Chapter 296: Miss Witch and Nordic Journey
A somewhat dishevelled figure materialised in the shadowy office of Knockturn Alley's infamous Dark Wizard Queen, dust motes dancing in the amber lamplight around him.
"Well, well. The famous Mr. Prewett looks rather worse for wear," a young woman observed with amusement, gracefully pouring steaming tea beside his chair. The delicate porcelain clinked softly against the saucer.
"I never expected that being rejected by the collective unconscious sea would feel quite like this," Aiden muttered, brushing debris from his travel-stained robes. Heaven knows how many coincidental mishaps had plagued his journey here.
He accepted the crimson tea that Astoria offered, the warmth seeping through the cup into his cold fingers as he sank gratefully into the plush sofa.
"What's troubling you?" Astoria moved behind him, her fingertips beginning a gentle massage at his temples, working away the tension that had gathered there like storm clouds.
"The giants have thrown their lot in with Sister Tom. I'm afraid another journey to Northern Europe is unavoidable," Aiden said, releasing a deep breath that seemed to carry the weight of the world.
"Why burden yourself so heavily? If you're truly exhausted, simply find somewhere to hide. Voldemort could never locate you, could he?" Pain flickered briefly across Astoria's delicate features, there and gone like lightning.
"Because I need to forge my own path forward," Aiden replied, turning to smile at her with that expression that could melt winter itself.
"Your Sequence advancement," Astoria whispered, understanding immediately.
"Indeed. I should depart for Northern Europe soon. Please be careful here in Diagon Alley." Aiden reached for his travelling hat, but slender fingers pressed firmly against his shoulder.
"I'm coming with you!" Astoria declared, preventing him from rising.
"Whatever for?" Aiden asked, genuinely puzzled by her sudden determination.
"Since it'll inevitably become my responsibility to clean up the aftermath anyway, I'd rather participate from the beginning for better coordination," Astoria said with a teasing smile that didn't quite mask her deeper concerns.
"Ah, very well then," the dragon replied, nervously averting his gaze from her knowing look.
"You'll need someone to manage Knockturn Alley in your absence," Astoria noted practically, moving about the room as she gathered her belongings with efficient grace.
"That won't be problematic."
Aiden snapped his fingers with casual authority, and countless silver-white threads began separating from his body like luminous spider silk. The threads danced through the air, weaving together with mesmerising precision until they formed a stunning woman with an impossibly perfect figure.
"My, my. I hadn't realised you harboured such particular hobbies," Astoria remarked with a sideways smile that held dangerous amusement.
"This was simply an identity I once required," Aiden protested, scratching his head with embarrassment.
"You've actually played a woman?" Astoria's surprise was genuine, her mind already considering the intriguing possibilities of having such an understanding companion.
"Absolutely not!" the dragon denied firmly. "Those fools merely assumed I was one based on appearances."
"Wait just a moment," Astoria said slowly, studying the created figure with growing recognition. "Heterochromatic pupils, extraordinary beauty, bearing some resemblance to a legendary teacher from Hogwarts history. Our family archives contain records of her."
"That was indeed me," the silver-haired woman confirmed with Aiden's voice. "For certain necessary reasons, I once travelled back through time and participated in Hogwarts' founding era."
Aiden gestured helplessly as if to say, 'There you have it.'
"Impressive work, though there remain some subtle differences in appearance," Astoria observed, finishing her packing and tucking everything into pockets that seemed far too small to contain such items.
The Twilight Hermit Society's specialised clothing provided more than just protection, transformation, and cleansing enchantments. Aiden had thoughtfully added Undetectable Extension Charms to every pocket, a benefit that made the Unspeakables practically green with envy. Several young witches had immediately requested transfers, only to be firmly blocked by their Director.
"She's merely a phantom construct of the Dream Weaver," Aiden explained with mysterious satisfaction.
The silver-haired woman began shifting and shrinking until she perfectly mirrored Astoria's appearance down to the smallest detail.
"How do I look? Convincing?" the false Astoria asked with a playful spin, flashing a peace sign at her original.
"Your expression needs to be considerably colder, and there are other mannerisms I must teach you properly," the real Astoria said, approaching with an intimidating expression as she guided her double toward a private chamber.
France stretched before them like a romantic painting, and Aiden had originally planned to experience the legendary atmosphere along the Seine with Astoria by his side.
However, a well-meaning elderly Frenchman sporting a small Paris flag quickly disabused him of such notions. After all, more than a century of industrial discharge had transformed the once-poetic river into something far less appealing than the romantic waterway praised by poets of bygone eras.
With their scenic plans abandoned, Aiden navigated through French smuggling networks, making their way toward the Polish border via the circuitous route through Minsk. After several careful transfers and false identities, they finally reached the contested border region between Northern and Eastern Europe.
The giant village loomed before them like something from a primordial nightmare. Aiden and Astoria stood at the entrance, where two massive giant guards crossed their enormous swords directly in their path, forming an imposing barrier that could crush ordinary humans without effort.
"I come bearing goodwill and hope to meet with your leader," Aiden announced clearly.
With a casual snap of his fingers, treasures and massive pieces of crafted armour began raining from the sky like metallic hail. These gifts represented items Aiden had painstakingly crafted using advanced alchemy during their two-day journey.
As for why steel reinforcement bars kept mysteriously vanishing from ordinary construction sites across Europe, even Aiden couldn't explain that particular phenomenon.
"Wait here," one giant grunted, turning to lumber into the village with earth-shaking steps.
After what felt like hours but was likely only minutes, Aiden and Astoria found themselves escorted into the settlement proper.
Calling it a village seemed generous. The place resembled more of an enormous, primitive camp sprawling across the landscape. The towering giants had no concept of permanent structures or architectural planning.
Even their clothing consisted of roughly sewn wild animal pelts, and their complete lack of sanitation management meant the entire camp reeked with an odour no less pungent than English towns from a thousand years past.
Having experienced mediaeval conditions firsthand, Aiden possessed some immunity to such assault on the senses. Surprisingly, Astoria also walked through the camp with an unchanged expression. Her time managing Knockturn Alley had apparently exposed her to quite a variety of unpleasant experiences.
"Wizards! What brings you to our territory?" The giant leader emerged, dragging a freshly killed wild boar behind him like a grotesque trophy.
As he approached, he continuously tore chunks of raw meat from the carcass and stuffed them into his massive maw, presenting a scene of primitive savagery that made Aiden's head throb with impending complications.
"Giants, we come with sincere intentions, hoping you will abandon your alliance with the Death Eaters and join our cause instead," Aiden stated his purpose with diplomatic clarity.
Upon hearing this proposal, the giant leader's face twisted into something that might have been amusement in a creature capable of subtlety.
"The Death Eaters promise that when they claim power, we can kill whoever we please without consequence. What exactly can you offer that compares?" The giant leader asked, studying them with calculating eyes where greed began surfacing like oil on water.
Around them, the other giants flexed their tremendous muscles and shifted their weight, ready to respond to their leader's command at a moment's notice.
"I've heard that giants value strength above all other qualities and that the defeated must surrender everything to the victor," Astoria stepped forward boldly, invoking ancient giant tradition with perfect confidence.
"Ha! So the little wizard woman wishes to challenge me!"
The giant leader's laughter boomed across the camp like thunder, his massive hands slapping his thighs while nearby giants joined the derisive chorus.
"Unless, of course, you're too frightened to accept a challenge from a mere weak woman?" Astoria added with calculated provocation.
"Wizard, you play with forces beyond your understanding," the giant leader growled, his amusement evaporating as he loomed over Astoria like a mountain of muscle and malice.
Then his gaze shifted meaningfully to Aiden, tactical intelligence gleaming behind the brutish exterior.
"And you... a man who cowers behind a woman's skirts," the giant leader sneered, attempting to goad Aiden into the confrontation he truly wanted.
Though giants channelled their magical power entirely into physical enhancement, this particular leader clearly possessed the dangerous combination of overwhelming force and cunning intelligence. He had keenly identified the relationship dynamics between the visitors and targeted Aiden, whom he correctly assumed held the real authority and resources.
"Her decisions reflect my own completely, and should she lose this challenge, I will naturally pay whatever ransom you demand," Aiden replied with a serene smile that revealed nothing of his true thoughts.
"Hmph." Seeing that his psychological manipulation had failed utterly, the giant leader snorted with frustrated displeasure, but the gleam in his eyes suggested this was far from over.