Reposted: 12/04/07, edited for typos etc. In Bold is one semi-important change. Originally the Fidelius Charm, the name/content of the protection spell has changed. It was always a different spell anyway, I was just to lazy to write up a spell for it.(I'm still too lazy to do a full spell, considering how complex something like this would be, but I did give it a name). As usual, I explain all original spells in the ending A/N.
PS: YES, it is short. It was a long time ago.
"So, you got all your books." Alex's mother informed her when she returned from Diagon Alley.
"No. I got most but nobody but us have copies of Pain and Blood Magic. You have to let me take those with me, Mother. I'll have them back to you by the Holidays but I can't just stop in the middle and I can't finish between now and school."
"You can't?" a male voice spoke softly behind her. Alex turned to find her father had emerged from his study. She knew instantly that she'd screwed up because she hadn't been paying attention.
"No, sir," Alex hurried to correct herself. "I am entirely capable of completing those texts in the time allotted but not if I'm still required to eat, sleep or keep up with any of my social appearances."
He nodded just slightly, accepting her response. Alex didn't sigh in relief though. There was still her mother and her request to deal with.
"So," her mother continued, "because you believe you cannot do without an invaluable text then we must let you take it to your school where anyone could see it, read it, steal it or turn you in for having it?"
"Every consequence you just mentioned could occur with any of my Dark texts. Are you suggesting that I, as a Bellmonte, should cease my true studies while I seek after an 'education' at Hogwarts?"
Her mother's expression closed. Alex repressed a flinch and met Deana's blistering gaze as calmly as possible. Painfully tense moments of silence ticked by, her father just watching them with a smug look on his face.
Just when Alex began to consider the possibility that she'd made a mistake, and would probably get punished to hell and back for it, Deana nodded.
"You may take them. I'll put them in your room and we'll put the Spiritus Obligatus Fido on the whole collection at once. Your blood will fuel the spells this time." Taking her skirt in her hand, Alex's mother swept coldly from the hall.
Her father laughed, an unpleasant sound. "Now we'll see what you're really made of," he said before he, too, left the hall.
Alex shivered at the sudden chill. All too late she'd registered her mother's last sentence. The amount of blood required to perform all the spells on all of her books... All her blood and all of it fresh at the time of the casting. She shivered again and thanked whatever heavenly being might exist that nearly bleeding out was all she would have to pay. It wasn't likely. As Alex climbed slowly to her room she began to count the days til Hogwarts.
Alex didn't even look up from Pain when a House Elf entered her bedroom. It wasn't until it moved up to her headboard, prostrate itself before her and squeaked, "Mistress, The Mistress sends a message," that Alex shifted the gaze to it.
"Well?" she demanded impatiently.
"Mistress, you are commanded to prepare for your attendance at the Malfoy's gathering."
"Shit!" Alex rolled off her bed, still swearing. "I forgot!" She yanked her robes over her head and began to haul her hair from its casual braid.
Turning, comb in one hand, jewelry in the other and completely naked, Alex caught sight of the still prostrate Elf.
"Get out!"
It scuttled to the door but squeaked fearfully, "The Mistress requires a response."
"Well, go tell her I'm preparing, you rodent!" Alex commanded, casually slapping it. It didn't even wince, just disappeared out the door.
"Useless animal," she muttered, turning back to her jewelry choices. "I hope that isn't one of the ones we're breeding from."
A/N:
Spiritus – Breath/breathing, Life/soul(latin)
Obligatus – bound, under obligation(Latin)
Fido – abiding, loyal, faithful(Italian)
Basically, a blood magic Fidelius Charm