Diagon Alley, as one of the economic centers of British wizarding society, was under the watchful eye of the Auror Office.
The Chief Auror of the British Auror Office – Rufus Scrimgeour – was having a terrible day. First, he let a dark wizard escape, and now he had just been notified of a fight breaking out in front of Gringotts.
If it were anyone else fighting, he would throw both offenders into Azkaban and toss away the key, but he couldn't do that. The offenders were the Lord Patriarch of House Black and the Lady Matriarch of House Longbottom.
If he dared to arrest either of the two, perhaps on the same day, he would receive his letter of resignation. Arcturus Black was the Leader of the Pure-Blood Faction, controlling almost the entire Ministry of Magic, while Augusta Longbottom was protected by Albus Dumbledore, a powerful wizard of Special Grade, and one of the leaders of the Wizengamot.
All of this, assuming he could even arrest the legendary Arcturus Black, a Semi-Special Class Wizard.
In summary, he was caught in the middle of a fight between two giants and couldn't do anything for fear that something would happen to him or his career. Although he would like to see the legendary Arcturus Black in Azkaban for various crimes of bribery, murder, and abuse of power, unfortunately, to his dismay, he couldn't do something like that.
Releasing a resigned sigh, Rufus and a group of experienced Aurors apparated directly to Diagon Alley.
-
Upon arriving at the scene, he saw a building in front of Gringotts, adorned with enormous silver needles, each measuring at least twenty meters in length. Rufus didn't need to be a genius to know that it was the Innate Technique of House Longbottom.
Then, he looked at the massive black skeleton with a deep gaze tinged with respect. Arcturus might be a nepotistic scoundrel in his eyes, but the Chief Auror recognized the strength the man possessed.
Controlling such a powerful cursed spirit showed just how strong the Black patriarch was. Although he wasn't at the Special Grade level, he wasn't far off.
Standing between Augusta and Arcturus, Rufus spoke, trying to calm things down. "Ladies and gentlemen, I think we should calm down to avoid causing any more unnecessary damage to Diagon Alley."
"It wasn't me who attacked first, Chief Auror," Arcturus responded with his deep, cold voice, looking at Augusta with a condescending gaze.
Rufus couldn't help but mentally curse Matriarch Longbottom for her impulsiveness. How dare she attack someone stronger than her, knowing she wouldn't win? She was just a Grade 2 witch!
"He and his great-niece insulted me and my grandson," Augusta retorted, her eyes filled with fury, almost as if they were burning with furious flames. Nevertheless, she canceled her own innate technique, causing the needles embedded in the adjacent building to disappear, or rather, shrink back to their original size.
She knew she couldn't defeat the man in front of her, and the Aurors weren't on her side at the moment. How she wished she had Dumbledore with her now, to try to pressure Arcturus. Unfortunately, the most powerful man in England wasn't available at the moment.
"Funny, because it was you who called my grandson a girl first. Don't be hypocritical, Augusta. That's not something someone from the White Faction should do," Arcturus spoke calmly as the curtain behind him swallowed the gigantic black skeleton hundreds of meters tall.
"Don't worry, Chief Auror, I won't file a complaint about this attack, but don't think you won't pay dearly at the next Wizengamot session," said Arcturus, looking at the woman who displayed an unpleasant expression on her face after hearing his words.
She knew she had done something wrong in attacking a patriarch of a noble house and would be duly punished. The severity of the punishment depended on how many members would be on her house's side in the Senate at that moment. But first and foremost, they weren't many, as Dumbledore was not well regarded in the eyes of other noble houses.
Augusta could see many industries and shops under the name of House Longbottom cruelly confiscated and handed on a silver platter to the odious man, not only to financially weaken the White Faction but also to weaken House Longbottom, which many nobles considered traitors.
Asterion watched the entire show with excitement shining in his eyes, not caring much about the political impact. Seeing an almost fight between wizards for the first time was thrilling, but he couldn't help but look at the future thirty-third Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour. A foolish man who tried to convey a sense of security while a war was being waged in the corridors of the Ministry. A stupid decision that led the man to die at the hands of Voldemort in the future, who sought the whereabouts of Harry Potter. When Rufus refused to reveal where the boy was, the Dark Lord casually killed him.
Poor man…
Arcturus didn't bother to give another glance at Augusta and Neville and walked toward Gringotts under the fearful and respectful eyes of the goblins who had witnessed the entire scene earlier.
Leaving Rufus and Augusta with somber looks, one was concerned about getting too involved in Wizengamot politics, while the other was cautious about what House Longbottom would have to pay at the next Senate meeting.
-
Entering Gringotts, Arcturus looked at his great-grandson and asked, "What did you think of all this?"
"You provoked her to the limit," Asterion replied. That was the conclusion of the events earlier. From the beginning, Arcturus had subtly provoked the old lady without her even realizing it.
"Exactly. With her attack, we gained many properties and shops in Diagon Alley from House Longbottom. And the best part is, even if Dumbledore tries to stop us, we have a very valid and concrete reason. We weakened two enemies with just one attack," Arcturus said, nodding in satisfaction at Asterion's response.
He continued, "So, remember this scene well, Asterion. You must control your emotions, or they will be used against you, just as I used hers against herself."
Asterion nodded, but he felt he didn't need that warning. He didn't like expressing his feelings much in the first place, often preferring to keep everything to himself.
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Author's Thoughts: What did you think? I found it interesting to write this chapter, showing a little of the politics of wizarding society in England. Tell me what you thought of the chapter!
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Next Chapter: (Chapter 20 - Unrest in England (1), (Chapter 21 - Unrest in England (2), (Chapter 22 - Unrest in England (3), (Chapter 23 - Escaping from Azkaban (1), (Chapter 24 - Escaping from Azkaban (2), (Chapter 25 - Wizengamot (1), (Chapter 26 - Wizengamot (2), (Chapter 27 – Wizengamot (3), (Chapter 28 - Unexpected Arrival (1) ), (Chapter 29 - Unexpected Arrival (2).
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Chapter – 01/02.
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As Asterion approached the counter of the bank, where a rather ugly-looking goblin was working, his heart beat faster. He glanced briefly at his great-grandfather and almost smiled, thinking of Arcturus Black's shocked and incredulous face.
He also looked at the famous warning from Gringotts written on the wall of the place, but he didn't pay much attention to it; it was just a poor chained dragon. He had a much better dragon himself.
As for the waiting line, well, let's say that maybe because of the small show outside of Gringotts, people let him and his family pass without much fuss.
Arriving at the service counter, Asterion particularly disliked having to look up. The goblins intentionally raised the height of the counters, probably to feel superior to wizards and to irritate them more easily.
And to tell the truth, they really managed to annoy him, even without saying absolutely anything up to that moment.
Even with their arrival, the goblin continued to write with a quill on a parchment that looked new, as if he hadn't noticed them.
The goblin itself was small, not measuring more than fifty centimeters, with sparse gray hair, a huge pointed nose, and large, sharp ears at the top. Definitely an appearance worthy of a horror movie.
"Disgusting creatures," Asterion heard Narcissa mutter beside him. He completely agreed with her assessment. Goblins were ugly, arrogant, and quite unpleasant to have a conversation with, regardless of who you were.
Looking coldly at the goblin who continued to write, indifferent to what was happening around him, Asterion unleashed Baskerville's unscrupulous malice completely.
A monstrous and chilling laughter echoed in the entrance hall of Gringotts; everyone felt as if they were inside a frozen cave. The cold, murderous intent sent shivers down the spines of every person and goblin in the hall.
"It seems you've noticed our arrival, Mr. Goblin," said Asterion, looking at the Goblin who stared back at him with a touch of fear. His eyes reflected nothing but a gaze completely devoid of emotions, as if he were looking at someone dead.
"I was distracted," said the goblin, showing a wide and somewhat terrifying smile. His gaze fell upon Asterion's shadow with a touch of caution. "But I must inform you that pets are not allowed in Gringotts."
Upon hearing this, Asterion gave an innocent look while gesturing for the Goblin to proceed. "You can try to remove Baskerville from the premises; I won't stop you."
The goblin glanced at the gigantic dog with hundreds of pairs of red eyes and chose to remain silent. As for the rules of Gringotts, if a superior were to inquire, he would claim he was old and had forgotten some.
It was foolish to fight against a curse of semi-special level, at least he wouldn't survive for even a second...
Seeing that the goblin ignored Baskerville, Asterion nodded and looked at his great-grandfather, signaling for him to take over the conversation.
"A private room with the goblin in charge of Vault 666 of the House of Black," Arcturus spoke, looking directly into the goblin's eyes, causing him to swallow hard and promptly summon the goblin in question.
"Seriously, Vault 666?" Upon hearing the vault number, Asterion pursed his lips and looked skeptically at the old patriarch.
In the face of his great-grandson's gaze, Arcturus only responded somewhat helplessly. "The Third Lord was a true occultist... he even started a cult... It was he who transferred the wealth of the House of Black to Gringotts, although only a part of it."
Asterion rolled his eyes at the dark past of his ancestor. At the same time, he remembered the cursed spirits of the third bearer of the Black Family's cursed technique; they were all mentioned in the book. Most of them had names of dukes, princes, and infernal kings, even names of angels. Perhaps that's why his family was targeted by the church in the early 13th century.
"A man's dreams are sacred," Narcissa laughed at their conversation.
"Please, I have no dreams concerning any deity, whether sacred or demonic," Asterion replied, rolling his eyes again. If God and Lucifer existed and knew of our family's plan, we would definitely be dead…
Setting aside those thoughts, Asterion focused on the magical energy coursing through his body. There was a considerable amount; only a little more was needed for him to be considered promoted. This tiny amount of energy separated him from a nearly semi-special class wizard.
"Perhaps when I turn ten or eleven," Asterion thought. He was eager for the day when he would advance to a semi-special class wizard. A semi-special wizard at the age of ten or eleven, that alone would be enough for him to be recorded in the annals of wizarding history as one of the greatest prodigies of his time.
This was not a world of cultivation where you could infinitely grow stronger by absorbing energy. In this cruel and unfair world, your talent determined how high you would rise and the speed at which you would reach your peak. Some would reach adulthood with power at grade 3 or even grade 4, never able to progress to the next level. Others, like Asterion, were already reaching the pinnacle of the world before even reaching adulthood.
This world was truly unfair to those without talent.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please follow me to the private room," Asterion snapped out of his reverie, hearing another goblin, dressed in simpler clothes, who guided him to a room where another goblin awaited.
This goblin was different from the previous ones; he wore more flamboyant and elegant attire, though in dark shades. He sported a large silver necklace around his neck, with a jewel containing a strange coat of arms depicting trees and flowers.
Asterion presumed him to be a noble of the goblin race, which was not surprising given that they were governed by an absolutist monarchy.
The goblin walked awkwardly with his short legs up to Asterion, holding an ancient-looking white marble bowl and an intricately carved knife with extremely complicated ancient runes.
"Seven drops of your blood, no more, no less," the goblin spoke with his hoarse and repulsive voice, as if he had swallowed glass.
Before undergoing the test, Asterion glanced at Arcturus to see if anything was amiss. Seeing the man nodding at him, confirming that it was safe, the boy didn't hesitate to cut his palm with the knife, carefully squeezing out seven drops of his blood.
The goblin took the bowl with the seven drops of blood and performed a spell using the bowl itself, which glowed in a golden hue, revealing thousands of runes that seemed to move on their own.
Upon finishing the spell, the goblin poured all seven drops onto the ancient-looking parchment. The parchment, which had been blank, began to write itself, revealing Asterion's true lineage.
[Asterion Regulus Black-Slytherin]
Blood Purity - 100% (Seven generations of pure-blooded wizards in both Paternal and Maternal lines.)
Parents - Regulus Black (Father), Minerva Slytherin (Mother)
Possible Inheritance: The Oldest and Noblest House of Black
Possible Inheritance: The Oldest and Most Noble House of Slytherin.]
The goblin looked at what was written on the paper and rubbed his eyes in confusion, thinking he had read it wrong. He read it again only to see the same hallucination.
"Surely, a surprise, Lord Black," said the goblin after letting out a shrill and eerie laugh. He then handed the paper to the confused Patriarch of the House of Black.
Though puzzled by the goblin's strange behavior, Arcturus lowered his head and began to read the content. The more he read the parchment's content, the wider his eyes bulged in total disbelief and incredulity.
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Author's thoughts: The inheritance is revealed!!!
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The Patreon will be updated daily, except on Saturdays and Sundays, when I do not write.
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(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
Next Chapter: (Chapter 21 - Unrest in England (2), (Chapter 22 - Unrest in England (3), (Chapter 23 - Escaping from Azkaban (1), (Chapter 24 - Escaping from Azkaban (2), (Chapter 25 - Wizengamot (1), (Chapter 26 - Wizengamot (2), (Chapter 27 – Wizengamot (3), (Chapter 28 - Unexpected Arrival (1), (Chapter 29 - Unexpected Arrival (2), (Chapter 30 - Black Family Reunion (1), (Chapter 31 -Black Family Reunion (2).
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