Good Ol' Fashioned Razzmatazz Chapter 7:

The Lies We Tell Ourselves

I was dead tired once the adrenaline crashed. My legs felt like jelly, my hands were shaking, I was lethargic and altogether ready to pass away forever. Suddenly all the little cuts and bruises, and wounds I'd taken on this daring adventure finally decided to start hurting. It wasn't like I didn't know how to take a punch though. I'd taken my fair share of physical abuse back in the day as a child, but it had been quite a while since I'd had to experience it again. It wasn't a welcome feeling. But that didn't mean I'd let the werewolf carry me again. I had my dignity as a capable adult dammit! Leaning on Gibs was already hurting my pride.

"There's seriously a cabin here?" Kirley asked.

"Yeah, and a vampire too," I said.

"Wait... what?!"

"Just thought you guys should know. Don't worry though, I'm about 60% sure he's vegetarian."

"Now you're just pulling our legs," Annabeth said.

"Wait, wait, wait—a vampire? Oh Merlin we're dead!" Kirley groaned. "Not to mention of the ministry finds out that I took part in exposing muggle children to magic... oh Merlin, I'm double dead!"

"Muggle?" Annabeth asked.

I clicked my tongue in distaste. "It's a really fucking stupid word, these wizards came up with to refer to normal humans without magic. It sounds like something a braindead child came up with!"

"Ssssuiiitsss how ussseeelesss they aaare," Lenny interjected.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course you'd think that. If I wasn't so sure I'd think you're a wizard fan boy."

Lenny hissed in disagreement and Kirley finally stopped groaning to himself about his eventual demise to finally look at me.

"So you're a descendent of the old Slytherin, huh? Who're your parents?"

"Don't have any. I was found in a bin somewhere here in Scotland as a baby," I said.

"Oh... sorry," Kirley apologised awkwardly.

I turned around and raised a brow. "What for?"

"For... I guess for being thrown in a bin as your first life experience?"

"Ha! Jesus, imagine having to live with know-it-all parents again. They did me a favour," I chuckled.

"You can't mean that," Annabeth said, frowning.

I huffed. "The only person I need to look after me is me. You two better start learning that. Allowing yourself to be a bunch of literal bitches. Especially you Curly Puke."

"It's Kirley Duke," he grunted, before huffing. "And aren't you being a little harsh? They're only children, and I'm having my life threatened."

"Life's harsh. Good thing for you I'm the most benevolent, awesome fucking human being in the world. So you're welcome," I said, turning around with a massive grin as I took a step back and vanished no doubt.

I could hear the gasps from the other children too. The barrier made any human and physical object outside of the natural wood here invisible and replaced with a mirage of the forest. To them I'd be disappearing.

They soon walked in and found me opening the door. The children all made sounds of wonder as they entered the small cabin, making it a rather crowded space for once. Kirley laid Kevin down on the only bed before working a few spells onto the boy, no doubt to stop his bleeding. Holly the little red-head girl was sitting by his bedside glaring at Kirley the entire time. It was adorable.

"Do you have a blood replenishing potion or something?" I asked.

"Not something I keep on me at all times now, is it?" he replied rolling his eyes.

I shrugged. "It was worth a try."

"What's the plan?" Kirley asked.

"I didn't have a plan beyond getting them out. Unless we can grab Orpheus somehow," I said, pointedly looking at Gibs.

The elf shuffled around, wringing his fingers together with an absolutely terrified look. Couldn't blame the guy. He was meant to be looking after me and making sure I didn't do anything stupid, which was an impossible task mind you. No one was capable of reining me in. Not even me!

"Gibs you know I wouldn't ask anything from you... but I think I might have to since a kid could die right now if I don't," I said regretfully. "Can you please go get Orpheus. This predicament is a little too much even for me."

"Gibs understands! Gibs will do as Arete says."

"Ahh fuck... just think of it as a favour for heaven's sake. It's not an order," I mumbled dragging my cheeks down.

Gibs could barely hear me from the sounds of things. He just looked relieved I finally gave him a command of sorts. I was too tired to care about his fucked up mental state right now. The elf popped away into nothing as he apparated away without even a wand. Sometimes I wondered how Gibs couldn't even see how cool he was.

"I-I need to sit," I mumbled.

I slumped down into one of the creaking old wooden chairs, for once unable to complain about how the old wood stuck uncomfortably into my back. I touched the wands in my pocket and felt almost in awe at their very existence.

"Words into will and will into energy," I hummed to myself.

I was trying to control something inherently chaotic in nature, except there was a structure within the chaos. Like physics in a way if it was even comparable. Some laws of nature had strict rules of adherence but occasions where it could be deviated from. But there was one fact that remained. Energy couldn't come from nothing.

So where exactly was this energy coming from?

It was a fascinating question. My mind suddenly found itself preoccupied with it, and I would have been fine letting it wander through endless questions if it weren't for the fact that Orpheus burst through the fireplace holding what looked like to be a bucket, wearing a terrifying expression. The children all scrambled away in various fits of terror. To my amusement both Annabeth and Kirley instinctively stepped in front of me like protective parents.

"Please do explain why I've gotten word of you interrupting Greyback's operation," Orpheus hissed.

His shadow seemed to grow, his usually black eyes now glowing a menacing red as he bared his fangs. I should be scared, but I wasn't. In fact, I felt oddly unafraid. The fact that there was no fear was paradoxically terrifying in its own unique way.

"Now come on mate, I took down a whole werewolf crack operation, saved a bunch of captive children and nearly got stabbed in the process. I should be awarded a medal," I huffed, rolling my eyes.

"You—you insufferable little—" He held out his hands angrily before pulling them back when Kirley held out his wand warningly.

"And who are you pointing your wand at mutt. Put it down before you lose your head," Orpheus said dangerously, his shadow now snuffing out almost all the light in the cabin.

"Now, now, there's no need for violence. We're all rational people here," Kirley said, unable to hide the very blaring hitch of fear in his voice.

I pushed in front of Annabeth and Kirley, crossing my eyes and staring down Orpheus. "You were working with him, weren't you? With Fenrir Greyback. You were part of this whole operation."

Orpheus seemed taken aback for a moment, and his surprise turned into frustration and then resignation. I watched the emotions flit across his face before he flipped his cape in his arms, turning away dramatically as he dropped the bucket he was holding on a table.

"Don't prattle on about things you know nothing of. Now everyone follow my instructions. Take a handful of floo powder. Throw it into the fire pit and repeat 'Lestoat Manor'"

"You're taking us all with you?" I asked in disbelief.

He turned around with a scowl. "Well unless you all want to be cannibalised today, I suggest you follow me."

I didn't expect much help from Orpheus in all honesty. It took a few seconds for my brain to catch up with my body as I watched him burst away in a shot of green. Damn, I really wish he'd given me some floo powder earlier rather than now.

"He just burnt in the flames!" Holly shrieked.

"No, no, no—you see it's magical flames. It shouldn't hurt you. It transports you to another location," Kirley said comfortingly as he pat the child's head.

"I'll show you how it's done," I said, before turning to Kirley. "You stay here with them so that they all do it right. Annabeth make sure it's done quickly."

The teenager nodded, looking awestruck at the fireplace. I grabbed a handful of floo powder and threw it into the fireplace.

"Lestoat Manor," I said loudly and clearly before I jumped in.

I entered into the dark castle once again, but this time was faced with a furious vampire. Lenny curled around me protectively, but I knew he was still lethargic and recovering from his headwound. Orpheus was brooding again, sending me sharp looks every so often, until he finally broke and decided to say what was on his mind.

"You've crossed Fenrir Greyback. He will mark you now."

"He hasn't even seen my face," I protested.

"He's scented you," Orpheus retorted.

"But he's not really a dog, is he? I doubt he could pick up my scent a day or two later after he arrives there."

"The potion he was brewing was specifically for that."

"You mean the bootleg crystal meth?"

"A potion by all means of the word. It might be crystallised but it's a potion, nonetheless. It amplifies a werewolf's abilities outside of the full-moon. Slowly they become more wolf than man, even outside of their transformation. And I assure you there is no better blood hound in this world than a werewolf."

I huffed in frustration. So I'd been marked by an angry furry. Nothing I couldn't get away with, with some planning and preparation. Not like they'd want to eat me anyway, and I wasn't so sure I could be turned. Something about my body was odd in a way that wasn't entirely human, Salazar heritage aside.

"Theee haaairy man will have to goo through meeee," Lenny said agitatedly.

Before I could give a response. The first child came through the floo, looking both terrified and excited. Then one after the other they all appeared in the castle with varying degrees of terrified screaming or excitement.

"We will talk later. But for now. Take them to the cellar down the bottom, and hide them with the wine," Orpheus ordered, shoving some keys onto Gibs's chest. The elf hastily caught the keys, ears drooping as he shuffled away quickly.

"They were just stuck in—"

"—And they will be again if they want to keep their heads. Wizards travel fast, and Fenrir has access to this manor. It was in our agreement. So take them down now," Orpheus glowered.

I huffed but nodded. He was right. They'd be better of hidden while Orpheus dealt with disaster management. I turned to Annabeth who seemed lost, wide-eyed and scared all at once. I couldn't really blame her. She was just a kid, caught up in a world that was completely alien and dangerous.

"Come with me. Gibs will show us the way to a hideout," I said gesturing to the children.

The kids did all follow once both Kirley and Annabeth seemed to listen to me. We walked mostly in awkward silence as Gibs rushed us ahead towards the cellar. I took in a deep breath as we entered, feeling a sharp weight in my throat reminding me of danger. This feeling... it was worse than when I was about to be killed.

The cellar was deep and wide, its stone walls looked like cold steel, and each barrel almost felt like it was holding something much more nefarious than wine. I stroked Lenny's scales and walked a little faster, eager to sit down somewhere. I was tired and if I closed my eyes and pretended, I was somewhere else... like a comfy bed in a sunny room, then I could finally get some proper rest.

"Why are you sitting?" Gibs asked me.

"Because we're already here and I'm tired," I groaned, pulling my hand down on my face in frustration.

"We're not there yet. There's a storage room under the ground."

"A cellar in a cellar. You've got to be fucking with me," I grumbled.

Gibs wordlessly levitated the carpet off the floor, revealing a small wooden latch. He opened it and I shook my head.

"No, way. I'm not going in there," I said crossing my arms.

"Kid, we could literally be killed. We need to hide now," Kirley said aggravatingly.

"I know but—"

"Come on Arete. You can do this," Annabeth said, holding my hand.

I flushed as I looked away. God, I must look terribly stupid. Afraid of a little room and a little darkness. What the actual fuck was wrong with me? I wasn't a goddamn pussy. I had balls... metaphorical, but huge balls. I took in a deep breath, let go of Annabeth's hand and rushed into the small space.

I could barely see anything, but it smelt stale and musky and altogether unpleasant. So reluctantly I ran my hand against the damp stone wall, pushing the webs off in front of me as I found the tightest corner to huddle pathetically against. Then I closed my eyes and thought happy thoughts.

It wasn't soon after all the other kids were herded in that I felt someone sit next to me. They smelt distinctly like Annabeth, although I wasn't so sure why I could smell another person so suddenly.

"You're incredible, you know," she whispered.

"I know."

"I don't get why you're afraid of this place. You've literally fought werewolves. And this..."

"Is comparatively nothing," I hissed back.

"But you're shaking."

"Ssscared," Lenny added.

I hadn't realised I was shaking. I jerked my hand away when Annabeth touched it and huffed as I drew my legs a little closer to my chest. Damn, they just had to rub it in, didn't they?

"I don't do well in small dark places underground ok," I said quickly.

"Why?"

"Mmm bad experiences I suppose."

I closed my eyes and tried not to think about my old life. I wasn't that person anymore. I had a new name, a new life, and I shouldn't be defined by what happened in my past one.

LET ME OUT! PLEASE LET ME OUT!

I shook my head. Now was not the time for goddamn angsty flashbacks.

"What do you reckon will happen once this is all over?" Annabeth asked.

She probably wanted to change the subject. She finally got the hint.

"You'll be obliviated," Kirley answered absentmindedly.

"Obliviated?!" one of the children squeaked.

"Ah—sorry, you'll have your memories of this erased. Or at least your memories of magic," Kirley backtracked, realising how scary the world 'obliviate' sounded.

"Erased?" Annabeth whispered.

There was some kind of disbelief or terror in her voice. Maybe both. I would have shot Kirley a glare if he could even see him in the dark. Not that I didn't appreciate giving all the kids the truth, but it seemed rather irresponsible to do it now when they were being hunted down.

"It's for the safety of countless more people," Kirley explained. "You see if the Muggles found out about us, we'd be in a lot of trouble. There aren't a lot of Wizarding folk out there."

"But..."

"Sush," I said as Lenny rattled warningly around my neck.

The kids all quietened down as I stood up. Someone was coming. I narrowed my eyes, cursing my inability to see anything in this dark place. But I didn't need to see to feel the itch of magic coming. A rough hand touched mine and I jerked away.

"It's me," Kirley whispered, as he held my arm. "You're using magic Arete. You need to stop."

"I'm not," I whispered back in confusion.

"Accidental magic... your senses are better aren't they. You have to tune it out. There's quite a lot of tools that can detect magic being used," Kirley explained quickly.

"How do I turn it off?"

"Go to sleep."

"What?"

"What the fuck?"

I blinked in confusion. Opening my eyes to Maplewood roof and filigree metal framed bed posts. My hands shuffled around and patted down the incredibly soft cotton sheets under me, until I grabbed onto silk sheets over my body. There was a moment of jarring confusion before my mind fully woke up and I realised I was in a bed, in the Lestoat Manor.

"You've been sssssleeping. Don't worry, I sssniped the little werewolf for you," Lenny's welcome voice greeted me.

I looked up to see my green friend coiling down the bedpost and then into my lap.

"Durley Cook, that bastard. He put a sleep spell on me, didn't he?" I asked. "So... you bit him, did you?"

"Of coursssse I did. You're my foooood provider."

"I sure am."

Lenny looked away like he wasn't intent on sharing a moment. I had the urge to pat his head, but I also had a feeling he wouldn't like that, so I refrained. The door opened, taking my attention away from Lenny to a small old figure. I had an inkling to know that this was Orpheus's mother... or grandmother. I wasn't quite sure who she was, but she was certainly his senior. She looked nothing like him. She wasn't long like he was. Heck she would be only barely taller than me if her white hair wasn't pulled up into a tall bees nest aesthetic.

"Hello pet."

"Pet?"

I looked at her in confusion when she pat my head like a dog. Lenny chuckled and I sent him a glare.

"You've caused my boy quite some grief. It's a wonder he keeps humans around. Even half breeds," she said.

"Wait... half breed? Is that what I am?"

"A damphir of course."

I stared at the old lady and grunted in disbelief. No way was I some half vampire mutt. That didn't sound right. It didn't feel right either.

"Orpheus has a soft spot for little humans. Although after a while all humans seem like children to us. We live quite a long time, you see. You're going to break his heart again.".

"Ok yeah, that's not on me," I said crossing my arms defensively. "If he doesn't want me around, he can just get rid of me. I'm not that strong you know. Just persistent. And anyway, death is just a fact of life. Trying to run from it is impossible, and no one can protect him from that."

The old lady's slitted eyes opened, revealing deep pools that seemed darker than black. There was such an intensity to her gaze that I almost looked away. But she shut her eyes and a kind grandmotherly smile came back to her face. She took a seat by my head, resting her weight on the ebony cane in her hands.

"You're right of course. It would do him some good to be with a fleeting creature as yourself."

"...Thanks?" I said unsurely before I finally decided it was my chance to ask. "What happened to the children?"

"Their memories were erased, and we've sent them back to an orphanage in the other side of Scotland. Well, except one."

I blinked in shock before I snorted in amusement. "You lost a kid?"

A familiar deep voice caught me off my guard from the door.

"It's no laughing matter."

"So you're here, huh?" I asked, scowling.

"What you've done has set my plan back decades. Now there is a Muggle child out there who knows we exist."

I sent him a withering huff. If he was thinking of pinning the blame on me, then he was going to find it hard to make me feel guilty. I wasn't a purveyor of justice or anything, but I wasn't going to just ignore slavery. There was very little I regretted in life, because for some reason I was born with a lack of inhibitions. It was both a blessing and a curse.

"I don't care what kind of shady dealings you've been doing with Mr Hatchback, there's nothing in this world worth taking away someone's freedom for. And I sure as hell wasn't going to just let someone, I know rot away in a slave labour camp."

Orpheus looked lost for words. I figured he was confused between wanting to rip out my throat to being dumbfounded by a child not even half his size telling him off. Either way I didn't care. It didn't matter if he was God himself! I wouldn't ever budge my feelings just because someone was stronger than me. That wasn't my way.

"You insufferable—"

"Orpheus boy, I forbid you from kicking out this child," the old woman said.

"What?!" he practically shouted.

I was whacked over my head twice with a cane. I made a sound of indignation as I held my wound. The old woman walked besides my bed and smiled at the tall vampire.

"I've been sitting too long on the side lines my boy. There will be hunters coming our way soon if we continue dealings with Greyback. Then soon, it won't be our old trade route that matters, but our lives."

Orpheus looked like he was growing even more frustrated, but he seemed to regain his composure as he looked at the elderly woman. No doubt he had some weird morale dilemma with not being able to tell off his senior. Why, for the love of me I could not understand. Elderly, young, they were all the same to me.

"It was our company. We built it from the ground up. Those humans had no right to take it away from us," he hissed.

I had a feeling I was walking into backstory territory here. I had to admit, I was intensely curious why he was working with the furry force anyway

"And Fenrir has made no progress in the 8 years we've worked with him. His army is no more than a rag tag group of criminals. At best he could kill a few thousand wizards and lose the war."

A few thousand wasn't exactly a little amount... but I had a feeling this old woman didn't give a shit about human lives.

"Then what do you propose we do? The Ministry won't let us even get a word in," Orpheus sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, and leaning back resigned.

I rolled my eyes. "Fuck the Ministry. Just do what you want either way."

"I wouldn't presume a brat who hasn't even lived a fraction of my lifespan would understand the intricacies of interracial trade, let alone the bare schematics of how to run a business," Orpheus growled.

"He'sssss right, you know notthiiiing about hisssss matterssss," Lenny agreed.

"Shut up Lenny. Also just because I don't understand how a business works doesn't mean I don't understand how numbers work. There apparently are as many magical creatures as there are humans. If you want change there needs to be a revolution, not a trade agreement. And straight up killing the humans won't change much but reinforce resentment," I pointed out, as I got out of bed.

Orpheus gave me a look and shook his head. "You don't think I've already exhausted every possible option. No, we don't have the numbers over them."

"Oh but we do," I said grinning, as I pointed at Gibs who had made himself scarce in the corner of the room.

Orpheus turned to the house elf and raised a brow in disbelief.

"A house-elf?"

"Not a house elf, just an elf," I replied a little heatedly. "There's something wrong with their kind. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I know what it is now. They're under a spell. A fucking vile sort of slavery spell that makes them think they want to serve us. You want to overthrow the Ministry and get your trade route, then obliterate the backbone of their society.

Gibs looked up in shock, wringing his fingers together nervously as he shot his head from me to Orpheus. The Vampire sighed and shook his head as if he could barely wrap his head around my statement. He probably thought I was raving mad.

"A spell..." Gibs finally spoke up, pulling his ears down, an anxious tick of his.

I wanted to reassure him it wasn't it fault, but I was once again whacked on the head. I snarled at the old lady besides me.

"For fucks sake—"

I was whacked again. She interrupted me before I could get back at her. Good thing for her she was an elderly woman, or I would have kicked her shin back.

"You give the house elves too much credit.

An age ago they were beautiful creatures of power, but they are nothing more than mongrels now, too weak to even have a thought of their own."

I stared at the short woman with growing fury. Fuck that. Fuck all of this! I stomped over to Gibs and pulled him next to me, putting him in front of me.

"Gibs are you a slave?" I asked angrily.

"Gibs is— is..."

"Answer me, are you a slave?" I asked firmly, poking him in the chest. "Are you happy to live the rest of your life without a thought of your own, to be instructed to do whatever others tell you to do? Does that make you happy?"

"Gibs cannot say—Gib's is here to serve the master!" he cried.

There he was again, shrinking away as if he was in physical pain at the very thought of being anything other than a slave. I turned to Orpheus with a furious look and as if reacting to my mood, all the candles in the room burst into green fire.

"Order him Orpheus! Order him to tell you the truth!"

The vampire sighed and gave me a condescending look. It made my blood boil more. Who the fuck did he think he was? Did he think just because someone was weaker than him, that he could just trample over their most fundamental rights?

"Tell me the truth," Orpheus said.

I didn't like the absolutely devastated expression on Gibs's face. I held his hand, this time gently, intertwining our fingers together and squeezing reassuringly. He gave me a look and I leant in, feeling my breath catch in my throat. I was angry, I was absolutely fucking livid... but I was also scared. When the elf let go of my hand that fear deepened, because I knew a liar when I saw one, and by all hell Gibs was lying. He was lying because he was afraid.

"I am happy," he said.

The flames died, leaving the green lit room darkened again. I felt my rage die almost instantly, leaving behind a bitter taste. He didn't mean it. He didn't even call himself Gibs in that moment. There was a part of him deep down that knew he was more.

"You were never a slave to begin with, Gibs. They make you believe they have a right to power over you, when they don't. No one has that power," I said desperately, taking a step back from him.

There was something very frustrating about being on the other side like this and not being able to change a single thing. When I turned to Orpheus, he didn't look all that pleased, nor did he have the air of someone who had won an argument. I presumed maybe that he would take more pleasure out of this miserable defeat, but he simply looked resigned. I didn't like it. Whatever this was. I couldn't even redirect my frustration onto him, not when he was looking at me like I'd just gone and cut myself. I might as well have.

"You'll soon realise Arete, that many of the things in this world will come as a disappointment."

I turned to Gibs who had gone to stand beside his 'master'. Some ridiculously shitty part of me was angry at the elf for not having my back there. But that was a childish anger. I wasn't the one this conversation was for in the first place. It was for Gibs. It was for the whole illusion he was caught up in. Hundreds and hundreds of years of degradation condensed into a single lifetime. I knew what that felt like to some extent. I knew what it was. A fucking goddamn elaborate illusion. Why couldn't he see it too? Was the spell really that powerful?

"Now get some rest child. Take a bath and once you've composed yourself meet me at the main hall. And mother, if you really want to keep this one around, you will have to prepare me several cures for headaches."

"Hey!"

"I mean it—" he said, looking at me with his dark eyes almost pooling its darkness into me, "Take some rest Arete. Morrow after harkens the full moon."

I crossed my arms and muttered under my breath, "Morrow after... fuck this 12th century bullshit."

I shot Gibs a look and turned away when he caught my eye. He followed after Orpheus, disappearing behind the door. The old lady hobbled to it as well, tapping her cane to catch my attention.

"This world is full of creatures strong enough to rule the weak, and creatures too weak to rule themselves. But you... you're quite hard to place child. It's unnerving."

I snorted with the beginnings of another grin. "As I said before, I'm not that strong. You could kill me now if you wanted."

"Could I now? I think that would be such a waste," she hummed with a smile, eyes crinkling upwards in a smile of its own.

"Thanks..." I replied unsurely.

She didn't tap her cane on the ground again, instead waving me a goodbye with it before she used it to pull the handle on the door closed. I turned back to the room, picked up a nearby vase and hurled it into the wall. The resounding crack left me feeling a little lightheaded. The thump of my heart in my chest sounded like it could come out of my ears.

"I don't like being angry," I huffed to myself.

"Weak. He wassss weak," Lenny said.

"Don't you start. I'm not in the mood," I said snarling at the snake.

Lenny continued on like the little shit he was. "And you... you are not hissss ssstrength. That isss hissss own."

I wanted to be mad, but Lenny was right. It wasn't my strength. It wasn't because Gibs was happy with the way things were. He knew he wasn't. He just wouldn't admit it out loud because he was afraid. But the fact remained that he knew it was alright to be unhappy with how things were.

"It's ok to be a pussssy, asss long assss you grow ssssome ballssss later," Lenny said.

I looked up in shock as he slithered up my hand and faced me. He'd remembered what I'd said to Gibs. I put a hand on his head and felt myself calm down completely. Lenny was right.

"He just hasn't grown them yet."

"He will one daaaay," Lenny said.

"Fuck little man, are you comforting me? And here I thought you were a cold blooded—ouch!"

Lenny slapped my face with his tail before hissing in irritation and embarrassment as he left my body. I laughed, holding my cheek, and feeling a little less tired.

"Hey Lenny."

"Yesssss ssstupid human?"

"Will you stay."

He turned around to look at me for a moment in silence. I felt the world stand still until he spoke.

"Of coursssse. Ssstop assking ssstupid quessstionsss and resssst."

I smiled, relief taking over me. Yeah, I could rest. If that meant finally taking a hot bath, I wouldn't complain either.

Whatever sleep I had did nothing to rest me. I had woken up feeling tired and the only plus to it all was someone had cured all my cuts and scrapes with magic. So it came as a rare pleasure to sink into a tub of hot water and just sit there. No ice-cold lake, no one to jump me in a forest, and definitely no bugs. It was as close to heaven as heaven could be on earth.

Then when I finished, pulling my hair into a towel with great effort, I walked out of the bathroom to find a fresh set of clothes sitting on my bed. It was of the plainer variety. Just a simple green skirt with a cream silk shirt and brown leather shoes. I put it on before finding my red glasses sitting beside it.

"Gibs sent this," I mumbled.

Only he knew about my fixation of wearing glasses. He'd asked me numerous times why I wore them when I didn't need them after all. It wasn't like Orpheus would go fetch these for me thoughtfully. It had to be Gibs. Maybe this was some sort of apology on his end.

"Bloody hell, the little shit is making me sappy," I said, flipping on my glasses.

"Come on Lenny. It's time to go face the music."

"Idiomssss," he grumbled unhappily.

He slithered up my arm, making himself comfortable on my neck like an overgrown scarf regardless. I walked out of this incredibly expensive looking room and down the winding hallways, trying to figure out where the bloody hell I was until I finally heard some noise enough for direction. Sounded like someone was having a heated argument.

"You can't just leave a child in the woods! What did you expect!"

Was that Bistra? I wanted to jump into the room dramatically, throw my hair back and make a cool entrance but I was caught behind the door, itching to hear this play out.

"She's nothing like a child. That creature is insanity!"

"She's 6 years old Orpheus!"

Ohh mommy and daddy were having a fight. I had to hold back a snicker. To think Bistra of all people would turn from a fan girl to a raging literal harpy on my account. I was flattered but not surprised. I was pretty awesome after all.

"I'm not certain she is six. The child claims to be a reincarnation."

There was a moment of pause before Bistra shrieked and threw something across the room. I could almost hear the panic in Orpheus's scuffling.

"She's SIX YEARS OLD! Kids have wild imaginations Orpheus!"

"Just hear me out—"

"No you listen you hopeless man! You do not leave a child who's barely lived half a decade unsupervised in a forest with werewolves nearby!"

After many creative curses, that I noted down for later use, Bistra finally calmed down. Or she would have if someone hadn't piped up.

"Sooo a Harpy huh?" Kirley asked.

"And why is there a werewolf here?!"

And then the screaming ensued again. I sent Lenny a look, contemplating if I should even enter in the first place. Lenny looked agitated by all the noise.

"Well they are fighting over me. That's rather flattering," I said with a grin.

"It'ssss headache indussssing," he whined leaving my shoulder to seek solitude no doubt.

"Let's put an end to it shall we?"

I walked into the room, but even for all my dramatic flair, no one turned to look at me even once. How insulting! I was beautiful, gorgeous! I should be commanding all the attention! I cleared my throat, but no one even turned to look, and then I coughed very loudly. Still nothing. Well fuck it.

"Hey, would you fuckwits calm down!"

Bistra turned to me, somehow nonplussed by my swearing. Did I mention I loved her? Because I did... that was past tense before she pulled me up into a bone crushing hug, holding me like I was a goddamn child!

"Ohhhh my poor little baby. What did these evil men do to you? Forcing you to live out in the wild like a savage. How cruel!"

Just like that my opinion flipped again. I shot an evil look at Orpheus and grinned triumphantly. He simply rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed like a pompous fucker who got gloriously beaten by a child.

"Don't worry I'll adopt you!" she cried.

"God yes, take me to your fashion heaven," I cried back.

I felt a familiar bonk to my head and both me and Bistra held our wounds in confusion until we looked down to see Orpheus's tiny mother below. How the heck had she even reached our heads? You know what, best not to contemplate the magical abilities of angry little grannies.

"No five-year-old child would be able to strategically storm a werewolf den and come out unscathed with multiple muggle children. You really are a reincarnation, aren't you," Orpheus said, cutting through the room with his words.

Bistra went silent, looking at me wide eyed now. I jumped out of her arms eagerly. I found a gigantic grin take my face as a victorious laugh ripped from my throat. Finally!

"Yes! Yes, that's exactly right! You finally acknowledge it! Fuck yeah!" I said gleefully.

"Wait... wait a second. This is too much for me to process," Kirley said holding out his hand.

I rolled my eyes. "You turn into a Michael J Fox rip off every full-moon, but you find it hard to believe that a fundamental religious concept of reincarnation isn't a thing?"

"Michael J Fox?" Kirley asked dumbly.

"Never mind that—you lot are missing the point. I'm an adult and now that we've finally acknowledged it you have to treat me like one."

Orpheus looked at me stonily. Bistra and Kirley sent me looks of disbelief. I sent the silent room a double take and felt irritated.

"You still don't believe me?!"

"Honey, no offence, but you act too much like a child... which is not a bad thing mind you! Children shouldn't rush to grow up."

"Yeah, you're a pint-sized brat for sure," Kirley added.

I could barely think of any words to describe the absolute insult I felt right now. A sound between a mix of disbelief and insult escaped my throat as I crossed my arms and turned to Orpheus to explain it to them. He believed me now for sure! Said man gave me the smallest of amused smiles and whispered 'payback'. I gaped in disbelief. Who was the childish fucking one here again?

I huffed and decided to take the loss for now... plus I had more important things to discuss than my shittily miniature pint sized body.

"Who escaped?" I asked.

"The tall blonde girl with blue eyes," Kirley piped up.

"Annabeth?" I asked.

"Maybe," he shrugged. "She went via floo powder. Shouted 'Wales'. It's not quite a small location to track her down in, and we don't have the time for it either."

"Poor child, she must be frightened out there alone," Bistra said.

"But she is not relevant. One muggle child knowing our secrets in the scheme of things won't change much. However in the future I will be expecting to tie up loose ends," Orpheus said, looking madly weary.

"Wait- wait a moment! What do you mean by 'tie up loose ends'?" I asked.

"Obliviate her," Orpheus reiterated.

I let out a sigh of relief as I leaned back. Damn that was close. I didn't want to fight back a vampire from killing a little girl. I could barely perform any magic myself at the moment. Wait I had wands, didn't I? My wands! I patted my body down to find that they weren't there. Of course they weren't! These were different clothes. Orpheus sent me a look and I innocently smiled his way, despite panicking internally. I couldn't let him know. He was prudish enough to confiscate them quoting something or another about being too young to wield magic.

"More importantly," Bistra said, catching everyone's attention, "Greyback's plans to expand our domain is now on hold. Although I've always thought it was bound to fail spectacularly."

"It was never about his plan," Orpheus said.

"It wasn't?" Kirley asked, before the Harpy and the Vampire shot him a look to let him know to shut up. He similarly mimed closing his lips like I did.

Orpheus crossed his arms and sighed. He looked beyond tired.

"Fenrir was simply a method to show the dangers of pushing the many races' humans have marginalised. He would have inevitably failed. There was no structure to his army, no ability to expand beyond the numbers he had already accumulated. All that was left was perfecting the werewolf form on a regular."

"Then why help?" I asked.

"Because the human wizards and witches would have had no choice but to meet our demands if thousands would die. They've already weaned in number after killing each other in their last war," Bistra explained this time.

"So the plan was to wear them down overtime until they didn't even have the energy to scratch their own asses?" I asked.

Orpheus sent me a look of disgust. "Yes, although in not so much the same words. But now that we've broken ties with Greyback, I don't have the protection of a werewolf army. The hunters will be coming soon once they realise the werewolves have moved out of our turf."

Oh, so I'd in a roundabout way I fucked Orpheus up the ass with a big shovel of 'fuck your years of planning'. I could see why the man was angry. Then again, a war wouldn't help in the long run but only further strengthen the divide between the two groups.

"So what's the plan now?" I asked.

Orpheus sent a look towards Bistra and bared his fangs. "We will decimate anyone who comes by. Call a meeting with the Council. We will call blood against Greyback and those who stand with him."

I had no idea what any of this meant, but I had a growing suspicion that I'd just started a race war. Oops.

A/N

I know its been a while, but I'm still writing this story. Heck I love this story and how crazy the characters are, so I'll never drop it, but unfortunately, I work full time and have other responsibilities after work. It's hard trying to find the time to write anymore, but I'm trying to update faster now, and I've started updating my other stories too. So hopefully this streak of productivity will continue.

We still haven't reached Hogwarts yet, but I do intend to get to it soon. Maybe in the next three or so chapters. Anyway leave your thoughts and reviews! I always love reading those!