The funeral took place a day later. Asterion stood in a spacious hall, with purple flowers decorating the entire room, and in the center was a black coffin bearing the crest of House Black.
The coffin was open, and Arcturus's body lay coldly inside. He was beautifully dressed in his wedding suit and the jewelry he liked to wear daily.
Asterion stood before the coffin, gazing at his great-grandfather's pale and expressionless face. He seemed almost alive, with a look of relief and serenity on his face.
Beside him, Daphne stood next to her fiancé, wearing a black mourning dress. She glanced at his finger and noticed a ring with the crest of House Black.
She knew what that ring meant in the British wizarding community. From this moment on, Asterion Black was the patriarch of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black and would assume another seat as one of the Twelve Lords of the Clock Tower, bringing his total to two seats. However, the circumstances of inheriting the mantle of the patriarch were rarely a happy event, and it was no different for Asterion.
Daphne took her fiancé's hand and intertwined her fingers with his, leaning on him for silent support.
Asterion looked at Daphne with calm eyes and gently kissed her forehead, but remained silent, turning his gaze back to Arcturus's body. Daphne, too, chose to remain silent.
"Asterion, the first of the guests have arrived," Narcissa entered the hall, speaking in a slightly tense tone.
Asterion looked at her and saw the tension in her body. He wasn't surprised by the anxiety she was feeling at that moment; it was hard not to be when the greatest Dark Lord would be visiting their home.
Yes, Grindelwald had just arrived, and he was the first guest to do so.
"I will greet Lord Grindelwald personally, Narcissa," Asterion said calmly, his eyes shining a little, revealing that he was not as composed as he appeared.
Asterion felt Daphne squeeze his arm tighter at the mention of the Dark Lord. Still, she did not seem to retreat and wanted to greet Grindelwald personally as the future Lady Black. This made him smile gently at her.
"Let's not keep Grindelwald waiting," Asterion said as he walked away, leaving the coffin alone in the middle of the great hall.
Narcissa watched the couple with a complicated expression, especially Daphne. Her actions made the former Lady Malfoy look at the girl with a more approving gaze. She wondered if she herself had ever had such courage at Daphne's age.
Shaking her head, Narcissa silently followed them. She didn't know why the Dark Lord had come to the funeral; she hadn't invited him in the first place. She just hoped that everything would go smoothly and that no fight would break out.
Asterion reached the front of the mansion and opened the door. He saw Grindelwald in a simple black suit, followed by Aurelius Dumbledore.
"Welcome, Lord Grindelwald, Sir Dumbledore," Asterion greeted both with a calm expression, his eyes looking directly at the faces of the two men who were wanted in many countries.
"I apologize for the delay; I had some unforeseen issues."
Grindelwald looked at the young man before him and did not hide his appreciation. He was more than pleased to see the calm demeanor of his successor. Asterion might have been devastated at that moment, but on the outside, he was completely composed. This was a good trait for someone destined for greatness.
Any decent leader must remain calm even in the most stressful or dangerous situations. If you are not confident, how can you give your subordinates a sense of security?
Aurelius merely nodded, looking at Asterion with a complicated expression. He already knew his adoptive father's plans: if something went wrong, this young man would be their new leader. This brought up some complex feelings in him.
He had hoped to inherit the Acolytes, but Grindelwald did not allow him to be his heir. Yet, he understood why his father hadn't allowed it. He did not have the strength required to guarantee the basic security of the organization in the face of European countries.
Grindelwald's eyes fell on the young girl holding his future successor's arm, and he did not hesitate to compliment her. "This must be your fiancée, a beautiful young lady indeed, with much talent."
He was not lying; in his eyes, Daphne truly was talented. A witch of Grade 1 at fourteen had a greater chance of reaching Special Grade than Ana Rodriguez, who was already nineteen.
"Thank you for the compliment, Lord Grindelwald. Your presence honors us," Daphne responded with a polite and elegant smile, her expression remaining unchanged despite the praise from the extremely dangerous man before her.
But the truth was that she felt her heart beating extremely fast. She was very sensitive to magical energy due to her Innate Technique — Heart of Nature — and in Grindelwald, she could sense the immense magical energy in his seemingly old and frail body. He was like a blazing sun before her.
Fortunately, Daphne felt Asterion blocking Grindelwald's influence, or she would have been pale with fear and shamed all of House Black — something she would never allow herself to do under any circumstances.
"Let's go inside," Asterion gestured for both men to enter the mansion.
"Hmm?"
As soon as he entered, Grindelwald quickly noticed the absence of the ancestral statue at the entrance of the mansion. Earlier, he had sensed that the statue acted as a seal, binding an extremely powerful cursed spirit, but now the statue was gone.
Grindelwald looked at Asterion and concluded that he had exorcized and enslaved the cursed spirit that had caused Corvinus Black's death.
No longer concerned, Grindelwald followed Asterion into the great hall, where his eyes soon fell on the coffin in the center of the room.
He approached and looked at the body of the beautifully dressed man. Grindelwald had no strong feelings for the man in the coffin, but he respected him. Not just anyone could politically stand against Albus Dumbledore, but Arcturus Black had done so for fifty long years. That deserved his respect.
"Arcturus, I must thank you for teaching dignity and respect to your great-grandson. He will be my successor, taking this world to a level no other wizard has ever reached," Grindelwald murmured in a voice only he could hear, placing a hand on his chest and bowing slightly.
His actions caused everyone present to look at him in surprise. No one would have expected the Dark Lord to greet Arcturus in such a way.
Just as Asterion was about to speak, he turned and looked toward the mansion's entrance. There were two other magical energies that had reached Special Grade. He could recognize both familiar auras.
Dumbledore and Rose.
Apparating to the mansion's entrance, ignoring the surprised eyes of others, Asterion appeared at the door and saw Dumbledore and Rose, both dressed in black.
"I am sorry for your loss, Asterion," Rose said, hugging Asterion while whispering with a look of sympathy. Asterion looked at Rose in surprise but hugged her back, giving her a few gentle pats on the back.
Dumbledore watched the whole scene with a happy expression on his face. He was pleased to see Asterion and Rose getting along so well, almost treating each other like family.
"Thank you for visiting on this sad day, Lord Dumbledore," Asterion said as he separated from Rose and looked at the Lord of Light.
"Arcturus was my rival for over fifty years; it is the least I could do," Dumbledore replied, his voice gentle and warm.
Asterion nodded and led both of them into the great hall.
Rose was not surprised to see Grindelwald there; she had already sensed the man's magical aura before entering the mansion. He wasn't hiding at all, releasing incredible amounts of magical energy into the air.
But Rose's gaze did not linger on Grindelwald for long. She approached the coffin and saw her distant relative lying calmly within.
"So, this was the man who raised Asterion… I must say, they are quite similar in terms of demeanor and aura," Rose murmured to herself as she looked at the elegantly dressed man. She could see that he had died in peace and relief, showing calmness in facing death head-on.
"Thank you for bringing Asterion into our lives. He may be a bit annoying, sarcastic, and somewhat sadistic, but I don't regret living by his side. For that, you have my gratitude, great-uncle," she whispered, continuing to gaze at the man with a gentle expression. Although she did not know the exact degree of kinship between them, Rose still called him "great-uncle" out of respect for the man who raised Asterion.
------------------
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Next Chapter Second Volume: Chapter 166 - Vellory of Arcuturus Black (2), Chapter 167 - Vellory of Arcuturus Black (3), Chapter 168 - Vellory of Arcuturus Black (4), Chapter 169 - Torture and Secrets (1), Chapter 170 - Torture and Secrets (2), Chapter 171 - Conspiracies and Secrets (1), 172 - Conspiracies and Secrets (2), 173 - Conspiracies and Secrets (3), 174 - Conspiracies and Secrets (4), 175 - Conspiracies and Secrets (5), 176 - Conspiracies and Secrets (6), 177 - Conspiracies and Secrets (7), Chapter 178 - Decision and two wives (1), Chapter 179 - Decision and two wives (2), Chapter 180 - The Old King of Camelot (1).
Looking around, Asterion saw that the entire hall was silent. Men and women were dressed in elegant black suits and dresses. It seemed that everyone had come to mourn the death of Arcturus, but he wasn't fooled by their false words and smiles of sympathy.
Asterion knew that behind those words and smiles, many were actually pleased by Arcturus's death. For over fifty years, Arcturus had led the politics of the British magical community. With his death, a new generation, full of ambition, was eager to rise.
Especially with Dumbledore growing older, everyone wanted to become the second Mage Marshal of the Clock Tower.
"Politics has an ugly side, doesn't it, Asterion?" Rose said, standing beside Asterion, sipping from a glass of orange juice. She could tell, from the micro-expressions of the people, that many of them were almost smiling with joy, and it made her deeply nauseous.
It was like animals devouring the body of Arcturus Black at his own funeral.
Looking at Rose, Asterion calmly remarked, "You'll get used to it; politics, by its nature, is ugly."
Seeing Asterion's calm and expressionless face, Rose clicked her tongue in admiration. She didn't have the cold blood to remain calm around people as disgusting as these. If she had been in Asterion's place and the person in the coffin was someone important to her, she would have thrown everyone out and probably broken a lot of bones.
"Young Rose, may I speak with Lord Black alone?"
Hearing the voice beside her, Rose felt a shiver run down her spine—she hadn't sensed anything!
Looking to the side, she saw an elderly man with a gentle appearance, dressed simply. Behind him, a middle-aged man was following him faithfully.
Gellert Grindelwald and Aurelius Dumbledore.
It was the first time Rose had seen the Dark Lord so closely; those silver eyes gazed at her with a gentle look, eyes that reminded her of Luna.
Her gaze shifted to Aurelius, a member of House Dumbledore. She did not fully understand the circumstances that had led someone from House Dumbledore to side with Grindelwald, but she knew it was far from normal.
Looking at Asterion, Rose saw him nodding his head. She snorted coldly and walked toward Dumbledore, but not before giving a proud look to both of the Dark wizards.
"A very proud young lady," Grindelwald said in a gentle tone, letting out a low laugh.
Asterion said nothing and remained silent. He could feel countless discreet eyes falling on him at that moment, wanting to know the reason for the conversation. It was no secret that, with his methods, many were just waiting for him to declare himself a Dark Lord.
Grindelwald's proximity only reinforced these opinions. Asterion was certain he would be the topic of many conversations after Arcturus's funeral.
Fortunately, his reputation from the civil war would help mitigate the damage; after all, he was a War Hero.
This made Asterion realize that Grindelwald had approached him at the funeral on purpose, almost as if to subtly suggest to everyone that they had a friendly relationship, thereby tainting his reputation.
"I'm leaving, Lord Black," Grindelwald said in a gentle tone. "But before I go, I invite you to witness the pure and immaculate future I have worked so hard for over the years."
Grindelwald's words made Asterion narrow his eyes. He knew the Dark Lord's plan because Grindelwald himself had shared it with him, but his words implied he had found the last piece needed to complete his plan—the perfect place for the Future Imprisonment Ritual!
"You have found the Legendary Isle of Avalon," Asterion whispered to himself.
Avalon!
The legendary Utopia of the wizard Merlin!
One of the Seven Legendary Places of the Magical World!
The Legendary Places of the Magical World were the desire of every wizard, said to contain the legacies of the Seven Legendary Wizards who essentially created the Magical World.
Avalon was particularly coveted by the entire British magical community, as it possibly held the Legacy of Merlin, the Wizard Closest to God.
However, with the fall of the Kingdom of Camelot, Merlin vanished, and many claimed that his last words were that he would be in Avalon, in his Utopia.
"Send me a letter with the location, and I will arrive promptly," Asterion said with a calm expression, his chest rising and falling slightly faster. Even he was tempted by Merlin's Legacy.
Grindelwald smiled with satisfaction at Asterion's reaction and left, but not before nodding to Dumbledore, who wore a thoughtful expression.
No one heard the conversation between Asterion and Grindelwald, not even Dumbledore himself, but Grindelwald's satisfied smile left many wondering what Asterion had said to make the Dark Lord leave so pleased.
'Deceiving Grindelwald is not such a simple task,' Asterion thought as he watched the man leave. Initially, he had intended to control the Acolytes in secret, becoming a Dark Lord in the shadows, but this would not be an easy task—not when Grindelwald wanted him to assume the title publicly as a Dark Lord.
But becoming a Dark Lord was not something he desired, especially when his reputation would affect not only himself but everyone around him. He was not like Grindelwald, who stood alone; he had responsibilities and duties.
Letting out a sigh, Asterion stopped thinking about it and refocused on the funeral. However, he sighed again when he saw the old man wearing a very outdated black robe approaching him with a gentle look.
"Lord Black, my condolences. I greatly admired your great-grandfather; he was a man of exemplary character," Dumbledore said with a sad and understanding tone, trying to comfort the young man.
Exemplary character? Are we talking about the same Arcturus?
Asterion almost let out a few sarcastic remarks at Dumbledore's words. If there was one thing Arcturus was not, it was a man of exemplary character.
Arcturus had confessed some of his crimes to Asterion, crimes that would have easily left him rotting in Azkaban for two hundred years, and that was just a small part of his misdeeds.
Arcturus Black did not have an exemplary character; on the contrary, in the eyes of the law, he was a murderous monster who should have been locked up long ago, with the key to his cell thrown away forever.
Looking at Asterion's calm face, Dumbledore spoke in a gentle tone. "I know how persuasive Gellert can be, Lord Black. He manipulates you without you even realizing it; every move you make does not escape his magical eyes."
His voice carried a hint of regret and sadness.
Asterion wanted to laugh at Dumbledore's words, but he held back, given that he was at Arcturus's funeral. It was the most ironic thing in the world to hear Dumbledore lecturing on manipulation when he himself was more of a manipulator than Grindelwald, who could see the future.
"I don't understand what you are talking about, Mage Marshal. Lord Grindelwald merely offered his condolences on the death of my great-grandfather," Asterion said, taking a sip of the wine from his glass before changing the subject. "But let's talk about something else."
"How is the investigation into the traitorous member of the Hogwarts Council going?" he asked, looking directly into Dumbledore's eyes.
Asterion had not forgotten that he was involved in a conspiracy; his own participation in the International Magic and Witchcraft Tournament was part of a conspiracy, one whose purpose he still had no idea about.
Dumbledore shook his head and spoke with a regretful tone. "Robert Crouch was found dead. Rufus concluded it was a suicide."
"Suicide?" Asterion showed a sarcastic smile upon hearing about the death of a member of the Hogwarts Council.
He believed more that Robert Crouch was under the Imperius Curse and was forced to kill himself than that he had actually committed suicide.
---
Author's Notes: In this chapter, I introduced two new concepts: The Seven Legendary Places. This was something I had wanted to include for a long time, and I finally managed to do so.
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Next Chapter Second Volume: Chapter 168 - Vellory of Arcuturus Black (4), Chapter 169 - Torture and Secrets (1), Chapter 170 - Torture and Secrets (2), Chapter 171 - Conspiracies and Secrets (1), 172 - Conspiracies and Secrets (2), 173 - Conspiracies and Secrets (3), 174 - Conspiracies and Secrets (4), 175 - Conspiracies and Secrets (5), 176 - Conspiracies and Secrets (6), 177 - Conspiracies and Secrets (7), Chapter 178 - Decision and two wives (1), Chapter 179 - Decision and two wives (2), Chapter 180 - The Old King of Camelot (1), Chapter 181 - The Old King of Camelot (2).
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