The fact I managed to get this underneath ten thousand words is a relief.
Something is Magic.
Every single stereotype regarding the entire Gryffindor house had been wrapped inside of the house's founder. It took Godric a fair amount of time to realize that he messed up big time. It took Zari sucking the air out of his lungs using the wind totem to clue him in that he might have fucked up big time.
I forgot Zari could do that.
The number of torture implements appearing in the room suddenly was kind of concerning as well.
"Should we do something?" Helga asked.
"Why?" Salazar asked. "They're doing plenty."
"I mean to help him," Helga said.
"Why?" Salazar asked again.
Kara, Daphne, and I all exchanged raised eyebrows. We all agreed that Godric was pretty much on his own.
"Too quick," Astra said. "Let him breathe."
Godric dropped down to the ground. He caught his breath immediately.
"She hasn't been set free?" Godric asked.
Rowena cleared her throat.
"We should search for ambient magic in the air," Rowena said. "Perhaps we can repair this situation."
"Perhaps I should just remove his limbs," Astra said. "That would solve any future problems."
"Oooh, this house is bitching!"
Bellatrix Lestrange entered the Room of Requirement which still looked like the Waverider. Albeit, it looked like the Waverider with a bit of a medieval torture chamber flair. Bellatrix looked around at both the futuristic style setting but her eyes fell onto the various implements of torture.
"Are you having a party?" Bellatrix asked. "Because, as a responsible adult, I should tell you that you kids are much too young for this kind of party."
"Godric Gryffindor blew up a very important item, which contained the trapped soul of…someone important in it," I told her.
"So, it was a Horcrux?" Bellatrix asked. "Why is that bad?"
"Not necessarily," Astra said.
"Really, Gryffindor, was that necessary?" a cross voice echoed from the Room of Requiement.
"Gideon?" Astra asked.
"The lady, she's still trapped."
"Don't you dare do anything," Rowena said. "Take a seat."
"But that chair has spikes!"
"SIT!" Astra yelled.
Godric sat on the chair complete with spikes and they jammed into a couple of very uncomfortable areas. He screamed in agony.
"My Bullocks!"
"Gideon, are you alright?" Astra asked.
"I'm fine, Mum," Gideon said. "I thankfully was able to transfer myself to the Room of Requirement before that imbecile blew up the phone with me on it. Although, I doubt very much I can leave the Room, so that constitutes a problem."
"I'm just glad that you're alright," I said.
"It's nice to hear you, all of you, well some of you," Gideon said. "It appears the time jump did not end ideally. Given that I did not have a body to technically jump to in the past, I had to digitalize myself and hitch a ride on Ms. Tarazi's phone. Although, unfortunately it took a while before she was able to activate the phone. Landing in this god forsaken place means it's very hard to come back. At least until the technology blockers that Dumbledore put up were removed."
"Do you have any idea how we ended up back here in the first place?" I asked her.
"Well, I do recall a huge swirling vortex," Gideon said. "My actual data is still scrambled. Getting blown up does that to a person. So, I cannot tell you for certain what happened. Although being a voice on a ship."
"Yes, you're a voice, and I can't even hug you," Astra said.
I wrapped my arms around Astra from behind and Kara pulled us all in.
"I know," I said.
"We did it before, we can do it again," Astra said. "In fact, we just did it to Rowena Ravenclaw. Bring her to physical form."
"Anyone else as confused as I am?" Bellatrix asked. "Or is it just me?"
Everyone jumped and we all stared at Bellatrix frantically. We honestly forgot she was there.
"Just me then," Bellatrix said. "Fair enough."
"It's a long story," I said. "It's…"
"Maybe it's better off I don't know," Bellatrix said. "There's something very weird going on here though. It likely explains a lot about you, Potter, and raises a lot more questions where I'm not sure if I want the answers to."
"Well, the TLDR of the situation…"
"TLDR?" Bellatrix asked.
"Too Long, didn't read," Zari said. "It's a future thing."
"Future…you're…time travel is involved?" Bellatrix asked.
Everything seemed to click with Bellatrix. I groaned. Because, I really wanted another person to know about this. Especially one who had questionable mental stability. And had been dealing with her entire philsophy on life being crushed.
"Yes, let's tell everyone I've time traveled into my past body," I said.
Bellatrix plugged her fingers into her ears.
"Time travel."
"Bella?"
"LA-LA-LA-LA, I AM NOT LISTENING!"
"Oh, honestly," I groaned. "Okay, here's the situation. In the future, Astra and I are part of a time traveling team called the Legends. We're heroes, kind of, I guess."
"That's up for a lot of debate," Astra said.
"Wel, we've done some good stuff," Zari said.
"And you accidentally wiped ice cream from existence once," Daphne said. "And let's not forget how you framed Lex Luthor for stealing those forty cakes."
"It was necessary," Kara argued. "And he would have stolen them anyway, if he had the chance."
"Forty cakes?" Godric thundered. "That's as many as forty tens! And that's terrible!"
"It was," I said. "So, could you please not send me off on another tangent. I do that well enough without help."
"He does," Kara confirmed.
"Yeah, go, keep creating some paradox," Bellatrix said. "Why not?"
"Anyway, Astra and I are part of a time traveling team of super heroes known as the Legends of Tommorrow. Although, I kind of took over the show, like Urkel did on Family Matters."
"What in the fuck is an Urkel?" Bellatrix asked.
"Oh, you need more culture, honey," Zari said. "Harry, continue."
"Yes, thank you," I said. "Anyway, for the third time, Astra and I are part of this time traveling team of zany misfits known as the Legends of Tomorrow. In the future, which was in the past because it technically was back in the nineteen twenties when it happened."
"You're complicating this, aren't you?" Astra asked.
"This is why you don't mess with time travel," Bellatrix said. "And you did so. Bigly. It's not as bad as the Horcrux thing, but it's not something you casually fuck with."
"Well, there's a lot of casual fucking on those missions," Zari said. "With time, I mean."
"Zari, Astra, let me finish my story!" I snapped before clearing. "Sorry. Anyway, for the fourth time, in the past, in the future, but technically in the past, we had our ship blown up by evil robot doppelgangers of ourselves. My evil robotic doppelganger had blue eyes! Blue! That's like one of the most essential things about me. I have my mother's eyes. Which are green!"
Astra, Zari, and Kara all softly groaned. They all were all too familiar about my problem with the eyes on my evil robotic doppelganger. Because once I saw them, I never shut up about it. But, seriously, it pissed me off.
"Oh, perhaps I should take over this story, because we are getting nowhere fast," Gideon said. "So, the Legends, and the Waverider, which contained my artificial intelligence system, was our ship. Created by a future version of Harry Potter. In the way distant future. Long story. But, my ship was blown up and the Legends were stranded in Texas back in the twenties. Harry and Astra used their magic to manifest a human body for me, with encouragement from a certain Ms. Cruz, and I joined the team. Magically speaking, they are my parents. Although the entire team was my adopted family. I learned from them, learned the wonders of life. And now I may never see most of them again. Not as they were."
"So, time travel?" Bellatrix asked. "And you're their daughter?"
"Magically speaking, yes."
"You went back in time," Bellatrix said.
"Not by choice," I said.
"And Zari and Astra and Kara are back in time too, aren't they?" Bellatrix asked.
"And me," Daphne said.
Bellatrix whistled in response. She sat down, on one of the unspiked chairs.
"I'm not sure what to make of this," Bellatrix said. "No wonder you knew all about Riddle. And I don't want to know what happens to me. But, if I continued to walk the path I did, it was not good. Just please tell me I didn't die to something embarrassing like get killed by Molly Weasley."
"Only in the books, which were flawed after about the fourth one," I told her. "I could tell you, but does it matter?"
"No, it doesn't," Bellatrix said. "I'm going to assume I got put down like a mad dog, and leave it at that. I'm glad your daughter is back. I'm glad I didn't have any kids that I know of, because they would be ashamed of me."
Astra, Kara, and I all exchanged extremely nervous looks.
"I could wipe your memories," I said.
"No, I'm not a coward, not anymore," Bellatrix said. "I have to live with the consequences of the past. And I guess of the future now."
"Let's try this again," I said. "We manifested Gideon's body once before. We can do it again."
"Right," Astra said. "You were holding the stone weren't you? And I was holding your hand like this. And we both had the Elder Wand. And we both tried to reconstruct the ship."
Bellatrix literally blinked and just threw her hands in the air. I guess she was not too rattled by the revelation we had the Deathly Hallows.
"Gideon, are you ready?"
"Ready to experience the miracle of birth again?" Gideon asked. "Yes. Let's create something wonderful."
We did what we did before. The power pulsed through our bodies.
A dark haired woman appeared before us. It took everything we had to bring Gideon back to life. Our younger bodies strained underneath the presence.
"Are you okay?" Gideon asked. "Mum? Dad?"
"We're fine," I told them.
"Yeah, I got more worn out on our wedding night," Astra said.
"I will pretend that I didn't hear that," Gideon said. "Born just thirty seconds ago, again, and scarred for life."
"So, all's well that ends well?" Godric asked. "I believe you owe someone an apology."
Godric puffed his chest out and now he had three women wanting to murder him. At the very least.
"I believe what I owe you a sound arse kicking," Gideon said. "I may have survived, but you destroyed cruicial data. It will take months to even salvage the phone."
"And I liked that phone," Zari said. "You owe me a new phone."
"It was a miscalculation," Godric said.
"I believe I do need a cover story for my sudden appearance," Gideon said.
"And Professor Flamel requires an assistant for History of Magic," Rowena said.
"Well, I can assist her," Gideon said. "And if you need a last name, the name Peverell has always spoken to me. Gideon Peverell."
"Oh, that's going to turn some heads," Bellatrix said.
"I know, right?" I asked. "And I would like a word with you. It's important."
"Oh, Morgana's tits, no!" Bellatrix groaned. "What is it now, Potter?"
"Something that you're not going to like."
"Lovely,' Bellatrix said. "But, you look about ready to collapse. So let's talk about it in the morning."
Given that the Room of Requirement manifested a really big bed for Astra and I to collapse on, she really had a point.
I could hear Rosemary's frustrated sigh when Kreacher brought her to Hogwarts. Astra, Kara, and I turned in her direction.
"I suppose it's time for her to know," Rosemary said.
"I can't promise you she's going to react well," I reminded her.
"I know,' Rosemary said. "But, it's better to just get it over with."
"Yes, Kreacher agrees," the house elf said. "Good luck."
Kreacher returned to tend to matters at Number Twelve.
"We're here with you," Kara said.
"Yes," she said. "I guess she either will accept me or she won't. Can't really be bothered about it. Even if I have every single thought she has in my head now. Although she's calmer than she was the other night."
Thankfully for that. I reached over and knocked on the door of Bellatrix's office. I waited for the answer.
Bellatrix exited the office. Immediately, her eyes fell onto Rosemary.
"Why are you with a teenage version of me?" Bellatrix asked.
"That's…"
"In my office, quickly," Bellatrix said. "Before anyone sees her."
We entered the office alongside Bellatrix.
"This is a problem," Bellatrix said. "Especially considering you're not supposed to meet a past version of yourself."
Yeah, you're not, because it could break time. Literally break time, as in the past, present, and the future start spilling into each other. Julius Caesar just casually walking around on a beach in Aruba levels of time breakage.
"Good thing this is not a past version of you."
"I'm not," Rosemary said. "I'm your daughter."
Silence. The type of silence where you could be forgiven of thinking you had gone deaf. Bellatrix stared at Rosemary. And Rosemary stared back.
I cleared my throat.
"Daughter?" Bellatrix asked. "I don't remember having a daughter. Granted the seventies were a wild time ,but you think I would have remembered having a daughter."
"I'm your daughter," she said. "My name is Rosemary."
"Pretty name," Bellatrix said. "I obviously didn't name you. And I don't recall giving birth. There's obviously some kind of magical fuckery afoot and I would like to know. Please."
"There's this super secret group of shady witches and wizards," I explained. "No one knows who any of them are. But, they are referred to as the Cloaks."
"Oh that's really vague and stupid," Bellatrix said.
"I can assure you they're extremely dangerous," I said. "They are responsible for setting those snakes loose on the Hogwarts Express."
"This sounds insane," Bellatrix said. "Cloaks? I've…no, it sounds insane. There's some super secret group just operating under the noses of everyone. And you just happen to know about it."
"I'm just lucky enough to be open minded enough," I said. "And they don't like it, I know. And the few that live and know of their existence, they are really messed up. And it is easy to dismiss them as the delusions of a rambling lunatic."
"The Dark Lord never knew about them?" Bellatrix asked. "Dumbledore never knew about them?"
"I just found out about them a month ago," I told Bellatrix.
"It sounds crazy," Astra said.
"That's because it is," Bellatrix said. "And yet, it's so insane that it's plausible. When I was in Azkaban, there were weird visitors at weird hours. Of course, I was preoccupied with the Dementors to really think about it. And they stopped coming after the first few months. And Junior swore he saw some weirdo in a cloak that night. But it was just someone's laundry. Or what it Junior was right?"
"They were lurking outside of the Longbottoms?" I asked.
Bellatrix just shrugged. She pinched the bridge of her nose.
"This is lunacy," Bellatrix said. "How long have they been around?"
"Centuries," I said.
"Someone had to slip somewhere, Potter," Bellatrix said.
"They didn't, though," Rosemary said. "I was the first time they really slipped up. Because, they thought they could create the next threat to the world. After Voldemort was finished. I would have the perfect motivation."
"You're…his?" Bellatrix asked.
"Yes," Rosemary said.
"His daughter?"
"Yes."
"Our daughter?"
"Yes."
Bellatrix leaned down and put her hands into her face. She took it a lot better than I thought she would. At least she did not start breaking stuff in the office.
"I would have been happy about this before I learned the truth," Bellatrix said. "To have a child with him. Although, you were created, weren't you? How did they get their hands on anything of Riddle's to be able to clone him?"
I just shrugged. I had nothing and neither did Astra nor Kara.
"You're my daughter," Bellatrix said.
"Are you mad at me?" Rosemary asked.
"NO!" Bellatrix snapped. "I'm mad that you have such awful parents and you're going to have to live with that for the rest of your life. I can't believe this. What else do you have for me, Potter? Anything else?"
"Nothing," I said. "Yet."
"There's one thing you should know," Kara said. "Every time you feel strong emotions, she feels them as well. And it can get rather messy."
"That's why the Cloaks tried to get rid of me," Rosemary said. "I was too dangerous for them to control. And I could hurt someone."
"No, you won't," Bellatrix said. "There's got to be a way to sever whatever connection there is between the two of us. Occlumency, we have to teach her that."
"That won't work," Astra said. "Your minds are too entangled to block one from the other. And the same thing with her and Riddle."
"So, that bastard can influence her thoughts, if he knew she existed," Bellatrix said. "And there's nothing we can do to stop it."
"Not yet."
Bellatrix considered something and picked up her wand. Rosemary looked terrified in an instant. I was apprehensive as well.
"Kill me," Bellatrix and Rosemary said in unison.
"NO!" I yelled. "Neither of you is dying."
"She only wants you to kill her, because I want you to kill me," Bellatrix said. "There's really no escape."
"We're stuck with each other," Rosemary said. "The Cloaks might come after you."
"Well, let them," Bellatrix said.
Bellatrix looked like a woman with nothing left to lose which was concerning.
"Harry said the same thing," Kara said.
Bellatrix looked at Rosemary for a long time.
"So, I guess I'm your mum. My advice to you, kid, is don't do anything I do. Trust me."
Both looked rather awkward as Rosemary nodded. I still was no closer to getting ahold of the Cloaks and finding out who they were and what their game was.
"There are certain blood-based rituals that could work, I suppose," Bellatrix said. "I'm going to have to research it. And figure out if it's plausible without causing more problems than they solve."
Well that was one road Bellatrix could go down, I guess. Although blood-magic always was extremely tricky. Although I supposed blood-magic played a part in Rosemary's creation, so perhaps it could help remove the one thing which caused her agony.
"If she comes to harm, I don't want it done," I warned Bellatrix.
Kara and Astra both nodded firmly.
"Don't worry. She deserves the chance that I never got."
Finally, Bartemius Crouch Senior had been sentenced to Azkaban, and his son was returned to Azkaban to serve the time from years ago. The message from Amos Diggory had been received by me the next morning. I was going to see Winky, although he warned me she might not be that coherent with the shock.
"Finally, Crouch is where he should be!" Sirius cheered. "Snape, Crouch, too bad my dear mother kicked the bucket before I could see her in Azkaban."
"Glad, you're happy," I said. "Going to see what his house elf has to say."
"Well, she's feeling the pain of her master being imprisoned," Sirius said silently. "It was no fault of her own what happened, although she must be feeling guilty."
"She would be."
I remember how Winky reacted to being forced to leave the Crouch household before. She never recovered. It was a sad ending. I walked with Kara, and Daphne, Tracey, Sophie, Su, and Lisa joined us.
"So, you're actually talking to house elves and finding out what makes them serve people?" Tracey asked.
"Just curious," Kara said.
"They all are eager to serve," Su said.
"And really friendly," Lisa said. "Almost too friendly sometimes."
Yes, a part of what seems to be their curse. Generations of serving had caused house elves to be overly polite.
"What if they're really unhappy deep down?" Sophie asked.
"If they are, they'll be the last to admit it," Daphne said. "Although, I agree, there are some families who abuse the trust between house elf and master. And they should never be allowed to have one."
We made our way down to where Winky had been waiting. She looked at the floor in shame.
"Winky?" I asked her. "I'm Harry Potter."
"Yes, Winky knows who you are, everyone does," Winky said. "But, Winky is a disgraced elf. She could not protect her family. Oh, for generations, Winky's ancestors served Crouches. And now, there are no more Crouches, what could become of poor old Winky?"
"That wasn't your fault what happened," Su said.
"Your master did a bad thing," Daphne said.
Wrong thing to say. Winky was almost hysterical.
"My name is Kara Danvers, and I want to ask you a few questions, if that's okay?" Kara asked.
"What could you learn from Winky?" Winky asked.
"Your family has been serving the Crouches for a long time?" Kara asked. "How long?"
"Long as Winky can remember back, long as there are records of Crouches," Winky said. "We have a deep bond with the Crouches and that bond has been destroyed. It is almost as disgraceful if Winky was freed personally by her master."
"You think that being free is the most disgraceful thing for a house elf?" Kara asked.
"Winky does not think, Miss Kara, Winky knows," Winky said. "For, it is our purpose in life to serve our masters. And we must protect them and their secrets. But, Winky failed to keep their secrets. Winky failed her master. Oh, and her poor master is now in that awful place. Where he is going to lose his will to live. But, not as fast as Winky will lose hers."
"It's not your fault," Sophie said.
"It is so!" Winky wailed.
"Your master…"
"Winky should have protected Master Bartemius and Master Barty until the day she died," Winky said. "Winky is not fit to shine the shoes of a squib, Miss Kara. She cannot be trusted."
"Winky, could you listen to me?" I asked her.
"If Harry Potter is telling Winky it's not her fault, then Harry Potter is wasting precious breath," Winky said. "Winky does not care if Harry Potter personally exposed the fact that Master Bartemius was keeping his son hidden. It was still Winky's responsibility to make sure he was not found by the Ministry wizards."
Winky looked me dead in the eye. I was responsible for that, but only to free Sirius.
"What happens after a house elf loses their entire family?" Kara asked.
"They can find another, can't they?" Sophie asked. "Or they can be free and live as they please."
"No family would want Winky!" Winky wailed. "If a house elf loses their entire family, then the house elf is not one for this world for very long. They have no magic to sustain themselves. They need permission from a master to eat and to take care of themselves."
"How long?" Kara asked.
"It depends on the strength of the bond, Winky supposes," she said. "And how well the elf is treated by the family. And Winky was treated very well. The Crouch family took care of Winky and her ancestors."
"That's fucked up when you think about it," Tracey said. "House elves should not be held responsible because their master is evil. That would be like…well it's fucked up."
"Um, yeah, it is."
"It is our way," Winky said. "No offense meant, but the peoples live their life one way and house elves live their life another way. You will never understand the sacred bond between elf and master. It has been there since Helga Hufflepuff granted the house elves sanctuary at Hogwarts. Otherwise, they would be…hunted."
Winky dropped her voice.
"Because of what happened before," Kara said.
"Winky only be hearing stories," Winky said. "But there were some bad elves. Humans were right to punish us and make us bound so we cannot harm them again. And there is the red terror of the North."
"Cringle?" I asked.
"Oooh, Winky is telling Harry Potter, never to speak of his name!" Winky wailed. "He is like what You-Know-Who was to humans, to house elves. Winky heard a story about how one of his elves wanted to be a dentist, and not work on toys for the young girls and boys. While Winky is not sure what a dentist is being, Winky knows the Red Terror made that poor elf suffer."
Well, that was different from the story. And the television show. Although Santa was a real dick in that one. Seriously.
"We are forever paying for what the before elves did," Winky said. "But, we should not speak of it, Harry Potter."
"What happens if all of the house elves had the choice to do as they please?" Kara asked. "Without consequences of losing your family bond?"
Winky looked shocked and terrified.
"Winky cannot say it would be anything good," Winky said. "Please, Winky must live with the burden. Winky must live with the shame. Winky must…what is Master Harry Potter doing?"
"Offering you a chance to redeem yourself," I said.
"Master Harry Potter should not be tampering with house elf magic," Winky said. "He must let Winky suffer the fate and the burden of her enchantments."
"Master Harry Potter does what Master Harry Potter pleases," Daphne drawled. "Are you trying to get us killed, Harry?"
"No, I'm trying to save a life, because it's my fault it's in peril," I said.
"Winky doesn't feel so good, Harry Potter."
"Great, now she's going to get dusted," Daphne murmured.
Tracey, Su, Lisa, and Sophie all turned to Daphne and gawked at her. Winky rose up off of the ground and the very powerful magic levitated out of her.
"I've transferred her bindings to the Crouch family, to the Potter family," I said. "If Winky serves us for seven years, she will be released completely."
"Winky doesn't understand."
"You can't free house elves," I said. "But, you can turn turn them human, after they fulfill a different bond."
"What?" Kara asked. "You figured it out?"
"I figured it out the other night," I said. "But it requires an indentured servant oath. Give me your hand Winky, and we'll do this."
I found it out accidentally by last night when I was looking for something to help Rosemary and Bellatrix and their connection.
"Winky can be like a real human girl?" Winky asked.
Well, more likely she would be like Izzy and her friends once Winky fulfills the bond. Sort of. I had no idea what the end game would be, completely. Just theories. But, better than Winky withering away and dying as she slowly lost the will to live.
"Yes," I said.
"Winky does not deserve this."
"I insist," I told her. "Do you agree to serve House Potter for seven full years without question and with loyalty?"
"Yes," Winky said.
"And I accept your oath and if you fulfill it to my satisfaction, you will be rewarded with the gift of humanity."
I cut Winky's palm and mine, binding her.
"You just uncovered something that will destroy the status quo of the Wizarding World," Daphne said. "Will it actually work though?"
"Ask me in seven years," I told her.
"Great, the long game," Daphne said.
"Do you understand any of this?" Tracey asked the other girls.
They just shrugged in response. We all left,with my orders for Winky to help Kreacher with matters at Number Twelve Grimmauld place. And the other girls left, leaving Kara and I to talk.
"Can you use the same oath to reverse the curse?" Kara asked.
"Maybe," I said. "Winky's situation was urgent. She was going to stop breathing unless I did something."
"Fair enough," Kara said. "We're going to have to work into it. Although, we will cause a panic if every house elf suddenly changes."
"What's going on?" Astra asked.
"I've found a way to change house elves into humans," I said. "Although they need to accept an indentured servant bond to do so."
"And that lasts seven years," Astra said.
I stopped short and saw Elle looking at me in the hallway.
"You're doing it, aren't you?" Elle asked. "You're going to find a way to reverse Morgana's curse and send them all back if possible."
"It's an idea," I said. "They don't belong here."
"No, they don't," Elle agreed. "Although if they start to remember, it's going to be a bloodbath."
"Give me some credit," I said. "I have a plan."
"Oh, dear," Gideon said as she came up behind Elle. "I thought I felt a disturbance in the pulse."
Being sassed by my daughter, that does put a smile on my face. Granted, I have numerous daughters scattered across time and they all inherited Daddy's snarkiness. But, let's not open up that can of worms.
"It's a good one," I said. "This time. Can I count on you?"
"Yes," Elle said. "If you think you can convince them to take an oath. Although we should work on a way to send them home."
"If they want to go," Astra said. "Some might want to stay."
We would cross that bridge if we ever get there.
"What do you think about this?" Elle asked Kara. "You're the one researching them."
"Well, I just sent you my last bit of research," Kara said. "And you understand my thesis is that house elves can never be free as long as they're house eleves."
Elle nodded in response. Glad to see we were all on the same page.
To the library to further research blood-based magic in the restricted section. I had been working on this project for the past month, in between working on my schoolwork and polishing my presentation on the life and times of Lord Voldemort which would take place in the Great Hall this weekend.I almost ran into Draco Malfoy. Apparently he had been released from the Hospital Wing or left on his own accord. I was very surprised, given the stink Lucius was making about Hogwarts.
"Potter," Malfoy said.
"Malfoy," I said.
"Dare I ask what you're doing?"
"Dare I ask what you're doing?"
A long second passed.
"Carry on, Potter," he said. "Whatever you're involved in, it's better off I don't know anything about it."
Likely right. I noticed Malfoy try and discreetly sneak out a book about blood curses out of the library. Curious and curiouser, although not enough to make me be a nosy twat.
At least not tonight.
Blood-based magic had been very tricky to deal with. My mother's blood protection spell, for instance, required a certain set of circumstances which have never been duplicated or replicated. And that did not stop a few idiots from trying. Untangling the connection between Rosemary and Bellatrix was there. I took a very promising book that I'm surprised Dumbledore did not get around to removing. It just reeked of forbidden magic.
Thankfully, I had a pass. Especially when I was helping the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with a project of hers. So, all Pince could do was scowl. I sat at the table next to Penny. The Ravenclaw prefect was busily working on an essay.
"Sorry," Penny murmured.
"For what?"
"I can't help you as much as I should," Penny said. "I've been doing my homework and then it's patrols after that. OWLs are sneaking in on me."
"Yes, they fly at you from nowhere."
Penny cracked a smile.
"I'll make up for it later," Penny said.
"There's no need to apologize," I said. "Once we go on that camping trip idea of Sophie's, we can head to some place nice and relaxing before you have to deal with your NEWTs."
"Yeah, just when I have room to breathe," Penny said. "What are you thinking?"
"France," I said.
To be fair I might have had a motive going on holiday to France this summer, but we're jumping ahead of ourselves right now. I flipped through the book. The disclaimers that some of the illustrations were not for someone with weak stomachs had not been kidding.
"France would be fine," Penny said.
And then I spied with my little eye, Neville Longbottom, who looked rather upset. Hannah, Susan, and Megan were following him from behind.
"What's up?" I asked.
"Well, St. Mungos sent back a letter, saying that for security reasons, they could not send Neville the medical records for his parents," Hannah said.
"And Augusta sent him a howler," Susan said.
"She didn't!" I yelled.
Pince shushed me. Oh go shush yourself you spinster bat.
"She did," Megan said. "In front of everyone at Breakfast."
I left early. At least, I had been spared of hearing that awful thing.
"She said…she said that I shouldn't be disgracing the sacrifice my parents made," Neville said. "They are getting the best care possible after what Lestrange did to them."
"It was unfair," Susan said.
"She's right, I should have never started asking questions," Neville said. "I should be happy that I'm here, and safe, and am able to go to Hogwarts."
"No," I said. "You shouldn't be grateful for simply being safe. If you have questions, they owe you answers."
I had gone from thinking that some people were hiding something about the Longbottoms, to knowing it. Augusta's only crime was latching onto the simplest answer possible, to avoid asking any questions. It was a lack of critical thinking.
"She didn't yell at your great uncle for what he did, did she?" I asked.
"Well, she was so happy that I actually was a wizard and not a squib," Neville said. "And she made Uncle Algie buy me Trevor."
Oh, that's really a fair trade for traumatizing your great nephew. I don't think. For Beebo's sake, what the fuck is wrong with these people?
Actually, I don't want to know. It would make me irrationally angry. The Longbottoms were coming across like the Bizarro Dursleys the more I thought about it.
"I'm going to write to my aunt, "Susan said.
"I don't want any trouble," Neville said.
"That's rubbish," Susan said. "You remember what Professor Sprout said. Our houses are family. And I'm helping out a family member. I would do it for anyone."
"It's what Hufflepuffs do."
"And I'll write to her too, and Miranda and Andromeda as well," I said.
"Please drop it," Neville said. "Gran told me I shouldn't be doing this. And she's right."
"Oh, you didn't just tell Harry Potter not to do something," Megan said. "Because, he's going to do it now."
Neville realized the folly in his action. And Megan was right. That's the best way to encourage me to take swift and direct action, would be to tell me I should not do something.
"Unless you want to stop me, I'm doing it," I said. "Will you?"
"I'm not," Neville said. "But, you don't have to."
"No, I don't," I said. "And I'm writing to your grandmother too."
Neville had looked completely horrified. Did not care. Augusta was a formidable woman, a tough witch, and she did love her family, but someone needed to slap her with a reality check.
And I was good for that.
Most of the presentations had been done in front of a small select group of classmates. When Harry Potter shows up a presentation about Lord Voldemort, the entire school, the staff, and several distinguished guests had shown up.
"Do you think Potter has found out anything about who he really is?"
"No, why should Potter succeed where everyone else has failed?"
I had notes and essentially what was a magically created PowerPoint presentation about the life and times of Lord Voldemort. The entire Great Hall buzzed. I could see Bellatrix and hidden in the shadows away, Rosemary. Obviously it was of interest to both of them.
I am certain there were students who were ready to report back every thing I said to their parents. And those parents would demean me as a liar.
I was used to it. Hell, I was pretty sure as far as the Wizarding World was concerned, I was cancelled for my words before cancel culture was cool.
The places this fucking world would have to be ahead of the curve, it most certainly would be the dumbest.
"Lord Voldemort."
Everyone stood up straight and I am pretty sure I set the indoor record for mass amounts of cringing.
"One of the most notorious dark wizards of all time," I said. "But, who is he really?"
Many of Elle's assignments had destroyed a lot of stereotypes about dark wizards. While there were a handful of purebloods, there were many half-bloods or Muggleborns. And in one notorious case, a squib who managed to create the biggest con-job ever and terrify those who would mock him for his lack of magic. It was very impressive.
"I can tell you that the man who called himself Voldemort was descended from the line of Salazar Slytherin. And further back, Salazar Slytherin was descended from the line of Cadmus Peverell, one of the most notorious necromancers of all time, and believed to be loosely inspire one of the three brothers in the classic Beedle the Bard story, Legend of the Three Brothers, with his brothers Antioch and Ignotus."
I spoke a little bit on the background of Voldemort's family line. His supporters looked smug.
"So, you found out that the Dark Lord is one of noble heritage," one of the seventh years said.
"Noble beginnings, yes," I said. "But the line of Salazar Slytherin became less noble. They took what history said to be Salazar's claims of blood purity a bit too far. Which leads us to the Gaunt family."
"The Gaunts?" one of the seventh-year Slytherins asked.
"Oh, my grandfather told me about them," another said. "Weird. Freaks. Misfits. They were not to be approached. They lived in squalor. They made the Weasleys look like the Malfoys."
"Well ,with their attitude of blood purity, the inverse was true," I said. "By the 1920s, there were only three Gaunts left. Marvolo and his two children, Morfin and Merope. Merope's mother is not known to history. There are whispers, that it was Marvolo's long forgotten twin sister. But these cannot be verified. Regardless, Merope's mother died before this story begins. And she was barely able to perform the most rudimentary of magic. A squib."
"So, the Dark Lord's father must be Morfin then," a sixth-year Slytherin said.
"Morfin was a mentally diseased man who only spoke in Parseltongue," I explained.
I pretty much told them the entire story of the Gaunts.
"And one day, poor, pathetic, Merope, she took notice of the handsome squire's son. Tom Riddle the VIII. He was riding around on horseback with his betrothed. And her father and brother took notice and scorned Merope for it. Unfortunately, a Ministry official named Bob Ogden came calling that day. And things got ugly, with Morfin and Marvolo being sent to Azkaban for Muggle baiting and breaking the Statue of Secrecy. And Merope was left all alone."
I learned for instance that the name Tom was far more common, as Voldemort's father had been the eighth in a lineage to hold that name. And I am sure Tom learned it as well, because he would have detested it greatly.
I showcased newspaper clippings of the strange romance between the squire's, Tom Riddle the VII, son and the daughter of the tramp, Marvolo Gaunt. Their strange marriage and all of the scandal that followed. Riddle the VII's former beloved getting committed due to a mysterious affliction which drove her insane.
"What does this have to do with You-Know-Who?"
"Patience," I said. "We're getting there."
I showed them the newspaper clippings of the sudden divorce of Merope and Tom Riddle the VIII. And then, the presentation dissolved into information regarding the birth of Tom Marvolo Riddle and his childhood at Wool's orphanage in London. And then his Hogwarts years. His brilliant grades, his rise through being a prefect. And the fact he was awarded a Special Services for the School award for uncovering the mystery of the monster in the Chamber of Secrets, although I did include Myrtle Warren's death certificate as matter of detail, so people could see that her cause of death did not match the death which would caused by an Acromantula attack. Here Hagrid was both nervous but the half-giant slowly put two and two together as time went on.
And he was now furious when he realized what just happened. Thankfully, we had slipped a very powerful calming draught, into his whiskey so Hagrid did not cause a ruckus.
"You see strange gaps regarding Riddle after he left Hogwarts, with top marks," I explained. "He surfaced working for Borgin and Burkes. It would give him what he needed to acquire certain items which would increase his power."
The world was not ready to know about Voldemort's horcruxes and I could see Bellatrix gnashing her teeth. I left enough open to those who wanted to put the pieces together. But, how many would want to?
"The last known record of Tom Marvolo Riddle occurred in 1971 at Hogwarts," I said. "For he arrived at Hogwarts, and had an interview with Albus Dumbledore. The transcript of that interview was uncovered and you can read it for yourselves. But, he wanted the post as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. And Dumbledore refused him. And that was the last the world saw of Tom Marvolo Riddle."
The letters Tom Marvolo Riddle appeared. And twisted themselves into the words "I am Lord Voldemort." Everyone knew it, and a lot did not want to believe it. The evidence of Riddle fading just as Voldemort started his campaign of terror could not be disputed. And his skills as a wizard fit the notorious Dark Lord like a glove.
"No, that Riddle can't be the Dark Lord!"
"Oh, he had such promise, though," another student said.
"He was one of the most brilliant students who ever walked through Hogwarts," Susan said. "All of those accomplishments. He could have been greater than Dumbledore."
"In his mind, he thought he would be, but only if all bowed before him," I said.
I took them through a brief and rather painful ride through Voldemort's reign and terror leading to his not so glorious end on Halloween night and his power breaking.
"He still may be out there, for the moment," I concluded. "Remember though. You might not consider the product of a love potion rape from a squib against a Muggle to be a threat. But, it proves that a dangerous wizard could come from everywhere. Even if at the core, he is nothing but a deranged little boy crying out for Mummy and Daddy."
Well, that got the Great Hall talking. Some were surprised, and some were pissed that I dared. And everyone could not dispute the fact I backed up all of my information about Riddle, Voldemort, with receipts. Even though they did not like the information I presented them.
Howlers, death threats, threats to curse my family and bloodline for future generations, deranged nutcases who were stupid enough to send me threatening letters in easily identifiable handwriting which would be passed on to Amelia Bones. It was amazing how people did not like how the truth intervened in their precious fantasy. And it was somehow my fault that they followed Voldemort without questioning him.
Anything to get power. I am pretty sure there were some who were ready to go straight in for another libel campaign against me to demonize me.
Eight students expelled for throwing hexes at me. And another five landed in the hospital wing because they were stupid enough to do it when Astra was within spell casting distance. And a further seven more because I was quicker. Those students would be patched up and sent home. Rowena, unlike Dumbledore, did not piss around with the bullshit of these idiots. They were given a chance to appeal, but obviously the evidence was on my side and Astra's side.
It died down after about three days, but bloody hell, are some people too stupid to live? You would think after the couple were expelled without prejudice, they would learn.
Godric's suggestion to expel them with prejudice like they did with Umbridge nearly redeemed him for the phone thing. Nearly.
Granted, I am sure when the Ministry started up their dumpster fire of a school, they would get a place. The Ministry approved "fact-checkers" were likely hard at work to make us look like the villains.
Tonight, I joined the Haywood Sisters, Astra, and Zari for a little trip into the Forbidden Forest, to gather some Potion ingredients which can only be gathered on a certain night. Penny led the path.
"It's a lot quieter than when I remember," Penny said. "I swear the Acromantula were around here somewhere close."
Well, they used to be. But Rosa took care of that pest infestation problem.
"Can't believe I straight arrow like you used to sneak into the forest," Beatrice said. "And you told me it was too dangerous."
"Well it was for a good reason," Penny said.
"It always is," Beatrice said while rolling her eyes.
"It's nice out here," Zari said. "You know, for a creepy forest where half of the things could kill you."
"Well, it's not quite half," Astra said. "It's more getting lost and dying from the elements than anything. And then getting your body harvested by the wildlife. As they slowly pick the flesh from your bones."
"I liked dinner," Zari groaned. "But, not nearly enough to taste it twice."
"I found it, Professor," I called.
"Excellent," Penny said. "This is what we need for the fifth years. And for our next tutoring session. You could be advanced enough to make a Wolfsbane potion. I've been making it for…"
"Mr. Lupin, I'm aware of his furry little problem," I said.
"And a friend too," Penny said. "Wish I could improve on the taste."
Well, that sounded like a challenge. And I wanted to do more than improve on the taste. If I did not have the blood-magic thing I was working on, I would tackle that particular pet project.
"One more glittering spring, and we should be good to go," Penny said. "Although we better get a couple more."
I heard something on the path. I stood up straight and sighed.
"It's just a centaur," Beatrice said.
"Yes, they're friendly enough," Penny said. "Although they just want to be left alone."
I took a step forward.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Harry, we should really get back," Penny urgently said.
"You've been watching me," I said. "Why?"
"Trying to figure you out, Harry Potter."
"Come into the light, so I can see you," I said.
The figure approached me. Beatrice gasped in shock.
"They exist?"
A regal looking centaur appeared. Her face had looked rather soft, with dark hair draped over to one side, and one blue eye fixed on me. She wore a hand-made top which covered her chest, although it stopped at her smooth stomach. Soft looking dark-skin. And thick hips showcased she was a rather thicc girl. Granted, part-horse, but still. There were charms which made these things work.
Not that I've used them, but there were charms. How do you think Hagrid got conceived?
"I TOLD YOU!" I said in triumph to Astra.
"Yes, congratulations, you found Fluttershy," Astra deadpanned.
"Actually, my name is Nocturna. And the stars speak of a dire warning, Harry Potter. Soon, you must go home again or Mars will burn brighter than ever."
To Be Continued.