Here is the next update. I'm aware it's been ages but I didn't have a laptop and everything with the pandemic was mad for me, but my situation has since changed so I'll be updating a bit more regularly now. Please read and review, Love Hermione xxx
Marvolo asked Severus what was going on with Slytherin in the staff room later that night and was surprised by the answer he received. As soon as Blaise Zabini got his own ability under control the house would be back to normal which he liked the sound of. Clearly whatever Severus had done or said his house was now behaving much better as a result. He could tell from reading some students minds purely to learn about what had happened during the talk Severus had given, that they all intended to change how they looked. He focused solely on the talk of Severus in order to see how he'd done. He wasn't into looking into people's minds purely to see everything private they ever did. This was about checking in on Severus without his knowledge. He in no way looked at anything else as it wasn't of interest to him. He knew anyway it would have been a serious invasion of privacy, something he was no longer willing to do. It would do them good to finally start thinking for themselves about how they wanted to look instead of blindly following their parents' ideals. Who knew how they'd turn out given the new freedom that Severus had provided them with. He was very right about Professor Slughorn. Some people say you are what you eat but in the case of Professor Slughorn he wanted to be known as you are what you wear. He was probably the most cunning man he'd ever seen. Because he wore everything mismatched and wanted to look like a bumbling old fool it was what people always took him for. He got lots of sympathy and knew loads of famous people for this reason. He was an amazing teacher. He knew everything even if he wanted to look like he didn't. He proved the point that people never asked questions or questioned anything in their society at all. It lead them to being sheep.
He thought about how he'd looked in his own youth and wondered idly who he'd taken after himself given that both of his parents had been dead. He could clearly see how Dumbledore had manipulated him in his youth now. It was a tough pill to swallow but as he was ultimately better now it was a moot point. He would use Lucius as and when he needed to in order to exact revenge on Dumbledore at the right moment. In fact, now that he thought about Lucius he had another mission for him. He knelt down at the floo in his office and called him to come through. Lucius thought he'd been there enough today but came through anyway. The last thing he needed was more wrath from Marvolo. He stepped through elegantly although he was now dressed in a mulberry silk nightgown and luxury brown leather slippers. It practically dripped with elegance. Marvolo eyed him seriously before chuckling to himself. Obviously Lucius would be posh even when going to bed.
"Come in Lucius. I have a mission for you to complete for me. You may do so tomorrow however as I don't wish to scare anyone. No one needs to see you dressed like this aside from your wife!" he said at which point all the colour drained from his face. He couldn't figure out why until he realised that Lucius was naked beneath the robe. A quick flash into his mind showed him Lucius had been getting ready for some afternoon delight with his wife. He really had caught him at a bad time. Thinking of afternoon delight made him think of Septima and blush rather heavily. Yes he couldn't wait to have meaningful sex for the first time in his life. It would be so amazing for him.
"Yes Marvolo sir what would you have me do?" he asked carefully trembling. I guess old habits really did die hard. He would eventually learn that asking questions was now not a stunable offense. He stared at Lucius for a moment waiting for the idiot to calm down as he was still very much hyperventilating like a fool. He raised his wand with a flourish and a bottle and piece of parchment came to him from the cupboard behind Lucius. He searched around in the drawer of his desk exhaling loudly when he didn't find what he was looking for.
"Lolly please visit Professor Snape and tell him that Professor Riddle needs a spare empty vial. He will have plenty of those in his stores no doubt" he said as the elf popped in, agreeing to do as he asked and left at once. Lucius by now was sitting in front of the desk silently awaiting instructions, holding his robes very much closed so as not to accidentally flash Marvolo. Lolly returned handing him the empty vial as he thanked her and bid her goodnight. He turned to Lucius asking him to wait a moment as he filled in the rest of the parchment which had only been half full a moment ago.
"Lucius your task is to find Professor Horace Slughorn tomorrow or as soon as you can. I am aware he can be excellent at hiding and I am not expecting miracles. In fact, so long as it is done I couldn't care less when or how you do it. You are to give him the veritas serum in this vial here and ask him the questions on this sheet here. Should he in any way resist use the imperious curse to get him to answer them. Once you are done place your memories of it all into this vial and cast a light spell of your choice. We wouldn't want you getting into trouble now would we! You're no good to me if you're in trouble!" he said as Lucius rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Yes Marvolo sir, master sir, I will do it. I'm just irritated as he really is always so difficult to find. I shall do my best. It will be done by the end of the week, rest assured. Is that all you needed to see me about?" he asked as Marvolo eyed him seriously with impatience. He'd have to take things into his own hands with Lucius as he didn't seem to be getting the point. He frowned going into his own potions store and grabbed a ritual potion emerging once he'd found what he was looking for.
"Drink this potion!" he said dropping some of his own blood in it which made Lucius balk slightly however he drank it none the less. This potion was designed to get the drinker to believe anything the giver of the blood told them. This meant Lucius would now do everything he asked and not fear retribution from asking questions. It would just make future endeavors easier with Lucius not fearing him every time he asked a question of the man. He dismissed Lucius and headed to bed for the night himself. It would be interesting to see what kind of answers Horace gave to the questions he was asked. This would be enlightening for sure. Over in Saint Mungo's there was a glow as both Frank and Alice healed as much as they could. They now looked younger then they ever had and healthier. Alice remembered Neville and keeping him safe. Frank Remembered keeping them both safe. They would remain in hospital to undergo intense testing to see if they could ever be released. It would take years until they were actually ready to leave but eventually it would happen and all because Marvolo had changed and become light. It felt good to do good. He had contacted the hospital to find out how they were and although they were shocked that someone else was asking about them, they did tell him the good news.
A very quick peak into Neville's mind showed him the kind of childhood he'd had and to be honest the fact that the boy was even ok was a miracle. He could tell that Augusta Longbottom clearly knew nothing of what Algernon had put Neville through. That much was obvious from Neville's memories. Algernon hadn't wanted her to know he was torturing Neville regularly because he knew she'd have kicked him ten ways from Sunday for it and won. It would seem he was not the only one who originally had a bad childhood. At least with his new body you couldn't see the belt lashing marks anymore. He'd been beaten senseless in that orphanage as a child for being so damn different. When Dumbledore had seen it, although he'd vomited he'd simply told him to get over it and that things like that don't happen at Hogwarts. He'd been told that stealing wasn't tolerated here either, but he'd only done that to get back at the children responsible for him getting beatings. In reality when someone doesn't see even a modicum of love in their youth it is expected that they will turn out all kinds of crazy. There were even muggle studies done on these kinds of things, one of which he'd read last week. It explained a lot about how children in these kinds of situations can latch onto anyone who looks remotely good to make their situation better. I mean isn't that what he'd done with Dumbledore? Hadn't he looked to Dumbledore to make his situation right after all? He sure hoped he could become a serious advocate for the welfare of the kids in this school one day. He wanted to do all he could to give them everything he was denied in his own youth. It would be great to help others and feel good about himself again.