It wasn't long later that, with the interruptions out of the way that Faeran arrived at his destination.
Slughorns office.
Faeran knocked on the door and waited.
A few moments later, the thick wooden door swung open to reveal an obscenely fat, squat old man dressed in a dapper suit that would have looked rather dashing, if not for the way the buttons of the waist coat looked like they could pop off at any moment from the sheer girth of the mans belly.
Slughorn stared at him for a moment, before almost seamlessly a bright, welcoming smile spread across his face, "Ah, young Faeran odd for me to see you outside of classes and the great hall," the potion master beamed warmly at him, "Come in, come in."
He didn't even ask what Faeran wanted before welcoming him inside. That was to be expected though. He was the heir of the Shafiq family and the top of his year when it came to most of the classes.
He was a prime candidate for the mans little slug club.
"Thank you professor." Faeran dipped his head and took his offer, making his way inside.
He found himself stepping into a wide open living space with large, comfortable and expensive furniture, a huge shag carpet, a wide open roaring fire place, multiple bookcases that lined the walls.
And a large potion station with multiple cauldrons that seemed to have tools spelled to automatically stir them.
"Take, a seat lad, take seat," Slughorn followed him in a moment later after closing the door and taking a seat in one of the arm chairs, "What brings you to see me? Finally taken me up on my offer? There's still a space set aside for you my boy."
He was referring to the space offered to him within the slug club. The man had been sending him messages via owl and dropping hints in class since the start of the year.
Faeran had previously been too scared to show up in a place where he knew multiple death eaters in training like Zabini were known to be a part of.
"I'm sorry about that professor by the way, I know I've been avoiding you about your club, it's nothing to do with you though, just a few people that I didn't want to be around are a part your club," Faeran put on an apologetic expression, "I've mostly got over my issues with them now though, so if the offer is still open I'd love to join."
Slughorn, despite his greedy nature was a very skilled, knowledgeable and connected person. There was much he could learn or get out of the man if he allowed himself to get 'collected' by him.
Besides, it wasn't like he gave a shit about Zabini and the like anymore either. In fact, now, he would make sure the shoe was on the other foot.
And he was gonna bully the shit out of him and the other little Voldemort toe licking little bastards that had been giving trouble as retribution.
"I see," Slughorn gave a momentary grimace, seemingly catching on to what he meant by people he was avoiding, before it was swiftly replaced by a bright smile once more, "Well, I'll be glad to have you Faeran, you're a bright boy after all. I dare say you'll light the place up."
He would still be solidifying his position in the professors eyes though. And what better way than to establish his connection with his star 'member'.
And by doing so, Slughorn would be more willing to aid him, even if only to get more of a glowing opinion shared of him with Harry.
"I'll do my best professor," Faeran gave him a grin, "Besides, I do have a few friends in your club and with us being in different years and having different class times, it's so hard to get time to spend with them."
"Oh? You do?" Slughorn perked up.
"Oh yeah, I'm good friends with Harry and Hermione, I studied with them a lot last year," Faeran revealed with a nod, "I had a great time and learned a bunch of amazing spells like the reducto curse and even the patronus charm." he not so subtly bragged.
"Oh? You're friends with Harry and Miss Granger?" Slughorn's eyebrows rose up, "And you can already perform such spells at your age? Very impressive Faeran, you'll definitely go far in the future with talent like that."
"Well, I don't like to brag, but I am pretty proud of myself for managing to keep up with Harry, he's quite amazing, I doubt there's a single student in the school right now that can last twenty seconds against him in a duel," Faeran replied, "Though that's partly why I came to see you professor."
"Harry is?" Sloghorn leaned forward in his seat, eyeing him with interest.
He took the bait.
He faked a grimace, "Well…I know I'm still young with plenty of growing to do Professor, but it's no secret that these are dark times, and people like myself have eyes on us," Faeran pointed out, a solemn tone entering his voice, "But I don't plan on just cowering away and letting Voldemort's minions bully me into doing what they want."
"You should be careful saying that name so freely," Slughorn pointed out before sighing, "But I understand Faeran. Though, I'm not sure what I can do to help you, you would be better asking for extra lessons from Professor Snape or even Professor Flitwick."
"Oh, it's not learning more spells or fighting that I need your help with professor," Faeran shook his head, "Rather, I was hoping I could get your help as a potion master that even Professor Snape can't measure up to."
"Hmm, I see, that is much more within my ability," Slughorn chortled, pleased with his praise, "What exactly is it you need my help with?"
Most of the potions he would need like the muscle repair potion and such he could purchase himself via owl. But, there were others that he had no chance of getting himself.
"Well, there's a few potions I'd like your help with, and I'm willing to pay the fees for it all professor and your services," Faeran quickly explained, "For instance, I was hoping to get your help in brewing the animagus potion. I've looked into it myself and know how it goes and the requirements, but I'm not yet skilled enough for the potion."
Actually, he was sure if he devoted all his time to it he could manage it, maybe. But that was a month of effort to risk on a maybe.
"Ho-ho, aiming I big I see," Slughorn's interest was definitely piqued, "Yes, I understand your plight. It is a very complicated potion and would be very hard to get right when you're so busy with classes."
"Definitely, especially since I've got so much to do beyond that," Faeran shook his head, "I've got a lot of family obligations to take care of since I'm the last of my line, like I need to look into the business side of things like my shares in the Hollyhead Harpies, if you need a ticket or two to one of their games professor I can hook you up. And on top of things like that, I'm planning on training my body soon."
His eyes lit up, "Actually my boy, do you know I actually once taught Gwenog Jones, perhaps I can invite her to my next party and you can discuss business with her," he mused aloud, "And training your body my boy? I know you said you are preparing for these dark times, but I hope you aren't planning on throwing yourself into the thick of things."
"No, no nothing like that professor, training my body is for something completely different," he waved him off, he made a show of looking around before leaning forward as if to share a great secret, the old fat professor leaning forward in return, "You see professor, I have a thing for older girls, like Hermione for instance and I know my age will lower my chances of going out with them. So I want to get muscular and strong so I can better my chances."
Slughorn burst out into great peels of laughter, "I see, I see! You are at that age after all and Miss Granger is a fetching young lass," he replied, "Yes, I understand indeed, why I remember the shenanigans I got into back in the day when I was your age to try and impress girls."
"Right?" Faeran laughed as well, "Actually professor, that brings up something else I was thinking about. I've been really interested in the strengthening solution and Reem's blood, they fascinate me. Do you know of any ways to make it permanent? If anybody would know it would be you."
"You do like the idea of being physically strong I see, is that something girls are interested in these days?" he mused, shaking his head, "Well, not that it will be simple for you to get your hands on Reem blood, they're regulated these days I'm afraid my boy. And very expensive beyond that."
…He didn't deny it.
"I don't suppose you'd be able to help me get my hands on some professor?" Faeran gave the man a hopeful look, "A man as well connected and as accomplished as you would probably be able to get some easily."
Slughorn predictably preened under the flattery, "Well…I do have a good friend that works on a Reem farm outside the country," he revealed with a proud smile, "But, like I said my boy, very expensive. Even a tiny vial no bigger than my pinky will go for five thousand galleons alone and that is not taking into account getting it here unnoticed."
Again, he didn't deny it was possible and was laying out a cost. So he definitely wasn't unwilling.
"How about ten thousand galleons professor?" Faeran offered, "The price for it and a little bit for you for going through all the trouble."
Slughorn blinked, "Well…I suppose if you're so set out on it my boy, I wouldn't be a very good professor if I didn't aid you in your endeavours now would I?" he mused, leaning back into his chair, "As far as making it permanent though. I did once experiment with it in the past for a rather dashing and eloquent troll who was trying to command of his tribe. It's actually rather simple. You simply must add the Reem blood to a strengthening solution and then a half a pint of dragon blood alongside three ounces of dragon liver, I found those of a Hebridean Black to work the best, the power contained in them is much more potent because of them adapting to survive in the Hebrides."
…Well, that would be expensive.
The dragon liver, not so much. But, the blood? That was a different matter, depending on the dragon, a pint could go from anywhere from a few hundred galleons to over a thousand.
And just his luck that it was a Hebridean Black, one of the largest, strongest and most expensive to get materials from dragon.
'Fucking typical, of course it's the Scottish Dragon.' he resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Five thousand galleons for the Reem's blood, five thousand as payment to Slughorn. One thousand galleons a piece for each pint of Hebridean Black blood. And forty sickles for the dragon liver.
That was over sixty five thousand pounds and over a hundred thousand dollars by his reckoning.
'Hopefully a ten times increase in physical ability will make up for spending that much.' Faeran grimaced an hour later as he left Slughorn's office behind.
It was a lot to spend on a single potion when he could get much the same boost from a simple strengthening solution for less than ten sickles. The only difference was, the potion made from the Reem's blood, would be permanent. It would become a natural part of his body and passive, rather than something he had to constantly ingest crappy tasting potions to get.
…Well at the very least, Slughorn had decided to be 'generous' and would make the Animagus potion for him free of charge alongside the reem blood potion. Which was why he'd left some strands of his hair behind with the man and was currently sucking on a mandrake leaf.
And would be doing so for the next month. Honestly, he was just going to go learn the sticking charm and stick it to the inside of his cheek for the month.
'Damn right he better do it for free, all the ingredients don't even cost a single galleon together!' he huffed.
Well, at the very least, after flattering the man for over an hour, making it apparent that he had a 'deep' connection with Harry Potter, both a friendship and an 'interest' in dating his best friend and then flashing a ton of money, he'd managed to worm his way into Slughorn's proper good graces and would probably have the man watching out for him.
Right now though, he was on his way to the owlery. He was going to send off for payment for Slughorn and to order a bunch of potions from nearby apothecary's.
He only had a few weeks according to Slughorn before the potion would be ready, even before the animagus potion. So, he was going to go at it hard and train himself intensely over the next few weeks.
Usually, such a thing would give minimal benefits in such a short time. But, with the potions, he could get weeks worth of work outs done in a day. If he really pushed it, he could get over a years worth done before it was time.
Magic was bullshit like that.
And the muscle healing potion, nutrient potion, mass endurance increasing potion and invigoration draught was going to be his ticket to grinding out work outs muggles could only dream of.
He was ever so glad to be born into money. This would be so much harder if he was some poor shmuck.
Pay to win all the way.
The good thing about the potions he wanted, well beyond the ones he needed from Slughorn, was that they were generally kept in stock at most apothecary's and weren't that expensive.
They generally cost somewhere between twenty and fifty sickles. He ordered a hundred of each. It cost a hundred and forty galleons.
'The things I'm doing just for muscles.' Faeran shook his head as he made his way through the winding halls of the castle.
It was for the best though. Not only would it make him appealing and look great, but what if he ever got disarmed in a duel or something? Then he would be right fucked…that is unless he was capable of using the ultimate spell.
Fist in the face.
No wizard ever saw it coming and thus could never dodge or block it. It was a spell right up there with the killing curse with how unblockable it was.
'Which reminds me, I need to try and find somebody to teach me how to apparate.' he mused, clicking his tongue in annoyance.
He was supposed to only be allowed to learn and get his license for it when he was in his sixth year. But fuck that.
No way in hell he was going to not learn how to freaking teleport just because he was too young when there was a fucking super dark lord terrorist running around that could breathe giant serpents of flame and fart lightning bolts.
Oh and slaughter what amounted to the wizard police force and the best, strongest and brightest amongst them in droves without breaking a sweat.
'I'll just have to bribe somebody to teach me.' he shrugged, putting it out of mind as he arrived at his destination.
He was on the seventh floor of the castle and stopped facing a familiar blank wall with a tapestry depicting some weirdo trying to teach trolls how to dance.
'I need a place where I can work out with the best equipment available…' he thought as he focused on the wall and began walking up and down the length of it, 'I need a place where I can work out with the best equipment available…I need a place where I can work out with the best equipment available.'
Just as he finished the third thought on it a door shimmered into existence within the middle of the room. Faeran wasted no time in opening it and stepping inside and locking it behind him.
With that done he took a look around and couldn't help the massive grin that spread across his face at what he saw.
It was a huge, wide open room that had to be over a hundred feet wide and long. And it was filled with all sorts of equipment. Pull up bars, racks of weights, bench bars, treadmills, skipping ropes, resistance bands, exercise balls, step boxes, punching bags, exercise matts and more.
Everything he needed and then some.
"Fuck…yes!" he hissed in glee, eyes lighting up with excitement. Reaching up, he began undoing his blue and bronze tie, before pulling it off and casting it aside, his school jumper and shirt following a moment later.
Leaving him shirtless and bearing his skinny, scrawny torso to the world. He made his way straight towards the mats to begin stretching out. And then made a beeline for the dumbbells after that.
He didn't have his potions yet, so there was no way he was going to be able to get a massive amount of work outs in within the span of one like he would when they arrived.
But that didn't matter. Even if he could get what amounted to a hundred work outs in a day with the potions and this was only a singular one. One hundred and one work outs was better than just a mere one hundred after all!
"Orah!" Faeran cheered himself on…by lifting two five kg weights and struggling to get three sets done with them.
Such was the state of a former geek.
As his body was currently that of a geek that had stopped playing sports years ago, Faeran found himself being tired out rather quickly.
He was only in the Room of Requirement for a mere hour before he could no longer keep going. He tossed his shirt, jumper and tie back on and left the place behind.
Stinking of sweat.
He'd go take a shower, but first there was something he had to take care of. He after all, couldn't go to sleep and safely assume he wouldn't swallow the mandrake leaf currently taking up residence in his mouth.
'Besides,' he smirked proudly to himself as he made his way through the castle towards the library, 'This is the smell of success.' it was the smell that showed him his efforts were working already.
The testament that his first lift was a success.
Even if it was only the base bar.
Since it was after classes already, the library was already filled with students. Which made finding a table to sit at a bit of a problem. He ignored Madam Pince's piercing stare as he made his way into the huge room and made his way to the charm section.
If he remembered right, the sticking charm should have been a fifth year spell so it was probably in the Standard Book of Spells Grade 5.
Thankfully, there was a few copies of the book in within the charm section, so it didn't take long before Faeran found a copy.
He leaned against the bookshelf itself and began leafing through the textbook and as he did a grimace appeared on his face, 'What the fuck is this?' he scoffed in disgust.
…Most of the spells in this book, he already knew. And not even just from the D.A but just spells he'd picked up in passing in the common room and such that he'd saw older students use and learned through copying them.
There were over thirty spells in the book and counting the sticking charm, there was a total of…four spells in it he didn't know already.
Engorgio the size increasing charm, Reducio the shrinking charm, Lentum the sticking charm and Skurge…a charm that could clean up ectoplasm and burn ghosts and poltergeists.
Man he was pretty much set at this point for his charm classes for the next few years at this rate.
"May as well learn them as well while I'm at it." he said to himself. They were pretty useful looking.
And Peeves was an annoying little piece of shit, burning him sounded like a grand old time.
Book in hand, Faeran made his way over towards where the tables were set out. Most of them were already full, though some spaces were available.
His eyes met a set of green belonging to a familiar statuesque blonde he'd talked with just earlier today. Daphne Greengrass was at a table with only a singular other person.
If he wasn't wrong, it was her sister…Astoria? Honestly, they looked as different as night and day. Daphne was rather tall bright emerald green eyes and bright perfectly styled golden blonde hair. She was voluptuous, with haughty aristocratic features and glammed out with glimmering silver jewelry and shimmering pink lip gloss painting a sheen across her plump lips.
Where as her sister…was small. Barely reaching five feet by hie estimates. Her hair, while blonde like her sisters was pale, looking almost a light brown and her eyes a light chocolate. And where her sisters was voluptuous, from what he could see she was svelte…almost frail looking. And her features while not ugly at all, didn't lean towards beautiful like her sister, but rather pretty, a bit plain and with a cute button nose.
"Well, look who it is," Daphne smirked at him when he approached the table, "Didn't think I'd be running into you again so soon Shafiq."
He gave her a deadpan look, "…You realise this is a school right? It's not like we've not been in the same room a bunch of times before."
The girl at her side, Astoria snorted, "He's not wrong Daph." she pointed out with a smirk of her own.
Though, even her smirk differed from her sisters. Daphne's was an arrogant smirk, where as hers was impish.
"Yes, well forgive me for thinking you'd be keeping a low profile after what you did earlier." Daphne rolled her eyes, before screwing her face up, her nose wrinkling as if she could smell something unpleasant as he sat down, "What is that smell, is that you?"
"Aye," Faeran shrugged, putting the book down on the table, eyes idly glancing at her still exposed cleavage for a split moment before meeting her eyes, "I was exercising before coming here."
"You stink, you should go shower," she replied in turn, before shrugging, "I suppose that makes sense though with how easily you dispatched Blaise and Theo earlier."
…No they were just such pathetic weaklings even his current shrimpy geek body was enough to punch their faces in.
"I'll do it when I'm done here," he waved her off, before raising an eyebrow at her in question, "Speaking of earlier though, I thought you were looking to keep in those idiots good graces. I figured you'd avoid me."
"Actually, I believe I told you our family is neutral and will side with the winning side," Daphne smirked, "As it is, you did not denounce…him, rather reprimanded those idiots for using his name to act big. I already sent a letter to my father in advance to take advantage of the situation and keep our names and a bit of yours clean. Though, I highly doubt they'll go to anyone outside the school with it, they'd be made a laughing stock, getting beaten up by a boy only in his third year."
"Yeah…nice of you," Faeran rolled his eyes, "But like I said before, I doubt he'd care about it, I'm worth more than Zabini and the idiot who's father has fallen out of favour put together."
Daphne's perfectly plucked eyebrows rose lightly, "Well now, you do know a lot about what's going on don't you?" she cupped her chin and eyed him with interest, "As I thought earlier, with your attitude and your skill with a wand in hand, and now with this. You really are interesting."
"Pssst," Astoria made a not so subtle sound to grab his attention and he found the girl rolling her eyes, "That means she's thinking of adding you to her little candidate list."
"…Her what?" he blinked.
"My candidate list," Daphne rolled her eyes back at her sister and waved her hand, "It's simply a list of future possible spouses that have the potential to be great assets and further the power of the house of Greengrass."
He stared at her blankly.
Astoria giggled.
"Don't give me that look," Daphne sniffed, sticking her nose up, "It's simply my duty to raise my house to new heights and it should be obvious to you families like my own with daughters would have their eyes on you. As it is, you are not an ugly boy which helps. You are the top of your year which shows your talent and intelligence. You showed you are bold and magically powerful and gifted earlier and on top of that you descend from one of the most ancient magical families like my own with the purest of magical blood."
"…You sure are blunt about it." he couldn't help but point out. He was a bit taken aback at the sudden turn the discussion had taken.
"I got a feel for you earlier and found this would be the best way to deal with you with the least risk to me physically," Daphne replied and raised a finger to point at him between the eyes, before lazily dragging her finger back to point at her abundant cleavage, his eyes following almost automatically, "You clearly find me attractive and you didn't seem at all against…him earlier, which lead me to believe we aren't all that different in that regard."
He pulled his gaze from her tits and cast a quick glance around to make sure nobody was paying them any attention, before shrugging, "Well, I'm not a fan for sure, but I'm not about to lay my life down," Faeran replied honestly. As it was, he was in a position where he'd be able to thrive if he joined under Voldemort if he had to and he would do so if it was to save his own life, "I suppose like you, I prefer to be on the winning side."
Her plump shiny pink lips curved up into a pleased smile, "As I suspected, we're cut from the same cloth in that regard as I said," she nodded, "Though, you of course are lot more…powerful as a single person than myself, which is why I have been upfront with you. It wouldn't do for you to get lulled in and find out later after I married you and find myself on the receiving end of your wroth, I'd rather not be given the same treatment as those two idiots earlier."
Wow…this girl, was something else. She was not a good person at all. She was cowardly, weak and ambitious wrapped up in one voluptuous beautiful package.
Well…not that he was a good person either. Especially since that unsaid offer of hers was mighty tempting. He would shag this bitch cross eyed.
"Daph…I'm trying to study here," Astoria cut in, "If you want to tempt the guy, can't you just drag him to a broom closet or something?"
"Well, I've said my peace anyway," Daphne shrugged and stood up, smoothing out her skirt over her full luscious thighs and re-arranging her top slightly which made her breasts jostle lightly, temptingly, "If you're interested Shafiq, send me an owl and we can discuss a possible courtship."
"…Okay." he replied blankly.
With a single pleased nod, the voluptuous Slytherin turned and walked away, making her way out of the library, her hips swinging noticeable with every step.
"And there she goes making a dramatic exit and trying to leave an impact," Astoria snorted, drawing his attention back to her, "Try not to get to taken up with her silly schemes, she's nowhere near as smart as she thinks she is. She wouldn't be failing most of her classes if she were."
"Honestly, tempting as she made it sound, I'm still a bit lost, she kinda just dumped that on me," Faeran replied, besides while he wasn't opposed to working for Voldemort if need be, that was his last decision and he had the information that could lead to his downfall. He just needed a way to share it without getting a target on his back and becoming strong enough to protect himself, "Like I said, it's hardly my first choice."
"More like the last choice any sane person would make," Astoria shook her head, "So putting my sisters horrible seduction attempt aside, you said you were working out before you came here?"
"Pretty much," Faeran nodded, "I'm at a good point right now to go at it properly and done some research into it. So I'm going to go pretty hard starting tomorrow and bulk up quickly."
That was what the nutrition potions were for.
"Sounds like a fun time," Astoria grinned, eyes flashing with interest akin to her sister, "Honestly, I've been big into exercising since I was a kid. I was always into dancing and running. Even got big into quidditch a few years back, I wanted to play as Seeker on the Slytherin but no way that was happening with Malfoy already having the spot."
"Pretty weird for a pureblood." he pointed out.
"Yeah, most of the girls in my year think so to, they don't really like me," Astoria shrugged, "Honestly, it was initially just a whim as a kid to fight off a condition I have, I came to love it."
He could sympathize, he wasn't well liked by the guys in his year and dorm either. They were jealous of him always scoring higher than him. The geeks were salty because he was an ever better geek than them.
"I get you, I'm a big fan of working out myself, I only stopped because I was so busy playing catch up here," he replied, before giving her a questioning glance, "What kind of condition do you have?"
"Eh, nothing to worry about," she waved his question off, "Still, maybe we can work out together some time? Nobody else I know is really interested."
"Sure, I'm not gonna say no to spending time a girl as cute as you," he smirked at her, "Maybe we can hit up Hogsmeade after if we do it on the weekends."
…He wanted to get a bit of training done with his body before he started with her. Lest he embarrass himself.
"Better be careful, you might make my sister jealous," Astoria laughed, standing up, "One sec, gotta grab a different book."
As she left her chair behind, she left her robe on it so she was only in her school uniform.
His jaw dropped when she turned around and made her way into the book shelves.
While she was slender up top with nothing much going on, that was not at all the situation down below. Her black skirt hung over her absolutely massive arse like a sheet over a shelf.
'Holy shit.' he gaped after her. She could compete in size with Johnson, and considering how much smaller she was compared to the dark skinned girl, it looked all the bigger on her frame.
Damn, what a crazy pair of sisters.
It ended up taking him a lot longer than he expected to get the sticking charm down than he thought it would. But, he found himself not all that bothered by wasting some of his time on Astoria.
And here we are back with chapter unos dos tres, that's right, three pee pee.
So, I ended up going a little different from the typical Daphne. By that, I mean, while the typical traits of her are still there from her usual fanon interpretation, it is lowered by her having the standard competency level of your typical Slytherin...where Malfoy was peak Slytherin intelligence. As far as looks go with Daphne, I based her looks on the verison of her from the game Innocent Witches and I based Astoria on Julia Kul.
So, how are you guys enjoying Hogwarts Legacy? It's been pretty great personally I think, though I've barely had the chance to play it because literally two days after getting it I found out my dog had cancer and all and I've been in a bit of a rut since and not felt the motivation to play it.
Well, putting that side, Faeran roped in Slughorn using his greed and as is typical of me, was super interested in how to use magic to become a muscle head. Fist is the greatest spell. If you want to read ahead, I'm still a chapter ahead on my Pa-atreon.
Anyway, shameless Pa-atreon plug. I've got one, go by the same username on there, easy to find and all that jazz. Support me if you want, it'd be swell, but don't feel pressured lads and ladies, I'll be uploading my stuff outside it regardless and not keeping it all behind a paywall or anything like that.