Last time...
"Is there a particular reason why there are so many of you in this room?" Hera inquired, already tense as she looked around the crowded room. "You all look like you're about to try and apprehend me."
"I told you it was a bad idea to hold this here, Headmaster." Snape commented, before looking to her. "Potter, you are not being apprehended-"
"Really?" Hera interrupted, pleasantly surprised. He only arched an eyebrow in response. "It's just…I performed the blood eagle on a professor! Killed two Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries! And I'm…not…I dunno…being arrested or something?"
"No. In fact, we are here to thank you, Lady Potter." Fudge declared.
"Please don't." Hera muttered, scrunching up her nose. "That sounds awful."
"Those who do undercover work for us do get a stipend at some point, Lady Potter." Amelia reminded her. "We did discuss this."
"So we did." Hera begrudgingly agreed, accepting the small pouch like it might explode at any moment, vanishing it with a flick of her wrist. "There."
"I'm sure your acolytes will find it…useful." Snape drawled, not even bothering with an innocent air as she glared at him.
"Still can't believe you just stood there and let them do that." She grumbled.
"Technically, I was sitting."
"Yes, well I'm just glad we can put that whole mess behind us." Fudge went on, looking at the two of them with some confusion. "We really should be going, however. There's quite the mess to clean up. Now that Dolores is confessing to her crimes, there's quite a lot more to do. Lady Potter, Albus."
Both Amelia and Fudge left through the Floo after that.
"Well, if that will be all…" Hera trailed off, seeing the look of sheepish guilt on Dumbledore's face. "Oh, come on! Not you too."
The man had brought out a trophy cup from under the desk.
"I couldn't talk him out of it." Snape confessed, though she could see there was some amusement there. "It was either he present it to you here or in the Great Hall."
"I didn't do it for a prize!" Hera hissed, angrily.
"Which is why I offer it." Dumbledore acknowledged. "You did what I failed to, and that deserves acknowledgement."
"Okay, but no surprise points at the leaving feast or anything shady like that, alright?" Hera bargained. "I don't even want you to mention it. Now, can I please…? Being thanked before was always uncomfortable, but it's gotten worse after the whole becoming a princess thing."
"You may go, Potter," Snape allowed with a nod. "though I should warn that you will have many that wish to thank you for what you have done."
Hera's shoulders slumped as she sighed. "I was afraid of that."
Chapter 116
Slytherin Common Room was in pandemonium. Never before had Slytherin House seen such disarray. They hadn't had a lot to brag about for many years, what with You-Know-Who mucking things up some years ago. While it was weird that they couldn't remember his actual name, most assumed it was due to a Taboo having been placed; few knew the real reason, and they weren't keen on sharing it. Still! The excitement was rather catchy.
While they had Merlin as a known member of their House, no one wanted to believe it, and it was old news even if they did. Having Hera Potter in Slytherin? That was new enough that it couldn't be taken away. However, if that Michael kid was to be believed, the House of Slytherin had an even greater reason to celebrate. He swore up and down that Fred and George Weasley had pledged themselves as acolytes to Hera Potter, that they believed her to be a god, and there was only one god those two would serve.
He spoke of a conversation where the words 'back in time' and 'reborn' had been key. A few people had stiffened at that, before explaining in hushed whispers what a 'godborn' was. If Hera Potter was godborn, and they factored in the twin's near obsession with their chosen 'god' along with the fact that they'd pledged themselves acolytes, then there was only one person Hera Potter could have ever been. It didn't help that Fenrir could be seen most days soaking up all the heat he could by the fire, and Jör curled up right next to him. It also didn't help that Hera Potter just seemed to know things, and there'd been something to that ethereal first lesson regarding the other realms.
When the twins got back, they were bombarded with questions, as were Hera's shield brethren upon their return. Their Head of House had merely looked at them as if they should have already known; and really they should have. She hadn't exactly been subtle. Then came the planning. As it so happened, Hera had needed to stay in the Hospital Wing for additional tests, giving them all more than enough time for a look at the flames of ascension Snape now kept in his office.
…
"We've got to do something!" Hermione exclaimed, the moment she'd burst into the room. They'd agreed to meet in what they liked to think of as 'their' unused classrooms, as it was where they always seemed to have their more serious discussions. "This is getting out of hand! If Hera hears about this, she'll-"
"It's a bit late for that, I'm afraid." Luna informed her, her eyes looking far off. "Professor Snape will have told her by now, I imagine."
"All of Slytherin House is in an uproar!" Hermione insisted. "It took everything I had to get them to hold off starting a cult! A CULT! If we can't contain it here, the whole school will be in hysterics!"
"About that…" Ron hedged, grimacing when Hermione glared at him in alarm. "I reckon that Michael kid told everyone that he ran into. If it isn't all over the school by now, it will be."
"The rest of Ravenclaw has been rather more curious about Hera than they were before." Luna confirmed, though she looked entirely unworried about the whole thing.
"You've got to be kidding me." Hermione groaned as she rubbed a hand over her face. "At this rate, the only one who doesn't know is Dumbledore!"
"Well…" Draco pondered, shrugging when the others looked at him with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. "I mean, she's not wrong."
"What are we going to do?!" Hermione demanded, deciding pacing would help her with all the extra energy she had at the moment. "I know! We'll have to meet somewhere, and explain it to them. This has to remain a secret. It has to! If we endanger the timeline as Hera remembers it, the results could be catastrophic!"
"Hermione?" Ron called out, right before grabbing her by the shoulders. "Breathe."
Hermione obliged, and took exactly one breath; not that she let it go.
"It's too late for any sort of containment." Ron explained. "The only thing we can do now is manage. We gather them all up, explain what's going on, and what needs to be avoided."
Hermione let out her breath in a sigh, as if all the wind had been let out of her, and she nodded. "I was afraid of that…But where are we going to get them to meet up?! There's nowhere big enough except for the Chamber of Secrets, and I don't see them letting us zap them all down there like we did last time!"
"The Room of Requirement is an option too, you know." Draco reminded them.
"You think they'll go for it?" Hermione wondered, already worried and stressed enough as it was.
"They will if Hera's going to be there." Luna suggested.
"There's no chance of avoiding that, is there?" Hermione inquired, hopeful, though those hopes were quickly dashed when Luna shook her head. "I was afraid of that too. Nothing for it, I suppose. Draco?"
"I'll gather the rest of Slytherin." Draco agreed.
"Guess that means I've got Gryffindor duty." Ron acquiesced, though he was interrupted from saying more when Luna snorted in amusement at the unintended pun.
"Sorry." Luna apologized, grinning a touch as she too nodded to Hermione. "I'll see to Ravenclaw."
"Which leaves me with Hufflepuff." Hermione nodded, thankful that everyone was willing to go along with this. "I already know where the entrance to their House is. We'll all meet in the Room of Requirement in…let's say an hour?"
"I don't think it will take that long." Neville announced, promptly scaring everyone but Luna. "Most of them are gathering in the Great Hall now."
Hermione turned to glare at him, affronted at having been scared out of her wits, and demanded. "What do you mean by that?"
"Hermione, you left the common room talking out loud about a big enough meeting place. Where did you think the first place people were going to think about was?" Neville reposed with a shrug. "Besides, Michael told enough of every House that I imagine others are headed there now too. Fred and George have a plan for any stragglers, but you should have no problem leading the bulk of the horde to the R.o.R."
"Well, I guess we have a plan then." Ron mused. Looking to the others, he continued. "Let's get to it, shall we?"
Hera stared at the notice on the doors leading to the Great Hall. There was a sign posted for all the students to get to the Room of Requirement, though it looked like it had been written by George. Fred's calligraphy was better, but George had a better eye for the more official looking documents. They'd make great forgers if they ever got the inclination to go into crime. As it was, the pranksters seemed to have organized a rest day, and none of the teachers looked willing to protest it; in fact, more than a few of them clasped her shoulder in a show of support as they passed.
"I did warn you, I believe." Snape reminded her. "The wards alerted me to many entries into my office. The flames haven't gone out yet, and as they are the only new addition to said office, I can only surmise that was what they were there to see. They will want answers, perhaps…or to pledge their fealty to their newfound god."
"You're having way too much fun with this." Hera accused, though there was no anger to it.
"I do find it quite amusing that for someone once so prideful, James went and had a daughter far too modest for her own good; the ridiculousness of which only made more so with every feat of magic you display to the point of godliness." Snape replied with his usual ease and sardonic air.
Hera only narrowed her eyes at him. "Somehow, I think there was a compliment in there somewhere. Must be my imagination."
"Most assuredly." Snape agreed, before looking off down the hall. "Shall I accompany you, or leave you to the horde?"
"I take back every kind thing I ever thought about you. You're evil." Hera accused, her grin giving her away.
"However will I survive?" Snape drawled out his retort. Straightening up, he stepped further into the hall. "We should see to this before the horde comes looking for you."
"Can't we just…?" Hera tried, but trailed off when she noted a strange sound coming from just down the hall. "What is that? Can you hear it?"
"No, but there is an odd disturbance coming from that direction." Snape noted. There was a certain hesitancy to him as they walked, but then she understood why when he spoke next. "You said my mother spoke with you…Did she…What else did she say?"
"She didn't tell me anything, if that's what you're asking." Hera warned. He nodded in understanding, and she sighed upon seeing that he wasn't going to be dissuaded. "I was told to give you a message if you insisted on it. She said…'You were always more powerful than your father. You just need to realize that what he did wasn't strength'. Not sure what she meant by that, but I'm sure you do."
She didn't ask for clarification and he didn't elaborate, both accepting some things didn't need to be said to be understood. Of course, this was right before an orange light cut a large hole in space; throwing off sparks. Through it Hera could see dark wood shelves filled to the brim with books, and an overstuffed leather armchair. Both Hera and Snape shared a look of utter bewilderment, right before a man stepped through the portal. He wore a dark blue tunic that was gathered tightly at the waist by a number of wide leather belts, and behind him a red cape that moved slightly in a non-existent breeze. The cape's high collar framed a stern looking face with fierce blue eyes, and a silvering along his temples added the illusion of lordliness.
"Loki Odinso…" the intruder trailed off, seeing the two of them, before his eyes narrowed in on Hera. "Well, they did say you would look different. I just wasn't expecting…Well then…Loki Odinsdottir-"
"Sorry, but I don't know how else to tell you this." Hera interrupted. "You've been misinformed. I'm not who you think I am."
"You may not be as I remember you, but I'd know your magic anywhere, Loki." The man declared, looking stern. "The TVA was very specific in how to detect your signature."
"The TVA?" Hera inquired. "What's that?"
"Oh, an organization that watches over various timelines." The man shrugged. Hera froze at those words, remembering the plea from a Loki, and wondered what had happened to them. "Since I hold sway over an aspect of time, they sought my assistance."
"With what?" Snape questioned, eyes narrowing at the man in suspicion. "Who are you? You have yet to identify yourself."
"Right." The man muttered to himself before clearing his throat. "My name is Doctor Stephen Strange, and I am here on behalf of the Masters of Mystic Arts and the Time Variance Authority to request that Loki come with me to be processed."
Hera stared for a moment in utter bewilderment. "Uh…No?"
"Okay, fair." the man shrugged. "I didn't really expect that plan to work, but I thought I would try it first anyway."
"First?" Snape questioned, the clear derision and disbelief. "What could possibly be next? A strongly worded letter?"
That surprised an amused snort from Hera.
"We have other means to make you do as we wish." Dr. Strange stated stiffly, irritated by their amusement at his expense. "Do not think that because I came here alone that I do not have allies."
"You do?" Hera blurted in surprise, turning back to the man. "Really?"
She leaned slightly to the right to look around the man at the portal. If there were indeed others there, they didn't seem like they would be coming to this man's rescue any time soon. The man followed her gaze to the empty portal, suddenly looking quite uncomfortable, as if he'd just realized confronting her alone may not have been the smartest of moves. She knew that look for what it was; a bluff. Ah, so that's how it was going to be.
Wide and wolfish she grinned, tilting her head slightly as she regarded him, she inquired with an exaggerated portrayal of concern. "Are you certain?"
"I can take you on my own, you know." Dr. Strange declared, seething. "I have once already."
"I've never met you. He never met you." Hera insisted, her face stern. "I would have remembered the cape if nothing else, but…if you ran into a Loki, it wasn't me."
"If you're lying…" The man warned, glaring as if to make a point.
"Then I'll wait," Hera supplied, the wolfish grin returning. "for that strongly worded letter."
After a moment of hesitation, Dr. Strange nodded and stepped back through his portal, leaving the two alone once more.
"What on Earth was that about?" Snape wondered, still looking at where the portal had been.
"I don't know." Hera replied. The man looked down to her in inquiry. "I wasn't lying before. Who I was…the Loki I was never met him. Given that Wade's rants about the multiverse might be more creditable than I had previously believed…It's possible he's talking about another Loki, one that went against him and failed."
"Think he'll come back?" Snape inquired, and Hera just knew he was already thinking of ways to deal with it if the man ever did return.
"I think we should expect him to try, yes." Hera admitted, frowning as she began walking again. "I do know one thing though."
"And that would be?" Snape verbally prodded, easily keeping pace with her.
"That right now, I would rather be facing him than the horde." Hera admitted with a sigh. There was no disguising his snort, not that he bothered to hide it at all. "Think we can get him back here?"
"They're just children, Potter." He reminded her.
"Is that what you tell yourself before you walk into a classroom like a battlefield sentinel?" Hera countered; and really what could he have said to that?
…
She was hit the moment she stepped through the door by a wall of sentient curls. Hermione was still taller than her, though Hera was discreetly proud that she'd managed to gain an inch or two over the course of the year. At the moment, however, she was in danger of dying via hair strangulation. Then Hermione was replaced by Fred, then George, and then…It became a blur of faces. It was a little jarring, but when she was finally free of the hugging she was grinning like the rest of them.
"We can't believe you!" George grinned, when she was finally free of them. "All this time, and you've been holding this great big secret from us?"
"I'm shocked!" Fred snickered, even as he tried to declare. "She was so subtle!"
The two burst into more laughter, with Hera snickering at their antics.
"Alright, you two, I deserved that." Hera chuckled.
"So, come on then." George teased, poking her ribs lightly. "What happened?"
"Yeah!" Fred exclaimed, standing at her other side to do the same. "How did the god of mischief become you?"
"And how did you take back the title?" George added after a thought.
"Would now be a good time to distract you with what I know of the Marauders?" Hera inquired, wondering if they would take the bait.
"Wait, you…You're connected to the Marauders?!" Fred exclaimed, though he gave a sheepish grin when George gave him a side eyed glare. "Later. We want to know about that later."
Hera looked from them to everyone else, all of whom looked to be waiting with bated breath. "I'm going to be telling this story a lot, I think."
Hera Potter felt more tired than she'd ever been, but she also felt lighter than she'd ever been too. They'd all stayed up far longer than they should have. As the evening went on, and the younger years went to bed, the questions that got asked grew more and more bold. A few had even dared to ask about the legitimacy of many a myth. Many more asked her to continue teaching them magic as a study group; now that Umbridge had finally been ousted that was a possibility, one that Hera was strongly considering.
"How late did the questions run?" Snape inquired, seeing her state.
"Till the call for breakfast rang out." Hera grumbled. Filius poured her another cuppa. "Blessings be upon you, Filius. You're a godsend, truly."
"Puns aside, how bad was it?" Minerva wondered, her eyes alight with laughter she would never let out quite so openly in front of her students.
"Screw that! I want to know what the most scandalous question has been so far." Pomona spoke up from next to Minerva.
"Asking if he really had been fucked by a horse." Hera answered promptly, causing Snape to start coughing and the other Heads of House to start chuckling at him.
"Svaðilfari was…not actually a horse then?" Filius managed to ask delicately.
Hera snorted in amusement, before she slyly remarked. "Might have been hung like one, maybe."
The women giggled in scandalous amusement at that, while the men groaned in embarrassment.
"As it is, I wouldn't know. Sleipnir isn't a child of Svaðilfari, but he was styled after the horse he brought to help him." Hera explained. This peaked the curiosity of the Heads of House. "Sleipner is a construct."
"Wait, so how did he…stall Svaðilfari?" Pomona wondered.
"He did what he does best." Hera replied with a sad sort of smile as she looked back to her plate. "He asked questions, lured him into conversations with honest curiosity."
"Albus will have questions for you too, no doubt." Minerva reminded her. "I don't know if he knows who you'd been, or how aware of that situation he is, but he will know you as a newly awakened god of magic. He will want to discern what you mean to do with that."
"As long as he doesn't ask the horse question, I'm good." Hera declared, once again sending the ladies giggling.
"Merlin's mercy, Potter, I'm not awake enough for this." Snape complained, grumbling.
"Of course, Professor." She agreed easily, grinning happily now as she added. "We wouldn't want to offend your delicate sensibilities or anything."
"How…kind of you." Snape sneered, not that anyone bought it.
Dumbledore's announcement to end the year slightly earlier than usual was done not long after. Of course, the Ravenclaws immediately asked about exams. Their suspicions were confirmed, that the exams would be bumped up as well to accommodate. The distraction of grades vs a longer summer vacation enveloped most of the students. Had the man not announced that then, he would have been swarmed with questions before the day was out; at least from those who weren't busy swarming Hera with their own questions, if they still had any.
"You know this means you too." Snape muttered under his breath.
"I thought you said I'd already taken everything. What else could be left?" She wondered, matching his volume. Before the words were out of her mouth, she realized the answer. "No…You… You mean…You weren't joking? I thought you were trying to pull one over on Umbridge!"
"To be fair, I was…partially." Snape admitted, before he took on a stern expression she equated with how he treated her during her first year. "Don't tell me the god of magic needs more time to study."
Hera just snorted, and went back to her breakfast.
"Oh, let her relax, Severus." Minerva cut in, leaning over to talk around Filius instead of over him. "It's been a rough week."
"More like a rough year." Hera muttered under her breath.
"Yes, and it won't get any better over the summer." Snape declared, going back to cutting into his eggs. "If she's going to take over teaching the first to third years, she'll need training up. Besides, imagine the panicked look on Albus' face when he realizes he has to replace at least three teachers at the end of the two year period?"
"So you've agreed?" Filius inquired, grinning widely when Hera nodded. "Oh, that'll be wonderful!"
Minerva was right about one thing. Albus had a great many questions. His plans were in burning embers before his eyes, and yet things were getting better? The man so few now remembered as Lord Voldemort, and even fewer remembered as Tom Riddle, currently sat in his office looking remarkably earnest and oh so young and vulnerable. He reminded him of Hera a little, but he could almost picture it like it was the first time.
"Tom, I see much has changed for you." Albus began, noting how both the boy and the Fae king behind him grimaced. "Lady Potter has explained the extenuating circumstances that lead to your second chance, though I am sure she's kept the details or any secrets of yours to herself. I hear you may wish to attend Hogwarts as a student once more, but quite honestly that possibility worries me."
"Of course, you would be one of those who remembered." The young man grumbled, muttering under his breath, before sitting upright. "I would ask that you no longer use that name. If I am to be successful in this second chance, I must rid myself of everything tied to that life. My name is Salazar Gaunt now. That…Tom Riddle is dead, and should remain so."
Albus blinked at the sharp reminder of Hera there, having not expected it, before giving a slight nod. "Very well, Mr. Gaunt."
There was a knock at the door, and Hera peered into the room. "Headmaster? You asked to see me?"
"Ah, good! Come in. Come in. While we are not quite finished with this meeting, some parts of it do pertain to you." Albus greeted, gesturing for her to enter. "I'm glad you could join us."
"Your Majesty? Salazar?" Hera questioned in greeting upon seeing them. "You're back!"
"Only just." The Goblin King assured her, frowning slightly. "I thought I gave you leave to call me by name, Princess."
"You did, but Professor Dumbledore has a slight problem with name appropriation, and I didn't want him to get any ideas." Hera answered promptly with a wink, seeming to ease the Goblin King's worries as well as let Dumbledore know the dig had been intentional but not ill intended. "What are you doing here, and why didn't you tell me sooner? I had hoped to see his face when he first met Salazar."
"I'll show you the memory later if you like." Tom?-Salazar promised, an easy sort of smile gracing his face. "It was worth everything."
"I'd bet!" Hera snorted in amusement.
"Now that we've all been reacquainted, let's get down to business, shall we?" Albus suggested.
Hera sat down next to Tom?…Salazar? That was going to take some getting used to, he realized. Maybe he really did have a problem with name appropriation. He did have a hard time remembering that Severus hated being called 'my boy', though he did note that the young man did seem to not mind his presence so much now that he was making a conscious effort not to say it. Severus might not have been the one to actually tell him this was a thing that bothered the man, but it was something that had held true, and so now Albus was looking for other areas where he had slipped in this regard.
"Now then, I have been made to understand that young Salazar Gaunt here would like to return to school." Albus began. "I am told that this comes by your recommendation, Lady Potter. Is this so?"
"It is," Hera nodded. "though I'm not sure if as a normal student will be feasible."
Both the Goblin King and Salazar looked at her with surprise, though Salazar seemed more hurt than anything.
"How so?" Albus inquired, hoping for further insight.
"Things are different now than they were during his first stay here. He might not fit in to the role of student quite as easily as he did before, mainly because he's already learned this stuff, but being around people his own perceived age will help him ease into his new life better." Hera explained. "I would rather you hire him."
"…What?"
"Well…I mean…He could part time student to get reacquainted with the information, but if he's a teacher's assistant then he can be under direct supervision." Hera explained. "It would make you feel better, being paranoid with good reason, and it will ease him into things."
"Not-"
"I don't want Defence Against the Dark Arts." Salazar hissed angrily. "You ruined any and all love I had for the subject by continuously denying me the job, and when I finally managed to get the job, I had to suffer with Quirrell. Do you have any idea what that was like? He stuttered, and it wasn't even convincing!"
"Worst actor ever." Hera nodded, indulging the boy's antics.
"What do you suggest?" Albus inquired, trying hard to keep his amusement hidden.
"Professor Snape wants me to teach the First to Third Years." Hera supplied. "I'm going to need a brilliant assistant for that. His scores from his last life should more than qualify him, though I imagine you'll want to have him retested under his new name for the records. So do it, and then have him work for me."
Shout out to dracusfyre for writing Sorcerers and Sarcasm over on AO3 which was a huge inspiration for this, to the point where I might as well have quoted and taken bits and pieces for this, so go give their story some major love
