At Night in the Black Manor.
Sitting in the dining hall, Arcturus, Asterion, and Narcissa dined in silence, a rather traditional dinner lavishly laid out on the oak dining table.
Arcturus, as always, dressed in his elegant suit, Asterion wore an outfit similar to Ciel Phantomhive's, but in black and green tones, while Narcissa wore a delicate black dress covering her body, revealing her bare back.
"Will I go to Hogwarts when I turn eleven?"
Cutting a piece of steak with his knife, Asterion stabbed the fork into the succulent meat, but before swallowing, he asked curiously. He was quite curious about Hogwarts, after all, it was Hogwarts, and he also wanted to know the differences of Hogwarts in this reality.
Arcturus paused his utensils and looked at his great-grandson with confusion. He placed the utensils on the table and asked, "When did I say you would go to Hogwarts when you turned eleven?"
This time it was Asterion's turn to be confused. "Isn't it at eleven years old that a wizard starts their studies?"
"No, the age to start at Hogwarts is from thirteen onwards," Arcturus replied, surprising Asterion.
Seeing his great-grandson's confusion, Arcturus began to explain, "I don't know why you think you would go to Hogwarts at eleven, but it's not like that. Wizards are essentially soldiers; it's completely illogical to send children to Hogwarts at that age."
Seeing the confusion growing stronger on his Asterion face, Arcturus realized that his great-grandson didn't understand the nature of Hogwarts.
"Hogwarts isn't just a school; it also serves as a headquarters for training young wizards in the fight against cursed spirits and dark wizards. Hogwarts is divided into two classes: the main class and the auxiliary class. The main class mostly consists of fighters, while the auxiliary class, as the name suggests, consists of auxiliary wizards who help in any way they can with their powers, whether it's healing, tracking, reconnaissance, or cleanup."
Taking a breath to regain his composure, he continued, "From the first to the third year, students only need to establish a solid knowledge base for their future. Starting from the fourth year, or when they turn sixteen, Hogwarts begins to send students on Grade 4 missions so they can gain experience. Thus, from the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh years, students put everything they've learned in class into practice. When they graduate from the seventh year, at twenty years old, you'll have an experienced soldier with a formed mindset."
The words silenced Asterion. He understood his great-grandfather's words; unlike the magical school in another reality, this Hogwarts wasn't an amusement park but a place where you grew stronger to survive in the future.
The wizards in both realities were fundamentally different. This world needed constant soldiers to fight cursed spirits and dark wizards; otherwise, society wouldn't be what it was today. At the same time, this world had a much better fate than the world of JJK; the number of wizards in this world was much higher, resulting in fewer deaths than depicted in the anime and manga.
Arcturus continued speaking after taking a sip of water from his glass. "If we were to send children to Hogwarts at eleven, the Muggle government would definitely fight us to the death. For this reason, it was decided that the basic age to enroll in Hogwarts would be thirteen, and missions would only begin at sixteen. To ensure the primary safety of the children, various strict regulations were created, and both sides retreated, with the Muggle government assisting in missions by sending responsible agents along with their technology."
"To increase the survival rate of the students, a team of three people is formed at the beginning of the school year, and the ministry also sends an experienced Auror to assist in the missions," Arcturus concluded.
Asterion couldn't help but feel amazed. The mutual assistance between both worlds was something he certainly didn't expect, but upon reflection, it was quite reasonable for it to happen.
After all, war wasn't an intelligent option. Not only would it reveal the existence of the supernatural, but it would also drag the entire country into conflict. Add Special Class Wizards to the mix, and you have pandemonium on Earth.
Both worlds needed each other to survive. Normal people couldn't see cursed spirits and therefore couldn't kill them, while wizards needed fresh blood constantly being sent to Hogwarts to supply the scarce workforce. In the end, both worlds reached a consensus where everyone would benefit.
But upon hearing about the team and the experienced Auror, Asterion felt like he had seen this somewhere before. Then, he remembered the anime Naruto that he watched in his past life, where there was a similar system.
"I just hope there won't be a Sakura on his team. If there is, I hope it's the post-time skip Sakura," he thought.
"The team chosen at the beginning of the school year, do we get to choose who we go on missions with?" Asterion asked, cautious about the response he would receive.
"No. The Hogwarts school council selects team members based on each individual's weaknesses. This forms a cohesive team that complements each other, as nobody is perfect." Looking at his grandson's worried face, Arcturus knew what he was concerned about and reassured him, addressing his doubts.
Just as Arcturus was about to continue explaining other things, the house-elf, Kreacher, apparated next to the patriarch's chair and bowed while extending his hands, showing a letter bearing the emblem of the British Ministry of Magic.
"Noble Lord Black, Kreacher intercepted a letter attempting to enter the mansion's domain," said the old house-elf as he prostrated himself on the ground. Arcturus recognized the emblem and the letter, which was used to summon someone.
Taking the letter in his hand, he let it float in the air. Magically, the letter seemed to come to life and began to speak with a deep, serious voice resonating throughout the dining hall.
[London – Grimmauld Place, No. 12.
This is an emergency order sent to the recipient, The Lord Patriarch of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black – Arcturus Black III.
Arcturus Black III, you are hereby summoned to present yourself as soon as possible before the Supreme Parliament, the Wizengamot.
Refusal to comply with this summons will bring serious consequences to the Recipient – Arcturus Black III.]
When the letter finished speaking, it turned into ashes, disappearing completely. Everyone in the dining hall fell silent, still stunned by what had just happened.
Arcturus furrowed his brows deeply. He didn't appreciate the tone used in the letter; it was written as if he were a criminal being forced to appear before the Wizengamot. Obviously, this wasn't written by the Pure-Blood Faction.
The old patriarch coldly snorted. He wanted to see what tricks Dumbledore wanted to use against him. However, even though he had been summoned, he calmly resumed eating and sipped his wine, seeming unconcerned about being urgently called.
Only when he finished his dinner did he leave the dining hall, holding his cane with a cold expression. Asterion observed Arcturus leaving the dining hall after receiving an urgent letter from the Ministry of Magic, specifically being summoned before the entire Wizengamot.
Narcissa and Asterion exchanged confused glances. Going to the Ministry and being summoned were two completely different things. Something truly serious had happened.
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Next Chapter: (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), (Chapter 32 - Black House Masquerade Ball (1), Chapter 33 - Black House Masquerade Ball (2), Chapter 34 - Black House Masquerade Ball (3).
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London – British Ministry of Magic.
Entering the elevator disguised as a telephone booth, Arcturus, dressed in an elegant black suit with the Black family crest in red, wore a cold and indifferent expression as the elevator descended underground, going down to the Eighth Level – The Atrium.
After almost thirty seconds, the elevator doors opened, revealing a cavern richly adorned in black marble, stone arches decorated the environment, and numerous lights illuminated the space. The place was bustling, to say the least, with hurried people coming and going, while planes of papers flew over their heads, fleeting shadows in the chaos.
Arcturus noticed that the ministry was more bustling than usual as whispers reached his ears from the background.
"Did you hear? They say it was almost completely destroyed and all the prisoners escaped. They claim it was the Witch of Insanity - Bellatrix Lestrange - who initiated the entire breakout!"
His face took on a grim expression upon hearing this, finally understanding everything. However, what disturbed him even more was not his great-niece's escape, but the fact that he hadn't received any message warning him of the mass breakout from Azkaban.
He pondered the two possibilities that lay before him. Had the Purebloods betrayed him, Or was the first person to notice the escape on Albus Dumbledore's side?
With unanswered questions echoing in his mind, Arcturus circled the imposing magical fountains, ignoring the looks of recognition that crossed his path. His indifference was palpable, his cane striking the ground with a force beyond the usual.
As he made his way towards the elevator, passing by the golden statues, he couldn't help but notice the banner of the Minister of Magic - Cornelius Fudge - unfurled in a prominent position. Internally, Arcturus scoffed at the figure depicted on the banner.
Entering the elevator, empty except for his presence, Arcturus cast a cold glance at those who tried to join him. "I think I'll wait a bit," murmured a man, fearfully averting his gaze from the intimidating aura emanated by Arcturus. The others around hastily agreed.
Without showing any reaction, Arcturus pressed the last button on the second row to the right, marked with the number 10, where the Ministry of Magic courts were situated.
The elevator took a minute to reach the promised destination. When the doors opened, they revealed a long, slightly dark corridor, completely deserted, without a soul in sight.
Arcturus scoffed at the obvious attempt at intimidation, finding the chosen method trivial in trying to scare him. Such a ploy might have an effect on an inexperienced teenager, but not on him.
Walking down the empty corridor, his steps echoing in the silence, Arcturus reached the end of the hallway. There, he was faced with two doors adorned with the emblem of the Ministry of Magic - [M].
Upon opening the doors, Arcturus found the seats of the Supreme Court nearly fully occupied, each occupant wearing a plum-colored robe adorned with an "M" badge on the chest. All the patriarchs of the Lesser and Greater Houses were present. As he entered the court, these leaders rose from their seats as a sign of respect before resuming their seats in silence.
The old patriarch nodded to everyone, pleased not to have been betrayed and not to have had to resort to extreme measures to punish the traitors. However, something caught his attention: some of the noble houses that had previously remained neutral now rose to greet him. He knew that this was the result of his great-grandson's influence, who was already beginning to exert his power subtly over the entire British wizarding society.
The House of Black was growing stronger with each passing day!
Lifting his head slightly, Arcturus directed his gaze to the elevated main table of the Supreme Court. Seated in the principal chair was the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, and beside him, a plump woman with a particularly irritating professional smile: Dolores Umbridge.
The presence of Cornelius surprised him, but at the same time, he knew Dumbledore was not behind this political attack. The man preferred to act personally rather than trust incompetent third parties to ruin his plans. Arcturus deeply shared this view: if you want something done right, do it yourself.
As he was not the one on trial, he remained standing in front of the chair in the center of the Supreme Court.
"With the arrival of the witness, we shall commence the session of the Supreme Court!" declared Cornelius, banging his gavel on the table, his voice echoing through the courtroom.
After looking at all the present members, he continued: "Lord Patriarch Black, Arcturus Black III, you have been summoned before this sacred Court and our esteemed members to testify."
"Although still puzzled by this entirely arbitrary and seemingly illogical summons," Arcturus didn't conceal his disdain on his face, directing his gaze towards Dumbledore's representative in the Ministry of Magic, the Minister of Magic himself!
Rumors circulated about the morning letters that Fudge supposedly sent to Dumbledore, seeking guidance every day. Arcturus despised figures like Fudge, who apparently received bribes from the pure-blood faction while obeying Dumbledore's orders behind the scenes.
The man was not only a coward but also unfit for the position he held. He was merely a puppet chosen by the people to maintain the false facade that the Ministry, despite being influenced by the Noble Houses, still belonged to the people.
"I fail to see why you're confused, Patriarch Black. Your grandson and great-niece escaped from Azkaban, releasing all the prisoners together. Perhaps at this very moment, the monsters you call relatives are murdering some poor Muggle family," Cornelius spoke loudly, looking at the man who brought recurrent nightmares to him.
This attack was orchestrated by him and his small faction within the ministry, all with the purpose of weakening the influence on the man and perhaps fueling more hatred towards his cursed family, gaining more autonomy in the process.
"Such a pity if it's happening," Arcturus replied without changing his expression. Thousands could die, and he didn't care, but he had to care at this moment. At the same time, he condemned Cornelius to death for calling his grandson and great-niece monsters. Arcturus continued speaking despite the silence in the courtroom: "But it doesn't change the fact that the escape occurred under your watch, Minister."
He saw the man's face twitch slightly at his words, but it soon returned to normal, as if nothing had happened. Yet, Arcturus knew that Cornelius was seething inside. After all, the Minister of Magic was a simple-minded man who cared more about reputation than anything else, even his own life.
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Author's Thoughts: What did you think? I rewrote this chapter three times, trying not to make everyone stupid and Arcturus very intelligent, I don't know if I succeeded.
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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 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), (Chapter 32 - Black House Masquerade Ball (1), Chapter 33 - Black House Masquerade Ball (2), Chapter 34 - Black House Masquerade Ball (3), Chapter 35 - Three Years (1).
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