Vegas Magic - Chapter 4
Trialing time
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After they woke Janet up and explained to her everything (she fainted when they told her about the magical world), Sirius agreed to let them stay until they could sort everything out. It was established that when the American branch of Blacks died out, the manor stood empty until some wizard on the city council managed to lower the wards and sold it to an unsuspecting no-maj couple. The fact that wards were in fact still functioning and could technically kill everyone not on the ward list in seconds was not mentioned in the sales offer.
Zatara would be the one prosecuting the wizard. It was illegal under MACUSA law to sell warded properties to no-majes after all. Drakes would receive compensation for the troubles, as well as repayment of their money if it was recovered. It was still better than Sirius just expelling them and putting the wards up. It was within his rights.
When it was all done and sorted out, the adult wizards sat together in the drawing room.
"You are aware that this marriage will blow up spectacularly?" Zatara asked after taking a sip of firewhiskey.
"Maybe. Or maybe it will actually help him."
"I must agree with Mr. Zatara, Padfoot," Remus spoke up. "I fear it will only lead to more hurt for Harry. The girl doesn't really realize what she got into. She is drunk on freedom right now. And probably more than freedom." He muttered.
"I for one think they might actually be a cute couple once they get settled." Bella countered. She was freed from the mix of love potions keyed to three different people when Sirius broke the marriage contract. Being under the influence of three different doses was keeping her mad while potions tried to fight one another and remained active. Still, some madness probably remained against Sirius' best attempts.
"What Remus and Giovanni actually mean, I believe, is that Zatanna is acting immaturely and believes it to be a trouble-free utopia while Harry is... he didn't get a healthy childhood." Narcissa served as a mediator.
"He didn't get a childhood, period," Sirius growled. "I thought... I thought he was safe and happy. It helped me stay safe in Azkaban. Then, when I escaped..."
"We all thought it was different." Remus tried to cheer his friend up.
"Maybe let's focus on planning for the future for now. We can discuss lack of upbringing later." Narcissa suggested.
"Fine." Sirius turned to Zatara. "How much did ICW hear about the situation in Britain?"
"Not much, I admit. I work as an ICW no-maj liaison since Justice League became an international organization."
"Doesn't that go against the statute?" Bella inquired.
"The statute of secrecy had more holes in it than swiss cheese when a mouse gets to it." Giovani joked. "In all honesty, the statute couldn't have been upheld in any real capacity for at least ten years now. Not with the amount of Dark Lords making large shows. Not even obliviators could manage to cover it all fast enough. It was altered to allow for no-maj to know about the existence of magic itself, just not the broader wizarding world."
"And you work as..."
"I'm the ICW no-maj liaison. I'm responsible for... pretty much anything that has to do with no-maj."
"But... why?" Bella still couldn't comprehend it. She didn't really get any Prophet in Azkaban. And even then, she was mad and probably wouldn't care.
"Maybe I can explain?" Narcissa offered. After she received a nod, she spoke. "Sister. If muggles know about magic, there would be those trying to find wizards. By making Zatara a public person, they have no need to look for wizards when a wizard is there. The wizarding world is pretty much hiding in the shadow he creates."
"Exactly. I am... a smokescreen if you wish. The policy is to make wizards appear rare and few in-between."
"Can we get back on track?" Sirius groaned. He really regretted being the knowledgeable one in the room. Why exactly did he waste so much time learning all of this if it was all explained? Ah right! For Harry.
"Sure. So what are the tracks now, anyway?"
"First problem, Harry's trial."
"Wait. Shouldn't we include him in that discussion?" Remus protested.
"Smart. We'll leave that for later then. What next..." Sirius thought for a moment. "You-know-who. The MoM refuses to acknowledge he returned. And ICW seems to be doing the same."
"We were informed that it was Dumbledore's attempt to save his image after the fiasco that was the tri-wizard tournament. That he was desperate to remain in power."
"And you believed that?" Remus growled.
"Well, yes, in fact, we did. I personally chose not to involve myself in this and let an internal committee resolve this. They proclaimed that he couldn't possibly be back."
"Tough luck, he is back. Harry fought him." Sirius was sour over that fact. He really wanted to protect his godson.
"I normally would have doubt believing it, but I have seen his casting abilities. He is creative and uses everything to his advantage. Is he... The green one was Slytherin, right?" Giovani asked, not exactly familiar with Hogwarts.
"Harry is a Gryffindor. I had the pleasure of being his teacher for a year. While his written work is mediocre, his practicals are all very high. He seems to have an innate grasp on magic but lacks the scientific, factual brain to understand it. He learns things through instinct, not understanding."
"Curious." Zatara mused
"Back on track? I really have more interesting things to do in the evening." Bella moaned. She was bored.
"Of course. Hm... if Dark Lord is back, I could use my authority to enter Britain. Or at least work from the no-maj side. Justice League could provide some support. Perhaps Diana and Bat would take the assignment. They would be able to work mostly undetected..."
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While the discussion carried on, Zatana happily took Harry to one of the rooms (the one that Dobby stored their winnings) and the two started to peruse through the things. The gold all went to a safe and secure vault at the American branch of Gringotts while items were stored in one of the unused rooms. The griffin kitten was happily sleeping on Harry's knees while Zatanna searched through various items.
"You must have really strange luck. I mean who puts a whole casino on stake?"
"How does one even own a whole casino?"
"That one's easy." She beamed. "Dad told me about it. Rich wizards used to pool resources to build one together, intending to share profits, only then usually they bet their shares with each other until only one remained."
"That... actually, that sounds entirely plausible now that I think about it." Harry shrugged. "Are you sure... that you are okay with this thing?" He nodded toward her ring.
"I..." She paused, trying to gather her thoughts. "I... It's not like there is a choice, but I need to live with that. If I want my dad to accept that I'm not a kid, I need to act adult?" She sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than answer the question.
"I could just stay away from you. Really. I already accepted I would probably be alone for the rest of my life." He tried once more.
"What did I tell you about that idea?"
"That it was a bad idea?" He sheepishly looked at the floor.
"Exactly. One would think you don't want me."
"I... It's not that. I just... I mean..." A tear gathered in his eye. The summer burned through the rest of his resolve and news about Sirius' death almost ruined him completely. "I don't deserve any of this... I should've just... Why..."
Zatana took a seat next to him. She had no idea what to do so she just pulled him into a hug. Hugs did wonders to people, right?
"Because of me, Cedric is dead..."
"Did you kill him?"
"Well... I..."
"Simple question. Did you cast the spell?"
"No." He shook his head.
"Then how exactly did you kill him? With a sword? A gun? An explosive?"
"I... I took him with me. Because of me, he fell into the trap that was supposed to only take me."
"So how does that translate to killing him?"
"If not for me..."
"Then he would fall into the trap alone, right?"
"There..."
"Can you read future? I failed all my divination tests until dad finally decided that I was wasting my time."
"Well, no. I tried to study divination, but I got nothing."
"Then you don't know what would happen. You didn't kill him. Don't think about the what-ifs"
They sat together in silence for a moment until Harry finally asked.
"How did you... How are you so smart?"
Instead of answering immediately, Zatana let out the breath she was holding. "Oh, magic it worked. I improvised like... ninety percent of it. You have no idea how worried I was. We're definitely getting you a mind-healer on the first occasion."
"Sorry... I..."
"Nope. I forbid you." She glared at him. "Scratch the first occasion. Dad will take you first thing in the morning."
"But... aren't therapies like... long process?"
"For no-maj? Yeah. Wizards do it a bit differently. There are potions, leglimency, and I read memory charms for extreme cases."
"Oh..."
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Harry was extremely reluctant to actually ask to go see the mind-healer. Obviously, the idea of someone poking inside his brain was scary. At the same time, he didn't want Zatana to have to deal with his mood swings. She tried to assure him that she wasn't angry with him, but they both knew she was nowhere near mature enough (emotionally speaking) to deal with him. She didn't deserve to have to deal with him.
So he managed to work up the courage and actually asked the older magician after breakfast.
That was more than a bit awkward.
Bellatrix and Narcissa praised him for being brave, but Harry still wasn't sure about his thoughts regarding the two women. One was a criminal that was supposed to have been Voldemort's insane right wand and the other was Malfoy's mother.
Regardless, he was taken by Sirius, Giovani, Bellatrix, and Narcissa to a small practice in New York. Pauleen Strange, the mind-healer recommended by Zatara, promised that all details of the therapy would remain a hundred percent confidential. It was part of her contract.
The therapy would consist of a mix of potions, leglimency, and (after initial examination) few specific memory charms. Harry would still remember his childhood, but if everything went right, he would no longer be overly influenced by it. It was impossible to completely erase everything without destroying his entire self, but modern magical treatment could do the next best thing.
While Harry was undergoing the procedure, Zatara took Sirius and the Black women to the Woolworth Building to meet with the head of MACUSA's Department of Magical Law Enforcement. On entrance, several aurors immediately aimed their wands at the trio when they recognized the Blacks, but Zatara was able to get them an audience.
"What is the meaning of this, Giovani!?" Sigfried Kalt, head of DMLE roared at Zatara when the quartet was brought to his personal office. Auror guard consisting of seven trained wizards held them at wand-point. "These three are currently top three wanted personas in Magical Brittain."
"Mr. B- Excuse me, Lord Black," Zatara corrected himself, making sure to address the man properly. He had to do it right. "Lord Black approached me with a request for political asylum for him and his extended family. He claims that their previous incarceration, as well as their current troubles with the law, are in fact caused by the careful maneuvering of their political opponents. You know the procedures, Siegfried."
The man in charge muttered several impolite words before looking at one of the aurors. "Ross. Get me Quahog here. ASAP."
"Yessir." The auror saluted and left.
"Lord Black..." The head of DMLE sighed. "Do you realize how much trouble we will have because of your request?" He asked in a solemn voice.
"I do," Sirius responded in a similar tone. "But I also realize that MACUSA is perhaps the only magical government that can stand up to Wizengamot and weathers the consequences. I am sworn Lord of the House of Black and I will do my duty. I must protect what little remains of my family. That includes my godson."
"Who?" Kalt was confused.
"Harry Potter," Narcissa supplied.
"You do realize what a political time bomb this is?"
"I don't really have any alternatives." Sirius sighed and reclined in his chair.
It took the President close to fifteen minutes to arrive. It might've actually been the tensest fifteen minutes in Kalt's career. Aurors started to get jumpy rather quickly and it was clear that by the time Quahog finally arrived they were hairbreadth from a spell-fight.
"Lord Black. I'm curious. What brings a wanted criminal to MACUSA. With two other criminals no-less."
"The House of Black formally requests political asylum from the Magical Congress of the United States of America. We are being persecuted not for crimes committed, but due to the political machinations of our opponents. We come bearing no ill will and hope to receive protection from those who seek to abuse their power for their own gain, as well as from those who fall victim to their machinations. As the Lord of the House, I call to the values of your government: Truth, Justice, Freedom, and plea you uphold them in this case also." Most of the senior staff recognized the wording. By saying it in that way, Sirius pretty much ensured that they couldn't just send him off without at least first hearing his case in front of the majority of the Congress, or a specially designated commission.
"You planned it ahead, didn't you, Lord Black?" Kalt asked when Sirius finally stopped. "You knew perfectly well that the congress is meeting today."
"I might've been a Gryffindor, but I'm a marauder at heart."
"So then, you are ready to present your case today?" Quahog asked. His mind was already working overtime on how to deal with the situation.
"Yes." Lord Black nodded.
"Good then. Please forgive us the caution, but until then you will remain under Auror watch. You understand, right?"
"Of course. I see no problem."
"Good."
At that moment, one of the aurors reached for a hip flask. He clearly hoped to go unnoticed, but he didn't see Narcissa standing nearby. She snatched it right from his hand and took a step back.
That led straight to a standoff.
Sirius and Bellatrix had their wands trained at Quahog and Kalt respectively while all the aurors (and Kalt) had theirs aimed at the duo. Only the one who was robbed by Narcissa was aiming at her.
"There is no need-" Zatara tried to avoid a fight that could easily lead to an international incident.
"Polyjuice." She declared after taking a sniff. The smell was practically unmistakable.
Before anyone else could react, the man whirled and pointed his wand at Bellatrix.
"Die, traitor! Avada Ke-"
"Deprimo!" Before the infiltrator finished the spell, his wand-holding hand exploded, causing him to stumble back in pain.
Everyone looked over to where the spell came from, only to see Narcissa holding a wand pointed at the man. No one even noticed when she got it, much less aimed and cast a spell.
"You think you've won? My master will get to you, you traitorous witch." He started cackling. "Morsmorde!" He shouted. From behind him, the Dark Mark appeared. Eleven spells impacted him roughly at the same time. When the dust died down, his body was mutilated beyond belief.
"Lock the building! We have a Percival!"
"You have what now?" Bellatrix asked, confused.
"Code for an infiltration," Kalt grumbled.
"Okay. I assume we must wait longer for our request to be recognized? Because we're on a time limit here. Given that he likely knew we were here, most of Britain will know by tomorrow at the latest." Sirius looked at the American wizards.
"We could get two more department heads cleared first and have an emergency commission called," Quahog suggested. The attack and infiltration cemented his decision. If the Brits dared to send an assassin after the Blacks, he was almost convinced of their innocence. He would grant them asylum out of sheer spite now.
It wasn't that hard to have an emergency commission gathered. In addition, five aurors were cleared so they could oversee the proceeding.
"The Congress Emergency Commission is in session." Amanda White called. She was chosen as the leader for that session. "Plea for political asylum for the House of Black will now be heard."
After Sirius repeated basically what he already told Zatara (who was also in commission), the time for questions came.
"Mr. B-" White was interrupted when Zatara whispered something in her ear. "Lord Black. While I can believe that your incarceration was indeed illegal, that does not erase your crime of breaking out a convicted Bellatrix Lestrange."
"Black." The woman in question spoke up.
"Excuse me?"
"It's Bellatrix Black. My marriage was annulled over gross breach of contract and usage of illegal bonding rituals."
"What Bella said is the reason I had to break her out. During my investigation into the matters of my house, I stumbled upon a copy of her 'marriage' contract," the air-quotes were clear in his tone. "To my horror, it read not like a matrimonial document, but as a confirmation of a sale of cattle. The document clearly spoke of bonding, or rather binding, ritual." He informed the commission.
Absolute silence befell on the chamber. Finally, after a moment, White spoke again. "What ritual exactly was it?"
"Before I explain in detail, I request that the following part be struck out of any transcripts. For the documentation, I believe that 'a ritual applied on the bride which held effects not unlike imperious curse, albeit with less noticeable trace' should be sufficient."
The members of the commission whispered between themselves for a moment.
"This body agrees that the following explanation will suffice for the transcripts, provided more detailed explanation warrants such methods."
"House-elf binding." Sirius dropped the bomb. He knew perfectly well that MACUSA had strict laws about house-elves and crimes committed by them.
"Could you please repeat?" Kalt was the first one to respond. He shook off the befuddlement fastest.
"The House of Black is renowned for darkest of dark arts, as well as the most obscure magicks in the land. Our ancestors were among those who first figured how to bind house elves to houses. Except while most were satisfied with the race of obedient slaves, Blacks went a step farther. They devised a ritual that would mimic the effects of house-elf bond, particularly the obedience clause, but on any sentient."
All Americans looked horrified at the information. Such a ritual would go against every core value of their government.
"And... you know this ritual?"
"Sadly, yes. I had to learn it to be able to break the one placed on my cousin."
"And you know our laws regarding crimes committed by house elves," Quahog smirked. "You're a devious man, Lord Black. You knew that we would perceive Bellatrix Black as a victim here."
"Yes. It is partially a reason that I chose this as the location of my asylum."
"Very well. Your claims do check out and our chamber of truth didn't stun you yet, so you must be telling the truth. The commission will now leave for a break where we will decide on the course of action."
Sirius already knew what their decision would be.
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When Harry woke up, he felt as if someone hit him in the head with a sledgehammer. Repeatedly.
"...the treatment was in large part successful. I managed to minimize the effects of his troubling past on his psychic, but it was less effective than I expected. It might be partially due to the dark magic residue in his forehead. Prolonged exposure to such darkness might've impacted him on a deeper level than I am comfortable with treating."
A voice spoke in the darkness. Harry was at first afraid that something went wrong and he lost sight, but then he realized that he just had his eyes still closed. When he opened them, he saw Sirius speaking with Healer Strange.
"I see. But otherwise, he will be better now?" The man asked.
"Yes. As I said before, his symptoms were similar to those suffering from prolonged dementor exposure. The files must be delivered to no-maj law enforcement. I would also suggest getting copies of unaltered memories brought to the Aurors."
"You have my thanks doctor." Sirius paused for a moment. "How're you feeling, Prongslet?" He asked suddenly.
"How..."
"Your breathing changed. Well?"
"I... I feel... Happier?" Harry couldn't really name the emotion. "Like I'm standing near my Patronus."
"The fact you were able to cast a Patronus while suffering such broad damage is impressive." The healer informed him.
"Yeah, kid. I didn't know it was that bad... I would've... Well, probably I would've done something stupid and criminal."
"Don't worry Sirius. It... It doesn't hurt that much anymore." Harry walked over to his godfather and tentatively grabbed his hand. It wasn't a hug, but it was probably the farthest Harry got to showing physical affection while not drunk.
He didn't notice tears that welled in Sirius eyes.
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