And my third chapter! Sorry it is taking me so long to write these, trying my best. I been rusty getting back into fanfic writing. Hope you all enjoy! The fourth one should be coming soon!
Each step since she had arrived had made her ache deeply in her chest. It was not an painful or anguished ache. It was the ache of nostalgia hitting her with every bit of force it could muster. It was common knowledge that the castle had been fully restored from its heavily damaged state it suffered in the Second Wizarding War. The restoration was so complete, that Hydra could not tell a battle ever occurred here. She walked up the Grand staircase and down a corridor on the first floor in a state of wonderment, escorted by McGonagall who was showing her to her own private quarters. The people in the portraits were moving about, whispering to one another as eyes turned to her. Hydra was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to care what they were saying however, as memories of coming down this hallway to her Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were recalled.
"This room here is your private quarters. Just down the way from your classroom and office," came a stern voice. It brought Hydra out of her reminiscing of her school days and turn to face McGonagall. They were at the end of the corridor and to left was a beaten wooden door. McGonagall opened the door and led Hydra into the room. It was not too spacious, but it had a small living quarters, a bedroom that connected to it, and personal bathroom. The living quarters and bedroom each boasted mullioned windows with thick, velvet curtains of purple. Her traveling trunks and suitcases were already in the bedroom at the foot of the small canopy bed.
"It's lovely, Headmistress," Hydra said as she set down the shopping bags atop of a worn, but smooth, wooden table near the window.
"Tomorrow, I will go over what you can and cannot do as a professor. It's getting quite late, and I am sure you wish to unpack. Some of the professors have already arrived, so there will be a small feast for us in an hour if you wish to join. I'll leave you to it, Hydra. Have a good night," she said, patting Hydra's shoulder as she passed her and swept out of the room. Hydra went to close the wooden door and lock it, before her face split into a grin and she started jumping up and down in fits of joy. While she had been apprehensive to say the least, coming to Hogwarts had been a remedy that had quickly eradicated that negativity. Even the heavy responsibilities the Ministry was setting upon her couldn't dull the bliss at returning to her most favorite place she'd ever been. Quick footsteps took her to her room where the trunk lids sprung open at the wave of her wand. A grammophone lifted from among clothing and soared over to a dresser where it perched. Music began to come from its large tunnel-like structure that was a deep, rich green.
As the music filled the empty chambers of the small quarters, Hydra began waving her wand and her belongings began to soar from her trunk, and place themselves neatly in the spots she wished for them to go. Books lined up on the bare shelves lining one space of wall, clothing was folding itself in the air and laying themselves in drawers, or otherwise hanging themselves on wooden hangers and going into a small closet, candlestick holders placed themselves on tables, the window sills and the fireplace mantle. It was a sight to see so many things flying through the air and find their right places throughout the quarters. Soon the two large trunks were quite empty and stacked in a lone corner. The top one however, still had its lid open...and something was coming out of it. A large, dark green, muscular body was slithering out of the open trunk, crawling down to the floor with a loud hiss.
"Wadjet, my dear," Hydra said as her eyes fell on the large snake exiting the top trunk. However, her words were not that of any language any person could readily understand. It was a strange, hissing-like sound that only the snake seemed to understand as it gave Hydra a baleful look, upset with the method of transport it had to endure upon coming to Hogwarts.
"I couldn't readily carry you in, my dear. Forgive me for stuffing you in a trunk," Hydra hissed back as she crossed over the bedroom to the window sill to look out over the dark grounds. The snake made what sounded like a disgruntled hiss before its muscled body carried it to the living room portion of the quarters where it curled up in front of a cold fireplace. It wasn't cold for long as with a wave of a wand, Hydra set fire the old wood inside of the hearth. As Hydra was skipping around back and forth, changing colors of some of the furniture and curtains, her snake hissed its disapproval of such giddy energy.
Hydra carried on through the night and early morning, skipping the dinner feast McGonagall had informed her about. The room was to her specific taste by time the greenish glow on the horizon appeared outside her window. An ornate carriage clock on her fireplace's mantle read that it was nearly four in the morning. The time had slipped by so quickly on the assonant tides of music without her notice. It felt imprudent to go to sleep now, knowing well she would not wake on time in order to go to Diagon and sort out her affairs with Gringotts. Instead, she opted to wash up in her private bathroom which was now decorated with deep greens and silver accents. Once there, she could grab a late breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron.
By time the sun was peeking over the horizon, Hydra was washed up, her hair pinned up with lovely golden pins and a comb, wearing black robes with silken green fabric patterned as vines. An ornate corset of satin black and swirling patterns of silver thread cinched the robes at her waist. Content with her outfit, she grabbed her purse and the papers Arthur Weasley had given her from the Ministry. She ventured out of her personal chambers and headed downstairs and out the front doors. The cool, morning air was refreshing and seemed to whisper a promise of an exciting and enjoyable day for her. The first official day of her returning to the Wizarding world. Once she was outside the gates of Hogwarts, she grinned and with a loud crack, disappeared into thin air.
Hydra appeared in a dingy alleyway and took thankful gulps of air. While Disapparition was rather convenient, it was very uncomfortable on the body, especially the lungs. Straightening out her robes, she walked from the alley and down the sidewalk. This early in the morning, there weren't many Muggles around to encounter her and inquire about her unusual clothing. Soon she saw the record store, and then between that and the bookstore a small pub. Hydra walked towards it and opened the door which let in to the Leaky Cauldron. Hardly anyone was up except for Hannah Abbott, the new owner of the Leaky Cauldron. With a soft nod to a stunned Hannah, she ventured to the back of the Leaky Cauldron where the dustbins were, and a solid, brick wall. Tapping a few key bricks however and the wall began to move, each brick moving to open into an archway right into Diagon Alley.
Hydra started down the cobbled street, with stores just opening. Some witches or wizards were outside sweeping the front doorway or else putting out a cart of their wares. There were a few early morning shoppers strolling up and down the street discussing the prices some of the stores set by their products. Just the sight of Diagon Alley alone instilled within her a strong, positive energy as she set off down the way toward Gringotts with a spring in her step. The sun was rising higher in the sky by now, shedding sunlight down upon them. It was a warm touch as she thought about all the shopping she would do after she got her affairs in order. For a brief moment she thought to turn into Knockturn Alley...and see if Borgin was still there to take him with her. If there were any sort of Dark Objects in her mother's vault, which she was willing to bet half of its galleons, she wanted no part of it. They were best taken off her hands and either sold or handed over to the Ministry.
The thoughts of what she would do with such artifacts were interrupted once she got within sight of Gringotts. Hydra stopped and stared at the man with the long hair at the top step near the burnished bronze doors who greeted her with a genteel smile.
"Arcanus Thicknesse...what brings you here?" she asked as she began her ascent up the marble steps to the snowy white building. She remembered the man from yesterday afternoon who she had met in the upper floor of Hog's Head.
"Arthur said you would be here in the morning to sort out your affairs with your inheritance. Figured I would meet up with you by waiting here," he said. The two goblins standing guard at the door didn't pay them much mind as the doors opened and the two walked in. Through the second set of silver doors, they walked into the large lobby of the bank, with one of the largest chandeliers Hydra had ever seen. They had done amazing reconstruction since Harry Potter's escape from Gringotts on the back of a dragon which nearly destroyed the bank in its bid for freedom.
" I am here to brief you on every bit of intelligence we have in regards to the Death Furies," he said much softer, not wanting anyone, even the goblins, to overhear what he was saying. "That is, after you have taken care of your own affairs. Perhaps over lunch at the Leaky Cauldron."
"That is agreeable," she said, her mind falling back onto what she may encounter in her mother's vault. "But for now, I'd rather like to see about this vault I inherited from my mother. Given the nature of her and my family, it's safe to assume there's some unsavory objects lying in store for me. I just might have to request a whole team of Aurors to come in there and remove them for me."
Hydra had the papers Arthur gave her given to the head goblin. It was a while before he would finalize the paperwork, sign it, and stamp it so that the vault number was changed to her name. Once it was done, it was only a winding and queasy ride down to the deepest recesses of the bank. The restored vault of Bellatrix Lestrange was something to behold with how much gold resided in it along with endless objects...many of which Hydra was willing to bet were cursed in some way, shape or form. Withdrawing as much as she would need for a few terms, she clambered back into the cart and held on tight. Arcanus didn't seem to have issues with the breakneck speed of the cart ride unlike Hydra and seemed rather relaxed as it sped its way towards the top again on its rails.
The open air and warm sunlight of Diagon Alley was a thankful blessing after the nauseous cart ride and stagnant air of the caves below Gringotts. Hydra was not fond of the carts in Gringotts even when she was a child and accompanied her foster parents at the time. With her long absence from the Wizarding world, she had almost forgot how much she disliked the rides.
" Well, Ms. Lestrange, I will have to concur with what you said earlier; you just might need a team of Aurors in that vault to remove some undesirable objects. The vibe of that vault was not a very welcoming one," Arcanus had said from her side. As Hydra looked to him, she noticed he didn't seem at all uneasy from their trip to the deepest parts of Gringotts. Hydra had wanted to take a bit of a look around, but her desire to simply collect some of her galleons and leave before she got too nauseous had been stronger. Though what Arcanus said came as no surprise to her. It was something she was expecting from a vault like that.
"I suppose that will be another order of business I'll have to attend to at a future date," she said, steadying her breath and looking at the shops before them. "Well, would you mind accompanying me on a bit of shopping spree before the Leaky Cauldron? Would give me time to know you a bit better."
Hydra knew she would not see the last of this man. He was a spy within the Death Furies and would be coordinating with her, and if she were to spend any of her time in his company, she had wished to get to know the man a little better.
"Surely, what would you like to know?" he said and began to walk with her, entering the street and soon their first shop.
Arcanus answered all her questions as she shopped. She'd been curious what happened to his father, Pius Thicknesse. Arcanus explained that he was back being Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, pardoned by Kingsley on the basis that Pius had been Imperiused, and was not to be held at fault for his actions. He explained his father was still an impartial and unbiased man, supporting many of the motions passed through the Ministry in favor of Muggles and Magical races, however he had an instilled hatred for any Dark witch or wizard after what the Death Eaters did to him. Arcanus even muttered the anger could very nearly eclipse Bartemius Crouch Sr.'s when he was alive.
Upon asking about himself, Arcanus informed her about his time at Hogwarts, how he had been sorted into Ravenclaw, and had achieved Prefect and Headboy. The stubborn belief in upholding justice, capturing Dark wizards and defending others was what caused him to pursue a career as an Auror, a career his father obviously did not protest. It was nice to listen to him talk so freely as she made her purchases. He didn't appear to have any apprehension for her as others were showing. As he talked, and even told a joke or two, Hydra found herself growing comfortable around the man and the feeling of uncertainty about him dissipating.
Laden down with various shopping bags and brown boxes, the two made their way into the Leaky Cauldron. They sat down in a small corner, away from any prying ears, and put all the packages down under their table. A blonde woman with soft, chocolate eyes approached their table to take orders. This was Hannah Abbott, a Hufflepuff she used to see in her Hogwarts days and who she had nodded in greeting earlier this morning.
"Hello there, your orders?" she asked. Arcanus smiled kindly.
"I will take some hot tea, with plenty of cream and sugar. And a roast beef sandwich," he said. Hannah nodded and turned to Hydra. Upon seeing her, the woman went rigid with surprise for a fraction of a second. Hydra noticed the shocked reaction but was too hungry to care.
"Hot tea as well, with sugar and lemon. Roast chicken will be fine with hot potato soup," she said. Hannah nodded quickly and was on her way to get the food together and the drinks. While Hydra wouldn't mind having a butterbeer or maybe even some mead, she thought it too early to be drinking anything of the sort. Arcanus turned in his seat to better face her, his arm on the table and leaning a little on it.
"Well then, shall we? As you were told, these new...Death Furies have been trying to fashion themselves after your father's former Death Eaters. However, they are not as well organized nor...disciplined. Thane is hoping to bring you in to stabilize the group, and give them more of a direction. They are banking on the simple fact of your relations to Voldemort...and that you will not shy from following in his 'noble' footsteps. I think Thane's aim in handing out those flyers all over the Wizarding communities was to try and alienate you from others, so you have no choice but to come to them. Luckily, I informed the Minister and he, even Harry Potter, agreed the best action was to go to you ourselves. We wanted you to know, to feel I suppose, that we wouldn't judge you like they hoped we would. And with that, to see if we could gain your help in stamping out these upstarts who are trying to tarnish an innocent name."
In the time that Arcanus was explaining how the Ministry reacted to Thane's propaganda, Hannah had returned with their drinks, informing them the food would be ready in a few moments' time. Saucers with cups full of tea were set down before the two of them, with bowls of sugar, cream and a small plate of sliced lemon. Hydra put up a smile in gratitude for the service and waited for Hannah to go back behind the bar before continuing her conversation with Arcanus.
" So you raced Thane to get to me to convince me to aid you and the Ministry before Thane could reach me and convince me the Wizarding world was against me?" she said, arching a brow.
"Essentially, yes," he said, lifting his cup to take a drink of the sweetened, warm tea. It had been an excellent idea to have come to her before she found out that these Death Furies had alienated her from the Wizarding community. If not, she would have had no choice but to turn to them for explanation and allow a bitterness that would have been their fault overcome her.
"Good plan," she said softly as she began to put sugar in her tea and squeeze lemon juice into it. The cup was taken up into her hands and sipped carefully. " Actually, no one ever answered my question. How did you all know where I was? My location was supposed to be secret, I thought."
"Dumbledore was your Secret Keeper, but in case of the event of his death, he entrusted the location to McGonagall. Not too long ago, Thane learned of your whereabouts. Around the same time, McGonagall had a meeting with the Minister to pass on the location of your whereabouts. I have my suspicions that there was a spy who eavesdropped on that conversation and chose the right moment to inform Thane Hammerlin about it. I am sure Thane was choosing the right time to approach you...the Ministry decided to make a more quicker decision. I have another plan, an end game, if you will," he said, dark eyes looking about to ensure they weren't being overheard.
"With them all ending up in Azkaban...but there are some complications. Thane had once eluded to there being a larger network of wizards involved while we were drinking in The White Wyvern. After saying that, he hasn't said anything else about it. If I know one thing though, liquor often works better than some of the strongest truth serums..."
Arcanus trailed off as he caught sight of Hannah bringing over their lunch. Steam was rising from the bowl of potato soup set in front of Hydra, and the chicken covered in savory herbs. The roast beef sandwich was set in front of Arcanus, loaded with fresh lettuce and vegetables. Both of them thanked Hannah before she walked away to tend to more customers. Hydra was stirring her soup when Arcanus continued.
"Bringing you in, he may loosen his tongue to impress you and inform you better about this supposed network...it is one of the bits of information I need you to pry out of him. Also, you're going to have to know the names of the members of this group and familiarize yourself with them. There's a lot to go over...I'll start from when I infiltrated them."
Over the course of lunch, Arcanus informed Hydra of everything she would need to know about the Death Furies. He told her about every person in the group. Everything was covered from their names, their careers, their family, their social status, any crimes they committed, who they knew, even mundane facts such as musical preference. Then it was time to explain to her what Thane and these people expected of her. For her to be a Pureblood fanatic, to take up her father's mantle and carry on his "noble" crusade to put Muggles in their rightful place. To lead them to greatness. It was expected of her to torture and in extreme situations, possibly kill.
It never occurred to Hydra that there was a probability she would have to commit murder. Her spoon stirred around in what was left of her potato soup. Even if the Ministry gave her a special exception, could she do such a thing to anyone? For all what her fury could be, could she take her wand, point it at someone and mutter that spell as casually as her mother and father did? Could she torture someone as they screamed until they tore their vocal chords and laugh about it? Would she be able to do something so cruel and pretend it didn't bother her? Maybe if she approached Severus Snape later...he could have some pointers on how one could keep their composure when being a double agent.
"We ought to get you back, shouldn't we?" he said, looking to the time. The time had slipped into the evening. Arcanus offered to carry some of her shopping bags and Apparate with her to Hogsmeade. Gathering the bags and getting a good grip on them, the two went into the back of the Leaky Cauldron where the dust bins were and the wall that would lead into Diagon Alley. Here they turned on the spot and in a crack, were gone.
They arrived in Hogsmeade where the sun was setting and the castle looked magnificent from afar on the horizon. The pair walked up the street that led to the school, with Arcanus making playful jokes about how much she had purchased from the shops. Hydra couldn't help but find herself smiling as Arcanus did his best to lighten the mood.
Once at the gates, both looked up to the towering turrets and mullioned windows. The place never ceased to take Hydra's breath away.
"I shall set a meeting with Thane Hammerlin soon. When I do, I'll send an owl, okay? It was nice meeting you, Hydra. I look forward to working with you," he said as he handed her the shopping bags. Hydra watched as Arcanus gave that same gentle smile before turning and making his way back to Hogsmeade. Hydra made her way back into the castle where she saw McGonagall coming down the large staircase. Upon catching McGonagall's eye, the old woman came down to meet her.
"Hydra, nice to see you back. Go on and put those in your quarters. The staff and I will be enjoying an evening feast soon. We'll be dining in the Great Hall, of course, and I'd like you to join us this time," she said before excusing herself. Hydra wasa bit hesitant to dine with the others. She had doubts they would be as happy to see her knowing the truth now, than she would be to see them. She remembered the conversation she had with Harry Potter the other day in Hogsmeade and how he informed her that his best friend, Hermoine Granger, would be starting too. Maybe Harry had owled Hermoine and informed her about herself? It would be nice to have at least one person to talk to in this castle if she were to stay and teach. With at least that to look forward to, Hydra went on to put away her purchases then rush down to the Great Hall for dinner with the rest of the staff, dearly hoping that it wouldn't be too awkward.