Lord Greengrass took a slow breath as his mind raced to make sense of what he had just heard.
Breaking the Statute of Secrecy? The last person who had tried to do such a thing was now locked away, their name erased from polite conversation, and branded the first Dark Lord of this generation.
Now, granted, that person's ambitions had extended far beyond mere exposure, but still…
Lord Greengrass pushed the thoughts aside and steadied himself. He studied the boy—no, calling him a boy would be a blatant insult. He carefully observed the young man, searching for any trace of fanaticism—the kind that often burned in the eyes of those who aimed too high, who convinced themselves they could change the world only to be crushed by the weight of their own ambition.
But he saw none of that. Maverick Caesar looked calm and certain. He was collected, measured—far too steady for someone planning something so... mad.
He straightened and forced himself to stay calm. The shock on his face gradually faded, but the implications of the words he had just heard were too great to ignore.
If this young man was serious and somehow managed to achieve it, everything would change. Governments, economies, nobles, civilians—all the magical communities and their way of life. It would upend the order of the world.
And with great change comes great opportunities.
Curiosity flickered in the old patriarch's heart. Unbeknownst to him, it was he who, in the end, sowed the seeds of fanaticism in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Maverick sat in silence, allowing Lord Greengrass to sort out his thoughts. At the same time, he was reading the man's surface thoughts and couldn't help but smirk inwardly. Of course, he showed no reaction on his face, maintaining a blank and unreadable expression.
Silence stretched between them for a moment until Lord Greengrass finally spoke his mind.
"Let's say I accept this… the inevitability you speak of. And let's say I agree that it would be wiser for the magical community to take control of how the Statute of Secrecy falls rather than wait for it to crumble on its own," he said, trying to sound calm—and doing so quite capably, though not enough to fool Maverick.
"How do you intend to make it happen? Can you elaborate on your plan, if you don't mind... Master Caesar?"
Maverick finally showed a change in expression. A knowing smile tugged at his lips and he began to lay out his roadmap to the old wizard.
---
"I have already begun making preparations," he said. "The first step is controlling the narrative."
Lord Greengrass remained silent, listening carefully.
"You are familiar with my company's latest product, Magic Vision?"
Lord Greengrass gave a slow nod. "A fascinating piece of magical innovation, though it is not widely used yet."
"And how much do you know about Muggle television?" Maverick asked.
Lord Greengrass hummed in thought.
"I am not entirely ignorant of Muggle inventions. I know a fair bit about some of their artifacts—what they call a radio, their handheld communication devices… and, of course, the television."
He paused briefly, considering his words. "I understand that it is a device for displaying moving pictures, and the Muggles use it primarily to share information..."
He exhaled slowly. "Its influence on their society is… significant, to say the least."
Maverick gave a satisfied nod.
"That is one of the reasons I chose to approach you, Lord Greengrass. You are not blinded by tradition... ignore the vast world around you simply because it is different."
He leaned back slightly. "But you have overlooked its true potential. Television is not merely a means of sharing information—it is a tool for influencing minds, shaping perspectives, and, when needed, controlling the narrative."
"And I intend to use Magic Vision the same way Muggles use television. The first step is making it popular, and what better way to do that than by broadcasting something people always crave?"
He let the question hang for a moment before answering it himself.
"Sports... or rather, entertainment. It is a passion for everyone, magical and non-magical alike. Unfortunately for us magicals, there are not many sources for it.
With magic taking care of most inconveniences, the magicals have an abundance of free time. And with the ease of Magic Vision, they will naturally turn to it. And eventually, it will become part of their routine, something they crave."
Greengrass raised an eyebrow.
"You should be aware that I have already begun using Magic Vision to broadcast the interschool Quidditch tournament to magical communities across Europe," Maverick continued. "This is only the beginning. Soon, it will cover national and international matches, drawing in even those who rarely paid attention to the sport. And once it becomes a fixture in their daily lives, it will no longer be a novelty—it will be a necessity."
Lord Greengrass's fingers tapped against the armrest of his chair as he weighed the possibilities.
"And then," Maverick continued, "I will establish the first-ever video journalism company in the magical world. My people are already being trained—not just in management but in the technical skills needed to operate such a business. They are learning everything, from running broadcasts to producing news segments..."
He let that sink in before adding, "With control of the media, I control the flow of information. I decide what the people see, what they know, and how they think."
Greengrass narrowed his eyes. "You want to control the people's narrative?"
Maverick met his gaze without hesitation. "Exactly."
The older wizard remained silent for a moment before speaking again. "It is nothing new. The corrupt factions within this country's leadership have been doing it for years."
"I know that. Anyone with a brain knows that. But what can the general public do? Even Dumbledore knows it. But once again, he is too idealistic—too unwilling to play the game of power."
Lord Greengrass sighed. He could not deny the truth in those words.
Maverick went on. "And I won't stop there. One platform isn't enough. I'll establish my own newspaper—well-funded, independent, and free from Ministry control or the influence of old families. A publication that reaches both the common wizard and the elite..."
"There will be pushback. The noble families will not take kindly to it. They may not be able to move against you directly, but there are always... other means. The people running it could find themselves in unfortunate circumstances. Dirty tactics are never off the table." Lord Greengrass added, as if he had seen such tactics play out many times before.
Maverick huffed. "Then I will make an example of the first who tries. A clear lesson... one severe enough that the rest will think twice before following."
Lord Greengrass raised an eyebrow but chose not to comment.
Maverick continued. "And while all of that is set into motion, I will be slowly positioning my own people within the Ministry. You understand how that world operates, Lord Greengrass. Influence isn't just earned... it can also be bought... leveraged. And I have more gold than most can even fathom."
Lord Greengrass raised a brow again. "From a business that has only just begun to spread?" he asked skeptically.
Maverick smirked. "Two Great-Magus have quite generously donated all of their wealth to me…" he said, crossing his fingers while resting both elbows on the chair's armrests, his hands coming together in a relaxed but deliberate gesture. "One about a year ago. You must have heard of Victor Morvain…"
He continued without pause."And the second? Well, we both saw him just days ago at the dueling competition. Tarhan, was it?"
It took Lord Greengrass a moment to grasp the full meaning of Maverick's words. Then his eyes widened, and he nearly shot from his seat. "You… you're that—Bloodyraven?"
Maverick's brow twitched. "It's Blood... Raven."
"What?"
"Bloodraven," Maverick corrected, exhaling silently as he leaned back before continuing. "As I was saying… their centuries of amassed wealth now belongs to me. Along with their many legal and less-than-legal ventures that continuously generate wealth."
But Lord Greengrass still seemed caught up in the revelation of Maverick's other identity. He sank back into his chair, and then, after a moment of hesitation asked. "What about Lord Tarhan… is he now—"
"Dust," Maverick cut in, utterly unconcerned. "Along with that prick who dared to stare at my fiancée... Besides, even if I hadn't, my teacher would have erased them the moment he found out. I simply made it happen only sooner."
Finally, Lord Greengrass let out a sigh. He realized now that this young man, seemingly just a harmless businessman, was anything but. This young man was dangerous.
His mind reeled. This was not a simple ship he was about to board. This was a warship sailing into some very treacherous waters.
But what choice did he have? He couldn't back out now—not after learning everything, not after hearing all the shocking secrets. No, he was part of this now. Whether he liked it or not, he was already aboard, and the ship had set sail.
He let out a dejected sigh and then raised his head to look at the young man, who was sitting so utterly at ease, as if everything about this very meeting was happening exactly according to his script. He couldn't help but swallow, but then, he forced himself to push down his unease.
"Go ahead, Master Caesar... continue," he said finally.
Maverick's smirk grew wider. "As I was saying, Lord Greengrass… Gold opens doors. It secures alliances and silences opposition. Put the right people in the right positions..."
He leaned forward.
"This is how I plan to take control of this country's leadership before the Statute of Secrecy falls… Of course, I will be the one guiding how and when it falls. And when the time comes, I will not be caught unprepared..."
---
Lord Greengrass sat in thoughtful silence, and a tense stillness once again settled over the room. Finally, he voiced the last bit that weighed on his mind. It was not his final doubt, but he had at least grasped the broad outline of this young man's plan, even if the finer details were still unclear.
He exhaled slowly and said. "How exactly, do you intend to make the Statute of Secrecy fall?"
Maverick smiled, slow and deliberate, before leaning back into his chair. Instead of answering, he posed a question of his own. "Tell me, Lord Greengrass… What do you know about Voldemort's fall?"
Lord Greengrass frowned, thrown off by the sudden change of topic. "Voldemort?" While muttering, he studied the young man's expression but found no sign that he was steering the conversation away from its original course.
So, he answered with what he knew. "I know what everyone knows. He died some eleven years ago… That boy, the Potter orphan, somehow survived the Killing Curse, and the Dark Lord perished in the attempt."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "Why do you ask?"
Maverick's smirk deepened. "He is not dead."
Silence fell again, and Lord Greengrass visibly stiffened upon hearing that. "What are you saying?"
"He is alive," Maverick stated calmly. "Not as a ghost, not as a man… but alive. And he will return. Whole."
"What!" Lord Greengrass shot forward in his seat. "How sure are you about this?"
Maverick pulsed his magic through the room, pressing it down on the older man, forcing him to slump back into his chair. "Calm yourself," he said coldly.
But then, his smile returned as if nothing happened. "I will not stop him. Not until he is fully revived," he said.
Lord Greengrass felt the blood drain from his face. "You're mad," he said, almost breathless. "Why? Why would you let that lunatic return? Do you have any idea how dangerous an insane Archmage-level wizard is?"
Maverick's gaze turned sharp. "Because I need him alive. Voldemort will be the one who helps me break the Statute of Secrecy."
Lord Greengrass was left speechless. His mind worked overtime, struggling at the sheer audacity of this young man's plan. But now, he finally, finally understood everything.
Control the people's narrative. Control the Ministry by planting his own people, bribing officials, or outright buying their loyalty. And with his so-called neutral faction, take control of the Wizengamot itself.
And then, finally, use Voldemort to unleash chaos—forcing the magical world into the eyes of regular humans. But just before true disaster could strike, this young man would somehow bring him down, emerging as the hero.
Whether such a plan could truly succeed was another matter entirely. Yes, Maverick was an Archmage—but so was Voldemort. Would it really be so simple to bring down another of the same level?
Still, it was a plan. A dangerous one. One that could work… or fail spectacularly.
Lord Greengrass wasn't sure whether to call him a genius or something else entirely.
Seconds stretched before he finally found his voice, and the words had once again escaped before he could stop them—more fitting now more than ever for the man before him.
"You're… a madman."
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Author's Note:
Just a quick update — up to Chapter 154 is already available on P AT r30n!
PAT r30n [.] com / RyanFic