A/N: Hello, people!
I don't own Harry Potter.
I have no beta.
ENJOY!
CHECK ME OUT ON TUMBLR. HELLY-WATERMELONSMELLINFELLON.
-I've been sitting on a plot-point in this chapter, for a while! Hinting at it
over the course of the story but not making it a big deal. Still, it goes to
show that even the smallest pieces of information can be important later
on.
~.O.~
Hermione,
Bella's been a bit more busy lately so I haven't gotten the chance to ask her,
so I thought maybe you could help. A while back she asked my mum to help
her find Squib therapists for some of her friends. Since I'm certain you don't
need a therapist, it's all probably to help the others in your group. Specifically
the Nott boy and the Longbottom Boy. Maybe even her sister too if they get a
little closer at some point.
I wanted to ask if you could find out if they'd feel more comfortable around
men or women. Certain people who come from traumatic situations, will not
handle certain people well no matter how well-intentioned their actions are.
The Nott boy might not feel comfortable around elderly men, for example.
And the Longbottom boy might now want someone who reminds him of his
grandmother. We want them to progress, not regress.
I know it's a bit of extra work but it is for their own good. Bella is adamant
about getting them all help. Therapy helped her a lot, so she believes it'll
help them too.
On another note, I have finally managed to successfully breed my Kneazles!
There is a litter on the way and I am so excited because Kneazle kittens are
always different looking than the parents. And they come in various colours
too! Some are obviously not ones that we can trick muggles with, but most
do fit in. They'd assume people were dyeing their pets and would rant over
it if we let the more exotic ones into their world.
If you're still interested in purchasing a Kneazle, come see me when school
ends. I'll send you photos if you want to have first pick, and then we'll keep
the kitten in question until you come by to retrieve it. And I've already up a
packet of information on how to properly care for Kneazles and will make a
copy for you.
The best part about this is that I've got a license to do it, and I get paid all
the money. My parents told me that I have to be the sole caretaker and if I
prove myself ready for this, I can get my bedroom expanded! That'd mean
more space for all my books. Then we could have a sleepover at my house!
Usually we go it at Bella's because she has a much bigger bed and room, so
it'd be nice to play host to more than just Bella, you know?
We visited the states for Christmas. Everything was very festive over there
and they really take decorating seriously. Some people even set up a show
in their neighborhoods so people can deliberately drive by in the snow, just
to look at everything. We found one with a person who rented some horses
and horse-drawn sleighs for a ride around the nearby park for $5. The ride
was fifteen minutes of sparkles and displays that were synced up to music!
We don't celebrate Christmas in my house but seeing how into it the people
got over there, made me kind of like it a lot more. One person literally had a
petting zoo that you could walk through and pet all the animals! They had a
manger scene too. And the music! It's all repeats over there! And there are
so many versions of the same song sung by practically everyone! Some are
good and some weren't. Some had great instrumentals, and some didn't. It
was nice.
And the shopping! It rivaled Diagon Alley on Election Day! In case you don't
know about it yet, Election Day is more than just a day where the people in
the government are replaced or allowed to keep their positions. It is also a
day where the Ministry enforces a wide sale of everything in Diagon Alley to
distract potential voters. Limited, once in a lifetime sales that only happen
at a certain hour near voting time. And there is no law against it of course,
so they continue doing it every six years. This means less chances to vote
in someone new, usually. And the states at Christmas were very much like
how the people get on Election Day.
Sometimes, I think that we as humans forget that there are other humans
outside of our immediate focus. That they are subjective to human nature
and can and will do the same things we do even if we've never met. Some
American muggles(called no-majs there) are just like British muggles. And
despite what people want to ignore, all these people are very much alike.
It's a humbling thought.
Hoping you are well,
Amara.
Aaliyah didn't often have to play hostess to people, but she was becoming used to having Bella's godfathers over for tea. And usually it was tea and discussion. Typically the kind that had her imparting advice upon them because of how unused to parenting they were.
After the drama in the magical papers over the past few weeks, she'd been aware that James and Lily Potter had finally been released from prison and would have to insert themselves back into society once more. She also knew that they might try to cause some friction once again to get people back on their sides, and she'd been correct.
Cue the articles portraying them as simple people. Innocents who had done no wrong. Concerned, first-time parents just doing their best. And some people were even believing it too!
The statements James Potter made about Prunella Potter made her sound more like a commodity than a person though. And his words didn't ring with affection or a relatively positive emotion when speaking of her. Not that people seemed to notice that.
According to Remus, Prunella was worried because she'd recently received a letter from Lily hinting at her possibly acting out soon. And she was worried that she'd have to go back to them at some point, and be forced to stay.
How bad was it living with them, that despite getting everything she ever wanted while growing up, the child did not want to go back if she could help it? What exactly had they put her through to make her detest their house and refuse to return even for a quick visit or to get some of her possessions? She literally had only clothes from their house and even those weren't many in number.
"They can't actually do anything, right?" Aaliyah asked, unsure of how other things on the magical side were handled. Some were pretty backwards but she wasn't aware of everything just yet. "It's not like you've broken the law or anything and she has info on you."
Sirius shook his head. "She has nothing on us, but Molly has been gathering up her memories over the past ten years. Every time Prue visited their home because of something more than just playing, has been set aside in a collection of memory vials just in case. And she's working on extracting some memories from Prue just to be safe. We need proof of poor parenting of the child they kept and Molly swears that there is a lot of it, but she only wants to use it if the Potters act out first."
Then what did Lily Potter think she was going to be able to do? She spent a decade literally sitting back and basking in her daughter's fame, and then saw her perfect world destroyed by her own actions in the span of a few months. It wasn't like she had all that power and reach anymore. The Potter family was nearing destitution in terms of magical wealth now.
Money was gone. Fame was gone. She had nothing left to her name. Marital or adopted. She and her husband didn't exactly get on so there was no love in that relationship. Things were looking bleak for the Potters, so what could possibly assure the woman that she would have succeed in whatever she was planning? in fact, her faith in herself kind of worried Aaliyah a bit.
"And how is Prunella taking the situation?" Aaliyah asked. The one who would be most affected would be her and it was the next five or so years on the line for the girl.
The two men shared a look, before Remus sighed and said, "She seemed resigned to it."
Poor kid. Now more than ever, she was glad that Bella had managed to find her own way in the world without those idiots bringing her down.
"In the coming days, you may find yourselves under heavy scrutiny by the rest of the students and even the staff. With Salazar Slytherin's portrait being returned to the walls of Hogwarts, there will come many harsh criticisms from others who wish to see you taken down. Whatever happens, you are not to respond when in public. You will not cause a scene. And if our Founder says anything to you, you will listen carefully and without presumption. Do I make myself clear?" Severus asked the gathered students.
His Slytherins all nodded silently. It was best that they understand the situation for what it was. With Salazar right in everyone's face every single day, old grudges against Slytherins were going to rear their hideous heads onces again. Even if the Founders spoke out against the prejudice, it wasn't going to just make it all disappear.
And things might even get worse for a while. They needed to know the truth and Severus wasn't about to be the one to keep it from them. He was the only one on their side from the very beginning. And even if it hurt, he was going to be as brutally honest with them as he could be.
"Do not travel alone. Do not abandon your groups for anything. Your pride as a Hogwarts House is on the line in these coming months. Your dislike for each other will not reach ears outside this Common Room. And if you see anything happening to one of own own, you will act in defence and come to me as quickly as possible with memory intact. Understand?"
"Yes, Professor Snape."
"If the Founders impart any kind of knowledge or wisdom upon you, you are to take it with a gracious attitude and a smile, and thank them for the offer. Do not make yourselves look like the bad ones here and they will take your side. They have been informed of the prejudices running deep in the school from every angle. They will be watching all of us."
He could sense their unease. The dramatic shift among the students pleased him.
Maybe, just maybe, the Founders being around could help Slytherin's reputation finally take a better turn. It was stressful being the Head of the 'evil House' and having to watch as children who were not even raised in the magical world, were held accountable for the horrible actions of past Slytherins such as the Dark Lord and ¾ of his followers.
It wasn't a safe environment no matter how much he tried to make it one. For many Slytherins, Hogwarts was a respite from their abusive home lives. And yet Hogwarts couldn't even truly be a safe haven for them because ¾ of the school hated them upon sight.
What was he to do? Granting detentions and taking points wouldn't change their minds. Change only happened if the people themselves wanted to change.
Who was going to make them want it?
So Bella had decided to see what was up with the Locket. Since it was Slytherin's Locket, it held value to the Slytherin family and by extension, Tom's blood relations on his mother's side. The Gaunts.
The Locket did not open when she tried opening it. She'd tried every kind of tool she could manage and even ended up breaking a nail down really low, but nothing happened. It was like it had been super-glued shut or something. Did magical people even have glue?
Finally, she stared at the glittering S and hissed, §Open.§ It was worth a shot since it was a Slytherin possession.
It snapped open with a loud click, revealing two large, dark blue eyes inside the windows. She'd been expecting a portrait or a note within, but instead this was it. And both eyes blinked up at her from where the locket rested in her palm. They weren't whole eyeballs, just the part you would normally see when looking at someone's face.
They were unnerving. And they were not the colour of Salazar's eyes in his portrait. Salazar had green eyes.
The metal turned warm in her palm and she wondered how that was possible. Tom's Diary couldn't do that.
A weird, screechy noise seemed to echo through the dorm room, and she was grateful to have set up a privacy charm that Remus had taught her. She didn't want to deal with anyone's questions.
§Who are you?§ she asked the locket, curious to see if it could speak back like Tom.
The screeching stopped suddenly, leaving her to the stillness of the dorm room.
§I am Tom,§ the Locket responded in Parseltongue. The eyes blinked just like normal eyes. She wondered if those were what Tom's eyes truly looked like. If so… they were lovely. Different shades of blue in every striation. A unique mixture. §Who are you?§ the Locket asked in return.
§I'm Belladonna. And I'm a friend of Tom Riddle's.§
Both eyes narrowed and turned crimson and slitted within a second. §How?§ it demanded.
Having brought the Diary back with her for the first time, Bella was able to just reach over to her bedside drawer, and pull it out. She waved it three time in front of the eyes. §Tom is my friend. Not really sure if I'm his friend, but our relationship is good enough for me.§
The red disappeared, and the eyes took on a sort of interested gleam.
§Place me inside the book and then close it. Do nothing else besides that.§
She was tempted not to just to be contrary, but what could a smaller piece of Tom's soul, do against the biggest piece out there? So she did as she was told and waited.
Tom blinked at the very sudden and unexpected presence of himself inside his Diary. Having been alone in the sepia world for literal decades, he'd come to expect loneliness until Bella came around to talk every other day. And even then he didn't know what she looked like or sounded like. It was frustrating.
And yet there stood another him, though he could tell it was much older. The hair was a bit thinner and held less of a curl to it. And the face was more sunken in than he expected. He looked like one of the WWII survivors. His robes were horrendous and obviously from the charity shop in Diagon Alley. Not too far past graduation age.
"My Diary fell into the hands of a foolish little girl who thinks you're her friend?" the other him sneered, looking disgusted.
Bristling at the insult to Tom's chosen companion, Tom glared. "Bella is actually my friend and has been invaluable to me. More valuable than my real self has managed to be these past 60+ years."
The other him glared. "I've been in the locket for ages. I know nothing of what has happened."
Tom scoffed at the other him and gestured to a chair at his table. "Then take a seat and listen to what I have to say. It's a good thing time doesn't seem to exist in here."
He was devising a plan. He had information and the Locket had information. Tom had the biggest soul piece though. If it came down to a battle of control between them, he would surely win.
"A lot has happened, and Voldemort had lost his damn sanity. All plans have been ruined by his poor thinking and we need to fix things."
Another Quidditch game that was a success. Prue had not only managed to beat the score she'd gotten in her second game last season, but the team as a whole had performed better. Each Chaser made at least ten scores of their own, which was a vast improvement compared to exactly one year ago. And the commentators and crowd had noticed!
The turn out had been about half in favour of the Cannons this time, compared to everyone cheering for their competition.
Maybe the team would actually be able to change their motto back to what it used to be when she was finished.
Prue was eager to try more dangerous stunts in the upcoming games. She had full faith that they would make it to the Championship so long as she stayed in good health.
Captain Holt was very pleased.
The sports columns were also bringing up Prue's name a lot more as of late. And it was capturing international attention. Enough for her name to be mentioned in France's Le Petit Oracle. Positive press about her Quidditch skills would make it easier to convince the Welsh National Team to sign her on. And Sirius had agreed to help her when that time came, even if he thought she was a bit young to be an international level player.
He also recognised that it would be foolish to hold Prue back when this was literally all she's trained for when growing up. So he'd agreed to get his own lawyer to help when the time came.
She was excited! All she needed was for James and Lily to stay out of the way until then.
"Hey, aren't you supposed to be with Belladonna's group?"
Luna took the offered hand and smiled at the girl who was helping her off the floor. She'd gotten a bit lost in thought and had tripped, causing her possessions to spill across the stone. And who should be the one to come out of nowhere and help her up? Why Prunella Potter, that's who.
The redhead was looking a bit better than usual. Her hair was still a mess and her glasses took up half of her face, but she was looking more healthy. Skin tone not a deadly shade of pale like it sometimes was in the visions Luna had received. And her freckles stood out even more than usual in the light of the sunny day that kept the corridor bright.
"I'm fine," the blonde insisted, smoothing over her dress and patting off any dirt. "I just get lost in thought sometimes and it leaves me a little scatterbrained."
"Are you sure that's just it?" Prunella asked warily, looking as if she wanted to say even more but didn't know if it would be welcomed.
Luna's only answer was a questioning look.
"It's just- you know, you get bullied. Like a lot. I was expecting to see someone else here when I saw you laying on the floor."
Oh! That made a lot more sense. She wasn't aware that Prunella Potter was paying so much attention to Bella's group of friends. Perhaps she should keep an eye on the older girl as well?
"No, things have calmed down a lot since I've fallen under Bella's protection. People try to harm me a lot less now." And whether Bella realised it or not, people were wary of approaching her to an extent. There was an air about her that made her seem dangerous even if she wasn't a bully.
"That's good." Prunella looked down at the scattered books and parchment and bent over to help pick everything up. Once it was all situated back into Luna's bag, she handed it over with a small smile. "Don't be afraid to speak up if someone's bothering you." The rays of sunlight shining through the windows, brightened then, illuminating the both of them suddenly.
"I won't," Luna promised, feeling a little stunned by how her heart rate had just sped up for literally not apparently reason.
But she had just noticed that red hair and green eyes were quite fetching in the sunlight.
CONVICTED DEATH EATERS on the LOOSE!
Dear readers, I regret having to be the one to inform you of this, but two of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's
followers have managed to escape their Azkaban holding cells. Bellatrix Lestrange and Peter Pettigrew. The
whereabouts of these criminals are unknown and the last time either was seen was about four months ago.
No comment was given on why that is the case.
For those who don't recall, Bellatrix Lestrange was considered You-Know-Who's best fighter and Pettigrew
was the Potter's Secret Keeper under his lord's direction. He gave up the address of Prunella Potter so the
prophecy could be fulfilled and You-Know-Who would reign over our community without direct opposition.
And now they are freely roaming about our land.
More about Bellatrix Lestrange, Peter Pettigrew, Prunella Potter, and the "Chosen One's" prophecy can be
found on Pg. C-1.
This situation has brought many questions forth for consideration. Why is there no regular patrol pattern
in Azkaban? How could one hundred days have gone by without anyone noticing that two of the most evil
prisoners were missing? What are the stationed Aurors getting up to when they're on duty? How come it
took a Dementor going into one of the empty cells for it to realise no one was inside? Why are Dementors
allowed to just randomly enter prisoner's cells without Ministry order? Why did the Aurors refuse to answer
any of my questions on the matter?
Furthermore, why is Azkaban so poorly managed? The building is filthy from top to bottom and I was far
too terrified to even touch anything while there. Why are members of our society not being watched over
properly while behind those, aged, bronze doors?
I promise to do my best to get to the bottom of this!
On a side note, the Ministry requests that if anyone catches sight of these criminals, they are to bring a
memory of the event in to the Auror Office for further investigation. If you are found withholding news
you will find yourself spending a week in Azkaban as punishment.
Rita Skeeter,
Special Correspondent to the Daily Prophet.
It was perfect! Of all the things that could happen, this would surely give James the push he needed in the Wizengamot. Proving how incompetent the workers of Azkaban were, would be the first step in reforming the prison and changing things around. Rita had, unknowingly, helped him a great deal by printing such an article right now!
He was minutely worried over Bellatrix's escape, but Peter was nothing to worry about. He'd had no remarkable abilities in school and it was only by Lupin's help that he managed to become an Animagus. The best thing he'd be used for would be legwork and even that wouldn't be something he'd be good at. He was a very clumsy person and all around awkward as an individual.
Not knowing where Bellatrix was hiding meant there was no point in trying to find her. After being in prison for so long, she wouldn't just up and show her face again so soon. She'd never been a dumb one. So it was best to focus on everything else going on around them at present. Get as much done as they could before she decided it was time to act.
James had already acquired every law book he could at the Ministry's Hall of Records. So far he'd found that Azkaban was violating nineteen laws the Minsitry had never bothered to change, and he was building a sound lawsuit with the help of his barrister, John.
He was mainly doing this for himself. He was angry over his year in prison and how wrongfully he'd been treated for the lowest of possible convictions. And he knew that once the purpose of the lawsuit came out, and people read through every detail of exactly what laws the Ministry was breaking, even those of family members who'd committed terrible acts like murder or torture, would jump on the wagon and aim at the Ministry too. All that attention wouldn't be good for Fudge's lazy arse and he'd be under a hot flame until he decided to do something or risk his chances at being re-elected.
He'd been aware for some time that the Ministry was corrupt. He simply hadn't thought it extended this terribly. And he'd been given no reason to think on it because his experience before prison hadn't been so terrible.
While James was busy building a solid argument to get what he wanted, Lily was lazing around. She hadn't even bothered to leave the house yet from what he had noted. And she wasn't corresponding with anyone. If she wasn't so emotionless, he would have thought her to be depressed.
Not that he cared. If she didn't seek to make life fulfilling, then that was on her. He wasn't her keeper and he had more important things to see to as of late.
Such as trying to get hold of Prue, trying to get this lawsuit written up properly, and trying to make his station in society what it once was.
If his parents were still alive, they would have left his arse stinging for all of this negative press heaped onto the Potter name. He'd locked their portraits in the family vault for a reason all those years ago. His mum would have tanned his hide without hesitation if she knew how badly their family was viewed now. And it wasn't even his fault!
Deciding it was best to visit John to finalise the paperwork, James sent Lily a blank look and said, "I'm heading to Diagon Alley."
She gave no answer, which wasn't shocking. He'd gotten used to her attitude in recent years.
Maybe Azkaban had affected her more than she let on.
He paused in the doorway to look back and see if there was something he'd possibly missed in her expression. But no, she was simply staring at the hearth that remained unlit, her face passive and gaunt.
A shiver trailed down his spine and his head snapped around, searching for the Dementor that he already knew wouldn't be there! He really wished his body would stop doing that! Azakaban was behind him now and that meant it needed to leave him alone!
And he needed to make certain that the hearth was always lit because the cold was not appealing any longer and it reminded him of the Dementors far too much.
Easter wasn't something that anyone in Hogwarts celebrated. Okay, maybe like five people in total who were that kind of religious, but there legally had to be a break from schooling at some point between December and June, and April was the perfect time to do so. So they called it Easter hols and left it at that. This time it was the last day of March but it was basically the same thing.
Prue had planned to not go home for the week they'd gotten off. She hadn't signed the paper to go home either. Sirius and Remus were at the school so she already had a guardian present, and Mrs. Weasley had given the okay for her to remain at the school along with the rest of her children. That was 2/4 of her guardians who agreed on the same thing.
So why did Lily think she could just up and take Prue away without anyone doing anything about it? As Prue had many guardians, one couldn't simply take her somewhere without informing one of the others. Like how Sirius couldn't take her to the mainland of Europe with Mrs. Weasley's permission. There were rules in place and since Lily didn't have James with her, it was just her word to go by, which wasn't enough. And if the other guardians didn't agree with the desired action, it couldn't be done at all.
McGonagall had been the first line of defence but since she could not legally withhold a student from their guardian, she had to call Prue up to her office. Thankfully she'd thought ahead and also called Sirius. McGonagall was often guilty of not doing anything, or not doing enough, but she was at least not on James or Lily's side and that made her at least tolerable.
"I want her home for the week," Lily said, getting right up in Sirius' face. Both were tall and nearly the same height so it was practically even between them. She looked different though.
Her hair had been chopped all the way up to her chin and her body was much thinner than Prue remembered. She had also forgone robes, instead just wearing denim trousers and a red jumper. Standing opposite Sirius, she looked like a mess who wouldn't be able to stand up for herself let alone a child in her care. It was the least put together she'd ever been in Prue's eyes.
"Prue doesn't want to leave the castle for Easter. Molly and I have already agreed to let her stay. James isn't here with you and you cannot take her nor do you have a leg to stand on in this scenario."
Her head kept moving from side to side as the argument continued. Sirius would sneer something, Lily would try to enforce some idea she'd come up with. McGonagall remained seated at the desk behind them, looking as if she wanted everyone to simply go away and leave her some peace. To think this was only the little bit of Lily she had to deal with. Prue got her for eleven years in a row!
"You're up to something, and don't think I won't find out. I have methods of extracting information, Potter."
She glared at him. "Planning on using Dark Arts on me, Black?"
Even Prue had to roll her eyes at that one. Sirius didn't use Dark Magic ever. Everyone knew it. He was ridiculously proud of it even. Bragged about it whenever he found the time to.
"I have other ways. Ways far more merciful than a mere torture curse. Either cease whatever ridiculous plot you've cooked up, or all of your dirty secrets will be bared to the public."
Lily scoffed in his face. "I've never had anything to hide and no secrets that you think you know of!"
It was Prue's turn to scoff. "Just like you weren't hiding the fact that Belladonna never lived with us, from the population of Magical Britain?" She couldn't help it. She knew a lot of things about her parents. Things they didn't think she'd witnessed. She knew far more than she let on, and if Mrs. Weasley asked her to share those things, then she'd do it just to see Lily's face of horror once it was all revealed.
"The adults are talking, Prue. Stay quiet," Lily ordered without even looking at Prue. In fact, she had yet to look at Prue since she'd entered McGonagall's office. It was nothing new. In the past few years, sometimes it felt more like Lily was looking through Prue instead of at her.
Even if Prue was twelve years old, she didn't like to be treated like a child. And the reason for that was because adults were always going around, acting as if children didn't know anything and therefore couldn't have a damn opinion on what was going on. And they always took the child's voice from them to make themselves feel smarter. Merlin forbid the kid actually be the smart one or be capable of thinking.
Lily had this thing where she would talk in a sweet voice but do not sweet things. It always felt condescending to Prue, and she hated to think of it and what it could mean.
A fellow Gryffindor, who was a Seventh Year muggleborn, would call her a 'Kiss Arse'. A 'brown noser'.
The friction between Sirius and Lily didn't let up for a second and Remus placed a hand on Prue's back in the best sign of comfort he could give her given their current relationship.
She just wanted to go back to the dorm and play chess with Ron, even if he'd destroy her at it.
There was a commotion out in the Entrance Hall. It wasn't odd for drama to happen there as it was a school full of children and drama happened all the time. But this kind of drama was new because it was happening over the Founders' portraits. Specifically, a Ravenclaw was arguing with their Founder over the values of Ravenclaw House and Rowena was simply not having it.
The whole school very well couldn't cram into the hall itself, nor could they see everything from the Great Hall, but they could very well hear everything going on.
It all started when Rowena's voice echoed through the Great Hall during breakfast. She was chastising a student for attacking another student, not just in broad daylight, but for doing it at all. Bella had to remind herself that each Founder stood for different things. Slytherin was more for cunning and Ravenclaw was supposed to be more for acceptance.
Word spread quickly that it was an older Ravenclaw who had cursed a first year Slytherin while her back was turned. While she had been minding her own business and reading book on fairytales. And unfortunately, she'd forgotten the rule about never going anywhere alone and staying in a group. An attack happened right in front of the Founders and Rowena had been the very first to speak because it was a member of her House who had assaulted another student in a place meant for safety for magical children.
"How dare you!" has echoed through the two rooms that stood right beside one another. "If your House hadn't already been removed form the points competition this year, due to your own actions may I remind you, I would have removed every point myself and issued you a detention for the rest of the term!"
The Great Hall had gone silent when her voice had called out so loudly, waiting to hear more. Some students had even gotten up to get a closer look at the action themselves. They'd been too curious to mind their own business, but all of them were guilty of that so it wasn't such a big deal. Watching other people get into trouble was fun sometimes.
"But she's a slimy Slytherin!" was the Ravenclaw boy's response. That kind of thing always annoyed Bella because snakes weren't even slimy! Snakes were rather dry for the most part!
And that set it off. There was a reason Ravenclaws were considered know-it-alls. Bella couldn't even recall all of the words that had been used, but she did know that Rowena had basically called the boy and idiot in at least thirteen different ways and three languages. And her voice progressively got louder and louder as the tirade continued.
"And how dare you perpetuate the ridiculous notion that Salazar would ever conspire against children of any sort!" she went on to say. "Mark my words you are going to attack the wrong person one day, young man, and it is going to be your downfall. A Slytherin will end up being the only one who can save you and none of them will bother if you keep treating them like this! You are on your way to graduation and you still haven't grasped the fact that the world isn't split up in the four Hogwarts Houses!"
It was brutal and amazing, and everything Bella had been wanting to be said aloud for the entire school to hear. And Salazar had done nothing to stop her as she defended him.
Hearing a Hogwarts Founder, who wasn't their own, defending them, had Slytherin House in a state of shock. Many of the students looked to be confused over why Rowena Ravenclaw would defend them at all, and the rest of the school was even more baffled, though mostly because their attitudes were finally being called out and they weren't used to being punished for their actions by anyone other than Batman.
Since no one else really called out the prejudices against Slytherins, the rest of the school laboured under the impression that B-Man was overreacting and favouring the Slytherins too much. He was 'so unfair to everyone else' and all that rubbish!
Bella looked toward where McGonagall was standing from her seat at the center of the Head Table. Her mouth was pinched together so tight it was almost as if it would never open again. She probably didn't like the faults of the school being pointed out so brazenly, but what would she be able to do against the school's Founders?
Hogwarts was not perfect no matter how much the alumni of all ages believed it was. Sexism and Blood Purism were rampant through the halls, and it wasn't just in Slytherin that these things were prevalent. Ravenclaw housed a considerable amount of Pureblood Supremacists, but they slipped under the radar because they weren't in the 'evil House' and didn't use Dark Magic. As if that made any difference in the end.
Coming from a person who grew up in the modern world and got to watch as things slowly but surely got better in society, Bella could see the many flaws. And she knew that Hermione could as well. Magical Britain needed to be brought out of the Middle Ages. It was far too backwards to truly thrive and if they wanted to continue existing, things needed to be changed. Not just by introducing muggleborns and Squibs back into the community, but by expanding their community altogether and being more open.
McGonagall stalked down the center aisle of the Great Hall and out the double doors. Students hastily split down the middle to let her pass and she could be heard demanding to know exactly what had happened. The downed Slytherin girl was obvious enough to explain what happened however.
"What would make you think this was okay?" she demanded of the Ravenclaw.
And He'd dared to shrug and tell her, "We do it all the time and no one but Snape cared enough to stop us before, so we believed it was fine."
While his candidness did make Bella very angry, she knew that it was necessary to possibly finally getting McGonagall's head out of her arse and make her pay attention. People didn't take the Slytherin's side in anything ever. And he'd just blatantly admitted to using that to his advantage to get away with assault. Repeatedly.
Hopefully it would instigate some change. Hopefully.
Albus had to wonder how things had become so... different. And not even for the better in his humble opinion. Having the Founders around once again was troublesome for more reasons than he cared to enumerate, but he did not like it and made his feelings known to Minerva.
She did not listen to him and went ahead with hanging them up and charming them alongside Filius so no one would be able to remove them without extensive know how. Meaning if they went missing, only few people would be looked to and Albus would be among them, so he could not put them back in the Room of Requirement now.
And why was this happening? because Belladonna Potter's group had decided to get involved and were now affecting everything in the school. And the great change he'd been expecting wasn't coming from Prunella, who still was doing average work on half of her classes. Sure, she was advanced in Defence and Charms and Quidditch, but the rest she simply didn't care for and put no effort into.
He was frustrated over both girls and how the one who was supposed to save them all wasn't doing her duty, and how the forgotten one was more of a heroine that her own twin was.
How had it all come to this?
And did people forget that Tom Riddle was out there still, trying to regain power? And if Bellatrix and Peter managed to find him somehow, they could help him return to power even faster than before.
Yet no one seemed concerned but him!
Albus would have to do everything himself and that was simply not hos prophecy intended for it to be! The prophecy specifically stated that Dark Lord Would Mark the Child as His Equal!
He was given pause as the quote rang through his mind. The prophecy hadn't specified the gender of the one who would defeat Tom. And three children had been born at the end of July. It very well could be possible that Belladonna or Neville Longbottom could be the ones the prophecy spoke of. It never said when Tom would mark the child, just that the child would be marked.
Perhaps Albus needed to come at this from a different angle. Neville Longbottom wasn't anything spectacular, but if Albus spoke with Augusta, they might be able to get working on him. Belladonna was a far better choice as a defeater of Voldemort, but she didn't seem as tied to the magical world as the former two children were. How would she be forced to confront Voldemort? How can Albus manipulate events to where that would be necessary?
And the public would be made to see reason eventually once Voldemort returned and once again renewed his reign of terror. And since Albus wasn't the one who spread the news of Prunella defeating Voldemort, nor did he give her the title Girl-Who-Lived, he couldn't possibly take any of the blame for it. Meaning James and Lily would be in for a rough time if Albus revealed that Prunella wasn't the Child of Prophecy.
But it was for the Greater Good. If they had to suffer some more, then so be it.
With this in mind, Albus simply had to wait patiently for any signs of Tom trying to return to power.
The Locket Will no longer speak to you.
Bella blinked, having not expected that the moment she opened up the Diary again.
Did you do something to it?
I absorbed the piece of soul inside it. The piece did not have enough magic, nor was it
big enough, to give me a body again. I will need the soul and magic of Xenophon after
all, but at least I am more informed than I was before.
Well Bella wasn't sad about that. For a moment she wondered if there was something wrong with her that she was planning the murder of someone all to get her friend a body. And then she remembered who the soon-to-be murdered individual was, and her guilt melted away immediately.
Xenophon Nott was a monster and his death would be mourned by no one. Not even his own grandson. He deserved what was coming to him and honestly, Bella was kind of sad it would be as easy and sucking out his soul and magic.
That bloodthirsty side of her personality was rearing its ugly head again. A bit concerning but not too much.
That's good! You have even more soul that Voldy does now and you can take
care of Theo's problem at the same time. It'll all work out!
Not yet I'm afraid.
Huh?
Why not?
He was… going mad, Bella. The soul piece itself was only about nineteen years old and
yet he was already losing his mind. I've gained all of his memories up until his creation
and it got so much worse than I ever imagined it being. He worked in Knockturn Alley!
Of all the places to get a job after school, that was where he'd decided to gain followers
and grow his support base. I'm appalled.
I need time to assimilate all of these new memories. I don't feel stable enough to commit
to anything right now and I feel - actually FEEL - like I've been spinning for half a century
and have only just stopped moving. It's nauseating. He murdered more people and made
more Horcruxes. Hufflepuff's Cup is also one. He was planning to search for Ravenclaw's
Diadem after the Locket was made.
That sucked. Voldy's soul was so effed up that it was literally making an incorporeal being physically ill.
Weird.
And at least she knew what another Horcrux was. If she found it for Tom, then that would be another soul piece on his side. How many did Voldy even make? And why did he think this many was necessary?
I'm sorry, Tom. Does this mean I can wear the locket like it's normal now?
It isn't a Horcrux any longer. Have no fear. I feel dizzy.
If I could make it stop I would.
I know. I don't think I'll be able to talk much for a while. I'm sorry.
Tom?
Tom?
Nothing but silence from his end.
Get well, Tom.
Another first place certificate! Bella was super excited about it because she'd once again succeeded at another local...ish competition and it made Juniors look all the more appealing in her mind's eye. Of course Aaliyah had to be the voice of reason though.
"Don't get your hopes up. When you enter Juniors, you will be the youngest by three years. The others will have been in Juniors at least that long, save for Sandra Lewis. They'll have more experience than you and could very well beat you out at any time. Getting complacent now will only hurt your chances later on."
She knew this objectively, and she did in no way think she was the best skater in the world. But could she really be blamed for how she viewed things? Her Twice-Blessed ability allowed her to succeeded so long as she put her everything into what she wanted, and then she wouldn't retain injuries for too long. It was an epic combination! So Bella had better chances naturally than her skating peers!
She was sure she'd at least medal at her first Junior competition. She'd been putting too much effort into rounding out her skill set, just for it to go to waste. The training had to have a pay off at some point.
How else was she going to surpass her idol, Kim Yuna?
Bella had high hopes for her future.
Lily was sat in one of the offices inside Gringotts. She wasn't there as a member of the Potter family however, and had requested the assistance of any Goblin capable of giving an Inheritance Test.
Once, back in her fourth year, she'd brewed the potion wizards used with the help of Severus Snape. They'd both taken a look at their family histories and that was how she'd learned she was adopted. When she returned home to confront her parents about it, they'd been honest, but after lying to her her entire life, she felt she couldn't trust them. And so she stopped reaching out.
The results of the test had been burned because she'd been terrified of anyone finding out. Her fellow Gryffindors would have burned her alive for it, so it was best that she take it to the grave. Yet now, with how her life had been backed into a dingy corner with no means of escape available, she'd decided to reveal the truth. And the best way was to get her blood tested by the Goblins, whose magic was more advanced.
The Goblin aiding her was named Ungrphkik. He was like all Goblins. Short, surly, and with hands mostly made of gnarled fingers tipped with massive claws that could probably deal heavy damage if he so desired.
"There will be no going back from this," he warned her in a deep monotone, showing he didn't care and was just doing his job. Forewarning her though to consider what this all meant.
"I am aware. But it needs to be done."
It was something she'd kept close to the chest her entire adult life, but she felt it was time to say something. Claiming her Houses would allow her more… leverage. And it would give her the out she needed and a better position in the current society of Magical Britain.
"Sign here, here, and here. Then you'll initial everywhere else. All of your initials, please?" the Goblin ordered, proffering a long parchment.
Lily read through the printed words just to be sure, and then signed her blood name with a Black Quill. The page grew warm and turned as red as her blood for a second, before returning to normal.
"It is finished," Ungrphkik said with a snap of the fingers. "Would you like a few moments to collect yourself before we continue?"
She shook her head. She'd taken decades to collect herself in regards to this information. She didn't need any more time to make up her mind over it. She just wanted to get it all done and over with. "I'm ready."
"Then I shall collect the Selwyn, Blishwick, and Gaunt Account Managers."
On the parchment, staring up at her with words that had haunted her since she was fourteen, was her true name. The one that revealed to her the fact that she had been adopted. The one that made her Fifth Year such a struggle.
She was seeking to shorten her full name in the coming days once she had everything set up. But the others… would be necessary no matter how Dark aligned they were. She'd planned to go her entire life without sharing this secret, but now it had to come into the light.
Lily Hyacinth Potter Selwyn Blishwick Gaunt. Daughter of Ambrosia Selwyn and Arvant Blishwick. And who had Ambrosia been the illegitimate daughter of? Artemis Selwyn and Morfin Gaunt. And she was the only one left in each of those three lines, capable of becoming the Head of each.
Lily was one of Slytherin's descendants. Nothing in her life would be the same after today. But maybe that was just fine.
~.O.~
A/N: Another is done!
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