Rubbing my temples I really wished I had a vice like drinking. I glared down the old man that was repeatedly trying to mind rape everyone in paranoia of "dark" wizards. When he tried it once more only for my defenses to rebuff him, I reached over the table, grabbed his beard and nearly pulled him over the table separating us while growling at him. This whole meeting is because of Moody's attempt as once that old bastard was involved I wasn't going to let it slide as that's them finally being serious.
"STOP. Your fucking mind rape isn't going to be tolerated here, for any reason or excuse you have, Dumbledore. Try one more time, and I'll rip your fucking head off of your body."
Releasing his beard the aged wizard thumps backwards into his seat, fake shame on his face. The Queen of England looked on with mirthful impassion to stop me. Minister Fudge uneasily squirming beside the old bastard that was the cause of this sudden meeting. A meeting that I wouldn't let him control or win, because fuck if I was going to let him sacrifice Harry for the greater good. He may be a dumbass at times but the kid is happy with mine and the Jacks fucked up company. So I wouldn't let that burn away, it'd end poorly for everyone if I did.
"I'm not sure-"
"Do not lie within my presence wizard, I am ultimately your queen. To repeatedly try and break into the sanctity of my mind, to have done it before, I shall not tolerate it further. Cease or die for being in contempt of the crown. Now explain why two of your own attempted to kidnap, once more, the child in the care of a royal consultant and friend."
"There must be a-"
"Enforce the warning."
Reaching over before any guards could act, I slammed Dumbledore's head into the table. Cracks forming with segments flaking off, the old wizard still alive because I kept him alive with an extremely weakened Regeneration. Wouldn't want him to become strong in body and have a lot of his mental facilities back now, so just enough to leave a dull ache of pain. His head raising up, coldness in his eyes as he glared at me with clear hatred. For multiple reasons likely, but primarily Harry's continued existence at my side where he smiled.
"I'm sorry, it seems that this misunderstanding and lack of communication is rather serious. I haven't sent anyone to kidnap young Potter, simply to inform Mr. Lockhart that I am his legal guardian."
"You dare lie even now? If you were truly his guardian you'd have taken better care of him. Instead you let him suffer because of plans he should have no part in, you let one of my citizens, a child, suffer because of a supposed prophecy! As far as the country is concerned YOU were never once listed as his guardian, not even his aunt was. There simply were never any records of any guardianship at all on our side, just yours. The only clear guardian he has is my Royal consultant as far as the PROPER authorities are concerned."
The Queen was getting heated before suddenly calming down, her cane threatening to swing at Dumbledore given she was actually able to think clearly in his and Fudge's presences for once.
"I will not be remiss to admit the Ministry of Magic has helped keep England safe from magical threats. However, in this matter you overstep your authority for you do not rule these lands, I do. If you must insist that the child is endangered then bring your reasons forth now, or let this be the end and stop ruining the child's life!"
The two wizards were silent for a time before Fudge spoke up. His hands trembling the entire he spoke as calmly as he could, because my crimson eyes leered at him intensely.
"Your majesty, I must point out several glaring issues regarding the boy's safety. Mister Lockhart being one such concern given his condition and who he's willing to employ. He is slowly turning into a flesh eating monster! He employs dark wizards who practice the likes of necromancy, he employs werewolves with uncontestable bloodlust once they transform, he has two entire vampire clans working under him, not to mention numerous other dangerous magical species. Surely that's cause for concern?"
The Queen simply nods her head, pointing her cane towards me to point out some holes in those words.
"While he has lost some of his humanity admittedly. I can say with certainty, absolute certainty about his character, that even he should become a complete Wendigo. My confidence in him shall not waver for he has already shown me that outcome using a magic of his, and even then he was the same person if only with a shift in dietary needs while he was in that completed transformation. The dark wizards you mentioned are those pushed into a corner scrambling to find a way out a majority of the time.
Citizens dealt a bad hand or simply pursued their passion, even if questionable, only to be punished for it by your ministry. Something can only be dark if you want it to be dark. I've even met many of his "dark" employees and when given a chance they have out shined and proven to be more moral than your own "light" wizards at times. One of my own grandchildren, who turned out to be a witch, was persecuted by your Aurors. Simply because she was a natural at hex magic, a magic that has been shown to have uses for goodness and depravity.
She almost died due to prejudice from light wizards, yet she survived because one man stopped it. He had no reason to listen to the uncertainty of an old woman's intuition, yet he did. Now my dear grandchild is flourishing so beautifully with her own flower shop, flowers that hexs have helped nurture. Because he gave her the chance and motivation. My citizens, plagued with ravenous hunger for both flesh and blood, have been given a chance to LIVE not as beasts, but as PEOPLE under his tireless research. You who could solve much of our home's problems have turned blind and deaf to its suffering, unlike the man you pester with nonsense. What else do you have to say? Because for all your boasts of superiority, you are often not more dangerous than the ones you're targeting."
"Certainly some wizards and witches can be overzealous, but certainly they're not that bad your majesty."
"Compared to incidents from Mr. Lockhart's people, your workers have caused several international and domestic issues in regards to poaching, murder, improper use of magic, sexual assault, and worse to those they consider lesser than them. While from the same records of those times the only real issues from Lockhart's workers have been hunger and anger with minor racist remarks with only the rare mass murder of people they're supposed to capture."
Fudge grimaces, not expecting the turn about from the Queen. He could say nothing as arguing would just be making excuses. Because it certainly doesn't help when they also have the same records even if they try altering them. Yet he tried another angle with the Queen until I shot him down. Because what I said was true, they never cared to even try to understand everything, they just wanted a scapegoat so they kangaroo courted it all.
"Your majesty, it's not just those facts by our own culture Dumbledore is rightfully Harry's magical guardian. That cannot be ignored for it is simply -"
"He's only that because the most immediate legal guardian, Sirius Black, has been imprisoned wrongly and tortured daily. I may not personally know the man, however, I can read and look things up through various means and sources. From what I've managed to gather about Sirius Black, he would rather DIE than hurt Harry Potter or his friends. He's someone that would march upon the gates of hell for his family, that is something I can find respect for. Hell, I'd recommend him for a job in any important position like the Royal Guard or my own company just for his unwavering loyalty alone."
"Y-you-"
"SILENCE!"
I was immediately at the old woman's side, using regeneration to help her aging body get over the violent coughing fit she was starting to have. I wasn't British or really loyal to the crown, yet I wasn't going to spit on someone's trust even if it's misplaced. Once the coughing subsided the Queen made one simple demand.
"Bring me to this Sirius Black, immediately. I must see for myself if it's true. Because I will not condone the torture of innocent citizens if they're truly innocent. I WILL right the wrongs done to my citizens for being made to remain blissfully unaware for so long. My most valued confidants will also join me, that isn't a request, it's a royal decree."
"As you wish your majesty, let's be off at the earliest convenience."
Dumbledore didn't like it but he agreed nonetheless in a subdued manner. Helping the queen stand from her seat, I made a call to my only other most loyal employee. Someone that wouldn't bend a knee when faced with the horrors and evils we'll be walking into. Which was amusing considering he was from the FATE universe and came to find me specifically after his Singularity was cleared. Gond, having shown him the way into my Demiplane, that did in fact act as a nexus between dimensions if a doorway existed.
Which is kind of worrying because FATE is one of the most dangerous universes, and I'm essentially giving it access to the wider multiverse.
"Arthur, I need you to come to Buckingham Palace. There's been a decision made to visit Azkaban, and your presence would be appreciated in multiple ways. I'll see soon then."
Hanging up the call I informed the Queen about my own insurance that shall be coming along. For if there is darkness to be repelled, then only someone that can be considered a paladin can truly quell it. The clanking of armored boots echoing from behind nearby doors, an armored hand pushing them open as a bonafide knight enters. While he wasn't the female Lion King, he was still the Lion King and thus the strongest knight in history. Arthur Pendragon, a Servant and a cause for a deviation in Human History because of a delusional woman. His lance shines brightly when he enters the room and stamps its butt into the ground gently yet crisply.
"I am at your service once more my liege. Leave the safety of her majesty and the others to me, for I will not let harm befall them."
A knight that crossed dimensions to come serve someone that couldn't be good or evil. Someone that's becoming a flesh eating monster. Simply because while he could help save Humanity, he felt it better to help a man that may need it more. No matter how many lows I show him, after all these years I've gladly sacrificed the lives of many people regardless of their age, the Lion King supports me as a friend. So I return the favor for even the most stalwart and chivalrous of people can feel doubt, anger, and fear after the lives and experiences they lived. Arthur being an example of this as he was strung along by a mad woman who was willing to sacrifice the entire world to a Beast just to see him become a god. All out of twisted and disgusting love because she was more sociopathic than even a sociopath.
"I'll leave everyone but the wizards to you, you're the one who can shoulder their safety better than me after all. The wizards don't need it, they are supposedly superior after all."
"You jest, you can do more if not equal my own ability to defend people even though I'm mostly offensive, if you actually tried with how potent your spells and items are. I know Lord Gond at leasts trusts you to make dependable magic items when you get to making any of them. I know that your Immovable Rods at least make for great pull up bars for everyone that likes working out as it gives them a chance to use one without height restrictions."
"Yeah that bit was an unintentional thing when I actually made one, but hey if installing them in the gyms helps then that's fine with me. I only made them to create three dimensional outlines for bigger projects when I do one."
"True I've seen you use them to create outlines and even guidelines for your own projects or those of everyone working on their own. However, yes that rod has proven to be quite useful for various workouts and exercises when using the gym, they're even surprisingly sturdy. Almost as if they're not regular steel or wood."
"Who is this young man?"
Our small talk was interrupted by Dumbledore who whenever he tried to look into Arthur's eyes would fail because the Lion King closed his eyes in his presence with a low growl. Arthur had a personal problem with the old man, because his little order did something stupid and ever since the Lion King has hated them all.
"This is Arthur, he's a knight, congratulations you've now been informed of him."
I know it wasn't a good idea to antagonize the man but I was fed up with his shit, I just wanted him to stop! Like fucking hell you senile old bastard go suck your locked up boyfriends dick, do something or anything else but bother me! Once everyone was ready, everything to set free Sirius Black was in motion, and the man would slowly be unsure of Dumbledore's intentions with his god son who was happy where he was.
//\\ Hogwarts Three Years Later \\//
Walking towards Hogwarts with Harry, the Jacks, Sasha, and Sirius I was going over Harry's supplies with a scrutinizing gaze. Since I needed to be sure Sirius didn't skimp out on stuff when I've told the man numerous times that I can afford supplies if it's reasonable in price. Sirius looked at me in disbelief as I did so, going so far as triple checking it all before I was sure it was alright and not about to fall apart on Harry.
"You can't be serious, you had to triple check his stuff to see if I got him the best I could with the budget you gave me? If I didn't get the best I could even with all the money you gave me then I'd rather shoot myself with the killing curse right now."
"Can never be too sure given your track record with your own money from the jobs I pay you for."
"I only bought one , ONE, dragon egg for Harry since he likes your wyvern!"
"And now I have an entire nest of chimeric dragon wyverns because of the Ukrainian Ironbelly that hatched. So excuse me if I'm going to question you when you buy shit for my son, plus you're also a prankster so it's even more valid to do so."
Sirius groans while pointing at me weakly, his mouth moving to try and come up with a come back only to close it shut after nothing came out. Sasha was carrying a Harry's trunk and my own invented magic tool so that I can draw and etch out rituals on the fly, Ritual Writer. The magic item being a collection of small constructs that assemble into the complete version which can cover the length of an entire room, or can act as smaller independent ritual writers. Basically I made a 3D printer that can turn any spell I know into a ritual without me having to do everything slowly, I just have to feed it my magic and the spell to ritualize. While we walked down our current path, I was letting Harry's owl fly around us to let the poor girl spread her wings instead of being cooped up.
I wasn't ignorant of the Centaurs watching us, nor the hungry spiders watching both us and them. It was only when we were in sight of Hogwarts did a spider move to try and feast on at least one of us. Without turning to look at it or even give it any sign of acknowledgement Winston turned both bodies towards it and fired two streams of Moonbeam. The moon being out tonight only empowering the spell that tore through the giant arachnid that died midair, its body crashing through a Demiplane doorway projected using both bodies stacking together.
"Okay, you need to stop doing that… that is still more scary than half the Deatheaters were during the war against Voldemort. Because frankly I would at least want my killer to acknowledge my existence instead of looking elsewhere as they killed me."
"Alpha did it so none of us would get bloody, wouldn't do if we showed up before a bunch of pups drenched in blood. I like his displays of dominance though it really gets me eager to be made to submit to him…."
None of us bothered with her ending statement, to improve my Jack's boredom though I gave them a task that was bound to happen regardless.
"Jackie's take my modified Bag of Holding for living eggs and corpses and go cull the spider population around the school. Don't kill the Centaurs and be careful of potential challenge ratings five and up as the woods are filled with magical animals."
The four grabbed a bag off my belt before they vanished with pure speed alone to the normal perception of people. Chuckling when I heard the dying scream of a spider, Hagrid wouldn't be pleased with me. But honestly? Fuck Aragon or whatever the spider was named, cranky old bastard was going to be murdered for his pushing and prodding eventually. Hell I think, aside from that CYOA, because the more dark creatures around the school were getting bolder. They sensed something, a growing sensation they liked instinctively, that he invited me as the DADA professor to quell their ambitions. Nearing the doors of the old magic school, I stopped for a second, feeling an ancient motherly presence looking at me.
Looking at Hogwarts, I summoned my Flame tongue Claymore, planting the bound blade into the ground before me. Hands coming to rest upon the pommel as I stood resolute before the castle. The magic in the air prodding at me, I could hear it humming with the beating of a heartbeat. The presence looking upon me becomes more friendly and welcoming, warmth enveloping my body. Pulling my blade from the ground, I could feel a subtle request from the castle itself. Letting my blade fade away into motes of light, I bowed my head.
"I shall let the sword breathe, it shall sing in defense of these lands once more."
The castle doors opened all on their own, floating candles lighting the way we needed to go. Stepping into the castle, the magic in the air practically buzzed at mine and Harry's presence once inside it. Hiding my group along I adjusted my trench coat. The blackened leather with fiery cracks in it smoldering with an audible crackling. My fingers tracing along one of the fiery cracks in remembrance of how often I've burnt alive in this world while wearing it. The coat became a unique blend of cursed and blessed after being bathed in so many fires. Including that Fiend Fire which touches upon the actual flames of Hell.
Demonic Holy Shroud of Embers. A coat that shrouds its wearer from heat and even the cursed flames of Hell. A coat that curses those which wield fire with the cold feeling of eternal coldness in death's embrace. A magic item unintentionally created through grudges and stubborn persistence to survive even the flames of Hell. It wasn't attuned to my soul, no it eternally bound to it because the coat itself decided so. Over the years while raising Harry I even made it into a plus five item making its effects and abilities rather potent.
Entering the great hall under countless gazes I walked unbothered. Sasha and Sirius trailing after me while Harry went to join the unsorted first years, the three of us reaching the steps to the others. My Homunculus floating over my shoulders in a silent vigil against everyone. A rather friendly and boisterous man greeted us as we walked up the steps to take our seats.
"Welcome to Hogwarts! I'm glad to finally meet you in person Professor Lockhart, I'm Professor Flitwick! Sirius? It's good to see that you're doing well after getting pardoned for being proved innocent. Madame Solair it's good to meet you as well given news of you never leaving a certain someone alone…"
"Black… Professor Lockhart, Assistant Solair."
"Good to meet you dearies and Sirius behave, or I'll drug you into being a good boy."
"Mr Black, welcome back…. Professor welcome to Hogwarts, I hope you enjoy your time here. If you ever need me for anything you shall find me in the Transfiguration classroom."
"Hello! I heard you have a garden for potions and medicinal purposes, I hope we can expand each other's gardens!"
"Welcome to Hogwarts, if you ever need help with any magical creatures please come and find me."
Chuckling at most if not all staff singling Sirius out in some fashion, I sat down in my seat, flanked by Sasha and Sirius on either side of me. I could hear the whispers and murmurs from the students about us even after we made ourselves known without any real fanfare. Mostly because of Harry's presence being noticeable, the boy shied away from the zealous and befriended at least one person. The person making me chuckle as it just had to be Hermione Granger who seemed to be sharing a book on magical beasts with him.