The Wolf and the Lioness - Soul games. (Patreon)

Sirius Black, Headmistress's Office – Hogwarts.

“Are you insane, Dumbledore?”

Those were the words Augusta Longbottom shouted directly into Professor Ariana's face, who, much to Sirius's admiration, remained impassive before the spectacle Augusta Longbottom was making.

The professor merely sighed heavily and replied.

“No, Augusta, but Neville's situation is extremely delicate, and unlike me, young Aegon possesses the knowledge necessary to help your grandson,” the elderly Headmistress said while looking at the Longbottom matriarch over her glasses.

It was evident that even Ariana Dumbledore's infinite patience had been put to the test by the old woman's incessant shouting.

At the mention of her son, Augusta could not help but grimace in displeasure, unable to contain her bitter response.

“And you want me to entrust the life of my beloved grandson to a brat who hasn't even finished Hogwarts?” the woman asked incredulously, while her hands clung to the shoulders of a silent Neville like claws. Augusta's fear of losing her last family member was obvious.

But that did not justify the woman's reckless words, much less the disdainful way in which she had referred to his son.

Because yes, Aegon was officially the Primary Heir of the Noble and Ancestral House of Black, much to Sirius's obvious pride and relief, as he had honestly felt an enormous weight lift from his shoulders the moment Aegon accepted the ring.

Lord Black still remembered the solemn way Aegon had taken the official heir's ring, with a certain reverence, as if he still could not believe Sirius's decision.

It was evident that Aegon's past was…complicated, to say the least, and although he hoped that with time his own son would approach him and speak about his past, Sirius had no intention of allowing any disrespect toward him or his family.

However, Lord Black had nothing to worry about, since Aegon simply rolled his eyes and took a couple of steps forward, taking control of the situation instantly.

“Enough,” he said firmly, making an elegant movement with his wand, his gaze completely focused on young Neville.

Instantly, a purple magical flash emerged from Aegon's powerful wand, enveloping Augusta Longbottom's entire body in a kind of…magical sphere of the same color, much to the obvious disbelief of everyone present at that moment.

A moment later, where the powerful but irritating figure of Augusta Longbottom had stood, there was now a…white-furred mountain goat, which looked around incredulously before beginning to bleat incessantly throughout the room, much to the disbelief of everyone present.

At least until Aegon made another gesture, silencing the animal without taking his attention away from young Neville, who stared in fascination at where his…grandmother had been.

“Fuck!” Amelia whispered, stunned by what she was witnessing as she observed the result of Aegon's spell. Everyone present in the office was shocked, at least until Sirius, being the reckless Lord that he was, could not help but burst into loud, guttural laughter at the absurd sight.

The old goat moved throughout the room, evidently indignant, while Lily, Amelia, and Minerva tried, unsuccessfully, to undo the transformation.

Sirius noticed with some interest how Ariana did not even attempt to help the Longbottom matriarch. Evidently, although she hid it better, the Headmistress was also tired of Augusta's stupidity.

“How…How did you do that?” a stunned Neville asked, looking between the goat and Aegon with surprise and a certain admiration.

Aegon simply shrugged with a mischievous smile on his face. His gray eyes shone softly, witnesses to the monstrous magical power his son possessed, before he replied.

“It is a variation of a peculiar spell I learned in my home. I'll teach it to you during our future lessons, brat,” Aegon said with a smile while ruffling Neville's hair with obvious amusement, making the young heir laugh genuinely.

Although the emotional moment lasted only an instant, Aegon composed his expression and looked directly at Neville, not seeing him as a stupid and useless child.

But as a man, looking at a young wizard who would have to grow up faster than he should.

Just as Sirius had suspected, that had been the case with his son.

For several seconds, Aegon and Neville stared at each other in complete silence. Words were unnecessary between them. Young Longbottom was far from stupid, perfectly capable of understanding the complicated situation he was in.

“Am I going to die?” Neville asked in a calm voice, but the slight tremor in the last word betrayed his true feelings.

At that question, Aegon merely snorted and quickly shook his head.

“Of course not, but it is going to hurt, a lot; and I will need you to be strong and brave. The soul is very powerful, but also extremely delicate. I will need you to do everything I tell you, without exception, without hesitation. Promise me that when we are inside, if I give you an order, you will obey it to the letter,” Aegon said with obvious solemnity, treating Neville not like a frightened and helpless child.

But as a young wizard who, due to circumstances beyond his control, needed to be strong and powerful.

“I will,” Neville replied solemnly, making Aegon nod with a smile before standing.

“Perfect,” he said with a smile, at the same time reaching into his travel bag and taking out the powerful unknown artifact, making everyone's attention in the room focus on it.

Including the now-silent crazy goat Augusta.

“Is that the artifact?” Ariana asked with obvious interest, while her cerulean eyes looked over her glasses toward Aegon's hands, and he simply nodded softly.

“It is. It is calibrated and prepared for the incursion. Give me a second,” his son said as he placed the star on the desk and began moving his wand again.

Instantly, a beautiful black divan appeared in the center of the room, while a stone pillar emerged from the floor of Ariana's office.

Everyone around watched Aegon's actions with curiosity, holding their breath as they saw young Neville sit on the divan calmly and with determination, inhaling and exhaling deeply to relax, without a doubt.

Aegon nodded to himself while taking the star and placing it on the stone pillar, where the mysterious artifact began to glow with a soft and powerful amethyst color.

And while Aegon prepared everything for the mysterious ritual, Headmistress Ariana walked toward the divan, looking at Neville with an expression of complete sadness.

“I'm sorry that it has to be this way, my boy. We…have searched for every option, we…” the Headmistress tried to explain, only to be interrupted by young Neville.

“I understand, Headmistress. Truly. It is Voldemort's fault, not yours,” the young Lion said firmly, making Arianna smile softly, at the same time Aegon exclaimed.

“All ready,” his son said solemnly, while the star glowed softly and rotated on itself, charged with powerful and unknown magic.

“I am ready, Aegon,” Neville said solemnly, making the young sorcerer nod with a smile.

“Relax, Neville. Everything will be fine,” Aegon said calmly, at the same time looking again toward Augusta and, with a lazy movement of his hand, making the goat return to her human form.

And apparently, even stubborn and annoying old women like Augusta Longbottom could learn new tricks, because the Longbottom matriarch remained silent, frowning and looking at Aegon with restrained fury.

But completely silent.

Sirius could not help but snort. Apparently, his son was right, and many witches and wizards only understood one language.

That of Power.

“Good, I will begin the spell,” Aegon said calmly, at the same time his hands and eyes began to glow with a purple radiance, while the mysterious artifact…this Azura's Star, began to shine even more brightly.

Immediately afterward, a kind of magical tentacles emerged from each point of the star, moving extremely slowly toward Neville, who, although obviously terrified, simply swallowed and remained still as he felt the magical tentacles touch his skin.

“AHHG,” young Longbottom said with a shudder, making Lady Augusta move closer with obvious anguish in her eyes.

“Neville? Are you all right?” she asked in a trembling voice, sighing in relief when she saw her grandson nod softly.

“I…I am, Grandma. It's just that…I feel…very…sleepy…”

Neville's words stopped as young Longbottom closed his eyes, and a purple radiance originating from the star invaded his body, at the same time Aegon shouted some unknown words while making strange gestures with his hands.

And an instant later, Sirius lost his breath at what he saw.

Neville's entire body illuminated, while the magical tentacles began pulling upward with obvious difficulty, until slowly, Sirius watched in stunned disbelief as Neville Longbottom's Soul left his now-inert body before slowly levitating toward the star, which now shone with even greater power, as if it were…eager, somehow, to receive a soul.

The soul was bright, of a beautiful and radiant golden color, surrounded by a kind of…white shield. A feminine voice could be heard, although it was too distorted for Sirius to recognize it.

Although for some strange reason, the voice was…familiar, and judging by Ariana's look of surprise and realization, she had recognized what it was.

“Arianna, prepare yourself,” Aegon ordered in a tired voice, evidently exhausted by the powerful spell he was performing.

However…the soul of Neville did not emerge alone, because a kind of…black and purulent leech also emerged from his body, clinging to the smallest part of young Longbottom's soul.

“There it is, the Soul Leech that young Black mentioned,” Augusta said solemnly, watching as the filthy creature accompanied Neville's soul directly toward the Star of Azura.

“By Merlin, this is the most sinister thing I have ever seen in my life,” Amelia whispered, gripping her wand with concern, her hand trembling at the dangerous magic she was witnessing.

“I am sure the Unspeakables would have a field day with this artifact,” Lily whispered cautiously, watching as the young Longbottom's body appeared…completely inert.

He was alive, but…nobody was home.

“Neville,” Augusta whispered with a broken voice, kneeling beside the divan, her hand caressing her grandson's face with obvious concern.

“There is no time to waste. Come on, Professor,” Aegon ordered as he and Ariana walked toward the pedestal where the star glowed with contained power.

The Headmistress of Hogwarts observed the object with obvious interest on her face, but Aegon seemed to be in quite a hurry, as he simply ordered.

“Touch my shoulder. I will take care of this,” his son said solemnly, while one of his hands illuminated with an unknown spell.

Ariana obeyed instantly, placing her hand on her son's shoulder.

“We will be back soon.”

And with those solemn words, Aegon and Ariana were enveloped in a kind of purple magical sphere, disappearing from the office an instant later.

And now…they could only wait.

“Well, we should make ourselves comfortable,” Minerva said with a heavy sigh before shaking her head and beginning to move her wand gently.

Augusta did not leave Neville's side, looking at her grandson's inert body with concern.

Sirius sighed. This would be the longest wait of his life, of that he had no doubt.

Eddard Stark, Winterfell – The North.

“AHHHHG!” Eddard screamed as he opened his eyes wide and quickly shook his head, unable to suppress the shudder running through his body.

“Are you satisfied?” asked the voice of his mentor, friend, and pain in the ass.

“You know perfectly well that I am not,” Eddard said with a sigh, at the same time the spectral image of his unicorn guide emerged from behind the Heart Tree of Winterfell.

Eddard did not even raise his gaze from the pool in the Godswood, listening as the spectral hooves approached him softly.

“I told you that the threads of destiny are not so easy to break, Eddard. The gifts of the First Men are vast, but there are Laws and Bonds that cannot be broken,” the magical creature said calmly.

But Eddard simply was not willing to accept such a thing. His magical gifts had been a magnificent blessing, but they had also meant a rather severe problem.

The fucking Green Sight.

Although superficially, being capable of glimpsing the future could be considered a blessing, Eddard was fully aware that it was quite the opposite.

No matter how many things he tried to change in the present, no matter how hard he tried to change things…

The dark future of his family remained the same.

He would lose his head in King's Landing because of the whims of Cersei's small and disgusting bastard, his beloved son betrayed, his body humiliated, his family scattered, and his home destroyed under the control of the disgusting Boltons…

Every journey through the Trees continued leading to the same path, toward the near extinction of House Stark.

In some futures his beloved son returned, with a crown on his head and a powerful army behind him. In others, he did so riding a gigantic dragon that spoke, and in other futures he did not return at all…

“The future is a disaster. I do not plan to let my family, my children, live through what the trees show. I refuse,” Eddard spat furiously, letting out a frustrated cry and helplessly striking the pool before him.

At Eddard's small but understandable tantrum, the unicorn merely sighed and replied.

“I understand your frustration, Eddard. However, you are looking at things the wrong way,” the unicorn said, proceeding to walk across the pool with his characteristic elegance, instantly drawing Ned's attention.

“What do you mean?” he asked curiously.

The unicorn looked directly at him for a long moment before replying.

“You still do not understand how time works, young pupil. You focus too much on the future, that you fail to understand that, like the trees, time functions through points of divergence,” his master said.

Eddard could only look at him with doubt in his eyes, truly not understanding the unicorn's words, making Eddard's master sigh heavily and strike the pool with his hoof.

A moment later, the water illuminated with an emerald glow, causing it to gently rise until it formed the beautiful image of a tree made entirely of water.

The flow was constant, emerging from the pool toward the branches before falling again and repeating the process from the beginning.

“Observe this branch, Eddard,” his master said while pointing his horn toward a thick and straight branch of the tree.

“As you can see, no matter what you do, the branch will not change course, simply because the Point of Divergence, the point of origin of the branch, is the same. It is useless for you to change or modify your actions in the present if the Point of Divergence is in the…”

And Eddard interrupted him, opening his eyes wide.

“The past!” he said with realization, making the Unicorn nod softly, causing the water to return to the Pool and Lord Stark to continue with his realization.

“The Point of Divergence you mentioned…it is in the past,” he said with determination before looking toward the Heart Tree with determination, a daring plan forming in his mind.

“What is the Point of Divergence of our Branch, Master?” Eddard asked as he knelt before the Heart Tree, prepared to jump into the Network again.

The unicorn merely laughed softly and replied.

“You already know the answer, Ned. What event from the recent past was so momentous that it could have been capable of changing History? What event do you consider important enough to alter the flow of Time itself?” the unicorn challenged, amusement evident in his voice.

And Eddard answered instantly.

“The Battle of the Trident,” Ned said as he swallowed and channeled the Green Sight with ease.

The walls of Winterfell disappeared, and Ned found himself at the exact moment Robert and Rhaegar began to fight, both on horseback and in the waters of the Trident.

The fight was fierce and the skill of both men was evident. Both were skilled warriors, both needing only a single mistake to achieve victory.

An instant later, his Master intervened again.

“The Battle of the Trident, the decisive conflict and the closest Point of Divergence to your time. Two sides of the same coin. The War of the Usurper to some, Robert's Rebellion to others, the reaffirmation of Targaryen rule or the fall of a Dynasty,” the Unicorn said, making Ned nod softly, understanding what his master meant.

“I must decide between Robert and Rhaegar,” Ned said solemnly, making his Master nod softly.

“Your sister and your nephew, Targaryen Prince and Queen…or your best friend, the one you grew up with and consider a brother, one who will lead your family to Ruin. What will you choose, Eddard?” his master challenged, filling Lord Stark with doubt.

The Targaryens were not to his liking…more than that, Ned could say he hated them without any difficulty. But Lyanna and Jon were his family. They were part of the pack…

And if this was the Point of Divergence…then it meant Ned was already Lord of Winterfell, and that his father and brother were already dead.

“My father…Brandon...” he whispered to himself, grimacing in discomfort as he watched the fierce struggle between Rhaegar and Robert.

“I…I have made my decision,” Eddard said solemnly, making his master nod softly.

“You have made your choice, Eddard. Now…live with it,” his Master said as the battle disappeared around him, Lord Stark preparing to jump.

A whirlwind surrounded Lord Stark. The Battle of the Trident disappeared, while Eddard moved hundreds of miles south, toward a very specific moment in his life. Thousands of tents and the enormous tournament arena that had plagued his nightmares appeared once again…

And then…he heard it, that voice Eddard had dreamed of for years, the voice of his beloved sister who haunted him even in death.

“Benjen! Wait!” Lyanna said as she ran directly through Ned, who froze upon seeing his radiant and living sister once again.

Lyanna's laughter filled his ears, making traitorous tears emerge uncontrollably from his eyes, cementing his decision even further.

He hated the Targaryens, and probably always would, but Lyanna and Jon were his family, and Ned would keep his pack safe—his children, his wife, his sister and brother, and above all…

His nephew, his son.

Jon, whom Ned had failed so much.

The decision had been made…so Ned prepared to begin moving the threads of the past, unaware that, by doing so…

He would ruin the plans of an impertinent and treacherous Riverlands Bastard, trapped beyond the Wall.