Chapter 42: Alliance Ritual
Hey everyone. You all know something when I started this story I never thought that it would evolve into this. I thought it would be just a simple short little story, like the many out there already. Instead, I get this and so many loyal, encouraging readers. Thanks to all for reviewing, following, favoring, and sharing around.
I do not own Harry Potter and I am not making a profit off of my fan fiction.
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"Talk"
'Think'
"Parseltongue"
"Nightshade"
Chapter 42 - Alliance Ritual
'Why didn't you come straight back? Viktor had been there for ten minutes before you showed up. What were you doing?' Hermione muttered darkly through their bond, glaring at Harry. She glanced back to the school heads and judges as the argued in the teacher's table in the great hall.
Harry hummed, rolling back onto his heels. 'I will explain at the meeting I'll be calling tonight.'
'Calling tonight? It's a bit short notice isn't it?' Draco pointed out. Harry hummed again but didn't add on.
Ginny looked over at Harry, who stood beside the other champions looking on at the mass of students. 'Alpha did you meet with Tom again?'
'Tonight Pack. No more questions.' It was an order, one they wouldn't disobey. Ginny nodded, leaning into Draco's side.
"We are pleased to announce that Harrison Evans is our Twi-Wizard Champion!" Mr. Crouch looked anything but please. Harry figured that he was still sore about the first task. Harry didn't really care either way. "In second place we have Viktor Krum, in third Cedric Diggory, and in fourth is Fleur Delacour. Well done champions."
The great hall exploded in sound. Students cheered, whistled, and pounded on tables. Harry felt the beginning of a headache starting behind his eyes. 'Pack start alerting the Venatores. I will call them after curfew. Twins have the mirrors ready for our new recruits.' He accepted the cup and bag of money handed to him. He forced himself to smile to the crowd of cheering students and at the cameras taking pictures for different papers.
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Harry stood from his seat with calm confidence. "My Venatores, the first business of the night is welcoming our new hunters among us." A group of 16 stepped into the room from a side chamber. Fleur lead the group. "We have 16 more to help in the fight." The new Venatores joined and mixed with the original.
'Alpha?' Hermione pushed. She had waited and now she wanted answers.
"Venatores... I have made a decision. Viktor Krum is an ally, our first, and today I have decided to expand our Allies to encompass the Dark Lord Voldemort." Harry stopped to allow his followers to comprehend what he told them and like he knew they would, some started to shout in disagreement. He heard some yelling how Tom couldn't be trusted and others how Tom was insane. Harry ignored them, just waiting them out.
"Venatores." He infused his voice with his magic forcing all attention to be on him and the room to silence. The Pack sat behind him silent, strong. "The Dark Lord is not our enemy. I have been in contact with him for two years. You may have heard stories of him, I can tell you that he is sane and his plans have changed. I would not have agreed to an alliance if I did not truly believe that his plans coincided with our plans to save Mother Magic. Voldemort is the true Dark Lord of the Old Ways. This Summer I plan to meet with the Neutral Lord and gain an alliance with her as well."
"Milord, we are your Venatores. We will do as you command. If you say the Dark Lord will help save Mother Magic we will submit to your knowledge." Cedric stepped forward, his mask hid his face but his voice gave him away. He feared the Dark Lord but was trusting Harry, his sworn Lord, to protect them if need be.
"Venatores, our mission is to protect Mother Magic and her people. The Alliances I make will always be made with our mission on the forefront of my mind." Harry stepped back and sat down on his throne-like chair. "This is just another step towards that."
The meeting proceeded in a calm matter. Seventh years were speaking of what they planned to do after school. Harry gave the few who were going into politic order to scout for potential and to keep an ear out for laws that would damage his plans. The new members were given their mirrors with the order to keep in contact with him and the other Venatores. He needed his followers to be comfortable with each other and to encourage it he called the meeting to an end and the room added table sets around. The Venatores, understanding the silent order, started to mingle. Harry stayed in his seat relaxed, even when his Pack started to mingle as well.
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The end of the year came quickly. Harry, with the Pack around him, sat in a clearing within the Forbidden Forest. As this was an official meeting they were wearing their 'uniform' but without the masks that Ginny had crafted for them. The Pack had made Harry wear the circlet though, saying it was his Lord crown. Luna sat cuddled up in his lap, twisting a piece of his loose hair. Hermione, he could feel, was still opposed to the meeting but kept her silence. Draco wasn't as polite. He was speaking through the bond, telling them all the things that could go wrong with the meeting, how Tom could use this as a way to try to kill the competition. Neville showed his appreciation by smacking him upside the head. Draco retaliated by jumping on him in animal form, which prompted Neville to change and attack. The rest of them watched on laughing and shaking their heads in amusement.
Harry let the two of them continue until he could feel Tom approaching with his own witnesses. A quick tug on their bond had the two back in their human forms and back to their conjured seats. Harry almost smirked feeling who Tom brought as his witnesses. Tom stepped into the clearing, his magic latching onto his own. Severus, Lucius, and Barty were steps behind. Harry stood from his seat, dislodging Luna from her place in his lap. Tom's eyes, locked onto her form, narrowing.
"My little Alpha." It was possessive, claiming. Harry suppressed a shiver. He felt amusement from the twins and Luna.
'His already Alpha?' Fred teased. George sent an image of the two of them kissing like school children under the moonlight surrounded by pink flowers. Neville sent out feelings of the wish to smack both his boyfriend and pack mate.
'Not yet.' Luna's airy voice floated through the bond. Causing the Twin's joking grins to disappear. The whole Pack, including Harry, turned their full attention to the seer. Her eyes were misty, seeing something they couldn't. 'It is still too early for the Paths to be singled to One. Many things can cause a change in a moment.'
Harry almost asked her to elaborate. It was rare for her to let so much information out before it was time. Tom's magic tugged at him, wanting attention. "Hello Tom. Are you ready?" Harry turned back to the man, hand waving to indicate towards the circle between them that he had set up before everyone's arrival.
Crushed crystal with binding candles at each cardinal point waited for the ritual to begin. Tom only nodded. Harry stepped forward into the circle, Tom mimicked his movement. When both were in the middle with only three feet between them Harry released his magic from his tight control. It swirled and danced with Tom's lighting the clearing up. The Pack, already knowing what was expected of them, took places around the crystal circle. They left three spaces between them evenly for Severus, Lucius, and Barty.
When they were all in place Harry closed his eyes, concentrating on his power. His blood rushed faster with each steady beat of his heart. He didn't hear the shocked breaths of all who were in the clearing when he sliced the palm of his left hand with the blood knife no one knew he had on him. The knife was slipped back into his pouch in his pocket. Harry let his blood fall slowly to the ground. The crystals emitted a faint glow that grew with every drop of Harry's blood. It was only moments before the glow was at its strong as it would get. Harry released the breath he didn't realize he held.
Tom almost lunged forward when Harry slit his palm. He almost sent his magic to soothe the self-made wound but the power building around the teen stopped him. The glow around them only reinforced the need to stay where he was. Harry was performing Blood Magic. A shock, like ice down the spine, ran through Tom's core at the sight before him. Harry, his little Alpha, was a blood user. He was so shocked that he was only brought back when Harry started to speak. His attention turned back to the young Alpha, his world closing in so all he saw was Harry and only heard the word echoing around them in the silence.
"Mother of life, Mother of death, Mother of fate, Mother of destiny,
Gracious Mother who gifted me the power that flows through my veins.
I call to thee, your childe calls for your insight and knowledge." The glow pulsed and with it so did Tom's magic. Something was coming.
"Hello my childe." A woman's voice forced Tom's eyes from the memorizing creature before him to the shrouded form to his right. The hood was up but eyes pierced through the darkness it cast on the being's face. Eyes that looked old, yet young and seemed to be every color imaginable. The being shrouded in a white cloak reached forward. The arm was like a mirage. It shifted between different skin colors and ages. Her fingers softly brushed Harry's still closed eyelids.
His eyes fluttered open, a smile on his lips. "Hello Mother. Thank you for coming."
The arm fell back to her side, hidden once again by the cloak. "Always my childe. What do you need my help with?" Her voice had a teasing quality to it Tom noted. Like she knew what Harry wanted to do yet wished to hear it spoken aloud for the rest of them to hear.
Harry smile so sweetly. So lovingly at the woman, at Mother Magic. "Two Lords of Old wish to form an alliance and I wish for your blessings to continue on."
"As you wish." She stepped back. Tom knew that if she were anyone else he would have tensed when she reached for him, but instead, he leaned into the touch. The touch he instinctively knew, as he had felt her touch once before when his core was forming in the womb. Power, unlike anything Tom had ever felt rushed through him, searching his very soul and core. It washed over him, drowning and rejuvenating him at the same time. His breath caught even as he sucked gulps of air deep into his lungs. The power vanished as swiftly as it appeared, leaving Tom reeling from the abruptness of it all.
"As I say, all listen well. No betrayal of the Dark Lord Tomas Riddle and the Grey Lord Harrison Evans will commence for now until beyond death. Both of you, leader of your people, willingly entered this circle with the intention to form an alliance. No wars with each other will you cause and any conflict between your people will be taken up and dealt by the two of you. If this pact is broken, the offender will be stripped of magic and life, left to drift in the nothingness between realms. So I have spoken, so it will be."
The power was back in the clearing. It flowed around everyone, binding them to her word. It sank into their core and soul, branding the words within their very beings. When the power reseeded, Mother Magic was gone and the clearing was as it started. Not even the crystals and candles remained. Harry tipped his head back to the sky. The sun's setting rays splashed the sky in shades of reds and oranges with peaks of purple dotting around. "Mote it be."
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Harry had been home for a week when his Aunt squealed out happily from the living-room. Harry's eyes darted to meet Dudley's who sat across from him. He placed his papers down on his desk and smirked at his scowling cousin. "I think I just won the bet."
Dudley scuffed, though a smile was fighting at the corner of his lips. "Your godfather couldn't have waited until your birthday?"
"Of course he couldn't. He's waited long enough." Harry's smirk softened into a smile as a radiantly beautiful, smiling, Petunia walked into the room with Severus beside her, holding her hand in his. "Finally proposed did you?"
Severus glared at the smiling youths. Petunia gave a happy hiccuped laugh. She was trying not to cry but Harry just pushed his chair back and opened his arms. Petunia gave in and hugged him, tears of pure joy rolling down her face. "Neither of my boys disapprove?"
"Why would we?" Dudley asked, his smile bright. "Mum he makes you happy and that's something I never saw when you were with dad."
Petunia released Harry and pulled her son into a hug next. "I am happy Duddy. He makes me happy and so do both of you. This is how our life was meant to be. Happy and together."
Harry felt such warm love for his aunt, who was glowing with such a light from her core outward. It was rare for her energy to be so strong. Severus was no better though. His magic reaching out to wrap Petunia in a loving protective cocoon. His own magic, which was always tightly bound at Hogwarts, was relaxed and free. His face had fewer lines and his eyes were missing the hardness they normally had. They were both happy, something they both truly deserved after their lives.
"How long do you both wish to wait before the ceremony ?" Harry asked when they had moved into the dining room for dinner. Harry sat at the head with Severus across from him.
"Next summer would be best. That gives us time to plan and have a small ceremony." Severus answered as the house elves placed the food on the table.
"That sounds perfect for the both of you," Harry told him, smile directed to the pair.
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"Draco, Hermione, and Neville I want the three of you with me when I meet with the Gardiens de Magi." Harry had his mirror expanded out before his chair. He sat beside Tom, who thought it was a perfect idea to visit the cafe that was the talk of magical Britain. The visit to the cafe morphed into a perfect time to slip into the main house and into Harry's office when he was going over investment paperwork from Griphook and planning the first trip of his summer agenda with his Pack.
"When do you wish to go?" Fred asked. He was sharing the same mirror with his Twin and sister. They sat cross-legged on a bed.
"In a week. Sirius sent the request. Fleur vouched for me. She has assured me that her sister-in-law will also be there and I will meet her there." He glanced at the man sitting on his desk, back to the mirror. "Tom will also be with us. He needs to meet with the last Lord just as I."
"Do I not get a say in this little Alpha?" Tom purred, amused.
Harry turned back to his paperwork. Taking a moment to mark something he didn't like. "I didn't think you would mind too much. Correct me if I'm wrong though. I'm sure you can set up a meeting with her all on your own at a more convenient time."
"We will meet you at the Ministry in two days. 7 am sound well for everyone?" Hermione rolled her eyes at the two of them. "That will give us time to settle in and come up with a more in-depth plan."
"I shall cause mayhem here than Alpha?" Luna smiled dreamily at him.
Harry laughed. "Sure. Not too much though. Just enough to shake people up, love."
Her dreamy smile was gone and a sharp grin was in its place. "Will do. Oh daddy's home."
"Bye Luna." Everyone called out together as Luna waved to them and she faded from the mirror.
"I think that's everyone's clue to get back to our home lives," Draco grumbled. His mother's voice could be heard calling for him. His mirror faded and with that one by one the Pack turned off the mirrors. Harry flicked his wrist and the mirror shrunk and replaced itself back onto his necklace.
He set his quill and papers down. His finger linked together above his head as he stretched, arching his back and pushing his chair back onto two legs. He released the position, causing his chair to slam into the floor and his arms to fall to his side as he eyed the calm Dark Lord. His magic prodded at the man. When nothing happened outside of Tom's magic wrapping itself into his he turned back to his work. He hated paperwork.
Tom for his part just watched the youth in silence. Now that he had an alliance with his little Alpha he was going to be around him all he could. It was only right after all.
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