Abduction

- Yes, yes, I'm on my way," Ollivander, who had closed the shop just five minutes ago, walked to the door as soon as the clock struck eight p.m. "I'll be right there. - Who's there?

- I'd like to buy a wand from you, Master," came a muffled voice from behind a heavy wooden door covered with numerous Runes of indestructibility.

- It's bloody evening, young man," the old wand master snorted. - Come back tomorrow, the shop is closed.

- All right, mister... - The door rumbled, and a moment later the heavy wooden door flew off its hinges, just barely missing the owner of the house.

- What do you want?! - Ollivander exclaimed, pointing his wand at the unexpected visitor. - Get out!

Instead of answering, the stranger attacked swiftly. The wand-maker easily fought off the first spell, and even tried to counterattack, but was unsuccessful - the stranger quickly shortened the distance, simply hitting the old man in the face with his fist.

- You see, Maestro, I do need a new wand," he grinned, keeping his hood on. - Or rather, not really me, but my... friend.

Ollivander grinned and looked intently into the visitor's hooded eyes.

- Young man, I have a son who will take over the care of the shop.

The old wizard's fingers crossed into a complex figure, and the old, old vases, abundantly placed near the entrance and along the walls, exploded simultaneously, piercing every inch of space with fine silver needles.

Christophe, turned literally into a writhing piece of meat, fell silently to the floor, right on top of what was left of the shopkeeper. Dumbledore, who had entered the shop, though without waiting for the signal, stopped on the threshold in shock, looking at the mutilated furnishings and the two bodies lying in a pool of blood. The walls of the room looked as if they were furred, so dense were the needles. Dumbledore shook his head sadly as he moved closer to the body, which could only be identified as Christophe by his clothes.

- Eh, Christoph, Christoph... How foolish to die.

A flash of magic sizzled both bodies, and the former Headmaster of Hogwarts headed for the back rooms where the now deceased Ollivander Senior kept his stock of wands.

Two hours later, an elated Dumbledore struggled to find a suitable wand, which had nothing to do with the Elder Wand he had lost, but was quite comfortable.

When he left the shop, Dumbledore easily cast an illusion spell on himself, hiding his true appearance.

- Are you sure you want to do this? - Sirius watched Flitwick concentrating on the third concentric Runes circle with some trepidation.

- I think it will be... educational," the half-goblin grinned mockingly. - Besides... I'm a little hopeful that the Eternal Lady won't leave favours to the one who burns the second of the three items she created out of the world....

- What makes you think that?

- The time for Deathly Hallows is gone, Sirius," Flitwick sniggered. - And besides, the Elder Wand is too much of a prize for adventurers and power-hungry ambitious people from all over the continent. Dumbledore, with his reputation, was a more reliable guardian for the artefact, and I don't want to tempt myself and those who will sooner or later come to Hogwarts for the Elder Wand with the assurance that I will use it for myself.

- You don't want to? - Black snorted.

- Oddly enough, no," the half-goblin said philosophically, continuing to work on the Runes circles. - I've lived long enough not to chase after a wand that's powerful but betrays its owner after the first defeat.

- Have you tried it? - Sirius asked incredulously.

- I couldn't resist the temptation," Flitwick grumbled. - She's really strong... I think I could argue with her on an equal footing with you or Harry, for example. But years of living away from my people with no hope of return have taught me to be content with little. So I've managed to avoid that temptation.

- You're strong... - Sirius stretched out. - If I'd known then, outside Voldemort's ancestral home, about the pebble in the Goths' ring.... I'm not sure I would have resisted that temptation.

- But you burned the Resurrection Stone with hellfire," the half-goblin grinned. - And for the Eternal Lady, it makes little difference how her gifts are destroyed.

Flitwick pulled an ornate snow-white wand from the safe and placed it carefully in the centre of the circle.

-It's a pity I can't call on students from my extra courses," he said thoughtfully. - It would be very educational... but also too dangerous, because there's a chance we'd attract Death's attention.

- Yeah," Black sighed. - When I was a Hogwarts student who had given up my family's powers, I had no idea that Death was a real... entity, not an abstract concept.

- Although one of your ancestors was a student of the necromancer de Troyes, who met the White Lady in person," Flitwick quipped without rancour. - You must have come across books written by both of them in the family library.

- I came across them after my escape from Azkaban," Black said thoughtfully. - And if it hadn't been for the example of my great-grandfather, maybe I wouldn't have dared to open those old books. And he was great... Unfortunately, I will be able to approach his level of magic only after decades of practice.

- I think, if the annals of the old families don't lie, Cygnus Black could fight even Voldemort now. - Flitwick squeezed his eyes dreamily. - I read about your great-grandfather when I studied the art of duelling at the turn of the century. It was still possible to get decent books in England then, and the Ministry hadn't banned everything, which made it possible to draw conclusions about the decline of magical science compared to even the nineteenth century.

Signalling to Sirius to be quiet, Flitwick sat down in front of the Runes circle, immersed in some sort of meditation. It didn't look particularly colourful to the dark wizard, the half-goblin just sat and meditated, and then the Elder Wand lying in the centre of the circle crumbled into weightless ash. With a quiet chuckle, Flitwick opened his eyes.

- 'That's it,' the little wizard smiled, as if he was overflowing with power. - I could probably roll mountains now.

- You've clearly benefited from the ritual," Sirius studied the half-goblin's aura with interest. - I feel like I have someone like Dumbledore standing next to me.

- I hope you're only talking about the level of magic in your blood! - Flitwick laughed, intoxicated with power. Sparkling fireworks exploded from his hands out the window, exploding with a rumble somewhere above the forbidden forest.

- Don't scare the beasts! - Black laughed frankly. - Hagrid won't forgive you for that!

- By the way, it's good of you to mention him," Flitwick squinted at him. - That man needs to be replaced...

- What's wrong with this half-giant? - Sirius asked, puzzled. - He seems to be doing his job quite well.

- He's a fine woodsman... until he comes across a dangerous creature," said Sirius dismissively. - I deeply respect him as someone who can find common ground with most animals.... But there's a colony of acromantulas a dozen kilometres west of Hogwarts.... A nest of poisonous snakes that this nature lover feeds a little further south.... Shall I go on? Even further afield, beyond the acromantulas, there's a small family of harpies that should wisely be sent to a nature reserve. Behind his bloody hut he sprinkles meat scraps from the Hogwarts kitchens in the winter, at the smell of which the most unpredictable creatures gather. I don't suffer from Dumbledore's pacifism and indifference, so Hagrid is best kept on a short leash, or better yet, removed from a position where he is in a position to harm children by the fact that his actions attract dangerous beasts.

- Do you think he should be kept at Hogwarts?

- Considering he's an unjust victim of Voldemort's actions even before the First War.... He should be rehabilitated, given a small pension, given a wand and sent somewhere in the mountains. And put a tracker on him to regularly check what other "cuties" and "animals" this lunatic will be feeding.... He's got an amazing talent for baiting all sorts of nasty things.

- I don't think Greengrass will mind," Sirius said thoughtfully. - There's money in the Ministry now, and Hagrid, at least, deserves a pension more than the greedy officials who were friends of the late Fudge.

- And some retired auror from the gamekeepers' units should be assigned to take his place.... - Flitwick said. - And give him a few trainees and operatives to help him for a couple of months.... Have them catch or kill as many dangerous beasts as possible - I don't want a repeat of the situation when four students were nearly eaten by acromantulas.

- What about the centaurs?

- I think we can make an additional treaty with them," Filius rubbed his chin. - They'll patrol the forest, and in return ...

- The rights of magical creatures?

- Exactly," Flitwick splashed his hands together. - You're going to push this bill through the remnants of the Wizengamot anyway.

- There won't be a Wizengamot any time soon," Sirius smirked. - The nation must be united in the face of this crisis.

- Have you made up your mind? - Flitwick smiled sadly.

- If only we could see a way to get the country out of the shit we've been thrown into by nearly a century of fighting between conservatives and radicals... - Sirius slammed his fist into the wall with anger. - Voldemort and his rebellion will seem like child's play if we miss another Muggle invention that can see Hogwarts, for example.

- Is there anything to counter them? - The half-goblin's eyes lit up with interest.

- If we spare no expense... However, it's not our merit, to put it bluntly, much earlier some of the long-lived....

- I think I can even name one," Flitwick grinned. - I had always thought that a man of such a respectable age should have passed away without a lot of fuss in the newspapers or loud proclamations from the Allies.

- Anything is possible," Sirius said quietly. - Anything is possible. Harry told me about it.

- Even so... So the Potters could be back in politics again. Harry's been recognised by the long-lived, and that's a sign of the power of the family.

- I was hoping it would happen sooner rather than later," Sirius' eyes sparkled. - James and Lily's son had grown up to be worthy of his ancestors.

A phoenix fluttered into the window of the Headmaster's office, but as the pieces of shattered glass began their journey to the stone floor, the bird fluttered helplessly into the black threaded cage thrown by the dark wizard.

- It's Fawkes," Flitwick raised his wand and took control of the cage from Sirius, pulling Dumbledore's spelt Familiar closer to him. - He's got a letter!

- This is getting interesting," Sirius opened the letter brought by the firebird in front of him with a sharp gesture.

"Dear Professor Flitwick.

It has come to our attention that you are the wielder of the Elder Wand. Since you are also a member of the notorious Alliance of Old Families, and therefore its interests are important to you, we suggest that you exchange the Elder Wand for the life and health of a female student of the institution you are currently in charge of. The life and health of the future Mrs Longbottom, and her half-witted father, are in your hands.

Christopher Tyler."

- Right. - Sirius flowed over to the fireplace in one motion. - Filius, is Longbottom in the castle?

- No... - After a minute of the half-goblin listening to the magical fields of Hogwarts, Flitwick answered.

- 'Augusta, urgent,' Sirius yelled into the fireplace. - 'Come to Flitwick's office with Neville! Brown! Put your personal team on alert! Potter's Manor! Harry, to Flitwick's study immediately!

A couple of minutes later, people began to enter through the fireplace: a dishevelled and smoke-smelling Brown, a disgruntled Harry frowning, the anxious Longbottoms.

Flitwick, who had reread the letter carefully, placed the parchment in front of him and began to write a reply while Sirius brought the people who had come into the office up to speed.

The released phoenix picked up the sealed tube of the letter with its paw and drifted off into the distance, while the half-goblin concentrated, calling out to Hogwarts.

- Phoenix teleportation is now impossible within the castle grounds," he said after a few minutes, wiping away the sweat. - Hogwarts will not allow unknown people to walk around the castle as if they were at home.

- All the better," Black replied. - What did you write to them?

- That we're willing to exchange the hostages for the artefact only in person and only in the presence of Luna and her father. Otherwise the exchange will not take place.

Neville jumped up with an unintelligible shriek, Harry didn't look particularly pleased either.

- 'Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. - Lady Longbottom said slowly. - You can't make concessions with people like that, or we won't save our people or catch these....

- Exactly," Brown, who had been discussing something quietly in the through-mirror, broke away from the negotiations. - My men are ready.

- Now... - Sirius took a small chest from the housekeeper's hands and tossed Brown a finely crafted amulet that seemed to be woven entirely from sparkling strands of moonlight. - It will only be a hindrance to me during battle.

- Shadow of Dreams? - Flitwick raised an eyebrow as Brown gazed at the unfamiliar artefact. - How did it come to be so rare? There are only three in England.

- Voldemort has one, one was kept in the Blecks' coffers, and the third is said to have been burnt when the Meadows Mansion was stormed during the First War. I don't know where my ancestors got it from.

- All right," Brown gently hung the amulet around his neck and lovingly stroked the shimmers of light that wove themselves into the locket, then tucked it under his robe. - It would certainly come in handy.

The phoenix flew in through the ajar window again, flapping its wings with effort - the magic of Hogwarts was crushing the magical creature, robbing it of many of its abilities. Dropping a letter on Flitwick's desk, the bird perched on the windowsill, glaring at the crowd with beady eyes.

- This Christophe proposes that we meet right now at the abandoned shrine to the Sun north of Hogsmeade," Flitwick read. - 'Tell your master that I will come with my wand, accompanied by one person.

The phoenix flew away, and Flitwick sealed the window.

- So... - Sirius stood up abruptly. - 'Neville, Lady Longbottom, you oversee the overall operation.

Two through mirrors lay on the table.

- 'Brown, you go with Filius, and Harry and I will apparate the moment you use the Shadow of Sleep. Your men immediately hang up the apparatus and portkey block and hold the perimeter.

- Prisoners? - The Aurorat head's eyes lit up with a twinkle of anticipation that Flitwick knew well.

- No prisoners if they come to the rendezvous with the hostages. If there are no hostages, take them alive. Harry and I will also try to take into account... circumstances.

The haze-shrouded mage, beckoning his godson to follow him, entered the fireplace. Flitwick and Brown headed for the exit of the study.

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