CHAPTER 9 - ARES' HERITAGE REVEALED
CHAPTER 9 - ARES' HERITAGE REVEALED
A few hours after I had woken up from my memory sorting, I sensed someone approaching my room. The sound of a woman's voice in heated argument reached me, punctuated by a rhythmic thud that grew louder.
"You will not enter the patient's room without my presence, ministry orders or not. He is a child who has suffered enough, and if you want to see him, you will let me stay with him!" The voice outside the door was slightly muffled but firm.
"Fine. Suit yourself. But if he attacks again, don't blame me," retorted an irritated voice.
"He didn't attack anyone! At most, it was accidental magic due to intense emotions," shot back the woman.
With a resounding slam, the door swung open, revealing two figures entering.
"Mr. Moody, even if you are sent by the ministry, it does not give you the right to barge into a patient's room like this!" The matron's voice, unmistakable from my previous encounters, rang out in protest.
A few hours after waking from my memory sorting, I sensed someone approaching my room. The muffled voices outside escalated into a heated argument, punctuated by a rhythmic thud that grew louder with each passing moment.
"You will not enter the patient's room without my presence, ministry orders or not. He is a child who has suffered enough, and if you want to see him, you will let me stay with him!" The matron's voice, though slightly muffled, was firm and unwavering.
"Fine. Suit yourself. But if he attacks again, don't blame me," retorted a gruff voice, unmistakably Alastor Moody's.
"He didn't attack anyone! At most, it was accidental magic due to intense emotions," shot back the matron.
With a resounding slam, the door swung open, revealing Moody and the matron entering with tense expressions.
"Mr. Moody, even if you are sent by the ministry, it does not give you the right to barge into a patient's room like this!" the matron exclaimed.
Moody's magical eye swiveled towards me, his intense gaze piercing through the dimly lit room. "Boy, I've got some questions and you've got answers to give me. I've waited long enough," he growled, his demeanor exuding a mix of authority and suspicion.
I hesitated, feeling the weight of Moody's scrutiny. "Last time when the matron was here, I looked into her eyes before I was about to rest like she told me and I think I accidentally used Legilimency. I don't want to do that again, so I decided to just keep my eyes closed around people for now," I explained calmly to the seasoned Auror.
Moody's brow furrowed deeply. "Oh, did you now? And how does a boy like you know what Legilimency is, pray tell?" he asked, his voice still gruff but with a hint of curiosity.
"I read about it in my father's library when I was looking through all the books we had," I replied simply, hoping my answer sounded reasonable.
"And who is this father of yours, boy?" Moody questioned skeptically.
"Edgar Bones," I answered without hesitation.
There was a brief pause, during which Moody seemed to be processing my response. "And your mother?" he asked, his tone now more deliberate, as if trying to confirm something.
"Serena Bones," I replied, my voice steady despite the nervous flutter in my chest.
"What's your name, boy?" Moody finally asked, his magical eye fixed unwaveringly on me.
"Ares Bones," I declared proudly, my mind briefly drifting to memories of my parents.
"Get me some goblins to do a bloodline test now!" Moody's voice roared, reverberating through the hallway outside. "You better be who you say you are, or I'll dig out your secrets for trying to impersonate the child of two of the greatest fighters I've known," he growled at me, his tone heated and intense.
It took perhaps half an hour, but eventually, I sensed a new group of people approaching my room in a hurry. Two of them felt distinctly shorter compared to the usual visitors. I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment—I had been curious to see what goblins truly looked like.
"Is that him?" a voice croaked, breaking the tension.
"Hmm," Moody confirmed with a grunt.
Small steps approached, and a voice ordered, "Hand out. We need some of your blood for the test."
I extended my left hand toward the small being. I felt a quick, sharp sting as they pricked my index finger with a knife, drawing blood. Strangely, the wound seemed to heal almost instantly afterward.
"Goblin bloodline analysis, initiate," declared the goblin, its voice crisp and authoritative as it began its assessment.
"Ares Michael Bones
Father: Edgar Bones
Mother: Serena Bones
Heritage:
Bones (heir)
Creature Inheritance:
Wampus Cat
Phoenix
Vault:
Bones (Trust vault)
Bones (Main vault)"
The goblin's voice rang out as it read aloud the results extracted from my bloodline.
"Get Amelia here now! She will want to know immediately!" Moody's voice thundered through the room after the goblin had confirmed the authenticity of my lineage.
"And you're sure everything on that paper was accurate, Runeclaw?" Moody directed his question to one of the goblins.
"Our tests do not make mistakes, Mr. Moody," Runeclaw replied, his tone carrying a hint of offense at the suggestion of error.
"Alright. Everyone leave. I'll handle this with Amelia when she gets here," Moody ordered, dismissing the others from the room.
As people filed out, Moody pulled a chair close to my bed and sat down heavily.
The room fell into silence, tension hanging thick in the air.
"So, I can ask some questions?" I ventured, uncertainty coloring my voice.
"Yes," Moody growled in response.
"Are my parents alive?" I asked, my heart pounding as I awaited the answer.
"No," came the reply, accompanied by a weary sigh. "We weren't able to get to them or you in time."
"Who is Amelia?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant about someone who, in the future, would be the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
"Your aunt, also the only member of the Bones family confirmed to be alive. Except for a cousin of yours named Susan," Moody answered gruffly.
"What's a Wampus cat? I heard them say I had its bloodline, but I don't really know what it is. The Phoenix doesn't surprise me too much because of how I bonded with my little SAL here, but a cat?" I asked, gently stroking the small phoenix nestled in my hands.
"So that's a Phoenix, huh?" Moody remarked, eyeing SAL. "You're going to need to be careful. You're an easy target—young, no wand, and carrying a gold mine with you."
"Thanks for the advice," I replied, my tone appreciative yet guarded.
"Back on topic: a Wampus cat is no kitten. It's a XXXXX-rated magical creature, more commonly found in America," Moody explained, his voice low and serious. "They resemble mountain lions, but with an additional pair of legs. They're extremely deadly, capable of Legilimency and Hypnosis, and possess immense strength through their eyes. They're magic-resistant and nearly impossible to kill. I bear scars from a run-in with one that a dark wizard once kept as a guard."
I absorbed Moody's words, the description painting a vivid picture of the formidable creature now part of my heritage. SAL chirped softly, sensing my unease.
"It sounds... dangerous," I murmured, still processing the implications of having such a lineage.
"It is," Moody confirmed bluntly. "But knowing what you have inherited gives you an advantage. You'll need to learn to control it, understand it. That's part of what I'm here to help you with."
I nodded slowly, grateful for his straightforwardness amidst the overwhelming revelations about my magical lineage.
"So that's why I saw the matron's memories. I have the ability of a Wampus cat in my eyes!" I exclaimed, a sudden realization dawning upon me.
Moody nodded, his magical eye fixed on me with intense curiosity. "Seems like it. You've got quite the heritage there, boy."
As I recalled the unsettling scenes of the ritual that had taken my eyes, I couldn't help but connect the dots. "Three pairs of lion legs, a tail, fangs, and a pair of eyes preserved and floating above the ritual formation," I mused silently. "So that's what was bugging the old demon. He couldn't get the eyes to fuse with mine properly. Everything else worked except for that final goal of his first ritual on me. But after the ritual with SAL, they did! And I can see out of them, haha!" A smile spread across my face at the realization of my newfound abilities.
"Your name is Mr. Moody, right?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"Alastor Moody. Most people call me 'Mad-eye'," he corrected me gruffly.
"OK. I'm going to open my eyes to play with SAL until my aunt arrives, so please try not to look at them. I have a feeling your memories are not something I want to see," I informed him, my tone polite but firm.
"Ha. Like you'd be able to get through my defenses, boy," Moody grunted, a hint of challenge in his voice.
And so, I spent time petting the cute and warm little ball of fluff that was SAL. After about 15 minutes, I heard hurried steps approaching my room.
"Does Aunt Amelia have strong enough Occlumency to resist me looking at her?" I asked Moody, my curiosity piqued.
"Try mine," he replied cryptically.
I turned to look into the man's remaining eye, taking in the sight. They had done a remarkable job portraying him in the movies. The only noticeable differences were his nose, with a visible chunk missing, and less pronounced wrinkles. His hair, though starting to gray, hadn't reached the complete grayness shown in the films. As I gazed into his eye, I caught glimpses of random memories—his office, moments of travel—before being shut out abruptly.
"Well, that was quite sudden. I'll warn her and let you know when you can look again," Moody remarked, sounding almost impressed.
"That's good, because I think that's going to be her," I replied with a small sigh, sensing the impending arrival.
Moody raised an eyebrow, silently questioning my statement, just as the door to my room swung open abruptly.
"Wow, a lot of people are really rough with doors here," I couldn't help but quip to myself, a nervous chuckle escaping me.
"Ares. Is that really you?" a woman's voice asked as she approached.
"Yes, I'm Ares. I'm guessing you must be Aunt Amelia," I answered her question, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside me.
I felt her hand touch my face, turning it this way and that to examine me closely.
"What happened to your hair? And why aren't you opening your eyes? And what is this scar?" she fired off questions in quick succession, her concern palpable.
Before I could respond, she redirected her attention to Moody. "Alastor, what happened to him?"
Moody leaned forward, his demeanor serious. "We've got a lot to discuss, Amelia. Sit down."
"Calm yourself, Amelia," Moody said slowly, trying to steady my seemingly high-strung aunt. "You're going to need to prepare yourself for some very sudden Legilimency before the kid opens his eyes. He's been changed."
Amelia paused for a few moments, taking in Moody's words, before declaring firmly, "Alright, I'm ready."
I took a deep breath and slowly opened my eyes, finally getting a good look at the famous Amelia Bones. She was a square-jawed witch with close-cropped grey hair and a monocle attached to her collar, giving her a serious appearance befitting the head of such an important department. Her green eyes met mine, reminding me of my father's eyes—the same eyes I remembered from the first and last time I saw him. As I looked into her eyes, memories surfaced: moments of her and my father when they were young, and a wedding scene that I could only assume was theirs.
"I understand what you meant, Alastor," she said calmly without turning her head. "How did this happen to you, Ares? How did you get that ability? And where have you been this whole time?" Her questions came suddenly and directly.
My eyes dimmed as I recalled my time in that cell, in that hell hole. Amelia saw the change in my expression and turned to Moody, her gaze demanding an explanation.
"What we know so far is that Ares was probably captured when they attacked the Bones manor. They took him away after killing everyone they could find," Moody began, his voice grave and measured. "He started off with the basics—"
"But then they experimented on me." I interrupted.
Moody continued his grim account to Amelia, his voice steady despite the weight of his words.
"He was taken to an underground facility found dug out under the Lestrange family home. What we found was the den of a ritual magic researcher, a very dark and devoted member of the Death Eaters. He was researching ways to use dangerous magical creatures to empower either his comrades or You-Know-Who himself. We caught their trail when a Phoenix egg was stolen and smuggled into the country, and a few Aurors tracking it were attacked. We finally found their base of operations, swept the place clean until we found a hidden entrance. There were half a dozen cells with almost nothing in them except buckets and what we assume were beds, with no light sources and metal doors. Then we found a second floor with multiple rooms. One was filled with tomes about different magical beasts, ritual magic, blood magic, and human transmutation. Another contained preserved beast parts and ingredients. The next held a room with a chair with straps and numerous instruments, reminiscent of muggle medical tools. The last room housed a table with straps where we found the boy undergoing what we assumed was a ritual. And at the end, we found a hole filled with what we believe are the cremated bodies of their experimental subjects," Moody explained, his words painting a chilling picture of the horrors Ares had endured.
"Dear Merlin!" Amelia exclaimed, her voice filled with horror and fury. "And you're telling me my nephew was trapped in that place for over 8 months!" Her anger was palpable, her demeanor shifting from shock to a steely resolve that seemed to freeze her emotions.
Her eyes, however, betrayed her intent—a burning desire for retribution that spoke volumes about what lay ahead for those responsible.
A sense of determination filled the room as Amelia Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, addressed me with steely resolve.
"Tell me what happened to you, Ares, and I'll make sure those responsible feel the full weight of justice," she declared, her voice firm and unwavering as she looked directly at me.
I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts before beginning to recount the harrowing months of captivity, the experiments, and the rituals I endured under the Lestrange family home. As I spoke, memories surfaced—of fear, pain, and survival in the face of darkness. Amelia listened intently, her expression shifting from concern to a hardened determination with each detail I shared.
Moody stood nearby, his presence a silent reassurance amidst the recounting of horrors. Together, we laid bare the depths of depravity inflicted upon me and the trail of suffering left behind by those who sought to harness dark magic for their own ends.
By the time I finished, there was a heavy silence in the room, broken only by the distant echoes of the past and the palpable tension of imminent justice. Amelia Bones, now fully aware of the atrocities committed, nodded solemnly.
"We will bring them to justice, Ares," she vowed, her voice carrying the weight of authority and promise. "No one escapes the consequences of such heinous acts."
As I looked into her eyes, I saw not just determination but also a glimmer of hope—a promise of closure and retribution for all those who had suffered under the hands of darkness.
Moody, standing by the door, added gravely, "We have leads and evidence. It won't be long before we track down everyone involved in this operation. They won't escape justice."
Amelia nodded firmly, her gaze unwavering. "Every Death Eater connected to this will be brought to trial, and we'll ensure they face the full extent of wizarding law."
I felt a surge of gratitude and relief knowing that I had the support of both Moody, with his years of experience and determination, and Amelia, with her authority and unwavering commitment to justice. Their assurance gave me strength, knowing that my ordeal would not be in vain—that justice would prevail and others would be spared from suffering as I had.
"Thank you," I said quietly, overwhelmed by the support and determination surrounding me. "I just want to make sure no one else has to go through what I did."
"We won't rest until it's done," Amelia assured me, her voice resolute. "You're safe now, Ares. And we'll make sure it stays that way."
Moody grunted in agreement, his magical eye scanning the room vigilantly. "We'll keep you under protection until this is fully resolved. No more surprises."
As I looked between them, I felt a glimmer of hope amidst the shadows of my past. With their support and determination, justice would be served, and I could begin to heal from the scars—both physical and emotional—left by my captivity under the Lestrange estate.
The room fell into a tense yet hopeful silence, filled with the promise of justice and the unspoken resolve to confront the darkness that had threatened us all.