A Deeper Connection: A New Beginning

A Deeper Connection - Part I

For a moment, time appeared to stand still as the Lord of the Light stared at the Dark Lord, disbelief and shock clearly written all over his face.

Then, Dumbledore did the stupidest thing he could do as he reached for his wand, while pushing Harry out of Ragnok's office.

Before he could even point the wand in Tom's direction, four heavily armoured guards had already arrived, while Ragnok rose to his feet, the air in the room growing colder as he spoke, his hard eyes fixated on the unassuming wand in the Headmaster's hand, "I would tread carefully. You forget, Mister Dumbledore, that you are currently standing on the sovereign ground of my people. Should our rights and our neutrality be violated, we will retaliate immediately, as is our right. I will not warn you again. Furthermore, this meeting is not of your concern since you are not a member of the Prince family. Therefore, I ask you to leave."

While Dumbledore refrained from fully drawing his wand, he did not step back, although it was clear that he did not appreciate being addressed so plainly without the usual myriad of titles, "While I would normally honour your neutrality, I am afraid that I cannot comply. Not under these circumstances."

Ignoring the warning of the Goblins, the Lord of the Light pointed his wand at his adversary.

Fractions of a second later, Dumbledore's wand was flying through the air before the old coot could even utter a single syllable, while two razor-sharp axes, and two equally sharp halberds were pressed at his sides as the four Goblin guards stepped closer. With a swift movement, Ragnok caught the wand, his dark eyes fixated on the disarmed wizard, "You were warned, Mister Dumbledore. Be sure that your actions will have severe consequences given that you violated the neutral ground you are standing on. Now, leave."

Being the stubborn man who he was, who believed to be above such petty laws, Dumbledore did not step back, "You are wrong. The only one who will answer for their crimes is you. Not only did you just attack a member of the Wizengamot, but you are also holding a wand, which you are prohibited to do. Furthermore, you are protecting a wanted war criminal-"

" Mon dieu! " Madame Delacour exclaimed as she rose to her feet, as her eyes darted between the Headmaster who was pointing in accusation at his supposed adversary and said adversary, "what is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr? What are you implying about Thomas? E is a fine young man a-"

She stopped, staring at Dumbledore who had turned very pale at the mention of Thomas' name.

"What did you say is his name?" the Lord of the Light asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"'is name is Thomas," Madame Delacour replied, looking slightly confused given the seemingly trivial subject of the question.

"This... this cannot be a coincidence," Dumbledore whispered more to himself than anyone else, staring at the Dark Lord before turning to address Ragnok, "we must inform the Aurors immediately. Otherwi-"

"Have you lost your mind?" Auberée de la Roche's voice accent-free boomed through the office as she, too, rose to her feet positioning herself between Dumbledore and Tom, not wavering the slightest, nor trying to hide the venom in her voice, "the Prince family was fleeing from the Dark Lord Voldemort and not with the Dark Lord Voldemort. His family spent the last decade hiding from the very man you are accusing Thomas here to be. He has suffered enough as it is in the last few days without your accusations, losing both his parents and being treated rather poorly in the horrible orphanage he was placed in. Before you start questioning his identity again, we have confirmed his identity twice. He is Thomas Nero Prince and nobody else. Madame Delacour, the Chef Adjoint du Département de la Famille of our Ministry, both Zordrak and Ragnok here as well as myself, Auberée de la Roche, Senior Auror, can attest to that. For someone who is supposed to care for children, your behaviour tells a different story."