Bellatrix Black, Aegon’s Workshop — Grimmauld Place

So… this was Cirilla Targaryen, her Master’s wife.

And although it was difficult for her to admit it, Bella was genuinely impressed by what she was looking at. She could easily understand why her beloved "nephew" had fallen for the young princess.

Cirilla was… Merlin, Bellatrix was having difficulty even finding the right words to describe her precisely.

Beautiful was an understatement. The closest comparison Bellatrix could think of was a Veela, creatures possessing a natural magical charm that attracted both wizards and witches like bees to honey.

Her high cheekbones and symmetrical face revealed a lineage of high nobility. Her neck was slender and elegant, adorned with a beautiful silver choker bearing the Targaryen Dragon at its center, undoubtedly a symbol of her affiliation and closeness to House Targaryen.

Her hair was platinum blonde, long and beautiful, although Bella had been unable to appreciate it fully, considering that Ciri had bound it into a long battle braid, leaving her ethereal face completely exposed and highlighting that enigmatic smile and those powerful, expressive olive-colored eyes.

And her body…

Morgana, Bellatrix did not have a specific word to describe it, but to the Black witch, Ciri came close to physical perfection. She was not particularly tall, standing at least a head shorter than Aegon, but her body was slender, feminine, and strong, revealing intensive training focused on speed.

The princess’s generous breasts were covered by beautiful armor, evidently enchanted considering the ethereal crimson glow emanating from the runic clusters carved into the black metal. Her slender waist was embraced by chainmail that shimmered with a faint glow, while her long, shapely legs were clad in tight leather trousers, protected by a kind of… chainmail skirt.

She wore a blood-red cloak fitted against her chest by a beautiful brooch bearing the Targaryen symbol and, much to the mature Lady Black’s curiosity, it was covered in blood.

Although perhaps that had something to do with the head Ciri was holding in her hand, belonging to a beast or creature unknown to the black-haired witch.

One that, apparently, was familiar to Aegon.

“I assume that is Arkon’s head,” Aegon said, looking at the beast’s head before focusing his gaze on Ciri, raising an eyebrow curiously, evidently asking for an explanation.

Bella’s Master’s wife snorted before softly nodding and throwing the head toward Aegon, who stopped it in midair with his magic, his gaze focused on his wife.

“Kreacher!” Aegon ordered, causing the tiny elf to appear instantly before looking around in complete astonishment, from the kneeling and naked Lily to the head in Aegon’s hand.

“Young Master called Kreacher?” the elf asked curiously, making Aegon nod and hand the head to him.

“My wife killed this creature. Turn the head into a trophy, please,” her nephew ordered, making the elf’s enormous eyes widen in astonishment as he looked at the enormous head before focusing his gaze on Ciri, who was observing the elf curiously.

Kreacher nodded rapidly before taking the head with extreme caution, looking at it as though it might awaken at any moment, an action noticed by both Aegon and Ciri.

“It is dead, Kreacher. It cannot come back to life,” the warrior said with amusement, making the elf let out a surprised squeak before swallowing and nodding rapidly.

“Yes, Mistress Lion,” said the eccentric elf with the deepest respect before continuing.

“I shall place the head beside the Basilisk skull in the entrance hall, Master Aegon,” the little creature said before bowing deeply to both of them and disappearing with a pop.

“Strange and eccentric creature,” Ciri said curiously, making Aegon snort and reply.

“Believe it or not, he is an elf,” he said with amusement in his voice, making Ciri look at him with both eyebrows raised, surprise evident in her gaze, before softly laughing.

“Well… quite different from the elves we know, dear. I am sure Eredin would have a heart attack simply seeing an elf serving a human wizard,” the beautiful princess said before looking around curiously, focusing on the kneeling Bellatrix and trembling Lily, whose body was covered in a layer of sweat while the runic cluster continued accumulating energy and stimulating the redhead’s body.

Ciri looked at the… interesting scene before looking at Aegon and asking, happiness evident in her voice.

“I see you have been having fun, dear. What did Lily do to deserve such punishment?” Ciri asked while approaching the kneeling redhead and gently caressing her hair, drawing sighs from Evans.

Bellatrix could not help shuddering. Aegon’s wife had just arrived, and she was already making the hierarchy within the relationship perfectly clear, reminding them that both Lily and Bellatrix were beneath her.

A gesture of dominance and control, immensely exciting to the Black witch.

Aegon watched the scene with amusement before walking toward Bella and gently caressing the kneeling witch’s hair.

“Lily behaved very bad my love. She used the Multiversal Megascope without supervision and nearly killed herself in the process. She is being reprimanded and punished until further notice,” the young dragon said, making the princess nod softly, understanding Aegon’s actions.

“Should I ask, my love?” the young Dragon asked with amusement while gesturing generally toward Ciri’s entire body, stained with blood and dirt, making the warrior maiden roll her eyes and answer.

“No need. Elewen and Elisif requested the support of a paramilitary group from Skyrim, the Dawnguard, to besiege Castle Volkihar. The fight went as you expected, a total campaign. We took the castle, and Serana and I fought Harkon. Obviously, it was not a… simple fight,” Ciri said, grimacing uncomfortably, making Aegon frown with concern.

“Are you all right, my love? Do you need medical attention?” Aegon asked, his love for his wife more than evident in his eyes, but Ciri merely shook her head.

“I’m fine, dear, but during the fight I had to… use my power to prevent Harkon from killing our favorite vampire, so it will only be a matter of time before we have unwanted guests,” the beautiful young woman said, drawing Bellatrix’s attention.

“Guests?” she asked curiously before sighing and leaning against Aegon’s hand, which she now gently caressed along his neck.

“Nothing to worry about. I will deal with Eredin’s dogs and make them lose your trail again,” Aegon said solemnly while moving his wand gently and freeing a confused Lily.

“Huh?” the redhead asked, looking toward Aegon with curiosity and confusion, but he merely made an indifferent gesture with his hand before answering.

“Your punishment is postponed until further notice. Accompany my wife and attend to her properly. Tell her about your situation with Harry. She is the one who has the power to help us,” her young nephew ordered, making Lily’s face fill first with surprise and then determination.

The redhead quickly stood up, bowing her head toward Aegon before turning around and focusing all her attention on Ciri, who was observing Evans’s naked body with evident interest and lust in her gaze.

“Ahmm… this way, my Lady… Princess… Ahmm,” the redhead stammered in confusion, making Ciri laugh softly, a slow and seductive sound that made both witches tremble uncontrollably, feeling like a pair of prey at the mercy of a powerful predator.

“Oh, Lily… there is no need to speak so formally. Ciri is perfectly fine… although you may also call me Mistress… if you wish,” the warrior princess purred while gently caressing Evans’s face with dominance.

Bella could not help snorting. Apparently, the redhead’s tongue would be very busy for a while.

Good, she thought. A little lesson in humility would do the insolent witch no harm.

And speaking of humility…

“Bella, stand up and get dressed. Prepare your wand. We will have guests soon. Shoot to kill and show no mercy. The animals we are going to face will show you none,” Aegon ordered seriously, and without waiting for a response, he began moving his wand around him, causing the entire place to begin changing.

“Activating Bastion Mode,” Aegon said solemnly, and the entire workshop obeyed its master’s orders.

Bellatrix watched in wonder as the worktables and enormous bookshelves began rising toward the immense ceiling of the place, while… from the floor, enormous pillars of metal—the same metal Aegon had requested from Gringotts—emerged from the ground, crowned with spherical quartz crystals that began glowing extremely softly at regular intervals, as though they were some kind of… beacon.

As though Aegon were calling something or someone.

Apparently, the doubt on her face was evident, because Bella’s Master answered distractedly, all his concentration still focused on preparing the room for whatever he was expecting.

“They are draconic pillars, charged with the divine gift of Akatosh, the Dragon God. They will make those pursuing my beloved wife arrive precisely here, under my terms. I designed them a couple of years ago, but I had never needed to use them until now.”

Bellatrix looked at the enormous arcane objects with curiosity, more than willing to keep asking about them, at least until Aegon interrupted her again.

“It is time. Prepare yourself,” he ordered, while a magical flash suddenly appeared, covering Aegon’s naked body and giving way to the most impressive magical armor Bellatrix had ever seen.

It was magical in nature, but more… akin to an arcane armor or a battle robe. In it, her Master looked more muscular than he appeared beneath his usual robes: broad shoulders, a firm waist, and muscles defined by years of training. His pale, healthy skin contrasted with the blood-red leather of the armor, fitted to his body like a second skin, while two arcane clasps, both bearing the three-headed Dragon crest, proudly rested upon his shoulders, holding the jet-black half-cloak across his back.

Plates of enchanted steel covered his shoulders, forearms, and chest, engraved with runes that emitted a faint blue glow. The long dark coat fell behind him as he adjusted each buckle with precision.

Bellatrix used her wand to dress herself quickly, transfiguring a hastily prepared robe and positioning herself beside her Lord. She did not really know what to expect… but she trusted Aegon blindly to stop whatever was pursuing his wife.

For several minutes, the most tense in Bellatrix’s life, there was absolute silence in the workshop. Aegon’s enormous automatons were prepared and ready, positioned just behind where the Black witch assumed her wife’s pursuers would appear.

And then… just as the Black witch was about to question her Master about the delay in the enemies’ arrival, it happened.

“They are here,” he said solemnly as strange white spherical portals began appearing right in the center of the room. They were enormous, five of them, from which strange and gigantic masked beings began emerging.

They were warriors, of that there was no doubt, although with those ostentatious suits of armor they looked more like heralds of death: tall, silent, covered in blackened steel, with skull-shaped helmets that obscured any view of the invaders’ faces. Their metal masks concealed every trace of humanity, leaving only those dark sockets beneath their helmets.

They walked with a certain arrogance, as though they were searching for something that had been taken from them and they were close to recovering it. There was urgency and hunger in their movements before they focused their gazes on Aegon, causing them to stop instantly.

Bellatrix frowned when the warrior closest to them spat something in an unknown language, but the insolent and mocking tone of voice was easy to identify regardless of the language. However, before Bellatrix could cast the first curse, Aegon simply gave the order.

An elegant and lazy movement of his hand was all that was necessary for the imposing arcane colossi—Atronachs, Bellatrix remembered—which had previously been positioned behind the visitors, to begin charging with magical lightning and attack the distracted invaders without the slightest trace of mercy.

The attack was devastating. Torrents of chained lightning, specifically designed to exterminate large numbers of enemies as efficiently as possible, were unleashed upon the invaders.

And that was exactly what Bellatrix witnessed.

A complete massacre.

The Black witch knew Aegon’s creations were… dangerous, but this was simply ridiculous. There were two Atronachs, only two, cooking the enemies inside their own armor with alarming ease.

The Young Dragon’s eyes were cold, completely devoid of mercy, as the bodies began accumulating on the floor of the immense hall.

Bellatrix watched with a frown as unknown beasts began emerging from the portals. They were similar to dogs, but twisted in some way, with gray chitinous plates covering their backs. They moved so quickly that some were able to evade the lightning, so without hesitation, the Black witch began casting precise and powerful explosive curses, powerful enough to burst the strange beasts apart like kernels.

Before Bellatrix’s eyes, more portals began appearing, but all of them remained within the area Aegon had designated, directly in front of them and with the arcane colossi behind them, creating a massive kill zone.

In a short time, the four enemy soldiers became a dozen, and then two more, until literally a small pile of enemy corpses had accumulated inside the workshop.

At least, until a figure different from the others emerged from the portal, rapidly creating a magical dome that protected the remaining soldiers, who regrouped with difficulty, some of them even having to crawl in agony across the floor.

“That one is different,” Bellatrix said cautiously, observing the newcomer with calculating eyes.

He was impressive, of that she had no doubt. His armor was black and appeared forged to withstand even the most powerful spells, covered in plates, leather, and ancient symbols, elegant and unknown to Bellatrix.

His face was concealed behind a helmet, but she could feel his presence, cold and powerful, like a storm about to be unleashed.

In his hands he held a staff crowned by a white light, so intense that it forced the shadows to retreat. He carried swords at his belt, as though magic were not his only defense.

He did not look like a man who studied magic.

He looked like a warrior born from it.

“I remember you… you are the anomaly, from the forest,” the strange being said, his voice deep and eerie, observing Aegon while tightening his grip on his staff. Bellatrix was able to detect… caution in the subject’s body language.

At the word Anomaly, Bellatrix could observe how all the remaining warriors became much more nervous. They hid it rather well, but to the Black witch it was obvious that they were worried about and wary of Aegon.

As they should be, she thought with satisfaction.

“You are not welcome here, Elf. Return to your wretched world and you will not have to lose any more soldiers than you already have. Tell Sparrowhawk that Zireael is beyond his reach forever,” Aegon spat, while an aura of frost began manifesting around his body.

The elves, quite unlike anything Bellatrix was accustomed to, merely whispered among themselves, looking at each other with extreme caution, as well as at the imposing arcane colossi, which waited for the slightest lapse in attention to attack again.

The obvious leader of the attack did not answer immediately, undoubtedly analyzing Aegon in great detail before spitting out his response with fury and hatred.

“Insolent Dhoine, King Eredin’s orders were clear. The Aen Elle need Lara Dorren’s blood, and we will obtain it one way or another,” he spat while raising his staff and pointing it toward Aegon in an attacking stance.

At this action, all the remaining soldiers imitated their leader, drawing their swords and spears and preparing to attack, although Bellatrix noticed that more than one of them was not entirely pleased.

Aegon, for his part, merely smiled, as though pleased by the being’s words, and taking a step forward, replied.

“Oh, how I wished you would say that… but let me warn you, I am not the same man I was a couple of years ago,” he whispered while the aura of frost grew even more powerful around Aegon’s body.

And as if that were not enough, her new Master opened his mouth, releasing a roar and shouting words unknown to Bellatrix.

Words that, from that moment onward, would live in her mind forever.

“Mul Qah Diiv!”

The moment Aegon uttered the final word, a powerful magical thunderclap shook the place, so immense that several glass containers holding various substances and experiments exploded instantly, while a kind of… Draconic arcane armor manifested around Aegon’s body.

The sight was so terrifying that Bellatrix could not help laughing loudly when she saw some of the enemies gripping their swords with trembling hands, looking at one another with evident fear on their faces.

And as if that were not enough…

Aegon raised both hands, releasing a Draconic roar and unleashing all the frost magic he had accumulated within his body, which… to Bellatrix’s shock and the enemies’ terror, manifested in a peculiar way.

Directly behind Aegon, an enormous body of frost began to grow, magical in nature, evidently. The enormous mass gave way to a gigantic humanoid arcane figure, at least five meters tall, as robust as one of those Muggle trucks Sirius talked about so much, with long, enormous arms capable of tearing enemies apart with ease.

It had no face whatsoever, but it did not need one to be terrifying.

The enemy leader, much to Bellatrix’s delight, took a step backward, a clear gesture of weakness and fear, one that Aegon apparently noticed as well.

“You… you have mastered it… the White Frost… you have truly mastered its power… How? HOW!” the man roared, genuinely furious.

Aegon did not even deign to answer, too focused on the fight before him. To Bellatrix, this was not a fight.

It was an execution.

Her beloved nephew was the Judge, and his creations were his executioners.

Bellatrix held her breath, waiting for the disaster to unfold… not entirely certain that Grimmauld Place could withstand what would happen next.

She could only wait.

This had barely begun.