At the very beginning of 1960, winter raged like never before. And here in Norway, it was especially noticeable. Snowdrifts lined the streets of Muggle towns, and a piercing icy wind tore at the fur-trimmed robes of wizards.
The cold... Even ordinary people living in Oslo in houses with central heating had a hard time. What can we say about the magicians who lived in stone castles and fortresses on high cliffs and in the most inaccessible fjords? Even "warming" spells and the hot fires in the fireplaces could not drive the icy cold out of their homes.
In one of these castles, today, on the first of January, a woman exhausted from childbirth lay in bed, clutching her baby tightly to her chest. The tired midwife stumbled out of the young lady's room and immediately caught the eye of a tall, fair-haired man who was pacing nervously in the corridor, waiting for news.
"Lord Magnusson," the midwife said hoarsely, "Lady Lea has given birth to your heir. They are both in good health, and you may go in to see them.
The man rushed to the door so quickly that the midwife barely had time to jump out of his way.
"Lea, my dear, how are you?" William Magnusson boomed in a deep voice.
"I'm fine," the woman replied with undisguised pride, albeit in a weak voice. "Meet your son, dear."
The man tilted his head to one side and squinted at the child with eyes like a bear's.
The chubby baby with light fuzz on his head looked up from his mother's breast for a moment and looked at his father. The child's grey eyes suddenly changed, becoming an exact copy of his father's. The recognisable features and even gestures of both men of the Magnusson family brought a smile to the woman's face.
"I will name him Björn, after the founder of our family. Björn Magnusson," the lord proclaimed. Then his voice softened and became quieter.
"Rest, my lady. I have ordered the house spirits to fulfil your every wish.
Turning around, the man carefully closed the door behind him and looked at the midwife waiting for him.
"Come, I will take you to the pier where you can depart.
The woman silently threw a warm cloak over her shoulders and followed the lord of the castle. She had been promised a great deal of money, but she still intended to earn even more from the news of the birth of the heir to such an ancient family. It would be a wonderful addition to the savings the midwife had accumulated for a comfortable old age.
After a few minutes of walking quickly through the stone corridors, they left the castle and found themselves on a small, icy square. The wind immediately grabbed the people who had stepped out into the frost, blowing the lord's long blond hair.
"Farewell, Lord Magnusson," said the midwife, assessing the weight of the bag of galleons handed to her by the wizard. Then she accidentally looked him straight in the eye, and in the next moment, a thick stream of blood spurted from her mouth, and she fell at the man's feet.
"No one must know that the Magnusson family has an heir," Magnusson muttered grimly, wiping the dagger. "And any oaths, as it turns out, can be circumvented if desired." Then he took out a stick and with a couple of careless gestures destroyed the body and blood on the ground. A minute later, nothing spoke of the tragedy that had occurred. The north wind left no traces, covering everything with prickly snow.
***
Lady Lea rushed into the well-heated room.
"Munika! Well, how are you and Bjorn?"
The young nurse smiled and bowed respectfully to her mistress.
"Everything is fine, my lady. Bjorn is a very restless child, he plays all day long, learning new things. That is, of course, when he's not sleeping or eating," she added with a smile. The child was snoring sweetly in his cot surrounded by toys.
Lea came closer and looked lovingly at her son, then turned her gaze to the nurse and said with a slight smile:
"My husband managed to rescue your brother from the Irish. He paid a ransom for him and his entire ship. We don't abandon our vassals, you know that. You can visit him today. The ship should arrive in port around noon, and your Andesh is back at the helm. Munika Svarhidson let out a muffled squeal, bowed respectfully to the lady, and immediately ran out of the room.
Lady Lea just shook her head and stroked her sleeping son. Immediately after Bjorn's birth, magical emissions began, promising a bright future. But until the age of three, the baby's unconscious sorcery caused constant funny and not so funny situations, which eventually tired his mother so much that she asked her husband to find a wet nurse. The sister of one of the captains of the ships belonging to the family was perfect for the role, allowing Lady Magnusson to devote at least a little attention to herself and the lord.
Unfortunately, William was constantly busy, and lately even more so. The family's enemies had joined forces and, despite the lord's impressive magical powers, constantly threatened his ships and other property. William was rushing around like a snowstorm, trying to be everywhere at once, but the ancient family was going through difficult times.
The problem of finding an heir with sufficient magical potential was a serious one for every ancient family. Fortunately for them, everything turned out more than well for William. Bjorn was born a potentially very powerful wizard, possessed all the gifts of his family, and promised to surpass his father in time.
Appearing on the landing, the lord, his cloak fluttering in the cold wind, strode measuredly into the castle. Handing his outer garments to the butler, he dried his hair from the snow and entered the dining hall, where his household and loyal servants were waiting for him. At the head of the table, next to his rightful place, which resembled a throne, sat his wife. Also present were the one-eyed Andesh Svarhidson with his sister and other ship captains. Today, the hall was filled with magicians close to the lord, accompanied by their wives or girlfriends. Everyone stood up to greet their lord.
Magnusson sat down at the head of the table, raised his cup and boomed:
"Skål, friends!"
"To our health!" The vassals and servants echoed his toast with a loud roar.
The house spirits placed meat, fish and vegetable dishes on the tables. Beer and wine were poured. The voices grew louder and louder, and the feast gathered momentum. Two of the guests rose from the table and, stepping aside to the duelling ground, began a magical battle, which was watched with pleasure by all present.
In the evening, William and Lea stood in the nursery, looking at their sleeping son. A weary brownie lurked in the corner.
Lord Magnusson took off his shirt, leaving his torso bare, and pointed his wand at his chest, beginning to recite an ancient family spell. A terrifying wound opened in his solar plexus, and a small red ruby flew out of it.
Ignoring the flowing blood and pain, William waved his staff, restored his chest, and, with the ruby floating in front of him, approached his sleeping son. Leah bit her lip until it bled as she watched her husband place the ruby on his son's chest and recite the spell again. With a soft slurping sound, the stone began to sink into the boy's body.
Beads of sweat formed on the lord's forehead from magical exhaustion, but he continued to cast spells, stubbornly frowning. Lea clenched her pale fingers, noticing something moving under the boy's skin. Fortunately, protected by the brownie's magic, Bjorn did not wake up, and William finally sank wearily into a chair.
"This is the legacy of the Magnusson clan, Lea," the mage croaked hoarsely. "If anything happens to me, Bjorn will be able to restore all the knowledge of our clan with the help of this stone. I was able to do it after my father's death, and so can he. In his sleep, the knowledge and experience of his ancestors will be embedded in his memory, as if he had always remembered them. Ancient families have different approaches to preserving their heritage. Some write family books, others hide the knowledge and experience of their ancestors in the memories of loyal people who are unaware of this. Those who are closer to magical beings pass it on through their blood. And we, in ancient times, invented this method. The sooner we can pass on the stone, the better it will be for our son.
Feeling residual pain behind his breastbone, he rubbed the skin around his solar plexus and continued:
"The main thing is that the emissions confirm its magical power. Every Lord Magnusson remembers and knows everything that his ancestors knew. Our life is too dangerous to leave everything to the family books. I've heard that in England, many wizards hide their knowledge and artefacts in Gringotts Bank. Trust your legacy to those who, not long ago, wanted to slit your throat and eat you?
William chuckled softly, hugging the woman.
"Let our son rest. Let's go to the bedroom, Lea, I've missed you so much.
He easily lifted his wife into his arms and left the nursery. The house elf stirred and, approaching the cot, began to watch Bjorn, who was still snoring.
***
Munika approached the ship standing at the pier and shouted loudly, raising her head:
"Wake up, sleepyhead!"
No one answered from the deck, and she shouted even louder:
"Anders! I'll marry you to a shark, where are you hiding?"
There was a crash above, and a minute later a dishevelled, one-eyed pirate climbed out onto the deck, laughing at the woman.
"What do you want, Munika?" he croaked. "Who's been shouting since morning, a shark for a wife!"
The woman took a small barrel of beer from her bag and, with a wave of her stick, levitated it towards her brother. Andesh grabbed the vessel hovering in front of his nose with both hands and pulled out the cork with his teeth. Then he put on his happiest face and, under his sister's mocking gaze, sucked on the life-giving source for a long time. Only when the small keg was empty did Andesh kick it away with satisfaction and jump happily onto the pier. Hugging his sister, who was squealing with surprise, he roared loudly, wiping the foam from his moustache and beard:
"I love you, little sister! My saviour! May every morning after a good drink start so well, I'll marry a shark!"
"Let go, bear!" she wriggled out of his embrace. "I have business with you from our masters."
"I'm listening," Andesh immediately became attentive and serious."They are worried about their son's life and want to play it safe while this feud is going on," Munika began whispering fervently in her brother's ear. "I brought you a blood portal. If anything happens to the Magnussons, the second part, which is on Björn's neck, will transport him to you. Put the portal in your cabin. The boy should be hidden in England in the Muggle world. There, like all children with magical gifts, he will go to Hogwarts at the age of eleven, which will allow him to at least grow up safely. The Modbroks are gaining strength and supporters among other magical families, and the lady fears that William Magnusson may not be able to cope with everyone this time.
"And you?" Andres tensed and looked grimly at his sister.
"If something happens, I will die with my mistress," Munika said firmly, looking at him.
The one-eyed man sighed resignedly:
"I still hope it won't come to that. Surely the high-born magicians can't fail to come to an agreement? If little Björn survives and grows up, he'll avenge the death of his family. Don't they understand that?"
"They probably plan to destroy us all in the event of war," Munika whispered hoarsely.
"All right, sister," sighed Andesh. "Come with me to the tavern. I'll feed you real sailors' food, and you can tell me what happened while I was held captive by Irish pirates, who wanted to marry me to a shark.
***
A cold wind blew over the fjords. The sea crashed noisily against the wet rocks, and the sky, covered with dark clouds, made the night even darker.
The red beard of the man standing on the shore fluttered in time with the gusts of wind. Harald Modbrok bared his perfect white teeth in a vicious grin:
"We've found your home, William Magnusson," whispered the mage.
He turned to the warriors and the man kneeling before him. Then he snorted and said quietly, looking contemptuously at the captive:
"Thank you, Sördi, for betraying your master. You are an excellent servant of an ancient family, ha ha.
"Will you release my wife?" the captive asked hysterically and resignedly, his face covered in blood.
"Of course," Modbrok grinned, drawing a short sword. "Everything according to Loki's laws, you cowardly fool.
The prisoner's eyes widened and he tried to dodge, but the whistle of blue steel immediately ended his life. Watching the decapitated body kick, Modbrok turned to his warriors and ordered:
"Activate the apparition barriers. Frisk and Erling are already in position. We'll attack from three sides, and Magnusson won't be able to fight back. He may be a powerful mage, but he's alone. Besides, if Erling's plan worked, William won't be able to help him.
"Tor aye!" barked the red-bearded warriors, dressed in chain mail and cloaks, drawing their sticks and swords. "Death to the Magnussons!"
At four in the morning, Lea woke up with a sudden feeling of alarm. Her husband was lying next to her, and to her horror, she realised that he wasn't breathing.
"William!" Lea began to shake her husband, but Magnuson's body remained cold and lifeless.
Yesterday, he had returned from Tinga, where he had concluded a peace treaty with Modbrok and his followers. It seemed that they had finally found a way to end the long-standing feud between the ancient clans, and now everything would be fine. A cold shiver ran down the young woman's body when she realised that this was just a trick by their enemies. Now they would search relentlessly for the castle hidden in the rocks to kill her and seize all the property of the ancient clan.
Fortunately, not even the closest relatives knew that the Magnussons had an heir. Only the wet nurse and her brother were privy to this secret, but there was no doubt about their loyalty to the Magnussons.
"It's okay, we have time," Lea gritted her teeth. "We'll wrap up our business, hide our property and people. We'll go into hiding for a couple of decades, and then Björn will grow up and avenge William!"
The woman quickly began to get dressed.
"Mistress!" Munika rushed into the room without knocking. "The guards report that strangers have appeared outside the castle! There are many of them..."
Lea turned pale and rushed out. Pressing the wand to her throat and casting "Sonorus," she shouted loudly:
"The castle is under attack! All defenders, to the walls! The rest of you, grab your wands and swords, the enemy will spare no one. May the One help us...
The castle garrison, consisting of trusted warriors and mages, was already fighting on the walls against enemies arriving from numerous portals. Due to the protective barriers and their own artefacts, the attackers could not apparate directly into the castle. Therefore, shouting furiously and waving their swords, they climbed up the ladders. The attack came from all sides, and the defenders understood the futility of their resistance. But the warriors' passion and dignity did not allow them to even consider laying down their weapons.
"Where is Lord Magnusson?" — shaking the sweat from his face, the grey-haired commander of the guard growled, fending off another enemy climbing over the wall. — "Seko, Konfringo. Take that!" — he roared, plunging his sword into the neck of another enemy climbing forward.As if hearing him, a little to the side, knocking down three defending warriors with an explosive spell, a huge red-bearded man jumped over the wall and cleared the area in front of him with a swing of his sword:
"Lord Magnusson is dead, worms! Accept your death.
A furious stream of ice poured from his staff, grinding the defenders into a bloody pulp despite all their protective amulets.
"Die, cursed Modbrok," growled the grey-haired commander of the guard, pointing his staff at the red-bearded man. "Avada Kedavra, you creature!"
A green beam flew quickly towards Modbrok, who was engrossed in battle, but one of the enemy warriors instantly stood in the way of the deadly spell, taking it on his shield.
The grey-haired wizard had no second chance, and his head rolled across the floor, staining the boards with scarlet blood. The defenders were crushed, and the battle raged with renewed vigour inside the castle. Every surviving warrior, simple servant, and even the house spirits threw themselves fiercely at the endless stream of enemies, not expecting to win, but determined to take their enemies with them to the grave.
Lea and Munika stood tensely in the nursery, waiting for the inevitable outcome. Lea hugged the maid tightly one last time and looked lovingly at Bjorn. The baby, protected by the magic of his personal house spirit, slept and heard nothing.
"Tippli! Can you take my son to Munika's brother?" Lea looked demandingly at the old, floppy-eared creature.
"No, mistress," the brownie waved his long ears. "The elves' magic is also blocked."
Lea Magnusson cursed grimly and looked at Muniki.
"Then we have no other choice. Do what you must. My son will take care of the rest of the Svarhidsons when he becomes lord. I swear by magic!"
She left the servant alone with her son and went out into the corridor. The battle was already raging in the castle, and there was little time left before the enemies broke through to the master's chambers and the treasury.
Munika slashed her wrist with a dagger and drew a pentagram on the floor, including herself, the sleeping child in the cot, and Tippli, who had grabbed him by the hand.
"Protect him, big ears, even at the cost of your life," the woman whispered with a fanatical gleam in her eyes. "You will only tell him about our fate when he is able to avenge us." Then she hastily recited the ritual phrase to activate the blood portal and plunged the dagger into her chest. The pentagram flashed with a cold blue light, and the child and the brownie disappeared without disturbing the castle's defences or the enemy's barriers. The ancient magic of voluntary sacrifice worked flawlessly, just as it had thousands of years ago.
Lady Lea, feeling a string snap in her soul, grinned maliciously and triumphantly, then looked contemptuously at the red-bearded warriors running towards her from both sides of the corridor.
"For the glory of the Magnusson clan," she barked, then raised her staff and, putting all her magical power and even her very life into the spell, called upon the highest magic:
"Inferno Flamare! For the glory of the gods!"
The warriors were only a few steps away from the fragile little woman standing alone in the middle of the corridor.
Crimson flames burst forth from Lady Magnusson, who stood frozen with her arms raised. In their depths, terrible demonic faces could be seen. The flames grew stronger, roaring and pulsing in time with the brave woman's heartbeat.
Thud... and a furious avalanche of fire swept through the corridors of the master's floor, leaving no room or corner untouched. Like raindrops falling into a volcano, the enemy warriors instantly disappeared in the fiery lava.
Thud... and the flames continued their incredible race, bursting out of every crack into the castle courtyard, filling it with terrifying speed.
"A-a-a!" — and Lord Modbrok jumps off the wall like a swallow, clinging to his warrior, hoping that his servant's body will save him from death on the stones below.
Thud... and the flames rise above the castle like a white mushroom, turning it into a funeral pyre for both the attackers and the bodies of the fallen defenders.
Thud... and Lea, feeling the magic wand charring along with her hands, gasps and whispers with her last ounce of strength:
"To your glory, All-Father! Accept into your service the brave daughter of the Bear clan. Alone, Freya. I... am coming... to you...
And in the next moment, her body, lit up by magic, bursts into flames and sparks that fly away into the sky. The supreme magic of fire flares up one last time like a supernova, then fades away. The ancient castle begins to tremble in the predawn mist, then disappears with a loud bang that seems to shake the mountains.
"The guts of Jormungand," Lord Modbrock cursed in bewilderment, rising from the corpse of his warrior. "At least they went out beautifully, the bastards!"
Running his hand irritably through his singed beard, the man limped heavily down to the sea over the rocks, where the apparition barrier no longer worked. None of the cursed Magnusson family remained. Now the property of the ruling Bear family could be divided among the other participants in the attack, and they could live in peace. The fewer true lords of the North remained, the better it was for those who had come to these harsh lands after the ancient clans. Magnusson's death was a good confirmation of this. Unfortunately, they were unable to capture the source of the ancient castle and the enemies' treasure. At least no one from the dangerous clan was left alive.
***
The sea was as turbulent as it had been for thousands of years. Nevertheless, the sailing ship, which was moving quickly towards England, seemed oblivious to the gathering storm and confidently soared and dived down the huge waves.
One-eyed Andesh held the helm firmly in one hand and a magic wand in the other, using magic to help himself. Suddenly, the captain's concentration was interrupted by a sharp stab in his heart, which made Andesh curse loudly.
"Munika," whispered the man's bitterly contorted lips. "You were always as strong as steel, sister. May Freya be merciful to you...
Raindrops rolled down the glass of the captain's cabin like farewell tears.
The sea would not let him rest, and Andesh did not make it back to his cabin until the next day, when the storm had moved further south. Sitting on his bunk was a small child with dark eyes and the distinctive features of the ruling family, playing with an old house spirit.
"Well, hello, Björn, son of William, the last magician of the Magnusson family," sighed the one-eyed captain heavily, sitting down on a stool bolted to the floor.
"Uncle Andres," the child looked at him sadly, pursing his lips. "My father and mother are dead. I can feel it."
"Yes, little one," the one-eyed man replied bitterly. "So is my sister...
"What will happen to us now?" little Bjorn interrupted the mournful silence.
"By order of the lord, I will hide you in a Muggle orphanage in England," Andesh croaked hoarsely. "When you come of age, you can take revenge on them all. Remember! The Modbroks, the Frisks and the Erlings are to blame for the deaths of our loved ones.
"And what will you do?" the boy looked at his vassal.
"I will fulfil my duty to the end, little one. When the time comes for you to go to school, you can take the gold from Gringotts. I will open a vault in your name, Williams, in honour of your father. The blood goblins will know that you are who you are. Then I'll lead the chase away from you, and there will be a chase. My enemies will learn nothing from me, and you can take your revenge when you grow up. But don't rush. No one must go unpunished, in the name of all those who gave their lives for your family.
***
Four days later, the sailing ship arrived in England. Disguising it with a spell of invisibility, Andesh took the boy in his arms and travelled to Richmond. In this suburb of Greater London, there was an ordinary orphanage founded by the Reverend Andrew Reed and named after him, Reedham.
After paying for the boy's stay at the orphanage, Andesh went to the Ministry of Magic, where he paid a round sum in galleons for his ward's education at Hogwarts for all seven years. Then he returned to the orphanage, where he hugged the little boy tightly for the last time and instructed the house elf to help him in everything.
Leaving the son of the deceased lord in the orphanage under the name Bjorn Williams, the one-eyed captain headed for France, where he sold both the sailboat and the contraband. With the proceeds and the galleons he had brought with him, he opened a safe deposit box in the name of Bjorn Williams at the Gringotts branch in Paris. He drank a large glass of Kronenbourg with pistachios in a café, then strolled leisurely from the Eiffel Tower to the Pont Alexandre III. He stopped in the middle, near the gilded sculptures, and looked at the dome of the Invalides sparkling in the sun. Then he took out his wand and, without hesitation, placed it against his temple and calmly said:
"Avada Kedavra!"
The wand fell into the river from his weakened hand, and the one-eyed sailor's body became visible and collapsed to the ground. The residents and visitors of Paris walking on the bridge burst into frightened cries, and soon the police arrived in a car with flashing lights. No documents were found on the dead man, and another unsolved case was added to the archives of the Paris gendarmerie. The magicians of Modbrok, searching for Magnusson's vassals and surviving servants, found only the modest grave of the one-eyed Andesh in the Père Lachaise cemetery.
***
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