The Headmaster's office felt quieter after Merlin left.
Too quiet.
Dumbledore folded his hands, blue eyes serious as he looked at Keith.
"Keith," he said gently,
"I would like your help… with the Chamber of Secrets."
Keith tilted his head.
"I figured," he replied calmly.
"But I won't just go in and erase the problem."
Cedric Runcandel's portrait smiled knowingly.
Dumbledore nodded.
"That is exactly what I expected you to say."
Keith continued, voice steady and mature beyond his years.
"There are thousands of people in Hogwarts—students, staff, ghosts, portraits, even creatures hidden in walls.
If I act without knowing who opened it, the problem will repeat."
He met Dumbledore's gaze directly.
"So first, I find the one who opened the Chamber.
Then I decide what to do."
Dumbledore exhaled slowly.
"…Agreed," he said.
"That headache is mine until then."
Keith smiled faintly.
"Good. I hate unfinished work."
Elsewhere — Prophecy Panics
Far beyond Hogwarts.
Beyond time, beyond stars.
Prophecy screamed.
Ancient threads—older than Merlin, older than Hogwarts—began to tighten.
Keith Argus Runcandel was not following any path.
He was not the Light's sword.
Not the Dark's heir.
Not the Sacrifice.
So prophecy did what it had always done when cornered.
It tried to self-correct.
Attempt One: Remove Keith
❌ Failure
The moment prophecy tried to exclude Keith—
Void-space collapsed around the thread.
Ciel's presence stirred.
[Ciel: Correction denied.]
[Reason: Subject is no longer bound by narrative law.]
The thread shattered.
Attempt Two: Isolate His Bonds
Prophecy shifted strategy.
If Keith could not be moved…
then his attachments must be severed.
Names ignited in glowing script:
Grayfia Lucifuge Luna Runcandel Scathach Gamma Rias Runcandel (née Gremory) Albedo Daphne Greengrass Astoria Greengrass Cassandra Vole Narcissa Black Bellatrix Black Nagini Nymphadora Tonks Susan Bones Amelia Bones Helena Prince Hermione Granger Ginny Weasley Katie Bell Angelina Johnson Penelope Clearwater Velgrynd Rowena Ravenclaw Manas: Ciel
Threads pulled.
Fate tried to weaken bonds.
Distance.
Misunderstanding.
Accidents.
Absolute Failure
Dragon Avalon activated.
Not as power.
As principle.
A vast, silent pressure washed over prophecy itself.
These are mine.
Void authority answered.
They are protected.
Velgrynd's dragon aura flared across dimensions.
Rowena's ancient wisdom reinforced the weave.
Ciel spoke—not aloud, but everywhere.
[Ciel: Any attempt to separate bonded entities will be treated as hostile rewriting.]
[Outcome: Erasure.]
Prophecy hesitated.
For the first time in its existence—
It felt fear.
Prophecy's Last Option
Unable to remove Keith.
Unable to harm his bonds.
Prophecy did the unthinkable.
It rewrote itself.
Not around a hero.
Not around a villain.
But around a constant.
New Prophetic Structure (Unstable)
The Void Dragon Sovereign shall walk freely.
Those bound to him shall stand outside destiny.
Events shall bend—not command.
The world will progress only if he allows it.
Keith was no longer a subject.
He was an axis.
The Chamber.
Voldemort.
War.
Peace.
All of it now existed relative to him.
Back at Hogwarts
Keith paused mid-step in the corridor.
He frowned slightly.
"…Something just tried to tug at my fate," he muttered.
Ciel's voice echoed softly in his mind, amused.
Ciel:It failed spectacularly.
Velgrynd's laughter rumbled faintly through the bond.
Velgrynd:Good. Fate should learn manners.
Rowena's tone was warm.
Rowena:You've become history's problem now, Keith.
Keith sighed.
"…I really just wanted to solve the Chamber quietly."
Ciel responded instantly.
Ciel:Unfortunately, Master—quiet stopped being an option the moment you chose to care.
Keith smiled despite himself.