Antonio woke up early the next morning, preparing himself for the scheduled meeting with Arcturus Black.
He had just finished getting dressed when an owl arrived, delivering a letter from Bellatrix. To his slight surprise, and slight intrigue, the contents of the letter revealed a change in venue.
Originally, the meeting was to take place at the ancestral Black residence. 12, Grimmauld Place.
But now, it had been shifted to a new location. A small, unremarkable inn in a place which raised certain curiosity in Antonio. Hogsmeade, the magical settlement close to Hogwarts.
"Black," Antonio muttered as he held the letter from Bellatrix in his hands, which was also a portkey.
His other hand was holding his wand tightly and he was prepared and his body was in a state of combat readiness.
Although, he was not really suspicious of something unusual, being careful was never a bad thing. The sudden change in venue had surely surprised him a bit.
A moment later, space twisted and distorted around him and Antonio vanished from his home.
When Antonio reappeared, he found himself standing in a thoroughly unremarkable room. Well, calling it unremarkable was him being already generous.
The walls looked like they were on the verge of collapse, stained with age and neglect. There was very low light in the room and dust clung to every crevice making the room appear uglier.
In the centre of the room stood a single circular wooden table surrounded by four chairs. There was nothing else in the entire room.
"Olario," came a familiar voice.
Antonio turned to see Bellatrix seated on one of the chairs, her arms casually resting on the table as if this were the most natural setting in the world. She seemed quite relaxed.
"Miss Black," he replied evenly as he stepped closer.
"Why the sudden change in venue?" he asked, his eyes scanning the crumbling walls.
Bellatrix shook her head.
"I do not know," she replied. "It was my grandfather who asked me to write the letter and then made it into a Portkey himself."
Antonio nodded slowly, filing away the information. Perhaps Lord Black might explain the mystery in person.
Bellatrix had just opened her mouth to ask how Antonio's negotiations with Edmund Bones had gone when space twisted once more, and a figure materialised before them. Arcturus Black.
"Lord Black," Antonio greeted politely.
Lord Black gave a curt nod in return.
"Lord Olario," he said, as he gestured for Antonio to take a seat while seating himself as well.
The trio sat down. Antonio and Arcturus facing each other directly, with Bellatrix positioned herself between them from one side.
Antonio's first impression of Arcturus was quite different from what he had expected which had been based on the many rumours he had heard about the Black lord.
He had always heard that Lord Black was a man brimming with pride and arrogance, someone whose face perpetually wore an expression of contempt for whoever stood before him. That how he considered himself to be an elite compared to the rest of the world.
Yet here he was, not exuding contempt, but instead appearing rather amiable.
Of course, Antonio could not yet comment on whether the man truly lacked arrogance. He had not even exchanged a full sentence with him yet.
But so far, Arcturus Black seemed far more measured than the reputation that preceded him.
What Antonio did not know, however, was that the rumours were not entirely false.
Thought there were exaggerated, Arcturus was certainly a proud and arrogant man. But he reserved that side of himself selectively.
And at this moment, he was choosing to be amiable, only to him.
"Lord Olario," Arcturus began, taking the reins of the conversation with authority. "I believe I owe you an explanation for the abrupt change in venue."
For most others, he would not have bothered offering one. But Antonio Olario was different.
Arcturus had already known that Antonio was a powerful wizard. He had seen it with his own eyes in Bellatrix's memories, during the gathering, when Antonio had dispatched Rodolphus with unsettling ease. That alone had marked him as someone to watch.
But then came the attack on his inn.
Using his considerable influence, Arcturus had managed to obtain access to the memory of the event, the newspapers had been using, the very same one that now accompanied their headlines. He had watched carefully as Antonio dealt with the Death Eaters. And what he saw had shocked him.
Antonio Olario was a powerhouse. Far stronger than Arcturus had initially estimated. Stronger even than what he had revealed at the gathering. And Arcturus was certain. Antonio had still not shown the full extent of his power.
He had killed death eaters in single spells without breaking a sweat.
Antonio nodded, slightly surprised by the unexpectedly easy going demeanor of Arcturus Black. Even Bellatrix raised her eyebrows in mild astonishment. She had never seen her grandfather offer explanations to anyone, especially not to someone he considered of inferior status.
"Well," Arcturus sighed, leaning back slightly. "Let me be frank with you. I do not want word of our cooperation getting out. At least not before the Wizengamot hearing."
He paused briefly, his expression tightening just a touch.
"Our alliance should come as a surprise to those opposing you. And unfortunately," he added with a hint of irritation, "there are individuals within my own household who would no doubt leak the news if they caught even a whisper of it."
Antonio gave a slow nod, understanding what or rather, who, Arcturus was likely referring to. His children.
"Lord Black," Antonio asked carefully, a hint of hesitation in his tone, "should I then assume that I will only be receiving your personal vote in the Wizengamot, and not the broader support of the houses aligned with your faction?"
Arcturus let out a soft chuckle.
"Please, Lord Olario," he said with a wave of his hand. "You need not worry about that. A single gesture from me, even during the Wizengamot hearing is enough for my faction to follow."
"They mimic my actions. If I raise my hand, they do the same. If I withhold it, they follow suit. It is as simple as that."
Antonio nodded in relief.
"Then, if I may be blunt," Antonio said, "what do you expect from me in return for your support?"
Bellatrix clenched her fists tightly, wondering if her grandfather was about to demand something outrageous.
Arcturus, however, simply shook his head.
"I do not want you to do anything for me in return," he said calmly. "You have my support. Unconditionally."
Antonio was almost stunned. He knew there was no such thing as a free meal, and yet unconditional support? He could not bring himself to believe it.
"Albeit," Arcturus added, his tone shifting slightly, "there is something I need you to do. For yourself."
"What?" Antonio asked, now fully alert. The cat was out of the bag. There really was no free meal in this world.
"Have you heard of honour duels?" Arcturus asked.
Antonio's eyes widened in shock.
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