The path not taken
The hall was quiet, only the scraping of cutlery could be heard as those around at the tables could take in what they had heard. Remus lupin was confused as to why his alternate would react the way he did. He had settled upon the fact that he had been expecting to see harry and had ended up frustrated, this however is not good when one is a werewolf as all of their emotions tend to get amplified the closer to the full moon they are. It was one of the reasons that he kept himself calm and collected as much as possible.
The Weasley were not in a good mood. The family was split in half. The twins, bill and Charlie were not amused their father was livid at what his wife in the alternate had done. True it was not her but there was the possibility that she would do the same thing. Ginny could not see what was wrong, her mother had always said that that was how she had gotten their father so why was he so angry? Ronald was too busy eating to care, he did not even notice the looks of disgust coming from his former friends. Molly however was just glaring at the book impudently. There was little else she could do.
narcissa Malfoy despite her stoic and ladylike expression was roaring with laughter behind her occlumency shields. To see the Weasley woman get such an embarrassing secret revealed was enough to make her ostracised from the civilised circles, true she already was from the high society but this would put the nail in the coffin for the rest as she would not be trusted due to this revelation. It was a common knowledge that armortentia was used commonly amongst the wizarding population, it was the only reason that it did not have as high a sentence as it normally would have, it was still classed as illegal in circumstance. The most well known and legal usage would be on the first night of an arranged marriage where the couple did not exactly like each other, this would be used to get over that hurdle so to say.
Harry had been getting more and more annoyed and uncomfortable. Not only had he died in this but he had also been reborn as a girl. That given the peculiarities of magic he could understand. His own father could turn into a stag, so yeah he could understand this situation as well what he was having trouble with was the reactions that his counterpart was receiving. The only thing that was stopping him from freaking out was the comforting presence of his little sister holding onto him when she felt him get tense. It helped that his sister and alternate seemed to get on well. It was not long after the meal ended that the screen reappeared.
Chapter 13: to hit the rotating air circulation device.
The next day had a slightly hung over Umbridge's sleep interrupted as the door was slammed open, and members of the basilicom security rushed in, placed her into handcuffs, and led her to the nearest jail cell.
The whole time she was screaming about them not having the right to do so, and about her ministry position.
The whole time she was ignored because her 'position' meant nothing to the arresting officers. A redhead woman that was in charge of Leanbox security simply shook her head as she directed the officers to collect the woman's personal possessions, and pack them up. She herself picked up the small, untouched booklet that Vert gave the arrested woman.
Shaking her head, Cave had the place packed up in less than a half hour, leaving the room empty for the cleaning staff to clean.
There was a collective sigh and head shake at this. True it had been obvious that it would happen but still to the British it left a bad image of their people. They were just lucky that those in GameIndusti were a tolerant people.
Considering the law the insulting woman broke she wouldn't need the room ever again, and the personal effects would be sent back to her world. Cave just wished the trial would be soon.
That it was unlikely to be within the next week was due to Vert contacting Noire, so that the other goddess could try the woman, as all capital crimes needed a goddess or Candidate as the judge, so that nobody could claim prejudice, as Vert had been insulted by the soon to be on trial woman almost constantly. Noire needed a week or two to clear a day on her schedule, as it was it looked like the trial would be sometime after the dimensional transfer device would be completed.
"A reasonable system" came the voice of Dumbledore with some of the other professors agreeing. "since the different nations are all built upon the same foundational laws with a few differences based upon the traditions of each it would be appropriate for such a provision to be put in place" said albus whilst grooming his long beard with his eyes closed in thought.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
In a room in another nation, a figure was setting up the first part of her Sub-quest.
Making some phone calls, she set something up to be completed.
She would see the result when Chloe came for the next weekend.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
Chloe and Cyberconnect2 was pulled aside by professor McGonagall as she was heading to breakfast.
"Chloe, I wish to apologize for my actions. I saw the memory you left Dumbledore. Ronald Weasley had been spreading lies about the incident since the day after it happened. He was claiming that you came onto him, then hit him, and all the punishments, including his father's apology was due to your position. This wasn't helped by the apparent favouritism by Dumbledore towards you. I admit there was some favouritism towards my own house as well, you will find out that most heads of house favour their own house. Oh, and your extra detentions are cancelled as well. I gave Ronald several weeks because of his lies."
Chloe nodded and replied, "Apology accepted, but please get both sides next time. I promise that I will not start something, but I will finish it, and I will try not to respond to words with violence, but everyone has a breaking point, remember that."
Chloe and her partner left for breakfast, leaving a contemplative professor behind.
Chloe looked over at the transfiguration professor, her eyes portraying that she should take head of the message that had just been conveyed. She needent have bothered as it was apparent that she already had as she had been seeing its effects from a third person perspective and had not liked what had happened.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
The classes went normally, with Chloe being either bored, or overpowering her spells, and then came detention.
She had been informed, via a letter at breakfast to report to the same room that the Bogart was, and still is, in.
As she entered she levelled a disdainful look at the professor, grateful that he would most likely be gone after this year, as she had heard of the DADA curse.
The professor ignored the look, and started talking. "You are going to face the Bogart, and refusal will just give you more detentions and lost points."
"My greatest fear is personal professor. I don't know you, and I certainly don't trust you, so bring on both. Actually, on second thought..." Chloe tilted her head and made a decision to try a new spell. "Arrow of light, impale and purify, Holy Arrow."
A bolt of light crashed strait through the cabinet that held the Bogart and it instantly stopped shaking. Well after it settled down from the impact of the spell at least.
It seemed that there was multiple spells that could be used against beings of a darker nature It was then that those from earth decided that they would try and weedle one of them out so that they would have a better defence against such beings rather than relying upon the patronus.
"There, the issue is solved, there is no Bogart to face," Chloe remarked, as if she was talking about the weather.
Lupin grit his teeth, at least all his classes had faced it, but the issue was a student both disrespecting his authority, and the fact she damaged school property. Before he opened his mouth she spoke again.
"I'll pay Dumbledore to replace the furniture."
Lupin's mouth snapped shut, as he glared at the girl. He was already angry with her for telling the reincarnated Harry 'lies' about his unreasonableness. Dumbledore had informed him earlier about the reincarnation's decision not to get to know him.
Dumbledore was very careful to use gender neutral terms for Chloe, so as not to give hints to the reincarnation's identity.
At this chloe started to giggle. She knew what was coming up so she completely ignored the fact that they were all staring at her and just cuddled her sister instead.
Lupin snarled out angrily, "I'll get you expelled for that, and whomever Harry became turned into my company. I will also purge whatever lies you told him. I know you know whom he is now, so tell me!"
"REMUS!" barked out lily. She was shocked at the man. She could however understand where he was coming from. Spending years away from his pack only to find out they had died, then to find out that one was alive again must have pushed the boundary between his wolf and his minds to be paper thin.
Chloe shook her head and replied calmly, as CC moved into position to intercept the angry professor if he made a move.
Not that Chloe needed her help against a level seventeen, but they had talked about it, and decided to try and keep the fiction of Cyberconnect2 as a bodyguard as much as possible, and keep Chloe's true power under wraps.
Fortunately for the werewolf, he was smart enough to not attack a student, although Chloe's next words pissed him off more.
"Wow, you would take the reincarnation from the reincarnation's happy family for your own selfish reasons. I refuse, for the sole reason that you only cared about the boy after he died, you might've prevented it if you had cared enough to find and help him. Now what do you have planned for the rest of the detention now that the Bogart is kaput?" Chloe said with a combination scowl and smirk, after all it looks like Lupin has at least one assumption preventing him from finding out her past life's identity.
Lupin was with everyone else in being shocked at his alternate. He however could guess what was going through his mind as he was well, himself. He could tell that the wolf was affecting him more and more and if he remembered the timeline correct it had been close to the full moon. There was also the fact that he would have unconcious bias such as he would not have considered that the boy he knew would turn into a girl. Despite all of his knowledge in magic and creatures, the idea would not even occur to him.
The angry professor just snarled, "Leave, and don't come back for my help."
Chloe was about to leave, when she started giggling as an idea hits her. A way to drive the man crazy.
This caused lily to groan. As it was the same type of thing that happened to james when he wanted revenge in a way that would have maximum effect for minimum effort. They were ussually his most effective plans. Sirius and lupin also recognized it and sirius could not help but feel sorry for his friend. He knew this was going to hurt and hurt baddly.
Especially with the initial assumption the man had. "Let's play a game, you have three guesses, and I will inform the headmaster about the rules. I will give you three facts to help you find Harry's reincarnation, if you get it right within the three I will be truthful, if not I will say no no matter how many other times you ask. First the reincarnation is attending Hogwarts. Next it is not in a grade level above where Harry should be. Lastly, remember I would have to be close enough to it to advise staying away from you." with those words she left with her friend, and left a confused werewolf behind.
One that made three separate wrong assumptions immediately. One of the wrong assumptions he has since the beginning.
1. The reincarnation is male, this he had from the start.
2. the reincarnation is in his third year.
the reincarnation would be either in Gryfindor like his James, or Raven-claw like Lilly.
"It would appear we have found another difference." cheered out the head master gaining a look from the audience. This of course gained a smile from the man. "Lily potter was a Gryfindor whilst in the story she seems to have been within Raven-claw." This got a nod from those that were within the room.
"It was a possibility" came lilies voice "The hate was on the fence between the two and left me to decide." It was something that had happened to many students within the hall, more than anyone there would think.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
Chloe was giggling, as she believed that the professor would never guess that it was her, when she got a text.
A text that killed her good mood, and caused her to run to the headmaster's office.
She was fortunate to meet him going the other way, as he was taking a brief walk to clear his mind, as one of his staff brought up an issue with the girl in front of him, and upon seeing the glum look on Chloe's face he sighed and brought her to his office, again. It seemed like she was there nearly every day so far that she was in Hogwarts.
As soon as the door closed Chloe spoke, not noticing that Snape was in the room. Cyberconnect2 did, but kept her silence, as she thought that Chloe just didn't care.
"Chief Warlock Dumbledore, we have a problem," Chloe said formally.
The old man's eyes widened at the formal tone and being addressed by one of his titles. "What is the problem Leanbox Goddess Candidate Chloe?"
This caused many of those in the rooms eyes to widen at not only the powerful wizard to address the girl as an equal but also in similar formal manners as it was a known fact about Albus that he had a tendency to treat every one as he would one of his students. The fact that the girl was essentially royalty took a lot of the brunt from that fact though.
"Your representative, Deloris Umbridge was caught on camera performing the memory charm. As per our laws she is being held for trial, a trial that will almost certainly be a guilty verdict, as she was caught red handed, and with it she will be executed. She is also demanding a lawyer from your world, and refusing one from ours. Her trial will be in a month, and we request you send the lawyer to her as soon as possible," Chloe informed the old man formally.
Snape's eyes rose as he saw a physically fourteen year old discuss the death of another person without loosing her cool.
On the other hand he had met Deloris, and she irritated him as well.
Severous managed to keep his impersonal and stoic look even whilst getting glared at by said woman. Not that he cared he had enough money that he could go any where in the world and live well off. True very few of the potions he had created or altered the recipy of were accepted in britain but it still made him a pretty galleon off on the side. Not that he told anyone.
"Is there any way to avoid this?" Dumbledore asked.
"No, the law was broken, a law which she had full knowledge of, and the modification to the law that the truth serum can be used on all suspects to avoid false accusations went through already. The law is perfectly explicit in the punishments for certain laws as well. We did warn you that we don't do the diplomatic immunity nonsense your world does."
Dumbledore started massaging his temples to try and stave off his headache.
Chloe started to leave, and then paused. She informed Dumbledore of the 'game' she was playing with Lupin.
"Mind if I 'play' too?" Severus asked acidly, and he realized that the son of his hated rival was dead, and reincarnated. He would be satisfied that he would never see a Potter spawn, and perhaps the ones that raised the reincarnation made him/her a decent person.
This caused James and the potters to glare at the man, lily however was just upset that her friend was still holding on to such a hatred. Others in the room however were confused by such a statement.
Chloe winced, she didn't realize that the other man was in there. With a sigh she gave the clues to the man, and the man looked thoughtful.
He had no clue about whom Harry is now, but it wouldn't be to hard to figure out, all he would need to do is piece the pieces together, such as someone old enough to attend, but still born after the boy's death, and...
He smacked his face, the answer was obvious, as he had also snuck a book about the goddesses and candidates from the ravens long enough to duplicate it, and he couldn't blame the arrogance of the reincarnation on Potter genes, as she is mostly humble, except when dealing with her duties as goddess, or insults to her position.
Also, by the slight deference Dumbledore gives her, personally powerful as well.
"You are the reincarnation," he said calmly.
There were claps coming from the visitors table, this shocked the man. To see people actually clap and smile at him was unnerving but he returned a polite nod in their direction as it was obvious to anyone with working senses that they were all walking powerhouses and people that he did not want to be on the bad side of.
Chloe smiled, and replied, "Congratulations, you figured it out in under five minutes, Lupin won't figure it out, as he made bad assumptions. Please keep it quiet, I don't want the annoyances of fans, or people trying to take me from my family, as the DADA professor said he would, even if I was happy."
"What..." replied Dumbledore in a flat voice. "I will talk to him, and tell him I'd oppose any such attempt. Now get to bed, or at least the dorms."
Chloe headed out then paused, laying five Galleons on the headmaster's desk she said, "for the damage to the school's furniture I created in my detention today." she then headed back to the dorms.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
On the way to the Hufflepuff dorms, Chloe heard some music coming from the game room. She poked her head in and saw someone using the new internet function, and it was showing a clip of a charity event. The goddesses, and their candidates, do something different every year, it helps both those in need, and gathers shares.
The next clip was starting, and it was her solo song(EN1).
The lights focus on a single figure, whom was dressing in the relatively modest, (in comparison to her sister's) attire of a idol singer, as were the rest of the divinities. She then spoke, and said, "This song I dedicate to my sister to whom helped me become who I am today."
The systems that are used to show every one, even in the cheap seats, what was going on start up at this point.
"Thank you, my love, I thank you from my heart
You filled my life with melody and song
You are the one I tell my story to
It's just begun, our lives will last forever
We'll share our lives as one."
The giant hologram, that made the participants visible to all in the giant stadium focuses on the face of the singing candidate.
"We have shared the laughter and tears through all of the years
We will say good-bye just for now till we meet again."
A Goddess in green and white had the starts of tears of happiness in her eyes, as she saw her sister sing a song for her.
"Thank you, my love, thank you over and over
It warms my heart just to say it again
Thank you, my dear, it's so hard just to say good-bye
But I will do it with a tear and a smile
Thank you, my love, with all of my heart
You gave me a reason to believe."
A short figure had a blush on her face as the outfit, while modest in comparison to all the others, still showed more than usual, and she thought the song was appropriate.
"Thank you, my love, I thank you from my heart
You filled my life with melody and song
You are the one I tell my story to
It's just begun, our lives will last forever
We'll share our lives as one."
A Goddess had a slight bit of guilt that she had made things worse, but was happy for the girl. She had finally blossomed into a CPU candidate to be proud of.
"We have shared the laughter and tears through all of the years
We will say good-bye just for now till we meet again.
Thank you, my love, thank you over and over
It warms my heart just to say it again
Thank you, my dear, it's so hard just to say good-bye
But I will do it with a tear and a smile
Thank you, my love, with all of my heart
You gave me a reason to believe."
A goddess was pouting, as she had been kept far away from the girl. She barely had enough images to make a doll of her.
"Lessons learned, you have taught me through time
And they will stay inside my mind.
Thank you, my love, thank you over and over
It warms my heart just to say it again
Thank you, my dear, it's so hard just to say good-bye
But I will do it with a tear and a smile
Thank you, my love, with all of my heart
You gave me a reason to believe.
"You helped me find the courage to be me
You gave me a reason to believe."
The hall was silent, a silence that was broken by a gasping noise causing them to turn and see vert hugging Chloe into her chest so tightly that the poor girl was slapping and pushing to get at the precious resource known as air. This broke the silence in such a way that ripples of laughter broke out amongst those within the hall due to the rediculouse and cuteness of the sight.
as the song ended, Vert walked over to her sister, and engulfed her in a giant hug. The song was fitting for her, but everyone knows that it wouldn't catch as the candidates theme, simply because it was a dedicated piece, and not one she was singing for herself.
"I remember that event," Chloe said, and all the eyes in the room, all five pairs, turned toward her.
The applause toward her was welcome, but unnecessary, although she could feel a few extra shares being added, so with a bow she said, "Thank you. I'm not the enforcement, but curfews coming up."
the students looked at each other and scrambled out, Chloe sighed and shut down the system they left on, and headed for bed.
She will admit, that while that was embarrassing, next summer's event as decided by Neptune since Noire made the decision last time, will be worse.
The group would be running a maid cafe.
As Chloe and CC walked back to their dorm room, Chloe wondered weather she'd survive without quitting, considering how many professors seem to dislike her.
The goddesses all turned and looked at Neptune who had a smirk whilst throwing glances towards Noire. This action alone caused them to understand as it was not an unknown thing for the purple goddess to tease the black to no end.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
In a Leanbox cell, a woman in prisoner clothes was fuming. How dare these barbarians arrest her over a simple memory charm, no matter what their laws state.