Chapter 4: Meeting the Beginning and End
He felt something, and his eyes shot open, he was sitting in a chair, looking at his hands he was in his base form, white as paper, flexing his fingers a bit, he looked up. He was free of bindings so he took a guess and said he wasn't exactly in danger, worst case? He could become a very, very small animal. Could he do magic in his animal fo-...
That's when his eyes focused on what was before him, to the right, a figure wearing what looked to be robes of dark silk, a fog slowly rolling from them as dark as a night with no stars or moon. Even if it felt suppressed, he could feel thought in his mind, as if no matter what, eventually this thing would come for him. When he looked up to where the head would be he seen nothing but a white mask, it had no features and no expression, just a white oval mask.
To the left was a woman, beautiful and lovely, a bird on her shoulder who was cuddling beneath her jaw into her neck. She was beautiful, not in a beautiful way exactly. It's as if her very presence breathed the beauty of life, her skin was a soft caramel. He couldn't quite make out her face.
Then it clicked, the god of this world, they pulled him in his sleep or mind. Wait, did he have to bow?
''No my dear Jack, you don't.''
The woman spoke and a wave of relaxation hit him and he leaned back in the chair. Her words brought something out of him he had long since forgotten, the warmth of family. In his previous life, when he had been diagnosed with cancer, his family started to treat him like fragile glass, even his own mother. It's not that she stopped loving him, but the once gentle undertone to her love, the relaxation that came with it, the feeling that everything was just a dream, and it was all okay.
When they saw him relaxed Death spoke first.
''Greetings, Jack Ripper. Jester to the Gods. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, we do have a few missions for you, my own is to retrieve the gifts I have given. The Elder Wand, The Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility. Retrieve these for me and I shall let you strengthen your wand with the Elder Wand, with it you shall be able to use the wand with any energy you come across, I shall also give you a few boons with my strength.''
''Boons from Death, and a wand upgrade? Sign me up man, but could I ask for a bit of help with something now?''
''Your wish to duplicate the Sorcerers Stone? That is easy enough, and when you obtain the three things I ask of you, do not fret, I will replace each with a similar version. No one will notice the switch.''
He raised brow, or what he would do if he had any in his base form. ''Why do you need them then if you can just make another?''
When he asked that, there was a giggle from Life, Death himself let out a deep sigh. ''I miss the softness of the blanket I used to use, or maybe I hold attachment to it, I am not sure. The rib scratcher was a gift from one of my many sons, and he is upset that I gave it away, and he constantly nags at me. The Resurrection stone used to be a pond stone for my pet dragon, he was fine with it, but now he misses it. I've tried to replace it but he refuses, he wants THAT one back.''
Jack turned his head away, his shoulders were shaking and he was snickering to himself. How would everyone in the HP universe react if they heard the three greatest artifacts were normal household items to Death, and even one was used to scratch his ribs?
[20 Coins awarded for discovering the hidden identity of the three gifts and making management laugh.]
Death himself releases a chuckle that could rattle bones, or well. Was rattling bones, Life herself chuckling which only helped make Jack relax more, so he turned to her, his lips quivering as he tried not to grin.
''What can I do for you Lady Life?''
She opened her palm, a small what looked to be a star left her hand and shot forward into his chest. ''I have gifted you a dimension inside you, and all I ask is that you save the creatures I ask of you, the first of note being a phoenix egg, trapped in stasis. If you do for this me during your time of staying within our realm, I will allow you to keep it, and once you leave you will be able to enter it yourself. For now, all you must do is touch the creature and will it inside you and the dimension will do the rest.''
Jack nodded his head. ''That I can do easily, it'd be better for Jarvis to have a place like that instead of staying around me all the time. Could you make it so at least he can leave and go freely? As well as his own little place so he can be safe, and grow into a big strong boy.''
She hummed, the sound crisp and sweet to hear, relaxing. ''Of course, I can do that much.''
With that, he stood up from his chair as he looked at them. ''Thank you for making it easy to contact you, thought I was going to have to sacrifice mine or someone else's virginity, or some bloody ritual.''
Death chortled to that with a rattle before he spoke. ''You have been greeted by both Life and Death. It might not be much for now since the bond is new, but since we greeted you as a friend, the world shall greet you as its own. It will make creatures of both sides of the balance see you as a friend, even the most violent creature, if you handle yourself properly, might be willing to hear reason. With that, we will send you off. We will both speak with you as you progress.''
Life spoke next. ''The egg will be in Albus' office beneath his companion, Fawkes knows of it, but hasn't spoken to Albus about it in worry it might cause a scene, I have already spoken to her about it, she will be more than willing to offer it to you.'' When she finished speaking, he woke up.
Looking around a moment he saw no one was up yet and it still seemed early, he felt like he got the best rest he had in ages. When he had cancer he would wake up in hacking fits, but now he felt relaxed and at peace.
Simply changing into his robes after a quick daily workout being quiet, some were up, he was in Ravenclaw after all, maybe they haven't even gone to bed yet. Leaving the dorms he went to Dumbledore's office, the gargoyles greeted him with a deep nod. ''Young Jack, welcome back as an official student.'' The office then opened to him, making his way up he found no one was inside other than a sleeping Fawkes.
He walked in, examing the room, as he entered memories begun to flash through his skull, memories of his own, or at least like flashbacks to memories he forgot, after they stopped he could better settle into his role as the 'Grandson'. He also learned that the Dumbledore of this timeline was a kind one, he genuinely thought leaving Harry with the Dursleys would've been fine, and he has no idea of the abuse. He gave a slow roll of his neck, sorting the memories properly. Dumbledore loved him as his own grandson, and whereas he wasn't a fan of lemon drops, because of his existence old Dumbles kept a bowl of other drops as well. He took a vanilla one then walked over to the sleeping Fawkes, with a gentle hand he began to stroke along his head. The phoenix to his hand woke up and looked at him, a gentle trill of appreciation was heard as he rubbed into his hand.
He whispered gently. ''Is Grandfather still sleeping? I have come for the egg, I shall guard it as my own.'' The Phoenix simply continued to gently grip before from beneath its feathers, slowly a small egg came forward, catching it was no larger than a small bouncy ball. Thinking of taking it into himself, it vanished instantly without fanfare or a word. Once it did the Phoenix began to alight a flame, once it did Jack simply stepped back and watched it as it did so, the ashes collecting beneath it. It seems the reason why he had originally put it off was that he was trying to find a place for the egg safely. But now that it was safe it happened earlier than cannon. He simply mentally shrugged.
When it finished he heard a door opening, seeing Dumbledore step forward Jack smiled.
''Did the old bird finally have his Death? Good, he was starting to look a bit worn. We'll see him back in health in a few days.''
''Hello, Grandfather. Oh, I guess I should be calling you Headmaster now, correct?''
There was a chuckle from Dumbledore as he moved over to gently pat at Jack's shoulder. ''Indeed, it's good to see you finally in the school robes little Jack, you look more and more like your parents with each passing day.''
He smiled down at Jack and began to walk away before Jack spoke out. ''Can I see your wand again?''
Dumbledore chuckled gently, already reaching into his robe. ''Going to run off with it again and try to cast magic like you did when you were younger?''
Jack shook his head, taking the Wand from him he looked at it, it was actually pretty cool to hold the legend in his own hands, he could feel the power in it, he also felt something on his shoulder and for only a split moment, it felt like the wand was weightless before he felt it again. Death did say all he needed to do was get ahold of it, once he did he then handed it back.
''I always feel like I learn something when I hold it, like the magic in it is trying to help me grow stronger.''
Dumbledore gave a wise nod as he lowered into his chair behind his desk. ''That it does, it is a Wand that anyone can use as long as they earn it through a duel, it favors certain people. Those with a particular talent in dueling usually feel that way.''
Jack grinned at that, puffing out his chest while raising his arms to flex them, he was toned due to training, and Dumbledore knew that said even in his day he was no slouch himself
(Idc what people say, Jude Law looked great as young Albus.)
''Are you meaning that I, the great Jack Ripper, shall be a great duelist one day?''
Dumbledore laughed, stroking his beard. 'With hard work Jack, anyone can be a great Duelist, some taking into it easier than others of course.''
Jack thought a bit before walking over to join him, he watched as the feathered pen began to dance across pages on his desk, writing for him. ''Grandfather, there used to be a dueling club wasn't there? Why was it taken down?''
Dumbledore released a low sigh. ''School funding, I'm afraid... It would take a considerable fortune to build it back up to as it was... Sadly a lot of the funding to the school is being cut due to Ministry cutbacks.''
Jack was swinging his feet slightly in thought. ''What about the money left behind in my family's vaults? I know I haven't got to them yet, since I am the last in line I needed to wait until I was 11 to take up the Lord position.''
Albus leaned back, continuing to stroke his beard. ''Yes... The Ripper Vaults would be enough to give this school the proper funding it needs, even 75% of your monthly income would be enough... Say, how many classes do you have today my boy?''
''Today? I have none, the only thing I needed to do today explored the grounds and be shown where not to go, and where to go, but as you know. I know these grounds almost as well as you, I've been wondering them since I was a child after all.''
Albus gave a slow nod before he stood. ''Come along Jack, it's about time I got you the lordship, and a blood test, who knows. You might be the heir to some long-lost family.'' He chuckled gently, taking Jack's hands they walked to the floor. In a simple wave of powder, they both vanished in a roaring inferno of flames.
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