"That's a risky plan, my old friend. One I won't approve you to carry out," the old man with the white, bushy beard frowned after hearing what Arcturus Black intended to do with Altair.
"The boy has character. I wish I'd seen it before." Patriarch Black took a sip of firewhiskey. "I won't give him things for free. If he wants my position, he'll have to take it from me. I'm just guiding him."
"You're assuming he wants to be Lord Black," Dumbledore seemed concerned.
"Isn't that what everyone wants? Besides, he may not even have a choice. If he wants to continue playing house with his girlfriends, he'll have to usurp my place. If he doesn't, he won't be a worthy heir." House Black was one of the oldest, most powerful, and best connected in the wizarding world inside and outside Britain.
"I still think a more... political approach would be better."
"And let him be treated like a little sissy?" spat Arcturus with venom.
Dumbledore hesitated for a few seconds. The details of the attack on his student were unknown to all but a few people.
"He was the victim of an assassination attempt. He is not in the right frame of mind for such politicking," he wanted to avoid the details. He did not know what Arcturus would do with that information.
"His mind will be forged for politics. Or it will be destroyed. I have already made my mind," he said, rising, fed up with the old headmaster.
"Altair is not one to take things as you think. He is... unpredictable. He could end up wanting to destroy the House of Black instead of taking power," Albus heard a laugh. A dry, empty laugh.
"If that's the case... he can try. He won't be able to move a single brick from the foundations of my lineage."
"You underestimate him," Albus knew that mistake would cost him dearly in the future.
"He's still a brat."
"And you expect him to dethrone you."
"A brat with potential."
Albus appreciated his office, now empty. His head was spinning, people seemed intent on causing him problems.
'This is going to end badly'. Arcturus intended to use the power of the Black family to attack those close to Altair. His partners, and his family.
Arcturus wanted the boy to hate him and bury him. It was a way of creating an heir. Someone to devour the previous king.
Bloodthirsty and stupid. If you ask him. Strength alone does not make a good leader. And Altair, if he grows at the same rate, will be capable of destroying the Black family.
Or he could take control...
The boy was proud, if he took control of the Black family he would do the same thing he planned to do to the Malfoy family.
Albus considered his options. Intervening directly would attract the attention of the entire wizarding world. If it were discovered that Altair was half-demon... Albus could feel the headaches coming on from miles away.
Arcturus Black was not an easy opponent. He knew this better than most, and he wasn't just talking magically. He was a person capable of pulling strings that no one could see.
'Except for me,' Albus wondered why Arcturus bothered to tell him his plan. The cunning old man must have had a reason for it.
What was it?
"He wants me to intervene," Albus would not stand idly by. Acting from the shadows was one option, with Arcturus it would not be enough.
'He knows', it was a very well-kept secret. Their parenthood. Lily Evans was the product of his search for immortality. She was his daughter.
And Harley was his granddaughter. One of Arcturus targets.
Albus was not a loving grandfather, far from it. Not because he didn't love his grandchildren, but because keeping his distance was the way to prevent that secret from coming out.
The fact that Lily was his daughter didn't bother him, nor was he afraid that she would be hurt. 'She already has problems of her own'. Albus thought with a smile. Maybe it was a little weird to be proud that his daughter would manage to piss off the whole magical world.
No. The real problem came from Lily's conception. She was as much his daughter as Gellert's. If anyone discovered that fact, his family would be in danger.
Albus was sure that no one would attack as long as he was alive. But the old headmaster did not plan to live forever.
'Arcturus wants to know how?' the old patriarch was a complicated character.
Albus began to think that Lord Black might not want an heir and that he planned to live forever.
It would make sense that he would look for him now, probably studying his life and finding something that linked him to Lily Evans. After all, if anyone had ever come close to immortality in the wizarding world, it was Albus Dumbledore.
'Maybe I'm delusional,' he thought to himself. He put a hand on his head. Living for so long made him overly paranoid. Always looking for the worst-case scenarios.
'But that's why I've lived so long, despite the attempts of thousands of wizards to get rid of me. I must reduce my ego', he told himself as he looked at the pile of papers on his desk. He picked up a letter from someone asking him for a favor.
"Maybe I should work later", he said out loud, watching as a red circle appeared in the middle of his office. He felt as if he were asking permission from the castle's guardians.
He let her in.
A slim, short girl appeared with a big smile. Her long black hair was tied in two ponytails. Her eyes were unusual in the wizarding world, Albus had only ever seen two other pairs of violet eyes, although the girl's were a less intense shade.
Albus looked at the young woman, wondering how much older she was than him.
"You must be the Maou Leviatan," he greeted her as he stood up. "Lemondrop?" she offered from a jar of his favorite sweet.
"And you must be the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore", she said with a cordial smile "Thank you!" she said as she took a sweet. "I am pleased to meet you, Headmaster."
"I have always preferred to be called Professor."
"And I prefer to be called Levia-Tan, but this is not the place for that. We have a business to attend to," Albus could admire the control of the woman in front of him. She clenched her jaw as she tasted the bittersweet.
"Lemon drops are not for everyone," with a wave of her hand a small handkerchief appeared in front of the Maou. She used it to throw the Lemondrop away.
Albus took one and put it in his mouth.
"It's been a long time since there was contact between demons and wizards," she began. She didn't seem to despise them or look down on them. Albus knew that, without preparation, the demon could easily kill him. 'Maybe even if I'm prepared,' in a confrontation of pure power he would lose. But Dumbledore is an instigator.
"One of your kind appeared in my castle," Albus did not have a strong position. If this were a matter of wizards against demons, he would lose. But the underworld was severely fragmented. According to his research, Asmodeus was part of the old faction, which opposed the new one. "Although you should know that already. I wanted to talk about cooperation," he took out a huge tome.
"What kind of cooperation?" she seemed interested in cooperation. Too much. Albus could smell it.
"The one that existed between wizards and demons hundreds of years ago." He said simply. "Demons are considerably more powerful than wizards. But we are capable of creating things that you are not."
"You want trade?" she asked.
"As allies, we would each have each other's backs."
"It seems as if you want to take advantage of us."
"This is the belief of one of my students. A wonderful young man." From a drawer, he took out a glass bottle. A yellowish liquid inside.
Serafall looked at the potion with renewed interest.
"I didn't know Hogwarts accepted demons," she said as she took the bottle.
"Hogwarts accepts anyone who can and wants to learn magic," Albus was still trying to get more magical species to learn at the castle. The ministry was putting obstacles in the way.
"What does it do?"
"It heals. The wizarding world has similar potions, but not as powerful. This one, however, accelerates the body's natural healing. They are not phoenix tears, after all, it will require that certain wounds be treated before using it or it could end up causing more harm than good. I don't think it's pleasant to have a wound closed when you have a piece of metal inside it," the professor kindly explained. 'She's interested,' he thought. Serafall was good at hiding her emotions but he was able to see through them.
"We have phoenix tears, as you mentioned."
"It's cheaper and more accessible. It can be used for the lower, middle, and high classes. The effect depends on the concentration, it can be diluted," he looked her in the eye. He knew he was taking a risk. "It will serve to bring the Phoenix family down from their pedestal. Even more so now that they seem to want to associate with the faction of the old satan, just as the demon who entered my castle" Albus felt the atmosphere change.
The girl had previously seemed serious but friendly. Now, she was looking at him with narrowed eyes.
"You know too much."
"I need to get to know who I want to be my new friends," it was a little difficult for the headmaster to speak. He wondered if that was how others felt when they looked at him angrily.
"Friends..."
They both remained silent. She continued to stir the potion.
"The student who created the potion..." she began.
"You know who it is. I'm sure you investigated as well as I did," she smiled and the pressure was off.
"Very good. Where do we sign?" The girl seemed bubbly and cheerful. "By the way, does the ministry know about this?"
"They'll know if they need to," he replied as he pulled out a pre-prepared contract.
"I'm Serafall Leviatan. I used to be Sitri, though. I love my sister and my friends call me Levia-Tan. Albus, are we friends?" She held out her hand.
He took her hand and smiled.
"We are." 'Or so I hope.'
"Then call me Levia-Tan! Do you want to see photos of my So-chan?" A photo album appeared in her hands. Her outfit suddenly changed to a magical girl costume. "You don't mind, do you? I knew from that beautiful and exotic robe you wear that we would get along well."
Albus was a little surprised at her change of attitude. She seemed to want to strengthen ties. Although maybe an old man like him wouldn't be the best option. 'Although she is older'.
"Did you say something?" the girl looked at him with piercing eyes.
"Professor Evans will be here soon. She helped create the potion. I'm sure you'll be interested in talking to her."
Serafall put the album away while nodding his head. He muttered something about false friends.
Lily entered the room only to see a girl in a revealing outfit. She stopped in her tracks as she opened her eyes. She looked at her father before speaking.
"I thought you were gay."