Harry had been really nervous when he had woken up that day.
He had been doing really well in his Crystal Rose classes. All of his new friends were turning out to be a lot better than Ron or Hermione could ever dream of being. Neville, Fred, and George were also getting along with everyone as well. Luna looked to have been settling into Unicorn very nicely. And the teachers actually punished bullies whenever they would do anything wrong. Malfoy had gotten A LOT of detentions in the first week of school.
So, the question really was "What did Harry have to be nervous about?" And the answer was that it was the day that Sirius would officially be given sanctuary in magical Greece. Olivia had finally worked out all of the paperwork as well as introducing Sirius to the rest of the Magic Council. Once the council had heard Sirius's story directly from him, that gave them an even bigger reason to give him sanctuary. Especially when Sirius talked about how much he wanted to protect Harry. Sirius's desire to protect his godson made the council go even more in his favor.
Harry knew that Olivia would not let anything happen to Sirius, but that did not stop him from worrying. He always worried when it came to Sirius. He was the only real family that he had left after his parents were killed by Voldemort. He knew Sirius loved him and he did not want to lose that.
There was a knock on his door as he was getting ready.
"Come in," Harry called out as he was tying his shoe laces.
T'challa was the one that came in after Harry said that he could. Harry smiled at him, having come to really see the jungle cat mage as a great friend. He sat down on the edge of Harry's bed, right next to him.
"Sirius is going to be fine, Harry," T'challa tells him.
Harry looked at him, shocked.
"How did you know," he asked him.
"I do believe that you know my father," T'challa says. "Kingsley Shacklebolt."
Harry felt that he needed a reboot after being told that. He had definitely always liked Kingsley from the moment that he met the tall Auror. The man obviously was not corrupt like every other person in the ministry. Plus, he had actually also tried to help when they still had to deal with the so-called hearing for the use of underage magic. It helped that Sirius had said how after he had become a full Auror, Kingsley was actually the first and only other Auror that he managed to train before they had thrown him into Azkaban.
Harry also was not blind. He had seen the way that Sirius would look at Kingsley whenever he knew that the Auror was not looking at him. Sirius had told him about how Kingsley had only been a couple of years behind him and the other Marauders back in Hogwarts. And even when Kingsley had been a Ravenclaw, they had still been friends. But the way that Sirius would always smile when talking about Kingsley as well as always stealing looks at the man, Harry was sure that Sirius felt something more for him than just friendship.
Though, considering how Harry was with Fred and George, he was certain that he should be banned from matchmaking. His own disaster of a love life was proof enough that he should not meddle in the love lives of anyone else.
"Kingsley is your dad," Harry was shocked.
T'challa nodded. "He adopted me when I was three. My magical birth father had passed away, which made my mundane birth mother abandon me since the last thing she wanted was a magical child even when she had been married to a magical man. Dad found me since he had been visiting his own family at the time since he was born in the same magical country as I was. I did keep my birth father's last name, but dad is fine with that."
"There are magical countries out there," Harry could not stop himself from asking.
T'challa nodded again. "Yes, there are. Most are islands that are magically hidden from the mundane world, but there are a few on land also hidden from sight. Myself and my dad are both from the magical African country of Oerwoud. It is a magical country quite literally hidden in the trees."
"You... You mean..." Harry could not help but look up as if he would see a house in a tree even when he was in his room.
"Yes, our entire country is literally up in the tree branches," T'challa tells him. "To outsiders, our country just looks like a giant jungle. But, up in the branches are hidden buildings, pathways made from rope bridges, and many other things. It's unique and we would not have it in any other way."
"If I had a home like that, I would never want to leave," Harry was in complete awe of a magical country like that.
T'challa chuckled. "It certainly raises questions about why dad had chosen to leave and head to magical Britain of all places. Especially given the fact that it is one of the most backward places in the world to live in."
"Is Kingsley a mystic soul as well," Harry could not help but ask.
"Yes, he is," T'challa did not want to lie about that. "My father's power is known as Requip Magic. He stores weapons and armor in his own pocket dimension, able to use them at any time he wants to."
"Sounds like something out of an anime," Harry said. "Not that I have ever watched any anime ever."
T'challa chuckled again. "I'm pretty sure there is a character on one magical anime that has that magic. But, the person that wrote that show had to get the idea from somewhere."
"Krinos has been telling me how much magic really is all around us," Harry said.
"And there always will be," T'challa says. "Without magic, life would be very boring."
Harry did have to agree with T'challa. Before he learned about magic and entered the magical world, his life had been horrible. Basically being a slave to the Dursleys while also having no support system at all. Everyone around him always mistreated him no matter who they were. And anyone that tried to treat him with an ounce of care or respect was either chased away or convinced by the Dursley's lies very quickly.
And it was the magical world where he finally found somewhere that had those that cared about him. Sirius, Remus, Olivia, Krinos, and so many others were proving to be the best people that anyone could ever meet. He just wished that he had lived in magical Greece from the start rather than having to deal with the Dursleys, Dumbledore, and the annoying trio. The only bad part about that would have been that he never would have met Fred and George.
But as he allowed his mind to wander, he got worried for Sirius again. Umbridge was already proving herself to be a big problem and Harry knew that she worked for the ministry. Even with Sirius being a mystic soul on top of being protected by more mystic souls, he worried if the ministry would send dementors after Sirius. He had no idea if mystic soul magic could affect dementors.
"I know that it's silly to worry about Sirius," Harry said. "Olivia would never let anything happen to him, but I..."
Harry cut himself off before he could say anything that would really make him go to the worst-case scenario. T'challa put his hand on Harry's, helping him calm down.
"It's not silly at all," T'challa tells him. "You obviously really care about Sirius. It is only natural to worry about someone you love when they are in any type of dangerous situation."
"I guess you would know what you are talking about," Harry pushed some of his hair out of his eyes. "Being the son of an Auror would do that to you."
T'challa nodded. "I do worry about my dad a lot regardless of how I know he is powerful enough to get out of any situation he wants to. I know that there is no way that he would actually get seriously hurt, but I will still always worry about him."
"Sirius is just the only person left that is my real family," Harry wiped his eyes to stop himself from crying. "He's my godfather. He's one of the few people that care about Harry Potter and not about the Boy-Who-Lived. I can't lose him."
"And you won't," T'challa comforts him. "Sirius will not only have Olivia and the council protecting him, but he will have all of Crystal Rose behind him as well."
"Why are you all doing this," Harry could not help but ask. "None of you have any reason to help us. And since we are from magical Britain, that gives you even less of a reason to help us. Why not just leave Voldemort and Dumbledore to us and keep living the great lives that you already have."
T'challa gave him a soft smile.
"Harry, there is something about mystic souls that you will learn as you grow more into your powers," he says to him. "We will never leave anyone behind that needs our help whenever we can do something about it. Yes, there are evil mystic souls just as there are evil people for every other type of person our there, but most mystic souls will always do their best to help others."
"I just... I don't like how all of you are involved in this," Harry admitted. "I love having people like you and Krinos as my friends, but this fight isn't yours. Voldemort has never attacked a mystic soul before and Dumbledore will only be causing problems here because he was invited here as part of some master plan that Olivia and Sirius came up with. None of you deserve to be involved in this stupid war."
"You do not deserve it, either, Harry," T'challa tells him. "We are helping because it is the right thing to do. We all know that we could have easily just ignored what was happening in Britain and lived our own lives in peace. But that is not our way. Helping those in need and doing the right thing will always be what we do. To us, there is really never a choice between doing what is right and what is easy. We will always choose to do what is right."
"I can never thank you guys enough," Harry says.
T'challa gave Harry a hug, comforting him even more.
"Crystal Rose is a giant family and you are now a part of that family, Harry," he tells him.
"Thanks," Harry says before both of them got off his bed. "Now, we should probably get down to breakfast before all the good stuff runs out."
"Even if something does, our spells can summon some more," T'challa chuckled.
The two of them both got up and headed to the Main Gallery. Since unlike how they all have to sit at their own house tables at Hogwarts, they can sit wherever they want at Crystal Rose. So, Harry and T'challa joined Krinos, Neville, and Luna at the Unicorn table.
"Morning, mates," Harry greeted them.
"Hey, Harry," Neville greeted him back.
"Hello, Storm Mage," Luna smiled at him.
Harry had already been so thirsty when he had sat down. So, he had quickly filled a glass of orange juice for himself. And he was unfortunate enough to have been drinking it when Luna had greeted him. He instantly started choking on his drink from how shocked he was. T'challa had to hit him on the back a few times to get him to stop coughing.
"How in the... When did you... What in the name of..." Harry could not find the right words as he stared at Luna in shock.
Luna giggled. "The wrackspurts told me about the storm mage finally being woken up. He deserves it. Especially with all the nargles around."
She ate her muffin as if she was talking about the weather or something else boring and simple.
"I... uh... I have no idea what is going on," Krinos admitted.
"I think that is just how Luna talks," Neville said.
"That is better than what the nargles say about me," Luna said.
Before either Krinos or T'challa could ask what nargles were, alerts started going off all over the Main Gallery and probably all over the school as well. All of the alert sounds were different, but still obviously alerts. Krinos and T'challa both pulled out their mirror phones since they got the alert as well.
"Well, it seems that The Oracle has released probably the biggest story of the year," Krinos said.
"The Oracle is our magical country's newspaper," T'challa tells the confused British people.
Harry looked over at T'challa's mirror phone while Neville and Luna looked at Krinos's. With a tap of their screens, they both used the holographic system of their mirror phones that projected the article over their mirror phones to make it easier to read.
"Another Failure By British Magical World! Lord of British Black Family Imprisoned Without Trial! Lord Black Given Sanctuary!"
Harry could not help but instantly smile. Sirius's story was being told and it was definitely showing more of the corruption of the British ministry. He could not wait to see the look on Dumbledore and Umbridge's faces when they hear about the article. He read the article.
"The Magic Council is not known for really taking many cases from other countries if it does not involve a Greek citizen. So, imagine this reporter's shock when the Council actually took a case from the backward country of magical Britain. But, as this case was presented, I could not help but tear up as I learned everything that had happened and why this case was brought to Greek Magic Council.
Lord Sirius Black of magical Britain's well-known Black family had contacted Council Member Olivia Gardna through her cousin when Lord Black had been trying to reach young Mr.Gardna's parents, unaware that they were no longer with us. Mr.Gardna learned of Lord Black's story and, aware of how magical Britain would never admit their fault in what had happened, brought the case to his cousin.
Council Member Gardna was infuriated when Lord Black told her what had happened to him. Lord Black told his story in front of the entire council in order to convince them why he truly did wish for sanctuary in our country. As someone that used to be a lawyer, Council Member Gardna represented him when he stood before her colleagues.
Lord Black had only been twenty-one when not only did he lose two of his best friends on top of having his beloved godson taken from him, but he was also that young when his own government sent him off to prison with no trial at all. Lord Black told of how his two dear friends, James and Lily Potter, had been hidden under a spell when they became targets for Britain's Dark Lord Voldemort. But, unfortunately, the spell's secret keeper had been a mole the entire time. Peter Pettigrew had been a Death Eater minion of Voldemort. He told his master where the Potter family had been hiding, the Dark Lord soon going after them.
Lord Black could hardly stop himself from crying as he recounted how he entered the house and found his brother in all but blood dead on the stairs, obviously having tried to help his wife and son escape. The story only gets worse as Lord Black talks of how his heart had been broken when he rushed to the nursery to see his godson, Harry Potter, crying his eyes out in his crib. The poor baby was trying to get to his mother, who was dead right in front of the crib.
Lord Black instantly tried to comfort his godson while also trying not to break down from seeing two of his best friends dead. Unfortunately, the pair were interrupted by a friend that had been sent to collect Harry. It is unknown how that person was aware of Mr.Potter's survival in order to send the friend, but Lord Black looked even more heartbroken as he continued his story.
Lord Black had thought that his friend was going to take baby Mr.Potter to the magical hospital or to the Hogwarts hospital wing to be checked out by famous healer, Poppy Pomfrey. And being as he had been an Auror, magical Britain's law enforcement, Lord Black went out to arrest Pettigrew for his crimes. But that is when everything went wrong. When Lord Black confronted the traitor, Pettigrew distracted him by blowing up the street by casting a spell at a muggle gas line. Then, he changed into his illegal animagus form, a rat, and ran into the sewers.
When other Aurors arrived, they never even tried to question Lord Black. They stunned and arrested him. But that is when an even more heartbreaking event occurred. Given that Lord Black was a member of the Black family, which most of magical Britain viewed as evil, Lord Black was not given a trial, questioned, or anything else that should have happened to actually get true justice served. Instead, Lord Black went straight from being arrested to being thrown into magical Britain's horrible prison, Azkaban.
The entire council was disgusted when they heard of such a horrible thing had happened. Especially since even for those that have just met Lord Black, they all can see the love in lord Black's eyes when he talked about his godson.
Lord Black then told of his escape from Azkaban. He had seen a newspaper article about another magical family. And in the included picture, one of the members of the family had a very familiar rat with him. Lord Black immediately knew that it was Pettigrew. And when he saw the date, he realized that Mr.Potter was currently attending Hogwarts with the same young boy that had the rat in the picture. He feared for his godson, so he managed to escape the prison in order to protect him.
Yet, even after being out of prison for over two years, Lord Black's case remains the same. No one has bothered to even try to see if he was actually guilty of the crimes he was accused of. He is a wanted fugitive with an order out for him to have his soul sucked out the moment that he is found. Not once has anyone ever tried to actually investigate as they just want everything to be swept under the rug so that their own reputations are not ruined.
So, after hearing Lord Black's story on top of also seeing his memories and having the truth spell used on him, the council made their decision. They agreed with Council Member Gardna and officially granted Lord Black sanctuary in magical Greece.
Lord Black is now officially a Greek citizen and no longer able to be reached by the British Ministry of Magic. Lord Black is under the protection of magical Greece.
This reporter hopes that the British ministry gets every bit of karma coming to them."
Harry could not stop smiling as he read that. Sirius was finally free. They could finally be a family. He looked at Krinos and said only one thing.
"Your cousin is the best lawyer EVER," Harry stated.