That guy reeked. The disgusting stench of booze, shit, urine, and stale sweat wafted off him so strongly it made me gag. While he was happily snoring away, the metallic scent of blood drifted from his wife's corpse—paradoxically, it was the most pleasant sensation in the room. It was revolting. With one hand over my nose, I pointed my wand at the Muggle: "Ennervate!"
His snoring turned into a wheezing, deep intake of breath. He immediately clutched his temple with his left hand.
"Argh... w-what...?"
The smell of his own filth must have hit his nostrils, because he snapped his eyes open and tried to push himself up. He jerked, lifted his chest a few inches, and collapsed back onto his back. I had no intention of wasting time with a specimen like him.
"Imperio!"
The yellow jet of light hit him with full force. I didn't feel even a flicker of resistance. His mind didn't stand a chance against my urgency. He instantly sprang to his feet like an athlete in peak form. I let him take a good look around the room.
Pure horror and dread immediately surfaced in the filthy Muggle's mind. His consciousness revolted; I felt his body desperately trying to run toward his dead wife. In a fraction of a second, I crushed the attempt and forced him to look me straight in the eyes.
"Legilimens!"
I didn't restrain my power at all. Blood began to trickle from his nose, but I didn't care. To me, his mind was like a movie; I sped through memories relevant to this horror.
I discovered that, outside of his alcoholic stupors, he was essentially a good, family-oriented man. He helped around the house, cared about his daughter, and loved his wife. But when he drank, he turned into an aggressive sadist. While his wife bore the full brunt of his states, his consciousness at least somewhat controlled his behavior toward Sally. He had tried to quit many times. Every Sunday at Mass, if he even made it there, he swore he wouldn't touch the bottle again. It always lasted a while, until his "friends" showed up. When he sat with them, they mocked him, and he gave in every time.
"Just have one, it's nothing." "You're a bore when you don't drink." "What are you, a girl? Drink up!" "You gonna leave your mates hanging?"
Every time, he resisted for a while, and every time, the group broke him.
„Alcohol is the scourge of humanity," I thought with disgust. „When someone has friends like that, they don't need enemies in their life."
Within his mind, I selected the memory of me and mentally cordoned off the knowledge that Sally was a witch. Once I was sure everything was in place, I used the spell for the first time: "Obliviate!"
The light-gray beam soaked into him. It was a strange feeling—having Legilimency and Imperio active at the same time—but thanks to that, I saw exactly how the spell took hold. I was sure I had done it correctly. And even if I had destroyed his mind in the process, it wouldn't have bothered me.
With one last mental command, I headed for the exit. The Imperio remained active, draining a negligible amount of magic. I could sense that with every step down the stairs, the demand to maintain the connection increased, but my magical core replenished so quickly that it covered the consumption without any issues.
Outside the apartment building, a tearful Sally was waiting with Vespera. Thanks to my magical sensitivity, I immediately picked up on the active spell surrounding them—a strong sense of concealment and privacy radiated from it.
"Done?" Vespera asked, while Sally kept her eyes fixed on the ground.
Instead of answering, I looked deep into my aunt's eyes. I sent her a mental impulse, and in a split second, I stood before the ramparts of our castle in her mind. The gargoyles on the walls came to life, shaking off their feigned stiffness. I didn't attack; I just waited. It didn't take even a second before Vespera appeared before me with a question in her eyes.
"The Muggle is under the Imperio. He'll turn himself in to the police and confess to everything he did," I explained calmly in the privacy of our minds. I didn't trust Sally enough to speak of an Unforgivable Curse in front of her. Essentially, I didn't even know her—she was just a girl I had decided to help.
"And what about her? Are we taking her to our manor?" Vespera asked, naturally accepting my lead.
"Temporarily," I nodded. "A few days at most. She can't live with us permanently. She's not pure-blood, and proximity to our house could be dangerous for her in the future." I paused for a moment as a quick and logical solution occurred to me. "I need you to Side-Along me to London. In the meantime, you can take care of Sally at the castle. A shower, clean clothes, a proper meal... you know."
Vespera nodded hesitantly, but after a moment, she asked with a slight frown: "Not that I don't trust you... but what are you planning?"
"Nothing bad. I'll tell you later when we have time."
I immediately cut the connection and found myself back on the cracked sidewalk in front of the shabby apartment block. While time in the mind flowed faster than in reality, it still flowed. Without a word, I grabbed Vespera by the forearm, she gripped Sally firmly by the shoulder, and in a split second, we were caught in the whirl of Apparition.
We appeared in Diagon Alley, which was crowded with people. I immediately stepped away from them to create at least a little space.
"Be careful and let me know if anything happens!" Vespera commanded firmly, and then vanished with Sally.
I nodded in agreement to the empty space before me. They slipped away so quickly that I just stood there for a moment. With a quiet sigh, I walked through the crowded Leaky Cauldron and headed straight into the Muggle world of London.
I felt like walking, but I didn't have much time to spare. I needed to resolve this situation urgently, so I took a taxi. It wasn't long before I found myself in front of Wool's Orphanage. The weather was calm, and although clouds covered the sun, it was still relatively pleasant.
At this time, the sounds of children's joy, football, and shouting should have been echoing from behind the gate. However, the gate was closed, and aside from the noise of traffic and the footsteps of passersby on the sidewalk, I heard absolutely nothing from the orphanage.
An ill feeling immediately took hold of me. In a split second, I summoned my wand into my hand. It occurred to me right away that after my last conversation with Quirrellmort, he might have decided to visit them. A few anonymous spells would have been enough for him to slaughter the entire household without anyone outside noticing.
"Muffliato!" I cast, pouring more power into it to widen the range of protection. The gate creaked and groaned as it opened, but thanks to the spell, I knew that if anyone was inside, they wouldn't hear a thing.
Tense, I entered. My magic was ready for an explosion of aggression and violence. With a sharp breath, I pulled it back when I felt it starting to uncontrollably affect the surroundings.
My bad feeling intensified with every step across the yard. No children, a deathly silence, and only the muffled hum of the spell. The doors to the orphanage were unlocked, so I went inside. The building was cold as always, but now it was also hauntingly quiet. I felt like I was in a horror movie; goosebumps rose on my skin and cold sweat ran down my back. There was no one anywhere. I wasn't afraid of a fight; I was afraid of what I would find in the depths.
I walked slowly through the hallways. The rooms were empty—not just of children, but of their personal belongings as well. The feeling of dread slowly began to fade, and I calmed myself with deep breathing. My magic withdrew and stabilized. If something bad had happened here, I would have felt it. Instead of the smell of blood or staleness, however, I sensed nothing suspicious. I headed straight for the office of the orphanage's headmistress. Only there did I finally hear the first sounds—the rustle of paper and the quick scratch of a pen.
I took a breath, held it for a moment, exhaled, and then knocked.
"Come in," the calm voice of Mrs. Benson called out.
I walked in without hesitation. Benson was fixing me with a serious look, which immediately dissolved and was replaced by a kind smile.
"Patrik!" she blurted out happily. "I thought I wouldn't see you again." She gestured for me to sit opposite her.
"Hello, Mrs. Benson," I greeted with a soft smile. "Why? I had to come and say goodbye, after all."
"Well, after your aunt's visit last year..."
"I hope she didn't offend you, she's a bit peculiar," I smiled apologetically.
"She was a bit cold, but polite, don't worry," Benson remarked with a smirk. "She was a bit too 'posh' for our standards, and little Lucy thought she was a real princess." She paused for a moment and then looked at me suspiciously: "I believe you would come to say goodbye... but in my eyes, you've aged an entire decade, dear boy. Is everything alright?"
I had to think my answer through carefully. The magical world was insane and extremely dangerous. In a short time, I had become a killer. Although I knew it was in the name of justice and none of them were innocent, I knew that in the future, I would have to step over many more corpses. On top of that, the Dark Lord's rebirth was approaching, Sally's mother's death...
I gave a fake smile and nodded: "Everything's perfect, Mrs. Benson."
She immediately shot me a look of disapproval, so I quickly changed the subject with a question: "Where is everyone, anyway? The building is completely empty."
"Pfffft, you don't know how to lie, boy," she huffed amusedly. "After various abuse scandals over the decades, the Ministry finally decided to change the orphanage model and invest more money in the youth." she smiled happily and continued: "There won't be large orphanages like this in England anymore; the format is changing. Younger children will be in smaller homes together, and the older ones will live in apartments in small groups. Under the supervision of heads, of course, but they will have more autonomy. We also negotiated higher pocket money and some capital for savings accounts after finishing school, to give them an easier start."
"That's great!" I smiled at her. "They'll have much better prospects for the future."
"That they will, boy, but don't forget that I was the one who raised you... You're as bright as a fox, so now tell me what's really going on," she commanded with a stern but kind smile.
I had planned to ask her for help anyway. I knew she was a truly good person and actually the ideal person to help Sally. And so, I began to talk.
"I have a classmate from school," I began, and she smiled at me amusedly—she was probably expecting some romantic story. However, the smile quickly vanished from her face as I continued: "Her father got drunk and killed her mother. The girl has nowhere to go. She can't stay with us because she would be in danger there over time. I need to find her a foster home. She used to live in Muggle Manchester, and so... I decided to come to you."
"The orphanage is closing, boy. I'm spenting the last month closing everything up and putting the files together," she replied hesitantly.
I remained silent and watched as she thought intensely. After a moment, however, she sighed and nodded.
"I'm retiring in a month and honestly... I've sacrificed my whole life to the orphanage. What would an 'old bird' like me do alone in a house with just a TV? I don't even have cats, and my friends have slowly passed away," she admitted with an amused but slightly sad laugh. "I'll take her in. I'll help her," she finally nodded with determination.
"You have no idea how much this means to me, Mrs. Benson," I exhaled, and I literally felt a huge weight fall off my shoulders. "If only there were more people like you..."
"Boy, you're twelve. You shouldn't have to deal with these things at all," she replied seriously. "Why are you the one dealing with it?"
That was the question. How was I supposed to explain to her that I was actually a grown man in a young body? And that for my age, I was extremely powerful, so I could influence situations to be satisfied with the outcome? I chose to just simply shrug.
"Is there anything else happening?" she asked after a moment of silence. "You can confide in me, boy. I'll be taking my secrets to the grave soon enough anyway," she added with a small smirk, as if she truly couldn't wait for that grave.
And that was exactly what I decided to use. It was the ideal opportunity to ask her at least the hypothetical question I had been thinking about intensely for a few days.
"For my age, I am an extremely powerful wizard, and I'm sure that within a few years, I will be among the most powerful in the world," I spoke hesitantly. Benson gave me a slight smirk, so I quickly added: "I say that modestly and objectively, Mrs. Benson... I work hard to make it so."
She remained silent and watched me wordlessly with that small smile of hers, so I continued.
"Once in school, Professor Smith mentioned a quote that stuck in my memory: 'For evil to triumph, it is enough that good men do nothing.' Lately, I've been thinking about it constantly. I know I have the power to change the world. I think for the better... even if it's over corpses," I admitted calmly.
She nodded to show she was listening, so I developed my reasoning further.
"I feel like I'm selfish. Since I was a kid, I've mostly tried to be self-sufficient so that one day I could just drink cocktails on a beach somewhere in peace. But lately, it's been gnawing at me whether I should change the world after all. For the better... I don't want to be a dictator, but when I see how people suffer under the watch of the powerful—the corruption, scandals, cruelty, and nonsense... It occurs to me to take power, but I know it can't be done without violence. The law is too limited for this."
Benson continued to nod silently.
"If I decide to change the world, I'll be the villain, even if I change it with good intentions. If I do nothing, the world remains just as corrupt and broken, with only occasional flashes of light from people like you, Mrs. Benson." My shoulders slumped under the weight. "If I just enjoy my own happiness on a beach somewhere, my conscience will eat me alive. On the other hand, nobody—none of the people deceived by populist swine—will curse me. Those people don't even realize what's happening and what filth rules this country and the world."
I paused. I was sure I couldn't even present those feelings correctly. At that moment, my head felt like a stormy sea.
"And you want to hear from me what you should do?" Benson asked amusedly. I just nodded silently.
"I can't tell you that," she shook her head, still with the same amused expression. "The reality is that when you're my age, you'll always regret something anyway. Should I have accepted John's offer for a date back then? Maybe I'd have four grandchildren now, or maybe he'd have beaten me black and blue. If I had accepted, maybe today I'd regret not helping orphans. What would have become of them? There are so many children without a shred of love..."
She paused with a melancholic smile, but then returned to the present and continued: "You'll always regret something, Patrik. If you were lying on that beach, you'd regret not helping anyone. If you rule the world, you'll regret not going to lie on the beach. You have to choose for yourself, according to your own knowledge and conscience... because the truth is, we will always regret something from the past. But you must live in the present, which will decide your future, dear boy."
What she said, I knew deep down—after all, I had my years and I had regretted enough things already. Nevertheless, hearing it spoken out loud calmed me a bit.
"What would you do in my place?" I asked curiously.
"Honestly?" she smiled at me. When I nodded, she continued: "If I had the power to change the world... I would definitely go over corpses. Our Prime Minister only helped the orphans because of the campaign; it was purely cold political calculation. In my life, I've helped hundreds of children, but if I were in power, I could help millions, even without personal contact."
I stared at her in surprise. She laughed and added: "Surprised? Kindness to those who deserve it, and just punishment for the wicked! Although... between us, I probably wouldn't have the stomach for actual death," she winked at me amusedly.
"I feel like you shouldn't be giving me the green light to take over the world," I remarked amusedly.
"Ohoho, dear boy, I'm just telling you that you'll always regret something. Choose what you'll regret less. Just because of your willingness to help that girl from school, I know you're not as selfish as you claim to be. I feel that you've already chosen your path, and since I'm not exactly getting chills down my spine from you right now... For the Greater Good, I give you the green light as the person who raised you."
At her final words, I jerked slightly.
"For the Greater Good," I repeated in a whisper. I certainly had no desire to end up like Grindelwald in Nurmengard.
Slowly, with a deep breath, I rose from the chair: "When can I bring Sally?"
"Anytime, boy. I'll handle the legal matters, don't you worry about that," at my questioning look, she added with unabashed pride: "Quite a few of my children serve in the London police today."
"Thank you for your wisdom and your help, Mrs. Benson," I nodded. Despite the reassurance, the echo of "the Greater Good" still rang in my head. I headed for the exit.
"Don't mention it, Patrik. I'm here until the end of August... if you should need me," she added as a farewell with a kind smile.
As I closed the door behind me, I heard the rustle of paper and the scratch of a pen one last time. I walked out of the orphanage. I felt like having a drink and sorting out my thoughts, so I hailed a taxi right on the street.
"Where to?" asked an older ginger fellow with a mustache as massive as a walrus. "And do we have money?" he added just to be sure, while I was settling in.
I pulled out a few pounds and coolly dictated the address: "Grimmauld Place, London."
"That's in the Islington area, isn't it, boy?"
He didn't even wait for my answer and set off.
***
Author's note:
So much blood has been shed this summer that our MC was bracing for the worst even in an empty orphanage. There's a certain wisdom only the elderly seem to possess... that idea that you'll always end up regretting something. Whether it's not striking up a conversation with a pretty girl at the bus stop, turning down a great job opportunity, picking the wrong school, or even giving up on a sport you used to love. Even the smallest trivialities... but that's just life.
I'm rooting for all of us to have as few regrets as possible when the time comes :D. And now, it's time for a drink—For the Greater Good! :D
***
Step into the Restricted Section
The shadows are shifting, and the story goes much deeper... If you can't wait for the next update, Advanced Chapters are already waiting for you.
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Upcoming Chapters – Already Written(16):
72. Toujours Pur
73. The Emperor of Mankind
74. Two Romans Walk into a Bar…
75. Tactical Retreats
76. The Twelve-Year-Old Dark Lord
77. Poking the Snake
78. Of False Heroes and Tethered Minds
79. The Casual Intruder
80. The Silent Partner
81. The Black Inheritance
82. The Frequency of Intent
83. Of Blood and Thorns
84. Thorns, Wards, and Sly Foxes
85. As Peaceful and Civilized as Always
86. The Twin in the Shadows
87. Their Addiction, Our Profit
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