As Asterion contemplated the situation at hand, he noticed the arrival of two individuals, followed by the arrival of a man in a blue robe.
Minerva McGonagall, a Witch of Semi-Special Grade.
Filius Flitwick, a Wizard of Semi-Special Grade.
Albus Dumbledore, The Most Powerful Man in the World.
Seeing Dumbledore arrive last, Asterion internally scoffed. As heir to the House of Black, he had access to the barrier protecting Black Manor. One could say that within the mansion, Asterion could see and feel anything within the mansion's perimeters.
Hogwarts was no different from Black Manor in this aspect. Dumbledore absolutely knew that a fight was happening in the classroom but chose to watch the show from the sidelines.
"Mr. Black, what in Merlin's name happened here!" Professor McGonagall asked, shocked, looking at the destruction in the classroom.
Showing a pensive look, Asterion decided it was time for a bit of politics; he needed to exert pressure on the School Council, and this was a great opportunity for it.
"I should be asking that, Professor. Why, in Merlin's name, was I attacked by a teacher?" He asked, causing Filius and Minerva to widen their eyes.
"Was it Professor Quirinus, Mr. Black?" Professor Flitwick asked with a deep tone, even his small stature couldn't hide the coercion of a Wizard of Semi-Special Grade.
The wizard's reasoning was obvious; they were in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Looking at Dumbledore still in silence, Asterion nodded, confirming his words, and added, "Indeed, Professor. It was Quirinus Quirrell; he attacked me when I refused to participate in his conspiracy."
"Conspiracy!?" Both of them were surprised.
"Yes, he wanted me to participate in an attack against Rose Potter," Asterion spoke, leaving the two professors even more surprised and equally confused.
"Why would Professor Quirrell attack Lady Potter?" Filius Flitwick, still incredulous, asked confusedly. His eyes widened in shock at the sudden information he was hearing.
But Asterion's next words made the two professors feel like they had entered a frozen cave; a chill ran down their spines as a rare look of fear reflected in their eyes.
"That's because it's not Quirinus, but Voldemort himself, parasitizing Professor Quirrell's body."
"That..." Whether Filius or Minerva, they didn't know what to say at this moment. They had so many doubts in their minds that they couldn't formulate a sentence at this moment.
"That is certainly terrible news, Asterion," Dumbledore spoke, drawing everyone's attention. His blue eyes gazed at Asterion with a gentle and kind look.
"Yes, terrible news for both of us," Asterion replied, his sarcastic tone noticeable to anyone. Although it was bad news for Dumbledore, it was news that impacted him primarily.
Asterion was certain that if news of Voldemort's return spread, some idiots from the Pure-Blood faction would follow their old leader without hesitation. Never underestimate people's hatred and extremist ideology.
But all of this was bad for Asterion; it meant civil war within the Pure-Blood faction.
Something that Dumbledore would likely watch with pleasure, perhaps while eating popcorn. After all, it's a great feeling to see your old enemies killing each other without lifting a finger.
The civil war, besides weakening the power of the Pure-Blood faction in the Wizengamot, would also further weaken the power of the Noble Houses.
Asterion suddenly realized that perhaps the fight against Voldemort was just another conspiracy by Dumbledore against the Pure-Blood faction. This made the heir to the Black family grit his teeth in anger.
The feeling of being manipulated like a puppet in someone else's show was truly unpleasant, leaving a lasting bitter taste in his mouth.
Even though Asterion had managed to achieve his purpose, which was to pressure the School Council to accept his emancipation, he had still been manipulated like a puppet by Dumbledore.
Looking coldly at the harmless-looking elderly man, Asterion felt that his patience was wearing thin. He would try to kill the man sooner or later, preferably sooner.
Pulling the Elder Wand from his robe, Albus Dumbledore spoke gently with a persuasive tone. "Mr. Black, I will take care of things from here on, but I ask that you keep today's events secret for now. We don't need fear spreading throughout Hogwarts."
With that said, he aimed the wand at the ruined classroom, and with a graceful movement of his wand, the entire classroom seemed to rewind in time, and in a few moments, the whole environment was as it was before the fight between Asterion and Voldemort began.
Asterion did not respond and looked at the simple wand in the man's hands, the Elder Wand!
It appeared to be an apparently normal wand, lacking any opulence or beauty, but looks can be deceiving, and this time was no different. This wand was a legendary object in the wizarding world.
One of the three Deathly Hallows!
The cloak, The Stone, and The Wand.
Rumors say that whoever possesses all three would have the power of Death itself.
The Elder Wand, to be wielded, had a single requirement to be fulfilled: defeat its current master. It didn't matter the method you used to defeat your opponent, as long as you did, you had the right to wield it until someone defeated you.
A simple and harsh requirement. Unfortunately, this simple requirement was especially difficult in this era because the one wielding the Elder Wand was none other than the most powerful man in the world, and it was certainly no easy task to defeat Albus Dumbledore.
Dumbledore certainly noticed his gaze on the wand and smiled amiably at Asterion, who returned the kind look with a cold and chilling gazWithout saying another word, Asterion simply left the classroom with a slightly colder expression than usual.
Since Dumbledore liked to play chess, Asterion would make the man bitterly regret playing chess with a teenager without patience. And he had a plan, a childish and rather simplistic one, but victories often came from simple plans.
As he walked through the corridors of Hogwarts, Asterion remembered a phrase he had seen in his past life.
What sets kings apart from ordinary humans is their lack of fear.
"Just you wait..." Asterion strengthened his heart's determination and went to find his lovely cousin, Rose Potter.
He really wanted to see the faces of Dumbledore and Voldemort when things didn't go as they planned.
-
Entering the Great Hall, Asterion walked over to the Gryffindor table and stopped behind Rose Potter, who was chatting with some girls she shared the dormitory with.
"Rose, we need to talk," Asterion said, looking at Rose.
Noticing the seriousness in his tone, Rose was surprised and nodded in agreement. She got up, bid farewell to her friends, and walked out of the Great Hall without caring about the thousands of eyes on them.
At the Slytherin table, Pansy Parkinson looked at Daphne with malice and spoke sarcastically. "This is the second time, it seems that the famous ice queen can't satisfy her man and he has to resort to other houses. You should be ashamed, Heiress Greengrass."
A mischievous smile played on the thirteen-year-old's lips as she ate an olive. The other girls also smiled, looking at Daphne.
Daphne offended many people in Slytherin by preventing the girls from approaching Asterion. Everyone dared not say anything because of Asterion, but that didn't stop them from mocking Daphne at this moment.
Daphne listened to everything and remained completely indifferent, but she gripped her fork slightly tighter, showing that she wasn't as calm as she appeared at that moment.
She looked at each girl and noted their names one by one; she would seek revenge, and in a rather cruel manner. But for now, she had to stay strong; if she showed weakness at this moment, these girls would swarm around her like hungry hyenas looking for food.
At the same time, she couldn't help but glance at the backs of Rose and her fiancé disappearing from the Great Hall. This did not please her at all; Asterion was very close to Rose, especially with the rumors that Rose dragged Asterion into a Broom Closet yesterday. Rumors about this had spread like mushrooms after rain.
It affected her more than she expected, mostly because of her jealousy towards Rose, but it also significantly impacted her prestige in Slytherin. Everything was falling apart with the girls spreading rumors after rumors about her inability to keep their king away from girls from other houses.
While eating with an indifferent expression, Daphne noticed that the food had no taste; it felt like candle wax. Nevertheless, she ate everything, maintaining a strong posture.
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Author's Thoughts: It will be explained later why Dumbledore possesses the Elder Wand.
Support me to write more and read chapters ahead of all regular readers!
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Next Chapter: Chapter 55 - A Treacherous Game of Chess (4), Chapter 56 - Magical Self-Defense Tactical Training Class (1), Chapter 57 - Magical Self-Defense Tactical Training Class (2), Chapter 58 - Magical Self-Defense Tactical Training Class (3), Chapter 59 - Magical Self-Defense Tactical Training Class (4), Chapter 60 - School Council, Chapter 61 - Mission (1), Chapter 62 - Mission (2), Chapter 63 - Mission (3), Chapter 64 - Mission (4), Chapter 65 - Mission (5), Chapter 66 - Consequences of the Attack (1), Chapter 67 - Consequences of the Attack (2), Chapter 68 - Invasion of Hogwarts (1), Chapter 69 - Invasion of Hogwarts (2), Chapter 70 - Invasion of Hogwarts (3), Chapter 71 - Invasion of Hogwarts (4), Chapter 72 - Invasion of Hogwarts (5), Chapter 73 - Invasion of Hogwarts (6), Chapter 74 - Invasion of Hogwarts (7), Chapter 75 - Invasion of Hogwarts (8), Chapter 76 - Invasion of Hogwarts (9), Chapter 77 - Invasion of Hogwarts (10), Chapter 78 - Invasion of Hogwarts (11), Chapter 79 - Post-War (1).
In the astrology tower of Hogwarts, Asterion and Rose stared at each other in silence.
"Before we begin, I need to address something that may affect our collaboration," said Asterion, his black hair gently swaying in the wind. His red eyes met those of the white-haired teenager with indifference.
Rose furrowed her brow and waited silently for his words.
"My father, Regulus Black, worked for the person who killed your parents..." Asterion began, but before he could finish, a colossal magical energy engulfed him relentlessly, as if someone were trying to crush him like a cockroach.
Asterion showed no weakness and released an equal amount of magical energy, colliding with Rose's pressure.
With the collision of auras, the air became thin and heavy, gravity seemed especially intense around them, and the clouds in the sky dispersed instantly.
Faced with Rose's angry expression, Asterion asked coldly, "Are you going to listen to me, or are we going to fight here and now?"
Honestly, Rose's reaction was within Asterion's expectations; he even anticipated her attacking him. It was also a possibility for Hogwarts to be destroyed because of Rose's momentary anger, but it seems he underestimated Rose's emotional control.
Rose clenched her fists furiously, but still gave Asterion a chance to explain. At this moment, she felt betrayed by this information; it caught her off guard.
Seeing Rose calming down or at least holding back from punching him in the face, Asterion continued speaking. "Before you jump down my throat, just know that my father regretted his actions and betrayed Voldemort. Before leaving the Death Eaters, he revealed the true origin of the man to the entire Pure-Blood faction. After that, Voldemort found and killed him."
Asterion's words alleviated the anger Rose was feeling at that moment, but she still looked at him with a particularly cold, almost distant, gaze. Even though it wasn't Asterion's fault, she still felt offended by his father's betrayal against her family.
That's quite understandable, considering that if it weren't for Voldemort, Rose would have had a happy childhood, perhaps with brothers and sisters.
"Origin?" Rose looked confusedly at him. "What do you mean by Voldemort's origin?"
"Exactly what I meant," Asterion replied. "My father found out that Voldemort's name was Tom Marvolo Riddle, the son of Tom Riddle, a Muggle, and Merope Gaunt, a pure-blood from the Gaunt family, which descended from the Noble House of Slytherin."
Regardless of Rose's surprised expression, Asterion continued speaking. "Isn't it ironic, a man who always claimed to be pure-blood is actually a half-blood? Believe me when I say that the Pure-Blood faction didn't take kindly to the news. Unfortunately, interests come above personal feelings. Even though they didn't like the idea of a half-blood controlling them, the Noble Houses prioritized their interests over personal sentiments."
Rose nodded and asked what else was confusing her at this moment. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Voldemort's back," Asterion simply dropped a piece of news that made Rose's eyes nearly explode with blinding light.
"Where and how did you learn this information?" Rose asked, her tone cold and chilling, causing Asterion to look at her with a slightly surprised expression. He truly hadn't expected Rose to display such a look.
"I've just been attacked by him in the classroom; the proud Lord Voldemort was parasitizing Professor Quirrell," Asterion replied with a cold, sarcastic smile when he mentioned Voldemort's condition.
Rose smiled, and a cold, murderous intent emanated from her.
Seeing Rose ready to leave, Asterion said something that made her stop. "Before you hunt him down, I have to tell you something."
Rose looked confused at Asterion, as if asking, 'is there more?'
"Don't you see, Rose? We're mere puppets in Dumbledore and Voldemort's games," Asterion said, his voice cold, carrying a hidden thirst for blood, disguised by his indifference.
"These old bastards manipulate us to achieve their own objectives," he continued, his black hair floating in the wind as his eyes fixed on the sun in the blue sky.
Rose stopped and fell silent. She had already suspected this; she could subtly feel that Dumbledore was guiding her along a predetermined path, all so that, in the end, she could take her place.
"And what do you suggest?" she asked after a brief silence, her blue eyes calmly and coldly locking onto Asterion.
"Let's end this damn chess game and turn Voldemort's and Dumbledore's plans into rubbish," Asterion replied, leaning against a pillar as he watched her. Asterion lowered himself even more and ended up sitting on the ground.
Rose sat beside him and looked at him with a gaze of apology and guilt.
She hugged her own legs and spoke in a low tone. "Sorry for almost fighting you because of your father's mistakes."
Asterion, who was about to continue discussing the plan to end Dumbledore and Voldemort, looked at Rose with surprise. He shook his head and replied with an indifferent tone. "When I decided to talk about my father's past, I already expected your reaction. It's normal to feel angry and to take out that anger on those close to the guilty party. Humanity always likes to blame the wrong people."
"That doesn't make me feel any better, starlight. It makes me feel like garbage inside because I'm doing something I never thought I would." Rose spoke with a sad tone.
"You're strange, snowflake. Instead of worrying about yourself, you're concerned about how I feel," Asterion replied, looking at her with indifference.
"That's because you're my cousin; I care about you," Rose elbowed Asterion's arm and spoke with a small smile on her lips, the sadness she was feeling dissipating a bit at that moment.
Asterion looked deeply at Rose, opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it the next moment before finally mustering the courage to speak. "I reluctantly accept you as my cousin."
Rose almost laughed at the funny expression he made when he said those words.
To avoid angering Asterion, she suppressed her laughter and stood up.
"Call me when you're ready to start," she said as she turned and left the astronomy tower, leaving Asterion alone.
Descending the stairs, Rose bit her lower lip hard and continued spiraling down the stairs while pondering the news she had just received. Especially the news about Asterion's father; she had almost unconsciously placed the blame for his father's mistakes on Asterion. That was foolish; she realized how silly she had been once the anger subsided.
"I hope I didn't hurt his feelings," Rose murmured to herself.
But the other news made her eyes gleam with a cold look. "When I find you, you'll wish you had stayed dead, Tom Riddle," she murmured as she descended the spiral staircase.
Still in the tower, Asterion looked to where Rose had been sitting and muttered to himself. "Things were simpler than I thought. I hope you enjoyed my gift, Dumbledore."
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Support me to write more and read chapters ahead of all regular readers!
P-atreon.com/HPSCB
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
Next Chapter: Chapter 56 - Magical Self-Defense Tactical Training Class (1), Chapter 57 - Magical Self-Defense Tactical Training Class (2), Chapter 58 - Magical Self-Defense Tactical Training Class (3), Chapter 59 - Magical Self-Defense Tactical Training Class (4), Chapter 60 - School Council, Chapter 61 - Mission (1), Chapter 62 - Mission (2), Chapter 63 - Mission (3), Chapter 64 - Mission (4), Chapter 65 - Mission (5), Chapter 66 - Consequences of the Attack (1), Chapter 67 - Consequences of the Attack (2), Chapter 68 - Invasion of Hogwarts (1), Chapter 69 - Invasion of Hogwarts (2), Chapter 70 - Invasion of Hogwarts (3), Chapter 71 - Invasion of Hogwarts (4), Chapter 72 - Invasion of Hogwarts (5), Chapter 73 - Invasion of Hogwarts (6), Chapter 74 - Invasion of Hogwarts (7), Chapter 75 - Invasion of Hogwarts (8), Chapter 76 - Invasion of Hogwarts (9), Chapter 77 - Invasion of Hogwarts (10), Chapter 78 - Invasion of Hogwarts (11), Chapter 79 - Post-War (1).
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