Chapter 113: Explanation (Or WTF happened?!)

Voldemort and all his death eaters who were still alive at the end of the battle, were arrested and sent to the Black Prison to make sure there wouldn’t be any escape. Moody shared the secret of its location at Amelia’s behest and led the way to it to the few aurors who had no plan for Christmas the day after. He was also charged to interrogate Voldemort and get everything out of him. Names, locations, pact with other species. Absolutely everything. The maniacal grin the disfigured veteran auror bored on his face made the people around almost pity Voldemort. Almost.

Amelia wanted a lockdown on the information that Voldemort had been defeated and apprehended but the families of the death eaters would know something was wrong when they never came back. As such, she went back to the Ministry to give orders and speak with the press. A Christmas present for the people she called it but in truth a political maneuver.

In the morning of the 25th of December the headline was perhaps the best the Daily Prophet ever had.

The Man-Who-Wins won again!

Minister Bones announced:

Lord Potter defeated You-Know-Who!

“Ugh. Did you have to name me?” Rick read the headline and sent a glare at Amelia on the other side of the table. She was chewing on some eggs and displaying a very proud smile.

“That will teach you to make us think you were dead.” Bella was like a leech on his side. She hadn’t let him go since the end of the battle the previous night.

“I still don’t understand how you survived the killing curse.” Lily sat down next to Marlene after putting down a whole plate of pancakes.

“That’s a long story,” he replied.

Pointing her fork at him, Marlene spoke. “Then get talking.”

“Merry Christmas!”

Rick was saved thanks to Sirius shouting from the living room. Soon enough he appeared into the dining room, removing the soot from the floo on his body. He was followed by Regulus, Cassiopeia, Druella and Arcturus.

“It’s eight in the morning, Siri, how are you up?” Andromeda commented.

“I’m not sleeping in all the time, Andi.” he replied as he kissed Lily on the cheek, then Marlene and went on to greet the Black Sisters.

Nobody believed it and it was Regulus who snitched with a grin. “Grandfather yeeted him out the window with his mattress.”

“Of course I did. Lazing around the day of a family reunion? The one day in the year the children loved the most?” The old man sat down next to Dorea and kissed her cheek. Andromeda stood up and went to hug him.

Sirius didn’t take it lying down. “Why don’t you go in the kitchen and make some cakes you old coot!”

“At least that, you don’t know how to botch.”

“Cassie, it’s Christmas, please.” Dorea pleaded with her older sister.

“Fine, fine. I’ll hold my tongue until lunch.”

“If you could last for the rest of your miserable life...”

Dorea chastised her brother on the spot. “Arcturus!”

“Can I get Voldemort to kill me again?” Rick was already done with the day.

“““No.””””

“Christmas sucks.” he pouted like a petulant child.

Soon enough the children woke up. They all could tell from the happy shouting and the running from the floors above. They all came screaming into the dining room. The youngest yelled for presents, while the one a bit older just went to their favorite adult that didn’t live at Potter Manor. Cassiopeia and Arcturus were even having a competition with how many of the children were going to them first instead of the other. Dorea simply rolled her eyes at her stupid siblings.

After a very animated breakfast everyone went to the living room to open gifts. If breakfast hasn’t been pandemonium, it certainly was now. Everyone seemed happy by what they got.

The twins and Duncan were playing with Sirius with the box of goodies from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and the man admitted Fred and George had real talent regarding mischief. He made a mental note to drag both generations of the Marauders to the shop before the end of the year.

Lea was discussing with Druella and Viktor, who had stayed for the day, about the paint spray she got and a book on muggle street arts. Already they were planning to try it out.

Vega and Draco had received new enchanted robes and were listening attentively to Acturus and Regulus about what those enchantments did behind a soundproof bubble. Apparently they were secret gentlemen spells.

Veronica had gotten the latest make-up kit on the market. Her very first and had roped in Fleur and Nymphadora in helping her with it. She was glad that now she didn’t have to try borrowing stuff from her sisters, mother and aunts and failing miserably.

Cassiopeia was helping Rigella trying the many dresses she got. The old woman may not have any interest in having children and raising them, it didn’t mean she hated them. She was quite content in being an aunt and spoiled them rotten when she could. Partly because she liked them, partly to win the war of popularity against her brother. Already Rigella wanted to grow up like her.

Atria had gotten some rare books on spells and were discussing them with Lily.

Rose got an electric guitar and was playing for a mesmerized and horny Susan under a soundproof bubble.

Rick sat on the couch, flanked by Amelia and Narcissa and with Bella in his lap. He kept looking around and felt grateful for what he had. He had nothing as a child and dreamed of freedom and family. Now he had it all. The cherry on the cake was the absence of a Dark Lord threatening everything he cherished.

He was pleased to see that everyone loved their gifts. Only one person didn’t receive theirs. Pushing Bella out of his lap, he stood up, took her hand and dragged her to his lab.

“Remove your top.” he ordered.

She didn’t have to be told twice. In a flash her black T-shirt was removed, leaving her only with her bra. She grinned thinking they were getting hot and frisky but he stopped her.

“We’re not having sex?” confusion was in her tone.

“Not right now, no.” He summoned a thin book from a shelf, opened it and presented it to her. “Here, pick one.”

Bella took it in her hands and had a look. There was a beautiful crow drawn in it. Flipping the first page, she was presented with two other drawings of the same bird. She turned more pages and all had a crow represented on it.

“I promised to mark you when the asshole was dealt with. I know I meant dead but-”

“Do it.” She cut him off.

He chuckled at the eagerness she displayed. “Pick one first.”

“Can I choose all of them?”

“No. Just the one. I love your unblemished pale skin. Lea drew them all by the way.”

Bella nodded absentmindedly and flipped the pages again, trying to find the one crow she wanted tattooed on her body forever. Suddenly, she had a question. “Where are you going to put it?”

“Back on your shoulder. That way you won’t ever forget I’m watching over you.”

She finally stopped at a specific page. One with the silhouette of a crow mid-flight, talons outstretched. Within its body, tiny white stars glittered like scattered ash. She recognized the constellation traced in fine lines: Corvus, the celestial crow. Her husband.

“I want this one.” Bella said quietly, her hands passing over her choice, delicately.

“Then Lady Black, take a seat.”

Rick conjured a comfy stool and Bella sat in silence. She was taping the floor with her foot. A sign of her impatience. He took the book from her hand and with his wand, pointing at the crow she had chosen. Whispering a spell, the ink detached itself from the page and flew to Bella’s shoulder. She winced as she felt it go under the upper layer of her skin. Soon enough the whole drawing was settled on her shoulder. He conjured a mirror in front of her and a handheld one in his hand so she could see the results.

“Perfect.” she whispered.

Bella stood up, turned around and looked at Rick with nothing but love. Taking a step forward she gave him a loving kiss. When she broke it off, tears of happiness were pearling in the corner of her eyes.

“Yours.” she smiled happily.

“You were already mine. Ever since I kicked your ass in that duel in 78.”

“Best loss in my life,” she smirked. “I got a ladyship, got wonderful children, got a very happy life and most of all, I got my husband and Master.”

Rick waved his wand and conjured a thick collar around her throat.

“Master’s pet?” she read looking in the mirror.

“Want something else?”

“Hmm…. Master’s Bella.” she suggested and Rick changed the inscription for it. “That’s too long. Just Bella?” Once again he changed the words and this time she was satisfied. “Perfect.”

“I’ll make you a permanent one.” he said just before kissing her.

This time they were interrupted by a knock on the door and Lily stepping in.

“Seriously? It’s christmas, you could have waited a b-” She stopped in her tracks when she paid more attention to Bella’s naked shoulder. Lily almost squealed when she saw the tattoo and quickly ran to her to have a better look. “God, it’s beautiful.”

“Of course it is. Lea drew it.” replied Bella.

“You needed something, Lily?” inquired Rick.

“Remus, Rhiannon, Gareth and Albus arrived. Albus asked to speak with you about… well, your resurrection?”

“Fine.” he sighed in resignation. “Gather the people who were there in the dining room, please? I have some things to get.”

Lily nodded and left but not before getting a squeeze on Bella’s breasts. Rick went up to the first floor to get to his office where he picked the cloak, the stone and the wand. He put the cloak around himself and as expected nothing happened. He felt a pang of sadness as a result. Almost eight hundred years of tradition was now over and it was his fault. Stepping out of the room he took down the stairs to the ground floor and joined everyone but the children in the dining room, where he took his place at the head of the table.

“Alright, how did I survive a killing curse, hm?” he started with.

“Four.” Remus corrected. “Not one, four.”

Sirius, who wondered why they were gathered, finally woke up “Wait, what? You did what?”

He had been on the other side of the area fighting the death eaters with the rest of the aurors so he didn’t see what happened between Rick and Voldemort.

“Voldemort got me. A Death Eater used a bombarda Maxima on the ground and plenty of dirt went my way. I protected myself and the asshole used the killing curse on me as I did so. I died. But not completely and all thanks to this.”

Rick put on the table the cloak, the stone and the wand. Bella and Albus already knew about the hallows but not the others and it was confused looks Rick received. Except for one person: the living Dark Magic encyclopedia of the House of Black.

“You’re joking! They’re a myth!”

“They are not.” Rick assured him.

“Fine! Let’s say they are. Let’s even say they…” Regulus pointed at the hallows. “Are the ones! They-”

“Wow, slow down Regie. We’re not all a walking-talking dark magic nerd. Care to enlighten us?” Sirius interjected.

It was Rick who answered. “Those were Deathly Hallows.”

“Were?” inquired a curious Dumbledore.

“What’s that?” Lily asked and it was Arcturus who answered.

“The Deathly Hallows are three artefacts supposedly created by Death itself. It’s a tale for children.”

Cassipeia chimed in. “The tale of the three brothers. Three brothers who thought themselves smart and cheated Death on a bet with it. The eldest was a warrior and asked for an unbeatable wand, one more powerful than any other, believing he wouldn’t die as a result. Death made one from a nearby elder and hair of a thestral.

The second brother, even more arrogant, asked for the ability to bring back the dead. Death took a small white stone and poured its magic in it, turning it Black.

The youngest brother, unlike the two others, was wise and humble and knew he couldn’t trust Death. He asked for something to enable him to go forth without Death being able to follow. Death reluctantly gave him its invisibility cloak.”

Arcturus picked up the story. “The first brother defeated a very powerful wizard soon after and bragged about the wand. During the night he was murdered for it and Death reaped him. It is said the wand passed down from master to master and got lost.

The second brother returned home to find his wife dead. He used the stone to bring her back to life. What he got was her ghost. The longer she stayed, the more pain she felt as she was not meant to be in the world of the living. He didn’t let her go because of his grief. In the end he took his own life and Death reaped him too.

The third brother had a very long life. Hidden under its very own cloak, Death couldn’t find him. Old and weary, with children and grandchildren, the third brother removed the cloak and welcomed Death as an old friend.”

“It is said that the one who units the three Deathly Hallows would become the master of Death. Their symbols… I’m sure you all know it.” Cassiopeia used her wand to draw in the air a triangle with a circle inside of it and with a line cutting the drawing vertically.

“That’s Grindelwald’s symbol!” Viktor growled.

“He wrongfully appropriated it.” Albus remarked. “It is in truth the symbol of the Hallows, or if you prefer, of Death. Gellert was obsessed with it. Just like I was in my youth. I grew out of it but he didn’t.”

“So?” Everyone turned to Sirius. “What’s that master of death thingy?”

“I’m coming to that. The third brother had a granddaughter named Iolande. She was the last of the family, the Peverells. She inherited the cloak and married a man named Hardwin Potter. Every heir of House Potter received the cloak from the head of House when they reached seventeen.”

Dorea interjected. “Charlus never told me anything about it.”

“You never told me anything about it either.” Lily frowned.

“Tradition. The only ones in the know were supposed to be the head and its heir. For fear of the information leaking and having people like Grindelwald coming after House Potter.”

“Yet you’re telling us now.” Remus pointed out.

“I’m coming to that too. The stone was inherited by the descendants of the second brother, who turned out to be the Gaunts down the line." He held the stone in his hand to show it to everyone. “The wand…” He shot a glare at Albus.

“Gellert stole it from Gregorovitch and I took it from him after our duel in 44. It has been with me for safekeeping ever since and until yesterday.”

“You beat Grindelwald while he had the unbeatable wand?” Sirius was awed.

Albus, with a small proud smile, denied it. “It’s not unbeatable. It’s not all powerful either. It is in truth an encyclopedia of every spell that had been casted with it. It comes to your mind when you’re thinking of a spell you may need. While impressive it’s nothing more.”

“I thought you needed to kill to have it?” Andromeda spoke up.

Albus shook his head negatively. “No. Disarming your opponent is more than enough to earn the wand’s loyalty. Most wands in truth.”

“So that Master of Death thingy?” Sirius insisted.

“Death has no master, Sirius. It’s a joke, a trap. The one who unites the Hallow is cursed with eternal life.” Rick explained with confidence to someone who knew what he was talking about.

“So there was a curse.” Albus sounded very apologetic.

“That’s… not so bad.”

“Eternal life, Sirius, not eternal youth. Your body will waste away while the curse keeps your mind intact. For eternity. There is no end for you.”

Sirius winced understanding how bad the curse was in reality. Lily wanted to say something, Bella too, but they knew their husband and understood there was more. However some others did not.

“So you’re condemned to…”

“No.” Rick replied to Regulus. “That’s where the tale begins to be… insane.”

“Because Death with a capital D being sentient wasn’t already?” Andromeda cut in.

“You wish but no. The killing curse expels your soul from your body. And your soul goes to a place between the world of the living and the world of the dead. A kind of transitional space if you will. You're not quite alive but neither quite dead in that place. Want to take a bet at who I met there?”

Viktor was the first to answer. “You met it. Death.”

“Yes. It explained the curse to me and offered me a deal. It would remove the curse and in exchange I would deal with Voldemort permanently. It was absolutely furious about what he did to be immortal. The fact that I helped greatly in making him mortal again, that I never sought the power of the Hallows and even declined it,” Rick shot another glare at Albus. “But also am a descendant of its old friend, the third brother, tilted the scale in my favor. It sent me back every time the killing curse hit me until I defeated Voldemort.”

“You said ‘were’ earlier when you presented the Hallows.” Albus spoke before anyone could.

“The curse was powered by the Hallows’ magic. The moment I became the master of the three of them, the curse activated and left the Hallows magicless. Now, they're just very old powerless relics.” He tossed the wand at Albus who caught it.

Bella wanted some reassurance and blunt words. “So you’re not immortal anymore?”

“No. And no, you can’t use the killing curse on me to make sure.” he joked and everyone had a good laugh, while Bella played the game and pouted like a child. “There. The tale of how I survive. Nothing more to it, I’m afraid.” This time instead of a glare he sent Albus a meaningful look. “Reg, here. Put it in the Black library.” He tossed the stone at Regulus who caught it and nodded.

“It will go well with the other artefacts.”

Everyone stood and left the dining room with a few exceptions. The ones in the know of the prophecy. Rick was the one who started the conversation.

“Being immortal had a consequence. Nothing nefarious.” he quickly added to his lovers who suddenly displayed worry. “I was out of Fate’s grasp for good.”

Amelia was the first to react. “What do you mean?”

“It’s a bit complicated. In the first war, as the master of the cloak, I was touched by death so to speak. As such Fate had less of a… clutch on me. That’s why I was able to hurt Voldemort and why you arrived just in time to save my ass, Albus. Death said that, had I not been the owner of the cloak I would have died from Voldemort’s killing curse as it was my fate to die like that.”

Lily drew a big breath at the revelation. She remembered the event quite vividly. Thinking that the love of her life survived because of such a reason, made her stomach churned.

“But that wasn’t enough, or you would have killed him.” Albus remarked.

“Yes. While I was unknowingly protected by death. He was protected by fate. The dark curse that made me miss him? Fate’s intervention.”

“But you were the one affected, not him.” Lily pointed out.

“From what I understood… It was like… he had a full blessing from Fate and I had just a third of it from Death? Had Albus not been the master of the wand, I would have died too. Two thirds of Death’s power at play was barely enough to save my life as with only one third, I was still under Fate’s… control? Purview?”

“What about Rosie then?” inquired Bella.

“As the Master of Death, Fate had absolutely no control over me as I had Death’s full blessing. Again, so to speak. In consequence, I could face Voldemort without any problem, bypassing the prophecy. That brought forth a serious issue. Fate wouldn’t have been happy with me. At all.”

Albus understood immediately where Rick was going with this. “Since Death would remove the curse, taking away your title of Master of Death, you would be back under Fate’s domain and it would have come back with a vengeance.”

“Yes.” Rick nodded in affirmation. “And you don’t mess with Fate. Thankfully, Death was surprisingly sympathetic. Both for me and for Rose. She also was very irate against Voldemort because all souls belong to her as it’s a precious gift from Life with a capital L.”

“After mutilating it six times… Voldemort is really in deep shit.” Amelia commented, fascinated by the story but also a bit afraid to learn that higher power existed.

“Yes. Anyway, Death gave me a tip to beat Voldemort without angering Fate.”

“Your love spell.” Marlene, who had been quiet so far, pointed out.

“That’s what I don’t understand. The spell only works if you love your target.” Albus was contemplative.

Rick gave him a cheshire grin. “Oh, but I love Voldemort. Or rather Rose’s part of him.”

Understanding the loophole Rick had exploited, Albus began to laugh. “That was quite clever.”

Bella was confused. “I don’t get it.” and it was Lily, who finally understood, who explained it.

“He used Rose’s blood to resurrect and Rick targeted it with the love spell, not Voldemort! However he felt it all as the blood was part of him! The power he knew not was the love of a parent or love in general. Rick was Rose’s hand! She never had to do anything except being loved! I could have done it! Anyone who loves Rose deeply could have done it! You, Susan, Draco, anyone!”

“It turned out that way.” Rick nuanced. “Fate had in mind an epic duel between the two. But Death assured me Fate would find it more poetic that way and love it more.”

“You know what?” Marlene interjected. “All that talk about Death and Fate as higher beings who can toy with our lives is depressing, so let’s not talk about it anymore and enjoy the rest of the day. It’s Christmas!”

Everyone had a good chuckle and agreed with the blonde.

Amelia stopped everyone from leaving however. “I do have one last question. You said Death was furious about Voldemort mutilating his soul but… what are the consequences of him doing that?”

Rick grimaced. “He will never join the other side. He will be trapped in the frontier between the living world and the one beyond it. Suffering is the only thing waiting for him, since he divided his souls in six pieces, there would be six monstrous versions of him there, feeling for eternity the… wound. Death said that having your soul sucked by a dementor was a better fate as they would digest it and you will cease to exist.”

“That’s disturbing.” commented Marlene.

Dumbledore shook his head in pity. “To think that the kiss would be a better fate… Truly a foul magic.”

“Yes but the evil one has to commit for the kiss to be a better option is not one which can be forgiven.” Lily said sagely.

“True. Voldemort could have recovered making one horcrux had he felt genuine remorse. It splits your soul in half, you see. At the time he still had half of his humanity. However with each new horcrux he cut his soul further in half. Now he only has 1/32rd of it. From what Death said, beyond seven horcruxes you don’t have enough soul left and surprise, surprise, you become a dementor should you ‘die’.”

Marlene was the fastest in her reaction “Shut up! No way!”

“Yes, way. The Dark Lord Ekrizdis, the one who created Azkaban, broke and tore apart souls of his victims until the dementor were born they’re… a shell but with the remnant desire to feel something so they eat the happy memories of their victim and since they feel empty they eat souls, unconsciously hoping it would fix their lack of it.”

“Absolutely dreadful.” Albus comments in sadness. “I do notice it’s a lot of information you got from Death. More than you could have gotten in the lapse of time you were… dead.”

“There is no time in the in-between. I don’t know how long I was dead but there… I had the time to have long conversations with Death and to practice the spell to perfection. I honestly was lucky, people usually arrive there and just cross to the otherside.”

“I’m comforted to know there is, indeed, a next grand adventure.”

With a satisfied smile, Albus stood up and left the dining room. He was followed by everyone else.