Wayward Witch

Diantha Potter had caused a ruckus upon sending a letter to her friends a few days after she pulled off her plan.

'SHE DID WHAT?!'

According to Ron Weasley, she got annoyed that she had to deal with the Dursleys another summer, so she looked for a magic school that allows year-long live-in students within its school dorms. That, and a House Elf visited her warning her not to go back to Hogwarts. Because it can't speak against its master, Diantha had to trick it into answering yes and no questions.

Somebody is up to no good in Hogwarts, and he tried warning her the best he could while unable to speak against his master nor reveal his identity. She found a magic school that matched her criteria and she signed up. As long as she doesn't have to go back to the Dursleys, she doesn't care any more about her relatives!

That, and she gifted Hermione books for her birthday and for Ron, he got...a pouch of seeds of fruit trees, and a potion that instantly grows said trees to full maturity. 'It'll be ideal to plant them on the TIME they are seasonally-ripe. That way the trees would follow the seasons of their fellow trees. For example, Peaches are in season in spring so plant that tree in spring! It'll be instantly ripe the minute he did and fruit a lot 'they'll be forced to sell the excess off'. She would have given vegetable seeds too, but the elf said the Weasleys are prone to Gnomes...yeah, no vegetable garden will last, so trees it is.

Thing is, still no clue where Diantha went!

(She just relocated them under another name, changed the keys and who's allowed access and paid for it. She can't use the Main Vault yet until 17 though)

And right now, she's in a nice apartment in Slur Street, living on the more modern side so she has access to electricity, water and gas. Its the safest place out of all College Towns in Clock Tower, a hidden school smack-dab in the middle of London Dobby found for her. He also got for her exam question and answer cheat sheets that he copied for her to study, and she passed the exams with an 89% score which wasn't so bad...for someone who cheated, lolz...

Like wizardkind, magi horribly underestimate House Elves. Which is why Dobby is her informant and personal thief. She pays him with potions to heal his wounds caused by (after some questioning and guessing) the Malfoys. Sometimes, with food if he hasn't eaten anything yet.

Its owned by Lord Norwich, the Daddy Long-Legs of the Twelve Lords of Clock Tower.

She's a student of the Botany Department but dorming elsewhere for her own safety as the students of her department are kinda nutty. the unhealthy kind of nutty that shouldn't be let loose in society. Hedwig had to be taken by Dobby to Hogsmeade during the day for her safety while she's at school and only home when she is. But the potions here are good stuff...they were capable of many, many things. Witchcraft is looked down upon though that Potions was a more respectable thing to study that Potions Class has more students than Witchcraft itself. And with a teacher like SNAPE, she took on Potions too.

However, its more potent than the ones produced in her side of society when she had Dobby compare for her. It can restore a malnourished kid, and bring out the best in their genes, and 'erase from her genetic blueprint' the bad parts. The more you have, the more it'll damn HURT, and must be taken at a young age. Say, younger than 15 years old. Sure she retained her brunette waves and her mother's eyes, but she lost all semblance to them, growing up a beauty with features taken from her bloodline that suited her to make her her own beauty.

She's UNRECOGNIZABLE.

Being a newcomer, she was required to take the Fundamentals for five years, so she took on a lot for herself. She took on two courses; the basics and Botany, taking four subjects from two faculties a year. Had she had a single faculty with a full course, she'd finish in five years, but with what she did, she'll take longer but that's fine with her.

Not only that, when she was tasked by a professor to take some boxes to Kischur Faculty, she had to pass by Eulyphis and all sorts of alarms rang.

'What's that?' she frowned as some ghosts apprehended her and an old man appeared the next.

'Oho? You have some interesting case young lady.' he said.

'Uh sir? These boxes are supposed to go to Kischur from Professor Lerhman...'

'Not those boxes girl. Are you aware you have a parasitic possession in your head?'

'Wait, what...?' she was possessed and she didn't know when, how and why?

'I'm interested as I have never seen a seventh of a soul, its fascinating!' said the old man, speaking as if he has a mystery to crack and he really does...

'Wait, who's psycho enough to chop their soul into seven pieces?! What about Magic Circuits?!' if there's anything she learned about this place, there are two solid gold facts. Lineage and Magic Circuits are everything. These two determine whether or not you'll make it as a first-rate magus or not.

She herself has a high amount with quality to match. Too high for 'a mere commoner' she had to get Gringotts to print her lineage out in Parchment that led to her birth that got the Administration that's located in the 13th Faculty raising its eyebrows, but when she talked about where she came from, they would tell her, 'What a waste!' because during that time, her family could have accomplished plenty, but wasted time spouting pureblood nonsense with nothing to show for it and all Diantha had, was her quality as a magus she has the potential to be first-rate.

'Well, after a millennia of nothing but idle idiocy, maybe you'd start something worth looking at.'

That, and she accompanied an Officer to Diagon Alley...that was after exchanging a suitcase of pounds into galleons, sickles and knuts. Actually, Diantha craftily traded with her officer with her own money from her vault. The Officer purchased magical goods and animals, but didn't bother buying books due to the loooong line caused by Gilderoy Lockhart.

'This place is so filthy! The only good thing about it are the products, but what's with the stupid naming senses?!'

'Ask the ancestors.' said Diantha dryly. 'They lack logic and common sense that all the goodies you bought are damn wasted on em'.'

'Urrrgh...I suppose we can use these cavemen as sources of goods without them knowing. Their books aren't even in runic alphabet! Don't they care about security?! We'll investigate how these people handle security!'

They did just that and last Diantha checked, the Policies are still studying the culture of the world she left behind as well as its many developments and achievements.

They DID get impressed with some stuff, they're just baffled to downright discontented with naming senses, and prejudice for the stupidest of reasons that they estimated that in a century, they'll implode on themselves as due to so-called Pureblood Supremacy, they're driving away talents, a magical Brain-Drain of sorts, keeping them stagnant with severe inbreeding issues the most prominent of which, is sterility and the so-called Squibhood. The Trambellios and a few of the Neutrals pointed that out.

Diantha who was made to go through medical tests thankfully showed no sign of inbreeding as her family wasn't a believer of nonsense. Had they lived, they'd be 50-50 Neutral and Democratic in their way of thinking, as is their last descendant who believes skill and ability is everything regardless of background as she had seen pureblood way of thinking, yet back in Hogwarts, year-end grades and class performances speak for themselves.

Needless to say, she met up with Neville and gave him potions she herself took. Neville was the only Pureblood she deemed worth saving anyway, and gave him a belated birthday present...his own wand as she long since knew he was using his father's, making it a major contributor of his poor performance in school. Not that she told him that.

'Mementos should stay mementos.' she would tell him. 'Like my dad's cloak or my mother's eyes...all I ever had from them so I don't want to lose them. Don't tell your grandma you put it in a special case and I bought you a wand.'

'Thanks Diantha, but you're really not coming back?' Neville asked her.

'No. They let me down horribly. Our society I mean.' Diantha shook her head. 'I'm sure you yourself know what happened in our first year. I can already see what's wrong with our society because I grew up muggle. And Dumbledore let me down. He played a key role why I left. In my opinion, you're the only pureblood worth saving from the many medical issues I told you about so the Longbottoms have a bright future through you. The Weasleys are still OK, so no need to give them what I gave you. Think of it as a lifetime's worth of birthday presents from me.'

(Neville grew up very tall and handsome in his late teen years, and had his crooked teeth straightened and whitened, and with his new wand, he got better in schoolwork and his self-esteem grew and they kept contact through house elves as owls are NOT safe in her new school)

Back to Lord Eulyphis, she got shanghai-ed to his office, got exorcised and considering her parasite knew her?

'Fuck you Voldemort! You're my parasite?!' she howled in horror and she was all for Lord Eulyphis making an experiment out of him as revenge, even buying Lord Eulyphis an entire Wagyu Beef Tenderloin complete with a crate of expensive wine as thanks much to the old man's amusement.

Well, it was thanks to Dobby she has knowledge of Voldemort through his master to talk about with Lord Eulyphis who compared him to Adolf Hitler, only, 'with no accomplishment whatsoever'. But the man's background is a mystery so whether or not he's a pureblood is a mystery.

After a harrowing summer, her first year will soon start.

What could have been her second year in Hogwarts, that is!

A morning in Norwich was normal by standards.

Most students here were from commoner bloodlines and Lord Norwich's adoptive children. She was the youngest being twelve, and the lot of them are fifteen at the youngest.

Magus Families teach their children the Fundamentals at home as well as family techniques, before letting them go to Clock Tower to enroll at any faculty they preside over or pursue personal interest.

Thus upon coming here, they're all fifteen years old.

However, culture here was akin to living victorian style in the 90s. She who has the bloodline of a noble-class magus, must dress like one that she got dragged to a clothing store worth a noble's glance. So now she owns pretty clothes and shoes she once dreamed of that Petunia won't let her have.

That, and Norwich Students must all be self-sufficient.

That's how Norwich Students roll.

Normally, one would be on guard against a Botany Student for a neighbor, but Diantha wasn't from their society. Hell, she went to THEIR college town for safety for crying out loud...and she owned a pet owl they won't hesitate to turn into potions ingredients and she valued her owl Hedwig. It was why she was at Norwich mostly for her pet bird and she was the type to 'treat how she was treated'. So if one was nice to her, she was nice to them. But if a jerk, she was a jerk back, so her true personality was unknown.

She enjoyed her life in Clock Tower and excelled in here. She was free to be herself even if it meant she'll be in school for about a decade considering what she did with her schedule. Oh yes, they have P.E too!

Their P.E was combat training actually. For youngsters like her, it's physical training from hell she swore she's a soldier in training. Combat Training can wait for when she's fifteen!

And she sends letters to her friends telling them how she is without revealing anything about her school that will enable them to locate her, and used Dobby to deliver her long letter to Hermione as he still maintains her owl wards against wizards. Only goblins can mail her!

xxx

Hogwarts, dinnertime...

A letter magically appeared to Hermione after dinner, so she pocketed it and decided to read it in the Common Room instead as it's from their missing friend.

'She really IS in another magic school...' Hermione croaked out upon reading the letter, calling the Weasleys over. 'They took magic secrecy to a whole new level to the point they invented their own alphabet so any muggle who saw a misplaced book will just think it's a theater prop. they're also far better at blending in since they dress well you can't tell apart a muggle and magical.' she marveled in amazement. 'And they have what we don't: Physical Fitness Training!'

'What's that for?' Ron asked her.

'Its for having strong bodies Ron.' said Hermione, seeing a part only she can see as Diantha 'said so' in her letter as Ron isn't the pointiest crayon in the box. 'For boys, it's to grow muscles to look macho and for us ladies to get nice shape growing up!' she explained as Ron cannot comprehend 'book explanation' thus it had to be 'watered down' for him to get it.

Ron understood it, she thought with a sweatdrop.

'And we don't have that here?!' he complained. 'I could use a muscular arm to sock Malfoy in the face!'

'That, and the best selling deal is she doesn't have to see the Dursleys in all her school years so she really left Hogwarts because Dumbledore won't let her stay all year.' Hermione sighed. 'Just exactly what is her past?'

'Beats me, but it must be bad that she went this far.' said Ron. 'New school and she gets what she wants, far away from her folks.' he frowned. 'But she never said anything...'

xxx

Clock Tower...

Diantha was having the time of her life.

For newcomers like herself, History of Magecraft is understandably, a subject. As in, how Mage's Association and its families came to be. The founder being a student of King Solomon and the beginning of the association started by Magecraft Bloodlines. Their prestige is based on three things: history, strength and lastly, accomplishments.

So far Diantha thought, the biggest accomplishment her family had was through Grandpa Fleamont...he invented Sleekeazy's Hair Potion that quadrupled the family gold and upon retiring, sold his company at a vast profit, hence why she is now stinking rich.

But that potion was a fart in the air compared to the cosmetics sold in Clock Tower...it made her somewhat ashamed, really...so she had to make something new. Her grandfather was the only accomplished one! So there is unsaid pressure that she has to do better, especially as she has a high-class bloodline.

That made her sigh, really...but for now, she'll have to study first before inventing around...

But her classes are enjoyable as its professional and she's a typical person here, unlike back in Hogwarts. Much appreciated.

She made friends in Fundamentals, having a healthy social life. In Botany? Errr...

xxx

Diantha managed to gain an impression in Clock Tower.

She is the last survivor of a high-class lineage. But she was no better than the Escardos Family, being, they and the Potters have NO accomplishments in their long history.

Diantha at least, has a good excuse, the Escardos had none. Besides, her family may have been pleibians for centuries and yet her grandfather brought the family to 'insane levels of wealth' in just thirty years in his life that Diantha can buy a fully-furnished luxurious castle with a large garden fifty times over and thanks to Goblins, that money raises interest by year. This was because the Potters through Fleamont Potter, owned 20% stocks in thirty businesses in Europe, not in Britain as given how his own people thinks, Fleamont Potter felt no good stocks will come for his family had he bought stocks in solely just magical Britain like his fellow noble houses did, a stupid move on their part and thanks to that, his son and later grandchild, is very rich!

Not only that, she contributed to Clock Tower by giving them access to magical wares through Diagon Alley. Not only that, Gringotts Bank has insane amounts of magical jewels the magi of Clock Tower had to pay them in gold to purchase the jewels as unless they are muggleborn students of Hogwarts, they don't accept pounds. But the jewels they have are no joke...each jewel alone was said to have enough power to blow up a military reinforced bunker shelter. And if magi want magical creature parts, they must again, trade for galleons.

The goblins enjoyed more gold pouring in of course.

She also showed her full potential as a mage with a quick Od recovery, combined with her high quality circuits that she can be a brand-class mage come graduation.

Diantha, as a result of pressure in Clock Tower more than what she got from Hogwarts, had to display diligence for a change.

In Hogwarts, she has a 'great reputation' that tends to go see-saw on a whim of others, thus she was shackled and she couldn't 'move freely', along with threats that she wasn't allowed to excel above Dudley or else, as Petunia knows the Grading System of Hogwarts. So while she DID study, she had to dumb down her performance in class.

In Clock Tower, due to her vast potential(high amount and great quality circuits as well as being an Average One) and resources, she was expected to give it all she's got and use all means necessary! With nothing in her way, Diantha did just that and earned great repute.

She was creative and innovative.

She felt had Hermione been here, she who had no creative bone despite all her talent and intelligence, she will ultimately fail as a magus as Magi are like, Magical Scientists. Discovery, pursuing great heights and bring pride to one's family as well as making sure you're not being sabotaged is the name of the game here. unless you make good connections, you're on your own!

Diantha was classmates with people older than her as these guys studied the Fundamentals at home. But for newcomers, its required or you won't go anywhere in other faculties.

Basics are a must anywhere.

In her second year, she came across an older boy who's clearly a newcomer too. A Waver Velvet.

'You look lost.' she stated the obvious to the exhausted teenager.

'I can't find the damn Admin!' he complained. 'Where the bloody hell is it?!'

'...I guess you have circuit issues.' Diantha sweatdropped. 'Its well-hidden from people with low circuits.' that was to Waver's dismay. 'How many?'

'...6.'

Normally, no magus worth their salt will tell anyone info about them as giving anything away is equal to giving away their weakness. Waver aspires to be a mage but has no idea how cruel it is here that you have to be SMART to survive, before you can even think about graduating!

'Damn, that's way too low even for a newcomer.' Waver sputtered at that. 'This place is kinda...prejudiced. The lowest circuit number that can at least find the Admin Office is nine circuits. Have you even trained your circuits?' for magi unlike her kind, Magic Circuits are 'a foreign object in the body' that causes pain per use, until you adapt to it by convincing the body its a part of you, so for magus families, childhoods are pure hell.

'Of course I did!' Waver cried shrilly with a comical bighead, annoyed at being asked such a question that's obviously common sense...

Wow, even with mastered circuits, he was still weak, Diantha thought. That means he only has 150 units of prana. Ouch.

'Well, I'll help you out, and you must listen to my many, many warnings about this place.' Diantha told him. 'Today you made a fatal mistake you're lucky you met me. Had you met a normal mage, you're dead long ago.' Waver shook at her words, a chill down his spine, as he listened to what Clock Tower is like from her.

xxx

After enrolling Waver in the Admin Office...

'...those jerks aren't happy but still accepted my enrollment.' Waver sighed as he met up with Diantha outside the office. His little friend was right about some things. He had prepared himself but that doesn't mean that it doesn't STING! They looked down on him like he's a bug trying to be a cat!

'They did because you brought money and they won't turn away paying students, they just won't care if you survive long enough to graduate.' Diantha snarked much to Waver's indignancy. So he's just a soon-to-die wallet to these people?! 'The weak die, only the strong live. But if you're smart, even the weak can live long enough to graduate.' she said. 'For now, have you enrolled as I advised you to? Newcomers like us must always start with the Fundamentals. Without those, we're stupid sitting ducks in later departments, unable to move forward, nevermind make progress.'

'Did that too.' Waver pouted.

'That's good. The Fundamentals Department is one of the safest places in Clock Tower for newcomers.' Diantha grinned. 'The Trambellio Family, one of the Three Great Lords believe that talent and ability is everything and should be in charge and they're in charge of the Fundamentals Department. Train hard and master the basics. That way even with just the basics, you'll survive whatever department you chose after five years that may belong to the Aristocratic and Neutral Factions. Neutral doesn't mean friendly. Morals and Ethics aren't worth anything here. All everyone here cares about is research, gaining resources and influence by all means necessary, who cares who dies in the process. So keep your head down until you can safely swim as wading Clock Tower isn't enough. You must learn to swim and avoid the sharks or you die.'

'And how old are you to say such dismaying words?' Waver whimpered in utter dismay with this kid who's younger than him yet says shocking words.

'Ah, I'm 12, soon-to-be 13 in end-of-July this summer.'

'WHAT?!'