Are you guys proud of me for not taking a wholeass month to write a new chapter? Hm? I am.
This one is hella long tho so... have fun :)
Sin snatched the letter from Stickler's hands, sucking in a breath. It had all seemed sort of surreal up until now - not that he was a wizard, he was quite comfortable in that department. No, the fact that there was a magical castle that wanted him… it still felt unbelievable.
He nearly tore it open on the doorstep, but then common sense seeped back into his brain. He pulled Toxic inside and shut the door. Dudley and Aunt Petunia were nowhere to be seen, and Uncle Vernon was at work. He sat on the hideous sofa, his chest tight.
This was it. This was proof - written, signed, legal proof - that he was special. That he could learn to do more with his magic than gain an advantage in street fights. If Hogwarts was a school of magic, surely it could teach him how to duplicate food to make it go farther, how to heat up the warehouse, maybe even how to create muggle money. This letter was his family's ticket out of the uncomfortable life on the streets.
"Stickler," Sin murmured, "go get the radio upstairs. Tell Shade to come. And -" he paused. Part of him wanted to call Elena too; to show her, to prove to her that he was as special as she said. To see the proud satisfaction in her eyes.
And then once again, common sense knocked him upside the head. "Just run and get it," he said, and Stickler nodded before racing up the stairs. Sin didn't take his eyes off of the yellowish parchment, the red wax seal, the green ink of the address.
Mr H. Potter
The Second Bedroom
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
"How do they know what room you slept in?" Toxic asked, her eyebrow creased. Sin just looked at her, and she rolled her eyes. "Right. Magic. Whatever."
There was a silence, and then Stickler trampled down the stairs. "She's on her way," he said, slightly out of breath - he had clearly rushed. "And she's bringing Hero. Spider's gotta take care of the rest of 'em, but - they're on their way." Sin nodded his thanks.
Silence. Then -
"Well? Aren'tcha gonna open it?" Roach asked, bouncing up and down impatiently. His face was red with excitement.
"Should - should I wait? For Shade?" Sin asked hesitantly.
Toxic snorted. "I think if you wait any longer Roach is going to burst. Go ahead, kid."
"'Kid'.You're only four and a half years older than me," Sin mumbled under his breath. Toxic rolled her eyes and gestured for him to open it. Sin pushed down the trepidation and carefully slid his finger under the folded side of the envelope, pushing off the wax seal. He pulled out two pieces of parchment, and unfolded the first one. He read it aloud, knowing the others would demand to know its contents.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf, Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)
Dear Mr Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Sin scanned the letter again, silently. It was rather less… spectacular, frankly, than he was expecting. Although the headmaster did seem to hold a great many titles, and of those he only understood the significance of Chief Warlock. He blinked. The school headmaster was the head of the justice system? Interesting. He wondered how on earth the man was qualified if he was only an educator - but then, he supposed, any man who could obtain so many titles was surely worthy.
He shook his head and dismissed the idea as Roach butted in, " What does it mean, they 'await your owl'?" He asked, tilting his head, his black curls falling into his face. His dark fingers brushed his hair away, but it merely fell back into place.
"Shade said the wizarding world uses owls to carry post," Sin said absentmindedly, pulling the second piece of parchment from the envelope. This one was rather longer.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Uniform
First-year students will require:
Three sets of plain black work robes (black)
One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags
Set Books
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
Other Equipment
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
Stickler swore softly, and Sin raised his eyebrows; Stickler usually never used language like that. In fact, he was the most proper and eloquent - Spider would call him pretentious - of the family. "What is it?" He asked.
"Where the hell are we supposed to find the money for all of that? Even if we raided the birthday fund, we'd probably still be short."
Sin tilted his head. "Didn't Shade tell you?" He grinned. "Some elitist bullshit means in the wizarding world, I'm loaded."
Stickler flicked him on the shoulder.
"Oi! What gives?"
"You never thought to mention that? To perhaps exchange it for muggle money? Bring it home?" Stickler asked, accusation written on his face.
"You got on my arse about Min-ji! Hypocrite!" Toxic added, although her tone was far more teasing than Stickler's.
Sin raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, man, I wanted to! My magical guardian restricted muggle conversion, and I can't exactly go out into the muggle world and try to buy things with wizard money. The attention we would draw -"
"Would be bad, yes," Stickler interrupted impatiently, "But presumably you can buy things in that magical alley? I assume they sell food, blankets, clothes, etcetera there?"
Sin opened his mouth to argue - and blinked. "Huh," he said, feeling a little too much like Dudley for his liking. "I, uh… huh. That would be smart."
Stickler sighed. "Well when you go to buy your school supplies, pick up some stuff for the rest of us, yeah?" Sin nodded, feeling incredibly guilty. He had fortunes about fortunes tucked away in a vault beneath the ground, and he hadn't spared a thought after learning it couldn't be converted.
Roach snatched the supply list out of his hand. It took him a little while to struggle through, and several of the words he had to sound out, but when he got to the end of the uniform list he snorted. "You're gonna look like such a wanker," he laughed. Sin rolled his eyes and plucked the list from Roach's hands.
There was a ring of the doorbell, and Sin went to open it, a grin on his face. He was excited to show Shade the letter - but it wasn't Shade at the door.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were disappointed it was me," Elena drawled, stepping over the threshold of Number Four. Sin stepped to the side, his excited expression slipping into his best attempt at an emotionless mask.
Roach narrowed his eyes at her. "Who are you?" He asked rudely, crossing his arms. Stickler took a subtle step in front of Roach, and Elena laughed, the noise serrating down Assassin's spine.
"My name is Elena," she replied with a thin smile. She turned to Sin, her eyes catching on the parchment in his hands.
"How did you know to come?" He asked, but she merely raised an eyebrow at him. He sighed. "Why do you think the letter came so early? I mean, I know it was this week, but -"
"They tend to do muggle borns first, to give more time for it to sink in, and because if they don't get an answer in three days they have time to send a second letter - along with a teacher and explanation - and still be on schedule."
Sin's forehead creased. "I'm not a muggleborn."
"You might as well be," Elena said. "As far as they know, you've never been exposed to the magical world."
"Then how am I supposed to explain how I know how to reply, and to go to Diagon Alley?" He asked.
"If they ask, you can say when Petunia saw the letter she told you everything, thought it would get rid of you. They probably won't ask, though. Won't want to admit that they placed the Boy-Who-Lived in a place where he would be cut off from his whole world and potentially abused."
She held her hand out, and he rolled his eyes, handing her the letter and the list of supplies. She scanned it quickly before handing it back and nodding.
"We can go to Diagon Alley this afternoon, rent an owl from the post office and send your reply as we buy the supplies. I also have a few extra things I think you ought to buy, which is why I'll come along."
"You don't have an owl I can use?"
Elena cocked her head slightly. "I do. However, I think it best that you don't send any mail using my owl; it wouldn't do for anyone to notice that you were using mine. I don't think anyone would, but there's no use taking unnecessary chances." Sin nodded, and the doorbell rang for a second time. Stickler opened it, and Shade and Hero barrelled inside. Hero reached him first, scooping him up in a gentle hug.
"I missed you, kid," she murmured, and planted a kiss on his forehead. Sin smiled at her as she drew away, but his smile slipped when he saw the fading bruises on her cheek. She noticed his stare and waved a hand. "I'm fine," she breezed, "it doesn't hurt anymore."
"I - I should have -"
"There was nothing you could have done," Hero finished for him. Sin offered her a small, apologetic smile. She returned with one of her own before rising and turning to Elena, fixing her with a searching stare. It was clear Shade had told her who she was.
"What are you doing here?" She asked acidly. Elena merely smiled.
"Assassin and I have a mutual agreement. I'm going to go with him to get his school supplies."
"Like hell," Shade cut in, a hand resting on Roach's shoulder. "I'm taking him."
Elena raised an eyebrow. "There's no reason we can't both go. Besides, I need to take Sin to obtain some… extra purchases."
"Aren't you afraid someone will recognize you? Report you to the ministry?" Shade asked, crossing her arms. Elena laughed, and again Sin had to force himself not to cringe. He could see Shade's fingers clench into fists at the sound, and Toxic and Stickler twitched. Roach, surprisingly, seemed the calmest of the five children. Although perhaps it was because he didn't quite understand what Elena was, or how dangerous she was.
"I wouldn't worry about it. Nobody remembers what the Van Rau girl looked like, and nobody's looking for me. The only people that would recognize me already know I'm alive, and certainly won't turn me over. Besides, I'll be using a glamour anyway."
Shade glared at her. "I don't want you there."
Elena's smile widened. "Darling," she said with sickening sweetness, "You don't have a choice." The temperature of the room seemed to drop several degrees. Elena's body was perfectly still, and Shade dropped her gaze.
"Excellent. Shall we start on our way, then?"
They entered through the Leaky Cauldron this time. At first Sin was rather taken aback by the shabbiness of the place, but then decided he thought it added to the friendly atmosphere. His eyes kept flicking up to glance at Elena, her glamoured form rather disconcerting. Her usually jet-black hair was now a light brown, and her skin and eyes had been enchanted. Instead of her usual alabaster, her skin was pink and lively, and her eyes were no longer black and dead but brown and warm. Somehow, it set him even more on edge now that she looked human.
Shade kept shifting, playing with the ends of her sleeves absentmindedly. Sin wondered if this was the first time she had been in a magical community since she had been cast out for being a squib.
"Gringotts first," Shade said as they stepped out into a stone courtyard. Elena stepped forward and tapped five bricks, seemingly at random. There was a pause, before the bricks started to peel away. Sin's eyes widened in amazement as a loud, bustling alleyway was revealed. Compared to Knockturn Alley, this place was absolutely mobbed.
Elena shook her head. "I have money on me. I'll pay."
"No," Shade said flatly. "We aren't going to owe you anything."
"Shade," Sin murmured quietly, "It's fine. I'm technically her heir. It's her duty to pay for me. We won't owe her."
Shade swung around to glare at him, but he ignored her and asked Elena, "Will you pay for some other things I want? Because if not, we need to go to Gringotts regardless."
The corner of Elena's now pink lips drifted up. "Of course. You are my heir, after all."
With less resistance from Shade than expected, they made their way to the post office. They rented a small owl for the flight, and Sin penned a short letter right there.
Deputy Headmistress McGonagall,
I am pleased to say I will be accepting my place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I look forward to seeing you on September the 1st.
Sincerely,
It took him a moment of grinding teeth to dredge up the courage to sign his birth name on the piece of parchment.
Sincerely, Harry Potter
After that, they arrived at a small well-kept shop with a sign hanging in the front labeled 'Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions'.
"I'm going to pop over to Knockturn to get a few things while I'm here," Elena said quietly before they entered. "I'll meet you two at Flourish and Blotts once you have all the things on your list." She pulled a small purse from her bag and handed it to him. "Undetectable extension charm, you'll have plenty enough for everything on the list. And a bit more besides." Sin nodded, and she started off along the alley.
A bell tinkled as Shade opened the door and held it for Sin. Madam Malkin - a squat, jolly witch - smiled at them. "Hello, dear. Hogwarts, I assume?" She asked, and Sin nodded. She smiled and led him to the back of the shop. Shade waited in the front.
There was one other boy in the back, standing on a footstool while a second witch seemed to be fitting his robes. "Hop on up their, dear," Madam Malkin gestured to a second stool. Sin did so and the witch pulled a black robe over his head and began to pin it to the correct length.
The boy, who had pale blond hair and a rather pointed face, greeted him. "Well met," he said.
"Well met," Sin replied, a little nervously. It was his first solo interaction with someone from his world that wasn't Elena or Shade, and he couldn't afford to screw it up.
"Hogwarts too?" The boy asked. Sin nodded in confirmation, and the boy continued, "My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands. Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first-years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."
Sin blinked, and was strongly reminded of his cousin. He didn't think he liked the boy very much.
"Have you got your own broom?" The boy went on.
"No," said Sin. Shade had told him a little about broomsticks, and that there was a sport played on them - Quiddpitch or something similar - but he hoped the boy didn't ask any difficult questions.
"Play Quidditch at all?"
Quidditch. That was it. "Not really, no."
"I do - Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked up to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"
Sin was now quite sure he didn't like the boy. However, this was no time to make enemies, so he said, "I'm not sure. I reckon I could be in any of them."
"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been - imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"
"I mean, I don't think there's anything wrong with valuing hard work and loyalty above other attributes," Sin said cautiously, "But I could understand why you would think Slytherin would be more… beneficial."
"Mm, I suppose. What's your surname, anyway?" He asked. Sin momentarily panicked - he still had talked to Elena about which House to go by - when he was saved by Madam Malkin's interruption.
"That's you done, dear," she said, and Sin smiled gratefully. He hopped down from the stool and followed her to the front of the shop, where Shade was waiting with the back to pay. He smiled at her and she grinned. Madam Malkin wrapped up three sets of robes and the rest of the mandatory uniform and Shade paid her.
"Next we ought to get you a cauldron phials and scales, they'll all be in Potage's," Shade said, and Sin nodded. They quickly bought all three, and found an excellent telescope in Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment.
Finally, they approached Ollivander's. Sin couldn't deny the excitement growing in his belly. The wandless magic he could do was powerful, but having a tool to hone and sharpen his skills… he couldn't deny the appeal.
The shop was rather small and dusty. Sin didn't know what he had been expecting - perhaps polished pedestals with intricate wooden wands - but rows of dusty boxes behind a cluttered counter with a single spindly chair in the front was not it. Shade sat down on the chair as a soft voice said, "Good afternoon." Sin jumped.
An old man with milky eyes and white, frizzy hair stood before them.
"Hello," Sin said after a pause.
The old man - Mr Ollivander, Sin presumed - stared at him and said, "Harry Potter. I thought I'd be seeing you soon." Sin bit his tongue at his old name, but he supposed he would have to get used to it. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."
Sin shivered under the old man's scrutiny. "Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."
Sin took a step back, the old man getting too close for comfort. He disliked anyone in his personal space, especially people he didn't know. Especially people who were this creepy.
"And that's where…" Ollivander reached out a finger to brush Sin's forehead, but he ducked backwards. "I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly "Thirteen and half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… Well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…" He shook his head. Sin cleared his throat.
"Right, yes. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure from his pocket and asked, "which is your wand arm?"
"Uh - I'm right-handed."
"Hold out your arm," Ollivander ordered, and the tape measure began to measure Sin by itself. Sin watched it measure his height, wrist to elbow, and ankle to waist as Ollivander said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."
Sin nodded as Ollivander began searching the dusty shelves full of boxes. He pulled several down, seemingly at random, before setting them down on the counter. "Right then. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."
Sin took the wand and waved it around, his face heating. He could hear Shade snicker behind him, but he ignored her. Mr Ollivander snatched it from him and handed a second, shorter wand, with a more intricate design on the handle. "Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try -" Ollivander didn't even finish the sentence before snatching the wand from Sin's hand. "No, no - here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."
Sin tried. He really did. Once, he felt a little spark - Cedar, phoenix tail feather, ten and a half inches, supple. Nonetheless, Ollivander snatched that one from him just as he did all the others.
"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry. Hm, why not… try this one. Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple." Sin took the wand and immediately felt the warmth in his fingers at the touch. He waved the wand, and gold sparks spouted from the end. He smiled; it was like a watered down, calmer version of the euphoria he felt when using wandless magic. Not intoxicating, but… pleasant. Calm.
"How curious… how very curious…"
Sin raised an eyebrow. "What's curious?"
"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother - why, its brother gave you that scar. Yes, thirteen and half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember… I think we must expect great things from you, Mr Potter. After all, He Who Must Not Be Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great."
Each time Ollivander said Potter, Sin flinched a little less. Despite the older man's laborious explanation, he respected the man for recognizing his enemy's greatness. He didn't like the implications that he was intertwined with the man who murdered his parents, but he shrugged it off as Shade paid seven Galleons for the wand.
"Now for the books," Shade said, placing a gentle arm around Sin's shoulder.
"Let's hurry up," he mumbled, "Elena isn't pleasant when she's kept waiting."
Shade nodded, and entered a shop where books were piled to the ceiling. They bought all of his school books first, and when they didn't see Elena, Shade let him buy two extras that caught his interest - one titled An Introduction to the Wizarding World and the other Self Defense and Sport; A Beginner's Basic Guide to Dueling.
As they finished the purchase, a smooth voice called out, "Harry. Lovely."
Sin whirled around to face Elena. "Don't call me that," he hissed under his breath.
"You're going to have to get used to it. Once you go back to Hogwarts, that will be your name. You can't flinch every time you hear it. People will talk."
Sin, feeling childish, stuck his tongue out at her. She looked at him, and he sighed. "Fine. I guess. Whatever." It didn't sit well with him, that realization.
"Good. Now, follow me." She turned and made to leave, when Shade stepped in her way. Once more, Sin was left speechless and his sister's courage.
"Where are we going?" She asked, crossing her arms. Elena stepped around her elegantly. "To Wiseacre's."
With a sigh, Sin and Shade followed the vampiress to the equipment shop, where Elena bought him a trunk with an undetectable extension charm. Then she took him to a small yet less cluttered bookshop and filled his trunk with several books she barely showed him the names of before tossing them in. Finally she took them to the Apothecary.
"The school-supplied ingredients are subpar. The ingredients here are much better quality, and will hail you better results." She ordered Sin a Basic Ingredients Kit, as well as a few others. These she also added to his trunk.
As they left, she said, "That'll be all for now. Sin, I expect to see you at the entrance to the Fights tonight." With that, she disappeared into the throng of bustling witches and wizards.
"That was it?" Shade asked suspiciously. Sin shrugged.
"How much money is left in that bag?" He asked, a grin beginning to spread across his features now that he could relax.
Shade smirked at him. "Twenty or so galleons."
"Well, Elena didn't seem particularly bothered about whether or not she gets it back."
"No, she didn't," Shade agreed.
By the time they left Diagon Alley, accompanied by eleven thick fluffy blankets, eight large and two small warm woolen cloaks, a large basket crammed full of takeaway, and three young storybooks, the sun had started to set. Sin had to admit he was grateful Elena had taken him to get the expanded trunk, otherwise they'd never be able to carry everything home.
On the way back, Shade said quietly, "I don't think you should go tonight."
Sin made a noncommittal noise that they both knew meant he was going.
"She can't - she can't just summon you like a dog." They both knew she could. "You don't have to do what she says." Yes he did. "I'm not - I'm not going to stop you from going," she said desperately, "But… please, Sin. Don't go. Stay home. Read to Light. Tease Toxic about her girlfriend. Watch Wheels get used to his new prosthetic. Just - don't go. She might want to take you to the magical fights, and look what happened last time!"
"Elena has it under control," Sin replied just as quietly. "It was self-defense, so Mr Noir nor anyone else has any grounds to retaliate. And even if someone attacks… you should have seen her, Shade. She was unbelievable. She killed all four of them in the time it took the first one to hit the ground. She wouldn't let anything happen to me. I'm too valuable." There was a bitter tang in his mouth as he spoke the words.
Shade's' face was pinched as they arrived back at the warehouse. "She is not someone you want to trust, Sin."
"I don't trust her, per say. I trust that she values her investments."
Shade sighed, and left to hand out the blankets and cloaks. She started to give out the takeaway as well as Light barrelled into Sin's side.
"I missed ya! I didn't like it when you were gone. Roach was annoying, and Spider was grumpy." Sin chuckled, and ruffled the six-year-old's hair.
"Sin! Excellent! Watch this!" Wheels called, and he pulled himself to a stand. On his left arm, which ended in a pink stump at the elbow, had a metal piece strapped to it, with three hooked claws at the end. "When I flex my arm," the older boy said, and did so, "this happens!" The three claws closed. Wheels loosened his muscle and the claws relaxed.
Sin raised his eyebrows, impressed. "Wow, that's incredible," he said truthfully.
"Why thanks, mate," came Sparky's rough voice from behind him. Sin grinned as Sparky clapped him on the shoulder. She had a bright blue bandana tying her stringy blonde hair back, and a lopsided grin on her face. "I worked hard on i'. Been a bi' boring withou' you, bu' i' mean' I worked on tha' beau'y harder."
Sin laughed, hugged her, and fell back in with his family.
Sin yawned and kissed Roach's sleeping form on the forehead before wandering over to wear Hero, Spider, and Shade sat at the low, wonky table. "I'm going to go," he said, "she'll be waiting for me."
Shade bit her lip. "I still - I still don't think you should go."
"I know. But I don't really have a choice. I want her to think I'm cooperating." He didn't want her to think anything. He was cooperating. "I have to go."
Shade swallowed, before narrowing her eyes and standing up. "Fine. Then Hero and I are coming with you."
Hero raised her eyebrows but stood. Sin refrained from rolling his eyes; he knew she was just trying to protect him. However, he did feel it was unnecessary. Elena wouldn't hurt him, and he could take care of himself.
"Fine," he sighed. "Let's go.
He lead a grim Shade and a quiet Hero to the entrance of the Fights, where Elena was waiting.
"Took you long enough. You brought company?" She asked sharply. Sin nodded and didn't bother to elaborate.
"It will be more dangerous for them. The people that hang around the fights in Knockturn are not the sort of people to overlook muggles or squibs in their presence."
Shade crossed her arms, and Hero remained still. "We're still coming. We're wearing cloaks we bought there, so they shouldn't realise we're muggles." Sin noticed she counted herself as a muggle, not a squib.
Elena raised a brow. "You think they won't smell it on you? It isn't just your clothes."
Shade didn't flinch. "We're coming," she said flatly.
"Shade, maybe you shouldn't come," Sin murmured. "It's more dangerous for you -"
Shade fixed him with a stare, and he shut his mouth.
Elena sighed. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
They entered through the Night Prowler. Mr Avery and Elena exchanged greetings, but when the man raised his eyebrows at Sin, Hero, and Shade, Elena merely stared at him, and he quickly dropped his gaze and bowed them through the door into Knockturn.
They walked in silence, and Sin couldn't bare it. He cast his mind around for something to say - anything, really - until he came upon something he'd been meaning to ask Elena for a while. "Elena?"
"Mm?"
"Can you do magic? As a vampire that used to be a witch?"
Elena paused slightly before continuing down the alley. "Not with a wand, no. And not your type of wandless magic. But… some remnants remain. For example, mind magic. Legilimency and occlumency. And I can still brew potions, and use certain runes that require a magical energy or magical force. But I can't perform spells, or cast curses, or anything like that."
"Do you miss it?"
Elena stopped in her tracks, and turned to Sin. Her eyes were usually empty - and while her gaze was unreadable, he could clearly see emotions roiling behind them, and as she stared at him, he nearly flinched away. When she opened her mouth, she said with more heartbreaking feeling he had ever witnessed from her, "Yes. More than you could ever know."
Sin couldn't bare to keep looking into her eyes, so he turned his towards the cobbled stones. After a beat of silence, they continued to the warehouse where he had fought the Runespoor. He made no more attempts to spark conversation, and Shade and Hero remained silent.
The warehouse was boistering with loud cheers as they entered. Hero and Shade had pulled down the cowl of their cloaks to hide their faces. Elena pushed through the crowd, the three street children close behind her. When they got to the edge of the pit, they saw a two vampires locked in a blur of movement. Their battle was too fast for Sin to tell what was happening, or who was winning, but eventually they slowed, until he could see a body with dark grey skin collapse to the floor, a pale woman with brilliant red hair standing above him, one foot on his throat. There was a small smirk on her face.
"Victory to Anneith," came the horrible, satiny voice from Assassin's nightmares. Sin lifted his gaze from the winner - Anneith - and fixed his eyes on the veiled face of Mr Noir. The crowd roared louder, and Sin could hear the chink of coins as money changed hands. Sin and Elena didn't seem to escape Mr Noir's notice, and he lifted his sickly gaze to meet Elena's. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Lady Van Rau and her pet Parselmouth. I didn't think I'd be seeing you two again."
"What, you hoped Bedici finished us off?" Elena replied, raising an eyebrow. Mr Noir let out a laugh like cough syrup at her inquiry.
"Oh, Elena dear, of course not. Bedici and his friends could never match you. Besides, I enjoy having you around. You're so fun to play with."
Shade slipped her fingers into Sin's and squeezed his hand in support, and Sin could see Hero subtly shift into a fighter's stance out of the corner of his eye. Elena tilted her head. "And I do so enjoy playing these games of ours." Mr Noir's thin lips stretched into a wide smile that had Shade twitching, and made Sin want to run for the hills. He turned to Sin then, and Sin closed his eyes for a moment and breathed in. When he opened them again, he refused to make eye contact.
"Well, let's see how your little pet does when he can't use his special trick." Anneith grabbed the prone form of the other vampire and, with inhuman strength, threw him out of the pit. One of Mr Noir's lackeys caught the body and disappeared into the crowd with it. Sin hoped the vampire was just unconscious.
"Anneith, how would you like another opponent?" Mr Noir proposed, and Anneith grinned, revealing her pointed fangs.
"I would pity the poor boy, but passing up the chance to face a Parselmouth is too big to resist," she replied, and her voice was surprisingly human for a vampire. One glance at her fangs, however, ruined the facade.
"You don't have to do this," Shade murmured as quietly as she could. "We can still go back." When Sin didn't reply, she tugged on him. "Sin, we can leave. We should go. Please - leave Elena to deal with Mr Noir - we have to go. Anneith's aura - usually vampires don't have one. Or at least I can't see it. I think it's because they're dead. But - she must be fairly new, because she has one - and it's just rage, Sin. Hate. She'll kill you. Please -" Shade's tone had turned desperate. She was begging him, and Sin turned to reply, but one of Mr Noir's lackey's had already made his way to them, and shoved him into the pit.
He fell to his feet off-balance, and Anneith bared her fangs. He glanced up, and Elena hadn't taken her eyes off of Mr Noir. Obviously she saw him as the true threat. Shade, however, looked moments away from jumping into the pit after him. Hero gave him a gentle nod, and he knew she was wishing him luck. She wasn't the type to let herself believe the worst, in case it came true.
"Well whenever you're ready," Mr Noir called out. Sin didn't have a moment to think before he felt a searing pain in his chest, and he was lying on his back.
"Too slow, Slithertongue," Anneith crowed. Sin raised his hand to blow her back with a burst of magic, but before he could call upon the power in the back of his mind, she threw him against the wall of the pit. "Pathetic," she spat, as Sin gingerly touched his bruised cheek.
He didn't wait this time, and delved into the magic. The euphoric feeling filled him, and he spun, thinking of the cold. He saw a blur of movement as Anneith ran at him again, but she cried out and jumped back when several large shards of ice pierced her shoulders and arms. "Mordred!" She cried out. A hush fell over the crowd, and Sin realised they'd only ever seen him speak Parseltongue. They didn't know about his wandless magic.
Anneith grit her teeth, and rushed at him. Sin threw out his hand and a pointed icicle flew at her - but she snatched it out of the air and threw it back at him. It lodged itself in his right bicep and he cried out.
He heard Shade shriek behind him, and a scuffle, but he couldn't afford to lose focus. As Anneith ran at him again, he threw his arms out with everything he had, and Anneith's body lifted from the ground before slamming into the wall of the pit. She collapsed, and didn't attempt to rise.
"Victory to the Parselmouth!" Mr Noir cried, and Sin gasped as the pain in his arm suddenly sunk in. Toxic's first-aid lectures in mind, he didn't attempt to pull out the icicle. He turned to Elena to ask for help when his eyes narrowed and his blood went cold. The vampire that had pushed him into the pit had Shade trapped in his arms.
"There are two rules in this game," Mr Noir said icily. "Rule one? No snitching to the ministry. Rule two? You don't interfere. This one," he pointed at Shade with one thin finger, "Tried to jump into the pit when the Parselmouth was in trouble."
Elena stepped forward. "Now, Mr Noir, I'm sure that wasn't quite her intention. We can come to an agreement that… resolves this issue, hm?" Sin's heart was thundering in his chest, and all of a sudden he was eight years old again, frozen in place. He couldn't even lift a hand, and inside he was screaming at himself - to move, to do something - but he just stood there.
Mr Noir smirked wickedly. "Oh, no, Elena dear. This one," he nodded at Shade, "Broke one of the rules. And what happens to those who break the rules?" He asked loudly, and the crowd yelled out something indistinguishable. "That's right. They're fair game."
The vampire holding Shade grinned, extending his fangs.
And then it ripped out her throat.
...
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