Edited 5/8/2019
The first evening back at Hogwarts had gone by without much fanfare outside of the Potter twins impromptu cheering for the new defense professor who after her introduction wandered off without eating dinner muttering something about warding her drinks against potions.
Harry really didn't know what to think of that one honestly, Aunt Bella could be eccentric yes, a holdover of the LeStrange's breaking the chastity vows that had been placed on her as a teenager when the drunken brothers had 'wanted a good time' but still... well... Actually never mind it probably took some serious willpower to come back to the scene of her near rape especially without her savior/husband there.
With that thought he was chattering rather amiably with Hermione as they came back from their first evening of patrol, Harry had been a bit nervous with the authority but his bushy haired friend was indifferent; like most things she handled it with practiced ease and cold indifference as if she'd done it hundreds of times already. Stepping through the portrait hole leading into the Gryffindor tower they heard angry voices from above. Sighing the pair exchanged glances and trudged up the stairs to a scene they'd hoped to avoid till a later date.
"Look Lilly you can drop the cold act I know how broken up you were when I dumped you and I admit it was for a selfish reason, I guess I just got into our relationship with different expectations than you."
Lillith's response would have sounded neutral but Harry picked up the condescending undertone he himself typically used when he was dealing with the rather mercurial temperaments of their house.
"Different Expectations? I wouldn't let you stick it in my arse and so you dumped me for Lavender, who incidentally also dumped you when you wanted to stick it in her arse, I'm noticing a trend here Dean. Now kindly back off, a lot happened over summer and I don't have to pretend to give a shit about you or anyone else for that matter any longer."
Finally getting the entire room into view both prefects sighed, the entirety of the nosy gossiping Gryffindor house was watching the heating up argument, Dean stammered for a few seconds before he sneered.
Frankly the expression did not suit the normally kind teen in the slightest.
"Well excuse me, I just figured someone who'd already toured all the broom closets in the school...twice mind you, would be up to some experimentation," Lillith's brows were lost in her bangs as she turned to the now furiously blushing Lavender.
"He talking about you or me? Honestly Lav what did we see in this bloke?"
The blonde let out a breathe as she slowly growled out, "Dunno Lils, I really dunno, as for which one of us I'm still a virgin I'm, err..."
Lillith nodded as she tapped her chin with her pointer finger, "Me too, interesting those rumors," this gained pause from most in the room and earned her more than a few incredulous looks, she looked about a moment and sighed in exasperation.
"People I'm aware of the rumors I just let them slide because they fit me playing the underachiever, and none of you believe me do you?" She sighed again and much to Harry's surprise she looked towards Neville who was doing his level best to remain unseen, as always the poor clumsy bloke.
She waved quickly grabbing his attention, he looked about in confusion and gave her a 'Who me?' look as she nodded, "You think a magical vow would set these folks straight Nev?"
He along with most of the tower (sans Hermione,) looked on in confusion as she seemingly called the boy out at random, "Err, yes I suppose," grinning she clapped once,
"Brilliant, now as the Heir to Gryffindor I need you to repeat after me, 'I Neville Longbottom, Heir to the Noble House's Longbottom and Gryffindor so sayeth that if what Lillith Dorea Potter claims in her next statements is untrue she shall be cast from the House for the remainder of her days, so it is said so mote shall it be,' got that all?"
Neville was gaping like a fish and the rest of the house was not far behind, one of the seventh years sneered out, "What, Longbottom? That squib the Heir of Gryffindor?"
He yelped in shock as Lilly pointed at the boy and he went flying into the wall, the act of casual wandless magic now making many weary, turning back to Neville she smiled again.
"Nev I'm waiting my friend," gathering his wits (and his courage) he gained a resolved look and repeated what she'd said, further shocking the Gryffindor's a swirl of red light danced up the boys figure before fading away with what sounded like a growl.
Laughing Lilly repeated her vow she'd made earlier that summer to her family and in one fluid motion her wand was out and her spectral thestral was summoned forth, as the embodiment of happiness in the form of the harbinger of death cantered about the room earning awed coos from the crowd several boys spoke up at once.
Obviously more who thought they'd shagged his sister, growling in anger Harry stomped into the room and threw an arm around his surprised twin's shoulders, she glanced up at him and gave him a winning smile. Clearing his throat to get everyone's attention he took on the drawl Padfoot did when he had to address the Wizengamot,
"If I may make a suggestion? You might like to ask the Professor's to have a certain house in the Dungeons trunks checked for illicit potions since obviously none of you had intimate relations with my sister..."
Hermione walked up beside him wearing a bemused smirk, this wasn't lost on her house mates, an amused Hermione meant she knew something quite scandalous that no one else had picked up on and rather than gossip she had been keeping it to herself.
This more than anything sent several older boys into a panic but she rather sweetly stated, "You'll all have to wait till tomorrow to find out who or, heh...what you've all been getting on with, for now it's past curfew and the shows over, now, it is time for bed."
As the room cleared both Lilly and Hermione assured Lavender and the other girls that they'd be up in a few minutes, eventually Harry walked up to Iris and patted the small preteen on the head.
"What do you think short stuff? I'm gonna go with 'Thessie,' I think."
Lillith blanched as Iris giggled, "I think I like that."
Lillith crossed her arms glaring at her siblings, "We are not naming my patronus 'Thessie,' Harry!"
Grinning even wider he leaned down and kissed her forehead causing her to pout rather cutely.
"Oh we're so doing just that, payback for getting half the people I know calling me 'Har-Bear,' so fairs fair."
A knowing smirk curled up her lips as she gave him a coy look,n"You do realize my fellow Marauder, this means war?"
Grinning in return he bowed once and left for the boys dorms, as he approached the stairs he heard her yell, "And hey, Harry? Thanks, thanks for speaking up for me, I appreciate it." Waving over his shoulder in acknowledgment he trekked up the stairs and ignored his roommates, Ron looking lost since he had half of interactions with Lillith from last year obliviated, Seamus because he was busy making his bed, Dean because he looked ill, and well... Neville was laying on his back staring at the ceiling grinning widely.
Changing into his pajamas he unceremoniously fell into his bed and cast a nox on the lights, as he began to drift off he snorted in amusement as he heard Neville chuckle happily,v"Hehe...Lord Gryffindor...wait till Gran hears about this..."
The next morning Harry woke up later than everyone else, traditionally the first day back held no classes regardless the day of the week so the first years could learn to traverse the castle with more ease so there really was no rush. Stretching he grabbed his glasses and slid them on, grumbling to himself he showered, changed and trudged down into the common room to find both Hermione and Lillith waiting for him.
Hermione was reading a book with her arm propped up on the rest an while Lillith lay sprawled out head laying in the other girls lap, she was playing one of those handheld game systems Moony had figured out how to ward against magic and was growling in annoyance.
Coughing he caught both their attention as he nodded once, "Ladies, shall we?" Both hopped up and soon flanked him as they headed for the door, he looked about a bit in confusion as he asked,
"No Iris?"
Hermione shook her head in the negative, "No she felt it was best to get to know her year mates better so she's doing her own thing for today."
Nodding in understanding he led the trio down to the Great Hall and there was only one word to describe the scene they walked into, pandemonium. There were aurors scattered about interviewing several students and there was a noticeably largish group of Slytherin's cordoned off from the rest looking indigent and a bit afraid, much to Harry's amusement an extra pale faced Malfoy was with them.
As they sat down Parvati and Lavender pulled an irritated Lilly away and forced her to sit with them, the looks on their faces stuck between giddy and horrified.
"Lilly did you hear?!"
Staring at the girl Lilly had to begrudgingly accept as her friend she began making up a plate for a light breakfast as she replied, "I hear many things Pav, but as my mother always says believe nothing that you hear and only half of what you see."
This earned confused looks from both girls and Lillith not for the first time wished the castle didn't track unforgivable curses. Lavender spoke up next ignoring the comment.
"A bunch of the students went to McGonagall with what you did last night, at first she was impressed about the patronus but when she realized what Harry had been getting at she demanded a trunk by trunk check of all houses. Dumbledore went along with it and had the house elves bring everyone's trunks through to be scanned for potions, and you won't believe what they found in a bunch of the Slytherin boys trunks!"
Lillith was contemplating whether or not rupturing her own ear drums would end her current suffering, deciding against it she went with a none committal grunt.
Parvati picked up the thread without losing a beat, "They had polyjuice potion keyed to, well, you!" Lilly was a damn good actor and timed it just right to spit a mouthful of juice across the table on Ron, it was the little things in life after all.
"Wha...what?! You mean they really were going around shagging random blokes looking like me!?" She caught both Hermione and Harry's knowing smirks at her antics, this was honestly becoming very amusing, she schooled her features into indignant disgust and shuddered, "Oh man that is so wrong."
Both Lavandar and Parvati said, "I know right?" at once, Lillith suppressed cringing at that, she succeeded, mostly.
She spent most of the day observing the fallout of her scheme and the complete and utter collapse of Slytherin's social structure, at the end of it only a small group of prominent families remained unscathed. After dinner ended Theo Nott walked up to her shoulders squared and back straight, he handed her a torn piece of parchment and as he walked past her he smirked and muttered,
"Well Done." Opening the piece of parchment she immediately noticed it was the note she'd had Binky place in his potions kit, in her neat calligraphy was written three words
'You Owe Me'
Scribbled right below it was,
'Indeed, well played'
She grinned widely as she jammed the note into her pocket and began singing to herself, "I ain't happy, I'm feel'in glad, I got sunshine, in a bag, I'm useless but not for long, the future, is com'in on, com'in on, com'in on...heheh..."
Goddess damn it all, it was great being her.
The following days were filled with abject boredom, the Potter twins and Hermione all knew the course work already and without Quiditch to distract him Harry had taken to training Iris on the proper ways of dueling without their parents stopping him from showing her, proper near dark curses that would actually leave your enemy down for the count. When Lillith had caught him teaching their little sister the blood boiling curse one evening he froze in horror, when she grinned at him and gave him an appraising and much to his shock, hungry look she joined in throwing out pointers.
"Now remember the duration of the spell is directly related to how much power you dump into it, unlike the cruciatus it isn't an extended use spell but rather a single shot. So for instance if I wanted someone tailing me to fall to the ground and writhe about a bit but not do any real damage I'd only use the amount of magic I'd normally put in, oh I dunno, a lumos spell."
Harry nodded quickly and continued where she left off, "Now if you actually want it to be long term you have to really mean it as well, half hearted attempts are umm...well they tend to backfire, so shall we?"
Iris who, for Harry's part amazed him by how accepting she was of these darker offensive spells nodded solemnly as Lillith conjured a rat and sent it scurrying, in seconds it was a twitching steaming heap. Both twins eyed their little sister with a bit of respect which caused the somewhat queasy look on her face to melt into a beaming smile, after their little training session was done the older siblings bade their sister fair well and remained in the abandoned classroom staring at each other. Eventually Lillith sighed and asked,
"How long have you been a Dark Wizard?" He didn't flinch once, he stared at her still and after a few moments he broke her gaze,
"Second year, remember when Filch's cat had been paralyzed? Well Hermione and I found a cursed journal that had been possessing Ginny into doing some rather crazy things, I began writing in it because I am a dumb impulsive Gryffindor at times." He turned back to his sister to see her nodding in agreement with an amused look on her face, rolling his eyes he continued, "Anyway, after a time my scar began bleeding, and well...something in it ruptured...it ended up a piece of Voldemort's soul was lodged in my head..."
Lilly gave him a concerned look at that but he continued, "It was trying to merge with the diary but it didn't work, actually caused the thing to catch fire, unfortunately the fragment went flying right back into my head...not sealed this time. I got into a tug of war match with the fragment and eventually it lost but not before leaving some of the bastard Riddle behind, mostly spells, but a few memories as well. Anyway, the rest of the year Hermione helped me sort it out and at that point we both started delving into gained knowledge. You?"
She stared at him a moment and broke out laughing, shaking her head her long raven hair swayed about her shoulders as she finally got out,
"And thus explains why Hermione began teaching me dark spells second year, what a bitch, hehe..." This earned a laugh from Harry as well, eventually he looked nervous as he scratched the back of his head slowly.
"So...are we ok, you won't tell anyone about this?"
Giving him a knowing look she sauntered over and kissed his cheek causing him to blush, she turned and made for the door, "I think you've already figured out I'm at the very least a gray witch Harry. You keep my secret I'll keep yours my dear brother, after all we're twins, equals in every way and it's fitting that I'm there to walk at your side. See you later I'm gonna go make sure Iris made it back to the tower safe, love you."
With that she left the room and closed the door behind her, Harry touched his cheek and grinned slowly,
"Equals...in every way..." The rest of that day saw a highly pleased Harry Potter walking about the castle whistling tunelessly, lost in thought.