Harry Potter : Another Dark Lord - Chapter 19 : Way down
The Hogwarts Express arrived in time at London's station. For once, the orphan spent his travel back with some of his house comrades. Greengrass, Davis, Zabini weren't a bad company, but he missed his first-year acquaintance. Before departing, Luna explained to him that Ginny needed help and comfort. The blond girl left behind the newest Quibbler magazine for him to read. He put it into his trunk for a later time.
The discussion between the snakes went from critiquing the headmaster's unjust actions to the electives they wanted to take the next year. It was light topics. Zabini played the aloof one, but couldn't stop himself to intervene when Davis was saying some nonsense about the professor of Defense against the Dark Arts. That scam of man went from a book celebrity to an amnesiac because of two students' actions who weren't even in the top ten.
The brown hair girl believed that the real reason behind all this fuss was a love dispute that ended badly. Since Ron was almost always with Harry and the latter often accosted by the professor for 'special' lessons, the jealousy should have pushed the redhead to act, for love. Behind this amusing topic, the compartment students didn't dare to ask about the orphan time in prison nor the marks on his neck. Not because they respected his private life, they were afraid.
They had a particular scene in the head. A few days ago, a seven-year muggle-born had tried to hex Draco in the corridor to the astronomy tower. The group, without the presence of any teacher, witnessed the upper student burning alive after his spell rebound by a magical shield erected by the orphan. The roasted scent filled the corridor. With silent screams, the older student was helpless. All the clothes were gone. Skin seared. Draco paled at the sight while the day bodyguard healed the victim to full health. Naked and traumatized the intruder grabbed his wand and flee as fast as possible. The strangest thing, was the after match, no complain ever came, as if the accident never occurred.
A firm handshake followed by knuckles kisses ended up the travel. As soon as the second-year student arrived at the orphanage, a brown owl flew from the building roof to perch on his shoulder, delivering two letters. The first one was from the Malfoy family, congratulating him for his capture of the Chamber of Secret culprit and killing the threat. The letter also asked him if he accepted to accompany them for the trial of Ginny Weasley at the wizard high court of law and parliament in a week. The second letter was the Wizengamot's summoning, for the trial itself as an important witness.
The matron left the place when she saw him, for food shopping she said. The orphan considered his possibilities. He had less than a week to make a decision. The longer he waited, the less favorable he would appear to the Malfoy. Yet, the less he waited, the more it would highlight his age wisdom and weak disposition. That opportunity, he couldn't miss it. It would be harder in the future if he did. Right now, he was too young to influence anything without being rejected for his age. He wasn't the one who vanquish the dark lord after all. He had to work on his own.
Seeing the frightful glints in the orphan's eyes, the wizard stayed calm. He would take care of this liability in time. They destroyed his reputation with their testimony. He couldn't be seen as a light lord when his past was discovered this dark. He needed to forge a new reputation, strong enough to wash away everything else. It would be hard. He needed opportunities or created them. The dormitory door opened. All legal scenarios were time-consuming, it was frustrating. The bed clouded the room with dust smoke.
Mikhael acknowledged he wasn't a real light wizard, gray at best. All his efforts and achievements relied on his hard work and some questionable choices. For her, he was ready. His strength didn't reach Dumbledore yet, but it was enough for some of his objectives. The orphan caressed the cross on his silver chain. It has been years. He would never forget. He wanted to.
The cross was put at the bottom of the trunk space.
Dressed in a black suit with a moving lilac flower pattern in the back, the young wizard shouted 'Malfoy manor' in the Leaky Cauldron fireplace. Lights glinted in diamond-paned windows. Flames burned all dust and stain on the guest's clothes. The family of three waited for him in the living room, the house-elf showed him the way through the large hallway, dimly lit, and sumptuously decorated with a magnificent carpet covering most of the stone floor. The eyes of the pale-faced portraits on the walls followed the orphan as he strode past them.
" Sir, madam, heir Malfoy, a pleasure to meet you all. Thank you for the invitation. ", the young wizard bowed to the group before handshaking with Malfoy senior, junior and kissing the hand of the lady.
" Mister Jones, please call me Lucius. This beautiful lady is my wife Narcissa and you are already acquainted with my son Draco. He told me some interesting things, for another time maybe. Dobby ! Portkey ! Cornelius gave them to me for the trial, quit the handy man isn't he ? Despite the headmaster's involvement, we can't let a criminal roam free, don't you think ? ", the blond head of house touched the gold feather.
" Thank you Lucius, please use my name. I too, hope for the good of all. ", the outsider tried to smile, pinching the portkey with his finger. The blond wizard was pleased with the answer then kissed his wife and patted his son head before activating the magical object for transport.
The sensation of traveling by Portkey was uncomfortable. The orphan never used before, it was unpleasant. Thanks to his high agility, the young wizard didn't disgrace himself. An amused face greeted him, the senior wizard stood firm with his cane tapping the ground. The man escorted the youth through the ministry levels and lifts until they reached the destination. Along the way, the governor didn't hide his opinion on the trial final verdict.
The group separated on a commune point of view. Both were witnesses for today's event and needed to wait in their respective waiting rooms. However, since the start would only begin in minutes, Lucius could kill time with meaningful actions. As a great man, he was going to help his friend Cornelius. No one would refuse some good advice, he said before walking away. After all, Lucius was a man known for his good friendship and flourishing fortune.
Mikhael closed the chamber's entrance behind him and faced the only room's mirror. His new suit had cost around a hundred Galleons. To start a new image, he wanted new clothes. The populace would see something different from the deranged orphan the Daily Prophet painted. The youth turned around, checking every angle, it was a gamble and he didn't like it. He could only pray. Soft was the sofa under his touch.
Summoning an invisible third eye, the witness verified every inch of his accommodation. Nothing behind the sofa, no magic under the paint nor magical device under the carpet, it was empty of any spying ward, circles, devices he knew of. That room was empty of any measure for data collecting. The old families in the past should have exerted their power to be treated with respect even when they were witnesses.
The magical eye started adjusting its sight to observe the outside. It didn't surprise the orphan to be alone. Each witness for the trial was separated in a different room. To not influence each other, he hypothesized. Through the room's walls, the witness recognized the ministry security agents that were present at school. Some were taking a nap, others were admiring the painting, but none were anxious in their own waiting room.
One skinny man in a brown suit and white hair fetched one of the witnesses. The young wizard didn't miss a single part of the trial. It was strange to see the event without hearing anything. How Ginny was crying by the prosecutor and the victim's family words. The orphan could only guess what they said. It was frustrating. The Finch-Fletchley family was the most expressive. The father never stopped hitting his armchair after each of his phrases.
Not appreciating the condition, the youth let some tendril of magic drilled a small hole through his door entrance linked to the court. The Amplifying Charm on the new aperture was casted three times to let the trial sound understandable. The rest of the waiting room was covered with a layer of the Quietening Charm for discretion. The young wizard sat on the sofa before making it float like all the pieces of furniture.
While waiting, he trained his control and practiced the summoning and banishing charm. They were similar to his telekinesis, weaker, but more versatile. With his telekinesis, he had to either have line sight on his target or had it in his magical range. The summoning and banishing charm didn't need the sight, but the name or image of the target. Moreover, the cost was proportional to the distance, the speed, the weight, and the number of targets.
Whenever the young wizard exerted his magic, he didn't feel the same urge he had in the Chamber of Secrets. He controlled himself to not fall in the same condition. He needed more information on this special side effect of magic. He wasn't sure of the source of this problem, the Fiendfyre's desire to destroy, the magical near exhaustion state, the many rituals he underwent, the prison taint or any combination of the previous potential cause. It scared him. He needed to have control of his own ability. The green robe repaired a vase he burned, his ears picked something interesting.
The rich muggle man was continuing his rant for another ten minutes. It was scandalous for his son, his prodigious son, to miss months of his schooling because of the girl's actions and the school's inaction. His wife cried, loudly, repeating that they were only informed when their son was reestablished and only by their son's letter. Even if they weren't wizard, their words rang true among the parents present in the jury.
The leader of light could only watch as the Weasley family was broken by the accusations. The ministry security agent finished his testimony which was truthful of the day event. One passed, then the second, third to the last. Malfoy's testimony wasn't like the previous one. The man's words weren't wrong, only exposed in a way that made the girl even more guilty. He hid the way she was remorseful of her action and kept only her pseudo confession. Fudge intervened to say his opinion, that such an honorable member of the wizard world wouldn't lie or that Lucius only has the best for the young generation.
Playing with fire on his fingertips, the orphan amused himself with making it danced, changing color at each finger. He saw the prosecutor coming his way. All furniture returned to their original places. He stopped his magic, dispelling his third eye. Some ministry security agents could have a counter way to detect invisible things. Hopefully for him, there was no sign of anyone noticing his previous prying.
Albus Dumbledore as the position of Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot seemed to age when he saw the orphan entered the trial. On one side, was the crying Weasley among her family. On the other side, Lucius exiting the witness bar. The prosecutor waited for the student to be in place before beginning. " Mister Jones, please give us your testimony of the event. Did Ginny Weasley, when she was reanimated in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, confessed her crime, being the cause of the petrification and death of her fellow students this year ? ", the phrasing was the exact same for the twentieth time. That prosecutor was professional.
" She did. When Ginny started talking at that time, she said the exact words 'Harry. It was me ! But I swear, I didn't mean to...'. ", the black suit didn't express any discomfort at the redhead glares. That family was a thorn in his side. The youngest male was a total failure, lazy and jealous. Hermione went distant to him thanks to that red head's influence. The pranks the older one did to some of the young snakes were just mean like transfiguring all their parchments into spiders.
" The poor soul was confused. She was possessed by a dark and curse diary for months. Please, understand her burden. She endured so much, the unfortunate girl, we can use the school Pensieve for... ", the leader of light couldn't stop himself this time. He stayed silent before, now the last witness was there. Ginny was crying so much her eyes were red and face so deplorable. The jury had seen how deplorable she was. How could they see a murderer in this young child, she was just a victim, like the other.
" Please Chief Warlock, don't interrupt the witness. Moreover, we can't trust such a clue that can be altered by anyone, even more per a great wizard like you. Please, Mister Jones, the investigation revealed to us that you have seen the beast in the Chamber of Secrets. Elaborate please. ", the prosecutor received a nod from the jury section.
" When I was in the Chamber of Secret, she unleashed the basilisk. To confront the beast, I used rooster whom crowing is fatal to the beast. As proof of my feat, I brought its head. ", the witness removed an element from his silver chain. The shrunken head hit the court ground before it returned to its original size. Screams of terror reverberated. Some wizards hid their eyes with their hands. The minister hid behind his seat. The orphan kept an expressionless face, the basilisk eyeballs were store in crystal container in his trunk.
After the calm regained the court, the prosecutor called for a specialist to analyze the head. It was a true evidence, the specie and time of death were proven matching the story. The young wizard was reprimanded for his actions and not giving this clue for the investigation. As the ministry agents were going to dispose of the expensive head, it shrank down and flew back to its owner.
" Since we have no need anymore for this piece of evidence, you can keep it mister Jones. Now, what about the diary ? Miss Weasley couldn't prove its existence. Where is it, where did you see it last time ? ", the skinny prosecutor faced the jury, making a no sign with his hands.
" I burned it to ashes as it reeked dark magic after my fight. ", the orphan attached the head back to his necklace. Did they believe they could steal him, the right of conquest was something which wouldn't allow them. The prosecutor must have known it, if not why was he this accommodating.
" Thank you for your input witness Jones. You can return, we will inform you of the trial verdict. ", the prosecutor acted before the leader of light could say anything. The same auror brought back the orphan like the other witness, to his waiting room.
Despite the trial bad start, the leader of light began his subtle defense. With words of empathy and hidden pressure, the headmaster's influence was strong enough to sway the majority of the jury into his side. It painted him as a greater man, willing to pay from his own account to protect one of his light family. The verdict was a fine to pay for the other victims of the school year.
Ginny was sent to the fourth floor of St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Her mother gripped the leader of light, thanking him with wet eyes. She refused the money at the start since she didn't want charity, but the old wizard found his way. It was for his own redemption, it was his fault of not acting faster. He was getting older and missed things he shouldn't have. Moreover, he loved that family like his own.
The grandpa smiling face seemed to care only for the redhead group, but one of its glances followed a blond man exiting the trial after the verdict. Lucius was furious. His perfect revenge for his manor raid was rendered void as the mighty Dumbledore words weighed a tonne. The blond wizard excused himself to the orphan as he was indisposed for further discussions.
Like the furious man, the orphan gripped his fist tighter. The expected outcome never came. The gamble didn't pay off. No Order of Merlin decorated his clothes. Wizards at the trial didn't understand the service he did by slaying the basilisk. All their children were at risk. They were a bunch of fool, he thought. The orphan's reputation didn't rise, it should have lowered with the fear the jury demonstrated earlier. The enchanted wall was pierced. Before anyone noticed it, the reinforced stone returned to its original state and the damaged fist bore no signs.
The path to the exit was filled with the trial's wizard. The black suit with a moving lilac flower was avoided the whole distance. With a relief, the receptionist handed back the young wizard wand who left without a word. Whispered of the basilisk head traveled through the ministry agents. Back to a familiar dark alley, the orphan applied the modified disillusionment spell on himself and summoned his third eyes.
Avoiding the crowd, the invisible wizard floated back to the ministry building. He waited for one of its agents to exit the building alone to trail after her. The witch in her thirty didn't notice the presence behind her. She didn't even realize when a stunner hit her from behind. The witch mind wasn't protected by any mind art. It was like an open book with layers of memories. Memory and Confundus Charms relieved her of any suspicion after her abduction.
The disillusioned youth floated into the ministry entrance. The first level of the building was the offices of the administrative staff and it held, at the end of its corridor, the ministry archive. Neither the receptionist nor the ministry security agent patrolling the floor noticed the intruder above their heads. The orphan learned from them when they patrolled his school, he wouldn't fall by the same trick.
The archive was locked by a first-year spell. The ministry was arrogant enough to rely on this minimum amount of security. Did, they believed truly the Aurors were enough for the ministry's security or did this division suffer a loss of fund like for the prison's jailers, thought the intruder. The third eye checked on additional magic defensive systems, but none were found.
The third eye kept watch while its summoner searched for the wizard world's registry. The book was big. It registered all the legal citizens of the wizard side of Great Britain. It referenced the people's birthday, death date in addition to their full name and short physical description. Muggle-born like him, weren't registered, but adult one were. Maybe, after reaching his legal majority he would have to register his personal information in this book.
As interesting as it was, the orphan didn't find what he searched for.
The archive was filled with other documents and registry. It would take him an important amount of time. The intruder exited the archives. The basic spell was put back on the entrance. The travel to the building was like the travel in, unconstrained. Inside a London bar, the orphan syruped a drink while reading the Quibbler. It was treating about the minister plan to gain all the unused vault in the wizard's bank.
The night fell in time as the wizard finished the last magazine's game which required the reader to return it upside down. The orphan exited the bar and wandered in the street. For ten times, he stunned different passersby and made them floated after him covered in his disillusionment. He didn't want to try the shrinking charm on them, it could kill them in theory.
The late time of the day made the ministry building less active. Instead of the crowd of ministry workers, the intruder met three patrolling groups while he returned to the archive. Inside the room, the young wizard confused the citizens he abducted and used his magic pressure copped with his lesser Imperius Curse to make them do his binding. The group of eleven checked the archive in search of new resident registers to find the addresses of the wizards.
Under the night calm shadow, black orbs didn't shine. The forest was silent around the small house. Dozens and dozens of animal feet were nailed to the wood entrance. Legend said it protected the hunter from bad luck. Like the hooked tails on the windows borders brought protection against the wicked. The executioner's house was small, the paid was not high for this kind of job.
A tall and muscular wizard sharpen a cutting ax with a whetstone. His day was bad. The dangerous beast was only a deviant ghoul. The frail neck didn't offer any resistance against his heavy ax. The work with the ministry was boring. Beast didn't scream nor struggle like good muggles. The executioner missed the good old time with his master. The thin black mustache lifted up at the memories, whetting a cold weapon.
As the man was slimming his whetstone the door opened. He wasn't prepared, the house ward didn't notify him of anything. He didn't have the time to lift the weapon nor search for his wand when darkness filled the whole room and an intense pressure glued him to the cold ground. Footsteps reverberated. Moving an inch was impossible, his body couldn't respond, it was freezing. The sound was closer, he couldn't see. He couldn't hear. All was darkness.
The girl's voice was barely audible. Each word it whispered wasn't understandable by anyone but the ears that listened in the dark. The Seven Oak Forest was silent, filled with tangible shadows. The orphan wasn't bothered by the lack of light. It was reassuring, hiding him from external eyes, a protecting layer. Her scent was everywhere. Her cold hands covered his black orbs.
" Walden Macnair. ", the young wizard saw everything with his third eye activated. No animals dared to exit their burrow, their instincts feared this abnormal night.
" Who are you ? What do you want ? ", the ministry man was woken up by a slap. The man countered missed its target. It was too dark. The visibility didn't allow the slapped person to even see his nose. Hands search for the wand holster, it wasn't present. The tall frame stepped back from the interlocutor's voice direction. His footsteps stumbled on an oak's root.
" I've waited for this day, for years. I'm disappointed. I could have come earlier. ", the youth's voice was calm. It didn't betray any emotion. His cold stare witnessed the running man with hands extended forward, pressing forward.
" What do you want ? What I've done to you ? ", the executioner touched a hardwood trunk. A prey, he was a prey and his hunter was playing with him. He knew this, this feeling of omnipresence when the beast tried everything to escape, but in the end. The older wizard stopped. It was useless. Back against a tree, he shouted the only wandless spell he knew. The dim light couldn't dissipate the darkness. It was a white dot, shining, small.
" Maybe you don't remember, around six years ago. You shouldn't remember, it was long ago. You kill, my parents. ", the cold facts didn't bear any resent. The alerted man couldn't move from his place, his feet were nailed to his current place. His back stuck to the tree's barks. Pressure like cold bucket didn't allow him to step away. The air, no, the darkness around him had the consistency of a tangible corp.
" Your parents ? Listen boy, if you let me go now, I'll forget everything. You don't want to... ", the executioner couldn't finish his phrase when an electric current burned every nerve through his body. This pain, he recognized it. It was at his master level, no, it was crueler. He never smelt his own burning flesh. The trembling body on the cold grass twisted itself by jolts of red vomit.
" Release me boy ! I'll let you live, I won't say anything, I promise... ", the pain was strong. His master would only stop because of boredom, but he was special. The aggressor here was a young wizard with enough desire to hurt for using that curse, but still young. The executioner endured. He knew he had a chance. The longer he displayed his suffering, the stronger the impact would be and very few could bear to be responsible for such a spectacle, especially the young one. As his breath was calming down, another shock stopped him dead. White-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin, his head was surely going to burst with pain. It wasn't a dream. Part of his clothing was burning by a lightless fire.
" Yes, yes, I remember, I remember. Please, please, stop... please. ", left was the man's arrogance. Only remain his survival instinct, all crooked around his fetal position. Part of the melted flesh merged with the scorched fabric. A cold touch grabbed his forehead.
" Don't worry, it will be done. ", the orphan saw the relief on the man's face. Black flames flooded from the hand, covering the helpless of man. The fire wasn't too hot. The darkness bound the victim to its place. Screams didn't stop nor accelerate the process. Whatever the victim begged, the death sentence was kept at bay.
The orphan considered letting the man away. Was it enough for his previous self-desire ? The girl sweet voice, helped him to decide. It wasn't his previous self, it was his desire. Letting the murderer go, alive, wasn't honoring his parent's death. Such a weakness, all his training, all his time spent, honing his skills and prowess would mean nothing if he couldn't even accomplish one of his objectives. How could he grant her wish ?
The fabric melted with the remaining skin with a rancid taste. The orphan didn't look away. He didn't blink. His dark orbs witnessed the burnt flesh revealing reddish bones on the screaming victim. Each second passed, the man misery was closer to its end, frail noise toward total silence. When the remnant of the body stopped emitting any weak shrieks, the fire turned the thing to ashes.
The cold embrace made him happy, watering his sight.