Chapter 46 - 46. THE ROUND TABLE
Magnus later returned to Hogwarts with Dumbledore. He said goodbye to the Headmaster's and went to the Slytherin Dungeon.
As soon as he entered the common room, everyone stopped talking and looked at him. Lucius was back but had a plaster on his one arm.
Magnus particularly looked into Lucius' eyes. He noticed the surprise in them. ~So he knew about the attack.~
Magnus walked towards the dorm room. In his way, like always, he greeted Narcissa with a kind smile. "Good evening, sister..."
He proceeded to his room, ignoring Lucius. Inside he found Snape and Ragnar at their study tables.
"Hah, just as I had imagined. A room of bookworms." Magnus said.
Both Ragnar and Snape closed their books and ran up to him. Ragnar had an excited face, "So, what happened?"
*Sigh*
"A lot. I will tell you from the start. Yes, my heritage has been confirmed. Not just that, I am slightly related to Dumbledore too, from a squib bloodline. Next, I am filthy rich. Third, we were attacked by Death Eaters. It was a big and bloody fight. Auror Moody lost his leg and 4 more Aurors died." Magnus revealed.
"They probably decided to do it after what happened yesterday. Malfoy must have passed the news that you come from a muggle family." Snape guessed.
"I am likely to believe that it was him, but it is near to impossible to prove it in front of anyone. Oh, I forgot, I brought some chocolates for you two. Now, I gotta go and write a letter to my family." He went to his study table and sat down. While his two friends ate chocolates.
Snape was still his grumpy self with most people, but he was a bit friendly with Magnus and Ragnar.
When Magnus sat by his study table, the voice of Merlin came from the invisible portrait, "Did somebody die?"
Magnus just nodded as he continued writing.
"Did they die by your hands?" Arthur inquired.
Magnus nodded again and replied in whispers, "They tried to kill me first though."
Arthur felt bad for him, "Hmm, that doesn't make it any easier just shrugging that you took away someone's life. I would have given you a good hug but you know... I'm dead and a painting."
"I know, I am just trying not to think about it," Magnus replied.
Merlin quickly spotted a flaw in his idea, "No, Magnus, do not suppress the thoughts. That would make you a cold-blooded murderer. Instead, just accept the fact that someone died by your hands, and try to understand what lead to the situation. Magnus, someone dying is not the problem, but what led them to get to that point in time is. Remember, the more you understand them, the more you will know what the wizarding lacks.
"Now, I recommend you talk with your friends about this. That Ragnar boy also had a tragic past, he sometimes cries silently in his bed at night. That boy, Severus, calls for his mother and opposes his father in sleep."
Arthur added, "They too, are going through some mental problems like you, son. But, you have a greater intellect, so, you are in the best position to help them."
Magnus nodded, "I understand what I must do now. Thanks, you two... by the way, Hope and Despair were nice swords."
"HAHA... thank you." Arthur laughed.
Merlin stopped him, "I was the one who enchanted it, so I should get the credit."
"HUH... over my dead body." Arthur raged.
"You're already dead," Merlin replied.
Magnus ignored them and wrote his letter. He was also expecting a letter from his parents. Once done, he closed it in an envelope to drop it near the owl station later.
He went to Snape's bed and joined the two in eating the chocolates.
"Guys, I have something to confess to you." Magnus started. The two got attentive, seeing he was not in his usual fun face.
"I killed 2 people today. I am thinking about them, It feels weird that I ended two lives, who had been living for years. The people who knew them will never get to see them again. I don't know if killing is the right thing to do, but I do feel a bit... strange." Magnus revealed.
Snape and Ragnar were taken aback. But Ragnar then patted Magnus' shoulder. His eyes turned sad. "You did right. Let me tell you a story, Magnus. Once, there was a family, they were purebloods, but they did not follow the pureblood supremacist theory. They were happy and rich. They saw muggles as nothing but people without magic.
"Then, one day a man knocked on that home's doors asking to talk to the patriarch of the family. He seemed kind and unharmful, so they let him in. He had two more people with him.
"They called themselves the Slytherin gang. The family thought they were school friends or something. But in the middle of the night, screams resounded in the whole house.
"A 5-year-old boy was quickly hidden inside the cupboard by his mummy. She told him to promise her not to make a noise no matter what.
"The boy did as asked and stayed inside the cupboard. He could still faintly see what was happening outside. His mum had taken her wand and got ready to attack the perpetrators.
"Then, the door opened with a blast and three curses came with it. Immediately disarming the woman and binding her.
"For the little boy, this was enough to cry out, but he remembered the words of his mother. He did not speak. He did not make a single sound, as the three men tortured her. Did things to her body, taking turns, doing things that one cannot say out loud.
"But, she was brave. She didn't scream, so as to not scare the child, secretly hidden. They did as they liked, while shouting "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO BLOOD TRAITORS... THIS IS THE RESULT OF OPPOSING US."
"Their identities were discovered by the child when they called themselves Death Eaters, a term no one was familiar with back then.
"But, seeing no end to their torture, the woman for the last time, secretly looked at the cupboard. Tears fell from her eyes, as if the eyes of the two met, even with the wooden door in between them. She then took out a small knife from under the bed and slit her own throat.
"The three men laughed as she choked on her blood, and left after that as they had done what they had come to do. The boy then finally got out of the cupboard and tried to wake his mother.
"But her eyes wouldn't move. He cried that night. He fell asleep in the blood of his mother, hugging her cold body.
"The next morning he woke up and looked for other members of his family. But all of them were found dead in painful ways. Some nailed to the walls, some skinned, some beheaded. In every room, the word "BLOOD TRAITORS" was written, with the blood of the family members.
"Scared, sad and confused. The boy went back to his mummy's body. Curled himself into a ball and silently stayed there, be her body, imagining she was hugging him." Ragnar's voice was choking by now. Magnus and Snape were not dumb to not understand who this boy in the story was. They felt so bad for him.
Ragnar soon continued, "2 days later, when people noticed no activity in the house, they informed the Ministry. They sent Aurors to the house. They vomited when they saw the situation. It was one of the most heinous crimes ever committed in magical Britain. The whole family was murdered. All except one, they found a thin, frail child.
"The child was in such deep trauma that he did not speak for a full year. He just read books silently with no expressions on his face. The case of the murder was never investigated, never made public. No trials were held. The ministry, in an effort to keep its image clean, hid the case under bundles of other files because of how gruesome it was. Justice never came and the child was made to live in a Ministry protected house.
"The child would have stayed broken if not for the laughing tall, white-haired old man who came out of nowhere, as the ministry appointed Guardian.
"The old man only demanded to be called Grandpa. Then, he healed the child, he repaired the wires that had broken in his mind and taught him the art of potions. But before the boy turned 11, the old man passed away, silently, smiling in his rocking chair, but the night before, he had told the child that his work was done, and he must return to his duties.
"The boy did not mind. But politely thanked him, because even he knew that this Grandpa didn't come from the ministry. But before the old man left, he did give one unforgettable thing, a special talent in making potions, that none have in the world. The ability to predict what the results would be while making potions.
"Since the day the boy joined Hogwarts, he started looking for the three men who came to his family that night, demons under human skin. He wants to avenge his family, make them regret ever even thinking of committing those crimes. Make them beg for mercy and not give it.
"Their names were. Rodolphus Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange and Tom Marvolo Riddle. The first two are confirmed Death Eaters, the most trusted of the dark lord. But the third name remains a mystery."
Magnus actually shed a tear for his new friend. Even Snape had his eyes numb, what was going on in his head was still a mystery though.
Ragnar then looked at Magnus with stern eyes. "You did nothing WRONG! Those animals kill people just for the sake of entertainment or blood. They have no right to live."
Magnus nodded, "Indeed, such people belong to the depths of hell."
"But forgive me, Magnus." Ragnar suddenly apologised.
"For what?" Magnus asked back, he was confused.
Ragnar couldn't look him in the eyes. "I-I... From the moment your name was announced. I knew who you were. I knew how powerful you'd be, in all aspects. So, I planned to befriend you. I acted all weak and pitiful so you might take me under your wing. And you did.
*Sigh*
"But I can't. You are too kind, Magnus, you help people for no reasons, totally opposite of those demons and you remind me of my laughing Grandpa who helped me. I can't fool a person like you, how would I show my face to mummy in heaven. So, it's okay if you want to break this friendship. I'm not worthy of it. I will leave this room tomorrow." Ragnar said with a sad voice. Magnus was actually his first friend ever and now he felt bad for using him.
But Magnus all of a sudden laughed, "Haha, come here you..."
He gave a brotherly hug to Ragnar. "Use me all you want, I don't mind...ah...that came out wrong didn't it?"
"Hahahaa...."
"Hehe..."
This made Ragnar and Snape laugh out loud.
Magnus then looked at Snape and dragged him to join him and Ragnar to join shoulders as if they were planning for a football match.
Magnus spoke, "Ragnar, you are my friend, I don't care about your past or future. Even if you were faking and acting, you can fake a laugh. I heard you sharing those with me. You too, Severus.
"I will be strong and powerful in the future, you two will be too. Today, we should promise to be brothers forever and like a family, always have each other's back. Also, death to all Death Eaters and Voldemort. Don't worry, Ragnar, we'll find this Tom Riddle too. Snape, I know about your personal problems with your family. I can help you get your mother to re-enter the Prince family. Talk to her someday."
Snape, with a warm feeling in his cold heart, never felt before, realised how great it is to have good friends. Till now, only Lily was his friend, but even with her, he couldn't share everything. He also avoided her as people called him names and walking with her would put her in a bad light.
His cold heart was due to his family, especially his father. If his mother could really return to her family, it would be very calming. He worries for her after all.
"Thank you..." Snape said, with a rare smile.
"Ayyye... Look at that smile on Snape's face, he's red." Magnus joked.
Ragnar chuckled, "Well, that's still better. Look at your own face, all dirty. We knew something bad had happened out there, but we didn't ask."
Magnus put his shoulder around the two's neck, "Well, sorry for that. I was being a bit too depressed. Right, brothers, from now on, we shall be the top students of this school, well except for a few subjects. Let's call this group ummm... Something secret to us three... And no matter what, we will never betray each other, always look out for each other.
"YES... I know, let's call it... THE ROUND TABLE!" Magnus announced.
"What? Like the one King Arthur had?" Snape asked with interest.
Magnus nodded, "OF COURSE, I am the heir of Arthur and Merlin both so it's cool. I will even knight you two when I become the king."
Ragnar had sparkles in his eyes, "Woah... Are we going to expand it later and make it like the Knights of the Round Table?"
Magnus liked the idea, "Why not, but we shall be super secretive and careful while inducting members. There is one more friend of mine, my best friend/brother, Bobby. Let's add him too."
"Is he trustworthy?" Snape asked.
"With my life..." Magnus replied in a heartbeat.
"LET'S DO IT THEN!" Ragnar cheered. They all took a chocolate piece and ate them as a substitute for clanking drinks.
...
On the wall, Arthur and Merlin saw the scene with a big smile.
Arthur spoke dreamily, "Are we witnessing the beginning of something great?"
Merlin nodded with an equally big smile, "I believe we are, my friend. This is going to be... legendary."
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