Harry Potter: Wrath of the Ascendant By NeverGonnaStop

Chapter 1:

Upheaval

Halloween Night: 1981

"Voldemort has perished." Perenelle told the gathered Ascendant.

Xavier glanced around the room to gauge the reactions of his "equals".

That remark certainly explained the emergency meeting. And the empty tenth seat formerly occupied by their youngest member. If this pronouncement were true, then he would have his work cut out for him in the coming weeks. They all would.

Even so, he couldn't help but be pleased with the news.

"Is Nicholas running damage control?" The wheezing, metallic voice of the Mechanist echoed through the halls.

The whirring of gears and sputtering of steam release valves along his artificial body made him all but unintelligible.

"He is indeed. Fear not. Mon mari is confident that the boy had not revealed any information of our existence to his rambunctious followers. Nor his enemies." Mrs. Flamel assured her fellow immortals. "Deliberately or otherwise."

Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel held a unique position among the Ascendant. Unique in that they shared a single seat. This seemed to fly in the face of the organization's ten-member rule. The fact that the primordial magic which bound them allowed such an apparent discrepancy held implications about the power-couple's true nature that were disturbing to say the least.

That magic itself recognizes two people as a single entity... Just what in the hell is the sorcerer's stone really? Then again. They all had their secrets. Perhaps if any of the other members deigned to take a husband or wife then the magic would recognize them as united? Was the religious sentiment of 'made into one flesh' more than mere poetry?

Questions for later.

"I'm sure you all would have found out in a matter of hours. I daresay the celebrations will be in full swing before this meeting is adjourned." The French witch told them. "But still, this development could not have come at a less opportune moment."

"Indeed." Mirabella Plunket, the younger redhead babe, nodded from her seat next to him. "I return to the waters next week to rejuvenate myself."

Hah! Rejuvenate. Of all the immortals present, truly the merman-fucker was the least magical in her methods. Transfiguring herself into the aptly named "immortal jellyfish" to reverse her aging and then transfiguring herself back. Oh the joy of being an omni-animagi. Still. At least her sexual proclivities were restricted to descendants of histories most infamous omni-animagi and not the entirety of the animal kingdom.

The world should thank every god of every other pantheon that Zeus never discovered Plunkett's trick, or else there would be many more hybrid species walking around than mere centaur, mer-people and sphinxes. Many, many, many more. And that's not even counting the ones that have gone extinct since the end of his rule.

"And I expect to wilt this coming august." Wendelin, the older redhead babe, added.

(Note: None of these characters are OCs. They are all canon to Harry Potter. I have listed them at the bottom of this chapter along with the basic information on each of them.)

Good. They could all enjoy nearly two decades free of the pyro's antics.

"Have you already chosen a family to care for you while your new body matures and your memories return?" Perenelle asked, her voice slipping into that of the grandmotherly matron the world foolishly believed her to be.

"I have." The pyromaniac confirmed. "They've lost much in the war with our youngest member and I'm sure they'll be happy to take me after I do the ash thing."

Being an animagus with the form of a magical beast was rare enough. For that form to be a phoenix, with all the benefits that entailed, was a truly unique blessing well beyond the innate abilities of all others present. That she was also a fire stoichomagi was just overkill. This woman was born to be among their number.

And she calls her blessing "the ash thing". Truly, god favors the unworthy too greatly.

"Still." Xavier finally interjected. "To have lost a member just as two others are going dormant. It's a setback most profound."

"I concur with our corporeally challenged friend." The Mechanist, Edgar Stroulgar, goaded between puffs of steam. "We must always have ten members. And fellow immortals are rare enough as it is. I have found no new candidates as of late. What of you all?"

Edgar and Xavier were always like this. They both got a real kick out of how opposite they were and jabbed at one another constantly. Edgar, who built himself a mechanical body of all his more secretive inventions, lacked a soul. Xavier Rastrick had (Accidentally) annihilated his entire being at an atomic level with anti-matter and was little more than a soul. Not quite a ghost. Quite a bit more than a wraith. Still every bit the wizard he was in life.

Pretending to be a poltergeist came easy to him.

"I have found no prospective candidates, at least not for membership of the Ascendant." Xavier said. "Most of the youth I was expecting great things from have died in the recent battle or are broken. The Marauders. The Prewetts."

"Funny you should mention the Prewetts." Wendelin giggled, grinning wide enough to show every single ashen tooth in her mouth.

Perhaps it would be wise to nudge Albus into providing extra protections for their sister. To date, no family to have adopted the pyro received much reward for their generosity. And that was putting it mildly.

Xavier very much liked Molly. He had high hopes for her brood.

"I suspect a potions master in Dumbledore's order may have rediscovered the recipe for my immortality potion." Felix(Yes. That one.) cackled from his seat at the round table.(Yes. Also that one.)

He spoke with all the madness one would expect from a Felix Felicis abuser. Such madness was a vital ingredient for the fraudster's immortality potion. Technically it was the only ingredient. If a sane person were to consume said concoction it wouldn't work, or maybe kill them. Probably kill them... Definitely kill them. After all, the potion named after this man ceases to work for those who understand what it actually does.

"I pray you are not referring to Severus? We cannot induct anyone who has loyalties to a pre-established member." The vampire countered from her position.

"That only holds true if the prior member yet lives." Said Havlock the unicorn, ehem, "preserver".

"Which I am convinced Tom yet does." Dorcas Wellbeloved countered.

Xavier still could not believe she picked such a ridiculous - not to mention obviously fake - pseudonym. What did it say about the Muggle world that they fell for the pedophile's ideological poison so easily? Entire generations of men, women and children now lay broken and vulnerable thanks to the insanity brought about by her sophistic teachings. Ever since her speech at Niagra falls.

The wizarding world at least showed some resistance to her machinations. Her attempt at introducing "women's shelters" to house the vulnerable widows and orphans for her own pleasure had failed miserably. Thank God.

"Oh I have no doubt that monsieur Riddle will return to us in due time." Mrs. Flamel interjected. "But we must at least find a temporary replacement until then."

"And I suppose the son of Prince will suffice for such a role?" Clionda, the other stoichomagi, spoke up.

"It is not Severus Snape I was referring to." Felix snarled. His mood swings did not become more predictable with exposure. "I have been observing a mister Slughorn on the occasions he's had to visit my Ice-Cream Parlor."

Summerbee turned to Xavier.

"He has aged little since he last taught in your school."

Xavier snorted.

To call Hogwarts his school would no doubt be taken as a dire insult were their master were present to hear it. A master who jealously defended the great castle.

"He would not join if offered." The harrowing voice of said master announced his arrival.

Their second eldest member entered the room and took Voldemort's chair. The decrepit, skeletal monstrosity only ever sat with them when they were short a member. He normally stood within the gap of the taurus-shaped table for all to see or on the periphery where they didn't have to gaze upon his wretched form. his presence normally brought their numbers up to eleven, but they only ever had ten seated members.

Xavier still didn't understand what that made him in relation to their order.

This man, this thing, was the only creature in the universe that genuinely terrified Xavier. He didn't achieve his immortality through potions, nor alchemy, nor the placebo effect, nor the magic of beasts or wand. Nay, he simply would not die.

To be so filled with rage and hate that you can decide to remain alive, despite your body long since turning to dust, was absurd. Impossible. Yet here he was. A body with flesh the consistency of marzipan and with bones fossilizing at a rapid pace. Soon they would be nearly as hard as the goblin metal coating his organs, having been poured into every orifice of his body by the diminutive race as punishment for his crimes against them.

"I have already decided on a temporary replacement." Said Godric Gryiffindor. "I take it you are all familiar with a miss Sacharissa Tugwood?"

"Wasn't she supposed to have died some decades ago?" Dorcas answered immediately.

"Weren't you?" Havelock Sweeting retorted without skipping a beat.

"Touche!"

The Hogwarts founder was being especially patient today. Usually when the two blood-drinkers tap danced on all of their nerves he would be the first to lose patience, as his own nerves were exposed to the air and particularly sensitive. Figuratively and literally speaking.

"As usual I would ask mister Summerbee to proposition her. If not for his uncanny luck in such matters, then at least due to her proximity to his shop. She has taken to prostitution in Knockturn Alley." Godric commanded.

That didn't add up.

"I remember the girl." Xavier told them. "If I recall correctly, she should still be drowning in Galleons just from the dividends on her patents. Why would she sell her, no doubt artificially beautified, body on the street?"

He regretted the question as soon as the shape-shifting vampire smiled at him.

"Oh my dearest Xavier." Cooed Dorcas Wellbeloved. "Women don't go into prostitution out of desperation, or need. Few women will ever find herself without help if they truly need it. Men will give aid freely to any woman. No. They do it for the degradation. To feed that self-hatred and the need to be abuuuuused."

As genuinely misogynist of a creature Dorcas was, her hatred of women was at least well-informed. Xavier knew she was right, his own experience watching the young girls of Hogwarts grow into self-destructive wretches with utter glee was proof enough of that. That the once rose-cheeked and chipper Sacharissa had taken to these tendencies despite being a millionaire was yet another example of how fucked in the head girls born into privilege tend to be.

None of these realities made him dislike the disgusting creature opposite him any less.

"She should be easy enough to find, and easier still to induct. But what of the rest of us?" Edgar whistled from nearby. "With the war done, our clandestine activities will be at much greater risk of discovery. Is it safe to assume you will be reassigning us?"

Xavier had to fight a groan at that, a few of his counterparts didn't bother hiding their own. As if they had anything to complain about!

With the cover of war they were allowed to operate independently. It was half the reason they instigated conflicts so readily. With this most recent war over they would have to go back to working in teams of two. And that meant that Xavier would be spending a lot of time with the least popular member of the Ascendant. Dorcas.

Oh how they all wished they could kill her. But the ancient magic which bound them prevented any action against one by another. That same magic required transparency between them, that they all know each-other's darkest ambitions. This was done so that they could avoid the fallout of one-another's projects, and avoid stepping on each-others toes. But this only made tolerating one-another all the more difficult. The magic here did not discriminate by light nor dark. It did not care if they were good or evil. No. The living magic of the round table simply demanded immortals, no matter the source.

That the majority of them were either light or neutral was just happenstance.

"Indeed I will. Especially with the circumstances of Voldemort's disappearance being what they are." Godric confirmed.

"Perenelle, you are to assist Wendelin in her adoption by the Weasley's next year. I will reassign you and your husband when that is done."

Mrs. Flamel nodded her assent.

"Felix, you have your assignment and new partner. Recruit her and bring her up to speed."

Florean Fortescue nodded as well.

"Clionda. You are to protect and aid Mirabella while she goes through the process of rejuvenation. As always I will reassign you both afterwards."

The only person older than Lord Gryffindor nodded.

"Edgar and Havlock. It's back to research and development with you."

The duo nodded. The two preferred lab work to the more violent or stealthy missions anyways. And they all knew it.

This of course left...

"Xavier. You and Dorcas are to alternate in gathering information on a new target. I have left copies of the documents you will need in both of your quarters."

Quarters? Oh right! To each of them was alotted a sanctuary of sorts within these very halls. Xavier had never taken to visiting his own. First time for everthing. He'd have to check them out when Godric finished.

"Dorcas shall take the first shift." Yes! "Any questions before the meeting is adjourned?" God damnit!

"With these latest developments I'm sure we will all need time to re-evaluate our current plans." Edgar pointed out. "I have one ready for implementation and as such must inform you all of it."

Yes, yes. You're all so fucking brilliant. Get on with it please?

"I have set my sights on freeing from Azkaban prison a miss Carlota Pinkstone for my purposes."

That certainly got everybody's attention.

"And I suppose you require assistance in this project?" Havelock Sweeting asked. He continued when the Mechanist responded with a shaky nod. "And for what purpose do you wish her unleashed upon the world?"

Well that much should be readily obvious. And very much impossible due to the restrictions on them implementing plans if they could interrupt previously stated plans of other members.

"I wish to see the statute of secrecy in tatters." Edgar said simply.

See? Obvious.

"And with this latest development this no longer conflicts with any of your stated plans. If I'm not very much mistaken."

Shit!

He was right. With Voldemort's demise any previously stated ambitions designed to work around Voldemort's own must be restated to be recognized by the magic. And that was most of them. As such, the Mechanist's desire to expose the magical world no longer conflicted with any of those plans. What's more, none of them could attempt to stop him or counter him by introducing new plans that require the magical world remain hidden.

It was on a first come first serve basis and the others were too slow on the trigger. He must have been planning this little coup for ages. Centuries even.

"Well I suppose my assets are yours then." The unicorn breeder promised, swearing fealty with surprising willingness.

"I would love to help your effort too." Dorcas added. "But I'm otherwise indisposed in the forseeable future."

"Not so." Godric corrected her. "Your new assignment does not being for several hours yet."

That sure brought a smile to her face. The form she presented at the moment, that of a pigtailed blonde girl, would have had a lovely smile. Were it not for the rows upon rows of needle sharp teeth loning her gums.

"Then I would love to assist you in your project, master Stroulgar." Miss Wellbeloved chided.

The meeting was adjourned soon thereafter.

Xavier, who did not care about the machinations of his fellow members, tuned out their monologueing and read over his new assignment. Being able to materialize in multiple places simultaneously sure is useful.

He read the papers in his private quarters, while also occupying his seat at the roundtable, and found it rather disappointing. Godric Gryffindor wanted them to keep tabs on the child of Lily Evans and James Potter.

Apparently their boy, Harry, had something to do with Voldemort's demise. That alone warranted investigation. Anyone capable of dethroning one of their members was a danger to all of them, and having done so at the ripe old age of one year and a couple months was... ominous.

The events that transpired in Godric's Hollow would come to light soon enough, especially with Xavier on the case. But he'd hold off on examining the wreckage with his postcognitive abilities until the area was clear of other interested parties.

For now he would return to Hogwarts.

The semester was well underway and when news finally reached the students there would no doubt be what amounted to a schoolwide rave before they were all allowed to return home for further celebrations.

He couldn't let them party without him now could he?

But such a momentous occasion called for quite a bit more than the normal water balloons or tried and true whoopee cushion. Nay. The halls would be like a battleground in a matter of hours and he needed some serious firepower handy.

Perhaps he could get the elves to help him arm his plane - a collection of loose tables and chairs lassoed together into something that vaguely resembled the Wright brother's famous construction - with pie for ammunition. Raspberry ones for bombing runs. Cream ones for the forward guns. Blueberry for the rear.

Yes. He would come to the celebrations well prepared. For Peeves the poltergeist was nothing if not forward-thinking.

Author's Notes:

I know. I have a few things to explain.

First, as many of you no doubt might have guessed, this was deeply inspired by Naruto. Namely the Akatsuki organization.

Noting the parallels between Voldemort and Orochimaru I sought to conceive of how a similar organization could exist in the Harry Potter universe. Finding members as equal to Voldemort as the Akatsuki member's are to Orochimaru was a difficult task but I think I did a decent job.

All of these characters are canon. I researched the famous witches and wizards cards and chose the ones I thought were good or interesting candidates.

Stoicho-magi. A stoicho-magi is a wizard or witch capable of shape-shifting into an element. Not a chemical element, a classical one. Fire, water, earth, air, glass, wood, metal, what-have-you. This isn't an original idea of mine. The canon information on Clionda reads "It was also said that she could turn into a wave". This is my explanation for that.

Omni-animagi: Can shapeshift into any NONMAGICAL beast. Some restrictions may apply.

If you would like to use the Ascendents in a story of your own feel free to steal them.

Members:

Nicholas and Perenells Flamel: (Canon)You know damn well who these two are. Immortality via sorcerers stone. (Non-canon) Immortality via sorcerer's stones. Plural. Born muggle and incapable of wanded magic, but masters of alchemy and the sorcery it allows.

Tom Marvolo Riddle/Voldenort: You know damn well who this is too. Immortality via Horcrux. No changes to character really.

Clionda: (Canon) The only member older than Godric Gryffindor. A healer who has three bird familiars with healing songs. Was said to be able to "turn into a wave" and was an animagi with the form of a bird.(Non-canon) Each bird has a unique healing power(Heal wonds, cure poison/disease, regenerate), and each is the last of their kind. None of them a phoenix. They are the source of her immortality and healing magic. Water stoichomagi. Full-blooded Veela and NOT a witch nor anamagi.

Felix Summerbee: (Canon) Inventor of Felix Felicus.(Non-canon) Immortality via a potion that, like felix filicus, functions off of the placebo effect. Goes by the alias "Florean Fortescue" in honor of the illiteration of his famous invention and owns an ice-cream parlor you've probably heard of.

Wendelin the Weird: (Canon)Witch who enjoyed being burned at the stake. (Non-canon)Is a pyro-stoichomagi and an animagus with the form of a phoenix. The source of her immortality.

Edgar Stroulgar: (Canon)Inventor of the sneakoscope.(Non-canon) Invented a shitload of other things too, which he kept for himself and eventually incorporsted into an atomaton which he also infused with all of his memories, knowledge and personality before his soul passed on. The Mechanist is not actually Stroulgar but a close artoficial faximily.

Havelock Sweeting: (Canon) Created unicorn preserves. (Non-canon) Created unicorn preserves to prey on the poor creatures. Bathes in unicorn blood and drinks fermented concoctions from the life giving liquid exclusively. Lives a parasitical existence off of his own descendants as Voldemort did with Quirrel. But much more advanced.

Xavier Rastrick: (Canon)A magician and stage show entertainer who simply dissappeared one day. (Non-canon) His physical form was atomically annihilated and the enrgy released from the strange circumstance displaced his body with his soul. His soul now exists on the mortal plane and his body(which is still somehow alive) exists in the beyond. He has all of the powers of a normal wizard(including wanded magic) along with those of ghosts and poltergesits. He is and always has been a powerful seer/psychic with abilities ranging from clairvoyance, precognition, postcognition and posession. Pretends to be a poltergeist haunting Higwarts by the name of Peeves.

Dorcas Wellbeloved: (Canon) Created women's shelters. (Non-canon) Created Women's shelters for the express purpose of entrapping victims of her sexual and cannibalistic predations. Born a metamorphmagus and later turned vampire by a mutant nosferatu. Can shapeshift into the form of any person she has ever consuned as if by polyjuice. Is a pedophile and enjoys preying on women and children especially.

Godric Gryffindor: (Canon) A founder of Hogwarts. Creator of the sorting hat. Gave his name to the house of the brave and headstrong. Falling out with Salazar Slytherin. (Non-Canon) Never had a falling out with Salazar, who was all but a brother to him. The wizarding world turned on his best friend for reasons not only lost to time, but today misconstrued as that of pureblood ideologies. Immortality through pure hatred of the wizarding world for what it did to Slytherin. Too pissed off to die.

Harry James Potter: (Semi-canon) Born with prophetic immortality. His time and manner of death is pre-determined by fate. As such no other force can kill him, making him otherwise immortal. No matter the cause, no matter the odds, he will emerge against any threat alive, if not outrigjt victorious.

I have more information outlining the abilities, goals and pasts of each of these characters for anyone who would like to use any of them in their own stories.