CHAPTER ELEVEN
Harry, after surviving her first etiquette 101 lesson and treating Athenaïs, Nott, Orion and Druella to some hot chocolate – all three kids had looked so content when drinking it, Harry momentarily forgot who these people would turn out to become – took her two-way journal and decided to see if Mr. Burke had any energy to talk to her.
Evening Mr. Burke. I am not bothering you, am I?
Harry positively lit up when she saw the reply arrive not five seconds later.
Of course not, Harry. I am just sitting in my sitting room with a nice cup of tea and a book.
Ooo, what kind of book?
Nothing too exciting. It is rather stupid.
Harry laughed. I doubt that.It seemed he knew she would be laughing.
Do not laugh! Ok … I am currently reading Wuthering Heights.
Awesome! I kind of had you pegged for a Gothic fan. Your complexion suits it well enough.
Why you little-
Come on, sir! My friend Orion is obsessed with Muggle romance novels. It is nothing to be ashamed of.
This had taken Mr. Burke by surprise. Orion BLACK?! How did he get his hands on Muggle books in the first place?
Apparently his sister Lucretia smuggles them into the home for him. His father always observes him packing his trunk, so Lucretia slips them into his robes, usually disguised as some very Dark books. It is like something out of a spy novel – it is quite ridiculous!
Indeed! Though it does sound quite funny to witness. Speaking of the Black family, I had the matriarch come into my shop today. Melania, scion of the MacMillan clan.
I heard quite a bit about her. Tell me, was she as intimidating as I have heard?
The woman scares me.
Daaaaaamn. That is quite the compliment!
I am not so sure if you have noticed, my Lady, but you females can be downright terrifying. Amazons were feared for a reason. Spartan women too.
Yeah, I suppose. Harry couldn't help but preen a little bit at this, but decided to keep her tone nonchalant.
So how is your evening then, my friend?
Amazing! Your books have helped me a lot – in fact, they saved my hide. The statue is fully de cursed; I have sent it to the goblins with my report already. They should get it in no time; Endor is really fast. Nott, Heron, Orion and Druella helped me write it quite quickly. Oh, and I may have gotten them hooked onto hot chocolate!
Hot chocolate, purebloods? My, my, you really are causing quite the storm, aren't you?
It's not like I mean to! They asked me about what my favourite evening activity was, and I told them about the time my friends and I made hot chocolate and just played chess or did some reading, or talked. Then Orion begged me to make them some. Not really surprising on his part – he loves anything sweet. It was that Druella, Heron and Nott also wanted to try it. What surprises me even more is that Tom Riddle also likes hot chocolate!
Tom Riddle? This prince of Slytherin you have told me about?
Yes. He is a self-obsessed toerag with blood prejudices, and yet he doesn't mind a Muggle drink.
You cannot judge a book by its cover, Harry. People put up facades to protect themselves. You would know something about that.
Harry considered for a moment. Her Gryffindor side wanted to outright disagree with Burke, but her Slytherin side knew that he was completely in the right. She was a Traveller and the new Lady Regnant of House Peverell. That alone could put her in danger; the other fact about her would make her a guinea pig for curious Aurors.
True.
Other than your housemates proving to be not as slimy as you thought, and your job being done, how are you?
I feel fine, considering everything. My nightmares are not as bad as they were; I at least don't wake up screaming the castle down.
Oh? You have not been feeling any different? You are not … seeing things?
Harry's brow furrowed. These questions were downright weird. Why would Mr. Burke be asking any of this? Then again, there was nothing normal about the man. No. Why? Should I be worried?
It took Mr. Burke an unusually long amount of time to simply answer with: No reason. I have a meeting tomorrow with a client. I bid you a good night, Harry.
Good night, sir.
As Harry closed her two-way journal, her frown deepened. That was seriously strange, and her alarm bells were ringing. The alarm bells told her that something really rather vital was being kept from her.
#############
"You really are a bloody coward."
Thanatos suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Harry really was a bad influence on him. "Shut up, Hypnos."
His twin brother's eyes flashed indigo angrily. "You know I am right! The more time you waste, the more you are putting the girl in danger!"
"It is not the right time to tell her," Thanatos answered calmly, sipping his jasmine tea.
"When will it be the 'right time'? When she has been kidnapped by Gellert Grindelwald or one of his allies?" the God of Sleep snarled, still pacing around his brother's flat. "You promised me that you would tell her tonight. You have no right to keep the Mistress of Death in the dark about her own damn powers! You are lucky she can't die, or you'd be the cause of her demise."
Thanatos' own eyes flashed silver in fury. "Settle, brother," he hissed menacingly.
"I will not!" Hypnos snapped. "If this is the only way to get it through your thick skull that you need to inform Hera of her true powers and task, then I will risk your displeasure without a moment's hesitation."
Thanatos tried to keep his countenance. "She hasn't been feeling anything different, or beginning to see-"
"That doesn't matter. She has to know before then so she can be prepared!" Hypnos crossed his arms and glared at his twin. "Look, if you will not tell her, then I will. I will send Morpheus, Phantasmos and the other Oneiroi to her-"
The shadows began to gather more firmly around Thanatos. "Don't you bloody dare!"
"Oh I dare. You brought her here to be able to train and have a life. Tell her the truth or I will."
"Why do you care?" Thanatos sneered. "She is not the Mistress of Sleep-"
"You are my brother!" Hypnos wailed. "We are twins for a reason. You and I are intrinsically linked, thus yes – Harry is my concern. She may have Death magics, Soul magics, certain Fate related powers, but she will also have a few Sleep and Dream related powers. So forgive me if I don't take a blasé attitude to this!"
Thanatos sighed and bowed his head. "I know, I know! I … will tell her. Soon."
"You had better," Hypnos growled. "Or I take matters into my own hands."
###############
For the next few days, Harry was slowly getting into the routine of Hogwarts life in the 1940s. She had a few very strange dreams – she saw herself raising the dead, reaping the dead like some modern day Grim Reaper, and being able to talk to the dead, or not yet born – but other than that, nothing too strange happened.
Harry attended lessons – she almost blew up a cauldron in Potions because Artemis had not chopped the valerian root finely enough; she had to fend off more questioning by Albus Dumbledore in Transfigurations; she had another debate with Binns on the subject of monoliths – and when she wasn't in the library or in the archives, Harry was being dragged to the Quidditch pitch by Orion, Druella and Artemis for training. They were all determined to see Neil Lament replaced, and after witnessing the boy torment a first year who still could not sleep without his plushie dragon, Harry knew the seventh year boy had to go.
Oh yes, the guilt had vanished completely.
In the evenings, Harry would settle in front of the fire again with her homework and Athenaïs company – it was quickly becoming her designated spot. Orion and Heron would be giving her the Ancient Runes homework and essay assignments, and then promptly tested her basic knowledge on each subject. Harry would then be helping them with History or Defence; the purebloods would resume their etiquette lessons soon after that. Hierarchy of the purebloods, what to wear to Abraxan races and … courting. Yes, the latter got a few giggles and chuckles from the rest of the Slytherins, but other than that no one said anything about Harry's pureblood education. In fact, they were rather happy that the half-blood Lady Regnant was learning about their culture, and did not expect to be catered to.
In her dorm, Harry would sing on request of her room mates. After discovering Harry could sing, none of the girls let her hide her ability again. Once they were satisfied, Harry spoke to Mr. Burke a lot, who was for some reason was quite curt with her. She hated to admit it, but it hurt a little. Had she done something to offend him?
When Friday arrived, Harry was rather giddy with excitement, and she was not the only one. It turns out that her dormmates also were not big Lament fans.
"I hope you make him cry," Ygraine told Harry with an evil smirk as they both did their hair together in the bathroom. "He has been strutting around for years, thinking no one could surpass him."
"No one tried?" Harry questioned carefully.
Ygraine grinned. "Oh they did. None of them were really that good, though. They mostly wanted to wipe the smugness off Lament's face, but since their defeat it has only increased."
Harry snorted. Great. No pressure there then.
On the way to the Great Hall, Ophelia was practically bouncing up and down in glee. "If Dru tell me is true, Lament is toast this year. Do you mind if I come and watch? I don't want to put more pressure on you but I want to see the bastard squirm!"
Walburga looped her arm into Harry's. "Just try your best, but if you manage to make Lament weep I will treat you to a trip to the hairdresser's during the up and coming Hogsmeade trip."
Harry's heart sank. "I have no guardian to sign my permission slip."
"Ask Dippet or Dumbledore. You are technically a ward of Hogwarts," Ophelia suggested. "I am sure they will permit it."
"Dumbledore, definitely not. I will go to Dippet first," Harry stated.
"Good girl," Druella grinned.
Ophelia, Walburga and Ygraine left Druella and Harry with Orion, as usual, who already was aggressively bouncing up and down in his seat. Harry almost thought he had eaten too much sugar or had drunk too much coffee, but she knew this was simply pure Orion energy. Mulciber, Dolohov, Rosier and Malfoy were all thunderous – clearly vexed to the nth degree by his behaviour – but Nott, Heron, Tom and Avery were all acting as if this didn't bother them at all.
"Good morning, Druella. Good morning, Harry," Tom said amicably.
Both girls blinked at him – who was this and what had happened to Tom Riddle? – before giving him the same greeting and settling down to eat breakfast.
"Are you well rested for today, Harry?" Avery asked with a grin.
"Quite, thank you," Harry replied with a small smile. "Some odd dreams but I am used to that by now."
"I hear Orion, Druella and the Potter girl have been putting you through intensive training," Nott teased with a grin.
Orion looked a little offended at the tone. "What? We need to make sure she is prepared! Who knows how must rust had gathered because of Grindelwald?"
"Rust?!" Harry spluttered. "You take that back!"
"I am not saying you are rusty!" Orion protested. "Well, with Grindelwald being a constant threat, I thought you and your friends might not have had much opportunity to fly."
"We had more time to fly than you think," Harry answered with a small grin. "It is how we managed to escape from them on more than one occasion. And not on just brooms, either."
"What else did you use then?" Nott asked eagerly.
For once, no one snapped at him for prying into Harry's business; they all wanted to know the answer.
"Erm – a flying car, Thestrals and dragons," Harry listed before continuing her breakfast as though she had just given a mundane weather prediction.
"Sorry, WHAT?!" Mulciber spluttered. Dolohov had almost chocked on his cereal. Pumpkin juice had come out of Malfoy's nose, which made Harry shield her head away to hide her Cheshire grin.
"Trust me, each one is a long story," Harry sighed in exasperation.
"Start with the flying car," Nott said eagerly, "whatever that is."
"No way! The dragons!" Orion protested. "Dragons are so much more interesting."
Harry grumbled to herself and hung her head. Lady Magic, why was she such an idiot?
Fortunately, she was saved from the bickering baby Death Eaters by the arrival of Artemis and Loreley, who embraced Harry carefully from behind. Harry tensed up but once she saw who it was, immediately relaxed.
"Hey you two! Slept well?"
"I had a dream that Lament turned himself into a purple unicorn out of the shame of being beaten by a girl," Artemis informed her. Harry already could tell there was an evil glint in the Potter girl's eyes. Yep, James definitely inherited his Marauder genes from this strange witch.
"I had a dream about two Dark angels – brothers – training their latest warrior," Loreley added dreamily, causing her brother to hide himself behind the latest copy of the Daily Prophet. "One brother wasn't very happy. The warrior is being kept in the dark, you know."
"Loreley, please. It is too early for this," Malfoy complained.
"What lesson do you have first?" Artemis asked Harry, ignoring the glares she was receiving, as she practically placed herself onto Harry's lap nonchalantly and stealing a croissant from the Slytherin breakfast table.
Harry went on with munching on her breakfast pastry. "Charms. You?"
"Care of Magical Creatures. We are going to be studying hippogriffs this lesson!"
"Cool!" Harry lit up; suddenly she felt a tug in her heart to see Buckbeak again. "Remember to bow to them first, or they will claw your eyes out. Oh, and they love dead ferrets."
"You know your creatures," Artemis grinned.
Harry smirked. "My tutor was creature obsessed. He had a Cerberus you know. He called it Fluffy."
"Was he insane?" Rosier spluttered.
"No," Harry replied coolly. "He was just … different. He wasn't the smartest but he knew his creatures and was very kind. Took his job very seriously." Merlin and Morgana, how she missed Hagrid.
"Reminds me of the weird Hagrid kid," Dolohov sneered. "Got expelled for setting a dangerous creature on a Mud … Muggleborn, you know. An Acromantula. The girl died. She now haunts the girls' bathroom on the fifth floor."
Harry felt her blood boil, but she knew that if her anger registered it would appear quite strange. Instead, she gritted her teeth and would simply make Dolohov pay for it at a later date.
Everyone had seen Harry tense up at Dolohov almost using the slur, and waited with bated breath for her to explode, but relaxed quite quickly when they realised they hadn't set her off. They kept the subjects to much safer ones for the rest of the day; Avery and Mulciber talked Quidditch with her whenever they could; Lestrange would send Harry coded messages in Runes for her to translate and vice versa; Nott and Loreley tried to convince Harry to sing to her plants in Herbology; Artemis asked questions on Harry's past-future friends.
Tom surprised Harry the most. He could have fished for information on the flying car, or the Thestrals or the dragon escapes but he asked Harry stuff about her tutors, especially Moody. Although Tom did not get to know the name. Harry knew she could not risk it.
For some reason, Merrythought had paired Tom and Harry together in Defence again. They were practising elemental magic – something Harry had been studying in the archives – so Tom and Harry were just throwing a fireball at each other as casually as throwing a tennis ball while having a genuinely amicable chat.
"The first tutor had a damn stammer! Plus, he was known for being a little strange, so alarm bells did not ring."
Riddle had shaken his head. "It is always the quiet ones, Harry!"
Harry gave a nodded, conceding the point, as she turned the fire blue before shooting back at her sparring partner. "Fair enough, but it didn't cross my eleven-year-old mind. Now, the second – he had incompetence written all over his grinning face."
"In what way?" Riddle asked as he caught the blue ball and threw it towards her dominant casting arm.
"Every lesson was about himself and his accomplishments," Harry rolled her eyes, side stepping the ball of fire and then redirecting it back at Riddle with a lazy flick of her wrist. "He let loose Cornish pixies on us without properly preparing us too!"
Riddle tusked as he dodged the ball of fire and let it crash into the pillar behind him before conjuring a new one. "Yes, that is indeed incompetent. What about your uncle Remus?"
"As I said, best tutor we ever had!" Harry laughed as she danced around the ball, sending it flying into the classroom door. A good thing Merrythought had charmed that thing before class! "Not even the most difficult or unpleasant amongst our group had a bad word to say about his teaching methods, which is saying something."
Riddle nodded thoughtfully. "Why did he not teach to begin with?"
Harry stopped for a moment as she conjured another ball of fire. Her expression darkened. "It's complicated."
She could see Tom wanted to push it but was rather relieved when he decided to not test her. "Your fourth tutor was a Grindelwald supporter disguised as an Auror."
"Yes," Harry confirmed as she caught the ball skilfully.
Riddle sighed. "There is something I don't understand, Harry."
Harry scoffed and threw the ball again. "What?"
Riddle caught the fireball with little effort. "You are so smart and alert, having experienced three years of uncertainty with your tutors, and yet you never figured out that your tutor was betraying you?"
Harry shrugged. "He was a former Auror and trusted by the resistance."
It was Tom's turn to scoff. "That is no guarantee. You should know that."
"I was focusing on trying to survive," Harry answered coolly. "Frankly, I was tired of looking over my shoulder. Tired of waiting to be kidnapped or murdered. I wanted to feel safe, for once in my life. I wanted to be able to trust someone. Just once."
Something in Tom's features softened for a moment, but then turned quite hard again. "Trust is the most dangerous weapon of them all, Harry. You should know that; it's a double edged sword."
"I know." Harry quickly turned the fireball throwing game into one of throwing lightning. It took Tom by surprise but he adapted quickly. "My Potions tutor was someone who despised me. I hated him for years, and yet he was one of the few people I learned I could depend on. All because of an oath he swore to my mother. He was a very harsh task master – if a potion wasn't perfect, he would eviscerate me, and anyone else who didn't meet his standards."
There was a conflicted look in Tom's eyes. "He sounds like a very complex person."
"He was, but at the same time he was also one of the bravest men I ever knew," Harry smiled. "He risked his life to be a double agent. In the end Grindelwald killed him in his search for my family." Harry caught Tom's lightning bolt as it almost went past her face, grazing her cheek. It left a small cut, which she hardly noticed. "I watched him die. He died in my arms."
"Grindelwald did not kill him with the Killing Curse?"
"No," Harry replied curtly. Her expression softened again. "He used a Cutting Curse of some note. I tried to save him … I couldn't do anything."
"You shouldn't blame yourself. You're only seventeen," Tom told her kindly.
"I should have trained harder," Harry countered angrily. "The deaths that happened are on my head, because I was too weak to do anything."
"I don't think you're being fair on yourself."
Had Harry not been in class, she knew she would have been rolling on the floor laughing. Voldemort was telling her to not beat herself up! Oh this was definitely a story worth telling to her friends.
If she ever found a way to return home.
Because she was too long in her own head, Tom's bolt hit Harry squarely and sent her flying across the classroom. She had expected to feel annoyed at the fact Tom managed to get a direct hit, but instead Harry found herself laughing as she fished herself off the ground. As she dusted herself down, Harry noticed that Tom – who had hurried over – had an uncharacteristically apologetic expression on his face.
"Are you all right? I am so sorry; I genuinely did not mean to hit you," he told her quickly.
"No harm done," Harry grinned. "You actually managed to get a hit in. Well done."
Tom tried to sneer in annoyance, but even Harry could see there was no effort put in at all. Especially when he saw the cut one of his other bolts had made. To Harry's surprise, Tom healed it without a moment's thought.
Tom further surprised Harry that day, by actually showing up to the Quidditch try-outs. Harry had seen Tom go into almost a catatonic state every single time Avery or Mulciber brought the subject up at breakfast, lunch and dinner so was absolutely flabbergasted at the fact that the baby Dark Lord had decided to show up.
Harry pushed any and all thoughts away that it had to do with her, because Nott was leading the Knights behind Orion, Harry, Druella and Artemis, looking almost as excited as Orion was.
The fact Tom was joining also surprised Orion, Druella and Artemis.
"Wow. This is the first time in the years we know him that Tom Riddle is leaving the comforts of the common room or library and going to a Quidditch try-outs," Druella commented dryly. "He must be ill."
"Or bribed by Avery or Mulciber?" Artemis suggested.
"We will be seeing him at a match next!" Druella joked with a barked laugh.
"That will be the day Hell freezes over," Artemis snorted.
Orion was positively humming with excitement. "This is going to be so much fun!"
Dolohov had clearly been quite fed up with the permanent giddiness that Orion had been exuding up until that moment because he shouted, "Black, I could tell you that I was going to curse you and you'd get excited at the prospect!"
Orion frowned for a moment, considering, before he shouted back, "that would depend on what type of curse you're going to use!"
"Kinky!" Harry giggled.
Orion spluttered and turned bright red, giving Harry a small shove. She, Druella and Artemis howled with laughter.
"You know perfectly well that is not what I meant!"
"Don't fret, Orion, it's OK to mix pain with pleasure now and again," Artemis teased, looking almost sinful as she spoke. Orion's blush deepened, as did the girls' amusement.
Harry decided to save what was left of Orion's dignity by switching the subject. "So, tell me a little bit more about the other members of the team. What are they like?"
Orion lit up in almost an instant. "Well, first we have Avery, of course. He is a Chaser and also our Captain, as you know. Then we have Rachel Pucey. She is a Chaser and is in the year below us. She absolutely loves poetry – once set up a poetry club but it wasn't really well received. A pity, really. Our beaters are Mulciber, of course, and Christina Bletchley."
"The same Christina who blew up her cauldron in Potions not too long ago?" Harry stated. Slughorn had almost had a full on nervous breakdown because of it; it would have been funny had it not been so worrying.
"Yes," Druella said grimly. "To call her clumsy is an understatement but she is absolutely vicious with a bat."
"She once managed to knock out five of my teeth!" Artemis piped up. "I had to stay in St. Mungo's for a bit."
"You sound way too happy about that," Harry commented.
"And of course, currently our Seeker is Neil Lament," Orion finished coolly. "Hopefully that will change after today."
"The Keeper position and Chaser position open; Seeker up for contention," Harry mused. "That is actually a lot of spots!"
"Yep. We want to take away the winning streak that Gryffindor has been having lately – no offence, Arty," Orion said happily. "Avery is going to only put in the best; there is a lot at stake for him personally since this is the last year he can get a win to his name as Captain."
Harry gulped quietly. "No pressure," she muttered.
"You'll be fine!" Nott finally caught up to their group, quickly followed by Rosier and Dolohov, and the other reluctant Knights. "All you need to do is catch the Snitch in a certain amount of time. You can do that, right?"
"Knowing what is at stake, I doubt he will make it that easy," Harry muttered.
"Probably not," Nott admitted, looking a little deflated.
The Quidditch stands were fuller than Harry expected for Slytherin Quidditch try-outs. Loreley had shown up, as had some of the first and second year Slytherins. Orion, Druella and Artemis called out well-wishes before joining Loreley. Nott enthusiastically shouted encouragement before being dragged to the opposite side of the stadium to the Slytherin weirdos, the Potter girl and the dotty Malfoy Ravenclaw by Rosier and the other Knights.
Avery beckoned her over to the reasonable sized group as soon as he saw Harry. He was positively glowing, which was so sweet to see that Harry could not help but return the beaming smile.
"Hey, Harry! You made it! Good, then we are all here."
There were three girls, not including Harry, and four boys trying out. The group looked at Harry curiously; one girl, with auburn hair and startling sapphire blue eyes, raised an eyebrow at her in challenge.
"Which position are you trying out for?" she demanded to know.
"Seeker," Harry answered politely. "And you?"
The girl suddenly donned a less hostile attitude when she realised Harry would not be in direct competition to her. "Keeper."
Turns out, none of the girls were going for the Seeker position. One of the boys was also trying out for Keeper, another for Chaser and two for Seeker. Great.
"I am changing up the challenge for the try-outs this year," Avery announced to them. "You will be battling against the entire team – they will simulate the enemy. Keepers will have to keep the Quaffle out, Chasers will have to score while being hunted by the Beaters and Seekers, you are going to have to catch three Snitches while the Chasers and Beaters are hunting you down."
There were a few eyes that went worryingly wide. Harry kept her cool; all she wanted to do was get up into the air already. The borderline rude auburn-haired girl also looked rather unimpressed.
Avery proceeded to introduce the current team members to the try-outs. While Mulciber, Rachel Pucey and Christina Bletchley were perfectly civil, Neil Lament was eyeing the people after his position with vitriolic suspicion. Especially Harry.
The Keeper try-outs were first. As it happened, the auburn girl was also up first: her name was Christina Warrington. Because she had the same name as a current member of team, Avery decided to give her nickname her War, much to the chagrin of the girl. She protested against it but Avery reminded her coldly that her position as Keeper was by no means assured.
Unfortunately, War was deplorably talented on a broom. Every movement she made in the air was fuelled by fire-hot passion and love, which boosted her speed. Harry had wondered how someone so elfin and short could possibly keep up with the Quaffle but had been quickly proven wrong. War rocketed from hoop to hoop in what appeared to be seconds and could throw the Quaffle across the pitch with alarming ease. Wasps and hummingbirds would have been envious. Harry was glad that War was not her competition.
War was good, and she knew it. The other try-outs were rather put out; it also didn't help that War smirked every time she saw one of the others falter or make a slight mistake.
The Chaser try-outs were a little longer, but more evenly matched. In Harry's opinion Max Norris was a little bit more consistent than some of the females – Sophie McLaren almost dropped the Quaffle at one point – but other than that, it really wasn't obvious who would be offered the position.
When the Seeker try-outs began, Harry felt her heart beat in anticipation. The standard was high – all of the Seekers had managed to catch at least one Snitch within the fifteen minutes they were given, with the entire team trying to hunt them down in a merciless manner that reminded Harry indeed of the spirit of the Gryffindor team in particular. With only fifteen minutes to evade the whole Slytherin team and catch three Snitches, Harry knew this would not be a breeze.
She looked up to the stands, but not at her friends. She looked at Tom and the Knights. Tom, Dolohov and Malfoy all sat nonchalantly, looking quite bored. Tom had his arms folded. Nott looked very pumped up; Rosier tried to be excited for his friend's sake. But it was the look of smug satisfaction as yet another of the Seekers could not catch all three on Tom's face that made Harry's blood boil. Like Hell would she be made a laughing stock off by baby Voldemort.
The moment Harry mounted her broom, and kicked off everything seemed to melt around her. Harry felt the Bludgers heading for her and skilfully dodged them, and soon spotted one of the Snitches. Harry narrowed her eyes, attempting to read its pattern. Instinctively, she dived into a corkscrew drive and soon had her hand on one of the Snitches. Grinning to herself, and spotting another Snitch, Harry spun her broom balletically up into the air and raced after it. Time literally flew by. All she could remember was the feeling of the wind in her hair, dodging Bludger after Bludger like it was nothing – Montague and Peregrine's viciousness had trained her well – and feeling metal ball after metal ball in her fingertips.
It was only when Harry was back on the ground, and thus back into reality, that she realised that what she had pulled off was of any note. Orion, Druella, Artemis and Loreley were on their feet, cheering loudest of all. The young Slytherins were also on their feet, clapping. Nott was cheering quite loudly.
Avery was positively constipated with glee. "That was amazing! BLOODY AMAZING!" He eagerly counted the Snitches. "All three! All three in twelve bloody minutes!"
A few of the boys glared at her, not happy at being undone by a girl, and War was glaring at her in a way that Harry was happy that the phrase 'if looks could kill' only related to Basilisks.
"You're on the team, Harry. I am not waiting until Monday for this decision," Avery announced.
Lament was furious. "Avery, you cannot be serious!"
"I am more than serious," Avery's jovial tone had been replaced in a flash with one full of authority. "Harry is faster, more agile and twice as efficient as any one of them who tried out for Seeker and her skills are clearly more refined than yours as well. We want to win at least once, do we not?"
Steam was practically coming out of Lament's ears. "You are making a mistake!"
"No, I don't think I am," Avery drawled. "Remember that I am Captain, Lament. My decision stands."
Neil Lament looked set to deck Avery, but decided to give Harry a dirty look before storming off. Harry did not need to have Legilimency to know she had just made an enemy.
Orion, Druella and Artemis were besides themselves with excitement as they came stampeding out of the stands and embraced Harry tightly, complimenting her flying and how they couldn't wait to see Harry in action (Artemis was looking forward to battling against a worthy opponent). Loreley simply said: "Considering your past, it is unsurprising you are now our Seeker."
Nott rushed to join them, followed by Tom and the other Knights. While Nott was also barely able to talk with excitement, Tom, Dolohov and Malfoy surprised Harry by nodding at her slowly. She even got a sliver of a smile from Malfoy! Rosier begrudgingly told her that she was a beautiful flyer. Lestrange gave her a beaming smile.
"Dancing! You were practically dancing!" Orion sang for the millionth time as they trudged back to the castle for dinner.
##############3
Harry was happy that it was the weekend, because her night had been plagued with more nonsensical dreams that made no logical sense. Druella, Ophelia and Ygraine had to unceremoniously get Harry out of bed, with the help of Athenaïs, and ready for breakfast while Walburga sat back and judged them all. Who would have thought it that Sirius' mad mother would have found the image of her dormmates dragging a fellow dormmate out of bed with the help of said dormmate's familiar entertaining? Harry wasn't surprised to see that she was the only girl in trousers, boots, a shirt and a leather jacket as weekend dress, though.
To Harry's surprise, and delight, Orion and Nott were waiting in the common room for them, together with Avery and Mulciber, who had warmed up to Harry a bit more after seeing her skill on a broom. On the way to breakfast, Harry's performance and the reaction from the school was the topic of discussion.
Avery and Mulciber informed them rather gleefully that the Gryffindor team was apparently in a state of utter panic after what Artemis had told them and were booking as many Quidditch practise times as they were allowed to, just out of fear of the new Seeker.
Harry settled down to breakfast, feeling quite content. She mostly conversed with Orion, Druella, Nott, Heron and Avery, but now and again was approached by the members of the Quidditch team for a quick chat. Then, just as she had finished conversing with Rachel Pucey, a familiar hooting drifted into Harry's ears.
All eyes watched as the familiar Gringotts owl headed straight for Harry, carrying only a letter and a pouch this time.
The owl landed elegantly and stuck out its leg to her. Harry untied the pouch and letter and fed the Gringotts owl some bacon. It hooted in appreciation and waited patiently next to her.
Harry, ignoring the eyes on the letter and pouch, opened the letter and prepared herself for anything.
Dear Lady Peverell,
Do not be alarmed – all is well. The statue is fully de-Cursed, for which we are most grateful. Your report was very thorough. As compensation we have sent you 10,000 Galleons, considering its troublesome nature. We are writing to you because we have neglected to decide which of your properties that you own will be your main residence. Your stay in London this summer was necessary but naturally you need your own home. As Lady Peverell, the properties you own are: Peverell Manor, Arcana House and the Evren Estates. If we may be so bold, we advise the Evren Estates as it is much more manageable for an unmarried woman without a family and feels a little more … homely, than the other two. However, it is naturally your decision. If you wish to see the properties, please let us know. We also have some other business to discuss with you in person that might be a little strange.
Yours sincerely,
King Ragnok.
"Daaaaamn!" Harry exclaimed when she read her wage. But once she finished the letter, Harry had to blink a couple of times in shock. "Huh … interesting." She scrambled for her parchment and quill and quickly wrote,
Dear Ragnok,
I will meet you at ten o'clock sharp for the business you have proposed. I would also love to see my properties before making a decision on where to live.
Yours sincerely,
Lady Harry Peverell.
"What is it?" Nott asked curiously.
"Altair," Rosier sighed in exasperation.
"It turns out that the goblins at Gringotts forgot to inform me I need to pick a home to live in," Harry replied with a small smile as she finished her letter. "Apparently I have three properties to choose from."
"You didn't pick one when you saw them?" Tom asked in surprise.
"It frankly didn't come up at all," Harry answered with a shrug, sending the owl off with her reply. She took her last swig of pumpkin juice. "I am going to the library."
"Wait for us!" Orion and Druella jumped up. Nott and Heron also quickly finished off their breakfast before following Harry out of the Hall.
Harry's … friends settled down to work on Transfigurations, Charms and Herbology. Orion and Druella went for a book hunt, while Nott and Heron worked together on their dissertations and essays. Harry was about to join them when she felt her two-way journal hum with power.
Frowning, Harry opened it up.
Hey, Harry. Is this a good time?
She smiled and dipped her quill into the ink.
Yes. Just in the library with my friends.
On a weekend?
Next weekend we get to go to Hogsmeade, but I don't have a guardian to sign it.
Oh. I will be happy to oblige, if that is OK with you.
Harry lit up. Thank you. That is too kind. Is there … something wrong? You sound quite serious.There was quite a long pause before a reply came.
I have been neglecting you, my Lady. There are things you need to know … about your heritage.
That sounds rather … serious. And ominous. Like something out of one of those weird mystery novels.
Harry, what do you know about your ancestors, the three Peverell brothers? Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus.
They were the original owners of the Deathly Hallows. Harry knew all about the Hallows, thanks to Hermione and the search for the Horcruxes. The Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone and the Invisibility Cloak. I inherited the latter from my father; in fact, Ignotus' grave is close to my parents'.
Yes. All together, they make the owner Master, or Mistress, of Death.
I know … but it's just a story. Harry gulped. She had already suspected that there was more to it than anyone knew. A kind of truth to it.
I think you know better than that.
What the …?
You know, don't you? I am-
Mistress of Death. Tell me, have your powers been … volatile? Had any strange dreams of late?
Harry paled. Oh no … oh bloody no! The lightning … the weird visions … her ability to soak up magic quicker than she ever could in her present. No way …
Yes.
May we meet tomorrow?
I have a meeting with Gringotts.
Good. I'll take you.
OK.
"Harry!"
She snapped the two way journal shut in an instant and her eyes flew up. Orion and Druella were still working diligently, glancing at her now and again, but Nott and Heron were watching her with almost eagle-like eyes.
"Are you OK?" Heron asked gently.
"Yeah," Harry pushed out uncertainly. "Yeah … fine."
"You make Binns and the other ghosts look healthy," Nott told her bluntly. "What happened?"
"It's nothing. Family matter," Harry replied truthfully. "Mr. Burke was kind enough to … inform me of it."
"How does he know about your family matters?" Druella questioned curiously.
"I have been keeping him informed and … I think he knew my family."
"Really?" Orion's interest was piqued immediately. "What makes you say that?"
"The way he sounded – like he was guilty about something. At the same time, he also sounded like he was hiding something," Harry replied with a small frown. "I guess I will find out tomorrow."
"Well, no use pondering on it now. Let's revise Potions!" Nott stated happily.
Harry grinned. "Ingredient Ping-Pong?"
"I thought you'd never ask!"
###############
"So, at least you have told her the truth about her status as Mistress of Death."
"He is going to chicken out when it matters most though!"
Thanatos regarded his brother and young cousin with a firm grin, shaking his head at them. Hypnos was helping himself to his twin's best whiskey while Melinoë lounged in his favourite armchair, reading one of his books.
"Hypnos, don't you have some humans to put under your thumb? Melinoë, don't you have some dogs to torment with your ghost walks?" Thanatos pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Pfft. We have done our jobs, brother," Hypnos chuckled. "Besides, I have my sons to deal with the Realm, as you know."
"And yet you still take the form of a thirty-year-old History teacher," Melinoë teased.
"Hey, I am a good looking History teacher!" Hypnos protested. "You're one to make fun of me; you look no older than a university student."
"Wearing leather jackets, combat boots and men's trousers," Thanatos grumbled.
"Your Mistress is a woman of the future, so do not be so judgemental in my clothing choices," Melinoë warned him, pointing his letter opener at him in a threatening manner. "Besides, I am looking forward to meeting her."
"You are not going to meet her tomorrow!" Thanatos snapped.
"She will find out eventually. You have not been covering your tracks as well as you might think," Hypnos stated crisply. "You already gave away the fact you know her ancestors and that you know she is the new Mistress of Death. There is not much you can hide now."
Thanatos scowled. "There is no need to look so smug."
"It wasn't my idea to disguise as a mortal and try to get close to the Mistress of Death that way," Hypnos countered. "I knew it would backfire-"
"It doesn't matter," Melinoë cut across. "What is done is done. We focus on training her powers and keeping her away from Grindelwald and Dumbledore's conniving, ambitious hands."
"She is under the radar for now," Thanatos pointed out through gritted teeth.
The Goddess of Ghosts grinned. "Well, let's make sure it stays that way."
#############
So Thanatos has finally plucked up the courage to tell the truth and Harry has gotten onto the team, much to the delight of her friends.
Orion: Harry was AMAZING!
Yes, yes, they get it! You made your point! Stay tuned everyone and I love hearing your thoughts!
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