King Nagnok answered.
"I know a few companies I wish to invest in," Kaien said. King Nagnok pulled out a sheet of parchment, ready to write them down.
"However, I wish for a nondisclosure agreement," Kaien continued.
"All of our customers are protected by our customer confidentiality policy," King Nagnok replied.
"I understand that," Kaien said. "However, the information I will provide may not be applicable now but could be valuable in the future."
King Nagnok raised an eyebrow. "He's a time traveler… interesting."
"I understand," King Nagnok said after a pause. "Due to this knowledge, Gringotts itself might also wish to use this information to our benefit."
"How about this," Kaien said. "In my instructions, I will provide a date for when a transaction shall occur. Two days after the transaction, you are allowed to share that information. If you make any profit from sharing that knowledge in any way, I get a ten percent commission."
"That commission is higher than bribing corporate leakers!" King Nagnok exclaimed.
"It is. Corporate leakers illegally leak information to anyone willing to pay. However, this information is being exclusively shared with you," Kaien countered.
"As of right now, this is a very high-risk investment," King Nagnok thought. "His knowledge is from the future… a future that hasn't happened yet. But there's potential for great profit. Wait. I don't have to sell the information. I can test it with his own money and see if it's accurate. If it is, I can sell the others."
"Very well then," King Nagnok said, writing the contract and handing it to Kaien. Kaien quickly read through the contract before nodding.
"All of the things that I asked for are here," Kaien thought as he signed the contract and passed it back to King Nagnok. He immediately signed it as well. The contract let out a golden glow and duplicated itself.
"Magic has made this contract binding. If either of us breaks it, there will be major repercussions," King Nagnok explained.
"Then let me start my part of the deal," Kaien said. King Nagnok handed him a quill and parchment. Kaien began to write down all the information he had gathered before they left. King Nagnok had to provide more parchment and another quill. By the time Kaien finished, there were five sheets of parchment and three dull quills. King Nagnok waved his hand over the parchments, which briefly glowed white before returning to normal.
"What did you do?" Kaien asked.
"I covered all the parchment with a special illusion. Anyone who sees these sheets will think they are just generic paperwork," King Nagnok explained.
"Interesting spell," Kaien said.
"Indeed. It's a great spell for hiding secret documents from prying eyes," King Nagnok added. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Just hold onto those books for us," Kaien said.
"Very well," King Nagnok said, extending his hand. Kaien and Artoria shook his hand.
"May you find fortune through the blood of your enemies," Kaien said.
"May your enemies fear your presence," Artoria added.
"May Heaven's angels and Hell's devils run in fear of your wrath," King Nagnok said. Kaien smirked as they left his office. They were greeted once again by a squad of goblin guards who escorted them out of Gringotts.
"So, what do we do now?" Artoria asked.
"For now, let's learn and grow stronger," Kaien replied. Artoria nodded.
Time Skip: One Week
With Mysteria's help, Artoria became a deadly witch, mastering her inhuman reflexes, an immense amount of magic, and her ruthless nature. She discovered she could channel some of her spells through Excalibur, Avalon, and Rhongomyniad. With Excalibur and Rhongomyniad, she could fire weaker versions of her Mana Burst, which she dubbed "Spell Burst." To compensate for the reduced power, her Spell Bursts gained the ability of the spell. For example, Stupefy became a wave-oriented attack that could hit multiple targets. Artoria found this to be a neat trick for both Excalibur and Rhongomyniad.
Mysteria decided that before Artoria could be classified as a master of magic, she needed to defeat her in combat. This made sense, as Mysteria embodied all of Kaien's magical knowledge and abilities. Ever since then, Artoria and Mysteria have dueled each other regularly. Each time, Kaien sat back and watched. It took a long time, but Artoria finally managed to defeat Mysteria. Using transfigured animals and illusions to distract her, Artoria waited for the right moment. When Mysteria destroyed all the transfigured animals, Artoria summoned Excalibur, charging it with her energy. With Mysteria distracted, she struck her with a full-power Excalibur, knocking her out cold.
"Congratulations, Artoria," Kaien said.
"Thank you, Kaien," Artoria replied.
"I believe we have an event to attend today," Kaien said.
"The Quidditch World Cup Finals is today?" Artoria asked.
"It is," Kaien confirmed as they left the training area.
Kaien and Artoria arrived at their hotel room. Kaien transformed into his regular self, and they put on their robes before leaving.
"According to the ticket, we just need to go to the Portkey Terminal and show them the ticket," Kaien said. They entered Diagon Alley and found the Portkey Terminal. In front of it stood a wizard in red robes.
"Good morning. Are ya all set for the Quidditch Finals?" he asked.
"We are," Kaien replied.
"Good. We have a group leaving in a minute," the wizard said. Kaien and Artoria quickly joined the group, each holding a long string of rope.
"Alrighty then. Hold on tight! Portkey's about to activate," someone called out. They all felt the familiar pull as the Portkey activated.
Scene Change: Dartmoor
Everyone appeared in a forest. A witch in red robes walked toward them.
"Group from Diagon Alley?" she asked.
"Yep," someone replied.
"Got your tickets?" she asked. Everyone took out their tickets and presented them to her. She tapped each ticket with her wand.
"All righty then. You all need to head down the path to find your campsite," she said. The group nodded and began walking down the path, with Kaien and Artoria quietly following them. They soon spotted a man standing by a giant map of Dartmoor with a clipboard. Everyone got in line and spoke with him, and soon it was Kaien and Artoria's turn.
"Name?" he asked.
"Kaien and Artoria Shiba."
"Shiba... Shiba... Shiba..." the man mumbled. "Names not on the list. No campsite for you."
Kaien shrugged and walked away.
"Let's see what people are doing before the game starts," Kaien suggested.
"Sure," Artoria replied. They walked around the campsites, spotting a few ordinary-looking tents and many unusual ones. Some tents had chimneys, while others had large signs reading 'GO IRELAND!' The strangest tent had a wooden fence with a few albino peacocks wandering around. As they walked, someone bumped into Kaien. He turned to see a soaked young boy on the ground, a bucket beside him. Kaien knelt down and helped the boy up, getting a closer look. The boy had blue eyes and freckles across his face.
"You all right?" Kaien asked.
"Yeah..." the boy replied.
"Ronald," someone called. Kaien looked up to see Hermione and another boy approach. The boy had untidy jet-black hair, and almond-shaped green eyes, and was smaller than the others.
"It seems we meet again, Hermione," Artoria said.
"Artoria," Hermione greeted. "What are you two doing here?"
"We're here to see if Quidditch is as exciting as the locals say," Kaien said.
"Um…" the boy with black hair said. "Who are you?"
"Ah, I apologize. My name is Kaien Shiba," Kaien said.
"I am Artoria Shiba," Artoria added.
"My name is Harry Potter," Harry said. He braced himself for the inevitable reaction that always followed when people met him. However, Kaien raised his hand. Harry shook it, a little surprised. Kaien let go and turned to the other boy.
"Any of you?" he asked.
"My name is Ron Weasley," Ron said.
"Nice to meet you, but we need to get more water," Harry said.
"And I need to change. I'm starting to get a cold," Ron admitted.
"Allow me to help," Kaien said. Before anyone could comment, they watched as the water on Ron's clothes began to move away from his shirt. Kaien directed the floating water back into the bucket, then pulled moisture from the wet ground and added it back to the bucket. Ron quickly touched his shirt.
"It... it's dry," Ron said.
Hermione touched the ground. "It's also dry."
"I'm able to manipulate the elements, to a certain extent," Kaien lied.
"Wow! How?" Hermione asked. "You didn't use a wand. How did you charm the water to obey like that? Or is it something else?" Kaien chuckled.
"Why don't I explain it while we walk?" he suggested.
"Sure," Hermione agreed. Kaien and Hermione walked ahead, while Artoria followed with Harry and Ron. That's when Harry took a closer look at Artoria.
"You have green eyes... they look like mine," Harry said.
Ron looked from Artoria to Harry. "Now that you pointed it out, mate, it does."
"What if you're related?" Ron joked.
"Ron, that's impossible. Aunt Petunia never mentioned any other siblings besides Mum," Harry responded.
"Hm... It is possible," Artoria thought. "Morgan would have likely done a few experiments to ensure her Homunculus child was strong enough to do whatever she needed. It's possible that one of the 'defects' managed to escape and survive (2). Another possibility is that Mordred survived and somehow had children (3). The least likely possibility is that Guinevere had a child with me."
They soon arrived at the Weasley campsite, where two small white tents stood.
"Ah, finally made it back, but with some strangers," someone from the tent said. A man walked out. He had bright red hair, blue eyes, and a tall, thin build.
"Mr. Weasley," Hermione said. "I'm sorry, this is Kaien and Artoria Shiba. They helped me buy some books at Diagon Alley. You don't mind that I brought them over here, do you?"
"No, no, that's fine, Hermione," Mr. Weasley said. He turned to Kaien and Artoria. "My name is Arthur Weasley."
"Nice to meet you," Kaien said, shaking his hand. Soon, more people came out of the tent, all of them sharing the same red hair.
"Kaien and Artoria, meet my other children: Percival—"
"Percy," Percy interjected.
"I mean Percy, Fred, George, and Ginny," Arthur continued.
"Dad, that's Fred," one of the twins said.
"And I'm George," the other twin said.
"Oh, I'm sorry, George and Fred," Mr. Weasley apologized.
"Oh, Dad, we're joking. I was Fred all along," 'George' said.
"And it was George," 'Fred' said. Mr. Weasley groaned as the twins high-fived each other.
"Why don't you all go explore the rest of the area?" Mr. Weasley suggested.
"Is that a good idea, Mr. Weasley?" Hermione asked.
"It should be fine. Aurors are patrolling the area, and you're all staying together," Mr. Weasley said, pausing as he stared at Fred and George. "Right?"
"Yes, Dad," the twins replied in unison. Everyone walked away from the group.
"What is an Auror?" Kaien asked.
"Aurors are the magical equivalent of police. They usually wear red robes," Hermione explained.
"Like that one?" Kaien asked, pointing at a wizard in red robes.
"Exactly." They soon arrived at a series of booths selling all kinds of things.
"Oh, let's stop here for a bit," Ginny suggested. They all nodded and began browsing the booths. Many were selling Quidditch-related merchandise, such as official jerseys for the finalist teams. Others sold various kinds of food. Suddenly, a loud ringing echoed through the area.
"What's going on?" Ron asked. Kaien checked his watch.
"I think it's time for everyone to find their seats," Kaien said. Everyone quickly finished their purchases and headed to the stadium. The tickets had assigned seats, and Kaien and Artoria soon discovered that they were sitting next to the Weasley group. After about twenty minutes, they reached their seats, located at the very top of the stadium. They all sat down and showed off their purchases.
"According to the pamphlet, each team will show off their respective mascot," Hermione said. Slowly, more and more people filled the stadium. Kaien watched as Harry shook hands with every wizard and witch who recognized him. Kaien noticed a little man with gray hair, dressed in a pinstriped cloak and a lime-green bowler hat. He was surrounded by a few people who seemed to struggle with the language barrier. The older wizard appeared to be old friends with Harry.
"Who is he?" Kaien whispered to Hermione.
"He's Minister Fudge, in charge of the Ministry of Magic," Hermione whispered back.
"I see," Kaien said.
"Harry Potter, you know," Minister Fudge said, speaking to a wizard in splendid black velvet robes trimmed with gold. The other wizard looked confused. "Harry Potter... oh, come on now, you know who he is... the boy who survived You-Know-Who... you do know who he is…" Minister Fudge continued. The wizard finally spotted Harry's scar and started speaking rapidly in Bulgarian. "Knew we'd get there in the end," Fudge said wearily to Harry. "I'm no great shakes at languages; I need Barty Crouch for this sort of thing. Ah, I see his House Elf has saved him a seat… Good job too, these Bulgarian blokes have been trying to grab all the best places… Ah, and here's Lucius!" Everyone looked to see a wizard sitting three rows behind them, standing up. He appeared pale, with a pointed face and white-blond hair.
"Ah, Fudge," said Mr. Malfoy, reaching out to shake the Minister's hand. "How are you? I don't think you've met my wife, Narcissa. Or our son, Draco?"
"How do you do, how do you do?" Fudge said, smiling and bowing to Mrs. Malfoy. "And allow me to introduce you to Mr. Oblansk, the Bulgarian Minister of Magic. Though he can't understand a word I'm saying, so never mind. And let's see who else—ah, you know Arthur Weasley, I daresay?" Kaien could see Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy staring at each other like two animals ready to pounce at any sudden movement. The tense atmosphere was broken by a loud announcement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!" the announcer shouted. "I am your announcer, Ludo Bagman!"
Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy quickly sat down as the spectators erupted in cheers and applause. Thousands of flags waved, and national anthems from different countries blended together in a cacophony. The huge blackboard opposite them was wiped clean of its previous message, now showing BULGARIA: 0, IRELAND: 0.
"And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce... the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!" the announcer yelled. The right-hand side of the stands, a solid block of scarlet, roared its approval.
"I wonder what they've brought," Mr. Weasley said, leaning forward in his seat. "Aaah!" He suddenly whipped off his glasses and hurriedly polished them on his robes. "Veela!"
"What are veel—?" Harry started to ask. Kaien was equally curious. Their question was quickly answered when a hundred Veelas glided out onto the field. The sight of them stopped them in their tracks. Veelas were women, but Kaien could immediately tell that these weren't ordinary women. Their beauty was overwhelming, too much for a human to bear. The Veelas began to dance. Kaien could feel an aura emanating from them, specifically targeting the men in the audience. He quickly forced the aura away from himself. He watched as the aura affected the men, making them act irrationally. Harry and Ron were about to leap from their seats.
Kaien smacked them both on the forehead, forcing the Veela's influence away from them.
"W-what happened?" Harry asked, confused. Hermione made a loud tutting sound and pulled Harry back into his seat.
"Honestly!" she scolded.
"And now," roared Ludo Bagman's voice, "kindly put your wands in the air... for the Irish National Team Mascots!"
The next moment, what seemed to be a great green-and-gold comet zoomed into the stadium. It completed one full circuit before splitting into two smaller comets, each hurtling toward the goalposts. A rainbow suddenly arced across the field, connecting the two balls of light.
"Oooooh," the crowd murmured as if watching a grand fireworks display. The rainbow faded, and the balls of light merged, forming a shimmering shamrock that rose into the sky and soared over the stands.
"Excellent!" Ron yelled as the shamrock sailed over them, and heavy gold coins rained down from it, bouncing off their heads and seats. Squinting up at the shamrock, Harry realized that it was made up of thousands of tiny bearded men with red vests, each carrying a miniature lamp of gold or green.
"Leprechauns!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed, as the tumultuous applause of the crowd continued, many still scrambling under their chairs to collect the gold.
Kaien caught one of the gold coins in his hand. He examined it and immediately realized they weren't galleons.
"These aren't galleons," Kaien said. Ron stopped grabbing coins and looked at Kaien in confusion.
"That's correct," Mr. Weasley confirmed. "This is leprechaun gold. It vanishes in a few hours."
Ron quickly dropped all the gold he had collected, his face flushed with embarrassment as he sat back down.
"There's no such thing as easy anything," Kaien muttered. Hermione and Mr. Weasley nodded in agreement.
"Please. That's an answer for the poor people," someone suddenly interjected. Everyone turned to see Draco Malfoy, the son of Mr. Malfoy, sneering at them.
"Oh? You have something to say?" Kaien asked.
"I do. That's an answer for the poor people," Draco said arrogantly.
"And that's the answer of someone who's been spoon-fed everything in their entire life," Kaien shot back.
"I'm not a baby!" Draco yelled, standing up.
"Draco, sit down," Mr. Malfoy interjected, his voice cold. Draco scowled but sat back down.
"Theeeeeey're OFF!" screamed Bagman as the match began. Kaien watched as the wizards soared through the air on their brooms. He tuned out Bagman's play-by-play commentary and glanced over at Artoria, who was watching the game with a bored expression.
"Not interested in the game?" Kaien asked.
"It's not that exciting," Artoria replied.
"I've gone faster, and I've already found the Snitch," Kaien said, leaning back.
Artoria laid her head on Kaien's shoulder, closing her eyes for a nap. Kaien was slowly starting to doze off as well when loud screaming suddenly broke his concentration. He opened his eyes and saw the crowd jumping around in excitement.
"What happened?" Kaien asked, turning to Hermione.
"Ireland won, and Krum caught the Snitch," Hermione replied.
"Oh," Kaien mumbled, nudging Artoria awake. "Artoria, the game's over."
She stretched and stood up. "Let's go."
They slowly made their way down to the exit and back toward the Weasley campsite, where the Ireland supporters were celebrating their victory. The group arrived back at the tents, and while everyone else was celebrating, Kaien and Artoria remained quietly in the back, deciding not to mention their nap. As the night went on, everyone went to bed. Kaien and Artoria were separated, and soon Kaien fell asleep.
Time Skip
Kaien was asleep when he suddenly felt someone approaching. Reacting instantly, he lunged forward, grabbing the person's hand. He looked up to see a shocked Mr. Weasley.
"What's going on?" Kaien demanded.
"Death Eaters are attacking," Mr. Weasley said, his face pale with fear. In the distance, Kaien could hear screams.
"Artoria," Kaien said urgently. She appeared by his side almost immediately. "We'll stall them. Get your family and the rest of the people to safety."
Mr. Weasley stared at them for a few moments before rushing off to wake up the others.
Kaien and Artoria ran outside to find wizards and witches screaming, rushing in all directions. They spotted a group of figures walking calmly toward the panicked crowd, wearing black robes and white skull masks. They were setting fire to nearby tents. Kaien summoned Kokugatsu to his side.
"Looks like we found the Death Eaters," Artoria said, her voice low. Kaien nodded.
"Artoria, go help anyone who needs it," Kaien instructed.
"Understood," she replied and immediately ran toward the burning tents.
Kaien focused on the Death Eaters and charged toward them. One of the Death Eaters noticed him and raised his wand, firing a violet spell. Kaien easily dodged it and, before the Death Eater could react, severed his hand and cauterized the wound.
"GAHH!" The Death Eater screamed, drawing the attention of the others. They all turned toward Kaien and began firing spells. Kaien dodged and weaved, closing the distance (4). Before they could escape, Kaien severed their wand arms and cauterized the wounds.
As the last of the Death Eaters fell, Kaien spotted Artoria returning.
"All the fires are out, and no one was trapped in the burning tents," she reported.
Suddenly, they heard loud screaming from nearby. Kaien dashed toward the noise, finding a Death Eater pointing his wand at a teenage girl with blond hair. In front of her stood a younger girl with similar blond hair. Without hesitation, Kaien drove Kokugatsu into the Death Eater's stomach, forcing him to end his spell. He twisted the blade, kicking the Death Eater away and severing his arm.
The area was filled with the Death Eater's screams, but Kaien ignored them as he approached the two girls, ready to protect them from the chaos unfolding around them.
"It's all right now," Kaien said, placing Kokugatsu on the ground and continuing to walk toward the girls.
"E'cuse me," a voice called out. Kaien turned to see an older man with blond hair standing nearby. The two girls looked up, and immediately ran over to him, speaking quickly in French.
": Papa! : " the younger one cried, carefully running up to hug her father.
": Gabrielle, are you two all right? : " the father asked.
": Fleur isn't. : " the younger girl said. ": That man, :" She pointed at the Death Eater, "Cast a spell at Fleur and made her scream. : "
The father turned to look at who Kaien assumed was Fleur.
": Fleur, are you alright? : " he asked.
": I am now. If he hadn't rescued us, it would have been worse. : " Fleur replied. The father then turned to Kaien, who was speaking with Artoria, who had dragged all the captured Death Eaters over.
"E'cuse me," the father said again. Kaien and Artoria turned to face him. "I would like to say thank you for saving my daughters," he said with a slight French accent.
"It was no problem. I did what I felt was necessary," Kaien replied. Just then, a group of Aurors appeared, wands drawn.
"AURORS! WANDS OUT WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!" one of them yelled.
Kaien raised an eyebrow. "I don't have my wand with me," he said calmly. One of the Aurors approached them.
"You are under arrest," the Auror declared.
"Oh? For what reason?" Kaien asked.
"For wielding a dangerous weapon and using it to attack the public," the Auror responded.
Kaien stared at the wizard. "Were you born stupid?" Kaien asked bluntly. "I used my katana to cut down these wizards who were casting spells and burning down tents, causing chaos."
"And one of them used the Cruciatus Curse on my daughter," the blond man added. The Auror turned to him.
"And who are you?" the Auror asked.
"I am Monsieur Sabastian Delacour, Chef de Département of the Bureau de la Justice Magique," the man introduced himself. The Auror's eyes widened.
"You will arrest all these men and charge them for their crimes. If not, I will invoke my rights as a foreign representative in your country and report this as an international incident," Delacour warned.
As more people gathered around, Kaien walked up to the masked Death Eaters and started ripping off their masks. Everyone immediately recognized them as some of the Death Eaters who had previously claimed to be under the Imperius Curse. The Aurors quickly grabbed all the Death Eaters and escorted them away.
Another Auror walked up to Kaien.
"Thank you, sir, for your actions," the Auror said. "But next time, please allow us to handle it."
With that, all the Aurors left.
"Um…" Kaien turned to see the two blond girls standing there, still looking at him with gratitude.
"Are both of you all right?" he asked.
"Yes," the older one replied.
"T-thank you," the younger one said.
"It was my pleasure," Kaien responded with a slight smile. "What's your name?"
"My name is Fleur Delacour," Fleur said with a French accent.
"My name is Gabrielle," the younger girl added, also with a French accent.
"Both beautiful names," Kaien complimented.
"Um… what's your name, sir?" Gabrielle asked.
"Kaien Shiba," Kaien answered.
"Artoria Shiba," Artoria added.
"We're in your debt, both of you," Sabastian Delacour said as he walked his daughters away. Kaien cracked a small smile as Artoria presented a Portkey. Kaien grabbed it, and they were whisked away.
Scene Change: Diagon Alley Portkey Terminal
Kaien and Artoria arrived at the empty Portkey terminal in Diagon Alley. Kaien immediately started walking toward Gringotts.
"Why are we going to Gringotts?" Artoria asked.
"The goblins should know how to arrange a private meeting with a trustworthy reporter or Auror," Kaien replied. They entered Gringotts, and the lobby was mostly empty. There was a single teller at the counter, looking down at his desk. Kaien approached him, and the goblin looked up, immediately recognizing them.
"Allow me to arrange an escort," the goblin said.
A few minutes later, Kaien and Artoria were sitting down with King Nagnok.
"So, Kaien, what can I do for you at this hour?" King Nagnok asked.
"Can you arrange a meeting with a trustworthy Auror and a reporter?" Kaien requested.
King Nagnok smiled, showing his sharp teeth. "Very well. I'll arrange everything. Two of my goblins will escort you to a private room while I make the arrangements."
Kaien and Artoria were escorted to a private room, where they sat and waited. A few minutes later, the door opened. A goblin escorted an older woman into the room—she had a square jaw, close-cropped grey hair, and a monocle. She wore the red robes of an Auror but with three golden stars on her shoulders.
"I assume you are Kaien and Artoria Shiba?" she asked.
"We are," Artoria replied.
"And you are?" Kaien asked.
"I am Madam Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," she introduced herself.
"I see…" Kaien said as she sat down at the table.
"Are we expecting two more people?" Madam Bones asked.
"Yes. Two reporters from the Daily Prophet," Kaien answered.
"I see." Madam Bones nodded. A few minutes later, the door opened again, and a wizard and a witch were escorted in by two goblins. Kaien turned to the reporters.
"Hello, my name is Kaien Shiba, and this is Artoria Shiba. And you are?"
"I am Michael Carneirus, a reporter from the Daily Prophet," the wizard said.
"And I am Rebecca Almeidas, also a reporter from the Daily Prophet," the witch added. Both of them immediately noticed Madam Bones sitting at the table.
"Though we weren't informed that Madam Bones would be here," Rebecca said.
"Nor was I," Madam Bones said, glaring at Kaien.
"I did this so both the media and the DMLE know my perspective on the event," Kaien explained calmly.
"Hm… smart. It prevents other reporters from getting creative with their speculation," Madam Bones said.
"It also prevents the purebloods from trying to gain sympathy from the public," Michael added.
"Anyways, let's begin the interview," Kaien said. Madam Bones nodded as she pulled out a sheet of parchment.
"These are the questions I'll be asking. Are you okay with them?" she asked. Kaien glanced at the sheet.
"All these questions appear to be standard questions," Kaien thought.
"They do," Artoria commented.
"We're fine with answering these questions," Kaien answered, handing the parchment back to Madam Bones.
"May we have a copy of the questions?" Michael asked.
"Very well," Madam Bones replied, handing them the parchment. The two reporters quickly copied the questions before handing the parchment back to her. With that, the questioning began. Madam Bones asked Kaien and Artoria the questions, with Kaien answering while Artoria added comments if Kaien missed anything. After thirty minutes, Madam Bones finished the questioning. She reviewed the reporters' notes to ensure they matched her own.
Kaien turned to the reporters. "Do you have any further questions?"
"As of now, we have plenty of information to work with," Michael said.
"We just need to make sure everything gets published correctly, without any alterations," Rebecca added.
The reporters and Madam Bones were escorted out of Gringotts while Kaien and Artoria returned to King Nagnok's office.
"Oh… need something else?" King Nagnok asked.
"I do," Kaien said. "I was wondering if you have a mail screening service?"
"We do have something like that… Why do you need it?" King Nagnok asked.
"Knowing my luck, we'll have wizards and witches trying to harass us despite the article and the DMLE's report," Kaien explained.
"Very well," King Nagnok replied. He wrote something on a sheet of parchment, then placed it in one of his trays. A minute later, a goblin entered with two stones and a wooden box. King Nagnok took them from the goblin. The goblin bowed before leaving.
"This stone projects a mail-redirection ward around a person it's keyed to," King Nagnok explained. "The mail will be redirected to Gringotts, where it will be screened for any charms, potions, or portkeys. Once the letter is cleared, we'll put it in a box on our end, which will teleport the letters to your box."
"How much do I owe you?" Kaien asked.
"That will be 200 Galleons in total, with a monthly fee of 50 Galleons," King Nagnok replied.
Kaien rolled his eyes but handed over the 200 Galleons. King Nagnok gave Kaien the stones and the wooden box, handing one of the stones to Artoria.
"Is there anything else I can help you with?" King Nagnok asked.
"No," Kaien said as they left Gringotts.
Discussion:
I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Broken Dreams. Next chapter we see Kaien and Artoria finally going to Hogwarts. Follow if you love it, Review if you want to.
Author's notes:
Primis stands for the First.
A reference to an HP x Fate Fanfiction titled A Tale of Two Swords, by sakurademonalchemist, who also wrote Reaping the Cards, which inspired the Yu-Gi-Oh arc.
This is another reference to an HP x Fate Fanfiction titled The Last Knight by Ga3-Bolg.
Look up Kirito vs Untouchable from SAO Season 2.