Protection: The Sword and the Shield

Heir Apparent to the Prima Potentia House of Nott

His Grace, Lord Theodore Nott, Heir Apparent to the Prima Potentia House of Nott

                                      Duke of Altenbirge, Earl of Cleryonne, Baron of Shanderry,

                                              and Knight Magicae of the Templars of the Dusk

...Flint Manor, Upper Flagley

Ulysses Flint sat in front of his fireplace with a glass of muggle scotch in his hands. He was combatting many emotions within himself but the most prevalent was anger and humiliation. It was a position he had been in the previous year after his son had been tossed from the astronomy tower and his alliance with the Notts had died with the banishment of Alvin Nott.

His anger and humiliation was because he had not considered his alliance with the House of Nott ended. He knew that Alvin had been banished and that their plans to move against Potter's interests had been derailed, but he thought that the new Lord Nott would at least call for him to discuss the connections they had formed.

The word had reached him that Theo Nott was exploring swearing retainers to the House of Nott and he had been excited. Surely his family would receive such an honor. The latest incident had not been the first time the House of Flint had shown some loyalty to the House of Nott and he had supported the former Lord's positions from the lower house before his elevation.

Instead of choosing his House which were already an earldom, Nott was creating a new one, just because he was fucking a daughter of the house. The insult already too much to bare, but he had shown his hand too early and the sharks were circling with the knowledge that he and his family had clearly been abandoned by the House of Nott.

"Abandoned by the arrogant little ponse, at least." Thought the Flint Lord. A smirk returning to his face as thoughts of the new conspiracy he had joined entered his mind. He would not take the insult to his family lying down, that was for sure. He heard the door to his sitting room open and turned expecting to face his son. He only had a moment for his eyes to widen before there was a flash of red and the back of his head blew off.

...Azkaban Wizarding Prison, Azkaban Island, Location Unplottable

Lucius Malfoy had gone insane. Despite his high opinion of himself he was actually quite week minded. Most of the victories he had achieved in his life came, first, under the guidance of his father and then by taking the advice of his wife. This meant that almost as soon as he came into the presence of the dementors of the famous wizarding prison, his mind was under constant and tortuous assault.

In an odd twist of fate, his broken insane mind finally achieved the strength of conviction that his father and the Dark Lord had wished to see in him. Stripped of all his comforts and wealth and forced to face how pathetic his existence truly was had brought the blonde man clarity. If he ever escaped Azkaban and found a way to increase his mediocre magical ability, the man left in the dark cell would be a scourge worse that Voldemort.

A sound outside his cell caused his head to rise and he saw an odd shape gliding toward his cell. It didn't look quite human but also was clearly not a dementors. When the figure came close enough for Lucius to see them under the very dim candle light used in the hallways, his eyes widened at the creature before him. Recognition and shock warred within him but before he could mutter shock at seeing a warped version of his wife, she said clearly, "It's for the best", and blew the back of his head off with a blasting curse.

...23 Diagon Alley, Apt 3B, Diagon Alley, London

She would never admit it, but Delores Umbridge was thankful that she had been fired from her high ranking position at the Ministry of Magic. While there, she had been a "handler" for Minister Fudge as well as his attack dog. She had enjoyed being hated by so many that had no power to do anything about it and when she had lost her job as the losing party to the type of political games she had been famous for she had been livid. More because of the smugness she knew so many of her prior victims were feeling at her fall.