Miranda looked at Raven and nodded slowly. "Excellent. I'm glad you're on board with the task that I'm asking of you."
She paused, her voice lowering. "Stand before me and inherit the mantle as the last surviving member of the Cross lineage."
Her expression softened slightly, and her gaze lingered. "And my dear Raven, I'm not even sure time can ravage you, so you may be the guardian that this world truly needs. The one that will carry forth the Cross lineage through the ages."
Raven sighed and stepped forward, letting her arms fall to her sides. "You know, nobody ever asked me to be immortal. But because of my father, Trigon, age doesn't mean a lot to me—at least not with my kind of magic."
Miranda laughed gently. "When you have a father like the one you described, Raven, I think time or mortal matters rarely bother you that much."
"Once again, I'm only doing this because I like the people that I've met so far," Raven said, her tone even but firm.
"Harry Potter is a tragic child, and I would be remiss to let him handle the threats that you've described to me without at least watching his back."
Her voice sharpened. "I don't know what kind of incompetent wizards run this wizarding world in London, but if he's facing threats that could change the political and social structure of an entire country, that's an awful lot of pressure to put on a child of eleven years old."
"Whoever is managing these affairs must be a truly incompetent person."
Miranda chuckled lightly. "Ah, you're referring to Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
She folded her arms. "Just because my counterparts and I have been sealed away in Vault Zero doesn't mean our information networks have been cut off."
"Raven, you're describing an old man who is very much hands-off in how he deals with things."
She added, "He prefers to raise—not puppets—but proxies to handle problems he believes are not entirely his to deal with."
"At the same time, he influences events just enough to ensure that things turn out in the outcome he prefers."
"He defeated the previous Dark Lord—Gellert Grindelwald—during the events surrounding the global wizarding conflict tied to the Second World War."
Raven raised an eyebrow. "So he defeated one Dark Lord and is raising a hero to defeat another."
"What's next? Is Harry Potter going to be responsible for raising the next generation's hero to fight off another Dark Lord?"
She folded her arms. "The fact that Dark Lords keep emerging in this world means there's something wrong with the educational standards these kids have."
"Or perhaps there just not enough strong wizards to ensure people like this are captured and imprisoned properly."
Miranda tilted her head. "If you want, eventually that responsibility could fall to you."
"You could manage Azkaban. You could manage the Ministry of Magic itself."
"But I doubt you want to get your hands dirty with that kind of high-level bureaucracy at such a young age, my dear."
She gave a small shrug. "After all, you're only ten years old now, and you still have a year before you go to Hogwarts."
"During that time, I will tutor you in the knowledge of magic that governs this world."
"You already wield the magic you arrived here with, but to truly influence and control the magical items and forces of this world, you must integrate your magic seamlessly with the laws that govern this wirlds magic."
Raven exhaled slowly. "That sounds like a lot of studying."
"I know. It's going to be so much fun," Miranda replied, smiling.
"And you get to keep coming back here and helping."
"You also get to keep me company. I could leave Vault Zero—but where's the fun in that when I can just summon you back here?"
She lifted her hand, and floating above her palm appeared a magical locket etched with a clock symbol embedded into a cross.
Raven's eyes followed it. "Ooo, that's a nice parlor trick."
"This is far from a parlor trick, my dear Raven Cross," Miranda said firmly.
"This is your key to Vault Zero and the secrets that lie within the lineage of the Cross family."
She turned her hand outwards.
Instantly, the locket vanished from her palm and reappeared around Raven's neck. Its weight settled softly over her chest.
"Now you bear the symbol of the Cross lineage."
"Those who recognize the ancient guardians of magic will recognize and respect the power you wield."
Her voice grew colder.
"But know this. You have chosen to accept the mantle of guardian of the magical world—not just of London, but of this entire planet."
"That will make you a target for forces beyond anything the current wizarding world can comprehend."
"Ancient forces that have slept sealed away for centuries—millennia—since the last member of the Cross lineage took their obligations seriously."
"Perhaps with your unique magic, you can do more than reseal them. Perhaps you can eliminate them entirely."
Raven looked down at the silver cross resting against her chest. "The sacrifices I'm making in exchange for this knowledge aren't light."
"But I like that Harry Potter kid."
She hesitated. "And I like the director of my orphanage—Claire Thompson—and the officer who helped us, too."
Miranda's expression softened. "I'm glad you've made friends in your time here, even though it's been so brief."
Raven's voice quieted. "You've unloaded a lot of revelations on me. I need some time to process all of this."
"I'll be back later."
"No hurry. You have a year before Hogwarts," Miranda replied calmly.
She added knowingly, "I'm sure the books you took from that bookstore will keep you occupied."
"That pendant will allow instantaneous travel to Vault Zero. Simply say your name—Raven Cross—and think of this place."
She smiled gently. "I'll be here, waiting to answer whatever questions you have."
In an instant, Raven was back in her room at the orphanage. The morning light streamed faintly through the curtains. She stared at the cross around her neck, then said softly, "That woman is mysterious… and powerful. Nothing like any golem I've ever seen."
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