In the following months, Lavinia was status as a prodigy and adorable Princess of Hufflepuff, if this wasn't enough to give her a headache, the rising numbers of her fan-base made her headache turn into a full-blown migraine. If she had previously thought that Lockhart's and Viktor Krum's fangirls were annoying, then her fan-base were downright intolerable. They'd give her sweets, flowers, declare their love for her almost five times in any conversation, and won't even hesitate to drug her with love potion, and the worse thing was, the bastards are perfect stalkers –creepy little bastards. The bastards even had the gut to stalk her when she had been bathing! Seriously! If Death hadn't 'accidentally' threw a huge ass, stinging hex at them and scared them away, she won't have ever stepped into the girl's bathtub naked, and even in a shower.
It eased her paranoia when Death agreed to be the Watchman while she bathes. At least during her shower time, she won't have to deal with creepy stalkers. She would receive at least ten gifts minimum, and that too on a bad day. Once, the fanboys and fangirls went way too overboard, and covered the whole halls of hogwarts with flowers and would shower rose petals at her whenever she walked around anywhere in the school.
And if she thought that her fanboys –and fangirls- were bad, then their Leader was worse. Doris Warrington, who once had been her crazy stalker, has now outright declared himself as her 'future' husband. Remind her to suggest to Death to Hex the poor bastard to hell and back –and by suggest, she means seduce, because even she wasn't blind to Death's obsession with her. Merlin, it's so easy to make Death do things for her with just a flutter of her eyelashes.
Though she really wished that one day Death will 'accidentally' set Doris Warrington on fire. because of that bastard was making her life a living hell. He has vowed to win her heart by any means necessary.
Oh, Merlin! All this fuss and she hasn't even gone through puberty yet. If her life is difficult now, it will be downright hell when she goes through puberty. She wonders how Death would manage to keep her fan-base at bay. If this keeps going on, she'd just swear off mortals and elope with Death –just so she can get away from her annoying fans.
She was only eleven years old and she has to deal with all this shit. Can't she have a peaceful and normal life for once?
But then again, what fun would it be?
Death rubbed his temple and eyed her tiredly –poor Death! He sighed and said in a resigned tone "Mistress, I know fanboys are irritating and all, but you do not use Slug-Vomiting Charm and wandless Cruciatous at them for minor problems."
She raised her eyebrows. So yeah, she may have thrown a Cruciatous curse and Slug-Vomiting Charm on one of her fanboys, and she may have enjoyed it a little bit. So what? "Really?" she asked in an innocent tone that only she can muster.
"What? You really didn't expect me to just forgive those bastards who spiked my drink with a highly potent love potion?"
Death stilled for a moment, and then a huge amount of Killing Intent filled the room, his eyes emerald green bleeding to black. Death said in a seething tone "Why are those fuckers still alive?"
Lavinia gave him a beaming smile and said: "I decided that you should do the honors this time, Death."
Death's lips split into a deranged grin and he said darkly "With Pleasure Mistress." Saying this, he graciously stormed out of the room, while Lavinia hot on his heels.
"Oh, this is gonna be so good! Someone give me some Popcorns." She then added as an afterthought. "And Marshmallows."
Tch, Over-protective servant with a huge Mistress-complex. Death had once even suggested –begged actually- to lock her up in a high tower far, far away from the civilization so that no boy would dare to taint his innocent little Mistress. According to Death, no man was worthy enough for his adorable little Mistress. Ugh, Crazy idiot.
Unknown to Lavinia, a small smile bloomed on her lips, as her eyes sparkled with love and affection for her idiot servant.
Time skip to Year: 2
The hall was filled with curious chatter and scandalizing rumors as the students wondered why Professor Dunderdoom was seated in Headmaster Dippet's throne-like chair. One even said that Dumplingboar had poisoned Dippet just so he could take over Hogwarts. That amused Lavinia so much that she couldn't hold back a snort. Her Housemates gave her a weird look since she was always elegant and calm, but the rumor was almost spot on!
Lavinia herself was bored as she waited for the sorting to finish. She was hungry and tired. Her bad mood was sensed by the sensitive Puffs and for once, she was grateful when they do not try and engage her in conversations. Albus with-too-many-middle-name Dumbledore stood up from his seat and the hall fell into silence. He coughed to clear his throat and put his – Lavinia's actually– wand on his throat. Another mental task has been noted down: take back her Hallows or let death bring them back.
"Welcome newcomers and welcome back old ones to Hogwarts! Before we begin, I have a few announcements to make. Armando Dippet had recently passed onto his next great adventure. Let us all give him a moment of silence."
The staff and students both lower their heads in respect.
"A great man, he was... I have been selected to be the new Headmaster of Hogwarts, whilst Professor Veridian shall be the Deputy Headmaster. And also, please welcome the new Transfiguration Professor, Minerva McGonagall. She will also be Gryffindor's Head of the House."
A very young looking Professor McGonagall stood up and bowed whilst the students welcomed her with their applause. The newly named Headmaster swept his arms and silence reigned once more.
"Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are; Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you." The senile old fart sat down and the tables were filled with food.
Lavinia bemoaned how her future years would be filled with those exact same words every term and grimaced from behind her cup of pumpkin juice –even pumpkin juice is getting old. Maybe she should really create a volume reducer spell… Or perhaps a spell that mutes everything –turn themselves deaf.
"Did Dumbledore short-circuited his brain?"
"No… The better question is… Is he mad?"
"Mad? Yes, perhaps he is a little bit mad. Pass the salt would you, Lavinia?"
"A mad genius would be a better saying."
Lavinia passed the salt to her housemate and snorted. One can never underestimate the gossip mill at Hogwarts. Dundiedoo would be rumored to be insane by the end of the feast.
"Rumor's saying that he got his head hit by a bludger and became senile." Does Dumbles even play Quidditch…?
After the feast, they made their way to their respective dorms and began their duty of unpacking. As usual, Lavinia warded her bed as if it were a fort and closed her curtains before carefully placing the black mamba onto her pillows with a small smile on her lips, whilst the butterflies on her person flutter and landed on the drapes.
The snake hissed a few words of thanks as he looked at his mistress; It was already used to Its Mistress kind and gentle love. The snake looked at its mistress as she stretched herself and yawned.
"Good night Death, my Sinners," Lavinia said with a small smile. The common room was noisy as usual as the Badgers chattered excitedly about the Quidditch tryouts. Lavinia remembered being a seeker once and to be truthful, she preferred flying without the aid of brooms at was always so much fun.
Lavinia thought back to the time where she was forced to learn how to fly when she was thrown off a cliff by those blasted Parasites. Not to mention how they wrapped her hands, arms, and legs together with chains –she couldn't even move a finger! Her sight was blindfolded and she was gagged, not forgetting that they used some sort of neck restrains to deny neck movement. It was cruel and she suffered from constant nightmares due to their treatment.
At first, she had done so on accident when Lavinia felt her life on the line, and she was all but stubborn. It took her a few months before she decided to throw herself off a cliff thinking that if she wanted to live, she better fly.
And fly she did.
Lavinia never wanted to repeat such training ever again. She had almost flattened herself since her magic didn't react until she was but a few feet from getting her innards splattered all over the rocks. Not a pretty sight.
That moment where your life flashed through your eyes was the scariest thing in the world, she had to admit. It was such an eye-opener that she was almost tempted to create her own Horcrux. Almost.
The scarlet eyed almost-teen snorted at her train of thought and repressed a shudder. "Hey, Lavinia! Let's go to the tryouts!" Davies yelled from across the room. Most of the Puffs turned towards her with twinkling eyes and she felt the need to bolt out of the room.
"I'm not really a fan of Quidditch…" Or flying on brooms. Lavinia said as she looked anywhere but at her housemates.
"Oh come on! You'll love it! Promise!" A random senior said with enthusiasm.
"Yeah, you need some exercise and sun anyway. You're way too skinny and pale."
Before she could deny the need to straddle a piece of wood, Edison and McQuillen appeared and dragged her towards the exit. Lavinia protested half-heartedly and sighed in resignation when Walker appeared from behind her and just to confiscate her study material.
Lavinia sometimes wished that they know the real her. They would not even dare to touch her. Ugh cooties! The group of Badgers that wanted to try out made their way towards the field. The Quidditch team was already waiting for them. They were separated into which position they were trying by the captain. The group of wannabe seekers was the first to be called out. They were all given identical brooms and asked to catch one of the five snitches that were already flying throughout the field.
After that, the five will be having a showdown for the fastest to be chosen and selected.
Lavinia relaxed against the bleachers as she waited for her group to be called. Most of her second-year mates were devastated when she announced not wanting to play Seeker. If she would be forced to participate in the sport, she would have the right to choose the position she wanted. And she wanted the position that could hurt others in the name of sport.
Majority of the Puffs do not have the guts to hit another player with bludgers and that was one of the main reasons as to why they kept losing the Quidditch Cup to the other houses –especially the Slytherins. Snakes are ruthless.
Lavinia would paint the field with their opponent's blood, innards, and brains. Not that the Puffs would know that it was intentional of course. She needed a physical outlet to vent her frustrations without her housemates thinking that she was violent. Once again, it's all in the name of sport.
After the seeker was chosen, a petite third year boy whose name she had missed, Finally it was her group was called and Lavinia's party of eight wished her good luck –not that she needed it. Lavinia mounted one of the brooms and was passed a wooden bat that was enchanted to not break upon constant contact.
Lavinia never really paid much attention to how a Beater would be chosen before, so she listened carefully and went into position. she would have to try and aim for the cardboard players and defend her team against any stray bludger. Lavinia flew through the air and twirled the bat in her hand. The broom's speed isn't that bad and she could balance with one hand.
"Are you ready, Gaunt?" The captain shouted from below.
"Yess…" Lavinia drawled, removed her spectacles for a much better vision and narrowed her scarlet eyes.
Lavinia was oblivious of her Housemate's nerves upon seeing the color of her eyes, and continued to hit the bludgers that were shot from an enchanted shooting machine. It was similar to the Parasite version of a baseball pitching machine.
All the bludgers she hit knocked the cardboard players off their brooms and she never once missed when defending her team of cardboard mates. The captain whistled in appreciation at Lavinia's batting skill.
If she was a Parasite, she would totally rule the baseball world under a fake name and in male body.
After the machine stopped vomiting bludgers, she dived down without a second thought. She could hear shouting but ignored them in favor of feeling the cool air brushing against her reddened cheeks. Lavinia pulled up just as her broom brushed against the grass and exhaled softly. It had been so long since she flew. Lavinia donned her spectacle and hopped off of her broom, only to be surrounded by the quidditch team members that were awed by her dive. The newly positioned seeker looked worried that he would be replaced and sent her glares every now and then.
"Merlin Lavinia! That was amazing!" The Abbott twins exclaimed with excited grins on their faces.
"Amazing!? It was insane! You could've broken your neck!" Sprout scolded as she placed her hands on her hip, frowning in disapproval.
"You have to admit it though, that was one bloody hell of a dive." Walker announced and hit Lavinia on the back playfully. "Nice going mate!"
"Want to try catching a snitch?" The captain said in a whisper, but they heard it all. The third year seeker's face was furious red and Lavinia could practically see the smoke emitting from his ears.
She giggled it off and shrugged her shoulders.
After a few minutes of Lavinia giving non-answers, the captain announced that he still had another Beater position so they were quick to assemble. Lavinia made her way to the bleachers and wished her party luck on their chosen positions. The tryouts ended with only for Lavinia being chosen from second year. Her group congratulated her and stated that they would try again next year, which she gave a nod of approval. People who quit just because they lost once were better off not living.
Just as Lavinia sat on one of the couches in the common room, a few older Puffs stood in front of her with determination in their eyes. She looked up at them in confusion.
"Can I help you?" Lavinia asked confused as she placed her book down on her lap
"We want to know if your eyes are really red." The leader said. "My father once told me that only wizards and witches that perform the darkest of the Dark Arts have red eyes."
"And we know that you're from a dark family, don't try to deny it! Only they name their children weirdly." Another spoke up.
Lavinia arched a brow and Giggled in mirth. It was true that her eyes turned scarlet due to her playing around with Dark Magic, at its highest level that is. Soul and Death magic would of course change her. Luckily it didn't deform her into a snake woman. Lavinia preferred having a full nose, thank you very much.
"It is indeed true. My eyes are red." The common room was silent as they listened to her. "But ever since my coming to this world, it has always been red."
"… So you were born with red eyes?" One of the older teens asked.
Lavinia smiled at her with a shrug, not agreeing or denying her question.
The Badgers convinced themselves that she was indeed born with red eyes and continued off where they left; chatting and playing exploding snap amongst themselves.
Lavinia took out one of her many tomes and started to read it absentmindedly. The Puffs were naïve and too trusting for her taste.