Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Scott Fellman.
Serena POV.
I glanced at the Final Repository as I considered it. I could absorb it and lie to Dumbledore about its whereabouts, about how Voldemort had completely depleted it during our fight. But… it didn't make any sense. The Repository was just a source of ancient magic, yes, but it wasn't anything truly impressive or that I couldn't replicate.
So it wasn't necessary. I moved Cia and conjured a Patronus before sending him toward Dumbledore. I waited a few minutes while I looked around, scanning the damage to the testing room. Every surface, from the floor to the walls and ceiling, was partially melted.
Some were still glowing red hot. Nothing remained completely untouched except for the Repository.
Finally, a burst of fire appeared as Dumbledore and Fawkes appeared near me. Dumbledore's wand was drawn, and he was fully alert and ready, before stopping and looking around in horror. Finally, his gaze fell on me and then on the receptacle, his eyes widening.
"The Repository." Dumbledore murmured incredulously, then shook his head slightly and continued to look around cautiously.
"Miss Snape... what happened? Why are we in the testing room beneath Rookwood Castle?" " Where is Voldemort? " Dumbledore asked cautiously.
"Voldemort is dead," I said easily, glancing at the repository. "He had been hiding in Rookwood Castle, right here, with an entrance directly beneath Hogwarts." I told Dumbledore with ease. He stopped and stared at me in disbelief, his face turning pale.
"In Rookwood Castle? In Feldcroft?" Dumbledore muttered incredulously. I rolled my eyes and waved my hand dismissively.
"Go outside if you like and see for yourself, just be careful of the castle guards. I don't want to cure you of a deadly curse again." I said dully. Dumbledore looked at me for a few seconds before disappearing with a pop.
Wait patiently for a few seconds before Dumbledore returned with an ashen face.
"All this time... he was in Feldcroft..." Dumbledore murmured incredulously, almost contemptuously, to himself. I shrugged.
"He was, he's dead now," he said easily. "Reduced to ashes by our fight," I said easily. Dumbledore looked around.
"So much... magic, dark magic, corrupted ancient magic, all together, but... There are huge gaps, as if... the magic was absorbed... eliminated, what... what happened here?" murmured Dumbledore as he looked all around him.
"Voldemort and I fought, it's as simple as that. He used demon fire. I used something better. He lost and died; I didn't. That's all that matters." I said easily. Dumbledore looked at me, unimpressed, before sighing.
"It's impressive, Miss Snape, to fight and defeat Voldemort without being hurt, after such a... lively fight." Dumbledore said slowly, and I sighed.
"I'm good at healing myself, Dumbledore. Don't forget I reattached the hand you cut off." I said slowly and emotionlessly. Dumbledore grimaced before sighing.
"Yes, I suppose so," said Dumbledore sadly. "So... Voldemort... Tom Riddle, he's really gone, isn't he?" asked Dumbledore, more as if trying to convince himself than seeking confirmation.
"He is. His Horcruxes and main body are all destroyed. He will never be a threat again," I said easily. Dumbledore stopped and looked at the repository as he sighed.
"I've really fought Dark Lords, more than enough to know they go out with a bang, not a sigh, but Voldemort... he just breathed his last under a cave, unseen by anyone. How... anticlimactic." Dumbledore said with a sigh, and I raised an eyebrow.
"Aren't you pleased? Should I revive him and let him kill a few thousand people? " I asked, rolling my eyes. Dumbledore grimaced.
"Please don't joke about that. My old heart simply can't keep up with your sarcasm," Dumbledore said dryly. "Especially since you're capable enough to find a way to revive him just to annoy me, I have no doubt," Dumbledore added, looking at me. I just smiled, amused, and didn't say a word. Dumbledore sighed. "Yes, that doesn't help," Dumbledore said. I chuckled once more.
"So, what do you want to do with the repository? Back to Hogwarts?" I asked, simply looking at the repository.
"This amount of power... of ancient magic, someone could do terrible things," Dumbledore said calmly. "Or wonderful things." Dumbledore smiled gently before looking at me. "What do you say, Miss Prince?" he asked, looking at me. I snorted.
"You want ME to use it?" I asked incredulously, and Dumbledore just smiled at me.
"It's useless to me. It was useless the first time I found it, when I was protecting it from goblins, nor was it years later, while I was protecting it. And certainly not when I fought Grindelwald. And it's definitely useless to me now." Said Dumbledore, shaking his head and smiling.
"And you think I have any use for it?" I asked dryly. "You can keep the repository and continue storing it beneath Hogwarts, I really don't care." I shook my head, and Dumbledore laughed.
"You never cease to amaze me, Miss Snape." Dumbledore sighed in wonder. I snorted.
"That sounds like an insult, Headmaster. It almost seems as if you really think very little of me," I said dryly. Dumbledore snorted.
"Really, looking for veiled insults in every word I say? Couldn't that mean I actually held you in high esteem, and yet you exceeded my expectations?" Dumbledore asked dryly. I shrugged.
"Please." I mocked Dumbledore; he just looked at me, sufferingly before sighing and shaking his head.
"Let's leave that aside." Dumbledore sighed. "Defeating Voldemort and not taking the opportunity to use the repository—you've truly exceeded my expectations, Miss Snape. Even so, there is something I must ask you." Dumbledore said easily, and I glanced at him sideways.
"I've already fulfilled all parts of my deal," I said immediately. Dumbledore just rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I know, let me finish," said Dumbledore easily. "I'm not getting any younger, Miss Snape," Dumbledore began.
"Wow, you have a fundamental understanding of how time and old age work in people; you truly live up to your title as Professor and Headmaster." I said dryly. Dumbledore sighed wearily, and I smiled slightly.
"As I was saying." Dumbledore ignored me. "I'm not getting any younger, and I certainly have no plans to live beyond my allotted time." Dumbledore sighed. "In the future, someone will come along, someone with the gift, like us, who will need guidance, who will need to be taught, who will need—"
"I'm going to stop you right there." I interrupted Dumbledore. "I don't intend to be a Keeper." I said with a grimace of disgust. Dumbledore's expression was impassive.
"I expected as much," Dumbledore said easily with a small, bitter smile. I snorted.
"Yes, after you fought me every step of the way, and even forced me to make an unbreakable vow just to get two basic books on ancient magic, it was hardly an indication of support," I said coldly. Dumbledore sighed.
"A few more of my own mistakes and regrets, added to the already large number." Dumbledore said easily. "Even so, I'm not asking you to be a Keeper, just... help them." He sighed easily.
"You say that as if I'm going to appear. Someone with the gift of ancient magic isn't someone who shows up every day. Centuries passed before you appeared, and then more than 80 years before I did, and I'm only an anomaly thanks to Voldemort."
"The next person may appear four centuries later," I said dryly. Dumbledore shrugged.
"Then, if you're so sure no one will appear, you'll have no problem agreeing that, as long as you live, you can help those with the gift find their way," Dumbledore said, his eyes gleaming. I resisted making a face. If I were a normal witch, I wouldn't mind making that promise, but as a Demon and a contractor, I planned to live a long life, measured in millennia.
"I'll think about it." I grunted irritably, Dumbledore's eyes gleaming brightly as he smiled.
"That's enough," Dumbledore said cheerfully. "You know... I could teach you... about ancient magic." Dumbledore said gently, and I stared at him wide-eyed before shuddering violently.
"Ugh, no thanks." I said, still shuddering, as Dumbledore gave me a blank stare.
"Was that necessary?" Dumbledore asked dryly.
"It's not my fault, just thinking of you as my Professor or Teacher gives me the creeps," I said mockingly. Dumbledore continued to stare at me before sighing wearily.
"You know, many would fight for the opportunity to learn from me," Dumbledore said flatly. I scoffed.
"Boasting? That's not an acceptable quality for an old man and a Headmaster," I said curtly. Dumbledore continued to stare at me without any emotion. "I'm sure none of them had the misfortune of meeting you in person," I said mockingly.
"Coming back to that again," Dumbledore sighed wearily. "I suppose apologizing again is pointless, isn't it? " Dumbledore asked. I snorted.
"Of course, I told you I'm petty and very resentful, I'll carry my resentment with me until you die." I said dryly, Dumbledore sighed.
"I would tell you to leave those emotions behind; they will consume you sooner or later, but it seems that you live and thrive on them," said Dumbledore dryly. I smiled broadly.
"Well, you're really starting to understand me now. Once again, you've demonstrated your remarkable powers of perception," I said mockingly. He just snorted.
"I'm glad you find my perception extraordinary, Miss Snape, but the credit isn't all mine. If you wanted to be more complicated to solve, you should worry about not being so... basic." Dumbledore said dryly, and I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"And here we go again with the veiled insults." Dumbledore snorted with amusement as he fell silent.
"I mean it," Dumbledore said once more. "If you'd like to learn about ancient magic, I'll always be available." He said it without a hint of doubt in his voice. I hummed.
"It's not necessary," I told Dumbledore. He just stared at me, waiting for me to continue. I just looked at him and smiled brazenly. "Who said I needed help to master ancient magic?" I said arrogantly. Dumbledore stopped short, his eyes wide.
"You-" Dumbledore tried to say. I shrugged, still smiling, then raised a hand toward the repository.
"You gave me the foundation, and I don't need anything else," I said with a proud smile. "I'm Serena Prince. I've modified and created thousands of potions and spells. If I have to learn a whole new branch of magic on my own, I will."
"Actually... It's much more interesting this way." I said with a wide smile, letting the ancient magic bend to my fingers, ordering it to move slightly before closing my fist and forcing it to emit a huge pulse.
Ancient magic wasn't something I used very often, but it wasn't something I neglected. The easiest way to describe ancient magic is... that it's an amplifier, in most cases.
A person did not have ancient magic innately; they could not control it like normal magic. Only a few had an affinity for using it, for invoking and manipulating it, but even they, including myself, did not have ancient magic inside like our normal magic.
No, ancient magic was the magic of the environment, the wild magic of nature. Those with the gift could manipulate it from the environment, invoke it, and use it to enhance their innate magic or to perform magic on a scale that is impossible for an ordinary wizard or witch.
It was like using natural lightning as a power source to run an appliance. It wasn't something I really needed daily. My magic was already strong enough; I didn't need any enhancement to it.
But it proved invaluable for enhancing certain… large-scale magic: especially rituals and defensive magic. Pentagram City and Distracted Globe were enhanced and empowered by ancient underworld magic, which nearly merged with the environment's demonic power.
That had helped make the defenses much stronger than I was normally able to create, and it would also ensure that they were more permanent.
"You truly are impressive, Miss Snape," Dumbledore sighed, almost in awe. "But I must warn you, ancient magic is dangerous if not used with care." Dumbledore cautioned, glancing at the repository. I simply nodded.
"I know, I'm confident in myself." I said arrogantly. Dumbledore just snorted and shook his head.
"By the way, since you mentioned it, should I call you Miss Prince, or Lady Prince, from now on?" Dumbledore asked. I looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
"Finally using my correct name?" I asked mockingly. Dumbledore shrugged.
"You never corrected me, I took it as tacit acceptance, and I had my reasons for avoiding asking you about it. I didn't want to upset you any more than I already have. If you had been upset by how I referred to you, you would have corrected me by now. You are... far too vocal with your opinions, and I doubt you would remain silent, especially if it were to insult or correct me." Dumbledore said dryly, and I smiled shamelessly.
"You're on a roll, Dumbledore, once again, you're right." I said playfully. "And... Prince, use Prince, it's... It's who I am, and it's who I'll be." I said as a smile grew wide.
My name wasn't something I initially thought about; both Serena Snape and Serena Prince sounded strange to me, so I didn't really care which one I chose. But that changed quickly.
Prince. That was the name I had been using in every world I had visited. I was Lady Serena Eileen Prince, Duchess of the Underworld, Prince of the Succubi, King of Pentagram City, and much more. In every world I went to, I was Serena Prince.
Snape… was something only the wizarding world used, and only a few people. My name had also been officially changed to Prince when Lord Black managed to get me the title of Lady of the Princes.
So… yes, I was Prince, and I would be for a long time. It was completely mine now, and it would remain so until the end.
"Very well, Miss Prince," Dumbledore said finally before glancing at the receptacle once more. "Since none of us have a use for it... I wish to release it." Dumbledore said, finally, and I simply nodded.
"Very well. If that is the Keeper's wish." I said dryly, and Dumbledore just nodded.
"A Keeper, it was supposed to be my job to protect the ancient magic, the repository, but... I didn't even realize Voldemort had stolen it and that it was so close to Hogwarts." Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "Once again, I'm not getting any younger. Something like this shouldn't exist. It's... a huge temptation for most people."
"Voldemort... Tom could have used the Ancient Magic for truly terrible things because of my carelessness. It's not something that can happen again," Dumbledore finally said. I just nodded.
"Do you need help?" I asked simply. Dumbledore just nodded. I easily lifted Cia into the air, and Dumbledore followed suit. We both began to wield our staffs with dexterity, weaving ancient magic and manipulating it at our command.
A massive pulse of ancient magic surged from the repository, launched upon the earth to be absorbed once more by the atmosphere. Then a second, third, and fourth pulse.
Ancient magic swept across Feldcroft in powerful waves and spread throughout the Scottish Highlands, returning it to where it belonged. The two of us continue to manipulate ancient magic to return it to nature.
After several minutes, the repository finally emptied. I could practically feel the ancient magic on my skin, vibrating in the air. I'm sure all of Feldcroft felt it; I was sure all of Highland would feel an improvement in the coming years, but there was something we needed to take care of. I'm sure even the Ministry sensed it. They shouldn't be long in sending the Aurors, or even the Unspeakables.
"We must cleanse Rookwood Castle. The pulses of ancient magic will not go unnoticed. Voldemort's protections will curse anyone who approaches the castle," I said without hesitation. Dumbledore nodded.
"You'll take care of the security? I'll make sure none of Voldemort's remaining followers escape and block access to the testing chamber," Dumbledore said matter-of-factly. I simply nodded.
"I'll break through the defenses and leave; you can take care of the ministry." I said dryly. Dumbledore sighed wearily.
"Well, I'll just say that magic woke me up, and I came as fast as I could. I'll let them search in circles; they shouldn't be able to get to the ancient magic," Dumbledore said with a sigh. I chuckled.
"That's your problem. I have a party to prepare," I said, smiling slightly. Dumbledore nodded before disappearing. I stared at the empty shell that was the repository. I hummed softly, considering taking the goblin-forged silver. After all, one could never have too many magical metals, but... it wasn't necessary. If I needed it, I could always create it.
I simply vanished, reappeared in front of the castle's defenses, and began working to break them down. I'd better finish this quickly. I had to get everything ready for the bachelorette party at Distracted Globe along with its grand opening.