Harry Potter: The True Lord

[1. There were some doubts as to why it was Dumbledore who saved Antonio? I have clearly set up the power hierarchy in the world. So, if Antonio and Minerva could not cope against Voldemort, this only left Dumbledore. No one else could have interfered in a battle of that level.]

[2. Did Antonio have to lose? Maybe not. But it was necessary as per me. He is powerful. Even in this battle, he had not been shown weak but his defeat came more as a strategic miscalculation. But nonetheless, he was still defeated. And this jolt was necessary for him. He, as a character, and I had deliberately set him that way, had grown too confident. He had basically stopped trying to get stronger. He also kept delaying setting up his family magic. All because he was not worried about failing. So, in order for him to evolve, this jolt was necessary.]

[3. While Antonio is mostly overpowered and will get a lot stronger than he is, do not expect the other characters to be sitting ducks. Though not on his level, other characters too will come into play. And people like Dumbledore and Voldemort will be in a league of their own.]

Antonio continued lying on the bed of his St. Mungo's hospital room as his mind continuously kept flashing the events that had transpired in the Wizengamot hall before his eyes. The same thing was repeating again and again in front of his eyes. He was haunted especially by the scene of Edmund Bones jumping in the way of the incoming spell meant for him, and the subsequent sight of Edmund's charred corpse lying in the center of the well. And it was piercing Antonio's heart like anything. And if only he had been able to do anything at that time.

Antonio had been confident in facing Voldemort. He would not say that he had taken Voldemort lightly or did not consider the Dark Lord a worthy and a powerful opponent. But at the same time, he had taken no extra precautions and had considered no options to build an ace or a trump card for himself.

He had simply been too sure of himself regarding his confrontation with Voldemort. Even if he did not achieve victory, he had never thought that he would be defeated, at least, not to the point of nearly losing his life. He had been very confident about this aspect.

Antonio did not want to admit it, but perhaps this perception had been formed because of the presumptions he held about the Dark Lord from the story he knew of the Harry Potter world. In that fictional tale, though described as a powerful and very dangerous man, Voldemort had not really displayed any spectacular feats on a personal level. The same green coloured and red coloured battling with a boy like Harry Potter who barely knew more than ten spells. And maybe, just maybe, this was the reason Antonio had not been truly wary of him.

But had Antonio been totally wrong in his assumptions and assessment? He did not think so. Maybe he had misjudged Voldemort's strength, but he had not misjudged his own. He had been perfectly capable of battling Voldemort, at least to a delayed stalemate, even with the Dark Lord having a runic formation backing him up.

The mistake he had actually made was more of a strategic miscalculation rather than a misjudgment of his power. He had failed to calculate that his battle with Voldemort might not be a one on one duel as he had been imagining in his head.

He had not accounted for dueling the Dark Lord while he was supported by Death Eaters, all while trying to protect the people around him and contain collateral damage. The single spell he had cast had used up all of his magical reserves. This was the grave miscalculation he had made.

But in the end, he did not die. He had been saved by Albus Dumbledore.

That was the man Antonio had least expected to show up. He did not know how to feel about it. He did not hate or feel any animosity toward Albus Dumbledore. In fact, after Dumbledore's recent moves, Antonio should have considered him an ally. Maybe even a friend.

Dumbledore had made an open declaration to kill the Death Eaters and was most likely the one who had killed the two Death Eaters in that small magical settlement. Also the way he had been aggressive towards Voldemort did show how angry and furious Dumbledore was about the Dark Lord.

But despite all the seemingly positive signs from Albus Dumbledore, for some reason, he was not able to trust him. His instincts and gut were flashing warnings at him. He had an instinctive feeling calling to him that Dumbledore was actually playing a very long game. He was hiding more than he was showing.

He would show gratitude and thank Albus Dumbledore, but Antonio would remain cautious of the old headmaster and his motives. He would not trust him.

Antonio's line of thought was broken by someone entering his room. It was a young lady. She was someone whom Antonio was least expecting to show up to meet him and was even less prepared to see her.

It was Amelia Bones, the daughter of Edmund, whom he had asked Antonio to protect in his final moments.

Amelia as she entered, her face was stiff, showing hardly any expression. There was no grief, no pain, and no misery on her features. She looked altogether too calm and composed. Completely expressionless.

But Antonio knew with certainty that all of this was a facade. A false show. Antonio had not known Edmund and Amelia for long, barely a couple of months, but in that short time, he had learned that the father and daughter shared a deep bond. They loved each other dearly. This facade was Amelia using her Occlumency to its full extent. Perhaps, also, since a day had passed, she had already accepted the reality of what had happened.

"Miss Bones," Antonio said, finally breaking the awkward and oppressive silence between them.

His voice was full of the pain and grief he was feeling. His eyes were saddened and the expression on his face solemn.

Like Amelia, he too could have used Occlumency to school his expression, but he did not do so. He did not want to numb himself to his pain and grief. He wanted to feel that rage through his every vein.

"Lord Olario," Amelia responded as her hard maintained Occlumency cracked. Her voice choked as the tears she had been holding back came flowing from her eyes.

Antonio tried to get up, but a wave of pain again jolted through his body.

"Ah!" He grunted in pain as Amelia hurried toward him, supporting his body and helping him lean against the headboard in a sitting position.

"Lord Olario," Amelia said with a worried face, tears still brimming in her eyes. "Are you all right? Should I call the mediwitch?"

Antonio shook his head. "I am fine. It is nothing."

He paused for a moment and then continued, "I am sorry, Miss Bones. I am the one to be blamed for your loss."

Amelia remained silent for a moment. She then sat on the stool next to his bed, her face coming to his level as she looked directly into his eyes with her tear stained gaze.

"No, Lord Olario," she shook her head. "You are not the one to be blamed. Father might have chosen to take the spell meant for you, but it was his voluntary decision. The only person who is to be blamed for his death is the person who fired that spell."

Antonio did not respond. He remained quiet, his eyes staring directly at Amelia's face.

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