The Weight of Regret
Claude de Alger Obelia, the reigning emperor of the Obelian Empire, had always been a man of cold air and power. He had killed his own brother for his pettiness because of his unfair treatment under his father’s rule. He had always believed that he had done nothing wrong over the years, that there was nothing amiss, but as he sat in his chambers, staring at the family tree that hung on the wall, he realized that he had made a grave mistake.
He had thrown away his real daughter for a fake.
The news had come as a shock to him, delivered by the magicians of the tower who had been entrusted with keeping the secrets of the imperial family. They had revealed the truth about Athanasia, the daughter he had exiled for her supposed crimes against the kingdom. They had told him that Jennette was not his daughter at all, but the daughter of his younger brother and his ex-fiancée who had died in childbirth.
Claude had been devastated by the news. He had no idea where to start looking for his real daughter. The magicians had only mentioned that she had crossed dimensions, and he knew it was too late. He only realized his faults three years after Athanasia was exiled.
As he sat there, lost in his thoughts, he thought back to the day when Athanasia had been banished from the empire. He had believed that she was guilty of conspiring against him, of trying to overthrow him and take the throne for herself. He had believed that she was a traitor, a threat to his rule.
But now he knew that he had been wrong.
He had been so blinded by everything that he had failed to see the truth. He had thrown away his own flesh and blood for the sake of forgetting the woman he loves. He had made a terrible mistake, and now he had to live with the consequences.
He had lost his daughter forever, and he had only himself to blame.
As he sat there, staring at the family tree, he noticed something strange. There was a new name under Athanasia's name. It was a boy's name, Ambrosius Hadrian James Potter. He had never heard of this person before, and he wondered what it meant.
He summoned one of the magicians to his chambers and asked him about the name.
"Your Majesty," the magician said, bowing low. "That is the name of Athanasia's son. He was born six years after she was exiled from the kingdom."
Claude was taken aback. He had a grandson? He had never even known.
"What happened to him?" he asked, his heart pounding in his chest.
"He was born in another dimension, raised by disgusting commoners," the magician said. "We have been keeping tabs on him, but we have never made contact. We did not want to risk exposing him to danger."
Claude felt a surge of hope. If he could find his grandson, perhaps he could make amends for his mistakes. Perhaps he could make things right.
"How do I find him?" he asked.
"That, Your Majesty, is a difficult question," the magician said. "We do not know where he is. We only know that he is in another dimension, and that he has been living under the name of Harry Potter."
Claude felt a sense of frustration. He had no idea how to find his grandson, or even where to begin. But he knew that he had to try.
He summoned his advisors and his generals, and he told them what had happened. He told them about Athanasia, about the mistake he had made, and about his grandson.
They listened to him in silence, and when he finished, they looked at him with pity and sadness.
"Your Majesty, we understand your desire to make amends," one of his advisors said. "But we must be realistic. Finding your grandson in another dimension is a task that may be impossible to achieve."
Claude knew that his advisor was right. The task ahead of him was daunting, but he could not give up. He had to try.
He spent months studying magic, trying to understand how to cross dimensions. He consulted with the magicians of the tower, hoping that they would be able to help him. He poured over ancient tomes, hoping to find a clue that would lead him to his grandson.
As the years passed, he grew more and more desperate. He knew that time was running out. He was getting old, and he knew that he did not have much time left.
But then, one day, he received a message from the magicians of the tower. They had found a way to cross dimensions, and they had discovered the location of Harry Potter.
Claude was overjoyed. He gathered his generals and his advisors, and he prepared to embark on a journey that would take him to another dimension.
As they traveled through the portal, Claude felt his heart racing with anticipation. He was going to meet his grandson, and he was going to make things right. When he arrived the magician had told him to hide under a cloak like him and Felix. Felix had given him a newspaper.
The calendar was different from theirs. According to the newspaper, his grandson was already fifteen. He hasn’t seen his daughter for twenty years. He had wondered what the reunion would be. He was confused during their search. Who was Lily Potter? Did his daughter changed her name?
As Claude and his companions made their way through the crowded streets of the new dimension, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disorientation. Everything was so different from what he was used to. The buildings were strange and foreign, and the people spoke in a language he didn't understand.
But he pushed aside his confusion and focused on his mission. He had to find his grandson, no matter what. The magician had informed him that his grandson is attending a school named Hogwarts. But everyone has been calling him a liar for saying that the person that killed his parents is back from the dead.
How dare they!? He seethed. His jewel-eyes follow the movement of the people as Felix and the magician ask around where Hogwarts is. He let his hood down and couldn’t help but to grip his blonde hair in frustration.
How could he let himself be fooled! Oh regret! Oh how regrets turning his back on Diana and Athanasia. He never should have done that, he was nothing but a pathetic coward. Claude and his companions finally arrived at the location where Harry Potter was supposed to be. They found themselves in front of a large, old castle that looked like it had been standing there for centuries. Claude felt a sense of awe as he looked up at the massive structure. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before.
As they approached the castle, Claude felt his heart pounding in his chest. He was about to meet his grandson, and he didn't know what to expect. He wondered if Harry would even want to meet him, after all the years that had passed.
When they reached the entrance, they were met by a tall, thin man with greasy hair and a hooked nose. He looked at them suspiciously, as if he didn't trust them.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"We are looking for Harry Potter," Claude said, trying to sound as polite as possible.
The man's eyes widened in surprise.
"You're looking for Mr. Potter?" he said. "For whatever reason that is?"
Claude hesitated for a moment, wondering how much he should reveal.
"We have come a long way to find him," he said. "We have...important business to discuss with him."
The man looked at them skeptically.
"Follow me," he said.
He led them through the castle, through dark, winding corridors and up a flight of stairs. Finally, they arrived at a large, oak door.
"Wait here," the man said.
He disappeared behind the door, leaving Claude and his companions alone in the hallway. Claude felt his heart pounding in his chest. He wondered what was going on inside, and if Harry would even want to see him, or even knew him.
After a few minutes, the door opened, and a young man emerged. Claude felt his heart skip a beat as he looked at the boy. He was tall and thin, with wavy golden hair and bright jewel-blue eyes. He looked just like his mother.
"Mr. Potter," the man with the hooked nose said. "These people are here to see you."
Harry looked at them skeptically.
"Who are you?" he asked.
Claude took a deep breath.
"My name is Claude de Alger Obelia," he said. "And I believe that I am your grandfather."
Harry's eyes widened in surprise.
"My...my grandfather?" he said, looking at Claude incredulously.
Claude nodded.
"Yes," he said. "Your mother was my daughter."
Harry stared at him for a long moment, as if trying to process what he had just heard. Then, without saying a word, he turned and disappeared back into the room.
Claude and his companions followed him, feeling nervous and unsure. When they entered the room, they found themselves in a large, circular chamber filled with strange objects and artifacts. Harry was sitting in a high-backed chair in the center of the room, staring at them with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
"I don't understand," he said. "Why did you come all this way to find me?"
Claude took a deep breath.
"I made a mistake," he said. "A terrible mistake. I banished your mother from our world because I believed that she was a traitor. But I was wrong. I didn't realize the truth until it was too late."
Harry looked at him skeptically.
"And what truth is that?" he asked.
"That your mother was innocent," Claude said. "She was falsely accused, and I banished her from our world because of it. And I have spent the last twenty years trying to find her, or at least find her son. I want to make things right. I want to be a part of your life, and make up for the mistakes that I have made."
Harry looked at him for a few moments then took a deep breath, "My name is Ambrosius Hadrian James Potter, I have never met my mother for she had died giving birth to me,"
“W-what..?” Claude was devastated. Died. His only daughter is dead. And he wasn’t even able to hold her nor give her love the way her mother wanted. He was a fucking failure.
“I never knew about her either until like two months ago,” His jewel-blue eyes were staring into his eyes, “But I do know she was happy during her time here.. In this dimension,”
His heart probably stopped, when Ambrosius spoke once more, “But I'd like to think that I knew her a lot, even through stories than you, her own father that abandoned her,”