Knights and Buffoons
"Thank you very much for coming. We truly appreciate the help you're giving us. After all, we have very few active wizards right now. Most are busy with equally important missions all across Europe… so we only left two for this operation," Luther explained calmly as he guided Sally from the door of her home toward a base of operations not far from Diagon Alley.
"Don't worry. After all, we made a deal with Mr. Adrien," Sally replied softly, walking at his side. She looked around with curiosity and added, "But I didn't know the knights were this close."
The house in front of her wasn't very big, with an ordinary, almost familiar appearance. Yet Sally knew that in the wizarding world a simple façade could hide something immense. She immediately recalled the inner castle Mor had conjured within the space of a single room.
"Oh, no. This is just a safe house, one of our bases," Luther explained, raising an eyebrow as if he had anticipated her thoughts. "We have several scattered near key points where wizards usually gather. Just as they maintain a certain control over the Muggles who enter their territory, we make sure they don't overstep into ours. Especially after their last war. We didn't interfere, of course, but we were quite busy making sure they didn't cross the line into the non-magical world."
"I see…" Sally murmured, beginning to understand better.
She had read about that war, but for her it felt far more personal. After all, her own son had been involved. Harry, barely a year old, had been the one to bring the conflict to an end. The official stories were full of exaggerations, but all converged on a single point: Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, was the savior. A dangerous title, as it meant many could still be out there searching for him. That idea had kept Sally nervous for months, though Mor had calmed her by helping hide Harry's scar. She would never forget, however, the furious and silent look Mor gave that mark before covering it with her magic.
"Well… the other two wizards who will be helping are already here," Luther continued, his tone suddenly sounding tired. He paused for a moment and added sincerely, "Let me give you some advice. When you see them… just ignore them. Don't let their words enter your ears, if you can help it."
"Eh? Ah, well…" Sally replied a little confused, though she was starting to suspect what he meant.
They walked down a hallway until they reached a pair of large double doors. Luther extended his hand to open them, but a loud outburst from inside stopped him.
"Are you an idiot? If anyone should write a book, it ought to be about my life. My life! I am the true heir of the greatest wizard of all time, the one and only Merlin. My great-great-great-great-great… oh, who cares how many 'greats'? My ancestor! The wizarding world should kneel before me. I should be the one with the highest authority here, a king! If it weren't for that stupid magical contract my ancestor signed, I wouldn't even be here. I'd be enjoying his fortune while every wizard bowed at my feet."
The voice was young, arrogant, and dripping with contempt. Luther sighed like someone who had heard the same rant far too many times. He was just about to gather his resolve to open the door when another voice, even more irritating in its enthusiastic tone, joined in.
"Sorry, but I have no idea if you are who you claim to be. For centuries, people have shown up declaring themselves Merlin's descendants. And if I were to write a book, it would obviously be about someone far more fascinating: me! I only joined this order to inspire myself for my knightly adventures, filled with danger, glorious victories, and of course, my unforgettable smile. Don't worry… Not everyone is born with my natural gift for heroism. But with my guidance, you might reach the level of being… moderately competent."
"Ah…" Luther sighed again, this time more heavily, and finally decided to open the door once and for all. Sally, surprised, took in the sight before her.
The central room was spacious, with sofas arranged around several boards covered in notes, diagrams, and maps. A large desk stood at one end, and in the center, two figures faced each other, arguing intensely. In total, there were about eleven people in the room, counting the two loudmouths. Some of the knights had their heads in their hands, on the verge of collapse; others stared blankly, as if all their patience had been drained hours ago. Arthur, in the corner, looked particularly calm… though Sally noticed he was wearing earplugs.
The two wizards were polar opposites, yet equally unbearable.
The first, barely seventeen or eighteen years old, had platinum-white hair and wore a green suit overloaded with unnecessary details, topped with a pointed hat. Instead of a common wand, he held a long staff crowned with a brilliant blue gem that all but screamed arrogance. His gray, cold eyes radiated pride and disdain, and his otherwise ordinary face seemed to strain with every gesture to project nobility.
Facing him, the other was only a few years older, perhaps twenty-two or twenty-three. His modern red suit was adorned with a one-shoulder cape that looked designed more to attract attention than for battle. His golden-blond hair was perfectly combed and voluminous, not a strand out of place. His bright blue eyes sparkled with overflowing confidence, and the charming smile on his lips seemed fixed, as though he had been born to pose for an invisible audience.
When Luther and Sally crossed the threshold, all eyes turned toward them. At the desk, Adrien had been speaking with two people who seemed to be the group's leaders, deliberately ignoring the background quarrel. But the three broke off their conversation at the sight of Sally.
"You're here. Excellent. Then we can start moving," Adrien said, standing up.
One of the men beside him, Dorian, turned his gaze toward Sally with interest. She was instantly surprised: he looked identical to Adrien, save for the color of his hair and the calm serenity that radiated from his aura.
At his side stood a woman of striking beauty, with blonde hair braided around her head like a crown. A single wavy strand fell forward, framing a face so perfect it looked sculpted from marble. Her arms were crossed, and the seriousness in her eyes made it clear she was measuring Sally with precise calculation.
At his side stood a woman of striking beauty, with blonde hair gathered into a braid that circled her head like a crown. A single wavy lock fell forward, framing a face so perfect it looked as though it had been carved from marble. Her arms were crossed, and the seriousness in her gaze made it clear she was evaluating Sally with calculated precision.
"Mmm?" The younger wizard lifted his eyes toward Sally with obvious interest, approaching her with an arrogant smile.
"So, you're the new one. You should feel proud: you'll be working alongside the one and only heir of Merlin. You do know who Merlin is, right? Of course you do. Well, I am his descendant. You might wonder why I'm here instead of ruling as king, which is my rightful place… but it's simple: a magical contract imposed by my ancestor binds me."
The boy began spouting a whole explanation no one had asked for, speaking with such hauteur it was as if he believed every word should be a delight to hear.
Sally, however, only looked at him with slight confusion.
"Ah… well, nice to meet you," she replied with a polite smile, nodding.
The young man waited for more. When no further reaction came, his expression shifted from surprise to irritation in an instant. The knights, unable to hold back, exchanged muffled laughter and amused glances. Offended, the so-called heir of Merlin turned away and dropped onto a sofa in the corner, arms crossed like a sulking child.
"That's Mark," Luther explained quietly to Sally, resigned. "Don't pay him any attention. He gives the same speech every time he meets another wizard, thinking maybe there's a loophole in the contract that could get him out of this. Well, more than escaping, he's just a lazybones who doesn't want to work. We'd gladly let him go be king of whatever he likes… but the contract is unbreakable. And to top it off, there's no real proof his family is actually descended from Merlin. All we have is the contract binding him to this order."
Sally wasn't particularly interested in the matter. After all, she lived with Morgana herself on a daily basis, the very same who was now looking after Harry and Percy. The supposed "heir of Merlin" was nothing but a conceited boy who had never been properly scolded. In comparison, there was nothing in him to respect or admire.
"Oh, but what do we have here?"
An enthusiastic voice cut through her thoughts. Another man, with theatrical steps, approached Sally.
"Another beauty joining our ranks. My heart leaps with joy. Don't worry, my dear: the great Gilderoy Lockhart will protect you with his very life. You'll see that not only those who wear armor can be called knights!"
He finished his line with a dazzling smile, an exaggerated wink, and his hand extended toward Sally, as though they were performing on a stage.
"Uh-huh… yes. Nice to meet you," she replied with absolute neutrality, not lifting her hand.
Lockhart froze for a moment, uncomfortable, feeling as though his usual charm was faltering lately, just as it had when he met that other beautiful woman earlier.
"Enough nonsense. Let's get this over with. I want to finish and go back already," the only other woman in the room cut in, her glare scorching Lockhart. The effect was immediate: he backed away several steps with a nervous smile, almost cowering, while still feeling her disdain heavy upon him. She was, in fact, the other woman who had dismissed him even more openly when he tried a similar greeting before.
"Then it's settled." Dorian took the lead with a serious tone, pointing at a map on the board. "Adrien will take the south, Gema the north, and I'll take the east. We'll leave the west for last, since it's the most troublesome: it's full of magical villages, pure-blood families, and dark wizards."
"Fine. I'll take the annoying brat. I really want to get this over with quickly," Gema cut in, her voice sharp with irritation.
"Yeah, yeah… whatever. Looks like Adrien's the lucky one," Dorian muttered.
Adrien heard him but ignored it, knowing that giving him the satisfaction of a reply would only make him more insufferable.
"Alright. Sally Jackson will come with me. Mark Ambrosius will go with Gema. And Lockhart will go with Dorian," he declared immediately, while the other knights nodded with solemn agreement.
The leaders of each team were precisely Adrien, Dorian, and Gema, and each group was made up of three knights and one wizard.
Lockhart shot his hand up at once, like an overeager student, his smile still plastered on his face. Adrien didn't even let him speak.
"No. You cannot write anything about this mission. At most, you'll serve as an assistant. And it is strictly forbidden for you to include details of the order in your books."
It was obvious Adrien knew exactly what he was about to ask.
Luther, still standing beside Sally, whispered a brief explanation.
"Lockhart's a writer. He joined a year ago to gather material for his so-called heroic adventures. But ever since, he's contributed nothing. He always hides or runs, leaving his companions behind. That's why no one wants to work with him. Only Dorian accepted… because he's considered the most feared, and Lockhart would never dare to run if he's by his side. At this point, some are starting to doubt whether his adventures are even real. It's very possible he'll be dismissed soon."
Sally glanced discreetly at Dorian. He caught her look and, surprisingly, gave her a calm, friendly smile that was not frightening in the least.
Sally then looked around at the knights, a faint smile tugging at her lips as she tried to mirror their seriousness and determination. It was her first day working with them and, although she felt a little nervous, she couldn't help but think of her children.
"Harry, Percy… I hope you're alright. Morgana's watching over you, so I shouldn't be worried…" she murmured to herself, more as a reminder than as certainty. After all, what could possibly go wrong under the care of such a powerful witch?
With that thought, she drew a deep breath and forced herself to focus on the mission ahead.