Peverell Ascendant Chapter 9 (Patreon)

Harry let out a bored yawn, exaggerating a stretch while his wand was gripped loosely in his right hand. “That was a good warmup, so how about we take things seriously this time?”

Across from him, Sirius and Ron fumed, both of them covered from head to toe in bruises and sweat from their dueling practice. The contrast was stark, as Harry didn’t even look out of breath, something his godfather couldn’t ignore any longer as Sirius’ composure broke first. “You might’ve gotten lucky, brat, but know you stand no chance against the both of us!”

“If you say so.” Harry casually shrugged, making the man growl. “I wonder if Azkaban weakened you this much, or if you’ve always been a pushover? All bark, no bite.”

He failed to hide a grin at his teasing words, savoring the way it made his godfather lose his cool.

“Why you-” He could see a vein throbbing in Sirius’ forehead, clearly having been pushed over the edge. “That’s enough! With me, Ron, we’ll teach Prongs’ son a lesson!”

“Bombarda!”

“Stupefy!”

A blasting curse burst a crater in the training room floor to his left, as Harry sidestepped it to spin around a trio of stunning spells cast by Ron to his right. He didn’t retaliate yet, instead bisecting the ropes Sirius conjured before leaping over a banishing charm that Ron tried to trip him with. His insane quidditch reflexes and stronger body made it effortless to dodge it all, weaving through the two’s overlapping spells with casual ease.

“You go left! We’ll pin him down!” Sirius called out to Ron, as the redhead nodded. “Confringo!”

A spell that wasn’t safe for dueling left Sirius’ wand, and Harry stopped in place. On the outside, it probably looked like he had frozen in surprise, as the dangerous blasting curse came barreling his way.

In reality, Harry stopped as he wanted to try something he had read about in the Black library. Gripping his wand tightly, he swung it like a bat and smacked the red curse back. Instead of exploding, or even being batted aside, the red blasting curse split into five different streaks that were deflected and shot wildly throughout the room.

“Gah! Dammit Harry!” Sirius held up a hand to shield himself from the mayhem, while Ron fell to the floor to avoid one of the explosions. “Haven’t you heard of holding back?!”

“How did he even do that?!” Ron asked incredulously.

“Who cares?! We just need to bring him down a peg! Or ten.” Sirius retorted with some bitterness. “My butt still hurts from that stinging curse he used on me last round!”

Harry let out a snort. “You really want me to fight seriously?”

Before the two could respond, he held out his wand and muttered a transfiguration incantation while simultaneously casting a silent incendio charm. Fire leapt from his wand before being transfigured to form fiery animals and pets that were of the small variety, from baby pandas, to dogs, cats, and foxes.

A dozen of them were soon racing across the room towards Ron and Sirius, who blanched at the sight. Knowing this was a friendly duel, Harry made them small and not overly hot, as simply stomping on one of the fiery transfigurations would be enough to put them out.

“Bloody hell, mate, at least let us breathe!” Ron whined, leaping over a fiery puppy that tried to nip at his ankle.

“Aguamenti!” Sirius called out, spraying the creatures with water to successfully douse and destroy them.

“Ventus.” Harry couldn’t help his grin, as he deflected Sirius’ conjured water right back at him, soaking him from head to toe.

“Ugh, did I really not see that coming?” His Godfather asked in despair, making him laugh. “Not even James was this bad!”

“Expelliarmus!” Ron cast, taking advantage of the distraction.

Harry didn’t bother moving, fine with the duel coming to an end. The spell was going to hit his right arm, but rather than make contact with his skin, it went right through like his limb was a projection. Looking closer, Harry noticed that a small part of his limb had turned to black smoke briefly before reforming.

Huh? How did that happen? He stared at the untouched skin of his forearm with a frown. Odd.

“Weird, I could’ve sworn that hit.” Ron frowned, not noticing the smoke. “Must have missed by a hair.”

“You had me, so how about we call an end here?” Harry voiced.

“Sounds good to me.” Sirius was still working to vanish the water that soaked his clothes.

“-ry! Harry! Are you there?” He heard Hermione calling his name from down the hall.

“We’re in here!” He called back.

The Gryffindor bookworm raced into the room in a whirlwind of long brown hair and uneven clothing, that morning’s newspaper clutched tightly in her hand. “You’re not going to believe- Wait, what happened here?!”

The dueling room in Grimmauld Place was covered with craters and charred impacts from their spells, held together only by the enchantments Sirius’ family had warded it with over several generations. It allowed them to practice dangerous spells without worrying about destroying their surroundings, and the added Fidelius Charm on the home ensured the Ministry wouldn’t be alerted to their underage spellcasting.

“Just boys having fun.” Sirius grinned, before twirling his wand overhead with a mutter of the Reparo charm, turning the spell practice room back to its original state.

“Hm, if you say so.” Hermione looked suspicious at that answer. “Anyways, you won’t believe what was written in today’s Daily Prophet!”

Ron was the first to reach her and see that morning’s paper, his eyes widening and a mutter of ‘bloody hell’ escaping his lips before Harry and Sirius came over.

MINISTER OFFICE UNDER INVESTIGATION

MADAM BONES ISSUES STATEMENT

POTTER REVEALED TO BE VICTIM IN SINISTER DEMENTOR PLOT

“…I can see why you raced here so fast.”

He barely had to read past the headlines to find out that his hearing on underage magic had been canceled. And not only that, but the Aurors were actively investigating the Minister’s staff for the supposed illegal use of dementors.

Looks like Amelia did her job... And then some. If anything, he had underestimated the DMLE Director, as Fudge’s name was being dragged through the mud while his own was exonerated in the underage magic case. And if one was to look at things from the base level, Harry had finally managed to get some good publicity for once, not that he really cared.

“It’s incredible, Harry!” Hermione exclaimed. “They cancelled your hearing, and now there’s talk of Fudge being investigated and impeached! You’ve completely managed to turn things around!”

Before himself - or anyone else - could reply, a sudden voice suddenly spoke. “I agree, for I must congratulate you on your success, Harry.”

They all turned as Dumbledore unexpectedly entered the dueling room. The man’s expression looked indifferent, but there was an appraising gleam in his eye as he looked at Harry.

“Headmaster Dumbledore.” He greeted.

The old Headmaster nodded in return. “Walk with me for a moment, Harry.”

Before he could respond, Dumbledore had already turned and left the room, making Harry have to scramble to keep up, as they soon walked side by side.

“You wished to speak with me, sir?”

“Indeed, or rather, I wished to apologize.” Dumbledore said. “I feel that I have severely underestimated you, Harry, and did not think you could flip the script on the situation involving your hearing so easily. If I had to do things over, I would’ve been more confident in your ability from the beginning.”

He blinked in surprise. “It’s okay, sir. It was luck more than anything that Madam Bones agreed to look into the dementor matter for me.”

Tonks had accompanied him to the Ministry, and while she wouldn’t have told the Headmaster everything about his meeting with Amelia, she couldn’t avoid speaking about it entirely. Combine that with the morning headlines, and it would be easy to piece together that he had met with Amelia to get his charges of underage magic thrown out.

“Still, I do apologize for not having more confidence in you, Harry. From now on, I am willing to meet with you in private to discuss important matters like this.”

He was surprised by the open invitation. “You’re not inviting me to join the Order, are you?”

“If that is what you want?”

“…Not really. Instead, could we meet after Hogwarts begins? I’d like some help with my magic.” He already had his own organization - if it could even be called that - and didn’t have a strong desire to become part of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry wanted to do things his own way after all, and not be tied down by Dumbledore’s group.

“Hmm. In addition to your moves with Madam Bones, I must also congratulate you on your magical advancement. The physical body transfiguration you used to defend against Mr. Weasley’s spell at the end was quite extraordinary.”

He couldn’t help but stiffen, realizing Dumbledore had seen his arm turn to black smoke before it reverted back. “You saw that?”

“Please excuse a harmless old man for his spying. I couldn’t resist my curiosity, and watched while standing invisible in the corner.”

“I see…” His eye twitched in annoyance, wondering how Dumbledore could refer to himself as a ‘harmless old man’ with a straight face. It reminded him of the mirror of Erisad in his first year of Hogwarts, and how the Headmaster had watched him while invisible at the time.

“I will gladly help you with your magic after the Hogwarts term begins.” Dumbledore agreed to his ask.

“Thank you.” He nodded gratefully, before recalling something the papers had said earlier. “Also, will Fudge actually be hurt by all this?”

“Doubtfully.” Dumbledore truthfully answered, not sounding optimistic. “If there is one skill Cornelius has mastered in politics, it is survival. The investigation into the Minister’s office might hurt him, but I doubt he will be impeached or forced to resign. At most, one of his aides will take the fall for him. If that is all, I must take my leave, Harry.”

Disappointing, but true. While he didn’t have a trial anymore, he wasn’t lucky enough to see the Minister fully removed from the picture. Fudge was like an annoying fly, incessantly buzzing around Harry’s ear while he was focused on combatting Voldemort.

/////

It turned out that he didn’t have to sneak out of Grimmauld Place anymore, as Dumbledore had given permission for him to come and go as he wished. With his newfound trust in Harry, combined with his Ministry hearing being cancelled, it meant there was no reason to have him watched at all times.

And so he didn’t have to sneak past Grimmauld Place’s occupants to get to Knockturn Alley that evening, not having to worry about anyone trying to stop him. He was easily able to access the floo, arriving at the abandoned pub he commandeered and visited weeks earlier.

The aforementioned Black Crow still looked abandoned on the exterior, but Dobby had been nice enough to clean up its interior for Harry. It now looked like a worn English pub, devoid of dust and cobwebs albeit needing a fresh coat of paint. It was good enough for his uses however, as he sat down in one of the booths and waited for his contact to arrive.

Not a minute late, the entry door to the pub opened, as the light from the alleyway lit up the visitor’s frame. It only took him seeing her curvy silhouette in the doorway to know how this woman had seduced so many men, and that was before she walked closer and he got a better look at her appearance.

She wore one of those expensive green coats made of acromantula silk that pureblood ladies liked to wear, which wrapped around her form in a way that failed to hide her curves. She had the perfect, mature, hourglass form, the type that had only ripened with age in a way that made his cock twitch.

Her face was the embodiment of aristocracy and seduction, tanned skin and pouty lips with high cheekbones, framed by shiny dark hair. Few could look past her body, and fewer could see past her facial beauty, but those who managed would glimpse the cunning, dangerous woman that waited underneath it all.

Julia Zabini took the seat across from him in their shared booth. “You have an unusual sense of venue, Mr. Potter.”

“House Black has always owned this building.” She stiffened slightly at his blunt answer. “And since I am going to be Lord Black, I am in possession of this knowledge, as well as the accounts that fall under House Black.”

“Yes, your letter made that quite clear.”

Indeed, his letter had included enough proof to implicate her and Malfoy’s illegal dealings - all involving Gringotts accounts under House Black, of course. He had written this to her along with an obvious implication, that she would meet with him here tonight or she would end up in Azkaban.

He didn’t like to dance around subjects and waste time, deciding to get straight to the point. “Which is why I know Lucius Malfoy has been using his access to the Black accounts to route funds to specific individuals, such as yourself. Of course, this is all done secretly without the Ministry or goblins ever catching on. To their knowledge, the accounts of House Black sat vacant in Gringotts, not that they were being used to transfer gold in such quantity.”

She maintained an unreadable expression, before she finally responded. “Lucius only told me that the account was a Malfoy family instrument, not that it belonged to someone else.”

“It was a small account that Lucius gained access to through Narcissa, who used to be a member of House Black.” Harry nodded. “There's a meaningful difference in terms of who it belongs to, which is how I found out about your business dealings.”

“Yes, I'm beginning to see that.” She paused, clearly not expecting him to be this direct. “How long have you known?”

“For some time.”

“And you waited till now to make demands?”

“I wanted to meet you first, before I decided anything.” He said. “Most would say I’m foolish, but I’ve found that not everyone in business is perfectly aligned and following the same ideologies.”

It was a hunch that the woman across from him wasn’t a Death Eater, or at least not fully committed to Voldemort’s cause, meaning he had an opening to take advantage of. Just like the Greengrasses, she likely did business with Voldemort’s men for gold, not out of loyalty.

“You're not what I expected.” She repeated what so many others had said to him.

“So I've been told.”

“I've been told things about you.” Her gaze sharpened suddenly. “Most witches saw those photos of you at the Delacour ball earlier in the summer and just assumed you were a casual attendant, but I’ve been told something different.”

“And that would be?”

“That Apolline Delacour, the Veela who controls the French Ministry, has taken a personal interest in you.”

“You’re well informed.” He replied. “Why would that matter? I’m sure you know that I went as Fleur Delacour’s date, as most people already know.”

“The Delacour heiress is one matter, but her Mother is another.” Mrs. Zabini almost grimaced. “That woman is dangerous beyond belief, the kind that only acquires or destroys people, and never makes proper alliances or friendships without strings attached. She’s left a trail of broken Houses and decimated institutions in her rise to power, made it so nothing happens at the French Ministry - or in French high society, for that matter - without her permission.”

“You sound bitter.” He noted.

“Impressed rather.” She corrected him. “I may dabble in politics, assassination, and seduction, but business is my forte. That doesn’t mean I don’t have a respect for those in the political world. Which brings me to the question of whether you are Apolline Delacour’s pawn or enemy?”

“Would you believe me if I said I’m only in a relationship with her daughter, and she just wants the best for us?”

“That woman wouldn’t have you near her daughter unless it advantaged her.”

“I guess you’ll just have to find out.” He held back a smile, secretly knowing that it was Apolline’s test for him to handle the woman in front of him.

“I suppose so.”

“The funds Malfoy transfers through your network.” Harry brought them back to the original topic. "I know what they are for."

“Do you?” She mused idly, not denying or confirming. It was clear the woman was buying herself time, which was why she brought up the Delacours. Although he wondered if there was a specific reason for that.

“Voldemort’s followers run their business through intermediaries, like you.” He stated. “Malfoy is one of the major players, and uses his access to the accounts of House Black to funnel their business through you, so his pals can access the continent to get what they need for the war. This is all done illegally, of course.”

Silence greeted his statement, as the woman kept her composed expression. “That… Is a significant accusation.”

“And I have significant proof of it.” He didn’t need to argue over whether it was true, as his letter to her conveyed enough evidence to prove it.

Her face was the picture of professional composure rather than panic in that moment, and he had to admire it. But he could still see the thoughts racing through her mind, reassessing the situation as she revised whatever assumptions she made before coming here.

He could destroy the woman in front of him, as a simple letter to Amelia would have her decimated in court and her fortune stripped away. She clearly knew it too, and eventually chose to take a path of lesser resistance with him.

“You understand my position.” She met his gaze, almost pleadingly.

“You can't refuse their business.” Harry nodded. “I understand that.”

A flash of relief flickered in her eyes before it was dismissed. She didn’t let down her guard, yet adjusted to the fact there wouldn’t be a confrontation between them.

“Most wouldn’t accept that excuse in your position…” She watched him carefully. “Most in possession of what you're holding would be making a different kind of speech right now.”

After all, he could hold this evidence of her illegal dealings with Malfoy over her head for years as a form of blackmail, and make her do his bidding. But that would only invite resentment and betrayal, and Harry wanted to make her an ally.

“True, but coercion has never been my style, and I don’t find it particularly appealing.” He had seen Ignotus blackmail people in his visions, and knew it rarely ended well. Usually it was the one being blackmailed who eventually rebelled and someone would end up dead in a ditch afterwards. “I'm not here to threaten you, Mrs. Zabini. Threats only get one so far, and I'm interested in something more durable than extortion. My letter did state I was open to a working relationship with you.”

“Blaise.” She stated the name of her son suddenly, making Harry pause as her composure briefly broke. “He is being told things by his housemates at Hogwarts, typically by those who belong to the darker families. I may not be a good Mother, but I raised him to align with the older Houses, yet now he is falling for their ideology right as the Dark Lord has returned.”

He wondered why she had suddenly brought up the topic of her son. “They’re trying to make him into a Death Eater?”

“He will be recruited, it is inevitable at this point.” She affirmed. “It will likely be a matter of months - not that he would tell me. I cannot stop it, as it would mean moving against the people who originally demanded my son attend Hogwarts and live in Britain in the first place. Him being there is both a form of protection and a guarantee of my compliance.”

He is her weak point. He realized that Lucius Malfoy had likely ordered Julia Zabini’s son attend Hogwarts with the children of other Death Eaters as part of their original agreement. It was an unspoken threat, a way to seal the deal, ensuring her son would be trapped overseas and likely indoctrinated into Voldemort’s cult as insurance in case the dealings with his Mother went south.

“I won’t kill him, if that’s what you’re asking for.” He said after a moment. “Do you want me to get him out?”

“No, that is too much to ask of you.” She replied. “I will agree to work with you to a certain extent, so long as it is minimal as to not affect my son.”

If you’re seen siding with me, they will kill Blaise. That was basically the message, meaning Harry could only work with the woman sitting across from him to a certain extent. Even if he chose the blackmail route to force her, he doubted she would go along with him enough to get her son killed.

All routes lead to Hogwarts. It was funny to him that so many of his plans revolved around Hogwarts, and this just added a new dimension to his overarching plan. Making inroads into Slytherin is more important than I initially thought.

He stood up, and she did the same, as it was time to end their conversation. “I believe I can change the circumstances surrounding your son, but it will take a few months after I get to Hogwarts.”

“Oh?” She raised a sexy brow, clearly wondering what his plan was. “Anything you can tell me about your plans?”

“Only that Voldemort’s followers won’t have such a free reign in school by the time I’m done.”

Mrs. Zabini nodded as their meeting came to a close, apparating away as Harry turned and crossed the room to walk upstairs.

A deluge of schemes and plans raced through his mind all the while, finally coming to an end when he reached the stairs. The old wooden steps creaked under his footfalls, and the door at the top groaned even louder when he pushed it open at last.

“I can certainly say that I never expected to meet you here, Mr. Potter.” A beautiful blonde woman said after he entered. “Nor did I expect for the Black Widow to be visiting you either.”

“A coincidence, I assure you.” He took off his jacket and sat it on the back of a nearby chair, silently glad that he had Dobby scrub this place clean several days earlier. He wasn’t surprised in the least his guest had noticed Mrs. Zabini’s presence, as he scheduled for both of them to meet him here this evening.

“Just as it is a coincidence that you picked the bar owned by my old family for our meeting?” Narcissa Malfoy raised an immaculate blonde brow, looking over at him from her place on the room’s bed.

Disclaimer: All Characters are over the Age of 18