Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Peace once more.
Celestial Ascendancy.
Chapter 6: Peace once more.
Elias Blake.
100 CP awarded, 650 CP total.
Ignoring the warmth in my soul, I focused on the scene before me.
Inever expected to see someone that important to the ministry arrive on time during the attack of the death eaters. It was probably my misconceptions about their efficiency and the mistake of using my canon knowledge, but nothing had gone the same as I remember.
This attack was way bloodier, and I would bet some galleons that a couple of people died, not only Muggles, for that matter. I still remember the smell of the burnt flesh when we left my trunk.
No, I always knew this world was different, but it finally showed me that I should stop seeing it with rose-tinted glasses. Ever since I arrived at Hogwarts, I noticed that the level where people were was higher than I expected. Still, since my only experience with the wizarding world happened inside the castle or Diagon Alley, those places were probably the most protected locations in the country, so I could be excused for my ignorance.
I didn't even go to Diagon Alley that much, if I were to be honest. Since I was an orphan, the school was the one that bought everything, a fund of sorts that was placed in the aftermath of Voldemort's war. It was made between some "Light" and "Neutral" families who had more gold than family members left alive. I didn't know how Dumbledore managed to keep that gold away from the grubby hands of some of the school governors, but it was enough to pay for all the orphans being present right now, from the start, all the way for our seventh year.
Thankfully, we weren't even in debt. It was all done with the goodness of their hearts. Dowager Longbottom, Neville's Grandma, proposed the fund, and many families chipped in. I was forever thankful for it, and if the Grimoire ever rolled something that could help his parents, I would do it without hesitation.
Focusing on the present, I tried to observe the people before me.
Madam Bones had a scowl on her face, and her eyes sharpened seeing some droplets of blood in the grass, but she thankfully did not say a word about it. On her left was a tall, broad-shouldered black man. He was not like most wizards I've seen, and his body showed that he exercised at the very least enough to maintain that build. At her right side was another man; he was smartly clothed, but the condescending smirk on his face pissed me off.
I couldn't let this continue. Hermione was getting into a heated argument with the smirking Auror, and I knew that when she got like this, her filter disappeared; she could get herself in trouble with her sharp tongue.
"Mione, let me explain calmly," I said softly to my angry friend, who just huffed but did as asked. Iris was looking at the scene with another smirk, enjoying how the fourteen years old girl almost tore a new asshole to the Auror. Even then, she didn't lower her wand at all.
"Madam Bones, my name is Elias Blake, a yearmate of Susan. And with me is Hermione Granger, and obviously Iris Potter." I introduced us calmly, trying to bring this to an end. I didn't want to interact with the ministry this early, and hopefully, I could bullshit our way out of this.
Madam Bones just nodded, and she continued as if there wasn't a riot going on. "What happened here? We were in the ministry when we received some calls about violence during the World Cup."
Cleaning my throat, I took a deep breath. "We don't know how it started. We were inside my trunk when it moved quite violently. I inferred that something was going on since I spent a lot of Galleons on it, and I know that its defenses would need something big to move that way."
A Quick-Quote Quill was moving behind the frowning woman, and Kingsley was looking at my group with barely hidden curiosity. He barely showed any sympathy to the muggles behind us, and the less said about the other Auror, the better. He was still glaring at Mione.
"Continue," Madam Bones ordered in a firm tone.
I just nodded and did as asked. Amelia Bones was supposedly a fair woman, and I hoped I could prevent her death. While Kingsley had done an okay job being the minister, I knew that the woman in front of me would do even better if she managed to stay alive.
"We exited my trunk after taking some provisions in case they were needed," I started, "Some Pepper-up and Wiggenweld potions." I clarified when she lifted her eyebrow in confusion.
Seeing the barely there approval in her eyes made me puff out my chest unconsciously. Something that she noticed, I could scarcely tell, thanks to the slight turn of her lips.
"As I was saying, I shook my head. We left my trunk, but everything was already Hell. There was a lot of fire moving toward us, so we used Aguamenti to try to prevent it. Thankfully, between the three of us, we managed to do it. It was normal fire, not cursed."
Madam Bones nodded her head, "Then what happened? You are a long way from the tent area, young man."
"We decided to help," I shrugged, "There were a lot of screams, and there was no one around us."
"That was foolish," snorted the unnamed Auror.
"And you are?" I lifted my eyebrow.
"Auror Dawlish," he preened, and I almost laughed. I had my suspicions; he didn't look like the actor, but his mannerisms made me think he was the famous Auror who always got the short end of the stick in all the scenes he was present in.
I coughed twice to hide my amusement, "A pleasure," I deadpanned, "Anyways," I turned to the woman who found the situation as amusing as I did, "We know that we cannot defeat a fully grown wizard, but we were hidden and planned to attack out of their sights just in case. We are good for our age but not dumb enough to try and duel the masked men."
"Masked men?" Kingsley lifted his eyebrows, "What do you mean by that, young man?"
"Death Eaters," huffed Hermione from behind me. Clearly, she felt that I had left her out of the conversation enough time.
"The death eaters are in Azkaban, girlie," snorted Dawlish.
"They had the same attire described in the books I read about the first war," Hermione glared at Dawlish.
"That is impossible," the Auror shook his head vehemently, "All the death eaters were convicted after You-Know-Who's death."
Before we could continue, there was a green flash in the dark sky, and a Skull with a snake leaving its mouth was shown in all its glory. I wouldn't say I liked Voldemort and his band of psychopaths, but even I had to accept that the mark was badass.
"You were saying?" Smirked Iris, who had been silent the entire time.
"Dawlish, with me," Barked Amelia Bones, "Kingsley, stay with the kids. I want the whole story when the night is over."
Finishing barking her orders, she apparated away, and a pale Dawlish followed suit.
Kingsley was also somewhat pale, but his skin color made it difficult to see. He cleaned his throat but continued like a boss: "Where were we?"
"There is not much more to tell," I shrugged, "We left the tent and searched for the screams, and we found this family who were being tortured by the Death Eaters. We were behind them and managed to take them out with a surprise attack."
I noticed Hermione looking at me in askance when I didn't mention the siblings and the death of that death eater, but I just shook my head. I wasn't going to rat them out; in my opinion, that man got what he deserved.
Kingsley nodded, "I will need to use Prior incantatoin all your wands, just for formality's sake. And now that we are alone, I wish to thank you for interfering. I assure you that they will receive compensation for what happened here." He finished nodding toward the family huddled behind us. The kids were still out of it, and the woman wept softly.
"Mione already checked the kids. Thankfully, they were left out of it. But those men were torturing the parents; I hope that the obliviators will do their jobs correctly." Iris scowled, "They didn't deserve what happened to them."
"We will do our best, Miss Potter." The Auror nodded. "Now, would you be so kind as to show me your wands?"
Kingsley checked our wands one by one, and the quill continued scribbling, noting everything in the scene.
After five minutes, the Auror nodded, and the quill stopped moving. "I'm sure we won't need to ask for more information. The story makes sense from what I have seen; I want to remind you all that today, you won't get into problems thanks to the improper use of magic since it was in defense of another; I hope you will be careful in the future. Miss Potter, Miss Granger, the spells you both used can be dangerous and should be used sparingly."
"They deserved it," grunted Iris with a scowl.
"Aye, they do," admitted the Auror, "But you are young; the ministry is in charge of protecting the public."
"And where were you?" she asked meaningfully, "What are we supposed to do if everyone who could do something ran away like cowards like today? Should we have left this family to suffer?"
Kingsley shook his head and lifted his arms to soothe the angry Iris, "I'm just doing my job, Miss Potter."
He took a deep breath, "Now, we should start moving. Where do you need to go?"
"We came here with the Weasleys but got separated since we were alone in my trunk, Sir." I replied calmly, "I suppose we should go to Portkey Point and hope they are still there. If not, I suppose the Knight Bus will do."
"Hopefully, the Weasleys are still there," Shuddered Iris, "I love speed, but Ernie is evil."
Kingsley chuckled, "I hope you are lucky then, young ones. Let's start moving. I hope to help Madam Bones as soon as possible."
"Just give me a second." He rubbed his neck sheepishly while taking out his badge and touching it with his wand. A muttered spell later, he nodded, "I have called a medic and some obliviators; they should be arriving now."
Multiple pops were heard, and an older woman dressed like Madam Pomfrey approached us hurriedly. After a hushed conversation with Kingsley, she directed her gaze to us.
"Do any of you need some checking?" she asked softly.
"No, thank you." We shook our heads, "They need it," I said, pointing toward the family, who were looking around with fear in their eyes.
The mediwitch sighed but nodded, "They will be in good hands, dearlies."
"Let's go," said Kingsley.
Following him in another direction from where we came from, I could observe the devastation caused by the attack. There was a fire in many places, and the ministry came out in force. Multiple Wizards and Witches used magic to clean the mess. A couple of Wizards were levitating bodies. It was a hard scene to watch, and I hoped that the Weasleys managed to escape without us.
Thirty minutes later.
"Thank Merlin, you are okay," Cried Ginny while hugging the three of us. "I was so afraid when we realized you weren't there."
"We were in my trunk, and I think no one saw us going in." I admitted, "But everything is good, don't worry."
Mr. Weasley looked at us shamefully. "I should have been more careful. I'm sorry." He lowered his head. "When we saw that group attacking the muggles, I took Bill and Charlie to help, leaving the rest alone to escape. We should have stayed together."
I smiled at him, "You did the right thing, Mr. Weasley. We can at least take care of ourselves; the muggles didn't have that advantage."
He finally smiled, "I already sent the rest home, Ginny didn't want to leave without you three."
"Thanks, Ginny," chirped Mione, who was leaning against me.
"I don't know how you can have so much energy after all that," pouted Ginny.
"Pepper-up potion," I shrugged, "We are going to crash when we are back in the burrow."
"We should get going, then," laughed Mr. Weasley, "A friend of mine in the department of magical transportation gifted us another Portkey to the Ottery."
Slowly, we approached the Portkey, which was a can of cola.
With a soft tug, we appeared back in Ottery St Catchpole. It wasn't exactly close to the burrow, but it was better than taking the Knight Bus. Ginny was dead on her feet, her eyes drooping, and I remembered to take her into my arms when we arrived. The transportation was only as comfortable as the boot we used.
Iris took care of Mione, and with it, we started walking toward the Weasleys' house. The only light came from the moon and a spell from Mr. Weasley, but it worked.
After a while, we arrived, and Molly was fretting at the entrance. The Twins and their older brothers stayed with her, trying to calm their mother to no avail. When they saw us, the plump redhead sprinted in our direction and hugged her daughter, almost strangling her.
"Oh Ginny, I was so worried when your brothers came without Arthur and you," she moaned, "I was filled with fear when they explained what happened."
"Molly, dear, you are killing her," yawned Mr. Weasley. "Everything ended up being all right. Let the kids go rest."
"Oh, Arthur," Molly ignored him, "I'm glad you are alive. What happened?"
"Some wizards dressed as Death Eaters started a riot," Mr. Weasley sighed. "They even used the dark mark. It's going to be on the paper tomorrow, I'm sure of it."
"Oh, Merlin," Molly Gasped, "Death Eaters, Arthur? Who cast the dark mark?"
"We don't know," he shook his head. "They found Crouch's house elf clutching Bagman's wand in the location where the spell was fired, but we know that she couldn't have done that."
"Crouch's elf?" Gasped the matriarch once more. I was tired of her exclamations, but at least this information helped me discover what happened in that location. The night had been full of surprises, not only the pair of siblings who disdained "mingling with wizards." I still didn't know what the older boy meant by that, but it probably wasn't that important. Maybe he hated magicals and spent all his time in the muggle world or something along those lines. His teleportation spell was incredible, and I dearly wished to learn it.
The efficiency with which he cut down the death eater was inspiring. I hoped to learn to use my sword like him in the future. Maybe Professor Flitwick will accept me as his student.
"Kids, go to bed. Hogwarts Express leaves tomorrow." yawned Mr. Weasley once more. "We'll wake you up later."
No one groaned; everyone was tired after the ordeal. Iris, Mione, and I were the only exceptions.
"You were awesome today, both of you." I hugged them tightly, "We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"
"Thanks for having my back, Eli." Iris smiled sweetly. Her bright emerald eyes were almost sparkling like Dumbledore's. They were beautiful, and I almost got lost in them. I quickly shook my head. I wasn't sure, but the probability of Iris preferring girls was high after seeing her react to the Veelas, and I didn't want the heartache if I fell more for her.
"Always," I smiled and let her go, "We probably have half an hour of energy, and then we will drop dead, so make sure you are in bed."
I entered Ron's room, leaving the girls to take Ginny back. She was already sleeping, and Bill levitated her to her bed.
Hearing Ron snore, I deadpanned; the twins were still below, so I had time to do some rolls.
Calling for the Grimoire, it appeared on my hands, and I rolled for the first time in like forever.
[Jumper's Hollow, Wizarding World] - 400 CP
Exploring the world means leaving behind the comforts of home and all the luxuries and amenities that go along with it. If one plans on being an explorer, that means quite a bit of preparation, enough that the time spent preparing might seem just as daunting as the exploration itself. At least, that's how the process goes for Muggles. The magical folk have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Whether it be a tent, a bag, a suitcase, or even something as small as a purse, you now have something that's been heavily enchanted with a powerful and massive Undetectable Extension Charm. In fact, the charm is so extensive that the space within is enough to encompass quite a few square kilometers worth of land.
For any wildlife enthusiasts, this place will be the perfect home to keep them safe. After all, it isn't just the Extension Charm that's been cast onto this place. To make it a better home for the many beasts that you might bring inside, the place has been made... mutable. In simpler terms, it means that you can make this place look like any other natural locale you might find in the world.
Already, there is a small yet homely cottage set up for you that serves as your entrance to this lively vivarium of yours. Beyond this home, you can set up the rest of this place so that it has the looks and features you desire. From hillside plains to a polar tundra, this place can have it all. If you want to change it up, all you need to do is wave your wand and think of what you want it to be. If you want a jungle right next to a desert, go for it! It's your home, after all.
Finally, you'll notice this place growing bigger and bigger over the years. Ten or so years could easily see another few kilometers worth of land being available to you. Quite useful if you have plans for any creatures like dragons or graphorns.
Before I could whoop in Joy, my trunk, which was in its miniature form in a chain on my neck, was sucked into the Grimoire.
Damn. This would help so much in the long run when I had to leave the orphanage. I didn't plan to stay until I was seventeen. With Voldemort returning this year, I will probably stop living there. It was something I needed to plan carefully. I would hate myself if I implicated the children with my actions during the war, so I needed to disappear from the muggle world and erase any connection I had with them. I would miss them terribly, but I hoped that in the future, I could provide enough funds for them to grow up without worries. The matrons were sweethearts, and they deserved the best.
I wiped the corners of my eyes from the tears. I didn't know I felt this strongly about Wool's orphanage, but I grew up there. They were my only family until I joined the school and met Iris and Mione.
250 CP left
To get rid of my sad thoughts, I rolled once more.
[Ogre Transformation] - 400 CP
An inhuman bloodline rumbles softly in your body, sleeping until use of the red rage it provides is needed. An ancestor of yours was a mighty ogre, not that any would guess it until they saw you in combat. Your physical abilities are outrageous for a normally stealthy ninja, with physical strength more than enough to seriously harm great armored heroes and tear giant trends through the heart, potentially even smashing down whole fortresses. That physical strength accelerates your movement speed to even greater heights, making the combination of assassination arts and violent speed is even more lethal than ever before. But even with this power, you might look like an unassuming young man. When you call on your true potential, your body beginning to strain and bulge with power, your body and even brain will be pushed to the very limits. A massive amplification of your natural abilities result, enough to make you a danger to even weaker divine beings, and your body continually restores its energy as you fight.
The unfortunate side of this is that it is done through eating away at your internal material, causing steady and serious damage to your body to supply this massive boost in power, speed, reactions and stamina. How this state takes form can vary from person to person, sometimes being obvious strain markings across the skin but also, at times, appearing as your entire body turns crimson red like the ogres you came from.
Roll failed, insufficient points.
While the extra strength would greatly help my endeavors, I was happy that the roll failed. I had enough powers that had the probability of causing self-harm, and I didn't wish to tempt fate using that power at the same time I used Dust magic. With my increased pain tolerance, there was a genuine danger of me not noticing my body was done for.
No, I would rather have another role that could help me more in the long run. Physical force was good, but I didn't need it right now. Against wizards, speed was the best option to go. If I could move or teleport short distances without much effort, I would be unstoppable against almost everyone.
Feeling the energy leaving my body, I closed my eyes and closed the Grimoire. The warmth I felt when it returned to my soul was the last thing I knew before falling asleep.
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