Ch. 135 The Travers affair

The next few days were calm and fulfilling.

I spent time with the women in my life, making sure to go out with Susan and Victoria, while also having some nice talks with mother about school, friends, the future and some general gossip. We all just enjoyed our time as a family in the ways we knew how.

A fair amount of my time was spent between polishing the holy spells I had created so far and teaching everything I could to Victoria.

She was instantly taken with this new type of magic I had created and couldn't believe she was witnessing its birth. It was a good way to have time to ourselves, diving into magic together as ideas were bounced off of each other, letting our passion and curiosity towards the art flow freely as we researched possibilities.

In the end, we were able to somehow end up with what I would call an alchemical product.

Neither of us even studied the field yet since I am more interested in the manipulation of magic itself, shaping it to reach beyond those before us, and Tory looks into the path of the healer. But I think this is exactly why we had this result of ours: Holy Water.

I am not kidding about this.

That is the best way I could describe our brain child.

It is a mix of my own understanding of this field I am creating and Victoria's desire to embue its effects into potions. The result was almost a panacea.

We created a crystal clear potion, devoid of any impurities as pure light and Fire were used to mix willingly given unicorn blood, phoenix tear, mandrake root, a few more healing ingredients and even some Thestral hair. We were trying a bunch of different recipes in theory as we did so, using our immense amount of knowledge in the fields of Potions, CoMC and Herbology to calculate the appropriate amounts and needs of every ingredient. But the result was just something we couldn't really call a true potion.

My reasoning for the Holy Water to be an alchemical product instead of a potion is rather simple: it acts closer to the famous philosopher's stone or fabled panacea than a potion. The effects and abilities of this liquid are too good.

The first set of effects are when they are used as a potion, i.e drunk, as it clears any and all active potions, poisons, ingredients and even curses and jinxes from the drinker. That's right, it can completely cleanse a person from any residual effects one could have suffered from. We haven't done truly in depth tests about the limits of the water, simply because neither of us has anything severely wrong with us. My body is beyond human and Victoria's has been in almost peak human condition after being taught by me for so long, so nothing we can test at the moment.

You know, except for the fact that we did slightly poison ourselves to figure out the limits of the stuff. We only did it after we had the antidotes on hand of course.

And we might have mildly cursed each other during our testing frenzy, but that's it, and we both know how to reverse everything we do to ourselves.

It might also kill those too corrupted by dark magic, thinking the taints in their souls as something to destroy. But that only a theoretical conclusion.

Moving on from that little event, the secondary effects of the water are just as magical, as it is capable of cleansing a persons body of its physical and magical impurities. Yes this sounds like a wuxia nonsense pill, but that's what it did to Victoria when she tried it in her base state to give us a proper understanding of its effects on normal wizards. I am too far from normal to serve as a proper baseline, something beneficial or harmless for me might mean death for a normal person, so Tory is in charge of that bit. The end results were softer and cleaner skin, more flexible and durable muscles, stronger bones, improved neurological activities resulting in an increase of reflexes, strengthening of her senses and boosted thought process, a purer magical core with better replenishment rate, higher density, better flow and overall increase of quality and quantity. It basically made her into her best self, removing all the bad in her body and helping everything shine brighter as a result.

She did feel embarrassed at having to take a bath afterwards though.

But the last set of effects were what really made the stuff a product of alchemy in my mind. It was the fact that it affected objects as well.

We actually noticed that the water would give a sort of blessing to the tools we used to brew it. The cauldron, which was made of iron, had been nearly turned into steel as its carbon content soared and the impurities of the metal were removed and even signs of prior potions were scrubbed clean. So after noticing that, we decided to run some tests on what this stuff would do on different things and ended up with some pretty nifty results.

First was the afore mentioned purifying of metallic objects, but it also stretched to minerals. This means we can increase the value of natural elements by removing their flaws.

Second was the its ability to remove enchantments from magical items. This works in two different ways depending on the magic imbued in the item: neutral enchantments like anti theft, light, shrinking or detection are simply washed away, but cursed artifacts try to violently fight back against the liquids effects and result in some more varied scenarios, even if they always lose.

Lastly is an objects reaction against anything dark or truly harmful after being soaked into the water. The object no longer tolerates the contact of such things and actively removes them. When I tried to use the same tools involved in the water's brewing on something like devil's snare, it was burnt to a crisp. Any poison we dropped onto our tools almost instantly evaporated. We even theorized that it might actively harm any dark creatures like Vampires, Dementors and Acromantulas.

So in the end we decided to really call it Holy Water due to its appearance and effects, making us laugh a bit at the fact that the Vatican can eat its heart out after a wizard and a witch created actual holy water. We also decided to announce it as a our joint project at a later date.

The water was basically all we could focus on for an entire week. Meaning our holiday was coming to an end soon. But before it did, two pieces of news arrived through Owl mail: one from St. Mungo's and the other from one Travers family.

St. Mungo's was actually writing to Tory about her treatment for magical torture and the previously untreatable damages it could do to a person, and I do mean previously since i am 100% certain her ideas would work after reading them.

They talked about the positive development of the Longbottom couple, mentioning improved retention, recovering memories and increased awareness. The first steps were already completed, but they wanted her to come in person since no one knows this process better than she did. So I helped her talk to the Headmaster about this, resulting in an agreement that as long as she gets permission from Snape and that her grades and homework remain consistent she would have every right to go.

And although Snape is a complete git to everyone outside his house, with a particular dislike against me, for whatever reason, and Harry, he will most likely easily permit Victoria's visits to the magical hospital.

The second piece was from Victoria's house, but addressed to me.

'To Lord Bones,

You're honest and upfront attitude towards this daughter of ours has shown me the benefits of allying with you.

The show of your strength has also convinced me you are a true wizard of proper descent, casting off any disadvantages your fathers mistakes might have inflicted into you.

Victoria shall be yours to do as you please with and House Bones shall be an ally of our esteemed House Travers, ushering both of our houses to further glory.

But do be warned that you will hold no claim towards any of House Travers. The true heir is still my younger brother and he will inherit everything once his sentence in Azkaban is complete and I die. Whatever children the two of you might beget will be under your own house, receiving nothing from us but our noble blood.

From your new ally,

Wilhelm Travers.'

"That bloody fucking bastard!" Shouted a pissed of Victoria after she finished reading the letter from over my shoulder.

"Yeah, gotta agree with you there. Basically says thanks for the money, even if you beat a dragon your mother was still a mudblood whore and your father a traitor, you can do whatever to my own daughter, and fuck anything that comes out of her because we have better blood than you. Not exactly the best in-law I have there." I said as I agree with the fuming woman.

"That's all he thinks of me!? And he even has the gall to basically remove any of my future children from the family! This is un-fucking believable! Why does he go so far against me? Because I'm a woman? I'm better than anyone other than you in our generation and i still only amount that a bargaining chip because I don't have a fucking cock!" She continued to shout as she vented.

"And the part about your uncle being the heir is absolutely insane. This is a convicted Death Eater who's been tortured by Dementors for over a decade and he thinks the guy will properly manage House Travers? Completely delusional. He's literally strangling his own lines future with his own hands." I add as I throw the letter on my desk.

"He can't see anything clearly since his head is stuck up his own ass as he looks for that superior blood of his." Snorted Victoria as she glared disdainfully at the letter.

"So what do you want to do love? I know you had so reservations about doing anything against the man before, but we know he's the reason or at least part of the reason for your mother's current condition, he is obviously a blood supremacists, he'll never let you inherit anything and he basically treats you like a pawn. Even if you still don't want to do anything, I can't let such a piece of shit do whatever he wants anymore. Not when it hurts you." I declare with determination as I look at her.

"Hmph. Like that bastard can even do anything to me anymore. He's so freaking pathetic. I'm sure I could beat him down with ease since 5th year, but the law wouldn't let me. Now that I'm going to be part of the Bones family and the shot stain agreed, I can really start to bring him to his knees. The only thing I want to do is wait for graduation and my mother, after that I'll make sure that walking tile of dragon dung suffers." She venomously responded with fire in her eyes.

"If that's how you want to handle it. But has your now official fiancé and future husband, it would only be right to offer you my ressources to do so wouldn't it?" I said back with a devilish smile.

"And how would your stuff help? I know you're pretty much the richest person in Britain, but you can't get everything done with just money." She questioned as she looked at me with some confusion.

"Well I don't blame you for not remembering since you were a bit busy when I was reading my reports." I said with a sly wink, making the girl smile and blush a bit. "But I have more than just businesses my dear. You did read about my ties in law enforcement, but you didn't see the parts where i also have connections in the Auror department as well as the Hit-Wizard's. It seems like you also forgot the part about my own information network imbedded within the ministry and in many important households and businesses. And most importantly, I have a group of less than legal problem solvers under me"

"You have Aurors under you?" She exclaimed in surprise, mostly because it's one of the departments under my own aunt.

"Yup. Even got some people in the department of Mysteries if you're ever curious." I answered with an amused smile.

"How in the world did you pull that one off?" She asked as her eyes widened.

"I've got a great spymaster." I simply answered.

"Wait, a second. Let's backtrack for a moment. What do you mean by less than legal problem solvers?" She then asked as she realized something.

"I may or may not have a group of highly skilled mercenaries that I trained up and let loose in the wizarding underworld. And this group might have helped me get ride of some darker elements in our country." I answered with a cold smile this time.

"You don't mean... you've got your own assassins?" Tory asked in disbelief.

"You could call them that." I simply answered as I looked straight into her eyes.

"But why? I get the information network, but why would you have your own hit squad Aedan? This isn't like you." She asked as she looked at me like I was a different person.

"Because sometimes someone needs to remove the poison in society by shedding blood. Too many good people died during the last war while they actively protected the evil. Now those who would not hesitate to return to how they acted during the first war are simply free to keep on hurting and killing others simply because of who's vaginas they can out off. And I am simply not naive enough to think they will simply change their ways. They've had their chances, now it's time for someone to do something productive or wizards will have no future." I answered with determination in my voice impossible to mishear.

"But you always talk about wanting a better world for our kids." She tried to understand.

"That's why I'm the only one who will do it. Everything will be on me. But the justice system is far too broken to give true justice. They care far too much about old blood and money. Even Dumbledore protected these monsters in some naive hope that they would repent. The man forcibly locked up the person responsible for the mass killing of children through rituals and my own torturer for merlin's sake, that tells you just how pathetic the system is.

And the only reason I haven't done anything against your family and the Malfoy's is because you are my love and a true noble, and I still hope Draco can at least change his path enough to not become his father." I replied with a steeled look on my face.

Tory hesitates after she hears my own reasoning. She knows all too well how many Death Eaters got away and are still very much holding onto their beliefs and are trying to pass it to the next generation. She had to call a few of them uncle and aunt.

"I will leave a better world behind, but this clash needs to be done first or we will always be stagnating with the rest of them. No one has truly punished these people, so I will. I don't care what Dumbledore thinks, not the ministry, and not even mother when it comes to this.

These people need to be culled or broken. They need to realize that they are nothing but some deluded fools and that the world has changed. I will always be doing what I can to better the magical world by cultivating the future, but I must also get rid of the rotting roots.

Also, I was just offering you everything I have. You can just get him locked up." I simply add before I finish my explanation.

After a few minutes of silence, she finally looks at me with determined eyes.

"I realize that the man I called a father is abhorrent. He was a Death Eater. He's a blood supremacist, a racist and a sexist piece of trash. He beat me for a long time you came into my life and most likely broke my mother. I hate the bastard, but I won't kill him. That's too easy. I will slowly make him lose everything he thinks is important and watch him break piece by piece. And only then will I send him to Azkaban.

I don't truly agree with what you've done, but I understand and won't stop you. As long as you are you and we support each other, I will be by your side." She finally answered.

"You will always have my support Tory." I softly answer as my body relaxed from its tense state. "I'll give you access to my full information network. Anything you need, you'll get. Let's bring back your mother and break the bastard."

I then get up from my seat and walk over to her, hugging the young woman in front of me.

"I am sorry for having such a side, but I promise to only use it when absolutely necessary. I am still and always will be your Raven alright?" I gently say as I envelop her in my embrace.

"And I will always be your Queen." She answered as she hugged me back. "Just don't go where I can't follow."

"I promise."