Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. Only the original characters and plot are the property of this author. This author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media or franchise that is depicted within this story. No copyright infringement is intended, as there will be no profit made from this story by its author. The only places that this author has personally posted this story are on Archive of Our Own, and on Fanfiction*net; anywhere else that this story appears, is a duplicate created by parties unknown and without the express permission of the author of this story.
Author's Note: This story was inspired by the La Vita Nuova challenge issued by Quatermass.
xXx La Ciclo Nuova: Campioni della Dea del Ghiaccio xXx
xXx Stage 01: Year Four / Ch. 01: Dawn of a New Age xXx
— Reinventing Dissidia since 382 BC
xXx Hogwarts Castle, Cairngorms National Park xXx
xXx October 31st, 1994 of the Glacian Cycle xXx
Daphne Greengrass was a monumentally bored young lady. Of course, there were a number of valid reasons for that fact. First and foremost was the fact that she simply had too comprehensive an understanding of the subject matter that is taught in this school to for the educators to keep her interest. The next reason being that she was the single highest ranking member of the aristocracy that was currently in attendance at this school, at least for the moment. This ended up meaning that as much as he liked to posture, Draco Malfoy wasn't fit to lick her boots clean in comparison, as his father was merely a baron, while Daphne's was a Marquess, one rank below a Duke. Dukes as it happens are actually honest to goodness royalty, while most of the other titles of nobility are just landed gentry, at least in the Wizarding World.
After the first two reasons for her boredom, you got to the next most important reason. "Tracey would you please do something interesting, like… I don't know, going over and talking to your brother for a change?"
That statement was said mere seconds after the last of the three champions for the much lauded Triwizard Tournament had been selected, and the students had finally been given the go ahead to talk again. However, before Tracey could formulate a rejoinder, the Goblet at the front-center of the room began spitting up more sparks, indicating that it was about to do something that defied all normality.
This of course had both Tracey and Daphne narrowing their eyes at the goblet, before a scrap of parchment was disgorged. It didn't take a genius to figure out whose name was going to be on that parchment. Tracey looked over at her BFF, and asked, "How screwed is he?"
Daphne frowned, "There is about a fifty-fifty chance that they used a contract without any possible escape clauses for anyone that the Goblet spits out the name of. But…"
Tracey scowled, "Right most unforgivable jack arse in the Ministry, who isn't related to a toad, is the one in charge of this tournament."
"Right, which means if an escape clause did exist, Crouch would go to his grave before admitting to it," Daphne agreed, "and the odds of there being an actual physical copy of the contract anywhere it would do anyone any good aren't a whole lot better."
xXx The Library, Hogwarts Castle xXx
xXx November 4th, 1994 of the Glacian Cycle xXx
It was very late at night, past curfew actually, and the only occupant in the Hogwarts Library was one Daphne Greengrass. Her presence within the library so late at night was simply one of the many benefits of being the daughter of a Marquess. That sort of distinction granted you a measure of immunity from the rules that those of lower political station are forced to abide by.
That said, her head snapped to look towards the exit of the rows of bookshelves she was between when she heard someone approaching from the library entrance. She had notified Madam Pince about her presence in the Library, so the odds of a teacher investigating her presence here at this time, was incredible minute. Filch and his cat had never bothered her in all the time she had been attending. Peeves was much, much louder, while the other ghosts were usually soundless unless they were expecting a student to be where they were heading. So that meant…
The sound of the footsteps walked right past her, and she failed to see anything, which meant whoever this was, was beneath an Invisibility Cloak, or just really gifted with the Disillusionment Charm. Frowning, she hurried after the invisible creep, only for them to stop and reveal an arm in order to open the door to the Restricted Section. Sensing an opportunity, Daphne grabbed this person's wrist, and carefully pulled the cloak off of them, which revealed, "Potter?"
"Bollocks," the green eyed visage of Harry James Potter groaned as he wiped the hand she wasn't holding by the wrist across his face, though lifting his glasses to do it. "You want to give me back my cloak, let go of my wrist, and then we can both go about our business and pretend neither one of us is here in flagrant defiance of the rules?"
Daphne's lips quirked into an amused smirk, "Who says I am breaking any rules by being here?"
"Um… it's half-past one in the morning…"
Daphne actually grinned, "I know what time it is, Harry. It being after curfew still doesn't mean I am breaking any rules. Of course, if your bookworm were here, she'd be able to tell you why after I simply tell her the page number that reason is on in Hogwarts: A History."
"Uh…" Harry stuttered out uselessly. He was kicking himself yet again for not bothering to read that damned book.
Daphne nodded, "Good. Now, do you care to tell me why you are using your priceless family heirloom to sneak into the restricted section after curfew?"
"Priceless?!" Harry nearly shouted in his shock at hearing that.
"Yes, but that isn't my story to tell. Now, answer the question, oh interesting one," Daphne remarked with a positively cheshire cat-like grin splitting her face.
"Er… well, it's… you see…" Harry stuttered.
"You are looking for books that might help you survive the Triwizard Tournament?" Daphne deduced. "Yeah, I'd advise against looking for anything of that sort in the restricted section. There is a very good reason most of those books are in that section, Harry. None of those reasons are conducive with avoiding being labeled 'Voldemort in Miniature.'"
"You're a Slytherin though… aren't you…" Harry started to say before Daphne put a finger on his lips.
"Don't finish that line of thought unless you want your bits hexed for the insult," Daphne declared with a firm tone of command in her voice. "And for the record, I was sorted into Slytherin because I am absolutely filled to the brim with ambitions, so many that I can't really decide which to focus on, which ends up causing me to just flit around dabbling in things till I get bored of them before finding the next interesting thing to focus on."
Harry scowled massively, "So, let me guess. I'm the new fad?"
Daphne actually snorted in a very unladylike manner. "Oh, Harry. I've been interested in you since we both started at Hogwarts. Incidentally, thank you for occupying most of Malfoy's attention, the idiot is too Gryffindor for his own good, you know."
"Hrn…" Harry grunted. He wasn't sure how he felt about this girl, but she was at least kind enough to warn him about not using the Restricted Section for research if he wanted to have any hope of salvaging his reputation.
xXx Potions Class, Hogwarts Castle xXx
xXx November 6th, 1994 of the Glacian Cycle xXx
This was actually the first conjoined Potions Class between Slytherin House and Gryffindor since her encounter with Harry in the Library on the fourth. Daphne was by and large sick and tired of the 'support Diggory' stunt Malfoy was pulling, and Tracey seemed to be in agreement. They also were both getting tired of watching Snape sabotage Gryffindor with Malfoy's help. So it was that the two girls devised a surefire plan to cause the biggest trainwreck in recent memory within the British Wizarding World.
As soon as she entered the lab, Tracey walked over to where Neville Longbottom was seated, and calmly asked if he'd be interested in partnering with her for the joint lessons from now on. Neville was floored that one of the four most desirable girls in their year was talking to him, much less offering to be his partner; thus he wasn't exactly in a good state of mind to lodge a disagreement, much to Seamus Finnigan's furor.
Meanwhile, Daphne walked over to where Harry was just about to sit next to Ron, grabbed the arm closest to her, and shoved it between her very generous breasts, before looking up at Harry and fluttering her eyes at him as she said, "My best friend just abandoned me for a boy in your house. So you are going to be the person warming her usual seat for the foreseeable future."
Harry groaned at the girl, before saying, "And if I refuse?"
"I hex Ron's bits badly enough he'll need to be levitated to the Hospital Wing, and sit with you anyways."
"I think I'll sit with you at your usual table then. No point in subjecting you to one of his mother's howlers just for my company," Harry admitted.
"Oi! Potter, why are you going off to sit with a slimy and disgusting snake for?" Ron roared loud enough for the entire room to hear.
Daphne whipped released Harry's arm, pulled him behind her just a bit, and then flicked her wrist, releasing her wand, and with a second flick, unleashing a thin jet of blue light directed straight towards Ron's crotch. She didn't even say any words to reveal what spell she had just cast on Ron. However from the way his face contorted into a rictus of pain, it was severely painful whatever she did.
"What did you do to my friend, Greengrass!" Hermione's voice bellowed from the other side of the red haired Gryffindor.
It was Pansy Parkinson who responded. "She did to Weasley, what she does to any male who insults her. She gave him the world's worst case of blue balls."
"Harry?" Hermione tried, "Are you just going to…"
"Hey, don't look at me," Harry protested his female best friend, "Ever since my name came out of that Goblet, Ron's been being a bit of a prick. I also make it a policy never to insult women… well other than my Aunt Marge."
"But…" Hermione tried to protest.
"Granger. Stop your useless prattling and take Mister Weasley to the Hospital. We wouldn't want him to be incapable of giving you children one day, now would we?" the voice of Severus Snape intoned into the room. Of course, he knew all about the dangers of using that particular charm on that part of the masculine anatomy. He was also aware that with Countess Daphne Greengrass focusing her attention on the Potter brat that he was completely unassailable, for now. That didn't mean that Snape was going to just let a golden opportunity to torment the other Gryffindors… wait…
"Miss Davis, why are you seated in the Gryffindor section?" Snape drawled in an inquisitive tone.
Tracey grinned, "I did an exhaustive investigation into what a Hogwarts Professor can and cannot do with regards to the instruction of students in their classrooms. Segregating students based on their sleeping arrangements is one of those things Professors are strictly NOT allowed to do. And… well… Neville's kind of cute. Plus, I know for a fact you had a thing for my birth mother, and she was in Gryffindor."
"Really subtle, Tracey," Daphne remarked coldly from where she was sitting down next to Harry, deep within the Slytherin section.
"Being cunning doesn't always require subtlety. You know this better than anyone, Daph," Tracey remarked. "Plus, our professor seems to have forgotten that you're not the only one in this class who has a guardian that it would be suicide to anger."
"Oh?" Draco cut into the conversation. "Your father doesn't have any political might worth speaking about."
"I wasn't referring to my family, Malfoy," Tracey remarked.
"She was referring to my grandmother," a timid voice spoke up.
"Right, now that everyone has been seated… or left as the case happens to be with Granger and Weasley, which has earned them both two weeks of detention for leaving without getting a hall pass," Snape continued.
One of the Gryffindor girls who happened to be a Muggleborn actually asked, "Hogwarts actually uses Hall Passes? How mundane…"
Snape's lip quirked upward ever so slightly, which was the only sign that he was actually amused by what was happening today. "That will be ten points… from Gryffindor, for speaking out of turn, Miss Smith."
He then flicked his wand at the board, "Instructions are on the board. You have an hour, try not to make any mistakes."
xXx Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle xXx
xXx November 9th, 1994 of the Glacian Cycle xXx
Daphne's eyes were following the decrepit looking owl that was flying in her direction. There was a reason that she was following it, and that reason was the bright red, scarlet colored envelope tied to its talons.
"Tracey, do you happen to have any idea how to destroy a Howler before it explodes without setting it off?" Daphne inquired of the girl who was seated next to her, whose eyes were also locked on this owl.
"Depends on how much collateral damage you are willing to accept being responsible for causing," Tracey suggested.
"What does that mean?" Daphne asked.
"Rumor has it, the only surefire way to do the task is to hit it with a very short and highly controlled burst of Fiendfyre. Not sure how reliable that is though, considering I traced the rumor back to Fred and George Weasley and well…" Tracey explained the information that she had to her friend.
"Odds are this is from their mother regarding my 'unprovoked' hex against their younger brother, so we should disregard anything they have to say on the matter," Daphne acknowledged. She then turned her head back to her friend, "Think the Muffliato Special would work?"
"Who you going to force to listen to it?" Tracey asked with an amused grin. The spells that had been dubiously recorded inside of Severus Snape's Sixth Year Potions Book had a rather curious history to them. Truthfully, Severus Snape only really created one of those spells, the lethal one. The others were the product of four very interesting women, the youngest of whom was Snape's unrequited love interest, and who had a bad habit of scribbling on things that weren't technically hers.
One of the other members of that group of four women, later went on to become Lady Elizabeth Greengrass, which is why Daphne and Tracey know about, and proceeded to modify, the Muffliato Charm, as that particular spell had been her own contribution to their brain trust.
Daphne thought it over for a moment, before saying, "Well it had to be either Mister Weasley the younger, Miss Weasley, or Miss Granger who informed the Howler Monkey that I was the one to hex the boy. Fred and George actually know better than risking the start of a blood feud."
"Tag all three of them then. Just to see what happens," Tracey decided.
Daphne nodded, pulled her wand and pointed it at the leg of the owl who had just rendered a perfectly good pitcher of pumpkin juice toxic to the sensibilities of any Slytherin. Not that any of them was in any hurry to save the bird from drowning to death, as it would actually be more merciful than what the Weasley family was doing to the poor bird. The thing was so ancient that simply flying ten feet would probably incapacitate it for an hour, and they were still using it as a long distance post owl.
With a subtle jab of her wand at the smouldering letter, Daphne twisted her wand and jabbed the thread of magic to connect with three different targets. Not one of them noticed. Nodding to herself, she sheathed her wand and then unsealed the letter, causing it to animate and then begin emoting towards Daphne, who thankfully didn't hear a word it said.
Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor Table, Ron Weasley's face contorted in unbridled fury at what he was hearing, clearly the moron had enough intellect to realize someone was forcing him to listen to one of his mother's howlers when it wasn't being sent to him.
Ginny actually screamed and ran from the room, though given the way this particular version of the Muffliato functioned, she'd actually need to make it to the opposite side of Hogsmeade from the School before she was fully out of range.
Hermione, stood up, drew herself into a head of fury and began walking towards the Slytherin Table. Tracey grinned, "Ah, I think we found our tattletale."
When Hermione got there, she growled, "Turn off whatever spell you have us under, or so help me…"
Daphne and Tracey pointedly ignored the girl until the Howler's rant ended. Not like she could have held a conversation when the only thing that she could hear was the Howler. Once it did come to an end, Hermione said, "Right, I'm reporting you to the Headmaster."
Tracey snorted at the girl. Daphne sighed and said, "Miss Granger, I have done nothing he can punish me for. Of course, you are a Muggle-Born, and thus haven't been given any opportunities to learn the actual social pecking order within the Wizarding World."
Hermione scowled, "We live in a society that values equal…"
"No we do not, Granger," Tracey spoke up. She then looked at Daphne and said, "I think I'm going to do Harry a favor and educate his potentially salvageable friend about our society. I'll catch you later."
Daphne frowned as she watched her best friend dragging an absolutely livid Hermione Granger off to who knows where. Tapping her chin with one of her fingers, the girl thought the matter over for several long minutes. Truthfully, Tracey was liable to explain the situation in a manner that would be understood by a two year old. The problem was that to someone like Hermione Granger, or indeed most Muggle Borns, there could be no difference between the mundane government and the wizarding government. They were just different sections of the same government. How else would one explain the existence of a 'ministry for magic.'
The problem however, is that the legislative and judiciary branch of the Wizarding Community has existed in a static state since at least the mid-1500's, which means it both predates and never recognized, the Tenures Abolition Act of 1660. Which in essence means that the Wizarding Community was still operating under the laws of Feudalism, with the Gentry directly answerable to the Queen herself, and no one else. This also meant that things such as Blood Feuds could still happen, and that there was a legitimate caste system, even if the majority of the Wizarding Community had no fucking idea who was ranked where.
The fact that the Wizarding World still operated under Feudalism was largely why the Auror Force was considered one of the best jobs you could hold if you were the heir to a noble house who hasn't taken up your title yet. It had to do with the fact that the Queen could demand military service from any Lords who didn't serve in her military while they were still only heirs.
Unfortunately, from the point of view of a Muggle-Born who couldn't be expected to marry into an ennobled house, the entire situation would seem just a bit barbaric, and truthfully it was a bit barbaric from a modern and mundane point of view.
However, the fact was that it would be impossible to change the system due to the fact that the system of government in the Wizarding Community is actually tied to the magic of the country itself.
Daphne's musings ground to a halt as the very young man who had taken up such a focus in her life these past few weeks arrived at the Slytherin Table and gave her the same sort of lopsided smirk that Daphne's mother said his father used to give when trying to sweet talk some girl, usually the woman who went on to become Harry's mother. Blushing ever so slightly, the heiress asked, "What has made you decide to grace Slytherin House with your presence today, Harry?"
"Funny story," Harry spoke up, "Did you know the Sorting Hat wanted to put me into Slytherin House right from the start?"
Daphne grinned, "Oh? Do tell. This sounds amusing."
"As it happens, I would have accepted the offer, if it weren't for four things. First, during my time getting fitted for my first year robes, Draco decided to insult every single House except for Slytherin all in the span of a paragraph." Harry remarked.
There was a loud smacking sound from further down the table that came about because Millicent Bulstrode, who was actually far smarter than her appearance would lead one to believe, just walloped Draco upside the back of his head, "Bad move, Malfoy! My Great Aunt Violetta, was in Gryffindor, and was also the mother of Lady Dorea Potter"
"Huh? Does that mean we are related, Millicent?" Harry asked now that he was paying attention.
"Nope. Lady Dorea was your Grand-Aunt, which means we have no actual relation," Millicent remarked with a wide smirk.
Harry nodded, before refocusing, "Right, as I was saying. So first was Draco insulting all the other houses. Second up was Hagrid telling my about the event that made me famous, but also cost me my parents. It was in that conversation that I first became aware that Voldemort was in fact someone who attended Hogwarts, in fact, he was there at the same time as Hagrid, at least for a few years. He was sorted into Slytherin, obviously."
Daphne nodded her head, "I actually have a few ideas who he really might be. But that's not a subject for mixed company."
Harry silently agreed. That was especially true while talking to the people sitting at the house with the single largest quantity of that man's sympathizers. After a few minutes of introspection, Harry said, "As for the next factor, it goes hand in hand with the last. I sat in the same compartment as Ron Weasley on the trip to Hogwarts, who Draco promptly insulted in the same instant that he offered to be my friend so he can introduce me to all the right sorts of people."
Daphne shook her head, before glancing over at Millicent and saying, "Punch him across the jaw hard enough to knock the blonde ferret out, Millie. If Harry had accepted that offer, he'd have died long before I got to meet him."
Draco roared, "WHEN MY FATH-"
That was as far as he got before Millie's fist impacted with his jaw. Daphne nodded her approval, before turning back to Harry and smirking, "Incidentally, I happen to be the one calling the shots within Slytherin House at this point in time. I just usually let Draco think he's the one charge."
Harry frowned at her, which caused her to blink, "There was actually a reason for me telling you that story."
Daphne got a bit of a sinking suspicion in her stomach. His next words would likely hurt her. "I just ran into a panicked Ginevra Weasley, who was absolutely terrified her mother had just started a blood feud with your family. I happen to know what is involved in such feuds, even if the specifics might have to change to account for the use of magic rather than rifles and shotguns."
Daphne breathed a very small sigh of relief. "You don't actually have to worry about that… well at least you don't have to worry about my family starting such a feud with the Weasleys. I won't be held responsible of the Weasleys want to pursue one against us though."
Harry's frown softened to a look of confusion, "Huh?"
"Harry, how about we go somewhere where we don't have the entire student body listening in on us. And then I can explain at length to you certain intricacies that you seem to have not been informed of the way you should have been," Daphne urged as she stood up from where she was seated and motioned for him to follow her down the hall. Harry hesitated for a moment before following her out of the hall.
xXx Charms Office, Hogwarts Castle xXx
xXx A Short Time Later xXx
Harry and Daphne had been allowed the use of Professor Flitwick's office for their discussion. As much as the majority of Slytherins disliked the diminutive Professor, Daphne couldn't because her sister was sorted into Ravenclaw House just this year, though she was at the older end of students accepted into the year. He had also willingly allowed them the opportunity to skip the Charms Class they would have been attending if the hadn't approached him specifically about the question.
"Right, so you wanted to explain some stuff to me?" Harry questioned.
"Well to start off. How much do you actually know about the society that has built itself up around the use of magic in the British Isles?" Daphne asked.
"Er…" Harry stuttered, "I tend to sleep in History of Magic…"
Daphne scowled upon hearing that, "I do believe a broken phonograph recording would be a better history instructor than that ghost, Harry."
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Daphne decided to start with the basics. "Okay, Wizarding Society 101: Etiquette."
"I um… I already know which piece of silverware you use for a particular course in your meal… cooking is one of my…. Er… hobbies?" Harry remarked.
"Oh Harry!" Daphne complained, "Etiquette has so many more components than how you go about eating your evening meal. But the specific bit I am wanting to discuss, is the bit regarding how you are to address those whom you are speaking with."
"Oh," Harry considered, "I suppose there would be differences."
Daphne nodded, "To start with, if we were in a formal setting and you were not my male counterpart for the evening, you would refer to me as 'Lady Clare' when you first speak to me, and as 'my lady' from that point onward. Tracey, my best friend, to you would still be Tracey, but to everyone else 'Lady Tracey.'"
Harry frowned as he heard that, "Is there any particular reason I get to refer to her in a familiar manner in a formal situation?"
Daphne smiled, "Why yes, but that is something you'll have to ask her about as it is a private matter between the two of you. Not that she has any comprehension of the concept of privacy it would appear."
Harry nodded, "And why do you have a different name during formal situations than you do during school?"
"I was going to explain that later on in the lesson, but I'm the daughter of a Marquess. One of my father's fiefdoms is the town of Clare in Suffolk. I am allowed to use 'Countess of Clare' as a courtesy title," Daphne explained with a smile on her face, "Just as you are allowed to use 'Viscount of Stinchcombe' as a courtesy title until you claim your rightful place as the Head of House Potter, at which point you will become, the Earl of Stinchcombe and Godric's Hollow. Any other titles of nobility you gain would depend on your wife, or any inheritances that you are left by those who write you into their will. If, for example, you were to marry me, you would be in line to the titles of my father through our marriage, but it would still be under my control politically speaking, and our first male child would bear the name of Greengrass."
"Why not Potter?" Harry questioned.
"A Marquess is a higher rank of nobility than an Earl Harry. If I were a male, I would be using the courtesy title of 'Earl of Clare' rather than Countess," Daphne explained.
"So, where does that put the Weasleys and Draco?" Harry asked.
Daphne nodded, "There is no easy way to say this, but here goes. The Weasley family is effectively a family that in Scotland would be referred to as a Cotter or Cottier."
"Um…" Harry uttered with a confused tone of voice.
"It means that they are effectively without social standing of any worth beyond the plot of land that their home rests upon. In medieval times, they would be considered freemen, but also only just a step higher than serfs, who were the mundane world equivalent to House Elves in terms of how much freedom to move around and operate independently they had."
Daphne saw the horrified look on Harry's face, and said, "Which is why it would be pointless, Harry, for me or anyone else of any integrity, to declare blood feud against them. There is nothing to be gained from such a decision… well except, apparently some rather yummy apples if my sister's new friend is to be believed."
Harry snorted in bemused horror at that slightly childish declaration. He then said, "Wait, you said you wouldn't start it, but you implied that the Weasley's might?"
"Yes, er… well, I can't say for certain that would happen, and most of my belief that it might happen is largely guesswork. However, whether it happens or doesn't happen largely hinges on whether it was your male or female best friend who told the Weasley matriarch that I hexed her son, and whether he forces me to do it again."
Suddenly, the door to the room burst open, and an out of breath Tracey Davis exclaimed, "Don't mean to interrupt anything intimate you two, but Hermione didn't take my 'Wizarding Culture 101' lesson very well and is in the process of locating every Muggle Born she can remember the identity of and informing them of the facts."
xXx Chapter Concluded xXx
Author's Note: Okay, things probably won't gain a distinctly Final Fantasy vibe until AFTER the First Task. This is mostly set up.
Also, don't worry, Hermione doesn't succeed in destroying the Wizarding Education System or anything close to it.
Incidentally, this is being published as it's own story, even though I have only got this one chapter finished at the moment.