Two days before the end of term, as Rigel sat in the common room, reading up on practical uses of transfiguration, he caught a passing glimpse of a greyish glow coming from the stairs and passing through the common room door. 'So, Dumbledore begins his little test.' Rigel followed behind, sneaking as much as he could, staying as far back from Jasmine as he could without losing sight of the cloak's magical aura. Three corridors and a staircase later, Jasmine suddenly turns into a classroom as soon as the sound of Filch's voice echoed down the hallway. Too far away to follow her, Rigel casts muffliato, silencing his footsteps as he races back up the stairs, observing through the railing.
When both Filch and Mrs Norris, Mr Norris having died some years ago, passed down a side corridor, Rigel returned to the classroom the Potter witch entered. He doesn't enter, however, observing the classroom door for a set of runes that would suggest an alarm spell was present on the door. Unfortunately, he found one, but there was no way he wouldn't see his own desires. If he was in a story, Rigel knew people would comment on attracting Dumbledore's attention, and why he wouldn't know his own desires already, but he looked at things differently.
Unfortunately, in defending his father legally, which led to Dumbledore's role in the Fidelus charm being revealed, he had attracted some attention, even more so as he was friends with Jasmine Potter, the girl who lived, and his father had just taken legal guardianship back. It was now impossible to avoid a certain level of scrutiny, especially considering his magical talent and classes with McGonagall, which were probably recounted and somewhat managed by the old git to avoid combat transfiguration whenever possible. On the other hand, the mirror was far more beneficial than most readers realised, and perhaps Rowling herself, as it doesn't reflect the surface desires you want daily, but rather the deeper desires that a person may subconsciously or even unconsciously hold. By understanding what he REALLY wants from life, he can set goals in achieving his desires.
Unfortunately, as the classroom was warded, he would have to make sure Jasmine brings him and maybe Hermione to the classroom, though she'd struggle to convince that prim and proper witch to sneak out. At least that way he won't have revealed that he can track Jasmine through the cloak, or have to make up a ridiculous lie. Jogging back to the common room and taking his place back in a hideously coloured armchair, he waits, knowing he may have to prompt the conversation with Jasmine.
~~~
Luckily for him, Hermione actually accepted. Rigel had always been curious about her goals, and this was by far the easiest method without studying Legillemency. He'd been working on Occlumency, turning his mind blank like he was throwing an invisibility cloak over his memories themselves, but Legillemency was many times harder and required active practice snooping around other's thoughts.
And so, the next afternoon, the night before the students would return to their homes, he inserted himself into their hushed conversation. "Hey, Jasmine, Hermione, what's up? Hermy looks like she's about to sit a test." Looking at the frizzled hair that only happened when Hermione spent a long time running her hands through it, her natural curls unwilling to remain soft and gentle becoming a wild mess resembling a bird's nest, it was obvious something was stressing her out.
"Don't call me that," Hermione snapped, but it was more out of reflex than actual anger, as she'd gotten far more ludicrous nicknames before Rigel simply shortened her name. "And nothing's up."
"Please, you both have the same look on your faces as when we went to go interrogate Hagrid about the 'thing.'" Both girls were stunned, but Jasmine's shoulders slumped sighing.
She stepped closer, now whispering despite the empty hallway, "I found something. A magic mirror, that showed me, my parents."
"That's impossible, they're- "
"Dead, I know. We were planning to visit it tonight under my cloak."
Rigel shifted nervously, or attempted to. 'Pretending to be a nervous kid is so difficult sometimes,' he thought, asking the girls, "Do you think it shows you people you've lost?"
Hermione's head swung to him, eyes softened and her voice equally gentle, "That's right, you lost your mum." Tugging Jasmine's sleeve, the two shared a look, "You're coming with us. Meet us in the common room at 10 pm, and we'll go together."
"Maybe you'll see your mum too," Jasmine added. Rigel had considered that, but although he had the memories and feelings of the current Rigel, he was not as desperate for his family as Jasmine, who'd lived as an outcast her entire life. He loved her and missed her, but he had dreams and aspirations outside of them, while Jasmine currently did not.
And so, at 10 pm, the three snuck out of the common room, tightly pressed together in ways that in another year after the magical growth would be rather awkward, and shuffled into the classroom, though he noticed that the rune didn't trigger and that an extremely faint blueish grey glow was standing in the corner, while another faint white glow was coming from the mirror itself. 'Dumbledore really is magically powerful, if I can see his magic, despite everyone else's being too faint to see, it demonstrates the sheer potency of his magic.
The cloak was ripped off and the world was colourful again, and the two girls strode to the tall mirror. 'By the gods, that thing is gaudy.' Shimmering gold decorations on an oversized full-body mirror, just seemed over the top to Rigel, though he admitted some of the junk the Black's had, was similarly ostentatious.
"See?"
"I can't see anything," Hermione replied, sounding both concerned and confused."
"Stand where I am then." As Hermione took Potter's place directly in front of the mirror, she gasped.
"You see them?"
"No, but I can see myself, Minister of Magic. I've got a bunch of awards for my inventions and cures. A world without discrimination. You're both with me though, cheering me on, though we all look like adults."
"What?"
Rigel's voice sounded from behind the, reading the inscription, "I show not your face but your heart's desire. Hermione wants to become minister, fighting for justice, and you want a family." He strode past the two girls, calming his face so that nothing is shown on it that Dumbledore can read from under his disillusionment charm, occlumency engaged with full force.
The boy peered into the mirror, seeing a scene both like and unlike both of their visions. He saw an older version of himself, tall and imposing, with eyes brimming and swirling with the power within, a calm smile on his face as if he was completely confident in himself. Beside him stood a large group of women, though their faces were masked and their skin, hidden from sight. Only discernible as women due to their body shapes and the fact they all wore wedding bands. He wasn't the minister of magic, or wearing a golden crown, but the image shifted, and he saw a dead or defeated Dumbledore and Voldemort beneath his feet, the older Rigel seated on a throne with no crown. The crownless king.
He tried to look somewhat sad, inwardly wishing Leo had taken drama in school rather than literature. "What can you see," Hermione asked gently, her hand on my shoulder.
"I can't see my mum, if that's what you're asking. But I can see myself with a family of my own, looking…happy," 'Technically, I haven't lied,' he thought. "It seems like my desire is to be loved, to form a family of my own."
"Excellent Mr Black." The three students startle, though Rigel's is of course faked, as Dumbledore lets the disillusionment charm slip. "You have discovered the true ability of the mirror. To show a person's deepest and truest desires. I'm proud that each of you are wanting to be surrounded by love, whether from parents, family, or friendship." His voice dropped in tone suddenly as he began to warn them about the potential harm of such a mirror, "I must warn you however, that it is unwise to spend so much time looking into the mirror. Many great men and women have lost themselves looking into its reflections, which is why it is being moved to a secure location."
"But Professor-," Jasmine began, but Dumbledore wouldn't hear it.
"What it shows can be sweet, but it is only an illusion, no matter how beautiful, Miss Potter. I need to ask that you don't go looking for this mirror again." He banished the three students back to their common room, and the three of them were silent all the way back. Rigel took notes of what he saw, wondering how on earth, he had managed to marry so many women. 'Is polygamy legal here?' And equally disturbing were his eyes, which swirled like whirlpools of bright blue light. 'So, it wasn't a one-time thing then. Defeating a powerful creature, overcoming a dangerous situation, or saving people? One of these provided the change, and there's no way I won't farm the crap out of it.'
~~~
The ride back on the Hogwarts Express was normal, but only because the three had friends to distract them from the memory of last night, both Lavender Pavarti being massive gossips while Neville and Padma, who'd warmed to the group during charms and the other shared classes, discussed classes and the holiday homework. Rigel had actually already finished his own, as it was given to them throughout the week, leaving him two weeks of essentially free time. 'Dad is gonna have to train me for fighting, considering both he and James were aurors before the Potter's demise. He can train us, while Arcturus can answer my questions on mage sight and polygamy, or at least point me in the right direction. That damned library is massive.'
The hope for peaceful holidays ended when he saw Sirius on the platform, oozing excitement. 'If he was a dog he'd have sprained his tail from wagging.' Rigel took Jasmine's trunk, leaving her with Hedwig, "That's him there looking like a puppy."
"He really does, doesn't he?" Sirius was no longer a deranged-looking skeleton of malice, but with soft-looking curly hair, a well-fitted suit and some meat back on him, he looked…good. Though his time in Azkaban had aged him prematurely, making him now look like a muggle in his forties, he had good facial features, and the yellow-coloured teeth from imprisonment had been whitened, making Rigel wonder why the hell Snape didn't do something similar.
"Rigel," Sirius half-shouted, no longer waiting for them, but capturing his son in a hug. He then turned to his god-daughter, "Jasmine, it's been a long time since I've seen you. You've got your father's nose and hair, but luckily you got your looks from Lily." He offered a handshake that she took, probably worried about scaring her off. "Anyway, we'd better head off." Taking his son by the hand as well Rigel held his breath and closed his eyes just in time for the apparation. Jasmine collapsed to her knees retching, leaving a pool of clear bile that was quickly cleaned.
"Side-along apparation is one of the worst sensations ever, so don't feel bad for throwing up," Rigel comforted, rubbing her back gently.
Kreacher appeared with a soft pop, bowing swiftly with no hints of disgust. "Masters Black and Ward Potter, welcome home. Master Arcturus is in his study if you'd wish to meet him."
The three of them moved off towards the study, as Kreacher left to brew some tea. "Hey Dad, I need you to teach me to fight," Rigel said off-handedly, startling Sirius.
"Duel? Why?"
"No, I mean actual fighting, and because it's a necessary skill. You're probably rusty too."
"Of course, I am, and Hogwarts is perfectly safe."
"Actually, Mr Black, Hogwarts isn't safe at all."
"Jasmine please just call me Sirius."
Jasmine felt a little awkward calling him that, but obliged her new guardian, "…okay, Sirius. Uh, on Halloween I and another girl, a friend of ours were attacked by a troll in the bathroom."
"WHAT?!"
Rigel turned to him, "I didn't tell you?"
"ABOUT A BLOODY TROLL, NO!"
"Oh, well I killed it." By this point, Arcturus had come out of his study to understand the shouting and seized his heir in an embrace.
"Oh, young Rigel, I'm so proud. Many wizards are often required to take down a violent troll, and yet you took it down by yourahh- What happened to your eyes?" Arcturus was no longer the dignified Lord Black, but a caring grandfather, whose heir returned with differently coloured eyes.
"I killed the troll, then the next morning they were like this."
Sirius gasped, "Magic expansion? Really? But we haven't had it in our family for…centuries."
Rigel was very invested in the conversation now, persuading his father for combat training could wait. "I take it it's rare."
Arcturus scoffed in his face, "Rare is an understatement, my boy. The only living wizards known to possess the trait are Dumbledore, Vol- You-know-who, and Nicolas Flamel, though that's not to say there aren't others hiding it. Every witch or wizard that has the trait of magic expansion, was believed to be blessed by magic itself, as each of them were powerful in their own way, though most became…changed over time. As a Black, you will have our predilection for… reckless and sometimes violent behaviour. How has your occlumency training going?"
"Fine, I think. Why?"
"Because assessing and controlling one's emotions is a necessity for powerful wizards and witches, more so for those of our blood, and even more for those blessed by magic." Jasmine listened avidly, rapt by the knowledge her new family simply possessed, as if it were an understanding of how to operate a television. "We will go over your mental training with more effort." Arcturus was practically shaking with excitement, both proud for his heir, and for his family, as he knew that a blessed one would become Lord Black and bring it to power once more.
"I WAS asking Dad for combat training; can we do both?"
"Probably wise."
"Also, is it really that rare? Because Jasmine's eyes aren't a natural green either." Sirius turned to Jasmine cupping her face in his hands, "Merlin, you're right. They're brighter than Lily's and without the flecks of brown she had."
"Two blessed ones…in our family no less." Rigel and Sirius were both astounded by the excitement of the old man, though Sirius was somewhat distracted with Jasmine. "You'll both undergo mental training, starting tomorrow."
"Grandfather, she still needs to undergo the inherency test. Hagrid 'forgot,'" Rigel said, hiding the finger quotes behind his body from Jasmine, though the others saw it and scowled.
"Tomorrow morning, you and Sirius will go to Gringotts for the test, Miss Jasmine."
"Jasmine's fine, Mr…Lord Black."
"Only call me Lord Black in public, Jasmine, in private Arcturus or Mr Black is fine."
The four held a fairly ordinary dinner, having arrived at Kings Cross by 4 in the afternoon, and while Sirius took Jasmine to show her some photographs of her parents, Rigel took off to the library, looking for information on the blessed ones, and on marriage laws.
"Blessed ones, such as Merlin, Asmodeus, Caligula and Nicolas Flamel, are, or were, incredibly skilled and powerful wizards in their own areas of expertise. It is believed that these individuals have a longer life expectancy, and wield magic as if it were their own bodies, shaping it to their needs. It has been documented however, that the power of a blessed one is not instantaneous, but gradual, as while individuals such as Flamel and Dumbledore were talented in their younger years, they were not the powerful forces they are today. Some researchers believed that time was a factor, as the individuals absorbed magic from their environment, much like a dragon, while a small few discussed the actions of these great beings as having equal input. They questioned whether the act of dominating or defeating powerful opponents, solving great disasters or creating significant manifestations of magic through enchantment and alchemy, could further their progress."
Reading this Rigel was ecstatic, knowing that it wasn't a one-time thing, and that simply passing time could have a role too was equally calming, in case nothing happened for a while. He read on, "Several cultures around the world respect and even worship these individuals, however recent views are more directed towards respect. While many have been idolised or feared as both heroes, saviours as well as demons and walking calamities, each has in their time affected the magical world, for better or worse, and the identification of a new blessed one brings tidings of change."
"Well, that seems a little superstitious," Rigel chuckled to himself, tossing the book on the table and finding a tome on marriage laws. While Rigel had begun reading Arcturus came in with two cups of tea.
"I knew I'd find you in here." He looked at the book on the table. "Yes, for many you and Jasmine are naught but a fairy tale. A fiction created about powerful people, and yet you have been studied throughout time. Observed as much as possible. Even Asmodeus, a powerful wizard who travelled through the middle east and Europe along the silk road, sharing his magic and magical creatures. Unfortunately, someone tried to betray him, and he sought revenge, the foreign man held the ability of parseltongue, and with his snake pets, killed tens of thousands in a single night, burning down the city where the traitor resided. He became known as a serpent devil, now demonised by muggles."
"Yes, I read through it, and I think the second smaller group of researchers are right. Deeds and great feats accelerate the growth rate of our power."
Arcturus smiled brightly at his heir, "I assumed so. But don't risk your life in the attempt of gaining a small boost in power. Our family needs you alive," he chuckled with little joy. "What're you reading there?"
"…Marriage laws."
"Don't tell me you signed a contract without reading it?"
"Of course not. But I saw the mirror of Erised."
"Fascinating. It was rumoured that Dumbledore may have taken it, but I'm not sure why that would lead you to study law. Was it a creature?"
"What? No, they all looked human, but the-"
"All? Oh wonderful, the playboy gene WAS inherited."
"But their faces and skin were hidden from me."
"So, they might still be creatures," he joked, though Rigel was thinking about the Delacours and considering the chance. "Were you all married?"
"The ones I could see," Rigel replied, as a few in the background stood behind the wives, similarly masked and blacked out.
Arcturus groaned at the phrasing, understanding instantly what his heir was suggesting, "Cursed by madness, blessed by magic, with a family of great number. My boy you will be fascinating. Anyway, you can legally marry as many witches as you want, so long as you have a lordship for them. It was an old law that was revoked a century or two back but reinstated after the last war to help bolster magical families without an influx of half-blooded heirs. But you only hold one, so far."
"Then couldn't I just marry female heirs, and bypass that restriction, as the lordship would pass over through marriage?"
"…Theoretically, yes. Though if you become powerful enough, far more than the Ministry itself, no laws could stop you of course."
"I saw Dumbledore and Voldemort beneath my feet, dead as I sat crownless on a throne." Arcturus was beaming, even though it was merely a reflection of his desires, 'as a blessed one, and a wickedly cunning child, it is without a doubt a real possibility,' he thought. "A crownless king," Rigel finished, and Arcturus could have sworn he saw the boy's eyes glow slightly brighter, as if his acceptance of his desires had strengthened his soul.
"Remember that we will help you however we can, Rigel. You will bring our family to power, and if you accomplish your vision, there won't be anything to stop your goals." 'A crownless king. I like the sound of that.'