Wayfaring Stranger

Things were getting out of hand faster than I could imagine. There was no doubt that my relaxing stay in this world was coming to an end. If killing the Lestrange patriarch didn't do it, then slaughtering scores of purebloods today would definitely get me called to the Wizengamot chambers. I knew the Blacks had seen me dealing with the terrorists. No doubt the aurors had taken memories of the skirmish. 

Taking a deep breath I let it out slowly through pursed lips. Voldemort had escaped. I had been too focused on killing his followers and had allowed the damn bastard to slip through. 

Finding him was laughably easy. I could feel his twisted magical signature at Riddle Manor. I could flash over and kill him now. Though that wouldn't accomplish much at the moment. 

'Maybe I should really just cut my losses and go to another world.' I shook my head. 'No, I fucked things up here. It wouldn't be right to just abandon everyone. Especially since I am technically a great-grandfather multiple times over to an old family here. I should fix things before leaving.' 

A house elf popped into my study and I nearly vaporized the poor thing out of sheer instinct before lowering my hand and looking at him expectantly. 

"Lord Black be requesting Sirs presence." 

"Why? What's happened? This is the second time I've been called to the Black estate today?" 

The elf didn't reply, simply offering his hand to transport me to wherever. I sighed before standing up. 

"I'll meet you there, the Black Manor right?" 

The elf nodded before popping away. I had half the mind to just stay at the Black residence at the rate they kept calling me. I would have loved to learn more about their history and how my children played into it. 

Flashing into their living room I looked around me. The family had gathered but something was off. Regulus looked shaken, the three sister looked ready to fight, and the adults were talking silently among themselves. Several people were missing, one of which I noticed immediately. 

"Where's Vela?" 

They all turned to me with a bit of fear, "I'm afraid that's the reason I have called you here again shortly after you had just left." 

"Arcturus, if you're telling me Vela has been hurt come out and say it so I can do what needs to be done to the people responsible."

"We have no proof if she's been harmed. I sent a floo call to Grimmauld Place, neither Orion or Walburga answered. So I sent an elf, who found no signs of a struggle. Albus has also sent me patronus message that several students have disappeared along with Vela." 

"So she's been kidnapped, is what you're saying." 

"There is a high possibility that that's exactly what has happened. Walburga and Orion have never been ones to listen to me. I worry that they've pledged their allegiance to Voldemort." 

"They were the only ones I sensed any hostility from when we spoke about my children and their hand in founding this family as well." 

"It shamed me to ask for your help seeing that you have no attachments to this fam-" 

"I'm going to stop you right there. You are my children's descendants. This makes me your many time great grandfather of sorts. In short, you are still family to me, no matter how distant. Now, I can solve this one of two ways. I can either take them all down in a shower if blood, or we can try to be civil and solve this politically. Either way Vela would be saved and Voldemort would be dealt with." 

"But?" 

"But, I'm not very good with politics. I also have no faith whatsoever with the wizarding government. It would also send the message that the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black negotiates with terrorists." 

"I would like to avoid the bloodshed, especially since Orion and Walburga might have a hand in this. But I agree with your reasoning. A message must be sent that House Black is not one to be trifled with." 

"Scorched Earth it is." 

Eyes widened in alarm, "Relax I'm not going to kill everyone in my way. Only injure or seriously maim. Unless they bear his mark, those idiots are taking an express ride to the Inferno Express." 

"I had hoped to avoid the bloodshed."

"Oh certainly, though I doubt talking would do very much against these fanatical idiots." 

"Just get my niece back." 

I looked at Druella and nodded. "She won't be harmed." 

Flashing away before I could be further sidetracked I made my way to Voldemort's base of operations. Humming to myself I shattered the wards silently. Slowly strolling across the yard nonchalantly through the manor walls and up to the door. Knocking, I grinned to myself at the absurdity of it all. 

A robbed and masked wizard opened the door. I saw the man's eyes widen when he saw me. My grin widened and I flicked my wrist sending the Death Eater flying back into the home. Magical alarms blared through the house as I crossed the threshold. 

"Oh Tommy boy." I called out, dodging a few curses sent my way.

"You!" Voldemort emerged from a room. His eyes narrowed at me. 

"Me. So listen, I know you kidnapped Vela Black," I held up my hand freezing everyone in the room. "No, don't try to deny it or go off on a whole monologue about how powerful you are before threatening me. I need you to listen very carefully." 

I paused as I assessed the room. There was less than a dozen Death Eaters out and about. Walburga and Orion's magical signatures pointed to a basement along with Vela who seemed fine for the moment.

"I don't take kindly to people touching or harming my family. Yes, the Blacks are related to me distantly. But I'm getting side tracked. I promised Arcturus Black that I would try and be…. civil, for the lack of a better term. So I won't kill everyone here. Not yet anyways. I'm giving you till the end of the day to surrender yourselves to the DMLE and return Vela Black. If you don't… well. I'm going to kill one of your followers every minute until you do so. And let me be very clear, I am not someone you can fight Tom Riddle Junior. Not even your precious horcruxes will save you from my wrath." 

I released everyone from my freezing spell. "Now then, that enough talking on my end. You've been warned Voldefart. You have til the end of the day, and the clock is ticking."

I flashed out of the manor but remained on the property completely invisible and undetectable. I watched as Voldemort roared in rage crucio-ing several of his Death Eaters before storming off to the basement. 

The Death Eaters shambled around, many seemed to be contemplating something. It was rather strange to me that a bunch of people didn't put two and two together to figure out who Voldemort was. Logically some of them should have gone to Hogwarts with him. Then again, he mutilated his body through rituals turning himself into the bald, red eyed, snake faced weirdo that he was. 

Hours passed and nothing changed other than a few Death Eaters disappearing. Vela was still alive and healthy if my scan of her magic was any clue. The same could not be said for Orion and Walburga who seemed to have suffered from Tom's ire. 

He had spent the better part of two hours interrogating them on me and casting the cruciatus curse on them when they didn't know an answer. So far they had revealed where I lived, my full name, names of people I interacted with at Hogwarts, my duel against Abraxas, even my status as a god. Yet Voldemort didn't seem concerned. 

I was about to flash down and start my crusade when I heard multiple cracks of apparation as a mass of Death Eaters left the manor. I could now only sense several magical signatures. Voldemorts followers had left. I frowned, something was definitely off. A mass exodus of Death Eaters only meant two things. Either they turned tail and ran or they were attacking something. Most likely a small village. 

'Fine, I'll just kill them all in one go then.' 

I followed the magical signatures and flashed into the middle of Hogsmead village where several building were on fire. I put out the fires with a flick of my wrist, concentrating on what I wanted I summoned my wand shifting it to its trident form before slamming it into the ground. 

Tremors shook the earth as thunder split the sky. Death Eaters were torn from where they were whether in the middle of casting a spell or something heinous. They were draw to me and in the blink of an eye I began smiting them as they came. Bodies fell in smokdering heaps at my feet. Only their cloaks and masks intact. The smell of charred flesh hit my nose and I doubled my efforts until the last Death Eater was pulled through the wall of a home. Just then aurors and Dumbledore apparated behind me wands drawn. I felt a stunning spell flying at the back of my head and I avoided it by tilting my head to the right. Sighing I turned to face my unwanted audience. 

"I see you guys are late as usual. Dumbledore I shouldn't be surprised at you trying to curse me in the back." 

"Stop this madness Theseus! They will be brought to justice. They deserve second chances." 

"Oh fuck off you two bit wizard do you actually hear yourself right now?. You idiots are really going to reprimand me for killing a bunch of terrorists who were in the middle of literally raping and pillaging this village?" 

To emphasize my point I threw the last Death Eater I had summoned before the gathered aurors. The man hastily fixed his robes from where they were hiked up. Removing his mask he threw his hands up. 

"I am Lord Nott! The Dark Lord had me under the imperious I swear! This man is insane he killed us!" 

I raised an eyebrow, "Really? You're going to claim to be mind controlled while pulling your pants up?" 

"Shut up Mud-"

Before he could finish Lord Nott exploded into a red mist showering the nearby aurors with blood. Sighing I turned to grab my trident. 

"PUT THE WEAPON DOWN!" 

"Look, clearly you didn't get the memo. Either you guys fuck right off and do the right thing or I will wipe this entire world from existence. Your choice." 

Another curse was sent my way and I rolled my eyes. Batting the curse back to where it came from I looked at the Auror who fell to the ground screaming. 

"AVADA KE-ARGGGHHHH" 

I threw my trident at the caster before he could finish the encantation. A middle aged man fell to the ground spewing blood from his mouth. My weapon imbedded in his chest. 

"Hold your fucking fire! For fucks sake, stop." 

"Ah, Auror Moody. Someone intelligent. Tell the ministry goons to back off." 

"I'm afraid you'll have to come with us for questioning." 

"I don't have to do jack shit. If you're joining the rest of these idiots in blaming me for the idiots burning this village to the ground then you've got another thing coming. Also I have other things to do, dark lords to vaporize, relatives to rescue. The usual, so you'll have to wait in line."

I summoned my trident back to my hand ripping it free from the body it was in before flashing away. I reappeared in the receiving room of the manor Voldemort was staying in and flicked the blood off of my trident onto the expensive looking rug on the floor. 

"Nott? Yaxley? Have you retu-" 

"Nope, just me Tommy boy. Now… where's Vela?" 

"AVAD-" 

I rolled my eyes before ripping his wand from his hand and snapping it between my fingers. 

"You people never learn. Where is Vela, make it quick before you die now." 

"You're too late, I killed her already." He sneered. 

I sighed before glancing at his eyes and ripping the information from his head. His occlumency shields shattered easily and I tore through his memories. I saw him raising his wand at Vela. There was a flash of greenish blue light and she was gone. I frowned at the implication. Walburga and Orion had fled after he supposedly killed their daughter. 

Withdrawing from his mind I watched as the most feared 'Dark Lord' in the world crumpled to the ground a drooling mess. 

'I've seen that flash before. And if she's done what I think she's done. She just jumped from the frying pan and into the fire.'