Greek Dueling, Part 2

AN: Patrons - You’re all caught up with what I’ve written now. I have the general plot for the next year and a few scene mockups I’m working on fleshing out, along with all the connecting-bits. The next ‘modern day chapter’ should come out soon. Notably, I have written the missing rituals, and will need to write the summer ritual. When I have them all done, I plan to add them in a sort of ‘the rituals’ chapter, so you can see those scenes, as they’re not incredibly long, but do happen. I'll also say that I changed the name she uses with the order, because Harry has seen (in letters) that she uses 'Sindrie' as a name, so I used a different one. I also edited past chapters to reflect this. 

(General) AN: This is the conclusion of the Dueling tournament, and her return to England and the Order. This chapter was moderately difficult to write as it goes over a lot of things, which again, I could write chapters about. The point is to make sure the most vital bits are conveyed. I hope you enjoy it!

Stats as of last chapter -

Aubrey Hawthorne

Titles - Queen of Ravens and Shadow, Dragon of the Wall

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Level 98

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Age - 15

Race - Human (Draconic (Fire) Lustborne (Ice))

Sex - Female

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Str - 355

Dex - 399

Agi - 392

Con - 414

Int - 502

Wis - 525

Luk - 440

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HP: 153,421 (449,633)

MP: 470,543 (1,939,302)

STM: 288,758 (801,892)

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Stat Points - 5

Perk Points - 3

Diplomatic Visibility - 10

.*****.

The day of my duel with Graves is especially clear. I smile up at the sky as I walk beneath it, to the Temple of Zeus, with the crackling ceiling and roiling gray mosaic. I offer a general prayer of thanks for the beautiful weather as I stride into the building, and feel, once more, the sense of something acknowledging my prayer. I smile very lightly as I walk into one of the side rooms which has been set aside for my locker area.

The inside of the temple looks the same as always, but I know there are dozens of hidden alcoves with reporters from around the world who are watching, casting and sending the match. No doubt, there’s even a few memory projectors set up, to capture the duel from every angle, and make sure it’s rewatchable in a public form for witches and wizards around the globe.

I dismiss the train of thought. Such ideas won’t help me focus on the duel at hand. The only people who matter right now are the people who are going to be closest to the actual ring, which is, of course, the other duelists from the tournament. They make up part of the first three rings of spectators who are in person. The rest would have been mine and Graves families, but neither of us had anyone come.

My section, due to the fact that I couldn’t care less about people showing up, my younger siblings don’t need to see this. My grandparents are in Australia right now or are working and my other family members I don’t really care to have over for this important step of my life.

My section of the stands is, however, filled. To my surprise.

Not with family, I see when I step out, but Flitwick, Dumbledore and a bunch of older wizards. I can’t tell what level of duelist some of them are. Exactly seven of them - Dumbledore included - are blank walls I can’t see past.

Grave’s section of the stands is much the same. Less people over there have impenetrable defenses, only three in total. I know, looking at them, that these are the real champions. The ones whom Flitwick said would come every few years, to remind the world they’re still the best.

Are they here to survey if Graves will win a third in a row?

Are they here to survey me?

Their impassive faces - aside from Flitwicks extremely excited bouncing - don’t reveal anything.

That means they’re also very good with body language - better than I am at least, which means…

Ah yes, masters of all kinds of things. Of course they are. Every sense I have is telling me they’re masters of a level above myself. I’d known Dumbledore was like this, but to think there are even nine others for dueling alone… well. Impressive. I’ll have to look over this later and see if I know any of them from reading. It is likely I do.

People don’t get to being so good without being noticed.

I settle into the center of the arena for the duel, Graves does the same. We bow.

We begin.

The first thing he does is summon a bunch of thin pillars, which begin revolving around him at set speeds, likely to make it hard to get a curse in.

I’d not anticipated that, but I send my same opener from when I dueled David. A screaming wall of fire, mixed with wind blades. I send an offhand spell into the ground to cause it to shoot chunks of rock as it fissures in towards him. Multiple types of projectiles. When I feel his counter - a massive orb of mud - meet my fire, I cast my second spell, having regained my posture.

Mana draining and an overlay to scramble dispeling attempts. The scramble isn’t complex, but if it takes him even an extra second to unscramble it, I could win in that second.

I send a wall of force, chaining out of my two setup spells, massively overcharging it so it beats the hell out of his counter - a standard barrage of explosions and counters to my more recent strings, which I've shown against the more finesse types than David.

He seems shocked, but counters it, then sends one back. I dispel it with hardly a wave of my hand while I start to transfigure the rubble with my wand, and literally slap his direct attacks away with my hand coated in a shield.

I duck the one which is borderline banned, since the shield won’t exactly block it, and I don’t fancy losing a finger. To use Kem he’d have to be very angry.

I open the winds - my best element - and begin raining blades and off-balancing gales on him, and he just about explodes in flame, igniting the winds and forcing me to do the most advanced bit of wind-control I’d mastered, making a bubble of perfectly still air around myself so the fire completely misses me in it’s charge on the currents. I turn the whole field to spikes in retaliation, but sense his presence jump above them, so I send my first ever mastered combo at him - not expecting it to work as I drive more mana into the ground, forcing it up.

He blocks all of my chain, then shields the earthen spikes, creating a platform to stand on. I use my transfiguration to make an earthen pillar, and as I rise, the smoke is filtered out with a sudden gust of wind - which misses me due to my maintained bubble of air, but as the smoke passes, I let it fade so it is not obvious what I had done.

Then my transfigured creatures rip out of the ground from beneath him, one getting a good hit on his leg.

The Kronsfar, as the Brazilian call them, look something like massive dogs, maybe seven feet long, and they have foot long steel spikes on their tails, and the ability to slightly shapeshift, becoming sharper, more metallic and very good at burrowing.

I delight at the long wound, but Graves snarls, and casts a gravity amplifier. I slam into the ground, hard. The wind is knocked out of me, but I can feel his mana filling my stores back up. He’s draining his mana fast, hoping this will keep me down. I hold on for a handful of seconds, then feign passing out, maybe ten seconds before I actually will.

I can tell his mana is low enough, he can’t cast that spell and hold it long enough to get me to pass out - let alone duel even as long as we just have.

Unless he has some secret technique for our third match, then I’ll be crowned, for the first time, the World Champion of the Dueling Circuit.

I imagine, if my hypothesis is right about how XP works, being the youngest to get the title, let alone getting the title, will be worth a ton of XP. Who knows what else I might get.

After confirming with quick medical scans we’re both able to continue, we’re ushered back into the arena within three minute of the first round.

I take my position with poise, a small smile on my face, and he takes his with an intense scowl.

This time, we both open with large explosive blows, and I double down on mine instead of going for a setup spell, sending a second - slightly more powerful - wave of fire and wind at him. I feel it crush his spell, combining with my first, and slam into a large shield. Having anticipated this, I send shield breakers and a few quick Pulso at him, to try and crack his defense, leaving me the only one standing in the first few seconds.

The shield breaks after six seconds of spells barraging it.

He falls after another second, unable to keep up with my speed, deflect enough of the spells. I grin and banish the smoke, holding my wand at the ready.

He’s confirmed unconscious after three seconds of not moving.

Quest Complete!

World Championship

Objective -

Win 3 duels in the World Championship of dueling (Complete)

Bonus Objectives -

Win 4 duels in a row (Complete)

Win 7 duels in a row (Complete)

Win the Tournament (Complete)

Don’t lose a single Duel (Failed)

Get the Masters to come watch your duel. (Complete)

Secret Objectives

Impress Lu Chen Ma (Failed)

Impress Daniel Miles (Failed)

Impress Alexander Niles (Complete)

Impress Albus Dumbledore (Complete)

Impress Nikos Aurelius (Complete)

Impress Santiago Malis (Failed)

Impress Hitachi Ishibashi (Complete)

Impress Marlo Minks (Complete)

Impress Oliver Wright (Complete)

Impress Maximus Tersion (Failed)

Convince the 10 Masters to Attend Next year (Complete)

Rewards

+50,000 xp

+100,000xp

+350,000xp

+500,000xp

+500,000xp

+Title ‘The Youngest Queen’ (i)

+Title 'World's Best’  (i)

+20 to ‘Dueling’ Skill

+10 to all skills

+Rank - Temporary ‘8th best Duelist in the World’  (i)

+Drawback ‘Eyes of the World’ (i)

+3 Political Visibility in (All Nations) (i)

Title

The Youngest Queen

You are the youngest Female to ever achieve the title of World Champion of Dueling. As a result, you are known as the worlds Youngest Queen -- of dueling.

+3 RL with all Professional Duelists

+2 RL with any Dueling Enthusiasts

+1 RL with anyone who knows of this title and has respect for the achievement

-1 RL with anyone who knows of this title and does not respect the achievement

+30 to all social skills

+50% chance when you do something it will make the news.

Title

The Worlds Best

You are the reigning Champion of the World in Dueling. As a result, you are currently viewed as the best in the world at this form of magical combat.

+150% growth rate to ‘Dueling’ skill

+100% growth rate to ‘combat magic’

+10 to Every Stat

+1 to every stat per level for however long you hold this

If you fail to train for more than 48 hours in dueling, you lose these benefits until you have returned to training for a period of time equal to double the time you spent not training.

There are no exceptions.

Rank

8th Best Duelist in the World

You are the 8th best Witch (or Wizard) in the world when it comes to dueling, based on raw skill. As a result, everyone below you in ranking takes a 1% decrease in dueling ability against you, unless it is for the title of official 8th best. You can climb the ranks by attending tournaments where other duelists above you are attending, or showing that you are better than they have shown themselves to be before a panel of the top 10 duelists - other than yourself.

2% of Dueling skill is added to other combat skills when in single combat.

Drawback

Eyes of the World

You have the Eyes of the World upon you. Your name is a common household name in most countries in the world, at this point. You’re up there with the greatest sporting legends of the day, due to your achievements. To equate you to muggle notoriety, it would be somewhere around ‘Michael Jordan’ and ‘Mike Tyson’. Few have ever reached this level of fame in any manner. As a result of the fame you have, however, there are a number of drawbacks.

First, when you go out, you need to either be disguised, or you will be asked for autographs by no less than 10 people every hour.

Second, if you go out in the open without a disguise or bodyguards, you will be hounded by the press for any and all details of your daily life, as any press with your name on it is likely to sell well. This can be stopped if you take certain measures, which you must discover on your own.

Third, all enemies gain +50% chances to track your whereabouts in urban environs, as your name and face are so well known, asking anyone if they’ve seen you around is likely to yield positive results.

Fourth, you have fanboys and fangirls. Lots of them.

Good luck!

I roll my eyes at the drawback as I slide into my interviewing robes, quietly going through the motions and then move out of the makeshift locker room and out to the interview area, in front of the temple.

Time to talk to the press!

The interviews - and time after them - are mostly me wearing my PR face. There’s not a lot of things I can do to make the process less painful for myself. It’s a lot of answering where I trained, how I trained, any tips I might have, what my ambitions for next year are, if I could win another championship and so forth. There’s not a lot of time for me to push my personal agenda - or pretend I’m less of a threat than I am.

I do pass off the sky-high idealist card pretty well, I think. Pretending to be a bit out of touch with reality, and like I study for everything, preparation for every outcome and training with my master - Flitwick - for most of the more likely ones.

Still, I am forced to tell people a bit more than I may like about my exact abilities. I do lie a bit, saying I stick to a spell until I can cast it without an incantation, which isn’t the case at all. Much more true would be the idea I stick with a spell exactly long enough to be able to cast it - as I can cast more devastating spells than I showed in the tournament. They’re just intended to be lethal, and I don’t want it known that I practice those magics, which are commonly banned in the dueling circuit. A number of the things I have shown would, indeed, be lethal to many of the weaker people in the magical world.

A single question - from an American reporter - touched on how lethal I was willing to be in my later duels. Indeed - if many of the spells were not blocked, they would result in a death. How could I know they wouldn’t end up in a corpse?

Well, my answer was pretty basic. The people at this level have shown they can handle the lethal openers of other duelists. They can counter the stuff I’m throwing around, so it’s a calculated use of my spells to make sure the duel goes in the way I want the duel to go.

I also tell them that I can control my spells to a certain extent - and if I never met a shield I could likely counter my own spells, though doing that if they evaded would probably lose me the duel outright, and I’d not do it, I imply that I would do it.

Which makes them happy, which is the point.

The rest of the stay in Greece is short - I make it a point to get a guide for a tour of the lesser known areas of the Greek Magical world which I should visit. With magic, the tour took two hours and yielded nothing I didn’t find already, except for two rather impressive natural sights.

So I head back to England, and my home, letting the mask of cheery girl slip off, as I settle into my very comfortable office - my fathers former office - with a sigh.

Which is immediately interrupted by a burst of fire, followed by a scroll hitting my table. I sigh again, not opening my eyes, and grab the scroll, opening it and unrolling it, before opening my eyes to read.

It is short - a list of things I need to do before the next order meeting I will attend in just over a week. We don’t want my return too closely tied with the mysterious cloaked figure in the order’s return. Among them are the warding of a couple safe-houses. ‘Do your best’ the note says, and I raise an eyebrow, striding to the fire and tossing in a bit of floo powder, calling for the headmastes office.

My best would mean only I could enter the building. That needs more clarification. I doubt if it’s to be a safe-house he wants anyone other than me to be burned alive by ancient Finnish wards which which are designed to kill - and add the power of the person killed - to the wards. Using their soul as an eternal source of strengthening for the wards. An endless font of magics.

Some of the wards I know - the best ones from midevial times - are brutal, and shouldn’t just be tossed up, but a number of the milder ones are hardly better. Locking people up in a complete sensory deprived cell until I can pull them out, for example, is doable. I’d probably be able to get to them in an hour or two at most.

That, however, is enough to drive most people a little insane. Is that the amount of force he wants, or less? Does he want me to make a holding cell for the people, with house-elves to serve it until we can get to the people in question, or does he want me to use purely shielding based wards? Those are the best for protecting and nothing else, but with no ‘offensive’ options, they’d be able to be destroyed without any care or thought. I could add discriminatory attacks, like if you don’t have an orders pin you get blasted, or if you have the Dark Mark, you get blasted. Keying them to bloodlines is also possible, but to such a disparate group as the order, most don’t work that well.

This is why most ancient houses have a private house and a more public manor house. The manor has less defense, but is there to be impressive, where the house is warded to the teeth, and people have to risk death to break in.

My family home isn’t so different, though we don’t use it, due to this not being an open wartime, and moving there before any other house moves the head-family does would be seen as a sign of fear or weakness.

Of course, the wards around my house are keyed to obliterate any dark-mark holders, and alert me to anyone under any type of magic which might be compulsions, like the imperious, love, loyalty or befuddlement magics. The stronger that type of magic is, the more sever the wards will be with them. The imperious results in the person being bound, locked and kicked into the holding cell block under our public manor, where my grandfather will be alerted and able to send for the healers of Saint Mungos. The others will be either disarmed, or I’ll be warned, depending on the exact type of enchantment.

The wards had taken a few hours to set up, and a good month of work to figure out how to make work with the limited magic around the land my house sits on. I’d also subtly moved up the level of defense on the family manor, and add slightly to the wards on the ancient family home as I have time. An hour here or there to adjust of fix up wards or update them to modern standards is enough that I’m sure when the time comes to use them, they’ll be ready.

“May I come through, Dumbledore? I’ve a few questions I’d like to ask you in person - and in private if it could be managed.” I ask, having gone through the greetings required automatically as my thoughts passed.

“Of course. I’ve nothing else to do for the next twenty minutes. This won’t take long, I hope?” He asks, and I shake my head.

In short order, we have a basic ward plan laid out - basically the same as what’s on my current house, minus the killing of dark-mark having people, where instead the ward will tell Dumbledore - and in his death Mad Eye and myself - so we can know. If more than two Dark-Mark Holders enter at a time, the wards will attempt to burn their wands instead of disarm them.

Which can deal a lot of damage, in a pocket, or even on a wrist. Wands usually burn incredibly hot when ignited.

So, I roll my shoulders and get to work. With luck, I’ll have my work all set before the meeting of the Wizengamot in two days, and then a good five days off until I have to go do an interview with the Prophet and then the WWN to keep my PR in place. Following that, I’ll have my first Order meeting since I’ve been back, and we’ll see after that.

It is a week before I’m due back at school, and with the latest meeting of the Order of the Phoenix done, everyone is filing out while I sit back, having a good conversation with Bill over how, exactly, we’re going to keep Voldemort out of the Department of Mysteries, which has the only copy of the information Voldemort can access. He rolls up the second to last map before tapping the very first one again - the entryway.

“Honestly, just making sure no one gets past the entry is for the best. We can be sure no Unspeakables are currently Death Eaters, but we will need to be careful of Imperius and other methods of control on members who are presently in the department.” He concludes, getting a nod from me as a bunch of people come bumbling in, first Harry, then Ron, Hermione, Fred and George to bring up the rear. Harry casts an interested look at the map - which I’m sure he shouldn’t be allowed to see - and Bill rolls it up, before slipping it into his belt pouch - expanded to hold the map. Mrs. Weasley bustles in, then, and she looks over at me, surprised, before offering a smile.

“Miss Evershore! It’s good to see you’re still around - you never do stay for dinner, and after all the work you’ve done for the Order, I was hoping to offer you a stay for dinner!” She chirps, and I give her a nod, opting to move over and sit next to Bill, who returned after putting the maps up in the secure storage box, and locking it. Tonks moves to his other side, so we can hold a three-way conversation as everyone else breaks off into groups. Harry, between Sirius and Hermione, Mundungus alone, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George helping set the table, while Mr. Weasley sits next to Lupin, across from Harry. Miss Weasley is directing it all while still cooking.

“It would be my pleasure. I was hoping to discuss with Bill about the recent expeditions of the Curse Breakers anyways. I specialized in Nordic crypts, and have been slowly puzzling out where a few others may be, and figured it could be good to swap stories on the tombs and curses we’ve run into. He’s been in South America and in Egypt after all. Rather impressive, seeing as how I’m not actually allowed in Egypt. I have upset some of the powers that be over there, and don’t want to test my luck.” I explain, seeing the looks of confusion, which turn into a nod of understanding on Bill and Molly’s faces, where the kids - except for Harry - look lost. Harry puts up a good attempt at looking lost, but I’m sure Dumbledore - in over four years of tutoring Harry - has gone over patron gods, and what power they hold in their countries.

Thinking about that, I’m somehow surprised but curious about my lacking the support of Tuatha De Danann. Maybe they refrain from evading some other Pantheon not liking me? I know there’s some bad blood between them and some of the Christian sects, which would result in at least a third of the Church of Christianity coming after me. The Prodestents, mostly. The Catholics too, if I’m unwary.

Impressively, the Orthodx church of Christianity is the most understanding of the other religions fighting back to keep their old ways. They think it’s blasphemy, but they also understand the need to defend from another cult trying to conquer you.

Prodestents feel like England - and most of Europe - belong to them, and whatever they don’t own, the Catholics feel like they do. As a result, a lot of the original pantheons have been crushed a good bit - losing gods due to their fading from most mortal records.

The Christian - then Muslim conquest of many European countries was not pleasant for our cultures. Another reason the Dark side of the Magical community has so much power - the families who remember or have done research can see how much damage was done when other groups came in and rewrote our rules. We lost a lot.

They don’t see that stagnation has done nearly as much damage - just over a much longer period of time.

“Ah, that is unfortunate. Egypt is quite wonderful, after all.” Bill tells me, then begins rambling about his various jobs down there, and I offer polite comparison with some of the things I’ve seen in dungeons - comparable traps, curses, and of course, monsters. Sirius, meanwhile, is giving Harry a general overview of what they’ve been up to in the order - at Harry’s request. No details, but general things. Snape giving reports, in which he alludes to how vastly dangerous his job is and how we should all be bowing down, people guarding things, trying to get the word of Voldemort being back out to more people. Mr. Weasley appears to just be napping, while Harry and Hermione are listening like me.

“Fred! George! Just carry it!” Miss Weasley howls and I see Harry and Sirius dive out of the way as a knife, then a pot of stem slam into the table. The knife sticks - point down - where a hand - I’d not been sure whos hand, as it was out of the corner of my eye, had been. The stew - in a large cauldron - begins to skid on the very nice polished table. I snap my fingers and it stops dead, then hovers slowly to the center of the table, where a little meal holder floats under and I put it down. Then I do a small circle with my hand, and the rest of the setup is done in a matter of seconds, leaving only the pie and the tart - which are in the oven - from the table.

“There we are. I figure your boys could do with some magical control lessons. There are over 50 exercises to get precise control, after all. The better your control, the less need for a wand, and less chance things go awry like that.” I chime, in stunned silence, before Miss Weasley huffs an agreement, and I turn back to Bill, who looks impressed.

Of course, he would have seen the magic I just used with no wand, and been able to see my reaction speed, the fact the snap had been for show and that with no gesture or sound my magic had the pot before it had so much as moved the first inch on the table, keeping it from falling over on someone or spilling the boiling stew on anyone. I give him a thin smile, which he can’t see, and say “Well, I hope all dinners aren’t this eventful?” Which seems to break the tension and things go back to normal, and people begin to dish themselves up platefuls of stew, bread and so forth.

I make sure to make a show of praying over my food, really checking it for any kind of additives, potions or the like. I find two - a contraceptive potion, which does what it sounds like - and a general potion which…

Makes the food taste better and have more nutritional value than it should? I do a deeper scan, and find that most of the food is actually transfigured wheat and chicken. Almost no value in terms of vitamins and minerals which you need, which is what the potion is for.

I make a note to stock the kitchens here with high quality food. Potions help, but do a lot more when you have actual food.

I make sure to eat it all - and it would likely have been good without the potion, but with it, well, it’s quite impressive. I make sure to go out to use the restroom between courses, and come back, stealthily putting a two rhubarb crumbles and and various milk-shakes in the proper places, so I can offer them ‘because I put them there in case I wanted a snack, but I see no reason not to share’.

The fact there’s enough for everyone to have two servings of both, well, I eat a lot, as I am very physically active, and find the sugar helps me before I do a run, or practice dueling, or other magically and physically intense activities.

The addition isn’t even noticed by Ms. Weasley, she serves the Crumble like it had always been part of the plan, and when I summon copious amounts of milkshakes for everyone, I don’t get almost any complaints.

The one I do get - about doing work as a guest - I quash with the polite reminder that I make quite enough mess here too, and this is my way of repaying the kids' efforts to keep it all clean.

After everyone has had quite enough food, and everyone is settling in with pleased expressions - and I’m drinking my fourth milk-shake, as Hermione and Harry had restrained from drinking their seconds, each, Ms. Weasley turns to Sirius.

“We’re fairly certain, after having got through most of the Drawing room, that the thing in the cupboard is a Boggart. What would you like to do with it, Sirius?” She asks, and he shrugs, noncommittally.

“Whatever you like. I could deal with it - or Remus?” He offers, and Molly shakes her head.

“I’ll deal with it tomorrow, don’t worry.”

Sirius nods, and she adds “Of course, the cabinet is the only other thing left than the cupboard to clean out. We’ll deal with that tomorrow.” And all the kids let out a groan, and I make a mental note to go and deal with the rest of the cleaning for them, overnight, then put it down to ‘too much energy after all those Milkshakes!’.

I thought the kids would enjoy the chance to do something useful, but it seems after a few weeks of non-stop cleaning, they’re wearying of it. I can’t blame them.

Couldn’t the Order find other things for them to do? Sort the library? Hermione would like that. Help with cooking? Ron - if he could refrain from eating it all - would likely enjoy that. Ginny and Harry could just practice flying with the less adept Order Members. I’ve noticed Ginny has just about every Flying-based perk I’ve ever seen, and has been steadily acquiring more.

So she’s very clearly good at it.

By fixing the one thing they’ve been clinging to, maybe they’ll figure out something actually useful for the kids to do.

I’ll deal with Boggart, too. I know how to deal with mine. The very idea any of my kids could hate me - or for a few of them to die, seems laughable, the more I consider it. There were a lot of contingencies in place, to that end.

So it’ll take the form of the most dreadful thing I know of, which is a Dementor. Dread incarnate. Which you beat with a Patronus and a Riddikulus, turning it into something like a flower. Or putting a dementor in a frilly dress with a nice flowery veil.

I smirk into my milkshake as I finish it off.

“Well, it’s nearly time for bed, I think!” Ms. Weasley calls, and I look up.

“Not quite yet, Molly, I figure I have some more to talk with Harry about before he goes to bed, the rest of the kids can head off, though. Black family business.” He says, and I cast him a queer look, which he clearly feels and he gives me a subtle nod.

I can stay. Not family business.

Molly ushers the other kids upstairs, and Sirius leans down, Tonks, Bill and Mr. Weasley all watching with me, while Mundungus had fled after his first Milkshake.

“Voldemort is after a weapon - something in the Department of Mysteries. Whatever you do - don’t go to the Ministry this year, since we have no way of knowing when Voldemort may strike for his goal. If you see something, then get word to McGonagall, Dumbledore, or in the worst case, use the method I gave you to contact me. I’ll tell you more the day you come back home. I know you want more, but I’ve got to go - and you’re staying over for a few more days. I wanted to keep it clear, though, lest you get information from a less reputable source.” He says, and I nod.

Voldemort would, if he could, score a two-for-one by getting Harry to the Department, and dealing with both in one go. Good to warn him now, and outline who he should contact, in what order.

The fact Harry hadn’t been told in front of the other kids would, of course, mean they’re going to ask - or would if it weren’t family business. Now he has every right to tell them to jump off a cliff if they ask, and tell whomever he likes.

After a few goodbyes, Harry is off to bed, and I’m walking up the hall to the Drawing room with Bill and Tonks in tow. I toss open the door and wave my wand, cleaning the cabinet as best I can, making a pile of junk and cursed objects on one side, and highlighting the drawers which didn’t open. Two didn’t. I walk over to the wardrobe, and open the doors, and a Dementor looms out, I roll my eyes and with a patronus and it in a flower dress, it quickly poofs into smoke as it flees the house. I turn back to the cabinet. Tonks opened one of the drawers, and is levitating a snuffbox - which Observe tells me is full of Snargaluff powder, and will bite to inject you with it. Killing in 30 minutes unless the spell to counter it is cast. I conjure a large back and summon it from her to the bag.

“Deadly little snuffbox.” I grumble, and she nods. I work through the pile of stuff. Binning robes, a pair of gloves, three cursed rings and a nasty little cursed comb. I put the rest of the stuff back, and cast the polishing and shining charms on all the objects, and the Cabinet itself.

Then I open the last drawer, and I feel my blood turn to ice.

The Locket of Salazar Slytherin.

Also, a Horcrux. I look mechanically over my shoulder, and mumble “Lock the door, this is very bad news.” As I slowly pull the chain - which is immune to summoning, levitation and other forms of magically being moved - out.

“Dumbledore has been looking for this - the fact it has been here is disconcerting. Do either of you know what it is?” I ask, and Tonks, after a moment of looking, shakes her head. Bill, however, casts a few spells, narrows his eyes, casts a few more and then shrugs.

“It’s a container. It holds something alive, powerful and most certainly dark. Very evil, too. It feels like it’s using the thing it’s holding to corrupt whoever holds it over time.” He answers, and I nod. That is, in fact, one of the things this does.

Locket of Salazar Slytherin

Horcrux (Voldemort)

HP - (Infinite)

MP - 1,428,990

This is the Locket of Salazar Slytherin. It’s primary property is in the use of Ley-Magic and Ward Creation. It was made to assist in the making and laying of the Hogwarts Wards. A secondary focus for the Ley Lines, beyond the runes, to help in the setup.

As the Locket - it grants the ability to handle up to 13 Ley Lines of magic at a time, decreasing the difficulty of handling more than one ley-line by half, for each above one.

Additionally, you can story Ley-Magic in the Locket, if you attune to it. Up to 1,000,000 points of mana may be stored, however, this amount decays over time as it bleeds back into the world. If you ever take more than one half of your total magic magical pool in ley-magic, then you will be killed by the Wrath of the World.

As the Horcrux of Voldemort the Locket also drains hope, individuality and will to live from the wearer. It devours dreams, fears and hopes. It inflames flaws or evil parts of the personality, and weakens morals and good parts of the personality. If worn for more than 168 hours, you will become an evil version of yourself - incapable of feeling love, trust or hope, and living only to cause pain and suffering.

You can open this Locket - and remove its invulnerability - with a command in parseltongue to open. Like the Nemean Lion, it is vulnerable once you are inside of its shell.

“Yes and no. It contains something powerful and evil, and does all the things you say, however, it also kills you and replaces your soul with the soul of the thing in the jar, making you an evil husk if you wear it for long enough. One week, by my calculations, would do it. I’m going to tell Dumbledore I found it, then I’m going to cleanse it with his help. This - or I should say - these things - are why he asked me to join. There are more than just this one. I’ve destroyed another of them, and I think he has as well. We don’t know how many in total, but there are surely more. If you ever come across something like this, please send it to Dumbledore or myself at once.” I say commandingly, bringing to bear all of my perks which enhance my force of personality, and using magical pressure to make them feel like I am very much in charge.

Both nod, slowly.

“But how can we send you something if we don’t know who you are?” Tonks asks slowly. “You gave us a name - but we all know its a pseudonym.” She continues, and I sigh.

“There’s a good reason for that. Dumbledore and I both know most people in the order wouldn’t like my being a part of it, for a few reasons. If you swear to keep it all quiet, I will gladly tell you my real name and take off this infernal cloak.” I tell them both - and I mean it. “Oh, and of course, if you have an issue with it, go to Dumbledore with the complaint. I don’t have time, frankly, to deal with more shit. I certainly am very busy, that’s not a lie. You’ll see if you agree.” I tell them, and they nod.

“I swear to tell no one who you are - should I try to do so may I lose my memory of this, and owe you any one favor of your choosing, as I swear it, so let it be done.” Bill intones, and I feel a thread of magic tie us together, then I see it flash and settle. Tonks copies him, and I sigh, then pull down my hood.

“My name is Aubrey Hawthorne. I currently qualify for a mastery in at least 7 subjects, and am the all-time highest scorer on any test the teachers have given me. I’m sure you remember me, Bill. After all, you were Mr. Allsbrooks assistant in first year. Well, I’ve only started to learn faster, since.” I explain, and I see him nod slowly, almost disbelieving.

“Wait, you qualify for seven masteries? Only Dumbledore and Flamel that I know of have that many!” Tonks shouts - making me glad I sealed and silenced the room when I found the Locket.

“Yes. I officially have Defense, History and Magical theory. I qualify for Mind Magics, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Alchemy, Runes and Arithmancy. From there I could probably get one for Warding, Enchantment and Artifice, but I’m not interested, really. I hold unofficial masteries in Charms, Arithmancy and Transfiguration in Italy, at least. I was privately examined to determine my level of pay for tutoring and that was the estimation of skill.” I explain, then shrug. “Really, I only go to school because I keep the place safe while Dumbledore is trying to fix the outside world. Also, the resources there are phenomenal. I can train all day in every magical discipline, talk to masters on theories and work out complex problems. This is why I stay.” I explain, heading off the questions I see coming. They nod, slowly.

“And you’re the dueling champion of the world.” Tonks adds, and I grin a bit.

“Well, yea. That’s me proving I don’t need school, publicly. I win enough money in dueling to feed my family and buy us a house every time I do one of the Adult tourneys. Even the top 8 are paid exceptionally well.”

“And your Curse-Breaker stories?” Bill asks, sounding a bit hurt.

“Not really a lie. I did all of that alone, or with Dumbledore though. There are a lot of deadly things on or near Hogwarts grounds. Lost chambers with nasty shit, a dragon in the mountain, giants in the woods, trolls, were-wolves, vampires, and oh so much more.” I grumble, and I get a nod from Bill.

“Hard to think you actually did all of that in four years.” He grumbles and I shrug.

“I mostly practice magical control in classes - or did - until I mastered the 100 exercises. Now I practice wandless and wordless casting. It helps me get better, and then on my off hours, I cast my paperwork spell, and go work out, then work on either new spells, or I go looking for some other danger to the school. Boggarts, Doxie infestations, Acromantula invasions, some sealed off corridors full of dark magic which animates corpses if you do the wrong thing… things like that.” I explain and get a slow, tired blink from Bill.

“How didn’t anyone else find this stuff?” He asks, and I chuckle, amused.

“No one in the last one hundred or so years has found the map of the School made by Rowena Ravenclaw. Even the people that did - there were a couple - weren’t interested in breaking a dozen school rules by smashing into sealed areas to figure out what was going on in there. I was. Better I - who have been training to fight this stuff - do it than some first year student who has no clue what they just walked into.” I explain, and he blanches.

“First year?”

“Oh yea! I killed a nest of Doxies in a lost tower, odd enchantments, in my first year! And some Salamanders which were in the basement furnace area. Sealed off, too. There were a few other places, but those were most memorable. I try to subdue the chuck out if I can, but when they try to kill me, I do the same.” I lean back and look at the ceiling. “This is where Dumbledore and I differ. I fight with all my heart. I give what’s given. He aims for second chances. I think he’s foolish for that, and he thinks I’m foolish for my thinking, I’m sure. We’re both agreeing though, that death should not be the answer. If we can solve it with words, we should. It’s just when someone takes a shot at us, that our ideals differ.”

Tonks and Bill both nod, understanding - if not liking in Bill’s case - my reasoning.

Tonks has been clearly debriefed on how this is, how it is in war, and what to expect if / when it happens by Mad Eye. In fact, she’s looking at me with more interest than before when I was wearing the hood.

I think she’s greatly enjoying being in on the secret.

“As long as you have an outlet to deal with it in the aftermath..” Bill trails, and then shrugs. “I just couldn’t imagine taking a life unless it was needed.”

“Never more needed than in war, where if they fail to kill you, they may kill ten more, should you miss your chance.” Tonks says bluntly, and I nod, pointing at her to show my agreement. She gives me a smile, which I return. Again, Bill shrugs.

“It just seems like such a waste, for it to even come to blows. It hurts the wizarding world so much, and we’re already weak from two major wars in the last century. We don’t need another.” He grumbles, and I let out a sound of agreement.

“I intend to make this one as short as it can be. It won’t be pretty, but it’ll be done.” I explain, and he nods, looking a bit sad.

“I’m rather sorry you had to grow up to be so cold.” He apologizes, and I shrug.

“There was no other way. My father was a great man, but also, sometimes, he was harsh. I learned I couldn’t hold back in anything if I were to live up to - or potentially exceed his expectations.”

Bill nods again, and we quickly dissolve, heading off in various directions.

I’m going to Dumbledore. We have a Horcrux to kill.