11. A Helpful Voice

Buckingham Palace,

Dumbledore arrived straight outside the palace with a representative from the Queen's side. Buckingham Palace had started to hire some wizards now, since the queen found out about the curse. These people were registered as private security. However, they were not allowed to enter too deep in the inner circle of the queen because these people were allied to no one. They might even kill her if someone pays them a good amount.

Dumbledore was respectfully invited inside the castle. Queen also knew that this man was deemed as the strongest wizard at least in the British magical community.

She greeted the old man respectfully, "Mr Dumbledore, welcome to my home. Have a seat,"

"Thank you, your majesty." Dumbledore took a seat while looking around. This was his first time entering this place. But it wasn't anything grand. In fact, it was lacklustre compared to Hogwarts.

Soon, tea was served and the serious talk started.

"I heard about your trouble from ex-minister Nobby." Dumbledore started.

Queen Elizabeth II was 43 years old and Dumbledore was already 88. She had to talk nicely, without her pompous manner.

"Yes, he suggested some means to find this heir to the throne. I've heard that there is a book with names of all the kids in Hogwarts. I humbly request you to please look through it once. It would be a great boon to the family and the crown. We shall never forget this favour." She said in length.

Dumbledore stroked his long beard. "Hmm, Ma'am, how much do you know about magical laws?"

"Barely anything." She replied. Though she was getting a bad feeling.

"Unlike Muggles... I mean non-magical people's laws, magical laws are far more dangerous. Once broken, they can cause a serious penalty. All through the magic. The book of acceptance is something that even I don't dare to open. It gets read only before each year's term starts, to send new children letters of acceptance." He explained. However, he was not revealing everything. The book of acceptance could be opened but he'd rather not do it because there was no need to.

The world was not ending, the sky was not falling. So, without any major reason, he didn't want to break the rule of not reading kid's names before the letters went out.

"So you can not open it no matter what?" She asked with a sullen face.

"No, I cannot. But, maybe I can help you if you let me see the stone tablet." He suggested. In reality, he just wanted to see it to experience Merlin's magic.

The queen agreed and told her assistant to bring it. Soon, it was in Dumbledore's hands. He checked it from all sides and felt the magic used in it. It was still lighting up.

"Hmm, it is indeed strong old magic. Definitely cast by Merlin. I'm sure this stone tablet will not stop glowing until the chosen king sits on the throne. And yes, this thing shall curse you and your family to extinction if its decision is ignored.

"However, it won't kill you immediately. Only when you try to harm the selected king. So, you have no immediate threat. Also, if the name comes up while sending the acceptance letter from Hogwarts in the next few years, I shall inform you. That is all I can help you with." Dumbledore said in length.

The Queen had some relief now. "Thank you, Mr Dumbledore, we will definitely not forget this help."

"It was nothing. Now, I should head back to school. I have some work to do.." Dumbledore respectfully left the building and returned to Hogwarts.

Quickly, he called McGonagall to his chamber. "Minerva, starting this year, when the acceptance letters are sent out, I want you to check for a name with Pendragon in it. If it comes up, you need to inform me. I shall go personally to receive the student."

McGonagall was confused by this request. But she didn't ask. It was a simple task after all.

...

10 Privet Drive

Magnus was returning from school. It had been a few days since the schools had started. He got out of his dad's car and was bombarded by flashes of some journalists. But what shocked him was that there were even more than before.

~Why are they not leaving me already?~ he wondered.

"MAGNUS"

"MAGNUS" they shouted his name.

Soon, his father also came and stood behind him. "Why are you all still here?"

"You don't know, Mr Grant?" One reporter asked.

"What?" Adam inquired.

"Magnus will be awarded the George Cross. It was announced today. It was even in the evening newspaper." the journalist said.

~WHAT? Magnus... George Cross?~ Adam was in shock. He looked down at Magnus.

Magnus was also looking at his face, "Who's George?"

"MAGNUS MAGNUS... How do you feel about this news?" a guy asked him.

Then, Magnus gave a one-word answer. It was a word that he had recently learned in school. "Flabbergasted."

With that, he was taken into the house by Adam. Grace was already there. She was sitting on the couch, watching the television. Her face had the same shocked expression that Adam had not long ago.

On the T.V., the news was being broadcasted and it also showed a report about Magnus receiving the George Cross.

"What is George Cross?" Magnus asked.

Grace looked at him and stayed silent for a few seconds. Then she suddenly came to him and lifted him in the air and circled around happily.

"YOU LITTLE RASCAL. You have no idea how big of a news this is? George Cross is like the Victoria Cross but for civilians. This award is very hard to get. In the news, they said that the Queen will be awarding you personally and it will be live broadcasted." Grace revealed.

"Really? That's nice. Dad, did you ask about the interviews?" Magnus asked as he remembered Bobby. He was more concerned about this than the medal.

Adam nodded and informed him, "Yes, I did. I have a friend who worked for the public affairs department. He helped me set up some interviews. Including an interview on BBC1. Then there are also some for newspapers."

"Thank you... I will go to my room and start preparing for what I will say." Magnus happily ran to his room.

Once he was gone, Grace's face turned a bit serious. "Adam, are you sure letting him be on television is the right thing?"

Adam hugged her, "Don't worry, Grace. They will not look for our family history. Our records are also confidential. We are both military personnel after all."

"Hmm, I hope you are right. *Sigh* Okay, today is a special day. Let's celebrate it with a nice meal tonight." She happily headed to the kitchen.

But then she stopped and turned around, "Where do you think you're going, Adam? Come here and help me?"

Adam scratched his beard, "Heh, I was just going to the washroom. Coming, coming."

"Stop smoking, or I will kill you if something happens to you." She sternly said while staring daggers at him.

...

Magnus sat by his little study table. He had a paper in front of him and he wrote what he was going to tell the papers.

~Okay, I want them to want to know more about my deeds later. So I can't tell everything straight away. After getting the medal, they will surely come for me again. But I don't want us to be tagged as a greedy family so I can't ask for too much money. To earn maximum money, I need to give as many interviews as possible.~ Magnus decided.

When he was writing about the bus incident, he remembered his powers. He was still unable to understand how to control it. He knew that he could produce heat, but he was yet to know how to produce fire.

"Well, my hand should be able to do it. Maybe I should focus on it. Please come out, fire." He stared at his palms and reputedly asked fire to come out.

He waited for 5 minutes but nothing happened.

But then, suddenly a voice came inside his head. "You are the master of magic, Magnus, not the other way. Magic is a tool, use it as a tool. Never let it control you. The stronger your mind is, the stronger your magic shall be."

It was an old hoarse yet kind voice. It spoke softly to Magnus.

Magnus actually fell back from his chair in fright.

"W-WHO'S THERE?" Magnus asked. But no voice came this time. He asked a few more times but there was still silence.

Finally, he took a long breath and sat back on his chair. He again looked at his palms. "Hmm... I am the master? It's a tool? Like a hammer? Then it should move as I want it to move."

He focused on his palm again. This time not pleading for it. He firmly ordered it. Willed and imagined it to come out.

"YES," Magnus felt his palms become hotter. Expectations arose in his heart.

He silently focused. Then soon, there was a very tiny amount of smoke. "YEES..."

*POOF*

"NOOOO..." Like a fart, it just made a noise and disappeared. It was unsuccessful.

"Today there is smoke, tomorrow there will be flames. Yes, that's right. I shall practice it every day." Magnus tried to console himself.

But just then, Magnus had an idea, "I should be able to control my body temperature if it's just a tool. That shouldn't be hard."

Magnus then closed his eyes and tried to bring his body temperature lower. Soon, he started feeling cold, so he raised it a little bit so he wouldn't feel cold. But he still didn't know if his temperature had decreased.

He quickly went downstairs to his parent's room while they were in the kitchen and took the thermometer. He put it under his armpit and waited.

~Hmm... 110 was high, mummy said. I should keep it lower than a hundred.~ he thought.

After 5 minutes, he took the thermometer out and checked. It was at 99. "This should be good."

So, he ran to his mother to tell her. She was obviously on edge all this time, thinking about his health, thinking that he had some unknown disease.

"Mummy, look. My temperature came down." Magnus nearly shouted.

Grace quickly looked at him. She touched his forehead and instantly felt happy. "You're right. Let's check again."

Magnus again let the thermometer check. Soon, it was confirmed that his temperature was down to nearly normal. She hugged him and felt relaxed.

"This is such a great day for me. Go and wash your hands. Dinner is ready. I shall feed you myself," she said happily.

"No no, I will eat it myself." He embarrassingly replied and quickly went to the washroom. There, he looked at himself in the mirror. He still had a smile on his face. Seeing his mother happy was something that made him happy.

Then his eyes fell on the wooden locket on his neck. He was certain that it was magical. He held it with one hand.

"Whoever you are, thank you. Mummy is happy now." He thanked the unknown voice that helped him.

*BLINK BLINK*

To his shock, the locket blinked in blue light, as if accepting his words. Magnus' jaw was hanging. His days were turning weirder every day.

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Special thanks to *Douglas Flower* *Umar Latif* *Julian Rocamora* *Darrien Steely*

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