****
Not far away from the barrier between the stations, two women stood on platform 9 and 3/4 under disillusionment, awaiting the arrival of a particular individual.
One of them was Bellatrix Black, the minister of magic, who currently had a gaunt face as she waited for Axel. Magic power would burst out of her from time to time, almost blowing their cover.
After knowing that Axel hadn't used a single one of the precious herbs potions and medicines she'd sent with meticulous instructions of Andromeda on their use, Bellatrix could no longer stop herself from interfering.
Upto now, while they couldn't find a proper cure, she and Andromeda had sent many things that could have at least helped him with his pain and alleviate the trembling enough to a certain extent.
So, it could be imagined how devastated she had been to find that he'd been suffering from a horrible amount of pain and difficulties every single day for this whole time just because of his hate for her.
That's why, Bellatrix and Andromeda had decided to come here against Axel's strong wishes in an attempt to apologize once again and convince him to accept their help.
"Who are the Greengrasses waiting for?" Muttered Andromeda, looking at the three witches who seemed to be waiting in anticipation. Their bright and cheerful moods were a stark contrast compared to the nervous and despondent atmosphere around the sisters.
Bellatrix shrugged, "Couldn't care less," she muttered, her eyes not leaving the barrier. She appreciated her sister's attempt at distracting her from her self-blame and self-loathing but she'd rather stay like this for now.
Andromeda didn't give up, "I heard Cissy got a new job..."
Bellatrix frowned, "Don't bring up the bitch."
Andromeda sighed seemingly giving up as she turned back to wait for Axel, "I'm surprised he managed to achieve so much without using any of the potions and medicines I'd sent him. Did you see his exam reports?"
Bellatrix knew that this was yet another attempt by Andromeda to distract her, but she still couldn't stop a small proud smile to appear on her face.
"An 'Outstanding' in everything, even flying and dueling," she muttered, the magic around her calming down a little. "Even with such a massive handicap."
"Except for Potions," added Andromeda.
"Snape needs to be fired," said Bellatrix, her mood souring as she recalled that 'Acceptable'. The man is making Axel do practicals with his crippled hands. It would seem that she'll have to cripple the bat's hands and make him do Potions so that he understands his mistake.
"I don't understand why Dumbledore would even keep the man—" Bellatrix was saying but she paused in her steps as she saw a familiar face appear from the partition. As soon as she saw him, her jaw dropped.
"Tristan...?" She murmured, squinting her eyes. For a moment, she almost mistook him for Tristan. But of course, she knew it wasn't him, it was Axel. The more you compare the two, the more different the two faces look.
'How did he change so much in just a year?' She thought. This was her first time seeing him in person after a whole year. And she'd never expected him to have changed this much. Andromeda also had similar thoughts.
They had been expecting the same skinny and small boy who would hide his trembling hands in his pockets as he tried not to attract attention. They were expecting a lonely boy who was in need of their help. But imagine their surprise when instead of that boy, they found a handsome and confident young man built like a warrior.
In the next moment, they saw the two Greengrass daughters rushing the boy, surprising the two women.
Bellatrix frowned as she heard the conversation, "Why would they thank him?" She murmured, finding this scene much too familiar.
Andromeda, however, being a Master Healer had different priorities.
"His hands… Bella… look at his hands." She said in a shaky whisper.
....
"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyoo!"
Looking at the girl hanging onto him like a Koala, Axel sighed as he gently pulled her off and set her down.
"It was no big deal," he shrugged, "It was just annoying seeing you putting up a facade all the time," he told the little girl honestly.
Aside from the gratitude to Daphne and Evelyn, another reason for Axel to help out Astoria was because of this. Due to his experiences, he could easily tell that the girl was not as happy go lucky as she pretended to be. Far from it, she was quite mature for her age and arguably the most miserable among the family of three.
So, after observing this, it was just a bit hard to let a sick, frail and miserable girl pretend like that while you have the power to help her.
"!"
Listening to his words, Astoria's eyes widened as she looked up at him with surprise.
Evelyn who was standing behind her, patted her head gently.
"It broke my heart everyday to see her do that. You don't know what you've done." she said, looking at him expressionlessly. It was clear that her Occlumency was having a hard time reigning in her emotions since she was trembling slightly.
Axel felt a bit uncomfortable with that gaze. It felt like something was wrong here.
"Well, as I said, it's not a big deal. I just happened to have it so I shared it,' he said dismissively. He was somewhat glad he wasn't alone with her right now. Who knows what kind of stunt she'd pull this time.
He looked down to see Daphne still sitting on the ground, looking up at him a daze.
"And how long are you planning to sit there?" He asked, offering her his hand.
"Oh..." with a jerk, Daphne seemed to realize that she had forgotten to move while staring at Axel.
He had definitely changed from the last time she'd seen him. He just looked even more perfect, if that was possible. Another change she noticed instantly was, he looked... happier... more relaxed for some reason. The constant frown and annoyed look on his face was gone and his shoulders weren't tense like before, like he was no longer carrying a huge weight.
Over the summer, she'd been looking forward to meeting him, thinking about ways to thank him, and things she'd talk to him about, but... now that she was finally in front of him, she found herself unable to do anything but keep looking at him. She had this flip-flopping like feeling in her stomach and she was having a hard time forming a coherent thought.
Taking his offered hand with slightly flushed cheeks, she got up when she noticed something.
"Wait..." she said, feeling up his hand properly, her nervousness went away as the realization hit her. She observed that the calloused hand in her hands was very stable! That familiar trembling and twitching was gone.
"Is... Is it true?... You're actually fully healed?!" She asked as she held up his hand. She had, of course, considered this possibility after reading that letter but she had still found it a bit unreal.
Axel smirked,
"Healed?"
He snapped his fingers as a knife appeared in his hand. With another movement, it spun around both of their hands before he made it disappear.
"You can say that. Try to keep it a secret though. I'm still having you do my homework if that's ok with you," he said, trying to retract his hand, but... in the next moment, Daphne had thrown her arms around him, making him freeze.
"I'm so happy for you...," she said, her voice coming a bit muffled. Even if he didn't show it, she was well aware just how much he hated being in that state.
She had seen how he'd tense up everytime someone would mention the word 'cripple', she had also seen how he'd sometimes just stare down at his trembling hands, as if willing them to become stable. She'd seen how hard he'd work, always having bag under his eyes and even working during the classes. So, even though it terrified her that he wouldn't need her now that he was healed, she was indeed very happy for her friend.
Axel stood there, frozen like a statue. Just like any other orphan, the concept of being hugged like this was completely foreign for him. And it felt... comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time.
"Homework? Anything." He heard Daphne whisper. "I'll do anything for you,"
...
The Black sisters, who had been listening in on the whole conversation, were still in a state of shock even as they saw Axel boarding the train.
"That's Tristan's son alright," said Bellatrix, shaking her head. She currently had her Magi-mirror out as she snapped Axel's pictures one after another.
The father son duo seemed to have some fate with saving Damsels in distress. Only, the son seems to have the potential to surpass the father.
First he happens to kill the villainous man of the house and then he goes and heals the dying girl. At this point, he practically owns the House Greengrass.
"He's managed to heal himself AND Astoria. How?" Murmured Andromeda, finding herself unable to wrap her head around this. Two medical miracles one after another.
Bellatrix nodded, "Not to mention he's changed so much… I don't care how, but... I'm quite excited to see what he'll do now that he's healed," she said, finally feeling quite light after months. She was glad that the boy wasn't as lonely as he used to be and had the support of someone who wouldn't betray him.
Looking at Evelyn who was clicking away pictures as Axel and Daphne departed, Bellatrix felt a sense of comradery.
'Yep, no way this woman would betray Axel,' she thought, being quite familiar with the look in Evelyn's eyes. That was the look of a woman who had found her Liege.
Bellatrix grinned. Turns out, they had something in common. It looks like a chat with Regent Greengrass was in order. Who knows, they might actually become friends...
With the knowledge that Axel will no longer be suffering, now she can work on her revenge on the organization in peace. It's just there was dull ache in her heart knowing just how much he hates her.
….
Lily Potter stood in front of a giant magic circle, with hundreds if not thousands of runic arrays drawn in its layers.
"It's not working... It's not working!" She exclaimed in frustration.
Icitra, who was lying on a comfortable seat on the side sat up while sighing, "Could you at least explain properly what you're trying to do? Even though I'm not as much of a genius, but I still have a century of Ruling under my belt," she said as she walk to Lily's side.
Lily pressed her lips together into a line. The age difference still somehow manages to baffle her. Especially since this beautiful woman looks even younger than her.
"Alright, let me break it down for you," she said, drawing a circle on the ground.
"Finally," muttered Icitra with faux enthusiasm.
"This is mid-world." said Lily, ignoring the taunt, tapping the circle. "It's the place I came from and the place my daughter currently is. This world doesn't have a magic of its own."
She drew another circle on the side. "This is Nether World. The place we're currently in. This is where the dark magic originates from."
After that she drew another circle on the other side of Mid-world such that the three worlds were now in a triangular formation.
"And this... this is the Aether World, the place where the light magic and even the normal magic originates from," she said, tapping the third circle.
"The mid world doesn't have magic of its own. But," She drew two lines, connecting the mid world with both the other worlds.
"But it has special individuals who can draw magic from either of the worlds. They're called witches and wizards."
Icitra nodded, "So, you're a witch?"
Lily nodded, "Yeah, a very badass one," she said seriously.
"Voldemort is also a wizard, though he's now far more than that. Anyways," she said, pointing at the three worlds.
"Usually, it's impossible to travel between these worlds but as you can see, there are exceptions. The worlds can be connected if you have the right circumstances. Especially the mid world and NetherWorld."
"But... the Aether World, that place has mostly been sealed off from the other two worlds. Not much about it is known except for the fact that a wizard named Merlin from the Mid world had managed to get there and when he returned, he was the greatest in the Mid-world."
Icitra nodded.
"So, what are you trying to do?"
Lily nodded. "I'm getting there. You see, Voldemort is a conqueror. He won't settle untill he has all three worlds under his rule."
She pointed at the connecting line between the Nether world and Mid world.
"He is soon going to be able to succeed in traveling between these two worlds. Once he does that, he will also be able to succeed in traveling from Mid World to Aether World since it's not that different. So,"
Lily slowly connected the two circles which signified the NetherWorld and Aether World.
"I'm trying to directly connect Aether World and Nether World for him, so that he stops paying attention to the mid world. Then we'll be able to buy a some time in which we can ally ourselves with the Aether World and figure out a way to take down Voldemort. Or if we're lucky, the Aether World might just crush him for us," she said, and Icitra had a guarded expression as she looked at Lily.
"How do you know all this? And, are you not able to succeed?" She asked.
Lily shrugged, "My late husband once had a friend. I don't really remember his name... Crystal? Tristan? Whatever. Anyways, he was on the run and he thought he was going to die. So he left a lot of stolen research on this subject with us, so that they don't get it back when he's caught," Lily sighed.
"That's how I got the information. It was centuries of research all just handed over to me, and I was able to save my daughter." She explained. She was truly grateful to the man. He also had a son of Rose's age whom they were talking about leaving at the Potter cottage since they had the Fidelius. Too bad Voldemort had attacked soon after, killing James and sending Lily here, not leaving the man that option. She still sometimes wonders if the man and his family were still alive.
"And is there truly no way left for you to succeed?" Asked Icitra.
Lily shook her head, "There actually is. The notes extensively mention the existence of two objects. They're called the keys. If I even had just one of them, I can pretty much do anything," she said with a shrug.
"Too bad I don't have them. So, I'll have to search for alternatives."
Icitra looked at Lily as she finally understood the whole plan.
"So...you'd put an entire world in danger... Just to save your daughter?" She asked with interest. The Aether World was just becoming a collateral damage in this woman's plans.
Lily scoffed, "Hardly. NetherWorld has already been almost conquered. The other races have also surrendered or given up so he already has the Nether World. Also, there's no way Mid-world can stop him. So, Aether World will have to fight Voldemort, sooner or later. I'm just hastening the process." she said as she sighed. At least that's how she justified her actions. Maybe it was the dark magic affecting her, or maybe she was always a bit evi, but she knew... That for her daughter, she was willing to do anything.
....
A.N.: Next Chapter: New Term, New Surprises.
This year is going to be full of surprises. I've been planning and plotting, hence the delay.
Read Ahead of everyone and support me on Pàtreon!
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