[This book has been dropped. I am uploading all my drafts. Check out my new book. Harry Potter: Return From Future]
"Good morning, Lady Bones," a man's voice snapped Amelia out of her daze.
She craned her neck to look at the source of the voice. Standing in front of her was a man appearing to be in his sixties. Of course, he was much older.
He had blonde hair, pale skin, a sturdy and muscular build, and stood a bit taller than her. This was Hammold Abbott, Lord of the Abbott family.
Hammold Abbott had been one of her father's close friends and a vital and one of the most significant pillars of the faction Edgar Bones had led. Now, in her father's absence, and before either she or Antonio could fully step into their positions and responsibilities, Hammold was the one holding the reins of the alliance. His ideology was very much similar to her father and he too, like her father, hated Death Eaters.
"Good morning, Lord Abbott," she responded. "Though I think Lady Bones might not be the correct title for me. I am not the Lord of the Bones family."
"That privilege falls upon my brother," she continued. "And he will be accepting his mantle in a few months. I am merely filling his role until he takes his place."
"He surely will," Hammold responded with a reassuring smile. "I am well aware of how these transitions work."
"But until the time comes that he is able to assume his responsibility, you are the one holding the Lordship," he added. "That is what truly matters right now. Referring to you as Lady Bones is fully appropriate in my views."
"Very well," she said softly. "If you say so."
Hammold remained silent for a couple of moments before he spoke again.
"Will Lord Olario be joining us?" He questioned.
Amelia did not react immediately. Instead, she looked around to realise herself in the reality of the time and place she was standing.
They were in the antechamber of the Wizengamot. Just yesterday, every single member of the Wizarding council had received an urgent summons.
An emergency meeting had been called to discuss the catastrophic events that had taken place right inside the grand hall itself, and she, acting as Regent Lady Bones, had come to attend.
The session was set to start in five minutes. Almost every member of the Wizengamot had already arrived, marking their presence.
A palpable sense of unease and suffocation was hanging thick in the air.
For the first time in Amelia's memory, fully armed Aurors were standing guard inside the antechamber and stationed throughout the main hall. Yet, in the middle of all this high-security mess, the one person she was eagerly waiting for had yet to arrive. Lord Antonio Olario.
"I have no idea, Lord Abbott," she replied.
"Have you seen him, or had any communication with him since the funeral?" he asked, leaning in slightly.
"No," she responded. "I did send him a letter yesterday asking if he would be joining the meeting today. I have not received a reply."
Hammold Abbott raised his eyebrows, a heavy frown plastering itself across his face.
"Lady Bones," Hammold said after a moment of quiet contemplation. "Do you think the events at the Wizengamot have dented his confidence?"
"That Lord Olario is unable to pull himself together? Do you think he is trying to hide… trying to run away from this precarious situation?" He asked.
"Absolutely not," Amelia snapped, a bit of irritation and anger flashing on her face, cutting Hammold off before he could even finish his sentence. "It is nothing like that."
She took a moment to school her expressions.
"If Lord Olario said he had something important to do and is busy with it, then I trust him," she continued, her voice firm. "He may not have won his clash against the Dark Lord, but his confidence is by no means dented, nor is he running away from this situation. He is not that kind of man."
Hammold had barely opened his mouth to reply when the entire antechamber ground to a sudden halt. All conversations ceased, and every eye in the room shifted toward the entrance. Hammold and Amelia followed their gaze.
Antonio Olario had just entered the antechamber. His expression remained entirely unbothered as the attention of the collective hall locked onto him.
His eyes roamed across the chamber until he spotted Amelia, and he began making his way toward her. Gradually, the crowd tore their attention away and resumed their hushed conversations, which were now, undoubtedly, focused entirely on Antonio himself.
Amelia's eyes remained fixed on him as he approached. Appearance-wise, nothing had changed. He wore his usual style of robes, his hair was exactly the same, and his stride was just as steady as always. The same confidence and the same slightly smiling expression on his face. Everything was precisely as she had always known it.
Yet, despite these glaring similarities, something about his presence felt fundamentally different. It was as if the very air around him was behaving strangely, vibrating with an unspoken and unfathomable weight. She could not quite put her finger on it, but she was absolutely certain of one thing. Something deep within Antonio Olario had shifted. Something fundamental.
"Miss Bones, good morning," Antonio greeted her with a warm smile before turning toward Hammold. "Good morning, Lord Abbott."
"Good morning, Lord Olario," both of them responded almost simultaneously.
Antonio turned back to Amelia.
"I apologize, Miss Bones," he said. "I did receive your letter, but due to certain matters, I was not able to instantly reply to you. By the time I was free, it was already too late, and I did not wish to disturb you in the middle of the night."
"There is no problem at all, Lord Olario," she responded with a genuine smile. "You have no need to apologize. I am just glad to see you here."
He flashed her a smile before turning his attention back to Hammold.
"How are you, Lord Abbott?" He questioned
"I am well," Hammold replied, almost stammering.
He felt a sudden flush of embarrassment, remembering how just a moment ago he had been actively doubting this man. Now, with Antonio standing directly in front of him, he truly realized the vast gap between them. He felt inexplicably small in Antonio's presence.
"Were you able to accomplish your work?" Hammold asked instinctively.
"Yes," Antonio replied confidently. "And if you were worried about the faction, you need not fret any longer."
"In fact, if possible, please arrange a meeting of our faction immediately after the Wizengamot session," Antonio continued. "I will discuss my future plans and our future course of action during the meeting."
"Of course, of course," Hammold replied eagerly. "The members will be absolutely thrilled to finally have you among them."
Antonio smiled. As if on cue, the resonant sound of a bell chimed through the antechamber, indicating that it was time for the Wizengamot session to begin. Together, the trio turned and walked toward the heavy doors of the main hall.
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