The day of the ritual arrived without announcement. Harry had deliberately kept everything quiet. Very few people inside the Serpent Court even knew what was truly about to happen, and that secrecy was intentional.
He refused to perform the procedure inside the Zeus Hotel.
The scale of magic required to remove an ancient bloodline curse would be enormous, far beyond ordinary healing magic. Even with the protections surrounding the hotel, there was still a risk that powerful witches or wizards nearby might sense the magical disturbance. Rumors alone could create problems Harry did not want to deal with.
Slytherin Castle, however, was different.
The ancient fortress was layered with enchantments so old and powerful that even modern magical detection struggled to penetrate its outer defenses. More importantly, there were no nearby settlements, no curious witches, no wandering Ministry officials, and no chance of accidental witnesses.
If something went wrong there, the outside world would never know.
That was exactly what Harry wanted.
Lord Greengrass and Astoria arrived shortly before sunset.
Inside a quiet room at one of Teozad Umbra's private suite, the ancient wizard calmly held out a silver compass resting in his palm. The object looked harmless, but Lord Greengrass immediately recognized the complexity of the enchantments woven into it.
"This portkey will take slightly longer than usual," Theo explained. "Do not release it halfway through."
Astoria nodded first and placed her fingers against the compass. Her father followed more cautiously.
Theo activated the magic.
The world twisted violently around them.
For several seconds, there was no sense of direction or gravity, only compressed space and spinning light. Then solid ground returned beneath their feet.
Astoria stumbled slightly before catching herself.
Lord Greengrass looked up—
And completely forgot to speak.
The castle before them was enormous.
Dark towers rose high above the surrounding forest, ancient walls stretching across the mountainside like something taken from myth rather than reality. Silver-green lights glowed faintly through enchanted windows while enormous serpent statues watched silently from the outer walls.
The entire structure radiated age.
Power.
The kind of magic that existed long before the Ministry of Magic had ever been founded.
Dense forests surrounded the castle from every direction, forming a natural barrier around the hidden fortress. There were no roads leading here, nothing except wilderness and silence.
Astoria slowly turned in place, taking everything in. "This is… big," she whispered.
Lord Greengrass exhaled quietly. "Gods…"
Movement in the distance caught Astoria's attention before either of them could recover fully from the sight of the castle itself.
A herd of dark creatures moved gracefully across one of the lower fields near the walls.
At first glance they looked like black horses.
Then she noticed the wings.
Black bat-like wings folded elegantly against sleek dark bodies as the creatures moved through the grass beneath the fading evening light. Their eyes reflected faintly while one of them suddenly spread its wings and took flight above the trees.
Morticorns.
Astoria had seen photographs of them before. Over the past year, stories and rumors about the strange black winged unicorns had spread steadily through magical Europe. Newspapers called them impossible creatures. Some believed they were experiments. Others claimed they were mythical beings rediscovered after centuries.
They were beautiful.
More magically powerful than ordinary unicorns.
And far more intimidating.
What shocked Lord Greengrass even further was the sight of a house elf calmly directing the herd while carrying feed inside a silver satchel. The morticorns obeyed the elf completely, moving with practiced familiarity.
Before either Greengrass could fully process what they were seeing, another house elf appeared before them with a soft pop.
Astoria blinked in surprise.
The elf was dressed better than some Ministry officials she had met. Tailored green and silver clothing fit perfectly around the small creature, and polished shoes clicked softly against the stone pathway as it bowed elegantly.
"Lord Greengrass. Lady Greengrass," it said smoothly. "Welcome to Slytherin Castle."
The name hit Lord Greengrass immediately.
His expression hardened slightly.
"Slytherin," he repeated slowly.
Too many memories were attached to that name. Too many dark wizards, too many blood purists, too many monsters who claimed connection to Salazar Slytherin.
The house elf tilted its head politely. "There is no Dark Lord here, my lord."
The answer came far too quickly.
As though it had been asked that question before.
Lord Greengrass relaxed only slightly.
The elf gestured toward the massive entrance gates. "Lord Blackfyre awaits your arrival."
They followed in silence.
The closer they moved toward the castle, the more surreal everything became. The gates opened soundlessly before them, revealing a vast inner courtyard illuminated by floating silver lanterns. Fountains lined the pathways while ivy climbed portions of the walls without making the structure appear neglected.
The castle felt alive.
House elves moved constantly through the halls carrying books, trays, scrolls, enchanted objects, and supplies. Some bowed respectfully as the Greengrasses passed while others continued their work without fear or panic.
Lord Greengrass noticed that immediately.
The elves here were not frightened.
That alone made this place feel different from many old pureblood estates he had visited.
The interior of the castle was even more impressive than the exterior. Endless corridors stretched beneath vaulted ceilings decorated with silver-green enchantments. Ancient paintings moved quietly inside elaborate frames while magical chandeliers floated overhead.
Everything radiated wealth.
Ancient wealth.
The kind accumulated over centuries.
Astoria walked quietly beside her father, absorbing every detail. Yet despite the beauty surrounding them, the deeper they moved into the castle, the stranger the atmosphere became.
The upper halls felt warm and inhabited.
Below them—
Something older waited.
Eventually the house elf guided them toward a descending staircase carved directly into the mountain beneath the fortress.
The air changed immediately.
The magical pressure became almost tangible with every step downward.
Lord Greengrass finally spoke. "How deep does this place go?"
The elf answered calmly, "Far deeper than most survive, my lord."
That answer did not comfort him.
The lower corridors were entirely different from the elegant castle above. Ancient serpent carvings covered the walls while green flames burned silently inside black iron braziers. The atmosphere felt sharper here, as though the magic itself had teeth.
Finally they reached a massive circular chamber.
And there—
Standing near the center of a glowing ritual array—
Was Lord Blackfire.
Even now, Lord Greengrass could not fully understand the man before him. Black robes concealed most of his figure while silver-green light reflected faintly across the elegant mask hiding his face.
But power radiated from him.
Controlled.
Absolute.
Astoria felt it immediately too.
This was a man accustomed to impossible magic.
Lord Blackfire turned slowly toward them.
His gaze settled briefly on Lord Greengrass before shifting toward Astoria.
Then he spoke calmly.
"You will remain here."
Lord Greengrass frowned instantly. "Excuse me?"
"Only Miss Greengrass enters the ritual chamber."
The silence afterward sharpened immediately.
"I am not leaving my daughter alone underground with unknown ritual magic," Lord Greengrass said coldly.
"You will," Lord Blackfire replied calmly, "if you want the curse removed."
There was no threat in his voice.
And somehow that made the words heavier.
Lord Greengrass instinctively looked toward Astoria.
She looked frightened.
But hopeful too.
That hope hurt him more than fear ever could.
Lord Blackfire stepped aside slightly then, revealing the chamber behind him fully for the first time.
Ancient runes glowed across the floor in enormous concentric circles of silver and emerald light. Crystal pillars surrounded the room while massive magical arrays rotated slowly above the ceiling like moving constellations.
The scale of magic prepared there was unlike anything Lord Greengrass had ever witnessed.
Even he understood immediately—
This was far beyond ordinary healing.
Far beyond anything taught at St. Mungo's.
Lord Blackfire looked toward Astoria once more.
"It is time."
The great stone doors of the ritual chamber closed behind Astoria with a deep, resonant boom that echoed through the underground halls of Slytherin Castle. When the sound faded, silence followed so completely that she could hear her own heartbeat.
For several long moments, Astoria simply stood there.
The chamber was enormous, far larger than it had appeared from outside. Ancient runes glowed across the floor in layered circles of silver and emerald light, while crystalline pillars floated slowly near the ceiling, rotating around the ritual formation like silent stars. Every wall was covered in carvings written in symbols she could not recognize.
The room felt alive.
Astoria swallowed quietly. Even now, after everything she had seen in recent weeks, she still could not understand the man before her. Rumors surrounded him everywhere—an ancient lord tied to forbidden magic, a mysterious figure capable of curing condition St. Mungo's considered impossible, a man feared even by powerful pureblood families.
And yet standing there beneath the glow of ancient runes, he did not feel monstrous.
He felt tired.
Lord Blackfire approached calmly, and with a small motion of his hand, a crystal vial appeared between his fingers. The liquid inside shimmered silver-blue beneath the chamber lights.
"Drink this," he said.
Astoria accepted the vial carefully. "What is it?"
"A sleeping draught mixed with calming potion," he replied. "The process will be easier if your body is relaxed."
Astoria looked down at the potion for a moment before giving a small nod. Strangely enough, she trusted him. More than she probably should.
She raised the vial to her lips and drank.
The potion was warm. Sweet for only a second before bitterness spread across her tongue. Almost immediately, warmth moved through her body, softening the tension in her muscles. The fear she had been holding so tightly for weeks began to fade into something distant and hazy.
The room blurred slightly around the edges.
Her knees weakened.
Before she could fall, Lord Blackfire caught her gently.
Darkness followed quickly after that.
Harry exhaled quietly as Astoria slipped fully unconscious in his arms.
"Good," he murmured.
He carried her carefully toward the center of the chamber where an carpet rested inside the largest ritual circle. Compared to the overwhelming magical formations surrounding it, the carpet looked almost absurdly simple.
Because the truth was that the ritual itself was mostly unnecessary.
The circles, the floating crystals, the layered enchantments carved into the walls—all of it served only as protection and containment. Harry did not actually need ritual magic to remove the curse.
The system would perform the cleansing.
Still, this was his first time attempting to remove an ancient bloodline curse. He had no intention of risking failure because of arrogance.
He knelt beside Astoria and looked at her for a moment in silence.
Her pale silver-blonde hair spread softly across the enchanted carpet. The potion kept her breathing calm and even, completely unaware of what was about to happen.
Harry slowly raised his hand and placed it gently against her forehead.
Immediately, the system responded.
[Bloodline Curse Detected]
Ancient Bloodline Curse Located
Do you wish to remove the curse?
[YES] / [NO]
Harry barely hesitated.
"Yes."
The chamber exploded with magic.
Green light erupted violently from his body, flooding the entire room in an instant. The ancient runes carved into the walls ignited like wildfire, glowing so brightly that the chamber looked submerged beneath emerald flames.
Harry's eyes widened slightly.
Even he had not expected this much power.
The curse fought back instantly.
Astoria's body arched violently as a scream tore from her throat. Her eyes snapped open, glowing faintly green as magic burst beneath her skin like trapped lightning.
Harry grabbed her shoulder instinctively. "Astoria—!"
But she could not hear him.
The curse had awakened fully.
The entire chamber trembled under the pressure. Ancient stone cracked beneath the ritual circle as Astoria's accidental magic erupted wildly in response to the pain. Furniture shattered against the walls. Several floating crystals exploded into fragments.
The magical barriers surrounding the room flared desperately, containing the shockwaves before they could spread beyond the chamber.
Astoria screamed again.
It was not a conscious sound anymore.
Only pain.
Pure unbearable agony.
Harry could feel the curse now.
Twisted into her magic itself.
And it did not want to leave.
His mana dropped rapidly.
The green energy intensified violently.
The center ritual circle shattered completely with a deafening crack as stone erupted upward in chunks. The floating crystals overhead spun faster and faster while magical pressure filled every corner of the chamber.
Harry gritted his teeth and forced more power into the cleansing.
Sweat ran down his face now.
"Come on…" he muttered.
Then the curse surfaced.
A mass of twisted green-black energy burst upward from Astoria's body like smoke given life. It writhed above her, shrieking silently as if resisting destruction itself.
For one terrible moment, the entire chamber darkened beneath its presence.
Then Harry's cleansing magic consumed it completely.
The green mass dissolved.
Astoria collapsed limply back against the carpet, unconscious once more.
The pressure inside the room disappeared so suddenly that Harry nearly fell forward from the shift alone.
For several seconds he remained frozen beside her, breathing heavily.
Then the system appeared again.
[Bloodline Curse Successfully Removed]
Target: Astoria Greengrass
Status: Cured
Harry stared at the notification weakly before letting out a quiet laugh.
"…finally."
The exhaustion hit him immediately afterward.
His vision blurred sharply as his body swayed. He caught himself against the cracked stone floor before collapsing entirely.
"…damn…"
Slowly, painfully, he forced himself back upright.
Astoria remained unconscious, but peaceful now.
Harry could feel the difference immediately.
He carefully lifted her into his arms and carried her toward the center of the destroyed chamber before slowly making his way toward the doors.
The moment he opened them, Lord Greengrass rushed inside.
"Astoria!"
The older wizard crossed the room instantly and dropped beside his daughter, checking her pulse with shaking hands. His expression shifted rapidly from fear to confusion—
Greengrass slowly looked up toward Lord Blackfire.
For the first time since entering Slytherin Castle, his composure broke entirely.
"…you actually did it."
Harry leaned weakly against the doorway, exhaustion visible even through the mask and robes.
"Take your daughter," he said quietly. "She's cured."
Greengrass opened his mouth, perhaps to thank him, perhaps to ask questions, but Harry interrupted before he could.
"And leave," he added tiredly. "I am very exhausted."
Lord Greengrass immediately nodded.
Carefully, almost reverently, he lifted Astoria into his arms.
For a brief moment he looked toward Lord Blackfire with something very few pureblood nobles ever showed honestly.
Real gratitude.
Then he bowed his head deeply.
And without another word, he left the chamber carrying his daughter.
The great doors closed once more.
Harry stood there alone for several seconds, barely conscious. Around him, the ritual chamber had been devastated. Cracked stone covered the floor. Ancient runes flickered weakly. Several enchanted crystals had shattered entirely.
But it was over.
Harry exhaled heavily and turned toward a nearby side passage connected to the lower underground levels. He was too exhausted to climb the stairs back into the castle proper.
The small resting chamber beyond was simple compared to the grandeur of the ritual hall. A bed, a table, a basin of water.
Nothing more.
Harry barely managed to reach the bed before collapsing onto it fully clothed.
Within moments, he was asleep.
Far above the underground halls of Slytherin Castle, Lord Greengrass departed the ancient fortress carrying his daughter safely in his arms.
And for the first time in many years—
There was a genuine smile on his face.
If you enjoy my work and would like to support me, you can now do so on . Every bit of encouragement means a lot and helps me keep creating more content.
Support me here: (Patre)on – AbinKydd