The Elden Lion - Black and White. (Patreon)

Lily Evans, Potter Manor – England.

“Harry!” Sirius exclaimed, unable to contain the traitorous tear running down his right eye, nor the radiant smile that illuminated his face.

Lily smiled emotionally, watching with some amusement as Sirius made a truly superhuman effort not to throw himself into the arms of the imposing sight of Harry.

On the other hand, Lady Potter watched as Augusta Longbottom silently observed her beloved son. The intelligent little eyes examined every detail of the physical appearance of the Lord of House Potter, although Lily was unable to read that expression, and therefore did not know whether the reaction was positive or negative.

“By Merlin… look at you, I am…” Sirius said hesitantly, only to be gently interrupted by his beloved godson.

“Lord Sirius Black, my mother has told me about you, as well as the close relationship you had with my father. It is a pleasure to meet you,” Harry said politely and calmly, accompanied by the smallest of smiles.

Sirius merely nodded. To Lily, it was obvious that he was completely overwhelmed, that he wanted to ask Harry a thousand questions about his life, or about where he had been all these years.

Alas, this was not the time for that conversation, and apparently, everyone present knew it perfectly well.

“Lord Potter, when my beloved grandson informed me of your return, I must confess that I was quite intrigued about what it would mean for the Wizarding World in general. However, not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the delightful and much-needed chaos you have brought to England. I declare myself a true fan of your work with the Death Eater scum. Augusta Longbottom, Lady Regent of House Longbottom,” the formidable woman said, her voice filled with approval and vindictive pleasure as she spoke about Harry’s actions, while extending her hand in greeting.

Harry looked into the woman’s eyes with approval before delicately taking her hand and giving it a gentle kiss without breaking eye contact, much to Augusta’s obvious pleasure.

“Ah… a Lady who knows what she wants, both beautiful and apparently relentless. It seems the words of my new vassals are true, although, to be honest, I think they fell rather short. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Augusta. Harry Potter,” her beloved son said, the interest in his voice more than evident to Lily, and apparently to Augusta as well, who, much to the redhead’s amusement, blushed at her son’s provocative and seductive words, although the satisfaction in her eyes was unmistakable.

“Oh my… as charming as your father, young Harry. That silver tongue so characteristic of your family. I have fond memories in the broom cupboards at Hogwarts with your grandfather, you know? Oh, if only I were a few decades younger,” the formidable witch said, much to Sirius’s disbelief and Lily’s amusement.

Harry merely smiled softly, his eyes shining with obvious amusement. Without a doubt, her beloved son was seriously considering the idea of adding Augusta to his collection.

“I’m certain something can be arranged, my Lady, but that particular conversation is for after dinner. First things first, my beloved mother and you have a couple of important propositions for me,” her son said as the group began walking toward the Potter Manor dining room, where the elves already had the banquet more than prepared.

“Please, go ahead. The hospitality of House Potter is yours,” Harry said calmly as the small group took their respective seats. Lily watched with amusement as Augusta and Sirius looked around the luxurious room, completely impressed.

“It isn’t how I remember it… Potter Manor now looks like a… palace,” Sirius said distractedly as he observed everything around him in amazement, his eyes filled with melancholy.

“I had no idea you were such a fan of trees, my Lord, although I must admit that is not a specimen I recognize,” Augusta said curiously, observing with interest the immense mural of the Golden Tree decorating the Potter Manor dining room.

Harry merely chuckled softly before answering.

“I made several adjustments to the place when I recovered it from the hands of the disgusting goblins, and the specimen in the painting is a Golden Tree. You can find a young specimen of one in the center of the Manor, my Lady. It is even more impressive in person,” Harry said calmly and politely, sparking the curiosity of both Sirius and Augusta.

After that short conversation, the discussion remained quite pleasant and superficial throughout dinner, consisting of fairly mundane and easy subjects, leaving the truly important topics for after the meal.

Lily took advantage of the time to catch up with Sirius, who apparently had quite a few adventures during his time studying ancient Aztec rituals in Mexico.

“The magical ruins are as impressive as they are terrifying. Even centuries later, the remnants of the powerful rituals are still present. The magic is so dense that it attracts the local magical flora and fauna like moths to a flame. But as soon as I received news of Harry’s return, I abruptly ended the expedition and came back immediately. I couldn’t obtain any magical beasts; they are too heavily regulated, although I was able to bring back some magical plant shoots and seeds,” Sirius said proudly, drawing everyone’s attention.

Lily smiled radiantly and replied.

“Dalia has missed you, and as you can see, things have only improved since Harry’s return. The goblins are no longer a nuisance, and those who had been stealing from us for years have begun paying the price,” the redhead said with evident satisfaction, still remembering the humiliations and veiled insults from when most of Potter’s assets had been frozen.

As soon as that particular subject was mentioned, Augusta elegantly raised her glass and, looking at Harry, exclaimed:

“Cheers to that, Lord Potter. It was about time a wizard had the spine necessary to put things in order around here. Malfoy and his lackeys had been far too comfortable for far too long. You did everyone in the Wizarding World a true favor by getting rid of that garbage,” Augusta spat with satisfaction, making Harry raise his glass in response.

Sirius looked at Harry and asked:

“As far as I understood, there were also more families that had purchased the ‘rights’ to Potter lands that Fudge had put up for sale to the highest bidder. The Diggorys and the Abbotts, for example. Aren’t you planning to do the same to them as you did to Lucius?” Lord Black asked curiously.

“I am curious about that as well, my Lord,” Augusta said, giving the young Lord Potter her full attention.

And being honest with herself, Lily also wanted to know the answer. It was not something she had really considered. Her attitude toward the Diggorys and the Abbotts had been one of complete indifference, especially now that she knew what awaited her at the end of the school year at Hogwarts.

Harry looked at Lord Black and Lady Longbottom in silence for several seconds before nodding to himself and calmly taking control of the conversation.

“Lord Diggory and Lord Abbott contacted me the very same day I executed Cornelius Fudge, politely begging for a less… permanent way of dealing with the matter in question. They mentioned that Amos Diggory and Marcus Abbott formally requested the sale of the lands in question, explaining that they had a considerable number of Galleons invested. I accepted in exchange for a considerable number of magical beasts and Galleons as compensation, in addition to Marcus Abbott delivering his niece Hannah as a concubine of House Potter in exchange for forgiving a previous debt,” Harry said with complete frankness and naturalness, making everyone at the table slowly nod.

“And what do you plan to do with the rest of the Death Eaters, my Lord? Including those imprisoned in Azkaban?” Augusta asked with curiosity and false indifference.

Lily knew Augusta Longbottom far too well, and the redheaded witch could guess what the witch wanted to get out of this meeting. Lily could not blame her.

The fate of Frank and Alice… was worse than death, a terrible sentence that her old friends did not deserve at all. However, this was not the moment to think about that. Harry was preparing to answer the woman’s seemingly innocent question.

“It’s simple. I will assault the prison and execute almost everyone who bears the Dark Mark,” her beloved son said with complete calm and sincerity, as though he were simply discussing the weather.

The reactions of Sirius and Augusta were instantaneous. Both their eyes widened, completely shocked by Harry’s… audacious words.

“You… you… You’re joking, right?” Sirius said incredulously before looking back and forth between Lily and Harry, waiting for a real answer to Augusta’s question.

However, Harry made it more than clear that he was, in fact, completely serious.

“It will happen soon. I’m sure the Prophet will put its campaign against me on hold to cover some actual news for a change. I plan to exterminate every last vermin that exists,” Lord Potter said calmly and naturally, making it more than clear that this was no joke.

Sirius opened and closed his mouth in disbelief at Harry’s words, while Augusta leaned forward, staring directly into Harry’s mismatched eyes with determination.

“Are your words true? Will you exterminate them all? Will you cleanse the Wizarding World of the poison that is the Death Eaters? I witnessed the extent of your power during the first trial. I know you are a centennial wizard, and I also know that you have no shortage of courage when it comes to destroying those who harmed your family,” the old woman challenged, leaning forward and staring at Harry with conflict in her eyes.

Her beloved son merely frowned and nodded slowly.

“I do not give my word in vain, Lady Augusta. You can be certain of that. I can see the conflict on your face. There is hesitation. You wish to ask me something. That much is clear,” her son declared, making the elderly woman slowly nod.

“I do not know the extent of your power, or that of your family’s magic, but… I find myself in a desperate situation where I have exhausted every other possibility. What do you know about my son Frank and his wife Alice, my Lord?” Augusta asked, false calm evident in her voice.

At those words, both Lily and Sirius made uncomfortable faces, fully aware that this was an extremely delicate subject for old Augusta.

Harry merely frowned and answered calmly.

“I’m afraid my knowledge regarding Lord Frank and Lady Alice is completely nonexistent, my Lady,” Harry confessed with complete sincerity, making Augusta nod softly as she prepared to continue.

“It happened… a couple of days after your disappearance. With the fall of the Dark Lord, the entire band of vermin known as the Death Eaters scattered like cockroaches. Many of them hurried to bribe Ministry personnel to escape the fiasco unharmed, but others… the most disturbed and sick among them, were convinced that their Master was still alive, and that for some fucking reason, the answers could be found with my son and daughter-in-law,” Augusta spat with evident frustration before beginning to explain to Harry in extreme detail what had happened to Frank and Alice.

Lily silently watched as Harry’s face grew darker and darker with every word Augusta spoke, listening carefully to everything she had to say.

And when the elderly witch finished and looked expectantly toward Harry, her son did not disappoint.

“I understand… I’m certain we can do something about this,” Harry said as he stood up, an action that everyone else at the table immediately imitated.

Augusta, filled with hope for the first time in years, spoke again.

“If… if you can heal my son and daughter-in-law… if you can make the Longbottom family whole again… I will give you whatever you want, without asking or questioning. Whatever you order will be yours,” the woman whispered with a desperation that could only come from a broken soul, and Lily’s heart broke for a moment, fully aware that if Augusta was promising something like that… it was because something terrible had happened or was about to happen.

And apparently, Sirius noticed that little detail as well.

“Something is happening with Frank and Alice, isn’t it? The healers at St. Mungo’s gave you bad news,” Lord Black said assertively, making Augusta look at him with a frown before slowly nodding.

“They say the years have deteriorated Frank and Alice rapidly, that… it’s only a matter of time before… before…” the woman tried to say, but was unable to utter the word aloud.

Alas, apparently Harry had heard enough. Lily felt through the bond she shared with her son as he demanded the location of the magical hospital, an order the submissive redhead obeyed instantly, looking at him with hope.

“Then we have no time to lose. Lady Alice is my godmother. This will not remain as it is,” Harry spat, standing up as his eyes began to shine like two powerful stars, blinding Lily, Sirius, and Augusta for an instant.

And as the golden light of her beloved son dissipated, Lily was no longer in Potter Manor, but in the Intensive Care Ward of St. Mungo’s, directly in front of the beds of two of her closest friends.

Alice and Frank, who, as usual, remained staring blankly into space, completely lost within the depths of their minds.

As usual, Lord and Lady Longbottom did not react to the newcomers. But the woman in charge of both of them did.

And… to Lily’s surprise and realization, she was caught with a mysterious potion placed directly against Frank’s lips, about to force the defenseless man to drink it.

“AHHHHG! Lady Longbottom? You can’t be here! There is no visit scheduled on the calendar and… AHHHHHGG!” the witch screamed before being hurled through the air directly into Harry’s waiting hand, who looked at the terrified witch with complete indifference.

“What does this mean? What are you giving my son and daughter? THERE ARE NO POTIONS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY FAMILY?” the powerful woman roared, at the same time Sirius knelt beside the spilled liquid and began moving his wand over it repeatedly, muttering softly to himself.

“Did you find anything interesting, Harry?” the redhead asked as she began moving her wand around Alice, searching for any indication of foul play.

“That would be the understatement of the century, Mother,” Harry said, looking with complete contempt at the witch in his hand.

“This woman’s name is Anastasia Winters… illegitimate daughter of Marcus Selwyn, who has promised her a place in House Selwyn and a respectable marriage in exchange for ensuring that Frank and Alice Longbottom never recover,” her beloved son said, shocking everyone present.

Augusta clutched her chest with difficulty, her breathing becoming labored, so Lily quickly helped the woman sit down under the intensity of the moment.

“Call Amelia, Mother. The situation is… more complicated than we imagined,” Harry spat with a heavy sigh, making the redheaded woman nod softly, summoning her beloved doe and sending the message toward the cow Bones.

This was not the moment for rivalries, and something inside the redheaded woman told her that the matter of Frank and Alice would be… more complicated than any of them expected.

She was not wrong.

Cirilla Fiona Ellen Rianon, Palace of Winds – Leyndell.

“It looks… terrifying,” Ciri said cautiously as she watched warily while Queen Ranni muttered to herself over and over again, pacing endlessly around the terrifying arcane automaton she was constructing.

It was… simply enormous, at least three meters tall, made of unknown arcane metal and covered in magical runes carved across its entire surface. It carried a colossal sword whose blade was even larger than Ciri’s entire body, and although each of them weighed more than a ton, they moved with terrifying agility. They were autonomous warriors designed by Queen Ranni for a single purpose.

War.

“Oh, darling, this is merely a prototype. It is far too generic. I need Melina’s information to make the corresponding adaptations, although as a basic mold I consider it quite solid. They are made of Meteoric Steel, and the runes are my own creation. They will be fiercer, smarter, and more agile than many enemy soldiers. The swords are enchanted, of course, with runic clusters capable of easily blocking ranged magical attacks, as well as an Eternal Edge enchantment and Primordial Flame. Our enemy uses Undead in its army, so with this simple spell I will make certain to burn the souls of their warriors so they cannot reincarnate and return to the fight. Quite impressive, isn’t it?” the red-haired Queen said proudly.

Ciri could not help swallowing when the imposing colossus focused its gaze on her, making her feel completely insignificant.

It had been some time since the Princess of Cintra had arrived in this magical Kingdom, and her time here could only be described with a single word.

Legendary.

It was… the closest Ciri had ever been to a utopia. She had forgotten what it felt like to sleep with one eye open, terrified at the mere thought of Eredin and his band of idiots suddenly appearing.

But here… in Holy Leyndell, she did not have to worry about that. Thanks to the enchantments of the Elden Lord and Queen Marika, nothing could cross the Threshold into Leyndell.

Of course, provided that the Queens had their weekly orgy at the foot of the Golden Tree, but that was not something Ciri really considered a problem.

It was an opportunity.

It was like a beautiful vacation, one the young Princess did not want to wake up from. To be honest, she did not really have any problems with living in Leyndell. Being Lord Harry’s Concubine was… much more interesting than she would like to admit.

Her new body could attest to that. Her scars and tattoo had disappeared, leaving her completely a virgin again. Harry had gotten rid of her “rags,” as he had called her travel furs, much to the young Princess’s indignation, and now Ciri wandered through the castle in elegant and revealing custom-made dresses designed to attract the gaze and attention of both the other women in the castle and the Elden Lord.

Ciri adored being here. However… she had unfinished business, something she planned to repay that bastard Eredin for tenfold as soon as possible.

Not to mention… the matter of the prophecy. The White Frost was a latent threat, one that did not distinguish between humans and Gods, and one that was vitally important to resolve.

“What has you so distracted, little swallow?” Ranni asked with amusement, making the young Princess blush completely before beginning to stammer incessantly.

“I… it’s just that the magic you use with such… ease is simply incredible. I’m not used to it, that’s all,” the Princess said, making Ranni stare at her for several seconds before slowly nodding.

“I understand that it can be… overwhelming, but with time you will get used to it. You have an eternity to do so, if you accept my beloved husband’s offer,” the Queen purred with evident pleasure, making Ciri blush and her eyes widen at the… pleasurable image Queen Ranni had placed in her mind.

It was truly impossible to avoid. The Elden Lord felt… simply inevitable. There was no better word to describe him.

And although the young Princess of Cintra found her stay in Leyndell more than pleasurable, she had… matters to attend to before she could think about anything long-term.

“I… would really love to remain here, but… before I can make such a decision, I have unfinished business… back home,” said the young descendant of Lara Dorren, thinking about the Aen Elle and, above all…

Thinking about the White Frost.

At those words, Queen Ranni simply laughed softly before elegantly moving her staff, ordering the warrior automaton to leave the area and giving her full attention to young Ciri.

“Oh, darling, my beloved Lion has informed me about your controversial situation, although only superficially. He mentioned a band of useless raiders and an ancient curse that consumes worlds. Is that what concerns you?” the redhead asked as she sat beside Ciri, making certain that her beautiful and perfect body was fully visible before the hungry eyes of the young Princess, who simply nodded with a sigh.

“That… summarizes my situation quite well, although it also simplifies it considerably,” the ash-haired girl said, making Ranni nod softly in understanding.

“Come and tell Ranni about these troublesome elves… I’m certain Harry can do something about it. After all… the Golden Lion always protects what is his,” Ranni purred, making Ciri blush and shiver at the implicit message.

“It’s… quite a long story,” Ciri confessed, making Ranni nod and answer.

“We have plenty of time! Come to my chambers. I’ll prepare a bath, two glasses of wine, and who knows… we’ll see what happens,” Ranni promised in a soft and suggestive whisper, making Ciri stifle a moan and nod softly, following the seductive Queen.

After all, if she wanted to get rid of Eredin, Harry was the person best suited for the task…

And who knows… perhaps after ending the hunt, the Elden Lord would wish to quench his thirst for conquest with the young Princess’s homeworld, who could not help shivering as she imagined Triss or the rest of the Lodge’s sorceresses kneeling, wearing collars at the foot of the Winds Throne.

An image she could not get out of her head.

Ciri had much to do, of that she had no doubt, and she would begin by pleasing one of the Elden Lord’s Queens.

The night would be quite long.