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First of all, dear readers please forgive me for disappearing. I have already ended my final exams and am ready to get with this again.
Thank you for your patience and please, enjoy this chapter.
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A dense fog covered the Hogwarts Castle. The students that returned after the Christmas Holidays found it difficult to reach the Castle as only the spikes of the highest towers could be seen.
Hagrid, with his no little friend, Fang, guided the students to the entrance.
"Oberon! How were your holidays?" Hermione asked. "The book you gifted me was very interesting. And you were right, Domains are very difficult to understand."
"Well, even the most powerful and talented wizards and witches find it difficult to understand it and achieve their Domain Expansion. Most die without succeeding."
They arrived just for lunch. In the Great Hall, the students who stayed at Christmas were already on the big tables.
Oberon sat next to Gabriel and Cho Chang, who arrived at the school before them.
Next to Cho Chang was a girl with curly reddish-blonde hair that Oberon hadn't seen before, but already knew. The traitor of Dumbledore's Army, Marietta Edgecombe.
"Hi, Oberon! This is my best friend, Marietta Edgecombe." Cho said as she presented her friend to the rest of her friends.
"Nice to meet you. I am Oberon Grindelwald."
"I already know who you are. The First Year who killed a Troll King in his first month of school, everybody knows who you are." Marietta said.
The rest greeted her and they started eating.
After eating, Oberon went to Harry and Ron.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Potter. I think I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you before. My name is Oberon, Oberon Grindelwald Pendragon."
"H-Hi Oberon," Harry replied.
"I'd like to have a word with you if that's all right," Oberon said.
"Of course."
"I have heard that you and your Weasley friend are searching for something related to the door on the forbidden section of the third floor."
"I-I don't know what you are talking about. What third floor? W-What three-headed dog?" Harry said.
"Mr. Potter, I have never mentioned anything about a three-headed dog." Oberon said.
"A-A-Ah.." Harry was left speechless.
"Harry, why don't you come with me for a moment." Oberon grabbed Harry by his shoulder and took him to an empty corridor.
…
"Ok Harry, from what you have told me, the three-headed dog is a Cursed Spirit usually found in Greece called Cerberus."
"But why would Headmaster Dumbledore let such a dangerous thing in the school!?" Harry asked.
"Maybe to scare away curious kids like you and your friend." Oberon replied.
'Well, they haven't found out about Flamel and the Philosopher Stone yet.'
"And Harry, I have heard that you haven't unlocked your Innate Technique yet."
When Harry heard Oberon he got scared. Would Oberon laugh at him and tell everybody else about him.
"Y-Yes. Why?" Harry asked.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone. I can feel your Magic Energy reserves are very big, so you must have an Innate Technique for sure. Why don't you ask Headmaster Dumbledore for permission to go to the library and search for the Innate Technique of the Potter family? Maybe then you will be closer to discovering it."
Harry heard Oberon and was exalted with his idea.
"Thank you, Oberon! It's a great idea!"
Harry turned around and ran for Dumbledore's office.
"Now that you are distracted with it, I will be able to search for the Philosopher's Stone."
The Philosopher's Stone was a very powerful Magic Tool. Although its ability to grant eternal life was clearly wrong, it was a very good tool to fuel Innate Techniques and Domains.
If he could get his hands on it, the Alliance would gain a great asset.
…
Months passed and May arrived.
Exams were around the corner and important events were going to take place.
"Oberon, can you show me your Transfiguration assignments?" Gabriel asked.
Some may think that asking for the assignments of others may not be a very Ravenclaw thing, but it was different from what it seemed.
Oberon, as expected, excelled at Transfiguration, so Professor McGonagall assigned him with a higher level of homework throughout the year.
In the beginning, it was something simple, like turning a rock into gold. But as it advanced, Professor McGonagall started assigning him crazier and crazier things.
From creating a flying pig from a rock. Creating a magic crystal from a pig. To transfigurate the brain of a pig, granting it the ability to speak. Or the worst, fuse a Cursed Spirit with an animal created from a transfigurated unanimated object.
The last one was surely difficult.
Gabriel wanted to see him transfigurate a Cursed Spirit, something truly difficult.
It was not a matter of Magic Energy or Ability; it was a matter of pure talent. And even though he was pretty talented, he couldn't surpass at the moment the talent of Professor McGonagall.
"Ok, but just one time," Oberon said.
He unlocked a cage with a Fly Head and transfigurated into a sandwich with a wave of his wand.
"Woah! Can I eat it?" Gabriel said in surprise.
"Well..in theory, yes, but I wouldn't recommend it. Even if it is a sandwich, it is composed of Cursed and Negative Energy, it may disrupt your Magic Energy." Oberon explained.
"Then I think it may be a bad idea."
As they finished talking, they were called by Hermione to go to the Great Hall.
"Come on boys! They are going to post the exam schedule." Hermione said as a good school nerd she was.
They looked at it, but something was not correct.
"What is going on with Defense Against the Cursed Arts? Why it say 'each student will receive a personal notification according to their respective Grade'?" Gabriel commented.
As they discussed it, hundreds of owls started flooding the great hall. Each carrying a letter with the Hogwarts emblem on it.
Ishia gave Oberon the scroll and scrubbed her head in his hand.
"Good girl. Here have it." Oberon said as he gave her a biscuit from his robe.
He opened it and started reading it.
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Dear Oberon Grindelwald Pendragon,
the Magic Order of Everlight Guardians, by request of the Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, has decided to assign you a mission according to your rank.
The results of this mission, as assessed by an agent sent from our HQ will determine your grade in the subject of Defense Against the Cursed Arts.
In your case, and considering your previous feats, you will be assigned a semi-Special Grade mission.
You will have to hunt and bring either death or an illegal Cursed User.
In the next few days, you will receive the necessary information about said criminal.
We wish you the best of luck,
Manager of the Britain branch of the Magic Order of Everlight Guardians,
Sir Percival Ashford.
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Each of them read their letters and different reactions were heard in the Great Hall.
"I must talk with my grandpa; I have got a Grade 1 Mission. I will need more wands." Gabriel said.
"I also have a Grade 1 Mission!" Hermione said.
"Me too!" Dots said.
"I just have a Grade 2." Neville said shyly.
All of them looked at Oberon waiting for him to say the rank of his mission.
"I have a semi-Special Grade Mission," Oberon said smiling.
""""WHAT?!?!?!?!""""
"Relax. It's normal." Oberon explained. "I killed a semi-Special Grade Curse and I have done a few missions killing Grade 1 Cursed Spirits. So they assigning me a semi-Special Grade mission isn't strange."
"Have you already done Grade 1 Missions?!" Hermione asked.
"Quite a few. Yes." Oberon replied.
"Even though, I think it's too much. You are not fighting a mindless monster. You are fighting an intelligent human who uses Cursed Techniques and has probably killed a lot of people and wizards." Ollivander said.
"Don't worry," Oberon said. "This will also help me to get stronger."
…
Oberon studied and did the rest of his exams. Now, he was just waiting for the letter of the MOEG. Most of his friends have already completed their missions.
Just as he was thinking about it, Ishia tapped with her beak on the window.
He gave her some treats and opened the scroll with the MOEG seal.
He made a vow saying he wouldn't disclose any information except if he is given permission to.
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'MISSION #5555501
MISSION RANK: Semi-Special Grade
PERFORMER: Oberon Grindelwald Pendragon (High-Grade 1-estimated to be more)
MISSION DETAILS:
As notified before, you must hunt a semi-Special Grade illegal Curse User and bring them back dead or alive.
The real name of the Curse User is unknown, but our sources have found their code name used in the black market and the dark web. They are called Flesh Sculptor.
The Flesh Sculptor originated from Hungria and have travelled throughout Europe carrying a series of missions for a very expensive fee.
They are rumoured to fuel their victims' corpses with Cursed Energy leaving behind flesh statues, hence their name.
We have our reasons to think they have entered England.
One of those reasons is an elementary school that was attacked a few months ago. No survivor was found. Only flesh statutes of 200 children and 50 adults with distorted faces and limbs that emitted painful, heart-rending cries of pain.
--------
Accompanying this letter was a series of photographs of the 'bodies'. It was nauseating.
Oberon went to Headmaster Dumbledore's Office to notify him of his absence.
Dumbledore wrote the mission code in his book and let Oberon leave to fulfil his mission.
….
"Aunt Vinda."
"Yes, Oberon," Vinda said as she sat in front of Oberon.
"I need you to mobilize the Acolytes to find someone called Flesh Sculptor."
"We will do it. I have heard from them. Very expensive service, but always with good results. Famous from their peculiar 'art'."
"We must find them. They have already killed more than two hundred innocent people."
An owl came from the window and gave a letter to Vinda.
"It seems one of the Acolytes has found some hints that could lead us to the Flesh Sculptor," Vinda said. "Want me to come with you?"
"That won't be necessary. I must do this alone if I want to be worthy of the Grindelwald name." Oberon replied.
He used a portkey and went to a small village in Norwich.
He was supposed to meet an Acolyte, but all he could find was a flesh statue.
"So, you are the 'Young Master' of the Alliance. The son of Gellert Grindelwald. You know, I myself am a great fan of his own art."
The voice comes from a corner from which a person wearing black clothes and covered in viscera and blood emerged.
"Hi, my name is Zoltan Bathory, but I am known as the Flesh Sculptor."
"Why did you do that to those children?" Oberon asked.
"Ah! Those brats! They were so happy, it was disgusting. I did them a favour by using them as a material to create my art, one that not many people are able to appreciate."
"Okay." Oberon replied,
Throughout the year he has been able to control better his Innate Technique: Avalon's Blessing. And now he was able to do things he was unable before.
Oberon raised his hand and swords made from light started appearing. After a few seconds, almost fifty swords were floating in the air.
He lowered his hand and the swords began impaling Zoltan, and he didn't try to evade them.
"Not bad, not bad," Zoltan said.
Zoltan took out a knife and cut his hand. The hand started trembling and flesh lamps appeared from it. Bones protruded and blood flowed, all until it transformed into a humanoid abomination.
It tried attacking Oberon but he destroyed it with a swing of his sword.
Oberon created a giant sword and destroyed Zoltan's body with it.
Nothing was left, except a little bit of blood that grew into a new body.
It was 'nude', full of scars and most disturbing; he had no face nor sexual organs. Just like a doll of meat.
"Hey! I loved that black suit." Zoltan said as a child's face appeared on his head.
"You know you are a very disturbing person, right?" Oberon said.
"Some people say it," Zoltan replied as he ripped his own ribs and transformed them into spears which he threw to Oberon.
'I can't let them touch me if I want to remain intact and don't get turned into a flesh statue.' Oberon thought.
"Protego diabolica."
A shield of blue fire surrounded him, leaving nothing more than ashes from the rib spears.
From the shield, Oberon jumped and with a new sword sliced Zoltan in two. Sadly, from each half, a new Zoltan regenerated and Oberon's problems got multiplicated by two.
"You are a tough nut to crack," Oberon stated.
"Thanks!" Zoltan said as he sent a kiss to Oberon using the face of what could be presumed to be a female teacher.
""We got a gift for you."" Said the two Zoltans.
""Domain Expansion: The Butcher's Gallery.""
A barrier surrounded the two of them, and in just 0,00001 seconds, Oberon found himself in a flesh labyrinth. The walls and the floor, everything was made out of flesh, blood and bones.
"Why don't we play a little game?" Zoltan voice sounded.
From the labyrinth flesh golems came out and attacked Oberon.
Thankfully, these flesh golems were made from Cursed Energy. Due to this, Oberon's Holy Swords dealt more damage to them and slowed down their regeneration rate.
"This has no end," Oberon commented.
He has cut and cut them, all while avoiding getting touched by them, but the flesh golems never stop multiplying or appearing from the labyrinth.
He was surrounded by flesh golems and had no easy exit in sight.
"This isn't a bad place to test my new technique." He said.
"Maximum: Eternal Sword of Avalon."
A sheath appeared on his waist and when he made the motion to grab something from it, from his tattoo the Holy Sword Excalibur appeared inside the sheath.
He unsheathed Excalibur and a giant Excalibur appeared above his head.
When he swung the Excalibur in his hands, the bigger version followed its movements.
He pointed towards the domain fleshy floor and with all his might shouted.
"Excalibur's Wrath!"
The giant Excalibur pierced through the labyrinth, destroying the domain in the process.
"Did you like it?" Zoltan asked him.
"Not a lot, one out of five starts," Oberon replied.
"What can I say?" Zoltan said. "Goodbye."
From behind Oberon a new Zoltan rapidly grew from a drop of blood and grabbed his shoulder.
It seemed like nothing happened at first, but in a few moments, grotesque lumps started appearing on his shoulder.
It hurt like hell, but Oberon just used the Holy Sword Excalibur and cut that part out of his shoulder.
"That won't work. You are just slowing down the inevitable." Zoltan said. "Oh yeah! I nearly forgot! I was told to tell you this before I killed you." He said with a big child's smile on his face.
"If you asked yourself why I entered England, it was because the German Ministry of Magic ordered your assassination. Big money. Around 50.000 British Galleons." He explained. "Now you are going to transform into one of my most beautiful pieces of art."
Oberon could feel something growing in his shoulder. The Cursed Energy of Zoltan Cursed Technique has penetrated deep into his body.
Little by little it was expanding inside him. Not even his Holy and Fate Magic Energy were able to stop it. It was not yet that powerful.
He already couldn't use his left shoulder.
Zoltan just manifested a multitude of mouths and different laughs were heard.
'F*ck! Is about to reach my brain!' Oberon desperately thought. 'I need to do something.'
Just when his brain was about to expand and turn into a fleshy horror, something snapped. Something inside of his very soul.
Using his functional arm, he summoned Excalibur.
"Domain Expansion: Radiant Sovereignty of the Celestial Lake!"
Viel touched the floor with the tip of his sword. The floor vibrates, transforming into the surface of a tranquil lake.
Above the water stood he and Zoltan, with an illusionary image of Camelot appearing behind Oberon as a phantom; a huge castle exerting an overbearing pressure on top of the legendary kingdom.
The most surprising thing was that it was an open Domain.
'Who would have thought that my biggest obstacle, applying my Innate Technique into a barrier wouldn't be necessary. '
He was limiting himself all this time by following the normal standards.
A wave of Holy Energy surged forth, enveloping and passing through them like a tidal wave. The energy flowed over their bodies, washing away the malevolent influence that threatened to consume Oberon.
Zoltan's multitude of mouths twisted in agony as the Holy Energy purified the air. The sinister laughter faltered, then ceased entirely. The oppressive aura around Zoltan began to dissipate, leaving him vulnerable and exposed.
Like a dignified ruler Oberon raised his hand and instantly, without any delay, hundreds of thousands of swords appeared in the air.
With a wave of his hand, all the swords travel at the speed of light and start impaling Zoltan.
If that was still not enough, with another wave of his hand, Oberon made different types of weapons, not just swords, appear from the waters of the lake.
Spears, knives, axes, daggers, blades, etc. started cutting and dismembering Zoltan.
In normal conditions, he would start to regenerate thanks to his Cursed Technique. However, under the influence of Oberon's Domain, Radiant Sovereignty of the Celestial Lake, any user of Cursed, Negative, or Dark Energy experienced a significant weakening.
Their reservoirs and abilities are reduced by a staggering 75%.
Rendering Zoltan's usual regenerative capabilities ineffective against the overwhelming purity of the Holy Energy.
"Y-You… You weren't supposed to have a Do-Domain Expansion." Zoltan said as he coughed black blood.
"Don't worry, I will make good use of your death," Oberon replied with a mocking look.
The high concentrations of pure Holy Energy in the Domain converted Zoltan's body into ashes as soon as he died.