Chapter 28

In the Upper Realm, Death lay facedown on the marble stones. Several of his bones were strewn about, and he was too tired to pull himself back together right now. From the colonnade, Fate approached. She stared down towards her brother and scolded.

"You should know better. Your powers are severely limited in the mortal reality, even in your usual form. Why did you expend so much energy when you knew it could cause partial reality collapse? You nearly yeeted causality itself!"

"Harry called. I answered." Morthem groaned. "That is kind of why I'm apparently bound to him,"

"You are not infinite there, and you know it. It was the reason we created the fae."

"Yeah, well, this fae is a pain in the ass," Mortem grumbled. "You would think his inferiority complex and mommy issues got solved eons ago. But NOOOO, he nuked his own marriage,"

"His fate is already decided," Fate stated. "And you are in no position to go gallivanting across realities right now."

Back in the mortal reality, Harry's body scraped against the gravel as Oberon dragged him by the hair. He was still chained with iron chains that had runic symbols crudely carved into them. Crude as they were, they did their job, and Harry currently had no access to his magic. His breath came in ragged gasps as blood dripped from his mouth as he was hauled to the edge of the Black Lake. The former Headmaster followed in silence. Behind him, Ron and the other pawns marched in perfect synchronization.

Oberon released Harry with a shove, which sent him sprawling onto the damp earth and gravel.

The fae raised his arms, and his voice carried across the water. "Scorned Children of Thalassaine," Oberon called, "Mermaids of the Black Lake."

The lake stirred, and ripples spread outward until faint shapes moved beneath the surface. Slowly, figures broke through the waves, and Harry's breath hitched. Sure, he'd kept Nimue company for two years or so, but he'd never seen other mermaids. They looked nothing like Nimue; they looked desperate, broken, and hungry for blood.

Harry watched as they circled near the shore. Then one came forward and asked, "Do you have the crown?"

"No," Oberon stated. "I have the person who knows where the crown is."

"I DON'T!" Harry shouted.

"Lies, you've been Nimue's little puppy for years," Oberon spat. "She taught you magic. Nimue is not so generous unless she sees value in something."

"She took pity on me!" Harry shot back. "I was a fucking runaway with no clue how the world actually worked because of my parents! I have absolutely no idea what crown you are even talking about!"

One shrieked, "HE LIES!"

"The Executioner's favorite? As if he wouldn't know where the crown lies!" Another hissed with their sharp teeth bared.

"Tear him apart until he speaks!" another suggested.

Oberon's smile widened, "Then feast! Tear at him until he yields the crown's location. Let his blood stain your lake until he breaks."

"Hold on! Hold on! I'll tell you!" Harry finally shouted as his voice broke. "I'll tell you! Surely you don't need to go this far for jewelry, right?"

"Foolish mortal, the crown of a primordial fae queen is no laughing matter." Oberon spat. "Treating it as a mere trinket. The audacity!"

"The crown... and please take this with a grain of salt..." Harry gasped, "Is hidden... in the fae world."

"Where?!"

Harry's chest heaved. "I only know what Nimue muttered when she thought I wasn't listening. She said... It's somewhere in Hephaera's castle."

"Now I don't know who Hephaera is, but..." Harry continued; however, Oberon froze. His expression twisted as he bristled with rage.

"MY MOTHER'S CASTLE?" he roared. "She fucking hid it in my own mother's castle?!"

"Well, clearly you never thought to look there," Harry deadpanned. The words earned him a vicious backhanded slap.

Oberon was still angry after Harry's words. He turned sharply and focused on Ron.

"Gather the rest of the minions. We are traveling to the fae realm," he barked. Ron bowed stiffly, while looking completely expressionless, before marching off.

Behind them, Dumbledore's voice broke the silence. "This is not what you promised me," he said in a tone that was edged with annoyance. "I agreed to serve you because you swore to right the wrongs in this reality. I did not sign up to go galavanting across worlds at your whims."

Oberon's head snapped toward the former Headmaster, and his eyes narrowed. "I see that I've given you too much freedom, old man. And it's beginning to get on my nerves," he uttered. "You think you know best, lecturing me as if you still sit in your ivory tower?"

Dumbledore stiffened. "I am no pawn. I..."

"You are nothing," Oberon interrupted, as his voice turned icy. "You know, I don't even know why I keep you around anymore. Even Weasley is more useful."

Before Dumbledore could respond, Oberon seized him by the throat. The former headmaster's eyes widened as the fae's grip tightened. He lifted Albus effortlessly off the ground.

"I had high hopes that you would be a valuable ally," Oberon hissed. "Instead, you bring me nothing. You begged for power. Begged for allies since yours thought you were senile. And now you dare question me?"

With a violent motion, Oberon hurled Dumbledore toward the lake. The mermaids shrieked with delight as his body hit the water. They swarmed instantly, claws and teeth tearing into him. His screams were short and were cut off by the sound of flesh ripping and the frothing of the lake.

Oberon turned back to Harry, "Let that be a lesson. Defiance earns only one reward... death."