Pretty soon, everyone was making their way towards the Stadium to watch Match of the Decade take place.
When they arrived the teams had, obviously, not made it out yet, but when they did show up, they were met with a tidal wave of noises.
Three-quarters of the crowd were wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor Lion upon them or brandishing banners with slogans reading
'GO GRYFFINDOR!' and
'LIONS FOR THE CUP!'
Greengrass sisters' betrayal was obvious to be witnessed, Astoria however was 'kind enough' to wear a green cap which had a Snake coiling around from time to time, Daphne had even roped Tracey, and Bulstrode to wear golden red gloves.
Ignoring their group, behind the Slytherin Goalposts, however, two hundred people were wearing green; the silver serpent of Slytherin glittered on their flags, and Professor Snape sat in the very front row, wearing green like everyone else, and a very grim smile.
"And here are the Gryffindors!" Lee Jordan yelled into his mic, "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best side Hogwarts has seen in a good few years----" his comments were drowned out by a tide of 'boos' from the Slytherin end.
"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the line-up and seems to be going for size rather than skill-"
And more boos from the Slytherin Crowd. Lucifer noticed that he wasn't wrong, because Draco was easily the smallest person on the team; the rest of them were enormous, but he doubted they were above average intelligence if they were anything like their two Beaters.
"Captains, shake hands!" Madam Hooch could be heard saying.
He saw Flint and Wood approach one another and grasped each other's hands tightly, almost like they were trying to break the other's fingers.
"Mount your brooms! Three... two... one..."
If her whistle made a sound, it was completely deafened by the crowd as it roared from fourteen brooms rising into the air. Lucifer immediately noticed Malfoy was acting exactly as Chang did and simply followed Harry.
Harry quickly sped off away from him, which was obvious in its speed as Malfoy, even on the Nimbus Two-Thousand and One, had a hard time keeping up.
"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goalposts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no--- Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the pitch - WHAM! - nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by - Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina - nice swerve around Montague - 'duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger!'- SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"
Angelina was seen punching the air as she soared round the end of the stadium; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight.
"AH!" Angelina yelled suddenly as Marcus Flint smashed into her, almost sending her off her broom.
"Leave it to Slytherin to play dirty!" Ron yelled, but only those immediately around him had heard.
Flint was suddenly smashing his face into his broom handle and his nose had begun to bleed.
"That will do!" Madam Hooch screeched zooming between them, "Penalty to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty to Slytherin for deliberate damage to 'their' Chaser!"
Her whistle blew and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty shot.
"Come on, Alicia!" Lee yelled into the silence that had befallen the crowd,
"NO! SLYTHERIN KEEPER BLOCKS IT! TEN-ZERO, STILL TO GRYFFINDOR!" Lee had a slight edge to his voice, and no one missed it.
Slytherin roared with cheer.
It wasn't even a bad throw, Graham was just that good of a Keeper, from what Lucifer could tell. Flint flew up to take the Slytherin Penalty shot.
Flint threw it and Wood barely saved it, but the crowd of three-fourths of the stadium were cheering again.
Lucifer saw Katie in possession of the Quaffle after a few minutes, "Come on, Bell!" He yelled, even though he was almost certain she couldn't hear.
Suddenly, Slytherin Chaser Montague flew up on her and instead of seizing the Quaffle, he grabbed her head. She began to cartwheel in the air, but managed to stay on, but dropped the Quaffle.
Madam Hooch's whistle was heard again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him.
"You know, Quidditch needs some serious rule changes for people who deliberately do things like this. Shouting at them isn't going to get them to stop..." Hermione said beside Lucifer, while using one palm to rub her painful ears.
"I know, it's so ridiculous. If one game in 1473 can cause a myriad of rules and fouls to be put in place, surely they can add more," Lucifer said, frustrated, now that he was part of the team, you were seeing things from a different biased perspective.
Katie took a Penalty Shot, but this one got past Graham, giving Gryffindor Twenty Points.
The crowd cheered as Harry suddenly turned, soaring towards the Slytherin end of the stadium.
Lucifer looked, but there was no Snitch in sight. He smirked as Harry had merely faked Malfoy out.
Both of Slytherin's Beaters, Crabbe and Goyle, were hurtling towards him, and when he pulled up at the last second, they collided.
"Ha haaa!" Lee was heard yelling as they both lurched away from each other, clutching their heads.
"Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in Possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle - Flint alongside her - poke him in the eye, Angelina! It was a joke, Professor, it was a joke - oh, no - Flint in possession, Flint flying towards the Gryffindor goalposts, come on, now, Wood, save - HE SAVES IT!"
An eruption of cheer was heard as Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff began to cheer. Pretty soon, the match was going to take a turn for the worse.
After Alicia scored another goal, faking Graham out again, the rest of Slytherin team had begun to play dirty, and this was why Hermione felt that deliberate dirty plays should be harsher on the offender, because just yelling at them wouldn't get them to stop.
Goyle had hit Alicia with his Club, trying to say he thought she was a Bludger, which was an honestly poor excuse.
She took another Penalty Shot, but it was blocked that time by Graham.
Gryffindor remained at Thirty Points, with Slytherin at Zero.
As expected...
Slytherin were playing this match like their lives depended on it. Draco, riding Nimbus 2001, looked like he wanted to merge with Harry midair. The two Beaters swung so hard their bats were practically smoking. The game had exploded into chaos from the very first second.
And they 'faithfully' followed Snape's advice, spreading their hands in protest at every possible moment.
With such a point deficit, Harry didn't dare go after the Snitch for a long time. To win, Gryffindor needed to catch it while leading by at least a stable thirty points, better if more.
Marcus Flint, playing out of his mind, couldn't stop the endless penalty shots Gryffindor were being given. He seriously started to wonder if Madam Hooch had taken a bloody bribe.
The game went on until Gryffindor had achieved Sixty Points, leaving Slytherin at Ten.
Harry saw the Snitch.
Lucifer had seen it that time as well. It was funny to think almost all of Gryffindor's points were from penalties, because they were not working out in Slytherin's favor.
The Snitch flew low to the ground, Harry was chasing it, his arm was stretched out, ready to grasp it, he was suddenly hit in his side, flung off his broomstick, which flew and landed safely on the ground.
For good measure, Lucifer quickly stood up with his wand, just in case any Slytherin tried anything. He had missed, however, that Harry's glasses were thrown from his face.
Goyle had hit the Bludger and sent it straight for the pair of glasses on the field. The Bludger impacted the floor, right where they were, shattering them completely.
Boos were heard from Gryffindor, thundering from a quarter of the stadium. Madam Hooch blew her whistle, signalling that the game was halted temporarily.
Lucifer rushed down to the field, Hermione and Ron behind him, as they ran up to the team.
When they got there, Alicia was holding Harry's glasses, but it was only the frames. "It's no good, Harry, we can't find the pieces," Wood said.
"Can't you just 'Reparo' them?" Fred asked.
"There's nothing to repair them from, not enough pieces, and we can't waste time looking for the rest..." Wood answered the question.
He turned to, "Lucifer, I'm begging you to please, win us this match? Win us that Cup?"
"Let me go get dressed," Lucifer gave him a smirk and bolted for the changing room. Hermione watched him before going to collect Harry's Firebolt, which was thankfully unscathed.
She, Harry, and Ron returned to the Stands, "Can you see well enough to watch, Harry?"
"I should be fine," he was obviously furious at the Slytherin team, "just as long as we win."
Lucifer returned moments later, dressed in his Quidditch Robes, his own Firebolt in hand. He mounted the broom, as did every other player, and they flew off into the air as Hooch blew her whistle, restarting the game.
"After that brutish display against an innocent pair of glasses," Lee Jordan was heard saying, "Gryffindor Reserve Seeker 'Lucifer Morningstar' is now playing, while Harry is blind without his glasses!"
Lee was excited to see the Match continue as Gryffindor was in the lead, "Reminder, Sixty-Ten in Gryffindors favor."
The match went on sluggishly to Lucifer as he flew around the stadium, looking for the Snitch.
Malfoy tried to tail him, but because of how much faster Lucifer was on his Firebolt, he started to lag behind.
The Chasers kept attempting shots, Keepers saved or missed, and the Beaters did their best to keep the Bludgers on the opposing team.
An Overcast had begun to form in the sky with how long the game had gone on for. Lucifer soon realized the score was Ninety-Forty, Gryffindors were already past the favor line.
He had to get that Snitch soon.
A glint of Gold caught his eyes and he turned and raced ahead, seeing the Golden Snitch in front of him. Upon sensing the danger of being caught, it darted off, trying to keep away from him.
Malfoy was on his tail, when the Snitch suddenly shot up. This was a familiar feeling; the Snitch did something similar last year.
Lucifer chased after it, as did Malfoy, and the Snitch continued to climb. He had his hand outstretched, ready to grasp it, but it didn't feel like it was getting any closer.
They soon approached high elevations, higher than what the Scottish Highlands already were. It was turning colder with each second he spent climbing after the Snitch.
He looked behind him, but Malfoy had given up the chase. Lucifer had to hope Gryffindor stayed Thirty Points ahead of Slytherin, because he was catching the Snitch. He felt his body growing colder, and time seemed to slow down for him.
The Snitch didn't change course, but he felt himself slowing down.
'No! We are winning this match and that Cup!' He told himself, shot forward, determined to catch that Golden Ball.
Hermione stood in the stands, hands over her mouth and nose as she waited impatiently for any sign of her boyfriend. Gryffindor scored another goal and were Sixty Points ahead of Slytherin.
She saw Malfoy fly back down moments ago, but Lucifer didn't show up, and that blonde wasn't holding the Snitch, so at least Slytherin hadn't won.
"Do you see him?" She heard Harry ask.
"No... I don't know where he is... do you think he got the Snitch?" Ron answered and asked.
No one knew how to answer him. Lee Jordan kept commenting on the game as normal, but even he kept glancing every now and then up at the sky.
Hermione's heart stopped when all of a sudden, a broom fell out through the clouds, but it dropped into her stomach when she realized Lucifer wasn't on it.
He soon breached the base of the overcast, spiraling out of control as he plummeted towards the ground.
Hermione's heart was racing. She didn't know the spell to slow him down in the way he did with Harry.
She saw Katie abandon the match and she flew up to Lucifer as he fell. She then turned and flew down at the speed he was falling, and she pulled him close to her.
Just twenty feet before they hit the ground, she pulled up, but her broom still dropped a few feet from the added weight.
Hermione was racing towards the pitch again, hoping to any divine being that he was okay. When she got to the field, she ran towards Katie and Lucifer as they were now on the ground.
The closer she got, the easier it got to see the state he was in. Lucifer was frosted over and it appeared his skin had just started to change color.
She was now a foot away from them and Katie was holding him closely to her in an effort to warm him up.
Hermione honestly couldn't help the jealous feeling she felt upon seeing it.
More Gryffindor began flooding the field to check on their Seeker, most hoping he was okay, but some had more hoped he caught the Snitch.
"Come on, Lucifer, wake up!" Katie yelled. She pulled as close as possible to warm him up as much as she could.
His eyes began to open ever so slightly. Even with an Overcast, he squinted when he tried to open his eyes even more, the light seeping in from behind the clouds.
He was shivering horribly when he was aware of his surroundings and his nerve-endings started working again. He wasn't aware of just how close Lucifer was to Katie, he was just glad there was some warmth he could use, immediately then he let his bodies defense warm him up.
For reasons, he couldn't fathom, cold had affected somehow up there.
"Lucifer!" Hermione was kneeling down beside him, tears pouring from her eyes.
"Tell me..." Lucifer tried to speak, but it hurt his lungs with how on fire they felt. He pushed through the pain, though, "How much did we win by?"
"What are you---" Katie asked and he slowly lifted his hand with the Snitch struggling against his touch.
Deafening roars of cheer could be heard from the field. The Team had all embraced him in a giant hug, lifting into the air. He looked at Hermione and saw her beaming face that was stained with tears looking right at him.
Lucifer didn't mean to give her, or anyone a scare like that, but he was damn determined to win the Cup.
He looked and saw all of Gryffindor faces around him, cheering and crying tears of complete joy and elation. He saw McGonagall, and she was sobbing the hardest he'd ever seen her. Oliver was crying as well, having finally won the Quidditch Cup in his last year at Hogwarts.
The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff crowd ran onto the field as well to congratulate Gryffindor on their hard fought victory. With the combined efforts of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw, the entire team, Harry included, was hoisted onto the shoulders of the crowd.
It was their victory just as much as it was Lucifer's. He was sure he was smiling like an absolute moron, but he didn't care one bit, already warming up cause of his powers.
The crowd carried the team towards one end of the Stadium where Dumbledore was standing, holding the enormous Quidditch Cup.
Oliver accepted the Cup, admired it for a moment, before handing it to Lucifer and Harry; both of them holding it up high into the air, signaling that they were the Victors of this Quidditch Season.
At that moment, no one in Gryffindor House could've been happier, Daphne Greengrass's moronic grin was almost splitting her face, she couldn't keep her giggling under the weather, and it all came to her sister Astoria for reminding the girl to stop jumping on her back.
When Lucifer was 'finally' put down, he made his way through the crowd to Hermione, and instantly picked her up and spun her around. His lips connected with hers, making the moment the picture perfect.
If only Colin, nevermind. A click went off in the crowd.
xxxxxx
The High that every Gryffindor was on, especially those on the Quidditch Team, had yet to come down a week after the match. Madam Pomfrey had insisted Lucifer spend the night in the Hospital Wing after what had happened, even though he said was now feeling much better.
He had awoken in Katie's arms,
and at the time he thought nothing of it, just embracing the warm feeling, Lucifer hadn't honestly minded it much, she was a pretty girl after all.
xxxxxx
By the next day, he appeared in the Great Hall looking energetic and refreshed. Lucifer glanced at Daphne, who was grinning like an idiot, then turned to Astoria, who looked a little listless thanks to the changing weather. He handed the Silver-haired girl a warming potion.
Before heading to class, he glanced once more at Dumbledore on the high table, who looked much healthier these days. He seemed quite pleased with how things stood.
Probably chatting with Grindelwald every day, bonding and all that. Most of the worry between his brows had faded. Nothing major had been happening lately, so he probably wouldn't be leaving the school.
That meant Fawkes had some free time too, Lucifer would take him for a bit of fun in the Arctic Ocean. Sensing the boy's gaze, Dumbledore looked over and smiled, Lucifer returned it back, then led the girls off to class.
xxxxxx
At the same time, at Durmstrang,
Grindelwald still had no idea that he was called to not make flags because of the Quidditch Finals, he knew even less that Mazikeen had picked up some bad habits and was planning to set him up.
Over the past two days, Grindelwald had more or less sorted out the school's affairs. He selected a group of students worth training and had the professors put them through a specialized drill.
He didn't care about childish play fights, but Underage Wizard Dueling Tournament was also a contest between himself and Dumbledore. That made it something he couldn't afford to ignore. After handing the training arrangements over to Vogel, he summoned Robert Graves.
Humble and respectful, Robert bowed slightly. "Sir, you called for me?"
"Robert." Grindelwald was idly toying with his coffee spoon, not bothering to offer him a seat, leaving him standing there.
He blew gently on the hot brown liquid foam and spoke unhurriedly, "You said you would tell me everything you know. Information about the 'American Congress, the International Confederation of Wizards', even the secrets of the Graves family."
Robert nodded immediately. "Of course. What would you like to know?"
"Tell me about that Aztec ruin," Grindelwald said, lifting his head. A sharp gleam flashed through his mismatched eyes, "What exactly did you find in there?"
Robert's expression changed slightly. He had anticipated many questions, but not this one. Suddenly, he thought of the nearly exterminated Picquery family. Understanding flickered across his eyes. So, it wasn't just about revenge.
Taking a deep breath. Whatever hesitation lingered in his heart was crushed under Grindelwald's piercing gaze, and obediently told him everything he knew.
"The Aztec ruins were discovered by
Ilvermorny's former headmaster, Lopez," Robert explained while trying to hide the pressure on his brain, "Back then, I was still the 'Defense Against the Dark Arts' professor. Not long after the discovery, he passed the location on to Agilbert Fontaine. Their families have been close for generations."
Grindelwald let out a scornful laugh.
The Original Twelve Aurors, huh. North America's Magical Congress had grown into the largest single wizarding state in the world, but at its core, it was still the same old story. A bunch of elders carving up the pie among themselves. If you wanted a seat at the table, you married in, cooperated, bent over backward, and proved your usefulness.
This kind of thing happened everywhere. The difference was that Europe obsessed over bloodlines, while North America cared more about benefits.
"And where exactly is the ruin?"
Robert clearly hesitated, and it was showing on his face, "Sir... my mind..." He pointed to his head grimly, "As one of the highest-level secrets shared between several families, there are things I can't say. I can only tell you this: 'it's not within the country. It's farther south."
Without another word, he walked up to Robert and pressed his wand against his temple, who didn't dare resist. A thin silver thread was drawn out, but after only a few feet, it abruptly dissipated.
"Well now," Grindelwald murmured as he paced the room, his smile growing deeper, narrowing his eyes, "This just keeps getting more interesting. All right. You can go ahead and tell me everything you do know. I won't make things difficult for you."
Finally, Robert breathed out in relief. He'd been terrified Grindelwald might ignore his life entirely and forcefully dig deeper into his mind. Whether that would have worked, he didn't know. But one thing was certain: he wouldn't have survived it.
As expected of a Dark Lord with vision. Even in the face of such an enormous secret, he still cared about his subordinate's safety.
Robert was genuinely moved.
"It's like this..."
By carefully skirting the contract through vague and indirect phrasing, he revealed everything he could. Gradually, Grindelwald formed a fairly clear picture. Judging by the blank look on Robert's face, he clearly didn't know either.
"Alright, you can go," he said, waving the sweating guy off. He needed time to think.
But Robert didn't leave right away. Instead, he asked cautiously, "Sir... do you have any other tasks for me?"
Grindelwald glanced at him, he wanted to say meh, but didn't, "In a few days, your superior will return."
"Yes, sir."
Robert assumed his future boss would be someone from the core leadership of the Acolytes. As he respectfully withdrew from the office, he was already thinking about how to flatter his way up the ranks.
......
"Just keep an eye on it. Don't pour too much energy into it," Lucifer said, sipping his orange juice and motioning for Grindelwald not to obsess. They already had more than enough on their plate, no matter what civilization it was, it would never outrank the Wizarding Guild in priority.
"Say," he added suddenly, "should we pass this information on to Dumbledore?"
He was very good at one thing.
Actually, two things. Aside from living off others, his real specialty was outsourcing. Any trouble, task, or headache that belonged to him, Lucifer'd toss it to someone else the moment he could.
....Now that his own people were already given a task, he won't bother others, the only one on this planet, he could think of was Dumbledore.
Grindelwald immediately caught on to Lucifer's intent. After a moment's hesitation, he agreed. Giving Dumbledore something to do was a good idea, better than having him stare at him all day.
Soon enough, he logged off to go bond with Dumbledore.
xxxxxxx
Headmaster's Office
The 'WhatsApp' on the desk kept vibrating nonstop, making it impossible for Dumbledore to focus. He sighed and picked up. At this point, the only person who would bombard him like this was Gellert.
Sure enough, when he opened the notebook, several more pages had been wasted, all filled with Grindelwald's meaningless chatter.
『Gellert Grindelwald』: Albus, I've recently recruited a new subordinate. Care to guess who it is?
Dumbledore's face remained calm, but alarm bells rang in his mind. He didn't reply for a long while.
Far away at Durmstrang, Grindelwald wasn't worried at all, he waited leisurely, knew Dumbledore well. On the surface, he looked composed and steady, but in truth, his curiosity was relentless.
He wouldn't be able to resist. As expected, faint words slowly appeared on the page.
『Albus Dumbledore』: No matter how many helpers you gain, the pact is already signed. The overall situation won't change.
Grindelwald chuckled softly and wrote back at an unhurried pace.
『Gellert Grindelwald』: I'm quite satisfied with the current situation. Why would I want to change it? I just have something interesting to share with you.
『Gellert Grindelwald』: Robert Graves. You haven't forgotten him, have you? He was like a homeless stray dog. I felt sorry for him, so I took him in.
Dumbledore's gaze sharpened, his heart sinking bit by bit. Robert Graves had defected to Grindelwald? That was like Scrimgeour joining Voldemort. Once exposed, the shock and panic would far outweigh most wizards.
The symbolism alone mattered 'far' more than Robert's actual strength.
And thinking about it without even needing socks on one's feet, Robert definitely harbored deep hatred toward Lucifer, and likely toward Dumbledore as well. Revenge must be on his mind at all times. Who knew how much trouble he could cause down the line?
After a moment of thought, an idea struck the old man.
『Albus Dumbledore』: Gellert, you admire my student so much. You know the grudge between Lucifer and Robert. Aren't you afraid he will take issue with you over this?
『Gellert Grindelwald』: Everything for the greater good. If Robert can bring me more value, why would I refuse him?
『Albus Dumbledore』: Forgive my bluntness, but I don't think he can be compared to Lucifer Morningstar.
『Gellert Grindelwald』: Then you're truly out of the loop. What North America is doing right now is rather extraordinary.
Having seized control of the conversation, he calmly laid out what he knew, tossing out details about Aztec ruins and fragments of information Robert had provided.
Just like Lucifer's provocation, this was an open move. Everything he said was true. There was no fabrication, or manipulation.
Even if Dumbledore wasn't moved now, the seed would be planted. He would start paying attention to North America without realizing it. And once disturbances there grew larger and more obvious, he wouldn't be able to sit still.
With that, Grindelwald decisively ended the conversation, leaving Dumbledore alone, frowning in thought, "Prehistoric civilizations... unknown sacrificial rituals..."
The old man sighed softly. "Why can't people just live peacefully?"
Pull one thread and everything moved. He had only just managed to placate Grindelwald, and now Robert had reignited his interest. To prevent the Dark Lord from obtaining power that could shift the balance, he would be forced to step in himself.
"What a headache...."
xxxxxx
Meanwhile, Lucifer decided to do better on Hermione's request of being her perfect sparring partner, he would also use her for further testing of magic.
Miss Know-It-All never turned down anything related to learning. So after 'Care of Magical Creatures' class that afternoon, the two of them headed into the Forbidden Forest.
"Hermione, stay calm," Lucifer said as he cleared an open space and set up several targets, "You can use any spell you know. I only have one request. Cast as slowly as possible. Even if you can do it nonverbally, try to perform the most standard process...."
Hermione didn't know what he was researching, but she nodded seriously anyway. After thinking for a moment, she started with the simplest Levitation Charm.
As the girl waved her wand, light filled Lucifer's eyes. Runes and arcs of energy flashed past. The world in his vision split into pure black and white, while the stray magic in air became the only shade of gray.
He didn't call a halt, so Hermione kept going. Thankfully, she'd taken plenty of potions before, and her magical reserves far exceeded those of her peers.
"That's enough, you did great."
Coming out of that strange state, Lucifer quickly supported the visibly exhausted Hermione, pulling the young witch into his arms. She shook her head lightly. "I'm fine. I'll recover after a short rest."
"Alright. Sleep for a bit. I'll stay with you."
He didn't give her a Revitalizing Potion, letting her recover the old-fashioned way. It was better for her body. Lying in his arms, Hermione soon fell asleep.
Lucifer, meanwhile, replayed his insights from earlier. As expected, wizards behaved very differently during the process of "exchange."
For the same spell, Hermione had to pay a higher price to achieve the same effect. That price was magic and the intensity of emotion. In the exchange, she was at a clear disadvantage.
Life settled into a calm rhythm.
....With a new research direction in hand, Lucifer's days became structured. Every evening, he set aside some time to dissect nature of magic. Most of his energy, however, still usually went into pregnating his wives, settling their physical needs.
The Great Hall of the Morningstar's palace didn't just house his court; it housed his fractured infinity. every bedroom, balcony, and bath acro----
To give his hundreds of thousands of wives exactly what they wanted, Lucifer didn't bother with scheduling or half-measures. He just tore himself apart, peeling away thousands of spectral figures from his own skin, casting them out across the---
Depths of Hell'
These weren't hollow illusions or cheap mirror tricks. Every single body possessed his actual flesh, razor-sharp mind, his memories, and the heavy, burning weight of his Celestial Soul. When a wife reached out, she wasn't holding a ghost; she was holding 'him'.
Looking into eyes that carried weight of the 'Fall', and she felt the exact, possessive heat of his touch.
He was driving every single body at the exact same time, Consciousness stretched across entire palace like a spider sitting at center of a massive, vibrating web. There was no lag, mental strain, or split focus.
Lucifer was fully present in every bed, murmuring exact right poisons into every ear, and matching frantic breaths of dirty words. The overload was 'absolute violence,' and he loved every second of it.
Every tick of the clock brought a crashing wave of pleasure straight back to his central nervous system.
Feeling the sharp dig of fingernails into his back in one room, breathless, quiet worship of a goddess in another, and the violent bruising grip of a demon queen down the hall.
....Thousands of distinct orgasms, gasps, and declarations of love hit his mind simultaneously, a non-stop deluge of heat and sweat. It was a non-stop roaring deluge of pleasure that would have instantly shattered any other mind, but Lucifer who was entirely intoxicated by the infinite paradise of his own 'flesh.'
Next came, preparing the Wizarding Guild. It was a massive undertaking. Not only did he need to set up branches across the country, he also had to prepare a temporary headquarters in Diagon Alley.
Temporary, yes.
He didn't think a cramped place like Diagon Alley could ever hold the massive organization that would one day truly control the Magical world. It was bound to be replaced eventually, so he didn't put too much heart into it.
As long as it looked decent on the surface, that was enough.
And so...
In the blink of an eye, Valentine's Day arrived. It happened to 'fall' on a weekend, and Dumbledore, in a rare display of generosity, added an extra Hogsmeade visit. Countless young witches and wizards were moved to tears with gratitude.
Of course, some people were grinding their teeth in rage. For example, the perpetually single. And also... Lucifer.
Yes Lucifer, he hated Valentine's Day on Earth more than anything. There was no way he could split himself up to accompany every girl right now.
So, he packed his schedule to the brim. In the morning, he went into the Forbidden Forest with Greengrass sisters to pick flowers, weaving them into 'floral crowns.' And he would still need to take them out later.
After lunch, he had a long talk with Tracey Davis about business plans and assigned her even more responsibilities.
Purely giving and protecting someone wasn't the only way to earn deep feelings. Sometimes, asking things of them and letting you feel needed, letting them know they had value, worked even better.
Beneath her cold exterior, she was the textbook example of a giver. She wanted to do more to help her 'fiance', not just be on the receiving end of his generosity.
That was why Lucifer had been steadily developing her business knowledge and experience. He'd already handed 'full' control of the payment system to Yorkshire Carrow, Penelope Clearwater, who were taking Davis under their wings, letting those negotiate directly with the goblins.
Once later two graduated according to their years, 'Mistress' Kanan's Magical Workshop' and his future commercial empire would all become stages for those women to shine, as long as you had the ability. It was no wonder Percy had been treating him with good attitude recently.
By noon, the little maid Susan prepared a lunch that at least looked edible. Since it was a holiday, Lucifer let her off easy. He listened to her complaints and dorm gossip, then gave her backside a 'firm' smack and strode off, taking Astoria and Daphne with him to Hogsmeade along with the other students.
"..." Hermione was crying tears of blood in her private quarters, no wonder those girls let her take him away for last Hogsmeade trip. She decided to pass her time ironing her nails which she unknowingly chewed.
The 'Three Broomsticks Inn' was guaranteed to be packed. Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop didn't have any three-person tables. So, Lucifer chose the Hog's Head instead, ordering fruit wine so the two sisters could have a small taste. He'd even spoken to Aberforth in advance to bring out a few low-alcohol bottles.
"BASTARD..."
"Albus that bastard, son of a bitch! He's forgotten everything! He doesn't deserve the name Dumbledore!"
Lucifer's arrival finally gave Aberforth an outlet. He launched into a nonstop tirade, cursing his brother with passion. After the initial shock, Daphne and Astoria's cheeks flushed red.
They were embarrassed by Aberforth's filthy language, yet oddly thrilled. Cursing Albus Dumbledore so openly? There weren't many people in the world who dared do that.
They almost wanted to write it all down and send it to the Headmaster. Aberforth however didn't just curse Dumbledore. He talked shit on Grindelwald too, and even harder.
Roughly at a ratio of one to one and a half. Sadly, Dumbledore couldn't hear a word of it, but that didn't matter. Lucifer was considerate enough to invite the other party involved, letting Grindelwald personally enjoy Aberforth's heartfelt verbal broadcast.
Inside the pocket space, Gellert's face was pitch-black. He looked like he wanted to fly straight over from Durmstrang and hand out a hundred Unforgivables each. Yes, not just to Aberforth. Lucifer was definitely on the list as well.
As the bearded Aberforth laid into him, this Devil sat there smiling, nodding along in agreement. Every now and then he even tossed in a curse of his own, righteous outrage written all over his face.
It left Aberforth deeply satisfied, as if he'd finally found someone who truly understood him. This kid was rotten to the core.
"Lucifer," Aberforth said at last, "tell me something. Why did you have to wade into this mess?"
This Hog's Head owner had his own sources, knew Lucifer wasn't just the witness to the final contract, but also the bridge between the parties, the one who suggested easing tensions between Grindelwald and multiple Ministries of Magic.
"You can't really blame me," The boy replied with a sigh, draining his glass in one go, "I know the Headmaster's always wanted peace. If I hadn't stepped in and given everyone a way out, who knows how far that 'war' would've gone."
'Peace, my ass. That was just an argument between lovers.' Aberforth's expression darkened, but in the end he still gave his brother a little face, saving and kept those old scandals to himself.
"Lucifer, I've only got one piece of advice. Stay away from Grindelwald. If you don't, he'll sell you out and you won't even realize it. Same goes for my brother. Keep your distance and focus on your own path..."
"Yeah," Lucifer said with an immense feeling of gratitude, and weary, "Dealing with people like Grindelwald and the headmaster is exhausting. They just give me... sigh~"
"Bullshit!" Grindelwald finally snapped, "Morningstar, I basically signed up to work for you for life, and you still slander me like this? Do you have any conscience at all?"
'Con-what? My vocabulary doesn't have this word, sorry.' Lucifer curled his lip, cut off the connection to the space, and went back to clinking glasses with Aberforth.
After a whole jug of wine, he had figured out that Lucifer was really just hiding out here with his girlfriends for some peace and quiet.
He slapped a "Closed" sign on the door with grand bravado, then headed into the kitchen to make dinner. Aberforth had always been good at taking care of people. His emotional intelligence was leagues above Dumbledore's.
Otherwise, Ariana wouldn't have relied on him so deeply back then.
It wasn't until the last permitted hour to return to school that Lucifer finally left the Hog's Head with two sisters. They'd had a great time gossiping today and heard more than a few of Dumbledore's darker secrets.
But you think his day ended there?
Of course not, he still had to accompany Hermione to the 'Astronomy Tower' to stargaze.
Even Hufflepuff girls needed their baby father's company. It was a blessing that Valentine wasn't at Hogwarts. Otherwise, there was no way he'd have survived the day.
xxxxxxxx
The heavy oak door to Lucifer's Room of Debauchery swung open with a soft, distinct click, allowing the glow from the hallway to spill across the darkened floorboards.
Lucifer stepped through the threshold, his large hands resting possessively on the hips of his two pregnant girls.
Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott, guiding their heavy steps into the warm room. The air inside was thick, smelling of expensive vanilla oil, musk, and the unmistakable heat of a long-awaited evening.
Sprawled completely naked on her back across the center of the massive canopy bed, Tracey Davis was sleeping soundly, her well-smacked arse was disturbingly red to the pulp.
Her chest was rising and falling in a deep sleep completely oblivious to the activity at the foot of the mattress.
Near the edge of silk covers, the night of Valentine's Day was unfolding in earnest. Madam Greengrass and Lady Bones were completely lost to one another, snogging 'fiercely' with hungry movements. Both were entirely bare, their heavily pregnant bellies pressing and molding firmly together with a fleshy weight.
With every desperate shift of their hips, their large swollen breasts would flatten and rub against each other, body shining with sweat.
Evelyn Greengrass, the 'Director of Magical Transportation's, fingers were digging hard into the enforcer's hips, pulling her closer as the woman's mouths tangled wetly, she was capturing low groans that echoed the bedroom.
'Slurp… mmmph…Chuu'
They were moving together with urgency, sending tremors through rounded profiles, clearly couldn't wait for the rest of the household to arrive, skin smacking softly in adjusting their positions to press even closer.
Beside him, Susan let out a soft, sharp intake of air, her blue eyes widening as she watched her aunt completely entangled with the Greengrass matriarch.
"Helga, they didn't even wait for us..." She whispered, her voice shaking slightly as a flush crept rapidly up her neck. Her breathing stuttered, sight instantly drawing heat to her chest.
While Hannah's knuckles turned white against the doorframe, her lips parting as her gaze remained fixed on the bed. "Look at them... they're completely ignoring Tracey," she murmured, her voice dropping to a needy tone.
Lucifer watched the display with a dark smile playing across his lips. Without a word, his large hands slid downward from their hips, spreading flat across the heavy, bulging contours of Susan and Hannah's protruding stomachs.
Rubbing his palms in firm, continuous circles over the taut skin, feeling distinct solid weight of his children resting beneath.
The sudden intense touch of his palms sent an immediate ripple through both girls. Susan's knees buckled slightly as a violent shiver ran down her spine, her hands instantly trapping his against her to hold there.
"Ah... Lucifer," She gasped, her head snapping back against his shoulder as the friction of his hands created a wave of arousal through her core, "Don't stop... right, it feels good..."
Hannah also let out a soft breathy whimper, her fingers clawing into his jacket as her hips involuntarily twitched forward into his possessive hold, "Mmm, your hands are so warm," she panted, eyes reflecting the wet spectacle unfolding on the bed before them, "Please... lead us already. I want to 'feel' you inside me while they keep doing that."
Madam Greengrass broke the kiss for a fraction of a second, her lips wet and shiny as she glanced over her shoulder, her stormy green eyes locking onto Lucifer.
"D-Don't just stand there lecturing, Husband," She rasped, her hands shifting to pull Amelia Bones' heavy arse back against her stomach, "Get your cock over here and help us celebrate properly..."
.......
Lying on his bed later, Lucifer let out a long sigh. The energy he'd spent today easily dwarfed what it took to actually study all day. As expected, women were the most troublesome magic in the world.
That was just his private thought, though. After all, only a handful of people were qualified to enjoy problems like the Devil's.
A new day dawned, and with it came Study of Ancient Runes class.
If Hogwarts students were asked to vote on the hardest subject in school, most would pick Potions or Transfiguration. The subject matter played a role, sure, but the professors were a major factor too. But at the same time, a small number of students would choose 'Ancient Runes.'
Not because they were special, but because only a small group had even taken the course in the first place.
"Class," Professor Bathsheda Babbling said from behind her podium, "today we'll be going over the 'final' word among the Foundational Runes."
She wrote, or rather drew, a rune on the blackboard. The few students in classroom widened their eyes, carefully copying it into notebooks, desperate not to make a single mistake. Only after giving them a full five minutes did Babbling begin explaining the meaning of world.
"The rune for 'world' is one of the most conceptually vast in all of ancient runes. Its function varies greatly depending on context. Broadly speaking, it describes space and time. For example, the 'Extension Charm' you're all familiar with contains the power of the 'world' rune, though modern magic has simplified it so it can be cast with an incantation."
"However, if you want to create a truly large space, you still need a proper understanding of this rune. At the same time, 'world' also carries the meaning of stillness. It represents stability, permanence..."
Babbling did her best to explain the rune using the simplest language possible, but even for her it was difficult. One careless phrasing could distort or overlook its true meaning.
It was just as hard for students. Every rune behaved differently in subtle contexts, and when you added the brutally strict writing requirements, it felt like listening to some incomprehensible scripture. Many were already planning to drop the elective next year.
Babbling knew that too. There weren't many students to begin with, and by fourth year the number would drop by half again. But there was nothing she could do about it. Some knowledge simply wasn't meant for everyone.
That was also one of the key reasons why wizards struggled to reach higher levels.
When magic was treated purely as a tool to be used, rather than a truth worth digging into, it naturally stagnated at the most superficial level of application. As the end of class approached, Babbling paused and summarized, "I've already introduced all of the Foundational Runes in previous lessons... By now, you should have a basic understanding of Ancient Runes."
"How to properly and skillfully apply them isn't part of this term's content. Over the remaining months, we'll be reviewing what we've already learned to solidify your foundations. Any questions?"
She asked out of habit, fully expecting the usual dead silence. Instead, a hand went up.
"Miss Granger?"
"Um, Professor," Hermione said carefully, "You just mentioned that we've finished all the 'foundational' material. I wanted to ask... do you know about the 'Vox Corporis' mentioned in the newspapers recently? Aren't those also basic runes? When would we get a chance to learn them?"
"Vox Corporis... It means the 'Voice of the Body'," Babbling hadn't expected that question. As both a professor and an expert in the field, of course she had been following the news.
Not only did she know about them, she'd been thoroughly shaken. She hadn't slept well for days. The other students remembered the article too. More importantly, it had been written by Lucifer in particular.
"So, how should I put this..." Babbling hesitated for a long moment before answering, "Miss Granger, what we're currently studying are Foundational of Ancient Runic Script. They are the most widely used and the closest to the magical language systems we use today....."
"Beyond that, there are at least ten other known Magical rune systems in the world. As for Mr. Morningstar's Vox Corporis runes, they don't belong to any existing system. They are entirely his own creation."
The classroom erupted.
Lucifer publishing articles wasn't exactly news. He'd been doing it since the 'first' year, so everyone was used to that by now. But creating an entirely new rune system sounded absurd.
The Runes they were learning, after all, were said to have been created by Odin himself after receiving the gifts of Wisdom and Inspiration. Did that mean he had already reached a level comparable to a god from legend?
"Surprised?" Babbling shrugged with a thin line pressed on her mouth, "You're not the only ones. I was shocked too, and so were my colleagues.... My WhatsApp hasn't stopped overflowing these past few days. To be honest, Miss Granger, I was actually hoping you could pass along a message to Mr. Morningstar for me, who had taken leaves of absence recently..."
"Ask him whether he'd be willing to join the 'Ancient Runes Delvo's Association' and give a few public lectures."
"The runes he's revealed are extremely profound. They use multi-layered, spiral composite structures, and each 'word' is a highly complex construct. You can't possibly master them just from newspapers or academic papers."
"As for the difficulty, well... if you graduate with Outstanding results in runes, you'd probably be qualified to start learning them."
Hermione's brain directly froze. She'd only asked because she'd previously tried to learn the Vox Corporis runes from Lucifer using her girlfriend's privileges and had been turned down.
He'd told her to solidify her basics 'first' and come back later. He didn't even have time to attend classes which couldn't give him....
Feeling a little resentful, she'd gone to the Professor to find out more. Instead, she was told that only students who graduated with 'Outstanding' marks in Ancient Runes would even be qualified
When the bell rang, Hermione nodded dazedly and carefully memorized Professor Babbling's message for her boyfriend.
Later, after the 'final' class of the day, she went to find him to pass it on, only to unexpectedly spot Lucifer in the entrance hall, deep in conversation with a white-haired, hunched elderly witch.
Dumbledore was there too, along with McGonagall and several other elderly wizards she didn't recognize.
He noticed her and waved.
Hermione jogged over hurriedly, he took her hand, clasping it, and then said to the old witch, "Professor Marchbanks, let's forget about me setting the exam questions. I've already got too much on my plate, and I really can't spare the extra energy. Besides, it wouldn't be appropriate for a student to write them anyway... Aren't you worried I'd leak them?"
"No, not at all," Griselda Marchbanks.
stooped. She didn't seem to catch the teasing note in Lucifer's voice and remained utterly serious. "Even if you did leak them, it wouldn't be a problem. Rune exams use almost the same material every year anyway. At most, you'd just be defining the scope of the test."
'Marchbanks.' Hermione repeated the name in her head, suddenly her eyes widened to the end. 'That age, talking about exams. Could this be Griselda Marchbanks, the Governor of the Wizarding Examinations Authority, the woman.... who had overseen the OWL and NEWT examinations for over a century?!'
And what had she just implied? Was she really asking Lucifer to help write questions for those two major exams?
Hermione's guess was spot on. The elderly witch, he was speaking with was none other than the legendary figure of British Magical Education, Griselda Marchbanks.
One of the Wizengamot elders.
The hunched old woman had celebrated her one hundred and ninetieth birthday just last year, and it had even made the papers. After all, many of the guests who attended her celebration were heavyweight figures in the British wizarding world, Dumbledore included.
Her reason for coming this time was simple. She wanted to invite Lucifer to serve as a question writer for Ancient Runes in the two major exams, possibly even Chief examiner.
Ever since the existence of 'Vox Corporis' had been made public, Lucifer's status in the runic world had shot straight to the top, completely uncontested. The logic was obvious, everyone else was researching runes, digging deeper into mysteries that already existed. This boy, on the other hand, was creating runes for them to study. They weren't even playing on the same field.
With someone like that in Britain, Marchbanks had no choice but to rope Lucifer into setting exam questions. Only then could it maintain their authority and relevance.
After all, when even a creator of runes says, "Yes, this knowledge point is worth testing," what excuse do you have not to study?
So despite Lucifer's awkward age and status, Marchbanks insisted he took the role. In the end, he agreed, mostly because he was worried the old lady might talk herself into running out of breath if he kept refusing.
Being an examiner had its perks anyway. His standing in both Educational and Academic circles would rise, and the influence of his published papers would naturally increase along with it.
Having achieved her goal, the old lady left in high spirits, with Dumbledore carefully escorting her away. A whole pack of elderly wizards followed along as well.
Dumbledore had to handle these relics delicately. Watching his retreating figure, Lucifer couldn't help thinking he looked a bit pathetic.
"Professor McGonagall."
He called out to her, stopping her from following the group. He'd meant to find her anyway, but she'd been blocked by the crowd.
"I have a suggestion. The other schools will be arriving soon, right? You and other professors could run some pre-competition training for the selected champions."
McGonagall's eyes lit up, she had been holding a minor grudge due to House Cup before which vanished when he procured Quidditch's, "That's actually a very good idea, Mr. Morningstar. I'll give it serious consideration."
"It's all for the school," Lucifer said casually, "But Hermione and Ginny's training can be left to me. You don't mind, do you?"
She laughed softly. At this point, Lucifer's achievements had already surpassed those of the heads of house. As for his strength, she needed no further proof. The barrier that had stopped Grindelwald last time said everything. What could she possibly be worried about?
If he offered to train everyone, she'd be far more nervous. She was afraid that if he got playful, he might push students too far.
After watching McGonagall disappear up the moving staircase, Lucifer turned back and teased his dumbstruck Hermione, "I'll tutor you this weekend. No crying, all right?"
The girl scrunched up her nose cutely, "I won't. No matter how hard it is, I'm not scared."
Lucifer wasn't doing this out of kindness, nor because he was overflowing with school spirit. He had neither. Truth be told, he was just petty. Those schools hadn't wanted him to compete, had they? Fine. If Hogwarts students grew stronger, their chances of winning would go up.
....And if that still wasn't enough to guarantee victory, then he'd resort to a few tricks outside the rules. That sort of thing was his specialty.
If you didn't believe it, you could ask the thunderbird he'd fattened up before, or Fawkes, who now ate so much every day he could barely fly.
"Lucifer, what was all that just now?"
Hermione asked softly, and he gave her a brief explanation of Marchbanks's intentions. The little witch looked even more excited than he did and dragged him straight to the Room of Debauchery to help her catch up on Ancient Runes.
He also wanted to train some high-level talent. When he'd created Vox Corporis, he'd only thought about making them usable for himself. He hadn't considered the overall level of the Magical world at all.
The result was that many people couldn't even reach entry threshold to learn them. He was counting on waves of people helping him develop "Wizard's Mobile" in the future. If he had to do everything himself, he'd be bedridden of exhaustion sooner or later.
It wasn't that Lucifer hadn't considered using memory magic to 'force-feed' knowledge into people. But unlike the situation with Hell's spawns, creating was like painting on a blank sheet of paper. Force-feeding memories and dreams into existing brains of humans was more like restoring and modifying a complex painting.
The difficulty was on a completely different level, it was also dangerous.
Otherwise, he would've long since used memory magic to boost the girls' magical abilities. Why bother teaching the hard way? As the competition drew closer, Professors grew increasingly tense.
Compared to rankings, they cared more about how the outside world would judge Hogwarts as a whole. This was both a showcase and a test.
As a result, lessons started to go off-topic, it was time for the Second Cleansing. Professors would be teaching normally one moment, then suddenly veer into something completely 'unrelated!'
For example, during a fifth-year class, McGonagall specifically called out the twins and warned again, that if they dared cause trouble while other schools were present, she would invite their mother to serve as Disciplinary prefect.
The threat drained the color from their 'faces' instantly.
Potions class was no better. Snape prowled around the room, staring darkly at every workstation. The slightest stain left uncleaned was enough to earn a verbal lashing.
"If you want students from other schools to think Hogwarts produces nothing but slobs, I couldn't care less," Snape sneered so loud, it could have exploded Neville's caudron, "But if my personal reputation suffers because of you, I swear that even after you graduate, I can still summon you back here and make you clean Hogwarts for the rest of your lives."
Neville felt like Snape was clearly talking about him. Strangely enough, he wasn't scared. If anything... that didn't sound too bad? Didn't that mean he was guaranteed a job for life after graduation? Besides Snape, he actually quite liked life at Hogwarts.
He's dreamt of teaching Herbology.
Snape, completely unaware that his intimidation had missed the mark, smugly raised an eyebrow at Harry and Ron. He then ignored Lucifer entirely and strode back to the podium to continue teaching.
The most unhinged of them all, however, was Filch. Now armed with a magnifying glass, he roamed the castle all day long, inspecting the edges of statues and frames. If he spotted even a speck of stubborn grime on a wall, he'd return with an industrial-strength cleaner and a bucket, scrubbing for hours on end.
Lucifer actually approved of that attitude. Whatever students thought of Filch, the man took his job seriously. His responsibility was maintaining a thousand-year-old castle, and he treated it as such.
Every weekend, the selected competitors were subjected to intensive training sessions.
McGonagall, Flitwick, Snape, and Lupin rotated through drills and lectures, pushing them relentlessly.
Having that many professors take turns teaching and throwing into live combat practice was exhilarating, but by the end of the day, everyone was battered, bruised, and mentally fried.
Susan even lost her temper with her fiance, Lucifer. Why did he only tutor Hermione, Ginny and dump her on the professors instead? After getting verbally shredded by Snape all day, she was practically questioning her existence.
Lucifer pressed her down across his lap and gave her a sound spanking until she finally behaved. Of course, discipline alone wasn't enough.
You had to offer a little sweetness too.
"Ginny you know already, I tutor Hermione... because she's weaker than you, 'my beautiful dark witch," Lucifer murmured by Susan's ear. His warm breath washed over her, leaving the girl dizzy, the tips of her ears turning as red as her hair.
"You're more talented than Hermione. By 'third-year' standards, if you handle the weight, no one can touch you... That's why I'm comfortable handing you over to the professors. Got it?"
"I... I get it."
"Good girl. Then go back and sleep. I've been really busy lately. When I have time, I'll deal with your arse properly, all right?"
Watching Susan skip away, Lucifer let out a quiet sigh, he really was a scumbag, he could say things like that without blinking. After scolding himself a bit, he felt better. Even Charmed her and Hannah's 'figures' to not get identified by Madam Pomfrey.
xxxxx
During the last week of February, Lucifer went to the Headmaster's office to request leave.
"Professor, Wizarding Guild is basically set up, but remaining work needs me there in person. I need to take about half a month off."
Okay, Dumbledore was taken aback. He hadn't expected Lucifer to move this quickly. After a moment's thought, he approved the request, but not without adding a condition.
When the Wizarding Guild signed a three-way treaty with Grindelwald and twenty-plus Ministries of Magic, Dumbledore had to be present. He was worried his student might get abducted right under his nose.
Lucifer couldn't help laughing after hearing this, "Professor, even if I didn't notify you, those Ministry officials wouldn't let you off the hook. If you weren't there, would they really dare face Grindelwald alone?Give it a few days at most. They'll come knocking themselves."
Dumbledore laughed as well, concern had clouded his judgment. He'd forgotten just how intimidating Grindelwald was on his own.
With his leave slip in hand, Lucifer openly used Floo Network in the office to return at Lux. He collapsed onto the soft sofa and started thinking, it wasn't just about the Wizarding Guild, he had to visit Underworld for the Seven 'Thunder Gods' Body Purification Ritual,' in other words, spend time with his wives physically.
Last year, he had visited Mato's domain to 'impregnate' his Demon Force Squad's Commanders, and their unit members who supervised the monsters, Shuuki, there leaving him totally drained, Lucifer again thanked his vitality, endurance, strength, ability to separate himself into parts to be with his wives, or they would torn his body apart to molecules.
Anyway, it's not like he was doing it for the 'first' time, it's been more than twelve billions of years, 'The Wizarding Guild' wouldn't make any major moves, but there would be endless minor issues. He could handle most routine matters, but needed someone reliable to hold the fort.
Lady Greengrass had been helping nonstop lately and was the best candidate. Unfortunately, 'Department of Magical Transportation' was a hereditary post in her family. He couldn't very well ask her to quit and start a business with him.
So, had to look elsewhere. After thinking it over for a long time, he landed on a candidate.
He pulled out his WhatsApp and chatted with that person for only a few minutes before suddenly sitting bolt upright, Lucifer changed out of his school robes, slipped on a trench coat, and stepped forward.
The world shifted, and he appeared in another part of London. He knocked on a door. It opened almost immediately, revealing Eustace Burke's handsome, unruly face, who hurried him inside. The moment they sat down, he couldn't wait any longer.
"Lucifer, tell me everything," Burke said eagerly, "What exactly do I have to do if I want to become the Guild Master?"
Yup, Lucifer's chosen target was Eustace Burke from his 'first-year.'
Rich, idle, bursting with energy, and well connected. Even if he had once been branded a disgrace to 'pure-bloods' after losing in a duel with a Muggle-born, Lucifer, his name had long since been cleared after people realised whom he lost to, and many of his old Slytherin upperclassmen and underclassmen had reconnected with him.
Even though he didn't interact with Burke much, occasionally heard about him from Yorkshire. This man's 'family' had almost disowned him, was being supported by her in lots of matters, Eustace accepted it at first, then got fed up, guilty, and useless to his girlfriend, he declined the rest.
This Burke family's heir had sworn absolute loyalty to Yorkshire Carrow. Of course, for all those advantages, he had a fatal flaw, a personality that ran too hot and too fast. That alone meant he could only ever be a stopgap choice. Once Lucifer had enough trusted capable people, Eustace would be eased out of real authority.
Not that he would mind, he had no thirst for power. If Burke found something that genuinely interested him, he would be delighted to shed responsibilities rather than pile on.
"Eustace, the early stage won't involve much," Lucifer explained patiently, "The Wizards' Guild is just a platform."
"A platform?" Burke frowned, clearly not following.
"Yes. A place for exchange, or for trade. If you have a need, you post a task through the guild. Missing materials, products you want to buy, anything like that. You can put up a request or offer a commission and let others handle it."
He immediately hesitated, cause it sounded way too familiar, "That just sounds like a shop, doesn't it? Your headquarters is in Diagon Alley. If you're already here, what can't you buy?"
"The difference is huge." Lucifer clicked his tongue, "If I wanted dried Devil's Snare, Venomous Tentacula, or Griffin's skin right now, could you get those for me from a Diagon Alley shop?"
Burke gave an awkward grin, "Well... that'd be tricky, even for my old man's shop." All three were restricted items. And British wizarding law had a very peculiar loophole. Selling most banned goods was illegal, but buying them was only a crime if you were caught in the act.
So plenty of things could exist in plain sight, yet no legitimate channels existed to actually purchase them.
Leaning in, Burke lowered his voice with excitement, "So you're planning to steal business from Knockturn Alley?"
"Please." Lucifer snorted at this guy's brain, always thinking of expanding his shop's influence, "They don't even qualify. What I'm talking about is the most basic level of trade. Later on, the guild will have a library, adult wizard re-education, intelligence gathering, even commissioned contracts from magical governments or castle-based ministries... Can those sewer rats pull off anything like that?"
Burke stared at him, stunned by the scale of it, then felt his blood start to boil. An independent, multinational organization outside the Ministry's control. It could do far more than the 'Mr. Borgin & Burke's' ever had, and it sounded far more thrilling.
He loved such things, Eustace could even convince his parents to use this as a way to come outside from backward Knockturn Alley, and do the business more openly, if it gave more.... Still, he knew his limits. With obvious reluctance, he said, "That's a massive operation. You're really going to hand it to me? I don't even trust myself to run it properly. Lucifer, maybe you should rethink this."
Burke's reaction matched his expectations perfectly. The boy smiled, "That's all down the road. Right now the guild is just getting started. There won't be much to handle... Mostly routine task posting and acceptance, all of which will be handled by clerical staff."
"As for you," Lucifer continued, "Your job is to find people to carry out those tasks, or take them on yourself. You'll also keep in touch with the guild branches.... in other countries and coordinate joint efforts."
While he spoke, he slipped the concept of mercenary work neatly into Eustace's head, who grew more tempted by the second.
He was bored out of his mind these days. Every day was newspapers, tinkering with Dark Artefacts at home, or learning new recipes to cook for Carrow when she came back from her work at Mistress Kanan's.
He had thought about getting a job. The Ministry had invited him too, but even being an Auror didn't appeal to him. He hated being restrained by rules and chains of command.
Lucifer's mercenary idea fitted him perfectly. Take jobs that interested him. Toss the boring ones to someone else, maybe even hear a few entertaining stories along the way.
"I'm in, I'm in!" Burke slapped his thigh and made the decision, "You're starting a guild, you'll need money everywhere. You trust me, so I won't let you down. I'll put in twenty thousand Galleons as startup funds. When that runs out, I'll add more."
That made Lucifer's eyelid twitch violently, Eustace was bringing his own money to work for him. Paying to be employed. It was... incredibly thoughtful. Employees like this deserved to multiply. 'Yorkshire had educated him so well, she's raising a rich dog....'
Lucifer handed over a list of requirements he had drafted for the guildmaster role. They agreed to meet Thursday at the Guild headquarters in Diagon Alley, and on Saturday they would visit Grindelwald together.
Gellert was now universally acknowledged as a Dark Lord. His style was far louder and more flamboyant than Voldemort's ever had been, yet his reputation was oddly better. Over three hundred Aurors had been captured, and only a little more than a dozen had actually died. By wizarding standards, that was astonishingly merciful.
Some of those released had even spoken well of him afterward, which only deepened the Ministry's fear of his talent for influence. That's why Burke was more than a little curious about Grindelwald.
Seeing the eager look on his face, even Lucifer felt a flicker of concern. 'What if Grindelwald sweet-talked Burke away? The look on Yorkshire's face would be priceless.'
xxxxxx
Thursday morning
Winter was slowly retreating from London's streets. The air had warmed a little, though dampness still clung to the city, carrying the smell of mildew everywhere.
The stones of Diagon Alley were slick with moss. It was a workday, and school wasn't out, so the street felt quiet. Only a handful of idle witches and wizards wandered about, browsing shops.
And from time to time, they glanced toward the brand-new building that had risen within the past month, curiosity written all over their faces.
For as long as anyone could remember, the most imposing structure in Diagon Alley had been Gringotts. Sitting at the far end of the street, it was visible from almost anywhere, and people often used it as a reference point to describe other locations.
But that might change now.
Right at the exit from the Leaky Cauldron stood a new three-story building, every bit as grand as Gringotts. Other shops had been forced aside to make room. The land itself had been expanded through magical means.
Aside from a small circle who knew the truth, most people could only speculate, waiting for the day it officially opened so they could explore it themselves.
"Wow."
Today, Lucifer hadn't just invited Burke. He had also dragged two old homebodies out of their houses to stretch their legs and get some fresh air.
"This place is enormous," Burke was standing in the widest hall on the first floor, looking up at the second and third floors formed, he saw a ring rather than full levels. From the ground floor, you could see ceiling and rows of dozens of rooms on each upper level.
"Still, you need private space," Lucifer said with a smile, "Unless you want everyone in the hall knowing what task you completed and what treasure you got in return."
Burke lowered his gaze and tilted his head, puzzled, "Wouldn't that be great?"
That made Lucifer go silent, he really was an idiot, just quite good in combat. Why talk about discretion and caution with someone like this? If Eustace had understood the value of keeping head down back then in first year, his life wouldn't have almost ended in ruin. 'No wonder old Borgin didn't let him work there....'
After the defeat at first year boy's hands, Burke had become a harmless puppy, which made Yorkshire to take an interest in raising him.
"Better not to flaunt wealth," Nicolas said smoothly, stepping in to ease the moment, "Do you have any idea what the bottom of the magical world is like? People can fight to the death over a single potion or a rare ingredient."
Burke understood their point, he knew shady business, but still muttered stubbornly, "I don't want to serve people like that."
Nicolas shook his head, exasperated by the naïveté, "Thieves, bandits, smugglers. They're despised and hold no status, yes, but you can't truly ignore the bottom layer. Every trade has its own survival skills, and they can be decisive... Didn't your father tell you all this?"
Newt nodded along, lost in memory, his expression soft with nostalgia, "If it weren't for those Portkey dealers back in the day, I never would have almost smuggled myself into every country with a Ministry of Magic. The only downside was that they kept raising prices, said I was too famous."
Lucifer gave him a look. Who said Hufflepuff couldn't produce Azkaban-worthy talent? Judging by Newt's exploits alone, he could carry the entire Slytherin house's achievements on his back. After being lectured in turn by the two old men, Burke finally behaved himself.
Then he continued providing the tour, "What you've seen so far is just the aboveground portion. There's also an underground vault..."
"An underground vault?" Burke was already marveled at the ground level, "You really did build this to rival Gringotts."
"Keeping money with someone else never feels safe. Half the time, the wages you pay out somehow make their way back to you anyway. Who actually trusts Gringotts' reputation? Much better to build your own vault. Store the gold... there and take it out whenever you need it. Come on. The staff are waiting in underground vault. Let's go take a look."
The moment he mentioned staff, Burke's attention shifted completely. He had already been thinking about this. A guild like this would need a lot of employees. Most of the work was clerical, and for a magical world full of chronic underachievers, paperwork was torture.
Even the Ministry struggled to find wizards who could write a decent report. If Lucifer were only opening one guild, that might be manageable. But he planned to open ten at once.
Nicolas seemed to sense what was coming. A knowing smile tugged at his lips, and he found himself genuinely curious about what the boy was about to unveil.
Rumble!
In the basement, he placed his palm against the door. Magic raced along intricate runes like lightning, and the heavy bronze door slowly swung open. Crystals set into vault walls lit up all at once, bathing the room in a soft glow.
"Merlin's beard!" Burke stumbled back two steps when he saw what was inside. Dozens of identical women standing in neat rows. They wore the same Victorian-style maid uniforms, hands folded over their stomachs, faces blank, eyes empty as they stared at the newcomers.
The scene was unsettling in the extreme.
They were Artificial intelligence units responsible for the daily operations of Guild's vast estate. All Dolls were wearing open-shoulder uniforms and bore a permanent physical mark of Morningstar's House Crest on their shoulders to clearly signal that they were non-humans.
"Coward," Lucifer said, giving Burke a disdainful glance, who bristled, his Slytherin pride flared, "I'm not scared! Anyone would be freaked out by this, all right?"
Nicolas and Newt both turned their gazes from the maids to Burke who immediately fell silent. 'Fine, it's just me, these old timers had seen a lot.'
Snapping his fingers, it made light flickered in the maids' eyes. Their expressions softened, and dipped into a slight bow in perfect unison to their creator, Lord Lucifer, "To the stars and the abyss. Welcome to 'Arkham Asylum'. I am Amagi Banfield. It is a pleasure to serve you."
xxxxxx
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