One evening, after a particularly rigorous session of combat training, Marcus sat with Harry near the fire conjured by the Room of Requirement. The flickering flames cast long shadows across the room as Marcus spoke of the Brotherhood's ancient history.
"The Brotherhood wasn't just created to defend against the Templars," Marcus began. "Long before the Potter family, Altairs, Kenways, and Croftons came together to form the core of our order, there were ancient forces that sought control over the world. The Templars are one of them, but there are others — hidden factions that manipulate both the magical and Muggle worlds."
"The Templars?" Harry asked, frowning. He had read about them in the restricted section of the library, an organization that existed both in the Muggle world and the wizarding one. But they had always been described as myth.
Marcus nodded. "The Templars have always sought control, order, and dominion over free will. In the magical world, they use dark artifacts — relics from the time of the founders — to manipulate reality itself. The Staff of Eden, the Piece of Eden... these aren't just legends, Harry. They exist, and the Templars have been hunting them for centuries."
The Staff of Eden. Harry's heart raced. He had heard the name before, in one of the books he found in his vault. The Staff had the power to reshape reality, to bend minds, and was capable of immense destruction. The idea that it could fall into the wrong hands sent a chill through him.
"And they're looking for it now?" Harry asked.
"They are," Marcus confirmed. "And that's where you come in. The Potters were one of the few families entrusted with protecting these relics. Your mother was working with the Brotherhood to locate a fragment of the Staff before Voldemort rose to power. Her death wasn't just about you or the prophecy — it was about what she knew."
Harry felt a surge of anger. His parents had died because of something bigger than he'd ever imagined. This wasn't just about Voldemort anymore. The Templars, the Staff, the Brotherhood — it was all connected.
"What do we do now?" Harry asked, determined.
"We find the fragment," Marcus said simply. "Your mother hid it somewhere in this world, and we need to retrieve it before the Templars do."