So I'm posting this earlier than I expected, because I actually managed to finish this two months before my self-imposed deadline. Also, my summer vacation has just started, and hopefully my internship won't keep me as busy as uni, so that I'll have the time to post a Chapter Fifteen before term starts again.
Welcome to the next chapter! Though I hear Thirteen is an unlucky number... Why the bad rep? I personally like the number thirteen. Okay, rambling here. But I do hope you'll enjoy this one, because it gave me a better feeling than my previous chapter. Also, as per reviewers' requests, we're getting a glimpse at one of Narcissa's letters to Hadria, as well as more Severus POV!
Seriously though, thanks, you readers are wonderful and these are my little gifts to you!
Happy Beltane/May Day!
Pairings: Potential Hadria (FemHarry) x Tom Riddle, but more platonic than romantic, other pairings undecided. See A/N at the end of the chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
(My dear Beta Happyfish is still taking a break from Beta-reading, so wish them all the best in whatever they are doing!)
Chapter Thirteen: A Dramatic Play, Act 1
"Aequam memento rebus in arduis servare mentem." Remember when life's path is steep to keep your mind even. - Horace
The tale of two letters:
It came with a box of chocolate. Not from Honeydukes, but somewhere else. Hadria didn't recognise the logo of the brand, but it looked way too expensive. (She didn't mind, of course—it was chocolate—but she was sure Gellert would have a fit if he knew someone had given her chocolates that cost way more than they should in his not-as-chocolate-obsessed opinion).
Dear Hadria,
I must thank you for that lovely letter you sent us. I fully intend on framing that picture. Your artist is truly talented. You mustn't tell Draco, of course. He doesn't know I haven't set anything of yours on fire yet.
Enclosed is an invitation to our Yule celebration. I would say that I'm certain Draco himself would invite you closer to December, but he can be very petty, as I'm sure you would realise by now.
An invitation has also been sent to your guardian, of course, along with the contacts of the family we got our white peacocks from. Your guardian's such a gentleman, but he doesn't seem to share your fascination with our white feathered beauties. You may assure him that they are relatively easy to keep with the aid of House Elves.
Gerwald has also informed me that you absolutely adore chocolate. I hope you'll enjoy these. They're from Switzerland and Lucius's favourite. He's got such a sweet tooth it's a wonder Draco isn't more partial to caramel desserts than he already is.
I've heard that you're in Slytherin with my dearest son. How is Hogwarts treating you so far? Or perhaps, I should ask: How have you been treating Hogwarts? I do not think I have read such entertaining letters before this September. I have heard enough to know without a doubt that a meeting with you will have the boys fleeing the country. It's the Black blood. It's a pity Draco barely has a drop in him.
So would you care to join me for tea during your school vacation? Before the Yule celebration?
Yours Sincerely,
Narcissa
Hadria made a mental note to put 'caramel desserts' under the list of things Draco liked, and 'sweet tooth' in the pile of information about Lucius.
A letter from Gellert arrived the next day. It was the third one he had sent her since school had started.
The first could be summarised in a few sentences: You're a Slytherin. Of course. You have made 'interesting' friends (which really meant: Malfoy? Prankster twins?) Don't get caught. Do not under any circumstance go anywhere forbidden. But nice picture of Dumbledore. And I do not need to know so much about your first day in Potions.
The second could be summarised in a few words: A pranking war?
This third one was by far the longest, and it came with a strange wishbone pendant, which was made even stranger by the fact that Gellert had never before bought her any accessories without her prompting.
Hadria,
Why is Narcissa Malfoy sending me brochures about peacocks? Actually, why is Narcissa Malfoy sending me letters in the first place? I know you're friends with her son, but it's only your third week and you're making her son keep Snag, yet she's sending us an invitation to their Yule celebration?
I can't decide if I should be proud of you or exasperated... or concerned.
In any case, we are not having peacocks on our lawn. Your Lethifold and Jarvey are bad enough.
I expect you'll be receiving chocolates from her soon enough, if she hasn't sent you any already. Please remember to send her a thank-you note in reply and thank her son too. Go easy on the poor boy with Snag, will you?
Anyway, good luck with your flying class (which I had to hear about from Narcissa—when I said not to tell me every detail about your Potions lessons, I did not mean for you not to inform me about your classes at all!). Listen to your Professor and make sure you remember how to soften your landing if you do fall. That also means no yelling, "Cannonball!" nor executing any unnecessary somersaulting.
Enclosed is a Portkey for you to wear around your neck. When you're in danger, or have any need to return home immediately, activate it by saying, "Fuga."
Keep out of trouble (I seem to say this a lot, and I'm not sure if you ever bothered to understand what these words mean); I hope not to receive any letter from your Professors or esteemed Headmaster any time this year.
So, I repeat, if you must continue your prank war, make sure they can't pin it down to you. If you must wander anywhere close to the forbidden areas of your school, make sure you aren't seen. Unless what you're doing is suicidal. In that case, please inform your friends whenever you are about to do something stupid so that one of them can tell the Professors if something goes wrong. Your friends Hermione and Neville sound like they've got sensible heads on their shoulders. Do try and follow their example.
Take care,
Gerwald
Hadria kept this with the previous two letters in small box in Noh's mouth.
And onto the story:
There was a list carried by almost every Slytherin student, written on fine parchment that came with instant-dry charms. It was a list that the first years had came up with, and a few of the older years found out, and passed on the information, and now, practically the entire Slytherin House had the list, after which, some prefect took the initiative to teach everyone how to enchant their lists to to look like notes taken from Hogwarts: A History. The real words would only be revealed when someone says the password ("I've gotten a Troll for Defence."):
Fact 1: The third-floor corridor is forbidden on pain of death.
Fact 2: Dumbledore knows about the corridor.
Fact 3: There is a Cerberus in the corridor.
Fact 4: Hogwarts is supposed to be one of the safest place in the Wizarding world. (Unless you wander into the Forbidden Forest which is forbidden for a reason).
Fact 5: The Forbidden Forest is a reserve for the creatures inhabiting it. But the third-floor corridor is no place for a Cerberus.
Fact 6: There was a troll loose in Hogwarts.
Fact 7: The troll couldn't possibly have wandered in by itself.
Fact 8: Dumbledore is one of the most powerful wizards since Merlin.
Conclusion 1: The Cerberus has been placed there intentionally.
Conclusion 2: Someone (not Hadria Potter) brought the troll into Hogwarts.
Conclusion 3: Dumbledore needs or wants the Cerberus in Hogwarts for a reason.
Possibility 1: Dumbledore needs or wants the troll in Hogwarts too, but the control over the troll was lost.
Possibility 2: Dumbledore doesn't want a troll in Hogwarts and that's why someone brought the troll in—to hinder whatever Dumbledore is doing. (This is mutually exclusive with Possibility 1).
Possibility 3: Professor Quirrell brought the troll in to help Dumbledore and lost control of the troll even though he's the DADA Professor.
Possibility 4: Four other staff members could be involved—Deputy Headmistress McGonagall, DADA Professor Quirrell, Gamekeeper Hagrid, and Caretaker Filch.
Possibility 5: Hogwarts is in serious danger from outside sources, hence magical creatures are kept in the third-floor corridor as reserve protection. The danger is so serious that the combination of Hogwarts' wards and Dumbledore's magical abilities isn't enough.
Possibility 6: Hogwarts has become a secondary Gringotts, and is using trolls and Cerberuses in place of dragons.
Possibility 7: Dumbledore has gone mad and none of the teachers can stop him.
Task 1: Find out about Cerberuses and trolls.
Task 2: Look out for clues that Hogwarts is in serious danger.
Task 3: Find out if there's any reason for a secondary Gringotts.
Task 4: Look out for clues that Dumbledore is mentally ill and abusing his power over the teachers to keep them from hindering his mad plans.
Task 5: With enough evidence, tell parents.
Apparently, Slytherins took threats to the school very seriously. (Though Hadria later realised she shouldn't be so surprised by that, considering how their Founder had left an ancient basilisk in the castle just to protect the school from potentially threatening Muggles). And suddenly, the entire House was playing some sort of detective game.
So every book in the library about magical creatures were borrowed, and the younger years were also reading Care of Magical Creatures textbooks. Some students opened their Hogwarts: A History for the first time, and others found history books about Gringotts. Letters were sent home asking about protective magic, ancient wards and the reason why the Wizarding World depended on Gringotts and the goblins to take care of their money. Every student also began watching the Professors with the attentiveness and determination of a paranoid Auror.
Of course, Hadria wasn't one of them.
Instead, she spent a good whole day wondering if she should lead her friends in the right direction by asking Hagrid certain questions that he would no doubt end up spilling secrets over, or leave them all to figure out the mystery themselves.
It was rather amusing seeing the less-subtle Slytherins act like stalkers. Even Neville noticed, and so did Hermione, once she got her head out of her latest conquest (a great big red book about the origins of spell-language), and the both of them had asked her, on two separate occasions, what she had done to her Housemates. (Why did everyone always assume anything strange was her fault?)
The pranks had also let up, to the mild confusion of everyone not in the know, because it was entertaining enough watching the Slytherins try their hand at being Sherlock, and Hadria's Slytherin buddies had persuaded her to get help from the Weasley twins. And how could she possibly say no when they evidently had to fight against their very selves to not only ask for help from a Gryffindor, but ask for help from a pair of Weasleys?
"So, you guys are experts at going around unnoticed and stalking people to prank them," Hadria said to them. It wasn't a question, and the Weasley twins exchanged a bemused look between them.
"You need our help," they concluded in sync, and she handed them her own list after whispering the password. Four identical eyebrows disappeared under flaming red hair when they heard it.
"Bloody hell!" said Fred, sounding very Ron-ish for a moment (it was the way he emphasized the words, Hadria thought), after the twins had read through the list.
"Is this what Slytherins do in their spare time?" George asked, sounding equal parts amused and bewildered.
"We know about the third-floor corridor, of course," Fred explained.
"But you don't see our House going up in arms," George finished.
Hadria snorted. ("Ladies don't snort," imagination-Pansy scolded her). "We aren't going up in arms."
"Of course you aren't," George said dismissively. Fred nodded. "You're Slytherins. You lot prefer to—" Here, one of them waves the list. "—Engage in espionage."
"Tell me again, George, why didn't we go to Slytherin?" Fred asked the other.
"Because you got us Sorted into Gryffindor," George retorted.
Hadria decided she had done enough and left them while they were debating if they could get re-Sorted. She grinned when she imagined telling Draco and Pansy about the Weasleys wanting to join Slytherin, though they might kick a fuss over the sharing of the list with a non-Slytherin first... but they did tell her to get help from them. It would be their fault for not specifying how.
There was something going on with his Slytherins, and Severus would have to be blind not to see it. He was their Head-of-House, after all.
It started out with the whispering, which was basically the sign of a new piece of gossip. This was fairly innocuous for Slytherins, so Severus wasn't concerned. He figured he'd overhear about it soon enough.
Then he realised the gossip was not quite as simple as he thought it was—the older students never spoke about it when he was within earshot, and they knew how to tell when their Head-of-House was around, something they usually only learned after at least five years of experience in Slytherin, while the younger students were smart enough to just keep their mouths shut about it most of the time, only whispering when the seniors gave them the cue that he was too far to listen in, even with the aid of magic.
It was possible that it was something mildly illegal, such as the presence of that Jarvey in the boy's dormitories that no one had bothered to inform him about—that he knew about anyway because what kind of Slytherin Head-of-House would he be if he didn't? —but Severus decided he would watch them closely, just in case. Especially since many of them were the children of Death Eaters. And the entire House seemed to be in on it, except him.
Snakes. That was what his Slytherins were turning into. One by one, even those who probably only got into Slytherin because of their ambition instead of cunning or resourcefulness, learned from those who were better at it.
The low quiet hissing amongst themselves. The watchful unblinking stares, fixed upon whatever caught their attention for long minutes. Calculating glances with quick and discreet shifting of the head and body. No wasted movements that would produce unnecessary visual or audible distractions that would disturb their vigilance.
Because that was what it was, wasn't it? Vigilance—the action or state of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.
Flint was scowling more than usual, but he had stopped yelling even during Quidditch practices, choosing instead to watch everyone with the eyes of a predator. Warrington seemed to take up less space than usual, and it wasn't a sign of weakness, no, it was the sign of efficiency. Even Crabbe and Goyle had followed the example of the other Slytherins in attempting to blend into the background, as odd as that sounded.
It was so peculiar that Severus was drawn almost instinctively to the newest additions of the unofficial Slytherin Court. They were, unsurprisingly, the only ones who didn't behave much differently. After all, they were always whispering amongst themselves and they were always exercising the Constant Vigilance that being around Hadria required.
Draco and Parkinson only looked more warily expectant than usual, and Severus had come to associate this look with the explosion of a new prank. Of course, he had no evidence that those brats were behind any of them, but ever since he'd caught Potter in an empty corridor with the Weasley twins, he had been quite certain of it.
Zabini was the one who was perpetually amused when he wasn't bored. These seemed to be the only two states of mind that he could exist in—listless Garfield or smirking Cheshire. And for the past few days, he seemed to be content to let that disconcerting grin curl on his face like a lazy snake in the sun.
Potter herself was the oddest of them all, no matter when and where, and Severus realised that it was because she didn't behave like a Slytherin. It wasn't that she displayed un-Slytherin-like behaviour, because Severus had come to notice that, horror of all horrors, she might actually be a Slytherin, but it was more of a placement of identity—she didn't behave like she was one of them.
Oh, Potter had her clique of Draco, Parkinson and Zabini, (with Crabbe and Goyle trailing them like shadows), though she often drifted towards the other Houses to hang out with that Granger girl and the Longbottom boy.
This, by itself, wasn't strange, because he knew of other Slytherins who had study groups with Ravenclaws and to a lesser extent, Hufflepuffs. What was strange was the way she acted around the other Slytherins, and while Severus didn't want to spend his free time observing that blasted girl, he couldn't help it.
Potter was like… an Slytherin alumna, come back to spend time with her juniors. She wasn't a part of them, always seemed apart from them, yet there was no doubt she should be one of them.
When the Slytherins watched everyone else with suspicion—and Severus still didn't know why—she was the one watching them with a combination of concern and amusement. When they were whispering amongst themselves, she would nod at the right moments, while make funny faces to herself as she scribbled down stuff into a book.
Then there was once when he spotted two Slytherins—Davis and Bulstrode—stalking Quirrell of all people, and before he could do something about it, because they really shouldn't be stalking that particular Professor, two hands appeared from the darkness of a hidden alcove and pulled them in.
"This is getting ridiculous," he heard Potter's voice say as he approached, more quietly than usual, for he was finally going to hear something that might clue him into the secret.
"He was limping, Potter," Bulstrode hissed in reply.
"And there was blood at the hems of his robes," Davis added.
There was a huff which Severus thought must have come from Potter, though he didn't think he had ever seen her being exasperated before.
"So you decided it was a brilliant idea to stalk him, a Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor who may or may not have brought a troll into the school."
"Which he must have lost control of, so he can't be very competent. Hell, Potter, we know from his classes that he's not going to be very scary even if he did catch us."
"Now Dumbledore, on the other hand… If he finds out we're on to him…"
"Bloody hell."
"Well, we don't see you doing anything about it. Aren't you worried at all?"
A choked laugh. "And you guys call me the Gryffindor. Well, if you must know, I've outsourced my work."
"Oh."
"The Weasley twins?"
Severus had heard enough.
He didn't know whether to laugh or curse at the idea that his Slytherins had formulated some conspiracy theory involving Dumbledore being a dangerous mastermind, Quirrell a useless minion, and the troll the clue to a greater plot, and were now acting on it.
The funny thing was they were right in a way. Yet they were so wrong. And Severus himself wasn't entirely sure what was going on either, not with Dumbledore, and not with his Slytherins.
Then there was that incident at the first Quidditch match of the year.
It was Gryffindor versus Slytherin, which usually meant that the Slytherins would wear their scarves and chant insults in their seats, while the Gryffindors shout cheers and wave banners. But this time, Severus could see one lone Slytherin looking very much like a jester, wearing a red-green-gold-and-silver spangled outfit that he was sure he'd never seen sold in any robe shop before (he couldn't imagine any self-respectable establishment selling such an atrocity), her face painted silver, which, coupled with her hair dyed a flaming red like the Weasleys, made her emerald-green eyes stand out even more than before…
Her ridiculous Dumbledore-esque robes suddenly seemed so much more bearable to look at in comparison. Severus glanced away, and prayed she'd get those awful colours off her after the match.
Instead, he looked at his other Slytherins.
Draco wore what looked like a green-and-silver-painted creature—was that Potter's Jarvey?—around his neck like a living scarf. Zabini and Parkinson also had green-and-silver face-paint but chose to leave their hair uncoloured. (Severus wasn't sure how Potter managed to convince the Slytherins to paint their faces because this was the first time he could ever remember his Slytherins putting on so much embellishments for a school match)
Longbottom and Granger sat on Potter's other side. Longbottom wore robes that flashed red and gold like a Phoenix, while Granger was the only normal and sensible looking one, for she had chosen to wear her usual school robes with a Ravenclaw scarf, forgoing any other ornamentation.
The match went well. That was to say, Slytherin was winning, and Severus could almost feel the satisfaction that was going to come when the Quidditch Cup finally sat in his office. Again. Minerva was going to be so disgruntled.
Except that apparently, he couldn't even let himself enjoy Slytherins' progress towards an inevitable victory without something coming up to interrupt the moment.
It happened with a literal bang, and everyone (who were all engrossed in the thrilling Quidditch match between the rival Houses) turned to see an explosion of fire and smoke erupt from one of the rows in the Quidditch stands. It wasn't just any part of the stands, but the one with Potter and company in it.
However, the explosion appeared harmless enough—nothing seemed to have caught fire despite the realistic-looking flames, just seats and barriers destroyed by the force of the explosion—and for a moment, Severus thought that it could just be an attention-seeking stunt by Potter. It was only for a moment, because a moment later, there was a colourful figure falling from the partially damaged stand.
Severus was reluctant to admit it, but in that next moment, his heart stuttered. It was Potter who was falling, but the red hair and green eyes and her support for friends in a rival House screamed Lily. Lily who was already dead. Lying in the pool of red that was her hair.
(And she was falling too fast, gravity seemed more enthusiastic than usual, her brilliant colours would flatten, and all that would be left would be red red red)
Everyone was screaming, several Professors, including himself, had their wands out, 'Arresto Momentum' on their lips, a few Quidditch players (Higgs, Pucey, the Weasley twins) were racing to catch the girl, Quidditch match abandoned, because who cared if Slytherin or Gryffindor won, if one of their own was falling?
But—
(they weren't going to make it in time)
Okay, so the reason why I'm cutting it short here is because this chapter was getting so long, I decided to stop here and post the rest as a separate chapter later. But no worries, the next chapter/continuation will be out in a week.
(I don't even know if this is considered a cliffie because it was partly unintentional, and we all know Hadria can't possibly die so early in the fic. But if you do think this is a cliffie, well this is the first time I'm writing it, so let me down gently (pun intended)?
Anyway, thanks for reading!
ABOUT GELLERT-PAIRINGS: (Based on reviewers' input)
Current popular choices: (female) Amelia Bones, (male) Sirius Black
Popular but pending: Lady Zabini (there will be flirting between the two, definitely, but whether they actually get serious is debatable, because of Zabini's... black-widow-ness... Could be interesting though...)
Other suggestions:
(female) Tonks (?), Rosmerta, Ollivander's daughter/apprentice
(male) Severus Snape (current runner-up to Sirius), Remus Lupin (?), Mad-Eye Moody
(or) Nobody i.e let's not complicate things with Gellert and romance
No longer considering: Bellatrix (because of Neville), Luna (she's younger than Hadria)
Definitely not considering: Hadria (If you want to see a Hadria/Gellert fic, wait for it. Wait a very long time for it, because I don't have the time right now but some day, it might happen. Who knows?)
Did I miss out anyone? Well, do continue to provide your ideas and comments on this topic, and these results may change!