HP: Spirit Talker

While I was studying the process on the spiritual plane, the material reality grew colder, the surrounding space was covered with a thick fog, and a haze spread across the floor, but it did not hide the glow of the ritual figures and signs. While in the spiritual plane, the exit from the corridor was gaining more and more energy from what was shining brightly and scattering sparks, in the material world, a cloud of glowing silver smoke formed in the air just above the center of the circle.

It swirled around its axis, increasing rapidly, and then suddenly shrank sharply into a perfect sphere, a second of rest, and the sphere would disintegrate into a ghostly bird woven from the smoke. Only the eyes, glowing with white light, seemed real. Slowly flapping its smoky wings, the bird made a circle in the air and then hovered where it appeared, rarely flapping again. I don't think it needs those flaps, it's just a habit, or an old memory, perhaps ancient, from when the spirit was alive... or not.

— The world whispers... — a distant, otherworldly voice carried through the room, sending shivers down the spines of those present. — I hear... — the bird turned its head, examining the members of the Malfoy family, slowly and leisurely assessing each one, its gaze finally settling not on Lucius, but on Narcissa. — It's been a while... a long time... — The ghost seemed to breathe out the last word, but it was hard to catch in such a voice, it sounded so 'otherworldly'. — Forgotten? Afraid? Why are you afraid of the Guardian? — The ghost turned its head in a birdlike manner, its entire alien being expressing interest in the answer to his question.

Lucius tried to open his mouth again, but there was still no sound, and even the Guardian ignored him. That made me happy, because I wouldn't have to get into a long argument. Still, the Guardian could give the head of the Ward family the right to vote on a whim, and that could cause some problems, not serious ones, but still.

— Dear Guardian, — Narcissa bowed in sincere respect, and there was real fear in the emotions of everyone present. — I am black by birth, and my husband has never allowed me access to the secrets of the Malfoy family, which is why I could not address you if I wanted to.

— I see you, Mother of the Heir... — the spirit exhaled again, keeping her gaze on the woman. — You are a worthy witch... loyal... faithful... — The Spirit's voice was clearly one of approval. — The current lord did not accept you with his heart, Sizzling... afraid... yes, like your sister, Flaming... that's why the combination ritual was not complete... — I couldn't help but smile at these words and at Narcissa's shocked face. Lucius the Viper had always been a cowardly and deceitful creature, but he was also cunning — he calculated everything exactly. — The magic of the family compensated for the lord's lack of foresight — the heir was born right, in the family... — I don't know how much the people here understood from these words, but I was amused. However, family magic is not something to be taken seriously, it protects the clan and takes care of it to the best of one's ability.

That's what happened in this case. Lucius, a cowardly idiot, did not perform the full ritual of magical marriage, or rather, the part that depended on it was not complete, or with a deliberate mistake that could have made his son a bastard, funny? Ridiculous, for Lucius understood all of this perfectly well, and therefore did not worry, for he knew all about it, and also about the curses of the family.

The curses would not allow another child to be born, and since there was already one, the family's magic could not help but recognize Draco not as a bastard, but as a full-fledged heir, with a lot of effort. In the end, everything turned out the way the blond idiot wanted it to: Narcissa didn't become a full-fledged lady of the Malfoy family, she remained somewhere on the level of a concubine recognized by the family, so she had few rights, so for the most part she was no threat to the Lord.

On the other hand, he ensured the continuation of the line, i.e. Draco's birth to the "right" woman, i.e. strong enough to withstand all these "twists and turns". Genius, damn it, I wouldn't have thought of that, honestly. There's only one thing wrong with it. He should have either gotten rid of Narcissa or behaved with her as she was originally perceived by the family's magic, but he continued to play with the public so that the woman gradually had more and more rights. — What do you want from me, Sizzling? — The bird blinked and the glow in her eyes increased.

— Do you know what Lucius has done, Guardian?

The bird stared at Narcissa for a moment, then flapped its wings a little harder and stretched its head upward on its flexible neck. Its glowing eyes flashed, and a heavy rumbling sound swept through the hall, as if every stone in the house was echoing a silent call, making the whole manor literally tremble and hum. Pretty eerie, to be honest. The ghost, who looked a lot like the firebird from our fairy tales, lowered his head and looked at the woman again.

— You have called me to judgement... — The Spirit did not ask, but affirmed, shaking his head and covering his glowing eyes for a moment. — The rod has an elder... — the gaze shifted to me. I, looking through the spiritual plane, did not see a smoky silhouette with blurred contours and details, but a marvelous dangerous bird with a wingspan of a dozen meters, with powerful claws and a sharp beak, as if covered with frost, like the feathers of its back and wings, and otherworldly lights shining on its long tail feathers. Totally alien and strange. I wonder where this spirit had been plucked from? Or did it answer itself in its unwillingness to dissolve into eternity?

— Why didn't you judge him, Spirit Talker? You are in your right... — There was no point in saying out loud everything I'd thought and felt when I'd seen Lucius in the dungeon; it was enough to remember and want to share that memory. In the next instant, Spirit had recognized everything. He narrowed his eyes and turned his head slightly. — You're right, only the head of the family is guilty... — The head on the flexible neck swayed in a short nod. — But you can't pull out the root in the hope of healing the branches... under normal circumstances... — I thought the spirit chuckled and shifted his gaze to the woman.

— Witnesses to your honor are recognized, Sizzling, as is your spirit. You have proven your right to preserve your lineage... — Another graceful nod and the spirit shifted its gaze to Lucius, who squirmed, the bird squinting angrily. — You are a disgrace to the family, former lord. — The sound of breaking glass filled the room. An illusory thin crown appeared on Lucius' head, which almost immediately shattered into many shards that immediately melted away. The former head of the family trembled and opened his mouth wide without making a sound.

— You will answer for the betrayal of your own kind, blood and memory, you will serve, you will redeem yourself with immense loyalty... — . The bird sent out a powerful stream of eerie, cold light that enveloped Lucius in an impenetrable cocoon. A ball of light now hovered where he had sat in the chair. The spirit shifted its gaze to Narcissa. — You are worthy to become the spirit of honor and reason for the family... — the last word was heard as a natural halo formed over the woman's head, descending gently into her hair, where the ring of light transformed into a tiara of fine craftsmanship, glowing softly with ghostly light. After a few moments, the diadem disappeared. Narcissa bowed low to the spirit and received an answering bow.

— You will perform all the obligatory rituals for the heir and his consort... The one who speaks with spirits will help you, Sizzling... — The last words literally rustled through the hall as the smoky silhouette began to dissipate.

The sense of the Spirit's presence immediately vanished, the smoke began to dissipate rapidly, and the bird spiritually returned to the tunnel, which soon collapsed. The ball of light hung in the air for a while, making no sound or affecting the world around it in any way. Everyone remained in their seats, waiting for the result of the Spirit's judgment. After a few minutes, there was a crack of eggshells, and the orb was first covered with gray cracks and then instantly scattered with bright sparks....

— What can the unworthy Luci do for his beloved masters? — The house-elf broke the silence of the hall with a trembling voice.