Notes:
We're finally here. Or, at least, we will be by the end of this chapter and the next. Now I have to figure out... class schedules. I pity teachers.
Beta read by Circade and Nibenay.
If I lost a word somewhere during my last pass of editing let me know lmao I aint got the time to read this whole thing again now that I'm done with it.
I had to physically drag myself away from the tea party I'm writing in chapter 12 to edit this. It was a real struggle
Also. I was sooooo close to giving Lucius a pampered pet dodo named didi that's allowed to trot around his manor. Just so you know what you're missing out on. There are two wolves in me and the one that's whispering in my ear to write crackfic has been very loud recently. But I am strong and I have self-control, I promise, I just went temporarily insane but I recovered.
Kronnis had heard the joyful cacophony of voices from down the hall that morning, but didn't know what all the fuss was about until Molly came to knock at their door later that day.
They had been engrossed in the books that Sirius had generously gifted them, sorting the dusty texts into various piles based on their usefulness. Priority number one had been looking into dark magic to see if they could find any more hints on necromancy or soul magic. Not many of those remained, most having been carefully removed from the house prior to their arrival due to dangerous curses or other old hexes protecting them.
Information on wizarding history and culture was their next priority, and after that were the numerous interesting - but occasionally boring books that didn't have immediately useful information in them.
The Emperor answered the door, having an easier time getting up from his desk than Kronnis would have had from his position on the bed, surrounded by a collection of pretentious pureblood genealogies that he was comparing to each other. He thought to himself that it was a bit too early to be summoned downstairs for dinner.
"Hello!" Molly greeted them with a bright smile, almost bouncing on her feet. "We're having a bit of a party tonight. Some of the other Order members will be coming over soon. You're free to come down whenever you'd like, but dinner won't be quite ready for another half an hour."
Kronnis sat bolt upright. "A party?"
"Is there an occasion for this celebration?" the Emperor inquired, taking a step to the side so Molly wouldn't have to speak over his shoulder to address Kronnis as well. Or, more accurately, under his arm.
She puffed her chest up with pride. "Ron made prefect! And Hermione as well. That's the fourth one in the family, so I thought a little party was in order."
Kronnis hid his confusion, not wanting to take the wind out of her sails. "Marvelous! We'll be sure to come down in a minute to congratulate them."
She practically skipped away; message delivered. Once the door was closed again, the pair made eye contact.
"Do you know what a prefect is?"
"No."
A banner celebrating Ron and Hermione greeted them as they stepped into the kitchen. Several Order members were already present, including Kingsley and Tonks, who they were familiar with from the meeting that had been called during their second day here. Moody bustled in behind them and the Emperor took the opportunity to engage him in a conversation about what little they had learned about dark magic so far.
Sirius, having seen them come in, waved Kronnis over to the kitchen counter where he was pouring an amber drink into a collection of glasses. "I think you've only had wine and water while you've been here. Try this for a change, it's a wizarding specialty." He pressed one into Kronnis' hands.
The drink was chilled and had a sweet flavor that he wasn't familiar with, buttery on his tongue. "I give it three out of five stars, could use a higher alcohol content."
A bark of laughter came from Sirius. "You don't drink butterbeer to get drunk, that's what firewhisky is for."
"Oh? And where can I get some of that?"
Sirius shot a calculating glance in Molly's direction, judging her attentiveness. "I think she'll allow it this once, as long as we don't let the kids have any." He turned to the cupboards behind him, rummaging around in one before pulling out a half-empty bottle of dark liquid.
A new glass was filled with a few teaspoons of the beverage. The grin Sirius sported as he handed it over was a bit suspicious, but Kronnis downed the whisky anyway, knocking back the glass with a practiced motion. A sharp burning sensation seared down his throat, forcing him into an unexpected coughing fit.
Sirius' cackling was loud enough to draw some attention to them, heard over the droning conversation filling the room. Kronnis could sense Molly's disapproving look from where she had joined the Emperor and Moody in conversation.
He cleared his throat, trying to recover. "That's definitely a new one for me – good though. It's got more kick to it than whatever the Minister keeps in his desk." He held out the glass for a refill.
Harry had wandered over during his coughing fit to pick up a glass of butterbeer for himself. "Better be careful with that, firewhisky is supposed to give false courage."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "And how would you know?"
The boy sputtered to defend himself. "I've seen enough seventh years downing shots in Hogsmeade to know to stay away from it, unless you want to look like a prat in public."
"Ah, to be young again," Kronnis sighed. He opted to sip his glass after Harry's warning, instead of draining it all at once.
The room quickly became busier. Arthur arrived with another similar-looking redheaded man that Kronnis hadn't met before, and Mundungus Fletcher – who he had. Shifty man, but apparently the Order trusted him.
"By the way, what exactly is a prefect?" Kronnis indicated upwards at the banner hanging from the ceiling.
"Oh," Harry seemed uncomfortable at the line of questioning, frustration and envy lingering in his eyes. "It's sort of a position of authority. Prefects are students that have extra responsibilities like patrolling the halls and making sure people follow the rules, stuff like that."
Interesting, Ron hardly seemed like the responsible member of their group, but perhaps this was a way to avoid favoritism. Although, having no idea as to who actually made the final decision, Kronnis found it difficult to judge. "Convenient, sounds like you'll be in a good position then."
Harry looked at him in confusion. "What? But I didn't make prefect, Ron did."
"Yes, but now you have friends in high places. You can share some of the benefits, but don't have the extra responsibilities that they do. Unless you really wanted to spend your time patrolling the halls, sounds boring to me." Kronnis shrugged and took another sip.
Sirius broke in with a now-familiar smile, reminiscing on Hogwarts memories again. "I didn't make prefect either, spent too much time in detention with James." He nodded his head towards Remus, who was listening to a passionate speech Hermione was making. "They made Remus prefect in our year; he was the well-behaved one."
Harry made a noise of understanding, but seemed otherwise lost in thought.
A sudden shock of amusement echoed from Kronnis' faint connection to the Emperor. His eyes easily found the tall figure of his partner, and he let out a surprised snort himself. Tonks was facing the illithid, surrounded by several of the children. The bottom half of her face was slowly growing four flesh-colored tendrils, a look of concentration on her face as she attempted to mimic the Emperor's tentacles. She looked absurd; a mirror probably would have helped her get the proportions right. Ginny was egging her on, while Ron, who was clutching some sort of weirdly-shaped broom to his chest, watched on in horror.
Jealousy briefly shot through him before he wrestled it down, questioning its origins. Just because she could mimic a mind flayer's body to some extent did not mean that the Emperor would take any further interest in her. She would never be a real illithid. Neither would Kronnis, but he was as close as he could be without letting a twenty-eighth tadpole crawl into his eye socket. A unique case, probably the only one of his kind.
It was the psionics that mattered, anyway, not a cheap imitation of the complicated anatomy of illithid tentacles – and his brain was getting better and better at flexing its residual illithid tissue in ways that allowed him to use the abilities that had been stolen from him with the death of his old tadpoles.
Kronnis downed the rest of his liquid courage, discarding the glass carelessly on the counter. "So, Harry," he began, bringing the boy out of his own musings. "Sirius tells me you have a very special map of Hogwarts. Would you mind if we looked at it from time to time?"
Hesitation colored Harry's response. "Sure, as long as I'm not using it. I'm not sure if you can activate it without a wand, but if you just want to look at it, I can activate it for you."
"That should be good enough, we just want to see where some of the hidden passageways are. Might be useful for getting around." Kronnis prepared himself to suggest the idea that he and the Emperor had discussed the previous day. "I know we said that you shouldn't approach us in Hogwarts, but that's going to make it difficult to get in contact. The Emperor thought of a solution. Keep in mind that it's entirely up to you, so if you don't want to do this, or if you change your mind at any point, just say the word."
Both Harry and Sirius were starting to look at him suspiciously now. Kronnis continued on before they had a chance to question him. "The Emperor could contact you privately." He tapped his head to clarify. "If you then project your thoughts as though you were talking to someone, he'd be able to pick up on them without looking any deeper into your mind, allowing for a silent conversation. Pretty similar to what I share with him actually, just a much more scaled-down version."
He explained the details, clarifying that they were concerned about potential Death Eater activity throughout the school year, and that Harry could alert them if he found anything suspicious.
Kronnis could see that Sirius was earnestly considering the idea, likely being aware of the benefits that a more subtle method of communication offered when secrecy was necessary.
Multiple methods were suggested, and he added that it would be up to Harry whether he only wanted to be contacted if they had important information to share, or if he would prefer some sort of check-in system where they would exchange information once a week or so.
To sweeten the deal, Kronnis had one more carrot to dangle before the boy. "We could also use this as an opportunity to check up on the mind sliver in your scar, in case the situation changes at all."
Harry didn't respond right away, appearing to go through an internal debate with himself. "Can I think about it?"
"Of course. We'll still be here early tomorrow morning, and if you ever want to change your mind later on you know where to find us – just make sure you catch us alone. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go figure out what that's all about." He nodded towards where Ron was currently hovering in the air, having mounted the strange broom he seemed so enamored by.
Sirius and Harry distractedly waved him goodbye before immediately whispering to each other once he was out of earshot.
As he approached Ron, the boy's tangent became audible, an explanation on speed or velocity recited from some sort of publication Kronnis had never heard of. Looking strikingly similar to Ron, the unfamiliar redheaded man standing next to the hovering broom responded with a comparison, identifying the broom as a Cleansweep, which was apparently better than a Comet Two Ninety.
"Did I hear correctly, is this broomstick some sort of transportation vehicle?" Kronnis asked after introducing himself, learning that the other man, Bill Weasley, was indeed related to Ron.
"It's more than that! You need a broom to play Quidditch, the faster the better," Ron gushed. "I was just explaining how this Cleansweep is one of the fastest on the market right now. Not as good as a Nimbus or Harry's Firebolt, but still a decent competitor."
"Is there broom racing as well? I assume it's enchanted. Can other objects be used in a similar manner?"
Bill interjected. "Racing is not as popular. Some brooms are just faster so it comes down to what's the best on the market at the time. Quidditch requires good broom-handling, skill, and fast reflexes, which means different brooms can be used, and not everyone needs to use the fastest model. I've seen flying carpets used in Egypt, but brooms have been in use for hundreds of years here."
"I might have to get myself one of these. I used to be able to levitate and fly whenever I wanted, it was very handy in a fight." Kronnis sighed wistfully, missing the battlefield control that the Astral-Touched Tadpole had granted him. "One-of-a-kind sensation. Sounds like these brooms are much faster though, that could be fun."
"What, like flying on your own?" Bill looked intrigued.
"Basic levitation, a bit faster than running. I could still do it if I wanted to, but I'd need a spell scroll per use, which would get expensive fast. Actually, let me call the Emperor over," he said, having already sent the request to his partner, asking him to join their conversation. "Illithids tend to float instead of walk. The only reason he's walking around here is because some rooms have short ceilings, and we figured it would raise more questions if he levitated everywhere in public."
"If I could fly, I would never walk again." Ron's passionate words were tinged with more than a hint of jealousy.
"Indeed, I find walking to be growing increasingly tedious." The Emperor had quickly made his way over from across the room, his feet having left the floor as soon as he had deciphered the information-dense bundle of memories and thoughts that Kronnis had sent him a couple of seconds ago. Ron's hovering meant he was taller than he normally would be, but the mind flayer still towered over him, his head brushed the ceiling as he levitated.
"Is that truly unaided flight?" Bill asked, a fascinated expression growing on his face as he witnessed the feat.
"It is an innate ability all Illithids have, but most other creatures would need to cast a spell, if that is what you meant by unaided."
Bill shook his head, as if he didn't believe what he was hearing and seeing. "That sounds completely unaided to me, by our definition. A spell has yet to be invented to allow an individual to both levitate and control their movement while in the air. It was thought impossible. Flying brooms or other enchanted items are the closest we've gotten." He turned to Kronnis. "And you said you could do the same?"
"Yes, for a time. Has anyone briefed you on our history?" Bill nodded. "Some of the symptoms of my affliction allowed the use of illithid abilities, to a certain extent. Flight was one of them. Now that I'm cured, I can't really do it anymore." Several abilities had come back to him with practice, but flight had evaded him so far, a frustration haunting every practice session he had with the Emperor.
Just then, a loud shout rang out from the kitchen entrance. "Ronald Weasley, you put your feet back on the ground right now!" Plates of food swirled around Molly as she stepped into the dining room. "You know better than to fly a broom around inside."
Ron landed sheepishly and dismounted his broom. "Sorry mum."
That left the Emperor as the only one floating in the air, a situation he quickly remedied by lowering himself to stand on his feet once more.
"Don't start thinking that the rules don't apply to you anymore just because you're a prefect now." She continued in a warning tone, but quickly dropped the topic, apparently willing to allow her son some leeway after all. With a wave of her wand, the platters of chicken legs, baked potatoes, and corn floated to settle onto the table, attracting the attention of the dinner guests.
She used the distraction to motion them over, nervously looking up to make eye contact with the towering illithid before addressing him. "Emperor, I have something in the kitchen for you."
Kronnis could sense the faint confusion and curiosity that the Emperor felt at her apprehensive demeanor. Wordlessly, they joined her, and in the privacy of the kitchen she pulled a wrapped parcel from the fridge. "I stopped by the butcher's while shopping today - asked about any organs high in enzymes or hormones." She brought the package over to a plate to unwrap it. "I wouldn't know myself, so I hope this is right. He said the pancreas should be high in both so it seemed like the best option. I… well, I didn't know if you'd want it cooked or not, I can fix it up in a flash, if you'd like." The plate was offered to the Emperor, a hopeful and expectant expression on her face. Juices blotted away, yet still shining with residual moisture, the elongated organ sat on white porcelain, its fleshy texture tinted a faint yellow. "I thought it would be nice if you were able to eat with us for once."
A quiver ran through the Emperor's tentacles. He stared at the plate for brief seconds before his hands jumped up to accept it. "Thank you." His voice was soft, and thrummed with emotions that Kronnis knew he did not commonly feel. "No one has ever gone out of their way to accommodate me like this before."
Molly's face had gone red. "Oh, it was no trouble, really."
Outwardly recovering from the touching surprise, the Emperor's normally inscrutable demeanor returned. "I appreciate it all the same. Do not concern yourself with cooking this. I can eat it as-is."
As the three of them left the kitchen, Kronnis sent a private inquiry, pulling his partner out of conflicting sentiments of bewilderment and appreciation with his invasive poking. "You're doing a lot better with those emotional connections you claimed to struggle with the other day. Are we scrapping the plan to switch sides in favor of Voldemort then?"
Claws curled protectively around the plate. "That plan was barely on the table. I suggest you cease considering it."
Kronnis sent the mental equivalent of a disappointed frown before retreating from his partner's mind.
They took their usual seats, joining the rest of the attendees at the table. As he piled his plate high with chicken and vegetables, Kronnis saw Moody inspecting his own chicken leg suspiciously a few chairs over. The wizard's normal eye was focused in front of him on his food, but the electric blue of his magical eye had swiveled to peer at the Emperor's plate. "Hmph. Was wondering why that was in the fridge."
His statement caught the attention of several other people sitting close by, and Kronnis saw their eyes follow Moody's gaze.
"I rarely source alternatives for myself, though organs like these are considered delicacies in some illithid colonies. Molly was kind enough to take the initiative herself," the Emperor replied, delicately cutting into the flesh of his dinner, silverware dwarfed comically in his hands.
Normally the Emperor's meals were quick in-and-out affairs, the illithid being eager to return to his work managing the commercial enterprises of the city. The thought of taking the time to harvest additional organs for later consumption had likely never crossed his mind, especially as they had never had a problem finding appropriate victims.
At this, Hermione couldn't resist chiming in with her encyclopedic knowledge of this plane. "There are some dishes in other cultures that incorporate organs, like foie gras and haggis. They're… usually cooked though." She looked a bit unsettled as she watched a forkful of meat disappear into the Emperor's mouth, sharp teeth briefly visible. His alien facial structure gave no indication as to whether it was being chewed or swallowed whole.
"Cooking this would damage some of the enzymes and hormones stored within. Unlike you, my physiology is not bothered by the negative effects of eating raw meat."
Sirius cleared his throat at that comment. "So, are you kids excited to get back to Hogwarts tomorrow?" The abrupt change in topic seemed to throw the children for a loop. They grumbled about the packing they had left to do, or last-minute homework that had yet to be finished.
The Emperor let dark amusement flow through their connection, and Kronnis realized that the mind flayer had deliberately slipped in information that would cause such a reaction in Sirius. "Are you teasing him?" he asked his partner through their mental connection, sending an emotional mixture of disbelief and delight back.
The smug satisfaction oozing from his partner's side of the connection gave him all the answer he needed.
Kronnis hid his smile behind another mouthful of chicken. "I knew this vacation would be good for you."
"It has been… refreshing, not having to hide who I am from those I am working with." The contentment accompanying his response was tinged with a sense of superiority. Reading between the lines, Kronnis recognized that the Emperor was referring to his resentment at having to hide what he was in Baldur's Gate. As an illithid, he generally considered himself above those they worked with. Revealing himself as such publicly, however, would bring a swift halt to their operations.
The topic of conversation at the table had gone through several shifts during their mental exchange and private musings. Harry was now leaning over to inspect an old photograph that Moody had produced from his coat pocket – a group shot of old Order members by the looks of it – and Hermione was discussing their newly-assigned Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook with Ron, Fred, and George.
"-the first chapter, there's nothing about practicing spells, it's all theory." Her words were irate as she finished her tangent.
Ron looked appalled. "Can't believe you've already started reading the textbooks. We're not even at Hogwarts yet!"
"It's our OWL year, we need to be prepared for the exams," she huffed.
"Hermione, you know those aren't 'till the end of the year, right?"
She rolled her eyes, but one of the twins spoke up before she was able to respond. "I'm more concerned about what sort of teacher would assign something that's all theory-based." He lowered his voice. "We heard Dumbledore was having trouble finding anyone for the job, what with the past couple of years and all."
Ron grumbled. "As long as they don't try to kill us or erase our memories again, I'll see it as an improvement."
The other twin looked in the direction of Kronnis and the Emperor. "Did he ever offer you the job? From the stories you told it sounds like you have plenty of experience fighting off dark creatures."
Ron's ears suddenly perked up. "Yeah, you were fighting cultists and serial killers and those hyena monsters, you must have tons of cool things to show us."
"I hate to disappoint you, but we're not exactly qualified to teach you how to use your spells," Kronnis responded. "I can't even use a wand." And hadn't that experiment been a bitter disappointment. A couple had been carefully loaned out, with an explanation that normally wizards could use other wands, or could at least channel weak or uncontrolled magic through them. Each one had felt dead in his hands, nothing more than a sprig of wood. "In fact, we're probably going to be attending quite a few first-year classes to learn the basics of how your magic is supposed to be used. Basic survival strategies I could do, but a whole class on defensive magic? I barely even know the difference between what you call a hex and a curse."
Ron deflated, sagging in his chair. "Oh."
Kronnis debated with himself on the merits of sharing what was supposed to be secret Order intelligence. "You know what, if you have a problem with the professor, let us know and we can have a chat with her."
"You know who it is?" Hermione asked.
"We ran into her at the Ministry. Unless Dumbledore managed to find someone else at the last second, I have a good idea of who it's going to be. Can't spoil the surprise though, Dumbledore's orders." He winked.
"Does she work for the Ministry?" Harry asked with apprehension, having tuned into their conversation after an intrigued Sirius took possession of the photograph Moody had brought, reminiscing with the other Order member on friends that had passed away during the last war.
"Now that would be telling." Kronnis leaned forward conspiratorially, away from Sirius and Moody. "But between you and me, I'd be careful around her."
Harry seemed to chew on that for a moment, but before he was able to respond, loud voices were heard over the din of conversation as Kingsley, Remus, and Tonks announced their departure. It seemed this was what the other guests had been waiting for, as Moody stood, turning to Molly to let her know that he was going to take care of a boggart before he stepped out. Whatever that was.
"Sounds like the party's dying down, we'd best head to bed before it gets too late. We'll see you kids at Hogwarts tomorrow. Don't take it personally if we don't say hello," he joked. They had an appointment early the next morning with Snape to be apparated to the castle, hopefully before any other professors showed up. A quick tour was planned so they wouldn't be completely lost in halls they had been told were labyrinthine.
Standing, they approached their host once the others had departed. Sirius had a lonely air about him as they thanked him for his hospitality, and then his face shifted to heartbreaking disappointment when the Emperor said that they could not guarantee their attendance for some sort of holiday during the winter months. Kronnis almost felt manipulated by the sad eyes that roved over the room, halting on the few children that had not gone upstairs yet to prepare for bed, and resolved to figure out some way to make it up to the man.
When Harry awoke the next day, it was to total chaos. He could hear Mrs. Weasley yelling about how Fred and George had accidentally knocked Ginny down the stairs with their bewitched trunks, while she was simultaneously rushing everyone to hurry up and finish getting ready.
He realized with a shock that he still hadn't given Kronnis an answer to the drow's proposal of keeping in contact through the Emperor's mind-reading abilities, and raced downstairs to the drawing room, hoping to catch them before they left. He'd had a short discussion on the matter with Ron and Hermione last night before going to bed. Ron hadn't liked the idea, but Hermione had pointed out that Kronnis and the Emperor had been helpful so far, and that having a way to go to them for advice could be useful. Harry himself had mostly been concerned about the thing they had found in his head, and was anxious to monitor the connection Voldemort had to him.
Bursting through the door to the drawing room, he quickly regretted his delay once he saw that they were standing next to Snape, prepared to leave. Three pairs of eyes turned to him as he froze. Kronnis, who was clutching a black umbrella that Harry had never seen before, leaned back from where he had been pointing at something in the book Snape was holding.
A black eyebrow was slowly raised on the professor's unimpressed face. Harry blushed, wishing he had taken an extra minute to change out of his sleepwear.
"Sorry, I just-" he focused on Kronnis, and then the Emperor, who appeared strikingly mundane with a tiny-looking trunk in his hands, held like a briefcase. "Your idea, with the-" he broke off again, acutely aware of Snape's presence in the room. "With checking up on me. I think it's a good idea. I'll talk to you later?"
"Of course, we can figure out the details at Hogwarts," Kronnis smiled at him.
"Good. I'll uh, I'll see you later." He made his escape, slamming the door behind him.
Not the best start to his day, he thought to himself as he rushed back upstairs to get dressed.
They had already spent yesterday packing their belongings, a difficult affair resembling a scavenger hunt throughout the house. Luckily, Harry's personal effects hadn't been scattered as much as the others, having not resided in Grimmauld Place as long. Running through the house to help Ron look for a missing pair of socks, he found himself glad that their friendship was settling back into a sense of normality.
The bad mood that had followed Harry like a storm cloud ever since his arrival in Grimmauld Place had barely had a chance to dissipate before the revelation of Ron being made prefect over him had kindled it anew. At least, until Sirius told him that his father hadn't been made prefect either. Kronnis' view on the matter helped as well, since Harry certainly didn't want to spend his time patrolling the corridors. Seeing his friend excited by the new role given to him no longer brought forth feelings of jealousy.
Socks eventually found, Mrs. Weasley was finally able to corral them into the entryway, where several Order members waited to escort them to King's Cross.
The walk to the station was a blur, and before Harry knew it, he was saying his goodbyes as the train departed. Ron and Hermione awkwardly excused themselves to join a meeting in the prefect's carriage, leaving Harry and Ginny to find a compartment and reserve seats for their friends once they returned.
Students stared at him wherever he encountered them, nudging others to point and whisper. As they got off the train in Hogsmeade, where everyone was bustling to catch a carriage to the castle, he was given a wide berth by the rest of the school's population. The Daily Prophet's lies had apparently poisoned the very air around him.
The appearance of what looked to be black skeletal horses leashed to the carriage they were walking towards startled him out of his thoughts, and he halted on the path.
"What are those things?" Harry asked his friends.
Ron turned to him. "What do you mean?"
"Those horses," Harry pointed at one of them.
"What horses?"
Their back and forth lasted a bit longer, until Harry physically pulled his friend to stand two feet from one of them.
"Mate, there's nothing there. Are you alright?" Ron raised a concerned brow.
Harry felt ill, unsure if this was some magical effect that had bewitched him. "Can't you see what's pulling the carriages?"
"The carriages have always pulled themselves; they look the same as they usually do."
Why couldn't Ron see them? They looked real enough to Harry, their white eyes appearing to follow his movements.
"It's all right, you're not going mad, I can see them too," a girl with platinum blonde hair said from atop the carriage, lowering the upside-down newspaper she was holding.
Harry stared into milky white eyes for a couple more seconds before giving up, carefully edging away from the strange creatures. After they joined the girl in the carriage, Hermione introduced her as Luna 'Loony' Lovegood, a Ravenclaw a year below them. It seemed the nickname Loony wasn't a positive one, as Hermione quickly corrected herself to calling the girl Luna, guilt in her voice.
"I've been able to see them since my first year, they've always pulled the carriages," Luna noted once the carriage started moving, her wide eyes staring at Harry.
Hermione tried to spark up a conversation with the girl as they approached the castle, complimenting her butterbeer cork necklace, to which Luna replied that it was a charm to keep away nargles.
Harry, having no idea what nargles were, kept quiet.
A short silence passed before Luna brought up a new topic. "I'm excited to meet the delegates from Baldur's Gate. My father published an article about how Baba Yaga led ancient Slavic wizards into caves to save them from witch trials. Baldur's Gate must have been founded by these wizards."
"That's an interesting theory," Harry said politely, suddenly confronted with the reality that everyone else at Hogwarts would be forming a very different view of Kronnis and the Emperor than what he knew to be true.
The rest of the carriage trip to the castle was absent of conversation. Loud chatter greeted them once more in the Entrance Hall, and nearly deafened them upon stepping foot in the Great Hall. Luna split off to sit at the Ravenclaw table, while Harry and his friends found spots at the Gryffindor table.
Several classmates went silent as they approached, as though they had just been talking about something they didn't want Harry to hear about. The other half continued whispering, stealing glances at the staff table. Harry realized they weren't the only ones as he took a closer look at the bustle of the room. Groups of students clustered together here and there, excited faces craning to look up to where said table was elevated above the rest of the hall.
Following their gaze, Harry figured that their behavior shouldn't have been a mystery to him, given how gossip-prone the student body was. Kronnis and the Emperor were seated in prominent positions on Dumbledore's left side, and on his right was the empty chair that Professor McGonagall, as Deputy Headmistress, would soon occupy.
Having changed out of the casual clothes he had worn around Grimmauld Place, Kronnis was now wearing a formal-looking vest over a dark shirt with a tall collar, embroidered and decorated in a manner befitting a noble. He held himself as one too; back rigid, nose high, and carrying an aura of self-importance that Harry had seen all too often on Draco Malfoy.
The Emperor had simply donned the dark veil Harry had seen him wear at the Ministry, when they had run into each other outside the courtroom. Only his clawed hands and purple eyes could be seen, the latter standing out even from the far end of the hall as they glowed under his hood.
They were engaging in conversation with a familiar squat woman in a bright pink cardigan, sitting to Kronnis' left.
Harry's eyes widened. "It's that Umbridge woman," he hissed to Ron and Hermione. "She was at my hearing. I think she works for Fudge."
"That must be who Kronnis was talking about," Hermione whispered.
Just then, the door next to the staff table opened and the older witch walked in, taking a seat at the end of the table where Hagrid usually sat. Harry had seen her leading the first years away from the train earlier, but now that he still couldn't find Hagrid at the staff table, he was growing increasingly concerned for his friend.
Several seconds later, the entrance door to the Great Hall opened again to allow Professor McGonagall to lead the first years in. The sorting commenced with the usual fanfare, but Harry could still make out some whispers from nearby classmates. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were engaged in a heated discussion that he suddenly wished he hadn't overheard.
"-so tall, dark, and mysterious," Lavender sighed, still staring at the staff table.
Parvati shook her head. "He's probably hiding his face for a reason. He could be horribly disfigured – oh, maybe he's like Professor Moody and his nose is missing!" Her tone turned wistful as her eyes moved from the Emperor to Kronnis. "Lord Teken'rret on the other hand looks like a proper Prince Charming, straight out of a fantasy. Just look at those ears! And his hair is like silk." Their stifled giggles drowned out the next name McGonagall called from the front of the hall.
Harry hadn't been blind to Kronnis' handsome features, but hearing his classmates discussing the drow like this left him feeling vaguely uncomfortable. A strange sense of foreboding blossomed in his chest as he recalled how insufferable the student body had been when Lockhart had been a professor in his second year.
Once the last first year had been sorted, and McGonagall had removed the Sorting Hat and stool from the front of the hall, Dumbledore rose to his feet. With a beaming smile, he welcomed them all to Hogwarts and invited them to dig into the food that appeared before them with a clap of his hands. Ron wasted no time in filling his plate, with Harry following his example at a more sedate pace.
He felt unsettled throughout the feast and frequently looked back at the staff table, where Umbridge was still speaking with the Emperor. The illithid's plate was customarily empty again, and Harry wondered why he never bothered to eat during meals, now that he knew the Emperor was, at least, capable of eating. And wasn't that an unpleasant memory. He quickly shifted his thoughts back to Umbridge, lest he allow the thought of eating raw organs to spoil his appetite. Although, once his eyes caught sight of her pink cardigan again, he realized that it was just as distasteful a mental image.
During his hearing she had come off as condescending and biased, clearly working with Fudge to invalidate Harry's arguments. He understood now why Kronnis had warned them to be careful. It was unlikely that her behavior had changed since then.
As students finished working their way through dessert, and the volume in the Great Hall slowly picked up again, Dumbledore stood to give his traditional speech. The room quickly silenced itself, heads turning to face the headmaster.
Dumbledore began with the usual start of term notices, going over rules that, in Harry's experience, were only a suggestion. The headmaster then gestured with his left hand to draw the hall's attention back to Kronnis and the Emperor, who waved a polite greeting.
"As I am sure many of you have already read in the Daily Prophet, we have a pair of guests honoring us with their presence this year. Kronnis Teken'rret and the Emperor are delegates from the magical city of Baldur's Gate, which has been severed from the rest of the world for centuries. It's my pleasure to welcome them back to the greater magical community. They're here to learn about our culture and promote cooperation between our Ministry and the governing body of Baldur's Gate. I ask that you give them the same respect you afforded our guests from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons last year." A round of applause followed this announcement.
He continued on to discuss the now yearly change in staffing. "Professor Grubbly-Plank will substitute for Hagrid in teaching Care of Magical Creatures, and I'm delighted to introduce Professor Dolores Umbridge, who will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts." Applause started up again – noticeably less enthusiastic this time.
Dumbledore began announcing information on Quidditch tryouts, but was suddenly stopped by an unexpected sound. A soft "hem, hem," was heard from the headmaster's left, and as Umbridge stood – barely an inch taller than the Emperor's seated height – Harry realized that she intended to make a speech of her own.
She began by thanking the headmaster, and then her high-pitched voice took on a more condescending tone as she addressed the students as though they were five years old. "Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say. And to see such happy little faces looking back at me." Her own face contorted into what Harry assumed must be an attempt at a benevolent smile, but only served to accentuate her toad-like appearance.
"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance." Umbridge seemed to be putting specific emphasis on this, and Harry could see Kronnis nodding along. "The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down through the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished, and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching."
Her speech sounded rehearsed. Harry wondered how long she'd been preparing for this, and why exactly Kronnis was agreeing with her. He focused back on her words once he realized that he'd let his attention slip.
"-without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress' sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation-" It was no use. His eyes wandered around the hall, and he noticed that barely anyone was still listening to her. Whispers had filled the hall again and many students looked ready to fall asleep. She must have learned her public speaking skills from Professor Binns.
"-some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgment." Each word was slow and deliberate. Intended for some sort of effect, but her delivery left him feeling lost. "Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned."
She self-importantly raised her head as she finished her speech, regarding the student body as though they were subjects of her kingdom. Harry had no intention of following anything this toady had to say. "Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness, and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."
Umbridge finally sat down, prompting Dumbledore and the rest of the staff table to begin applauding. The students joined shortly after, halfhearted claps filling the hall.
The headmaster stood once again to continue his announcement regarding Quidditch tryouts, but Hermione's muttering distracted Harry. "Very enlightening indeed."
"Sounded dull to me," Ron responded, absently continuing to play with his silverware.
Hermione shook her head. "It explains a lot. 'Progress for progress' sake must be discouraged.' 'Pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited,'" she quoted Umbridge.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked.
"It means," she said grimly, "that the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts."
I think it's much funnier and more horrifying if you consider the idea of 'consuming' tadpoles for powerups to be less 'communing with their minds to get their power/experience' and more 'dangling it over your eye and letting it crawl into your brain to chomp down and merge/replace your existing brain tissue'. Anyway, that's what Kronnis was doing. The Emperor would have said something but it was already too late once he realized what was going on. Those gith were a real distraction. Kronnis had already let like 10 of them crawl into his brain by then, and was super casual about it. The Emperor was like *grimace emoji* "if it works it works I guess". Anyway. The point of this tangent is that that was absolutely not healthy, but it had some benefits. I suppose.
Next chapter: wtf were Kronnis and the Emperor up to at Hogwarts before Harry arrived? spoilers: nasty shit that I'm going to publish in an outtakes fic on ao3 in the coming week or so. Chapter 3's outtake is coming first tho. Also something something about charming the staff - figuratively of course, but I haven't even reviewed chapter 7 in weeks beyond writing the outtake so its a surprise for me as well!