Welcome back to another chapter of "Bad Moon Rising" in which we get some odd family moments with Delphini before heading to a Ball.
This chapter is dedicated to all those commenters who bitch about Delphini.
On with the show.
Delphini
There was a moment that was sweeter than any treat, more powerful than any magic, and more fulfilling than any accomplishment and that was the gobsmacked look of shock, confusion, and disbelief etched so deeply onto a person's face one would think it would stay like that. That was the look that Sirius Black had the moment Delphini had introduced herself to him. She couldn't help but throw her head back and laugh at the look on his face, causing the man to flinch slightly at the sound.
"You've got to be kidding me," The girl with flowing pink hair says softly before Delphini turns to her disbelieving face with a grin.
"No, not really," Delphini tells her as she takes a step back from Sirius and looks around the room. The girl in the matching silver jacket of Pot-head's looks just as confused as Harry. While the other guy, Remus, was looking at her with wide eyes before they flick toward Harry and back to her.
"Wait, hold on, you're related to Sirius and Dora?" Harry asks, turning to look at Delphini with a furrowed brow.
Delphini shrugs. "Don't know who Dora is, but I know I'm related to Sirius here," she tells Harry as she jerks her thumb to a still shell-shocked Sirius. "My mom was a Black before she got married to my dad. It's how I'm related to Draco as well, his mum and mine are sisters," Delphini explains and watches as Harry's jaw drops which causes her lips to curl into a smile.
"Oh, dear gods, mum is gonna lose it when she hears this," the pink-haired girl says before placing her face in her hands with a groan, causing Delphini to look over at her with a raised brow.
"No offense, but why would your mom care?" Delphini asks, sounding confused as the girl sighs and looks up at her.
"Because my mum is Andromeda Tonks, formerly Andromeda Black, the third sister to Narcissa and Bellatrix," Dora explains, causing Delphini to adopt a surprising look.
"Oh, shit," Delphini says blinking at Dora, "that was the one that was kicked out of the family, right? Cause she married a muggleborn?" She asks, but as Dora opens her mouth, Sirius suddenly finds his voice again.
"Kreacher!" Sirius yells, causing both Delphini and Harry to jump and flinch a bit before a small pop is heard. Delphini turns to see one of the most pathetic-looking House-elves she had ever laid eyes on now standing in the room. The house elf, Kreacher, looked underfed, ancient, and gaunt, causing Delphini to turn and glare at Sirius while planning out some long and slow death for him.
"Yes, why does the filthy blood traitor call for Kreacher?" Kreacher asks with a deep scowl and a bowed head, Delphini immediately like the old house elf.
Sirius ignores the insult but looks to be grinding his teeth at the house-elf, "Listen, Kreacher, do we still have the family tapestry?" he asks and watches as Kreacher nods his head slowly.
"Yes, the intruders put it in the attic when they tore apart my mistress's home that her ungrateful son let in," Kreacher mutters half mad to himself while looking at the floor.
"Okay, good, I need you to go take a look at it and find out if Bellatrix has a Daughter, then come right back here and tell me. Do it now," Sirius orders the elf as Kreacher scowls once more before vanishing in a pop that sends Delphini's heart into her throat. Delphini had forgotten about the stupid bloodline tapestry! She immediately clears her mind as the anxiety quickly builds in her chest, if they found out who her sperm donor was she was fucked, and not in a fun way.
Delphini's eyes began to frantically search the room for all the exits she had as her breath started to come a bit faster, and for a long moment, she was six again, standing in Rowle's study as she yelled and screamed at her, throwing crystal bottles filled with amber liquid calling her half-blood, scum of the earth, a whore born from filth. All because she had been speaking with a garden snake. Delphini feels something nudge her, causing her head to snap around and emerald eyes shine with concern before a small pop sounds the return of Kreacher.
"Well?" Sirius asks the House elf harshly as Delphini stops breathing and looks at Kreacher with wide eyes.
"Little Bella did have a little girl named Delphini, Kreacher has seen it on the tapestry," Kreacher says but doesn't elaborate further as he looks back at Delphini hunched over with his hands cupped together.
"Well, fuck," Sirius says before collapsing into his seat and Delphini lets out the breath she was holding as Sirius looks back at her. "How old are you? And where the hell have you been all these years?" he asks, looking worried at her, which Delphini found a bit uncomfortable.
Delphini swallows a bit before speaking up. "I'm turning seventeen in March, and before the head snake went and got himself blown to bits by Pot-head here, my dear old dad dropped me off with someone who had no involvement with the last war to hide me away," Delphini says as she nods toward Harry.
"Well, fuck, kid," Sirius says as he rubs his face with one hand and sighs, "I'll just add you to the list of my fuck ups, huh?" he says before looking back at her with a weak smile.
"Fuck up?" Delphini asks, sounding confused. "You didn't even know I existed, how am I your fuck up? If anything that would be my mum and dad," she says before crossing her arms over her chest.
Sirius sighs once more before leaning back in his chair. "If I didn't chase after the rat that night and I just took Harry and went back to Grimmauld Place and raised him there, there's a good chance I would have seen you on the Bloodline Tapestry. And as much as I hate my batshit crazy cousin, you're still family kiddo," He explains to Delphini who rolls her shoulders to disperse some of the discomfort she felt from Sirius' words. She had grown up without family, without anyone who truly cared for her, and didn't know how to feel about someone calling her that.
"It's fine," Delphini says quietly, avoiding Sirius' stormy eyes as she looks away, "I'm fine," she says with a sigh and in a tone of voice that made Sirius and Atalanta share a look.
"Where are you staying now? Still with whoever, do you need anything? Gold? A place to stay?" Sirius asks, leaning forward to rest his arms on his legs as he watches her. Sirius more than likely knew that the Lestrange accounts were frozen by the Ministry at the end of the last war, though the goblins never let them seize them. But before Delphini could answer him, Harry spoke up.
"She's been staying with the Malfoy's," Harry says, causing Delphini to quickly turn to him with wide eyes as everyone else turns to look at her with narrowed eyes. "What?" Harry asks as Delphini looks at him in open shock.
"How the bloody hell did you know that?" Delphini asks, noticing Atalanta backing away from the group to lean against the door to the room with crossed arms and a glare on her face.
"Tycho brought you the same kind of package as Draco got, the same ribbon and wrapping. Wasn't hard to guess who sent it," Harry explains with a shrug, as it was the simplest thing in the world. "Didn't know that your mom and his were related though, bit of a shock that," he mutters the last part under his breath as he turns away from Delphini just before side-stepping around her to stand in between Delphini and Dora.
Dora had calmly stood up and pointed her wand at Delphini while she was talking to Harry, and now the boy who lived stood in between the two cousins. "Harry," Dora spoke calmly, her eyes slowly turning pink, "you need to step aside and stand by the Kitty-Cat, now," she orders Harry as he slowly raises his hands.
"Dora put the wand down, she hasn't done anything," Harry says calmly.
"She's been with the enemy, Harry, we need to make sure she isn't a danger," Dora says as her eyes become fully pink, "Why Dumbledore let her in Hogwarts is something I'll be asking him next time I see him but for now, you need to step aside," she says her tone firm and unwavering.
"Harry," Sirius says slowly as Harry turns to look at him. Sirius was holding his wand too but had yet to point it at anyone, "You need to listen to Dora and take a step away from her, please," the man says calmly.
Before Harry could say another word, Delphini rolls her eyes, "Oh, for the love of,'' Delphini says with a sigh before drawing her wand, causing Sirius and Remus to shoot up from their chairs wands in hand as Dora's wand shoots out red sparks, but still Harry doesn't move. Delphini points her wand at the far side of the door, away from anyone, before wordlessly casting a Silencing Charm. The wall and door flash green before she tosses her wand to Atalanta, who catches it out of the air and with a raised brow.
Delphini turns to Sirius with a bit of a frown. "Yes, I've been staying with Aunt Narcissa over the summer. Yes, I've seen the head snake because he stopped by the manor a few times. No, I don't know any of his evil plans because for one: he doesn't invite children into his Death Eater-only club room, and two: I honestly haven't asked," she says, throwing out her arms with a shrug. Delphini wasn't lying either, she had stayed far away from anything her sperm donor was doing just in case something like this exact situation came up.
Dora, Remus, and Sirius all share a look as Harry still stands in front of Dora's wand and Delphini looks around the room like a wild animal waiting for someone to do or say something. But to her surprise, it was the quiet one in the room that spoke up first.
"You're gonna have to give us more than that," Atalanta says, her arms still crossed as she looks at Harry instead of Delphini, "Look, it's cool, I get it," Atalanta says pushing off the door and walking toward Delphini, "You wanted to meet your family, that's fine, and if you stayed anywhere else then we probably wouldn't be doing this, like this," Atalanta says gesturing around the tense room with a wave of her hand.
"But the fact is that you did stay at Malfoy Manor with the enemy and now you're close to Harry?" Atalanta says before making a face to show her disbelief and suspicion at it all. "And you're gonna go with the I don't know anything excuse, really?" Atalanta asks before stopping in front of Delphini and slipping her hands into the pockets of her jacket.
Delphini kept a straight face as the other girl spoke, her eyes narrowing a bit as the girl in the silver jacket walked up to her and looked slightly down into Delphini's eyes. This is when Delphini noticed something off about the girl, she couldn't feel any magic coming off of her. She could feel Dora the auror's twisting and fluid core, Sirius's steady and steadfast one, and even Remus's calm and serene magic from across the room. None were as impressive as the one that stood in front of Dora and what it felt like, but this girl in the silver jacket? Delphini felt nothing.
"Are you a muggle?" Delphini asks, hit head tilting a bit as she does.
Atalanta's brow raises and her head bobs side to side before shrugging.
"Then why are you even here? You can't even defend yoursel-" Delphini begins to say but is stopped short when she sees the girl blur in front of her eyes before she feels the knuckle of a fist touch her nose lightly before it's pulled back. Delphini yelped before falling backwards on her ass and she blinked up at Atalanta in shock, the girl was standing there, her hands in her pocket, looking as if she hadn't moved at all. "How-what did you-" Delphini sputters out in shock before Atalanta leans over her fallen form with a smile.
"Just defending myself," The wild woman says to the wild-eyed girl lying on the floor before she starts to scoot away.
"Atalanta, can you please stop scaring her?" Harry asks with an exasperated sigh.
"Why? Kinda my job as the older sister ya know?" Atalanta says with a smirk as she turns to Harry. He steps around Atalanta to offer Delphini his hand and pulls her to her feet.
"Wait," Delphini says as she looks between both Harry and Atalanta, "You two are related?" she asks, the horror showing a bit on her face as she looks between the two hunters before Atalanta throws her arm around Harry and drags him into a side hug.
"Well, yeah! Can't you see the family resemblance?" Atalanta says with a wide grin as she points at Harry and herself, causing Harry to smile a bit. But for the life of her, Delphini really couldn't see it, other than they both had green eyes.
"S-sure?" Delphini says as Harry rolls his eyes before elbowing Atalanta in the ribs causing the girl to jump and causing her to rub her side.
"Stop it, Atalanta," Harry says, causing the girl to roll her eyes.
"Fine," Atalanta says with a pout before turning back to Delphini, "but back to the topic at hand, if you don't want me to toss your ass out that window," Atalanta says as she nods her head towards the window just behind Delphini, "and you want us to trust you, right here, right now, you've got to give us something," the huntress says before crossing her arms across her chest and stares down at Delphini with a frown as Harry's worried eyes glance between the two girls in indecision.
Delphini looks around the room to see the other four looking at her with narrowed eyes and curiosity. Delphini sighs, racking her brain for what to do. She couldn't outright demand Harry to help her, not against his godfather and his "sister". They hadn't even started their relationship. Delphini frowns, hoping the sperm donor will at least understand what she has to do to get through this. She decides to give them something.
"As I said, I don't know much," Delphini says with a sigh, running her hand down her face, "but I've met the head snake a few times while he was researching something in the library at the manor. He was looking into something to do with the old Irish kings and their castles, I think he's looking for one in particular, which one I can't say," Delphini admits with a shrug as she watches Remus and Sirius look at one another quickly enough for the rest of the group to miss it.
"Lucius has been helping him with scouring private dealers and some of the older families' libraries for anything that dates back to two thousand years ago, but that's all I know, I swear," Delphini says as she raises her hands in mock surrender.
Harry frowns at what Delphini says, "Two thousand years ago was during the age of myth, that was around the time the…" Harry mutters, trailing off a bit before his eyes widen and both Atalanta and Harry's heads snap to each other with wide eyes.
"You don't think?" Atalanta asks Harry with a slightly fearful look on her face.
"He met her in the graveyard and tried to use the torture curse on her. It did fuck all, but I doubt she would have let that slide without showing the monster his place in the pecking order," Harry says, his eyes shifting over to Delphini's confused face a few times as he spoke. Delphini carefully kept her face a confused look. Harry knew something important, but didn't want to share it with the class.
She'd have to pass that nugget along.
A few hours later.
The rest of the time passed with a bit of awkward air in the room as Delphini got to meet the rest of her family, and admittedly, she did like them. Nymphadora seemed cool, if not a bit overprotective, and the inherited Metamorphmagus genes that she got from the Black family made Delphini beyond jealous; she would kill to be able to make the curse scars on her body disappear with a thought.
Sirius was her type of person when he had switched from protecting Harry mode to a goofy adult over the few hours she had spent with him. Always had a story about some prank he and Pot-head's father had pulled back in their day and tried to make the people around him laugh and smile. Sirius had even pulled her aside before they had left to offer her an escape, no strings attached, he would take her in without question whether Belltrix's kid or not, she was family to him. Delphini didn't know how to feel about that and was taken by surprise by the offer. She had told him that she would think about it, which caused the man to frown but nod at her words before telling her that no matter the last name, she was still a Black by blood, and Kreacher would answer to her if she needed it.
But the joke was on Sirius because the first thing Delphini did was order Kreacher to go home and guzzle down as much cream and honey as he could find before making himself a new set of clothes; which got a laugh out of Harry. So double points for that.
They split from each other. After that, Harry went to meet Hermione and Ron as Delphini meandered around the village alone. While she got along with her dorm mates in Gryffindor Tower enough to not have any problems with them, that didn't mean they were friends by any stretch of the imagination. Delphini knew with her last name she would be a social outcast in Gryffindor when she was sorted into it, which was fine with her. Kakaroff made sure she didn't have any friends or attachments at Durmstrang just in case the sperm donor came back, so she was used to being on her own and the isolation wasn't all of a big deal. So she wandered the village, peeking into shops through the windows and traveling up to the Shrieking Shack before heading to the Hogs Head Pub for a late lunch.
The Hogs Head was far more her speed than the Three Broomsticks; it wasn't loud or full of people, no one bothered you, and the man behind the counter cooked a wicked steak and kidney pie. But before long she had made her way back to Hogwarts, avoiding a carriage half-full of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs for the simple fact that Neville Longbottom was on it. Delphini avoided the boy whenever possible and it seemed that the boy did the same for her because he had never approached her demanding a blood debt to be paid for what her mother did to his parents, and Delphini respects that. So they left each other alone.
She had taken the next carriage, carefully avoiding the gaze of the phantom horses that pulled the carriages on the base on just how creepy they were. How Pot-head pets them, she'll never know, but thankfully she only has to share the carriage with the tiniest Weasley and a blonde Ravenclaw with an adorable kitten that was riding in her hood. Delphini was disappointed that she didn't get to pet it before departing the carriage and walking into the castle, feeling a bit glum.
Delphini was in the middle of cursing dense boys when the one she had in mind called out to her as she was walking next to one of the moth mirrors that littered the castle. "Oi, Delphini!" Harry calls out, causing her to stop and look back to see him jogging up to her.
"What up, Pot-head?" Delphini asks while plastering a smile on her face as Harry comes to a stop in the middle of the hall next to her.
"Hey, um, listen, I-I just wanted to say sorry about everything that happened at the Three Broomsticks with Dora and Atalanta," Harry says, not looking her in the eye before running his hand through his hair, making it more ruffled than before.
"Oh!" Delphini says in surprise, not expecting him to hunt her down for something as small as that. "No, that's fine Pot-Head, kinda expected it if me staying with the Malfoy's ever got out," she says turning to him fully before crossing her arms over her chest. "Why aren't you more wigged out by it anyway?" she asks, just to watch Harry shrug.
"You don't act like Draco for one," Harry admits while looking into Delphini's eyes, "you've been pretty cool so far and haven't gone a rant about Muggleborns yet, so," he says, shrugging once more as if it explained the why just fine causing Delphini to smirk and shake her head.
"Just because people don't act a certain way doesn't mean they don't hold certain beliefs, Pot-head," Delphini says as she looks at Harry just to see his face morph into a look of disbelief.
"Yeah, but I don't think you believe in any of that stuff," Harry says with a small smile, and oddly enough he was right.
Delphini didn't put any stock into Pure Blood ideology, she had learned at a young age that it was baseless seeing that two of the most powerful wizards in the world were both half-bloods like herself. Not to mention in the eyes of any true believer in the ideology, she was just as bad as any Muggleborn seeing that one of her grandparents was a muggle at best. No, she fully believed that one must base one opinion on another by what that person could achieve with the power they had earned, not by the purity of their blood.
But for some reason, it still felt like the twisting of a knife when Harry told her that this was the reason he trusted her to an extent.
But she still had a job to do, no matter how she felt.
Delphini smiled playfully at Harry as he smirked back before letting her eyes drift over to her left over Harry's before she stood a bit straight, causing Harry to notice.
"What?" Harry asks, looking confused.
"Don't turn around, but that cute boy I told you about is right behind you," Delphini whispers loudly to Harry. As she raises her hand and waves over Harry's shoulder, Delphini gets to watch as Harry's face twists into something ugly with jealousy before she turns and walks away. Harry turns, intent on punching the next person he sees, but to his confusion all he sees is his reflection in a mirror. He stands still for a moment before looking around the empty hall and looking back at the mirror before it finally hits him like a punch from his teacher.
"Wait!" Harry calls out, turning to chase after Delphini, currently running up the Grand Staircase three at a time with a smile on her face. "Delphini, I want to ask you something!" he calls out to only get Delphini's echoing laughter back as an answer.
31st of October, Harry Potter, Defensive Arts class.
As the last class of the day was winding down to an end, Harry couldn't help it as his legs bounced up and down in excitement. It was a bit odd for the normally grumpy boy, but the last few weeks without the Hunt have been odd for him. For one, he was looking forward to a social event, one that put him around a large amount of people at that. It helped that after he caught up with Delphini on the fifth floor she agreed to go with him to the Samhain Ball, to which they both agreed to dress normally. Harry had yet to tell either Ron or Hermione about who he was going with, seeing that neither of them liked Delphini for some reason. Though, to be fair, they hadn't said who they were going with, either.
Teacher was walking them through the last section of The Art of the Duel which they only had ten chapters left to study. She was currently reading from the book and asking small questions to the class before the oddest thing happened. She paused. Her face flips through confusion, amusement, and excitement before finally rolling her eyes. Scáthach quickly finishes the chapter without any more questions before snapping the book shut and turning to her class with a soft smile.
"I think in light of the festivities tonight, on this auspicious of days, I will be dismissing the class a bit early," Scáthach says to the cheer of the class before raising her hand with one finger extended, but it wasn't facing the class, but the door. Harry was wondering why until the door to the classroom opened and the head crowned with fiery red hair and matching mutton chops popped in with a wide grin.
The unmistakable face of Lugh the Sun God was smiling as he wore a pair of Muggle sunglasses until he saw the whole class turn to look at him in confusion and see what Scáthach was doing before pulling out of the classroom and closing the door.
"Now, while tonight is the dance, I still expect the next few chapters of the study guide done and on my desk before the end of the week," Scáthach reminds her class with a small smile. "But please, do enjoy the dance, class dismissed," she says before everyone begins to pack their things away and Scáthach waves her hand as the door to open it to allow her guest in, and Lugh wasn't alone as he walked in.
Manannán walks in behind him dressed in a plain white blouse and black pants with his sword hanging off his waist and a wide smile on his face.
He was followed by a woman dressed in a yellow and black sundress with red hair hanging loosely around her round and kind-looking face with gray streaks running through it.
She was followed by a tall and powerfully built man with a shaved head with tattoos of Celtic knots across his scalp, giving him a mean look if it wasn't for his soft eyes, friendly smile, and light blue and silver robes.
The next woman who walked in was as pale as snow which made her black hair stand out more prominent as she was dressed in muggle jeans and a t-shirt announcing her as a "Horse Girl" with a picture of a large horse on it rearing up. As soon as she steps into the room, her head snaps around and looks directly at Harry with narrowed Silver Eyes.
The last who walked into the room in her teaching robes and extra floppy witch hat was Fúamnach with a large grin and sparkling mismatched eyes.
Harry turns to look back at Theodore who is watching the gathered gods and goddesses in the room with wide eyes before he notices Harry looking at him. Harry nods his head toward the gathering before shaking his head slightly. Theodore just shrugs at his unspoken questions; he is as clueless as Harry is. As the students begin to filter out of the class, they throw curious glances over at the Professor's guests, Harry, Ron, and Hermione begin to leave with them before Scáthach calls out to Harry.
"Greaca, stay for a moment," Scáthach says, causing Harry to stop before sighing a bit and nodding to Ron and Hermione who looked back at him curiously.
"Go, I'll catch up in a bit," Harry tells them as they both look over to the small gathering before nodding once and leaving the classroom. But Harry wasn't the only one to stay, as he could see Theodore walking over to the gathering with, surprisingly, Susan Bones.
Harry watches as Susan, with her head held high, walks right up to the woman in the yellow and black sundress. The woman turns and sees Susan before smiling and rushes over to the Hufflepuff.
"Lady Clíodhna, it is a pleasure to-" Susan begins to say before the woman sweeps her up into a crushing hug.
"Oh, Suzie! It's so wonderful to see you again!" The woman, Clíodhna, says with a large smile as she spins the girl in a circle before putting her back down, "How have you been, dear girl? Have you been behaving for Scáthach and your head of house?" she says as she begins to fuss over Susan's robes and hair.
Susan flushes with embarrassment as Clíodhna fixes her hair and robes as Susan tries to tell her she has indeed behaved. Harry looks between the two women with narrowed eyes and has the suspicion that the older woman is like Fúanmach and is the founder of the Circle of Bone and Song; for as Marge once said, some things just breed true.
And Harry felt dirty thinking that.
But as Harry tries to slip around the two, the older one turns to him, and her eyes the color of burning coals light up as she spots him. "So, you're the one," Clíodhna says with a grin before taking a step toward Harry. "Harry Potter," she greets him before Susan cuts in.
"Oh, um, Harry, this is- Is, Um, my-my, My other Aunt!" Susan stumbles and trips over her words as she gestures to the other woman, "This is-" she says trying to introduce the other woman with a lie but Clíodhna would have none of that.
"I am Clíodhna, the Goddess of the Hearth, of Family, of Song, and Beauty," Clíodhna says, offering her hand to Harry as Susan looks on the verge of a panic attack from what the goddess had said.
"Oh, ah, nice to meet you Clíodhna," Harry says a bit awkwardly as he takes her hand just to be pulled into a crushing bear hug and drops his bag to the floor as he is spun around in a circle.
"Oh, it's just so lovely to meet you," Clíodhna says as she spins around with Harry, before dropping him on his feet and taking a step back to look at him up and down. "You're a bit shorter than what I expected with how the Queen spoke of you," she says before a scowl comes over Harry's face at her words. She reaches out and tilts Harry's head up to meet his eyes and in the glowing embers of Clíodhna's eyes, he sees things he'd rather forget.
The cold and uncaring eyes of his Aunt and Uncle.
The mocking laughter of his cousin as Harry was punished for something he had done.
The cold, suffocating enclosure of the cupboard.
Harry watches as Clíodhna's burning eyes dim as a look of sadness overwhelms her face. Tears begin to build up in her eyes as she speaks in a whisper. "Oh, you poor dear," she says as Harry begins to look away but feels Clíodhna's hand caress his cheek and force him to look back at her. Harry feels warmth spread from her hand and into him, like he is standing next to the Gryffindor fireplace as other visions begin to dance in his eyes.
He, Ron, and Hermione are all laughing in the last compartment of the Hogwarts Express.
Sirius and Remus telling him stories about his mom and dad over a hot dinner with smiles on their faces.
Atalanta and he laugh as they run through the woods chasing after prey.
Zoë punched him in the arm after he was being a smartass to her, a small smile on her lips.
The warmth of waking up in bed with his sister in the Hunt.
Artemis' hugs and fond smiles only for him.
Scáthach and him sitting and talking for long hours after training, her quiet and proud smile on her lips as Harry learned something new.
"But it would seem you've found a much better life past with those who share your blood," Clíodhna says with a soft smile and Harry simply nods his head as that warmth and love of family fills him, even if he finds it odd that Scáthach was included.
Susan looks between Harry and Clíodhna with wide shocked eyes, as she tries to figure out what to say or do after the goddess has just revealed herself. "So, um, Harry, you probably have a few questions about what she just said and, um, …" Susan says trailing off, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse before Harry just shrugs.
"No, not really," Harry says flatly as he turns to Susan with a small grin.
"Why would he?" Clíodhna asks turning to Susan, "After all, it was with his Demi-God blood that helped free most of us," She informs her descendant with a grin as a gobsmacked look takes over Susan's face as she turns to look at Harry with a look of shook.
Harry cringes a bit, "I would rather that didn't get out," Harry quickly tells Susan as she continues to look at him with wide eyes.
"I'm still processing that," Susan says before blinking owlishly.
"Right," Harry says awkwardly before rubbing the back of his head and turning to look away from Susan to look over at the others. Fúanmach was currently introducing Theodore to the tall bald man as Scáthach and Manannán break from an embrace. The woman with silver eyes was standing next to Lugh with her arms crossed, still looking at him.
"Oi, Boyo, come here real quick so I can introduce you to these pricks," Lugh says with a smile and a wave for Harry to come over to him. Harry turns back to Clíodhna who just smiles and nods to him before turning back to Susan to talk. Harry walks over to Lugh and the other woman, giving her a look as he approaches them. "Now, you've met Clíodhna, She's a sweetheart most of the time, just don't get on her bad side. She has a set of pipes on her," Lugh says with a grin as Clíodhna turns to send him a playful glare.
"And I know you know my foster father, Manannán," Lugh says before jerking his thumb over at the god of the sea, who looks over as he hears his name before giving Harry a grin and a nod.
"Didn't know he was your foster dad," Harry tells Lugh, who shrugs.
"Ay, he helped raise my incorrigible ass, along with his wife, Fand," Lugh tells him with a grin before slapping Harry on the shoulder with a smile. "Now, for the ones ya don't know, starting with this little lady," He says with a gesture to the woman standing next to him, but before he can speak, the woman steps forward and holds out her hand to Harry.
"My name is Rhiannon, though some call me Epona," the woman says flatly while looking at Harry expectantly. Harry swallowed a bit as the woman was looking at him with such intensity like she was waiting for him to grow another head or shoot lightning from his eyes as he took her hand; then he felt it. Like a cold crisp snap of power that travels up his spine and into the core of his being and makes his soul aglow with calm and serene power. Harry could almost feel his eyes shift, but not with the power of the Hunt but with something else. Rhiannon's following smile lit up her face like a thousand-watt bulb as she laughed lightly at Harry's shocked face.
"Well, isn't this interesting, it seems like we have something in common, Son of Artemis," Rhiannon says with her soft smile never leaving her face. "Never have I thought I would meet another Greek Demi-God with access to the Domain of the Moon after Selene gave it to Artemis," she says before moving her hand to hold it palm to palm with Harry's before closing her eyes. Harry feels adrift under the full moon's light in a vast dark ocean as he feels a few others connected to it as well; though only two felt familiar to him. One was Artemis and the other was the voice that spoke to him during the first task.
Harry could feel Rhiannon dig deeper into his being and as her grin grew Harry felt a cold chill run up his spine as stars bloomed behind his eyes as he blinked.
"Well, that's interesting," Rhiannon says as she opens her eyes to look at Harry who is still blinking dreamily. "Starlight and Winter, it seems you have some blood of the islands, and the Queen who rules it running in you after all," she says as Harry hears Susan gasp behind him; he curses.
"Motherfucker," Harry spits out before dropping his hand, "I was hoping she was joking about that," he says with a sigh as Rhiannon laughs at his plight.
"Sorry Boyo, it's thin, too thin to mean anything, but her blood runs in you," Rhiannon says before her eyes flick up to Harry's wild black hair. "And some things come with that blood no matter what," she tells Harry as he runs his hand through his hair with a sigh.
"Sorry, lad, but The Morrígan wasn't lying with that one," Lugh says before putting his hand on Harry's shoulder with a chuckle. "But to continue with the introductions, the tall cue-ball-headed motherfucker over there is Ogam. Good guy; damn good fighter as well. Was the third to last to be sealed by those Roman cunts," Lugh says while pointing out the tall man, who looks over when his name is called and gives a nod to Harry.
"Who was the last?" Harry asks, curious. He already knew Lugh was one of the last.
"Who do you think?" Lugh says with a raised brow before looking over at Scáthach as she turns to look at the two.
"Oh, yeah that seems right," Harry mutters under his breath as Scáthach rolls her eyes.
"Contrary to what Lugh said, I wasn't the last of the Dé Danann sealed, that was Brigid," Scáthach informs Harry with an impressed face as he wonders who was strong enough to fend off the Roman gods longer than Scáthach.
"Well, not really," Lugh says, as Scáthach turns to him with a raised brow and an unvoiced question. "You see, after The Morrígan popped Rhiannon's seal, she asked me, Rhiannon, and Cernunnos to help the Dagda to find Brigid's seal because she couldn't," he informs Scáthach as she has a look of shock on her face. "And we looked, but all we found was fuck all because Brigid wasn't sealed," Lugh says, causing Theodore to look at him in surprise.
"One of the Dé Danann wasn't sealed?" Theodore asks in shock. "Then where is she? Where the hell has she been?" he asks, anger starting to creep into his voice but Lugh just shrugs.
"We don't know, Boyo," Lugh admits with a bit of a frown. "Wherever she is, it's not on the islands," he says to Theodore. The boy's face turns into a hard and angry look before he excuses himself and leaves the room with Fúamnach's worried-filled eyes following him as he does.
"Who's Brigid?" Harry asks, turning to look at Lugh.
"Oh, right, you don't know much about us, keep forgetting that," Lugh mutters low under his breath, "Brigid is the Morrígan's and the Dagda's kid. Right handful she is, drop-dead sexy too," he says with a grin, but Harry pales a bit at what he said.
"Oh, by Hera's strap-on, she has a kid?" Harry asks in horror before placing his face into his hands as Lugh begins to laugh at his words.
"I'm sure she'll return soon from wherever she is," Scáthach says calmly as if were a simple fact and Harry watches as the rest of the gods all nod.
"Why is that?" Harry asks, looking at his teacher just as Susan does, seemingly interested in the topic as well.
"Do you remember when I told you about my own pilgrimage?" Scáthach asks, turning to look at Harry.
"Oh!" Harry says, remembering the conversation about how Scáthach was sealed in her own realm. "So, she has to return to her place of power as well?" Harry asks and Scáthach nods.
"We all do once in a while, though other than Scáthach and the old man we tend not to let anyone know where they're at, being the personal private things they are," Lugh informs Harry as his face scrunches up and wonders who the old man Lugh was talking about.
"Be that as it may, it doesn't answer why you are all here in my castle?" Scáthach asks as she turns to look at Lugh who has his arm thrown over Harry's shoulder making the boy a bit uncomfortable.
"Well, it's Samhain, and with the Morrígan getting her brains fucked out by Dagda, we had nothing to do. Then we heard you were throwing a party and some of us decided to come crash it," Lugh says with a grin.
"No," Scáthach immediately says with a flat no-nonsense tone of voice as she glares slightly at the Sun God.
"Oh, come on Scátty, don't be like that," Lugh says, throwing his head back before trying to give Scáthach a charming smile. "I promised not to hurt the wee ones and keep my drink to something that doesn't get me pissin' in the wind," he says.
"Do not call me that, Lugh," Scáthach says with a glare that causes Lugh to clamp his mouth shut. Before Scáthach could say another word and kick the other gods out of her castle, Manannán speaks up.
"Come now Scáthach, it's been a long time since we were free and we wish to enjoy it," Manannán says calmly before Scáthach turns on him with a glare.
"At the expense of my school? No, I think not," Scáthach says, her voice hard and brokered no argument. It was the tone that made Harry want to back away from his teacher or else he feared she would toss him back into the chasms of Dún Scaith, but Manannán didn't seem to get the message.
"Now, now, Scátty, you know we won't hurt-" Manannán tries to say but as quick as a whip Scáthach hand lashes out to strike Manannán across the face but much to Harry's surprise, Manannán catches the blow that echoes like an explosion in the room. As Susan steps back away from the group and Fúamnach rolls her eyes, Manannán, still gripping Scáthach's wrist, jerks her hand back and pulls her closer.
"Play nice, Scáthach," Manannán says as his eyes begin to glow a deep green, and his free hand inches toward the sword on his waist.
"Make me," Scáthach challenges right back as the air begins to twist in the form of her spear, and a smile begins to grow on both of their faces.
The rest of the gods just look on with amusement at the two before Lugh speaks up, "Oi, you two can fuck one another later, I'd like to get a few drinks in me before watching you two flirt with one another all night," he says shaking his head before Scáthach rips her hand from Manannán's grasp and rounds on Lugh.
"Your word then that you'll behave and leave if you are getting out of hand from each of you," Scáthach says with a glare as Lugh chuckles at her.
"One promise of a good fight before a good fuck have you playing ball. Now I've seen it all, isn't that right boyo?" Lugh says before taking his arm off Harry to nudge the boy with a laugh before nodding his head. "But ya have my word, Lady Scáthach, that I will abide by your rules so long as I'm in the castle for this night," he says with a charming smile before turning to Harry.
Who, like Susan, was doing his best impression of a tomato.
"Look at ya lad," Lugh says with a grin. "Ya blushing like a virgin on her wedding night," He ribs Harry with a laugh and a smack on his shoulder before looking down at Harry. Lugh's smile slowly fades from his face as Harry tries to avoid the god's eyes, "Now hold the fuck on," Lugh says in a shocked and low voice before turning to Scáthach. "Don't tell me the boy has gotten his hands bloody but not his knob! Scáthach! The fuck are you doing going out of order like that!" he says shocked while running his hands through his hair. "Do it yourself if you have to, but get the boy laid for the love of Dana!" Lugh yells.
"Lugh!" Clíodhna snaps at him, putting her hands on her waist, "That's like asking her to sleep with her-" she starts to say before Scáthach head whips around so fast Harry swore he heard her neck pop and snap before healing as the full weight and power of Dún Scath and the queen of it falls onto Clíodhna whose jaw snaps shut at the feeling. With eyes aglow with power and shadows creeping up her form, Scáthach turns to Harry.
"Greaca, time for you to go and prepare for the dance as I lay out my rules to my guests and inform the headmaster they are here," The Witch-Queen says as Lugh, Ogam, and Clíodhna take a step back from Scáthach as Harry nods quickly before grabbing his bag and a frozen Susan on his way out.
"What the bloody hell was that about!?" Susan asks, shocked and more than a little scared.
"No idea," Harry says as he drags the Hufflepuff down the corridor. "But when teacher gets like that, I get the fuck out of dodge," He tells Susan but can't help but wonder what in the hell set Scáthach off like that.
Harry Potter, The Great Hall, a few hours later.
The Great Hall was set up much like it always had during the Halloween feast, and in other ways very different. The main four tables were no longer taking up most of the space in the Great Hall but smaller tables now were found around the edges of the room filled with food and drink. Even the high table was gone with the teachers now mingling among the students as everyone feasted, drank, and danced around a large smokeless bonfire with what looked to be animal bones charred black within the flames. The charmed bats and floating pumpkins with carved faces in them were also in the room like every year. Scattered randomly about the hall were games of all kinds: bobbing for apples, horseshoes, bean bag throwing, along with more magical games. One where you had to banish a ball to knock over stacked goblets, one where you had to throw glass vials into a hopping pot, and another where you had to levitate a small metal ball through a maze.
The students were encouraged to dress up in costumes and masks during the ball for some reason Harry didn't understand. Most of Gryffindor was an odd clash of comic book and movie characters with the odd ghost or "Muggle" mixed in for a joke along with a few wizard fairy tales. The Ravenclaws leaned more toward myths and book characters they had read about while most Slytherins dressed up as ancestors of their bloodlines that did great deeds. The Hufflepuffs, however, were all dressed up as bumblebees. Harry could see a few of the Slytherins dressed in dark cloaks and silver masks with snake iconography etched upon them.
If Harry was so inclined, he would be in what Zoë and Atalanta would call a target-rich environment.
But he could be wrong and while it was in rather poor taste, they still matched up with the spooky and scary themes of this time of year. So Harry chose to ignore it as much as he could. Even the Professors got into the fun of the holiday as they were in costume as well with Dumbledore dressed in all white with a large white staff, McGonagall had a set of cat ears and a tail over her normal clothes with what looked like real whiskers surrounding her nose. It was either Snape or Madam Pomfrey dressed as a plague doctor, Harry couldn't tell due to the mask the person wore.
Harry had met Delphini just outside of the Great Hall with her dressed in an all-black witch costume with a hat that got a laugh out of Harry when he saw it. When she asked why Harry wasn't in a costume he had just shrugged and said, "I'm going as a dragon slayer," with a smirk.
"That has to be the laziest costume I've ever seen, Pot-head," Delphini said with a smirk and a shake of her head before slipping her arm into his. "I approve," she said with a grin.
They entered the Great Hall together as a band was getting set up on a small stage. They all looked to be Hogwarts students with their faces painted black and white with different animal markings belonging to each of the four houses. A large banner charmed to hover over a good ten above the stage named the band "Chimera" which Harry thought was oddly fitting.
Harry and Delphini immediately made a beeline to one of the tables that surrounded the hall to quickly grab two plates of finger food and drinks before finding two places to sit and eat together while pointing out different costumes they found entertaining or funny. As Harry looked around he spotted a few of the Dé Danann in the hall enjoying themselves.
Rhiannon was speaking to the plague doctor with a mug of something in her hand.
Clíodhna was talking to Professor Sprout with Susan standing at her side dressed up like a bumblebee to the Professor's beekeeper outfit.
Ogam was standing with Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall in the middle of a conversation about something.
Lugh was surrounded by students from every house as he was speaking animatedly about some story he was telling. The students listened with rapt attention as he spoke.
Fúanmach was with Theodore who was dressed up in silver armor with his hair charmed blond and Tracey who looked to be dressed up as a deer for some odd reason.
Harry, however, couldn't find hide nor hair of Scáthach or Manannán in the crowd. But as soon as he and Delphini were done eating she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the crowd of students to go play a few of the games that were set up. They ran into Ron and Hermione during the goblet game that Harry was dominating much to the amusement of his date. Harry's best friends were dressed up as Herakles and Atalanta from the Argo and, much to Harry's surprise, had come together as "just friends ". Ron was wearing a lion skin and a white tunic with a club at his side while Hermione was dressed in a silver tunic and had a small bow she was holding onto. Both had gotten a laugh out of what Harry had told them what his costume was, before both looked surprised when he told them who he had come with.
When Harry and Delphini challenged them to a game of horseshoes, Ron flat-out refused. "Sorry mate, but you'd be starting that game with the world's biggest handicap and I refuse to play a game that I know for a fact that I'm going to lose," Ron said as Hermione just giggled. But luckily Delphini had somehow suckered two of the silver mask-wearing Slytherins into a game only for them to get completely wrecked by Harry and Delphini. It was around then that Draco had approached them, dressed not in a silver mask, but like a young Merlin, and asked to speak to Delphini for a few moments. Harry and Draco glared at each other for a long moment before the two cousins went off and Harry went to the refreshment table to get something to drink, only for his shoe to be attacked by a black cat paw…
Coming from under the table.
Harry sighs before leaning down and pulling up the tablecloth to reveal a rather oddly dressed Luna Lovegood and, much to his regret, Cait-Sith. Luna was dressed in a dark blue shirt and tutu with a pair of dark feathery wings coming out of her back with a hair band that had a single unicorn-like horn coming out of it. She gives Harry a large smile as she picks up Cait-Sith and sets him in her lap. "Hello Harry Potter, have you come to search for the Crab-people too?" she asks.
Harry smiles at the odd girl, "Crab-People?" Harry asks.
"Yes, I have a hunch that they have infiltrated the school and wish to catch them in the act and the only way to do that is to watch how people walk," Luna says, batting her big blue eyes at him, "for they may walk like crabs, but they kiss like people," she says with a sage-like nod causing Harry to look at her oddly before snorting out a laugh.
"Do you wish to join us?" Luna asks with a dreamy smile.
Harry sighs before looking backward into the crowd and sees no one he cares about before turning back to Luna. "Sure, scoot over and keep that thing away from me," Harry says nodding at Cait-Sith who meows back at him before Harry climbs under the table with Luna.
As Harry sits down on the hard stone floor with his drink he looks over at Luna and her odd costume. "So what are you dressed as?" He asks before taking a sip.
"Oh, I'm dressed as a nargle, but sadly I am not tiny and fuzzy, nor can I turn invisible," Luna says with a nod of her head. "What are you dressed as, Harry Potter?" she asks with a tilt of her head as she begins to pet Cait-Sith.
"I'm a Dragon Slayer," Harry says with a small grin.
"Oh, yes, I do know that. I saw it in fact, but that doesn't answer what you're dressed as," Luna says with a quirk of her eyebrow and rapid blinking from her wide eyes.
Harry sighs, "Well, what do you think I'm dressed as, Luna?" Harry asks.
"I think you're dressed as a hero, Harry Potter," Luna tells him with a nod of her head and a smile.
"I'm not a hero, Luna. I'm just a hunter," Harry tells her quietly before taking a sip of his drink.
"There have been plenty of great hunters that were also great heroes, Harry Potter, I don't see why you can't be both," Luna says with a smile, reminding Harry of Anand in the graveyard last year. He chuckles at her answer and shakes his head.
"I suppose you're right, Luna," Harry tells her with a smile that she returns. "How have you been enjoying the school year so far?" Harry asks and watches as Luna's face falls a bit.
"It has been a very confusing year, and not in the normal teenage sexual awakenings confusing," Luna says, her eyes drifting left and right before she sighs a bit. "It started with Professor Árd-Greimne, when I first met her I was so worried about her taking something from me but I could not say what," Luna says, her voice small and soft, almost a whisper.
"Teacher wouldn't do that to you, Luna. She cares about the students she teaches," Harry tells her with a nudge from his elbow before watching Luna nod a bit.
"I know that and the feeling passed as soon as it came, but then Professor Fúanmach came to the school," Luna says, surprising Harry seeing that Fúanmach was going by Lupusregina while at school and how Luna knew her actual name Harry had no clue. "I felt the same odd feeling, like deja vu but more dreamy. That I should have known her but I knew I didn't, but at the same time I did," she says before turning to Harry with wide and confused eyes. "Did you feel the same when you met Professor Árd-Griemne?" she asks Harry.
Harry shrugs, "I knew her before she started teaching here, so not really," Harry says before taking another sip of his drink as he watches Luna shake her head.
"I didn't ask when you met her here in Hogwarts, but when you first met her?" Luna asks again before Harry once more shakes his head. "That is odd," Luna says after a moment. "Without the hound that normally follows you, you feel a lot like her with the same shadow in your shadow," Luna says, confusing Harry and making Cait-Sith open an eye and look up at Luna.
But before Harry could ask what she was talking about, the tablecloth hikes up, and the devil they were just talking about looks under the table. "Ah, there you are Greaca, and a good evening to you, Miss Lovegood," Scáthach says with amusement dancing in her blood-red eyes.
"Good evening to you as well, Professor Árd-Greimne. By chance have you noticed any crab people in your castle?" Luna asks while adjusting Cait-Sith on her lap, for it was doing its best impression of a small furry ball.
Scáthach chuckles at Luna's words. "No, Miss Lovegood I have not. But if you come across any, do tell me and I'll take care of them," She says with a small smile as Luna does her sage-like nod once more. "Now if you don't mind, I would like to steal my student for a dance before he's whisked off by Miss Lestrange for the rest of the night," she says before turning to look at Harry with the same smile.
Harry turns to Luna with a small smile. "Sorry, Luna, looks like I've got to go," he tells her as she turns back to him with the same dreamy look.
"That is okay, Harry Potter, I'm sure we will speak again," Luna tells him as she continues to pet Cait-Sith. "Do be careful with the crab people around," she tells Harry, causing him to shake his head before crawling from under the table. Putting his drink on the table Harry follows Scáthach to the small section near the stage that had become the dance floor as the band begins to play a Muggle song, something about a man named Henry Lee, as Harry and Scáthach begin to dance.
"So, other than the existence of crab people, what were you doing under that table with Miss Lovegood?" Scáthach says as she leads the dance.
"Nothing much, chatting mostly," Harry says with a shrug. "She did admit some odd things about you and Fúamnach, however," He tells Scáthach, causing her to raise an eyebrow.
"Oh, like what?" Scáthach asks as they dance slowly, her tone curious about the odd girl.
"Just odd feelings that she had when she first met you like you were going to take something from her for some reason," Harry tells her with a shrug.
"Ah, yes that does make a bit of sense," Scáthach says causing Harry to look at her confused. "Let's just say that feelings are far harder to erase from a soul than memories are," she says mysteriously. "I'm guessing she also had a feeling of familiarity with Fúamnach?" Scáthach asks, surprising Harry.
"Yeah, she did," Harry admits slowly while narrowing his eyes at his teacher. "You know what's wrong with her," Harry says and it wasn't a question. Scáthach smiles softly as she looks at Harry and he knows at once that his teacher knows exactly what is going on with Luna.
"Nothing is wrong with Miss Lovegood, Greaca," Scáthach reassures him as the song begins to pick up speed. "She just has an exceptionally strong soul, that is all Greaca. She is in no danger I promise," she says as they continue to dance.
"She also said something odd about me," Harry admits, frowning a bit. "I think she's able to tell I don't have access to the Hunt right now," Harry admits, but to his surprise, Scáthach doesn't seem too shocked about that as they continue to dance. "She also said something like I should have known you when we first met or something like that," Harry says, and Scáthach's face goes flat and begins to slow the pace down until they stop completely.
"Teacher?" Harry asks, concern coloring his tone. But Scáthach doesn't look at him, old emotions dancing in her eyes of an old pain she had yet to move past. "Scáthach," Harry says, shaking her arm a bit and drawing her attention back to him. Harry watches as his teacher's face flashes through a myriad of emotions, anger, fear, uncertainty, all things he's never seen her wear before it settles on sadness.
"Gre-Harry," Scáthach says softly before she once again avoids his eyes, "there is something that I should have told you a while ago, something important," she admits as Harry's face scrunches in confusion. Scáthach's mouth opens and closes as if she was fighting with the words in her throat before sighing and looking Harry in the eyes once more. "I'm-" Scáthach says before her eyes flick to the scar on his forehead, "I'm reasonably sure I can cure Astoria Greengrass of her sickness," she finally says.
Harry blinks twice before smiling. "That's great to hear," he says as Scáthach's face turns flat once more before nodding to him.
"Yes, I've been corresponding with her father for the last few weeks trying to convince him that I'm not a con woman," Scáthach says as she picks up the dance once more. "He's agreed to come to meet me in a week to discuss the details, and with a little luck, Astoria should be in better help by the end of the next month," Scáthach says with a smile, though to Harry it seemed a bit forced. But before Harry could comment on it, a shadow swept over them as the plague doctor was suddenly beside them. With one wave of the Doctor's wand the mask dissolved into nothing to reveal the face of Severus Snape. His dark eyes sweep over both Harry and Scáthach, barely containing his normal scowl towards Harry as he looks at Scáthach.
"Lady Scáthach," Snape says with a dip of his head as the teacher and student stop dancing to look at him, "if you do not find it too rude, may I cut in?" he asks, not looking at Harry.
Scáthach let go of Harry's hand before stepping back from him, a small smile gracing her lips, "Only if you can keep up, Severus," she says coyly before offering her hand to him.
Snape takes it before gently and firmly pulling her towards him before speaking, "I intend to try my damnedest, my lady," Snape says with his own crooked smile before they begin to dance off into the crowd.
Harry stood frozen in silence. Rooted to his spot in shock and growing horror or sickness, he honestly couldn't tell which as he watched his favorite teacher dance-off with his least favorite. He did not know how to feel about it but was thankfully saved by the sound of popping bubblegum. "Well, that's certainly creepy," Delphini says as she walks up next to Harry, chewing loudly on a piece of bubblegum.
Harry just nods his head, the look of horror still etched on his face as the opening riffs of Poison by Alice Cooper begin to play.
Delphini turns to Harry with a sly smile. "So, should I be jealous?" She asks while crossing her arms over her chest.
"About what?" Harry asks, still getting over his shock as he turns to look at his date.
"I don't honestly know," Delphini admits looking back over to the still-dancing Snape and Scáthach. "Could go either way, to be honest," she says with a smirk before looking back at Harry. "But I can get rid of only one-half of that jealousy right now," Delphini says before holding out her hand to Harry with a grin. "Care for a dance, Pot-head?" she asks before Harry shakes his head.
"Yeah, sure," Harry says with his own smile as he takes Delphini's hand before the two dance the night away with smiles, stars in their eyes, and emotions dancing alongside them in their hearts.
Chapter done!
And man, what a chapter it was. Delphini meeting family and being sneaky, ends up going to the Samhain dance with Harry and having a good time. This smells like a scheme of a some kind of goddess.
Then we have the Dé Danann crashing the party and finally meeting a few more members while finding out some fun things about our missing Dé Danann.
The Hufflepuffs all collectively going as Bumblebees is something I can not stop giggling at.
Then we have Luna and let me tell you, that girl knows some things. She doesn't know what she knows, but she knows.
Then we have a tease of the reveal that I know you're all chomping at the bit for, and it will happen before November ends.
But what's this?
We have a little more to go?
London.
With a soundless apparition, a dark and monstrous visage appeared in a park just down the street from his destination. He couldn't help the feeling of Nostalgia that overtook him, he had done this before, once, long ago on a chilly Halloween night much like tonight. The monster draws up the hood of his robe as he begins his journey down Privet Drive, avoiding the few remaining muggles still out on the steer this late into the evening.
He takes his time, counting down the houses as he goes. Number twelve, number ten, number eight, and so on and so on. Until he finally stops outside the yard of number four. The monster can feel the wards wrapped around the home, built upon the ruined foundation of another, more powerful, set that had fallen not too long ago.
The monster pulls a bone-white wand from his robes and begins to slowly and carefully take them apart. For the reason why he was here lay just beyond in the cookie-cutter home set in this hellish suburbia. The monster intends to learn all he can about his enemy and strike a blow against the boy in one move, after all, no one escapes Lord Voldemort without losing something in the process.