The Myriad Advantages of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic fantasy; it's a rapidly evolving reality that's reshaping industries, societies, and our daily lives. From self-driving cars to personalized medicine, AI's influence is becoming increasingly pervasive, offering a plethora of advantages that promise to optimize processes, enhance capabilities, and drive innovation across virtually every domain.
Automation and Efficiency:
At the forefront of AI's benefits is its unparalleled ability to automate tasks, particularly those that are repetitive, tedious, or time-consuming. In manufacturing, AI-powered robots can perform intricate assembly line tasks with greater speed, precision, and consistency than human workers, leading to increased productivity and reduced error rates. Similarly, in customer service, AI-driven chatbots can handle routine inquiries, freeing up human agents to address more complex issues. This automation extends to various sectors, including logistics, where AI optimizes routes and manages inventory, and finance, where it automates fraud detection and risk assessment. The result is a significant boost in efficiency, reduced operational costs, and the ability to accomplish more with fewer resources.
Enhanced Decision-Making:
AI's capacity to process and analyze vast amounts of data far surpasses human capabilities. Machine learning algorithms can sift through enormous datasets, identify patterns and correlations, and generate insights that would be impossible for humans to discern. This ability empowers businesses and individuals to make more informed and data-driven decisions. For instance, in marketing, AI can analyze customer behavior, predict trends, and personalize advertising campaigns for maximum effectiveness. In healthcare, AI can assist doctors in diagnosing diseases, developing treatment plans, and predicting patient outcomes. The objectivity and accuracy of AI-driven analysis can minimize biases and errors, leading to better outcomes in critical decision-making scenarios.
Improved Accuracy and Precision:
Human error is an inevitable part of any process, but AI systems can significantly reduce the likelihood of mistakes, especially in tasks that require high levels of accuracy and precision. In fields like surgery, AI-assisted robots can perform complex procedures with greater dexterity and control than human surgeons, minimizing the risk of complications. Similarly, in quality control, AI-powered vision systems can detect even the slightest defects in products, ensuring higher standards and reducing waste. This enhanced accuracy and precision not only improves outcomes but also leads to cost savings by reducing errors and rework.
24/7 Availability and Productivity:
Unlike humans, AI systems don't require sleep, breaks, or vacations. They can operate continuously, providing uninterrupted service and productivity around the clock. This is particularly advantageous in industries that require constant monitoring or service, such as security, where AI-powered surveillance systems can detect anomalies and respond to threats at any time, or customer support, where AI chatbots can provide assistance 24/7, enhancing customer satisfaction. This continuous availability ensures that operations can continue seamlessly, regardless of time zones or human limitations.
Risk Mitigation and Safety:
AI can be deployed in environments or situations that are dangerous or hazardous for humans. In industries like mining, construction, or disaster response, AI-powered robots and drones can perform tasks like exploring dangerous terrains, handling hazardous materials, and conducting rescue operations, minimizing the risk to human lives. Similarly, in cybersecurity, AI can detect and respond to cyberattacks in real-time, preventing data breaches and protecting critical infrastructure. By taking on risky tasks, AI helps create safer working environments and mitigates the potential for human injury or loss of life.
Innovation and Discovery:
AI is also a powerful engine for innovation and discovery, enabling breakthroughs in fields ranging from medicine to materials science. In drug discovery, AI can accelerate the process of identifying potential drug candidates, predicting their efficacy, and personalizing treatment plans. In materials science, AI can help design new materials with specific properties, leading to advancements in various industries. By providing researchers and scientists with tools to analyze complex data, simulate scenarios, and generate new hypotheses, AI accelerates the pace of innovation and discovery, paving the way for advancements that were once thought impossible.
Personalization and Customization:
AI excels at understanding individual preferences and tailoring experiences to meet unique needs. In e-commerce, AI-powered recommendation systems can suggest products that are most relevant to a customer's interests and purchase history, enhancing their shopping experience. In education, AI can personalize learning paths, adapting to a student's pace, learning style, and strengths and weaknesses, leading to more effective learning outcomes. This ability to customize and personalize experiences across various domains enhances satisfaction, engagement, and effectiveness.
Improved Healthcare:
The applications of AI in healthcare are vast and transformative. AI is assisting in diagnostics by analyzing medical images with greater accuracy and speed than human doctors, leading to earlier detection of diseases like cancer. It's helping in drug discovery by identifying potential drug candidates and personalizing treatments based on individual patient profiles. AI-powered robots are also assisting in surgeries, enhancing precision and minimizing invasiveness. Furthermore, AI is streamlining administrative tasks, freeing up healthcare professionals to focus on patient care. The overall impact of AI on healthcare is better diagnostics, more effective treatments, and improved patient outcomes.
Accessible Education:
AI has the potential to make quality education more accessible to everyone, regardless of their location, socio-economic status, or learning abilities. Online learning platforms powered by AI can provide personalized tutoring, adaptive learning materials, and instant feedback, catering to individual student needs and pace. AI can also translate educational content into multiple languages, breaking down language barriers and allowing students from diverse backgrounds to access knowledge. This democratization of education has the potential to empower individuals, bridge achievement gaps, and create a more equitable society.
Enhanced Creativity:
Contrary to the belief that AI will stifle human creativity, it can also serve as a powerful tool for enhancing and augmenting it. AI can assist artists, musicians, and writers by generating new ideas, providing feedback, and automating repetitive tasks. For example, AI can create original artwork, compose music in various styles, and generate text in different formats. By freeing up creators from mundane tasks, AI allows them to focus on the more conceptual and expressive aspects of their work, leading to new forms of artistic expression and innovation.
Climate Change Mitigation:
AI is playing a crucial role in addressing the global challenge of climate change. It can optimize energy consumption in buildings and transportation systems, improve the efficiency of renewable energy sources, and monitor environmental conditions. AI can also analyze vast amounts of climate data to predict future trends, identify mitigation strategies, and inform policy decisions. By providing the tools and insights necessary to understand and address climate change, AI is helping humanity transition towards a more sustainable future.
Driving Economic Growth:
The widespread adoption of AI is expected to significantly boost global economic growth. By increasing productivity, automating tasks, and driving innovation across various sectors, AI is creating new opportunities and transforming existing industries. Studies have predicted that AI could contribute trillions of dollars to the global economy in the coming years, creating new jobs, increasing efficiency, and fostering competitiveness. This economic growth has the potential to improve living standards, reduce poverty, and accelerate progress towards a more prosperous future.
Overcoming Limitations:
AI is continuously pushing the boundaries of what is possible, enabling us to overcome limitations that were once thought insurmountable. It is helping us explore the depths of the ocean, venture into space, and understand the intricacies of the human brain. AI is powering advancements in areas like robotics, enabling machines to perform complex tasks in challenging environments, and nanotechnology, where AI is used to design and manipulate materials at the atomic level. By breaking down barriers and expanding our capabilities, AI is opening up new frontiers of exploration and discovery.
Conclusion:
The advantages of artificial intelligence are vast and far-reaching, transforming industries, enhancing human capabilities, and driving progress across virtually every domain. From automating mundane tasks to enabling groundbreaking discoveries, AI is poised to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of humanity. As AI technology continues to evolve, it's crucial to address the ethical and societal implications of its widespread adoption, ensuring that its benefits are harnessed responsibly and equitably. By embracing the potential of AI while mitigating its risks, we can unlock a future where technology empowers us to solve complex challenges, improve our lives, and create a more prosperous and sustainable world for all.
A man with pitch black hair and dark black eyes weaved through the crowd in Diagon Alley- one of the most prosperous places in wizarding Britain. The Diagon Alley buzzed with excitement and fervour as Hogwarts was reopening after its Christmas holidays. The students, along with their parents, were busy restocking their supplies or shopping for things they would need at Hogwarts. The poor tried to do with bare minimum they could afford while the students from the rich families were buying things of luxuries.
But amidst this environment of happiness there was a hidden undercurrent—an undercurrent of fear, anxiety, and worry. An undercurrent of something unexpected happening. The faces of people, especially those high in status and influence and would be more aware of the happenings of the wizarding Britain were etched with constant fear and tension.
The man abruptly stopped when a poster on one of the walls caught his eye. With a deep sigh, he studied the image of a man on the poster. There was nothing special about that man. In all probability, the man was a common wizard. A common wizard who had gone missing.
This should not have been a very big issue, but the number of such posters was constantly on the rise. With each passing day, one or two persons would go missing. Some would return miraculously while few would not.
There would also be news about sporadic attacks and violence in some magical establishments. Most of the attacks happened in smaller magical villages and communities, and places like Diagon Alley were safe- at least for now.
And all these things pointed to a certain group, a certain man who was on the rise. The group was none other than the Death Eaters, and the man was being called the Dark Lord.
There was not much information available about the dark lord in the public- only rumours and whispers of people.
The man gazed at the poster with narrowed eyes as he studied the man in it. His face was etched with a frown of contemplation. After a few moments of silent reflection, he resumed his journey.
This man was a transmigrator, who had obviously transmigrated to this Harry Potter world—but not in the timeline of Harry Potter; rather, he had arrived in the Marauders' era, more specifically, in 1977.
In his previous life, he was known as Johns—an average middle-class guy working a 9-to-5 job.
Despite his ordinary and not-so-rich background, Johns had always been drawn to adventure and thrills. With whatever limited resources he could accumulate, he sought every opportunity in his life to experience the thrill of life- whether by jumping from helicopters, diving into deep oceans, or mountain trekking. He was a man who sought the rush of adrenaline in his body.
His previous world was a non-magical one, a realm devoid of fantasy, at least as far as he had been aware.
In contrast, the magical world he now inhabited was something he had once considered pure fantasy.
Tragically, one fateful day in his previous life, one of his thrill-seeking exploits ended in disaster, and he lost his life. When Johns opened his eyes next, he found himself in a new body.
It took him several days to come to terms with his new and almost unbelievable identity. He had to put in quite an effort that all whatever was happening was a reality and that he was not going to wake up any moment in his own world.
Now, the body he had been occupying, he was Antonio Olario—a pure-blood. The Olario family were not a noble or very rich magical family; his family owned an inn in a small magical community.
Antonio's life had been marred by tragedy from the very start. His parents were killed by a werewolf shortly after his birth, leaving him orphaned within days. His grandfather then took charge of his upbringing.
He had graduated from Hogwarts 5 years earlier, in 1972, and as one would expect from him, he returned to his family business. For the past 5 years, he had been running his family inn.
Tragedy struck once again, and in 1976, a year earlier, his grandfather also passed away, leaving Antonio alone.
After his grandfather's death, Antonio assumed the lordship of the Olario family, which did not really matter as the Olario family had very little inheritance. They could not even be compared to a simple noble family of the Wizarding World.
Antonio was not a genius or particularly gifted in magic. He was, by all accounts, an average wizard- able to perform basic spells flawlessly but often relying on luck and pure chance for more complex magic.
Yet, it did not really matter, for the maximum magic he was required to do was to brew wine and beer.
Antonio's series of misfortunes did not end there. Just two months ago, while practicing a spell, a strange magical accident had claimed his life.
And in its wake, Johns from another Earth had taken over his body.
After awakening, Antonio discovered massive changes in his body. His average magical reserve had risen significantly and was still rising continuously. He felt raw magical power churning inside him. Spells which were hard to learn came naturally to him. He felt as if he had suddenly become a prodigy of magic.
In mere months, he had mastered all the spells available to him and he had transformed himself from an average, pathetic wizard to a powerful master of magic.
However, he did not make any loud moves or take any noticeable actions in these past two months. He would run his establishment, deal with his customers, and in the evening, seek new knowledge.
Using the little wealth his family had saved up, Antonio had brought a whole bunch of books- legally from Diagon Alley and illegally from Knockturn Alley; and had expanded his scope of knowledge.
And during those times, when the influence of pure-blood families was still intact, a whole range of magic—which would have been called dark in the Harry Potter era—was still available.
Along with the core subjects like charms, transfiguration and dark arts, he also studied runes and Arithmancy and potion brewing and focused on an all-round development of his capabilities.
Not only spells, he felt that with a bit more practice, he could control raw magic as per his will. This simply meant he could eliminate the need for spells to channel his magic—he might wish, and the magic would do his bidding.
Maybe it was the merger of an additional soul or maybe it was the standard transmigrator golden finger, but Antonio was now a powerful… very powerful wizard.
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Chapter 2: Quest of a Wand
Antonio continued to walk down Dragon Alley before he arrived in front of an old looking shop. Although the shop appeared sturdy enough, a feeling of 'ancientness' emanated from it.
The board outside read: OLLIVANDER'S MAKERS OF FINE WANDS since 382 B.C.
At a leisurely pace and with a neutral, calm expression, Antonio stepped inside the shop.
It was empty and seemed to be devoid of both customers and the owner.
Antonio knew very well of Garrick Ollivander's- the old wandmaker, with his habit of startling the customers with his sudden and dramatic appearance.
With a half smirk on his face, Antonio tilted his head and looked in a certain direction. The old wandmaker, who was just about to make his abrupt appearance, was surprised by Antonio's gaze.
For a Hogwarts going child or an average wizard, it was almost impossible to see through Ollivander's little trick.
The old geezer was not a very powerful wizard, but even so he had a few tricks up his sleeve. The ability to create powerful illusions was one of them. But for the new Antonio, it was as easy as breathing to see through the trick. His perception had also risen tremendously with his magical power.
Ollivander overcame his shock and arrived in front of Antonio.
"Lord Olario," he greeted with a small bow of his head. Antonio returned the gesture.
"You are a changed… changed wizard, Lord Olario," Ollivander added as his dark, deep, ghostly eyes lingered on Antonio for a few minutes as of trying to gaze beneath Antonio and reveal all his secrets.
He stood almost too close as his eyes roamed over Antonio's entire body.
"You have become powerful, Lord Olario," he added after few moments as he stepped back. "An average eye might not be able to tell, but for someone whose entire life has been spent identifying objects with powerful magic… I can feel the magical power pulsating inside you."
Antonio merely smiled in response.
"I understand that you can guess the reason for my visit here," said Antonio.
Ollivander nodded as he moved back inside the shop.
"Rosewood with a core of dragon heartstring… nine and a quarter-inches long," said Ollivander as if recalling a memory. He was describing about Antonio's wand.
"An average wand for an average wizard," he added. "But now that wand cannot handle the powerful and ferocious magic dwelling inside you."
"You need something else… something powerful," he declared and Antonio nodded with a smile. The old man really knew his business.
Ollivander moved behind his counter, his eyes searching for a suitable wand.
"Not a lot of people come to my shop twice," the old wandmaker continued. "Among those who do make a second trip, a majority come because they have their wands broken due to some accident or some unfortunate circumstance."
"A rare few in my entire lifetime have come because their magic had changed," Ollivander added. "A rare few… And I can recall every one of them on my fingers."
"Even so, the new changes in their magic are not very far from their original one… the new wand they get is almost similar to their original one," he said.
"Not in my life have I seen someone go through such a huge change," said Ollivander as he pulled a wand from a wooden box.
"Yew wood with unicorn hair as its core… ten and a half inches long," he said as he handed the wand to Antonio.
Antonio took the wand with a sense of curiosity. He firmly held it and channelled a small amount of magic into the wand. A small firework erupted from it.
The wand was quickly snatched away from Antonio as Ollivander muttered, "Not suited. Not powerful enough to handle your magic."
For the next half hour, wand after wand was placed in Antonio's hand, but none were suitable. Most of the wands lacked the capacity to handle Antonio's powerful magic.
Even Ollivander, who prided himself as the best wandmaker in the world, wore a frown on his face.
"Lord Olario," he sighed, "it seems that the chances of you getting a suitable wand today are slim."
He walked deep into the shop and returned with an extremely old-looking box in his hands.
"This is a unique wand with a unique story of its own," said Garrick.
"If this suits you, then I will narrate its tale to you. And if not… then I can only try to build a custom wand for you…"
Antonio's interest was piqued. Was this not the protagonist trope? An old weapon… an old wand waiting for the destined man to claim it.
With renewed anticipation, Antonio approached the box and opened it.
Inside lay a crude-looking stick. The wooden stick or the wand was completely straight, as if it lacked any flexibility. It seemed longer than any wand he had ever seen.
It also lacked the lustre and polished appearance of Ollivander's wands. Overall, it had a crude workmanship.
With slow, deliberate movements, Antonio picked up the wand and felt its wood settle in his palm.
He then raised his hand and pointed it slightly forward. For the first few moments, Antonio felt nothing as he channelled his magic into the wand.
Ollivander's eyes fluttered with disappointment.
Antonio was about to place the wand back in the box with a disappointed face when he felt his magic being sucked by the wand.
Instantly, a blue pulse of light erupted from the wand, blinding both men present in the shop.
In the next moment, a black stream of light emerged from the wand.
When Garrick and Antonio reopened their eyes, shock was plastered over their faces.
Floating in front of them was a blackish, ghost-like creature with the outline of a bird.
The bird's eyes were eerily red in colour and had an ominous glow to it. The presence of the bird in the room was heavy- a feeling of dread and suffocation spread throughout.
Garrick's breathing turned shallow, while Antonio, though in better condition than Garrick, also found himself struggling.
Antonio stopped channelling his magic into the wand. The bird then slowly dissipated, and a sense of normalcy returned to the room.
Antonio had a happy almost excited expression on his face while Garrick appeared shocked, surprised and most importantly curios.
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Chapter 3: Tale of the Wand
Garrick Ollivander and Antonio were finally able to take deep breaths as things returned to normal inside the shop. Whatever had happened inside the shop had given the wandmaker a fright.
He took deep breaths to calm his chaotic mind while Antonio made a deeper inspection of the wand.
"Undoubtedly, this wand suits you, Lord Olario," said Ollivander, after few moments, with a sigh. "I do not know if I should I call it a fortunate thing or unfortunate thing."
"The question is, do you want it?"
Antonio raised an eyebrow at this, while Ollivander continued, "What we witnessed just now was an unexpected and unheard phenomenon of magic… of wand lore."
"Let alone me, even my ancestors had not witnessed anything like this. No one can explain the phenomenon that has happened just now."
"This wand is too wild… too unexpected. Maintaining control over it and channel your spells properly would be a difficult task," he explained.
"Do you still desire to keep it, Lord Olario?" Ollivander asked, his hard gaze remaining fixed on Antonio.
"I do," replied Antonio without hesitation.
He tightened his grip on the wand and raised it again, pointing it toward the shop. The next moment, a gale of wind blew from the wand, sweeping across the shop, as Antonio declared, "This is the only wand that can handle my power."
"Now tell me its tale," he said to Ollivander.
Ollivander sighed deeply and nodded, "It seems that only this wild and untamed wand is perfect for your equally wild and untamed magic."
"This wand," he begun the tale, "has been in my family for centuries."
"It was centuries ago, when wand crafting was in its infancy and had still not reached its pinnacle. Those were times when the magical systems we see of today were in their development phase."
"One of my ancestors was in his experimenting phase, roaming all around the earth in search of magical woods and cores suitable for wand crafting."
"At some faraway place, exactly where no one knows," Ollivander continued, "this ancestor of mine encountered a peepal tree and a raven perched on its top branch.
"Mind you, by that time it had already been confirmed that the peepal tree was not a wood which could transmit magic- it was a non-magical wood, thus, unsuitable for wands. Similarly, a raven was a non-magical bird… without an ounce of magic.
"But my ancestor felt some strange sensation coming from the raven. In his memoirs, he described the sensation as otherworldly… soothing… magical… majestic… divine…" Ollivander said.
"Yet he said he could not describe it exactly," he sighed.
"Driven by curiosity, my ancestor tried to examine the tree and the raven," Garrick's expression turned wondrous as he narrated the tale, his eyes fixed on the walls as if viewing the void itself.
He continued with a tint of fascination, "But when my ancestor tried to approach the raven… its eyes flashed a deep red, probably just like what we witnessed now, and then the raven vanished without a trace."
"My ancestor was utterly disappointed when he realized that the raven was a magical bird… probably on par with a phoenix considering the way it vanished from its spot."
He continued, "He felt regret for coming too close to such a unique magical species, yet not being able to observe it closely."
"But his disappointment turned into ecstasy when he found a feather of the raven and a wooden piece from the branch of the peepal tree, on which the raven had been sitting, lying on the ground."
Ollivander turned toward Antonio as his eyes wandered to the wand in Antonio's hands, "Using that peepal branch and the raven feather as the core, my ancestor crafted this wand—fourteen and a half inches long.
"But to his utter dismay, my ancestor was not able to gain a single reaction from the wand. Disappointed, he could only let it be.
"Since then, Lord Olario, this wand has been in our family as an enigma," Garrick's face showed an expression of reverence. "Not a single person in centuries had been able to get a reaction out of it."
"You are the first person in centuries to get a reaction out of it, Lord Olario," the old wandmaker added.
"Are you sure you want this wand, Lord Olario?" Garrick questioned again. Before Antonio could answer, he continued, "I do not wish to belittle you, but this wand is a complete mystery. That peepal tree is a complete mystery, and so is that magical raven."
"And the bird… the raven only adds to the mystery. And mysterious things are always dangerous," said Garrick, his deep and frightening voice echoing in the shop.
Antonio's resolve was firm.
"I will keep it, Mr. Ollivander," he answered.
Ollivander nodded after a moment of silence.
"Very well. That would be 7 galleons," he added.
Antonio nodded and took out 7 galleons from his overcoat, placing them on the counter. With that, he departed from the shop to prepare for his new life.
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Chapter 4: Bellatrix Black
It was the next day after Antonio had fulfilled his quest of getting a new wand. For the past few days, he had been going through inner turmoil. The turmoil was about what role he should play in the events that were going to unfold.
Only a few days were left for the year 1977 to end, and it was about time to mark the beginning of Voldemort's rise. For now, the Dark Lord was spoken of only in hushed tones among those in power.
But very soon, Voldemort's terror would spread far and wide, and even the general populace would come to know of it.
The dilemma before Antonio was about how much involved he should become in these upcoming events. He could choose to remain a silent spectator and let things unfold as they did in canon.
But he knew that his adrenaline-seeking side would not allow him to remain a silent spectator—not when he had a lot of power at his disposal. He was aware that sooner or later, he was going participate on the wider stage of the Wizarding Britain.
It had been a few hours after the sun had set, and Antonio was behind his wooden counter in the inn.
A wooden door marked the entrance of the inn from the main street. The inn was not very large—five round tables had been placed in the hall of the inn. A long wooden counter was positioned on the right-hand side of the door, and a few stools lined the counter. The drinks had been placed on wooden shelves near the wall behind the counter.
Antonio was in the process of closing the inn- he was wiping off the glasses and arranging them in order. Well, he could have used magic to do so, but there were things he enjoyed doing by himself.
He had just placed a glass on the counter when the gates of his inn opened with a bang and a person walked in. The person was a lady of around 20 years of age.
She was a striking woman with dark, wild, curly hair and dark eyes. She was tall and had pale skin.
Antonio's eyes widened slightly as he recognized this lady- Bellatrix Black.
For the past 2 months, he had been keeping a close eye on the happenings of the wizarding Britain, and the Black family was a prominent part of it. So far, Bellatrix remained a Black—she had not been married to Rodolphus Lestrange.
Antonio, however, was not sure if Bellatrix was at this point in time a Death Eater or not. He was not sure if she had even been in contact with the dark lord or not.
She was wearing a long black skirt, and she almost staggered to one of the tables as she took a seat. No doubt, she was drunk, and she was not using her magic to do away with her intoxication.
"Get me a drink," she slammed her hand on the table.
Bellatrix showed no grace or manners one would expect of an heiress of a family like Black.
Antonio emerged from behind the counter as he approached Bellatrix and stood at some distance away from her.
"Miss," he said softly, "I do not think you are in a condition to drink any further."
"And anyway, I have closed my establishment," he added.
Bellatrix's head turned as she gazed toward Antonio, and a flicker of recognition flashed through her eyes. Even though she could not place a name to Antonio's face, she recognized him. After all, he had been three years senior to her in Hogwarts.
"You are saying no to me?" she asked with narrowed eyes.
Antonio shook his head, "No, Miss Black."
"I am just explaining that I cannot fulfil what you asked," he said.
Bellatrix felt her anger flaring as she whipped her wand from her wand holster, and in an instant a stinging hex left her wand. Even though she could not do anything dangerous to the man simply because he denied him a drink, a few stinging hexes were something that the man totally deserved.
But what happened next came as a shock to Bellatrix. Antonio raised his hand and swatted the hex away onto the walls of the inn.
When did he take his wand out? How did he exactly react? Bellatrix had no idea.
Even if she had not used her full strength, Bellatrix knew that she was far superior to any average wizard. And the ease with which Antonio had swatted away her hex made one thing clear—the man was no average wizard.
Even so, Bellatrix was not satisfied. Another spell left her wand- a disarmament spell. This time it was faster and sharper than the previous spell as Bellatrix had poured more of her magic into the spell.
But the result did not vary- Antonio simply swatted away the disarmament spell.
Bellatrix's eyes widened slightly as she rose up from her seat and two more spells- a pain inducing hex and a pricking spell left her wand.
Antonio remained as composed as ever and like the previous two times, he swatted away the two incoming spells.
Bellatrix was about to get carried away and start a real duel when Antonio's words halted her.
"Miss Black," he said. "I do not think it is a good thing to do. You know fire spells after spells without any reason that too in the inn of the same person."
Bellatrix who had her wand raised lowered her wand but her squinted eyes remained focus on Antonio.
"You are good," she said after moments of silence.
Antonio only smiled in response and did not say anything. Bellatrix continued staring Antonio for another few moments when she finally sighed.
"Fine," she said. "I will leave."
"But can I know your name?" She asked.
"Antonio Olario," he replied curtly.
Bellatrix gave a final nod and disapparited from the inn.
"Maybe I should add anti-apparition wards to the inn," muttered Antonio as he again busied himself with cleaning the glasses.
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Chapter 5: Bellatrix Revisits
The morning of the next day, Antonio opened his inn at his usual time and seated himself behind the counter. It was a time when hardly anyone visited the inn—for no matter how weird the wizards and witches were, they would not begin to drink early in the morning.
Antonio was seated behind the counter, reading the morning newspaper, when the door of the inn was pushed open. He raised his eyebrows, wondering who it could be, when a familiar face walked inside. It was none other than Bellatrix Black. She, meanwhile, remained calm as she closed in the distance and took her seat on one of the stools along the counter.
"A drink, please… whatever is the specialty of your place," she said as she stared directly in Antonio's eyes.
Antonio raised his eyebrows as he picked one of the bottles from the shelf and poured Bellatrix a drink. It was the wine that the Olario family had been brewing for generations and was their speciality.
Bellatrix took a sip and commented, "It is a fine drink."
"Thank you, Miss Black," Antonio replied.
"Now, may I ask, what is it that you want from me and what is the purpose of your visit?" he asked. "Or should I assume that Miss Bellatrix Black has a habit of getting drunk early in the morning?"
Bellatrix did not respond immediately, as she took a few more sips of the drink and calmly placed the glass on the counter.
"A duel," she said dispassionately.
Antonio raised his eyebrows. "A duel? With me?"
"Why?" he asked.
"Because in our generation," Bellatrix said with an air of confidence, "there is no one who could even stand up to me."
"Even if I am drunk," she added, referring to what had happened the previous night.
"You want revenge for that?" Antonio asked.
She shook her head, "Satisfaction."
"Ever since I started to learn magic… started to use a wand… since I was 12 years old, I had never been satisfied in a duel. It always felt as if I was crushing small ants," she explained seeing the confused look on Antonio's face.
"Only the people of older generations had the prowess and skill to stand up against me."
"You," she said, pointing her index finger towards Antonio, "are the first in our generation who could stand up to me."
"And what makes you think I can satisfy you in a duel?" Antonio asked. "For all I know, I may be the same as the others."
"You are not like the others, Lord Olario," Bellatrix said with a tint of respect in her voice. "Even if it was only for a brief period of time, the way you dealt with my spells- no ordinary wizard could have done it. Only a highly skilled wizard would have the ability to do so."
Antonio did not respond immediately, as he kept gazing at Bellatrix.
"Let us assume," he said, "that it is as you say- that I can actually satisfy you in a duel then what do I even get in return?"
"Honestly, I have no interest in duelling with you."
Bellatrix chuckled, "If you can defeat me in a duel, Lord Olario."
"You can have me," she added as she leaned forward with her face close to Antonio.
Antonio did not know if Bellatrix was intentionally trying to seduce him or not, but the way she had spoken the last sentence made him feel a rising lust inside him. No doubt Bellatrix was extremely beautiful, and the only thing stopping Antonio from making a move immediately on her was the possibility that she might be a Death Eater.
"If I win, I want some answers," Olario said with finality in his tone.
Bellatrix did not think much as she nodded in agreement. If Antonio truly had the capabilities to defeat her, she would not mind giving him answers to some of his questions.
"Where do we go?" Antonio asked.
"I have a place," Bellatrix said as she extended her hand towards Antonio.
A hesitation flickered in Antonio's eyes as a thought crossed his mind—what if it was a trap set up to ambush him? But that thought was soon discarded. He did not have any money or influence or anything else for Bellatrix to go to such lengths to set a trap. And even if it was a trap, as long as Voldemort himself did not come, Antonio had full confidence in escaping from the ambush.
With strengthened resolve, Antonio took Bellatrix's hand in his own. He was still wondering about how soft her hand was when he felt the space around him shifting, and he found himself in a new location.
Antonio let go of Bellatrix's hand almost reluctantly and looked around.
He was now standing in a circular expanse of land enclosed by large boundary walls; the diameter of the walls was almost 200 feet. But the most attention-drawing part of this land was the terrain inside it.
At the centre of the expanse was a small circular arena with a bed formed of soil and sand. The remaining land was filled with large trees and rocks of all sizes—from large boulders to small pebbles. Water, in the form of a stream, constantly flowed around these trees and rocks.
This was a terrain specially crafted for duels, a place where every branch of magic- charms, transfiguration and dark arts could be freely used.
"This is the only piece of property I own," Bellatrix said as she walked towards the centre of the arena. "And of our generation, you are the first person I have thought capable enough to even bring to this place."
"Do not disappoint me," she said as she whipped her wand, and a red spell shot towards Antonio. This spell was powerful and faster than the spells she had used the previous night, but Antonio did not even move as the spell whizzed past his head. The spell had never been aimed for him, and Bellatrix was not a novice who would miss her target.
"It is going to be fun," Bellatrix smiled, impressed by Antonio's trajectory judging accuracy, which was no small feat. Another spell left her wand, and this time it was coming directly towards Antonio's face.
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Chapter 6: The Duel
The first few minutes of the duel were nothing more than a flurry of exchange of spells between the two. Most of these were simple jinxes, hexes and disarmament charms and they were nothing truly dangerous.
During this time, Antonio maintained a defensive stance. Only a few attacking spells left his wand; he either countered the incoming spells or dodged them or swatted them away. To the eyes of an average wizard or witch, it may have seemed that Bellatrix was dominating the duel, pushing Antonio onto the back foot, making it appear as if he could not keep up.
But Bellatrix knew the truth. Despite her apparent upper hand, she had not been able to truly pressurise Antonio, not even once. He was neutralizing her spells with calm and effortless precision. Whether by dodging, countering, or simply swatting her magical spells away, Antonio handled every attack with textbook perfection.
"Time to take this up a level," Bellatrix muttered, and a powerful cutting curse flew from her wand. This was her strongest spell so far in the duel and it was brimming with magic.
Antonio did not flinch.
"Why not?" He agreed coolly, taking a single step toward her.
A spell shot from his wand but not in the direction of Bellatrix, but at a medium-sized rock boulder near her.
At the same time, Bellatrix's cutting curse closed in which had been aimed at his right shoulder. Antonio moved like water and with just a slight tilt of his body, the curse missed him entirely.
Even as he dodged, he cast another spell at the boulder.
The first spell had been a transfiguration charm. It turned the boulder into a four feet long spear.
The second, which had followed immediately after the first, was an advanced levitation charm. The spear hovered for a split second, then it was launched toward Bellatrix with lethal speed.
Narrowing her eyes, Bellatrix countered. A Bombarda spell burst from her wand, colliding with the spear midair as it was reduced to dust.
"Trying to kill me?" she almost snapped. She was irritated- not because of the dangerous move that Antonio had made. But because of her inability to push him back.
When she had asked for a duel which could satisfy her, defeat had not been on her mind.
Antonio chuckled in response.
"Miss Black," he said smoothly, "a simple attack like that would not be enough to harm you… let alone kill you."
"You would not be Bellatrix Black if that move posed even the slightest threat to you."
Bellatrix smirked in return.
"Don't blame me," she said, her voice rich with amusement. "You're the one who stepped into dangerous territory."
Three spells flew from her wand in rapid succession.
The first, Bombarda Maxima, struck a nearby rock boulder, shattering it into debris.
The second was a wide range transfiguration spell- instantly reshaping the fragments of the debris into razor sharp spearheads.
The third: an advanced levitation charm and more than twenty spearheads whirled through the air, speeding toward Antonio.
Antonio had many options to counter the attack. He chose the simplest.
With a sharp slash of his wand, a large transparent shield materialized in front of him. The spearheads slammed into the barrier one by one, but not a single crack appeared. The enchanted rocks persisted in pressing forward until the magic sustaining them faded, returning them to ordinary stones that clattered harmlessly to the ground.
But Bellatrix wasn't done. While Antonio was occupied fending off the first wave, two more spells left her wand in seamless sequence.
The first struck the ground at Antonio's feet. He in instant knew what the spell was about to do. The solid ground beneath his feet turned to swamp, and his legs began to sink.
He also knew what the second spell would be- it would be a spell to re-harden the earth and trap him in place.
But no matter how fast Bellatrix was- she needed to maintain enough gap between her spells so that Antonio's legs could be properly sunk. If the second spell would be too fast, the ground would reharden, even before Antonio could be trapped. And that was enough for Antonio. Before Bellatrix's second spell could strike the swamp, Antonio fired a spell on the ground.
A stone pillar erupted beneath him, lifting him high above the swamp and out of danger.
From atop the six-foot platform, Antonio offered a smirk, "Nice move."
"You're fast," Bellatrix commented, though irritation flickered across her face. A quick spell from her wand shattered the pillar into dust.
Still, Antonio landed cleanly on the ground, his poise unshaken.
What followed was a stretch of ferocious duelling. Transfiguration, charms, even dark arts—the full spectrum of magical combat was on display. The arena lit up with bursts of magic and the roar of spell fire. No one seemed to gain the upper hand.
But both duellists knew the truth.
It was Antonio who was in control. He maintained the upper hand, dictating the tempo, the rhythm, and the range of the battle.
With every spell deflected or neutralized, Bellatrix's frustration grew. Then Antonio swatted away one of her spells and took two steps forward, narrowing the distance between them.
"Time to end this," he said quietly.
Spell after spell flew from his wand.
They were not dangerous curses or complex transfigurations—just simple jinxes and hexes.
But what set them apart was the speed at which he fired those spells. The barrage was relentless. Bellatrix managed to counter or dodge the first few, but then she felt two sharp stings on her forearms.
She looked down.
Thin, red lines had appeared on both arms. Her sleeves had been sliced open at identical spots.
"You lose, Miss Black," Antonio said calmly, lowering his wand.
But Bellatrix was not listening. Her eyes remained fixed on the twin cuts and the faint trickle of blood.
It was not luck. He had deliberately chosen those spots. Identical cuts, both arms.
If he had wished and had aimed those spells at her heart or throat, she would be dead.
And the realization sent a chill down her spine.
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Chapter 7: Revelation
Bellatrix remained frozen in disbelief. The disbelief was not because she had lost, but because it had been so easy for Antonio to defeat her. He had not been battling on his full capacity during the entire time. And the moment he had decided to ramp up his offense, she had not lasted even a minute.
"Shocked, are we?" Antonio asked with a grin as he stepped closer.
Bellatrix met his eyes and remarked in an even tone, "You win."
"Is it not obvious?" he smiled.
Then, a little softer, "Need a drink?"
She gave a small nod. Antonio reached out and took her hand, the feelings of her softs palm coursing in his hands for another few moments, and apparated away from the duelling arena.
When the duo reappeared, they stood in the familiar environment of Antonio Olario's inn.
Neither spoke for the first few minutes. Bellatrix silently took a seat on the stool along the counter, while Antonio stepped behind the counter and poured two drinks.
Bellatrix downed hers in one go and she slammed the glass onto the wooden bar with a thud.
"Not easy, accepting defeat for someone like you?" Antonio teased with a grin.
Bellatrix shook her head slowly, her composure returning.
"I never knew you were such a fine wizard," she admitted. "Back at Hogwarts, you never stood out. You were... just there. Nothing special to mention."
If he been as brilliant at Hogwarts as he had been now, she would have definitely known about him, even if he had been a senior of different house.
Antonio gave a sheepish laugh, "Well, I prefer keeping a low profile."
He knew that more the brilliance he showed right now, more the people would compare him with his mediocre self he or his predecessor had been at Hogwarts.
Bellatrix narrowed her eyes, "Then why the show today? Why act all high and mighty in front of me?"
He smirked, "Maybe I was drawn in by your beauty."
She blinked and then burst out laughing.
A few quiet moments passed before Antonio leaned forward, more serious now. "Now then... I think it is time you answered a few of my questions."
Bellatrix raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued, "Go ahead."
"Why were you so drunk last night?" Antonio asked.
The question caught her completely off guard. She had expected something different… something else. A probe into the secrets of House Black, perhaps. But this?
"Rodolphus Lestrange," even so she blurted out.
Antonio tilted his head, intrigued.
"Lover's quarrel?" he asked, amusement creeping into his voice.
But the instant the words left his mouth; Bellatrix shot him a glare so venomous that it actually made Antonio flinch. Her eyes practically burned with hatred.
"Did I say something wrong?" he asked gently.
Bellatrix took a breath, trying to reel herself back in.
"We're not lovers," she muttered. "In fact, I hate him. I don't even want to see his face."
Antonio frowned, "Then how does he still manage to get on your nerves?"
"My family wants me to marry that buffoon," she revealed, a note of disgust in her voice. "And whenever there is any occasion and he gets a chance, he would just get on my nerves."
"Yesterday had been such an event, a small gathering," she said. "And he had enraged me to the core."
Antonio blinked, slightly surprised, "Really? But why the hate? Rodolphus is a decent wizard, has a strong family name... and is probably good looking too."
Bellatrix scoffed, "Have you ever looked at him at Hogwarts? He was just two years behind you."
Antonio shrugged.
"Everything you said is technically true," she continued, "but he's a complete idiot. Not a single working brain cell in that thick skull of his."
"Ohh…" Antonio murmured, absent-mindedly, digesting the revelation.
It was a bombshell of news for him. Bellatrix's marriage to Rodolphus had not been a topic which had been dealt in detail or anything even talked about it. But if this was the truth… then what else had been twisted in the canon he remembered?
How had she gone on the path of the death eaters? Was her descent into madness truly because of her stay at Azkaban, or were there other factors in play?
His thoughts spun in overdrive. The Bellatrix from Hogwarts, according to the predecessor's memories, had been arrogant and domineering, but never the bitch she had been in the cannon. That side of her had come later.
Antonio's heart thudded with a sudden thrill of adrenaline. His curiosity had been lit ablaze. He wanted knowledge. He wanted to find out what factors were at play here? Was the world truly as it had been portrayed in the cannon? And what if he nudged few of those factors?
"Olario," Bellatrix's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Hm?"
"Is that all? Or do you want to ask more?" She asked.
He shook himself out of the spiral and smiled, "That'll do for now. I just wanted to understand what had driven you to act that way."
Bellatrix leaned back, her eyes watching him with newfound interest.
"You're not like the others," she said quietly.
"No," Antonio replied. "I'm not."
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Chapter 8: Invitation
Bellatrix had departed from Antonio's inn shortly that evening. The few minutes they had spent in the inn had been filled with casual conversation- mostly about magic and other harmless topics.
Antonio had made sure to steer away the topics of discussion from anything sensitive. He did not want to appear too intrusive by asking too much questions.
He was not ready to show all his cards just yet. Before he made any moves, before he took any stand, he needed to know more. Know more about what exactly was brewing in the wizarding Britain. Much more.
The next morning, he had opened his inn at the usual time, only to realize that his first encounter with Bellatrix was far from over.
In his hands were two envelopes, both from Bellatrix, which had been delivered by an owl not long ago.
The first envelope contained an invitation:
Lord Olario,
You are invited to the Young Wizards and Witches Gathering being organised by the Black family.
Address: 4th Street, The Pure Avenue.
Bellatrix Black
The second envelope contained a letter addressed to him from Bellatrix.
Lord Olario,
Surprised? Do not be. Every year on January 2nd, my family- Black family holds a gathering for young witches and wizards (those who've reached magical adulthood i.e. 18 years of age but are not yet 30).
It's a long-standing tradition, you know, a custom of sorts.
Basically, it is a showy event where heirs strut about, brag about their family name and accomplishments, and where they could build up connections and new friendships and marriages if possible. It is absolute whataboutery, but since I am the eldest of the Black, I am expected to show up and so I do.
Now, I expect you to show up too. Do not disappoint.
And yes, the invitation is a portkey to the location. Use my first name to activate the portkey.
—Bellatrix Black
Antonio scrunched his eyebrows in frown- not because he was uncertain about attending, but because the letter did not mention a dress code.
He had made his decision the moment he finished reading. Attending this gathering was a no-brainer. If he wanted to learn more about Wizarding Britain, especially about the key figures and events that were about to unfold, he needed to socialize and form connections. And this gathering was going to house a lot of would be important players of the future events.
Hogwarts was no longer an option for him, so parties like these were golden opportunities. And Bellatrix had just handed him one on a silver platter. And he could not miss it.
The only dilemma? What to wear.
With no mention of attire in the letter, and no previous experience with Black family events, he was flying blind. He didn't want to stand out as an oddity in the gathering for the wrong reasons.
After some deliberation, Antonio settled on a balanced choice: a black robe, elegant yet understated, which was neither too formal, nor too casual. And he matched them with a pair of black boots.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, he took the invitation in hand, muttered "Bellatrix," and disapparated from his inn.
.
.
.
When he reappeared, he was standing in a beautifully manicured lawn connected to a medium sized manor.
The decorations in the lawn which continued inside the manor were tasteful- ribbons of white, purple, and blue colours had been used while magical lanterns were hovering in midair.
Wooden circular tables had been placed across the grass. One long table, along one side of the lawn, bore a spread of varieties of dishes that smelled as decadent as they looked. All the props in the party were befitting to name of the Black family, one of the richest family in the Wizarding Britain.
The crowd was small but 'respectable'- just over fifty people. A sense of excitement prevailed among the young witches and wizards as they chatted, laughed, and casted the occasional show-off spell.
Antonio scanned the crowd for Bellatrix, but before he could move, someone else caught his eye. A familiar face. He too was a familiar face for the lady.
"Olario?" a voice called as the woman approached with a radiant smile. "What are you doing here? Were you actually invited?"
Antonio turned and smiled, "Aurora. First of all, a very good evening."
"And I am probably here for the same reason as you, to attend this gathering," he added. "And I assume I would not be here if I had not been invited."
Aurora Sinistra flushed, clearly embarrassed at her improper behaviour.
"Good evening, Olario," she mumbled. "Sorry, I was just... surprised. You were the last person I expected to see at a Black family event."
Antonio chuckled, not minding in the least, "And how have you been?"
Aurora pouted slightly, "I've been well. Though you are the last person who should ask this question."
"You haven't spoken to me in what—three years?" She said in mock anger.
She continued, "I must have sent you quite a few letters. And how you reacted?"
"All your replies were so dry. Like you were replying to a school newsletter, not a friend."
Antonio could not help but give a sheepish smile. She was not wrong after all.
Aurora Sinistra had been one of his few real connections at Hogwarts. Both of them had been in Ravenclaw, same year, same classes. She was sharp girl with a confidence to boost, and one of the only people with whom the predecessor Antonio had been a genuine friend.
Ravenclaw was not exactly known for deep friendships—but she had been the closest thing he had to one.
For no specific reasons, Antonio had drifted away and had lost touch with this friend of hers. But now fate was doing its work again.
"Sorry," he said. "It will not repeat again."
Antonio smiled happily as she pulled Antonio into a hug as she added, "It better not repeat."
"Who gave you the invitation?" She asked. Not all the people attending the gathering were entitled to give an invitation. This was a Black family gathering and besides them, only a rare few had the authority to do so.
"Bellatrix Black," Antonio replied.
An expression of surprise appeared on her face. "The eldest of Black?" She asked to make sure that she heard right.
Antonio was about to reply when both of them spotted Bellatrix Black almost marching towards them.
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Chapter 9: Introductions
"Miss Black," Aurora nearly stammered as Bellatrix closed the distance and came to stand beside the two of them.
Antonio was slightly surprised and mostly intrigued by Aurora's reaction. She wasn't frightened, per se, but the future astronomy professor of Hogwarts was clearly uneasy and nervous in Bellatrix's presence. It was like Bellatrix was a large tower looming over Auroa Sinistra.
"Miss Sinistra," Bellatrix replied coolly, her voice devoid of emotion. It was just pure formality.
Then her gaze shifted to Antonio, eyes narrowing slightly, "I did not know you were already acquainted with some of the guests."
"We were classmates at Hogwarts," Antonio explained.
"Ah," was all Bellatrix said before slipping her fingers around his hand. "Come, let me introduce you to the others."
Aurora's eyes widened in disbelief as Bellatrix took his hand. Bellatrix Black holding someone's hand was a big news.
"See you later, Aurora," Antonio offered with a sheepish smile as he was pulled away.
Aurora gave a mute nod, stunned, though Antonio didn't notice.
Bellatrix, seemingly 'unaware' of the stares they were attracting, led Antonio across the lawn and into the manor. The hallway was grand but modest, typical old money aesthetic, but the real centre of attention was the circular sitting area arranged in the hall.
It was a circle of sofas, occupied by the elite of the evening. Or as Antonio saw it- an early iteration of the future Death Eaters' club.
The moment Bellatrix entered with Antonio, her hand still lightly clasping his, the conversation stopped. All heads turned. Curiosity sparked. Frowns appeared. A tension, subtle but unmistakable, settled in the air.
Who was this man Bellatrix Black was holding hands with? This was the questions which through the mind of everyone present.
"Everyone," Bellatrix said; her voice smooth as she tried to draw everyone's attention, though she already had their full attention.
"This is Lord Antonio Olario," she announced.
The title made a ripple through the group. Technically, Antonio's standing as a 'Lord' gave him a step above these people, who were heirs of their families, even if his family was not as renowned.
But not one of them moved.
They should've stood. They should have shown the proper respect befitting a lord of a house.
But all they did was stare. Antonio understood the politics well enough and simply smiled. His face remained as lively as it was when he had entered.
"Olario," Bellatrix said, continuing with the introductions. "Lucius Malfoy."
Antonio did not need the name. The blonde hair. The arrogance in his posture. The haughtiness in the body. The signature Malfoy sneer—it was all too familiar.
Lucius gave a minute nod. Barely respectful. Just enough to not be insulting.
Bellatrix gestured toward a young woman next. She had dark hair and stood tall. Her face was aristocratic and even though there was a peculiar difference from what he would have expected, he still recognised her.
"My sister, Narcissa Black," Bellatrix introduced. "The youngest of the infamous Black trio. She just graduated from Hogwarts this year."
Narcissa's response was surprisingly warm- an acknowledging nod and a faint smile. But Antonio knew: it was not for him. It was out of respect for Bellatrix.
As Bellatrix moved on to the next person, Antonio wondered if Narcissa' marriage with Lucius Malfoy had caused her hair to turned blonde in cannon. Was blonde hair some feature of the Malfoy family magic?
"And since we're talking about the Black sisters," Bellatrix gestured next to another lady. "Meet the middle one—Andromeda Black."
Andromeda smiled too- sweeter, almost friendly.
Bellatrix added with amusement: "Do not be fooled by the innocent face, Olario."
"She has got an extremely sharp tongue. She is currently specialising in wizarding laws and traditions," she added. "Be careful of her."
Antonio nodded politely, filing away that important bit of information.
Bellatrix carried on:
"Alecto and Amycus Carrow," she gestured to the sullen pair of the sibling. They barely offered anything resembling a greeting—just cold stares and dismissive expressions.
Next came Evan Rosier, Reric Crabbe, Amolus Goyle, and Cygnus Greengrass. Antonio noticed only Greengrass offered a response that could be called remotely civil. The rest were ice cold.
Still, Bellatrix was unfazed. Antonio, too, thickened his skin and carried on with polite nods and an unshakable smile.
Then came the finale.
"And now," Bellatrix said, voice dipping with clear sarcasm, "we have Rodolphus Lestrange."
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dark-haired and intimidating in stature. Rodolphus, though had a negligible IQ, had a presence worth mentioning. But he had his jaws tightened and his eyes were almost flickering with flames as he stared directly at Antonio. And Antonio very well knew, what it was about?
He gave the same smile he had offered to everyone else.
"Who are you?" Rodolphus snapped. The words were sharp, his patience already gone.
Antonio blinked, playing innocent.
"I believe Miss Black just introduced me," he said politely. "Antonio Olario. Lord of the Olario magical family."
The room shifted ever so slightly. A few of the more alert minds caught it- the mocking undertone hidden in Antonio's words. Rodolphus had definitely not asked for Antonio's name.
And the idiot he was, even Rodolphus noticed. He stiffened, ready to lash out, but did not get the chance.
Lucius Malfoy, probably the sharpest among this mini death eater group intervened.
"Everyone," Lucius cut in smoothly whatever Rodolphus was about to say. "Let us allow Lord Olario to take a seat first. We can continue discussions once our guest is settled."
Rodolphus gritted his teeth but said nothing.
Bellatrix smiled—just slightly—and guided Antonio toward one of the open seats.
And Antonio had only one thing in his mind, "Fuck!! I am going to enjoy this."
#
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Chapter 10: The Talk
Antonio did not know whether it was intentional or not, but the place where Bellatrix guided him to sit was directly opposite Rodolphus Lestrange.
Bellatrix herself sat next to Antonio further infuriating Rodolphus.
"Lord Olario," Lucius was the first to break the awkward silence that had started to develop. "I believe that not many people here have any prior impression of you."
"Pray tell! Something about yourself," he added.
"Mr. Malfoy," Antonio replied smoothly. "I do not think I have anything particularly special to speak about myself."
"You all might have already guessed that the family which I am lord of, is a plain magical family, and thus I have no bragging rights."
Lucius gave a nod and continued, "Ah!"
"Then perhaps you would like to enlighten us about how you came to know Miss Black," he asked the question everyone was eager to have answered.
"There is nothing much to talk about our encounter," Antonio replied. "In fact, we have not known each other for more than two days."
"It was just a chance encounter we had at the inn which I operate," he added.
Antonio's answer came as a slight surprise to everyone. Because the way Bellatrix had behaved with Antonio, it did not seem at all that the eldest of the Black trio had known him for only two days. To be personally invited by Bellatrix, and then the way she had carried on the introductions, it was obvious that Antonio was a valued guest.
"You run an inn?" It was Rodolphus who made this remark with a mockery hidden beneath his voice.
"Ah! Yes," Antonio remained unabashed. "This has been a family business for decades."
Rodolphus let out a chuckle, "You must give me your address. I will help you increase your business."
Antonio smiled but did not respond.
Meanwhile, seeing that tension was once again rising, Lucius Malfoy once again took matters into his own hands.
"Lord Olario," he said. "You do not seem very sociable."
"Otherwise, we must have known about you," he added. "When did you graduate from Hogwarts?"
"Well, you are correct, Mr. Malfoy," he said. "I do not particularly enjoy going out to large gatherings."
"It was that Miss Black invited and persuaded me so much that I could not refuse her," he said, much to the irritation of those present, especially Rodolphus.
"And as for your second question," he continued. "I graduated from Hogwarts in 1972."
Already irritated by Antonio's presence and his words, Rodolphus was losing his patience.
"You must have been a very mediocre student to have gone unnoticed in Hogwarts," he jabbed an insult. "I graduated only two years later, in 1974, yet I did not know about you."
For the first time since arriving, the smile on Antonio's face vanished. It was not his natural reaction. He was not a fool to be genuinely riled up by another idiot. But Antonio needed to show something to these mini Death Eaters.
"Mr. Lestrange," he said in a stern voice. "I try to maintain a low profile."
"I do not prefer to shout, brag, and sneer with no capabilities whatsoever of my own," he said.
Rodolphus's face tightened at the jab, while Bellatrix let out a chuckle. The remaining people had expressions of tension and anxiety on their faces. Only Andromeda Black seemed to maintain a calm and easy look.
It was again Lucius who brought the situation back under control before Rodolphus could utter a word. It was clear that, by the way Lucius was acting, he was the unofficial leader of this group.
"Everyone," he said. "I think we should not lose our patience and get easily riled up."
"I think we need to change the topic, and since everyone here is a pureblood," he continued, "I would like to steer the discussion in that direction."
"Lord Olario, what do you think of muggle-borns entering our society?" he asked. This was a question that further tensed everyone as they turned curious to hear Antonio's opinion.
"You have put me in a really tight spot, Mr. Malfoy," he replied, his smile returning to his face.
"This is a topic which must be treaded extremely carefully," he said.
"The first question that arises on this topic, according to me, is whether pure-bloods are inherently superior to muggle-borns in their magical capabilities?"
"And the answer is obviously no," he said, much to the shock of everybody present.
"And I do not know how much you all subscribe to pure-blood theory, but I will give two examples to support my claim."
"Albus Dumbledore, a half-blood. He can wipe the floor with most of the wizards and witches in our world. Whether they are pure-bloods, half-bloods, or muggle-borns does not really matter."
"Then there is a student in her final year at Hogwarts in Gryffindor house. I believe most of you might have heard her name: Lily Evans."
"She can also wipe the floor with half of you," he said, "in one go."
"Probably only Bellatrix Black can dominate her in a duel. All this when she still has not graduated from Hogwarts, does not have family magic or spells to support her, and did not even know what magic was until she was eleven."
Lucius leaned forward with a grim expression. "These are interesting claims you make, Lord Olario."
"They are, Mr. Malfoy," Antonio replied. "And these two are not the only examples."
"You can very easily find two dumb pure-blood wizards or witches," Antonio added, and at the mention of 'two dumb,' everyone's eyes subconsciously and subtly shifted to the Crabbe and Goyle pair, who were obviously oblivious to what was being said.
"But you would be hard-pressed to find a dumb muggle-born wizard or witch."
"But this is only the tip of the issue, or a single perspective of it," Antonio said. "There are a lot of other factors to be considered in this whole issue."
"Enlighten us, Lord Olario," Lucius, whose curiosity had been sparked, remarked.
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Chapter 11: Antonio's Views
"I will, Mr. Malfoy," Antonio said.
"According to me," he continued, "the whole question that you asked me, this entire issue of muggle-borns entering our society, is obsolete."
"In reality, the question that how is the entry of the muggle-borns affecting our society does not even exist. It is a falsely propped question with no base."
"Why would say so, Lord Olario?" Lucius countered.
"Mr. Malfoy," he said, tilting his head slightly, "could you tell me, what the average number of muggle-born wizards or witches that enters Hogwarts every year is?"
Malfoy frowned at the question but nonetheless answered, "Two… three… maybe four."
"Very true," Antonio smiled faintly. "The population of muggle-borns in the entire Wizarding Britain is what? One percent? Or maybe even less?"
"So, if we go by the pure-blood theory that is being propagated so vociferously now a days- then the pure-bloods, who are inherently superior in wielding magic than muggle-borns, and definitely have a better knowhow about magic and learn about it from a young age, are being threatened by the inferior muggle-borns?"
"Is this what you want to say, Mr. Malfoy?" he pressed gently. "Pure-bloods control the Ministry of Magic, control the Wizengamot, and are yet threatened by the muggle-borns."
"All this does not make any sense."
"It is not about being threatened, Olario," Rodolphus almost snarled. "It is about those mudbloods getting equal status and equal rights to us."
"Those filthy lowlifes sit equally with us, breathe equally with us," he spat, his voice laced with venom.
Even though there was no muggle-born or even a half-blood in that group, the tension in the air thickened considerably. Rodolphus had cast aside any pretense of civility and was speaking in an unhinged manner.
"And where exactly do they sit equally with you, Mr. Lestrange?" Antonio quipped, his tone deceptively mild. "I do not think in any place except Hogwarts."
"They cannot become a member of the Wizengamot. I do not see any muggle holding any high ranking job in the Ministry. I do not see where exactly they sit equally with you."
He continued, "If there would be a person, or if there had been a person, who might have sat equally to you all, it would only be because he was vastly superior in his magic."
Rodolphus snorted derisively but did not offer a retort. Verbal arguments had never been his forte.
"You have quite peculiar views on the subject, Lord Olario," Lucius chimed in, smoothly inserting himself back into the conversation. He was being his typical Malfoy- trying to steer the discussion in the direction he desired.
"And quite strong ones too," he added further, his gaze sharp.
"Peculiar they may sound, but they are logical, Mr. Malfoy," Antonio said, his smile returning. "And these are just my opinions, not some strongly held convictions."
"I am interested in nothing more than brewing my wine and beer and serving them to beautiful ladies like Miss Black," he said, his eyes briefly meeting Bellatrix's.
A small, almost imperceptible smile flickered across Bellatrix's usually expressionless face at the remark.
Rodolphus, however, clenched his fist in barely concealed anger, and only a subtle side-eye from Lucius prevented him from lashing out at Antonio.
"Say Lord Olario," Lucius asked. "If a times comes when the pure-bloods have to fight the muggle-borns, will you choose a side?"
This was a question which brought every person to the edge of their seat. Though, no one had dared to bring the recent attacks that had been happening all over the Wizarding Britain, everyone understood, it was a question connected to that topic only.
Antonio shook his head, "It will never come to this, Mr. Malfoy."
"Pure-bloods will never be fighting muggle-borns. They will be fight each other," he added. "They may set and declared whatever agenda they want, but it would be just a disguise to grab more power."
"Fight against muggle, fight for muggle, everything be will be a mere show put off to take more power," he continued. "Muggle-borns will only be collateral damage for the war that would be fight in their name."
Malfoy was almost taken aback by the response. "I see," was the only response he could mutter before he went silence.
.
.
.
The conversation was interrupted as the serving of dinner was announced.
The arrangements for the dinner had been made in the lawn. Large tables, each capable of seating ten people, were set up to serve the food.
A small magical performance had been prepared for during the dinner, and therefore, despite Antonio being seated with the same group, hardly any further conversation took place.
Dinner had just concluded when Rodolphus pulled Lucius aside.
"Lucius," he said in an irritated voice. "Why the hell did you stop me?"
"Did you not see how he was flirting with my Bellatrix? I was going to put him in his place."
Lucius remained unfazed.
"You are a fool, Rodolphus," he replied coolly. "To earn such high regard from Miss Black, Olario is no ordinary person."
Rodolphus snarled, "What could he do? Do you think he is better than me? Better than the heir Lestrange?"
"Just because he has inherited a lordship does not make him better than me," he said, his voice rising. "You just wait… just wait. I am going to put that Olario in his place."
Lucius offered no further words as Rodolphus stormed away. If he had truly wanted to, he could have stopped Rodolphus, but a part of him was also intensely curious.
He understood Bellatrix Black very well. She was a person who respected nothing more than strength. If Rodolphus had been skilled enough to impress Bellatrix, he might not be howling now like a dog. And if she held Antonio in such high regard, there must be a significant reason behind it.
A part of Lucius was also curious to see what Antonio Olario was capable of. He was a pure-blood. And if he displayed considerable strength—then just maybe, he might serve as a useful ally.
And those views of his… they could certainly be altered. The views of a great many people had been altered before.
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Chapter 12: Rodolphus Challenges Antonio
The mini death eaters group had formed a semicircle as they stood chatting on the lawn. The two Black sisters, Andromeda and Narcissa had taken the responsibility to see off the guests, while Bellatrix was simply standing with Antonio and the rest of the group.
Almost half of the guests had departed when Rodolphus came staggering. His arrival did not garner much attention, but when he arrived and stood in front of the small group, specifically facing Antonio, the focus shifted to him.
"Lord Olario," he said with a smile. This was the most civil he had been with Antonio the entire evening.
"I wonder if you may provide me an opportunity to cross wands with you," he said in a polite tone. "From the moment you said that you try to keep a low profile, I have been really curious if that is really keeping a low profile or simply a pretense to hide your mediocrity."
The moments these words were uttered, the atmosphere surrounding the lawn suddenly shifted. The air seemed to turn thick and heavy and a tension hung in the air as the eyes of the most people present there turned towards Bellatrix.
It was Bellatrix who had invited Antonio, and what Rodolphus was doing was blatant disrespect towards him. And by extension, it was a disrespect to Bellatrix. A guest being disrespected in such a manner was a blot, an indication of the inability of the host to provide them with a good behaviour and the required respect.
The guests who were departing and the two Black sisters who were seeing them off also stood rooted to their spots.
Everyone also focused on the words chosen by Rodolphus. He had not asked for a friendly spar or duel. He had asked to cross wands. As if it was some real battle.
This was even more disrespectful considering that Antonio was a lord. His status was higher than Rodolphus.
His tone had also been very aggressive. He had mocked Antonio for what he spoken earlier.
"Lestrange," it was Bellatrix who responded first. Her tone was stern, her face stoic and she was visibly angry. "What do you think you are doing?"
"Maybe I should be the one to cross wands with you?" She pressed as her wand appeared in her hand from her wand holster.
Rodolphus felt a bit nervous. He knew he was no match for Bellatrix, let alone an angry and flared Bellatrix. But he was there to goad Antonio.
"Lord Olario," he chuckled. "Do not tell me that my guess was correct. Now, hiding behind a woman, are you?"
Bellatrix was about to become further enraged, but Antonio stepped forward. Antonio had crossed a line and the fool needed to be taught a lesson.
"No, Lestrange," after all this, he had also let go of all civility. "I am not hiding behind someone. I was just trying to be respectful towards Miss. Black. I am not a wretched person like you that would go all the way to insult their host."
"But you have really forced my hand. Do not blame me for being too responsible."
"You dare mock me?" Rodolphus flared up.
Bellatrix, meanwhile, seeing Antonio stepping forward, did not say a word and gave him a nod. With him personally taking action, Bellatrix was not worried.
Antonio strode past the group and stood facing Rodolphus. The crowd, meanwhile, moved further back to give them the required space for the duel.
As both men stood facing each other, it was Rodolphus who made the first move. A blue coloured spell erupted from his wand as it raced towards Antonio.
Antonio remained impassive, and at the last moment, when it seemed that Antonio did not have a counter for the spell, he raised his forearms, and with a simple twist of his wrist, he swatted away the spell towards one of the tables on the lawn.
The table, after its collision with the spell, melted away showcasing that Rodolphus had used a dangerous spell to attacks. He was clearly not treating it as a friendly spar.
This came as a shock to the witnesses. Not the melting of the table. It should have been a reason for shock but what Antonio did shocked them even more.
The ease and the laziness with which Antonio had swatted the spell screamed only one thing: that Antonio Olario was in a league of his own.
Bellatrix, who was already aware of Antonio's prowess, smirked internally. If her spells had been treated like child's play by Antonio, then what was Rodolphus?
Rodolphus also had enough brains to understand this, and slight nervousness crept in as he felt a chill in his back.
"Rodolphus Lestrange," Antonio's voice boomed across the lawn.
In that very instant, Antonio's entire presence flipped. In a moment, he had transformed from the simple and smiling young man to a man with authority. His presence screamed fear and awe to the spectators. Every person present on the lawn could feel the raging waves of magic bubbling inside Antonio.
"You repeatedly tried to test my patience, and given my nature, I took no offense from it for a very long time," he boomed. "But you took my forgiveness as a weakness and repeatedly tried to challenge me… challenge my esteem and my respect."
"I tolerated you for too long, but you have crossed the line," he added as he waved his wand.
For the first few seconds, nothing happened, but in a moment, four chains made of iron emerged from the ground, and before he could react, two of the chains snapped around Rodolphus legs, while the remaining two chains snapped on to both of his wrists. The next moment, the chains moved back inside the ground, pulling Rodolphus down.
He was smashed onto the ground with a loud thud and was then pinned on the ground, both his hands and legs stretched out, forming an X shape.
"This is your punishment, Rodolphus," Antonio announced and vanished from the location.
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Chapter 15: Rodolphus' Punishment
The gathering on the lawn remained in a shocked state even after Antonio had departed. The power, the skill level he had displayed, had left everyone in a state of awe.
One spell. It had taken one spell from Antonio Olario to reduce a fine wizard like Rodolphus to that state. The Lestrange heir who was in the line to inherit the Lestrange Lordship, the wizard who had been practicing Lestrange family magic from a very young age had not even been able to stand in front of Antonio Olario.
Even Bellatrix, the best among them, did not have the ability to do so bad to Rodolphus Lestrange.
A painful grunt from Rodolphus brought their attention back to him when Evan Rosier rushed to his side.
"Rodolphus," he said urgently. "I will get you out now."
With this, Evan pulled out his wand and fired a spell at one of the chains clutching Rodolphus's wrist.
"Ahh!!!" Rodolphus cried out in pain as he felt the chains further tightening around his limbs.
"Fuck you, Rosier. What spell did you use?" he roared in anger.
"Sorry…" Evan apologized hurriedly. "I just used a normal spell to undo the effects of any spell. This does not seem to work."
With this, he looked around for help. He had a few other ideas that he could try, but he did not want to enrage Rodolphus any further. Although he was a good friend of Rodolphus, he still would not want to be on his bad side.
By this time, the rest of the people had also closed the distance and were now standing close to Rodolphus.
"Lucius," Rosier said to probably the most competent man in the group. "My spell does not seem to be working."
Lucius gave an intrigued nod as he pulled out his wand.
"I think we should try cutting the chains," Lucius muttered as he fired an overpowered cutting curse at the chains. The curse collided with the chains, but it did not even make a dent.
Rodolphus, on the other hand, let out another painful scream, this time even louder, "Ahh!!!"
"Lucius," he roared, but it was much milder compared to when he had shouted at Evan. "What are you doing? The chains are only getting tighter. It is hurting."
Lucius did not reply as his brows were scrunched in a frown.
"Our spells do not seem to be working on these chains," he said with a thoughtful look. "Somehow, every time we use a spell, the chains are only tightening further."
"Maybe this is Lord Olario's family magic," Lucius muttered about which he himself was unsure. Olario was not an enough powerful family to have this kind of family magic.
"Lucius… just get me out of here," Rodolphus pleaded in pain.
"I am trying that only, Lestrange," Lucius replied in irritation. "And I do not think we could afford another waste of a spell. If the chains tighten any further, the pain will become unbearable for you."
With this, he looked towards Bellatrix, who also had her brows furrowed in confusion.
"Miss Black," Lucius said to her. "Can you do something about it?"
Bellatrix remained silent. She herself was confused as she had no clear idea about this kind of spell. She might have tried a thing or two or tried to break through the spell by simply overpowering it. No matter the spell, if her cutting curse had been sufficiently powerful, it would have surely cut through the chains. But she was in no mood to try.
"And why would you expect me to help him, Malfoy?" she said with a sneer. "If you forgot, let me remind you."
"Moments earlier, he insulted a wizard whom I had invited to this gathering. He chose to disrespect my guest and he knew very well what he was doing. Because of him, he departed in such an unusual manner. He insulted me… Bellatrix Black."
"As far as I am concerned, this is a light punishment for him," she said. "If it had been me who had made a move, it would have been only worse. He should thank his luck."
"Bellatrix, you…" Rodolphus tried to shout, but Bellatrix cut him off.
"Before you utter any word, keep in mind, Rodolphus, that I can still do much worse than this," she snapped. "Just because you are next in line to inherit Lestrange Lordship does not mean that I would not touch you. Moreover, this is Black property. So, keep your tongue in check before you say any word."
With this, Bellatrix walked away from the lawn, and none dared to oppose her. Everyone understood that she was livid, and no one had the guts to face her when she was in such a rage.
"What do we do?" Evan questioned no one in particular.
"I think," Lucius drawled slowly. "We have two options. We can wait for the effect of the magic to wear off, for which we do not know how much time will be required."
"Or we will need to call a powerful wizard to help us in this situation," he said, his eyes narrowed towards Narcissa.
Narcissa was fast enough to understand what Lucius Malfoy was trying to imply as she added and ran off, "I will floo grandfather."
At this, a lot of people stiffened, while many started to wait in anticipation. The legendary Arcturus Black was going to make an appearance. Probably. After all, if the Black Lord refused to come, no one could say a word.
While everyone was waiting for Narcissa to return, Lucius found himself lost in his thoughts. He had every visible reason now why Bellatrix valued Antonio so much.
The way that man had dealt with Rodolphus – it was fascinating. Only a few minutes of display, and that man had proved himself to be in a league of his own. And that man had not even shown his full capabilities.
He had only shown, what, a single spell. What more could he do?
Antonio Olario had caused a stir.
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Chapter 16:
It was around 10 minutes later when another commotion was caused in the lawn. The reason- Narcissa Black was returning back with a man.
The man appeared to be old- in his late sixties by muggle standards but in reality, he was much older. He had dark black hair and equally dark eyes. The man was over 6 feet in height and despite his old age, his presence loomed all around him.
A glance at the man and one could tell that this man was a man of stature. A man of strength. A man of influence. And a man of power. This man was Lord of the Black Family- Arcturus Black.
Moments later, he had crossed the distance and had reached near the pinned Rodolphus Lestrange.
"Lord Black," the nearby wizards and witches greeted him in respect.
Arcturus Black gave a non-committal nod as he acknowledged only one person, "Malfoy."
"Lord Black," Lucius repeated the greeting. An expression of genuine respect was etched on his face.
Even though Arcturus did not say a word, Lucius felt as if the Black Lord was scrutinizing his inside out.
"Rodolphus," Arcturus turned and gazed at the pinned Lestrange heir.
"Lord Black," he pleaded. "Please save me. I am suffocating."
Arcturus did not immediately respond to Rodolphus' pleading as he gazed at him for few moments. He then let out a sigh as he pointed his wand at the chain and a spell left his wand.
The moment the spell struck the chain, it crumbled and fell like dust.
Rodolphus was finally free as he immediately scrambled to his legs and bowed before Arcturus Black.
"Thank you, Lord Black," he said. "Thank you, very much."
Arcturus snorted, "Save your thanks Rodolphus. If it were not a party organised by my family do not even think that I would have even bothered about you."
"I learned from Narcissa what happened," he said. "I will never be able to see what Cygnus and Druella see in you that they are willing to marry their eldest daughter to you."
"You not only disrespected the person you want to marry," he said with squinted eyebrows. "But what you did was a direct insult to the authority of the Black family."
Rodolphus reeled in shock on hearing this.
"This was a gathering which had been organised under the banner of my family name. Antonio Olario, a lord, to a magical house had been a properly invited guest at the party that to none other than by eldes of my all grandchildren."
"What will Lord Olario say? That the Black family cannot even manage to give their guests their deserved respects?"
"Lord Black…" Rodolphus stammered.
But Arcturus cut him across, "Learn to be better Rodolphus. I am starting to worry what will happen when you take up the Lestrange Lordship."
With this he turned to walk away when Lucius interrupted him.
"Lord Black," he said with his smooth face. "If may I ask something."
"What is it Malfoy?" Arcturus asked.
"I was wondering if you can tell about the spell that Lord Olario had used and what you used to counter it?"
"It was first time, I have seen such a spell."
Arcturus chuckled, "I have never met this Antonio Olario but one thing is certain that he is a very fine wizard."
"And what will you do of the spells, Malfoy?" Arcturus questioned. "I doubt that you are ever going to use it."
"After all, you believe in politics and smooth talk and blabbering your way out."
With this Arcturus marched away while Lucius turned stiff. Although, Arcturus had aminable with him on the surface but the last line was a clear mockery of the Malfoy heir. And this had been not the first time that he had been insulted by the Black Lord.
Although, Arcturus had snapped at Rododlphus too, he and the Lestrange Lord shared a much warmer relation. It was more like an elder scolding his child.
But the Black family and Malfoy family had been rivals for quite a long time. Although, they had maintained a pleasant relation in the the current time, the tension between the two families was ever present.
Lucius had his fist clenched and jaws tightened. He took deep breaths and used his occulumency to calm his nerves.
He knew that this was not the correct time. He knew that his time would come soon when he would dominate the Black family. The time would come soon when he would make the Black family dance to his tune.
Arcturus may not remain alive to witness all this but Lucius was going to have his revenge.