Title: Kings Never Die

Chapter 1/?

Rating – M(FF.N)/Explicit(AO3)

Pairing – As yet Undecided (Will be M/M/F)

Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters: all rights belong to JK Rowling. I do not own any crossover references used in the story: all rights belong to their original creators. I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter.

Spoiler - Everything, to be safe

Summary - A Response to my own Hail to the King/Overlord of Magic Challenge. For those of us climbing to the top of the food chain, there can be no mercy. There is but one rule: hunt or be hunted. I have zero tolerance for betrayal, which they will soon indelibly learn...

Warnings: Slash, Lots of Politics, Blood, Death, and Violence. And because Some are idiots OOCness

Authors Note: Here we go again. Here's hoping... So, Most of the Notes are at the end of the Chapter, BUT it has been brought to my attention that Some may not know what an Absolute Monarchy is. So, Crash course: It's very simple. Unlike a constitutional Monarchy which is Often seen as a Figurehead (It isn't) and whose Power is confined to a Constitution, An Absolute Monarchs power is Absolute. Their word is Law

Also, to be Clear, this will have Slash and Het. However, being Gay it will be more Heavily Slash. If this Bothers you, You know where the Back button is. Also, the fic doesn't focus on Smut, but it will probably happen. The FF.N Versions will as always be Redacted

Challenge Information:

Plot: For nearly five years Harry has watched the Prejudice and corruption of the Magical Community, suffered their slings and arrows, but no more! When the Dark Lord returns and the people turn on him again he's had enough. If the Wizards can't take care of themselves than he will do it for them - by force!

Rules:

Must begin after the Third Task, or Summer before 5th Year

Harry Must Declare Himself King of the Wizards

Absolute Monarchy

There Must be an Actual War, with Soldiers and Armies (Always hated the Term "War with Voldemort")

The Ministry and Dumbledore Must Oppose Harry

The Weasley Family, including Percy, must be Monarchists and pledge themselves to Harry (Just for fun, a Break from the Bashing)

All Affinities Welcome – Grey with Dark leanings considering what he sets out to do

All Pairs welcome except Forbidden

Super powerful, or OP Harry

Superpowered Voldemort and Dumbledore

Guidelines/Optional:

Master of Death Harry - Accepted

Harry becomes emancipated and Claims his Family Titles (Nobility) - Accepted

Super Intelligent/Genius Harry (Think Lelouch or Light) - Accepted

Fawkes bonds with Harry as his Familiar - Accepted

As a result of the new bond, Fawkes transforms into a Dark Phoenix with Powers associated with Death (i.e. Poison Tears, Cry that kills etc...) – Depends on how DARK Harry Gets

The Muggle Crown Opposes Harry - Accepted

Neville becomes The Ministry's Poster Boy – Accepted (I love him but Authors Always make him Loyal to Harry)

Sirius and/or Ron become Harry's Knight of Honor – No (I have Other idea's)

Harry becomes the first of his name, creating a New line (i.e. Targaryen, Britannia etc...) –No

Multiple Partners (Harry IS Starting a Dynasty) – No (M/M/F doesn't count to me)

Slash - Accepted

M/M/F Pairs - Accepted

M/F/F Pair - No

Crossover - References

Suggested Pairs:(Optional and Not Required!)

Harry/Tonks (Haven't seen this in ages, and as a Black could lend Legitimacy to Harry's claim)

Harry/Luna

Harry/Ginny (Don't like it, but I can see it here)

Harry/Member of the Muggle Royal Family - OC, NOT Real Person)

Harry/Cedric (If he Lives) -Undecided, but Probably. I can never Not (Thank my Friend Storm Wolfsong)

Harry/Seamus

Harry/Blaise (NOT Female. hate that)

Harry/Marcus Flint

Any Combo of those Listed

Forbidden:

Harry Siding with Voldemort

Giving up his Crusade

Weak/or Unintelligent Harry

Harry/Hermione

Harry/Fem!Blaise

Fem!Harry

constitutional Wizard Monarchy

Ottery St. Catchpole was a small quaint little town just outside of Devonshire. It was mostly open field filled with sheep and wheat, but it was nice. It was quiet. That quiet however, was about to be broken.

A small cabin sat in the field surrounded by a fence with nothing around it for good kilometer. Light spilled from the open windows and casts a warm glow over the area, but the silence of the night was soon broken by panicked yelling and the sound of running footsteps.

Inside the house Amos Diggory sat in his study in front of a warm fireplace with a glass of brandy in hand. The flickering firelight casting in eerie glow over mahogany walls and making shadows dance, and the tumbler of the brandy to look like gold.

One might wonder how such an elegant room could fit with the decor of a cozy cottage, but when it came to wizards nothing was as it seemed.

Amos sat staring blindly into the flames and contemplating the last month of his life. It had nearly been irrevocably changed. At the end of June, during the tri-Wizard tournament Amos Diggory had nearly lost his son. He still wasn't sure what happened that night, but his son Cedric had exited the maze of the third task covered in dirt and bruised, and yelling incoherently that Harry Potter, the boy who lived was in trouble - in danger - and that the dark Lord had returned.

And wasn't that just a kick in the teeth. The Dark Lord returned to power. His stomach flopped at the mere thought of it. He remembered the Dark Lord's first rise and the had no urge to relive it.

He believed his son. Cedric wasn't a liar; if he said that the dark Lord was back then Amos believed him, but it was only natural that such a proclamation would cause a panic. At first the silence was deafening, and then the erupted in shouts of denial and anger and fear. The headmasters of the various schools, and the minister had come barreling down to meet Cedric, all shouting questions and accusations and demanding to know what happened. It was pure bedlam.

And then it all stopped, interrupted by an ear splitting earthshaking boom that forced the mob to go silent. They all stopped and looked around them. It was one of the Stadium audience that said first. "It's Harry Potter!" She yelled.

Amos remembered thinking the impossible. The boy had Apparated – bypassing the wards of Hogwarts, seemingly by sheer force of will.

Everyone rushed toward the boy, all shouting questions at once and surrounding him but Cedric forced his way through the crowd with a glare that would put a basilisk to shame, and the shouts quieted to a dull roar. His son turned to Harry checking him over for himself.

All the while Harry simply smiled in relief. "You made it…" He whispered and grinned tiredly before collapsing into unconsciousness.

As he had said before, Amos wasn't sure what it happened in that maze, or afterward if you listened to Harry's story when he woke up. Cedric had won the tournament that evening, but according to Cedric Harry had saved his life that day and as far as Amos was concerned Harry was a hero.

Amos was broken from his thoughts by the sound of muffled yelling in the other room making his head swivel around to investigate. The silencing charms around the house weren't particularly strong, but it must've been loud to pierce it.

That was Cedric's voice. Amos paled at the realization, and nearly slammed his glass down on the side table in his rush to get up. Hastily exiting his study, he made his way through the house toward his son's room. "Cedric!" He called loudly as he neared. He reached for his wand to undo the locking charm, but it was unnecessary the door was already open.

Roberta - Cedric's mother - sat on his bed with a worried expression as she watched her son pace back and forth across his room in the dark. Amos looks to her questioningly, but she only shook her head with the lost expression.

Meanwhile, hearing his father call his name Cedric turned to face his father and moved to meet him. The hallway light exposed Cedric's pale, sweat drenched face. "Dad! We have to do something, Harry's in trouble… Dementors'…"

Cedric was frantic, speaking too fast to properly understand. All he heard was Harry, trouble and Dementors'. "Whoa, whoa, slow down son. Take a breath and try again."

Cedric stopped and took a deep breath, swallowing hard before repeating himself slower. "Harry is in trouble. He's being attacked by Dementors'"

Amos's face fell, flooded with concern by Cedric's assertion, but it didn't make any sense. Dumbledore said that Harry was safe where he was, and even if he wasn't there was no way that Cedric would know if he was in trouble or not, was there? Amos took a minute to assess the situation. He looked around his son's room and comprehension dawned on him. "Now just take a minute and relax Cedric," he said as calmly as possible. "I'm sure it was just a dream. After all, you been through a very traumatic experience."

This only seemed to irritate Cedric more. "No dad," he shook his head violently. "I mean yes, I was sleeping but I know that Harry is in trouble."

"Now Cedric…" He began to speak but cut himself off and instead chose to take a more logical track. "Think about this logically. How could you possibly know if Harry was in trouble?"

Cedric took a minute to again calm himself and try to collect his thoughts. Now was not the time to panic, he told himself. He locked his gaze on his father and addressed him in an eerily cold and calm tone. "I would know," he said simply. "We - I have to help him dad. I owe him my life." He said that last bit with a very pointed expression.

A heavy protracted silence fell over the room like a massive weight pressing down on them. They all stood there in silence for another few seconds observing one another, and not speaking a word. The gravity of his statement hitting them like a ton of bricks.

Amos's lips thinned into a hard line. Cedric was right. He owed Harry Potter a debt of life. In theory, he would know when Harry Potter was in danger, and even if he was wrong that wasn't a chance that they could take. "… All right, I'll contact Dumbledore."

Cedric nodded in relief and moved to follow his father as he exited the room.

Amos knew that Cedric was following him as he made his way to his bedroom to retrieve the mirror the Dumbledore had given him for emergency communications. As a rule, Cedric did not enter his parents' bedroom. He never had, but in this case Amos ignored it in favor of the emergency. He went to his bedside table and retrieve the two-way mirror from the drawer. "Albus Dumbledore…"

The glass fogged and turned for a moment before it connected to the other side. "What can I help you with Amos," Dumbledore said as his face filled the other side. He held the same kind grandfatherly tone that he always did, but he did sound slightly distracted.

"Well Albus," he responded sounding slightly apologetic. "This may sound strange, but we believe that Harry Potter may be in some danger."

Dumbledore's face became slightly grim. "I'm aware," he confirmed. "I'm on my way to headquarters to summon the order."

Amos's brow furrowed. How would Dumbledore know so soon if Harry were in trouble? He shook his head and decided to let it go. "All right," he said and paused, considering his next words carefully. "We will be there in a few moments."

Albus nodded and the mirror fogged and cleared. He put the mirror back in the drawer and turned to face Cedric intending to tell him to get dressed, but the boy had already pulled his wand and transfigured his pajamas into jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. Amos nodded. He could try and tell his son not to go, but he knew it would be a fight. "I'll make a portkey…"

Amos sighed, Roberta was not going to be happy.

-x-

Magnolia Crescent - a few minutes earlier

Harry Potter had faced death before many times. Well, four times before, but for an average person that was three times too many. He was rather used to it. Something about this time, however was different. His cousin was on the ground, curled up into the fetal position in a gibbering mess of fear unable to see their assailants, but Harry could see them… Black robed figures gliding down the street toward them, the very specter of death and Harry had lost his wand - thank you very much Dudley Dursley! For the first time in his life Harry Potter felt true fear. Not the adrenaline rush that comes with survival instinct, but true, cold and paralyzing fear.

One of the Dementors descended on him, reaching out with a skeletal hand whose flesh still clung to the bone, and grabbed him by the shirt collar and lifted him off his feet. This close to a dementor Harry felt a chill settle over him like a bucket of ice water over his bones. He could hear the literal soul sucking noise behind the dark void of the creature's hood.

His vision began to waver and blur, darkness creeping around the edges, and he had one thought as the darkness claimed him:

I don't want to die!

The first thing that he heard when he regained consciousness was the marry and soothing crackle of a fire. Must be the hospital wing, Harry thought to himself. Wherever he was, was soft as well. With his eyes still closed he ran his palm over silk sheets. The cold was gone too. He felt warm and cozy, a feeling that seeped into his very bones like the cold of the Dementors, but much nicer...

Remembering the Dementors gave him a jolt. His eyes snapped open and he sat bolt upright in bed, looking around frantically. Seeing no danger Harry took a moment to collect himself, taking in his surroundings. The room was indeed cozy. The walls were made of a rich stained holly wood paneling, contrasted by flickering shadows cast by the firelight. The floor was covered in thick crimson carpeting that Harry imagined would be very pleasant under his bare feet; except for the space right in front of the fireplace that looked to be smooth gray cobblestone.

On closer inspection however, he noticed that the room was in great disarray. There was a desk on the far wall, for example that was filled with junk of all kinds: old broken toys, dirty tattered clothes, and all kinds of odds and ends. On the far opposite wall, and the one to his left were empty bookshelves, the books having long since fallen to the floor; some of them splayed open others stacked haphazardly against the wall covered in dust as if they hadn't been touched in ages. Likewise, there were lose pieces of paper and parchment scattered all over the floor of the room; and the entire room, Harry noticed was covered in the thinnest sheen of dust.

On the mantle above the fireplace sat four precious stones over varying size and color. One that was a small sapphire the size of his fist, another with the smaller blood red Ruby, the third a crystal-clear diamond, and the fourth was a large black obsidian shard the size of three hands that seemed to absorb the light the room. Unlike the other objects in the room, these four gems appeared to be mounted to the mantle.

On the far end of the room, just out of Harry's field of vision and obscured in the darkest part of the room sat an empty St. Andrew's cross made of dull, strained and crack hew whose leather straps hung loosely at the ends.

"Finally, with me I see," said a soft feminine voice that Harry thought he would recognize nearly anywhere.

Harry's head whipped around toward the source of the voice which were two chairs in front of the fireplace, facing away from him, the reminded him of the all-too-familiar furniture in Gryffindor tower. He scrambled out of bed and over to the fireplace, his face filled with happiness, excitement, worry, and sadness all in equal measure. The woman that was now next to him had long flowing auburn hair and eyes that shine like emeralds in the firelight. "Mum…" He said quietly around the lump that was forming in his throat.

Lily Potter looked up at her son and smiled lovingly. "Hello baby," she said softly. "My Harrison…" Before she could continue Harry launched himself at her and broke down into tears - crying. She just wrapped her arms around him smiling sadly and soothed him. "Shhhh, it's alright baby… It's alright," she repeated softly rocking back and forth as Harry cried, releasing 14 years of pent-up emotion.

It seemed like ages before Harry finally calm down and stop crying. Finally pulling away with the sniffle, Harry smiled awkwardly at his mother an apology. She just smiled and rubbed his back comfortingly.

Harry noticed when he pulled away that the room had grown considerably darker. The shadows and become darker – heavier - and the fire in the hearth and died a little. He sat down in the other chair cautiously. He had so many questions to ask, but he settled on the most obvious. "H-how are you here, and what is this place," he asked." Are you a ghost?"

Lily laughed. Although he was biased, Harry thought it sounded like music, but then again this was the first time Harry had heard his mother's voice without hearing her scream. "Straight to the point. I suppose it makes sense, because we don't have much time. Simply put - we aren't physically here." She explained and Harry looked confused, so she explained. "This is in your mind. It is what some people call a mind palace, a metaphysical representation of your mind. Although, the wizards and witches call it your magical core." Here she gestured to a low burning fire.

"Wait a minute," Harry interrupted. He understood most of it, but there were few things that were lost on him. "If this is my mind then why is it such a mess. It looks like no one's used this room in ages, and how are you here and what are those?"

Lily laughed fondly at her son, and Harry blushed in response. He knew he was babbling, but this was all so strange and he was curious. "It's alright Harry," she reassured him. "It is a bit disorganized. Although you can't fix that… Everything you see around you is a part of you: memories, knowledge, things you learned. With time and practice you could organize and access it quickly."

"To answer your question, however, I have always been here." She explained quickly before Harry could interrupt again. "The night the dark lord came for you your father and I performed a very ancient ritual of Japanese origin. Using this, I sealed up part of my magic and a tiny piece of myself inside your core. It's why Voldemort could never touch you before last year."

"He did something to you that night though." Her face grew very grim and he came to this part. "Like me, Voldemort sealed a piece of himself inside of you and for the last 13 years I have contained him, binding him so that he could not affect you." Here she saw fear enter Harry's eyes when she gestured to the abandoned St. Andrew's cross concealed in the darkness. She stood up and moved to wrap her arms around him to comfort him even as she reassured him. "It's alright!" She said forcibly as she felt Harry stiffen in her arms. "It's alright baby, he's gone now. My guess is that whatever ritual he used to bring himself back last year used that part of himself. That's why he needed you and your blood."

Harry nodded and extricated himself from her, sitting down stiffly. They sat in silence for a few minutes as Harry contemplated what his mother told him. He knew that he should be scared. The idea of Voldemort having ever been part of him was terrifying, but the anger he felt learning this overpowered the fear. He felt slightly violated and that infuriated him.

After a few minutes Harry sighed and refocused. "And the jewels?"

Here Lily smirked and it was heartwarming to see how very much like Harry she was in that moment." Well those… Those are interesting. Tell me, Harry," she said conspicuously. "Since your time at Hogwarts how many people have you saved?"

Harry looked at her confused. How many people he saved? It didn't make much sense, not that he kept track of it. Still, he took a moment to think about it: "Well, I don't really know. Let's see, there was Ginny in second year, Sirius in my third year and… Cedric last year." He realized, counting. "But that's only three and there are four crystals, and what does that have to do with anything?"

Lily nodded to the row of jewels with a smile. "Go on, go touch one - reach out to it with your magic."

Harry went over and choosing a random crystal reached out with his palm and placed it on the diamond. When he thought about pushing his magic into the object the fireplace flared weekly before settling again. As he pushed the power into the diamond he felt it respond and grow warm as power flowed back into him in reciprocation. It was like having a cup of tea. He felt energized, but more than that he also felt stronger.

He was about to draw away and look at his mother to explain but he never got the chance. He gasped as images flashed before his eyes. He saw 10-year-old boy excitedly opening what he knew to be his first broom on his birthday and running out into the yard to climb on.

Just as quickly the image changed again. This time it was an 11-year-old boy -the same 11-year-old boy. He felt pride iminating from him. He had received his Hogwarts letter and excitedly showed his parents.

Images continued to flash before him. Some of them in quick succession and he couldn't identify them. Others were clearer. He saw the boy watching a Quidditch match at 13 years old, watching a 14-year-old Oliver Wood Fly on his broom in front of the goal posts and blushing madly. There was one in the Hogwarts library at the age of 16 of him helping a young Chinese girl that Harry recognized as Cho Chang in the library at Hogwarts with her charms homework. She would grin and him shyly and he would look back smiling flirtatiously.

Finally, Harry had enough and wrenched his hand away, finding himself back in his mind palace. He looked back at his mother in shock. "Those were Cedric Diggory's memories! What the hell was that!"

"Each one of those crystals represents a life debt that is a lewd to you. Those four individuals are bound to you, and you to them."

Harry took a minute to digest this information. His immediate reaction was to object but he knew that it would do no good and suppressed the urge. "Okay," he said exasperated. "That's only three though, what's the fourth one?"

Here Lily's eyes flashed with sadness. "That one is Severus - a life debt that you inherited from your father."

Harry looked at her flabbergasted.

"But enough of that," Lily said abruptly. "We are running out of time. The Dementor is about to claim you." Suddenly Harry was reminded of his dilemma and noticed that the room had grown extremely dark. The fire was nearly gone and the darkness encroaching on them. It barely illuminated the space in front of them now.

Suddenly the survival instinct that Harry was familiar with took hold. His eyes darkened in determination. He would not die tonight! "I'm open to suggestions mum."

Lily's expression mirrored Harry's. "I want you to use the crystal again. Connect with it and draw power into you. Use it to help you stave off the Dementor once you're in the physical world. She paused and considered what he was going to say next. "… I will give myself in your place."

Harry looked at his mother bug eyed, as if she were insane. "No mother!" He objected. "I'm not going to let the Dementor take your soul, or your magic or whatever is that you are now." As Harry was speaking a massive black hole vortex formed in the center of the room, the powerful sucking noise it made sounding like ripping paper.

Lily put herself between the vortex and Harry, pushing him away back towards the fireplace. "Harry James Potter!" She yelled over the sound of the vortex to be heard. "Do as you are told! I am your mother and it is my job to protect you, I always have and I will do so again!" Harry looked at his mother in despair but said nothing. "GO… And, I love you!"

Harry forced himself to turn away and climbed his eyes shut against the tears. Squaring his shoulders as he marched up to the mantle and placed his hand upon the diamond represented Cedric, connecting and pulling power from it. As he did so, he heard his own voice echoing around his mind palace in a soft whisper. "Help me… I don't want to die, I will not die!

Harry's eyes snapped open, but they were different. He's Emerald eyes glowed with fire as green as the killing curse that he knew intimately. He felt rage and anger build up inside of him like he'd never felt before. He grasped it like a vice with his mind, remembering his core and his mind palace and pulled on it imagining them as strings of palpable power and lashed out, releasing the anger and rage in waves. "Get off of me!" He snarled and his voice echoed with power. The Dementor was thrown backwards as if he had hit a brick wall at full GeForce speed. If it had not been the Dementor than and probably would've turned into a puddle of goo.

He hit the pavement in a crouch, tossing his arms out to catch himself and scraping them on the concrete. He stood up and look at the creature with loathing. He hated Dementors. He despised them. They were foul creatures and he didn't just want to drive them off, no he wanted to decimate them.

Acting on instinct he extended his arm in the direction that he remembered his wand being in and felt it fly into his hand with an audible slapping sound. It'd returned to his hand with such force that stung on his scraped palm.

"Incindia Inferno," he intoned a low and deadly voice the promised pain and death. This street before him cracked and split as if the mouth of hell itself were opening, and in a way, it was. Fire and lava begin to spew out from the cracks, interrupting like a volcano. Streams of magical flame followed suit lashing out at the Dementors like whips.

They screeched and dodged and backpedaled trying to avoid the flames but wherever they moved new cracks appeared and the process repeated itself. Eventually the beasts were driven into the lava and their robes caught fire. They screeched in an ungodly sound as the flames consume them burning them until they were ash.

Harry stood there for a moment scanning the area looking for threats. Seeing none he released his hold on power and his eyes faded returning to their normal green.

He heaved to breath tiredly and was about to go check on his cousin, but before he could do so the sound of several cracks reminiscent of his fourth year, remembering the sound of apparition. He clenched his wand tightly bringing it to bear.

"Drop your wand!" Several voices called out frantically. "Drop it now!"

Harry looked at them as if they were stupid. "Identify yourself and I'll think about it!"

"Drop your wand now!" They repeated forcefully "Department of magical Law enforcement! If you do not lower your wand we will fire."

Harry considered his options. Even if they weren't who they said they were, taking on a few mindless creatures was different than taking on four arms wizards and he wasn't stupid. He looked at them closely trying to remember their faces for identification later. Two of them were very tall one of them a black man that looked to be of South African descent. The other was a tall grisly redhead that eyed him as if he were dangerous animal.

The two others were women, likely their partners. One was a slight of a girl that looked vaguely familiar to him. What he found interesting was that her features kept changing and her hair shifting colors. He got the distinct impression the she was nervous. The other Harry didn't recognize the she was a hard-faced woman looking to be in her early thirties to survey the scene with a critical eye like a veteran.

"All right, all right." He said placing his wand slowly on the ground and raising his hands above his head in the universal sign for surrender. "If you are Auror's then check on my cousin Dudley. He does not look well."

The two male officers moved forward, one taking his wand and the other approaching him cautiously. The woman with the shifting features moved toward his cousin to check on him and the fourth kept watch.

The girl checked Dudley and looked back up grimly. "He's dead. It looks like you souls been removed as well." Harry should have been horrified but he wasn't. He found himself slightly amused. The Dementors didn't kill, they took your soul. Fat bastard must've died of a heart attack. Harry smirked.

The grisly redhead placed a firm hand on Harry's shoulder and pushed him to his knees. Oddly, Harry noticed that he did not look happy about it. "Put your hands behind your back please." He grunted as Harry did as he was told. "Harry James Potter, you are under arrest for breach of the statute is secrecy, violation of the underage magic restriction, and the apparent murder of a Muggle, and other such charges as the ministry deems appropriate."

""You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in Court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand?"

Well, Fuck…

End Notes:

First and Foremost, Oh my GOD the Feels! I know, I'm an awful Person. And I'm sure some of you Realize what I did with Lilly and where I took it from. I couldn't resist.

To DZ2: I told you I was gonna use Your Mind Palace concept. I hope you don't mind and you like it

Roberta Diggory:

Cedric's mother's name is never actually given according to anything that I can find. So I simply took it from Robert Himself :)