Corvus woke up to another morning in his chambers. After finishing his morning routines he sighed. Too much to do and not enough time to deal with many things waiting. He would talk to aunt Vinda about this subject today. He really has no time to teach the kids even though it was a very important point so far.
He had allowed another five centimetres to show this week. The change sat clean on his bones now. Next month he would stop masking his height with Metamorphmagus work altogether. Flitwick had been the first to catch it.
"You are getting taller and broader by the day, Corvus." Flitwick's eyes shone with mischief as he poured tea. "Best of both lines you get from Black and Rosier. If you keep on, you will have trouble finding a spouse who is not intimidated."
Corvus took his seat with a faint smile. "I will trust in your charms to smooth the path, Filius, we are on the opposite ends of the same spectrum after all."
Marcus Aurelius Baier slid into the chair on his left. The senior Auror set knife and fork with the economy of a man who did not waste movement.
"Black," he greeted, then inclined his head to Flitwick. "Flitwick."
Flitwick returned the nod. "Auror Baier."
"I have a proposition," Baier went on as he carved into his breakfast. "Your children need more practical lessons than any one classroom can give."
Corvus finished a mouthful and reached for water. "Let me guess, joint sessions," he said. "You and I on the floor and teaching the kids both ends of the same arts one defending while the other attacks." Baier's eyes shone, a grin appeared on his face which was reflected on Corvus.
Flitwick brightened. "An admirable idea. Especially if you two will show rhythm and chain. Tell them what each step does before you take it. Then, if you must try to break one another, do it after the lesson."
Baier's mouth tipped. "I will not mind a round with a champion. Even at Durmstrang I had a hard time finding worthy rivals."
Corvus let the grin show. "I will try to thrash you to your satisfaction, 'Rival'." He used the moniker with intent. It fit the man.
"We will need a referee," Flitwick added, dry as parchment. "I volunteer. I also insist on wards that hold."
"Good deal," Baier said. "I will draft the safety lines. Students will keep wands holstered unless asked to demonstrate."
"Send me the plan tonight," Corvus said. "We can take the fifth years first. They will listen after they see what they do not know."
Steam rolled up from platters along the staff table. Corvus reached for greens, then stilled as a shadow cut the light.
Mel dropped out of the rafters and flared at the last moment. Corvus covered his plate by reflex. The falcon landed on the table runner with a neat hop and presented her leg.
"Not before breakfast," Corvus told her, and lifted the string with two fingers. A sealed parchment hung from it. He glanced at the crest. House Black's not the ministry or any department of it. He called for an elf from the kitchens. An elf popped in, eyes bright and eager.
"Crispy bacon," Corvus said. "A full serving please."
The elf bowed and vanished. A heartbeat later bacon arrived hot enough to steam. Mel shifted to the meat at once and began the careful work of a bird that knew exactly what it liked. Only after her attention moved did Corvus break the seal.
A glint took his eye. He was looking forward to test his growing repertoire of skills. It seems Department of Mysteries was volunteering. He read it again to make sure, folded it and slid it inside his sleeve.
"Good news," Flitwick asked, watching the falcon demolish another strip.
"An invitation," Corvus answered. "Polite enough, that I could not deny. Though I was not expecting it to be honest. Life has such strange ways to surprise us."
Mel ruffled her feathers and launched. She cleared the hall in three beats and vanished through a high slit.
--
As the day's lessons came to an end Corvus went to seventh floor. He rapped twice and waited. Vinda's voice carried through the door after a while. He entered to find her fastening a clasp at her waist. The robe was worked from dark scales that caught the light and kept it. Dragon hide most probably, tempered and lined.
"Aunt Vinda." He took her measure. "Are you going out."
"To the office of your grandfather," Vinda answered. She checked the fall of the sleeve and reached for her wand, checked her spare and nodded to herself. "There are others waiting there. Hurry, we do not have all day. Arcturus sent the staff early today."
Corvus blinked once. He had prepared for a different sort of meeting. He set the thought aside and followed her to the hearth.
Green took them and set them down in the Minister's private room behind his office. Heat from the fire sat clean across the stone. The room held near fifteen witches and wizards in quiet formation. Grigori Volkov stood with his people near the far wall. Steel buckles and well made leather showed in simple lines. Wands sat where they could be found without looking. Conversation thinned as Vinda stepped in. Arcturus rose from his desk. Chairs scraped back as the rest followed his lead.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Arcturus said. "Corvus Black. My heir."
Vinda coughed once, Arcturus sighed and added. "Vinda's heir as well."
Grigori's mouth twitched. "I win, old relic," he told Arcturus, voice mild. "No armour."
Arcturus looked Corvus up and down with deliberate calm. "Unfortunately, Grigori. My heir," he glanced at Vinda if she will correct again and continued when she did not. "Thinks himself invulnerable. We will fix this." He added, yet before he could do anything, Grigori took out an armour with similar design to the rest of Volkovs. Differently from them, his armoured robes had silver fur of a direwolf on its shoulders the head of the wolf was sitting on his right shoulder. "Elizaveta arranged for the details and size," Grigori added with a knowing smile.
The old Volkov turned and gestured toward the men and women behind him. "These are my best," he said. "The Volkov elites." He inclined his head to a stocky wizard with a pale scar across the chin. The man returned the nod and settled back into stillness.
Arcturus motioned to the other cluster. "Sigibert Krafft, our friend from Berlin. He brought a handful of his own."
"Herr von Krafft," Corvus said with a respectful incline of his head. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Sigibert came forward with an easy step and stood at Vinda's side as if he had stood there often. His hair had gone white at the temples. The eyes were still quick.
"Viktor spoke kindly of you, Heir Black," he said in German. The consonants sat neat and sharp. "He called you the pride of Durmstrang."
"He is a talented young man," Corvus answered in the same tongue. "I hope to see him again this year."
Sigibert's approval showed in a small nod. "We will see to it that the tournament rests in proper hands," he said, and then in a lower tone, "under our administration, not a shady organisation that threatens independent countries." His look made plain which organisation he meant.
The corner of Corvus' mouth moved. "If not this year Herr von Krafft, then the next." he said.
Sigibert measured Corvus' height with a quick glance, then patted his shoulder once. "You are invited to our Berlin house. The gift you gave us is not a thing we can repay, but I will try."
Arcturus called. "Corvus." His gaze gathered Vinda, Grigori, and Sigibert with a tilt of the head. They crossed to the desk as one. The others fell in around them with the quiet assurance of people who knew how to move together without orders shouted down a hall.
"The Department has reached beyond its station," Arcturus said, tone flat. "They crossed a line when they threatened to 'host' you. We will answer that overreach with propriety and with presence."
Vinda's eyes were cool. "Always wanted to see what is the mystery about them," she said.
Grigori adjusted a strap on his wrist. Afterwards motioned for Corvus to approach. As he came two witches from Volkovs came forward and started to help him put on the armoured robes. Arcturus followed with his eyes, "I want you to lead this attack on those cloaked department." he said.
"I will measure your movements and spells, your mastery over Dark Arts is still waiting, I suggest you try your best to impress me Corvus." Vinda interjected.
"We all will stand by your side Corvus, know this. You are my pride, even if you fail today, we are here to rectify that." Arcturus said, as he glanced to Vinda. "He is my heir for Morgana's sake! How can you encourage him to attack wizards even we do not know anything about?"
Vinda simply scoffed. "I definitely know more of my pupil and Heir than an old relic," she added haughtily. She locked gazes with Corvus who was already in his armoured robes with a wolf's head sitting on his right shoulder. "Impress me." was all she said.
Arcturus opened a drawer and set a single token on the desk. Bone, polished and plain, inked with a sigil that meant nothing if you had not been taught to see it. "Their pass for the lower level. We will use it to go to their level. You will send it back with Tibby so the next batch can follow."
Corvus balanced the token on his palm and let the wards in it brush against his skin.
"Mind your temper," Vinda said, soft enough that it was for him alone.
"I intend to be tedious," Corvus said.
Sigibert smiled at that. "Then you have learned statecraft."
The room dressed itself for movement. Robes settled. Holsters clicked. Grigori's elites formed a narrow column that would fit a Ministry corridor without scraping a frame. Krafft's men took the rear with the comfort of allies who knew their place without being told twice. Ignatia Travers slipped in with a clipboard, checked names against a list that was not for show, and slipped back out.
Arcturus set a hand on the mantel. "We go now. They wanted one of us, they will get all of us." He looked at Corvus. "You are the calm center of this. Let us shield you while you cast."
Corvus inclined his head with a faint smile. "I will be what we need, Minister. Polite and exact and to the point."
Corvus stepped into the corridor with Arcturus and Sigibert at his shoulders. Vinda was at his back. They stepped out into the Minister's lobby and found the corridor ahead already held by their people, still as chessmen in the first position.
"Forward," Arcturus said. No one raised a voice. Boots found the rhythm of the halls. The lift waited, gates open. Brass shone against black tile.
He slipped the token into an inner pocket and kept his hands visible. A simple courtesy. A simple signal. When the gates closed and the car began to descend towards ninth level, he felt the old building draw a breath as if it knew a conversation it had not heard in a very long time was about to be held.
"For the greater good."
Murmured Corvus as he stepped out of the lift a long corridor was in front of them. The way to the Department of Mysteries.
--
Unspeakable Croker studied the table map that showed ninth floor as a set of living lines. Light pulsed where wards stacked. Dim motes drifted where the air held only dust. Five bright threads came down the lift shaft and stopped at the gate. Rosier, Volkov, Krafft the Minister and the heir. Four of those names had enough connection and political power to slip consequences once. Excitement touched the edge of his calm. An elf winked in and out near the lift to confirm what the map already said. Guests at the threshold. Gifts were laid to welcome them.
-
The lift gates sighed. Metal met tile. Torches along the corridor brightened by a fraction as the net drew breath. Corvus stepped forward and turned to the old guard. "Wait for the others. Follow me when they are here." He let the words carry just enough weight to hold them. "Trust me. You will be seconds behind at most."
No one argued. Vinda's eyes held steady. Arcturus nodded, Grigori and Sigibert simply shrugged.
The Elder Wand slid into Corvus' palm with the ease of a tool that knew its master as bloodsight allowed him to see what is hidden. He drew on clean power and loosed a disruptive wave down the long corridor. Air where nothing was visible rang like broken glass. Wards showed themselves in spite. A lattice cracked and threw blue arcs against the ceiling. A low net of 'Diffindo' rolled forward from knee height, meant to take the legs. The wave hit it and turned it to a harmless flutter of sparks. Corvus walked on.
"First point of the evening," Vinda murmured.
The corridor ended in a black door with no handle. The surface drank the light. No frame. No visible hinge. A door that cared only for a token or an enchanted item the Unspeakables carry on them.
Corvus stopped a few paces away his blood sight still active. The world moved aside and left only weight and flow. Magic gathered in a neat knot just inside the threshold. A second knot lay to the left where a stranger would not step. Someone had planned for men who were brave enough to walk straight. Someone had expected a second step that would be their last.
He lifted a hand in preparation of some destructive magic to split the door like an egg. The door decided to be polite and opened slowly.
The entrance chamber lay beyond. Twelve identical doors waited in a ring. Four cloaked figures stood in the open space, wands at the level of a man's heart. Their hoods hid their faces. Yet their stance told enough. Two had the weight of duel work in the legs. One balanced on the balls of the feet like a ritualist who forgot he owned a spine. The last rested the left heel.
Stone at the threshold held a darker sheen. The first two steps were thick with cast work and tied to the door's swing. Cross, and a man who did not know better would lose his magic for a while.
Corvus smiled. A long dagger formed in his hand with a thought, bright and practical. He weighed it once and let it rest low by his thigh. Insurance, not intent.
Behind him the lift sounded again. The second wave had arrived. Armour whispered as Volkov's line set its feet. Krafft's men spread.
Corvus did not look back. He took a breath that drew the room to a point. Speed came first. The world thinned. Edges sharpened. Agility followed and laid a sure balance over his bones. The black door behind him eased itself shut with a soft kiss on the frame. Phase was already active as he hopped through the ward to rob him of his magic.